What a difference 27 years makes!

2nd New York Regiment, Yorktown VA, October 1981

Mark Edrys and Charles J. Nohai, Yorktown 1981

Mark Edrys and Charles J. Nohai, Los Angeles March 2008

Nice little heatwave here in Firebaugh...

Now I see why they call this place Firebaugh. It's like, 110° in the shade... too hot for outdoor exercise, so I have to use my alternative fat loss plan. Otherwise, things have been going pretty good with the program. Exercising, running, and doing some isometrics and push-ups seems to be doing the trick. My new running program is an hour-long run, four times per week. Since my 10K is about an hour, I'm actually running 24.8 miles per week. I do ab-work Monday, Wednesday and Friday, so we'll see how the plan goes. I'll weigh in every Friday, so right now I'm at: 226 lbs. My gol is to be a nice, ripped 185 lbs. So here we go!
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My prediction: Sayonara Syesha!

She's cute, sexy and has a very nice voice, but I predict after last night's all-around mediocre American Idol show, that the Sarasota sweetie is gonna say "see-ya". Syesha Mercado delivered last night's audience three utterly forgettable performances-- the predictable Alicia Keyes "If I Don't Have You" predictably chosen by the predictable judge Randy Jackson; a cabaret performance of Peggy Lee's "Fever" complete with prop chair; and, ummm... some other song. (Was it the penguin song from "Happy Feet"? I think so...) *Sigh* And I like her, too. She just never really defined herself as to what kind singer she is. "Generic Pop Singer" seems to be what she's shooting for. I guess that's not necessarily a death-knell in Idol-World. Jordin Sparks won last year, and she didn't really have any kind of musical style to lay claim to. But Syeha's lack of gravitas (YES! I used a political word!) in last night's performances, not to mention the judges outright candor (even Paula!) in basically telling her she's done, suggests I write a pre-post-mortem on Ms. Mercado.
That presumptively leaves the two Davids-- guitar-playing rocker Cook, and dreadful balladeer Achuleta to vie it out for the final victory. My money's on Mr. Cook for a number of reasons, not sucking being the top reason, but we'll have to see how it plays out. Archie's somnambulant croonings do seem to rank high amongst Idol voters (at least female, under the age of fifteen). As Simon Cowell stated several weeks ago, if this is still a talent competition, and not a popularity contest, David Cook's got it hands down.
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Back to Busking...

It took no Einstein, or crystal ball to predict who'd get the footprint-on-the-ass on this week's Idol. Dreadful, dreadlocked Jason Castro-- who relied on sheer cuteness to get him this far, got bumped after crapping out a version of the Bob Marley classic "I Shot the Sheriff", then proceeded to mangle Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man". Bo Bice, my personal pick for season 4's Idol, summed it up pretty well when he commented on the decision to let this season's contestants play their instruments--it's OK to an extent, but some performers hide behind it. Right on the money, Bo... Jason C was a one-trick pony, and basically gave us the same performance every week. Essentially displaying none of the versatility that is required of all Idol aspirants, Jason brought his subway busking-style performances to the Idol stage relentlessly until I think even he himself couldn't believe he'd lasted that long.
As a final 10 contestant, he's earned himself a place on the American Idol tour, so concert-goers will be treated to more of his repetitive musical musings. I'm not sure how many songs they allow these performers to solo on, but I think a better venue for Jason would be on the downtown platform of the 1/9 trains in Times Square. It would be perfect--these trains go right down to Greenwich Village! Utterly appropriate, and a great audience for Mr. Castro.
OK, so that's settled... now let's focus our efforts on that other one-trick-pony, David Archuletta. He sings just like he talks--boring, yawning; always schmaltzy ballads. Another crappy performer propped up by the pubescent-girl vote. Syesha's very sexy, and I can see her in an acting career, probably musicals and musical theater. I even wouldn't be too disappointed if she won the whole Idol pie. But I think the deserving winner this year is David Cook. He's talented, versatile, and interprets his cover tunes in a very creative and personal way. He also displays his rock-n-roll roots, without being a complete sell-out (as much as a show like this will allow). OK, there's only two more weeks of Idol, and this season really did prove to be a snore. Let's hope that next season will give us a little something more. And, keep the instruments at home, kids. I don't really think it worked, David Cook aside. Let's get another Melinda Doolittle onstage next season. She was the best, and most talented performer that ever set foot on the American Idol stage.

