Posted 1:09 PM by Blah blah

Ryze Networks (Meeting New People)

Want to know more people, for business and social reasons?

I highly encourage you to join Ryze and MixerMixer. Go ahead and invite your friends. Ryze has tons of accomplished, highly motivated people on it. Many CEO as well as artistic types.

I urge you to join BOTH http://Ryze.com and http://MixerMixer.com. MixerMixer is more for socializing and lets you plan events that immediately go up on the general calendar. Ryze people are more business and professional-minded, and they have tons of professional events.

Please join and add me as a friend. It matters not what country you are in. Anyone can find these two sites useful in expanding his social circle.
- My Ryze profile.
- My MixerMixer profile.

I joined a whole bunch of new social networks on Ryze.com today.

Check them out---see them at the bottom of my Ryze profile page.

If you've never heard of Ryze, please join! I met the founder, Adrian Scott, at a party a long time ago. It's an international business and social networking site. Very simple and free to join at the basic level.

You can find all sorts of people who match your interests. You'd like some of these groups too, Lisa, Patrick, Pjammer, and Bich Ngoc. You must join Ryze to see details. Some social networks I liked:

- Bloggers
- Entertainment Industry
- Bay Area Real Estate
- Pearl Tea (meets for boba drinks)
- Career Transitions
- International Business
- Lindy Hop and Salsa Dancing
- Public Speaking
- Work From Home Parents
- Entrepreneurs
- Northern California Natives
- [Howard] Dean for America

Posted 9:52 AM by Blah blah

The Dangers of Direct Democracy (Politics)

Please read this great essay by John Ellwood, a Berkeley professor of public policy. He explains the weird way we have in California of using the referendum, initiative, and recall to bypass our own state legislature.

Pulling the Plug on Davis Won't Change Much (Washington Post):
___________________
It's true that Davis is a notoriously uninspiring governor, now seen as being in the pocket of moneyed interests and unwilling to grapple seriously with policy. And it's true that he has failed to close a budget deficit that's bigger than the entire budget of almost every other state in the nation. But the drive to recall him points up the dangers of California's excessive fondness for direct democracy, which, financed by deep-pocketed political opponents and assisted by slick consulting firms, has in this case derailed the ordinary political process and altered its timetable.

The recall drive is the latest product of California's culture of anti-politics. At its core, this culture is built around a heightened distrust of centers of economic and political power....

Unlike most states that have the option of the direct initiative, for example, the California version, reflecting an ongoing distrust of institutions, leaves no role for the legislature to modify initiatives enacted by the people unless the initiative specifically allows for this. In 1994, for example, following the shocking murder of 12-year-old Polly Klaas, the "three strikes and you're out" initiative was about to obtain enough signatures to be placed on the ballot. In response, the legislature enacted a law with exactly the same language as the initiative. But advocates of the initiative, distrusting the legislature and fearing it would water down the law in the future, went ahead and got Proposition 184 on the ballot. When passed, the proposition differed in only one respect from the law the legislature had enacted, which it superseded -- it could only be changed by another initiative. Later studies indicated that most Californians who voted for Proposition 184 thought it would require that the third crime triggering the third strike would have to be a violent felony. But this was not the case, and some criminals have received 25-years-to-life sentences after a third felony conviction for relatively minor crimes such as stealing golf clubs or slices of pizza....

Californians' fondness for their unique procedures and rules flows from a belief that the cure for any and all ills of democracy is more democracy. They think that because of these rules they have more control over elites. But if they wake up on the day after a recall with a new Republican governor (or a new Democratic governor for that matter) what will have changed? The new governor will still have to carve a two-thirds majority from a legislature that will be the same as it is today. The pattern of citizens wanting more spending for education, health care and environmental protection but remaining unwilling to raise taxes to pay for these services will still be there.

But if the recall is successful there is one potential -- and significant -- danger: It could become an institutionalized and frequently used weapon. We've seen this happen before. Until the 1970s, the direct initiative was rarely used. It was in effect a safety valve voters could use if the political establishment consistently thwarted the popular will. But since the passage of Proposition 13, the initiative has become a more and more integral part of California policymaking.

