My pal Timo and me are doing a podcast again!

After a first attempt two years ago that lasted for an unbelievable amount of four episodes, we’re not getting ahead of ourselves this time. However, the name stays the same: ungeheuerlich eschoofierend, and we’re still talking in German, but we’re not rambling about whatever comes to our minds anymore (at least not all the time). Instead, there’s one big topic per episode. For now, we’re on a 2-week-schedule.

Find our very nice site here: ungeheuerlich.org – or just get the RSS Feed for the podcast app of your choice.

The first episode was about Craft Beer, the next one’s about Religion and will be published next Wednesday. You should consider liking ungeheuerlich eschoofierend on Facebook. Cheers!

Say what you will about Russel Brand, I do like his attitude. He’s authentic and is saying something meaningful in an interview. He totally gets that he’s not the leader of a revolution, but also that he doesn’t have to act dumb because he’s an actor.
Check out the short piece on gawker about the interview.

Weirdly fitting words by Mark Sample:

“Low point” is the term for when the worst part of a disaster has come to pass. Our disasters increasingly have no low point.

After the low point of a disaster is reached, things begin to get better. When there is no clear low point, society endures chronic trauma.

Disasters with no clear low point: global warming, mass extinction, colony collapse disorder, ocean acidification, Fukushima.

Hm.

via kottke.org

I smiled all through the second half of this video. The excitement about one product and the craft it takes to get there is really something beautiful.

via hopshysteria.de

Naturally, Touch ID was defeated (By the CCC, yay Germany!) only in a matter of hours after the iPhone 5S was available. And people are all over it. Bottom line: This end-user product doesn’t provide military-grade security. No shit.

See!? Using biometric for security doesn’t make sense!

Duh, of course it’s hackable, but it’s better than nothing, and pin codes are a pain in the ass!

But it’s so easy!

Only if you’re the FBI!

Or a private eye!

Dude, nobody’s saying it’s perfect, but it’s better than a pin code nobody is using!

A level of security that is annoying and therefore not used is weaker than weak security, got it? Apparently not:

For those who continue to use Touch ID, Graham suggested a simple step for minimizing the success of Starbug’s attack: use only pinky or ring fingers to unlock your device.

No offense, but somebody’s in need of a reality check here.

Spending quite some time in university libraries, I see people leaving their laptops unattended, user accounts logged in and sure as hell with all their passwords (pardon: the one password) readily available in Chrome’s preferences.

Considering that, I can’t believe we’re having a discussion about somebody going to the lengths of obtaining and forging your finger print. I can’t remember where I‘ve read it, but: If you’re facing that, you have way more to worry about than your phone’s contents.