LotusBowl

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The XO: One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) experience

The mystery package that Fedex dropped on my doorstep last Saturday morning turned out to be my thank you gift from the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) foundation: my XO laptop.

I’m a firm believer in the the advantages of information access in emerging countries. OLPC proposed–to much fanfare–creating a $100 laptop that could be distributed to children in poorer parts of the world, one that could be hand-powered in case the village lacked electricity, but which could network with other laptops and potentially access the Web. The final cost is closer to $200, but it’s still a cool idea, and machine.

Yeah, I know in several countries the leaders have suggested that feeding children should come before giving them MySpace accounts, which is true…but ultimately, the ability to dive into the global information pool is what will make people self-sufficient.

Anyway, I had my first really cool new gadget in months and so naturally I dove in to take a look.

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Weather report

Weather report for today said mostly cloudy, not much in the way of precipitation.

So, naturally, it’s been thundering and sleeting and hailing for the last 30 minutes. The ground looks covered with snow to about a half-inch, but it’s actually ice pellets.

You learn pretty quickly that the glassland gods really love to tweak the weatherman’s nose–if you plan for the opposite of the weather report you’re usually in great shape. (Take, for example, last week’s severe storm warnings that nearly shut down the city–wise businesses assumed that “3-5 inches of snow” would translate into “mild drizzle and gloom throughout the day,” and stayed open. They were right.)

The trouble, however, with glassland weather is that anything really interesting doesn’t last. The ice pellets are now slowing and should be completely stopped by the time I post this. The sun has come back out, casting some very gorgeous light on the ice.

Drat. But I guess two cracks of thunder are better than none. And since the piece in the kiln is anneal-soaking, I should thank my lucky stars that the power didn’t go out.

–sigh–

Irresistibly dubious distinctions

What is it about the news lately? Is everyone just feeling the holiday spirit(s) a little too much? A sample of what I’m reading:

I heart Huckabee? Ya gotta love a guy who leaps from the assassination of former President Bhutto to a call to ban illegal Pakistani immigrants “…who could come with a shoulder-fired missile and could do serious damage and harm to us…” according to this story.

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A visit from Santa Glass (by Cynthia Morgan)

In keeping with the holiday season (and with apologies to Clement Moore):

‘Twas the night before Christmas and out in my shop
I cast, fused and ground ’til I thought I would drop.

Glass vessels, glass sculptures, glass plates and wall hangings
Glass pendants, glass earrings: Glass orders, outstanding.

“They must be delivered tonight!” I cried, blue;
“Or I’ll never get paid and my Christmas is through!”

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Another headline writer bites the dust…

I seem to be hitting the jackpot lately on obscure or misleading headlines. Here’s one from the old grey lady (the New York Times) herself:

Rice in Baghdad as Tensions With Turkey Rise

First thought when I see this is, “Hmmmm. The Iraqis have a problem with eating some types of poultry (funny, I don’t remember the Koran mentioning turkey) so instead of Christmas turkey, all they have is rice.”

In reality, of course, the US Secretary of State is upset that Turkey’s dropping bombs on Kurds in northern Iraq (or rather that the PR doesn’t look so hot) and so has flown out to calm things down. (I’ve got a second clue for the headline writer: Once the bombs start falling and troops cross the border, I think we can dispense with the word “tensions” and go right to “conflict.”)

‘Tis the season, I guess.

Making frit the hard way

So I picked up a bunch of glass today, full- and half-sized sheets, neatly wrapped. Set them upright on the backseat like you’re supposed to, then thought, “I don’t need to seatbelt them in, I’m only driving home.”

So of course you know what happened, right?

Guy in the lefthand lane decides he needs to make an immediate right turn, across my lane. I slam on the brakes, car jerks to a stop and I hear a big crrrrunch! from the back seat. Looked back, and the package of full glass sheets is bent in half and making tinkle-crinkle-crunch sounds. Not a good sign.

Damn.

So I now have halfsheets where there were whole sheets, and a whole lot of extra-coarse frit. Wish I could blame somebody besides me, but this one was pretty obvious.

Oh well..

Dubious distinctions

Four airlines have announced plans to provide e-mail and Internet access inflight for passengers.

Oh good. Now i can e-mail ahead to tell everyone my plane is two hours late. (Assuming enough space on the tray table to actually use the laptop)

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Blue Nile (Ethiopian)

• Blue Nile website

• Location: Hollywood

• Price to fill up two people: About $30

Parking is not great, not on a Friday night, anyway, at this little Ethiopian restaurant in the NE Hollywood district, but the rest was a lot of fun.

It’s not the very best Ethiopian food I’ve ever had (a DC Adams-Morgan restaurant owns that distinction) but they did a very good job with my veggies and the meat was pretty good. (Robyn said her spinach was a bit cold, though). Very pleasant service in this tiny (maybe six or seven tables) restaurant and the diners were obviously neighbors who welcomed us. Good time was had by all, and this place is worth checking out, especially if you’re seeking vegetarian fare.

Alicia Lomne and pate de verre

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