Der Vortragende Vladimir Chaloupka ist ein Professor für Physik, Musik und internationale Studien an der Universität von Seattle in Washington.

Wir bekamen in einem sehr schönen antiken Ambiente einen exzellenten kurzweiligen und extrem interessanten Vortrag interdisziplinärer Art über die Verknüpfung von Bach, Einstein und Ihrer Stammwissenschaften. Der komplette Vortrag wurde in englisch gehalten, die Foliensätze sind aber bilingual auch in deutsch.

Jeder, der die Möglichkeit hat, diesen Vortrag oder den Vortragenden zu hören, sollte die einmalige Chance nutzen.

Link zum Vortragenden und seinen Folien:

http://www.phys.washington.edu/users/vladi/

A missionary, on a very important trip in the depths of the jungles of the Congo, comes upon a lost civilization, which strangely has a deep connection with music. In fact, everywhere he went, he heard in the distance the constant beat of drums. He decides to try and convert these people, but the first thing he had to do was learn their language. After almost three years, he finally deciphers the language. He approches the chief, and the very first thing that the missionary asks is,”Great Chief, everywhere I go here I hear drum beats. Why do you constantly play the drums?” The Great Chief respondes,”IF DRUMS STOP, TERRIBLE DISASTER WILL OCCUR.” The missionary, somewhat puzzeled, asks,”Do you think that there will be a flood, earthquake, disease, famine, what?” The Chief shakes his head sadly and says,”EVEN WORSE. IF THE DRUMS EVER STOP, BIG TROMBONE SOLO!!!”

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Why is a dead snake in the road more tragic than a dead trombonist in the road? 

1. The snake may have been on the way to a recording session. 

2. There are skid marks in front of the snake. 

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What do you call a guy who knows how to play a trombone and doesn’t? 

A gentleman. 

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What did Captain Picard say when he entered a jazz club and saw a trombonist on stage? 

“Computer: End program!” 

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What do 4 trombones sound like at the bottom of the sea? 

A good idea! 

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How do you kow if there’s a trombonist at your door? 

The doorbell drags. 

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How can you tell that a kid on a playground is a trombonist’s kid? 

He can’t swing and he complains about the slide. 

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Someone asks a trombonist: “What’s the subdominant of F major?” 

The trombonist is confused: “What??? I thought F major was the subdominant!” 

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How many trombone players does it take to change a light bulb? 

Only one, but he’ll spend half an hour trying to figure out what position he needs to be in. 

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What kind of calender does a trombonist use for his gigs? 

Year-at-a-Glance 

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What’s the difference between a bass trombone and a chain saw? 

1. Vibrato. 

2. It’s easier to improvise on a chainsaw. 

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How can you make a french horn sound like a trombone? 

1. Take your hand out of the bell and lose all sense of taste. 

2. Take your hand out of the bell and miss all of the notes. 

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What do you call a trombonist with a beeper? 

An optimist. 

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What is the dynamic range of a bass trombone? 

On or off. 

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What’s the best kind of trombone? 

A broken one! 

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What do you call a trombonist with half a brain? 

Gifted. 

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How do you save a trombonist from drowning? 

Take your foot off their head. 

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How many trombonists does it take to change a lightbulb? 

5: 1 to change it, and 4 to make ludicrous sexual comments. 

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How many trombones does it take to screw in a light bulb? 

One, but he will do it too loudly. 

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What’s the least used sentence in the English language? 

“Look at that trombone player’s Cadillac!” 

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What do you call a trombone player in the street? 

A beggar. 

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What’s the difference between a frog driving a car and a trombonist driving a car? 

The frog may be on his way to a gig. 

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What did the trombonist get on his IQ test? 

Drool. 

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What does the trombonist say when he gets to his gig? 

“You want fries with that?” 

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You are driving down a street and your director and a trombone player are crossing the street in front of you. Which one do you hit first? 

1. Your director. Business before pleasure! 

2. Who cares?! 

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Why do people play trombone? 

Because they can’t move their fingers and read music at the same time. 

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How many trombonists does it take to change a light bulb? 

Five. One to hold onto the light bulb and four to sip whiskey until the room spins. 

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Top Ten Reasons To Play The Trombone 

10. It doubles the flow of testosterone 

9. Chicks dig the big cases 

8. It’s shinny!!! 

7. Works as a lightning rod 

6. Tastes like chicken 

5. Slides nicely when lubricated 

4. Scare’s away the neighbor’s cat 

3. Outblows any woodwind 

2. No batteries necessary 

1. It’s the only instrument that doesn’t suck 

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What’s so tragic about a minivan with 5 trombones in it, running off the side of a cliff? 

