Weekly Program

Friends of the Children

Courtney Huck-Edgar Masmela

Courtney Huck and Edgar Masmela told us of the work of Friends of the Children, an endeavor that has merited monetary support from the club. Our, March 17, 2018, major fund raiser, “Debuts and Discoveries”, will highlight support for The Friends of Children.

They have been in Seattle 17 years, are in 12 school districts and 78 classrooms. The most vulnerable youth are identified as early as the kindergarten level. At this point, a professional mentor remains a presence with a child through the latter’s graduation from high school. To have one person in one’s life, a caring adult, becomes a huge impact. It imparts a sense of purpose and bears results.

There is many a cycle of generational poverty. Friends of the children (henceforth FOC) have repeatedly shown that stepping in, as a trained professional, makes a difference. One result is a child’s avoidance of the Juvenile Justice System. Helping one child in this way saves the taxpayers $900,000.

The mentors also serve as advocates, one example being in transition of a child from one foster home to another. The mentor will in such an instance make it easier for a child to adapt and see to the arrangements. Everything that FOC does is intentional. This includes having parents as partners in this work. If a child is weak in one subject, focus is placed on that subject.

Thus far, 84% of those mentored finish high school. And 94% have avoided the Juvenile Justice System even though their parents might have had experiences with the law. For each dollar saved, $7 is saved for the economy. 32 new children will enter the program in the next 4 years. Federal grants will expand the program. By 2020, more than 250 kids will be enrolled.

Comment: To have a one-on-one relationship with someone who encourages, and cares can translate risk factors into a success story. It is anticipated that, in generations to come, sordid family histories shall be left behind.

Walter and Nancy Sponsors

Christy Goff: Carb Conumdrum

 

Christy Goff, of PACMED, returned to us, this time in the capacity of dietician/nutritionist.
Her talk delivered many “pearls”, the major ones being:

 

 

  • Of all food elements, carbohydrates deliver the most energy.
  • They are broken down to glucose, to be stored in the cells, largely in the liver.
  • It is insulin that causes such storage, regulating circulating glucose normally at 70-100 mg/ml.
  • The good carbs are in unprocessed foods which are nutrient-dense and high in fiber.
  • Bad carbs are in processed foods, which are low in nutrients and high in calories, e.g., fruit juices.
  • Exemplary diets contain whole grains (oatmeal, breads, salads, brown rice, and protein whole fruits).
  • Several low carb diets were discussed, each containing fiber and protein).
  • Reducing diets at tines produce ketones which are detrimental to brain and kidneys.
  • Most of the reducing diets eventually fail due to a yield to the craving for carbohydrates.
  • Some simplistic advice: “Eat not too much food, and mostly plants”, “Eat less from the box and more from the earth.”

Comment: One who overeats one’s tasty carbs/Is oft exposed to verbal barbs.

Jeffrey Smith, Seattle University Chair of Professional Ethics

In the Seattle University Business school, a requirement for completing a degree is a course in Business Ethics. Jeffrey Smith, Chair of Professional Ethics, stated the high objectives of this program. These include fairness, dignity of humanity, values-driven business leaders, social justice, social responsibility, and ethical awareness.

The Northwest Ethics Network arose from these standards. Here, individuals concerned with the subject, meet to discuss pertinent questions and ideas.

  • The question is posed as to what individual and organizational factors cause otherwise good people to do bad things.
  • One is a tendency not to recognize adversely impact ethical standards.
  • Another is management systems and their tendency to lose sight of values and principles.

Some barriers to ethical conduct in business:

  • Excessive hierarchy, in which decisions from the top do not allow for input from the lower strata.
  • Time Pressure. Deadlines can lead some to cut corners.
  • Isolation and Separation with poor communication regarding ethical conduct.
  • Short term success in place of long term considerations.
  • Excessive reliance on routine.
  • How are we paying our employees? At time, when compensation depends on performance, principles may be compromised.

W.C. Fields on ethics: “Anything worth having is worth cheating for.”

Di Zhang, SPL, “Fake News Survival Guide”

Deluged as we are with news, it has now gotten to the point at which the genuine from the false needs to be determined. Di (Day) Zhang, of the Seattle Public Library, excerpting from the “Fake News Survival Guide”, arrived to be of help.

Referring to online news, he cautioned that it is easy to create content, with the risk of it being false. The information cycle (major event–TV–social media–web) moves so fast that fact-checking cannot easily be done, except for TV. It does, in fact, take time and $ to check facts.

Information goes out quickly and generates clicks. Each click generates ad revenue. Fake news imitates websites. Sometimes, the purveyors of fake news vanish, only to resurface at unannounced times.

Evaluation of information comes under these headings:

  • Consistent with sources found
  • Inconsistent with sources found
  • Inconclusive, given sources found
  • Outside the scope of service.

