San Jose, CA

Actor Michael Keaton and many others graced San Jose, California with their presence on March 1, 2008. Michael Keaton was presented with the 2008 Maverick Spirit Award at Cinequest 2008.

There’s actually more to celebrate in the world of maverick films and technology. The festival showcases independent films demonstrating the qualities of individuality, innovation and intelligence.

Camera 12 and several other local theaters will be playing films from noon till 9:30 P.M. until March 9, 2008.

A film festival would not be what it is without special events. On March 7, 2008 Cinequest 2008 will present a Day of The Writer. Writers or budding Writers are able to attend classes and forums.

At The San Jose Repertory Theatre San Jose State University professor Scott Sublet will be presenting Prepare to Succeed: The Right Idea for the Right Writer. Professor Scott Sublet heads the screenwriting program at San Jose State University and has directed two feature films.

After the professor is done, the Director of Film Production at Spartan Film Studios will be speaking on Structure. Barnaby Dalias teaches screenwriting at DreamWorks Animation and is an instructor for The San Jose State University Department of Television, Radio, Film and Theatre.

Writers may want to choose to learn from screenwriter Robert Phelps. When this Attorney is not at his Santa Clara County office then he’s probably off writing magazines and local newspapers.

Robert Phelps has written for ScreenTalk Magazine. He has also written stories on skysurfing, the San Jose SaberCats and The San Jose Mercury News.

If great movie scenes are your think then check out the 90 minute forum with Author James Dalessandro. You may know him from his best selling novel 1906 and the Warner Brothers epic.

To end a full day, Cinequest and The San Jose Rep present A Conversation with Academy Award Winner Michael Arndt. Michael Arndt is known for many things but most recently is known for Little Miss Sunshine.

Listeners of 107.7 The Bone are still trying to decide who is going to be the 2008 Bone Rock Girl. I don’t usually write about what radio stations in San Jose, California are doing unless it’s for a non-profit.

I had to make an exception because of location, location, location. I’ve had a lot of great memories at The Britannia Arms in downtown San Jose. This Saturday, 107.7 The Bone and the contestants for 2008 Bone Rock Girl will be there to meet with fans, friends, and family. So you’ll want to be at 173 W. Santa Clara St. at 5:00 p.m. to join all the fun and get a good seat.

When there isn’t something crazy going on The Brit offers customers great food and great drinks from behind the bar. The Brit has the largest Happy Hour menu I have ever seen. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner all day long. Plus the staff, management, and owners are really friendly and outgoing.

Don’t worry about dressing up when you come to The Brit. It’s a very casual atmosphere. Plus if your looking for something to do during the week. There seems to be something going on every day of the week. So definitely go on by and say “Hi” to everyone.

While you’re at the 107.7 The Bone site don’t forget to register as a Bonehead listener and put your name in the hat for a custom Gibson Guitar. Doesn’t hurt to try, it could put a ES-137 worth $2900 in your hand.

I just wanted to share with you the new Grand Theft Auto that is suppose to be release in
April. Will an old breed of criminals be taking over Liberty City to chase the American Dream?

I guess well just have to sit back, have a couple shots of Stoli, and wait for our flight to land in Liberty City to find out. Till then we can still enjoy the clips.

It also looks like Liberty City isn’t the only place that’s talking about leaving home and venturing out. There’s been talk that Electronic Arts might take on Rockstar in 2009. Though if all the big names at Rockstar are not included then the deal might be off.

All strange to me since back in October Rockstar and Electronic Arts were at each other over content of “The Simpsons” game. Will the boys and girls from Rockstar and EA learn to play nice in 2009? Well just have to keep our eyes on the game blogs and find out later.

This morning I was filling out a questionaire to win a free Ipod when this question “What advice would you give your 18 year old daughter.”

Sure I’m at the age that my generation could have an 18-year-old daughter but I haven’t been blessed with one yet. I have to wonder though. What advice would I give my daughter if she were 18 at the moment?

The comments that were left on the page were very good. It was a collection of many thoughts that people should live by. One of my favorites was a mother that has told her daughter time and time again to not settle. I guess you could combine this with the taught of dreaming big.

Of course there were comments about waiting to have children, waiting to have sex till you were married, not being afraid to try for a male dominate career. These are all good answers. The only problem is that none of these comments helped on the issue that many man and women are struggling with today.

