I visited an old friend at his nursing home the other day. He is 93 and nearing the end of his decorated, incredibly successful life. His eyes are tired, he doesn’t hear well, and he shuffles around in a walker. He was delighted to see me and I was delighted to see him, not only because he’s a wonderful man, but also because he makes me feel young in comparison. Men or women who hang out with younger crowds have it all wrong.

Culpeper, Virginia — Oh, I know what you’re saying. You’re saying, “What’s that fool Hoppe doing in Culpeper, Virginia?” Well I don’t think that’s very reverent of you. I happen to be here on a pilgrimage. For it was on this hallowed ground that Mr. Lyndon B. Johnson, an orator whose eloquence is indescribable, delivered the most moving speech of the 1960 presidential campaign. Comparable only to Mr.

When I watched the video of two African American men getting arrested last week at a Starbucks in Philadelphia, I thought of the times I’d visited the coffeehouse chain, asking — like the men — to use the bathroom. Sometimes I bought a drink on the way out, or if the line was too long, or if I was in a rush, I skipped making a purchase. Not once did the manager call the police, not once was I led away in handcuffs, accused of trespassing.

The X-Men: Most days, my two sons Zane and Aidan don’t like each other. Aidan steals Zane’s Legos, so Zane puts dog fur in Aidan’s milk. At some point, they bro-hug it out, and Zane shrugs, “It’s family. You can’t get away.” Then they team up against me. Brother X and I are as close as two brothers can be. Well, two brothers born eight years apart. Who live on opposite ends of the continent.

San Francisco’s much-celebrated Navigation Centers for homeless people have been shifting their mission. Initially the promise was that they would put clients into housing quickly, but in practice it takes far longer. Now there are limits on how long most clients can stay — 30 days in the case of the center on Mission Street, for example. I’d heard complaints, because 30 days is just long enough to start getting used to life off the street.

You can’t create a show called “The Geek Show 2: BindleCon” without some serious nerd cred. Strike a single false note in your survey of geek and convention culture, and you might court the rage of trolls, summoning the fury of their tweetstorms and subreddits. Worst of all, you might expose yourself: Maybe you’re not a true fan after all.

Special Edition: Michael Sangiacomo on his most treasured book Michael J. Sangiacomo is president and chief executive officer of Recology and chairman of the board of trustees of the California Historical Society. I’ve loved books since I was a kid. An almost complete collection of Edgar Rice Burroughs paperbacks (“Tarzan,” “Pellucidar,” “Mars!”) were my “elective” reading during high school.

I was lying in bed a few nights ago and checked the clock. It was 3 a.m. and I was wide awake. Since I had already solved all the world’s problems, I began thinking about what subject I could tackle for this week’s column.I had nothing. My deadline was fast approaching, and I had no inspirations. I began racking my little brain to come up with some topic that would be of interest to someone, somewhere.

A few hundred feet beneath the ocean’s surface, spots known as twilight zones are home to extraordinary and glowing deep-water creatures that few humans have ever seen in their natural habitat.

After 23 years I’m out of jail. Fortunes change. I’m no longer doing time as a jailhouse deputy but am out on the streets of San Francisco. Well at least one street: Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place. City Hall.Built in 1913, it’s the tallest rotunda dome in the United States, 307 feet. The story goes that Mayor “Sunny Jim” Rolph sent someone to Washington, D.C., to measure the nation’s capital building, and then went ahead with a building 42 feet higher. With a dome in 23.