Lessons for Business and Life from Cycling and the Tsunami Stones
This Meeting's Highlights
Program: Lessons for Business and Life from Cycling and the Tsunami StonesSpeaker: Lowell SheppardMeeting for the week of March 28th to April 3rd, 2016
Is this your first time to visit us? If so, welcome to our meeting!Each Monday our week's meeting is posted early in the morning, U.S. Pacific Time. These meetings are designed so that you can read and watch what we post anytime during the week. The entire meeting takes about 45 minutes to complete, with the video conference recording of the program being the bulk of the time.Note that you can easily read this meeting with your favorite device, so feel free to take our meeting on the go with you; read it while on public transit, waiting in line for coffee, or even at the park! Please also make sure to complete the attendance form at the bottom and leave a comment. Enjoy!
Welcome!
Message from our Club President
No soup for you!That doesn't sound like much of a greeting, does it? Chances are fairly good, though, that you got a chuckle out of the Seinfeld reference.I mention this because my wife and I went to Half Moon Bay last week, and as I was doing a little research ahead of time, I found a place, Raman's Coffee and Chai, that is famous for (a) the amazing chai tea served, and (b) the ornery attitude of the man who makes and serves it.Clearly, it is helpful to know before one walks into such an establishment that one may be berated for wanting something special or ordering using Starbucks sizes. Being ready, what might have been a really negative experience could become something quite different.Members and guests, it's my hope that we are all working to be ready for any moment when a surprise might lead to something negative, but we have at our ready a compassionate reply.How did my visit to Raman's go? Tune in next week to find out. 8^)Rotarian guests, we ask that you contribute something - whatever for you is the regular cost of a Rotary meal, perhaps - to the efforts of our club. Please choose one of the options below:
Send via our secure Happy Dollars form.
Send via PayPal.
Send via Google Wallet* to: ecsv.rotary@gmail.com
Send via check to the mailing address, below.
* To pay via Google Wallet, you'll need to log in to your account to donate.Those of you who prefer a more traditional approach can mail a check made out to the Rotary eClub of Silicon Valley to our treasurer: ℅ Allen Thompson, 13500 Cascade Ct., Bakersfield CA 93314.Non-Rotarian guests, there is no need for a donation from you. As we see it, your job is to simply enjoy what you read and watch, though at the end we do ask that you let us know you were here and also leave a comment letting us know what you think. This club is loaded with folks who love sharing ideas, and we look forward to your sharing yours!
Yours in service,
Rushton Hurley,
President
Rotary eClub of Silicon Valley
The Power of Images
They say a picture says a thousand words. Every week we try to bring you a picture that we think will inspire you a thousand times.
"Here is another photo from my recent trip to Yosemite. It was taken one morning at sunrise from Tunnel View. When we arrived, I was going to take an HDR image of the sunrise, but it didn't seem to be anything special. Then, I looked up and saw all of these beautiful cirrus clouds overhead. So, I quickly switched to a super wide angle lens (Nikon 14-24mm) and captured the entire sky (in HDR)."
The Power of Information
We at the eClub of Silicon Valley are big fans of the possibilities that technology offers us to connect and help others.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7pYHN9iC9IPerhaps being able to connect and help others using technology intelligently, though, means understanding both its limits and the dangers. As one who knows enough to get online, make sure you're using your powers for good!
The Power of Ideas
A good idea is one that catches our attention, and then catches our breath.
A good quote can lead one down a beautiful path of cool ideas. This week, we offer up a quote about the future.
The world of the future will be an even more demanding struggle against the limitations of our intelligence, not a comfortable hammock in which we can lie down to be waited upon by our robot slaves.- Norbert Wiener
In the world of the now, make sure you are struggling against limitations imposed by not paying attention to your ability to make a difference!
Our Events & Projects
This section of our meeting is where you learn about both recent and upcoming events and projects our club is leading or supporting. We welcome guests to all of our events and service projects listed here.
Recent Events:
Event Recap: Robots and Nightlife
Speaking of robots, on Thursday of last week, a small group of us gathered at the California Science Academy for their weekly Nightlife event. The theme this time was robots, which included getting to meet R2D2, which is a pretty stunning moment for any Star Wars fan!
We did some shaking in the earthquake simulator, watched robots battle (not R2D2), hung out with some seriously large fish, and of course took a moment at the photo booth. A shout-out to Nicole and Richard for joining us!
Upcoming Events:
Did you miss our past events? Come join us for any of our upcoming events! Guests, you are welcome too!All times are in Pacific Time (San Francisco, CA, USA time!)
