Cwc june:july 15 full mag

JANE HARMAN page 12

GRETCHIN RUBIN page 37

The Panama-Pacific International Exposition page 42

GLORIA DUFFY page 46

Commonwealth The

THE MAGAZINE OF THE COMMONWEALTH CLUB OF CALIFORNIA

WHO IS PUTIN? Ilya Ponomarev, Jane Harman & Matthew Rojansky on Russia’s leader $5.00; free for members | commonwealthclub.org

JUNE/JULY 2015

Discovering China From the Great Wall to the Yangtze River September 8–21, 2015

Highlights • Discover 2000-year-old Beijing, China’s modern-day capital, including Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven.

• Learn about U.S. foreign policy during a briefing at the U.S. Embassy.

• Walk along the famous Great Wall, which stretches for more than 5,500 miles.

• Enjoy a traditional Peking duck dinner and take a rickshaw ride through ancient alleyways or hutongs.

• Marvel at the excavated terra-cotta army of nearly 8,000 life-size warriors in Xian.

• Fly to Chongqing and visit the zoo housing the beloved pandas.

• Take a three-night cruise on the Yangtze River and witness daily life along its shores. See the spectacular Three Gorges, Lesser Gorges, and the much-heralded Three Gorges Dam. • Experience the European-influenced Bund, the renowned Shanghai Museum, and the 16th-century Yu Yuan Gardens in cosmopolitan Shanghai.

• Optional Hong Kong extension is available.

Space is limited to 24 participants.

Join the Commonwealth Club in China this fall!

Cost: $4,969, per person, double occupancy, including air from SFO

Commonwealth Club Travel CST: 2096889-40

Detailed brochure available at: commonwealthclub.org/travel Contact: (415) 597-6720 • travel@commonwealthclub.org Photos: provided by MIR Corporation

INSIDE The Commonwealth VO LU M E 109, N O . 04 | J U N E / J U LY 2015

9 Photo by uscpublicdiplomacy/flickr

FEATURES 8 ILYA PONOMAREV WHO IS PUTIN?

37 Photo by Dell Inc./wikicommons

An exiled Russian politician on where Putin’s power comes from and the unexpected similarities between Russia and the United States – California in particular

9 MATTHEW ROJANSKY 42 Photo by Ed Ritger

RUSSIA, UKRAINE & THE WEST IN CRISIS & CONFLICT Why Russia has such a difficult relationship with the West and how Ukraine got caught in the middle

DEPARTMENTS

12 JANE HARMAN

COMBATTING GLOBAL THREATS

Turbulence abroad and how the United States can best use the military and foreign aid to help

37 GRETCHEN RUBIN

HAPPINESS & HABITS

Are you an “upholder,” “questioner,” “obliger” or a “rebel”?

42 THE PANAMAPACIFIC INTERNATIONAL EXPOSITION ITS 100YEAR IMPACT

The spectacle, the hype and the legacy of San Francisco’s world’s fair

5 EDITOR’S DESK Where do members come from?

6 THE COMMONS Trash on your back, Trekkie techie, sitting pretty, and more.

Photo by Rikki Ward

46 INSIGHT Dr. Gloria C. Duffy, President and CEO

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EVENTS 15 PROGRAM INFORMATION 15 LANGUAGE CLASSES 16 TWO MONTH CALENDAR 18 PROGRAM LISTINGS Events from June 1 to July 31

About Our Cover: No, he didn’t make a personal appearance, but the Russian president has been quite a presence in thoughts and discussions at the Club lately. In this issue Ponomarev, Rojansky and Harman all weigh in on why Putin does what he does. Photo by kremlin.ru/wikicommons design by Tyler Swofford.

“In a strategic sense, Russian grievance has been building, and in an impulsive sense, [Putin] panicked when he saw Yanukovych leave.... But I think our strategy to stick with Europe and to J U N E/J U LY 2013 THE COMMO N WE AL TH 3 impose sanctions together is quite effective.”

– Jane Harman

EDITOR’S DESK

J O H N Z I P PE R E R V P, M E D I A & E D I TO R I A L

Photo by Ed Ritger

How Did You Become a Club Member?

A

t a recent dinner with friends, one of them mentioned that I spoke with one woman who wanted details on membership. She she had just become a member of The Commonwealth was already a member; a friend had given her the membership as a Club. She bought the membership as part of a raffle to gift. Now she wanted to pay it forward and buy a membership for support the Dianne Feinstein Elementary School, and now she was another friend. I thought that was a great idea; one of the best ways looking forward to some upcoming speakers who interested her. to learn about something new is to be introduced to it by a friend Another person told me recently that he had just moved to San or family member.

Francisco from another state, and becoming a member of the Club Do you remember how you became a Club member? For some was one of his first items of business. He had listened to our radio of you, it was a pretty recent milestone. For at least four hundred program for years, and now that he could be present at events, he of you, it was more than 30 years ago – making you one of our ofwanted to take advantage of the opportunity. ficial Golden Gavel Members, people who have been members for Others come in after we reach out to them by mail or email, at least three decades. inviting them to join. Hundreds of people I’m sure many of the recent joiners will jam our new-member receptions, to enjoy be with us in three decades to celebrate some fellowship and learn about the profriend had given her the their Golden Gavel-hood. If you enjoy gramming, classes, travel opportunities and The Commonwealth Club and support other functions of this club. Many of them membership. Now she wanted its important role in informing and enhave just recently become members; others tertaining and surprising and connecting, sign up on the spot. to pay it for ward and buy a pay it forward by giving a membership in This past April, I was at a new-member an organization you care about to somereception acting as a guide to our many membership for another friend. one you care about (commonwealthclub. digital, print and multimedia offerings. org/giftofmembership).

A

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BUSINESS OFFICES The Commonwealth, 555 Post Street, San Francisco, CA 94102 | feedback@commonwealthclub.org VP, MEDIA & EDITORIAL John Zipperer | ART DIRECTOR Tyler R. Swofford | STAFF EDITORS Amelia Cass, Ellen Cohan INTERNS Zoë Byrne, Laura Nguyen, Christopher Wendt | PHOTOGRAPHERS Sonya Abrams, Ed Ritger, Rikki Ward ADVERTISING INFORMATION: Tara Crain, Development Manager, Corporate and Foundation Partnerships, (415) 869-5919, tcrain@commonwealthclub.org The Commonwealth ISSN 00103349 is published bimonthly (6 times a year) by The Commonwealth Club of California, 555 Post Street, San Francisco, CA 94102. | PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID at San Francisco, CA. Subscription rate $34 per year included in annual membership dues. | POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Commonwealth, The Commonwealth Club of California, 555 Post Street, San Francisco, CA 94102. | Printed on recycled paper using soy-based ink. Copyright © 2015 The Commonwealth Club of California. Tel: (415) 597-6700 Fax: (415) 597-6729 E-mail: feedback@ commonwealthclub.org | EDITORIAL TRANSCRIPT POLICY: The Commonwealth magazine covers a range of programs in each issue. Program transcripts and question and answer sessions are routinely condensed due to space limitations. Hear full-length recordings online at commonwealthclub.org/media, podcasts on Apple iTunes, or contact Club offices to buy a compact disc.

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COMMONS THE

Talk of the Club

Trash on Your Back

THE TICKER

Commonwealth Club helps highlight volume of garbage created daily

D

o you know how much trash you create each day? One estimate is that the average person disposes of more than four pounds of garbage every day.

Environmentalists who are trying to call attention to what they see as needless trash and pollution started a surprising movement to accomplish that goal: Invite people to collect and carry around with them all of the trash they throw away for five days.

Greg Dalton, who heads up the Club’s Climate One initiative, took up the Trash on Your Back challenge, and he invited others at the Club to join him in lugging around accumulated trash for nearly a week. He told a local reporter doing a story on the experiment that the trash challenge has been taken up by everyone from a Navy admiral to people in the NFL.

I

Photo by Jane Ann Chien

“It’s bringing up a lot of good questions and starting a lot of good conversations,” Climate One’s Ellen Cohan told CBS SF Bay Area.

Mlodinow: The Next Generation

I

n May, Dr. Leonard Mlodinow made his third visit to the Club in five years. The theoretical physicist and one-time collaborator with Stephen Hawking is an awardwinning science writer – in fact, his May program was on “The Evolution of Science.” But he has another writing career not known to many people.

Besides his work in physics, Mlodinow’s résumé boasts work writing for popular television series, script-

Chair Upgrade

Backup career

ing episodes of the science fiction program “Star Trek: The Next Generation” (for which he also served as a story editor), the gadgetdriven “MacGyver,” the action series “Hunter,” and even the sitcom “Night Court.” As someone who can contemplate the inner workings of time and space with the best of them, it Photo by Heather Mlodinow is no surprise that he had success in other media as well, including creating computer games and writing two children’s books.

A better place to sit

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’M LISTENING TO: “Podcasts of Commonwealth Club lectures. They can be about politics or economics or general interest. I live out in the country, so this is a good way to keep up with ideas.”

Renee Shepherd, The New York Times “In what he acknowledged was a ‘preaching to the choir’ conclusion, [Asst. Sec. of State for the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs Puneet Talwar] urged the internationally focused Commonwealth Club audience to stay engaged in world issues. ‘We, as a country, can achieve great things if we retain our optimism,’ he said.

‘What sets us apart is that we have always dealt with tough situations. Foreign policy never should become a partisan issue.’“ India West “San Francisco sips water compared to many cities, but we could still do more,” said Greg Dalton, founder and director of Climate One at The Commonwealth Club.... “Climate disruption increases the probability that this drought could be wicked-bad and long.”

Marina Times

Y

ou might want to sit down when you read this news: The Commonwealth Club has replaced its blue and red seats. The new chairs feature a mesh seat and backing, providing a more comfortable fit than the previous hard plastic chairs. The mesh also helps cool attendees by allowing better air circulation.

Over the course of several months, the Club had tested chairs in a sort of Goldilocks process. This one was too hard, that one was the wrong color, this one was too narrow, and so on. But there was no angry family of bears at the end of this story – just a happy group of members and guests who attended the first program this spring with the new chairs.

In the News

Photo by John Zipperer

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J U N E/J U LY 2015

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WHO IS PUTIN? ILYA PONOMAREV When Vladimir Putin ascended to Russia’s top office, hopes were high. A leading opposition figure questions whether Russians were tricked.

Excerpted from “Who Is Putin?”

March 4, 2015.

ILYA PONOMAREV Opposition Member, Russian State Duma; Chair, Innovations Subcommittee of Duma; Technology Entrepreneur

I

have very deep and mixed emotions right now about my country, [Russia]. I’m very glad that we are once again in the spotlight of world media and global attention. People are talking here about what’s going on in Russia. I remember that five years ago I was organizing a trip for President Medvedev in Silicon Valley and San Francisco, and we were meeting with Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg and Governor Schwarzenegger.

You know what? To gather an audience to meet President Medvedev was [a] pretty challenging task. Now you’re all here, but the reason for that is by far not as pleasant as that visit of President Medvedev.

Now it’s no longer President Medvedev in power; it’s Mr. Putin again. He says it’s like his first term – can you believe it? That means that legally he can stay in power for another eight years, at least, and then find another placeholder for a while, and then continue. That’s not something that I want for my country.

When I talk to my friends here in

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America, everybody asks, “So who’s Mr. Putin?” That was the question that was asked by an American journalist from [a] Philadelphia newspaper when Mr. Putin was just named a successor for [Boris] Yeltsin in 1999. It was already obvious that it would be Putin who would be the next president, and still, nobody knew who Mr. Putin was. People in the audience at that time were laughing, but they couldn’t answer this question. We went on this blind date with our future president and elected him just because he was named by Yeltsin, just because he seemed capable, because he promised stability for the country and he promised to stop terrorist attacks on Russian cities, which happened in 1999. Right now, we actually have a lot of ground to believe that they happened with the active participation of Russian security forces.

We saw [Putin’s] first years of very active neoliberal reforms, which were very much praised by people like Boris Nemtsov who was just assassinated last week in Moscow.

[Putin] was doing something right for the economy, and they supported him genuinely. But after that, when Mr. Putin sent to jail the most successful, most high-profile, most transparent business person in Russia, Mikhail Khodorkovsky – who was my boss at the time – people started asking questions.

“Maybe we were mistaken, maybe [he] was not the right guy.” That started the process of divorce between Putin and the rest of society.

My general belief is that among all human rights, the most important one is [the right to] a decent living. That’s what Putin was offering for the society. That’s what was delivered. I might debate a lot that it was not actually Putin who delivered this to [the] Russian people, that it was, rather, high oil prices, but it doesn’t matter. Winner takes Continued on page 39

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REALITY CHECK Russia, Ukraine and the West in Crisis & Conflict

Matthew Rojansky Our view of Russia needs to take into consideration how Russia views us. Excerpted from “Reality Check: Russia, Ukraine and the West in Crisis and Conflict,” February 5, 2015.

MATTHEW ROJANSKY Director, Kennan Institute, Wilson Center By the fall of 2013, Ukrainians had really had enough with corruption. They were fed up a quarter century after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The cherry on top was [President Viktor] Yanukovych’s unreal corruption, so they were primed for protest. The reason that this protest movement ended up being called “Euromaidan” – maidan just means “square” in the Ukrainian language – is that Ukraine was supposed to sign an association agreement with the European Union. [An association agreement] is really a very minor sort of bureaucratic tool; it’s just a very typically EU bureaucratic way of approaching diplomacy. But it became deeply symbolic for Ukrainians.

The idea was that by attaching themselves, even through these limited bureaucratic instruments to Europe, they could have some future. There was a light at the end of the tunnel. They would not be trapped in endless post-Soviet twilight, and they could at some point aspire to living the way that normal people did in Germany, even in Poland, in the Baltic States – places that some of them had been to and certainly seen on television. They had an idea that’s how normal people live.

What Yanukovych did at the end of November 2013 was that he announced to the Ukrainian people [that he was] not signing Original image by Alex Maisuradze/wikicommons

this agreement. Instead [he] was going to accept a big bailout loan from Vladimir Putin in Russia and establish a relationship with the Russian-led union called the Customs Union or the Eurasian Union. This was what drove people out to the street in vast numbers. So you had European flags, you had Ukrainian flags, the blue and yellow, and then you had these historic Ukrainian nationalist flags, the red and the black. What you didn’t have in the early phase of this protest was political party flags, because in the early part of this protest in the fall of 2013, it was not political.

Ordinary Ukrainian citizens had turned out into the streets because they were mad about corruption and they wanted the agreement with the EU signed, but they wouldn’t allow the opposition political parties to co-opt the protest movement. It was really a true kind of mass movement in favor of signing the European association agreement.

Things began to change rather quickly.

On the night of November 30, two years ago, Yanukovych, or someone high up in the Ukrainian government, ordered his special riot police called Berkut, which means “eagle,” to come out into the street and beat up some of the young people who were staying late into the night in front of official government buildings. This is a part of the world where if there is one thing that is sacred, it is youth; it’s the idea of protecting our children, providing some kind of decent future for our children. Having done this, the government began a steady loss of legitimacy and a decline into complete dysfunction that terminated in the complete fall of Yanukovych and the end of the state. So people turned out in massive numbers following this episode of the beating, even though no one in fact was killed.

There was this massive burst of social network activity. This truly was a social networkfacilitated, if not driven, revolution. This was

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late fall, winter in Eastern Europe; it was very cold. Where could you get warm clothing?

Where could you get some hot soup? Where could you get medical attention? How could you connect with the international media?

All of this stuff was being coordinated on Facebook. At the same time, people were acknowledging in surveys that they were going out into the streets; they were joining the Maidan protests because they were hearing about it via social networks.

Those of us in the Silicon Valley, San Francisco universe, we’re sort of technology evangelists and we think technology is an unmitigated good. [But] it can be used by both sides. This is a message you might have received on your iPhone if you were a protestor out in the Maidan a couple of years ago in Ukraine: “Dear Subscriber, you have been registered as a participant in a mass demonstration.” That’s a little bit disturbing given that the authorities know who you are and know exactly where you are.

What changed things to bring it to a head?

Starting in the middle of the second half of February, someone gave an order – and to this day we still don’t know who; there are a lot of conspiracy theories on this making the rounds – someone gave an order to government forces and others, as yet unknown, to begin shooting at protestors. They were using high-powered sniper weapons. This drew a reaction from the protestors – they started to hurl Molotov cocktails. They started to deploy people with guns and [there was] an all-out shooting war for several days on the streets of Kiev. More than a hundred people were killed.

At the critical moment, around the 21st or 22nd of February, the European Union

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intervened. They sent a group of senior diplomats. The Russians sent a senior former official as an observer and they brokered a compromise between Yanukovych, who at this point was literally fighting for his life, and the opposition leaders, who had now

“T he reality is that politics in Russia is not a game. It’s life and death. And Putin realizes the precedent that has been set in Ukraine. ” been brought into the protest as the kind of formal negotiating representatives.

It seemed that there was a deal.

But it only seemed like that for a couple of hours, because we quickly found out that Yanokovich for the last several days had been loading up freight trucks with all the valuables from his palace and planned to escape the city. He, in fact, did that. He disappeared from Ukraine right around the 21st of February, and Ukraine ceased to have a functional government. That was the moment at which this protest, which went from being nonpolitical to political to violently political, finally became a real revolution and it was the end of the ancien régime in Ukraine.

[The] most important [thing] about the MH17 downing was that it transformed and galvanized public opinion in Western Europe. Until that time, Western Europe had thought, yes this had all began with EU association and the Maidan, but it was one

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of those Soviet things. In actual fact, when you had hundreds of people, who were either Dutch or German or British citizens or had connections to those countries, who were killed as a consequence of this war, suddenly Europe kind of snapped awake, Germany in particular. This was the beginning of very serious sanctions coming from the EU and very serious diplomatic involvement from Anglo-America, Germany, and others.

So what is it that Mr. Putin wants in Ukraine? Why is he doing this? There are a number of reasons. I like to start with domestic politics, because domestic politics for Mr. Putin is about survival. Nothing could illustrate that fact better than what happened [recently] when a major leader of the opposition was murdered in front of the Kremlin. It isn’t to say that Putin did it. It isn’t to say that Putin’s next. The reality is politics in Russia is not a game. It’s life and death.

And Mr. Putin realizes the precedent that has been set in Ukraine, which is that ordinary people can pour out into the street, they can remove a duly elected, albeit authoritarianleaning, leader like Victor Yanukovych. If as a result of that their lives get better and they are welcomed with open arms into the European Union and NATO and they are more prosperous and they are more secure, there will be a very simple message to the Russian people: Why not us? These people are in our family, they’re cousins after all.

Why shouldn’t we try the same thing? It is vitally important for Putin’s survival that he not allow this precedent to be set.

Second, in Russia, Putin is not just a president. He is not just a former prime minister. He is not just a German-speaking Judo champion. He is a czar. As a czar, there is the

Photo by Sasha Maksymenko/flickr

big father, which is God, and the little father, which is the czar, and then there’s everyone else. He is a divine figure. His reputation, his image, is all premised on the idea that he is never wrong. His interpretation of what has happened in Ukraine is very distinctive. He has described from the beginning a Western – specifically CIA – financed and organized nationalist coup, in which the West has been in clear alliance with neo-Nazi fascists in Ukraine in order to bring down a pro-Russian government and then to commit acts of ethnic cleansing, genocide, just as in World War II, against the Russian people. That is the Putin narrative. [It] is bought-into and supported by a great number of Russians.

Now are there facts in it? Yes, there are. That’s the problem. It’s a relatively easy story to tell because you have Oleh Tyahnybok, leader of the Svoboda Party, doing his Nazi salute and shaking hands with John McCain. So there is a sort of pretense of evidence here.

