2009-01-30

Women's bonus

There's currently a very funny thing happening in my favourite 4x4 truck forum. A young woman wants to buy herself a Magirus Mercur 4x4 truck, to live in it. She asked the forum for tips how to check the vehicle and how to drive home, and got a deluge of tips, hints, help, private phone numbers, addresses, help offers, everything, really.

Now the long thread got really funny when she said, she got no co-driver as her boy-friend had to take care of her dog. One guy in the forum then teased "If there are some 'disappointed hearts' now?". And another one: "Yea, jus' wanted to say, this is probably the longest and most diplomatic getting-a-truck thread that has been in this forum ever. Before the concerned person even started to drive ... . To other people this forum had surely answered in the sense of: If you're driving willingly without tools, engine oil and stuff, a sleeping bag etc., you don't need to call us up if things are gonna be a cock-up."

Which proves, probably, that women can have a pretty easy life if they learned how to ask for help. If they're really good, everybody will have fun helping and nobody will get disappointed. I know that kinda relationship myself, with respect to a young women, now also a friend and a long-term neighbor. We have this hey-it's-fun-to-help-ya style of relationship for six years now. No flirtation implied. It's just nice to see her doing fine.

2009-01-27

Am I libertarian?

Searching for my last blog post by Google made me find highly entertaining stuff. The fact that I find it entertaining probably makes me a libertarian. What is it?

First, the Seasteading Project. They're going to populate the ocean in international waters, i.e. founding new states as laboratories for new kinds of societies. It's not just utopia ... they're building it!

Second, the Free State Project. It's the call for 20,000 libertarian people to register for moving to New Hampshire (U.S. east coast state), in order to sort of "democratically revolutionize" that state. Today, they have 8973 people who committed to move over to NH within five years of reaching the 20,000th registration.

Libertarians criticize the current political systems, including democracies. I found this ingenious quote on the Seasteading website:

Specifically, it [pointing out utopias] will not make a system act differently than its nature and the incentives it provides to the people who participate in it. And just as this dictates that centrally managed economies will be slow and lack innovation, it dictates that modern democracies will have highly parasitic governments, because we are too rich for it to be worth fighting and too tied to our homes to run away.

Being honest to myself, my expedition vehicle project is just that: running away from here. I love liberty, and think that I'm gonna find more of that if I'm not tied closely to any state, society or economy like I'm now tied to. Instead of seasteading, isle-planting or a free state project, I'm simply gonna move between states to where the most liberty is (or the most pressing task, that depends).

Happy to have found out one more reason for my strange thinkstyle / lifestyle! Hey, I understand myself somewhat better! Think it's worth going to bed now ...

2009-01-26

Gesellschaftsmodell »Autarke Communities«

This time I'm writing in German, as by chance, I wrote the idea in German when it came to my mind today. It's the further development of the »Multiplying Power Community« idea into a model for a society, with jump-start-ability. Contact me if you need the contents in English.

Bzgl. der Grundversorgung autarke Communities als Gesellschaftsmodell: sie sind bzgl. Import und Export abgeschottet. Dieses Konzept ist kein Freihandel. Benötigt wir also ein anderer Motivator als der Gewinn über den Verkaufspreis, um Effizienz zu gewährleisten. Idee: Autarkie ist nur bzgl. der Grundversorgung gefordert (Nahrung, Hausbau, Medizin usw. in Eigenleistung), denn das gewährleistet Überlebensfähigkeit in Krisen. Für den Komfortlevel (der Bedürfnispyramide) dagegen gilt Freihandel, und jede Community tritt als eine Firma oder ein Dienstleister auf. Das ist auch notwendig, weil High-Tech nicht autark hergestellt werden kann.

