MEETING OF NOVEMBER 15, 2001 By Matt Cabot
Webmaster - Steve GruberRotary Foundation in action: MONA ARMISTEAD introduced another group of Double Sustainers, and presented a number of pins to the following Rotarians:
Wyatt Allen
Mona Armistead
Marge Bruno
Larry Chu, Jr.
Alex Ng
Firooz Ghaffari
Ginny Lear
Lee Lynch
Mary Marley
John Moss
Mary Prochnow
Steve Shepherd
John Sullivan
Steve Yarbrough
Looking for a great Christmas present? Tired of the Malls? Tired of surfing the internet for an appropriate gift that gives, and gives and gives? Still time to get on the list before the end of the year!
WORLD COMMUNITY SERVICE chair BOB ADAMS brought to our attention the Toys for Tots program that will be held December 19th at Alta Vista High School. The students are sponsoring a luncheon for underprivileged children (K thru 1). They will provide lunch, and present the youngsters with a Christmas gift.
We can participate in this worthwhile effort by providing the high-schoolers with a good supply of gifts. Please bring your gift to one of our regular club meetings during the next three weeks. Wrapped or un-rapped. If wrapped, mark if for boy or girl. Under $20.
BOB also is looking for at least 22 new mentors for the PARTNERS FOR A NEW GENERATION. This group acts as mentors to high school teenagers. The Mentors take the students to lunch twice a month. Bob says that it is one of the most gratifying activities that a Rotarian can get involved in.
GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS DEPARTMENT: The good news is PRESIDENT FIROOZ has ended his "Firooz Shuffle" in an attempt to speed up people who "only need a minute to make a 5 minute announcement." Instead he demonstrated the Norwegian Reindeer bell's effectiveness in bringing the clock to the speaker's attention.
The bad news, and watch this segue, was he introduced THE BELL just before AMY CHAMBERLAIN's 5 minute "Getting to Know Me" RedBadge speech. Mindful of the consequences, AMY's talk was littered with sideways glances towards the direction of THE BELL. But we did learn a fair amount about her. While some of it is in the Rotary handbook, we did learn that she is an outdoors person, Graduated from Bucknell (http://www.bucknell.edu), and Mills College (http://www.mills.edu), studied in South Africa, has run at least three more marathons than me, and has been a children's book review editor before joining the Packard Foundation. And she did beat the bell.
THANKSGIVING is upon us as we read this. The tragedy of 9-11 and the war in Afghanistan threaten to overshadow our emotions of the season. BUT just as darkness brightens a dim light, the events highlight all of the things that we need to be thankful for. Each of us had an opportunity at today's meeting to express the things we were thankful for. Most of the members filled out a piece of paper that started with the words, "I am thankful for . . . " When the submissions were read, you didn't hear very many things like: "my new car" , "my this or that" but rather a lot of things that I am sure few of us have thought about in a long time: freedom, family, health, love. Maybe we should dredge up that old song "You've got to accentuate the Positive, eliminate the Negative, and don't mess with Mr. In-between. "
FINEMASTER for the Month WALT SCHOLEY extricated some well deserved funds from WYATT ALLEN, JOHN MOSS, MEL KAHN and DAN DUTTON. DAN, having the misfortune to miss out on all of the fun of the REDBADGE AUCTION while he basked in the sun and swatted the Dengue Mosquitos in Hawaii, offered $100 to the Auction.
TODAY'S SPEAKER: Deputy Consul General Walter Leuchs of Germany, spoke on " The Forthcoming European Transition". But before he did, he commented on the solidarity of Germany, the country, the people, German companies, and German/American companies and the US in the coalition to rid the world of terrorism. He also expressed a strong desire (as we all do) for peace between Israel and Palestine.
