Local events are listed in your local online newspapers and community forums, right? And to keep in touch with those you know, set up your own message board...there are many free ones out there.

Featuring Aaron Swartz: http://zekeblog.wordpress.com/2013/01/14/homophobia-in-the-hacker-ranks-2/#UPDATE

You rock, buddy! I appreciate the insight you have provided.

"Hetero Good" is a typo...I meant "Hetero Goof". Yes, I quite understand bullying as a wicked strategy against more than gay folks. Nonetheless, gays suffer the brunt of it, by far. My own personal experience as a gay "nerd" is plenty of homophobia to go around, in the hacker circles. Perhaps because nerds themselves are afraid of being labeled "faggot", so they behave homophobically, too, in order to deflect bullies. Your statement "I've been bullied. I'm not gay" in no way disproves my point (about anti-gay bigotry among hackers). You can see for yourself, by visiting many hacker forums. "Fagg*t" is a common expletive, including /.. Sorry to pop your naive bubble.

"Getting a little roughed up at school builds character. and teaches you to defend yourself in the real world." Gee, if only Matthew Shepard and Gwen Araujo were still around to benefit from your wisdom!

You wisely stated: "I suggest North American culture change its stigma of nerds, geeks, and intelligence, or face vastly deteriorating social values and social/scientific progress." Well said. Zero tolerance of homophobia will go a long way towards that excellent goal. In fact, it may be the most important solution of 'em all.

"Teachies pretty boy" = homophobic slur. Typical bully ass-wipe. Oh why are so many breeders so stupid? Must be their genes.

Christian evangelists, fundamentalists, zealots et al, are indeed /very/ homophobic. They only thing that is stopping them for persecuting gays just as severely as Muslims, are our (western democracy) laws. Numerous Republican politicians throughout this unfair land, continue to propose the discrimination against homosexuals, including isolating them from mainstream (hetero) society, by locking them up in concentration camps...some even go so far as to propose excecution of LGTB citizens. FYI: there is one major issue which unites Muslims and Xians. Can you guess which one? Okay, not gonna hold my breath, tis: Gay marriage. The prevention and elimination of it, that is.

Hetero Good blurted: {{ make everyone else look like dumbasses. Of course you are going to beat the shit out of them. }} Spoken like the true homophobic dipsh*t you are! Funny, I just posted a comment re. that even hacker communities are infested with bullying a.k.a. "homophobia," Slashdot being no exception. Thanks /so/ much for affirming my educated claim, you DUMBASS.

Bullying is mostly an expression of homophobia...which violent dogma is indoctrinated by parents, schools and churches at an early age. There is more than our share of homophobia in the hacker world too, including right here at "/.". How many times has someone posted words like "fagg*t," "c*cksucker," and the like, when expressing disdain for the MAFIAA and other anti-freedom groups? There should be ZERO TOLERANCE for homophobic slurs here, and in every other progressive/intelligent group. Just as there is for "n*gger". So, to you hackers and hacker wannabes who think you're "all that," because you are anti-gay: Do you /really/ want to have a civil war on your hands? Bring it on you breeder morons: I don't care if you really are a talented hacker, 'cause you're really just a piece of sh*t that pollutes everything good around it, including the air, the water, and any chance for a bright future. Game over (you sorry excuse for a) man!

What a bloodthirsty way to conceive a nation. And to justify violence and mayhem at the drop of a poppy. Sounds Islamic, don't it?

I've used gmail for several years now (here in the USA)...and it's /always/ kludgy. No matter where I log on, no matter when (and no matter which laptop/netbook/PC I use). I use various wifi services, from libraries to coffeehouses. Always: Gmail is slow, laborious, and not very intuitive. Is this proof of gov't/corporate intrusion; or just the result of crappy company policy? I'm surprised (and a bit envious) that China got such good Google service for so long, till now. Guess the honeymoon's over!

Anonymous Coward posted: "you will loose all anonymity for simply dis-agreeing with the powers that be." Precisely. I anticipate the day when my credit card will be rejected, because the PTB didn't like something I posted on the Internet the night before. But I have hope. Thanks to intelligent and thoughtful folks like yourself.

PWND!

Your pathetic homophobic slur is duly noted. No doubt you are /racist/, too. They usually are...your kind, I mean.