Do you know why babies are adorable?

I think its because of how they look at you. Blankly, unblinkingly, without fear, anger or malice, completely trusting and vulnerable. I realized it when I was riding down an elevator with a baby in a pram next to me. I was quite uncomfortable, as I was almost automatically trying to figure out what the real deal was ! But, once I get over that initial phase of distrust, it was quite nice and caused much satisfaction and feel goodness. The problems start when they grow older and start talking back to you, or at least thats what my mother says!

Developments

- Summer is here.
- Winter is gone. Gone gone gone. Till November.
- 5 months in London have gone by most rapidly and have been most enjoyable.
- Where am I going to be in a month? London? Chicago? Elsewhere? I do not know. I cannot say. I am not trying to answer the broader meta-physical question by the way.
- Most importantly, I need to start making summer plans. Any ideas?
- Quite interestingly, today I spoke to one of the sharpest guys I have spoken to in a long time. British guy, from Oxford I think, Math, one of those people that make you question if you have really been doing anything useful with your life.

Update on life

I am sooo bored right now. One more hour to get out of the office and to freedom. I think worse than having too much to do, is having too little to do or having something to do and not feeling like doing it!

A general update on life for the sake of posterity:

- Last 5 months or so in London have been quite nice. Work was not torturous, hours were kind, made new friends and drank some wine. Traveled around Europe, went to Stuttgart, took a train down to Paris and looked at some art.

- Last trip was to Interlaken for the Easter weekend. Graduated from the baby slopes to some long blues and reds. No Blacks anytime now though! Maybe in a year or two! The apartment was awesome. Great views of the triumphant trio - Eiger, Munch and Jungfrau, which mean Ogre, Monk and Virgin. Company was good fun too. We got stuck in a snowstorm on Friday evening (trip was from Thursday March 20th to Monday March 24th), and the car refused to move up a hill. I insisted on trying, even though we might be dying, making frequent references to the video game Need For Speed 3, and driving everyone else up a tree. I thus earned for myself the moniker "NFS".

- Going to Chicago next week for an extended weekend. Haven't been there in almost 6 months now. Meet up with the Chicago and UIUC crowd.

- I will be knowing about my permanent placement quite soon. I need to do 3 6 month rotations before they put me in a permanent role. I am about to finish with my 3rd in a few weeks, so the day of reckoning has arrived. It is somewhat likely I will stay in London but things tend to change quite frequently around here, and its very dangerous to jump to conclusions in my particular line of work! :)

- More generally things have been quite volatile on the market front. Most banks are cleaning headcount and that does tend to make things tighter for everyone. A lot of people are out there looking for a job, which means, if you lose yours, its quite unlikely you will find a good position. Unlike in my previous group, this time around I have been quite insulated from the big market moves. When the whole credit saga started in July/August, I literally had to at times work 24/7, through the weekend and everything! Thank god for small mercies.

- I have taken up running with some enthusiasm over the last few months. I run about 12 miles on the weekend, and 6 miles during the week. I have found it quite addictive, if I might use that word. It is some kind of natural feel good drug, you feel completely refreshed, clear and peaceful after a good run!

- As for reading, I completely recommend that you read "The English Teacher" by R.K.Narayan. It is one of the most unpretentious, genuine and touching books I have read in a long time. One doesn't have to show off with fancy word play or complex story constructs to captivate the reader!

Ok. Thats it for now. I shall promise to blog more often.

PS: Which brings up the question - will I?

I have made this promise many a time,

But have failed almost to a crime

It is not that I cannot,

But I just will not.

Stupid rhyme you have read through,

Don't you have anything else to do?

Go read "The Golden Gate"

By our good friend Vikram Seth.

Long overdue :)

Madame BBB (pronouned Bey Bey Bey, as the French might) has tagged me. I believe in doing everything in the fullness of time, and thus have taken my time to respond.

So here are the rules:

First, the rules:Post 5 links to 5 of your previously written posts. The posts have to relate to the 5 key words given (family, friend, yourself, your love, anything you like).Tag 5 other friends to do this meme. Try to tag at least 2 new acquaintances (if not, your current blog buddies will do) so that you get to know them each a little bit better.

Family: No idea why I don't really write about my family! But I did once or twice. Here it is.

Friends: This isn't exactly about a friend, but more about high school and things past.

Me: This isn't going to be that hard. Most of the blog is about me and my rantings and whinings. For example.

