Blog

In honor of our village first anniversary

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:02:00 -0400

Friday, June 12, 2009

My fellow hillaryvillagers:

It is with great humility to thank and congratulate all of you for the love, peace, joy and harmony you bring to the village. As we celebrate our first anniversary, I am re-posting the very first blog thread that I wrote on June 12, 2008, as a reminder on how we got here and as a path to our continuing journey:

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Title: Send greetings to Hillary

Posted at 11:00 PM on June 12, 2008

Thank you, Senator Clinton

Godspeed Senator Clinton. Thank you for standing for us. We will follow you and will always be there for you in mind and spirit. Thank you for letting us in your village. We are here when you need us.

Thank you to your beautiful daughter Chelsea who inspired us with her heartfelt words of wisdom about her mom. We are proud to embrace her as she shares your vision for a better future for young people like her.

Thank you for your wonderful husband Pres. Clinton who always reminds us about how good the nineties were and for his enduring belief that better days are ahead with you as the President of the United States.

These past several months were filled with momentous events that I will always cherish. I will always keep you in my heart, you have enriched the lives of 18 million Americans with your courage and compassion.

God bless you! God bless America!

Much love,

Normita Fenn

Let us light our candles with prayers for our chief, her family and villagers everywhere. Let there be peace and let it begin with hillaryvillagers.

http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng&gi=hrc

The heart of Saturday night

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 01:50:00 -0400

A young girl borrows Chopin's passion and transforms an evening. Life is good, no matter the disappointments.

By Garrison Keillor

June 3, 2009 | The driest May in Minnesota since the Dust Bowl. Venerable GM slides into bankruptcy and you shudder for the old Pontiac dealers and the retirees in Michigan. In the middle of the night, an Airbus drops out of the air into the Atlantic Ocean and the veteran traveler shudders to think of it. And the posthumous John Updike appears in the bookstore, a book of short stories ("My Father's Tears and Other Stories") and his last poems, written by "my right hand ... faithful old five-fingered beast of burden ...its labors meant to carve from language beauty, that beauty which lifts free of flesh to find itself in print."

In the midst of these ominous rumblings, I went to a lovely party Saturday night, which is newsworthy because I stopped going to parties a long time ago because it's boring to hear people talk about getting old, but then Saturday night there was this party and I went. A big brick manse on a quiet street, 30 people, half of them under 25, on a deck out back, hamburgers, fried chicken, chips, beer, wine, the usual repartee, and a lot of youth going on around us.

A boy and a girl with eager eyes, in the shadows, like badgers at a campsite. Three boys holed up with a video game. A beautiful coltish 16-year-old girl leaning around in a black strapless evening gown, trying out different personas (Dorothy Parker, Nancy Drew, Ava Gardner), who struck me as a reincarnation of Anne Frank. A teenage boy sitting with his nose in a book, making a great show of isolation. And an intensely quiet blond girl, a math whiz, who, with no reluctance, sat down at the piano when I asked her if she played piano, squared her shoulders and played the exquisite Chopin Prelude No. 2 in A minor, the notes of the slow movement like raindrops on birch leaves, smoke drifting by, an anguished old man pacing in the grass, and played it so beautifully it transformed the entire evening.

Transformation is no easy trick: It's what art promises and usually doesn't deliver. But she did. It was a difficult piece, and what she showed us was the intense poetry underneath her calm Lutheran exterior. She borrowed Chopin's passion and made it her own, an astonishment, and then she stood up awkwardly and we all clapped and whooped. It was so much more than what we deserved to hear, which is true of art, a lavish gift of the heart that shames pretense by its outrageous generosity.

I went back to the crowd on the deck and had a piece of rhubarb pie with ice cream, feeling buoyed up by the performance, and still feel buoyant days later. The plane falls, the company slides, the good man is gone, the lawn turns brown, but with Chopin you come back to basics: Do I regret this life? Is it, despite all our brave words, a cheat and a waste? Does it make any slight difference to the universe that we are present?

What depresses me about the old-age monologue is the air of regret -- Poor Me, I Am Unaccountably Sixty-Five, My Brain Is Leaking, My Legs Are Gone, Where Has It Gone, The Beauty And The Dream? -- and what makes me love cities, despite the uproar, are the constant reminders of the generosity of life, the readers on the subway, the cheeses in the deli, the pictures in the gallery, the musicians in the park. The exuberant salad eaten on the sidewalk amid bus exhaust and the drawn faces of passersby.

