Daily Archives: 12/01/2009

(Community Matters) An on-fire art form is pecha kucha.  Here’s a demo describing the US Senate by social graphs

this isn’t strictly speaking pecha kucha since only 15 seconds per slide; pecha kucha actually allows 20 secs each

(Community Matters) musings from a VC in NYC on Obama and governance

(Community Matters) Article in today’s NYT –

That race remains a serious obstacle in the job market for African-Americans, even those with degrees from respected colleges, may seem to some people a jarring contrast to decades of progress by blacks, culminating in President Obama’s election.

But there is ample evidence that racial inequities remain when it comes to employment. Black joblessness has long far outstripped that of whites. And strikingly, the disparity for the first 10 months of this year, as the recession has dragged on, has been even more pronounced for those with college degrees, compared with those without. Education, it seems, does not level the playing field — in fact, it appears to have made it more uneven.

I’m stifled by this, don’t know what to think.  It’s hard to believe there is still this level of institutionalized discrimination.  And, I know there is, has been and will probably always be a bias toward familiarity.  I’m wondering how much familiarity crosses over into discrimination.  I’ve always seen it more as inviting people you know and friends of existing employees to apply, thus the value of posting and advertising positions to achieve greater diversity.  But, would many really turn off a candidate because of their race?  not in my perspective yet the story begs the question

(Community Matters) Remembering too many friends no longer with us

(Community Matters) Well, I’m having to fall back on trusting the President.  Many times I’ve said I can’t imagine trusting any other person in the oval office quite as much.  President Obama doesn’t believe he has all the answers, he listens to all sides and encourages vigorous debate.  I’ll assume his decision to send more troops to Afghanistan is the right decision for now.

(Community Matters) more preliminary recommendations from scientists warning that the low dose radiation could increase occurrence – inconclusive study.