Upcoming Events
Fri 1/25
Clean Clothes
Date: Fri, January 25, 2013Time: 12:00 PM
Clean Clothes
Casey Sheahan, CEO, Patagonia
Chip Bergh, CEO, Levi’s
From organic cotton to recycled zippers, clothing brands are trying to establish their green credentials with consumers who care about the health of their bodies and the planet. What lies ahead for product labeling and making the $200 billion U.S. clothing industry more sustainable? Are efforts encouraging consumers to wash their clothes less a smart move or a retailer dodge? Do U.S. brands really monitor their factories in China? Join a conversation with leaders in the effort to run companies that make durable and responsible products.
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 11:30 a.m. check-in, noon program, 1 p.m. networking reception
Cost: $20 standard, MEMBERS FREE, $7 students
Mon 1/28
Justice Sonia Sotomayor
Date: Mon, January 28, 2013Time: 12:00 PM
Sonia Sotomayor
Regular seating tickets sold out. Premium tickets still available.
Associate Justice, U.S. Supreme Court; Author, My Beloved World
in conversation with M. Elizabeth Magill, Dean and Richard E. Lang Professor of Law, Stanford Law School
The first Hispanic and third woman appointed to the United States Supreme Court, Sonia Sotomayor has become an instant American icon. Now, with candor and intimacy, she recounts the arc of her life from a Bronx housing project to an appointment on the nation's highest court.
Sotomayor graduated summa cum laude from Princeton in 1976 and from Yale Law School in 1979. She worked as an assistant district attorney in New York and then at the law firm of Pavia & Harcourt. From 1992 to 1998, she served as a judge of the U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, and from 1998 to 2009 on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. In May 2009, President Obama nominated her as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court; she assumed this role in August 2009.
Location: Herbst Theatre, 401 Van Ness Ave.
Time: 11 a.m. box office opens, noon program, 1 p.m. book signing
Cost: Premium (includes seating in front and copy of the book): $70 standard, $50 members. Please register through City Box Office at this link or by calling (415) 392-4400.
Also know: Underwritten by The Bernard Osher Foundation as part of the Good Lit Series.
Middle East Discussion Group
Date: Mon, January 28, 2013Time: 5:30 PM
Join fellow Club members in discussing current events in the Middle East.
Middle East Discussion Group
Make your voice heard in an enriching, provocative and fun discussion with fellow Club members as you weigh in on events shaping the face of the Middle East. 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: SF Club Office
Time: 5:30 p.m. program
Cost: FREE
Program Organizer: Celia Menczel
Jack Gallant: Reverse-Engineering the Human Brain
Date: Mon, January 28, 2013Time: 6:00 PM
Jack Gallant: Reverse-Engineering the Human Brain
Jack Gallant, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, UC Berkeley
The human brain is the most sophisticated computer system known to man, capable of impressive feats under challenging natural conditions. Reverse-engineering the brain might enable us to design artificial systems with the same capabilities. Gallant’s laboratory uses a data-driven approach to tackle this reverse-engineering problem. He will discuss how this framework could form the basis of practical new brain-reading technologies and inform development of biologically inspired computer vision systems.
MLF: Health & Medicine/Science & Technology
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 5:30 p.m. networking reception, 6 p.m. program
Cost: $20 standard, MEMBERS FREE, $7 students
Program Organizer: Daniel Trachewsky
Tue 1/29
Winning Retirement Strategies: How to Pay for Everyone Now Living Longer
Date: Tue, January 29, 2013Time: 5:15 PM
Winning Retirement Strategies: How to Pay for Everyone Now Living Longer
David Kitaen, CLTC
Mike Welch, CRPC
Conventional wisdom holds that people should begin collecting Social Security retirement benefits as soon as possible, which is age 62. But the “silver tsunami” is here, and 10,000 baby boomers are turning 65 every day and are expected to live longer than any previous generation. Welch will advise those approaching retirement age about strategies for when to begin collecting Social Security benefits to have a significant positive impact. Kitaen will address new long-term care legislation and the long-term care insurance evolution and explain how these developments can help pay the care costs for this longer-living cohort of senior citizens.
