FogHorn August 3, 2017  -  Vasusen Patil  Online Learning and AI

Posted by Editor: FDBobko
________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
The FOGHORN 
ROTARY CLUB OF HALF MOON BAY
August 3 , 2017
   Vasusen Patil: Online Learning and AI
 
 
Article by   Dwight Wilson
Photos by  Elizabeth Schuck
 
Guest Speaker is Vasusen Patil.  The following are the highlights of his talk:
  • The theme of today’s talk was machine and cultural learning and the change to continual learning.
  • It has become easier to educate oneself.
  • Online learning is growing very quickly, which he feels will have a major impact on overall education.
  • Machine learning, especially with repetitive events, has made significant progress.
  • Each computer now learns from repetition of similar events.
  • It is much like how a 2 or 3-year old learns. They take on repetitive events and finally learn to make sense of these events.
  • This is how computers have been able to manage color images as it is doing today.
  • Large companies such as Google use this technology.
  • Other examples include self-driving cars in which their technology learns from previous use.
  • Newspapers and sports announcing are other examples of the use of this technology.
  • Games of Thrones is an example where this model does not work as well.
  • NPR did a program a couple of years ago speculating on which jobs were identified as vulnerable to this technology; and they come up with truck drivers but not marriage counselors.
  • The good news in all of this is that computers are not even close to becoming independent thinkers.
AUGUST 3, 2017 Meeting Recap
 
Article by   Mary Rogren
Photos by  Elizabeth Schuck
 
                               
 
President for a Day:   Dave Andrews, Past President, presided over the meeting in Warren Barmore’s absence (since he’s cruising the Med . . .)
 
Greeters:  Past President Susan Kealey and Brian Lee
Pledge of Allegiance:  Steve Wilson 
Inspirational Thought: Brian Lee offered words of inspiration from:
  • Deepak Chopra – The less you open your heart to others, the more your heart suffers.
  • Mac Anderson – Great leadership usually starts with a willing heart, a positive attitude, and a desire to make a difference.
Visitors and Guests 
Ralph Ely brought his son and business partner, Brian Ely.
Irwin Cohen brought his wife Nancy and Anne McCormick, co-founder and CEO of Reader Rabbit.
Charise McHugh introduced Armando Corrillo, his mother, and girlfriend, Lindsay.  (Armando is our Rotary scholarship recipient – see more below!)
Steve Wilson introduced Jamie Weintraub, Executive Director of Main Street Scholars.
Mitone Griffiths brought her daughter, Aila.
Liz introduced Nancy Klein  (with California Mentor Family Home Agency.)
John Evans brought his wife, Larkin and Julia Sulzinger, a relative of the Evans.  Julia Sulzinger (age 19), recently returned from Denmark and Budapest where she visited Fie, our exchange student from a couple years ago.   (Julia’s family hosted Fie.)  Julia related that Fie graduated from high school this year and will be attending the university in the fall.  She also noted that she gets paid by the Denmark government to go to school (besides her university education being “free”.)
 
            
Announcements
Steve Wilson introduced Quinn Eibert, a high school senior at Half Moon Bay High School.
                                
 
Quinn is the Editor-in-Chief of the Paw Print, – the Half Moon Bay High School newspaper monthly in the in the Half Moon Bay Review.   He is also President of the Journalism Club and recently received an award for Outstand Achievement in Journalism.  
 
Quinn relayed to our club that the Paw Print lost its funding from the School District this year.  The District had already eliminated Journalism as a class in recent years, and Quinn and his classmates have kept the paper going.   Quinn noted that Clay Lambert, Bill Murray and the HMB Review have been extremely supportive of keeping the paper going, but the Paw Print needs funding.  Quinn is looking for business sponsors for the Paw Print as well as donations.  (Note that the Paw Print needs apox. $1,000 a month to cover costs to publish a monthly insert in the HMB Review.)
  
Quinn noted that the Paw Print has helped many students learn how to write effectively, and has also inspired students to read about their own school’s current events.   In addition, the Paw Print has been a significant voice of HMB sports for the HMB Review, given Mark Foyer’s tragic illness and absence.  Quinn’s goal is to make everyone proud of the Paw Print, and to give back to the community.    Paul Wrubel commented that the Paw Print is one of the best school papers he’s seen in his educational career and encourages our support.
 
Interested businesses/donors should contact Bill Murray at the Half Moon Bay Review at bill@hmbreview.com.   Please copy quinneibert@att.net.
 
Mitone Griffiths has committed to put together a picture roster of our club for our new exchange students.   (This past year’s exchange student, Caroline recommended having a picture roster that would help students connect names with faces.)    If you didn’t attend Thursday’s meeting, please send Mitone a picture!  
 
Renee Lewis shared that Rotary will not have a meeting on Thursday, August 17, but rather we will be having a joint picnic with the Pacifica Rotary Club on Saturday, August 19 from 12-2 at Rockaway Beach.   This event also recognizes our joint support of Shelter Box.   RSVP to Renee with guest count by August 12th.    ($15 each – adult; $5 – child.)
                  
