Tag: Karin Brenig

Angelina Midnightcherry Tesla

Posted on by Adventurer

midnightcherry Tesla model Y

We bought a new car. Nothing special, you might say. I’ve owned over a dozen different cars over the years since receiving my first drivers license in 1975. Most of them used, good enough for what I needed, cheap enough for what I could afford. Emotion, or excitement, wasn’t really part of the process. Not even for the one other really new “new” car we bought a decade or so ago.

This time was different. Buying our first fully electric vehicle was a decision made with mostly emotion, and just a hint of reasoning.

I wouldn’t buy a new car to save money.
I don’t believe my personal carbon footprint in an electric car is really that much lower.
I don’t think a Tesla Model Y is the perfect size for roads in Germany.

Now, a car sales person could tell you all about the awesome extended range, the safety of all-wheel drive, the comfort of heated seats and heated steering wheel, the extended warranty….. pretty much any car nowadays – electric or not – boasts all these features, and more.

That’s not why I wanted a Tesla.

I got sold on an idea born in California, developed over the years since 2008, and now (just recently) made right here in Germany. Our Model Y sports a beautiful deep dark red colour called “midnight cherry red”, which is only available in Europe.

And then it has these features, that made me fall in love – and that no other electric car manufacturer deems necessary: it can fart, it can put on a light-show with dance moves, it can be your boom-box, it has camping mode, and dog mode, and Joe mode, it can light a camp fire on the display and colour your roads like rainbows. We named her Angelina, after one of Nikola’s sisters.

Yes, I know, that’s just childish. Suits me.

Posted in 06 - Having Fun

Mr. Obvious helps MVV

Posted on by Adventurer

Sometimes a really big thing comes around, and I feel the urge to jump right in and play with it. Currently the “big thing” obviously is AI and chatGPT. So I signed up for a free account – and starting playing.

In recent actual news I found a gem, that sparked my creativity. Munich’s public transportation organisation, MVV, had turned off their online option for the purchase of our new, very popular “49 Euro Deutschland Ticket”. People had to come to one of the few ticket counters in person if they wanted to buy that 49€-ticket after the deadline.

long lines at ticket counter in Munich

See news coverage here:
tz article (in German) about chaos at the ticket counter

Why did they do that?? Anyways, I thought this was hilarious – and a case for Mr. Obvious.

So I prompted chatGPT with this:
“write a funny article about the Münchner Verkehrsgesellschaft contacting the Mr. Obvious Show after turning off their online ticket system and facing long lines at ticket counters“

She briefly thought about it and then came up with this reply:
“Munich, Germany – The Münchner Verkehrsgesellschaft (MVV) recently made a bold move by turning off their online ticket system, resulting in long lines at ticket counters throughout the city. But now, they’re turning to an unlikely source for help: the Mr. Obvious Show.

For those who aren’t familiar, the Mr. Obvious Show is a popular comedy program where the host, Mr. Obvious, states the painfully obvious in a humorous way. Apparently, the MVV thinks that Mr. Obvious might have some insight into how to deal with their long lines.

“We’re really struggling here,” said MVV spokesperson Hans Mueller. “We thought that turning off our online ticket system would encourage people to come to our ticket counters in person, but we didn’t anticipate the sheer volume of people. It’s chaos down there!”

Mr. Obvious, when reached for comment, seemed baffled by the MVV’s request. “I mean, it’s pretty obvious what they should do, isn’t it?” he said. “They should turn their online ticket system back on! That’s like, the whole point of having an online ticket system. Why would you turn it off?”

But apparently, the MVV is looking for something a little more creative than just turning their online ticket system back on. “We’re hoping that Mr. Obvious can come up with some funny quips or one-liners that will help ease the tension in our lines,” said Mueller.

When asked if he had any ideas, Mr. Obvious said, “Well, I mean, they could always try selling tickets on the moon. There’s probably not a lot of people waiting in line up there.” He paused for a moment before adding, “But seriously, just turn your online ticket system back on. It’s not rocket science.”

It remains to be seen whether the MVV will take Mr. Obvious’ advice or continue to search for a more humorous solution to their ticketing woes. In the meantime, Munich residents are advised to bring a good book and a lot of patience if they plan on taking public transportation.“

Posted in 06 - Having Fun

Technophobia is real for some people

Posted on by Adventurer

I’ve seen movies and read stories about people, who believe technology will harm them physically. They think radio waves will cause brain damage, electricity will alter their cells, exposure to electromagnetic fields will cause cancer, or other horrible things might happen. Until now, though, I had never met somebody personally who suffers from technophobia.

That changed. My mother’s current live-in care taker definitely has some mental issues related to all things that run on electrical power. I got the first notion of something being “off” about the woman when I asked her for her phone number, so that I could stay in touch. She looked scared when she told me, that she doesn’t want to give out her number. “Bad things” might happen, when people call her. I assured her, that I would only call in case of some urgent matter.

A few days later she said she needed my help with a camera. I said “OK, what’s wrong with your camera?” She told me, that her mother had put this camera into her suitcase and she didn’t want it. She didn’t need a camera, it was dangerous to have a camera around with so many other electronic devices in the house. So I offered to keep the camera at my house while she was here, and then give it back to her on the day that she travels home. She looked relieved and said “I don’t want that camera back, just keep it. My mother gave it to me so that she doesn’t have to have it around.” I see, technophobia runs in the family. “That works too, give me the camera and I’ll dispose of it properly”, I replied.

old digital camera With a certain haste the woman went outside and retrieved a package from behind one of my mom’s big trees. Aluminum foil, wrapped around a black plastic bag, inside of it an old camera – battery compartment empty, no memory card.

Posted in 20 - Nothing Special