Aashis's Blogging

DESTINATION NEPAL

2010-09-02T22:08:00.014+05:30

The education system is blooming day by day in Nepal, especially due to interest from the foreigners.

By Aashis Luitel

Emily Jones, 20, from California, America has chosen Nepal to study the course ‘French language’ . When asked why she chose Nepal for her course study then she gave a simple answer that “Is the place only to learn Nepali?”

In the last week’s issue of the guardian , London based English daily, Aida Edemariam's article “who still wants to learn languages?” got support from an American who really liked her article. She said a language apart from your mother tongue is learn by those who think they have to know about the world. Emily might also felt that and came all the way from America to learn this course.

Emily

When asked about the details of the course then it was more sort of medical course than just the language course.

Nepal’s Tribhuwan University and Americans Cornell University on student exchange programme send American students over here in Nepal. “Due to this I got an opportunity to study in Nepal all the way from University of Pennsylvania,”she said, “When I said my friends about this then they got shocked and looked at me with jealousy.”

Being a daughter of software engineer and grown up in the city of San Francisco, she had keen interest in learning new things from young age. She is even more glad because her mother has is now doing her PhD Though she had to leave her friends , family she will be doing research about her course and try learn about the Nepali culture. She even says that learning new things and studying has different joy in it. “Due to the natural heritage of Nepal I got attached to it” and beside she feels glad to study in Nepal and thanks her fortune. When asked “do other Americans think the same way?” She takes time to answer and says “many people don’t even that Nepal even exist in the world map”. She feels glad to promote Nepal over there in America and she has full confidence in herself. “Sometimes when I show them some glimpses of Nepal then they feel shocked to see that there is such a wonderful place in the earth” She said. Emily openly said that she lives in the girls hostel at Kirtipur. She got a shock when she got to know that girls and boys have different hostels.

Lauri

Like Emily there is another guy named Lauri holm from Finland who is staying at the international hostel of Kathmandu University. He came here around three weeks ago. Lauri is studying Mechanical engineering in KU, and is from Hamk University of applied sciences Finland,who regularly goes to class over here.

While talking to Hello Shukrabar he shared his experience of studying sincerely over here. He finds interest in studying the course engineering management saying that he gained practical knowledge from this course.

He entered Nepal thinking “will I be able to get more of practical knowledge than just theoretical?” He had searched about this before entering Nepal. He got glad when he got an opportunity to study in Nepal. He was congratulated by many and asked him the process of studying out here.

The first day when he entered college he has confused but by seeing the number of foreigners out here he regained his confidence and made friends out here. When he got closer to his new friends then he got a nickname “lahure”. He gets happy when he is called by the name and he adds to it that “I am just like you guys”. With the decent French cut, neatly combed hair and toned body it seems like a Nepali has returned from another country. With his stay about to be one month he got to know the meaning of “lahure” .

Min

Another student min jung lee from Korean’s National Chan Wan University, shares her experience saying she didn’t like the system of education in Korea. Everything used to be taught in Korean in school level and when joined the university she got no change in the system and whenever tried learn new things she never succeeded on top of that the teachers used to convert English into Korean and make it tough for them. “What I feel is that studying is learning,” she said, “but what is the use of learning the same thing over and over?” And studying about international relations in her university soon she felt bored of it. Likewise her friends felt the same and where making future plans to move out of the country. She also decided to move out of the country but she was not able to get family support because she had recently lost her father.

Thinking about her future she was going through the television where she saw documentary about Nepal and got support from them because they were in more pain than her but still were happier and lastly she found her destiny for her future. But had given a second thought “what will I do over there in Nepal?” but changed her mind thinking that there will be more opportunity in Nepal than in other developed countries. “When I said about my study plans in Nepal,” she remembered, “then my friend’s got shocked and asked me why?” Then she answered back saying to study and she came to her destined place in 2007. After that the main problem was which college to join? Then she asked her professors which college to join through internet. She got a reply about st. xaviers college. Presently she is doing her bachelors in social works and she is in third year.

When she got her admission out there she had to face the difficulty in learning the course due to her weakness in English. But when she made friends out here then she got to learn Nepali from them. Initially she had problem in passing her exams but after she made friends then she is happy to pass it clearly and she wishes to do her masters out here.

Mohmaed Lasan,from Maldivs, has the same story ,he is studying medical in Institute Of Medical science in Maharajung and is in second year and wishes to do masters over here. He shares his story saying that he thought he would not get a chance to become a doctor but he completed his A-levels he searched the best medical colleges and got to know about IOM , he is glad to get admitted to it and wishes to complete his college sincerely.

He even says that he was crazy to become a doctor since childhood and he worked under a doctor as his assistant in Male and side by side even prepared for the entrance exam.

Mohammad

In the early days the 23 year old Lasan used to miss his home but due to the study load he forgot about his home. He shares his room with an Englishmen and even says that he is the only son of a businessman and he has two elder sister whom he really misses. he even said about his future plan saying that he wants to serve for his country so he wants to finish his course over here and go back there as soon as possible and open a institute(like IOM) over there too.

According to the education ministry the total enrollment till date (i.e 2009/10) there are 1183 foreign students studying in Nepal. It is 150 more than last year enrollment. In this manner there are more students who are willing to come to Nepal which is blooming nepali culture, nepal’s natural heritage as well as the nepali education system.

hellofriday@aashisluitel.com

Note : This article is the English version of NEPALI article published in Kantipur's friday supplement HELLOSHUKRABAR in 3rd September 2010

POLITICIANS VS. YOUTH INNOVATORS

2010-08-30T20:14:00.001+05:30

It was not planned to happen but it happened by fluke. Its nature and its surrounding were almost the same and it usually started with someone giving the order and the presentation started followed by the questions by the audience and answer the presenter. As usual it started late ‘due to technical reason’ and started by 10:30. The presenters were forced to stop the presentation as they were given time limitation for their presentation. But it was a golden chance for the ones who spoke in English and who were giving presentation online (from ustream or twitter) got the opportunity to participate in the program.

Six hundred and one youths participated in this program in Sa Falcha café situated in the heart of Kathmandu physically or virtually (i.e. through net television). The number of participants was equal to the number of the member of parliament of the constituent assembly. These are the one who are throwing the future of the country as well as its countrymen in darkness and playing a drama for the ‘election of the prime minister’ and wasting money like anything. Still we young people were present and started our discussion with politics in Nepal and its future and were out bursting with different opinion and were realizing the capacity inside them and feeling proud to be the citizens of Nepal and with one mentality of doing something for Nepal.

With use of internet in rise and exchanging ideas through virtual world started around a decade in the international market with its roots in around 500 cites with its brand name BAR CAMP. The number is increasing with the organizing of this type programs in different cities, with youth raising voice against politics, drugism etc.

It was the second program of BAR CAMP in Kathmandu and no one were in the official attire or were given an official invitation. Information was channelized through facebook, twitter etc around the world. Many came and the ones who could not attend it attended through ustream and many expressed their views by updating their status in facebook and twitter.

