No, at least in Germany there are just as many ppl with allergies. I know many of them:(
Plus, I think all of the theories about allergy disposition are plain bullshit.
They completely fail to explain why *I* have so many allergies (the latest test report I got was quite frightening). Whenever I hear of a new therapy, I bookmark it for later use, since I was put on reserve medication this year for the first time. None of the usually available medication worked any more, springtime was quite a horror for me - keeping windows closed, rushing into the car and back, washing the hair and changing clothes whenever I got home...
First, it was only the cat... than apples, then kiwis, hazelnut, hayfever (various) etc.
Basically all the fruits I can still eat are mango, pawpaw, pineapple.
Since dust mites followed, I have constant arguments with my girlfriend because she's not exactly following the rules for ppl. with allergies.
I don't know where you got this from, but it's wrong:-)
The only thing close to this is a frequency bandwidth cap on leased phone lines (wire only!) which prevents you from using DSL modems - that way, Deutsche Telekom prevents neighborhood networks (or communal ISPs) in areas where there is no DSL provider.
But then again: that's just product differentiation, and Deutsche Telekom is a publicly traded company (despite the fact that most shares are held by the Republic of Germany).
Regular dial-up lines for regular modems are just the same as everywhere else.
It's way more expensive than the "normal" Lupo. You'd need to drive a long way to really save money. Yes you DO save money on your gas bill, but the car is so much more expensive... do you really want a break-even at 20k miles/year? Spend 20000 miles in a VW Lupo?
It's no economic choice, maybe not even an ecologic one.
At least not in the US, with very low gas prices.
(I pay ~1 EUR per liter Diesel, that's about $ 3.78 per US gallon).
The Volkswagen 3L Lupo is just a waste of money, it's relatively expensive. VW achieved this by combining many tricks - the engine stops at every red light, the trunk door is made of a lightweight alloy that makes repairs quite expensive.
I'd prefer the "conventional" VW Lupo, if any.
However, the Smart Car is still expensive as a used car, and is praised for its reliability and low repair cost. So it's probably a better investment than a VW Lupo - unless you need 4 seats.
You are absolutely right about the predominant mindset in European societies (says a German). I am becoming more and more worried, since you can't even *argue* with people on these issues anymore. In their mind, mentioning any kind of freedom simply results in a deep emotion of "angst" - they behave more and more irrational.
It doesn't matter whether you're talking about welfare benefits, unreasonably high taxation, personal freedoms (as in drug (ab)use) or whatever. They will always vote for the most restrictive system, without being able to find rational arguments or prove the effectiveness of their demanded regulation.
I absolutely have no idea how to make people think for themselves again.
as SMS prices are very high where I live, I am usually safe from sms spam (except for o2, my provider, who has sent one or two experimental - I guess - messages).
But I have seen a different kind of abuse appear: sometimes I receive phone calls that are terminated the instant my phone starts to ring, so that there's an entry in the received calls list.
Of course, the number always is some kind of premium or foreign number in disguise. So, as many people simply return calls the instant they find an unknown number in their received calls list, these people made a lot of money. I think this kind of spam is far worse right now...
It's definitely worth thinking about liability issues.
I know how guestbooks and public forums are treated right now (at least here): as soon as the webmaster learns about possible copyright infringements or other illegal activities, he has to remove them.
Who's liable in such a public system? I'd get an unregistered pre-paid phone and leave abusive messages, so who's going to be liable?
I could imagine a whole bunch of legal problems due to the immensive potential for abuse.
Not a good idea...
Maybe it would require a system of registered "authors" that have to provide their phone number.
Still, I prefer old-fashioned tourist guides and stuff like that. I'd definitely be too lazy to check my phone/pda/whateverfuturedevice every couple of blocks.
At least being patted down leaves me with the privacy I expect in a darkened movie theater.
Honestly, would you want to sit in a movie theater knowing that some idiot with night vision goggles will be watching you all the time, drooling? Do you think I ever actually *watch* all the films in a movie theater?!
Wait, I'm driving a 155HP Golf Mk4 TDI 4motion. I usually drive about 40% Autobahn @110-130mph, yet my average consumption is about 7.5l/100km - if I did my conversion correctly, that's about 31-32mpg. If I drive slower, I can easily go beyond 35mpg. So I guess 25mpg is not even close to being fuel efficient...
