-------------------------------------------------------------------------- K I D L I N K O N L I N E M A G A Z I N E F O R K I D S, B Y K I D S / / / / / _/ / _/ / / ______/ / ____ / ____ / / /____ _____/ / / / / / / / / / / \ / / / / / / / _____/ / \ / / / / / / / / _/ _\ _/ _____ _/ ______/ _/ _/ _/ _____/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- I S S U E # 1, N O V E M B E R 1 9 9 4................................. S T A F F: Ken Hunt, News Editor Robbert Uittenbroek, Sports Editor ??????, Discussions Editor * Jaron Ghani, Chief Editor * see editorial ...._/_/_/................................................................ .._/......_/..C O N T E N T S............................................. .._/......_/.............................................................. .._/......_/.............................................................. .._/......_/.............................................................. .._/......_/.............................................................. ----_/_/_/---------------------------------------------------------------- 1> e d i t o r i a l...................................................... * Introducing YOU to the late but very much up-to-date KIDZINE! 2> n e w s................................................................ * Main news theme: "The Rwandan Crisis" by Ken Hunt 3> f e a t u r e a r t i c l e........................................... * "25th Anniversary of Moon Landing" by Laura Werkheiser 4> i n t e r v i e w...................................................... * This issue we talk to the founder and guardian of KIDLINK, Odd de Presno. MUST READ! ........_/................................................................ ......_/_/....E D I T O R I A L........................................... ........_/................................................................ ........_/....Jaron Ghani ......................... ........_/................................................................ ........_/................................................................ --------_/---------------------------------------------------------------- > w e l c o m e........................................................... Well, here it is: the first operational edition of KIDZINE, very much shorter than originally planned but still bang up-to-date and going strong. Our featured kid writers are Ken Hunt (who is also our news editor on ) with an informative article on the crisis in Rwanda, and Laura Werkheiser with a piece on the history of the Space Race, prompted by the 25th Aniversary of the Moon Landing this year. We also feature an exclusive interview with KIDLINK founder and guru, Odd de Presno. > t h e f u t u r e...................................................... The plan for the format of KIDZINE as it follows on from here is this: the articles in this issue hopefully should inspire some interesting responses that will then be included in the second issue, along with some more stimulus articles for the next issue. The responses could take several forms: classes might like to have discussions about these topics and let us know what they debate and come up with. You teacher-type people may also like to take the two features as a stimulus for some creative writing and see what your classes can come up with. If you aren't part of KIDLINK as a pupil but rather as an individual 'netuser, you could also try and use the themes as a base for your creativity. Aside from the news themes, we might also publish interesting pieces not necessarily linked to this issue's themes. It depends on what you send (=. Any material (within reason) will be considered. Other projects in the pipes: hopefully we will feature the creations of those bright young things in the Writer's Corner, along with a mystery chain story project also about to get big. > O t h e r r e q u e s t s f o r m a t e r i a l :................. * KIDCLUB participants, we would like to see summaries and explanations of some recent KIDCLUB discussions that have interested you. Not necessarily just a transcript of the debate: we would like to hear what you think about the topics discussed. We also have an opening for a dicussions editor on the team: this person should be part of KIDLINK, and should be able to participate in as many IRC discussions (KIDCLUB and otherwise) as possible. Write to me at . * KIDPROJ organisers, we would like you to send us any update info on your projects you would like included, maybe giving some background to the ideas. Also under the KIDLINK news heading, any reports of recent meetings, events and changes to KIDLINK as a project would be nice to publish. If you have anything appropriate to this heading please contact me at . * We are looking for people to research and write themed articles for next issue. This is open to anyone who is part of KIDLINK and has time, energy and motivation (not me guv =). Write to me! P.S. Bring own inspiration. * Sports and Fun: depending on the volume of excellent work I just know will be flooding my mailbox =P, we might have room for some more light-hearted material...see what you can come up with and send it to Robbert at . ...._/_/_/................................................................ .._/......_/..N E W S..................................................... .........._/.............................................................. ........_/....Editor: Ken Hunt .................. ......_/.................................................................. ...._/.................................................................... --_/_/_/_/_/-------------------------------------------------------------- This section in the next issue will contain another feature article focusing on a particular news item, KIDLINK news, and perhaps some pieces written by you the readership. Write to me,, as the editorial system is not yet fully in place. > s p e c i a l r e p o r t : RWANDA - A NATION IN TURMOIL............... The most important international event happening at the moment is, with no doubt, the Rwanda crisis. Already 100,000 have been declared dead and up to 500,000 as missing. The civil war is between two tribes - the Hutus and the Tutsis. It is a war where neither side seems prepared to give in until the other is annihilated. The United Nations has withdrawn most of its peacekeeping staff and Red Cross helpers numbers are dwindling due to the extreme danger. The neighbouring city of Tanzania had 250,000 refugees pour into it within a 24 hour time span. Diseases are rife due to the poor sanitation and the outlook is bleak. Traditionally, the Hutus waited and served the Tutsis. It was not until Belgium "claimed" Rwanda that tension set in as Belgians openly favoured the Tutsis and often treated the Hutus as second class