With due respect I would like to thank the organizers of BAR CAMP KATHMANDU (Anjan Shrestha,Ankur Sharma,Bibek Paudel,Bibek Shrestha,Jwalanta Shrestha,Prashant Shrestha,Sangita Shrestha,Shankar Pokharel,Saroj Lamichhane,Tushar Neupane) who organized such a wonderful platform for youth like us. These guys who were having coffee in a café came up with the idea of organizing it. Last year this program happened on august 8th with participants not more than one hundred and this year the participation rose up to 6 hundred which made them feel proud and excited with this kind of participation and encouraged them to organize this type of program again and again.

They started updating their status that when are we going to meet again in this manner. As the politicians wished that the days of constituent assembly could be extended which the express through their behavior and many of them have even expressed it just the same way we youth started thinking when are we guys going to meet again. We youth wished that when next time this type of program is organized then many more would attend it. It was not like the meeting of the constituent assembly where one was sleeping and the other one is giving its details about its future program and the youth were showing their outburst not only through their voice but even physically, instead people gave their support to the updates in facebook, twitter etc.

Abhisek singh(@askmeaks) one of the participants liked the idea of Chandan Sapkota “making of Nepal economically sound” had twitted about it in twitter and many of his friends supported him. With the idea “development of Nepal” of Pukar Malla from boston many of them twitted in support of him. Coordinator of Hello Shukrabar, weekly supplement of Kantipur daily, Deepak Adhikari asked for suggestion about the weekly and the audience gave idea of promotion of the villages. Many of them were not in the support of use of English words by me in my column of “Hello Shukrabar” and started twitting the nepali words of it . you can even see it in http://twitter.com/barcampktm.

At that very moment Dinesh Wagle (@wagle) from Delhi said instead of using smileys we can write the nepali translation like for a smile we write :-) instead we can write ‘AA AA’, and whenever he liked anything he wrote ‘AA AA’ and others followed his steps.

Is the Nepal at present is like the same one which we dream it in our dreams. Bibek gave his views saying is it possible having a Nepal of our dreams. Shankar shared his views with the audience what is the value of academic records in Nepal? Hempal shrestha said about “cybercrime in Nepal and it ways of preventing it”. Saunak Bhatta rose the issue “GREEN MAN/WOMEN”, likewise chirag wagdel made the crowd flow in his views about “why art”, Saurav Dhakal made people think just like they do when they read a story about the issue “story cycle”,Abhisek gave techniques about “the ways of celebrating software freedom”, Chakra Karki made the crowd feel guilty from his issue “garbage in everest”, Jwalant’s issue “a thought for food” made the crowd feel hungry and Aakar said about “blogging experience”.( For more discussed topics you can log on to barcamp)

At the end of discussion Shankar (@snkr) twitted saying that 601 attended the program which is equal to the number of MPs of the constituent assembly of Nepal. I can say it proudly and many would support me on this occasion that this program was productive in many ways and many of them shouted in his favor.

WE ARE STILL FAR BEHIND TO USE CLEAN TECHNOLOGIES

2010-06-05T15:43:00.001+05:30

I think garbage management is a crucial issue than vehicle in our cities.

Aashis bhai,

nice to read ur article.
However, a bitter truth is that every country becomes dirtier when their economies start to grow. This relationship between economic growth and environment has been observed throughout the world. The evidence from rapidly growing countries like China, India, Brazil, who are emitting more support this hypothesis and cities like Kathmandu are not exceptional. Because, we are still far behind to use clean technologies as we don't have competency to afford them.

As you proposed for Bicycle, which seems simple but equally implausible. Because, you can see our congested road. Do you think, our cities can survive only using bicycle? Off course not. Likewise, we don't have enough infrastructure for biking though citizens can afford the bike. Neither, we have a capability to sacrifice development for the sake of environment. Still, our per capita emission is far behind than other countries. I think garbage management is a crucial issue than vehicle in our cities.

Rest, as far as my knowledge, sacrificing development for the sake of economic development is oxymoron in the poor countries like Nepal. It doesn't mean we have to undermine the environmental aspect, but still economic development over-weights.

by Rajesh Rai

rjerung@yahoo.com

"ECO FRIENDLY CITY"- "Only the Technology is Solution"

2010-06-05T15:20:00.004+05:30

what I would like to emphasize is that "the problem is due to industry and technology, and the ultimate solution is also the technology."

Thanks Aashis, for your motivational article.
It's unanimous that world is facing a huge environmental crisis, which has no boundary like sky. It is the challenge for the whole humanity (civilized globe), and developing countries like Nepal are being hard hit due to their weak economy and low resilience capacity though the every single individual species is the victim of environmental degradation. The environment has direct link with global economy as the economic goods come from the environmental services. So world economists, environmentalists and political leaders have realized the fact that" No safe environment, No safe global economy". So the world is acting together to protect global environment in synchronize manner. We can see an example from BP Spill of oil in Gulf of Mexico, how much serious they have been. The world has single voice for the conservation of life around the area of that calamity.

As you mentioned, our unethical behavior are responsible for environmental problem, but the major cause is the increasing pace of global industrialization and fossil fuel burning. Nepal's contribution for the GHG emission was 0.025 % many years before. Nobody has revised data currently; I guess it has been fallen down to 0.015%. So we, Nepalese people, have no option except crying. What we can d o is that we can migrate towards safe places (adaptation) if we are able to garner global support. The ball is on the court of developed countries. Let's hope for the better future negotiation.

I appreciate, you talked about cycling culture. I am very glad that youth from Kathmandu has initiated Cycle City 2020 campaign. It's a great initiative. At least it motivates the youths and the following generation to act ethically towards environment, though it is not the solution for growing environmental crisis. The GHG level is rocketing in unprecedented speed. On this context, how much carbon a cycle can save to enter into atmosphere ? One more question: Dose a cycle be convenient means of transportation in this rapid world? Having said this I want to clarify that I am not against cycling, but only the technology can solve this crisis. Instead of small vehicle as we see in Kathmandu ( they are the major problem), we need larger double decker bus. More we need to promote electric vehicle, but not like existing small "Safa tempo" . Larger Hybrid bus could be the option to replace Trolley and "Safa Tempo" because they have totally been unsuccessful.

The world is going to switch towards magnetic bullet train. For now it might not be possible in Nepal, but I what I would like to emphasize is that "the problem is due to industry and technology, and the ultimate solution is also the technology."

Thanks Aashis once again for writing on this crucial issue.

Best Wishes,

Mukesh
mdangi.env@gmail.com

फेरि यस्तो नहोस्

2010-05-15T19:27:00.000+05:30

'अनि देश छोडुँ छोडुँ हुँदो हो है ?'

