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Facebook is not an elite tech company
You may have heard of the morbid concept of a company's "bus number": It refers to the number of employees that, if they were suddenly to get taken out by a bus, would bring business to a halt due to the loss of their skills or knowledge.
In Silicon Valley tech companies, typically top engineers - who have an understanding of the product recorded only in their vast brains - and one or two executives make the list.
But with the way tech has enmeshed itself in our lives, I've wondered if a sort of bus number existed for tech companies themselves. How many, if they were to magically evaporate, would bring the average person's life to a significant halt, or throw a monkey wrench in the daily fabric of technology?
For the sake of this scenario, we're not talking about behind-the-scene all-stars like Nvidia, IBM and Intel, but the companies that people interact with every day. Any loss would be filled in by competitors eventually, but there are a few companies whose disappearance would change the game for a significant period of time.
The list is a short one. Usually, it includes Google, Amazon, Apple, Facebook and (debatably) Microsoft. Investment giant Kleiner Perkins suggests it's the first four, and the folks at TechCrunch echo as much.
The Economist featured the first four on the cover of a December issue on the "Battle of the Internet giants," and gave honorable mention to Microsoft in the article. (You can't list Samsung yet - not until it doesn't depend on Google for its mobile operating system.)
Big, but not deep
I agree with that list, including Microsoft - except for Facebook. Cross it off. And not just, as some have joked, because eliminating Facebook "would boost national productivity." It's more about the way Facebook seems to view the future.
Facebook has often made it clear, including again this week, that it wants to be a walled garden. Its most significant tentacles to the Web outside its own network consist of Connect and flimsy "Likes." Otherwise the company's business depends on you checking your News Feed.
Graph Search, this week's announcement, was just an improved search engine within Facebook. Zuckerberg and company want you to forget the rest of the Web (and considering how bad its mobile app has been, you'd think your phone, too).
It may sound weird to claim a company that generated $1.2 billion in revenue in the third quarter of last year (at a net loss) and boasts a billion accounts is not an elite tech company.
This is not to argue that Facebook has no value, just that we need to stop including it in the conversation with those other four. Even with strong revenue from advertising - which is under increasing scrutiny for efficacy - on the Internet being a walled garden does not build competitive strength. Remember AOL, anyone?
True game changers
Facebook's prevalence distorts its importance. Most that write about it - like me - use it every day so it starts to feel crucial to the Internet. On the flipside, Facebook loves to boast about all the content its users upload - for instance, that it has hundreds of billions of photos. But ... so what?
That's a whole lot of information (that they're supposed to be making sense of) and from a computing perspective, that's pretty cool. Indeed, Facebook has done some amazing innovation in its data centers. But just because Facebook claims that one-sixth of the planet has an account does not mean the company is a scorching business. Just popular.
Now, pretend that any of those other four tech companies disappear: Life really does change.
No more Gmail or Docs for regular Joes or people running small businesses. No more Word, Excel, Azure, S3 or EC2 for people running larger ones.
These are real products. No more Chrome, Android, iOS, OS X or Windows and the apps and software that ride atop them. No more competent search of the Internet. No more digital life at your fingertips.
Sure, unless you're a dedicated Prime customer, losing Amazon wouldn't change too much for you. But a quiet branch of the company underpins and powers more websites and businesses than anyone realizes.
These four companies have embedded their tentacles deep into the fiber of the Internet and computing. Facebook has not.
A closed system
Consider even that most times you interact with your Facebook account, it's through a product made by Google (Chrome/Android), Apple (Safari/iOS) or Microsoft (Explorer/Windows). These companies operate the traffic hose to Facebook. Imagine if you ran a store where all your foot traffic had to come through someone else's front door.
If Apple hadn't committed the unforced error of releasing a terrible Maps app, Google would have been in big trouble losing those iPhone Maps users.
Facebook sits in a similar position of weakness, as it depends on all these other platforms to pass it traffic - just like any other app developer. Lucky for Facebook, in the mobile arena, those three are busy worrying about each other for now.
But, again, that's at a platform level, where the competitive advantage lies. Not an app level. I had half-predicted the Graph Search announcement would be for an operating system or maybe a Facebook Web browser - far harder engineering builds, but ones that, with any success, legitimately make Facebook part of the bus number. Nope. It introduced a tool to keep users wandering the garden rather than figuring out how to expand the walls.
So, granted, a bus number is just a thought exercise. Facebook won't disappear any time soon. But the problem with being walled off from today's Internet is that, if you do vanish, people just might not notice.
Caleb Garling is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Read The Tech Chronicles blog at: blog.sfgate.com/techchron. E-mail: email@example.com

subset: commoncrawl


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- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
Their golden heads turned toward the sun, their fringed petals aglow, sunflowers set an amicable scene in a world sometimes darkened by strife and sorrow.
Take, for example, the sunflower fields along Pedrick Road in Dixon, Calif. They are spectacular. A Vincent Van Gogh painting come to life.
And, the bees make it happen.
The non-native honey bees (Apis mellifera), brought to America in 1622 by the European colonists, and the native sunflower bees (Svastra spp.) are everywhere.
It was not always like that. The sunflower bees were here first.
In fact, Native Americans began cultivating the sunflower (Helianthus annuus), a native American plant, 3,000 years ago. When the honey bee arrived, they called it "The White Man's Fly."
The Native Americans made "yellow dye from the petals and purple dye from the immature seeds" of sunflowers, according to What's That Crop? authors Janet Byron, managing editor of California Agriculture, and science and environmental writer Robin Meadows.
They place the value of California's 42,000 acres of sunflowers in the Central Valley at $9.5 million a year.
"Most of California's sunflower crop is grown for oil, and it takes about 100 pounds of seed to make 40 pounds of oil," they wrote. "The remaining protein-rich meal is used in livestock feed. Besides producing sunflower seeds for snacking and cooking oil, the state also supplies most of the planting seeds sown by sunflower farmers nationwide."
You can follow them on their Facebook page, "What's that Crop?"
Latest statistics released in March of 2012 by the National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, indicated that "California farmers were expecting to plant 39,000 acres of sunflowers for oil, down 2 percent from last year, and 7,000 acres of non-oil sunflowers, up 75 percent from 2011."
The annual NASS forecasts are based on a survey of more than 2500 California farmers during the first two weeks of March.


