Buffet's Idea to Fix Debt Crisis

Good morning and welcome to the Bottom of the News!  Thought I would present an idea I learned about from Warren Buffett, who was recently interviewed on CNBC...

"I could end the deficit in 5 minutes. Pass a law that says that anytime there is a deficit of more than 3% of GDP, all sitting members of Congress are ineligible for re-election."

The 26th amendment (granting right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people demanded it in 1971; before computers, e-mail, cell phones, etc. Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took 1 year or less to become the law of the land... all because of public pressure.

Here is one idea to consider to present to the US people.

*Congressional Reform Act of 2011*

1. No Tenure / No Pension. A Congressman collects a salary while in office
and receives no pay when they are out of office.

2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security. All
funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security
system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system,
and Congress participates with the American people. It may not be used for
any other purpose.

3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans
do.

4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay
will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the
same health care system as the American people.

6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American
people.

7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective
1/1/12.

The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen. Congressmen
made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress is an honor and should NOT be a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours
should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.

If you pass this along to everyone you know, then it will only take a few days for most people (in the U.S.) to receive the message. Maybe it is time.

THIS IS HOW WE FIX CONGRESS!  So, what do you think?  And this is the bottom of our news on this Friday, November 18th, 2011.

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A Time to Honor our Veterans

On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, was declared between the Allied nations and Germany in the First World War, then known as "the Great War." 

Commemorated as Armistice Day beginning the following year, November 11th became a legal federal holiday in the United States in 1938. In the aftermath of World War II and the Korean War, Armistice Day became Veterans Day, a holiday dedicated to American veterans of all wars.  

To learn more about the history of Veteran's Day watch here...

The History of Veteran's Day - The History Channel

To all of those who have served and to the families of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, we say THANK YOU!  As Americans we know that freedom is NOT free!  And this my friends is the bottom of the news on this Veteran's Day, November 11, 2011.

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The Message that Launched a Career!

Good morning everyone and welcome to the bottom of the news. 

Most of you know about Barbara Walters and her very successful TV broadcasting career.  Today she is the host of 'The View' on daytime television.  But there is a little known fact event that could have prevented her illustrious TV career from happening. 

As the host of ABC’s 20/20, Walters was a fast up and comer in TV land, becoming the very first woman network news anchor and this was after a short stint on a local station.  A few of her local stories attracted national attention and so a network exec decided to give her a shot at the big time.  Unfortunately, many people did not like that move.

Keep in mind for a local TV news person to become a network anchor is like a pro football player making it to the Super Bowl.  And for years network anchor positions were held by men, including such greats as Chet Huntley, David Brinkley, Howard K. Smith and Walter Cronkite.  Most thought Walters could not measure up and they were not happy when she became the first woman anchor.

And there was more.  Walters became the highest paid anchor ever, man or woman, earning over $5 million dollars annually!  Again, instant reactions were negative and media execs were outraged.  One publisher wrote… “No one deserves that kind of money for sitting behind a desk and reading what someone else writes, especially a woman.” 

Another media exec said, “We’ve heard the woman cannot read and it sounds like she talks with a lisp.”  Wow, not fun.  And it wasn't for Walters because there were hundreds of critics who were far more vocal than her supporters.  Many in the TV industry believed the world was not ready for a woman network anchor. 

Walters became depressed, down and felt totally isolated.  She was ready to quit until one night when she received a telegram. The timing was perfect.  It was a one sentence note that said… “Don’t let the bastards get you down!” 

And guess what, it worked.  It gave her the courage to go on.  But the real surprise was who the telegram came from.  Walters would have never guessed that this guy would offer her support, especially since she thought he was one of the world’s biggest male chauvinists on the planet.

Barbara Walters almost quit, until she received a telegram.  And the man who provided that note of encouragement and support was the one and only… John Wayne!  That's right, the Duke, John Wayne.  Walters was forever grateful regarding this little known fact.  It was a moment that launched her career. 

And that my friends is the bottom of the news for this Friday, November 5, 2011.  Have a great weekend!

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This Day in History

Good morning my fellow Rotarians.  This morning we will look back in history to report on some notable events that happened on this day October 28^th…

1775…  British proclaimed that no residents could leave Boston and held the city hostage for nearly six months.  A group of Bostonians formed the original Tea Party who eventually drove the Brits from their city with the help of Virginian George Washington and his Continental Army.

1886… Grover Cleveland dedicates Statue of Liberty.  Lady Liberty was a gift from the French citizens because of the US’s commitment to liberty and democracy during the American Revolutionary War.  The 151-foot tall copper statue was built in France and shipped to New York in 350 separate parts.  It took 6 months to reassemble before being dedicated on this day 1886 by President Cleveland.

