Dr Gruis was introduced by our own Dr. Helena.  They met some years ago professionally and have remained friends.  Dr Gruis retired from the National Security Agency (NSA) where she had a long career as a intelligence officer.  She has recently published a book Privacy: Past, Present and Future. In the she investigates the natural tension between our desire for freedom and privacy.  “The greatest demands a free people place on government are to first keep us safe and second to leave us alone.”  The Bill of Rights not too decisively defines our right to privacy in the first, third, fourth, fifth, ninth and fourteenth amendments to the Constitution. Lawyers will remind us that even the definition of privacy is not simple.  There are several types of privacy.  In current times technology is outrunning the law.  Gruis refers to West Coast Code, where Silicon Valley tech companies define privacy and the more slowly developing law of what is acceptable and what is unlawful. Tech companies have developed a business of using private consumer information to anticipate, influence and magically fulfill our desires for goods and services.  Gruis suggests we should not blindly sell our democratic souls to the cyber tyrants!  Privacy, she asserts, is a core tenant of democracy.  Young people underestimate this until you ask them to hand over their phone along with all devices passwords.  They are aghast at the suggestion and shocked to contemplate that the providers of the phone and applications already have access to most if not all the data on the device.  She asks who can enforce our rights to our data if not government?

 

General Data Protection Regulation , GDPR, the European Union’s relatively new rule data ownership and privacy came up in the questions and answers segment.  Gruis rates it as being well ahead of the US in privacy assurance but fears that the legislation may be more aspirational than effective.  There are several current cases of the rules being challenged by US tech companies and so far the companies are being found to be out of compliance.  US Tech is struggling to comply.  While industry dislikes regulation what they fear more is a patchwork of rules between countries or even states. She predicts that we will see industry pushing for federal primacy in this field and it probably looking like GDPR

29 Rotarians and guests were with us for last weeks regular Zoom meeting of AIR.  We started on a happy note with a guest joining us, Alan Lewis from Alaska Child and Family.  Mr.  Lewis was our speaker recently and we were happy to see him again.  Mr. Lewis is an Air Force veteran and swapped stories with Jay Tung about their Air Force time in Minot, North Dakota.  They contend, with some evidence, that Minot is colder than we experience in Alaska. Lewis launched ICBM’s (or was ready to) and Jay drove big airplanes.  In keeping wit Fur Rondy tradition, Becky Erickson had as her Zoom background husband Bruce Erickson in jail behind bars.  Ric Schmidt, not to be left out took what looked like the grate from his oven and held that up to the camera to give himself the same look.  It was not the same.  Bruce had as his Zoom background a palatial looking Tuscan estate.  He explained it actually was a Italian mental hospital.  Bruce did not tell us if he had been patient, so we’re left to speculate.  Boyd Morgenthaler continues to investigate the use of Zoom from what must be a basic phone. Trygve Erickson suggested it is a rotary dial wire phone. 

 

At noon President Art Clark called us to order.  Mark Cosby led us in the Pledge of Allegiance.  Jules Tileston had as our Thought-for-the-day wisdom he found in a teacher relatives’ writings.  “If you want to be seen stand-up.  If you want to be heard speak-up.  If you want to be appreciated shut-up.” 

 

Jay Tung and Art Clark had left-handed compliments for this bulletin. Both referred to it as “mostly accurate.” 

 

Ted Trueblood led off Happy buck activity with $4 for Debra Mason’s acceptance of his invitation to join the Paul Harris Society.  Debra offered $5 as thanks to Ted for the invitation.  Tim Trueblood extended our welcome to guest Alan Lewis.  Also recognized were Jane Pallister and high school intern Emily Fernandes de Oliveria.   Dr Helena Wisniewski introduced her husband Phil.  With a $10 pledge Shari Showalter announced that the Girl Scout cookies have arrived and deliveries will commence soon.  Soon was not further defined.

 

Angie rush was a very happy $50 for her sixth year in Rotary.  Kevin Fimon was happy to announce that absent member Nina Mann has returned to Alaska.  Ginger George-Smith gave $10 for happiness at celebrated a birthday and the purported arrival of Girl Scout cookies.  Ric Schmidt gave $3 for the melodious lilt of guest Emily Fernandes de Oliveria’s name.

In a normal year, Alaska Sound Celebration would be busy preparing for a three-week run of our wildly popular Fur Rondy Melodrama and the Melodrama raffle – which are also our biggest fundraisers of the year. Unfortunately, due to public health concerns, we are unable to host in-person performances this year. But the show (and the raffle) will go on – virtually!

 

Join us for the 2021 Virtual Melodrama: Gold Rush Greed in Grizzly Gulch! In this year’s Melodrama, you’ll travel back in time to the Alaska Gold Rush, when a miner was a forty-niner, a villain was dastardly, and a heroine was lovely but not too bright. A time when a woman with a heart of gold could be a sexy success, and a hero came complete with a horse and hat.

 

The show will be streaming online February 26 through March 14. Pop some popcorn and watch the show as many times as you like at home for a minimum donation of just $10! Make your donation (of $10 or more) on PayPal, and you’ll be directed to the webpage where you can view the Melodrama starting February 26. Be sure to bookmark the page so you can easily return to watch the show! And you can buy raffled tickets too!

Link to website:                 Melodrama | Alaska Sound Celebration