Gilberto Gil, Brazil's Minister of Culture, is retiring. Medical tests revealed a polyp on his vocal cords which could threaten his musical career. Gil needs to quit giving speeches while the polyp is being treated. Which is unfortunate, because he has quite a bit to say. Gil is the man who turned down Nicholas Negroponte's One Laptop Per Child project in Brazil. We got the chance to meet the minister at the EmTech conference in September. I was struck by how, unlike many politicians who promise the world and deliver nothing, Gil seemed aware of the significant shortcomings of the OLPC project. We wish him the best.