Commonwealth Club Radio Program Podcast
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The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed will be updated once a week and is always un-edited.
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Podcast Website:
http://www.commonwealthclub.org/
Panel: Nuclear Energy-Fueling The Future?
Author: Commonwealth Club of California
Thu, Aug 28, 2008
NUCLEAR ENERGY: FUELING THE FUTURE?
Angie Howard, Senior Vice President, Nuclear Energy Institute
Geoffrey Rothwell, Senior Lecturer, Director of Honors Programs, Department of Economics; Associate Director, Public Policy Program, Stanford University
Ralph Cavanaugh, Senior Attorney and Co-director, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) Energy Program
Lindsay Riddell, Reporter, San Francisco Business Times - Moderator
People across the political spectrum are agreeing that we have to reduce our dependence on oil. But what's the best solution to the problem? Nuclear energy has been hailed as a cheap and effective alternative energy source, but what are the safety risks associated with nuclear plants? What can we do with the waste? How is France, a country that relies heavily on nuclear power, dealing with these concerns? Come find out everything you need to know about going nuclear from a panel of experts with a variety of opinions and perspectives.
This program was recorded in front of a live audience on August 4, 2008
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How We Eat Series: Panel-The Centralization of Our Food System
Author: Commonwealth Club of California
Fri, Aug 22, 2008
The Centralization of Our Food System
Don Shaffer, President and CEO, RSF Social Science
Paul Frankel, Managing Director, Ecosa Capital
Michael Dimock, President, Roots of Change
Jeff Steen, CFO, Golden Valley Citrus
Naomi Starkman, Communications Director, Slow Food Nation - Moderator
Centralization of capital has an impact on every level of our food system, from the limited number of the crops we rely on to the limited number of corporations that process our food. Critics say that centralization hinders the creation of small alternative food businesses and for neighborhood- or city-based solutions to be developed by communities. The panel will explore how the American food system is shaped by centralization in production, consumption and economic cycles.
This program was recorded in front of a live audience on August 14, 2008
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David W. Gill, Ethics Consultant; Professor, St. Mary’s College Graduate School of Business; Author, It’s About Excellence
Author: Commonwealth Club of California
Thu, Aug 21, 2008
Building Ethically Healthy Organizations
David W. Gill, Ethics Consultant; Professor, St. Mary’s College Graduate School of Business; Author, It’s About Excellence
Too often, business ethics is a narrow exercise in damage control, says Gill. A looming indictment or a brand-tarnishing scandal activate the ethics folks. But this reactive approach will never be preventive. Gill argues that it’s better to proactively build ethically healthy organizations – not just for risk management but for competitive advantage and organizational excellence. He reviews his six vital components and four key processes.
This program was recorded in front of a live audience on August 6, 2008
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Lawrence Lessig, Professor of Law, Stanford University Law School; Founder, Creative Commons
Author: Commonwealth Club of California
Fri, Aug 15, 2008
Lawrence Lessig, Professor of Law, Stanford University Law School; Founder, Creative Commons
Is There a Solution to Corruption in the Political Process?
Just how corrupt is the U.S. political process? Is listening to money the only way to secure re-election? This year, Lessig and Joe Trippi launched the Change Congress Initiative, a movement to build support for basic reforms that would change the way our government functions. Lessig will discuss why he thinks the issue is so important and what can be done about it.
This program was recorded in front of a live audience on August 13, 2008
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How We Eat Series: Panel-Eating The Right Way
Author: Commonwealth Club of California
Wed, Aug 13, 2008
Eating the Right Way
Kevin Lunny, Owner, Drakes Bay Oyster Company
Jessica Prentice, Author, Full Moon Feast; Co-owner, Three Stone Hearth Community Supported Kitchen
Helene York, Director, Bon Appétit Management Company Foundation
Naomi Starkman, Communications Director, Slow Food Nation - Moderator
Consumers today have more selection and variety of healthy food choices than ever before. But with terms like organic, locally grown and sustainable becoming media buzzwords as much as important distinctions, the modern food market can be confusing. Many of us wonder what the differences are and what choices would be better for our families and the planet. Panelists will shed light on what it means to be eating the right way.
