Kiva hits $100,000,000

Are you familiar with Kiva, the company that organizes small loans for small entrepreneurs? The people making the loans are just everyday you-and-me sorts, except that this me hasn’t yet got involved. I’ve only admired from afar. Here’s an excerpt from a mention of Kiva’s achievements:

As of October 31, Kiva has facilitated the movement of $100 million between people, helping small businesses stay above water. “What’s even more amazing to me is that it took over 1 year to raise our first $1 million . This year alone, we’re on track to raise nearly $60 million.”

Get involved at the website. It’s an excellent gift idea.

hotte or nat: Have I mentioned that Geoffrey Chaucer hath a blog?

Plese uote for me and saye that ich am hotte. Peraventure my peynture may plese nat the moderatoures (for it is a manuscripte and ich haue but litel cleavage), yet lette vs yive this a trye!

Cheap toys: I’ve read that at least 80 percent of children’s toys are now manufactured in China. Many are produced by other children:

It found that in the Kai Da factory in Shenzhen city, which supplies Hasbro, a hundred 16-year-old high-school children and several younger children were working. Conditions in the factory were said to be dangerous, with potentially toxic solvents and paints routinely handled by workers with only rudimentary protective gear. Shifts were allegedly routinely over 12 hours long, seven days a week, with no days off for many months, plus mandatory 19- and 23-hour shifts at busy times such as the pre-Christmas rush. Workers were also reported to be docked wages for room and board, leaving them receiving only 28 cents an hour.

Watch your wording: TreeHugger has some advice for the Japanese scientists working on a space-based power generating plant. Avoid the words “laser” and “microwave.”

Posted in Econo, It's life.