25 not-so-random things about One Laptop Per Child.

I won't do the 25 random things about myself here. But here are 25 reasons I like One Laptop Per Child, the company behind the XO Laptop.

1. They know that education is the only real way to bring lasting change. 

2. They have a real plan to provide information and opportunity around the world.

3. They understand the future.

4. It's a program for children, so you can't lose.

5. They don't see limits. They think big, using phrases like "freedom and empowerment". Their name is "One Laptop Per Child" and they mean it.

6. They have a Give One, Get One program.

7. The laptop is cheap! Only $200 now, and the price will drop as quantity goes up.

8. It is designed tough to work in any climate, including high heat and humidity.

9. The screen can be seen in direct sunlight, because many students study outdoors.

10. Handles!

11. It gets wifi.

12. Although the focus is on education, it has games too.

13. It can run on solar power.

14. The screen can fold out so it becomes an ebook reader, or a handheld game player.

15. It's green!

16. Kids can interact with other XO owners in their area through the "neighborhood" because they can connect to each other...

17. ...And while connected, if one has the internet, they ALL get the internet.

18. It does so much, but the developers are consciously avoiding featureitus, which affects too much technology.

19. They care about child ownership so kids also learn responsibility.

20. Because of the focus on connection, children learn from each other...

21. ...And they will interact in their own language and culture through the neutral computer.

22. The software is all free and open source.

23. Anyone can program software for it.

24. It's only $199 to buy one for a child somewhere to use the rest of their life.

25. This thing is amazing and it could change the world. It's real and it's already working.

Ignorantia Juris Non Excusat

Ignorantia Juris Non Excusat. I'm not trying to sound smart. I recently learned that from this podcast. It means "ignorance of the law does not excuse". You can't get away with breaking the law just by saying you didn't know the law. It's impossible to prove ignorance, and that could lead to anarchy. 

But, what if you really didn't know? For example, how can they ticket us for speeding when the limits aren't posted? Yes, this is personal. It was over a year ago, but I'm still bitter about the ticket I got. I was driving on North Temple between Redwood Road and downtown Salt Lake. On the west end, the speed limit is 45 MPH! It goes down incrementally until it's 30 MPH by the city. You can guess the story now. I turned onto the street, thinking it was 45, and got pulled over going way too fast. 

Because ignorance does not excuse, the instant you turn onto a road you have to know the speed limit, but there are few speed limit signs. Every time I see a police car, I panic. And I cannot find a posted speed limit soon enough.  I drive all over the valley for my job, and that happens too often.  Would it be too much visual clutter to put a sign at each corner? Maybe they could paint the speed limit on the street itself.  

There are some of you who don't get tickets. So, I'm curious. Do you always know the limit? Do you memorize the limits on all the roads you drive on? Or do you always just drive slow?

Sorry for doing a road-rage rant again. So much of my day is in the car. That gives me a lot of opinions.

Things Every Home Should Have

a globe

a grandfather clock

a pet

a bulletin board

a dictionary and thesaurus

a piano

Anything else?

Jeans Aren't Comfy

I need to learn to write about opinions soon after they come to me. I jotted this one down as an idea for my blog months ago, but now I don't feel so passionately about it. I still think it's true, but who cares? Anyway, I'll write it up, just so I can get a post.

Jeans are not comfy. They are work pants. They were invented for cowboys and industrial works to have something strong and tough. No amount of bleach can make them as soft as regular cotton. 

Despite the uncomfortable button closures, I'd rather wear my dressy pants than jeans. If I'm going for nothing more than comfort, I might wear sweat pants because of the elastic waistband. But the overall most comfortable thing to wear is a skirt. I don't understand why people hate wearing them so much. They are absolutely non-restricting on your legs, and offer the most freedom of movement. 

One requirement when wearing a skirt, that doesn't matter with pants, is watching how you sit. The longer the skirt, however, the easier that becomes. My favorite thing to wear is my super long floor length cotton dress. It has no slits and I can sit anyway, anyhow. It's not lady-like, but I can do it. I can cross my legs, prop them up on chairs, ...whatever. 

