Some random thoughts:

1. With the SF Valley secession vote looming in November, the supporters of the movement ("the seceshers") have scheduled elections for Valley Mayor and the City Council, just in case lightning strikes and the dang thing passes. With the initial polls looking rather gloomy for the cause, those races are having a hard time attracting serious candidates; most of those who've announced so far are perennial GOP candidates for legislative and congressional offices, and even a political junkie like myself hasn't heard of any them. Which gets me to thinking: why not resurrect one of the most significant movements in mid-1980's campus politics at Berkeley, "a Boring Party". I mean, its not like I don't have a lot of free time (eg., this blog), there's little chance the secession vote will pass anyway, and, if I might cast aside my usual humility, I think I might have a little more appeal to the voters than some of the Rotarians, babbitts, and boosters who are running for these other offices. So, without further adieu, I hereby give the go-ahead to my friends Carolyn Hampton, Christopher Parsons, and Matt Cairns to establish an "Exploratory Committee" for my campaign.
SMYTHE FOR MAYOR !!! NEW HORIZONS BECKON WITH MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITY !!! GO BEARS !!!

2. If this blog is ever published as a "Book on Tape", I want Robert Evans to narrate.