Perry Gregg
CEO & Founder, ushow2, Inc.
vendredi, juin 29, 2007
4 search epoch by authoritarian fiat you consider suggesting web designer
In the Ritual Roasters on Valencia crowd in the City (or equivalent) is there a person you would recommend as the top web designer for an http load balanced high volume web site?
mardi, juin 26, 2007
Ernest J. "Chico" Wilson '70
From: David L. Evans [mailto:d...vans@fas.harvard.edu]
Sent: Tue 6/26/2007 12:02 PM
To: Gregg, Perry
Cc:
Subject: Ernest J. "Chico" Wilson '70
Sent: Tue 6/26/2007 12:02 PM
To: Gregg, Perry
Cc:
Subject: Ernest J. "Chico" Wilson '70
Perry,
Ernest J. "Chico" Wilson from DC (Harvard Class of 1970) was recently
appointed Dean of the University of Southern California Annenberg
School for Communication. He attended the Capitol Page School in
Washington. At Harvard he lived in Wigglesworth Hall as a
freshman. Interestingly, he is somehow related to June Cross '75 and
Chico's maternal grandfather, Thomas Montgomery Gregory, was in the
Class of 1910 and his maternal uncle, Thomas Montgomery Gregory, Jr.,
was in the Class of 1944. In the Class of 1944 was also Alexander
Louis Jackson III, son of Alexander Louis Jackson II (Class of 1914)
and father of Alexander Louis Jackson IV, Chico's classmate in the
Class of 1970. Who would have thunk (smile) that we had
third-generation black folk back then.
Let's all congratulate Chico and his wife Fran Rusan Wilson
(Wellesley '69), a professor of African American Studies at the
University of Maryland, College Park.
Best regards,
David
lundi, juin 25, 2007
Ivy Plus Event, The Venice Contemporary - Sat. 7.7.07 - Los Angeles
UPCOMING EVENTS
+
_____________
Saturday, July 7
Gallery Cocktail Reception
Cocktail Attire ~ Open Bar, Appetizers & Desert
The
Advance RSVP Required
$36, including open bar, appetizers & desert
The gallery will be showcasing original paintings from four of the hottest fresh new
American artists: Ken Keirns (
Reese (
Cocktail Attire
No jeans; jackets for men. Ladies, we know you already know what to do.
List
RSVP Required
Deadline: When we sell-out!
When you purchase your ticket, Pay Pal will send you a confirmation e-mail for your records. This means you are all set & will be on the list. You will not receive any physical ticket.
The Fine Print
* You must be 21 to attend & plan to drink responsibly. The art in the gallery is expensive; you therefore must be able to stand-up and control your appendages and bodily fluids at all times. Designate a driver to ensure you make it home with the same number of body parts with which you left the house.
* No refunds or cancellations permitted.
dimanche, juin 24, 2007
Harvard Independent Film Group
Harvard Independent Film Group
sponsored by Crimson Screen Partners
sponsored by Crimson Screen Partners
On THURSDAY, June 28th, join us when we present some new Harvard filmmakers
and their friends and see Traci Lords as you have never seen her.
Our 7:00PM SHORT FILMS Program includes Thouly Dosios' HOUSE OF THE OLIVE
TREE about Anna, who has constructed a world for herself where her feelings
lay suppressed; A. J. Shepard's CHASING THE DREAM about what takes to make
it in the Entertainment Business; Mikael Soderstein & Cornelia Ravenal's
THE OTHER WOMAN about a young woman who thinks she know what she wants and
Simon Tarr's FUD 3D (Berserk-O-Matic Trance Spectacles Provided).
Then our 8:30PM FEATURE FILM is Emily Skopov's NOVEL ROMANCE. A powerful
editor (Traci Lords) yearns to be a mother, and decides to "skip the husband
and go straight to the baby". She chooses a talented but destitute novelist
(Paul Johansson) and offers to publish his work in exchange for 10cc's of
his sperm and a guarantee that he will stay out of her life. As his career
flourishes, she descends into the chaos of single mom.
The Harvard Film Group regularly invites leading Writers, Directors,
Actors, and Industry Leaders to discuss their personal experience with us.
We have monthly live readings and screenings of new work. We also have
Harvard Film OnLine where members can post information about upcoming events
and shares their views.
