The baby rhino in @FortWorthZoo named "Asha" (means hope)

The Fort Worth Zoo’s baby greater one-horned rhino now has a name: Asha (Nepalese for “hope”).
Link
In a rare event, Fort worth zoo had a new baby one horned rhino.
http://www.fortworthzoo.org/fort-worth-zoo-reveling-over-rhinoceros-birth/
I had a post about it in here.

Asha: the baby rhino in FW zoo.

-->

Tornado touch down in Dallas-Fort worth area, TX

Tornado touchdown confirmed in Dallas forth worth area.
DFW airport (@DFWairport ) has  "activated Irregular Operations Plan", and is monitoring the situation.

  This video is taken in Arlington:
 
There is also another video of trailer being tossed out by the tornado.

 UTDallas has put an alert and cancelled all evening classes.

Here is the radar map for the region:

Hail about the size of golf ball has also been reported.

It is hot as if it was January!

I am not sure if this is going to be unusually hot year. But, the January has been a hot month!!

Credit:Accuweather.com

 

Why Cell Phone is Expensive in USA?

One of the striking question to international student as well as resident american people in USA might be the question posted in the title:

Why Cell Phone is Expensive in USA?

India, for example has very very cheap price on cell phone services. Sujan jee had a nice post on this topic http://sujanacharya.blogspot.com/2009/11/blog-post.html .

For the people living aboard, calling home by calling card is another painful story. That can be written in different post. However, the question on why cell phone is expensive in USA had been ringing in my head for long time.
My first had approach was the following:

• USA is a big country
• needs a lot of resources to relay calls
• Making average cost per call go high

However, since there are many big service providers such as AT&T, Verizon, T-mobile, Sprint etc. one would expect fierce price war. Where is the price war???

Below is the NY times article which discusses why not?
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/15/business/15price.html?_r=1

Well, one of the factor is consumer itself.

CDTA bus: few comments

Hello!

I am a SUNY student and use route#12 (and 10/11). It is the best and only public commuter service here, free for students with SUNY/ RPI / Saint Rose College card.

I am just curious about some stops being dis-connected on route 12. Do you have posted info about it on your website/blog?

1. The riders are basically local students who does not have car or low income families.



2. I saw that some stops are going to be disconnected. I hope Disconnecting stops at certain points have been decided after taking into consideration about the minus temperature of Winters when people have to walk 2/3 blocks, if disconnected. While the frequent stops are pain in the neck for the bus economy and drivers, it had been proved to be very useful for riders. Some ridicuously close by stops should be disconnected, but if people do not ride often from some stop never means that it has been useless.

3. My personal concern would be the stop after brevator(coming from downtown on route 12) before the turn into the state offices (near the bridge/Jermain st. ?). Removing that one can cause severe problem for me in the winter if I have to walk from brevator to patroon creek. There are no stops after brevator till one reaches the hotels.(Walking from there is also hard specially in winter.)

4. Route 11/12 on busy day:
I am aware that you had a survey conducted around dec time, did you also consider having more frequent services for rush hours. Please be advised that at certain times on western ave and washington ave, buses (bound to crossgates) get full before north main area and the students living in mid-town area has to see the bus going with "Full... take next one" sign on it. It becomes amzing scenario when more than 2/3 buses go like that and one ends up waiting for buses with little space after 40/60 min.

5. The time table should be strictly enforced. Sometimes the buses pass the stops 7/10 before the time. If bus reaches the stop before the time, it should better wait there. OR the schedule be modified.

I have no serious complains about the services. It is unique and best service here in Capital District. Almost all of the drivers are courteous and friendly.

These are my personal comments based upon my experiences.

Thank You!

Spring Started!

Spring Started!

It was so nice outside that I walked all the way to the University. There are traces of the snow piles, lying around and trying to survive the heat. Ultimately, they have to melt.

The weather forecast works! It works because they keep it updated.
They had predicted it to be such nice weather compared to freezing one last week.

With the arrival of Spring, Spring fever will hypnotize people for a while by now. People will get out of their air-tightened apartments and dwell in grass. Walk in the open land and feel the fresh air.

So, finally the snow seasons of winter is gone. Everyone looks cheered.
I have to say that this winter was a mild one. Not too much drop in minimum temperature. Some people say that it used to be very very cold. Is it the matter of discussion under the global warming?

Black and white: Two colors of the Winter

Remember the colors of the fall?

