From the NY Times -
Holberton, a Two-Year Tech School, Emphasizes Diversity
By KATIE BENNER
Like many computer science students, Max Johnson spends his days learning new programming languages, working with mentors and meeting with technology company recruiters. But that’s where the similarities end between him and a student at Stanford or Caltech.
Mr. Johnson, 33, is part of an experimental two-year program called the Holberton School that aims to create a diverse group of engineers and place them in the industry’s top technology companies.
Like many Holberton students, Mr. Johnson did not major in math or computer science in college. He attended Saint Augustine’s University on a basketball scholarship and studied psychology. He is African-American in an overwhelmingly white industry and lives in his car because he cannot afford to pay rent in San Francisco. If he had to pay tuition up front, he would not be able to go to school.
“We want to remove any barrier to a high-quality education,” said Sylvain Kalache, one of the Holberton School founders. “No matter your age, gender, ethnicity or past professional life, you can come.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/07/education/holberton-a-two-year-tech-school-emphasizes-diversity.html?emc=edit_ca_20170608&nl=california-today&nlid=38867499&te=1&_r=0
Saturday, June 10, 2017
Robotics Can Help People Walk Again
From the Washington Post -
Robotics are helping paralyzed people walk again, but the price tag is huge
By Travis M. Andrews
In 2014, the ReWalk system became the first personal robotic exoskeleton approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The following year, the Department of Veterans Affairs agreed to cover the exoskeletons for qualifying vets. Meanwhile, several companies began touting similar devices. For example, Ekso makes units used to rehabilitate people after spinal cord injury or stroke.
~~~~~~~~~~
The ReWalk Personal 6.0 System costs, on average, $81,000. Ottobock’s C-Brace is priced at $75,000. For the Indego Personal, which received FDA approval last year, it is $98,000.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/robotics-are-helping-paralyzed-people-walk-again-but-the-price-tag-is-huge/2017/06/09/26843a78-46f0-11e7-98cd-af64b4fe2dfc_story.html?utm_term=.226371e6a97e&wpisrc=nl_rainbow&wpmm=1
Robotics are helping paralyzed people walk again, but the price tag is huge
By Travis M. Andrews
In 2014, the ReWalk system became the first personal robotic exoskeleton approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The following year, the Department of Veterans Affairs agreed to cover the exoskeletons for qualifying vets. Meanwhile, several companies began touting similar devices. For example, Ekso makes units used to rehabilitate people after spinal cord injury or stroke.
~~~~~~~~~~
The ReWalk Personal 6.0 System costs, on average, $81,000. Ottobock’s C-Brace is priced at $75,000. For the Indego Personal, which received FDA approval last year, it is $98,000.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/robotics-are-helping-paralyzed-people-walk-again-but-the-price-tag-is-huge/2017/06/09/26843a78-46f0-11e7-98cd-af64b4fe2dfc_story.html?utm_term=.226371e6a97e&wpisrc=nl_rainbow&wpmm=1
Comey in College
An excerpt from the Chronicle -
The Story of James Comey’s Most Explosive Investigation — in College
By Adam Harris
The year was 1980, and Mr. Comey, the future director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, was a student journalist at the College of William & Mary.
Years later, after the release on Wednesday night of his sworn testimony to the U.S. Senate’s Intelligence Committee, several people would applaud his prowess as a storyteller. But Mr. Comey’s work at The Flat Hat, the college’s student newspaper, received far less applause that fall semester.
In a three-part series first noted by The New Yorker, he chronicled a challenge that still plagues many colleges today: recruiting and retaining black students and faculty members. The number of black students on the campus, in Williamsburg, Va., had leveled off after years of enrollment gains, and its most recent freshman class had seen a decline. There were just three black faculty members.
http://www.chronicle.com/article/The-Story-of-James-Comey-s/240294?cid=wcontentlist_hp_latest
The Story of James Comey’s Most Explosive Investigation — in College
By Adam Harris
The year was 1980, and Mr. Comey, the future director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, was a student journalist at the College of William & Mary.
Years later, after the release on Wednesday night of his sworn testimony to the U.S. Senate’s Intelligence Committee, several people would applaud his prowess as a storyteller. But Mr. Comey’s work at The Flat Hat, the college’s student newspaper, received far less applause that fall semester.
