He's back ....

SC@MD is back to blogging, narrating select tales from the last 21 months. First he did not have a reliable computer. That made him lazy and delinquent. Then he lost the urge to post when he got a computer. His cyber-rehab is going fine, albeit in baby-steps. I thought I'd keep you posted ....

#100: iPod iMac iPhone iRaq iRan

Should anyone who pronounces "Iraq" and "Iran" as though they are product extensions of the Apple brand be even allowed to share their 2-cents on NPR (or in any public forum)? Regrettably, their opinion and "expertise" counts.

#98: obiwan on photography

It's been exactly a year since my religious conversion .... from film photography to digital. It's more a repertoire expansion than a conversion or an upgrade. My film camera will stay with me (although it felt odd in my hands after a year in exile).

Now a few words of advice to my readers (the 2 of them) who may be thinking of going digital.

1. There are tons of good cameras out there .... from the slick aim-and-shoot, to the fixed zoom, to the now-affordable digital SLRs. I have trusted the advice of a few professional reviews before baring my wallet. And they have delivered good wisdom. If you are in the same boat, I personally recommend Digital Camera Resource, Digital Photography Review, and Digital Picture (for Canon products).


2. It's not in the mega-pixels. Contrary to sales pitches, ramping up pixels do not give you better or sharper images. They may just do the reverse. Don't take my word for it. Read this, "The myth about megapixels" in the NY Times.


3. The magic is in the lens. The range from less than a $100 to a couple of thousand for just that glass should tell you that there is a serious difference. Lenses bundled with SLR kits are the bottom of the line; let's just say they take pictures. Investing in a good lens is worth it, and definitely a lot more than ramping up the pixels.


4. Packing in a large zoom range has trade-offs. The images suffer from distortions and softness, and they forgo lens speed. Some have image stabilisers built in. But there's only that much they can compensate for. And they cannot help if your objects are in motion – think of people or wild-life. So don't get greedy on the range.


5. Third party lenses (Sigma or Tamron) are a hit-and-miss. You could get a terrific match with your camera and at a fraction of the cost of camera brands. How good is your luck? My advice: accessorise gradually.

So there you have it: my recently acquired wisdom distilled into one posting. Happy clicking. This is no guarantee for terrific photos (look at me). But you'll have a fighting chance!

#96: courting the devil again

Computers. Cannot live with them; can't live without them either. My laptop of 3 years died out on me, taking with it some recent photos and data (that true to natural human habits were not backed up), and my piece of mind. I've been scouting the market for a new one.

I surprised myself by checking out the whole spectrum on offer .... from the known devils (Dell, Sony Viao), the work-horses (Thinkpads aka Lenovo) to the benchmark of chic hipness (MacBooks). It boiled down to the Dell and MacBook Pro. But the price (and lack of meaningful academic discounting for the latter) means I will settle for yet another Dell. As much as I was prepared to take the leap to the Mac "promised land", my meagre budget just could not justify the premium for coolness. Sorry, all of you in Mac-Nation; maybe you ought to drop a hint to Mr. Jobs or a certain Nicholas Claus at the North Pole.

Just 10 years ago, a friend called me up just to gloat that his new desktop had 2 GIGABYTES of hard-drive memory. "Smart toothbrushes" have more now. In another 5 years, we won't be calibrating in GBs at all.

#95: wwf and us presidents

From an outsider's perspective, US presidential campaigns are a repackaged World Wrestling Federation bout.

• They are between two parties/players – one in the red corner and the other in the blue. But in reality they could not be any more alike each other.
• They go at each others' throats with all their pettiness and irrelevant campaigns. They could not care any less about the referee either.
• But then they are both elaborate shams – more hype than substance: a made for television theatrical performance of posturing (and rehearsed sound-bites).
• The pundits, the wonks, the spin-masters, and girls in tight bikinis are just ornamental.
• Everyone knows how it will play out, and yet they go to watch the next episode with religious fervour.
• The one with the deeper pockets always wins.

That is a sad advert for "democracy", or the form the Administration is trying to export beyond its shores. Caveat emptor, all potential buyers.

#94: "you know, like, seriously"

.... as overheard on the Metro. Apparently this sequence of words means something. It does not however make any pretense of grammar or composition. Text-messages now set the norm. No wonder then that Miss Teen South Carolina offered such an insightful and compelling response at her beauty pageant. She may have been distraught that "US Americans" do not have maps in adequate numbers. But in turn she single-handedly put South Carolina on the global cyber-map.

Is it really surprising that reading skills and scores among school-students is stagnant or even declining? That's not just only in US; I got a greeting card from a cousin in India which did not fare any better.

PS: Here's a link to comments about "that answer" in the Miss Teen USA pageant.

#93: cow-tipping in vermont

Among the "ambiance" of one-size-fits-all stereotypical US cities, Vermont towns are a welcome few that buckle the trend. It was really like what I had heard it to be .... rolling hills, meandering roads with hardly any traffic, crystal blue lakes on either side, ski-slopes at a distance .... and most importantly, people who were so friendly and welcoming. Just imagine leaving your homes and cars with all possessions completely unlocked day after day, week after week, years on end, and nothing ever goes missing. It's a kind of rural simplicity I never thought I'd see in this day and age, and in this country.

