Flight of Orange Fancy

Robert Klitzman Publishes New Book on Genetic Testing

2012-02-06T20:39:00.004-05:00

Robert Klitzman, MD, will speak at the New York Academy of Medicine on February 28 as part of the release of his new book, "Am I My Genes? Confronting Fate and Family Secrets in the Age of Genetic Testing." The presentation will be at 1216 Fifth Avenue and starts at 6 p.m. The NYAM website says of the topic:

Genetics is rapidly enhancing our understanding and treatment of disease, but presents ever new dilemmas for physicians and patients. Countless people wrestle with fear and apprehension about whether to get tested, and if so, what they should do with the information. In his new book, psychiatrist Robert Klitzman explores how individuals confront these complex issues in their daily lives. He has interviewed a wide range of people who are at risk for various genetic diseases, and grapple with whether to get tested; to whom to disclose their genetic risks (spouses, parents, employers, physicians); what treatments to pursue; whether to have children, knowing that genetic diseases may be inherited; and to what degree and how our genes may shape our destiny. These difficult ethical and sometimes metaphysical questions are also embedded in intricate social contexts--the family, the clinic, and the world at large. Klitzman's gripping presentation of the human face of these new tests is important and compelling. These patients--and often their doctors--are pioneers in whose paths most of us will eventually follow.

Bob will also be speaking on the topic on Sunday, March 4 at the Guggenheim Museum.

Cato Laurencin Takes Part in Healthcare Discussion

2012-01-17T09:33:00.002-05:00

Princeton's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences recently spoke with four alumni, including our own Cato Laurencin, about the future of health. Cato is the Albert and Wilda Van Dusen Distinguished Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Connecticut and member of the National Academy of Engineering. Cato commented,

The elimination of health disparities in the United States, especially those based upon race and ethnicity, is a major challenge. I applaud the fact that the National Institutes of Health has launched a new initiative dedicated to minority health and health disparities. By the year 2050 (maybe sooner) ethnic minorities in American will be in the majority. The issues contributing to disparities in health care -- environment, racism, genetics -- need to be studied; solutions need to be proposed and tested.

The comments can be found in the winter 2012 edition of EQuad News, which had as its theme "exploring the intersection between engineering and health."

Big Hollywood Interviews Doug McGrath About His Documentary "His Way"

2012-01-08T11:24:00.002-05:00

Doug McGrath discusses his documentary about Hollywood film producer-concert promoter-manager-philantropist-entrepreneur Jerry Weintraub in a two-part interview at the website Big Hollywood. Interviewer Kevin Williams writes,

Weintraub first managed musical acts ranging from The Four Seasons to The Moody Blues, then promoted artists such as Led Zeppelin, John Denver, Bob Marley, Bob Dylan, Kiss, Aerosmith and Queen. He also promoted the “comeback” tours for Elvis Presley, then Frank Sinatra. Weintraub’s movie producing credits include “Nashville,” “Oh God!,” “Diner,” “Cruising,” “The Karate Kid,” “National Lampoon’s Vegas Vacation,” “The Karate Kid” (2010), and the 2001 remake of “Ocean’s Eleven,” as well as “Ocean’s 12″ and “Ocean’s 13.” He appeared in all the “Ocean” films as well as “The Firm.”

“His Way” is the first documentary feature film directed by Douglas McGrath. McGrath is an actor/writer/director whose past directing credits include “Emma,” “Nicholas Nickleby,” “Infamous,” and “I Don’t Know How She Does It.” In my opinion, “His Way” is pound for pound and frame for frame the most entertaining and inspirational documentary of this past year. “His Way” was shot and edited for nearly ten months and culled from approximately seventy hours of interview footage.

"His Way is available on Netflix, along with Doug's other works.

Adam Bellow Nurtures Broadside Books for Conservative Thinkers

2012-01-01T11:46:00.000-05:00

The Washington Post kicked off 2012 with a long feature on Adam Bellow in its January 1 Style section. The article focused on Adam's imprint at HarperCollins, Broadside Books, which follows on his work with independent thinkers such as Dinesh D'Souza, Jonah Goldberg and Charles Murray. The article says of e-books published by Broadside,

One author is Milton R. Wolf, a Kansas physician and distant cousin to President Obama who opposes his health-care plan. He wrote “First, Do No Harm.” Another is Dallas tea party leader Lorie Medina, who wrote “Community Organizing for Conservatives.”Sales have been “modest,” Bellow says. The health-care pamphlet had been the best-selling, at 500 copies, until a satiric offering by Frank J. Fleming titled “Obama: The Greatest President in the History of Everything” sold 2,300 copies in its first week. Starting this month, Broadside will add longer works, called e-originals and running 20,000 to 30,000 words, to the series. First out of the blocks: “The New Quislings: How the International Left Used the Oslo Massacre to Silence Debate About Islam,” by Bruce Bawer.

In explaining the impetus behind the project, Adam noted,

“There is zero fresh air coming from the left. There is more genuine intellectual ferment on the right. Conservatives are better educated, if only to know what the left is saying and how to defend themselves.”

Bruce McBarnette Organizing Event at Kennedy Center in DC

2011-12-23T13:56:00.003-05:00

Bruce McBarnette is organizing a class trip to the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage in Washington, DC to see the jazz group called Project Natale on Dec. 27, 2011 at 6 pm. The performance is free and after it is over the group will go to the Kennedy Center Cafe for refreshments. The group will meet at the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage at 5:45 pm. Feel free to bring friends. If you plan to come, RSVP to Bruce at bruce@mcbarnette.com.

Eve Beglarian to Hold 3 RiverProject Concerts in NYC in January

2011-12-11T07:59:00.004-05:00

Eve Beglarian has several updates on her ongoing RiverProject, which began with her kayak and bike journey down the Mississippi River in 2009.

On January 21, 27 and 28, she will be performing at the Henry Street Settlement's Abrons Arts Center on Grand Street in New York. Each of the three evenings will feature BRIM, her duo with Mary Rowell, along with different guest artists on each of the three evenings, including Newspeak, loadbang, and Guidonian Hand, among others. There will be repertoire unique to each show, along with some pieces that will be performed in wildly different arrangements each night. According to the Henry Street website,

The three concerts comprise a mini-festival of music from the RiverProject, with some overlapping repertoire in varied arrangements each night, and some repertoire unique to each concert. Everywhere there are echoes of the folk, blues, jazz, and funk that have grown up in the regions touched by the river. The music also reflects a range of texts and influences that arose from meeting and talking with an array of individuals along the river, which make a unique statement about modern day America.

Along with these performances, BRIM has released the first of what will be a series of recordings of River Project music. A limited edition of 250 signed CDs, it's a four-song EP that can be purchased on Eve's website, here, only while supplies last.

