Opinion

“The ultimate irony of crypto… is that crypto is succeeding by doing exactly the opposite of what it was originally intended for… Crypto will make governments and big corporations more, and not less, powerful.” —Mehta, Neel; Agashe, Aditya; Detroja, Parth. Blockchain Bubble or Revolution? Bitcoin...

As a mental health expert, one of the most profound truths I’ve observed is that small, consistent habits can create a ripple effect that transforms lives. Habits shape our days, and in turn, our days shape our lives. When cultivated intentionally, healthy habits can...

A visit to any of our local nurseries at this time of year is like a visit to the candy store for a gardener. There are so many exciting edibles available now and this is the time to get yours. How lucky am I...

As we step into 2025, we must acknowledge the unprecedented events that recently tested our community's resilience. Our long-held scientific belief that tornadoes do not happen in the Santa Cruz Mountains was dispelled. A week later, we saw historic storms destroy a county landmark...

“Be careful what you wish for, it might be more than you can handle.” That thought immediately came to mind, that late afternoon while staring down the hallway of my apartment building many years ago. Women and children were at each end of that hallway, some...

January is almost over with nary a raindrop. Our days have been lovely and many of my plants have started growing earlier than usual. Guess I can’t put off pruning my Compassion rose any longer. I see some outstanding new rose varieties available for...

Bummer Bob gripes over dinner, where most financial decisions get solved: “We just can’t afford a gorgeous river house in Brookdale now. Thirty-year mortgages are over 7%, and payments over three grand on $500,000 30-year loans daunt us buyers.” Pretty Penny, serving salmon, answers: “But...

High density threatens Hidden Glen’s quality of life Just wanted to quickly tell our story and voice our strong opposition to the proposed Haven Development, Santa Cruz County Application Number: 241369. We moved to the Hidden Glen neighborhood five years ago, after looking for the perfect...

I look out my sliding glass doors and see tall redwoods and stately oaks, but on the inside I enjoy the green and sometimes flowers of houseplants. I learned long ago to group them where they get enough light to do well. Recently I...

“Mae West has been on more laps than a napkin.” —Walter Winchel Yesterday, while ironing my umpteenth holiday napkin, I was remembering our “napkin box” that hung on the wall in the refectory at our convent in Tacoma, Wash. Such a simple box with 50 or...