“The majority of Kennedy’s memorable speeches and declarations were born out of his collaborations with Sorenson, including his promise to put a man on the moon and his inaugural address, when he famously challenged Americans to “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”
While Kennedy referred to Sorensen as “my intellectual blood bank,” presidential secretary Evelyn Lincoln said that “Ted was really more shadow than ghost, in the sense that he was never really very far from Kennedy.”“
“Despite his stroke in 2001 and diminishing eyesight, Mr. Sorensen worked on and completed “Counselor,” his memoir, over the next six years. “I still believe that the mildest and most obscure of Americans can be rescued from oblivion by good luck, sudden changes in fortune, sudden encounters with heroes,” he concluded. “I believe it because I lived it.”“
Here is a very insightful interview of Sorensen by Charlie Rose in 2008.
In the following video clips, Sorensen gave the closing keynote at the 2009 Speechwriters Conference. Have a watch of the master in his own words.
P.S. I do wonder if UK has a much more relaxed requirements for getting signed appearance release forms from the participants? Airport is not really a “public space”.
It took a few weeks for Meyer (the company that owns the KitchenAid brand) to get things resolved and now I am happy to report the extraordinary steps Meyer took to fix everything.
Once I described the pans’ problems to a nice Meyer consumer relations manager, he immediately agreed to fix the problems for me. He ended up shipping two beautiful Anolon advanced hard anodizedpans (with “the best nonstick coating in the industry, Dupont Autograph 2“) that are upgrades to my old KitchenAid pans. And when I later told the consumer relations manager that UPS had mistakenly charged me customs duties for the replacements, he sent me a cheque to cover the $60+ duties.
IKEA is an international company that many people have bought furniture from. Few days ago, I found out it is also a company with wonderful customer services that will go the extra mile to make its customers happy.
You see, the bottom bolt of our IKEA floor lamp broke a few days ago.
Since the rest of the lamp was ok, we tried to rescue it by seeing what customer services at IKEA can do. Even we had no receipt, the nice lady ended up spending half an hour to help us. She got her colleague to track down a brand new lamp and took out a new bolt, nut and washers with a tool to allow us to fix our lamp. And our lamp is working perfectly again now.
Yes, a bolt, a screw, a tool, or a nut can really show how good or bad a company’s customer service is.
Our kitchen sink faucet wand (L) started to drip slowly a few months ago. As I tried to fix it unsuccessfully, I discovered it was a Moen. And then I found online that it had a Lifetime Limited Warranty. Even I hoped Moen would help, truth be told, I wasn’t certain since we had no purchase receipt.
To my surprise and delight, it took me just a quick 1-800 call, and a helpful Moen customer service rep soon promised to send me a new replacement wand, free of charge. And a few business days later, a brand new wand (R) arrived as promised in the mail.
Of course, it would have been better if products never fail, but when products fail, it would be great to see companies behave honourably and stand firmly behind their products like Moen.
I have launched a new site call Customer Service Excellence. I will be using this site to share some good/bad customer service experiences I encounter because I believe it is important to encourage and praise the companies when good customer services are provided and tell the companies when improvements are need.
“3:12 p.m. update: Stewart: “You want to know why I am here — what I want from you? You have already given it to me. Your presence was what I wanted. Sanity will always be…in the eyes of the beholder. To see you here today and the kind of people you are, has restored mine. Thank you.”“
Bruce Schneier (wikipedia bio) talking about reconceptualizing security @ TEDxPSU. Bruce is an insightful man that knows a lot about security. [HT Bruce]
“Warren said crowd-sourcing — in which technology is used to query large groups of people for answers to complex questions — could be used by the bureau to harness information from consumers.
“Imagine scanning a credit agreement and uploading to a website where software can analyze the text,” Warren said. “A consumer could help the agency spot new agreements on the market and customers who could get more information as they make decisions.”
She said the bureau could build on the precedent of the Credit Card Accountability and Disclosure Act, which requires card issuers to give their credit agreements to the Federal Reserve, which posts them on the Internet.
Warren was named in September as an assistant to President Barack Obama and a special adviser to Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner to help shape the consumer agency that will be housed at the Fed.”
China has used Intel and Nvidia technologies to build the world’s fastest supercomputer Tianhe-1A, at the National University of Defence Technology in Tianjin.
“The title has gone to China’s Tianhe-1A supercomputer that is capable of carrying out more than 2.5 thousand trillion calculations a second.