Außerdem: es sollte staatliche Programme zur Gründung solcher Communities geben. Diese sollen auch als funktionierende soziale Systeme aufgebaut sein und etwa 500 Menschen umfassen (Kibbuz-Größe). Eine kleine Power Community (10 Personen) organisiert die Ausreise- und Aufbauphase (1-2 Jahre in jeder Community). Durch solche Maßnahmen können Staaten das Slum- und Hungerproblem in Städten lösen. Denn Menschen ziehen nicht vom Land weg, weil Nahrungsversorgung prinzipiell unmöglich wäre, sondern weil es kein System gibt, das effiziente Nahrungsmittelproduktion gewährleistet. Die Communities aber sind solch ein System (inkl. Transportmitteln, Verkehrswegen, Landbesitz, Produktionsstätten, ...). Mitglieder der Communities wären durch Vertrag für je 5 Jahre gebunden, so dass Auflösung durch simplen Personalmangel oder Fachpersonalmangel erschwert wird. Communties sollen auch Behinderte, Waisen und instabile Personen integrieren, anteilig entspr. deren Anteil an der Gesamtbevölkerung.

In diesem System besteht also die Marktwirtschaft weiter, aber zwischen größeren Einheiten (den Communities), nicht zwischen Individuen. Das ist ein Vorteil, denn diese Einheiten können sich in Krisenzeiten selbst versorgen, im Gegensatz zu Communities.

Gewinnmaximierung ist nicht mehr das Ziel der Einzelnen (auf Kosten der Gemeinschaft), sondern das Ziel der Gemeinschaften (der Communities), i.S.v. Wohlstandsmaximierung. Die Communties müssen klein genug bleiben, damit jeder den Effekt seines eigenen Beitrags zum Wohlstand aller auch persönlich spüren kann (also evtl. auch nur 50-100 Personen). Beteiligung am erwirtschafteten Gewinn und an Gewinnsteigerungen geschieht, indem die Community jedem eine durch die Autarkie garantierte Grundversorgung bereitstellt, und darüber hinaus die Einnahmen der Community gleichmäßig an alle verteilt werden.

Communities wissen, welches Fachpersonal sie benötigen, und machen Ausschreibungen dafür (zuerst intern unter den Heranwachsenden / Mitgliedern ohne Ausbildung, danach extern). Benötigt wird Fachpersonal für die Community-eigene Firma, und Fachpersonal für die Autarkie. Letzteres ist, für eine Community von 500 Personen: zwei Ärzte (Redundanz gefordert!; ein Arzt gleichzeitig Zahnarzt) , eine Hebamme, ein Pysiotherapeut (m/w), ein Tierarzt, zwei Mechatroniker, fünf Handwerker (Kombinationsberuf aus Elektriker / Zimmermann / Maurer / Lackierer usw.), zwei Kfz-Mechaniker, ein Psychologe (Seelsorger), zwei Bäcker, zwei Fleischer, ... .

Jede Community darf auch eine »Style-Guideline« haben, so dass sich Individuen eine Community aussuchen können die ihrem Lebensgefühl entspricht (Hippy, Rocker, Familienmenschen, ...).

Mitgliedertausch zwischen Communities und zwischen Community und Restgesellschaft ist zulässig, wenn dadurch die Stabilität der Community erhalten bleibt.

Lebensmittel aus der Autarkie-Versorgung werden in Rationen verteilt, um zu gewährleisten dass sie auch aufgebraucht werden. Zusätzlich können sich die Mitglieder Luxus-Lebensmittel (Gewürze, Süßkram usw.) von ihrem Geldeinkommen leisten, hergestellt von den Komfortlevel-Firmen der eigenen oder anderer Communities.

Eine Community sollte anstreben, nicht mehr als 20% ihrer Ressourcen für Autarkie-Versorgung zu verwenden (in Industrienationen derzeit: 3% Beschäftigte im primären Sektor). Es bleiben 80% Ressourcen, die prinzipiell kostenfrei eingesetzt werden können. In Normalzeiten zur Wohlstandserhöhung gegen Geld als Gegenleistung von anderen Communties und der Restgesellschaft. In Krisenzeiten, wo niemand mehr die Komfortlevel-Produkte kauft, kostenfrei zur Krisenreduktion.

