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Sexist careers advice is damaging the job prospects of girls

The movement found many of its members feared they had overlooked an interesting vocation because they were given outdated and unhelpful advice.

Sixty per cent were told about teaching and 43 per cent about childcare but only 29 per cent were informed of opportunities to work in IT, 28 per cent business, 21 per cent engineering, 9 per cent construction and 6 per cent plumbing.

The Guides who took part also complained that they received little or no information about potential salaries.

The findings reveal that while girls outperform boys at every level of the education system, they are hitting a glass ceiling when they reach the job market.

"This suggests modern careers advice continues to affirm old-fashioned gender stereotypes," said a Guiding spokesman.

One respondent reported receiving only 20 minutes of careers advice in seven years at secondary school. Another remarked: "I feel that I have been pushed by teachers and career advisers to pursue a traditional female line of work. The opportunity to discuss other options was never presented."

Chief guide Liz Burnley said: "These outdated gender barriers must be broken down so young women can determine their own successful career paths. Our young members are calling for better information, support and guidance about career options so they can make informed decisions about their futures."

The CBI warned recently that the economy is threatened by an acute shortage of scientists, engineers and mathematicians. It found a disproportionate number of girls were dropping science subjects.

Here you are THE perfect Notebook for this summer... If you have the chance to be able to work remotely everywhere you want to... Well this PC will help you to "work" on the beach while other are stuck at the office, behold the LW25-EV, a 12.1" Duo Core T2400, 1GB of DDR, GeForce Go 7300, BMB TV Tuner, 3G EVDO Data and this for only 1.1Kg (Girls not included)

Lessons must be necessary and relevant.

Educators with a prescribed curriculum (such as the Virginia SOLs - standards of learning) face a challenging mandate. Students do not learn well when facts are presented in isolation, yet the concepts that students will be tested on in the SOLs are listed individually like a bulleted series of unrelated facts. Inexperienced teachers try to present these facts this way in their lessons and then they’re faced with yawning students who don’t “get it.”

Students automatically and unconsciously filter out useless information. In time, if too much information is meaningless (such as historical details without the “big picture”), the learner turns his or her attention to more useful knowledge, which might include how to win at Nintendo, picking popular fashions, or how to kick a soccer ball.

Educators face a challenge. How do we redirect students to learn academic content that we (i.e., society) need to teach them, rather than only what they choose to learn on their own — choices which may fail to prepare them for their future? We must, overall, present lessons in creative ways that link the information to the student’s own survival in the real world.

Learning becomes automatic when students can apply what they are learning immediately to their personal experience and surroundings. I call this the “When am I ever going to use this?” aspect of education. For example, memorizing the definition of “democracy” means little to a middle school student, but during the aftermath of the September 11th attacks, current events that were gripping the nation and piquing curiosity served as a dramatic, teachable moment to explore the difference between democracy and other political world views such as anarchy or dictatorship. Suddenly, the concept of “democracy” became personally relevant and comprehensible, and important to understand.

Rather than subscribe to the lineup of chapters and units in textbooks, teachers need to harvest the world of current events and real-time trends with a keen understanding of their students so they can find relevant, meaningful connections between cold facts and the students’ personal world.

Likewise, students deserve to know how they will use the facts and skills taught in school when they enter the real world of working or being an adult. This includes character development in addition to facts and academic concepts. Effective teachers go beyond the facts to include teaching work habits such as completing work, staying organized, and responding appropriately to peers and authority figures.

Teachers can build bridges between their classroom lessons and the professional world of the workplace. Bringing in adult experts from various careers, for example, affords students the opportunity to hear firsthand how facts they’re learning are used in the real world, and also how important it is to develop a responsible work ethic.

Best Laptop for College - Sony VAIO N laptop

I've found the best laptop for college, as of June 2007, while working on the cheapest laptop comparison chart. The chart shows that Sony VAIO N Series laptop in its basic configuration offers the best value for the money today. Sony VAIO N is only the lowest-end Sony laptop but it comes with some of the most advanced CPU Processor and features available today.