The same could occur following a successful recall. The Democrats and their allies are unlikely to miss the lessons of 2003. The recall will be added as another weapon of political combat. Elected officials will increasingly fear taking actions that create short-term pain for long-term gain. Who would be willing to risk being thrown out of office for taking unpopular action, even if it's temporary?

Clearly some Californians believe that recalling Davis will somehow magically cure the problems that have built up under his tenure. But as far as I can see, that's just another case of California dreamin'.

Posted 9:39 AM by Blah blah

Arrrgh. Arnold! (Politics)

Seriously, as much as I like Arnold as a person and an actor, I cringe at having him governor. A politician needs to be very sharp on public policy. He needs to be willing to negotiate the nitty-gritty laws and deal with give-and-take to convince his skeptical colleagues to support him. He needs to really understand the issues.

Watch this morning's interview with Arnold by Matt Lauer on NBC's Today Show.

I could have bullshitted better on TV.

Arnold repeats the same vague statements he said on the Tonight Show. He has not done his homework and doesn't know what the hell he's talking about.

When Matt tried to pin him down on specifics, Arnold said: "I'm sorry, I can't hear you." He did that twice. Is this gonna be like Ronald Reagan with his frequent "I can't recall" on the Iran-Contra affair?

Sorry Arnold, I can't in good conscience vote for you. We need a brilliant guy like Clinton to run California, not someone who needs on-the-job training.

The problem with a political baby like Arnold running the state is that he will have to depend HEAVILY on his staff and political advisers to know what to do. So look at what his STAFF believes and wants to do. That's more important than what Arnold says he THINKS he wants to do.

I'm not against actors becoming politicians. Warren Beatty, for example. He's very public-minded and politically sharp. I'd vote for Beatty.

Yes, Arnold is a great campaigner and promoter. But great at actually creating and passing laws? The right laws? I seriously doubt it.

The governator (The Guardian): "Back in 1988, he told Playboy he would never allow his wife or mother to wear trousers when they were seen with him on the grounds that dresses are more feminine. That was back in 1988, of course, but he does not seem to have mellowed. This is from an interview in last month's Esquire magazine on the subject of blondes and brains:

'As much as when you see a blonde with great tits and a great ass, you say to yourself, "Hey, she must be stupid or must have nothing else to offer," which maybe is the case many times. But then again there is the one that is as smart as her breasts look, great as her face looks, beautiful as her whole body looks gorgeous, you know, so people are shocked.' Not as shocked, perhaps, as California's women voters will be when they hear that particular quote, as surely they will."

Terminator 4: Voting Day (The Guardian): "Should Arnie run? Should any actor run? When Oscar-winning actress Glenda Jackson became a Labour MP in the 90s, it was assumed she was going to bring some prototypical New Labour glitz to Westminster. Yet she became one of the most disappointing non-events in the party - not a careerist, not a policy wonk, not a parliamentary performer, not a luvvie. It was as if she was resting. The late Andrew Faulds, actor-turned-MP, also found that a theatrical larger-than-life personality doesn't necessarily work on a political stage. Clint Eastwood got bored of being mayor of Carmel pretty quickly....

Above all else, Schwarzenegger will have to have a pretty clear idea what he wants to do in office, should that ever become a reality. Or he might become like Grace Kelly, who at the very height of her Hollywood fame became Princess Grace of Monaco - a sort of political position - and walled herself up in a Ruritanian mausoleum: what many suspected was a living death of boredom.

Arnie might find the political frustrations and compromises of a scrutinised life in the governor's mansion very similar."

Posted 5:29 PM by Blah blah

Funny Article on Arnold (Entertainment, Politics)

The Terminator for governor — is it the dreaded ‘End of Days’? (MSNBC):
_________________
- “I’ll be back.”

People admire political tenacity. Don’t expect a whiney “You won’t have Arnold Schwarzenegger to kick around anymore” speech from him. He’ll be doing the kicking, thank you.

- “Hasta la vista, Baby.”