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1373-1375 Maple Street, Vancouver Listing #: R2324816
Rarely available Turn Key investment property in the prestigious Kitsilano Point !! This partially updated Fourplex sits on a larger 4624 s.f. lot with over 3200 interior s.f. consisting of 1 Three bedrooms, 1 Two bedrooms & 2 One bedrooms self-contained suites generating over $ 5500 monthly rental income( below market). Just walk to the Kitsilano Beach ( named one of the "Top 10 best city beaches in the world" by international travel magazines ) offering magnificent views of the North Shore Mountains, English Bay, Burrard Inlet and beyond all year round. Once in a life time opportunity to own such an amazing Vancouver Westside Gem! Call for an appointment today!
Taxes (2018): $9,195.15
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Thank you for your gift to Duke Law!
Your gifts make a difference to our students and faculty. Below are some of the ways you can financially support our mission:
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- Gifts in Kind
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- Life Income Gifts
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Duke University accepts online donations using their secure server.
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Checks should be made payable to "Duke Law School" with a note in the memo section specifying the designation of your gift. Please mail your gift to the following address:
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Corporate or Law Firm Matching Gifts
You may be able to multiply the value of your gift by participating in a corporate matching gift program. Many companies, and some law firms, match charitable gifts made by employees (or joint gifts with their spouses), retirees or board members. Outright gifts and the deduction value of irrevocable deferred gifts may also qualify for a match. Instructions for making a matching gift are available on the Alumni & Development Records "How to Make a Matching Gift" website.
Gifts of Securities – Stocks, Bonds and Mutual Funds
For more information about how to make the following gifts, please email firstname.lastname@example.com or contact Binta Watkins at (919) 684-2338.
Transferring securities to Duke University
You or your broker should contact the Office of Alumni and Development Records (Phone: 919-684-2338; Mail: Duke University, Campus Box 90581, Durham, NC 27708) or go to www.stockgifts.duke.edu/index for security transfer instructions and brokerage account information. You should notify a Law School development officer when donating securities for a specific program or purpose.
For gifts of publicly traded securities, the deduction is determined by taking the average, or mean, between the high and low trading prices of the security on the date of the gift (or the nearest trading date(s)).
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Closely held stock, Subchapter S corporate stock, limited liability company interests and partnerships can sometimes be used to make a charitable gift. Any proposed gift of such assets should be reviewed with Duke University and the donor's tax advisors in advance. An S corporation, limited liability company or partnership may also donate specific assets and the deduction will be divided among the shareholders or members.
Gifts of Real Estate
Gifts of appreciated homes, farms and other real property can receive the same tax treatment as gifts of securities – a full, fair-market value deduction and no tax on the capital gain. If debt-free property is donated to Duke, the gift is deductible at the property's appraised value. It is sometimes possible to donate a partial interest in property, such as a percentage of ownership or mineral rights.
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Any gift may be designated in memory or honor of a friend, family member or other person.
Gifts in Kind
Another way to support Duke Law School is through gifts of tangible personal property. If a gift is related to the charitable purpose of the university, which is generally very broad for educational institutions, the donor may be eligible for a deduction of the asset's full fair market value. Examples of gifts-in-kind include: artwork, special library collections, furnishings, computer software or hardware.
Planned Giving
Although outright gifts provide vital resources for the university today, deferred gifts help insure Duke Law School's future. Giving through estate plans or life income gifts may be particularly suitable for individuals who would like to provide significant support for Duke Law School but need income from their assets during their lifetime.
For more information, email Katharine Buchanan or contact her at 919-613-7217.
Bequests by Will or Revocable "Living" Trust
The most common form of deferred or planned gift to support Duke is a bequest contained in a person's will or revocable ("living") trust. The following language is an example of how a bequest to benefit Duke may be worded:
"I give, devise and bequeath to Duke University, a qualified 501(c)(3) charitable organization located in Durham, North Carolina, _____ percent of my residual estate (or a specific bequest of $__________, or other personal or real property appropriately described) to be used for the benefit of Duke Law School."
Life Income Gifts
Donors may receive numerous tax and financial benefits by creating a "life income gift," such as a charitable gift annuity or charitable remainder trust. The donor makes an irrevocable contribution of assets to fund the trust or annuity, gets an immediate income tax deduction for part of the contribution's value, and receives income for life or a term of between 1 – 20 years. When the trust or annuity term ends, the remaining assets can be directed to support programs at Duke Law School.
Charitable Lead Trusts
A charitable lead trust can make an agreed payment to Duke for a specific term of years or for someone's life. Thereafter, the lead trust assets are either (a) returned to the person who created the lead trust; this person also receives an income tax deduction when the trust is created or (b) passed on to children, grandchildren or other loved ones and applicable estate or gift taxes on the value of the gift to the child or other heir are reduced or completely eliminated.
Gifts of Life Insurance
A donor can name Duke as a primary or contingent beneficiary of a life insurance policy. If the donor retains any control over the policy, no income tax deduction is allowed. However, if Duke is named both the sole owner and the beneficiary of a paid up policy, the donor may receive an immediate charitable deduction for the lesser of the policy's fair market value or the net premiums paid and additional premiums paid by the donor may also be tax deductible.
Retained Life Estate
You may generate a current income tax deduction by giving a home or farm to Duke, while retaining the right to use the property during your lifetime. The property will also be removed from your taxable estate.


text: For over 40 years the Cortona Program has provided an exciting and challenging opportunity for students to combine foreign travel with an intensive period of studio and classroom work. The University of Georgia's Studies Abroad program in Cortona, Italy offers a variety of studio and academic courses during the Spring, Summer and Fall semesters. Visit franklin.uga.edu/cortona for more information on living the Cortona Experience. View the Cortona Virtual Tour The total cost of each session includes housing and two meals, hotels, bus and train travel with the program itinerary in Europe, international ID card, and 12 to 15 semester hours of credit. Trans-atlantic airfare is not included in the session costs and is the responsibility of each individual student. Living conditions are similar to those experienced by European students: small, inexpensive hotels. A good example is the permanent residence in Cortona, a 15th-century monastery recently renovated with modern conveniences. Meals are typical of the Tuscan region and are prepared by one of the best restaurants in the area Tonino's. The local cuisine is renowned for its excellence. Although the major emphasis of the program is to expose students to the wealth of historical masterpieces, there are also opportunities to see modern Italian art and to visit contemporary artists and exhibitions. The program stresses its residential nature; therefore, ample time is available for sustained studio and research work. Sufficient variety in course offerings makes it possible for a student to participate in the three successive semesters. Art disciplines usually offered are Art History, Book Arts & Papermaking, Ceramics, Drawing, Interior Design, Jewelry & Metalwork, Painting, Printmaking, Photography, and Sculpture. Other disciplines offered are Italian Language, Italian Culture, Landscape Architecture, and Creative Writing. Other courses may be offered during a particular session. Consult current listings for specific courses. Cortona is a small, quiet, walled town in Tuscany of Etruscan origin. It is situated at a comfortable, cool, and invigorating 2,200-feet elevation, surrounded by beautiful olive groves, vineyards, and rich valley farm lands. The town itself is a veritable museum, revealing itself through many fine examples of Etruscan, Roman, Roman-esque, Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque art and architecture. Throughout the sessions, field trips will be made to major historical and artistic centers: Florence, Siena (the Palio), Perugia, Urbino, Assisi, Orvieto and other selected sites. Overnight trips will be made to Rome and Venice. Consult the specific itinerary for the semester in which you wish to participate. Admission and Application Procedures Each student submits two letters of recommendation, official transcript(s), portfolio for studio majors, and a one-page essay for non-studio majors. All courses listed in the Cortona program brochure are regular University of Georgia approved courses carrying full academic credit. These courses will fulfill degree requirements. Deadlines for Submitting Applications: October 1 for the Spring program, February 1 for the Summer program, and April 15 for the Fall program. Interested persons should write or call for information and application forms. In Athens, you may visit the program office which is located at: Lamar Dodd School of Art, C301M 270 River Road Athens, GA 30602-7676 Because course offerings vary from year to year, it is recommended that students consult with their advisors to select the most appropriate schedule. A student may register for a minimum of 12 semester hours or a maximum of 15 semester hours. Students from Other Schools The same regulations apply. Additional information required is: 1) an application form to the University of Georgia requesting admission as a transient student; 2) official transcript(s); 3) and two letters of recommendation. When course work is completed and grades assigned, students must write to the University of Georgia Registrar requesting that credits be transferred to their own schools. While these hours can normally be transferred, it is advised that students consult with their own institutions before applying. Financial Aid Limited financial aid is available through the Cortona Program. Please contact the office for more information and applications: UGA Studies Abroad/Cortona, Italy Lamar Dodd School of Art, C301M 270 River Road Athens, GA email@example.com Students may also consult their home institutions for Study Abroad financial aid opportunities. For more information, contact Christopher Robinson, Director, at firstname.lastname@example.com


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Australian Colin Russell from Arctic 30 yet to be granted exit visa from Russia
Tasmanian Greenpeace activist Colin Russell is likely to be spending Christmas in Russia, as he has yet to be granted an exit visa despite being granted amnesty.
The 59-year-old spent three months in detention after being arrested at gunpoint, along with 29 other crew members of the Arctic Sunrise, during a protest against Russian oil drilling in the Arctic.
They were charged with hooliganism, which carried a potential seven-year jail term.
However, the Russian parliament last week passed an amnesty law paving the way for the protesters to return home.
James Lorenz from Greenpeace says the wheels of the Russian bureaucracy turn very slowly and it is unclear when Mr Russell will receive an exit visa.
"We're very hopeful that in the coming few days he will receive the proper paperwork," he said.
"But it does unfortunately look like he will be having a white Christmas instead of being home in Tasmania."
Mr Russell's wife and daughter are with him in St Petersburg.
Meanwhile, the Arctic Sunrise remains impounded in the northern Russian port of Murmansk as the country begins pumping oil from reserves in the Arctic.
"Unfortunately at this stage the Arctic Sunrise is still locked up, still under guard, and we're still unable to access the ship," Mr Lorenz said.
"Again, we're very hopeful it will be released and we're very hopeful the Russians will follow international law and allow it to be released.
"But at this stage the future of the Arctic Sunrise is not too clear."
The state-owned energy giant Gazprom announced yesterday that it had officially begun oil production in the Arctic.
Mr Lorenz says protests will continue.
"Until the drilling stops in this pristine environment, the Greenpeace campaign will continue," he said.
Topics: world-politics, government-and-politics, courts-and-trials, law-crime-and-justice, activism-and-lobbying, russian-federation, tas, australia
First posted