The only bank account that could actually be hacked with a PIN was my citibank.com account in the US.
I have two bank accounts now: - One of them uses HBCI with a smart card: essentially my EC-card with an added encryption device. The encryption is done *externally* and authorized using a PIN on the external card reader.
- the other one is a little backwards: a PIN/TAN combination. All these people could eventually find out with the static PIN is the negative amount of money in my bank account. I hope they will pity me and transfer some money into my account.
Maybe I am overlooking something here. But maybe your average bank just doesn't care about your account security.
Okay, not *exactly* the same. However, I remember a combined GSM cellular/DECT phone years ago. DECT is the digital standard used for wireless phones in Europe. It would use your DECT base station when you were at home, and a GSM connection when you were not. It did not support things like seamless handover, so you couldn't just take your call with you.
My GSM provider offers a virtual "home zone" 1km in diameter around my house, so I have cheap phone calls even using GSM. Plus, I have an additional local phone number. Important in Europe, since the calls to GSM phones are subject to higher charges.
I don't see a huge market for this kind of VoIP except in certain business environments. Nowadays, every sensible person encrypts his WLAN anyways...
- he cannot be extradited. The German constitution forbids that. - juvenile laws *can* be applied for ages 18-21 (and very often are), and they have to be applied below.
My guess: juvenile law, probation and probably several 100 hours of social service. And financial damages, of course.
Obviously, you don't know much about the german judicial system, nor about our police.
The boy is already back at home (no risk of escape) until he'll be tried. He'll probably get probation, at most. He'll MOST probably be tries under juvenile laws, which have the overruling goal of "educating" young people.
However, he'll be held responsible for the financial damages he's done.
Re:Hope it will work for "boom cars"
on
Directed Sound
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· Score: 1
They would probably love it - to create silence *within* their car. So the unwilling audience gets all the "boom" while the driver enjoys the silence inside his HSS-enhanced car:)
I was both in the train and next to a train running on the test track. Of course it's almost silent IN the train. But the neighbours don't have to worry either...
Three years ago, I went went on a guided tour to Papenburg/Germany and had the chance to experience the Maglev for about 20 minutes. First of all: don't believe what critics say. Try it yourself - if you get the chance to;)
The Maglev is definitely NOT loud, nor does the sound make you feel uneasy (you could barely hear a train passing at 100mph, and a full-speed maglev was not at all annoying either!). Plus, there are no vibrations - a little different from conventional high-speed trains.
The top speed was 430kph (almost 270mph, on tracks initially developed for a maximum speed of 100mph - the tour guide claimed).
U.S. war on religious fundamentalists? Wow, are they finally bombing their own country?
Re:I dont think I would hack my car
on
Hack Your Car
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· Score: 1
Skoda is just one of Volkswagen's brand names, like Audi and Seat (formerly spanish company).
Actually, Skoda has Europe's most advanced factory. My VW 130hp Golf 4WD TDI comes from Bratislava, Czech Republic... any questions?:-)
Audi A3, VW Golf/Bora, Seat Leon, Skoda Fabia are all the same.
So are Audi A4, VW Passat, Seat Toledo, Skoda Octavia.
The best Skoda as of today is the Skoda Superb, which ranges well above a VW Passat. Plus, it's inexpensive.
Two very good engines for chip tuning...
on
Hack Your Car
·
· Score: 1
...are VW turbocharged engines.
One of them (mine) is the 130hp TDI Golf Mk IV, engine type ASZ (also used in Jetta/Bora, Polo and Passat). The other one is the 1.8T type (150/170hp, depending on production year), where some people went up to 250hp, just with a chip.
Get a chip from a trustworthy company offering a warranty on your drivetrain...
Re:I dont think I would hack my car
on
Hack Your Car
·
· Score: 1
Thank you for describing the problems that can arise from messing with your car's ECU.
I do have a Golf TDI myself, and I also got a replacement chip for it's ECU. BUT I bought it from a renowned company, including two years of warranty on all the affected parts: engine, gear box, clutch, 4WD clutch, turbo charger.
It is *definitely* not a good idea to do anything without warranty in that area. Reason: Volkswagen is not stupid. If they assume that someone has messed with their engine's electronics, they usually do a very thorough check of the affected parts, and of course they ask to see your ECU.