They were wonderful. I had posted some pictures in this blog.

We are having nice and heavy snow fall. It poured the whole day and is still going on, already past the midnight. I am amazed with the weather guys who can predict everything very accurately.

They had predicted 6 to 10 inches of snow. True!

Now we have snow.

Snow Snow everywhere.

The leaves have already fallen from every branch of the trees except the pine ones. So we have the whole lot of naked trees. Their stems stand. To suffer the winter. The sun is invisible in the day but light is scattered enough that it is white everywhere. Snow white: Even in the evening. The black stripes of the trees make the whole scene a nice black and white combination.

When I visited the art exhibition in Troy last month, the Japanese artist had painted the four seasons. I did not agree with her on that day, but now I see what she meant. I love snow. But, to love the theme of the picture, you should really hate the winter. Black and white!

We will be having -16 degree Celsius in coming Tuesday. The weatherman says so. It is just the beginning of the Winter.

Enjoy the snow.

A New Job Offer!

U will get the Job of a post man, as your room-mate moves out.

read more | digg story

A New Job Offer!

There is nothing to get excited!

One of my room mate has moved. Since he stayed there for three years or so, he has/had been best targeted by all kind of spammers. Moreover, his name is not native so Snail-Mail-spammers sent him all kinds of beauty magazines, household ads, kids stuffs, new models of under wears and what not! Clearly, he has been modelled as a lady by the spammers.
Some interesting mails include checks of 15 Dollars. Not for free, they have hidden agreements/deals that by cashing the check he agrees to pay 150 dollars for enrollment in bla bla bla.
I would just throw it,
But he needs it!
He says "you still do not know the joy of tearing apart the spams and deleting the spam messages from your inbox".
Wow!
So, I am offered a job to carry his spams and put it in his mail box. This is not hard work as we work in the same Department. But I am wondering, is it really the case as he said?

Sorry for exciting title and boring article. I thought it was worth blogging!

Black Friday Shopping!!!

Everyone seems to be excited. One more reason to spent money. (on the background I am reading the news: http://www.reuters.com/article/ousiv/idUSN1529598920071116)
What is your plan?
Me?
I ... I don't know, may be pendrive, may be an external HDD! I do have three already.
One was from Nepal 256 MB (don't laugh, it was from the day when it was about 1800 Nrs.), another gift by Mathworks: 256 MB (it is a gift man, never mind!), and one was bought from online deal at about 11 Dollar.

I already have a nice camera and a laptop. Anything more than that is much luxurious for me.

Do you have any plan for this Black Friday?

DayLight Saving Offset

After Nov.4th, US-EST time has been moved back to one hour earlier than what it used to be.
This is Daylight Saving.
But my body also has a clock.
It knows at what time do I need to sleep, get up and eat.
Now I feel hungry at the same body time but the clock says it is 12!
Hell, I can not convince myself the fact that the alarm is ringing, inside my body.
Even after a week into the Day Light Savings, I feel the same.
Sunday, I tried to sleep up to 8AM, I could not. I kept myself waking up at 7.30, 7.45 and finally I gave up at 8!
At least, I tried to.
These are effects of not being able to adapt quickly into new rules.

I think more nice ways to explain Day Light saving time are given in:
http://webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/b.html
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/daylight1.html
wikipedia featured article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight_saving_time

No Phone Call?

No Phone Call?

It is quite weird that I am doing some programming and its not going quite OK. No, No, it is not weird that program has gone crazy, it is a regular trouble. I enjoy it. The other regular stuff is missing: Phone call. I have not received a single call tonight! Usually, when I reach home, put my cell into charger and enter the kitchen. i miss some calls in this interval and call them back(with apologies). Talk with friends and laugh a little bit. But it is strange, It is about 11:49, and nobody has called.
Phone service in USA is relatively dear. So, we talk after 9 pm. It is free after that. Friends are connected after 9(upto 12). We share the moments and keep ourselves updated of our situations. We are more connected here, in USA, than we used to be back in our country: Nepal. Everyone knows nearly what the other is doing.
But today, it is weird!
I can not believe it, I look into the phone, really no one called. OK, fine, I am gonna call only on Saturday and i will be calling everyone on my telephone address book (may be this time I will start with z, not with regular A).
I am thinking: may be this is the middle of the semester (everyone busy in assignments/tests ) and everyone may be exactly feeling the same thing: No calls, huh?