More Information at www.harvardfilmgroup.com
The Tank @ The Collective Unconsciousness
279 Church Street
between Franklin and White
Admission is $7
3 Blocks Below Canal St
& Across From The Tribeca Grand
Space is very limited so please rsvp@crimsonscreen.com
or reply to this email / call 212-410-9404
samedi, juin 23, 2007
"Party school, Harvard organize joint forum"
BEIJING, June 22 (Xinhua) -- China's top college for senior Party
officials and Harvard University jointly kicked off a forum here Friday
to scrutinize social development problems China is experiencing.
officials and Harvard University jointly kicked off a forum here Friday
to scrutinize social development problems China is experiencing.
The two-day event was the first ever collaboration between the
Central Party School (CPS) of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and
Harvard.
The China Social Development Forum, attended by more than 50
scholars, will focus on social development problems such as health,
education and housing, which the CPC views as the core content of
building a harmonious socialist society.
"Through the forum, we can further mutual understanding, evolve
better solutions and lay the foundations of future collaboration," said
CPS vice president Wang Weiguang in his opening remarks.
"I hope the forum will achieve positive results which contribute to
the building of China's harmonious society," he added.
Professor Barry Bloom, head of the Harvard School of Public Health,
hoped the forum would mark the successful beginning of an informative
and provocative dialogue "between scholars and policy makers of our two
universities and countries."
"Social sector development is more than a means to an end," he said.
"It is an end in itself."
He warned that there were concerns about the sustainability of
China's rapid economic growth and its ability to cope with "a very
complex set of challenges in social sector development".
"In an increasingly globalized world, China's development affects
not only the 1.3 billion Chinese people, but also many more people the
world over," he said.
To date, the CPS has established academic relations with more than
30 countries and regions across the world and hosted more than 30
bilateral and multilateral seminars on fields including politics,
economy, law, history and culture.
2007-06-22 20:41:27]
mercredi, juin 20, 2007
FW: Beyond the Slavery Apologies
-----Original Message-----
From: David L. Evans [mailto:d...@fas.harvard.edu]
Sent: Sun 6/3/2007 8:56 AM
To: Gregg, Perry
Cc:
Subject: Beyond the Slavery Apologies
Perry,
Last week Alabama joined Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia in apologizing for slavery. What do and what should these public declarations of contrition mean nearly 150 years after the abolition of slavery in a nation with a median age of 36.4 years? The apologies were also offered in a society where a typical high school course in U. S. History seldom reaches World War II and any discussion of slavery in that course is done swiftly. Add the extensive racial segregation in public schools and residential housing in our country and we have a median-age American who wasn't even alive during the Jim Crow era, hasn't studied slavery in any detail and hasn't lived near or attended school with more than a few token black folk-if that. Therefore, it isn't rash to conclude that the images of African Americans held by a majority of citizens come from indirect sources and were formed with minimal input from black folk. Even among well-meaning observers whose perspectives are so limited, African Americans can become mere characters in books, magazines and newspapers or images on television or in the movies. I need not relate who those characters are and what visual images are most often seen.
Perhaps it is time to follow those legislative admissions of guilt with demands that the slavery that engendered the apologies be taught (in detail) in high school. Secondary school students need to know that for 90% percent of their time in this country African Americans were enslaved or subjected to Jim Crow segregation. In so doing, they might understand the historic magnitude of the "race problem" and that 350 years of institutional subjugation and humiliation are not easily surmounted.
Best regards,
David
From: David L. Evans [mailto:d...@fas.harvard.edu]
Sent: Sun 6/3/2007 8:56 AM
To: Gregg, Perry
Cc:
Subject: Beyond the Slavery Apologies
Perry,
Last week Alabama joined Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia in apologizing for slavery. What do and what should these public declarations of contrition mean nearly 150 years after the abolition of slavery in a nation with a median age of 36.4 years? The apologies were also offered in a society where a typical high school course in U. S. History seldom reaches World War II and any discussion of slavery in that course is done swiftly. Add the extensive racial segregation in public schools and residential housing in our country and we have a median-age American who wasn't even alive during the Jim Crow era, hasn't studied slavery in any detail and hasn't lived near or attended school with more than a few token black folk-if that. Therefore, it isn't rash to conclude that the images of African Americans held by a majority of citizens come from indirect sources and were formed with minimal input from black folk. Even among well-meaning observers whose perspectives are so limited, African Americans can become mere characters in books, magazines and newspapers or images on television or in the movies. I need not relate who those characters are and what visual images are most often seen.
