THE END (FOR ME, ANYWAY) of JULY – the 21st at WVRC
Yes, I won’t be here next week, so today ended July – but I’ll have a substitute for the 28th, and you may enjoy the change of pace. Actually, I’ll be in Washington DC with Allie and Will Phelps, my two older grandchildren. I’m hoping to show them some of the history and wonders of our Capitol.
Today started out with the Pledge, led by CLAWSON BLEAK (pronounced BLAKE).
ED GAULD and PP JIM DOWNIE took us through The Battle Hymn of the Republic.
We did have song sheets, distributed beforehand by SANDY SANDERSON – and after the meeting PP JIM told me it was our best rendition, ever! Without going into how bad we must have been before, it does show that song sheets help.
RALPH BEASOM provided the Invocation, preceding it by a brief history of how drug testing is done. Ere you wonder about the connection, RALPH is part of a team of retired physicians who gather periodically to test and evaluate new drugs that are seeking approval to be marketed. A major component of this kind of test is the use of placebos – that is, similar appearing pills to the new drugs, but without any medical content whatever. Placebos must be a major part of all such tests, and even the physicians conducting the tests do not know which are the new drugs and which are placebos. The tests always show that from 10 to 30% of those taking the placebo will have beneficial results! And on the other side of the coin, those who are taking the actual new drug are warned in advance that there may be unfortunate side effects. Sure enough, between 10 and 30 % of those tested report some kind of side effects! RALPH’S point is to demonstrate the almost amazing power of the mind to influence the health of the body.
In his brief prayer, RALPH expressed our gratitude to the Lord for the many opportunities for service which we have, and he asked for guidance in how we think as we proceed to deal with the problems of Rotary in this coming year. And I can’t resist editorializing here – Each of us as individuals and all of us in WVRC should be thankful that we have members like DR RALPH BEASOM who continue to provide thought-provoking questions that we all need to consider. Thank you, RALPH.
PREXY DON had a question afterward – RALPH, how can I tell if my wife is providing a placebo in place of my Viagra…This was the first of several humorous bits during the meeting – the average of which was pretty good.
Our Visiting Rotarian was Mitchell Kraus, from Santa Monica – and he was seated next to me. Mitchell is a Financial Planner, and DON gave him a minor plug, ending with “Welcome to our Club”. SHANE WAARBROEK introduced Ed Wright, who is a Special Guest of NICK KAHRILAS.
NICK couldn’t be with us today, but he somehow prevailed on ED to buy him a Rotary Pin from the assortment of Rotary jewelry I provided in the anteroom! So we made five bucks, by golly – and you have to be impressed by this long-range salesmanship! Speaking of that sale we took in $35.00 today plus replacing some pins what were paid for last week – and it’s all profit!
PP JIM COLLINS was seated next to, and thus introduced, WARREN DODSON, our newest member. PP JIM noted that WARREN’S Vogue Tyre Company was now in its 91st year – and we’ll learn more when WARREN gives his Craft Talk, I’m sure. DON was right there on the spot to hand him his first Rotary Bill! Now, that’s what you have to call a real Rotary Introduction.
SEAN McMILLAN reminded us of the District Breakfast coming up next Tuesday the 26th. The Speaker is Eric Garcetti, a former City Councilman. We have a table for ten, with three seats yet to be filled – so call SEAN, please PP RON LYSTER arrived with tickets for the Hollywood Bowl program on the 31st – but he couldn’t locate PP TOM LENEHEN, PP PETER MORE, PP RUDY ALVAREZ, PP MIKE NEWMAN and PP CHRIS GAYNOR to deliver their tickets – so be sure to get them next week, at the latest. At this very moment, PP CHRIS arrived, and while that is always a welcome event, it was doubly so today since he brought along our speaker! But back to the Hollywood Bowl – we still have tickets at $25 apiece, and it will be a great program, complete with fireworks. Call PP RON.
