Clay fish and dough bombs

Can't walk away from a challenge, even if I don't really qualify (sorry, all this was so long ago, even if I had any pictures, I wouldn't know where to find them.

Story 1:
Back when H & I were still living in a stuffy little student flat, I wanted to surprise her for her birthday. H loves fish, but not the smell of fish in the bedroom. When that bedroom is about 50cm away from the kitchen, which isn't particularly ventilated - you get the picture.
But she loves fish, and its her birthday, and me? "I solve problems". I also have a tendency for overdoing it. So, I figure, what'll definitely lock out the smell, and is good in the oven? Clay. I buy a 5kg chunk of modeling clay, hide it the attic, and on the day I got a nice big Sea Bass and the market, stuffed it good with thyme and friends, dressed it in a 2cm coat of clay and set it in the oven.
It worked. and it was not at all bad, for the first fish of our common life.

Next Friday I proudly told my mum, the doctor and my cooking guru, about my new culinary innovation. She pointed out the fact that modeling clay is toxic. Lucky that sea bass had a tough skin.

Story 2:
Late last summer I was heavily into sourdough. Had my our jar of started, which I would entertain daily, feed and caress and send postcards to when I was away (n.b., getting a sourdough babysitter is not always easy!)

Then we moved house, and the jar got lost in a crate full of onions.

towards the end of a long day, I finally found it. "Oh you poor thing" I said, and put it on the table. Next thing I know, the ceiling looks like Ripley brought a friend for dinner.

See, the poor thing was really, really excited be the move. When you move your sourdough, do it in an open container.

Global Voices Online

GVO is the new WikiPedia.
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/globalvoices/

Or, GVO is to journalism what WikiPedia is to libraries.

Reza Pahlavi's Press Conference in Paris

http://iranvajahan.net/cgi-bin/news.pl?l=en&y=2005&m=06&d=04&a=2

Saturday, June 04, 2005
Reza Pahlavi's Press Conference in Paris
June 04, 2005
Iran va Jahan

Reza Pahlavi
Translation of Reza Pahlavi's speech (Audio)


Two weeks from now the Islamic Republic of Iran holds its 9th presidential elections. Across the political spectrum, virtually every group, party and persuasion has declared their intent to boycott, not wanting to take part in the elections, realizing that in a theocracy elections are meaningless.

True, there are many countries that cheat in elections, disrespect their own laws and systematically violate rights of their citizens. But there is only one in the entire world whose written constitution, specifically denies that sovereignty belongs to its citizens, instead it awards it to representatives of “God on Earth” who can do with their people and on behalf of their people what ever they please – oppression at home and terrorism abroad. That is why today in Iran, inspite of the aspiration it 50 million youth, the clerical leadership talks about the actual use of a nuclear weapon against another country while its economy nose-dives and social indicators enter the zone of utter desperation.

But, as a Persian proverb says, “There is light at the end of the dark nigh.” (Payane shabe siyah sepideh ast.)

Since the massive disqualification of “reformist” candidates from the 7th Islamic Majles, some 15 months ago, there has been a gathering of political forces, from republicans to constitutional monarchists, from the “left” to the “right” of the Iranian political spectrum to agree on the process whereby Iran can transition from Theocracy to Democracy, from a threat to international peace and security to a contributing partner of free nations.

We will succeed because it is the will of the Iranian people.

However, our request from you, the people of the free world is not to ignore our cry for freedom as you sit down at the negotiating table with our brutal oppressors. We are anxious to see whether, true to your ideals, you emphasize human rights and democracy in Iran or you are content to down grade those ideals as you cut deals on arms and trade.

We will watch, learn and remember.

Why am I posting this?

GoogleBomb for Akbar Ganji

From reporters without borders:
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=13356

Akbar Ganji goes on hunger strike : "No one should be imprisoned - not
even for a second - for expressing an opinion."

Journalist Akbar Ganji announced yesterday in a statement issued through
his lawyer, Youssef Molai, that he has begun "an unlimited hunger
strike" to protest against his imprisonment, the Iranian Students' News
Agency (ISNA) reported.

Reporters Without Borders reacted by warning the Iranian authorities
that they will held responsible for any deterioration in his already
poor state of health.

