At a recent art auction, a new price record was set, in this case for a painting most critics termed “a mediocre Picasso.” Well, there aren’t a lot of Pablo’s pieces left around for sale, so who can fault the unknown buyer for spending one hundred and seventy-three million dollars for this one? (I have spelled this figure out so the paper wouldn’t assume there was a typo here and remove a few zeros).

The painting is likely off in a basement somewhere by now, and I hope the “Job Creator” who bought it has hired a cleaning lady to dust it off now and again. If so, way to go, mysterious and well-heeled, Job Creator!

And moving right along: Though I imagine that Alan Caron will, along with Elizabeth Warren, choose to stay put where they are accomplishing important and constructive work, I must say that Caron would be my first choice for our next governor.

His breadth of understanding, even-handedness in addressing issues, non-partisanship, pragmatism, insight, long-range vision, and to round it off, his unique wit and ironic but compassionate sense of humor make him, to my mind, eminently qualified for the job.

Abbott Meader

Oakland