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Wants to Meet Up
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Join Couchsurfing to see Ronald's full profile. It's free!
About Me
"I search, therefore I travel"
I am an avid traveler and photographer. I am struck by wanderlust all the time and constantly think about where's my next place to visit. I am easily inspired by the beauty of nature, amazing architecture, and any cultural experiences in foreign places. When I am not traveling, I enjoy planning for my next trip, reading up on travel tips and travel blogs, and try to explore new places within my own city. I am pretty open to new experiences and cultural differences, and I absolutely love meeting people from different parts of the world. Even though language might be a barrier, if we truly want to share and communicate, I think it will be okay.
This pretty much sums it up:
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. - Mark Twain
Why I'm on Couchsurfing
In order to have a deeper understanding of the culture of a new place, talking to their local people is one of the best ways, and CS provides me with a platform to do so and to meet other like-minded individuals! I couldn't be more grateful to the CS community! In return, I would do the same for anyone that is interested in meeting a new friend in Canada.
Surfed someone's couch in Hamburg for my first time, and it was such a great and memorable experience! Hosted twice so far and the surfers I met were awesome people. I am looking forward to meeting more interesting and cool Couchsurfers!
Movies, music, photography, arts, sciences, history and culture, hiking, biking, outdoor activities, sports, food & dining, and last but not least - TRAVELING!!
- arts
- culture
- architecture
- photography
- beauty
- dining
- movies
- reading
- traveling
- socializing
- music
- outdoor activities
- cycling
- hiking
- sailing
- sports
- history
Music, Movies, and Books
Let's save it for something to talk about when we meet, shall we?~
One Amazing Thing I've Done
Seeing Aurora Borealis in Iceland was such an amazing experience. It was just so magical and mesmerizing, and definitely a once in a lifetime experience!
Teach, Learn, Share
I can teach you photography skills and share with you any travel tips I have!
Countries I've Visited
Austria, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Iceland, Indonesia, Japan, Morocco, Saint Martin (French part), Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, United States, Virgin Islands, U.S.
Countries I've Lived In
Canada, Hong Kong


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Travel and Wine Magazine and Snacks Cheeriodical Gift Box
For friends who like to experience the finer things in life, like fine wines & world travel, send them a gift box they will appreciate. It's filled with magazines on the subject along with a few snacks to enjoy while reading.

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Thank you for the warm welcome. :) Glad to be here.
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Wednesday, March 30, 2011
The Fisher Dog
Monday, March 28, 2011
Norfolk Botanical Garden, Norfolk, Virginia
While Gregg and his Dad spent some quality time together, Celia and I headed for the garden. It is only about 15 minutes away from their home. Below you can see a beautiful large vase of flowers inside the visitors' center. We wanted to find out about the eagles that were nesting nearby. You can see a video I posted of both parents feeding their chicks right here.
We passed these young mothers enjoying a stroll and further along there were several photographers with tripods and long lenses, all hoping to get a good sighting. Often you can observe the eagles sitting on branches in the tree tops or flying into the nest. We were told by a gentleman that the best spot was at the designated viewing area, which that day had been ignored by most people, who preferred staying as close to the nest as possible. We took his word and headed for the observation area which you can see in the photo below.
This little boy's mother, at his urgent request, lifted him up so that he could get a better view through that telescope.
We stayed there for two hours but did not have any luck spotting them. From what a photographer told me, one of the birds had just returned to its nest before we arrived and she showed me a good shot she had taken. I made do with a photo of the nest which you can make out below-center of the next photograph.
The only 'bird' I got was this wasp crawling up the pole. I am not sure if he is a mud dauber or a paper wasp.
While waiting I became somewhat restless but thanks to these interesting little creatures, I found something to photograph, a mud dauber or a paper wasp? I don't know enough to know for sure but I do know that the elongated nest below is that of mud dauber.
This is a different type of nest made by the paper wasp. It goes around scraping bits of wood off structures such as this, and his nest does indeed look a bit like a collection of paper swirls.
I have photographed this statue before surrounded by daffodils. The last time I arrived passed their peak and was hoping for better luck this time, but they had been replaced by other flowers. Maybe next year the daffodils will be back.
A ramble, a funny poem and a few flower photos.
We were very sad because Saturday we were to go to the wedding of two young friends of ours and looking forward to it tremendously. However, we were so ill there was no way we could attend. At first when it looked like I wouldn't be up to it, Gregg said he would go representing both of us. Then the day after we had made this decision he got sick, and along with all his other symptoms he lost his voice.
