As Frank Kendall, the U.S. secretary of the Air Force, opined, “These machines will eventually need to have the power to take lethal action on their own while remaining under human oversight in how they are deployed. “
This fascinating quotation about the military potential of A.I. is deeply revealing of how an obsolete way of thinking works. The statement allows a direct stare into the heart of evil, not the evil of malign intent, but of the blind futility of violence accelerated by technological “progress.” It foretells a perverse refusal of possibilities other than dehumanizing our adversaries so completely that we are willing to kill them with machines that are already frighteningly lethal, even without the capacity to make their own decisions.
Also implicit in the secretary’s old thinking is that sacred cow of establishment thinking, deterrence. As long as we have more of the latest, fastest, most intelligent and most destructive weapons, we will not need to use them because that will be sufficient to make our enemy think twice before taking us on. But contemporary asymmetric warfare, let alone the likelihood of either human or A.I. error, effectively undermines deterrence theory.
Conventional war doesn’t resolve the underlying conflict that initiated it. Nuclear war even less so (think nuclear winter). Variations on nuclear or chemical or biological war with the added dimension of A.I. will become doubly, triply world-destructive—in other words, obsolete.
Because everyone’s security and survival is a shared problem, we need to re-humanize our adversaries—to perceive the “me-semblance” of the other, even if they seem hateful to us and toward us.
We need our military people on all sides to gather and peer together down the time-stream at a future that holds only two possibilities: Either adversaries spend infinite treasure and resources to arrive at a stalemate on a new, even more hair-trigger level—or we destroy ourselves.
When we agree that these will be the outcomes unless we change, we can work together to apply A.I. to common challenges, including the prevention of wars no one can win.
Winslow Myers is the author of ‘Living Beyond War: A Citizen’s Guide.’
Donald Trump was hit with a gag order, which is under review. The restrictions prevented Trump from verbally attacking court staff, prosecutors or potential witnesses—the same for social media. This is true, because these are private citizens whose position and involvement are part of their jobs or duties.
But the order didn’t stop him from venting about the judge, the Justice Department, the case more generally or his potential general election foe, President Joe Biden. This is also true, but these persons have public positions and resources that ordinary individuals do not have. The judiciary must retain the gag order, providing guidelines for future abusers.
Gary Sciford
Santa Rosa
Hoodwinked
Who knew? Whatever happened to peripheral vision? Hoodies—the cool dude look has eliminated peripheral anything. Skateboarders, bicyclists and anyone who drives—the hooded dude look prevails. Monks and hoods—maybe, but not all that safe when driving. Or is it another sign of my old age and “out of it” take on peripheral vision? Driverless cars are missing a basic rule of the road. And don’t tell me it’s all covered by computers in cars. Baa-hum-bug.
Neil Davis
Sebastopol
Editor’s Note: In a ‘Pacific Sun’ piece entitled ‘Dharmashire’ (Oct. 30, 2023), the term ‘gender transition’ was inadvertently used instead of ‘generational transition.’ We regret the error.
The sun disappears behind the ocean horizon. The sky turns vanilla, and the wind stiffens. Twilight’s slow transformation into darkness reveals a million subtle shades along the way.
Those who have ever spent an evening on the Sonoma or Marin coast know exactly what I’m writing about. It’s one of the many North Bay ties that bind. There are plenty of others, ones that make us who we are, ones we share gladly with those who visit. The beaches, the farms, the bigger cities and small towns…
But what if I said there was another place, one far away, but one where someone might feel just as at home?
I’m happy to write that such a place exists. It shares our rocky coasts, rich soil and enviable scenic beauty. But most of the people there don’t look out over the Pacific to view the sunset.
They do so to watch the sunrise.
Welcome to Hokkaido, Japan.
Another City by the Bay
As San Francisco is the gateway to the North Bay, Hakodate fills the same role in Hokkaido. Imagine the peninsula flipped upside down, and instead of the Presidio, a mini mountain with excellent views from the summit. And, yes, expect to burn some calories walking up steep hills.
The connection between the two cities runs much deeper than similar geography. The Old Public Hall, built in 1910, features Japanese, Chinese, French and English architectural influences. Catholic and Russian Orthodox churches gaze out over the bay, along with scores of preserved homes that look better suited to Victorian England than Japan. Every culture that has come through Japan’s City by the Bay left a permanent mark.