Of course, there’s been Western involvement in this. Of course, the West chose sides.

Any notion that we were neutral to what happened in Ukraine is complete bunk. The West was obviously on the side of the protestors, obviously wanted to see Yanukovych go and obviously didn’t care that much when it turned violent. So it’s very easy for Putin to make this case, and there are in fact some fascists in the new Ukrainian government; there are certainly some in the Parliament; it’s not a fact that you can conceal. But is it the overwhelming majority? Is that what happened? No, of course not.

Prior to the crisis in Ukraine, the Russian economy had not been doing well and Mr. Putin’s popularity had gone from its high of 80 percent down to the sixties. Since

the Ukraine crisis, since the annexation of Crimea, the beginning of war in Ukraine and all of this propaganda of how Russians are under assault and there’s genocide against Russians, his popularity has shot way up and it remains in the eighties today. He knew that that would work, because in 2008 the exact same strategy worked when Russia went to war against Georgia; nationalism sells. That’s how wars work.

Now, amazingly, this is also working despite the continued decline of the Russian economy. As the Russian economy tanks thanks to falling oil prices and Western sanctions and a general lack of reform for 25 years, nonetheless Putin’s popularity is going up. Putin spends his time with the same two or three thousand people all the time in different mixtures. It’s his top loyal lieutenants, his retainers, the oligarchs, etc.

He keeps hearing the same thing. So I don’t know what he knows, but it’s certainly not what he would’ve known back in the days when he was an intelligence operative for the KGB and facts really mattered. He is now a czar, and he is isolated and he is all-powerful.

Now, third on the list [of Putin’s motivations], geopolitics is important. There’s a positive side to it, as Putin sees it, and a negative side to it. The positive side is Putin’s vision. Not of recreating the Soviet Union; he’s not a communist. He’s not Soviet. He’s not socialist – none of that stuff. He’s a corporatist. He’s about enriching himself and protecting his power. But his vision is Russia and its historic sphere back together.

Ukraine, most important – its 50 million people to Russia’s 145 million – would be a vast increase and improvement on the Russian economy. Its the relative weight vis-à-vis

China, vis-à-vis the EU, vis-à-vis the United States could be increased and therefore their bargaining position would be better.

His message to other post-Soviet leaders has not been entirely insane. His message is: Think of how seriously you are taken in the rest of the world. Not very seriously.

You guys are basket cases. You guys are backwards. You guys are wanted only for your natural resources. Come join with us. We can once again be a significant geopolitical block and we can negotiate better terms for what is ultimately the inevitable economic globalization and integration that will happen, but let’s do it on our terms. It’s not an insane message.

So when people talk about the Eurasian Union, the customs union, that’s actually what’s going on.

Now there is a negative side to that message. Here I think of Putin as Gandalf from the Lord of the Rings movies. He throws down his staff and says, “You shall not pass!” to the demon, but in this case, the demon is NATO. Since the 1990s, NATO has been expanding gradually closer and closer and closer to Russia’s borders. There was a time when you could think maybe Russia would become a member of NATO or maybe we would just get rid of NATO altogether.

Those thoughts are obviously long past. It’s very clear we are locked in a mutually shared destructive relationship, just as we were in the Cold War, where nuclear weapons are aimed at each other and armies are stationed against each other. Russia’s position is, Look, you can expand to Poland, you can even expand to the Baltic States, but Ukraine is the last straw. We will not let NATO come to Ukraine.

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JANE

HARMAN

G L O B A L

A look at foreign polic y challenges and successes.

Excerpted from “Jane Harman: Combatting Global Threats,” March 26, 2015.

JANE HARMAN Former U.S. Representative In conversation with

AMY ZEGART Ph.D., Professor, Stanford University; Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution ZEGART: Let’s talk about how to do a better job than we’re doing. You’re an intelligence expert. [The office of ] the director of national intelligence, the organization that you really brought into the world, is 10 [years old]. The CIA director just announced major reform of the CIA. What grade would you give intelligence reform now, and what do you think needs to be done in the future? How are we doing?

HARMAN: Well, it’s not a static enterprise. The world is not waiting for us, and we have to evolve quickly. We’re doing OK. We were doing horribly on 9/11 and a year later in Iraq in terms of our intelligence capability. The passing of the 2004 reform was a major project. Our idea was to set up a joint command across 16 intelligence agencies, modeled after the GoldwaterNichols [Act], which had passed in the 1980s for the military. We used to have competitive military services – the Army, the Navy, the Coast Guard and so forth – and Goldwater-Nichols organized them under a commander in chief, a joint command where there’s one person in charge and the other services sort of report under that command, then it rotates among the services. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs [of Staff] is that person. That’s what we did in 2004.

ZEGART: What’s next in Afghanistan?

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HARMAN: Ashraf Ghani came to Washington this week and delivered an address to a joint section of Congress and he came with his co-president. It’s a unity government. His predecessor, Karzai, was implacably corrupt. That endemic corruption is not unique to Afghanistan, but it was a huge hindrance in that country developing.

ZEGART: So, I know you went to Afghanistan, and Sarah Chayes invited you there, and Sarah Chayes was an advisor to U.S. military there, and she has a very provocative argument that we’re not really dealing with a weak state’s problem in the world; we’re dealing with strong criminal syndicates in many countries.

HARMAN: The governments are also not confident, in addition to being corrupt.

But, that problem is being somewhat fixed in Afghanistan, and a place where you’re seeing it now is in Ukraine. In case you’ve missed it, in the last couple of days, Poroshenko, who is the president of Ukraine has just fired a couple of the most corrupt ministers.

This is a big deal. That’s very hard to do, because the country is so destabilized because the Russians are coming over the eastern border, but the revolution in Ukraine that toppled the then-president [Viktor Yanukovych] was about corruption. The people rose up in the Maidan, in Kiev, to protest the endemic corruption in Ukraine. When Poroshenko was elected by an overwhelming majority, I was there. I was one of these monitors on a delegation with Madeleine Albright when he was elected.

That’s what he promised to do. So now he’s trying to do it, and Sarah is right, that if you don’t get on top of this problem, you’re never going to have governments that function, and if you don’t have governments that function, you’re going to have the potential of all these bad guys and girls creating what we’re now seeing in the Middle East, these havens for terrorism.

ZEGART: So let’s talk about the other bad guy in Ukraine, Vladimir Putin.

HARMAN: Ah. He would say he’s not in

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Ukraine.

ZEGART: That’s right, and we would know better. So do you think this is a longterm strategy on Putin’s part, or has he sort of stumbled into Ukraine?

HARMAN: Both. I seriously mean both.

I think we didn’t understand Russian grievances after the Cold War. Remember, [Putin] was a KGB agent – that’s his background for this job. There’s huge corruption in Russia too – let’s not forget that – and he has enriched himself massively.

He and his buddies are multibillionaires in Russia now.

I think that he stumbled into Ukraine in the sense that nobody predicted that Yanukovych, the then-president, would flee when he did. Maybe that was an intelligence failure. I don’t know how to measure that. But I know that what the U.S. had been hoping at the time was that he would reform his government, not that he would flee. But when he fled, I think Putin’s immediate reaction was that Ukraine would move quickly to the West, and that was too threatening. And it was right after the Olympics. He spent $50 billion building good will, and then three days later, invaded Crimea – huge reversal.

So that was the impulsive reaction piece.

But I think the rest of it is that over [Putin’s] lifetime and the lifetime of many Russians, the sense of grievance [about] being a diminished power after the Cold War has been building. In a strategic sense, Russian grievance had been building, and in an impulsive sense, he panicked when he saw Yanukovych leave. Where this ends up, I don’t know, but I think our strategy to stick with Europe and to impose sanctions together is quite effective. I also think that this issue of providing lethal defensive weapons to Ukraine is a tough issue. We don’t really want a land war in Ukraine against Russia. And Obama hasn’t gone there. Obama is providing tanks and he’s providing night vision goggles and things of that nature, but he’s not providing anti-tank weapons, and it’s a close call. A

THREATS lot of effort has been made to understand this problem and understand where Putin could go next.

Russia could play a very positive role in the Middle East. It did help remove the chemical weapons from Syria, it could take the reprocessed fuel from Iran, that’s something that’s being talked about, and it could, if it wanted to, really help with the work out in Syria and help get to the right deal with Iran on ending its nuclear program.

ZEGART: What does a good deal with Iran look like? Are we likely to get it?

HARMAN: I hope we get there. A good deal is a deal where we seriously delay the breakout time for nuclear weapons, where we have intrusive inspections all over the country, everywhere, all the time to make sure that Iran isn’t building something, where we ship reprocessed fuel to Russia and where we also focus on the delivery mechanisms for nuclear weapons. Iran has a highly sophisticated missile industry capable of going almost any place, and I don’t know if we’re focused on that, but we should be. And finally, Iran is using proxy terror groups effectively and Iran has been shipping weapons around to all kinds of bad guys.

ZEGART: You talked about Iran’s role and terrorism in the region, Iran’s rolling insurgencies in the region, the nuclear negotiations, but Iran is also a cybersecurity threat, as is Russia, as is China, as is North Korea. So talk a little bit about how you picture the cyberthreat landscape, and what do we have to get right to combat it?

HARMAN: This is a huge problem. It’s one we need to be much more sophisticated about. That North Korean hack on Sony Pictures prompted my brother and me to go see that movie, that awful movie, The Interview, on Christmas Day. The hacks that have [been executed] by countries, by non-state actors and just by kids in basements are truly terrifying. It is possible to take down some of our critical infrastructure through the use of cyberat-

tacks. Where are we with this? We’re not so far along. Congress can’t even seem to pass a basic Cybersecurity 101 bill. Why does Congress need to pass this bill? The government has reasonable tools to protect the government’s base, but most of our critical infrastructure doesn’t operate in the government space. It operates in the space we all operate in, the dot-com space; 85 percent of infrastructure is run from the dot-com space. How are we going to protect that?

We have to share information. This

“We are not the only actor in this new and dangerous world...

We shouldn’t resent that.

We should understand that, and we should work with it.”

–Jane Harman

Cybersecurity 101 bill that Congress hasn’t passed is all about compelling the private sector to share information with the government on attacks and then protecting the private sector from lawsuits when it shares the information.

We could argue about the parameters of it, but that’s the basic idea, and Congress hasn’t been able to pass that. So what needs to be done? We need to pass that. What else needs to be done? We need to work internationally to set up regimes that will protect all of us a lot better.

ZEGART: Should the U.S. ally with the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad for the sake of eliminating ISIL? HARMAN: No. I think his actions over the years of this horrible civil war are outrageous. I mean, a guy who gasses his own people and uses barrel bombs against

innocent kids is not a guy I think any of us should be for remaining as the leader of a country. But I do think that the highest priority at the moment is weakening ISIL and gaining a chance for moderate Syrians to, themselves, advocate for the government change they want.

ZEGART: Should the United States be willing to commit ground troops in order to combat ISIL? HARMAN: Well, I think we’ve had enough wars in that region with the Western face on them. I really think that most of these terror groups – ISIL is not the only one – are killing more Muslims than they are Westerners; this is a Muslim on Muslim problem. So, while I do hope we will play a role, I think building a broad coalition with as many Muslim countries in it as possible is the best way to go, and that’s what Obama’s doing, and I applaud that.

And yes, we should play a role, providing some limited air cover is a good thing. I know there’s a big discussion about whether to provide weapons, and what weapons and to whom, but providing training is an excellent idea. But I don’t think the American public is behind it in either party, and I think another major commitment of ground forces could end up as sadly as our commitment of ground forces in Iraq ended up.

ZEGART: There has been a lot of focus from the National Security Agency on rebuilding trust with industry in Silicon Valley, and [having] Admiral Rogers, the director of the NSA, the head of Cyber Commands, come out every few months trying to help repair that damage. If you were advising Admiral Rogers on what NSA can do to repair the damage as a result of the Snowden revelations, what would you tell him?

HARMAN: Now is the time – some of these more controversial provisions expire on June 1 – to have another debate. We should have that. So, let’s debate this, and change these programs, which I am for doing.

The private sector, in saying that it’s now

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Photo by Rikki Ward

developing programs which the government will have no access to is making a hard bet.

I mean, I own the same device as you do, and I get it that my new iPhone has all these bells and whistles that the government can’t see, but guess what?

If we had reason to believe that there were a terror cell here and we needed tools to figure out who these folks are and prevent them from harming us, would you then really feel that – if they communicate by iPhones or any device that’s now hardened against government intrusion – would you really think that that’s still a good idea? It’s a hard problem.

I think we should have a set of laws that has been carefully debated and understood by the public, with public buy-in, I think we should have robust oversight inside the government by the courts and by the Congress to make sure that the laws aren’t violated. But at that point, I want my government to have the tools to keep me safe.

ZEGART: Help us understand the role of Congress in foreign policy, [for instance,] the letter of 47 Republican senators about the nuclear negotiation with Iran. What’s the right role of Congress in U.S. foreign policy?

HARMAN: I was horrified by that letter.

Tom Cotton, the leader of that group, went to Harvard Law School. I think he missed the course on Congress’ role with respect to international agreements.

He said that Congress had to ratify an international agreement. Nope. Sorry,

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Tom. Congress advises and consents. The executive branch ratifies. I thought it was totally inappropriate to send that letter to the government of another country, especially that particular government. And I applaud the Republicans who stayed off it.

ZEGART: Are we giving rise to terrorism against the United States?

HARMAN: We have to do a better job at telling our story. Our narrative is not getting out there. Obviously we have to tell it in the social media space where kids are being recruited; that’s urgent.

But I think a lot of people have forgotten what the United States stands for. We’ve been involved in military action in the Middle East [for] so long that people associate us with that and they don’t associate us with all the good things we do.

Over the recent years, international views of the United States have gone up sharply in only one instance: when we help with national disasters. When there are earthquakes in Pakistan, in Iran and all over Asia – and tidal waves and tsunamis and God knows what else – we’re there, our military [is there]. We know how to stage relief supplies. We’re really good at this. And when we do that, people say, “Oh look, the Americans are terrific.” But we haven’t done that consistently.

There’s been a lot of inefficiency. We don’t know when to take credit, when not to take credit. Economic assistance is a huge tool that we have. Diplomacy is another tool that we have, which we are using; the Obama administration especially is really

JU NE/JU LY 2015

trying to do that. But we could do it better.

ZEGART: Give us your view on China and how we should deal with China’s rise. And how do you think about China’s domestic challenges and China’s foreign policy?

HARMAN: We’re all from California and we understand the Pacific Rim. It has always seemed to me that it’s in our interest to be China’s friend [and] to have China as a trading partner. I believe that that is doable; it’s not easy, but it’s doable.

I worry that the danger of miscalculation, either by them or by us, could head us down a rabbit hole to a bad place. We’ve had an opportunity for years, and we should have done it, to reform the way the international monetary fund and some of the other international organizations operate, and Congress has refused to do it.

So guess what? China just formed an international bank and others may be formed as well, and Europe just joined the Chinese bank, and we’re all upset. We actually should have enacted the reforms that they all did so that the governance of the IMF [International Monetary Fund]could actually include a bigger role for people not in the U.S. and Europe, and we failed to do it, and they’re moving ahead.

That lesson should be, when you talk about influence in the world, we are not the only actor in this new and dangerous world.

There are a lot of other countries, that have their own issues and ambitions. We shouldn’t resent that. We should understand that, and we should work with it.

Programs OVERVIEW

TICKETS

The Commonwealth Club organizes more than 450 events every year – on politics, the arts, media, literature, business and sports. Programs are held throughout the Bay Area.

Prepayment is required. Unless otherwise indicated, all Club programs – including “Members Free” events – require tickets. Programs often sell out, so we strongly encourage you to purchase tickets in advance. Tickets are available at will call. Due to heavy call volume, we urge you to purchase tickets online at commonwealthclub. org; or call (415) 597-6705. Please note: All ticket sales are final. Please arrive at least 10 minutes prior to any program. If a program is sold out and your tickets are not claimed at our box office by the program start time, they will be released to our stand-by list. Select events include premium seating; premium refers to the first several rows of seating. Pricing is subject to change.

STANDARD PROGRAMS Typically one hour long, these speeches cover a variety of topics and are followed by a question and answer session. Most evening programs include a networking reception with wine.

PROGRAM SERIES CLIMATE ONE programs are a conversation about America’s energy, economy and environment. To understand any of them, it helps to understand them all.

GOOD LIT features both established literary luminaries and up-and-coming writers in conversation.

Includes Food Lit. INFORUM is for and by people in their 20s to mid-30s, though events are open to people of all ages.

MEMBER–LED FORUMS (MLF) Volunteer-driven programs focus on particular fields. Most evening programs include a wine networking reception.

FORUM CHAIRS MEMBERLED FORUMS CHAIR Dr. Carol Fleming carol.fleming@speechtraining.com ARTS

Lynn Curtis lynnwcurtis@comcast.net ASIAPACIFIC AFFAIRS Cynthia Miyashita cmiyashita@hotmail.com BAY GOURMET Cathy Curtis ccurtis873@gmail SF BOOK DISCUSSION Richard Ingalls reingalls123@yahoo.com BUSINESS & LEADERSHIP Kevin O’Malley kevin@techtalkstudio.com

GROWNUPS John Milford Johnwmilford@gmail.com HEALTH & MEDICINE William B. Grant wbgrant@infionline.net Patty James patty@pattyjames.com HUMANITIES George C. Hammond george@pythpress.com

MIDDLE EAST Celia Menczel celiamenczel@sbcglobal.net PERSONAL GROWTH: Stephanie Kriebel stephanie@sunspiritwellness.com PSYCHOLOGY Patrick O’Reilly oreillyphd@hotmail.com SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY Gerald Harris Gerald@artofquantumplanning.com Beau Fernald bfernald@gmail.com

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS Norma Walden norwalden@aol.com LGBT James Westly McGaughey jwes.mcgaughey@me.com

FOREIGN LANGUAGE GROUPS Free for members Location: SF Club Office FRENCH, Intermediate Class Thursdays, noon Pierrette Spetz, Graziella Danieli, Beatrice Hallier danieli@sfsu.edu, hallierb@usfca.edu FRENCH, Advanced Conversation Tuesdays, noon Gary Lawrence garylawrence508@gmail.com

Hear Club programs on more than 200 public and commercial radio stations throughout the United States. For the latest schedule, visit commonwealthclub.org/broadcast.

In the San Francisco Bay Area, tune in to: KQED (88.5 FM) Fridays at 8 p.m. and Saturdays at 2 a.m.

KRCB Radio (91.1 FM in Rohnert Park) Thursdays at 7 p.m.

KALW (91.7 FM) Inforum programs on select Tuesdays at 7 p.m.

KOIT (96.5 FM and 1260 AM) Sundays at 6 a.m.

KLIV (1590 AM) Thursdays at 7 p.m.

KSAN (107.7 FM) Sundays at 5 a.m.

KNBR (680 and 1050 AM) Sundays at 5 a.m.

KFOG (104.5 and 97.7 FM) Sundays at 5 a.m.

Watch Club programs on the California Channel Thursdays at 9 p.m. and on KRCB TV 22 on Comcast & DirecTV the last Sunday of each month at 11 a.m. Select Commonwealth Club Silicon Valley programs air on CreaTV in San Jose (Channel 30). View hundreds of streaming videos of Club programs at fora.tv and youtube.com/ commonwealthclub

GERMAN, Int./Adv. Conversation Wednesdays, noon Sara Shahin sarah_biomexx@yahoo.com ITALIAN, Intermediate Class Mondays, noon Daria Siciliano (415) 839-5077 SPANISH, Advanced Conversation (fluent only) Fridays, noon Luis Salvago-Toledo, lsalvago2@gmail.com

Subscribe to our free podcast service to automatically download new programs: commonwealthclub.org/podcast.