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Toast of the Town
THE PARTY Pacific Hospitality Group, which manages three top SoCal resorts, teamed up with Trinitas Cellars and Fumanelli Cellars of Verona, Italy, for an over-the-top wine dinner. THE SCENE At the lavish dining table at Estancia in La Jolla, Timothy Busch, founder and CEO of Pacific Hospitality Group, toasted the crowd. In addition to Estancia, the company recently took over the lavish Bacara resort in Santa Barbara and the stalwart Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach. Guests feasted on the ultimate wine-country-inspired fare courtesy of chef Kimberley Kramer. Photography by Tim King


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The October 2009 ASP Board of Directors meeting has completed, with all surfers, events and administration uniting to activate landmark improvements that make the ASP World Tour bigger and better for 2010 and beyond.
"On behalf of the Association of Surfing Professionals, I am pleased to reaffirm the commitment from both our surfers and events in progressing the sport in a unified and collaborative effort," Brodie Carr, ASP International CEO, said. "We have just completed a period of intense discussion with the world's best surfers and the world's best events which culminated in the unanimous support of the ASP and the commitment to the continuation of crowning undisputed world champions, as we have done so for 30 years, for generations to come."
First and foremost amongst the historic changes is the transformation to a one-world rating tem and the trimming back of the ASP World Tour field. Beginning in 2010, the ASP will move from the current two-tier tem to an all-inclusive one-world rating tem where both ASP World Tour and ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS) events will be used to determine a surfer's rating.
Halfway through the 2010 season, the ASP World Tour field will be reduced from the current 45-man plus three wildcards tem to a 32-man plus four wildcards field. The timing of this reduction in field is to allow everyone qualifying for next season's Dream Tour ample opportunity to establish themselves in the Top 32.
"By trimming back the current Top 45 field as well as instituting the one-world rating tem we ensure the ASP World Tour continues to be the most progressive and dynamic professional surfing tour on Earth," Mick Fanning, ASP World Champion (2007) and Surfers' Representative, said. "The ASP has been the home of the best surfers and the best waves for over 30 years and our commitment to instituting these changes is illustrative of our position at the forefront of surfing."
Prize money at the ASP World Tour and ASP Women's World Tour level is set for a substantial increase in 2010. Base prize money for the ASP World Tour events will increase from the current US$340,000 to US$400,000 in 2010, taking the total prize pool on 10 events from $3,400,000 to $4,000,000 per annum. On the ASP Women's World Tour, total prize pool will increase from US$630,000 to $800,000 in 2010.
Along with the increase in event prize purse, an additional US$100,000 bonus will be awarded to the year-end ASP World Champion, as well as an additional US$30,000 bonus to the year-end ASP Women's World Champion.
"The surfers and events continue to work together with ASP Management to create a world class sport," Rip Curl's Neil Ridgway, ASP Events' Council Chairman, said. "There are over one thousand ranked surfers from juniors to pros chasing an ASP World Title, and tens of thousands behind them dreaming of winning one themselves. Our tours provide sporting, economic, social and environmental benefits to almost every continent on the planet. We uphold the career pathway and continue to nurture the millions of fans who follow their heroes on the ASP World Tours."
In addition to the increase in prize money, the ASP will institute an increase in surfer benefits that include full insurance coverage as well as a pension plan.
The third major change to be activated in 2010 is the evolution of the ASP Board structure. Transitioning from the current 5-person (1 chairman, 2 event and 2 surfer) model, the new ASP Board Structure will consist of three independents, two events and two surfers – including a women's representative.
"It's fantastic that the women will become voting members of the ASP Board of Directors," Jessi Miley-Dyer, ASP Women Surfers' Representative, said. "The current board has done an incredible job in directing the tour and has been instrumental in providing career pathways and tours for both male and female surfers. Having a female representative on the board dovetails perfectly into the positive, global response we're receiving on the ASP Women's World Tour right now, and I look forward to seeing the benefits of such a shift in focus."
"We remain open to enhancements to our tours that reflect our core principles," Carr said. "Our primary focus is in doing what is best for professional surfing."


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The National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC) will join its industry partners Monday (March 26) in a White House meeting to discuss misunderstandings involving new pool lift requirements that have been proposed under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
According to a press release, ARVC will be represented at the meeting by the Washington D.C. law firm of McDermott Will & Emery, which will voice private park operator concerns about the proposed requirements it feels are out of sync with existing ADA requirements for other amenities in campgrounds, RV parks and resorts.
ARVC and its industry partners have complained to the Department of Justice (DOJ) that they have received "conflicting guidance" and interpretations of the new pool lift requirements from state and local enforcement offices around the country. "There appears to be tremendous variations in interpretation by these local officials, many of whom are under the impression that DOJ intends this Guidance to apply only to new construction," ARVC and its industry partners wrote in a March 13th letter to Attorney General Eric Holder and other Justice Department officials.
On March 15, Holder approved a 60-day extension of the compliance date for new ADA pool lift requirements following an aggressive letter writing campaign orchestrated by ARVC and other business groups. Holder also signaled the department's willingness to consider a six-month month extension on ADA pool lift compliance while issues involving the proposed regulations are being discussed.
Al Johnson, who chairs ARVC's Government Affairs Committee, said the association will continue to provide park operators with key talking points and other information to use in their correspondence with congressional and DOJ officials in connection with the pool lift issue. ARVC officials also plan to discuss park operator concerns about the proposed pool lift requirements in face-to-face meetings with congressional representatives in May.
"We're making progress in getting our voices heard," said Johnson, who noted that ARVC's concerns are shared by a coalition of powerful business interests, including the American Hotel & Lodging Association, American Resort Development Association, the Asian American Hotel Owners Association, the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, the National Apartment Association, the National Multi Housing Council, The Real Estate Roundtable, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the World Water Park Association.
For more information on the ADA requirements and the extension of the compliance deadline by the Department of Justice, visit www.ada.gov. Based in Denver, the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds is the national voice of the outdoor hospitality industry. Visit www.arvc.org for more information.


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Bridget McManus: On Comedy, Art, and Coming Out/
by Diana Phillips, Senior Staff Writer | IgniteSA Magazine | Cover Story
"I wanted to be a stand-up comedian since I was a fetus and I have the photos to prove it," Bridget McManus asserts. "Well, I don't actually have a fetus photo but I can try and track one down for you."
McManus, a Los Angeles-based comedienne and actress known for creating and starring in her own TV shows "Bridget McManus Presents: That Time of The Month" and the popular vlog series "Brunch with Bridget" that aired on the Logo Network, first became enamored with comedy at an early age. "I remember watching "The Carol Burnett Show" and being mesmerized by her monologues. I felt as if Carol was talking directly to me in my living room," she says.
Like Carol Burnett, McManus is a fearless comedic force and has been performing stand-up for five years. Her style is conversational, personal, provocative, and uninhibited. Early in her career, McManus was kicked off the stage at the Laugh Factory in Los Angeles for being "too dirty." She's joked about masturbating as a young girl to images of Princess Diana but her favorite joke is a sing-along she wrote called "You Wouldn't Fuck Me When I Was Fat, Fuck You Fuck You!" McManus, who has graced the covers of BOUND Magazine and Curve Magazine's "America's Funniest Lesbian" issue, has been open about her struggle with weight, sharing with audiences that she has gained and lost 70 pounds three times in her life.
At age fourteen, McManus came out as a lesbian, disclosing first to her older sister, Audrey. "She responded by saying 'That's awesome!'" McManus recalls. "I mean, c'mon that's the best reaction ever, right?" A few years later her sister came out as bisexual; both are now married to women. "I was nineteen when I told my mother I was gay and she took it very hard. She didn't talk to me for about three months because she felt that me not telling her sooner meant I had been lying to her. It definitely took her some time but now my mother is the ideal supportive parent and she loves my wife, which is very important to me."
Her wife is Karman Kregloe, writer, musician and Editor-in-Chief of AfterEllen.com. They met at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles when Kregloe came to one of McManus's shows. "The moment we saw each other we both froze. It was love at first sight. We eloped six months later," McManus recalls. They were married during the small window between June and November 2008 when same-sex couples were legally granted marriage licenses in California - before voters passed Proposition 8, an amendment to the State's Constitution that provided "only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized." In February, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Proposition 8 ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional but has yet to lift the ban, pending further appeals.
"I really can't believe the world is still fighting over marriage equality. Millions of people are out of work, children are dying of starvation and we're still fighting over the definition of marriage. It's so absurd and insulting," McManus says. "Marriage equality will mean that the world is one step closer to being unified. Everyone, gay and straight, should support gay marriage because all human beings are equal and should be treated as such."
"Being gay is like winning a golden ticket into Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory," she says, "A factory run by intelligent, funny and sexy women." McManus is one of them. A graduate of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and the famed Second City conservatory program in Los Angeles, McManus writes a daily column for AfterEllen.com called "Afternoon Delight," and is currently working on her third comedy special, "Chaos & Cleavage." She recently shot the second season of "McManusland," a mockumentary series about her life starring her wife Karman, their dogs, and cat Shelby, and two new webseries: "Batgirl: Spoiled" about superheros, and "The Throwaways," a drama about homeless gay teens in Chicago.
McManus is also a talented painter. "Until recently I was a closeted-painter. I didn't even tell my wife that I painted," she says. At NYU, McManus worked as the assistant scenic artist for the drama department's undergraduate main stage productions (including "Hamlet Machine" starring Bryce Dallas Howard), but after graduation she didn't pick up a paintbrush for over 10 years. "Now I'm up every night until 1:00 a.m. creating dark forests, portraits of 1970s rock stars and Gustav Klimt-inspired acrylic paintings." McManus recently had her first gallery showing at the Liberty Arts Gallery in Long Beach, California.


