FWD:

The first issue of Think International, an internationally focused Roosevelt Institution publication, is scheduled for release in February 2008 at a conference hosted by Denver University, and will focus on "State Building and Democratization."

Should states be (re)constructed in today's world? If so, why, which states, how and by whom? Is it the responsibility of democratic nations to promote democracy in non-democratic nations or is it better to simply promote general governmental stability? What are the risks involved with promoting democracy? These are but a few of the questions that ought to be considered.

Some suggestions for further investigation (list not inclusive):

Soft power: Can democracy be promoted without it? How much does state stability depend on it?

Middle East: Case studies of Afghanistan and/or Iraq

Africa: What is the role of the US, EU, IMF, World Bank, and now China?

Southeast Asia: Case study of Myanmar/Burma


Proposals are now being accepted, and . To submit a proposal, please send an email with the subject "TI Proposal" to pburbine@gmail.com and fill in the following fields:

Title:
Subject:
Feature (Y/N):
Counterpoint (Y/N):
Partner article (For point-counterpoint):
Response to YPFP article (Y/N):
YPFP article title and author:


Feature articles should run 1800-3000 words, and will be our highlight pieces. Teams of multiple authors are encouraged, to better deal with the highs and lows of schoolwork. Feature authors will be assigned a dedicated member of the Editorial Board to work with. If you know of another person or team interested in the same issue, you are encouraged to do a point-counterpoint set, where the counterpoint runs 1500-2200 words. Non-feature articles are also encouraged, but restricted to 800-1200 words. Length exceptions will be considered on a per-case basis.

You might check out Young Professionals in Foreign Policy and their article database. If you see an article that strikes a chord, and you feel compelled to respond, let me know, and I will see if we can't get the original author to publish a counter-response.

For those who might find the current theme uninteresting, or simply would like to look ahead, future editions of Think International will, in no specific order, focus on: Africa; economics, trade, and north-south relationships; the role of non-state actors; Russia and post-Soviet states; international security, including nuclear proliferation.

Yesterday one of my friends said she saw me in the school's bulletin. I looked at it. Might as well copy it for memory sake. I asked her not to put 'me' in the bulletin; just the peace conference, but whatever. This is what she covered:

New Campus Group Focuses on Peace

Kelley Glenn, a Political Science major, attended the Student Peace Alliance National Conference 2007, “Our Generation Calls for Peace,” Oct. 19 to 21 in Waltham, Mass. “Over the summer, I joined the Roosevelt Institution Student Think Tank and started the first chapter at Arcadia University, which we call RICA (the Roosevelt Institution of Arcadia University),” Glenn notes. “Students associated with the Roosevelt Institution from another campus have created this National Conference.” The conference speakers included Betty Williams, Arun Gandhi (Mahatma Gandhi's grandson), Trish Jones and Will Spencer.

“I am going because it is necessary for students to care. So often people complain without any intention of creating solutions. This conference will allow student attendees to attend a series of speeches about nonviolence, create some form of solution for current affairs and address the issue of the HR 808 Bill (the House bill to establish a U.S. Department of Peace).”

No one reads this, except my friend, haha. I should write a detailed review of the notes I took and engage people to give me ideas--this is worse than pulling teeth. I think one of my friends blocked emails from me through facebook since she said she would if she got too many.

Success? Not so much. Trying.

<3 Kells

Brainstorms:

* Membership: interest for now. free.
* Fundraising: I don't think this is needed.
* Press & Communications: I contacted AUTV about showing ads for RICA Student Think Tank. The Arc has agreed that we can cover the Student Peace Conference but there are DJs playing during the "live" time so I'll call the DJs who volunteer to broadcast on the air with the details from all speeches. We need individuals to write opinion editorials or write a little clip for The Tower newspaper, or even Glenside News.
* Policy Efforts: None thus far. Ideas?
* General Activities: None thus far.
* Advisers: Dr. Thompson (Dr. Bob)
* Projects: Concentrating on the 3 Challenges, local bills--getting signatures for petitions, and am open to Women Studies discussions.

My friends Kai and Patrick have been sending a job opening request for AAM (America Abroad Media) and their list of responsibilities will almost match up identically to what RICA will be doing. I just remembered I was human again and I don't have super powers, just super hearing according to doctors. So, because I am human, I have a list of responsibilities that I may delegate. Look below and find your niche.

Responsibilities for RICA:
§ Manage quarterly mailings and maintain contact lists
§ Reach out to online community through e-newsletters
§ Prepare marketing materials, and attend educational conferences to distribute "The Roosevelt Hour" radio programming to academic world
§ Help with coordination of town hall and television events



-Your beloved K.

Revised Charter: Updated August 2007

The Organization

* The name of the organization shall be "The Roosevelt Institution."

* The Roosevelt Institution exists to provide students with a voice in the policy process, and by exercising that voice, to train them for future leadership.

* The Roosevelt Institution shall be a semi-autonomous division of the Franklin and Elanor Roosevelt Institute (FERI) with its own governing committee, it's own programs adn its own statement of principles.

