By Don Wilde
TODAY IN HISTORY
On January 30th, in the year 1815, President James Madison approved an act of Congress
appropriating $23,950 to purchase Thomas Jefferson’s library of 68,487 volumes.(In today’s money that comes to a little under three dollars a book—about what you’d pay today for a root beer and a hot dog. )
SMELL-O-VISION
The first full-length movie with a smell track, Behind The Great Wall, opened at the DeMille Theater in New York City on December 2nd, 1959. It was a massive flop. All the smells in the movie melded into one, totally bewildering the audience.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I did a lot of things that were mostly right.”
--Rod Blagovich, ex-Governor of Illinois
*******
OPENING CEREMONY: Our weekly meeting was officially opened at 12:21 PM by Paul Rosen (our President was tardy) to cheering, whistling, and extremely loud foot-stomping.
OUR CLUB PRESIDENT’S REMARKS: President Fulfree, now in attendance, welcomed our three guests, and reminded us of the upcoming meeting of the Board, to be held next week at Atria. He then told us about the scheduled Rotary visit to the Children’s Wing of Phelps Hospital, where Rotary members will hand out stuffed toys to the ailing children and cookies and donuts to the hospital staff. President Fulfree then called for Community News.
ANNOUNCEMENTS, OBSERVATIONS AND HAPPY THOUGHTS Sy Yuter responded by hailing Rotarian Frances Chu’s writing style. Mark Seiden followed by quoting from a letter from the Ossining Food Pantry thanking Briarcliff Rotary for its contribution to their recently-completed Sweater, Coat, and Outerwear effort. Peter Garth then rose to call our attention to an article on the front page of the N.Y. Times, describing the apprehension of the son of a jailed C.I.A. mole, who allegedly was spying for the Soviets. (Peter has a son in the F.B.I,--so watch it!
NEXT WEEK’S SPEAKER: Our speaker next week will be Judy Foster, who will
describe for us the purpose and activities of the “Friends of Karen.”
.
-2-
TODAY’S SPEAKER: Our speaker today was.Mr. Tom Saunders, who brought us up to date on the secrets of “Government Internet Surveillance”, and include telephone communication, as well.
Taken altogether, it is a frightening picture—unless you are a fan of governmental eaves-dropping. Mr. Saunders estimated that 30% of messages, domestic and international, between parties is monitored; but stated that he felt the estimate was decidedly on the low side.
He ran through the various House and Senate bills that legimatized warrantless snooping. In effect, the Constitution’s Fourth Amendment, dealing with invasion of privacy, is on hold because of suspected terrorist activity. Legally, message-intercept methods are now permissible by law.
Mr. Saunders stated that information gained on activities other than those pertaining to
national security might be used in a court of law.
“It is the biggest legal mess I’ve seen in my lifetime” stated a lawyer in the Office of Legal Council.
Many who heard Mr. Saunders’ talk would agree.
###
THE DRAWING: The winner of the first drawing was Rod Ertischek; the second winner was Peter Garth..
An outraged Bishop John, reached by telephone, shouted “Fraud!,” promptly barricaded himself in the church restroom and refused to come out..
TODAY IN HISTORY
On January 30th, in the year 1815, President James Madison approved an act of Congress
appropriating $23,950 to purchase Thomas Jefferson’s library of 68,487 volumes.(In today’s money that comes to a little under three dollars a book—about what you’d pay today for a root beer and a hot dog. )
SMELL-O-VISION
The first full-length movie with a smell track, Behind The Great Wall, opened at the DeMille Theater in New York City on December 2nd, 1959. It was a massive flop. All the smells in the movie melded into one, totally bewildering the audience.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I did a lot of things that were mostly right.”
--Rod Blagovich, ex-Governor of Illinois
*******
OPENING CEREMONY: Our weekly meeting was officially opened at 12:21 PM by Paul Rosen (our President was tardy) to cheering, whistling, and extremely loud foot-stomping.
OUR CLUB PRESIDENT’S REMARKS: President Fulfree, now in attendance, welcomed our three guests, and reminded us of the upcoming meeting of the Board, to be held next week at Atria. He then told us about the scheduled Rotary visit to the Children’s Wing of Phelps Hospital, where Rotary members will hand out stuffed toys to the ailing children and cookies and donuts to the hospital staff. President Fulfree then called for Community News.
ANNOUNCEMENTS, OBSERVATIONS AND HAPPY THOUGHTS Sy Yuter responded by hailing Rotarian Frances Chu’s writing style. Mark Seiden followed by quoting from a letter from the Ossining Food Pantry thanking Briarcliff Rotary for its contribution to their recently-completed Sweater, Coat, and Outerwear effort. Peter Garth then rose to call our attention to an article on the front page of the N.Y. Times, describing the apprehension of the son of a jailed C.I.A. mole, who allegedly was spying for the Soviets. (Peter has a son in the F.B.I,--so watch it!
NEXT WEEK’S SPEAKER: Our speaker next week will be Judy Foster, who will
describe for us the purpose and activities of the “Friends of Karen.”
.
-2-
TODAY’S SPEAKER: Our speaker today was.Mr. Tom Saunders, who brought us up to date on the secrets of “Government Internet Surveillance”, and include telephone communication, as well.
Taken altogether, it is a frightening picture—unless you are a fan of governmental eaves-dropping. Mr. Saunders estimated that 30% of messages, domestic and international, between parties is monitored; but stated that he felt the estimate was decidedly on the low side.
He ran through the various House and Senate bills that legimatized warrantless snooping. In effect, the Constitution’s Fourth Amendment, dealing with invasion of privacy, is on hold because of suspected terrorist activity. Legally, message-intercept methods are now permissible by law.
Mr. Saunders stated that information gained on activities other than those pertaining to
national security might be used in a court of law.
“It is the biggest legal mess I’ve seen in my lifetime” stated a lawyer in the Office of Legal Council.
Many who heard Mr. Saunders’ talk would agree.
###
THE DRAWING: The winner of the first drawing was Rod Ertischek; the second winner was Peter Garth..
An outraged Bishop John, reached by telephone, shouted “Fraud!,” promptly barricaded himself in the church restroom and refused to come out..
CLOSING CEREMONY: Our weekly meeting, sadly, drew to a conclusion at 1:26 pm., with Madame Etrusca Consentino’s rendition of a lovely aria from “Madame Butterfly.”
She was rewarded with a blizzard of bouquets. (I know, I know. I made up this part, but I
wanted this week’s report to end on a high note.)
Submitted by Recording Secretary,
Don Wilde
###
