True Christmas Story

The Christmas Gift

Good morning my fellow Rotarians.  Each year at Christmastime I enjoy sharing a special story to highlight the true meaning behind this very special holiday.

Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, a noted minister and author, tells the story of a young girl, an exchange student from Sweden, who was spending the holiday season in New York City while living with an American family.  Her chores were helping around the house, but she didn't have much money. So she knew she couldn't buy nice Christmas presents for her host family—besides, they already had so much, with new gifts arriving every day from family and friends.

With just what little money she had, she went out and bought an outfit for a small baby, and then set out on a journey to find the poorest part of New York and the poorest baby she could find. At first, she received only strange looks from people when she asked them for help. But then a kind stranger, a Salvation Army bell-ringer, guided her to a poor part of town and helped her deliver her gift.

On Christmas morning, instead of giving her host family gifts, she told them about her act of kindness done in their name. Everyone was speechless, and everyone was blessed—the girl for giving, the wealthy family for seeing others with new eyes, and the poor family for receiving an unexpected gift.

I believe unexpected gifts are some of the most special.  At this time of the year there seems to be many opportunities to give to those who have great needs, or your giving could be simple things like a smile, a listening ear or words of encouragement.

As Rotarians we are gift givers; of our time, our talent and our resources - and not just at Christmas.  It’s who we are.  It’s what we do.  Christmas began with the giving of one gift.  Over 2,000 years ago, God gave His son, Jesus Christ to the earth as His special gift.  And to many, it was unexpected.  Christmas began with Christ and if you are not familiar with this story, I encourage you to check it out this holiday season.   

For me my fellow Daybreakers, this will be my last bottom of the news.  On July 7^th, 2007, Steve Carpenter offered me the privilege to stand before you each week.  I have greatly appreciated the gift of being able to share things with you, especially stories like today.  Now, after 317 reports and 8 ½ years, it’s time to pass on this duty as I look ahead to my new role as club president.  Jen Neuman officially takes up the mic on January 8^th.   Thank you for allowing me to do something I truly enjoy.  Merry Christmas to you and your family!

And this is our Bottom of the News for this Friday, December 18, 2015. 

Computer Gender

What Gender is a Computer?

Good morning! This morning I thought I share a fun piece from brother Steve Carpenter regarding a “Spanish Computer.”

A Spanish language teacher was explaining to her class that in Spanish, unlike English, nouns are designated as either masculine or feminine.

"House" for instance, is feminine… "la casa." 

"Pencil," however, is masculine… "el lapiz."

A student asked, "What gender is 'Computer'?" Instead of giving the answer, the teacher decided to have a contest between the men and women, and asked them to decide for themselves whether "Computer" should be a masculine or a feminine noun. Each group was asked to give four reasons for its recommendation.

The men's group decided that "Computer" should definitely be of the feminine gender ("la computadora"), because:

1. No one but their creator understands their internal logic;
2. The native language they use to communicate with other computers is incomprehensible to everyone else;
3. Even the smallest mistakes are stored in long term memory for possible later retrieval; and
4. As soon as you make a commitment to one, you find yourself spending half your paycheck to buy accessories for it. 

The women's group, however, concluded that computers should be masculine ("el computador"), because:

1. In order to do anything with them, you have to turn them on;
2. They have a lot of data but still can't think for themselves;
3. They are supposed to help you solve problems, but half the time they ARE the problem; and
4. As soon as you commit to one, you realize that if you had waited a little longer, you could have gotten a better model.

Guess who won? You got it, the women. And for the guys, the suggestion was to keep working on maintaining a sense of humor. And that’s the Bottom of our News on this Friday, October 2nd, 2015. ###

English Heteronyms

 It’s all English!

Good morning!  This morning I want to introduce you to Heteronyms.  Ever heard of them?  They are those words that are spelled the same, but have a different pronunciation and different meaning. 

