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If you've been thinking of swapping the traditional beach and beers break for something a little more, well, useful this year, allow us to present ten inspiring options. Whether it's monitoring fish in Tobago or cleaning elephants in Thailand, these breaks allow you to really put something back on your travels.
Help conserve the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
The Galápagos Islands, 1000km off the west coast of Ecuador, are a living laboratory of evolution, a fragile home to a collection of unique species. It's a sad truth then that if tourism wasn't providing an alternative income to the islands' fishing industry, it's likely the surrounding waters would be fished out. And with no fish, the seabird population would plummet and the island ecology would be devastated.
Discovery Initiatives arranges a two-week cruise around the islands in partnership with the Galápagos Conservation Trust and the Charles Darwin Research Station. On board a deluxe yacht, guests sail around the islands, hike up to the famous Sierra Negra volcano, see some of the last remaining wild tortoises on Isabela and learn about the Trust's turtle conservation efforts. All funds raised through the trip go to the Charles Darwin Research Station to support its conservation work.
Alternatively, there are several volunteering initiatives with conservation projects on the islands. The Ecuadorian organization Fundación Jatun Sacha runs short-term placements on San Cristóbal island, where you'll help local NGOs eradicate non-native plants. If you can spare longer, join a Global Vision International volunteering project, which last from five to thirteen weeks. Volunteers, based at the San Cristóbal Biological Station, help conservationists on reforestation projects. You'll be given Spanish classes and, once a week, hike to one of the tourist hotspots and help teach visitors about the islands' ecological issues.
For prices and booking for the Discovery Initiatives cruise see www.steppestravel.com; For more info on volunteering in the Galápagos visit www.jatunsacha.org or www.gvi.co.uk.
Plant trees with Ripple Africa, Malawi
A volunteer holiday with Ripple Africa involves you in a vital project to establish four hundred community nurseries in Malawi, a country with severe deforestation problems. Three thousand local people are already involved in the scheme, which has established over 150 nurseries and already planted millions of trees.
Ripple Africa is acutely aware of the dangers of misplaced aid and ensures guests' help is given where it's most useful, and where it won't stop locals from working. Accommodation is at Mwaya beach on the shores of Lake Malawi, in eco-friendly huts with private verandas overlooking the water, where swimming, diving and kayaking are among the best ways to relax.
For more on volunteering projects available, costs and testimonials see www.rippleafrica.org.
See conservation in action at Phinda, South Africa
© The Maberhood/Shutterstock
At the seven different lodges in Kwazulu-Natal's Phinda Resource Reserve, no attention to detail is missed – from the private infinity pools to personal butlers. These hideaways of opulence are not ecolodges in the strict sense, yet their environmental benefits are nevertheless impressive, since profits from the lodges have been used to create one of the most successful nature reserves in South Africa.
It's hard to believe that twenty years ago Phinda was degraded farmland with just a handful of people scratching a living from it. Today the 160-square-kilometre park is a potent symbol of regeneration: it's an excellent place to spot cheetah; the critically endangered black rhino has also been reintroduced; and some 4500 local people benefit from the new clinic, schools and employment the lodges have created.
The reserve runs several research projects in partnership with African Conservation Experience, which enables volunteers to stay in a simple farmhouse and enjoy the reserve at less expense. Twice a day, volunteers head out in safari vehicles to monitor elephants, rhinos, cheetahs, caracals or leopards. These projects have raised local awareness of game conservation and recently led to an amendment to South Africa's hunting laws, thereby saving the lives of many animals.
For details of lodges, rates, activities and local attractions see www.phinda.com.
Contribute to the Earthdive Log in Tobago
Given that our knowledge about the effect of climate change on the oceans is still evolving, wouldn't it be great if divers made a note of what marine species they had seen on their dives, so we could develop a better picture of what is going on?
Thankfully this is already happening in the guise of Earthdive – a unique "citizen science" research project. The idea is that you put your dive to good use by recording sightings of what you see underwater, helping to build up a global snapshot of the world's marine species and providing valuable data for conservation organizations.
If you want to participate, you can do so on Tobago, whose warm waters are home to manta rays, south Atlantic coral and a variety of multicoloured tropical fish. Tobago Dive Experience is a member of Earthdive and runs dives chiefly off the northeast coast of the island where there are forty dive sites, all within a 5–20min boat ride from the jetty in the fishing village of Speyside.
Divers in 119 countries have already joined Earthdive. The recording process on its website (www.earthdive.com) is very simple: once you've registered, choose where you dived and tick off the fish and coral that you saw from the list provided. It's especially useful to record the key "indicator species" at the dive site, whose absence can alert scientists to any environmental pressures these species may be suffering, such as pollution and overfishing.
For info on dive courses, prices and bookings see www.tobagodiveexperience.com.
Volunteer in the Pantanal, Brazil
Cattle-ranching used to be the main threat to the biodiversity of Brazil's Pantanal, the world's largest freshwater wetland (it's bigger than France). But now pollution, sport fishing and tourism (as well as a black market for exotic pets) are all contributing to the destruction of this unique habitat – a UNESCO World Heritage Site that's home to thirty million caimans alone.
You can help address these problems by joining one of four research projects organized by Earthwatch, a global conservation body that places volunteers at the heart of scientific research. You'll stay in shared accommodation on a ranch with other members of the expedition. Choose between working with: amphibians and reptiles; bats, which involves catching them at night with mist nets; birds (there are 690 species in the Pantanal, including parrots, kingfishers and hummingbirds); or otters (which participants video from the banks of rivers).
In an age of disappearing wetlands, proposals are in place to alter the natural flow of water in the Pantanal, which threatens to disturb its complex ecosystem. By helping to monitor the effects of human impact on its biodiversity, you will not only become familiar with perhaps the world's most amazing wetland, but also provide valuable data that could help save it from irreversible damage.
For prices, booking and more details about each expedition see www.earthwatch.org.
Community and conservation, Ecuador
Central America is famous for its ecotourism, yet Ecuador is fast becoming recognized as a centre for ecolodges and tours that are managed and run by local people, often in stunning settings. The pick of these community-based trips are to Sani Lodge in the Amazon Rainforest; to Santa Lucía, a lodge in the cloud forests of the northwestern slopes of the Andes; and to Oyacachi, a mountain community in the Cayambe-Coca Ecological Reserve in northeastern Ecuador.
