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Author: TriSec    Date: 07/30/2013 10:19:34

Good Morning.

Today is our 4,314th day in Afghanistan.

We'll start this morning as we always do; with the latest casualty figures from our ongoing war, courtesy of Antiwar.com:

US Military Deaths - Afghanistan: 2,251
Other Military Deaths - Afghanistan: 1,099

We find this morning's Cost of War passing through:

$ 1, 460, 063, 100, 000 .00



Once again, we have to start today in Iraq. There has been little traction in the American media; I've been following this via the BBC and some military news sites that I frequent. It seems that what little progress that was made after we left has been sliding back into chaos. July has easily been the worst month for violence in quite some time, and it shows no signs of abating.


CAR bombs mainly targeting Shia-majority areas of Iraq killed at least 48 people yesterday, security and medical officials said, taking the July death toll to more than 780.

More than 3000 people have been killed in violence since the beginning of the year, according to AFP figures based on security and medical sources.

Yesterday, 11 car bombs hit nine areas of Baghdad, seven of them Shia-majority, while another exploded in Mahmudiyah to the south of the capital.

Five more hit three towns south of Baghdad. The attacks wounded at least 226 people.

The violence came a day after attacks killed 14 people, among them nine Kurdish police who died in a suicide bombing in the northern town of Tuz Khurmatu.

Militants have carried out two highly co-ordinated operations in recent days, highlighting both their growing reach and the rapidly declining security situation.

Late on Wednesday, 150 militants attacked the northern town of Sulaiman Bek, drawing security forces away from the main highway in the area. About 40 militants then broke off, set up a checkpoint on the highway and executed 14 Shia truck drivers.

The highway killings were reminiscent of the darkest days of Sunni-Shia sectarian bloodshed in Iraq in 2006-2007, when thousands of people were killed because of their religious affiliation or forced to abandon their homes under threat of death.

Lingering tensions between Sunnis and Shi'ites have been inflamed by persistent violence in Iraq and the civil war in neighbouring Syria, and there are growing fears the country is slipping back towards all-out sectarian conflict.

Iraq's Sunnis accuse the Shia-led government of marginalising and targeting their community, including through unwarranted arrests and terrorism charges.

In addition to security issues, the government is also failing to provide adequate services such as electricity and clean water while corruption is widespread.


Short of us going back in, it seems that Iraq may be headed for a long-overdue civil war. Our presence may have tempered that for a while, but the Sunni/Shia rift is just too vast to bridge without guns.

Of course, Afghanistan is no stranger to such violence...and while the primary players may go under different names, of course it's all in the name of Allah that this is being perpetrated. This is something that mystifies me about religion in general. You and I can read the same text, but come away with completely different interpretations. Westboro Baptist and the Christian Bible being just one example. Of course, the Taleban is fighting over the Q'uran, but I suppose that's a discussion for another day.


Scores were reported dead across Afghanistan Monday amid a pair of bombing attacks in southern Afghanistan and two military operations in the eastern part of the country. As many as 14, most of them civilians, died in separate bombing attacks in Zabul and Kandahar provinces, local officials said. A further 12 were injured in the southern Afghanistan attacks.

In the first incident, a police official, two guards and six pedestrians were killed by a roadside bomb in southern Zabul province, deputy provincial governor Mohammad Jan Rasolyar said. Twelve civilians, mostly children, were wounded in that explosion, which struck in a residential area Sunday evening, he said. But the presidential office put the death toll higher, at 11.

"According to Zabul provincial governor office, 11 of our compatriots were martyred and 12 others injured," President Hamid Karzai's office said in a statement. In adjacent Kandahar province, a mother was killed along with her two daughters when a roadside bomb placed by Taliban insurgents went off Monday, the governor's spokesman said. "The incident took place this morning in Spin Boldak district, in which a woman, with her two ... daughters (aged 14 and 15), were killed," Javed Faisal told dpa.

Karzai's office condemned the attacks, saying culprits of attacks during the holy month of Ramadan will be responsible before God. Meanwhile, 83 Taliban fighters were killed and 18 arrested in two ongoing operations launched by the Afghan national security forces, part of an ongoing Afghan national army and national police operation in Logar and Nangarhar provinces. "These operations are being carried out by the Afghan forces without any assistance from the international troops," Zahir Azimi, spokesman of Defence Ministry was quoted by the statement. He also said three army soldiers were also killed in the operation.



And because this is ostensibly a veteran's column, we'll take a look at two soon-to-be veteran's stories today. This actually horrified me, but other than that base emotion, I haven't got much more to say.


UNITY, Maine —There's no need for a Maine soldier who's deploying to Afghanistan to send letters home to his mother. That's because she's deploying at the same time -- and in the same unit.

Spc. Andrew Parker and his mother, Spc. Holly Parker, expect to deploy soon with the Maine National Guard. Andrew Parker told WABI-TV that it's "comforting" and Holly Parker called it a "source of pride."

The two from Unity are among nearly 200 soldiers from the 133rd Engineering Battalion deploying in August.

Sgt. 1st Class Randal Parker, father and husband, said he's used to being the one leaving for deployment. He said he's happy they'll have each other while on duty in a foreign land.


It's curious, though. I thought close relatives were banned from serving together, especially in the same unit, after the USS Juneau went down in WWII (The Sullivans), but upon closer examination, it seems to be only a US Navy policy and does not include ground forces.

Good luck to them both.
 

94 comments (Latest Comment: 07/31/2013 00:08:14 by Raine)
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Comment by Raine on 07/30/2013 13:07:28
Good Morning everyone!

Comment by wickedpam on 07/30/2013 13:10:19
Morning

Comment by Mondobubba on 07/30/2013 13:14:59
Morning all.

Comment by Raine on 07/30/2013 13:19:46
Wth?

Comment by wickedpam on 07/30/2013 13:32:23
Quote by Raine:
Wth?



??

Comment by Mondobubba on 07/30/2013 13:36:27
Quote by Raine:
Wth?



