+=== Mon, 14th ===
+
+I'm writing this from within the OLPC headquarters. I came today for
+a second interview and to a few tasks assigned to me :-)
+
+I don't have no time to be more specific. Will tell you the details a little later.
+
+
+=== Sun, 13th ===
+
+ '''TODO''': will tell you later
+
+=== Sat, 12th ===
+
+ '''TODO''': will tell you later
+
+=== Fri, 11th ===
+ >MUM< creepy mummy virus it's taking control here.... :-) WRITE SOON OR IT/SHE WILL DESTROY EVERYTHING!
+==== Quite a Trip ====
+
+Today I'm leaving the safe and familiar BostonCity to boldly go where I've
+never been before.
+
+The current plan is to drive south to ProvidenceCity, BrdigeportCity, NewYorkCity,
+PhiladelphiaCity, BaltimoreCity and, finally, WashingtonCity. Maybe I'll even
+push myself down in FloridaState to go see the SpaceShuttle!
+
+I could use a GPS. I've seen a few TomTom's, but $299 seems way too
+much to me for a talking map. Maybe I'll buy a traditional map for
+$10.
+
+Ah, and I will sleep frugally, of course. Hostels and motels when I find
+them. So, over the next few days I'll be lucky if I have intermittent
+Internet access and, consequently, I won't probably be able to sync the
+BrainDump.
+
+
+=== Thu, 10th ===
+
+ '''Babbo''': Ma fino ad oggi con quali danari hai vissuto dato che sei partito con 10€ liquidi?
+
+ '''Bernie''': Ho prelevato i soldi dall'ATM... con il bancomat delle poste! E vedo dai movimenti
+ sul conto che hanno applicato un buon cambio e nessuna penale strana.
+
+==== Car Rental ====
+
+Today I finally rent a car. It's a SaturnIon, a brand and model I never heard
+of before.
+
+http://www.edmunds.com/media/seo/500/2006.saturn.ion.jpg
+
+I felt very comfortable driving all over Europe: Italy, Swiss, Spain, France,
+Germany, Belgium, and even Greece... But, for some reason, I was quite afraid
+of driving a car here in the States.
+
+Maybe it's because the road signs are somewhat different and there are a few
+subtly different rules, such as turning right on red, not parking in front
+of hydrants, etc. Most probably, it's because I've seen way too many movies
+where people get stopped by police and thrown in jail quite easily!
+
+Well, so far everything went very well. I mean, except for parking. Parking
+in downtown is easy if you're willing to pay $10-12 for a few hours.
+It's a big pain in the ass otherwise... The best way I've found so far
+is to park near a minor T station and then get the T to downtown :-(
+
+And, of course, the car has AutomaticTransmission, which I managed to learn
+quickly: the trouble comes when you switch the other way around ;-)
+
+Ok, today I've driven all around Boston just to get used to it. Tomorrow
+I'll probably dare getting on the highway to see around.
+
+
+==== Business Visa? ====
+
+Today I've re-read detailed information on the
+available US visa options:
+
+ http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1262.html
+
+Looks like a ''B-1'' Business Visa would do. To get one,
+I should go to a US ambassy, and ambassys are usually
+located abroad. Instead of returning to Italy, maybe
+I could get an appointment in MontrealCity, which is
+near to the border and also an interesting place to see.
+
+
+=== Wed, 9th ===
+
+==== Zip Car ====
+
+Yesterday I applied for this great service: http://www.zipcar.com/ .
+Isn't it a good idea? Costs less than renting a car and is almost
+as versatile.
+
+<rasky> http://www.carsharingfirenze.it/ :)
+
+Today I walked to their offices to give them my documents
+and get the magnetic card. They said they will enable it
+first thing tomorrow *if* the "insurance risk declaration"
+I got from Italy suffices.
+
+
+==== Simple shopping ====
+
+Consumers must be very simple minded here. First, most
+shop names are simply dumb: '''Pay Less''', '''Save-A-Lot''',
+'''Big Deal''', and so on.