Greg Mankiw Thinks About Students Who Walked Out on His Econ Class at Harvard

2011-12-04T08:19:00.002-05:00

Professor Greg Mankiw considers and discusses his views on the students who walked out on his Economics 10 class at Harvard recently, one of those Occupy Wall Street things. In a piece in the Sunday New York Times, he writes,

My first reaction was nostalgia. I went to college in the late 1970s, when the memory of the Vietnam War was still fresh and student activism was more common. Today’s college students tend to be more focused on polishing their résumés than on campaigning for social reform. I applaud the protesters for thinking beyond their own parochial concerns and trying to make society a better place for everyone.
But my second reaction was sadness at how poorly informed the Harvard protesters seemed to be. As with much of the Occupy movement across the country, their complaints seemed to me to be a grab bag of anti-establishment platitudes without much hard-headed analysis or clear policy prescriptions. Ironically, the topic of the lecture that the protesters chose to boycott was economic inequality, including a discussion of recent trends and their causes.

Andrew Weissmann Named General Counsel of the FBI

2011-10-26T09:59:00.002-04:00

Andrew Weissmann, who led the federal government's investigation of Enron, is leaving the private sector to become the general counsel of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Andrew had been chairman of the white-collar and investigations practice at the law firm of Jenner & Block.

Sharon Keld Featured in Hamptons Newspaper

2011-10-20T16:07:00.002-04:00

Freshly returned from Armenia, Sharon Keld was featured in "The Southampton Press," complete with a photo. Reading the full article, titled "Southampton Woman Returns from Three Peace Corps Stints," requires a premium membership in the publication.

Erica Lehrer Publishes Poetry Book, "Dancing With Ataxia"

2011-10-10T15:01:00.002-04:00

Class secretary Erica Lehrer has published a book of poetry, "Dancing With Ataxia," and launched the book with a party on October 6 at Houston's McMurtrey Gallery. The debut continued on October 5 when some of Erica's poems were read at the Houston Poetry Fest by classmate Christine Van Deusen.

The book's title refers to Multiple System Atrophy, a rare neurodegenerative disease grouped with other neurological conditions under the general category of ataxia. Erica was diagnosed with the disease last year.

Part of the profitss of the book, which is available through Amazon, will be donated to Princeton's interdisciplinary Neuroscience Institute, whose building and research labs will be completed in spring 2003.

Erica's website notes,

In October 2010, after years of troubling symptoms, Erica Lehrer was diagnosed with multiple system atrophy, a rare, as yet incurable and untreatable neurodegenerative disease. Despite her efforts with regard to physical and vocal therapy, she progressed from an unsteady gait while using a cane to full reliance on using a walker within a year. As for talking, speaking clearly was a thing of the past, and, if possible, she found this even more devastating than her mobility issues.

In the past couple of years, she has transitioned from a person who enjoyed skiing, jogging, dancing, singing, playing the flute and engaging in lengthy conversations effortlessly with myriad folks (she was a lawyer and journalist) to one who could no longer do these things. She considers herself fortunate that poetry came into her life concurrently with the onset of her illness, as it keeps her engaged with language, allows her to express and share her experience and observations with an economy of means and provides her with a supportive community of poets and poetry lovers. While her illness has reduced her level of activity, poetry has allowed her a concentrated way to expand her universe and make new connections.

Daily Princetonian Profiles Brig. General Mark Milley

2011-09-22T20:48:00.001-04:00

In an article aptly titled, "The Guy You Want in the Foxhole," The Daily Princetonian profiled classmate Mark Milley today. Describing Milley's career, the article notes,

Milley is the University’s highest ranked alumnus in the armed forces, an honor previously held by Gen. David Petraeus GS ’87. Petraeus succeeded Gen. Stanley McChrystal as Commander of U.S. Forces in Afghanistan in 2010 before retiring from the army this past August to take up his new role as director of the CIA.
A two-star general, Milley is also the new commander of the famed 10th Mountain Division, based at Fort Drum in Northern New York — and despite having thought about leaving the armed forces over the past three decades, he only keeps advancing.

Steve Sashihara Discusses His New Book with Consulting Magazine

2011-09-22T20:38:00.005-04:00

Steve Sashihara talked about his new book, The Optimization Edge: Reinventing Decision Making to Maximize All Your Company’s Assets, in the new issue of Consulting Magazine. Steve, the president and CEO of Princeton Consultants (nice name, Steve!) argues that downsizing is no way to grow a company. Instead, the smart firms have figured out a better way to make business decisions. In the book and his practice, he shows clients how to squeeze every ounce of value from their company, even under the perfect storm conditions of the last few years. The two-page spread starts like this:

Consulting: I know Princeton Consultants has always had a heavy focus on optimization, but why did you decide to write the book?

Sashihara: We’ve been focused on optimization as a small boutique firm for 30 years now. Optimization was traditionally always a nice-to-do, a nice-to-have for very high-end companies, but we now believe it is becoming a categorical imperative. People know a lot about analytics, but don’t realize that optimization is at the very high end of the analytics spectrum. I was trying to explain it to clients, and I realized that no real definition of optimization existed out there. So, I figured I’d write the book.

Robert Klitzman Reflects on "The Uses and Misuses of 9/11"

2011-09-17T23:12:00.002-04:00

Robert Klitzman, whose sister was killed at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, reflects on the 10th anniversary of the attacks in The Nation. He writes,

Ten years ago today, my sister died at the World Trade Center. That day, the world changed – as did my life, and that of my family.
Every year since, on the anniversary of that day, my family and I debate whether to go to ground zero, whether to read the names of the deceased before the world’s news cameras.
For the first two anniversaries of her death, we went to the site of the attack. Then we stopped. It was too painful, opening up too many wounds. We have commemorated her in other ways -- going to her the grave where we buried, in a baby coffin, the two bones that of hers that had been found. We revisited the house on Long Island where we all grew up.

Anne-Marie Slaughter Reflects on 9/11 in PAW Essay

2011-09-14T16:35:00.002-04:00

Anne-Marie Slaughter ’80, the Bert G. Kerstetter ’66 University Professor of Politics and International Affairs, contributed an essay titled "It's About the People in the September 14 issue of the Princeton Alumni Weekly. She writes in part,

A month after I arrived in Princeton, Shirley Tilghman inaugurated the 9/11 Memorial Garden between East Pyne and Chancellor Green. One of the names on the circle of flagstones commemorating the 13 Princetonians who lost their lives that day was my classmate Bob Deraney ’80; another was Josh Rosenthal *81, a Woodrow Wilson School graduate alum whom I had met in New York through close Princeton friends. Those memorial stones were taken from different paths across the Princeton campus, a powerful image of the many ways in which all our lives intersected at Princeton and beyond. That was so much of the horror of 9/11: Behind the headlines of an event that launched two wars and elevated global terrorist networks to a threat previously posed only by other states were the heart-wrenching details of the husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, siblings, and friends lost. Al-Qaida attacked symbols of American financial, military, and political might, but ended about 3,000 individual lives and darkened tens of thousands more.