1962…  The Cuban Missile Crisis comes to an end after a two-week intense stare down between Russia and the United States.  Russia had place missiles in Cuba (in support of Castro’s new ‘revolution’).  President Kennedy stood firm that the US would not tolerate missiles that close and once he ordered a naval blockade around Cuba Russia’s Nikita Khruschev withdrew the missiles and the crisis subsided.

1965… Workers complete the famous Gateway Arch in St. Louis, MO.   Construction of the nation's tallest memorial (at 603 feet high) took four years of round the clock work.  The arch symbolizes the gateway from east to west in the United States and commemorates the US western expansion.  The arch has become one of the most famous landmarks around the world.  (And YES, the Cardinals won last night in an amazing comeback!)

1992…  The Leif Erickson Tunnel was completed in Duluth, MN.  This half mile tunnel is unique in that is runs under a part of downtown Duluth along Lake Superior.  The tunnel was the final leg to complete the building of Interstate-35.  The I-35 project took nearly 30 years to complete and runs nearly 1600 miles from the borders of Mexico to Canada.

And that is ‘this day in history’ as the bottom of our news on this Friday, October 28, 2011. 
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Gotta Love That 

Rally Squirrel!

Good morning my fellow Rotarians.  Have you heard about the little varmint that is making big time news in the baseball world?  Well, listen up… 

Stan Musial, Ozzie Smith, Bob Gibson, Lou Brock and Albert Pujols; all stars with the 10-time World Series champions St. Louis Cardinals; a franchise with an illustrious playoffs history, second only to the success of the New York Yankees.

And yet this season their most galvanizing figure is a little squirrel that scurried into the collective hearts of Cardinals Nation.  Known as the Rally Squirrel, this little varmint has taken an entire sport by storm. The Rally Squirrel made his Major League debut in early October, stopping play to scamper around Busch Stadium during St. Louis’ loss to the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 3 of the National League Division Series. 

One night later, he came back, burrowing his way into baseball lore.

During the fifth inning of Game 4, the squirrel showed up again, this time crossing home plate distracting Phillies right-hander Roy Oswalt who was in the middle of a pitch.  Oswalt protested ‘squirrel interference,’ wanting a dead pitch, but the home plate ump said no.  The errant pitch counted. The Phillies ended the inning unscathed, but the rodent’s run became a death knell.

Although the little critter has not been seen lately, it’s likeness has become ever-present with the Cardinals’ push through the postseason.  “I think it’s good. The fans are having fun,” said Cardinals manager Tony La Russa. “There’s so much attention and pressure on the players that the squirrel provides a much needed distraction.” 

In deciding to debut during baseball’s most high-profile month, the Rally Squirrel managed to maximize its media exposure and has left his paw print on a sport that embraces superstition.

Not all baseball-animal stories end happily, however. The best examples come from Cardinals rival, the Cubs, who have not won it all since 1908.  Chi town’s lovable losers have two of the sport’s most unfortunate animal anecdotes: the Curse of the Billy Goat in 1945 and the infamous black cat incident in September 1969.

Will the Rally Squirrel make an appearance in the World Series?  Fans sure hope so.  Only time will tell.  But what matters now is that a squirrel has become the symbolic face of St. Louis’ title push, a championship run that seemed impossible before the Atlanta historic September collapse.

In summary, it’s all been nuts!  And that is the bottom of our news on this Friday, October 21, 2011. 
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Steve Jobs the Re-inventor

Good morning my fellow Rotarians.  Just last week America lost one of it the greatest entrepreneurs of the last century, Apple founder Steve Jobs.  Simply put Jobs took us into the digital age as he led change from vinyl, tapes, film, paper and other physical formats to digital ones.  And no better way to offer a tribute to this man than to share a few quotes…

I don't think I've ever worked so hard on something, but working on Macintosh was the neatest experience of my life. Almost everyone who worked on it will say that. None of us wanted to release it at the end. It was as though we knew that once it was out of our hands, it wouldn't be ours anymore.

For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: 'If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?' And whenever the answer has been 'No' for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.

I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.

If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on.

My favorite things in life don't cost any money. It's really clear that the most precious resource we all have is time.

No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new.

Steve Jobs was often compared to Thomas Edison, both being very rare people who only come along once a century.  Yet they were different.  Edison was the inventor who had a vision for things never seen before.  Jobs was the re-inventor who saw things as they were and had a vision to make them better.    