Estimates are that up to 30-40% of TDI engines here in Germany have modified ECUs nowadays!
However, I am very happy with my 155hp, 360Nm torque 4WD-Golf:) (formerly 130hp, 320Nm).
The highest power gains I know of (TDI engine, pure software change) is +68%. It's offered for a Skoda Fabia TDI (100hp--> 168hp). Of course I don't think these engines will enjoy a very long life:)
Yes, you CAN turn on the status report. Problem is (at least here in Germany): when sending an sms to another network, the reply you get does not mean "your message was delivered to the phone you specified" but rather "we confirm that the destination network received your sms". However, I can confirm that my sms always arrive. At least, I always get a response (on the phone or by sms).
Used to be different in 1997, when I bought my first GSM phone.
"would Orange or OpTel or Vodafone or Deutsche Telekom never drop your call? I doubt it."
Just for perspective, again. I was a customer of D2 Mannesmann (nowadays: Vodafone) from 97 'til 99. Not a single dropped call, nor was there any other problem.
After that, I became a Viag Interkom customer (nowadays: O2). Viag was the last company to get a license in Germany. They had *severe* problems during the first months I was a customer (their tech support actually had a checklist for possible problems: "Do you have dropped calls? Are syllables dropped? shh-sounds dropped?). They quickly resolved their problems. Early in 2000, the problems were gone. After that, I remember only ONE major problem (whole network unreachable for a day... but roaming to Deutsche Telekom (D1) was possible). I don't remember ANY dropped calls after this.
BTW: how come that my phone has about 250h standby in ANY German network, but only about 100h in New York City? I have never had less reliable phone service than here in the US. I even had dropped calls on my Verizon landline phone. At least DSL is working fine.
Have you heard of the Peugeot HDI FAP engine? According to Peugeot, it completely removes all soot particles without affecting engine efficiency (proven, this engine is already on the market!) and regenerates the filter system every 500-1000km without the driver noticing.
Have you ever driven a modern Diesel car? Id trade in any other car for one of them:)
To mention electric engines: I dont think these will be a success in the near future. Not due to technical reasons, but for their look-and-feel: who wants to drive a car that doesnt *sound* like a car?
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No, at least in Germany there are just as many ppl with allergies. I know many of them :(
Plus, I think all of the theories about allergy disposition are plain bullshit.
They completely fail to explain why *I* have so many allergies (the latest test report I got was quite frightening). Whenever I hear of a new therapy, I bookmark it for later use, since I was put on reserve medication this year for the first time. None of the usually available medication worked any more, springtime was quite a horror for me - keeping windows closed, rushing into the car and back, washing the hair and changing clothes whenever I got home...
First, it was only the cat... than apples, then kiwis, hazelnut, hayfever (various) etc.
Basically all the fruits I can still eat are mango, pawpaw, pineapple.
Since dust mites followed, I have constant arguments with my girlfriend because she's not exactly following the rules for ppl. with allergies.
I don't know where you got this from, but it's wrong :-)
The only thing close to this is a frequency bandwidth cap on leased phone lines (wire only!) which prevents you from using DSL modems - that way, Deutsche Telekom prevents neighborhood networks (or communal ISPs) in areas where there is no DSL provider.
But then again: that's just product differentiation, and Deutsche Telekom is a publicly traded company (despite the fact that most shares are held by the Republic of Germany).
Regular dial-up lines for regular modems are just the same as everywhere else.
It's way more expensive than the "normal" Lupo. You'd need to drive a long way to really save money. Yes you DO save money on your gas bill, but the car is so much more expensive... do you really want a break-even at 20k miles/year? Spend 20000 miles in a VW Lupo?
It's no economic choice, maybe not even an ecologic one.
At least not in the US, with very low gas prices.
(I pay ~1 EUR per liter Diesel, that's about $ 3.78 per US gallon).
The Volkswagen 3L Lupo is just a waste of money, it's relatively expensive. VW achieved this by combining many tricks - the engine stops at every red light, the trunk door is made of a lightweight alloy that makes repairs quite expensive.
I'd prefer the "conventional" VW Lupo, if any.
However, the Smart Car is still expensive as a used car, and is praised for its reliability and low repair cost. So it's probably a better investment than a VW Lupo - unless you need 4 seats.
