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Laptop for Every Pupil in Uruguay
Uruguay has become the first country to provide a laptop for every child attending state primary school.
President Tabaré Vázquez presented the final XO model laptops to pupils at a school in Montevideo on 13 October.
Over the last two years 362,000 pupils and 18,000 teachers have been involved in the scheme.
The "Plan Ceibal" (Education Connect) project has allowed many families access to the world of computers and the internet for the first time.
Uruguay is part of the One Laptop Per Child scheme, an organisation set up by internet pioneer Nicholas Negroponte. His original vision was to provide laptops at $100 (£61) but they proved more expensive.
The Uruguay programme has cost the state $260 (£159) per child, including maintenance costs, equipment repairs, training for the teachers and internet connection.
The total figure represents less than 5% of the country's education budget.
Around 70% of the XO model laptops handed out by the government were given to children who did not have computers at home.
"This is not simply the handing out of laptops or an education programme. It is a programme which seeks to reduce the gap between the digital world and the world of knowledge," explained Miguel Brechner, director of the Technological Laboratory of Uruguay and in charge of Plan Ceibal.
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Dads Blessings
A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.
As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautifully wrapped gift box. Curious, but somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound book, with the young man's name embossed in gold. Angry, he raised his voice to his father and said "With all your money, you give me a book?" and stormed out of the house, leaving the book.
Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.
When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father's important papers and saw the still new book, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the book and began to turn the pages. And as he did, a car key dropped from the back of the book. It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words PAID IN FULL.
How many times do we miss Spirit's blessings and answers to our prayers because they do not arrive exactly as we have expected? What do you think the name of the book was?
TODAY'S's affirmation: "Today I look beyond the obvious and allow miracles to be created in my life."
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Ciara
Ciara Princess Harris (born October 25, 1985), who performs under the mononym Ciara is an American recording artist, producer, dancer, fashion model, and actress. Born in Austin, Texas, Ciara made her debut in the summer of 2004 with the Billboard number-one single "Goodies". The album Goodies was released in the United States on September 28, 2004, and in the UK on January 24, 2005. It produced three top two singles on the Billboard Hot 100, selling three million in U.S and over five million worldwide.
Ciara's second album, Ciara: The Evolution, was released in December 2006. It has spawned the Billboard Hot 100 top ten hit "Get Up", and the R&B/Hip-Hop Charts top ten hits "Promise", "Like a Boy", and "Can't Leave 'em Alone". To date, the album, which went platinum only five weeks after its release, has sold more than one million copies in the U.S. and three million worldwide.
Ciara's third studio album, Fantasy Ride, was released in the United States on May 5, 2009. The first official single, the R&B/Hip-Hop Charts top ten hit "Never Ever", features rapper Young Jeezy and was released in January 2009. The second single, the worldwide hit "Love Sex Magic" featuring Justin Timberlake, was released in March 2009. Since its release, the single became a hit on numerous charts, including the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at number 10. The third single, "Like a Surgeon" and fourth single "Work" were both released in July 2009.
It was confirmed in September 2009 that Ciara has been working with Tricky Stewart and The-Dream on her yet-to-be titled fourth studio album. The project was originally intended for a 2009 release, but is now likely due for a 2010 release. It will be produced and written entirely by the trio.
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Sundays
Hi Ayse,
How are you? It is Sunday today and we are all at home. It is cold outside because it is snowing. There are a lot of children in front of our house and they are playing in the snow.
My father always reads the newspaper in the mornings but now he isn’t reading. He’s watching tv. My mother isn’t watching tv because she is ironing my father’s trousers.
My brother is listening to music and dancing in his room. I usually surf on the internet but now I’m writing a composition for my English class.
We are spending a day at home together...
Take care of yourself.
Vildan
Vildan Bozbey
Level 2
ENGLISH TIME
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It Could Have Been Worse
James is walking on a downtown street one day, and he happens to see his old high school friend, Harry, a little ways up ahead.
"Harry, Harry, how are you?" he greets his old buddy after getting his attention.
"Not so good," says Harry.
"Why, what happened?" James queries.
"Well," Harry says, "I just went bankrupt and I've still got to feed my family. I don't know what I'm going to do."
"Could have been worse," James replies calmly. "Could have been worse."
A month or so later, James again encounters Harry, in a restaurant.
"And how are things now?" he asks.
"Terrible!" says Harry. "Our house burned down last night."
"Could have been worse," says James, again with total aplomb, and goes about his business.
A month later, James runs into Harry a third time.
"Well, how goes it?" he inquires.
"Oh!" says Harry. "Things just get worse and worse. It's one tragedy after another! Now my wife has left me!"
Harry nods his head and gives his usual optimistic-seeming little smile, accompanied by his usual words: "could have been worse."
This time Harry grabs James by the shoulders.
"Wait a minute!" he says. "I'm not gonna let you off so easy this time. Three times in the past few months we've run into one another, and every time I've told you the latest disaster in my life. Every time you say the same thing--"could have been worse."
This time, for God's sake, Harry, I want you to tell me--How in Heaven's name could it have been any worse?"
James looks at Harry with the same little wisp of a smile.
"Could have been worse," he says. "Could have happened to me!"
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be broke
be without money.
"No, I can't lend you ten dollars. I'm completely broke until payday."
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The oldest known shipwreck on Earth was found and excavated in Uluburun near Kas, in the Mediterranean region of Turkey.
Ephesus and Halicarnasus (the place for the two of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world) are in Turkey.
The first Neolithic paintings found on man-made walls are in Catalhöyük, Turkey.
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