We were trying to come up with all kinds of scenarios. Would we look out of place wearing masks? Threw that idea out and we weren't really serious. We thought at first to go and sit way in the back, so that if we had a coughing fit we could leave without disturbing anyone, tossed around a few other ways of how we could get there, then finally good reasoning won out because the thought of that very dear couple getting sick on their honeymoon and us being the cause of it sealed the deal. We decided to be responsible and not pass on the blasted germs also to our son and daughter-in-law and to everyone else. We stayed in bed all day with the energy level of a couple of sloths, suffering with fits of sneezing and coughing, chills and fevers, passing the box of tissues back and forth along with the cough drops, and feeling thoroughly miserable, not just because we were feeling so lousy but because we had to miss this lovely wedding. Blasted colds! It's been a donkey's age since we caught one and have to say have never gotten sick at the same time before.
Daddy Fell into the Pond
by Alfred Noyes
Everyone grumbled. The sky was grey.
We had nothing to do and nothing to say.
We were nearing the end of a dismal day,
And then there seemed to be nothing beyond,
Then Daddy fell into the pond!
And everyone's face grew merry and bright,
And Timothy danced for sheer delight.
"Give me the camera, quick, oh quick!
He's crawling out of the duckweed!" Click!
Then the gardener suddenly slapped his knee,
And doubled up, shaking silently,
And the ducks all quacked as if they were daft,
And it sounded as if the old drake laughed.
Oh, there wasn't a thing that didn't respond
When Daddy Fell into the pond!
(All photos were taken at the Norfolk Botanical Garden, Norfolk, Virginia)
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Bald Eagle Video from Norfolk Botanical Garden
Friday, March 25, 2011
Walking along the Boardwalk in Virginia Beach
Son of Saturn, Lord of the Sea, King Neptune stands at 26 feet tall and is the largest statue erected in the United States since the Iwo Jima Memorial.
The sculptor is Paul DiPasquale and it was erected in 2005 in honor of the annual Neptune Festival. . The process required 80 tons of clay, 25 tons of plaster, 1 ton of glue and 7,500 grinding and sanding discs.
And here I am at its base. There is also various marine life displayed. Each time I visit I am always in awe of this magnificent statue, always as though I am seeing it for the first time.
There is also a lot of activity on the water. This is the first time I noticed someone wearing a safety helmet while riding one of these things. Smart man!
We drove down on Saint Patrick's Day and couldn't help but notice a lot of marquis were being set up along the beach. This one was big enough to hold a thousand people. Lots of parties and I also found out there was going to be a marathon. Glad we came this day and not the weekend. It would have been a zoo and I think they were closing off a lot of the streets for the marathon.
There is a separate lane for rentals such as this, and in the summer there are many cyclists. You have to be careful when crossing over to the other side. I nearly got run over one year by a policeman who yelled, "Use your eyes!" I probably gave him a scare too. They get up to quite a speed. So, it's best to look both ways beforehand and use your common sense just like you would when crossing a busy road.
Be still my beating heart, I am in love! This adorable Wheaton Terrier caught my eye just about the same time he saw me when he started wagging his tail furiously. Friendly little fella!


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In re Google Buzz
Concerning the Privacy of Electronic Address Books
Top News
- EPIC Calls for Greater FTC Enforcement: In advance of a Senate Commerce hearing on consumer privacy, EPIC called for more action by the Federal Trade Commission to protect American consumers. In a statement for the Committee, EPIC said that "the FTC is simply not doing enough to safeguard the personal data of American consumers." EPIC explained that "the FTC's privacy framework - based largely on 'notice and choice' - is simply not working." EPIC also warned that consumers "face unprecedented threats of identity theft, financial fraud, and security breach." EPIC has fought for consumer privacy rights at the FTC for more than two decades, filing landmark complaints about privacy violations by Uber, Microsoft, Facebook, Google, and even suing the Commission when it has failed to enforce its own orders. (Sep. 28, 2017)
