Given that the FCC is headquartered in Washington, DC, why are these protests being held in San Francisco and New York? All of the FCC meetings are open to the public, and there are opportunities to have public input. Many members of the public have had a real impact on FCC actions simply by showing up and getting their opinions heard. I have learned from participating in these public hearings and committee meetings that there is a dearth of representation from software engineers. The FCC staffers are aware of this and would definitely appreciate more participation from programmers and engineers. There is also the option of going to the FCC website and submitting comments--they really do get read and put into the record. --Kathryn Aegis
It may be a case of appearances, more than actual age. I've never looked my age, and this has caused no end of happy mixups in several career fields. Older coworkers have offered helpful advice on 'dressing older'. More makeup and a somewhat severe business suit would help in business meetings.
It is much more difficult to carry that off in the more casual atmosphere of the technical fields, unfortunately. So, other than appearance, what else helps? I've listed a few ideas below which have helped me:
1. Documenting your work in email or writing, in a knowledgable and businesslike manner.
2. Always paying attention to business ettiquette and decorum. It impresses the older workers with your level of maturity.
3. Asking someone higher up in the food chain to put in a good word for you. For instance, asking for an introduction during a meeting that includes some of your accomplishments. This is incredibly helpful in setting a tone towards you and your level of expertise. What others say about you creates a 'halo' effect that follows you in whatever you do. Many managers will do this, especially when clients are involved.
Probably the problems encountered at Microsoft stem in part from the way Microsoft started--as a consulting group offshoot of a tightknit computing club at Harvard. The founders of the computer industry were all young, white, and male. Nothing wrong with that, particularly, but now the field is trying to expand.
Not only persons of color but also women are experiencing problems breaking into these original networks. The relationships within the original networks are very insular, and very much tied to rapidly dwindling sources of venture capital. So, they are developing networks of their own, in Silicon Valley and in the emergent East Coast high tech corridor.
Still, as one of the leading corporate American employers, Microsoft can expect to be held to the same standards as other corporations insofar as Equal Opportunity Employment issues. Gone are the days when it could be argued that tech companies are somehow different or exempt from these workplace issues. If there is solid proof of a pattern of discriminatory practices, then it needs to be corrected.
...that 'we the people' hold the responsibility for running this nation. We delegate some of that responsibility to a cadre of politicians and civil servants, but in the end we must answer to ourselves.
There exists no other nation on earth where the people are given this much power, and it is up to us to each make our voice heard. Yes, it's work to get involved, it takes away from other fun activities, but would you really rather live in a nation where you never have the chance at all?
The new Senate is being sworn in today. Get to know who these Senators are, keep their feet to the fire, continually remind them that they hold their jobs because we say they can, and that we will revoke that privilege if they abuse it.
Can someone please explain the significance of January 12th in the world of science fiction and fantasy?
There have been many nice releases on that date over the years, including the announcement of the first female starship captain in a Star Trek series (Kathryn Janeway).
Wonderful birthday presents to me, but....Bits of _The Hobbit_ harken back to Wiccan lore, could this be the connection?
Thank you! (personal response is fine if you don't want to respond here) Kathryn Aegis
Perhaps the level of optimism one has for the medium of the Internet relates to just what one seeks in it. What do you want to experience when you log on? I want to expand my mind and converse with people that I would never come into contact with otherwise. From that standpoint, interacting on listserves and email has exponentially expanded my own mind and allowed me to meet leading thinkers all over the world.
Theodore Zeldin, considered one of the 100 most influential thinkers of the Millenium, has recently published a fascinating and inspiring book about the art of conversation, entitled _Conversation: How Talk Can Change Our Lives_.
In a recent radio discussion with Kojo Nnamdi, he spoke with great hope and enthusiasm for the expanding means by which humans can conduct conversation--telephone, email, letter, radio. In his view, it doesn't matter whether a conversation is carried out face-to-face or through the mediation of other tools, so long as the content is meaningful, thought-provoking, and establishes a level of learning.
When I was a little girl, my older brother and I would have the usual bitchfests about who got to watch what TV program. Well, one night the contest came down to some Disney movie (me) and Cosmos (him).
It was one fight that was won more in the losing...It was the fabled Flatland episode that riveted a hyper little girl to the screen for an hour. It was the first time that any teacher in my life had connected science to the beloved worlds of art and poetry. He must have inspired other in the same way that night, and that kind of teaching doesn't dim with age.
