I Speak of Dreams

BlogHer is About the Stories: Jane Goodwin (Scheiss Weekly, Mamacita)

If you have never been to a BlogHer conference (a conference by women bloggers for women bloggers, started in 2005) you have missed something.

I go for a number of reasons, but mostly to hear the stories -- why you blog, what you blog about.

One of the people I was hoping to connect to in real life was Jane Goodwin, who blogs at http://www.janegoodwin.net/ (probably better known as Scheiss Weekly) and is on Twitter as @mamacita.  I've been following her blog possibly as long as she's been writing it -- years anyway.

So we met up over a live plug in the hallway on Friday (Jane's computer battery was dying) and again for breakfast on Saturday.

One thing I want to mention: Jane Goodwin and I are much of an age--and decades older than most of the women at BlogHer 11. Were we invisible?  Jane C. Smith wrote about older women's invisibilty but well...Jane Goodwin and I are inconvenient women.

Saturday morning, Jane G. and I  talked for over an hour.

One of the stories she told me was about a teacher in a k-12 unified district who was hounded out of the district, because the teacher's principal and superintendant were completely clueless about how the internet works.  It reminded me strongly of the hounding of  Julie Amero  (the Norwich, CT substitute teacher whose prosecution was corrupt) 

I hope she can tell that that teacher's story sometime.

And I hope that Jane G. and I can meet again, many times, in real life.

----

Goodwin was a presenter in the Write Brain track, on Essential Writing and Editing skils, a panel moderated by @lesbiandad* (Here is the liveblogging transcript of the session: http://www.blogher.com/liveblog-write-brain-essential-writing-and-editing-skills?wrap=node/305898/virtual-conference/posts)

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*later on I'll post a fan-girl story about @lesbiandad.  Jeezle, I was so glad to meet her in person.  We only live maybe 30 miles apart.

Mark Geier's Medical License Suspension: State by State Scorecard

(Updated 8/20/2011)

In March, 2011, Mark Geier had medical licenses in 11 12 states. His license has been suspended in five of them, with two more in the works; evidently he allowed his New Jersey license to expire without renewal.

1. California Suspended August 03, 2011 Discussion at LeftBrainRightBrain.
2. Florida
3. Hawaii
4. Illinois July 28, 2011:A preliminary hearing is set for August 22, 2011 in Chicago
5. Indiana Suspended June 2011 Discussion at Harpocrates Speaks:  Mark "Castrate 'Em" Geier's License Suspended - Part 4 More discussion at Autism News Beat. For the whole backstory on the Geiers, I recommend Neurodiversity.com
6. Kentucky
7. Maryland Emergency license suspension on April 27, 2011. Discussion at  Harpocrates Speaks: Mark "Castrate 'Em" Geier's License Suspended. May 2, 2011, a revocation hearing was held, and the board upheld its ruling. On May 16, 2011, further charges were filed against Geier and his son David Discussion at Neurodiversity.com. A "Case Resolution Conference" was scheduled for July 6, 2011.
8. Missouri July 28, 2011: A spokesman for the Missouri healing arts board would not confirm an investigation of Geier, whose license is active.
9. New Jersey allowed his license to expire without renewal on 6/30/11
10. Texas
11. Virginia Suspended June 9,2011 Discussion at Harpocrates Speaks: Mark "Castrate 'Em" Geier's License Suspended - Part 3
12. Washington Suspended May 27, 2011

For the backstory on the Geiers, I recommend to start:

• Neurodiversity.com
• Harpocrates Speaks
• LeftBrain/RightBrain
• Respectful Insolence
• Science-Based Medicine

Previously on this blog:

• May 4 2011 Autism "Treatment" Provider,  Mark Geier MD: Medical License Suspended in Virginia

BlogHer 11: A Missed Opportunity: Women in Skepticism & Planning for BlogHer 12

There was no public skeptical presence at the BlogHer11 conference, a gathering of 3,600 women (and a few men) bloggers. This was a missed opportunity.

I missed the boat in several ways. 

• I failed to ask women skeptical bloggers and writers if they were planning to come to BlogHer11 -- like the Skepchick crew, or Barbara A. Dresher, or the women from the Center for Inquiry Outreach staff, or Carol Tavris or Jennifer Michael Hecht or Jennifer Ouellette  or Sara E. Mayhew or Harriet Hall or Karen Stollznow or Desiree Schell or Rachael Dunlop or Jennifer McCreight or Heidi Anderson or Ginger Campbell or Greta Christina or Sadie Crabtree or Julia Galef or  Debbie Goddard or Jamila Bey or Dren Asselmeier or Angie McAllister McQuaig or Reba Boyd Wooden or Ophelia Benson or Barbara Forrest or, or, or, -- I am sure I have missed many.  My apologies.  But there are a lot!
• I read about Hug Me, I'm Vaccinated! at TAM9, and it didn't occur to me to try to set up  something similar at Blogher 11
• I didn't advocate for a Birds of a Feather skeptical women meet-up on Saturday (I couldn't arrange one on Friday, as that was the timeslot for the Special Needs Mini Conference).