+
+''Sounds very '''meno tasse per tutti''' to me... -- PiroPiro''
+
+Second, they try to subtle deceptions such as: "take 2 for $24.xx",
+and, next to it: "take 3 for $21.xx", Which of course is
+impossible. It's a trap! The little figures placed
+exactly where you would expect to see the cents, are
+indeed a small notice: ''EACH''.
+
+Today I bought a dozen of razor blades ($1.50), a
+bottle of shampoo ($1.50) and shower gel ($1.50).
+But I spent $12 for adjusting the two pair of
+trousers I had bought a few days ago in the mall!
+$12 ''EACH'', I mean.
+
+
+==== Bad Neighborhood ====
+
+Walking home alone in the night, I may encounter some ''bad'' guys:
+
+http://bender.codewiz.org/wikidata/text/FunWithWeapons.jpg
+
+Better be careful :-)
+
+
+=== Tue, 8th ===
+
+==== Veni, Vidi, ???? ====
+
+This morning I shown up at OneLaptopPerChild's headquarters. It's again next to KendallSquare,
+in OneCambridgeCenter.
+
+JimGettys was very kind: he took me to LegalSeaFood for lunch, repaired my ExOh's keyboard (two
+keys were dead) and introduced me to the team members.
+
+They left me with the usual Hollywood formula: "don't call us, we'll call you".
+But in this particular case, I felt they were sincere :-)
+
+I hope to be soon a member of the OLPC core team!
+
+
+=== Mon, 7th ===
+
+==== Alea Iacta Est ====
+
+As promised... Yes, indeed. Everybody please cross their fingers.
+
+Babbo:Pregherò perchè tu possa ottenere quello che cerchi.
+
+Camy: Mannaggia a voi due ( Bernie e Alberto ) siete cosi..."teneri". Come ho già detto tante volte a Bernie, è fortunato ad avere un babbo cosi! Lo so, lo so che non c'entra nulla con lo stile di questo blog, ma io sono cosi, impulsiva e Bernie lo sa e mi perdonerà.
+A dire il vero anch'io sto in ansia per lui :-) speriamo bene...
+
+Bernie: Via, non fatemi venire il magone voi due :-)
+
+=== Sun, 6th ===
+
+==== International Dinner ====
+
+FedericoLucifredi and his wife Irena were so kind to invite me at their place for a
+fine dinner with appetizers, SirloinSteak (see pic below), several side
+dishes and... Even a PinotNoir!
+
+http://www.fairburysteaks.com/images/bci-sirloin-round-bone.gif
+
+There were also Mauro -- Federico's colleague at Ximian -- and Irena's
+friend who's a physics professor from Providence and could speak perfect
+French and, surprisingly, even Italian!
+
+What can I say? I think I got a pound or two that night, but it was
+worth it! :-)
+
+
+=== Sat, 5th ===
+
+==== Cinema ====
+
+There's a cinema in building 26 @ EmAiTee, and it's cheap.
+I'm going tonight.
+
+==== Cursious? ====
+
+If you're curious, my room rent is $500 per month. Utilities,
+ forniture and DSL Internet access are included.
+
+It's not cheap, but it's also not too expensive for Boston.
+They told me that only Manhattan is more expensive here on
+the east coast.
+
+==== CurriculumVitae ====
+
+...is almost ready. A friend told me that I'd better have
+also a synthetic resume of 1-2 pages for the impatient.
+I think he's right.
+
+Well, I said I'd be finished by last Monday, but then I
+managed to slip past my own deadline visiting NewYorkCity,
+moving in my current room and in other frivolous ways.
+
+Now I have no excuses: the time has come. Next Monday I
+''will'' write my proposal. Seriously.
+
+=== Fri, 4th ===
+
+==== Exchange Rates ====
+
+Looks like I'd better convert all my money to dollars *now*:
+
+ http://www.x-rates.com/d/USD/EUR/graph30.html
+
+What do you think about it?
+
+Babbo:penso che $ continuerà a svalutare. Perderai soldi.
+
+==== StataCenter ====
+
+I forgot to tell you about the kewlest building in EmAiTee:
+
+ http://www.eecs.mit.edu/images/big-stata12.jpg
+
+See also: http://www.eecs.mit.edu/stata-link.html
projects / wiki.git / blobdiff