This program was recorded in front of a live audience on August 6, 2008
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How We Eat Series: Alice Waters, Eric Schlosser, Anya Fernald, Harold Goldstein, Bertram Lubin
Author: Commonwealth Club of California
Thu, Aug 07, 2008
Alice Waters, Owner and Executive Chef, Chez Panisse; Author; Sustainable Food Advocate
Anya Fernald, Executive Director, Slow Food Nation
Harold Goldstein, Executive Director, California Center for Public Health Advocacy
Bertram Lubin, M.D.; President, Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute
Eric Schlosser, Investigative Reporter; Writer; Author, Fast Food Nation
James Beard Award-winning chef and author, Alice Waters, headlines this panel of experts on food and its intersection with health, agriculture, education and policy, all in conversation with Fast Food Nation’s Eric Schlosser.
Waters opened her renowned restaurant Chez Panisse in 1971 serving a fixed price menu that changed daily depending on seasonal produce and quality. The restaurant has developed a network of local farmers and growers who dedicate themselves to sustainable agricultural practices. Waters is dedicated to the slow-food movement, promoting the pleasure of eating, and encouraging the consumption of locally grown food. She is founder of the Chez Panisse Foundation which orchestrates cultural and educational programs such as nationally acclaimed Edible Schoolyard. Her ideas for “edible education” are used throughout the Berkeley public school system and have recently become even more popular because of rising childhood obesity rates. The winner of numerous awards, she has written over eight books, including Chez Panisse Vegetables. Waters lives in Berkeley, California.
Muckraking journalist and author Eric Schlosser best selling Fast Food Nation grew out of an article for Rolling Stone and was later turned into a film. He also produced the film “There Will Be Blood.” He started out as a journalist at The Atlantic Monthly and gained recognition for his two-part series on marijuana laws. There, he also won the Sidney Hillman Foundation award. He has contributed to The Nation, Vanity Fair, The New Yorker and Rolling Stone. He wrote the books Reefer Madness and the children’s book Chew on This.
This is the first of The Commonwealth Club’s How We Eat Summer Platform Series.
This program was recorded in front of a live audience on July 31, 2008
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Shirley Ann Jackson, Ph.D., President of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and former Chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Author: Commonwealth Club of California
Wed, Aug 06, 2008
SHIRLEY ANN JACKSON, Ph.D., President of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and former Chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
YOU CAN’T GET THERE FROM HERE: WHY THE U.S. NEEDS A GLOBAL ENERGY SECURITY ROADMAP
Prominent energy expert, Shirley Ann Jackson, Ph.D., will discuss the restructuring of global energy markets now underway, and the risk of the U.S. being left behind because we lack a comprehensive global energy security roadmap. The former chair of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission will outline her vision of the necessary components of a comprehensive U.S. energy plan that addresses both energy security goals and the linked concerns of climate change and sustainability.
Dr. Jackson says the U.S. needs an intensive focus on the problem, with leadership from the top to orchestrate participation across the board from government, corporations, universities, and individuals. She warns of a misplaced focus on "energy independence" rather than the correct goal of energy security and sustainability. Noting the importance of the energy issue in the context of the 2008 elections, she urges a national call to action, saying "global energy security is the ‘Space Race’ of this millennium."
Jackson views these issues from an unusual range of venues; as president of Rensselaer - a leading technological research university, as former chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (1995-99), as co-chair of the Council on Competitiveness’s “Energy Security, Sustainability, and Innovation” initiative, as a member of the Council on Foreign Relations’ Independent Task Force on Climate Change, and as a member of the Board of the NYSE-Euronext, Marathon Oil, FedEx, IBM, PSEG, and Medtronic. A theoretical physicist, she has held senior leadership and advisory positions in government, industry, research, and academe, with a particular focus on global energy security and the national capacity for innovation. She is “perhaps the ultimate role model for women in science in America,” according to Time Magazine.
This program was recorded in front of a live audience on July 22, 2008
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Marwan Muasher, Former Deputy Prime Minister, Jordan; Author, The Arab Center
Author: Commonwealth Club of California
Fri, Aug 01, 2008
Marwan Muasher, Former Deputy Prime Minister, Jordan; Author, The Arab Center
Finding Moderation in the Middle East
Marwan Muasher, Jordan’s first ambassador to Israel and former ambassador to the US, will discuss the viability and success of moderation in Arab politics today. Many international leaders and scholars agree that compromise and centrist policies are essential to peace and stability in the Middle East, but religious and political extremism has been growing. Muasher will assess how the middle road approach to reform is faring and explain why current tactics used by the West to deal with Islamic groups are doomed to failure. He will also discuss the importance of and the challenges facing moderates in the Arab world.