Es kann auch Spezial-Communities geben: mobile Communities, oder Charity-Communities (die ihre 80% freien Ressourcen kostenfrei einsetzen).

Besonders interessant am Community-Ansatz ist: perspektiv- und hoffnungslose Menschen können wieder Perspektive und Hoffnung erhalten. Was oft das Grundproblem ist. Auch erfordert die Gründung einer Community nich viel: eine Power Community zur Begleitung des Spin-off (inkl. Ausbildung), Land, etwas Kapital, und Nothilfe-Backup durch einen Staat oder einen Zusammenschluss anderer Communities für den Fall, dass in der Gründungsphase durch noch fehlende Autarkie externe Hilfe benötigt wird. Diese externe Hilfe kann aber später zurückgezahlt werden. Die Gründung solcher Communities inkl. Kauf des Landes, Verhandlung mit staatlichen Organisationen und Entwicklungshilfe-Organisationen kann von einer einzigen kleinen Power Community (10 Mitglieder) bewerkstelligt werden. Diese kann alle 2-5 Jahre eine neue Community gründen, und steht bereits gegründeten Communities nur beratend zur Seite. Eine Power Community braucht hochintelligente, hochspezialisierte Mitglieder, deren Lebensaufgabe die Gründung von Communities ist (etwas finanielle Gegenleistung ist natürlich möglich, sobald Communities Gewinn bringen).

Das hier vorgeschlagene System eignet sich sowohl als Gesellschaftsordnung, als auch zur Bekämpfung der Arbeitslosigkeit: Arbeitslosigkeit ist nicht das Problem, sondern Erwerbslosigkeit (fehlende Möglichkeit zur Sebstversorgung). Das aber kann in einer Community nicht auftreten, durch das Autarkie-Konzept. Arbeitslosigkeit bedeutet in einer autarken Community dann bloß 80% Freizeit und einen geringeren Lebensstandard. Das ist kein gesamtgesellschaftliches Problem. Und die Community ist in der Lage, die 80% sinnvoll zu investieren, wenn auch nicht so effizient wie bei der Produktion in der eigenen Komfortlevel-Firma. Möglichkeiten sind z.B. Beiträge zur lokalen Infrastruktur, Teil-Autarkie im Komfortlevel (würde in Zeiten eines funktionierenden Wirtschaftssystems, d.h. ohne Arbeitslosigkeit, als zu ineffizient gelten) usw..

Einer der Fehler der modernen Zivilisationen ist, Spezialisierung so weit zu treiben, dass Individuen nicht mehr in der Lage sind, sich selbst zu versorgen. Die Communities sind die Gegenbewegung, und sie sind wettbewerbstauglich. Sie gewährleisten Selbstversorgung, bieten aber auch (in den Komfortlevel-Firmen) die Spezialisierung, die für industrielle Produktion notwendig ist.

Wenn es eine Arbeitsplatz-Standaridierung zwischen Communites gibt, kann es auch einen »Community-Mitgliedsplatz-Markt« geben: Communities werben um neue Mitglieder (wenn denn welche fehlen), haben also die Motivation, attraktiv zu sein.

Wichtige Beobachtung: die interne Strukturierung der Communities und deren übergeordnete Strukturierung (z.B. Verbände, Unternehmerverbände, Staaten, ...) ist beliebig. Wichtig ist bloß, dass es die Community als »Pflanze« (viell. auch »Zelle«), d.h. als selbständig lebensfähigen Organismus, gibt. Das bedeutet, dass keine Community sich in Abhängigkeiten begeben wird und darf, die ihre Autarkie beschränken. In Krisenzeiten, in denen die Community-übergeordneten Strukturen dysfunktional sind oder sich radikal ändern, besteht die Community durch ihre Autarkie-Fähigkeit.