Steve Jobs, dead at 56, a man who clearly made a very positive impact on our world.  And that is the bottom of our news on this Friday, October 14, 2011. 
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Incompetent People in America!

Good morning everyone and welcome to the bottom of the news.  This morning’s stories could be considered validation that there are incompetent people in our world.  The first example comes from Colorado…

COLORADO:  Colorado inmate Daniel Self filed a federal lawsuit in July against the Sterling Correctional Facility because prison personnel saved his life. They revived him after he had stopped breathing, from an attack of sleep apnea, but he contends he had previously demanded to officials that he never be resuscitated, preferring to die rather serve out his life sentence.

OREGON:  Terry Barth complained to hospital officials that he was "kidnaped" by paramedics and thus cannot be liable for the $40,000 he has been billed by Enloe Medical Center in Chico, Calif., where he was brought by ambulance following a motorcycle crash in August 2010. Barth said he had insisted at the scene that paramedics not take him to a hospital because he had no medical insurance. (Paramedics are legally required to take anyone with a serious head injury.)

MICHIGAN:  Police in Roseville, MI, arrested a 24-year-old roofer in August and charged him with reckless driving after he hit four cars.  He had noticed that his brakes had failed but inadvisedly tried to drive on, anyway, by extending his left leg out the driver's side door and braking "manually" (yes, as in "The Flintstones"). According to police, the man was completely sober.

CALIFORNIA:  The highest-paid state government employee in budget-strapped California was cited as one of the least productive workers in the system, according to a Los Angeles Times investigation. Jeffrey Rohlfing is on the payroll as a surgeon in the state prison system (base pay: $235,740), but he has been barred from treating inmates for the last six years because supervisors believe him to be incompetent. Last year, Dr. Rohlfing earned an additional $541,000 in back pay after he successfully appealed his firing to the state's apparently-easily-persuaded Personnel Board.  Currently, Dr. Rohlfing is assigned records-keeping duties.

Okay, so a few examples of incompetence in America as the bottom of the news for this Friday, October 7,  2011. Have a GREAT weekend!  

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Top 10 'Out of Office' Email Replies

Good morning my fellow Rotarians.  This morning I thought I’d go practical and give you some info that you could actually use.  So, here are the Top 10 all time favorite ‘Out of Office’ automated email replies… 

# 10.  Thank you for your message, which has been added to our q-ing system. You are currently in 352nd place, and can expect to receive a reply in approximately 19 weeks.

# 9.  Our e-mail server is unable to verify your server connection and is unable to deliver this message. Please restart your computer and try sending again.   (NOTE: The beauty of this idea is that when you return, you can see how many in-duh-viduals did this over and over!)

# 8.  I am currently out at a job interview and will reply to you if I DON’T get the position. Be forewarned about my mood.

# 7.  Hi, I'm thinking about what you've just sent me. Please wait by your computer for my response.

# 6.  I’m out of the office for 2 weeks due to medical reasons. When I return, please refer to me as 'Loretta' instead of 'Bob'

# 5.  I will be unable to delete all the unread, worthless emails you send me until I return from vacation. Please be patient and your mail will be deleted in the order it was received.

# 4.  Thank you for your email. Your credit card has been charged $5.99 for the first 10 words and $1.99 for each additional word in your message.

# 3.  I've finally decided to run away to join a different circus!

# 2.  Sorry to have missed you, but I am at the doctor's having my brain and heart removed so I can be promoted to our management team.

# 1.  You are receiving this automatic notification because I am out of the office. If I was in, chances are you wouldn't receive anything from me at all.

So, did you hear one you can use sometime soon?  You may want to double check your company communications policy before you go there!  And that, my friends, is the bottom of the news on this September 30^th, 2011. 

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9-11 Remembered

Good morning my fellow Rotarians.  This Sunday, September 11th, will be the 10^th anniversary of the most memorable tragedy of this generation in US history – the 9-11 terrorist attacks on our country.

Do you remember where you were at 8:45 am that Tuesday morning or what you were doing when you first heard the news?  Most people do.  For some it was like the first Challenger explosion or for a few of us, when JFK was shot.  For my Dad, it instantly brought back memories of Pearl Harbor when he was 8 years old.

At 8:45 a.m. an American Airlines 767 crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center near the 80th floor instantly killing hundreds of people and trapping hundreds more in higher floors.  Initially most people thought it was a freak accident. Then, 18 minutes later a second 767 from United Airlines hit the south tower at the 60th floor. The massive explosion that followed caused many to realize that these were not freak accidents, but an attack on our country. 

