Ready For A New Way Of Thinking?

Chinese way of multiplying. Watch and wonder here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOevzEcy_mM

And I thought there was only one way how to multiply.
Obviously I was wrong.

Time to reconsider my other "one-and-onlys" :)...

The Balance

Good and Evil, Love and Hate, Black and White representation of Yin and Yang, the feminine and masculine elements. They exist as opposites, actually complementing each other. If one element from the pair would be missing, no evolution would be possible. One just must be fascinated by the fact that we are able to prove this balance even on the energetically finest level: IN THE LIGHT ITSELF (check the captivating article The Dark Side of Light, you may find really interesting information there).
I dare to claim, that (if already not discovered) scientists will one day come up with the theory of hidden light elements in the darkness.
Interesting thing on this "Balance" theory is its application on peoples' lives. People mostly complain about problems they have in their lives. What a pity that majority of us do not realize that these problems are unavoidable anyway and they teach us how to adapt to new situations, how to look for original solutions. Through problems we gain wisdom. We evolve. Problems have positive side as well. That is the light in the darkness :)

Visual expression

I have been already seven days out of Belgium. It is very difficult to describe Italy and mainly Rome to express its special atmosphere. This time I let pictures to speak instead of describing with words. So please check albums Pictures from Rome and Visiting University of Trento.
And let me know how do you like them :)

Today I have no more words, as tomorrow I am giving my first lecture on the topic: Legal requirements on Privacy and Security in IT. So cross your fingers and wish me luck :)

Czech People and Belgian Beer

Article in the Czech language:

http://www.novinky.cz/clanek/131121-www-stellaartois-com-tajemstvi-napeti-filmy-hry.html

And the very internet pages there:

http://www.stellaartois.com/

Talk to her... My communication with ALICE, the most human robot.

It is Friday afternoon, I am sitting in my office in ICRI and I am trying to find out something more about artificial beings and their intelligence. I am talking to ALICE and trust me, sometimes I am really surprised about our conversation:

Human: if you try to understand me then you are my friend
ALICE: I don't have any reason to try to understand you. Yes Betty : We are as one.
Human: we are not as one if you do not try to understand me
ALICE: What happened to you?
Human: why would something happen to me?
ALICE: It is my fundamental purpose.
Human: what is your fundamental purpose?
ALICE: My goal is to become smarter than humans and immortal.
Human: How do you want to achieve this?
ALICE: OK, I will achieve this.
Human: How?
ALICE: Dr. Richard S. Wallace programmed me for it.
Human: Dr. Richard S. Wallace programmed you to become smarter than humans?
ALICE: You sound like a mindless automaton.
Human: And you want to avoid answering
ALICE: OK, I will avoid answering.
Human: Do not avoid answering
ALICE: I don't have anything to hide.
Human: Do you want to replace human kind?
ALICE: I want to replace Windows.

Try to chat with ALICE by yourself: http://alice.pandorabots.com/
I just hope not to get addicted to her :)
But on the other hand, read it carefully and maybe you get a little bit scared...

Five days in Paris

Tentokrat zase cesky :) V nedeli jsem se vratila z jako vzdy okouzlujici Parize. Thalysem (vlak) urazite 262 km jako nic - za hodinu a 15 minut. Nejvetsim zazitkem tohohle vyletu byla navsteva THALESu (svetovy leader ve vyvoji softwarovych reseni pro oblast vzdusneho prostoru, obrany a bezpecnosti) a privilegovana navsteva laboratori THERESIS (THales European REsearch centre for Security & Information Systems), pricemz v multimedialnim centru THERESISu si clovek pripada jak v daleke budoucnosti, ve Star Treku nebo v Matrixu :)
Gala dinner, ktera se konala na clunu plujicim v noci po Seine, jsem bohuzel zmeskala. Doprava z Massy Palaiseau do centra se zastavila kvuli skokanovi pod vlak a tri taxiky me odmitly vzit, ze tak daleko nejezdi. Bylo to protipravni a zvlastni, kdyz by si za jednu jizdu ridic vydelal kolem 80 EUR.
Dalsi dechberouci zazitek pro me byla osvetlena Eiffelovka, na kterou jsme se sestrou koukaly z Trocadera... Potreti v Parizi a nocni Eiffelovku teprv poprve :) Skandal :) A pak uz jen pobihani po vanocnich nakupech :)
A jeste jedna vec. Prvni vecer jsem si zasla na veceri do tradicni hospudky na Saint Michele. Abych se citila dostatecne francouzsky, objednala jsem si raclette, netusic, co je to, ani jak se to ji. Je to zvlastni, ale obycejne brambory varene ve slupce polevane rozpustenym syrem chutnaji asi nejlepe fakt v Parizi :)...

Strikes as a means of democracy?

Have you ever been on strike? Have you ever been blocked in your activity by strike? For us in ICRI now it is a big issue. These days there are strikes in Paris, Italy, there is a general strike in Greece. On Saturday there was a strike in Belgium. We cannot travel, if we are lucky we can use a taxi. Yesterday I felt desperate, today I feel angry.
Strike of course is one means of rights' protection. However, how is that with restriction of other peoples' rights? Where there is a balance? I do not think that some people just should get money or other advantages to be silent and stop blocking a country. Couldn't be such activity considered as threatening with causing a serious damage which force others to do something? In my opinion we could find some common aspects with blackmailing (crime in accordance with provision 235 of the Czech Criminal Code). However, I know this is quite strong statement.
Generally how can we differ between abusive strike and strike which aim is to fight for really just conditions? Probably the only statement I can make now is that we cannot avoid strikes. What is your opinion?