Month: November 2005

links for 2005-11-30

Free Ad-supported PC

Free Ad-supported PC

AsiaTotal is offering free computers called IT PCs to the developing world, with a catch: the machines’ keyboards are lined with hotkeys that take their users to sponsors’ retail websites.

It’s a desktop design, and can only run on external power; it uses WindowsCE as its core operating system; it includes a variety of basic utility applications, but users cannot load new programs onto it; it has no hard drive, using instead smart cards to store user data, and a small 7″ flat screen; it has a modem for connecting to the Internet, and possibly an ethernet port (based on a photo on the site), but no wireless connection.

On their website they say: “It has been developed, designed and manufactured to be distributed free in order to enhance the lives of the millions of people in the world who – for economic reasons – are not connected to the Internet. A way to move them out of the digital underclass.”

I think ideas like this one and the $100 laptops are great ones. But I’m not sure that the business model behind this project is such a good one, especially the way they’re looking at it.
If this pc is aimed at people who, for economic reasons, are not connected to the internet, then those same economic reasons are most probably going to stand in the way of them buying anything online from those sponsors too.
Anyway, I guess we’ll just wait and see how it goes.

[Via: BoingBoing, WorldChanging]

Top 10 Things To Do During An Exam

1. Walk in, get the exam, sit down. About five minutes into it, loudly say to the instructor, “I don’t understand any of this. I’ve been to every lecture all semester long! What’s the deal? And who are you? Where’s the regular guy?”

2. On the answer sheet (book, whatever) find a new, interesting way to refuse to answer every question. For example: I refuse to answer this question on the grounds that it conflicts with my religious beliefs. Be creative.

3. Run into the exam room looking about frantically. Breathe a sigh of relief. Go to the instructor, say “They’ve found me, I have to leave the country” and run off.

4. Come to the exam wearing a black cloak. After about 30 minutes, put on a white mask and start yelling “I’m here, the phantom of the opera” until they drag you away.

5. Every five minutes, stand up, collect all your things, move to another seat, continue with the exam.

6. Fifteen minutes into the exam, stand up, rip up all the papers into very small pieces, throw them into the air and yell out “Merry Christmas. “If you’re really daring, ask for another copy of the exam. Say you lost the first one. Repeat this process every fifteen minutes.

7. Bring a friend to give you a back massage the entire way through the exam. Insist this person is needed, because you have bad circulation.

8. Get a copy of the exam, run out screaming “Andre, Andre, I’ve got the secret documents!!”

9. Make paper airplanes out of the exam. Aim them at the instructor’s left nostril.

10. Bring a Game Boy. Play with the volume at max level.

[Source: 50 Fun Things To Do During An Exam]

links for 2005-11-28

Mr. Miyagi, Pat Morita, Dies

miyagi.jpgActor Pat Morita, best known for helping teach a boy martial-arts mastery through household chores as the wise Mr. Miyagi in hit movie “The Karate Kid,” has died. He was 73.

There were conflicting reports about the cause of death. His daughter Aly Morita said he died Thursday of heart failure at a Las Vegas hospital; longtime manager Arnold Soloway said the actor died of kidney failure at a hospital while awaiting a transplant.

His role in the 1984 film defined his career. As Kesuke Miyagi, the mentor to Ralph Macchio’s “Daniel-san,” he taught karate while trying to catch flies with chopsticks and offering such advice as “wax on, wax off” to help Daniel improve his karate hand movements while doing his chores.

Karate Kid was one of my favourite movies growing up; I loved it and watched it over and over again. Mr. Miyagi was such an important character in the movie and to me too. Pat Morita brought so much charisma to the character and was so loveable in the role.
It makes me sad to hear about his death. It somehow feels like I lost an old friend.

[Source: ABC News]

Ten Tips For Effective Activism

These are ten useful tips for effective activisim no matter what the issue is; Health, peace, environment, anti-poverty…etc.

1. Know What You Want
2. Know Who To Ask
3. Know What You’re Talking About
4. Be Polite, Personal, Thoughtful, and Rational
5. Pick a Method of Communication that Works for You and Your Message
6. Know When to Ask
7. Don’t Underestimate the Value of Staff
8. Follow Up
9. Understand the Limitations of the System
10. Have fun!

[Details: SpeakOut]

Arabic Language Discovery Channel

An Arabic language “Discovery” channel will be launched soon according to Kuwait’s information minister, Anas Al-Rasheed, who announced the news in London this week while attending a conference about “Extremism and Terrorism”.

The objective of the channel, according to the minister, is to increase the Arabic public’s awareness and interest in science and culture in an effort to naturalize media outlets that support or incite extremism.

The announcement came during a panel discussion on the third day of the conference, which debated incitement in the “media” with regard to terrorism.

I agree that media play a big role in shaping the thoughts of the people and in making them more open to, or against, the ideas of extremism and terrorism.
Anyway I don’t see how Discovery Channel will solve the problem.
Ok it’s got all these cool programs that will raise scientific and cultural awareness for the people who will watch it, as well as do some minor brainwashing, but then they switch to a channel that is pushing destructive ideas at them and we’re back at zero.

I think this is a good idea for its own reasons, and maybe as an option to pull people away a bit from other channels, but it’s no big breakthrough solution.
The solution lies in a lot of different places that have to be touched upon simultaneously.

[Source: Asharq Alawsat]
[Via: Saudi Jeans]

Madagascar

Last night we watched Madagascar, a DreamWorks SKG animation, voiced by Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith and Cedric the Entertainer.

The movie is about a gang of four spoiled zoo animals that find themselves on an adventure in the wild of Madagascar.

I’ve seen the trailer a number of times and have been really looking forward to watching it.
And it turned out really cool, even though I thought it would be just a bit funnier, but I really enjoyed it.
I loved the psychotic penguins, they totally rock and are so funny! They have to be spinned off in a movie of their own.

I think this is one of DreamWorksSKG’s best animations yet. Something I like in their animations are the pop culture references, whether it’s in Shrek, Shark Tale or Madagascar.

I give this movie a rating of: 7/10.

Ten Things You Can Do to Jump-start Success

1. Read or listen to something that motivates you every single day.
2. Keep a journal of your daily progress and carry it with you wherever you go.
3. Make goals and re-write them every day.
4. Keep track of every person you meet.
5. Begin investing a portion of your income today.
6. Begin looking for opportunities to build passive income (money that you don