OpenCyc 0.9 Released
Long ago, in a farwaway galaxy, we looked at the work of Doug Lenat and the Cyc group as a resource for mapping knowledge about History.

Cyc knows many things, like:
(altitudeOfHighestPointIs Ireland-TheNation (Meter 1041))
and
When people die, they stay dead. (If you think the latter sounds petty, try asking Google about a living person).

Here is a great article on Lenat, Cyc, and commonsense computing.

Some of you will someday use Cyc to aid learners. Maybe you'll start now.

Bill Gates: US High Schools Obsolete
"'America's high schools are obsolete,' Gates said. 'By obsolete, I don't just mean that they're broken, flawed or underfunded, though a case could be made for every one of those points. By obsolete, I mean our high schools _ even when they're working as designed _ cannot teach all our students what they need to know today.'"

The Slashot discussion on this is interesting. And one reader points out that Gates echoes the views of the Aspen Institute.

EduVision: Home
An interesting project by the UN and others to deliver wireless instructional media to Africa. Now, if we could get it in Silicon Valley...

Survive Dicken's London Game BBC
Great game - although I had trouble with it after awhile.

Losing Our Future The Urban Institute; The Civil Rights Project at Harvard University
That sad 50% story again.

TiVo Home Media Engine SDK
The homepage for TIVO's Home Media Engine SDK is on Sourceforge. There's also a TIVO Developer Challenge.

Macromedia - Press Room : NOKIA SIGNS LICENSING AGREEMENT WITH MACROMEDIA

American Dream: Three Women, Ten Kids, and a Nation's Drive to End Welfare - Jason Deparle
Both The Nation and National Review praised this, so Mr. Deparle must have something going. PBS Newshour (Paul Solmon) did a great piece with Deparle and the families. It's touching to see one former welfare woman tell her Congressman, "No. Don't take my work. I love my work."

It's also clear that we still need to help families like these ...with an overhauled wage laws and education system.

Jazz Composer Nabs Grammy After Web-Only Sales | Yahoo! News
The web continues to change the world...

Colonial Williamsburg Electronic Field Trips

Boston - CVB 1.5 - The Map Network
OK, Google Maps launched, and it is cool. (I have beandwidth). But eye this Map of Boston from the Map Network and Advantage Boston.

The Economics of Sharing 0 comments

V CAST
VerizonWireless has created this interactive that lets you explore a city block, park, or beach.

Jefferson's West: An Electronic Field Trip from Colonial Williamsburg