Friday afternoon, plastic tubs had been dumped among the rows of vines at Devaux Vineyard, a Mumm Napa property off Carneros Highway.

A very important proposition will be on the November ballot. Proposition 8 is a simple and straightforward voter initiative. It contains the same 14 words that were previously approved in 2000 by more than 61 percent of California voters: “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.” I’m saddened that we have to revisit this again after the people already made their voices heard.

Today I initiate the Daily Napablogger. I can't promise to write every day, but I am going to try. I am hoping this will be a springboard for discussions as much as anything. The Register is planning on some new software that could come anytime between now and Christmas, and when that happens I think you will find that the format will lend itself very well to this daily blog, like, as I said, a real blog.

Talk about giving people a cynical reason to claim media bias.

Arnold Schwarzenegger has been hammering at legislators not only for their record-long stalemate on a California state budget, but for entertaining quick fixes that would merely, as the governor puts it, “kick the can down the road” without solving the state’s chronic fiscal ills.

On Tuesday, via satellite, President George W. Bush endorsed his opponent in the 2000 race, while Vice President Dick Cheney was nowhere to be found.

Dear editor, I wonder, as I drive around the city of Napa, who are you? Who are you, illegally passing cars on the right in the bike lane or on the shoulder?

Dear editor, In the 1970s there were very few places for women to work, earn a living and start their own credit and 401(k)s. Mervyns clothed our children (with an employee discount) and gave us training that is still handy in any job. We all can do three things at once. If the power goes out, we can still ring up a sale and we can handle the most frustrating situations life has to offer!

Dear editor, Henry Michalski’s reporting from the conventions has been particularly interesting and well-written. What an uncommon pleasure to read such engaging and insightful observations in the Register. Which leads me to wonder anew: Why doesn’t the Register offer more in-depth, solid journalism that represents the valley’s diversity and excellence in other ways, and what can we do about that? Let’s hope things improve markedly on this front before the 2012 conventions!

The whole world weighed in Thursday night on Barack Obama’s speech — along with the Democratic convention — so here’s mine, let me know yours.

Barack Obama chose Delaware Sen. Joe Biden as his running mate ... what do you think of the choice?

(Editor's note: The comments on this crashed about 9:30 a.m Friday, right after McCain's announcement. We were able to rebuild most but not all of the comments)