The longest thread ever

[Fish80]

I'm too lazy to google this, so I'll ask all you learned DBRers. How often do we humans shed our skin, I mean completely replace it? I'm guessing every 90 days, but only because I once heard we grow new legs every 90 days.

[merry]

Had to be bad to best former President George Bush's commencement address in 1998.

I've seen about 10 graduation speeches at Duke (haven't been the last 2 or 3 years though) and I agree that was the worst one. What a pathetic whiner.

[hurleyfor3]

I know Bill Bradley spoke in '93 but don't remember a word. And H. Keith H. Brodie was sick for the darned thing.

I'm not giving Duke a dime until I get a good explanation of why he wasn't there. Having a fever or whatever they said doesn't cut it.

His speech was awful, full of 1992 election Democratic talking points (six months AFTER the election ended) and containing nothing about basketball, which would have been interesting. He spent most of the speech talking about how bad the economy was, which of course was rubbing salt in the wound because we were all looking for jobs.

Brokaw '90 and George Will '91 were much better. Wasn't around for Margaret Wright Edelman '92 but I doubt it was noteworthy either way.

[OldPhiKap]

We had Gary Trudeau in '88, which was pretty entertaining. The main thing I remember is his central point: Always ask the impertinent question.

[Shammrog]

Who spoke this year?

Mine (1993) was Bill Bradley. A good speaker I guess, but total "pie in the sky" leftist political horse-poo. Naturally, I am biased - but I wouldn't even mind a leftist speech, and would expect no less from Duke. But this was way out there...

[blublood]

I'm too lazy to google this, so I'll ask all you learned DBRers. How often do we humans shed our skin, I mean completely replace it? I'm guessing every 90 days, but only because I once heard we grow new legs every 90 days.

Actually, I think you get a brand new skin replacement every 7 years. (please, please do not ask how I know that)

If we literally did grow new legs every 90 days, how fun would that be?? Old people would be like millipedes.

[Truth]

In 2001, Charlayne Hunter-Gault delivered our commencement address. I can't say that I recall any positive comments from any of my classmates. Overall, if I recall correctly, the speech wasn't particularly bad, but it was a bit lengthy and not particularly the "off into the world" inspirational message that one would expect.


Anyone know if these speeches can be re-viewed somewhere? YouTube? I'd like to see some of the earlier reference Bush / Wagoner speeches for a comparison...

[DukieInKansas]

Actually, I think you get a brand new skin replacement every 7 years. (please, please do not ask how I know that)

If we literally did grow new legs every 90 days, how fun would that be?? Old people would be like millipedes.

Thank you - I'm glad I wasn't the only one that knew that without looking it up. I'm usually a fount of totally useless information.

[Turk]

Vance, 1984 was an improvement over my year, 1983! We had Mary
Duke Biddle Trent Semans, whose accomplishment was being born very rich and staying that way.

Added moments adter initial post: LOL, I responded to gvtucker before seeing that Lavabe had beaten me to the punch. Sorry, classmate!

I dunno, that 84 speech was an unbelievably bad one for the ages... I can't believe I'm still so peeved after all this time...

Went back in 85 to hang with what was left of my posse; the speaker was some lady who was president of U of Chicago (Northwestern? one of those...) and she was GREAT. Wish I could remember her name; she had everyone going... BTW, that one was on East Campus too...

To me, they need to have a "get over yourself" theme... I believe MIT had "Click and Clack", the NPR Car Talk guys one year... That's the way to go... Have fun, lighten up a little...

[GrayHare]

So we're COMPLETELY off topic now but could someone please provide the Cliffs Notes version? I'm intrigued.

I wasn't there and didn't hear it, but here's a link to the whole thing... 2008 Commencement Address by Barbara Kingsolver.

[hurleyfor3]

To me, they need to have a "get over yourself" theme... I believe MIT had "Click and Clack", the NPR Car Talk guys one year... That's the way to go... Have fun, lighten up a little...

The best MIT graduation speech was Kurt Vonnegut's. Or actually, it wasn't. (Yes, I know the whole story.)

[cato]

I've seen about 10 graduation speeches at Duke (haven't been the last 2 or 3 years though) and I agree that was the worst one. What a pathetic whiner.