Thank you for the opportunity to relive that little memory!
The hand wringing over a failure of community-building seems a bit premature.
Take a moment to think about the numbers: The public-access version of the Internet has been in existence for approximately fifteen years. The bulk of the users online came onboard approximately five years ago. At present, a little over 40% of the US has gone online, with a worldwide average of 10-15%.
Even with that rather small sample of humans on the globe interacting daily online, an amazing variety of groups and networks has already sprung up, enhancing relationships offline as well. The true potential lies in getting the remaining folk online to try it out, explore and really show us what can be done!
I think that there is a danger in setting up a caricature of an ordinary geek (the eponymous teenage 'slightly pudgy' white male). This can become a self-fulfilling groupthink, where others who don't fit that mold oddly don't fit in with those who feel they are outcasts!
Nature did not discriminate when distributing mental ability, and geeks come in all shapes and sizes and looks...that somewhat attractive female typing into a laptop at the local coffeehouse might be feeling isolated for her geekiness too.
Which isn't exactly a question, but maybe a wish for Clinton, that as he grows and matures, he sees the wonderful extraordinariness of those who share his talents, and learns to make the connections that will nourish and carry him through life. Looking forward to hearing your answers...
To the world at large, tech careers are being sold as the ultimate in freedom and flexibility--carry your laptop to a coffee shop! Work with your kid on your lap! Has this dream been truly realized yet? What does it take besides a home T1 line?
(future potential parent wanting to know...)
/ Kathryn Aegis
This year's H2k seemed to happen as a transition to addressing more serious issues facing the tech frontier. Many of the participants, Biafra included, are sitting in the epicenter of some of the most important issues facing the Internet and computer fields. Almost every presentation provided hard information and insightful commentary on free speech rights, computer security, government regulations. We found time to laugh and play as well, but I came away from that weekend with a stack of notes and a lot to think about.
The saddest aspect of the wave of fear and hysteria that swept American parents is that they have been put on guard against the very qualities in their children that will provide a shining future for them and for the world. The first generation to have access to the Internet from birth will have to brave cadres of anxious parents and educators hovering over their every move. The lucky ones will have parents that go with them into the ether, playing and learning together, as they do in the analog world.
Kathryn Aegis
I am glad to see this issue brought into Slashdot...notice that this article is drafted for presentation at the next Foresight Institute Conference, to be held November 3-5 in Bethesda, Maryland.
This is significant for several reasons--Foresight is based in California it has been a while since Erik Drexler last ventured onto the East Coast. His early attempts to bring nanotech to the attention of various government entities, corporations and universities was met with indifferent and outright hostility. Over the past few years, however, every major university on the East Coast has established at least a nanotechnology interdisciplinary studies group, if not an outright laboratory. Additional funding for research into nanotech is working its way through Congress. It won't be long before a working group appears at NIH to address the medical applications, which are sure to be the earliest and most exciting applications for nano.
There is still time for everyone to have an affect on this developing technology, and it is vital for everyone to become informed about it, and make your voice heard about responsible use of it. The farfetched goo scenarios get thrown about very quickly, and can produce a sense of futility on the part of those just learning about it. That in itself becomes a sort of control over who takes on this knowledge and uses it to transform their own lives. Let's become part of the empowerment of this technology, and focus on what can really be done with it.
Sincerely,
Kathryn Aegis
I registered for ICANN membership many months
prior to the deadline, and received an email
reply stating that PIN numbers would be mailed
by snail mail (third class bulk, no less). Upon receipt of the PIN, we were to activate the membership and gain voting privileges.
Not surprisingly, the PIN never arrived, despite
the numerous cheery messages stating that it was
on the way. Life got busy, I forgot about it...
Kathryn Aegis
France is a haven from media?
on
The Regulon
·
· Score: 1
Leaving aside the fact that this article reads like bad science fiction, I'm wondering how I managed to miss the Cone of Silence while spending a month in Paris. Is it powered by the Eiffel tower, throwing out beams of protection from the onslaught of television and email? Were the Parisians who kept me up night after night debating world events and culture perhaps part of some underground network that drilled holes in the shield to reach the American media?
But then, I look out of the window of the office and see a vast tract of woods, perhaps there is an escape for us Americans as well...