So the advice that I would give my daughter if she were 18 would be to create a budget and stick to it. Do your best to pay everything with cash on hand and keep the credit cards to a minimum. Also do your best to stay away from payday advances.

I know that many are thinking that everyone deals with credit cards today but if everyone had control over their credit cards we wouldn’t have people writing books on how to get out of debt. People would not be swarming to purchase the next published book by Jean Chatzy or Mary Hunt.

The reason why I would advice my daughter to control her finances is due to the fact that about everything revolves around a persons credit score. The chance of getting an apartment, job, house, automobile, raise, and small business loan all depend on a persons credit score.

It’s now time for tit for tat! San Jose residents, what advice would you give or have given your 18-year-old daughter lately?

I thought you would like this. It’s a story about change sent to me by my aunt in Redondo Beach, California. It’s amazing what an eagle goes through in it’s life and maybe those of us who are going through a change in our lives can gather strength from it.

The eagle has the longest life-span of its’ species. It can live up to 70 years
But to reach this age, the eagle must make a hard decision in its’ 40’s. It’s sharp talons are dull and no longer work, It’s crushing beak begins to bend. The eagles heavy wings, become stuck to its chest and makes it difficult to fly.

Then, the eagle is left with only two options: die or go through a painful process of change which lasts about 150 days. The process requires that the eagle fly to a mountain top and sit on its’ nest There the eagle knocks its’ beak against a rock until it plucks it out

After plucking it out, the eagle will wait for a new beak to grow back and then it will pluck out its’ talons. When its’ new talons grow back, the eagle starts plucking its’ old-aged feathers

And after five months, the eagle takes its’ famous flight of rebirth and lives for
30 more years.

Why is change needed?
Many times to servive we have to start the process of change.
Someimes we have to get rid of old habits and past-times that don’t benefit us.
When we are freed from these past burdens, we can take advantage of the present.

Alcatraz Island may not be the looming prison that millions of tourist and San Jose residents flock to each year in the coming years. There is an organization that wants to wants to demolish the prison and turn it into an island of peace.

What is the social and political backing of The Global Peace Foundation?

The Global Peace Foundation started out as a political party actually. The man known as Da Vid organized The Light Party and entered the primaries in New Hamshire in 1992.

The Light Party is a collection of Republicans, Democratics, Libertarians and Green Parties working on a wholistic, educational and empowered society.

Da Vid lost the primaries but continued to create what The Global Peace Foundation is today. DaVid’s continues to create a network of progressive individuals and groups worldwide with the goal of a spiritually awakening society.

I have to wonder what will be better for San Francisco, the state of California and the United States. If my numbers are correct Alcatraz tours brought in an estimated 2.4 million dollars last year from tour visits alone.

I wonder if The Global Peace Center can do the same? Plans for the conversion consist of a convention center and Harmonium to promote peace and enlightenment. A medicine wheel will be constructed and a Labyrinth to provide sacred ritual locations.

We can’t forget the brothers and sisters of the city who believe in saints. A statue of St. Francis is to be built on the island to welcome people into the city. Since San Francisco is the city of St. Francis.

Last but not least the Global Peace Foundation plans to run the whole place on solar, wind and ocean generated energy systems to promote peace with the earth.

Will an island that once housed murderers and gangsters become what the natives call “Turtle Island” again?

I have to admit that I would probably visit the center if it were ever built. It will take an act of Congress and a lot of money to construct the island but it’s something that would peak my interest at least once.

On the other hand it sounds too much like the “One Religion” that Nostradamus wrote about.

What will you be encouraging your San Francisco friends and family members to vote for on the ballot? I’d like to know.

It looks like the guys and gals at Electronic Arts have put out another PC game. Sims Carnival Snap City can be fun for the whole family.

The game is a little like Tetris but with a few little twists.

In Sims Carnival Snap City you have to take care of 25 different neighborhoods.

These neighborhoods include several broken down buildings, a city full of crime, and neighborhoods that catch on fire often.

It’s a fun game that caught me juggling:
The need to place the colored pieces in the right place.
The need to build roads in the right places
The decision of if I want to build a Cineplex or a City Park
The need to destroy commercial, industrial, and residential buildings

I was able to handle the thieves and fires in the game but unfortunately I was unable to have the joy of being attacked by aliens in the game. Hopefully you can get that far.

