Networking Divas


Book Description

Being that the book cover is pink, one may assume that this book is for women only and since the author is a woman this must be a great resource to help women develop in business and personal matters, correct? My friends your assumptions are only partially correct; from the start I can promise you two things. 1) This book is filled empowering information. It is a resource and tool for any gender and any age! 2) Real men do wear pink! Before you read any further, please allow me to share a brief educational moment with you. I would like to clear the air and show you the relationship between men and their direct connection to the diva status. Divas (female) and Divos (male) do exist! Originating from a rich heritage and musical culture directly related to the Opera. Divas and Divos were the grandest stars with the most beautiful voices. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diva A few years ago, I was asked to give the graduation address at a high school. My good friend, I affectionately call Aunt Star went with me for moral support. On the way she was listening to my speech to make sure that I did not bore the young adults I had to speak to. Just before I was introduced, she turned to me and said, Are you ready Ms. Diva? For a brief moment, I thought, humis THAT what you really think of me? What a cheap shot just before I go on stage. She then smiled and said, Life has taught you many lessons, you know who you are and can now share your experiences to help others, go get them girlfriend! At that moment, I was released and felt proud to share my success AND mistakes to the audience. Soon after that event, I was invited to another organization to speak about empowerment for young girls. It just so happens that the organization was a church. Upon my arrival, the church had a gracious representative that attended to my every need. With-in my tradition and long standing reputation of keeping it real I will admit that the attention felt, well, sort of, kind of good. I keep praying that they ask me to come back one day. Anyway, just before I addressed the audience, the humble representative turned to me and said, Are you ready Ms. Diva? I almost lost my religion, because, I know, just like YOU know, that the adjectives used to describe a diva are simply put, words we care NOT to use in anyones church! Matter-of-fact, the typical actions of a diva will get you sat down or drop kicked by the ushers in any faith. The very moment I almost lost my religion, I also found it at the same time. I felt my calling, the need to help change the stigma for true Divas everywhere. The word diva has historically been used to categorize someone who is demanding, demeaning and downright witchy. My thoughts about the encouraging words from my Aunt Star and the humble personal care the representative was giving me at the church as her honored guest, gave me the true Diva wake-up call. Though their comments, they were simply letting me know, that they knew who I was, supporting me, reminding me to never forget my strength to be a conduit to connect and help others. The real beauty that comes from being a Diva comes only when you share strength with others to empower them. I was not asked to speak to the young ladies because my name is Monica Sparks, but the organization thought my message of empowerment would encourage, help to heal and guide the young ladies in the audience. The supportive words and care I was provided, was a way to thank me for my concern and service. I was appreciated for sharing and giving the gift of my experiences. The light came on for me, so every time I speak and have the opportunity to offer encouragement, I do! I learned that Divas are not necessarily rude and obnoxious people. They are people who know who they are and gladly give back to help others. It is that spark of loving yourself and others that drive Divas to have creative, positive energy that allows them to network with




Funeral Diva


Book Description

Funeral Diva is the Winner of the Lambda Award for Lesbian Poetry! A poetic memoir about coming-of-age in the AIDS era, and its effects on life and art. "Sneed is an acclaimed reader of her own poetry, and the book has the feeling of live performance. . . . Its strength is in its abundance, its desire for language to stir body as well as mind."—Parul Sehgal, The New York Times Book Review "She is a writer for the future, in that she defies genre."—Hilton Als "This notable achievement, traveling from youth to adulthood, is a harrowing account of how Sneed transforms violence and pain into an artist's life."—Claudia Rankine, author of Citizen: An American Lyric "There's an eerie sense of timeliness to this book, which features prose and poetry by the writer and teacher Pamela Sneed and is largely — though not entirely — about mourning Black gay men killed too soon by a deadly virus."—Tomi Obaro, Buzzfeed "OH MY GOODNESS, it was amazing. I was in tears by the end. What starts off as beautiful memoir evolves into incredibly moving poetry, painful and sweet and lovely."—Marie Cloutier, Greenlight Bookstore, Brooklyn, NY "Balancing and mixing, with rhyme and reason, love and anger, good and bad, memory and the created present, all to tell the story of a life, a memoir unrestrained, devoid of artificial forms. Honest. Free."—Anjanette Delgado, New York Journal of Books In this collection of personal essays and poetry, acclaimed poet and performer Pamela Sneed details her coming of age in New York City during the late 1980s. Funeral Diva captures the impact of AIDS on Black Queer life, and highlights the enduring bonds between the living, the dying, and the dead. Sneed’s poems not only converse with lovers past and present, but also with her literary forebears—like James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, Audre Lorde—whose aesthetic and thematic investments she renews for a contemporary American landscape. Offering critical focus on matters from police brutality to LGBTQ+ rights, Funeral Diva confronts today's most pressing issues with acerbic wit and audacity. The collection closes with Sneed's reflections on the two pandemics of her time, AIDS and COVID-19, and the disproportionate impact of each on African American communities. "Riveting, personal, open-hearted, risky and wise."—Sarah Schulman, author of Conflict Is Not Abuse " . . . a tour de force about the collision between a coalescing 1980s 'Black lesbian and gay literary and poetic movement' in New York and the onslaught of AIDS."—Donna Seaman, Booklist "Pamela Sneed's Funeral Diva is deft, defiant, and devastating."—Tommy Pico, author of Feed "Funeral Diva is urgent and necessary reading to live by. This is writing at its finest. Keep this book close to your heart and soul."—Karen Finley, author of Shock Treatment "Reminiscent of Audre Lorde’s Zami, Pamela Sneed’s memoir is, in itself, a healing balm, affirming in its truths and honesty. I cannot remember ever reading a book that illustrates the impact of the AIDS epidemic on our community more poignantly than Funeral Diva."—Nicole Dennis-Benn, author of Patsy "Pamela Sneed takes enormous risks in this book. She tells the truth with fierce concentration and an abiding sense of purpose.”—Dorothy Allison, author of Bastard Out of Carolina




