deserving approbation

Every once in a while I hear about things that are truly innovative, bold and prodigious in their goals. These things get me all excited and reinvigorate my enthusiasm for human achievement waking the sometimes sleeping optimist inside me. This morning I found buried in a design article in the NYTimes, a reference to the OLPC, or One Laptap Per Child project initiated by Nicholas Negroponte and being led by MIT (with support from Google, Red Hat and others). The idea of OLPC is to produce a rugged, low-power, low-cost, rechargeable, wireless computer aimed as a teaching tool in poor or developing countries. The target price of the first model to be introduced next year is 100$. Yes, only 1/15th of the average priced laptop.

At first glimpse there are some curious omissions from the computer: no hard drive to accommodate bulky video and mp3 files, no glorious video chip to play all those impressive games. In exchange for these absences, the developer brings several enviable attributes that are far more useful for the intended market, students. The computer features integrated wireless networking, something that most of us now take for granted. Here the idea has been expanded and designed in a way to extend the range beyond most current computers. The focus of the networking has also changed. In remote areas, access to the internet for even one computer can be limited, irregular or simply not available at all. To counter this, the computers will be connected directly to one another instead of using the internet as its main thoroughfare. Its more similar to a game of "pass it on" but without the distortions and less time lag. Once one computer acquires information from the internet, CD/DVD, etc, it would then be passed onto other computers in range and connected to the network. What this could allow is one master computer to share necessary information with all the others in a classroom, outside under a tree or even from another students computer at home if a child couldn't go to school that day. And what would they be sharing? Well, that is almost limitless. Everything from arithmetic lessons and textbooks, ebooks for language class, news, just about everything you can imagine or create.

I know skeptics and classroom teachers will immediately think of the limitations of a computer screen, but with books being expensive (new books for every child for one year easily exceed 100$ and many places new books every 10 years is impossible to come by) imagine having thousands of texts suddenly available. Well, what about writing, specifically handwriting? Can your computer do handwriting recognition? While tablet style computer are on the market, most of us don't have them and we might argue that it isn't really important for most people. The OLPC computer has this necessary writing education feature which can be used with a stylus, a capped pen or possibly even a twig. The screen twists around, similar to some very expensive laptops on the market, so that you have access to the normal laptop form factor, keyboard below with the display up above, or as an ebook reader format. The screen twists around and falls back on the body allowing the user read it like a book.

The areas intended to use often have irregular electricity and sometimes none at all. How do you introduce one of the foremost symbols of the modern technological world? Incorporate human generated power. At this time they seem to still be in the finalization faze but it looks like the initial offering will have a hand crank on the side with a 1:10 charge to use ratio. Crank it for a minute, it will run for ten. Perhaps not perfect yet but if power is sometimes available it's probably enough to get the job done and a full charge is expected to last a full school day, better than most of our computers. But, that is not the finished concept. They are exploring more efficient ways to power the computer. One more thing about the crank, because it's aimed at children, the crank itself is durable and easy to turn, sort of a like a high tech jack in the box except the reward is a bit more fulfilling (if less surprising).

To further ease the power consumption issue, they have dramatically modified or eliminated many power-hungry parts of a traditional computer. On our laptops, the LCD or display, has a fluorescent light-bulb usually at the base behind the screen. While that technology is far more efficient and brighter than previous versions, it is still the most power hungry part of your laptop (or iPod, cell phone, PDA, etc.). This computer takes the display consideration a step further without sacrificing brightness or quality. Light will be supplied by ultra-low power LED lights behind the screen. Versions of this are popping up everywhere in new gadgets, my bicycle lights have them and they're extremely bright and the battery life is amazing. This computer will adapt to available light and evidently the backlight will shut down completely in bright weather and still be readable. Additionally, the processor will shut down entirely while not in use. This is perfect during long readings much like the engine shuts down on hybrid cars while idling at a stoplight.

We think, but yeah, I can't even keep coffee from causing laptop life and death scares and these are kids! Right? Well, they thought of that as well as the conditions that many of these children will be living in. While not waterproof, it is for most intensive purposes. There is a big sturdy handle built into the body of the laptop similar to the old original colored iBooks. The computer is meant to be carried like a bag and when shut, all the ports are covered and the computer is sealed by rubber to guard against rainstorms (not a drizzle but heavy rain) and dust. The keyboard has a solid rubber overcoat to seal off the internals in case of accidents. There are all sorts of more precise design aspects to add to durability but you get the idea. But, one addition they have thought of is that because these are kids not only is the keyboard a bit smaller, the keys are easier to press, perfect for small, less nimble fingers.

Built in Mic? Check. Speakers and headphones? Check. Built in video camera? Check. Windows or Mac OS X? Nope. The licensing fee would probably outweigh the total cost of the computer from the get go. Now I don't put it past the Bill Gates Foundation or even Steve Jobs at Apple to offer an operating system for next to nothing or even free for a project like this but why bother? It would require a lot of time, research and money to do so when there are similar open-source (everyone can write programs for them) operating system already available. Many of the more geekier-than-thou people already run linux on their system and this computer will use the same backbone. The benefit of this is that it will be much easier for governments or whoever to write specific software aimed at localized languages for the students. Furthermore, there are already comparable applications available to almost everything you might use on the Mac or Windows computer.

The benefits of this project could be limitless. Besides providing the tools for the fundamentals, what happens when previously unseen talents in the maths and sciences are discovered? Some of the students may lack running water, sanitation and even electricity but with open doors to education these issues could be mitigated in the future. Gifted students would no longer be limited by the available resources or specialties of their teachers. The math student who excels could sit in on calculus classes hundreds or thousands of miles away, even in a second language which they have been able to study through this technology.

