NEW BLOGGER FOR A BALANCED VIEW... MAX YOW
"Blah Blah Bernard Blah Blah" Changing to "Junto Boyz"... A New Direction

It's been a little over a year since I started blogging without an idea of where this was going to lead. I started it because I've always enjoyed writing, discussing my social and political views, telling life stories, and since I'm easily amused at myself and the world around me.

Now I want to take the blog in a new direction. To make it a nesting place for various views and perspectives on politics, business, and life. I believe if you don't challenge your own ideas and listen to other viewpoints then there is no heart or room for improvement or change for the better. I believe there is always a "better" and no "best" in the world, so complacency in life and ideas is the worst hindrance to progress and innovation.

I have invited a few of my close friends and those I respect to start writing for this blog. For the reasons stated above and anticipation that I will get busier as I take another step forward in life with my complete move back to the U.S. in May and as I transition into a new position, I thought this was the best time to implement these changes. I will still be the primarily blogger, but these new writers will contribute anywhere from a few times a week to once a month depending on their schedules.

We also decided to change the name from "Blah Blah Bernard Blah Blah" to "JuntoBoyz." As some of you might know, Benjamin Franklin formed a group of his friends dedicated to mutual improvement, so they would discuss and debate various issues and ideals of their time. Franklin described it as:

"I should have mentioned before, that, in the autumn of the preceding year (1727), I had formed most of my ingenious acquaintance into a club of mutual improvement, which we called the Junto; we met on Friday evenings. The rules that I drew up required that every member, in his turn, should produce one or more queries on any point of Morals, Politics, or Natural Philosophy, to be discuss'd by the company; and once in three months produce and read an essay of his own writing, on any subject he pleased. Our debates were to be under the direction of a president, and to be conducted in the sincere spirit of inquiry after truth, without fondness for dispute or desire of victory; and to prevent warmth, all expressions of positive opinions, or direct contradiction, were after some time made contraband, and prohibited under small pecuniary penalties."

Or the simple dictionary definition: "a group of persons joined for a common purpose"

The common purpose of this blog will be to inform our readers of various viewpoints and articles on politics, business, and life; engage in thoughtful and thought-provoking discussions; generate new ideas and spur new thinking; and to have fun and a few good laughs during the process.

The first new blogger is a close friend who I respect in many ways and someone that will tip the scales to the left... maybe too far left. Anyway, more about him:

Max Yow
Max heads international corporate development for a leading Internet company in Asia. He focuses on extending their presence and brand throughout the region through partnerships and acquisitions. He has a graduate degree in Political Science and undergraduate degree in Political Science and Mathematics. Max thinks everyone should learn arithmetic from first principles and begin a life-long study and appreciation of Godel's theorem in elementary school.

Max says he is without a doubt the smartest liberal that Bernard has ever met.

Max enjoys:
Sports... combative sports, sports you play with a ball, sports with no swimming, sports you can play while drinking and smoking (pool, darts, bowling, video games).

Music... jazz (bop and post-bop), hip hop, classical, all popular music before the late-70's, don't like country music.

*Note by Bernard: Though I despise his politcal views since he's even left of Ted Kennedy and is fluent in French, he has become one of my closest friends I've made during my stay in Asia. We bond because we both enjoy cooking and eating. We connect because we like to play video games, drink together, and debate each other until our emotions boil over.