- EPIC Files FTC Complaint to Stop Google from Tracking In-Store Purchases: EPIC has filed a complaint with the FTC asking the Commission to investigate Google's tracking of in-store purchases. According to EPIC, Google collects billions of credit and debit card transactions and then links that personal data to the activities of Internet users. Google claims that it protects online privacy but refuses to reveal details of the algorithm that "deidentifies" consumers while tracking their purchases. EPIC's complaint asks the FTC to stop Google's tracking of in-store purchases and determine whether Google adequately protects consumer privacy. EPIC has filed several successful FTC complaints that led to FTC investigations, including complaints about changes to Facebook's privacy preferences and the launch of Google Buzz. EPIC has also focused on the adequacy of privacy techniques, with complaints against AskEraser (search histories that are not deleted) and Snapchat (images that do not "vanish"). EPIC's recent complaint against Google notes that the company is seeking to extend its dominance of online advertising to the physical world. (Jul. 31, 2017)
- Rep. Blackburn Proposes Online Privacy Bill, Would Preempt Stronger State Protections: Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) has introduced the The Browser Act, H.R. 2520, aimed at protecting online privacy. The Browser Act would apply to Internet ISPs as well as Internet companies, such, as Google and Facebook, and would generally require "opt-in" consent before sensitive information could be collected or disclosed. However, the bill lacks a private right of action or a remedy for violations. The bill gives enforcement authority to the FTC which has mostly failed to protect consumers online privacy. The bill lacks data breach notification, and would overwrite stronger state privacy laws that protect consumers. In comments to the FCC and elsewhere, EPIC has set out a comprehensive framework for online privacy. (May. 19, 2017)
- EPIC, Coalition Recommend 10 Steps for the FTC to Protect Consumers in 2017: EPIC and a coalition of consumer groups sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission recommending 10 steps the agency should take to protect consumers and promote competition in 2017. "American consumers today are at great risk of identity theft, financial fraud, and data breaches," the coalition wrote, arguing that "proactive efforts to strengthen data protection will spur innovation and support business models that are sustainable over time." The letter asks the FTC to increase its enforcement efforts, promote transparency, and pursue actions based on unfairness instead of relying on "notice and choice." EPIC has consistently urged the FTC to exercise its full authority in protecting consumers. EPIC has also filed numerous consumer privacy complaints with the FTC, including a recent complaint about "toys that spy." (Feb. 16, 2017)
- EPIC to FTC: Google's April Fool's Disaster Likely Violates Consent Order : Google's April Fool's joke — a change in the operation of Gmail without user consent — has backfired, spectacularly. Many Gmail users inadvertently enabled the "Mic Drop" button on important emails, allowing Google to insert a GIF into their reply and then irreversibly mute the conversation. Users were outraged and Google reversed the change. EPIC informed the FTC that Google's prank also likely violates the FTC's 2011 consent order with the company following the rollout of Google Buzz. EPIC has repeatedly urged the FTC to enforce this consent order against Google, which requires the company to obtain "express affirmative consent" before changing its business practices. (Apr. 1, 2016)
- FTC Releases 2014 Data Security Update, But Enforcement Questions Remain: The Federal Trade Commission has released the 2014 Privacy and Data Security Update. The report is "an overview of the FTC's enforcement, policy initiatives, and consumer outreach and business guidance in the areas of privacy and data security." In the report, the FTC explains that "If a company violates an FTC order, the FTC can seek civil monetary penalties for the violations." However, the FTC has consistently failed to enforce consent orders with Google, Facebook, and other companies that have engaged in unfair or deceptive trade practices. The Commission has also failed to modify proposed settlement agreements after seeking public comment. For more information, see EPIC: FTC, EPIC: Facebook Privacy, and EPIC: In re: Google Buzz. (Jul. 1, 2014)
- Federal Trade Commission Urges Court to Protect Student Privacy: The Federal Trade Commission is opposing the sale of student data in a bankruptcy proceeding for ConnectEDU. The company privacy policy promises it will give students "reasonable notice and an opportunity to remove personally identifiable information" from its website. The FTC said that the sale of student information "without reasonable notice to users and an opportunity to remove personal information would contradict the privacy statements originally made to users." The FTC letter also cites consent agreements with Snapchat, Google, and Facebook. Each of these consent orders was a result of an EPIC FTC complaint. Last year, EPIC filed an extensive complaint concerning Scholarships.com's business practices. The company encourages students to divulge sensitive medical, sexual, and religious information to obtain financial aid information. For more information, see EPIC: Student Privacy, EPIC: In re Google Buzz, EPIC: In re Facebook, and EPIC: Federal Trade Commission. (May. 29, 2014)