Justin’s House Chili Cookoff on Sunday, Apr 24th, 9:30a-3p
Do you think you have the best chili in town? We’re putting together a team (maximum 4 people) for the first Justin’s House Chili Cookoff, to be held Sunday, April 24th, in Santa Clara, from 9:30 to 3:00. We’re helping raise money for a great cause during a fun day of ‘competition’ and food. We could win, too! If you’re interested, find out more about the Justin’s House Chili Cookoff day by clicking here. To learn how you can get involved with our club's team, please email Gene Tognetti (gene.tognetti@gmail.com).
Food Sorting Service at Second Harvest Food Bank on Saturday, May 7th, 9a-12p
Come join us for a morning of sorting food at Second Harvest Food Bank! If you’re interested, find out more about the Justin’s House Chili Cookoff day by clicking here. To event will be capped at 5 people, with priority going to those whom we haven't seen out at an event yet. If you are interested, RSVP with Andrew Taw (service@siliconvalleyrotary.com). Confirmations of attendees will be finalized no later than Saturday, April 30th.
For Our Members: Min-e-Grants
Support a Good Cause with a Min-e-Grant
As we announced last week, the club will consider suggestions from our members to support a good cause. To do so, the member should make a case through our Min-e-Grant process, identifying a third party (another Rotary club, perhaps) which will match what our club donates to an appropriate cause.Sound intriguing? If so, read the rules, gather what's needed, and make something happen!
Rotary eClub of Silicon Vally Min-e-Grants
The World of Rotary
We are part of the Rotary International family, with over 1.2 million members in over 180 countries around the world. Rotary’s reach is global. Here we tell our members and guests about Rotary’s initiatives and events.
The General Secretary of Rotary International is a really interesting guy named John Hewko (pictured, right). Why do I mention that here? He is presenting our program next week! Make plans to join in, as always, anytime between Monday morning and Sunday night.Our District Governor's March newsletter is online, and in it you'll find lots of information about the upcoming district conference. Please plan to attend!And while we're on a newsletter roll, check out the spring newsletter of Interact District 5170. They report on their activities related to this year's international project, which is on human trafficking.And finally, here's an invitation from District Governor Susan about the upcoming District Conference. I hope you're planning to attend!
Service Survey
We're coming up on that time again, and will be reporting what our members have been up to next week! Please take a moment to fill out the form below to let us know what you've been doing for service, whether tiny or huge, and let that story inspire our members and guests to do a good turn for people in their communities!
The Rotary eClub of Silicon Valley Service Survey
Happy Dollars
Happy Dollars is the segment of our meeting where anyone can choose to make a voluntary donation to tell us a short story about something good that has happened to them this past week. Maybe someone paid for your coffee, gave you a ride somewhere, or you got a job promotion.
As you will recall from last Saturday's email, we're taking part in the district's "flash" campaign to raise money to end polio. Donations will be matched 2-to-1 by the Gates Foundation, so this is a great time to kick into gear with the requested $30 donation. Please help us make it happen.And as always, you're also welcome to share news about other items in your life. We love hearing what's happening with each other!member Yvonne Kwan ($30)Let's help to End Polio Now!
Member Richard Knaggs ($30)Flash Polio Campaign
Member Mahmood Khan ($25)Eradicate Polio is a great program and as we have a sponsor 2x1, what better way to leverage the $.
Member Linda Tangren ($55)For Polio Plus, let's wipe it out once and for all! I went to Ghana in 2003 with Rotary to administer the polio vaccine. I saw first hand the people afflicted with polio and their difficult life made more difficult because of these crippling disease.
Member Allen Thompson ($30)for the Flash Campaign
Member Tzviatko Chiderov ($30)For the polio Flash campaign!
Member Brian Liddicoat ($30)Adios, polio!member Heather Shaw ($30)Polio
Member Rushton Hurley ($30)Let's put an end to polio!member Gene Tognetti ($20)PolioPlus Fund
Member Nate Gildart ($50)For the polio effortmember Chris Cochrane ($60)Polio "flash mob"
Member Andrew Taw ($30)Today, I just found out from this article that polio vaccines are a dollar a dose! Here's to 90 more children immune to polio!
Member Keith Marsh ($30)For Polio. We are on our way to Reno to have Easter with our granddaughter. Donated from my iPad while having breakfast. Ain't technology great?member Brian Liddicoat ($15)Happy for some extra rain down here in the Santa Cruz mountains.
Birthdays
We're still in the holding pattern for our April birthday folks, but this week, we'll do a shout-out to Rick Barry and Jerry Sloan, both famous NBA players born in 1944 and 1942, respectively. Given that the college basketball tournament is getting down to the final moments, this seems appropriate.This week, make an assist helping someone in need, block yourself from hastily saying something negative, and dunk a donation into our End Polio effort!
