The Flywheel
Archive issue

NEXT MEETING: August 30, 2013

The Richmond Museum of History

The Richmond Museum of History is a hidden jewel of the East Bay. Travel through time with Melinda McCrary and learn about the people, discoveries, and events that made Richmond the city it is today.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• All Rotarians are invited to TGIF this Friday at 5 pm at La Revolucion, 3190 Klose Way, Richmond (next to cinema at Hilltop Mall).
• Oakland A’s tailgate party starts at 3:30 on the August 31^st. in Lot A. There are 30 people signed up. The game starts at 6:00. See Rafael for more information.
• Poker night at Alan Baer’s house last week raised $600 for the John Nicol Scholarship Fund.

MEETING OF August 23, 2013

Welcome

Stoney practiced being the president today – next year he is our president for the second time.  Alan Baer led the pledge, and Stoney recited his famous invocation.

Visiting Rotarians and Guests

John Folio, the executive director of the Boy Scouts of America and a Danville Rotarian introduced José Rodriguez, who is responsible for West County Boy Scouts.

Recognitions and Happy/Sad Dollars

• Swampy, AKA Joey Bags, recognized the passing of Linda Drake of Point Richmond.
• Jon Lawlis donated $300 in Darlene’s name, fining him for being on vacation for the last two years.
• Don Lau’s mother has died at the age of 91.  His dad is 97.  Thinking about moving to Hawaii?
• Stoney recognized himself: this week he marked his 19^th year anniversary with the club.
• Lynn Martin celebrated her birthday on August 22^nd.

Norm’s Nonsense

It was considered a great step forward in civil aviation when the first fully-automated flight embarked on its maiden transcontinental journey. The engines roared and the plane made a perfect takeoff into the cloudless sky.

The plane now airborne, a silky mechanical voice came over the speakers. “Welcome aboard this historic flight, ladies and gentlemen. Simply press the call button if you would like more champagne, served by one of our robot attendants. Even those of you who may have been anxious about flying can relax in the knowledge that this flight is free from the possibility of human error. Every aspect—altitude, air pressure, weather conditions—is being continuously monitored by state-of-the-art computer circuitry, so virtually nothing can go wrong…go wrong…go wrong…”

Program

The Buck Institute for Research on Aging

Jim Young introduced Vernon Dwelly a docent at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging.  He explained that the Institute now has a $900 million endowment, but it didn’t start that way.  The Institute was established with a $12 million donation from Beryl Buck. While the trust was in litigation by adjoining counties anxious for a piece of the action, an oil property within the trust was purchased by Shell oil for $400 million.

With the windfall, the board built the now-famous I.M. Pei designed edifice, the Taj Mahal of research institutes that overlooks the hills of Marin. You can see it near Novato as you drive north on HWY 101.  The building is open for tours every third Thursday of the month. You may want to visit the Institute’s website.

Mark Howe, “Rotating Editor”