The Buzz 12.09.21

FREE SPEECH

Social media platforms long dwelled in a place of allowing most people to freely post just about anything. Increasingly, there’s attention on how to protect from doing harm, a balancing act that traditional media outlets also weigh. Just after Parag Agrawal became the new CEO of Twitter, the company announced a new private information policy: “You may not publish or post other people’s private information without their express authorization and permission. We also prohibit threatening to expose private information or incentivizing others to do so. In addition, you may not share private media, such as images or videos of private individuals, without their consent.” The photo policy applies just to public figures, but leaves a lot of questions and concerns – like, who counts as a public figure, and what if a person is captured in an image while in a public place (think a sports arena, at a city council meeting, etc.) but does not consent? Twitter officials have said a team will moderate questions about private information and consent, and if images are deemed newsworthy, will not remove them.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“We run this joint, so you’re guaranteed to meet an artist every time you walk in.” - Artist Sea Sevilla at The Shop in Monterey, where makers sell a range of items at a range of prices (see Local Shopping story).

GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK

GOOD:

Good news for seniors who can again buy fresh, mostly local fruits and vegetables at affordable prices thanks to Meals on Wheels of the Monterey Peninsula. The nonprofit reopened its weekly market day, a program that launched in 2008 but was closed for 18 months due to Covid-19. More than 100 people attended the first market back in action to shop for produce, get counsel on Medicare and reconnect in a social setting. “Everyone was happy to see each other again,” says Nikki Garello, assistant operations manager at MOWMP. Advisers are also on hand to answer questions about Medicare, and Garello says bringing this service back helps seniors who aren’t comfortable sending emails or using Zoom. The weekly event is sponsored by Covia Community Service, and happens at 8:30-10am on Wednesdays at 9700 Jewell Ave., Pacific Grove.

GREAT:

Perhaps the judges fancy eccentric French cars. Maybe they were won over by 2009 Formula 1 world champ Jenson Button, who took part in a public discussion. Debuts of the red hot Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4 or the less verbose but equally exciting Lotus Emira caught their eyes. Likely it was the entire package that led to The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering being named the 2021 Concours of the Year. The presentation took place Nov. 18 during Historic Motoring Awards ceremonies, held at the Rosewood Hotel in London. Kai Lermen, general manager of Quail Lodge, says “It’s such an honor to have been chosen from a group of amazing events around the world.” The Quail beat out signature events such as Salon Privé, Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace and Pebble Beach’s Concours d’Elegance. Judges included Jay Leno and racing legend Derek Bell.