I finished my work on migration simulation for the Research-Unit Economics.

It's based on a Two-Sector Migration Model inspired by Harris and Todaro and applied Agent Based Simulation aligned to Axtell’s Emergence of Firms to build "An n-Sector Migration Simulation".

Here is the abstract:
"Workers, considering costs of migration, tend to migrate to sectors where they expect higher wages. In revers, firms trying to increase profits, migrate to sectors with lower wages. The result of their combined movement determins wages in each sector. This Agent Based Simulation applies an inductive behavior models with various strategies for wage expectations, and yields patterns of migration in an n-sector scenario."

Here are some results:

Download: http://www.derbaum.com/n-sector-migration.pdf

Labels: Economics, Patrick, TU

This weeks issue of The Economist is running a special report on mobile telecoms: Nomads at last.

The report describes how today's ubiquitous mobile technology allows us to work, live and love like nomads (wanderer), without staying long in the same place.

Our documents, spreadsheets, contacts, calenders,... are always available online in the cloud. So unlike previous nomads, we don't have to carry much weight. An iPhone like device may do. Where ever we are we can sit down, do some work, play around with ideas or catch-up with customers, coworkers, or friends and family.

Who wants to be at the office from 9 to 5? If I'm working, does it matter if I sweat in a cubicle or enjoy fresh air in the park? Of course it does! And reading this report just gave me additional encouragement to stay out of that cubicle.

For some an office may be great to get focused, while others prefer a beach. If you find yourself bored or in need for inspiration, get moving. (Right now, I'm in a coffee shop, but that beach looks inviting). In the end, where we are becomes secondary. What counts is that we get things done and spend time with those we love.

Or, as Sigmund Freud put it, Menschen müssen arbeiten und lieben um Erfüllung zu finden (humans must work and love in order to find fulfillment). Mmm, I love it when The Economist runs quotes like that.

Labels: Economics, Patrick

Today, tortured and with tears in my eyes, I finished my first marathon.
I'm pleased with my time (4:30:40). If I keep running, maybe I can beat 4 hours next year.

OK, I will fall asleep now and pray that I can still walk tomorrow.

Labels: Patrick

When I was 16, my friend Cornelius and I, bought three billiard tables. We convinced a coffee shop owner to let us put the tables in the back of his café. We told him how much money we expected to earn and promised him half. We were sure the shop owner would have a look, since it was his money as well. Everyday after school we went to the cafe and thought about ways to improve our business. We cleaned up, bought better cues, a coin changer and even installed new lightning (the green ones in the picture). We where highly motivated because we saw the reward in the coin collector every day.
Intuitively we understood the working of the free market. We improved the lot of our players and the coffee owner, simply by pursuing our own self-interest. It was a win-win-win situation.
Unfortunately after only a year we had to stop our business. Our parents insisted that school was more important. (Through this, we learned how regulations can limit the market.)
After high school, I decided to study information systems but never left economics. I took all available economics courses and read every book I could get my hands on. Now, after being close to finishing my master in information systems, I want to proceed with a master in economics.
In my future career I hope to pursue both, my interests in economics and computer science.

Labels: Economics, Patrick

I would like to run the Vienna Marathon on April 29th. After reading about marathon training and talking to Lutzi -my trainer- I came up with the following schedule:

Week	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa	So
8.-14.Jan		10km		8km	8km		14km
15.-21.Jan		10km		8km	8km		15km
22.-28.Jan		10km		9km	8km		16km
29.-4.Feb		10km		9km	9km		17km
5.-11.Feb		11km		9km	9km		18km
12.-18.Feb		11km		10km	9km		19km
19.-25.Feb		11km		10km	10km		20km
26.-4.Mar		11km		10km	10km		21km
5.-11.Mar		12km		10km	10km		22km
12.-18.Mar		12km		10km	10km		23km
19.-25.Mar		12km		10km	10km		24km
26.-1.Apr		12km		10km	10km		25km
2.-8.Apr		12km		10km	10km		15km
9.-15.Apr		10km		8km	8km		14km
16.-22.Apr	4km		4km		4km
23.-29.Apr	4km		4km		4km		42km

Additionally Lutzi recommends noodles, potatoes, fish, eggs, chocolate and bananas. Which sounds like my current diet anyway.

