10 December |
|
Human Rights Day |
|
Here is a newsletter About.com sent me - you
can get it too.
December 10, 1999 is Human Rights Day.
------------------------------------------------
Each year around this time, human rights groups recognize
Human Rights Day by releasing reports, launching campaigns,
and calling for action. This year is no different. Here is
a sample:
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL/SIERRA CLUB
Amnesty International USA and the Sierra Club have launched
a joint campaign to protect environmental defenders and
indigenous peoples.
http://www.defendtheearth.org
LAWYERS COMMITTEE
As part of Human Rights Day, the Lawyers Committee is
focusing on the Refugee Protection Act introduced in the
Senate on November 17.
http://www.lchr.org
OMCT and FIDH
The World Organization Against Torture (OMCT) and the
International Federation of Human Rights Leagues (FIDH) have
released the second annual Report of The Observatory for the
Protection of Human Rights.
http://www.omct.org/obs/99report.htm
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
Human Rights Watch has released its annual report as well.
The report is 517 pages and covers developments in 68
countries.
http://www.hrw.org/wr2k/
TAKE THE POLL
Is the human rights situation worldwide improving? Or, is it
getting worse?
http://humanrights.about.com
This is a special issue of the About Human Rights
newsletter. The next regular issue will be published the
week of December 13, 1999.
------------------------------------------------
Kevin Reid
Human Rights
http://humanrights.about.com
email: humanrights.guide@about.com
---------------------------------
*About This Newsletter*
To add a new email address or remove your email address from this
newsletter, visit: http://HUMANRIGHTS.about.com
and
click the subscribe or unsubscribe button.
This newsletter comes courtesy of About.com, the Net's only network of
sites led by expert human guides. If you have friends who might enjoy
this
mailing, please feel free to forward it to them. To subscribe to more
of
About.com's hundreds of other free newsletters go to:
http://home.about.com
To start your exploration of About.com visit http://home.about.com
|
|
Urban Legends - Cultural |
Big Smile here. One of those things to remind us just how human
the Net is. E-mail
hoax - if you have a grasp on this then you are truly
wise to the world
|
|
Linux and $$,$$$,$$$ - E-Commerce and Tech |
The power of Open source development is evident here. I wonder
how all the Linux techies feel about someone else cashing in on all
this. The end result is that with all the money comes a
legitimate competitor with Microsoft. And that is what every one
needs. Specially Microsoft. Long
live the Net.
|
9
December |
|
Virtual Worlds - Interactive Industry |
The best examples of a real virtual
world are RPGs (Role Playing Games). Why? Because they are the most impressive graphically and communication
wise. Here is an article showing the industry trend toward huge fantastical
environments, and also gives the feel of immersion that
is promised in the coming 2nd generation voice chat worlds. Hopefully one of the projects discussed will go Voice.
Then the
industry will discover the main attraction is not the game. At
least one of the projects discussed has the potential to find that
out.
And here is a link to Neocron
which I put out a while back. I have a suspicion this one was
really meant as just a virtual chat world but now has some game
elements for those that want them.
|
|
Interesting Stat - Tech |
Look in the middle of the page for "The
Consumer Explosion". A piece of hard
evidence for the positive future. And why not. Where has
the world been for the last 10 years. Okay I'm blabbering.
J
|
|
New lease on Life - Social Consciousness |
Start this moons giving act early. Toys
for Tots goes on line and sees a growing future once
people get used to looking for their favorites on-line.
|
8
December |
|
New .coms - E-commerce and Entrepreneurs |
A commentary on the craziness of IPOs (Initial Public Offering).
This one goes negative on the silliness. But maybe that isn't
what the market is saying. The stock market is also a reflection
on our faith in technology. And there is a lot of
well founded faith.
|
|
3D to BE - Interactive Industry |
A very insightful article from the journalist sector on the coming
virtual worlds!! This is a rare one folks. Raises all the
questions and the possible futures. Totally
up in the air! Finally
getting close enough that the possibilities are taken seriously.
|
|
Bit o Humor - Cultural? :) |
Here's one to goof off with. The eternally
forwarding e-mail circle. And they say the Net
isn't alive and breathing.
|
|
A New Millennium - The Net |
The year the world wakes up. Here is the best news years
resolution yet. A lot of new experiments to bring the net
to every corner of the Earth are coming. Its very
exciting to see politicians get excited.
|
7 December - a Newmoon |
|
WTO Overload - Cultural and Commerce |
I ripped this straight from Slate since most of the links go to Slate
anyway. Very handy for you and I
Clinton critics called the
talks "an
embarrassment" and accused the administration of
failing to make a clear case for free trade. Protesters hailed it as a
victory for their movement, which they claimed had
turned public opinion against the WTO. But delegates chalked up the
collapse to "the complexity and novelty of the issues, [which]
strained the capacity of delegations to make decisions." (In
"Frame
Game," William Saletan dissects the debate between
the WTO's critics and defenders, and in "The
Dismal Science," Paul Krugman argues that the
WTO's opponents have it all wrong. "Pundit
Central" sums up analysts' reactions to the
hubbub.)
|
|
Turn On - Cultural |
Don't know why this kind of article excites me. On the positive
interpretation maybe it is just the excitement of the times. The
author in this article literally laughs at the poor old clubs venting
against the interface we know and love as the personal computer.
