The Power of Mathematics

A really funny cartoon from the book Cosmic Verses: A humorous Rhyming History of the Universe by James Muirden.

Spectacle Bank!

Here's a humourous anecdote from Dr. Babu Rajendran's speech. Its typically Babu with his laconic delivery makes the punch line even more funnier. Babu clearly demonstrates that you are funniest when you seem very serious.

Even the Ladies enjoyed albeit with furitive

glances at each other to test the propriety of their enjoyment. Toastmasters aspiring to become humorous speakers should listen to Dr. Babu's speeches and pick up the style.

Here's the story!

In the early stages of the Rotary Club of Madras Southwest when Dr. BV was the charter President and Babu had just joined Rotary, BV came to Babu and asked him to suggest a good project. Babu came up almost immediately with a brainwave and said, 'sir, let's open a spectacle bank.' BV appeared to be puzzled and shook his head and asked,'How will you collect them?' Babu replied in his usual resourceful tone that they could ask volunteers from the Rotaract i.e. youngsters in college who could go aroud and collect them from the Rotarians. Babu also volunteeredd to clean the spectacles disinfect them and fit them on again to deserving recipients. BV did not reply but went away to the buffet table, filled up his plate and came back and said, 'Dr. Babu I don't understand what you are saying about this bank of yours. How will these youngsters collect the...what was it you are going to collect...?'

Dr. Babu says, "spectacles, sir."

BV now sighs in relief and says, "Oh..spectacles is it...I thought you said Testicles."

There was uncontrolled laughter in the hall after this.

What is Rotary

Dr. Babu Rajendran, a senior Rotarian and reputed ophthalmologist spoke today at my Rotary club on Rotary. The speech supported by a dynamic PowerPoint presentation was truly Edutainment. The audience consisting of the members of the Rotary Club of Madras Southwest (My Club) and the Rotary Club of Madras Silver Beach were received a treat of wonderful and humorous anecdotes with inputs on what Rotary means and what it means to be a Rotarian.

Doc Babu gave a detailed expolanation of the Rotary Wheel and its symbolism. He took the 24 teeth on the Rotary Wheel and compared it to the 24 hours and the 7 white spaces (six between the spokes and one at the Center) represent the seven days of the week thus signifying that Rotaery is functioning 24x7 across the globe! Babu went on to say that the Sun never sets on Rotary because at any given minute Rotarianss are doing something somewhere across the globe to further worthy causes amongst their communities. It was almost like a Masonic portion inside theLodge Temple. If only Rotar

ians could bring the seriousness that Masons do for Masonry, Rotary with its International spread can work wonders and be an engine for communitryt relief anmd social change.

He associated a word beginning with P for every teeth on the Rotary Wheel. They are:

1. Paul Harris, The Founder of Rotary
2. Purpose
3. Participation
4. Performance
5. Periodical (Bulletin)
6. Program
7. Punctuality
8. Publish
9. Publicity--Or else how will people come to know about the good work done?
10. Public Relations
11. Promote--Rotary
12. Provide
13. Pin--Babu stressed the need for wearing the Pin always. One lesson I took home today.
14. Polio Plus
15. Praise
16. Polite
17. Protocol
18. Procedure
19. Past--should be respected by recognizing the Past Presidents and Charter Members
20. Partner--To be involved
21. Party--Necessary to maintain the buzz. After all Paul Harris conceived Rotary as a group of people meeting regularly to do good to society.
22. Profession -- Our Vocation is the reason we are in Rotary
23. Persistence
24. People--In Rotary and Outside, People matter.

1. 
   

Tsunami Warning

Here is factoid from Hugh Penrie Williams session;

In Indonesia there is a tribe of Fisherfolk who claim that their Elders have always advised them to immediately run and t ake refuge in the hills if the Sea ever goes back for a long distance.

Another Plum:

Don't participate in the Rattle Sanke Kissing Contest because the Prize is $25 000. You might win it Posthumously!

:-)