Sometimes computer archaeology catches up with you faster than you’d like. In my case, it was my mother’s computer (“MuttiLinux”)—a rock-solid machine powered by an MSI PH67A-C43 (B3) motherboard (internal model MS-7673) and an Intel Core i5-2500K (“Sandy Bridge”). The system had been running Linux smoothly for years, but on the firmware side, it was effectively frozen in time: BIOS version 2.70 from 2012.

Because newer Linux kernels and modern graphics cards run significantly better with proper UEFI support and up-to-date firmware, the decision was made: the final BIOS update to version 6.20 had to be installed. However, this version leap is anything but a routine update—and getting there gave me a genuine 30-minute heart-stopping moment.

Anyone who wears a smartwatch daily knows: the watch face is the most critical interface on your wrist. At a quick glance, it needs to deliver the exact information you require—clean, reliable, and aesthetically pleasing.

That is precisely where my frustration began. On my previous watch face, numbers in the complications were frequently truncated, cut off, or simply unreadable. Furthermore, none of the off-the-shelf watch faces reflected what truly defines my everyday life and hobbies: a fusion of amateur radio (my callsign DO3EET), my enduring love for Japan, and the distinct terminal visual identity of this blog.

So I made a decision: if the perfect watch face doesn’t exist, I’ll build it myself from scratch. The result is Dream of Japan · Torii GMT for the Google Pixel Watch—crafted using Google’s modern, purely declarative Watch Face Format (WFF v2).

Fushimi Castle, once a magnificent landmark near Kyoto, stands abandoned and inaccessible today. What was once a place full of enthusiasm and beauty now resembles a “lost place”, hidden from public view and surrounded by caution tape. This state is not only a loss for Japan’s cultural diversity, but also a waste of resources. Fushimi Castle has the potential to be a vibrant place of community, education, and inspiration.

Yesterday, on August 12, 2026, an astronomical event of a lifetime took place over Europe: the great European solar eclipse. While the path of totality swept over Greenland, Iceland, and northern Spain, we in Germany were treated to one of the deepest partial solar eclipses in decades.

At our observation site in Saxony, the new moon obscured up to 86.8% of the solar disk – a rare celestial spectacle during prime evening time just before sunset.

Astrophotography from home sometimes calls for creative solutions. Although I have a garden and yard available, setting up valuable equipment outside unattended for several hours overnight always carries a risk of theft. Observing directly through a roof window is significantly safer in that regard.