Yay! Finally getting my dogs back...

After two weeks, I'm getting my two dogs back from boarding at my in-laws. We had to seperate them, because Cowgirl is well-behaved, and Bocce is, um... not. I'm leaving in about 15 minutes and driving first to San Francisco to get Bocce, then Modesto to retrieve Cowgirl. I'm so excited...

There's jut an emptiness without those two little guys.

Mourning Brooke White (But I saw it comin' a mile away!)

I could feel it, I knew it, I watched it unfold before me--and from the look on her face, I could tell that Brooke White felt the exact same way I did. As I watched the elimination of perhaps the purest, and absolute sweetest of any Idol contestant ever, I couldn't help but say to myself, "I can see where this is going..."
The sensitive, yet plucky Miss White got clipped after singing "I Am... I Said" on Neil Diamond week, after seemingly weeks of slowly coming unravelled. I was pulling for her from early on, especially after my main man Chikezie got whacked, but recent performances of hers showed signs of slippage, which is often fatal to an aspiring Idol. I witnessed not one, but two false starts (once on her own with a piano, and once with a full orchestra behind her!); and saw her almost lose it during her piano-playing performance of Mariah Carey's "Hero"; barely stumbling through the number. Alas, the voting public had finally stopped dialing her number.
I really did like this contestant, and it was with no amount of my usual American Idol schadenfreude did I feel for the 24 year-old nanny from Mesa, Arizona. She was an absolute sweetheart, and a very good musician; playing both piano and guitar for several numbers. She has an great voice--somewhat country, with a reminiscence of Carly Simon. She's also stunningly beautiful. Tall, blonde, and with the perfect balance of sexiness and pure innocence; with just a touch of almost goofiness thrown in to round out the mix. Where many aspiring Idols fall because they don't connect with the audience despite an above-average singing voice, I really believe Brooke did connect with the audience--which kept her afloat despite weeks of shaky performances. Sadly, in the end, her nerves just got the best of her.

Happy Birthday, Aunt Harriet!

Harriet Lloyd Ross
May 2 1896- August 1994

Today, my little auntie Harriet, Hyatt as we all knew her as, would have been 112! It's amazing to think that she saw in her lifetime everything from the Wright Brothers' first flight, all the way to the space shuttle missions.
Our dear Hyatt was quite an interesting woman. she was rather eccentric, but to her own right she was very successful in a financial company on Wall Street. She was an office manager which, sadly, was about as high as a woman could go in those days. Her boss was a man named Mr. Horner. Hyatt was very intelligent, and quite a conversationalist. And she'd be very upset with me if I didn't mention that she was a Methodist! We all miss her a lot...
Happy Birthday, Hyatt!

Back from San Diego with a new attitude!

For the past week, I've been in Mission Beach with my brother Jason. It was really a much-needed respite from the every day life in Firebaugh. While I was there, I got back into my old fitness routine, and more than that, rediscovered who I am and where my inner peace lies. It sounds kinda cliché, but it really is true. In dealing with personal issues, and the day-to-day dreariness of my life, I really did lose myself and my focus along the way.
So this past week, with my brother there to support and encourage me, we did a lot of running (with my two dogs Bocce and Cowgirl). We also set up a bootcamp-style training gym right in the sand on the beach of Mission Bay. Next we started a new plan to fire up our ACN business, that's a surefire winner. I helped him set up his office, we ate great meals al fresco, right by the bay... It was almost purifying!
I learned not to succumb to negativity. from now on, I'll take control of my life again. it's a good feeling. A key factor in my new attitude is Don Miguel Ruiz's The Four Agreements. This is a collection of ancient Toltec wisdom, made easy to follow in todays' world.

