September 6, 2013

             Reporter: Cal Lee    Editor: Ron Brown         Photographer: Leander Hauri                   

President:  Hays Englehart 2013 - 2014          


SHE LIKES IKE

Claire, disguised as Christmas Elf

Claire Roberts knows a thing or two about leadership.  Maybe she listens to the new Assistant Gov.  For sure she listens to General Eisenhower, who said:   "Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it."  Very thoughtful, Claire.

 

GUESTS 

 

Laurie Ware - bears her long suffering remarkably well

Debra Saunders - speaker with some experience

 

CELEBRATIONS

 

Moving from Ike to a couple of sharply contrasting low-lifers, Claire presented this week's celebrants.

 

Steve Ware 1-23
Good on you, Steve

Steve Ware had his 23rd anniversary with Laurie, pictures were taken which he didn't reveal, his brother and sister-in-law showed up for an SF evening which included Yoshi's. Steve earned boos by trying to round $23 down to $20, which turned to cheers when he repented and gave $100 to the "Lamorinda Sunrise Foundation." Now, Steve is on the Endowment board and knows these things, so he must be pitching us some ambiguity for his own entertainment. There's the Rotary International Foundation, and there's the Lamorinda Sunrise Endowment.  The $$ is now in the black hole where Ernie Furtado keeps such things.  Guess it's up to him.

 

Shortest summary of longest dissertation, Mark

Mark Larks celebrated Anne-Liisa's birthday by hiking with her at the Morgan Territory, cooking her a succulent dinner with a cake from SF, and said she's 30 and has short hair. 

 

HAPPENINGS

 

Prez Hays said, as he has before, that NEXT FRIDAY'S MEETING IS AT OAKWOOD, IT'S THE ONLY TIME THIS WILL HAPPEN, and terrible things will happen to people who are caught coming to Celia's at that time.  Hays was asked if there will be a sign for guests who want to make up, and he somewhat unconvincingly said, "Er, uh, yes..."

 

Pat Flaharty, member of the Las Trampas Board, told of a Walk & Roll fundraiser (1.5 miles, skating optional) for one of his favorite causes, scheduled for September 28.  He thinks sprucing up the place would be a good idea, and is sure a whole lot of his friends will help next Saturday, 9:00-1:00, to clean up the grounds.

 

Fazel says, sell, sell, sell!

Then of course there's Rob Boy.  Ron Brown reported we're closing in on $5,000, thinks in part to a great effort at the Scottish Highland Games by Claire Roberts, Sara Brown, and Holly Burke.  Ron figured they were a success because they actually think we're having fun.  Next Rob Roy will invade the Alamo Music Festival tomorrow, and the Solano Stroll on Sunday.  But then you knew that, because by the time you get this they will already have happened.  Hopefully there won't be (or weren't) too many cases of heat prostration. 

 

POLLY ONLY HAD A VOCATIONAL MINUTE

 

Polly does it all!

Doggone these limitations.  Polly Bernson had to whip through her accomplishments as Diablo Rapid Print, producer of blueprints, printing, and book publication. The book publication is hot right now. Two big ones are a book for the holidays, and a 180-page photographic work about the Reservoir. Polly of course has made very big contributions to the club in the way of brochures, tickets, and all other literature for our crazy projects. It was only fitting that she won the Raffle.

 

ROB ROY HAS NEW HOME AND KEEPS ON SAILING

 

Breaking news!!! Hey, if the TV Networks can do it, so can we! As of today Rob Roy will be living in the former Butler-Conte Dodge Showroom on Mt. Diablo Blvd when it is not otherwise engaged in the following extravaganzas. Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of the building's owner, Rob Roy will be a welcome guest for the duration of the Raffle Season. The canoe will be visible to the passing public, being placed in the window facing the street. This also allows for all ancillary equipment to be stored in one place with the canoe,  while providing the easiest possible towing access for canoe drivers to and from the various events. Rob Roy is thrilled to come in from the outside cold nights!

 

The events where Rob Roy will show up which are confirmed so far are:

 

 9/21-22    Lafayette Arts & Wines

 10/18-20 District 5160 Conference, Chico

 10/27   Lamorinda Reservoir Run

CHRIS LASZCZ-DAVIS EXPOSURE REDUX

Sorry Chris, now we know!

 

As this publication is wont to do from time to time a few "minor" interpretations of Chris' presentation last week need further clarification. For instance:

 

Chris went to undergraduate school at Notre Dame...double major - Biology and Chemistry.

Got accepted to medical school back east, but was offered a fellowship in the 70's to graduate school at the University of Minnesota to major in Environmental Engineering. 

 

The beginnings of the environmental movement intrigued her, so she did an about face, side stepped medical school and went onto graduate school.

 

Work over the years - Department of Energy (Washington DC and out west), UC Lawrence Livermore Labs and Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corporation. Retired from Kaiser and set up own firm specializing in environmental, health, safety & product related issues.

 

Husband's name is Steve.

 


Other than that, the editor and our crack staff got it exactly right!

