I discovered I have a new superpower. I call it "parent vision" and it lets me see every sharp edge, wall socket and other dangers to a crawling toddler in a fraction of a second.
What's not so super is that it's the fraction of a second before her hand or head touches it.
In an official statement, the german "Gesellschaft für Informatik" (GI), Germany's biggest association of IT experts, states that the new "BSI law" probably is a progress from the draft of 2008, but still has deeply rooted flaws. (BSI is short for "Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationtechnik", the federal office for information technology security.)
What troubles the IT experts most is the fact that each and every communication with federal authorities will be completely monitored, which they regard as the first step to a surveillance state. "GI demands free and uncontrolled communication of all citizens with federal authorities as warranted by the constitution", the paper announces. Personal information won't be sufficiently secured by the proposed law, so effective restrictions must be put in place, GI concludes.
By criticising the "BSI law", GI joins other voices that fear an increase in stately surveillance and in the risk of unauthorized access to personal data, for example Peter Schaar, the german federal data privacy commissioner.
I regard it as highly necessary that all parts of german society raise their voices against those attempts at collecting more personal data with neither valid reason nor the technical and legal means of protecting them. Join the protest!
(via Heise Newsticker)
You know Simon's Cat from the first two animations I published on my blog. Now it's time to introduce you to Simon's sister's dog!
Recently, I got an email that, at first, looked like spam, but was clever PR for the RSPCA’s campaign to tackle pet obesity:
I noticed that you have blogged about Simon’s Cat in the past, so I thought you would be really interested to hear that Simon Tofield, the maker of Simon’s cat, has finally released a new animation. The video, featuring Simon’s sister’s dog has been made especially for the RSPCA, and can be watched at www.giveanimalsavoice.org.uk.
I'm amazed at this social media approach to get the RSPCA's message spread and more than glad to help the cause. Here's the clip:
I found this picture in c't magazine 24/2008 on page 129. Now, what's the most interesting detail?
Post your score in the comments!
I've been trying the free version of Delicious Library 2 for some days now. I hadn't been sure if I'd shell out the money to buy the full license -- it's just a collection management application after all!
But when I put another book in front of my MacBook's built-in webcam to scan in its barcode and the application told me that it won't accept more than 25 items, I couldn't stop myself from ripping out my credit card.
This application is amazing. It doesn't do much more than managing your book, movie and music library. But it does it in a way that's totally appealing. Delicious Library displays your stuff neatly arranged on a virtual shelf. The tedious task of entering new items is made easy as pie by using the eyeSight camera as a barcode scanner. Every title recognized will be read out loudly by the OS X speech synthesizer. If you lend out a book, you just drag it onto the friend's contact (imported from the OS X Address Book) and enter the return date. Until checked in again, the item will be displayed as a ghostly image.
I'm still surprised how knee-jerk this one software purchase happened. Seems like I'm getting more and more spontaneous the longer I've been using a Mac. I notice the same disturbing development when visiting the iTunes Music and App Store. I'll have to keep an eye on that behaviour.
Anyway, you can see what's on my shelves at library.geewiz.de.
He:
Please never let me vegetate in such a situation -- dependent on machines, fed from a bottle of fluid nutriment. If you experience me in that condition, have the mercy to shut off the machines keeping me alive.
She:
Well, I'll rather throw away the telly and the computer and pour away your beer then.
Wenn ich bei Stefan Niggemeier Artikel wie diesen und diesen lese, dann ist das viel besser als das dämliche Fernsehen mit seinen Galileo-Sendungen, die offenbar eine kräftige Mischung aus Wissensmagazin und Dauerwerbesendung sind.
(The two articles linked report how a PR agency successfully put Subway brand placement into several popular knowledge programmes in German TV, how they uncovered everything by bragging about it and how they now are trying to get the genie back into the bottle).
While Andy got his AKG 324 P for the first time and is very satisfied, I already bought my second pair last month because the first one got a bit worn out over time.
As I wrote about the AKG 324 P on my old blog, they are in-ear headphones that sit snug in your ear, so you hear your music, podcast or audiobook while the volume of everything else around you is reduced to a minimum. I don't want to imagine what my two hours of train commute would do to my nerves if I had to endure all that the chatter and noise.
I'm convinced that these earbuds have a great value for money and I'm happy that others like Andy share my impression.
I really don't want to start the next daddy blog, but since Amalia currently does -- and for the foreseeable future will -- take a central place in my life, there'll be one or the other post about her.