Temperatures were in the 90s, and then I landed up in Middlebury where it was downright chilly at night. The College is the heart of a quaint and historic little town. Burlington is a bit more of a city. Stowe is a winter ski-resort that has funky antique car-parades in summer when the entire town descends on to that one main street and sits patiently on its sides to cheer and holler as those vintage cars roll by. And then there are towns with names like Moscow and InkyDinkyOinky Ink. If you haven't been to Vermont, you owe yourself a trip. You'll do the locals a favour in return. Too many visitors there are bratty college kids from Massachusetts and New York who cannot think beyond their juvenile sport of "cow-tipping".

PS: The "Adirondacks" are a signature furniture style of the region. And I stumbled upon a re-enactment of a battle of 1780s between French and English troops on the banks of Lake Champlain.

#91: the summer that it is

DC is going through its usual spate of muggy days and sapping humidity without rain. And I am going through the paces of teaching two dozen students about the fickle-minded foreign exchange markets. They better pay attention: it will hit them hard soon whether they travel overseas or not.

My adventures in MD/DC this summer so far have been limited to a Nats game at RFK stadium, and to the hoopla (aka mania) around the last potion of Harry Potter magic.

Can someone tell me why cricket gets branded as a slow game when there is baseball? Ahhh, the double standards. If only anyone at the stadium really paid any attention to what was going on! I am sticking to futbol.

Potter mania was as much a celebration of capturing kids' (and adult) imagination in fairy-tale fiction as much as an elaborate corporate merchandising exercise. I won't be surprised if it morphs into a federal holiday soon: more sales, discounts, and shopping! Downtown Silver Spring got renamed Diagon-Alley for an evening. People in all sorts of witchy costumes walked about or waited in long serpentine lines for their copy of Volume 7. I think I'll be the Grinch and give out the end in the final exam in class. They will have to read it since it will be in the exam!! The last laugh is the best!!!

#89: pixels, millions of 'em

Everyone and their mother now has a digital camera. If not a camera, then mobile phones that are almost just as capable. And everyone, including this perpendicular pronoun, has turned into a born-again photo enthusiast overnight.

There is an overload of digital images everywhere ..... Facebook, blogger, flickr, zoomr, myspace, you name it. It is absolute chaos. But all is not so dismal: there are clear benefits too. I learned long ago that the good photographers take bad pictures too .... and perhaps in proportions similar to us amateurs. They just take more exposures and end up getting more number of decent photos from them.

Digital photography has just made that happen for everyone. The "marginal cost" of a bad photo is now zero. If I don't like it, I just delete it. There's no suspense of waiting to find out how it will turn out, and no remorse of paying to print bad exposures. Tinkering with photos is so much easier; sharing them online is a breeze.

In that spirit, I posted my personal favourite photograph last week.

#88: time flies

It's 07.07.07 today. Time and again I have found myself remembering a post-card my dad sent me this very day exactly 30 years ago. It was dated 7.7.77. And in it he pointed out to the sequence in the date. I was in junior school then, when playing with numbers was fun. I have thought of him so many times today.

#87: fireworks

Jefferson Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, DC.

July 4th in DC and "rain+thunder+lightning+threat of cancellation of the fireworks on the Mall" is an inevitable routine. This year wasn't any different. The clouds came, roared, poured, but thankfully rolled on. We had our "Made in China" fireworks, although they did not last as long. If the lawmakers here keep pressuring the Chinese to appreciate the yuan, the fireworks next year may get shorter still.

#86: caving in

Some people are born great, some become great, and some have greatness thrust upon them. I joined the ranks of the last, thanks to a doting aunt who broke down my resistance to owning an iPod. Technically I maintain that I stayed true to my resolve: I did not line the pockets of Steve Jobs. It was a gift.

It's all downhill from here; a downward spiral that creates a perpetual revenue stream out my meager earnings. First I'll need more memory on my computer to store the songs. Then I'll need to buy more songs to keep it from going stale. And then I'll start chasing a bigger iPod to store the new songs. The consumerist cycle has just begun. I better get used to this new diet.

#85: california dreamin'

An ode to the Governator (aka Golden) State is what this is, after my recent trip there. I was visiting the Bay Area, to be more precise. SF was where I had begun my first trip to US, exactly 25 years ago. I had been to SF once thereafter, some 11 years ago. So this trip was a mixed bag of reliving some vague nostalgia, and making some new memories.

Some things (thankfully) have not changed. The TransAmerica Building still dominates the skyline, the bridges (BB and GG) remain just as imposing – playing hide-and-seek with the rolling mist and fog all day long. The 13 hills of SF are all there, and so is the cityscape that blends into their hilly slopes. Lombard Street is as crooked as ever; Chinatown remains just as distinct in character. It is a truly global city, and a very tolerant one at that. It is perhaps a bit touristy (I joined their ranks), but I am so used to DC with its summer-hoards of camcorders and cameras.

And what can I say of the weather. Flying out from 95 degrees in the east coast to at most 65 degrees in midday sun, with a gentle breeze blowing all day long .... I see why Californians, and all my friends from SF, loathe to live anywhere else. I think I saw more Mazda Miatas in 3 days of walking around than I had seen in 10 years in MD/DC. And why not! With days like those all year round, it would be a criminal waste not to indulge.

