Today's post is my 99th blog for the Argus-Courier. The original topic was called Our Cyberplace, a slight modification of an earlier blog named Our Cyberspace, that was hosted by "Petaluma Online" from 2003-2005. These two blogs, although slightly different in name, covered essentially the same interest area - the world of telecommunications and computer technology. As we continue our journey in Cyberspace, I thought it might be time to modify the "sign" posts to something less esoteric and more down-to-earth, like ... Our Information Highway.

Why? (You might ask.) No particular reason; just for the sake of change. (I might reply.) Just like we do from time to time with our furniture and floor coverings.) Our thoughts will still reflect the same ideals, but because more and more people are driving along Our Information Highway and the on and off ramps are being inproved, new signage might attract additional travelers. We hope to continue calling your attention to technical advances, as well as political and commercial developments that impact the effectiveness and the efficiencies of information and communication applications.

It should be obvious now that those communities, states, and nations that fail to keep abreast of our cyberworld, will soon fall behind in several areas such as: social, economic and educational development. Consequently, their citizens will be denied the opportunity to achieve a healthy and productive standard of living for themselves and for their children. Achieving and maintaining a higher standard of living will not happen overnight. Citizens must realize that their established institutions and agencies may not be able to do it all by themselves. Hopefully, these various organizations will learn that the greatest resource of any community is the collective wisdom, intellect and creativity of its citizens.

It can be done! Just as the printing press, invented in another era became a prime tool for advancing society, the information and communication technology tools of today, are rapidly achieving the same level of significance and importance. Stay tuned as we continue to travel along our expanding information highway system of the 21st Century.

Remember why Bill Soberanes never missed a deadline? He would recycle some of his My Fascinating World of People columns from time to time. Guess what? That's what I'm going to do today; not because I have a deadline (blogging is a volunteer endeavor), but because the message is just as relevant today as it was when posted as a blog titled Our Cyberspace, for "PetalumaOnline" in June of 2004. 

I slept in until 6 a.m., today; however, I didn't get to sleep until after midnight because I wanted to post Our Petaluma #10 so it would be dated today -June 28. Readers will notice that it is titled, Are we losing our sense of community? The genesis for those thoughts were the series of fires that damaged and eventually destroyed the Field House at Casa Grande High School. As my mind was still in a state of semi-consciousness, I felt like I was playing a game of "mental" ping-pong. The thoughts concerning this question kept bouncing back and forth.

In the long run, complaining doesn't do any good; does it? Isn't it better to think about something positive and constructive? As these thoughts continued to struggle, I waddled out, as usual in my PJs and bunny-rabbit slippers to pick up the three newspapers in the driveway. (It's Wednesday, and the Argus-Courier is one of them.) Of course, I start with our famous weekly hometown newspaper. (It's been around since 1855.)

Dan Johnson's front page story and lead headline - Hardware store will be rebuilt - Owner lauds community. The first quote by Jeff Tomasini, Rex Hardware Store owner, jumped off the page for me - "Thousands of people have come by, showing more love and support than I ever thought possible."   Plus the most often asked question: Are you going to rebuild?" The answer, a definite, "Yes!"   That says it all for me as far the question I posed in last night's blog,   "Are we losing our sense of community?" Isn't the answer obvious, NO! WE definitely are not losing our sense of community. 

Well now, what do we do about it? Although it wasn't planned this way, it just so happens that the Argus-Courier staff included one of my blogs in the Bloggers Spotlight column on page B2. It's titled, Walking vs. Talking." (It is also online as part of this blog,   under, Hammerhead #2.)   I have a few ideas about how we might improve the sense of community in our river town; but first, I have to "talk" with the A-C staff before I can "walk." Stay tuned.

BTW, please note that this post is the second one for today. It is one way to express my appreciation to the A-C for allowing citizens to share their thoughts in both print and electronic formats. Just as Jeff Tomasini is planning to rebuild his historic business, we must all join a "community walk" of our choice and contribute to our river town's sense of pride and spirit. As I've stated in earlier blogs, "Enough said."   Let's start walking the walk.               

What's this? A third fire set by arsonists to the Casa Grande High School field house! What's happening to our community? This structure was originally built several years ago to honor former CGHS baseball coach Bob Leslie. This community-based project was a wonderful example of our community spirit and support for an outstanding personality. Following this first fire, this same "sense of community" restored the earlier damage. It was rebuilt, a second time, after yet another fire; only to be torched a third time, last week.

As the Press Democrat's editorial of June 23 stated, how can people be "so angry and so alienated from society that they would resort to repeatedly destroying a structure that has both practical and symbolic significance?" Even though it might be only a small number of individuals that committed these acts, it is a warning sign that we might be entering a period where our sense of community-togetherness is diminishing. Another "sign" (no pun intended) of a distorted sense of identity as a caring community - second to none, is the growing concern about graffiti appearing all across town. The photographs that have been posted on the PETALUMA INVOLVED NEIGHBORS (PINS) website are nothing to boast about; and it has been going on for some time.