And, be honest, could you hold back on your pride if you had such a gorgeous litte daughter?
Don't even get me started about how fascinating it is how she's developing her own body and sound language. And how totally amazed I am watching her successfully try and grab the cord of the jumping jack at her changing table. Seriously, don't ask me. My monologue would be more intense than any Linux pep talk I ever gave. And that means something.
In 5 ways to prevent IT failure, I found five important reasons that IT projects go down the drain:
Boy, do they remind me of some projects I had to endure. Especially the explanation of the last point, scope creep, hits home:
Lack of preparation typically begets the kitchen-sink syndrome, where project leaders add in every kind of feature and the kitchen sink to boot.
A project that doesn't have a clearly defined goal will most certainly be frustrating. And it will hurt the company since it'll be far from effective.
The ZDnet article also talks about what you can do to make sure the problems above don't occur. Let's ask the audience: When you're taking part in projects, what do you do to prevent those project killers?
If you enter the search keyword "Antwort" (answer) on the German Postal Service's website, you get more answers than you expected:
The third search result proves that some web designers certainly are hoopy froods that know where their towels are.
It had to happen. And you didn't expect me to withstand the temptation, did you? Thought so. So I'm an iPhone owner now.
The only thing so far I'm not really happy about so far is the battery life. In my backpack, I always carry the charger and USB cable.
But everything else is at least interesting if not totally amazing. The touch UI is great, and with time, I also manage typing text without missing every second virtual key.
The applications I installed first were Instapaper, NetNewsWire, Evernote and, of course, Super Monkey Ball.
To distract people like my precious from the reasons "gadget mania" and "Apple fanboyism", I'm trying out Omni Outliner, both on the Mac and on the iPhone. And to keep productivity from reaching unhealthy limits, I also installed Twinkle. As an interesting fact, both applications use the GPS function to be more effective.
I'm looking forward to more interesting applications, but for me the iPhone already is a better tool than my Nokia E61 ever has been.
PS: Because of the idiots at T-Mobile, I had to get a new cell phone number. If you still have my old Vodafone number (or even the long dead O2 number), please email me!
It's that animal again that every cat lover recognizes as his own! This time, Simon answers the question often asked by bewildered visitors: "How come your cat has her own couch while you don't?"
[youtube=[www.youtube.com/watch](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s13dLaTIHSg])
(Via fudder)
This is especially for Kai: A claymation movie about a zombie-splattering maid!
(Warning: Not for the faint of heart.)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6d-tNXxTRBA&hl=en&fs=1]
(Via Nerdcore)
Good gracious, how I envy those design types. With the applications I get, I'm already happy when there are no spelling or grammar errors in them.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KFCfZsu5Gc&hl=en&fs=1]
And can you imagine that there actually are people that would like to get a Linux system administration job without mentioning Linux in their application?
(via Core77)
Okay, I guess, Carolin will inhibit my curiosity. But, when she's old enough to carry a screwdriver, I will teach Amalia how to get into the heart of things. She certainly already knows how to get into our hearts.
'Warcraft' Sequel Lets Gamers Play A Character Playing 'Warcraft'
Last year, I and some coworkers bought some Nerf Maverick guns. But that shall only be the beginning.
(Deutscher Text unten)
When Carolin went into labour at half past two in the morning, we knew that June 12th would be the birthday of our baby. What we didn't know was what a strain it would be.
We spent the rest of the night at home, but only I could still get some rest while Carolin couldn't get to sleep any more. In the morning, the time came to go to the hospital. After arrival and examination, we went for a walk, but didn't come far because of the contractions getting stronger.
And then, a long birth process started. Eventually, the contractions came almost without pause, so Carolin got medication to slow them down to prevent complete fatigue. When the actual birth was imminent, however, Carolin couldn't come up with enough strength to press the baby out. So, they had to give her another medication with the opposite effect than the one before.
Finally, after 10 hours, at 09:08pm, a totally exhausted Carolin and an also quite weary Jochen held their baby daughter in their arms: Amalia Elin Gall. Seh's healthy and obviously inherited my serenity.
Both girls will recover in hospital over the next days. Afterwards, we'll together enjoy the time I took off work at home.
More pictures of Amalia will be posted on Flickr. If you like, you can leave some greetings below in the comments which I'll gladly give to Carolin and Amalia!
