End of torture

Finally, I canceled my Zee tv subscription. No more "Kasam Se", "Saat Phere" or bogus "Sa re ga ma". The best part is I dont need "digital" cable box to get regular channels so my cable bill is reduced from $70 to $15 per month. Hurray !!

DVR dilemma

In last few years I resisted buying DVR thinking that it is not required by me. I usually dont record any shows on my VCR and never felt that world will turn over if I miss 1 episode of American Idol. However, few months back I bought video iPod and started using it for my daily train commute. I found none of of the “free” video podcast interesting enough to download everyday. Now I feel a DVR is required to record my favorite TV shows in odd hours. So, I started researching for DVR.

My first search was off course for Tivo. But a $16.95/month fee was big push off. Also, Tivo hasn’t yet launched iPod compatible DVR. Next, I looked PC/laptop based solutions. The PC/laptop DVR initial cost is more than Tivo, but I will not have to pay monthly fees. However, I didn’t find any good software which directly records shows for iPod. Most of the software records shows in AVI or mp3 and than you have to use another software to convert the recording into mp4. Than there is HDTV compatibility things. In the end I didn’t find any single piece interesting enough to buy.

Here is my critera to buy DVR:

1) HDTV quality recording

2) iPod Video compatibility

3) Internet Connectivity/Schedule my recording on web

4) Price < $300

5) Burn DVDs

I don’t see all of above becoming reality soon… my wait continues

Smile please

You get smile at any U.S. cash counters except at desi places. There are many (american) lunch places in NYC where you get free lunch if clerk dont smile while giving you change/receipt. At all desi business, women at counter have stone face and sometime gives scary look. It looks like they have been pushed to work at counter and they dont like working.
Here are my top three palces where it is hard to find smiling face:
1) Owner/Clerk of Dosa Express, Edison, NJ
2) Clerks in Apana Bazar, Edison, NJ
3) Air India Reception/Booking Clerk in New York AI office

Here are my reasons why desi counter clerks have sad faces:
1) There supply of Dabur Lal Dant Manjan from last India trip is over.
2) They think they are still in India, if they smile to strangers their parents will stop them from working.
3) Watching too much of tear jerking Saas/Bahu serials on Indian TV
4) If they smile customer may come again ( that means more work )
5) They dont have dental insurance
6) They fear customer may be dentist ( Most of dentist in U.S are Indian).

What is in NRI suitcase ?

A big news in NRI community these days is reduced baggage allowance by different airlines (fuel saving steps). You can ask any desi in U.S., they can tell you in detail about suitcase size and suitcase weight to carry from India to US (or back).
After carrying achar, pressure cooker, gift for Kanpur wale sanju ke mama ki beti ki bhatiji in Edison etc, the hot items now a days is Daal (letils). After India banned export of lentils, daal price has increased in U.S.
So if you or any of your friend is travelling from India asked them to dump laddu & achar and carry Daal.

A to Z

There are many Indian language channels like Zee, Sony, Star etc available in U.S.. But to receive them you need to have satellite dish. We live in apartment and can’t install satellite dish. We have cable TV from local cable company and only Indian channel available there is Zee. We pay extra $15/month to watch Zee. So, you must be thinking by paying $15 we must be getting some "good" quality entertainment. Wrong!!

Zee TV in USA is bad video copy and late rerun of Indian serials and news. The worst parts are home made advertisements of U.S./U.K. tantrik/baba, travel agents, rice dealers, event organizer etc. When you pay $15 for any premium channel like HBO in USA it is adv free. Zee TV's most of the program are sponsored by "Peer Syed Sahib", who is a baba sitting in London and supposedly have solution for all worries. All adv comes with Zee tv disclaimer that contact advertiser if you have any issue with ad. I have seen some ads where Zee TV is promoter of the show and it shows its own disclaimer.

The funniest thing is Zee news. It is not 'live' and mostly played 10-12 hrs late. Many news items become funny when after browsing on internet I sit to watch "tazza khabar". They know that it is "international" telecast but there contents are badly compiled. Specially coverage of U.S. events are mostly marked by errors like "America ke Texas shahar main…”. Come on, Texas is a state not a city.

