I just stopped by the produce dude to buy a lot of peaches so I could eat them ravenously and then freeze as many as possible. But all I found were the bizarro nasty white wannabe-peaches (note: in Israel there are two fruits marketed as “peach,” the normal delicious peach and the bizarro nasty white wannabe-peaches). He told me that peaches were done for the year. That’s right, 2010 Israeli peach season ended really early because there was not a lot of rain last winter or some such nonsense. And I completely missed it. Damn. Now I won’t get to eat peaches until 2011.

I stocked up on mangoes instead.

I missed peach season! is a post from Lines Writing Lines.

Keeping in touch with Facebook

10. I moved from America to Israel in 2004, leaving behind my entire family and almost every friend I’d ever known. Though I didn’t get a Facebook account until 2005, I’ve been using it daily for the past five years to stay in touch with friends and relatives. Facebook makes it extremely inexpensive and highly efficient to get out important news about myself and to find out important news about other people with whom I never was very close. At the same time, it has never replaced traditional means of communication like telephone calls; nor should it.

Business networking with Facebook

9. LinkedIn is there and it does a fine job, but work is only one part of my life and there’s no chance for a prospective employer or client to get to know me by my LinkedIn page. I add my coworkers as Facebook friends and I’ll do the same for my clients. If they don’t accept me, I don’t mind at all, but I think they’ll want to get a better understanding of who I am and what I like, to the extent that information on Facebook supplements my real personality.

Photo sharing on Facebook

8. I understand that Facebook is now the world’s biggest photo-sharing site. There are others, like Flickr and Picasa, that have lots of features and are more professional, and more serious solutions like installing Gallery on your own domain. But for ease of tagging, getting photos to lots and lots of people – but not to random strangers – and sheer simplicity, sharing photos with Facebook makes perfect sense.

Connecting with new friends on Facebook

7. I can’t count the number of times I’ve been out and met someone or a few people, but only gotten first names. In the old days, meeting someone and speaking for a few minutes meant that I’d either have to ask for a telephone number to continue the conversation, with might seem a little too forward (and I don’t enjoy talking on the telephone very much) or attempting to follow up through a friend-of-a-friend, which could be cumbersome (I’ve never been comfortable meeting someone and then asking for an email address). It’s now extremely handy to use Facebook to connect with a new contact, even given just a first name and a mutual friend. This might be to continue a discussion about some interesting issue, to finish tagging a photo, to pass along information about a job or an apartment or just to stay in touch in the future. It’s clean, it’s easy and it works.

Using Facebook ads

6. Recently, while looking for an apartment in Tel Aviv, I used Facebook ads to get the word out and drive people to read my message that I was willing to pay a NIS 3500 finder’s fee for information leading to me renting an apartment. A very large percentage of the site’s traffic was generated by these Facebook ads, leading to several actionable tips. My somewhat creative use of Facebook ads was profiled in an article in TheMarker, the business section of Haaretz, but in fact I believe that I was using Facebook’s advertising platform in exactly the way it was designed and for exactly its purpose. Gone are the days when ad campaigns cost tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars just to plan and start. I set $10 daily limits for my ads and didn’t have any knowledge of the system beyond what’s available in Facebook’s own FAQs. It’s so easy to use Facebook ads, I could almost train my dog to use them.

Facebook’s privacy settings

5. Complaints about how Facebook sets up its privacy settings are a dime a dozen, but I challenge anyone to come up with another comparable web service that gives its users more powerful, granular control over their information than Facebook does. You can choose exactly who gets to see every little thing you do on Facebook or set global settings and just stick with them. True, they change their privacy options all the time and true, it gets pretty confusing, but it’s getting confusing because it’s getting more detailed and more complex, which is a good thing. And the bottom line is that no information is available about you that you don’t put on Facebook in the first place: if you want to have a profile with just your first name, last initial and favorite television shows, you can do that. This isn’t to say that privacy isn’t a big concern. It is, but it’s also crazy to complain that Facebook is spreading your information every which way if you don’t use Facebook’s own options to control who sees your information.

Remembering people’s details with Facebook

4. Whenever someone I know travels, I always ask for a postcard to add to my collection. “But what’s your address?” they always ask. And I always say: “It’s on my Facebook page.” When I meet someone who asks for my phone number, I could recite the ten digits or write them down, but it’s a hell of a lot easier just to give my Facebook username – which, conveniently, is the same as my first name. When someone wants to know my birthday to wish me a happy birthday – it’s there, and it even reminds my friends and family on Facebook when my birthday is approaching. I have a Birthdays calendar in iCal too, so I can see when important birthdays are coming… but there are hundreds more birthdays in my Facebook account.

Everyone is on Facebook

3. As often happens, Farhad Manjoo said it best: “There is no longer any good reason to avoid Facebook… it is now so widely trafficked that it’s fast becoming a routine aid to social interaction, like e-mail and antiperspirant [and mobile phones]… Facebook is now at that same point – whether or not you intend it, you’re saying something by staying away.” What does it say to me when I meet someone who doesn’t have Facebook? Something like: I don’t want to stay in touch with you. Or perhaps: Please leave me alone. Or even: Community is not important to me. These are perfectly valid sentiments, but if you do want to stay in touch, if you don’t want to be left alone, if community does matter to you, then you’ll find a way to use the tool that’s expected of you.

Facebook gets better all the time

2. I’m actually ambivalent about Facebook’s progress and I include this one even though, while I think it’s true that Facebook does get better all the time, it also gets worse. I miss the days when Facebook was mainly about networks (and then groups) and I think becoming a “fan” of a “page” is lame, which is why I’ve never done it. I think most Facebook applications like the Farmville thing and the Mafia Wars thing are complete crap, which is why I’ve never used them (and why I’ve blocked them from spamming me). At the same time, Facebook’s integration with the wider web is very cool and opens up a lot of interesting possibilities – who knows, maybe one day Facebook will be the next Google, the first stop for people who want to find something on the internet. And where else on the internet do people join a site with their real names (first and last) and real pictures, one account per person? Facebook could be the long sought source for online micropayments, one-click identity verification without credit cards, etc, etc.

It’s a pain in the ass to quit Facebook

1. This is in response to Dan Yoder’s point three: “Facebook makes it incredibly difficult to truly delete your account.” It seems circular to me that it’s hard to close your Facebook account would be an argument for why you should close your Facebook account, but I understand that many people see it that way. Just ask yourself: is it really worth it? Facebook is entertaining, useful, efficient, free, generally a good idea to use and possibly will be even more essential in the future. If you don’t like making your information public, limit the amount of information you share. You don’t even have to give a real last name to use Facebook; you don’t have to use your normal email address; you don’t have to join your company’s network or accept your boss’s friend request. Is it really worth canceling your account for the vaguest and lamest reasons? Nope. Do yourself and everyone around you a favor and keep the damn account open.

10 Reasons NOT to Delete Your Facebook Account is a post from Lines Writing Lines.

Also, I learned something interesting yesterday about Israeli English. I noticed that everyone who contacts me through the site spells apartment like “appartment.” Eventually I asked a coworker how she’d spell the word, and she also started out “a-p-p-a.” So I asked her why, and she said that when Israeli children in school are learning English, the teachers tell them that when a consonant is in between two vowels, it’s doubled. Apparently it’s called “the glasses rule” or something like that. Weird!

FMTLVA is a post from Lines Writing Lines.

I tried to appeal to the landlords’ Zionism, but they were concerned that I don’t have any guarantors – no one to cosign the lease. I offered to pay a cash security deposit, but I guess it didn’t satisfy them, because they signed a lease with somebody else.

The lease in my current apartment ends 12 April. That gives me just a little more than a month to find a new place and move into it. I am already looking pretty aggressively on the websites, and I’m finding a few decent places, but I’m consistently experiencing the same problem that I found when I moved from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv four years ago: without guarantors, many landlords are reluctant to sign a lease with me.

It isn’t necessarily this way in New York. There, what matters is the renter’s income. A cosign (usually a parent) is required if the renter earns less than a certain percentage of the rent. Here, I offer to show landlords my pay stubs, but they don’t even care.

I don’t have anyone in Israel who can cosign a lease with me.

Tel Aviv Apartment: 31 Remez Street is a post from Lines Writing Lines.

2010-01-26 08:33:22
natges: I’ve arrived home. It sure would have been nice if I’d been
informed of the scaffolding and construction on my building.

2010-01-26 08:05:49
natges: Cab driver is listening to radio in Russian. All I want to hear is
Hebrew!

