"'Depart from me, you accursed, to the proud one and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and imprisoned, and you did not care.’ Then they will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty, a stranger, naked, ill, or in prison?' He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for the these least of these, you did not do for me.’"
Matthew 25:40-46

Maker Faire Tokyo 2014

From Makezine:

Shota Ishiwatari, creator of the popular Raspberry Pi based RAPIRO humanoid robot, was happy to answer questions and share his knowhow with attendees. Ishiwatari has had several successful international Kickstarter projects and told me that designing the product was the easiest part of the Kickstarter cycle. For RAPIRO he ended up spending over 70% of his time making sure that the Kickstarter webpage and offers were optimized to resonate with potential backers.

With two successful Kickstarters already to their credit, and more in the works, the BreadBoardManiacs have a real passion for helping other makers and improving their tools.

 

Dale Dougherty’s presentation on the maker movement attracted a SRO crowd numbering in the hundreds. Japanese makers were particularly interested in Dale’s comments and observations on how making stimulates creativity, discovery, and learning.

http://makezine.com/2014/11/28/maker-faire-tokyo-2014-in-pictures/

The Increasing Cracks In The Silicon Valley Mirror

From Zero Hedge:

There’s probably no other place more enthralled with its own state of being today than Silicon Valley. Now probably more than ever the tech capital just might be believing their own hype more now, than in the “glory days” of the 90’s.

This area is so audacious in its shunning of pure true business models (i.e., making real money via repeatable commerce transactions as opposed to the singularity event of IPO-ing) it would make a Krugman-ite proud. However, as I alluded to earlier: there seems to be cracks appearing in the looking-glass.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-11-30/increasing-cracks-silicon-valley-mirror

US Debt Level Versus the Price of Gold In Dollars

From Jesse's Cafe:

Another interesting chart from Nick Laird, the data wrangler at Sharelynx.com.

China Takes Out Another 52.5 Tonnes of Gold For the Week Through Shanghai

From Jesse's cafe:

Week by week, month by month, physical gold is flowing from West to East.

Russian Gold Reserves Continue to Expand

From Jesse's Cafe:

Russia added another 600,000 oz to its reserves in October.

Nothing to see here. Move along.

New Intel Report Finds 'Making' Can Engage Girls in Computer Science and Engineering, Potentially Reducing Tech Gender Gap

From Intel Newsroom:

A new global report produced by Intel Corporation indicates that girls and women involved with “making,” designing and creating things with electronic tools, may build stronger interest and skills in computer science and engineering – which could potentially reduce the growing gender gap in these fields.
With 16 million makers in the United States alone, the maker movement – a wave of tech-inspired, do-it-yourself innovation – is extensive and rapidly expanding. Unfortunately, so is the gender gap in computer science and engineering graduates. Intel’s report, “MakeHers: Engaging Girls and Women in Technology through Making, Creating and Inventing,” explores how maker activities can serve as a gateway to computer science and engineering for girls and women, and it identifies ways to better engage girls and women in making in order to increase female representation in these fields.
“Intel believes that making brings ideas to life and spurs innovation, and we want to ensure that girls and women take part in this movement,” said Aysegul Ildeniz, vice president of the New Devices Group and general manager of Strategy and Business Development at Intel. “This report provides key insights on how to better engage girls and women in computer science and engineering and help them access opportunities to invent and create the future.”
The “MakeHers” report, created in consultation with experts including the Girl Scouts* and the Maker Education Initiative*, reflects Intel’s commitment to increase access to and interest in computer science and engineering, especially among girls, women and underrepresented minorities.
“With its groundbreaking new report, Intel is demonstrating how the maker movement has helped turn a generation of tech-savvy girls – nearly all of whom grew up in the digital age – into the leaders and entrepreneurs of the economy of tomorrow,” said Anna Maria Chavez, CEO of the Girl Scouts of the USA.
Key global findings1 from Intel’s “MakeHers” report include:

In the U.S., Making Is Already Popular with Tweens and Teens – Both Girls and Boys

• Girls and boys in the United States are equally likely to be “tech makers”: 1 in 4 tweens and teens have made things with technology during the past year, and 7 in 10 would like to learn to make something with electronics.

Making and Inventing Provides Multiple Entry Points to Engage and Interest Girls and Women in Computer Science and Engineering

• Girls and women who make, design and create things with electronic tools may build stronger interest and skills in computer science and engineering.
• Female makers come to making through multiple pathways that include arts, design, crafting and textiles.
• Making can help girls and women learn new content and technologies and provide an avenue for them to engage in scientific and engineering problems that align with their interests.

Girls and Women Face Constraints to Participating in Making

• Female and male makers face similar challenges to making, such as lack of money, information and access to tools and materials. However, female makers experience additional challenges:
  • 1 in 3 female makers say lack of mentorship is a challenge.
  • 1 in 6 have been excluded from making because of their gender.
  • 1 in 6 face cultural biases about the appropriateness of women in making.
  • 1 in 14 don’t feel safe going to the places where maker activities are held.

Key Recommendations to Engage Girls and Women in Making

• Build more girls- and women-inclusive maker environments in public places, such as libraries and schools.
• Design makerspaces that enable open-ended investigation of projects meaningful to girls and women.
• Develop initiatives that give girls more access to makers their own age and female mentors.
• Encourage parents to “embrace the mess” and engage in making with their children.
• Align making activities, such as coding and making hardware, with current trends and personal interests to attract girls.
• Include facilitators in makerspaces to create a safe, supportive and inclusive environment for girls and women.

The report’s findings were drawn from three online surveys2 conducted by Harris Poll on behalf of Intel. Intel also conducted interviews with leading U.S. experts on STEM, girls and STEM, and the maker movement, as well as interviews and participant observation in makerspaces in the United States.

http://newsroom.intel.com/community/intel_newsroom/blog/2014/11/13/new-intel-report-finds-making-can-engage-girls-in-computer-science-and-engineering-potentially-reducing-tech-gender-gap