X-Git-Url: https://codewiz.org/gitweb?p=wiki.git;a=blobdiff_plain;f=MayBlog;h=4268aa62f18139764371480603ef05fc953bf522;hp=506f2d28a9d856ba7a9722ae70b52ab2bec8890b;hb=08cb22f808dd79ea38c6d665c23ee16ad7880e68;hpb=024d217d06feb073f3d715ab32c866e2c4825a3e diff --git a/MayBlog b/MayBlog index 506f2d2..4268aa6 100644 --- a/MayBlog +++ b/MayBlog @@ -1,12 +1,309 @@ == May 2007 == -'''Tip:'''' as always, start from the bottom and proceed bottom up to keep time flowing in one direction. +'''Tip:''' as always, start from the bottom and proceed bottom up to keep time flowing in one direction. -=== Tue, 2nd === +=== Fri, 11th === + >MUM< creepy mummy virus it's taking access 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. + + 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 + +==== Fast night ==== + +After a long time, I finally get to (ab)use MIT's wi-fi and +barf my short-term brain buffer into my BrainDump. + +Tonight we went to an Irish pub next to Kendall, where I got +to know a few more Ximian employees. I got rumors that +the famous kernel hacker RobertLove would be there, so after +a while I turned to the guy next to me and asked: "Is +RobertLove really going to come?". And he replied: "Speaking." + +Another guy told me: "Hi, I'm BAHB". "Pardon?". "BAHB!". +"What???". Federico promptly helped me out: "Ha detto che si +chiama BOB :-)" + +The beer was good. I discovered that a BlueMoon is the +nearest approximation of a WeisseBeer I can find here, +and I'm not at all displeased by its taste. + +==== Slow day ==== + +My landlord has recently switched DSL provider and Internet +doesn't work any more: the sync light on the modem flashes. +It seems that crappy ISPs are a common disease in the States +as well. + +Yesterday, he called for service and, finally, they told him +they would send a tech today from 8AM to 18PM. They refused +to be more specific. And so I've agreed to wait here to let +the guy in... I care about it for myself too! + +==== Weight ==== + +By the way, today I'm exactly 150 pounds (use GoogleCalculator +to get it to SI units). + +150 pounds = 68.0388555 kilograms + +=== Thu, 3rd === + +==== Roxbury ==== + +They told me Roxbury is quite an infamous suburb of Boston. +And my first impression confirms that: shops are uglier, +parks and streets are somewhat dirtier (but not as much as +in NewYorkCity!) and, most importantly, some of the neighbors +look creepy. Especially in the night, streets are crowded by +people with criminal faces and many homeless. + +You know I'm not the type who's easily scared off by a bunch +of zombies, but I'll feel much better when I'll drive a car. + +==== Moving In ==== + +I've finally settled in my room. There's no need to describe the house +in detail, as it's the most typical colonial design: two floors plus +basement, front and back yards, sliding windows, wooden floors +everywhere. You've come to know them very well from the movies. + +Today I went to the mall to gather the essentials: a blankets, +a pillow case and some bath towels. The bed is comfortable and +I was quite tired already, therefore I fell asleep early in the +evening and kept on until 8 AM. + +'''WARNING: TIME WARP OCCURRED''' + +----- + +'''WARNING: TIME WARP IMMINENT''' + +=== Fri, 4th === + +Alberto: Attento a convertire € in $ perchè € si sta apprezzando,e quindi $ svalutando rispetto a €. + +Belle le foto scovate da Massimo. Have a good stay in Btn. + +Massimo: Bernie, you taught me: http://www.google.com/search?q=100+USD+in+EUR + + +Massimo: Since Bernie could not give us any picture, I had to use flickr: here they are! + +http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=bernardo+innocenti + +Piro: what in the heaven is RMS doing dressed like a camp tent? :D + +=== Wed, 2nd === ==== BankOfAmerica ==== -I went to BankOfAmerica and opened a bank account. I went there wearing a yello T-shirt +I went to BankOfAmerica and opened a bank account. I went there wearing a yellow T-shirt and a weary pair of jeans. In the beginning, they referred me to a young guy who quickly tried to offer me a student's saving account. When I queried for interest rates, credit cards, and dollar/euro conversion rates, they finally realized that I was going to move @@ -24,6 +321,7 @@ my banks. Batt: Or maybe american bankers are so skilled that you are happy while, in truth, they have stolen your money forever :-P +Massimo: Yahr yahr! He didn't realize they already got 4.80% of his balance from his pocket with a magician move! Yahr yahr! Anyway... 4-5% rate is not absurd in the US. It has always been almost like this as far as I can remember (maybe sometimes it was even 6-7%). It's useful for someone (like bernie), but tragic for someone who does not have any money and to buy a house with those mortgages it's almost impossible. Still, the US has got a very low rate in comparison with other extra-european countries. === Tue, 1st === @@ -34,13 +332,13 @@ Batt: Or maybe american bankers are so skilled that you are happy while, in trut And I'll be moving in *today*! But I'm writing on Thursday the 3rd, actually (aren't you thinking fourth-dimentionally yet?). The room is nice and comes with some forniture, including a desk. It's on the second floor -of a house where the landlord lives with her wife and a very friendly puppy. I like it +of a house where the landlord lives with her wife and a very friendly puppy.I like it that way: all those houses shared by students I've seen so far tend to become unmaintained and dirty quite quickly, while this one is a real house with a fully operational kitchen, bathroom and even a clean back garden! My landlord is Armenian, but have been living here in Boston for a long time. My first -imprssion is he's a very nice person, honest and easy going. I haven't met his wife yet -- +impression is he's a very nice person, honest and easy going. I haven't met his wife yet -- she'll be back on Sunday. I'm afraid the house is a bit far away from MIT, in southern Boston. But that won't @@ -49,6 +347,9 @@ car readily from my landlord's son. I don't know the address yet. I should, but I forgot the sheet on the table when I went there. And I can't call my landlord either because I've stolen his cell phone by mistake also. Yeah, I reckon I mustn't a good impression, actually :-) + +'''Camy''': the landlord lives with '''his''' wife + ==== Do You Speak English? ==== Some of you will be pissed off by this change, but I'm starting to make @@ -57,7 +358,9 @@ some international friends here and none of them could read Italian. Writing in English is also what I need to improve my writing skills. For the few of you who barely know English, some more reading surely won't hurt! If you're real lazy, -[[http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fbender.codewiz.org%2Fwiki%2FMayBlog&langpair=en%7Cit&hl=en Google Translator]] +[[http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fbender.codewiz.org%2Fwiki%2FMayBlog&langpair=en%7Cit=en Google Translator]] is your friend. -As always, I'd very much appreciate being told of any mistake I make. +As always, I'd very much appreciate being told about any mistake I make. + +''Massimo: ok, let's start with those horrible contractions my poor eyes had to read: '''Won't''' and '''I'd'''. Hey Bernie! You already went back home from NYC. Ain't gonna play with ya 'nymore!'' \ No newline at end of file