Love: Some of my famed analytical skill has extended to this subject as well.

Anything I Like: This is pretty much my blog, and I write as I please about myself and my life. You really need to visit the Artic! Aren't you totally taken by this? Remember OTG?

PS: I think this tag come out over 2 months ago. I doub't if anyone even remembers.

Who do I tag? Everyone who comments on this post. Ha ha just kidding. That would drive away even my 2 commenters. No one I say. No one.

Funding Priorities

US'09 Budget

Keeps the U.S. the most innovative nation in the world by implementing the American Competitiveness Initiative (ACI).
$12.2 billion total for the National Science Foundation, DoE's Office of Science, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology, an overall funding increase of $1.6 billion, or 15 percent, above the 2008 enacted total of $10.6 billion.
The President's FY 2009 Budget returns ACI research to a doubling path to ensure this consensus national priority objective is realized.
Increases energy security by focusing on renewables, accelerating technological breakthroughs, and expanding traditional sources to reduce our reliance on foreign oil.
$400 million as the first installment of a three-year, $2 billion U.S. commitment to an international clean energy technology fund that will increase and accelerate the deployment of clean technologies in developing nations to help confront climate change.
Doubles the capacity of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to 1.5 billion barrels.
Nuclear power: $242 million for Nuclear Power 2010 to promote the licensing of new nuclear plants through an industry cost-shared effort with streamlined regulatory processes. $302 million for Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative research and development.
Coal: $648 million for research, development, and demonstration of advanced coal technologies. This represents a $197 million increase from the President's FY2008 request and is the largest amount requested for DOE's coal program in more than 25 years. With private sector match, this budget represents an approximate $1 billion investment in advanced technologies that can produce power from coal with significantly lower carbon emissions.
Keeps America Safe
Supports the national defense and funding for America's troops.
$515 billion for the Department of Defense base budget – a nearly 74 percent increase since the President took office – to support military readiness and continue the transformation of our military to meet twenty-first century threats.
$70 billion for an emergency allowance to support activities related to the Global War on Terror that help achieve the strategic goal of creating free, democratic, and self-governed ally nations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Defence Spending / Scientific Research Funding = 585/12.2 = 48. In other words, the defense department blows through a years worth of scientific funding in a week. Worth thinking about...

Chennai, London and other things

A week back, I did write this witty, sarcastic and amazingly funny blog post that just vapourized when I tried to post it because I had got disconnected in the meantime. Yes people, I was in India, like I currently am. Though some things like terrible internet connections never really seem to change, a lot else has.

• Privatized airlines. Jet Airways from London to Mumbai was great to say the least. On time. Good Indian food. Desi in-flight entertainment . A lot better than the American carriers (Delta, United, AA) that actually expect you to pay cash for your food on a 14 hour flight. Heard a lot about Kingfisher as well, from friends. Looks like Mr Mallya personally selected all the air hostesses.
• Cell phones. Everyone has a cell phone, some have two, and ads are everywhere. Whoever would have imagined?
• Construction. Everywhere. Flyovers, commercial complexes, residential flats … Lots of lending. Banks are competing hard to sell home loans. Many people are going to be very broke if demand slows.
• Prices. I think the official government inflation number of 6% is inaccurate to put it very mildly. If I were to not put it mildly, I will call it a blatant lie propagated by the political parties to keep the populace quiet. I would put the number close to 35% a year for someone living in a metropolitan city. A roadside meal that used to cost about 30Rs now costs 100Rs. An average restaurant dinner ends up running to around 400Rs PP. Auto fares have double over the last 2-3 years. Let us not even speak about real estate prices. It isn’t surprising that the IT companies have had to ramp up salaries by 20% a year to keep turnover in check. What used to be a 1.5 lakh a year job in 2003 now pays about 4.0 lakh. I shudder to think how the median Indian (rhymes doesn’t it) is coping.
• The traffic. I don’t know if it is just me, but the whole city appears to crawl during the morning and evening rush hours. A good alternative to driving down from Kalakshetra to Nungambakkam is to shut yourself in your garage with your car, turn on the engine, honk repeatedly to yourself, and wait for the end.

I have another week to go before I am back to my good old SSDD lifestyle. (Same Shit Different Day)

I shall now backtrack, and fill you in on the numerous splendors that have bedecked my life since I landed in the land of our colonial masters on the 19th of November, in the 2007th year of the lord, but before I descended upon the land of the sacred cow.

