Jennifer Aniston Says Her 'Value As A Woman' Has Nothing To Do With Having Children: "In an interview with Carson Daly for the Today Show published this morning, Aniston discussed her personal experience as a childfree woman and the constant questioning she is subjected to because of it.
Daly referenced the 45-year-old's interview with Gloria Steinem this past February at the MAKERS conference where Aniston said, "Being a woman, your value and worth is associated with your marital status or whether or not you've procreated.""
'via Blog this'
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Coming to the Mission Next Year: San Francisco's First Raised Bikeway - San Francisco Bicycle Coalition
Coming to the Mission Next Year: San Francisco's First Raised Bikeway - San Francisco Bicycle Coalition: "San Francisco is set to get its first raised bikeway next year! The showcase bikeway is part of the Mission/Valencia Gateway project and will stretch southbound on Valencia Street from Cesar Chavez Street to Duncan Street. This one-block bikeway heralds a completely new type of bicycle infrastructure to our city, one that will become more common in the next few years, as raised bikeways are integrated into the Masonic Avenue and 2nd Street projects."
'via Blog this'
'via Blog this'
If We Gave Men the Same Rape Advice We Give Women, Here's How Absurd It Would Sound - Mic
If We Gave Men the Same Rape Advice We Give Women, Here's How Absurd It Would Sound - Mic: "Undercover Colors is simply the latest in a slew of anti-rape products that don't necessarily make the world a safer place, but do make women's lives more difficult by adding yet more items to the list of things they "should" do to avoid rape. The logic of these products rests on some decidedly problematic assumptions about what causes rape in the first place, and also suggests that men are unable to control themselves.
Women, like men, have the right to move throughout the world without constantly fearing for their safety, yet the burden of prevention continues to fall squarely on women's shoulders. One can't help but wonder, what would it look like if we talked to men about rape prevention in the same way we talk to women? "
'via Blog this'
Women, like men, have the right to move throughout the world without constantly fearing for their safety, yet the burden of prevention continues to fall squarely on women's shoulders. One can't help but wonder, what would it look like if we talked to men about rape prevention in the same way we talk to women? "
'via Blog this'
Scientists May Have Discovered How to Stop Your Peanut Allergies for Good - Mic
Scientists May Have Discovered How to Stop Your Peanut Allergies for Good - Mic: "If you or someone you know is one of the 15 million Americans with food allergies, we have some great news for you. Researchers at New York University Medical Center have not only figured out why people are allergic to certain foods, they have also come up with a way to potentially treat or even extinguish food allergies.
The team found that young children overexposed to antibiotics were at greater risk of developing food allergies. Thankfully, though, they also discovered a way to combat the impact of antibiotics, which, theoretically, could potentially cure people of their food allergies."
'via Blog this'
The team found that young children overexposed to antibiotics were at greater risk of developing food allergies. Thankfully, though, they also discovered a way to combat the impact of antibiotics, which, theoretically, could potentially cure people of their food allergies."
'via Blog this'
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
The Witness | Texas Monthly
The Witness | Texas Monthly: "When Michelle first went to work for TDCJ, in 2001, she had begun each weekday morning by driving into town, past the picturesque courthouse square and toward the Walls Unit, the 165-year-old penitentiary that is Huntsville’s most iconic landmark. The prison, whose ramparts measure more than thirty feet high, is a colossal, foreboding structure crowned by razor wire—a two-block-long, red-brick fortress that houses the most active death chamber in the country. Michelle’s office occupied a corner of an administrative building directly across the street from the Walls, and one of the requirements of her job as a public information officer had been to attend every execution the state carried out. She had also attended executions for her previous job, as a reporter covering prisons for the hometown newspaper, the Huntsville Item. Michelle spent many evenings—hundreds, in fact—standing shoulder-to-shoulder with witnesses in a cramped room that afforded a view of the death chamber, where she watched as men, and two women, were injected with a three-drug cocktail that stopped their hearts. All told, she had seen 278 inmates put to death."