How long can I jhelo Zee tv? Not for long. I will make sure that next time I move to any apartment/house I am able to install satellite dish. I know Star plus, NDTV news, Aaj tak are lot better. Tab tak I have to watch Subhash Chandra in "Business Bazigar" (bad remake of Apprentice).

Blogs I am reading now

Life Beyond Code A blog about ... well title of the blog say it all
Life Hacker A blog about using technology to simplifly your life
Life in HOV Lane हीन्‍दी मे रोजनामा

I use Technorati to search for different blogs.

Car2India

Maruti has created a new site where NRIs can gift car to relatives in India. The concept is good and site is also well created. Ads are also coming on Zee TV showing father getting phone call and car as surprise gift. Wait, it is not so easy. It cant be easy/surprise, you need to give many documents/proofs like ration card, passport copy etc of yourself and the person receiving the car.

Pros:
* Well designed site, most information like price, tax etc available easily
* Discount available for NRI customer
* Tie-up with Citibank for car loan
Cons:
* There is 1.65% charge if you use credit card.
* Forex rate will be determined by Citibank, which I feel will be lower than nationalized bank like SBI
* Too many documents required.

Overall, I will say it is good step. But I will wait atleast a year before I feel the whole process is streamlined and defect free.

humor: They cant get dollar/euro by selling car in USA/EUROPE so lets get it from NRI.

US 101

Credit History:
Get atleast 1 credit card as soon as possible. I know of few friends who even after 1 or 2 years dont open credit card account thinking 'it is evil'. Best way to get credit card is when you are opening your checking account. Tell the banker that you want credit card and will keep salary in bank only if you get credit card. . Well in US, all bank (and many employers, landlords, utility, mobile phone compaines) looks for credit history. The better credit score will help you in getting many things done very quickly in US.

What if you are rejected on your first credit card application?
1) Try again after few months. Make sure you give same information (address, name, phone) each time.
2) Try for 'secure' credit card.
3) Add somone who is already has good credit history as your co-applicant.


Bank:
Choose a bank which gives you free checking without minimum balance. Also find out about "credit union" banks in your area. One of the most popular credit union among indians is DCU (Digital Credit Union), also known as Desi Credit Union. They have free checking and good rates for fixed deposits (CD).

Money Transfer:
There are many ways to send money to India. In last few years many Indian banks have opened "online" money transfers facilities. The famous one are ICICI Bank's Money2India, Times of India's Remit2India, Citibank, State Bank of India etc. Online money transfers gives better dollar to rupees than exchanging through counters at Bank or Western Union. I found Citibank as most quick and online SBI giving best rate. Other way is to give US issue debit/credit card to your parents in India. You will get best exchange rate on cards however of late many banks have started 2% foreign transaction fees.

SSN/ITIN:
Get your SSN and if your dependents are not eligible for SSN get ITIN for them. SSN/ITIN for dependents will be helpful in getting income tax deductions.

401(k):
Many employers have standard 401(k) retirement plans, however I have seen many Indian not opting for it. They say 'who will wait till retirement' or 'i will go back to India in few years'. The thing is you are missing employers match. Most employer match 6% of your contribution by 4.5%. So, if you save $6000 in a year employer will put $4500. I know few friends who get salary in 80K and 90K and not putting anything in 401K.

Immigration:
Many indian specific immigration sites are available. I find ImmiHelp, Murthy, Immigration, Immigration Law as helpful ones. Immihelp has many draft letters which are helpful if you are calling your parents from India to visit you in US.

Life In Pardesh

Lets start with little introdcution about me. I am citizen of India living in USA. As per definition by Govt of India (and indian hotel/airlines/bank) I am NRI ( Non Resident Indian ). So when I visit my country I will be treated (finacially) like gora videshi by paying everything in dollars. Everyone in India (custom officers at airport, taxi driver, bankwala, airline, Taj Mahal guards....) will be happy to halal NRI bakra.

In coming days, I will write about my NRI experince here. I hate 'NRI' word, but it will be simple to use as it has become essential part Indian English. If you dont belive me, look at any leading indian english newspaper you will find headlines like 'NRI centre in US mooted', 'NRI yoga guru threatens to sue LA' etc. When an American goes out to other country, he is still called American citizen (until s/he has American passport), no one calls them 'Non Resident American'.