Playing the Prelude No. 2 in A minor is not a step on a career path. There is only one Emanuel Ax, and he has the Chopin chair for now, and there are plenty of dead pianists around on CDs. I suppose that you could argue for a correlation between mastery of the Prelude No. 2 and scholastic achievement leading to opportunities in computer programming, but meanwhile, it simply is an extravagant gift from the heart of a girl to the hearts of whoever is standing nearby. Life is good, no matter the disappointments -- O God the disappointments. Just square your shoulders and give them your utter best. As the late great Marilyn Monroe said, "I don't want to make money, I just want to be wonderful." Life is insurmountable, but we mount up every morning and ride forward. Thanks for being wonderful, dear heart.

(Garrison Keillor is the author of the Lake Wobegon novel "Liberty," published by Viking.)

http://www.salon.com/opinion/keillor/2009/06/03/transformation/index.html

UC Berkeley welcomes the future home of The Richard C. Blum Center for Developing Economies

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 23:30:00 -0400

Heart of the Village

Thursday, April 23, 2009 was another interesting day in the life of the Fenns of San Ramon.

By Bob Fenn, Alumnus, University of California-Berkeley, College of Engineering, Class 1963

Member, Dean's Society

Normita and I attended the groundbreaking for the future home of The Richard C. Blum Center for Developing Economies. "Propelled by the energy and talent of faculty and students committed to helping the nearly three billion people who live on less than two dollars a day, the Blum Center is focused on finding solutions to the most pressing needs of the poor." Richard Blum has spent most of his life focused on how to help the underprivileged in the world. His earliest focus was with the American Himalayan Foundation, an outgrowth of his trekking adventures in the mountains of Central Asia. He became inspired to see what he and some associates might be able to accomplish by investing in and researching the problems and solutions of the less fortunate. He has spent time with Jimmy Carter in his efforts with Habitat for Humanity.

Groundbreaking led by Richard Blum, VP Al Gore,

Chancellor Birgeneau, Dean Shastry and UC Board of Regents

The tremendous growth of the Blum Center over the last few years has necessitated the creation of a home for the Center. The $16 million project is being developed by a private, non-profit organization - the Blum Center for Developing Economies at UC Berkeley Foundation. Launched in 2006, the Blum Center is focused on initiatives that are multi-disciplinary. Working side by side with the students, UC Berkeley faculty are developing and adapting cutting-edge technologies to address real-world problems and educating next generation of leaders in the fight against global poverty. Students take a variety of new courses and participate directly in the alleviation of poverty in developing countries. Areas include projects performed by innovation teams working to deliver safe water and sanitation solutions in eight countries, life-saving mobile services throughout Africa and Asia and modern energy efficient technologies that reduce negative environmental and health effects.

Blum discusses water sanitation project with faculty and team leader

Among the projects:

Education Program/Photovoice: Provides education manuals and interactive workshops on germ transmission, water borne diseases, handwashing, safe water storage and treatment methods. Provides youth living in slum communities with camera and basic photography skills to empower them through self-expression and learn more about water and sanitation situations and inspire community mobilization and support.

Epidemiological Study: Household survey to monitor and evaluate framework to capture the diarrheal disease in a village in Mumbai, India. Included are understanding hygiene practices, treatment preferences and disease transmission. The goal is to evaluate and create behavior change in the communities they serve.

Economic Survey/Understanding Determinants of Water Treatment: Household survey on demographic variables, role of gender, knowledge of disease transmission and medical expenditure correlated with income. The goal is to understand the most productive method in education particular communities.

Normita greets the team of Health in Hands

Andrea Silverman, Pronita Saxena (lead) and Ayse Ercumen

Students spend time in target communities overseas under the auspices of The Richard C. Blum Center for Developing Economies. The Center also partners with the Carter Center on some of their projects.

The groundbreaking was presided over by UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert J. Bergeneau, with remarks by UC President Mark G. Yudof, Dean of Engineering S. Shankar Sastry and former U.S. Vice President Al Gore who spoke about the work Richard Blum is doing, and his work on climate change. On his remarks, VP Gore quote some eastern scholar: "if you want to go quickly, go alone; if you want to go far, go with a group." I think that Richard Blum has followed that adage and is continuing to do so with this new center. After the remarks, the Chancellor presented VP Gore with the Berkeley Medal of Honor in recognition of his leadership in the fight against global warming. (UC Berkeley does not present "honorary degrees.)

We enjoy these events, since they always seem to introduce us to new innovation and exciting ideas. Next up, an Engineering Alumni Event focused on "Can Information Technology Solve the Energy Challenge?"