The Tidbit
Every week we bring to you a new life hack or tech hack that makes your everyday life a little bit more convenient.
Did you enjoy last week's keyboard shortcut for Macs? This week, we'll give you another keyboard shortcut, this time, for Windows.
A Little Humor
We love to help others smile, and continuing our cerebral run in that realm, we offer up this food for thought:
What do you get when you cross a joke with a rhetorical question?
Is that funny? Ha ha ha. Another one from the Higher Perspectives site, that was.
Selected Comments from Last Week
Every week our members and guests share their thoughts on what we learn from our speakers and meeting elements. Please make sure to leave an impression in our Disqus section, below. You'll need to sign in to leave the note, but can do so with a Facebook, Google, or Twitter account.
The program last week on the work being done in the Graduate Multimedia Program at California State University, East Bay prompted various kudos, with our members finding particular fascination in the Sand Noise Device. Here's a sampling:New member Linda Diekman (Illinois, USA)Thanks to everyone! I'm thrilled to be a part of this vibrant and exciting Rotary club. Ian... thanks for sharing your stories! While the sand noise device is really cool, you had me with the idea of "olders" teaching "youngers." I'd love to have middle school students sharing what they have learned with my elementary students. I've had success with 5th graders teaching coding basics to first graders, so I can imagine how cool that would be. I also appreciate your closing comments about learning, unlearning, and relearning -- food for thought for this week.
Member Mitty Chang (California, USA)Rushton -- really cool story in your introduction! Thanks for sharing! Woah, Ian! Very cool presentation! Loved to hear about the Sand Noise Device. :)
Member Andrew Taw (California, USA)The Sand Noise Device was fantastic! I shared that right after the presentation. Thanks Ian!
Member Brian Liddicoat (California, USA)You had me at "Sand Noise Device"!
Member Tzviatko Chiderov (Nairobi, Kenya)I love the idea of the polio Flash campaign and the Gates Foundation match. So cool to see your contribution to a worthwhile cause triple in impact! Ian, thanks for the great talk. This sounds like a very interesting program. And I really liked your final thought about the need to learn, unlearn and relearn to be successful in today's world.
Member Rushton Hurley (California, USA)Ian, I love what's happening with the students in your program - thank you again for visiting and letting us know about the opportunity your team at CSU East Bay has created! Mitty, very cool that we now have Meetup to use for our gatherings. Nice work!
Guest Cecelia Babkirk (California, USA)President Rushton, thank you for allowing the valuable real estate of your home page to promote the signature program of Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation, Polio Plus. Thanks to Governor Susan for her message about it and to your guest, Rob King, for being the first to contribute here on the site! Bring it on!
The Program
Every week, we bring you the stories of people improving their communities, wherever they are in the world, aiming to inspire people everywhere else.
This week we meet Japan-based Lowell Sheppard, who will tell us how he leverages his cycling adventures for the poor, and how this informs his work as the Asia Pacific Director of HOPE International Development Agency, an organization focused on working with the world’s extreme poor in their quest to climb out of poverty.Here are some images to set the stage:Aside from his 25-year involvement with Hope, Lowell has dedicated much of his life to social and environmental improvement projects throughout the world. He was the chairman of the Whose Earth initiative in the United Kingdom, and was the founding chairman of Novimost, a non-government organization responding to the needs caused by war in the Balkans.A fellow of the Royal Geographic Society, Mr Sheppard is the author of six books reflecting his diverse intellectual interests and life experience. His latest book, Boys Becoming Men, examines the importance of rites of passage, including adventures, for children becoming adults. Lowell is a noted public speaker, and has given lectures at both undergraduate and postgraduate level on Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability, and he is a former vice-chairman of the CSR Committee for the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan. He is a keen cyclist, and has cycled the length of Japan more than once.Members and guests, welcome Lowell Sheppard!
Links:You can learn more about the HOPE International Development Agency at its website.
Upcoming Programs
Week of Apr 4th: John Hewko - Rotary, the Original Social Network
Week of Apr 11th: Mike Lawrence - The Care and Feeding of Passion-Based Communities
You’re Almost Done! One last thing: The Attendance Survey..
Thanks for reading and watching this week’s meeting. You have two last things to do before you’re done. First, we have a very short attendance survey below for you to fill out to record your attendance.
Visiting Rotarians, this is how you can get an email receipt to pass along to your club’s secretary as proof that you’ve attended our meeting if you need it for makeups.
Non-Rotarian Guests, we would love to see who is dropping by our meetings! This part is optional for you though.
More importantly, for all members and guests — we strongly recommend and ask that you leave a comment below in our comments area below. Tell us how you enjoyed the program. Ask this week’s speaker any questions you might have. Or just stop by and say hello and tell us where you’re from!