For you grammar geeks out there heteronyms may be FUN, but for a non-English speaking person trying to learn our language, they can be a challenge and sometimes weird!  So, here are a few examples…

• On the farm they produce produce.
• He could lead if he would get the lead out.
• A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
• When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
• They were too close to the door to close it.
• The buck does funny things when the does are present.
• The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
• Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.
• I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.

Let's face it - English is a crazy language…. There is no egg in eggplant, nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple. English muffins weren't invented in England or French fries in France. Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat.

We take English for granted. But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.  And yet, it’s all English!  

And that’s the Bottom of our News on this Sept 25, 2015.

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Uncommon Murphy's Laws

If Something Can Go Wrong...

Good morning! I would guess you the definition of Murphy's Law… If anything can go wrong, it will go wrong (Sometimes known as the 4th law of Thermodynamics).

Captain Edward A. Murphy, an American engineer at Muroc, California (Edwards Air Force Base) came up with the first law.

In 1949 he was working on a project to test the effects of sudden braking. Time after time his machinery failed and finally, he said 'If there is any way to do it wrong, I will find it.' The phrase stuck and quickly became widely used.

Here are a few of the lesser known Murphy’s laws…

• He who laughs last, thinks slowest.
• Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.
• Those who live by the sword, get shot by those who don't.
• The shin bone is a device for finding furniture in a dark room.
• If the shoe fits, get another one just like it.
• Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
• Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will sit in a boat, drinking beer all day.

So, as we enter this beautiful weekend, may you NOT experience a Murphy’s Law moment! And that is the Bottom of our News on this Sept 18, 2015!

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My Family's 911

Remembering  911

Where were you this morning 14 years ago?  I would guess that you can recall exactly where you were when you first heard the news of planes flying into the World Trade Center towers.

I was in a hotel in Galena, IL doing my final prep to lead a training conference with my 35 team members from around the Midwest.  Needless to say, my meeting didn't happen.

For me, my first memorable 911 was 43 years ago.  It was my first day of college and that evening, while watching the 10 o’clock news I heard of a teenager from my hometown who had been killed in a car accident.  They didn't release the name until the immediate family could be notified.  I was that family.  Soon after I got the phone call.  

John Drewelow was 16, full of life, high energy, never a dull moment, highly competitive, my rival, my friend, my brother. 

Out of our 911 tragedy came some very powerful positives.  My dad had remarried five years earlier when I inherited three new siblings.  We went from two families to one that day.  The 911 for my family brought us together and made us stronger. 

911 for our country did the same.  It brought us together.  Made us stronger.

Yesterday, 14 years ago, millions of Americans went to bed quietly, with no thought that the next morning their world would change forever.  That night hundreds packed flight bags they would not live to open.  Thousands slept with loved ones for the last time.  One never knows what a new day has in store.

Live each day to the fullest, and never miss a chance to let those dearest to you know of your love for them.  So, tonight if you have someone in your life that you love, tell them.

Events such as these are etched in time and in our memory.  May we always remember.  May we never forget.  

And that is our news on this day 911, 2015.  

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Zach wins The Open!

Congratulations Zach Johnson!

Last week I stood up here with an update on Zach Johnson’s play in the British Open. Little did we know that he would go to become the champion of the most prestigious and oldest golf event in the world, the British Open. And the 144th annual event was held at the birthplace of golf, St. Andrews Old Course in Scotland. It is quite an honor for, as Zach says “a kid from Iowa who has been blessed with some talent.” Here are a few things to note about this special guy from Cedar Rapids.

HE HAS USED THE SAME PUTTER HIS ENTIRE CAREER… Most players change putters frequently, but Zach is the exception, using the same putter since during his early day in the minor tours.

HIS OPEN WIN PUT HIM IN ELITE COMPANY… With his victory at the 2015 Open, Johnson becomes just the sixth person to hoist the claret jug at St. Andrews and win the Masters. The other five: Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Sam Snead, Steve Ballesteros and Nick Faldo. Not the worst of congregations to join.