P.S. It will not be Berkeley without the protesters, this time by UPTE, Local One.

The Fenns greet US Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 04:22:00 -0400

Normita and Bob with Justice Stephen Breyer

Justice Breyer asks Bob about power grid in Hawaii

Friday, April 10, 2009 was a very exciting day in the life of the Fenns of San Ramon!

By Bob Fenn, University of California-Berkeley, College of Engineering, Class of 1963

Member, Dean's Society

Normita and I went to the International House at the UC Berkeley campus to meet with and talk with Justice Stephen Breyer of the US Supreme Court!!! This was a private reception for the Justice jointly hosted by the Dean of the School of Engineering (Dr. S. Shankar Sastry) and Richard Blum of the Richard C. Blum Center for Developing Economies, and Chair of the UC Board of Regents.

The excitement really built up for us when Justice Breyer walked in the room and, guess who was closest to the door? It was Normita! She welcomed and greeted the Justice with the excitement of someone who died and went to heaven, with cameras clicking away! Normita and I had the opportunity to shake his hand, converse with him briefly, and had our pictures taken with him. Pretty heady stuff for a couple of folks from the suburbs.

The Justice seems to be a very engaging person; when I spoke to him, he wanted to know of my background (did I start a company, was I a professor?) and when I told him what I had done at Hawaiian Electric Co., he wanted to know how we generated power in Hawaii. The new Director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory was in attendance (he replaced the director who was appointed to a cabinet post in the Obama administration). Normita was excited to meet him since she had worked at the lab for some time. Also, Robert Reich, the Secretary of Labor in the Clinton administration was in attendance. Most of the people there were the heavy hitters, people who have donated to major projects on campus, faculty, and alumni. I have never figured out how we get invited to these events (an upcoming event will have former Vice Pres. Al Gore as guest).

After the reception, we moved to the main auditorium where the Justice gave a brief talk on "International Law". The main focus of his remarks was on the necessity for a "rule of law" and an "independent judiciary" in order for economic development to take place. This is because people will not feel comfortable entering into contracts if there is no mechanism to adjudicate dispute that may arise, therefore, stifling risk-taking to a great extent. He cited many examples of how this concept has worked right here in the US, and how it takes time for the "rule of law" to take effect, noting that the Supreme Court ruled against school segregation in 1954, but still existed until President Eisenhower sent the troops into Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1957. Another interesting example was a Court decision in 1830 or so concerning the Cherokee Indians in Georgia, when the Court ruled that the Indians had a right to stay in northern Georgia, but President Jackson disagreed and sent the army in to chase the Indians to Oklahoma, where he said they still are today. He spoke of meeting with jurists in Russia, and how the independent judiciary is somewhat an anachronism to them. They have what they call "telephone justice", where a politician will call them and tell them how to decide a case. He was asked what he would do if Senator Kennedy or the President called him on a case, his reply, "they would not call me!". There was applause and laughter from the audience. All in all, a very interesting talk.

After the talk, there were some questions from the audience. One concerning the internet and copyright protection, which the Justice declined to answer since he feels that this is a question the Court will be addressing sometime soon. It was interesting to me when he said that all of the deliberations of the Court are very civil, never a raised voice, never a bad word about someone's opinion. He said there are many "rules" around the deliberations, the one he cited that sticks in my mind is that "nobody speaks twice until everybody has spoken once," a rule we may all consider when we are deliberating an issue.

This was a very enjoyable and enlightening experience for me and Normita, something to remember for a long time. Such an honor to meet an impressive, down-to-earth man who plays a major role in the many aspects of our lives.

P.S. It will not be a Cal Berkeley event without the protesters, this time it was Women for Peace.

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Brief bio on Justice Breyer:

Since 1994, Stephen Breyer has served as an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. Appointed by Democratic President Bill Clinton in August 1994, and known for his pragmatic approach to constitutional law, Breyer is generally associated with the more liberal side of the Court.

Born and raised in San Francisco, Justice Breyer graduated from Lowell High School. After graduating from Lowell, Breyer went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Stanford University, a Bachelor of Arts from Magdalen College at the University of Oxford as a Marshall Scholar, and a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) from Harvard Law School.

In Her Own Words . . .

Sun, 25 Jan 2009 01:46:00 -0500

These quotes by Hillary remind us why we are here. If you have other favorites, share them with the village. We will continue to do as Hillary has asked—we will participate and debate.

When I am talking about "It Takes a Village", I'm obviously not talking just about or even primarily about geographical villages any longer, but about the network of relationships and values that do connect us and binds us together.