'via Blog this'
'via Blog this'
Indonesian Christian free after Islamic court lifts khalwat conviction - Yahoo News Malaysia
Indonesian Christian free after Islamic court lifts khalwat conviction - Yahoo News Malaysia: "The Indonesian, born a Catholic, was accused of being in close proximity with a person of the opposite gender who is not her spouse or relative at a reflexology centre along Jalan Seang Teik at 11.40am on December 8, 2011."
'via Blog this'
'via Blog this'
Grocers Introduce Kid-Friendly Snack Section In The Produce Aisle : The Salt : NPR
Grocers Introduce Kid-Friendly Snack Section In The Produce Aisle : The Salt : NPR: "Bolthouse Farms, the food company that rolled out the successful extreme baby carrot campaign, is behind the effort.
The company has been developing products such as pureed fruit tubes that kids can suck and slurp, all-fruit smoothies and bags of baby carrots called Veggie Snackers that come with pouches of bright-colored, bold-flavored seasonings.
When kids open the package and shake in the seasoning, the carrots take on some of the characteristics of chips like Doritos. "They give you that crunch and flavor," says Jeff Dunn, CEO of Bolthouse. "You're going to lick your fingers, and get that same sensory [experience] you get with salty snacks.""
'via Blog this'
The company has been developing products such as pureed fruit tubes that kids can suck and slurp, all-fruit smoothies and bags of baby carrots called Veggie Snackers that come with pouches of bright-colored, bold-flavored seasonings.
When kids open the package and shake in the seasoning, the carrots take on some of the characteristics of chips like Doritos. "They give you that crunch and flavor," says Jeff Dunn, CEO of Bolthouse. "You're going to lick your fingers, and get that same sensory [experience] you get with salty snacks.""
'via Blog this'
16 Disturbing Photos That Reveal The Darker Side Of The American Dream (GRAPHIC)
16 Disturbing Photos That Reveal The Darker Side Of The American Dream (GRAPHIC): "Those who grew up in the United States are likely familiar with the "American dream," the national ethos that dictates all men are created equal, each endowed with a birthright to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
But for some not born in the country, the mythical American dream does not seem to apply. In his series "The Other Side of the American Dream," photographer Nicola Okin Frioli captures the nightmarish realities faced by migrants attempting to reach the United States by way of Mexico."
'via Blog this'
But for some not born in the country, the mythical American dream does not seem to apply. In his series "The Other Side of the American Dream," photographer Nicola Okin Frioli captures the nightmarish realities faced by migrants attempting to reach the United States by way of Mexico."
'via Blog this'
Afro-Brazilians Demand Slavery Reparations Because 'Poverty Has A Color'
http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/5692077
This article is the second in a two-part series about Brazil's quilombo movement. Read the first part here.
But dry or not, the ability to walk freely across this field marked a major victory for Pereira. He and a group of slave descendants from the roughly 1,500-person hamlet of Barra do Parateca have spent the last five years invading chunks of land across the area that they say are rightfully theirs under a well-known but haphazardly enforced article of the Brazilian Constitution. That law guarantees permanent, non-transferable land titles to Brazilians descended from the members of runaway slave settlements. Such communities of descendants are known in Brazil as "quilombos."
Women hurt by lack of say in South Asia's environment policy
http://www.trust.org/item/20140820150028-q2x9v/?source=search
“No one can play tricks with us because we know how much water is needed for household work (as) we are the ones who do most of that work,” said management committee member Liyadurige Siyriyawathi. Committee members fine households that use too much water, which helps ensure the community has water throughout the year, she said.
Women holding decision-making positions are still a rarity in much of South Asia. Despite a combined population of some 1.7 billion, at least half of them female, the region still lags behind in empowering its women to take decisions on environmental and other issues, according to research by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
“Women can be effective foot soldiers, but for that they need to be empowered,” said Lorena Aguilar, a senior gender adviser at IUCN who oversees the organisation’s Environment and Gender Index, launched last year to monitor gender equality and women’s empowerment in making and carrying out environmental policies.
