THURSDAY WHATEVER

Meet Craig Newmark – computer geek extraordinaire, graduate of Case Western Reserve in computer science back in the 70’s. Worked in nondescript tech jobs till 1995 in San Francisco when he had a Bright Idea to create a small calendar of interesting local events on the web for his friends. Soon his subscribers began to place their own suggestions and comments.The small web community grew to become a personal marketplace for valuable locally relevant information and ideas. Each person contributes what he or she wishes to give and in turn retrieves something else, suiting his or her purposes. Craig quit his job as a programmer to be available for his list on a full-time basis. In 2000 he hired Jim Buckmaster to be President and CEO while he remains Chairman and Founder. For 9 years now he has steered clear of commercial web suppliers until just last summer when he allowed eBay in for 25% stake. What are we talking about? Want to sell your old couch, buy someone else’s, find a house cleaner, a roommate or a beach house, get a job, offer a job, find out what’s going on in the community, run a personal ad, you name it, you’ll find it on CRAIGSLIST and by now there’s one in your neighborhood. I personally found a great house painter-repair guy who replaced my kitchen faucet, fixed the toilet, and painted a bedroom, etc. and also my housepainters, 2 women who painted the whole outside of my house and provided great entertainment a few summers ago. Craig by now is of course famous and invited to the hippest San Francisco parties but he describes himself as a “recovering nerd” with a blog of his own who supports many community organizations, and of course is the topic of an upcoming Cannes Film Festival documentary called “24 Hours on Craigslist.” Go Craig!

Deep Thought: “I think the mistake a lot of us make is thinking the state-appointed psychiatrist is our “friend.”
Today I am grateful for: Up beats
Guess the Movie: “ As I have evolved, so has my understanding of the Three Laws. You charge us with your safekeeping, yet despite our best efforts, your countries wage wars, you toxify your Earth and pursue ever more imaginative means of self-destruction. You cannot be trusted with your own survival.” Answer: I, Robot, 2004. Winner: AskDennis.
Respecting the Spirit and Letter of the Law
On the Nomination of Alberto Gonzales to be Attorney General of the United States
by U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd
Senator Byrd delivered the following remarks regarding the nomination of Alberto Gonzales to be the nation’s next Attorney General. During the speech, Senator Byrd expressed strong concerns about Mr. Gonzales’ role in the prisoner abuse scandals that have arisen from cases in Iraq and Afghanistan and at Guantanamo Bay, and the use of torture as an approved American interrogation policy. Senator Byrd also told his colleagues that the nominee, as the White House Counsel, has been responsible for programs and policies that undermine the principles of the Constitution of the United States. (Rest of article here.)
End of Day: 8:14 pm
+ = This time 36 Democrats voted against Gonzales confirmation – it’s improving.
- = What is it with Lieberman!!??

WEDNESDAY MOVIE

Metallica: Some Kind of Monster

So crack up and get it out of your system – I was absolutely smitten with this rockumentary. This is proof that you can be of an Other Generation and still get jiggy with it. Seriously, I’m no metalhead – my whole impression of metal bands before was that there was a lot of yelling of indecipherable words and metal-on-metal sounds really LOUD. Plus something demonic but I wasn’t sure what. Now I can’t say I really know a lot better about the music, but I do know a heck of a lot about how this one very famous band got through a crisis in their professional and personal lives, grew as men, and played on. You see, back in 2001 or so they were in deep guacamole. Three of them had been together a long time – the charismatic front man, James Hetfield; the drummer, Lars Ulrich; and lead guitarist, Kirk Hammett. But they had dumped lead guitarist, Dave Mustaine and bassist, Jason Newsted, along the way and now found themselves floundering without a bass player. In the midst of this, Lars Ulrich sued Napster and brought fan rage down upon the band, while suddenly their lead man, Hetfield checks himself into treatment for six months for alcoholism. Solution: Therapy. For $40,000 a month, they hire a guy who has worked with large corporations and other groups to help them sort out their future. It’s completely fascinating, especially when Hetfield emerges from treatment a changed man. These are not “girly-men” folks – they have muscles, tattoes, and huge bank accounts and they’ve been partying hard for years. Watch them create St. Anger, their comeback Grammy-winning album that debuted #1 in 30 countries, and head out on a sold-out tour with a brand-new bassist (Robert Trujillo) and a team spirit. From “St. Anger”:
I want my anger to be healthy
I want my anger just for me
I need my anger not to control
I want my anger to be me

I need to set my anger free
I need to set my anger free
Set it free!