Que?

Comment by Raine on 07/30/2013 13:36:49
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Wth?



??
The song parady -- set to Maniac only they sang Weeniac. It was, uhm --

not Audra from Minneapolis' best attempt.


Comment by wickedpam on 07/30/2013 13:39:02
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Wth?



??
The song parady -- set to Maniac only they sang Weeniac. It was, uhm --

not Audra from Minneapolis' best attempt.



ya, she can do better

Comment by Mondobubba on 07/30/2013 13:44:08
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Wth?



??
The song parady -- set to Maniac only they sang Weeniac. It was, uhm --

not Audra from Minneapolis' best attempt.



I miss listening to Mamma. Stupid having to earn a living!

Comment by wickedpam on 07/30/2013 13:59:38
*sigh* back to everyone wanting all their stuff done first - screw the work I actually have to do for my actual boss for a big 7/11 kick off that has to be done for Thursday(that 10-12 pages from scratch). But no, the same crap that we've submitted to Giant for months without them authorizing it has to be done AGAIN! and for Wednesday.

*end rant*

Comment by Raine on 07/30/2013 14:02:55
Comment by Raine on 07/30/2013 14:06:43
I just heard this announced on the newsbreak. I had been following he's poignant beautiful and heartbreaking tweets about his mothers last days.


@nprscottsimon The heavens over Chicago have opened and Patricia Lyons Simon Newman has stepped onstage.
Scott Simon is an incredible person.

Comment by Mondobubba on 07/30/2013 14:12:21
Quote by Raine:
I just heard this announced on the newsbreak. I had been following he's poignant beautiful and heartbreaking tweets about his mothers last days.


@nprscottsimon The heavens over Chicago have opened and Patricia Lyons Simon Newman has stepped onstage.
Scott Simon is an incredible person.


He is! He is a very nice man. Mrs Mondo really liked him. Cokie Roberts & Susan Stamberg, not so much. Scott Simon used to have lemon yellow undies. Long story....

Comment by Raine on 07/30/2013 14:15:55
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
I just heard this announced on the newsbreak. I had been following he's poignant beautiful and heartbreaking tweets about his mothers last days.


@nprscottsimon The heavens over Chicago have opened and Patricia Lyons Simon Newman has stepped onstage.
Scott Simon is an incredible person.


He is! He is a very nice man. Mrs Mondo really liked him. Cokie Roberts & Susan Stamberg, not so much. Scott Simon used to have lemon yellow undies. Long story....


His tweets on his mother dying were so amazing. She had emergency surgery a couple of weeks ago, and just -- he went to her ICU and never left.

Have you reached out to him on Twiter, Mondo?

Comment by wickedpam on 07/30/2013 14:18:25
Quote by wickedpam:
*sigh* back to everyone wanting all their stuff done first - screw the work I actually have to do for my actual boss for a big 7/11 kick off that has to be done for Thursday(that 10-12 pages from scratch). But no, the same crap that we've submitted to Giant for months without them authorizing it has to be done AGAIN! and for Wednesday.

*end rant*



oh and to put the friggin cherry on the cake - certain people in this office now NO sense of humor and can't determine when someone is trying to be funny and sarcastic

Comment by Raine on 07/30/2013 14:21:07
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by wickedpam:
*sigh* back to everyone wanting all their stuff done first - screw the work I actually have to do for my actual boss for a big 7/11 kick off that has to be done for Thursday(that 10-12 pages from scratch). But no, the same crap that we've submitted to Giant for months without them authorizing it has to be done AGAIN! and for Wednesday.

*end rant*



oh and to put the friggin cherry on the cake - certain people in this office now NO sense of humor and can't determine when someone is trying to be funny and sarcastic


That's a sour cherry.

Comment by wickedpam on 07/30/2013 14:26:23
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by wickedpam:
*sigh* back to everyone wanting all their stuff done first - screw the work I actually have to do for my actual boss for a big 7/11 kick off that has to be done for Thursday(that 10-12 pages from scratch). But no, the same crap that we've submitted to Giant for months without them authorizing it has to be done AGAIN! and for Wednesday.

*end rant*



oh and to put the friggin cherry on the cake - certain people in this office now NO sense of humor and can't determine when someone is trying to be funny and sarcastic


That's a sour cherry.


Thank you


Comment by Mondobubba on 07/30/2013 14:31:31
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
I just heard this announced on the newsbreak. I had been following he's poignant beautiful and heartbreaking tweets about his mothers last days.


@nprscottsimon The heavens over Chicago have opened and Patricia Lyons Simon Newman has stepped onstage.
Scott Simon is an incredible person.


He is! He is a very nice man. Mrs Mondo really liked him. Cokie Roberts & Susan Stamberg, not so much. Scott Simon used to have lemon yellow undies. Long story....


His tweets on his mother dying were so amazing. She had emergency surgery a couple of weeks ago, and just -- he went to her ICU and never left.

Have you reached out to him on Twiter, Mondo?


No I have not. I should. He would remember Mrs Mondo.

Comment by Mondobubba on 07/30/2013 14:32:43
@nprscottsimon But as my mother said, the nice thing about being a Chicagoan is that she'll continue to be able to vote on Election Day.




Comment by Raine on 07/30/2013 14:38:36
Quote by Mondobubba:
@nprscottsimon But as my mother said, the nice thing about being a Chicagoan is that she'll continue to be able to vote on Election Day.


She had some zingers! I suspect this will be made into a tweet story.


Comment by Raine on 07/30/2013 14:39:16
Oh this caller -- she is just not helping her religious cause.

Comment by Raine on 07/30/2013 14:40:29
Bradley manning verdict at 1 pm today.



Comment by Mondobubba on 07/30/2013 14:43:02
Reached out to Mr Simon. :sniff: Damn dust.

Comment by Raine on 07/30/2013 14:44:45
Quote by Mondobubba:
Reached out to Mr Simon. :sniff: Damn dust.
I knew you would appreciate reading those. I was weepy myself.