These and other tours can be organized through Quito-based company Tropic Ecotours. Tropic also runs trips to meet the Secoya people, an ethnic minority of fewer than one thousand in the upper Amazon basin. Tropic only takes small numbers of guests to visit typical Secoya houses so as not to overwhelm the local communities. As a result, these unique adventures provide guests with a raw sense of discovery time and time again, while the local communities benefit from a regular supply of income for medicine and education.
For details of programmes, prices and reservations see www.tropiceco.com.
Volunteer at Lake Baikal, Russia
© Katvic/Shutterstock
Called "the sacred sea" by those who live around it, Lake Baikal, in Siberia's southern steppes, is the oldest, deepest and most biologically diverse lake on Earth. To help protect it, the Great Baikal Trail Association is creating Russia's first environmental trail system round the lake's 2000km circumference, providing a focal point for ecological tourism in the region and an alternative to industrial development.
On two-week volunteer holidays throughout the summer months, the first half of each day is spent working on the trail, doing anything from clearing paths to constructing shelters, signs and other facilities for hikers. Afterwards you're free to walk around the lake, swim or just hang out with the other volunteers, a mix of locals and international visitors. Accommodation is in two-person tents (you'll need a sleeping bag) or sometimes in homestays. It's simple living – there are no showers or hot water and you cook for yourselves.
For more on what volunteering projects will involve and how to apply, see www.greatbaikaltrail.org.
Give an elephant a bath, Thailand
On the Elephant Experience at Elephant Hills, a luxury tented lodge on the edge of Thailand's Khao Sok National Park, guests can do far more than on the usual elephant trek offered elsewhere. As well as hosing and scrubbing inside the folds of the elephants' skin, you'll prepare their food and feed them, learn how they and their mahouts (trainers) communicate, and then watch them playing together in the pool. It's exhilarating and humbling to be so close to such mighty creatures, who love being washed and often respond with a delighted squirt of water from their trunk.
While most people would prefer that these creatures were truly wild, for two-thirds of the three thousand Asian elephants left this isn't currently feasible: they have worked in the logging or tourism industries all their lives and wouldn't survive independently. As well as giving more dignified lives to the fifteen or so elephants at its camp, Elephant Hills is establishing an elephant sanctuary in the north of the country, which will give even more elephants a better life and the opportunity to breed.
For package details, rates and reservations see www.elephanthills.com.
Underwater gardening in the Maldives
© Tropical studio/Shutterstock
Lots of people dream of sitting on a Maldives beach, soaking up the sun and gazing out to sea. Few people dream of sitting on a Maldives beach and rolling up balls of cement. But this is one of the most popular choices of activity at Angsana Velavaru, a luxury resort situated on a pristine island on South Nilandhe Atoll.
The appearances aren't deceptive – Angsana is your typical Maldives hotel, a pampered paradise offering day-long watersports, endless spa treatments and cocktails at sunset. But the resort is also making concerted efforts to conserve its habitat: rising sea levels and temperatures caused by El Niño phenomena and global warming have put the islands at risk of flooding. This is where the (voluntary) cement-rolling comes in, as part of an ambitious project to replant damaged reefs, essential for protecting the islands they surround from the rising sea.
Once you've rolled out the cement balls, you swim out into the blue where, a few metres below the surface, new corals are being planted on a mix of custom-made frames, concrete blocks from building works, and even the odd broken air-conditioning unit. For the next hour or so, you wedge the balls into place and then stick shards of coral into their new home. You'll then swim off to see some already-established coral beds, to see what your little saplings will become.
For prices and more information see www.angsana.com.
Teach rugby in Fiji
Known for their ferocious tackling and some of the most imaginative play in the sport, the Fijians wouldn't seem to be much in need of rugby tuition. But while the nation's raw talent is undeniable, there is little to no coaching at junior level and as a result many children never get the chance to nurture their skills. It's one of the reasons that although the country excels at the more free-flowing sevens version, it struggles to translate this into the fifteen-a-side union game.
On a Madventurer two-week coaching holiday, you'll work with kids between the ages of 6–14, passing on what you learned at school or your club about the increasingly complicated (and ever-changing) rules and tactics of rugby union. Accommodation is at the organization's base in a house in the suburbs of Lautoka, the second-largest town on the islands. You'll share a room with up to five other people and tuck into traditional Fijian meals, such as sweet potato and pineapple bake or lentil and potato curry. Outside of training – which starts at noon on weekdays and continues for most of the afternoon – there's plenty of time to indulge in other Fijian pastimes, such as heading down to the beach, diving, swimming or drinking kava with the locals.
For further information see www.madventurer.com.
Top image © Al'fred/Shutterstock


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Silicon Valley: Feel the Froth
Tech Valuations Stir Memories of 1999, but There Are Some Differences
Twitter Inc. plans to go public at a value of $11 billion, without turning a profit. Venture capitalists just valued Pinterest Inc., which generates no revenue, at nearly $4 billion, and an even younger, revenue-deprived company, Snapchat Inc., is angling for a similar price tag.
It isn't quite 1999, when dot-com companies with scant revenue made initial public offerings and tripled in price on their first days of trading. When that bubble popped in 2000, scores of companies went bust, and millions of small investors suffered...
To Read the Full Story

subset: commoncrawl


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Although today's military and civil aircraft projects clearly respond to radically different national requirements, the underlying engine technology of the two types of aircraft has a significant degree of commonality. This situation is not surprising in the case of the military transport aircraft engine: In common with the civil engine requirements, large payloads must be carried over long distances at the lowest possible costs. The similarities are less obvious, however, with regard to combat aircraft (including fighter/bombers), which have no clear civil parallels. Nevertheless, many of the technical advances that have been developed to meet the military challenge have been adopted, in one form or another, in advanced civil engine applications. Indeed, an increasing number of examples of technical advances derived from civil engine research also are relevant to military engines. This two-way exchange justifies the fact that a significant part of today's basic research underpinning aero-engines for the future is supported directly or indirectly through military and civil engine sources (dual use).
