Mark Paul is the former deputy treasurer of the state of California and co-author of California Crackup: How Reform Broke the Golden State and How We Can Fix It. Before participating in a panel on whether California is too big, he made a return visit to the Zócalo green room where he dished on his cure for the hiccups and his iPad addiction.
Q. What was the last real letter you wrote?
A. When I resigned from the Sacramento Bee in 2004 … I’m guessing.
Q. How do you cure the hiccups?
A. Sucking on a lemon wedge. The remedy came from my mother, and it seems to work.
Q. What was the name of your childhood pet?
A. Willie-a poodle. Spelled like Willie Mays.
Q. What menu item do you find difficult to resist?
A. Chocolate ice cream.
Q. What’s underrated?
A. The California legislature.
Q. What’s the theme song to your life?
A. I guess the Rolling Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.”
Q. What’s your technology addiction?
A. These days, the iPad.
Q. Cowboys or Indians?
A. Indians.
Q. If you could go back to college, what would you major in?
A. I majored in history, and I’d probably do it again, but I would have taken more math. I got scared away, but it turned out I was very good at it.
Q. Who is your favorite comedian?
A. Robin Williams.
*Photo by Sarah Rivera.