Robert Kasdin Serving on Board of 9/11 Memorial Group

2011-09-11T15:24:00.000-04:00

Bob Kasdin is serving as a member of the board of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. The museum's website describes the project in detail, and lists the name and memorial location of classmate Bob Deraney, who was killed on 9-11 at the World Trade Center. The museum says,

Robert Kasdin was appointed Senior Executive Vice President of Columbia University in March 2002 and assumed his responsibilities as of September 1, 2002. Prior to joining Columbia University, he served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the University of Michigan. Before joining the University of Michigan, he was the Treasurer and Chief Investment Officer for The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, and from 1988-1992 he was the Vice President and General Counsel for Princeton University Investment Company.

Peter Elkind's New Fortune Article Details Intrigue at Pfizer

2011-08-01T19:46:00.003-04:00

Peter Elkind has co-authored his latest blockbuster investigative article in Fortune magazine, "Inside Pfizer's Palace Coup." It's a real page-turner. Peter and co-author Jennifer Reingold write:

In the end, the story of Jeff Kindler's time at Pfizer provides a window into the challenges facing a mammoth company in an essential industry -- and the people who aspire to govern it. Pfizer is an enterprise with the noble calling of easing pain and curing disease. Yet its leaders spent much of their time in the tawdry business of turf wars and political scheming.

Bob Bradley's Next Move After Coaching U.S. Soccer Team

2011-07-30T22:41:00.002-04:00

Bob Bradley has been let go as coach of the U.S. soccer team. But according to this article, "Bob Bradley Should Have Interesting Options," we'll no doubt be seeing Bob back in the news before long. The article states,

A day later and the office is cleared out for Bob Bradley. The sweats should be all packed up and all mementos are tucked away in some box. Time for Bradley to move on.

But just where will Bradley land when he feels the time is right? Last time around when the USSF let go their national team manager, it didn't take Bruce Arena long to find a job. Same should be said for Bradley. He'll have plenty of options in Major League Soccer and possibly overseas.

Sharon Keld's Peace Corps Report from Armenia

2011-07-20T16:22:00.003-04:00

As Sharon Keld concludes her latest Peace Corps assignment in Armenia, she has written her thoughts on the experience for the Millennium Challenge Corporation, an independent U.S. foreign aid agency. Sharon writes:

The event that touched me most was a small event honoring Hamazasp
Gabrielyan, the 1,000th borrower under under an activity designed to expand the
accessibility to credit for rural Armenians. With this small loan of
approximately $8,000, Hamazasp will build a new cooling facility that will allow
him to extend his selling season and increase his income. As I listened to his
story, I felt a deep sense of pride and gratitude.

Kathy Button Bell Talks to the NY Times On Management

2011-07-02T12:43:00.002-04:00

Kathy Button Bell, the Chief Marketing Officer of Emerson, did a Q&A with the New York Times "Corner Office" column. In it, she discusses lessons from Princeton sports and other influences on her management and leadership style. Here's an excerpt:

Q. When you think back over your leadership and management style, how would you say it’s evolved? What are you doing more of, less of?

A. I am much more patient — a hundred times more patient than I was. I also prioritize much better, which comes out of patience. I think patience, by far, teaches you what to do. The mistake people make is they try to do everything. Dave Farr, our C.E.O., says that if you have a to-do list of 10 things, rip it and do three. Just do three.

I’m really better at putting my time and attention on the business issues that matter the most. I always say that one does what one likes to do. If you really think about it, you should like the things that are the biggest things.

Jonathan Fredman Publishes Article in ABA's National Security Law Report

2011-06-10T20:21:00.003-04:00

Jonathan Fredman published an article entitled "Covert Action Policy and Procedure" in the July-October 2009 issue of National Security Law Report, published by the American Bar Association. Jonathan, a lawyer, wrote:

Covert action is often viewed in a fundamentally different manner from more mainstream exercises of national power. Neither a military nor a law enforcement activity, covert action is cloaked in an aura of secrecy that endows any discussion with the allure of things concealed. But in many ways the similarities are stronger than the differences: all encompass both persuasive and coercive methods; all prefer to rely upon cooperation much more than compulsion; and all are designed to provide the American people with the means to preserve their liberty as well as the security upon which that liberty depends.

Ann-Marie Slaughter Interviewed on Role of Development in U.S. Foreign Policy

2011-05-16T20:33:00.002-04:00

Anne-Marie Slaughter, professor of politics and international affairs at Princeton, was interviewed recently at the Council on Foreign Relations as part of a series on "Women and Development." She also addressed current events in the Middle East. The interview and a synopsis of its content can be found here. The article says,

During our interview, I could not help asking Slaughter about U.S. policy in the Middle East. She has been a vocal advocate of intervention in Libya to bolster those trying to oust Col. Muammar al-Qaddafi. As she put it in our interview, “Our goal across the Middle East has to be to stand for peaceful change, the right of citizens to demand basic services from their governments.” However, she added that the U.S. role should be to support citizens who are battling oppressive regimes, not to take on the fight itself. “We have to help people as we can,” she said, “but it’s their fight. It’s the Libyans who have to ultimately change their government.” Turning to Syria, Slaughter called the situation there “heartbreaking” and said, “it looks like this government might get away with the same kind of brutality that we saw 20 years ago.” Nonetheless, she argued that the United States is not in a position to use force.

Robert Klitzman Writes NY Times Op-Ed About Bin Laden's Death

2011-05-10T21:53:00.002-04:00

Robert Klitzman wrote an op-ed piece that appeared in the New York Times on May 3, two days after the killings of Osama bin Laden by Navy Seals. Robert's sister Karen was killed at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2011. In the essay, titled, "My Sister, My Grief," he writes,

Bin Laden’s death was cathartic — his terrorist attacks traumatized all of us — but in large part it is only a symbolic victory. Al Qaeda may even have more cells and members than it did 10 years ago, though no one knows. Certainly, Islamic extremists are vowing to avenge his death. “An eye for an eye” perpetuates a never-ending cycle of destruction. Dangers continue.

Steve Hughes Works on Award-Winning Animated Film in Spain, "The Missing Lynx"

2011-05-01T22:46:00.001-04:00

Steve Hughes sends along this report on his work on an award-winning film, "The Missing Lynx," in Spain:

I collaborated closely with the director and co-scriptwriter of The Missing Lynx, Manuel Sicilia. As a fellow Andalusian, Antonio Banderas was happy to get involved in the production and promotion of the film, although he didn't do any of the voices in the film, since none really suited him. It's a fun film with great detail about Andalusian wildlife, with an ecological message.