MLF: Grownups
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 4:45 p.m. networking reception, 5:15 p.m. program
Cost: $20 standard, $8 members, $7 students
Program Organizer: John Milford
Also know: In association with San Francisco Village
Generation Green
Date: Tue, January 29, 2013Time: 6:00 PM
Generation Green
Carleen Cullen, Founder and Executive Director, Cool the Earth
Rosemary Davies, Graduate, Berkeley High School’s Green Academy
Mike Haas, Founder, Alliance for Climate Education
Musical introduction and closing by Aisha Fukushima
Can the next generation save us all? The Alliance for Climate Education has trained nearly 1.5 million high school students around the country on how to reduce their own carbon footprint and engage others to do the same. Cool the Earth has worked with 446 schools in 22 states getting youth to take specific actions at home that reduce their carbon impact in a measurable way. Davies was one of 40 high school youths from around the world who traveled to the Arctic in 2012 for a transformative experience learning about climate and culture. Come join a conversation about how youth can build a better future, starting now.
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 5:30 p.m. check-in, 6 p.m. program, 7 p.m. networking reception
Cost: $20 standard, $12 members, $7 students
Also know: Photo by Lee Narraway
Wed 1/30
Iran: Is There Still Time For A Diplomatic Solution?
Date: Wed, January 30, 2013Time: 12:00 PM
Iran: Is there still time for a diplomatic solution?
Ambassador William H. Luers, Director, The Iran Project; Former U.S. Ambassador to Czechoslovakia and Venezuela; Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Europe
Ambassador James Dobbins, Director, RAND International Security and Defense Policy Center; Former Assistant Secretary of State for Europe; Former Clinton and George W. Bush Administration Special Envoy to Afghanistan, Kosovo, Bosnia, Haiti and Somalia.
Lieutenant General Frank Kearney (Ret.), Former Deputy Director, Strategic Operational Planning, National Counter-Terrorism Center; Former Deputy Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command
Philip Yun, Executive Director, Ploughshares Fund – Moderator
Former U.S. ambassadors Luers and Dobbins, along with Lieutenant General Kearney, all members of The Iran Project, will provide unique insight into the prospects of reaching a diplomatic solution with Iran regarding its nuclear program, especially in this time of renewed negotiations and a belief on the part of the Obama administration that there is still time for a political solution. Drawing from decades of experience working with both Iranian and U.S. officials, The Iran Project recently released the second of three reports, “Weighing Benefits and Costs of International Sanctions Against Iran.” The first report, “Weighing Benefits and Costs of Military Action Against Iran,” was released earlier this fall; the third is anticipated early in 2013. These reports present objective, nonpartisan, fact-based analyses designed to serve as a basis for an informed public discussion and have received prominent coverage. The Iran Project is composed of seven core members and an impressive and unprecedented list of 50 "validators," including military leaders, national security and foreign-policy experts, and former officials, who are working together to bring a nonpartisan perspective to this critical issue.
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 11:30 a.m. check-in, noon program
Cost: $20 standard, $12 members, $7 students (with valid ID)
Also know: In association with Ploughshares Fund
SV Reads 2013: Invisible Wounds of War with Brian Castner and Sue Diaz
Date: Wed, January 30, 2013Time: 7:30 PM
2013 Silicon Valley Reads: One Book. One Community. Kick-Off Event
Brian Castner, Author, The Long Walk: A Story of War and the Life That Follows
Sue Diaz, Author, Minefields of the Heart: A Mother’s Stories of a Son at War
In conversation with Mike Cassidy, Columnist, San Jose Mercury News
This year’s selections include two memoirs that deal with the invisible wounds of war. The two authors – a soldier and a soldier’s mother – come together to share their personal stories and discuss what happens when soldiers return home from war and must deal with the challenges of readjusting back to civilian life. Castner served three tours of duty in the Middle East and was commander of an explosive ordinance disposal unit in Iraq. Diaz has documented the emotional rollercoaster she experienced during her son’s deployment.
Location: Campbell Heritage Theatre, 1 W. Campbell Ave., Campbell
Time: 7 p.m. doors open, 7:30 p.m. program, 8:30 p.m. book signing
Cost: FREE
Also know: In assocation with the Santa Clara County Office of Education, Santa Clara County Library and San Jose Public Library Foundation
Thu 1/31
Adventures in Cross-Cultural Etiquette: How to Avoid Faux Pas in Social and Business Situations
Date: Thu, January 31, 2013Time: 6:00 PM
Adventures in Cross-Cultural Etiquette: How to Avoid Faux Pas in Social and Business Situations
Syndi Seid, Founder, Advanced Etiquette
Come gain tips on how to feel confident meeting anyone from anywhere in the world – advice that can help you win friends, influence people and close deals. Seid is a world-leading expert on international business and social etiquette and protocol. She travels the world to present her unique learning experiences that offer her audiences new skills they can put into action immediately.
