HIGH GEAR – OCTOBER 13, 2014
 
On the 286th day of the year, some of us gathered for lunch and a really interesting speaker who spoke on technology’s contribution to the continuing and growing issues of old age. Turns out old folks are the fastest growing segment of the population. Uh oh, not good…
President Mary called the meeting to order at 12:15P.  Duffy Offield led the pledge and Rosalie McCloud read the invocation asking for World Peace.  It is
hoped she is not running for Miss America or some such.    Quite honestly, President Mary abused that sweet Ted Kruttschnitt throughout the meeting; he
just took it, smiling benevolently all the while.
 
No visiting Rotarians; really, we were lucky there were any Rotarians at all!  Something must be going on to which we were not privy.  Guest of the club was Christy Nguyen, of California Asset Resort, LLC, San Francisco.
 
President Mary acknowledged October birthdays:
 
     October 3   Stan Moore
                     6   Bruce Farrell
                     9   Dave Carr
                    27  Scott Hartley
 
Happy Unbirthday to all!!!
 
President Mary’s husband John celebrates a birthday tomorrow.  Congratulations to Dennis and Brigitte Zell on a happy 15 years.  Congratulations also to Julius Aires on his new grandson.  Debbie Wong’s daughter got married and President Mary subtly encouraged membership in her President’s Club.  Debbie complied;  cost of a wedding plus the President’s Club. Cold!!!
 
Uh oh…all the folks who haven’t updated their roster listings were fined by the money-grubbing President Mary, including your reporter and many others.
Stan Moore encouraged more golfers for the October 20 tournament benefitting Rotary scholarships.  Here’s a timeline for the fun day:
 
   12:00   Play golf!
     5:00   Cocktails
     6:30   Dinner
 
Jennifer Pence will introduce us to some scholarship recipients and Stan Moore has other surprises planned.  Don’t miss it: you’re paying whether you go or not!
 
Silly Mary Murphy didn’t know what a “mulligan” is.  It’s apparently a second or third marriage.  Good luck with that.
 
Cheryl Fama introduced a tall, attractive, 41-year-old gentleman who talked about technology and old age.  His message is that the worlds of exponential technologies and the unprecedented aging population is colliding.  Aging is more than healthcare.  What he knows about old age is the question; he answered it!
 
Stephen Johnston is a native of the United Kingdom with an MA in Economics from Cambridge University and an MBA from Harvard where he studied as a Fulbright Scholar.
 
Aging 2.0 is a global organization on a mission to improve the lives of older adults around the world.  We’ll drink to that!  Stephen says they are not a non-profit, but they haven’t made any money.  They are part of Generation Ventures Portfolio which has numerous interests, so we won’t worry about Stephen.
 
Stephen shared amazing projects exhibited at the Design Challenge of the Stanford Center on Longevity.  At the center, the aging population is introduced to the technological geniuses, and together innovation occurs.
 
We saw a car you could maneuver your wheelchair into and off you go.  There was a contraption that could provide seating anywhere, anytime for the walking-impaired; don’t ask me.  There were diapers, the condition of which could be read on your iPhone.  Best not to ask about this either.  Then, there were the airbag undies; in case we take a fall, our hips are cushioned.  Hip fractures are one of the most common and most expensive issues of old age.
 
There was a robot of sorts that becomes your best friends.  Lack of sex and loneliness are two main issues for the elderly.  Stephen had no solution for the sex bit, but did offer a friendly robot.  Don’t go there.
 
It was all-in-all a good day; hope you didn’t miss it!
 
GO NINERS!  GO GIANTS! 
 
THANKS FOR DISCOVERING US, COLUMBUS! (Men NEVER ask directions!)