Preliminaries

President Jenny called the meeting to order. Roger Allington delivered the Invocation and led the Pledge of Allegiance. Mark Mason greeted guests and visiting Rotarians, including his brother Jeff Mason. Mark made it a point to show Past President Phil the difference between Jeff and Mark Mason since Phil called Mark Jeff on more than one occasion.

Prodigal Reveille editor John Mix returned for a visit to the club. It appears Mark Hough couldn't talk him into writing the rag this week, just for old times' sake.

Rotary Passion

Chris Rasmussen counted all the ways that he has gained from being involved in Club fellowship. This has included getting to know everyone in the Club through such activities.

Computers for the World

John Martinka brought Jeff Mason up to the front. Jeff was prepared to talk about the Computers for the World Project, which is preparing for its fifth trip abroad with Newport High School students, but Jeff found himself becoming a Paul Harris Fellow for all his hard work in the program. Great work, Jeff and John!

YMCA Project

Fred Barkman announced a new BBRC Foundation Project, working with the YMCA. Ground has just been broken for the new Coal Creek YMCA building and with a two-year $50,000 gift from the BBRC, that building will have a clubroom named for the BBRC. An anonymous donor has matched the BBRC, bringing the total gift to $100,000.

Scott Sadler spoke on behalf of the Y, as did Jim Carney, who has been the branch chair on the YMCA board. Jim introduced Christine Kim, a UW student who is the co-chair for the Greater Seattle YMCA Capital Campaign.

The room will be used to plan and do community service projects for children, which is a perfect fit with the BBRC Mission, Vision and Values.

Many thanks to the BBRC Foundation Committee members for their good work in bringing this program to realization.

Friday Program
Kemper Freeman, Jr.

Bob Holert introduced the morning speaker, Kemper Freeman, Jr. Kemper is no stranger to the BBRC, making up on many Friday mornings throughout the year.

Kemper reminisced about the beginnings of the Bellevue Arts and Crafts Fair, now in its 62nd year. He recalled that his grandfather, Millard Freeman, commissioned Dudley Carter in 1947 to make a carving from a tree, which was named Forest Deity. Recently with an expansion of Bellevue Square a large Atlantic Cedar was cut to make way for the mall expansion. That tree had been planted in front of the old Crabapple Restaurant. Kemper commissioned Dudley Carter’s granddaughter, Ann Hanson, to use the wood for a carving, aptly named Full Circle, which now hangs over the fireplace in The Lodge in Bellevue Square.

Kemper also mused on the long running economic expansion in this area, fueled by entrepreneurs, which has resulted in companies like Boeing, Microsoft, Starbucks, Costco, Nordstrom and Paccar. He pointed out that Bellevue is enjoying its greatest expansion, and the local unemployment rate remains at 3.6%, lower than many economists consider to be full employment.

But, Kemper’s real focus and his passion, is transportation. He pointed out that the Greater Seattle Area has the eighth best transit system in the country, but the second worst road system.

According to Kemper, Sound Transit is out of control, with no elected officials, and it is “hard wired” for light rail. Kemper has long been an opponent of Sound Transit and its light rail system. He pointed out that Sound Transit has broken many commitments to the local citizens and its existing programs are substantially over budget.

Kemper had a number of ideas to increase the transit ridership which would cost much less than new light rail systems. He pointed out that local transit agencies could have no fares which would increase ridership by 40% to 50%. He pointed out that fares cover a very small portion of transit costs anyway.

He also suggested a bus-to-bus rapid transit system, which could be done for half the cost of light rail and triple ridership within three years.

Kemper also pointed out that an expansion of the very successful Vanpool program would pay for itself. Adding 8000 vans would increase ridership by 150,000. According to Kemper, transit used to account for 6% of local daily trips but that figure is now down to 2.4%.

As usual Kemper left the BBRC with much food for thought.

Web Fun

Hawaiian Airlines Warning
Courtesy of Chuck Barnes ("Since many of us fly Hawaiian from Seattle to Hawaii, I thought this might be worth passing along.")

July 25, 2008 — Hawaiian Airlines today issued a public alert to warn of a fraudulent email being circulated. The email is labeled “Your airplane ticket.” It appears as a notice of a new ticketing service and informs the recipient that a new account has been opened in their name and a ticket has been charged to their credit card.

The email contains an attachment designed to look like an electronic ticket, but instead is contaminated with a virus.

The email also contains references to login, password and credit card information, which Hawaiian would never include in an email to customers unless it’s requested.

This email is not linked to Hawaiian in any way. We just want to warn everyone that it does contain a virus and our advice is not to open the attachment and to delete the email from your inbox.

• • •

Courtesy of Phil Salvatori (naturally)

An 80-year old Italian man goes to the doctor for a check-up. The doctor is amazed at what good shape the guy is in and asks, "How do you stay in such great physical condition?"

"I'm Italian and I am a golfer," says the old guy, "and that's why I'm in such good shape. I'm up well before daylight and out golfing up and down the fairways. Have a glass of vino, and all is well."

"Well," says the doctor, "I'm sure that helps, but there's got to be more to it. How old was your dad when he died?"

"Who said my dad's dead?"

The doctor is amazed. "You mean you're 80 years old and your dad's still alive. How old is he?"

"He's 100 years old," says the old Italian golfer. "In fact he golfed with me this morning, and then we went to the topless beach for a walk, that's why he's still alive ... he's Italian and he's a golfer too."

"Well," the doctor says, "that's great, but I'm sure there's more to it than that. How about your dad's dad? How old was he when he died?"

"Who said my grandpa's dead?"

Stunned, the doctor asks, "You mean you're 80 years old and your grandfather's still living! Incredible! How old is he?"

"He's 118 years old," says the old Italian golfer.

The doctor is getting frustrated at this point, "So, I guess he went golfing with you this morning, too?"

"No, Grandpa couldn't go this morning because he's getting married today."

At this point the doctor is close to losing it. "Getting married! Why would a 118-year-old guy want to get married?"

"Who said he wanted to?"