[act-ma] Energy (and Other) Events
George Mokray
gmoke at world.std.com
Sun Jun 12 12:22:16 PDT 2011
Energy (and Other) Events is a weekly mailing list published most
Sundays covering events around the Cambridge, MA and greater Boston
area that catch the editor's eye.
Hubevents http://hubevents.blogspot.com is the web version.
If you wish to subscribe or unsubscribe to Energy (and Other) Events
email gmoke at world.std.com
My notes from three recent presentations on the Arab Spring are at http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/05/13/975618/-Notes-on-the-Arab-Spring
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Monday, June 13, 2011
300 of the world's best design theses on view at SA+P: Archiprix
Time: 9:00a–8:00p
Location: MIT 7-431, On the 4th floor above Lobby 7, at 77
Massachussets Avenue
A major exhibit on view throughout the summer at the School of
Architecture + Planning is presenting 300 of the world's best thesis
projects in architecture, urban design and landscape architecture.
Sponsored by Archiprix International, the biennial exhibit is the
largest such presentation in the world -- more than 1,400 universities
were invited to nominate their best graduating students -- and offers
a rare opportunity for assessing current trends in design education
around the world and architecture in general.
Hosted by SA+P's Platform for Permanent Modernity, a research program
in the Department of Architecture, the exhibit opened May 30 as part
of a two-week international event that also features intensive six-day
workshops for about 100 of the students represented in the show,
conducted at MIT by prominent designers from leading architecture
schools in the United States.
Web site: http://www.archiprix.org/2011/
Open to: the general public
This event occurs daily through August 31, 2011, except May 30, 2011
and June 6, 2011.
Sponsor(s): School of Architecture and Planning, Arts at MIT
For more information, contact:
Alexander D'Hooghe
617 308 7386
adhooghe at mit.edu
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Monday, 6/13/11
1 pm
Brandeis, Lemberg 55
Special Seminar (Justice Brandeis Semester on Mobile Apps and Game
Design)
Stephen Randall (founder/CEO of Locamoda.com)
Mobile Games on Public Screens and other Innovations
Hosted by Pito Salas
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Ethnographies of Access, Ownership, and Collaboration in the Virtual
Museum
Kate Hennessy, Assistant Professor, Simon Fraser University, School of
Interactive Arts and Technology
Tuesday, June 14, 12:30 pm
Berkman Center, 23 Everett Street, second floor
RSVP required for those attending in person to Amar Ashar (ashar at cyber.law.harvard.edu
)
This event will be webcast live (http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/interactive/webcast
) at 12:30 pm ET and archived on our site shortly after.
Museums and academic institutions are rapidly digitizing their
ethnographic collections to make them accessible to the public and to
communities from which they originated. These practices both amplify
the public nature of institutional collections, and create
opportunities for re-thinking how collections should be shared online.
In (post) colonial contexts, the virtual museum is a productive
location of Aboriginal self-representation, where global heritage
policies and institutional practices interface with Aboriginal
paradigms of knowledge circulation, ethics, and control. Based on
collaboratively designed virtual museum projects with Dane-zaa and
Inuvialuit communities in Canada, I show that access to digital
collections can both facilitate the reclaiming of intellectual
property rights and copyright of cultural heritage––including the
right to restrict circulation of cultural property––and support the
design of archives and virtual exhibits on Aboriginal terms. These
projects highlight Aboriginal remediation of digital collections as
alternative modes of thinking about the design and activation of
networked technologies in diverse cultural and institutional contexts.
About Kate
Kate Hennessy is an Assistant Professor specializing in Media at Simon
Fraser University’s School of Interactive Arts and Technology (SIAT).
She has a PhD in Anthropology from the University of British Columbia
and an MA in the Anthropology of Media from the University of London,
School of Oriental and African Studies. As the director of the Making
Culture Lab at SIAT, her research explores the role of digital
technology in the documentation and safeguarding of cultural heritage,
and in the mediation of culture, history, objects, and subjects in new
forms. She is a founding member of Ethnographic Terminalia, an
international collective exploring the borders of anthropological,
curatorial, and artistic practice (http://ethnographicterminalia.org).
She was a Trudeau Foundation Scholar from 2006-2010, Social Sciences
and Humanities Research Council of Canada Graduate Scholar from
2005-2009, a Canadian Polar Commission Scholar in 2006-2007, and a
Commonwealth Scholar in 2001-2002.
Website: http://hennessy.iat.sfu.ca
Links
• http://www.siat.sfu.ca/faculty/Kate-Hennessy/
• Kate Hennessy’s dissertation Repatriation, Digital Technology and
Culture in a Northern Athapaskan Community(2010) is available at: https://circle.ubc.ca/handle/2429/27055
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Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Clean Energy Innovation Reception
Speaker: Governor Jennifer Granholm
Time: 5:30p–7:30p
Location: MIT E14-674, Media Lab, 6th Floor, Corner of Ames and Amherst
Join local academic, industry, and government leaders in clean energy
technology and innovation to meet and discuss clean energy
opportunities for Massachusetts
with the Honorable Jennifer M. Granholm, Former Governor of Michigan
from 2002-2010
Governor Jennifer M. Granholm, who recently joined The Pew Charitable
Trusts? Clean Energy Program, is travelling to Massachusetts to
promote the importance of clean energy innovation and favorable public
policy as an engine to grow our state and national economies and
create jobs. Governor Granholm brings first-hand experience to the
national discussion. During her two terms as governor, she worked to
revitalize one of the country?s most challenged state economies,
partly through attracting clean energy jobs and businesses to
Michigan. The Governor looks forward to the opportunity to engage in
an open dialogue about how we can grow our clean energy economy in
Massachusetts and encourage research, development, and innovation.
