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REMEMBRANCE DAY ISSUE
NOVEMBER 10, 2018
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NEWS NOTES & NONSENSE
HONORING OUR VETS
We spent Thursday recognizing our seven honored guest veterans and our four Rotarian vets: BradL, BradP, Randy and Dave. Each gentleman was given an opportunity to share a story or observation. All military branches were represented, serving during the past seven decades. We sincerely thank each one of these fine men for serving our country proudly.
The sign-up sheet for our Salvation Army bell ringing gig at the East Alton Schnucks on December 8th, 10A-8P, is making the rounds. There's still some slots open. Direct any questions to MarkV.
After BradL, Sandy, ChrisL and Cory arrived our census rose to 23. Rod, Allen, Virgil and Patty represented the early vanguard. Nowhere to be found:Ty, Pat, Darren, Nate, Matt, Queenie, Erin, DaveS, MarkS, Dick and MarkV.
Lunch featured the "All American" taco bar. Hot apple crisp and carrot cake were available for dessert.
The sign-up sheet for our Winter Wonderland gig on December 12th started making the rounds.
In business news...look for an ice cream shop in the Eastgate food court. Wendell reports that John Simmons has purchased the Grand Theater and Stratford Hotel with plans to rehab both structures.
Wood River Rotarian Patti Anderson was on hand to sell cash raffle tickets. 1st place is good for $1500, 2nd place-$250 and 3rd place-$100.The drawing will take place on November 19th. Tickets cost $10 or 3 for $25. Missed your opportunity to buy? No worries. Give her a call at 259.2599. Good luck!
ChrisH will once again be coordinating our Christmas family "adoption" .
Prez Patty began the meeting with a "big bang".
Thanks to BradP for attaching a proper pole to the American flag.
It was nice to have Sherry back in the house. She has been monitoring a record number of early bird voters at the township building.
Joe invites everyone to the Veterans Day program on Sunday (11th). It will be held at the Veterans Park across the street from the Village Hall. It will begin at 2PM and last about 1 hour.
Dave and Rhonda took calls during the meeting.
Virgil observed that Emily almost has the school district "straightened out".
The Turkey Fund has grown to $278. This Thursday (15th) will be the last opportunity to make a donation. All donations will be given to Operation Blessing to assist with Thanksgiving meals. If you are so inclined, make your check payable to Operation Blessing.
Once again, SAA Queenie left ChrisL to do the heavy lifting. But not before he was presented a "princess" sash and tiara by Lori (Patty was also involved). Yikes! He went about his business after Bill volunteered to be the money changer. Not here last week? Pay a $. Patty was recognized for her 5th year of club membership. Announcement were made by ChrisH, Bill, Paul, Joe, Dave, Sherry, Sandy and Rick, wow. Trivia questions covered jelly beans, White House toilets, baseball and running water.
Opening duties were performed by Jamie, Randy and Dave
The $106 50-50 jackpot went unclaimed by Randy, and Dave. For the second week in a row Sandy won nothing with the scratch-off.
That's all from here, have a fine and dry weekend. Ciao!
THANKS FOR YOUR DONATION!
NO WORDS NEEDED
TRIVIA
(The answer is found at the end of the newsletter)
The U.S. fell two spots in the World Bank ranking of the best places to do business. Which two countries elbowed ahead?
A-Zimbabwe and Sweden
B-China and Finland
C-Chile and Estonia
D-Georgia and Norway
November 3 is National Sandwich Day
Output per hour for workers in non-farm businesses rose 1.3% in the third quarter from a year earlier, marking the 32nd straight quarter of yearly growth below 2%, a long and consistent stretch of anemic growth that hasn’t happened before in the post-World War II era.
In the twelve months of 1998 Yahoo stock returned 584%, AOL 593% and Amazon 970%. In fact, during the 1990s, AOL’s stock appreciated 80,000%.
4 out of 5 parents provide some type of financial support for their adult offspring. Half of parents are willing to draw down savings, and 1/4 would go into debt or pull from retirement savings to support kids who have left the nest-Merrill Lynch and Age Wave
3 out 0f 4 businesses in the U.S. have fewer than 10 employees-U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Origins: get one's ducks in a row-American bowling alleys were the first to introduce duck pins, short slender bowling pins unlike the rotund pins that the English used. Pin boys who set up these pins (before the advent of automatic bowling machines) had the job of getting their ducks in a row. Soon the expression I've got my ducks in a row was being used by anyone who had completed any arrangements.
