Most of the time recognitions are accompanied by fines (as if to prove the axiom that “no good deed goes unpunished”).  However, there are times when one person is recognized and another is fined.   Occasionally there are times when people are simply recognized without a fine.  On the occasion of Friday, November 12, 2010, there was (1) the normal (unity of recognitions and fines) and (2) the abnormal  (bifurcation of recognitions and fines, and recognitions devoid of fines).

We commence with the normal.

Dave Didier was recognized for his recent acquisition of a more ancient (albeit newer to him) “old car”, a 1940 Deluxe Ford “Woody.”  This supplemented his less ancient (albeit older to him) “old car”, a 1951 Ford “Woody”.  Since to Dave, the more ancient model  is the better, the 1951 model  had to go on sale, despite years of faithful service.  Dave was fined $90 for failing to appreciate the (relatively) more recent models.

Ernie Aragon was recognized for having traveled to Zaragoza, Spain.  While there, Ernie and his wife Clara celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary at  (where else?)  Aragon Castle.   (See Pasadena Star News, November 6, 2010, p. A3.)  Ferdinand II and Isabella (the unifiers of Spain) were among those with whom the Castle is associated.  For having the “arrogance” to visit Aragon, Ernie was fined $50.

George Fasching was recognized for having been the youngest member of Arcadia Rotary some fifty years ago.  Now that George has reached the approximate age of 74-75, he must pay a $75 fine for this recognition.  In order to afford the fine, George was allowed to invite Rotarians to spend money at his carwash.

We now turn to the abnormal.

Andrew McRae, the son of Jack and Sophia McRae and a member of RYLA was recognized for having been named RYLA Rotarian of the Week.  Although Andrew was not fined, his dad was not so lucky, being fined $50 for his son’s recognition.  Of course, a son’s recognition is an indirect recognition of his parents, and recognitions normally don’t come free (at least not in Rotary).

Gerard Tamparong was recognized for two reasons, but was fined for only one.  First, he indulged in the sin of gambling.  While at Lake Tahoe (whose Nevada side is plagued by casinos), Gerard met up with former Arcadia Rotarian Jason Collins.  As a result of this encounter, he/they won the grand sum of $34.  Second, Gerard and his family moved to a house in Azusa with triple the square footage of his old house.  Gerard was fined  $50 for one of these recognitions (probably the latter, since otherwise the fine would exceed in cost the recognition).

Finally, a whole slew of Rotarians (whose names flew by too rapidly to jot down) were recognized for contributing to the development of Arcadia Methodist Hospital.  Nevertheless, the recognitions were not accompanied by fines.  (Of course, the absence of such fines could conceivably fatten future contributions, leading in turn to future recognitions, and future potential fines, ad infinitum.)