This is a free event. Please RSVP to: laurie at 1620associates.com or
508-479-8034
Web site: http://globalchange.mit.edu/news/event-item.php?id=411
Open to: the general public
Cost: Free
Sponsor(s): Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change,
MIT Energy Initiative, Pew Charitable Trusts
For more information, contact:
Laurie Curtis
508-479-8034
laurie at 1620associates.com
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Make Your Ideas a Reality: Creating Mobile Games with Max, Maya & Unity
Tuesday, June 14, 2011 from 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM (ET)
Boston, MA
Event Details
Join us for a great evening on Tuesday, June 14th at Bunker Hill
Community College.
Carl Callewaert, Unity Evangelist and developer of Autodesk’s game
creation curriculum for Maya, Max and Unity, will present the most
productive workflow for Maya and Max with Unity. After an in-depth
look at Unity, Carl will demo how to make a game and build it for the
web, iOS and Android platforms.
Defective Studios will be in the house, presenting their Unity-based
world-builder, Platformer, working with their Maya plug-in for full
modeling of terrain, and the ease in which it lets you move back and
forth between Maya and Unity.
There will be some refreshments and networking during check-in, from 6
- 6:30.
This is a free event, sponsored by Great Eastern Technology.
Register at http://greateasternunity.eventbrite.com/
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Tuesday, June 14
Evening Schedule:
6:30-7
Networking & Socializing over Tea, Coffee, Drinks, Food; Joining
BostonCHI
7-8:30
Meeting
8:30-9
Dessert! ... And more Networking & Socializing
Play Control
Matt Boch, Harmonix Music
IBM Center for Social Software
1 Rogers Street
Cambridge, MA
Please register at http://www.eventbrite.com/event/800885470/eorg if
you plan to attend. While not required, it helps us and our hosts
estimate how much seating and refreshments to provide. All BostonCHI
meetings are free and open to the public, although we'd appreciate it
if you joined. Annual membership is only $15 / year and helps support
our great speaker series.
Abstract:
Over the past few years of console gaming we've witnessed a rise in
unique input/output devices. Generic controllers have given way to an
incredible diversity: motion wands, voice based interfaces, camera-
based controllers, touch screens, plastic instruments and even real
guitars. What are the various affordances of these new peripherals and
how have designers utilized them to create revolutionary gameplay
experiences? What parallels can be drawn to similar historic moments
in gaming? This presentation will explore the history of console game
controllers, from Atari joysticks to Kinect for Xbox360, and, through
case studies of specific games, offer key insights into how peripheral
design has shaped gameplay over the past four decades.
Bio:
Matt Boch is currently Senior Designer at Harmonix Music Systems,
guiding the direction of some of Harmonix's premier titles. Matt began
at Harmonix four years ago, with a Visual and Environmental Studies
degree from Harvard University. From 2007-2010, he worked as a
hardware designer, developing the look and feel of Rock Band's iconic
set of instruments. Matt transitioned to the game design world when
Harmonix began work on Dance Central, where he was able to utilize his
love for both music and dance. In his spare time, Matt is the lead
singer for the Main Drag, a VJ and video artist, and makes video game
remixes through his music project, AniGif.
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Dorkbot Boston will have it’s monthly meeting next week on
Tuesday,June 14th.
The special guest speaker will be good friend Alex Reben. He’ll
discuss the robot he built that explores the experience of individual
human beings as they interact with artificial intelligence.
7:30 p.m. at Sprout in Somerville. Directions: http://thesprouts.org/studios
Bring snacks and refreshments! See you there!
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Attend the Energy Efficiency Forum Online at the Virtual Energy Forum
Johnson Controls and the United States Energy Associations are proud
to sponsor the 22nd Annual Energy Efficiency Forum, taking place on
June 15th - 16th at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.
We are also happy to announce that the Virtual Energy Forum will
webcast the Energy Efficiency Forum live on Thursday, June 16th.
Register at http://www.virtualenergyforum2008.com/en_CA/br/johnsoncontrols/refcode=Newsletter
This year’s Energy Efficiency Forum theme is
The Smart Path to Energy Security and Economic Growth.
Initial confirmed speakers include:
• The Honorable Ray Mabus, U.S. Secretary of the Navy
• The Honorable Jeff Bingaman, U.S. Senator (NM)
• Charles Holliday, Jr., Chairman, Bank of America
• The Honorable Charles F. Bass, U.S. Representative (NH)
• The Honorable Gary Doer, Canadian Ambassador to the United States
• Jonathan Lash, President, World Resources Institute
• Terry Yosie, President & CEO, World Environment Center
Panel Topics:
• EPA National Building Competition Winners
• The Near-term Prospects for Vehicle Electrification – Hype,
Reality, or Both?
Launching of the Energy Efficiency Indicator
At this year’s Forum, global results from a major survey on energy
efficiency will be released. The Energy Efficiency Indicator includes
4,000 respondents across Europe, North America, China and India.
New to the Virtual Energy Forum?
Register for the free webcast here: http://www.virtualenergyforum2008.com/en_CA/br/johnsoncontrols/refcode=Newsletter
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Harvard/Cambridge Walk for Peace
WHEN Wed., June 15, 2011, 12 – 12:20 p.m.
WHERE John Harvard Statue
GAZETTE CLASSIFICATION Ethics, Social Sciences, Special Events,
Support/Social, Working at Harvard
NOTE Nearly 10 years of war. Thousands of American lives, hundreds of
thousands of Iraqi and Afghani lives, trillions of dollars. Come
remember, mourn, and protest.
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JOIN US FOR A SCREENING OF TRUCK FARM!
PRESENTED BY: Boston University’s Gastronomy Program
DATE: Wednesday, June 15, 2011
TIME: 5:30pm
LOCATION: Room 313, College of Arts & Sciences,
725 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston
Admission is free! Visit the Urban Agriculture course blog (www.gastronomesgarden.wordpress.com
) for more information about our Urban Ag class
or contact Dr. Rachel Black at rblack at bu.edu
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Science in the News Spring Lectures — The War on Cancer: Where We Are
in the Battle, and Why We Haven’t Won
WHEN Wed., June 15, 2011, 7 – 9 p.m.