Notwithstanding the parallel development paths and mutual objectives mentioned above, limits must be taken into account. In general terms, increases in the fuel efficiency of combat aircraft are consistent with the logistics and operational needs of the military because aircraft with lower fuel consumption rates would be able to remain engaged for longer periods of time, carry additional payload, reach targets from greater distances, or a combination of the three depending on operational requirements. They would also require less in-flight refueling. However, the prescribed altitude for optimum fuel efficiency may not be not be appropriate for military operations. Similarly, some of the restrictions on civil transport ground operations (e.g., engine start, taxi, and take-off procedures) may not be acceptable to military users. Although military procurement officials and operators are now acutely aware of their responsibilities with regard to environmental effects, operational effectiveness will always be the primary requirement. The following sections focus on military aero-engines-in particular on aspects of such engines that, for performance and/or operational reasons, differ from their civil counterparts in ways that might influence emissions. It is important to rationalize these differences in terms of their real impact on the environment by taking proper account of current and likely future proportions of the world's military aircraft fleet compared to the global total of all types and operations of aircraft. Chapter 9 shows numerically how the environmental impact of military operations becomes a diminishing percentage of the total of all aircraft operations as the effects of the anticipated strong growth of civil transport takes effect over the next 50 years or so. Differences between military fuels-F-34 (NATO) and JP-8 (US)-and civil AVTUR/Jet A-1 fuel are covered in Section 7.7.
Aircraft used in combat operations constitute the largest proportion of the various types of aircraft in the military inventory. They outnumber other aircraft types by roughly 3 to 1; for this reason alone they justify a closer look as the most likely sources of divergence between the emissions of military and civil engines in the future. Figure 7-43 is extracted from some of the same data sources used in Chapter 9 dealing with fuel usage and emissions production, in particular the ANCAT/EC2 report (Gardner, 1998) and the recent NASA report (Mortlock and van Alstyne, 1998).
Clearly, combat aircraft will always be built to respond to quite different mission priorities from those applying to civil aircraft. There are, therefore, some differences in the design features of engines to achieve those priorities. Combat aircraft engines will inevitably be designed to extract maximum performance even though this approach entails accepting a shorter life, particularly of key hot-section components such as turbine blades, and shorter periods between maintenance than civil engines. It is also most likely that military aircraft will be the first to adopt the fruits of the most advanced engine technology in a constant drive to achieve superior performance. Thus, there will always be something of a technology gap between the leading military and civil engines. Of the principal performance requirements, the demand for higher thrust/weight (T/W) ratio engines will continue to be the key driver that will maintain that gap. This consideration inevitably means that T/W targets for new engine cycles will involve higher pressure ratios, higher peak temperatures, and higher fuel/air ratios than the current fleet. The most stringent performance targets today are those of Phase III of the United States' Integrated High Performance Turbine Engine (IHPTET) program (Hill, 1996). This multi-agency/industry initiative has set goals that if fully achieved, will provide important new engine technology levels for adoption in the next century. The principal goal of this third phase of a three-phase program is to achieve +100% in the T/W ratio together with a 40% reduction in fuel burn for a new generation of military engines. These targets are so ambitious that evolutionary improvements in hot-section components of the engine are simply not sufficient.Only radical solutions are likely to achieve the necessary rise in engine cycle temperatures and pressures to meet the T/W targets. Such engine cycle changes imply, as explained in Section 7.4, even higher levels of NOx emissions if conventional engine technology is retained. This approach, however, is unlikely to be wholly acceptable because of associated rising levels of visibility of the brown-tinted NO2 component of NOx gases-which, unchecked, could compromise the stealthiness of the aircraft. It therefore seems inevitable that significant pressure to limit NOx will remain part of the military aims attached to the IHPTET program and that some if not all of these aims will be relevant to environmental and operational performance. In this respect, therefore, the prospects of total divergence of priorities between military and civil engines seems small.
One important difference between military and civil engines is associated with maneuverability. Under certain conditions, for example, the military engine combustor must be able to accommodate the consequences of high-incidence turns during combat maneuvers. These maneuvers can cause unstable internal flow conditions. The combustor must be able to withstand the consequences of such maneuvers over a wide range of flight speeds and altitudes. It must also relight rapidly in the event of a flame-out. In today's climate, the conventional approach of increasing the fuel/air ratio in the combustor to ensure adequate stability is not acceptable unless high-power emissions can be contained using new designs. The pursuit of effective solutions to these important problems, taking full account of emissions, forms an important part of today's military research and development programs.
Reheat/afterburner operations are an important requirement for combat aircraft engines. Although the majority of fuel used during reheat is burned at low altitude, the extra thrust demands associated with combat maneuvers does mean that a proportion of fuel (typically 8%) is burned at altitudes above 2000 km. Evidence (Seto and Lyon, 1994) suggests, however, that this burning within the jet pipe/exhaust system, where the pressure levels are much lower than in the main combustor, does not increase NOx production, although the NO2/NO ratio increases. Thus, it appears that although some operational issues can influence the design and therefore the emissions performance of military fighter engines, the broad technology paths aimed at achieving improvements diverge from those of the civil sector only in detail. Military programs will generally continue to lead in providing technology advances that "spin off" into the civil engine sector. Engine cycle advances that improve the thermal efficiency of the core engine will be particularly important in further improving the fuel efficiency of civil engines.
Transport requirements for military operations have many parallels with civil operations. This concordance has led to an increasing trend toward development of military transport and tanker aircraft based closely on civil aircraft designs. The links are even closer with regard to engine development for such aircraft, and they are likely to remain so in the future.
The principal conclusion arising from this brief review of the environmental aspects of military engines is that military operators are already well motivated to demand lower emission levels from new engines for operational as well as environmental reasons. Coupled with the evidence presented in Chapter 9 showing that military aircraft will, proportionately, become an even smaller consumer of the world's aviation fuel, a logical extension of this conclusion would be that military operations will have a negligible effect on global emissions from aircraft for the foreseeable future.
Other reports in this collection


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Mary Meeker on a Five-Year-Old's Favorite Apps (Video)
What were you doing when you were five years old? Consider the experience of Mary Meeker's niece.
Asked during a question-and-answer session following her onstage presentation at D: All Things Digital about why — with all the changes being wrought by the Internet and digital technologies — we don't seem to be getting any smarter.
