After a few extra minutes to allow the slow moving and fast talking devoted to press the flesh and find their seats, President Mike Malone brought the meeting to order.

 

Fred Coleman led the flag salute followed by a heartfelt and simple invocation by brother Dewayne Boccali.

 

Lunch was served with the usual suspects flanking meatloaf with mushroom gravy.

 

The greeting team of Terry Beckett and Nathan Kaehler were thanked for their hospitality. Bryant Hubert rocked the mic securing The Clan Gross as an indispensable part of any Rotary function.

 

Johnny Johnston pulled double duty as fine master and reminder editor. Judy Gabriel the always popular coconspirator and bag man/woman/person.

 

 

 

 

 

Visiting Rotarians in attendance were Susan Weaver, Kern Lewis (not to be confused with Kern Little for any fans of The Shield).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Special Guests included Kitty Winn, plus one of Bret Bradigan and Peter Rupert, guest speaker accompanied by the willowy David Brubaker.

 

 

 

 

Alan West regretfully shared Chris Drucker has inoperable cancer and thoughts and prayers are appreciated to aid and comfort the trail ahead.

 

 

Coming Up In August...

 

August 4th--Angelo Spandrio-Could Ojai Run Out of Water??

 

August 11th--Attorney Ron Bamieh-The Jane Laut Trial

 

August 18th--Get Acquainted Talks--Robert Roddick and Alex Kim

 

August 25th--Kitty Winn-Actress and step grand-daughter of Gen. George C. Marshall

 

 

 

 

 

There were a few solicited confessions as Patricia Anderson did her best to filibuster the inevitable trivia question with her name on it. As part of Jack Jacobs commitment to making fining more interesting, germane, and educational, the questions were all trivia gleaned from interviewing a hallowed member of the club. In this case Lerie Bjornstedt. There were interesting tidbits bits and many correct answers as well as a few surprises. It was good fun and Lerie was a good sport.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The main event brought us the charming and grounded Peter Rupert, Director of the UCSB Economic Forecast Project. Ironically he does not subscribe to forecasting. I don’t know if that makes him the brightest guy in the room or simply the best candidate for a Groucho Marx award for membership philosophy. He has been a regular speaker for the Community Bank’s CPA forum and, as David Brubaker pointed out in his introduction, Peter predicted 10 of the last 2 recessions and 0 of the last 5 recoveries.

 

Sharing his positive pragmatic methodology he dove right in to international trade, immigration, health care, and dabbled in the minimum wage. He effectively demystified macro economics by removing the fear and loathing. The two big take aways were sustainability isn’t sexy, but it’s good and tell your kids to get a job.

 

Mike Malone, fresh off an Irish immersion project, left us with this thought:

 

“May you live as long as you want and not want as long as you live."