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David Watson, Editor |
July 24th, 2009
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July is Literacy Month
Upcoming Programs and Events
Presented by the new Program Chairman, Leland Hammerschmitt and his crew.
July 31st-Fifth Friday-Club Social
August 7th-Paul Crabtree-Ojai Sustainability
August 14th-Chris Platt-Stem Cell Research PLUS New Member Short Get Acquainted Talk
August 21st-Norm Davis-Ojai Water Issues and Water Rates; Matilija Dam
August 28th-District Governor Visit-Luz Maria Ortiz
In the Beginning....
The third regular meeting of the 2010 year began with President Scott Smith introducing himself and welcoming all present.
Berkley Baker led the club in the pledge.
Grant Kemp recited the Four-Way Test and Pres. Scott read the following to the club:
Our 4-way test is a statement of ethics. Now, ethics is tricky to define, but central to any definition is that ethics is about decision-making – decision-making based on individual responsibility.
Put yourself in THIS situation:
“On a hiking trip vacation, you and a lifelong friend are on a precarious climb. Your friend falls down a steep slope, cracks his skull against a boulder, and lies bleeding and unconscious. Somehow, you manage to get him; back up the trail, into the car, and you drive to the nearest town, where you find a small, private hospital.
In the rush of the events, you somehow recall that your friend has no medical insurance, while you work for a large company and have full coverage. You fear, and are convinced that, with no insurance, he may be sent on to a distant public hospital. So quickly you switch wallets with your unconscious friend.
He is identified by your name, your insurance information goes on the hospital record, and your friend get s the emergency treatment you are convinced he needs. The doctor later tells you that he will recover, and is very lucky to have such a dedicated friend who got him treated so quickly—for without early emergency treatment he almost certainly would have died.”
OK. How do you feel about this one, Rotarians? In truth-telling an absolute principle that should not be violated? Does the end justify the means? Does saving the life of a friend justify the lie? And how about the “stealing” of services?
It sounds like a violation of both the TRUTH and BENEFICIAL test. There are some principles at work here that COULD be considered absolute: To lie is wrong. To steal is wrong.
The story I just told you is true…told by Frank Deaver , a Rotarian and professor of journalism. It happened a few years ago to two of his friends.
They were both convicted of felony theft by deception.
We stand and clap each year when our wonderful junior high kids read their award-winning 4-way test essays. We cheer their conclusions, but I think we also smile at the simpler choices of youth. We know that when we are responsible for others… as businesspeople, civic and school leaders, health and care givers, parents, children of elders… PRINCIPLES and PRACTICALITIES can clash. Ethics calls on us to seek a process of intelligent decision making.
The four-way test is not a magic wand. But its simplicity… can make us stop and think. If we stop… and take a breath…perhaps we will be calm. And in that calmness… perhaps we'll think… and do the right thing.
We then escorted our guests to the buffet line and encouraged to have discussions of this topic at our tables.
Greeters today were Robin Bernhoft and Berkley Baker. Robin was also our roving microphone. Scott thanked Tony Thacher for filling in for him last week.
Visiting Rotarians and Guests
There were no visiting Rotarians this week.
Guests were Dave Brubaker from the Ojai Community Bank, guest of John Russell . Megan Yea , daughter of Ian MacLean.
Announcements. . .
Our new Bulletin Board filled with important information was AWOL this week. Anyone with information to its whereabouts please put it on the bulletin board.
If you haven't voted yet for Ojai as the top tennis town, go to www.besttennistown.com
Catherine Lee reminded us about our shirt orders.
Next Friday will be our 5th Friday social at Jerry and Ann Kaplan's home: 6 pm dinner ($15). Blue grass band.
Roger Phelps , chair of the “fish or cut bait” committee had a short fishy presentation and sent a sign-up sheet around for people to sign up for a variety of fishing trips available. At the end of our meeting Judy Gabriel won a fishy prize by coming closest to the location where the fish in the picture was caught.
A sign-up sheet was also sent around for a club trip to see Hamlet on Aug. 6th . Please let Andi Bloom know if you want to go.