Oh wait, some body just called! Let me see who is this?

Missed the bus! Wow!

I missed the bus. But I got the chance to see around. I had my camera with me today. My friends wanted to take some close up pics. I love taking pics. It was 20 more minutes to wait. What could I do? The driver had seen me crossing the street and he was on the red sign. But, the light changed, and despite seeing me running like a crazy, he drove away!
But when I took the pics. I thanked the driver for going. and giving me the chance to see around.
PS: The slide show worked in ie and firefox but not in opera. Please see the pics here

Thanks for the comments!

Waiting is really hard!

I am just like a hunter in a big jungle.
I have been waiting if any friend would come online. Today, I  want to talk with friends. I have been awake for a while. I am thinking "Heck!, the friends are online only when I have to rush to class and/or when I am middle of doing something"
Meanwhile I am reviewing all the emails of past few days sent to me, some them were not replied because there was nothing to write! The question was " What to write in Email?" I just wrote "I am fine here, how are you? and also added some general conversation according to the subject line."
I have been waiting to any friend that would come online I want to hunt them. I want to ask how is Nepal and want to ask how are the other friends doing, are they preparing for the GRE? how are they enjoying the weekends? Why there are too many unfortunate killings going on in Nepal ... I can see one or two online on my messenger, but they are idle. They are either sleeping on the key board or they have left the computer without signing out. I have "buzzed" them they will respond later, when they come back or get awake " ... sorry I was ..."
I  am waiting and becoming more and more impatient, meanwhile five spams have been counted on my Email.

I have finished reading the news and weekly magazines (I read it pretty fast).
The waiting time is relative, looks like an hour for a minute and is really terrible.
 
I can not wait anymore, I am going back to work.
Friend, I trust that you came online today.
Just think that we both were present online, but the time was not synchronized.
Some day I will schedule it!
See You soon!

Last Week day of the month!

I am just coming to realize it that how exciting it can be when it is the last day of the month!
This morning, I was in the bank. The staffs were more than glad to wish a happy week-end and the happy last week day!
I was arranging the mail with Bikash and observed that the staff in the post office (Larry)  seemed more excited about it. He was wishing the same to everyone.
This is the evening here, and I can see the Department is empty!
There were no students at the Graduate Student Organization office to do photocopies and prints. Everyone is so so happy!
Or is it me that I am just observing these things in peculiar way?
I have opted not to go to the Apple picking and have decided to volunteer in the Breast Cancer Run in Albany.
The other week has not started yet but I can see the consequences: the homeworks and One RGSO meeting.
Actually, I came to understand why there are two days long week-ends in USA: by observations.
For me, at least, holidays never count.
They are spent doing homeworks and catching up what the whole week has been up to!
I will enjoy it.
Cheers!

Albany temperature

Month	Avg. High	Avg. Low	Avg. Precip.	Rec. High	Rec. Low
January	-0.6° C	-10.6° C	6.88 cm	18.0° (01/15/1995)	-33.0° C (01/19/1971)
February	1.1° C	-8.9° C	5.77 cm	20.0° (02/22/1997)	-30.0° C (02/15/1943)
March	13.9° C	2.2° C	8.26 cm	30.0° (03/30/1986)	-29.0° C (03/06/1948)
April	21.1° C	8.3° C	9.32 cm	34.0° (04/20/1941)	-12.0° C (04/01/1965)
May	25.6° C	12.8° C	9.50 cm	34.0° (05/25/1981)	-3.0° C (05/08/1968)
June	27.8° C	15.6° C	8.89 cm	37.0° (06/26/1952)	-3.0° C (06/03/1938)
July	26.7° C	14.4° C	9.35 cm	38.0° (07/18/1953)	4.0° C (07/02/1978)
August	21.7° C	10.0° C	8.41 cm	37.0° (08/05/1955)	1.0° C (08/29/1982)
September	15.6° C	3.9° C	8.20 cm	38.0° (09/03/1953)	-4.0° C (09/28/1947)
October	8.9° C	-0.6° C	8.41 cm	33.0° (10/05/1941)	-9.0° C (10/24/1969)
November	2.2° C	-6.7° C	7.01 cm	28.0° (11/02/1950)	-24.0° C (11/26/1938)
December	7.2° C	-3.9° C	8.05 cm	22.0° (12/29/1984)	-30.0° C (12/25/1969)