* The Roosevelt Institution shall be a joint project of its student membership, its staff, its advisers, friends and investors. Each shall have specific responsibilities within the organization, as described in this Charter.

* The decision making organs of the Roosevelt Institution shall be a Governing Committee of board members, a staff answering to an Executive Director, a collection of Chapters, a set of Caucuses, and an Editorial Board.

* (Charter) The Roosevelt Institution shall be governed by this Charter. This Charter shall apply to (i) employees and officers of the Roosevelt Institution, (ii) accounts payable by and receivable by the Roosevelt Institution, (iii) Roosevelt Institution-accounts under the control of FEI, and (iv) Roosevelt Institution intellectual property including the Roosevelt Institution name and branding. All internal policies of the Roosevelt Institution, and all actions of the FERI board and its staff pertaining to the Roosevelt Institution, shall be in compliance with this Charter.

RICA (Roosevelt Institution Chapter of Arcadia) is official!

I'm attending the AAEC's 50th Anniversary Convention over the course of four days. I won't be attending all of the times for it since I agreed to help the neighbors look after their kids over the summer... I thought it would be babysitting gigs for night time deals whenever they went out, but they put together a weekly schedule and as my new schedule was being written out, I realized, "holy shit, I'm becoming a nanny..?!?" Why does it feel degrating? I like kids, but the title 'nanny' sounds SO degrating. lol. Maybe I'm more like a Mary Poppins figure than Betty Crocker? Anyways, I get to eat my Maryland Crab Cakes in fancy dresses and suits at the Mayflower, get to listen to lectures in the lobby(?), and going to the Washington Post main building for additional cartoon convention katundu (katundu = stuff - translated in some african language my dad picked up during his peace corp years).
So, again, quite excited!

Must dream. Cheers! Kell

Tomorrow night I'm heading out to the Blue's Alley Jazz Club to see "Plunky & Oneness." The history behind "Plunky" is absolutely amazing! On the myspace page, the history behind Plunky is quite impressive. It will be repetitive to reword what's already been written, so here's what I came across. "Saxophonist Plunky Branch is an experienced performer, songwriter and music and film producer, and he is president of N.A.M.E. Brand Records, through which he has released 20 albums. At one time Plunky was a studio musician for television's top-rated sitcom, "The Cosby Show. His song Every Way But Loose was a top-ten soul music chart hit in London. He has appeared on avant-garde jazz albums by Pharaoh Sanders, Hamiett Bluitt and others. Nowadays Plunky spends his time leading his bandmates onstage playing rousing funk, R&B, jazz, African, reggae, gospel and rap and making music in his recording studio." The page goes on telling we readers that he's performed in England, Austria, Germany, and Switzerland! I'm excited about the show! To share or envy my excitement, go to http://www.myspace.com/plunkyandoneness/ Enjoy the last half an hour of your weekend!

Cheers! Kell

Hey Guys! I've been researching new forms of stem cell research methods because I want to believe there will be a way for my mom to gain sight in her right eye. Everything I've discovered and written down here gives me more hope. I just thought I'd share this with you.

There has been new findings (from last year) about alternative ways to do stem cell research without embryos. One of the discoveries involve antlers. Yes. Deer antlers. "Deer antlers are large structures made of bone that annually grow, die, are shed and then regenerate. The research suggests that unlike the regenerative process in the newt, antler growth does not involve reversal of the differentiated state but is stem cell based." For more details, go to: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=36174

Deer shed their antlers during the Spring. Picture taken from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4598896.stm

One of my friends asked me if they'd hurt the deer.

No. The deer are safe.

They shed their antlers during the spring.

In Singapore, a lot of research dedicated to the regeneration of eye sight through stem cell transplants has taken place. One article reports on the latest (in 2003): "Previously, treating these diseases with conventional corneal transplants had a very high failure rate, because we were not transplanting stem cells at the time of the transplant. Over the last few years, we, and others in the field have pioneered the surgical technique of transplanting both Limbal, and Conjunctival Stem Cells, and these stem cell transplants are now routine procedures within our corneal transplantation program. However, there are often problems in obtaining adequate stem cells, either from the opposite eye, or from corneal donors." Now they are using a new technique of "Growing Your Own Limbal Stem Cells For Transplantation" -- for more details: http://www.snec.com.sg/clinical/corneal_2_2.asp


Some of the Many Success Stories:

There has been at least one success story, which was covered by the BBC News, August 2003. "A blind man can see again after being given a stem cell transplant." Click here for details: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3171993.stm

In 2004, another article suggests that we may be able to take samples from our own eyes to regenerate eye sight. "Stem cells taken from the back of the eye could eventually be used to restore normal vision in people with sight problems, researchers have said." Again, the details: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3950827.stm

With more clicking, I discovered that in 2005, BBC published another news article about a hospital in West Sussex has been pioneering the use of stem cells to restore the eyesight of patients. "The trial, being carried out at the Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead, has already helped 40 people see again." For more details, click here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/southern_counties/4495419.stm


Yours,
Kelley Glenn