January 21, 2011
Reporter: Buddy Burke          Editor: Ron Brown         Photographer: Tom Black 

 
President: Thomas Peeks, 2010 - 2011          

 

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
 

Dan offers free advice

Dan Herbert kicked things off by asking,, "Who gave the following advice to his son: 'You will enjoy life better if you don't work?" To the astonishment of the perplexed retinue, Dan revealed that it was the father of Abe Lincoln, not George Bush as one wag suggested. Dan also told us of the "comebacker of a lifetime," which came years ago from his own father.  When asked by an "assertive" gentleman at a public facility if the water in the bathroom was "safe to drink," Mr. Herbert retorted, "If the seat doesn't hit you in the head!" This turned out to be a LMSR favorite and the perfect segue for today's speaker!

 

VISITING ROTARIANS AND GUESTS
 

Nancy Baglietto, her last arrival as a guest, with her family -- Charlotte Guppy, Lawrence Henze and Alex Henze.

 

John "Spike" Speicher, another guest, one who, we think, is beginning to morph into a full-fledged, true-blue (and gold) Rotarian. Rumor has it that he will be our next new Red Badger

 

John Rodenburg, DCP of Walnut Creek

 

RECOGNITIONS
 

Kevin Croak celebrated his Rotary anniversary by immediately submitting proper "fun tickets" to our shiny kitty.

Aw shucks

 

Yours truly (a.k.a. Buddy Burke) found himself on the cover of the latest UC Berkeley Extension catalog, notwithstanding all attempts to avoid it. Turns out UCB needed a handsome face and struck out, so it got desperate.

 

INTER-CLUB LUNCHEON: GROUNDHOG DAY
 

Thanks to Mark Roberts, coordinator-in-chief, our hosting of the annual meeting is coming along in grand fashion, and is "free" to our members. By dint of the tried-and-true smoke-and-mirrors trick, Feb 2nd affair will be regarded as the regular meeting. We are "dark" that following Friday, so there will be no additional charge for our members to attend the luncheon and it's OK to sleep in. Our speaker has been highly regarded for his knowledge of the German side of the buildup to WWII and has written a book on the subject.

 

CEREMONY

George knows whereof he speaks

 

With appropriate fanfare and with family members on hand, Nancy Baglietto officially took her first steps toward a wonderful Rotary journey by being inducted by the King of Inductions, George Chaffey.

George told us much about her splendid upbringing around Casa Orinda Restaurant and her background with East Bay Regional Parks District. Afterward, Nancy was greeted with

Great family support, Nancy!

handshakes and proper hugs all around. As truly the newest member of Rotary worldwide (at that fleeting moment), we gladly welcome the addition of her history of public service and energy.

 

PROGRAM:  What happens after you "Hit the Silver Handle?"

 

Kit Ohlman is the Public Information Assistant at Central Contra Costa Sanitary District. A local woman, she attended Carondelet High

Kit tellsit like it is

School, Diablo Valley College, and obtained a BA in public relations from San Jose State University. Ms. Ohlman is the proud face of the Sanitary District, as she runs around talking about the "poop" plant. She oversees most of the education and electronic media for CCCSD, conducts tours, and makes presentations to very special groups such as Rotary.

 

First things first. CCCSD only deals with "down the drain" stuff, nothing "out of the faucet." Neither does it handle "street waste/runoff," which is why, under penalty of death or worse, no one  is to toss anything into those tunnels leading to the bay. What the folks at CCCSD do is clean up sewage from 140,000 households, making it safe for the environment-generating 45 million gallons per day (more than a 10-story tank, with the footprint of a football field).

 

Dispelling rumors to the contrary, cracks in pipes cause overflow in downpours. Old pipes are terra cotta (a.k.a. clay), and runoff deluges the system. Newer ones are tough plastic, thus minimizing the problems.

 

How are these underground labyrinths cleaned? Water pressure (official term in the trade is "hydrojetting). Powerful surges from trucks disperse anything roots, grease, or natural clogs can withstand. However, "disposable" baby wipes are anything but(t), and have become the newest mittelschmerz for the system.

 

No more curse of the projector!

There are 18 pumping stations in the district. The main "bowels" of each are 40 feet underground, and the facilities are open for tours. (If you do go, don't expect to meet Ed Norton down there.)You will walk away with a new appreciation for the lexicon of the Sanitary District, and know the difference between scum and sludge. How is this really made safe for the environment? UV does most of the actual disinfection. How? Preventing bacteria from reproducing. Gosh, didn't you learn that in high-school biology? They also have a team of "good bugs" sworn to brutally unhorse all the "bad bugs," rendering them incapable of replication. Solids are burned in hearth furnaces. (Kit didn't describe the "bouquet" of this process in detail, but we got the idea.)

 

Then there is  hazardous waste (Haz Mat) --  batteries, motor oil, paint, solvents, and the like -- substances that definitely do not belong in the system, much less in  the bay. For residents, turning in these verboten items for processing is simple. Some 22-million pounds have been processed since the inception of the program in 1977. By disposing of these nasties in an environmentally-friendly fashion, you, of course, earn brownie points good for redemption at the Pearly Gates. Not only is the process painless, it is FREE. The Haz Mat facility is located in Martinez, near the county animal shelter. Drugs absolutely don't belong in the toilet. Pharmaceutical disposal facilities are at most police stations.

 

A round of questions ensued, some of them from perspicacious listeners, and all were answered brilliantly.

 

CALENDAR
 

Friday, 1/28 - Postino's 7a.m. The Artisan Approach to Bay Area Farming

Wednesday 2/2 - Interclub Luncheon 11:30 a.m. Fireside Room, Rossmoor

Friday, 2/4 - DARK

Tuesday 2/8 - Board Meeting, 7:00 a.m. 

Nancy gets badge and pin from Mark

 

The funny tickets man
Kit gets LN4Hand Certificate


 

They're paying attention alright

 
 The New Photo Gallery for your viewing pleasure. Courtesy of Tom Black and his trusty Polaroid!


 


 

And on their best behavior
Prez Peeks unveils Buddy's shameless pr campaign

 
 

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