Source: http://weather.yahoo.com/climo/USNY0011_c.html

Guest Entry

First I want to thank Nabin for asking me to post in his blog as a guest. I have to admit, when Nabin first asked me to post I had no idea what to write about, but a few days ago I passed the comprehensives and I had my subject. The comprehensive tests here at Albany are a series of tests (6 in total) that test graduate students understanding of Quantum Mechanics, Classical Mechanics, Statistical Mechanics, and other assorted physical subjects. The tests are difficult and require a lot of preparation. Since they are given only twice a year, if you fail to pass the tests, you have to wait half a year to take them again. In all a PhD. Student is expected to pass 5 out of 6 tests. While studying for these tests, I spent as much time memorizing mathematical formulas and integration tricks as I did the physics behind the problems.

I understand the point of the comprehensives, so I don’t begrudge the tests, I just don’t like that they seem to be more about memorizing solutions of integrals than they are about the Physics involved. Don’t get me wrong, that’s not always the case, some questions are more physical than others, but some were just “insert into formula” and solve. Some feel that physicists should be able to solve these integrals on sight, but I say why? Why should I memorize the solutions to all of these integrals when in the real world I can look them up in seconds on the internet?

In the 1970’s, the hand held calculator became mainstream and changed the way everyone did math. Before the calculator, math required slide rules and log tables. With the calculator you could solve a problem that used to take minutes in seconds. Still, in the 70s and the early 80s students were still taught to use slide rules and log tables because of some misguided belief that if the student used the older technology to solve the problem, this made them a better student. Eventually slide rules were phased out as a new generation of teachers that had grown up with the calculator became teachers and let the relics of the past go.

So it should be now. I can find you the solution to most integrals in seconds by searching google for “integral tables”. I can find the derivative of secant or tangent, or the expansion of sine or the exponential function with ease. Why should I fail a test of my physics acuity because I can’t remember the second term of a binomial expansion during the stress of an exam. I know some might take this as just another graduate student blowing off steam, but I think there is something more fundamental going on here. The internet has put all kinds of information at our fingertips. Memorizing useful formulas is quaint now, completely unnecessary for real world problems. I’m not saying we shouldn’t work through problems, on the contrary, I think that’s where physical intuition is born, but I think memorizing formulas is unnecessary and emphasizes the wrong things.

Well, that’s a problem for the next guy (or girl) now. I’ve passed my comprehensives and I’m free to use all the resources at my disposal to get things done. A much more efficient proposition.

**************************************************
Roger Pink is {my friend :) } a Ph.D. student at the Department of Physics, University at Albany, State University of New York.
He is associated with the cr4 and has been regular blogger there since early 2005: http://cr4.globalspec.com/blog/browse/6/Roger-s-Equations
Here is what he writes about himself on http://stockpickr.com/user/Roger-Pink/
"I live and work in Albany, N.Y. I work for a vertical search engine / company directory / forum for the engineering community called GlobalSpec. I'm also working towards my Ph.D. in Physics form the University at Albany."

Excuse me! Your Phone ...

Suppose you are in the middle of having meal.The meal is so good after pretty long time, prepared in your kitchen.
Your phone rings. If you look in to the caller ID, it may be one  of your good friend, a respected people or may be some unknown number.
The phone ringing is not the problem. The problem is what the consequence may be. If the person is sensitive enough to feel that s/he may infer that you are ignoring her/him. Its going to be a huge problem. Just pick it up. Meal can be re-heated or even re-cooked!
;)
If the phone is from a talkative person who talks too much round and round in circle. Meal is important. Enjoy your meal. But the question is how many times can you miss the phone? Eventually s/he may become sensitive and the relation will be cold. Pick it up before the missed call  exceeds the critical limit. You can just tell her/him that you were in the middle of something and will call her/him back. and never call back!
If the phone is from a respected person: a professor or a senior or very very close friend then you gotta pick it up.
If it is from unknown number, it depends on your mood. Specially in this time of the year many friends from Nepal are coming to US. So, its going to be an interesting conversation.
I had seen in Nepal that many people are just amazing, they make their mobile phone to ring on the spot.For example in the seminar, conference and/or even in library.
I was able to witness a great man to receive his mobile in the middle of his talk in a formal program!
However,
sometimes you get to miss it, because you were busy talking to another person, to apologize  afterwards.
But what if you were in the kitchen and you are used to charging the cell phone in your room?
For me,
I have been missing so much calls in this duration. The worse is that they keep calling to record the number of miss calls to quarter dozen and some friends just don't leave the number on voice message. They just leave a buzz.
I think missing a call has developed as a culture. I am enjoying it. and by the way, its not a big issue!