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Click here to visit the website of DocEng 2015, which will be held in Lausanne, Switzerland.
The 13th ACM Symposium on Document Engineering (DocEng) was held in Florence, Italy. DocEng 2013 was built on the tradition of past symposia previously held around the world including Paris (2012), Mountain View (2011), Manchester (2010) and Munich (2009).
The ACM Symposium on Document Engineering provides an annual international forum for presentations and discussions on principles, tools and processes that improve our ability to create, manage and maintain documents. It is sponsored by ACM by means of the ACM SIGWEB Special Interest Group. All DocEng Proceedings are available through the ACM Digital Library.
Researchers in both academia and industry attended DocEng 2013.
Latest Updates
2013-09-07: Updated information about workshops and reception in the venue page and in the social activities page.
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Try to decipher this numerical series: 60/40/20. Give up? It represents a ton of fun, as in 60 years of Corvettes, the 40th anniversary of Mid America Motorworks, and 20 years of the company's Funfest event. Plus there's one other key number to add, the lucky Gen 7 Corvette.
All those figures apply to this past September's Funfest, and then some. After all, literally thousands upon thousands of cars and spectators converged in Effingham, Illinois, for a celebration of all things Corvette. While the festivities got off to a gray and occasionally drizzly start, it didn't dampen spirits at all, and by Saturday we were walkin' on sunshine.
We've been to several 60th anniversary events in the past year, and usually the '14 Stingray steals the show, but a number of earlier and customized Corvettes held their own just fine at Funfest, thank you. What follows is a visual feast of not only the hot stuff on display, but also a fond look back at the early days from the MAM photo archives.
So what we have here is in keeping with that old wedding advice: "Something old, something new..." and so on. That leaves plenty to pick from, whatever your preference. And that's the beauty of Funfest, as there's no such thing as a bad Corvette. Sure, some are way more exotic or rare than others, but the whole point of the show is finding something for everybody to enjoy.
What's in store for next year? MAM founder and "Chief Cheerleader" Mike Yager gave us the scoop during the trophy presentation: Vettes for Vets, in honor of those who have served in the military. We're looking forward to a crisp salute at next year's Funfest.


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Now we know why there has been no progress between the Pittsburgh Steelers and linebacker Jason Worilds on a new contract.
Worilds rejected a long-term offer from the Steelers "awhile ago," Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported last week.
There is no word on the specifics of the offer. Per Bouchette, the offer stands and the team will go no higher.
Worilds recently expressed optimism that he will reach agreement with the Steelers.
"You put so much time and effort in with these guys," Worilds explained, per The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, "so you want to be here for the duration of your career."
The two sides have until July 15 to work out an extension.
If the Steelers stick to their hard-line stance, Worilds will have to accept their standing offer or play out the season under the $9.754 million transition tag.
In the latest edition of the "Around The League Podcast," the heroes talk "Hard Knocks" before delving into a new batch of rookie whispers.


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Jasper County Neighbors United is looking for an organ or piano for its afterschool cultural program. JCNU received a grant from Caring/Coins of Hargray and the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry. Instructors in piano, dance and voice are also being sought to help out with the program at Deerfield Village, an affordable low income housing community in Hardeeville. The program will take place at the Deerfield Village Community Center.
JCNU would like to start the program some time around March 1 and run until the end of the school year. There would be an annual performance of all the children in the program at the end of each school year. If anyone is interesting in helping or donating a piano or organ to this cause, call Executive Director E. Tedd Moyd at 784-7172 or email firstname.lastname@example.com.


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COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee Tech's newest head coach, Steve Payne, and the rest of the men's basketball coaching staff are proud to continue one of Tech's greatest traditions in the individual and team summer basketball camps for area youth.
The team camp features individual player instruction daily from the Tennessee Tech coaching staff, as well as a coaching clinic with the staff. Participating coaches will enjoy a hospitality room, the use of meeting rooms for teams, complimentary use of the university fitness center and green fees at Ironwood Golf Course.
Players will receive camp t-shirts and enjoy supervised, air-conditioned dorms for boarding teams, meals in the Tech cafeteria, and transportation to and from Eblen Center and Memorial Gym. Certified trainers will on hand at all times, as will the TTU coaching staff.
Camp will operate with two divisions at the varsity level, and will also accommodate a JV schedule, a freshman schedule, and a middle school schedule for grades six through eight.
Boarding teams will pay a $225 team fee, which guarantees eight games at the minimum and accounts for one head coach, plus a $165 fee per player. Additional coaches, managers and bus drivers will be charged $75 each. Community teams will pay the standard $225 team fee and an additional $100 for players, assistants and managers with meals. Parties who will not partake in meal time will pay an additional $75 per person.
Team camp dates are scheduled for June 5-7, June 16-18 and June 22-24.
Individual camp is open to all youth players, ages eight to 18, and will be held from June 26-29. It will feature personal contact with Coach Payne and his staff including daily clinics, individual and group instruction in the fundamentals of basketball, 5-on-5 league games and shooting league games.
Campers will enjoy air-conditioned gyms and supervised residence halls, as well as professionally prepared food from the Tennessee Tech cafeteria.
Tuition is $275 for overnight campers, which includes three meals and three nights lodging. Day camper tuition, which includes two meals, is $225. Registrants will enjoy a $10 discount on three applications or more.
To register for either the team camp or individual camp, please visit the following link:
** These camps are owned by the Tennessee Tech Athletics Association and are operated by coaches of Tennessee Tech. Although the camps may be held on the campus of Tennessee Tech, it is not owned or operated by the University.