Marwan Muasher is the Senior Vice President of External Affairs for the World Bank. He recently published his first book, The Arab Center: The Promise of Moderation. He served as Jordan’s first ambassador to Israel and was also ambassador to the United States, spokesperson at peace talks in Madrid and Washington, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Deputy Prime Minister in charge of reform. Muasher began his career as a journalist for the Jordan Times. He then served from 1985 to 1990 at the Ministry of Planning and later as press advisor to the Prime Minister. He also served as Director for the Jordan Information Bureau in Washington, building understanding and support in Congress, the press, and civil society. Muasher holds a PhD in Computer Engineering from Purdue University.
This program was recorded in front of a live audience on July 8, 2008
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David Akov, Consul General of Israel for the Pacific Northwest region
Author: Commonwealth Club of California
Wed, Jul 30, 2008
Davvid Akov, Consul General of Israel for the Pacific Northwest region
Consul General Akov will discuss rela-
tions between America and Israel on the
60th anniversary of the formation of the
state of Israel. He began his tour of duty
at the Israeli Consulate in San Francisco
in August 2004. A native of Israel, Akov
joined the Israeli Foreign Ministry in
1985 and was counselor for congres-
sional affairs at the Embassy of Israel in
Washington, D.C., for five years.
This program was recorded in front of a live audience on July 25, 2008
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David Boaz, Executive Vice President, Cato Institute; Author, The Politics of Freedom
Author: Commonwealth Club of California
Fri, Jul 25, 2008
David Boaz,
Executive Vice President, Cato Institute; Author, The Politics of Freedom
A key figure in the libertarian movement, David Boaz will survey what he sees as the threats to freedom posed by the Bush administration and the current presidential candidates. Though he is frustrated with many of the candidates' positions, he remains optimistic about the future of civil and economic liberties. Boaz cautions that the future of freedom requires that Americans devote considerable effort to preserving and protecting these rights.
Boaz, the executive vice president of the libertarian U.S think tank, the Cato Institute, played a key role in its development. He is a frequent guest on ABC's Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, CNN's Crossfire, NPR's Talk of the Nation and All Things Considered, Fox News Channel, BBC, Voice of America, and Radio Free Europe on which he has discussed the gamut of topics from education choice to his support of drug legalization. His articles have also been published in the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, National Review, and Slate. He is the author of Libertarianism: A Primer, the editor of The Libertarian Reader, and co-editor of the Cato Handbook for Congress (2003) and the Cato Handbook on Policy (2005). Boaz is the former editor of New Guard magazine and was executive director of the Council for a Competitive Economy prior to joining Cato in 1981. Boaz received his B.A. from Vanderbilt University.
This program was recorded in front of a live audience on July 9, 2008
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Lewis Schiff, CEO, Advanced Planning Group; Author, The Middle-Class Millionaire
Author: Commonwealth Club of California
Wed, Jul 23, 2008
LewiS Schiff, CEO, Advanced Planning Group; Author, The Middle-Class Millionaire
The Changing Face of American Wealth
Schiff reveals original research about
current American millionaires who have
earned rather than inherited their wealth.
He estimates 6 million U.S. households
have a self-made net worth over $1 mil-
lion. The research compares attitudes,
values and social contributions of the
traditional middle class to those of the
“middle-class millionaire.” Schiff also
examines the broader societal impact
this group has.
This program was recorded in front of a live audience on July 8, 2008
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Alfred Regnery, Publisher, The American Spectator; Author, The Ascendance of American Conservatism
Author: Commonwealth Club of California
Fri, Jul 18, 2008
Alfred Regnery, Publisher, The American Spectator; Author, The Ascendance of American Conservatism
Upstream: The Ascendance of American Conservatism
Noted conservative and publisher, Alfred Regnery, will explain the rise of the conservative movement in the post-WWII era. Regnery will show how, in the years prior to and just following World War II, expanding government power at home and the growing Communist empire abroad inspired American conservatives to band together to fight these threats.
