nobel prize fun

ok, you have GOT to visit www.nobelprize.org. before i head out with my friend abby tonight, i've been spending some time digging around the internet, checking out sites related to poverty and linked to an article by a nobel peace prize winner. besides being way readable, the site has these great simluation games inspired by prize-winning achievements.

so first, i got to be the trade ruler of the pink country in which i had to trade jeans and cell phones for the welare of my country. turns out i'm not very good at economics, and even though my people eventually appreciated the work i did on their behalf, they felt my trading skills were rather poor in the beginning. i probably should have listened better in econ

figuring that peace was more my thing, i played the peace doves game and succeeded in disarming seven countries of their nuclear weapons AND learned some super fascinating things along the way. can you believe there are 5 so-called "nuclear weapon states" who are allowed to have nuclear weapons according to the non-proliferation treaty of 1970? doesn't that seem wrong?

i also learned that there was an outer space treaty of 1967 which forbids stationing or possession of nuclear weapons in a space vehicle orbiting earth. i mean, for real? are we that crazed about killing each other? is that how you would go about protecting your family? creating missles? and, i mean this in a loving and forgiving way, but what psychopath spends his time creating nuclear weapons? hello! someone invite this kid to join in your intramural league games. or ask him over for dinner. seriously, at what point does some kid go from playing games with his friends to thinking about world domination? something is not right.

anyway, i'm in the middle of my lord of the flies game. i don't recommend it unless you really know the book. but man, is it challenging my memories of 11th grade british lit ...