2010-01-26 08:00:47
natges: I made it through Customs with no trouble and I’m in a NIS 135 taxi
to Tel Aviv.

2010-01-26 07:25:10
natges: I’m on the ground in Israel!

2010-01-25 20:50:55
natges: @huangm777 they just paged a “passenger Mike Huang” on my flight.
Visiting Israel?

2010-01-25 20:30:05
natges: Aside from them, the flight is not close to full. Awesome!

2010-01-25 20:29:02
natges: There’s a Xtian tour group on my plane. I love their enthusiasm!

2010-01-25 20:20:07
natges: Goodbye America! I won’t take off for a while, but I’m done with
you for now.

2010-01-25 20:18:53
natges: I’m on the plane – Continental CO84. Who wants to pick me up at the
airport?

2010-01-25 17:22:12
natges: There’s nothing like some awful airport food to make me crave
airplane food.

2010-01-25 17:20:54
natges: @elliotreed no direct flights from any DC airport to Israel; I like
Continental’s 777s.

2010-01-25 16:36:08
natges: Just kidding. Atlanta to Newark is cancelled. Newark to Israel is
on time. It’s all one flight number.

2010-01-25 16:21:10
natges: The board says my flight is cancelled. http://twitpic.com/zprtl

But the people say it’s on time.

2010-01-25 16:07:29
natges: It’s outrageous that both Reagan and Liberty have Dunkin’ Donuts
instead of Krispy Kreme.

2010-01-25 15:59:58
natges: Hurry up and wait! Now I have to find a way to burn some time.

2010-01-25 15:53:13
natges: Letting me transfer from domestic to international terminals with
my shoes on is about the most I can ask from an American airport.

2010-01-25 15:26:07
natges: @fadetheory maybe I should look into getting a child…

2010-01-25 15:25:20
natges: I’m on the ground at Liberty. That’s the airport formerly known as
Newark, for those who don’t know.

2010-01-25 13:41:33
natges: Thank you @fadetheory!

2010-01-25 13:40:54
natges: My flight to Liberty is delayed due to an electrical problem on
board. I don’t like the sound of that.

2010-01-25 13:09:59
natges: I’m now waiting at Reagan to board a plane to Liberty.

2010-01-25 13:08:14
natges: I wasn’t spared the normal indignities of American airport
security.

2010-01-25 13:07:09
natges: I did some hardcore luggage adjusting at check-in and each bag was
exactly 50 pounds.

2010-01-25 11:53:34
natges: I think all the people missing from the Metro last night are on
the Beltway this morning.

2010-01-25 06:18:31
natges: Did Infinite Jest REALLY have to be that long? I won’t know for a
while, because it’s getting left behind. Sorry DFW.

2010-01-25 06:17:41
natges: Preliminary weigh-in results: first bag is six pounds overweight,
second bag is half a pound overweight. Time to toss some books.

2010-01-25 06:06:55
natges: Natan is packing to go home.: is packing to go home.
http://bit.ly/8MCU9R (via the Facebook)

2010-01-25 05:52:37
natges: Good thing my parents have Code Red!

2010-01-25 05:52:21
natges: That’s an hour earlier than I’d anticipated. It’s now almost 1 am
and I still have a lot of packing and arranging to get done.

2010-01-25 05:51:57
natges: Continental called to let us know that my flight to Newark is
cancelled. I got on an earlier flight. I’m leaving the house at 6:30 am.

2010-01-25 04:05:13
natges: Alex B. and Craig live in a building called The Gatsby.

2010-01-25 02:42:40
natges: I’m at Open City cafe with Katy and Craig!

2010-01-25 01:19:31
natges: The Metro is almost empty at 8 pm on a Sunday.

2010-01-24 23:12:45
natges: Last supper: Red, Hot & Blue.

2010-01-24 23:11:55
natges: I am mostly packed.

2010-01-24 22:33:49
natges: @xgess the bathroom is free, so you can take a bath if you want
now. Then a shower. Then you’ll be clean.

2010-01-24 22:32:44
natges: So sorry I missed my cousins Cindy, Brian, Stevie & Avery on this
trip, and friends Kenny & Yvonne. Next year – or sooner?

2010-01-24 22:32:08
natges: My parents had a wonderful gathering so I could see a lot of
people. It was so terrific to see everyone and I expect visitors in Israel!

2010-01-24 19:08:20
natges: Is it just me or are there a lot of vets / animal hospitals in
Montgomery County?

2010-01-24 18:18:11
natges: Last supermarket run is underway.

2010-01-24 17:31:02
natges: Clean!

2010-01-24 17:30:28
natges: @MemphisSeth they killed off some attractive looking females in
season two – what about them?

2010-01-24 17:29:28
natges: @vboykis 21 emails left is not bad for any day.

2010-01-24 17:18:47
natges: ps. Now I’m showering so I can actually get clean.

2010-01-23 22:44:35
natges: It’s been a very, very, very long time since I went to a
conservative synagogue on shabbat. This morning’s experience was quite
church-like.

2010-01-23 22:43:37
natges: @MemphisSeth her character is the worst on the whole show.

2010-01-23 17:40:33
natges: My brother and I are on the way to Chipotle for visit #4.

2010-01-23 17:38:47
natges: Of all the things I don’t have in my life, the one I miss the least
is radio.

2010-01-23 14:30:10
natges: I’m going to a bat mitzvah. This is the first time I’m wearing a
suit and tie since 2005.

2010-01-23 13:13:22
natges: I am almost done with my pre- season six LOST rewatch!

2010-01-23 11:37:46
natges: @simonepress great interview with Snooki. I can not wait to watch
the rest of the season.

2010-01-23 01:49:55
natges: The Patagonia Critical Mass messenger-style bag I ordered is, alas,
too big for me. I think I’ll have to ask my parents to return it.

2010-01-23 01:49:06
natges: @lettersapp Many congratulations on beginning the sorely needed
project. And where/how can I volunteer to help???

2010-01-23 00:04:40
natges: The best thing about Tripper Bus, by the way, is that I don’t have
to set foot in The District.

2010-01-22 23:15:02
natges: We made great time on the bus (considerig rush hour) and now I’m on
the Metro back to my parents’.

2010-01-22 22:59:18
natges: The Tripper Bus driver kept calling Bethesda “Bethesla.”

2010-01-22 19:29:06
natges: Natan is on his way back to Maryland.: is on his way back to
Maryland. http://bit.ly/5zavQr (via the Facebook)

2010-01-22 19:08:22
natges: We have another impeccably polite Tripper driver and mostly empty
bus – I did have a bit of a scare when my outlet didn’t work at first…

2010-01-22 19:07:39
natges: Thanks for the hospitality: Leeor and Marie, Karen and Akilesh,
Adam and John.

2010-01-22 19:07:08
natges: I’m on the Tripper Bus back to Maryland. This was an unbelievably
awesome trip to New York, perfect in almost EVERY way.

2010-01-22 16:57:58
natges: Last meal in New York = first time trying Korean. Sorry Sharav!

2010-01-22 16:57:18
natges: There are more password protected networks every year in New York.
Fortunately I can usually find one called linksys.

2010-01-22 16:56:18
natges: RT @fmanjoo: That’s it, I’m not voting anymore. What’s the point? I
should really get into sports or something.

2010-01-22 16:09:36
natges: Places I regret that I’ll not have visited on this trip: Shake
Shack, Di Fara’s.

2010-01-22 16:07:46
natges: Most ridiculous flyer on the board at Think Coffee: Holistic Pet
Healer.

2010-01-22 16:06:06
natges: Seriously, Think Coffee should just install some Israeli shaped
electrical outlets for all their Israeli customers.

2010-01-22 15:57:45
natges: I haven’t heard so much Hebrew on this trip to New York‚Ķ but
Israelis seem to have taken over Think Coffee on Bleecker.

2010-01-22 15:56:13
natges: Imagine THIS sign on a cash register in Israel:

http://twitpic.com/z7rvb

2010-01-22 15:02:59
natges: Washington Mews: my old favorite street. http://twitpic.com/z7kke

2010-01-22 15:01:08
natges: Good morning New York! Last day here. Just had another awesome
Bagel Bob’s bagel with @occisraeli.

2010-01-22 06:23:23
natges: I’m sleeping in Manhattan tonight.

2010-01-22 02:36:31
natges: Food Bazaar is probably the second best supermarket I’ve ever seen.
After Fairway.

2010-01-22 02:29:05
natges: Karen: Grand Concourse used to be a really nice neighborhood. Me:
And then you moved here?

2010-01-22 02:16:16
natges: Karen asks: What are you going to tweet next?

