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I don’t know if this is supposed to make the rest of us feel like complete imbeciles or what, but India has just come out with a $35.00 laptop. I’m calling Apple stat!

This dream project is a Linux-based touch screen device that looks to be iPad inspired without the hefty price tag. The student project turned government innovation first emerged with a composition bill of $47.00, an incredible drop from the One Laptop per Child program’s $99.00 computer system.

At first the laptop was developed for the Indian government by research teams at the Indian Institute of Technology and the Indian Institute of Science. Now that the product is garnering so much publicity, it is already in talks with global manufacturers to begin mass production.

Once the Indian government finds a manufacturer for their product business is expected to skyrocket. The new design is just one of the latest low-cost manufacturing deals India has to offer the world. In the past few years the Indian government has released a compact Nano car for just under $3,000 U.S., a $16.00 water purifier, and a $2,000 open-heart surgery.

The most mind-blowing characteristic of the newly unveiled computer is that not only will it be profitable for investors, but it is making computer access more readily available to millions all across the globe. Falling hardware costs and intelligent design templates make such a cheap price tag a plausible idea.

The laptop doesn’t have a hard disk. Instead it uses a memory much like cell phones. The tablet design cuts hardware costs and the use of open source software adds to the savings.

The basic touch screen technology is designed with students in mind.

The project is part of an ambitious education technology initiative instated by the Indian government. They hope it brings Internet connectivity to 25,000 colleges and 504 universities so that study materials will be more accessible. The current prototype carries Web browsers, a PDF reader and video conferencing capability, along with room to add more components. It even includes a solar-powered energy saving option that is available at additional cost.

As of right now, 8,500 schools have been linked in, and nearly 500 online courses and video-based lectures have been uploaded for use on portals like YouTube. The ultimate hope is to have the product in classrooms by 2011 when the price could drop to a staggering $20. The subsequent goal is for the laptops to sell for no more than $10 each.

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I hope I’m not alone when I say I’m a huge fan of the multiple Real Housewives series on Bravo. I tune in every season for the antics of the women from the different cities. Right now, I’m glued to the New Jersey housewives; it’s probably my favorite one. I just saw the explosive weave-pulling debacle and fight. Despite the drama, however, one part of the storyline this season has really stuck out to me. Caroline Manzo’s son, Albie, was told he could not return to his law school. When he appealed because of his learning disability, he was told that he should rethink his choice of career since he would not make a suitable lawyer with such a disability. Manzo’s struggle has sparked a lot of discussion.

Students with learning disabilities struggle and have to work much harder than the average student. Manzo said it would take him three times to read a paragraph before he fully understood it, so naturally it took him longer to get work accomplished. According to what he said on the show, he needed a 2.0 to stay in school; he received a 1.9, which is why he appealed to his school’s board. The school also allegedly knew that Manzo had a learning disability when he was admitted.

I couldn’t find numbers or research on law school students with disabilities; they seem to be an underrepresented population. But many schools do have resources for students with disabilities.

At my own university, we have the McBurney Disability Resource Center. This department exists solely to assist students with disabilities. Services range from note-taking to signing for hearing-impaired students to providing alternative testing times and sites. They also teach skills to students with learning disabilities to help them study and achieve success.

The center acts as a resource for UW Law School students. The law school itself has a Student-Faculty Committee on Disabilities which handles policy issues pertaining to students with disabilities and acts as an advocate on behalf of students. Another interesting program for law students is the Mentor Program for Law Students with Disabilities. This program is conducted by the American Bar Association and matches students with practicing lawyers who have a similar disability. It demonstrates that lawyers with disabilities can and do succeed.

The fact that there are resources like these makes me wonder why Manzo’s law school took such a negative attitude. Although the public doesn’t know all the details, I believe that schools should aid students in their quest for success, including helping students with learning disabilities. Some say this generation of young people has been deceived; our parents have told us we can do anything, and the reality is that we probably can’t. I don’t believe this. I applaud Albie Manzo and other students with learning disabilities. We are only daunted by what we allow to daunt us. We can all learn from Manzo to fight for what we want and never give up.

