Dawn Riley's Blog

Our Friend Bart

Last August a few friends and I were sitting around a bottle of Moet at the St.FYC talking about the state of the America’s Cup. I don’t have a dog (or cat) in this race so I have purposefully tried to stay quite in public but in private I voiced my opinion. Stating you are going after the Facebook, not the Flintstone generation was one of the worst marking moves ever. It alienated the base of fans and funders in one sound bite. The claims of less cost were outright lies and the concept of making super sized yachts to make sailing super exciting doesn’t make sense. The 45s and the 72s look just about the same when watching them on a television set. I was and am worried about the future of the America’s Cup, an event that has consumed much of my adult life and provided most of my friends and one that I cherish.

I obviously have opinions including that from a management perspective, there was no adult supervision. One person was given all the keys to the castle with little or no checks and balances. There are some amazing things going on, specifically with television. But with at least initially unlimited funds they were never forced to make hard and well fought out choices.

That reckless decision making was foreshadowed by my friend Craig Monk on that night last summer. He said, Dawnsie someone is going to die on these boats, someone is going to die. Katie and I looked at each other and at Percy and Bart and got chills.

When a member of management says – “this was never on our radar” I have to ask, why the hell not? Every sailor did and now our friend is gone and I can’t imagine the sadness of his true best friends who were there and could do nothing. My heart is broken on multiple levels and I’m having a hard time finding the silver lining.

A Different Bucket

St. Barth’s felt very familiar this year and yet it turned out to be a whole new experience.  This was my third Bucket Regatta with the Perni Navi family and probably the 10^th time I have sailed into the Port of Gustavia.

On Monday, we joined the boat in St. Martin and had a bit of work to get done, plus the passage over to St. Barth’s arriving well after dark.  A quick bite in town and up to the Auberge to assign rooms and cots and make sure that everyone had a place to sleep and we hit the hay.

Headed to St. Barths

The Wednesday before I found out that Hank Halstead or normal helm and one of the founders of the Bucket was too ill to make the trip.  On Thursday the Captain was fired.  On Friday the fired Captain got married so it took me until Saturday to find out that the four other racers he had organized would not be joining us. In a bit of a panic, I managed to convince Meg Gaillard–Myles to join us.  She had to bring her daughter Kate and their nanny Kendra.  Thus the shuffle to make sure that everyone had a bed!  I posted on Facebook: New team – fingers crossed!

The next morning I woke BRIGHT and early and feeling great as I headed down the road and up and down the mountains on a 55 minute hike to the end of the island and back.

Hill Houses

Last year this was a quiet hike. This year there were construction workers every hundred yards or so as they were repairing the walls along the road.  The craftsmanship was impressive as they were 3 or 4 artisans working in the quarry by the side of the road, hand chiseling local stone.  A pretty hard job but in a beautiful setting and these guys have skills!

Handmade Stone Walls

Now they probably weren’t that used to seeing a woman in black shorts and a hot pink jog bra walking, at pace, past their job sites.  But I am positive that they weren’t used to seeing what they saw on the second day.  I was inspired by all of the rocks around and choose two similar ones and proceeded to do 10 reps each of, bicep curls, triceps extensions, military presses, and a full set of shoulder sets continuously through the hike.

Road to the Tip of the Island

The first rock day, they kind of looked at me sideways.  The second a few giggled and commented “Elle est forte!”, after that they just started offering me bigger rocks to carry .

Tuesday was a scheduled practice day but it turned more into a boat-work day as three of our people had missed their connections and there was a fair amount to do.  Wednesday was finally  had a real practice day and we learned each other’s names as we pulled together a training session.

Thursday the owners arrived so the permanent crew was fully in owner prep and the race crew helped with a few odd jobs and then got out of the way.  This was the first time we had three women on board and I decided that in honor of that, instead of going to the most beautiful and natural beach, Saline Beach that we should find one where there were men in tight or no shirts who would serve us drinks.   We ended up at Nikki Beach.