Anyway, I adapted the script into English, cast the original English voices, directed the recordings and revoicings, and voice-acted in the film. Despite being the child of the Spanish production company Kandor Graphics, located in Granada, the original version – the one recorded first to animate the mouths in high-quality animation – was recorded in Madrid but in English because the English-speaking markets are the biggest and most lucrative. We recorded all the voices with only 7 very versatile actors. I recorded Gus the chameleon, Newmann the evil white hunter, Diogenes the vulture, all the wolves, and the henchmen-soldiers, among others. They liked my interpretation of Newmann – the lone American among all British voices – so much that they asked me to repeat the part when the film was dubbed into Spanish, again with an American accent.

Anyway, last year The Missing Lynx was nominated for the Goya award, Spain's equivalent of the Oscars, for Best Animated Feature Film and won. Although it did get onto the big screen on numerous European countries apparently, The Missing Lynx was never released in theaters in the US, unfortunately, although it was released on DVD. The DVD was reviewed in Variety in October, 2009, and one of my proudest moments as a voice artist came when I read the reviewer's comment that Newmann was "voiced with delicious richness by Hughes". Working way over here in Spain, it meant a lot to get a pat on the back from a Variety reviewer.

Josh Kornbluth finds Warhol, and Judaism

2011-04-07T23:14:00.002-04:00

The Jewish Telegraphic Agency has published an article about Josh Kornbluth's latest one-man show, titled, “Andy Warhol: Good for the Jews?” In it, Josh discusses his new interest in Jewish topics, and his upcoming bar mitzvah in Israel. The article begins,

Josh Kornbluth didn’t find his Jewish identity the typical way.
It was pop artist Andy Warhol who sparked the process that brought the successful San Francisco Bay Area performer, now 52, to discover Torah, synagogue -- and, in a few months, a bar mitzvah in Israel.

“I was raised orthodox – orthodox communist!” Kornbluth said as he sat down with JTA over a plate of bacon and eggs to discuss his newfound appreciation of his Jewish roots. “Zionism was the enemy in our house.”

Douglas McGrath Lights Up HBO with Documentary on Jerry Weintraub

2011-04-06T21:30:00.002-04:00

Douglas McGrath has written and directed a feature-length documentary, "His Way," that just debuted on HBO. It details the colorful career of film producer and manager Jerry Weintraub. Doug found quite a story to tell in the person of Weintraub, a legendary Hollywood figure and tale-spinner. In its positive review of the documentary, The Hollywood Reporter says,

McGrath amuses himself by cutting back and forth between Weintraub and his wife of 45 years, singer Jane Morgan, telling the same story, alternating between the two from line to line in telling a story that has resided for so long in the couple’s repertoire. The story about Weintraub’s mother finally accepting his non-Jewish wife into the family is classic.

Eve Beglarian's Music and Stories Featured in Oregon Performance

2011-04-06T21:13:00.002-04:00

Eve Beglarian will be appearing at the Alberta Rose Theater in Portland, Ore., on Friday, April 8 to perform music and tell stories from her epic 2009 journey down the length of the Mississippi River. For more information an an interview with Eve, click here.

This YouTube video also discusses the project and shows photos and music inspired by the trip.

Honorary Classmate Michael Graves's Target Project

2011-04-06T20:56:00.002-04:00

Architect-designer Michael Graves H'80 discussed his 15 years of work designing products for Target Stores, in the New York Times.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/31/garden/31qna.html

The article notes,

And although he has been paralyzed from the waist down and in a wheelchair since 2003, the 76-year-old architect shows no signs of stopping. His most recent products for Target, cleaning tools and kitchen accessories, reached stores last week.

Princeton Alumni Weekly: Not your mother's Princeton

2011-04-03T12:38:00.000-04:00

Arlene Pedovich and Daughter Rebecca Kaufman '11 were featured in a PAW article on alumnae mothers and daughters.

Princeton Alumni Weekly: Not your mother's Princeton

Laura McPhee Photos Featured in Exhibit of Mountain Art

2011-04-03T12:32:00.002-04:00

Several photographs by Laura McPhee are featured in an exhibit called "Alpine Desire" running at the Austrian Cultural Forum in New York through May 8. More examples of Laura's work can be found at her website, http://www.lauramcphee.com/

Ann-Marie Slaughter Examines the Libya Situation

2011-03-14T22:33:00.005-04:00

Ann-Marie Slaughter, who recently left the State Department to return to Princeton, wrote this opinion piece, "Fiddling While Libya Burns," in the New York Times critiquing the US response to the revolt in Libya and calling for a no-fly zone.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/14/opinion/14slaughter.html

Port o' Call Sharon Keld: Armenia Ho!

2011-02-02T18:36:00.005-05:00

Sharon Keld has started her new posting with the Peace Corps in Armenia. She is writing about the experience in her new blog, armeniadreamin.blogspot.com

Meanwhile, a photo of Sharon and other volunteers being sworn in appeared on the home page of the Peace Corps. It shows Armenia's first group of Peace Corps Response Volunteers. Volunteers Brian Kremer and Sharon Keld (RPCVs, Morocco), and Jeanne and Gordon Korstange (RPCVs, India) were sworn in last week. Jeanne and Gordon will be working with the Ministry of Education and Sharon and Brian will work with Homeland Handicrafts, a non-governmental organization, as marketing consultants.

Honorary Classmate Michael Graves Featured in NY Times Article

2011-01-28T18:54:00.000-05:00

The paintings of honorary classmate Michael Graves will be appearing in a show at Rider University Art Gallery. The New York Times ran a big illustrated story about Graves, an architect, and the show. The story begins,

SCRATCH most architecture wonks, and at some point they’ve studied the house that Michael Graves began creating for himself here in 1969. A 1920s furniture storehouse remade to evoke a Tuscan villa, it sits as solidly in the canon as it rests in the Italianate grounds he laid out around this laboratory for the classically inflected ideas, forms and design vocabulary that helped make his name. It has been widely covered, visited and debated. Every room, niche and cranny, which helped give shape to the movement that became postmodernism, has been photographed.

Princeton Alumni Weekly: Goodbye, corporate life!

2011-01-09T11:34:00.001-05:00

Sharon Keld published an essay in the December 8, 2010 Princeton Alumni Weekly about her adventures in the Peace Corps, what comes next after her time in the corporate world.

Princeton Alumni Weekly: Goodbye, corporate life!

Florence Hudson Discusses Business Travel in NY Times

2010-11-25T11:01:00.004-05:00

Florence DiStefano Hudson provided a first-person view of her corporate travel experiences in the Tuesday, November 23 "Frequent Flyer" feature of the New York Times. Florence gave an interview under the headline, "Lessons in Inefficiency, Learned in Airports Around the World." The article started,

I’m a problem-solver and pattern-recognizer. Traveling as much as I do is always an adventure. I have to admit that a lot of the time, I’m wondering how we actually make it from Point A to Point B since everything is so inefficient.

John Rogers named head of Advisory Council on Financial Capability

2010-11-11T19:58:00.005-05:00

John Rogers last month was named as head of the Advisory Council on Financial Capability, a new committee created by an executive order to complement recent consumer-protection legislation, aims to help President Barack Obama create effective policy to help Americans make better, more informed financial decisions. An October 25 article in The Daily Princetonian detailed the appointment.

