“Change in American Life: Past, Present, and Future”

  Our program, “Change in American Life: Past, Present, and Future” included a number of outstanding speakers:

• Mr. Peter Hannaford, author and consultant, “The Reagan Legacy”
• Professor LeAnn Snow Flesher, “The Left Behind Series”
• Dr. Ellen Hanak, Public Policy Institute of California  Research Director, “California’s Water Future”
• Mr. Ernest Ray, “Industrial Ergonomics, the Intel Experience”
• Miss Julia Morgan (aka Betty Marvin), “California’s First Woman Architect”
• Ms. Sharon Burke, Senior Fellow, Center for New American Security, “National Security”
• Dr. Sara Gilliland, “Neuroscience in Physical Therapy”

Ninety-seven Phi Betes and their guests attended our 23rd annual conference at Asilomar in Pacific Grove over President’s Day Weekend, February 13-16. Stimulating lectures and discussions alternated with relaxing time to renew old friendships and make new acquaintances.

Our speakers presented various views on “Changes in American Life: Past, Present, and Future.”

		Friday night Mr. Peter Hannaford spoke on “Presidential Leadership and the Nature of Change,” followed by a lively discussion led by some of our physicist members who commented on Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative.
		Saturday Dr. LeAnn Flesher spoke on the influence of premillennial dispensationalism and the Left Behind fiction series that cobbles together biblical references out of context and interprets apocalyptic literature as prophecy.
		Saturday night Dr. Ellen Hanak excited the group when she addressed the future of water in California and rehearsed the pros and cons of a peripheral canal.
		On Sunday we heard about ergonomics helping workers and saving Intel thousands of dollars in workers' compensation insurance costs from Mr. Earnest Ray.
		In the afternoon Miss Julia Morgan (aka Betty Marvin) made an appearance across space and time to tell us about her life and how she became California’s first woman architect.
		Jonathan O’Bergin, owner of Gryphon winery in Carmel Valley, joined us for a delightful wine seminar and tasting of his Chardonnay, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, and Pinot Noir.
		That night Ms. Sharon Burke arrived from Washington to tell us about Obama’s proposals for changes in the nation’s approach to national security. Interview with Sharon Burke on "PRI's The World"
		On Monday morning Dr. Sara Gilliland explained how new discoveries in neuroanatomy are helping physical therapists improve the quality of life of their clients.

The March newsletter will contain the amount of the $100 registration fee, paid in 2008 for the 2009 Asilomar, that can be considered a donation to our graduate student scholarships.

After three years as Asilomar chair, Jae Emenhiser is passing the torch to Calvin Wood. You may contact him by to reserve your space for the 24th annual conference, February 12-15, 2010.

Hope to see you in 2010,

Jae Emenhiser, Past Asilomar Chair

Past Asilomars