Most of the PC games that I try out don’t require a lot from my computer. Here are the system requirements for this game:
Operating System: 2000/XP/Vista
CPU: 1.0 GHz
RAM: 256 MB
DirectX: 7.0
HD: 61 MB

Sorry there is no version for Mac users. Hopefully Electronic Arts will offer one soon.

Now it’s your turn to try Sims Carnival Snap City and enjoy. You can download this game at Big Fish Games.

For other video game info check out:
1PStart
Wii Rally

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Droves Of Foreigners
With foreign currency lapping the U.S. Dollar many citizens of Canada, Asian, and European countries are buying homes for a great deal. It you don’t believe so check out this story at the San Francisco Chronicle.

The McCullough’s just closed escrow on a 1.3 Million dollar home for $711,000.
I have to say that I hate the fact that the value of the U.S. Dollar is steadily decreasing but thank God someone is buying the homes in The Bay Area and stimulating the economy.

How many people will come overseas to buy homes? Will the stimulation of the economy be any good? We’ll just have to wait and see.

More Rain
It’s yet another gloomy day in San Jose, California. CBS 5 reports that there is going to be more rain over San Jose and The Bay Area. Thankfully, it’s not supposed to be as bad as the one that was over the city Friday and Saturday.

While looking at the CBS Live Doppler it looks to be about a 25 – 35 percent chance of rain. I’d still have the umbrella handy just in case.

Strange and stupid people
A woman who wanted her lovers wife deceased advertised for a killer on Craigslist. CBS 5 reports that Mary Ann offered $5,000 and a work address to anyone that was willing to take the offer.

You can read the full report here.

I just don’t understand it? Did she not think that she was going to get caught? There are thousands of people that visit Craigslist every day. The are thousands of people looking for employment every day and some of them are very honest.

Let’s not forget the fact that police officers and civilians working with the police comb through Craigslist weekly and at times daily to seek out preditors.

For more news on the Internet check out:
About Washington D.C.
Right News and Views

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It’s a scary feeling when a tenant gets a telephone call from their landlord asking if there is flooding in the parking lot.

For a view from other cities check out:
Albuquerue, New Mexico
Auburn University

Lately I’ve been trying to check out local and Bay Area artists and musicians. I love all types and wanted to share performers that are originally from The Bay Area.

Today The Network is trying to turn San Jose, California upside down. This Krazy partnership consists of Kris and Young Singh. Right now they’re working on producing a Mixtape for 2008 through Tyrant Sounds.

Their sound is hard core Hip-Hop at least that’s what my friend tells me with inspiration from 2-Pac, E-40, and Canibus. If Old School Remix is a clue to Krazy Kriss and Young Singh’s life, they have lived the life since we were all yelling “Give me my MTV”

Young Singh started spitting rhymes at the age of 13. The beat-boxing virus took control and that’s the end of the story.

I’d love to offer some clips of The Network in action but there’s just too much beep, beep, and beep in their music. I have to keep the blog clean. You can check out their music on myspace.

It’s your turn San Jose and The Bay Area. What do you think of Krazy Kris and Young Singh? Remember to keep your comments clean!

If your interested in contacting The Network for a performance or gig Holla at them here
BookTheNetwork@hotmail.com

For other interesting posts check out:
The Silver Sun Pickups

Last night I turned on one of my favorite stations The History Channel. I wanted to catch the encore presentation of “Life After People”. I then started to wonder what San Jose, California and The Bay Area would look like if there were no longer any people living on it’s city streets.

Increase of the Guadalupe River and Salmon
The flood controls put in place by President Clinton in 2004 would finally break down. The waters of the Guadalupe River would take over much of the park area around The Shark Stadium, The Adobe Building, and the 8,000 acres.

The Guadalupe River is also home to a large population of Salmon spawning. San Jose, California is actually the second largest salmon spawning run through a U.S. downtown area. I believe that Anchorage, Alaska is the first largest.

Herons, Hawks, and Butterflies, Oh my
The Checkerspot Butterfly is one of the many species of butterflies found in San Jose and The Bay Area. With the increase of The Guadalupe River, the grasslands in the areas would also increase creating a growing area for Herons and Butterflies.