It turns out that when I was rubbing the belly of the genie and making my wish I wasn’t quite specific enough.  Turns out that there was a cruise ship in town with 2000 men!  All men! Doh

Boys All Around and Not a One to Touch

The Mojitos Were Good!

The Girls- Suzy, Meg & Me

Meg’s husband Rob arrived to race with another boat and when he joined us  their daughter Kate ran up to him to tell him about this great place where you can get drinks and then dance on the table.  Double Doh! 

Finally it was race day.   Friday started out sunny and then went downhill from there.  The rain started – torrential rain! – and it was cold.  I shivered around the race course and the boat started to show some strain as well.  Something shorted out in the electronics and on one reaching leg the on-deck crew pointed out that our boarding ladder had deployed and it was stuck!

No Virginia this is Not Fast

Not a normal racing situation.  We managed to fix it within about 15 minutes and had 5 minutes to spare before we hoisted the kite.  We finished 4^th and decided that the next day was going to be better.

Saturday was sunnier and we set off on the wiggly course.  In a ‘normal’ racing boat it would have been a fun little 19-mile jaunt up and down and between the islands. In a cruising superyacht it was a handful, especially when we ended up with Bucket Issues – not as in the race but as in the bucket and spinnaker sock that is used to snuff these massive asymmetric sails.  She wouldn’t go up and then she wouldn’t go down and then she wouldn’t go up and then we twisted the spinnaker HARD.  Just after we averted a shrimping incident I ran up to the bridge only to find Meteor headed towards us on Starboard.  We immediately started the gybe, which is NOT a fast process on these boats and just as our main flopped over they radioed ‘Consider Yourself Protested!’.  Our day didn’t get much better. After the finish as we had some mainsail issues and had to take her off of the mast.  This sail must weigh in over 1000lbs.

Thousand Pounds of Mainsail on the deck

We got to the dock only to rush up to defend ourselves at the protest meeting.    It was a very hard one to defend being a Port / Starboard and two of the jury weren’t really familiar with the operation of the different boats and we lost.  At that point I also knew that the owners had decided not to race and go to the beach on Sunday … with the boat!

I tired to put a positive spin on the day to the rest of the team but it was difficult.  We managed to get home and take a shower and the girls decided to put party dresses, with a smile on our face and head into town.  Meg and Suzy decided that they weren’t going to sail the final day but I knew if I was sitting on the beach watching the races I was going to feel horrible.  Luckily enough one of our team, James knew the captain of a 56 meter Perini named Panthalassa and they had two spots open, for me and James.  I told them that I was keen as long as they did need me.  I wasn’t into sitting around drinking champagne. At least not when racing!

Sunday morning I didn’t work out, and I was a little bit nervous.  I was also momentarily jealous of my roommate Suzy still sleeping and with a glorious beach day ahead of her.  I got to the boat and we left the dock and we got stuck into racing.  Very quickly my reservations all lifted and I slotted into the bridge with Pablo steering and Talpi tactician and Greg and Captain Greg as the safety officer and Clive navigating it was amazing to be surrounded by a tight team of great sailors and I was honored to be accepted in on the last day in the role of strategist.

The Fleet Behind Us

We had a great start and started working our way through the fleet, picking off the other boats one by one.  We came around the corner of the island and were happily in 4^th place in fleet an 1^st in class by a long way – like 20-minute lead!  Going into the day we had to beat the boat in 1^st and put 3 boats in between us to win.  Unfortunately there ended up being only two boats in between so we tied in class and they won the tiebreaker but it didn’t really matter.  We had done the best we could.  We won the race and we ended up 2^nd in class and we won the Perini Cup as the Perini Navi who finished highest in the overall standings.

There was a little bit of celebration!  I didn’t swim with a turtle or dance on the table 6” from Jimmy Buffett but the evening turned out to be extra special none the less.

It also turned out that it was a very good thing I had been hiking the mountains as on Sunday night the taxis really don’t run and Pablo and I ended up hiking up all the way past the airport and up and down two more crests to get to my apartment and car to go back and rescue the rest of the team so in the end I DID get my workout in and then some.