citizens. This deep-seated resentment lay dormant until 1959 when the Hutus revolted against the Tutsi domination. There was much bloodshed but Tutsis were still seen as the more "superior" race. It was not until 1990, when the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) launched a civil war, that laws such as the Anusha Records were drawn up, resulting in equal power to the Hutus. Tension was still present, but remained under control until the death of the Rwandan president Juvenal Habyarimana and his second-in-command in a plane crash that is thought to have been bombed. Both tribes immediately blamed each other and the war broke out again. At the moment, the death toll stands at 100,000 but it is thought to be much higher. Horrific account reach the media each day of massacres, mass graves and the slaughtering of women and children. The tribe that is suffering the most are the Tutsis who account for 730,000 of Rwanda's 8.1 million population. Rwanda itself is only 25,000 square kilometres and therefore there is simply nowhere for them to go. About 400,000 are classified as refugees, and perhaps the most remarkable influx of people has been into Tanzania where, in 24 hours the population grew by 250,000. The Tutsis talk about the "interhamwe" - those who attack as one. Nowhere there is safe, Red Cross ambulances are held up and searched and all Tutsis are beaten to death. A more horrifying account the has been passed on by Red Cross workers is that of a hospital operating in Northern Rwanda. Hutus broke in and systematically killed everyone who they thought "looked like a Tutsi." It is this senseless killing that is perhaps the hardest thing to understand about the whole affair; the Hutus in particular have no regard for who a person is, aid workers such as Red Cross have been brutally murdered for things such as trying to shelter Tutsi orphans. All diplomats have been withdrawn from the country, only a few embassies remain open and those are working on a skeleton staff. The Akanyaru river, the traditional sanctuary line between neighbouring Burundi is choked with bodies, literally hundreds flow past each day. Poor sanitation and Hygiene in the refugee camps has led to an outbreak of Typhoid and Cholera, both extremely fatal diseases. it is a Catch-22 situation - the refugees need to drink the water to stay alive, but if they drink it, it will probably kill them. There are simply so many people that there is nothing the few relief workers over there can do. And what are the western countries doing about the situation? All diplomats have been removed and the United Nations is withdrawing most of its troops. Why? Because they are being massacred as well. If they try to prevent a Hutu murdering a Tutsi, the Hutu will simply kill them first. At present, 10 red Cross workers have been murdered and the numbers are slowly growing. Food is needed at a rate of 133 tonnes a day, a massive amount to be providing on a regular basis. Invariably when the food arrives, a mob forms and steals all of it. There is not a lot that we, as a country, can do. The outcome of the whole affair is a popular discussion topic. The RPF is making slow progress in reclaiming land, however there is no one to move back into it. Both tribes are too scared, the Tutsis fearing further attacks and the Hutus fearing retribution. Until they can be convinced that it is safe for them to return, nothing can be done. Both sides will not cease fighting and the RPF has declared they will accept a surrender only on their conditions. It can be clearly seen then how serious the situation is and the effects that it is having on the People of Rwanda. The death toll continues to rise and there seems no break in the near future. The Western countries are powerless as they will not risk the lives of their citizens for a foreign nation of no economic or trade interest to them. One can not even guess at what the outcome will be, only time will tell. ...._/_/_/................................................................ .._/......_/..F E A T U R E A R T I C L E:............................... .........._/......"25th Anniversary of Moon Landing"...................... ......_/_/................................................................ .........._/..Laura Werkheiser (age 12) ........ .._/......_/.............................................................. ----_/_/_/---------------------------------------------------------------- July 20, 1969: 500 million people around the globe were amazed, amused, and awed at the incredible news they had seen with their with their own two eyes: Neil Armstrong had set foot on the moon's surface. This was something that had never been done before by any human being in history. This was also a triumphant victory for the United States, for they were the first country to put a man on the moon. However, it was not an easy journey. It took eight difficult years for 420,000 tecnicians to acheive this unbelievable feat. That's not all - it also cost $25 billion dollars! Space exploration has always been a fairly controversial topic. Many people believe we should first try to solve our own problems on Earth before spending millions, sometimes billions, of dollars to explore other planets in the galaxy. Others feel it is completely necessary to gather as much information as possible about the solar system. Whatever the opinion, 25 years ago on July 20, 1969, most people would have probably told you that space exploration was worth every penny. Besides leaving behind their footprints on the moon Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin also left many other things. They left six lunar vehicles worth $270 million dollars, three battery-powered moon rovers worth $6 million, five science labs worth $125 million, T.V. and camera gear worth $4 million, and much, much more! As soon as the lunar module, Eagle, landed on the moon, Neil Armstrong proudly spoke four now famous words to mission control back on Earth: "The Eagle has landed." Armstrong and Aldrin explored the moon's surface for two hours and 56 minutes, never straying more than two hundred feet from the lunar module. The two collected rock samples, conducted experiments, and perfomed many other tasks. The Apollo 11 mission by far was one of the most memorable missions in history. July 20, 1994 was also a special day not only for Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins (the Command Module pilot) but also for people around the entire world. The footprints on the moon's surface not only symbolize the outstanding perseverance and efforts put forth by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) but also that with a will there is, and always will be a way, as demonstrated on the 25th Anniversary of the moon landing. ........