The Buzz 10.01.15

WHO’S IN TOWN?

Who’s in Town?

About 500 computer geeks gather in Monterey for a biannual symposium on operating systems principles. The Special Interest Group on Operating Systems has been at it for a long time, meeting every two years since 1967. Computer geeks have never been so cool: A record number of papers (181) were submitted, and conference organizers met at Google HQ to select 30 that present this week. Topics include things we can’t even understand, like “Implementing Linearizability at Large Scale and Low Latency,” and things that sound vaguely scary, like “Existential Consistency: Measuring and Understanding Consistency at Facebook.”

Oct. 5-7. Monterey Conference Center, 1 Portola Plaza. $650-$950. 459-2817, www.sigops.org.

WHAT’S UP WITH THAT

A reader wants to know what the story is about so-called “plant tape” that’s got everybody excited at Tanimura & Antle. It essentially allows vegetable seedlings to be transplanted from the greenhouse to the field by using strips of biodegradable material fed through a tractor-pulled planting device that deposits seedlings like romaine and celery with stunning speed and efficiency, at 900 plants per length of tape. Check out videos at the T&A website.

OVERHEARD

“But I’m not wearing camouflage now.”

“You’re just not against the right backdrop.”
- Apparent camouflage enthusiast talking to a colleague in Seaside.

GOOD WEEK / BAD WEEK

GOOD: From the ashes of the devastating 1,086-acre Tassajara Fire, all manner of heroism and compassion have emerged, from small fundraisers to animal rescues. More good news on the recovery front comes this week in the form of the Tassajara Fire Fund, created by the Community Foundation for Monterey County. The Community Foundation, a trusted fiscal sponsor, will dole out funds as grants to smaller, more local agencies providing equipment and assistance on the ground. It saves those smaller entities the trouble of handling their own bank accounts and paying fees to web-based fundraising platforms. And best of all, the Community Foundation has agreed to waive all administrative fees, so 100 percent of contributions go toward their intended purpose. To donate, call 375-9712 during business hours or visit www.cfmco.org/tassajara.

BAD: It was certainly a bad week for the employees of Mortimer’s Casino. After around seven decades as an institution, the card room suddenly shuttered this weekend, catching roughly 25 employees off-guard. The adjacent Lee & Buzz’s Cocktail Lounge remains open. The city’s recent card room tax didn’t help the bottom line, but neither did the economic slowdown. Card room manager Jerry Crawford was among those taking the news hard. “It’s an emotional time for us,” he says. “Some of the employees I’ve known for 20 years.” The families who own the property could not be reached for comment. Frank Calamia, owner of The Marina Club Casino was among those stunned – at least in one way. “I’m surprised the way they did it,” he says. “There’s not even a sign up. I’ve got people asking, ‘How can I cash in my Mortimer’s chips?’”