Los Altos Rotary Club Home of the Annual Rotary Fine Art Show September 27 2012

President JOHN SYLVESTER called the meeting to order and asked PP DICK HENNING to lead the pledge of allegiance.
 
President JOHN thanked Greeters: PAT FARRELL, SALLY MEADOWS, AL DIAZ, AND GARY BROWN; photographer STEVE POMEROY; Sergeant at Arms FRANK VERLOT and FRANK ELMER; and cashier KAREN GREGURAS.
 
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
PAUL GONELLA shared the wisdom of the great Yogi Berra including the favorite, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” He also shared a story about Berra’s wife asking Yogi where he wanted to be buried:  St. Louis, where he was born, or in New York because he played baseball for the New York Yankees.  Yogi’s response, “Surprise me.”
 
SINGING ALONG
The very brave and first-time song leader NORM PROFFITT selected an old campfire favorite, “My Darling Clementine” as the song of the day.  After asking the club to sing with “rousing vigor” all six stanzas, the group complied but stumbled through some of the unfamiliar wording that Norm assured us was the original version. (Gone, but not forgotten, that darling Clementine!)
 
PRESIDENTIAL ENCOUNTER
While playing a gig at The Menu the other night, President John met past LARC Rotary member Elizabeth Barkley, who has the distinction of being the first woman to join our club thanks to PP DICK HENNING who sponsored her. (Thanks, Dick!)
 
VISITING ROTARIANS
Since there were no visiting Rotarians, President Elect JACK KELLY welcomed Rotarians with guests.
 
AND GUESTS
Rotarians with guests included: JOHN CARDOZA with guest Judy Sanchez, a Los Altos resident and former vice president at Comerica Bank; KATHY BERRY with guest Mark Ruby, a retired civil engineer; and PAUL NYBERG, with his wife Liz, co-publisher and HR manager at the Town Crier.
 
OUR NEXT PROGRAM
Next week’s program will feature Peninsula Symphony Orchestra Conductor Mitchell Sardou Klein thanks to song leader chair RON STEFANI.
 

ANNOUNCEMENTS
 
CAROL GARSTEN announced a new Red Badge Committee Project and fundraiser for Smart Pens for Vets and asked us to save the date of November 2 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. for a party with wine at the Nature Gallery.
 
DAVID SMITH received a good response to his transportation request to help fellow Rotarians BILL PALMER and BOO BUE find rides to Rotary with 18 sign ups.  If you want to volunteer, let him know and he will add your name to the roster of members who can help out.
 
KAILAS CHIDAMBARAM shared his story of visiting Chile and being impressed with the work of Coaniquem.  He reminded us again to please donate and return filled out coupons and checks to him or SAM PESNER or VON PACKARD.  There is also a fundraising event in Pleasanton on October 13 with a ticket price of $60 to benefit the organization so do let him know if you would like to go because he is arranging carpooling.
 
JULIE ROSE reminded everyone that the Chamber Mixer was at Intero Real Estate that evening and that she also still needed about 20 volunteers for the annual Fall Festival on October 6-7.  Please call her if you can volunteer.
 
PP DENNIS YOUNG reminded us he was not CYNTHIA LUEDTKE but asked us to make a pledge and send a check for TRF to make sure we meet the “Every Rotarian, Every Year” donation criteria.  Become a double sustainer by giving $200 and the money will return to us to help support LARC projects.  Dennis said, “Give now and get back later.”
 
TRACIE MURRAY It’s Asante time again so save the date for November 7 for the annual RotaCare fundraiser.  This year your $55 will not only get you delicious food but also a wine glass and a special plate.  Tracie also has raffle tickets available for $5 each or $5 for $20.
 
ROY LAVE announced the next LARC satellite meeting will be held at the Jesuit Retreat House up on the hill at 8:00 a.m. next Tuesday.  Please sign up so they know you are coming.
 
FRANK VERLOT reminded everyone that the Avenues of Service event will be held at the Doubletree on October 25 and LARC will have three booths that need staffing.  If you can help with LARAP, WCS or the solar display, please let him or dinner coordinator, KAREN GESSERT, know that you will be there.
 
PAUL NYBERG said there would be a candidate’s forum at Los Altos High School that evening at 7:00 p.m.
 
ABBY AHRENS invited everyone to attend the History Walk sponsored by the Downtown Village Association and the History Museum to see costumed docents about town sharing the history and colorful characters in honor of the city’s 60th.  The event starts at the Train Depot on Sunday from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. See Abby for posters available for $10 and special wine available for $20.
 

PICK ME UP
President John wondered if anyone noticed the 1934 Ford with the right hand drive parked outside that belonged to STEVE YARBROUGH and whether the rumor was true that he picked up two passengers on the way to Rotary.  It turned out to be true and the car originated in Uruguay so that explains the wrong side steering wheel.
 