More information about the Advisory Council can be found on the White House website.

Adam Bellow's New Gig: Conservative Books at HarperCollins

2010-10-26T06:44:00.002-04:00

Starting in January, Adam Bellow will be in charge of the new imprint Broadside Books at publisher HarperCollins. The line will focus on "culture wars, books of ideas, books of revisionist history, biographies, anthologies, polemical paperbacks and pop-culture books from a conservative point of view," according to a September 27 article in the New York Times. The article quotes Adam,

“What I intend to do is uphold a standard of intellectual seriousness on the right,” Mr. Bellow said. “They should be written in a way that they are serious, soberly argued, well researched, and make a respectable case — agree or disagree.”

Steve Poskanzer Named President of Carleton College

2010-10-24T22:16:00.003-04:00

Steve Poskanzer took over as President of Carleton College in Northfield, Minn., on August 2, following nine years of services as the President of the State University of New York at New Paltz. According to a Carleton statement,

“Steven Poskanzer is a rare individual, who combines intellect, wit, and a passion for the liberal arts with an innate ability to win over almost everyone he meets,” Carleton Board of Trustees chair and presidential search committee co-chair Jack Eugster said. “His successes as president at SUNY–New Paltz and as a teacher-scholar are just the type of experiences the search committee and the Board of Trustees sought for Carleton’s next president. I’m excited that Steve is joining Carleton. He, no doubt, will brilliantly lead Carleton in the fine traditions of the ten presidents who have preceded him.”

Ted Fishman Published Article in New York Times Magazine

2010-10-14T22:21:00.002-04:00

Ted Fishman published an article entitled "As Populations Age, a Chance for Younger Nations" in the October 14 NY Times Magazine. The article notes,

The high costs of keeping our aging population healthy and out of poverty has caused the United States and other rich democracies to lose their economic and political footing. Countries on the rise amass wealth and geopolitical clout by refusing to bear those costs. Older countries lose work to younger countries.

The article was adapted from Ted's upcoming book, “Shock of Gray: The Aging of the World’s Population and How It Pits Young Against Old, Child Against Parent, Worker Against Boss, Company Against Rival and Nation Against Nation."

David Kaufmann Reviews Poetry and More for Tablet Magazine

2010-07-31T08:56:00.003-04:00

David Kaufmann is writing about poetry and other literary topics at Tablet Magazine. He teaches at George Mason University in Virginia. His latest essay is about poet Karen Wieser.

Bob Bradley Coaches U.S. Soccer Team at World Cup

2010-06-13T22:11:00.002-04:00

Yesterday England (OK, it was a tie), tomorrow the world? Classmate Bob Bradley is shooting for the top as the coach of the U.S. Team in the World Cup being placed in South Africa. Everybody's covering Bob and his team; for a sampling, try ESPN and Wikipedia for profiles and the official U.S. Soccer website.

Peter Elkind '80 Writes Big Book on Eliot Spitzer '81

2010-05-01T15:56:00.002-04:00

Peter Elkind's new book, Rough Justice: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer, is getting widespread reviews. The book is published by Penguin USA, which says on its website that the book:

gets at all sides of this complex man: the well-intentioned do-gooder, the aggressive lawyer, the hardball politician, the dutiful son, the loving husband and father, and the secretive "Client 9" of the Emperor's Club escort service.

Elkind interviewed dozens of key sources ranging from Spitzer's family, friends, and closest aides, to targets of his high-profile investigations, to central players in the prostitution ring. He reveals many groundbreaking new details about Spitzer's rise, his short time as governor, and the way his enemies plotted against him.

A sampling of major reviews includes:

New York Times

Washington Post

Newsweek (an interesting approach to look at the book, including grades for prose and ideas on "hidden agendas)

PAW Article Features Henri Ford '80 and His Brothers on Haiti Medical Work

2010-05-01T15:23:00.002-04:00

The April 28 issue of the Princeton Alumni Weekly ran an article about the three Ford brothers, all doctors, who returned to their native Haiti after the earthquake to provide medical services. The article says,

Henri was not the only Ford family doctor to go to Haiti on a volunteer medical mission. His brothers Billy ’83, an anesthesiologist at St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx, N.Y.; and Jean, a 1978 Columbia University graduate and pulmonary specialist at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, arrived a few days later. They came under the auspices of Medishare, a nonprofit with a longstanding interest in Haitian medical relief.

Arlen Kassof Hastings Takes Runner-Up Place in PAW Wordplay Contest

2010-04-07T15:37:00.001-04:00

Word whiz Arlen Kassof Hastings '80 took a runner-up prize on the Princeton Alumni Weekly's constrained writing wordplay contest. An article about the contest and the winners appeared in the April 7 PAW, here. Inspired by an freshman seminar on wordplay, the contest draw this entry from Arlen called "Alphabetical Soup":

Appetizing broth, cooking delectably, emanating flavor, greets her in Jespersen’s kitchen. Letters made neatly of pasta quickly revitalize Sara, the unhappy vegetarian whose xeric yam ziti a belligerent carnivore didn’t eat, favoring goose.

Having inauspiciously jeopardized Kevin’s (lately mentioned nasty omnivore’s) palate, quiet, remorseful Sara took up violent wailing. “Xantippe! Yucky ziti!” angrily barked churlish diner, eying foie gras. “How I jubilantly kill living meat! Nothing outdoes poached quail. Rabbit stew tastes unbelievable. Venison’s wonderful. Xiphias — yum! Zebra’s absolutely breathtaking. Cat’s delicious, especially fried.”

Greatly horrified, inexpressibly jolted kitten lover moderates nonetheless: “Ooh, poor queasy rascal.” She then uses Vedic wisdom. “Xylophones! Yahweh’s zithers!” Accompanying Brahmin choir, dinner eating forgotten, go harmoniously, invoking joyful karma, latterly mortal nemeses. One particularly quixotic religious song tells us verily why xanthism — yellowish zoological aberration — begets color, dyeing egrets’ feathers. “Gosh!” humbly intones jittery Kevin, liking music. “Now obnoxiously plucking quills really seems terrible.”

Ultimately, vegetarianism wins. Xenogogue yells, “Zounds!”

When not doing crossword puzzles and playing with words, Arlen works on fostering science in developing countries as the executive director of the Science Initiative Group at the Institute for Advanced Study.

Dr. Henri Ford Returns to Haiti to Provide Medical Services

2010-02-28T10:39:00.003-05:00

Dr. Henri Ford, Vice-President and Surgeon-in-Chief of Childrens Hospital in Los Angeles, returned to his native Haiti last month following the earthquake. His humanitarian activities have garnered several media mentions, including ABC News, National Public Radio and Time magazine and the Los Angeles Times.

The photo at right shows Henri, left, and Dr. Sanjay Gupta prior to operating on a 12 year old with piece of brick impaled in her skull.