Which city has the longest official name in the world?
Bangkok
Bangladesh
La Paz
Tibet
Thailand’s capital city Bangkok has a truly extensive official name: Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit. Okay, you can breathe now. The name translates as: “Great City of Angels, City of Immortals, Magnificent Jeweled City of the God Indra, Seat of the King of Ayutthaya, City of Gleaming Temples, City of the King’s Most Excellent Palace and Dominions, Home of Vishnu and All the Gods.” In 1782, King Rama I chose a bend in the Chao Phraya River as the ideal spot for the country’s new capital city. Established on an older settlement, known as “Bang Makok” – which translates as a “place of olive plums.” Although olive plums sound darn impressive, the King didn’t think it favorably represented his royal city. Hence, the 165-character behemoth.
REMEMBRANCE DAY
WE WILL NEVER FORGET
(November 11th marks the 100th anniversary of the end of World War 1. In many countries the day is called Remembrance Day . Here's a bit of that history.)
Remembrance Day (sometimes known informally as Poppy Day) is a memorial day observed in British Commonwealth of Nations member states since the end of the First World War to remember the members of their armed forces who have died in the line of duty. Following a tradition inaugurated by King George V in 1919, the day is also marked by war remembrances in many non-Commonwealth countries. Remembrance Day is observed on 11 November in most countries to recall the end of hostilities of World War I on that date in 1918. Hostilities formally ended "at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month", in accordance with the armistice signed by representatives of Germany and the Entente between 5:12 and 5:20 that morning. ("At the 11th hour" refers to the passing of the 11th hour, or 11:00 am.) The First World War officially ended with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on 28 June 1919.
The memorial evolved out of Armistice Day, which continues to be marked on the same date. The initial Armistice Day was observed at Buckingham Palace, commencing with King George V hosting a "Banquet in Honour of the President of the French Republic" during the evening hours of 10 November 1919. The first official Armistice Day was subsequently held on the grounds of Buckingham Palace the following morning.
The red remembrance poppy has become a familiar emblem of Remembrance Day due to the poem "In Flanders Fields" written by Canadian physician Lieutenant-ColonelJohn McCrae. After reading the poem, Moina Michael, a professor at the University of Georgia, wrote the poem, "We Shall Keep the Faith," and swore to wear a red poppy on the anniversary. The custom spread to Europe and the countries of the British Empire and Commonwealth within three years. Madame Anne E. Guerin tirelessly promoted the practice in Europe and the British Empire. In the UK Major George Howson fostered the cause with the support of General Haig. Poppies were worn for the first time at the 1921 anniversary ceremony. At first real poppies were worn. These poppies bloomed across some of the worst battlefields of Flanders in World War I; their brilliant red colour became a symbol for the blood spilled in the war.
In the United States, and some other allied nations, 11 November was formerly known as Armistice Day; in the United States it was given its new name in 1954 at the end of the Korean War to honour all veterans. Veterans Day is observed with memorial ceremonies, salutes at military cemeteries, and parades.
FROM THE ARCHIVES
NOVEMBER 14, 1984
Current member in a leadership position: Prez Pat
We had a presentation by a Salvation Army representative about the Tree of Lights campaign
The previous week member Jim Kodros (a great guy) hosted the annual Steak Fry at his home
We celebrated Pat's birthday
We were breaking bread at the Lewis & Clark Restaurant
Do you remember Dick Hogan?
OCTOBER 2009
DATELINE:RI
ROTARY YOUTH EXCHANGE
KEY TO GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP
By Marie Tornquist, former Rotary Youth Exchange student from Minnesota, USA, to Brazil
On the first day of my Rotary Youth Exchangeorientation in a Minneapolis suburb, I remember being confused about the nationality of my country officer. She kept referring to herself as Brazilian, saying things like, “In Brazil we eat a lot of rice and beans,” and, “We (Brazilians) are very open people.” She also referred to her Brazilian host families as “my brother, Eduardo,” “my nieces and nephews,” etc. I wondered if she had somehow been placed with a host family that was a distant relative. After a while I realized that ever since her exchange, she has continued to identify with the Brazilian culture while at the same time living in the U.S. and maintaining her identity as an American. A few months before my exchange, I received my host family and city assignment. I discovered I would be going to the state of Mato Grosso, to the small town of Rondonopolis, right in the center of South America, as far as you can get from Brazil’s beaches and samba rhythms. The closest other exchange student would be in another town six hours away by bus.
