Tanya and Charles Brandes Gift to UCSD to Support MBA Student Fellowships

“UC San Diego has been fortunate in securing generous private support for the university’s top-performing professional schools, including our innovative and pioneering Rady School of Management,” said UC San Diego Chancellor Marye Anne Fox. “We are thankful for the support of Tanya and Charles Brandes and their foundation, because this gift will open doors to graduate management education for talented students.” “The Brandes Fellowships will provide financial assistance to outstanding individuals who otherwise might not be in a position to pursue their MBA degrees,” said Rady School Dean Robert S. Sullivan. “Attracting such excellent students to the Rady School is a top priority. We are deeply appreciative of the Brandes' support and their involvement in building our school.”

The mission of The Tanya and Charles Brandes Foundation is to provide support for the arts, science, education and community leadership. Tanya Brandes serves as the president of the foundation, providing oversight and strategic direction. She holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Southern California and a medical degree from Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. Brandes worked in emergency medicine and continues to be involved in providing charity medical services in Papua New Guinea, Africa and other developing nations. In addition to the foundation and her medical work, she is the co-owner of a film production company.

"A commitment to education is one of the best investments that can be made,” said Tanya Brandes. “It is our hope that through the Brandes Fellowships, the Rady School will attract talented entrepreneurs and managers who will strengthen our San Diego business community and beyond.”

Charles H. Brandes is a graduate of Bucknell University. He founded San Diego-based Brandes Investment Partners in 1974. The firm has offices in Toronto and Geneva. “We are confident that this school will shape the next generation of local and international leaders, who will exemplify entrepreneurial spirit, intelligent management and ethical business practice,” said Charles Brandes.

Tiger

When we went to the Zoo on the weekend I managed to sneak out with a secret purchase of two plush tiger cubs...'life sized'. Late that afternoon as Marlana was waking from her nap I gave them to her...and Sienna....I have never seen eyes almost pop out of someone's head before!!!!

It was like Marlana had gotten back together with her two best buddies!

LeapFrog, Michael Milken, Lowell Milken, and Larry Ellison, Sponsor Education.com

What new parent has not heard of Leap Frog? We have a Leap Frog Globe, Full set of Leap Frog DVD's, Leap frog Phonics thing that attaches to our magnetic kids pin board, Word Whammer, 3 readers with lots of books and cartridges in Spanish and English. We live in New Zealand. Why do the kids need Spanish? Donnell as anglo as she is, was born near the Mexican Border and with very strong SoCal links, thinks it is good for the kidlets to have an ear for the accent. LeapFrog Enterprises, is a leading developer of technology-based learning products and today announced its sponsorship of the new Learning to Read center on Education.com as part of LeapFrog's ongoing commitment to providing parents the best learn-to-read tools for their children. This new reading resource will provide easily accessible, high-quality educational and developmental reference and editorial content that address the critical and often challenging topic of learning to read.

The publicly traded company is majority owned by Knowledge Universe, Inc., a private company with worldwide interests in education-related businesses. Knowledge Universe was founded by financier Michael Milken, his brother Lowell, and Larry Ellison, founder of the software firm Oracle Corporation.

As a trusted leader in creating fun and engaging learning experiences for children, LeapFrog is uniquely positioned to team up with Education.com, a comprehensive, one-stop destination that allows parents to take an active role in their children's education from pre-school through grade 12.

"LeapFrog is excited about our work with Education.com on this important initiative that delivers on our core mission of making learning fun while helping children reach important educational milestones," said Zachary Fisher, vice president of corporate strategy and business development at LeapFrog.

The LeapFrog learning brand is trusted by parents, valued by teachers, and loved by children around the world. With almost 35 million educational platforms and almost 90 million interactive books and games in homes worldwide, and multi-sensory technology in over 100,000 U.S. classrooms, LeapFrog looks forward to sponsoring the new Learning to Read resource for parents who want to take an active role in their children's education.

"Every parent has questions concerning their children's education but is unsure where to find answers. Those who turn to the Web find that educational resources are fragmented and inconsistent," said Ron Fortune, CEO of Education.com. "The ultimate goal of Education.com is to empower parents to help their children. Education is not strictly limited to academic instruction, so whether it's helping parents choose a school or helping keep kids happy, healthy and motivated, our hope is to provide a resource that minimizes the time spent searching for answers and allows for more time to focus on a child's education."