'हँ, ठ्याक्कै त्यस्तो त हुँदैन । तर एकदमै दुःख लाग्छ ।'

१९७४ एडी । एउटा चर्चित ब्यान्ड, जसका मेन भोकलिष्ट आज देशको अवस्थाप्रति हिजोभन्दा धेरै चिन्तित छन् । 'गोलमटोल' देशको स्थितिबाट दिक्क छन् । र, कुरा गर्दा केही भावुक बन्छन् ।

अघिल्लो बिहीबार एडि्रएन प्रधान पोखरामा कन्सर्ट गर्न आफ्ना ब्यान्ड मेम्बरसहित काठमाण्डु उत्रिए, लन्डनको एकहप्ते कन्सर्ट भ्याएर तर जब उनी एअरपोर्ट गेटमा पुगे तब 'नर्कमा आएझै भयो' उनलाई । केही हरियो नम्बर प्लेटका गाडी थिए, 'नेपालीलाई हुन्न,' यसै भने खलाँसीले । उनले रिक्सा खोजे, बल्ल बल्ल एउटाले मान्यो । पुग्नुपर्ने ललितपुर । रिक्सा पनि गुड्न दिएनन् आन्दोलकारीले । 'हान् हान् भनिहाल्थे,' उनले सम्झिए , 'बिचरा भाइ (रिक्सावाला) ले गल्ली-गल्ली छिराएर ल्याए ।'

देश फर्किन पाएपछि उत्साहित हुनुपर्ने हैन र ? 'बन्द छ भन्ने उहीँ (लन्डनमै) सुनेथेँ,' आशावादी एडि्रएनले भने, 'नेपाल पुग्दा त (बन्द) खुलिहाल्ला नि भन्ने थियो ।'

पोखरा त के घर नै कसरी पुग्नु भन्ने त्रास 'घरबाट निस्कने अवस्था थिएन,' आम हडतालको अन्तिम दिन एडि्रएन पोखराका फ्यानसँग घरैबाट मनमनै माफी माग्दै थिए,'सरी,देशै ठप्प छ,कसरी कन्सर्ट गर्नु ?'

बन्द खुलेको पहिलो दिन, गत शनिबार, परिवारलाई लिएर चर्च गए, बन्द नहोस् भन्ने कामना गरे । आफन्तसँग भेटघाटमा बित्यो त्यो दिन । 'बन्द खुल्यो भन्नु मात्र,' उनी चिन्तित छन्, 'बाहिर हिँड्न सक्ने वातावरण नै छैन ।'

यस्तोमा के उनलाई नेताहरुसँग रिस उठ्छ ? 'के गर्नु हाम्रो भावनै बुझ्दैनन्,' भने, 'अब बन्द नहोस् ।'

तपाईलाई नि ? राजबल्लभ कोइरालालाई सोधियो, 'सब मतिभ्रष्ट,' चल्तिका नायकले भने, 'जनताका लागि आन्दोलन गर्छु भन्नेले जनतालाई नै किन दुःख दिन्छन् ?' यसको मतलब राजबल्लभ पनि यो आमहडतालका पक्का पीडित हुन् । 'कुनै शंका ?' प्रतिप्रश्न गरे, 'देशका एक-एकले पीडा पा'छन् ।'

हुन पनि, उनको गत शुक्रबारको लागि तय गरिएको 'पल' को सुटिङ रोकियो । 'कोही त छ,' फिल्मको सुटिङ रोकेर उनले कर्ण शाक्यको फिल्म 'पल' मा साइन गरेका थिए । 'चौपट भो,' निराशिँदै भने, 'कसरी टाइम मिलाउनु ?'

आमहडताल खुलेको पहिलो दिन के गर्नु भो त ? 'स्क्रिप्ट मगाएँ,' कामप्रति लगनशील राजबल्लभले भने, 'अब छिटोभन्दा छिटो काम भ्याउने सुरमा छु ।' ललितपुर धोबीघाटस्थित आफ्नै घरबाट गफिएका राजबल्लभ जेठको अन्तिम साता 'पल' सकेर 'कोही त छ' शुरु गर्ने तयारीमा रहेपनि मानसिक प्रेसरमा छन् ।

उस्तै पीडा पोख्दै थिए निर्देशक/निर्माता मदन घिमिरे । 'हलमा फिल्म चल्न पाएन नि है ?' भन्दै आमहडताल स्थगित भएपछि मैले उनलाई खिस्याएको थिएँ । 'मेरो 'बुबा आमा' र 'दोस्ती' उनी फटाफट चलचित्रका नाम भन्दै थिए, जसका काठमाण्डू र मोफसलका हलमा पोष्टर झुण्डिए पनि चलेका थिएनन्, 'यसको प्रत्यक्ष मारमा म परेको छु ।' यतिमात्र हैन, मदनले अर्को नयाँ चलचित्र 'भागी-भागी नजाऊ' १९ गते नै रिलिज गर्ने तयारी गरिसकेका थिए, ठ्याक्कै त्यही दिनदेखि भएको आमहडतालले उनलाई सतायो । अनि गएको आइतबारदेखि सुटिङ गर्ने भनी तय भएको 'स्वाभिमान' को पनि समय अर्को एक हप्तालाई सार्नुपर्‍यो उनले ।

बन्द खुलेकै दिनदेखि चलचित्र 'मस्ती' को मिक्सिङमा व्यस्त छन्, उनी । 'के गर्नु भ्याइनभ्याई छ,' मदन बोले, 'आन्दोलनकारीले बुझे पो !'

मदनझैँ निर्देशक आलोक नेम्वाङ पनि आमहडतालभरी छट्पटाइरहे । उनका ३ वटा म्युजिक भिडियोको सुटिङ चौपट भयो । 'फिल्मको डबिङ पनि रोकियो,' आलोकले भने, 'ठूलो घाटा लाग्यो ।' आलोकले अञ्जु पन्त र हिमाल सागरको गीतको म्युजिक भिडियो सुटिङका लागि गत शनिबार नगरकोट जाने कार्यक्रम तय गरेका थिए, सबै इक्युपमेन्ट तयार थियो । एक्कासी भोलिपल्ट बन्द हुने भएपछि उनी एकछिन् त अक्क न बक्क परे । बन्द दैनिकीले उनलाई अल्छे बनाइदियो, मुड बदलिदियो उनको ।

बन्द खुलेको पहिलो दिन 'र्फममा आउन सकिएको छैन,' उनमा अझै बन्दकै धङ्धङी छ, 'बिहान पनि ढिलो उठियो ।' त्यो पहिलो दिन पट्यारलाग्दो दैनिकीबाट उनले फेरबदल गरिहाले, उही रोकिएको डबिङ गरेर । '(आमहडताल खुलेको) दिनभरी त्यही (डबिङ) गरियो,' व्यस्तताका बीच आलोकले भने, 'अब (म्युजिक) भिडियो सुटिङ गर्न थालिहाल्छु ।'