She raised an amazing man.


Comment by Raine on 07/30/2013 15:01:55
Mondo -- you've probably read this or heard it.

I just need some of this soul nutrition these days.


Comment by wickedpam on 07/30/2013 15:17:00
Not usually at Micelle Rodriguez fan but she is indeed a "Woman Who Kicks Ass"


Michelle Rodriguez Made Me Cry at Comic-Con



Then, she half-turned to look at them. "What's the most egregious example of sexism you've seen on set?"

"Some actor dude once said chicks couldn't drive cars," Michelle scoffed. "I was like, 'Move over.'"

The audience laughed a little. Sexism! Girls can drive cars. Silly sexist actor boys. No one in the audience was like them.

"One time a crew member started hitting on me when I was tied to a bed for a scene," Tatiana Maslany offered. "I was young. I was just starting out. I couldn't get away."

Less laughter now from the audience.

"Once a guy on set kinda beat the shit out of me during a fight scene," Katee Sackhoff said. "He said he thought I could 'take it.'"

No laughter now. Lots of squirming. The guy beside me was checking Twitter.

"He's lucky I wasn't there," Michelle said. "That kind of thing makes my blood boil."

Silence.


As the moderator started wrapping things up, apologizing for having to leave "right as things were getting good," Michelle leaned forward to her mic again.

"We gotta start writing," she said again. She meant women. "Writing, and directing, and producing the kind of content we want to see. Because otherwise, nothing's gonna change."


Comment by Raine on 07/30/2013 15:17:17
Mondo -- what is you twitter name?

Comment by Raine on 07/30/2013 15:19:29
Quote by wickedpam:
Not usually at Micelle Rodriguez fan but she is indeed a "Woman Who Kicks Ass"


Michelle Rodriguez Made Me Cry at Comic-Con



Then, she half-turned to look at them. "What's the most egregious example of sexism you've seen on set?"

"Some actor dude once said chicks couldn't drive cars," Michelle scoffed. "I was like, 'Move over.'"

The audience laughed a little. Sexism! Girls can drive cars. Silly sexist actor boys. No one in the audience was like them.

"One time a crew member started hitting on me when I was tied to a bed for a scene," Tatiana Maslany offered. "I was young. I was just starting out. I couldn't get away."

Less laughter now from the audience.

"Once a guy on set kinda beat the shit out of me during a fight scene," Katee Sackhoff said. "He said he thought I could 'take it.'"

No laughter now. Lots of squirming. The guy beside me was checking Twitter.

"He's lucky I wasn't there," Michelle said. "That kind of thing makes my blood boil."

Silence.


As the moderator started wrapping things up, apologizing for having to leave "right as things were getting good," Michelle leaned forward to her mic again.

"We gotta start writing," she said again. She meant women. "Writing, and directing, and producing the kind of content we want to see. Because otherwise, nothing's gonna change."
I have liked her for a while, I;m not a fan of her movies. I'm really glad you shared this Mala.


Comment by wickedpam on 07/30/2013 15:22:08
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Not usually at Micelle Rodriguez fan but she is indeed a "Woman Who Kicks Ass"


Michelle Rodriguez Made Me Cry at Comic-Con



Then, she half-turned to look at them. "What's the most egregious example of sexism you've seen on set?"

"Some actor dude once said chicks couldn't drive cars," Michelle scoffed. "I was like, 'Move over.'"

The audience laughed a little. Sexism! Girls can drive cars. Silly sexist actor boys. No one in the audience was like them.

"One time a crew member started hitting on me when I was tied to a bed for a scene," Tatiana Maslany offered. "I was young. I was just starting out. I couldn't get away."

Less laughter now from the audience.

"Once a guy on set kinda beat the shit out of me during a fight scene," Katee Sackhoff said. "He said he thought I could 'take it.'"

No laughter now. Lots of squirming. The guy beside me was checking Twitter.

"He's lucky I wasn't there," Michelle said. "That kind of thing makes my blood boil."

Silence.


As the moderator started wrapping things up, apologizing for having to leave "right as things were getting good," Michelle leaned forward to her mic again.

"We gotta start writing," she said again. She meant women. "Writing, and directing, and producing the kind of content we want to see. Because otherwise, nothing's gonna change."
I have liked her for a while, I;m not a fan of her movies. I'm really glad you shared this Mala.



Hey, I follow D'va Grrl and The Mary Sue on FB, they bring the awesome Geek Girl word

Comment by Mondobubba on 07/30/2013 15:26:03
Quote by Raine:
Mondo -- what is you twitter name?


@ssrdougagain


Comment by Raine on 07/30/2013 15:26:19
Quote by wickedpam:
Hey, I follow D'va Grrl and The Mary Sue on FB, they bring the awesome Geek Girl word
I think I'm talking about the Fast and furious movies.

I'm still reading the link -- it's intense.


Comment by wickedpam on 07/30/2013 15:31:15
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Hey, I follow D'va Grrl and The Mary Sue on FB, they bring the awesome Geek Girl word
I think I'm talking about the Fast and furious movies.

I'm still reading the link -- it's intense.



Oh I can't stand them - just plain out stupid.

Yeah, I've been wanting to go to a Con for a while cause I thought it was so open and accepting but apparently not if your female.

Comment by Mondobubba on 07/30/2013 15:31:18
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Not usually at Micelle Rodriguez fan but she is indeed a "Woman Who Kicks Ass"


Michelle Rodriguez Made Me Cry at Comic-Con



Then, she half-turned to look at them. "What's the most egregious example of sexism you've seen on set?"

"Some actor dude once said chicks couldn't drive cars," Michelle scoffed. "I was like, 'Move over.'"

The audience laughed a little. Sexism! Girls can drive cars. Silly sexist actor boys. No one in the audience was like them.

"One time a crew member started hitting on me when I was tied to a bed for a scene," Tatiana Maslany offered. "I was young. I was just starting out. I couldn't get away."

Less laughter now from the audience.

