This post was written on Christmas day - December 25th. Ever since Thanksgiving there are decorated Xmas trees everywhere, the radio plays Xmas music, and everyone is away with family.
As everyone is with family, most of the boardgame events were canceled, and Stanford is almost empty.
The only ones still around are the Jewish community. A person I met in a conference invited me to meet some of his friends at an Israeli restaurant on the Sunday before Xmas. It turns out that the person who operates the largest Jewish site in the bay has the same name as my brother - Tomer Altman.
They have invited me to join them to a Chinese restaurant on Xmas day. They forgot to mention that the meal is strictly veggie. Luckily, I got some veg-less noodles so I could eat. The whole occasion was long and boring. I left as soon as the meal was over.
Earlier that day I realized that most restaurants are closed on Xmas day. After trying two “24 hr” McDonald’s branches which were closed, I settled for Mediterranean food in a Greek restaurant I found open on University Ave.
That concludes my Xmas tales. This weekend will be boardgames again.
December 28th, 2007 at 07:58
Posted by
epsalon |
USA |
2 comments
I just got my XO laptop from the One Laptop Per Child give one get one program, and I’m happy. It’s a lean green Linux machine and it’s all mine for $423.95 (and one additional laptop was donated to some poor child).
I ordered it a few weeks ago when they announced the program because ever since Zvi Devir’s Haifux talk I wanted to have one. It’s small, relatively lightweight and runs Linux.
December 23rd, 2007 at 05:47
Posted by
epsalon |
Tech stuff |
3 comments
… and I’m now a Platinum level frequent flyer!
Yes, I have completed 70,000 qualifying miles on a single alliance, and earned Platinum status for 2009. Here is a complete list of all flights this year:
| Month |
Flight (click for map) |
BIS Miles |
Status Miles |
Award Miles |
| January |
Tel Aviv - Hyderabad via Amsterdam |
13,298 |
13,276 |
19,914 |
| April |
Tel Aviv - Frankfurt; Stuttgart - Amsterdam - Tel Aviv (Award ticket ELAL + KLM) |
4,215 |
none |
- 5,000 |
| May |
Tel Aviv - Honolulu via Amsterdam, San Francisco, Newark, and Paris |
20,586 |
20,545 |
30,817 |
| May |
Honolulu - Hilo (not Skyteam) |
433 |
none |
none |
| July |
Tel Aviv - Frankfurt via Amsterdam |
4,575 |
5,606 |
8,410 |
| August |
Tel Aviv - Istanbul direct (not SkyTeam) |
1,408 |
none |
none |
| September |
Tel Aviv - San Francisco via Amsterdam (one way) |
7,533 |
7,513 |
11,269 |
| October |
San Francisco - Mexico City via Atlanta |
6,939 |
6,939 |
12,143 |
| October |
San Francisco - Frankfurt via Houston, Amsterdam and Newark |
13,309 |
13,831 |
24,204 |
| December |
San Francisco - San Diego via Salt Lake City |
2,449 |
2,449 |
4,287 |
| TOTAL |
74,746 |
70,148 |
107,388 |
| Previous Balance/Level |
|
Silver |
45,230 |
| New Balance/Level |
|
Platinum |
152,618 |
Mission accomplished!
December 17th, 2007 at 04:26
Posted by
epsalon |
Frequent Flyer |
one comment
Today I have concluded my first purely domestic itinerary and achieved my Platinum status by flying from San Diego to San Francisco via Salt Lake City (yes, it really isn’t on the way).
The flight to Salt Lake was delayed due to a ripple effect (the plane arrived to SLC late from the east coast due to weather). My seat selection tricks worked and I found myself next to the only empty seat on the plane (in a row of 3).
Even with the late arrival there was enough time to grab a burger at Burger King, especially as this flight was also delayed 20 minutes. As usual I asked if an upgrade is possible and surprisingly the answer was “sure!” and I immediately got my new boarding pass assigned to seat 2D (window seat in a 1-2 row on CRJ-900) with 2C next to me vacant.
The first class seats were slightly wider and with a lot more legroom. My drink was refilled as soon as I finished it was cleared just as fast. I rested most of the flight until our only slightly late arrival at SFO.
I’m now in the shuttle home. I’m the only passenger! Good to be back.
December 15th, 2007 at 11:00
Posted by
epsalon |
Frequent Flyer, San Diego, Travel |
2 comments
Today was the first day of the WINE2007 conference in San Diego. After having breakfast at McDonald’s, I arrived very early and waited for the conference to start.
The first talk was by Nobel laureate Kenneth J Arrow, best known for his Impossibility result in social choice. Surprisingly, the talk about economic equilibrium was rather uninteresting.
I spent the rest of the morning session half-asleep due to jet lag, as there was no flight West before this conference, I had to adjust to waking up a lot earlier.
At the conference, I met many people I knew from Israel or other conferences, including Ola (from the Amazing Race post). Four of us (all Israelis) decided to go and eat together with my car. We drove to one of the restaurants recommended by the conference only to find out it was way over our price range, so we went back and ended up buying prepared food at Safeway and eating it at the hotel.
I decided to skip the last session today and go to bed. Slept for some hours and now woke up again.
December 13th, 2007 at 09:14
Posted by
epsalon |
San Diego, Travel |
one comment