Three tips:

  • Read article first before sharing
  • Check the sources
  • What is the support?

Also, consider a subscription to a reputable service.

The concept of the “filter bubble” concerns familiarity with one’s interests. Then one receives information consistent with one’s likes, with the dislikes filtered out.

Overall advice: Ask a librarian.

Twain: “A lie is halfway around the world before the truth has its shoes on.”

 

Dr Scott Jameison and your eyes.

USR member Scott Jamieson, in his best of humor, took the assemblage on a rapid-fire visit to eye diseases. Several of his points:

  • Good vision is the main cause of blindness, in that, by the time something sinister (or dextral) is found, it may be too late.
  • Other risk factors are smoking, aging, sedentary lifestyle, and nutritional matters.
  • The optic nerve is actually part of the brain, and as such, is largely unforgiving in injury or illness.
  • Antioxidants are deemed beneficial in reducing risk of eye disease.
  • The macula, occupying a small part of the retina, is responsible for 95% of vision. Ergo, Macular Degeneration (MD) is a serious threat.
    • The “dry” type of MD, typified by the stippling presence of drusen, cannot be treated.
    • Dry MD can lead to the exudative or “wet” form, with its proliferation of abnormal blood vessels and spillage of red cells.
    • An injection treatment for wet MD may slow the process, but is no cure. Untreated wet MD leads to blindness.
  • Diabetic retinopathy is the second leading cause of blindness.
  • Bleeding into the vitreous can result in clots to impair vision, as can retinal detachment.
  • Retinitis Pigmentosa is untreatable.
  • Glaucoma is often an insidious condition in that there is often no pain.
    • In glaucoma, blood flow is compromised, starving the anterior part of the eye of oxygen.
    • It is important to realize that glaucoma can be managed but never cured. The pressure must be kept down.
    • African Americans are quite susceptible to glaucoma. Per Scott: 50% have the condition and do not know it.
  • Cataract surgery now entails the choice of the lenses to be implanted.

In conclusion: “Those who are wise take care of their eyes.”

American Cancer Society

Last week’s presentation came in three parts:

Paul Kilian spoke of the Cancer Resource Centers, of which 10 exist in WA. His, the Valley Resource Center, sees some 1,000 patients par year. Volunteers visit every patient on infusion. They provide support, wigs, gifts, and information binders to the patients. Advocates are full-time employees and work in behalf of this work, to the extent of lobbying in the legislature. The Committee on Cancer, a branch of the American College of Surgeons, is a consortium of professors concerned with screening and other matters. These organizations are devoted to improving social situations and quality of life for cancer patients. A 24/7 telephone network is there to answer all questions and concerns.

Audrey Fine, RN, dwelt mainly on prevention, but touched on gene therapy. This method stimulates the immune system to attack cancer cells. Positing that cancer touches all our lives, she quoted the head of the Resource Centers, to wit, 50% of cancer could be prevented if we implement what we already know. She also noted that the Research Department boasts 47 Nobel Prize winners.  Prevention includes smoking avoidance, early detection, HPV vaccine, and the realization that tanning and obesity are risk factors. Access to health care is a must. The cost of cigarettes has become a factor in discouragement of the habit. Patients are seen at the resource centers regardless of ability to pay. More are needed to be screened. Certain barriers in getting patients to be seen are language, poor education, time off from work, infancy, old age. The centers have interpreters.

Kimberly Arent dealt with the matter of funding for this work, namely Relay for Life: August 12th , from 10AM to 6PM this annual event will take place. Participation is urged for as many as possible. Signups are with Alan. Our contact for this program.

 

Univerisity Sunrise Rotary Supports Enactus

Univerisity Sunrise Rotary supports Enactus, a student organization that brings together a diverse network of college students, academic professionals and industry leaders from around the world to focus on a shared mission of creating a better, more sustainable world through the positive power of entrepreneurship. Team members contribute their time and talent to projects that improve the lives of people around the globe. Each participant demonstrates that individuals who are armed with information, a passion for people and business know-how can be real agents for change.

Powerful life lessons are attained outside of the classroom because Enactus tackles projects that are tied to real targets with the help of real professionals. The outcome of each project can change the lives of Enactus students and the lives of the project’s beneficiaries in real and substantial ways.

Enactus is an international non-profit organization that brings together student, academic and business leaders who are committed to using the power of entrepreneurial action to improve the quality of life and standard of living for people in need. Enactus comprises of 1600 universities in 36 different countries with over 66,500 students that holds competitions awarding universities prizes for their social entrepreneurial project outcomes.