Meeker answered by describing how she asked her 5-year-old niece about her favorite mobile apps. At first it seemed ridiculous to ask that question, but the answer was not ridiculous. The youngster rattled off five apps without missing a breath.
"For a new generation of kids, this will be really exciting," Meeker said. "You or I may not get any smarter, but the new generation may."


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EnteroMedics Secures a $45 Million Committed Issuer Managed Equity Financing Facility With Terrapin Opportunity, L.P.
ST. PAUL, MN--(Marketwire - Oct 4, 2012) - EnteroMedics Inc. ( NASDAQ : ETRM ), the developer of medical devices using neuroblocking technology to treat obesity, metabolic diseases and other gastrointestinal disorders, today announced that it has obtained a committed issuer managed equity financing facility under which it may from time to time sell up to $45 million of its registered common stock to Terrapin Opportunity, L.P., over a 24-month period. EnteroMedics is not obligated to utilize any of the $45 million facility and remains free to enter into and consummate other equity and debt financing transactions, subject to certain restrictions.
"This facility, combined with EnteroMedics' $27.8 million in cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and short-term investments as of June 30, 2012, provides us with access to additional capital as the Company prepares for the unblinding of the ReCharge Study at the end of 2012 and our anticipated commercialization efforts in 2013," said Greg S. Lea, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of EnteroMedics.
EnteroMedics will determine, at its sole discretion, the timing, the dollar amount and the floor price per share of any draw under the facility, subject to certain conditions. Any shares sold under this facility will be sold pursuant to a shelf registration statement declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 29, 2012. There are no warrants associated with this facility.
This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any state.
About EnteroMedics Inc.
EnteroMedics is a medical device company focused on the development and commercialization of its neuroscience based technology to treat obesity and metabolic diseases. EnteroMedics' proprietary technology, VBLOC® vagal blocking therapy, delivered by a pacemaker-like device called the Maestro® Rechargeable System, is designed to intermittently block the vagus nerves using high-frequency, low-energy, electrical impulses. VBLOC allows people with obesity to take a positive path towards weight loss, addressing the lifelong challenge of obesity and its comorbidities without sacrificing wellbeing or comfort. EnteroMedics' Maestro Rechargeable System has received CE Mark and is listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods.
Forward-Looking Safe Harbor Statement:
This press release contains forward-looking statements about EnteroMedics Inc. Our actual results could differ materially from those discussed due to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors including our limited history of operations; our losses since inception and for the foreseeable future; our lack of commercial regulatory approval for our Maestro® System for the treatment of obesity in the United States or in any foreign market other than Australia and the European Community; our preliminary findings from our EMPOWER™ pivotal trial; our ability to comply with the Nasdaq continued listing requirements; our ability to commercialize our Maestro System; our dependence on third parties to initiate and perform our clinical trials; the need to obtain regulatory approval for any modifications to our Maestro System; physician adoption of our Maestro System and VBLOC® vagal blocking therapy; our ability to obtain third party coding, coverage or payment levels; ongoing regulatory compliance; our dependence on third party manufacturers and suppliers; the successful development of our sales and marketing capabilities; our ability to raise additional capital when needed; international commercialization and operation; our ability to attract and retain management and other personnel and to manage our growth effectively; potential product liability claims; potential healthcare fraud and abuse claims; healthcare legislative reform; and our ability to obtain and maintain intellectual property protection for our technology and products. These and additional risks and uncertainties are described more fully in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, particularly those factors identified as "risk factors" in the annual report on Form 10-K filed March 15, 2012. We are providing this information as of the date of this press release and do not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this document as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Caution -- Investigational device. Limited by Federal (United States) law to investigational use.
EnteroMedics' Maestro Rechargeable System has received CE Mark and is listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods.
The implantation procedure and usage of the Maestro® System carry some risks, such as the risks generally associated with laparoscopic procedures and those related to treatment as described in the ReCharge clinical trial informed consent.


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Senior Web Editor - Business
Rex Crum
Rex Crum is the senior web editor for the business section for The Mercury News and Bay Area News Group. He also writes about business and technology for the publications' print and web editions, and has covered business and technology for nearly two decades. A native of Seattle, he remains a diehard Seahawks and Mariners fan and is imparting his fandom to his Oakland-native wife and two young daughters.


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Sec.Ā31-290.ĀObligations not to be evaded. No contract, expressed or implied, no rule, regulation or other device shall in any manner relieve any employer, in whole or in part, of any obligation created by this chapter, except as herein set forth.
(1949 Rev., S. 7455; 1958 Rev., S. 31-183; 1961, P.A. 491, S. 43.)
History: 1961 act entirely replaced previous provisions.
Cited. 128 C. 579; 157 C. 545.
Subsec. (b):
In making award under this subsec., commissioner required to make "due allowance" under Sec. 31-314 for any sum paid by employer. 49 CA 66.


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Given that Donald Trump today has more than five-and-a-half million "Likes" on Facebook, I decided to check out McConney and his strategy. In a rare public event hosted by marketing website The Drum, McConney, whose title is Director of New Media, spoke to a small industry crowd about his social media strategy.
There's no question that his tactics are, to put it mildly, working. The numbers speak for themselves: in five years McConney increased Trump's Twitter followers from 300,000 to over six million and his YouTube presence from nothing to a dedicated channel with more than 20 million views. His Instagram account has close to one million followers.
1. Be authentic. (Or at least make it look that way.) To give Trump's social videos an authentic feel, McConney keeps the production values low–he doesn't use professional lighting, a set, or camera equipment. He has Trump speak directly into the camera from his (messy) desk. Social videos need to look like a friend made them–not like a slickly-produced TV spot.
2. Give your fans what they want. In Trump's case that means controversy–the more outrageous the content, the better.
3. Tweet multiple times on a daily basis. Content should be spontaneous, not canned. Trump and McConney tweet 20-30 times a day.
4. Don't post on Facebook more than three times a day. If you do, the posts will get lost.
5. Make videos short and direct. That's the only way to break through the cluttered media environment. Trump's 15-second political videos on Instagram get so much media attention that he doesn't need to buy ads.
6. Be part of the action–especially action that's trending. Trump doesn't just stick to politics. He live-tweets major pop culture events like the Oscars.