Displays Arnold’s outreach to California’s sizable Hispanic community. In a state as ethnically rich as California, it certainly helps to be bilingual. Arnold might even be regarded as trilingual, since some consider German to be a language. A governor needs to be able to relate to all peoples in a consistent manner. In the 500-plus on-screen deaths Arnold has doled out, he has slaughtered Colombians, Arabs, cops, rednecks, Russians, Vikings and sundry others with equal dispatch.

- “Consider this to be a divorce.” (Said to Sharon Stone as he gut-shoots her in “Total Recall”)

Demonstrates the candidate’s commitment to tort reform, promoting a speedy lawyer-free resolution of all disputes.

- “One day you will wake up and find your testicles floating in a glass of water next to your bed.” (From “Red Heat,” in case you were wondering.)

Shows an ability to “think outside the box,” and a skill at offering opponents clear alternatives to their proposals.

Posted 12:39 PM by Blah blah

Good Recent Movies (Film)

Some very good recent movies I'd love to see. Anyone want to join me?

Capturing the Friedmans: "This documentary 'captures' the experience of a family in crisis, through the actual home video movies of the Friedmans, a seemingly average upper-middle-class Jewish family in Great Neck, NY whose world was changed disastrously when the father and son were charged with horrible crimes of child molestation in 1987. In the 1980s, Arnold Friedman was a high school science teacher who taught elementary school children computer classes in his home where his wife also ran a toddler childcare group, which made him one of the first teachers to establish a computer education curriculum for children that young. Their lives changed, however, when the U.S. Postal Service began investigating Arnold and his family, which led to the eventual charges that he and his 18-year-old son Jesse had committed dozens of acts of a sexual nature. The media saturated the airwaves with coverage of the event, but some of the best footage was shot by the family themselves... which is seen publicly for the first time in this documentary."

Excellent reviews. Plus this is a true story about freaky psychotic people. I love stories about true crime and freaky psychotic people, like Crime Library. Hehe...

Spellbound: "This documentary follows eight children of various ages as they compete their ways through regional finals, with their eyes on going to the 1999 Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., and hopefully, winning. Nine million kids try each year, but only 250 make it to the Nationals."

This film has gotten EXCELLENT reviews. I used to compete in spelling bees as a kid, so I have a personal investment in this film! I still am very anal about spelling.

Dirty Pretty Things: "When an illegal Nigerian immigrant (Ejiofor) working as a night porter at a posh London hotel stumbles across evidence of a bizarre murder (which may involve a famous surgeon), he teams up with a Turkish chambermaid (Tautou), and a Chinese prostitute (Okonedo) to solve the crime." Stars French actress Audrey Tautou of Amelie.

Saw her also in L'Auberge Espagnole, a French movie this year that I LOVED. That is about a French guy who goes to Spain for a year as an exchange student. Felt like "The Real World," but scripted. It was hilarious and warm and made me nostalgic for Europe. If you want a quick feeling of living in a youth hostel and going to Europe, SEE THIS MOVIE!

Seabiscuit: Tobey Macguire's inspiring true horse racing story. Excellent reviews.

28 Days Later: "A virus that locks those infected into a permanent state of killing rage, is accidentally released from a British research facility. Carried by animals and humans, the virus is impossible to contain, and spreads across the entire planet. Twenty-eight days later, a small group of survivors are trapped in London, caught in a desperate struggle to protect themselves from the infected."

Last year, a fantastic comic book series came out, called Y: The Last Man, by DC/Vertigo Comics. It's been optioned as a feature film. I am not a huge comics nut, but I find this series addictive and provocative. I go to the comics store to seek this series. It's about Earth in which every man dies of a mysterious plague, but one. (It's written for "mature readers," not kids.)

Finally, here's the blockbuster for dessert!

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl: Everyone, from critics to their grandmothers, loves this movie! They say Johnny Depp's performance as a slightly drunken, almost-gay pirate is one of the most wacky things you'll ever see.

Let me know if you have time to go to any of these! They are my top picks for movies I have yet to see.

Posted 6:37 AM by Blah blah

Schwarzenegger Will Run for California Governor! (Entertainment)

I have lots of juicy stuff to talk about on this blog. Sorry I haven't had time yet! Coming soon...

