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At the last Twiistup event, on a panel with diehard Los Angeles entrepreneurs and investors Yammer CEO David Sacks explained that Southern Californians wouldn't need to have a panel on Los Angeles startups if it really did receive the same recognition and credit as Silicon Valley. This week the Bay Area is hosting two women in tech events including yesterday's Girls in Tech Catalyst Conference and upcoming weekend event She's Geeky. While both events feature major industry leaders, I can't help wondering if a separate conference for women is akin to the separate panel for Southern Californians.

I've tried to pick some interesting and controversial topics for these open threads over the past few weeks, but if there's one topic that's sure to divide public opinion and light the sky with burning effigies, it's this one.

I'm a woman, and I'm in technology, and I demand here and now that you stop catering to me. That's right, I'm talking to YOU: brands, marketers, PR flaks, hardware manufacturers, advocacy groups and the women and men in my industry. And while we're at it, stop referring to me and my female colleagues as "girls."

How do you feel about women in tech? Let us know in the comments.

Digg founder Kevin Rose issued an apology this morning for statements he made on the latest edition of his video podcast Diggnation. Just after the 4 minute mark in the show Rose and co-host Alex Albrecht were making jokes about men getting into physical fights with women and Rose made a statement that a particular act of violence was appropriate as an act of retribution in some circumstances.

An excerpted transcript and the text of Rose's apology sent to us by email when we inquired this morning are below.