Some things have changed though. I went to Sausalito .... chasing the memory of my first hot-dog ever, at the water-front from a small store that had a crooked street inside. But now the whole town is a boutique mall – with private yacht clubs and exclusive shopping pavilions for those with high-heels and deep-pockets. No street-side vendors there; Dot.com billionaires are here to stay.

SF still heads my list of three favourite US cities. I'd love to live there someday .... and go running along Crissy Field, watch the 49ers and the Giants play (maybe), and watch the sun set over the Pacific from the Muir Woods (definitely). Maybe some day.

PS: I can now tick these off my "to-do in SF" list ....

• Climbing atop Coit Tower
• Crossing the Golden Gate Bridge on foot
• Eating dim-sums in Chinatown
• Feasting on an In-N-Out Burger
• Browsing at Ghirardelli and Levi's stores

Mission partly accomplished; tons more left to do. Next time ....

#84: people power

The French TGV can chase records for the fastest train. We Indians will chart our own opposite course – literally moving iron-chariots with "people power". Not surprising though, it follows Ricardian trade theory – each country specialising and milking their comparative advantage, and using the relatively abundant resource to do so. And the notion of abundance takes a whole new perspective when describing India's teeming billions!

#83: this one's for jay leno

Okay, smart people, decode this parking regulation sign posted along a DC street (19th and S, NW – to be exact). Can you translate this? If parking is prohibited at all times, then why the exceptions? And just to spice it up a wee-bit more, there are two different contact numbers for parked cars that get towed away.

Forget all the banter about indecisive "two-handed" economists. The DC traffic administration beats them hands down!

#82: bitter-sweet

'Tis that time of the year: graduation, celebrations, congratulations. I watch my friends revel in their accomplishment. They've all worked so long and so hard for it. In two days from now, they'll don their hoods and gowns and be formally recognised. I'm celebrating in their joy.

But it's also the moment of valediction; soon they'll fly away. Every year there are some who mean a lot. And more so this year. Some that I had grown most fond of, are heading out the farthest. I'll miss them. Will we remain close despite the distance ... I don't know. I certainly hope so; I heard that the world had shrunk!

#80: oh, my bleeding heart

Paris Hilton was handed a 45-day prison sentence for driving when intoxicated on a suspended license. A caller on the radio cried bloody murder for this biased and disproportionate punishment. Yah, right! Non-resident-aliens (FOBs like me) can get deported on our first instance of DUI or DWI. The "harsh treatment" of celebrities truly bleeds my heart.

Notoriety and infamy is a passage to fame: ask Martha Stewart, Naomi Campbell or Marion Barry. Beaming them 24/7 is the zeitgeist of the 21st century media. The day Scooter Libby was indicted, the headline on WPost.com was Anna Nicole Smith's fatal drug overdose. So much for priorities and burning issues.

#78: beam me up, scotty

A zoom lens, and an unsuspecting stranger on a bench 4 floors below....

A famous misquote
The line "Beam me up, Scotty" is one of the most notorious misquotes in popular culture. Although Scotty became synonymous with the line, it was never actually said in the Star Trek series. The closest Captain Kirk came to was in the fourth Star Trek movie, when he said "Scotty, beam me up". See link.

#77: guv'nator v hammer

Schwarzenegger was on PBS' Charlie Rose Show. Despite all the stereotypical lampooning of the Governator that many (including me) have indulged in, I was quite won over by his candour and humility. Plus he answered the questions. What a contrast to Rumsfeld who would "redefine" the questions and then respond to that which bore no resemblance to the original, or to the chief who never admits to a wrong decision, to the possibility of learning from others, or to the merits of an opposing view.

This may be his Hollywood glibness (like the Gipper before him). But at least he has ideas and a vision (making environmentalism "sexy") and is defying the divisiveness of entrenched political forces to serve a purpose and not an ideology. So unlike a person making a living in politics.

Tom Delay was on the same show last night. For him political malaise is just an elaborate left-wing liberal conspiracy bought by the leftist media. One highlight was his suggestion to prevent another Virginia Tech massacre: abolish gun control (aka everyone permitted to possess concealed weapons). That apparently would have deterred the assailant, or someone could have retaliated in self-defense. Just imagine this sight .... a classroom in crossfire, a vigilante society and everyone with means to terminate life at the fingertips. How enlightened!

#76: cherry-blossoms

#75: europe stealing thunder

TGV, France set the world speed record for trains on wheels. At that speed, a trip from DC to NYC would take 35 minutes, not the 3.5 hours it takes for Acela! The Airbus A380 earned favourable reviews on its trial trips to the rest of the world (more on that some other day).

For the first time since WWI, market capitalisation in European stock markets exceeded that of their US couterparts. Even counterfeiters now prefer the Euro to the greenback US$.

Other than David Beckham's mega-million-dollar retirement plan, most "firsts" are being clocked east of "The Pond". Is Uncle Sam losing his edge?

