Girls who code

Freia did her internship at Girls who Code, a non-profit who aims to provide computer science education and exposure to 1 million young women by 2020.

She has a great time and enjoyed her 8 week internship. As she puts it, "Although her role was to help teach, she learnt much more than she taught".

During this period I came across several programs on television which covered the programs as well as personalities such as Hilary Clinton giving the program a mention.

I was curious to know why such a specific gender based program should get so much attention. When Freia returned I asked her, especially since I've always felt that the world in general and the US specifically has managed to have a level playing field across diverse sections of society, whether its gender, ethnicity, beliefs or preferences.

When Freia returned after completing the internship, I asked her about this. she mentioned several things including the vast gender gap in engineering generally and computer science specifically. I wasn't sure that this was accurate. Until I checked and found that strangely enough women today represent just 12% of all computer science graduates. Ironically, in 1984, they represented 37%.

Studies have shown that 74% of girls express interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), but only 0.3% choose Computer Science as a college major. Girls Who Code aims to correct this imbalance.

What's encouraging is that several of the large IT companies, Square, Google, Facebook, Twitter, Uber and even other corporates like Goldman Sachs, At&T amongst several others are hosting, sponsoring and most of all encouraging not only Girls who Code, but also Girls to Code, for them. And that is the beginning of bringing back equal opportunities.

Independence Day

August 15 marked India's 68th Independence Day. In keeping with tradition Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke from the Red Fort. Everything after that was what makes Mr. Modi one of the most interesting Prime Minsters we've ever had. His speech began by calling himself "Pradhan Sevak", the prime server and not "Pradhan Mantri", the Prime Minister. He outlined specific tasks for himself and for all of us.

Some or maybe even many of us may not agree with Mr Modi or his style of politics, but this is a speech that each of us must view. And do our part in making our nation a better place for all of us.

BlogPress : Blogging made easy

Several people want to start blogging, but very few end up actually doing it. There are several free options available, but all of those including this blog are sub domains and work well when its a kind of a diary or thoughts you want to pen down.

A friend recently checked about blogging and whilst checking out options the one that I found most impressive was BlogPress. The company is a "Full-Service" blog hosting provider.
http://theblogpress.com/

A Full Service provider is like white glove service. They provide everything from setting up the website, to running it.In the words of BlogPress, 3 reasons to use them.

"
Incredible ‘Real’ Support
We are here to help! Whether you need help setting up your blog or just have a general blogging question, let us know. The knowledgeable and friendly Customer Success Team at BlogPress will help you with anything related to your blog and were just a click away.

Step-By-Step Training
Our exclusive 90-Day Blogging Success Plan will ensure that you start your blog the right way. We’ll guide you step-by-step through the critical things you need to do in the first 90 days to ensure that your blog is successful. Have a question? Feeling stuck? Just ask... We'll be happy to help!

Full-Service Blog Hosting
Other blog hosts are only ‘self-serve’. They keep your blog running, but beyond that, you’re on your own. With BlogPress, we’ve got your back... We’ll show you how to start your blog, how to write your posts, and how to make money with it!
"

An interesting article on the website is definitely worth a read. "Blog v/s Website".
http://theblogpress.com/blog-vs-website/

The smartest person on the planet

I've come across Stephen Hawking on a few occasions. A brief history of time was my encounter with his writings. I saw a program with him and was pushed towards learning a little more about the person and his work.

Its a story that in a fiction setting would be rubbished as unrealistic. Hollywood is making a movie that's expected to release in November. Ironically for someone who doesn't believe in a God, its nothing short of a miracle.

At the end of a fair bit of reading and viewing, I realized that you needed more than a brief slice of time to even get a glimpse of the genius of Prof. Hawking. So I've put together a few videos that give a feel for the person and his genius. And if you like it enough, you can go ahead and read his books and view some of his lectures online.

10 Things You May Know About Stephen Hawking

Questioning the universe

And he also has a sense of humor
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Stephen Hawking Interview

You may also want to check out his website
http://www.hawking.org.uk/index.html


You may want to also check out 2 of his most popular books

A Brief History of Time
Stephen Hawking, one of the most brilliant theoretical physicists in history, wrote the modern classic A Brief History of Time to help non-scientists understand fundamental questions of physics and our existence: where did the universe come from? How and why did it begin? Will it come to an end, and if so, how?

A Briefer History of Time
Although “briefer,” this book is much more than a mere explanation of Hawking’s earlier work. A Briefer History of Time both clarifies and expands on the great subjects of the original, and records the latest developments in the field—from string theory to the search for a unified theory of all the forces of physics.

And finally Prof. Hawking has some of the most memorable quotes.

Kids are smarter than parents

Most people think that their generation was better, nicer, smarter than the new generation. The following is what many of the current generation think :

“Our youth now love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for their elders and love chatter in place of exercise; they no longer rise when elders enter the room; they contradict their parents, chatter before company; gobble up their food and tyrannize their teachers.”

The above is a quote from Socrates, that is over 2000 years ago.

The quote attributed to Socrates sounds really good. But unfortunately although several sources attribute it to Socrates, it was crafted by a student, Kenneth John Freeman, for his Cambridge dissertation published in 1907. Freeman did not claim that the passage under analysis was a direct quotation of anyone; instead, he was presenting his own summary of the complaints directed against young people in ancient times. The words he used were later slightly altered to yield the modern version. In fact, more than one section of his thesis has been excerpted and then attributed classical luminaries. Here is the original text [CAMB]:

The counts of the indictment are luxury, bad manners, contempt for authority, disrespect to elders, and a love for chatter in place of exercise. …

http://quoteinvestigator.com/2010/05/01/misbehaving-children-in-ancient-times/

I completely disagree. I believe that the newer generation is better than us in every respect. We just have poor memories and the past always seems rosier that it really was. If there were any doubts at all, they were laid to rest by what I received from Freia, my 18 year old. She learnt more in a summer than I had learnt in a few decades.

