Monday, May 14, 2018
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Sunday, February 23, 2014
How the Brain interprets stuff
The human brain is quite a bio-engineering master piece. By using electricity to shoot chemicals back and forth between an intricate number of connected brain cells, it allows us to think, feel, see and wonder how this all works.
Not only is it evolving like a magical spider web when we are born, it also keeps us alive when we are sleeping at night. Imagine what it would take to always remember to have your heart beat and to breath in and out – we would not get anything done :-).
And with all the crazy and amazing technologies we have now-a-days, we still don’t know how we actually remember ‘stuff’.
Even more amazing – at least to me – is the ability to comprehend and to assimilate. Do me a favor and read the following text:
7H15 M3554G3 53RV35 7O PR0V3 H0W 0UR M1ND5 C4N D0 4M4Z1NG 7H1NG5! 1MPR3551V3 7H1NG5! 1N 7H3 B3G1NN1NG 17 WA5 H4RD BU7 N0W, 0N 7H15 LIN3 Y0UR M1ND 1S R34D1NG 17 4U70M471C4LLY W17H 0U7 3V3N 7H1NK1NG 4B0U7 17, B3 PROUD! 0NLY C3R741N P30PL3 C4N R3AD 7H15.
Quite amazing – isn’t it ? Don’t forget though – learning correct spelling is still important ! Yet it seems not critical to our survival. Just in case you were not able to read the text above, this is the text in ‘normal’ writing. Read it and then read the text above again: THIS MESSAGE SERVES TO PROVE HOW OUR MINDS CAN DO AMAZING THINGS! IMPRESSIVE THINGS! IN THE BEGINNING IT WAS HARD BUT NOW, ON THIS LINE YOUR MIND IS READING IT AUTOMATICALLY WITH OUT EVEN THINKING ABOUT IT, BE PROUD! ONLY CERTAIN PEOPLE CAN READ THIS.
A great book – I can personally recommend – to learn more about the brain, is BRAIN RULES by John Medina. An amazing book with simple rules that one can follow and understand (as well as the genetical biological details for the nerds in us).
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How the Brain interprets stuff
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Wikipedia - the crowdsourced 'truth' of things ?
Wikipedia is a great reference for quickly looking up anything. This has been my experience so far. Be it a city, a software, really anything – I typically was able to find something that got me started in my search of understanding more about the topic in question.
With the caveat that I understood that I can not fully rely on information on Wikipedia to be 100$ true and verified. It has been created by people like you and me, and then added or changed over time.
A legal court in Germany has now ruled that Wikipedia is legally responsible for some disputed content. It is NOT that Wikipedia now has to confirm and verify everything. But if something is disputed to be wrong, they’ll have to look into it.
Bummer for Wikipedia ? Bummer for open source referencing ? I think the effect benefits the end-user. There have been circumstances where I ran into some things that I knew to be not accurate ( 
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Wikipedia - the crowdsourced 'truth' of things ?
Monday, November 18, 2013
Gen-X, Gen-Y and Gen-Z & Social usiness
Tibbr, one of the business social network solution vendor, keeps posting interesting articles on the cultural and social aspects of online social interation.
This article talkes about the different perspectives of three different generations: X, Y and Z (aka Millenials).
Key take-aways from this article on the benefits each generation can have from engaging online:
- Gen X
- More visibility
- Wider range to motivate, empower and recognize
- Gen Y
- Effective collaboration with distributed teams
- Easier knowledge sharing
- Gen Z
- Easier to brainstorm with others and gather a wide range of feedback
- Easier to connect with experienced subject matter experts
Gen-X, Gen-Y and Gen-Z & Social usiness
Wednesday, October 09, 2013
The No More Landmines Trust (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
How Google Maps is helping clear landmines in war-torn countries
HALO Trust are making the most of online mapping software to build a safer life for post-conflict communities
Halo Trust is using Knowledge Management to capture and analyse all relevant data and information – with the understanding that organizational knowledge is their biggest asset. http://www.theguardian.com/voluntary-sector-network/2013/oct/07/halo-trust-google-maps-landmines
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The No More Landmines Trust (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
How Google Maps is helping clear landmines in war-torn countries
HALO Trust are making the most of online mapping software to build a safer life for post-conflict communities
Halo Trust is using Knowledge Management to capture and analyse all relevant data and information – with the understanding that organizational knowledge is their biggest asset.
http://www.theguardian.com/voluntary-sector-network/2013/oct/07/halo-trust-google-maps-landmines
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Saturday, September 07, 2013
A new way of building bridges - the rescue for deteriorating infrastructure ?
English: Suspension bridges are suspended from cables. The earliest suspension bridges were made of ropes or vines covered with pieces of bamboo. In this picture the suspension bridge, which is now only for human use, is in Astore Valley. This type of bridge is found in the Gilgit-Baltistan area of Pakistan. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
is a great article about a new innovation. Using huge plastic tubes filled with concrete to quickly and cost-efficiently build new bridges. Worth reading to appreciate the ingenious idea.
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A new way of building bridges - the rescue for deteriorating infrastructure ?