According to a recent Education.com survey conducted by Harris Interactive(R), 74 percent of parents of children ages 18 and under said they wished they had a single resource they could turn to for information and answers about education and 96 percent of parents believe they need to take an active role in their children's education in order to fill in the gaps in public school education. LeapFrog looks forward to building on the relationship with Education.com to find unique and effective ways to assist parents with learning solutions for their children.

Tree House

The girls are VERY naughty ballerina's but getting...better! I built The tree house (Donnell design)...a 'waste' of my time in many ways.... However I'm proud of it!

It stands outside our office managers window...Sienna and Marlana and friends laughter adds a 'interesting' sound track to our work environment.

Naughty Ballerina

Our girls are very naughty ballerina's...... They love ballet! Sienna is getting better...typically, Marlana is challenged by the creative restrictions of the discipline!

Either one of them gets sent out of class for 'playing' up ...often...However the other parents think they're very cute!!

Congrats to Sergey Brin and Anne Wojcicki

Sergey Brin marries his sweetheart Anne Wojcicki this weekend at Musha Cay in the Bahamas. Stay down to earth and keep it real. It is wonderful to spend your life with your best friend.

In

Ed Roski's Majestic Realty Foundation Hosts Inner City Students Enjoy Leadership Training Camp

For the fourth straight year, the Majestic Realty Foundation hosted kids from the inner city for a weekend camp for 82 students from the Los Angeles Youth Leadership Council (LAYLC) at the Salvation Army’s Camp Mt. Crags in Malibu Canyon. The theme for this year’s camp was “Do the Right Thing”--a theme reinforced throughout the weekend. Whether taking part in traditional leadership training activities, or jumping headlong into new experiences, like morning yoga or tightrope walking, the students had a weekend they will never forget—especially those who had never been to sleep-away camp.

“I learned to find my inner-self by testing myself on the ropes course,” said Bryon Herrera, 16, who represents Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA) on the LAYLC. “The leap of faith activity was really challenging and I think I matured a little at camp. We talked about what we wanted to be when we grew up and what college we want to go to.” Herrera, who shared at camp that his goal is to attend UCLA and study world history, is a junior at Miguel Contreras Learning Complex.

Founded and sponsored by the Majestic Realty Foundation, the LAYLC is an informal team-building and leadership development organization that brings together high school students from six inner city youth centers: Bresee Foundation, El Centro del Pueblo, HOLA, Para Los Niños, Salesian Boys & Girls Club of LA, and the Salvation Army/Red Shield.

An annual highlight for LAYLC members, the Majestic Realty Foundation’s weekend camp includes leadership and goal-setting workshops, along with team building activities, mountain biking and moonlight scavenger hunts.

New to camp this year was a workshop on violence prevention facilitated by Brandy Davis, supervising attorney from Break the Cycle, a recent foundation grantee, along with yoga classes taught by instructors from the non-profit Y.O.G.A. for Youth program, and with nutrition classes led by representatives from the E.N.E.R.G.Y. (Eating Nutritiously, Exercising Regularly and Growing “Y” –isely) program of QueensCare Family Clinics.

"These students are amazing," said Meghan Loper, LAYLC program coordinator from the Foundation. "They look beyond any hardships or challenges they face in their personal lives to develop a wide range of skills that will help them become the leaders of tomorrow.” Although they are all from the inner city, LAYLC students attend 33 different LAUSD schools.

Whether trying the ropes course, the obstacle course or karaoke, or participating in workshops, the campers tested their limits, learned about teamwork and ultimately came away with new skills and memories to last a lifetime, Loper said.

In keeping with the LAYLC’s theme of leadership development, campers were instructed and mentored throughout the weekend on the art of goal setting.

"As they scaled the rock wall, solved the scavenger hunt or walked the tight rope, they had to focus on their goals," Loper explained. "It was great to watch them encourage each other, work together and solve problems, learning along the way that lasting friendships can transcend the boundaries of schools and neighborhoods."