WHAT JOHNSON LACK IN DISTANCE… With a 280-yard average, one of the shortest players (164th) on tour -- he makes up for in accuracy. Johnson's boasts a 73.4 accuracy percentage , third-best on tour.

JOHNSON WASN'T THE BEST PLAYER ON HIS GOLF TEAM… You would think a two-time major winner would have been the star of his college team at Drake. He wasn't the best player on his team, but he had the perseverance and work ethic to continue to develop into a star player.

JOHNSON'S CADDIE IS QUITE THE PLAYER HIMSELF… Damon Green competed on the lower levels of golf, capturing 75 victories on mini-tours. Green decided to give caddying a try 15 years ago, and has been on the bag for all of Johnson's wins.

HE SPENT YEARS IN THE MINORS and developmental leagues for six seasons and his breakthrough was in 2003, when he won Player of the Year honors on the Nationwide Tour.

HE HAS HIS OWN FOUNDATION… Johnson and his wife started the Zach Johnson Foundation, focused on helping children and families in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Some of the foundation's programs include Birdies That Care (which helps provide college scholarships to those in need), Kids on the Course (helping children realize opportunities in the classroom) and the Zach Johnson Foundation Classic.

HE WON THE MASTERS in similar fashion… Due to rainy weather with strong winds and cold temperature, he won the 2007 Masters with one of the worst winning scores, but two strokes better than Tiger Woods, Retief Goosen and Rory Sabbatini.

JOHNSON ONCE SANG AT WRIGLEY FIELD… That's right, Johnson can sing! Okay, not really, but Johnson was given the honor of performing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" at Wrigley Field.

And that’s a few things to note about our local Cedar Rapids guy, Zach Johnson. This year’s winner of the British Open. Congratulations to Zach, you make us proud. And that is the Bottom of our News on this July 24th , 2015!

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Email

Email Blunders

Good morning my fellow Daybreakers! 

Have you ever sent the wrong email to the wrong person? I’m guessing most everyone has done something similar. Wouldn’t it be great if there was an ‘Undo’ key to simply fix those blunders? The two most common mistakes are sending the wrong attachment or hitting the Reply All button instead of the Reply key.

Well, here is a recent true example I wanted to share with you.

A couple had set up their vacation and with the idea that the wife would be joining her husband at their destination a day later from her business trip. When the husband reached his hotel, he decided to send his wife a quick email.

Unfortunately, when typing her address, he mistyped a letter in the email address and his note was directed instead to an elderly preacher’s wife whose husband had passed away only the day before. When the grieving widow checked her email, she took one look at the monitor, let out a piercing scream, and fell to the floor in a dead faint.

At the sound, her family rushed into the room and saw this note on the screen:

To the love of my life… Just got checked in. Everything is prepared and I am anxiously awaiting for your arrival tomorrow. P.S. Sure is hot down here.

And that is the Bottom of our News on this July 10th , 2015! 

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4th of July 2015

Freedom is Never Free!

Good morning my fellow Rotarians.  Let me share some thoughts about our upcoming Independence Day holiday. 

You may have heard this before, but freedom is never free!  Consider the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence and what happened to them in the following months:

§  Five were captured by the British as traitors and tortured before they died.

§  Twelve had their homes ransacked and destroyed by fire.

§  Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; two others’ sons were captured.

§  Nine fought and died from wounds or hardships of the war.

They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.  What kind of men were they?

Well, 24 were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants and business owners; nine were farmers and plantation owners. They signed the Declaration knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships and his shipping company burned and destroyed by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in penniless.

Vandals or soldiers looted many of their properties.  Others had their homes taken over to be British headquarters and when they were done, the homes were destroyed and their families were imprisoned and torn apart.  Most of those men died bankrupt.

These are true stories about the men of the American Revolution. They were well educated and they had their security, but they valued their liberty and freedom more.  Here was their pledge…

"For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of THE divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."

