Once upon a time, the terms "east coast," "liberal" and "media" were redundant. Today, the proliferating cable channels, radio talk shows and the Internet have provided outlets for viewpoints different from those of the chattering class who burst on the scene in the 1970's. Long accustomed to the belief that they alone held the keys to Reason and Truth, liberal pundits struggle to accept that well-educated, well-informed, and well-intentioned people can advocate and/or respect ideas and opinions foreign to the Op-Ed pages of the New York Times.

Like TV ads, political campaign brochures must meet certain criteria. Here are just a few of the requirements: 1) campaign literature must be modestly produced but not be obviously cheap lest (on one hand) your supporters claim your squandering their contributions (or on the other) your opponents mock your amateur efforts; 2) the content must be innocuous to avoid providing your opponents with ammunition to attack you on your promises or provide your supporters with specifics they hope hold you to in the event that you win; 3) you must vigorously attack your opponent's alleged villainy while simultaneously striving to appear "above the fray," e.g., reach for the high ground while ankle deep in mud...

Like a lot of folks in town, I'm rooting for the return of Rex Hardware. Though, in my case, it's less about hardware and more about keeping a colorful, distinctive and locally-focused retailer in the every improving town center.

I live on the north edge of the City limits and evidence of Petaluma's agri-culture hangs in the air most of the time. However I hear from folks who live further south that the September breezes are more than usually pungent.

Mayor Glass cancelled his subscription to the A-C after he saw this cartoon. Perhaps the Mayor believed that in an agricultural town such as Petaluma, a sacred cow - in this case America's Favorite Pastime - should be exempt from criticism.