November 14, 2007

One Laptop Per Kid

http://news.wired.com/dynamic/stories/H/HUNDRED_DOLLAR_LAPTOP?SITE=WIRE&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2007-11-07-10-56-03

http://www.laptop.org/

This promotion is going on right now!! The promotion is buy one to give one for these cute little GREEN laptops. I read about this a few months back and was very much interested in participating. It took a little bit of searching, but I managed to find out that the age range for the laptop is apparently 6 to 16! I bought one for Zach's nieces/nephew. They'll be perfect test subjects to see how much the laptop really teaches kids and their interest in it.

I'll let you know how it goes. I'm really excited for this program though, the people who put this together are really dedicated and I really think it could change the world.

Blue Scholars Lyrics: Blue School

I've been listening to a bunch of Blue Scholars and after unsuccessfully searching online for some of their lyrics, have decided to devote my time to producing a few. Now, I'm not the best listener of rap so if you see a mistake, let me know and I'll fix it! Enjoy!


Microphone check (x5)
One, Two
I'm a Blue Scholar working,
studying the art of of labor to create
flavor to relate to listeners
alleviate the danger associated with strangers
Isn't it strange how we estrange ourselves from our neighbor
Enables us through music to connect
Release some fluids in our neck
With the rhythmic forward movement of our heads and back again
Indeed as we succeed the pioneers maybe give back
All that we've taken through the years
I bleed for what I believe to be the truth
Nurturing the seed planted in the fertile youth
The poetry hanging from the branches eat the fruit
Pluck the most succulent to suck upon the juice
So what's up with you
frequently they ask
been hibernating
writing till the last page
deciphering the past days by
Bypassing the lies and the bullshit
Get off the mic and save it for the bull pit

In the Blue School
Class is in session
Ask us a question
'Cause class is in session (x4)

I'm an exile, motherland stepchild
metropolis-dwelling Middle America's prisoner of war
combat the papers til the blankness is gone
listen now talk about the beat after the song
Astronomical 'cause that is just a modest measurement
of my ability to represent my family correct
because I be about it
ain't no other way to say it
discovered my potential
and I stay late to tape it
in the basement
with an ancient karaoke stereo
in lieu of a studio
We made do with everything laying around
And if I'm not mistaken
Isn't that improvisation what hip hop is all about
If you popping at the lip then I will sock you in the mouth
sonically to render you the opposite of loud
Apology accepted in advance
I think it's kind of cool at one point that you thought you had a chance


In the Blue School
Class is in session
Ask us a question
'Cause class is in session (x4)


A veteran's fate
written on pages of mixed tapes
I'm all about a government that citizens dictate
sick of fucking dealing with the President's mistakes
sit back and rant is just misplaced anger
so I cradle pens
from now until the fable ends
taken friends for granted
but now I gotta make amends
Calling out the big talk small walk
Towers high above the ground
yo we're shaking down your towers demanding our money back
plus reimbursement for parking and shit
I put my heart in this shit
And now my arteries connect to the amplifier wire
Music make the flames in my inner fire higher
I reinvent the language in the image of a dancer
contorting where the floor becomes an answer

Blue school graduate dawg
After this last verse when the revolution come
we gonna shoot your ass first

In the Blue School
Class is in session
Ask us a question
'Cause class is in session (x4)

Class is in session
ask us a question
give us suggestions
yo strapped for protection
whatever you do, whatever you say
step up front
be good at what you do
at least be good at something
writing, reading
producing, DJing
cooking, cleaning
doing laundry
something
learn an art, a trade
be somebody


In the Blue School
Class is in session
Ask us a question
'Cause class is in session (x4)

November 7, 2007

Maine Middle School to provide Birth Control

http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/10/18/middleschool.contraception.ap/index.html+

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/10/19/national/main3384673.shtml?source=RSSattr=HOME_3384673

Can middle school students (11-14 yr olds) be trusted to remember to take birth control pills in a timely fashion? If the birth control pills were the kind that is "seasonal" where you only have your period every three months, the chances of unknowingly being pregnant for a whole trimester can easily happen.

But all that aside, would they then also be providing access to the emergency contraceptive pill?

I honestly can't remember that much about being in middle school, but I'd definitely say by that time there was some hanky-panky going on. And that was a decade ago! With the teen pop stars and TV and movies these days, those kids are not innocent. Even more so if they're not as sheltered as some more "privileged kids".

Saving the Monies

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21548538/

retirement calculator: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21563675/

Man, I hope retirement is all that it's cracked up to be. There'd better be some awesome games 40 years from now! Hopefully, there'll be some worthwhile stuff still standing to visit and that the smog won't ruin the view. Hopefully, the kids (if there are any) won't turn out to be bums that live at my house still and the world in relative peace to make traveling safe enough.

I can't even begin to fathom life in 40 years. Hopefully I'll still be around.

Reality TV...for Gaming!

http://feeds.wired.com/~r/wired/topheadlines/~3/178564050/pl_games

Man, the Japanese think of everything great! If this caught on here, it would super boost the gaming industry as well as make gaming more accepted as a somewhat type of sport. Maybe a split screen of the gamer and the game. All those gamers out there that gave up on the game because it was too hard would be able to finally see the ending and stuff. Or in the case of poorly planned (re)formats, when the game file gets wiped and it's too much trouble to go through it all again. Perhaps this is the idea that Zach and I have been waiting for and I should be podcast gaming?