Steve Strogatz Starts Online Math Column for the NY Times

2010-02-28T10:22:00.003-05:00

Classmate Steve Strogatz is contributing a weekly online column on math issues to the New York Times. The Times profile of Steve says:

A professor of applied mathematics at Cornell University, in 2007, he received the Communications Award, a lifetime achievement award for the communication of mathematics to the general public. He previously taught at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he received the E.M. Baker Award, an institute-wide teaching prize selected solely by students. “Chaos,” his series of 24 lectures on chaos theory, was filmed and produced in 2008 by The Teaching Company. He is the author, most recently, of “The Calculus of Friendship,” the story of his 30-year correspondence with his high school calculus teacher. He writes a series on math, from the basic to the baffling.

His January 31 column, "From Fish to Infinity," attracted over 500 reader comments.

John Dolan and Todd Beaney Release CD of Fresh Interpretations of Classic Hymns

2010-01-17T16:22:00.006-05:00

Classmates John M. Dolan and Todd Beaney released a CD this past December entitled “Facets.” The trumpet-piano duo presents creative and fresh new arrangements of 15 classic hymns in styles ranging from exhilarating swing to jaunty samba to tender ballad to Latin jazz and many more. Both imaginative writing and fine playing are showcased in this inspired album, which is available from Todd’s website, www.toddbeaney.com, or via digital download on iTunes. Todd's earlier CDs of Christian inspirational music were "Piano Praise" and "Higher Ground," both also available on the website.

30th Reunion Registration Now Open

2009-12-05T16:53:00.002-05:00

Attention '80ers: If you haven't got the class mailing nor noticed an email, get over to www.princeton1980.org and register for the 30th reunion next May. And if you want one of those scarce on-campus housing slots, do it on the double.

Bob Bradley Named PAW's "Tiger of the Week"

2009-11-21T08:46:00.001-05:00

Bob Bradley, head coach of the U.S. national men's soccer team, was named "Tiger of the Week" recently by the Princeton Alumni Weekly. The team has qualified for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

USA Track and Field to Honor Bruce McBarnette

2009-10-11T19:49:00.002-04:00

On October 30, USA Track and Field will be presenting classmate Bruce McBarnette an award at a reception at the Embassy of Croatia in Washington, DC for setting two new USA records this summer in the high jump for his age group. An article about the latest record Bruce set, at the USA National Masters Track and Field Championship in Oshkosh Wisconsin and Falls Church, Virginia is at
http://www.pausatf.org/data/2009/rwdockstader.html.

Bruce can arrange free admission for anyone who would like to attend the reception at the Embassy of Croatia, 2343 Massachusetts Ave. in Washington, DC, 6:30pm-8:30pm. The reception will also be an art show featuring the art work of several artists in the Washington, DC area. If you would like Bruce to reserve a place for you, visit http://mcbarnette.com/charity.

Sports Illustrated is considering doing a feature on Bruce, who has won 6 World Championships and 21 USA National Championships for his age group in the high jump. By sending Sports Illustration a nomination email message, you can increase the chances that Sports Illustrated will feature Bruce. To send a nomination email message, visit http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/si_online/faces/
and complete the form at the bottom of the page.

Words of Wisdom from Peter Yawitz's New Blog

2009-09-20T23:03:00.004-04:00

Peter Yawitz started a new website and blog over the summer with the highly relevant name, "Don't Quit Your Day Job, devoted to "helping people communicate better at work." The home page says,

It’s difficult to know what to say to whom and how to say it. Ever try to write a presentation and not know how to start? Ever deal with an incompetent boss? Ever feel you were about to cry in front of your boss? Ever start to interview someone and not to know what to ask? Ever want to confront a coworker?

We've added the new site to the class blogroll, and you can find his site, complete with a Princeton reference, videos and amusing photos, here.

Mike Schill Appointed Dean of University of Chicago Law School

2009-09-08T07:29:00.001-04:00

Michael H. Schill, dean of the UCLA School of Law and a nationally known scholar of property law, has been appointed as the next dean of the University of Chicago Law School, University President Robert J. Zimmer and Provost Thomas F. Rosenbaum announced today. The university press release, with a photo of Mike, can be found here.

Schill's appointment takes effect Friday, Jan. 1, 2010.

During his five years at UCLA, Schill has successfully recruited leading legal scholars from top schools across the nation. He has launched three new legal research centers and two academic specialization programs. Alumni participation in fundraising has doubled since he arrived, and private philanthropy has tripled.

Schill, the author of three books and more than 40 articles, has continued to pursue his scholarship in real estate and housing policy, deregulation, finance and discrimination, He is a co-author of the property law casebook used by more than half of all law students nationwide.

A graduate of Princeton University and Yale Law School, Schill was in private practice before joining the University of Pennsylvania, where he was a tenured professor of law and real estate. He became the Wilf Family Professor in Property Law at New York University School of Law and professor of urban planning at NYU's Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. He was the founding director of the Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy.

Beth Cobert Named Board Chair of United Way of the Bay Area

2009-08-17T07:23:00.001-04:00

Beth Cobert has been named Board Chair for the United Way of the Bay Area in San Francisco. A director in the SF office of McKinsey & Company, Beth will serve in the position for the next two years. In this role, Beth will lead United Way's "continuing efforts to create pathways to prosperity for low-wage families and individuals." she joined the board in early 2008 and served on the campaign cabinet last year.

More details can be found in the Unite Way press release here (opens as a PDF).

John Rogers Named Chair of University of Chicago's Lab Schools Board

2009-06-30T22:37:00.002-04:00

The University of Chicago issued this press release today about classmate John Rogers:

Alumnus, longtime trustee and education champion John W. Rogers Jr. will be the next chair of the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools Board of Trustees, University President Robert J. Zimmer has announced.

Rogers, who graduated from Lab in 1976 and watched his daughter graduate last year, will assume the chair after more than 20 years of service on the board. He is currently an executive co-chairman of the Lab+ Campaign.

Welcome to the Blog of the Princeton Class of 1980

2009-06-22T07:06:00.001-04:00

As the Class of 1980 prepares for its 30th reunion, this blog is being created to keep everybody up to date on news and blogs involving classmates. It supplements and carries the name of the semi-blog that has been part of the site www.princeton1980.org since the 25th reunion.

Jamie Clements and Family's Excellent "Open Road Scholars" Adventure

2009-06-14T16:59:00.000-04:00

Jamie Clements and wife Diana took their two daughters, Noe and Carolina, last fall on a cross-country adventure in home schooling and exploration, captured on their family blog www.openroadscholars.com. In an email, Jamie described the logistics and the plan thusly:

Here are the vital statistics on the "big adventure"...

1 Winnebago

3 dogs

4 people

16 weeks

49 states

17,000 miles

. . . which, of course, does not begin to convey the extraordinary experience we all shared.

