Golden News
Volume 17, Number 30 - Monday 19 January 2004
The official bulletin of the Rotary Club of Kowloon Golden Mile is published
most Mondays and is distributed to all club members, District officials and
to "friends of KGM".

Winner "Best English Language Bulletin" in District 3450, 2001/2002
This Week's Meeting:
 
 
There is no meeting this week because Wednesday is Chinese New Year's Eve.
 
Mrs. Phantom and I wish all members Kung Hei Fat Choy for a happy, healthy and prosperous Year of the Monkey.
 
 
In Memoriam:
 
 
Today marks the 5th Anniversary of the passing of PP Hans Schult.
 
For members who did not know PP Hans personally, he was KGM President for the 1991-92 Rotary year. PP Hans was also an avid golfer, a Grand Master of the Ancient Game of Spoof and the most famous stalwart of the Chin-Chin Bar at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, where he "held Court" every afternoon, 6 days a week. PP Hans was also a highly respected Travel Agent, he was very active in the German community of Hong Kong but, most of all, he was a highly dedicated member of KGM who contributed immensely to it's success.
 
During his tenure as Club President, KGM embarked upon it's first project in China, whereby KGM supplied much needed audio-visual equipment to a junior school in Shanghai. Additionally, the Interact Club of Ying Wa College, our first youth club, was also successfully established during his presidency.

A dear old friend long gone, but never forgotten.
 
 
Milestones:


Birthday greetings for:

21 January to Jane "Ms. Punctuality" Singer, who shares her birthday with veteran golfer Jack Nicklaus.

 
++++++
KGM Induction Anniversary Greetings, go out to:
 
June "Legal Eagle" Liau who celebrates the 12th Anniversary of her induction into KGM on 22 January 1992.
 
 
Semi-Annual Dues - Final Reminder:
 
Yes folks, it's time once again to pay your dues of $1,500 for the period 1 January to 30 June 2004, and you have TWO payment options:

1) By cash handed directly to KGM Treasurer Rajiv "Show Me The Money" Makhija;
 
2) By cheque payable to "Rotary Club of Kowloon Golden Mile" mailed to P.O. Box 98129, Tsimshatsui, Kowloon.
 
If you elect to pay by cheque, remember to clearly write your name on the back of the cheque, because our overworked and unpaid Treasurer doesn't always know which company name belongs to which member (other than, say, Soldier Of Fortune Limited, which we all know is owned by PP M.V. "Rambo" Ramadasan).

Also please note that we've cancelled the former "PayPal" facility because most of our members are Internet-impaired.

Some members also have a problem with PMS (this includes a few female members too).
 
 
Fellowship News - Reminder:


Hmmmm. No advice of any changes this week (so far), but still no firm details about pricing etc. Keep watching.
 
Our old mate Vincent "The Galloping Gourmet" Lam informs us that the next fellowship will still be held at the critically acclaimed Gaia Restaurant (a member of the Va Bene Group), but the date has been changed to Saturday 31 January 2004.
 
Apparently the owner of Gaia, renown restauranteur Pino Piano will be unavailable on the original date and he really, really wants to attend to us personally, so how can we resist? Full details including the price and the time will appear in next week's issue of the bulletin but, just to whet your appetite, here's a recent description of Gaia:
 
"Gaia è un elegante ristorante di Hong Kong dove si può gustare una raffinata cucina italiana ed è uno dei pochi dove si può prendere posto anche all'aperto. Possiede anche una cantina ben fornita."
 
Translation: Good beer & pizza.
 
 
 
2004 Annual Ball - Reminder:
 
 
Yes folks, it's back. The world famous KGM Annual Ball, which was cancelled last year due to SARS, will be held from 7:00 p.m. Saturday 28 February at the Grand Hyatt Hotel.
 
This year's theme is "Putting On The Ritz" (as in "Ritz Hotel" not "Ritz Crackers"), and tickets remain reasonably priced at $1,200 per head, which gets you an all-inclusive cocktail hour, a typically excellent six course meal from the Grand Hyatt, free wine all evening long, fun contests, fantastic entertainment, dancing until the wee hours of the morning plus dozens of fabulous prizes to be won.
 
What a great deal - why not organise a table of ten (10) or more for your family, friends and business associates.
 
And, as usual, The Dictator (who has an electronic "kill switch"), ensures that speeches and other formalities are limited to 12 minutes in total, regardless of how many speakers there are, so you and your guests won't nod off in your soup. Remember our Annual Ball is a "FUN raising" event, not a Rotary Information Seminar.
 
Chairman of the Annual Ball is once again our old mate and PE2B Elissa "Babushka" Cohen, who can be contacted on telephone 9481 8378.

 
District 3450 Events:
 

Well it looks like the voting structure for the District Election Brouhaha is going to be yet another mess, but we're just waiting for final details from our beloved President before we draw our final conclusions - tune in next week for all the grisly details.
 
In the meantime, here's what's coming up on the District Calendar:
  • District Tennis Tournament, Part 1/2, Sunday 22 February 2004 - details
  • District Tennis Tournament, Part 2/2, Sunday 7 March 2004 - details
 
Rotary International News:
 
 
New:  RI President Jonathan Majiyagbe has chosen Manila as the venue for one of his Presidential Celebrations, which will be held on Saturday 31 January 2004 at the Shangri-La Hotel, Makati, Philippines - details.
 
