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Vol.26 No.38
March 17, 2009
Notice for the meeting at the Ocean Grove Hotel, Tuesday 24th March, 6.00 for 6.30
Subject ‘Vision Australia’, [for literacy month] Speaker Sue King Chairman Geoff Chandler
Attendance Officer Ingrid Cummins Assistant Cashier & Thanker Bill Walton
Greeter & Assistant Sergeant John Wynn
Birthdays & Anniversaries 24th ,David & Anne Tyrrell, Anne Geerings. 26th MaryLou Gilbert
30th Coral Barker
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The Stella Awards –4th Place
Jerry Williams, of Little Rock, Arkansas, garnered 4th place in the Stella’s when he was awarded $14,500 plus medical expenses after being bitten on the bum by his next door neighbor’s beagle – even though the beagle was on a chain in the owner’s fenced yard. Williams did not get as much as he asked for because the jury believed the beagle might have been provoked at the time of the bite because Williams had climbed over the fence and repeatedly shot the dog with a pellet gun. It could only happen in America.
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Economic Stimulus package explained
Over the next few months, Australian taxpayers will receive an Economic Stimulus Payment. This is an exciting new program which I will explain using the Q & A format;
What is an Economic Stimulus Payment?
A. It is money that the Federal Government will send to taxpayers.
Q. Where will the government get this money?
A From taxpayers.
Q. So the governmemt is giving back my own money?
A. Only a smidgen!
Q. What is the purpose of this payment?
A. The plan is that you will use the money to purchase a high definition TV set, or a new computer,
thus stimulating the economy.
But isn’t that stimulating the economy of China?
Yeah, or perhaps, Korea
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Notice for the Meeting at the Ocean Grove Hotel, Tuesday 31st March, 6.00 for 6.30
“Without Rotary’s vision of a polio-free world and its leadership on this issue, the polio eradication initiative may never have gotten off the ground”. [ Dr Julie Gerberding, director U.S. Centre for disease control.]
Subject An update on Polio Plus Speaker PDG Eddie Loughnan Chairman Geoff Brentnall
Attendance Officer Judy Greer Assistant Cashier & Thanker Richard Grimmett
Greeter & Assistant Sergeant Heather Wallace Anniversaries April 2 – Geoffrey & Ingrid Cummins
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March is Literacy month
For those of you who don’t download or otherwise receive the DG’s newsletter, we in Australia can claim 99% of our population literate. Compare that with a UNESCO report that there are 1 billion non-literate adults in the world today, and 96% of them live in developing nations; 52% are Indians or Chinese. Even with our 96%, we are only equal 20th in world standings of literacy. China is 87th, India 159th, but central African ‘Mali’ gets top ranking for illiteracy at 192nd. Mali is a land-locked nation surrounded by seven other black African countries.
Church News
‘This evening at 7 PM there will be hymn singing in the park across from the church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin’.
A report from the District Conference in Ballarat, from our roving reporter Algie.
Our attendees voted the conference a great success. Gabi Hollows set the program off to an exciting start on Friday night with her bright and passionate address to commemorate the fabulous achievements of her late husband Fred who restored sight to so many impoverished sufferers, often performing eye operations for as little as $25 in developing countries.
Gillian Franklin was another dynamic speaker, recounting her innovative, creative and highly successful career in cosmetics marketing. Peter Drysdale has made his mark in the world of Rotary with the Fiji Rotahomes project, and is the recipient of many awards. All in all, the program was varied and well presented.
It will probably come as no surprise to most of us to find that India, Pakistan, Nigeria and Afghanistan are the remaining four countries where polio still exists. The Bill Gates Foundation has contributed $mUS4.55 to the final charge at eradication, and we Rotarians are challenged to at least partly match that extraordinary gift.
There are many other features of the conference which Alison faithfully recorded, but space in these pages is always at a premium! Fair dinkum.
Next year’s conference will be at the Costa Hall in Geelong. The RI theme for the new Rotary year is “The future of Rotary is in your hands”
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Ernie Martinez
I suppose it is fairly logical for a motor mechanic to be a racing car driver! [I know of very few Chartered Accountants who have done it]. Ernie survived 30 years in that most hazardous of sports, racing FIATs, BMWs and other makes at Philip Island, Sandown and Bathurst with regular success, a few broken bones and lots of stories, which he related with warmth and good humor. Mechanically lifting the horsepower in a BMW from 94 to 210 must have been very expensive, and hugely satisfying. Another excellent program, thanks to Brownie.
The painkilling drug aspirin comes from willow bark and was first described by Hippocrates in the 5th century BC.
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Notice Board
We adopted a new constitution with only one query, and otherwise, with alacrity, thanks to Public Officer . Tony Haines
Our local applicant for the RYPEN missed out because of a wait list of 7!
Geoff B reported the Mental Health Forum to be a great success, with 300 attendees.
There are still vacancies for the first aid refresher course. Phone Wal Kelly.
Market gurus seek volunteers to hand out promotional flyers at Safeways on Easter Saturday.
Speaking of Easter, why do we call it Good Friday/. To Christians at least, .surely it is Bad Friday, and as a consequence of the resurrection, ‘Good Sunday’
Ken Fleay reported a beaut Rotary weekend, but the noisy buggers at my table prevented me from gleaning details!
The Portarlington triathlon effort by our Rotary club [with all those female thighs ‘n stuff ] , garnered $880 for our charities fund.
A little old man shuffled slowly into an ice-cream parlor and pulled himself slowly, painfully, up onto a stool. After catching his breath, he ordered a banana split.
The waitress asked kindly, “Crushed nuts?”
“No”, he replied, “Arthritis”.
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