HARD OF HEARING? To request an assistive listening device, please e-mail Valerie Castro at: vcastro@commonwealthclub.org seven working days before the event.

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www.commonwealthclub.org/events

Anne W. Smith asmith@ggu.edu

ENVIRONMENT & NATURAL RESOURCES Ann Clark cbofcb@sbcglobal.net

RADIO, VIDEO AND PODCASTS

JUNE

Two Month Calendar MONDAY

TUESDAY

1 5:30 p.m. Book Discussion: Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking

by Anya Von Bremzen FM 6:00 p.m. 84th Annual California Book Awards Ceremony FM

2

6:00 p.m. Digital Gold, The History and Future of Bitcoin

8 6:00 p.m. A God That Could Be Real FM 6:30 p.m. Week to Week Political Roundtable and Member Social

12:00 p.m. Avoiding the End-of-Life Medical Conveyer Belt 6:00 p.m. Gen. Stanley McChrystal

www.commonwealthclub.org/events

22

2:00 p.m. Hayes Valley Sweets Tour 6:00 p.m. Forgive for Good: The Research, Value and Practices of Forgiveness 6:30 p.m. Video Games and Neuroscience: A Vision of the Future of Medicine and Education

17 6:00 p.m. World Wide Challenges and the Environment: Difficult Necessary Dialogues

23 6:30 p.m. Peter Coyote: On Zen, Politics and An Amazing Life

29

16

10

16 6:00 p.m. Trans Pacific Partnership: Separating the Wheat from the Chaff 6:30 p.m. Christiana Figueres

6:30 p.m. Week to Week Political Roundtable and Member Social 5:30 p.m. Middle East Discussion Group FE

3

12:00 p.m. A Passion for Paris: Romanticism and Romance 6:00 p.m. Gary Schlossberg: Forecasting the Economy 6:30 p.m. Mark Bittman 7:45 p.m. Political Comedy for Those Who Think

9

15

11:30 a.m. Cell Phones & Wireless Technologies: Should Safety Guidelines Be Strengthened?

5:00 p.m. Socrates Café FM 6:00 p.m. Haiku Across Borders FM

WEDNESDAY

24 6:00 p.m. Adam Benforado: The New Science of Criminal Justice

30 6:30 p.m. Almonds and Lawns 7:00 p.m. Michael Oren

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THURSDAY

4

12:00 p.m. Medical Innovation : How Can We Get the Right Technology at the Right Price?

6:00 p.m. I Never Knew There Were so Many Stars: SF 9th Graders at Camp Mather in the Sierras

11

FRIDAY

5

12:00 p.m. Women Seeking Success and Reforms in the Middle East FM

SAT/SUN

6/7 Sun 07, 6:30 p.m. A Sunday with Judy Blume and Molly Ringwald

12

13/14

19

20/21

12:00 p.m. U.S.-Japan Ties: Image and Reality FE 1:45 p.m. Chinatown Walking Tour 6:00 p.m. The Panama Canal: The Next 100 Years 6:30 p.m. A Spirited Evening with Adam Rogers

18 6:30 p.m. Larry Gerston: Reviving Citizen Engagement

25 1:45 p.m. North Beach Walking Tour 6:00 p.m. How to Clone a Mammoth: The Science of DeExtinction

12:00 p.m. The Legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg FM

26 9:00 a.m. Fund Federal Transportation Investment Now FE

27/28

Legend

San Francisco East Bay/North Bay Silicon Valley

MONDAY

TUESDAY

JULY FM

Free program for members

FE

Free program for everyone

MO

Members–only program

WEDNESDAY

1

6:00 p.m. Ebola and the Evacuation of Peace Corps in Guinea

6

7

5:30 p.m. Book Discussion: All the Light We Cannot See FM

13

20

5:15 p.m. Output: Body & Mind – Lowering the Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease 6:30 p.m. Jessica Jackley 7:45 p.m. Alzheimer’s: New Insights and the Search for a Cure

14 1:45 p.m. Nob Hill Walking Tour 6:00 p.m. San Francisco’s Jewel City 7:00 p.m. Pat Wadors: SVP of Global Talent at LinkedIn

21

6:00 p.m. Julie Lythcott-Haims: How to Raise an Adult FM 6:30 p.m. Socrates Café FM

27 5:30 p.m. Middle East Discussion Group FE 6:30 p.m. Week to Week Political Roundtable and Member Social

15 6:00 p.m. Working Stiff

22 6:00 p.m. Radical Remission of Cancer: Surviving Against All Odds

28 6:00 p.m. Gary Hart: The Republic of Conscience 6:00 p.m. Ashlee Vance on Elon Musk, Tesla, Space-X and the Future

29 6:00 p.m. My New Physician is a D.O.: What is Osteopathic Medicine?

FRIDAY

SAT/SUN

2

3

4/5

10

11/12

17

18/19

24

25/26

1:45 p.m. Waterfront Walk

9 6:30 p.m. Chuck Palahniuk and Lidia Yuknavitch: A Night of Mayhem

16 6:00 p.m. Why and How to Get Better Sleep 6:30 p.m. Greening Asia

23

www.commonwealthclub.org/events www.commonwealthclub.org/events

6:00 p.m. Foragers, Farmers, and Fossil Fuels: How Human Values Evolve FM 6:30 p.m. Week to Week Political Roundtable and Member Social

8

THURSDAY

1:45 p.m. San Francisco Architecture Walking Tour 6:00 p.m. Sisterhood of Women: Empowering Women to Succeed

30

31 12:00 p.m. Unity of Sacred Symbols and Words FM

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Month ## – ##

Authority of an Author

Book time

Nearly 30 years ago, a major university we know of was expanding its main campus library, and the new space was in the form of a windowless square addition that hulked over the surrounding plaza. Critics derided its lack of flair, and some complained that it just looked like a big box. Ah, said an acquaintance of ours, it is a box, but it’s a box of books.

It’s too simplistic to say that books make anything better; certainly there are books that have done more harm than good. But as a general statement of the value we place on books and the people who produce them, appreciating a box of books is a good starting point.

The Commonwealth Club has long appreciated books and authors. Eightyfour years ago, it institutionalized this appreciation with its inaugural California Book Awards, and when the Club presents its 84th Annual California Book Awards (June 1), it continues the tradition of recognizing great books written right here in California.

In a moment of frustration, someone once sneered that The Commonwealth Club of California is basically a big book discussion organization. It’s not true – an exaggeration at best – but many people here would be among the first to extoll the virtues of book discussions. We even kick off the month of June with a discussion of an intriguing book, Anya Von Bremzen’s Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking (June 1).

Whether it’s print books or ebooks or ancient rolled scrolls, having authored a book is today and always has been an achievement that garners respect.

Page through this program section, and you’ll see many more authors. The reason many of the speakers who appear at The Commonwealth Club have

a recent book out is because that is the time when one goes out to talk about something, after one has done all of the thinking and researching and dreaming and arguing and writing and editing. By the time they get to our stage, they have lived with the ideas and people and arguments of their book, in some cases for years, and they are best A bookstore owner and his daughter in their Tel able to communicate what Aviv shop, surrounded by their wares.

Photo by Yoni Lerner it is they wish to convey.

Someone who has written more than 30 books and has influenced millions of readers over several generations is Judy Blume (June 7). The celebrated and controversial young-adult novelist will be in discussion with Molly Ringwald, whose 1980s films appealed to the same readers a few years after they outgrew Blume’s books. Now they’ll be together on stage at San Francisco’s Castro Theatre, where they’ll discuss what has driven the author of numerous classic books (Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Forever, Blubber) in a career that has spanned five decades.

—J. Zipperer

www.commonwealthclub.org/events

M O N 01 | San Francisco

M O N 01 | San Francisco

T U E 02 | San Francisco

Book Discussion: Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking by Anya Von Bremzen

84th Annual California Book Awards Ceremony

Digital Gold: The History and Future of Bitcoin

A witty, warm and engaging book about Russians and the food obsessions of Soviet life; it is also a culinary history of the Russian Revolution and its consequences. In the great tradition of Russian memoirs, it presents a view of the country’s past and culture in the mode of “laughter through tears.” A delicious read complete with recipes.

Since 1931, The Commonwealth Club has honored the Golden State’s literary giants at the California Book Awards. At our special awards ceremony, we will bestow Gold and Silver medals in several categories, including fiction, non-fiction, first fiction, poetry, young adult and juvenile. Come hear from some of California’s most gifted writers. See you at the ceremony!

MLF: SF BOOK DISCUSSION Location: 555 Post Street, San Francisco Time: 5:30 p.m. program Cost: $5 non-members, MEMBERS FREE, students free (with valid ID) Program Organizer: Barbara Massey Notes: The author will not be present at the book discussion.

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Location: 555 Post Street, San Francisco Time: 5:15 p.m. check-in, 6 p.m. program, 7:15 p.m. book signing Cost: $10 non-members, MEMBERS FREE, $7 students (with valid ID) Notes: The Book Awards is sponsored by Bank of the West.

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San Francisco

Nathaniel Popper, Reporter, The New York Times; Author, Digital Gold

Believers in Bitcoin see it as a potential basis for a financial system free of banks and governments. So far, it has made millions for some people and prison terms for others. National banking regulators are just beginning to set rules and regulations for Bitcoin in light of recent scandals and its use by criminal enterprises. Join us for a discussion on the history and future of Bitcoin and its impact on financial markets.

MLF: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY Location: 555 Post St., San Francisco Time: 5:30 p.m. networking reception, 6 p.m. program, 7 p.m. book signing Cost: $20 non-members, $8 members, $7 stu.

Program Organizer: Gerald Harris

East Bay/North Bay

Silicon Valley

W E D 03 | San Francisco

WED 03 | North Bay

A Passion for Paris: Romanticism and Romance

Gary Schlossberg: Forecasting the Economy at Mid Year

Political Comedy for Those Who Think

David Downie, Author, A Passion for Paris

Gary Schlossberg, Senior Economist, Wells Capital Management

Downie seeks to uncover why Paris has reigned as the world’s most romantic city for over 150 years. He takes us through Paris’ secluded parks, artists’ studios, cafés and streets – many unchanged in centuries – while walking hand-in-hand with Victor Hugo, Flaubert and Baudelaire. Downie finds hidden sources of Paris’ chic, glamorous allure in its bizarre culture of heroic negativity, and in the carefree atmosphere created by its subversive literature extolling rebellion, mayhem and melancholy.

Gary Schlossberg analyzes the economic, financial and investment environments for a fee-based, institutional money manager with over $340 billion in assets under management, Wells Capital Management (WCM), along with groups within Wells Fargo & Co. He also consults with the organization’s customers and internal professionals and is a member of WCM Policy and Liquidity Management strategy committees. Schlossberg is known for his well-packaged presentations on economic business and is quoted in The Financial Press. Hear him here next.

MLF: HUMANITIES Location: 555 Post Street, San Francisco Time: 11:30 a.m. check-in, noon program, 1 p.m. book signing Cost: $20 non-members, $8 members, $7 stu.

Program Organizer: George Hammond

Location: 555 Post Street, San Francisco Time: 5:30 p.m. check-in, 6 p.m. program Cost: $20 non-members, $12 members, $7 stu.

June 1 – 4

W E D 03 | San Francisco

Will Durst, Political Satirist In conversation with Phil Matier, Columnist

Acknowledged by peers and press alike as one of the premier political satirists in the country, Will Durst is an author, five-time Emmy nominee, and especially a standup comic. His humor is a patchwork of outraged and outrageous common sense. Durst will be in conversation with Phil Matier – one of the Bay Area’s bestinformed political insiders.

Location: Outdoor Art Club, One West Blithedale Ave., Mill Valley Time: 7 p.m. check-in with hors d’oeuvres and cash bar, 7:45 p.m. program Cost: $50 non-members, $35 members, $25 Leadership Circle members Notes: Sponsored by Relevant Wealth Advisors

T H U 04 | San Francisco

T H U 04 | San Francisco

Mark Bittman

Medical Innovation

Author, A Bone to Pick; Food Columnist

James C. Robinson, Professor of Health Economics and Chair of Berkeley Center for Health Technology, UC Berkeley

I Never Knew There Were so Many Stars: SF 9th Graders at Camp Mather in the Sierras

New York Times food columnist Mark Bittman leaves no issue unexamined, scrutinizing everything from agricultural practices to government legislation and fad diets while praising the rise of slow-food movements, better school lunch programs, and even the concept of “healthy fast food.” Join Bittman for a discussion on the complexities of the American food system and the impact that diet can have on our own health and that of the planet.

Location: Acalanes High School Performing Arts Theatre, 1200 Pleasant Hill Road, Lafayette Time: 6 p.m. check-in, 6:30 p.m. program, 7:30 p.m. book signing Cost: $25 non-members, $15 members, $10 stu.

Premium (includes priority seating and copy of book):$55 non-members, $45 members Notes: Part of the Good Lit series underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation.

San Francisco

East Bay/North Bay

Innovation is the engine that drives quality improvement in health care, but also the unsustainable growth in expenditures. The life sciences industry creates a remarkable pipeline of new drugs, devices and diagnostics, but too often these are used on the wrong patient, at the wrong time or at the wrong price. Dr. Robinson brings real-world experience to policy debates, and scientific rigor to the industry world.

MLF: HEALTH & MEDICINE Location: 555 Post Street, San Francisco Time: 11:30 a.m. check-in, noon program, 1 p.m. book signing Cost: $20 non-members, $8 members, $7 stu.

Program Organizer: Mark Zitter

Silicon Valley

See website for panelists

In spring of 2015, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department are bringing students from the Mission District to Camp Mather in the Sierras. Students will swim, hike and learn about Hetch Hetchy, our national and state forests and explore mountain environments and opportunities for work and careers. Join our panel to learn about students’ adventures.

MLF: ENVIRONMENT & NATURAL RESOURCES Location: 555 Post Street, San Francisco Time: 5:30 p.m. reception, 6 p.m. program Program Organizer: Ann Clark Cost: $20 non-members, $8 members, students free (with valid ID) Notes: In association with SFPUC

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www.commonwealthclub.org/events

WED 03 | East Bay

June 5 – 9

F R I 05 | San Francisco

S U N 07 | San Francisco

M O N 08 | San Francisco

Women Seeking Success and Reforms in the Middle East

A Sunday with Judy Blume and Molly Ringwald

A God That Could Be Real

Laila El-Sissi, Author, Out from the Shadow of Men Judith Hornok, Author, Modern Arab Women; Founder, Hornok & Partner Aisha Wahab, Afghan Human Rights and Political Activist Dina Ibrahim, Ph.D., Educator; Middle East Analyst; Producer – Moderator

Our distinguished panel will discuss how modern women might succeed in traditional societies by setting goals to overcome difficulties, support human rights and excel in the world of business.

MLF: MIDDLE EAST Location: 555 Post Street, San Francisco Time: 11:30 a.m. check-in, noon program, 1 p.m. book signing Cost: $20 non-members, MEMBERS FREE, students free (with valid ID) Program Organizer: Celia Menczel

Judy Blume, Author In conversation with Molly Ringwald, Actress

Judy Blume, called “the Queen of YA” by The Washington Post, releases her first book in 15 years, In the Unlikely Event, this June.

Blume – prolific, controversial, beloved – is a literary iconoclast whose novels have been among the first to discuss teen sex, masturbation, menstruation and divorce. Blume will discuss her latest book, her career spanning five decades of writing, children empowerment and her favorite stories about the young and young at heart.

Nancy Ellen Abrams, Author

Many people find it hard to put their faith in a god that is based upon their own beliefs without any external evidence. As a philosopher of science, lawyer, atheist and environmental activist, Nancy Ellen Abrams was one of them – until she surprised herself by asking the question, “Could anything actually exist in our strange and counterintuitive universe that is worthy of the name God?” Come experience a fresh approach to an ancient topic that has intrigued scientists and theologians.

www.commonwealthclub.org/events

Location: Castro Theatre, 429 Castro St., SF Time: 5:45 p.m. check-in and premium reception, 6:30 p.m. program See website for cost

MLF: HUMANITIES Location: 555 Post St., San Francisco Time: 5:30 p.m. networking reception, 6 p.m. program, 7 p.m. book signing Cost: $20 non-mem., MEMBERS FREE, $7 stu.

Program Organizer: George Hammond

M O N 08 | San Francisco

T U E 09 | San Francisco

T U E 09 | San Francisco

Week to Week Political Roundtable and Member Social

Avoiding the Endof-Life Medical Conveyer Belt

Gen. Stanley McChrystal

Panelists TBA

Join us as we explore the biggest, most controversial, and sometimes surprising political issues with expert commentary by panelists who are smart, civil, and have a good sense of humor.

Join our panelists for informative and engaging commentary on political headlines and other major news, audience discussion of the week’s events, and our live news quiz! And come early before the program to meet other smart and engaged individuals and discuss the news over snacks and wine at our member social (open to all attendees).

Location: 555 Post St., San Francisco Time: 5:30 p.m. social, 6:30 p.m. program Cost: $15 non-members, $5 members, students free (with valid ID)

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THE COMMO N WE AL TH

Jessica Nutik Zitter, M.D., Newspaper Contributor In conversation with Mark Zitter, CEO, Zitter Health Insights

Thirty percent of Americans die in ICUs hooked up to machines, despite their preferences to the contrary. Zitter practices the seemingly contradictory specialties of critical care and palliative care. She will illustrate the challenges patients and their families face and provide specific steps individuals can take for better end-of-life experiences. She will be interviewed by Mark Zitter, who runs a counseling service for patients with life-limiting illnesses.

MLF: HEALTH & MEDICINE Location: 555 Post Street, San Francisco Time: 11:30 a.m. check-in, noon program Cost: $20 non-members, $8 members, $7 stu.

Program Organizer: Mark Zitter

JU NE/JU LY 2015

San Francisco

Author, Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World

U.S. Army General Stanley McChrystal is a unique leader with an impressive list of credits, including the 2003 capture of Saddam Hussein and the 2006 location and killing of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

Widely praised for revolutionizing warfare that fused intelligence and operations, he also created and put into place the counter-insurgency strategy in Afghanistan and an extensive counterterrorism organization that changed how military agencies interact and operate with each other. Come hear him speak about leadership in our changing world.

Location: 555 Post St., San Francisco Time: 5:30 p.m. check-in, 6 p.m. program, 7 p.m. book signing Cost: $20 non-members, $12 members, $7 stu.

East Bay/North Bay

Silicon Valley

W E D 10 | San Francisco

WED 10 | East Bay

Hayes Valley Sweets Tour

Forgive for Good: The Research, Value and Practices of Forgiveness

Video Games and Neuroscience: A Vision of the Future of Medicine and Education

Join Gourmet Walks on a 2.5-hour exploration of Hayes Valley’s sweetest shops. You’ll learn about the latest San Francisco dessert trends while sampling fresh-baked cupcakes, gourmet ice cream, Parisian macarons, artisan chocolates and more. This easy walking tour will make six tasting stops in the Hayes Valley neighborhood.

MLF: BAY GOURMET Location: Meet at children’s playground area of Patricia’s Green Park at Octavia Blvd. and Fell St., San Francisco Time: 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. program Cost: $82 non-members, $72 members Program Organizer: Cathy Curtis Notes: In association with Gourmet Walks

Fred Luskin, Ph.D., Director, Stanford Forgiveness Project, Forgive for Good

Dr. Luskin says the need for forgiveness is a universal concept in all faith traditions and an important psychological healing process. He will share his research on this topic and help us understand the nine steps he has developed to better address forgiveness for our health and well-being.

The practice of forgiveness has been shown to reduce anger, hurt, depression and stress. An individual, guided practice will be part of the program.

