Two Gents' Worth
October 4, 2026
I did something this bright and beautiful Saturday that I bet you didn’t do: I spent time in both downtown Fresno and “up north” — in and around Fig Garden Village. Only about five miles separate downtown from Fig Garden, but they might as well be galaxies apart. When I walked through downtown late Saturday…
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Something happened to me this morning during one of my long walks, and I think it exemplifies the trouble Fresno city officials will have in trying to bring downtown back to life. It was a cool, sunny day, and I was dressed in a sweatshirt, long pants and tennis shoes as I made my way…
Read More about Downtown’s Doldrums
My wife and I just spent a few days at Walt’s World in Anaheim. And as always, Disneyland did not disappoint us, in spite of our long waits in lines that seemingly stretched forever. Over more than 40 years of marriage, we’ve trekked to Disneyland perhaps two-dozen times. But this was our first visit since…
Read More about Not Mr. Trump’s WorldYes, the time has finally come to kiss off 2016 –to put it in the rearview mirror and turn the page to a brand, spanking-new year. Thank goodness! Now, I’m not one of those optimistic fantasizers who think that the end of any year means only better things are in store the following year. History has proven…
Read More about 2016? Bah, Humbug!
I always loved Christmastime in Fresno when I was growing up. For one thing, downtown Fresno was decorated with colorful lights and holly that stretched over numerous streets, and Fulton Street — later, the Fulton Mall — was jam-packed with holiday shoppers. They rushed, day after day during those wonderful years of my youth, into…
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Every now and again, our nation seems to go crazy over the issue of burning the American flag. Burning the flag just enrages some people – to the point where they seem to lose their minds. The latest example of this came a few days ago when President-elect Trump went on Twitter again and stupidly…
Read More about Trump and the FlagThanksgiving was a grand and glorious occasion when I was growing up in Fresno more than a half-century ago. From the time I was in kindergarten at Fremont Elementary to the time I arrived at Fresno High, my mom and dad always had “the grandmas” and my Uncle Jerry over to our home for a…
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W.P. Kinsella died the other day at the age of 81, and it’s worth noting because while you may not know who he is, you’ve almost surely seen the results of what he did. Kinsella wrote the novel that was adapted for the iconic movie “Field of Dreams.” He started writing “Shoeless Joe” while he…
Read More about His “Field of Dreams”The nurse who was kissed by an exuberant sailor in Times Square to celebrate the end of World War II passed away last week. Greta Zimmer was a 21-year old dental assistant on August 14, 1945, one of thousands of New Yorkers who streamed into the streets when they heard the news that the Emperor…
Read More about The Return of EleganceSo Colin Kaepernick — the San Francisco 49ers quarterback who makes no one forget the likes of Joe Montana, Steve Young or John Brodie — has decided to throw even more fuel on the fire he ignited a few days ago when he remained seated during the playing of the national anthem before a football…
Read More about Colin Kaepernick Takes a Seat