Category: Mind Space

Need a Favor?

A new website, Favorville, is all about people helping people. It’s international yet dedicated to the local. It’s easy to help people, all you have to do is register and tag what things you are good at and what favors you can provide. The site is international in its reach but also thrives on communities helping each other in the real world. A really neat idea!

It’s a fantastic social experiment because it connects people who can help each other out. Need a favor? Can help someone help? Be sure to check out Favorville.

Software for Starving Students

Software for Starving Students is a collection of open source software one can download for free. It includes an office suite, firefox, and its own user-friendly interface.
Good software
From the site:

We created the SSS CD because we love open source software and want to help make it more accessible to students all around the world. Although all students need good software to be successful, many have a hard time getting it on student budgets. We empathize with them because we’ve felt that pinch ourselves. This software enables students to achieve more for less, and that inspires us. People all over the world are using free software to make their lives better.

Chile, Liberia Elect First Female Leaders

ChileFormer political prisoner, Michelle Bachelet, ran for president of Chile and has won with 53% majority with almost 98% of the vote counted. The left-leaning politician has now become the first female president in the country, the female vote is argued to have made the majority happen.

Bachelet’s family has a legacy of challenging bad politicians, with her father protesting Pinochet.
Liberia
In related news, Africa has its first ever elected female leader in the state of Liberia. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is inaugurated today as Liberia’s 23rd president. She aims to fight corruption within government and to rebuild the country after a massive civil war.

Thanks, Justin!

Women Gain Independence in Pakistan

Necessity is proclaimed to be the mother of invention, and in quake-hit Pakistan, necessity also seems to advance human rights. Women in Pakistan have traditionally been granted few freedoms, but the recent surge of NGOs and the need for money have both provided women with chances to work – something unimaginable a few years ago.

It’s comforting to see that even if disaster good things can happen.

From the article:

Rights workers say there has been a big change in attitudes towards women and work.

“It is a sudden and vast change,” said Raja Nawaz, project coordinator with the International Human Rights Observer organisation.

“Before this disaster, it was very difficult to get females to work in the private sector or in the NGO sector. It’s astonishing that women have started working outside their homes.”

Charcoal Can Curb Cancer

Making art, by using charcoal, water colours, pencils, or other artistic utensils can significantly reduce a patients perception of pain and anxieties from cancer.

It seems that it is essential that the person making the art actually uses it to express themselves, meaning that simply sketching isn’t enough. Before the program started the subjects were asked to rate their pain using a scale, and afterwards they were asked to rate their pain.

Those involved in the study enjoyed how it allowed them to put their mind towards something positive, away from the negative feelings of pain.