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2007-11-16 Munich My visit to the Deutsches Museum - a German museum devoted to technology Fantastic!  2007-11-27 Straubing Museum Museum of local history, going back to the stone age (literally!)

MRI_6.jpg preview What all the fuss was about - my MRI. Notice that the spinal cord (the grey thing surrounded by white fluid) is pinched in two locations. Furthermore, there are white streaks in the spinal cord itself - that's it's way of going "ouch!", and those areas are damaged (myleopathy - literally, "death of nerves"). This is very bad, and if it continued, could have left me paralyzed. back_large.jpg preview A conventional X-ray taken before surgery. Note the rather sinister "hook" on the front of the affected joints, where the bone is growing over the extruded discs (not visible in this X-ray). This is happening on the back side, which has to be removed. Getting rid of all that crunchy bone without harming the spinal cord is why neurosurgeons get paid a lot. Contrast this X-ray with the next ones, where you can see the new artificial joints. Post op side.jpg preview The end result - artifical discs. The old discs have been removed, the offending bits of bone removed, and the new joints inserted. Post op front.jpg preview Don't ask me why my neck's tilted like that - it's exactly the way the radiologist positioned my head for the shot. DSC_3983.JPG preview F3.5 @ 1/60 sec Make - NIKON CORPORATION Model - NIKON D70 Date/Time - 2007:12:06 16:19:24 Exposure Time - 1/60 sec F-Number - F3.5 Exposure Program - Unknown program (0) Date/Time Original - 2007:11:18 00:59:40 Exposure Bias Value - 0 Metering Mode - Multi-segment Flash - Unknown (31) Focal Length - 18.0 mm Color Space - sRGB Exif Image Width - 2000 pixels Exif Image Height - 3008 pixels Scene Type - Directly photographed image My room in Munich - small, but comfortable. DSC_4021.JPG preview F4 @ 1/60 sec Make - NIKON CORPORATION Model - NIKON D70 Date/Time - 2007:12:06 16:25:59 Exposure Time - 1/60 sec F-Number - F4 Exposure Program - Unknown program (0) Date/Time Original - 2007:11:19 06:27:53 Exposure Bias Value - 0 Metering Mode - Multi-segment Flash - Unknown (16) Focal Length - 10.5 mm Color Space - sRGB Exif Image Width - 3008 pixels Exif Image Height - 2000 pixels Scene Type - Directly photographed image Fish-eye view of the Asam room DSC_4025.JPG preview F4 @ 1/60 sec Make - NIKON CORPORATION Model - NIKON D70 Date/Time - 2007:12:06 16:26:44 Exposure Time - 1/60 sec F-Number - F4 Exposure Program - Unknown program (0) Date/Time Original - 2007:11:19 06:29:07 Exposure Bias Value - 0 Metering Mode - Multi-segment Flash - Unknown (16) Focal Length - 10.5 mm Color Space - sRGB Exif Image Width - 3008 pixels Exif Image Height - 2000 pixels Scene Type - Directly photographed image The bathroom, looking out Asam_cylindrical.mov preview A Quicktime VR of our room at the Asam. That's my mother in the reading chair. CIMG0001.JPG preview F2.8 @ 1/60 sec Make - CASIO COMPUTER CO.,LTD Model - EX-Z750 Date/Time - 2007:12:03 21:00:35 Exposure Time - 1/60 sec F-Number - F2.8 Exposure Program - Program normal Date/Time Original - 2007:11:23 09:50:16 Exposure Bias Value - 0 Metering Mode - Multi-segment Flash - Unknown (25) Focal Length - 7.9 mm Color Space - sRGB Exif Image Width - 3072 