Perhaps it is time to follow those legislative admissions of guilt with demands that the slavery that engendered the apologies be taught (in detail) in high school. Secondary school students need to know that for 90% percent of their time in this country African Americans were enslaved or subjected to Jim Crow segregation. In so doing, they might understand the historic magnitude of the "race problem" and that 350 years of institutional subjugation and humiliation are not easily surmounted.
Best regards,
David
HLS grad Obama's '08 campaign connecting through cell phones
"Our movement for change is on the go in all fifty states, and you can
help it grow offline.
help it grow offline.
The goal of our online efforts is to connect you with other supporters
in the real world. Today there are two ways you can move that effort
forward.
To start, sign up to receive text messages on your phone and stay in
touch with the campaign wherever you go. If you sign up before the end
of the month, we'll send you a free bumper sticker to help spread the
word:
But don't stop there. Let your friends and neighbors know they don't
need a computer to be a part of the movement. Anyone with a cellphone
can text GO to OBAMA (62262) and join our campaign.
Print a Go Mobile for Obama flyer and put it up in your neighborhood:
http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/gomobileflyer.pdf
Text messages will keep you and your friends connected to the movement.
Be the first to know about local campaign events. Get reminders about
debates and important public appearances. And connect to our organizing
staff to build the movement in your community.
But don't worry. We respect your phone and your privacy, so updates will
be periodic and we'll never share your personal information.
Sign up to receive text messages and get a free Obama for America bumper
sticker:
Our movement is ready to move with you, online and offline.
Thanks for your support,
David
David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America
PS -- Personalize your phone with Obama for America wallpapers and ring
tones created by supporters like you: http://www.barackobama.com/go "
vendredi, juin 15, 2007
Web developer position at HBS grad run JustAnswer.com [hot location & place to work in the Presidio]
[Here is a fun job description for the JustAnswer.com web position.
Send resumes and a cover letter to julie@justanswer.com . Best,
Perry]
Send resumes and a cover letter to julie@justanswer.com . Best,
Perry]
What if your Web Application could save lives? At JustAnswer, it does!
We're the largest paid question and answer service; where over 16,000
Doctors, Lawyers, Veterinarians, Mechanics, and other Experts answer
questions 24/7.
Have a strange headache in the middle of the night? Ask our Health
Experts. Have a legal dispute with a neighbor? Ask our Law Experts. You
get the idea.
Since we're all about Questions & Answers, here are the details on this
opportunity:
Q: What's JustAnswer story?
A: JustAnswer is a fast growing company started in 2003 by Internet
entrepreneur Andy Kurtzig. You can learn more about how the company got
started and what we do here. http://www.justanswer.com/about-us.aspx
Q: What's the difference between JustAnswer and Yahoo Answers?
A: When you ask a serious question on Yahoo, you usually get an answer
from a teenager. When you ask on JustAnswer, you get Experts. Who would
you trust with your health? What about your taxes? Or, anything else
that's important to you...
Q: What kind of person is JustAnswer looking for?
A: We look for 2 things. *Smart* and *Fun* to work with. After that,
everything else is a distant second.
Q: Which coding languages does JustAnswer use?
A: ASP.NET 2.0, SQL Server 2005, C#, AJAX, XML, and some basic HTML and
Java scripting.
Q: Do I have to be a pro at all of those?
A: Come on... You're smart enough to figure out whatever languages you
need to learn!
Q: Will real Customers use the things I develop?
A: Yes! And, fast. We come out with significant site upgrades about once
per week... so your work is in front of thousands of Customers almost as
fast as you can develop them!
Q: What do Customers think of JustAnswer?
A: Click here to see some Customer testimonials.
http://www.justanswer.com/help/testimonials.aspx?FID=3
Q: What's the Salary?
A: Depends on your experience, but it'll be a competitive rate. And, you
get stock options and health insurance.
Q: Any other good perks?
A: We've got free lunch on Tuesdays and we're a block from the beach!
Now, we've got a Question for you...
Q: You have a 12 ounce can of Beer, a 5 ounce cup and a 3 ounce cup. How
can you give me exactly 1 ounce of Beer? Bonus points if you can give us
the answer programmatically!
