BELLA MASSI!!!! STAI SOTTO!!!

Ciao bbelli,
dopo le incoraggianti cartoline da Penn State, torno a pubblicare un po' di vita vissuta. Questa settimana ho avuto il piacere di ospitare nientepopodimeno che colui che sta sotto (massi, per chi non fosse familiare col gergo)! Dopo avergli fatto assaggiare l'estate inglese (sole e mare), lunedi` ci siamo mossi verso Oxford, per assistere ad una conferenza piu` o meno inutile. In effetti piu` inutile direi... ma ce la siamo spassata lo stesso, ospitati dal mio socio Ciccio, che si e` trasferito a Oxford da tre mesi. La cittadina e` davvero mooolto bella, e l'inaspettata giornata di bel tempo di mercoledi` ci ha consentito di apprezzare ancora di piu` il posto; in particolare la 'casa di Harry Potter'! Ebbene si`, abbiamo visitato il collegio dell'infame maghetto (tranquilli, non muore, si sposa e figlia), dove sono stati girati i filmssss (notate la foto del famosissimo refettorio e dell'altrettanto famosa biblioteca, fatta da fuori perche` era chiusa). Insomma, ce la siamo spassata, e martedi` sera Ciccio ci ha pure portato alla Gerico Tavern, locale storico di Oxford ove solevano esibirsi dei giovanissimi Radiohead nei primi anni 90, dove ci siamo beccati un po' di onesta musica dal vivo.
Mercoledi` sera siamo tornati nella ridente Birmingham, e il giorno dopo il mio socio Vasilios (from Atene) si e` dottorato. Molto metal il ragazzo, con le tipiche all star da cerimonia!!!! Nella fotina di gruppo potete ammirare (oltre a me, massimo e vasilios) anche attila (a sinistra) e walter (un po' meno a sinistra), mentre spiaggiati sul prato ci sono pure andrea, fabio, stefanie, emily e kai (nonche` natalie e euge nell'altra foto). Insomma, grande festa, e incredibilmente baciata dal sole!!!!! Ma non temete ragazzi, le foto sono state scattate giovedi` pomeriggio; la sera gia` diluviava e la pioggia e` continuata ininterrotta fino a sabato, causando uno dei piu` spassosi allagamenti della storia dell'inghilterra (sono piovuti piu` di 100mm di acqua in una giornata)....insomma, la vecchia Albione non si smentisce mai.
Anyway, venerdi` mattina ho riportato il maestro della musica strutturata in aeroporto a east midlands (notare che appena fuori birmingham ha smesso di piovere....). BELLO CHESSEI, ci si rivede, che so, tipo in Armenia tra un mesetto....

PENN STATE, PART II

Belli chessiete! ecco la seconda mail di Hannah, che mi racconta altre fantastiche amenita` di Penn State!
n-joy!
a breve postero` nuove mirabolanti foto!!!!

ciao a tutti!!!!

**************************************************************************
*****************************************************************************
Dearest Alberto,

I about *died* laughing watching that video! It really cracked me up. :)

I have only been to Birmingham once - and it was a about a year and a
half ago, when I came for the SKA/GAIA/LISA conference. This was how I
met Carlo. I must admit that I was not accustomed to the heavy
industrialization that seems to consume most of England in its
architectural form. It would perhaps be harsh to call Birmingham ugly -
as there are some beautiful and interesting parts to it - but not a
place I would ever want to call my home I suppose.

State College is a little different. The University is quite large
(about 2 miles wide), and has its own zip code. The University is also
one of the strongest sources of employment here, with 15,000 staff
serving 42,000 student at this university alone. As a result, there is
what one might call and economic bubble that surrounds the State College
area. State College is a very clean place - because people here tend to
have quite a bit of money. Things in general are well kept. While I
like this aspect of the town, it has a downside that not everyone can
afford to live here. Affordable housing has been a real issue - and
developers and locals (unfortunately I hate to say) have been keen on
removing what little affordable housing that exists here (trailer parks,
etc.) and replacing them with Starbucks Coffee, Wegmans Grocery, and
whatever other consumer whore outlets people shop at these days.