 
Rusty/Shana Reilly-Pond noted that our club will be conducting quarterly beach clean-ups this year In lieu of the Carter Park clean-ups.  Stay tuned for upcoming dates!
 
Rotary District 5150 will be holding its “5150 Foundation Learning & Development Seminar” on August 12 from 8:30-12:30 at the Bay Model Visitor Center, 2100 Bridgeway, Sausalito.   All are welcome!
 
______________________________________
 
Happy/Not So Happy Newssmileysad
                                              
Liz Schuck had an amazing honor, yet sad message to deliver this week . .. . to say goodbye to Eric and Susan Shapira who are moving to Southern California!!!   Liz presented both Eric and Susan with Certificates of Appreciation from the Half Moon Bay Rotary Club!
 
Liz then bestowed a Lifetime Honorary Membership to the Half Moon Bay Club to Eric Shapira!
 
Eric started in the Half Moon Bay club in 1977 – 40 years ago!   He was sponsored by Bob Rathborne.
Eric was President in 1980-81.   He served in many other positions and within the HMB club and the District, including Assistant Governor, and then District Governor in 2004-2005, the Centennial year of Rotary.     Other accomplishments include:
  • Received 3H Rotary grant in 1989 to do volunteer dentistry in Vietnamese boat peoples camps at the same time as Tiananmen Square incident.   He was sent to Jamaica instead after Hurricane Gilbert to provide medical and dental assistance.
  • Added two clubs to our District.
  • Club Youth Exchange Chair and Club International Chair.
  • Area Representative for Governor Norm Lawrence who managed the GG Bridge in the early 1990’s
  • Ran the entertainment and speakers for Dave Cresson’s governor year in 1997; the Foundation event for Governor Peter Lagarias and the Conference for Greg Molloy when he was governor
  • Raised over $1 million dollars for the foundation and raised $350,000 for rebuilding a village in Sri Lanka for 3000 displaced people.
  • Took 40 solar powered water purification filtration systems to India.
  • Taught for four years in the PRLS and Master PRLS classes in communication.
  • Made 6 humanitarian trips for the club to Ecuador.
  • Made Rotoplast trip to Bolivia doing cleft lip and palate surgeries
  • Led a GSE team to Chile in 2006; went back twice for humanitarian projects
  • Went to Ensenada for a wheelchair giveaway
  • Went to a District Conference in Chiappas, Mexico at the request of the District Governor to give a speech and helped our club donate a fire truck there
  • Went to Guatemala on a microcredit project for our District
  • Sent an EKG machine to Ecuador and worked in a children’s clinic and eye clinic that the Lion’s Club sponsored
  • Received Rotary’s highest honor, the Service Above Self Award for humanitarian service
  • Major donor in the Rotary Foundation
 
Congratulations Eric and Susan Shapira  -  Rotarians Extraordinaire!  You can’t imagine how much you will be missed!
_______________________________________________
                                
Charise McHugh presented Armando Corrillo with our Rotary Club Vocational Scholarship in the amount of $3,000!    Annually, our club presents a scholarship to a high school student who will be pursuing a vocational career.   Armando will be attending the Institute of Business and Technology, and he will be pursuing a career as an electrician.
Charise noted that there was no question with Armando’s selection. The decision was unanimous by the Vocational Committee members to award the scholarship to Armando.   Armando’s application included inspirational letters of recommendation, including a letter from Armando’s football coach.  Armando’s coach shared how Armando’s attitude change over the years, and he was one of the most hard-working students, with such a positive attitude, that he had occasion to coach.   Congratulations Armando!
_______________________________________________
Nancy Klein with California Mentor Family Home Agency explained her agency’s mission.   California Mentor is seeking loving families in San Mateo County with a spare bedroom to support intellectually-challenged adults and adults with special needs in their homes.   If you know of anyone, please call 650-389-5787   (www.MentorsWanted.com.)
_______________________________________________
Dave Andrews presents --- a Quiz on Dogs!
  1. How many breeds of dogs are recognized worldwide by the World Canine Organization?  400
  2. Which breed has a black tongue?   Chow Chow
  3. Which is the largest breed of dog?  Irish Wolfhound
  4. Which breed can’t bark but yodels?   Basenji
  5. What does Corgi mean in Welsh?  Dwarf Dog
  6. How many dogs survived the sinking of the Titanic?  3 --  (2) Pomeranians and (1) Pekingese
  7. What was the age and breed of Bluey, the oldest dog on record?  29 -- Australian Cattle dog.  He lived from 1910 to 1939.
  8. What U.S. President’s ripped the pants of the French Ambassador?  Theodore Roosevelt’s Boston Bull Terrier, Pete.
 
COMING EVENTS AND SPEAKERS
 

AUGUST

August 10  CUSD New Teachers Luncheon

August 17  NO MEETING - "DARK"

August 19  Saturday, 12:00 Joint meeting with Rotary Club of Pacifica, Rockaway Beach

August 24  Club Assembly: District 5150 Membership Chair, Melissa Prandi

August 31  Rotarian Shop Talk: Ginger Minoletti

   
 PHOTO GALLERY