01/03/04 03:34 - ID#30676

Poverty

Poverty, especially child poverty is an extremly sad problem, wherever it ocurrs. I find the statistics that Ajay posted to be eye opening and agree that I feel we can best affect our local community. However, for comparison's sake, I have also been to Northern Africa and I have seen the ghetto in Compton outside of LA. While I can say Compton seems more dangerous (boarded up, gun shot holes in windows and stop signs, the poor in Northern Africa were starving and suffering at a completely different level.

The poor in Africa were also ostracized in a differnt way and had no access to any governmental services. I am not saying that we have a amazing social welfare program, in comparison to western Europe or other places, but we at least have one and some people can live off it. Especially, those with children.

Another comparitive issue is that while it is true that many people ingore and reject the homeless in our neighborhood, I also do not believe that they feel in any way, for example like the untouchables in India or other oppressed people in poverty whose place is determined by religious beliefs or caste.

Lastly, I would like to commend the chruch across of the street from me on Lafayette and Elmwood for feeding the poor in our neighborhood on a daily basis. I see them waiting outside for food each day, and in some way during that waiting period when they are all together, I get the feeling they are also experiencing a form of community.

So what I am trying to say is that I agree with Ajay and lets work to help our local community but lets also no forget that even our poor are living in the richest country in the world.

By the way S. Ross is in town. The same Sara from our homeless fund raiser sleepout in 1989.

Missing Image ;(

Permalink: Poverty.html
Words: 320
Location: Buffalo, NY

01/03/04 12:55 - ID#30674

Cooperative Learning

I just recevied an email from freecooperation.org that had a link to the Creative Commons Site. It has a great Flash animation/video about their cause. It is like opensource learning. They mention that MIT and Rice are adding their course work to this Creative Commons Concept. Check it out

Permalink: Cooperative_Learning.html
Words: 57
Location: Buffalo, NY

01/02/04 03:37 - ID#30673

I decied to go with the confirm the email idea. Now when a new user signs up , the server sends them an email with a link in order to confirm the email address. This should end any communication problems. The journals are also non-public by default, at least until the user turns it on by following the instructions in their email. This allows should finally end the empty journals in the list problem, that so many people were ocmplaining about.

Permalink: Sign_Up_Fixes.html
Words: 80
Location: Buffalo, NY

01/02/04 01:01 - ID#30672

The Post Party

So we were up all night celebrating the New Year. I finally fell asleep near Chris and Chris which ended up making me mega-allergic and asthmatic today. Unfrotunately, I ran out of inhaler last month and Matthew took all my natural astma medicine so I was out of luck and spent the day sleeping.

At one poin tI decided to chaneg the sheets but could get so little air that it actually tired me out and I had to go back to sleep.

Permalink: The_Post_Party.html
Words: 83
Location: Buffalo, NY

01/01/04 01:08 - ID#30671

Happy New Years

Is that how you would want to celebrate New Years, singing "I'm proud to be an American" while being herded by riot police. Fuck you American Freedom.

Permalink: Happy_New_Years.html
Words: 29
Location: Buffalo, NY

12/31/03 11:19 - ID#30670

Kimya

I just realized you are not coming to my birthday cause you are in England. I love you.

Luckily, Sara is coming home so I am still able to go on.

Permalink: Kimya.html
Words: 33
Location: Buffalo, NY

12/31/03 06:47 - ID#30669

More Avatar Stuff

I finished my write-up on the avatars I made. Check it out

Permalink: More_Avatar_Stuff.html
Words: 20
Location: Buffalo, NY

12/31/03 02:21 - ID#30668

Necessary Changes

The site will need some necessary changes for 2004 and one of them is the sign up process. It seems that people still don't realize that when you sign up you are expected to publish a jounral. There is no other reason to signUp. I think some people are still under the impression that you have to sign up to be a reader.

To deal with this and not end up having many empty journals in the list . I started turning journals off from public view. You can see a list of all of the hidden journals and other statistics at

The people with hidden journals can easily update and turn them via their update page. I think I am going ot make an automated system that turns your journal off when you sign up until your first post. Then if you ever reach 0 posts by deleting all of your entries (jesse) you will once again reach 0 status and then get hidden.

Permalink: Necessary_Changes.html
Words: 169
Location: Buffalo, NY

12/30/03 09:54 - ID#30667

New Avatars

I am working on some new avatars, I will and links to more pics once I have time. The avatar file sthemselves are deigned in Maya but are made to be easily skianble by other users.

Permalink: New_Avatars.html
Words: 40
Location: Buffalo, NY

12/30/03 03:20 - ID#30666

Zip Code Risk Statistics

The zip code risk finder that Rachel posted seems to have some gliches. For example compare 14217 and 14222. They are both in Erie county yet ones says the county is in the top 10% dirtiest and the other in the top 30% dirtiest. Test it out and see hwat you think.

Permalink: Zip_Code_Risk_Statistics.html
Words: 48
Location: Buffalo, NY

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