I was in Galena, IL ready to start a meeting with my Midwest regional team and my assistant called asking if I wanted to join her for breakfast to do a final agenda review.  She also commented that there was a story on TV about some ‘nut’ who apparently crashed a plane into the World Trade Center, but hey crazy stuff happens in that town, right?  Shortly thereafter I got a call asking if I had a cell number for one of our New York guys because his office number was out of service.  Hmmm, that seemed odd, but I gave her the number and went on to breakfast. 

Walking through the lobby I didn’t give much notice to the small crowd around the TV and as breakfast went on people seemed more restless.  My admin called me again, this time kind of upset, asking me “Are you watching the news right now?  If not, find a TV, something is up in New York!”  The lobby was now so full I couldn’t get near the TV and my 9 am meeting was about to start late, so I bolted, thinking I will catch up with the news later. 

My team of 35, all women, except for one guy, were quietly waiting.  I was the last one in and they all looked at me like I was a scary monster or something.  “Okay,” I said, “what’s up with you guys, did somebody die or something?”  Oops, not the right thing to say.  Nobody said a word.  Jill said she had been trying to reach her brother in NY who worked near the towers and cell service was out.  Finally, someone told me what was going on and I was shocked. Clearly, our training meeting was done before it started.  We found a TV, watched the next hour unfold as a group, prayed together and then we all went home.

By lunch time, I’m sitting at the Galena McDonald’s with my regional coordinator, both of us feeling numb to the morning’s events.  The reports continued to come out with the collapse of the towers, the crash at the Pentagon and a fourth plane crashing in a Pennsylvania field.  And later learning of the passengers on United Flight 93, led by Todd Beamer, whose final words came through an open line…  "Are you guys ready? Let's roll."  Amazing. 

When I got home that afternoon I found Logan, my then 8-year old son, sitting on the floor glued to the TV.  Strange, that was how I found my Mom, glued to the TV and crying, when I walked in, home early from school on November 22nd, the day Pres. Kennedy was shot.  

By 9:00 that night Pres Bush addressed our country, declaring "Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve." I cannot begin to imagine what he and his people went through that day and beyond. 

May we never forget 9-11.  You know, my Dad said the same about Pearl Harbor.  May we always remember the nearly 3,000 Americans who died, including those brave rescue workers.  And may we each have an 'attitude of gratitude' for those who continue to fight for our country, our people and our freedoms as a nation.  That day everyone grew closer to God.  May we always remember that HE is in control.  May we always remember.  And this is our news on this Friday, September 09, 2011.  

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 Not So Common Criminals

Good morning my fellow Rotarians.  This news is really from the bottom as we check in on a few common and not-so-smart criminals… 

What planet are you from?

Victoria, AUS:  After being pulled over by police, Eilish De Avalon was asked to show her driver's license. De Avalon said she didn't have one because she said she was an alien from another world and didn’t require one.  She also told the officer, "Your laws and penalties don't apply to me. I'm not accepting them. I'm sorry, I must go, thank you."

She rolled up her window drove off with the police officer’s arm caught in the window.  The officer was dragged for nearly 15 minutes at speeds up to 40 mph before finally grabbing her keys from the ignition when she slowed down for traffic. The officer suffered serious injuries and was hospitalized for two weeks.

De Avalon, who also says she's a witch, pleaded guilty to recklessly causing injury to a police officer, dangerous driving, driving with a suspended license, and the original charge… using a mobile phone while driving. She got a 6 months sentence and fined $1,250.  And, at her request, she was sentenced on Friday the 13th.  Weird!    

What, no tip?

Springfield, MO:  The manager of the Waffle House says three women came into the restaurant around 6:15 a.m., had breakfast and then ran when they were handed their bill for $39.31.

When the manager called police, he said he knew two of their names because they left their purses at the restaurant when they ran and so the manager locked them in his office. Before police arrived, one woman returned and "demanded" he turn the purses over to her, but he refused.  Police didn't release identities, but noted the left behind purses contained paycheck stubs and both women were apparently employed at another Waffle House.

The key to his problem!

Pasco County, FL:  Shawn Martinis, 25, flagged down a sheriff's deputy to ask for help to remove some handcuffs.  Martinis said he let a woman put toy handcuffs on him and then realized they were real.  The woman apparently did not have the key and abandoned him.

Before un-cuffing Martinis, the deputy said he’d need to pat him down just to be safe.  The deputy found a hypodermic needle and some drugs; arresting Martinis on possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia.  Martinez could not explain why the woman put him in handcuffs on him in the first place or why she left him.  Okay, here’s my big question…  toy handcuffs?  Really? 