- Judge Approves Controversial Settlement Over Objection of Consumer Privacy Organizations: A federal judge in California has approved a settlement agreement in a lawsuit against Google that will allow the company to continue to sell data about users' browsing history to advertisers. EPIC and several other consumer privacy organizations objected to the settlement, stating that it requires no change in Google's business practices and provides no benefit to those on whose behalf the case was brought. EPIC and the groups also recommended that the court adopt an objective basis for distributing cy pres funds, noting that the awards are often made for the benefit of the lawyers settling the case and not the class members. Class action settlements have come under increasing scrutiny in recent years, with courts increasingly concerned about collusion between attorneys and faux settlements that do not reflect the purpose of the initial lawsuit. In a case that reached the Supreme Court, Chief Justice Roberts said that courts will need to look more closely at these settlements to determine whether there are fair, whether organizations designated to receive funds reflect the interests of class members, and also the obligation of judges to carefully review these proposals. For more information, see EPIC: Search Engine Privacy and EPIC: Google Buzz. (Apr. 1, 2014)
- French Data Protection Authority Fines Google for Data Consolidation: The CNIL, the French data protection authority, has fined Google 150,000 Euro (approximately $200,000) for consolidating user data. The decision follows an investigation triggered by the collapse of the Google privacy policy in March 2012, which allowed the company to combine user data across 60 Internet services to create detailed profiles on Internet users. In 2012, EPIC sued the Federal Trade Commission to force the FTC to enforce the terms of a settlement with Google that would have prohibited Google's changes in business practices. Google's consolidation also prompted objections from state attorneys general, members of Congress, and IT managers in the government and private sectors. For more information, see EPIC: Google Buzz and EPIC: Enforcement of Google Consent Order. (Jan. 9, 2014)
- States Reach $17 Million Settlement with Google Over Privacy Violations: The Maryland Attorney General Douglas Gansler, joined by attorneys general in 36 states and the District of Columbia, has reached a $17 million settlement with Google over privacy violations. Google violated state consumer protection and privacy law by placing advertising tracking cookies on Safari browsers despite telling users that it would honor the default Safari privacy settings, which prevented the placement of such cookies. The Federal Trade Commission fined Google $22.5 million last year over similar practices which violated an earlier settlement that was the result of a complaint filed by EPIC. EPIC previously objected to the Google-DoubleClick merger on privacy grounds and specifically warned that Google's use of Doubleclick techniques would lead to impermissible tracking of Internet users. Earlier EPIC had urged the Federal Trade Commission and other consumer protection agencies to support advertising models that are not linked to actual user identity. For more information, see EPIC: Google Buzz, EPIC: Google/DoubleClick Merger. (Nov. 18, 2013)
EPIC's Complaint in the News
- Warwick Ashford, Buzz Gets its Inevitable EPIC FTC Complaint, Gizmodo (February 17, 2010).
- Sam Diaz, Google Buzz: Privacy Concerns Grab Gov't Attention, Hint at Desperation, ZDNet (February 17, 2010).
- Scott Fulton III, Canada Curious about Google Buzz, EPIC Accuses Google of Deception, Beta News (February 17, 2010).
- Mark Hefflinger, Privacy Group EPIC Asks FTC to Compel Google Buzz Changes, Digital Media Wire (February 17, 2010).
- Cecilia Kang, Privacy Advocates File FTC Complaint on Google Buzz, The Washington Post: Post Tech Blog (February 17, 2010).
- Kimberly Kimbrough, Privacy Group Files a Complaint Against Google's Buzz Service, Examiner (February 17, 2010).
- Ryan Paul, EPIC Fail: Google Faces FTC Complaint over Buzz Privacy, Ars Technica (February 17, 2010).
- Dan Raywood, Google Buzz is Set Back Again after it is Hit by a Complaint from the Electronic Privacy Information Centre, SC Magazine (February 17, 2010).
- Kara Reeder, EPIC Hits Google Buzz with Privacy Complaint, IT Business Edge (February 17, 2010).
- Stephen Shankland, Privacy Group Files Buzz Complaint with FTC, CNET News (February 17, 2010).
- Maggie Shiels, Google Buzz 'Breaks' Privacy Laws Says Watchdog, BBC News (February 17, 2010).
- Ryan Singel, EPIC: Google May have Broken Wiretap Law, MSNBC (February 17, 2010).
- Joelle Tessler, Privacy Group Files FTC Complaint on Google Buzz, The Washington Post (February 17, 2010).
- Amy Tierney, Watch Dog Group Stung by Google Buzz; Files FTC Complaint, TCMnet (February 17, 2010).
- Byron Acohido, How Google Buzz Lowers the Bar for Privacy, Security, The Last WatchDog on Internet Security (February 16, 2010).
- Thomas Claburn, Google Sorry about Buzz Privacy, InformationWeek (February 16, 2010).
- Wendy Davis, EPIC Files Privacy Complaint against Google Buzz, PC World (February 16, 2010).