"It is insane that a hunger strike is the only recourse for imprisoned
journalists who are trying to obtain their rights as detainees,
including the right to make phone calls or to be let out of the prison
for short periods," the press freedom organization said. "Ganji's case
is serious because he has not even been able to have the treatment which
is required by his condition and which has been recommended by his doctors."

Ganji said in his statement : "I protest against my illegal and unjust
imprisonment, all the more so because I cannot even pursue my treatment
outside Evin prison. I am beginning an unlimited hunger strike this
evening. No one should be imprisoned - not even for a second - for
expressing an opinion."

Why is this here?
1. To help http://mrbehi.blogs.com/i/2005/05/google_bomb_for.html - a campaign to raise awareness to the case of Akbar Ganji by pushing Google ranking of the story. Which, apart from being a just cause, puts a positive twist on the concept of mass media.

2. As explained in http://regimechangeiran.blogspot.com/ Iran blocks access to any known dissident site. However, they can't block access to all blogs. So, by replicating news items from blocked sites you can help the democratic voices of Iran.

I mean, did you ever think you could do some real good by Blogging?

Friday riddle

Question: what does a NY hairdresser read?

Wow!!!!

yay for Google!

The Summer of Code is Google's program designed to introduce students to
the world of Open Source Software Development.

This Summer, don't let your programming skills lie fallow...Use them for
the greater good of Open Source Software and computer science! Google
will provide a $4500 award to each student who successfully completes an
open source project by the end of the Summer. (payment details can be
found in FAQ)
By pairing applicants up with the proven wisdom and experience of
established prominent open source organizations (listed below), we hope
to make great software happen. If you can't come up with a great idea to
submit, a number of our organizations have made idea lists available.

Literature.org - The Online Literature Library

Friday literary puzzle: where this is from?

It is a subject also of additional interest to the author that this
story was begun in the majestic region where the scene is principally
laid, and in society which cannot cease to be regretted. I passed the
summer of 1816 in the environs of Geneva. The season was cold and rainy,
and in the evenings we crowded around a blazing wood fire, and
occasionally amused ourselves with some German stories of ghosts, which
happened to fall into our hands. These tales excited in us a playful
desire of imitation. Two other friends (a tale from the pen of one of
whom would be far more acceptable to the public than anything I can ever
hope to produce) and myself agreed to write each a story founded on some
supernatural occurrence.

The weather, however, suddenly became serene; and my two friends left me
on a journey among the Alps, and lost, in the magnificent scenes which
they present, all memory of their ghostly visions. The following tale is
the only one which has been completed.

I still love wikis. But after adding a links to http://www.shovrimshtika.org/
and http://www.machsomwatch.org/ I was banned from the Efrat wikicity, on account of "defacement".

I mean, I thought that when I was patrolling the Judea hills I was giving these people a vital service, and was sure they will be happy to know about the nature of this service.

ACM Ubiquity - The S-Curves of Sinks, and Technology

Do YOU know why the outlet pipe of your toilet has an S-curve?

I couldn't agree more.

PostSecret

http://postsecret.blogspot.com/

» Is Rodi BitTorrent’s Replacement? | Open Source | ZDNet.com

Dana Blankenhorn thinks Rodi is the new bittorrent.

Why I love Wikis

Why do I love Wikis?

Because you can simply press the "Edit" button and set the facts straight.

http://en.efrat.wikicities.com/wiki/Main_Page

AUT - Israeli boycotts revoked - AUT statement

Israeli boycotts revoked - AUT statement

http://www.aut.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=1235

After a lengthy debate involving deeply held views on both sides of the
argument, AUT’s special council has today voted to revoke all existing
boycotts of Israeli institutions.
AUT council has decided to base its policy on providing practical
solidarity to Palestinian and Israeli trade unionists and academics, by
agreeing a motion committing the union to having a full review of
international policy, working alongside NATFHE and the TUC.
UK higher education has a long and proud tradition of defending academic
freedom. The struggle to maintain academic freedom whenever it is under
threat is one that AUT will always support and this principle will
continue to guide our work.
Sally Hunt, AUT general secretary, said: 'It is now time to build
bridges between those with opposing views here in the UK and to commit
to supporting trade unionists in Israel and Palestine working for peace.'

