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LUNCHEONS

Social Hour - 11:00    Lunch - 12:00

SIR Branch 35 meets for lunch every 3rd Wednesday at the IFES Portuguese Hall.

IFES Portuguese Hall
432 Stierlin Rd just east of Shoreline
Mountain View, CA 94043-4622
VIEW MAP
650-967-2759

Usually there are over 250 members and guests at the lunch meetings. From 11 to 12 there is an opportunity to mingle and share conversation and a drink from the honor bar. At noon we move into the main dining area. There the fellowship continues at tables of 8. The best tables are kept unreservable to encourage getting to know other members.

Meeting 

January 21, 2009
Speaker: Bill Whalen, Hoover Institution
Intro by: Ken Newton
Subj.: Obama’s Agenda and the Role of His Cabinet Appointees

If you enjoyed Bill Whalen last February, when he spoke to us about the Presidential race just before the Super Tuesday Primaries, then you should enjoy this. Bill will speak to us on the day after President Obama’s historic inauguration on his views of the prospective Obama agenda – what he will go after in the early part of his term and what the likely outcomes could be. Additionally, he will describe his view of the likely roles of Obama’s cabinet appointees.

Bill Whalen is a Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution where he studies and writes on current events and political trends. Whalen writes frequently for leading California opinion makers including the Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, and the San Diego Union Tribune. He has been a guest political analyst on the Fox News Channel, MSNBC, and CNN. He also can be seen and heard on Bay Area radio and television, commenting on current events. Whalen also serves as a media consultant for California political hopefuls and aspiring policy leaders. His clients have included Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, former congressman Tom Campbell, and former Los Angeles mayor Richard Riordan. He was the chief speechwriter and director of public affairs for Governor Pete Wilson. Whalen was steeped in politics in his native Washington, D.C., long before relocating to California. He has been cited by Insight Magazine, the national newsweekly and sister publication of the Washington Times as one of its top political reporters. The 1992 Media Guide said of his work, “The New York Times could trade six of its political writers for Whalen and still get a bargain.” During those years Whalen also appeared frequently on C-SPAN, National Public Radio, and CNBC. Come with your questions.


Formal activities begin with the Pledge of Allegiance and singing of God Bless America. Then we have a delicious lunch. After lunch comes the introduction of guests and the induction of any new members. Then our own choral group, the Trail Birds lead us in singing several old favorites. They cap this with an amusing musical introduction written each month for the day's speaker. These presentations, always excellent, run 35 - 45 minutes, including Q&A, and meetings adjourn by 2 p.m.. Past topics, in addition to those since 2000 which are described in more detail on the pages noted below, have included:
  • A report on the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
  • The latest developments in urology
  • An update on the Globalstar satellite communications system
  • Football and a discussion of leadership by Coach John Ralston
  • A review of the Stanford Linear Accelerator program.
  • Astrology and Space Exploration
  • The Securities Market Now and Future
  • Backwards into Battle-by a WWII Tailgunner
  • Consumers' Exploiters by Tom Vacar of Channel 2
  • NASA's Search for Life on Mars
  • Football's Quarterbacking, Coaching, Special People by Joe Kapp
  • Japanese Surrender - Tokyo Bay 1945

See descriptions of upcoming and recent programs - click here.

See descriptions of programs from 2008 - click here.

See descriptions of programs from 2007 - click here.

See descriptions of programs from 2006 - click here.

See descriptions of programs from 2005 - click here.

See descriptions of programs from 2004 - click here.

See descriptions of programs from 2003 - click here.

See descriptions of programs from 2002 - click here.

See descriptions of programs from 2001 - click here.

See descriptions of programs from 2000 - click here.


Note: There is a SEARCH button at the top of each page on this site. It allows you to look for a specific word or phrase in any of the pages. This can be useful for finding prior programs, speakers, topics, etc.

 

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