Here is a very worthwhile project.  The offer only stands till Nov 27.

Forwarded message in internet 'passalong':

I have been involved in a similar laptop designed in Victoria by
Mercurial Communication.   This design is much better than my own.

The idea is to design a solar powered laptop that is very economical in
power and has a long range WIFI internet card.   This could substitute
for textbooks in school.   It would save both trees and money since it
is being sold for only $200 and is rugged enough to last right through
public school to high school.   Thailand, India and Brazil are buying
them.     Apparently textbooks cost 10 times more than this.   There is
now are open source (free) textbook projects creating material in world
languages for education that use the tool.

This is a non-profit organization and for $400 you get two laptops ...
one will be sent to children far away.   I just bought one of these tax
deductable laptops ... not a bad machine for a traveller.   Can be solar
powered too.   Comes with built in software for the internet, mail and
writing.   Even has a camera for Skype conference calls.

The OLPC (One Laptop Per Child) foundation is a non profit organization
from MIT.   MIT designed a small laptop especially designed for solar
operation in third world countries.   It is to replace textbooks, and in
those countries the laptop is sold for under $180 or so.  There are
open source textbooks that can be transmitted to the class.  So far
several hundred thousand of them have been purchaced in countries like
India and Brazil.

The OLPC foundation for the next few days is offering, for a donation of
$400, you get one laptop yourself and one is sent to a country like
India or Thailand for school use.   It is a tax deductable donation for
$200.

This laptop comes bundled with  Firefox browser, Thunderbird Mail, Skype (plus a camera), drawing programs, chatting programs, as well as adobe type reader programs.   
It also has a remarkable set of antennas for reaching distant WIFI stations.   It has 3 USB ports for peripherals.    It is set up to be either plugged in to 12 volts, or it can be solar or "pull cord"
powered.    He can read about it on the site.    I think there is a lot to learn about efficient use of power.   The best guys at MIT have worked on it intensively for 3 years and now it is in production.

Here is the link ... http://www.laptopgiving.org/en/index.php  

There are only a few days left in the offer.


WHEE MD Observations

Help others/ help ourselves is a great initiative. If you're flush, you can find a child privately to whome you can donate your second one.

Blessings

Dan