"Once a guy on set kinda beat the shit out of me during a fight scene," Katee Sackhoff said. "He said he thought I could 'take it.'"

No laughter now. Lots of squirming. The guy beside me was checking Twitter.

"He's lucky I wasn't there," Michelle said. "That kind of thing makes my blood boil."

Silence.


As the moderator started wrapping things up, apologizing for having to leave "right as things were getting good," Michelle leaned forward to her mic again.

"We gotta start writing," she said again. She meant women. "Writing, and directing, and producing the kind of content we want to see. Because otherwise, nothing's gonna change."
I have liked her for a while, I;m not a fan of her movies. I'm really glad you shared this Mala.



Sexism in fandom? No way!

Joss Weadon writes fantastic, amazing strong women characters. Lemme see, Buffy, Zoe Washburn, River Tam, Echo. They all kick some serious ass.

Comment by Raine on 07/30/2013 15:31:41
I could have sat there for hours listening to them. And the thing was, it wasn't like they weren't saying anything I hadn't heard before, even from actresses in interviews. But I was part of a captive audience full of guys who were now probably feeling a shred of the same kind of discomfort that women experience every day of their lives. And God, God, it felt good.


Yep.



Comment by Raine on 07/30/2013 15:34:57
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Hey, I follow D'va Grrl and The Mary Sue on FB, they bring the awesome Geek Girl word
I think I'm talking about the Fast and furious movies.

I'm still reading the link -- it's intense.



Oh I can't stand them - just plain out stupid.

Yeah, I've been wanting to go to a Con for a while cause I thought it was so open and accepting but apparently not if your female.
That makes me sad.

What I do appreciate is that the author of the piece is talking about the subtle sexism that industry doesn't address. It's really a great piece of writing.



Comment by wickedpam on 07/30/2013 15:35:18
Did ya'll ever read or hear Wil Wheaton Explain to a Newborn girl what is means to be a nerd?

It's Awesome

Comment by wickedpam on 07/30/2013 15:37:15
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Hey, I follow D'va Grrl and The Mary Sue on FB, they bring the awesome Geek Girl word
I think I'm talking about the Fast and furious movies.

I'm still reading the link -- it's intense.



Oh I can't stand them - just plain out stupid.

Yeah, I've been wanting to go to a Con for a while cause I thought it was so open and accepting but apparently not if your female.
That makes me sad.

What I do appreciate is that the author of the piece is talking about the subtle sexism that industry doesn't address. It's really a great piece of writing.




exactly.


Comment by wickedpam on 07/30/2013 15:40:14
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Not usually at Micelle Rodriguez fan but she is indeed a "Woman Who Kicks Ass"


Michelle Rodriguez Made Me Cry at Comic-Con



Then, she half-turned to look at them. "What's the most egregious example of sexism you've seen on set?"

"Some actor dude once said chicks couldn't drive cars," Michelle scoffed. "I was like, 'Move over.'"

The audience laughed a little. Sexism! Girls can drive cars. Silly sexist actor boys. No one in the audience was like them.

"One time a crew member started hitting on me when I was tied to a bed for a scene," Tatiana Maslany offered. "I was young. I was just starting out. I couldn't get away."

Less laughter now from the audience.

"Once a guy on set kinda beat the shit out of me during a fight scene," Katee Sackhoff said. "He said he thought I could 'take it.'"

No laughter now. Lots of squirming. The guy beside me was checking Twitter.

"He's lucky I wasn't there," Michelle said. "That kind of thing makes my blood boil."

Silence.


As the moderator started wrapping things up, apologizing for having to leave "right as things were getting good," Michelle leaned forward to her mic again.

"We gotta start writing," she said again. She meant women. "Writing, and directing, and producing the kind of content we want to see. Because otherwise, nothing's gonna change."
I have liked her for a while, I;m not a fan of her movies. I'm really glad you shared this Mala.



Sexism in fandom? No way!

Joss Weadon writes fantastic, amazing strong women characters. Lemme see, Buffy, Zoe Washburn, River Tam, Echo. They all kick some serious ass.


I used to want to channel Buffy as my inner ass kicker but I think I've changed that to Zoe - she is completely amazing!


Comment by wickedpam on 07/30/2013 15:51:47
uh oh - geek girls broke the blog




Comment by Raine on 07/30/2013 15:57:30
Quote by wickedpam:
uh oh - geek girls broke the blog


Not at all -- I'm actually contemplating this. IT sorta reminds me about the very low numbers of women in IT.




Comment by Mondobubba on 07/30/2013 15:59:00
Quote by wickedpam:
Did ya'll ever read or hear Wil Wheaton Explain to a Newborn girl what is means to be a nerd?

It's Awesome



If George Takai is the internet's cool uncle, the Wil Wheaton is the internet's cool cousin.

Comment by Mondobubba on 07/30/2013 16:01:07
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Not usually at Micelle Rodriguez fan but she is indeed a "Woman Who Kicks Ass"


Michelle Rodriguez Made Me Cry at Comic-Con



Then, she half-turned to look at them. "What's the most egregious example of sexism you've seen on set?"

"Some actor dude once said chicks couldn't drive cars," Michelle scoffed. "I was like, 'Move over.'"

The audience laughed a little. Sexism! Girls can drive cars. Silly sexist actor boys. No one in the audience was like them.

"One time a crew member started hitting on me when I was tied to a bed for a scene," Tatiana Maslany offered. "I was young. I was just starting out. I couldn't get away."

Less laughter now from the audience.

"Once a guy on set kinda beat the shit out of me during a fight scene," Katee Sackhoff said. "He said he thought I could 'take it.'"

No laughter now. Lots of squirming. The guy beside me was checking Twitter.

"He's lucky I wasn't there," Michelle said. "That kind of thing makes my blood boil."

Silence.


As the moderator started wrapping things up, apologizing for having to leave "right as things were getting good," Michelle leaned forward to her mic again.