Labels: eat+drink, Incentives, Patrick

Writing down goals gives focus and motivation. Telling everyone about it, motivates even more, by inducing peer pressure.
Here is my take for 2007:

1. Finish Master of Science (MSc).
2. Find new customers for software projects.
3. Run a marathon in less than 5hours. First chance, April 29th in Vienna.
4. Improve derbaum.com so actual people care to read.
5. Enjoy doing so!

Yes, I changed my goals during the year. So what? Things happen, one needs to adapt.

Labels: Incentives, Patrick

As promised, here are my results from the last four weeks of running. I achieved two of three goals. 20 runs and 106km. But my average speed of 6.10min/km is higher than the aimed for 5.30min. Therefor, I will adjust my goals for the next four weeks.

• 20 runs
• 120km
• 6min/km

For a while, I felt pretty good about my running. But today I read about those monks who run 100km every day! Well, maybe next time :-)

Labels: Incentives, Patrick

Four weeks ago, Samuel and I started to run. Five times a week. 30minutes each. From the start we knew, motivation is key. We both want to run. Why not motivate each other? If Samuel runs, I pay him 10€. If I run, he pays me. If we both run, no one has to pay. A very simple schema, but surprisingly motivating. Each week we kept running. Attracted by our success, this week, Johannes joined and I hope more will follow.

Last week I bought additional motivation. It's called Nike+iPod and snaps on your iPod and in your running shoe (doesn't have to be a Nike). It measures your time, speed and distance. And it gives sexy voice feedback on the run. After running when you connect your iPod with your PC (doesn't have to be a Mac), you get stats which of course you have to beat next time.

With Nike+iPod I set myself three goals for the next four weeks:

• 20 runs
• with an average speed of less then 5min30sec/km
• and 100km in total

I will report back on how it went. read it

Labels: Apple, Economics, Incentives, Patrick

Pictures from the Magnum P.I. Night on October 14th.


Peter, Stefan


Brigitte, Christine, Konrad / Stefan, Johannes, Patrick


Magnum / Minji, Mijin, Eunji

Labels: eat+drink, Patrick

Labels: eat+drink, Patrick

I'm soon hosting a Magnum Night.

For those who don't remember. Magnum is a private investigator (P.I.) in Hawaii. His lifestyle represents every man’s dream. He comes and goes as he pleases, works only when he wants to, has the almost unlimited use of a Ferrari 308 GTS as well as many other luxuries, keeps a mini-fridge with a seemingly endless supply of beer, comes into contact with countless beautiful women (who are often his clients or victims in the cases he solves).

While waiting for the Magnum Night, enjoy the title music:

Magnum, P.I. was first aired in 1980.

Labels: movies, Patrick

Looking at the smart user interface of Googles email client Gmail always tempted me to switch. But getting a new email address is, well, a pain in the... Except when the new address is much cooler. Allowing me to use my domain name (derbaum.com) to share out email address convinced me to create patrick@derbaum.com. As you can see in the screenshot below, the interface is very much the same as with a regular Gmail account, exept a diverent logo and a link to manage this domain. Of course, emails send to my old address will be forwarded to this new address.

Labels: Patrick

Today I got a laundry machine from Julia. Joe's sister. Thanks to Wolfgang, Johannes and a friendly cran operater, we got the machine installed in no time.

Labels: Patrick

This week Johannes, Stefan, Konrad and Patrick took off to visit Luzi in Hamburg. A fun and thanks to sparnight quite cheap trip. But the city was a mess (see below). Trash everywhere. Garbage collectors are striking to protect there 38.5 hour work week against a 40 hour work week. At first sight unrelated, Stefan found some great underwear at Wal-Mart. Why is that exiting? Well Wal-Mart itself is exiting. I just started collecting facts for a paper about Wal-Mart's data warehouse and I'm blown away. This single company drives world wide productivity in ways never seen before. Simply by demanding everyday low prices. Sadly this pressure scars workers all over Europe into striks aging the open economy. Addition: After eight years in Germany, WalMart announced in July 2006 that they will aboundant their business in Germany. Happy Birthday Lutzi!

