Friday 29 August 2014

Program



updated Sept 1st
Thanks Alf

26th August Meeting - Cameron Tuesley - Solar Powered Vehicles

Chair
Ian introduced himself as the President - Judy - you should lock him in for 2016

Visitors & guests
Cameron
Alf & Sue, back from their honeymoon in Bali

Apologies
Noel, Ron, Gerry & Jan, Kim, Helen

Makeups
Mark met Deborah Groves at Siem Reap - she is “stepping away” from the adopted village program

President's Report
Welcome visitors & guests & special welcome back to Alf & Sue - Alf seems to have some “renewed energy”

Working bee today at our shed at the Salvation Army - Alan is organising

Gordon Watson advised that our grant with Cal Pac has been approved at District Level.;  We are looking at a “different approach” with our grant with RC Komaki

Men’s Shed is “progressing”

Speaker
Alf introduced Cameron who we were able to contact through Iain. Cameron has a Company in Brisbane called Integral, but is a bit local with parents living at Golden Beach.

Integral employs 35 specialists and has clients including the Gold Coast City Council & Energex.  They solve complex environmental problems and have won numerous awards for Sustainability and Green IT.  But his hobby is solar cars.

 
Cameron thanked Alf, He had a background including something about Canada and his mum was “a bit of a hippie”

Have you ever had sunburn - there’s a lot of energy in those rays.  In fact, one day’s sunshine could power the whole world for 27 years.  Australia, essential a huge desert, is perfect for this technology.

If we could harvest all the energy falling on 300x300km we could power the planet.

Integral was involved in the Climate Smart program which reached 350,000 homes and won a Qld IT award.

On a flight from London he said “let’s do this” and Team Arrow was born.
http://teamarrow.com.au/  The game is the World Solar Challenge, where 200kg solar powered cars race 3,000km north to south across Australia.

 
Apart from being fun, the Challenge teaches students and builds young engineers.  It iOS a quiet achiever for using solar power, and started in the early 1980s.  The early cars were solar but there was no battery technology back then.
 
Working with the car you are amazed that something which looks so simple could be so complex.  For example, the tyres are 30 times more efficient than standard.

There is considerable expertise in Australia “in pockets”.   An example is the Deep Sea Challenge movie being shot in Australia, and the sub being built in Sydney.


LSM is a Toowoomba company.  This is where the shell of the car was “cooked”
 
The solar cells are double the efficiency of standard, and weigh seven kg.
 
The car uses 500 laptop batteries, which last six hours.
 
They arrived in Darwin after 12 months work.  They had a 15 year old motor originally built by CSIRO with a $26,000 replacement value.  They were a “dark horse” amid the world’s best, and came second last in the trials.
 
Their budget was slightly lower than some.

They had problems after 100km, with still 2000km to go. They ended up in seventh place

 
This is Kaz from UQ - a really cleaver guy with a couple of patents to his name, including lead free solder.  Here he gets to do the menial task of watering the cells - they get too hot if left to their own devices when the car is stopped.

Caloundra is the top area for use of solar power.

 
Solar cells are getting cheaper.  The graph shows that as technology improves, it will soon be cheaper than natural gas, and then coal before 2020.
 
At UQ, their array powers the whole university.
 
For passenger cars battery are lagging.  US Tesla model S has 400km range and costs $2 to fill up.  Costs $100K in Australia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors
 
Nissan has fast charge.  It is also the third fastest Nissan
http://www.nissan.com.au/Cars-Vehicles/LEAF/Overview

Prius has been going for 8-10 years, and their batteries are still OK.

 
http://teamarrow.com.au/
http://integraltech.com.au/

 
Ian thanked Cameron for his most informative talk.

Sergeant Ann managed to rattle out the loose change


Where is Darryl?

How do you get a logo off our website?