And I say, good for them. This farce has harmed the AUT more than anything else. Being a socialist, I hate to see a trade union loose power. Now, I wouldn't mind seeing some real action behind this 'solidarity with unionists in Israel and Palestine', say - some support for the Bil'in struggle, but that's a different story.

yet another CMS 4 Schools

I don't know why, something about this CMS 4 schools seams nice. Haven't
realy smoke tested it yet, hell I don't even know what language its in.

http://everyschool.org/harvey/doc/harveyimp.html

GeekT.org - Geek History through T-Shirts

Geek history by the T.

Global Voices Online

http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/globalvoices/

Global Voices is an international effort to diversify the conversation
taking place online by involving speakers from around the world, and
developing tools, institutions and relationships to help make these
voices heard.

Home/Life

http://www.homelessworld.org/index.html

The Rape of the Rainforest... and the Man Behind it

I thought that it was the American Burger eaters that were responsible
for the deforestation of Brazil. Apparently, its European soy munchers.
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0520-06.htm

beautiful.

http://css.cscl2005.org/Threads.aspx?f=61

This paper describes findings from a pilot study that compared the
collaborative use by children of three different media formats: a paper
book, a CD-ROM in a standard PC set-up, and a paper booklet augmented
with digital content. These findings show how the book’s ergonomics
provide a flexible and easily accessible interface which engenders fluid
collaboration between pairs of children. These qualities are also
observed when children work with the augmented paper booklet. The value
of digital content is demonstrated in a participatory design activity,
where we find how digital media can ‘bring to life’ the information
presented on paper. In contrast to developments focused narrowly on new
technologies, this study presents evidence for the use and value of
paper, and paper augmented with digital media, in educational settings.

CSCL2005 "Ask the Author" System

The CSCL2005 conference (May 30-June 4, Taipei), has set up an on-line
discussion system where you can read the papers and comment on them.
Some of the papers are pretty interesting, and you may get a better
interaction with the author than if you would actualy attend the conference.
http://css.cscl2005.org/

Unfortunately, the system is a bit minimalistic, and lacks some useful
features - such a as a search facility. So in case you were wondering, I
have a paper there and its is listed at:
http://css.cscl2005.org/Threads.aspx?f=185

comments will be highly appreciated.

best,

- Yishay

--
_________________________________________
| Research Officer, www.WebLabs.eu.com |
| y.mor@ioe.ac.uk +44-20-77632160 fax 2138|
| Yahoo, Jabber, AIM: yishaym(@jabber.org)|
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Yahoo! Groups : Podcasting-Education

I guess not all educators are late adaptors.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Podcasting-Education/

just a 0 short

Palm almost got it right with their new LifeDrive. Almost. Just make it
40G instead of 4, and it makes a lot of sense.
http://www.palmone.com/us/products/mobilemanagers/lifedrive/

Becta :: Open Source Software in Schools

Finally, The official report:
http://www.becta.org.uk/corporate/press_out.cfm?id=4681

This report indicates that open source software can provide a cost-effective and efficient solution in schools if effectively deployed. Becta believes that software used in schools should be of a high quality and adhere to open standards, enabling compatibility and interoperability between products. Becta will now be undertaking more extensive research across a wider range of institutions to allow further analysis of these issues".

Garnet Hertz: Control and Communication in the Animal and the Machine

"Control and Communication in the Animal and the Machine" is a
cockroach-controlled mobile robot system. The system uses a living
Madagascan hissing cockroach atop a modified trackball to control the
three-wheeled robot. Infrared sensors also provide navigation feedback
to create a semi-intelligent system, with the cockroach as the CPU."

http://www.conceptlab.com/control/

Extreme Democracy

http://extremedemocracy.com/

"Extreme democracy" is a political philosophy of the information era
that puts people in charge of the entire political process. It suggests
a deliberative process that places total confidence in the people,
opening the policy-making process to many centers of power through
deeply networked coalitions that can be organized around local, national
and international issues. The choice of the word "extreme" reflects the
lessons of the extreme programming movement in technology that has
allowed small teams to make rapid progress on complex projects through
concentrated projects that yield results far greater than previous
labor-intensive programming practices. Extreme democracy emphasizes the
importance of tools designed to break down barriers to collaboration and
access to power, acknowledging that political realities can be altered
by building on rapidly advancing generations of technology and that
human organizations are transformed by new political expectations and
practices made possible by technology.