All that’s missing is the Golden Gate.
And like in San Francisco, Hakodate’s seafood can’t be beat. Thankfully for visitors, the morning seafood market exists just steps from the central train station. Big spenders can put down about $400 for a whole king crab or $80 for a modest-sized rice bowl adorned with tongue-sized pieces of golden sea urchin.
First-timers will wish they’d packed a second stomach before taking the nearly four-hour train ride north to Hokkaido’s Santa Rosa, Sapporo.
Two Cities, One Heart
Sapporo is a sprawling metropolis with convenient access to Hokkaido’s natural beauty. Go west to see the ocean. Go east to find sprawling farms. Go south to encounter wilderness saved for future generations.
Sound familiar?
And as with Santa Rosa, in the center of Sapporo exists a testament to the botanist who preserved his city’s natural beauty. Sapporo’s Luther Burbank was Kingo Miyabe (1860-1950), a Harvard graduate who founded the city’s first botanical garden. Thirty-three acres just five blocks from Sapporo Station host old-growth forests and provide sanctuary to over 4,000 plant species. A modest museum in the style of a Maine farmhouse displays Miyabe’s writings, including an 1888 letter to an American colleague:
“It is my dream and hope that someday during my lifetime to lay a solid foundation of a model garden botanique in Sapporo for the instruction and refinement of the generations to come.”
After seeing it all firsthand, the author must write that Miyabe succeeded beyond his wildest dreams.
On to food. Santa Rosa may be famous for beer, but Sapporo has the city beat with its 19th-century brewery, now a German-style beer garden and museum. This red brick structure, one that could easily stand in for the Wonka factory, attracts beer lovers ready to pair more than a few Sapporo Classic lagers with servings of grilled lamb, pork and seafood.
Just don’t overdo it on the all-you-can-drink package. “Gentlemen, excuse me if I should stumble,” the author overheard a visitor say to his friends before shuffling off to the restroom.
From Sapporo, explorers wanting a North Bay experience have two options—one much, much farther away than the other.
Familiar Coastline, Surprising View
The trip up Highway 1 through Marin and Sonoma offers some of the best North Bay views. The slow drive and scenery let locals and visitors alike reconnect with nature and themselves.
Hokkaido’s Highway 1 (National Route 238) begins in Wakkanai, the most northern city in Japan and five hours by train from Sapporo. From there, a bus takes travelers the 20 miles around Tomales Bay’s long-lost cousin—Soya Bay. Fishing shacks, some new, some ancient, dot the narrow, pebbly beaches.
The final destination, Cape Soya, is a pleasant rest area much like the one at The Tides Wharf and Restaurant in Bodega Bay. A monument jutting out into the sea marks Japan’s most northern point. And on a clear day, visitors can see “it” while looking out over the ocean. In this case, it is not a pod of humpbacks or seals, but Russian Sakhalin’s rugged coast.
Turning around reveals hundreds of square miles of dairy farms that would in no way look out of place in Sonoma County. The half-a-million cows spread throughout northern Hokkaido produce everything from the butter found in Tokyo grocery stores to the rich ice cream people flock to Hokkaido just to eat, even for breakfast.
Happy cows live in California, but their Hokkaido counterparts ain’t doing so bad. They just need to spend winter nights indoors.
In fact, the only tell that Wakkanai and Cape Soya aren’t on the Sonoma or Marin coast is the smell, or, better put, lack of one. There is no odor of seaweed along the shore, no whiff of iodine in the air. The wind blowing between the Seas of Japan and Okhotsk carries only the faintest hint of salt.
It’s time to head back south, where other familiar yet new sights await.
Worlds Converge
Like the many small towns in western Sonoma and Marin, Otaru is Hokkaido’s weekend getaway destination. Only 40 minutes from Sapporo by train, this coastal city lets tourists explore preserved buildings, imagine themselves in a simpler time and have a good meal. And if visitors should get hungry for seafood, Otaru has it and then some. The city’s restaurants offer up some of the best crab in Japan, especially during the cold winter months.