नायिका तथा मोडेल नम्रता श्रेष्ठलाई दोहोरो घाटा पर्‍यो । आमहडताल भएसँगै उनले अभिनय गरिरहेको फिल्म 'पर्पल डेज' को सुटिङ त रोकियो नै, साथसाथै उनको रेस्टुरेन्ट (एटिक) समेत बन्द भयो । 'घाटा लाग्यो नि,' नम्रताले भनिन्, 'कहिले खुल्ला भनेर दिक्क भा'थेँ ।'

घरमा बस्दा-बस्दा वाक्क भएकी उनी 'बन्द खुलाउनुपर्‍यो' भन्दै आवाजमा आवाज थप्न गत शुक्रबार 'शान्ति र्‍याली' मा पनि गइन् । अखिरीमा बन्द खुल्यो र उनी दङ्ग परिन् । 'खुल्ने बित्तिकै वर्कसप (फिल्म पर्पल डेजको स्क्रिप्ट प्राक्टिस) मा गइहालेँ,' उनी खुसी देखिइन्, 'रेस्टुरेन्ट नि खोलेँ ।'

आन्दोलकारी आम हडताल 'सफल' भएको भन्दै जति 'उत्साही' छन्, त्यो भन्दा कैयौँ गुणा बढी निराश छन्, राष्ट्रका धरोहरहरु । 'अनि मानसिक रुपमा विक्षिप्त पनि,' राजबल्लभको ठहर छ । उनीहरुको कामना छ, फेरि यस्तो क्षति ब्यहोर्नु नपरोस् ।

hellofriday@aashisluitel.com

TO MY CHILD

2010-05-06T10:33:00.000+05:30

Hello,
A beautiful poem written by a Father to save his Daughter !!!

Do read it once...........I am sure u also won't be left untouched by the words and the feelings that they depict.
The last stanza, after reading from the beginning, suddenly slows down the heart-beats..

DAD - BABY RACHEL - MOM

A sad Dad's poem...
This is a beautiful poem. There is an appeal from a Zimbabwean
couple at the bottom of message, not asking for anything more
than that you hand the poem on.
The husband wrote the poem.

TO MY CHILD

Just for this morning, I am going to
smile when I see your face and laugh
when I feel like crying.

Just for this morning, I will let you
choose what you want to wear,
and smile and say how perfect it is.

Just for this morning, I am going to step
over the laundry and pick you up and take you to
the park to play.

Just for this morning, I will leave the
dishes in the sink, and let you teach me how to put
that puzzle of yours together.

Just for this afternoon, I will unplug
the telephone and keep the computer off, and sit with
you in the backyard and blow bubbles.

Just for this afternoon, I will not yell
once, not even a tiny grumble when you scream and
whine for the ice cream truck, and I will buy you one
if he comes by.

Just for this afternoon, I won't worry
about what you are going to be when you grow up, or
second guess every decision I have made where you are
concerned.

Just for this afternoon, I will let you
help me bake cookies, and I won't stand over you
trying to fix them..

Just for this afternoon, I will take us
to McDonald's and buy us both a Happy Meal so you can
have both toys.

Just for this evening, I will hold you in
my arms and tell you a story about how you were
born and how much I love you.

Just for this evening, I will let you
splash in the tub and not get angry.
Just for this evening, I will let you
stay up late while we sit on the porch and count all the stars.

Just for this evening, I will snuggle
beside you for hours, and miss my favourite TV shows.

Just for this evening when I run my
finger through your hair as you pray, I will simply be
grateful that God has given me the greatest gift ever given.

I will think about the mothers and
fathers who are searching for their missing children, the
mothers and fathers who are visiting their children's
graves instead of their bedrooms. The mothers
and fathers who are in hospital rooms
watching their children suffer senselessly and screaming
inside that little body

And when I kiss you goodnight I will hold
you a little tighter, a little longer. It is then,
that I will thank God for you, and ask him for
nothing, except one more day...............

Hi! I am a 29-year-old father. My wife and I have had a wonderful life together. God blessed us with a child too. Our daughter's name is Rachel and she is 10 months old. Not long ago did the doctors detect brain cancer in her little body.

There is only one way to save her and that is an operation. Sadly we don't have the money for the operation. AOL and Zdnet (in Zimbabwe ) have agreed to help us.

The only way they can help is this: If you send this email to other people< BR>AOL will track this email and count how many people get it. Every person that opens this email and sends it to at least 3 people will give us 32c. (in Zimbabwe dollars) Please help us.

It hardly takes a min for you to forward this to your friends, Please do it.

writing against the flow-1

2010-03-30T14:22:00.000+05:30

whats wrong in going to disco, drinking and smoking? u remember our grandfathers' generation people going to rodhis and marrying many women? If any one has resource he/she has his own right to choose on how to spend.

By Prakash Koirala

Syangja, Nepal

Now -Sydney, Australia

27 November 2007

Aashis jee,

Its nice to read your article in the Kantipur Daily. I am happy to find u conscious about our culture n worried about the youth generation who have taken deviated and wrong path. However, i could not stop myself writing the following things.

1) The first and foremost thing is that u r seemed to

be gender biased. i don't know what made u mention

only the 'yubati'. Didn't u see other males smoking?

My understanding is that we could understand world

better if we do not be bias between male and female.

2) You r saying that discos r not for us n only to

those who r born in the western culture and/or land.

In my vision, here u r wrong in two ways. Firstly, u

yourself went to the disco n u r saying its not for

us. did u go there to do research? otherwise whats

your motive? Secondly, nothing in this world could be

a property of any culture n nation. if a person in

jumla says 'mulls and horses are the only way of our

means of transport n we dont need vehicles' what will

be our answer? i wonder one day u may write saying

English is 'gai khane bhasa'simply as my passed

grandfather used to say.

3) u r rumorously saying that people who go to disco r

bad. And more importantly u r puoudly mentioning that

discos, which have base on the western culture ,have

become the first choice of entertainment to the modern

nepalese. it seems to be childish idea. didn't u see

thousand of nepalese participating in Nepali Tara?

havent u found many youths involved in different

radio/fm and television stations? haven't u heard

about 'gurukul' 'nepalaya' sarbanam and others? have u

forgotton the fact that 'Balidan' beat the kolloywood

box office for a long time?to cite one simple example-

many nepalese children now, then in our period, can

play music and sing better than in our period. Many r

involved in sports as well.

4) Nepalese are not unconscious on preserving there

culture. What is culture? what culture do they need to

follow? are they supposed to walk in the streets of

Putalisadad wearing 'daura suruwal' and 'fariya'? I

would like to request you to give any good example of

entertainment that we can get following our culture.

Are the Kathmanduties expected to go to the 'dohari

sanjhs' then? doesnt sound well.