Monday, August 25, 2014
Little-known fault suspected in Northern California quake - SFGate
Little-known fault suspected in Northern California quake - SFGate: "(08-24) 19:50 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- The earthquake that rolled through the Bay Area and beyond Sunday is suspected of striking along a little-known section of the West Napa Fault in the seismically active North Bay region, where parallel faults have been rupturing for millions of years, scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey said.
Scientists said early-detection equipment had sent out alerts of imminent ground shaking to distant locations, raising the possibility that a more extensive system could one day give precious seconds of warning that would save lives.
A network of seismographs maintained by the USGS and UC Berkeley indicated that the quake ruptured underground at a depth of 6.7 miles - typical for temblors in the Bay Area. The Geological Survey said late Sunday that the magnitude was 6.0, though at times during the day it said the quake had been measured at 6.1."
'via Blog this'
Scientists said early-detection equipment had sent out alerts of imminent ground shaking to distant locations, raising the possibility that a more extensive system could one day give precious seconds of warning that would save lives.
A network of seismographs maintained by the USGS and UC Berkeley indicated that the quake ruptured underground at a depth of 6.7 miles - typical for temblors in the Bay Area. The Geological Survey said late Sunday that the magnitude was 6.0, though at times during the day it said the quake had been measured at 6.1."
'via Blog this'
State of Emergency After Northern California Shaken by Biggest Earthquake in 25 Years - ABC News
State of Emergency After Northern California Shaken by Biggest Earthquake in 25 Years - ABC News: "Northern California was shaken awake this morning by its strongest earthquake in 25 years, a jolt that damaged historic buildings and hurt dozens of people, including a 13-year-old critically injured by a crumbling fireplace.
California Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency after the South Napa Earthquake, which struck about 3:20 a.m. local time, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Its epicenter was located about six miles south-southwest of Napa, California, and 51 miles west-southwest of the state capital, Sacramento. Officials have variously referred to the earthquake's magnitude as 6.0 and 6.1.
The earthquake was the largest one to shake the Bay Area since the 1989 6.9-magnitude Loma Prieta Earthquake. Dozens of aftershocks followed."
'via Blog this'
California Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency after the South Napa Earthquake, which struck about 3:20 a.m. local time, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Its epicenter was located about six miles south-southwest of Napa, California, and 51 miles west-southwest of the state capital, Sacramento. Officials have variously referred to the earthquake's magnitude as 6.0 and 6.1.
The earthquake was the largest one to shake the Bay Area since the 1989 6.9-magnitude Loma Prieta Earthquake. Dozens of aftershocks followed."
'via Blog this'
For 40 Years, This Russian Family Was Cut Off From All Human Contact, Unaware of World War II | History | Smithsonian
For 40 Years, This Russian Family Was Cut Off From All Human Contact, Unaware of World War II | History | Smithsonian: "For 40 Years, This Russian Family Was Cut Off From All Human Contact, Unaware of World War II
In 1978, Soviet geologists prospecting in the wilds of Siberia discovered a family of six, lost in the taiga"
'via Blog this'
In 1978, Soviet geologists prospecting in the wilds of Siberia discovered a family of six, lost in the taiga"
'via Blog this'
The Strange Tale of the North Pond Hermit
The Strange Tale of the North Pond Hermit: "For nearly thirty years, a phantom haunted the woods of Central Maine. Unseen and unknown, he lived in secret, creeping into homes in the dead of night and surviving on what he could steal. To the spooked locals, he became a legend—or maybe a myth. They wondered how he could possibly be real. Until one day last year, the hermit came out of the forest"
'via Blog this'
'via Blog this'
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Why Troubled Politicians Blame Women Even When It’s Not a Sex Scandal | TIME
Why Troubled Politicians Blame Women Even When It’s Not a Sex Scandal | TIME: "Williams, who testified for federal prosecutors under a generous immunity deal, denied any romantic intrigue with Mrs. McDonnell, saying his relationship with the family was a business transaction to help sell health supplements through his company, Star Scientific. “I thought the governor could help bring this product to the marketplace, and it was not the right thing to do,” he testified.