Wine lovers find themselves with the same bounty of choices in the summer and fall. Rolling hills to Otaru’s west feature vineyards producing Japan’s finest pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot gris. The dark volcanic soil helps the fragile vines thrive in the area’s frigid winters and hot, humid summers.
Otaru has one more surprise for the North Bay traveler. Along the main shopping street is SNOOPY Village, a modern store dedicated to everything Peanuts. The merchandise inside ranges from stuffed toys to stained glass. And in the entryway, a small café serves up piping-hot sweet bean buns decorated with the faces of Snoopy, Lucy and good ol’ Charlie Brown.
But all good things must come to an end. The trip feels over too soon as one last train ride starts the journey home.
PEANUTS The Snoopy Cha-ya in Otaru, Hokkaido, has a familiar vibe.
A Home for Everyone
The sun disappears behind the rolling hills. The Hokuto’s (Big Dipper) seven train cars seem to glide over the crashing waves just beyond the window. In the distance, the placid sea shimmers like mercury. Viewing such a splendid yet surreal sight, it’s bittersweet to think that Hokkaido, like the North Bay, is a place where so many people can visit but so few can live.
That feeling doesn’t inspire melancholy but a desire to return. The same pull that brings people back to Hokkaido again and again brings others to the North Bay again and again. These two places, separated by a vast ocean, accept visitors with open arms and let all who pass through feel at home during their stay, no matter how long or how short.
So North Bay readers may consider Hokkaido for a next international adventure. And they may return to see their home in a brand-new light.
Santa gets local with his annual visit to Nick’s Cove via water sleigh (aka, a boat). A converted boat house and tons of decorations make the perfect photo op for junior while the folks grab a seasonal cocktail and meal from the restaurant. Santa’s workshop will have cookies, hot cocoa and more for good little children. With a view of Tomales Bay and good food and drink, no wonder the big red guy comes back every year. Santa visits from 3pm to 5pm, Sunday, Dec. 3. Nick’s Cove Restaurant, 23240 CA-1, Marshall.
Mill Valley
Studio Party
The Studio yoga space in Mill Valley invites all to gather for the holiday season “in the spirit of joy, relaxation and community” at a hosted event featuring food and drink. Participants will experience “rejuvenating 20-minute” mini-classes on topics like “You-ometry” and “Yoga Nidra” and meet local vendors “offering wellness products, yoga essentials and handmade treasures,” according to publicity. If those are one’s thing, this is the place. 2pm to 6pm, Saturday, Dec. 9. The Studio, 650 E. Blithedale Ave., Mill Valley.
Napa
Old Friends
Talking Heads guitarist Jerry Harrison and contributor Adrian Belew have banded together to perform classic songs from the band’s catalog, often digging most deeply into material from Remain in Light. Earlier this year, they played the Mill Valley Music Festival to an ecstatic reception. Good money that the duo will repeat that almost spiritual connection with the crowd at the New Year’s Eve show in a more intimate environment at JaM Cellars Ballroom. Want more intimacy? For VIP ticket holders, there is a meet and greet with the musicians, who will share stories behind the songs. Doors 8pm, show 9pm, Sunday, Dec. 31. JaM Cellars Ballroom, 1030 Main St., Napa. General admission. Ages 8 and up. Ticket prices vary. $99 general admission, $199 VIP.
Santa Rosa
Tiny Works
If all the big news and big expectations of the holidays feels overwhelming right now, a totally different tact is to see the “Small Works: Sense of Humor” exhibition at the Santa Rosa Arts Center, which is the annual Small Works Show. The year’s theme is on display in dozens of miniscule works by local artists whose approach, according to organizers, is “whimsical, oddball, surreal, playful, fun, off-color or just mixed-up.” 11am–2pm Wednesday and Sunday, 11am–3pm Friday and Saturday until Dec. 31, Santa Rosa Arts Center, 312 South A St., Santa Rosa.
Ridley Scott, the filmmaker behind Napoleon, is a European. Of course, the veteran producer-director, a native of South Shields, in the Tyne and Wear district of northeast England, is as English as it is possible to be. But for all that, the indefatigable 85-year-old Scott has something in common with all the Celts, Saxons, Angles, Jutes, Picts, Vikings, Normans and innumerable other ethnic groups who made England, and the present-day United Kingdom, their home—they’re all at least nominally European. Numerous wars have been fought over the issue.