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What lasted over 85 days, threatened as many as 400 species, continues to ravage delicate ecosystems and will likely take over a decade to clean up? If you have turned on a television or read a newspaper since April, you would know that it’s one of the largest oil spills in history with millions of gallons of oil spewed to date. A massive explosion triggered by methane gas igniting on the 9-year-old semi-submersible mobile offshore drilling unit, the Deepwater Horizon, on April 20, 2010, killed 11 rig workers on site and injured 17 others. It’s a global tragedy now surpassing the gravity of the Exxon spill in 1989 and on par with the 1979 Ixtoc oil spill in total volume released. Maybe now it’s time to look critically at the alternative energy sources which pose no damaging risks to preserve what’s left of our future.

The lack of response and solution to the BP oil spill has certainly left a bad taste in terms of reliability and measures to protect safety that should have been implemented or executed much better. Why does it take a catastrophe for companies to re-examine policies and procedures that should have been solid and dependable in the first place? Instead, our ecology faces frightening realities such as oxygen depletion, petroleum toxicity, thousands upon thousands of wildlife at risk, and ultimately a complete shift in Earth’s natural order. Other factors such as fishery, tourism and local businesses are being gravely affected and will continue to be for quite some time.

It is not a secret that oil is a sought-after commodity. We rely upon it for daily use and consumption, especially as North American citizens. It has spurned wars and international debates. What if there was an alternative so the bloodshed and detriment could be seized or at least, reduced? We need to go first to the primary source of consumption, our vehicles. By increasing fuel economy standards from the low 20s mpg to mid 30s mpg, we will be making a drastic difference by saving over 1.2 billion barrels of oil annually. Hybrid-electric vehicles and utilizing natural sources of energy such as cellulosic ethanol produced from the fiber of plants like switchgrass could reduce emissions by up to 94% compared to gasoline. Cellulosic gasoline is already in production and is believed to potentially replace 133 million barrels of oil by 2030. By tapping into technologies we already have and expanding on them, we can save a great deal of money and more importantly, our planet.

Other renewable energy sources such as solar power, wind power and geothermal energy can equally be explored and expanded to make oil drilling and its hazards a thing of the past. Once we have invested the initial funding into these projects, the return on our investment will be greater on an economical and ecological level, as well as on the overall lifespan of our planet and its inhabitants!

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My roommates and I have been really excited to go see a psychic for a while now. We finally went to a place near campus. Services ranged from tarot to palmistry to psychic predictions and combinations of all three. I chose to have my palms read.

The psychic took both of my hands and started examining them — pretty standard, like what you see on TV or in the movies. However, my expectations were a little bit dashed. I probably knew in the back of my mind it wouldn’t be a complete success. She gave me some generalizations about my personality, life and what to expect in the future. Not exactly the kind of predictions I was looking for though. I think I have this secret hope like a lot of people that there are some psychics who might just be the real deal and offer something really incredible.

So I wondered if I could see the same things the psychic had when she looked at my hands. I found information on palmistry and started to decipher for myself. I found out that not only are lines important to palm reading but so are traits like the fingers, flexibility of the hand and the hand’s texture. Also, the mounts on the hands where joints are reveal different personality traits.

Then come the lines. The three largest are the head, heart and life. The head line shows the mental nature of the person whose palms are being read. The heart line shows the emotional nature of the person and also shows spots where problems pertaining to that nature may come in. The life line shows the nature and length of the person’s life. The line shows spots where turmoil or happiness may come into play. There also are secondary lines that are smaller but can still reveal things. They are the lines of affection, fate, Apollo and Mercury.

So what did I determine from my own palm reading? I fall in love easily, can be prone to emotional mood swings as well as deeper emotions. I’m lucky and have a more realistic, logical approach to life. I have an enthusiasm for life, look for truth, and should have a healthy, vital life. The color and texture of my hands mean I’m healthy and have a kind, gentle nature. Some of the things I found myself the psychic actually did mention like the part about my emotions. Although I don’t really think I’m as moody as my palms suggest.

But I did find that the lines on our hands change as we progress through life. So what a psychic could tell us or what we could predict for ourselves isn’t set in stone. While I had fun with my experience at the psychic and determining my fate myself, I realize that our hands may reveal some things about ourselves, but they aren’t all determining. If we don’t like something that our fate reveals, we have the power to change it.

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One thing about college life I took for granted was having my own room. My mom, who shared a room through her whole childhood, college and then marriage, tells me I had it good for 18 years. For the past three years, I’ve shared a bedroom with a roommate. But soon, my roommates and I are going to be moving into a new apartment where we’ll have our own rooms. I’ve been dreaming about creating my own space, and my new room is just the place.

