I am a internet addict. I know that. Since 1994 I am surfing in the Internet. Started with Mosaic as a Browser and I saw lots of good Search pages. Yahoo, Lycos. Then came Google and now everything is GOOGLE. Google Earth, google is everything. It is a part of our Internetlives. But some guys, former Google members, try to change that. The founded and released CUIL (cool), a new search engine that searches almost twice as much sites than Google, they say. 120 Billion pages. Thats really a lot. So I tried to test it. How good is it. My own Pages have just a few 10000 visits each, not a massive visitornumber. In Google the search results are fast and very accurate. I find what I was looking for. Cuil has a very nice display of the results. But some search words were searched without any result. Same word as used in Google, but no result. So the twice amount of webpages searched is not a sign for good quality at all. Just more. So my pages are probably not searched or indexed correctly. Google is still better, but maybe it will change. CUIL is a good tool, that is for sure. Try it out yourself. Either klick at the link under Blogroll or go to http://www.cuil.com Good luck
Is GOOGLE dead ? Is it CUIL now ?
Juli 30th, 2008Ferrari 612 Scagliatti
Juli 25th, 2008 
Wow, my little Clio was pretty shy looking on his parking spot when a few cars away a dream red rested. A Ferrari 612 Scagliatti, 540HP, 12 Cylinders, 320km/h top speed. Thats 10 times more HP than the Clio, 3 times more cylinders and 2 times the top speed. But it’s a 2+2 seater, just like my Cougar. Almost a real Familycar. But many times more expensive. Anyway, it is a beautiful Ferrari.
Daddy had to clean his car
Juli 19th, 2008 
Ok, I am typical german. I had to do the weekendcleaningmycarmania (long word, not a real word I guess). I like my car technically ok and clean. Dorion took already care for the technical part and partially for the cleaning. But I took my magic cleaning stuff, drove to the carwash and sprayed, brushed, rubbed, polished the car. Polishing is not really needed because there are lots of resin leftovers but it looks better. The dents and scratches are still there, but they look better now 🙂 That makes the car look younger at least a few years. If I wash myself I won’t look younger 🙂
So this was my weekendfun besides going to the beach. Take a look at the pictures before/after:
Integrated Webbroswer ?!
Juli 17th, 2008Our little Renault Clio is doing fine. He fits into almost every parkingspot. Runs smooth and pretty aggressive with his just 55HP at 825kg of weigth (excluding me as a driver of course). Fast enough for the local traffic. Gasmileage is not clear yet, just filled the tank, but it should be ok. Wipers are new and I had to replace the battery. The battery died yesterday, totally dead. Alternator etc. works fine, but I had to buy a new one. With the new one everything is good again. Engine starts immediately.I noticed something funny. On the driver side mirror is a little spider web. My High Tech integrated Webbrowser 🙂 It catches no spam, just pollen and flies and so on. The little spider is hiding behind the mirror and always reworks the web when it is destroyed during driving or so. Very reliable Webbrowser 🙂 Let’s see how long the spider survives.
A bientot
National Holiday – 14th of July
Juli 14th, 2008 
It is the 14th of July. French national holiday. I did not go to the big firework, since I did not want to go alone. But that is ok. I saw several fireworks, so I am not sad. In Montpellier was a lot going on at the Place de la Comedie. A parade with police and military was there, not as big as the parade in Paris today, but nice.
I drove with my little Clio to Montpellier. I met Clive in the Bar Vert-Anglais and had some drinks there with some of his friends and also Hans, who arrived today. It was nice to sit outside. The weather is great here. Clive left a little later. He had to get some sleep after having a party til 7am in the morning. Hans and I went to a small Restaurant. The rest of Montpellier was pretty quiet.
Only at Place de la Comedie was some party going on. A Stage, lots of people. The french flag was everywhere.
Before I went there I was almost stuck at home. A few minutes before I left a ugly smell was noticeable in my apartment. Not that I had some beans and Chili…Noo But exactly that smell was here. In the bathroom of our guestroom everything started. I turned the water on to let it flow down the drain, but the water did not went away. Even worse, yellow,brown smelly water came up and had a even worse smell. It was unbelieveable. I went to the front desk and told them my problem. After about 20 minutes I heard, blubb blubb blubb and the water disappeared. The guys were outside and opened the main-drain. Other Apartments had the same problem. So I was lucky now and everything is clean again. Hopefully that was the last time.
A bientot
Pictures and paperwork
Juli 13th, 2008OK, the pictures of last weekends 2. SchwobaCup Old- and Youngtimer Rallye are online at:
http://www.schwobacup.de/Oldtimer/galerie2008.html
I will also upload a video soon, but so far the pictures should be enough. It is weekend again. Time flies by. Last wednesday some german colleagues came to my place foa BBQ. They were on Education and we used the time to eat some steaks, sausages, drink beer, wine, Pastis.