That’s where Napoleon comes in. Scott’s 56th directorial effort tells the story of another European, a 19th-century Corsican French warrior-monarch whose name still resonates in world history two centuries later, for better or worse.
Scott’s Napoleon is a rousing, red-blooded experience, an old-fashioned—and emotionally relatively uncomplicated—historical epic outfitted with modern production techniques and filled to overflowing with battles, intrigues and the scandalous relationship between former artillery officer Napoleon Bonaparte (Joaquin Phoenix) and his restless wife, Joséphine (Vanessa Kirby).
In Scott’s film, with a screenplay by frequent collaborator David Scarpa (All the Money in the World, The Man in the High Castle), Napoleon works his way up from an army captain in league with the French Revolution, luridly depicted in the film’s opening scene, to the rank of brigadier general—and eventually, Emperor of France—thanks to his seemingly unquenchable thirst for bloody warfare. Toulon, the corridors of Paris during the Reign of Terror, Egypt, Italy, the Austrian Empire, Russia—Napoleon and his troops subjugate the population everywhere they march, up until that nasty business in Waterloo. CGI soldiers’ heads and horses’ necks explode under mortar fire, and regimes go up in flames.
Meanwhile, the conqueror falls in love with Joséphine de Beauharnais (Kirby), the young widow of a guillotined aristocrat. She’s a post-revolutionary party girl not entirely smitten by the coarse Corsican and his battering-ram style of sexual intercourse, but willing to overlook some matters while living in some of the continent’s most lavish houses. Director Scott digs down deep into his bag of extravagant European settings here. Even in the wake of House of Gucci, All the Money in the World, Hannibal and The Duellists, he apparently hasn’t yet exhausted the supply. Despite centuries of destruction, Europe is still remarkably well equipped with fancy real estate.
Phoenix may not be every moviegoer’s first choice for the title role, especially for those who winced at his performance as the cruel Roman emperor, Commodus, in Gladiator. And yet the actor who starred in Joker and Two Lovers arguably deserves the role of a violent megalomaniac, so all is forgiven. Never mind that a few of his line readings are stiff, and that Napoleon’s childish friskiness in one or two scenes seems odd. Let’s just say that Phoenix cuts a fine figure in the saddle, waving a saber, and let it go at that.
Kirby’s impersonation of Joséphine is another matter entirely. From the very first glimpse of her as the merry widow at a cocktail party, she’s a beguiling combination of the bewildered coquette and the poule de luxe every time Darusz Wolski’s camera swings her way. Joséphine looks as authentic in her empire-waist gowns as Phoenix does in his cockade-bedecked uniforms. Kudos likewise to Paul Rhys, as diplomat Charles Maurice de Talleyrand, and Edouard Philipponat, as Alexander, Tsar of Russia, a pair of dealmakers in the Age of Enlightenment.
Volumes have been written about Scott and the lasting effect his visual sense has had on contemporary big-screen entertainment. Napoleon belongs in the front rank of his creations, alongside such landmarks as Blade Runner, Alien and Black Hawk Down. For its thrilling battle scenes, its ironic characterizations of the revolutionaries who became their own special brand of aristocracy and for the essential European-ness of the project itself, this glittering, sweaty panorama of antique world history should be essential viewing.
The holiday season has officially kicked off at Ross Valley Players with It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play. The Adrian Elfenbaum-directed show runs at the Marin Art and Garden Center in Ross through Dec. 14.
Joe Landry adapted the classic 1946 Frank Capra movie as a play within a play. Five actors play 1940s radio performers playing various roles in a live radio production of It’s a Wonderful Life. The core story is the same as that of the film: George Bailey is a stand-up guy with bad luck who, after a particularly bad night, contemplates ending it all, only to be saved by Clarence, a fledgling angel trying to earn his wings.
The twist is that the play is on an old-fashioned radio soundstage: WBFR in Manhattan. The production has live foley tables, live instruments and even a touch of theatrical magic. Foley is the art of creating sound effects, such as banging coconut shells together to mimic horse hooves. Before the advent of modern sound systems, it was present at every live performance. It’s always a pleasure to experience good foley; it would be worth it if this production offered nothing else.