- Sam Gustin, Privacy Group Files Complaint with Feds over Google's Social Network, Daily Finance (February 16, 2010).
- Jessica Guynn, Magid on Tech: Legal Noise over Google Buzz, Palo Alto Daily News (February 16, 2010).
- John Paczkowski, Google Buzz Hit with FTC Complaint by Privacy Group, eWeek (February 16, 2010).
- Privacy Group Files FTC Complaint on Google Buzz, ABC 7 News (February 16, 2010).
Google is a company created by Larry Page and Sergey Brin in 1998. Originally, Google was a search engine service, but since its inception, the company has expanded to create several web applications that encourage sharing of information. These applications include Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Docs. On February 9, 2010, Google introduced its newest web application, Google Buzz.
Google Buzz
On February 9, 2010, Google introduced Buzz, a social networking service linked to Gmail, Google's email service. There are currently over 37 million Gmail users in the United States. Google Buzz is an opt-out service that compiles a Gmail user's social networking list based on address book and Gchat list contacts. When users checked their email through Gmail on February 9th, they were confronted with the following screen:
Whether the user clicked on "Sweet! Check out Buzz" or "Nah, go to my inbox," Google Buzz was activated, and a list of followers and "people who you follow" were already populated using frequent contacts. These lists were publicly viewable by other Gmail users, and if a user had a Google profile, this information was publicly indexed by search engines.
Google experienced a strong backlash from users who were unhappy that their Gmail address books were essentially published for all to see. Address book contacts routinely contain deeply personal information, including the names and email addresses of estranged spouses, current lovers, attorneys and doctors. In response to user outcry, Google made several changes to its Google Buzz service. Despite these changes, Google still compiled social networking lists based on address book contacts without first notifying users, and allowed such information to be publicly indexed by search engines without clearly notifying users.
Google users were still not satisfied, and on February 13, 2010, Google made additional changes to the Google Buzz service. Rather than using an auto-follow structure for the "people who you follow" list, Google now uses an auto-suggest model, where users can pre-screen who they follow. However, the auto-follow model is still in place for the "followers" list, or list of "people who follow you." The burden remains on users to constantly check and block their followers.
EPIC's FTC Complaint
EPIC's FTC complaint highlights several aspects of the Google Buzz service that threaten Gmail users' privacy. The complaint focuses on the unfair and deceptive trade practices of Google with respect to Google's transformation of an email service to a social networking service without offering Gmail users meaningful control over their information or opt-in consent. The complaint argues that Google's change in business practices and service terms violated user privacy expectations, diminished user privacy, contradicted Google's own privacy policy, and may have also violated federal wiretap laws.
EPIC's complaint begins by stressing the importance of email privacy. While email senders and recipients always have an opportunity to disclose email-related information to third parties, email service providers have a particular responsibility to safeguard the personal information that subscribers provide. Improper disclosure of even a limited amount of subscriber information by an email service provider can be a violation of both state and federal law. As an email service provider, Google's attempt to convert the personal information of all of its customers into a separate service raises far-reaching concerns for subscribers and implicates both consumer and personal privacy interests.
The complaint goes on to describe Google Buzz and Google's disclosure of users' email contacts. Gmail contact lists routinely include deeply personal information, including the names and email addresses of estranged spouses, current lovers, attorneys and doctors. The frequency with which a user communicates with a given contact is also deeply personal and demonstrates the closeness of the user's relationship with that contact. The activation of Buzz disclosed not only portions of users' contact lists, but more specifically disclosed the contacts with whom users communicate most often. The fact that the auto-following lists were composed of users' most common Gmail contacts was widely known and publicized, as well as easily deduced by individual users. As such, anyone looking at a newly-activated Buzz user's "following" list would know that the list indicated which people that user communicated with most often.
EPIC's complaint analyzes the two rounds of changes to the Google Buzz service. After both changes, Google Buzz still populates the suggested social networking list of people a user follows based on frequent address book and chat contacts. Although the "welcome page" states that "[y]ou can find more people to follow later," the contacts from a user's address book and chat list make up a user's initial "follow" list. Further, Google Buzz still allows people to automatically follow a user. The burden remains on the user to block those unwanted followers. The "welcome screen" still does not make clear that the user must create a profile that would be public and indexed by search engines. The screen only states, "The first time you post in Buzz you'll create a profile which includes the list of people you follow—you can choose not to display this list if you'd like." Finally, Google has not announced any changes to the pop-up screen that appears when a user initially posts on Google Buzz. Therefore, users are still unaware that showing the user's connection means showing connections publicly to everyone, and having them publicly indexed by search engines.
