Paris, 6 February 2006


EFITA newsletter / 245 / European Federation for Information Technology in Agriculture, Food and the Environment


In the worst possible taste!!
See: http://www.acta-informatique.fr?d=6294


Point of view (in Fr-English): No new newsletter!
I see many project proposals dealing with ICT in Agriculture where the edition of a new newsletter is presented as a major contribution to information dissemination. It seems to me that it would be more efficient to help ACTA Informatique to increase the number of people receiving this newsletter and to contribute to its content. Please invite your colleagues, friends and enemies to subscribe this newsletter.
See: http://www.efita.net
Contact: Guy WAKSMAN
Email: waksman(a)acta-informatique.fr


9^th International Conference on Technology Policy and Innovation (ICTPI) "Science, Society and Sustainability"
18 - 21 June 2006 - Island of SANTORINI - Greece
Topics focus on the sustainability aspects and their policy- and strategy-related issues for IT and other high-tech applications in less developed, rural areas and regions.
See: http://laertis.chemeng.ntua.gr
Contact: E.G. Koukios
Mél : koukios(a)chemeng.ntua.gr


Information systems in sustainable agriculture, agro-environment and food technology
20 – 23 September 2006 – VOLOS - Greece
Conference organized by HAICTA's, Branch in Northern Greece and Thessaly in collaboration with the University of Thessaly.
HAICTA is a National Scientific Society, member of EFITA and is devoted in promoting the research and teaching of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) developments in Agriculture, Food and Environment. The conference is an effort of HAICTA’s branch in Northern Greece and Thessaly to bring together Agriculture and ICT professionals and offers an opportunity to exchange ideas, opinions and experiences in applications and developments of ICT in Agriculture, Food and Environment. Contributions from various countries will allow a broadened perspective for the scientific community.
Authors are invited to submit by e-mail an abstract between 300 and 600 words at the following address: haicta2006(a)uth.gr
See: http://haicta2006.users.uth.gr
Contact: Ms Fedra KIOMOURTZI
Email: fkiomour@agro.auth.gr


A book on the web
Every year, The Lancet publishes a 'bonus' themed issue. This year our theme is 'Medicine and Sport', prompted by 2005 being declared by the United Nations to be The International Year of Sport and Physical Education with the aim to promote sport as a way to help reach the Millenium Development Goals.
If you click on the link below, you will be taken to a digital edition of our special issue. The digital edition is an exact facsimile of the print copy and is available for one month. You can turn pages just as you would with a print edition and even print off the pages for your own personal use.
See:
http://84.233.149.205/ActiveMagazine/getBook.asp?Path=LAN/2005/11/30&BookCollection=LAN


Latindex: Interesting Site for online information in Spanish and Portuguese
See: http://www.latindex.org/
Contact: Israel KITRON
Email: kitron1(a)terra.com.br


Three Projects Make Dean's List on RAD's Online University
RAD University, the popular online computer networking and communications information source sponsored by RAD Data Communications, has posted three new tutorials that have been named to its "Dean's List."
The three winning tutorials are entitled Basic Internet Communication: A Delightful Flash Animation, "Captain ATM" - An Interactive Applet and IP Routing Interactive Construction Kit. RAD's Dean's List is comprised of the best and most creative tutorials prepared over the past year by students in courses that have been taught at Tel Aviv University by Dr. Debby Koren, RAD University's "dean." The goals of these projects include familiarizing students with applications of computer networking in the "real world."
The winning tutorials were cited for both their entertainment and educational value. They were chosen from among 25 different projects produced by approximately 75 students working in teams over this past summer.
See: http://www.raduniversity.com/



Biotechnology-Derived Crops Planted in 2004 – Impacts on US Agriculture
Earlier reports from the NCFAP had documented clear-cut benefits to the growers in terms of improved crop yields, reduced production costs and reduced pesticide use…
See: http://www.ncfap.org


Searchable database of peer-reviewed scientific papers highlighting the safety and benefits of plant biotechnology
See: http://www.croplife.org/biotechdatabase


Gender of a computer
A Spanish teacher was explaining to her class that in Spanish, unlike English, nouns are designated as either masculine or feminine.
"House" for instance, is feminine: "la casa." "Pencil," however, is masculine: "el lapis."
A student asked, "What gender is 'computer'?" Instead of giving the answer, the teacher split the class into two groups, male and female, and asked them to decide for themselves whether "computer" should be a masculine or a feminine noun.
Each group was asked to give four reasons for its recommendation.

The men's group decided that "computer" should definitely be of the feminine gender ("la computer"), because:
1. No one but their creator understands their internal logic;
2. The native language they use to communicate with other computers is incomprehensible to everyone else;
3. Even the smallest mistakes are stored in long term memory for possible later retrieval; and
4. As soon as you make a commitment to one, you find yourself spending half your pay check on accessories for it.

(No chuckling... this gets better!)

The women's group, however, concluded that computers should be Masculine ("el computer"), because:
1. In order to do anything with them, you have to turn them on;
2. They have a lot of data but still can't think for themselves;
3. They are supposed to help you solve problems, but half the time they ARE the problem; and
4. As soon as you commit to one, you realize that if you had waited a little longer, you could have gotten a better model.

The women won.

(In Latin America it is: LA COMPUTADORA and in Spain: EL ORDENADOR.)

Contact: Israel KITRON
Email: kitron1(a)terra.com.br


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