The other technical and design aspects of this production are good. Set designer Mikiko Uesugi has made the most of the space, and the result is a nearly flawless, ultra-realistic radio soundstage. Michael A. Berg’s costumes excel in their attention to detail, and Dianne Harrison’s property design is well-crafted.
The tech and design elements are not the only good work done. The play is well cast with a tight ensemble. Their dynamic keeps the play from getting overly saccharine. And apart from a slight tendency from Evan Held (Jake Laurents playing George Bailey) to get shouty in act three, everything else is well grounded.
Loren Nordlund as radio host Freddie Filmore (and others) and Malcolm Bowman Rodgers as Harry “Jazzbo” Heywood (and others, including Clarence) both showcase wide ranges and transition smoothly from one character to another. Molly Rebekka Benson (Lana Sherwood, Violet and others) shows skills and talent that make for an almost textbook example of how to do a show calling for so many characters.
If one’s holidays require cynicism, obviously, this show isn’t for them. But for those looking for pure theatrical comfort food to share with loved ones this season, this production absolutely delivers.
‘It’s a Wonderful LIfe: A Live Radio Play’ runs through Dec. 17 at the Barn Theatre in the Marin Art and Garden Center, 30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Ross. Thurs. – Sat. 7:30pm; Sun., 2pm. $20–$35. 415.456.9555. rossvalleyplayers.com.
Hatem Ahmad Hatem Al-Hissi aged 2, Jenna Hamed Naser Al-Asatal aged 1, Esraa Mu’ayyad Yousef Abu Marzouq aged 12, Hayat Abdullah Musa Al-Asatal aged 6.
This is just a tiny fraction of the names and ages of children who have been killed in Gaza by weapons stamped “Made in USA.”
They were read on the sidewalk outside of the Raytheon corporate offices in Arlington, VA, during the run up to the opening session of Merchants of Death War Crimes Tribunal on Nov. 12. This was a people’s tribunal, which tried several large corporations for war crimes. These corporations produce weapons that our government uses to cause death and destruction all over the world, but especially in the Middle East. These corporations profit through the suffering of innocent people.
The organizers of the tribunal have spent the last couple of years gathering evidence through interviews with victims, analysts, lawyers and stakeholders. A series of videos are being released weekly over the next four months that will show how Raytheon, General Atomics, Boeing and Lockheed Martin are complicit in crimes against humanity.
These compelling videos will expose these corporations’ need to be held accountable for their crimes. More than 1,700 people worldwide registered for the opening session (watch the videos at merchantsofdeath.org).
The sidewalk outside of Raytheon has been privatized. What is usually a public place for citizens to exercise their First Amendment rights has been sold to this private corporation by Arlington County. Nonetheless, that did not deter us. We had a large Merchants of Death banner and many other signs. We read names of children who were killed in conflict. After asking us to leave [and we refused], we were put under arrest. We are from several states, and our ages ranged from 28-77 years old.
As a grandmother, it is the suffering of the children that inspires and motivates me to take action. When we know what is happening and we accept responsibility as Americans, we have no choice but to act. Some lobby, some write, some offer nonviolent direct action. All of us can participate and, when we do, we make a difference.
Joy First is a grandmother and long-time peace activist.
As the temperatures begin to drop, holiday albums start landing, and 2023 has brought its share of these releases. Here are some choices from this year’s arrivals.
Cher: Christmas – Cher’s first-ever holiday album, not surprisingly, touches plenty of stylistic bases. There’s modern dance-pop (“Angels In The Snow”); Motown/soul/pop on “Christmas, Baby Please Come Home (with Darlene Love, who sang the original Phil Spector-produced version); acoustic balladry (with Michael Buble joining Cher on “Home”); modern R&B/hip-hop (with Tyga adding a forced-sounding rap on “Drop Top Sleigh Ride”); rock (“Run Rudolph Run”); and a touch of blues on “I Like Christmas.” Depending on one’s perspective, Cher has something for everyone here, or Christmas is stylistically scattered. Either way, it’s unmistakably Cher.