"We gotta start writing," she said again. She meant women. "Writing, and directing, and producing the kind of content we want to see. Because otherwise, nothing's gonna change."
I have liked her for a while, I;m not a fan of her movies. I'm really glad you shared this Mala.



Sexism in fandom? No way!

Joss Weadon writes fantastic, amazing strong women characters. Lemme see, Buffy, Zoe Washburn, River Tam, Echo. They all kick some serious ass.


I used to want to channel Buffy as my inner ass kicker but I think I've changed that to Zoe - she is completely amazing!



I totally Zoe. Inara is pretty bad-ass in her own quiet way as well.

Comment by Scoopster on 07/30/2013 16:10:57
Comment by wickedpam on 07/30/2013 16:15:06
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
uh oh - geek girls broke the blog


Not at all -- I'm actually contemplating this. IT sorta reminds me about the very low numbers of women in IT.




girls aren't told they can be in that field. I know my cousin isn't, although she is told she is a good athlete (I don't see it but her parent's do ) Anyway, when she was little she loved CSI and we even got her "foresnic" type CSI toys - she loved them - finger printed everyone and would go find evidence. Now she never talks about anything and I was recently told Facebook is so old, she's only on Instagram. So we've gone from at least kind of connecting at humans to only communicating with pictures and videos.

so my point (after the tangent) as she got older it seems her parents deemed sports more important then science


Comment by wickedpam on 07/30/2013 16:16:19
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by wickedpam:
Did ya'll ever read or hear Wil Wheaton Explain to a Newborn girl what is means to be a nerd?

It's Awesome



If George Takai is the internet's cool uncle, the Wil Wheaton is the internet's cool cousin.


truth


Comment by Mondobubba on 07/30/2013 16:18:54
Quote by Scoopster:
Mornin' all..

Does this mean corporations are dolphins too?



I hope not! WTG India! I went to SeaWorld once, never again.

Comment by Mondobubba on 07/30/2013 16:23:47
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
uh oh - geek girls broke the blog


Not at all -- I'm actually contemplating this. IT sorta reminds me about the very low numbers of women in IT.




girls aren't told they can be in that field. I know my cousin isn't, although she is told she is a good athlete (I don't see it but her parent's do ) Anyway, when she was little she loved CSI and we even got her "foresnic" type CSI toys - she loved them - finger printed everyone and would go find evidence. Now she never talks about anything and I was recently told Facebook is so old, she's only on Instagram. So we've gone from at least kind of connecting at humans to only communicating with pictures and videos.

so my point (after the tangent) as she got older it seems her parents deemed sports more important then science


When I was trying to do the DBA thing, I would go the MS SQL group here, pretty much a sausage fest with a few exceptions.

I think the perception of nerd girls is they are suppose to be artsy. Making costumes for cosplay, doing fan art and such like stuff. As far as work, if they are in IT, they are in the "soft" side, website design, graphics etc. They aren't viewed as intellectually capable of doing hard stuff like coding. To that I say bollocks!

Comment by wickedpam on 07/30/2013 16:25:29
Comment by Mondobubba on 07/30/2013 16:30:56
A little some about Scott Simon's tweets.

If you think Mr. Simon's taking to Twitter as an expression of his grief is

“the most sordid, opportunistic thing I’ve ever heard.”
You are a dick. You are double dick if you have no experience in the loss of a spouse or parent. Everyone grieves in their own way.

Comment by Mondobubba on 07/30/2013 16:32:02
Quote by wickedpam:
I The Jezebel

What actually happens when you try to burn a bra






Comment by Raine on 07/30/2013 16:33:32
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
uh oh - geek girls broke the blog


Not at all -- I'm actually contemplating this. IT sorta reminds me about the very low numbers of women in IT.




girls aren't told they can be in that field. I know my cousin isn't, although she is told she is a good athlete (I don't see it but her parent's do ) Anyway, when she was little she loved CSI and we even got her "foresnic" type CSI toys - she loved them - finger printed everyone and would go find evidence. Now she never talks about anything and I was recently told Facebook is so old, she's only on Instagram. So we've gone from at least kind of connecting at humans to only communicating with pictures and videos.

so my point (after the tangent) as she got older it seems her parents deemed sports more important then science
They are perpetuating a real problem.

That was from 2010. This is just a few weeks ago.
All the more reason for a gray-bearded reporter to sit in on the groundbreaking "Starting a Software Company" class in UW-Madison's Computer Science program last December.

This was good stuff -- a first effort by the department to serve the software-writing students who wanted to start their own business and not follow the well-beaten path of other computer science graduates to high-paying jobs at Microsoft, Apple, Google and other coastal sirens.

Sage advice on this day came from guest lecturer Stirling Martin, a senior vice president at the gold standard of Madison startups: woman-founded Epic Systems. But as I looked around at the casually dressed assemblage of students, I was dumbfounded.

I counted 34 students...33 were young men. What gives? Software writing is so reliant on collaboration, team projects and networks, it just seems less macho than other technical fields.

So why, then, is it such a guy thing?

"There are a thousand reasons," says Andrea Arpaci-Dusseau, a UW-Madison computer science professor who happens to be married to the co-teacher of the startup class. "It happens very, very, young," she says of the disconnect between women and computer technology. "They make a decision that this is something they're not interested in.



I think in highlighting what happened at SDCC-- it shines light on a problem. I'm getting a feeling thta there is a mindset that that girls can be geeks and nerds, but they aren't really welcome to become more than fangirls to fanboys.

That isn't helping the next generation. Bob posted something on FB a few days ago that I thought was amazing, and I hope it can help turn the tide for younger girls. Goldie Blox.

From the website:
GoldieBlox, Inc. is a toy company founded in 2012 by Debbie Sterling, a female engineer from Stanford University. Engineers are solving some of the biggest challenges our society faces. They are critical to the world economy, earn higher salaries and have greater job security. And they are 89% male. We believe engineers can’t responsibly build our world’s future without the female perspective.

