A pause, a moment of thought for a fellow Rotarian known for his zest for both work and life, a wheeler-dealer in more ways than one. It was while biking across the Golden Gate he suffered a fatal attack of an undiagnosed heart ailment. His ashes were scattered from his beloved sailboat. Wife Jennifer has  indicated that a memorial will be held in January.

 

 

Thursday's the chance to show your colors, or at least those of the institution that suffered your attendance for four years or so, depending. Dress up for your alma mater in honor of the college football season. Presidenta Campbella hasn't shared, but there's got to be a prize in there. Free tuition? Sorry, no tailgating. (I tried to find an appropriate Leland Stanford Junior University graphic but all I could find were trees — Ed.)

 

Tonight at 6:30 p.m. at CSM, Building 10, Room 195, the Middle College Effect will be hosting a showing of "Under Half the Sky," a powerful documentary about the effects of poverty on women in developing countries and some of the solutions being used to address their situations.  No cost to attend, but they will be raffling off an Echo Dot and gift cards to local businesses to raise funds.

 

Welcome to a visiting Rotarian from Calgary, Canada.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome to Don Leydig's guest, who owned a San Mateo company called Collaborative Economics and worked for Stanford Research Institute. Collaborative economics. Sounds like quid pro quo.

 

Thanks, Tony Villanueva, for the chestnut about great uncle Jefferson, who was electrocuted in prison for diabolical misbehavior. The family figured out how to announce this tactfully: "Great-uncle Jefferson occupied a chair of applied electronics at an important government institution, was attached to his position by the strongest of ties, and his death came as a great shock."

 

President-Elect Sue Winks seeks a Sgt.-at-Arms to join the incoming administration's ranks. She'll explain the duties, so give her a note, email or call.

 

 

 

 

 

Todd Foster brought the fine upon himself by not sitting at the birthday table. Carey Gorgolinski read off the roster of birthdays, pointing out the rare fact that celebrant Angel Riley's 31st birthday was that very day. It would take long division to compute the difference in our ages — a good thing!

 

Chief Susan Manheimer and committee will be collecting donations for the annual Holiday Gift Giving that brings complete Christmases to many of the neediest families in San Mateo. This isn't just a toy distribution, Susan said, "it's Christmas in a Box for those who otherwise wouldn't have Christmas at all."

San Mateo Police Activities League and Samaritan House, both recipients of the club's generosity, coordinate to bring Santa Claus ("Officer Santa" from the Police Department), fire trucks and various Christmas elves out into the neighborhoods to deliver food, clothing, toys, cooked Christmas dinner and even Christmas trees and decorations. PAL and Samaritan House will be giving brief updates through Dec. 12.

Donations may be made by check or credit card at the check-in table; Holiday Gift Giving will do the shopping, wrapping and delivering.

Give and get a gift back: A genuine San Mateo PAL camp mug.

 

Rick Raybin paid the price to bruit that he will be appearing at the Commonwealth Club on Dec. 4 with John "Mac" McQuown, the inventor of the index fund. They will discuss what was learned since and what may be coming down the road. The presentation will be at 5:15 p.m. in Toni Rembe Rock Auditorium, 110 The Embarcadero. Tickets, at $20 general, are available through the Commonwealth Club website.

 

SPEAKER
 

Ray Swartz defines the word enthusiast. He's enthusiastic about bicycle touring. He's ecstatic about natural beauty. He's energized to talk about his experiences: In 450 days aboard his bike he's ridden 17,500 miles through 24 states and 13 European countries. What he brings back from these trips are experiences and photographic images, breathtaking shots of the Dolomites, of Grossglockner Pass, of Austria's Gesause National Park, of French countryside and Italian villages.

Here's a typical recollection about grinding through a dangerous mountain tunnel, trucks passing within feet, having to ride through all the debris that collects on the side of a concrete tunnel, then coming out the other side only to be presented with a magnificent forest slope sluiced by a high stone waterfall and a thundering cascade:

"After all the adrenaline and worry and effort that came before, the moment overcame me and I just stood there for 10 minutes, soaking in the waterfall."

Here are a few samples from his website, biketouringtips.com.