Regnery is President of Regnery Publishing, a right-wing publishing house founded in 1947 by his father, Henry Regnery. The company published William F. Buckley’s first book in 1951. Now, Regnery Publishing publishes works by Pat Buchanan, Ann Coulter, David Horowitz, Michelle Malkin, and Oliver North. The publishing company is known for publishing controversial works. Regnery is also the current publisher of The American Spectator, a conservative magazine. He is a practicing attorney and Of Counsel to the Washington law firm of Keller and Heckman.
In 1983, Regnery, appointed by Ronald Reagan, served as head of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. During this time, he also acted as the unofficial head of Ed Meese’s Commission on Pornography. Regnery also served as Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Land and Natural Resources Division between 1981 and 1986.
He received his J.D. from the University of Wisconsin at Madison in 1971. Before that, he studied at Beloit College where he received his B.A. in 1965.
This program was recorded in front of a live audience on June 2, 2008
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Mahvish Khan, Lawyer; Journalist, Author of "My Guantanamo Diary: The Detainees And The Stories They Told Me"
Author: Commonwealth Club of California
Wed, Jul 16, 2008
Mahvish Khan-Lawyer; Journalist, Author of "My Guantanamo Diary: The Detainees And The Stories They Told Me"
Spurred by the detainment of prisoners
at Guantanamo Bay, American lawyer
Khan decided to offer help to the de-
tainees. Born to Afghan parents, she used
her language skills as a translator, and
from her time with these detainees she
has written a diary that provides insights
into the lives and families of those held
at Guantanamo.
This program was recorded in front of a live audience on July 10, 2008
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Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach, Commissioner of The U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Author: Commonwealth Club of California
Thu, Jul 10, 2008
Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach, Commissioner of The U.S. Food and Drug Administration
The man who heads the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach, will discuss the challenges facing his agency and facing consumers. With Congress pushing for faster approval of new medications and federal coffers shrinking, the FDA is facing tough challenges. Von Eschenbach will explain what lies ahead for the nation's premiere consumer protection and health agency and the future of consumer safety.
Von Eschenbach, M.D., was sworn in as the 20th Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on December 13, 2006. As the former Director of the National Cancer Institute (appointed in January 2002 by George W. Bush), he is a nationally recognized urologic surgeon and oncologist. He was also president-elect of the American Cancer Society at the time of his appointment to the NCI.
Prior to serving as Director of the NCI, Dr. von Eschenbach was Executive Vice President and Chief Academic Officer of the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where he lead a faculty of more than 1,000 cancer researchers and clinicians. There, he also served as Vice President for Academic Affairs and held the Roy M. and Phyllis Gough Huffington Clinical Research Distinguished Chair in Urologic Oncology. He was founding director of the Prostate Cancer Research Program at the University in 1996. He also served as a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy Medical Corps from 1968 to 1971.
Dr. von Eschenbach, a cancer survivor himself, has been recognized by several organizations for his achievements and leadership. He has received numerous awards including the 2003 Carpe Diem Award from the Lance Armstrong Foundation. He was also chosen by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people to shape the world in 2006.
He received his M.D. from Georgetown University School of Medicine in 1967. The native Philadelphian earned a B.S. from St. Joseph’s University in 1963.
This program was recorded in front of a live audience on June 10, 2008
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Now and Then: In conversation with Ambassador Jim Hormel
Author: Commonwealth Club of California
Wed, Jul 09, 2008
Now and Then: In conversation with Ambassador Jim Hormel
The inaugural program of the new Now and Then series features former Ambassador Hormel. Over the years, Ambassador Hormel has been a driving force for change, social equality and progress. He has created national and local institutions and broken down barriers by being the first openly gay U.S. ambassador. Don't miss this unique chance to hear him discuss his - and our - developments in recent history.
This program was recorded in front of a live audience on June 25, 2008
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Scott McClellan, Former White House Press Secretary (2003-2006); Communication Strategist; Author, What Happened: Inside the Bush White House Washington's Culture of Deception
Author: Commonwealth Club of California
Wed, Jul 02, 2008
Scott McClellan,
Former White House Press Secretary (2003-2006); Communication Strategist; Author, What Happened: Inside the Bush White House Washington's Culture of Deception
On the heels of his testimony to the House Judiciary Committee former Bush administration insider, Scott McClellan, TELLS ALL about his experiences as White House press secretary during the first three years of the Iraq War. He will share his views on where he thinks the President and his top aides veered off course on Iraq, Hurricane Katrina, Washington’s bitter partisanship, and the last two contentious presidential campaigns. Reflecting on mistakes of the past, McClellan will look to the future and discuss the lessons Americans need to learn as they choose a new leader in the upcoming election.
