http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20031020/ap_on_re_mi_ea/arabs_development_1

Freedom, Education Said Lacking for Arabs

Mon Oct 20,11:32 AM ET

By SHAFIKA MATTAR, Associated Press Writer

AMMAN, Jordan - A group of Arab experts issued a report Monday that finds the Arab world lacking in three areas they deem fundamental to development: freedom of expression, access to knowledge and empowerment of women.

The group, criticized by Arab officials for a similar report last year, said the challenges caused by the deficiencies "may have become even graver" since 2002.

One of the authors, Clovis Maksoud, said he hoped the document would generate debate among Arabs to seek "objective and constructive change from within."

[...]

he report said high illiteracy rates persist among women, particularly in less developed states. Many children lack access to basic education.

Arab media outlets operate "in an environment that sharply restricts freedom of the press and freedom of expression and opinion," while journalists "face illegal harassment, intimidation and even physical threats."

The report noted the Arab region has 18 computers per 1,000 people, compared to the global average of 78 per 1,000 persons. Less than 2 percent of Arabs have Internet access, compared with 79 percent in America.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20031029/sc_nm/tech_israel_lenslet_dc_1

HERZLIYA, Israel (Reuters) - An Israeli start-up has developed a processor that uses optics instead of silicon, enabling it to compute at the speed of light, the company said.

Lenslet said its processor will enable new capabilities in homeland security and military, multimedia and communications applications.

"Optical processing is a strategic competitive advantage for nations and companies," said Avner Halperin, vice president for business development at Lenslet.

"Processing at the speed of light, you can have safer airports, autonomous military systems, high-definition multimedia broadcast systems and advanced next-generation communications systems."

An optical processor is a digital signal processor (DSP) with an optical accelerator attached to it that enables it to perform functions at very high speeds.

"It is an acceleration of 20 years in the development of digital hardware," Lenslet founder and Chief Executive Officer Aviram Sariel told Reuters.

The processor performs 8 trillion operations per second, equivalent to a super-computer and 1,000 times faster than standard processors, with 256 lasers performing computations at light speed.

Bumpity bump!

To paraphrase:

"While the rest of the world is making microchips, the arab world is making potatoe chips."

Well, it they want to live in mudslums that's fine with me but stop attacking israel and America and everbody will be happy.