Problematisch ist, dass Communities nur in Gebieten angesiedelt werden können, in denen keine oder nur geringe Gefahr von Missernten besteht. Das kann durch Vorratshaltung (3-5 Jahre) an Nahrungsmitteln, und durch Auftreten als Agrarlieferant für die Restgesellschaft (wodurch bei geringeren Ernten noch genug zur Selbstversorgung bleibt) etwas ausgeglichen werden, so dass Communities auch z.B. in vielen Teilen Afrikas denkbar sind.

Indem die Community als Solidargemeinschaft auftritt, sind viele Sozialleistungen völlig unnötig (Arbeitslosen- und Pflegeversicherung, Rentenversicherung (es bestehen Versorgungsansprüche ggü. verschiedenen Communities prozentual zur Zeit der jeweiligen Mitgliedschaft; in der Praxis aber viel unproblematischer, da die meisten Menschen sesshaft lebenslang in einer Community sein werden, viell. mit wenigen Austauschjahren als Gast woanders), tw. die Krankenversicherung durch eigene Ärzte).

Und, indem die Community als Solidargemeinschaft auftritt, werden viele Sorgen und allein untragbare Risiken aus dem Leben der Individuen entfernt. Staaten als Solidargemeinschaften sind möglich, aber instabil und unmenschlich (in Deutschland z.B. ist es schon lange nicht mehr so, dass Arbeitslosengeld als bereitwillige Hilfe des Staates für Bürger in Not gesehen werden kann; es ist das widerwillige Bewahren vor dem Verhungern, aus Angst vor Aufständen; ebenso mit Krankenkassen: das Anliegen des Systems ist schon lange nicht mehr eine gute Volksgesundheit, sondern es kämpft um sein finanzielles Überleben).

Indem die Solidargemeinschaft klein ist, wird es Möglich, Individuen für Fehlverhalten zur Verantwortung zu ziehen: Rauchen, Alkoholmissbrauch usw., was in großen Solidargemeinschaften (z.B. Staaten) ein Missbrauch des Gesundheitssystems ist, kann in Communities verboten werden, und diese Verbote können auch durchgesetzt werden.

Eine zwingende Voraussetzung für Autarkie ist eigener Landbesitz (d.h. das unbeschränkte, exklusive Nutzungsrecht an landwirtschaftlicher Nutzfläche). Denn die Community kann keine Pacht bezahlen, wenn sie in Krisenzeiten im »Autarkie-Modus« ist; denn in Krisenzeiten kann nichts verkauft werden, womit die Pacht bezahlt werden könnte, denn den Markt gibt es nicht mehr.

Diese Idee behebt auch das Problem der Hilfeleistung für hungernde und unselbständige Bevölkerung: es ist echte Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe, die sofortige Entlassung in die Unabhängigkeit, kein dauerhaftes Mit-Durchfüttern.

To the 8% homeless in L.A.

In L.A., approx. 8% of the population is living on the streets, sleeping in their cars [source]. Which is, to a significant part, an effect of the financial and economic crisis. (The L.A. numbers are the highest in th U.S. ... I'm not writing here that this is a nation-wide phenomenon in the U.S.)

Wait a moment, what's wrong with sleeping in your car? ;-) Hey, of course, I pity those who need to do and don't want to. Some however, including me, want to do so deliberately. It takes you to a higher level of spatial mobility if your house has wheels. And to a higher level of financial mobility, as you can drastically reduce the running costs.

Reading the L.A. numbers of homeless people makes me think that those crisis effects might come to us also. Perhaps 1-3 crisises [uh ... sic?] later than the current one. And, it made me think: I'm not gonna fall in crisis if I'm living already as if I had fallen in crisis. Noone will drive me out of my home to sleep in my car ... I'm doing this already! (Well ... at that time. The motorhome project is not yet through, you know.)

2009-01-25

Market, you're damn stupid!

