December 9, 2020

Taxation in the age of COVID

Can there be a better metaphor for the tyranny of our provisional COVID government than the looming California commercial property tax due date of December 10?  Large sectors of the California business world have been fully or partiall...

November 20, 2020

Some animals are more equal than others — Gavin Newsom edition

Could there be a better real-world demonstration of the eternal truths of George Orwell's Animal Farm than the recent uproar over California governor Gavin Newsom's recent soirée at the legendary French Laundry in Napa Valley...

October 7, 2010

Licensed to Fry, a Regulatory Forewarning

Here's a taste of what the great nanny state of California has been up to in its last legislative session -- in lieu of passing a budget.  Beware.  If California really is one step ahead of the rest of the nation, this is a glimpse of the r...

January 4, 2010

The Ministry of Wellness

As a restaurateur, I've been following the health care debate especially attentively. I have already determined that the health care bill, if passed, will cause a significant reduction in our net profits -- depending on how many employees we can shed...