Pie charts used for good — From AndrewSullivan.com:

Queen’s University is starting an “intergroup dialogue program” — with student facilitators who will intervene when they hear other students making homophobic, racist or sexist comments or using homophobic, racist or sexist words.

“The Kingston university has hired student facilitators to step in when they overhear homophobic slurs, remarks bashing women or racially tinged insults, along with an array of other language that could be deemed offensive.

…

A sampling of some behaviour that could warrant attention from university-appointed student facilitators, tasked with policing students’ offensive language at Queen’s:

* If a student uses the phrase “That’s so gay” in conversation.

* If a student calls someone or something “retarded.”

* If a student writes a homophobic, racist or other derogatory remark in a public space, such as on a residence poster or classmate’s door.

* If a student avoids a classmate’s birthday party for faith-based reasons.”

Full article here. Thoughts?

Restructure! — I.O.U. one post on “HOWTO Encourage Women in Linux”. And you shall have it shortly. Actually I’m shooting for as shortly as tomorrow (bonus Thursday geekery!).

But I just got home (it’s 11:12pm) and while all I want in life right now is to put on my jammies, I can’t let a Wired Wednesday go by having posted nothing (even if I’ll be right back here tomorrow).

So, until tomorrow:
* Guitar Hero onna Bike

(nope, not even sure what I’m watching, but I think I like it)

Update: Sadly, it seems that this has turned out to be something of a hoax.
(more inside…)

Before I get to commenting on the Women in Linux HOWTO, I think it is ten past overdue o’clock that I get up a post on free software, open-source, closed-source, and maybe just a teensy bit on why people hate Microsoft.

This could go on and on and on: the arguments and positions are complex. Each one of these subheadings could easily be a whole post, or book (and they are).

I’ve been warned that trying to skim over these topics is begging for trolls. I hope to appease the trolls by saying that this is just a taster, a teaser, a CliffsNotes version. (And that you are welcome to use the comments to add your own thoughts and links).

(more inside…)

Right, so a couple of weeks ago, I was all “colour-coding zomg ftw!”. But colour-coding is just step one of organizational bliss. Step two are filters. Filters much like the one that made this sweet cup of coffee I’m sipping right now (alright, I use a bodum, but still).

Same as last time, I’m going to do a quick runthrough of how I use filters. Gmail writes comprehensive helpdocs, I’m just adding a personal touch. And possibly screenshots. We’ll see…

À propos of nothing, here is a small walking crab (courtesy o’ Gmail’s new emoticon options).

Filters
Applying labels is all well and good, but why do something for yourself, when an invisible algorithm (slash elf) can do it for you?

(more inside…)

We interrupt our regular programming to deliver your Shameless reminder to vote, plus a fresh votin’ video off of the YouTubes.

As my recently-transplanted-Canadian-friend-now-living-in-the-States-and-able-to-vote said:

Please go vote tomorrow. It doesn’t take much of your time and your employer is required to let you have the time needed to go vote. It’s very very simple. You can find where your voting location is on your computer or even on your phone so there’s no excuse about not knowing where to go.

And saying “I dislike politics so I’m protesting by not voting” isn’t true. That’s not a protest, that’s laziness. If you refuse to vote on behalf of yourself, go vote on behalf of the billions of people in the world who desperately wish that they could have a voice in the US presidential elections. Otherwise it’s like you were handed a winning lottery ticket and decided you were too lazy to go cash it in. Take a few minutes to watch the video below. (Yes, I know the freeze frame has Tom Cruise and so you’re like “what the hell?”. Watch it anyway.)

And the video:

Earlier this year, my friend Veronica wrote eloquently on her struggle To Wear or Not To Wear make-up (“The makeup junkie speaks”). I loved it, and thought y’all might enjoy it too.

V writes about her new-found (and conflicted) addiction to make-up: fear of having to “put her face on”; what make-up means to her gender presentation; and the looming threat of the make-up police.

Read her full post here.

What about you? What are your make-up thoughts?

I think Parkour is awesome. I loved watching it at the beginning of Casino Royale, thought Jump London and Jump Britain were great, and I’m looking forward to simu-playing it in Mirror’s Edge.

Maybe one of these days I’ll try running up a wall. Until then, I’ll be inspired by these women of parkour who talk plainly about what it’s like to be a woman in this sport — like the logistics of the kong vault, which reminded me of my own struggles with backwards breakfalls. Damned breakfalls.

The article is accompanied by a great video.

Being ignorant drives me crazy, so it stung when the world pitched into an economic crisis and I didn’t have the foggiest idea why. Not a very empowering feeling.

Then I found these: two episodes of This American Life detailing, in plain language, exactly what the hell was going on (and the all important “why”). You can stream both episodes, for free, from the pages below.

Part I: The Giant Pool of Money

Part II: Another Frightening Show About the Economy

As the loonie plunges below $0.80 to the USD (not necessarily a bad thing), it seems like a good time to do a bit of reading (or listening).