Some late stats – there are now 72,176 Rotary Clubs worldwide, with over 1,214,000 members in 168 countries. Each time a Rotary Club helps to feed a child, drill a well, or teach a young man to farm, we are demonstrating to the world, “We Care”. And lets not forget what PP BOB WESSLING keeps reminding us – Sad to say, Rotary and all the good we do, is the best kept secret in the world –UGH!.. LENNY FRIEDMAN reports that the WLA/Brentwood Club has now moved to Mimi’s on 26th at San Vicente, should you wish to make up with them. PREXY DON also pointed out that, due to sound fiscal management by an unnamed, but prominent, Rotarian, WVRC had a profit of seven thousand dollars in the year just ended. This led, somehow to his report that he had seen a new car around and about, with the old license plates of Gelati. Knowing when to concede defeat, I arose to defend my purchase, saying that my Olds Alero was known to me as my Olds Anonymous, since it resembled every other small grey car on the road.
So, my new Buick LaCrosse is also grey, and I’m thinking about calling it my Grey Ghost. None of this touching tale got me off the hook, so I ‘volunteered’ fifty clams Toward the Cause, whatever it is…
There ensued some comments about the jokes being bandied about. PREXY DON was so wounded by my even questioning his humor selection that he now presented a stand-in for himself. DAN PRICE came forward and related several incidents revolving around Monsignor Sheridan, his 90-year old Priest in Malibu. First, he reported that the Monsignor thought he spotted Jesus Christ walking toward the Church. Not knowing where else to turn, he called the Pope, asking what he should do. “Look Busy”. Another time, he decided their church needed a chandelier. He announced this need from the pulpit, asking for the congregation to fund this item. The Parish Committee met, and turned him down - first, they couldn’t spell it, second, none of them could play it, and last, what we really need is more light! Last was a tale about the parish housekeeper, who was a tough lady. The Monsignor finally slipped away to a retreat called by the Cardinal, the subject being, Does your parish housekeeper have too much power? When he returned from the meeting, she greeted him at the door, and her first words were, “That’s the last retreat you’ll be going to”. PREXY DON completed this little exercise by telling abut a sixteen-year old boy who returned some from his paper route driving a new Porsche. His mother questioned where he got it, and he said the lady down the street sold it to him for fifteen dollars. So his dad went down to talk to the lady, who noted that her husband had just left her – and asked her to sell his Porsche and send him the money. Yet, this reappraisal may yet lead somewhere…
PP CHRIS GAYNOR introduced our Speaker, Dr Charles Blum. He is a Chiropractor, and his subject was “Oh, My Aching Back”. Charles is President of the Sacro Occipital Technique Organization, is a Guest Lecturer before many professional groups, and received the Researcher of the Year Award from the Sacro Occipital Research Society International. PP CHRIS has known him – and been a patient – for twenty five years.
Dr. Blum had a very well researched Power Point presentation of his entire subject. However, he had so many subjects and points to make that he took the entire thirty minutes with the presentation, leaving almost no time for Q&A. Chiropractic began in 1895, first codified by a Magnetic Healer named Palmer. He found that certain areas of the back could be relaxed by manipulation. Their training today is somewhat similar to medical school, with emphasis on radiology and diagnosis, whereas medical students are also trained in chemistry and pharmaceutical subjects. Chiropractors are not trained in hospital settings, unlike physicians.
The major area of treatment they provide is with back and neck pain. There are two general methods of treatment, one more gradual than the other – and both can work. Neck pain can be relieved, and headaches are also treated. Studies have shown that chiropractic treatment can be safer than prolonged use of the common pain relievers sold today – Tylenol, Advil, aspirin, etc. Surgery is also commonly recommended as treatment, and the alternative of chiropractic can be much more successful. The Rick/Benefit equation comes into play here – Does the treatment have some risk, does it offer a benefit, and is the benefit worth the risk.
Why do some people have pain, and others, doing the same things, do not. There is a physiological basis for these differences, and each person is, of course, different. Stress is a factor here, both stress as you move your body, and the stress of everyday living.
What is the spine? It starts at the bottom of the head, with seven cervical vertebra, twelve thoracic (each connected to a rib), five lumbar vertebra, and ends with the tailbone The Spinal Cord runs the length of it, and houses the many discs that allow bending and other functions.
Who do you go to if you have a back problem? It’s a tough decision, but chiropractic should be considered early on, since it may have quick, and favorable results. Dr. Charles Blum, thank you for your informative talk today.