There you go, isn’t it a good thing that many criminals are not the sharpest guys in the world?  And that is the bottom of the news for this Friday, September 2, 2011.

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Church Signs – For Real!

Good morning my fellow Rotarians.  Have you ever really paid attention to sayings you see on church signs?  You know the one that has the pastor’s name, church service times and some cute saying.  Well, someone pays attention to those and I thought I would share some of the interesting ones… 

·         Don’t give up; Moses was once a basket case too.

·         If you don’t like the way you were born, try being born again!

·         Free coffee. Everlasting life.  Yes, membership has it privileges.

·         ATM inside.  Atonement, truth and mercy.

·         Let’s meet at my house Sunday before the game.

·         What part of ‘thou shall not’ don’t you understand?

·         Forgive your enemies, it messes with their heads.

·         Don’t be so open minded, or your brains will fall out.

·         God so loved the world that He did not send a committee!

·         Tomorrow’s forecast…  God reigns and the son shines.

·         We believe in UFO’s.  Unity, forgiveness and outreach.

·         If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it.

·         Life stinks; we have a pew for you.

·         Be as good a person as your pet believes you are.

·         Wal-Mart isn’t the only saving place in town.

·         Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.

·         There are some questions that cannot be answered by Google.

There you go, and who said God doesn’t have a sense of humor!  Unusual church signs make the bottom of the news on this Friday, August 12^th, 2011. 

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Kids Say the Darnedest Things!

Good morning my fellow Rotarians! Do we have any grade school teachers in the room this morning? Well I'm sure you would agree that kids can say the darnedest things! Right? As a parent or grandparent you know this as well.

So, thought I would share a few amusing quotes from some grade school teachers regarding things their students have written in papers. Here are a few examples:

• The inhabitants of Moscow are called Mosquitoes.
• A census taker is man who goes from house to house increasing the population.
• Water is composed of two gins. Oxygen and hydrogen. Oxygen is pure gin. Hydrogen is gin and water.
• Most of the houses in France are made of plaster of Paris.
• The people who followed Jesus were called the 12 opossums.
• The spinal column is a long bunch of bones. The head sits on the top and you sit on the bottom.
• One of the main causes of dust is janitors.
• The four seasons are salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar.
• The climate is hottest next to the Creator.
• Syntax is all the money collected at the church from sinners.
• Iron was discovered because someone smelt it.
• In the middle of the 18th century, all the morons moved to Utah.

And there you have 'em, quotables from our kids because they can say the darnedest things! And that's the bottom of our news on this Friday, August 5th, 2011.

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Dear Diary

Good morning my fellow Rotarians and welcome to the Bottom of the News!  Thought I would do something a bit different this week and share with you an encounter between a husband and wife, as recorded in their diary entrys, that could happen anywhere in the world.  Let's begin with the...

Wife’s Diary Entry: 
Tonight, I thought my husband was acting weird. We had made plans to meet at a nice restaurant for dinner. I was shopping with my friends all day long, so I thought he was upset at the fact that I was a bit late and maybe even put too much on the credit care, but he made no comment. Conversation wasn't flowing, so I suggested that we go somewhere quiet so we could talk. He agreed, but he didn't talk.

I asked him what was wrong; He said, 'Nothing.' I asked him if it was my fault that he was upset. He said he wasn't upset, that it had nothing to do with me, and not to worry about it. On the way home, I told him that I loved him. He smiled slightly, and kept driving.

I can't explain his behavior I don't know why he didn't say, 'I love you, too.' When we got home, I felt as if I had lost him completely, as if he wanted nothing to do with me anymore. He just sat there quietly, and watched TV. He continued to seem distant and absent.   Finally, with silence all around us, I decided to go to bed. About 15 minutes later, he came to bed. But I still felt that he was distracted, and his thoughts were somewhere else. He fell asleep; I cried. I don't know what to do. I'm almost sure that his thoughts are with someone else. My life is a disaster. 

Husband's Diary Entry: 

A four putt; nobody, I mean nobody four putts... stupid game!

And there you have it.  Guys if you can relate, I'd suggest that you not openly admit that right now!  And that my friends is our bottom of the news for this Friday, July 29th, 2011. 

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Reflections on Jon Cushing

On Monday, July 4th, a fatal heart attack took the life of fellow Daybreak Rotarian Jon Cushing.  On vacation to visit his daughter in San Diego,  Jon was doing what he loved, an early morning run.  At age 56 we never know what God has in mind when he takes someone unexpectedly.  Life is but a whisper, a brief moment in time.  We mourn his loss and pray to God for comfort for his family.  Below is a tribute that was read by Ken Kolek on Friday, July 8th...

