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megustaleer

15th October 2007, 09:30 PM

Free Rice (http://www.freerice.com/) is an addictive vocabulary game. For each word you get right, the sponsors donate 10 grains of race to an international aid agency. I finally broke free when I reached a vocabulary score of 50 (and 830 grains of rice).

So, now it's your turn...

Minxminnie

15th October 2007, 10:15 PM

This is great! I'll pass it on to all my friends, but I have to stop, at 270 grains, because my cat has just donated a dead mouse to me...
Later: Got rid of the mouse (tho the cat is looking daggers at me) and I've donated 1250 grains of rice. Can't keep my vocab level above 40 for many words in a row, though - can anyone do better? (I'm sure you all know more obscure words than me - I knew I should have done Latin at school!)

David

15th October 2007, 10:33 PM

Oooh, addictive site, Meg! I got to 49 at 850 grains then got two wrong in relatively quick succession and was knocked back - I left it there but will have another go. A really good idea!

David

15th October 2007, 10:47 PM

Too addictive! Was back after a few minutes - this time I managed to get to 50 in 590 grains! Two of the same words appeared but I'd got them right the first time so I reckon that's okay! :D

Flingo

15th October 2007, 11:32 PM

Certainly addictive - I was going to bed an hour ago!! Between us, we reached level 45, but kept dropping back, and got sutuck in a loop between levels 37 and 43 (tiredness and loss of concentration didn't help!).

We donated 5000 grains of rice - yes...five thousand! I'm amazed meg and David got to 50 - the faq says it is rare to get above 48 so to do it with so few grains as well is very impressive!!! :notworthy

(ETA - minxminnie, just seen your comment. Thank you for being human with me!!!;) )

David

15th October 2007, 11:50 PM

the faq says it is rare to get above 48 so to do it with so few grains as well is very impressive!!!
Gosh - I hadn't read the FAQ. In fact, I was going to try and get higher but again went on to get one wrong then another a couple after that so left it. Reading the FAQ I see it only goes to 50 so I'd have been getting deeply frustrated trying to work out why I was stuck there!

I'm certainly not pretending I knew all the meanings, but a number of them can be reasonably guessed with a knowledge of derivations and similar words.

chuntzy

16th October 2007, 06:39 AM

Addictive - never left it so long in the morning to have my breakfast. Thanks!

megustaleer

16th October 2007, 07:59 AM

Gosh - I hadn't read the FAQ. In fact, I was going to try and get higher but again went on to get one wrong then another a couple after that so left it. Reading the FAQ I see it only goes to 50 so I'd have been getting deeply frustrated trying to work out why I was stuck there!

I'm certainly not pretending I knew all the meanings, but a number of them can be reasonably guessed with a knowledge of derivations and similar words.Wot he said!

I was stuck at 40ish for a while, and hadn't even noticed that there was a vocabulary score until it started to go down when I got words wrong.

As far as the supply of rice is concerned, the longer it takes to reach 50, the more gets donated, so everybody wins!

ETA: it took me longer to reach 50 this morning, but it meant that another 900 grains of rice were donated!

Lady Lazarus

16th October 2007, 08:37 AM

In a word FAB!

Tess

16th October 2007, 09:27 AM

So very addictive!

Can't get above 30 at the moment, keep making silly mistakes :mad:

Stewart

16th October 2007, 09:34 AM

Got to 1,000 grains and decided enough was enough. I may return later as it was rather fun.

megustaleer

17th October 2007, 11:11 AM

50/650

Radders

17th October 2007, 11:56 AM

What a fantastic site - a good way to while away my sick leave :)

Elfstar

18th October 2007, 12:18 PM

Got to 50 this morning with 860 grains. Better than last night. :rolleyes:

Jen

18th October 2007, 12:25 PM

Apparently littleneck = quahog. I got that one wrong!