But the defense is arguing that the Governor didn’t have anything to do with the $165,000 in cash and gifts that Williams gave him over a two-year period, it was just little ol’ Maureen being a silly woman in love. Love makes women dumb, right?"
'via Blog this'
But the defense is arguing that the Governor didn’t have anything to do with the $165,000 in cash and gifts that Williams gave him over a two-year period, it was just little ol’ Maureen being a silly woman in love. Love makes women dumb, right?"
'via Blog this'
Malaysia's last 'fish listeners' - Nation | The Star Online
Malaysia's last 'fish listeners' - Nation | The Star Online: "SETIU: One hand clinging to his boat's gunwale, Harun Muhammad (pic) submerges himself, eyes and ears wide open underwater as he "listens" for fish sounds emanating from the blue depths.
Harun is one of Malaysia's last "fish listeners," and he and his apprentice son Zuraini are believed to be the only active practitioners of this mysterious and dying local art.
"When you listen, it is like through a looking glass - you can see mackerel, sardine," said Harun, 68, who has fished the Setiu lagoons on Malaysia's rural east coast his whole life."
'via Blog this'
Harun is one of Malaysia's last "fish listeners," and he and his apprentice son Zuraini are believed to be the only active practitioners of this mysterious and dying local art.
"When you listen, it is like through a looking glass - you can see mackerel, sardine," said Harun, 68, who has fished the Setiu lagoons on Malaysia's rural east coast his whole life."
'via Blog this'
Islamic State video claims to show beheading of U.S. journalist | Reuters
Islamic State video claims to show beheading of U.S. journalist | Reuters: "(Reuters) - Islamic State militants posted a video on Tuesday that purported to show the beheading of American journalist James Foley in revenge for U.S. air strikes against the insurgents in Iraq.
The video, titled "A Message To America," also showed images of another U.S. journalist, Steven Sotloff, whose life Islamic State said depended on how the United States acts in Iraq.
The gruesome video presented President Barack Obama with bleak options that could define America’s involvement in Iraq and the public reaction to it, potentially dragging him further into a conflict he built much of his presidency on ending."
'via Blog this'
The video, titled "A Message To America," also showed images of another U.S. journalist, Steven Sotloff, whose life Islamic State said depended on how the United States acts in Iraq.
The gruesome video presented President Barack Obama with bleak options that could define America’s involvement in Iraq and the public reaction to it, potentially dragging him further into a conflict he built much of his presidency on ending."
'via Blog this'
Monday, August 18, 2014
Resisting Nazis, He Saw Need for Israel. Now He Is Its Critic.
The two things students want from professors more than anything else
http://www.slate.com/articles/life/education/2014/08/the_best_teachers_and_professors_resemble_parental_figures_they_provide.html
Excerpted from Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and The Way to a Meaningful Life by William Deresiewicz. Out Aug. 19, from Free Press.
If you want a good education, you need to have good teachers. It seems ridiculous to have to say as much, but such is the state that matters have reached, both in academia and in the public conversation that surrounds it, that apparently we do. Between the long-term trend toward the use of adjuncts and other part-time faculty and the recent rush to online instruction, we seem to be deciding that we can do without teachers in college altogether, at least in any meaningful sense. But the kind of learning that college is for is simply not possible without them.
Teaching is not an engineering problem. It isn’t a question of transferring a certain quantity of information from one brain to another. “Educate” means “lead forth.” A teacher’s job is to lead forth the powers that lie asleep within her students. To put it in the language of computers, you can download all the data you want, but it won’t be any good to you unless you have the software to make use of it. That software, the ability to operate on information—to understand it, to synthesize it into new combinations, to discover and create with it—is what college is meant to “install.” But here the analogy breaks down, for unlike actual software, the installation isn’t quick and easy, and it certainly isn’t passive.