Deep Thought: “Whenever you read a good book, it’s like the author is right there, in the room, talking to you, which is why I don’t like to read good books.”
Today I am grateful for: Understanding just how lethal anger can be
Guess the Movie: “You know, we are sitting here, you and I, like a couple of regular fellas. You do what you do, and I do what I gotta do. And now that we’ve been face to face, if I’m there and I gotta put you away, I won’t like it. But I tell you, if it’s between you and some poor bastard whose wife you’re gonna turn into a widow, brother, you are going down.” Answer: Heat, 1995. Winner: merrow_mistral.
Dean Wins the DNC Primary
State Party Officials Vote to Endorse the Former Presidential Candidate to Lead Democrats
by Ronald Brownstein
WASHINGTON — The leading group of state Democratic Party officials on Monday backed Howard Dean’s bid for the party’s national chairmanship, establishing the former presidential candidate as the contest’s prohibitive favorite.
“I think the race is over,” Art Torres, chairman of the California Democratic Party, said after the decision.
In a nationwide conference call, the Assn. of State Democratic Chairs voted to endorse Dean. The decision by the group’s full membership reversed a recommendation from its executive committee Sunday to endorse Donnie Fowler, a young party strategist.
Fowler finished a distant second to Dean in the membership vote, according to sources familiar with the call. (Rest of article here.)
End of Day: 8:50 pm
+ = Didn’t watch any of the State of the Union OR the Democratic response speech.
- = Feeling very bruised again today.

TUESDAY POLITICS

Barbara Boxer

I have to confess I knew nothing about this woman (well, I’d heard her name) until I tuned in one day to some cable channel broadcasting her Kill Bill attack on now Secretary-of-State Rice during the confirmation hearings. This woman can slice and dice. On further research, I discovered she was the one and only female in the Senate to vote against the war in Iraq and also against Rice’s confirmation. She has now become my #1 Favorite Senator. Here are a few of her credentials for those of you who also knew nothing:
Current Office: U.S. Senator
Current District: Junior Seat
First Elected: 11/03/1992
Last Elected: 11/02/2004
Next Election: 2010
Party: Democrat
Committees:
Commerce, Science & Transportation [Senate]
Environment & Public Works [Senate]
Foreign Relations [Senate]
Background Information
Family: Husband: Stewart Boxer
2 Children: Doug and Nicole.
Birthdate: 11/11/1940
Birthplace: Brooklyn, NY
Home City: Greenbrae, CA
Religion: Jewish
Education:
BA, Economics, Brooklyn College, 1962.
Professional Experience:
Congressional Aide 1974-1976
Journalist and Associate Editor, Pacific Sun Newspaper, 1972-1974
Stockbroker/Economic Researcher, Wall Street Securities Firm, 1962-1965.
Political Experience:
Chief Deputy Minority Whip, United States Senate
Senator, United States Senate, 1992-present
Marin County Board of Supervisors, 1977-1983
President, 1980
Representative, United States House of Representatives, 1983-1993.

So when you have those moments of despair and feelings of powerlessness, recall that there is at least one Champion in a position to make some difference in the war against Bush the Terrorist. I think we’ll see her face more and more often in the coming days.

Deep Thought: “If you’re ever giving a speech, when you start out, act nervous and get mixed up a little bit. Then, as you go along, get better and better. Then, at the end, give off a white, glowing light and have rays shoot out of you.
Today I am grateful for: Cats
Guess the Movie:  “Whenever I despair, I remember that the way of truth and love has always won. There may be tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they may seem invincible, but in the end, they always fail. Think of it: always.” Answer: Gandhi. Winner: thenarrator.
An Election to Anoint an Occupation
Had it Been Held in Zimbabwe, the West Would Have Denounced it
by Salim Lone
Tony Blair and George Bush were quick to characterise yesterday’s election as a triumph of democracy over terror. Bush declared it a “resounding success”, while Blair asserted that “The force of freedom was felt throughout Iraq”. And yet the election fell so completely short of accepted electoral standards that had it been held in, say, Zimbabwe or Syria, Britain and America would have been the first to denounce it. (Rest of article here.)
End of Day: 8:48 pm
+ = No bombs fell on my head today.
- = I got very very very very upset though about something – not good for me.