Since thursday I am proud owner of a 1995 Renault Clio. 1.2L, white, some dents and it runs. I bought him from Dorion and Jeanine. They were on assignment also and now return to the US soon. They got the car also from the assignee before. So we can call this car a traditional assignee car. Perfect for the french towns. I am not scared anymore to park on a parkinglot. This car already has enough dents. 
I just need to park my Cougar on a safe place, before might returning it to germany. On friday I went to my local Bank to sign the insurance contract for the little Clio. Thanks to Jerome (a colleague) and M. Becamel vom the bank I also managed the paperwork to get a new Carte Grise (car papers with license…). I went to the town hall in Baillargues. Less stress than going to Montpellier. It takes 4 weeks due to the holiday season, but the old papers are valid for 4 weeks anyway. I managed everything in french and some english. I am proud. My level is rising from a 3 year old to a 4 1/2 to 5 year old 🙂
At least I understand more and speak more. I enjoy the sun and on Monday is July 14th, the french national holiday. I will go to Montpellier to see the fireworks. Without my family unfortunately. They are still doing vacation in germany. Anyway, they are back soon 🙂
A bientot
What’s going on here…
Juli 7th, 2008 
Ok, Germany is a worthy second place in the European Soccer Championship. Friends from the USA, Dino, Christine, ALexa and Brynn visited us and the Kids had a lot of fun. Dagmar and the kids finally started the Vacation season and drove to germany. I had to do some work and then take a plane and fly also to Stuttgart. I tried the Best Fly Lufthansa Ticket for 99 Euro. That is a roundtrip from Marseille to Stuttgart and back. But already 4 weeks ago Lufthansa called me, that the flight to Stuttgart has changed. Marseille-Dusseldorf-Stuttgart. Whatever. I was coming home. Even with a extra flight. Only 1 1/2 hours from Montpellier to Marseille. I was almost on time and arrived home in germany. We had a wonderful weekend, because Dagmars Midwife Business had 10th Anniversary and I participated once more at the Oldtime/Youngtimer Rallye SCHWOBACUP. I made my Trabant ready on friday and Saturday and my family and I enjoyed every minute. Saturday Jonathan went to the Kindergarden Party and Fabian visited a friend.
The 10th anniversary of Dagmars Midwife Business was nice success. Lots of people visited and also Kerstin, Dagmars sister was there with her new born Babygirl Juliane. On Sunday morning I took off with my Neighbour Willy and Fabian. We drove with the 26HP/19KW Trabant to the Rallye. Last year I finished 2nd in my class Buildyear 1976-1987. We were only four last year, so it was kind of lucky. Now we had 11 cars in our class til year 1988. Willy was very good in reading the Roadbook. Fabian made nice pictures and filmed. We were a happy team. At the end we finished 7th out of 11. That was not 
bad ith only 26HP. We drove to the Black Forrest and many times we could only use 1st or 2nd gear because uphill it was pretty tough for the Trabant. Downhill it was tough for me, because I had to hit the brakes hard and there are no powerbrakes. In the afternoon we also had rain. My first ride in the rain.
We had Fiat X 1/9, Golf GTI, Saab Turbo, Porsche 928S and so on in our group, it was not easy. But we were happy about being not last in the Trabant 🙂
Norbert (he initiated the Rallye) also took Jonathan in his 1973 Beetle RS for a short ride. Jonathan was totally happy 🙂
Today was the day. After such a nice weekend I had a hard time to leave my family. They will stay some weeks in germany until returning to France. I hear in the news, that Lufthansa was supposed to be on strike. Eurowings and Cityline were the ones on strike. They fly for LH. Hey, I chose LH, because I was tired of Air France being on strike many times before. The first time in several years that I chose Lufthansa and they want to be on strike. So I called the Hotline and spend some money there to hear, that my flight is on time. Also the Webpage shows my flight is on time. Around noon I checked again and suddenly my flight was cancelled. Great. Calling again the Hotline they offered me a long train trip or maybe a Air France flight to Marseille. Back to Air France. Wow, what a day. I was laughing. Almost knowing that I might spend another day with my family, Dagmar dropped me off at the airport to change my tickets. Suddenly there was a chance to get the earlier flight with Air France via Lyon to Marseille. So I checked in. At least I tried. Going with the new ticket to the Air France counter I waited in line. Then I was next and the lady told me, I have to use the electronic Ticket counter. There I had to select the Airline I chose. I had Air France, but could not select it and Skyteam/KLM. That could not find my ticket. So I went back to the counter and she said, you must selec Air France, use another machine. Thats what I did. It worked until it was time to print out my Ticket. Waiting 2 minutes a red message appeared: Due to a technical problem it is not possible to print out the ticket, please go to the next counter…
Now the lady had to laugh also. Damn, am I having this bad touch again where everything goes wrong ??? nooo, but I was close
I finally got my tickets and with 30 minutes delay for each flight I arrive around 6 pm in Marseille. Luggage arrived and my car was still there. But unfortunately with a nother mark from another french 
driver not being able to park the car correct. It looks more like rubber from the bumper, but it is a mark. Oh I hate that. The ride itself was ok, a little trafficjam due to a big acident was all. After a littel more than 1 1/2 hours I arrived at the apartment.
