Satiate intercontinental voracity with online vocabulary game
by Kyle Orland 
{ Nov 7th 2007 at 8:30AM }
Ever feel you're wasting your time with games? Feel like you should be doing something to better yourself or the world around you instead of staring at a screen? Well, with Poverty.com's Free Rice game, you can do your part for personal and global fulfillment without ever stopping the gaming.The self-betterment in Free Rice comes from vocabulary identification questions that automatically adjust to your skills so they're challenging but not impossible. The world-improvement comes from the eponymous free rice, ten grains of which are donated through the UN's World Food Program and the site's advertisers for each right answer you provide. In the past month, over 856 million grains of rice have been donated, with the total rising exponentially day over day.
We love the idea, and think this model has potential for all sorts of games. Every Halo headshot can net a donation to Amnesty international (sponsored by Mountain Dew). Every five star Guitar Hero performance could give money to Save the Music (sponsored by VH1, of course). Bill Gates could add few bucks to his foundation for every Achievement point earned. The possibilities are endless.
[Via Gene. Thanks Michelle]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
JodyAnthony @ Nov 7th 2007 8:44AM
man, there really SHOULD be some sort of guitar hero or rock band/save the music crossover competition/fundraiser thing
Charron @ Nov 7th 2007 10:01AM
Could happen with Rock Band, they have the same chain of command as Save The Music. It'd make for great cross-promotional PR, too.
ScreamingSkull @ Nov 7th 2007 8:49AM
This thing is awesome!
mr mobius @ Nov 7th 2007 9:30AM
Its a good cause and seems like quite a clever pasttime. For anyone reading from work or school, its especially recommended because its easy to make ane excuse for being on it.
baby sea tuna @ Nov 7th 2007 10:01AM
That was neat. I made it to 640 before I got interrupted by the urge to do some actual work.
Does make me wish I'd learned Latin, though.
AmishPhysicist @ Nov 7th 2007 1:03PM
sweet. I was just on this before I came here. I've added it to my daily pages so I can go in and donate some rice each morning with the usual reading.
hermes @ Nov 7th 2007 5:39PM
A computer forum I'm a regular at had thread about this awhile back, I myself got up to 4,000 before quiting. 4,000 is a big number, but not regarding rice. 200,000 grains = 1 lb.!
Now if got a whole lot of people to contribute, and at least try then this site would actually make a difference. If it just fades into the back of the interwebs, like most things of this nature, then it would be disappointing..