The downside to all of this is I’m still on a college-student budget. My parents always find ways to help me out, but they’re thrifty too. As move-out gets closer, I’m also closer to achieving my dream room. If you’re getting your own room like me or looking to spruce your space with the same budget limitations, here are some tips I’ve picked up along the way:

• Find inspiration. Before I even got started, I looked at magazines, online articles and blogs for inspiration on color and design. (I really love Lovelyundergrad.com for design ideas.) This gives a starting point to decide what you like and how to go forward.
• Brainstorm. After you have ideas, start thinking of ways you can get the same aesthetic without breaking the bank. Maybe you can make something more cheaply than buying it or another retailer has something that looks designer but costs less.
• Garage sales and Craigslist. I’m currently looking for some furniture so my mom has been helping me scope out garage sales and search for people in the area selling on Craigslist. And used furniture doesn’t mean it’s bad. I found a nightstand and dresser in good condition for $50!
• Be your own handyman. I thankfully have a dad who is great at all things maintenance. I have him enlisted to paint any furniture I find, and he’s also making me a headboard. If you don’t have a “handyman,” many sites offer step-by-step instructions on how to make almost anything. I actually found directions for the headboard at the Better Homes and Gardens Web site.
• Revamp what you have. Sometimes, the things you already have just need a change here or there to fit in with your new room. The desk I have now was a color I didn’t like so I asked my dad (of course) to spray paint it so it fit with the other furniture. Also, I really don’t want to waste money on new artwork. So, I’m taking photos I already have and using Photoshop to change them up so they’re like my own little works of art.

Just because you’re on a budget, doesn’t mean you can’t have a space you love. There are many ways to keep it inexpensive. It also feels so much better when you’ve contributed to the space. I know I’m going to love that my room was my creation from the beginning idea to colors to furniture.

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Let’s face it. The word recession has been thrown around more frequently than we’d like to admit, and the odds of surviving have grown far and wide. The Fed has already slashed interest rates, and stimulus checks have been entrusted into the hands of millions of consumers nationwide.

The two things you don’t want to do right now are buy a house or quit your job, but going to the mall may actually be a sound idea.

I recently read a report from Retailer Health Ratings (RHR), a ratings system ranked by the U.S. Census. The system’s ratings are released by an investment boutique that focuses primarily on retailer and consumer product divisions. The system is considered to be a standard barometer that evaluates vital fiscal information to ascertain the strength of each individual retailer. These rankings provide a great store-to-store assessment of more than 160 publicly traded retail chains and outlets.

When evaluating this type of information it is important to remember, all retailers are in “Stage One” of decline at some point. The RHR recognizes the financially strong companies that are able to vertically lift themselves from the competition and avoid debt. The key for many is to recognize the issues before the opposition and make the necessary adjustments.

Stores are measured on “healthy growth, asset utilization, pricing power, and balance sheet strength.” The description catalogs a complete overall rating for each retailer, and also presents relative ranks within 20 retailing categories. The stats are based on a five-year period. The highest-ranking apparel franchises were evaluated in categories as well as cohesively.

According to the news, we may be in a recession but the statistics show that’s not stopping the fashion industry from booming. The retailer’s health ratings system shows that six out of the top 10 most successful retail industries during the 2009-2010 year lie in the fashion world. We may all go broke, but at least we will look good.

It’s no surprise that Amazon leads the pack at the top of the list. This year is the retail giant’s second year in the number one spot. Dubbed a “retail super power,” Amazon is one of the few Web sites that practically caters to every consumer you can think of. From electronic media to loafers and scooters, Amazon has it all.

Following at a close second was casual youth apparel brand, Aeropostale and in third, top women’s apparel line, Urban Outfitters.

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Thanks to advances in practices and instruments allowing patients greater safety and satisfaction, studies show that if money were no option more than 75% of mothers in the modern world would endure some form of plastic surgery to regain their youthfulness.

As plastic surgery garners more attention in society, the broader the demographic of people receiving the procedures. Unfortunately a very dangerous, yet popular trend has been popping up around the U.S.