You could have fit more trombones in it. 

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What’s the difference between a trombonist and a mouse? 

The mouse actually gets some attention. 

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Q: How do you make a trombone sound like a French Horn? 

A: Put your hand in the bell and miss even more notes. 

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Q: How do you make a trombone sound better? 

A: Run it over with a lawnmower. 

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Q: What’s the first position a trombonist learns? 

A: Head cocked, arm above it, finger scratching scalp. 

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Q: What’s the difference between a trombone section and a saxaphone section? 

A: The Trombone’s weren’t meant to sound like 2 cats in afight, but they do. 

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How many trombone players does it take to pave a driveway? 

One if you spread him really thin. 

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how do you make a trombone player drive faster? 

Take the pizza sign off the top of his car. 

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Why did the trombone player cross the expressway during rush hour? 

Good question. 

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A guy walks up to the band director and inquires about joining the band. The director says,”Sure, you can join the trombone section.” The guy replies, “But I don’t play the trombone.” “Well,” the director replies “Neither does anyone in our trombone section!!!” 

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A trombone player walks past a bar. 

Could have fooled me! 

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What do you say to a trombonist who is wearing a three-piece suit? 

“Will the defendant please rise?” 

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How many trombonists does it take to screw in a light bulb? 

A: None, but it’s the only thing they won’t screw. 

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How many lessons does it take to teach a beginner trombone player to play a note? 

Answer: Two, One to learn how to put it together and the second lesson to learn how to blow into it. 

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What do you call a beautiful woman on a trombonist’s arm? 

A tattoo. 

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How many trumpeters does it take to change a lightbulb? 

4: One to screw it in, three to say how much better they could have done it. 

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Why are trombones the best lovers? 

Trumpets do it with three fingers, baritones do it with four, and trombones do it in seven positions! 

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how many trombone players does it take to tile a floor? 

one, if you slice him thinly enough! 

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What do the letters pp mean to a trombone player? 

1. An opportunity for an improvised solo. 

2. A polite reminder that he has been playing too loud for the past 5 minutes. 

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How do you get a trombone player to play slower? 

Put a page of music in front of him. 

How do you get him to stop completely? 

Put notes on the page. 

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What’s the difference between a weed-eater and a trombone? 

Your neighbor will get angry if you don’t return the weed-eater. 

Nun hat sich in letzter Zeit gezeigt, dass immer mehr Geräte über ein USB Kabel zu laden sind. Das ist solange super, sofern man einen Rechner (Notebook) dabei hat, und dieser auch über genug Akkuleistung verfügt, was bei einem längeren Flug auch nicht immer der Fall ist.

Ich habe jetzt schon länger nach einer preisgünstigen vernünftigen Lösung für das Problem gesucht. Lustigerweise habe ich es jetzt auf der OSCON 2007 in den USA gefunden: MintyBoost – das Ladegerät via USB mit Batterien oder Akkus.

Das Projekt wird auf dem Make Stand währen der OSCON präsentiert.MintyBoost ist eine minimale elektronische Schaltung, die 2 AA Batterien oder Akkus (2*1.3 – 1.5Volt) auf 5 Volt pushed und so über einen USB Stecker die erforderlichen 5Volt produziert. Das ganze schafft es einen iPod der 5. Generation (Video iPod mit 80Gig) mit einer Batterieladung bei leerem Akku komplett aufzuladen. D.h. die Kapazität wird verdoppelt!

Das Ding kann man sich entweder komplett selbst bauen und die Teile selbst beschaffen, oder es gibt es als Bausatz bei der Lady zu kaufen, die das Ding entworfen hat. Das ganze kostet dann 20$ für den Bausatz und 3$ für die Dose “Altoids” Kaugummi’s (Kaugummi’s sind auch drin, aber die schmecken mir zu amerikanisch künstlich!).

Alles was dann noch bleibt ist die Lötarbeit, aber das schafft glaub’ ich jeder, der einen Lötkolben an der richtigen Seite halten kann .

In Kombination mit ein paar Adapterkabeln und einem 12V Auto-USB Lader und einem 100-240V Stecker-USB Lader habe ich nun eine universelle Ladelösung für alle portablen elektronischen Gimmicks, die ich so mit mir ‘rumschleppe.