Sonoma County Traffic

We are choking on traffic.  However, the Press Democrat keeps telling us that the population of Sonoma County is shrinking and that there's been a 45% increase of those working from home.

Two and two are not adding up to four. 

Sonoma County: Measure A Defeat

Wow.  Sonoma County Supervisors are *really* out of touch with their constituents.  Here's the painful lesson the supervisors need to learn.  Attention Sonoma County Supervisors:  You may get your money from special interest groups, but you get your votes from the general population with no affiliation to special interest groups.

Tough quandry, isn't it?

We, the people, were asked to "trust" the politicians with more money.  I've said it before, I work hands-on in the financial trenches and see nothing but waste, waste, irresponsible spending, and more waste at the upper echelons.  The paving contractors et al were already lined up with their hands out for a lucrative government contract.  The labor unions were chiming in as they offer monetary support and promises of votes from the masses (which did not materialize).

Bottom line:  The only ones supporting this measure were politicians and special interest groups, which is NEVER a good combination.  Thank goddesses the people are waking up and not listening to the media as to how to cast their votes.  People are actually READING ballot measures now and following the money.  We are sick of deceit, waste, and greed at the upper levels of government.

Politicians come and go and hold no lasting accountability to their actions.  That's how we got into trouble with the under-funded pension issue to begin with.  If politicians were personally accountable beyond the time they served in office things would be different.

Plus, Efren Carrillo did not help this cause.  He thinks he only needs to please those in his own district.  The entire county remembers.  Efren, you should have resigned being the drunken pervert you are.  We take the credibility of the entire board based on your lack of accepting consequences for your actions and twisting events to lessen the severity using political ass-kissers to obtain your personal agenda.  That's what killed this ballot measure.  Lack of integrity and responsibility.  If Efren really cared about the public he would have resigned.  He did not.  Supervisors:  You are only as strong as your weakest link. 

Here is Rohnert Park in a song.....  The upcoming casino project seals the low-life cultural doom.

Wine Country

One of the drawbacks of living in a stunningly beautiful area are the hoards of tourists that descend upon the area like locusts. Every year way too many people visit the "wine country" and vow to close up shop where ever they're from and move to Sonoma County to pursue a semi-retirement of wine making. Please don't.

If you do visit Sonoma County, here are some tips deflect as much hostility from the locals as possible:

1. Never, EVER say you're from New York, Texas, or Southern California;

2. You can get a drunk driving infraction for riding your bike from winery to winery dressed like Lance Armstrong through the valley. Not only will you get a DUI, you'll also get a ticket for dressing like a dork in your nut-hugging, lycra shorts;

3. Locals in full-sized Ford pick-up trucks will get as close to you as possible on your bike as you peddle through the valley without running you into the ditch. Don't take this personally, it's a local sport;

4. Your convertible rent-a-car is obvious even without the Hertz sticker on the bumper. We know who you are;

5. Theatrical wine-snob-wannabees don't need to make a public scene if don't like they wine they're tasting. Just shut the fuck up and dump it out. Nobody is impressed no matter how many times you swirl the wine around in your glass using words like "tannin" and "nose", etc., and you are just demonstrating the true jackass you are;

6. Most importantly: DON'T MISS YOUR FLIGHT HOME!

Sonoma County

This past weekend was great. On Friday I hosted a dinner party where the food reflected many of the local delicacies Sonoma County has to offer. On Saturday we attended a crab feed that benefited the local high school athletic program. It got me thinking of all the fun, unique things that Sonoma County has to offer. You know you're a true Sonoma County resident when:

1. You carry around your own utensils (pick, crab fork, butter warmer, etc.) in your purse to use during the winter months for all the local crab feeds you will hit;
2. You smuggle your own wine into such events;
3. You actually remember to bring a wine opener when smuggling wine into events;
4. You can pronounce Gurneville correctly;
5. You know the difference between the Alexander Valley and Dry Creek Valley;
6. Novato Narrows = death;
7. The town of Sonoma really does have actual residents and not just weekend tourists;
8. You can identify that funky smell of the Petaluma River;
9. Swimming in the ocean off the Sonoma Coast is NOT smart and is something only dumb tourists do;
10. You understand why we hate people who move here from the greater Bay Area, New York, or Southern California;
11. You can actually remember a time when Highway 101 ran through downtown Novato and also through downtown Cloverdale.
12. Duncan Mills or Duncans Mills -- you know which one is correct.