Make a difference in the world. Apply to be a JustAnswer Web Developer
now, by sending us your resume and the answer to the riddle. See you
soon!
mardi, juin 12, 2007
FW: School to Prison Pipeline
-----Original Message-----Perry,
From: David L. Evans [mailto:d...@fas.harvard.edu]
Sent: Tue 6/12/2007 5:15 AM
To: Gregg, Perry
Cc:
Subject: School to Prison Pipeline
Regardless of the causes, millions of young African Americans are ensnared in the criminal justice system. They are inmates, are on parole or they are on probation. By far, most of them are males, but more and more, females are caught up in the system too.
I am not indifferent to the plight of these young people, but I am more concerned about the psychological "collateral damage" done to black youths who've done nothing wrong. Especially those who might have witnessed harsh police tactics toward others like themselves and are traumatized by anger or fear.
Bob Herbert, the New York Times columnist, has written extensively about how early in life black youths encounter the police and the criminal justice system. In his Saturday, June 9, 2007, column he cited a six-year old black girl in Florida who was arrested and taken away in handcuffs for throwing a tantrum in kindergarten. A twelve-year-old African American girl in Texas was sentenced to up to seven years in prison for shoving a hall monitor.
Again, I fear that when millions of black youths are swept up by the criminal justice system it can crush the youthful idealism of the most lawful and promising African Americans. I expressed these thoughts in a letter that is published in today's New York Times and enclosed below.
Best regards,
David
____________________________________
June 12, 2007
How to Handle Unruly Students?
To the Editor:
Throughout history, many of the great human rights and social movements have been energized by the unfettered idealism of youth. I am therefore afraid that introducing black children, some not yet in their teens, to the criminal justice system will destroy that idealism and replace it with ugly cynicism or extreme caution.
We can no longer ignore these possibilities because the jails and prisons are teeming with young blacks, especially males. The last thing we need in this country is a generation or two of black youths who see abusive enforcement of the law as legitimate representation of the American people.
Think where our country would be if the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. or Ruth J. Simmons (the president of Brown University) had been driven off the deep end or were satisfied never to rock the boat.
David L. Evans
Cambridge, Mass., June 9, 2007
lundi, juin 11, 2007
Pinoy to address Harvard Law graduation
Pinoy to address Harvard Law graduation
A FILIPINO lawyer taking up his LLM or master's degree in law at Harvard Law School in Cambridge , Massachusetts , will deliver the school's commencement address on June 7.
Oscar Franklin Barcelona Tan, a graduate of UP Law Class 2005 will address about 700 graduates. He is an associate, on study leave, at the ACCRA law office.
His father, lawyer Edmundo L. Tan of the Tan Acut & Lopez Law firm, had no comment on Franklin 's selection by a select committee, but said, "I will be there in Harvard on June 7 to congratulate personally my son and to share the moment with him."
His mother, Dr. Jesusa Barcelona Tan, is a dermatology consultant at the Hospital of the Infant Jesus in Sampaloc, head of the photo-dermatology unit, and former chair of the Department of D ermatology at the Jose R. Reyes Medical Center of the Department of Health.
In his draft speech, Oscar urges his 700 fellow graduates to transcend narrow nationalism. "My friends – and this includes our American classmates who will soon lead the world's lone superpower – let us transcend our individual nationalities and affirm that we are citizens of the world," he says.
----------
Like Wine in the River, Like Citizens of the World
Harvard Law School 2007 Student Commencement Address
Oscar Franklin Barcelona Tan ( Philippines )
Dean Kagan, Vice-Dean Alford, professors, classmates, families, and friends. Let me first thank our tireless graduate program staff. They were the first friendly faces who greeted me, told me which functions offered free food, and what to do if you faint during your final exams. Assistant Dean Jeanne Tai, Nancy Pinn, Heather Wallick, Curtis Morrow, Jane Bestor, Chris Nepple, April Stockfleet: This year would not have been possible without you.
But this goes to everyone: Thank you all for truly making us feel part of this community. We LLMs became your fellow students after your Salsa Party, Chinese and Korean New Year, African Night, and our International Party. To honor you, we took Europe by storm, winning in the inaugural Negotiation Challenge, in the European Law Moot Court, and in the Willem Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot Court. Of course, you truly become part of Harvard Law School when you're featured in the Parody.
