10th August 2010
This Day Tonight
· Our members are capable of wondrous things, and Geoffrey Cummins achieved that at Melbourne’s Crown complex last night [Monday 9th] when his initiative of the John Logan Memorial Dinner raised more than $60,000 for that charity and provided a large audience with a memorable experience. Well Done.
· Leanne addressed the club before dinner with a brief history of the 13th Beach Surf Lifesaving Club, which has recently acquired a much-needed 6WD vehicle to assist their 500 plus members.
· The Gods have been kind to us with the new grass at the lookout reserve, and recent rains have enabled Bill Walton to delay the establishment of a watering roster.
· Geoff Brentnall attended a meeting in Melbourne last week about the current conflict between the original ‘Shelterbox’ arrangement and the newly formed ‘Disaster Aid Australia’, which seeks to replace the original concept with a purely Australian opposition. It appears to be a dispute about money, and the meeting was addressed by the British founder of ‘Shelterbox’, Tom Henderson. These boxes, providing shelter and sustenance for up to 10 people suffering the ravages of international disasters, have numbered 50,000 at a cost of about $1,200 each, for about 100 disasters in 70 countries, but the Aussie version is claimed to be much less expensive. We need to hear from the other side of the argument before a valued decision can be made as to where our allegiance rests.
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Our Guest speaker tonight was author Justin D’Ath, a current resident of Queenscliff, but a New Zealander by birth. An excellent choice by our program chairman Trevor McArdle.
Justin wrote his first book at age 9 and has had 26 books published for both young and young-at-heart readers, for which he has been awarded 54 literary prizes.
Justin entertained a rapt and appreciative audience with excerpts from some of his books, and a brief account of his journey along a very interesting and varied life in numerous vocations
Three fascinating, but otherwise quite useless pieces of information
· People only began to celebrate Christmas more than 400 years after Christ died. Later, under Oliver Cromwell, it was illegal for more than a decade.
· The Tower of Pisa took 174 years to build, and it was never straight, even to begin with.
· Seventeenth–century bottles of champagne exploded so frequently that cellar workers had to wear iron masks for protection.
A very meritorious win!
Gerry Spencer was the surprise winner last weekend, but his score does not represent a clean sweep. However, as a keen supporter and follower of Rugby Union, [which he also played a few years ago], his success in a strange code is all the more significant! Bill Walton Still leads with 103, closely followed by Noel, Gary, Fordie and Ian B, all on 100, and Marion on 99 leads a bunch, also on that number.
Just a reminder of the dinner on 31st August in the Captains room at Skilled Stadium. Our special guests include Ian Cover and Brad Ottens. You are more than welcome to invite guests to the evening. Attendances will be finalised next Tuesday. $33 per person.
Laws of Nature The Law of Probability
The probability of being watched is directly proportional to the stupidity of your act.
More snippets from Rotary’s history The first National Convention
It was held in the Congress Hotel in Chicago, 100 years ago, and all 16 clubs were represented, and the delegates voted to establish the ‘National association of Rotary clubs of America’. The newly elected Board of Directors had its first meeting the next day. One of the first items of business was to reimburse the Rotary club of Chicago for the US$360 it had spent to organise the convention. It then needed a secretary to run the new association.
There was one obvious choice – Chesley R Perry, who had only just returned to his workplace when he received a message asking him to accept the position temporarily until they could find a suitable candidate.
His ‘temporary’ post lasted 32 years, until he insisted on retiring in 1942, at the age of 65!
Dog for sale! Eats anything and is fond of children.
So, what’s a Billion?
With the Federal Election coming up, our Pollies bandy around the word with abandon. A difficult number to comprehend, but an advertising agency recently tried to give it some perspective, as follows:
· A billion seconds ago, it was 1955.
· A billion minutes ago, Jesus was alive.
· A billion hours ago, our ancestors were living in the stone age.
· A billion days ago, no-one walked on two feet.
· A billion dollars ago was only 13 hours and 12 minutes, at the current rate of government spending.
Notice for the meeting at the Ocean Grove Hotel, Tuesday 17th August, 6.00 for 6.30
Subject The scuttled Frigate H.M.A.S. Canberra Speaker Allan Beckhirst, ‘Dive Victoria’
Chairman Phil Edwards Assistant Cashier and Thanker Ian Downing
Greeter & Assistant Sergeant TBA Birthdays & Anniversaries 17th Norman Elliott
18th Geoff Chandler, Moyra McArdle. 22nd Rod & Judy Greer 23rd Trish Emselle
Dad and Dave were standing watching a dingo licking its privates. Dave said to Dad, “Just between you and me, I’ve always wanted to do that”.
Dad said, “Go ahead, but I’d pat him first. He looks pretty vicious to me.”
Notice for the meeting at the Ocean Grove Hotel, Tuesday 24th August, 6.00 for 6.30
Subject The Great Membership Debate Adjudicators John Fox, Geoff Chandler, & Geoff Brentnall
The Teams For the affirmative Gary Golding, Richard Grimmett & Dick Clay
For the Negative Rod Greer, Phil Edwards & Richard Trigg
The Subject – [representing the stance taken by the affirmative team]
1 That people aren’t interested in joining service clubs like Rotary today because they are too busy.. They are having families later and life is too fast. Service clubs have lost their appeal, particularly to younger people, and they aren’t relevant like they used to be.
2 That weekly meetings are a real turn off for a lot of people. Rotary would get more prospective members if we moved to fortnightly meetings like other clubs such as Lions.
3 That our meeting style is out of date. We should dispense with the loyal toast and the invocation, reduce the boring directors’ reports, and ramp up the entertainment. Business should only be conducted at every alternate meeting with the other meeting designated to fellowship and fun.
4 That Rotary is too expensive. With membership fees at $185, weekly meeting meal costs of $20 [$1,000], drinks around $10 [$500] and fines and a few partner’s nights thrown in [$200], we are looking at around $1,885 per year. That stops a lot of people joining.
5 That, anyway, we’ve got enough members. We don’t need any more. If we had any more the club would become unwieldy and we’d lose the family feeling.
[By definition, the negative team will take the opposite stance.]
Assistant Cashier Martin Geerings Greeter & Assistant Sergeant John Flett
Birthdays & Anniversaries 24th David Tyrrell 26th Margaret & Hamish Campbell 29th Hazel Ford
John Fox 2130, 10/08/10
