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Katrina, one of the biggest hurricanes ever recorded, is arriving in New Orleans. Naturelich visited this great city earlier this year and enjoyed a handgrenade. I am shocked at the extend of this apocalyptic catastrophy. Let's hope everyone makes it allright. Here are some reactons from the blogosphere:
After Naturelich enjoyed an extremely relaxing holiday in Denmark, this was completely drained and exhausted last week. I therefore decided to continue the "good spirit of Denmark" in a whole day of rest and relaxation in Mediterana. Mediterana can be defined as sauna and wellness heaven brought onto this planet (see my earlier visits here, here and here). It is a million times better than any other facility I have ever seen (and I'll spare you further complaints about my disappointment of our visit to Lalandia). But anyway, the best thing today was an infusion session in Bain Arabisances sauna. Now, that's been reaaaaaally hot...
After finishing migration to MovableType 3.2 Naturelich proudly presents:
All content dealing with boardgames has been moved to this new weblog. Naturelich Games will feature all my game reviews, session reports and my extensive collection of fan-produced extensions for Ticket to Ride. I decided to separate the boardgame stuff from my personal blog in order to better adress the two different target groups. I am also planning to collect more fan-produced extensions for other games. Please change your bookmarks and leave a comment over there if you like!
Due to the release of Movable Type 3.2 this blog will be redesigned. I have decided to create a separate blog for my all things board games. This way, those of you who are mainly interested gaming are no longer bothered by my personal stuff. On the other hand, those interested in personal Naturelich stuff won't be bothered by all the session reports and game reviews. I am currently making all the necessary arrangements to move everything back and forth. I will let you know when I am finished!
Internet kids use several numeric characters as replacements for alphanumeric ones. Their movement has become famous under the name 1337. If you are uncertain what this is, some elite pages will explain this to you, e.g. www.1337.net.
Now, since N47ur31ich is a little bit older to be 1337 himself, I leave this up to younger generations. However, we used pocket calculators in school. If you remember what these things are, you have probably done some 1337-like things with it, just as we did back in the 80's and 90's. You type in a number, turn the calculator 180 degrees and you can read the word.
Yes, the good ol' times! How cool was it (in Germany at least) to show someone a 7353 for the first time. We called it Losing your 7353-Virginity. Most certainly accompanied by the words: "Here, that's what you are!!" Our innocent victim did not get it: "What's 7353?" You finally turn the calculator and say "Read this!" (together with a big grin). After a while the victim gets the hoax and all of a sudden you get to learn some new cool swear-words. After all, 7353 was the equivalent of ESEL (Donkey).
Yes, yes, we were young and innocent and definitely not 1337. But now, I have found a great page which gives you ALL the English calculator words mankind has ever thought of! WOW, that must have been a boring day in school!
Just visit www.langmaker.com/calculatorwords.htm to go to 7353-heaven! Oh, and while you are there (in heaven, I mean) join me in my prayers:
Let's hope kids these days are more 1337 than 7353!
Oh, BTW, if you want to read this article in 1337-language ---> it is just one click away!
in73rn37 kid5 u53 53v3r41 num3ric ch4r4c73r5 45 r3p14c3m3n75 ph0r 41ph4num3ric 0n35. 7h3ir m0v3m3n7 h45 b3c0m3 ph4m0u5 und3r 7h3 n4m3 1337. iph y0u 4r3 unc3r74in wh47 7hi5 i5, 50m3 31i73 p4935 wi11 3xp14in 7hi5 70 y0u, 3.9. www.1337.net.
n0w, 5inc3 n47ur31ich i5 4 1i7713 bi7 01d3r 70 b3 1337 him531ph, i 134v3 7hi5 up 70 y0un93r 93n3r47i0n5. h0w3v3r, w3 u53d p0x37 c41cu1470r5 in 5ch001. iph y0u r3m3mb3r wh47 7h353 7hin95 4r3 y0u h4v3 pr0b4b1y d0n3 50m3 1337-1ik3 7hin95 wi7h i7, ju57 45 w3 did b4x in 7h3 80'5 4nd 90'5. y0u 7yp3 in 4 numb3r, 7urn 7h3 c41cu1470r 180 d39r335 4nd y0u c4n r34d 7h3 w0rd.