Redefining Geek


Book Description

"Take a moment to imagine a geek. A computer geek. Do you see thick glasses and pocket protectors? A face illuminated by a glowing screen, surrounded by empty cans of energy drinks? Bill Gates? Whatever trope comes to mind, it's likely a white or Asian man. As Cassidy Puckett shows in Define Geek, these are not just innocent assumptions. They are tied to underlying ideas about who is "naturally" good at tech, and they keep many would be techies, particularly girls and people of color, from achieving or even pursuing opportunities in tech. But Puckett is not just here to show us that anybody can be good at tech; she tells us how we can get there. Puckett spent six years teaching technology classes to first generation, low-income middle school students in Oakland, California, and during that time, she uncovered five technology learning habits that will set up all young people for success. She shows how to measure and build these habits, and she demonstrates that many teens currently unrepresented in STEM already use these habits; they are more ready for advanced technological skill development than assumptions about instinct might suggest. Redefining "instinct" reframes the goals of STEM education and challenges our stereotypes about "natural" technological ability. Our so-called leaky STEM pipeline is readily addressed by Puckett's five techie habits of mind"--




Cooperative Robots and Sensor Networks 2014


Book Description

This book is the second volume on Cooperative Robots and Sensor Networks. The primary objective of this book is to provide an up-to-date reference for cutting-edge studies and research trends related to mobile robots and wireless sensor networks, and in particular for the coupling between them. Indeed, mobile robots and wireless sensor networks have enabled great potentials and a large space for ubiquitous and pervasive applications. Robotics and wireless sensor networks have mostly been considered as separate research fields and little work has investigated the marriage between these two technologies. However, these two technologies share several features, enable common cyber-physical applications and provide complementary support to each other. The book consists of ten chapters, organized into four parts. The first part of the book presents three chapters related to localization of mobile robots using wireless sensor networks. Two chapters presented new solutions based Extended Kalman Filter and Particle Filter for localizing the robots using range measurements with the sensor network. The third chapter presents a survey on mobility-assisted localization techniques in wireless sensor networks. The second part of the book deals with cooperative robots and sensor networks applications. One chapter presents a comprehensive overview of major applications coupling between robots and sensor networks and provides real-world examples of their cooperation. Two other chapters present applications for underwater robots and sensor networks.





Book Description




Archetypes: Unmasking Your True Self


Book Description

Archetypes ~ unmasking your true self ~ Are you interested in self-discovery, empowerment or changing your circumstances? Who are you? Are you a King, a Queen, a Knight, a Rescuer, a Mother, a Servant, a Healer, a Priestess, a Goddess or a Hero? These are archetypes. Why do you think, speak and act the way you do? The answer lies within your personal archetypes. We all have archetypes. They are aspects of our personality. Archetypes are an amazing tool for understanding, growth and self-development. All archetypes have negative and positive energies or personality traits. They explain why we do the things we do and show us the road to empowerment and the pathway to change. This unique reference book contains a description of 98 archetypes. It gives you a plan which assists you to identify your personal archetypes and the archetypes of the people that surround you. This book also shows you how to initiate change. It identifies the archetypal energy that is the key to empowerment and change. Identifying our archetypes gives us knowledge, understanding, guidance, purpose and power.




Journalism and Ethics: Breakthroughs in Research and Practice


Book Description

In the modern hyperconnected society, consumers are able to access news from a variety of channels, including social media, television, mobile devices, the internet, and more. From sensationalist headlines designed to attract click-throughs to accusations of bias assigned to specific news sources, it is more important now than ever that the media industry maintains best practices and adheres to ethical reporting. By properly informing citizens of critical national concerns, the media can help to transform society and promote active participation. Journalism and Ethics: Breakthroughs in Research and Practice examines the impacts of journalism on society and the media’s responsibility to accurately inform citizens of government and non-government activities in an ethical manner. It also provides emerging research on multimedia journalism across various platforms and formats using digital technologies. Highlighting a range of pertinent topics such as investigative journalism, freedom of expression, and media regulation, this publication is an ideal reference source for media professionals, public relations officers, reporters, news writers, scholars, academicians, researchers, and upper-level students interested in journalism and journalistic ethics.




PC Mag


Book Description

PCMag.com is a leading authority on technology, delivering Labs-based, independent reviews of the latest products and services. Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.




Network World


Book Description

For more than 20 years, Network World has been the premier provider of information, intelligence and insight for network and IT executives responsible for the digital nervous systems of large organizations. Readers are responsible for designing, implementing and managing the voice, data and video systems their companies use to support everything from business critical applications to employee collaboration and electronic commerce.




PC Mag


Book Description

PCMag.com is a leading authority on technology, delivering Labs-based, independent reviews of the latest products and services. Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.