links for 2009-10-21

"That is the key to understanding our full education challenge today. Those who are waiting for this recession to end so someone can again hand them work could have a long wait. Those with the imagination to make themselves untouchables — to invent smarter ways to do old jobs, energy-saving ways to provide new services, new ways to attract old customers or new ways to combine existing technologies — will thrive. Therefore, we not only need a higher percentage of our kids graduating from high school and college — more education — but we need more of them with the right education."

"Computer Science is facing a major roadblock to further research. The problem is most evident with students, but afflicts many researchers as well: people simply have a tough time inventing research topics that sound sufficiently profound and exciting. Many PhD students waste needless years simply coming up with a thesis topic. And researchers often resort to reading documents from government grant agencies so they will know what to work on for the next proposal! " Can someone say awesome because it is.

"Times reporter and blogger Andy Revkin, on the environment beat, has pointed out that a growing population is one source of rising greenhouse gas emissions. Rush Limbaugh’s response: Mr. Revkin, why don’t you just go kill yourself and help the planet by dying?"

"Vandy Beth Glenn was fired in 2007 when she informed her boss her boss that she was a trans woman with plans to begin her transition. With Lambada Legal, she has since launched a federal lawsuit against her former employer, the Georgia General Assembly. (Yes, you did in fact read that correctly — her employer was a government body.) Now, Sewell Brumby has actually confessed to firing Glenn on the basis of her gender identity, while still claiming to have done no wrong." Seriously?

"Nearly four in five Americans were repeat buyers back then, staunchly faithful to brands that they knew, trusted and were part of their self-image. The allegiance often continued through generations of families, like party affiliations in politics." Good riddance brand allegiance.

"My Way – The Path to Serenity"

God's in management.