May we seek on this morning, to reflect on the impact Jon had on the lives of so many.  May we also seek understanding and acceptance of the loss that took one or our own; one of our respected and loved brothers.

May we also seek closure, not to forget Jon, but to take a piece of that which was the best of Jon, with each of us, for the rest of our days.  Jon had a subtle sense of humor that many enjoyed; unless you missed the subtlety.

He was gifted with a technical mind which he shared to help others, not only professionally, but with community, for the benefit of young lives.

He was open to so many, which included the Elmcrest manager.  Last night, upon just hearing the news of someone she testified the staff so enjoyed Jon and talked about her personal loss when she shared a time with both Jon and his wife Kim.

That same character was evident when Jon and Kim offered to share a table with complete strangers in Osaka, Japan not knowing that he was sitting with the next International President of Rotary.

Jon was a team player, cooperating in efforts for playgrounds, to bring the RI President to Cedar Rapids or the Duck Race.

Jon, you served your wife, your family, your profession and your community; and you did it well.  You served fellow Rotarians in this club, from being a greeter, to leadership as a director and president, to a critical puzzle piece in the most successful “fun” raiser.  You served your District and state leadership in your role as Assistant Governor.

You served the children of the world from Cofradia, Mexico to Polk School, and to unknown reaches in this community and this world.  You finished well, dear friend, last Friday, at this podium, sharing personal insights.

Coe won and Harvard lost.

Cedar Rapids’ win was Boston’s loss.

Daybreak Rotary’s gain in Jon was a win for each of us.

It is important, in a time such as this, that we respect the different beliefs in this room this morning.  So let us pray for Jon’s family… 

Regardless of our beliefs in you Holy God, we know your creation in each life was intended to be a life of love.  We thank you for Jon’s life and his living example of your love.  If we believe life is as simple as molecules, may we know that his life ripple will be sustained in the many lives he touched for a long time forward.  If we belief there is but only a Holy God, may we be mindful of the conduct of life you have asked of each of us and Jon; those being love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  If we believe that in you is the provision of the resurrection and the life eternal; then we ask you hold Jon gently and trust in You the Lord.  Amen.

In closing, I propose a toast…  A salute to Jon’s life and memory.  Keep both alive.  Embrace one another in a time such as this, now and forever.

Jon Cushing, we salute you!  Let us depart and peace be with you.

And this my friends and fellow Rotarians is our news for this Friday, July 8, 2011.

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May America Never Forget!

Good morning and welcome to July! As we head into one of my favorite holiday weekends let's take a look back at what was going on this time in history in 1776....

On this day, July 1st, the Second Continental Congress, assembled in Philadelphia to formally adopt Richard Henry Lee's resolution for independence from Great Britain. The vote was unanimous, with only New York abstaining.

The resolution was originally presented on June 7, but five colonies were not ready to declare independence. Thus, Congress agreed to delay the vote on Lee's Resolution until July 1st.

Congress appointed a committee to draft a formal declaration of independence. Members were John Adams of Massachusetts, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Robert R. Livingston of New York and Thomas Jefferson of Virginia. Jefferson, well-known as the best writer, was to be the primary author.  He presented his final draft to Congress for review on June 28, 1776.

On July 1, they resumed debate and still could not get New York on board. Congress thought it was critical that independence be unanimously proclaimed from all 13 colonies. They voted again on July 2 with the New York delegates still abstaining, unsure of how their constituents would wish them to vote.  New York finally came around with their approval two weeks later on July 19^th.

John Adams believed that July 2nd would be THE date that history would remember because of the significance of the 'separation from Great Britain' declaration.  It was the first declaration that really got the attention of the royals.  However, Adams missed it by two days and July 4^th became the date that went down in history once Jefferson's Declaration of Independence was adopted.

The declaration was not actually signed by the 56 signers until August 2nd.  And the American War for Independence would last for five more years.  Yet to come were the Patriot triumphs at Saratoga, the bitter winter at Valley Forge, the intervention of the French and the final victory at Yorktown in 1781.  And finally, seven years after the declaration of independence was approved, in 1783 the 'Treaty of Paris' was signed formally declaring that the United States was a free and independent nation.

