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Microsoft Commits $5 Million To 'Landmark' United Nations Technology Partnership (venturebeat.com)

Microsoft and the United Nations (UN) have announced a five-year "landmark" partnership to develop technology to "better predict, analyze and respond to critical human rights situations," according to a statement issued today. From a report: Additionally, Microsoft will support work being carried out by the UN Human Rights Office by contributing $5 million to a grant in what the UN called an "unprecedented level of support" from a private organization. An example of the kind of technology the duo have been working on is an information dashboard called Rights View that gives UN employees access to real-time aggregated data on rights violations by country. This, it's hoped, will "facilitate analysis, ensure early warning of emerging critical issues, and provide data to guide responses," according to Microsoft.

21 comments

  1. M$? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    Elaine moaned happily as she faked her orgasm, clenching down around Marlon's cock with her cunt.

    - Men are such idiots, - she thought smugly as she watched him stiffen and shoot his sperm into his condom, - Tighten your pussy a couple of times and they think they've given you the fuck of the century. -

    Elaine usually came with Marlon, but today she just hadn't been into it and really just wanted to watch Letterman, so she faked it.

    "Wow!" gasped Marlon, pushing forward a couple more times, his admittedly large cock pushing apart her cunt,"Some fuck, huh?"

    "Oooh yeah baby, you're the greatest," she moaned back at him.

    He slowly pulled out and flopped onto his back, his cock was slightly softened, and had fallen back onto his belly, it looked like a little blind man in a slicker and Elaine stifled a giggle, if there was one thing men hated it was to be laughed at when they were naked.

    "Say, wanna watch Letterman?" she asked him, picking up the remote control.

    "Yeah, whatever," he moaned, like most men Marlon lost interest in everything just after sex.

    She flicked it on, Letterman was introducing his first guest of the evening, Jennifer Love Hewitt.

    "Man, she's hot," muttered Marlon through half-closed eyelids.

    "Hmmm?" asked Elaine.

    "I love women with big tits," he whispered, half asleep now.

    Elaine grinned,"Then you must love me!"

    Marlon looked over at her with an almost disinterested look, he rolled over and muttered something before dropping off.

    "Huh!" muttered Elaine, losing interest in Letterman.

    -

    "What's with the water?" asked Jerry.

    "What?" replied George, a phony grin on his face,"A guy can't drink water?"

    "That's like your seventh glass of water since we got in here."

    George looked a little embarassed,"Ummm... I... I'm keeping myself hydrated."

    "Uuhhhh, Georgie Porgie on a fitness kick?" laughed Jerry, just loud enough so people around them could hear. He knew George hated people to think he was insecure about his health and fitness, even though he was.

    "What's wrong with keeping in shape?"

    Jerry raised an eyebrow,"I think you left being in shape behind in grade school."

    George snorted.

    "So anyway," he said,"I heard that you gotta drink sixty cups of water a day to keep hydrated... man! sixty! No wonder I'm in such bad shape, I haven't been getting enough water!"

    "Yeah, that's the reason," Jerry murmured.

    Elaine entered the cafe.

    "Lainee!" cried Jerry.

    "Hmmmph," Elaine hmmmphed, sitting down next to Jerry.

    "What's the problem?" asked Jerry, but before she could reply George interrupted.

    "The water jug is empty... is it to much to ask they kept it full?"

    "Yeah George," grunted Elaine, rolling her eyes,"It real high on their list of priorities."

    "I'm going to get some more, you gotta have sixty cups of water a day you know."

    He got up and walked to the counter, Elaine turned to look at Jerry.

    "Sixty cups? Shouldn't that be six tea cups?"

    Jerry smiled, thin and sardonic,"Shhhh, this is more fun than telling him."

    George returned, he poured himself a glass of water and sat down, as he took his first sip he glanced at his watch.

    "Oh wow!" he said, putting the glass down,"I have to meet Linda at her work, I gotta go."

    He stood up and grabbed the glass, bringing it to his lips he threw his head back and swallowed it all down, thumped it on to the table and walked out with a brief wave at the two of them.

    "I guess that's a loser's idea of a kegger?" Elaine commented,"Hey, what's Linda like, he's been going out with her for nearly a month now... for us that's huge."

    "Yeah, he's been saying he's gotten really comfortable with her, so I think we know what's next...."

    "Yep, he's gonna dump her."

    "Exactly!"

    The waitress finally realized that Elaine had arrived and came to take her order, she got a slice of apple pie.

    "

    1. Re:M$? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You know Seinfeld ended over two decades ago, right? I really don't think they're looking for more scripts.

  2. 5 million is unprecedented? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Really.

    1. Re:5 million is unprecedented? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      from a non government body yeah! you don't see many private organisations lining up to fund the UN.

  3. OOOOPS! HE DID IT AGAIN! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Way to go, Donald.

  4. I thought it was a typo, but it's not by Anubis+IV · · Score: 1

    That's "million". That's with an "m" not a "b". With all this talk of it being a "landmark" partnership and whatnot, I figured it was supposed to be a "b", but the article says "million" as well.