Skepticism belongs at BlogHer.  The image below is from Tim Farley's My Skeptic Elevator Pitch:

In words:

“Skepticism is the intersection of science education and consumer protection. We help people learn from science to avoid spending their money on products and services that do not work.”

There's always next year.  Could we have a (modest proposal) Room of Your Own (ROYO) for women in skepticism?  Or could we have an (ambitious proposal) a whole track?

Here's the call for ideas from BlogHer 2011.  Here's  how to propose a Room of Your Own from the BlogHer 11.

From the recent press release:

BlogHer, Inc. (http://www.blogher.com), the premium cross-platform media network and publisher for women, today announced it will host its eighth annual conference August 2-4, 2012 at the Hilton Hotel in New York City.

BlogHer’s annual conference, described by Variety Magazine as “Comic-con for women bloggers,” is hosting more than 3,500 attendees this week in San Diego, CA, bringing 100 major brand name sponsors together with their intelligent and vocal community of women online.

What:         BlogHer ’12, BlogHer’s 8th Annual Conference
Who:          The BlogHer community, Fortune 500 brands and leading                             industry speakers
When:         August 2-4, 2012
Where:        The Hilton Hotel in New York City,1335 Avenue of the                             Americas

About BlogHer
Reaching more than 25 million women each month (Nielsen Site Census, January 2011), BlogHer is the leading cross-platform media network created by, for and with women social media leaders. BlogHer created and leads the marketplace with the most robust economic and networking opportunities for women in social media and brands seeking to engage in authentic and persuasive dialog with them. Founded in February 2005 by Elisa Camahort Page, Jory Des Jardins and Lisa Stone, BlogHer publishes and syndicates news, information, advice and recommendations to and from 2,500 premium blogs, delivers uniquely insightful research on women in social media across interest areas, hosts the world’s largest conferences for women in social media and curates a daily news service, BlogHer.com.

Pseudonymity on the Internet: Google+ Acts Like a Rather Dim, Rule-Bound Nanny

See update.  The problem is with Google+ and there are more examples.

Update #2: you may wish to sign this petition

Update #3 As I often do, I am continuing to add links to the lists below, updating silently.

Here's the backstory.  In order to sign up for Google+, you must use a "real name". 

There's a hitch in the get-along, as Skud as been documenting. Many people are better known on the internet (and even in real life) by their handle or pseudonym, rather than their "real name" (and here is Google+ name policy, as curated by Skud). Update: many women, transpeople, and others have profound reasons for using pseudonyms.

The conflict can be followed on Twitter as #nymwars.

Skud's "real name" is Kirrily Robert, but she is better known (on Twitter and elsewhere) as Skud.  When she tried to use Skud as her "real name" at Google+, her account was suspended.

There's a whole movement: My Name is Me (http://my.nameis.me/), at twitter as

@mynamecampaign and at Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MyNameCampaign?sk=wall

Supporting your freedom to choose the name you use on social networks and other online services.

Skud Backstory:

• June 10 2010 Skud at GeekFeminism:  Hacker News and Pseudonymity
• July 22 2011 Skud at InfoTropism I've Been Suspended from Google+
• July 31 2011 Skud at InfoTropism An Update on my Google+ Suspension
• August 4 2011 Skud at InfoTropism Google+ Name Policy
• August 5 2011 Skud at InfoTropism Skud vs. Google+ Round 2

Reports from others rejected by Google+:

• July 15 2011 CZ Unit at Live Journal Pull The Switch Igor What Is a Person...
• July 19 2011 CZ Unit at Live Journal Pull The Switch Igor! Rejected by Google+ I Rule!
• July 19 2011 CZ Unit at Live Journal Pull the Switch Igor! My Thoughts on the Google+ Thing
• July 19 2011 CZ Unit at Live Journal Pull the Switch Igor! Need People to Vouch for Me
• July 19 2011 CZ Unit at Live Journal Pull the Switch Igor! Reply Back from Google+
• July 20 2011 CZ Unit at Live Journal Pull the Switch Igor! Google Wants to See My ID
• July 20 2011 CZ Unit at Live Journal Pull the Switch Igor! No Word Back from Google
• July 20 2011 CZ Unit at Live Journal Pull the Switch Igor! Uncommon Names Seems to be the Key
• July 24 2011 BugGirl at BugGirl's Blog: Does Google+ Hate Women?
• July 28 2011 GrrlScientist at The Guardian An Open Letter to Google+
• July 29 2011 CZ Unit at Live Journal Pull the Switch Igor! Suspended Again!
• August 1 2011 Caliya Identity Woman at Identity Woman Google+ and My "Real" Name -- Yes I Am Identity Woman
• August 4 2011 CZ Unit at Live Journal Pull the Switch Igor! That Makes 3 Suspensions from Google+.  Is My Fourth Free?
• August 8 2011  Kaliya Identity Woman at Identity Woman Up Google+ Suspension Update
• August 9 2011 at  Gary Walker Cheaper than Paper A Firsthand Look at the Google+ Profile Reporting Process