5)u r saying that friends laugh at u when u give

speech in Nepali. ok, for a moment lets accept that

those who laught at u are stupid. On the other side of

the coin why u feel to much proud of talking in Nepali

only. talking in nepali is a normal thing n u dont

need to feel proud of it. your writing shows that u

give speech in Nepali only to show that u talk in

Nepali. otherwise no need to mention. but most

importantly, i swear that nobody laughs at u when u

talk in nepali. if somebody very close to u says that

its natural but others do not make u 'pakhe'. problem

is with u cos u want to get credit. but for what?

Aashis ji, u cant transform nepalese society only giving some biased ideas. discos r for us too. we need to learn foreign culture too to go ahead. if the casinos r not for nepalese then adminstration should be strict to that. in this diverse world we need to have exposure to all the things that have moved the world. if Tony Blair's 19 year son can get drunk and sleep in the street of London(real incident that i read in The Guardian some 4 years ago) why not 'ram' n 'shyam' of our nation? whats wrong in going to disco, drinking and smoking? u remember our grandfathers' generation people going to rodhis and marrying many women? If any one has resource he/she has his own right to choose on how to spend.

writings against the flow-2

2010-03-29T23:54:00.003+05:30

"In your recent two articles about Bunking culture and safe sex u are just trying to back your stupid logic blaming the stupid things (that are existing) and thus raising something unconventional (against the flow) and be in the limelight for somehow long time."

By Sushim Pokhrel

March 29 at 11:02pm

Hi Aashish,

I think, I have been reading ur article in kantipur right from u had started writing in it. Sometimes good, sometimes average, sometimes informative your articles used to be OK for me , but not this time. I am talking about ur article about bunking. Moreover, I am surprised to see your against the motion attitude developing in ur writings. Its about challenging the existing conventions (even if they are good) and trying to become a radical hero.

I remember back to ur initial stage article that u write back 4,5 years ago, it was a average one i think but the message in it was making aware of the parents about the disco habit of the kids, and discouraging kids from going disco. Another good thing was, after this article one Father had thanked u in the same daily for informing all parents about the disco habits of their kids. I think u know well about these, at least more than me.

But in your recent two articles about Bunking culture and safe sex u are just trying to back your stupid logic blaming the stupid things (that are existing) and thus raising something unconventional (against the flow) and be in the limelight for somehow long time.

Ok, lets talk about your bunking culture article. Ok, I know most of the nepalese students have the opportunity to choose the subject by themselves. Infact most of them are confused with which they should study. Teacher's attitude in class in not so good and professional in our schools. There are so many things to get improved. Now what u want to make us believe that due to such poor situations in our society, school, classrooms, bunking is good and its acceptable.

Is itnk good after all, think yourself. Is bunking class and getting into cinemas/discos is the only way to get relaxed and release the pressure? We can analyze the cause to bunk class but u can never give a logic to say bunking is good. U may play with words and make some believe it but after all bunking class should be strictly a thing to be discouraged, and students should be punished (properly) for bunking classes. U can write about which subject to choose for young students, how to teach for bad teachers, how to create proper environment in home for parents but u can't give good logics for bunking classes and getting into babyloan discos in school dress. There are so many things for entertainment, some like singing they can join singing classes, some can join sports, some can join computer classes, going to cinemas in a normal way is always welcome. But bunking classes and appearing in such places school dresses is a thing to be discouraged. But your article rather encourages this habit.

Now lets talk about safe sex article. This article is also of against the flow type of article. While western world societies are suffering from early age pregnancy/teenage preganancy your article somehow encourages this by telling ...be safe...don't shoot your sexual activities...then you can enjoy sexual relation as much as u want. Is it acceptable in our society? Should we encourage this? should a teen age boy in Kathmandu to study from far remote district more concentrate on his studies,aims, goals or concentrate on bunking classes, enjoying sex??

While u were in those initial days of writing your articles used to be about teaching good things. But these are being rebelious these days. U were studying eng. at that, might be a job holder or doing higher study these days so your articles might mean good for a engineering professional or graduate but in the context of +2 students and teen age guys they don't fit at all.

You can make things better even without fighting with the existing things. I hope to get your views on these.

One of Your Critic.

Atonement

2009-05-02T10:59:00.006+05:30

Expectations:

Ideally, I was thinking this is a film I wanted to watch with my Girl Friend. Potentially heartbreaking/romantic.

Plot:

Based on Ian McEwan’s 2002 heartbreaking novel, this is a story of 13-year-old Briony accusing her sister (Kiera Knightley) and lover (James McAvoy) of a crime they didn’t commit. Things spiral beyond Briony’s control when World War II affects everyone in unforeseen ways.

Who’s it for:

This is a film about societal classes and a privileged little girl pushing too far. The romance feels real between Knightley and McAvoy and there is a bit of heartbreak.

Actors:

Kiera Knightley as Cecilia Tallis: Knightley seems at her best when working with director Joe Wright. They were together for her nominated performance in “Pride & Prejudice.” The absolute best part of Knightley’s acting (besides appearing dripping wet) was her steadfast love.

James McAvoy as Robbie Turner:

McAvoy was all but ignored in last year’s “The Last King of Scotland.” Even though he was clearly the lead of that film, Forest Whitaker got all the accolades. Hopefully, Robbie gets more notice. McAvoy yearns with the best of them and rooting for him is not a problem.

Saoirse Ronan/Romola Garai as Briony Tallis:

Ronan is the young Briony and it feels like she is straight out of a horror flick, just pure evil with her overly pronounced proper walking. Garai is the 18-year-old Briony, and unfortunately I never once felt the necessary sympathy for her.
Talking: When Robbie says he has “the clarity of passion,” it works. The intense love between Robbie and Cecilia is clearly the strong point of the film.

Sights and sounds:

“Atonement” has one of the best scores of the year. In numerous scenes the pounding of a typewriter eventually mutates into intense music. In another pivotal moment, Robbie’s mother (Brenda Blethyn) smacks an umbrella in frustration, again this melds into music.

OVERALL

“Atonement” adds to the usual period piece. The romance between Robbie and Cecilia is seen through the eyes of young Briony. This leads to Briony accusing Robbie of a horrendous crime. When World War II begins, potential tragedies come into play for both Robbie and Cecilia, who still long to be together. This leads to one of the best romances of the year. The problem comes when an older Briony attempts to atone for her misdeeds. The last third of the film doesn’t feel cohesive, the twist ending with Vanessa Redgrave isn’t satisfying, and I was ready for tragedy.

details

Atonement

Cast: Keira Knightley, James McAvoy, Saoirse Ronan, Romola Garai

Director: Joe Wright

Playing at: Cinemark

Rating: R (for disturbing war images, language and some sexuality)

Running time: 2 hours, 2 minutes

summer huiyaaaaa

2009-05-02T00:09:00.004+05:30

Parents Debate Sending Children To School as Officials Urge Caution

2009-04-30T17:23:00.003+05:30

The word came so late in the school day yesterday that officials couldn't send a letter to parents, so they resorted to e-mails and phone calls: A student at Folger McKinsey Elementary School in Severna Park was one of six probable cases of swine flu in Maryland.