A FINE TIME
Recognition Chair RON PACKARD started out by fining himself and it was a good thing because the entire fining session revolved around chocolate.  His company Gourmet Confectioners was selected as one of four contributing sponsors for the Emmy’s. To make 4,000 gift packages for the event, they produced six tons of confections and the hottest item of the night was their dark chocolate almonds with spice; Yum.  Ron’s brother VON PACKARD was a no-show a Rotary because he was still recovering from the event. ($50) 
 
Was it true that STEVE YARBROUGH picked up a couple of ladies on the way to Rotary?  He admitted to seeing a couple of sexy blondes walking down the street and asked them for a ride crediting his sexy car for the fact that they jumped right in. But, back to the topic of chocolate and the Emmys as Steve was fined $25 for not answering his chocolate/Emmy question correctly.  Instead, he volunteered to join the President’s Club because he believes “women are always a sucker for a good car.”
 
Yes, it was MARY PROCHNOW and an as yet unnamed friend who hopped into the car. Mary confessed and also didn’t answer her chocolate question correctly for $25.  Her partner in hitchhiking, JEAN NEWTON FRAGUGLIA, pleaded that she was busy writing the Rotator but there was no mercy even though she answered her chocolate question correctly. ($20)

PROGRAM
PE JACK KELLY introduced our speaker Judge Edward A. Infante who currently serves as a Mediator and Arbitrator for the Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services company JAMS, Inc. that is the largest private provider of dispute resolution services in the U.S.  Infante served on the federal bench for 27 years and retired as Chief Magistrate Judge for the U.S. District Court in Northern California.  He also served as a part-time adjunct professor at Santa Clara University and spent three years in the U.S. Navy in the Judge Advocate General Corps (JAG).  A graduate of Boston College with a B. A. and Boston University with a J.D., Infante lives in Los Altos.
 
Infante remarked that in his career as a judge he never had the power that was displayed by fine master Ron and proceeded to thank the Los Altos Rotary for the good community work over the years.
 
Concerned about the current status of the judicial system, Infante believes the access to justice as we know it is in jeopardy in part due to budget cuts.  This will have an impact on everything from traffic court to capital crimes and small claims to multi million dollar cases on the civil court side and may impact the ability to deter criminal behavior on the criminal court side. The budget was cut 25% last year and projected budget cuts this year are 5.4 million while case loads continue to increase.  The end result is staff layoffs, closed courtrooms and reduced clerk court hours. California is just one of 42 states that have slashed the judicial budget, resulting in the trend toward private companies to provide mediation and arbitration to get cases resolved.
 
Infante cited a recent class action case that has had a direct affect on the enforcement of the arbitration clause in contracts.  His recommendation:  If you run a business you should put arbitration in the contract.  The advantages of private arbitration include the speed in which cases can be heard and decided; the ability to keep things private instead of in the public record; and the cost factor. 
 
Infante spends most of his time mediating cases and believes that is the best method to solve disputes.
 
QUESTIONS
STEVE POMEROY asked about patent cases and Infante replied that sometimes the bigger cases like Apple vs. Samsung want a record of the decision so they choose litigation.  JERRY MOISON asked a question about undocumented workers that Judge Infante said was too political to answer.  AL DIAZ asked whether Judges should be elected or appointed and Infante supports the model of judicial independence.  In California it’s mixed with judges appointed by the Governor and also on the ballot. PAUL NYBERG asked what the average judge earns and Infante replied, “between $150k to $180k”, but remarked that they are underpaid in comparison to salaries in the private sector. 
 
The biggest case Infante has worked on was the Visa/Master Card anti-trust case, which was the largest in the U.S. at 7.2 Billion dollars and 99 pages of a settlement, devoted to business practices going forward.  The smallest case was a dispute between family members in a business that resulted in a settlement of one dollar and an apology.
 
MEETING ADJOURNED
President JOHN thanked Judge Infante for his talk and adjourned the meeting with his usual “Have a good day, unless you have made other plans.”
 
NOTE from a Rotarian: Speaking of mediation, don’t forget that we have LAMP (Los Altos Mediation Program) that resolves conflicts at no cost.

THIS THURSDAY'S PROGRAM: "Peninsula Symphony Orchestra Conductor"

Mitchell Sardou Klien

The topic for Maestro Mitchell Sardou Klein's talk will be "How to Conduct an Orchestra for Symphony, Opera, and Ballet.  He will be discussing his career and training, how he assembles an orchestra, music and instrument selection, description of instruments, various techniques used by conductors, what his motions mean during the performance, differences between symphonies, concertos, opera, ballet, etc. and what we need to listen for as an audience.

Mitchell Sardou Klein is Music Director of the Peninsula Symphony and the Peninsula Youth Orchestra and a frequent guest conductor of orchestras in the United States and abroad. He has appeared on the podiums of such orchestras as the New Polish Philharmonic, San Jose Symphony, Seattle Symphony and many others.

Maestro Klein has appeared frequently on national and international broadcasts, including National Public Radio, the Voice of America, the WFMT Fine Arts Network, and PBS Television.