Pingpong for Haiti

A pingpong tournament to benefit Haiti, open to all ages, will be held March 6, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Trumansburg High School Gym, along with a bake sale, food and beverages, raffles, face painting and Haitian art sale. Proceeds will support Partners in Health, ACDI/VOCA and The Lambi Fund. Professor Ken Hover will present photos and remarks from his recent trip to Haiti. Registration is 10-11 a.m.; play begins at 11; $10 donation requested. Information: 607-256-1803.

Food pantry benefit concert

As part of the Orchestras Feeding America 2010 project, the Cornell Symphony and Chamber orchestras will present a free concert March 7, 3-4:45 p.m., Bailey Hall, conducted by Chris Younghoon Kim. Performing Dvorák's "Serenade for Strings" and Nicholas Walker's "A Grease Fantasy," the CCO will also pair up with the band Oikos for a short set of three pop songs. The CSO presents violinist Aaron Wexler, performing Sarasate's "Zigeunerweisen" ("Gypsy Airs") and Sibelius' Symphony No. 1 in E Minor, op. 39.

Attendees are asked to bring nonperishable food items for local food pantries.

Stimulus funding

Sunday Forum, a bimonthly radio talk show for and about the Cornell community, will focus on university research supported by federal stimulus funds. Is research a good use of tax dollars? What's the return on this investment? Hosts Tommy Bruce and Mike Beyman will discuss the issues with Cornell researchers and economists. The show airs March 7 at 6 p.m. on 93.5 WVBR-FM; it is also streamed live on wvbr.com and appears on CornellCast shortly after the air date.

Puerto Rico's governor

On March 8 at 7 p.m., Puerto Rico Gov. Luis G. Fortuño will speak in Bailey Hall on "The Road to Equality: Puerto Rico, the 51st State?" Fortuño will discuss Puerto Rico's political status and policies he has implemented to restore the island's economic health. He is a member of President Barack Obama's Council of Governors, working on a range of homeland security issues.

The event is free, but tickets are required and can be obtained in advance at the Willard Straight Hall desk or at the Clinton House Box Office. Any remaining tickets will be available at the Bailey Hall ticket office on March 8.

Globalized terror

New Yorker writer Steve Coll, two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, president of the New America Foundation and author of "Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA," will lecture on "Osama Bin Laden and the Age of Globalized Terror," March 8 at 4:30 p.m., Lewis Auditorium, Goldwin Smith Hall. More information: http://www.einaudi.cornell.edu/.

Bird skins and feathers on display

The upcoming Monday Night Seminar at the Lab of Ornithology, "Exploring the Museum of Vertebrates: A Hands-on Look at Interesting and Unusual Feathers, Feet, Faces and Other Features," will include a display of bird feathers, wings and other oddities from the Museum of Vertebrates. The seminar, March 8 at the Visitors Center Auditorium, will begin at 7:30 p.m. with the business meeting of the Cayuga Bird Club, followed at 8 p.m. by the open presentation by Kim Bostwick, curator of birds and mammals at the museum.

Aesthetics lecture by Goebbels

A director and composer notable for mixing classical, jazz and rock styles, Heiner Goebbels will speak on aesthetics, March 9, 4:30-6 p.m., Film Forum, Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts. He is known for his collaboration with East German writer Heiner Muller and his projects "Schwarz auf Weiss" (Black on White, 1996), "Die Wiederholung" (The Repetition, 1997) and "Eislermaterial" (1998). Information: http://www.theatrefilmdance.cornell.edu.

Eisenman on architecture and design

Peter Eisenman, internationally known architect and Frank H.T. Rhodes Class of '56 Professor at Cornell, will speak on "Architecture or Design: Wither the Discipline," March 10 at 5:15 p.m., Lewis Auditorium, Goldwin Smith Hall.

'New-music' Momenta Quartet

Guest ensemble Momenta Quartet will perform works for string quartet and quintet, March 10 and 11, 8 p.m., Barnes Auditorium. The March 10 concert features works by Kee Yong Chong, Arthur Kampela, Gordon Beeferman and Philip Glass; the March 11 concert features works written by Cornell doctoral composers. Information: http://music.cornell.edu/calendar/.

Save Energy, Build Green programs

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County offers a free program, "Save Energy, Save Dollars," to help residents lower their energy bills, March 10, 6:30-8:30 p.m. and again March 18, 2-4 p.m., at its office at 615 Willow Ave, Ithaca, N.Y.

This program covers weather stripping, caulking, sealing air leaks, appliances and energy efficiency financial assistance. Call to reserve a seat, 607-272-2292.

In partnership with the Ithaca Green Building Alliance, the extension office also offers a series of green building seminars March 9, 16, 23, 30 and April 6, 7-9 p.m., First Unitarian Church of Ithaca Annex (208 E. Buffalo St.). Information: http://www.ccetompkins.org or Guillermo Metz, e-mail gm52@cornell.edu or call 607-272-2292, ext.185. Fee: $5/seminar, scholarships available.

Dance concert

Dance students and faculty members take the stage March 11-13 at 7:30 p.m. and March 14 at 2 p.m. to perform "Dance, Drama and the Disco of Desire." Go-go dancers, break dancers, hip-hop flippers and a drag queen chronicle how popular dance movements affect today's youth and social relationships. Held at the Kiplinger Theatre, Schwartz Center; for tickets: 607-254-ARTS or http://www.schwartztickets.com.

Global climate change

For those interested in climate change, environmental sustainability, food security, rural poverty and agricultural research, James Hansen, from the global program Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security, will speak about this program and related topics March 12, 9-10 a.m., 401 Warren Hall.

Information: http://www.aem.cornell.edu or call 607-255-4576.

Comic opera

Dorian Bandy, Marshall scholar and Cornell Council for the Arts 2009 Undergraduate Artist of the Year, will conduct one of the most popular and influential musical works of the 18th century, philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau's comic opera, "The Cunning Man," March 12 at 8:30 p.m. and March 13 and 14 at 8 p.m. in Risley Great Hall. The performances will be sung in English, accompanied by baroque orchestra Les Petits Violons, and a visiting cast, Broadway director and troupe of baroque dancers.

Free tickets are required and can be picked up in 101 Lincoln Hall, 607-255-4097.