WHERE Pfizer Lecture Hall, Department of Chemistry, 12 Oxford Street,
Cambridge
GAZETTE CLASSIFICATION Lecture, Science
ORGANIZATION/SPONSOR Harvard Science in the News
COST Free
NOTE Join Science in the News for a series of provocative and
fascinating talks! Science in the News is a graduate student
organization dedicated to science outreach for the general public.
Speakers for our lecture series are graduate students who are working
directly with the topics. This talk will review the history of cancer
and our current progress in fighting it.
LINK http://sitn.hms.harvard.edu
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Forum for Communities Impacted by Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station
Wednesday, June 15, 7:30-10pm
Duxbury Senior Center, 10 Mayflower Street, Duxbury
Hosted by the Town of Duxbury Nuclear Advisory Committee and Duxbury
Emergency Management Agency in response to concerns arising from the
ongoing disaster at Pilgrim's sister reactors in Fukushima Japan
If you know little about nuclear power or the potential threats we
face as a broader Boston community, it is even more of a reason for
you to attend!
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Bicycle-Powered, a sprout spaghetti dinner will be happening on
June 15 at 730PM at sprout’s studios, 339r summer st. somerville ma
02144
This dinner will look at bicycles as a cultural phenomenon, a method
of transportation, an engineering amazement. Come see a bicycle
fashion show, hear about The Practical Bicycle, the carfree movement,
people who learn to ride bicycles as adults, and how bikes affect
urban design.
you can also check us out at. . .
+ sprout discuss :: http://groups.google.com/group/sprout-discuss
+ twitter :: http://twitter.com/sprouts
+ facebook :: https://www.facebook.com/somesprouts
+ in person :: 339r summer st. somerville ma 02144
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Lemelson-MIT Program fifth annual EurekaFest to celebrate the
inventive spirit!
EurekaFest is a multi-day celebration designed to empower a legacy of
inventors through activities that inspire youth, honor role models,
and encourage creativity and problem solving.
Thursday, June 16
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Presentations by 2011 Lemelson-MIT Collegiate Student Prize Winners
and InvenTeams
Kirsch Auditorium (Bldg. 32-123)
MIT Stata Center
Attend presentations and demonstrations by the winners of the $30,000
Lemelson-MIT Collegiate Student Prizes at MIT, Rensselaer Polytechnic
Institute, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and the
California Institute of Technology, as well as several high school
InvenTeams.
For more information about the event, please contactEurekaFest at mit.edu.
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Harvard China Project Special Seminar
June 16, 2011 - 3:30pm
"The Win-Win of Climate Protection and China's Energy Security." WU
Gang, Visiting Scholar, Harvard China Project; Associate Professor,
Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research, Institute of
Policy and Management, Chinese Academy of Sciences
http://www.chinaproject.harvard.edu/
Contact Name: Chris Nielsen
nielsen2 at fas.harvard.edu
Pierce Hall 100F, 29 Oxford St., Cambridge, MA
Sponsored by the China Project, Harvard School of Engineering and
Applied Sciences.
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What Happened At Fukushima - Why It Can Happen Here
Thursday, June 16, 2011, 6pm-8pm
Boston Public Library, Boston Room
700 Boylston St., Copley Square, Boston
Please join us at this important public forum. A nuclear accident
anywhere is a nuclear accident everywhere. Co-sponsored by the Sierra
Club. Speakers include David Lochbaum, Director of Nuclear Safety,
Union of Concerned Scientists; Arnie Gundersen, Chief Engineer
Fairewinds Associates; and Richard Clapp, Professor Emeritus of
Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health.
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Global Pitchfest" - International Start-up Competition
Thursday, June 16, 2011 from 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM (ET)
Boston, MA
Switzerland’s most outstanding young innovators journey to Boston
every year for an entrepreneurial “boot camp” called venture leaders,
and you are invited to this year’s finale.
Coordinated by venturelab and swissnex Boston, this year’s 20 selected
startups range from medtech to iPhone apps. They will undergo ten days
of training culminating in the Global Pitchfest 2011 at MassChallenge
on June 16.
Over drinks and high-powered networking, come out to see the venture
leaders show off the skills they learned in Boston. They will pitch
their ideas to the top start-ups and investors from the Boston area,
while competing against 20 local counterparts for airline tickets
courtesy Swiss International Airlines. You choose the winners with
your votes!
Come and join us for this exiting "Global Pitchfest" and have a chance
to select the winner of the night.
Organizers:
Visit the following link for additional information on the
entrepreneurs visiting from Switzerland:http://www.swissnexboston.org/activities/ventureleaders
For local startup teams: We are looking for 20 entrepreneurs who would
like to take advantage of this opportunity to get visibility for their
companies. If you are interested in joining the lineup of presenters,
please contact Thomas Boillat (thomas at swissnexboston.org).
MassChallenge: MassChallenge is running the largest-ever global
startup competition and accelerator to catalyze the launch and success
of high-growth, high-impact new businesses. Around 100 of the highest-
potential entrants will receive intensive mentorship and other free
resources, including office space and targeted introductions to
customers and funding sources. The very best startups will be
identified by expert judges to receive cash awards toward launching
their businesses.
swissnex Boston: They act as a physical and virtual environment
fostering closer ties between Switzerland, New England and Eastern
Canada in academia, industry and society. It places particular
emphasis on the next generation of creative thinkers and leaders,
through a network that promotes the exchange of knowledge and
generates cooperation in an innovative, inspiring, and rewarding
atmosphere.
ventureleaders: This year will be the 11th edition of Venture Leaders,
an entrepreneurial "bootcamp" that will bring to the Boston area 20
entrepreneurs from Switzerland to visit local high tech companies,
attend courses with Babson College professors, interact with experts
and most importantly network with local entrepreneurs, investors and
other members of the high-tech community. The program is a
collaboration between CTI (Swiss innovation agency), venturelab (Swiss
entrepreneurship training platform) and swissnex Boston, Consulate of
Switzerland
http://pitchfest2011.eventbrite.com/
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Lemelson-MIT Program fifth annual EurekaFest to celebrate the
inventive spirit!