megustaleer

18th October 2007, 01:34 PM

Apparently littleneck = quahog. I got that one wrong!
I thought everyone knew that! :naughty:

Momo

20th October 2007, 04:23 PM

This is soooo great! However, I finished after donating 1,000 grains, didn't want to be on the PC all night. :D

Radders

20th October 2007, 09:02 PM

So International Aid are going to benefit greatly from my sick leave! Yesterday, I donated over 4000 grains of rice :)

megustaleer

21st October 2007, 09:12 AM

There has been a discussion on Ship Of Fools about this 'game', as some folks find it morally repugnant, for this reason:
there is something inherently immoral in amusing myself with the side-effect of bestowing grains of rice on starving people.
Discussion taking place here (http://forum.ship-of-fools.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=010538;p=1#000000)
Any thoughts?

Radders

21st October 2007, 09:36 AM

I'm having trouble with this one!

I have really enjoyed playing it and have got slightly addicted. I didn't see any problem with feeding those in need as a result. I think the comment is, dare I day, quite pompous!

However the poster has made me feel quite bad saying what he/she said. Not bad enough that I am going to stop playing it though :rolleyes:

megustaleer

21st October 2007, 10:14 AM

I didn't see any problem with feeding those in need as a result. I think the comment is, dare I day, quite pompous!
I agree.
If I thought that playing this game was the only contribution I need to make to ending world poverty, yes, he'd have a point.
As I linked to the game to pass a quiet time on the board, and it could just as well have been any other game, the 'grains of rice' are an incidental, which I hope would result in a small contribution from the advertisers to a food-aid charity.
I was surprised that others had a different opinion.

David

21st October 2007, 10:21 AM

I have no such qualms as the poster Meg quotes. We live in the real world. If it were a better world everyone who was well off would give money to help the poor and all would be harmonious, but it's not like that. People are more likely to help if there's some sort of incentive. Is it diabolical to watch Comic Relief and have a laugh while children are starving in Africa? Should we just watch a static screen with a phone number during Children in Need night?

Of course not. Many people give to charity without any incentive but most don't, so fundraising is tied to entertainment in one way or another. In this case the body responsible could have just given the rice anyway, but through this device is actually giving people enjoyment whilst making them think about the issue of world hunger.

We could have just played the game and not turned our minds to a huge problem at all. I think it's better to plant a seed of thought in people's heads.

Jen

21st October 2007, 10:33 AM

Having recently read Bleak House, Mrs Jellyby springs to mind, busy trying to save the world while her family slowly disintegrates around her.

Minxminnie

21st October 2007, 05:43 PM

I mainly agree with Meg, David and others. I don't have a problem with it. I'm giving some of my time and stretching my own brain a little, and someone somewhere benefits. I don't find it patronising.
However, on reflection, I do have some concerns. One is the authenticity of the site: how can we know any rice is ever donated? Also, to whom is it donated, and is free rice the best way to help? Usually the starving are within easy reach of food - they just can't afford to buy it. Handing over large donations can depress the local economy and damage the liveliehoods of market traders, tipping them into poverty.
Having thought about it, maybe I'm not so keen after all!

megustaleer

21st October 2007, 07:41 PM

I don't think anyone is actually counting out grains of rice!.
It's just an apposite way of keeping score. I guess the busier the site is the greater the advertising revenue, and the greater the income the bigger the donation made to the charity.

David

21st October 2007, 08:26 PM

I do have some concerns. One is the authenticity of the site: how can we know any rice is ever donated? Also, to whom is it donated, and is free rice the best way to help? Usually the starving are within easy reach of food - they just can't afford to buy it. Handing over large donations can depress the local economy and damage the liveliehoods of market traders, tipping them into poverty.
Those are very fair points, MM, and I would share those potential concerns. My focus had been simply on the principle of enjoying oneself whilst endeavouring to do some good, but the best application of charity is certainly debatable.