Well, at least you weren't stunningly hung over and clad in black on the field at Wally Wade during that one.

[Lavabe]

Went back in 85 to hang with what was left of my posse; the speaker was some lady who was president of U of Chicago (Northwestern? one of those...) and she was GREAT. Wish I could remember her name; she had everyone going... BTW, that one was on East Campus too...

You must be talking about Hannah Gray (University of Chicago President).

1983 < 1984.

Please do not put 1983's speech on YouTube.

Cheers,
Lavabe

[Bostondevil]

I dunno, that 84 speech was an unbelievably bad one for the ages... I can't believe I'm still so peeved after all this time...

Went back in 85 to hang with what was left of my posse; the speaker was some lady who was president of U of Chicago (Northwestern? one of those...) and she was GREAT. Wish I could remember her name; she had everyone going... BTW, that one was on East Campus too...

I believe you went back to hang with friends but it wasn't for the '85 graduation. We were in Wally Wade and the speaker was Theodore Hesburgh (spelling?), president of Notre Dame. I thought Katherine Graham was president of the University of Chicago but I wouldn't trust my memory on that one.

I enjoyed my graduation speech more than I thought I would so, ringing praise, although I think I was the only one. He said something like, I don't really have any advice to give you that you would actually listen to so let me tell you what the civil rights movement was like for me. A history lesson instead of advice? Works for me.

BD - Class of '85

[Shammrog]

I believe you went back to hang with friends but it wasn't for the '85 graduation. We were in Wally Wade and the speaker was Theodore Hesburgh (spelling?), president of Notre Dame. I thought Katherine Graham was president of the University of Chicago but I wouldn't trust my memory on that one.

I enjoyed my graduation speech more than I thought I would so, ringing praise, although I think I was the only one. He said something like, I don't really have any advice to give you that you would actually listen to so let me tell you what the civil rights movement was like for me. A history lesson instead of advice? Works for me.

BD - Class of '85

(Can someone tell me who spoke at Duke this year?)

[Turk]

I believe you went back to hang with friends but it wasn't for the '85 graduation. We were in Wally Wade and the speaker was Theodore Hesburgh (spelling?), president of Notre Dame. I thought Katherine Graham was president of the University of Chicago but I wouldn't trust my memory on that one.

I enjoyed my graduation speech more than I thought I would so, ringing praise, although I think I was the only one. He said something like, I don't really have any advice to give you that you would actually listen to so let me tell you what the civil rights movement was like for me. A history lesson instead of advice? Works for me.

BD - Class of '85

Well scratch my back with a hacksaw... I hate when that happens...

Kay Graham was running the Washington Post at the time... That I DO know for a fact, and I was clean and sober and awake for that whole mumbling pile of drivel (unfortunately)!!

So I heard Hannah Gray give a great speech on East Campus... maybe it was Homecoming Weekend 1962... yeah, that's the ticket... arrgh... "Violins on television? oh never mind..."

Res ipsa loquitor,
Turk

[Cavlaw]

In '02 we got to listen to Tom Wolfe mumble incoherently about hooking up for what seemed like forever under the sun. I was pissed when I heard the next year was going to get Kofi Anan, although since he didn't show I guess I'm no longer bitter.

[HaveFunExpectToWin]

Vandy has a tradition of having the current chancellor speak, which turns out be equally as boring as many of these sound but with a much lower speaker's fee.

Rick Wagoner > Stu Scott on any day

[DukieInKansas]

Can anyone tell me who the speaker was in '82? I remember graduation was on East, the MBAs waved money when their degrees were conferred, the nurses had balloons, and someone popped the cork on their champagne during the invocation. (Our group waited until our degrees had been conferred - then let the popping commence.) I remember someone in native dress of an African country, I believe, waving something that looked like dried grass.

(Apparently in EarlJam's poll - I must feel a lot older than my age - the memory is failing. Of course, I don't think I could have said who it was a month after graduation either. )

[Bostondevil]

My brother graduated Class of '82. Are we sure Hannah Gray didn't speak at that one? It was definitely on East Campus. The student speaker gave a speech entitled 'No More Lies'.