Saturday, August 16, 2014
Google, NOAA Dive Deep To Map U.S. Marine Sanctuary | Techsonia
Google, NOAA Dive Deep To Map U.S. Marine Sanctuary | Techsonia: "Google and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration dive deep onto the Florida coast to map the reefs and shipwrecks off the coast for the first time.
Scientists with NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries are taking a “fisheye” camera under water in order to capture views of reefs in the Florida Keys."
'via Blog this'
Scientists with NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries are taking a “fisheye” camera under water in order to capture views of reefs in the Florida Keys."
'via Blog this'
Anger Flares Again in Ferguson After Revelations in Michael Brown Shooting - NBC News.com
Anger Flares Again in Ferguson After Revelations in Michael Brown Shooting - NBC News.com: "Public anger flared again in the St. Louis suburbs on Friday after police sought to clarify what happened in the moments before an officer shot and killed an unarmed black teenager last weekend.
After days of refusing to release the name of the officer, the police chief identified him as Darren Wilson, a four-year veteran of the force in Ferguson, Missouri, and said that he was devastated.
The police also revealed that the teenager, Michael Brown, was suspected of stealing a box of cigars from a convenience store and assaulting a clerk minutes before he was shot to death."
'via Blog this'
After days of refusing to release the name of the officer, the police chief identified him as Darren Wilson, a four-year veteran of the force in Ferguson, Missouri, and said that he was devastated.
The police also revealed that the teenager, Michael Brown, was suspected of stealing a box of cigars from a convenience store and assaulting a clerk minutes before he was shot to death."
'via Blog this'
Thursday, August 14, 2014
Is there a link between genius and mental illness? | Detroit Free Press | freep.com
Is there a link between genius and mental illness? | Detroit Free Press | freep.com: "But is there a proven link between creativity and mental illness (which, strictly speaking, is not the same as being mad)? This is still a matter of hot debate.
A leading researcher in this field is Kay Redfield Jamison, a professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (who herself has bipolar disorder) whose studies seem to back up the popular idea of the “tortured genius.” When, for example, she examined nearly 50 writers and artists in Britain, she found that more than 38% had been treated for a mood disorder."
'via Blog this'
A leading researcher in this field is Kay Redfield Jamison, a professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (who herself has bipolar disorder) whose studies seem to back up the popular idea of the “tortured genius.” When, for example, she examined nearly 50 writers and artists in Britain, she found that more than 38% had been treated for a mood disorder."
'via Blog this'
Research - Policy Research Report: Localizing Development: Does Participation Work?
Research - Policy Research Report: Localizing Development: Does Participation Work?: "Policy Research Report: Localizing Development: Does Participation Work?
November 14, 2012 - Localizing Development: Does Participation Work?, a new Policy Research Report analyzing community development and decentralization projects, shows that such projects often fail to be sensitive to complex contexts – including social, political, historical and geographical realities – and fall short in terms of monitoring and evaluation systems, which hampers learning.
Citing numerous examples, including projects and programs supported by the World Bank, the authors demonstrate that participatory projects are not a substitute for weak states, but instead require strong central support to be effective.
See below to download full report.
"
'via Blog this'
November 14, 2012 - Localizing Development: Does Participation Work?, a new Policy Research Report analyzing community development and decentralization projects, shows that such projects often fail to be sensitive to complex contexts – including social, political, historical and geographical realities – and fall short in terms of monitoring and evaluation systems, which hampers learning.
Citing numerous examples, including projects and programs supported by the World Bank, the authors demonstrate that participatory projects are not a substitute for weak states, but instead require strong central support to be effective.
See below to download full report.
"
'via Blog this'
Vulnerability and Poverty: Why do we pretend there is 'Community'? Problems of Community Based-Adaptation (CBA) and Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction (CBDRR)
Vulnerability and Poverty: Why do we pretend there is 'Community'? Problems of Community Based-Adaptation (CBA) and Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction (CBDRR): "The ability of people to adapt rather than merely cope (and suffer) is determined largely by access to, control of or ownership of assets that are almost always affected by power relations. Poor people cope (and deplete assets, e.g. by selling land / livestock, taking loans at high interest). Better-off people MAY have resources that enable them to engage in adaptation to current climate change or prepare to adapt for future climate change. There is a very significant literature on coping and its different types, and it is usually situated in the problems of power relations, access to assets, and notions of asset-depleting coping (that may for example lead to distress migration). What is crucial is to make clear distinctions between different economic and social groups and not pretend that they do not exist or are not significant factors in what we are trying to achieve."