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jglaid317 on Family Tree Circles
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Journals and Posts
Looking for Andrew Thomas in PA
I have a distant grandmother named Eliza Thomas. She married Jacob F. Lower. On one record I found that her dad was Andrew Thomas and her mom was Elizabeth Strite/Stride. I am looking for any info on Andrew. I don't have any birthdays or death dates for Eliza's parents.
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Tip the Scale of Your Gift to WUSF
Many companies match contributions their employees make to qualified non-profit organizations like WUSF Public Media.
Your company may match your contribution dollar for dollar, double or even triple it, but matching amounts do vary by company. Because most companies have strict deadlines, why not get the process started today?
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Team 1040 radio host Scott Rintoul was in Boston a year ago to run the famous marathon and was safely in his hotel room, post-run, when the bombs went off at the finish line. The 39-year-old broadcaster and wife Fiona, who was pregnant at the time, were not injured. Nor were they scared off.
The Rintoul family, which now includes six-month-old daughter Abigail, are back in Boston with Scott again planning to run the marathon. We caught up with him before he flew to Beantown.
Before we talk about last year, and why you returned to Boston this year, let's briefly review your running career. Did you do a lot of cross-country, or competitive track and field, growing up in Kamloops? How did you get into marathons?
Honestly, I fell into marathons for something to do. I was never a runner at all when I was younger. I played football, rugby, some badminton and community soccer. I didn't do any track and field. It was not my bailiwick. Then one winter I started running a little bit and I saw one of those Vancouver marathon training programs, so I thought maybe I'll do some of these runs. I did all right and thought, since I'm doing this, why don't I do the Vancouver marathon? That was 2005, the same year I joined the radio station. I finished in 2:52.43, which is still my best time.
Did this success, breaking three hours in your first attempt, get you thinking about other marathons, like Boston, or New York?
Someone told me that my time in Vancouver qualified me for Boston. I was, like, OK, whatever. They said: 'No, no, you should go. A lot of people would love to do this.' So in 2006, I went to Boston. I didn't do another marathon until 2012, although I did the Penticton Ironman (Triathlon) in 2009. The reason I did the 2012 marathon here was to qualify for Boston 2013, because I was looking for another challenge and my wife, who had never been to Boston, said she'd like to go and see the city.
You finished Boston 2013 without incident, without a hint of what was to come, and returned to your hotel to wind down. Can you take us through those frightening moments that soon followed?
After I finished, I was done, exhausted, my legs were spent. So Fiona and I sat in the finishing area for a good half an hour, or 45 minutes, and I was just hydrating, that sort of thing. Then we walked back to our hotel, which was just under a mile from the finish line. I did an interview with the midday show, Sekeres and Price, and it was a very light interview. We were just joking around and then I jumped in the shower. While I was in the shower, the bombs went off, but I didn't hear anything. And my wife didn't hear anything, either.
So how did you actually find out what had happened? What was the first indication you received that something had gone horribly wrong?
When I got out of the shower, I looked at my phone and there was a text from Trevor Martins, the midday show producer, asking me if I was OK. I
said: 'Yeah, of course, I'm OK. I just talked to you guys. What do you mean?' So he said: 'Turn on your TV.' That's when I saw what had happened and I thought: 'Uh-oh, what is going on here?' The station then called me immediately and wanted to know what it was like to be there. For the next number of hours, I went into reporter mode and did a lot of interviews. My phone kept ringing.
Were you told by the authorities to stay in your hotel room? Or were you free to go out and take a look around?
At that point, they were advising people that maybe they shouldn't leave their hotel, but I said we'd like to get out if we can. So we went down and asked a police officer on the street if it was OK and he said: 'Yeah, you should be fine.' It was just after 7 p.m. by this time and we walked to dinner and the streets were pretty vacant relative to what I remembered about 2006. Usually it's a pretty celebratory mood and, as you can imagine, it was not like that at all. There was a pall cast over the city.
People were pretty scared. We went through that feeling of 'we're lucky, we're very lucky.' But, no, we didn't feel this might be another 9/11, or part of a series of attacks.
After what might be considered a bit of a narrow escape, you have decided to return to Boston and take the whole family with you. Why? Why not stay at home, or go to a different city?
I think the reason is we just want to be part of the group that helps Boston heal. I've always believed in the power of sport being something that unites and is bigger than wins and losses and contracts. So I think this event embodies that. I guess anything could happen but, if that's going to change the way we live our lives, then they win. I think the reward is being part of the group that stands up and says: 'We will continue.'


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Obama awards Medal of Honor for valor in Afghan battle
Clinton Romesha led a battle to defend a U.S. outpost in rural Afghanistan in 2009.
President Obama awarded the nation's highest military honor Monday to a U.S. soldier who led a counterattack in Afghanistan after he and his comrades were asked to "defend the indefensible."
Clinton Romesha, a former Army staff sergeant, earned the Medal of Honor for leading the defense of a plywood-and-concrete outpost dangerously placed in a valley of the Afghanistan mountains, and staffed by only 53 American troops.
More than 300 Taliban fighters attacked Combat Outpost Keating from above on Oct. 3, 2009. Throughout a day-long firefight, Romesha led efforts to beat back the Taliban after some of its fighters penetrated the camp.
The outpost "sat at the bottom of a steep valley," Obama said, and a later investigation determined that the surrounding mountain terrain "gave ideal cover for insurgents to attack."
That investigation also found that Combat Outpost Keating "was tactically indefensible," Obama said. "But that's what these soldiers were asked to do, defend the indefensible."
Eight soldiers died in the battle and 22 were wounded, including Romesha. CNN anchor Jake Tapper wrote about the attack in his book,The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor.
Romesha, 31, who sustained shrapnel words, cited the "loss of our battle buddies" in a statement to reporters after the Medal of Honor ceremony, saying he has "mixed emotions of both joy and sadness," and is "feeling conflicted with this medal I now wear."
He added: "I accept this tremendous honor on behalf of all soldiers who have served with me that day. This award is for the eight soldiers that didn't make it and for the rest of the team that fought valiantly and magnificently that day. I will forever be humbled by their bravery, their commitment to service and their loyalty to one another."
At the White House ceremony, Obama described Romesha as "a pretty humble guy" who was born in Lake City, Calif., a town of less than 100 people. No longer in the military, Romesha works in the oil fields of North Dakota.
This is not even the biggest event of Romesha's week, Obama joked, as he and his wife celebrate their 13th wedding anniversary.
In describing why Romesha deserves the Medal of Honor, Obama said he "gathered up his guys" after the Taliban invaded the outpost, "and they began to fight their way back -- storming one building and then another, pushing the enemy back, having to actually shoot up at the enemy in the mountains above."
Amid fire and smoke, Obama said, "Clint stood in the doorway calling in airstrikes that shook the earth all around them."
In saluting all of the Americans at Combat Outpost Keating, Obama repeated that one of the lessons "is that our troops should not -- ever -- be put in a position where they have to defend the indefensible."
He added: "That's what these soldiers did for each other in sacrifice driven by pure love."


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(Seldom Updated)
I am currently Director of SummerMath and Lecturer in the Mathematics Department at Mount Holyoke College. I share the directorship position of SummerMath, a program for young women in high school, with Char Morrow.
Math 120, Explorations in Geometry was last taught in the Spring Term 2008. The web pages were intended for students in that class, but try doing the Labs. A Calculus I web site is also available. In spring 2004 I assisted with Education 204, Learning and Reflecting on Mathematics, and I taught Calculus II for several term recently . Click on Lab Course for MHC's "bridge to higher mathematics," Math 251, which I taught in Spring 2005. From I100, Quantitative Reasoning, Fall 1999, you can access the Malthus Lecture and the Mathematical Modeling Lecture.
Contact Information
At MHC: Phone Ext. 2820
At Home & About: Phone 413/536-0788
Office: 1 Woodbridge (across Park Street from the church and across Route 116 from the US Post Office) Click on the small map below for more detail.
Below I list some of my current interests, along with links to publications and presentations.
In June of 1999 I had the honor and pleasure of participating in the First Interdisciplinary Conference of the International Society of the Arts, Mathematics and Architecture, which was held in San Sebastien (Donostia), Spain, at the University of the Basque Country. Under construction are some pages devoted to Conference presentations. Some of the things I presented there can be reached through my geometry pages. Further information can be obtained by contacting me by e-mail. This section is Under Construction!
Click below for their spectacular fractal images.
Robert does amazing mathematical drawings, as well as dissections of cubes. Click below to see a couple of his planar dissections.
Sculptor Keizo Ushio splits his red granite doughnut! Click on the image to see more of Keizo's work at ISAMA 99; click on Keizo to link to his home page.
Frank Geary's Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao.
ISAMA took a field trip to Bilbao. Taking in Geary's architectural wonder and the sculpture of Chilida were two of the incredible treats for conference participants. Click on the museum image above for more views of the museum exterior.