MLF: PERSONAL GROWTH Location: 555 Post St., San Francisco Time: 5:30 p.m. networking reception, 6 p.m. program, 7 p.m. book signing Cost: $20 non-members, $8 members, $7 stu.

Program Organizer: Sandy Hunt

Adam Gazzaley, M.D., Ph.D., Founding Director, Neuroscience Imaging Center and Associate Professor in Neurology, Physiology and Psychiatry, UCSF

Brain training games offered by companies like Lumosity and Fit Brains are rapidly gaining popularity, but how do we know if we’re truly able to keep our brains healthy? Come hear the latest in neuroscience as Gazzaley explores how video games can train our brains, fend off mental decline and reduce our reliance on medication to treat neurological and psychiatric conditions.

Location: Lafayette Library and Learning Center, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette Time: 6 p.m. check-in, 6:30 p.m. program Cost: $25 non-mem, $15 members, $10 stu.

T H U 11 | San Francisco

T H U 11 | San Francisco

U.S.-Japan Ties: Image and Reality

Chinatown Walking Tour

The Panama Canal: The Next 100 Years

See website for panelists

Enjoy a Commonwealth Club Neighborhood Adventure. Join Rick Evans for a memorable midday walk and discover the history and mysteries of Chinatown. Explore colorful alleys and side streets. Visit a Taoist temple, an herbal store, the site of the first public school in the state and the famous Fortune Cookie Factory.

Location: 555 Post Street, San Francisco Time: 11:15 a.m. registration and hor d’oeuvres reception, noon program Cost: FREE Notes: In association with The Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA, The Pew Research Center and The Japan Society of Northern California

San Francisco

East Bay/North Bay

Location: Meet at corner of Grant and Bush, in front of Starbucks at 359 Grant Avenue, near Chinatown Gate Time: 1:45 p.m. check-in, walk departs sharply at 2 p.m. and finishes about 4:30 p.m.

Cost: $45 non-members, $35 members Notes: Temple visit requires walking up three flights of stairs. Limited to 12 people. Participants must pre-register. Tour operates rain or shine. Photo by H Sanchez/Flickr.

Silicon Valley

As part of the Club’s celebration of the centennial of the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco, our panel will focus on the role the Panama Canal played in shifting California’s fortunes and opportunities for Pacific Rim trade, will review its tremendous geopolitical impact on California’s economy, and will imagine its continuing effects for the next century as trade across the Pacific reassumes its customary prominence in the world economy.

MLFS: HUMANITIES/INTERNATIONAL RELA TIONS Location: 555 Post Street, San Francisco Time: 5:30 p.m. reception, 6 p.m. program Cost: $20 non-members, $8 members, $7 stu.

Program Organizer: Norma Walden

J U N E/J U LY 2015

THE COMMO N WE AL TH

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www.commonwealthclub.org/events

T H U 11 | San Francisco

On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, an expert panel will examine the depth and strength of U.S. ties with Japan based on public opinion and statistics.

The panelists will examine the results of a few different studies. Finally, they’ll read through the East-West Center’s “Japan-Matters for America” project tracking national, state and congressional district-level data on Japan’s footprint in the United States.

June 10 – 11

W E D 10 | San Francisco

June 11 – 19

T H U 1 1 | S i l i co n Va l l e y

T U E 16 | San Francisco

TUE 16 | East Bay

A Spirited Evening with Adam Rogers

Trans Pacific Partnership

Christiana Figueres: Going to Paris

Demetrios Marantis, Head of International Policy and Regulatory Affairs, Square

Articles Editor, Wired; Author, Proof

In a spirited tour across continents and cultures, Rogers puts our alcoholic history under the microscope. From our ancestors’ accidental discovery of fermented drinks to today’s cutting-edge laboratory research, Rogers offers a unique glimpse inside the barrels, stills, tanks and casks that produce some of our most iconic beverages. If you’ve ever wondered how your drink of choice arrived in your glass, or exactly what happens once you empty it, Rogers reveals the answers.

The controversial trade agreement called the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which the United States is currently negotiating with 11 other Asia-Pacific countries, will open markets and promote jobs and growth in the United States, according to the Obama administration.

However, it is opposed by many Democrats and their traditional allies, including organized labor. Ambassador Marantis will clear up misconceptions about the agreement and uncloak the forces behind the Congressional approval process.

Executive Secretary, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change

Can world leaders cut a climate deal when they meet in Paris in December?

Jinping and President Barack Obama have energized the Chinese President Xi negotiations with their pact to grow the two biggest economies while cutting carbon pollution.

Other countries are advancing their plans to do the same. One big question is how California is out front and upping its game. What are the prospects for an agreement with teeth? A conversation about the politics of a global economic treaty.

www.commonwealthclub.org/events

Location: Schultz Cultural Hall, Oshman Family JCC, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto Time: 6 p.m. check-in, 6:30 p.m. program, 7:30 p.m. book signing and reception Cost: $35 non-members, $25 members Notes: Attendees must be 21 or older. Special thanks to reception sponsor St. George Spirits.

MLF: ASIA PACIFIC AFFAIRS Location: 555 Post St., San Francisco Time: 6 p.m. program Cost: $20 non-members, $8 members, $7 stu.

Program Organizer: Kevin Mulvey

W E D 17 | San Francisco

T H U 18 | San Francisco

F R I 19 | San Francisco

World Wide Challenges and the Environment

Larry Gerston: Reviving Citizen Engagement

The Legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Leslie E. Wong, Ph.D., President, San Francisco State University

Professor Emeritus of Political Science, San Jose State University; Author, Reviving Citizen Engagement

In a world with increasingly fractured political discourse, public universities are poised to play a critical role in modeling democratic discourse and debate. Institutional commitments to academic freedom, freedom of expression and a respect for divergent points of view allow political and ideological passions to be tempered enough for productive dialogue. The debates on some of our most challenging political questions start on campus.

MLFS: ENVIRONMENT & NATURAL RE SOURCES/BUSINESS AND LEADERSHIP/ INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS Location: 555 Post St., San Francisco Time: 5:30 p.m. reception, 6 p.m. program Cost: $20 non-mem., $8 members, stu. free Program Organizer: Ann Clark

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“America is going backwards,” says Gerston, citing an increasingly detached electorate, a lack of public investment, and corporate abandonment. Yet Gerston remains optimistic that all of this can change. His solutions include longer school days, second languages for everyone, a mandatory two-year national service and a more progressive tax system.

Come hear his thoughts on how we all can and should re-engage.

Location: 555 Post Street, San Francisco Time: 6 p.m. check-in, 6:30 p.m. program, 7:30 p.m. book signing Cost: $20 non-members, $12 member, $7 student; Premium: $55 non-members, $45 members

JU NE/JU LY 2015

San Francisco

Location: David Brower Center, 2150 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA 94704 Time: 6 p.m. check in, 6:30 p.m. program, 7:30 p.m. networking reception Cost: $20 non-members, $12 members, $7 stu.

Scott Dodson, Professor of Law, UC Hastings Barbara Babcock, Crown Professor of Law, Stanford U Law School – Moderator

Dodson is the editor of The Legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, which chronicles and evaluates the remarkable achievements Ginsburg has made over the last halfcentury. He will discuss how this legal icon has greatly influenced law and society through her work on gender equality, racial equality and international law.

MLF: MIDDLE EAST Location: 555 Post Street, San Francisco Time: 11:30 a.m. check-in, noon program, 1 p.m. book signing Cost: $20 non-mem., MEMBERS FREE, stu. free Program Organizer: Celia Menczel Notes: A Good Lit program underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation

East Bay/North Bay

Silicon Valley

2016

Commonwealth Club Travel

World-Class Destinations Exceptional Experiences Engaging Speakers Insightful Discussions Superb Staff Outstanding Company © Andy Biggs

Commonwealth Club Travel commonwealthclub.org/travel (415) 597-6720 travel@commonwealthclub.org

CST# 2096889-40

Expedition to Antarctica Aboard the m.s. Le Boréal January 26–February 28, 2016 Explore Earth’s last frontier aboard the exclusively chartered m.s. Le Boreal, one of the finest vessels in Antarctic waters. Experience the White Continent in its unspoiled state—fantastically shaped icebergs, turquoise glaciers, bustling penguin rookeries and breaching whales—during the lingering light of the austral summer. Accompanied by a team of expert naturalists, board sturdy Zodiac craft for excursions ashore and observe the antics of Antarctica’s abundant wildlife. Enjoy two nights exploring the vibrant capital of Buenos Aires. Optional extension to Iguazú Falls available.

Cost: from $8,995 per person, double occupancy

Journey through Vietnam Optional Extension to the Temples of Angkor February 4–19, 2016 Discover Vietnam’s captivating beauty and enduring traditions on this 16-day journey. Experience the French-accented capital Hanoi; cruise through scenic Ha Long Bay; visit Da Nang’s acclaimed Cham Museum. Explore the colorful village of Hoi An; wander through the imperial capital of Hue; and cruise the Perfume River to peaceful Thien Mu Pagoda. Explore the tributaries and floating markets of the Mekong River Delta and enjoy bustling Saigon. Optional 3-day/2-night post-tour extension to the temples of Angkor available.

Cost: $4,245 per person, double occupancy, including air from SFO

Journey to Cuba — Multiple Departure Dates!

Trinidad, Cienfuegos & Havana: February 12–19, 2016 (7 nights) Havana & the Viñales Valley: April 10–17, 2016 and December 7-14, 2016 (7 nights each) Explore old Havana’s history and architecture. Meet with tobacco farmers and enjoy a private flamenco performance by some of Cuba’s best dancers. Discuss U.S. foreign policy and economic changes during lectures with local experts. In the Viñales Valley, take in views of the dramatic limestone mogotes. Learn about art, dance, history, religion and the economy. The February program includes 2 nights to visit the site of the Bay of Pigs, the colonial city of Trinidad and Cienfuegos.

Cost: $5,095 per person, double occupancy, including round-trip air from Miami to Havana for February trip; $5,195 for April and December

Death Valley National Park Sand Dunes, Canyons and Wildflowers February 28–March 4, 2016 Explore this magnificent land of extremes with study leader Frank Ackerman, former Death Valley National Park Ranger. Visit Badwater Salt Flats, which at 282 feet below sea level, is the lowest place in the Western Hemisphere and the eighth lowest place on Earth. Enjoy a stunning panoramic view of all 11,049 feet of Telescope Peak; hike through the multi-hued walls of Golden Canyon; experience sunrise at Zabriskie Point; and visit Ubehebe Crater, site of a massive volcanic explosion. Learn about the park’s dramatic geology and remarkably hardy flora and fauna - and hopefully experience the spring wildflower bloom.

Cost: from $2,995 per person, double occupancy

Tanzania Wildlife and Culture Safari March 1–12, 2016 Immerse yourself in the unspoiled landscapes of Tanzania. Stay at a unique private nature refuge, a model for community-based tourism. Visit homes and talk with pastoral Maasai. Search for wildlife — lion, elephant, cheetah, giraffe, and rhino in the Serengeti. Discover the massive caldera of Ngorongoro Crater, home to rhinoceros, hippo, flamingo, ostrich and the black-maned lion. Retreat to your eco-friendly tented camps offering superior comfort and gourmet meals, and ideally situated to witness seasonal concentrations of wildlife.

Enjoy specially arranged meetings with community members and guest speakers.

Cost: $6,690 per person, double occupancy

Insider’s Japan From Tokyo to Kyoto March 23–April 4, 2016 Our 13-day journey begins in Tokyo. Experience the Shinto Meiji Shrine and historic Imperial Palace. Visit Mt. Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park and see the magnificent Mt. Fuji. Spend the night in Suwa at a ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn. Travel to lovely Takayama and explore the town’s ancient streets and houses.

In Kanazawa, discover the famed Kenrokuen Garden and the Kutani Ceramics Museum. In Kyoto, Japan’s cultural capital, attend a traditional Japanese tea ceremony and embark on a cycling tour through the grounds of the Imperial Palace and Gion district. Optional Hiroshima post -trip extension available.

Cost: approximately $5,685 per person, double occupancy, including air from SFO

Waterways of Holland and Belgium Aboard the Deluxe Small River Ship m.s. Amadeus Elegant April 20–28, 2016 Sail seven nights aboard an exclusively chartered, deluxe Amadeus river ship when Holland’s breathtaking tulip fields are in bloom. Visit St. Bavo’s Cathedral in Ghent; take a canal cruise in the UNESCO World Heritage site of medieval Bruges; explore the world-class Kröller-Müller Museum, housing the secondlargest collection of van Gogh paintings; and see masterpieces by Peter Paul Rubens in Antwerp. Experience the famous Keukenhof Gardens, the “Golden Age” trading town of Hoorn, ancient Maastricht and the lovely village of Giethoorn. Brussels pre-cruise and Amsterdam post-cruise extensions are available.

Cost: from approximately $2,995 per person, double occupancy

Georgia, Armenia & Azerbaijan Cuisine, Culture and Contemporary Affairs of the South Caucasus May 8–18, 2016 Traverse three distinctive countries located on a mountainous strip of land between the Caspian and Black Seas. Meet artists, singers, winemakers and specialists and experience six UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Discover the bold designs of Azerbaijan’s carpets and listen to its ancient songs, passed from ear to ear over centuries. In exuberant Georgia, savor the country’s deep red wines and sumptuous cuisine. In Armenia, the world’s first Christian country, visit stone churches from the 1st millennium and admire the country’s oldest art form, the sculpted stone khachkar crosses that dot the green hillsides.

Cost: approximately $6,195 per person, double occupancy

Greece Under Sail: Corfu to Athens Aboard the 18-cabin Running on Waves May 19–28, 2016 Known as the “Cradle of Western Civilization,” Greece delivers an enticing blend of history, diverse cultural influences, stunning natural beauty, and archaeological treasures. From the sunny Ionian isle of Corfu, board the elegant sailing yacht, Running on Waves. Our unique itinerary takes us to the island of Ithaca, across the Gulf of Corinth to Delphi and onward to the World Heritage sites of Nemea and Mycenae.

See the site of the Battle of Actium; learn the mysteries of mystical Delphic Oracle and sail through the Corinth Canal to Athens. Post-trip extension in Athens available.

Cost: from $6,995 per person, double occupancy

Ancient Mysteries: Easter Island & the Nazca Lines With an Optional Extension to Machu Picchu May 23–June 2, 2016 (Extension June 2–6, 2016) How did the huge basalt statuary come to be erected on remote (and basalt-free) Easter Island? Who was responsible for the intricate patterns, animal figures and other grand-scale markings in the earth of lines in Nazca, Peru and for what audience and purpose were they created? Why was Machu Picchu constructed as it was, perched high atop a mountain with such geometric precision? Explore some of the world’s most mysterious sites and hear how theories from the fringes of science have emerged and taken hold over the years.

Cost: approximately $7,995 per person, double occupancy

Alaska’s Wild Lands From the Tundra to the Sea July 18–26, 2016 In the arctic region of Fairbanks learn about native cultures and the state’s oil production during a visit to the Alaska Pipeline. Travel by scenic rail to Denali National Park and encounter Alaska’s most famed wildlife — grizzlies, wolves, caribou and moose. Hike, bike and enjoy the valleys and views of the Alaska Range. Discover the turquoise rivers, native salmon and bald eagles of Kenai Peninsula. Cruise through Kenai Fjords National Park and spot whales, sea lions and puffins. Enjoy remote eco-lodges, expert guides and guest speakers. Kayak, hike, beach comb by day; gather around the bonfire by night.

Cost: $5,995 per person, double occupancy

Nordic Magnificence Norway, Denmark & Sweden August 1–14, 2016 Experience Scandinavia’s stunning fjords, jutting glaciers and crystalline lakes. Admire the Hanseatic buildings along Bergen’s waterfront. Ride one of the world’s most scenic rail routes to Oslo, and explore the city’s Viking Ships Museum and impressive sculpture park. Ferry through the pristine waters of Oslo Fjord to Copenhagen. Visit Rosenborg Castle and cruise Copenhagen’s canals. Cross renowned Oresund Bridge en route to Sweden. Discover Stockholm’s Old Town, the site of the Nobel Prize festivities and the Royal Palace.

Cost: $4,995 per person, double occupancy

Food and Wine of Northern Spain From the Basque Country to Catalonia September 9–19, 2016 Witness the contrasts of culture, food and wine on a sumptuous journey across northern Spain. Discover Basque white wine, Cantabrian fish and a local fiesta in San Sebastian. Experience Spain’s best restaurant cellar and dine at Michelin-starred restaurants. See the early stages of harvest in Rioja, the finest olive oil producer in Navarra, the Somontano wine region in the shadow of the Pyrenees, and cava and Penedès producers in Catalonia. Enjoy a Basque cooking class, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, and vibrant Barcelona.

Cost: approximately $5,195 per person, double occupancy

Discovering Eastern Europe Poland, Hungary, Austria, Slovakia & the Czech Republic September 22–October 8, 2016 Begin your 17-day journey in Poland’s capital, Warsaw. Explore the faithfully rebuilt Old Town, and take guided visits of the Auschwitz and Birkenau concentration camps. Travel to Krakow and see the Wieliczka Salt Mines. Explore Budapest and view the scenic Danube Bend. Attend a classical music performance in Vienna and tour majestic Schönbrunn Palace. Continue to old-world Bratislava and meet a local family at their restaurant. Experience Prague’s acclaimed museums and architectural treasures. Optional 3-day/2night “on your own” Prague extension is available.

Cost: approximately $5,895 per person, double occupancy, including air from SFO

Cruising Italy and Sicily Malta to Rome aboard the 45-cabin Tere Moana October 6–15, 2016 Explore Malta’s capital, Valletta, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Then board the Tere Moana and cruise to the island of Sicily. Explore the archaeological ruins of the ancient Greek city, Siracusa; the Baroque jewel-box town of Noto; the Norman-style Royal Palace in Palermo; and the 12th-century cathedral in Monreale. In Mazara del Vallo, view the Greek bronze Dancing Satyr. Cruise the Amalfi Coast to Positano, where steeply stacked, pastel-hued houses make it one of the coast’s most photogenic towns. Explore the archaeological museum in Naples, the Roman ruins of Herculaneum and Ostia Antica, ancient Rome’s harbor.

Cost: from $6,995 per person, double occupancy

Egypt and the Eternal Nile Wonders of Antiquity October 10–24, 2016 Experience Cairo’s Egyptian Museum and the open-air museum at Memphis. Encounter the enigmatic Sphinx. Explore the necropolis at Sakkara and the astounding Pyramids of Giza. Relax during a deluxe 3-night cruise on Lake Nasser. Discover the temples at Abu Simbel and Aswan’s temples at Kalabsha. A 4-night Nile River felucca cruise takes you from Aswan to Luxor, the pinnacle of Egyptian architecture. Visit the Valleys of the Kings and Queens, and the great complex of Karnak. Return to Cairo and see the 5thcentury St. Sergius Church and Ben Erza Synagogue. Optional 5-day/4-night extension to Jordan available.

Cost: approximately $4,895 per person, double occupancy, including air from SFO

Perspectives of Iran Minarets & Mosaics October 16–31, 2016 Explore Tehran including the vault of the Bank Milli Iran to view the spectacular Crown Jewels. Visit the Contemporary Art Museum and a local gallery to learn about the art scene. Explore Kerman’s Grand Bazaar, and visit Shiraz, city of poetry and gardens. Experience the magnificent ruins of Persepolis. Discover Yazd, the country’s center of Zoroastrianism and where the most traditional Persian architecture is found. Visit Isfahan, a town of unsurpassed beauty where brilliant blue-tiled buildings and majestic bridges are often recognized as the perfection of Islamic architecture.