Priced at $899 (VGN-N320E/W) and equipped with Intel Pentium Dual Core 1.6 GHz processor, all necessary ports and, in addition, with the ExpressCard that enables laptop to connect to even more external devices, Sony N series is the best laptop for college today for the lowest price. Sure you can buy cheaper Dell or Compaq for around $499 with an instant rebate today ... but these lowest-end models are not nearly equipped with the features and performance. College students often find themselves in the environment where they have to use many different connectivity options and be able to work fast while having multiple applications running simultaneiously. The best laptop should also be designed from a sturdy material to take any college abuse and should last through at least 4 years without repairs - repairing or exchanging your laptop while away from home on campus is often a tough task. Sony brand fits perfectly to all these requirements, Sony Vaio N fits well for a college student budget. And it's good looking too ;). See all specs or buy it at Sony.

Sony VAIO VA TV-PC....

Sony announced their new All-in-One LCD TV and PC running Microsoft Media Center Edition 2005. The new Sony VAIO VA TV-PC VGC-VA10G and VGC-VA11G both remind me of an all-in-one iMac (monitor and computer combined in the same chassis). I own a Sony VAIO Media Center PC myself, but it's a traditional desktop PC, which sits on top of one of my speakers. I wish I had a thin horizontal Media Center PC so I could slide it on top of my other home theater components.

In any event, I can certainly see this combined "all-on-one" Sony unit (with built-in TV tuner card) being great for cramped quarters such as a dorm room, but I wouldn't stick this in my family room. It certainly might be good as a "2nd" TV when your roommate wants to watch something else, but it definitely is NOT a TV replacement. You are better off buying a Media Center PC that slides into your home entertainment theater shelving unit, such as the line of Media Center PCs offered by Alienware. (though there are other manufacturers that offer "horizontal" Media Center PCs that can slide into your theater's shelving.)

Many people attributed Dell's recent purchase of Alienware to the perception that the giant PC maker just couldn't create the kind of cutting-edge notebooks and desktops that performance nuts and gamers want. Dell's XPS engineers must have missed that memo, because the new XPS M1710 notebook announced today looks pretty smoking.

Dell calls its XPS desktops and notebooks its luxury brand, and the XPS M1710 comes with the hardware, looks, and price to match that moniker. Most notable about the high-end unit is its nVidia GeForce Go 7900 GTX graphics chip with 512MB of memory. Yep--this notebook has the mobile version of nVidia's fastest desktop GPU.

The company is offering two starting configurations of the M1710, in two different colors. The Metallic Black model starts at $2,600 and includes a 17-inch display, an Intel Duo Core T2400, Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, a 256 MB NVIDIA GeForce Go 7900 GS graphics chip, 1 GB DDR2 memory, and a 60 GB hard drive. The Special Edition Formula Red model starts at $3,400 and has the same display, OS, and RAM but upgrades to a Core Duo T2500, the 512 MB NVIDIA GeForce Go 7900 GTX graphics chip, and an 80 GB hard drive.

Both versions also have an illuminated XPS touchpad and adjustable 16-color perimeter lighting. I guess that's so you can find your notebook back should the power go out at your LAN party.

We haven't tested the M1710 yet, but we did get to take a peek at a unit during a briefing a short while back and it looked sharp. We're looking forward to running the notebook through our WorldBench and graphics tests, so keep your eyes peeled for our official review in the near future.

In the meantime, you tell me: Would you buy a high-priced gaming notebook from Dell, or would you be more inclined to buy from boutique vendors such as Falcon Northwest, Voodoo PC, or even the Dell-owned Alienware?

Just don’t get too excited, because this is old news [circa 2004]. And something that is currently being rehashed as new on Digg, Slashdot, and Linux sites…

I’m sure you have seen it too: the news along the lines of “[insert random OEM here] releasing incredible Linux offers”, quickly followed by naive comments proclaiming the end of Microsoft.

The fact is, OEMs and companies like Wal-Mart have been attempting to sell Linux based PCs and Laptops/Notebooks for years. Take a look:

Unfortunately, most of these attempts have resulted in complete failure or extremely small volume [Wal-Mart couldn't even sell 1000 of those Laptops]. And every few years, the waters are tested again, with the same exact outcome.