So, fire up the grill this 4^th of July, take in a ball game and watch some fireworks.  Let’s celebrate and enjoy our precious liberty that came at such a great price. But more importantly, let's remember the many brave people who fought for OUR freedom over 235 years ago and many men and women continue to do so today. God has blessed us richly in America!  And that my friends is our bottom of our news on this July 1, 2011.
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Today in History...  The OJ Bronco Chase

Good morning!  Thought we would take a look at a few notable events that happened this week in history…

In 1884…  The first roller coaster in America opens at Coney Island, in Brooklyn, New York. Known as a switchback railway that traveled six miles per hour and cost a nickel to ride.  Today, the world’s fastest coaster is at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey and it travels at 128 mph.

In 1885…  The Statue of Liberty, a gift of friendship from the people of France to the people of the United States, arrived in New York City's harbor.  It was to commemorate the Franco-American alliance during the American Revolution.

In 1903…  Henry Ford and 12 stockholders in the Ford Motor Company met in Detroit to sign the official paperwork to create a new corporation.  Ford started seven years earlier in 1896, when he built his first gasoline-powered vehicle--which he called the Quadricycle.

In 1963…  Soviet Cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova becomes the first woman to travel into space. After 71 hours, she returned to earth, having spent more time in space than all U.S. astronauts combined to that date.  The first US woman was astronaut and physicist Sally Ride, who served as mission specialist on a flight of the space shuttle Challenger in 1983.

In 1972… the first group of Watergate burglars were arrested.  Five men are arrested for breaking into the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate, an office-hotel-apartment complex in Washington, D.C.

And finally, where were you today in 1994?  Maybe you recall the dramatic nine hour chase of the now infamous white Ford Bronco witnessed by millions on live television in LA.  That's right, it was former football star and actor O.J. Simpson being pursued by the LA police as he took them on a tour of the LA freeway system.  OJ finally gave it up that evening when police arrested and charged him with the June 12 double-murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald L. Goldman.  18 months later a jury decided that he was NOT guilty! 

And there you have it, notable events today in history as our Bottom of our News on this June 17^th, 2011!  ###

How's Your Coffee?

 

Good morning!  Here are a few strange news stories floating out there and my thanks to Brian Brown for his tip on these…       

Shangai: It’s a Big Pajama Party. According to a recent Reuters poll, wearing pajamas in public is one of the most irritating aspects of life in Shangai.  Apparently it is quite common.  When asked, residents cited it as the #1 most irritating practice in their city.  Other irritations included aggressive pets, unhelpful neighbors and spitting on the sidewalks.  The poll was sponsored by the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences and the Shangai Women’s Federation.

Florida:  Man Plummets 50 Feet to Grab Missing $20. Mark Giorgio of Florida was counting his money while on a walk across a bridge over the Manatee River when a $20 bill slipped out of his hands and went over the rail. To get his $20 back, Mr. Giorgio jumped over the rail, falling 50 feet into the river below. He then swam about 100 yards to retrieve the bill. Giorgio, who was pulled from the water by a Florida Fish and Wildlife Officer, was quoted as saying, “Twenty bucks is a lot of money when you’re broke.” Mr. Giorgio declined treatment for cuts and bruises resulting from his fall.

New Jersey:  Doctor Accused of Stealing Cadaver Hand.  Dr. Ahmed Rashed, a recent grad from the University of Medicine of New Jersey, was charged with stealing a hand from a cadaver.  He gave it to an exotic dancer, Ms. Linda Kay, who was keeping the hand in a jar of formaldehyde in her bedroom, along with six human skulls. Friends of Ms. Kay told investigators that she had named the hand Freddy. Dr. Rashed, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, faces up to ten years in prison if convicted.

Ohio:  Man Sentenced in Coffee Urine Case. Finally, Mr. Thomas Shaheen was sentenced to six months in a jail work-release program after pleading guilty in Akron Municipal Court to pouring urine into his co-workers’ coffee. Mr. Shaheen, a former postal worker, is required to pay $1,200 to each of his eight victims to compensate them for emotional stress.  He also will pay $3,000 to a co-worker for “forcing” him to make a secret video of him committing the disgusting acts. Mr. Shaheen publicly apologized to  his co-workers after admitting he had spiked their coffee over a period of several months.

So, how’s your coffee this morning?  I can’t make this stuff up!  And that is the Bottom of our News on this June 3^rd, 2011!  ###

The Ultimate Sacrifice

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 across America with many cities claiming to be the birthplace of Memorial Day.  This claim went unresolved for 100 years when finally in 1966, President Lyndon Johnson, declared Waterloo, N.Y. to be the official birthplace of Memorial Day.

