Let me make just a quick advertisement for Microsoft here. --Bob Herbold, COO and VP of Microsoft during opening keynote presentation to the APC conference on May 7.

Inside the Asian Pacific Cities Summit, here's what's going on in the barest details.

It's an Informercial. The keynote speakers are almost all corporate executives. This conference exists so they can hawk their wares to an audience of government officials, in this case mostly mayors.

Here's what I saw during the first keynote address. Microsoft COO Herbold talked about the wonders of fiber optics. Like some paid television infomercial, a canned audience listened. "But Bob," you could hear an invisible plant say, "how do we deliver fiber optics from building to building in a city without tearing up the streets?"

"I'm glad you asked," infomercial huckster Herbold smiles, "why with the new GINSU-RONCO-KTELL laser beam delivery system, which we just happen to be about to demonstrate to you now!"

So for most of the rest of the infomercial, there's a new huckster talking to us through the GINSU-RONCO-KTELL laser beam delivery system telling hundreds of potential large volume buyers about the very system he's using.

I'm not exaggerating. That's what's going inside, and it's really that bad.

None is worse than our own Seattle Mayor, Paul Schell, one of the leaders of this event.

One of the first things Mayor Paul Schell does when he gets to the stage is to start talking about coffee. Starbucks Coffee you could bring back to your homes. Several people said it reminded them of that time in the golden days of radio when the host or actor would break away from what they were doing to plug the sponsoring product.

Microsoft's paid and they get their advertisement. So does Starbucks. So will Boeing. There's so little pretense until you start talking to the politicians and asking them if they'll just call it what it is.

I had the dubious honor of interviewing Seattle Mayor Paul Schell, for some six and a half minutes.

Me "What do you think about people comparing what's going on here to WTO?"

Schell "It's not relevant at all. Its about people sharing ideas." He pauses, moved by his own rhetoric. "We've had sister cities for something like 40 years now. Building respect for cultures is something we've got to learn here in Seattle, we've got all the cultures in the world here. Sharing ideas. Understanding each other culturally. It's a good opportunity for that."

I point out to the Mayor that the keynote speakers and event's main sponsors, are Boeing and Microsoft, key players in bringing the WTO to Seattle.

Hizzoner points out that these are Seattle corporations, and there are other corporations, and academics here to talk about the benefits of cities taking large loans from financial institutions so they can pay exorbitant fees to these corporations. "It really is our community sharing its ideas with communities in Asia."

I point out that there are no representatives of labor here.

Now hizzoner's in denial mode. He's not sure. I ask who was invited. Schell-shocked goes global-

Schell "Everybody was invited the conference was open to everyone. Anyone could register."

Me "For $650?"

Schell "It pays for your meals"

Me "$650 for meals?" And since this is our community I ask, "any representatives from the homeless invited?"

This pushes hizzoner into speechifying mode.

Schell "If you really think it's important that cultures understand each other. If you think it's important that we understand people of a different color or of a different race, or a different culture, then you might be concerned. We could do better for peace in this world, for human rights, if we could just talk to each other as citizens and not leave it up to governments." He's glaring at me. "And people like you who are not interested in peace through understanding, and let's be honest--"

Me "Unh, any people who work in human rights here for this as speakers?"

Schell "I can't tell you, but--"

Me "You have people from the World Bank, APEC, the Asian Development Bank as speakers?"

Schell "No, I don't think we do."

Me "Want to look at the program? I'll show you the names."

Schell "But so what?"

Me "But two of the largest corporations are keynotes, and there's no one from..."

Schell "Are you so paranoid that you think that people who are not in the business community should be denied their rights. This a broadly based cultural exchange an exchange of cultures. An exchange of ideas."

Me "It seems to be mostly CEOs."

Schell "Yes, it's our leaders. Of the communities."

Me "Of corporations."

Schell "Of communities."

Me "Is corporation synonymous for you with community?"

Schell "No, but are you...I guess I don't understand the question. Are you going to include everybody?"

Me "Labor? Environmentalists? Homeless?"

Schell "Yes. Our city's a leader. There's a whole panel that deals with sustainability."

I see he's going global and rhetorical simultaneously.

Me "Who from the whole city in labor or the environment's been invited?"

He's still global:

Schell "Our whole office."

Me "So like for an example on dealing with racism, was someone from People's Coalition for Justice Invited?"

Schell's walking away now. His body language saying "I'm ignoring you, I'm ignoring you, I'm ignoring you. Llalallalallalallalallalalallalalallalalalalalallalllalalalallala."

As this is going on two gentlemen, presumably bodyguards, are coming between hizzoner and me.

He walks off a few dozen feet. I overhear him telling the bodyguards to keep me away from him. I want to make sure of what I'm hearing so I ask him to repeat it.

Schell "I told them to keep you away from me. It's about basic civil respect."

We could start this again, I guess. Civil respect being corporate behavior?

A few hours later eight or nine people with issues with the APC Summit try to enter to have a dialogue. They're told to wait in the lobby for a few minutes. Then they're asked to leave because they're not wanted. Basic Civil Respect.