Having kayaked the Mississippi from its origin to Memphis, David Ellingson, outdoorsman extraordinaire, was not satiated. This ultimately enabled him to narrate and colorfully illustrate his journey through the Erie Canal in NY and down the Hudson to New York Harbor. He got as close to the Statue of Liberty as the law allowed.

In this aquatic odyssey, he took us through locks, under bridges, and places of rest. We also, got a glimpse of the fauna and flora, as well as geologic formations, i.e., the Palisades, that passed in review before his eyes and camera.

The presence and numbers of River Angels, those hospitable and of help to him, was heartening. They gave of their time, substance, and shelter to strangers in transit. One feels that such kindness is in the majority, despite those that the media hold before us as otherwise.

Unspoken but communicated was the courage involved in this endeavor. There is rough water, the presence of fatigue, fog, and the debt that muscles must pay for the constant need to paddle a frail craft safely.

Comment: While the many may float a loan, it is the few that float alone.

Neil Strege is Vice-President of the Washington Round Table. This group of senior executives has focused on education reform. Their main objective is to fill the teeming job market with WA graduates. Otherwise, talent from outside shall have to be imported. And presently, the demand exceeds the supply. It is projected that 740,000 job openings will occur in the next five years.

 

He described three major career pathways, to wit:

1. Career. High skilled, high pay. Academic credentials needed.
2. Pathway. Blue collar. Skilled. Pathway to career jobs over five years
3. Entry level. Low skilled, low pay.

Today 31% of WA high school students go on to earn a post-secondary credential. The goal is 70% by 2030. That is, a credential by age 26.

Not good! WA is 47th in the nation in college-going high school graduates. The 70% goal, if achieved, will yield significant social benefits, i.e., reduction of unemployment and poverty. It will be necessary to improve the performance of the K-12 system, enhance the participation of WA State in post-secondary education, and help students develop better awareness of careers that will be available.

It is a fact that poor students start behind and finish behind. There have been identified 255 low performing K-12 schools; more than one-third of school districts have at least one. However, only 100,000 students attend them. The challenge extends beyond low performing schools:

• There is a correlation between poverty and race
• Other factors include homelessness and the various reasons for it.
• Steps to be taken:
  • Improve K-12 financing.
  • Enhance support and accountability
  • Increase access to educator talent
  • Close achievement gap early.

Comment: This is an important and far-reaching undertaking. The more successful  these efforts, the more everyone, statewide, will benefit.

Arnold Swanberg, Resident Historian, spoke characteristically without notes. On this occasion, his topic concerned the last year(s) of World War I.

1917 was the most decisive year, entailing such events as: The Russian Revolution and army collapse; The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, allowing the German army’s transfer to the western front; the battle-weariness of all combatants. Meanwhile the British under General Allenby had routed the Turks and marched into Jerusalem. This led to the British mandate over Palestine.

President Wilson, who had avoided US participation, had hoped to be the voice of mediation. For a while, German submarine warfare had been conducted in keeping with the rules of warfare. Then came the sinking of the Lusitania and the institution of unrestricted submarine warfare.

In addition, Germany had embarked on a Mexican strategy, hoping to entice Mexico to go to war with the US to gain back the territory it had lost in the southwest. This became known when the British deciphered a cablegram containing the Zimmerman Note which defined the plan. Moreover, Germany asked the Japanese to go to war with the US, the incentive being a Californian port. Overwhelmed by events, Wilson requested and got a declaration of war against Germany.

Events that soon followed: Our non-membership in the League of Nations, the temporary expedient of the income tax, and women’s suffrage.

Comment: It only took 20 years for global carnage to resume.

Are we on the threshold of an affordable energy source that spares the environment, that has applications wherever energy is needed, and that is fueled by water? Brett Halverstott, our speaker, thinks so.

Brett in his book, Randell Mills and the Search for Hydrino Energy, closely follows the researches of Randall Mills. After 25 years of experimentation Mills has devised a compact, non-nuclear reactor, which generates Hydrino energy. The principle underlying the process makes use of the fact that the closer a hydrogen electron gets to the nuclear proton, the hydrogen atom shrinks. This in turn generates the release of energy. This is known as the hydrino atom, which behaves differently than a standard H atom.

The laboratory outside of Princeton, has attracted many scientists and investors. By 2013, explosive reactions began to be generated. This has been modified to produce continuous, sustained, controlled explosive reactions. Within the structure occurs the generation of heat, a mini-sun, surrounded by solar panels. A 250-kilowatt generator is the result. This can replace an electric grid. The long-term cost diminishes, in that the H is obtained from water. No carbon reaches the atmosphere. Excess H is diffused into space.

It could be the answer to climate change. Not a few have bet on it.

Floating Bridge Brewing will be at Debuts and Discoveries 2017 on March 18th. Floating Bridge Brewing is located in the University District. This family owned, family run artisan brewery was just opened in July 2016. Come check out their brews and support Teen Feed!