2010-01-22 02:14:40
natges: Pepe’s of Yonkers is almost as good as the original Pepe’s.

2010-01-22 00:48:55
natges: You know what the plural of “anecdote” is? DATA! (a joke by Bernard
Tenenbaum, told by Karen)

2010-01-22 00:30:51
natges: One word: Pepe’s. Of Yonkers. http://twitpic.com/z4u1x

2010-01-21 04:06:32
natges: Karen talking about her grandmother Ruth: http://twitpic.com/z0r0s

2010-01-21 04:04:18
natges: Karen’s roommate Akilesh: http://twitpic.com/z0qn0

2010-01-21 04:02:51
natges: Karen has a coop in the Bronx. It’s pretty fancy!

2010-01-21 02:18:58
natges: Dinner: Corner Bistro with John, Adam, Leeor and Karen!

2010-01-21 01:03:05
natges: I’m waiting in line at Corner Bistro. How long have I waited for
this?

2010-01-21 00:58:45
natges: I saw a Kindle on the subway (first time) and now I know why apple
is going to release a tablet device.

2010-01-21 22:49:29
natges: Natanel, two and a half years: http://twitpic.com/z4djt

2010-01-21 22:31:04
natges: @3zrahal3v1 is showing me pictures and videos from his recent
vacation. Wow. Wow.

2010-01-21 21:11:17
natges: Another new experience for me: the Willis Avenue Bridge.

2010-01-21 21:07:53
natges: @simonepress Shame on Harlem! Make your Popeye’s friendly like
Bushwick’s.

2010-01-21 21:06:15
natges: RT @xgess: @natges tell ezra i say hello @3zrahal3v1

2010-01-21 21:04:46
natges: WELCOME TO THE TWITTER @xgess!!!!

2010-01-21 21:03:41
natges: Wait a minute. They renamed Triboro Bridge after some dude who’s
been dead more than 40 years?

2010-01-21 20:39:36
natges: I am in Ezra’s sister’s pimped out Volvo! She’s in Israel – Ezra is
driving.

2010-01-21 19:56:40
natges: Popeye’s of Harlem is encased in bullet-proof plastic. In Bushwick
they are much more welcoming.

2010-01-21 19:55:11
natges: @phriedman Nice!!! I have been a devoted Corner Bistro fan for a
really long time!

2010-01-21 19:53:59
natges: Going from Yankee Stadium to Bushwick today was the first time I
EVER went from outer borough to outer borough without going above ground.

2010-01-21 19:52:03
natges: I don’t know why that Kindle thing got tweeted again. It wasn’t me!

2010-01-21 19:41:48
natges: Just had Popeyes with Randy in “Bushwick”!!!!!!!

2010-01-21 19:40:46
natges: I saw a Kindle on the subway (first time) and now I know why apple
is going to release a tablet device.

2010-01-20 05:55:46
natges: @occisraeli and I just spent 20 minutes laughing at
http://bit.ly/8xYv0X. Check it out!

2010-01-20 02:10:42
natges: Dan’s phone can’t decide what it wants to be.

http://twitpic.com/yvhtx

2010-01-20 02:03:15
natges: Dinner at Lombardi’s was phenomenal! Best pizza in the five
boroughs!

2010-01-20 01:17:23
natges: One Pomerantz and one Mendelsohn for dinner!

http://twitpic.com/yv9r7

2010-01-20 21:10:59
natges: Natan is having a blast in New York!!!!!!!! 240-264-7264.: is
having a blast in New York!!!!!!!!… http://bit.ly/4yEJZS (via the
Facebook)

2010-01-20 18:53:05
natges: The menu of the Indian restaurant where I ate lunch proclaimed that
the managment reserved the right to enforce certain standards of decency

2010-01-20 16:43:49
natges: The Washington Square fountain is now centered with the arch and
Fifth Ave. And it’s renamed after Tisch. Was that REALLY necessary?

2010-01-20 16:36:59
natges: NYU students have definitely gotten dumber since I left (nothing to
do with me – I’m just saying‚Ķ).

2010-01-20 16:35:49
natges: I can’t wait until the construction is done in Washington Square.
And I’m here in spring, so I can see Garibaldi for more than a minute.

2010-01-20 16:29:22
natges: Note to groceries: to attract a higher class clientele, hang wicker
baskets from your ceilings.

2010-01-20 16:26:26
natges: It is a BEAUTIFUL day in New York today, by the way. I wouldn’t
mind if it were a little warmer, though.

2010-01-20 16:25:07
natges: I think I’m using more chapstick on this trip to New York than in
any other time period of comparable lengh ever.

2010-01-20 14:43:57
natges: … and I’m now in Apple of Midtown where I’m planning out my day.

2010-01-20 14:43:32
natges: I had a bagel this morning from Bagel Hole in Park Slope. It was a
little on the chewy side for my taste, but still excellent.

2010-01-19 23:41:36
natges: @phriedman of course Code Red is my favorite. It’s a shirley temple
in a can.

2010-01-19 23:38:31
natges: Dessert before dinner (and lunch): chocolate truffle cake at
Ferrara! http://twitpic.com/yutkf

2010-01-19 22:55:02
natges: On that note, returning the overpriced one I bought from Apple
could not have been easier.

2010-01-19 22:53:58
natges: I love you Apple, but your $29 mini display port to DVI adapter is
EXACTLY the same as Tekserve’s $20 model. Explain that.

2010-01-19 22:39:39
natges: Barbershop quartet in the subway. They weren’t bad, but who wants
to hear a barbershop quartet?

2010-01-19 22:26:12
natges: I just spent WAY too much time in Apple of soho. Going to Tekserve
now will not make up for it.

2010-01-19 19:35:30
natges: It looked like rain was coming, so I ducked in the Apple Store of
SoHo. To shop. Really.

2010-01-19 19:13:19
natges: There are few things in life I love to do more than THE Dew. Even
at $1.75 for 20 oz.

2010-01-19 19:00:12
natges: @simonepress America is a very interesting place.

2010-01-19 18:58:38
natges: On my first day in New York more than 10 years ago, I sat and
watched the chess players in Washington Square. And it’s still cool.

2010-01-19 18:25:34
natges: Downtown, there are “pedestrian safety” officers holding a chain
across the street to block us from crossing while cars go by.

2010-01-19 18:17:36
natges: I’m still looking for an inexpensive mini display port to DVI
adapter.

2010-01-19 18:17:03
natges: I think I just went to about ten stores in a row, all called J&R;.

2010-01-19 18:04:07
natges: $7?!? You got ripped off, @simonepress.

2010-01-19 17:44:55
natges: Fact: Wearing a keffiyeh in New York causes people to address me
first in French, then in Arabic.

2010-01-19 17:23:36
natges: Here’s where I tried to take cover immediately after the World
Trade Center fell: http://twitpic.com/yt9de

2010-01-19 05:09:15
natges: @elliotreed Celcius is fake. Why can’t everyone just accept that
the English imperial system is the true system of weights and measures?

2010-01-19 03:46:09
natges: @simonepress those are some nice eyebrows you have, but threading
still sounds frightening. What’s the matter with tweezing?

2010-01-19 03:05:33
natges: @occisraeli and Mrs occisraeli have an awesome apartment with a
great view of the city!

2010-01-19 02:53:40
natges: Away from the subway station, this neighborhood is so cute and
quaint. It’s just as I expected Brooklyn to be.

2010-01-19 02:31:43
natges: First impression of Park Slope: it’s so hip and trendy! Almost like
NYC!

2010-01-19 02:10:26
natges: Grimaldi’s made a very fine pie. Very fine.

2010-01-19 00:57:12
natges: http://twitpic.com/yq9ha
Oven at Grimaldi’s.

2010-01-19 00:53:07
natges: http://twitpic.com/yq8y4
Grimaldi’s chef.

2010-01-19 00:45:07
natges: We are seated.

2010-01-19 00:34:17
natges: Hey Israelis! The temperature in Brooklyn is 7 in fake degrees.

2010-01-19 00:21:51
natges: Brooklyn isn’t so bad.

2010-01-19 00:16:22
natges: @occisraeli and I are standing in line at Grimaldi’s!

2010-01-18 23:45:20
natges: @occisraeli in Aroma just observed that the lampshades have Israeli
product designs.

2010-01-18 22:19:22
natges: I’m here with Geoff and he’s great.

2010-01-18 22:18:54
natges: Aroma of SoHo! It’s not really that Israeli, though.