_/................................................................ ......_/_/....I N T E R V I E W:.......................................... ...._/.._/........Odd de Presno ......................... .._/...._/................................................................ .._/_/_/_/_/......by Jaron Ghani .................. ........_/................................................................ --------_/---------------------------------------------------------------- Yes, here it is folks - the exclusive interview with KIDLINK founder and visionary, Odd de Presno! KIDZINE talked to him in October about KIDLINK, networking, and his involvement with the whole educational computing thang. KZ: First, tell us a bit about yourself. How long have you been actively involved in 'netting and computing? ODP: Way back in 1967, I started a small software company, so I guess that was when I got into computing. Five years later, I became marketing manager of a company selling what we called "data services" at the time. We sold "raw computer time by modem." So put me down for 1972 for communications. I got into 'netting in 1983 on CompuServe, and a now defunct service called The Source. KZ: What inspired you to start the KIDLINK project? ODP: Provoked by my wife, I arranged an international dialog between kids in early 1990. We called it NORLINK. It had 260 participants from Norway, U.S., and Canada in just 14 days after my initial invitation. The response surprised me very much. I felt that there was an opportunity between my hand, and that it was "uncomfortably" warm. The choice was either to drop it, or to run with it. After a quick discussion with my main collaborator in the NORLINK experiment (Nancy Stefanik, U.S.A.), and a long-time Norwegian friend (Knut Braatane, currently our KIDPLAN coordinator), I decided to go for it. It would have been nice to say that the idea was "save the world". The reason, however, was that I had something between my hands demanding attention, a decision. I had no idea about the possible consequences. We just started . . . KZ: How do you feel about the way it has grown and developed into many different threads? ODP: It is an incredible feeling of privilege to work with so many great people. I use to call them "forward leaning." They are spoiling me with initiatives, and hard volunteering work. Now, I guess we have reached a kind of critical mass in terms of size. Still, I am sad that there are so many kids around the world that are still unable to participate. Take the kids of China and India as a starter. Then add the less fortunate ones of other countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. KIDLINK's development into different threads reflect this, and in particular our initiatives in various languages. Much work remains to strengthen these initiatives, and then we will have to help build bridges between the various language groups. KZ: Do you see KIDLINK as a place for older kids once they outgrow the 10-15 age range? ODP: We have had to make a choice between becoming primarily a North American network covering all ages, or to channel our efforts into expanding across the globe. We decided on the latter. Over time, I guess we've discovered that this was a good decision. KIDLINK cannot possibly be everything for everybody. My hope is that we will find good ways of incorporate the KIDLINK graduates, which is what we call "our" kids when they become to old, and we have spent months debating ways and alternatives. I hope that we soon will be able to present some good news on this. By incorporating, I am not talking about allowing older kids to participate in activities for those between 10 - 15 years of age. We want benefit from the experience of our graduates to increase our ability to achieve our set objectives. We are also concerned about involving those between 10 -15 years of age in the management of KIDLINK. KZ: How do you see KIDLINK developing? ODP: In the short term, I see the Spanish language activities becoming very strong, and also - although a little slower - further growth in the Japanese, Portuguese, and Nordic language areas. Before we know it, we may also have French, Hebrew, and German language groups, and perhaps also Italian, and other languages. Setting up a new special language activity is tough, and requires helpers with a lot of stamina. However, I am confident that this will become easier as the Internet spreads further across the globe. Besides this, I feel that KIDLINK has always been a friendly welcomer of initiatives of all kinds, and I think that we will continue to be this way. Therefore, I also expect KIDLINK to go in surprising new directions. KZ: Do you have any visions for the future of educational computing and communication? ODP: The eternal problem of the traditional school has been to motivate students to learn. We did not initially present KIDLINK to teachers as an educational tool. It was just discovered that kids happened to learn while involved in a dialog. I think that we have rediscovered the value of dialog in education. There will always be people who think that textbook learning (or CD-ROM learning) is a better way, but I believe the dialog as a master is here to stay. Thanks to Odd for his time and thoughts. .._/_/_/_/_/.............................................................. .._/............E N D B I T.............................................. .._/_/_/_/................................................................ .........._/.............................................................. .........._/.............................................................. .._/......_/.............................................................. ----_/_/_/---------------------------------------------------------------- > u n t i l n e x t t i m e............................................. Well, I hope you enjoyed this issue of KIDZINE nearly as much as I did (=. I also hope you people will find it interesting enough to respond to, and make next issue even bigger, better, stronger & faster. > n e x t i s s u e...................................................... This should be out sometime before the end of the year =) Look out for lots of groovy stuff like: * Topical and relevant news articles * Project updates and KIDLINK information * The fruit of the Writer's Corner collaboration * Of course, your articles, stories, and responses! And, as they say in these situations, much, much more (=. See you then. > b y e b y e...........................................................* -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jaron Ghani - Professional Silly Person, Daftness a Speciality. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * w h o k i l l e d n i c e g u y e d d i e ? --------------------------------------------------------------------------