EurekaFest is a multi-day celebration designed to empower a legacy of
inventors through activities that inspire youth, honor role models,
and encourage creativity and problem solving.
Thursday, June 16
6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
InvenTeams Showcase
Stata Student Street (Bldg. 32, 1st floor)
MIT Stata Center
The 2011 InvenTeams will exhibit their invention prototypes.
7:30 pm – 8:15 pm
Presentation by the 2011 $100,000 Lemelson-MIT Award for
Sustainability Winner
Kirsch Auditorium (Bldg. 32-123)
MIT Stata Center
For more information about the event, please contactEurekaFest at mit.edu.
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Showing Thursday, June 16, in Cambridge:
The War You Don't See
By John Pilger, world renowned filmmaker & journalist, whose previous
films include /The War on Democracy/, /Stealing a Nation/, and /
Breaking the Silence/ -- among many others.
/*The War You Don't See*/, Pilger's latest film asks 'What is the role
of the media in rapacious wars like Iraq and Afghanistan, and how are
the crimes of war reported and justified when they're /our/ crimes?'
Modern 'democracies' don't leave marks. Elites do not want the public
to know what they're doing. The public is a threat that needs to be
countered.
The lives of countless men, women and children depend on the truth.
This film is about your right to know.
Turn on the lights.
*When/where*
6:30 pm, doors open for refreshments, extra
*NOTE: early bird short film at 6:40pm*
*7pm, film starts promptly*
243 Broadway, Cambridge - corner of Broadway and Windsor, entrance on
Windsor
*rule19.org/videos <http://rule19.org/videos/>*
/"Never has so much official energy been expended in ensuring
journalists collude with the makers of rapacious wars that they say
are now 'perpetual'. They plan a state of permanent conflict wholly
dependent on keeping at bay an enemy whose name they dare not speak:
the public/." ~John Pilger
/"We had a secret weapon/," he boasted. "/We had the media, especially
TV. You got to have the media./" Venezuelan general who, with CIA
backing, led a coup against the democratic government of Venezuela in
2002.
Please join us for a stimulating night out; bring your friends!free
film, free refreshments, & free door prizes. [donations are accepted]
"/You can't legislate good will - that comes through education./" ~
Malcolm X
For further information, including rain date updates (rain date is
Sunday, June 12), go to http://www charlesriverconservancy.org, http://www.riversideboatclub.com
, or contact Cathie Zusy at cathzusy at gmail.com or 617-868-0489
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Computer Society and GBC/ACM
7:00 PM, Thursday, 16 June
Rethinking user research for the social web
Dana Chisnell
While the Web has evolved from flat documents to being fluidly
ambient, we’re using the same user research and usability testing
methods and techniques we were using in 1994. We know that conducting
usability tests can tell us where people get frustrated. What will
testing reveal about frustrations with interactions people have with
other people online? When interaction is protean, how do you derive a
task scenario? What are the success criteria? When you have large-
scale social, individual workarounds turn into functionality and
social norms. Etiquette evolves organically. What’s that test look
like? In this session, Dana will boil these questions down to 5 major
issues UXers working in the social Web are grappling with and share
experiences from SxD pioneering researchers.
Dana Chisnell has helped thousands of people learn how to make better
design decisions by giving them the skills they need to gain knowledge
about users. She has observed hundreds of study participants for
dozens of clients to learn about design issues in software, hardware,
web sites, online services, games, and ballots, helping these
organizations perform usability tests and user research to inform
design decisions for products and services. These days, her pet topics
are election design, usable security, and researching social
interactions mediated by technology. She’s the co-author, with Jeff
Rubin, of Handbook of Usability Testing Second Edition (Wiley, 2008).
Meeting is being held at The IBM Innovation Center < http://www-304.ibm.com/isv/spc/waltham.htm
> is located at 404 Wyman Street, Waltham. There is free parking in
the garage at the north end of the building. To reach the meeting
room, walk out the front of the garage and around to your right to the
front door of the building. Directions to the room will be available
when you sign in at the front desk.
We will be taking Dana to dinner at the Green Papaya after the talk at
about 9pm.
Up-to-date information about this and other talks is available online
at http://ewh.ieee.org/r1/boston/computer/. You can sign up to receive
updated status information about this talk and informational emails
about future talks athttp://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/ieee-cs,
our self-administered mailing list.
For more information contact Peter Mager (p.mager at computer.org)
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Food Literacy Project Film Series: Tupperware!
WHEN Fri., June 17, 2011, 12 – 1 p.m.
WHERE Dana Palmer House, Room 102, 16 Quincy Street
GAZETTE CLASSIFICATION Film
ORGANIZATION/SPONSOR HUHDS Food Literacy Project
CONTACT INFO dara_olmsted at harvard.edu
NOTE Bring your lunch. Drinks and snacks provided.
LINK http://www.dining.harvard.edu/flp/calendar.html
----------------------------------------------
Friday, June 17, 2011
Discussion with Mr. Etienne Tshisekedi, Congo presidential candidate
Speaker: Etienne Tshisekedi
Time: 3:00p–5:00p
Location: 4-370
One of Congo's presidential candidates, Mr. Etienne Tshisekedi, who
was also the former Prime Minister of Congo, is coming to speak.
On February 15, 1982 he co-founded the Union for Democracy and Social
Progress (UDPS), which he continues to lead. The party remains popular
with its main goal being a non-violent change to democratic rule.
At a UPDS congress in April 2009, delegates unanimously affirmed that
the party would participate in the 2011 election and that Tshisekedi
would be its presidential candidate.
The next presidential election is tentatively set for November 28,
2011, so make sure to keep up to date on the presidential platforms as
much as possible.
Dinner will be provided.