They gave us a free and independent America. During the Revolutionary War we didn't fight just the British. We were British subjects at that time and therefore we fought our own government!

Some today take our liberties for granted and many don’t realize we owe a debt of gratitude to the patriots who came before us. So, it’s not just another “holiday weekend” at the beach.  The 4^th is a holiday with a true purpose.

This is the best weekend of the summer in my opinion.  We have a local Freedom Festival, time to spend with family, picnics, ball games, awesome fireworks and more.  At some point I'd like to suggest that you pause to reflect on the history, struggle, sacrifice and significance behind your celebration.  Tell your kids and grandkids about this.  Unfortunately, many are not learning about this holiday anymore in our schools. 

I am very grateful we have an “Independence Day” in America and for those patriots who went before us.  Remember, freedom is never free!  And this is our news on this Friday, July 3, 2015.   

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Congrats to our grads!

Graduation Season

Good morning my fellow Rotarians. We are in the midst of graduation season and there are a few fun stories I thought worth sharing.

Be unique
Robert Orben recently told graduates… “A graduation ceremony is an event where the commencement speaker tells thousands of students dressed in identical caps and gowns that 'individuality' is the key to their success.”

Another chance
It's graduation day, and everybody's going to get their diploma but Josh. At the assembly, the entire senior class stands up and shouts "Let Josh graduate, let Josh graduate!" The principal agrees to give Josh one last chance. "If I have five apples in my right hand and five in my left hand, Josh, how many apples do I have?" he asked. Josh thought long and hard and then said: "Ten." And the entire senior class stood up and shouted, "Give Josh another chance. Give Josh another chance!"

Ask for money
Commencement speaker Gary Bolding told grads… “Your families are extremely proud of you. You can't imagine the sense of relief they are experiencing. This would be a most opportune time to ask for money.”

Make this look natural
It was graduation day and Mom was trying to take a picture of their son in a cap and gown, posed with his father. "Let's try to make this look natural” she said. "Junior, put your arm around your dad's shoulder." The father answered, "If you want it to look natural, why not have him put his hand in my pocket?"

Average is okay
George W. Bush told the graduating class at SMU last week… “To those of you who received honors, awards and distinctions, I say well done. And to the C students, I say you too may one day be president of the United States.”

I'll show you how
A young man hired by a supermarket reported for his first day of work. The manager greeted him with a warm handshake and a smile, gave him a broom and said, "Your first job will be to sweep out the store." "But I'm a college graduate," the young man replied indignantly. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know that," said the manager. "Here, give me the broom – I'll show you how."

Congrats to our grads! And that my friends, is the Bottom of our News May 29, 2015!

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Memorial Day 2015

The Ultimate Sacrifice

Good morning my fellow Rotarians.  On the beginning of this Memorial Day weekend I thought it only fitting to share with you some history.   

Originally known as Decoration Day, it was a day set aside to honor the nation's Civil War dead by decorating their graves.  The first observance was May 30, 1868.  It was a short speech by General James Garfield at Arlington National Cemetery and then over 5,000 volunteers decorated the graves of the more than 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried in the cemetery.

This 1868 celebration inspired many local observances and after World War I, observances also began to honor those who had died in all of America's wars.

In 1971, Congress declared Memorial Day a national holiday to be celebrated the last Monday in May.  Today, Memorial Day is still celebrated at Arlington National Cemetery very much like the first one, with a simple speech by either the president or the vice-president and then a wreath is laid at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. 

Flags are also placed on the graves of each of the 260,000 soldiers buried in Arlington.  Over 1500 soldiers of the 3^rd Infantry Regiment (or better known as the Old Guard) perform a “flag in” ceremony which take them about four hours to place a flag at every grave.  They then remove those flags on Tuesday morning before the cemetery is opened back up to the public.

Now let me tell you a story about a real veteran from Oklahoma who dropped out of high school to fight in World War II.  It took him 72 years to receive his diploma, which was accomplished this past week.