2010-01-18 04:00:13
natges: ps. My brother was TREMENDOUSLY helpful in my monitor purchase over
the past week. He’s joining the twitter soon, so I’ll thank him again…

2010-01-18 22:01:57
natges: Washington Square!

2010-01-18 03:59:24
natges: I’m packing for New York now! I think I’ll bring warm sweaters but
only a light rain jacket.

2010-01-18 21:58:15
natges: My first home in New York: http://twitpic.com/ypeva

2010-01-18 03:53:14
natges: Thanks @elliotreed! It really shouldn’t be a problem since it’s a
single monitor that’s for personal use, not resale. But you never know…

2010-01-18 21:42:24
natges: The Flatiron Building is still one of my top few favorite buildings
in the world.

2010-01-18 02:05:58
natges: Big Love is on! I’m watching with @wadijoh on the huge screen.

2010-01-18 21:41:47
natges: @wadijoh, do you need a door?

http://twitpic.com/ypbww

http://twitpic.com/ypc15

2010-01-18 02:04:20
natges: Announcement: I will be in New York tomorrow (Monday) through
Friday. If I know you, get in touch and we’ll meet up!

2010-01-18 21:37:02
natges: Would you pay $6 for something called “eyebrow threading”? Don’t
think I would, either.

2010-01-18 02:02:48
natges: Dinner tonight was chicken and pasta again, like when I was a kid.

2010-01-17 03:12:30
natges: My parents and grandmother are watching SVU. I wonder what this
episode’s sermon will be‚Ķ

2010-01-17 01:58:19
natges: @elliotreed I’m content with the Disney cartoon Robin Hood where
he’s a fox and Little John is a bear.

2010-01-17 01:57:29
natges: That was a fantastic roast for dinner. @wadijoh: “From now on, I’m
only buying grass-fed.”

2010-01-17 00:09:14
natges: @wadijoh on his pizza’s dough: “This is the closest dough I’ve ever
made to Pepe’s‚Ķ This is perfect.”

2010-01-17 23:58:30
natges: Natan is going to New York tomorrow. 240-264-7264.: is going to New
York tomorrow. 240-264-7264. http://bit.ly/6MtEPG (via the Facebook)

2010-01-17 22:54:13
natges: I’m waiting LOST on my new monitor and it’s AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!

2010-01-17 22:53:53
natges: @elliotreed I’ll pack it in a couple suitcases and hope the customs
authority people don’t see it!

2010-01-17 21:14:53
natges: My brother: “I’ve never spent so much time in a supermarket without
buying anything.” Because you’ve never been to one as a tourist‚Ķ

2010-01-17 20:17:48
natges: Third trip to Chipotle was grrreat.

2010-01-17 19:39:07
natges: Monitor bought. Next stop: Chipotle.

2010-01-17 19:33:10
natges: Looks like I’m going with a Samsung 23″ monitor for $200 – it comes
in the smallest box!

2010-01-17 18:08:19
natges: Broadway Diner has become Hollywood Diner – and it didn’t change
one bit.

2010-01-17 17:45:10
natges: Ok, my brother and I are going back to Micro Center so I can try to
find a computer monitor / television.

2010-01-17 17:45:05
natges: My grandmother just left to return to Philadelphia. It was great to
see her!

2010-01-17 16:59:59
natges: I just realized that LivePerson stock has gone up. My grandmother
could actually sell now for a profit.

2010-01-17 16:58:35
natges: Batch #4 of cookies is being made now.

2010-01-17 16:09:00
natges: My parents and grandmother got their bagels “scooped” (with the
insides removed). I am appalled.

2010-01-17 15:37:01
natges: Brooklyn Deli has no lumberjack breakfast. Sad.

2010-01-16 23:55:08
natges: Unfortunately I ended up not getting he monitor from Best Buy
because they wouldn’t price match. I’ll go to Micro Center tomorrow.

2010-01-16 23:48:51
natges: I’m leaning very strongly toward a 23″ LG monitor for $180.

2010-01-16 23:23:19
natges: I almost got a television but it was only 110 volts.

2010-01-16 22:11:20
natges: The quest for a monitor (or television) continues at Best Buy.

2010-01-16 21:28:00
natges: Little hot dogs are served. This means it’s a party.

2010-01-16 16:50:15
natges: Here’s something depressing – a New Jersey mall is trying to
convince people to become “mall walkers” for exercise -

http://bit.ly/61yguy

2010-01-16 16:02:30
natges: @gillush It’s true – you’re not very good at the twitter.

2010-01-16 14:55:41
natges: I just ate 12 of my dad’s awesome pancakes. I think there were
12…

2010-01-16 02:44:38
natges: My grandmother is telling all sorts of great stories about my
grandfather’s family.

2010-01-16 02:13:41
natges: My brother’s birthday dinner was at an Italian restaurant called
The Baronessa. I had the gnocchi (with aurora sauce).

2010-01-16 00:45:56
natges: Is aurora sauce tomato and cream, like a rose?

2010-01-15 18:37:06
natges: @MemphisSeth nah… sounds kind of nasty.

2010-01-15 18:36:17
natges: ps. @elliotreed I mean I’m using “google apps for your domain,” not
just their apps.

2010-01-15 18:01:07
natges: It is 52 DEGREES in Maryland. I come here in the winter time to see
SNOW, damn it!

2010-01-15 18:00:36
natges: @MemphisSeth Cool Ranch sounds so exotic. I am a very traditional
guy.

2010-01-15 17:59:53
natges: @elliotreed of course Google Docs isn’t great. It doesn’t have to
be: http://bit.ly/4W2EQL

2010-01-15 17:13:44
natges: On second thought, Nacho Cheese is probably better than Nacho
Cheesey.

2010-01-15 17:13:20
natges: WTF Frito-lay? These Doritos used to be Nacho Cheesier, and now
they are just Nacho Cheese, not even Nacho Cheesey. I want Nacho Cheesiest!

2010-01-15 17:12:22
natges: Corned beef and Doritos: this is what my childhood tasted like.

2010-01-15 17:11:53
natges: @elliotreed Google apps probably sucks for enterprise. But just to
manage my personal email, it’s 100 times better than the alternative.

2010-01-15 16:19:39
natges: Happy birthday Alexander “Do I Have To Write The -Ander” Gessner!

2010-01-15 16:18:54
natges: How is Google apps so cool and how did I never realize it until
now?

2010-01-15 16:18:27
natges: @phriedman on my next trip to America, I’m going to try eating
Chipotle FOUR MEALS IN A ROW instead of just four times on the trip.

2010-01-15 03:07:08
natges: Zappos identified the shoes I wanted from the pictures I posted
online! But unfortunately they’re out of production and unavailable!

2010-01-15 01:16:41
natges: My mom is now making her THIRD batch of
the-best-chocolate-chip-cookies-in-the-world since I’ve been back.

2010-01-15 01:15:57
natges: That’s right – after lunch at Chipotle, we ended up having tacos
with our parents for dinner. I should find my sombrero…

2010-01-15 22:47:52
natges: While they get their nails done, my brother is berating everyone on
the necessity of implementing the progressive program.

2010-01-15 22:46:15
natges: My mother and grandmother are bonding by getting their nails done.

2010-01-15 21:17:27
natges: My grandmother has not been here very long, and she’s already
drinking hard.

2010-01-15 20:44:03
natges: My grandmother has arrived on a visit to Maryland. I don’t know how
this will affect my tweeting over the next couple days…

2010-01-15 19:59:25
natges: @fadetheory I will keep Estonia in mind…

2010-01-14 22:38:03
natges: Snider the Volvo guy now does Hondas and other kinds of cars!

2010-01-14 22:06:03
natges: I SWORE I wouldn’t buy any more books. But I did anyway.

2010-01-14 20:28:59
natges: Krispy Kreme is done, and I am happy: http://twitpic.com/y32uf

2010-01-14 20:14:13
natges: There are doughnuts and then there is Krispy Kreme.

2010-01-14 20:06:54
natges: A concept that’s alien to business in Israel:

http://twitpic.com/y2zkw

2010-01-14 20:02:28
natges: For all who don’t know, Krispy Kreme = heaven.

http://twitpic.com/y2ywq

2010-01-14 19:31:19
natges: I’m doing Chipotle visit number two with my brother:

http://twitpic.com/y2ubm

2010-01-14 19:20:58
natges: http://twitpic.com/y2sm8
But what about those of us who LIKE trans
fats?

2010-01-14 15:05:59
natges: It’s funny @mordechailehrer – I hadn’t even thought of it at all on
this trip. By now it just feels natural to me that I live in Israel.