GoldieBlox offers a much-needed female engineer role model who is smart, curious and accessible. She has the potential to get girls interested in engineering, develop their spatial skills and build self-confidence in their problem solving abilities. This means that GoldieBlox will nurture a generation of girls who are more confident, courageous and tech-savvy, giving them a real opportunity to contribute to the progress made by engineers in our society.

It’s 2013. It’s about time we opened our girls’ minds beyond the pink aisle at the toy store. It’s time to build a new story so our girls can help build our future.


And yes, this will be given as gifts from Aunt Raine and Uncle Bob.











Comment by Raine on 07/30/2013 16:38:30
Quote by Mondobubba:
A little some about Scott Simon's tweets.

If you think Mr. Simon's taking to Twitter as an expression of his grief is

“the most sordid, opportunistic thing I’ve ever heard.”
You are a dick. You are double dick if you have no experience in the loss of a spouse or parent. Everyone grieves in their own way.
This was beautiful:
There’s more than enough about social media that reeks of narcissism, inanity and far, far worse. But just because plenty of it sucks doesn’t mean all of it is shallow. Earlier this month, a beloved old friend of mine died suddenly. He was the first person I’d ever “known” online before meeting in person, back in the heady early days of Internet community. He was the man who taught me that typing out words on a keyboard and reading where others have done the same could be an act of deep connection, if done with heart and sincerity. He showed me that over twenty years of friendship, and he showed me that in a whole new way in his death — in the way that friends separated by physical geography still shared in grief and celebration, because we came together both in person and online.


Yup.




Comment by TriSec on 07/30/2013 16:39:08
Comment by wickedpam on 07/30/2013 16:41:20
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
uh oh - geek girls broke the blog


Not at all -- I'm actually contemplating this. IT sorta reminds me about the very low numbers of women in IT.




girls aren't told they can be in that field. I know my cousin isn't, although she is told she is a good athlete (I don't see it but her parent's do ) Anyway, when she was little she loved CSI and we even got her "foresnic" type CSI toys - she loved them - finger printed everyone and would go find evidence. Now she never talks about anything and I was recently told Facebook is so old, she's only on Instagram. So we've gone from at least kind of connecting at humans to only communicating with pictures and videos.

so my point (after the tangent) as she got older it seems her parents deemed sports more important then science
They are perpetuating a real problem.

That was from 2010. This is just a few weeks ago.
All the more reason for a gray-bearded reporter to sit in on the groundbreaking "Starting a Software Company" class in UW-Madison's Computer Science program last December.

This was good stuff -- a first effort by the department to serve the software-writing students who wanted to start their own business and not follow the well-beaten path of other computer science graduates to high-paying jobs at Microsoft, Apple, Google and other coastal sirens.

Sage advice on this day came from guest lecturer Stirling Martin, a senior vice president at the gold standard of Madison startups: woman-founded Epic Systems. But as I looked around at the casually dressed assemblage of students, I was dumbfounded.

I counted 34 students...33 were young men. What gives? Software writing is so reliant on collaboration, team projects and networks, it just seems less macho than other technical fields.

So why, then, is it such a guy thing?

"There are a thousand reasons," says Andrea Arpaci-Dusseau, a UW-Madison computer science professor who happens to be married to the co-teacher of the startup class. "It happens very, very, young," she says of the disconnect between women and computer technology. "They make a decision that this is something they're not interested in.



I think in highlighting what happened at SDCC-- it shines light on a problem. I'm getting a feeling thta there is a mindset that that girls can be geeks and nerds, but they aren't really welcome to become more than fangirls to fanboys.

That isn't helping the next generation. Bob posted something on FB a few days ago that I thought was amazing, and I hope it can help turn the tide for younger girls. Goldie Blox.

From the website:
GoldieBlox, Inc. is a toy company founded in 2012 by Debbie Sterling, a female engineer from Stanford University. Engineers are solving some of the biggest challenges our society faces. They are critical to the world economy, earn higher salaries and have greater job security. And they are 89% male. We believe engineers can’t responsibly build our world’s future without the female perspective.

GoldieBlox offers a much-needed female engineer role model who is smart, curious and accessible. She has the potential to get girls interested in engineering, develop their spatial skills and build self-confidence in their problem solving abilities. This means that GoldieBlox will nurture a generation of girls who are more confident, courageous and tech-savvy, giving them a real opportunity to contribute to the progress made by engineers in our society.

It’s 2013. It’s about time we opened our girls’ minds beyond the pink aisle at the toy store. It’s time to build a new story so our girls can help build our future.


And yes, this will be given as gifts from Aunt Raine and Uncle Bob.













I saw those Goldie Blox toys - very cool!

You know I used to love working on computers - took a class in BASIC in high school and while everyone else was working on Trash80's I was working on the very cool Apple (created a program for it to play "Do they know its Christmas" spell out the words and change colors - in my world very cool for 1985) I'd thought about moving into the tech classes in college but I could not get my head around the math and the profs didn't really help - so ended my once promising career in creating great computer games for girls

Comment by Raine on 07/30/2013 16:47:06
His defense pointed out Airman 1 waited more than two years to report the alleged crime and did so only after investigators sought her out. The defense suggested she made the story up in order to help repair her ailing marriage, the San Antonio Express-News reported.


I can't even. It's NOT great that he was found innocent- he's not.

The military HAS to fix this.


Comment by Raine on 07/30/2013 16:49:50
Quote by Raine:
His defense pointed out Airman 1 waited more than two years to report the alleged crime and did so only after investigators sought her out. The defense suggested she made the story up in order to help repair her ailing marriage, the San Antonio Express-News reported.


I can't even. It's NOT great that he was found innocent- he's not.

The military HAS to fix this.
IT HAS TO FIX THIS.


Comment by livingonli on 07/30/2013 16:51:54
Good day, folks. Had trouble falling asleep and then I really crashed out

Comment by wickedpam on 07/30/2013 17:00:28
one manager today not subscribing to the "Don't Be A Dick" theory of life

Comment by Raine on 07/30/2013 17:10:15
Quote by wickedpam:
one manager today not subscribing to the "Don't Be A Dick" theory of life

the arc of justice bends and yadda yadda tuesday.