Jon Pardi: Merry Christmas From Jon Pardi – The country star’s first holiday album is highlighted by its originals, including the rocking “Beer For Santa” and the swinging “400 Horsepower Sleigh.” Pardi also does a few standards on a fun effort that’s more adventurous than the usual holiday album.
Halley Neal & Sam Robbins: You and Me on Christmas Eve – These two solo artists harmonize nicely on one of the season’s best albums. It features several strong originals, including “Christmas is Coming Soon,” an easy-going melodic folk-rock tune, and the pretty pop-leaning title track.
Michelle Malone & the Hot Toddies: Toddie Time – Malone finds a sweet spot between bluegrass-tinged roots rock and swinging jazz on this refreshing acoustic-centric set of Christmas covers.
The Burrito Brothers: Christmas – The current lineup of the band that began in 1971 as the Flying Burrito Brothers brings their familiar ’70s-rooted country sound to a set made up almost entirely of original holiday songs. It’s a pleasant, if a bit uneven, effort.
Gregory Porter: Christmas Wish – The Grammy-winning jazz singer brings together some inspired song choices (Stevie Wonder’s “Someday at Christmas” and Marvin Gaye’s “Purple Snowflakes”), a few standards and three solid originals, “Everything’s Not Lost,” “Christmas Wish” and “Heart For Christmas,” on this classy effort.
Johnny Mathis: Christmas Time Is Here – The singing legend remains in good voice on this tasteful 10-song set consisting mostly of seasonal standards. It should become a perennial favorite for fans of classic Christmas albums.
Mark Tremonti: Christmas Classics New & Old – Tremonti is best known as the guitarist for hard rockers Alter Bridge and Creed, but he’s also carving out a niche as a Frank Sinatra-styled singer. That’s the Tremonti we hear on this set of familiar holiday fare. His smooth baritone can stand alongside the likes of Michael Buble, and Tremonti’s versions of these classics—with full orchestral arrangements—make for a timeless Christmas album.
Amber Lawrence: A Very Aussie Aussie Christmas – This family Christmas album comes with a down-under twist, courtesy of Lawrence, a popular country artist in Australia. Originally released in her home country in 2017, its songs (mostly originals) blend sprightly pop and country and will appeal to kids and adults alike.
Nils Landgren: Christmas with My Friends VIII – The veteran trombonist and jazz artist returns with his eighth seasonal set. Mixing familiar holiday standards and lesser-known selections, it’s another tasteful effort that unites jazz and pop.
Tarja: Dark Christmas – This selection of gothy, classical-leaning versions of Christmas standards is plenty unique. But including tunes with light lyrics (“Jingle Bells,” “Jingle Bell Rock” and “Frosty The Snowman”) is a misstep on an otherwise intriguing album.
Matt Rogers: Have You Heard of Christmas – This comedian/singer brings together his skewed sense of humor and a taste for modern pop/R&B on this album. “Every Christmas Eve (Mrs. Claus’ Theme)” finds the jolly guy’s wife getting suspicious of her hubby’s Christmas Eve adventures, while the silky ballad “Have You Heard of Christmas” has some sneaky commentary and thoughtful observations.
Brandy: Christmas with Brandy – The popular R&B singer returns with her first holiday outing. The original material (including the sexy, silky ballad “Christmas Party For Two” and the bouncy “Christmas Gift”) makes Christmas with Brandy an album worth noticing.
Adam Blackstone: A Legacy Christmas – This multifaceted artist successfully crafts a jazzy set that also weaves in touches of R&B, hip-hop, gospel and pop over a selection of originals and freshly reinterpreted holiday favorites.
Seth MacFarlane: We Wish You The Merriest Christmas – Best known for his animated series, Family Guy and American Dad, McFarlane has also been making music rooted in the Great American Songbook. This collection of familiar holiday standards, also featuring his frequent singing partner, Liz Gillies, works well for MacFarlane and his rich baritone.
Kings Return: We Four Kings – The genre-spanning a cappella group gets plenty of vocal and sonic variety out of having just four vocalists, and the accomplished performances on “Jingle Bell Rock,” “The Kings’ Nutcracker Suite,” “Jesus Is The Reason For the Season” and others suggest Kings Return are among the best in their genre.
