Diary Prequel Package — page 237

aby (Ali) will be The evening (beautiful, warm Spring DC evening) went to the Annual National Education and Leadership Awards (NELA) Gala at the Omni-Shoreham Hotel given by the Sons of Italy Foundation. Bill Clinton received the Lifetime Award for Public Service. Came 1 hour late, but gave a great speech on public service. Also awarded was Captain Anthony Odierno who lost his left arm to an RPG attack on his Humvee in Bagdad. His father General Raymond Odierno introduced his son. Tear-jerker for sure. Also awarded was Lewis Merletti, former WH Secret Service detail and ultimately Chief of the Secret Service; decorated Viet Nam vet (Bronze Star). Patty Conrad knew him when she worked in the Bush 41 WH. Says he was a very nice person. Sat at the table with Bob Gallo and Phil Piccigallo. It is interesting that after all these years I have become somewhat of an icon to the older and younger Italian men and women, many of whom wanted their picture taken with me. White House finally clears me to testify tomorrow May 27, 2010 - testify before House Energy and Commerce Committee on synthetic biology related to the Science paper by Venter et al on the synthesis of Mycoplasma mycoides and insertion into a Mycoplasma capricolum to ultimately have a totally synthetic bacteria. Testified with Craig Venter, Jay Kiessling (Berkley), Greg Kraebnick (Hastings), Drew Endy (Stanford). Hearing went extremely well. Some posturing by GOPs on Health Care reform, but in general, we all did very well. June 5, 2010 - Met with Rick Klausner at my house for catch-up. He is in town to meet with OSTP regarding preparedness issues similar to the types that I have been working on with Heidi Avery. June 8-11, 2010 - Visited RML for the BSC review. Went with Patty Conrad, Kathyu Zoon, Karyl Barron etc. Had very nice time. Went fishing twice with Marshall Bloom and Patty and a great guide named Jack Mauer. Fishing not good due to high water from rain. Nonetheless, it was a wonderful time. June 12, 2010 - Flag day at NCS. Alii took the Science, Math and Spanish Prizes. She would have won the Flag (for highest GPA over 3rd and 4th year) but an English teacher who is a known asshole gave her an A-. June 13, 2010 - Graduation Day at NCS. Feeling very sad that my baby (Ali) will be leaving us for Stanford in the Fall. June 15, 2010 - Had dinner at the home of the Italian Ambassador to the USA (Villa Firenze - 2800 Albermarle Street, N.W.) I wanted to do this since he is the new ambassador and I have over the years become variably friends with the Ambassador. The previous one was Giovanni Castanaletta. The current one is Giulio Terzi di Sant'Agata. I was fortunate enough to sit next to him at the dinner table and so got to know him. Spoke about a wide variety of subjects from Afghanistan to the Oil spill in the Gulf of