"I heard this morning that a toddler died in Texas. And now, suddenly, there's a case in my back yard," said Beth Pendergast, whose daughter Danielle is a third-grader at Folger. "To be honest, my family is scared, and I'm scared. Even though they're taking all the precautions, it's still my child. At this point, there's no way I'm sending her to school tomorrow."

The six people represent the first possible cases of swine flu to reach the Washington region. The announcement set off debates for parents about whether to send children to school as officials urged residents to remain calm and said that efforts to stockpile medications were expanding.

The six probable cases are the Folger student and two family members who live in Anne Arundel County and three people in Baltimore County, including a high school student, Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) and state health officials said at a news conference that began at 3:30 p.m.

At a news conference last night, President Obama recommended that schools with suspected cases of swine flu strongly consider closing. But a spokesman for O'Malley said afterward that Maryland schools would remain open. "At this point it doesn't appear that it's necessary given the probable cases in Maryland," spokesman Shaun Adamec said.

Additionally, 10 students at the University of Delaware are thought to be infected with the virus, which is spreading around the world and has led to at least one death in the United States. A toddler from Mexico City died Monday in Texas.

Health officials said that none of the three Anne Arundel family members had traveled abroad recently but that a fourth family member had recently been to Mexico, where the virus appears to have originated.

Two of the Baltimore County cases are members of the same family, and one had recently been to Mexico. The third case is not related to the other two. It was not clear which of the three is the high school student.

Maryland and Delaware health officials said that the federal Centers for Disease Control in Prevention were testing the suspected cases and that the results could be released today. None of the infections appeared to be life-threatening, none of the people had been hospitalized and most appeared to be recovering.

The public should be prepared for more infections, officials said. In addition to the six Maryland cases that have been sent to the CDC in Atlanta for confirmation, six other samples were being analyzed by a state lab for preliminary signs of swine flu.

No cases had been reported in the District or Virginia.

Officials continued to urge people to take common-sense precautions, such as frequently washing hands, covering their mouths when coughing and staying home if feeling ill.

By Lori Aratani and Lisa Rein
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, April 30, 2009

About a Boy

2009-04-29T18:46:00.008+05:30

I have finished About a Boy.This movie really came as a surprise to me. I had read the book shortly before I saw it and when I heard Hugh Grant was going to star and the Weitz brothers were chosen to direct I didn't exactly have high hopes. I thought "American Pie" was funny and all but this kind of story demanded someone more mature, someone clever. This movie, however, turned out to be all that: mature, clever, witty, sensible, honest and, most of all, really funny in such a natural way. Hugh Grant has never been better in any role before or since and the soundtrack by Badly Drawn Boy is just perfect for the movie. The only thing they overdid a little was Toni Collette's character. I've never seen a person like that in real life. What I did like was the way they changed the ending for the movie. Usually that's not a good idea but it totally worked here. After all, I still liked "High Fidelity" a tiny bit better (the movie, not the book), but "About A Boy" comes very close. If you are just as much a fan of this book/movie as I am, get the DVD. There are wonderful deleted scenes on it, which are as funny as the rest of the movie.

Directors: Paul & Chris Weitz
Producers: Jane Rosenthal, Robert DeNiro, Brad Epstein, Tim Bevan & Eric Fellner
Executive Producers: Nick Hornby & Lynn Harris
Screenplay By: Peter Hedges and Chris & Paul Weitz
Based on the Novel By: Nick Hornby
Director of Photography: Remi Adefarasin
Production Designer: Jim Clay
Editor: Nick Moore
Costume Designer: Joanna Johnston
Music By: Badly Drawn Boy
Casting: Priscilla John
Art Director: Gary Freeman
Set Decorator: John Bush

Will - Hugh Grant
Marcus - Nicholas Hoult
Rachel - Rachel Weisz
Christine - Sharon Small
Fiona - Toni Collette
Ellie - Nat Gastiain Tena
Suzie - Victoria Smurfit

• positive elements: About a Boy touches on the nature of love and the necessity of living for more than yourself. Fiona and especially Marcus serve as examples of sacrificial love and devotion. Despite the fact that Fiona flirts with suicide, her love for Marcus is more than evident. Knowing that her son is constantly bullied, she repeats an encouraging mantra with him as they walk to school: "Who are you?" "I’m me." "What are you not?" "A sheep." "And how does a sheep go?" "Baaaaaa!" they say in unison, smiles spreading across their faces. Marcus initially tries to set his mom up with Will in order to help her depression. But when she lapses back into a funk, he’s determined to ease her despair by singing her favorite ‘70s tune at the school rock concert, despite the fact that it will be social suicide for him.

Will, on the other hand, serves as Marcus’ foil, emphasizing the boy’s virtues through his complete lack of decency. He’s self-centered, viewing his life as a one-man TV program: "I was the star of The Will Show. And The Will Show wasn’t an ensemble drama." He concludes that living for himself "guaranteed a long, depression-free life." He’s wrong. While he initially decides to let Marcus into his life so that he could be "Cool Uncle Will, King of the Children," the boy slowly worms his way into Will’s true affections and shows him how pointless his selfishness has become. His transformation manifests itself in various ways. He buys Marcus stylish new shoes to replace his battered brown ones and with pleasant surprise realizes, "I had made an unhappy boy temporarily happy and there wasn’t anything in it for me." He spends Christmas with Marcus’ family and actually enjoys a real family holiday for the first time. When Marcus falls for a girl at school, Will tries to help him sort through his feelings. "Do you want to touch her?" he bluntly asks. "Is that important?" Marcus quizzically replies, saying that he’d rather be able to talk openly and lovingly with her than simply have sex. "I suppose if I had all those things I wouldn’t care if I touched her," the boy says. Will initially responds with patriarchal condescension, but later comes to agree when he falls in love with Rachel.

[Spoiler Warning] Marcus pushes Will to tell Rachel that he’s not a single parent ("If you’re going to be with someone, shouldn’t you be honest?"), even though it costs him the relationship in the short run. The pivotal point in Will’s redemption comes when Marcus is about to sing at the rock concert. Will charges backstage and tells him that destroying his reputation for his mom is stupid since it’s impossible to make anyone happy. Besides, he says, if others can make you happy, they can make you sad as well, so best steer clear of the whole business. Which is, of course, the film’s point: Will lives a life full of cool cars, cable TV and disposable cash, but completely devoid of real friends—a meaningless existence. As he watches Marcus stride alone onto the stage and begin to sing in a broken, quavering voice, he swipes an electric guitar and serves up an up-tempo version of the song, saving the boy (and himself) in the moment of crisis.

Themes such as the damage done by divorce, the difficulty of single parenting, children’s need for fathers and the brutality of bullying are raised as well and receive similarly stimulating treatment.