In addition to providing camp opportunities, LAYLC also offers its young members the chance to take part in college tours and visits from high-profile guest speakers, such as public officials, business leaders and other decision makers. In turn, students receive leadership training, including pointers on public speaking, economic literacy and civic affairs. The students are then encouraged to become active in their communities.

"Through the LAYLC, we like to say that we are investing in tomorrow's leaders today. We are hoping to help create a future generation that is active in the community," said Fran Inman, president of the Majestic Realty Foundation. "We want these students to know that their voices matter and that the issues that concern them concern us all."

Alex Spanos: Sharing the Wealth

The year is 1951, and Alex Spanos, twenty-seven years old, is an unemployed father of two with no money in the bank and no prospects. His first order of business is sheer survival. Then he gets an idea. Days later he secures a meager $800 loan to start his own business. And he never looks back – until he becomes one of the nation's top businessmen and the owner of the San Diego Chargers.

Sharing the Wealth is the inspiring and exciting story of how one man rose from the humblest of beginnings to become one of America's most dynamic business leaders. Along the way, Spanos shares the secrets of his success – the strategies, knowledge, and insights from his remarkable fifty-year career.

Now the owner of a professional sports franchise and the chairman of a corporate giant, Alex Spanos has fulfilled his aspirations and reached the heights of success. Yet this son of poor Greek immigrants has never forgotten his origins or the opportunities he found in America. And he has always been eager to help others take advantage of the abundant opportunities that still exist. That is why he shares with all readers his fifteen "Fundamentals of Success."

"Success," Spanos writes, "cannot be summed up in a sound bite, but it can be explained in a story." And Sharing the Wealth is a remarkable and inspiring story that will help countless others set goals and reach them.

Alex Spanos, owner of the National Football League's San Diego Chargers, is chairman and owner of the A.G. Spanos Companies, one of the nation's leading builders of apartment communities. His business career began in 1951 with an $800 loan that enabled him to buy a truck and start his own catering business. With his entrepreneurial genius, he moved quickly into the fields of real estate and construction, where he became an industry leader.

A noted philanthropist, he has donated millions to benefit charities, educational institutions, hospitals, churches, and civic and athletic organizations. He has received many honors and awards, including the Horatio Alger Award and the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Medal of Honor. He and his wife, Faye, have four children – Dean, Dea, Alexis, and Michael – and fifteen grandchildren.

Jerry Yang and Akiko Yamazaki pledge $75 million to Stanford

University trustee Jerry Yang, co-founder of Yahoo! Inc., and his wife, Akiko Yamazaki, have pledged $75 million to enhance multidisciplinary programs at Stanford. The bulk of the gift—$50 million—will be used to cover construction costs for the new Environment and Energy Building, which eventually will serve as the hub for environmental studies on campus. Another $5 million will go toward the construction of the high-tech Learning and Knowledge Center for the School of Medicine. The remaining $20 million will be earmarked for projects to be determined later.

The gift—the largest of several donations Yang and Yamazaki have given to their alma mater—represents a major contribution to The Stanford Challenge, the university's recently announced campaign dedicated to finding solutions to the most pressing challenges facing society and to strengthening multidisciplinary teaching and research across the campus.

"Stanford is indeed fortunate to have friends like Jerry Yang and Akiko Yamazaki," said university President John Hennessy. "Jerry and Akiko have always been loyal supporters of their alma mater, but this gift is particularly meaningful for the university as it seeks to address important issues of environmental sustainability. At the same time, it recognizes the critical role that cutting-edge research facilities play as hubs for dynamic intellectual exchange and innovative research in the ongoing search for knowledge that serves the public good. We are truly grateful for the generosity of spirit and breadth of vision embodied in this magnificent gift." Sustainable future

Born in Taiwan and raised in the Bay Area, Yang, who earned bachelor's and master's degrees in electrical engineering from Stanford in 1990, co-created the Yahoo! search engine in April 1994 while a doctoral student in electrical engineering at Stanford. He is currently a director of the company and holds the title of Chief Yahoo. In 2005, he was elected to the Stanford Board of Trustees for a five-year term. Yamazaki was raised in Costa Rica and came to the United States to study at Stanford, where she earned a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering in 1990. She is a director of the Wildlife Conservation Network in Los Altos, Calif. The couple met in Japan in 1992 at the Stanford in Kyoto overseas studies program.