'via Blog this'
'via Blog this'
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
BBC News - First female winner for Fields maths medal
BBC News - First female winner for Fields maths medal: "An Iranian-born mathematician has become the first ever female winner of the celebrated Fields Medal.
In a landmark hailed as "long overdue", Prof Maryam Mirzakhani was recognised for her work on complex geometry."
'via Blog this'
In a landmark hailed as "long overdue", Prof Maryam Mirzakhani was recognised for her work on complex geometry."
'via Blog this'
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
World Health Body Endorses Use of Experimental Drugs Against Ebola Virus - NYTimes.com
World Health Body Endorses Use of Experimental Drugs Against Ebola Virus - NYTimes.com: "So far, experimental medication has been made available to only a handful of patients, all of them foreign aid workers evacuated from West Africa, prompting ethical concerns about disparities in the availability of treatment between white outsiders and the Africans who form the overwhelming majority of the victims."
'via Blog this'
'via Blog this'
Friday, August 8, 2014
MV, Google launch free community shuttle
MV, Google launch free community shuttle: "The city of Mountain View and Google Inc. have partnered to provide a free community shuttle service that will begin as a two-year pilot program.
The daily shuttle is slated to roll out in the fall, with electric shuttles outfitted with bicycle racks.
Both the city and Google have been researching ways to reduce the number of vehicles on the road and promote alternative transit options. Google’s transportation manager, Kevin Mathy, approached the city with the community shuttle concept late last year."
'via Blog this'
The daily shuttle is slated to roll out in the fall, with electric shuttles outfitted with bicycle racks.
Both the city and Google have been researching ways to reduce the number of vehicles on the road and promote alternative transit options. Google’s transportation manager, Kevin Mathy, approached the city with the community shuttle concept late last year."
'via Blog this'
County moves ahead with plan to house border kids | News | Mountain View Online |
County moves ahead with plan to house border kids | News | Mountain View Online |: "A plan that could allow local residents to house dozens of the Central American children detained at the United States southern border got some preliminary support from the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, while the situation spurred a silent vigil in downtown Mountain View.
Supervisors voted 4-1 to have county administrators iron out a program allowing "host families" to take in the children temporarily. The much-publicized situation of unaccompanied minors attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border spurred 100 members of St. Joseph church to hold a silent vigil in downtown Mountain View on the evening of Friday, August 1."
'via Blog this'
Supervisors voted 4-1 to have county administrators iron out a program allowing "host families" to take in the children temporarily. The much-publicized situation of unaccompanied minors attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border spurred 100 members of St. Joseph church to hold a silent vigil in downtown Mountain View on the evening of Friday, August 1."
'via Blog this'
U.S. airdrops food aid to Iraqis trapped after fleeing militants - LA Times
U.S. airdrops food aid to Iraqis trapped after fleeing militants - LA Times: "In recent days, thousands of members of the Yazidi sect fled towns in northern Iraq that were taken over by fighters from the Islamic State, the Sunni Arab militant group that has seized control of large parts of northern and western Iraq, as well as about a third of neighboring Syria.
The Yazidis, as well as many Iraqi Christians, moved into Kurdish-held areas of Iraq to escape the militants. But about 40,000 remain trapped on Mt. Sinjar and are in extremely dire circumstances, according to Kurdish officials and international relief groups.
The Islamic State, a breakaway Al Qaeda group, said its forces had overrun more than a dozen towns and other objectives, including the Mosul dam, Iraq's largest, in an offensive that began Saturday. The militants were reported to be engaging Kurdish forces known as peshmerga just 30 miles southwest of Irbil, capital of Iraq's semiautonomous Kurdish region."