2010-01-14 15:04:56
natges: My brother is making the NASTIEST omelet. There’s not even any meat
in it!

2010-01-14 08:46:05
natges: I had flank steak for dinner. Then I hibernated. Now I am awake.

2010-01-14 00:17:20
natges: Maybe I’ll get a television instead of just a monitor?

2010-01-13 22:21:44
natges: My brother just told me that Pizza Hut is changig its name to “The
Hut.”

2010-01-13 22:02:43
natges: Montrose Parkway is so disorienting.

2010-01-13 21:56:31
natges: Neil at Micro Center on the Pike is very knowledgeable about
computer monitors.

2010-01-13 21:38:47
natges: Monitor shopping is so confusing.

2010-01-13 19:42:17
natges: The line at the post office in America is so orderly. It keeps
great hours, too.

2010-01-13 19:37:45
natges: Every time I drive (a few times a year when I’m back in Maryland)
I’m amazed that I haven’t forgotten how to do it in the past year.

2010-01-13 17:40:01
natges: I just checked the mail and eight books were delivered for me.
That’s 10 so far. I’m about halfway there…

2010-01-13 17:09:42
natges: 32 degrees fahrenheit. This is the warmest it’s been since I got to
America.

2010-01-13 16:48:05
natges: And… Pizza Hut is consumed.

2010-01-13 16:26:15
natges: Pizza Hut is served!

2010-01-13 15:49:55
natges: Pizza Hut charges $2 for delivery on all orders, phone and online.
Bastards!!!!!

2010-01-13 13:49:38
natges: …I could take pictures of the shoes, put them online and email a
link, and they’d try to find out if they carry them. Nice!

2010-01-13 13:49:06
natges: I just talked with Techa, a CSR at Zappos. I’m having trouble
finding out if they sell shoes I like in a slightly larger size. She
said…

2010-01-13 03:57:39
natges: Who can recommend a 2TB external hard drive with USB 2 and
FireWire?

2010-01-12 20:52:43
natges: My suit is back from the cleaners and it looks great.

2010-01-12 20:40:12
natges: The Goodwill yield: four shirts and a burgundy light wool sweater
(MADE IN ISRAEL): $24.

2010-01-12 20:20:41
natges: In Goodwill all the store announcements are in spanish first, then
English.

2010-01-12 20:05:59
natges: I want one of these for the office: http://twitpic.com/xtqo0

2010-01-12 20:02:03
natges: I just let a woman cut my hair!

2010-01-12 19:46:56
natges: Noe this is a real barber: http://twitpic.com/xtnxg

2010-01-12 19:39:41
natges: To get your voice on WTOP, you can record an mp3 of yourself
talking and email it in.

2010-01-12 19:18:16
natges: I’m in Chicken Out while @wadijoh gets something. Too bad I’m still
full from brunch.

2010-01-12 19:16:19
natges: Nordstrom Rack just isn’t as fun as thrifting.

2010-01-12 18:55:18
natges: @elliotreed no way, I don’t smoke. My dad was getting them for my
brother.

2010-01-12 18:54:37
natges: Best Buy has changed so much. The music section is much smaller
now.

2010-01-12 18:17:42
natges: At the cigar store, @wadijoh just expressed surprise that it’s
still possible to buy rolling papers. What?

2010-01-12 17:59:58
natges: @wadijoh and I completed a Salvation Army visit. Yield: six shirts
& sweaters for me, a heavy shopping bag, shovel & rake (for him). $33.

2010-01-12 16:39:18
natges: The International House Of Pancakes: my lumberjack breakfast is
quite cosmopolitan.

2010-01-12 16:34:30
natges: Pizza Hut in downtown ghettosburg is closed?!?! Who is responsible
for this?

2010-01-12 16:02:29
natges: My brother would love this: http://twitpic.com/xsubp (he has an
anti- garlic salt facebook group).

2010-01-12 15:54:18
natges: Dead Sea products in costco: http://twitpic.com/xstg0

2010-01-12 15:42:25
natges: Oh, how I love to do the Dew: http://twitpic.com/xss1o

2010-01-12 15:39:05
natges: Falafel, explained: http://twitpic.com/xsrln

2010-01-12 15:35:06
natges: Let them eat cake: http://twitpic.com/xsr4z

2010-01-12 15:10:26
natges: Costco: a temple of American bigness.

2010-01-12 15:04:52
natges: The costco line: http://twitpic.com/xsnni

2010-01-12 15:00:29
natges: It amazes me how many people get to costco before it opens on a
freezing cold Tuesday morning and wait in line to enter.

2010-01-12 14:57:41
natges: I SEE SNOW FLURRIES!

2010-01-12 14:51:21
natges: I’m in the costco parking lot at they open in TEN MINUTES!!!!

2010-01-12 14:49:56
natges: Banking in this country is SO pleasant. The tellers are courteous,
helpful, friendly. And everything is free.

2010-01-12 14:25:56
natges: We’re looking for a Chevy Chase Bank in Montgomery Village.

2010-01-12 14:24:56
natges: I just started the day with a trip to the dentist. No cavities and
he even told me: “very good.”

2010-01-12 14:24:02
natges: P

2010-01-12 12:34:13
natges: It doesn’t seem to have snowed overnight. Lame.

2010-01-12 03:18:02
natges: Dinner: salmon fillet and a bowl of pasta exactly the way I used to
eat it when I lived here. Dessert: cookie dough. And fresh cookies.

2010-01-12 00:20:10
natges: I’m chatting online with a Patagonia customer service
representative named Elle who’s using LivePerson software.

2010-01-12 00:13:37
natges: Snow is in the weather forecast tonight! Come on, snow!

2010-01-11 23:54:39
natges: @emjohn @elliotreed Hey guys! Turns out that BB&B; doesn’t carry
Advil Cold & Sinus for that exact reason. But I managed to stock up at CVS.

2010-01-11 23:52:43
natges: I do believe this is the most shopping I’ve ever done in a single
day.

2010-01-11 23:52:18
natges: … Pike Center, Federal Plaza, Congressional Village, the one with
Penzey’s, and Saah Plaza. And there are still a lot more on the Pike!

2010-01-11 23:51:21
natges: Shopping centers visited today: Wintergreen, Talbott, Congressional
North, Mid Pike Plaza, the one with DSW on OGR, Montrose Crossing, …

2010-01-11 23:50:22
natges: @phriedman I’m glad you asked! You can use the Rapture Index to see
how close we’re getting: http://raptureready.com/rap2.html

2010-01-11 23:14:07
natges: Who sells turducken in Montgomery County, Maryland?

2010-01-11 23:11:15
natges: In case you need any assistance in your preparation for the
Rapture: http://twitpic.com/xpxsq

2010-01-11 23:09:16
natges: This hat is the coolest thing for sale in Ranger Surplus (except
the machetes): http://twitpic.com/xpxjk

2010-01-11 22:52:52
natges: Penzey’s has made me see spice-shopping in a whole new way.

2010-01-11 22:26:13
natges: At Penzey’s Spices, they really know what they’re doing.

http://twitpic.com/xpr7r

I bet they sell twice as much.

2010-01-11 21:59:13
natges: Why do manufacturers of enclosures for external hard drives
discriminate against FireWire?

2010-01-11 21:27:35
natges: A woman in Micro Center just asked if her new iPod would come
loaded with songs.

2010-01-11 21:04:12
natges: Ian at Hudson Trail Outfitters on the Pike gives such great
customer service, he must have been trained by Shannon Sullivan.

2010-01-11 20:33:54
natges: I RAN INTO JON BIRD IN HUDSON
TRAIL!!!!!!!!!

http://twitpic.com/xpahk

2010-01-11 19:46:07
natges: Traffic lights are out on Old Georgetown Road. This could get
hectic.

2010-01-11 19:43:51
natges: If I can’t go barefoot or in sandals, I prefer Born shoes.

2010-01-11 19:41:00
natges: Twitter unavailable!

2010-01-11 19:31:49
natges: Why doesn’t Zappo’s have an iPhone app? It’s 2010, guys.

2010-01-11 19:08:08
natges: DSW: the SW stands for shoe warehouse, right? What is the D?

2010-01-11 18:58:30
natges: In Israel, I love the groceries with specialty imported foods. In
America, that’s what World Market is for.

2010-01-11 18:45:50
natges: My mother is standing in line for me to get a harmless cold
medication because this country is scared to death that I’ll use it for
meth.

2010-01-11 18:22:39
natges: Ahhhhhhhhh, Chipotle.

