NOTES ON THE RUN
Hmm. A slow week or was it. Staying at home presents all sorts of challenges that are different for Stay safe
A wet weekend, good for staying inside. Hopefully we can have some more choices about that soon.
Thank you for the many questions generated from last weeks presenter, Prof Mark Howden, a very important issue across the globe and great to see the interest from within the club and the number of guests who joined us
I hope that people have been thinking of potential fundraising ideas out of the more interesting ones I mentioned, any that caught your eye? It's something that we need to keep thinking about. Maybe a virtual run?
I am starting to think about an outside gathering we can plan for when we are allowed to Botanic Gardens? Or any better ideas?
President Warrick
PEACE NOTES
Canberra Nara Peace Park Garden Clean-up.
The regular cleanup we undertake at Nara park has been postponed once again. This will be the second year we have missed the winter round-up; however, we are hopeful we can fit one in before the spring season and particularly the Candle Festival comes along.
So keep your gloves warm and ready for our next announcement.
Canberra Nara Park Candle Festival
The famous Candle Festival (which we started over 20 years ago) is scheduled to take place on Saturday, 30 October - about 3 pm - 10 pm. We are told Events ACT and the Chief Minister are determined to have the festival in some shape or form as we have missed out for 3 years now. It is a hugely popular Spring festival and a big money earner for the Club. Note in your diary and help out if you can.
Bill Andrews and Michael Rabey
LAST WEEK'S LUNCHEON MEETING NOTES (August 26th)
Speaker: Professor Mark Howden on “Climate Change and the Urgency of Responding Effectively”
Mark provided irrefutable information on how human industrial activity has resulted in the rise in world temperatures since 1850 when world records became available. The impact of natural biological activity and the influence of volcanoes on the world’s planet could not have achieved the rise of 1.1 degrees since 1850. The concern is that the world is likely to achieve a 1.5% increase in average temperatures within the next 9.5 years on a High Emissions trajectory.
The impacts of these temperature rises are:
1)The lowest level of Arctic Ice measured for the last 1000 years
2) More extreme weather events such as droughts, fires, cyclones and rainfall intensity
3) Acidification and warming of the world’s oceans
4) An estimated decline in agricultural productivity of 21% because of more extreme weather events
5) Potential melting of the Siberian permafrost contributing to a massive release of Methane as well as the loss of the heat reflection off the ice belt. Methane can contribute up to 4 times more warming than carbon dioxide per ton.
6) Flooding of Pacific Islands and even major sea water encroachments into islands such as Indonesia. Due to an estimated rise in ocean levels of 1.00m/5.00metres by 2100. Currently, the oceans are rising at around 4mm per year.
The three main gases to increase temperatures are Carbon Dioxide (0.75%) Methane (0.5%) and
Nitrous oxides of (0.1%). Pollution, Sulphur dioxide and irrigation do help reduce global warming but only slightly. The result is that a succession of warmer years experienced and the world with last year being the 4th warmest on record and this year projected to be the 6th warmest. Potentially by 2100, there could be a rise of up to 5 degrees in average temperatures by 2100 if the Very High emissions scenario eventuates.
The last global warming agreement was in Paris but not all countries were signatories, and some countries are not meeting their targets. The debate falls between Developing and Developed Nations, with developing countries like China increasing their emissions as they industrialize while the developed countries have moved away from heavily polluting industries but are responsible for much of the accumulated carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and the oceans. Some nations are wanting to count their emission reductions for the Agreement and then on-sell these Carbon Credits which effectively creates a double counting for their emissions.
The next Conference is in Glasgow and the pressure on the Australian Government is mounting as the nation is a major fossil fuel exporter. The reduction of our emissions has been around 26 to 28% but this is not enough to do our part to meet the world needs of reducing global warming.
At a local level, we can take action by
1) Becoming better informed of the magnitude of the problems
2) Widen your audience to promote the need for action
3) Emphasize the extent of the emergency as there is no Planet B
4) Challenge the social license of those parts of our society that can make changes
5) Be kind to the allies in the process
6) Take individual action to push up expectations of Industry.
The magnitude of the problem can be understood in the fact that only 15% of the world emissions are from cars and so even if everyone drove an electric car the reduction in emissions would be small. Also, electric cars have a large requirement for electricity to produce the batteries which means the carbon footprint is larger than for the initial production of a fossil-fueled car unless the electricity was derived from hydro power.
Unfortunately for Governments around the world, there is difficulty in selling programs that, in net terms, reduce our wealth and prosperity now. Today’s society finds it hard to see the benefit for future generations of less than projected Global Warming. Governments around the world like to be re-elected on Platforms promising future prosperity!
Russell Dew
THIS WEEK'S GUEST LUNCHEON SPEAKER (Sept. 2nd):
Our guest will be Greg Roberts from the Prostate Support Group. We will hear about the Group's role and function.
Join the Zoom Meeting at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89746311676
One tap mobile +61871501149, 89746311676# Australia
The link will be open from 12 noon to enable exchanges of how we are coping
with this lockdown. The regular meeting will begin at 12.30 and go to1.30 PM.
