girl

Kids these days. They've never had to lock a floppy disk or dial a rotary telephone. It's a different world, and a survey by TeachHub.com and Clever Girls Collective shows just how much times have changed. The survey of 1,000 kindergarten through 5th graders spawned an infographic just in time to celebrate National Library Week.

Among the not-too-surprising findings, only 14 percent of the kids knew what the save icon represents. I'm actually surprised that that many of them recognized a floppy disk. They must have some old-school parents or an out-of-date uncle who is still rocking a Mac Classic.… Read more

I am always suspicious when people say they care.

Somehow, my first reaction is: "How much?"

So I feel more than a pang of sympathy for 11-year-old Emma Vermaak.

She is not the only 11-year-old to like One Direction. However, she might be the first 11-year-old who thought to use modern methods to raise money as part of the Girl Scouts' "I Care" program so troops overseas could enjoy Girl Scout cookies.

Inspired in her quest, she thought it might be an idea to use PayPal. This system is not revolutionary. It feels like it's been around since Jimmy Carter's time. Yet the Girl Scouts organization seems not to be quite a pal of it.… Read more

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Ben Savage, Danielle Fishel join "Girl Meets World" pilot.

- Wii Mini confirmed, brings cut-price gaming to Canada only.

- HoboJacket.tk lets you donate your RIVAL college's jackets and shirts to the homeless.

- This lamp tells you the weather by recreating it inside your house.

- Why liveblogs outperform other online news formats by up to 300%.

- Follow Sharon Vaknin on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.… Read more

The problem with BlackBerrys is that too many people who use them seem to take themselves so seriously. They crouch over them, bashing at the keyboard, and act like a powerful person should act: sharply, aggressively, bossily.

Yet now I bring news of one intrepid lady who decided to use her BlackBerry for good -- Londoner Georgina Campbell claims to have written her book on one.

Actually, this was less of a decision and more of forced labor. Her 14-year-old daughter bet her that she couldn't.

What are mothers for, if not to prove that their little offspring know … Read more

Stanford engineer Debbie Sterling has seen a boy bias in toys like Lego and Erector sets. Lego's recent attempts at appealing to girls seem to be a little off the mark. So how do you get girls interested in engineering toys?

Sterling's answer: a Kickstarter project called GoldieBlox. It's a construction toy paired with a storybook, "GoldieBlox and the Spinning Machine."

The main character is Goldie, a kid inventor. She is joined by a cat, a dolphin ballerina, a sloth, a bear, and her dog Nacho. The construction set has a pegboard, wheels, axles, blocks, a ribbon, a crank, and washers.… Read more

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

Crazy tape on Olympians: Does it work?

Fair or foul? Experts split over whether Pistorius has advantage.

U.S. Speed Suits could make all the difference.

World records set despite ban on high-tech suits.

Are humans or technology breaking Olympic records?

Creepy Weknowyourhouse.com scans your tweets to publish your address.

Bathroom break video: Some of the best LifeHacks ever.… Read more

One of the more unspoken thoughts about why girls don't want to become scientists is that science is less interesting than scientists would have you believe.

But here are some girl scientists who clearly believe the opposite and may leave you unable to speak.

For these are the Science Cheerleaders. They are crusaders for the cause of getting more little girls to love science.

Yes, they wear short skirts and carry pom-poms. But these are engineers and dentists who want to find any way possible to get you to pay attention.

I am grateful to Jezebel for locating evidence … Read more

Recently, the European Commission was roundly criticized for launching an ill-conceived ad aimed at getting girls interested in science. Lego has also stirred up some commentary for coming out with girly toys featuring hair salons and cafes.

If these attempts are off the mark when it comes to interesting girls in science, architecture, and design, then what is it going to take to really reach them? How about a dollhouse? A DIY dollhouse with build-your-own-furniture and working circuits. … Read more

It's no secret that there's a lack of women in the tech industry. But the former deputy public advocate of New York City, Reshma Saujani, wants to do something about it.

Saujani launched a new initiative called Girls Who Code this month backed by tech heavyweights Twitter, eBay, Google, and General Electric. The program aims to encourage high school girls to study computer science and engineering.

"Together with leading educators, engineers, and entrepreneurs, Girls Who Code has developed a new model for computer science education, pairing intensive instruction in robotics, web design, and mobile development with high-touch … Read more