The most interesting contest I've seen in a while

It speaks for itself:

Contest to Create Robert Burns Memorial on Second Life

The Centre for Scottish Studies at Simon Fraser University is holding a contest to create a memorial to Scotland's Bard that is suitable for a twenty-first century globalized world and that can be reproduced on Second Life. Statues, busts and portraits often represent Burns as a nostalgic relic of the nineteenth century. We are looking for a more contemporary image to convey the fact that Burns's messages regarding respect for nature, universal brotherhood (and, by extension, sisterhood) and the uplifting power of the human spirit have never been more relevant. The deadline for entry is April 1, 2009. The winning design will be awarded $300 (Canadian) and will appear in Second Life on SFU's island during Tartan Week (April 6-10). For more details or to submit an entry (preferably in digital format), contact: Leith Davis (leith@sfu.ca).

Friday Five: Links to take you to the weekend in style

Bruce Schneier on getting cybersecurity right in the next Presidency

Top 10 conversation hacks

A striking little piece on the competitive advantage of Costco

Malcolm Gladwell on big ideas

Jean-Michel Rabaté perceives a singularly American form of political lying