pixels Exif Image Height - 2304 pixels Our room at the Hotel Asam - very nice, but a "suite" here is a large room. This was a very expensive hotel CIMG0002.JPG preview F2.8 @ 1/60 sec Make - CASIO COMPUTER CO.,LTD Model - EX-Z750 Date/Time - 2007:12:03 21:00:11 Exposure Time - 1/60 sec F-Number - F2.8 Exposure Program - Program normal Date/Time Original - 2007:11:23 09:50:43 Exposure Bias Value - 0 Metering Mode - Multi-segment Flash - Unknown (25) Focal Length - 7.9 mm Color Space - sRGB Exif Image Width - 3072 pixels Exif Image Height - 2304 pixels Note the glass door (and another on the entrance to the john) - no soundproofing at all. CIMG0017.JPG preview F2.8 @ 1/60 sec Make - CASIO COMPUTER CO.,LTD Model - EX-Z750 Date/Time - 2007:11:27 10:33:23 Exposure Time - 1/60 sec F-Number - F2.8 Exposure Program - Program normal Date/Time Original - 2007:11:27 10:33:23 Exposure Bias Value - 0 Metering Mode - Multi-segment Flash - Unknown (25) Focal Length - 7.9 mm Color Space - sRGB Exif Image Width - 3072 pixels Exif Image Height - 2304 pixels Automatic faucets, soap dispensers CIMG0015.JPG preview F2.8 @ 1/60 sec Make - CASIO COMPUTER CO.,LTD Model - EX-Z750 Date/Time - 2007:11:27 10:32:46 Exposure Time - 1/60 sec F-Number - F2.8 Exposure Program - Program normal Date/Time Original - 2007:11:27 10:32:46 Exposure Bias Value - 0 Metering Mode - Multi-segment Flash - Unknown (25) Focal Length - 7.9 mm Color Space - sRGB Exif Image Width - 3072 pixels Exif Image Height - 2304 pixels The men's room at the Hotel Asam. DSC_4133.JPG preview F4.5 @ 1/60 sec Make - NIKON CORPORATION Model - NIKON D70 Date/Time - 2007:12:03 20:50:22 Exposure Time - 1/60 sec F-Number - F4.5 Exposure Program - Unknown program (0) Date/Time Original - 2007:11:29 03:56:58 Exposure Bias Value - 0 Metering Mode - Multi-segment Flash - Unknown (31) Focal Length - 62.0 mm Color Space - sRGB Exif Image Width - 3008 pixels Exif Image Height - 2000 pixels Scene Type - Directly photographed image Something to aim at... CIMG0018.JPG preview F2.8 @ 1/60 sec Make - CASIO COMPUTER CO.,LTD Model - EX-Z750 Date/Time - 2007:12:03 20:59:08 Exposure Time - 1/60 sec F-Number - F2.8 Exposure Program - Program normal Date/Time Original - 2007:11:27 10:33:43 Exposure Bias Value - 0 Metering Mode - Multi-segment Flash - Unknown (25) Focal Length - 7.9 mm Color Space - sRGB Exif Image Width - 2304 pixels Exif Image Height - 3072 pixels and the doors open automatically, too CIMG0003.JPG preview F2.8 @ 0.01 sec Make - CASIO COMPUTER CO.,LTD Model - EX-Z750 Date/Time - 2007:11:24 02:32:33 Exposure Time - 0.01 sec F-Number - F2.8 Exposure Program - Program normal Date/Time Original - 2007:11:24 02:32:33 Exposure Bias Value - 0 Metering Mode - Multi-segment Flash - Unknown (24) Focal Length - 7.9 mm Color Space - sRGB Exif Image Width - 3072 pixels Exif Image Height - 2304 pixels Cigarette machines were everywhere... CIMG0004.JPG preview F2.8 @ 1/125 sec Make - CASIO COMPUTER CO.,LTD Model - EX-Z750 Date/Time - 2007:11:24 02:33:05 Exposure Time - 1/125 sec F-Number - F2.8 Exposure Program - Program normal Date/Time Original - 2007:11:24 02:33:05 Exposure Bias Value - 0 Metering Mode - Multi-segment Flash - Unknown (24) Focal Length - 7.9 mm Color Space - sRGB Exif Image Width - 3072 pixels Exif Image Height - 2304 pixels even outside the hospital!