#74: oscars gone green

An Inconvenient Truth made quite a splash at the Oscars this year. So did Gore and DiCaprio by proudly proclaiming that the show had gone green. Pardon my cynicism but that sounded like another "I invented the internet" claim. I found some clarity through Charles Krauthammer's usual ranting column.

It appears that the Academy neutralised the "carbon footprint" of the gala by buying carbon credits (aka paying a "carbon broker," who promised, after taking his cut, to reduce equivalent carbon emissions somewhere on the planet). And that would typically be a coal-fired power-plant somewhere half-way across the globe.

This appears to be a cost efficient solution, since coal-fired plants in China and India have the greatest potential to reduce carbon emissions. The marginal dollars ought to chase the highest marginal gains. Call it outsourcing or economic mumbo-jumbo, if you want.

But in turn, it creates a moral-hazard problem from an incentive mismatch. What dissuades an operator in China and India from starting up another sooty plant, in anticipation of the day another ex-Veep will trade a few more dollars for more carbon credits? The more he pollutes today the more he can earn from his credits tomorrow. And that beats the whole purpose, doesn't it? Any suggestions?

#72: lured by the price

I have always had trouble citing illustrations of the rare upward sloping demand curve. I'll never have the funds it takes to indulge in prestige goods that consumers aspire because of the price tag and nothing else. But now I can name two.

I came across a pair of jeans lebelled "R&R" and sporting an obscene price tag. It was just a pair of jeans, nothing remarkable, and slightly tattered if you ask me. But it was designed by an obscure Victoria Posh Beckham. The tag added "R&R means edgy progressive design with an emphasis on modern silhouettes .... designs for sexy confident men and women who live the lifestyle and really understand the look". Clearly I don't.

College education in US is the other illustration. The NY Times reported that some institutions raised their fee without changes to their curriculum or facilities. And the schools had more applicants knocking at their doors (many more than can be explained by trend factors). Potential students assumed the higher tuition as a signal that "they must be doing something right" and did not want to be left behind. Higher education is getting edgy too!

#71: wonders of our world

The race to anoint 7 "new" wonders of the world is well and truly on. And in true spirit of a global community (that only includes those with the magic internet access), web-votes will decide the winners. The WPost has some striking photographs of the "contestants". Here's your chance to fulfil your civic responsibility.

For all the excitement and enthusiasm this has generated, is this a meaningful contest? It mimics a Miss Universe/American Idol pageant. How do you compare Stonehenge or the rocks on Easter Island to the Sydney Opera House? And why are the Great Pyramids of Giza nominated once again? Being an ancient wonder of the world surely would have been enough for even the Pharaohs.

Let's do away with the number 7. And then call them "architectural wonders" for what they truly are. My personal vote would be for Easter Island, Machu Picchu, the Colosseum, Angkor Wat, the Great Wall, the Parthenon, the Taj Mahal, Petra, and the Hagia Sophia/Blue Mosque. The Statue of Liberty, the Eiffel Tower, and the Sydney Opera House can wait for their turn.

#70: heading east

Halliburton, the energy giant once headed by a Richard Cheney and the most favoured recipient of US government contracts in the last 6 years, announced that it was moving its headquarters from Texas to Dubai. It's easy to see the fit. From one oil-field to another, from one dry and arid landscape to another – the match is perfect.

Not long ago the US House of Representatives cited national security concerns to block a deal for the Dubai Ports World to manage 6 US ports. But now when the Dubai-based Halliburton wins the next hefty government bid, as it surely will in no time, how will the Capitol react? And that's not even accounting for the loss of tax revenues to the US treasury.

I'm just plain curious.

#69: business as usual

As a political persona-non-grata, I watched from the sidelines the Democrats come to power in last year's Congressional elections. I was made to believe (and I did believe) that such a resounding rebuke of the Republican agenda, policies, and practices would change the way business is done inside the Beltway. I clearly overestimated the power of the ballot and underestimated the inertia of entrenched interests. As WPost reports, the Democrats are doing just as their counterparts did for the last 12 years: pandering to lobbyists to shore up revenues for the next elections. So much for the promise of good governance.

In my profession, this is bribery and a felony. I suppose those who script the rules have legalised it for themselves.

Politics and power everywhere is so brazenly alike. In my favourite TV show and satire, BBC's "Yes Minister/Yes Prime Minister", Sir Humphrey Appleby, the Permanent Secretary to the Minister of Administrative Affairs once observed ....

"Ministers come; ministers go. But the government must go on."

With the subtext .... without any change! Business as usual.

#67: defenses breached

Crank calls and telemarketeers have traced out my mobile number. I had been über cautious to prevent this. But a Ms. Dolly from Oregon, in a pre-recorded message, just offered to lower my mortgage! Another offered me Viagra (wow, how did she know I needed one?).
Beyond the national do-not-call registry, the sad truth is that you and I cannot do much to protect our minutes and sanity of mind. The website "whocalledus" allows irate consumers to list these bogus numbers. At least I get the satisfaction of doing something, even if futile in the larger scheme of things.

2 other websites might be of aid to some. For the not-too-easy-to-trace customer service numbers of mobile phone companies, try this consumer advocate site for a listing. To reach a person rather than the automated menus, this site lists the options for a whole group of companies (including phone, airline, utilities, banking and finance).