Bill Larkin, 90, who left school during his senior year in 1943, served with the US Marines in Iwo Jima and elsewhere, joined the 2015 graduating class ceremonies at Skiatook High School this past Thursday evening.

Skiatook invited the veteran to receive his honorary diploma as a way to recognize his service and inspire graduating seniors.  When school officials discovered he only lacked on history credit to graduate, they decided his military service fulfilled that requirement.

"I do not know what I need a diploma now for, I am not looking for a job.  I have done just fine with out one," Larkin told the Claremont Daily Progress newspaper.  Larkin spent three years overseas during the war and returned home to marry his high school sweetheart, Lois.  After the war, he worked as a truck driver and pipeline construction supervisor, but never went back to finish the class he needed to earn a diploma.

Memorial Day is a rich tradition where all Americans can take pause to pray and to thank our greatest heroes.  Let’s remember to honor those men and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.  And that is the Bottom of our News on this May 22, 2015! 

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May Day

Happy May Day!

Good morning my fellow Rotarians. Happy May Day! For some of you this may be a little known holiday, but not long ago it was widely celebrated in our country.

May Day originated with the Greeks and Romans… based on ancient fertility rituals and agricultural traditions. They honored Flora -- the goddess of springtime. Medieval England created their own version by adding the Maypole decorated with flowers and streamers in the town square, and people danced around the pole with joyful frolic to mark spring's arrival. Today you will still find Maypoles in many European villages and towns.

The themes of "fertility" and "frisky antics" didn’t fly with the Puritans in the US because they thought the holiday was too pagan, so that version of May Day didn’t catch on.

In 1886 May Day become known as a day for protest when workers in Chicago protested and rioted in what became known as the Haymarket Affair. International Workers Day was also born that decade and became a worldwide special day to honor workers. It was the precursor to our US Labor Day. Since then, May Day has become popular day for protests.

The May Day I remember as a young boy was one that was a lot of fun. My mom used to help us prepare May baskets with candy and flowers (actually I think they were re-cycled Easter baskets, but we didn’t care!) Early on the morning of May 1st we would sneak up to the houses of family and friends and leave a basket on their front step with the hope of not being seen or getting caught. It was a great adventure and we loved it, especially when people seemed to not have a clue who might have left them those special gifts.

Years later an aunt told me that she always knew, but didn’t want to spoil it. This was the same lady who broke the news that the Easter Bunny was my dad. That is the May Day of the past, an old tradition that has since faded away in America.

But for us today, we can celebrate coming of spring by proclaiming happy May Day! And that my friends is our Bottom of the News on this Friday, May 1st, 2015.
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Special Christmas Gift

The Envelope

Good morning my fellow Daybreakers. This is our last meeting before Christmas and I thought I would share a story with you that fits who we are as Rotarians. It is called “The Envelope” and it goes like this…

It's just a small, white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree. No name, just plain. It has been in the branches of our tree for 10 years or so. It all began because my husband Mike hated Christmas -- oh, not the true meaning of Christmas, but the commercial aspects of it -- overspending... the frantic running around, the gifts given in desperation because you couldn't think of anything else. Knowing he felt this way, I decided one year to bypass the usual shirts, sweaters, ties and so forth. I reached for something special just for Mike. The inspiration came in an unusual way.

Our son Kevin, 12 that year, was wrestling in junior high and shortly before Christmas, there was a match against a team sponsored by an inner-city church. These youngsters, dressed in sneakers so ragged that shoestrings seemed to be the only thing holding them together, presented a sharp contrast to our boys in their spiffy blue and gold uniforms and sparkling new wrestling shoes.

As the match began, I was alarmed to see that the other team was wrestling without headgear, I thought wow, they need the protection. Obviously they could not afford the gear. Well, we ended up beating them, taking every weight class. Mike said sadly, "I wish just one of them could have won. They have a lot of potential, but losing like this could take the heart right out of them."