Its said a picture speaks a thousand words. Sometimes a picture of a few wise words speaks a million.

HealthTap

The current trend in the IT industry seems to take a service that's already offered. And then make it convenient by giving access to it via the now ubiquitous smart phone.

HealthTap does exactly this to the health industry. What makes this service different is the access and costs. Unlike the other services there's a huge entry barrier in health. Access is not readily available. Last year when I wanted to meet a doctor for a regular checkup, most doctors offices would only schedule me after 3 months. And none of these services are cheap. Even with insurance.

HealthTap makes available a large number of doctors (more than 60,000 as per the website) who answer health questions for free. They have also announced a paid service where you can get virtual consulting via your phone, tablet or computer where physicians would also give prescriptions if required.

There is also the usual health tips, checklists, news articles and other tit bits.The interesting aspect I found bout HealthTap is the positioning. They don't talk about doctors and hospitals, illness, treatments and similar terms associated with health. They've taken the wellness route and considering its a virtual platform, that makes it easier to get subscribers.

You're more likely to sign up for staying well as opposed to being ill and wanting to get well.

Here are some quotes from the website.

"
What we’re all about: Feeling Good. We created HealthTap to help you and your loved ones live healthier, happier, longer lives.

How did we get here?
We asked, what do people really want when it comes to healthcare? We took our aggregate decades of medical and computer science expertise, our business acumen, and the experience we’ve gained from serving and surveying hundreds of millions of people and hundreds of thousands of doctors over the years, and came to three major conclusions:

People want a completely trustworthy source of health and wellness advice
It has to come from the most knowledgeable and trustworthy experts. That means doctors. Nobody else will do.

When people want help with their health, they want it immediately
That means getting help when you need it—not at someone else’s convenience. No waiting.
No excuses.

People want health advice to be completely personalized
Forget generalized information. You need a doctor to hear your questions, consider your symptoms, examine your records, for the help to be truly and utterly helpful.
"

HealthTap has stumbled upon a methodology that the Affordable Health Care Act has failed to do. Make it possible to have access effective as well as cost effective health care. Hopefully the health care industry can learn a few lessons and integrate those with the current health system making affordable health care a reality.

TaskRabbit - Geting tasks done

When you need something done, but can't or don't want to do it yourself, use TaskRabbit. They provide all kinds of services. Cleaning, Handyman, Personal Assistance, Moving Help and whatever else you can think of.

The beauty of the concept is its simplicity. It provides a service that everyone needs. And does it in an easy to use and effective manner.

"
How TaskRabbit works

TaskRabbit is the smart way to get things done by connecting you with others in your neighborhood.

1
We find the best people to help you.
You can trust our team of smart, talented Taskers, who have all been thoroughly vetted.

2
You outsource errands you don't want to do.
Just tell us what you need done and we connect you to qualified Taskers available to help.

3
You relax while we take care of your to-do list.
TaskRabbit helps you live smarter, giving you more time to focus on what’s most important.

How does payment work?
Transparent hourly prices Once you post a task, you see hourly rates for the Taskers who are most qualified for your job. A minimum payment of one hour is required per task. Secure, cash-free payments The entire payment process (including reimbursements) is handled securely online after a task is complete. There's no need for cash to change hands.
"

To ensure that the services being offered meet the company's standards, those providing services, called Taskers go through an extensive vetting process, which includes an identity check, background check and in-person interview and a training session.

The TaskRabbit website has a few tips for people providing services. Like the rest of the service, the mobile app, and the website, this too was simple, yet very effective not only for people providing services on TaskRabbit but for all businesses.

"
The 3 pillars of Tasker Success are:

Responsiveness
Responsiveness is critical to your success as a Tasker. We set expectations with our Clients that Taskers will respond to an invitation within 30 minutes, so reply as promptly as possible. If you are on a task and you receive an invitation, let your current Client know that you will be responding to the invitation and return immediately to the current task. Do not leave a Client waiting for your reply to a message in the chat thread. A prompt and clear reply is important to Client satisfaction.  Please closely manage chat threads for all tasks you have been invited to.

Professionalism
TaskRabbit is a Community for professionals looking to create positive Client experiences. Any unprofessional behavior impacts the entire Community and will not be tolerated. Some tips to demonstrate professionalism: Use your real name and a recent professional photo (that includes your face) on your profile. When possible, please wear your TaskRabbit shirt when completing a task.

High-Quality Work
Only accept tasks that you have the qualifications and tools to complete. Understand the expectations of the Client and complete your task in a manner consistent with these expectations. You should not accept a task that you feel ill-equipped to handle and you should not perform low-quality work on a task. Perform all tasks yourself.
"

TaskRabbit has managed to get great press. Here are 3 quotes that summarize well the services' offerings.

“TaskRabbit aims to help people take back their lives, be their own boss, help people out, make some money and just feel good again.”
ABC

“TaskRabbit is betting on a future where employment will seem much more like a series of small-scale agreements between businesses and labor than jobs in the traditional sense.”
Bloomberg Businessweek

“Leah Busque is the Founder and CEO at what is likely one of the biggest up and comers in America: TaskRabbit.”
CNN

I'm guessing TaskRabbit will be happy to find someone to write this blog for me. Something to definitely consider when this blog goes commercial.