Highton News 8th February 2015 (Feb 09, 2015)

Stories

From President Ian

Posted by Ian Campbell

Our annual lawn bowls challenge against the Rotary Club of Belmont occurred last Thursday.

It was a great opportunity to renew acquaintances with the Belmont crew and enjoy some fellowship.

The cement bowling club put on a tasty meal and this was followed up by the bowling ‘clash’.

Our teams put up a valiant fight for the perpetual trophy however we went down to Belmont and they retained the trophy.

As Marie Louise played for Belmont, there was speculation that she was ‘the secret weapon’ that made the difference !

But my view is that we lost because our bowling skill let us down!! How could that be? In my case, I have only just discovered that bowls have a bias !!

It was a great night and lots of fun.

I attach photos of our crack teams showing their style !

Regards,
Ian C

Editor's turn

Posted by Paul Brewster

We've just enjoyed a game of bowls against RC Belmont. Maybe the result wasn't so enjoyable, but then it's the participation which counts (or so the losing team usually says !!)

What do we know about bowls.

If your mind's like mine it immediately jumps to Sir Francis Drake. On July 19, 1588, Drake was involved in a game at Plymouth when he was notified that the Spanish Armada had been sighted. The tale says his response was, "There is plenty of time to win the game and thrash the Spaniards too."

But bowls in many forms existed a long time before that. Bowls historians believe that the game developed from the Egyptians. One of their pastimes was to play skittles with round stones. This has been determined based on artifacts found in tombs dating circa 5,000 B.C. The sport spread across the world and took a variety of forms, Bocce (Italian), Bolla (Saxon), Bolle (Danish), Boules (French) and Ula Miaka (Polynesian). The sport of lawn bowls is the forerunner of curling, a tremendously popular winter version played in northern countries (including Canada) on ice.

The oldest lawn bowls site still played on is in Southampton, England. Records show that the green has been in operation since 1299 A.D. It's believed that the "bias" was introduced inadvertently in 1522 by the Duke of Suffolk. Apparently his bowl split in two after striking other bowls and he took a knob off of a stairway banister post for a replacement. The flat side of the knob caused it to roll with a bias and he experimented by curving his bowl around others. The word spread and bias bowls gradually came into use.

So bowls in its various configurations is played in most countries of the world. Skittles, Lawn Bowls, Indoor bowls, ten-pin bowling and all the variations noted above are all derived from the same humble beginnings. It is even said that in the case of lawn bowls, "most bowls and bowling equipment comes from Australia where the sport is very popular."

Wouldn't it be great if it could be said that Rotary with its humble beginnings and having spread through most of the world just like bowls, nowadays "comes from Australia where the organisation is very popular". Is that a realistic aim ? With our population compared with other countries, probably not. But like Sir Francis, if we complete our Rotary duties first we will have plenty of time to go out and defeat the enemy - maybe even "light up Rotary" compared with the rest of the world.

(These comments are made with a little "tongue in cheek" but it seemed appropriate to have a bowls theme in this newsletter)

That was the week that was.

Posted by Paul Brewster

Days for Girls

Posted by pauline

Polio this week

Posted by Paul Brewster

Polio this week as of 4 February 2015
Over 6 months have passed since the most recent case of wild poliovirus (WPV) type 1 had onset of paralysis in Nigeria. However, at least 12 months must pass without detection of WPV, in the presence of certification quality surveillance, before Nigeria would be considered as having stopped transmission of WPV. Polio-free certification of Nigeria (and the entire WHO African region) would follow only after 3 years with high quality surveillance have passed without identifying WPV. Intensified efforts are ongoing in the country not just to eradicate WPV, but also to urgently stop the circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 outbreak which continues to affect the country.

Ministers of Health, health leaders and experts from around the world convened in Geneva last week at WHO’s Executive Board meeting to set global public health policies. Participants were encouraged by progress towards a polio free world yet warned that as long as the disease remains anywhere, children everywhere are at risk.

Wild poliovirus type 1 and Circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus cases

Total cases	Year-to-date 2015		Year-to-date 2014		Total in 2014
Total cases	WPV	cVDPV	WPV	cVDPV	WPV	cVDPV
Globally	6	0	8	1	358	53
- in endemic countries	6	0	8	1	339	50
- in non-endemic countries	0	0	0	0	19	3

The next 3 weeks

Posted by Paul Brewster

12th February Club Meeting - Directors reports

Chair Ian Campbell

Welcome and Property Graham Blood & Terri Bosna

19th February Jonathon Clarke ...... Food Bank

Chair Brenton Rudd

Welcome and Property Paul Brewster & Pam Carroll

26th February Lisa Couper..........Karingal - Duoro Street - Visit and Meeting

Chair Mark Seller

Welcome and Property Anne Cox & Ray Dunn

Inspirational Quotes

Posted by Paul Brewster

Good, the more communicated, more abundant grows. - John Milton, 1608-1674

Experience is a safe light to walk by, and he is not a rash man who expects to succeed in future from the same means which have secured it in times past. - Wendell Phillips, 1811-1884

Our destiny changes with our thoughts; we shall become what we wish to become, do what we wish to do, when our habitual thoughts correspond with our desires. - Orison Swett Marden, 1850-1924

Humour ?

Posted by Paul Brewster

A pub in Cork .

A group of American tourists came in.

One of the Americans said, in a loud voice, "I hear you Irish think your great drinkers. I bet 5,000 euros that no-one here can drink 30 pints of Guinness in 30 minutes."

The bar was silent, the American noticed one Irishman leaving, no-one took up the bet.

40 minutes later the Irishman who left returned and said "Hey Yank, is your wee bet still on?"

"Sure" said the American, "30 pints in 30 minutes for a bet of 5,000 euros."

"Grand, " replied the Irishman, "so pour the pints and start the clock."

It was very close but the last drop was consumed with 2 seconds to spare.

"OK Yank, pay up." said the Irishman..

"I'm happy to pay, here's your money" said the American.

"But tell me, when I first offered the wager I saw you leave. Where did you go?'

The Irishman replied, "Well sir, 5,000 euros is a lot of money to a man like me, so I went to the pub across the road to see if I could do it."

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A man went to the Police Station wishing to speak with the burglar who had broken into his house the night before.

"You'll get your chance in court." said the Desk Sergeant.

"No, no no!" said the man. "I want to know how he got into the house without waking my wife. I've been trying to do that for years!"

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Saint Peter is sitting at the Pearly Gates when two guys wearing dark hoodies, and sagging pants, arrive.

St. Peter looked out through the Gates and said,"Wait here - I'll be right back."

St. Peter goes over to God's chambers and tells him who is waiting for entrance.

God says to Peter: "How many times do I have to tell you that you can't be judgmental here.

This is heaven. All are loved. All are brothers. Go back and let them in!"

St. Peter goes back to the Gates, looks around, and lets out a heavy sigh.

He returns to God's chambers and says " Well, they're gone."

"The guys wearing hoodies?" asked God. "No. The Pearly Gates."