Regarding my job, I've a strong feeling that prohibits me from doing work that deems senseless to me. (It's not that I don't need to do such things just for the money, but it's a torture.)

The problem is, now, that mine and the market's opinions what is meaningful to do deviate widely. It's easy to recognize what the market thinks is meaningful: everything the market will pay for. This includes, among other stuff, ugly sunglasses for 560 USD. And the foil coating of police bus windows, while in other countries they have no working police at all.

In my opinion, the market is constantly in error. If it would be up to me to decide what's meaningful, I would include:

  • basic stuff, of course: nutrition, health care, accomodation etc.
  • Many more UNU (United Nations University) research projects.
  • Heavy reasearch for an AIDS treatment.
  • Heavy research for a malaria treatment.
  • research on what is the true theology
  • ...

Then, it would also be easy for me to find a meaningful job. But now ...

P.S.: I should add my definition of "meaningful": meaningful is what makes the world a better place to live. (And, adding from a Christian perspectiv: "Where world includes this and the next world.")

2009-01-24

Way cool: Overland Missions

It has been some time now that I searched the Internet again and again, for a group of people with the same style and interests as mine. You know, expedition style, interested in God's supernatural acts, living in and developing development countries, all that stuff ... .

Now today about 0.00 AM I found the first group that's close to the target! I mean, really close. I watched some of their videos and thought, wow, they have scenes I wanted in my vids in some years :-) The organization is called Overland Missions, and they do evangelistic outreaches and humanitarian help for "forgotten people" in their villages. Mainly in Africa, but they also do expeditions all over the world.

Also, what's really really cool are their reports from the field, regarding God's activity. To me, they seem quite sober and authentic (though further investigation is necessary, of course). One example, from their Nov 2007 newsletter: one of the team members (Lindsay) prayed for the healing of an African woman who was blind and dumb. Nothing happened. And then:

The next day the team was doing door-to-door ministry when they met a woman that began to share her testimony with the interpreter.

The interpreter said, "She said that she was healed by the Bible."

Lindsay said, "Praise God! How great! Jesus heals!"

She then turned to the interpreter and asked him to speak to the woman about what she was healed from. He responded by saying, " She woke up this morning and she could see and she could hear!"

It was at that moment that Lindsay realized that the woman that she prayed for the day before had been healed overnight.

Sounds incredible? If you can't believe it, go yourself and check these stories yourself. Or, join me for that ;-) After all, if this is all true: it's so way cool to have a God who proves himself to this wrecked world in such majestic ways!!!

2009-01-23

An old draft for an expedition vehicle ...

What to do to files that are too good to throw away, and to useless to keep them in their place? Blog them! Here's a image manipulation draft that I did to a Magirus Mercur of a friend, and to a workshop box body (that I wanted to buy originally, before getting the freezer box body). This is nearly one year ago, it was 2008-01-28. 

 
 

2009-01-22

Welcome to the adult world

The last weeks, I thought this several times: this is not how I expected the world of the adults to be, when I was a child. Not that I had deep thoughts about the adult world as a child, but I expected the adult world to be as good and comfortable as the child world.

But now, in the adult world ...

  • You need much time and nerves to care about money, while, as a child, you got pocket money and this was just enough.
  • You are basically alone with all the tough tasks of your life, while, as a child, you was never alone and gave all the tough ones to your parents.
  • You might feel lonely, while, as a child, you always had the depth of social community that you wanted to have (it might have been totally superficial, but at least you didn't feel lonely ...).
  • Nearly all children and nearly no other adult person really wants your best, while as a child, it was just the opposite.

But wait ... didn't I miss something? Shouldn't adult world just be just a more sophisticated child world, if taking the term "God's child' seriously? Hmm ...