Philly Special: A Philly Special Christmas Special – Yes, Jason Kelce, Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata shouldn’t quit their day jobs playing for the Philadelphia Eagles, but this trio’s second charity album is another credible effort, with a few surprise song choices (“Dominick The Donkey” and “Pretty Paper”) and notable guests (including Patti LaBelle and Amos Lee).
Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers:Because It’s Christmas Time – The bluegrass-rooted string band led by acclaimed banjo player Mullins gifts us a fine album of originals and not-obvious covers that are at turns frisky (“Reindeer Boogie,” “Christmas At the Old Home Place”) and gentle and melodic (“From My Broken Heart To You,” “There Once Was A Time On Earth”).
A Winter Union: Sooner After Solstice: A Transatlantic Folk Christmas – This UK folk supergroup convenes for a set of melodic originals and covers that lean toward easy-going ballads, but occasionally kick up the energy (“Boxing Day” and “Ring Out, Solstice Bells”).
George Perris: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year! – The PBS favorite makes a typical orchestral holiday album, repeating some tunes in different languages.
The Browns: Christmas in Prague – Here’s a holiday album for fans of Lawrence Welk.
A Few Other Worthy Holiday Albums
Straight No Chaser: Stocking Stuffer (an a cappella treat with humor); Michael Bolton: Christmas Time (holiday favorites with booming vocals, epic arrangements); George Gee Swing Orchestra: Winter Wonderland (a jazzy big-band-styled take on 10 standards); Christian Sands: Christmas Stories (the pianist brings jazzy accents to five classics and five original tunes); Hauser: Christmas (the Croatian cellist takes the lead on an orchestral set of Christmas classics); and The Gothard Sisters: A Celtic Christmas (the guitar/violin/flute trio puts an Irish folk accent on a dozen tunes).
Nikita Khandheria is the CEO of Ditas, a stunning addition to Sausalito’s waterfront. Remarkably, she turns 21 this year—talk about young ambition!
What do you do?
My team and I just opened a Coastal Californian restaurant in downtown Sausalito.
Where do you live? On the cusp of Tiburon and Corte Madera, walking distance from Nugget.
How long have you lived in Marin?
I was born at Marin General Hospital, but my parents made the decision to move to India when I was four. I returned to Marin at 15 and have lived here since.
Where can we find you when you’re not at work?
Opening Ditas has been all-consuming, and I’m still an international college student half the time!
If you had to convince someone how awesome Marin is, where would you take them?
We’d start our day with a hike on Mt. Tam, followed by breakfast at Rustic Bakery in Larkspur. We’d then head to the batting cages at McKinnis, working up enough appetite to then go to Ditas (obviously!). We’d end with a night drive up to the Headlands to take in the beauty of our county.
What is one thing Marin is missing?
Nightlife! I want to go out dancing with my friends when I’m feeling low, but I can’t seem to find a place in Marin.
What’s one bit of advice you’d share with your fellow Marinites?
Moving is never an option; you cannot find a paradise like this anywhere else.
If you could invite anyone to a special dinner, who would it be? Phunsukh Wangdu (Rancho), from the film 3 Idiots, has been a mentor through the television screen as far back as I can remember.
What is some advice you wish you knew 20 years ago?
Walking gets easier! Twenty years ago, I was about four months old, so I don’t know what advice my little self would need!
What is something that in 20 years from now will seem cringeworthy?
Cancel culture has led some of us to feel the need to push others down. I believe we’ll realize that we missed the opportunity to uplift and support each other instead.
Big question. What is one thing you’d do to change the world?
I’m dedicated to promoting economic independence among women in developing countries—empowering them will create a ripple effect of positive change in their communities and beyond—nobody ever deserves to feel helpless like that.
Keep up with Khandheria at @ditas.marin on Instagram.
Nish Nadaraja was on the founding team at Yelp, serves on the San Anselmo Arts Commission and attempts to play pickleball at Fairfax’s Cañon Club.
Until recently, Congress was the laughing stock of American democracy. That honor has been transferred to the Supreme Court, which has recently chosen to rebuild its image of corruption and favoritism with a new internally developed code of ethics and conduct.
Sorry, boys and girls, it will take a generation or more to overcome such a monumental lack of trust in a single branch of government, with or without full disclosure on the parts of all justices of exactly what “benefits” they have received and from whom, since their respective appointments to the Supreme Court.
