Apologies: from Sally and Gary

David Brownson’s opening remarks concerned the  international situations and also the recent weather events and the realisation they brought of our place in Nature . And how fortunate we are in Taranaki.

Simon conducted an individually tailored Fines Session, sparing no one.

We were very fortunate to have two outstanding speakers for the evening.

First Taylor gave us an account of her interest and experience in the hospitality sector. She is currently working as a mixologist and gave us some technical information on how to create a cocktail. Her knowledge of the history behind the development of cocktails was fascinating. She also painted a clear picture of of how valuable the hospitality field is in general to society and people’s daily lives.

Her enthusiasm for her work is obvious and contagious and several members showed keen interest in taking up her invitation to visit her at work.

Guest Speaker was Steve Greene  whose talk had the heading “ AI - the Good, the Bad and the Dangerous”.

Steve has been working in IT since his teens, one of the very early students straight from school. He took us through the enormity of the changes he has experienced in his career and which he still follows with keen interest - and a fair amount of trepidation.

He showed us how the size of hardware  has dropped very dramatically, coupled with an immense increase in the power provided. Storage,speed and availability have all increased tremendously while proportionately costs have become tiny.

Availability of the latest computer chips and the enormous growth in data centres ( both in size and location spread) were two of the topics he is most concerned about, along with the powers and dangers of social media, especially to the vulnerable young.

He summed it up -AI in general has amazing potential to improve lives in very many respects but it comes with the means to impact negatively,even dangerously, in so many areas as well.

Jan Dempsey certainly spoke for all of us as she thanked him for a fascinating, informative and thought provoking speech.

(Steve has a weekly radio program “The Computer Guy” available on podcast and also offers free IT and computer help to anyone on request)

General Business

President Murray updated Members regarding the discussions on the Club’s future. A Special General Meeting will be called for 11 May to vote on the options Members have been discussing. Formal notification will be circulated in the near future.  Once an option has been chosen by the Club Members, we can progress all the necessary preparations and procedures before a final vote on acceptance. We are working towards finalising this by the end of this Rotary year. Len Houwers will be speaking to the Club at the next meeting on 20 April to give more information on the experience of belonging to a Mana Tangata chapter and what it has meant to Waitara.

Parting thought came from Gaylene who felt it was very relevant to our current situation:

Even if you are on the right track,you’ll get run over if you just sit there.

Please note our next meeting is 20 April, brought forward because of ANZAC Day.