Start date: 2009-01-22
Post date: 2009-01-22
Version date: 2009-01-22 (for last meaningful change)

2009-01-21

Jesus and the figs

Yesterday, some friends and me discussed a strange story from the Gospels. We had some ideas, but could not really determine what is the correct interpretation. So, some more thoughts here. The story was that where Jesus cursed the fig tree, in Mk 11:12-14, 19-24:

12 On the next day, when they had left Bethany, He became hungry.
13 Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.
14 He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples were listening. [...]
19 When evening came, they would go out of the city.
20 As they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up.
21 Being reminded, Peter *said to Him, “Rabbi, look, the fig tree which You cursed has withered.”
22 And Jesus *answered saying to them, “Have faith in God.
23 “Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him.
24 “Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.

Now there happen to be many explanations for this story. Most of them make a story where the fig tree figuratively represents the fate of Israel. However, the problem with this is that it might as well be an "generated explanation", just to have one. Because it's not justified by the teaching that Jesus himself connects with the event ("Have faith in God", Mk 11:22-24).

So I'm gonna try another interpretation. According to the story, Jesus was hungry. He saw a "fig tree in leaf", and though he knew it was not the season for figs he thought, if any tree here has fruit at all, than this leafy one over there. Because, the figs develop 2-3 months after the leafs, so from a tree with fully developed leafs there might be some figs expected.

However, the tree had no figs. What made Jesus angry about this was probably that it was such a "hypocritical" tree: promising fruit even before season by its look, but having none. And because he was angry, he made the tree whither. Now, of course, Jesus knew that a tree cannot be "hypocritical", and that there was no possibility to be angry about any "moral failure" of a tree. As there was no moral failure, there was no reason for moral punishment. There's not even the possibility of moral punishment: a tree has no qualia experiences, so is not able to suffer, so is not able to suffer punishment.

Therefore, the whole event is no real anger and real punishment, but something that is just anger and punishment from the perspective of the sentinent being (Jesus). Seen that way, the behavior is allowable: Jesus did just what was admissible to man, as the master of plants and trees.

Regarding the use of supernatural power: it's just that the divinity of Jesus glimpses through at this event. That's what his disciples marvel at later. The event itself was "unnecessary" and has no meaning in itself, it was just "allowable" (and note that it's the only event of this sort that we read from Jesus). But as the event shows divine power, it's also a situation to teach about this. And that's what Jesus did then. Which implies, yes, there might be situations in our lives as well where we might use divine power though its not "necessary" and even "without meaning" (like throwing a mountain into the sea). God grants this sort of stuff just because we prayed for it.


Start date: 2009-01-21
Post date: 2009-01-21
Version date: 2009-01-22 (for last meaningful change)

2009-01-19

My anti-nuclear concept

The static reach of the world's exploitable Uranium is 70 years. Which means it's fairly easy to solve the problem of nuclear weapons once and for all.

A state would have to devote itself to consume as much nuclear material in reactors as possible. They'd build new reactors and buy nuclear material worldwide. That way we'd get rid of all consumable Uranium worldwide within 15-30 years. Nobody could build a nuclear weapon again. Forever.


Start date: 2009-01-19
Post date: 2009-01-19
Version date: 2009-01-19 (for last meaningful change)

My anti-terror concept

Don't invest many people's lifes and much money by fighting war against terror. The war Iraq war caused 4500 US soldiers and ten thousands of Iraqi to die, and did cost 480 billion USD. That's wastefulness. And in addition, personal rights of of the people have been sacrificed to a state that assumes that general surveillance would be a good anti-terror measure.

Instead, build up special forces like the Israeli Sajeret Matkal. They'd operate behind foreign lines and in secrecy. They'd arrest commanders of terror groups, execute strikes to hinder assassinations and hijacking etc..

They'd also operate on foreign ground. There should be a UN agreement that allows such forces to mutually operate on foreign ground, if necessary.Even better: a UN anti-terror organization, made from professional soldiers that are contributed by the member nations according to their population and financial means.