Labels: Economics, Patrick

Labels: movies, Patrick

For Christmas, from my sister Pia. A seriously cool PATMAN shirt.

Labels: Patrick

To my big surprise, I found out that Joe really is a dolphin.

more evidence

Labels: Patrick

Happy birthday Lutzy!
Sure thing we had to get on a plane to stop by and celebrate.
Lutzy, Pia and Bettl

Labels: Patrick

Zu Fasching nach dem Pajamaball gabs dann noch eine lustige Schlittenfahrt.

Labels: Patrick

Sehr elegant aber von tausenden Leuten völlig überlaufen.

Labels: eat+drink, Patrick

It's getting cold in Austria and everybody is happy to see the wintertime. Sure thing we had to celebrated the start of this great time.

Labels: Patrick

We partied a little late for my birthday, but with an apartment full of friends, fun and music!

Karo Patrick Peter

Labels: Patrick

all movies

Labels: movies, Patrick

After a quick introduction from Samuel, we see some fun rides after our BBQ. It was quite a relaxing weekend.

Labels: eat+drink, movies, Patrick

mov, summer quarter, good bye Marokkanergasse, scheduling and OR

• As shown at derbaum.com, I brought back some fun movie clips: Wiesenski, Caribbean and The Secret Ingredient.
• During this summer (June 20th till Aug 17th) I'm going back to Stanford to study Physics.
• That's why I give up my apartment in Marokkanergasse. It was good place, but now I have to move on.
• Currently I'm working on an LP on scheduling, which I may inlcude in future version of Caltella. In short, this should find an optimal schedule for one or more person, regarding a certain task, with the goal to maximise spare time.
• Looking at the above task, the field of Operation Research seems very interesting to me. A field where I can combine my interst in math, economics and computer science.

Labels: Economics, movies, Patrick, Stanford, TU

Zurück in Oberösterreich beginnt die Frühlingsarbeit. Gemüsebeet bestellen und Holz stapeln und ich freu mich schon aufs Wiesenski.

Labels: Patrick

Wiedereinmal trafen sich Pia, Christina, Lutz, Brisch und Bettl um Silvester zu feiern.

Labels: Patrick

Exactly one year ago Konrad visited me for a Viennese Ball night. Now he is back again, for the very same ball in the Hofburg. It's nice to have a little tradition. I'm looking forward to see you again next year.

Labels: Patrick

We did it again! A quick fun movie about our new years party in the countryside of little Austria.

It all started with a pre party on the 29th of December and we partied until the new year.
Thanks to everybody for joining!

Labels: movies, Patrick

This winter I spend my holidays in Oberösterreich with my friends (Pia, Lutzy, Thuy, Christina, Nicol, Nikki, Nico, Peter, Alex and Andy). It was fun and we danced till the end of 2002!
A new year, a new Macworld (Monday)!
Since the winter semester is almost over, there are many exams this month.

Labels: Patrick

I finally got a new apartment last week! It's in the Marokkanergasse 10 (Tür 7).

Labels: Patrick

Ok, I miss my Austrian Café's. By now everybody should know that.
People try to help me and point me to there favorite Cafés in town and so, every time I give it another try to find a Café which fulfills my few basic needs.
It's Palo Alto, for gods sack, a small town yes, but one of the richest one in the world. There must be some place serving descent coffee. Yes, I like Starbucks coffee, but the coffee is not served. So what are my basic needs?

