MEETING OF APRIL 12, 2001 By Wyatt Allen
Beginnings:
LUCY RASMUSSEN led us in the pledge, STEVE ANDERSON deferred to SAM PESNER for the thought for the day which SAM recited the Boy Scouts of America motto of "Be Prepared!" which receive a few laughs from the crowd. SETH MANNING, citing that the tax preparers of our membership should realize by now that the "Eyes of Taxes Are Upon You," led us in "Smile" (I didn't quite get the connection either!). Pre- Elect FIROOZ provided the introductions which included GLORIA HOM and a guest KAREN FOX brought back with her from her recent travels to St. Petersburg, Russia.Reports from the past:
District Conference new: Pres. GINNY thanked some 25 Rotarians and spouses for attending in Oakland. Congratulations to our Rotary AIDS Project (RAP) for receiving a District 5170, Area 10 Assistant Governor award.Present happenings:
CINDIE EBERHARDT was awarded "Blue Badge" status by her sponsor, MEL KAHN and ELLEN YAMANI FLANIGAN was awarded hers by JOHN SYLVESTER (standing in for her sponsor DENNIS YOUNG who was busy massaging numbers for April 16th.
JANE REED, LAREF President, make the following Endowment Fund presentations:$10,000 to Rotacare represented by clinic manager CHERYL CANNING. She invited members to visit the clinic in Mountain View on Mondays' & Wednesdays 2-9 p.m.
$5,000 to Los Altos Historical Museum represented by BOB GRIMM. Bob reminded us the museum is open 12-4 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays. Go visit this new gem.
$2,500 to OICW represented by DICK DUHRING who told us the funds would be used to purchase new work stations for the computer school.Future Considerations:
May 19th & 20th - Fine Art In the Park sponsored by Los Altos Rotary. If you haven't done so, send your work assignment availability to SHELLY POTVIN A.S.A.P. Please contact JOHN MOSS if you can help or are willing to display an event poster.May 27th - Los Altos Rotary Golf / BBQ / Poker Classic. Golf at Palo Alto Muni, BBQ and poker at STEVE & CATHY ANDERSON'S. $50 for Golf; $30 for the BBQ/poker only. Get your reservations and checks to STEVE SHEPHERD to reserve your spot.
MARGE BRUNO, one of our own local politicos, introduced Assemblywoman ANNA ESCHOO as our speaker. It is a rare honor for us to have an active representative from Congress address out club! Since 1992 when first elected, ANNA ESCHOO has actively served her constituents as well as the entire nation, especially in areas of health care and the environment. She complimented our club for its continuing contributions to our local community as well as international efforts for the good of mankind. She addressed three areas of interest in particular.
Regarding the energy crisis in California, she didn't place full blame on then governor Wilson and the legislature for deregulation, but did cite that all their assumptions proved to be false. She is of the belief that at the federal level, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission should influence energy providers to charge just and reasonable prices. There is evidence that providers have used the energy crisis as an opportunity to gouge energy users. She was against price caps or price controls are not the best solution, but felt using cost of energy plus reasonable profits should be the approach to take. We need to do something to reduce the $50 Million per day California spends for energy.
Regarding tax cuts, she faults the president's tax cut proposal as being inappropriate since it was initially written in 1999 as a campaign theme and seems to favor the very wealthy. She also pointed out that although it would eliminate estate taxes in ten years, it also eliminates the step-up in value of inherited assets. She favors a more immediate increase of the estate tax exclusion to $4Million per married couple that would benefit all but the very wealthiest. She would promote a more modest tax cut that would benefit everyone, not just the wealthiest 2 percent.
She commented that she hoped China's method of handling the surveillance plane incident would have an impact on that county's acceptance in the world trade organization as a penalty. The Chinese government, in her opinion, is brutal in many ways, especially in terms of human rights. Isolation would only allow this brutality to increase unchecked.A message from Bob Adams:
Rotarians! We need your help! The April 26th Rotary Program will be the Partners for New Generation "thank you luncheon" for volunteers. We are asking all of our Rotarians to invite a person of your choice to this meeting as a prospective volunteer to tutor, mentor, coach or assist some student in a special way. Please bring a spouse and/or friend.
President's Message Since we were short on a Thought for the Day last Thursday, I will offer one that is on my calendar for April 12. Ben Franklin said "Let thy discontents be thy secret."
Membership in our Rotary Club provides such wonderful opportunities for service and friendship in our community. May I suggest once again that you look around you, among your business and other colleagues, to see whom you might like to ask to join us each week at Rotary. Our strength as a club comes directly from your involvement in choosing the members.
See you Thursday,
GinnyPrograms
April
April 19 – Iwao Peter Sano – "1000 Days in Siberia"
April 26 – Partners For New Generations Day
April 27 - Rotary Social Golf Day and BBQ/Poker NightMay
May 3 - Ron Blatman - Cities That Live, Cities That Die
May 10 - George Estill - Travel
May 17 – Chuck Bull, RI Faces the Population Dilemma
May 19-20 -26th Annual Rotary Fine Art in the Park
May 24 - Elizabeth Barkley on "The Music of Multicultural America"
May 31 – LARC Scholarship Awards DayJune
June 7 – Art Show Appreciation Day
June 14 – LAREF Annual Meeting
June 21 – Bob Hoffman, Cleaned up Mt. Everest
June 28 – Ginny's Kick-out, part 1
June 29 - LARC Kick-out, Dinner/Dance, Fremont Hills Country Club"Information in this newsletter is intended for the exclusive use of the members of the Rotary Club of Los Altos to facilitate the work of the club and to promote club fellowship. It is not to be used for any commercial or outside, unrelated, non-profit purposes. No publication of material in this newsletter should occur without the express permission of the club President or the Editor of the Rotator."
Copyright 2001 The Los Altos Rotary Club
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