Check out their website here: http://www.floatingbridgebrewing.com
Learn more about ways to get involved with Teen Feed here:www.TeenFeed.org
Buy tickets for Debuts & Discoveries here: https://usrotary.org/debuts-and-discoveries/

An interesting lesson in self-publishing was given by the well-traveled Stephen Murphy, author of “On The Edge: An Odyssey”. His odyssey through the process, the expenses, the legwork, the rejections, and the cost of mistakes, establishes him as one who can persist through a daunting climate. From the time of his inspiration to set down his memoirs of his travels to his current book signings, he learned:

1. If you do not have a prominent name, publishers are loath to accept,
2. Amazon is the place for publisher-rejected authors
3. Unanticipated expenses arise from Amazon, a book coach, and changes of font (plus a few others).
4. It is easy to be too wordy; paring down is no easy task.

He promises that each chapter is a turning point. While the opus is autobiographical, it is inspirational. It appears that the reader can expect to be introduced to many places and people. Those who shall have read it may wish to confirm these observations.

On The Edge: An Odyssey is available from Amazon

Come support Teen Feed and check out Seattle’s newest breweries, cideries, wineries and distilleries!

Figurehead Brewing Company is located in Seattle and was just founded in 2016. They pride themselves on providing honest, simple, straightforward, quality beer.

Learn more about their beer here:https://www.figureheadbrewingcompany.com
Learn about ways to get involved with Teen Feed: www.TeenFeed.org
Buy your tickets for Debuts and Discoveries 2017: http://usrotary.org/debuts-and-discoveries/

Last week, David Williams, author of “Too High and Too Steep”, discoursed on Seattle’s topography. It boggled the mind overall, how, in the early 1900s and even farther back, did they accomplish what they did? There were no bulldozers, graders, hydrologists, nor cranes. And yet they juggled with water levels, obliterated high mounds, and leveled the landscape. All of this molded the city to the extent that business and residency were enabled.   At the start (1854) it was decided someday to utilize smallish Lake Union to connect the salt water of Puget Sound to the fresh water of Lake Washington. Fast forward 69 years, when a ship canal was envisioned. Lake Washington was 29′ above sea level, Lake Union 20′. Salmon Bay was a tidal salt water inlet. A feat of engineering for that time took place. It involved coffer dams, gates, pumping, blasting, and at times redoing. Ultimately, boats could go from the salt water of Puget Sound, through locks, into Lake Washington. In the process, the waters of Portage Bay flowed into the Montlake Cut. The landscape underwent change with the filling in of the tidal flats, creating 24 acres of new land between Beacon Hill and West Seattle.
A series of mounds, Denny Regrade being the most iconic. had to be obliterated. The soft earth was removed in huge volumes with the use of water cannons and dynamite. In the process, houses had to be relocated. Elevated on pallets, they were brought down by a technique of “stairstepping.”

The author gives praise to pioneers from the east who did all that was necessary to create the city they wanted, from such a challenging landscape.

Our first speaker of the year was Luke Timmerman, biographer of Lee Hood. Many biographers have to rely on archives, old newspapers, relatives, and much more.  Others have the advantage of a living and compliant subject for firsthand information.  Luke Timmerman, in his biography of Lee Hood, entitled “Hood“, enjoyed the latter situation.

Hood’s evolution stemmed from an association with a high school teacher, a Caltech alumnus, who, seeing potential, steered the young man to that institution.  Hood soon made his name in Immunology and in genetics as applied to it. This entailed the DNA sequence and the shuffling of genes to evolve elements of the immune system. Thus arose the Biotech industry, investors therein, and AMGEN, the leading company in the field. Hood sat atop an empire. However, he clashed with the CalTech administration and his colleagues. CalTech discontinued genome research. Hood was ousted.

His next opportunity came at UW, to which he was recruited by Roger Perlmutter and financed by Bill Gates. In  the beginning, it was rosy. Hood brought CalTech recruits, $, prominence to UW. But ultimately he ran into difficulties. The issue was that of Systems Biology, a collaboration with other disciplines. UW did not go for this. He headed the Genome Department, but encountered managerial issues. He was again out on his own.

His contributions to biology are recognized worldwide. His many awards have not included the Nobel Prize. This, according to the author, is tragic.

Fellow University Sunrise Rotarians,

A reminder that we are taking a break for the Holidays this week; there is no breakfast meeting on Thursday. Our regular meetings will resume in 2017 on January 5th. The January Board Meeting will be Wednesday January 11th (delayed a week) and we have our Club Fireside on Friday January 20th.

Debuts & Discoveries Early Bird Tickets
Just a few days left to get your Debuts & Discoveries tickets at the early bird price of $30.00. Visit usrotary.org and click on the Debuts & Discoveries link on the top right.

https://usrotary.org//debuts-and-discoveries/

Hope everyone is have a great Holiday week.

President Jim