"When The Stanford Challenge defined the environment and sustainability as a major fundraising initiative, it really hit home for Akiko and me," Yang said.

"When you live in a place like Costa Rica, the environment is just part of life," Yamazaki added. "Because it's such a small country, everything is very accessible. Sloths are always coming into your backyard, and if you want to see white-faced monkeys, you just drive an hour and there they are."

She said that she and her husband welcomed the opportunity to make a substantial contribution toward construction of the Environment and Energy Building, which began in 2005 and is expected to be completed in December. The estimated price tag for the finished building is $118 million. The 166,000-square-foot eco-friendly structure located at Via Ortega and Panama Street will provide a new home for the Woods Institute for the Environment, the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and several interdisciplinary environmental research programs.

"The future is in interdisciplinary problem solving," Yamazaki said. "This building and the programs it will house will allow the best and the brightest to convene and engage in problem solving in a unique way that's only possible in an academic setting. What better place than Stanford for that, with its excellence in engineering, law, earth sciences and biology. It will really be drawing on all the strengths that Stanford has."

The new building will serve as a coming-together place for Stanford's environmental community, added Woods Institute Director Jeffrey R. Koseff, the William Alden and Martha Campbell Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

"The Environment and Energy Building will allow us to move our ideas into action by providing the space and technology for collaboration and connections with decision makers, and it will create the spaces needed to train and educate leaders in the environmental realm," he said. "We are all enormously grateful to Jerry and Akiko for their incredible generosity."

Added Yang: "I think in five, 10 or 15 years we'll be able to say, 'Wow, look at all the great things that have come out of that building.'" Medical education

Yang and Yamazaki also have pledged $5 million toward construction of the School of Medicine's Learning and Knowledge Center, a 120,000-square-foot building that will provide cutting-edge technologies for training doctors. The center is expected to cost $90 million to $100 million and will replace Fairchild Auditorium.

"This new facility will be the most exciting and advanced center for medical education in the nation," said Philip A. Pizzo, the Carl and Elizabeth Naumann Professor for the Dean of the School of Medicine. "It will bring together state-of-the-art information technology, robotics and virtual reality to create an environment that provides novel approaches to education that are coupled with a commitment to humanism and compassion, and which will transform the educational experience for our medical and graduate students, as well as postgraduate residents, fellows and faculty."

In 2006, Pizzo asked Yamazaki and Nobel laureate Paul Berg, the Robert W. and Vivian K. Cahill Professor of Cancer Research, Emeritus, to co-chair the effort to raise $50 million for the new center. The $5 million gift will help jumpstart that fundraising effort. "The Learning and Knowledge Center will be a role model for the nation and epitomizes the values, commitment and contributions of Jerry and Akiko," Pizzo said.

"There is this notion that medical school education is still very much book driven," Yang said. "Over the last few years, there is really much more focus and opportunity for medical education to be done using technology. The Learning and Knowledge Center will be a hub for those kinds of activities. It really does marry our interest in information technology with medical education."

Over the years, Yang and Yamazaki have funded scholarships, undergraduate education and other campus programs at the School of Engineering, the Asia Pacific Research Center, the Stanford Japan Center and the Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve. They also co-chaired the recent Campaign for Undergraduate Education, which raised more than $1.1 billion to strengthen undergraduate studies.

"It's great that we can contribute in some way, but at the same time, I don't think that we can afford not to do this," Yamazaki said. "Otherwise, our child is not going to have a good world to live in."

"We keep coming back to Stanford as a place to give money to, because there's a uniqueness that Stanford offers donors like us," Yang said. "First of all, you can attract world-class talent. Secondly, there's very long-term thinking beyond what you can commercialize tomorrow, beyond what the politics are day-to-day. Number three, it's still a place about interaction, where the best lawyers, biologists and engineers are all sitting around drinking coffee together. You can't replace that with technology or video conferencing or flying around in airplanes. You have to be down the hall where you have the chance of creating some of the best ideas that will come out in the next century. We feel thrilled, actually, to be a part of that."