Slashdot Mirror
Given that the FCC is headquartered in Washington, DC, why are these protests being held in San Francisco and New York? All of the FCC meetings are open to the public, and there are opportunities to have public input. Many members of the public have had a real impact on FCC actions simply by showing up and getting their opinions heard. I have learned from participating in these public hearings and committee meetings that there is a dearth of representation from software engineers. The FCC staffers are aware of this and would definitely appreciate more participation from programmers and engineers. There is also the option of going to the FCC website and submitting comments--they really do get read and put into the record. --Kathryn Aegis
It may be a case of appearances, more than actual age. I've never looked my age, and this has caused no end of happy mixups in several career fields. Older coworkers have offered helpful advice on 'dressing older'. More makeup and a somewhat severe business suit would help in business meetings.
It is much more difficult to carry that off in the more casual atmosphere of the technical fields, unfortunately. So, other than appearance, what else helps? I've listed a few ideas below which have helped me:
1. Documenting your work in email or writing, in a knowledgable and businesslike manner.
2. Always paying attention to business ettiquette and decorum. It impresses the older workers with your level of maturity.
3. Asking someone higher up in the food chain to put in a good word for you. For instance, asking for an introduction during a meeting that includes some of your accomplishments. This is incredibly helpful in setting a tone towards you and your level of expertise. What others say about you creates a 'halo' effect that follows you in whatever you do. Many managers will do this, especially when clients are involved.
Hope this might help, and good luck to you!
Sincerely, Kathryn Aegis
Probably the problems encountered at Microsoft stem in part from the way Microsoft started--as a consulting group offshoot of a tightknit computing club at Harvard. The founders of the computer industry were all young, white, and male. Nothing wrong with that, particularly, but now the field is trying to expand.
Not only persons of color but also women are experiencing problems breaking into these original networks. The relationships within the original networks are very insular, and very much tied to rapidly dwindling sources of venture capital. So, they are developing networks of their own, in Silicon Valley and in the emergent East Coast high tech corridor.
Still, as one of the leading corporate American employers, Microsoft can expect to be held to the same standards as other corporations insofar as Equal Opportunity Employment issues. Gone are the days when it could be argued that tech companies are somehow different or exempt from these workplace issues. If there is solid proof of a pattern of discriminatory practices, then it needs to be corrected.
Sincerely, Kathryn Aegis...that 'we the people' hold the responsibility for running this nation. We delegate some of that responsibility to a cadre of politicians and civil servants, but in the end we must answer to ourselves.
There exists no other nation on earth where the people are given this much power, and it is up to us to each make our voice heard. Yes, it's work to get involved, it takes away from other fun activities, but would you really rather live in a nation where you never have the chance at all?
The new Senate is being sworn in today. Get to know who these Senators are, keep their feet to the fire, continually remind them that they hold their jobs because we say they can, and that we will revoke that privilege if they abuse it.
Sincerely, Kathryn Aegisoh, that's right! Maybe that's the reason. Thank you for the reminder. Sincerely, Kathryn
Can someone please explain the significance of January 12th in the world of science fiction and fantasy?
There have been many nice releases on that date over the years, including the announcement of the first female starship captain in a Star Trek series (Kathryn Janeway).Wonderful birthday presents to me, but....Bits of _The Hobbit_ harken back to Wiccan lore, could this be the connection?
Thank you! (personal response is fine if you don't want to respond here) Kathryn AegisPerhaps the level of optimism one has for the medium of the Internet relates to just what one seeks in it. What do you want to experience when you log on? I want to expand my mind and converse with people that I would never come into contact with otherwise. From that standpoint, interacting on listserves and email has exponentially expanded my own mind and allowed me to meet leading thinkers all over the world.
Theodore Zeldin, considered one of the 100 most influential thinkers of the Millenium, has recently published a fascinating and inspiring book about the art of conversation, entitled _Conversation: How Talk Can Change Our Lives_.
In a recent radio discussion with Kojo Nnamdi, he spoke with great hope and enthusiasm for the expanding means by which humans can conduct conversation--telephone, email, letter, radio. In his view, it doesn't matter whether a conversation is carried out face-to-face or through the mediation of other tools, so long as the content is meaningful, thought-provoking, and establishes a level of learning.
When I was a little girl, my older brother and I would have the usual bitchfests about who got to watch what TV program. Well, one night the contest came down to some Disney movie (me) and Cosmos (him).