George Wilson
Stephen McMillan
SEPTEMBER DUTY ROSTER
Date:
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Sept. 2nd
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Sept. 9th
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Sept. 16th
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Sept. 23rd
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Sept. 30th
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Venue:
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ZOOM
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TBD
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TBD
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TBD
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TBD
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Door:
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Ross B.
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Ross B.
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Ross B.
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Ross B.
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Ross B.
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Toast:
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Michael R.
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George W.
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Sue L.
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Linda W.
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Olek G.
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Sargeant:
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.John L.
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Juris J.
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Andrea C.
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Michael R.
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Russell D.
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Acronym:
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Sharon G.
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Andrea C.
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Ron R.
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Robert L.
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Greg G.
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Notes:
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Bill A.
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Monica G.
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Liz S.
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Graeme H.
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Sharon G.
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If Unable To Attend On A Day You Are Rostered, Please Organise A Replacement.
MEMBERSHIP NOTES
1. Membership Workshop - NEW DATE
The Membership Committee wanted more time to prepare for our workshop so it has been moved from September to October 28th. Please all make sure to keep this special Thursday free in your diaries to help us work together on strengthening our Membership.
2. Calls to Action
A thank you to all of you who have already replied to Sharon Green re Origami Peace Cranes and to Sue Lloyd for creating an Octopus for Premature Babies. However, there is still space on both rosters so please send us an email. Remember, these are year-long projects so they won't take too much of your time but it would be nice to get members involved in something different.
3. Meetings
The Membership Committee has had its 2nd meeting for this year with responsibilities given to all members of the committee. We will be working on the implementation of the Membership Action Plan, a review of our Club's By-Laws; an activity for "Lift the Lid'' on Mental Illness Day to support Australian Rotary Health; and last but not least a Club Health Check and Membership Survey for review and consultation in association with our Membership Workshop on the 28th of October 2021.
NOTES ABOUT MEMBERS
News from Former Member Tony Brickwood
“We are both well and enjoying the warmer weather down here [VIC]. No frosts and fogs. We have purchased a new home in Ocean Grove and should move there in November. We haven’t been out and about as restrictions have been in force in varying degrees since we arrived. The grandchildren are about 19 km away - at the moment we can only drive 5 km. and no visitors at home. Hope you both are not finding ACT restrictions too limiting. Hi to all. Take care and be safe.
Cheers, Tony and Brigitte.
FUTURE EVENTS (Covid Permitting)
9 September – 1230 to 130 pm. Club luncheon speaker: Monica Barolits, CEO of the Indigenous Doctors Association and RCCBG member will share information about the current Impacts of Covid on Indigenous communities, particularly in western NSW.
15 September - Ceremony for the Bicentennial of Guatemala, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Panama - Nara Park Peace Bell.
28 October – Membership Committee Workshop
30 October – Canberra Nara Park Candle Festival
NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL DAYS THIS WEEK
Aug 31 Independence Day of Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, and Trinidad & Tobago
Sept. 1 Slovakia Constitution Day, Uzbekistan Independence Day
Sept. 2 Vietnam National Day
Sept 3 The Most Serene Republic of San Marino Day of the Feast of St. Marinus
Sept 5 International Day of Charity
NOTABLE HISTORICAL EVENTS THIS WEEK
Aug 30 (1835) Melbourne founded
Aug 31 (1997) Diana, Princess of Wales, dies in a car crash in Paris
Sept 1 (1874) Sydney General Post Office opens
Sept 2 (44 B.C.E.) Queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt declares son, Ptolemy XV Caesarion, co-ruler
Sept 3(1875) First official polo game in Argentina
Sept 4(1884) Britain ends policy of penal transportation to New South Wales
Sept 5(1698) Russia Tsar Peter the Great imposes a tax on beards
ON THE LIGHTER SIDE
Brain Teasers
Something for seniors to do to keep those " aging " brain cells active. And for you younger ones to get them growing !!
1. Johnny's mother had three children. The first child was named April. The second child was named May. What was the third child's name?
2. There is a clerk at the butcher's shop, he is five feet ten inches tall and he wears size 13 sneakers. What does he weigh?
3. Before Mt. Everest was discovered, what was the highest mountain in the world?
4. How much dirt is there in a hole that measures two feet by three feet by four feet?
5. What word in the English Language is always spelled incorrectly?
6. Billy was born on December 28th, yet his birthday is always in the summer. How is this possible?
7. In California you cannot take a picture of a man with a wooden leg. Why not?
8. What was the British Prime Ministers Name in 1975?
9. If you were running a race and you passed the person in 2nd place, what place would be in now?
10. Which is correct to say, "The yolk of the egg are white" or "The yolk of the egg is white" ?
11. If a farmer has 5 haystacks in one field and 4 haystacks in the other field, how many haystacks would he have if he combined them all in another field?
Think about the answers and I will give them to you during our next Zoom meeting.
Impossibilities In The World.
1 You can't count your hair.
2 You can't wash your eyes with soap.
3 You can't breathe through your nose when your tongue is out.
Put your tongue back in your mouth, you silly person.
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Eric Carmody