8/19    I have business in Osaka. I would like to see Kyoto and,
        preferably, Tokyo. However, I only have about 2-3 days to myself.
        I have never been to Japan. I can fly into Osaka and out of Tokyo,
        if I want. I was thinking of flying into Osaka and then taking the
        train to Tokyo before flying back from Tokyo to the USA with the
        goal of a full day in Kyoto and a full day in Tokyo in between. Is this
        realistic? Should I focus on just one of Tokyo/Kyoto? The idea is
        that I check them out in order to figure out what I want to see
        next time when I have more time. I know I am trying to compress a lot
        into a short period, but I am an expert at that. I just don't sleep.
        I'd appreciate advice.
        \_ You certainly can see a few things in each place.  While I was
           there, I chatted with a lady who was doing what you're thinking of
           while on a business trip.  Depending on your interests, I suspect
           even if you spend the full 2-3 days in the Kansai area, you might
           want to come back anyways.
        \_ Yes, you can do this. You're going to be beat, but it sounds like
           you're okay with that. Make sure to hit Kinkakuji in Kyoto.
           This site may help with the trains:
           http://www.seat61.com/Japan.htm#Train%20times

8/19    Anyone have a good MLC vs. SLC writeup that is less than a year
        old? I am investigating making a big SSD order. -ausman
        \_ how much performance gain are you expecting from using SSD?
           Let's say your 7200RPM yields 70 MB/sec (sustained) read and
           your new SSD yields 160 MB/sec read, and that your application
           is mostly streaming media (so the platter is continuous read,
           mostly). Do you expect a 2X performance? Now, let's say your
           application is mostly short random meta-data reads and your
           7200RPM now only yields 32MB/sec read, while your SSD still
           yields 160MB/sec read. Do you expect a 5X performance in your
           response time or throughput, or both? I'm quizzing your ability
           to perform calculations as an architect.