7. House all your content on one dedicated YouTube channel. Create a library of everything related to your brand. In Trump's case, that extends from professional videos of his real estate properties to his daughter's shopping advice to his scrappy political Instagram ads.
8. Spark engagement on a new platform by tying content to a major media event. The first time Trump used Vine, it was to tell Anthony Weiner to stay off Vine. He used Periscope for the first time to announce his candidacy for president.
9. Experiment. Try new platforms and different kinds of content. The beauty of social media is that you'll instantly see whether your attempts are soaring or sinking.
10. Move fast and stay lean. McConney posts content almost instantly; he doesn't need to go through a lengthy approval process. He shows it to only one person: Trump.
New Business
Michelle Tang, EVP Head of New Business
Media Inquiries
Barbara Nonas, VP/GD Marketing & Communications


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Hello Christchurch people!
We are trying to plan walking the River Stour with a car, a small tent and public transport.
We think we have found campsites round Gillingham and Blandford Forum which will enable us to manage the first half of the walk but we are stuck. There does not seem to be a campsite anywhere near to Christchurch unless we go quite a way out. Are there any small farms you know of that allow camping? All the sites I found near Christchurch seem to be caravans only. (Happy to buy a camping loo if necessary!)
Any hints and tips for the walk would be appreciated. We hope to spend a few days in Christchurch at the end, exploring buildings, beaches, pubs and restaurants.
Please only post topics related to Christchurch in this forum.
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This little chap, known as Wall-Ye V.I.N., might look adorable, but he means business. With four wheels, two arms, six cameras, and on-board GPS, he's capable of pruning 600 vines a day in order to help make the wine you swill every evening.
Developed in—surprise, surprise—France, Wall-Ye is designed to take on the more menial chores a vineyard has to offer: namely pruning vines and removing unproductive young shoots. At the same time, though, he's capable of collecting data as he trundles around, keeping an eye on soil conditions and the state of the vines.
Its AI brain, far from booze-sozzled, allows it to gradually create an accurate map of the vineyard, learning as it goes, and its cameras mean it can recognize plant features. All-told, it looks like it could replace vineyard workers if they're not careful.
Indeed, the robot is about to be trialled at Bordeaux's Chateau Mouton-Rothschild—probably the most exclusive vineyard in the world. If that' goes well, it could well seal Wall-Ye's fate. Something better had, at any rate, because otherwise the $32,000 (25,000 euro) price tag will no doubt deter many a wine producer. [Wall-Ye via AFP via Verge]
Have you seen one near you yet?


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Americans, like many here, are tired of politics as usual. The good old boys gave us 100 trillion in unfunded liability and 17 trillion in debt last year. This year it will be higher. So, what part of "serious" and "economic collapse" do politicians not understand?
The job of the Republican party until 2016 is to limit the damage that Obama can inflict on the nation and the world.
I think I would prefer being represented by Democrats who stab me in the front, as opposed to the GOPe which stabs me in the back.
I think I would prefer being represented by Democrats who stab me in the front, as opposed to the GOPe which stabs me in the back. At least with Democrats I know who and what I am dealing with, and can much more easily prepare myself for what they have in store. Republicans talk the talk but in actuality support business as usual. We would not have a $17 trillion deficit except that it was enabled by the GOP. It may be inconvenient to point that out to folks during this GOP primary season, but I am afraid the very reason we hold primaries is to cleanse the party of impurities.
If this is their job, then Republicans have failed miserably. And that, Mona, is why it is necessary to call out the members of the Republican party who are entrenched in the status quo or too frightened to stand in opposition to this Obama regime.We live in a brave new political world and not the one you remember from your youth. It's past time to snap out of it.
We do not live in a brave new world when it comes to the way politics works...
Seriously? When was the last time we had a blatant Marxist in the White House fundamentally changing America, a complete enabler "leading" the Senate and a cooperative media?We are not living through "the way politics works". We are living through a silent, unchecked coup against the American rule of law and our freedoms. Yesterday's political strategies have not and cannot work against this. We need more like Cruz.
Persuasion is much more effective than confrontation.
Spot ON!!
Yeah that has worked so well with the Repubs up until now....now we have a Marxist in the WH......it's time for confrontation!
How's that workin'? What do you call a self-proclaimed leader whose followers barely fill a phone booth?
How are they working? Cruz can't even persuade his own fellow Senators. Mike Lee and Rand Paul have stepped away from him.Cruz doesn't think his strategies through. He loves the huge flames his fires start, but never thinks about how burning something down accomplishes anything.
You know that's not true....your hate for this man in unfathomable..you go from thread to thread just to bash this man...people are tired of it and so am I!
You telling me to leave? I thought this was a discussion forum. I'm getting tired of posters on this website trashing other solid conservative politicians. It works both ways.I posted an article on Obamacare last night and not a single poster here commented on it. But they're more than ready to defend Ted Cruz, as you are doing.If people are tired of defending Cruz, then let them put me on ignore.You mistake disagreement with tactics for hatred. If that's hatred, then I'll stand with Krauthammer, Will, Sowell, Charen, Byron York and many others.
Sinkspur's response, as a spokeperson for the GOPe, to just about everything is, "Well what would YOU do!?" and the only answer he will accept is: NOTHING! Not a thing. And anyone who tries to do something is a "criminal"! NOTHING, just let the politicians do whatever they want. NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING.
Congratulations. It's early, but I confidently predict that you will win the "Dumbest Post of the Day" award.You will win because your post is completely detached from reality.
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A little while ago now, I read and fell in love with Emmy & Oliver, a beautiful story about childhood friends -my weakness, guys-, written by Robin Benway. Obviously, I wanted to read more from her as soon as I could, but you know how TBRs go…they are endless. I was, once again, pleasantly surprised once I got to read Far From The Tree, a beautiful book that focuses, drumrolls…On family ties. YES, please, I want and need more of that in my young adult contemporary books.
Far From The Tree follows the life of three teenagers, Maya, Grace and Joaquim, both given up for adoption at birth. All of their lives took down very different paths, as they were adopted – or not. This story follows them as they get in touch for the first time, meet, navigate delicate paths of new sibling-hoods, all the while coping with their own internal struggles and secrets.
