Python anyone?

Does anyone know how to program in python? I'm going to have to learn fast because I need to run a package called networkX on some of the complex networks I'm building. I just hope it is straightfoward as I don't have time to learn yet another language. :)

Pizza time!!

Today we're having the joint seminar between BU and the lab here. As a result we had free pizza. Free is always good but the pizza and sale they order here is simply great. No Pizza Hut stuff, but real Italian pizza.

Portrait of the Brazilian Music

Yesterday I had a good conversation with the owner of a brazilian site about music. The idea is for me to get the database of composers, musicians, etc from Brazil and create a portrait of the Brazilian music. Let's see if this flies. If it does it will be quite interesting because I like music and the network stuff.

More about Mozart

The program was extraordinary. The work done by the BSO to educate us on classical music deserves credit. For every concert, they prepare a booklet with a detailed history of the music being played, the composer, the conductor's opinion about the music, and more. All that for $20 is a very good deal!

Mozart @ the BSO

So far, the Mozart program at the BSO is quite good. Much better than the Verdi opera.

Database meeting

Everywhere meetings serve no purpose. Even here we are in a meeting about the database here and no one looks interesting. Most people just want to get back to work ;)

Late start

I didn't not hear my alarm clock today. I don't know what happened. Maybe I was just too tired from yesterday. The result is that only now I'm on the T heading to work. Not good enough. :(

CompleNet

I've been working like crazy since yesterday to finish the organization of CompleNet. A workshop that we are organizing in Catania, Italy. So far it has been a success but it requires dedication from all parts. Unfortunately, the authors of this year's edition are very used to having papers published in the same way as computer scientists. So it has been a learning experience.

Nothing like it

There is nothing like it having two gay (men) couples kissing in your train car, in feont of you after a long day work. Seriously, I don't deserve that. LOL.

Photo uploading

Just managed to upload some photos from the New Year's Eve and Obama's inauguration party at Cheryl's. I hope you guys like it.

An unlikely event

Here is a picture with two friends from the lab. This is not likely to happen very often because we have a Brazilian (me), an Argentinean (Julian) and an Italian (Luigi) on the same photo. Given the history of these three countries in soccer is is hard to get three of us on the same picture enjoying a glass of wine.

Donald Harrison

I finally found sometime to download the photos from my camera so here a couple of pictures from the Donald Harrison concert in Washington, DC.

Going home

I thought about going to a pub to drink a Guinness but I think I'm just going home. I'm tired today.

Happy Valentine's Day

Just spoke to my valentine :). I wished I was there in Florida. Since I can't I have to go back to work. I'm my way to the lab. I woke up a bit late today, but that is life.

Tavern

I'm on this tavern bar on central station. Nice place and they are showing the basketball all-star game. 5 researchers from the lab are here. This is the first time that they are actually not talking about work. I guess they are humans after all. LOL.

Skype

I have been talking with a lot of people I haven't spoken in a while. It's nice. Yesterday I spoke to Mano for quite a while and this lunch time I spend sometime talking with my cousin from Rio de Janeiro, Holberi. It nice how the technology approximates us. My cousin I haven't spoken in many, many years.

Harvard

Sometimes a beer is not so bad for you. After a couple of beers this evening I think I achieved two things. The first is to get the opinion of a professor at Harvard from an idea I had for research. The second is another possible invitation to give a talk there. So who said beer is bad for you?!

Muqueca today

A person here in the lab is leaving and some of us will go to Muqueca restaurant for a farewell party. Look forward eating some nice food. We'll be there around 8pm.

Hawaii Hotel... Free :-)

I just booked my trip to Hawaii. The nice thing is that I got a free night from hotels.com and I used to book a room in Kona Big Island. The place is called Mauna Lani Resort (photo). Check their website here. I'm flying from Honolulu to Kona and back for $80. So I'll go there, see the volcano, sleep and stay in this hotel and back to Honolulu on Saturday night. On Sunday, I fly back to Boston. I hope this place is as nice as everyone say.

Patricia Barber

Last night I went to the regattabar for the concert of Jazz pianist Patricia Barber. What a disappointment!! She has a very nice, well controlled, voice but in terms of jazz she is very weak. She tried to look cool by making faces and such when she plays the piano but the quality is simply not there. The band that played with her only made it worse. The guitarist looked like he was playing on a funeral or something. I'm glad it was very expensive. The only good part of the concert were the two songs from Cole Porter that she played: Ce Magnifique and I've Grown Accustomed to his Face. She also played one of my favorites songs of all time: Blackbird (Beatles), but she managed to make me dislike it.