Monday I managed to miss my return flight and had a fun day with the Spaniards here are a few photos of the cultural experience they received

Pool Bars

And Beach Bars

Feeling the Jet Wash from a 747

So as I reflect I realize that there are some days and some regattas that are like slow train wrecks but then one good day of sailing and meeting like-minded good people who happen to sail and it is like sorbet for the mind.  We are truly blessed to do what we do!

From Alicante With Love

I was invited to the Volvo Ocean Race “Legend’s Regatta” in Alicante, Spain. The Regatta was a bit of an ingenious marketing idea, which turned into a run-a-way success. Basically with only 6 Volvo 70s registered and a Boston Consulting Group report that said the Volvo had become too far separated from this rich history, the organizers were looking for improvement.

The report indicated that with all of the modern communications and X-Games marketing, the race had lost a bit of its mystique. In the old days the sailors were hard-core adventurers who were truly sailing into the unknown and discovering how big the world really was by sailing around it! An idea to invite all of those ‘old sailors’ back was floated and the “Legend’s Regatta” was born.

The regatta was open to all who sailed or worked in any of the Whitbread or Volvos. They were hoping for maybe 8-10 boats and around 100 people. Instead – they ended up with 16 boats and over 600 people. As a matter of fact the prize giving had to be moved to the international ferry terminal because that was the only building big enough to host the sold out crowd.

For the sailing we had Heineken there and the owner Johannes Schwarz was gracious enough to let all 21 ‘Lady Legend’s’ (sailors from Maiden, Heineken, EF and Assa Abloy) race his boat. It was very cool to step onto a boat with that caliber of sailor. Most of the women I had sailed extensively, either around the world or in the Americas Cup or other long term projects but others I had not seen for quite a few years. To be truthful that would be 20 years, as in when we finished Maiden.

The social side was fun too. The Kiwis on Camper invited all of the Lady Legends to their pavilion for a special drinks party. I saw Kenny Reed when I was on my way and he was kicking himself – “Why didn’t we think of that!” ☺. Ah flattery. Grant Dalton took a different take on the flatter – throwing the bus on friends of his in the meantime. He was heard saying: “Tracy (Edwards) you’ve held up alright. Shoobie said you were a bit of a train wreck” He went on from there but I can’t put it all in print. (disclaimer this is second hand and all in a bit of fun)

When we were hanging at The Legend’s Bar or just walking down the dock we were all constantly running into old friends. Steinelager was there and she looked beautiful. Pippa Blake was having a great time. The Volvo Band was once again running with Tony Rey, Johnny LaBon, and Howard Gibbons?! ☺. Gloria Borrego’s laugh could be heard at all times. Also very cool to see so many “Volvo Relationships” going strong. Katie and Ratty, Jeni and Spike, Emma and Mike, Lisa and Neil – many now have kids!

Back to the sailing; Day one was very light. The racing was pursuit format but we elected to start with the other 2 VOR 60s and then receive a time correction at the end. This is something that is done at some events like Porto Cervo’s Perini Navi Cup.

Well the line was a big odd and the wind was super light and there was a little bit of cross current pushing us over the line. Assa Abloy got to the pin (which was the windward end of the line – yes weird) too early and had to bail. Roy Heiner’s team was to windward of us and ignored our presence let alone our luff so we were in a tight position, aiming at the pin, sliding sideways towards the line. Roy had to bail with less than a minute to go as he had sailed by the pin and then it was up to us to hold our nerve. The match racing really helped and counting down every second until literally 3 when we pulled the trigger were barely able to get the bow down below the pin and start – way ahead of the other two boats. Phew! That was the excitement. The rest of the race was very very light and they eventually abandoned it but it was so much fun to get sails up and down and work in a coordinated fashion with 4 teams forming one.

Day two was a completely different scenario. We were able to win the start again and the winds were much higher in the 18 -20 knot range but very shifty. The course was about 30 miles and as were on the beat up to the turning mark the wind was gusting pretty solid into the 30s. The sun was already slanting and the spray was aligning with the rays of the lowered sun. I had a urge to just keep going. Heineken was handling perfectly and I thought for a moment. There is nowhere in the world that I would rather be at this moment!