Deputy Consul General Leuchs spoke of the European Union as a sort of United States of Europe. 15 member countries, 375 million people (about twice that of USA) Expecting to add another 12 countries (many of the former Soviet Union spin-off countries). For more detail about the EU, look at: http://www.eurunion.org/infores/euguide/euguide.htm
He also pointed to Eastern Germany as a potential site for US manufacturing subsidiaries. Hard working workforce, stable free market economy and a somewhat high unemployment rate.
Mr. Leuchs held the same post in Burundi. When someone asked him a question about his experience in Burundi, Mr. Leuchs made, what I thought was an interesting point. The question concerned U.S. policy in Burundi. He said that the US expected any country receiving US Aid to welcome with open arms the US vision of democracy. He felt that this may not be reasonable in countries like Burundi who's governing base was not a political base, but rather an ethnic or tribal base.
He was also asked why Turkey was not welcomed into the EU. He said that the major reason was probably geographical. Turkey identifies more with Asia than Europe. He also felt that exposure to the free market strengths of the EU would probably hurt Turkey more than help it. He also mentioned the human rights violations in their dealings with the Kurds as a potential problem for them becoming members of the EU.
Asked about Britain, Sweden and Denmark, Mr. Leuchs said that Sweden was expected to become a member "eventually." However, neither Britain nor Denmark want to be marginalized by becoming members. A classic case of Big Fish in a small pond vs. a Small Fish in a big pond.
When asked about the eventual common language to the United States of Europe, he sounded a vehement "Nein!". I wonder if that was Mr. Leuchs the German, or Mr. Leuchs a member of the EU? Nes pa?
A QUIZ ABOUT GERMANY:
1. How many countries border Germany?
2. What U.S. state is comparable in size to Germany?
3. What percent of land is permanent woodlands and forests?
4. How many states make up Germany?
5. Who is the political head of Germany?
6. What percent of their electricity is Nuclear generated?
7. When will the EU replace the deutsche mark?For further information about Germany, visit: http://userpage.chemie.fu-berlin.de/adressen/brd.html or for a more touristy view: http://www.germany-tourism.de/index_e.html
For further information about Burundi, visit: http://www.newafrica.com/travelguides/travelfacts.asp?CountryID=9
ANSWERS:
1. Nine: Country (border in kilometers) Austria 784 km, Belgium 167 km, Czech Republic 646 km, Denmark 68 km, France 451 km, Luxembourg 135 km, Netherlands 577 km, Poland 456 km, Switzerland 334 km
2. Montana
3. About 30%.
4. 16
5. Chancellor Gerhard SCHROEDER
6. 30%
7. 2002
A Message from South Africa:
The following message was sent by Eric B. Henderson of the Rotary Club of Sandown to Sam Pesner:Dear Sam:
Finally we have got it all together and now have pleasure in sending you details of our great Rotary Golf Competition which we trust will be of interest.
As many of you mentioned, when we met at the RI Conference in San Antonio, using the latest technology to help a major project held an excitement all of its own. Today we are inviting you (and your friends) to help us help others by participating in our HIV / AIDS Project. Please visit our website www.rotarygolfday.com and forward details to others who may like to help (and win an all-expenses-paid trip to South Africa!)
Our aim is to try and reach as many people as we can so that we can spread the load as wide as we can and try and help as many as we can.
You don't have to be a golfer to participate - just follow the instructions - and who knows - we may meet in Africa!
Please forward this information to as many of your fellow Rotarians and friends so that we can bring much-needed help to AIDS sufferers and also to help us EDUCATE the CHILDREN and stop the spread of this pandemic.
See you in Africa.
Yours in Rotary
Eric B Henderson
Project Chairman HIV / AIDS
The Rotary Club of Sandown
District 9300 - Chairman HIV / AIDS Projects
Programs
November
November 29 - To be announced
December
December 6 - Consul General Popov of Russia "Russia Today"
December 13 - Mary Hiland, CEO of Alliance for Community Care, "Combatting stigma in mental illness."
December 19 - Rotary Holiday Party at the Jesuit Retreat House
December 20 - Main Street Singers
December 27 - No Meeting
"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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