  

BRIEF BUT TO THE POINT

 

When the tears subsided after Buddy's announcement that his tenure as program chair ends next week, he introduced today's guest with obvious zest.

Deborah's latin refresher

Debra Saunders, Chronicle columnist who's seen in a lot of newspapers, likes to keep things short. She started out illustrating this by reading a poem by Catellus in Latin, a short one saying I hate and I love. This is a contrast to wordy poets such as Homer and Virgil. She applies this philosophy to good column writing. (It's a wonder Buddy got her here, since he graces all his emails with "I didn't have time to write a short note, so I wrote a long one instead.")

 

She does feel that a columnist is supposed to be opinionated. She also differs from most columnists in that they generally try to preview the news, whereas she waits until it happens, even at the risk of it being old news.This allows for more analysis. 

 

At this point, true to her tendency toward conciseness, she asked for questions, and there were quite a few.

 

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT THE CHRONICLE?

 

It's good at local coverage. Great work about the Bay Bridge - the reporter became really knowledgeable about rods and bolts. Debra remarked that the Bay Area apparently is filled with "self-loathing drivers."  Only in the Bay Area would an unsafe bridge be tolerated for 24 years.  Two especially egregious causes for delay in her view were putting the addition of a light rail on the ballot when there's no room on the bridge, and Willie Brown's efforts to get the bridge named after him. Rich Shearer suggested having a 20-year deceased requirement for naming any public works after anyone, but Debra doubted that taking away possible glory from current politicians would ever fly.

 

IS AMERICA'S CUP A GOOD NEWSPAPER TOPIC?

 

Yes, but it takes a tremendous amount of work. Debra doesn't do sports. C.W. Nevius did very good reporting on this.

 

WHY HAS NO ONE REPLACED HERB CAEN?

 

The Chronicle has tried. Leah Garchik is really good, but she's a woman. Everyone thought Herb had a great life that can't be replicated.

 

WHAT'S THE PROCESS TO PRODUCE A COLUMN?

Scintillating Q&A

There are brainstorming meetings every day. Ideas generally are not vetoed, although the publisher has the power to do so. Often it's a matter of timing. Debra wrote on Nancy Pelosi's 2007 visit to Syria because Pelosi happened to visit next door.

 

IS IT GOOD OR BAD THAT PAPERS ARE BOUGHT UP?

 

Anti-trust suits are brought against national chains. This is good because the Chronicle has been unprofitable for 10 years, although a profit expected this year. When there's consolidation, employees tend to be thinned out and overworked. No one in Sacramento represents a Bay Area newspaper now, whereas there used to be a bureau of 5 people. There's some hope that things may turn around to some extent. 

 

WHAT'S THE PROCESS BY WHICH EDITORIAL SUPPORT OF CANDIDATES IS DECIDED?

 

Editorial support doesn't mean much except for the smaller candidates and propositions. The editor solicits political positions. The publisher could overrule this, but tends to leave it alone.  The board actually does a pretty good job, and everyone should read an editorial before voting on the issue.

 

WHAT ABOUT THE STATE WATER TUNNEL AND THE HIGH SPEED RAIL?

 

If it takes decades to rebuild the Bay Bridge, how can we do this?

 

WHERE DID THE SUNDAY RESEARCH TYPE ARTICLES GO?

 

The paper used to have its own investigative reporting. Now little "think tanks" do it for numerous papers.

 

ARE NEWSPAPERS ALL GOING TO FOLD?

 

Most papers are still making money. The Chronicle tended to be unprofitable because it was originally overstaffed. Others make money by cutting back. The paper shouldn't give away stuff free, and it can't make money on the internet. Bloggers are unreliable. (With apologies to Debra's husband, who is one.) Newspapers are needed because you need to know what you don't know.

 

We can end with what Debra said about herself, according to a secret document obtained by this investigative reporter:

 

DEBRA J. SAUNDERS

 

Call it kismet. Started work in politics as a Republican in Massachusetts. Now I write a conservative column for the San Francisco Chronicle.  I was meant to be a traditional thinker in a liberal town.  But first there was other work: Waitress, secretary, student, insurance broker, then politics. Sold freelance pieces, then actually got a job in journalism. In 1992, the Chronicle called; 18 years later, here I am, the paper's token traditional columnist.  People always ask how I've lasted all these years. The honest answer is, I don't know. It's a mystery. On good days, it even feels like a miracle."

CALENDAR

Tuesday 9/10 - 6PM- Board Meeting
Friday 9/13 7AM - BART, inside scoop
Friday 9/27 TGITLFOTM, Chuck Bove 
Saturday 9/28. 8AM - HOME Team, Gary's shop

Friday 10/4 7AM - Club Assembly
Tuesday 10/8 6PM - Board Meeting
Friday 10/18 - District 6150 Adventure, Chico
Friday 10/25 5:30 PM - TGITLFOTM, leander Hauri

Saturday 11/23 8AM - Home Team, Gary's shop
  
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