Maternity Laws in US, arcane at best!!

Capitalism is in US veins. Great, but to what extent is it justifiable? As a newbie dad, I am getting a ton of baby magazines and I came across this article in BabyTalk.

It is absolutely sad that US, despite being one of the richest countries, does not have good maternity supports to her women. Most of the politicians make big claims about how kids are the future, blah, blah and more blah, but they don't mean squat.

Most states allow you to claim FMLA for 12 weeks but none of this supported with income. Some companies like my ex-employer (Texas Instruments) do it out of their own grace but most do not. My current employer does not entertain even a day's leave. Please feel free to take unpaid is what they say and that's true in my wife's case as well. My wife and I are blessed to have some supplemental income to balance the work and home life styles and could afford the unpaid time off.

But for those single mothers or low-income families, it is a pity that the government left both the mother and child to street. The article above brings to perspective how bad things are here in US. Only 5 out of 174 do not support and US is one among them. Phew!!

Proud Indian Today!!!

Amidst all the news of terrorism, growing menace of Raj Thackerey and the likes of Mamta Banerjee, I was just so happy to see this headline in CNN.

While we have people who are born just to disrupt others livelihood, there are people that influence in the most positive way for generations to come.

Congrats Chandrayaan team, you are one such group. Hats off to your first of many launches.

Drill baby Drill to Buy baby Buy!!

John McCain and his junta campaigned since July when the price of oil was over 145 dollars a barrel. Now, in October the price has dropped to almost half, 75 dollars a barrel. If he were to live up to his promise, whether he loses or wins, I hope he and his junta can continue on the efforts to energy independence.

Now that the oil is cheap, most oil companies would find it economical to buy thus increasing the foreign oil dependence. It seems like that slogan is already falling on the wayside.

Hope it does not change to Buy, baby, Buy!!

UK Transit Visa Scam

A country that makes effort to rob people has got to be ashamed of itself.

I just purchased an airline ticket with British Airways to India traveling via Heathrow from US. Both ways, my layover in Heathrow is just under two (2) hours but I am told I need a transit visa that would cost me 120 dollars extra, need to send my documents to a consulate and may be even get fingerprinted.

The exception is I need to have a valid visa in the US. I do, but as an Advance Parolee waiting for a Green Card. The country from which I am traveling from considers me that I am perfectly fine to go in and out of the country, the country I am going to is my motherland. When both of them are fine with my travel, UK somehow concludes that I am a risk and I need a transit visa.

How could they justify this? Old habits die hard. They robbed the whole world with their divisive strategies across the world. That would not work anymore, so they just designed small schemes like these to further their banks.

Gosh, never again through that country. Shame on you Britain!!