Real stats right in your browser

My friend Daniel Stricker has put his latest object of pride online over at brightstat.com and he has all reasons to be proud of it.

For a little more than a year now he has envisioned an internet appliance based on Macromedia Flash that would allow to perform statistical calculations in the web right in your own browser without the need to buy one of the high-priced software packes.

Brightstat covers the statistical tools one encounters in the first semstre of statistics so it can allso be used for teaching. Users can register for free and either type in data or import it. The output can be saved in XML format so you will always be able later on to access your findings.

Brightstat is still in testing stage so if you want to help Daniel improving his software, you’re more than welcome.

I finally know how to cook Sushi

Saturday night, after negotiations of 1.5 years, Tornada and I finally were able to fix an appointment to teach me how to cook Sushi. It was great fun as you can obviously see on the picture.

Luke Ravenstahl (26) youngest mayor

Luke Ravenstahl (26 years old) has become the youngest mayor of one of the largest cities in the USA, namely Pittsburgh. As he comes into office he is faced with the problems of a deteriorating city yet still has to prove he has to be taken seriously despite his age. From the NY Times article:

“With our mayors, Tom Murphy was the guy who wouldn’t know what a tailgate party was if he got invited to one, O’Connor was the guy throwing the tailgate party, wearing the chef’s hat, and Ravenstahl is the guy nursing a beer in the corner and trying to decide whether it’s safe to double dip that chip,” said Sean Cannon, a political writer for Carbolic Smoke Ball, a satirical Web site and the city’s equivalent of The Onion.

I publicly admit I am stupid

• If you know German,
• If you have plenty of time to waste,
• If you want to learn a lot but still feel stupid,
• If you believe you know Google and Wikipedia,

You may try the riddles over at Gagolga.

I quit after level 2. At least I know now my bits and pieces on heraldry.

The meaning of life: to be there for each other

The scoreboard said I lost today, but what the scoreboard doesn’t say is what it is I have found. Over the last 21 years, I have found loyalty. You have pulled for me on the court and also in life. I found inspiration. You have willed me to succeed, sometimes even in my lowest moments, and I’ve found generosity. You have given me your shoulders to stand on to reach for my dreams, dreams I could never have reached without you.

ANDRE AGASSI, to the fans after the last match of his professional tennis
career.