We left Santa Fe on August 18, 2008, and returned home December 3. Our website ends in Atlanta because, by then, we were utterly exhausted and used all of our remaining energy and resources to finish the trip.

We came closer together as a family (which is a little hard not to do in a 27-foot RV with, maybe, 150 square feet of living space) and connected with our twin daughters in a way that will not be possible again as they move into high school in September.

We saw every part of the US, which was amazing, and watched two historic events unfold as we traveled: the presidential election and the crash of our economic system. Now that's something to remember!

Ieva Miesnieks Rogers and the Philip Alan Rogers '79 Memorial Rugby Fund

2009-05-08T17:01:00.001-04:00

Classmate Ieva Miesnieks Rogers is busy these days as a mom and presiding over the Philip Alan Rogers '79 Memorial Rugby Fund, established and named in honor of her late husband, Phil Rogers '79. He played varsity soccer and Rugby at Princeton and was a key player on the Rugby Club's Ivy League Championship team in 1979. Phil majored in civil engineering and upon graduation earned the NJ Society of Civil Engineers Award.

Ieva, together with Phil's brothers, Marty '78 and Pete, and some dear friends, including our classmate Andrea Baumann Lustig, established the Fund in 2006 after Phil's untimely death a few months earlier. Ieva credits Andrea with inspiring her to create this Memorial. The Fund awards the Prize each year to an underclass rugby player to recognize "his or her unique leadership and sportsmanship qualities, both on and off the rugby pitch, that our friend and teammate Phil personified." The Prize is permanently represented by a stunning two-foot bronze sculpture that shows two hands poised to catch a rugby ball.

Phil and Ieva's two sons are extremely proud of their dad, most especially for his "off the field" accomplishments, being the most loving and nurturing (and nature-loving) dad ever. Oliver, a freshman at Wake Forest, will never forget all the "strenuous for some" bike expeditions with his father, and Colton, who is about to finish the second grade, claims he knows more of Patriot's Path in Morris County than any other 7-year old, thanks to his dad, who took him on Saturday morning hikes for as long as he can remember . . . what a fond memory.

For more information about the Foundation, please visit its website at www.parmrfund.org.

Cecilia Peck Mentioned in a Spanish Newspaper

2009-02-20T17:04:00.000-05:00

Steve Hughes sends in this note from Spain:

Back on Dec. 28, 2008, El Mundo published an article on a documentary that is being made about the story of an Israeli woman who was raped just seven weeks before she was proclaimed Miss World. And lo and behold, it turned out that the director is Cecilia Peck '80! Granted, Cecilia plays a supporting role in the article, as you might expect, but she and her latest film project are already making waves over her in Spain! Here's the link: http://www.elmundo.es/suplementos/cronica/2008/689/1230418814.html

Anne-Marie Slaughter to Lead Policy Planning Staff at State Department

2009-02-02T17:05:00.000-05:00

Anne-Marie Slaughter has resigned as dean of the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs to become director of the policy planning staff at the U.S. State Department. Anne-Marie, who also is the Bert G. Kerstetter ’66 University Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton, will remain a faculty member and take a public service leave from the University.

The policy planning staff provides policy analysis and advice for the secretary of state, and its mission is “to take a longer term, strategic view of global trends and frame recommendations for the secretary of state to advance U.S. interests and American values,” according to the State Department’s website.

Anne-Marie , who will report directly to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, will be the first woman director of the policy planning staff in the department’s history. Renowned diplomat and scholar George Kennan, a 1925 Princeton alumnus, created the office in 1947 and was its first director.

The complete Princeton press release can be found here. The State Department page for the Policy Planning staff is here.

John Rogers Goes One-on-One with Michael Jordan

2008-03-20T17:08:00.002-04:00

Sports Illustrated last month had an article about John Rogers' one-on-one basketball adventure against Michael Jordan. The article, found here, starts like this:

What would it be worth to you to be able to utter the greatest barroom boast ever? What if the next time the fellas are sitting around playing Can You Top This?, you could blow away their tales of high school homers and once-sorta-dated-a-sorta-model with this bad boy: "I beat Michael Jordan one-on-one."

I first heard rumor of the feat from a friend in Chicago. The details were hazy: It (probably) occurred at MJ’s basketball camp (about) five years ago, when he lost to a camper for the first time -- an old(-ish) guy who threw up a (musta-been) crazy lefty hook to which Jordan (undoubtedly) yelled, Nooooo!

What’s more, my friend said, the whole thing was (purportedly) videotaped.

A call led to a call led to a name, John Rogers Jr. Now 49, Rogers is a Chicago rainmaker: Princeton grad; founder and CEO of Ariel Mutual Finds, the nation’s largest minority-run mutual fund; friendly with Oprah; even friendlier with Barack Obama (who has used Rogers’s conference room for mock debates). Most important, he could afford Jordan’s Senior Flight School, a three-day summer camp in Las Vegas for the 35-and-over-and-affluent crowd that ran 15 grand, or more than twice what it would cost to go to, you know, actual flight school.

Robert Klitzman Quotes in NY Times Ethics Column

2008-02-20T17:13:00.002-05:00

Bob Klitzman is quoted in today's New York Times Ethics column. Here is the question and answer involving Bob:

My aging father needs a kidney transplant. A brother and I are willing donors, but I am a perfect blood match while he is only an acceptable match. The hospital says either will do for the next round of testing, but it prefers the perfect blood match. We could flip a coin, a fair way to choose between us, but our dad could get the second-best kidney. Whose needs take precedence? — NAME WITHHELD

Here is a better way to phrase the question: How should we make this decision? The answer is, not by a coin toss but by a more sophisticated method — rock-paper-scissors. Sorry. No. You and your brother, having already settled the ethical crux by agreeing to be donors, should now let the hospital answer the medical question: How to promote the best outcome for a transplant? Hence you, as the better blood match, should undergo this round of tests.

Those tests are only the next step. Before making a final decision, you need more information. Dr. Robert Klitzman, a bioethicist at Columbia University Medical Center, suggests a few things to discuss with the transplant team: “Why does [the] father need a kidney transplant? What is his diagnosis? Does he have a genetically related kidney disease? Do the brothers have wives and children with other serious medical problems?” As Klitzman rightly implies, there can be medical (and nonmedical) implications not just for you, your brother and your father but also for other people you love.

UPDATE: The letter writer was tested — the insurance company will pay for only one person at a time to go through the process — and ruled out as a donor. A third brother, also an ideal blood match, is considering being the next in the family to be tested.

John Rogers Featured in PAW Article About Barack Obama's Campaign

2007-10-10T17:19:00.001-04:00

The latest issue of PAW features an article, "Portraits of Purpose," about black leadership in Chicago and its role in Barack Obama's presidential campaign. John Rogers, founder of Ariel Capital Management, figures prominently in the story. It starts,

In 1991, an understated young law school graduate asked John Rogers ’80 for help. He said his name was Barack Obama and he wanted to register African-Americans to vote in Chicago. The Project Vote assignment seemed an unlikely one, neither high-profile nor high-paying, certainly not the gilt-edged job that Obama, president of the Harvard Law Review, could command in the big city. But the mission rang true with Rogers, who became the financial co-chairman of Obama’s effort.