• sexual content: Will is a tomcat and as such has little problem playing multitudes of women. A montage depicts scores of ex-flames telling off the selfish jerk for mercilessly dumping them. He suggestively flirts with women on the phone while volunteering for Amnesty International. His first relationship with the single mother is obviously sexual and in one scene she straddles him as he sits on the couch (they're both fully clothed). When asked to become a baby’s godfather, he declines, saying that he’d probably try to get her drunk and sleep with her when she turned eighteen. At S.P.A.T., one woman wears a T-shirt with the slogan "Lorena Bobbit for Surgeon General." After listening to the jilted women’s testimonies, Will crudely comments, "After about 10 minutes, I wanted to cut off my own penis with a kitchen knife." During his daily "Web research," he attempts to log onto a sleazy site. Crude sexual expressions get tossed around by many characters, including Marcus.

• violent content: While Will flirts with Susie during their date at the park, Marcus chucks a massive loaf of his mother’s "health bread" at a duck in a pond, instantly killing the creature. Bullies smack Marcus in the head with a football and pelt him with hard candy.

• crude or profane language: About a Boy more than earns its PG-13 rating with the heaps of foul language it tosses around. The f-word gets dropped twice and the s-word about 10 times. Twenty other milder profanities appear along with almost 30 uniquely British crudities and vulgarities. God’s name is misused about 25 times. Even more disturbing is how often these words pop out of Marcus’ mouth.

• drug and alcohol content: Casual drinking is common at dinners, family occasions, dates and when just kicking back on the couch. Will smokes regularly.

• other negative elements: While the film acknowledges the huge social role music plays in kid’s lives, especially those of single parents, it seems to wink at the negative impact it can have. Rachel’s son has posters of Limp Bizkit in his room and performs in a rap group named Death Penalty Crew at the school concert (his mom proudly attends). One running gag involves Will’s purchase of the Mystikal single "Shake Yo A--" for Marcus so that he can, ostensibly, fit in at school. One scene shows the 12-year-old shimmying through the halls and singing the profane chorus. Interestingly, Marcus is aware that most rap tends to be about people wanting to kill one another or have sex.

• conclusion: Is this the same Paul and Chris Weitz who assaulted us with the hyper-raunchy American Pie movies? Coming from them, About a Boy almost seems like an attempt to prove they have souls. But soul alone isn't enough. While awash in noble themes absent from their previous efforts, sexual impropriety and scads of profanity will make most families want to wash this Boy's mouth out with soap.

Alternative Energy: Solar or Wind?

2009-04-02T23:28:00.003+05:30

By Aashis Luitel

“ohhh! Again, Load shedding?”, Malin Hagvast, my Norwegian friend, who has just reached Nepal for the first time, asked me, “why you people never try to think any alternatives over it?”

I know, she has an urgent work on internet for at least 3 hours! But there is no backup in my system and the laptop also cannot support for more than 20 minutes. I have no words to reply her. “Hey, don’t worry I will manage”, I pat on her back, “For now, lets go for coffee.” We moved Java, Thamel.

We got The Kathmandu Post there “Prime minister and Norwegian Minister have made an agreement about hydropower” she read ‘that’ news loudly and she laughed, “our Government is coming to solve your problem.” She added, “Your government should focus on the alternative energy rather than Hydropower to address the problem of Load shedding.”

“Quite a bit of attention is being paid to renewable energy sources these days, but”, I added with a sip of coffee, “As you know about our politics and politicians, they never try to take it seriously.”

As both of we are from the same field of studies, we talked about the feasibility of alternative energy in Nepal. We agree that important steps need to be taken to facilitate a more independent and clean source of power for our society. However, there is still much debate as to which direction Nepal should move.

Basically, wind and solar power are the two leading candidates, in our discussion, for a sustainable power source. “But which one sill work better on an industrial scale? On a personal scale?”-I raise some questions regarding these 2 sources, “Which will get us more for our money?” she replied, “Well, both are certainly viable options and both areas of study are progressing rapidly.” I asked Malin, “if Nepal had to choose then…?”

“Overall it would appear that wind power is slightly more cost effective than solar power at this time”, Malin convinced me with giving a result of a case study-“In a study conducted by Ontario, Canada based company, Detronics Limited, one wind turbine and one solar array were set up and tested over the course of one year. Over that time span wind proved to be more cost effective than solar power. The total kWh produced by each system were recorded and then divided into the total cost of purchasing and running each system. During this year long study, wind power proved to cost just over $3.00 less per kWh produced. “What about the weather effect?”-I asked with ordering a Mix Pizza. “There is no doubt that, Seasons affect both solar and wind power in dynamic, if not obvious, ways.”She answered me with touching her chicks by her polished nail, “A solar array produces much more energy during the summer months while the wind turbine tended to produce better during the winter months when there are less sunshine but wintrier winds.”

“Now, it is important to remember that no two places on earth are likely to have the same results garnered by these researchers in Ontario.” I added on her point, “ In some areas wind power may be the obvious choice, while in arid, sunnier climes solar power might be more advantageous (although wind is oftentimes a powerful force in desert climates also).”

We concluded that Nonetheless, in temperate climates, where the majority of Nepalese live, it appears that the focus should not be so much on Wind vs. Solar, but Wind and Solar.

I told her, “However, the study misses on one crucial point. Cost effectiveness cannot be the only factor when deciding which form of energy to utilize. Especially on the scale of the average homeowner.”

She agreed and added, “On such a small scale, while price is still a very sensitive issue, practicality also becomes a very influential line of questioning.”

Finally we have a conclusion that Even if wind is more efficient and inexpensive in terms of production, who can afford to build a large wind turbine in their backyard? Other than the rare homeowner who lives atop a large hill with no obstructions, the idea of the wind turbine will almost certainly lose to a solar array, which can be installed on almost any roof.

Solar energy, being more easily accessible, is definitely the optimal choice for homeowners who would like to become energy independent. And that is a huge advantage, solar can free homeowners from the binds of high utility bills and power outages. This becomes even more exciting considering recent innovations in plastic and nanocrystal solar cells which promise to greatly reduce the cost of manufacturing and installation.

It was 6 pm and it’s the time for evening walk. So we would go New Road areas, where our friends will b waiting.

Dating

2009-03-15T07:20:00.002+05:30

Dear Young People,

* “I believe in arranged marriages.”
* “I do not want my parents to run my life for me, I want a love marriage”
* “The old ways of finding a partner are better.”
* “We have to change with the times.”
* “I like the Western culture and dating.”
* “I am an Indian and will stick to our culture.”

People may have various views like these listed above. But in this issue, we look at marriage and holy living as given to us in the Bible, for these remain constant. No matter what culture you hail from, these principles hold for you because they are in the Bible and because you tremble at the word of God.

Is Dating A Good Practice?

When a boy and a girl (or a man and a woman) go out together to get to know each other better, we say that they are dating. Not all dating couples do so with the intention of finding a marriage partner. In the West, generally dating is unchristian as children start dating when they are twelve and thirteen, and these children are not dating with the intention of finding a marriage partner.

