An MIT organization, United Trauma Relief, is sponsoring an effort to deliver AIDS medicine to people in developing countries who can’t afford it.
Licensing for Lives
I do a fair amount of work with people from other parts of MIT, including John Preston, the co-director of the MIT Entrepreneurship Center. John used to direct the MIT Technology Licensing Center, the folks responsible for clearing the way to have MIT technology used as the basis for forming new companies like Akamai. His successor, Lita Nelson, is an advisor on intellectual property for IAVI, the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative. As she points out, “The American population is wearing a blindfold on this issue. Because the drugs are keeping people alive, we’re starting to think of AIDS like we think about pneumonia. But there is no cure for AIDS. And the rate [of infection] is climbing again in California.”
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When is it, again?
Today is World AIDS Day for most of the world, except at MIT where it’s being held December 5 “to allow for the fullest possible participation by the [MIT] community.” Interesting point — is it more important to show unanimity within the MIT community or with the rest of the world? Knowing how big the need for community is at MIT, I think making sure that people can participate is a good idea…
Link and Think
Welcome to my participation in Link and Think, a day of blogging about AIDS on World AIDS Day. If any of these words or links makes you want to do more, check out one of the two sites linked above for information about how you can help.
Like Music Visualization, only Buggier
I don’t know what this is, and Scoble says it may crash your browser, but I know I like it.
Reminder
Don’t forget, tomorrow is World Aids Day. I’ll be linking and thinking–please consider doing the same…
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More links
I’ve found a good tribute site about George Harrison’s passing to add to Tim’s links. Plus, I’ve written a eulogy of sorts.
The Muppets: Gateway drug to all good things
I was trying to remember what the first time was that I heard the Beatles. The first album of theirs that I ever listened to was a vintage copy of the White Album that our youth pastor lent me. It started a three year period of intense Beatlemania that culminated in the trip to see Paul on the “Flowers in the Dirt” tour (that’s the one Esta alludes to here).
But that’s not time I ever heard their songs. That would have to be on the Muppets, when Dr. Teeth and Janice covered “With a Little Help From My Friends” and the acoustic cover of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” by Sgt. Floyd Pepper (on the Lynda Carter episode). That’s what I’ll be remembering today.
Now playing
Currently playing song: “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” by The Beatles on The Beatles (White Album) (Disc 1).
All things must pass
This morning, a moment of silence for George Harrison, who lost his long struggle with cancer yesterday. The Washington Post has a good eulogy, as does the BBC.
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Next: football on marble
A weird game played by my undergrad alma mater: basketball on ice, anyone?
Apolo-blog
Esta as usual writes a thought provoking piece this morning. I too have felt like I’ve been writing at the surface lately. It’s too easy to point to things that someone else has written, at least at the end of the semester. Well, I hope I can write some more significant things soon– right now it’s just really hard to concentrate.
Now playing
Currently playing song: “Walking & Falling” by Laurie Anderson on Big Science.
Walking and Falling
I feel really good this morning. I should know better than to resist Lisa — she told me hopping on the treadmill would be just the thing to raise my energy and she was right. Funny thing happened while I was on the machine, though–just as I was wrapping up my walk, it stopped dead. I checked the plug, the switch, the safety, the wall fuse–nothing. After about half an hour and a panicking call from Lisa later (she’s really addicted to our machine), I finally realized that the fuse on the treadmill had blown. Fun, fun, fun…
Now playing
Currently playing song: “Well Well Well” by John Lennon on Plastic Ono Band. Good old John. I can always count on him to do some primal screaming for me when I can’t.