Charlton Heston, a great American

I was really saddened by the loss of Charlton Heston this week. Not only was he a great actor, and a film legend, but he represented all that's good about America. He was the first actor that I actually recognized and got familiar with when I was a kid. Being a sci-fi geek, his leading performances in "The Omega Man", "Soylent Green", and of course, Colonel George Taylor in "Planet of the Apes". Not to mention all the other roles he was famous for that don't even need mentioning. his voice was commanding, and his screen presence filled the room.
Another thing I admire about Mr. Heston, is his commitment to what he believed in, even if it proved to be unpopular. His position on gun-owners' rights, and his love for America earned him criticism from many people, including those in his own industry.
Thank you Mr. Heston, for what you've done in my life and inspiring me and others.

Don't cry, Ramiele!

This week's departure of Ramiele Malubay came as no surprise to me. I did come in late to the Idol game this season due to a work project, missing all of Hollywood week and the elimination of the first twelve. So, I didn't get to see the early performances that earned her top twelve status. But, that being said, as I watched the diminutive and undeniably cute Rami perform, I had her pegged for an early elimination.
I just got the feeling while watching her, that she's just not a performer. She has an incredible voice, no doubt about that. She just seemed to not know what to do on stage. She gave off a look that seemed to say, "I've seen other singers do this, so this is what I'm supposed to do!" as she stood awkwardly or tried to look as-cute-as-can-be for the camera. That always reads across the TV airwaves, and sooner or later, the audience will lose interest and stop voting. I imagine her fanbase was a good percentage of Filipinos and other Asians giving her support (and valuable phone votes!). At the very beginning of the season, during her audition phase, she'd remarked that she aspired to be the first Asian-american Idol. Or did she say it without the hyphen; the first Asian American Idol? I couldn't tell... Either way, it was a very admirable aspiration.
Coincidentally, Ramiele's departure episode displayed video clips of "What-are-they-doing-now" clips of previous seasons' finalists. Most of them seem to be doing really well (The clips did not feature Jessica Sierra), and following their musical dreams in some capacity. Not to mention, being a top 10 finalist, Rami gets to go on the American Idol tour. With that kind of exposure, and the right kind of planning and representation, she has a great chance of continuing as a successful performing artist. After all, that's what it's all about, right?
This led to one of my patented "bright ideas™"... I mentioned to the lovely Mrs. Shoehead that Ramiele could not only be an "American" Idol, but she could go global with this. If she started representing herself as an example of Asian-american pop music talent, and also started booking concerts and releasing albums in the Asian nations, and the Pacific Rim, I believe she'll be hugely successful! A truly global talent, representing America, Asian-America, and the American Idol franchise to over a billion people! I hope her representation and management have at least entertained the possibilities. I told the lovely Mrs. Shoehead that I would be willing to represent Ramiele, if she needed me. So, cheer up my diminutive cutie, you could be bigger than Miley Cyrus, and not even have to concoct a "Hannah Montana" persona.

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Martin Luther King reincarnated?

It's a happy 40th birthday to my buddy from a previous life, Keith AKA Shrek. It seems he was born on the same day the esteemed M.L.K. passed away. Coincidence? I Think not... Any spiritual person (or non-spiritual, for that matter) would see the obvious fact that Keith "Shrek" is the reincarnation of Dr. King! Shrek was part of a little underground business that I got involved with when I first moved to California. One of the other guys in that little circle just happens to be the reincarnation of Elvis. Dennis, or "D" was born on August 16th, 1977, the same day as The King checked out of that Heartbreak Hotel we call life.
Can you see the parallels? Martin Luther KING, The KING? How can anyone miss that?

Anyway, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SHREK!!! The big 4-0!

Thank you Dr. King

Just a little reflection on this 40th anniversary of Dr. King's death... The "I have a dream" speech from 1963 was one of the defining moments of the 20th century.

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I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.

But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. So we have come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.

In a sense we have come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds." But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we have come to cash this check — a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quick sands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.

We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. They have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone.

As we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied, as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their selfhood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating "For Whites Only". We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.

Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed. Let us not wallow in the valley of despair.

I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."

And if America is to be a great nation this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!

Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado!

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California!

But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia!

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee!

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

A day in the life...

Another great day in Firebaugh... It rained a little yesterday, but today is sunny and warm! One of my cats, a cute kitten named Buster who went missing two weeks ago, came back! He was hiding out under the house, and the were sightings of him, and rumored sightings (like Elvis or Bigfoot) but he finally returned to the warmth and comfort of Casa Shoehead.

Now, I'm finishing my coffee, and working on my screenplay. ah, yes...
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Maybe I'll join the C.I.A.

Three men answered and ad for CIA agents. The ad stated
the men were to bring their wives.

The first man was called in for the interview. The Agent
in charge handed him a gun, then said, "We must have
absolute loyalty in this service. Take your wife in the
next room and shoot her."

The man looked shocked. He thought and said "I'm afraid I
can't do that. I just got married 2 weeks ago and I still
love my wife." He left.

The second man came in and the agent gave him the same
pitch. The man, almost in tears said, "Oh no. I can't do
that to her, she's about to have a baby." So he left.

The third man entered and was given the pitch. So he took
the gun and his wife into the next room. Soon "bam bam
bam bam bam!" Then there was noise of furniture being
broken, woman's screams, then nothing. The man comes
back out.

The agents asked, "What went on in there??!!"

The man said: "Some idiot put blanks in the gun
so I strangled her!"

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Last month, I discovered a secret...

It’s a secret that almost every great achiever in the world knows. It’s a little-known technique that’ll enable you to experience success, happiness, WEALTH, and amazing coincidences beyond your wildest dreams.

And that very secret was the subject of numerous books in the early 1900’s, particularly a special long-lost 1926 book. It’s a book that Bill Gates himself studied as a student.

It’s NOT a book about positive thinking, or self-hypnosis, or affirmations, or anything of that sort. This is an actual GENUINE secret, a physical tangible secret that YOU can use to make amazing change in your life – starting today!

This long-lost 1926 book has recently resurfaced in a dusty Scottish attic, and – for the first time ever – is being made available in a special compilation from self-development guru Bradley Thompson.

He calls it The Absolute Secret.

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Thanks for your time!

The Origin of Shoehead

A lot of people have been asking me how I got the moniker "Shoehead". I guess it is a natural curiosity, and while I've answered the question countless times, it never really dawned on me to post it in a blog; immortalized through eternity (or as long as the internet is up and running).

I've been Shoehead since 1980, so it's not just some silly screen-name for the web. In fact, I've been Shoehead since before a lot of the internet generation was born!

The name came about shortly after I moved to Richmond, VA. As anyone who's ever relocated in the middle of high school can attest, it's a little tough to "break-in" to a new school, a new set of friends, etc. Especially in Richmond, which can definitely be very clique-ish. So I did fall in with a pretty cool bunch of guys, including two really good friends, Bernard "Beanie", and Billy "Bildo". Sometime, in the spring of 1980, we all went to a huge house party in Henrico County's fashionable West End (we all went to Tucker High School in the West End), and as the drinking commenced, Beanie and I started calling each other "Shoehead". I really don't remember how it came about, or even what it means, but at that time I had no idea of the staying power of such a moniker. Throughout the night, we laughingly called each other out --"Hey, Shoehead!" Monday morning, as we saw each other in the halls, we kept it up, and as the weeks went by, the name just kind of stuck on me.

The name perpetuated after high school, most likely because I put a personalized licence plate on my car saying "SHU HED" (at the time, you could only get six digits on the Virginia licence plates). Over the next few years, the name became sort of an alter-ego; like a party name.When my band, Just Because performed in the late 80's and early 90's, "Shoehead" became my stage name. By this time, a lot of people around Richmond didn't even know my real name!