Travel

Availability USA West Coast - April Annually - Easter Vacation I  N  D  I  A  N    W  E  L  L  S

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Availability Europe  - June Annually

 

 

Availability USA East Coast - August Annually

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Availability New Zealand  -  February/March/May/July  Scheduling shoots from September to December is challenging, though not impossible.  I love the opportunity to capture a family together over the holidays.

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Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster ‘Signature One Hundred’ Series Sells Out

The limited-edition “Signature One Hundred” series Tesla Roadster, the first high-performance electric car manufactured by Tesla Motors, has sold out in three weeks, confirming that the sleek, stylish, zero-emissions Tesla Roadster is a hit. Unveiled last month before a throng of well-wishers and automotive enthusiasts in Santa Monica, Calif., the Tesla Roadster is transforming the auto industry, proving that it is possible to deliver sports car performance in a handsome, environmentally friendly vehicle.

“Our goal in designing the Tesla Roadster was to build a car with zero emissions that people would love to drive,” said Tesla Motors co-founder and CEO Martin Eberhard. “Each of our Signature One Hundred customers could drive any flashy, fast, gas-powered car they wanted. Instead they did the right thing, investing in an attractive car that uses no oil and is responsible for far fewer greenhouse gasses than the alternatives.”

Eberhard continued: “Getting a ‘Signature One Hundred’ Tesla Roadster provides entry into a very exclusive group. These early customers are pioneers, helping lay a foundation that will make electric cars possible for everyone — enabling Tesla Motors to develop future models at price points that eventually work for every budget.”

Tesla Motors Chairman Elon Musk agreed. “Customers of the Tesla Roadster are doing something really good that goes beyond just buying a sports car, because their purchase helps pay for development of our affordable, mass market electric vehicles,” said Musk. “Buying a Tesla Roadster is a vote against global warming and oil addiction.”

The electric-powered Tesla Roadster is capable of accelerating from 0-60 mph in about four seconds. It boasts the equivalent of 135 mpg and a range of 250 miles on a single charge, a combination heretofore unseen in a mass-produced electric vehicle*. Its extended range is due to its state-of-the-art lithium-ion Energy Storage System.

Each customer made a $100,000 deposit to join the Signature One Hundred Club and reserve their “Signature One Hundred” special edition Tesla Roadster. The “Signature One Hundred” edition includes a commemorative plaque in the cockpit personalized for the customer and signed by the company’s principals, a special Signature One Hundred trim package and all available options, including a state-of-the-art navigation system and a hard top. Deliveries of the Tesla Roadster are expected to begin mid-2007.

The Signature One Hundred Club has attracted a diverse group of members including performance sports car devotees, alternative energy advocates, technology enthusiasts, “Clean Tech” supporters, environmentalists and members of the financial community. Some of the initial members include Oscar® winner George Clooney, Dennis Haysbert (of “24” fame), Jim Marver of VantagePoint Venture Partners, Jeff Skoll, formerly of eBay, as well as Eberhard and Musk. Each has reserved their “Signature One Hundred” edition Tesla Roadster.

Tom Gores Platinum Equity to acquire PNA Group

Platinum Equity announced today that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire PNA Group, Inc., a leading processor and distributor of steel products with annual revenue of approximately $1.2 billion. The seller is TUI AG, the largest travel and tourism company in Europe, which has been divesting non-core industrial holdings in order to focus on its core tourism and shipping sectors.

“We are very enthusiastic about the steel and steel services sector”

PNA Group processes steel and distributes it to fabricators, manufacturers and distributors, primarily in the United States. The company comprises three independent business units:

-- Feralloy, headquartered in Chicago, which provides hot-rolled coiled steel, galvanized and other rolled steel, and hot-rolled pickle;

-- Delta Steel, headquartered in Houston, which provides steel structural beams, channels, tubes, plates and hot-rolled coiled steel;

-- Infra-Metals, headquartered in Atlanta, which provides steel structural products.

Platinum Equity Chairman and CEO Tom Gores views PNA Group as a strong platform for growth in the steel services industry, said Jacob Kotzubei, senior vice president for mergers and acquisitions at Platinum.