So, that is the basics. I didn't really mean to write so much but projects like this just excite the hell out of me and make me feel a little better about humanity. The last project that got me going was when I learned about Wikipedia which I hope most of you (any of the 4 or 5 who still read this) are aware of. I have always have had an overabundance of faith in what the internet and technology could mean for education and alleviating the economic and knowledge iniquity in the world. It is projects precisely like this that reaffirm my hopes.

thoughts about permissiveness

I'm giving myself 30 minutes on this, no more, needs to be concise. (Actually, I edited this 10/31)

Last year I was briefly in Bangkok Thailand before escaping to the beaches. Near my guesthouse was essentially a little Japan tourist town which seemed to be marketed predominately to men. Across from the hostel was a sketchy looking business where the door was sometimes left ajar. What had caught my attention was the occasional glimpses of numerous women in evening-gown style attire lined up on what looked like to be bleachers. Since I was pretty sure it wasn't some formal choir practice I asked the Australian owner of the hostel about it and he described it as sort of like an escort service. He said he thought it catered to Japanese businessmen as a a place where they choose there lady for the evening. Occasionally you would see women escorted into waiting cars or taxis outside. This was Thailand so what happened after you can only imagine.

It took a little while of living in Japan to see the correlation to those places in Thailand and how things work. One thing that caught me off guard here in Japan was what seemed to be very large pink-light districts. These usually consist of lots of love hotels which rent in three or six hours increments, your average adult novelty and video shops and large bland buildings housing various adult-oriented businesses including, but not limited to, massage parlors and hostess bars. These bars are advertised around most busy stations and at night there is usually a couple of men in suits who try to persuade businessmen into the establishment. I have talked to a lot of people about this and the general consensus is that there is no direct prostitution involved in these although some women may choose to develop relationships with the men. Instead it is a lot of over priced drinking and conversation with young ladies. But, this is also related to the business culture here in Japan. The socialization outside of work is a large part of building relationships with your colleagues and clients. So, this is all harmless on one level until one considers the exclusionary nature of meeting the place.

I know that women are free to patronize these bars as well, there is no sexism in that aspect. But, the larger question is how many women would want to? It has been emphasized by many people I have talked to (and exemplified by the tales of rarely present husbands and fathers) that these social meetings are critical in the business environment. When I discuss these places with working women, they often say they might go along to the dinner beforehand but understandably excuse themselves from the next locale. Although women have made some strides in the past couple decades, Japanese women continue to trail every other developed nation in terms of work place equality. I still hear stories of positions in the business culture reserved for men and office workers requesting tea and coffee from their female equals. But, I cannot hold all the blame on the men, although I do think their culture is sexist.

Historically, culture has dictated a rather passive role for women in Japan. Similar to America during WWII, women took over many industrial jobs for absent men but afterwards returned to the home in droves. During the economic recovery period women's roles were still far below men and there continues to be a sense of a women's place is largely in the home and if you haven't married by 30 you're a lost cause. I think the derogatory term is "Christmas Cake", meaning you can't sell christmas cake past christmas. I've heard that this is an older phrase and has gone out of use but while diminished, the comment is still a fairly common held belief. But, when I talk to wives I seldom here complaints about their husbands absence, women here often have vibrant social lives centered around their family and their own friends. When asked about what their husbands do, most say they choose not to think about it. Herein lies part of the problem.

I think women need to make the men uncomfortable. By not openly expressing disapproval they are, in essence, conceding permission silently. I say, go to the hostess bars with the men, be sure to ask about their families and next time there is a company affair be sure to complement the businessmen on how he dotes on his children when talking to the young hostess nearly the same age as his daughter. I say wives should ask about the details of their husband's outings, expressing enjoyment in knowing that they had a good time, wanting to know what they did. Ask for details and accountability, make them uncomfortable. When there are company business or recreation trips, women in the office should get together and stick together. Be sure to go along with the men in all their adventures, use your other female colleagues as support. Whatever you do, let them know that their actions will be seen and held accountable. Silently remind them that whether they like it or not, you are their equals and if they don't like your companionship they should rethink their venues and dated customs

To get back to Thailand, this is how I think it is all related. There is a permissiveness by the women and the culture in general to let "men be men, because that is their nature." Of course, anyone who has spend much time in Japan has probably noticed the absence of physical confrontation. Most Japanese men don't fight but many other cultures would argue physical violence to be in men's nature as well. Here violence goes against cemented modern day moresand is largely mitigated as a result. In contrast, what is seen is a selective permissiveness on some issues and strict rules binding other social mores. But here is what I think, by allowing men freedom to act like this, you do get more infidelity, you do get more adult oriented business, you do get more shallow relationships between husband and wives, you do get a big demand in SE Asia to cater to Japanese and other Asian men (the biggest market for the sex industry there) and you encourage the inequality of the sexes that exists here. Yes, the men need to change, but if there is no pressure put on them to do so and they see their fathers doing acting accordingly, they simply don't see anything to change. If no foul is called, players see no error in their actions.


Okay, I went over time about 4 minutes and didn't edit, at least it's written.

Recent absence and writing practice

Yo, I know I haven't been keeping this up to date but I think only a couple of you still check this anyway. I didn't even write about my trip to Kyoto and Osaka (be the way pictures, are available here) but now I'm reaching crunch time on the GRE. Taking it next week and furthermore I have to start preparation for grad school applications. That is right, I'm saying it out loud, or not really but publicly, I'm intending on going to grad school back in the States next year. Look for me on a campus in your country once again. And a bit thanks to Steven and Jessica who are already turning out to be a huge source of information and advice.

Now, to get myself prepared from some of the writing I'm going to be doing for these applications, I might be posting up some thoughts I have on different issues and things going on in the world. These are largely for my practice but any comments and criticisms would be highly appreciated so please feel free to comment away or email.