Barackface: High Energy Generation Obama Event: I Am Hooked

"For all NYC young professionals!"

This event is planned to start at 7:00 pm on May 30, 2007 at Lotus.

Photos from the same event in DC

I have been to numerous political events the past two years in NYC, some of them great ones, but this was outright mindblowing. I learned about it in a Facebook mail that got sent to me. I don't know the person who sent it to me.

I got there about 10 minutes early so I walked around and found myself at this convenience store staring at USA Today. The front page story was on the richest Mexican who supposedly is richer than Warren Buffett and soon might take over Bill Gates. I was surprised to learn.

Carlos Slim Helú - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Carlos Slim Helu, The World's Richest People - Forbes.com
Carlos Slim Helu Quotes - Mexican Billionaire
ONLINE ORIGINAL: Carlos Slim: "The Key Is the Internet" For the past two decades, he has shown an uncanny ability to spot undervalued companies and turn them into lean, profitable machines. Over the years, he has built an industrial, retail, and telecommunications empire with about $16 billion in annual sales. ....... he also owns Prodigy Inc., the third-largest Internet service provider in the U.S. ....... Long distance is a commodity. It's not going to exist in a few years. It's going to disappear, and it will be the same thing to make a local call as a long-distance call. ...... The Internet is the heart of this new civilization ..... The buying power of Americans is much higher than Mexicans', and although retail square footage is more expensive in the U.S., the financial cost of capital is much less...... We want as few management layers as possible, so that executives are very close to the operations. We also don't believe in having big corporate infrastructures. ...... In this new wave of technology, you can't do it all yourself, you have to form alliances. ...... you don't need many bricks for financial services ..... almost a virtual bank -- with only three branches. Very little expensive infrastructure. We've been doing it for seven years now, and we think the Internet and online transactions are going to be very important. .... the real potential for online business is pure banking transactions ...... My children gave me a laptop for Christmas, but all I know how to do so far is push the "on" button. I also can turn it off. It's like learning chess or golf, it takes a long time to learn some things. ...... Last year, we gave out 17,000 scholarships to college students. We paid bail for 5,000 first-time arrestees accused of minor crimes, so that they wouldn't sit for years in jail waiting for the slow justice system to move. ..... Last year, we helped cover the expenses of 11,000 surgical operations in rural areas. ..... The World Bank and the IADB, instead of jumping in only when there are financial crises, should back development..... I spend most of my time studying new technologies.
Latin America's richest man: Mexican entrepreneur Carlos Slim ...

There was no famous person in attendance, although one comedian took the stage for just a little while. But it was like Obama himself was there. You could feel his presence.

A few people remarked that it was so much better to go to an event like this one where everyone at the bar is an Obama fan, than to go to some random bar. You have something in common with everyone. You can talk to anyone. You can work the room.

I have an almost anthropological interest in noticing how people group up. Reminds me of Food Service at college. There were the few tables most international students occupied. Then there was that corner where the African Americans gravitated. The athletes sat all the way in the back. There were numerous Baptist tables. I liked to hop from table to table. I was not comfortable getting pigeonholed. I guess I am quite a rootless guy. That is why I like NYC so much perhaps. A North Carolina guy once told me that the only thing he likes in NYC is "its doughnuts." Me, I am in total love with the city. That is why I walk around the city like a madman. I have to take it in. I have to take it all in.

The Facebook event page showed only about four people had said they were coming. All of them looked Indian. So I am thinking, finally some Indians with backbone. But I was in for a surprise. It was a crowded bar bustling with beautiful women. I think it was 60-40 women. I have never seen so many beautiful women at any political event in the city. Most other events I have been to tend to be 70-30 guys or worse, more like 80-20. I guess Generation Obama is a less sexist generation.

It felt like the beginning of something. The first few Obama events I have been to have been more of warm up acts. This was to suggest the show was on.

There was only one other Indian. This young woman. To my "Are you the only other Indian here?" she responded with a "Hi, bye."

There was a healthy presence of African American young professionals. One guy looked like he might have been 40 plus. He said he ran a hedge fund.

I am beginning to discover facetime. I used to be super good at it. Screentime is there. I did most of my work for the democracy movement in Nepal in a Web 2.0 environment. My company exists in a Web 2.0 environment. This discovery of facetime is not pre-Web 2.0 but rather post-Web 2.0. I have taken to calling it Web 5.0. In the pre-Web 2.0 facetime, when you get hit, you hit back. In the Web 5.0 facetime, the emphasis is on synergy, on creativity.

Web 5.0: Face Time

"Don't let them keep you indoors." - George Clooney

My first few months in the city, my first year even perhaps, my attitude was like if you like me, why don't you care about my country! The online work was intense. Offline it sometimes felt like a jombie experience. And the work on the autobiography has been liberating, therapeutic. The past kept holding me back, I was surprised it did. I am more ready for facetime, thanks to the work on the autobiography. I am going to do more of it.

I met so many interesting people today. I felt so at home. Such a great way to renew my facetime zeal and skills. I am hooked.

Political Socializing In NYC

Cheryl gave me her card.

On The Web

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