When I began covering the San Francisco criminal courts, I did not speak the native tongue.

I have been waking in the middle of the night of late, covered in sweat, my stomach in a knot. Each time it is the same dream. It starts on the deck of a giant cruise ship. I walk the decks in a state of suspended animation. People around me blithely saunter the lanes lined with stores, eateries and other diversions, unaware of the disastrous events yet to unfold. Somehow I am aware that the ship is headed for dangerous waters. My fears about this impending passage are increased by the frivolity on board.

One last time on the credit crisis, then I promise to stop, but I have to post this.

The excellent three-day series on gangs in Napa that reporters Carlos Villatoro, Marsha Dorgan, Jillian Jones and others produced last week was so well received that the biggest concern of the online staff never materialized.

Americans felt a bite to their wallets like never before in 2008 as gasoline prices soared to record heights. The dependence on foreign oil supplies and the possibilities for developing alternative fuel and energy sources have become important issues in the debate over who will become the 44th President of the United States.

Dear editor, I am a prospective engineering student currently going to Napa Valley College. I was born and raised here, and now I am sorry to say I am the last of my generation.

Dear editor, Recently the Napa Valley Coalition of Nonprofit Agencies became aware of a critical need at the Community Action of Napa Valley Food Bank. For the first time in many years the Food Bank needed to purchase food to stock the shelves.

The economy is on fire and Congress, the Media, and the voters are all fiddling while it burns. We need this bail out, and we need it fast, and it is bailing out not just the big money interests, it is bailing out you and me, it is bailing out everyone. Not enough people seem to get that urgency, and we need to, fast.

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)