It is an immeasurable loss of respect, integrity and dignity for our country, an international embarrassment on a massive scale.
Craig J. Corsini
San Rafael
News Nod
Pro-peace and responsible journalism are two ideals this world needs!
Yes, it’s tragic and yes, we’re heartbroken—so many of us for both cultures and all innocent people who have been killed in the war in Israel/Palestine.
Dan Pulcrano did an excellent job of summarizing the story (“Pro-Peace Piece,” Nov. 15 Bohemian and Pacific Sun). I so appreciate when journalists do not lead me into their bias, but present a full and complete picture and allow me, as a reader, to come to my own conclusion.
This is also sorely missing, by the way, in mainstream media whenever the former president is interviewed or covered by the press.
Research. Fact check. Find a credible counterpoint. News coverage is not ranting.
As Frank Kendall, the U.S. secretary of the Air Force, opined, “These machines will eventually need to have the power to take lethal action on their own while remaining under human oversight in how they are deployed. “
This fascinating quotation about the military potential of A.I. is deeply revealing of how an obsolete way of thinking works. The statement...
Gag Me
Donald Trump was hit with a gag order, which is under review. The restrictions prevented Trump from verbally attacking court staff, prosecutors or potential witnesses—the same for social media. This is true, because these are private citizens whose position and involvement are part of their jobs or duties.
But the order didn’t stop him from venting about the judge,...
The sun disappears behind the ocean horizon. The sky turns vanilla, and the wind stiffens. Twilight’s slow transformation into darkness reveals a million subtle shades along the way.
Those who have ever spent an evening on the Sonoma or Marin coast know exactly what I’m writing about. It’s one of the many North Bay ties that bind. There are plenty...
Marshall
Santa’s Back
Santa gets local with his annual visit to Nick’s Cove via water sleigh (aka, a boat). A converted boat house and tons of decorations make the perfect photo op for junior while the folks grab a seasonal cocktail and meal from the restaurant. Santa’s workshop will have cookies, hot cocoa and more for good little children. With a...
Ridley Scott, the filmmaker behind Napoleon, is a European. Of course, the veteran producer-director, a native of South Shields, in the Tyne and Wear district of northeast England, is as English as it is possible to be. But for all that, the indefatigable 85-year-old Scott has something in common with all the Celts, Saxons, Angles, Jutes, Picts, Vikings, Normans...
The holiday season has officially kicked off at Ross Valley Players with It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play. The Adrian Elfenbaum-directed show runs at the Marin Art and Garden Center in Ross through Dec. 14.
Joe Landry adapted the classic 1946 Frank Capra movie as a play within a play. Five actors play 1940s radio performers playing various...
Hatem Ahmad Hatem Al-Hissi aged 2, Jenna Hamed Naser Al-Asatal aged 1, Esraa Mu’ayyad Yousef Abu Marzouq aged 12, Hayat Abdullah Musa Al-Asatal aged 6.
This is just a tiny fraction of the names and ages of children who have been killed in Gaza by weapons stamped “Made in USA.”
They were read on the sidewalk outside of the Raytheon corporate...
As the temperatures begin to drop, holiday albums start landing, and 2023 has brought its share of these releases. Here are some choices from this year’s arrivals.
Cher: Christmas – Cher’s first-ever holiday album, not surprisingly, touches plenty of stylistic bases. There’s modern dance-pop (“Angels In The Snow”); Motown/soul/pop on “Christmas, Baby Please Come Home (with Darlene Love, who sang...
Nikita Khandheria is the CEO of Ditas, a stunning addition to Sausalito’s waterfront. Remarkably, she turns 21 this year—talk about young ambition!
What do you do?
My team and I just opened a Coastal Californian restaurant in downtown Sausalito.
Where do you live? On the cusp of Tiburon and Corte Madera, walking distance from Nugget.
How long have you lived in Marin?...
Congress Mess
Until recently, Congress was the laughing stock of American democracy. That honor has been transferred to the Supreme Court, which has recently chosen to rebuild its image of corruption and favoritism with a new internally developed code of ethics and conduct.
Sorry, boys and girls, it will take a generation or more to overcome such a monumental lack of...