You are absolutely right about the predominant mindset in European societies (says a German). I am becoming more and more worried, since you can't even *argue* with people on these issues anymore. In their mind, mentioning any kind of freedom simply results in a deep emotion of "angst" - they behave more and more irrational.
It doesn't matter whether you're talking about welfare benefits, unreasonably high taxation, personal freedoms (as in drug (ab)use) or whatever. They will always vote for the most restrictive system, without being able to find rational arguments or prove the effectiveness of their demanded regulation.
I absolutely have no idea how to make people think for themselves again.
Hi,
as SMS prices are very high where I live, I am usually safe from sms spam (except for o2, my provider, who has sent one or two experimental - I guess - messages).
But I have seen a different kind of abuse appear: sometimes I receive phone calls that are terminated the instant my phone starts to ring, so that there's an entry in the received calls list.
Of course, the number always is some kind of premium or foreign number in disguise. So, as many people simply return calls the instant they find an unknown number in their received calls list, these people made a lot of money. I think this kind of spam is far worse right now...
It's definitely worth thinking about liability issues.
I know how guestbooks and public forums are treated right now (at least here): as soon as the webmaster learns about possible copyright infringements or other illegal activities, he has to remove them.
Who's liable in such a public system? I'd get an unregistered pre-paid phone and leave abusive messages, so who's going to be liable?
I could imagine a whole bunch of legal problems due to the immensive potential for abuse.
Not a good idea...
Maybe it would require a system of registered "authors" that have to provide their phone number.
Still, I prefer old-fashioned tourist guides and stuff like that. I'd definitely be too lazy to check my phone/pda/whateverfuturedevice every couple of blocks.
--
no sig here.
At least being patted down leaves me with the privacy I expect in a darkened movie theater.
Honestly, would you want to sit in a movie theater knowing that some idiot with night vision goggles will be watching you all the time, drooling? Do you think I ever actually *watch* all the films in a movie theater?!
One more reason to use p2p, I guess.
Wait, I'm driving a 155HP Golf Mk4 TDI 4motion. I usually drive about 40% Autobahn @110-130mph, yet my average consumption is about 7.5l/100km - if I did my conversion correctly, that's about 31-32mpg. If I drive slower, I can easily go beyond 35mpg. So I guess 25mpg is not even close to being fuel efficient...
The only bank account that could actually be hacked with a PIN was my citibank.com account in the US.
I have two bank accounts now:
- One of them uses HBCI with a smart card: essentially my EC-card with an added encryption device. The encryption is done *externally* and authorized using a PIN on the external card reader.
- the other one is a little backwards: a PIN/TAN combination. All these people could eventually find out with the static PIN is the negative amount of money in my bank account. I hope they will pity me and transfer some money into my account.
Maybe I am overlooking something here. But maybe your average bank just doesn't care about your account security.
Okay, not *exactly* the same. However, I remember a combined GSM cellular/DECT phone years ago. DECT is the digital standard used for wireless phones in Europe. It would use your DECT base station when you were at home, and a GSM connection when you were not. It did not support things like seamless handover, so you couldn't just take your call with you.
My GSM provider offers a virtual "home zone" 1km in diameter around my house, so I have cheap phone calls even using GSM. Plus, I have an additional local phone number. Important in Europe, since the calls to GSM phones are subject to higher charges.
I don't see a huge market for this kind of VoIP except in certain business environments. Nowadays, every sensible person encrypts his WLAN anyways...
To answer two posts in one:
- he cannot be extradited. The German constitution forbids that.
- juvenile laws *can* be applied for ages 18-21 (and very often are), and they have to be applied below.
My guess: juvenile law, probation and probably several 100 hours of social service. And financial damages, of course.
Anyways, shouldn't Microsoft be in his place?
Obviously, you don't know much about the german judicial system, nor about our police.
The boy is already back at home (no risk of escape) until he'll be tried. He'll probably get probation, at most. He'll MOST probably be tries under juvenile laws, which have the overruling goal of "educating" young people.
However, he'll be held responsible for the financial damages he's done.
They would probably love it - to create silence *within* their car. So the unwilling audience gets all the "boom" while the driver enjoys the silence inside his HSS-enhanced car :)
I was both in the train and next to a train running on the test track. Of course it's almost silent IN the train. But the neighbours don't have to worry either...