University Sunrise donated $500 to promote Enactus students developing a green energy stove. Our Green Energy Stove’s differentiating factor is in its clean stove power generators. The power generators in the stove generate electricity during cooking by converting wasted heat energy into electricity. This electricity will be used to charge and power up devices such as cell phones and lamps. Working with established partners, we want to pilot the Green Energy Center Gambia, Nigeria, Gabon, and Ethiopia with 700 units.

Melanie Barstow, Following the Boys in the Boat

*Onward like the swallow going
Flies the speed of oar and shell.
Oh the wild delight in knowing, ‘
Tis our pow’r that does the rowing…..


Captivated by the book ,”The Boys in the Boat”, Melanie Barstow has successfully volunteered to conduct tours of the University of Washington shell house and related historic spots. The response has been large.

 

 

 

In her talk, she reviews the book’s story, noting:

  • the Depression era
  • the fortitude of the rowers
  • the privations of the young men
  • the hard and dangerous jobs they had to take
  • the adversities, including the family’s abandonment of the principal character at his age of 15.

Altruism, self-sacrifice, and fortitude were the sine qua non that made possible the successive triumphs of this Husky crew, This culminated in their Olympic triumph in Berlin in 1936 as they represented the U.S. Specifically, the order of finish; USA/Italy/Germany. It is notable that the margin between winning and not winning is at times measured in hundredths of a second. In 1936, the times were 6:25.4, 6:26, and 6:26.4.

*All in unison of action, with the noble satisfaction….
…..Coolly every power invoke…
Onward, make her cut the water,
Onward make her cut the water—
And for fame of alma mater, stroke, stroke, stroke.

*Excerpts from the Cornell Rowing Song.

Julia Cosse’ of Cosse’ International

Julia Cossé, well immersed in the family securities business, Cossé International, spoke on the subject of “How to Pick Stocks that Go UP”.

An exhaustive study, identifying stocks that doubled within six months, found a certain commonality among them. From the results of this have evolved principles to guide one in choosing such companies.

To wit, look for:

  • Increase in earnings of the stock’s underlying company to have increased.
  • Moreover, the earnings’ increase has accelerated, preferably into double digits.
  • The accelerated increase should be due to something, i.e. a new product.
    Example: Microsoft’s periodic new devices to meet demand.
  • The industry that includes the company has been doing well as a group.
  • Volume. Institutional investors, as contrasted to individuals, create volume changes. Therefore, increased upside volume is a good indicator.
  • Medium-sized companies. These have good growth potential. Very large companies have already seen growth. Small companies’ stock may be hard to exit at the right time.
  • Pay attention to what kind of market we are in.

Comment: Be thus guided and you cannot lose. Maybe

Christy Goff is Sleeping in Seattle

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

If you, or anyone within earshot, does this at night, there may exist a case of sleep apnea. This is a condition in which an intermittent cessation of breathing temporarily starves the heart and brain of oxygen.
This is one of the points made by Christy Goff of Pacific Science Centers.
In case of the above, a night in the sleep lab would be a well-advised move. If such is the diagnosis, a number of treatments is available.

Other facts about sleep included in her talk:

  • Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep.
  • Cortisol and epinephrine are active in the waking process
  • Melatonin, building during waking hours, causes crepuscular drowsiness.
  • Serotonin acts to help a happy awakening.
  • There are 3-4 sleep cycles per night. Deep sleep comes first, followed by REM sleep. It is during REM that we dream.
  • Naps should be limited to about 20 minutes, lest a hormonal imbalance occur.
  • As we age. deep sleep time decreases. By age 85, 20% of the night is spent awake.
  • Insomnia risks include stress, anxiety, PTSD, and depression.A relation exists between obesity and sleep. Those who sleep less tend to gain weight. The appetite increases in such cases, entailing the hormones Ghelin (appetite enhancer) and Leptin (satiety indicator).

To enhance sleep:

  • Finish water intake an hour before retiring.
  • Exercise early in the day.
  • Get on a schedule for sleep, to balance hormones.
  • Restrict time in bed.
  • Arise at the same time each day regardless of energy level.
  • Do not get into bed until sleepy.
  • Don’t stay in bed if not sleepy.
  • Read. Do not  use TV or phone.
  • Turn off electrical devices 30-60 minutes before wishing to go to sleep.
  • Do not use caffeine at the end of  the day. It blocks the hormone, Adenosine, which causes drowsiness.
  • Keep it cave like–cool and dark. 65 degrees is the ideal temperature.

See a sleep specialist when–

  • There is snoring
  • There is a use of sleeping pills
  • It is difficult to fall asleep.
  • Tossing and turning occur.
  • Interruption in breathing occurs
  • There is frequent or early awakening.
  • Irritability or inability to concentrate during the day occur.
  • Tiredness or depressing happen on awakening.
  • There is a desire to take frequent naps.