Minxminnie

21st October 2007, 08:33 PM

I had a better look at the site to see how reputable it was. This is from the FAQ:
Who distributes the donated rice?
The rice is distributed by the United Nations World Food Program (WFP). The World Food Program is the world’s largest food aid agency, working with over 1,000 other organizations in over 75 countries. In addition to providing food, the World Food Program helps hungry people to become self-reliant so that they escape hunger for good. Wherever possible, the World Food Program buys food locally to support local farmers and the local economy. We encourage you to visit the United Nations World Food Program to learn more about their successful approach to ending hunger.
That puts my mind at ease a bit, that the donations are being made through a very reputable body.

epenthesis

23rd October 2007, 06:35 AM

Only 3 nations honour their UN commitment of 2.5% of GNP p.a. to world aid.

Adrian

23rd October 2007, 06:48 AM

Only 3 nations honour their UN commitment of 2.5% of GNP p.a. to world aid.
Hey, don't keep us hanging. Or do we have to guess?

Norway, Holland and Finland in that order.

epenthesis

23rd October 2007, 09:08 AM

Good guessing Adrian.

Momo

23rd October 2007, 09:21 PM

There are always two sides to charity. Yes, if you feed people constantly without giving them the means to earn their living, that's not such a good idea. However, if you let them starve, that's even worse. The guy who asked the initial question saidThey are poor (i) in the first instance because of us and (ii) remain so because of us. (Us=Western nations: colonial and post-colonial policies, loans made at crippling rates)If we take this into consideration and try to help as often as possible, I don't have a problem with that. For instance, we have always had a sponsor child in a poor country (presently a girl in Kenya). You donate money every month and the children go to school, get fed, get medical aid, but also their families get help with starting an income, free medical aid etc. I have heard people arguing against that, as well. I don't care what people say against it, I know I have helped some kids earning their living and getting a better life than their parents. And that's the same thing with the rice. Yes, I enjoy the game and I would probably play it even if they didn't give the rice. I hope they don't "just" feed people without trying to solve the reason why they are hungry in the first place. However, I can't be everywhere and I can only do little from here.

epenthesis

24th October 2007, 07:44 AM

Just added 340 grains, but make no mistake, it wasn't easy.

epenthesis

27th October 2007, 05:05 AM

megustaleer

27th October 2007, 08:22 AM

I can't come within awry smile at that, what's your best score, megustaleer?
I haven't been keeping a record.

David

28th October 2007, 03:51 PM

Apparently littleneck = quahog. I got that one wrong!
And just to increase your quahog knowledge still further...

BBC News - Oldest Creature (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7066389.stm)

(And there was me thinking they'd named it 'Ming' for an altogether different reason... ;) )

Jen

28th October 2007, 07:15 PM

And just to increase your quahog knowledge still further...

BBC News - Oldest Creature (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7066389.stm)
After I made the earlier post, I noticed that the town in which the cartoon Family Guy is set is called Quahog. I'm still not sure why it's the same as 'littleneck', but really, I don't care that much. Please don't waste any time on my behalf ;)

David

28th October 2007, 07:29 PM

After I made the earlier post, I noticed that the town in which the cartoon Family Guy is set is called Quahog.
:D

Indeed! I've plugged Family Guy so much I thought I'd better not mention that, but actually it's explained another joke in the series, since there's an obsession in the show with clams - and lo! Here's another!

epenthesis

31st October 2007, 10:42 PM

Yes David, IMO Family Guy is the best animated humour on tv.

Dave if you post about how you struggle on freerice.com i reckon meggs will spill and tell us about his form. unless he's cherrystoned upon the subject.

OK so I'm a wanker with a perfect 340.

Royal Rother

12th November 2007, 11:32 AM

http://www.freerice.com

A fun diversion I haven't seen on here before...

I seem to hover around 40. I'm sure some of you guys are going to beat that hands down!

Oops, this would seem to belong in the new Quiz section of ABB... (Moderator...?!!) :D