Cost: approximately $6,295 per person, double occupancy

Mystical India Featuring the Pushkar Camel Fair November 4–22, 2016 From the capital city of New Delhi to the breathtaking vistas of Rajasthan, take in this colorful and mindboggling country. Admire the magnificent work of Mughal architecture at the Taj Mahal; take an elephant ride at Amber Fort; and discover the opulent forts and palaces of Jaipur. Stay two nights at the famed Pushkar Camel Fair, where locals come to trade, parade and race camels. Search for the elusive Bengal tiger and other wildlife at the Ranthambore Tiger Preserve. Witness Hindu pilgrims performing their rituals on the Ganges River in Varanasi. Optional post-tour extension to Nepal.

Cost: approximately $5,750 per person, double occupancy, including air from SFO

M O N 22 | San Francisco

M O N 22 | San Francisco

Cell Phones & Wireless Technologies: Rethinking Safety Guidelines

Socrates Café

Haiku Across Borders

See website for panelists

People have embraced the cell phone without questioning the possible risks, and wireless radiation abounds in our homes, offices, schools and neighborhoods. A dozen distinguished international researchers and clinicians will present the latest science on risks, as well as insights on mechanisms, with a special emphasis on risks to children.

MLFS: HEALTH & MEDICINE/SCIENCE & TECH./ ENVIRONMENT & NATURAL RESOURCES Location: 555 Post St., San Francisco Time: 11 a.m. check-in, 11:30 a.m. program Cost: $30 non-mem., $20 members, $11 stu.

Program Organizer: Bill Grant Notes: Includes a light lunch. Co-organized by ElectromagneticHealth.org & Environmental Health Trust.

On a Monday evening every month, the Humanities Forum sponsors Socrates Café at The Commonwealth Club. Each meeting is devoted to the discussion of a philosophical topic chosen at that meeting. The group’s facilitator, John Nyquist, invites participants to suggest topics, which are then voted on. The person who proposes the most popular topic is asked to briefly explain why she or he considers that topic interesting and important. An open discussion follows, and the meeting ends with a summary of the various perspectives expressed.

Everyone is welcome to attend.

MLF: HUMANITIES Location: 555 Post Street, San Francisco Time: 5 p.m. program Cost: $5 non-members, MEMBERS FREE, students free (with valid ID) Program Organizer: George Hammond

Abigail Friedman, Poet; Author, Former U.S. Diplomat

Haiku, the 17-syllable poetic form from Japan, is today written by haiku poets worldwide – from 2011 Nobel Prize-winning Swedish poet Tomas Tranströmer, to American writer Richard Wright, to elementary school children across America. How is haiku written in Japan and America today and what can those two countries learn from each other?

MLF: ASIA PACIFIC AFFAIRS Location: 555 Post Street, San Francisco Time: 5:30 p.m. networking reception, 6 p.m. program, 7 p.m. book signing Cost: $20 non-mem, MEMBERS FREE, $7 stu.

Program Organizers: L. Nakagawa, C. Miyashita Notes: In assn. with the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco. Part of the Good Lit series underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation.

W E D 24 | San Francisco

T H U 25 | San Francisco

Peter Coyote: On Zen, Politics and An Amazing Life

Adam Benforado: The New Science of Criminal Justice

North Beach Walking Tour

Actor; Activist; Author, The Rainman’s Third Cure

Associate Professor of Law, Drexel University; Author

Coyote details a life that has taken him from privileged halls of power to Greenwich Village jazz bars, to jail, to the White House, to government service, and finally to international success on stage and screen. Through Zen, Coyote says he discovered an alternative to status seeking and material wealth. Come hear first-hand his amazing journey and its lessons for all of us.

A child is gunned down by a police officer; an innocent man confesses to a crime he did not commit; a jury acquits a killer. Law professor Benforado argues that it’s not for the reasons many people think. Even if the system operated exactly as it was designed to, we might still end up with wrongful convictions, trampled rights and unequal treatment. He says this is because the roots of injustice lie not inside the dark hearts of racist police officers or dishonest prosecutors, but within the minds of each and every one of us.

San Francisco

East Bay/North Bay

Location: 555 Post Street, San Francisco Time: 5:30 p.m. check in, 6 p.m. program, 7 p.m. book signing Cost: $20 non-members, $12 members, $7 stu.

Silicon Valley

Join another Commonwealth Club Neighborhood Adventure! Explore vibrant North Beach with Rick Evans during a two-hour walk through this neighborhood with a colorful past, where food, culture, history and unexpected views all intersect in an Italian “urban village.” In addition to learning about Beat generation hangouts, you’ll discover authentic Italian cathedrals and coffee shops.

Location: Meeting spot is Washington Square Park at Saints Peter and Paul Church (Filbert & Powell). Our guide will be on the steps of the church. The official address is 666 Filbert, between Columbus and Stockton Time: 1:45 p.m. check-in, 2-4 p.m. tour Cost: $45 non-members, $35 members Notes: Limited to 20 people. Must preregister. Tours operate rain or shine. Photo by Flickr user Clemson.

J U N E/J U LY 2015

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www.commonwealthclub.org/events

T U E 23 | San Francisco

Location: 555 Post Street, San Francisco Time: 6 p.m. check-in, 6:30 p.m. program, 7:30 p.m. book signing Cost: $25 non-mem., $15 members, $7 student; Premium: $55 non-mem., $45 members Notes: A Good Lit event underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation

June 22 – 25

M O N 22 | San Francisco

June 25 – July 8

T H U 25 | San Francisco

F R I 26 | San Francisco

M O N 29 | San Francisco

How to Clone a Mammoth: The Science of De-Extinction

Fund Federal Transportation Investment Now

Week to Week Political Roundtable and Member Social

Beth Shapiro, Associate Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, UC Santa Cruz.

Speakers TBA

Panelists TBA

This year’s policy summit will feature experts representing viewpoints from local, state and national levels discussing the challenges facing the U.S. transportation infrastructure. These leaders will also examine the results from the latest national survey polling Americans about transportation taxes.

Join us as we explore the biggest, most controversial, and sometimes the surprising political issues with expert commentary by panelists who are smart, are civil, and have a good sense of humor. Join our panelists for informative and engaging commentary on political and other major news, audience discussion of the week’s events, and our live news quiz! And come early before the program to meet other smart and engaged individuals and discuss the news over snacks and wine at our member social (open to all attendees).

Could extinct species, like mammoths and passenger pigeons, be brought back to life? The science says yes. Beth Shapiro, evolutionary biologist and pioneer in “ancient DNA” research, will discuss the astonishing and controversial process of de-extinction. Would de-extinction change the way we live? Is this really cloning? What are the costs and risks?

And what is the ultimate goal?

MLF: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY Location: 555 Post Street, San Francisco Time: 5:30 p.m. networking reception, 6 p.m. program, 7 p.m. book signing Cost: $20 non-members, $8 members, $7 stu.

Program Organizer: Gerald Harris

Location: 555 Post Street, San Francisco Time: 8:30 a.m. check-in and continental breakfast, 9-11:30 a.m. program Cost: FREE Notes: Underwritten by The Mineta Transportation Institute

Location: 555 Post Street, San Francisco Time: 5:30 p.m. social, 6:30 p.m. program Cost: $15 non-members, $5 members, students free (with valid ID)

www.commonwealthclub.org/events

M O N 29 | San Francisco

T U E 30 | San Francisco

W E D 01 | San Francisco

Middle East Discussion Group

Almonds and Lawns

Make your voice heard in an enriching, provocative and fun discussion with Club members as you weigh in on events shaping the face of the Middle East, North Africa and Afghanistan. Each month, the Middle East Member-Led Forum hosts an informal roundtable discussion on a topic frequently suggested by recent headlines. After a brief introduction, the floor will be open for discussion. All interested members are encouraged to attend. There will also be a brief planning session.

Ellen Hanak, Director, Water Policy, Public Policy Institute of California Felicia Marcus, Chair, California State Water Resources Board

Ebola and the Evacuation of Peace Corps in Guinea

MLF: MIDDLE EAST Location: 555 Post St., San Francisco Time: 5:30 p.m. program Cost: FREE Program Organizer: Celia Menczel

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With the severity of California’s drought starting to sink in, urban and agricultural users are sparring over who should do more to step up. Lawns are getting killed. Should almond trees be next? Alfalfa or cotton? Is Governor Brown’s plan a good one? Is he playing favorites? A discussion about a dry year and what could be a long, dry run in our semi-arid state.

Location: 555 Post St., San Francisco Time: 6 p.m. check-in, 6:30 p.m. program, 7:30 p.m. networking reception Cost: $20 non-members, $12 members, $7 students (with valid ID); Premium: $65 nonmembers, $45 members

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San Francisco

See website for panelists

On July 30, 2014, Peace Corps announced the evacuation of over 100 volunteers from Guinea due to the Ebola epidemic.

Recently evacuated Peace Corps volunteers who served in Guinea will bring an onthe-ground perspective of the people and communities in the Ebola-affected region.

They will discuss the conditions that allowed for its rapid spread, how the people in their communities reacted and what it was like to be evacuated, suddenly leaving friends and colleagues in the midst of crisis.

MLF: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS Location: 555 Post Street, San Francisco Time: 6 p.m. program Cost: $20 non-members, $8 members, $7 stu.

Program Organizer: Will Spargur Notes: In association with Northern California Peace Corps Association

East Bay/North Bay

Silicon Valley

The Art of the Probable

Politics

In 2006, former U.S. Senator Gary Hart just beat past elections are a good gauge, the nominees for the clock to get to the Club’s headquarters in time each party are likely to be the most mainstream for his program. But the timing was tight enough candidates with the broadest appeal, attracting to allow him to deploy some dry wit. Shortly beenough of the edgier voters in each party while fore the program was due to begin, Hart walked solidly holding their party’s establishment and through our front doors, telling his publicist over then trying to reach out to independent voters. the phone that he couldn’t get to The CommonThat need to reach out to different types of votwealth Club because he was across town. ers often leaves true believers across the political Maybe when Hart returns to the Club in July, spectrum feeling as if politics doesn’t work, but we’ll learn if he uses his wit in his current role as the history suggests otherwise. Nineteenth century U.S. special envoy for Northern Ireland. The focus German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck famously of his talk will be “The Republic of Conscience,” said “Die Politik ist die Lehre vom Möglichen,” (July 28, 6 p.m.), and he will be talking about In 1984, then-Senator Gary Hart made his first run for meaning “Politics is the art of the possible.” San some decidedly unfunny things: How far from the presidency. Photo by Nancy Wong Jose State University political science professor our founding principles the United States is today.

Larry Gerston will explain just why it is so crucial In 1984, Senator Gary Hart took his vision of the country directly to the that people not be turned off by politics and government when he discusses voters, seeking the Democratic presidential nomination and running as the “Reviving Citizen Engagement” (June 18). Gerston, by the way, is also a “new-ideas” candidate in a campaign that galvanized younger Democrats frequent panelist of our ongoing political roundtable program Week to who wanted change in politics and policies. Sound familiar?

Week (with new events on June 8 & 29 and July 13 & 27).

He did not win that race. But he has remained in the public sphere, carving And if you still think politics is a funny business, political comedian Will out an elder statesman role as an expert on things such as national security Durst will prove it when he returns to the Club with his program “Political (and making some prescient pre-9/11 warnings about terrorist attacks in the Comedy for Those Who Think” (June 3). Thinking and laughing – a good United States). Are any of the politicians from both parties who are announc- basis for dealing with politics. ing their candidacies for the 2016 presidential election listening to Hart? If —J. Zipperer

M O N 06 | San Francisco

W E D 08 | San Francisco

Waterfront Walk

Book Discussion: All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr

Output: Body & Mind – Lowering the Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease

Join Rick Evans for his new walking tour exploring the historic sites of the waterfront neighborhood that surrounds the location of the future Commonwealth Club headquarters. Hear the dynamic stories of the entrepreneurs, controversial artists and labor organizers who created this recently revitalized neighborhood.

This tour will give you a lively overview of the historic significance of this neighborhood and a close look at the ongoing development.

Location: Meet in front of Boulevard Restaurant, 1 Mission Street, SF (corner of Mission & Steuart) Time: Arrive by 1:45 p.m. in order to check in.

The walk departs at 2 p.m. sharp and finishes at about 4:30 p.m.

Cost: $45 non-members, $35 members Notes: Tour operates rain or shine. Limited to 20 participants. Tickets must be purchased in advance and will not be sold at check-in.

San Francisco

East Bay/North Bay

When the Germans occupy Paris, Marie Laure and her father flee to the Brittany coast. In another world in Germany, an orphan boy, Werner becomes a master at building and fixing radios, a talent that ultimately makes him a highly specialized tracker of the Resistance.

Doerr’s gorgeous combination of soaring imagination with observation is electric.

Deftly interweaving the lives of MarieLaure and Werner, Doerr illuminates the ways, against all odds, people try to be good to one another.

MLF: SAN FRANCISCO BOOK DISCUSSION Location: 555 Post Street, San Francisco Time: 5:30 p.m. program Cost:: $5 non-members, MEMBERS FREE, students free Program Organizers: B. Massey/R. Ingalls Notes: This is a book discussion; the author will not be present.

Silicon Valley

Patricia Renaut Spilman, M.S., Senior Scientist, Buck Institute

Spilman will discuss the ability of exercise, social interaction, continuing intellectual and spiritual growth and sensory stimulation to lower the risk or delay onset of cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. The impact of sleep disturbances and stress – and how to address them – will be presented, as well as the science behind recent findings. Spilman is a scientist working on Alzheimer’s disease drug discovery.

MLF: GROWNUPS Location: 555 Post Street, San Francisco Time: 4:45 p.m. reception, 5:15 p.m. program Cost: $20 non-members, $8 members, $7 stu.

Program Organizer: John Milford Notes: In association with The Buck Institute

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www.commonwealthclub.org/events

T H U 02 | San Francisco

July 8 – 14

WED 08 | TBA

WED 08 | North Bay

T H U 09 | San Francisco

Jessica Jackley

Alzheimer’s: New Insights and the Search for a Cure

Chuck Palahniuk and Lidia Yuknavitch: A Night of Mayhem

Co-founder, Kiva; Author, Clay Water Brick See website for panelists

For as long as she could remember, Jackley had a singular and urgent ambition: to help alleviate global poverty. She believes that many of the most inspiring entrepreneurs in the world are not focused on high-tech ventures or making a lot of money; instead, they wake up every day and build better lives for themselves, their families and their communities. Jackley will share stories from those around the globe who are doing the most with the least. She challenges us to embrace entrepreneurship as a powerful force for change in the world.

Location: 555 Post St., San Francisco Time: 6 p.m. check-in, 6:30 p.m. program, 7:30 p.m. book signing Cost: $20 non-members, $12 members, $7 stu.; Premium (includes priority seating and copy of book):$50 non-members, $40 members

Everyone has high hopes that a cure for Alzheimer’s will be found soon. Two of our country’s prominent researchers and physicians will share their thoughts about the most promising discoveries, new diagnostic tools, what we can do to keep our memories stable, and what’s ahead.

Location: Outdoor Art Club, One West Blithedale Ave., Mill Valley Time: 7 p.m. check-in with hors d’oeuvres and cash bar, 7:45 p.m. program Cost: $50 non-members, $35 members, $25 Leadership Circle members Notes: Sponsored by Relevant Wealth Advisors

Chuck Palahniuk, Author Lidia Yuknavitch, Author

In the words of Chuck Palahniuk…

“The air will be filled with color, noise and candy. It’s a party to celebrate the release of Lidia Yuknavitch’s newest novel, The Small Backs of Children, a major step forward from one of our most avidly watched writers – a masterful exploration of the treacherous, often violent borders between war and sex, love and art. Contests, prizes, disturbing bedtimes stories and mayhem will reign. As always, the wearing of sexy sleepwear is encouraged.”

Location: Castro Theatre, 429 Castro St., SF Time: 5:45 p.m. check-in and premium reception, 6:30 p.m. program See website for cost

www.commonwealthclub.org/events

M O N 13 | San Francisco

M O N 13 | San Francisco

T U E 14 | San Francisco

Foragers, Farmers and Fossil Fuels: How Human Values Evolve

Week to Week Political Roundtable and Member Social

Nob Hill Walking Tour

Panelists TBA

Ian Morris, Professor of Classics and History, Stanford University; Author

Join us as we explore the biggest, most controversial, and sometimes surprising political issues with expert commentary by panelists who are smart, civil, and have a good sense of humor. Join our panelists for informative and engaging commentary on political headlines and other major news, audience discussion of the week’s events, and our live news quiz! And come early before the program to meet other smart and engaged individuals and discuss the news over snacks and wine at our member social (open to all attendees).

Explore one of San Francisco’s 44 hills, and one of its original “Seven Hills.” Because of great views and its central position, Nob Hill became an exclusive enclave of the rich and famous on the West Coast who built large mansions in the neighborhood. Highlights include the history of four landmark hotels. Visit the city’s largest house of worship, Grace Cathedral. A true San Francisco experience of elegance, urbanity, scandals and fabulous views.

Monday Night Philosophy explains why most people in the world today think democracy and gender equality are good, and violence and wealth inequality are bad, even though most people who lived before the 19th century thought just the opposite. Professor Morris argues that fundamental long-term changes in values are driven by the pursuit of energy, which humans have drawn from foraging, farming and fossil fuels.

MLF: HUMANITIES Location: 555 Post Street, San Francisco Time: 5:30 p.m. networking reception, 6 p.m. program, 7 p.m. book signing Cost: $20 non-members, MEMBERS FREE, $7 stu.

Program Organizer: George Hammond

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Location: 555 Post St., San Francisco Time: 5:30 p.m. social, 6:30 p.m. program Cost: $15 non-members, $5 members, students free (with valid ID)

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San Francisco

Location: Meet in front of Caffe Cento, 801 Powell Street, SF Time: Arrive by 1:45 p.m. in order to check in.

The walk departs at 2 p.m. sharp and finishes at about 4:30 p.m.

Cost: $45 non-members, $35 members Notes: Tour operates rain or shine. Limited to 20 participants. Tickets must be purchased in advance and will not be sold at check-in.

East Bay/North Bay

Silicon Valley

T U E 1 4 | S i l i co n Va l l e y

W E D 15 | San Francisco

San Francisco’s Jewel City

Pat Wadors

Working Stiff

Laura Ackley, Architectural Historian; Author

Senior Vice President of Global Talent, LinkedIn In conversation with Venesa Klein, Partner, Calibre One

Judy Melinek, Forensic Pathologist and Associate Clinical Professor, UCSF Medical Center; Co-author, Working Stiff T.J. Mitchell, Co-author, Working Stiff

San Francisco’s Panama-Pacific International Exposition opened its doors to much acclaim a century ago. The fantastic goings-on in each of the 11 neoclassical palaces that transformed the Presidio found their way into many of the pages of the Commonwealth Club’s reports during that summer of 1915.

Come celebrate this remarkable centennial with Laura Ackley, the author of San Francisco’s Jewel City, which details the history of one of the most elaborate fairs ever held in our city.

“Everyone Deserves a Great Leader” Wadors will share her reflections on workplace diversity in technology and the steps LinkedIn is taking to address the challenge, as well as what it takes to create amazing, inclusive places to work.

She will also highlight hard-earned leadership lessons she’s learned along the way from her work with Yahoo, Twitter, Plantronics and other notable organizations.

Just two months before the September 11 terrorist attacks, Melinek began her training as an NYC forensic pathologist.

She threw herself into the fascinating world of death investigation – autopsies, death scenes, grieving relatives. Melinek offers a firsthand account of daily life in one of America’s most arduous professions and the unexpected challenges of shuttling between the domains of the living and the dead.