Mike loved kids -- all kids -- and he knew them, having coached little league football, baseball and lacrosse. That's when the idea for his present came.

That afternoon, I went to a sporting goods store and bought an assortment of wrestling headgear and shoes and sent them anonymously to the church. On Christmas Eve, I placed an envelope on the tree, the note inside telling Mike what I had done and that this was his gift from me. His smile was the brightest thing about Christmas that year and in succeeding years. For each Christmas, I followed the tradition -- one year sending a group of mentally disabled youngsters to a hockey game, another year a check to a pair of elderly brothers whose home had burned to the ground the week before Christmas, and on and on.

The envelope became the highlight of our Christmas. It was always the last thing opened on Christmas morning and our children, ignoring their new toys, would stand with wide-eyed anticipation as their dad lifted the envelope from the tree to reveal its contents.

As the children grew, the toys gave way to more practical presents, but the envelope never lost its allure. The story doesn't end there. You see, we lost Mike last year due to dreaded cancer. When Christmas rolled around, I was still so wrapped in grief that I barely got the tree up. But Christmas Eve found me placing an envelope on the tree, and in the morning, it was joined by three more.

Each of our children, unbeknownst to the others, had placed an envelope on the tree for their dad. The tradition has grown and someday will expand even further with our grandchildren standing around the tree with wide-eyed anticipation watching as their fathers take down the envelope. Mike's spirit, like the Christmas spirit, will always be with us.

I believe this story also represents the spirit of Rotary locally and around the world. Giving gifts to those in need on behalf of others is what we do, except we don’t just do it at Christmas time, we do it all year long.

May we each remember the true spirit of Christmas and the very special gift that was given to mankind over 2,000 years ago. It is the true reason for this season. May your holiday season be one of many blessings as you enjoy your time with family and loved ones. And that my friends is the Bottom of our News on this Friday, December 19, 2014!

Merry Christmas!

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Thankful

Thankful for Thanksgiving

Good morning my fellow Daybreakers.  I recently came across a blog that did some fact-checking regarding the history of Thanksgiving.  Here are some common myths:

• In 1621, Pilgrims held a feast in Plymouth Colony to celebrate their first harvest.  False.  Nobody knows for sure. Historians know of harvest celebrations each year, early on shared by the colonists and local Indians.
• The Pilgrims dressed in black and white and wore buckles on the their shoes.  False.  Both men and women typically wore a variety of colors when they dressed up in the 1600’s and it was unheard of to wear black and white.  And NO, there were were no BIG buckles on their shoes.
• Americans have always eaten Turkey at their Thanksgiving feasts because that is what was served at the first Thanksgiving.  False. In the mid-1800’s author and magazine editor Sarah Hale started the idea of a Thanksgiving holiday similar to what we celebrate today.  She used her popular Godey's Lady's Book of recipes to promote turkey and stuffing, pumpkin pie and cranberries along with other traditions that had nothing to do with the colonists. She successfully lobbied President Lincoln, who in 1863, declared Thanksgiving an annual holiday celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November every year. 
• After the first Thanksgiving in 1621, Americans have been celebrating Thanksgiving every year since.  False.  Early on the different colonies celebrated their own days of thanksgiving during the year.  In 1789, George Washington made Thursday, Nov. 26, a Thanksgiving holiday, but only for one year and the holiday continued to be sporadic.  Lincoln’s fourth Thursday held until 1939 when President Roosevelt changed it to be the third Thursday of November primarily to help the economy by making the Christmas shopping season longer. There was so much opposition to the move that two years later he changed it to the fourth Thursday in November.
• The Thanksgiving holiday is uniquely American.  True. The Thanksgiving holiday celebration fits perfectly into the story of American history.  To be thankful to God for the abundance of this great land was only natural for our forefathers and making it a national holiday made perfect sense.  Over time other countries followed suit.  More and more, however, due to the expanding commercialization of Halloween and Christmas, it is a holiday that could get lost.  But as Rotarians we can do something about that by embracing the idea of having a mindset of being thankful year round.