If it took me a moment to get accustomed to the story and to Grace's point of view as she faces an unwanted pregnancy, gives her baby up for adoption and slowly questions herself, her adoptive parents, about her own mother who gave her up sixteen years ago. Starting with a couple of flashbacks narrative, easing us into her own story and what she had to live through, before slowly starting to get into this story, the one where she seeks her mother, finds out about her siblings and more…Far From The Tree took me a little while to get into, but once I did, it was all worth it. Robin Benway writes here a gut-wrenching contemporary about where you come from, where you fit it, what family really is, and so on. It's a book that's all about the people, their own journey and it was so beautiful to follow.
Told in three different point of view, we get to know three very different characters with their own quirks, their own lives. Grace seems to be the serious one, trying to cope with her own emotions as she had to give up her own child. Maya seems to be the loud one, yet trying to know where she is supposed to fit in her adoptive family of red-heads, in-between her parents, her adoptive sister and her two new siblings she finds out about. Joaquim is more of the silent one, struggling with his own secrets, balanced from one family to another since birth, almost fitting in for the first time with his new parents, scared to know where he belongs or if he can belong anywhere for real without hurting anyone in the process.
The three characters of this story had different voices, different struggles, yet they never failed at being human. Flawed, acting stupid at times, making you want to shake them a little while – they were beautifully human, changing and developing as life, as they meet each other and so on..
What I probably appreciated the most about this story, was how strong and complex the siblings relationships were. From strangers to trying to get to know each other, from closed doors to opening up to each other… As the story unfolds, Grace, Maya and Joaquim's bond grow stronger, protective, more sibling-like every single time. It was so beautiful and heartwarming to follow as they, really, became family as they should be. Their dynamics were adorable to follow, as Joaquim handles the role of the big, protective brother, as somehow they manage to bicker in the car and turn from acting like strangers who quite don't know what to say to each other, to siblings sharing mayonnaise and fries and having each others' back no matter what.
Despite this story being about three adoptive children, I appreciated so much the positive parents representation in this story – especially coming from Mark and Linda, Joaquim's "parents" (he is not adopted so I'm putting the "" anyway). They were so supportive, so open to him, overall they just were the perfect parent representation we need more of in contemporaries.
Added to the family ties in the story, Far From The Tree also shows us a little bit of romance for every character. Romantic relationships as they began, from friendships to a little bit more than that (Look out for the guy named RAFE, LOVED HIM). As they ended and as they begin again. The secondary characters in this story were well-fleshed out, even if I could have used a little bit more material for some of them; I really loved how they were included, part of the whole story and not here just for the sake of it all. I appreciated how their relationship changed as new siblings came into place, how behaviors, fights and makes-ups, came around each of the characters as life changed around them.
Far From The Tree is a book I'd call gut-wrenching and real. It's not really a light contemporary: it manages to deal with pretty heavy themes, from adoption to parents relationships, unwanted pregnancy and so on, and it doesn't sugarcoat anything. Yet, with the amazing cast of characters, the narration that's simple yet captivating, it really is a beautiful book that manages to give you so many emotions you might have not expected. This story about three teenagers, finding out where they come from, who they are, where they fit in, was definitely a must-read for lovers of Robin Benway, strong family ties in their books and don't mind a little emotion here and there.
Final rating: 4 drops!
A million thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for the e-ARC of this book. This did not, in any way, affect my opinion and review on this.
Robin Benway, Far From The Tree, Published by HarperTeen, October 3rd, 2017.
Being the middle child has its ups and downs.
But for Grace, an only child who was adopted at birth, discovering that she is a middle child is a different ride altogether. After putting her own baby up for adoption, she goes looking for her biological family, including—
Maya, her loudmouthed younger bio sister, who has a lot to say about their newfound family ties. Having grown up the snarky brunette in a house full of chipper redheads, she's quick to search for traces of herself among these not-quite-strangers. And when her adopted family's long-buried problems begin to explode to the surface, Maya can't help but wonder where exactly it is that she belongs.
And Joaquin, their stoic older bio brother, who has no interest in bonding over their shared biological mother. After seventeen years in the foster care system, he's learned that there are no heroes, and secrets and fears are best kept close to the vest, where they can't hurt anyone but him.
Do you want to read Far From The Tree? Did you read Emmy & Oliver, or another book by Robin Benway? Do you want to? (you should)
What are some great books exploring family ties? I would love some recs, so let me know in comments!


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Smart Football has moved!
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Assorted links and notes
1. Great article on one-back (six man) pass protection.
2. BCS mania: The good Senator has consistently been one of the best voices on this BCS debate, so read up here and here. (And Dr Saturday has an informative response.) I generally agree that the whole thing is much ado about nothing, and a secret part of me wants the "PLAYOFFSSSS!" contingent to win so that they realize the imperfection of what they merely assumed would fix all the sports' ills. Specifically, absent from the debate -- along with an elementary understanding of the economics of college football, or just economics at all (with claims of socialism being thrown around) -- is an understanding of what National Champion is supposed to mean. The BCS does a pretty good job of finding the best overall team in terms of who would probably be favored to win against any other opponent. That excludes teams like Utah, but is a playoff unequivocally the best option? Were the New York Giants better than the New England Patriots two years ago? No, of course not. Maybe there are other benefits, but I don't think "fairness" is one of them. Or, as the Senator notes, if you want to talk about "fairness" in a meaningful way, then you're in the territory of "revenue sharing," which the NFL has to keep parity but is a strange thought when it comes to college sports.
3. Most important stats? Trojan Football Analysis ran some basic regressions on offensive and defensive stats to see which have the highest correlation with winning. Unsurprisingly -- for readers of this blog at least -- passing yards per attempt came out with an R-squared (a measure of correlation, basically) of 0.40, the second highest offensive stat, behind only scoring offense itself. Passing yards per attempt came out higher than yards, rushing per attempt, turnovers, red zone, and others. (But also see this post from the Sabermetric Research blog on the limits of R-squared.)
