The Lure of Magic

UN Millenium Development Goal 8.7: In cooperation with the private sector, make available the benefits of new technologies - especially information and communications technologies.

Absolute bullshit.
I am one of the strong supporters of the UN, but I do think that the whole approach in the MDG is flawed.

Over the past several years, a broad international consensus has emerged that technology offers a potentially powerful mechanism for promoting social and economic growth. Several recent studies have described remarkable success in using technology to help underserved communities and to create new opportunities in developing countries.

Yet these same studies often also cite other examples of squandered resources and unfulfilled expectations, of costly technology investments that did little to improve the lives of the target community.

"the digital divide is not a problem in itself, but a symptom of deeper, more important divides: of income, development and literacy. Fewer people in poor countries than in rich ones own computers and have access to the internet simply because they are too poor, are illiterate, or have other more pressing concerns, such as food, health care and security. So even if it were possible to wave a magic wand and cause a computer to appear in every household on earth, it would not achieve very much: a computer is not useful if you have no food or electricity and cannot read." - The Economist, 10 March 2005

I think we need to move beyond this unbridled enthusiasm for technology in developing countries and replace it with pragmatic realism; one that seeks to look beyond the hype and to analyze how technology can be used sensibly and cost-effectively to promote development.

There is no technological silver bullet that can "solve" illiteracy, eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, or eliminate high child mortality rates or poor maternal health. However, I do believe that as new technologies continue to drive rapid globalization, developing countries have a unique opportunity to harness the power of information and communication technologies to address issues such as public administration, and collective education - the real drivers of a developing society.

And that is when people from the developing world will close the divide themselves.

62% nerd, 38% nerd corrupt!

Here's what Ohio State University's nerd test had to say about me:
"
Here is the result of your Nerd Purity Test.
You answered "yes" to 38 of 100 questions, making you 62.0% nerd pure (38.0% nerd corrupt); that is, you are 62.0% pure in the nerd domain (you have 38.0% nerd in you).
Your Weirdness Factor (AKA Uniqueness Factor) is 36%, based on a comparison of your test results with 378675 other submissions for this test.

The average purity for this test is 73.7%.
The first submission for this test was received June 16, 1994.
"

Soon, we may take the elevator to outer space!

I was in Taipei, the capital of R.o.C. Taiwan, earlier this week which is home to the tallest building in the world apart from rebel Chinese.

Confusion reigned - is the Petronas or the Sears Tower the tallest? Taipei 101, what is that?

After a few rounds of fisticuffs with my French colleague, and a bit of research with Uncle Google; I had to rest my case. The Petronas Towers are no longer the tallest buildings.
The Taipei 101 is the tallest building in the world.
With 101 floors, it stands tall at 1670 ft./509 m. And boy, is it ugly!

Rank	Building	Year	Floors	Height (m.)
1.	Taipei 101, Taipei, Taiwan	2004	101	509
2.	Petronas Tower 1, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	1998	88	452
3.	Petronas Tower 2, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	1998	88	452
4.	Sears Tower, Chicago	1974	110	442
5.	Jin Mao Building, Shanghai	1999	88	421
6.	Two International Finance Centre, HK	2003	88	415
7.	CITIC Plaza, Guangzhou, China	1996	80	391
8.	Shun Hing Square, Shenzhen, China	1996	69	384
9.	Empire State Building, New York	1931	102	381
10.	Central Plaza, Hong Kong	1992	78	374

Interestingly, Asia rules the roost, while Europe is still living in the renaissance period.
I ain't complaining. Compared to these finite stairways to hell, I find infinite beauty in the classical archs and domes of Europe.

Coffee Talk

It's 5 in the morning... I'm busy finishing the European Commission ECOLEAD project work...

Is the floor vibrating or am I alcohol induced?
hmmm... am I sleepy or did the building really sway like a palm tree?

Aaah... another earthquake.
It's a saturday - otherwise, someone would mention it the next day over coffee at the office...

Back to work.
Welcome to Japan :)
(This place 'rocks'!!)

Birdie? Rather Ducked!

Living in Japan, I wonder how these people manage to find land to build golf courses. But, they do. Yes, they live in capsule hotels, have tiny homes and tiny offices and tiny everything; but they have golf courses.

From my company's Vice President, to the ad exec. at Dentsu that I met on the train, to the hair stylist, to the 72-year old taxi driver who drove me today, everyone in this country is an avid golfer.

So this weekend, I set out with Tatsuki, my VP at Opera Software Japan, to try my luck at what is known to wear the crown for the most elegant sport.
Was I elegant, well...


I accept. My swing was flawed, left foot was not in position, the 7 Iron was short, too much force, and I wasn't wearing a collared T-shirt!
Come to think of it, if I had a cricket bat in my hand instead of that golf club, that swing would have taken the ball straight to the ropes at long-on! ;)
But, hey, I'm getting there... I'm getting there!

I now know what it means when Aby starts orgasming with, "When you wake up at the crack of dawn and start swinging your irons to find your rythm, to find your drive and to connect almost every ball ever so sweetly...aaaaah!"

aaahhh... that sweet "clique"... and watching the ball going like a rocket... oooohhh...

Learnings of the day:

• It's all about technique, not power.
  
• Find your style, and improvise.
• Learn to hit it straight, then try to hit it far.
• Golf is a lot tougher than you think it is!
  
• Patience, patience, patience.
• Practise, practise, practise.

Augusta is far away... but, I'm getting there... I'm getting there...