The Millennium
comes
|
|
Digital Divide - Socially Conscious |
The Secretary of Commerce is going after the racial
gap in info-tech. This article has some other
links in the sidebar.
|
6 December |
|
One Day to Newmoon - Social Consciousness |
If you want to get in a monthly social conscious act here is one to
try. Women's Rights are up on the Congressional billet. Go
to this site and you can send off one of the automated
letters.
|
|
Evil Surfing - Cultural |
An interesting exploration of censoring the family web surfing.
The overall message is that the fear industry wins. Insightful
|
|
Once a week too much? - Off Subject |
Okay this is way off subject. But for history it is pretty dang
interesting. To outer space and back even. If you know
anything about Gus Grissom or remember the movie "The
Right Stuff" then this is very good news. It
looks like he didn't "screw the pooch" after all. And
as an extra bennie here is the site with a live cam
shot of the capsule
|
|
3D Royalty - Tech from Interactive Industry |
Here is an article making the latest ruler of 3D cards out be the
ruler of the next millennium. Interesting
but it won't hold the crown for even a year.
|
|
3D Camera 2 - Interactive Industry |
Remember the Minolta that can produce a 3D model of an object so you
can look at it from all sides? Here
is the Hype from Minolta on this months product of
tech.
|
5
December |
|
About Webcam Stars - Cultural |
This is interesting the first time or 2 and then its just a new take
on the personal web page. What is the net doing for these
people? Maybe it makes some rcord diaries and thoughts they may
not have taken the time for:
DivaCam
You can view her cam, but don't stop there. Read this WebDiva's
journal, view her cam directory, and take a peek into her photo
gallery.
netconference.about.
JulieCam
She borrowed a cam from a friend one day and now she is hooked.
JulieCam is broadcast from her work, so be sure to stop by and give
her a cheerful hello.
http://netconference.about.com
DNA Cam
This cammer feels that people can really relate to others when they
can see who they are chatting with, so why not go visit him and put
this theory to the test.
http://netconference.about.com
Phatcam
I found myself spending several minutes reading this guys diary and
being amused by his site. The way he incorporates his life with a bit
of humor is tremendous. It's a must see!
http://netconference.about.com
|
|
Twilight Minds - Cultural and Tech |
|
An outstanding open source project! They want to create an
artificial intelligence package to be used in any program to simulate
behavior. Look under their projects.
You will also notice a teaser for what sounds like a virtual world!
|
|
What Its About! - WWW |
|
This is the perfect article capturing the positive nature of the net
and letting anyone get their creativity seen. If its good
then the Net
says Yes. Its about letting the customer reviews
lead us and some great examples such as self publishing that
novel. Lets just shake everything up.
|
|
Wrap up for the WTO - E-Commerce Social Conscious |
|
Now that it is all over and all of us are wondering what was really
accomplished, I will try to find some good coverage over the next
week. There have to be some of those great journalists working
on it right now. What I have noticed is that since no one really
has the full scoop the whole event has been played every wich
way. Stay tuned...
|
4
December |
|
Ship 2 |
|
Here's the web site for that dream boat from yesterday. This
project captures a lot about the power of the future. But mixed
on what it really says. Exciting yet it also says something
else...
Power of community?
or power of money?
|
|
Too Fast? - Tech |
|
It's amazing how history can't be learned. I have talked to
people who say there is no need for the faster processor. I do
agree on one point. The speed has perhaps for
the first time out stripped the mainstream applications
but not for any application or end use of the interactive
industry. This is exactly what is needed. There is already
a shortage of skilled workers and now with former Silicon Graphic
$50,000 machines no longer needed... we can catch up a little by
people self training with shareware tools to make those programs of tomorrow.
Those incredible 2nd generation virtual worlds that will need a 2 giga
processor. The makers of Windows and Linux etc. will be making
us by the 2002 versions with the added voice recognition
etc. blah blah blah - sorry got on a hottie there J
|
|
Corporate Follow Up - Social Consciousness |
|
Wired has it all today. This is a
continuation from an article of last week. The corporate givers
deserve the recognition. Maybe some of this hoopla will spank
some of the Silicon Valley. Specially the new IPO's that should
know what giving
away money is all about. Might have to give some
of them the benefit of the doubt for a few years.
|
|
Crucial Step - WWW and E-Commerce |
|
This is an exciting point. Like the changes in the music
industry and any other. The skilled will get recognition for
their (non publisher company hyped) book. Getting reviews will
legitimize and encourage the consumption of your novel if it is
deserving. Long
live the Net.
|
|
3D Hype - Interactive Industry and Interface |
|
Every one is coming at it from different angles. But the outcome
will be too exciting to describe and sooner than we usually
think. Dreamers
at every level of capital resource are chasing down
virtual reality. This website has a growing future.
|
| |
