M.C Hammer and Speiser at TechCrunch Party

Speiser and Hammer, originally uploaded by drs650.

Ok. This is the first time I was in the same "house" as M.C. Hammer and missed seeing him. Yes, the TechCrunch party was that crowded. I also have not met this "Speiser" gentleman on the right. But the party was awesome and if you didn't see the video I created, you can do so with a click here.

Maria Ayerdi Is The Face Behind The New SF Transbay Terminal

Remember the San Francisco Transbay Terminal Design Competition video I created? Well, the executive director of the effort is none other than Maria Averdi. You can read more about her here.

Cuil Is A Cool Search Site That Launched This Week

So have you tried the website Cuil, well, it's actually a new search engine like Google. Check it out. More later.

Robert Scoble Talks About PodTech Demise At TechCrunch Party

I present my long form video documentary of the TechCrunch | August Capital Party held Friday, July 25th 2008 at
August Capital and hosed by TechCrunch Co-Founder / Editor Michael Arrington. First, let me thank Michael for the opportunity to do this at his event, as well as the time he gave me. Second, let me thank all of you who gave me your time at the party, which was the vast majority of you.

I set out to form a pattern of opinions on what the Democratic Party and Senator Obama should address on the eve of the Democratic National Convention. I also tried to give a view of what people were working on in the tech / web community. There's a lot here. But I also tried to make something fun to watch, with a beginning, a middle, and an end.

The video is 41 minutes long and some of the highlights: TechCrunch's Michael Arrington explaining that he hope Barack Obama sicks to his concern for "net neutrality" as well as his hope that issues regarding H1 Visas, the FCC, and the avoidance of Internet Taxes are addressed. Technorat Founder and Chairman David Sifty introducing his new venture OffBeatGuides.com. The great EtchStar.com service for devices like iPhones. An iPhone App from VSmax.com. Sara Lacy telling the Democratic Party to "get some balls." Andrew Mager talking about the party and introducing Cathy Brooks of Seesmic, who in turn introduced the Legendary Robert Scoble, and Brooks echoing (unknowingly) Lacy when she says the party should "grow a pair." And Robert talking -- at considerable length -- about what happened to PodTech and what it says, if anything, about the economics of Podcasting.

In all the message to the Democratic Party and Senator Obama was to work to achieve unity, don't fashion policies that tax the Internet or harm Net Neutrality, be courageous, and for Senator Obama to stay the course.

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John McCain's San Francisco Visit To Be Met With Protests Today

Senator John McCain has a big-ticket fundraiser of 100,000 per person and held at the Fairmount Hotel to add to the public money he's already using to run for President.

I figured an anti-war protest must have been planned and I was right: there's one according to KTYU.com:

SAN FRANCISCO -- Grassroots campaigners are planning to protest the continuation of the Iraq war Monday outside a fundraising event at a San Francisco hotel for Republican presidential nominee Arizona Sen. John McCain.

Members of No Soldier Left Behind will rally outside the campaign fundraiser and collect petition signatures calling for a responsible end to the war, according to Peace Action West, an organization that fosters civic activism. Protestors will hold signs advocating the end of the war and well being of Iraqis and Americans in the region.

"Sen. McCain is here raising money in support of an Iraq policy that will be a continuation of the president's fail strategy," Peace Action West's Executive Director Jon Rainwater said. "Americans and Iraqis can't afford four more years of mistakes, so we are insisting that the next president bring a responsible end to the war in their first year."

The protestors will assemble in front of the Fairmont hotel at 6:30 p.m.

Zennie Abraham The Partying Playboy According To TangoDiva

Zennie Abraham The Partying Playboy According To TangoDiva

Wow. Ok, according to TangoDiva I'm now a "Partying Playboy" but I'm not sure if I'm right up there with Hugh Hefner or not! Here's what TangoDiva wrote (oh. Ok. I answered the questions and they put them out there!):

The Man Issue 08: Zenophon Abraham
By Tango Diva

Name: Zenophon Abraham
Hometown: San Francisco, California
Occupation: CEO of Sports Business Stimulations

1. Where do you like to flirt?
Pretty much anywhere. Bar, rapid transit, football stadium, dark part of a dive place.

2. Where's your favorite table for two?
- I like the 21 Club in New York, The Alley in Oakland, and The Balboa Cafe in San Francisco -- three different places but all have history and two are darkly romantic (the Balboa's too well-lit).

3. Where should we stay when we visit (besides your place)?
Hmm. I like the Claremont Resort in the Oakland Hills. Great views, pool, tennis, and food, too!

4. What qualities do you find irresistible in a woman?
Hmm, again. I really like intellect and good character. OK, I melt at the view of a pair of athletic legs on a woman, but if they're connected to a person of low character and cold heart, I'm easily turned off. I like women who know how to maintain relationships, even if we're just friends.

5. Where can we find you on a free Sunday afternoon? Just roll over?
At times I'm at an outdoor restaurant. Or I may work at an Internet Cafe. Maybe the gym. Depends.

6. What do you love most about your city (besides our arrival)?
I like the fact that I know everyone from the Mayor to the cab drivers. I feel connected in Oakland; I just wish my Mom was here rather than Georgia as she's my only family.

7. What should we bring when we visit your town? What should we leave with?
Bring a jacket and shorts -- ok short-shorts. It gets warm during the day, hot at times, then it cools down fast. But I've got to see those legs! :)

8. What do we absolutely have to see while we're there?
You have to see the Golden Gate Bridge. No matter how long I've been in the Bay Area, that site is enduring.

9. Any areas of town we should avoid?
Frankly it's hard to pinpoint one area anymore as it seems crime is happening all over, from Berkeley to SF, to Oakland. I'd just plain be careful period.

10. Any local secrets you want to share?
Well...Valleywag has a certain sex writer who used to have "clients" if you know what I mean. (No, I was not one of them.)

CNN's "Black In America" Does Not Represent Middle Class Blacks

CNN's Black in America is a welcome addition to TV, but it has a major problem to me in that it does not represent middle class African Americans.

Much of the telecast shows Blacks who are downtrodden, or have had something "done" to them by the "system." It's a one-sided view of Blacks that does not help in really understanding African Americans. Not every aspect of Black culture or the life of those of us who are is negative, and I feel that the general life of middle class Blacks was ignored.