Web site: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=213435395343977
Open to: the general public
Sponsor(s): Amnesty International, UA Funding Board
For more information, contact:
Cory Hernandez
mitai-exec at mit.edu
--------------------------------------------------
Friday, June 17, 2011
The Green Movement and Nonviolent Struggle for Democratic Iran
Time: 4:00p–5:30p
Location: 66-110
Guest Speaker:
Dr. Adeshir Amirarjomand
Mousavi Representative, Green Movement
Moderator:
Dr. John Tirman, Executive Director and Principal Research Scientist,
MIT Center for International Studies
Special Guest:
Dr. Farzin Vahdat, Founding Member
Nonviolent Initiative for Democracy
About the speaker:
Dr. Ardeshir Amirarjomand was born in 1957 in Tehran. He studied law
in Melli University of Iran and in 1978 he received his doctoral
degree (Doctorat d'Etat) in international law and diploma in
comparative law from the Strasbourg University in France. From 1990,
Dr. Amirarjomand was a law professor at Shahid Beheshti University and
lectured in PublicLaw,International Law and Human Rights. Dr.
Amirarjomand hasinitiated new department and courses of law in Shahid
Beheshti University including Human Rights, environmental law and
Bioethics law. Dr. Amirarjomand has been a member of Several
Scientific and legal Institutes and has focused on promoting citizen
rights and humanrights in Iran. Dr. Amirarjomand has been UNESCO chair
holder for Human Rights, Democracy and Peace for ten years and also
the Founder and director of the Center for Human Rights, Peace and
Democracy in Iran. From to 2005 to 2009 Dr. Amirarjomand partnered
with of the United Nations Development Programme to promote human
rights in Iran. During the reformist government between 1997 to 2004
Dr. Amirarjomand drafted
Open to: the general public
Sponsor(s): Center for International Studies, The Nonviolent
Initiative for Democracy Inc
For more information, contact:
starrforum at mit.edu
----------------------------------------------------
Lemelson-MIT Program fifth annual EurekaFest to celebrate the
inventive spirit!
EurekaFest is a multi-day celebration designed to empower a legacy of
inventors through activities that inspire youth, honor role models,
and encourage creativity and problem solving.
Friday, June 17
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
InvenTeams Showcase
Stata Student Street (Bldg. 32, 1st Floor)
MIT Stata Center
The 2011 InvenTeams will exhibit their invention prototypes.
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Lemelson-MIT Awards Ceremony
Kirsch Auditorium (Bldg. 32-123)
MIT Stata Center
This public ceremony will honor the work of inventors improving our
world. The 2011 Lemelson-MIT Award Winners will be recognized,
including a special presentation by the 2011 $500,000 Lemelson-MIT
Prize Winner.
For more information about the event, please contactEurekaFest at mit.edu.
---------------------------------------------------
Lemelson-MIT Program fifth annual EurekaFest to celebrate the
inventive spirit!
EurekaFest is a multi-day celebration designed to empower a legacy of
inventors through activities that inspire youth, honor role models,
and encourage creativity and problem solving.
Saturday, June 18
10:00 am – 5:00 pm
EurekaFest at the Museum of Science
Supported by Continuum
Main Exhibit Halls
Museum of Science, Boston
Cheer on over 200 high school students in an all-day design challenge
that explores the invention process. The Museum of Science will offer
hands-on learning activities for inventors of all ages. Families are
encouraged to join the fun!
For more information about the event, please contactEurekaFest at mit.edu.
------------
**********
Upcoming
------------
Taking Risks: The Journey from Blackjack to Big Blue - a talk with
Yuchun Lee
Monday, June 20, 2011 from 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM (ET)
IBM Center for Social Software
1 Rogers Street
Cambridge, MA 02142
http://yuchun-lee.eventbrite.com/?ref=enivte?
amp
;utm_source
=eb_email&utm_media=email&utm_compaign=invitenew&utm_term=readmore
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Climate Change Adaptation Workshop
Consensus Building Institute
Lincoln Institute of Land Policy
Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions
The Trustees of Reservations' Putnam Conservation Institute
present
Local Communities Adapting to Climate Change: Managing Risk in
Decision Making
Monday, June 20, 2011
9am-4:30pm
Leominster, MA
This one-day course will introduce municipal and community leaders,
and planning professionals to the tools they need to better assess and
manage the risks associated with climate change. Our approach helps
community leaders to consider how they can alter everyday decision
making to better prepare for the risks that may lie ahead. This course
is tailored specifically for the needs of suburban and rural
communities. The key concepts introduced will be "scenario planning"
and collaborative approaches to decision-making.
Presenters/Facilitators:
Patrick Field
is Managing Director of North American Programs at the Consensus
Building Institute and Associate Director of the MIT-Harvard Public
Disputes Program. Patrick has helped thousands of stakeholders reach
agreement on natural resource, land use, water, and air issues across
the United States and Canada.
Steve Aldrich
is the founder and President of Bio Economic Research Associates LLC,
an independent research and consulting firm specializing in complex
issue analysis at the intersection of our emerging knowledge of
biology and the economy. Steve studied evolutionary biology and has
more than 25 years of experience working in various industries,
including energy planning.
Workshop Fee: $45*
For More Information or to Register:
Pre-register online
www.thetrustees.org/things-to-do/central-ma/adapting-climate-change-jun20.html
Or contact
Miriam Scagnetti
978.840.4446 x1935
mscagnetti at ttor.org
* Members of The Trustees of Reservations or the MA Association of
Conservation Commissions may register for this workshop for $30 - New
members welcome!
--------------------------------------------------
Panel Discussion
swissnex Boston
420 Broadway
Cambridge
Tuesday,
June 21, 2011
6 - 9 pm
If you would like to attend this event, we kindly ask you to
RSVP here<http://www.formstack.com/forms/?1077550-h1swFJFpXs>.
Please feel free to forward this invitation to friends and colleagues
who are interested in this topic.
One of the major challenges of the 21st century will be to create an
economy that can at the same time provide livelihoods for an
increasing number of people and not degrade natural resources or spur
climate change. This is also one of the major challenges that the
Biovision<http://www.biovision.ch> Foundation<http://www.biovision.ch>
encounters in its pilot projects in East Africa and its political work
within the Rio+20 process.