MLF: HUMANITIES Location: 555 Post St., San Francisco Time: 5:30 p.m. networking reception, 6 p.m. program, 7 p.m. book signing Cost: $20 non-members, $8 members, $7 stu.

Program Organizer: George Hammond

Location: Silicon Valley Bank, 3005 Tasman Drive, Santa Clara Time: 6:30 p.m. check-in, 7 p.m. program Cost: $20 non-members, $12 members, $8 students (with valid ID)

T H U 16 | San Francisco

T H U 16 | San Francisco

M O N 20 | San Francisco

Why and How to Get Better Sleep

Greening Asia

Julie Lythcott-Haims: How to Prepare Kids for Success

Sramek is an inventor, innovator and entrepreneur who came by his career as a farm boy who had to learn how to operate equipment and tools to fix, mend, predict, nurture, listen, focus and get things done. He has pending and issued patents in fields as diverse as stem cell harvesting devices, consumer products, oil production, urban farming and sleep enhancement. Sramek offers new insights and techniques to get you sleeping in normal, refreshing and healthy ways.

MLF: HEALTH & MEDICINE Location: 555 Post St., San Francisco Time: 5:30 p.m. networking reception, 6 p.m. program, 7 p.m. book signing Cost: $20 non-members, $8 members, $7 stu.

Program Organizer: Bill Grant

San Francisco

East Bay/North Bay

Mark Clifford, Executive Director, Asia Business Council; Author, The Greening of Asia Orville Schell, Director, Center on U.S.China Relations, Asia Society New York

Asia’s booming economies have followed the welltrodden path of “industrialize now and clean up later.”

Those companies are realizing the time to clean up is now. They have the cash and technology to solve social problems, ranging from local air pollution to climate change. Join us for a conversation with two of Asia’s most respected journalists about the future of sustainable business.

Location: 555 Post Street, San Francisco Time: 6 p.m. check in, 6:30 p.m. program, 7:30 p.m. reception Cost: $20 non-members, $12 members, $7 students (with valid ID)

Silicon Valley

MLF: HEALTH & MEDICINE Location: 555 Post St., San Francisco Time: 5:30 p.m. networking reception, 6 p.m. program, 7 p.m. book signing Cost: $20 non-members, $8 members, $7 stu.

Program Organizer: Bill Grant

Former Dean of Freshmen and Undergraduate Advising, Stanford U; Author, How to Raise an Adult

Lythcott-Haims puts forth a philosophy for raising self-sufficient young adults. She draws on research, conversations with educators and employers,and her own insights as a mother and student dean to highlight the ways in which over-parenting harms children and their stressed-out parents.

While empathizing with parents’ universal worries, she offers practical alternative strategies that underline the importance of allowing children to make their own mistakes and develop the resilience and resourcefulness, necessary for success.

Location: 555 Post Street, San Francisco Time: 5:30 p.m. check-in, 6 p.m. program, 7 p.m. book signing Cost: $20 non-mem., MEMBERS FREE, $7 stu.

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www.commonwealthclub.org/events

Roger A. Sramek, MBA, Inventor; Entrepreneur; Founder, Promise, LLC; Author, Your Sleep

July 14 – 20

T U E 14 | San Francisco

July 20 – 27

M O N 20 | San Francisco

W E D 22 | San Francisco

T H U 23 | San Francisco

Socrates Café

Radical Remission of Cancer: Surviving Against All Odds

San Francisco Architecture Walking Tour

Kelly Turner, PhD., Author, Radical Remission: Surviving Cancer Against All Odds

Explore San Francisco’s Financial District with historian Rick Evans and learn the history and stories behind some of our city’s remarkable structures, streets and public squares. Discover hard-to-find rooftop gardens, Art Deco lobbies, unique open spaces and historic landmarks. This is a tour for locals, with hidden gems you can only find on foot!

On one Monday evening of every month the Humanities Forum sponsors Socrates Café at The Commonwealth Club. Each meeting is devoted to the discussion of a philosophical topic chosen at that meeting. The group’s facilitator, John Nyquist, invites participants to suggest topics, which are then voted on. The person who proposed the most popular topic is asked to briefly explain why she or he considers that topic interesting and important. An open discussion follows, and the meeting ends with a summary of the various perspectives participants expressed. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Turner, a researcher and lecturer in integrative oncology, was the first to delve deeply into studying “radical remission” from cancer – that is, when someone recovers from cancer without the help of conventional medicine, or after conventional medicine has failed. Join her as she describes the nine most common healing factors that emerged from her research and shares more from her New York Times bestseller.

MLF: HEALTH & MEDICINE Location: 555 Post St., San Francisco Time: 5:30 p.m. reception, 6 p.m. program Cost: $20 non-members, $8 members, $7 students (with valid ID) Program Organizer: Adrea Brier

Location: Meet in the Lobby of the Galleria Park Hotel, 191 Sutter Street, SF Time: Arrive by 1:45 p.m. in order to check in.

The walk departs at 2 p.m. sharp and finishes at about 4:30 p.m Cost: $45 non-members, $35 members Notes: The tour involves walking up and down stairs but covers less than one mile of walking in the Financial District. Tour operates rain or shine. Limited to 20 participants.

Tickets must be purchased in advance and will not be sold at check-in.

T H U 23 | San Francisco

M O N 27 | San Francisco

M O N 27 | San Francisco

Sisterhood of Women: Empowering Women to Succeed

Middle East Discussion Group

Week to Week Political Roundtable and Member Social

MLF: Humanities Location: 555 Post Street, San Francisco Time: 6:30 p.m. program Cost: $5 non-members, MEMBERS FREE, students free Program Organizer: George Hammond

www.commonwealthclub.org/events

Joan Steidinger, Ph.D., Clinical Sports Psychologist; Author, Sisterhood in Sports

Steidinger believes that sisterhood among women is essential for them to achieve full success in life. How important and in what manner are relationships essential to women? What role does verbal and detailed communication play? What about a sense of community is so critical to women? Clinical sports psychologist and award-winning author Dr. Steidinger will explore these questions and more and introduce her new model of female collaborative competition.

MLF: PERSONAL GROWTH Location: 555 Post Street, San Francisco Time: 5:30 p.m. networking reception, 6 p.m. program, 7 p.m. book signing Cost: $20 non-members, $8 Members, $7 stu.

Program Organizer: Stephanie Kriebel

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Make your voice heard in an enriching, provocative and fun discussion with Club members as you weigh in on events shaping the face of the Middle East, North Africa and Afghanistan. Each month, the Middle East Member-Led Forum hosts an informal roundtable discussion on a topic frequently suggested by recent headlines. After a brief introduction, the floor will be open for discussion. All interested members are encouraged to attend. There will also be a brief planning session.

MLF: MIDDLE EAST Location: 555 Post St., San Francisco Time: 5:30 p.m. program Cost: FREE Program Organizer: Celia Menczel

JU NE/JU LY 2015

Panelists TBA

Join us as we explore the biggest, most c o n t r ov e r s i a l , a n d sometimes the surprising political issues with expert commentary by panelists who are smart, civil, and have a good sense of humor. Join our panelists for informative and engaging commentary on political and other major news, audience discussion of the week’s events, and our live news quiz! And come early before the program to meet other smart and engaged individuals and discuss the news over snacks and wine at our member social (open to all attendees).

Location: 555 Post St., San Francisco Time: 5:30 p.m. social, 6:30 p.m. program Cost: $15 non-members, $5 members, students free (with valid ID)

San Francisco

East Bay/North Bay

Silicon Valley

T U E 28 | San Francisco

W E D 29 | San Francisco

Gary Hart: The Republic of Conscience

Ashlee Vance on Elon Musk, Tesla, Space-X and the Future

My New Physician Is a D.O.: What Is Osteopathic Medicine?

U.S. Special Envoy for Northern Ireland; Former U.S. Senator; Author, The Republic of Conscience

Former Senator Gary Hart will discuss the growing gap between the founding principles of the United States Constitution and our current political landscape.

Going back as early as 400 BC, the idea of a true republic has been threatened by narrow, special interests taking precedence over the commonwealth. The United States Constitution was drafted to protect against such corruption, but Hart says America is nowhere near the republic it set out to be.

Location: 555 Post Street, San Francisco Time: 5:30 p.m. check-in, 6 p.m. program, 7 p.m. book signing Cost: $25 non-mem., $15 member, $7 student; Premium: $55 non-mem., $45 members

Ashlee Vance, Author; Technology Writer, Bloomberg Businessweek

See website for panelists

Can the nation of inventors and creators, which led the modern world for a century, still compete in an age of fierce global competition? Vance argues that Elon Musk is a contemporary amalgam of legendary inventors and industrialists like Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Howard Hughes and Steve Jobs. Vance has written dozens of cover and feature stories on topics ranging from cyber espionage to DNA sequencing and space exploration.

MLF: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY Location: 555 Post St., San Francisco Time: 5:30 p.m. networking reception, 6 p.m. program, 7 p.m. book signing Cost: $20 non-members, $8 members, $7 stu.

Program Organizer: Gerald Harris

L AT E B R E A K I N G

Unity of Sacred Symbols and Words

June 30 | Silicon Valley

CLUB OFFICERS Board Chair John R. Farmer

Michael Oren

Vice Chair Richard A. Rubin

Former Israeli Ambassador to the United States; Author, Ally: My Journey Across the American-Israeli Divide

Oren will discuss his time as Israel’s ambassador to the United States – a period of transformative change for America and a time of violent upheaval throughout the Middle East. During Oren’s tenure in office, Israel and America grappled with the Palestinian peace process, the Arab Spring, and existential threats to Israel posed by international terrorism and the Iranian nuclear program. He says the U.S.-Israeli alliance is vital for Americans, Israelis and the world.

Location: Schultz Cultural Hall, Oshman Family JCC, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto Time: 6:30 p.m. check-in, 7 p.m. program, 8 p.m. book signing See website for cost

San Francisco

East Bay/North Bay

Silicon Valley

MLF: HEALTH & MEDICINE Location: 555 Post St., San Francisco Time: 5:30 p.m. reception, 6 p.m. program Cost: $20 non-members, $8 members, $7 stu.

Program Organizers: B. Grant/J. Sotiros

CLUB LEADERSHIP

Salma Arastu, Artist

MLF: MIDDLE EAST Location: 555 Post Street, San Francisco Time: 11:30 a.m. check-in, noon program, 1 p.m. book signing Cost: $20 non-member, MEMBERS FREE, students free (with valid ID) Program Organizer: Celia Menczel

There are two degrees that physicians in the U.S. earn, the M.D. (allopathic medicine) or D.O. (osteopathic medicine) degree.

While doctors with the two degrees carry the same rights and privileges compared to one degree, there are differences in their education and training, considering that one in five students currently enrolled in medical school is in an osteopathic program. Join three local osteopathic physician educators on what the field can offer and what to expect in relation to the Affordable Care Act.

Secretary Frank Meerkamp Treasurer Lee J. Dutra President & CEO Dr. Gloria C. Duffy BOARD OF GOVERNORS William F. Adams † John F. Allen Carlo Almendral Courtland Alves Dan Ashley Massey J. Bambara Dr. Mary G. F. Bitterman** John L. Boland Michael R. Bracco Thomas H. Burkhart Maryles Casto** Mary B. Cranston** Susie Cranston Dr. Kerry P. Curtis Dr. Jaleh Daie Dorian Daley

J U N E/J U LY 2015

Alecia DeCoudreaux Evelyn S. Dilsaver Joseph I. Epstein* Jeffrey A. Farber Hon Katherine A. Feinstein Fr. Paul J. Fitzgerald, S.J. Carol A. Fleming, Ph.D. Leslie Saul Garvin Dr. Charles Geschke Paul M. Ginsburg Edie G. Heilman Hon. James C. Hormel Mary Huss John Leckrone Dr. Mary Marcy Anna W. M. Mok** Kevin P. O’Brien Donald J. Pierce Frederick W. Reid Skip Rhodes* George M. Scalise Lata Krishnan Shah Dr. Ruth Shapiro Charlotte Mailliard Shultz George D. Smith, Jr. James Strother

Hon. Tad Taube Ellen O’Kane Tauscher Charles Travers Dr. Colleen B. Wilcox Russell M. Yarrow Jed York * Past President ** Past Chair † Deceased ADVISORY BOARD Karin Helene Bauer Hon. William Bradley Dennise M. Carter Rolando Esteverena Steven Falk Amy Gershoni Jacquelyn Hadley Heather Kitchen Amy McCombs Don J. McGrath Hon. William J. Perry Hon. Barbara Pivnicka Hon. Richard Pivnicka Ray Taliaferro Nancy Thompson

THE COMMO N WE AL TH

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www.commonwealthclub.org/events

F R I 31 | San Francisco

Salma Arastu will give a visual presentation of her latest works, which are an artistic endeavor to help people understand the threads of commonalities across cultural, national and religious lines. Her beautiful paintings reflect the interconnectedness of belief in our collective cultural memories.

July 28 – 31

T U E 28 | San Francisco

Month ## – ##

MAKE A DI

Only one organization has been mak beyond for more than a century — influencing policy, and giving voice to

You are vital to ensuring that this Please show you

Go to commonweal or call (415 www.com-

TAKE THE BOARD LIST FROM PAGE 7 OF APRIL/MAY MAGAZINE AND MAKE IT A HALF-COLUMN BOX (WE’VE DONE IT IN THE PAST) —JZ.

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JU NE/JU LY 2015

San Francisco

East Bay/North Bay

Silicon Valley

Month ## – ##

IFFERENCE

king a difference in the Bay Area and — informing, entertaining, inspiring, o people from countless points of view.

www.commonwealthclub.org/events

s work continues into the future. ur support today.

lthclub.org/donate 5) 597-6726

San Francisco

East Bay/North Bay

Silicon Valley

J U N E/J U LY 2015

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LARRY BAER

SAL KHAN

LEON PANETTA

JASON COLLINS

Join the Leadership Circle and get ready to rub some elbows!

As a Leadership Circle Member you’ll get the white-gloved treatment and the backstage pass.

Join today and tomorrow you’ll start receiving these exclusive benefits: • Meet high-profile speakers at private receptions and events • Free admission to events for you and a guest (some exclusions apply) • The feeling of doing something good for an organization you admire!

Join or upgrade your membership to $1000 by June 30th and receive a commemorative Commonwealth Club travel mug.

Don’t miss your chance to meet upcoming speakers like: • Former Congressman Barney Frank • Project Runway’s Tim Gunn • New York Times Columnist David Brooks • Author Judy Bloom • And More!

For more information: Call Kimberly Maas, Senior Philanthropy Officer, Individual & Major Gifts (415) 597-6726 • kmaas@commonwealthclub.org

TIMOTHY GEITHNER

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JANET NAPOLITANO

JU NE/JU LY 2015

BRUCE BOCHY

San Francisco

SENATOR BARBARA BOXER

East Bay/North Bay

Silicon Valley

Gretchin Rubin Happiness & Habits When we change our habits, we change our lives. Excerpted f r o m “ G r e tc h e n R u b i n : Happiness and Habits,” March 26, 2015.

GRETCHEN RUBIN Author, The Happiness Project and Better Than Before: Mastering the Habits of Our Everyday Lives

ANGIE COIRO

Talk Show Host, “In Deep with Angie Coiro” — Moderator ANGIE COIRO: Can you explain for us; you’re known for your work on happiness and now you’re on habits. What’s the link from A to B? GRETCHEN RUBIN: Well, for years, I was reading and researching and writing and talking to people about happiness. I began to notice this pattern, which was, often when people would talk about either a big boost in happiness that they had achieved, or more often, a big challenge that they were struggling with in their happiness, they would point to something that really at its core was a habit that they couldn’t make or break. So, for instance, somebody would say, “I’m just exhausted all the time. I’m so stressed out. I’m so drained. I can never go to sleep on time.”

Really that is the habit of getting enough sleep. But for some reason, that habit wasn’t forming in the right way. Or people would

say, “Oh, I know I’d be happier if I’d exercise.

Why can’t I get myself to exercise?” Well, why can’t you? I don’t know. So I began to really focus in on it. Then a friend – because I get most of my ideas from just a casual conversation – a friend of mine said, “Well, here’s the weird thing. When I was in high school, I was on the track team and I never missed track practice, but I can’t go running now.

Why?” And I thought, “Well, why?” Same person, same behavior. What was different?

What had changed? Why, at one time was it effortless, and now she can’t do it? So then I was like, “I’m determined to figure this out because habits are 40 percent of our daily life, research suggests, and so if you have habits that work for you, you’re much more likely to be happier, healthier, more productive. And if they’re not working for you, it’s going to be a lot tougher. So habits are almost like a prequel to happiness.

COIRO: Let’s get those four tendencies out of the way first.

RUBIN: OK. So of everything in the book, I think this is the most original, definitely the most intellectually challenging, but I have to warn you, it sounds a little bit boring when I start. So bear with me, hang in there. It gets interesting, I promise. This has to do with how you deal with expectation.

An outer expectation, like a work deadline or request from a boss or a spouse, and an inner expectation, like your own desire to keep a New Year’s resolution or your own desire to get back into meditation.

Upholders respond readily to outer and inner expectations alike. They easily meet a work deadline and they pretty easily keep

a New Year’s resolution. They want to meet the expectations that are put on them, but they also want to meet their expectations for themselves. Next are questioners. Questioners question all expectations. They’ll do it if they think it makes sense. They hate anything arbitrary or irrational. They always want to have justification. So, in a way, they make everything an inner expectation because they only will uphold something, an expectation, if they think that it makes sense. Next, obligers, that’s my friend on the track team.

Readily meets outer, but has a lot of trouble meeting inner [expectations]. This is like a friend of mine who is a journalist who had no trouble working at a newspaper and he wrote constantly, was very prolific, had no trouble working, but then when he took a year off to try to write a novel on his own, he stalled out – obliger. Finally, rebel. Rebels resist all expectations, outer and inner alike.

They want to do what they want to do when they want to do it. If [someone] asks or tells them to do something, they’re likely to do the opposite and they tend to get frustrated with themselves because they don’t want to tell themselves what to do. The rebel category is the smallest. The upholder category is also very small, which was a big surprise to me when I was writing this book. I went into it thinking I was very typical. And it turns out I’m one of the freaks. I remember saying to my husband, “You know, I’ve learned that I have this extreme personality.” He was just like, “You think?” I’m like, “How did you know?” He said, “I’m married to you.” Most people are questioners or obligers. Those are overwhelmingly the biggest tendencies

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and it has a lot of implications for how you form habits because how you respond to an expectation is very much influenced by what your tendency is.

COIRO: What about the issue of assessing the habit and knowing whether the habit that you are striving to have is realistic, either according to your tendency or just according to the type of person you are? Like, I really want to form the habit of doing ballet every day. I’m not going to do ballet every day.

That’s not going to happen. So how do you get a reality check on the habits you’re trying to look at?

RUBIN: Well, that’s a very good point. I call them “red herring habits” and this is something that you’ll see when somebody voices the desire to have a habit, but you can tell they don’t really want to. And often it’s because the people around them are telling them they should. “Yes, I really am going to start exercising. I really need to do that. You know, my family’s telling me I need to exercise. I’m definitely going to start to exercise.”

No, you’re not.

The problem with saying things like that is that you begin to believe it, and then people get discouraged about the fact that they have tried and failed to form a habit, when in fact they haven’t really tried. So part of it is being honest with yourself about what you really want. Do you really want to give up coffee? I’m sort of a habits pusher.

But I often find myself in the position of challenging people whether they even should or want to change a habit because they’ll say things like, “I should quit chewing so much gum.” I’m like, “Why should you quit chewing gum?” I’m not saying you shouldn’t quit chewing gum, but why would you? Because if you don’t have a reason to do it, first of all, you probably won’t be as successful because you don’t really care. Also, why waste your energy doing it? Part of it is to be honest with yourself about what you really want, because the fact is if you did want to do ballet, you could do ballet.