2010-01-11 18:06:30
natges: Chipotle visit number one is underway.

2010-01-11 17:19:16
natges: @thachenster, this is what I meant: http://twitpic.com/xojbt

2010-01-11 17:16:17
natges: The Container Store: they tell me to contain myself, but really,
how realistic is that?

2010-01-11 17:05:30
natges: I haven’t had this much fun at Bed, Bath & Beyond in many years.

2010-01-11 16:35:14
natges: I’d live to get a new crock pot with some very clever features, but
they are all American voltage only.

2010-01-11 16:19:31
natges: Snuggie for dogs!

http://twitpic.com/xob0m

2010-01-11 16:17:24
natges: Alcohol breath checker comes on a keychain:

http://twitpic.com/xoapm

2010-01-11 16:03:37
natges: Why can’t I find Advil cold and sinus?

2010-01-11 16:01:34
natges: Israelis in BB&B;!

2010-01-11 15:36:06
natges: http://twitpic.com/xo5bp
Team pride for dogs. Is this going too
far?

2010-01-11 15:31:51
natges: Petco! Sharav, wish you were here!

2010-01-11 15:29:31
natges: Is Bed, Bath & Beyond going out of business?

2010-01-11 15:25:54
natges: Upscale Resale is moving and won’t reopen until next week. This is
bad for my thrifting.

2010-01-11 15:20:44
natges: I’m doing this week in Maryland and DC @fadetheory, then New York
next week.

2010-01-11 15:17:37
natges: The new Richard Montgomery High School is HUGE.

2010-01-11 15:00:12
natges: On today’s shopping agenda: a trip down Rockville Pike / memory
lane.

2010-01-11 14:22:21
natges: (c) 1980 Miles Laboratories. Here’s a picture:

http://twitpic.com/xnx4c

2010-01-11 14:21:15
natges: looking in the medicine cabinet in a renovated bathroom and found
the very same Bactine can that was around when I was a child. It even says

2010-01-11 14:19:36
natges: When I was very young, if I fell and scraped my knee or something,
my mom would spray some foamy stuff on it called Bactine. Just now, I was

2010-01-11 12:33:37
natges: Dear Adium,
Unless you fix the serious and annoying stability
issues, you might lose me one day to iChat.
Sincerely,
Natan

2010-01-11 12:32:42
natges: Dear iChat,
I will never consider switching to you until you find
a way to incorporate Facebook chat.
Sincerely,
Natan

2010-01-11 12:31:54
natges: RT @phriedman: apple customer service ftw. iphone replaced with no
questions (under warranty) due to crappy battery

2010-01-11 03:09:30
natges: New Big Love season does not seem so good. This program has lost a
lot of its charm.

2010-01-11 01:21:09
natges: …same screen, all at the same time.

2010-01-11 01:20:12
natges: In a little while I’ll watch the Big Love season premier with
my
parents. It’s weird to think that we used to gather around and watch the‚Ķ

2010-01-11 01:10:15
natges: Sony headphones now come with an operating manual. I could write
one:

“Put in ear. Turn on music. Not too loud.”

2010-01-11 00:45:41
natges: Grande mocha with extra espresso and no whipped cream: that is what
my brother gets at Starbucks.

2010-01-10 23:33:07
natges: I love that the pulled pork at Gordon Biersch comes, according to
the menu, on a challah bun.

2010-01-10 23:26:30
natges: Rockville Towne Center: the Kentlands on steroids.

2010-01-10 21:59:41
natges: Today’s shopping yield: a great American Eagle sweater. @wadijoh
will remove the logo from it for me so I don’t have to feel like a shill.

2010-01-10 21:40:02
natges: I saw a great Briggs & Riley brief case / messenger bag in the
luggage store, but $200 is not going to happen.

2010-01-10 20:46:54
natges: Snow: beautiful. Week-old nasty gray snow that hasn’t gone away:
ugly.

2010-01-10 20:35:38
natges: There’s a whole store just for legos?!?

2010-01-10 20:34:25
natges: Found the Israelis, but they were selling steamers, not Dead Sea
crap.

2010-01-10 20:27:35
natges: Americans have great escalator etiquette.

2010-01-10 20:14:10
natges: Here I am with an obnoxious hat in American Eagle:

http://twitpic.com/xk6j2

2010-01-10 19:43:56
natges: Is there a place on earth better than a Brookstone store?

2010-01-10 19:31:13
natges: My favorite American shopping mall game: locate the Israeli Dead
Sea product sales kiosk.

2010-01-10 19:27:27
natges: Sorry, it’s unnerving that this mall is full of people who didn’t
go through any security checks at all.

2010-01-10 19:07:21
natges: …unnerving.

2010-01-10 18:56:14
natges: L.L. Bean store is great!

2010-01-10 18:50:40
natges: @elliotreed it’s like Montgomery Mall, but bigger.

2010-01-10 18:49:50
natges: Standing at the entrance to a mall in Israel: security guard.
Standing at the entrance to a mall in America: valet!

2010-01-10 18:47:41
natges: If I remove a Western Digital mybook hard drive from its enclosure,
can I put it in a RAID array?

2010-01-10 18:46:37
natges: How can I remove a Western Digital mybook hard drive from its
enclosure?

2010-01-10 18:33:43
natges: I spoke on the phone this morning with service rep Laurie from L.L.
Bean and she was exceptionally helpful.

2010-01-10 18:31:02
natges: I’m on my way to Tyson’s Corner for the VERY FIRST TIME.

2010-01-10 18:16:45
natges: Do the Dew! Mountain Dew Code Red: shirley temples in a can!

2010-01-10 17:48:32
natges: You have something against skee-ball, @MemphisSeth?

2010-01-10 16:29:19
natges: @wojiatankao Thank you so much! I finally got it all smoothed out
overnight!

2010-01-10 16:28:41
natges: My father’s wireless network keeps dropping the internet
connection. Router is called D-link EBR-2310. Any ideas how I can fix this?

2010-01-10 14:39:59
natges: Some pancakes:

http://twitpic.com/xiu6k

2010-01-10 14:38:11
natges: Dear world, you think you love pancakes, but you don’t know what
they are until you’ve tasted my dad’s.

2010-01-10 03:03:40
natges: I am so proud that I made it to 10 pm. Jet lag is so lame.

2010-01-10 01:08:53
natges: @Meereeum Maryland!

2010-01-10 01:08:30
natges: @elliotreed None that I’d wear.

2010-01-10 00:13:46
natges: My dad’s famous chicken tenders (ie, shnitzelonim):

http://twitpic.com/xfows

2010-01-09 21:43:35
natges: My new toothbrush arrived. My teeth are going to be sooooooo clean.

2010-01-09 20:17:55
natges: Kohl’s was basically a success: socks, underwear, undershirts,
jeans x 2, slippers.

2010-01-09 19:55:12
natges: … http://twitpic.com/xedm9

2010-01-09 19:53:30
natges: My mom sanitizes a customer service telephone in Kohl’s before
touching it.

2010-01-09 19:36:18
natges: @elliotreed It’s not terrible if I get 31×32, but still, pants that
fit better look better and last longer.

2010-01-09 19:25:52
natges: My brother displays a “Canadian tuxedo” –

http://twitpic.com/xe83c

2010-01-09 19:20:54
natges: WHY DOESN’T LEVIS MAKE 501 JEANS IN SIZE 31×31???????????????????

2010-01-09 19:09:13
natges: Somehow Kohl’s doesn’t have the undershirts I like.

2010-01-09 18:56:46
natges: Kevin is returning early to Minnesota, so I won’t get to see him on
this trip. That really sucks!

2010-01-09 18:42:12
natges: @elliotreed No, but it goes right by my old neighborhood, between
Redland and Shady Grove Roads.

2010-01-09 18:40:49
natges: I-270, did you miss me?

2010-01-09 18:29:08
natges: @elliotreed I’m not against it or for it‚Ķ it’s pretty shocking,
though.

2010-01-09 18:13:18
natges: Love. That. Chicken. From. Popeye’s.

2010-01-09 17:51:00
natges: Popeye’s: two spicy chicken breasts, two biscuits, small cherry
coke.

http://twitpic.com/xdrjy

2010-01-09 17:46:26
natges: Love that chicken from Popeye’s!

2010-01-09 17:36:44
natges: Damn, ICC.

2010-01-09 16:47:30
natges: Meanwhile, Apple makes it EXTREMELY difficult to transfer an iTunes
library.

2010-01-09 16:46:26
natges: So. We’re thinking I’ll take a shower, put on my only other clean
clothes, then visit Popeye’s and then Kohl’s.