Comment by Raine on 07/30/2013 17:10:57
Quote by livingonli:
Good day, folks. Had trouble falling asleep and then I really crashed out

Liv, how are things going lately? You have been very quiet as of late.

Comment by Raine on 07/30/2013 17:11:55
HOLY MOLY!

Manning was acquitted of the most serious charge of aiding the enemy. He's still going to jail it appears.

Comment by Raine on 07/30/2013 17:13:19
@WTOP
ALERT: FORT MEADE, Md. (AP) - Army Pfc. Bradley Manning convicted of 5 espionage counts in WikiLeaks case.


Comment by livingonli on 07/30/2013 17:15:56
Quote by Raine:
Quote by livingonli:
Good day, folks. Had trouble falling asleep and then I really crashed out

Liv, how are things going lately? You have been very quiet as of late.

Just been trying to juggle a few things so I have been in and out of the house while preparing for my bankruptcy hearing in two weeks.

Comment by Mondobubba on 07/30/2013 17:59:42
Impressive thunderstorm in my neck of the woods! Very much thunderbolts and lightening very very frightening me!

Comment by Mondobubba on 07/30/2013 18:06:49
Comment by wickedpam on 07/30/2013 18:11:57
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
one manager today not subscribing to the "Don't Be A Dick" theory of life

the arc of justice bends and yadda yadda tuesday.



Thank you.

Comment by BobR on 07/30/2013 18:25:43
Comment by Raine on 07/30/2013 18:34:28
Quote by livingonli:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by livingonli:
Good day, folks. Had trouble falling asleep and then I really crashed out

Liv, how are things going lately? You have been very quiet as of late.

Just been trying to juggle a few things so I have been in and out of the house while preparing for my bankruptcy hearing in two weeks.
Oh! I hope this gives you the relief you have tried so hard to achieve these past few years.


Comment by livingonli on 07/30/2013 18:37:39
Quote by Raine:
Quote by livingonli:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by livingonli:
Good day, folks. Had trouble falling asleep and then I really crashed out

Liv, how are things going lately? You have been very quiet as of late.

Just been trying to juggle a few things so I have been in and out of the house while preparing for my bankruptcy hearing in two weeks.
Oh! I hope this gives you the relief you have tried so hard to achieve these past few years.

My hearing is in 2 weeks and hopefully by then all this madness will come to an end. I will still have to work out how I am going to pay the IRS for the pension I cashed, but once that's done then everything will be over.

Comment by Raine on 07/30/2013 18:40:07
Seriously, this should be much bigger news.



Comment by Mondobubba on 07/30/2013 18:42:03
Waffle battered chicken tenders at Popeyes.

Fast-food chain Popeyes is set to offer a new chicken meal inspired by the dietary habits of jazz musicians in Los Angeles in the 1930s to 1950s, officials say



Do they come with a side of heroin?

Comment by Scoopster on 07/30/2013 18:46:47
Quote by Mondobubba:
Waffle battered chicken tenders at Popeyes.

Fast-food chain Popeyes is set to offer a new chicken meal inspired by the dietary habits of jazz musicians in Los Angeles in the 1930s to 1950s, officials say


Do they come with a side of heroin?

That's funny I just saw this come across my FB feed..

Comment by wickedpam on 07/30/2013 18:49:41
Quote by Scoopster:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Waffle battered chicken tenders at Popeyes.

Fast-food chain Popeyes is set to offer a new chicken meal inspired by the dietary habits of jazz musicians in Los Angeles in the 1930s to 1950s, officials say


Do they come with a side of heroin?

That's funny I just saw this come across my FB feed..


and we wonder why this country has a weight issue


Comment by TriSec on 07/30/2013 18:53:19
Mmm.....as a native New Englander (my overall time south of the Mason-Dixon line is probably less than 6 months lifetime), I just don't get the whole "chicken & waffles" thing.

These are mutually exclusive foods.

Comment by wickedpam on 07/30/2013 18:53:37
Hey Raine was this what you read about in the Post about a Con in DC?

Comment by wickedpam on 07/30/2013 18:56:08
Quote by TriSec:
Mmm.....as a native New Englander (my overall time south of the Mason-Dixon line is probably less than 6 months lifetime), I just don't get the whole "chicken & waffles" thing.

These are mutually exclusive foods.


heck I've lived below the M/D at least half my life and I don't get it either. But then they don't get the Lebanon bolonga or ketchup on chips either.

Comment by Raine on 07/30/2013 18:56:29
Quote by wickedpam:
Hey Raine was this what you read about in the Post about a Con in DC?
Yes!

Here is one of the articles.


Comment by wickedpam on 07/30/2013 19:00:24
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Hey Raine was this what you read about in the Post about a Con in DC?
Yes!

Here is one of the articles.



I've already marked my calendar for 2014 - can't wait

now maybe I can get some peeps to go with me

Comment by Mondobubba on 07/30/2013 19:04:41
Quote by Scoopster:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Waffle battered chicken tenders at Popeyes.

Fast-food chain Popeyes is set to offer a new chicken meal inspired by the dietary habits of jazz musicians in Los Angeles in the 1930s to 1950s, officials say


Do they come with a side of heroin?

That's funny I just saw this come across my FB feed..


Yeah, but they are in South Korea.


Comment by Mondobubba on 07/30/2013 19:05:31
Comment by livingonli on 07/30/2013 19:14:19
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Hey Raine was this what you read about in the Post about a Con in DC?
Yes!

Here is one of the articles.



I've already marked my calendar for 2014 - can't wait

now maybe I can get some peeps to go with me

I got enough time to plan for it so it might be worth a trek for me.

Comment by Scoopster on 07/30/2013 19:16:58
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Scoopster:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Waffle battered chicken tenders at Popeyes.

