Quicken Loans and Warren Buffett Team Up For the 2014 NCAA March Madness "Billion Dollar Bracket Challenge"

According to a post on WarrenBuffet.com, Warren Buffett's holding company Berkshire Hathaway and Quicken Loans have teamed up to offer $1 billion to someone who is able to pick a "perfect" NCAA March Madness bracket. Registration for the Quicken Loans Billion Dollar Bracket Challenge opens up on March 3rd.

What is a perfect bracket? That means picking the correct winner of every single game in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament that begins on March 18, 2014. Berkshire Hathaway is ensuring the grand prize. I think they're good for the money, given the company has over $200 billion in net assets (assets less liabilities) as of September 2013.

The chances of winning are 1 in 9,223,372,036,854,775,808, which in words is nine quintillion, two hundred twenty three quadrillion, three hundred seventy-two trillion, thirty-six billion, eight hundred fifty four million, seven hundred seventy-five thousand, eight hundred and eight. This actually gives me some incentive to play POWERBALL, with its much better chances of winning the prize at 1 in 176 billion!

Is this really $1 billion!? Well, kind of. If you take the winnings over 40 years, you'll receive $25 million each year. Or you can take a lump sum of $500 million up front. I think I'd go with that option. Of course, if there are multiple winners, you'll split the proceeds.

Quicken Loans is also giving away $100,000 to the top 20 scoring brackets! They are capping contest entires to the first 10 million registrants, thought they may expand that at their discretion. The contest is open to legal, 21 and older residents of the U.S. and District of Columbia.

Follow the Quicken Loans Billion Dollar Bracket Challenge Facebook page at www.facebook.com/notes/quicken-loans/quicken-loans-billion-dollar-bracket-challenge-short-form-rules/10152185833560489 for details and official rules.

Thousand Oaks Charity "The Greater Contribution" Raises Funds to Fight Poverty Around the World

The Greater Contribution (TGC) is a Thousand Oaks based non-profit organization founded in 2006 by four women seeking to make a "greater contribution" to the world. It is an all-volunteer group that works to raise funds to fight poverty and raise awareness of the issues relating to poor people worldwide.

TGC provides "micro loans" ($50 to $300) to the world's poorest women and their families to enable them to create or expand a small business.  In many of the poorest countries of the world, these businesses are the only way families can work their way out of poverty.  Loans are repaid every 90-120 days and the money is loaned out over and over again, thus multiplying the number of people who can begin the journey out of poverty.

I spoke with Karon Wright, President, Executive Director and Co-Founder of TGC:

Micro loan borrower displays her new chicken coop!Who does TGC help? Those in the most impoverished nations of the world -- those struggling to live on less than the equivalent of $2/day. Our mission is to be a leader in the worldwide movement to eliminate extreme poverty by 2015.

How do you channel money to those in need and how does the money get repaid?  The money is transmitted to a monitored bank account in East Africa.  The loans are repaid every six months to the same account through our program director.

How else does TGC help these people?  TGC and our local partner on the ground in Uganda, Women’s Microfinance Initiative, will send a group of student interns there this month,  taking laptop computers and installing an internet café.   We are making grant applications to obtain funding for a nurse to be available in this remote village several days a week to provide badly needed health care. TGC will soon be selling aprons, handbags and jewelry made by the women of Buyobo. The women borrowers have been able to save money for a foundation for a new school.  The economy of the entire region has improved.

Another borrower with her pots.How many people do you help and where?  We focus on the countries in greatest need – those in East Africa.  Since inception, TGC has funded over 7,500 micro loans, benefiting over 39,000 people!

Why do you choose women entrepreneurs? We grant loans to women entrepreneurs because women are the hardest hit by poverty -- 70% of those living in dire poverty are women and because once a woman gets a micro loan and establishes a small business, her husband and children typically get involved.  So, we are really loaning to the whole family.

How can people help?  People can visit www.GreaterContribution.org to donate and to find other ways that they can help.

The Greater Contribution is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

Favorite Kids Activities Around Ventura County as Voted by CVG Facebook Fans

Yes, it actually rained here in the Conejo Valley last week!

Last Sunday, we ran a drawing on the Conejo Valley Guide Facebook page and asked entrants to indicate their favorite activity with the kids around town. On that rainy Sunday we had quite a bit of response. So with no further ado, let us highlight activities receiving the highest number of mentions. Do take note that the question was asked in open-ended fashion; we did not mention any of the hundreds of kids' activities compiled here on Conejo Valley Guide.

In the upper echelons of popularity, the most frequently noted family favorite activities were <drum roll> Underwood Family Farm in Moorpark, the Thousand Oaks Library, Sky High Sports in Camarillo (CLOSED IN 2018), the Santa Barbara Zoo and local parks. Underwood was the clear top mentioned activity, with the others close on its heels. Some of the specific parks called out included Conejo Creek Park North (including the popular duck pond), Thousand Oaks Community Park (near TOHS) and specifically the "Ant Hill" at that park, Borchard Park in Newbury Park and Gates Canyon Park in Calabasas.

The Ant Hill at Thousand Oaks Community Park. Bring cardboard to slide down on!

The following activities were mentioned by CVG followers at least several times: Scooter's Jungle in Simi Valley, hiking and nature trails, As You Wish Pottery Painting Place (formerly Paint a Dream) at the Simi Valley Town Center, the Conejo Valley Botanic Garden, Lazertag Extreme in Simi Valley, Chuck E. Cheese's, Oak Canyon Park Duck Pond and Splash Pad, Rockin' Kids Play Center at the Simi Valley Town Center and Kids World in Oak Park. Also called out by several parents as a great activity was the Conejo Youth Basketball Association.

