MEETING OF APRIL 22, 2004
Rotator Writer: Steve Yarbrough
Editor: Dick Blanding
Our own Troop 37 color guard presented the flags to Rotarians on a beautiful Thursday afternoon. Paul Nyberg led us, appropriately, in “Smile.” President-Elect Cindy Luedtke introduced visiting Rotarian Ken from Woodside and many Rotarians introduced invited guests. Carew McFall presented the thought for the day, which included a snapshot of world religions. Carew opined that the founders of the world’s religions were not warlike. He noted that radical religious followers’ fever founders on the fact that they frequently falsely feel their own acts of war are favored by God. Carew said he saw a bumper sticker that read “My Religion is Kindness.”
President Al announced that further nominations from the floor for the LAREF board of directors will be sought pursuant to the bylaws, so if you wish to nominate a Rotarian to serve on the LAREF board make the nomination!
Speaking of bylaws, President Al has called a special meeting of the Rotary board to discuss updates and revisions to the bylaws for 7:30 am. May 3, 2004 at the Bank of Los Altos community room on San Antonio Road. All interested Rotarians are invited to attend and provide input into this process. Email Roy Lave, bylaw sub-committee chair with your suggestions.
Cindy Luedtke announced that the District Assembly will be held May 6 through May 8. Learn about avenues of service. Attendance by next year’s board members is probably a requirement, but everyone is invited to attend. See Cindy for further information. The club will buy dinner for those who plan to participate. District Governor Ron Stucke asked all attending Rotarians to fill in a questionnaire about Rotary and the District. The 2-page quiz was left at each table and collected by Cindy.
President-Elect-Elect Marlene Cowan announced that the scholarship committee has reviewed 31 applications for scholarships and thanked those of our club who served on the committee this year.
Joanne Cavalaris announced that the Art Show posters are available. Many Rotarians took them to post in their businesses. Volunteers are needed to help distribute the posters around the area. If you can help, call 948-4468 or 948-7133 to volunteer.
Bob Adams announced that a project in the Mexican State of Colima is an effort to raise funds for children to attend school. The students are packaging coffee beans. For the $65 purchase of one pound of coffee, an elementary student can attend school for a year – $300 for junior high and $600 for high school, more for college. Bob found two sponsors before he could complete his announcement! We probably will hear more about this in the future.
Dick Blanding introduced assistant scoutmaster Jim Clark of Troop 37, who updated the club about the activities of the troop, which has been sponsored by Los Altos Rotary since
the inception of this Rotary club in 1949. Troop 37 is one of the oldest troops in the state, having been founded in 1918. Along with its companion Venture troop for older teens, it serves more than 130 boys and girls in our community.
Wyatt Allen was honored with a standing ovation for receiving the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors outstanding volunteer award. The 41st Award Luncheon will honor Wyatt from 11:30-2 p.m. on May 12, 2004, at Michael’s at Shoreline, 2960 Shoreline Blvd, Mountain View. All club members are invited to participate. Contact Cindy Luedtke for more information.
Finemaster Lem Summey collected a substantial sum from Dennis Young, Dick Blanding, John Sylvester, Karen Fox, Harriet Heebink and Pat Millar. Jerry Tomanek paid a fine to promote the first Los Altos Art Club/LAVA art exhibition. Works are displayed in Main Street Cafe as well as at shops around town. There is an art walk this Saturday and Jerry says maps will be available at the Cafe. One of Jerry’s photos was accepted for exhibition. The exhibit runs through next Wednesday.
Hugh Riddell introduced the speakers for the day. Los Altos Police Officers Susan
Anderson and John Korges presented a talk on internet predators, and shared information about how to protect children from online criminals. While it was a depressing subject, we thank them for the work they do in our community. Relevant material for family or neighbors may be obtained at the police station.
Correction:
Last week's Rotator inadvertently omitted a summary of the following message from Rotarian Bill Palmer, celebrating Tax Day 2004. Since Bill was fined for giving it, fairness dictates reporting his thoughts:
He compared the two principal processes for paying taxes, one being the keeping track of all income and deductible expenses and reporting annually via your IRS tax return, versus the simpler process of paying sales tax at time of purchase. Bill's point was that with a Federal sales tax, we could have completed our tax duties as we leave the checkout stand. This would eliminate the need for year-long collection of records and receipts, storing them for years, and filling out and filing IRS tax forms. Employers would no longer need to keep records of salaries paid and withholding held back, since there would be no withholding. With no individual returns to process, the 7.5 billion dollar cost of the IRS could be nearly eliminated.
Bill quoted from economist Adam Smith's "Wealth of Nations", citing several tests for comparing various methods of taxation. They are:
EQUALITY - Are taxpayers required to contribute in proportion to their ability to pay?
CERTAINTY - Is the tax each person is bound to pay certain, and not arbitrary? Is the amount to be paid clear and plain to everybody?
CONVENIENCE - Is the tax levied so that it is convenient for contributors to pay?
ECONOMICAL TO COLLECT - Is the tax contrived so as to take out of the pockets of the people as little as possible over and above what it brings into the public treasury?
Bill noted the current system fails these tests, while a sales tax process meets them all.
Programs and Events
April
April 29: Jay Boyarsky, Amateur's Guide to the World Series of PokerMay
May 6th: Maureen Norton, from Nordstroms at Stanford Shopping Center on "Current Fashions for men and Women"
May 6: LAREF board meeting, 5:15 p.m., Masonic Hall
May 7: Golf Tournament
May 12: Board of Directors, 7:30 a.m., Bank of Los Altos, 369 San Antonio Road
May 13th- Coeta Chambers of Intel Corporation on "The History of Discrimination Law"
May 15 and 16: Rotary Fine Art Show
May 27th - Rotary Scholarships
June
June 3rd - Partners for New Generations Recognition Luncheon
June 3: LAREF board meeting, 5:15 p.m., Masonic Hall
June 9: Board of Directors, 7:30 a.m., Bank of Los Altos, 369 San Antonio Road
June 10th - LAREF Annual Meeting/ Art Show Recognition
June 17th - Rotary Aids Project- Update
June 24th - End of Rotary Year Celebration
June 25: Kickout Dinner
OTHER ROTARY CLUB MEETING PLACES
On-line Meeting: www.rotaryeclubone.org
MONDAY
Palo Alto: Rickey's Hyatt House, 12:15 p.m.
TUESDAY
Los Altos Sunset: The Echo Restaurant, Los Altos, 7:15 p.m.
Sunnyvale: Ramada Inn, 12:15 p.m.
Mountain View: Adobe House, Moffett & Central, Mountain View, 12:15 p.m.
WEDNESDAY
Menlo Park: Menlo Park Recreation Center, Menlo Park, noon.
Woodside/Portola: Woodside Village Church, Woodside, 7:30 a.m.
Sunnyvale Sunrise: Wild Woodys Grill, Sunken Gardens Golf Course, 7 a.m.
Cupertino: Quinlan Community Center, 12:15 p.m.
East Palo Alto Bayshore: Boys & Girls Club of the Peninsula, 2031 Pulgas Avenue, East Palo Alto, 12:15 p.m.
FRIDAY
Palo Alto University: Sheraton, El Camino, Palo Alto, 7:30 a.m.
"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 2004 The Los Altos Rotary Club