On 28 Aug 2014, at 3:49 pm, Deborah <deborahandjeff@westnet.com.au> wrote:
Roger
 How do you get a logo off our 9600 website - have found where they are but how does an owner of a mac do it
- please supply instructions for a really dumb person. (Moir)

Deb

Hi Deborah
I’m surprised you had so much trouble
After only a few emails, changed passwords and the like,

I was able to easily log into the RI site
and search “Graphics” which in a few simple steps gets you to the “Brand Centre”
where you click on the Rotary Logo
which takes you to a page with lots of logos which you can tick and click

(doing both is so much more interesting)
which takes you to another page which enables you to download in different formats
some of which are even possible to open in Preview
I had best results with the larger EPS files
(the bigger files start small but you can blow them up in Preview)
Don’t forget to tick the “I have read and remembered the entire Rotary Graphics Manual and can recite it backwards” box for this option
Of course the reverse logos only seem to work as PNG files
In Preview you can export in different formats
even more helpfully,

none seem to open in Photoshop so you don’t need to worry about that
so there it is - only 169 discrete steps
happy logo ing
Roger
 

PS some downloads attached - but I am sure you won’t resort to any short cuts like that
<Untitled.tiff>
<Untitled 2.tiff>
<RotaryMBS-Simple_RGB.eps><RotaryMoE_PMS-C.eps>  The reverse files follows, but it is somehow invisible!<RotaryMoE_REV-RGB.png>just click on the empty space

Tuesday 26 August 2014

24 August Mark makes-up in Siem Reap ~ meets up with Deborah Groves at the night market


It was a real coincidence that Deborah was in Siem Reap as she spends most of her time at her home at little mountain. Deborah was having a clearance sale of her photos after closing her shop in Siem Reap. Her photos are still sold at airports, bookshops and major hotels.

Reading between the lines, Deborah was completely exiting her association with Helping Hands Cambodia.


One of Deb's pics

 
On the rear
 
 

Thursday 21 August 2014

Program


19th August Meeting - Alvia Turney - Separation Consultant


Chair
Judy - The Club was given a new bell from Merv freshly back from his overseas trip - some concerns that Merv had been radicalised while in Syria are being followed up by ASIO.


Despite no International Toast, Judy made us pay by not giving the direction to sit down till well into the meeting.

 
                            Potential guests
Visitors & guests
Alvia Turney & Margaret Hayes
Naomi Lewis - NYSF student and dad Terry
Ken McMeeken, RC Morwell (last visit this holiday)

Apologies 

Alf, John & Pauline, Norm and maybe someone else I missed

Makeups
Deborah at a cluster meeting
Judy at public a relations & membership workshop
Merv at an ambulance meeting

President's Report
Welcome visitors & guests & special welcome back to Merv and thanks for gift of the bell.  We are now worried that Genta may present the Club with a large and noisy gong.

 
Deborah had a Cluster meeting on Sat with an interesting exchange of ideas including from Alex, Maroochydore, Mooloolaba and Kawana.  Members are encouraged to make up at Kawana - they meet Monday Nights somewhere, we think maybe at the SLSC.

Sad news that our Global Grant proposal has been rejected.

We now have an agreement with the Salvation Army for use of the shed and our new shelving is being painted by Men’s Shed.


NYSF
 
Naomi thanked us for our support through the selection process - the interview was nerve wracking but still vaguely casual.

Speaker
Pam introduced Alvia, who has 20 years training & teaching background and is a neuro-linguist (whatever that is)  After five years research she came up with “Act 4 Tomorrow”


Alvia started by saying that she is not an advocate for “breaking up” and is proud of her parent’s recent 57th wedding anniversary.

But currently there are more divorces than in the past, and they don’t need to be as unhappy and expensive as they often are.  Many of Alvia’s clients are “very young” and she feels that relationships are not being nurtured. Her advice is “don’t rush in”  Her own divorce in 2001 after her husband’s second “affair” left her a “broken” person and her experience through the legal channels left her feeling there must be “another way”.

A divorce is not “life threatening”, it is simply a breakup, but there are finances, maybe a house and children to consider.  Considered together the decisions can be overwhelming, but they can be broken down into simple components - it’s just a process.