'via Blog this'
The Yazidis, as well as many Iraqi Christians, moved into Kurdish-held areas of Iraq to escape the militants. But about 40,000 remain trapped on Mt. Sinjar and are in extremely dire circumstances, according to Kurdish officials and international relief groups.
The Islamic State, a breakaway Al Qaeda group, said its forces had overrun more than a dozen towns and other objectives, including the Mosul dam, Iraq's largest, in an offensive that began Saturday. The militants were reported to be engaging Kurdish forces known as peshmerga just 30 miles southwest of Irbil, capital of Iraq's semiautonomous Kurdish region."
'via Blog this'
What It's Like Raising Money As A Woman In Silicon Valley - Forbes
What It's Like Raising Money As A Woman In Silicon Valley - Forbes: "Editor’s note: We don’t publish many anonymous pieces on Forbes.com, but this compelling first-person account of sexism in the startup world merits an exception. I met the author several months ago and was floored by the stories she had to tell about her dealings with mostly male investors. Like many men (as she writes), I knew women in tech faced a certain degree of chauvinism and harassment, but I’d had no idea it was so barefaced and routine, in an industry that thinks of itself as egalitarian and forward-looking.
After much persuading, she agreed to write about her experiences but asked that I omit her name, for several reasons. First (again, as she writes), the startup community is a small one, and founders rely heavily on social capital and goodwill to navigate it. Speaking up carries big risks.
But fear of retribution wasn’t her only concern. While putting an individual human face on an issue, it can also be a way for critics to short circuit the discussion by engaging in ad hominem attacks. ”I don’t want it to be about me, but about the issue at hand,” the author says. “When we get into a witch hunt around particular personalities, we lose sight of the problem we should be tackling.”"
'via Blog this'
After much persuading, she agreed to write about her experiences but asked that I omit her name, for several reasons. First (again, as she writes), the startup community is a small one, and founders rely heavily on social capital and goodwill to navigate it. Speaking up carries big risks.
But fear of retribution wasn’t her only concern. While putting an individual human face on an issue, it can also be a way for critics to short circuit the discussion by engaging in ad hominem attacks. ”I don’t want it to be about me, but about the issue at hand,” the author says. “When we get into a witch hunt around particular personalities, we lose sight of the problem we should be tackling.”"
'via Blog this'
Thursday, August 7, 2014
BBC News - The Solomon Islanders who saved JFK
BBC News - The Solomon Islanders who saved JFK: "One of two Solomon Islanders who saved the life of John F Kennedy during the war in the Pacific died on Saturday at the age of 93. Eroni Kumana never forgot the man who would become US president and regarded him as his "honorary chief"."
'via Blog this'
'via Blog this'
BBC News - Surrogate babies: Where can you have them, and is it legal?
BBC News - Surrogate babies: Where can you have them, and is it legal?: "The case of Gammy, a baby with Down's syndrome who was born to a Thai surrogate mother and allegedly left behind by the intended Australian parents, has caused international controversy. Where do people go to arrange for surrogate babies, and is it legal?"
'via Blog this'
'via Blog this'
BBC News - Top Khmer Rouge leaders guilty of crimes against humanity
BBC News - Top Khmer Rouge leaders guilty of crimes against humanity: "Two top Khmer Rouge leaders have been jailed for life after being convicted by Cambodia's UN-backed tribunal of crimes against humanity.
Nuon Chea, 88, served as leader Pol Pot's deputy and Khieu Samphan, 83, was the Maoist regime's head of state.
They are the first top-level leaders to be held accountable for its crimes."
'via Blog this'
Nuon Chea, 88, served as leader Pol Pot's deputy and Khieu Samphan, 83, was the Maoist regime's head of state.
They are the first top-level leaders to be held accountable for its crimes."
'via Blog this'
BBC News - The Senegal tech hub run by women for women
BBC News - The Senegal tech hub run by women for women: "Coudy Binta De's eyes light up when she talks about how she first became fascinated with computers.