Back in the second home. Hooray to the numerous airlines in this world that make a usually easy day a sometimes tough experience.
A bientot
Music and Party
Juni 22nd, 2008 
I told you that I have no clue about Soccer. Germany played a fantastic game and defeated Portugal. Netherlands are out of the game. I don’t know who will win the championship but maybe it will be germany ? Or Turkey ? Or Russia ? Anyway, we enjoy a beautiful, sunny and hot weekend. Temperaturs of 30C, lots of sun. On Saturday was the 20th Anniversary Party at the Ecole Billingue. That is 
Fabians and Jonathans school. They made a nice entertainment show. A little long, but nice. The different classes performed some nice shows. The 80s show, Pop Stars and much more.
At 6pm we had a appointment in Montpellier with Clive and some friends. Since we had no Babysitter, the kids came with us. That was really fun. It was Fete de la Musique in Montpellier. Many bands and 
DJs were performing on the streets, in the Bars. Rock, Pop, Dance…After a few drinks at Fitzpatricks Pub we went to Don Camillo, a italian Restaurant. Was a very good choice. The Pizza was thin and delicious. Also the Kids had their fun with Clive & Family, Kenneth and girlfriend. The kids were even dancing on the streets.
So we now simply relax. It is too hot ourside and we do Siesta. Maybe we go to the pool today, even too lazy to drive to the beach. Enjoy and have fun.. C ya
Fullmoon
Juni 17th, 2008 
It is fullmoon… The moon looks huge. Let’s see how we can sleep. The kids sometimes sleep not very well. Look like a huge Football..
A bad sleep was also present for my french and italian colleagues. At the EURO 2008 Soccer Championship they played against each other today. I was kind of a french fan tonight. Since we live here. But it was not looking well. 0:2 versus Italy, that was not enough. Netherlands won 2:0 versus Romania. Netherlands play really like a Champions. I bet they will make it this year. Ok, I have no clue about soccer but I bet the Netherlands will be European Champion 2008. The german team is also in the next round but they play not very good. Anyway, who cares.
A bientot
A little late, no strike and finally home
Juni 12th, 2008The 11 days in Atlanta are over now. After a night at the Outback Steakhouse with some drinks, Steaks, Bloomin Onion and some final beers at Hooters we ended the stay in Atlanta.
On Wednesday Gerald, Jacques and I drove to the airport and dropped of the Rentals. It was relaxing. We had no pressure. We checked in and went to the Bar in Terminal E. Our flight was supposed to take off at 3:35pm. Due to some mechanical problems we finally took off at 5pm. So it was obvious that Gerald and I will probably not be able to catch our connection flight to Montpellier. We had just 1:10h time between the 
flights. So we landed at 7:20am in Paris instead of 6:20am. Even with tailwinds of up to 100MPH we had no chance. So we saw that the flight was gone and we went to the connection counter and got new tickets for the 11:25 flight to Monpellier. At the Bordercontroll in Paris we waited. We waited pretty long, because nobody was checked. They were NOT on strike. Officially they said, two pieces of luggage were found to be dangerous and they need to take care. We had to wait 45 minutes. Nobody did anything. No Message, no information. We just waited in line and the policemen were smiling and doing nothing. I saw many things at the airports but nothing like that.
So even in the case of a flight arriving on time we would have been stranded here at the passport control. Hundreds of people were waiting. It was rediculous. Anyway. Finally they opened the doors and were could go on. Gerald and I walked slowly to Terminal 2D while Jacques picked up his luggage and ended his trip 
here in Paris. Since we had now more than 2 1/2 hours time it was more relaxing that having just a few minutes between the flights.We went to the one restaurant/bar in 2D and had a coffee and some Pain au Chocolat.
So the rest of the trip was ok. We were very tired. But even with a little delay we finally arrived in the sunny Montpellier area. Nice warm temperatures.
I am back in France… A bientot