nondeterministic . net

We’ve had our first and a very successful week of MEET, during which our apartment flooded, we visited the Technion, I lectured on control structures, and the kids really started to get into the material. And we’ve just returned from a weekend in the south, camping overnight in the Negev and stopping at Metzada. From that I have only one great question: why didn’t somebody tell me there are so many stars!? Tuesday, take one: I awake to the sound of water and the discovery that our apartment has flooded to the tune of one or two centimeters of water. The connector on a hose into the toilet tank has split. Having no tables in the room I share with one other instructor, much of my stuff was on the floor. Including my computer, which was damaged but appears to be OK. Interested parties can find a technical description below. Tuesday, take two: I awake again and take off with just about everyone involved in MEET on a bus to Haifa and the Technion. I got some information, met my temporary advisor, and left vaguely excited, somewhat worried about the necessity of passing a Hebrew exam, glad to have more useful phone numbers. I did join the kids for a robotics demo; in particular, we saw some small robots with lights that mimic the behavior of fireflies. And after leaving the Technion, we made a stop at the beach, where everyone had a great time. Wednesday: my first lecture. Awesome (from where I was, at least, dancing around at the front of the room). One of the Palestinian students, a quiet Muslim girl with head scarf, could not attend because she must cross a small checkpoint every day, and the checkpoint was closed. The Israelis are building a wall so they can hide from the terrorists; this girl’s home will end up on the other side of that wall. Friday: having stayed overnight in Tel Aviv, we took off for the south and the Negev desert. Two jeeps, through Be’er Sheva to Maktesh Ramon, where we camped under the stars. Amazing. Today: from the camp site, via a wadi back to the road, then to Metzada. It was too hot to climb, so we took the cable car up… I’ll admit that about yesterday and today, I don’t have much to say right now… hopefully I can post some pictures. In any case, I might not be super well rested, but I’m definitely fired up for this week.

Now, because people will ask if I don’t tell them: I poured the water out of my computer and let it dry. I tried booting it twice only to have it freeze. Opening the memory compartment revealed the problem: the top (ie, lower when the machine is right-side-up) module had suffered water damage, as well as the top half of the bus. Removing that module has given my a working, albeit slower, computer. I’ll have to buy more memory before I know if the connector is shot. I also have yet to try the CD drive; the water I poured out of it may not have been a great sign.

maxg

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