Velovignette 2012

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From this year there is no more the official “Velo-vignette” in Switzerland. It was used to give third-party insurance to the cyclist. Starting this year it is responsibility of the cyclist to have this insurance.

Here you can read in German the history of the bike vignette in Switzerland. It all started in 1892!

For 2012 I’ve proposed Provelo association to create a vignette for its members. This was the quick idea I gave:

But then I wanted to do a vignette which would be similar to the old ones, at least in terms of size. So I did a personal one (hope it does not look too much to MCG party logo…):

Update (14.04.2012) So finally some days later I create a new one, bit more simpler:

If someones wants a personalized velo vignette, please contact me (miguel (at) anjo.pt).

Torrent, VOD, libraries, DVDs and alikes

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I never used the “MegaUpload” site. But time to time I use torrents. Not because I consider that rights should not be paid to the producers. The reason is that there is no easier option. Even if I’m willing to pay.

These days I wanted to see two movies:
– review Nueve Reinas (2000), which I saw in cinema years ago
– Mr. Smith goes to Washington (1939), which I miss in a movie festival last week.

First I tried the public library, but the movie (Nueve Reinas) was lost even if it appeared in the catalog. Then I try to search a legal Video-on-Demand (VOD) offer. None has those movies available. As last resort I search the torrent and in less than one hour I’ve the movie and subtitles downloaded with reasonable quality. Faster than going to the library.

Read an article in the newspaper while ago about the lack of offer by VOD sites. It said that due to the “rights” they cannot offer the movies:
– in other countries than where the VOD site is placed
– before they leave the cinemas in the country (about 1 to 2 months)
– after the movie is queue for TV transmission (after 6 months of cinema release).

This means that VOD sites currently offer movies during 4/5 months and then they have to remove them from catalog for another while. Then I’ve the unluck not to like blockbusters and the offer squeezes even more.

The torrent offer allows me to pass all this. I think the “MegaUpload” site was similar, but more for TV series.

And more cynical on all this is that the US government runs behind sites that offer these sharing solutions, while are their own citizens the biggest users of them. My idea would be to oblige the producers to increase legal offers and decrease the “rights” limitations based on the countries and where the movie is also displaying. Below my “peers” when downloading the “Mr. Smith goes to Washington”:

iPad2 vs iPad3 technical specs

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  • The iPad2 was 33% thinner than the predecessor.
    • The iPad3 is 7% thicker than the predecessor.
  • The iPad 2 was 0.2 pounds lighter than the predecessor.
    • The iPad3 is 0.1 pound heavier than the predecessor.

It the new iPad really better than the predecessor?

Data from: http://www.apple.com/ipad/compare/

Ideas for 2012

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Pour les Bibliothèques de Genève (université et municipales):
Faire un catalogue/recherche unique
Simplifiquer la page d’accueil
Ouvrir la médiathèque les mêmes horaires que les bibliothèques
Automatiser le check-out et check-in (façon self-service, comme par exemple à Winterthur)
Ouvrir catalogue de e-books (voir par exemple New York City Library)
Permettre le check-in et check-out dans n’importe quel succursale, mettant en place une service pour remettre les livres à la bonne bibliothèque (voir exemple la Oulu Library, Finlande)

For all contactless card providers:
Allow a personal and multi-service card/watch/key-ring/phone. Why not use the same device to open the door at the work place, to get the lift in the ski resort, to show I’ve the Abonnement General, to pay the public transport and any small amount grocery, to even open the door of my home. See examples in South Korea, Singapure or Hong-Kong.

For payment system providers:
Embbed an fingerprint reader in a payment card/device. And create self-service payment terminal for restaurants and other businesses. Tired of making the waiter/shop keeper to wait do some easy task of entering the amount, pass the card, wait I press the code and then both wait for a receipt.

Noite do dia

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Já falta menos de dois meses para que os dias cresçam.

Na Finlândia por esta altura o dia dura apenas 8horas: das 8 às 16. E cada dia tem 6min e meio a menos de duração. A depressão aumentava ao mesmo ritmo.

“Elle”

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Moi et “Elle”, en attendant le bateau pendant le tour de Suisse Nord-Sud avec Eva

Disparu, aujourd’hui. Passage des Grottes, Genève. “Elle”, mon vélo. Cinq ans durant elle m’accompagna: plusieurs milliers de kilomètres, plusieurs cols alpins. La criminalité à Genève est là, pour plus qu’on essaie de la ignorer.  Heureusement j’étais en train de me décider pour une nouvelle “Elle”. Le destin m’a aidé.

Note: “Elle” parce qu’en portugais vélo/bicicleta est féminin et j’utilise toujours de façon erroné ce genre pour parler de lui.

Desvio padrão no Excel

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Hoje E queria saber qual das funções de desvio padrão ela deveria usar em Excel. Para ter a certeza, nada melhor que comparar com o desvio padrão calculado à mão.

Depois veio a questão de como fazer um somatório de uma função em Excel…
Não é tão simples assim, mas lá se descobriu:

Keywords for the search engines: summation; excel; standard deviation; formula