Schwarzenegger to Run in Calif. Recall Race (Fox News):

"Arnold Schwarzenegger on Wednesday terminated a monthslong buildup of suspense when he announced he would jump into California's Oct. 7 recall election to replace Gov. Gray Davis....

When the actor finally confirmed he was running, The Tonight Show audience in Burbank erupted in whoops and cheers. A camera in the press room showed several reporters cheering as well....

During the Tonight Show taping, Schwarzenegger called his decision the toughest he's made since deciding to get a bikini wax in 1978."

WOW, Ah-nold is throwing his hat in. Only in California, man!

Dat Is Da "Last Comic Standing" (E! Online):

A Vietnamese guy now has a shot at getting a comedy show on national TV!

"[N]ow that...Dat Phan's got an NBC development deal and a Comedy Central special of his very own, he can take his 'my-crazy-Asian-American mother' jokes to a whole new level.

With 35 percent of the vote, Phan of San Diego was named the 'Funniest Person in America' by viewers of NBC's Last Comic Standing, the summer reality talent competition hosted by Jay Mohr."

Posted 12:40 AM by Blah blah

From Lisa

Aww...Got this yesterday after I visited Lisa and her family on Sunday:

"Thanks ever so much again for coming to see me. I'm in so much pain after my op [she had foot surgery on Thursday] but it was great to see your lovely face. You cheered the whole family up!

Matthew [her 5-year-old son] says you're funny and he likes you.

I know I'm vain but can you please change [my] photo on your blog... I know: I know! lol

Told Paul [her husband] about the Nemo comment: he was in hysterics."

Lisa has HUGE cherry red lips. Back in England she was known as "Lisa the Lips." I had said no one could walk by her without noticing them. I called her "Finding Nemo" (fish lips).

Posted 11:27 AM by Blah blah

Patrick's Seattle Pix. People I Met. (Photos)

Patrick's photos from Seattle:

Photos.

Patrick and I stayed downtown in Hostelling International's youth hostel. Having lived in or seen youth hostels in Saratoga, Yosemite, New Orleans, Atlanta, and Paris, I truly liked this one the best.

Our hostel was very modern, clean, and friendly. Each room had two bunk beds, for four people. We got a card key for both entering the hostel and our rooms. We all ate continental breakfast from 8-9 am in the group dining room. That's where you make friends. The hostel was open 24 hours. They had DSL Internet access with an Ethernet cable and, if you brought your laptop, you could go on the Net for free.

I have not seen most of these details at other hostels.

The whole experience reminded me so strongly of my favorite place to live in the whole world, which still is International House Berkeley, my college dorm.

The best part of travelling is always the fascinating people you meet. Our hostel was stocked with plenty. In just two days, I met:

- A Japanese girl from Hokkaido who was preparing to coach skiers in Japan's national ski team. She had gone to Canada and Colorado to get special training. She planned to train the Japanese coaches and teach the athletes to think more independently during competition. She had been a competitive skier herself.

- An Indian lady from Chicago who was an urban planner for the county there. We had fun talking about various ideas for improving public transportation and barriers to sustainable development.

- Two guys (one from Australia) who were going to Alaska to work on a fishing boat. It's a popular and very tough summer job.

- A Chinese girl, originally from Beijing, who was getting her PhD in architecture at the University of Hong Kong. She was tickled by my experiences volunteering for Habitat for Humanity and marvelled at how Americans are so into volunteering for social causes. In China, people rarely volunteer, she said. She had just come from a conference at Cornell University. She offered to be my tour guide in Hong Kong.

- Two English brothers from the city of Oxford who were exploring the U.S. for a month. The older brother had just finished studying physics at Oxford. Next he'd be doing research in nuclear fusion. Friendly as he was, I could barely understand anything he said. He MUMBLED everything, like this:

(To be continued...)

Posted 10:50 AM by Blah blah

I'm Back!

Back from Seattle! I'm not gonna go to our house party today after all. Need to take care of business.

Met a lot of cool people. Patrick and I saw this hilarious improv comedy group Friday night, TheatreSports! Will tell you more later. Lisa, you'd have loved it!