Turns out the turn was a good idea because we screamed downwind and again Heineken handled beautifully getting some great surfs. Yes… this might be something to do again.
I’m not old. I’m certainly not old enough to be a ‘Legend’ so I might just consider another lap… thoughts?

The House that 2010 Built

Day 1 of looking at my house noticed neighbors in need of work

2 years, foreclosure and probate later and it was mine.

Remodel nixed after HORRID discoveries

Measure twice cut once - guess not!

DIY - deconstruction. A week of fun!

Neighbors thought I was installing a pool...on the canal???

Sticks up fast.

The side entry - getting close.

About 7 months later... we are done.

Welcoming entry on the side.

Peeking around the corner to the canal

Enter and turn right

Hand scraped solid hickory flooring

A very cute kitchen reclaimed from a house in Corktown

Cousin Shannon's donation of lighting

Kitchen, pantry and large utility/laundry room

Very cool fireplace and windows including a real porthole.

Back out through the foyer

Into the downstairs study or master suite with full bath

Upstairs to two waterside bedrooms

Waterside bedrooms with french doors onto balcony

Main bath in cucumber

Suzy Leech's donation of beautiful glass

Back through the hall/office

Into the most sunny master suite ever

Fully tiled shower

With Sandi's wonderful blue tile donation

And finally a much nicer view from my yard.

BIG thank you to all of the great contractors who helped under the spectacular direction of Tod Beveridge as well as architect, Erik Hieiderer and Tony Garczynski who helped us fight city hall and win.

Fundraising Season In NYC

Last night I attended the Orthopaedic Foundation for Active Lifestyles 6th anniversary Gala and one of the honorees was Dr. Jim Andrews of Abracadabra and Health South and Aloha Challenge for the 2000 America’s Cup fame. The dinner was eclectic John McEnroe was there to present an award to Mayor Dinkins and McEnroe is a funny irreverent individual! It is also pretty cool what he is doing with his Tennis Academy on Randall’s Island.

Lyn St. James, Donna deVarona and Wendy Hilliard were there representing the foundation as well as themselves. For music John Oates of Hall and Oates played a set. By that time the dinner was over.

Speaking of dinner, Emeril Lagasse was onsite and provided a spectacular ‘bone healthy’ meal. Spinach, hearts of palm, some kind of a special roasted almonds with a bit of crème fraich, honey and a hint of spice for the salad. A root vegetable and lump crabmeat soup that I couldn’t eat because I’m allergic to crab, but it still smelled wonderful. The main course was a seared salmon over a be of collard greens and a tomato coulis followed by a trio of crème brulee. My favorite was the coffee. There were also wine pairings to accompany each course. But for some reason the glasses never got any less full. I blame it on very attentive personnel.

There were a LOT of auction items both silent and live. I had a bit of fun and bid on a room design by HGTV’s Jamie Durie. He is the little hottie Aussie who hosts ‘the Outdoor Room’. Well turns out I won. Other items that were NOT in my price range – an Alpha Romeo which went for $180,000 yikes!

As one does we went out for a cleansing beverage and found the most amazing hotel rooftop bar. Ink 48 hotel at 11th Ave and 48th I highly recommend the bar. It was a lovely, unseasonable warm evening and beautiful with the humid fog reflecting the lights of the city and I bet that in the summer it would be off the hook fun.

Abreviated "Tour de Friends"

A couple of years ago when I came home from Europe I did what I called a ‘Tour de Friends’. Starting in Newport and then NYC and then Annapolis and then onto Detroit and San Francisco. This time it was more virtual but still nice to connect.

I was in Newport RI for our Oakcliff Sailing Team and for the Melges 24/32 regatta that we sponsored. It was great to see a lot of people, ironically especially those from the midwest. At Zelda’s I ran into Suzanna Grubb and Luigi’s son Anderson of course. At the Candy Store, Chrissy Connet (aka wife of Spring Break) was having a late night snack.