Fast-food chain Popeyes is set to offer a new chicken meal inspired by the dietary habits of jazz musicians in Los Angeles in the 1930s to 1950s, officials say


Do they come with a side of heroin?

That's funny I just saw this come across my FB feed..


Yeah, but they are in South Korea.

Never underestimate a gourmand's creativity!

Comment by Mondobubba on 07/30/2013 19:26:40
Quote by TriSec:
Mmm.....as a native New Englander (my overall time south of the Mason-Dixon line is probably less than 6 months lifetime), I just don't get the whole "chicken & waffles" thing.

These are mutually exclusive foods.



It isn't a Southern thing, it is Los Angeles thing. As in The world famous Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles.

Comment by wickedpam on 07/30/2013 19:30:18
Quote by livingonli:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Hey Raine was this what you read about in the Post about a Con in DC?
Yes!

Here is one of the articles.



I've already marked my calendar for 2014 - can't wait

now maybe I can get some peeps to go with me

I got enough time to plan for it so it might be worth a trek for me.


we do have a train and several bus lines

ya know I wish I had know about the kickstarter I would have actually put in some money on this one


Comment by Mondobubba on 07/30/2013 19:32:02
Quote by Scoopster:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Scoopster:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Waffle battered chicken tenders at Popeyes.

Fast-food chain Popeyes is set to offer a new chicken meal inspired by the dietary habits of jazz musicians in Los Angeles in the 1930s to 1950s, officials say


Do they come with a side of heroin?

That's funny I just saw this come across my FB feed..


Yeah, but they are in South Korea.

Never underestimate a gourmand's creativity!



Awesome!

Comment by Raine on 07/30/2013 20:35:12
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by livingonli:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Hey Raine was this what you read about in the Post about a Con in DC?
Yes!

Here is one of the articles.



I've already marked my calendar for 2014 - can't wait

now maybe I can get some peeps to go with me

I got enough time to plan for it so it might be worth a trek for me.


we do have a train and several bus lines

ya know I wish I had know about the kickstarter I would have actually put in some money on this one
Beg for them and they will come.

Mondo -- even you have time to plan for this, should you choose...


Comment by Raine on 07/30/2013 20:51:39
Chris Christie slams Rand Paul... and I gotta say , I agree.
"I find it interesting that Sen. Paul is accusing us of having a "Gimme, gimme, gimme" attitude toward federal spending when in fact New Jersey is a donor state and we get 61 cents back on every dollar we send to Washington. Interestingly, Kentucky gets $1.51 on every dollar they send to Washington," he said.

"So if Sen. Paul wants to start looking at where he's going to cut spending to afford defense, maybe he should start looking at the pork barrel spending he brings home to Kentucky."


Here is the backstory in a single info-graphic:
http://upload.democraticunderground.com/imgs/2013/130730-rand-paul-selfish-hurricane-sandy-victims-are-stealing-from-the-pentagon.jpg


Comment by Mondobubba on 07/30/2013 20:52:14
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by livingonli:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Hey Raine was this what you read about in the Post about a Con in DC?
Yes!

Here is one of the articles.



I've already marked my calendar for 2014 - can't wait

now maybe I can get some peeps to go with me

I got enough time to plan for it so it might be worth a trek for me.


we do have a train and several bus lines

ya know I wish I had know about the kickstarter I would have actually put in some money on this one
Beg for them and they will come.

Mondo -- even you have time to plan for this, should you choose...



I would have a place to stay... :wink:


They must be trying to revive Disclave with a new name,

Comment by wickedpam on 07/30/2013 20:57:47
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by livingonli:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Hey Raine was this what you read about in the Post about a Con in DC?
Yes!

Here is one of the articles.



I've already marked my calendar for 2014 - can't wait

now maybe I can get some peeps to go with me

I got enough time to plan for it so it might be worth a trek for me.


we do have a train and several bus lines

ya know I wish I had know about the kickstarter I would have actually put in some money on this one
Beg for them and they will come.

Mondo -- even you have time to plan for this, should you choose...



I would have a place to stay... :wink:


They must be trying to revive Disclave with a new name,


never heard of Disclave - heard of Balticon but that's pretty much it for this area on Con's


Comment by Mondobubba on 07/30/2013 21:24:23
http://i.imgur.com/is4BJ2i.jpg



The bacon weave breakfast taco.

Your welcome!

Comment by Mondobubba on 07/30/2013 21:45:55
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by livingonli:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Hey Raine was this what you read about in the Post about a Con in DC?
Yes!

Here is one of the articles.



I've already marked my calendar for 2014 - can't wait

now maybe I can get some peeps to go with me

I got enough time to plan for it so it might be worth a trek for me.


we do have a train and several bus lines

ya know I wish I had know about the kickstarter I would have actually put in some money on this one
Beg for them and they will come.

Mondo -- even you have time to plan for this, should you choose...



I would have a place to stay... :wink:


They must be trying to revive Disclave with a new name,


never heard of Disclave - heard of Balticon but that's pretty much it for this area on Con's



Disclave stopped in 97

Comment by Raine on 07/31/2013 00:08:14
Just gonna put this here.

I;m supposed to make an appearance on Kenny Pick tonite. We may talk about this status update:

I see color.

When I look at you I see color. I see white, I see yellow, I see beige, I see brown, I see taupe, I see black, I see pink. I see many different hues. I see your skin.

I see your face.

I see the shape of your nose, I see your cheekbones. Some are high; Some are low. I see your lips, I see thin lips, I see thick lips. I see wide eyes, I see slender eyes. I see many different shapes. I see that these shapes are beautiful with your skin.

I see the color of your eyes.

I see the many shades of blue. I see the many shades of brown. I see the many shades of green and hazel. I see dark brown eyes. They are beautiful with your skin.

I see your hair.

I see that it is light or dark. I see the texture. I see that it can be smooth or curly. I see that it can be natural or not. It makes the beauty of your skin and eyes work perfectly.

Yes, I see color. I see people every day and see their color.

What I do not do is judge people by their color. I judge them by their character.