Kiwanis Club of Historic St. Augustine

Newsletter – 4 January 2007

President’s Message:

I trust that each one of you had a safe and sober New Years celebration. We are now into a brand new year, and now that all the festivities are over, it is time to get back to work. Keep those resolutions that you have made, or make some and keep those. One resolution you should have is to be a better Kiwanian, attend meetings religiously. (Maybe “regularly” is a better word, some of us are not very religious, and I certainly don’t want to drag religion into the public square.)

This week we have on the agenda our committee and Board meetings. Think about this and come to the meeting with some new ideas. Trust me, if you have a new idea we will consider it.

Coming Events: [Advise the editor of events of interest at 797-4332]

5 January 2007: First Friday Art Walk, check out the local galleries downtown and taste their food and wine.

6 January 2007: Uptown Saturday Night, check out the local galleries uptown on the first Saturday of each month, and taste their food and wine.

16 February 2007: Division Council Meeting at Westside Club. This will also be the official Governor's visit to our division. 

Guests: I don’t know I wasn’t there.

Programs: (Check the website for your speaker assignment date.)

LAST WEEK: Your editor was out of town visiting family in the Orlando area, so I do not know if there was a speaker and if there was, what the speaker talked about.

THIS WEEK: We had our committee meetings followed by the Board meeting.

NEXT WEEK: Our Human and Spiritual Values monthly meeting which includes our Student of the Month award.

⅓-⅓-⅓ DRAWING WINNERS: Winning at the last meeting when your editor was present were Barry Kass, and Marty Martin. They were part of an interclub from the noon club which also included John Evans, Chuck Pringle, and Micah Clukey. Me thinks we will see more interclub meetings from them now that they know we give away all this money.

Late Breaking News:

There are a few of us that were thrilled at the outcome of the Emerald Bowl. Correct me if I’m wrong, but this was the same UCLA that beat USC in the last game of the regular season. Well, for sure the Noles did a number on them, and made Bobby’s year. I am real anxious to see who he will hire to take over for his son as offensive coordinator. Whatever they do, they need to have a more consistent offense. I would like the same team to show up each and every week.

I was surprised to see Michigan handed their hat so easily. Let me get this straight, that was the same USC that lost to UCLA who lost to FSU. Maybe all teams need to get some consistency. Brent (I can’t hide which team I am rooting for) Musberger, even started some gossip on national television by telling us that Lloyd Carr might have a tough time staying at Michigan if he didn’t win the game. His teams have lost to Ohio State the last three years, and have not done well in bowl games either.

Does anyone want to coach for Alabama? If he has been offered the job and hasn’t taken it already, Nick Saban is an idiot. What more can he do at Miami? Maybe Larry Coker would take it if offered. I am amazed at the number of people that have shied away from the Tide. The Bear has been gone for some time now, and no one can step in and be the new Bear.

And of course, we have THE GAME coming up on Monday. Florida has seemed to find a way to win during the season and they have a lot of talent on both sides of the line. This is the ultimate showdown of SEC v. Big Ten. Back in the Woody Hayes era, this would not be a contest. If Florida could stop the run, they would win, because of the team speed. However, OSU is now known to pass. (Woody didn’t like the pass. Always said that there were three things that could happen with the pass, and two of them are not good.) This should be a game that we all can watch and enjoy, and I think it may turn out to be a fairly low scoring game.

Quote(s) of the Week:
“There is nothing absurd or impracticable in the idea of a league or alliance between independent nations for certain defined purposes precisely stated in a treaty regulating all the details of time, place, circumstance, and quantity; leaving nothing to future discretion; and depending for its execution on the good faith of the parties.” —Alexander Hamilton

“It’s time for the United States to leave the United Nations and spearhead the formation of a new, more workable international consortium... On Wednesday, our president—and ‘our’ includes Americans who do and don’t like him—was verbally assaulted before the United Nations General Assembly in a manner more befitting a wrestling match than what is supposed to be a solemn gathering of the world’s nation-states. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez insulted President Bush by saying ‘the Devil was here yesterday,’ and ‘it smells of sulfur still today.’ That’s right. This dictatorial brute came to our own New York City and spat in the face of our president. And the attacks didn’t stop with Bush. Chavez declared that ‘the United States’ empire is on its way down, and it will be finished soon.’ How did those in the audience react? Many roundly applauded when he was done.” —Matt Towery

“He who would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself.” —Thomas Paine

“Those who never retract their opinions love themselves more than they love the truth.” —Joseph Joubert

“If anything, liberals are even more dangerous than Islamofascists. The terrorist attacks with bombs and bullets. The liberal saps our will to resist. He rationalizes evil. In the name of civil liberties, he constantly seeks to undermine national security and make it impossible to safeguard our people from another 9/11.” —Don Feder

“There is a rank due to the United States, among nations, which will be withheld, if not absolutely lost, by the reputation of weakness.” —George Washington