Other mentions by the family friendly Facebook crowd included bowling, Lowe's/Home Depot kids' workshops, Gardens of the World in Thousand Oaks, My Gym Thousand Oaks, Kids Club at The Oaks, Pump It Up Ventura, Kidspace Children's Museum in Pasadena, Create Studio in Westlake Village, Gymboree, Reagan Library, Camarillo Airport (the Waypoint Cafe is a great place to dine and see the planes) and Patriot Airsoft in Newbury Park (which closed in 2016).

Rounding out the list are Clubhouse Fun Zone in Ventura, playground at The Lakes at Thousand Oaks, horseback riding, the beach, Ventura Harbor Village, Wildwood Park, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, playground at The Village at Dos Vientos Ranch, California ScienCenter in Los Angeles, Conejo Rec & Park District programs, geocaching, We Rock the Spectrum in Agoura Hills and the Kids' Adventure Garden in Thousand Oaks.

Who doesn't love "Cosmic Bowling" pictured here at Harley's Bowl Camarillo. Especially with the bumpers up!

Epic Footage of Hawk in Pursuit of Squirrel

I don't know who shot this footage and how they did it, but it is amazing. Hawk and squirrel playing a game of cat and mouse. Watch it to see the final score.

California Appeals Court Rules That It Is OK to Hold Cell Phone to Look at Map

My HTC Android phone with map app circa 2014, a phone and app that the 5th District Court of Appeal aptly pointed out did not exist in any shape or form in 2006.

Two years ago, Steven Spriggs was stuck in traffic and decided to look at a map on his smartphone to figure out a way out of the congestion. Sure enough, a CHP officer nailed him for "holding his telephone" and gave him a $165 citation for violating California Vehicle Code section 23123 (a), which prohibits drivers from “using a wireless telephone unless that telephone is specifically designed and configured to allow hands-free listening and talking, and is used in that manner while driving.” 

Spriggs took it to court as he was not actually listening or talking on the phone, but merely looking at the map. He lost. Spriggs appealed and lost again, but the case was taken to the 5th District court of Appeal in central California for certification. Earlier this week, the 5th District court agreed with Spriggs, stating that the statute means what it says – it prohibits a driver only from holding a wireless telephone while conversing on it. 

In other words, it is not illegal to hold your cell phone in the car in California unless you are actually talking or texting on the phone. At least to look at a map. For now. At least.

The prior appellate division concluded that the statute was not “designed to prohibit hands-on use of a wireless telephone for conversation only,” but instead was “specifically designed to prevent a driver from using a wireless telephone while driving unless the device is being used in a hands-free manner,” and “outlawed all ‘hands-on’ use of a wireless telephone while driving.” The 5th District basically said this was hogwash.

The 5th District court statute indicated "had the Legislature intended to prohibit drivers from holding the telephone and using it for all purposes, it would not have limited the telephone’s required design and configuration to “hands-free listening and talking,” but would have used broader language, such as 'hands-free operation' or 'hands-free use.'  To interpret section 23123(a) as applying to any use of a wireless telephone renders the “listening and talking” element nonsensical, as not all uses of a wireless telephone involve listening and talking, including looking at a map application."

The court further said in its ruling that, "although the Legislature was concerned about the distraction caused by operating a wireless telephone while holding it, the Legislature’s focus was on prohibiting holding the telephone only while carrying on a conversation, not while using it for any other purpose.  This is not surprising, given that when the statute was enacted in 2006, most wireless telephones were just that – a telephone – rather than an electronic device with multiple functions." In other words there were no iPhones (launched in late June 2007) or other smartphones in use at the time the law was written, so how could they have contemplated use of the phone for viewing a map at the time.

I like this judge. He goes on to say that prosecutors' interpretation of the law to ban ALL hand-held use of cell phones would "lead to absurd results....If the phrase 'using a wireless telephone' includes all conceivable uses, then it would be a statutory violation for a driver to merely look at the telephone’s display if the telephone was not designed and configured to allow hands-free listening and talking.  It would also be a violation to hold the telephone in one’s hand, even if configured for hands-free listening and talking, and look at the time or even merely move it for use as a paperweight."

Prosecutors has asserted the statute would not be violated if a driver looked at a map application as long as the wireless telephone was mounted and the application was “activated using the phone’s hand[s]-free capability.”  However, as Spriggs points out, under this scenario the statute could still be violated merely by looking at the map application on the wireless telephone if the telephone was not designed and configured to allow hands-free listening and talking.

The actual write-up is at s3.amazonaws.com/s3.documentcloud.org/documents/1031494/spriggs-opinion.pdf

Panoramic Coastline Views at the Ventura Botanical Gardens Demonstration Trail

The Ventura Botanical Gardens Demonstration Trail is a nearly 1 mile trail between Ventura City Hall and Grant Park. It opened to the public in October 2012. The trail zig zags and meanders its way up to Grant Park, offering awesome views of downtown Ventura and the coastline. The trail is accessible beheind Ventura City Hall, located at 501 Poli Street. Take the driveway on the right side of City Hall (facing the building) and drive up to the parking area. Learn more at www.venturabotanicalgardens.com.

Access to the trail is on the right (east) side of Ventura City Hall.

The trail is decorated with pretty wildflowers and other California native plantsThere are some neat rock walls on sections of the trailA short walk will get you some pretty views!