Queercents

So are there really more men experts in the computing field or does it just seem that way? That question is part of an ongoing and raging debate about women in technology. From women missing as top speakers at technology conferences to little girls shunning computers for something less boring is male dominance in the field a reality or an illusion?

When computers were big boxes in an air conditioned basement of only the largest companies perhaps this disparity wasn’t all that important. Today, however as computers and technology are ubiquitous and getting moreso every year, this gap becomes a big deal.

Smart Girls Know wrote a good article on “Girls and Computer Careers” in which some telling statistics illustrate this gap:

A new study from the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) found that only 10% of girls thought majoring in computer science was a good idea versus 45% of boys. The study also found boys were more comfortable than girls doing things like learning a new software program, setting up a wireless network or even editing music or video on a computer.

These statistics sound oh so 1980’s yet here we are in 2009 scratching our heads wondering why young women are turning away from technology even as more careers are becoming technology focused.  The teens want the latest cell phone but don’t like technology?  Am I the only one confused by the contradiction?
Read the rest of this entry »

You’ve got your bike and you’ve planned your route, but before you head out you want to make sure you’re ready for everything the road can throw at you. At the advent of summer, Trek started a “Go By Bike” campaign that included a handy little diagram of things you needed for your bike. Good idea, but dumb campaign because they included things you should have that are painfully obvious (such as a seat) but neglected things like a rack or wedge pack. You probably don’t need to go as crazy as the guy in the photo but you should have the stuff you need to get you to and from your destination safely and with confidence.

A Handy Dandy Check List of Must-Haves

• A helmet: I think Roland covers this one pretty well.
• A Mirror: Whether you rock the handlebar or helmet kind, get a mirror and use it well. it’s key for knowing where cars are and riding safely.  If you’re really into tech, this is pretty dope.
• Wedge-pack: Ok, this doesn’t sound like a must have, but trust me, it’s key. This is a little pack that you fit under your saddle (bike speak for seat) and use to store tire levers, a spare tube or patch kit, and a multi-tool. With this simple pack you can take on anything. And for those thinking “I don’t really need that stuff”, getting a flat with no way to repair it can really put a damper on your day. Working for Equality Maine, we exceeded our expectations, getting triple the number of signatures we expected but my most poignant memory is getting in a fight with a curb and walking home.
• Frame-pump: That spare tube isn’t going to help if you can’t put air in it.
• Lights: Front and rear.

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The Fourth of July is right around the corner. That means it’s time to light up the grill. And does it honestly get any more lesbi-licious than a dyke standing over a grill? I don’t think so! We’ve actually been firing up the grill since the beginning of May. Pretty much all of our dinners are cooked outside these days because it’s just too damn hot to turn on an oven or stand over a pot at the stove.

Here are some of my favorite vegetarian recipes for the grill. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Grilled Corn on the Cob
Ears of corn
Butter
Parmesan cheese Read the rest of this entry »

It’s summer in New York and it’s that time of year when there are tons of moving vans, empty boxes and perfectly fine furniture taking up space on city streets. There’s always a lot of advice on how to find an apartment in the Big Apple, but little advice on how to leave that apartment. One of the biggest questions that comes up is about the security deposit: how do I get it back?

Well, the answer varies from state to state, but there are some simple steps everyone should take to make sure that money gets back out of the hands of greedy landlords. For a list of how long your landlord has to get you back your money, see this list. Be sure to note that in places like Los Angeles, landlords are required to pay you interest for the time they have held onto your deposit. New Yorkers, your first stop should be at the Web site of The Met Council. They’ve saved me -for free - countless times.

In the meantime, the first thing you should do is memorialize all conversations you have with your landlord about the return of your security deposit. That means sending him/her a letter, stating what you discussed and making sure he/she signs for the letter upon its delivery. The only way to do that is to send all correspondence via Certified mail. Read the rest of this entry »

In the July issue of The Advocate, Jennifer Hatch reports in the finance column that:

The biggest unknown in your financial future isn’t the market’s performance, it’s how long you’re going to live.

Financial advisors have dubbed this the longevity risk. Thanks to advances in health care, the average life span has been extended and poses a new threat to Baby Boomers: outliving your money.

How much do you need to save by the time you retire? Fred Yager at ConsumerAffairs.com writes, “There are a lot of ‘guestimates’ but the low end number seems to be around $450,000. Anything lower than that and it becomes a real struggle. To live really comfortably, you need close to $1 million in savings.”