This morning after Sue Reilly drove by in the parking lot, I headed across to Jamestown and stopped in and saw Meg Gaillard and her daughter Kate at Connaticut Yacht Club. Kris Farrar Stookey stop by with Hunt and their two kids on their way to the beach and just as I was getting ready to leave, Cory Sertl and her son were headed out onto the water.

I realized that I love Facebook and Twitter and web sites and blogs and Skype and how ‘connected’ we are to everyone around the world but after the past 24 hours I realized how NICE it is to actually connect with people. Face to Face or at LEAST over the phone so on the way to Suzy Leech’s house in Conneticut I called and left a message or talked to quite a few people including Tim Woodhouse who was very happy to report that yesterday was day 100 after he second stem cell transplant. It is a very important milestone.

I am now at Suzy Leech’s house with her daughter Nic who is 3 1/3 going on 10 and will be back to the crazy work pace tomorrow but what a nice, whirlwind, mini tour de friends!

On shore at the Bucket

Now – on shore at the St. Barth’s Bucket….  I behaved myself – there were a lot of  old friends and their spouses and a lot of people who were very interested and excited about what we are doing at Oakcliff Sailing.  It was good spreading the word and networking.   I was awake each morning bright and early with the sun and to get work done and to make a trip to the local boulangerie for a “pain au chocolat et une café au lait.

My porch

The days  were long: we were at the docks in time for the competitors briefing at 8:30 and then off the dock at 10 for a start just after noon and then back and wash the boat down and chamois the shinny bits.  This would involve about 8 of us washing and polishing.  That would take us up to a beer and a shower and dinner and bed.  The poor people who’s significant others were back home hardly had a moment to call them.

Sun already setting at the end of race clean up

My wingmen ended up being charter boat captain Chris Callahan and Justin “Juggy” Clougher.  They were a lot of fun.  I have run in the same circles as Juggy forever but I don’t think I’ve ever spent very much time talking to him. What a shame as Katie Pettibone says,  “he is one of the good ones.”  He and Chris were roomies at the same complex I was at and we ended up running as a pack… and laughing a lot.

Juggy, Chris and Pierre

On Sunday, after are great race, the boat stayed at anchor so we were off early and then had a few drinks and then shower and change and to the prize giving. That led to a bar where the owner’s ‘shtick’ is definitely risqué!  He has a bevy of wooden ‘toys’ up in a basket on the bar which of course drunken boys can’t help pulling out and taking funny photos with.   He took a liking to me and his antics had Peter “Grubby” Grub and Vincent Moeyersoms from America 3 encouraging him and laughing.

Cubens on Tour

When that got old we headed to the sushi bar for a snack and then the Cubens joined us and before I knew it…. I was dancing on the table with Vincent.  The fact that I’ve been told I dance like Elaine on the Seinfield Show flashed through my mind when I saw people video taping me so I jumped down … hopefully in time.

A bit later I was chatting with good friend Jerry Kirby’s son, Roam  as well as a bunch of guys around his age.  They are good kids and we were talking about sailing and the future and their futures and Oakcliff and I realized in yet another moment of clarity. “I should not be influencing the youth at 1:00 am after a few G&Ts – Time to go!”   Juggy and Chris were trying to help my love live by  – ‘giving me away’ for the evening.  So far no luck but  on the way out they surrounded a very tall Italian Cup sailor, Shannon Falcone and tried one more time.  The look on his face was priceless as in – what in the world are these two drunk guys babbling about .

We headed out and I convinced them to go to the beach which was at the end of our road and we hadn’t even been to.  It was a beautiful full moon.  I  went straight to the waters edge.  Over to the right was kind of a big rock and it seemed out of place so I walked over to take a closer look.  The rock SNAPPED at me.  It was a huge turtle!  I jumped about 3 feet and let out a squeak. She kind of looked up as if to say “Great another group of drunk humans ruining my chill time”.  We were all just standing there looking at the amazing evening so I  started the charge and ran into the water. It was so bright with the moon I could see my feet on the bottom.    An amazing evening!

Onboard Helios - note the 'control panel' but we still use the wheel

So not even any near misses with boys but a couple of new friends and a very good time overall.