So, wear whatever you want. I don't care. But if you are buying a gift for me, get me a skirt!

Spelling is Hard

I was replying to a couple posts on my blog and I wasn't sure I had spell check. So I had to concentrate on every word. Later I saw the squiggly red line and relaxed. But until then, I was doubting myself over nearly every word. I can't spell.

My only 'C' grade in elementary school was in spelling. Spelling is hard. My problem is with the vowels, especially the middle sound, for example: comedy, president, difficult, crocodile, gravity, possibly, operate, majesty, celery, officer, accident, paragraph, or manager. There will be regional differences, but where I'm from, in day to day speech, all of those words could have a U as their middle vowel. They all have that 'uh' sound.

Say these words: probably, probibly, probebly, probubly, probobly. Unless you really enunciate, they all sound the same. This is why you can't spell by "sounding it out". Sound out "beautiful". Wouldn't you write, "butiful"? Learning to spell is really an exercise in memorization and memorization was never my thing. Just from sounding it out, how would you know "everything" and "several" each had that 2nd 'e'? A beginning speller wouldn't know. At least, I didn't.

By the way, this entry was typed using a spell checker.

Why Opinions?

One more thing I want to mention: since my blog is all about opinions, I'd love to hear yours, especially if you disagree. I love the back and forth of differing opinions. Post a comment, or email me your thoughts. You might just change my mind.

A good debate depends on wiggle room. You can't debate fact, or it's just an argument. That turns into, "Yes it is" "No it isn't" "Yes it is". But if you have an opinion, tell me about it! And tell me why.

Why Blog?

I have been going through my bookmarks and found some blogs from some old friends. (I made a blog link list on the left, if you're interested.) I realized that my blog isn't like most. True, I rarely update it, but that's not my point. It's different because it's not really about me. I guess when I set it up I didn't consider writing about the ins and outs of my life.

So, for a minute I considered writing about how I helped serve at a senior luncheon today. Or how I still haven't hung my wall decorations. Or how I found a streamlined way to clean out my Roomba. But then I realized that I have a journal for that. I'm going to spare you the boring minutia and stick with the opinions. In my opinion, that makes for a more interesting read.

I really do find it interesting to read blogs and catch up on what was going on in people's lives, even people I haven't talked to in a long time. I've been on a couple forums for awhile but only recently started posting a little. I'm dipping my toes in Web 2.0. I have to admit it's tough for me. I liked the selfish anonymity of the old internet. I go online, get the info I need, and get off. But that's the old way and the old me.

The new me includes finally setting up a Facebook account. And I've done the Linkedin thing. I may set up a photo album on Shutterfly when I get around to it. I doubt I'll ever post a video on YouTube. And I draw the line at Twitter. Really? NOONE wants to know that much about day-to-day operations here at Aprill Inc.

So, I'm old fashioned, but working on catching up. What's your attitude about the whole thing? Take the poll on the left and let me know your opinion.

Mornings Are Not For Working

I have a great job. I get to set my own schedule for work, so I rarely start work till 10:00 AM, or later if I can help it. And I am a morning person. Really.

Evenings are not relaxing for me. At night I am tired. I have been working and stressed. There are only a few hours left in the day, and I have 5 more things on my to-do list that need to be done. Even if I'm sitting watching TV, I'm thinking about the dishes in the sink and paperwork due tomorrow.

That's why I'm a morning person. Mornings are for streching as I get up, curlling up to read the scriptures, eating a long bowl of cereal over the newspaper, checking my email, seeing what my tivo recorded last night, and general laziness. I can enjoy doing nothing. After all, I have the whole day ahead of me. It's the only time all day when I'm not in a hurry to do the next thing. It's the best feeling.

Unless I have to work. Then there is tension. Then I just have to hurry and shower and get ready. As I walk to my car I smell the morning air and sigh, knowing what I could be doing instead of working. Mornings are not for working.