    So, $5M, which is about enough to pay the salaries of, say, 100 people working for one year, or 20 people working for five years? Don't get me wrong, that's great and all, and the cause is good, but it seems as if whoever wrote this press release is laying the hyperbole on thick.

    1. Re:I thought it was a typo, but it's not by mspohr · · Score: 1, Offtopic

      The $5 million will be paid in copies of Windows XP which will be distributed to underdeveloped Microsoft markets and will serve as vectors for the next malware attack, forcing them to "upgrade" to the next version of Microsoft malware host software.

      --
      I don't read your sig. Why are you reading mine?
  5. Oh please. by Gravis+Zero · · Score: 1

    I'm sure they'll be spending $20M to advertise how great they are for doing this.

    --
    Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
  6. UNs Purpose by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Wasn't the UN designed to prevent another world war? How does this serve that purpose?

    1. Re:UNs Purpose by Jzanu · · Score: 1

      Human Rights violations have always been a hallmark of dictatorships - Assad, Saddam, Pol Pot, Duvalier, Milosevic, Mao, Hitler, Stalin, etc. Recognizing the occurrence in isolated regions and linking them spatially allows for faster and more targeted intervention to stop genocide sooner. Democracies don't fight democracies, and modern wars are always as a late response to the barbarism of a dictatorship. $5 million isn't much, and I hope the Gates foundation follows up on this with a lot more funding over time.

    2. Re:UNs Purpose by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And what, exactly hast the UN done to prevent dictators and genocide in the past? Do you really think a power point presentation is the solution?

      The big world players don't care about genocide and position dictators like chess pawns.

      There are more effective things the UN could be spending $5 million on.

    3. Re:UNs Purpose by Jzanu · · Score: 2

      Don't be an idiot. You need to brush up on peace keeping and peace enforcement missions. There have been quite a few, and many current ones. Information technology is a force multiplier and it is essential to allow field workers to communicate effectively.

  7. Good. by SeattleLawGuy · · Score: 1

    Good. If you ever actually study human rights, you'll discover it's terrible in a way you can hardly conceptualize. Doing what we can to reduce problems like state-sanctioned torture, the modern-day slave trade, the kidnapping and elimination of those who speak out against tyrants, the use of rape as a weapon of war, the genocides we see today, and many other very basic problems should be a core priority of the United Nations. It is an effort that people and businesses and political parties of all stripes should stand behind.

    You can choose to shout "SJWs" or "hate of anything microsoft related" or everything else we expect to see on slashdot threads like this. But this is a good thing.

    --
    Real lawyers write in C++
    1. Re:Good. by drinkypoo · · Score: 0

      It's conceptually a good idea, but if Microsoft were a person it would be a career criminal. I'd suspect that the software would be subject to all kinds of nasty biases.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    2. Re:Good. by chipschap · · Score: 1

      You can choose to shout "SJWs" or "hate of anything microsoft related" or everything else we expect to see on slashdot threads like this. But this is a good thing.

      Unarguably so, and I'm glad they're doing something good with some of their money. I'm generally anti-MS but we need to be fair. And we can still be anti-MS: if a truly evil murderous dictator gave money to build an orphanage, that's a good thing, but it doesn't make up for everything else. But I'd rather they did the one good thing than nothing at all.

    3. Re:Good. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You can choose to shout "SJWs" or "hate of anything microsoft related" or everything else we expect to see on slashdot threads like this. But this is a good thing.

      Unarguably so, and I'm glad they're doing something good with some of their money. I'm generally anti-MS but we need to be fair. And we can still be anti-MS: if a truly evil murderous dictator gave money to build an orphanage, that's a good thing, but it doesn't make up for everything else. But I'd rather they did the one good thing than nothing at all.

      I'd rather have have nothing at all. If there was no truly evil murderous dictatorial behavior there may be no need for an orphanage.

    4. Re:Good. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Doing what we can to reduce problems like state-sanctioned torture, the kidnapping and elimination of those who speak out against tyrants,

      How dare you to question the methods utilized by our "State Department" (US) and those of our allies and trading partners in the past and present!!??? ;)

  8. YES! exactly this! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'm also sure MS will get "good will" in return that will pay many times that. Even without corruption, all things being equal, the company who has the best PR will have an edge in decision making.

    The U.N. runs on government but it does surprise me that they've managed to keep corporate sponsorship away so well that 5 Million is a huge deal.

  9. Garbage in, garbage out by manu0601 · · Score: 1

    I understand the biggest problem with human right violations is not to display them on screen, but to investigate them. If investigation is weak, the beautiful IT system will work in "garbage in, garbage out" mode

  10. Microsoft infecting humanity. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Nothing new, so far. Disgusting as usual.

  11. Blech by Jiro · · Score: 1

    This office is led by Prince Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein of Jordan.

    Wikipedia link for human rights in Jordan.

    Not as bad as some other UN human rights organizations, but it still doesn't sound very good.