Good luck.

#66: in pilgrims' footprints

Thanksgiving. I figured it's a gathering of family and friends. But I never found out its significance. My closest family is a 5-hour flight away; tickets prices peak then ... you get the drift. What then gave this year? Well, it's not everyday that someone invites me to her first festive cooking, I knew I would have good company, I had a new camera, "that other Cambridge" had been on my to-visit list for a while, and I had had enough of MD! The stars were all aligned.

The meal was a true feast. I did my part .... spilt the filling of the pumpkin pie in a hot oven and saw it burn up in seconds (leaving a not-so-pleasant odour all over the apartment), chipped a coffee mug in the sink – among other bloopers. My friend was remarkably patient and forgiving. I fear though, that I've burnt my bridges!

To complete the experience, we drove to Plymouth – where the Pilgrims (now I know what this is all about) landed and settled in circa 1620. A scaled replica of Mayflower, somewhere between a ship and a "supersized" boat, sails annually on a round-trip across the Atlantic. When moored, it is a museum there. All nice and dandy. The shocker was a tacky "Plymouth Rock". My friend narrates it more eloquently ....

".... my trip to Plymouth, to see where the Pilgrims landed .... you know, the place where they met the natives, befriended them and lived happily ever after (so the history books go). I also got to see THE Plymouth Rock. Much to my dismay, Plymouth Rock turned out to be, well, a rock. I'm not quite sure what I was expecting, but I was terribly disappointed with the unremarkable stone that had the etching "1620" on it".

Exactly. Her expression says it all.

Thanks Maria, for a thanksgiving worthy of its true sentiments. And for one of my most enjoyable weekends of the year.

#65: lessons from the road

Driving can be therapeutic or a chore or both; it depends on the curvature of your indifference curves. And the longer the distance – the more polarised are travellers’ perceptions.

I enjoy driving – under normal circumstances; Thanksgiving week is anything but “normal”. An estimated 31.8 million travellers were on the road that weekend. Compare this with the 5 million who flew, or the 2 million who chose the bus or rail. Everyone I spoke to before embarking on this 1000 mile round-trip asked, “Por qué? Why on earth would you do this to yourself?”. And I questioned my own wisdom. But the die had already been cast. I was resigned to do my bit to line the pockets of BP and Exxon executives. I owed them my contribution to the global economy!

Driving gives me a sense of control – tempered by the worry of sharing the roads with sharks (aka Hummers and lunatics on wheels). It's an adventure, a change of sight in each moment when not dwelling on the monotony of the highway. It gives me quality time with myself – not always possible while chasing deadlines and routines. It is also an opportunity for time-travel to my music collection on audio cassettes some 12-15 years old. What can a person do if the car does not have a CD player, a satellite radio, or the ubiquitous iPod or one of its clones? (Now that's a hint: get an iPod and/or a travelling companion who does). S&G, R.E.M., Dire Straits, and the Beatles. They evoked old memories, and some new relevance for the present day. “You say goodbye and I say hello .... I don't know why you say goodbye I say hello”. John Lennon was prophetic.

The regular route from DC to Boston is the I-95 through NYC. Bypassing Manhattan and taking the Tappan Zee Bridge was a brilliant suggestion from a AAA advisor. It saved time (at least 3-4 hours), money on tolls, and frustration. Take my word …. avoid the bridges and tunnels of NYC and you’ll be a happy camper! And if you can, get a good night's sleep at a friend's place in Princeton! Thanks Victor.

Filling up gas in New Jersey was a remarkable experience. The rates are the best along the coast, and perhaps in the country – thanks to their aversion to taxes. That’s the good part. But if you dare step out of your car to fill gas, you do so at your own risk. You will be chased by an angry mob of gas-station attendants armed with gas nozzles and menacing looks of a militia in a conflict zone. You will be cursed into submission and yelled at to hop back into the car while “they” take over. How was I to know that in NJ (and in Oregon), all gas stations are mandated full-service? I can’t imagine why …. other than local legislators figuring that their residents could not be entrusted with the rocket-science of filling gas into their own cars, or for creating employment any way they could! Well, I learnt a lesson. So if an army of angry attendants at a gas station in NJ charges you, it's not because you racially resemble the stereotypical “most mistrusted in America”. They are just earning a living; no discrimination there!

#64: ode to 2006

01.01.2007 is just a few hours away; time enough to reflect again on the year that has been.

I've had ups and downs – nothing unusual there. Most days were mundane, but there were occasional novelties. A mobile phone, my first champagne, a blog (actually two), 10 miles in 78 minutes, a digital camera, a ride in a convertible, a road-trip to Boston and Plymouth Rock, out taking photos in a blizzard at 2:00am, reconnecting with some good old friends, and above all – a short vacation with parents, the first in more than a decade.

The opposing bookend was the moments when I threw up my hands and wondered, "Why? Why? Why? Why?" It felt like being under the cosh; finding myself on the wrong side of the double-edged sword named "hope". It was the helplessness of having given it all that I could, and still falling short. Hope, which I had in abundance this time last year, made the trip back to reality that much more painful. I tried putting on a brave face, and treasured the good moments – if and when they came, even more.