New York Apartment

I am working with a new project out in New York and have rented an apartment  in Huntington New York so I will have an East Coast base.  I have had some of my San Francisco things shipped from off of the boat as well as packed my Ford Escape Hybrid to the gills with clothing and a table and  chairs etc. on New Year’s Eve and drove out on New Year’s Day.

The apartment is above a Sausage Factory…. yes I do write the rent checks out to “Mr. Sausage”.

No electricity for the 1st 5 days but now have TV & Internet & Electricity – just need a couch so I can have visitors.

A cute kitchen and the photo of Jack & Emma makes it homey.

A tiny but functional bathroom.

There is a nice big deck off of the kitchen.  I need to get a BBQ for the summer, although I’m in the heart of Huntington, the ‘happening’ town on Long Island and have seen many of the establishments.  One in particular is 1 block away – Bin 56 – a Wine and Martini Bar that serves Tapas.  Excellent!

Social Programme – Mumbai

Don’t be silly and think that just because the meeting schedule was full that I didn’t find time to ‘socialize’.   Thursday night the hotel put on a very nice cocktail and dinner in the back gardens with some quite nice Indian Sauvignon Blanc – the Chardonnay not so much but the Sav was nice and crisp.  We lounged in the garden eating the consistently wonderful Indian food.  Their Black Dahl which was lentils cooked for 8 hours, spices and creamy yogurt was to die for.

5 start hotel's back garden set against 200sq foot / family apartmetnt

We ventured out to a local nightclub the Blue Frog for some live music – from an American from LA it turns out, Terra Naomi.

Terra Naomi - didn't sing many happy songs

On Friday, straight after we played soccer with the kids we headed to a panel discussion put on by the Young Indian’s Organization. Our group didn’t have time to go back to the hotel to change so they had arranged for us to go to a Tea House so we could cool down in the AC, have some tea and ‘freshen up’ in the loo.  I think we over did it  – 4 of us women were in the rest room in various states of undress when a poor Indian woman opened the door and quickly retreated. Sorry.

Kids in one slum - Magic Bus has been here - note the t-shirt.

The panel discussion was a bit disappointing as it was the 1^st time that we saw the elite of the elite.  And every single person I talked to came away feeling that there was a HUGE disconnect between these ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’ we had been interacting with. There is a long way to go for social cohesion/equality when things were said like:  “They are happy living on the streets waiting for the government to give them a house” and then bragging about the 125 million dollar building this gentleman’s son was building in Dubai.

The one person who was fascinating was Nandan Nilekani who  left a very lucrative corporate job to take on the government project of implementing a registration system like our Social Security system.  Currently there is nothing like that in India so even if they did provide social security they would have no way of distributing it.  A good 1^st step.  An estimated 1.2 million people have no  official identity at all, no birth certificate, driver’s license, school certificate, library card let alone a passport, as a matter of fact only 500 thousand of the 1.2 billion have a passport.

In the shadow of the Trident - one of the terrorist attack sites

The dinner after was at a very fun somewhat bohemian club.  I didn’t eat dinner as by the time we made it upstairs I had partaken of quite a few of the drinks and appetizers that they were passing constantly.  The drinks included – shots in test tubes, mojitos, champagne cocktails, cosmos, kiwi margaritas, beer, martinis and I finally had to stop and switch to my safe G&T before the body shots started.  Fueled by the drinks it made sense to head to an after party.  We went to a different nightclub from the night before,  we mistakenly thought was called “Toad”.  It was really cool with wood on all walls and ceiling to look like a 3 dimensional rock wall with gold grout.  I met a very nice professional golfer and we have exchanged phone numbers and hope to keep in touch.