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Killers and Other Family" comes from a cycle of plays in which Lucy Thurber bashes smart girls who turn their backs on their low-class backgrounds. This one gives it to a doctoral student who thought she'd escaped her hardscrabble roots — until her brother and his best friend land on her doorstep, bringing with them the violence, the ignorance and the cruelty of the boonies. But by withholding all signs of humanity from these brutes, Thurber makes us wonder why someone doesn't just call the cops on them. That said, Caitriona McLaughlin helms a well-cast ensemble through a muscular production for Rattlestick.
Like some farm-team Steppenwolf, Rattlestick goes for a hard-edged, physically out-there performance style, and this play provides the company with choice material for that down-and-dirty approach. There's barely time to size up the situation when Lizzie (Samantha Soule, in a punishing role) opens the door of her Manhattan apartment to brother Jeff (Dashiell Eaves) and his buddy Danny (Shane McRae) before Lizzie and Danny are going at it on the floor.
Baffling though it may be, in terms of character motivation, it's a well-staged scene — almost as well staged as the considerably more violent scene late in the play when Danny attempts to rape Claire (Aya Cash), Lizzie's roommate and lover. While fight director David Anzuelo surely deserves a fist tap for the logistics, the brutal assault is more than good staging. It's about character and conflict writ large.
The relationships between Lizzie and Danny, Lizzie and Jeff, and Lizzie and the life she thought she left behind are complex, but Thurber defines them almost exclusively through physical gesture. To express his anger and envy of Lizzie's lifestyle, Danny paws like an animal at her precious possessions, including poor Claire. Jeff, who feels Lizzie's rejection even more keenly, inarticulately tries to protect his sister by taking her thesis out of Danny's rough hands.
There's a good bit of talk in this play — and with the exception of Claire's wishy-washy dialogue, the sound of it is raw and authentic. But little of significance gets said. It's left to the physical signifiers to carry the story. So, while Lizzie can't speak of her ambivalent feelings about leaving what sounds like a tough, possibly abusive life in the sticks, she can drain a bottle of liquor and light up a lot of cigarettes.
Thurber doesn't find her own tongue until very late in the play, when Jeff finally hits on a way to get Danny out of the apartment before he wrecks the place or gets arrested.
"It's only been 24 hours but I miss the country bad, don't you?" he asks his friend, in a soft voice. "Woods and fresh air. Real quiet. Late at night. Can't see no lights. Time don't go nowhere. Everything's just the same as it's always been. I love that. Don't you, Danny? We're lucky, right? We're lucky we get to go back." It's a gorgeous piece of writing, and Thurber does herself a disservice by withholding it for so long.


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Zendaya om Selena
Intervjuare: Har du träffat Selena?
Zendaya: Ja! Vi delade scen. Hon är en mycket begåvad tjej
& mycket söt. Så det var kul att träffa och arbeta med henne.
Intervjuare: Vill du följa Selenas fotspår? Och kanske ha en
solokarriär som både Selena & Miley Cyrus?
Zendaya: Absolut. Selena har gjort ett otroligt jobb så långt,
hon är en begåvad tjej.
Intervju om Monte Carlo
Meg (Leighton Meester, left), Grace (Selena Gomez) and Emma (Katie Cassidy) live like royalty on their unexpected European getaway, in Monte Carlo.
What would you do if you were mistaken for someone else and offered an all-expenses-paid trip to Monte Carlo, Monaco? Would you play along? If you're a small-town Texas girl like Grace, played by Selena Gomez, you just might! Grace, her stepsister Meg (Leighton Meester) and her best friend Emma (Katie Cassidy) have been saving up for a summer trip to Paris. But their dream vacation quickly spirals into a big disappointment when one thing after another goes wrong.
Things start looking up, however, when Grace is mistaken for a wealthy British heiress named Cordelia, who is scheduled to be in Monte Carlo. Wanting to give her friends the European adventure they had hoped for, Grace pretends to be the spoiled socialite. But when the real Cordelia shows up, will the girls be able to talk themselves out of this pickle? One thing's for sure: it's a vacation they'll never forget!
Selena met with reporters in New York City, recently, to talk about the film. Read on to see what she says about playing two characters in one movie, and about life after Wizards of Waverly Place.
Cordelia's not the friendliest person. This is the first time you've played a not-so-nice character. What was it like to step into that role?
It was liberating! Grace is a character I've played before. She's kind of shy, a little bit tom-boyish and she goes to [Paris to] search for a better life. Cordelia is so mean and awful. But I wanted to play her in a way so that you can't help but like her. People love watching the mean girl. Like, I love Leighton Meester's character [Blair Waldorf] in Gossip Girl. So it was really fun for me to play something different. It was a challenge, but I loved it. That's why I love acting.
Did you base Cordelia off of anyone?
No, to be honest, because we didn't know what we were going to do with her character. At first, they wanted to dress Cordelia like Paris Hilton because she's an heiress. Then, they wanted to do something more like Posh Beckham. So it was weird. We didn't know who Cordelia was going to be until I was on set.
Grace feels like a bit of an outsider at school. Did you ever feel like that growing up?
Absolutely. I was very awkward and very quiet. It wasn't until I was maybe 15 or 16 that I started opening up. I would wear the same outfit everyday and wear my hair in a ponytail with a ribbon that matched whatever shirt I had on. I sat in the back, and I definitely was very awkward and uncomfortable. I wasn't really confident, so I did draw on that for the role.
The girls have the time of their lives in Europe. Is there a trip you've taken that really sticks out in your mind?
There have been many. Unfortunately, I get to go to these beautiful places, but I never get to go with my friends. I'm always with my mom—which is nice, don't get me wrong! But of course, I do want to have that one big trip with my friends. One trip I do remember in particular is going to Nashville, Tennessee. During the time, I was just overwhelmed, and Taylor (Swift) was like, "You should come to Nashville." So I got on a plane, went to Nashville for the weekend, and it was awesome. I stayed at her house and just vegged out, and it was really good for me to get away.
Another time that I remember was while I was filming Monte Carlo. The whole cast went to Monte Carlo, and I flew out my best friend and my cousin Priscilla. Me, Katie, Leighton and my friends laid out on the beach. Even though I was working, it still felt like a good getaway.
What was it like filming in Europe?
Filming in Europe was amazing. The culture, the food, the people, the fashion... It was really fun for me. I grew up a lot.
One of the funniest scenes in the movie is when Grace is attempting to play polo—
[Laughs] You want to know a funny story? In the original script, Grace was supposed to begood at polo, and Cordelia was the one who didn't care. But I had two straight weeks of polo training and I was so bad at it that they rewrote the script! I could not get it. The polo stick was so heavy, and I was already trying to focus on the horse. So in the end, they taught me how to ride western style, which was easier for me. That was better.
How long did you have to practice Cordelia's British accent?
It took about two weeks. My dialect coach gave me a lot of movies to watch. We did dialect lessons for two hours every day. I also had her on set, so I would sit there and run through it with her over and over again. But shooting that first scene with the accent, I don't think I've been more terrified; I was so nervous. Hopefully it sounds good!
What do you think your Wizards character, Alex, would do if she found herself in Grace's shoes with this ticket to Monte Carlo?
[Joking] Oh, gosh, it'd be horrible. Send my character to Europe? Oh my goodness, she'd [use magic to] change a thousand things! I think she would have a crazy adventure and get into a lot of trouble.
Grace and Cordelia have very different looks. Grace is very casual, and Cordelia is very high fashion. How important is costume and makeup to you to get into character?
It's extremely important. It helps so much to be in the wardrobe. When we rehearse and I'm in my own clothes, it's sometimes hard for me to get into character because I feel like me. Cordelia was really fun to play. Her heels were a pain! But wearing them made me angry, so it made me portray the character that way.
This year is a big year for you with your new album coming out, this movie and Wizards of Waverly Place ending. With everything that's going on, do you ever get overwhelmed?
Of course. But it's also nice, because I'm starting over. My Disney Channel show is ending, and I'll have to gain a whole new audience. It's going to be a big challenge for me, but I'm ready. I've been doing the same thing for a very long time, so it's going to be really good for me to fight for some stuff.
- gomezz


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Pentax/Ricoh Reviews
Pentax, who just recently merged with Ricoh, has long been a sort of underdog—but not necessarily in performance or quality. Pentax/Ricoh offers some quirky cameras, but for the most part, we've found that to be a good thing.
The Pentax/Ricoh DSLR's are mostly weather-sealed, giving them a unique advantage over competing manufacturers that don't offer anything similar. When we tried out models like the K-50, we were quite impressed with the image quality. The autofocus was a bit noisier than a Nikon, but the weather-sealing and often better price is hard to resist when the image quality is so good. Pentax continued to add in innovations by adding an anti-aliasing filter that can be turned on and off to the 2013 K-3.
Pentax hasn't jumped into the mirrorless battle too much, but they do offer the tiny and colorful Q7. With a smaller sensor and a smaller price point, the Q7 and similar models are more of a consumer mirrorless than one for the enthusiasts, but it's an extremely small camera with a whole lot of color options.
Pentax has a few solid compact models out too. The Pentax MX-1 earned our Best Budget Advanced Compact for 2013 for its advanced features yet small price tag. They offer a waterproof line that includes macro ring lights built in, something unique to the WG cameras.
Pentax/Ricoh may be a bit quirky, but many of their cameras are well worth a look and offer excellent image quality for the price.
We here at Digital Camera HQ offer unbiased, informative reviews and recommendations to guide you to the right camera. We're not an actual store; we're just here to help you find the perfect camera at the best price possible by using our camera grades. Let us know if you have any problems or questions, we're happy to help.