COIRO: What is one big habit you were able to break or change?

RUBIN: Oh! Well, I have a habit that I made that I really don’t like. Sitting is the new smoking. I am a writer, so basically my job is to sit in a chair. I bought my sister, who’s also a writer, a treadmill desk. She walks like five, seven miles a day on her treadmill desk. But I live in New York City; my office is so small

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that if I had a treadmill desk, I wouldn’t be able to open the door of the office. Sort of a drawback. So now I stand up whenever I’m on the phone. I’m not on the phone all that much, but it gets me up and it also gets me in the habit of thinking, “Oh, I should get up on my feet.” That was a small habit that actually I feel is very energizing. It’s energizing to be on my feet more because I can go for many, many hours sitting, so that’s one.

COIRO: Should you marry a person in your same category?

RUBIN: Oh interesting! Well, there’s definitely patterns with how people pair up. And

“Every rebel that I have spoken to who has a long-term partner, it is with an obliger. Could you have two rebels married?

It would be tough, because no one would pay the bills.” here is the most interesting one. Every rebel that I have spoken to who has a long-term partner, it is with an obliger. And obligers sometimes think they’re upholders. I just got an e-mail today from somebody being like “I’m this crazy thing that you said didn’t exist. I’m an upholder married to a rebel,” and I’m like “No, I bet you’re an obliger.” Because that’s a pairing that works.

Could you have two rebels married? It would be tough because no one would pay the bills. That seems to be a thing. Rebels really don’t like to pay bills. They don’t like the idea that they have to do something at a certain time. You know, I think it could work.

Also, this is just one tiny slice of a person’s personality. You can be a very, very considerate rebel or you could be an inconsiderate rebel or you can be a very compassionate questioner or a very smart questioner or you can be a not-so-smart questioner.

You’re still a questioner. It doesn’t have to go with your intelligence. Or you can be a fun-loving upholder or a not fun-loving upholder. The tendencies look very different depending on how ambitious you are.

All those things come into play in a good

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romantic relationship. But I think the tendencies are part of it. Two obligers might stall out, you know, with certain kinds of things, if there was no one to put that outer expectation on them. I don’t know. It’s an interesting question.

COIRO: How do you tell the difference between a habit and a character trait – for example, being a morning person?

RUBIN: The thing about morning people and night people is very interesting. There’s this fascinating book – I think the title of it is Chronotypes. It’s about chronotypes: morning people and night people and people in between, and it’s fascinating. I used to think that morning people could be night people if they would just go to sleep earlier. No. That is not true. A lot of people are in between, but there really are truly morning people and night people, and this is genetic, this is a hardwired thing, so it’s a trait. Teenagers tend to be owls. Older people tend to be larks. Little kids are larks.

Interestingly, larks tend to be happier.

It’s thought that it’s because society basically is set up for larks. So if you’re an owl, it’s much harder. You’re much more likely to be sleep-deprived because you can’t go to sleep early, like your whole body is trying to keep you up. That’s when you’re productive and creative and you can’t go to sleep, and then you have to wake up anyway.

Some habits, I think, usually we can kind of tell the difference, and I try to point out a lot of things where it might just be the kind of person that you are that then you should build your habits around.

So, for instance, I guess this is a character trait: some people are simplicity lovers and some people are abundance lovers. So some people love quiet and few choices and clean, cleared-out spaces; they like simplicity and calm. Then other people like abundance.

They like some bustle [and] choice.

You can imagine if you were trying to run the habit of exercising or you were going to a co-working space to form the habit of working on your Ph.D. thesis every day, you want to think about what environment is going to be the most appealing to you and what’s going to be the environment that will help you stick to your habits because it’s going to be suitable for you. All of this is about how you suit your habits to yourselves. It’s a fine line and it’s a very important thing to think about.

PONOMAREV continued from page 8 all, and he was the obvious winner in this situation. That’s why people were ready to vote for whatever Putin was asking for and support his party and support him personally and keep him in power.

When he was coming back in 2012, yes, by that time, [the] middle class protested. I was part of those protests, and we said it was totally unfair, stripping the country from any hope for any changes in the developments in [the] future. But still, the majority of the country believed that stability was more important.

Putin is the person of stability. Putin is the status quo. His main virtue for the country is that he is the status quo, that he is no distant face, that he’s not calling us somewhere. He’s just saying, “Stick with me and you’ll be safe and the country will prosper and you will all benefit.” Even in the mass propaganda inside the country during all those years, Putin was never saying that he was good. Never. Instead, he was saying, “I’m bad, I am corrupt, and my people are corrupt, but we [are] still better than those in the ‘90s.” People said, “Yes, you know, yes, he’s corrupt, but at least we can live, we can survive, and that’s better. No changes are better.”

Since [Putin] lost [the] support of [the] creative class in 2011, when they decided to switch over with President Medvedev, he started to feel that the power was slipping through his fingers. Because, at the end of the day, it’s the creative class – it’s those that write articles, it’s those who create new technologies, those who are entrepreneurs

– are the people who create [the] future.

And they deny that there is any future with Putin. Some of them will just live in Russia, some of them were implanting skepticism in whatever they said.

Then there was this example of Ukraine where the same middle class rebelled against the very similar regime to the one that was proposed by Mr. Putin – the regime of corruption, the regime of [a] very closed circle of President Yanukovych’s cronies – and they made their statement that people can be victorious, and they can make those corrupt presidents, who seemingly collected all the power in their hands, run away. What could be worse as a message? Of course not [much else], and Putin feared that message, and he decided to retaliate. That’s how the decision to take over Crimea was made.

To my mind, there are not a lot of people who are very apologetic about Putin. [Specifically] here in the United States, there are people at the very left of the political spectrum who say he’s at the end of the days fighting against imperialism. Some of them even say he’s fighting against American imperialism, [and] that’s why we need to support him, because he’s an alternative. I never understood [that,] being a leftist myself. What’s the difference between American imperialism and Russian imperialism, or any other imperialism? [Laughter] But they somehow feel that there is some difference. Famous director, Oliver Stone, whom I admired for many years, is making a movie right now about decent President Yanukovych and how he was replaced by international treason, by

[an] international conspiracy coordinated by [the] United States. OK, so they have their position. That’s what they believe in.

Or some people from the ultra-right were saying America has [a] very weak president. “[Putin is a] real man. Look how he’s barechested, chasing some bears and Siberian tigers. That’s what we should see in America.

That’s what the global leader is.” I don’t believe that’s the global leader. I believe that the global leader is exactly the one that makes global peace and is interfering with global politics as [little as] possible. That’s the vision of [a] global leader for myself. But that’s not [the] universal vision of everyone. And Putin actually started to feel those ideas.

But what is more dangerous for the global security. Is it ISIS or is it [state-funded TV network also known as RT] Russia Today?

And my answer is that, it is Russia Today.

Yes, ISIS is the source of immediate danger of terrorist attacks, of physical violence, but it cannot challenge Western values. RT can, and it does. [It’s] a really powerful international tool, the true conservative international, which is working right now with this false 5 percent of ultra-left and 5 percent of ultra-right, which makes all together, 10 percent of western audiences. That’s how Putin exercises his global power, which is growing every day. That’s totally invisible for most of [the] outside observers. RT has more viewers than CNN, but nobody recognizes it. When you start digging in the particular issues of international policies, like who’s behind a lot of environmental protests, you see that it’s actually inspired very much by Russia Today.

Photo by Pete Souza/wikicommons

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It’s doing this very silently. It disrupts the very core of our society, and it creates a real split between Russia, Europe and America, and that’s its main objective. I think that this is exactly the reason why we should discuss [the] future of Russia and more broadly Eastern Europe, because it’s no longer a local issue. There is bloodshed in Eastern Europe, there is bloodshed in Ukraine, and we Russians are at fault. It’s no longer between us and Ukrainians. It’s now about the future of our civilization.

Inside Russia, I said all the time, Let’s indeed try to make the dialogue of all the progressive forces across the world through the social forums, engage them to, at the end of the day, eliminate borders, promote free travel, promote free exchanges, promote convergence, because at the end of the day, I feel like there is no difference between Russia, Europe or [the] United States. Our values are exactly the same. We have the same roots of Christian civilization and very similar approaches to life.

part of Ukraine in favor, at least. Why did Ukrainians vote for associations – not even joining [the] European Union, but some association with [the] European Union?

Because they wanted to stop violence within the country, they wanted rule of law within the country and they felt like Europeans would bring the kind [of ] tradition [that] would restrain their elites and would allow free travel; that was the rationale. There was nothing about military alliances whatsoever. Vice versa, it was clear that when we invaded, that we would shift this kind of understanding on behalf of Ukrainians,

Question and answer session with Jaleh Daie, member of The Commonwealth Club’s Board of Governors

have to suffer a little bit. ”

JALEH DAIE: Obviously, the annexation of Crimea is something that is close to your heart. You voted against the annexation. In the media in the United States, the conversation makes it sound [as if ] Ukraine joining as part of NATO is highly justified. What was your thinking when you were an opposition voter? Do you think that Ukraine joining as a member of NATO is justified for their safety?

PONOMAREV: The thing that is justified is joining Russia into NATO and burying it all together. And of course, I think that the philosophy of these military blocks is outdated. That’s a philosophy of the 20th century, but that’s exactly the philosophy of Putin. He’s talking about spheres of influence, the division of power. When somebody continues this kind of discussion, I think that he’s actually playing into his favor and in favor of the current Russian regime.

But the story is that Ukrainians, before we invaded Crimea, were almost unanimously against joining NATO. The polls indicated that it was like 15 percent pro and 85 percent against joining NATO. There was a tiny

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“I n Russia, we don’t think we’re invading Ukraine. We are protecting Ukraine from you. We are fighting against fascists, and for this, we

and we did. Right now, it’s 55 percent pro NATO and 45 [percent] against.

So still, there is no, “everybody inside Ukraine wants to join NATO,” but [they’ve] taken a very hard push on Ukrainian leadership and the situation of growing aggression and growing invasion of Russian military forces. Of course, that might happen any time, and I think that’s against our interest, but that’s against global interest, because it’s the old concept.

DAIE: For the Ukrainian people, was it more [a] eurozone issue so they can trade under the E.U. rules, or was it more a defense issue to be part of NATO first? Secondly, is President Putin justified to think that Ukraine becoming a member of NATO is an existential threat to Russia?

PONOMAREV: Accession to NATO was never in the agenda of the revolution, and that was not a part of the demands of the people on the streets and Ukraine. The person who is bringing this issue to the spotlight is Mr. Putin, because he wants to justify the annexation of Crimea, which is just totally ridiculous, because Crimea was a territory where [the] Russian military

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base was. Nobody was debating this; it was a long-term treaty, which protects the status of this military base in Sevastopol.

Actually, this military base was used in the process of annexation because Russia didn’t need to move any additional forces in the region, because they were already there.

It’s [the] Ukrainians who could complain, rather than us. Right now, Putin’s strategy is to try to win support among part of [the] Western elites. That’s what I see from many former Department of State people. They are saying, “OK,” because they are also living in this Cold War era [of ] thinking. They are saying, “What about this expansion of NATO?” For Ukrainians, it was [an] existential issue.

It was an issue of understanding that we are a part of Europe. That’s why I think that it was [the] Europeans who made the grave mistake from the very beginning when they started the process of euro integration. Putin, in his mind, is a very rational and very monetarist type [of ] person. He calculated that for [the] Ukrainian economy, it wouldn’t be profitable to be a part of [the] European economic space rather than being a part of [the] customs union, and I think he was exactly right. For Ukraine, it was more profitable – way more profitable – to be part of [the] customs union.

But [the] customs union, in the mind of the common Ukrainian, was associated with Putin’s corruption, with no legal protection, with oligarchs, with cronies, with a permanent redistribution of property, with everything that comes with it. So they were choosing Europe as a cultural choice, as a civilizational choice. If Europe wanted this process to happen peacefully, of course, they should have offered European association from the very beginning, to both Ukraine and Russia.

Russia could have turned this down. But at least it would not [have] felt alienated; [some] of our elites felt like we [had] been pushed aside. I felt like I was probably the only representative of [the] Russian government who was, during 2013, touring [the] European Union, and campaigning against European association of Ukraine, because it was clear for me that the way they have chosen would inevitably lead to this kind of conflict between Europe and Russia, and of course I didn’t want this conflict.

The story was that Germany, who was, and is, the leader of the European Union, was at

Meeting of the presidents of the Customs Union countries with the Ukrainian president and representatives of the European Commission

that time consumed with internal elections.

They had [an] internal struggle between the Social Democrats and Christian Democrats and liberals who were, at the time, chairing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Germany.

So Germany said “OK, so it’s not our question.”

The European Commission formed the task force group for this European integration, which was [led] by a European Commissioner named [Štefan] Füle, who was a graduate of the Moscow [State] Institute of [International] Relations. He’s from Czechoslovakia and he lived through the invasion in 1968 and he has all these memories about this.

Plus there was the chairmanship in the European Union by Lithuania, small country, with a lot of tensions with Russia, and they wanted to be commemorated by some huge success during their chairmanship [so] they were supporting this [European] association [for Ukraine.]

DAIE: You represent Siberia, which is a very resource-rich part of Russia. The oil prices have crashed. The price of oil is roughly one-third of what it was in 2007 when you were just a young freshman elected from Siberia. The Russian economy depends heavily on resources, especially oil and gas. So, if the price of oil stays at this price level, how do you think, in the long run, would this impact the Russian economy and the political landscape? Because, we all know that the political landscape derives from the economic landscape.

PONOMAREV: Thank you very much for

this question. I think that the West is actually living in its myths about the Russian economy and about how Russia is taking this or that global process. The truth is that the direct impact of oil and gas sales on the Russian state budget is between 25 and 30 percent of revenues, which is significant as the first largest source of revenue, but it’s not even 50 percent. We are not like Venezuela, which is 80 percent dependent on oil prices. The economy of Saudi Arabia is way less healthy in this regard. Of course there are a lot of derivatives that are coming from oil.

But what happened when the oil prices went down? Our government just devalued [the] ruble. In terms of a ruble-nominated budget, nothing has changed. As they were, social obligations, the pensions, the subsidies and welfare, they still are the same. It increased the welfare nature of the Russian state where virtually half of [the] economically active population is dependent on different government activities, so it made our economy less healthy than it was before. It made it more government-dependent, but there were no catastrophic events. What is really bad is, because of the devaluation of the ruble, all the imports became way more expensive, and that means that prices for general groceries in Russian stores are already up 30 percent, which is very significant. But Putin is now saying [that] it’s not because we are stupid, it’s not because government doesn’t know what to do. It’s because of this bloody Obama. He imposed those sanctions. We are at war, and that’s a

Photo by European External Action Service/flickr

holy war for us, because we are protecting our brother Ukrainians, and it’s here [in America that] you think we’re invading Ukraine. But in Russia, we don’t think we’re invading Ukraine. We are protecting Ukraine from you. You have installed a fascist marionette regime and we’re trying to kick them out. We are fighting against fascists, and for this, we have to suffer a little bit. People even appreciate it, because that makes us stronger and [the] Russian national identity is linked to the victory in World War II. Siberia is like California – I’m not joking.

I think that as Russians, as people, they are way closer to Americans than, for example, Europeans. We totally distrust the state, we are very individualistic. We are very entrepreneurial, [it’s] just our entrepreneurial spirit goes into how to cheat the state. But it’s not necessarily always the case.

Siberia is like [the] Wild West. It is the area that we – not exactly conquered, but we assimilated it and brought to the rest of the country as pioneers. That makes us very much the same.

Russians, as a nation, also have a mission in life. Europeans’ mission is to have lifetime employment and start working at 10 a.m. and finish at 6 p.m., and drink beer and enjoy themselves. You [in the United States] want to carry this torch of freedom and democracy to other nations even when [those nations] are against [it], and we’re the same. We also want to liberate other countries and we think that’s our mission in life, and that’s exactly what Putin is capitalizing on.

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••••••••••• The P an ama-P a cific Int • • • • • • • Its 100-Yea When San Francisco became the comeback city, it caught the world’s attention. Excerpted from “The Panama-Pacific International Exposition: Its 100-Year Impact,” February 23, 2015.

JAMES GANZ

LORI FOGARTY

Ph.D., Curator, Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco

Executive Director, Oakland Museum of California

KEVIN STARR

Ph.D., Executive Director, California Historical Society — Moderator

Ph.D., California State Librarian Emeritus

ANTHEA HARTIG

LAURA ACKLEY

Author, San Francisco’s Jewel City: The Panama Pacific International Exposition of 1915 ANTHEA HARTIG: How important was the Panama-Pacific International Exposition [PPIE] to San Francisco, to the region and to the state? What accounts [for] its lasting appeal and significance?

KEVIN STARR: [It’s] the relationship to the loss of the city in [the] 1906 [earthquake] and the recovery of the city, the rebuilding of the city in such a rapid order. I think that this is the central context. As for the Palace of Fine Arts, it’s not surprising that that structure has been preserved, because [architect Bernard] Maybeck saw it as the Piranesian text in which something was lost, and it was a melancholy reflection of what was lost.

At the same time, the architecture evoked

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civilization and recovery, and I think that is [of ] number-one importance.

The second [part] is that major cities go through periods of imagining themselves, and they can be imagined through their artists. We think of Balzac’s Paris, Dickens’ London, Döblin’s Berlin or Jack London’s Bay Area. Sometimes artists do this for their cities, and sometimes cities do this themselves. Chicago did it in the aftermath of its destruction and loss.

In this case, the Panama-Pacific International Exposition (PPIE) represents all the wonderful things that were accurately chronicled, but it also represents, in a mysterious way, a kind of reimagining, archetypal

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projection on the part of San Francisco of its identity as a city – a city of the mind, a city of imagination, a moral and intellectual construct as well as an actual physical and socioeconomic place.

LAURA ACKLEY: That’s beautiful and literary. I’m going to be far more literal.

So in the first decade of the 20th century, San Francisco was really the first city of the West. It was proposed in 1904 to host the 1915 World’s Fair and to have it be the first one to celebrate a contemporary event. All the previous American World’s Fairs had celebrated a historic event like the arrival of Columbus, the Louisiana Purchase, etc. But the San Francisco exposition would celebrate America’s achievement in completing the Panama Canal, even though that completion was at least a decade distant.

Then in April of 1906, San Francisco suddenly developed a huge PR problem.

Post-earthquake and fire images flashed all over the world showing nearly four miles of smoky ruins and shattered masonry and the camps of the half of the population that was suddenly homeless. City leaders quickly realized that these terrible visuals would be nearly indelible, and it would take a huge effort to replace them. So they did something quintessentially San Franciscan. No sane city would decide, in the face of catastrophe, to throw a gigantic party and invite the world to attend. But of course that is exactly what San Francisco did. By 1915, they had realized the serene beaux-arts palaces and courts of the PPIE. They were the finest achievement in design of all the classic World’s Fairs.

••••••••••• tern a tion al Exposition: ar Impact • • • • • • • Photo by trialsanderrors/flickr

Within these buildings that looked to the past, architecturally, were housed industrial spaces that looked toward the future. It was the cusp of modernity, technologically and socially. The working Ford Model T plant in the Palace of Transportation illustrated the new assembly line concept and the airplanes that looped and swooped over the ground signaled an entirely new mode of transport never seen at a World’s Fair. Important ideas in medicine, education and engineering were discussed in more than 900 conferences during the exposition.