Saturday morning, 2 ½ hours after I went to sleep I woke up, showered packed and made it to the lobby to catch one of the buses.  We were headed out to the conference center and camp for the Magic Bus program.  I didn’t pick up on the fact that it was a 2 ½ hour drive so wasn’t too worried when the only bus left was one of the authentic the Magic Buses – as in a school buss with average shocks and grates on the window as opposed to the luxury motor coaches with AC that most were on.

one of the nicer places of living in the slum near the port

It was an experience – we drove through the town, past more and more slums, by the dump and a rotting river and someplace where there were a whole lot of chickens.  We saw many Muslim areas preparing for the Hajj when they would slaughter goats later in the day.  As we drove the air quality got better which was a good thing because our eyes were stinging from the dust and debris and at least I was wondering how to throw up through window grates with some of the smells.  My Catholic upbringing was telling me that it was payback for overdoing it the night before.

Once we got to the site I realized that it was worth the trip.  This was the only time we got to see the beauty of the country.  I can only imagine what the kids who come through here from the slums might feel – freedom, awe, possibilities.

The river near the Magic Bus Camp

the expanse

Overall I think that is what was so special about India – the belief in the possibilities. It might not be now and it might not even be in the future but there is no question that everything is a possibility.

Mumbai Panel Discussions

Last report the conference sessions had just begun and once they began it was an exhilarating and exhausting 3 days of panel discussions, interactive programs and yes, some social but first the panel discussions!

Companies Promoting Social Benefit Panel:

My friend Ashish, a management consultant and writer was the moderator.  He has also set up a training program in his home town of Lucknow designed to boost the employability of underprivileged young people.

A British Monk  spoke on the social interaction of  corporate, private, religious, government and the individual in society.  The other panelist was Clas Newmann, Senior VP, Global Head, SAP Labs based in Bangalore, India.  His presentation on CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) was funny and informative.

In India SAP contributes approximately 554 euros per employee per year to social programs.   In a country where a software engineer is going to make 8-10K/ year it is impressive that 90% of their social giving is voluntarily contributed by the employees.  They elect to press the button (Clas joked that everything is done electronically at SAP) and give a percentage of their salary to fund social program.

SAP attempts to give 40% of their social funding in cash, 40% in in-kind and 20% in employee paid time.   They have also elected to use the volunteer time as team-buiding, rather than going bowling they go to a site to volunteer.

At lunch, I was also able to confirm that the 1997 Sydney Hobart story about us loosing the mast on Morning Glory (owned by Hasso Platner, founder of SAP) and diverting a plane to get another one from New Zealand and putting it on a barge from the airport and working through the night to get it together and just barely making the start and going on to win the race and break the 25 year old race record was indeed true… it seems that the story has reached such proportions within SAP that it had become “mythical”.  Again sailing popped up in Mumbai India.

CSR in Mumbai - sign reads: "Is this the only waterfall our children will see?"

Media Activating Social Change Panel:

This panel discussed the limitations and responsibilities of social media vs. traditional media.  For instance in countries like India newspaper readership is actually going up because there are so few with internet access and yet more population and more education.  Also the TV news is a time when everyone gathers around the TV, even in the slums so it is a part of bringing the family, community together. This is opposed to the US where Dad is watching sports in the den, Mom is watching Oprah in the kitchen and the kid is watching Nic-kids upstairs.

There is also the question of responsibility for truth.  Social media is the ‘democratization of information’.  By it’s nature – everyone can post everything it allows people to essentially vote with their postings but ironically, it does not provide for equal and unbiased distribution of information. People don’t seek out the other side of an argument but rather look for support for their own side.  I raised the point that the FCC has abdicated its responsibility in traditional media as well.  They now fail to provide some level of equality in information by removing the restriction that news outlets had to provide equal time.  Thus the surge of the Rush Limbaugh’s on air.

The most interesting concept is that social media actually does not provide for a better society and more social cohesion and equality in modern and western worlds.  But the exact opposite is true in repressed countries like China or Russia where social media like Twitter are very important and key resources for fighting for equality and freedom.  For instance the “Twitter Revolution” surrounding the elections in Iran.  It ironically is also where the intellectually elite gathers as opposed to Western countries where they would gather around newspapers and periodicals.

Unfortunately we did not come up with any solutions other than the emergence of more and more sites like http://www.propublica.org/ or http://www.factcheck.org/ seem to indicate that the public does indeed want to be able to trust their information sources.