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TELL CITY – Erika Hauenstein, a senior at Tell City Junior-Senior High School was named a state finalist in the Wendy's High School Heisman Award program.
The Wendy's Heisman is a rigorous scholarship program for high school seniors who maintain a B average and play at least one sport. These student-athletes must demonstrate a strong work ethic, dedication to academic and athletic achievement, community service and an ability to be role models for underclassmen.
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Pitch Perfect and Argo… liked them both.
Pitch Perfect wasn't perfect, but it was fun. It's a comedy set in the world of college a capella… not, it seems, a particularly accurate depiction, but it doesn't pretend to be the sort of film where you can take such things seriously. This is more in the tradition of films like Revenge of the Nerds than in some more serious format. There's a couple things I find interesting. One is how hard the film feels the need to explain to you that performance A is good and B bad, because they're all slick enough that you may not agree with what they're saying. The other is… well, have you seen the ads for this film? So you know what it's about, right, this brassy overweight girl who sings, right? Only that's not true. She's only a supporting character; the central character is a conspicuously attractive, svelte movie. That's right, they're pitching it as a film about an unattractive outsider rather than a sexy gal. I think that really says something interesting about the cultural moment we're in.
Argo was good, quite good, but not perfect. My little hope for good treatment of Jack Kirby as a character in this film was dashed; the Kirby character appears in one scene, seems unlikely Kirby, and doesn't match quite the truth of Kirby's involvement in the true story. I understand that he wasn't that important to the story they were telling… but hey, if you're trying to show how wild a scene you're involved in is, wouldn't the inclusion of the co-creator of the Fantastic Four, X-Men, Captain America, Hulk, and so forth be worth a mention?
One thing that hit me was one of the difficulties in doing a "based on true events" stories. There were a couple times… one in particular (folks who have seen the film will know what I mean when I say "trying to get to the phone") where an attempt to build conflict which would seem merely a little silly in a fiction film seems like a stupid bit of desperation to add drama where none existed.
But overall, it's well worthwhile. All the actors do a good job. And while John Goodman may not inherently be able to rescue a film (see The Babe, Blues Brothers 2000, or Born Yesterday for proof), there is no film that is not improved by his presence.
I may have to rent some of Mr. Affleck's other films as a director.


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Study: Secondhand Smoke Causing Untold Stillbirths in Developing CountriesAugust 02, 2018 09:56
(Image source from: MomJunction)
In developing countries, it is rare for women to smoke while pregnant, but then their contact to secondhand smoke during pregnancy is a lot higher, according to a recent study by the Demographic and Health Survey which was carried out in 30 developing countries.
Contact to secondhand smoke through pregnancy upsurges the peril of miscarriage, congenital malformations, and low birth-weight. In response to these hazards, administrations have presented "smoke-free" laws, for instance, smoking bans in public places.
Though smoking is less insight at public places, private homes, and cars still it is recurrent in indoor private and public spaces in various developing countries.
This exposure poses health risks to defenseless people such as children and pregnant women. The study, based on the national estimates for 30 countries, is an initiative to report the degree to which pregnant women are exposed to secondhand smoke in developing countries.
In 13 out of the 30 countries, secondhand smoke exposure was 10 times higher than active smoking among pregnant women, and consequently much more deeply implicated in the number of stillbirths.
Findings suggest that smoking is a crucial donor to the indoor air pollution of homes in developing countries. Its influence on miscarriages is similar to that of biomass fuel use for cooking and heating, which is another chief source of indoor air pollution.
Ethnic taboos in developing countries on female smoking have dispirited women from taking up the practice, but smoking among men is still prevalent. The consciousness of harm caused by secondhand smoke exposure is often inferior in developing countries and in many male-controlled family structures women may not feel contented challenging males smoking nearby. It is so probable that the higher rates of secondhand smoke exposure during pregnancy in developing country es reflect male smoking patterns.
Tackling health crisis
Protecting pregnant woman from exposure to secondhand smoking is key step in improving maternal and child well-being. It is vital for healthcare professionals working with the pregnant woman to be aware of the issues simultaneously be proactive in offering support and advise to a pregnant woman who is exposed to secondhand smoking.
By Sowmya Sangam


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'Stars are aligned' for grateful Morse with Giants
SAN FRANCISCO -- Imagine being an astronaut chosen for the first manned mission to Mars. Or a veteran jurist who has been nominated to the Supreme Court. They'd feel thrilled, honored and fortunate.
That is, they'd feel like Michael Morse does nowadays.
SAN FRANCISCO -- Imagine being an astronaut chosen for the first manned mission to Mars. Or a veteran jurist who has been nominated to the Supreme Court. They'd feel thrilled, honored and fortunate.
That is, they'd feel like Michael Morse does nowadays.
Morse has reveled in his Giants experience since they signed him to a one-year, $6 million contract as a free agent last December. He adores and respects his teammates. Morse savors his interaction with franchise legends such as Willie Mays and Barry Bonds. And, of course, Morse relishes his role as the everyday left fielder for San Francisco, which occupies first place in the National League West.
"Oh, man," Morse said earlier this week, considering his good fortune. "The stars are aligned."
Morse, 32, is the latest individual who's happy to trumpet that the Giants' team chemistry is real, not just reputation. When Morse's agents, Seth and Sam Levinson, informed him of San Francisco's interest in acquiring him, he urged them to pursue a deal. To Morse, the club's 76-86 finish in 2013 didn't tarnish the cachet remaining from its World Series championships in '10 and '12. Moreover, he gained an appreciation for Bruce Bochy while participating in a five-game exhibition tour of Major League All-Stars to Taiwan following the '11 season, which the Giants' manager supervised.
"When I heard Bochy had me in mind, that was a big compliment for what I've done in my career," Morse said. "To be a part of his program and his team is such an honor. That's why coming here was a big thing for me."
Morse's arrival also has been significant for the Giants, who begin a challenging three-city, 10-game trip Friday in Atlanta following Thursday's scheduled off-day. Having put two injury-plagued seasons behind him, he has amassed a team-high 20 RBIs, while batting .302 with six home runs. The right-handed-batting Morse, who prides himself on being a complete hitter, has generated his run production by stroking hits up the middle and to the opposite field in addition to yanking homers to left.
"When you think of Morse, you think of a power hitter," Bochy said. "But he gives you a quality at-bat. And he gives you a presence. He's fun to watch."
Morse is having fun, too. He has found himself surrounded by teammates who embrace camaraderie as much as he does.
"I feel like the team's this way already, but we have a wide variety of people in here, and he seems to get along with everyone," shortstop Brandon Crawford said.
Morse's gregariousness comes naturally. Crawford confirmed this by recalling their brief encounters in previous seasons when Morse, then playing for the Washington Nationals, reached second base.
"Even then, he seemed like he had a good sense of humor," Crawford said. "He was joking around about something and I hadn't really talked to him."
Morse quickly forged a bond with his peers in Spring Training.
"They all bring such a great personality," said Morse, whose 6-foot-5, 245-pound stature is falsely menacing. "The guys are awesome, man. I've never been on a team where there's not one guy I don't talk to.
"Usually, position players kind of stick together. When I'm in the dugout, I'm talking to the starting pitchers -- I'm talking to Tim Hudson, [Madison] Bumgarner, Matt Cain. It's so great. It's such a family. Everybody's done so much in their career, and no one acts or thinks that he's better than the other guys."
Morse firmly believes that such off-field bonding furthers on-field unity.
"I've been on some good teams and I've been on some really bad teams," said Morse, who has played for the Mariners and Orioles aside from the Nationals. "There is a difference. There is a huge difference. And it starts in the clubhouse."
That, Morse continued, separates San Francisco from other clubs.
"Everybody comes here happy to be here," Morse said. "Nobody ever has a bad attitude. Everybody wants one goal, and that's to win tonight. Especially these guys who have won before. They know what it takes to win, and they want to win again. To me, it's the perfect balance of having fun and having success."
Sharing moments with some of the more successful Giants, past and present, has delighted Morse.
Morse took full advantage of Bonds' week-long Spring Training stint as a guest instructor, and he continues to pepper the former slugger with questions during the all-time home run leader's occasional visits to San Francisco's clubhouse.
"I pick his brain a lot," Morse said, noting that he seeks Bonds' advice about playing left field at AT&T Park as much as hitting tips.
Morse also has maintained a running dialogue about hitting techniques with catcher Buster Posey, whom he typically follows in the batting order. Morse demonstrated his enthusiasm for these talks during a pitching change in Monday's 6-4 loss to San Diego. Morse strolled from second base, where he had reached, to discuss previous at-bats with Posey, the baserunner at third.
"[Posey] gets me," Morse said. "And I think I get him a little bit. I like talking to him, because he reassures me about staying through the middle of the field. I hear him say it, and that's what he does. We kind of keep each other locked in. We kind of feed off of each other. It's pretty cool."
"Cool" might be an understatement in describing a Spring Training exchange that Morse had with Mays, who occasionally pokes innocuous fun at people who approach him, ballplayers and non-ballplayers alike.
"Willie said, 'Let me feel your forearms,'" Morse recalled. "I'm like, 'Oh, man.' He starts feeling my forearms and said, 'Aw, man, you need to get in the weight room. You need to work out.'"
Kidding aside, Morse remained transformed from meeting Mays.
"To be able to talk to a guy who's done so much in his career -- so much -- he's a walking icon, a living legend," Morse said. "I've been in Seattle where [Ken] Griffey [Jr.] might come in, or Edgar Martinez, but Willie Mays? We're talking another level here. There are a lot of perks to this team so far."
Fans already have sampled Morse's personality. AT&T Park patrons have steadily become aware that his walkup music for his third at-bat in each game is a-ha's "Take On Me," a nod to his ardor for 1980s pop music.
"I love how it kind of gives me an attachment to the fans, and it's something that hopefully brings out my personality a little bit," Morse said.
In fact, an increasing number of fans try to hit the song's high note during each game. Morse is fascinated by the decade's many one-hit wonders, though he included multihit artists such as Depeche Mode, Foreigner and Toto as among his favorites.
Morse has been unable to find a rhythm professionally, largely due to the aforementioned injuries. He has switched teams four times since 2009.
"My career, it's a crazy one," Morse said. "It's got a lot of winds and turns in it."
Joining the Giants may have straightened out everything for him.
Chris Haft is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Haft-Baked Ideas, and follow him on Twitter at @sfgiantsbeat.