So as the clock strikes 12, do I dare wish for a better 2007? Or not tempt fate and leave it at that? I haven't decided yet.

#63: christmas and the saints

It's Christmas Day and I am so surprised to come across this op-ed piece in the NY Times. It's on Saint Francis Xavier of Assisi, the Christian saint my high school was named after. What a coincidence. Just last night I was narrating how for 16 years I've been a grateful beneficiary of Christian missionaries spreading truly secular education in India.

#62: 'tis that time of the year

Desolate streets, vacant parking lots, deserted Metro coaches, hardly a tourist in sight. Borrowing lyrics from Joan Baez – Where have all the people gone?

They are queuing up on highways and airport check-in counters. It's that time of the year when DC becomes a ghost town. Almost anyone on the Metro is in transit with bags in tow – heading to their friends, families, and loved ones out of town. And they look quizzically at anyone not doing so. It was the same during Christmas in Cambridge. The only ones on the streets were the forgotten foreign students and the stray dogs at Market Square. The difference here, well, are the two National Christmas Trees – one at the White House and the other next to the Capitol.

But it's also the season of occasional snowflakes in the morning, carols and choirs on every radio station, lights decorating homes, streets and buidings, egg-nog and ginger bread cookies, and people of all ages walking about with a bounce in their steps. And lest I forget, gift wrappers, peculiar Santas on the sidewalks, and movies of Nativity too. Personally, this season evokes fond memories of childhood, of choral performances and sweet treats in the festivities that followed. On occasions I've succumbed (just a wee-bit) to the calling of the desserts!

Merry Christmas to you, dear blog reader.

#61: about time, i say

My 15 seconds of fame finally caught up with me. Fantastic. The podium may be overcrowded with millions of fellow-beings in our collective crowning moment. Nonetheless, I am TIME magazine's "Person of the Year".

I suppose the magazine's editors reasoned that people like me (and in all likelihood you too) with our late night musings through blogs (aka pseudo-journalism on the fly) do matter – for better or for worse. I see no one complaining; nor have I been burdened by any rush of accolades lately. So I think I'll take this!

If only I could get someone to actually read my blogs .... well now that's a whole different story!

#60: internet, our social crutch

The Internet is spreading .... in its reach, and in the span of what it enables. Communication, news, research, shopping, missed TV shows... Now it's attempting to compensate for the isolation in modern life.

Social networks such as Friendster and Facebook have blossomed. Granted it connects people otherwise separated by distance. But what about when a bunch of friends currently in the same graduate school and living within a 5 mile radius flock to such a "group" just to keep in touch? Then it's a social phenomenon. My friend and I "poked" and traded one-liners on FB and the mobile phone for two weeks before we managed to meet for lunch yesterday, take a walk, and talk to each other in person and not through a keyboard. We finally had a shared experience.

The NY Times ran an article today based on the US Census Bureau’s 2007 Statistical Abstract. The article backs some common conjectures with definitive and concrete evidence.

• Among adults online last year, 97 million sought news using it, 92 million shopped, 91 million made a travel reservation, 16 million used a networking site, and 13 million created a blog.
• Average time spent with such media per year increased to 3,543 hours last year, up by 6% in 5 years.
• Since 2000, the number of labor unions, fraternities and fan clubs has declined.

Robert Putnam, the renowned Public Policy professor at Harvard comments, "The large master trend here is that over the last hundred years, technology has privatized our leisure time. The distinctive effect of technology has been to enable us to get entertainment and information while remaining entirely alone. That is from many points of view very efficient. I also think it’s fundamentally bad because the lack of social contact, the social isolation means that we don’t share information and values and outlook that we should."

Exactly. I think I said something similar but a lot less profound 2 months ago.

#58: nowhere left to hide

Sir Nicholas Stern, the ex-World Bank Chief Economist, presented his report on global warming to the top bosses of the British Government. How enlightened and in contrast to the initiatives (or the lack thereof) on the other side of the Atlantic: this was an honest effort to come to a true understanding about global warming. It chose a person untainted by lobbies and unfazed by the circus of claims and counter-claims of vested interests. Sir Nicholas is a hard-nosed economist; he's neither a bleeding-heart environmentalist, nor a corporate stooge. You couldn't seek any more credibility.

I have only read the highlights of his 600 page report. From all accounts, it is a thorough analysis – something we as students of Public Policy would be proud to produce. It is incisive, thoughtful, meticulous in details, and yet focussed on the overall picture. It lists out the possible future scenarios, and the impact of interventions, if any. It's a complete exercise, not some half-baked patch-up bureaucratic con-job.

So what did it conclude? That we are in grave danger. And that "staying the course" (paraphrasing a prominent head of state) is not really an option – not even in the short run.

Among the dire projections:

• 200 million people are at risk of being driven from their homes by flood or drought by 2050.
• 60 million Africans could be exposed to malaria in a world 2°C warmer.
• 4 billion people could suffer from water shortages if temperatures rise by 2°C.
• If nothing is done about global warming the world economy would shrink by up to 20%, that's US$ 2 trillion a year.
• Developing countries would, of course, be hardest hit with poverty increasing, disease spreading, trade worsening and hundreds of millions of people dying.
• Spending just 1% of GDP per year (US$ 90 billion annually) in an international effort could stabilise carbon emissions and reverse the alarming trend.