I'm sick and tired of people who say that if you debate and disagree with this administration, somehow you're not patriotic. We need to stand up and say we're Americans, and we have the right to debate and disagree with any administration.

Our lives are a mixture of different roles. Most of us are doing the best we can to find whatever the right balance is . . . For me, that balance is family, work, and service.

There cannot be true democracy unless women's voices are heard. There cannot be true democracy unless women are given the opportunity to take responsibility for their own lives. There cannot be true democracy unless all citizens are able to participate fully in the lives of their country.

We are Americans, We have the right to participate and debate any administration.

I have gone from a Barry Goldwater Republican to a New Democrat, but I think my underlying values have remained pretty constant; individual responsibility and community. I do not see those as being mutually inconsistent.

There cannot be true democracy unless women's voices are heard. There cannot be true democracy unless women are given the opportunity to take responsibility for their own lives. There cannot be true democracy unless all citizens are able to participate fully in the lives of their country.

In the Bible it says they asked Jesus how many times you should forgive, and he said 70 times 7. Well, I want you all to know that I'm keeping a chart.

If I want to knock a story off the front page, I just change my hairstyle.

Letter of congratulations to the incoming SOS

Sat, 17 Jan 2009 01:08:00 -0500

Below is the cover letter addressed to Sen. Clinton sending greetings on her SOS post with a copy to her family. Awesome photos! It was printed by a local printer who gave this top priorty - he admires her as well. A pdf copy will be sent via email to those who sent their message.

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January 16, 2009

The Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton

New York, NY 10017

Dear Senator Clinton:

Congratulations on your new undertaking as Secretary of State of the United States! It is with gladness and joyfulness to be a part of millions of Americans who will follow your path as you bring peace and harmony between peoples in different villages around the globe. As I tried to find a reason why things happened the way that they did, my heart told me that it is your destiny, in this time, in this place, as you continue in your unwavering commitment to make a difference in people's lives.

Enclosed is a compilation of messages of congratulations and best wishes from your many supporters who will forever be your friends. Every word was written with utmost love for you. In your moment of reflection, please open this and be reminded that you are not alone. Through your courage and compassion, you have awaken our senses to get involved, to read, to watch, to listen; for that you have enriched our lives forever. We will follow you with our thoughts and prayers during the many challenging and joyful times ahead of you.

Best wishes to you, Chelsea, Pres. Clinton and your lovely mom, Ms. Dorothy. God bless you and God bless America.

Sincerely,

Normita F. Fenn
hillaryvillagers gatekeeper

I am a hillaryvillager

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 02:58:25 -0500

As I walked the village of Hillary

Posted on Thursday, November 6, 2008

When I woke up the day after the election, I once again reflected on what I saw at the precinct on election day, the many faces in our country that were very difficult to put into words. I wondered on the uncertainties that await our country from many different angles. From the perspective of a person who grew up to respect what this country represents, I have every right to get upset, to get weary, to get worried, to be challenged; as Bob and I sat down for breakfast like we do every morning, I vowed to collect my positive thoughts with renewed vigor, the kind of thoughts that I can share with my neighbors, with my fellow villagers, and with my fellow Americans.

As I walked through the village with Lanz, I felt the need for a reflective moment to feel the cold autumn air, to see the different colors of nature, to look at the bright sky with gratitude to Almighty God for bringing me to a place with the energy to keep going. With a shattered heart, I closed my eyes wishing for a time when the person we called our village chief would ascend to the presidency of the United States, bringing the right kind of hope and change the country deserves. As I opened my eyes, I know that it was not to be at this moment in time. Suddenly the birds flew by signaling to me that I have reached the place of acceptance, to wave goodbye to the many obstacles of the past months that disrupted the lives of many but awakened the senses of many more.

I am rising from the side of country first with a better comprehension of: how the Pledge of Allegiance are mere words unless we live it; how God bless America is hallow unless we respect it; and how the lyrics of America the Beautiful is empty unless we sing it with a loving heart and soul. I will rise to honor my country for enriching my life that I share with my family, my circle of friends, fellow villagers and colleagues. I will rise from the depth of my existence as a proud immigrant, a naturalized U.S. citizen, who will forever love and respect this country for giving me that vast opportunity to seek and to find the true meaning of courage, compassion, humility and generosity toward everyone I touch. These are my thoughts. I feel blessed. I am a hillaryvillager.

Inspired by the person named ?Hillary?. Rise Hillary Rise. God bless America.