McClellan served as White House Press Secretary from 2003-2006, and was a staunch defender of Bush policies during this time. In his new 2008 memoir What Happened, he strongly criticizes the Bush administration, accusing the President of "self-deception” and asserting that the administration relied on an aggressive "political propaganda campaign" instead of truth to sell the Iraq war. His book also criticizes the press for being too accepting of the President’s policy on Iraq.
As the 25th White House Press Secretary, McClellan was preceded by Ari Fleischer and succeeded by Tony Snow. He served as Bush’s traveling press secretary during the 2000 Presidential election. In addition to working as campaign manager for his mother, the Texas State Comptroller, McClellan served as the Chief of Staff to a Texas State Senator.
He received his B.A. from The University of Texas at Austin.
This program was recorded in front of a live audience on June 24, 2008
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Dr. Rajendra K. Pachauri, Chair of the Nobel Peace Prize winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC); Director General, Energy and Resources Institute in New Delhi
Author: Commonwealth Club of California
Tue, Jul 01, 2008
Dr. Rajendra K. Pachauri, Chair of the Nobel Peace Prize winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC); Director General, Energy and Resources Institute in New Delhi
Mary Nichols, Chair, California Air Resources Board (CARB)
Ray Lane, Managing partner of venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins
Greg Dalton, Commonwealth Club Vice President, founder of The Club's Climate One Initiative
PANEL: Leading a transformation to a global low-carbon economy
Dr. Rajendra Kumar Pachauri, Mary Nichols and Ray Lane will address questions concerning California’s leading role in the fight against dangerous climate change. What is the state of science on the causes and impacts of global warming? Can California consumers, corporations and policymakers facilitate systemic change and spur others to act? What are the costs and what are the opportunities? What role does innovation play?
“California's culture of innovation is helping to drive the world towards more sustainable ways of producing, consuming and being,” comments Greg Dalton, Club VP and Director of The Club’s new Climate One Program, who orchestrated the program. “The changes are profound and promising. And yet leading environmental scientists such as R.K. Pachauri say we all need to do more, much more.”
Pachauri, chair of the IPCC since 2002, is also the director general of the Energy and Resources Institute in New Delhi, devoted to researching and promoting sustainable development. Selected by The United Nations Development Program as a Part Time Adviser in the area of Energy and Sustainable Management of Natural Resources, Pachauri holds an M.S. in industrial engineering, a Ph.D. in industrial engineering, and a Ph.D. in economics from North Carolina State University.
Nichols, appointed chair of CARB by Governor Schwarzenegger in 2007, also served as CARB chair under Governor Jerry Brown. Her history includes serving as assistant administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Air and Radiation, Secretary for California's Resources Agency, and Director of the University of California, Los Angeles Institute of the Environment. Considered one of California’s first environmental lawyers, Nichols has paved the way for greater air quality. She has her Juris Doctorate degree from Yale Law School and a Bachelor’s degree from Cornell University
Lane, Managing Partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, has sponsored several investments for the firm in clean and alternative energy including Ausra (solar concentrator), Fisker Automotive (plug-in hybrid car), Th!nk NA (electric car), Luca Technologies (biologically enhanced gas recovery from fossilized hydrocarbons). Before joining KPCB, Lane was President and Chief Operating Officer of Oracle Corporation, the second-largest software company in the world. Lane received a Bachelor's degree in mathematics and an honorary Ph.D. in Science from West Virginia University (WVU).
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Richard Fisher, President and CEO, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas
Author: Commonwealth Club of California
Thu, Jun 26, 2008
Richard Fisher, President and CEO, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas
Inflation and Debt: The Interaction of Fiscal and Monetary Policy
President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Richard Fisher, will give his assessment of the current economic climate at home and abroad. He will explain how central banking systems around the world have been working in overdrive in recent months to head off a global credit crisis and business slowdown. He will also expand on his years in government and discuss his concerns about the U.S. economy.