A “Green Economy” in the context of sustainable development and
poverty eradication is one of the main themes of the upcoming 2012
UNCSD Earth summit in Rio de Janeiro. Within the preparatory process
the question what green economy actually is and what it should look
like is a heatedly debated issue. UNEP’s roadmap to Rio + 20, the
Green Economy Report (published February 2011) sees the challenge of
agriculture in feeding the world’s growing population without damaging
ecosystems and human health and without undermining the sector’s
natural resource base. Drawing upon UNEP’s Green Economy Report,
experts will debate on what sustainable agriculture could look like
and how it could fit within the new Green Economy framework.
Speakers and panelists:
Hans Herren<http://www.millenniuminstitute.net/about/hans.html>,
President Millenium Institute and Biovision Foundation, Author of the
Agriculture chapter of the UNEP's Green Economy Report
Katherine Di Matteo<http://www.ifoam.org/about_ifoam/inside_ifoam/boards.html
>, President of the Board of IFOAM (International Federation of
Organic Agriculture Movements)
Eric Chivian<http://chge.med.harvard.edu/about/faculty/chivian.html>,
Founder and Director of the Center for Health and the Global
Environment at Harvard Medical School.
Moderator:
Samuel Fromartz<http://fromartz.com/main.php?sn=sn1&pc=oi2>,
Journalist, Washington D.C.
TECHNOLOGY AND MICRO FINANCE
• Date: 6/23/2011
• Location: Microsoft New England R&D Center, One Memorial Drive,
Cambridge, MA 02142
• Time: 6:00pm - 9:00pm
• Audience: general public
• Description: This event hosted by the MFC (Micro Finance Club) of
Boston will focus on the influence technology has recently had on
micro finance organizations including Grameen, KIVA, WOKAI, and
ACCION. Technology has played an important role in shaping micro
finance in developing countries in a variety of ways. Technology has
allowed farmers in rural areas better access to information about
agriculture and through technology pregnant women have been able to
receive medical updates without leaving their villages. This
informative presentation will aim to bring together people in the
community to discuss the future of technology and ways in which
individuals can help locally, whether that be donating old cellphones
or volunteering their time.
http://microsoftcambridge.com/Events/TechnologyandMicroFinance/tabid/754/Default.aspx
--------------------------------------------------------
GreenPort Forum
Film and Discussion: The Economics of Happiness
Tuesday, June 21 at 7:00pm
Cambridgeport Baptist Church, 459 Putnam Ave
A powerful new film by Helena Norberg-Hodge, Steven Gorelick & John Page
'Going local' is a powerful strategy to help repair our fractured
world – our ecosystems, our societies and our selves. Far from the old
institutions of power, people are starting to forge a very different
future. The thinkers and activists interviewed for the film come from
every continent, and represent the interests of the great majority of
people on the planet today. Their message is unambiguous: in order to
respect and revitalize diversity, both cultural and biological, we
need to localize economic activity.
Featuring voices from six continents, including: Vandana Shiva, Bill
McKibben, David Korten, Michael Shuman, Juliet Schor, Richard
Heinberg, Rob Hopkins, Andrew Simms, Zac Goldsmith, Samdhong Rinpoche
http://www.theeconomicsofhappiness.org
------------------------------------------------
Tuesday, June 21 at 7pm
Cambridgeport Baptist Church
459 Putnam Av, Cambridge
(corner of Magazine St. and Putnam Ave)
GreenPort envisions and encourages a just and sustainable
Cambridgeport neighborhood
For more information, contact Steve Wineman at swineman at gis.net
---------------------------------------------------
*Recess for Justice - Saturday, June 25 - 11am-1pm*
Southwest Corridor across from Stony Brook T station in JP
Bring your favorite outdoor game or check out the assortment of fun
we'll have on hand: Frisbees, kickball & chalk (for 4-square!), jump
rope, basketball, softball (bring a glove) and whatever other
randomness we can think of. If it's hot we can run through the
fountain sprinkler to cool off. Around 1pm, we'll likely get out of
the heat by going to Ula Cafe for lunch. So look no further if you
want to cross-promote your events and campaigns while perfecting your
Frisbee forehand, you're seeking like-minded progressives to hang out
with in Boston, or are new to the area and looking for groups to get
involved in.
*RSVP:* http://www.sojust.org/events/17521346/ *Newcomers always
welcomed!*
----------------------------------------------------
Home Energy Efficiency Team (HEET)
June 25 Barnraising
1000 watt light bulbs!?!
Join us Saturday, June 25th from 12:30 to 5 pm at St. Bartholomew's
Church, 239 Harvard St.
There will be lots of great skills to learn including caulking,
replacing bulbs, lowering water bills with faucet aerators and toilet
banks, correctly program a thermostat and more.
It is also a great opportunity to see something you may never have
witnessed before: 1,000 watt light bulbs. That's not a decimal error,
these bulbs use 1,000 watts.
Find out how adding insulation helped this church reduce its heating
bill by $8,000 per year.
RSVP by signing up here: http://bit.ly/je1BCw
---------------------------------------------------
We cordially invite you and your family to our annual Strawberry Fete!
A fundraiser to benefit Boston Area Gleaners at historic Gore Place in
Waltham, MA
Thursday, June 20, 201, 6-9 pm Rain or Shine
Where: Gore Place, Carriage House
52 Gore Street
Waltham, MA 02453
Please join us for a relaxed summer evening of faun at the Gore Place
Carriage House for Local Treats
Local Strawberries
Shortcake and Refreshments
Cheese Tasting
Shelburne Farms (VT) Cheddat
And short film "Sun to Cheese"
with the producer, Catie Camp
Historic Gore Garden Tour
with Estate Manager Scott Clarke
Live music
Old Time Country with the Whitford Franzosa Trio
Art Show
Sculpture and Paintings by local artist Dave Tree
Open Space
Enjoy the evening, throw a frisbee, wall the grounds
Please register at https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?llr=o5o4pudab&oeidk=a07e3zfpc824605a661&oseq=a001g9ln9kkn
Please consider making a donation at http://www.communityroom.net/
even if you are unable to attend.