There are many reasons for breaking up from violence, to just realising “it’s done”

When selling her house after the divorce her agent was “so sorry” about her cancer - there was no cancer, she just looked like she was sick.  She ended up working with the agent in real estate for six years, doing some separation counselling as a sideline.

An amicable breakup is the best solution.  A large proportion of her clients have children either in Grade 1 or Grade 12.  Parenting plans can set out responsibilities in “a pleasant way”.  It’s not about winning, only the “best solution”

Statistics indicate about 50,000 couples divorce each year in Australia, but this doesn’t include de-facto relationships.  We need to do it smarter.

One in three Australian marriages end up in divorces, but internationally, China has 10,000 divorces/day.  Highest divorce rates are 55% in (missed it) 46% in US, 43% in England, and the lowest rate in Italy.


A quick shoe check here - no truth to the rumour I have a foot fetish
 
Directors
Genta thanked the Club for their support at the Happiness Forum.  In the speech contest, the judges couldn’t decide so so the eight contestants got $100 each.  The raffle made $200 which would go toward a Dicky Beach community garden.

Merv reported on our water & sanitation project in Gizo.  There is a trip planned for April next year to a location to the north of the Soloman’s closer to Bouganville.  A couple of the Men’s Shed guys are interested.  Clashes with our Japan trip.   Closer to home, the Ambulance is getting a new three storey building close to the hospitals in Kawana - top floor will be for accommodation for families of sick children.

Sergeant

Noel stretched the truth as usual and gave out free home grown limes to ease the pain.

Sunday 17 August 2014

11th August Meeting - Laurie Drinkwater - Battle of Long Tan

Chair
Ron opened the meeting with the Ode

International Toast
Norm proposed a toast to RC Toyko
after the Australia/Japan get together on the weekend, where Norm wore a kimono, pounded rice, did calligraphy and attempted origami.  RC Tokyo is a new generations club with over 30 members with an average age of 37.  They speak ten languages.

Visitors & guests
Laurie Drinkwater, speaker & friend of Ron
Ken McMeeken, RC Morwell

Apologies
Alf, Pauline, Lyn

Makeups
BBQ for Wellsure, Deb at Cal Pac, Bernie

President's Report

Welcome visitors & guests. Special welcome to Laurie who served in Vietnam in 1966-67
The Happiness Festival was a great success.  Although President Deborah was still visibly struggling with the stress of origami, she managed to deliver a half decent report and I found some photos on Facebook. 

                     
BBQ on Sunday grossed $170 with about 50% net - Good PR for us & for Wellsure who support our Golf Day.

Speaker 

Ron introduced Laurie who is patron of the Vietnam Veterans Association SSC Sub Branch.  He served in Vietnam in 66-67 with 6th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR) D Company.  Laurie attends all the Branch Functions.  In the Battle of Long Tan a small contingent of Australians pushed back a much larger enemy force.

Laurie noted that Monday would be the 48th anniversary of the battle and gave a general warning that his talk would be peppered with “army jargon” so I hope I got it all right.

There were 108 in D Company, made up of 50/50 national servicemen from the first intake and regular army, and it included three New Zealanders.  At that time, most of Australia (except the wharfies) were “for” the war.  Laurie was a Corporal leading seven men.

The Australian base at Nui Dat had been mortared the night before.  They believed this was a “shoot & scoot” operation by maybe six people and they were sent out after them.


11 Platoon was in the lead and they came across about six Viet Cong who they followed, but then came against a much larger force who had been preparing to attack the main Australian Task Force base.

The Viet Cong were not used to the Australians who spread out much more than the Americans.

About half of 11 Platoon were killed or wounded, and the rest were under mortar bombardment.  They called in artillery.  10 Platoon was to their left but had become bogged down, 12 Platoon was to their right.  The got back together and had 20 wounded in a ditch with only one medic (all lived)  It was raining heavily by then. The Viet Cong came in wave after wave, and Australian helicopters flew in more ammunition (against regulations)

A couple of US jets came to assist but there was too much cloud so they were not much use, and additionally, artillery could not be deployed when they were around.