And now, I'll open this bottle of Midleton Very Rare.
Als gegen halb drei morgens Carolins Wehen einsetzten, wussten wir, dass der 12. Juni der Geburtstag unseres Babys sein würde. Was wir nicht wussten, war, wie anstrengend der Weg dorthin sein würde.
Die Nacht verbrachten wir noch zuhause, allerdings bekam nur ich ein paar Stunden Schlaf, während Carolin nicht mehr einschlafen konnte. Am Vormittag wurde es dann Zeit, in die Klinik zu fahren. Nach Ankunft und Untersuchung gingen wir noch etwas spazieren, aber aufgrund der stärker werdenden Wehen kamen wir nicht allzu weit.
Und dann begann eine lange Geburt. Irgendwann ließen die Wehen Carolin kaum noch Pausen. Um ihre Erschöpfung zu lindern, erhielt sie ein Wehen hemmendes Medikament. Am Ende fehlte ihr dann jedoch die Kraft, das Kind hinaus zu pressen, sodass ein Medikament mit umgekehrter Wirkung nötig wurde.
Schließlich jedoch hielten zehn Stunden später um 21:08 Uhr eine völlig erschöpfte Carolin und ein auch recht müder Jochen ihre Tochter in den Armen: Amalia Elin Gall. Sie ist gesund und hat offenbar meine Ruhe geerbt.
Die beiden Damen werden sich in den nächsten Tagen weiter im Krankenhaus erholen. Zusammen werden wir dann zuhause die Auszeit genießen, die ich mir in der Firma genommen habe.
Weitere Bilder von Amalia sind auf Flickr zu finden. Grüße an Carolin und Amalia nehme ich gern in den Kommentaren unten entgegen -- ich werde jeden einzelnen ausrichten!
Und jetzt mache ich meine Flasche Midleton Very Rare auf.
The abstract of Jan Chipchase's TED talk "Our cell phones, ourselves" goes as follows:
Nokia researcher Jan Chipchase's investigation into the ways we interact with technology has led him from the villages of Uganda to the insides of our pockets. He's made some unexpected discoveries along the way.
One of these interesting discoveries is how Africans use mobile phones to transfer money to rural areas where there's no bank let alone an ATM machine:
Imagine: People that aren't creditworthy enough to get a bank account practically become human ATM terminals, using the mobile phone infrastructure as a medium of money transfer. I find it fascinating how those people use the same technology we use -- but for a totally different use case. Is that what we meant with "developing countries"?
If sharing the bus with some teenagers hasn't already, this video will finally convince you that cell phones are evil.
Cell Phones Are Evil - Watch more free videos
(Via Nerdcore)
Recently, I noticed that the tram I was taking from work to the train station, had more than 10 ceiling cams installed. That's one camera every 2 meters. Oh, did my feeling of security grow instantly.
Meanwhile, the UK recognizes that installing "Closed Circuit TV" cameras is just a waste of money. As the Guardian titles, "CCTV boom has failed to slash crime, say police".
Meanwhile, my commuting costs will increase because german transportation companies think playing "1984" was a better use for my money than improving my traveling experience.
The article "Krieg heißt jetzt Friedenserzwingung" on Telepolis facilitates a view into the minds of two of Germany's leading (and ruling) political parties CDU (Christian Democratic Union) and CSU (Christian Social Union), as explained in their paper "Security Strategy for Germany".
Citing Telepolis:
'The state's foremost reponsibility is security', said Andreas Schockenhoff, deputy chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary party, in his speech before the security congress. Nobody disagreed. That says a lot about the CDU's understanding of state and democracy. The Grundgesetz [i.e. the German constitution] obviously takes another angle: 'Human dignity is not infringeable. To respect and protect it is every state power's obligation.' Nothing to be seen about 'security', much more about 'freedom', though.
As neo-imperialistic as the CDU portrays their approach to internal and foreign affairs, as much creativity they show in their choice of words. Their strategic paper doesn't talk of war, oh no.
Instead, it talks of "enforced peace".
Recruiters are used to briefings where the head of HR hands them a carefully crafted job profile, explains the benfits and pension plans and finishes by pointing out the salary perspective.
But sometimes, the briefing gets a different angle when you exchange the head of HR with leaders that know what's really necessary to get the job done.
This obviously happens very rarely, judging from df5jt's excited blog entry (article in german).
Let's see if my teams will benefit from that very briefing.