Mounting a successful World’s Fair so soon after the disaster [helped realize] the planners’ most coveted goal: to announce to the world, San Francisco is not a smoking ruin. We are open for business. We want your investment. We want your shipping to come through our port. This message was carried across the entire globe, whether or not all the nations participated.

The publicity department within the PPIE, which was called the Department of Exploitation, also promoted trips within California as well as investment, tourism and settlement opportunities. So the entire state benefitted. For instance, because San Diego was holding a smaller, simultaneous fair, Los Angeles promoted itself with a postcard featuring a picture of a sandwich and it read, “When the world comes out West to be fed, this sandwich will furnish a treat. San Diego and Frisco the bread, but Los Angeles sure is the meat.”

When it was all over, it’s estimated that more than $45 million was injected into

the California economy from outside of the state, which is about $2.1 billion in 2013.

Further, tens of thousands of locals worked on building the fair on its grounds and in its concessions. Nearly 19 million pushed through the turnstiles to hear John Philip Sousa play at his last World’s Fair, to munch on candyfloss or perhaps even to fall in love under the rotunda of the Palace of Fine Arts.

So even though the PPIE was not without its flaws, the descendants of those millions of

“T he Panama-Pacific [expo] represents, in a mysterious way, a kind of reimagining, a rc h e t y p a l p ro j e c t i o n o n the par t of San Francisco of its identity as a city. ” –Kevin Starr people have grown up with the souvenirs and the tales of the wondrous 288 days that were the PPIE, which really make it an essential part of the fabric of the region and the state.

HARTIG: That was beautifully said. I love the Department of Exploitation. Nomenclature matters then and now. Jim, share with us please.

JAMES GANZ: Art was such an essential component of this exposition. It was really

incredible how much art was in San Francisco. Now San Francisco had a very strong and solid art world going back to the 19th century. Then as now, many artists were attracted to this beautiful region, which also was a real city with wealth, with collectors and galleries. Of course all of this was disrupted seriously in 1906. But from the very beginning, organizers of the Panama-Pacific Exposition meant for art to be a very essential component to this exposition.

So in 1911, when San Francisco was identified officially as the organizing city for the next World’s Fair, right off the bat, a man named Robert Hartsch, a graphic artist and a professor at Stanford, was put in the position of temporary head of fine arts.

He immediately went out across the United States and started meeting with some of the great industrialist collectors of the time and also some of the art institutions. Within a few months, he came back with promises to lend significant works of art to San Francisco.

In fact, most of the works of art that were promised in 1911 never made it, but a few of them did.

But the point is that art was going to be very important to this fair. The papers reported on all of this. There were more than 11,000 works of art in the Palace of Fine Arts. Imagine what that was like. If you take into consideration the art that was included in the foreign pavilions and the state pavilions and the education and liberal arts pavilions, I would estimate that there were more than 20,000 works of art here. They came from all over the world, particularly all over the United States.

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Looking at the cultural landscape of San Francisco and how it grew in those early years, I find it especially interesting. In 1915, if you looked up museums in the CrockerLangley directory, the phonebook for San Francisco, it was pretty pathetic. There was the Memorial Museum in Golden Gate Park.

This was leftover from the 1894 midwinter fair that was actually rather an important little museum. It was kind of like San Francisco’s attic. It had a little bit of everything, a little bit of art too, but mostly everything else but art. The California Academy of Sciences was under construction. I think the Department of Mining and Metallurgy had a little gallery of minerals in the Ferry Building. That was pretty much it for museums.

When this exposition ended, a decision was made by the San Francisco Art Association to try to keep the Palace of Fine Arts and operate it as a museum for San Francisco, and that’s exactly what they did. The Palace of Fine Arts reopened as a museum and it functioned that way until about 1924. Now of course we all know about Alma Spreckels and the story of the Legion of Honor, our building up in Lincoln Park, the beautiful Legion of Honor.

That was based on the Legion of Honor model in Paris, which was also the model for the French Pavilion in the PPIE. Alma, who had lent her Rodins to the PPIE, eventually donated them to the city, as she donated this new institution that would open in 1924.

Finally, I would mention the Memorial Museum itself. This was an institution that actually became much larger after the Panama-Pacific Exposition and grew to become quite an important art museum for the city of San Francisco in the wake of the PPIE. The first director of the PPIE [fine arts] became the director of the Oakland Museum after the Panama-Pacific Exposition ended and was responsible for opening the Oakland Art Gallery early in 1916, too. So the legacy for arts institutions was very important, and San Francisco’s identity for a center of art on the West Coast really comes out of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition.

LORI FOGARTY: I want to echo a lot of these comments about the importance and the continued legacy of the PPIE, certainly the idea of this city rising up out of the rubble of the 1906 earthquake and the sense of rebirth, the sense of can-do American attitude, the technological innovation and

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of course the artwork and many artists, not just with the PPIE but responding to the earthquake and being a part of the rebuilding of San Francisco.

But I want to mention another facet, which is that the Panama-Pacific International Exposition was, as Laura said, celebrating the opening of the Panama Canal; but it was also about reimagining America’s and particularly California’s relationship with the Pacific, and of course, in a very different way than what we would likely do today. It was a very colonial attitude. It placed California and San Francisco as the epicenter of Pacific trade and the opportunity for expansionism and future opportunities in the Pacific.

California, of course, has had a very long relationship with the Pacific. So it was an interesting way to think about what is our future relationship with the Pacific. In ad-

“T he organizers of the art exhibition, aware that the situation was getting worse abroad, overcompensated and let in more American art than they probably should have.”

–James Ganz dition to all of the wonderful features and artwork and pavilions, of course there was a Japanese Pavilion; there was a Chinese Pavilion; there was a Samoan Village; there was an exhibit devoted to Hawaiian culture and music; there was a New Zealand Pavilion.

For many Californians and for many visitors to the PPIE, it was, for better and for worse, their first exposure to Pacific Island cultures and really understanding these islands, some of which had become territories of the United States, like the Philippines and Hawaii. I think it opened people’s eyes to what the future of California’s relationship with the Pacific could be. I think it has a continuing impact, because we’re still considering that today. We’re still thinking about what it means for California to be the Western edge of European-American expansion and Manifest Destiny, but actually the

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Eastern edge of the Pacific and our relationship with the Pacific. So I think there’s a very important context globally for us to consider with the PPIE as well.

HARTIG: The inspiration of sadness and melancholy as Maybeck’s keynote for the Palace of Fine Arts – was this a historical transition from the Victorian [to] the Jazz Age? STARR: We also have to remember that with the earthquake, we didn’t manage the fighting of the fire very well in San Francisco. There was a lot of destruction that could have been avoided. The sadness was because of the fact that the city was lost, the great city that was created the first 50 years.

But at the same time, the fair itself, in terms of its arrangement of avenues and squares, comes out of the City Beautiful Movement as a quality of the Burnham Plan. In 1905, the Committee for the Adornment and Beautification of San Francisco produced the Burnham Plan, which was one of the vehicles for a city envisioning itself.

So the Burnham Plan was adopted as the model for the fair while, at the same time, the Stockton Street Tunnel was being built.

Within the same period, the Twin Peaks Tunnel was being built, the Great Highway was being built. There were aspects of the Burnham Plan being implemented in the real world.

ACKLEY: From an architectural standpoint, Maybeck was highly inspired by Giovanni Battista Piranesi, who was very fond of making etchings of imperial Roman ruins.

[Maybeck] felt that he wanted to evoke this feeling in the Palace of Fine Arts, an aura of melancholy. He deliberately placed this rotunda and the colonnades and the weeping women whom the guards were told to tell visitors were weeping over the sadness of art.

This was to provide a moment, a respite, a moment of quiet and introspection and thoughtfulness when going from the loud machinery of the exhibit palaces and all of the amazing, rich goods crammed into them, into the artistic spaces. So whether or not we could equate that [with] a transition from the Victorian to the Jazz Age, which I think arguably is more chaotic, I don’t know. But Maybeck did mean it to be a transitional melancholy space.

HARTIG: The “war to end all wars” broke out in August of 1914. How did that interrupt the fair?

STARR: I think there was a very high level of

military awareness in the San Francisco Bay Area right from the beginning, from Mare Island [Naval Shipyard] to the conquests of California in 1846 through the military. Also, California played a major role [in] the establishment of the Pacific Fleet. Admiral Robley Evans brought the Great White Fleet into San Francisco. That was an extraordinary, powerful moment of consolidating ambition for the fairs. Then, at the fair itself, the Marines demonstrated landing on the beaches. There was a … psychic relationship to the military that’s increasingly going to grow. I think you see that in both the San Francisco and the San Diego fair as well, in which the military played a really important role.

ACKLEY: The war broke out in 1914, but of course the United States did not enter it until 1917. The fair was supposed to open up in the next six months, and even though the director of exhibits had deliberately overbooked the exhibit halls, exhibitors started canceling in droves and about 20 percent of exhibit halls were going to be empty. Suddenly they had to redouble their efforts to fill their halls.

Also there had been a number of international events that had to be cancelled or curtailed: an international polo tournament, an around-the-world air race – which was probably a very, very bad idea to start out with – and a military tournament. That didn’t happen because people were actually killing each other. So they called Charles C. Moore, the president of the fair, at his country house in Santa Cruz; they got him as he was entertaining the Argentinian Commission, and they said, “We hear there’s a war in Europe.

Are you canceling the fair?” He had to say with no opportunity to consult with anyone, “The exposition will not be postponed.”

They call it the turn of the helm that saved the ship, because even though 1915 turned out to be probably a terrible year to hold a fair, the next year would have been worse and [the year after that when] we were in the war. As [the fair] ended up being profitable and they did refill the space to almost 100 percent capacity, 1915 was the better of the [possible] years.

There were many, many influences of the war that you could see all over. For instance, one of the attractions was an electromechanical recreation of famous naval battles, and it started out being called “the evolution of the dreadknot” and then, when it didn’t do very well, they re-themed it and called it “the

world’s wars” and it featured the sinking of the Lusitania. You could feel it everywhere: in the musicians who were able to come, in the attractions, in the way people treated each other. The exposition orchestra had to sign a contract that said “we will not discuss politics.”

GANZ: [The war] had an enormous influence on the art. For one thing, the organizers of the art exhibition, aware that the situation was getting worse abroad, overcompensated and they let in more American art than they probably should have, because in the end they actually did get a lot of European art and this caused this huge problem: too much art, not enough walls.

The German school was very important, and the organizers had worked very hard; they were going to get 300 German paintings. Of course, this didn’t happen, but as luck would have it, there was an exhibition of about 40 German paintings that happened to be in Pittsburgh in 1914. This was on its way back to Germany just when war was declared. The ship was taken by the British. Everything ended up in court and they wound up sending it all back to Pittsburgh. Fortunately, Pittsburgh was sending a lot of work to the PPIE, so we ended up with some German paintings after all. The artists won medals. They didn’t even know that their work was in the fair in San Francisco.

On the other end, it caused a huge problem in terms of returning some of this work. So the German work, fortunately, for the sake of San Francisco, went back to Pittsburgh and they had to deal with that problem. In San Francisco, we had Austrian art, we had Hungarian art, we had Finnish art. All of this got stranded here.

So the Kokoschkas, for example, they were in San Francisco until 1923, 1924. Most of them on view at the Palace of Fine Arts. It’s kind of amazing to think that some of this avant-garde European art stayed here and was actually on view for a really long time.

FOGARTY: I think lender relationships were very different then, because we actually have in our collection – maybe I shouldn’t say this publicly – a sled from Admiral Perry’s exhibition that was lent by the Smithsonian and we still have it. I don’t think they discovered they were missing it.

It’s much harder, I’m sure, to borrow these paintings now than in 1915.

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INSIGHT

D R . G LO R I A C . D U F F Y P R E S I D E N T & C E O

Giving Asylum to the Chronically Mentally Ill?

A

couple of miles from our system of handling psychiatric patients is “ethically unacceptable and home in Santa Clara, the financially costly” and should be fundamentally changed. Among sprawling campus of the their conclusions is that “the way forward includes a return to psyformer Agnews mental institution chiatric asylums” that would be safe, modern, financially prudent and now houses Oracle Corporation humane. In other words, they say, we should return the concept of and the upscale Rivermark Village an asylum to its true meaning as a place of refuge. housing and retail development.

This controversial proposition was endorsed by psychiatrist Agnews, which opened in 1885 as Christine Montross, in The New York Times in February. She an “insane asylum,” was less preju- noted the many cases of severely mentally ill people being either dicially known as a “center for the hospitalized or incarcerated, and acidly observed that “Both suffer developmentally disabled” by the in inappropriate facilities while we pat ourselves on the back for time it closed in 1972. closing the asylums in favor of community care.”

A few miles in another direction, The Penn ethicists’ proposal deserves serious consideration and Photo courtesy of Gloria Duffy several thousand homeless individu- debate. It is clear that the current system is untenable. The dominant als, many of them suffering from severe mental illness, camp along viewpoint since the 1970s has been that the severely mentally ill the Guadalupe River and Coyote Creek and squat on the streets of should be better supported and integrated within the community. downtown San Jose. Santa Clara County has the fifth largest homeless But over the past 40 years, our society has not shown the ability to do population in the United States. This situation is replicated in urban that. The legal and policing systems are still not equipped to handle areas around California and across the country, with over 600,000 mental illness, and there are not good alternatives for ensuring that homeless nationally. the mentally ill get the care they need.

Many of these homeless people would It would be a challenge to create new otherwise be psychiatric patients. Forty years alf of all prison inmates asylums that draw the best from our society’s ago, some of them would have been housed capabilities, rather than reflecting the dark in residential institutions such as Agnews. have a mental illness or qualities depicted in One Flew Over the In the early 1970s, there was a movement Cuckoo’s Nest. To begin with, how would inin California to close down mental asylums. substance abuse disorder. dividuals come to be placed in such asylums?

Some of the motivations for closing them The process of commitment has always been were laudable, such as preventing abuse in fraught with civil rights dangers. How would institutional settings, taking advantage of new psychopharmaceuticals such institutions be funded? Who would staff them and how would and integrating the mentally disabled better into the community. training and management ensure humane care? How could modern Other agendas were simply financial – to reduce county and state psychopharmacology and neuromedicine be applied? How could such budget outlays. institutions be structured to perhaps have different levels of instituRecently, a group of bioethicisits at the University of Pennsyl- tionalization, from semi-independent living to more comprehensive vania observed in the Journal of the American Medical Association care? How could they be made into places where people wanted to that the closure of the mental institutions resulted in some patients be, because their lives would be better than on their own? with chronic psychiatric diseases being moved to nursing homes or I believe all these questions have answers. Living along a stream hospitals. Others, they noted, became homeless, utilizing hospital bed, scrounging for food, using the emergency room for medical care emergency departments for both care and housing. But, the ethi- and sometimes committing violent crimes are not viable or humane cists wrote, “most disturbingly, U.S. jails and prisons have become alternatives for mentally ill individuals or for our society. the nation’s largest mental health care facilities. Half of all inmates Leaving the mentally ill to fend for themselves is certainly not finanhave a mental illness or substance abuse disorder; 15 percent of state cially prudent. The HUD secretary estimates that each homeless person inmates are diagnosed with a psychotic disorder.” costs $40,000 per year to be on the streets, or $24 billion overall. The According to the authors, who include former White House illogical expectation that the chronically mentally ill will take care of medical advisor Dr. Ezekiel Emmanuel, “this results in a vicious themselves creates much more cost for our public safety, law enforcecycle whereby mentally ill patients move between crisis hospitaliza- ment, the medical system, the environment where homeless encamption, homelessness and incarceration.” They call this a system of ments take over parks and streamsheds and for other social services than “transinstitutionalization.” The Penn ethicists argue that the current it would cost to provide them with appropriate institutional care.

“H

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JU NE/JU LY 2015

.

Argentina November 6–15, 2015

Art • Wine • Tango • The Andes Study Leader Peter H. Smith is Distinguished Professor of Political Science and Simón Bolívar Professor of Latin American Studies at the University of California, San Diego.

He is a specialist on comparative politics, Latin American politics, and U.S.-Latin American relations.

A magna cum laude graduate of Harvard College, Mr. Smith received his Ph.D. from Columbia University. He has served in faculty positions at Dartmouth College, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and MIT. He has held visiting appointments at the Universidad de San Andrés (Buenos Aires), El Colegio de México, the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, the Universidade de São Paulo, and the Universidad de Alcalá de Henares and the Instituto Ortega y Gasset in Spain.

A prolific author, Professor Smith has written Politics and Beef in Argentina: Patterns of Conflict and Change and Argentina and the Failure of Democracy: Conflict among Political Elites. He has published major works on Mexican politics, U.S.-Latin American relations, and processes of democratization in Latin America. He has written numerous articles and book chapters, and he has co-authored Modern Latin America, now in its eighth edition and the most prominent classroom text in its field. For several years Peter also served as moderator for a UCSD-TV television talk show about Latin America and its relationship with the United States.

Commonwealth Club Travel CST: 2096889-40

Highlights

• • • • • • • •

Explore the art, architecture and unique neighborhoods of Buenos Aires - Recoleta, La Boca and San Telmo - and tour the Colón Opera House.

Enjoy a day at a private estancia in the pampas and savor a typical Argentine barbecue.

Discover the heart of the wine district, Mendoza, and learn first-hand about Malbec, Tempranillo, and Torrontes from vineyard owners.

Experience a tango lesson and one of the country’s famously colorful tango shows.

Participate in a cooking lesson of regional specialties.

Learn about the fascinating history and politics of Argentina during lectures and discussions with study leader Peter Smith.

Stay in beautiful accommodations, dine at top restaurants and meet winemakers and chefs.

Extend your trip with optional extensions to Bariloche and Iguazu Falls.

Cost: $6,795 per person, double occupany

Detailed brochure available at: commonwealthclub.org/travel Contact: (415) 597-6720 • travel@commonwealthclub.org

The Commonwealth Club of California 555 Post Street San Francisco, CA 94102

Purchase event tickets at commonwealthclub.org or call (415) 597-6705

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PROGRAMS YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS Wednesday, June 3

Sunday, June 7

Mark Bittman

Judy Blume

Author, A Bone to Pick; Food Columnist, The New York Times

Author

One of the most impassioned and opinionated observers of the food landscape in the United States, Bittman routinely criticizes the staggering shortfalls of the American food system and the forces that regulate it, making us think twice about how the food we eat is produced, distributed and cooked. Join Bittman for a discussion on the complexities of the American food system, his ideas about how we can improve upon these issues, and the impact that diet can have on our own health and that of the planet.

for event details, see page 19

Blume — prolific, controversial, beloved — is a literary iconoclast whose novels have been among the first to discuss teen sex, masturbation, menstruation and divorce. For three generations of pre-teen girls, Blume’s books have answered the most intimate questions of love, loss, and growing up. Judy Blume will discuss her latest book, her career spanning nearly five decades of writing, children empowerment, and her favorite stories about the young and young at heart.

for event details, see page 20

Tuesday, June 23

Tuesday, July 28

Peter Coyote

Gary Hart

Actor; Activist; Author, The Rainman’s Third Cure: An Irregular Education

U.S. Special Envoy for Northern Ireland; Former U.S. Senator; Author, The Republic of Conscience

Coyote’s new spiritual biography details a life that has taken him from privileged halls of power to Greenwich Village jazz bars, to jail, to the White House, to government service, and finally to international success on stage and screen. Through Zen, Coyote says he discovered an alternative to status seeking and material wealth. Come hear first-hand his amazing journey and its lessons for all of us.

Former Senator Gary Hart will discuss the growing gap between the founding principles of the United States Constitution and our current political landscape. He tackles major American institutions – the military, the CIA, Congress – and outlines how these establishments may have led the country away from its founding principles, not closer to them.

for event details, see page 27

for event details, see page 33