Each wave appeared to fall but half of the “fallen” joined the next wave.  The fighting continued until dusk when reinforcements arrived.  Brigadier Jackson had been reluctant to send reinforcements but was told “you have to do something”.  Company Commander Harry Smith had told him to “come in 15 minutes or don’t bother”.  They were finally joined by A Company in armoured personnel carriers and were able to withdraw with their wounded.

D Company, with only half left, were sent back in.  15 of their number were still “out there” and two were found still alive.  It took two days to “clean up” with approx 245 enemy dead found.

Laurie praised the New Zealand artillery who gave protective fire as close as 50m to them.  There were many brave acts which were not recognized.  Laurie thought Harry Smith should have been awarded a DSO.  Of the 108 in D Company 18 died and 26 were wounded.

There will be a parade at Caloundra RSL on Monday at 10:30am to mark the anniversary.

 
             Ron thanked Laurie for his talk

more information
http://www.anzacday.org.au/history/vietnam/longtan.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gUSq7pxux4
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Long_Tan

Directors
PE Judy invited members to a public relations & membership workshop this weekend.

Sergeant Noel did his worst


 Sunshine Coast Daily Tues 19th August



Thursday 7 August 2014

5th August Meeting - Richard Hansen - Toastmasters

Chair
Ann
Christmas in July was a great success - Many thanks to Deborah for organizing

Visitors & guests
Richard Hansen, speaker
Amy Doran
Ken McMeeken, RC Morwell
Darren Shields, although according to Ron, Darren is “not really a guest”

Apologies
Pam, Iain, Genta, Norm

Makeups
Helen x2 NYSF selections
Alan & Deb at Men’s Shed
Mark x2 handing over treasurer’s job

Presidents Report
Welcome visitors & guests.  Special welcome to Richard who is a friend from Toastmasters.
$2,000 from USC BBQ’s
Next RYDA in October
Wellsure BBQ on Sunday
Great speaker at Christmas in July
Deborah presented cheques to Darren, Amy and Stuart for their respective organizations.



Speaker
Ron introduced Richard
Seems he has found his niche in life helping business and educational groups get their message across.

Richard asked if we have ever had to sit through a really crappy presentation - “every Tuesday” replies Mark.  Although “Powerpoint is dead”, it seems that images are still important.  10% of a talk gets remembered, but this increased to 60% when the message is reinforced with images. A picture really is worth a thousand words.  93% of communication is non verbal - but remember, 86.4% of statistics are made up on the spot.

Richard took us back to the “good old days” of slide shows and overhead projectors, but they are even more “dead”, with Powerpoint or similar software king since the 1990s.  Microsoft estimates that more than 30 million Powerpoint presentations are made each day - but 90% of them are bad.  Themes and bullet points have their place but are maybe a bit “too easy”





Richard illustrated the difficulty of explaining abstract thoughts without pictures by using Deborah as a guinea pig - naturally she failed miserably.  Lyn performed slightly better.  Luckily Richard had a slide with a circle on it to get the concept across.



Various examples were included - Al Gore’s Inconvenient Truth presentation; Jamie Oliver with his wheelbarrow full of sugar illustrating typical childhood sugar intake; Steve Jobs introducing the iPhone; and fat facts about the obese.

In question time, Richard explained his own methods  - good for the ears first, heaps of sticky notes, then introduce images.  Three points are powerful, and a bit of shock tactics are effective.  A one hour talk takes about 60 hours to prepare. 



Directors
Helen reported on the NYSF applicants.  Naomi & Jamie were interviewed, with Naomi being accepted.  There were 60 candidates from the District


  would you trust this man?
Sergeant Noel emptied our pockets



In other news, thanks Helen for sending through the membership list in PHF format -
Rotary breaks new computing ground??

Sunday 3 August 2014

31st July - Christmas in July

I stole these photos from Genta's facebook page - there must be more out there
The quality of these elves is going way downhill