If one thing has become clear during the past weeks and months of the pandemic, it is that Germany's government agencies and political parties are singularly inept at doing the right thing, and that everybody—barring a miracle—can kiss their summer vacations 2021 goodbye. One of the most outrageous things happening with regard to the pandemic is Germany’s reckless, pathological drive to prematurely reopen its schools and make everything worse fast, about which I articulated some thoughts on just drafts.

Then, I was a podcast guest at Stefan Schmidt’s and Christian Behrends’s podcast Digitale Kohle, where we talked—in German language—about the different, but not altogether unrelated matter of social, ethical, and educational aspects in game design. You can listen to the podcast at Digitale Kohle or at StreamD Radio, or on any podcast service you happen to use. Should you develop a taste for listening to podcasts, which is a great thing, I recommend Marco Arment’s Overcast App for the iPhone, iPad, & Apple Watch.

One of the things that kept me alive and motivated during the first leg of the pandemic was Sean Carroll’s video series The Biggest Ideas in the Universe!. It is not undemanding, especially in later episodes when it comes to questions of topology, but absolutely worth watching. Even if you can’t follow some of the gritty mathematical details, you will know so much more about our current understanding of the universe than before. Let yourself be inspired by this stellar series!

Have a great weekend and keep your heads on your shoulders y’all,
J.