Lets face the truth: Linux does not work for the average consumer, it never has, as “choice” is not something that consumers are looking for. Familiarity, function, and eye candy are the determining factors here.

As “Linux” is not synonymous with “Wal-Mart”; it neither is with “Desktop.

Superb Viewing on 16-Inch Widescreen LCD

The 16-inch WXGA LCD has a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels--perfect for watching movies in their intended 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio. It also provides TruBrite technology, which makes images brighter and more vivid thanks to its anti-glare feature. Video is powered by the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X4500MHD, which uses shared video memory (up to 1750 MB allocated from the system memory) and provides Windows Vista Aero interface support and enhanced 3D graphics performance--delivering over 2x scores on 3DMark 06. Intel Clear Video Technology provides outstanding video playback with sharper image quality, increased clarity, and customizable color controls. It also enables enhanced visual quality of interlaced content on progressive displays.

Product Description

Replace your desktop PC with the Toshiba Satellite A505-S6973, which features a 16-inch diagonal HD TruBrite widescreen LED-backlit display, touchpad with multitouch control, power-saving Eco Button to help reduce power consumption based on your needs, USB Sleep-and-Charge ports, and a dual-layer DVD±RW drive that burns CDs and offers LabelFlash print functionality. The bright 16-inch LCD (1366 x 768) offers a true 16:9 aspect ratio and 720p native high-definition resolution, and the A505 is great for using as a media center with the touch-sensitive media keys placed above the keyboard. And it's sure to stand out in the crowd thanks to the stunning Fusion Finish with Sonic pattern in Black Onyx.
It's powered by the 2.1 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T6500 processor, which boosts speed, reduces power requirements, and saves on battery life. It also offers a fast 800 MHz front-side bus speed and 2 MB L2 cache. It also includes Intel's 5100AGN wireless LAN, which will connect to draft 802.11n routers and offers compatibility with 802.11a/b/g networks as well. Other features include a 500 GB hard drive, 4 GB of installed RAM (upgradeable to 8 GB), 1.3-megapixel webcam, Harman Kardon speakers, 5-in-1 memory card reader, HDMI audio/video output as well as SPDIF digital audio output for 5.1-channel surround sound, and 64-bit version of the Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium operating system.

This Toshiba notebook is Energy Star 5.0 certified and it is RoHS-compliant, effectively reducing the environmental impact by restricting the use of lead, mercury and certain other hazardous substances.

Lenovo ideapad Y series laptop

Model name 418629Q
Description Lenovo IdeaPad Y550 - 418629Q


Main Features of this model
Price in india: Rs.45,990.00
Processor Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processor T6500 ( 2.10GHz 800MHz 2MB )
Operating system Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium
System graphics NVIDIA GeForce GT 130M 512MB
Total memory 4 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM 1066MHz
Display type 15.6 " HD Wide LED 1366x768
Hard drive device 320GB 5400
Network card Intel Wireless Wi-Fi Link 5100
Optical device DVD Recordable (Dual Layer)
Bluetooth Bluetooth Version 2.1 + EDR
Finger print reader None
Warranty One Year
Pointing device Industry Standard Touchpad
Battery 6 Cell Lithium-Ion

Lenovo Ideapad U Series laptops

Model name 296337Q
Description Lenovo IdeaPad U350 - 296337Q


Main Features of U series lenovo ideapad series

Price in india : Rs.33,740.00
Processor Intel® Pentium® SU2700 processor ( 1.30GHz 800MHz 2MB )
Operating system Genuine Windows Vista Home Basic
System graphics Intel Integrated Graphics X4500
Total memory 2 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM 1066MHz
Display type 13.3 " HD WXGA LED 1366x768
Hard drive device 250GB 5400
Network card Broadcom 11b/g Wi-Fi wireless
Bluetooth Bluetooth Version 2.1 + EDR
Warranty One Year
Pointing device Industry Standard Touchpad
Battery 4 Cell Lithium-Ion