FTC Authority to Act
The FTC's primary enforcement authority with regards to privacy is derived from 15 U.S.C. § 45, commonly known as section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act (FTCA). Section 5 of the FTCA allows the FTC to investigate "unfair methods of competition in or affecting commerce, and unfair or deceptive acts or practices in or affecting commerce." This law provides a legal basis for the FTC to regulate business activities that threaten consumer privacy.
FTC Proposed Agreement
The FTC stated:
Google Inc. has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it used deceptive tactics and violated its own privacy promises to consumers when it launched its social network, Google Buzz, in 2010. The agency alleges the practices violate the FTC Act. The proposed settlement bars the company from future privacy misrepresentations, requires it to implement a comprehensive privacy program, and calls for regular, independent privacy audits for the next 20 years. This is the first time an FTC settlement order has required a company to implement a comprehensive privacy program to protect the privacy of consumers' information. In addition, this is the first time the FTC has alleged violations of the substantive privacy requirements of the U.S.-EU Safe Harbor Framework, which provides a method for U.S. companies to transfer personal data lawfully from the European Union to the United States.The FTC further stated:
According to the FTC complaint, Google launched its Buzz social network through its Gmail web-based email product. Although Google led Gmail users to believe that they could choose whether or not they wanted to join the network, the options for declining or leaving the social network were ineffective. For users who joined the Buzz network, the controls for limiting the sharing of their personal information were confusing and difficult to find, the agency alleged.
In response to the Buzz launch, Google received thousands of complaints from consumers who were concerned about public disclosure of their email contacts which included, in some cases, ex-spouses, patients, students, employers, or competitors. According to the FTC complaint, Google made certain changes to the Buzz product in response to those complaints.
Google's data practices in connection with its launch of Google Buzz were the subject of a complaint filed with the FTC by the Electronic Privacy Information Center shortly after the service was launched.
FTC Documents
- Agreement Containing Consent Order
- Complaint; Exhibits A-D
- Analysis
- Concurring Statement of Commissioner J. Thomas Rosch
EPIC Filing
- Letter from FTC's David Vladeck regarding EPIC's Google Buzz Complaint
- EPIC's Amended Complaint in In re Google Buzz
- EPIC's FTC Complaint in In re Google Buzz (Feb. 16, 2010)
- EPIC's FTC Complaint regarding Cloud Computing in In re Google (Mar. 17, 2009)
Response to Proposed FTC Settlement
- Dave Navetta, FTC Privacy Enforcement and the Google Buzz Settlement, InfoSec Island, April 13, 2011.
- Mike Zapler, Signs Point to Broader Probe of Google, Politico, April 5, 2011.
- Jill R. Aitoro, Google-FTC Settlement: Bad Precedent?, Washington Business Journal, April 5, 2011.
- E.B. Boyd, What the Google Buzz-FTC Settlement Means for the "Apology Approach" to Innovation , Fast Company, April 4, 2011.
- Tony Romm, Gauntlet thrown down in Google Buzz settlement, Politico, March 31, 2011.
- Claire Cain MillerGoogle Introduces New Social Tool and Settles Privacy Charge, New York Times, March 30, 2011.
- Matt Rosoff, Google Will Face Privacy Audits For The Next 20 Long Years (GOOG), San Francisco Chronicle, March 30, 2011.
- Matt Peckham, Google, FTC Bury the Axe Over Google Buzz, Time, March 30, 2011.
- Rob Pegoraro, FTC's lesson for Google: defaults, design matter, Washington Post Blog, March 30, 2011.
- Nathan Koppel, Google Stung By Its Own Buzz, The Wall Street Journal Blog, March 30, 2011.
- Benjamin Pimentel, Google settles with FTC, unveils new social tool, The Wall Street Journal, March 30, 2011.
- Sara Forden, Google Settles Data Privacy Complaint With FTC on 'Buzz' Social Network, Bloomberg, March 30, 2011.
- Declan McCullagh, Google settles FTC charges over Buzz, CNET News, March 30, 2011.
News Stories and Blog Items
- Martin J. Young, Partnership Buzz, Asia Times (February 27, 2010).
- Jessica Guynn, Google Buzz poses a major privacy risk for kids, analyst (and parent) says, LA Times (February 22, 2010).
- David Mattison, Google Gets Stung by its Own Buzz, Information Today (February 22, 2010).