Fisher currently serves as a member of the Federal Reserve Open Market Committee, the Federal Reserve’s principle monetary policymaking group. While serving as Deputy U.S. Trade Representative with the rank of Ambassador, Fisher oversaw the implementation of NAFTA, negotiations for the Free Trade Area of the Americas, as well as various other agreements with Vietnam, Korea, Japan, Singapore and Chile. He was also senior member of the team that negotiated the bilateral accords for both China and Taiwan's accession to the World Trade Organization. Fisher was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury during the Carter administration, working on issues related to the dollar crisis of 1978-79. Fisher is the former vice chairman of Kissinger McLarty Associates, a strategic agency firm chaired b former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.
Fisher earned his MBA from Stanford University, studied Latin American Studies at Oxford University, and received a BA in economics from Harvard.
This program was recorded in front of a live audience on May 28, 2008
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George Lakoff, Co-founder/Sr. Fellow, Rockridge Institute; Author, The Political Mind
Author: Commonwealth Club of California
Wed, Jun 25, 2008
George Lakoff, Co-founder/Sr. Fellow, Rockridge Institute; Author, The Political Mind
Leading linguistic and political analyst, George Lakoff, will explain how language can be used as a critical tool in progressive politics, describing how our brains work in relation to society, why language is so important, and how Democrats can use this knowledge to their advantage to win the November elections. Lakoff believes that progressives have been fighting a losing battle in America for the last 30 years because, he says, the majority of citizens vote against their own self interests.
Lakoff is a professor of cognitive linguistics at the University of California, Berkeley, where he has taught since 1972. He has published many scholarly articles and books including The Political Mind (2008) as well as the influential book, Moral Politics: How Liberals and Conservatives Think (2002). Although some of his research involves questions traditionally pursued by linguists, he is best known for his ideas about the centrality of metaphor to human thinking, political behavior and society. He is particularly famous for his concept of the "embodied mind," which he has written about in relation to mathematics. In recent years he has applied his work to the realm of politics, exploring this in his books. He is the co-founder and senior fellow of the progressive think tank, the Rockridge Institute. He previously taught at Harvard University and the University of Michigan. He has been a Fellow at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford and a Visiting Professor at the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, Paris (1995) and the Linguistics Society of America Summer Institute at the University of New Mexico (Summer, 1995).
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Fareed Zakaria-Editor, Newsweek International; Author, The Post American World and The Future of Freedom
Author: Commonwealth Club of California
Fri, Jun 20, 2008
FAREED ZAKARIA, Editor, Newsweek International; Author, The Post American World and The Future of Freedom
THRIVING IN A POST-AMERICA-CENTRIC WORLD
Editor of Newsweek International, ABC News analyst, and New York Times bestselling author, Farheed Zakaria will discuss a future where the U.S. no longer dominates the global economy, geopolitics, and culture. Rather, Zakaria will describe a growing international climate, predicting the rise of nations such as China, India, Brazil, and Russia and the development of a truly global era. Asserts Zakaria, the U.S. needs to learn to understand other nations and find a way to thrive in this rapidly shifting dynamic.
In addition to overseeing all of Newsweek’s editions abroad, Zakaria writes an international affairs column for Newsweek, which appears fortnightly in The Washington Post. He recently joined CNN to host a weekly foreign affairs show, set to air later this year. In the past, he has been a regular member of the roundtable on ABC News’ This Week with George Stephanopoulos, and hosted Foreign Exchange with Fred Zakaria on PBS. The award winning journalist has written several books, and penned numerous pieces for The Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, The New Republic, The New York Times, and the webzine Slate. In 1999, he was named “one of the 21 most important people of the 21st Century” by Esquire Magazine.
Zakaria has taught international relations and political philosophy at Harvard, Columbia, and Case Western University. He received a Ph.D. from Harvard and a B.A. from Yale.
This program was recorded in front of a live audience on May 27, 2008
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Mary Tillman, Author, Boots on the Ground by Dusk: The Life & Death of Pat Tillman
Author: Commonwealth Club of California
Wed, Jun 18, 2008
MARY TILLMAN, Author, Boots on the Ground by Dusk: The Life & Death of Pat Tillman
The Integrity of Truth
Mary Tillman, the mother of fallen solider Pat Tillman, NFL football star and summa cum laude graduate of Arizona State will chronicle her family’s harrowing journey through the maze of bureaucracy, red tape and cover-ups to learn the true circumstances of Pat’s death. She will also recount memories of him as a loving son, brother, husband, friend and teammate.