Tickets are $25 per adult, $10 students, under 13 free
This fundraiser will effectively kick-off the 2011 gleaning season and
your contribution will help us get the extras to those who need it most.
You may reply directly to this e-mail for questions, and additional
contact info is below.
Laurie "Duck" Caldwell
Oakes Plimpton
Boston Area Gleaners
duck at bostonareagleaners.org
781-894-3212
Editorial Comment: Oakes Plimpton has been a developing local
agriculture systems for over thirty years. Boston Area Gleaners is
only one recent project among many.
-----------------------------------------------
Fundraiser for Water for Niger, Africa
When: Sunday, June 25 from 8 pm to 11 pm
Where: 239 Arlington Street, Acton MA 01720
What: African drummers will perform and afterwards a dance party.
Why: To raise funds to help build wells for villages that have been
put at risk by the many droughts in the region.
Donation: We are asking people to make reservations with a $25
donation.
Make checks payable to Bokai Inc, 239 Arlington Street, Acton. MA 01720
Bokai Inc: Established by a former Peace Corps volnteer with a direct
relationship with town officials in Guidan Roumji. It is a 501 C-3
charitable organization. The towns of Action and Guidan Roumji have
become Sister Cities. High School students have exchanged letters.
Money has been sent for business micro-loans, farming and tree
planting. All money will go towards the well building project.
For more details, contact Michael Klinger #978 263-7925, mklinger at anzuglobal.com
------------------------------
NO NUKES PARTY
JUNE 25, 1-8PM
WENDELL, MA, TOWN HALL, Common
POTLUCK***CELEBRATE***RE-CONNECT*** SINGING
(And discuss non-violent action plans 3-5:30pm)
Sponsored by: Wendell Conservation Commission
Co-sponsors: Clamshell Legacy and Antinuclear Mobilization (info at clamshellalliance.org
)
Citizens Awareness Network (nukebusters.org), Safe & Green
(safeandgreencampaign.org)
Green Mtn. Post Films (gmpfilms.com); W. MA AFSC (westernmassafsc.org);
Traprock Center for Peace and Justice (traprock.info); Solar Rollers
More information, contact info at clamshellalliance.org
------------------------------------------
Every year, the International Co-operative Alliance, based in Geneva,
and the United Nations co-sponsor the International Day for Co-
operatives on the first Saturday in July, which is July 2nd in 2011.
This year, Harvest Cooperatives has agreed to sponsor a Co-op Faire,
featuring Boston-area cooperatives and their supporters. We will come
together in the parking lot adjacent to Harvest from 10 AM to 2 PM and
set up tables / canopies / booths with banners and signs, to pass out
flyers to the public, talk with interested potential members, share an
afternoon with coop-minded people, and celebrate the joy of building
the co-op movement. Add a bit of food for the gatherers to share,
maybe some acoustical music, possibly a skit or other performance and
a demonstration project or two and we will have a marvelous time
supporting co-ops and connecting with co-ops around the world.
History shows that the periods of greatest co-op growth are when the
economy is coming out of a recession. As people get back on their
feet, they work to organize different ways of building economic
organizations that will not replicate the previous business
disasters. That time is now. As we come out of the "Great
Recession", we are already seeing a boom in co-op organizing and now
is the time to point the way to a better future -- co-operatively.
If your co-op or supporting organization would be interested in
reserving a table space for the Faire, please contact Wayne Clark at rwayneclark at irg.org
or 603-512-8015 (cell) or 617-467-4113 (home). You can complete the
registration form and prepare to participate.
Hopefully, the 2011 International Day for Co-operatives, Mass Bay Co-
op Faire will begin an annual event where co-ops in our area can
promote the benefits of co-operatives and develop our organizations
and their members.
Come share the wisdom in the nearly 200 years of the co-op movement.
I hope to see you there, R. Wayne Archer-Clark (rwayneclark at igc.org)
**************
----------------
Opportunity
---------------
Free Solar Panels for Houses of Worship
From a recent Mass Interfaith Power & Light (http://mipandl.org/) email
"We've recently been talking with DCS Energy (http://
www.dcsenergy.com/) who has an unbeatable offer: if your site
qualifies, they design and install the panels at no cost, don't charge
you for any electricity, and donate the system to your house of
worship after five years. Your only costs will be for a building
permit, possibly a structural engineer to verify that your roof can
support their weight, and any preparatory work such as roof work or
tree removal. If solar panels are so expensive how can anyone give
them away for free? First, there is a federal grant program that is
only available until November that pays for 30% of the cost of the
system. Then there is an accelerated depreciation option that gives
certain kinds of investors another tax advantage. Finally, the state
awards a special allowance called a "Solar Renewal Energy
Credit" (SRECs) to owners of solar electricity systems which are sold
at auctions to utilities who buy them to meet their requirements under
the Massachusetts' renewable portfolio standard. DCS is betting that
the price of these SRECs will remain high. Jim Nail, president of MA
IP&L, has talked to DCS Energy and is currently having them prepare a
proposal for his church, St. Dunstan's Episcopal in Dover. Jim says,
"The references I've talked to have been quite positive about the
program and the company has been very responsive. "If you think your
site might qualify, contact Peter Carli, pete at dcsenergy.com, with the
address of your house of worship and your contact information. He'll
take a preliminary look at your site and advise you if it meets their
criteria."
----------------------------------------------------------
From John Bolduc, Environmental Planner, Community Development
Department, Cambridge, MA:
"Finally, I wanted to let folks on the list know, if you are
interested, that I will be going, on a personal basis, on a study tour
of cities in Germany and Holland taking a look at climate change
adaptation and mitigation initiatives. The tour is organized by ICLEI-
Local Governments for Sustainability. We will visit Freiburg,
Dresden, Bonn, and Rotterdam. We will also participate in the ICLEI
Climate Resilient Cities Conference in Bonn. I am leaving today for 2
weeks and I plan to blog along the way as a way to share information.
If you are interested, please visit the Energy 2.0 blog hosted by the
Cambridge Energy Alliance. You can visit the site athttp://energytwodotzero.org/
. You can also subscribe to the blog to be informed of updates. I
plan to post 4 or 5 times with photos. So join me for the trip."
