“the elimination of heavy drinking (three or more drinks a day) from each successive group of American 25-year-olds would cost the Social Security trust fund $3 billion over the cohort’s lifetime.”
Sep 20, 2008
"See beyond the woman"
Some sensible thoughts on women in the workplace by Sandra Dawson, Nonexecutive Director of Barclays Bank and Master of Sidney Sussex College, Univ of Cambridge.
When you are the only woman in any situation, I think it is often quite difficult for men to get beyond the idea that “this is the woman speaking.” In most boards, gender is the most obvious difference, since there is often little diversity in culture or education. So it can be a challenge to “see beyond the woman.” Maybe when you get two or three, it encourages a different perspective, which prompts the thought, “Oh—women do not necessarily think alike.” And that is the breakthrough in any prejudicial situation: to see the person and not the category or stereotype.
…There is still some institutionalized prejudice, which is extremely difficult for women—or men—to tackle, as it can be deeply ingrained. However, it is no longer dominant in many organizations. Most people at the top of companies really want to enable more of their very able young women to succeed and get to the top. So it is not that they do not want to encourage women; it is not even that they do not want to encourage them at a subconscious level. It is that they do not recognize the micro-inequalities of which you speak, so all of us, men and women, need to be alert to these subtle forces and work to eradicate them.
Read full interview in McKinsey Quarterly (free subscription may be required):
Sep 19, 2008
Importing US law, or not
It seems that Supreme Courts of countries around the world are relying less and less on US law. The number of cases where they cite American judicial decisions has fallen to ½, and in some cases to 1/3rd in a period of a decade or so. It seems more countries are citing Canadian and European decisions these days. And, in the case of Australia, even judicial decisions from India.
This could also be one way of measuring American popularity and respect overseas. If you don’t respect a country you would not be particularly inclined to cite its decisions in making your own, would you?
Read full article at http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/18/us/18legal.html?em
Sep 18, 2008
Robot car drives around SF
A Prius fitted with self-guiding equipment drove itself around in SF without incident. The technology is quite ready for prime time (the team had to drive the same route ahead of time and do a high-accuracy scan of the route) but it is still quite intriguing.
Read more at CNET
Read more at CNET
Sep 12, 2008
Alaskan police chase solar-powered UFO
Do they really have nothing better to do, than chase UFOs? In case it really was a UFO, what did they plan do next?The UFO turned out to be a solar powered car.
Courtesy: CNETSep 1, 2008
Beethoven's Work Hours
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Given my employer’s policy on monitoring hours worked, the Aug 31 Dilbert comic seems particularly apt.
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