• a cup of coffee (expresso, preferable with hot milk in a cup)
• newspaper (not just tabloids)
• service (yes, indeed)

The first point cuts 80% of the coffee shops I tried. Is it to much to ask for a nice cup to serve a hot drink? Next, newspapers are missing, this kick's out the rest, and service is something which I just dream of, until I get back to my Cafe Prückel.
So why is that? Is it because of missing demand, do Americans prefer the freedom to get there coffee them self, waiting in line? Perhaps to chat up other people in line???
This bothers me, so I keep on talking with American's about that. Asking why? I try to explain, why Austrian Cafés have better service, but nobody seems to get my point.
One explanation, starts with the waiter in mind. The idea of serving coffee, or serving in general, is labeled as a poor job. Which nobody likes to do. Unlike in Austria where we call the waiter Herr Ober, which is considered the highest position in the shop. So being the Ober is something people can be proud about. You can tell, just by watching the Ober. His movement has to follow a certain style and arrogance. He knows, it's something not everybody could do. He has a tradition to keep up. Vienna is known for there Café's and it is his responsibility to keep the high standard up, for another century.
So as long as I'm here I have to live with this barbarian baristas, who drink there coffee in paper cups, while walking the street.
→ On 23 Jul 2002, 09:24 am commented wenyu to this story: Very funny. IÁÏm not sure this would make you feel better or worse. But I didn't find any satisfying coffee house in P.A. during the year I stayed at Stanford. Neither did my classmate from China. (we made joint effort in the search sometimes.) And my standards on coffee house are apparently not as high as yours. Good luck.
→ On 28 Jul 2002, 03:36 pm commented veronique to this story: hi patrick, perhaps we could meet at "in einem sonntag im august" again? berlin misses you!!!! konrad and i are going to visit you in vienna as soon as possible to get to know the wunderful atmosphere of vienna«s coffeehouses.... 20 hugs, veronique

Labels: eat+drink, Patrick, Stanford

Two days ago Andy and Patrick climbed the Traunstein!

We talked about this cliffhanger since 2 years and now we were finally brave enough.

Labels: Patrick

I didn't add a new story since more than a week! Why?
Well I spend a week in Romania.

We, Cornelius, Daniel and I, started our trip on Thu (4th April) very late and came back yesterday (10th April).
We didn't plan to stay that long. But unexpected things turned up, so we became prisoners of Romania. But let me start from the beginning. After a night of driving we arrived the first city in Romania, Arad just in time for breakfast. We looked around a bit before we drove on to Timisoara where the unexpected happend. While we drank a coffee in a bar somebody stole Daniels passport. Ops, we can't drive out of Romania without a passport. So we had to go to Bucharest and find the Austrian Embassy. On the way to Bucharest we stopped in Sibiu and Brasov where we spend the weekend. It took until Tue (9th April) to get a new passport. Anyway, now we are back and yes we had a good time!

Labels: movies, Patrick

Gefunden in der Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 04.01.2003, Nr. 3 / Seite 11
Besonders treffend analysiert fand ich folgenden Teil: "Der "gute Gast" zeichnet sich dadurch aus, da§ er niemals und unter keinerlei Umständen gegen die vorgegebene Etikette aufbegehrt oder dem Ober gar "Ezzes" geben will. Er bleibt, ganz im Gegenteil, stets bemüht, sein Wohlwollen mittels guter Manieren und diskret verabreichter Trinkgelder zu erhaschen. Kurzum, der "gute Gast" beweise immer seine lang geübte Anpassungsfähigkeit, die ihrerseits den milden Stolz des Obers ausmache, heist es im Vorwort zum Buch "Kaffeehäuser in Wien" von Thomas Martinek. Der "schlechte Gast" hingegen bleibt nach diesem Urteil ein Phänomen der Kaffeehausgeschichte, an dem schon die grö§ten Geister gescheitert sind. Betreten nach seinem verschollenen Bohnengetränk Ausschau haltend, das nicht und nicht kommen will, während ringsum alles genusvoll an den Tassen nippt, wird das Unglück des "schlechten Gasts" vollkommen, reklamiert er vielleicht nach zwanzig Minuten vergeblichen Wartens völlig deplaziert seine Bestellung - peinliches Schweigen. Nicht nur der Befragte, auch sämtliche seiner "guten Gäste" werden ihre Blicke sogleich angewidert abwenden - der Ober, um seine Dominanz anschaulich unter Beweis zu stellen, jene, um sich ihrer wohlerworbenen Privilegien zu erfreuen, heist es dort weiter."

Labels: eat+drink, Patrick

posted on Friday, January 04, 2002 link to this post (0) comments