(no subject)

After 7 failed attempts (4 semesterly applications and 3 appeals), I've finally been granted California residency for tuition purposes! The first time they denied me it was because I lived more than 30 days rent-free with my ex-boyfriend (appeal denied as well), the second time they denied it was because my mom had taken out a federal parent loan to help me (appeal denied as well), the third time they denied it again because of that parent loan, and the fourth time (this semester) was for murky reasons referring to "those other times we denied you," which didn't hold up under the appeal.

The appeal acceptance letter is addressed to "Mr. Morgan Ames" - I hope that doesn't throw a wrench into things. :~) (I almost discounted it as junk mail because of that.)

Also, my car passed the smog test today. Turns out all I needed to do to pass the first time was to warm my car up really well before the test ... $90 later ...

Tonight I saw Mozart's opera Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute). I loved the music, but the plot was a bit silly, and much too obsessed with freemasons (of which both Mozart and the librettist were members). I definitely like modern operas better.

ICT4B project idea - what I decided on, and what I'd rather do

The ICT4B project proposal I put in on Wednesday was about surveying efforts in digital government - what developed countries are doing (and how it's working and not working), what developing countries are doing (and how it's working and not working - especially with lack of infrastructure and strings-attached hardware), and metrics for a successful e-government.

Of course, on Thursday I thought of a project I'd rather do. So much of the raw materials for technological gadgets comes out of Africa, for pittance prices (for the raw materials themselves, and for the labor). There's so much talk about the cheapness of technology, but what are the consequences, in terms of the welfare of these countries? And if countries were able to get what they "should" for these materials (this is something I'd have to pin down much better if I choose to pursue this idea), how much would, say, my laptop REALLY cost?