I will tell you quite honestly that one of the biggest complaints that I
hear from post docs and grad students is that State College and Central
Pennsylvania in general is very white. We have a very low minority rate
here - which is sad. You will quickly find that everyone here more or
less looks the same, dresses the same, and unfortunately thinks the
same. I would not let this bother you though. I think you will find
hat there are strong communities of people from all over the world
here. This is afforded naturally because of the shear size of the
University. Many, many, many of the guys I work with (all from other
parts of the world of course) get together regularly to play soccer.
You will also be coming to Penn State during a time when we will be
getting (aside from yourself) - two other Italians. The two others will
be joining our Theory Group under Abhay Ashtekar. We also currently
have a young Sicilian named Eloisa who works in our Numerical Relativity
Group. She is a pistol. She does a great job of pissing off our rather
metrosexual Argentinian Nico. In short - you won't be completely alone. :)

If you are surviving in Birmingham, I am sure you will do fine here.
This place is at least visually a lot more beautiful (IMHO). I dunno
what you will think of the girls and the bars here. We don't really
have pubs around here like those you are familiar with in Britain. We
used to have a great biergarten, but it burned down in a terribly sad
fire. Lastly - you will hate the food. There is no other way to
describe it. The food here sucks. It is nourishment. That is all I
can tell you about it. ;)

At any rate - an early welcome to you! When you get here, we can take
you to the gun range, get you drunk, and show you how to tip cows.
Physics is overrated anyways. ;)

Take care,
--
Hannah

RITRATTO DI PENN STATE

ciao belli! niente foto o avventure mirabolanti oggi, pubblico soltanto una mail inviatami da Hannah Williams, project manager del gruppo di gravitazione a Penn State, nonche` cara amica del mio socio CNC. CNC l'ha informata del mio arrivo e le ha detto che sono un 'cazzone'. date le mie perplessita sulla localita`, Hanna ha pensato bene di fornirmi un quadro dettagliato dell'amena localita`. e` in inglese, ma vale lo sbattimento della lettura.....

p.s. comunque se a penn state hanno tutti il senso dell'umorismo di questa tizia, potrei non trovarmi cosi` male...


Dearest Alberto,

I was just passing the time kibitzing with my dear friend Carlo Nicola -
discussing the record high influx of Italians to our beloved Gravity
Center here at Penn State - when he told me how excited you are about
coming here. As I will be one of your new colleagues when you arrive,
Carlo informed me that you were a bit concerned about the location of
Penn State here in Central Pennsylvania - more specifically that it is
in the middle of no where - and that I should send along some kind words
about your new home.

Let me begin by saying that your geography is *excellent*. I just
walked outside and said to myself, "My god! I am in the middle of no
where!".

Have no fear though. You'll love it here. As a German friend once told
me, "this is a place that completely lacks culture and social action".
We shouldn't mind him though. He is rushing to Canada of all places to
get away from here - hesitating not for a moment to let grass grow under
his feet.

So what do people in Central PA like to do? People here like to watch
football (not soccer). When I say "people" - I am talking about about
120,000 of them - as we have one of the largest stadiums in the US here
- and by the time you get here, the season will be full blown.
Something like 1 in 12 people in the United States has graduated from
PSU - and they all flock here on the weekends to watch the football
games and get drunk.

Aside from that, there is basically nothing to do around here, unless
you like firearms. If you enjoy firearms, we have lots of sportsman's
clubs, shooting ranges, and other ways to kill a few hours with an
automatic rifle in your hands.

We are 3 to 4 hours away from anything resembling a city - which
essentially translates to "bring your own entertainment". :)


So, I am making a bit of fun. I quite enjoy living here. It is a very
safe place to live - but many people strongly dislike the area because
of what they consider a lack of things to do. In my mind, there is
plenty to do around here - but they are all things which require an
outdoor spirit - something of which I naturally grew up with. I myself
am very fond of hiking and mountain biking (something which I do
avidly). Our local state forest has some of the most difficult single
track to ride on the east coast - and more appropriately because they
are almost entirely rock gardens that you have to ride. If you like
wildlife, I have seen 3 black bears so far this season, and as the
blueberries begin ripening up on the ridges, the bears will be
everywhere. It is quite a site. :)

The local area also has a very strong Pennsylvania Dutch culture to it,
which some people (especially those from the western US) have a hard
time getting used to the highly organized and rigid fashion of its
people - as it permeates much of what life is like here. It is not so
bad though - and as Carlo once said to me: "it adds to the charm",
which I think is very true. :)

There are a lot of wonderful people here to work with. One of the
things that makes me sad is that many of the individuals whom I have
become good friends with are all leaving! (We have 8 post docs leaving
this season!) However, we are looking forward to the new people who are
coming on - all of which we are excited to meet and bring into the fold.

If you have any questions that would aid you in getting more acquainted
before you arrive, by all means, let me know. I will do the best I can
to help out and will try my hardest to not be frightening and overly
sarcastic.

Take care,
--
Hannah Williams
Project Manager
The Center for Gravitational Wave Physics
Institute for Gravitational Physics and Geometry