With the increase of wetlands and grasses, there would be an increase in field mice; this would also give Hawks the chance to increase in the area. I live near the airport and personally have seen what could be a hawk or falcon in the area.

Kingdom of cats at Adobe
Could you imagine that? The show last night talked about how the metal in buildings would expand and contract causing glass and plastic windows to break. The air pressure in the buildings would then shatter all the windows.

Plants and weeds would then grow up through the building creating a habitat for rodents, roaches, and felines. In time the interconnecting floors of the Adobe building would become a kingdom for small animals.

Why the topic of San Jose after people? I guess I wanted to provide an interesting wake up call for readers to enjoy the nature, wildlife, and culture around San Jose, California before we’re gone or it’s gone.

San Jose, California is more than business and technology. It holds a world of past and present to enjoy. All we have to do is take a moment and look.

For other interesting posts check out:
Home Zookeeper

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It’s the day after. The days after most people have celebrated the Birth date of Martin Luther King Jr.

San Jose, I have to ask, “What would happen if we really practiced what Martin Luther King Jr. believed in?” What would happen to San Jose and the world around us if we practiced these principles the other three hundred and sixty four days?

Can we coexist harmoniously as equals? Can we do as the song says, realizing that everyone is different but we are all part of the human race?

It definitely looks like presidential candidate Ron Paul is following his dream. Free At Last 2008 is using Martin Luther King Jr. to gain support and donations during last weekend.

I completely disagree that people should use exerts from another persons speech to promote a candidate but it’s already been done.

As of January 18, 2008 Candidate Ron Paul is gaining support from College students. His campaign platform includes ending the war in Iraq, lowering taxes and limiting the power of the federal government.

So San Jose, California and The Bay Are is Ron Paul the individual for our nation?
Should we place this Libertarian into office? Does is past and present make for a good President?

I personally think that candidates will promise everything they can during elections. Unfortunately it’s come to people voting for the lesser evil and what is going to help their lives. It just seems that we truly are losing “We the people…” and it turning into “We the government…”

No matter who finally becomes President let’s remember that our life is our own to live. We can have a renewed dedication to humanity that Martin Luther King Jr. did.

For other interesting blogs check out:
Mom is teaching about Martin Luther King Jr.

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I roughly named this statue “Face to Face” because of the direct of the two human sculptures. This waterfall and statue is one of the many designs that can be found among the buildings or around The Bay Area.

Photograph by Bryce Edwards. Bryce is an amazing photographer if all the photographs on Flickr are his.

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As San Jose and The Bay Area celebrate a great leader through wind and rain, residents are getting ready to start another busy work week.

If this is not the case perhaps these listing will help you find a job you’ll enjoy.

Nursing & Healthcare
Home Instead Senior Care is looking for people who can live at the clients home or provide weekend breaks to family members who are caring for their love ones. No certification is required.

If interested you can reach HISC at (408) 370-0344

AlphaVista Services Inc is looking for a Speech and Language Pathologist. The applicant will assess and reat Speech and Language disorders of mentally challenged clients. A M.S. or equivalent in Speech, Language and Hearing, a Speech Pathologist License, and six months experience is needed.

Contact HR
1290 Kifer Rd, Suite #301, Sunnyvale, CA 94086
Fax:(408) 519-3457
Email:hr@alphavistausa.com

Non-Profit
Catholic Charities is seeking a Part-time Childcare instructor and assistant. Pay is between $10-17 per hour.

Contact Elvia @ (408) 283-6150 or fax resumes to (408) 283-6152.

Goodwill Industries of Silicon Valley is looking to fill openings in several different areas. Applicants can apply to be a Trailer Attendant, Security Officer, Warehouse Supervisor, Material Handler, Sales Associate, Team Leader or Store Manager.

More information and a complete list of opportunities can be found here

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Undergoing MyBlogLog Verification

On Janury 17, EA-Land opened with the swarm of hundreds of online sims. Electronic Arts is already merging and making changes. I’m sure that these won’t be the last.

I had the chance to spend fourteen days at The Sims Online and had some fun playing the game. I can’t compare it to There.com but unlike Secondlife.com there are actually things to do other than build and shop.
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