My theory is the following: Germany is in a happy mood not only because of the soccer worldcup and the German team playing well, but also because of the weather. At least in Berlin there has been no single rainy day since the worldcup started. However, there have been some not so nice cloudy and windy days that noone seems to care about.
And I think it's because of the weather report. They always forecast sunny days, even if it's not true. Thus people won't be annoyed already on the day before, ...
...and Germany can win the cup.
Friday, June 30, 2006
Monday, June 26, 2006
Grumpy Post II
I already mentioned it a couple of posts ago; now, again, Kandel's fifth edition of the neuroscience bible Principles of Neural Science has been delayed by three months. Now it is more than a year late. I will have finished my studies before his opus will appear. However, I am still looking forward to it, meanwhile using Neuroscience for Kids and - even better - Mr. Split Brainy instead.
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Night Post from Florence - Science Nutshell
It's just some late night words from Florence, where I am attending a huge conference.
Scientists tend to be funny. At least they try hard - to be or not to be. Fake moustaches on parties in fancy locations ("do you remember back in Florence 2006... with the beards... those were the days..."), stiff socializing during the coffee breaks and harsh competition at the cold buffet.
Then, in between the conferences, they do some more or less sophisticated research. The better you are, the easier you get pizza at the buffet, and the bigger your fake beard at the party.
Forget interest and enthusiasm; that's the real reason why you try to be good in the science community.
Scientists tend to be funny. At least they try hard - to be or not to be. Fake moustaches on parties in fancy locations ("do you remember back in Florence 2006... with the beards... those were the days..."), stiff socializing during the coffee breaks and harsh competition at the cold buffet.
Then, in between the conferences, they do some more or less sophisticated research. The better you are, the easier you get pizza at the buffet, and the bigger your fake beard at the party.
Forget interest and enthusiasm; that's the real reason why you try to be good in the science community.
Friday, June 02, 2006
Anotherlazysundayafternoon
For a long time I wanted to tell you two or three readers about a nice podcast of a friend of mine, which is called Sonntagnachmittag, and which is - supposedly - released every other sunday afternoon. "Couch-Caballeros Christian, Charles and Ingo" feed your ears with Jazz, HipHop, IndieRock and whatever you need on Sunday afternoon.
By the way, Ingo, one of the DJs, is also responsible for the infamous art-n-text-mag INK. The first issue can be found at ink-ist-gut.de.
Very recently, a gorgeous second issue has been released. I will tell you when exclusive pictures are available on the net. Or just order your own copy (strictly limited).
By the way, Ingo, one of the DJs, is also responsible for the infamous art-n-text-mag INK. The first issue can be found at ink-ist-gut.de.
Very recently, a gorgeous second issue has been released. I will tell you when exclusive pictures are available on the net. Or just order your own copy (strictly limited).
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Posting Duty
Crap.
Now this blog got linked on another website. Although it's just a teeny-tiny link on the bottom of der-mo.net, I am in the duty of regularly updating this page.
At the moment I can only think of two nice URLs, one of them a piece of work by the guy who runs der-mo.net: A nicely visualized overview over the Fluxus art movement that he did as part of his studies. Available are further information (in German) as well as a browser version, and a PC (.exe) and a Mac standalone (.zip).
A second page consists of nice little cartoons drawn by Miki and Steven, when they visited us in Berlin last week. I suppose they are also entertaining without having attended the episodes.
Now this blog got linked on another website. Although it's just a teeny-tiny link on the bottom of der-mo.net, I am in the duty of regularly updating this page.
At the moment I can only think of two nice URLs, one of them a piece of work by the guy who runs der-mo.net: A nicely visualized overview over the Fluxus art movement that he did as part of his studies. Available are further information (in German) as well as a browser version, and a PC (.exe) and a Mac standalone (.zip).
A second page consists of nice little cartoons drawn by Miki and Steven, when they visited us in Berlin last week. I suppose they are also entertaining without having attended the episodes.
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
One
I know, I should be finishing the talk for tomorrow. Nevertheless, Brickfilms re-appeared in my perception. An I remembered the gorgeous version of Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey" as a LEGO stoptrick animation movie, a so-called brickfilm.
Regarding this topic, also check out the new Enkaku post.
Regarding this topic, also check out the new Enkaku post.
Friday, April 28, 2006
Neuro WM 2006: Soccer Fans and Neurons
Nice passage on neural coherence and oscillations, stolen from the Pascal Fries' labpage at the FC Donders Centre Nijmegen, NL:
"Imagine ten thousand soccer fans in a stadium. Before the game begins, neighboring fans might talk to each other. They might all have the same names of the players and trainers in their mouths. But as long as they all talk independently, their voices blend into a uniform, smooth noise. Then the game starts and the fans of the two teams start chanting the names of their team's hero. Now, suddenly, one can understand them from a distance. And at the same time, one can tell them into groups and it is clear who belongs to which team.
Neurons in our brain might behave just like soccer fans: Groups of neurons that work together, might “chant” together to state their grouping relationships and to make their voices heard by other neurons. Indeed, it turns out that when studying the activity of multiple neurons simultaneously, one finds that most neurons oscillate in synchrony with others: They send out action potentials together, then pause together for a while and repeat this cycle again and again..."
"Imagine ten thousand soccer fans in a stadium. Before the game begins, neighboring fans might talk to each other. They might all have the same names of the players and trainers in their mouths. But as long as they all talk independently, their voices blend into a uniform, smooth noise. Then the game starts and the fans of the two teams start chanting the names of their team's hero. Now, suddenly, one can understand them from a distance. And at the same time, one can tell them into groups and it is clear who belongs to which team.
Neurons in our brain might behave just like soccer fans: Groups of neurons that work together, might “chant” together to state their grouping relationships and to make their voices heard by other neurons. Indeed, it turns out that when studying the activity of multiple neurons simultaneously, one finds that most neurons oscillate in synchrony with others: They send out action potentials together, then pause together for a while and repeat this cycle again and again..."
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)