I think the biggest problem with London is the Colonial Hangover Premium (CHP) that debilitates it. Now, not many of you read random finance papers that proselytize on risk premia and investor utility, so I need to explain.

See growing up, in whichever city you might have, you had a Hyde Park or Connaught Place or Victoria Terminus or (insert name of dead British guy) Road. Or, if you are that type, you had visited a bar/pub that pilfered alcohol in the name of some person/place/thing from that exalted pile of mud (it keeps raining) in the Atlantic. When you finally grow up, you finally want to go and see what the fuss is all about, and pay the price. Ouch!

• 5 pounds for a tube ride in a system that is perennially delayed, overcrowded and closes at 12:30 am. Now that is better than spending 30 pounds on a cab ride.
• Tourists everywhere. I made the mistake of going near Harrods around Christmas. It took me 25 minutes to walk the 100 yards from the west exit to the tube stop.
• 400 pounds a week in rent for a studio convertible.
• 10 pounds for dinner on the wayside (60 pounds to make a meal of show and pretension)
• 40% taxes. What?! Where is my wage?! Government! Give me back my money!

Setting all the cribbin aside, London is a fun city. Firstly, unlike Chicago, it is a focal point for DLA’s (Desis Living Abroad), which means that there is a large contingent from university infesting the city. The museums look delectable, though I still haven’t done full justice to them. However, in all modesty, I am forced to admit that nothing can beat having, on a cool summer eve, for your perusal, a couple of wings of Picasso at the Art Institute. Desi food is plentiful and cheap, which keeps me happy and sated. However, the most important point that should guide any decision making process is that none of the bartenders have heard of (or would like to hear of) Miller, Budweiser or Coors.

Now, astute readers would note that this sporadic periodical was started on a blustery January evening, in the dank depths of a computer lab in Lyon, way back in 2004. It is now 2008, and I am back to Europa, though I always thought I had got dumped for good the first time around.

A Titular Matter

When this blog was started, back in January 2004, I had given it a name. Unfortunately, I don't remember it now, so anonymous was it. I can guess that it would have been an effort to display my knowledge of either science fiction or academics or high flown literature. Then in January 2005, as an impoverished graduate student, the blog was renamed - "Poor Indian Graduate Student". I had less than 500$ in my bank account, and graduation was nowhere in sight. Fortunately, I bailed out in May 2006, and so the title had to become "Poor Indian Graduate Student ", with an additional line of "In the US of A", by way of further explanation of my status. Now, as it turns out, in a few weeks "In the US of A" might need to be amended to "In the US of A UK".

They own the night

Mr. Family Orientation has been driving for the last 30 years. Enjoys talking to and observing the variety of people he meets. Will retire in 4 years and head to his newly constructed home in Puerto Rico. Plans to run his own little rickshaw company there, importing bright yellow rickshaws from India. Loves to watch discovery channel. Knows about the Bombay meal carriers. Told me among all the people he has met, he finds Indians to be the nicest. He likes them because they are family oriented. Feels happy that Indians in the US are going out a lot more than when he started driving; they are better integrated into society. Thinks Indian girls are very pretty, especially when they free their long straight hair.

Mr. Part Time has been driving a cab for the last 3 months. Brazilian who was traveling through the US and decided to stay. Has been working odd-jobs for the last 2 years while studying for his degree in art. Barely knows the routes, and very polite; not at all used to the ways of a cabdriver. Apologized when he missed the intersection, and offered to take 4$ off the bill. Asks me what I think of the United States. Thinks that Americans are too conservative and boring. Is learning to speak English, Portugese being his native language.

Mr. Chevrolet has roamed the city's streets in his yellow Caprice Classic since the year 2000. Came from Uganda. Thinks that there is good money driving a cab in the city. Loves cars. Asks me what car I like most. I say that the Audi is a car I like. He likes American cars. Thinks the Mercury is the best car. Spacious, big, fast. Also likes the Lincoln. Thinks European cars are too small - not good value for money.

Mr Big Shot has been driving a cab ever since he came to the US from Pakistan about 10 years back. Is a Civil Engineer. Owns a business. Drives a cab for excess money. Tells me that life is good in the US. Lots of money to be made. Asks me what I do. I tell him I work on a computer. Asks me how much I make. I tell him. Says that I dont make enough. Tells me I should change jobs or work as a consultant paid by the hour.