2010-01-09 15:48:29
natges: http://twitpic.com/xd7fe
My mom’s chocolate chip cookies: a taste
of freshly baked heaven.

2010-01-09 15:30:27
natges: Let the unboxing commence.

2010-01-09 15:19:42
natges: New computer:

http://twitpic.com/xd36j

2010-01-09 15:08:03
natges: NOTHING has changed in the neighborhood where I grew up. But just
outside it…

2010-01-09 14:57:27
natges: Pizza Hut: there’s an app for that.

2010-01-09 14:43:25
natges: Horse blankets?

2010-01-09 14:29:41
natges: There is snow on the ground in Maryland.

2010-01-09 14:20:25
natges: Breakfast or lunch??? (the first of many questions)

2010-01-09 14:09:01
natges: http://twitpic.com/xctsa
My parents at the baggage claim.

2010-01-09 14:07:40
natges: My father is following my tweets.

2010-01-09 13:52:44
natges: I have now reached Baltimore: A City That Reads.

2010-01-09 12:54:15
natges: These little planes are so awesome.

2010-01-09 12:45:59
natges: Once again, I’ve forgotten just how cold it is in America.

2010-01-09 11:00:06
natges: There are still Xmas decorations in the airport in Newark. I guess
early January is too early in the year for me to visit the USA.

2010-01-09 10:45:37
natges: Now I’m at Liberty waiting for a connectig flight to BWI.

2010-01-09 10:44:45
natges: My flight was uneventful and all the scary rumors about new
security regulations in the final hour were false.

2010-01-09 10:43:54
natges: Thanks Shawn at tmobile tech support for helping memconnect to the
tmobile edge cellular data network!

2010-01-08 21:08:01
natges: Yeah, I’ve already boarded and someone near me just asked if this
is the flight to Newark. Didn’t she need a boarding pass to get this far?

2010-01-08 21:00:10
natges: Let’s hear it for row 28!

2010-01-08 20:07:23
natges: Federal Reserve Notes: the currency formerly known as greenbacks.

2010-01-08 19:53:28
natges: @RAWagman I’m always suspicious.

2010-01-08 19:52:47
natges: @elliotreed All the flights here are international, so three hours
is normal. Plus we get to keep our shoes on.

2010-01-08 19:08:57
natges: @elliotreed Three hours. Our security goes quite fast – because
they’re allowed to profile.

2010-01-08 19:07:19
natges: Israelis are behaving themselves in line to check in. American
behind me is talking VERY loud on the telephone.

2010-01-08 18:51:26
natges: Israeli airport security is so sensible. I love ethnic profiling.

2010-01-08 18:24:37
natges: Taxi driver says I’m not Israeli because I actually waited for the
taxi that I called to order.

2010-01-08 18:19:24
natges: Airport taxi, now would be a good time to show up.

2010-01-08 12:55:52
natges: Dear Sharav,
In honor of your third birthday, I’m taking you to
stay with someone else while I visit America for a couple weeks.
Natan

2010-01-08 12:16:11
natges: Welcome @thachenster.

2010-01-08 10:33:24
natges: The quiche hunt continues at Roladin after a lovely stroll down
Chen Boulevard.

2010-01-08 10:18:58
natges: I’ve been dragged to Boutique Central to buy a quiche.

2010-01-08 09:58:22
natges: Happy birthday Sharav! Three years – it’s like you’re all grown up
or something!

2010-01-08 09:52:34
natges: Deaf dude just distributed begging cards in the restaurant.
Outrageous! Deaf people can work.

2010-01-08 09:19:18
natges: Shakshuka for breakfast! http://twitpic.com/x6gxl

2010-01-08 09:06:40
natges: Lilush doesn’t have ◊ê◊ô◊ô◊° ◊ß◊§◊î in the winter? Dude, it’s 70
degrees and sunny today.

2010-01-08 09:04:49
natges: One kilo of strawberries: purchased.

2010-01-08 06:22:25
natges: Continental allows paperless early check-in by PDA/smartphone in
some airports. Israel is not included. Can’t say I’m surprised.

2010-01-08 05:55:26
natges: My washing machine was leaking, but now it’s flooding. What’s the
most likely reason?

2010-01-07 21:48:50
natges: @ffidler That’s exactly where it was. I need it for a bat mitzvah
in a few weeks and then won’t think about it for another five years.

2010-01-07 21:47:52
natges: I just set up my G3 iMac as a server to share 1 TB of downloaded
movies and television shows! I am so proud of myself!

2010-01-07 21:12:05
natges: Where is my suit?

2010-01-07 20:41:49
natges: Sharav Gesher is the cleanest dog in Tel Aviv, thanks to Chen Stern
and me.

2010-01-07 18:15:00
natges: Twitterrific doesn’t rotate? Lame.

2010-01-07 17:59:45
natges: Thanks to Continental letting me choose my seat online, I’ll be in
28L tomorrow. It’s a window seat.

2010-01-07 17:54:07
natges: 51 minutes until I’ve backed up 1tb of movies and television.

2010-01-07 17:10:04
natges: Who wants to trade currency? My shekels for your federal reserve
notes.

2010-01-07 16:57:22
natges: Vacation 2010 has begun!

America in 140 characters or fewer is a post from Lines Writing Lines.

If nerd packs and belt hangdowns instantly imply prole leanings, there are other signs almost as clear. When you’re wearing a shirt with a sweater or jacket over it but omitting a necktie, what do you do with the shirt collar? Keeping all of it inside both sweater and jacket is upper- or upper-middle-class, partly, I suppose, because the effect is “careless” rather than “neat.” On the other hand, displaying it spread out over the jacket collar, unless you’re a member of the Israeli Knesset or teach at the Hebrew University, is flagrantly middle-class or prole – and may be even then. All you really have to know about this practice is that when out riding or otherwise got up in sports costume … President [Reagan] favors it.

- Paul Fussell. Class: A Guide Through The American Status System, pps. 64-5. Emphasis added.

Shirt Collars is a post from Lines Writing Lines.

Wednesday: In the middle of preparing my dinner, the gas went out. Damn it. I called the gas company, Paz Gaz (that’s right, English speakers, an Israeli gas company’s name is a euphemism for farting), to order a new canister (ie, “balloon”). They were closed. Naturally. I cooked my dinner in the slow cooker, which takes several times longer than using the stove. Time wasted: one hour.

Thursday:

• early morning – I called Paz Gaz as soon as they opened. The first person who answered the phone told me they weren’t open yet. The second person who answered the phone told me they were too busy and a manager would call me back if I’d leave a phone number. NO!!!!!!!!! So I waited on hold for a while and finally a third person came on and told me that I could not order a new canister until I had an inspection done on my apartment’s gas hookup. I expected this from the last time, so I asked if I could have the inspection done immediately. She said it could be done that very day, but that he’d come any time between 8 am and 4 pm with only 30 minutes notice. Since I work 90 minutes away from my home, that wouldn’t work.

  Fortunately I’m living with a gracious and cooperative roommate now, so I asked the Paz Gaz woman exactly what the inspection entailed, so I could determine if it was something my roommate could supervise or if I’d need to be in the apartment myself. I recognize that the preceding sentence is a little complex, so I’ve italicized it for your benefit. Unfortunately, there was no form of emphasis I could manage to use for the Paz Gaz woman to make her understand it, and she spent the next 45 minutes answering every single other useless and unimportant question on earth that I hadn’t asked. Finally I gave up and just decided to ask my roommate to accommodate the inspector’s schedule.