------------------------------
The Medford Farmers Market is looking for organizations, individuals,
chefs, nutritionists, educators, musicians, physical activity
specialists, gardeners, and other fun people who would like to do
educational activities on market days.
We are looking for activities that are interactive and enjoyed by all
ages. Demos, how-tos and games are encouraged. Should be somehow
related to sustainable living, health, nutrition, farming, gardening,
physical activity, sustainability, learning and development, music,
art, creativity. Most importantly it should be entertaining for people
at the market.
We are looking to fill 1, 2, 3 or 4 hour time slots. The Medford
Farmers Market is a great place for you to gain experience and
exposure - there are over 20 vendors signed up for the season
including local wine, meat, vegetables, honey, bread, art.....Your
activity/demo/gig will be well publicized via social media, as well as
local newspapers and newsletters sent to hundreds of people.
The market goes from June 16- Oct 13 at the Whole Foods Market Parking
Lot, 2151 Mystic Valley Parkway (Rt 16), Medford, MA 02155. Plenty of
parking and restrooms are available.
Please contact me if you are interested. Please feel free to forward
this e-mail to people who you think may be interested. Thanks so much,
have a great weekend!
For more info, please see the following:
website: www.medfordfarmersmarket.org
e-mail: medfordfarmersmarket at gmail.com
twitter: MedfordFarmMkt
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Medford-Farmers-Market/135452753138491
Address: Whole Foods Market Parking Lot, 2151 Mystic Valley Parkway
(Rt 16)
Editorial Comment: I have taken some of my solar displays to farmers'
markets from time to time and have advocated doing so as a way to
change US energy attitudes, policies, and realities as the people who
go to farmers' markets are a core constituency for renewable energy.
More at http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/5/27/870257/-How-to-Change-US-Energy-in-One-Growing-Season
*********
-----------
Resource
-----------
Massachusetts Attitudes About Climate Change – An opinion survey of
Massachusetts residents conducted by MassINC and sponsored by the Barr
Foundation found that 77% of respondents believe that global warming
has “probably been happening” and 59% of all respondents see see it as
being at least partially caused by human pollution. Only 42% of the
state’s residents say global warming will have very serious
consequences for Massachusetts if left unaddressed. The 18 to 29 age
group is more likely to believe global warming is appearing and caused
by humans compared to the 60+ age group. African-American (56%) and
Latino residents (69%) are more likely than white residents (40%) to
believe global warming will be a very serious problem if left
unaddressed. The MassINC report, titled The 80 Percent Challenge:
What Massachusetts must do to meet targets and make headway on climate
change (http://www.massinc.org/Research/The-80-percent-
challenge.aspx), contains many other findings. MassINC will hold a
forum about the report on May 19, 5:00 to 6:30 pm at the City Year
Headquarters, 287 Columbus Avenue, Boston. To register, click here.
[MetroWest Daily News, 4/14/11]
----------------------------------------------------
The presentations from the recent Affordable Comfort National Home
Performance Conference are available online at
http://2011.acinational.org/downloadable_resources
Lots of good information from what some call the best energy
conference in the USA on Deep Energy Retrofits to Community Energy
Challenges with details on insulation, heat flow, energy metering,
ducting, hot water, and many, many other topics. If you are a
practical energy wonk, this should make your eyes light up.
--------------------------------------------------
Free Monthly Energy Analysis
CarbonSalon is a free service that every month can automatically track
your energy use and compare it to your past energy use (while
controlling for how cold the weather is). You get a short friendly
email that lets you know how you’re doing in your work to save energy.
https://www.carbonsalon.com/
---------------------------------------
Boston Food System
"The Boston Food System [listserv] provides a forum to post
announcements of events, employment opportunities, internships,
programs, lectures, and other activities as well as related articles
or other publications of a non-commercial nature covering the area's
food system - food, nutrition, farming, education, etc. - that take
place or focus on or around Greater Boston (broadly delineated)."
The Boston area is one of the most active nationwide in terms of food
system activities - projects, services, and events connected to food,
farming, nutrition - and often connected to education, public health,
environment, arts, social services and other arenas. Hundreds of
organizations and enterprises cover our area, but what is going on
week-to-week is not always well publicized.
Hence, the new Boston Food System listserv, as the place to let
everyone know about these activities. Specifically:
Use of the BFS list will begin soon, once we get a decent base of
subscribers. Clarification of what is appropriate to announce and
other posting guidelines will be provided as well.
It's easy to subscribe right now at https://elist.tufts.edu/wws/subscribe/bfs
----------------------
Artisan Asylum http://artisansasylum.com/
Sprout & Co: Community Driven Investigations http://thesprouts.org/studios
Greater Boston Solidarity Economy Mapping Project http://www.transformationcentral.org/solidarity/mapping/mapping.html
a project by Wellesley College students that invites participation,
contact jmatthaei at wellesley.edu
********************************************
-----------------------------------------------------
Links to events at 60 colleges and universities at Hubevents http://hubevents.blogspot.com
Thanks to
Fred Hapgood's Selected Lectures on Science and Engineering in the
Boston Area http://fhapgood.fastmail.fm/site02.html
Boston Area Computer User Groups http://www.bugc.org/
http://www.mitenergyclub.org/calendar/mit_events_template
http://sustainability.mit.edu/
http://www.environment.harvard.edu/events/calendar/
http://green.harvard.edu/events
http://microsoftcambridge.com/Events/tabid/57/Default.aspx
http://pechakuchaboston.org/blog/
http://boston.nerdnite.com/
http://www.meetup.com/
http://www.eventbrite.com/
*UPandOUT film series - see rule19.org/videos <http://rule19.org/
videos/>*
Why should YOU care? It's YOUR money that pays for US/Israeli wars -
on Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Palestine, So America, etc etc - for
billionaire bailouts, for ever more ubiquitous US prisons, for the
loss of liberty and civil rights...
----------------------------------------------
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