On the other hand, I must admit that when fire destroyed Tomasini's Rex Ace Hardware and Country Store last Saturday night, three citizens took it upon themselves to swing into action and attempt to suppress the flames with fire extinguishers. They "gave it everything" they had; "it just wasn't enough." That spontaneous display of courage in the face of danger was definitely good enough to be considered "a good deed" for the benefit of the larger community.

Perhaps it is time to return to the old fashion "barn-raising" days of building a stronger community, whereby concerned citizens come together voluntarily and collectively mobilize the resources necessary to resolve the issue or problem. This type of collaborative endeavor empowers the participants and strengthens their sense of community at the same time. Petalumans have done this quite often in the past, and can certainly do it again. Can't we?

On Our Radar Screen

Although some of my reflections are "downers," how about changing course with your help. The readers of this blog, as well as all the other Argus-Courier sponsored blogs, are invited to send back "comments" that report on activities that exemplify community building and enhancement behavior by its citizens. You know, anecdotes and stories that reveal the strong sense of community that has been part of our river town for years and years. Enough said. Stay tuned.

For some reason, my brain kicked in around 4 a.m. and I began to think about a science demonstration from my high school days involving tuning forks. The physics teacher would place several U-shaped tuning forks around the room and then proceed to strike one with a rubber mallet. The tuning fork prongs were of various lengths and diameters. Soon after the teacher-held fork was struck, we would hear the humming of one or more of the other forks that were scattered around the classroom. We all now know that this reaction occurred because the tuning forks were of the same frequency and were vibrating together. In other words they were "in sync" with each other.

For some reason, when I read a recent article titled, "It's Official: We Live in Hot Times -Study of data on global warming supports earlier findings that recent decades have been the hottest in 400 years." Weren't we warned that this would happen? Why weren't we "in sync" with the scientists that first indicated that this might occur if we failed to alter those behavior patterns that were created as a result of developments during the Industrial Revolution?

The specific details of this 141-page report by the National Academy of Sciences, which supports a Climate Study that triggered a controversy in 1998, are too numerous to include in this blog, but that are available on the Internet. (Use a search engine and enter - Global Warming Report) I know that this controversy will not go away overnight, but it does cause me to reflect on the public's reluctance (as well as the reluctance of our elected and appointed governmental officials) to take more seriously the findings.

Maybe we should take that rubber mallet and hit ourselves on the head in order to get "in sync" with our Global Warming scientists.

We've been warned more than once. Are we in denial? Another Internet search will bring up the listings of Global Climate Change reports, briefs, and policy analysis by the Pew Institute. Over 60 such reports, dating from October 1, 1998 are available at -

http://www.pewclimate.org/global-warming-in-depth/all_reports

Click on Solution Reports to get ideas about what we need to do in order to address this world-wide issue and concern before it is too late.

Please don't complain that we haven't been warned. Let's make an effort to get "in sync" with our scientist. Our Web of Life - local as well as global - is at risk.

Now, where did I put that mallet?

As you may have guessed from my On Our Radar Screen comments from yesterday, life has been busy. A month ago, I had tried to reduce this feeling of "busyness" by cutting back on "talking the talk" in order to "walk the walk" more. What I have discovered is that the more walking you do, the more there is to talk about. As Bill Soberanes discovered with his mingling (he, too, walked all over town for his news stories), the more people he met here and there, the more information there was to write about each and every day. (On some days, he wrote two columns. Later, it was two days per week and eventually, only once a week.

I'll try not to post more than one entry per day, unless absolutely necessary. Over the past few days, there have been several headlines that imply that we are facing a few problems unless we alter or modify our ways. Although I prefer to highlight positive developments and community building activities in our river town, please consider this week's series of topics as "food for thought" and concern for our future, locally, regionally, and nationally.. In other words, my talking is meant to be constructive refection, based upon walking the walk over the last 77 years, from coast to coast and eventually to Petaluma

If I can find enough hours in the day, I hope to ask, "Weren't we warned that this would happen?" - "Are we falling behind as a SMART Community? - Are we losing our Sense of Community? - "Shall we give up?

Oh, oh! - Stop the Presses! - A "Then & Now" News Item

According to Sunday's Press Democrat - "Fire sweeps Petaluma hardware store." Tomasini's Rex Hardware and Country Store, at 4th & B Streets caught fire around 8:30 p.m. Saturday night. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined. The "Now" photographs were taken late Sunday afternoon, just before the Fire Department wrapped up the operation and returned to their stations. The "Then" picture of the Rex Hardware and Schindler Bakery Fire of 1942 (located directly across B Street from the Tomasini store) was borrowed from the Sonoma County Library publication, Petaluma Treasures (p.73). Watch your local newspapers for further details.

Stay tuned. It promises to be an exciting week - as usual - in Petaluma-USA.