May 2, 2014
The Flywheel
Archive issue
NEXT MEETING: May 2, 2014
Forensic Linguistics: Say What You Mean and Mean What You Say?
Language can be used to conceal or deceive, and politics can provide motive. Using video from a real-life event in the 2012 primary season, this talk demonstrates how a linguist analyzes language to determine what is really being said. An innocent-sounding conversation may have violated election law.
Our speaker, Joseph Devney, M.A., is a linguist with a particular interest in the intersection of language and law. He studied linguistics at Georgetown University and forensic linguistics at Hofstra University. He has taught at universities in the Bay Area, and given continuing education classes to lawyers on the topic of forensic linguistics. He is a member of the International Association of Forensic Linguists, and spoke at their conference in Amsterdam in 2009.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
• Fred Collignon sang (not literally) the praises of BARSHEEP. Fred thanked Pam Jones for her help.
• The Rotary District Conference in Vallejo on May 3rd.2014. The 4-way speech contest final will also take place here. Nikki Basa (winner at Richmond Rotary) is in the final. We all wish her success.
• June 14 offers the hyperactive Rotarian the opportunity for a hat-trick: David Brown informed us that it will be Peace Garden Maintenance Day. Dirt, sweat, and camaraderie. What’s not to like? June 14th is also Bocce Ball Day for our two teams (talk to Alan Baer if you want in). And Mark Howe announced his shared Auction prize BBQ will take place that afternoon at his house. Bing, bing, bang.
• Speaking of auction prizes, Joe Bagley and Connie Tritt’s “Summer Of Love” happening will take place at Joe’s pad on Saturday July 26th 4-6 pm. If you didn’t win this item at the holiday auction but still want to attend, talk to Joe about a suitable level of contribution.
• Lilliane made a request for children’s text/reading books to be collected at the club, in two weeks time, for children in India.
• Jan Brown advised us that the Teen Mom’s gift-bag preparation would take place here, at our meeting, on May 9th. As in past years, Jan and her helpers will have organized the diapers, blankets, books and other items in a way that enable members to create the gift bags for teen moms at Richmond High School. Clorox, the Linus Project, and Dan Tanita all deserve a thanks for their contributions to the annual event.
• The Kiwanis & Rotary Kids Fishing Derby is on Saturday May 31st. We still need chaperones between 9-2pm for 30 kids aged 8-12. One chaperone for each two kids. Hot dog lunch provided.
MEETING OF
Welcome
President Liliane Koziol welcomed everyone.
• Invocation: Who else but Stoney.
Sid’s thought for the day: “Remember. The only way to coast is downhill!”
Visiting Rotarians
Jeff Mulivihill of Reading Rotary wasn’t here. This is a first for Jeff.
Mac Lingo & Fred Collignon from Berkeley.
Rotarians with Guests
Liliane guest was her husband Ken. Our speaker, Tim Stroshane, also brought along a a guest, his friend Lance Williams.
Recognitions and Happy/Sad Dollars
• Bill Koziol celebrated a birthday in Hawaii with all his family. Then tomorrow, April 26th, he and his wife Kirsten are off to Las Vegas, where they met, to celebrate their anniversary.
• Mark Howe had some dollars for the opportunity to defend his stand against “Prop C” at the last Richmond Chamber of Commerce meeting. “Let’s broaden the debate,” he said.
• Herb Cole paid a dollar for Bob Dabney to explain why he was at the same meeting.
• Bob paid to explain. He “explained” for several minutes. No one understood a word he said.
• Connie Tritt was happy to be back now that the tax season is over.
• Richard Alexander was happy is son graduated and got a job with the coast guard.
• Jim Young was happy twice. First for recognition of that Secrets of the Iron Triangle, the play he shepherded through every step of production, was recognized for a Richmond Historical Preservation award. The second was the success of the lunar mission project, LADEE, on which his son was a contributing engineer. Jim teased us with the news that “strange things were found on the Moon’s surface”. He would say no more because his son wasn’t aloud to spill the beans. Or the dust. Or the blue cheese. Or whatever they found up there.
• Don Lau happy his daughter was getting married.
• Alan Blavins was happy to be off to see The Kentucky Derby next week.
Norm’s Nonsense
The kindergarten class went on a field trip to the local police station, where a kindly patrolman showed them around. Stopping in front of a “Ten Most Wanted” poster, he explained how citizens often help bring about arrests.
“Are those pictures of the bad guys?” asked one six-year-old. The policeman soberly informed him they were indeed.
“Well,” pursued the kid, “why didn’t you hold on to him after you took his picture?”
Program
An update on the California Water Project
Tim Stroshane, senior research associate for the California Water Impact Network returned to provide a follow-up presentation based on Governor Brown’s support for the Twin Tunnel project due to current drought conditions. Mr. Stroshane believes that, if built, the Twin Tunnels project will have significant consequences for the entire state: its residents, agriculture, wildlife.
Mr. Stroshane wanted a lively question and answer period, and he got it. Members had many excellent questions about the environmental impacts, the political levers that concerned citizens could (or could not) pull, and the impact of the continuing drought on prospects for the project go-ahead.
Alan Blavins, wrung out scribe