MLF: International Relations
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 5:30 p.m. networking reception, 6 p.m. program
Cost: $20 standard, $8 members, $7 students (with valid ID)
Program Organizer: Norma Walden
Also know: In association with the Northern California Peace Corps Association
Fri 2/1
When Harry Met Sal: Rob Reiner on Marriage Equality, Political Activism, and a Life in Hollywood
Date: Fri, February 01, 2013Time: 12:00 PM
When Harry Met Sal: Rob Reiner on Marriage Equality, Political Activism, and a Life in Hollywood
Film Director, This Is Spinal Tap, Stand by Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally..., A Few Good Men, Misery, The American President, Ghosts of Mississippi, The Bucket List; Actor; Screenwriter; Producer; Executive, Castle Rock Entertainment; Political Activist
In conversation with Dan Ashley, News Anchor, ABC 7 TV; Member, Commonwealth Club Board of Governors
From his starring role as Meathead on the popular 1970s sitcom "All in the Family" to his blockbuster films The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally and A Few Good Men, Reiner has been entertaining audiences for decades with his singular humor and artistic vision. As a director, he’s worked with A-list actors Jack Nicholson, Tom Cruise, and Kathy Bates, as well as celebrated writers Nora Ephron and Aaron Sorkin. Son of comedic genius Carl Reiner, he grew up in a political family where civil rights were a frequent topic around the kitchen table. A Hollywood legend and political activist, Reiner joins us to talk politics around our proverbial table. In light of the Supreme Court’s recent decision to hear challenges to both Proposition 8 and DOMA, Reiner will discuss his views on the future of marriage equality, his involvement in other political causes, and his incredible contributions to the entertainment industry.
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 11:15 a.m. check-in and light hors d'oeuvres, noon program
Cost: $25 standard, $15 members; Premium (seating in first few rows) $45 standard, $30 members
Mon 2/4
Book Discussion: Consuelo by George Sand
Date: Mon, February 04, 2013Time: 5:30 PM
Consuelo
George Sand, famous for her many lovers, wrote more than 60 novels during her career. Written in 1842, Consuelo portrays the triumph of moral purity over manifold temptations. This Romantic novel of the musical life of a gypsy singer is noted for its rich depiction of Venice. The characters in Sand’s novels are enthusiastic and outspoken, with a bold manifesto of women's independence and a legitimate claim to emotional and sexual fulfillment. The title character is modeled on a well-known soprano of that age, Pauline Viardot. If you encounter the serialized volumes entitled “Consuelo,” the story we are reading is Volume I.
MLF: SF Book Discussion
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 5:30 p.m. program
Cost: $5 standard, MEMBERS FREE
Program Organizers: Barbara Massey and Howard Crane
Driving Growth
Date: Mon, February 04, 2013Time: 6:00 PM
Driving Growth
Fred Krupp, President, Environmental Defense Fund
Rhonda Zygocki, Vice President of Policy and Planning, Chevron
A flood of natural gas released by hydraulic fracturing is turning energy markets upside down. How will that affect the way the country powers its economy and moves around people and goods? Many countries are investing in clean fuels and putting a price on carbon emissions. Will the United States also start to price fuels to include their full costs? How will that impact the economy? Join us for a broad conversation with leaders of one of the country’s biggest energy companies and one of the world’s largest environmental organizations.
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 5:30 p.m. check-in, 6 p.m. program, 7 p.m. networking reception
Cost: $20 standard, MEMBERS FREE, $7 students (with valid ID)
Tue 2/5
Solar Flares
Date: Tue, February 05, 2013Time: 6:00 PM
Solar Flares
Lynn Jurich, President and Co-founder, Sunrun
Danny Kennedy, President and Founder, Sungevity
Marco Krapels, Executive Vice President, Rabobank
Lyndon Rive, Co-founder and CEO, SolarCity
Through all the growing pains and political attacks, the U.S. solar industry is still moving ahead. Costs are down, new financing models are removing capital barriers for residential and commercial buyers, and sun energy is no longer just for hippies. What is the solar forecast for 2013? How will the trade spat with China impact the sector? The glut of cheap natural gas promises to undercut renewable energy, yet at the same time it can be a ready complement for when the sun is not shining and the wind isn’t blowing. Join us for a spin around the sun.
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 5:30 p.m. check-in, 6 p.m. program, 7 p.m. networking reception
Cost: $20 standard, $12 members, $7 students (with valid ID)
Also know: Underwritten by Orrick
Leonard Susskind: The Theoretical Minimum - What You Need to Know to Start Doing Physics
Date: Tue, February 05, 2013Time: 6:00 PM
Leonard Susskind: The Theoretical Minimum – What You Need to Know to Start Doing Physics
Felix Bloch Professor in Theoretical Physics, Stanford University; Director, Stanford Institute for Theoretical Physics
Ever wish you knew more about physics? Want to know how to think like a physicist? Here is your chance. Come listen to world-class physicist Susskind, a father of string theory, to discuss the Theoretical Minimum – an alternative to the conventional go-to-college method. Susskind will discuss what you need to know to start doing physics and provide a tool kit for amateur scientists to learn physics at their own pace.
