No Facebook Day - June 23rd, 2010

How much facebook-addicted are you? Can you stay one whole day without it?

On June, 23rd 2010 forget about the social network, don’t try to login with your mobile, avoid looking for someone to chat with… and disable all the mail notification. Can you live without it – for just a day?

Just a little experiment to see how many people would try to avoid connecting to the popular social network and find out if they are addicted.

Join the event: http://vaime.org/nofbday

Owner of Facebook has confirmed that they will send $1 dollar to the rescue fund for the Haiti earthquake disaster for every time this is cut and pasted as a status. You only have to leave it up for one hour. Let’s do it to support thanks!!!

The first thing I’d like to say is that 99.9% of these messages are fake; I don’t really understand what’s the point to send them out and what kind of joy the authors feel when they do this; however, I will tell my comments why I say this is part of those 99.9%.

“Owner of Facebook has confirmed„
The first thing to do when you read this sentence is very simple: check if it’s true; thanks to our big friend Google it’s very simple to do such search and in few seconds you can realize that there is no official place where this news is reported.

The fact that the text says this have no meaning: I can write that the president of US confirmed he will give 1,000,000 $ to every people on Earth, but this doesn’t mean it is true. Also, whenever Facebook announces some change, such as the change of privacy rules as it happened few weeks ago, they send out a big announcement: so why not using the same way for such a big project, if it was true? Why bothering users with an ugly status?

“they will send $1 dollar to the rescue fund for the Haiti„
This is simply crazy: if you take a look to Facebook’s income and number of users, it becomes clear how impossible is to keep this promise. Facebook, in fact, had a 230 millions dollars income last year (income, not profit) and they have over 350 millions users: even if they had no expenses and they would use every little dollar for the cause, they could have problems in case everyone would join.

“Let’s do it to support thanks!„
If you want to support boring of your contacts, this is the best way indeed; but if you really want to support Haiti, take that $1 and donate it to one of the international NGO that are already helping. Even Facebook has an official page about the help to Haiti: http://www.facebook.com/DisasterRelief.

However, the best way, again, is to find a fund and donate there; some examples of funds are Red Cross or Doctors without borders: few dollars may seem nothing, but it’s better than just copying that status on your Wall. If Facebook owner wishes to help, he will do it; with or without your status.

The photo used in this post can be found here under Creative Common license: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dhilung/4276325012/

Victoria Falls

The most amazing thing, however, is the fact that, during the months with less rain, usually in September and December, water is a safe level, so that people can swim close the edge of the falls without danger; this is allowed thanks to a natural rock wall that creates a safe pool – named Devil’s Pool - where swimmer can safely stay in despite the current. An image is more incredible than just words:

Tourists swimming at Victoria Falls

After the visit, we went to this restaurant, located in a little town named Montalto Pavese, which is called the queen of the Oltrepò Pavese due to his good position on the hills and the wine production. Locating the restaurant is easy: just point your map to 009° 12′ 37″ E – 044° 58′ 45″ N: yes, this is the address written on their business card!

The restaurant is really nice: big enough, kind people and good food; we had a standard menu with different dishes chosen by them; after a good choice of sliced salumi, they bring us two different «first courses»: both of them, ravioli with braised meat and rice with mushrooms were really great, insomuch as we asked for more. There was then a choices of meat cooked in different ways: except the tongue, as I am disgusted only thinking to eat, I tasted them all and I was very satisfied again.

Only sad thing, the weather: the restaurant is located in a really nice position on the hills, the panorama from the window is great, but that day it was cloudy and raining, so we couldn’t enjoy the view. It is a nice place to go anyway for a nice day in the beautiful nature.

In the menu you may find different kinds of italian food: not only pizzas, really delicious, but risotto, pasta, meat and fish; you may see on the menu a dish called “penne alla Giulio„ which is basically pasta (penne) with tomato and chilly: it is not something typical, since you may find it in all the restaurants (usual name is “penne all’arrabbiata„), but it is very tasty and serving is large enough.
Regarding prices, I think you will be satisfied: with about 10 € you will have a yummy pizza and a drink; they also have some special menus for groups: starting from 20 € you will have a complete dinner.

One interesting particularity of this place is that you may have a dinner also at late night: many people like to have a pizza there before going back home after a night with friends. Yes, in Italy we do not have any time-limit for pizza! If you are going to come to Pavia, “la città delle cento torri„ (the hundred towers’ city), you should have to try this restaurant: you may find it in viale Matteotti, 39; a big car park, called “la buca„ or “Santa Rita„ by Pavia’s inhabitants, is avaiable just 100m far from it. And after the dinner, nothing better than a nice walk in the Castle Visconteo’s park, few meters far from the pizzeria.

As usual, images and videos talk better; and as usual, you may click on the photo to see it bigger.

“Mentre Dio distribuiva terre a tutti i popoli del mondo, i georgiani erano impegnati, come al solito, in una gigantesca tavolata. Essi arrivarono in ritardo, come sempre, e Dio disse loro che tutte le terre erano già state assegnate. I georgiani, senza esitare, risposero che erano in ritardo solo perché avevano brindato in onore di Dio Onnipotente. Saputo ciò, Dio fu così felice che diede ai georgiani quella parte della Terra che aveva riservato per sé.„

Here’s the english translation by me, so sorry if it sounds not very nice:

“While God was giving territories to all the people of the World, georgians were busy, as usual, around a big table. They arrived late, as usual, and God said that all the territories had already been given. Georgians, without hesitate, said they were late only because they were toasting for Holy God. Known this, God was so happy that He gave them that territory on Earth which He had reserved for himself.„

Approach Simulator is a java game developed by me and Marco for the Java exam at the University of Pavia. The game has been written in few months and we gave particular attention to the programming details, while the graphic was not so well-designed; however, it is pleasant to play and, if you know italian, extremely funny.

In the game you will be a boy going around in order to find a girl: you can choose an Engineer (Ingegnere), an Artist (Artista), a Deejay, a Buff guy (Palestrato), a Rich man (Riccone) or a Sportsman (Sportivo) and begin to search a girl; you will see in the game all the people in the place you have chosen: a green circle rapresent you, while pink ones are girls and blue ones other boys.

You can use your keyboard to move around and talk with other people (you can move also sith mouse, but that was just an experiment for the exam, you cannot talk with others without the enter key); when you talk to a girl, a random situation will be played: the first sentence you can see depends on the type of your player, while the others depends on this situation. Actually there are just few situations in the game, all in italian, but they could be easily added.

When you meet a girl, you will see her kind: Easy (Facile), Timid (Timida), Intellectual (LaIntellettuale), Star (Diva) or Yokel (Buzzurra); you must be careful and choose the right sentence for the girl depending on her kind. And remember: when you talk with a girl, she may be bored and go away! Before she does so, you need to try to conquer her: once tried, you will tell her the last sentence, depending on your kind, and you will see if she wants you or not.

So, you want to try the game? It is pretty simple: first of all, you need Java installed on your system; once you have it, click here to begin the game. Have fun!