4. It's good to see that Kansas State fans can have a good laugh at their own expense. (H/t Sporting Blog).
5. The Mike Leach contrarian: T. Kyle King of Dawg Sports opens up two barrels of eloquent assault on Mike Leach. King says he doesn't know anything about the guy personally, but finds Leach's public persona -- particularly his recent comments about NFL coaches and the past two Texas A&M staffs -- "rude," "childish," and "churlish." (Nice.) I can't do the whole post justice (go read it) but a lot of it is based on the question: What in Leach's resume gives him the right to "demean[] his coaching coevals?" I've already said my bit, though I agree with Kyle that one reason Leach gets so much love from coaches (well, at least ones who aren't the subject of his criticism) and commentators is that he good for such quotes. The only thing I'll add is this: most of Leach's comments have come in the context of him trying to defend his players, though in his case it is special because much of the criticism of the players reflects on him. Most perspicuously, think Graham Harrell not getting drafted -- a "spread" quarterback. Harrell, unlike past Leach quarterbacks like Sonny Cumbie or Cody Hodges, turned down several other fairly big name schools to play for the Dread Pirate, and much of the criticism of Harrell came in the form of questioning what Harrell had been doing under Leach's tutelage. By contrast, guys like Stephen McGee -- who I actually assume that Leach had always respected as a player but probably marveled at how lamely he was used -- were drafted in spite of all coaching.
In other words, I think Leach took the Harrell situation personally in that, to him, the only apparent difference in the minds of NFL scouts between Harrell and McGee was that Harrell had the unfortunate distinction of being coached by Mike Leach to throw for a jillion yards while McGee got no coaching whatsoever, other than how to run some mediocre option. This might not be accurate, but it explains Leach's defensiveness. I also firmly believe that Leach is honest when he said his comments about McGee and A&M was directed at the coaches, not the player. To criticize other coaches for misusing a talented player is fairly brutal, especially considering Leach's consistent success against A&M. Now, I also sympathize with Mike Sherman's confusion about how to deal with barbs from a guy like Leach, but that's the world he's in. (The Mangini Crabtree situation was similar: he rushed to the defense of a player. And again, maybe not in the best of judgment, but not the best judgment for Mike Leach is different than it is for most.)
6. Four-verticals: Cheesehead TV identifies an example of the Green Bay Packers running the four-verticals concept from a five-wide set. (For another example of four-verts, check out this post.) See the clip on the NFL website here.
7. Try this at home: Speaking of video, I loved this old video of Bobby Bowden explaining the "Puntrooskie." People forget that Bowden, with the help of some good Florida talent, completely resuscitated that program and was himself a mastermind of the one-back three-wide pass attack Florida State rode to preeminence. In his way, Bowden was one of the first to go "spread," though it was a Sid Gillman, pro-style attack. (H/t EDSBS.)
8. Malzahnitude: The Joe Cribbs Car Wash combines two things I generally enjoy but am not universally enamored with: Gus Malzahn (new OC at Auburn) and Malcolm Gladwell. It's worth the read. One brief thought on Malzahn, however. Gus's big thing is that he believes in tempo. Of course, he hasn't really had a chance to go breakneck speed yet at Auburn (at least by the reports of those who have seen both Tulsa, his former stop, and Auburn practice), though the offense is apparently looking much better already. Ironically, he's improved -- over both Tuberville's prior offense and the Tuberville Franklin mash-up -- by just bringing some sound, simple schemes. Sure he has a lot of window dressing, but that offense had just gotten bad. Yet, at least in year one I'll be surprised if he works miracles.
What they did at Tulsa was wonderful, but Herb Hand -- who brought the zone blocking aspect of the running game to go with Malzahn's pace and power game schemes -- was an integral part of the Tulsa attack: they were co-offensive coordinators for a reason. And though Malzahn seems reasonably committed to the running the ball, he was always a pass first guy, so we'll just have to see how that flies without a true quarterback. And the X factor is Chizik, the head coach. Even if Malzahn's offense is good, there are few defensive minded guys who appreciate a three-and-out (which can happen to any offense) that takes about eight seconds to occur. How long is his leash? Time will tell.
4 comments:
Kyle makes a good point about Leach he lacks the resume to run his mouth like he did. The reason McGee was drafted higher because he has the arm strength of an NFL QB Harrell doesn't. The biggest problem with "spread" QBs in the NFL passing game is built on the intermediate route(10-20 yard throws) and play action you don't see either thing in a lot of spread offenses. Mike Mayock charted Graham Harrell and Chase Daniel's throws fpr the season and he found out 90% of their throws were either under 10 yards or fly routes no intermediate routes. Tim Couch, Big Ben, Flacco were drafted high and Bradford would have been a first rounder this year if he enter. All of those guys played in shotgun based offenses that you could classify as a spread. But they all showed requisite arm strength, thrown enough intermediate routes, went play action under center enough and showed requisite arm strength.
1) Arm strength is overrated. I'd take a Chad Pennington over a Culpepper, Leftwich, or Leaf. Decision-making and accuracy with a threshold measure of arm strength is what makes for NFL success.
2) re: BCS and money -- the BCS schools have shown that they are far more interested in taking the biggest possible share of the pie instead of making the pie bigger. Just look at the basketball tourney. The runs by George Mason and Davidson had the BCS commissioners putting the screws on the selection committee to reduce the number of mid-majors and force them to play against each other. Everything possible to avoid the embarassment of having a mid-major defeat a BCS team.
Yet, we know that the huge money from CBS comes from ratings that are built on casual fans who root for Cinderella (Davidson-Kansas had twice the audience of any of the other regional finals in 2008). By screwing the mid-majors at every turn (and the NCAA does), they are driving TV ratings down. They are choking the golden goose in their effort to hoard every possible dollar.
Understanding the mentality which drives such "pound foolish" decisons in basketball can inform predictions of how the football scenarios will play out.
- ArtofTroy: said...
Hi Chris - Hope you had a good time at the Derby - did you hit the long shot by any chance?
You might want to throw in the links to the Advanced NFL stats articles about the passing premium puzzle. I should have put them in the post I put up with the correlation #'s...
This plus Rockerbie's article and some other reasons are why I don't put too much into the regression angle on stats & winning. Too many holes to plug.
- Chris said...
You break my heart: I was discussing the "passing premium" back in 2005, before I think anyone else used the term. That said, what Brian at Advanced NFL Stats and Rockerbie have done is useful and definitely an expansion on what I brought out, but that topic is a sore one with me since the first thing I ever saw use that term, a paper by Alamar, didn't emerge until like 10 months after I wrote my posts. Now, this isn't to say it wasn't arrived at independently, but I definitely feel like Leibniz with calculus when it comes to this. See these posts:
http://smartfootball.blogspot.com/2006/07/runpass-balance-response-to-comments.htmlAnyway, I don't think the regression thing isn't all bad, but as you said, you can't go trotting off right away with supposedly firm answers.