MLF: Science & Technology
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 5:30 p.m. networking, 6 p.m. program, 7 p.m. book signing
Cost: $20 standard, $8 members, $7 students
Program Organizers: Chisako Ress and Earl Ruby
Also know: Photo by Anne Warren
The Art of Pairing Chocolate
Date: Tue, February 05, 2013Time: 6:30 PM
The Art of Pairing Chocolate
Chocolate has always been a perfect match for wine, but did you know the bold, intense flavors often pair wonderfully with other beverages like tequila and beer? Chocolate curator Sunita de Tourreil will introduce us to unique flavor pairings that will surprise and delight your taste buds. Pairings include decadent chocolate blends of the world’s finest cacao beans, created by the best “bean to bar” artisan makers in the U.S. exclusively for The Chocolate Garage.
Location: The Chocolate Garage, 654 Gilman Street, Palo Alto
Time: 6:15 p.m. check-in, 6:30-8 p.m. program/chocolate pairing
Cost: $45 standard, $40 members
Also know: Advance reservations are required as space is limited. Attendees must be 21+.
Thu 2/7
Nob Hill Walking Tour #3
Date: Thu, February 07, 2013Time: 2:00 PM
Nob Hill Walking Tour
Note new meeting location!
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. This included prominent tycoons such as Leland Stanford, and other members of the Big Four. Highlights include the history of four landmark hotels: The Fairmont, Mark Hopkins, Stanford Court, and Huntington Hotel. Visit the city’s largest house of worship, Grace Cathedral, and discover architectural tidbits and anecdotes about the railroad barons and silver kings. A true San Francisco experience of elegance, urbanity, scandals and fabulous views.
Location: Meet in front of the Fairmont Hotel's Caffe Centro, 801 Powell St. (at California St.)
Time: 1:45 p.m. check-in, 2– 4:30 p.m. tour
Cost: $45 standard, $35 members
Also know: Limited to 20. Must pre-register. Tour operates rain or shine.
New Member Open House
Date: Thu, February 07, 2013Time: 5:30 PM
New Member Open House
Are you new to the Club? Just want to explore and check it out? Come take a peek, meet other members and staff and learn about all The Commonwealth Club offers. Experience firsthand how The Commonwealth Club has become the nation’s leading public forum. Bring a friend and explore the Club together!
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 5:30–7 p.m. with brief remarks at 6 p.m.
Cost: FREE (with reservation)
Fri 2/8
Week to Week 2/8/13
Date: Fri, February 08, 2013Time: 12:00 PM
Week to Week
Gina Baleria, Assistant News and Social Media Director, KGO; Lecturer, Beginning Radio and Multimedia Content Delivery, San Francisco State University
Debra J. Saunders, Columnist, San Francisco Chronicle; "Token Conservative" Blogger, SFGate.com
John Zipperer, Vice President, Media & Editorial, The Commonwealth Club of California -- Host
Additional panelists TBA
Our political discussion series returns in the new year to help try to make sense of the new Congress, Obama's second term, and all of the local, state and national issues that have the world vexed. Come enjoy the company of other informed citizens as our panel discusses (and occasionally disses) the current affairs. Throw in our popular news quiz, and you've got a program that's intelligent, informative and fun.
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 11:30 a.m. check-in, noon program
Cost: $10 standard, MEMBERS FREE, $7 students (with valid ID)
Mon 2/11
Fred Coleman: The Marcel Network - Saving Children from the Holocaust
Date: Mon, February 11, 2013Time: 12:00 PM
The Marcel Network: Saving Children from the Holocaust
Fred Coleman, Former Paris Bureau Chief, Newsweek; Author, The Marcel Network
Coleman presents an inspiring story of adventure, betrayal, imprisonment and survival. He’ll discuss the true story of a young couple in Nazi-occupied France who risked their lives against overwhelming odds to save 527 children from the gas chambers. An example of what only two people can accomplish in the face of crimes against humanity, their story is a lesson for today’s world.
MLF: Business & Leadership
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 11:30 a.m. check-in, noon program, 1 p.m. book signing
Cost: $20 standard, MEMBERS FREE, $7 students (with valid ID)
Program Organizer: Kevin O’Malley
