After a few big weeks for Surfers Sunrise it’s time to start to think about planning our events and fundraising for the months leading into Christmas. I look forward to updating you all on the Lutzy Award, Golf Day, Gold Coast Small Business Expo, Bunnings Sausage Sizzle, the Project Shed Celebration and a Fund Raising Lunch over the coming weeks as the plans develop. As you can see there is a lot coming up so it will be all hands on deck to ensure all goes well and the club achieves our fundraising goals.
The District won’t be doing large training sessions this year. We will instead be doing these as part of ‘Cluster 7’ which is made up of the Rotary Clubs of Surfers Sunrise, Gold Coast, Broadbeach, Southport Broadwater, Mermaid Beach, Parkwood & Runaway Bay. Our first ‘Cluster Muster’ will be on this Sunday August 2nd at the Quality Hotel, Mermaid Waters and is open to all members with registration starting at 9.30am and the meeting running from 10am until 2.30pm. Franz will post further details and the invitation shortly. [To be sent to all members. Check your Inbox in about 30 minutes... Ed.]
Wednesday 5th of August we have our State Member for Surfers Paradise John Paul Langbroek speaking at our formal meeting – I encourage you all to bring a guest and have a listen to what he says with the Queensland Election only a few months away. This week though we are back at Surfers Paradise Surf Club for a social meeting from 7.15am. See you there.
This coming Wednesday we'll have a social meeting at the Surfers Paradise Surf Club, Cnr Esplanade & Hanlan Street, Surfers Paradise (downstairs). See you there!
Ray Krebs’ official title is ‘Community Ambassador’. [Yes, it is, but nowhere near as much as what Microsoft calls a product specialist who is employed to spread their word: they are called ‘Evangelist’…☺ Ed.] Ray joined us via Zoom from Brisbane. He started off by giving us a brief introduction: NBNCo is a wholesaler, meaning they only do business with Phone and Internet Providers. It is owned by the Federal Government. Ultimately, the National Broadband Network will replace most of the existing landline based phone as well as internet services.
Ray outlined the various ways to connect (fixed line, WiFi, Mobile Internet - e.g. a “dongle”). Did you know that in Australia the average household consumes about 258 GB of data per month? Viewing habits have changed – real time video streaming directly to your Smart TV now dominates as the No 1 data consumption. And it doesn’t look like it’s going to slow down anytime soon: between 2012 and 2019 consumption has increased by 820%! Anything else you can connect? Yes, you can have Smart Power Points, Smart Light Globes, Smart Fridges, Security Cameras, Watering Systems, temperature controlled toilet seats which also will
automatically play your favourite music for the occasion. You can have Pet Doors which will only let your own pet inside. The latter automatically monitors its temperature, so you know that your poor little moggie has a fever. You can even connect your toothbrush… ["Yes mum, I did so brush my teeth – see, it’s wet!" won’t work anymore – it’s directly connected to mum’s Smart Phone! George Orwell says "I told you so!"]
The most important segment (in your Editor’s view) was Ray’s outline of Security. The recent brouhaha about top level, “state sponsored” hackers brought the issue to the front pages. But it is not just government or major companies that get hacked. You are just as likely to pick up some Randomware. That is the name given to malware which, once it has managed to reach your computer, will lock all its contents (using Encryption), and they will only release it once you have paid a ransom, usually in Bitcoins and thus totally untraceable. The subject is too broad to do justice on this write up. But you can get yourself organised easily: Click on this link to access the Federal Government’s ‘Scamwatch’ website, where you can also subscribe to News and Alerts. And most important: if you do anything sensitive on the Internet, such as banking, ordering goods where
you enter personal information or credit card details, always check that the site is secure: in the address bar, it must have a padlock symbol (see picture right). You can click on it to check that it is valid. NEVER do sensitive work on a public WiFi, such as a McDonalds, club etc. Use your mobile phone’s ‘Hotspot’ feature instead.
It is always a great pleasure to have a speaker who is not only very competent on his subject but can present it in a way that can easily be understood by everyone. A sincere ‘Thank You!’, Ray, for enrichung our knowledge! The Zoom meeting was recorded and will remain available until 4th August. If you would like a link and the password to access it, please advise me. You can also address questions directly to Ray via email to raykrebs@nbnco.com.au
Don Ferguson is affectionately known as ‘Mr Perfection’, they say. Well, I can confirm that Don’s coffee making skills are right up there. He is the man who organises morning tea for some 20 – 30 people and makes sure that we have the highest hygiene standard. And he’s been doing this for some 5 years now, having been invited by Daryl Sanderson to join the group.
But of course, morning tea is only the job which, for 20 minutes or so, puts him to the forefront of everybody’s mind. As a former Army Vehicle Engineer, he feels right at home in the mechanical section of our Project Shed, dismantling bikes, refurbishing those which are suitable for that purpose.
“Being a volunteer gives me great satisfaction”, Don said. “We have a great group of blokes here and I look forward to being here every Saturday morning” [And yes, Don, the welfare of the group entirely depends on you being there mid-morning! ☺ Ed.]
Married to his wife Gaynor “for 50+ years” ( typical male, he doesn't know how long he has been married) they live in Biggara Waters. They have two adult daughters and 3 granddaughters.