This Wednesday Pres. Scott will represent Ojai Rotary in the balloon parade at the Ojai Band concert.
Meetings this week; Taste of Ojai committee this Wed. at Il Giardino's with Scott Eicher .
Membership Committee at The Gables. Both meetings are at 12 noon.
In recognition of our clubs help with removing land mines in Lebanon, the U.S. Dept. of State, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs gave us some of 8 th edition, July 2009 Mine Action Brochures.
Fining: Bret Bradigan
Fining by Bret Bradigan (Look for the book at Bart's)
Bret got confessions out of Tony Thacher (Grandfather on Tues.), Jerry Kaplan (77 next Tuesday and going for the 440 in the Senior Games when he gets to 80!), Bill Gilbreth (Summer camp Ad. In Ojai Valley News), Allan Jacobs (corrected Roger Phelps fish tale or tail), Laura Whitney (16 yr. old niece birthday today & finished 45 days of bike riding from Portland to Seattle), Peter Haggerty (Anniversary paid last week), Dave Watson (Anniversary paid last week), Frank Finck (Anniversary this week and paid today).
The following were fined: Tony Thacher (Bodee's sign open till closed and closed till opened), Scott Eicher (Thacher school Alum—Howard Hughes), Boyd Ford (Casitas Springs called Stony Flats in the ‘40's), Bob Davis (Villanova had a Latin sign), Larry Becket (Ojai car club in the early 60' Phatons) and Don Scanlin (in 1963 a man left Ojai for LA and left his business he started –Barts).
The Program
Our Program was Will Berg the Manager/Director of Port Hueneme. The Harbor District is a public agency. It was formed in 1937 by farmers wanting to get their produce to market other than by trucks. Port Hueneme doesn't have a jetty because of a natural canyon that is 600 feet deep and 2-3 miles long that prevents the water from moving. In 1940 the first wharf was completed and in 1941 after the war started the government took it over. The movie the Fighting Seabee's was filmed there and the government was ready to leave when the Korean War started and has stayed ever since. The Harbor District reinvested the money received from the government to buildup the port and leased one wharf.
In 1977 Del Monte started using the port and that year 17,000 tons of bananas came through the port. Now over 600,000 tons of bananas slip through the port. Port Hueneme is different from the LA/Long Beach port that uses shipping containers. It uses palates and non container cargo. Mazda was the first auto import to use the port. The first year 17,600 cars came through the port. Three years ago the number was 300,000. For the year 2009 that number was 145,000. The port is seeing more exports of autos to other countries. The port is the biggest non-container port in the US. It is # 6 in the US for autos and #3 on the West coast. They are #2-3 for banana imports.
The Port makes money on the size of the ship that docks (dockage fee) and wharfage fee for weight and type of cargo. There are from 200-300 jobs available per day with 130 regular long shore men. The rest are made up of casuals and females (paid the same as long shore man but without the benefits). In today's economy the 2 nd choice are the long shore man from LA/Long Beach. Unfortunately they are use to working with containers and not palates and other non-container cargo, so its takes more time and cost the companies that use them more.
A very interesting talk on a business that most of us don't think much of.
Coming Up in Two Weeks...
Mr. Crabtree has a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Washington University in Saint Louis, MO and a Bachelor of Arts in Physics from Hamline University in Saint Paul, MN.
Mr. Crabtree holds Registration as a Professional Engineer (Civil) in California, Colorado, Utah, Minnesota, and New Mexico and has a file on record with NCEES for facilitated registration in all states.
Mr. Crabtree is a Member of the National Society of Professional Engineers, American Society of Civil Engineers, Congress for the New Urbanism (where he heads the Stormwater Task Force, and authored the SmartCode Regional Watersheds Module), Local Government Commission, American Planning Association, Urban Land Institute, Geothermal Resources Council; and a 5-year member of the City of Ojai, CA Planning Commission.
Final Thoughts
Our meeting was adjourned with Scott's
“Remember, stop, take a breath, think… and then make the best decision you can."