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Supernaturally tinged comics like Sandman, Hellblazer, and Lucifer have long been staples of Vertigo's roster. Next month, the publisher will debut their newest ghostly series, Dominique Laveau: Voodoo Child by author Selwyn Seyfu Hinds and artists Denys Cowan and John Floyd.
The first issue doesn't hit stores until March 21, but we've got an exclusive six-page sneak peek right here. You can find more previews of Vertigo's upcoming comics, like Paul Cornell's science fiction series Saucer Country, in the free Vertigo 2012 sampler at comic shops tomorrow. Here's the plot synopsis:
New Orleans is the most haunted city in America: a town of centuries-old ghosts and newly drowned spirits; where vampires, voodoo spirits and loups-garous make their home. Ruling over this all are the powerful Voodoo Queens, whose influence stretches into politics, business and crime as they maintain a delicate balance between the mortal and supernatural worlds.
But in the aftermath of Katrina, all that has changed, for someone or something has murdered the Voodoo Queen and most of her court. The number one suspect is Dominique Laveau, a grad student at Tulane who is about to discover that her entire life has been a lie. Now, Dominique must forge alliances with those out to kill her while seeking to uncover the truth behind the royal murders, as she is ultimately forced to deal with a destiny she could never have imagined.


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Up for some bizarre reading this holiday weekend? My latest book, Sleep Has No Master, is free this weekend on the Kindle.
What this means is that from Friday 8/31 to Tuesday 9/4, you can purchase the book on the Kindle store for $0. You get to keep the book forever, and you can put it on any of your devices. If you don't have a Kindle, you can install the reader software on most computers, phones, or tablets, or you can read it on the web from within your browser.
All I ask is that if you like the book, please leave a review on Amazon or goodreads. And please tell your friends on facebook, twitter, your blog, or using smoke signals or carrier pigeons or whatever else.
Here's the book's description:
Can we tell the difference between our dreams and reality? In his latest collection of short stories and flash fiction, Jon Konrath dances between metafiction and nihilism in an absurdist world of geek culture where cancer is the latest fashion trend, books have been replaced in schools with episodes of Barney Miller, time travel is possible but annoying because of the commercials, and mutant krill/human hybrids perform special forces military operations in Iran. Each story either shows the narrator's past in a land called Bighikistan, or peeks at his subconscious in a series of insomnia-influenced dreams and nightmares.
In the 27 fast-paced stories that make up Konrath's bizarro compendium, themes drift from finding meaning in life ("Oil Change Introspection Therapy"), political extremism ("Tree AIDS and the Slurpee Abortion Speech"), and sexual fetish ("The George Washington Buttplug"). The absurdism challenges and humors readers with taboo subjects such as big-budget snuff film cartoons, franchised bondage dungeons in airports, and hundreds of protestors self-immolating themselves because of a nationwide McRib ban. Filled with dark humor and outrageous stylings, this compilation drifts through a paranoid Kafkaesque dreamscape parodying the information overload of the modern world.
Thanks in advance for checking out the book, and helping spread the word!


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If there's one group we like to blame society's problems on, it's young people. These binge drinking hoody wearers are disaffected, uncaring and couldn't spell "politics" if their entire Spelling Bee credibility depended on it, right?
Wrong. While some of us continue to bury years of repressed memories of endless evenings spent crying over boys and loudly hating our parents, there is one place guaranteed to restore a long lost faith in teenagers: a Model United Nations conference.
This weekend's MUN at George Watson's College is the largest school-based conference of its kind in Scotland. Attracting over 600 secondary school pupils from across Britain, Europe and even North Africa, ages range from as young as 12 right up to 18 – and all of them with a keen interest in international relations.
The three-day conference is spent debating a wide variety of issues, ranging from designer babies and women's pay, to the justification of torture and overcoming poverty. Sometimes the discussions wander into satire (take, for example, Germany's proposal that a hotline between a selection of UN member states have Britney Spears' "Hit Me Baby One More Time" as its holding tune), but usually they're serious, well researched and impressively thorough.
There's a wide range of abilities here, from the seasoned MUN veteran to the nervous first timer, but for all of them it's cool to be clever. This is helped by the overwhelming feature at George Watson's being the feeling of inclusion; nobody can be found sitting awkwardly on their own or left red faced in the aftermath of a "stupid" suggestion.
"We pride ourselves on being a friendly conference," explains chair of one of the political committees, Lily Taylor. "So if it's anyone's first conference we really encourage them to speak."
Being young, these kids take everything in their stride. Full of modesty and sheltered from the harsh realities of a competitive job market, they don't seem to grasp quite how astonishing what they're doing is. One boy cringes at his mum's public yet withheld expressions of pride, while another talks down his achievements, instead joking about accepting bribes in the form of bags of Haribo, a selection of lollipops and even a cabbage.
As well as having the confidence to stand up and present their argument in front of an entire hall full of their peers, they all clearly know their stuff – and if they don't, they're quickly pulled up by someone else who does. The enthusiasm is infectious; they might be role playing, but each speech is passionate without exception, with the debates becoming more and more colourful as the weekend progresses.
If there's one criticism of the MUN scene, it's that it's still dominated by private schools. As an extra curricular activity, it's perhaps little wonder that only a handful of state schools have the resources to establish and nurture any kind of MUN club. That said, a good number of the Scottish schools at George Watson's conference are state schools, including James Gillespie's High School which held its first one-day conference at the end of last year.
But the most profound outcome of an MUN has got to be the effect it has on the minds and attitudes of young people. Not only do participants have to understand and defend the policies and beliefs of a nation often very different to their own, but the conference physically allows them to meet and socialise with people from all walks of life from cultures and countries across the world. Even within the first break, rooms full of people who had never set eyes on each other an hour earlier are a buzz of chatter and laughter in a true demonstration of the unprejudiced openness of youth.
So take heed, ye of little faith: if there's ever a way to promote cultural understanding and tolerance, a Model United Nations is surely it – and it's our young people at the helm. We should be proud.