To reach such high speeds the machine draws on more than 7,000 graphics processors and 14,000 Intel chips.
[...] Tianhe-1A is unusual in that it unites thousands of Intel processors with thousands of graphics cards made by Nvidia.
The chips inside graphics cards are typically made up of small arithmetical units that can carry out simple sums very quickly. By contrast, Intel chips are typically used to carry out more complicated mathematical operations.
The machine houses its processors in more than 100 fridge-sized cabinets and together these weigh more than 155 tonnes.”
““He’s [Todd Combs] got the best chance of being the successor, but if we find the right guy or gal, we’d take that person, too,” he said, adding that the matter hasn’t been decided.
Mr. Buffett also told The Times that Li Lu, a Chinese hedge fund manager considered one of the other top candidates, has decided to stay in his fund.“
“As he received claps, hoots and hollers normally reserved for rock stars, Naheed Kurban Nenshi told a City Hall atrium full of purple-clad supporters: “We cannot let you down.”
After a winning campaign of promises to build an airport tunnel and a southeast LRT, improve snow removal and shred bureaucratic red tape, he offered Calgarians a further pledge:
“This council will be more open,” he said, the mayor’s chain around his neck and the city’s 14 alderman at his side.
“We’ll make it easier for you to engage in our conversation. We’ll better understand your needs and your priorities and we’ll act on them. We’ll listen. We’ll get beyond division and individualism to work together for the best interests of all Calgarians. And we’ll do it every single day.“
He marvelled at the election’s high voter turnout and public conversation, and challenged Calgarians to keep doing their part.
“You have to do your part. Hold us to account,” he said.
“Tell us when we’re devolving into the politics as usual. Tell us when our priorities are not your priorities.”
“Get engaged and stay engaged,” he said, exhorting people to join community associations and other groups.”
“A surgical procedure pioneered by Calgary researchers that uses a revolutionary superglue can improve the recovery of heart patients recovering from open-chest surgery, the Canadian Cardiovascular Society reports.
The glue, dubbed Kryptonite, is being used to enhance the closure of the breastbone after surgery and perhaps one day, to take the place of steel wire that is traditionally used to close up the bone.
Dr. Paul Fedak, a cardiac surgeon at the Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta at Foothills Hospital Medical Centre, says the new superglue has properties like natural bone and allows for new bone growth. It also hardens quickly. Doctors say that within 24 hours, it is as hard as natural bone.Read the rest of this entry »
Since I bought a copy of “I. M. Pei: A Profile in American Architecture“ by chance twenty years ago, I have been fascinated by beautiful buildings and the architects themselves. Last week I had the great pleasure to interview Sasa Radulovic and Johanna Hurme, award winning principal architects and co-owners of Winnipeg-based 5468796 Architecture Inc, to talk about their firm, The Cube, and other exciting projects.
What does the “5468796″ stand for in the name 5468796 Architecture Inc? Why not use the traditional branding convention and brand the firm by the names of the principals and founders? Have a watch of the cool explanations in my interview with Sasa and Johanna. It shows their careful thinking from day one ”to challenge convention at all scales, [starting] from branding“.
Here is an excerpt from the project description (emphasis added), “Whether functioning as a neighbourhood park or as a hub for the entire city during summer festivals, Old Market Square has undeniable significance for the health and vitality of the Exchange District. Following the establishment of a Master Plan for OMS by landscape architects Scatliff+Miller+Murray Inc., a new stage was the logical next step in the park’s redevelopment. Through an open competition, the city asked for a design that met the functional requirements for a stage. Our winning submission proposed to do more; we recognized that the stage only functions as such for a very limited time, and questioned what it could be the rest of the year.“
The Cube was opened in June 2010 for the festivals season when it was only about 85% completed and before 5468796 Architecture had chances to fine tune the building. So I think many early critiques of the design are not fair. The final winning idea for The Cube was actually one of three ideas submitted by 5468796 Architecture and was deemed the best.
You see, the Cube is not just a stage, it can also function as an exhibition space for video artists where video images can be projected on the skin of The Cube. And different themed colour lighting can be projected on different days (for example, orange on Halloween, green on St. Patrick’s day, etc).
See more info about The Cube in this and next interview video clip. More photos of The Cube here, here, and here.
A lesser known fact about The Cube is its smaller second stage on the “second level” inside The Cube. This second stage can be used for smaller and more intimate performance (seating ~25?). In the following video, you can see Sasa shows you the second stage in a model.