These results are significant for two reasons. First, it gives a concrete measure of the cost of "staying the course". Second, it calls the bluff on the argument that the costs of adjustment exceed the potential benefits. No. 2 trillion > 90 billion. And that's not even accounting for intangibles.

Sir Nicholas has done the math. It is up to the bosses (one in particular) to sit up and show some spine in taking on big businesses. Ironically, big businesses have begun voluntary adjustments – that is, excluding oil, gas, and auto industries.

#57: "isn't it ironic?"

Recently, in a town close to Delhi, job applicants went on a rampage when the written recruitment exam turned out to be more difficult than anticipated. The examinees looted shops, damaged property, and attacked people in the ensuing riots. But what's truly remarkable is that this exam was for recruiting policemen, and the rioters were prospective cops!

I think these bullies have proven their qualification; they should be made law enforcers. That's how teachers in our high-school appointed "class monitors" and "prefects". It worked then!

The actual news item is at this link.

#54: the lute's magic

Sting's new album "Songs from the Labyrinth" is a breath of fresh air .... the lyrics, the melodies, and the sounds. They aren't his own; he's sung verses of the Elizabethan composer John Dowland.

Some critics claim that this version does not do justice to Dowland's works, nor does it reflect how these pieces were sung some 400 years ago. Maybe. But all credit to Sting for stepping out of pop-comfort-zone. He's brought this composer back from the forgotten pages of history. I had never heard of Dowland, far less his ballads. The songs are moving – particularly "Come Again". And sung by one of my favourite musicians, well that's icing on the cake.

#53: coffee, cocaine, currency

Who says Colombians and North Koreans don't love the US Administration? They adore US Presidents (the ones on the greenbacks), so much so that they "generate" their own. It's the same in so many parts of the world .... from the street corners in Kabul to Buenos Aires. 60% of dollar bills in circulation are outside US!

My friend Erin recently emailed .... "I'm in Beirut and my econ mind is racing. I wish I had time to do some research on the inflation and the extensive use of the US$ here. Things are so expensive! Change from meals or goods come back in US$".

But all is not hunky-dory. Currency forgers in Colombia have switched to faking Euros. If that's not an indictment of the current administration's economic policy, I don't know what is. The market is speaking loud and clear; the bosses at the Treasury are just not listening.

#52: happy birthday

The iPod fairytale will be 5 years old tomorrow. With 68 million pieces sold, this Apple revolution has swept from New Delhi to New York and all in between.

How liberating it must be to have all our favourite music in one place and at our fingertips – wherever and whenever. No more clunky CDs to lug around; no more having to listen to commercials, unwanted music, or street cacophony. Solitude and peace of mind is just a finger-flick away. It looks chic too.

But here's a counter-point. For all its convenience, the white wires of the iPod sticking to the ears is one powerful signal screaming .... "Do not disturb" or "Leave me alone". In a modern-day life that is already isolated and isolating, do we need any more help to hide into our cocoons?

That's just my critique of this 21st century icon. I am sure my friends will take me to task for my blasphemy. Oh well ....

#51: for once ....

I agree with David Brook's op-ed piece in the NY Times titled "Run, Barack, Run". It captures the hope of so many, particularly those who in his words yearn for a person who could restore "conversation, deliberation, and reconciliation" in running the affairs of this country and dictating the fate of our world. If only.

#50: still got some wheels

10 miles in 78 minutes. I'll take this any day, and twice on a Sunday! I had serious doubts this year. "Will I be able to pull it off"? The only thing I've pulled in recent months are my quads and groin. It made it all the more satisfying. Truth be told, had Meghan not run next to me step for step all through it, I may have stopped long before the finish line. Thanks. I kept pace just to save face!!

This may have been my last one in DC. Who knows where I'll be in a year's time. It's been an exciting experience these last 6 years.

#49: a deserving recognition

This year the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Prof. Muhammad Yunus – the father and architect of informal microfinancing in Bangladesh through the Grameen Banks*. It's a richly deserved recognition for a number of reasons.

This could have been the Nobel Prize in Economics. It is development economics in practice – beyond the ivory towers of academia, beyond the hallowed portals of ivy league universities, and beyond the ceteris paribus of textbook models. This actually works. And it affects the lives of people who really matter, and not just those who spend a lifetime in the corridors of central banks in pin-striped suits. It has been a catalyst to the marginalised, the homeless, the disadvantaged, and the penniless to start a "life" they all deserve.

But as the Nobel Peace Prize it's a symbolic reminder that poverty, turmoil, and unrest form a vicious cycle. It takes ingenious initiatives to break out of this trap and remain out of it. "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." The Grameen Bank has done just that. Congratulations.

* Grameen is "rural" in Bangla.

#48: ode to flying

First came the plan to permit the use of mobile phones on flights. Next came the proposal to allow smoking. No, I did not just make that up. See my blog "flying chimneys" if you doubt me. Now the Mile High Club offers "a bed behind privacy of curtains on the airplane, with new sheets and complimentary bottle of champagne; for privacy, the pilots don headphones." Price: $299 plus taxes for 60 minutes. What's next?

