One laptop per Child; except in New Orleans

So today I sent my third and final email to the people at One Laptop Per Child.

The idea being that a laptop computer can be produced for about $140, and it can be used to bring computational power and skills to children everywhere in the world.

In my prior two emails, I put on what I thought was a fairly convincing argument why New Orleans would be the perfect proving ground for this machine.

1. The school system is devastated. We have little if any computing infrastructure
2. We have a free local wireless network, courtesy of earthlink
3. The people eligible for this were decimated by the failure of the federal floodwalls, and could use the help
4. It would be a big PR event for the organization

Of course, they have not responded. Today was my last polite attempt at contact.

Let us recap:

Nobody cares
Nobody will help us but us
Sinn Fein

Edit: hey, they replied! With a form letter, telling me to ask here. So I did.

Comments

[barbawit]

It's been aparent to me for a while that no one can help us but ourselves. Didn't know if you saw this they have nixed the free wi fi

http://www.nola.com/business/t-p/index.ssf?/base/money-3/1161237353252250.xml&coll=1

[ashley Morris]

Yeah, the city free wifi is going bye bye, but the Earthlink free wifi is supposed to be here and free "as long as we are rebuilding".

[GentillyGirl]

Ashley, my Betty was working on a similar concept for Africa. Her company wasz to be the supplier. (My dying laptop was the prototype. About $500, but fully loaded.)

She would like to know how she can help. I'm going to use my political channels to see if they can help.

Laptops for New Orleans' kids!

Sinn Fein!

[wayan]

I don't think Negroponte will be interested in helping you for two very big reasons: domestic IT companies and teacher's unions.

The tech companies hate him already for pushing margins lower and teachers' unions will come for blood when they hear of his implementation plan: magic.

http://www.olpcnews.com/implementation/plan/implementation_miracle.html

[ashley]

As a result of the flood, we have no teacher's union. None.

The domestic IT companies don't care at all about New Orleans, or they would have done something post-K. AFAIK, the only ones that have helped us are Earthlink and Cisco, neither of whom are threatened by OPLC.

As for Negroponte's "magic", well hell, I'll volunteer to help, as I imagine many teachers/CS types will.

[ashley]

On December 9, somebody deleted this from the 'questions' link. I added it back...

[ashley]

Once again, I added it to the OLPC questions. They fucking hate us, and want us to die.

[gordon m. cagnolatti]

our neighborhood organization carrollton/riverbend is attempting to get OLPC for James Weldon Johnson elementary school, 1800 Monroe st.
we are researching ways of financing this, any suggestions?

gordon cagnolatti
crime/education chairman
504.231.7866c

[Juno888]

As for Negroponte's "magic", well hell, I'll volunteer to help, as I imagine many teachers/CS types will.