Lenovo Ideapad S series Laptop

Model name 295742Q
Description Lenovo IdeaPad S10-2 - 295742Q - Black

Main Features of this model

Price in india: Rs.20,640.00
Processor Intel ATOM Processor N280 ( 1.66GHz 667MHz 512KB )
Operating system Genuine Windows XP Home Edition
System graphics Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950
Total memory 1 GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz
Display type 10.1 " SD 1024x600
Hard drive device 160GB 5400
Network card Broadcom 11b/g Wi-Fi wireless
Bluetooth Bluetooth Version 2.1 + EDR
Finger print reader None
Warranty One year parts and labour (system battery: one year)
Pointing device Industry Standard Touchpad
Battery 6 Cell Lithium-Ion

Personalize your HD life

Blu-ray (optional)
Discover outstanding picture and surround-sound quality with Blu-ray Disc^TM , which features almost 6x the picture resolution of DVD, plus interactive menus, games and movie features.

HDMI
With its HDMI port, you can enjoy the high-def experience on your TV by using your laptop as your Blu-ray Disc player.

Gigabit high-speed Ethernet
Experience the blazing speed of Gigabit Ethernet.

Surround Sound Audio
Immerse yourself with available theater-style surround sound audio.

LED backlit display (optional)
An environmentally friendly LED display gives you longer battery life and a brighter, more vibrant display.

laptops

A subnotebook, also called an ultraportable by some vendors, is a laptop designed and marketed with an emphasis on portability (small size, low weight and longer battery life) that retains the performance of a standard notebook.^[15] Subnotebooks are usually smaller and lighter than standard laptops, weighing between 0.8 and 2 kg (2 to 5 pounds);^[10] the battery life can exceed 10 hours^[16] when a large battery or an additional battery pack is installed.

To achieve the size and weight reductions, ultraportables use high resolution 13" and smaller screens (down to 6.4"), have relatively few ports, employ expensive components designed for minimal size and best power efficiency, and utilize advanced materials and construction methods. Some subnotebooks achieve a further portability improvement by omitting an optical/removable media drive; in this case they may be paired with a docking station that contains the drive and optionally more ports or an additional battery.

laptops

A laptop is a personal computer designed for mobile use and small and light enough to sit on one's lap while in use.^[1] A laptop integrates most of the typical components of a desktop computer, including a display, a keyboard, a pointing device (a touchpad, also known as a trackpad, and/or a pointing stick), speakers, and often including a battery, into a single small and light unit. The rechargeable battery (if present) is charged from an AC adapter and typically stores enough energy to run the laptop for two to three hours in its initial state, depending on the configuration and power management of the computer.

Laptops are usually shaped like a large notebook with thicknesses between 0.7–1.5 inches (18–38 mm) and dimensions ranging from 10x8 inches (27x22cm, 13" display) to 15x11 inches (39x28cm, 17" display) and up. Modern laptops weigh 3 to 12 pounds (1.4 to 5.4 kg); older laptops were usually heavier. Most laptops are designed in the flip form factor to protect the screen and the keyboard when closed. Modern tablet laptops have a complex joint between the keyboard housing and the display, permitting the display panel to swivel and then lie flat on the keyboard housing. They usually have a touchscreen display and some include handwriting recognition or graphics drawing capability.

Laptops were originally considered to be "a small niche market" and were thought suitable mostly for "specialized field applications" such as "the military, the Internal Revenue Service, accountants and sales representatives". But today, there are already more laptops than desktops in businesses, and laptops are becoming obligatory for student use and more popular for general use. In 2008 more laptops than desktops were sold in the US and it has been predicted^[who?] that the same milestone will be reached in the worldwide market as soon as late

laptops

Sony has rolled out a range of laptops based on Intel's latest 'Santa Rosa' Centrino Duo technology, sheathed in a range of "bold... eye-popping... fashion-forward" colors and equipped with a "pulsating" light that shines through the chassis to tell you what the machine's up to.

Sporting a luxurious, glossy finish and framed with silver, luminous trim, the Vaio CR notebooks reflect style and taste," the PR fluffs gushes, adding later that the CR is a "portable entertainment paradise".

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