Not so long ago, Cambridge seemed a strange, unfriendly place especially when I first saw Gropius. I went to John Harvard's with the British, who began chittering in an alien language. I lat er discovered it was actually English -- the real English. I complained I was not used to cold, but a Saudi Arabian reminded me that you can fry eggs on a sidewalk in Riyadh . An Italian gave me tips on women because Italian men are the world's greatest lovers, with the disclaimer that their style does not work on American women. A Malaysian was asked to
explain the religious significance of the color of her hijab, or headscarf. She would answer: It had to match her blouse.
Soon, we found that great substance that keeps any law school together: alcohol. On New Year's Eve, a Belarusian handed me a glass of vodka, but scolded me when I began to sip it. Sipping, he emphasized, was not the Slavic way. I shared a Frenchman's champagne, a Peruvian's pisco sour, a Costa Rican's pina colada, a Brazilian's caipirinha, a Mexican's tequila, and a Japanese's sake. And apologies to the Germans, but I learned how even weak American beer enlivens an evening when you drink it with the Ir ish.
We found greater common ground: The Swiss complained about American chocolate, the New Zealanders complained about American cheese, the Sri Lankans complained about American tea, the Indians complained about the lack of vegetarian food, and everyone complained that American food makes you fat. An Austrian made homemade apfelstrudel. A Nigerian made homemade fried plantains. The Pakistanis made a non-spicy version of keema, and I only needed eight glasses of water during the meal. All the Americans had was Three Aces pizza.
As for me, I come from the Philippines , a former American colony best known for Imelda Marcos's shoe collection. I remember being a six-year old watching my parents walk out of our house to join the crowds gathering to depose the dictator Ferdinand Marcos and form human walls against tanks. I remember being a twenty-year old in a different crowd deposing a different but equally corrupt president.
It was liberating to hear how a Chilean danced with crowds in the streets when Pinochet was arrested. How the Chinese come to grips with Tiananmen Square, while convinced that one cannot transplant American-style government wholesale to Beijing . How life changed in the former Soviet Union ; how it was like growing up in a fledgling Eastern European country. How a Pakistani discussed Musharraf's assault on judicial independence with a South African worried about Mugabe's own acts in Zimbabwe .
It was even more liberating to hear from a Korean prosecutor how his country sent two former presidents to jail. How the Swiss have preserved their tradition of independence and referendum. How Ghana threw off its colonial fetters and inspired a conscious African solidarity. How a Bhutanese wants to help shape her constitution after her king voluntarily gave up absolute power.
I cannot deny that our generation's issues will be complex, but I can guarantee that they will never be abstract, not after having a classmate who was an Israeli army drill sergeant, not after having a Chinese classmate with a Taiwanese girlfriend, nor after having a classmate chased by gunmen out of Afghanistan . In fact, when George W. Bush's speechwriter visited, my Iranian classmate introduced himself, "Hi, I'm from an Axis of Evil country."
Friends, my most uplifting thought this year has been that the more we learn about each other, the more we realize that we are all alike, and the more we inspire each other to realize our most heartfelt yearnings. My single most memorable moment here came when I met South African Justice Albie Sachs, left with only one arm after an assassination attempt during apartheid. My classmate stood up and said: " South Africa is the world's second most unequal country. I come from Brazil , the world's most unequal country, and I admire how the South African Constitutional Court has inspired the progress of human
rights throughout the world."
And this is how Harvard has changed us. We recall struggling with English to keep pace with the world's most brilliant professors, especially with Elizabeth Warren's Socratic blitzkriegs, and we thank Harvard for raising our thinking to a higher, broader level. But even the most powerful ideas demand passion to set them aflame. The passion we ignite today is fueled by a collage of vignettes that will remind us in this crucible of life that our peers in faraway lands face the same frustrations, the same nation building ordeals, the same sorrows,
and ultimately, the same shared joys and triumphs.
How do a mere 700 change the world, even with overpriced Harvard diplomas? Before a great battle in China 's Spring and Autumn Period, the legendary King Gou Jian of Yue was presented with fine wine. He ordered his troops to stand beside a river, and poured the wine into it. He ordered them to drink from the river and share his gift. A bottle of wine cannot flavor a river, but the gesture so emboldened his army that they won a great victory. We of the Class of 2007 shall flavor this earth, whether we be vodka, wine, champagne, pisco sour, pina colada, caipirinha, tequila, sake, jagermeister, raki, Irish stout, Ugandan Warabi, or Philippine lambanog.