In a three-part series first noted by The New Yorker, he chronicled a challenge that still plagues many colleges today: recruiting and retaining black students and faculty members. The number of black students on the campus, in Williamsburg, Va., had leveled off after years of enrollment gains, and its most recent freshman class had seen a decline. There were just three black faculty members.
http://www.chronicle.com/article/The-Story-of-James-Comey-s/240294?cid=wcontentlist_hp_latest
He Nailed It
From the Atlantic -
The Five Lines of Defense Against Comey—and Why They Failed
Trump’s supporters attacked the former FBI director’s testimony, but didn’t manage to discredit it.
By DAVID FRUM
Friends of the president will reply that the Comey hearing did not produce a smoking gun. That’s true. But the floor is littered with cartridge casings, there’s a smell of gunpowder in the air, bullet holes in the wall, and a warm weapon on the table. Comey showed himself credible, convincing, and consistent. Against him are arrayed the confused excuses of the least credible president in modern American history.
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/06/the-five-lines-of-defense-against-comeyand-why-they-failed/529743/?utm_source=nl-atlantic-daily-060917
The Five Lines of Defense Against Comey—and Why They Failed
Trump’s supporters attacked the former FBI director’s testimony, but didn’t manage to discredit it.
By DAVID FRUM
Friends of the president will reply that the Comey hearing did not produce a smoking gun. That’s true. But the floor is littered with cartridge casings, there’s a smell of gunpowder in the air, bullet holes in the wall, and a warm weapon on the table. Comey showed himself credible, convincing, and consistent. Against him are arrayed the confused excuses of the least credible president in modern American history.
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/06/the-five-lines-of-defense-against-comeyand-why-they-failed/529743/?utm_source=nl-atlantic-daily-060917
Friday, June 9, 2017
Thursday, June 8, 2017
Free College Tuition for New Yorkers
From the Huffington Post -
Here's how to apply for free SUNY tuition
By Jon Campbell
ALBANY - New York received more than 3,000 applications for free SUNY and CUNY tuition by mid-afternoon Wednesday, the opening day of a six-week application period.
The state Higher Education Services Corp. began accepting applications Wednesday for the Excelsior Scholarship program, which will wipe out tuition at the state's public colleges and universities for income-eligible students.
Prospective students have until July 21 to apply. You can find the application at hesc.ny.gov/excelsior.
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/politics/albany/2017/06/07/heres-how-apply-free-suny-tuition/102590210/
Here's how to apply for free SUNY tuition
By Jon Campbell
ALBANY - New York received more than 3,000 applications for free SUNY and CUNY tuition by mid-afternoon Wednesday, the opening day of a six-week application period.
The state Higher Education Services Corp. began accepting applications Wednesday for the Excelsior Scholarship program, which will wipe out tuition at the state's public colleges and universities for income-eligible students.
Prospective students have until July 21 to apply. You can find the application at hesc.ny.gov/excelsior.
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/politics/albany/2017/06/07/heres-how-apply-free-suny-tuition/102590210/
Wednesday, June 7, 2017
Bright Kid
My brother is an animal genius and wanted me to share it w you guys. He titles this: Trees danger and other animals pic.twitter.com/N21Wr5maqt— Britney C. (@Alkebulan_) June 5, 2017
Kids Quoting Trump
Kids Are Quoting Trump To Bully Their Classmates And Teachers Don’t Know What To Do About It
BuzzFeed News reviewed more than 50 reports of school bullying since the election and found that kids nationwide are using Trump’s words to taunt their classmates. If the president can say those things, why can’t they?
By Albert Samaha
https://www.buzzfeed.com/albertsamaha/kids-are-quoting-trump-to-bully-their-classmates?utm_term=.lcdVVwGnz#.ju9rrxERl
Robin Hood of the Internet
An excerpt from SiliconBeat -
Parking ticket-fighting robot DoNotPay comes to San Francisco
By Marisa Kendall
DoNotPay, an online service that uses a robot lawyer to help drivers fight parking tickets, is coming to San Francisco.
Founded by London native and Stanford University student Joshua Browder, DoNotPay asks the user a series of questions — such as whether there are visible parking signs at the scene — determines whether the user can appeal, and guides the user through the appeals process.
http://www.siliconbeat.com/2017/01/17/parking-ticket-fighting-robot-comes-san-francisco/
Parking ticket-fighting robot DoNotPay comes to San Francisco
By Marisa Kendall
DoNotPay, an online service that uses a robot lawyer to help drivers fight parking tickets, is coming to San Francisco.
Founded by London native and Stanford University student Joshua Browder, DoNotPay asks the user a series of questions — such as whether there are visible parking signs at the scene — determines whether the user can appeal, and guides the user through the appeals process.
http://www.siliconbeat.com/2017/01/17/parking-ticket-fighting-robot-comes-san-francisco/
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