Normita

a proud hillaryvillager-CA

Let us light our candles with prayers for our democracy.

http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng&gi=hrc

Why Hillary is the one for me

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 02:17:41 -0400

I have been an admirer and a "follower" of Hillary Clinton from when her husband ran for president in 1992. I saw in her a dynamism, passion, loyalty and courage as she stood by her husband, taking blows from every direction during the very heated campaign against the powerhouse of President George W.H. Bush and the Republican Party. Hillary showed an unprecedented strength and toughness during her husband's presidency, the rest is history.

I met Hillary in person when she accompanied President Clinton during their stopover in Hawaii in 1994, after a visit with the U.S. troops in Asia. Like thousands of Hawaii residents, Bob and I lined up for hours along the beach in Waikiki to meet and greet this young president and his wife who simply mesmerized the American public and the international community with their honest optimism and intelligence. We were in front of the barricade and had a great view of the stage and the entering dignitaries. Hillary walked ahead of her husband, wearing a flowery blue (of course) dress, shaking hands with the people. When she finally got to where we were standing, she paused to greet a family behind us, calling them with their first names. (A while later, I asked the couple how they knew Hillary, oh, they were neighbors in Arkansas - small world indeed!) I saw that sincere look in Hillary's eyes, firm handshake, courageous and humble. I kid you not, from that day on, I knew someday she will run for public office and will earn the respect of people, and I will be there to support her.

All through this campaign, with a sense of dismay, I saw how Hillary was treated by the DNC and the media; her colleagues and her husband's so-called "loyalists" turned their backs. Yet, Hillary woke up everyday with the same message of hope and faith for what is right, always humble and compassionate; she never wavered to address, with full understanding and knowledge, the real needs of her fellow citizens in the many aspects of their lives. Her husband has been criticized for defending his wife and partner in his many accomplishments as president and in life; their only child who is just as accomplished and smart as her parents, was called names as well. I still can't understand what Hillary did to deserve the ridicule, the bashing and the disrespect, for she has done nothing but to render service to her fellowmen, always loyal to the "party" in spite of adversity.

Time will tell, but one thing is clear: Hillary has 18 million supporters who are waiting, standing shoulder to shoulder with her; her village will remain open, brightly lit with candles of wisdom and courage, inhabited by her loyal, loving villagers, who will stay with her til the end of time. Humbly, I am one of them.

God bless Hillary, Chelsea, Bill and Dorothy. God bless America.

Normita Fenn
a hillaryvillager
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Hillary supporters rally in Denver
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXZ45h0u3Vc
"Women are like tea bags, you'll never know how strong they are until they are in hot water." - a quote from Pres. Roosevelt by Gloria Allred
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Let us light our candles with prayers for the Clintons and our democracy:
http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng&gi=hrc

Godspeed, Senator Clinton

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 01:10:04 -0400

Dear Senator Clinton,

I am one of your gatekeepers at your village who traveled to Denver this week to march in your honor and in honor of those who fought 88 years ago so women will have the right to vote. Watching your speech from my hotel room was a wonderful experience as you spoke of the everyday Americans you met in your journey, spoken with compassion and love for your fellow citizens.

My heart and the hearts of your village keepers are broken that you were denied the opportunity to be the President of the United States. You are the best candidate who can bring the country to its greatness that got buried; your husband's presidency will remain as the best eight years of my generation, and I thank him, you and Chelsea.

What you did today in pushing for Senator Obama's nomination was courageous, in the face of disappointments of your delegates, a show of class. This historic day will forever be remembered as DAY OF COURAGE.

Your village gate will remain open for you until the voices of your 18 Million will rise once again from its silenced path.

God bless you. Godspeed!

In the village tradition, our candles will remain lighted with prayers for you and our democracy.
http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng&gi=hrc

Much love,
Normita
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Hillary Clinton ? Simply the Best
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCG5Tp4ZwZI

Send greetings to Hillary

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 23:00:38 -0400

? Thank you, Senator Clinton

Godspeed Senator Clinton. Thank you for standing for us. We will follow you and will always be there for you in mind and spirit. Thank you for letting us in your village. We are here when you need us.

Thank you to your beautiful daughter Chelsea who inspired us with her heartfelt words of wisdom about her mom. We are proud to embrace her as she shares your vision for a better future for young people like her.

Thank you for your wonderful husband Pres. Clinton who always reminds us about how good the nineties were and for his enduring belief that better days are ahead with you as the President of the United States.

These past several months were filled with momentous events that I will always cherish. I will always keep you in my heart, you have enriched the lives of 18 million Americans with your courage and compassion.

God bless you! God bless America!

Much love,
Normita Fenn