Update: The RI Council On Legislation meets again in 2004 - download the latest proposals.
 
Repeat: Read the January issue of "The Rotarian" magazine - online.
 

In other RI news:
 
1. Learn about the various Rotary International Programs on the RI website - details.
 
2. Read all about the ongoing plans for the RI Centennial in 2005 - details.

3. Visit the website of Rotary International President Jonathan Majiyagbe - details.
 
4. Read about the 95th Rotary International Convention in Osaka from 23-26 May, 2004 - new website.

 
 
Rotary Information: 
 

The Four Avenues Of Service: The term “Four Avenues of Service” refers to the four elements of the Object of Rotary.

Although the Four Avenues of Service are not found in any formal part of the Consti­tutional documents of Rotary, many Rotarians use this concept to describe the pri­mary areas of Rotary activity.

Club Service involves all of the necessary activities Rotarians perform to make their club function successfully. This includes Attendance, Bulletin, Fellowship, Membership, Program and Rotary Information In KGM, our Director of Club Service is Vice-President Elissa Cohen.

Vocational Service describes the opportunity each Rotarian has to represent the dignity and utility of one’s vocation to the other members of the club, as well as the responsibility of the club to undertake projects related to such areas as career planning, vocational training, and the promotion of high ethi­cal standards in the workplace. In KGM, our Director of Vocational Service is Vincent Lam.

Community Service pertains to those activities that Rotarians undertake to improve the quality of life in their community. It frequently involves assistance to youth, the aged, the disabled, and others who look to Rotary as a source of hope for a better life. In KGM, our Director of Community Service is Miranda Kong.

International Service describes the many programs and activities that Rotarians undertake to advance international understanding, goodwill and peace. International service projects, which includes The Rotary Foundation, are designed to meet humanitarian needs of people in many lands. In KGM, our Director of International Service is David Harilela.

When a Rotarian understands and travels down the four Avenues of Service, the Object of Rotary takes on even greater meaning.
 
 
Geek Speak:
 

Do you regularly travel by commercial airlines? If so, you might like to visit this website before boarding Air Head Airlines to check their safety record.
 
Ever wondered How Stuff Works. Well, don't let me stop you. (Warning: annoying pop-up ads).
 
Need to translate something from a foreign language to English or another language. Try Inter Tran. It's far from perfect, but at least you'll have an idea whether that weird email you received is friendly or not.

Looking for a Shakespearean insult? Go forth, thou cockered hedge-born strumpet.
 
 
Who Am I?
 

What at is the more common name of Egyptian born actor Michael Shalhoub?

Clue: Has a striking resemblance to KGM Member Ashok Kirpalani.
 
The answer appears at the bottom of this issue.
 
 
Golden Smile: 
 

Are you Over The Hill? Take this simple test. Any "Yes" answer means you are indeed Over The Hill:
  • You and your teeth don't sleep together.
  • You try to straighten out the wrinkles in your socks and discover you aren't wearing any.
  • At the breakfast table, you hear snap, crackle, pop and you're not eating cereal.
  • Your back goes out but you stay home.
  • You wake up looking like your driver's license photo.
  • It takes two tries to get up from the couch.
  • When your idea of a night out is sitting on the patio.
  • When happy hour is a nap.
  • When you're on vacation and your energy runs out before your money does.
  • When you say something to your kids that your mother said to you and you always hated it.
  • When all you want for your birthday is to not be reminded of your age.
  • When you step off the curb and look down one more time to make sure the street is still there.
  • Your idea of weight lifting is standing up.
  • It takes longer to rest than it did to get tired.
  • Your memory is shorter and your complaining lasts longer.
  • Your address book has mostly names that start with Dr.
  • You sit in a rocking chair and can't get it going.
  • The pharmacist has become your new best friend.
  • Getting "lucky" means you found your car in the parking lot.
  • The twinkle in your eye is merely a reflection from the sun on your bifocals.
  • It takes twice as long - to look half as good.
  • Everything hurts, and what doesn't hurt, doesn't work.
  • You look for your glasses for half an hour and they were on your head the whole time.
  • You sink your teeth into a steak - and they stay there.
  • You give up all your bad habits and still don't feel good.
  • You have more patience, but it is actually that you just don't care anymore.
  • You finally get your head together and your body starts falling apart.
  • You wonder how you could be over the hill when you don't even remember being on top of it.
  • You read this list all the way to the end, because you suspect you are Over The Hill.
 
Quotable Quotes:

 
"Communism doesn't work because people like to own stuff".

Frank Zappa
 
 
Bumper Sticker Of The Week:
 
 



If you want to save the bumper sticker for use in email or on a website, put your mouse pointer over the top, right-click, and select "Save Picture As".

 
 The Phantom
 
Who Am I answer: Omar Sharif.

If you no longer wish to receive this bulletin each week, unsubscribe. For previous issues of the bulletin (or to view them in their full HTML glory), visit our archives. © 2003 Rotary Club of Kowloon Golden Mile. All rights reserved. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author (who is under heavy medication), and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of any other member of the club.