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.”

University Sunrise Rotary Supports Teen Feed!

At our August 10th breakfast meeting, Past President Jim Horrigan presented a check for $10,000 to Janine Kennedy, Teen Feed’s Director of Community Outreach. Janine told us that the money will fund Teen Feed’s Street Talk Outreach (STOP) program.

Each year, University Sunrise selects a beneficiary for the proceeds of our primary fund-raising event, Debuts and Discoveries (see fun photos here: D&D Photos).

We selected Teen Feed because of its outstanding work with homeless and at-risk youth in our community. Teen Deed’s STOP program is aimed at high-risk youth who avoid traditional social service agencies. Armed with backpacks, warm water, granola and soups, STOP sends out teams of staff and peer outreach workers to meet youth in their own environment—the streets and alleys where they spend most of their time. In 2015, STOP made over 3,614 positive contacts with youth on the streets, offering socks, food, referrals to resources, and a relationship with a caring adult (more info. here: Teen Feed Programs).

We congratulate Teen feed on this award and we thank them for their continuing work with homeless youth!

[Have a passion for community service? Want to work with a fun positive group of do-ers in our community? Visit our web page: USRotary.org or our Facebook page: USRotary Facebook or stop by for breakfast, get to meet us and hear more at 7:15 on a Thursday morning at Ivar’s Salmon House on Northlake in Seattle.]

Christy Goff: How to deal with Stress

On August 10th, Christy Goff, faced with speaking on such a vast subject as Stress, gave an encapsulated overview supplemented by an exhaustive handout.

Stress is anything that inhibits the balance among physical, emotional, and mental power. It can be external or internal. Physiologically, stress upsets the equilibrium among serotonin, a brain hormone concerned with feeling good; cortisol, an adrenal hormone and glucose, both concerned with the Flight or Fight reaction. This disruption can result in symptoms such as poor cognition, fatigue, depression, and exhaustion. In extreme cases, to wit, burnout, the stress factor(s) must be aborted, lest permanent damage ensue. At times, we need a little bit of stress to keep us going at optimal function.

The speaker posits that stress is treatable, entailing channels in the forms of physical activity, nutrition, and relaxation/sleep. She gave a rundown of the intrinsic benefits of each, and how to go about utilizing them. It is certain that she touched upon experiences of everyone in the audience.

For certainly, stress and coping mechanisms have been with us from early evolutionary times. It has been the property of all of us.

Relay for Life: August 11

Katie Leis, Community Development Manager, of the American Cancer Society discussed Relay for Life, annual event to benefit the American Cancer Society.

It will occur on 8/12 at Cal Anderson Park, with the purpose of raising money to fight cancer. She averred that cancer never sleeps. She provided information as to how to register on line and gave information as to the events. Also, there will be a Bark for Life in which dogs will participate. The opening ceremony at 10AM will recognize the survivors of the disease. A ceremony called Luminaria is one in which those who have succumbed will be remembered. The closing ceremony’s aim is to educate the participants and all others, with the motto, Fight Back.

In addition, President Dave presented Katie with the club’s $500 check toward the cause.

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.

President Dave Hanson Outlines USR 2017-2018

July 6th was our first meeting for the 2017 Rotary year. President Dave Hanson outlined his new lineup and restated our focus for the year. Kids are primary as we seek to improve on our past efforts and look to increase our visibility and look for additional avenues for Service.

SandPoint Block Party, and a good time was had by all.

The Block Party was anticipated and well-received by the neighborhood. There were treats and games for the kids, and a fire engine for them to swarm over. Hamburgers and hot dogs abounded.

Rotarians scurried around, most clad in identifiable T-shirts provided by Tim Lenihan. The burgers (plain, cheese, and veggie) were turned out, over hot grills, by Dave Mushen and Ron. Our Nearest Star caused one and all to broil a bit. Tom and his musicians (Ranken File) provided totally audible entertainment.

All who participated shared the feeling that it was a pleasure and privilege to serve. In fact, according to our motto, that is what it is all about. Photos!

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.