Author: René Seindal

  • Venice frozen 80 years ago

    On Febraury 18, 1929, 80 years ago tomorrow, the lagoon of Venice froze over during a very harsh winter. It was possible to walk from Venice to Murano and people could go skating on Canal Grande. Here’s a video with pictures from back then:

  • Grandma’s wine glasses

    Grandma’s wine glasses

    When my uncle died last year, Valentina and I were offered the old wine glasses my uncle had inherited from my grandmother. They have been in the family since long before I was born, and my guess is that they were bought in the 1930s or 1940s. They’re handmade, blown, faceted with an hexagonal stalk,…

  • Cpu Frequency and Gnome Power Manager

    I’ve installed Debian with Gnome on my new Asus EeePC 1000H, and for some reason the Gnome Power Manager preferences wouldn’t let me decide on what cpu frequency scaling governor I wanted to use. I’m trying to squeeze as much time as I can out of the battery, so I wanted it to be “powersave”…

  • Drunk sailing to be banned in Venice

    Drunk sailing to be banned in Venice

    It has been illegal to drive under influence in Italy for ages, but not in Venice. In Venice they don’t drive, they sail, and in Italy is hasn’t been illegal to sail a boat while drunk or under the influence of drugs. This is about to change now.

  • Bluetooth Audio Headset

    Bluetooth Audio Headset

    I have a Philips SHB6100 bluetooth headset which I have only used with my mobile phone. A long time ago I tried getting it to work with Debian, but it was too much work for too little. Today I tried again, and things has changed quite a bit. I had it working in less than…

  • Asus Eee Pc 1000H with Debian Lenny (testing)

    Asus Eee Pc 1000H with Debian Lenny (testing)

    I have bought an Asus EeePc 1000H which is one of the new popular netbook – a very small and light weight notebook. I chose the Asus EeePc 1000H for several reasons: I travel a lot, often by motorcycle and kayak, and need something compact and lightweight for mail, internet, blog updates and social networks;…

  • Books are so expensive in these times

    Books are so expensive in these times

    Like this one – it looks normal – but apparently isn’t. It does help a bit with the discount. Amazon.com: BlackWind: Charlotte Boyett-Compo: Books

  • Nice fellow

    Nice fellow

    Occasionally there’s something funny on Google Street View, occasionally something scary:

  • Pool sessions

    Pool sessions

    Yesterday I practised rolling in a pool for the first time in over two years. Its the first time for a long while I get some good rolling practise. My focus has been elsewhere, on touring in Sardinia, setting up a business in Venice, getting to know people and places in Venice, in general with…

  • Future plans and wishes

    Future plans and wishes

    Venice Kayak Naturally, my future plans mostly revolve around Venice Kayak, which is after all a ‘strategic’ choice I have made. Currently I work closely with a camp site on the Lido di Venezia, where I have all gear and equipment, and I have to follow their season. They open on April 24 and close…

  • Retrospective

    Retrospective

    A few weeks ago it was the season of looking back, and being a bit slow on the uptake, I’m just about arriving there now. These last two years have seen quite a turn in my life. Two years ago I had a day job, a fairly ‘normal’ life, and just paddled for fun, and…

  • Exceptional high tide in Venice

    Exceptional high tide in Venice

    The high tide in Venice today was even higher than forecast, reaching a level of 156cm above the historical average. This is the fourth highest level in the last 135 years. In 1966 the tide reached 194cm, 166cm in 1979 and 159cm in 1986. About two thirds of the city has been under water, with…