During the first three months of my exchange, I focused intensely on learning the language and everything I could about the culture of my new home. At the six-month mark, I was already beginning to dream in Portuguese. I had also gained a solid group of friends with whom I shared common interests and felt that I could talk to openly without being seen as “the American.” Having limited access to my native language and culture forced me to integrate into local society and rely on the people around me for support.
While traveling as a tourist or even as a student on a traditional study abroad program, people tend to gravitate towards others of similar backgrounds or hold on to their habits and way of thinking. Unless you are fully immersed in your host culture with little contact with your native culture, you will always maintain an “us vs. them” mentality. I believe you can only become a global citizen when you start identifying yourself as one of “them.” Going on an exchange lends the perfect opportunity to break through nationalist barriers and truly walk in the shoes of someone from a culture you may have once thought foreign.
Since my year in Brazil, I have continued to study different languages and cultures. Being able to relate to the people around me is what has helped me to be successful and thrive in many places around the world. My greatest challenge has been living and working in China, where being Caucasian I’ll never truly blend in. At times this can be frustrating and mentally exhausting but there are still plenty of days when I feel more connected to Chinese culture than to the U.S.
I’ve gotten used to cultural expectations quite different from what I grew up with. The ability I gained as an exchange student to adapt to different worlds has served me well, and for the most part I have come to enjoy the challenges of cross-cultural communication and forced change. In a world that increasingly pits “us vs. them,” I believe that developing an understanding and appreciation of what once seemed strange and unfamiliar is the key to global citizenship, world peace, and progress. I feel very fortunate to have embarked on this journey while on a Rotary Youth Exchange.
AND I QUOTE
"Never stand between a dog and a lamppost."-Stanley Baldwin
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness."-Mark Twain
"where large sums of money are concerned, it is advisable to trust nobody."-Agatha Christie
"The greatest use of life is to spend it on something that will outlast it."-William James
"Tradition is tending the flame, not worshiping the ashes."-Gustav Mahler
SMILE
A husband and wife are on the 9th green when suddenly she collapses from a heart attack. ”Help me, dear," she groans to her husband.
The husband calls 911 on his cell phone, talks for a few minutes, picks up his putter, and lines up his putt.
His wife raises her head off the green and stares at him. "I'm dying here and you're putting."
“Don't worry, dear," says the husband calmly, "they found a doctor on the second hole and he's coming to help you."
"Well, how long will it take for him to get here?" she asks feebly.
"No time at all," says her husband. "Everybody's already agreed to let him play through."
~~~~~~
A young man and a priest are playing together. At a short par-3 the priest asks, "What are you going to use on this hole, my son?"
The young man says, "An 8-iron, father. How about you?"
The priest says, "I'm going to hit a soft seven and pray."
The young man hits his 8-iron and puts the ball on the green. The priest tops his 7-iron and dribbles the ball out a few yards.
The young man says, "I don't know about you, father, but in my church, when we pray, we keep our heads down."
~~~~~~
Police are called to an apartment and find a woman holding a bloody 3-iron standing over a lifeless man.
The detective asks, "Ma'am, is that your husband?"
"Yes,” says the woman.
“Did you hit him with that golf club?"
"Yes, yes, I did." The woman begins to sob, drops the club and puts her hands on her face.
“How many times did you hit him?"
”I don't know - put me down for a five."
~~~~~~
The bride was escorted down the aisle and when she reached the altar, the groom was standing there with his golf bag and clubs at his side.
She said: "What are your golf clubs doing here?"
He looked her right in the eye and said, "This isn't going to take all day, is it?"
THE BOTTOM LINE
More than 1 million Americans have uploaded their genetic information online using public genealogy sites. There's enough genetic data on family trees that researchers estimate more than half of the people in the U.S. could be identified by name with only a sample of their DNA and a few basic biographical facts, such as their age and where they live-Los Angeles Times
Interest on the U.S. governments debt reached $1.5 billion a day in 2017, according to research from the Deutsche Bank-Ritholtz.com
Classic rock is still pulling in the crowds. Of the 30 highest-grossing live acts of 2018, 10 were Baby Boomer-era artists. The Rolling Stones took $100.8 million in ticket receipts worldwide; the Eagles, $84 million; and Pink Floyd's Roger Waters $60.7 million. Highest gross for an artist of any vintage: 27 year-old Ed Sheeran, $213 million-Qz.com