Enjoy your time with family and friends and have a great Thanksgiving next week.  And that is a “thankful” look at the Bottom of the News for this Friday, November 21, 2014!

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Doughboy Demise

Doughboy Baked!

Good morning my fellow Daybreakers.  SAD NEWS from MINNESOTA this week.  Please join me in remembering another great icon of the entertainment community.  The Pillsbury Doughboy died on Wednesday of a yeast infection and trauma complications from repeated pokes in the belly. He was 71.

Doughboy was buried in a lightly greased coffin. Dozens of celebrities turned out to pay their respects, including Mrs. Butterworth, Hungry Jack, the California Raisins, Betty Crocker, the Hostess Twinkies, and Captain Crunch. The gravesite was piled high with flours.

Aunt Jemima delivered the eulogy and lovingly described Doughboy as a man who never knew how much he was kneaded. Born and bread in Minnesota, Doughboy rose quickly in show business, but his later life was filled with turnovers. He was not considered a very smart cookie, wasting much of his dough on half-baked schemes.

Despite being a little flaky at times, he still was a crusty old man and was considered a positive roll-model for millions. Doughboy is survived by his wife Play Dough, three children: John Dough, Jane Dough and Dosey Dough, plus they had one in the oven. He is also survived by his elderly father, Pop Tart.

The funeral was held at 3:50 for about 20 minutes.  Please rise to the occasion and pass it on to someone having a crumby day and kneading a lift. 

And that is the bottom of our news on this Friday, August 22, 2014.

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Robin Williams

Loss of a Comedic Genius

Good morning my fellow Rotarians.  This week the entertainment world lost a comedic genius.  Robin Williams did it all.  What he did most was make us laugh. 

His physical comedy and funny voices launched his TV career in the 1970s as the oddball alien Mork and everyone's friend with his all-purpose greeting, "Nanu, nanu."

His death on Monday, from an apparent suicide, left a hole in the entertainment universe.   

Williams’ guest appearance on Happy Days in the 1970’s gained him immediate fame that morphed into the long-running sitcom, "Mork & Mindy."  In the ‘80s he moved to the big screen, playing a rogue radio DJ in Good Morning Vietnam in 1987 and in 1989 he was an inspiring English teacher in Dead Poets Society. 

He went on to play a grown-up Peter Pan, a divorced father who posed as a housekeeper, Mrs. Doubtfire, so he could spend time with his kids, and the voice of a freewheeling genie in Aladdin, where Williams showed incredible wit and his uncanny ability to ad lib. 

Robin Williams won his only Oscar in 1998 for his role as a therapist counseling the math genius with a troubled childhood in Good Will Hunting.

For many years he worked with Billy Crystal and Whoopi Goldberg to aid the homeless with the annual Comic Relief shows and he did several USO tours overseas.  Williams was known for his avid support of the Red Cross, St Jude’s and many other organizations and families.

Born in Chicago in 1951, Williams was the youngest of three boys.  His mother was a model and his dad a senior executive at Ford Motor.  As a child Williams was shy, but always funny; typically accused of doing anything to get attention.  He attended HS in San Francisco and his senior class voted him both “Most Likely Not to Succeed” and the “Funniest.”  His college career landed him with a full scholarship to the Juilliard School in NY City, where we was classmate and friends with Christopher Reed and William Hurt.    

Entertainment Weekly called Williams "the funniest man alive.”  Williams credited comedian Johnathon Winters for having the most influence on his comedic career. He was 63, still a sought-after star. 

For me personally, I thought one of Williams best roles was as Patch Adams, a controversial  doctor, based on a true story, who used humor to help his patients.  He said, “You treat a disease, you win, you lose. You treat a person, I guarantee you, you’ll win, no matter what the outcome.  You always win.”  

Robin Williams, a special man who left an indelible mark on pop culture.  And that is the bottom of our news on this Friday, August 15, 2014. 

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