Mikael Fernstrom

>I have discovered that a country can be characterized by its baggage trollies in airports.
Ireland: Trolley normally can roll freely, brakes only apply when handle is pulled.
Sweden: Trolley normally can’t roll, brakes have to be released by pulling handle while pushing the trolley.
So, in essence, I think this reflects the general mentality of a country and its people.

>I really enjoy writing this – Microsoft is crap. This evening I was doing some quick calculations, fiddling around with Microsoft Excel (as too many people do). When I tried 2^64 – 1, the answer was surprising! It didn’t do the subtraction….!!!! To check when this happens I did up a simple Excel sheet (can be downloaded from here), and lo and behold for any number above 2^50 Microsoft Excel craps out.
So what are the implications of this?
We’ll there are banks, governments, hospitals, students, anybody using Microsoft Excel. When they use really big and important numbers, Microsoft Excel steals the results. How can you trust anything coming from Microsoft? You can’t. So don’t use it.

>In an attempt to speed up our recovery from our current cold & flu misery, we decided to try my classical Garlic Soup. The only problem was that we didn’t have any mushrooms, but we had Shitake. Looking up these japanese fungi in our herbal books, we noted its supposedly beneficial properties on immune system, etc. So, we made our soup with plenty of garlic and Shitake instead of mushrooms. Oh shit. The soup tasted better than ever, and it felt like a real and almost instant boost to all healthy aspects of life. But, after a few hours tummy-rumbles revealed that the soup had probably knocked out all other natural bugs in our digestive systems, hence Shitake is now, in our hosuehold, renamed Shit-Ake.

>It’s been a very intense week with Todd Winkler and Cindy Cummings at IDC at UL + Andy and Cian from Tyndall in Cork.
It’s an interesting concept we’re trying to develop, but both hardware and firmware in the Motes have a long way to go before they can be really used in performance.
My cold and flu has continued. I went to my GP on Thursday who told me that I really shouldn’t work and he presecribed some antibiotics. Today, I’ve been feeling somewhat better but still quite unwell.
Finally, the Portal Skin arrived in the IDC, from the National Sculpture factory in Cork.

>Since the Faculty Board meeting Wednesday afternoon, I’ve been increasingly sneezing and coughing. Yesterday’s lecture CS4358 was really unpleasant to deliver, as I had to struggle to both talk and get air. Last night I treated myself with a Hot Whiskey plus Irish Honey. It calmed down my coughing and definitely help to put me to sleep. Today, I decided to follow everybody’s advice and stay at home. When will science find a cure for the common cold?

>Despite a very stressful day, a letter really made me happy. It was from the skipper of M.S. DEVA in Kilbaha Bay in County Clare. They Now have full package offers including B&B, food, rest and fishing. Check out the web site, www.thelighthouseinn.ie.
This part of the palnet Earth is the most beatiful, relaxing and livable place I know. I just have to figure out when I can go there next. Gone fishing?

>After last week’s success, we have agreed to play this week as well in Synott’s Bar in Annacotty. We’re all rusty, but sometimes that helps to bring out darker side of the blue(s) spectrum.

>Sweden won the Olympic Gold in Ice Hockey. Ireland won over Wales in Six Nations Rugby.
Cheers! from a couch potato.

>Ha Ha. Ho Ho. Giggles. Hi Hi Hi. Lately, over the last few weeks, I have found myself laughing more than I have in a long time. Not while watchting TV, reading, or drinking – just while having small everyday conversations with family and friends. It feels really good. I wonder what is going on, as I haven’t felt like this for a long time. Is it spring? Is it that I finally am doing things, like design, that really makes me interested and engaged? I don’t know, but whatever it is let’s hope is stays for a while. Who the hell needs all the medical stuff that spammers are trying to sell, when a simple smile and an everyday outlook on life can send you rolling around the floor, laughing you butt off 😉

>One of the students in the Interactive Media class emailed me a link to Jeff Han’s work on multi-touch displays. Very impresseive, I have to say. This is the kind of stuff we need to investigate on for example our spherical displays.

Ronan’s spherical display prototype.