Category Archives: Personal

Migräne – Migraines

“Laut einem Bericht der Weltgesundheitsorganisation zählt unter den chronischen Krankheiten, die das Leben stark beeinträchtigen, Migräne zu den ersten vier. Die Volkswirtschaft kostet das Leiden Unsummen – von den Arbeitsausfällen bis hin zur Frühinvalidität. Allein die Behandlung verschlingt in Deutschland jährlich 500 Millionen Euro, die Folgekosten schätzungsweise das Zehnfache. Nach einer anderen Berechnung kostet Migräne in der EU im Jahr mindestens 27 Milliarden Euro und gilt als die teuerste neurologische Störung.”

Diese Aussage fand ich in einem Artikel der letzten Ausgabe von Spektrum der Wissenschaft: Migräne – leider keine Einbildung von David W. Dodick und J. Jay Gargus.

Zum Glück sind meine Migräneattacken meistens relativ milde, und Naratriptan wirkt ganz gut dagegen. Frustrierend finde ich allerdings, dass die Krankheit bzw. ihre Auslöser bisher so wenig verstanden werden und es daher schwierig ist, sie medikamentös zu behandeln. Wünschenswert wäre ja eine Prophylaxe statt einer Tablette, die man erst nehmen darf, wenn die Schmerzen bereits begonnn haben.

By the way, if you prefer to read the article in the original version (in English), you can find it in Scientific American: Why Migraines Strike. The illustrations seem to be missing, but you can get the whole article by clicking on “Print”. You can buy the full version here or as an audio book.

So you wanna play the ukulele

I’m still working on my ukulele skills when I’ve got the time. André and I went to see the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain in concert last night, and that motivated me to try some new chords today. (Nebenbei, deutschsprechenden Fans des UOGB empfehle ich UOGB Fans. The site also has an English version.)

I have found that two things are hindering my progress: one, I used to play the guitar as a teenager and remember the guitar chords from then, confusing them with the uke chords, and two, soprano ukuleles come in two tunings, either g c e a or a d f# b. The first seems to be a bit more widespread, but the latter is used in the beginner’s book I’ve got. I know I should just stick to one of the tunings and memorize the chords in that tuning, but which one to pick?

In any case, I’ve found two websites that come in very handy if you’re a beginner on the uke:

The Ukulele Boogaloo Chord Charts show how to play all the chords, including which finger to put on which string, and they’re available for both tunings of the soprano uke and the baritone uke as well.

Sheep Entertainment’s Ukulele Chordfinder does not only offer different versions of each chord (for soprano, tenor, baritone uke), but also has a play-along feature. Pick one of the many songs available, listen to it, read the text and the chords and play along! The chords are also shown on a ukulele so you know how to play them. (Of course, you can pick which tuning to use.) Excellent!

Previous uke postings on Serendipita: one, two, three.

Sad and disturbing news

Today there was another shootout at a German school. A former student killed nine students and three teachers, then fled the school (possibly because the police were entering the scene) in a kidnapped car, finally killing himself during a shooting with the police some 40 km (25 miles) away.

It’s the first shootout at a German school in which people were killed since the one in Erfurt in April of 2002.

Deutsche Welle: Teenage Gunman Takes Own Life After German School Shooting.

“Police in Stuttgart have confirmed the death of a gunman in a school-shooting incident that left at least 15 victims dead and several injured near Stuttgart in the southwest of the country.”

Spiegel: Germany Shocked by Teenager’s Killing Spree.

“Germany was in shock on Wednesday after a 17-year-old youth killed 16 people in a shooting rampage that began at his school, where he shot dead 10 pupils and three teachers. He later took a gun to his own head during a shootout with police. His motive remains a mystery.”

I’m not only concerned because I’m a teacher myself and the school where this happened today is quite similar to my own but also because it happened in a town where a friend of mine works. A lot of his colleagues have children in the school, and the town is small enough that many people know each other. At his company they were told to shut the gates and the window shutters, and for hours many of his colleagues didn’t know how there children were.

Update:

BBC News: German school gunman ‘kills 15’.

“Fifteen people have been killed by a teenage gunman who went on a rampage in south-west Germany, officials say.
Among the dead were nine pupils, eight of them girls, and three teachers at the Albertville secondary school in the town of Winnenden, north of Stuttgart. “

New York Times: Teenage Gunman Kills 15 at School in Germany.

“Winnenden, Germany — A teenage gunman killed 15 people, most of them female, on Wednesday in a rampage that began at a school near Stuttgart in southern Germany and ended in a nearby town, where he then killed himself after the police wounded him.”

Spring?

I spoke too soon. Winter was back today, we got a few centimeters of snow while it rained at lower elevations. It’s above freezing, though, so I expect it to be gone again soon. However, this may not be the last time it snows this season. Last year we had snow on easter. Oh well.

In more interesting news, Alwin is back and posting at code:TheWebSocket;. Long time no see, Al! Glad you’re back!