The Economist adds spice to this mix. What we see, hear, and are made to believe is far from what is. That schpeel about life-vests and inflatable rafts in the pre-flight instructions is bunk. No wide-bodied aircraft has made a successful emergency landing on water .... ever. So here's the absolute truth, humourous but not sugar-coated, on what it is to step into the airborne cylinder.

#47: viva free markets!

Thank goodness for the invisible hand of free markets. Else we'd be so lost! Whoever coined the phrase "market failure" did not foresee this .... I leave the suspense to the link.

#46: dr. phil of globalisation

Just when I thought Thomas Friedman had nothing meaningful to add on his pet topic, his op-ed today in the NY Times surprised me. I did learn something new .... that Indians have outsourced outsourcing. An amusing and interesting read (I did not say profound) .... worth the 120 seconds it'll take you.

Recently my school invited me to be a tour-guide for incoming students. The city being toured was not Delhi, or Mumbai, or Kolkata .... but Washington DC. Outsourcing!

#45: supersized footprints

I stumbled upon this website .... "Breathing Earth". Interesting, even for non tree-huggers.

#44: third world rising

The recent issue of The Economist reflects on the growth of the developing countries – it's implications for these countries, for the developed countries, and the world economic order that is being challenged everyday. See the linked article titled "The New Titans".

This report coincides with the World Bank-IMF Annual Meetings in Singapore. It is a timely reminder that all is not hunky-dory in the scheme of international trade, commerce, and economics. The institutions and norms are anachronistic; they reflect the world of 1940s in 2006. These systems have served us well for most of the last 60 years. But their relevance now is being hampered by their own structure.

In case you wonder "why should we care", it's because the globalised economy is growing faster – at rates unprecedented, outstripping even the industrial revolution, and affecting more people than ever before. Plus most of it is happening beyond the borders of the traditional power-houses. If these inequities and imbalances are not addressed now through a gradual adjustment process, the pains of unexpected upheavals and breakdowns in future may be catastrophic. We've all heard the word "contagion".
It is tough to make changes. The ones with power will resist any erosion. And those seeking greater prominence will always seek more. In the words of Bill Clinton, "It's a tough sell" on either side. But turning a blind eye and pushing it under the rug is not really an option. The article gives a fair evaluation of what's at stake.

#42: politicking again

The BBC reports:

"The UN nuclear watchdog has protested to the US government over a report on Iran's nuclear programme, calling it 'erroneous' and 'misleading'. In a leaked letter, the IAEA said a congressional report contained serious distortions of the agency's own findings on Iran's nuclear activity".

Is it just me with a sense of déjà vu? It's the WMD saga of 2001 all over again. Has the Congress learnt nothing? Or does it genuinely believe that the public is too gullible to question and too detached to care?

#41: 5 years thence

It's the fifth anniversary of the infamous day. Two of the most thoughtful and moving pieces I read today were in the NY Times. The editorial put the last 5 years in perspective. And a commentary on the commemoration ceremony added a human face to the suffering and grief.
A photo essay there took a different route. It captured images of the iconic WTC over the years. No; not of the day it crumbled. Instead, it's of the years when it stood proud and tall and gave NYC its signature skyline. I recommend this essay even if you don't read the rest of the blog. Click on the link above and turn on the speakers.

#40: live long and prosper

Star Trek was born on the television screens this day 40 years ago. 6 TV series, 10 movies, countless conventions and millions of viewers later .... the franchise is still trudging along. True, the series is now at best limping on life-support. But in its heydays, it was way ahead of the curve. It's found a place at the Smithsonian Museum of American History as an American icon, and it is one. Phrases such as "Beam me up, Scotty", "Live long and prosper", "Engage", and "Phasers on stun" are television folklore. NASA named its first space shuttle "Enterprise" as a tribute.
The original series was my first science fiction on TV at age 11. I remember watching it for the first time at my aunt's apartment in Alameda, CA. Soon it became a habit.

My idol, why – Mr. Spock of course – the cool, composed, rational, logical, and "slightly superhuman" vulcan-earthling hybrid. He was methodical, his thoughts were always precise and organised (type ISTJ) – unlike Dr. McCoy. I admired his special abilities – physical and intellectual, his control over emotional turmoils, and his self-restraint to strictly adhere to his moral code – to use these strengths only for the "greatest good". Plus he was almost always the saviour of the last-resort. In contrast, Captain James "Tiberius" Kirk's notion of making contact with aliens was principally through fraternising with the bimbos of those species. Notice how they were invariably blondes. Diplomacy for him was a post-seduction after-thought!

My favourite series was "The Next Generation" with Jean-Luc at the helm. The plots were better, the script far superior and less cheesy, and über-sanitised for political correctness. The special effects kept pace with times and technology. But Deanna Troi was irritating. The subsequent series all paled out in contrast. Most respondents to a BBC online survey share the same sentiment.

I'm not a hardcore Trekkie. But I wish it a happy birthday. And I hope the next movie titled ST-XI is better than the last few.

Update: Here's an op-ed piece in the NY Times from one of the writers of the show .... on the (intended) ideology of the series.