Friedel's Blog

artificial photosynthesis

2008-07-22T15:58:00.002+01:00

Image via WikipediaI already learned in secondary school, that the researcher, who is able to do artificial photosynthesis will become very very rich. Actually artificial mass photosynthesis might solve our energy problems.

This week I read on NewScientist Blog, that Chinese researchers found an possible way to do it using nanotubes - however they cannot do it yet.

I like the idea of artificial photosynthesis :)

Rubber Ducking

2008-03-26T11:10:00.002Z

Yesterday I learned the paradigm "rubber ducking".
This sounds pretty funny but is a very powerful technique. Actually I guess most of you know this technique but never heard of the term rubber ducking. This name was created in the book "The Pragmatic Programmer: From Journeyman to Master" by AndrewHunt and DavidThomas.

Place a rubber duck on your monitor and describe your problems to it. There's something magical about stating your problems aloud that makes the solution more clear.

In other words: just try to say what your problem is and the problem may vanish.

further reading: here

volume up

2008-02-19T22:51:00.002Z

This is a really great song! I'm currently playing several computer games. Hence I did'n manage to complete the changes on this blog. HoweverI have prepared some articles, yet.

it's alive!

2008-01-27T21:54:00.000Z

Yes, I'm back bloggin' in English. I'll tell ya my (new) intention for blogging soon. So far I'll just blog ;-)

First: I have a nice video for you.

(found @: Google and OS-Blog)

Freedom for US Gamers

2007-11-12T09:51:00.002Z

Sounds interesting:

"What we need to see is a change in U.S. legislation that removes that discrimination against EU operators,"

read all

2007-11-12T09:51:00.000Z

Sounds interesting:

"What we need to see is a change in U.S. legislation that removes that discrimination against EU operators,"

read all

Tooth2: The Age of Refilling

2007-08-09T12:39:00.000+01:00

cool title, eh?
Well actually I just needed to fill up my previously filled tooth again. This stuff doesn't fall out at once. I just recognized that the temporal filling was shrinking. I guess it is just to soft for any abrasive action like chewing. Yesterday the hole was big enough again, so that rests of my food remained there. Time to fix it again! Well, I still have enough filling material though its not a big problem. I'm just wondering if the new layer and the old layer merge together. In 15 days I'll be back in Germany. I hope I don't have to repair my tooth again until then.

Guildenstern D.D.S (aka Dr. Dent. Friedel)

2007-08-04T01:52:00.000+01:00

ok, I blog pretty late this time. I was really busy. Last Friday I had a little accident. A few month I had a smooth toothache on a back tooth. OK, I knew that one of my first visits back in Germany would be my dentist. Last Friday it happened. First I thought: "WTF - sand in the chewing gum?" - but it was a filling. I lost a filling and had a big big hole. It was big enough to put the tip of a pencil inside! However I had no pain. Only if I chewed something hard I noticed it. So what to do now? I'm German visiting UK and I'll be back in Germany on 24th August. Four weeks is a long time. I need a dentist. Hopefully it wouldn't be to expensive in UK. Thus I waited until Monday and asked my supervisor what to do. He lives here since 10 years.

He gave me a phone number of a walk-in clinic (?). I called there and left a message on the answering machine. That was 11:30am.

02:30pm - I looked for the opening hours in the internet. Maybe they have holidays. I found a emergency number. I called the number and managed to navigate through the automated service until I got a human on the other end. We had a nice conversation. I understood not much. He asked me why I call. I tried to explain. Then he asked me something about registration, dentists, blah blah. I told him that I have no dentist here, that I'm only a visitor from Germany and that I will go back in three weeks.
Then he asked me about my tooth and my pain. I answered. Then he asked about my gums. "Sorry what?" - "Your gums" - "Pardon" - "Your GUMS"
OK, we all know the British politeness. But he sounded nerved. Actually it was not the first time I asked twice. But he sounded nerved after a while.
Finally I had an idea: "aaaah- the flesh?" - "yes" - "no, that is ok. not swollen or anything"
Then he recommended me to go to a pharmacy, Boots or Tesco and buy something called DenTek. That's a temporal filling. Thus I can replace my filling and make a date with my dentist. If I have a problem or pain I should call again. Then I called my German dentist and requested a comment. Yes, that tooth had a filling and yes, it is alive though I should do something or I will get pain. In Germany there is a stuff called Cavit. DenTeks filling is called Temparin (R). Later I could compare the ingredients. It is almost the same.

3:45pm - A woman from the clinic called me. I explained my situation and she explained me that in that case I have to call the emergency number which I already called.

3:55pm - I left the office.
Ok.. I know Tesco. Boots? I wear shoes!?! OK, I went to Tesco. Of course they had nothing in stock. They told me that I can get that in a pharmacy in Ashden Road or in town centre. Gee... I saw no pharmacy there - not even a shop. And she told me about boots again. I still had no idea what they mean?

I arrived in town centre at 6:00pm. All shops just closed. Hm.. ok one more day.
Tuesday 9:00am I went to town centre to Boots. They had a whole first aid kit (which I bought) and only this Temparin stuff. I read the describtion which was the same like in the internet. But I found no describtion what Eugenol is. The basic set contains one wooden stick, 2 cotton tips and 1.7g Temporary Filling. I'm willing to spend more for my oral health. Though I bought the Dental First Aid Kit with one additional cotton tip, 3.7ml Eugenol, a small box called "Tooth & Crown Saver" for lost teeth and a comfortable big plastic case for travels. I considered to buy a dental pick, too, but I didn't. I paid 7.99 GBP and I missed 28p because I have no club card.

The rest is not very spectacular. It sounds really weird to be its own dentist but I brushed my teeth, dried my wrecked tooth and put 2 tissues in my mouth to ensure it stay dry until I finished. Ok, I always buy the cheapest tissues which are original Tempo Plus with Aloe and Camomile. In the first try I almost puked due the essential oils. Anyway... my dentist explained me, that the filling becomes hard in contact with spittle. Therefore I put two folded and rolled tissues in my mouth like a professional dentist. I used a cotton tip to ensure the whole is dry. Damn the hole was big enough for the tip!
Then I put the filling in and chewed on it, removed the material which was to much, scraped my tongue et voilà my tooth is saved.
After 3 hours I could eat again.

Actually I think this system is not to bad. It sounds weird but it is pretty easy. In the internet people say the filling will fall out after 1-2 weeks. I hope it will remain 3 weeks. If not - I still have enough filling material to repair 10-20 teeth.

This is yet another private blog

2007-04-27T00:36:00.001+01:00

But it will become more.

I think for me it is not necessary to have a private homepage anymore. All information I have to share with the world could be shared using BLOGs. Actually I run several Blogs, each with different topics. This one is my "Main Blog" and it is a real blog. I try to abuse other blogs as homepage.
I try to show, that that is possible. After bad experiences with free web hosting services I got sick of all the trouble I had. Blog hosting services and picture hosting services like imageshack, photobucket etc can satisfy all needs for private persons. Moreover that private homepages can benefit from all these social network stuff and can get new visitors this way. And it is easy. Web Design becomes very easy and you don't have to be very familiar with html or php.

This in generally a German blog. However for sure I will have a side blog for my international friends. Announcements and general info will be posted here. Therefore I have a tag for you. This will list you all English content of this homepage.