- James Temple, Privacy, complexity seen as Google blind spots, San Francisco Chronicle (February 21, 2010).
- Doug Hanchard, EPIC explains their FTC complaint about Buzz, ZDNet (February 20, 2010).
- Jeff Cormier, Google Buzz lawsuit and privacy problems persist, Examiner.com (February 20, 2010).
- Ian Paul, Control Google Buzz Overload, PC World (February 19, 2010).
- James Temple, Local Class Action Complaint Filed over Google Buzz, San Francisco Chronicle (February 17, 2010).
- Katherine Boehret, Google Buzz Isn't Exactly Humming Along, Wall Street Journal (February 16, 2010).
- David Coursey, Google Apologizes for Buzz Privacy Issues, PC World (February 15, 2010).
- Laurie Sullivan, Google Revisits Privacy Controls on Buzz, Again, MediaPost (February 15, 2010).
- Ben Parr, Google Changes Buzz Privacy Settings, CNET News (February 14, 2010).
- Miguel Helft, Google Alters Buzz to Tackle Privacy Flaws, N.Y. Times Bits (February 13, 2010).
- Jason Kinkaid, Google Buzz Abandons Auto-following Amid Privacy Concerns,,
- Harry McCracken, Google Buzz's Privacy Problem: A Simple Solution, PC World (February 13, 2010).
- Jessica E. Vascellaro, Google to Revamp Buzz Amid Privacy Concerns, Wall Street Journal (February 13, 2010).
- Jackson West, Google Buzz Privacy Concerns Hit Home, NBC News (February 13, 2010).
- Charles Arthur, Google Buzz's Open Approach Leads to Stalking Threat, Guardian (February 12, 2010).
- F*ck You Google, Gizmodo (February 12, 2010).
- Tom Krazit, More Google Buzz Tweaks, Separate Version Coming?, CNET News (February 12, 2010).
- Jared Newman, Google Buzz's Privacy Tweaks: Good Start, Not Enough, Network World (February 12, 2010).
- Shane Richmond, Google Buzz Tweaked after User Concerns, Telegraph (February 12, 2010).
- Larry Seltzer, Google Buzz Privacy Concerns are Overblown, PC Mag (February 12, 2010).
- Laurie Sullivan, Google Buzz Publicly Airs Privacy Confusion, MediaPost (February 12, 2010).
- Richard Waters, Google Seeks to Quell Buzz Privacy Outcry, Financial Times (February 12, 2010).
- Robin Wauters, Google Buzz Privacy Issues have Real Life Implications, TechCrunch (February 12, 2010).
- Don Cruise, Lawyers (or journalists) with Gmail Accounts: Careful with the Google Buzz, The Supreme Court of Texas Blog (February 11, 2010).
- Jessica Dolcourt, Buzz Off: Disabling Google Buzz, CNET News (February 11, 2010).
- Andrew Hickey, 3 Google Buzz Privacy Concerns, Channel Web (February 11, 2010).
- Evgeny Morozov, Wrong Kind of Buzz around Google Buzz, Foreign Policy Blog (February 11, 2010).
- Kevin Purdy, Google Updates, Explains Buzz Privacy Setup, Lifehacker (February 11, 2010).
- Bradford Schmidt, Google Buzz Privacy Fears Overstated, Technorati (February 11, 2010).
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text:
Mothers, daughters bond over books
It's a chance for moms and their daughters to get away for a couple hours on their own.
In a relaxed setting, they can talk about sensitive issues, such as teen suicide, rape, drugs and ethical dilemmas.
And they get to create a whole lot of memories for the future.
This is the Mother-Daughter Book Club of Woodbury Junior High School.
The group has been meeting one evening a month throughout the school year since its formation in 2002.
Leading the club are Jana White, the school's media specialist, and Erin Kerttula, an English teacher.
They are firmly convinced of the importance of the book club to the moms and daughters who attend.
"The idea was that there are issues that moms and daughters really need an opportunity to discuss and that by reading a book together and coming to a group like this when they can talk together, sometimes brings up things that they wouldn't necessarily have talked about otherwise," said White.
"It's a comfortable situation because they aren't necessarily talking about themselves, but about what happened in the book, although it might apply to them...
"I think it serves a unique purpose that other book clubs or groups reading together don't have; it has its own special niche."
The pair say they are never short of ideas for books for the group to read -- more often than not it's more a case of struggling to fit them all in.