It was one fight that was won more in the losing...It was the fabled Flatland episode that riveted a hyper little girl to the screen for an hour. It was the first time that any teacher in my life had connected science to the beloved worlds of art and poetry. He must have inspired other in the same way that night, and that kind of teaching doesn't dim with age.
Thank you for the opportunity to relive that little memory!
Sincerely, Kathryn AegisThe hand wringing over a failure of community-building seems a bit premature.
Take a moment to think about the numbers: The public-access version of the Internet has been in existence for approximately fifteen years. The bulk of the users online came onboard approximately five years ago. At present, a little over 40% of the US has gone online, with a worldwide average of 10-15%.
Even with that rather small sample of humans on the globe interacting daily online, an amazing variety of groups and networks has already sprung up, enhancing relationships offline as well. The true potential lies in getting the remaining folk online to try it out, explore and really show us what can be done!
Sincerely, Kathryn AegisI think that there is a danger in setting up a caricature of an ordinary geek (the eponymous teenage 'slightly pudgy' white male). This can become a self-fulfilling groupthink, where others who don't fit that mold oddly don't fit in with those who feel they are outcasts!
Nature did not discriminate when distributing mental ability, and geeks come in all shapes and sizes and looks...that somewhat attractive female typing into a laptop at the local coffeehouse might be feeling isolated for her geekiness too.Which isn't exactly a question, but maybe a wish for Clinton, that as he grows and matures, he sees the wonderful extraordinariness of those who share his talents, and learns to make the connections that will nourish and carry him through life. Looking forward to hearing your answers...
Sincerely, Kathryn AegisTo the world at large, tech careers are being sold as the ultimate in freedom and flexibility--carry your laptop to a coffee shop! Work with your kid on your lap! Has this dream been truly realized yet? What does it take besides a home T1 line? (future potential parent wanting to know...) / Kathryn Aegis
This year's H2k seemed to happen as a transition to addressing more serious issues facing the tech frontier. Many of the participants, Biafra included, are sitting in the epicenter of some of the most important issues facing the Internet and computer fields. Almost every presentation provided hard information and insightful commentary on free speech rights, computer security, government regulations. We found time to laugh and play as well, but I came away from that weekend with a stack of notes and a lot to think about.
The saddest aspect of the wave of fear and hysteria that swept American parents is that they have been put on guard against the very qualities in their children that will provide a shining future for them and for the world. The first generation to have access to the Internet from birth will have to brave cadres of anxious parents and educators hovering over their every move. The lucky ones will have parents that go with them into the ether, playing and learning together, as they do in the analog world. Kathryn Aegis
I am glad to see this issue brought into Slashdot...notice that this article is drafted for presentation at the next Foresight Institute Conference, to be held November 3-5 in Bethesda, Maryland. This is significant for several reasons--Foresight is based in California it has been a while since Erik Drexler last ventured onto the East Coast. His early attempts to bring nanotech to the attention of various government entities, corporations and universities was met with indifferent and outright hostility. Over the past few years, however, every major university on the East Coast has established at least a nanotechnology interdisciplinary studies group, if not an outright laboratory. Additional funding for research into nanotech is working its way through Congress. It won't be long before a working group appears at NIH to address the medical applications, which are sure to be the earliest and most exciting applications for nano. There is still time for everyone to have an affect on this developing technology, and it is vital for everyone to become informed about it, and make your voice heard about responsible use of it. The farfetched goo scenarios get thrown about very quickly, and can produce a sense of futility on the part of those just learning about it. That in itself becomes a sort of control over who takes on this knowledge and uses it to transform their own lives. Let's become part of the empowerment of this technology, and focus on what can really be done with it. Sincerely, Kathryn Aegis
I registered for ICANN membership many months prior to the deadline, and received an email reply stating that PIN numbers would be mailed by snail mail (third class bulk, no less). Upon receipt of the PIN, we were to activate the membership and gain voting privileges. Not surprisingly, the PIN never arrived, despite the numerous cheery messages stating that it was on the way. Life got busy, I forgot about it... Kathryn Aegis
Leaving aside the fact that this article reads like bad science fiction, I'm wondering how I managed to miss the Cone of Silence while spending a month in Paris. Is it powered by the Eiffel tower, throwing out beams of protection from the onslaught of television and email? Were the Parisians who kept me up night after night debating world events and culture perhaps part of some underground network that drilled holes in the shield to reach the American media?
But then, I look out of the window of the office and see a vast tract of woods, perhaps there is an escape for us Americans as well...
Kathryn Aegis