• mid morning – The gas inspector called to tell me he’d be at my apartment in 20 minutes. I called my roommate to ask her to let him in. She was busy with her own life, but stayed in the apartment to make the gas inspection happen. The inspection went as planned with no problems. He left a document behind stating that everything was fine.
• late morning – I called Paz Gaz to order a new canister. I got to a complete moron who told me that I couldn’t order a new one until the inspection was done. I replied that the inspection had been done already, and she could call the inspector on his mobile phone to confirm it. She told me she couldn’t do that, and that he wouldn’t bring the signed document to the office until Sunday morning, which meant that I couldn’t order a new canister until then and couldn’t have it delivered until Monday at the earliest. I hung up on her.
• early afternoon – I called Paz Gaz to order a new canister. I got to a complete moron who told me that I couldn’t order a new one until the inspection was done. I replied that the inspection had been done already, and she could call the inspector on his mobile phone to confirm it. She told me that she’d call him on his mobile phone and would call me back if I’d leave a phone number. NO!!!!!!!!! She wouldn’t do anything with me on the phone, and wouldn’t give me any way to reach her again, so I hung up on her.
• mid afternoon – I called Paz Gaz to order a new canister. I got to someone who actually seemed to know what she was doing. She told me that I couldn’t order a new one until the inspection was done. I replied that the inspection had been done already, and she could call the inspector on his mobile phone to confirm it. In the mean time, she let me order the canister. I agreed to pay the insane ridiculous fee to have it delivered the following day, Friday. I asked for it to be early in the morning, as early as possible. She said she’d put a note on the order asking for my canister to be delivered between 6 and 7 am.
• late afternoon – I got a call from the inspector. He said that he hadn’t been able to complete the inspection because I didn’t have gas coming into the apartment. I told him that this was complete bullshit, because a) he had in fact completed the inspection, and had left behind a form saying that he had, and because b) the inspection was a prerequisite for ordering gas – so not completing it because there was no gas would make no sense. I told him in any case that c) I had already ordered a gas canister based on his having completed the inspection, so if he wanted, he could come by later on Friday and check it with the gas that, by that time, would already have been delivered. He was insistent that I could not order gas because he had not completed the inspection, and that he could not complete the inspection because there was no gas.
• almost 5 pm – I got a call from the woman who’d taken my order at Paz Gaz. She told me that my gas delivery had been canceled because the inspector had not completed his inspection of my apartment. I repeated to that this made no sense, but she did not care.
• a few minutes before 5 pm – I quickly called my landlord and asked him to call Paz Gaz for me to straighten the issue out. He doesn’t consider this his responsibility, and technically it isn’t, but he did it anyway.
• a few minutes after 5 pm – The landlord called me back and told me that Paz Gaz was closed for the day and that they wouldn’t open until Sunday. Naturally.

  He also wanted to know why I insisted on using Paz Gaz specifically instead of another gas company. I was shocked. I’d always used Paz Gaz because, when signing the lease almost four years ago, he’d told me that it was the gas company for our building and I never knew that I could just go with another gas company. He told me to check out AmIsraGas.

  I called AmIsraGas, but they were closed for the day. Naturally.

• Total time wasted Thursday: probably between three and four hours.

Friday: I called AmIsraGas and asked if I could order a new gas canister from them. The woman who answered told me that I could not, because a) it couldn’t be done without an inspection, and b) I was currently a Paz Gaz customer and AmIsraGas could not sell a gas canister to me. I chose to address her second objection, characterizing it as utterly moronic. She said I’d need to present AmIsraGas with a signed document from Paz Gaz saying that I was allowed to switch companies to AmIsraGas. I offered the following analogy: I once traveled on an Egged bus; was I not allowed to take a Dan bus without an Egged form giving me permission?

She was not amused. I demanded to speak with a manager. She said that the manager was busy, but she’d have him call me back if I’d leave a number. NO!!!!!!!!! I insisted on waiting, but she warned that it could take several hours. I agreed, and she put me on hold. Every five minutes she checked in to see if I still wanted to wait. After almost an hour, I gave up. Time wasted: more than one hour.

Just give me gas is a post from Lines Writing Lines.

I took this picture in 2001. We were in a cave and through a hole in the ceiling (ground level) light came in and illuminated just a small area. Ezra was standing in it, so I snapped this shot by reading the light meter from the lit area, but standing far back in the unlit area.

Ezra in a Cave is a post from Lines Writing Lines.

To get it back, I first tried following these instructions from the Israel Mac-users discussion group:

In the meantime, I got, from Apple iPhone forum, the following instructions:
1. Connect your iPhone to iTunes. From the phone’s Summary screen in iTunes, hold down the Option key and click the Check for Update button.
2. From the Open dialog that appears, navigate to the ~/Library/iTunes/iPhone Carrier Support folder. Here you should find a file named ~.ipcc. That’s the carrier settings update file. Select to install it.
3. Restart your iPhone. See if this fixes the problem

Unfortunately, my iPhone Carrier Support folder was empty, so it didn’t work.

Then I got this suggestion:

… I have found a simpler and very efficient solutionת which can be done strait forward:

http://wwww.iphonenodata.com/site/

It works, and it can enable you to put it to On or Off as wish.
And of course, it is on Apple and without difficulties.

This worried me because it means directly modifying the iPhone from the iPhone itself. When I go from one firmware version to another, jailbreaking and unlocking each time, I am modifying the OS from my computer, then uploading it to the phone. It feels much safer and it is much safer. Moreover, when I read into it, this didn’t seem actually to solve my problem. I needed data access to be restored; I wasn’t looking for a way to shut it off.

Fortunately, I subsequently got these instructions:

Having just bitten the bullet and upgraded my iPhone 3GS to the latest 3.1.2 Firmware I too just ran into this issue.

I searched the net and found the necessary info.

Here’s how I fixed it:

I easily found the utilities I needed for a Windows PC and as I am more at home with Windows that’s what I used.

Firstly you’ll need to download and install the program “iPhone Browser” from here: http://tinyurl.com/yfhq7lh

Then download the program “PlEdit” (Property List Editor) from here: http://tinyurl.com/ykxl4om

Open the iPhone browser program and navigate to the following directory: /private/var/mobile/Library/Carrier Bundle.bundle/

You’ll see a file on the right hand side called: “carrier.plist”. This is the file that needs editing.

Save a copy of this file to the computer’s hard drive by right-clicking on it and selecting “Save as” etc.

I suggest you make a backup copy of this file if you need to replace it at a later date.

Double-click on the “PlEdit” program and then drag and drop the file “carrier.plist” onto it so you can edit the file.

Search for the following strings:

AllowEDGEEditing

If you find it but the word “false” is there instead of “true” simply change it to “true”

If it doesn’t exist at all, just add it to the top of the file beneath this header entry:

< ?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
< !DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN"
"http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">

I don’t know if it was necessary but I made a few more changes as I compared it to a previous file that I located from some months back, which had other entries that also seemed to enable APN editing.

Once you have made the changes save the file on the computer.

Then going back to the iPhone browser program right click on the “carrier.plist” file again and this time click on “Replace File” and then navigate to the location of the file you just edited and select that to overwrite the original version that’s on your iPhone.

Once again, I recommend you backup your original file in case you’ll need it.

Once you have done this simply go into Settings-> General-> Network, and you should now see the Cellular Data Network button that you can now access and edit the entries if need be.

This seemed to be right. I especially liked the idea of backing up my plist file, editing a new copy of it, uploading that and then being able to go back to the old version of the new one didn’t work.

Since I don’t have a computer that can run Windows, I chose the excellent iPhone Explorer (free, Mac or Windows) instead of iPhone Browser (free, Windows). In place of PLEdit, I used Apple’s own Property List Editor, which is free and comes with the Apple Developer Tools, which I had already installed.

Unfortunately, it didn’t help. After checking that all the settings were present, I still couldn’t connect to my data plan. Here’s what I had in Settings > General > Network:

So I fretted and worried that maybe I’d done some irreversible damage. At first it didn’t occur to me that I might have to switch the settings back to what they were when I originally got the data plan. Then, when I realized it wasn’t going to work, I decided to try the original settings:

APN: internet
Username: [blank]
Password: [blank]

And it worked! Yay!

iPhone OS 3.1.x Messed Up My Data Plan! is a post from Lines Writing Lines.

My contention is, and has been on many occasions, that chicken shnitzel is the authentic Israeli cuisine because it is the only notable dish invented by Jews in Israel that’s culturally accessible to all of us, from all our different backgrounds. More than just an adaptation of a Mitteleuropan food to Middle Eastern reality (most of us don’t eat pork, and veal was cost prohibitive in this poor country), chicken shnitzel is an innovative and daring use of chicken, bread crumbs and frying oil.

And how we love it! We Israelis so love chicken shnitzel that, somehow through affection or laziness, “skinless, boneless chicken breast” was renamed “shnitzel” in Hebrew. That’s right, if you walk into a butcher or supermarket in Israel and want to buy some boneless, skinless chicken breast, you’ll need to ask for “shnitzels.”

Falafel and hummus are both wonderful foods and I love them, but they are regional Levantine fare that belong to a deeper shared cultural heritage of the entire eastern Mediterranean. By no means are they Arab foods: more accurately, Arabic-speakers today have inherited falafel and hummus by virtue of having lived in this region for a millennium and a half, but we Jews are as much a part of that tradition as anyone else.

Update: the question has been taken up in the Jewish Chronicle, which means another mention for me.

Chicken Shnitzel is a post from Lines Writing Lines.