35, 7h3 900d 01' 7im35! h0w c001 w45 i7 (in 93rm4ny 47 13457) 70 5h0w 50m30n3 4 7353 ph0r 7h3 phir57 7im3. w3 c4113d i7 7h3 vir9in-7353. m057 c3r74in1y 4cc0mp4ni3d by 7h3 w0rd5: "h3r3, 7h47'5 wh47 y0u 4r3!!" 0ur inn0c3n7 vic7im did n07 937 i7: "wh47'5 7353?" y0u phin411y 7urn 7h3 c41cu1470r 4nd 54y "r34d 7hi5!" (70937h3r wi7h 4 bi9 9rin). 4ph73r 4 whi13 7h3 vic7im 9375 7h3 h04x 4nd 411 0ph 4 5udd3n y0u 937 70 134rn 50m3 n3w c001 5w34r-w0rd5. 4ph73r 411, 7353 w45 7h3 3quiv413n7 0ph 3531 (d0nk3y).
y35, y35, w3 w3r3 y0un9 4nd inn0c3n7 4nd d3phini731y n07 1337. bu7 n0w, i h4v3 ph0und 4 9r347 p493 which 9iv35 y0u 411 7h3 3n91i5h c41cu1470r w0rd5 m4nkind h45 3v3r 7h0u9h7 0ph! w0w, 7h47 mu57 h4v3 b33n 4 b0rin9 d4y in 5ch001!
just visit www.langmaker.com/calculatorwords.htm 70 90 70 7353-h34v3n! 0h, 4nd whi13 y0u 4r3 7h3r3 (in h34v3n, i m34n) j0in m3 in my pr4y3r5:
137'5 h0p3 kid5 7h353 d4y5 4r3 m0r3 1337 7h4n 7353!
In about 30 minutes, German radio station NDR2 will broadcast a live recording of Tori Amos. On her Original Sinsuality tour, Tori played Frankfurt am Main on June 28nd, 2005. The playlist includes the following songs:
The audio quality should be great! And the best news is: you can listen to this from anywhere in the world by using NDR2's webcast (available in both Real Media Player or Windows Media Player).
More information is available here (in German though).
Today was tour day! We reached Copenhagen after a two hour drive. We were lucky to have perfect weather conditions. It took a while to find a parking lot but we finally managed to get to the city center. Our first stop was the University Library. To my surprise, the library holds a myriad of books in English and German language. I propbably expected more works in Danish.
University Library, Copenhagen
After passing through a handicraft market we made our way to Strøget, Copenhagen's shopping mile. I have heard rumours that Strøget is Europe's longest pedestrian street. My feet tend to agree to this statement, but in any case: it is definitely crowded.
Bishop Absalon. Founder of Copenhagen on Højbro Plads
Café Norden on Strøget
Fountain on Strøget
[Digression]
We made a curious observation: the crowd consisted of a huge amount of pregnant women. We had noted earlier that Denmark (and Copenhagen in particular!?) seems to be rather friendly to children. Germany is quite the opposite, I guess. But anyway...
[End of digression]
We enjoyed a great lunch under lime-trees. I enjoyed a Fish symphony salad while others preferred to have a chocolate dessert.
Chocolate-shock dessert (...after the experience)
Lunch was followed by a short visit to the Ny Carlsberg Glyptothek - the cultural highlight of the day. The Glyptothek is build around the personal collection of Carl Jacobsen - who founded the Carlsberg beer empire. The museum contains an impressive collection of antique sculptures and impressionist art, such as works by Monet, Pissarro, Renoir, Degas and Cézanne. The Glyptothek is located directly adjacent to Copenhagen's famous Tivoli. The rollercoasters caused spontaneous ejaculations of joy.
Afterwards, we enjoyed a stroll to Rosenborg Slot. The castle's park was totally crowded as Copenhageners where enjoying the sunshine. Unfortunately the castle was about to close so we could not get inside.
Rosenborg Slot
Danish King
After getting back to the parking lot we took-off and headed back to Marielyst. Altogether, Copenhagen is a very nice and friendly city - I have to get back one day to see more...
We have just returned from our trip to the Middelaldercentret. This small medieval village is located only about 15 minutes from our holiday home (however, this time neither includes slow Danish trailers nor tractors).
We arrived in time to see the Trebuchet demonstration. It was very impressive to see those massive weapons fired. The projectile was targeted at a nearby lake - and landed with an enormous splash.
The Trebuchet
This is the Trebuchet that was fired. It was a medium-sized model.
The village
The "regular" attraction is this small medieval village. We were able to enter all the houses, e.g. a dyeing facility, a dress maker, a shoemaker, and a...
Ropemaker
...who produces...
Ropes
Adding to the medival amtosphere were about 20 people being dressed in medieval clothing. They demonstrated their respective professions, e.g. the blacksmith. It came clear to me that life was very, very hard back then.
Blacksmith shop
In addition we noted that buildings were not spacious, ceilings were NOT high (ask my forehead on this one) and interior decoration was meager (to say the least).
A local Danish background was added by the exhibited
Ships
They made for a nice scenery but it was forbidden to board them. Altogether, this has been a great day!
Today, we took a long walk at the beach. The weather was not all too great. It was not raining -- but a summer holiday is normally a little bit sunnier. The water was extremely calm (the Baltic Sea is generally more calm than the North Sea) and we had a good view. I found it surprising that we did not find any clams -- only stones and jellyfish. In the distance we saw one ship and a few seagulls were also around. The air was magnificent and drove my headache away. This part of the Danish coastline is different than what I came to expect from the German North Sea coast.