Thus, my friends --and this includes our American classmates who will soon lead the world's lone superpower -- let us transcend our individual nationalities and affirm that we are citizens of the world. Maraming salamat po, at mabuhay kayong lahat.*Thank you and long live you all.*
A FILIPINO lawyer taking up his LLM or master's degree in law at Harvard Law School in Cambridge , Massachusetts , will deliver the school's commencement address on June 7.
Oscar Franklin Barcelona Tan, a graduate of UP Law Class 2005 will address about 700 graduates. He is an associate, on study leave, at the ACCRA law office.
His father, lawyer Edmundo L. Tan of the Tan Acut & Lopez Law firm, had no comment on Franklin 's selection by a select committee, but said, "I will be there in Harvard on June 7 to congratulate personally my son and to share the moment with him."
His mother, Dr. Jesusa Barcelona Tan, is a dermatology consultant at the Hospital of the Infant Jesus in Sampaloc, head of the photo-dermatology unit, and former chair of the Department of D ermatology at the Jose R. Reyes Medical Center of the Department of Health.
In his draft speech, Oscar urges his 700 fellow graduates to transcend narrow nationalism. "My friends – and this includes our American classmates who will soon lead the world's lone superpower – let us transcend our individual nationalities and affirm that we are citizens of the world," he says.
----------
Like Wine in the River, Like Citizens of the World
Harvard Law School 2007 Student Commencement Address
Oscar Franklin Barcelona Tan ( Philippines )
Dean Kagan, Vice-Dean Alford, professors, classmates, families, and friends. Let me first thank our tireless graduate program staff. They were the first friendly faces who greeted me, told me which functions offered free food, and what to do if you faint during your final exams. Assistant Dean Jeanne Tai, Nancy Pinn, Heather Wallick, Curtis Morrow, Jane Bestor, Chris Nepple, April Stockfleet: This year would not have been possible without you.
But this goes to everyone: Thank you all for truly making us feel part of this community. We LLMs became your fellow students after your Salsa Party, Chinese and Korean New Year, African Night, and our International Party. To honor you, we took Europe by storm, winning in the inaugural Negotiation Challenge, in the European Law Moot Court, and in the Willem Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot Court. Of course, you truly become part of Harvard Law School when you're featured in the Parody.
Not so long ago, Cambridge seemed a strange, unfriendly place especially when I first saw Gropius. I went to John Harvard's with the British, who began chittering in an alien language. I lat er discovered it was actually English -- the real English. I complained I was not used to cold, but a Saudi Arabian reminded me that you can fry eggs on a sidewalk in Riyadh . An Italian gave me tips on women because Italian men are the world's greatest lovers, with the disclaimer that their style does not work on American women. A Malaysian was asked to
explain the religious significance of the color of her hijab, or headscarf. She would answer: It had to match her blouse.
Soon, we found that great substance that keeps any law school together: alcohol. On New Year's Eve, a Belarusian handed me a glass of vodka, but scolded me when I began to sip it. Sipping, he emphasized, was not the Slavic way. I shared a Frenchman's champagne, a Peruvian's pisco sour, a Costa Rican's pina colada, a Brazilian's caipirinha, a Mexican's tequila, and a Japanese's sake. And apologies to the Germans, but I learned how even weak American beer enlivens an evening when you drink it with the Ir ish.
We found greater common ground: The Swiss complained about American chocolate, the New Zealanders complained about American cheese, the Sri Lankans complained about American tea, the Indians complained about the lack of vegetarian food, and everyone complained that American food makes you fat. An Austrian made homemade apfelstrudel. A Nigerian made homemade fried plantains. The Pakistanis made a non-spicy version of keema, and I only needed eight glasses of water during the meal. All the Americans had was Three Aces pizza.
As for me, I come from the Philippines , a former American colony best known for Imelda Marcos's shoe collection. I remember being a six-year old watching my parents walk out of our house to join the crowds gathering to depose the dictator Ferdinand Marcos and form human walls against tanks. I remember being a twenty-year old in a different crowd deposing a different but equally corrupt president.
It was liberating to hear how a Chilean danced with crowds in the streets when Pinochet was arrested. How the Chinese come to grips with Tiananmen Square, while convinced that one cannot transplant American-style government wholesale to Beijing . How life changed in the former Soviet Union ; how it was like growing up in a fledgling Eastern European country. How a Pakistani discussed Musharraf's assault on judicial independence with a South African worried about Mugabe's own acts in Zimbabwe .
