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Keep Your Family Safe Online
Posted by Randy | August 18, 2010
In this digital age, our children are growing up in a world of uncharted territory for many parents. The new source of knowledge: the Internet. But the Internet, as much as it is an educational resource, is also an anonymous, unrestrained, and potentially destructive medium. I encourage you to speak with your children about their online use and make sure they are safe. Here are some tips for online safety:

- Keep the computer in an open area, like the kitchen or family room, and use the Internet with your kids.

- Make sure your children understand the dangers of sharing certain information, like the name of their school, sports teams, clubs, where they work or hang out, or any other information that could be used to identify them or locate them offline.

- Make sure your kids’ social networking profiles don't say too much about them. Explain why it's inappropriate — even dangerous — to use their full name, age, or hometown. Even if your kids think their profiles makes them anonymous, it doesn't take a genius to combine clues to figure out who your kids are and where they can be found.

- Use privacy settings to restrict who can access and post on your child's website.

- Remind your kids that once they post information online, they can't take it back.

- Tell your kids to trust their gut if they have suspicions. If they ever feel uncomfortable or threatened by anything online, encourage them to tell you.

More information can be found on OnGuardOnline,gov, a site dedicated to providing practical tips to help guard your family online. Click here to read more.
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What I’m Reading: Science and Technology Edition
Posted by Randy | July 22, 2010
HamptonRoads.com: Researchers: Va. ready to lead in wind power
Virginia and other mid-Atlantic states are positioned to lead an effort to establish an offshore wind technology demonstration program and test center, researchers argue in a new analysis to the federal government.

Baptist Press: Study: Adult stem cells successful in restoring sight
Adult stem cells have restored sight to more than three-fourths of patients blinded by chemical burns to their eyes, according to a new research study.

Newsweek: The Creativity Crisis
For the first time, research shows that American creativity is declining. What went wrong—and how we can fix it.

Richmond Times-Dispatch: Young women encouraged at math and science program
The annual five-week math, science and technology program on the campus of the University of Richmond featured 10 guest speakers, all on hand to share with the girls in the program -- about two-thirds of 150 participants this year are girls -- stories of success through hard work and perseverance.

CNN: Where are all the science majors?
In a move to measure its workforce not too long ago, Nationwide Insurance surveyed its 36,000 employees at the time. Its CEO was in for a shock. The single largest employment category had nothing to do with insurance and was instead "technology." The story is told by Brian Fitzgerald, executive director of the Business-Higher Education Forum (BHEF), to dramatize the transformation of the U.S. workforce.

Computer World: Russian spy ring needed some serious IT help
The Russian ring charged this week with spying on the United States faced some of the common security problems that plague many companies -- misconfigured wireless networks, users writing passwords on slips of paper and laptop help desk issues that take months to resolve.
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Congrats to Virginia’s Fourth
Posted by Randy | July 13, 2010

I frequently tell people that Virginia’s Fourth District is home to some of the most beautiful, welcoming, and efficient communities in our nation. Some might say that I, having grown up and raised my family in the Fourth District, am a bit biased. But others are agreeing that it is true.

Chesapeake and Suffolk have both been named as some of the best communities in the nation as a part of Money Magazine's 2010 Top 100 Best Places to Live. The recognition was given based on housing affordability, median income, school quality, arts and leisure, safety, health care, diversity, the local economy and commuting time.

In addition, Chesterfield County was recognized with a 2010 Digital County award from the Center for Digital Government for their use of cutting-edge technology to run a more efficient government.

It's a proud day to be a representative of such a fine district as Virginia’s Fourth. If you haven’t already, check out the photo gallery on my website that highlights communities across the Fourth District.
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We're not going to the Moon anymore.
Posted by Randy | April 09, 2010

What is human space exploration worth to our nation? A prominent astrophysicist addresses that very question in this video in light of the Administration’s proposed NASA budget, which would essentially abandon U.S. spaceflight.  

“What does the [proposed White House] program allow?  It says we’re not going to the Moon anymore.  Maybe we’ll go to Mars one day… I don’t know when…  Without a plan to go somewhere outside of low earth orbit, we’ve got no force on the educational pipeline of America.  NASA as best as I can judge is a force of nature like none other.”  - Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson.   

Take a few minutes to watch what Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson says in this YouTube video about the importance of investing in human space exploration for the future of our nation.
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