I moved to Hoboken NJ in 1996, and after I brought my cousin Chris down to Richmond for a visit, "Shoehead" followed me back up to the New York area. I then moved to Vegas, and my brother Jason brought "Shoehead" to Vegas. After Vegas, I moved to Redondo Beach into an apartment with some Richmond buddies of mine, who already knew the "Shoehead" legend. The local Redondo denizens started calling me "Shooey", which is entirely a California creation. I like "Shooey" a lot, because it represents a great time in my life--a period of change, a sense of adventure; new beginnings...

So that's pretty much the whole story. Once the internet came into my life, there really couldn't be any other screen name that captured my personality and history. I hope this helps de-mystify, or bring to life my nickname.

I'm Back... Co-ed Confidential 2 WRAPPED!

It's great to be back. I'll post some pics a little later. It was a fun shoot, and I made some great friends, as well as re-connected with old friends. But now I'm back with my dog, Bocce Ball!

Taking a mini-break from the show...

I've been working on the second season of "Co-ed Confidential" for the last 2 1/2 weeks, and it's been a lot of fun (sorta)... I just came home to the lovely Mrs. Shoehead and my two dogs and four cats for a miniature "sanity-break".
I've been busting ass on set, as a P.A. (gotta love the 42 year-old P.A.!) and because of my experience in Transpo, (see my kick-ass resume) I was bumped up to Transpo Captain. Yee-ha!
So I'm driving back tonight to be on set bright and early!

I did watch the Oscars last night, and noticed that "No Country for Old Men" cleaned up. With that, I had to watch it, so I popped in my promo copy of the film and took a look. Did I miss something? I really didn't get the film. There were some good performances, but all-in-all, I thought the movie was, well... kinda sucked! I didn't get the ending, the whole film seemed totally choppy... I did start nodding off toward the end, but was it really voted Best Picture?


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Pay-to-click sites (PTC's)

In the past year or so, pay-to-click sites (PTC's) have gotten more and more prevalent. My first reaction to them was not so much "scam", as a lot of internet skeptics are quick to view online earning programs, but more of "a-waste-of-time" view of them. I thought to myself, "This really couldn't be worth the trouble; how much could they really pay; etc..." After seeing more and more of them, and on the recommendation of an online marketing buddy of mine, I took a chance and joined one. Now, my mind is completely changed about them, and I whole-heartedly endorse them to any online referral marketer. PTC's are a new form of online advertising, that's all. Just like traffic exchanges, which at first I thought were worthless and stupid, they are fast becoming a new model for the internet; particularly in the new phenomenon of "Web 2.0" content and user-driven networking sites. I've always likened the PTC earnings to raindrops. at first, there are a few pennies. Nothing to get excited about. Like individual raindrops, by themselves they don't amount to much. But as referrals grow, the aggregate builds, and soon there's a torrent of rain (or earnings!)
As I got more familiar with PTC's I learned which ones I like better, and which I don't favor as much. these are factored by how much is paid per view, how many ads are available, etc. I'm a free member in all of them so far, but premium membership is definitely a better option. You get more ads to view, and the pay per viewing is higher-both for you and your referrals. You can also buy referral packages in different amounts that save you time. I bought some referrals, and made my money back in a matter of a week or two.
PTC's are also a good advertising medium for your own programs and sites you're promoting. The ad rates are very reasonable, and you're guaranteed viewers.

Here's a list of what I found to be the best in PTC's:
Bux.to - My Favorite. There are always a good amount of Ads to click every day. Good payout, too!
Clicks4Coins - Another favorite. You get $3 just for joining, and the ads are usually higher paying than other PTC's
ClixSense - A good PTC as well. Always good ads to view.
DailyClick.biz - Again, good payout-lots of ads.
Cashwebs.net - A good PTC, always about 15-20 ads.
Paid.vg - Excellent!

The rest of these are very good, too.
Instantad.org
cash-linkz.com
yayclick.com
Adverbux.com
DevCix.com
Fast.sc
Advercash.net
Titanclicks.com
Turbobux.com
Money-Website.com
PaidClicks.ws

These are great sites to make some extra money on the web. Referring is also not as hard as it sounds. Some downline builders, such as Free Money Team, and Marketing Pond make referring much easier, and actually fun!