Start date: 2009-01-10
Post date: 2009-01-19
Version date: 2009-10-19 (for last meaningful change)

It's called pair relationship

Ones choice of words expresses, among other stuff, ones conceptualization of things. Ones understanding of the world and the relationship of the things inside.

Regarding choice of words, I always wondered what might be an appropriate word for the "marriage" relationship type, including the pre-marital time that shares the same type of relationship quality.

It's not to be called friendship: it encompasses a friendship, but has some exclusive quality that distinguishes it from that. It's not to be called partnership, as again, it encompasses partnership, but has some exclusive quality that distinguishes it from that. Because, I may have other partners in addition to my spouse ... e.g. business partners, accountability partners in an intentional community setting etc..

But I finally got to a conclusion (inspired, not my own idea, though). I now have the right word for the special pre-marriage and marriage man-and-woman relationship type. This word is: pair relationship. In German: "Paarbeziehung".


Start date: 2009-01-19
Post date: 2009-01-19
Version date: 2009-01-19 (for last meaningful change)

2009-01-16

The Gospel and self-marketing

The Gospel is such a good thing that one wonders why it's not self-marketing like the best industrial products do.

If it would be natural for all the converts to tell all their friends and neighbours about the Gospel, it could be called self-marketing. The story of he Samaritan woman in John 4 is one where the Gospel had self-marketing effects.

Revival times seem to be those where the Gospel is self-marketing. It is to be determined what conditions must be in place for such a revival to start. Esp. in our society. Perhaps it's necessary to be able to talk about God and being taken seriously in the average case. If yes, what would be necessary for that? Second Acts or one of its results, like a movie?


Start date: 2009-01-16
Post date: 2009-01-16
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2009-01-10

HSDPA Internet... Jus' plain crazy

Wooohhaa .... it works :-) While in the last few I had to travel through -100°C (felt coldness) weather jus' to access Internet in my "private Internet café" (a WLAN I'm allowed to participate in), I have now again my own Internet access. Nothing to be that enthusiastic about? Well, wrong ;-) I'm using a new technology, and that's always reason enough for a technophile to be enthusiastic (for a short time).

The day before yesterday, I  ordered a Option GT 3G+ EMEA ("Option Globetrotter 3G+") PC-Card from eBay, for 59 EUR (immediate buy, new ... you pay less if you have time, but I had not). And before half an hour it arrived, and I configured it, and was connected to the Internet at first try. Using Linux!!! I'm speechless ... . I also ordered the relatively new "Simyo Internetpaket 1GB", which means you pay 9,90 EUR for each 1GB of Internet traffic that you can consume in up to 30 days. That's, probably by far, the best offer for non-contracted spontaneous mobile Internet use currently. The Simyo card is not yet there, so I used my O2 UMTS SIM card with Homezone Surf Option to connect (which is rated at 0,03 EUR/min). And, according to kppp, I got connected with 1,8 MBit, that is, HSDPA at full speed (see screenshot below). Though, I don't know if that's the actual speed I can use ... I'll see ... but the 8Kbit/s in the kppp statistic window seem to be not correct either.

Here are the screenshots of my first HSDPA session ever ... it worked like a charm :-)

 
  

Ok, now we have three days later, and I'm more sober instead of THAT enthusiastic about the whole matter :-) It turned out that the 8kbit/s were the correct value ... shame on me, that I cannot subjectively feel the speed difference of 8 kbit/s to 1800 kbit/s Internet ... . The 8 kbit/s connection was due to the datacard being in GPRS mode. I finally found the comgt utility to set it to "3G preferred" mode, and then finally made my first UMTS Internet connection ever. After some testing, the speed turned out to be about 386 kbit/s, the typical UMTS rate (no HSDPA in my small town here ... how did I dare to expect that ...).

Ok, and here's the real real real screenshot of my first UMTS internet connection ever ;-)

 

Start date: 2009-01-07
Post date: 2009-01-10
Version date: 2009-01-10 (for last meaningful change)