Social Media

It was a love story for the ages, and America was transfixed. Superstar Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o meets a beautiful Stanford coed after a game there and over the succeeding years they fall in love. There are reports of her visiting his family in Hawaii. But later, in 2012, she falls victim to leukemia and dies. Her last wish is that he not come to her funeral but instead excels in the game that Notre Dame has that Saturday. He calls her "the love of his life" and shares his grief with the nation.

When I was in fourth grade, I slipped a note on my teacher's desk asking to speak with her about a girl who was bullying me. It wasn't physical bullying; it was the "mean girl" variety of cruel remarks, dirty looks and social exclusion. I was miserable. But when the teacher took me aside, she told me the problem was all in my head, and that I needed to get over it. I sat, staring at my shoes for a long time, and silently vowed never to ask a teacher for help again. In my eyes, she was now part of the problem.

During an appearance in late December on CNN's "Piers Morgan Tonight," Jane Fonda was asked which man from her past she would choose to accompany her to a desert island. Would she select a famous ex-spouse like Ted Turner or Tom Hayden? Or would this be the moment when Fonda spilled the beans about some long-ago liaison with a heretofore unknown beau for whom she still pines? To Morgan's obvious disappointment, Fonda chose: none of the above. "My girlfriends," she replied.

“Using New Social Media to Effectively to Communicate with your Congregation” is the subject of the Sept. 16 luncheon meeting of the Newport-Mesa-Irvine Interfaith Council, according to Greg Kelley, program chairman. “The presentation should familiarize all with an understanding of the ABCs of using Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and other social media as an effective communication tool,” Kelley said. The guest speaker is Eric Chevalier, new media consultant at S3RUM, experienced in the social media for getting the message out. Nonprofit organizations would probably find the subject helpful as well.

  Costa Mesa, CA - One of Torelli Realty's Costa Mesa listings in Mesa Verde has a rare and unfortunate issue - it is for a family whose owner passed away. The owner had an affectionate cat who desperately needed a home. All alone and in need of affection, the clock has been ticking to find her a home. Torelli Realty made it a mission to help.                 Dealing with real estate is more than just buying and selling homes.

Chloe Rice has never thought of herself as having a disability. Rice lives an active life. She's a freshman soccer player at Corona del Mar High, where she is a good student. She also enjoys scuba diving and snowboarding. She had competed in gymnastics. Physically, nothing is wrong, either. The blonde-haired 15-year-old stands just 5-foot-2, but she holds her own on the pitch. And she doesn't talk differently, unlike many other people who are presented with the same challenge that Rice does face on an everyday basis.

As owner of Newport Rib Company, John Ursini does his best to provide food that is delicious. Yet, Ursini recently produced something that left a bad taste in the mouths of Costa Mesa High supporters. It didn't have anything to do with food. Rather, Ursini's attempt at comedy during a celebration ceremony at Estancia High left many angry and disappointed. He wrote and read a top 10 list of reasons why Estancia won the All-Sports Cup, for the fourth straight year, on Thursday.

Its no fluke that UC Irvine senior Adam Folker is a marketing whiz who has already organized and overseen a handful of companies and dozens of employees. He is, after all, a master at maximizing opportunity. In five years with the Anteaters men's basketball program, Folker has evolved from a offensively challenged, banged-around, then banged-up banger, into a productive, polished and inspirational performer on both sides of the floor. A 6-foot-9, 225-pound post player from Markham, Ontario, Canada - a Toronto suburb known more for slap shots than jump hooks - Folker has also taken advantage of several opportunities off the floor.

The Segerstrom Center for the Arts launched a new Facebook application that allows users to buy tickets, center officials announced this week. Segerstrom Center Social Tix, available through the center's Facebook page, allows users to also select seating for their events and create events so they can coordinate group attendance. Soon the app will allow customers to see where their friends are sitting, so they can buy their tickets accordingly. "We are very excited to launch Social Tix just before we open our new season," center President Terrence W. Dwyer said in a news release.

The Daily Pilot has long been on Twitter, but now its entire reporting and much of its editing staff is as well. Individual members of the staff have been using the social media network, but reporters and editors have created professional handles so readers can follow their work. In an effort to serve the community on multiple platforms — which includes print, the website , OC Now, Facebook and Twitter ( @thedailypilot) — individual reporters will now be accessible on Twitter, and followers can read stories, get updates and give feedback.