It was even more liberating to hear from a Korean prosecutor how his country sent two former presidents to jail. How the Swiss have preserved their tradition of independence and referendum. How Ghana threw off its colonial fetters and inspired a conscious African solidarity. How a Bhutanese wants to help shape her constitution after her king voluntarily gave up absolute power.
I cannot deny that our generation's issues will be complex, but I can guarantee that they will never be abstract, not after having a classmate who was an Israeli army drill sergeant, not after having a Chinese classmate with a Taiwanese girlfriend, nor after having a classmate chased by gunmen out of Afghanistan . In fact, when George W. Bush's speechwriter visited, my Iranian classmate introduced himself, "Hi, I'm from an Axis of Evil country."
Friends, my most uplifting thought this year has been that the more we learn about each other, the more we realize that we are all alike, and the more we inspire each other to realize our most heartfelt yearnings. My single most memorable moment here came when I met South African Justice Albie Sachs, left with only one arm after an assassination attempt during apartheid. My classmate stood up and said: " South Africa is the world's second most unequal country. I come from Brazil , the world's most unequal country, and I admire how the South African Constitutional Court has inspired the progress of human
rights throughout the world."
And this is how Harvard has changed us. We recall struggling with English to keep pace with the world's most brilliant professors, especially with Elizabeth Warren's Socratic blitzkriegs, and we thank Harvard for raising our thinking to a higher, broader level. But even the most powerful ideas demand passion to set them aflame. The passion we ignite today is fueled by a collage of vignettes that will remind us in this crucible of life that our peers in faraway lands face the same frustrations, the same nation building ordeals, the same sorrows,
and ultimately, the same shared joys and triumphs.
How do a mere 700 change the world, even with overpriced Harvard diplomas? Before a great battle in China 's Spring and Autumn Period, the legendary King Gou Jian of Yue was presented with fine wine. He ordered his troops to stand beside a river, and poured the wine into it. He ordered them to drink from the river and share his gift. A bottle of wine cannot flavor a river, but the gesture so emboldened his army that they won a great victory. We of the Class of 2007 shall flavor this earth, whether we be vodka, wine, champagne, pisco sour, pina colada, caipirinha, tequila, sake, jagermeister, raki, Irish stout, Ugandan Warabi, or Philippine lambanog.
Thus, my friends --and this includes our American classmates who will soon lead the world's lone superpower -- let us transcend our individual nationalities and affirm that we are citizens of the world. Maraming salamat po, at mabuhay kayong lahat.*Thank you and long live you all.*
lundi, juin 04, 2007
Green Drinks 6/6
“Hello everyone,
Please join us this upcoming Wednesday, June 6th, for San Francisco Green Drinks (www.greendrinks.org), sponsored by the Antenna Group AND SustainLane.
Antenna Group (www.antennagroup.com)
Antenna Group is a well respected public relations firm specializing in media and analyst relations for technology innovators. They believe their clients’ technologies will help solve some of the most pressing environmental issues of our time while creating the jobs and economic opportunities that ensure long-term sustainability. Founded in 1996, Antenna started the first Bay Area cleantech practice in 2001. Their fast-growing client roster includes companies in: renewable energy finance; photovoltaic manufacturing; roof-integrated and building-integrated solar products, energy metering and monitoring; energy storage; efficient lighting and air conditioning; water purification; biofuels; non-toxic insecticides; and other emerging “new industrials” that are capturing the growing market for environmentally sustainable business practices.
SustainLane (www.sustainlane.com)
SustainLane.com is the largest community-powered directory of green products and businesses. SustainLane.com allows people to easily find and share reviews on anything from organic milk and fair trade chocolate to eco-friendly clothing and hybrid cars. At SustainLane.com, everyone is welcome to share their opinions and stories about trying green products and businesses. Review healthy, non-toxic alternatives. Recommend local favorites. The more people share and participate in our community, the easier it becomes for more people to live green.
When/where:
Date: Wednesday, June 6th
Time:
Location: Varnish Fine Art, located at
Venue/menu:
Varnish Fine Art will provide happy hour prices, until
Please send names and email addresses to robin.park@tpl.org for any additions or subtractions to the distribution list.
Safety:
Please be safe when coming to or from Green Drinks. If you would like someone to walk you to your bus/train stop or car, please let me know. As always, please designate a driver if driving.
We hope to see you there!
- Robin”
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