For the remaining time in my interview with Sasa and Johanna, I picked the following projects and got them to say a few words and share their key inspirations.
Here is an excerpt from the project description (emphasis added), ”The Sunspot hangs from the Forks’ Historic Rail Bridge, hovering just three feet above the frozen river. Composed of a structural frame coated in a skin of ice and coloured water, the interior is rendered with a vibrant and warm glow that evokes Tarsia’s painting plates. A large diameter opening at the bottom of the sphere allows skaters to enter and experience the transformed sky. The bottom ring provides a rope-wrapped bench to rest on, while the structure offers shelter from the wind.“
Welcome Place (Project 0027, User Group: MIIC, Client hold zone)
Here is an excerpt from the project description (emphasis added), ”The design focuses on the significance of prospect and refuge for residents and patrons of Welcome Place – who are just beginning to make a place for themselves in Canada – through the integration and overlap of public and private space. The private spaces are defined by a random patterning of windows that form a uniquely textured facade with multiple views to the exterior. Walls have thickness so these views feel less expansive and more protective. The public realm begins with a sunken courtyard outside the main doors, forming an exterior ‘room’ for community functions. Within the building, public spaces are located at the building’s edges, permeating through the facade to engage the streetscape below.“
For this project, I asked Sasa about his special connection to MIIC‘s Welcome Place, which aims to help immigrants and refugees newly arrived in Canada. You can also read more in the article “Designing for desperate needs“.
Here is an excerpt from the project description (emphasis added), “The project begins as a white corrugated metal box, a blank slate which is then strategically sliced at six points to reveal unexpected glimpses of lush, green foliage at the block’s centre. The landscaped courtyard cuts away at the box from the inside out to create a dynamic, multi-facetted courtyard facade.
The design seeks innovation at all levels, including its building systems. Hollowcore concrete slabs are used as air plenums, eliminating the need for ductwork. Abundant vegetation in the courtyard acts as lungs for the entire block, providing fresh air for residents. Gray water cisterns collect run-off from the roofs while permeable surfacing and bioswales in the courtyard filter runoff water into the soil.“
Here is an excerpt from the project description, “The essence of the old house, not its actual presence, becomes the centre of the new residence, as the original foundation is preserved as a sunken courtyard. It turns the former spatial arrangement inside out: house to courtyard, yard to house, solid to void, void to solid. This shift allows the ghost of the old house to remain. The courtyard expands the visual space beyond the distinct rooms and creates a nexus around which circulation spirals in three dimensions.”
big brother | little sister (Project 0000, client: Sasa | Johanna)
Here is an excerpt from the project description, “The 1800 sq ft & 1100 sq ft dwellings were designed and constructed as a pair from their inception to completion. They share a conceptual approach and attitude to detailing, while exhibiting unique qualities and personalities responding to the residents’ priorities.
[…] Each condominium flows freely around the enclosed functions organized at their centres, leaving the exterior walls free of joining partitions. Zones within are separated for visual privacy by procession sequences from one scale to another.“
The Winnipeg Free Press 2006 article “Cutting-edge” has more details about ”big brother | little sister” where Sasa and Johanna are the architects and clients. (note: They still live in “big brother | little sister”.)
“So how big a deal is it to win an Emerging Architecture Award?Very big, according to Manitoba Association of Architects president Art Martin.
Martin said the EAs, which were founded in 1999, are considered one of the world’s most popular and prestigious awards for young architects. He said this year’s competition attracted about 300 entries worldwide.
“For a Manitoba firm to get this award is really something. All (Manitoba) architects can share in that pride.”“
I love great architectural works, so it was a great pleasure for me to talk to Sasa Radulovic and Johanna Hurme, two internationally recognized emerging architects. It will not surprise me if I see them creating more beautiful, fascinating and functionally cutting-edge buildings in the years to come. In time, I am sure I will see some of their works in Calgary, across Canada, and around the world.
By the way, at the end of part 3 of the interview clip, I have included pictures of the projects I highlighted above and I hope you will enjoy them. Visit 5468796 Architecture Inc for other projects that I didn’t get around to feature.
“This summer, more than 20 motion-activated cameras were set up throughout Banff National Park as part of a long-term wildlife population monitoring project.