The 24-year-old says that as a young girl she went to visit her mother in work at one of the Senegalese government's first computer departments."
'via Blog this'
The 24-year-old says that as a young girl she went to visit her mother in work at one of the Senegalese government's first computer departments."
'via Blog this'
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
17 Things To Read If You're Trying To See All Sides Of The Israel-Gaza Conflict
17 Things To Read If You're Trying To See All Sides Of The Israel-Gaza Conflict: "Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza began observing a 72-hour cease-fire on Tuesday after nearly a month of fighting. But the complicated history and context of the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict can make it difficult to form a coherent opinion on the current offensive.
One thing is undeniable, regardless of one's political views, nationality or cultural or religious affiliation: The death and destruction is catastrophic and ever-mounting. But in response to the violence that has claimed more than 1,800 Palestinian lives -- the majority of them civilians -- and killed nearly 70 Israeli soldiers and civilians, a common assumption is that one must choose a side, and that blame can be assigned exclusively to one party or the other. Such an approach to the conflict tends to be selective and overly simplistic, so we've compiled a variety of editorials and voices to get a better sense of the situation. Here's what you need to know:"
'via Blog this'
One thing is undeniable, regardless of one's political views, nationality or cultural or religious affiliation: The death and destruction is catastrophic and ever-mounting. But in response to the violence that has claimed more than 1,800 Palestinian lives -- the majority of them civilians -- and killed nearly 70 Israeli soldiers and civilians, a common assumption is that one must choose a side, and that blame can be assigned exclusively to one party or the other. Such an approach to the conflict tends to be selective and overly simplistic, so we've compiled a variety of editorials and voices to get a better sense of the situation. Here's what you need to know:"
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10 Everyday Sexisms and What Do You Do About Them | Soraya Chemaly
10 Everyday Sexisms and What Do You Do About Them | Soraya Chemaly: "Chivalry, otherwise know as benevolent sexism, is part of our "manners." A man who opens a door for you and doesn't mind if you do the same for him is one thing. But, one who categorically refuses your offer speaks to a much bigger problem. Benevolent sexism, the kind that is passed off as "protective" and "gentlemanly," is a core characteristic of how masculinity (and by binary contrast, femininity) are constructed in conservative cultures. Studies have shown that the more entitled people are, the more likely they are to hold sexist beliefs -- which says an awful lot about #WomenAgainstFeminism. It's defined as "the negative consequences of attitudes that idealize women as pure, moral, pedestal-worthy objects of men's adoration, protection, and provision." A lot of this starts in childhood and comes under the mantle of teaching girls and boys to be "ladies" and "gentleman" instead of just civil and kind human beings who care for one another equally. In other words, what many people think of as chivalry, gentlemanly and "real man" behavior. The negative effects on women are well documented, particularly in the workplace."
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The Pope's 10 tips for happiness (Opinion) - CNN.com
The Pope's 10 tips for happiness (Opinion) - CNN.com: "(CNN) -- Just when I thought my amazement with Pope Francis had run its course, he did it again. In a long interview with an old friend who was writing for an Argentine magazine, the pope put forward a 10-point plan for happiness. From where I sit, it seems, well, pretty damn good if not perfect. Here are Pope Francis' tips for a happy life and my comments on them:"
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Million-dollar home sales hit record in Bay Area - San Jose Mercury News
Million-dollar home sales hit record in Bay Area - San Jose Mercury News: "There was a time when a million-dollar home was something families drove by on a Sunday outing to get a glimpse of how rich folks lived. But now they're more common than Starbucks, at least around here."
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Friday, August 1, 2014
This Peace Corps Couple Turned A Volunteer Project In Africa Into Their Life's Mission
This Peace Corps Couple Turned A Volunteer Project In Africa Into Their Life's Mission: "Many aid organizations take a top-down approach, and Flatt and Hellmann saw how that model often missed the strengths and the long-term needs of the local people. Upon their return to the U.S., the couple chose to earn master’s degrees in sustainable development from the School for International Training in southern Vermont, in an effort to find a better way to help."
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