Born in Rotorua, New Zealand some 78 years ago, Don joined the military at the age of 16. He worked his way up to become an A grade Auto Electrician. The highlight of his career? “We had a 2-year stint securing Singapore in 1969-71, being part of the Australian New Zealand Commonwealth Brigade when the British withdrew in 1971” he said. He retired in 1981, bought a Convenience Store, but after 9 years was back in the Army, working as a civilian officer, looking after the vehicle fleet.
Don not only looks fit, he is fit: he relaxes by by distance running in the Summer and cross country in the winter. [“Relaxes”?? Groan…!”] But it’s not all hard work: “I enjoy a good beer or a fine red” he said, “perhaps while watching a game of Rugby Union (All Blacks of course) and the Crusaders. Or I listen to Country & Western, or watch a Clint Eastwood movie. Might even squeeze in another cruise…”
Paul Seymour was at the door, Franz Huber was Chairman (for Al Sirovs) and Ian Mayberry was Sergeant. We had apologies from Adrian Crowe, Peter Morgan, Geoff Croad, Mario Fairlie, Karen Holland, Ashleigh Symes and Ben Illes.
President Charles Thomasson welcomed all members and visitors Anne O’Connor, Briana Dorrough and her father Michael. Briana is our candidate for the National Youth Science Forum (NYSF). This event, staged for young aspiring Scientists at CSIRO in Canberra is always very heavily competed for. We are awaiting a decision on whether she will be successful.
After our Guest Speaker Ray Krebs from NBNCo (see article above), President Charles briefly elaborated on upcoming events and fundraisers: GC Small Business Expo, the Golf Day (October), potentially another fundraiser in November and the Christmas Party in December.
The SLSC has advised that they will open the doors now at 06:30 am, so if you get there early, you can get your meal ordered well in time. Franz Huber advised that we have committed a number of speakers over the next few months, among which are John Paul Langbroek. Please check the Events section in our Bulletin, on the Website as well as on our Facebook page for details. We still can do with a few more though! Treasurer Doug Lipp advised that you can now pre-pay the $10 meeting fees: $100 for all fees to the end of December, pay another $100 for the following six months. Refer email sent to all members.
Ray Higgs advised that the Lutzy Award will proceed – half of the cost is sponsored by the club, half by Mario Fairlie. Ray is liaising with the Surf Club and a date will be advised. Ray also foreshadowed our Guest Speaker on 2nd September, an International Rotary Peace Fellowship candidate.
Mitch Brown regaled us with a story which came through on ABC News this morning: The Rotary Club of Stawell (Victoria), which has only 8 members, have appointed the youngest ever President, Taia Hayter: She is only 18 years old! Now, that would have an effect on the average age of that club!
Sergeant Ian Mayberry fired off a broadside: Franz’s technology failure took second place to an error in the annual Changeover Report, Ian being demoted to Deputy Sergeant… [Fake News!! – re-check it! Never mind, never let facts get in the way of a good story... ☺ Ed.]Simon Brook was reminded of his mishap a few years back when he forgot to invite Andy Bell to be included in the presentation of his new board… Well, guess what: Charles Thomasson can expect a regular fine for the rest of the year for the same misdemeanour… Graeme Isaacson will find out another day as he left early… Richard Smith had a whinge because Franz didn’t pick him up this morning. Never mind that he never communicated this to Franz… John Chirio made a new workbench at the shed, but only 3 legs touch the ground… – not a good look for an Engineer! Ann O’Connor, just because we can… Al Sirovs chickened out of being Chairman because he didn’t know what to do… Mitch Brown for claiming he is over 50… Col Laurenson: how to listen to the Rotary Conference from start to finish… And a general fine for everyone in the room who doesn’t know who originally donated the Rotarian of the Year trophy (for those of you who don’t know: it was Reg Nichols).
Duty Roster - note: subject to change - please check every week. Note: Fellowship duty also is expected to be at the Project Shed on the Saturday following the meeting
Briana Dorrough (see 'Snippets of last week' above) wants to get to the National Youth Science Forum. Bet she knows exactly what this image is all about!
Instead of a swear jar, I have a negativity jar. Every time I have pessimistic thoughts, I put a dollar in. It’s currently half empty.
Andy's post of the week:
"I hate it when people act all intellectual and talk about Mozart when they haven't even seen one of his paintings!"
Gerald's post of the week:
"I think I'm being grounded for everything I did when I was a teenager!"
It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his job depends on not understanding it. Upton Sinclair, 'I, Candidate for Governor: and How I Got Licked.'
Diesel Services Queensland and AB Crane Hire recently provided a truck and a huge mobile crane at no charge to lift a 40' container into our Project Shed area at Arundel. Thank you! Click on the links to go to their website.
This coming Wednesday we'll have a social meeting at the Surfers Paradise Surf Club, Cnr Esplanade & Hanlan Street, Surfers Paradise (downstairs). See you there!
Ray Krebs’ official title is ‘Community Ambassador’.
you enter personal information or credit card details, always check that the site is secure: in the address bar, it must have a padlock symbol (see picture right). You can click on it to check that it is valid. NEVER do sensitive work on a public WiFi, such as a McDonalds, club etc. Use your mobile phone’s ‘Hotspot’ feature instead.
Sergeant Ian Mayberry fired off a broadside: Franz’s technology failure took second place to an error in the annual Changeover Report, Ian being demoted to Deputy Sergeant… 