Strapped to trees and hidden in rocks along hiking and game trails, the cameras have captured intriguing and sometimes comical images of elusive species like grizzlies, wolves, cougars, goats and wolverines. Researchers will analyze the images for “occupancy modelling” that will help shape management decisions on trail use, species reintroduction and the timing and location of prescribed fires.
Park officials have also found another use for the photos — they are posting the images on the Banff website to prove to visitors that wild animals really do exist in Banff. The national park has done such an effective job of reducing human-wildlife conflicts that visitors are becoming disappointed at what they perceive as a wildlife-sterile environment.
“We want people to actually see that we do have wildlife out there and that they are acting as we want them to,” says Michelle Macullo, a park spokesperson. “It’s like our family photo album, except that we’re showing off pictures of animals instead of showing pictures of the kids.”
The images are updated on a “wild images gallery” on the Banff park website. One shows a grizzly standing and scratching its back on a tree.”
Since last year, I’ve grown to enjoy and admire Kazuhiro Soda’s observational documentaries very much (love Campaign & Mental). In the summer of 2009, DMZ Korean International Documentary Festival in the border city of Paju, South Korea, commissioned Soda to make a 20 minute-short documentary about peace and coexistence which has now grown into a full length documentary.
Background and serendipity of PEACE
Soda originally wasn’t too keen on the idea of making a film on a board topic like “peace and coexistence“. But while shooting footage of his father-in-law and mother-in-law because Soda has always been interested in their work (respectively running an affordable taxi service for the elderly and disabled, and running an non-profit organization that sends home helpers to houses of the elderly and the disabled), Soda got the idea of making the feature-length documentary PEACE. Soda’s observational documentary style was key because he prohibited himself from doing any research or meeting prior to shooting to avoid having preconceptions.
The film was partly financed by DMZ KIDF and it was scheduled as the opening film for DMZ KIDF.
“What is peace? What is coexistence? And what are the bases for them?
PEACE is a visual-essay-like observational documentary, which contemplates these questions by observing the daily lives of people and cats in Okayama city, Japan, where life and death, acceptance and rejection are intermingled.
Three people and stray cats are the main characters.
Toshio Kashiwagi runs an affordable taxi service for the disabled and the elderly, having retired as a principal at a special school. Meanwhile, he feeds a group of stray cats everyday. However, there is a growing tension in the cats’ peaceful community because a male “thief cat,” an outsider, is trying to invade it.
Toshio’s wife, Hiroko Kashiwagi, runs a non-profit organization, which sends home helpers to houses of the elderly and the disabled. But, her organization is facing financial difficulties because of budget cuts from the government. At home, she has been grumbling about the way Toshio feeds his cats.
As a professional caregiver herself, Hiroko regularly visits 91-year-old Shiro Hashimoto to help his daily routines. Living in a mice and tick infected small apartment, Hashimoto is spending his final days thinking about his own death. His memories of being drafted to World War II come back to him while dealing with Hiroko.“
Film review + interview with director Kazuhiro Soda
Peace and coexistence are big and abstract ideas that are difficult to turn into a documentary without being too semental and corny. I think Soda’s observational documentary style worked well in dealing with the theme without making it a hard sell. The audience was able to experience the theme through the daily lives of three main characters and a group of revolving stray cats that Toshio feeds.
To my surprise, I found out during my interview with Soda that Toshio and Hiroko are actually Soda’s father-in-law and mother-in-law! Both Toshio and Hiroko were totally natural and engaging on screen. Soda “kinda forgot that they are the in-laws”, and in turn, the in-laws forgot that he is their son-in-law for the most part. [note: By the way, Toshio and Hiroko also played an important role in connecting Soda with Dr. Yamamoto, the doctor in Mental.]
Through the eyes of Toshio and Hiroko, we got to also see how the elderly and disabled in Japan are being treated and the challenges they face.
The stray cats
Toshio’s stray cats kind of started this film as Soda has always been interested in Toshio’s feeding of the stray cats. And as the serendipity of documentary making will have it, Soda noticed the new cat (the “thief cat”) had conflicts with the existing cats. Read the rest of this entry »
By the middle of the 20th century, Geometry looked dead. The excitement in math had moved to computers and chaos theory. But one man – Donald Coxeter – kept the torch burning. Inspired by Siobhan Roberts book, King of Infinite Space: Donald Coxeter, the Man Who Saved Geometry.
I had the honour to have one lecture by Prof. Donald Coxeter, it was a really cool class even I had little idea how important a person he was in math and in life.
Posted by kempton 
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