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Tuesday, October 16 | 6pm | $85
The seasons are changing with the cooler weather, and it's time to enjoy the outdoor chill! The 2nd Annual Fall Fest, in Incline Village, takes it to a whole new level at this Western-inspired boot stompin', finger lickin' event. So break out that flannel, pull on your boots with spurs, and get ready to giddy up into fall!
The Lowdown:
- Benefits Tahoe Connection for Families
- Santa Maria-inspired BBQ Dinner, Live Music, Silent Auction
- Western Wear Encouraged!
Purchase your tickets HERE!


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Accused New London police officer was cited in earlier case
New London - A city police officer suspended Friday after allegations were raised that he had planted drugs on a suspect was found last month to have participated in improper and unprofessional conduct when he attempted to entice a Baltic woman into a drug deal, according to police department documents.
The Dec. 21 report, conducted by former police Deputy Chief Marshall Segar, included a "notice of an ongoing internal affairs investigation" and said that "further review of this case by the State Police or the State's Attorney is in order."
"The facts and circumstances contained in the report are narrow in the scope and reflect only the basic allegations made by the complainant and none of the peripheral information obtained as part of this inquiry," it reads. "The internal investigation is ongoing and the serious portions and findings will be addressed in the report for II 2011-07."
K-9 Officer Roger Newton was placed on paid administrative leave Friday, Mayor Daryl Justin Finizio said at a press conference that day, as federal, state and local agencies investigate a city man's allegations that Newton planted drugs at the scene during his arrest on drug-dealing charges in October 2010.
In a different case and just weeks before, a complaint by a woman and the subsequent investigation conducted by Segar resulted in "administrative action" against Newton.
A 52-year-old Baltic woman, who asked to not be identified, had filed the complaint Dec. 6 against Newton, alleging Newton had harassed her via text messages.
An internal investigation found Newton had "engaged in a free-lance operation outside his normal duties or in accordance with his official duties at the time."
Newton was on duty and at training Nov. 14, the internal police memo said, when he sent text messages to the woman.
"He admits to sending the complainant texts on the 14th so as to initiate a drug transaction," Segar's report said of Newton.
The woman said in an interview Monday that she had paid to research the phone number associated with the texts and found it belonged to Newton, who she said is a friend of a neighbor who has repeatedly harassed her.
She said she had frequently seen a New London police cruiser with the license plate "62-NL" parked on her street.
She was first interviewed by Lt. Brian Wright, who took her statement Dec. 6. Wright examined her cell phone, the woman said, and when he returned the phone to her, most of the text messages had been deleted. Segar made note of this claim in his report.
The woman said she also contacted Norwich and state police in Montville about the text messages, of which she exchanged about 10 with Newton.
One text message, sent on Nov. 15, contained just a four-letter expletive.
"He denies purposely sending her the '(expletive)' text on the 15th," the report reads. "He claims that it was accidental and meant for someone else."
Segar's report concludes "… I find that this complaint is SUSTAINED against Officer Newton as my investigation revealed enough proof to substantiate misconduct, violation of policies, rules, errors in performance or judgment."
In May, Newton was honored at the New London Elks annual Law Enforcement Night as one of the city's top officers.
Newton is an executive board member of New London Police Union Local 724, members of which met with Finizio Monday afternoon to discuss concerns with department leadership.
"The union will make sure all his employment protections are provided," Richard Gudis, a union attorney, said after the meeting. "We understand that the situation is being investigated by other police agencies, and we are confident in their abilities to arrive at a correct conclusion."
Newton was required to turn in his gun and police dog, Kilo, once he was suspended Friday as the state investigates claims he planted drugs on suspect Lance Goode during an Oct. 20, 2010 arrest.
Finizio said that state police on Saturday seized a police vehicle and several pieces of evidence as part of the investigation.
"The City of New London is grateful for the support of the Connecticut State Police as we continue an ongoing and expanding probe into possible corruption in the New London Police Department," Finizio said in a release Saturday.
Three court officials who are familiar with Goode's possession of narcotics case said Monday that the alleged planting of drugs was never at issue while Goode's case was pending at the GA10 court on Broad Street. The issue was whether the police had probable cause to pull over Goode in the first place, the sources said. The police said they pulled him over for failing to use a turn signal. Following several pretrial discussions of the case between prosecutor Christa L. Baker and Goode's attorney, public defender Shawn Tiernan, the state decided not to prosecute Goode. The charges were "nolled" in November.
The investigation into the alleged planting of a bag of Oxycontin by Newton began in late December after Goode obtained a copy of the patrol cruiser video from his attorney. Goode took the video to State's Attorney Michael L. Regan and Chief Inspector Phil Fazzino. They in turn took the video to Chief State's Attorney Kevin T. Kane and top state police officials. The Central District Major Crime Squad was assigned to investigate the incident. Regan would not comment on whether the probe goes beyond the Newton incident.
"There is an ongoing investigation, but I can't comment on it," Regan said.
Find full coverage of the allegations of corruption in the New London Police Department and the harassment claims by Police Chief Margaret Ackley at www.theday.com/nlpd.
New London police corruption investigations
1974. A federal grand jury convenes to investigate reports of wide-ranging corruption within the police department. The probe, begun in November 1974, ends 18 months later with no indictments.
1978. A one-man grand jury investigates the hit-and-run death of 20-year-old Kevin Showalter. Police are accused of failing to gather evidence or losing evidence and witness accounts that conflict with police reports of the incident. Superior Court Judge Joseph F. Dannehy faults the New London Police Department for its "shocking and abysmal failure" to investigate. No charges are filed in the case, which remains unsolved.
1984. FBI investigates a claim of police brutality involving a patrolman accused of striking a man involved in a car accident with Police Chief Donald R. Sloan. The complainant said the officer hit him behind the knees and then hit him two more times with a nightstick — once on the back of the head — while he was down on the ground. FBI finds no evidence that claims were true. Later that year, Sloan takes a medical leave for treatment at an alcohol rehabilitation center. Within two years, three top supervisory officers are fired or take early retirement. Sloan retires in 1987.
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