"We are very enthusiastic about the steel and steel services sector," Mr. Kotzubei said. "Platinum's transition and operations expertise will help ensure a smooth separation of PNA Group from TUI, and we are excited to work with the management teams at each of the three business units to build enterprise value through both organic growth initiatives and potential add-on acquisitions."

The acquisition of PNA Group, which is subject to regulatory approval and normal closing conditions, will significantly increase Platinum's operations in the steel and steel services sector. In December 2005, the firm acquired ESM Group Inc., which provides a variety of products and services to the steel production industry, including desulphurization and secondary metallurgy services, caster segment maintenance, equipment design and manufacture, as well as the supply of specialty magnesium to non-steel related industries.

Children Are Amazing!

Our girls are 21 months and last night Sienna started to read...... I'm still blown away....it was at true memory, because she can read many more words today.

She gave me her Humpback Whale story one of 100's of their books...and gave me a giggle...instead of me reading the first few pages, she did!!

Kauri Cliffs

Don, Glen,Timothy...? (one of the Eagles): I'd like to introduce to you the next president of the United States Mr Jo Walsh! Joe Walsh: 'I'd like to remind you I'm running for president, and here is an industrial love song' ....'my mazuratti does 185, I lost my license and now I don't drive...' Live moments don't get better than that!

I have found Golf 'Heaven'...or at least one of the special clouds...Kauri Cliffs. Look for a book called 'Fairways to Heaven'. Along with Millbrook in Queenstown.  You have just gotta come down here one day.......and experience parts of this beautiful land that is like a serious huge breath of crystal clear air.

A couple of days at Kauri Cliffs (seriously located in the middle of 'no where' ), would have you ....well wanting to come back.

Blessed

Our babies are soooo cool, fun and happy. We fell very blessed/fortunate/happy and totally and utterly intrigued. It is hard to believe they are really ours!  ( The 'real parents' haven't turned up so we've still got them!) Sienna...loves 'D' words like Dad, duck, dog....if only we could send the sounds this child makes!

Marlana....such a lover of life, as she says to the question, have you had a good day? "All day!" she replies.

We're currently packing up what turned into a big event for us. Donnell and I had an anniversary. We built a stage and put up a concert rig for NZ's top jazz band...and we built a dance floor too, all in our garden with the background of our almost finished house. It was a beautiful night. Our girls loved the music and the dancing bit. Sienna exhausted herself and went to bed gratefully....Marlana giggled, sung, chortled and Rocked till she dropped. She loved the singer....and Caitlin (the singer) loved having Marlana sharing the spot light.

Parenthood - Living Life At Autobahn Speed

Saw 'Something's Gotta Give' a few weeks ago and got nostalgic for Sagaponack, NY. Work has been full on.  I'm sort of trying to catch-up with 2003.... yet 2004 is galloping along at a autobahn rate. Our baby girls are 'princess' material from the day they were born. It was and unexpected and pleasant surprise when Sienna and Marlana started to get baby gifts and flowers from clients all over the world, household names, that certainly could be forgiven for having too much to do than spend a few minutes thinking about our girls.  As Donnell says, It's always nice to find out someone really cares for you, more than you realized they did.

Our files are next door at our house that used to be our home/office.......currently an extraordinary building site...our sweet little 3 bedroom batch of a place is being transformed in to a 5 bedroom Donnell design 'American' dolls house with reasonably large Kitchen living out the back. We're putting on an entire 2 story nursery etc. We're recycling the timber from a 2 stored home in St Heliers, and if we're successful will add wonderful features.

Donnell is successfully feeding both babies as I write....sort of out of necessity...they were both screaming at once! I do the 6:00 am feed with expressed milk, and help with the others as I can....but the twin feed I haven't seen very often........it's not as easy as it looks.

We are in a different club now!  Everyone would always assume I had children....now it's true!!

Donald Bren and Brigitte Muller Married

Donald Bren exchanged vows Saturday with Brigitte Muller over the weekend. The intimate church ceremony took place at the All Saints Episcopal Church in Beverly Hills and was attended only by close family members. It was followed by a luncheon at Bren's Holmby Hills home.