Over the last few years, the group has read books such as: "The House of the Scorpion" -- a sci-fi novel dealing with the subjects of clones, drug wars and illegal immigration; "Briar Rose" -- a fantasy tale taking the story of Sleeping Beauty and linking it to the Holocaust; "The Body of Christopher Creed" -- a mystery story of teenage intolerance; and "Speak," a story of teenage rape.
Each meeting (there are approximately five a year) starts with treats brought by one of the mother-daughter pairings and a creative activity based on the book for the evening.
At October's meeting, the activity involved moms and daughters in drawing out their vision of the fairground depicted in the book, "A Corner of the Universe," by Ann M. Martin.
Another activity follows and the meeting closes with a circle discussion of the book. Kerttula said she and White prepare a list of questions just in case conversation is slow getting started, but participants usually lead the discussion with lively enthusiasm.
Marinda Gansmoe has been attending the club with her daughter Taylor for the last couple years. Now Taylor's sister, Tiarra, has started at Woodbury Junior High, she comes, too.
The family is united on the girls-only approach to the club for the most part.
"With some of the books, you can see it's better that it's just girls and their moms," said Taylor.
"But it wouldn't be so bad if the guys came; I just don't think they would."
Mom Marinda Gansmoe agrees.
"The 'Speak' book was about a girl that was raped, and some of the things she went through; that would be a hard one to talk about with the guys there," she said.
Gansmoe added one incentive for her daughters to join was the reward of additional A.R., or accelerated reading, points which count toward their class grade.
"They aren't the kind of kids who were naturally like, 'Give me a book,'" said Gansmoe.
"I wish they were, but I suppose I'm not either...
"I think [the club] is nice because I also want to know how they are comprehending, so as I'm reading it, I'm asking questions."
Maddie Halada, a ninth grader, has been coming to the club with her mom, Becky Schroeder, since she started at junior high.
Schroeder, who is also a member of her own adult book club, said it was a good opportunity to discuss some of the book's issues with her daughter.
"I've enjoyed talking with the other moms and daughters and having some different points of view to the book," she explained.
"Even when Maddie has read the book, she will see it in a different way or get a different perspective than what I get from it.
"It's something good to do together and we have something in common when we read the same books."
The next meeting of the Mother-Daughter Book Club will be Jan. 12 at 6:30 p.m. The book for discussion will be "The Last Dragon" by Silvana De Mari.


text:
These Haiku Holocaust poems are examples of Haiku poems about Holocaust. These are the best examples of Haiku Holocaust poems written by international PoetrySoup poets
If you don't find the poem you want here, try our incredible, super duper, all-knowing, advanced poem search engine.
not a Jewish lie
the Holocaust is for real
you can still hear screams
Copyright © Robert Heemstra | Year Posted 2013
Beauty of nature
Why condense it down to God?
Isn't life enough?
Copyright © Dan Keir | Year Posted 2013
some nmes like Hitler
Charles Manson are terror
Jesus Christ is not
Devastating typhoon come
Sturdy than ever
Foretell its mighty
Long before hit the downhills
Flooding all over
Wandering chelas
Discerning how it may create
Learning to alter
Uniting mass wind
Resonates with human's mind
Soaring consciousness
Denser form of thoughts
Materialize its energy form
Experience choices.
Copyright © marvin celestial | Year Posted 2015
Hymns of Praise
Singing hymns of praise
in the midst of a tempest
a sense of relief
Copyright © Estela Canama | Year Posted 2014
Skeletons walk free.
Their minds once dead, resurrect,
Copyright © Stuart Ackerman | Year Posted 2015
A dead horse in the road
Berlin 1945
People with knives cutting flesh
Copyright © jan oskar hansen | Year Posted 2013
Work makes free, a lie
Notches on a sickle, a tally
Death's head obliterates
( Yes, I know that this is not a true Haiku, if we all follow the rules...5/7/5 words per line )
I chose to tweak the "rules" to make the grammar flow better with commas, etc,
If anyone objects, I am happy will delete this haiku. )
Railway to nowhere
Orchestral chambers screaming
Final solution
The older I get,
More acute the memory.
No names, just numbers.
Sisters and brothers
Eradicated with hate
Chimneys spewing death
We count the long hours
They will be here soon, too soon
We suspect the end
Hiding no avail
Stormtroopers with machine guns
We run, we die, why?
The Mockingbird sits,
on a wooden chair singing
away its own death.
Copyright © Jackson LaBaugh | Year Posted 2016
Sweet the fragrant smell,
Wafting and piercing my head.
I sleep, drift away.
history repeats itself
trees $40 and up
Copyright © Dan Ravasio | Year Posted 2013