Mary Tillman has brought international attention to the war and its consequences after the horrifying discovery her son had died mysteriously while fighting in Afghanistan. He decided to enlist after the September 11th attacks and was killed in Afghanistan when he was shot multiple times by his comrades. The Tillmans believe partly because of the timing of Pat’s death, a week after the Abu Ghraib abuses became public, the army told them and the nation he had been shot by enemy fire. The army later told the family he was shot by “friendly-fire” but military investigations have given differing and incomplete reports. Tillman told the Washington Post, “This lie was to cover their image. I think there's a lot more yet that we don't even know, or they wouldn't still be covering their tails” (May 23, 2005). She and her family have accused the Army of lying to the country about her son’s death to create more patriotic sentiment.
Mary Tillman is a San Jose resident and teacher at a public junior high school. She recently co-authored Boots on the Ground By Dusk: The Life and Death of Pat Tillman with Narda Zacchino.
This program was recorded in front of a live audience on May 18, 2008
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Arianna Huffington; Co-founder and Editor in Chief, The Huffington Post; Author, Right is Wrong
Author: Commonwealth Club of California
Fri, Jun 13, 2008
Arianna Huffington; Co-founder and Editor in Chief, The Huffington Post; Author, Right is Wrong
Right is Wrong: How the Lunatic Fringe Hijacked America, Shredded the Constitution and Made Us All Less Safe
Nationally recognized commentator and Huffington Post Editor in Chief Arianna Huffington will address issues crucial to this year’s presidential election. According to Huffington, the problem with the Republican Party is not that it is at odds with the views of progressives, but that its "lunatic fringe" has taken over the party and is at odds with the views of the American people. By significant majorities, Huffington asserts that Americans believe in the science of evolution, don't want Roe v. Wade overturned and don't want to ignore global warming. Moreover, they do want good health care for their children and do want to bring the troops home from Iraq. "Flashing back to the Reagan era is one thing," says Huffington, "but flashing back to the Dark Ages is quite another."
Since 1996 Huffington has penned her nationally syndicated on-line column focusing on key social, economic, and environmental issues, and is the co-host of NPR’s Left, Right, and Center, a political roundtable program. The former Republican has evolved into what she calls "a compassionate and progressive populist." Huffington is the bestselling author of twelve books on topics ranging from the changing roles of women, to the power of myths as guides, to forgotten dimensions of life and ourselves. In 2006, she was named one of the world’s one hundred most influential people by Time magazine, in addition to being dubbed one of Washington's most influential commentators by Newsweek and People magazine. Originally from Greece, Huffington received her M.A. in economics from Cambridge University.
This program was recorded in front of a live audience on May 19, 2008
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Larry Diamond, Senior Fellow,Hoover Institution; Professor, Centeron Democracy, Development and theRule of Law, Stanford University
Author: Commonwealth Club of California
Wed, Jun 11, 2008
The Spirit of Democracy
Larry Diamond, Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution; Professor, Center
on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law, Stanford University
In 1974, nearly three-quarters of all countries
were dictatorships; today, more than
half are democracies. Diamond contends,
however, that recent efforts to promote
democracy have stumbled and that many
democratic governments are faltering. He
explains that the desire for democracy
runs deep, even in very poor countries,
and proposes that even entrenched regimes
like Iran and China could become
democracies within a generation.
Produced by The Club's International Relations Memeber-Led Forum
This program was recorded in front of a live audience on May 7, 2008
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Panel: Conscious Capitalism, Part Two: Resolving the Conflict BetweenConsumerism and Progressive Innovation
Author: Commonwealth Club of California
Wed, Jun 11, 2008
Steve Diller, Partner, Cheskin; Co-author, Making Meaning: How Successful
Businesses Deliver Meaningful Customer Experiences
Nancy Dickenson, Senior Director of User Experience Design, eBay
Eric Ryan, Co-founder, Method
Nathan Shedroff, Program Chair, MBA in Design Strategy Program, California
College of the Arts
Join us for a further exploration of themes and questions raised in the sold-out earlier
program. A panel of leaders in business, design and innovation will debate why a deeper
understanding of human nature needs to be central to a 21st-century business strategy
– challenging the audience to assess their own consumerist tendencies.
Produced by the Busines & Leadership Member Led Forum
This program was recorded in front of a live audience on May 13, 2008
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