For the first time in almost a decade the rate of plastic surgery operations is finally beginning to fall. High-cost surgeries with long recovery times usually make people hold out on those extra Botox injections, routine liposuction or that highly-coveted Brazilian butt lift. But where there’s a will there’s a way. Due to the recession, there is an increase of discount plastic surgery options emerging.

Plastic surgeons are finding their own marketing tactics around the recession because it’s a very competitive and lucrative business. Physicians are on the prowl trying to attract new customers since maintaining good relations with old clients just isn’t as profitable. This means many practices are slashing prices to create affordable fees for interested shoppers.

Big billboards have been plastered across major Florida and California highways tempting consumers with tag lines like: “8$ Botox” and “Buy one implant, get the other FREE.” These marketing schemes are advertising low-cost surgeries, but some studies indicate they may be guaranteeing low-budget outcomes as well.

Former Miss Argentina, Solange Magnano died late last year from complications during plastic surgery at the age of 38. The cause of her death was concluded as a pulmonary embolism. Too many unfortunate events like this are occurring and will continue to transpire as consumers remain ignorant about complications that can arise.

I’m not knocking discount plastic surgery or plastic surgery in general. There are sometimes when you are allowed to be a little cheap. You just have to play your cards right.

If you’re considering looking into discount plastic surgery, some rewarding options include:

1. Seasonal surgeries. Most surgeons are busiest during the school year. If you think seasonally, you can book a procedure on an off time and get up to 25% off the physicians normal rate.
2. Family and Friends packages. Most consultations run a two-for-one deal. Recovery rooms can be shared by two people, which can help shed a few dollars.
3. Standby surgery. If you’re not in a rush or have a flexible schedule this may be the way to go. Adaptable patients may be given various dates to mark down so they can be contacted on a standby basis. Offices generally call seven to 10 days in advance so you don’t have to worry about any last-minute appointments.

Attitudes towards purchasing operations are opening up as more and more in-depth discussions with physicians about all the effects and risks are being taken into consideration. Nowadays, more people are learning from the mistakes of the past and getting better educated before they head into the operating room.

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Children are unquestionably our future. That’s why it’s no surprise that their well-being and education are prime focuses for parents globally. The question that often comes up is which type of school will provide the best all around experience — private or public. From tuition and class size to diversity and training, there is a broad spectrum of pros and cons to analyze before making the final commitment.

From a financial standpoint, North Americans pay taxes that fund the public school system. This factor often steers parents away from investing in a private school education which can range from $4,000 per year up to $100,000. However, there are tax breaks depending on which state or province you reside in. Religious or prestigious private schools often view the monetary aspect as insignificant compared to the invaluable learning.

Admittance is held in high regard for private schools and children can be rejected or expelled if they do not uphold the standards. In public school, all creeds, nationalities and diverse cultures are welcomed. Either school system will likely include different cultures, but private schools may not allow varying beliefs or customs.

A majority of parents who seek out private schools do so because of public school classroom overcrowding. They believe the quality of education may be reduced as teachers cannot have individual monitoring of students’ performance to help them improve or provide more challenging tasks. While some public schools ranked high in standardized test scores in North America as compared to their private school counterparts, private school attendees who attended Harvard University did average higher than public school colleagues.

In terms of school governance, private schools are not restricted by budget limitations imposed by the state or province and have flexibility in amending their curriculum. Conversely, the public school curriculum is designed to promote tolerance and inclusiveness as opposed to concentrating on a specific topic without exploring other options.

The level of teacher training can be part of the decision process. Teachers help to develop, mold and inspire our youth through their knowledge and creativity. Most teachers are required to have extensive schooling including a bachelor’s degree and federal or provincial certification. In private schools, teachers with graduate degrees or higher may be found depending on the school’s policies.

Public schools have mandates in place to ensure that special needs children are provided the necessary programs. Private schools do not generally admit children with special needs and if determined your child may have a learning disability, they can sometimes employ a practice called “counseling out” wherein they advise your child to look for another school.

At the end of the day, it is up to parents to decide what they deem fit for their child. Ascertain what needs your child should develop, which school system would benefit them greatest, and then choose an option that fulfills those needs. Whatever school is chosen, it will always be the right decision if you keep your child in mind.

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Being a college student on a tight budget doesn’t leave much for crazy summer trips. Europe, Mexico and the Caribbean are all trips I’ll keep in mind for the future. This summer, I’m in Madison, WI. Some of you may not get excited at the thought of spending the summer in a Midwest town. But a lot of other students are in the same boat. But I think it’s possible to find fun wherever you are. This is my list of summer fun right at home — perfect for a poor college student.