So how best can you predict your life expectancy? Hatch mentions a site called LivingTo100.com:

This free site can — by posing 40 questions about your habits and health history — predict your life expectancy, giving you a better sense of your post-career financial needs. I logged on, took the test, and learned that I can expect to live until the ripe age of 95. The site also provides advice on how, with a few changes (like flossing daily to lower my risk of heart disease), I can extend my life expectancy to 98! Read the rest of this entry »

Great news, everybody. New federal student loan guidelines that go into effect July 1st will help you lower your monthly payments. According to the Chronicle of Higher Education:

The federal government’s new income-based repayment program, which takes effect Wednesday, allows borrowers to repay their loans as a percentage of their income, lowering payments for those with high debt-to-income ratios. Under the plan, which was created as part of the 2007 College Cost Reduction and Access Act, a borrower’s monthly payment will be set at 15 percent of the person’s monthly disposable income. Borrowers who earn less than 150 percent of the federal poverty level will not have to pay anything on their loan debt until their income rises.

The interest rates on student loans are also going to decrease. Read the rest of this entry »

“Action expresses priorities.” – Mahatma Ghandi

Since my wife’s contract unexpectedly ended last March, I feel like we’ve been doing a pretty good job of keeping up with all our bills.  Although we certainly have made some cutbacks, and I’ve taken on extra work, it hasn’t been completely easy.  It’s been difficult and stressful, but somehow we’ve managed to muddle through.

Recently, we got some incredibly good news.  My wife landed a part-time contract as a paralegal.  This is a wonderful development not only because we need the money, but because it supports our goal of diversifying our income streams.

Of course with every silver lining, there is an ugly cloud.  During the past month, we’ve had several emergencies come up, and my wife’s new gig won’t bring in any significant income until August.  As a result, we are now facing a small financial crisis brought on by the following unexpected expenses:
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Nothing totally coherent today folks… just some rambling thoughts that I’d like to hear your responses to!

Everyone I’m sure has been reading about how many governments and businesses are cutting pay and giving unpaid furloughs to employees in order to save money and avoid layoffs.

California… the drunken sailor with the migraine hangover and empty wallet… seems to be the one most in the news about this.

Pay cuts and furloughs. Admirable? To a point. But only if the pain is shared by everyone including the bosses… which doesn’t happen all that often.

Most people will accept a lower paycheck in lieu of no paycheck when they still have mouths to fee and bills to pay but if they don’t see everyone sharing the pain it devastates morale and will send the brightest on a search for a more “equitable” employer.

Has anyone here been subject to pay cuts or furloughs?

If so have your bosses “shared the pain” or just ordered in lunch instead of going out? Read the rest of this entry »

I’d like to add my own spin to Serena’s excellent Stretch Your Food Dollar series. One of the reasons I recently launched a mircroenterprise to feed my friends as well as my family is that I was getting into the habit of making high yield and healthy dishes to nibble on over the course of a few days rather than prepare each individual meal prior to eating it. Like most people, I want to maximize the value for the invested dollars and effort. I’ve learned that making twice as much is not twice as costly.

Of course there are twice as many raw ingredients but if you put a value on time spent in prep and clean up then you are far better off making a couple of large dishes at the same time. I’m surprised at how inexpensively I can make a large variety of healthy dishes. Often they are less than $1/serving. There is typically less waste as well. In the past, even with the best intentions, I’d frequently have to toss out the ½ onion, ½ bunch of cilantro or ½ other perishable good.

Even when I was working full time, I’d spent a few hours on a Sunday preparing meals that would provide lunches and dinners through the better part of the week. I know there are food purists out there cringing right now at the thought of 3 day old lentil salad but the secret is really in choosing those dishes that will keep, and usually improve, over time. A traditional salad, for example, without tomatoes or dressing will last a couple days in the refrigerator. Hearty greens such as kale or collards are great raw but dressed with the juice of a lemon, a combination of sesame and olive oil, salt and pepper. This easily provides a few days of nutritious side dishes for two. Read the rest of this entry »

Ever been stuck at a cocktail party with a blowhard who’s leaning in a little too close? Just launch into a monologue on the relative merits of title insurance and even the most booze-fogged windbag will go running for cover.

Title insurance. How boring.

How boring, indeed, until two days before closing on the purchase of your first home, and your attorney calls saying that your mortgage has been approved, the former tenants were removed by the sheriff, the radon’s been remediated, and oh, by the way, do you want title insurance? “Huh?”, you say. “What tenants? I thought those were the owners? And what was that about insurance?”

What is Title Insurance?

Title insurance protects you in case there’s a problem with the title to the property. Problems happen when ownership of the property is not clear, when there is fraud or forgery, or (most commonly) due to simple clerical mistakes. Read the rest of this entry »