Decision Problem!

Every time I pass the Campus Center. I feel Energy. I can smell the new-ness around that area due to the new students.
I can identify the new ones with the brightness and energy of/in their eyes and the faded-ness of the old ones.
By the way, its been one year for me too. I have celebrated my first year-day in the blog too.
After one year, I have come across many feelings. They touch me swiftly and just fade away. However, some of the feelings left everlasting impressions.
*****************************
Imagine a situation where your decision (binary : zero or one) affects the whole world. I have never come to(across) such situation, but would love to have one.
I have identified one of my problem.
Lets call it decision problem.
Suppose you have a man set to the button who can press it. After it is pressed, a missile is lunched (not to worry where it hits!)
He is asking you what do you want?
the answer is binary:
yes =1
no = 0
What will he do if you say 0.5?
Thatz bad!
Bad for everyone, since the result will be arbitary one.
For my case, I know that I can not please everyone. "If you please everyone, you please none."
And I speak of
0.5 +/- 0.5
outrageous!!!
How can I be evolved as such a ridiculous man in the world?

My First Year @ Albany!!!

http://picasaweb.google.com/n.arxiv/

http://picasaweb.google.com/nabinkm/

http://albany.edu/~nm834896/pics.htm

It has the pics after I arrived in Albany.

Camping07@FingerLake (Aug. 10-12)||
MaxEnt 2007 Conference (July 8-13, 2007) ||
Horses of Saratoga (July 9, 2007) ||
Fireworks in Albany (4th July 2007) ||
Grafton Lakes park, Albany (June30, 2007).||
Hiking Buck Mountain, Albany (June 16, 2007) ||
Niagara Falls!!! (May 26, 2007).||

Niagara Power Plant with the host family@Buffalo (May 27, 2007) ||
Mr. and Mrs. Alaam Award (May20, 2007) ||
Days of 2007 ||
PASCAL conference 2007 (April 28, 2007) ||

Fountain Day @U Albany (April 22, 2007) || NY CITY!!! (April 21, 2007) |||
Boston Trip (March 24, 2007) |||
Ski in Lapland Ski Center (Feb 24, 2007)

SNOW STROM @ALBANY! |||
Hiking Crane Mountain, Albany (Sept. 16, 2006) |||

Many friends have commented on my silence to the academic sector.

I had arrived on the 23^rd Aug. 2006. (So, today is my first anniversary in Albany !!!)

I appeared on the Comprehensive exam immediately after coming here.

I had no hope to pass and eventually I failed.

That was a huge shock.

The shock was good in the sense that it gave me a boost. It kept me motivated. The non zero marks was telling me that my mind is not vacuum. I had something there but had to be polarized in proper direction.

I passed it on January !!!

The time in between these two exam was terrible. I really had pretty hard time.

I used to spend more time in the Department than in my apartment. I used to feel alone. (I am still alone, but not to that extent.)

I passed!!!. and was awarded the "Outstanding performance Award".

Joining the group was one of the most hard decision.

I was really confused.

Prof. Caticha helped me to think by enumerating the possibilities. I am indebted for his valuable suggestions.

The second semester was OK.

I had the most hard course of my life in NMR. The course was on resonance but the home works lacked resonance. It was going everywhere. Indra sir was there to discuss the problem, but the main problem was that we had to start from scratch. Imagine starting from scratch on each set of homeworks which are not related to the regular class and keeping your interest alive!

I still remember keeping myself awake through nights, trying to complete the weekly homeworks.

It was really nice experience. I love challenges. (little bit, may be: JK :D )

The summer started with RA-ship. I am indebted to Prof. Knuth for supporting me through the summer. I was nominated into the local organizer of the MaxEnt2007. It was a great honor. I worked on some research topics and learned some ideas. The group is great. I was able to witness the development of Master's thesis. Summer was the nice experience.

(30 mins)

Its about now and coming semester.

The classes will start from next week. I will be teaching advanced lab and will be doing grading/tutoring. And three courses will keep be busy.

I wonder whether I would be able to post it as frequently as I am doing this month ...