Todd Allen introduces Brendan Nyhan, Dartmouth professor, who will talk to us about the latest “Bright Line Watch”report, which monitors democratic practices, their resilience, and potential threats.

 

 

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88229582283?pwd=aS9Hd3o1cS9ZK0hQL0ZhUHZXSEdxQT09

 

Meeting ID: 882 2958 2283

Password: 254494

 

The Zoom Room opens at 11:45 AM.  As noted above, we will begin our talk promptly at noon, forgoing the Pledge of Allegiance and opening remarks.

 

 

Dick Podolec introduced Dartmouth economist Danny Blanchflower who was reluctant to offer any firm opinions on what will happen with the economy, noting that he and his colleagues acknowledge that they are now engaged in “guess-onomics”. He DID proffer the idea that predictions about inflation are, in all probability, wildly overstated because over the past year the economy has been buffeted by extreme events that resulted from COVID, events that affected the national economy in the same way a hurricane can affect the prices of home repairs after a hurricane. While he didn’t foresee problems with the economy due to inflation, Danny WAS concerned at the data on consumer confidence, which is low, and which has been a predictor of recessions in the past. He hoped that as Omicron recedes and the voters see that inflation IS under control that confidence will increase and we can avoid a downturn. A recording of Danny’s presentation and the Q and A session can be found here.

 

 

Last week we launched the “Rotarian of the Week” feature that spotlighted Sarah Jackson, the current ED of Vital Communities. We learned of Sarah’s study and work overseas, where she and her husband family lived for several years. After meeting her husband-to-be in Cairo, she accompanied him as he worked in international schools in Cairo, Kenya, and Oman, doing NGO work and raising a family. After deciding to return to the US, she and her husband, who is a NH native, settled in Randolph VT where they continued working on international issues for non-profit organizations. 

 

 

David Allen thanked Sarah Jackson for her willingness to be the initial presenter for Rotarian of the Week and invited anyone else in the club who wants to share their backgrounds to let him know.  

 

COMING ATTRACTIONS:  

 

February 16 – Rubi Simon and Len Cadwallader give us an update on ACTS Honduras, our club’s international outreach. 

 

February 23 – Wayne Gersen introduces Erica Schneider, Hartford Vo-Tech Executive Director who will share some good news on the burgeoning enrollments at the school. 

 

March 2 – Wayne Gersen will introduce Jay Baddams, SAU 70 Superintendent, who will give us an update on the challenges the district has faced during the pandemic. 

 

March 9 – Todd Allen introduces Allie Levy, owner of Still Books in Hanover

 

March 16 – Todd Allen introduces Dartmouth computer science professor Peter Winkler who, in addition to teaching at the college, Peter sends out little math puzzles each week for the National Museum of Mathematics (MoMath). It's called "Mind-benders for the Quarantined!". Todd recommends signing up and seeing how you can do. 

 

March 23 – Wayne Gersen introduces Nikki Grimes from the Upper Valley Humane Society who will tell us how they’ve fared over the past couple of years. 

 

March 30 – Wayne Gersen introduces the new ED for the AVA Gallery in Lebanon, Shari Boraz, who will share her vision for the direction that non-profit will take in the future. 

 

 Wayne Gersen