'Prince' Writes About Josh Kornbluth and His Thesis (Finally Almost Done)

2007-09-17T17:23:00.001-04:00

The Daily Princetonian has published an article about Josh Kornbluth and his renewed determination to submit a thesis in politics. The article said, "With his adviser's help, Kornbluth advanced through the thesis, even going so far as to complete his thesis in the style he often uses professionally: an extended monologue. "Citizen Josh," a one-man show, is his thesis. It tells the story of its completion and touches on his time at Princeton and his thoughts about democracy. It played in two theaters in the Bay Area for a total of 50 performances this summer."

Engineering School's Website Features Florence Hudson

2007-09-14T17:24:00.001-04:00

A story on the Engineering School's website about undergraduates and internships discussed the work of Florence Hudson at IBM. This past summer she was the mentor of mechanical and aerospace engineering major Zhen Xia. The article about the Preparing to Lead Internship program said,

Florence Hudson, the vice president of marketing and strategy for IBM mainframe System z, served as Xia's mentor throughout the summer. A 1980 Princeton graduate with a degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering, Hudson jumped at the chance to share what she has learned throughout her career. Over the course of the summer, she met with Xia regularly to discuss leadership and engage him in real projects.

Spitzer '81 Names Nocenti '80 as Counsel to the Governor

2006-12-07T17:28:00.005-05:00

New York Governor-elect Eliot Spitzer '81 has named Dave Nocenti '80 as his counsel, as they take office on January 1, 2007. He is currently counsel to Spitzer in his role as the state Attorney General. According to an article in the New York Law Journal, Spitzer said about Dave,

He is somebody on whose advice I have relied on over the past eight years, somebody of stupendous intellect. He understands government. He is somebody with whom I have disagreed occasionally, but rarely won a legal argument with Consequently, I have absolute confidence that he is going to address every issue meticulously, thoughtfully, and with the public interest and the law in mind. And that is exactly what I would ask for in somebody in that position.

Dave earned a law degree from Columbia and then was an associate at the New York law firm of Chadbourne, Parke, Whiteside & Wolff for three years before serving as a procecutor for the U.S. Attorney of the Eastern District of New York from 1986 to 1990. He joined the counsel's office of New York Governor Mario Cuomo as first assistant counsel, then became counsel to Queens Borough President Claire Shulman. He then became counsel to the Attorney General for Spitzer's two terms.

Dr. Ricardo Cigarroa Honored for Service with Supplement in Laredo Morning Times

2006-09-24T17:34:00.005-04:00

The Laredo Morning Times published a supplement today in honor of cardiologist Ricardo Cigarroa, upon his recognition by the Laredo Under Seven Flags Rotary Club as its 13th Paul Harris Fellow. A graduate of Harvard Medical School, he returned to his home town of Laredo, Texas and started the Laredo Medical Foundation and the Laredo Medical Group. According to a biography in the supplement, Ricardo is the director of the Cigarroa Heart and Vascular Institute inside the Laredo Medical Center. He also created a scholarship fund for local students.

Cheryl Greenberg Publishes Book Examining Black-Jewish Relations

2006-09-05T17:34:00.005-04:00

A new book, "Troubling the Waters: Black-Jewish Relations in the American Century" by Cheryl Greenberg, a professor of history at Trinity College in Hartford, Conn., is getting strong reviews. Princeton University Press published the book, which it describes in these terms.

Drawing on extensive new research in the archives of organizations such as the NAACP and the Anti-Defamation League, Greenberg shows that a special black-Jewish political relationship did indeed exist, especially from the 1940s to the mid-1960s--its so-called "golden era"--and that this engagement galvanized and broadened the civil rights movement. But even during this heyday, she demonstrates, the black-Jewish relationship was anything but inevitable or untroubled. Rather, cooperation and conflict coexisted throughout, with tensions caused by economic clashes, ideological disagreements, Jewish racism, and black anti-Semitism, as well as differences in class and the intensity of discrimination faced by each group. These tensions make the rise of the relationship all the more surprising--and its decline easier to understand.

The Connecticut Jewish Ledger recently interviewed Greenberg about the book, in an extensive Q&A. In addition to Troubling the Waters, Cheryl is the author of "Or Does it Explode?": Black Harlem in the Great Depression and the editor of A Circle of Trust: Remembering SNCC.

Amy Myers Jaffe Named One of Esquire's "Best and Brightest"

2005-11-16T17:50:00.000-05:00

The Baker Institute’s Amy Myers Jaffe is on Esquire magazine’s 2005 “Best and Brightest” list, which appears in the December issue.

Jaffe, the Wallace S. Wilson Fellow in Energy Studies at the institute, and associate director of the Rice Energy Program, is one of 12 honorees in the contribution to society category. The magazine’s article about Jaffe calls her “a rarity among energy-policy experts … a voice of honest, nonpartisan reason.” The article includes her views on “Seven Ways to Fix the Oil Crisis.”

For more than a year, Esquire editors researched and interviewed scores of experts for its annual list showcasing the top minds in the worlds of science, culture, education, and the arts. “This issue is about hope,” Esquire Editor in Chief David Granger said. “The search in and of itself was inspiring, as it became clear that ours is a land of dreamers who become doers. And as amazing as our honorees are, they merely represent this country’s great potential.”

Jaffe was one of four honorees on the list invited by Esquire to speak in New York at its 2005 Best and Brightest Imagination Session.

The issue, which hit newsstands November 15, includes Jaffe’s strategy for a sensible U.S. oil policy. Her recommendations for fixing the oil crisis include: building a “safety net” of refined product and energy reserves to avoid Hurricane Katrina type emergencies; doubling the fuel efficiencies of American cars; and taxing gasoline “by dollars not cents” as is done in Europe.

Jaffe, a Princeton University graduate in Arabic studies, leads the Baker Institute Energy Forum, a multifaceted program that promotes original, forward-looking discussion and research on the energy-related challenges facing society in the 21st century. Her research focuses on the subject of oil geopolitics, strategic energy policy—including energy science policy—and energy economics. She joined the Baker Institute staff in 1997.

Anne Holton Becomes First Lady-Elect of Virginia, as Husband Tim Kaine Wins Governorship

2005-11-05T17:51:00.002-05:00

Family politics crosses party lines for our classmate Anne Holton. Anne, the daughter of former Virginia Republican Governor Linwood Holton, will become the First Lady of Virginia following the victory of her husband, Tim Kaine, a Democrat, in the gubernatorial race. Currently the Lieutenant Governor, Kaine defeated state Attorney General Jerry Kilgore. In addition to her new duties, Anne is a juvenile court judge.