It’s difficult to grasp how difficult wine tasting can be until you begin to practice it.

Like a horror show picture, giant squid seem to be invading the coast. From Fort Bragg to Monterey, giant Humboldt squid have shown up in massive numbers.

“May you live in interesting times” — a Chinese curse or a Western invention? While its origin is disputed, its meaning is quite applicable to our current state of affairs. Nowhere is this truer than for the Santa Cruz Public Libraries.

EDITOR,

Two years ago, I wrote a column about the “The year that wasn’t.” It was 2007, the year when Barry Bonds, Lance Armstrong and others were hit with steroid allegations, and nothing, except the “I believe” Golden State Warriors, seemed to go right for Bay Area sports teams.

As we prepare to leave the old year behind and greet the New Year, I would like to propose the following health-related resolutions:

Here is a Christmas carol medley written especially for readers here in the Santa Cruz Mountains.