It is a professor at Carnegie Mellon giving his ‘Last Lecture’ about achieving childhood dreams. He was diagnosed with and then quickly died of pancreatic cancer. The speech has been translated into many languages and played over and over again. The speech can change your life.
Lacher’s speech seems to forget that we are so lucky to live in the USA, where almost anything is possible, if you want it enough, and can work hard enough for it. A knotted shoelace is a minor distraction, not worth mentioning like this. A missed train may be a minor setback, but can lead to a chance encounter and a business opportunity. He missed the chance to give a great speech to thousands of people.
I saw Sara Richmond give her 5th grade speech at Trinity. Yes, she did quote Lady Gaga. I couldn’t believe my ears. Lady Gaga had been front page news during that time. She was embarrassing herself at Yankee and Mets stadiums, falling down drunk. What kind of example is that? Though musically talented, she probably has a untreated substance abuse problem. And our fifth graders had just finished their DARE program.
How about quoting Lincoln, Einstein, Steve Jobs? Inventors, doctors, mathemeticians? Businessmen? People of achievement? What does it say when kids hear Lady Gaga quoted at their graduation? It is a joke. Our kids deserve better.
The quote was something about ‘being yourself’. How about a quote about working hard so you can achieve great things? How about a better example for our kids?
***************************************
For a timeline, note that Lady Gaga was cursing out photographers, throwing a tantrum and giving the finger at Citi Field on Thursday, June 10th.
The next Friday, June 18th, Lady Gaga went to Yankee stadium barely dressed, until someone lent her a baseball jersey. Then she went into the locker room and drank Jameson Irish Whisky, until she was kicked out.
The Trinity fifth grade graduation was Monday, June 21st.
decidedly inspiring On the contrary: this speech is filled with timely and timeless examples of how things which are designed to make life easier (technology, superhighways, properly-timed traffic signals) are as flawed as the people who create them, and only betray us in the end. It also tells the students a real truth: creativity, intelligence, innovation, and above all, humor can ensure that being betrayed does not mean having to be defeated — and that every new generation has an opportunity to improve upon the past. Kudos to Mr. Lacher for a wise and poignant speech and for imparting a real-life wisdom which our Class of ’10 will undoubtedly remember.
Inspire or whine, which is a better choice for a grad speech? That had to be one of the whiniest speeches I ever heard, no wonder the students cheered when he said, “Now I leave you…”.
What is the point of talking about EZ Pass and the traffic lights in New Rochelle. Pathetic.
What happened to a speech that inspires to greatness, to reach for the stars? Instead we get s speech about traffic and road rage? Shoelaces?
At least he didn’t quote Lady Gaga like Sara Richmond did at the Trinity graduation. Whiny is one thing poor taste is another.
Example of a great speech
Lacher’s speech was a downer.
Watch this lecture instead for inspiration –
http://www.cmu.edu/randyslecture/
Here is the transcript:
http://download.srv.cs.cmu.edu/~pausch/Randy/pauschlastlecturetranscript.pdf
It is much better to listen than read.
It is a professor at Carnegie Mellon giving his ‘Last Lecture’ about achieving childhood dreams. He was diagnosed with and then quickly died of pancreatic cancer. The speech has been translated into many languages and played over and over again. The speech can change your life.
Lacher’s speech seems to forget that we are so lucky to live in the USA, where almost anything is possible, if you want it enough, and can work hard enough for it. A knotted shoelace is a minor distraction, not worth mentioning like this. A missed train may be a minor setback, but can lead to a chance encounter and a business opportunity. He missed the chance to give a great speech to thousands of people.
I saw Sara Richmond give her 5th grade speech at Trinity. Yes, she did quote Lady Gaga. I couldn’t believe my ears. Lady Gaga had been front page news during that time. She was embarrassing herself at Yankee and Mets stadiums, falling down drunk. What kind of example is that? Though musically talented, she probably has a untreated substance abuse problem. And our fifth graders had just finished their DARE program.
How about quoting Lincoln, Einstein, Steve Jobs? Inventors, doctors, mathemeticians? Businessmen? People of achievement? What does it say when kids hear Lady Gaga quoted at their graduation? It is a joke. Our kids deserve better.
The quote was something about ‘being yourself’. How about a quote about working hard so you can achieve great things? How about a better example for our kids?
***************************************
For a timeline, note that Lady Gaga was cursing out photographers, throwing a tantrum and giving the finger at Citi Field on Thursday, June 10th.
The next Friday, June 18th, Lady Gaga went to Yankee stadium barely dressed, until someone lent her a baseball jersey. Then she went into the locker room and drank Jameson Irish Whisky, until she was kicked out.
The Trinity fifth grade graduation was Monday, June 21st.
decidedly inspiring
On the contrary: this speech is filled with timely and timeless examples of how things which are designed to make life easier (technology, superhighways, properly-timed traffic signals) are as flawed as the people who create them, and only betray us in the end. It also tells the students a real truth: creativity, intelligence, innovation, and above all, humor can ensure that being betrayed does not mean having to be defeated — and that every new generation has an opportunity to improve upon the past. Kudos to Mr. Lacher for a wise and poignant speech and for imparting a real-life wisdom which our Class of ’10 will undoubtedly remember.
Inspire or whine, which is a better choice for a grad speech?
That had to be one of the whiniest speeches I ever heard, no wonder the students cheered when he said, “Now I leave you…”.
What is the point of talking about EZ Pass and the traffic lights in New Rochelle. Pathetic.
What happened to a speech that inspires to greatness, to reach for the stars? Instead we get s speech about traffic and road rage? Shoelaces?
At least he didn’t quote Lady Gaga like Sara Richmond did at the Trinity graduation. Whiny is one thing poor taste is another.