Three years ago, I went went on a guided tour to Papenburg/Germany and had the chance to experience the Maglev for about 20 minutes. First of all: don't believe what critics say. Try it yourself - if you get the chance to ;)
The Maglev is definitely NOT loud, nor does the sound make you feel uneasy (you could barely hear a train passing at 100mph, and a full-speed maglev was not at all annoying either!). Plus, there are no vibrations - a little different from conventional high-speed trains.
The top speed was 430kph (almost 270mph, on tracks initially developed for a maximum speed of 100mph - the tour guide claimed).
just my 2 cents
U.S. war on religious fundamentalists? Wow, are they finally bombing their own country?
Skoda is just one of Volkswagen's brand names, like Audi and Seat (formerly spanish company).
:-)
Actually, Skoda has Europe's most advanced factory. My VW 130hp Golf 4WD TDI comes from Bratislava, Czech Republic... any questions?
Audi A3, VW Golf/Bora, Seat Leon, Skoda Fabia are all the same.
So are Audi A4, VW Passat, Seat Toledo, Skoda Octavia.
The best Skoda as of today is the Skoda Superb, which ranges well above a VW Passat. Plus, it's inexpensive.
...are VW turbocharged engines.
One of them (mine) is the 130hp TDI Golf Mk IV, engine type ASZ (also used in Jetta/Bora, Polo and Passat). The other one is the 1.8T type (150/170hp, depending on production year), where some people went up to 250hp, just with a chip.
Get a chip from a trustworthy company offering a warranty on your drivetrain...
Thank you for describing the problems that can arise from messing with your car's ECU.
:) (formerly 130hp, 320Nm).
:)
I do have a Golf TDI myself, and I also got a replacement chip for it's ECU. BUT I bought it from a renowned company, including two years of warranty on all the affected parts: engine, gear box, clutch, 4WD clutch, turbo charger.
It is *definitely* not a good idea to do anything without warranty in that area. Reason: Volkswagen is not stupid. If they assume that someone has messed with their engine's electronics, they usually do a very thorough check of the affected parts, and of course they ask to see your ECU.
Estimates are that up to 30-40% of TDI engines here in Germany have modified ECUs nowadays!
However, I am very happy with my 155hp, 360Nm torque 4WD-Golf
The highest power gains I know of (TDI engine, pure software change) is +68%. It's offered for a Skoda Fabia TDI (100hp--> 168hp). Of course I don't think these engines will enjoy a very long life
Yes, you CAN turn on the status report. Problem is (at least here in Germany): when sending an sms to another network, the reply you get does not mean "your message was delivered to the phone you specified" but rather "we confirm that the destination network received your sms". However, I can confirm that my sms always arrive. At least, I always get a response (on the phone or by sms).
Used to be different in 1997, when I bought my first GSM phone.
Just follow the link "Personal History of the Internet".
"would Orange or OpTel or Vodafone or Deutsche Telekom never drop your call? I doubt it."
Just for perspective, again.
I was a customer of D2 Mannesmann (nowadays: Vodafone) from 97 'til 99. Not a single dropped call, nor was there any other problem.
After that, I became a Viag Interkom customer (nowadays: O2). Viag was the last company to get a license in Germany. They had *severe* problems during the first months I was a customer (their tech support actually had a checklist for possible problems: "Do you have dropped calls? Are syllables dropped? shh-sounds dropped?). They quickly resolved their problems. Early in 2000, the problems were gone. After that, I remember only ONE major problem (whole network unreachable for a day... but roaming to Deutsche Telekom (D1) was possible). I don't remember ANY dropped calls after this.
BTW: how come that my phone has about 250h standby in ANY German network, but only about 100h in New York City?
I have never had less reliable phone service than here in the US.
I even had dropped calls on my Verizon landline phone. At least DSL is working fine.
Ever read the manual of your LCD? The backlight contains mercury (at least the one of my ThinkPad does). Surely a lot better than those old CRTs...
Have you heard of the Peugeot HDI FAP engine? According to Peugeot, it completely removes all soot particles without affecting engine efficiency (proven, this engine is already on the market!) and regenerates the filter system every 500-1000km without the driver noticing.
:)
Have you ever driven a modern Diesel car? Id trade in any other car for one of them
To mention electric engines: I dont think these will be a success in the near future. Not due to technical reasons, but for their look-and-feel: who wants to drive a car that doesnt *sound* like a car?