• The Memorial Union Terrace: This place is one of the most visited locations in Madison. Right on the shore of Lake Mendota, it’s the perfect place to spend summer days and nights. Students can learn to sail, grab some grub and enjoy live entertainment and movies.

• Dane County Farmers’ Market: The Farmers’ Market finally came back to the Capitol Square about a month ago. This is the perfect place to get fruit and veggies every Saturday morning during the summer months.

• Lakeshore Path: This path runs along Lake Mendota. It’s a couple of miles long and ideal for running, biking or taking a leisurely nature walk. The best part is it leads to Picnic Point where you can, well, picnic.

• Family Vacation at the Lake: OK, so this isn’t exactly something exclusive to Madison. But the smart college student knows if Mom and Dad are paying, you participate. This is a yearly tradition to head to Castle Rock Lake and do our version of “roughing it” (living for a week in a cabin built in the 1960s with no air conditioning, cable or Internet).

• Grilling and Tanning in the Backyard: My roommates and I have lived on the fourth floor of a high-rise apartment building for the past two years. We have no backyard, and our balcony has minimal space. And a grill on the balcony is a fire hazard in Madison; people who violate this can pay a heavy fine. But at the end of the summer, we’ll be moving to a house with a big backyard which means plenty of space for end-of-summer cookouts and tanning sessions.

• Garage Sales: Moving also means I need stuff. I have a plan for how I want to decorate my own room (I’ve shared since I was a freshman). I’m excited but, again, I’m on a shoestring budget. Madison and the surrounding cities are big enough however, that there are plenty of garage sales. I’m keeping my eye out for city-wide ones where lots of people are looking to sell their old stuff.

These are just some of the things I have planned for my summer. There are plenty of things to do right in your own hometown. So if you’re on a budget like me and think your summer is looking dull, just look around your area to heat up your summer fun.

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Have you ever wanted to walk in someone else’s shoes? Well now you can.

PLoS ONE, a virtual reality experiment, is finally bringing the sci-fi 90′s movie technologies that always looked really cool, yet really cheesy to reality.

The computer-generated experiment devises a virtual world where participants can simulate the illusion of being in another person’s body, or at least feel like they are. More specifically, men can experience the simulated action of walking in a woman’s shoes.

In the 1960s, Stanley Milgram’s controversial experimental findings established that individuals would administer obviously fatal electric shocks to a stranger at the command of a figure of authority. Due to the continuous ethical debates his experiments ignited, it is nowadays unfeasible to carry out direct experimental studies in areas of this subject matter. Yet, Milgram’s experiments remain an essential facet in understanding human obedience.

This time around in place of an actual jail setting, the PLoS ONE tests transpire within an immersive virtual location. The experimentation similar in form to the paradigm used by Milgram, veered away from the study of obedience itself to focus more so on the extent to which participants would respond to extreme social situations as if they were real in spite of their prior understanding that no real events were actually taking place.

The experiment is set on the basis that the brain is signaled when a person looks down. The perception is that the body you see is yours and yours alone. On this fact, experimenters have chosen to hook up a variety of men to a headset linked to a computer system where they are placed in a pretend world as a girl. When subjects look down, they see a first-person perspective of a life-sized virtual human female body. In this viewpoint, the female appears as a substitute for the male subjects’ own bodies. This act generates a “body transfer illusion,” and according to the experiment’s hypothesis, the brain believes the female is part of the subject’s own body. By altering the normal correlation between touch and its visual associate, the human brain’s reactions can result in the illusory perception that a forged limb is a part of its own body, creating a powerful connection between subject and machine.

In this game seeing is no longer believing — believing is now literally being.

The experiment’s effectiveness has been measured subjectively by questionnaires and physiologically through heart-rate deceleration in response to a threat to the virtual body.

Mel Slater, professor of virtual environments, and his colleagues hope to better understand the self-conscious and awareness through these simulated realities. Their research indicates that the plunge into an artificial environment is a powerful tool in the study of body representation and experience.

With the technology being mature enough to replicate human bodies and their motion, Slater’s projects have been extremely successful in creating virtual effects. Consumer-targeted head mounts are already in talks for the newest level of video games.

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