The Hi-tech Hand Crank

This attempt to bring the Internet to Laosian villages via wireless networks, low-wattage computers, and hand-crank generators is one of the Web?s hot stories right now. It?s the brainchild of Bay Area genius Lee Felsenstein, whose organization needs money to get the system in place before the monsoon season. Will people be as generous with him as they were with another Web charity hit, the New York chic chick who raised more than enough Internet donations to pay off her towering Bloomies bills? I'll let you know…

Comments

[Just Some Poor Schmuck]

Actually the correct usage is "Lao villages"

[Nancy Lebovitz]

There's been some discussion at http://www.nielsenhayden.com/electrolite/ about whether you meant "look at how obnoxious the Lao project is to ask for money" or "let's find out whether usenet charity is willing to fund something good as well as something inappropriate". I'm inclined toward the former, but I hope you'll weigh in on the subject.

[TomHynes]

Would a $10,000 U.S. Navy developed hand crank help?

Look at
http://www.dodsbir.net/solicitation/navy031.htm
for the Navy's SBIR topics this cycle, topic N03-096.

Your tax dollars at work.

[Nancy Lebovitz]

My apologies--I meant inclined toward the *latter*--the more benevolant interpretation. It was a thinko.

[Sara]

From what I've read, I'm definitely behind the Lao Project and hope people donate.