Other thoughts on Pseudonyms online and the problems with Google+'s prohibition

• June 16 2009 Bug Girl at Bug Girl's Blog Pseudonyms and Anonymity
• June 21 2009  Bug Girl at Bug Girl's Blog Anonymity Revisted
• July 12 2011 Audrey Watters at Read Write Web No Pseudonyms Allowed
• July 23 2011 En Tequila Es Verdad A 'Nym is Not Unknown
• July 23 2011 Violet Blue at ZDNet Google+ Deleting Accounts En Masse: No Clear Answers
• July 24 2011 SciCurious at Neurotic Physiology On the Issue of Pseudonymity
• July 26 2011 Sai at Google+  How Google Could Fix this Issue
• August 1 2011 Greg Laden at Greg Laden's Blog Google Needs to Allow Pseudonyms
• August 4 2011 Jemima Kiss at the Guardian Google+ Pseudonym Wars
• August 4 2011 danah boyd at Apophenia "Real Names" Policies are an Abuse of Power
• August 8 2011 Neal Ungerlieder at Fast Company Google+, Pseudonyms, and Activists
• August 9 2011 BotGirl Questi at Botgirl's Second Life Diary Why It Is Important to Turn the Tide on Google's Real Name Policy
• August 9 2011  BotGirl Questi Flickr set of Faux Propaganda Posters for Inner Circle Google+
• August 2011 Geek Feminism Wiki Who Is Harmed by a "Real Names" Policy
• August 12, 2011 Tim Carmody at Wired Google+ Punts on Kafkaesque Name Policy

BlogHer is About the Stories: Celeste of ShallowOCity

If you have never been to a BlogHer conference (a conference by women bloggers for women bloggers, started in 2005) you have missed something.

I go for a number of reasons, but mostly to hear the stories -- why you blog, what you blog about.

Saturday I saw a woman sitting alone at a table and asked to join her at lunch. Her blog title cracked me up: ShallowOCity. But while it is tongue in cheek, she has a pledge:

We are a community of girlfriends who have taken the shallowOcity Pledge: 1) Realize Your Fabuloucity and Worth.

2) Rediscover Your Likes, Dislikes and Passions Before You were Leading Ladies and Domestic Goddessess. 3) Work on YOU at Least Once per Week and NOT to feel Guilty. Simple. Needed. And Overdue…..Are You In?

If that resonates with you (especially if you are a mother with a young family) join the ShallowOCity movementt or participate in Table Flipping Friday 

Channel your inner feisty housewife with us, and get it off your chest. This is your day to share what made you or almost made you lose your cool this past week

You can follow Celeste on twitter at @celeste_Sann  or at Facebook: ShallowOCity

PS: she's not just shallow. Her day job at CelesteSanne is serious; she is

dedicated in seeing local small business growth. Over the past 10 years, I’ve built strong relationships with numerous neighborhood brands, services, shops and markets within the area. I love partnering with passionate local businesses that also care in positive community growth.

BlogHer is About the Stories: Cassandra and Her Children

If you have never been to a BlogHer conference (a conference by women bloggers for women bloggers, started in 2005) you have missed something.

I go for a number of reasons, but mostly to hear the stories -- why you blog, what you blog about.

I randomly met Cassandra who blogs about her children with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (a fatal form of muscular dystrophy).  at Byrds for a Cure

Although we bring a positive attitude to life, knowing that our twins have a terminal type of Muscular Dystrophy known as Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) type II is challenging on multiple levels. Like you probably, we did not know that SMA is the #1 genetic killer of young children. Half of children with SMA don't live long enough to see their 2nd birthday. We had no history of neuromuscular disease in our families and never knew that we were carriers for this genetic disease, until the twins failed to meet their developmental milestones beginning at around six months of age. 1 in 40 people are carriers for this disease, and you can request from your doctor a screening to determine your carrier status.

Her family blog is Bahamas Bahamas Bahamas. Read this fun post about her wheel-chair using children going ice-skating.

You can follow her on twitter at @aclevergirl, at Facebook Byrds for a Cure, and she contributes to a group blog, everydaychildhood.com on raising twins.

Thank you Cassandra for your openness and honesty.

BlogHer is About the Stories: Sidney on Coping with Hoarding

If you have never been to a BlogHer conference (a conference by women bloggers for women bloggers, started in 2005) you have missed something.

I go for a number of reasons, but mostly to hear the stories -- why you blog, what you blog about.

I randomly met Sidney of My Mother In Law Is Still Sitting Between Us and I want let many people know about this moving, useful blog.

I'm blogging to document the fiscal and emotional cost of cleaning up after hoarders; hopefully other people won't feel so alone and ashamed if they are in the same situation.

This post explains her blog title.  This post explains how you can help.   You can also follow her on Twitter at SidMILB and at Facebook: SidMILB

If you have been affected by hoarding or know someone who is, do point them toward this blog.

BlogHer11: Thursday Travel

I shared a shuttle from the airport with Sharaine Roberts and Micaela Preston.

Sharaine is with Caption First which is providing captioning for all the main events. 

Michaela's blog is MindfulMomma.com, on green living (she wrote Practically Green), especially eco-crafting and eco-crafting with kids.

That's one of the things I love about BlogHer: these serendipitous meetings with interesting people that I would otherwise .... well,  never meet.