PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

On a personal note, the month of March 2008 has been a hectic Rotary traveling month visiting sister-clubs in Thailand, Taiwan and India. My discovery journey started on Thursday 6th March 2008 visiting the RC of Bangkok South in Thailand. I was accompanied by our International Service Director, John Suermondt.

RC of Bangkok South is somewhat International in nature. Their total membership of 121 members comprises of 19 nationalities I was told. And what a bunch of fun guys!

On the evening we landed in Bangkok, we attended the PHF/Luangsit/Water Fellows Dinner at the Grand Hyatt. This is an annual event and the objective is to recognize those members/others who have become PHF/ Luangsit/Water Fellows during the year. On this night too, they invested Service Pins to long serving members of the Club. The guest speaker was the former Welsh Rugby Union captain whose language would even make ‘a lady of the night’ blush. The drinks were free flowing, the dinner was exquisite and the camaderie was something that you would yearn for more. In such a congenial environment, one would be least surprised when the night extended into the wee hours of the morning.

The next day, Friday 7th March 2008, we attended their Club Assembly cum Regular Luncheon Meeting. President Graham Brain called the meeting to order at 11.00a.m. Detailed Reports were delivered by the President Elect, Secretary, Treasurer and the various Directors (Administration, Communication, Rotary Foundation, Service and Fund Raising). Even the Sergeant-at-Arms delivered his report.

Another unique feature of this Club is after their weekly Friday meeting, a number of their members adjourn to a local bar to ‘unwind’ and continue the fellowship.

I had to return on Friday night to be on time to cast my vote for Saturday’s General Elections. However, John stayed on for Golf, R & R, etc.

Next week will be my experiences in Taiwan and India.

The proposal that public universities pick their own students has brought about confusion. The reason is not clear. Is this to tap the best-academically inclined students? Or is it to develop the image of a top-notch university?

Public universities should get down to the traditional practice of good teaching and quality research. When the high standards in teaching and research are achieved, they will obviously and automatically attract high-calibre students. Towards this, students should apply directly to the university of their choice. The centralized system is then no longer valid. In this era, there are choices for tertiary education. When fewer and fewer students apply for places in a particular public university, it does tell a lot about its teaching and academic standards. And the whole system in recruiting academic staff needs to be evaluated.

When a student spends 3 or 4 years in a university, it is only fair and right that he learns something useful that can prepare him to the challenges of the outside world. Give the student a chance instead of putting him in an academic institution that he is not proud of.

Attendance Make-up events/activities 

The Board at its recent meeting has declared effective immediately the following event/activities of the Club as attendance make-up events & activities namely:

1. Golden Child Project on 8 May 08 at Sunway Lagoon
2. Super Camp (Interactors) from 24-27 May 08 at Trolak
3. CLE (Concentrated Language Encounter)

Resulting from the above declaration attendance at any of the above events and activities qualifies as a make-up for absence from a weekly meeting, if it is within two weeks before or after the said weekly meeting. It is nevertheless the duty of an attendee who wishes to claim a make-up to notify the attendance chairman accordingly.

NOTICE TO ALL MEMBERS 1 March 2008

ATTENDANCE – NOTICE OF MAKE-UP

For clarification to all members and for ease of reference, the attention of all members is drawn to the provisions of the Club Constitution relating to make-up for non-attendance at weekly meetings of the Club:

"Article VII Section 2 : Notice of Make-up. In the cases set out in sub-section (a)(ii) & (a)(iii) or section (b) of section 1 of this Article, the member shall only be counted as being in attendance if notice of the fact is given by the member personally to the club. In cases set out in sub-paragraphs (a)(i) and (iv), such notice may be given by the member personally or by the secretary of the club visited."

(Section 1 of Article VII sets out the various opportunities for make-up)

INTERPRETATION

1. It is the duty of the absent member to notify the Club (viz. Attendance Chairman or the Secretary). It is NOT the duty of the Attendance Chairman or the Secretary to chase an absent member for make-ups. No notice received by the Club means no make-up.

2. To constitute a valid make-up, the notice must contain the (i) name of the event claimed to be a make-up, (ii) date of that event and (iii) the date of the missed weekly meeting.. These particulars are to determine whether there is a valid make-up. If either (i) or (ii) is not given, there is no valid makeup. If (iii) is not given, but (i) & (ii) are given, it will be assigned to the missed meeting nearest to the make-up date. The prior practice of the absent member just writing “make-up” in the attendance book will no longer be acceptable. Notice (in writing or verbally) given by an absent member stating MERELY that he has made-up for any missed meeting or for any period of time is not valid notice and hence not a valid make-up.

3. To avoid disputes, the notice must be in writing, which can be by letter (typed or hand written), faxed to or by post or by eMail given or sent to the Attendance Chairman or Secretary.

4. The 2 week rule applies for make-ups, meaning it is a valid make-up if it is within 2 weeks before or after the missed meeting. If the absent member is out of the country for more than 2 weeks, this rule is waived as long as the make-up is done out of the country and during the absence out of the country.

(Note: An absent member is one who has not physically attended one or more of the club’s weekly meetings.)

Liew Shou Kong
Hon. Secretary RCPJ

Quotable Quotes by Famous Women and Men

Women might be able to fake orgasms. But men can fake whole relationships."
-- Sharon Stone

“Women complain about pre-menstrual syndrome, but I think of it as the only time of the month that I can be myself."
-- Roseanne

"Women need a reason to have sex. Men just need a place."
-- Billy Crystal

"My girlfriend always laughs during sex - no matter what she's reading."
-- Steve Jobs (Founder: Apple Computers)

"Hockey is a sport for white men. Basketball is a sport for black men. Golf is a sport for white men dressed like black pimps."
-- Tiger Woods

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch."
-- Jack Nicholson

"Clinton lied. A man might forget where he parks or where he lives, but he never forgets oral sex, no matter how bad it is."
-- Barbara Bush (Former US First Lady)

"Ah, yes, divorce, from the Latin word meaning to rip out a man's genitals through his wallet."
-- Robin Williams

"See, the problem is that God gives men a brain and a penis, and only enough blood to run one at a time."
-- Robin Williams

"Instead of getting married again, I'm going to find a woman I don't like and just give her a house."
-- Rod Stewart

"There's a new medical crisis. Doctors are reporting that many men are having allergic reactions to latex condoms. They say they cause severe swelling. So what's the problem?"
-- Dustin Hoffman

"According to a new survey, women say they feel more comfortable undressing in front of men than they do undressing in front of other women. They say that women are too judgmental, where, of course, men are just grateful."
-- Robert De Niro