September 2002 Archives
2002-09-30
As the only one, I ran 8 km in the lunchbreak. Including the hill (normally suggested as punishment for running so badly last week. Every week). Great weather, sunny and circa 15 DEG C. Shame on the lazy bastards (you know who you are) who didn't show up.
2002-09-26
Additionally I caught the flu, and have just spent 3 days at home in bed. Missed the gym sunday (they were closed!), missed running monday and missed the gym wednesday.
2002-09-22
The Germans reelected Gerhard Schröder as Bundeskansler after a very close run. Had Zwiebelkuchen and "Federweisser" - young, not yet fully fermented wine at Danni and Markus' place. It tastes great together, but overindulgence will usually produce a reaction on the next day. Oh yeah...
2002-09-18
Went with Keith to see Adam in the simulations room, where they simulate all the things which can go wrong with the spacecrafts, before trying the commands on the real ones. Interesting. Of course they run SUN Solaris on all their boxes.
Saw 'About a boy' in Helia. With original sound! It was good, but will probably not be remembered as best move of the 21st century.
Did deltoids, lattismus dorsi exercises - and a bit of bench press.
2002-09-17
Had dinner at Yang Ji asian restaurant in Landwehrstrasse. Very nice sushi (but be carefull with the wasabi!).
2002-09-16
8 km in the woods behind ESOC. I'm receiving complaints that my diary is boring. I'm sorry. My life is boring.
The journalists in Danish National Radio (Danmarks Radio) have been on strike for the last month or so. That means that the news bullintin on short wave every evening have only been 5 minutes. Luckily it seems they have come to an understanding with the management, so they will start sending long broadcasts again.
Learned the other day that Det Radikale Venstre (Danish political party) now recommends that Denmark abolishes the last four exceptions to the Maastrict treaty, to become a full member. After the referendum 18 MAY 1993 Denmark has not been participating fully in EU with regards to the Euro, the Schengen cooperation, the European citizenship, and common EU-immigration and asylum politics. Now, if they would also consider getting a proper defense policy it might come to a point where I would actually consider giving them my vote.
2002-09-15
Nice. Bugtraq says there's an apache worm in the wild exploiting the OpenSSL vulnerabilities publiced last month.
One hour of bench press and biceps curl in the gym.
2002-09-14
Ran for an hour in Stadtwald with Roland (from the third floor) and 50 other people. Beautiful weather. Baked a bread in my (relatively) new combined micro/grill/hot air-oven (and ate it...). Unfortunately that left me without any flour for tomorrow's pancakes.
2002-09-09
For the third week in a row I managed to do the 6 km in the woods before lunch. You may congratulate me.
2002-09-08
Finished Gravity's Rainbow yesterday (see my book page). Baked (and ate...) pancakes today, washed the stairs. Wednesday it's September, 11th - 58 years since 78% of Darmstadt was destroyed, killing 12000 people leaving 70000 without housing. It was not "lateral" damage - it was intended killing of civilians. Just like the Nazis did with London and Chelsea.
Oh... discovered that the Germans have a highly sophisticated VAT-system: Only 7% on food, and 16% on non-food. I've been here for 6 months, but only noticed because my uncle told me. Apparently the Danish government (liberal/conservative right-wing...) thinks it is too difficult and that it will confuse the Danish consumers if a similar system was introduced in Denmark. So instead the Danes pay 25% VAT on everything. And then, of course, 300% extra tax on things like cars. I'm glad I got out in time.
2002-09-06
Today's ESOC 35 years anniversary. Big thing with speeches, free beer, and entertainment. Lots of visitors. Also, this evening my uncle and aunt are dropping by, on their way to Alsace. And there's Wine-fest in Darmstadt. I'll be busy.
2002-09-01
Yesterday was my 27th birthday (if I remember correctly). I went to Ikea near Heidelberg and bought a blue carpet and three lamps for some 90 EUR. I also avoided electrocuting myself later in the afternoon when installing the lamps. It rained all day.
I still need to get myself a nice coach for the living room. My taste in furniture is expensive, classic, modern, futuristic and at the same time timeless ;-) I really don't know what to buy. I like Danish designers (of course) like Arne Jacobsen, but paying 8000 EUR for his Svanen-coach is a little more than I'm prepared to spend. Probably something like http://www.wk-wohnen.de/limit1.htm except that I think it is too mechanical. A couch should not have moving parts, I think. But I like the look of it.