I am still restrainted by a typical holiday illness. Today's motto: no food, no fun. So far everything seems to be back in order but you never know what might happen. I am therefore eating less and enjoying the time with salt sticks and a decent Coke (which is a trademark, but anyway...). When the others returned from the supermarket they brought some zwieback. But since it is not the original Brandt Zwieback (another trademark?!) I refuse to touch it - so far. Instead the bananas had to suffer from my "small" appetite. The rest of the day has seen a lot of sun and we were enjoying the day on the veranda. A great day...
Today, I was struck by a typical holiday illness. I can tell you it was not fun. The others thought different, though. Luckily, Raven provided a pack of Iberogast and Perenterol medicine which made it bearable. Let's see what the next few days will bring...
We have arrived in Marielyst, Denmark! Now, it's relaxation time! Oh - and YES we have an in-house DSL connection.
Plus a convertible billard and ping pong table, a sauna, a TV in all the sleeping rooms, a Playstation 2 (but we brought no games), a VCR/DVD combo (but we brought no DVDs). We have started by unpacking and will light the fireplace soon. I know it is August but the weather is rather autumn-like...
Kitchen
Living room
Table tennis and billard combo -- Great fun!
...have started. I am currently packing my stuff for 1.5 weeks of holiday. Yeeeehaaaaaahhhh! Finally, two weeks to break away, chill out and **relax**. It's a great feeling. We are going to visit Denmark - at the seaside not too far away from Copenhagen. They have promised us an internet connection there. So it's up to the blog addiction to decide whether I'll post from there or not. Maybe I will not turn the computer on at all. Oh, wait, my body starts shaking when such thoughts come to mind. :D
Today, I watched the soccer match between Schalke 04 and 1. FC Kaiserslautern live Auf Schalke. The atmosphere in Gelsenkirchen's Veltins Arena was absolutely great - probably one of the best I have ever experienced. After all it was season opening and all the fans were really anxious after a long long time without the Bundesliga.
The game was equally thrilling as Kaiserslautern took the lead and was able to defend it until late in the game. Schalke was a little bit lucky - Sören Larsen scored for a 1:1 draw (79'). Larsen joined the team only this season and was in play for about 5 minutes. What a great start for him!
Three minutes later, Krstajic scored a wonderful goal and Schalke took the lead. During the final 12 minutes (including over time) Lautern was not able to force Schalke into a dangerous situation. Altogether a great and thrilling game with a happy ending.
After FC Bayern won 3:0 against Mönchengladbach yesterday, we saw quite a few goals today. A similarly high victory were scored by Hamburg against Nuremberg (3:0). However, three goals were not enough to make it to first place. For today, this place is held by Werder Bremen who beat Bielefeld 5:2. The great news: Cologne won as well, although Germany's new star Lukas Podolski did not play well and was exchanged a few minutes before the end. But the penalty kick was well scored - although one could argue whether it really was a foul. But anyway: getting Premiere has been the right decision-the live conference is really fabulous. Tomorrow Schalke plays Kaiserslautern and Leverkusen travels to Frankfurt. I am happy to have a ticket for Schalke's first game this season. I hope we see some fascinating games this year!
Today, the Premiere kit arrived. Premiere is the main German pay tv provider with plenty of movie channels and lots of live sport events (e.g. German soccer Bundesliga, US Major League Baseball, NFL, and Formula 1). I have just connected the kit and it works great. I am really happy to get this in time for the start of the new Bundesliga season. 7 movie channels is gonna be great. Tomorrow, I'll (probably) be watching Kevin Costner and Robert Duvall in Open Range. In 2006, Premiere will be the only TV station in Germany broadcasting all of games of the FIFA Worldcup. This is the main reason why I got the kit now.
w.bloggar is a weblog editing tool, currently available in v4.0. I have decided to give it a shot. Actually, I am currently using w.bloggar to write this entry. Let's call it a test drive. It promises to work 100% with movabletype (and other blog providers). In addition, it supports offline writing and publishing when re-connecting to the internet. I hope this makes weekend and holiday blogging easier. But let's see if Naturelich likes this tool!? At the minute I guess it is at 75% chance of succeeding - IF I get this blog entry published properly.
But I probably did, didn't I?
Last Friday, Microsoft released a beta version of the next Windows operating system to the public. We are looking at: TOSFKAL - The Operating System Formerly Known As Longhorn. Longhorn was the codename for their new OS - apparently named after a after work bar in the Sierra Nevada. Microsoft has decided to name this public beta Vista. Along with the new OS comes IE7. The IEBlog has released the news here. A short list of new features (as I have heard/read, but not seen - yet):
The official site MS site is here.