Waterloo’s first celebration was on May 5, 1866 and they made it an annual community-wide event during which businesses closed and residents decorated the graves of soldiers with flowers and flags.  By the late 1800s, many communities across the country were celebrating Memorial Day 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 to honor those who had paid the ultimate sacrifice.  And today, Memorial Day is 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 placed at every soldier’s grave, but that is a month long project since there are now over 220,000 soldiers buried in Arlington. 

In 2005, the American Veterans Center created the National Memorial Day Parade which includes 200 entries of military units, hundreds of veterans representing all wars, floats, military bands and 100 HS marching bands, representing all 50 states.  Last year this parade drew over 250,000 spectators to Washington DC.  This year, the Kennedy HS Marching Band will represent Iowa and I have the privilege joining them as their official photographer for the parade and their four days in DC.  The parade is live on the Military Channel, 2 pm on Monday. 

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 27^th, 2011! 

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Mean Moms!

Good morning my fellow Rotarians! I was out of town Mother’s Day week, but I did find a special tribute story for mothers called “Mean Moms” and it totally made me think of my mom…

So it goes like this… At the age of 33, my step mom, married my dad who had five kids. Any woman marrying some guy with five kids is simply amazing to me (or crazy). My dad says it was sympathy. My mom to this day doesn’t recall what she was thinking! Our family of eight kids was a handful and Mom quickly turned into a drill sergeant. We called her ‘mean’ and yet she was not afraid to remind us of how her ‘meanness’ eventually worked to our benefit…

She insisted on knowing where we were at all times. She had to know who our friends were and what we were doing with them. At times she cared enough to be silent so we would discover on our own that some friends were creeps.

I can think of three ‘mean mom’ examples with my siblings…

· She stood over one brother for two hours on a few occasions while he cleaned his room, a job that should have taken 15 minutes.

· She let another brother deal with bad consequences after some stupid actions that almost broke her heart.

· And she said NO to a sister when she insisted on continually hanging out with some loser guy.

In each case Mom was accused of being ‘mean’ and yet in most cases her ‘meanness’ paid off, except for my sister who ended up marrying the guy anyway!

My mom (and my dad) broke Child Labor Laws by making us work. We had to wash the dishes, clean, vacuum, mow our 2 acre lawn, cut weeds, do chores and all sorts of cruel jobs. We swore that she was so mean she would lie awake at night thinking of more stuff for us to do.

Mom always insisted on us telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. As teenagers, she had eyes in the back of her head and could read our minds. We thought that was mean and unfair.

Because of my mom’s meanness we missed out on a few things… like shoplifting, vandalizing property or the experience of be arrested. For that we all are grateful.

And today my mom is pretty much the same only now hear meanness is with the next generations, her grand kids. And interestingly enough my siblings and I have all been accused of being ‘mean’ by our kids, just as we did with Mom.

To my mom I say ‘keep it up!’ You are the greatest ‘mean mom!’ And maybe you are thinking your mom was mean like mine? I think the world could actually use a few more mean moms. We salute our moms with a belated “Happy Mother’s Day!” and that is our Bottom of the News on this May 20th, 2011! ###

The Beatles, Lincoln & Jackie Robinson

Good morning my fellow Rotarians! This week in history had some big things happen that are worth noting…

April 10, 1970… The legendary rock band the Beatles spent the better part of three years talking about breaking up in the late 1960s, and even longer than that hashing out who did what and why. And by the spring of 1970, each of the Beatles was pursuing their own musical interests with solo album projects with no plans to record together as a group. The public thought it was a temporary thing, but Paul McCartney’s "self-interview" immediately attracted media from around the world as he made the official announcement of the Beatles breakup on April 10, 1970.

April 14, 1865… John Wilkes Booth, an actor and Confederate sympathizer, fatally shoots President Abraham Lincoln at a play at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C. The attack came only five days after Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered, effectively ending the American Civil War. The president was mortally wounded and died at 7:22 a.m. the next morning. Lincoln was 56, our 16th president and the first to be assassinated. Booth was eventually found and committed suicide when troops set fire to the barn he was trapped in. Eight others were charged with the conspiracy, four were hanged and four were jailed. Lincoln was buried on May 4, 1865, in Springfield, Illinois.

April 15, 1947… Jackie Robinson, age 28, becomes the first African-American major league baseball player playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers. The sport had been segregated for more than 50 years and then exactly 50 years later, on April 15, 1997, Robinson's ground breaking career was honored when his uniform #42 was retired in a ceremony attended by over 50,000 fans at New York City's Shea Stadium. Robinson's #42 was the first-ever number retired by all teams in the league to honor Robinson for his accomplishments. Pretty cool.

And that is this week in history as our Bottom of the News on this April 8th 2011! ###