By the time they actually do get married, they might have given their hearts to others many times over. They will not be able to give their hearts in a pure and complete way to the one they finally marry.

Dating, as we have just described, is not Biblical. It is not found in the Bible in word, principle, or example. Among young people in the major cities in India, dating has become commonplace. What do we in the church of Jesus make of this? And how are we to adapt to these changes in the Indian context?

Turn to Prov 6:27-28 and complete the following questions.
Can a man take _________ to his bosom, and his clothes not be _________?
Can one walk on _________ coals, and his feet not be seared?

Can healthy young people of the opposite sex, at the peek of their sexual development, who are put together unsupervised in a romantic situation, be expected to stay pure in thought and action?
The answer to all these questions is NO.

In itself, the feeling of attraction between people of opposite sexes is not wrong. God has designed human beings with these desires to be put to use within the boundaries of marriage. Remember that sex is a language, for a very special communication, which must be spoken only within a marriage.

Between the right man and woman, within a marriage, God planned for an intimate sexual relationship. Let’s take the example of Adam.

* In Gen 2:22, we see that God created a woman (Eve) and ___________ her to the man.
* In Gen 2: 23, Adam fell in love with her at first sight.
* In Gen 2:24, God declared that the man should be _________ to his wife, and they two shall become _________ flesh.

So coming together, falling in love, and sexual union follow one after the other. Within the bounds of the marriage wows, this is holy and good. That is why it is not safe or proper for a man and woman to be alone and share intimate physical closeness outside of the marriage.

You may wonder what godly believers in Western countries think about dating. It is interesting that they too think that dating, the way it is generally practiced today, is wrong. They do not encourage it. How then do they find their partners, being in a culture where marriages are not arranged by the parents?

That is where the concept of courtship comes into the picture. More about this in the next issue. (Some Western Christian families encourage a kind of dating that has incorporated into it many of the guidelines that we will look at under courtship.)

A Word to Teenagers
The period of adolescence, the period between puberty and adulthood, is a wonderful period. You are slowly leaving childhood behind and moving towards adulthood. You are very conscious about your looks. Girls become giggly when a boy enters the room, and boys walk awkwardly and stammer when they meet girls. Girls begin to notice boys, and boys are aware of girls in a different way. All this is because certain natural instincts are awaking that God placed in you to eventually lead to the choice of a marriage partner.

Girls and boys must move with one another in a wholesome way and enjoy one another’s company. A girl and a boy being alone together is a situation that is best avoided. There is safety in numbers. When mixing, try to always be in a group. If you take this precaution, this period of your life will pass pleasantly and safely.

When you face problems as you move with one another, you are blessed indeed if you can go and talk with sympathetic elders who remember what it was like to be a teenager. Above all, walk close to the Lord during these years. Pray constantly. He is a faithful and true Friend and Guide.

(Nahomi Dhinakar; Published in Youth Column of Dhyanamlar Feb 2005) Click here for other Youth Column articles

You can’t help falling in love

2009-03-15T07:12:00.001+05:30

I am sure you have all heard of the term ‘falling in love.’ Millions of songs have been written on this theme. The songs make you think that it is exciting. They tell you that the feeling is wonderful, and that you feel like a different person—the sky is bluer than usual and the birds sing sweetly in the trees. In fact all this is true—the feeling is truly wonderful—and therein lies the danger. Not a moment goes by without thinking about the one you love.

No Logic in Falling in Love
You cannot stop a person who is falling in love from falling in love. It is a kind of fall where one falls flat on one’s face. A married man with children falls in love with a young girl. A college boy falls in love with a woman twice his age. There is no logic about falling in love. They all understand their folly, but only after many lives have been shattered. That is why one must be careful not to get into a situation where such a thing can happen.

Do not mistake me. I wish all of you do fall in love but at the right time and with the right person. I wish for all of you young girls that you fall in love with godly young men at the proper time. I wish for all of you young men that you fall in love with godly young women at the proper time. May be you will fall in love only after you marry. Or may be just before.
Unfortunately, if you are careless, you can fall in love with the wrong person. Falling in love is not something that you plan to do. It just happens in certain circumstances, and we must flee from such circumstances.

The Case of Anand and Priya
Anand was overjoyed when his friend Jai became a Christian. Anand had shared the gospel with him. After some months, Jai had started accompanying him to Bible studies in the church. One day, Jai decided that he wanted to commit his life to the Lord Jesus. After Jai became a Christian, he very badly wanted his sister Priya to understand his new-found faith. However much he tried to explain to her, she would not listen to him. He asked Anand to speak with her. Perhaps she would listen to Anand. How wonderful it would be if she could only understand the message of the Bible and be saved.

Anand met Priya regularly to share the gospel with her. For a time, it seemed to be working. But gradually, he found that he became attracted to her. He looked forward to these visits. She also began to look forward to the Bible lessons although she found the actual Bible study boring. She liked the way he looked at her intently with so much concern. She liked his seriousness and the tone of his voice. The amount of time they spent studying the Bible gradually became less and less. Soon things were totally out of control. Because Anand was God-fearing, he managed to keep from becoming physically close to Priya. He got help from two senior Christians. By that time Priya was also deeply in love with him and he with her. So they got married.

In the beginning, his life was one of constant struggle because Priya was not a spiritual person, and he wanted to serve the Lord. But after a few years, he gradually gave up struggling and his love for the Lord grew cold. It was not that Priya was bad. She was just not a spiritual person, and Anand had made a tragic mistake in thinking that he could win her over for Christ.

Maybe we can say a word about avoiding romantic relationships with unbelievers.

Romantic Involvement with Unbelievers

Imagine that a bigger and stronger boy stands on the table while a smaller boy stands on the ground. Now imagine that the stronger tries to pull the smaller up to the table, while the smaller also tries to pull the stronger down to the ground. It is more likely that smaller will win and the stronger will fail. So it is in marriage when one person is a believer. It is more likely that the unbeliever will pull the believer down. The Lord has warned us about this danger very clearly in the scriptures. There is one exception. If two unbelievers marry, and if one of them comes to the Lord after marriage, God gives a certain spiritual protection. But if you, precious believing young people in EBA, choose to marry someone who has not made a commitment to the Lord, you do so at your own peril.

Do not be _______________ “Bad company corrupts good character.” 1 Cor 15:33
This is a scripture that is not speaking about marriage. This is a general principle. It warns us to be careful about who we move with. Who are our friends? If we are to be so careful about our friendships, imagine how careful we must be when there is a possibility of romantic involvement with an unbeliever.

The following passage from 2 Cor 6:14-17 warns us about close relationships with unbelievers. After you read it, you will be convinced that it is a fearful thing to fall in love and marry a person who has not come to a saving knowledge of Christ.

Do not be unequally yoked together with _________. For what fellowship has _________ with _________? And what communion has _________ with _________?
And what accord has _________ with _________? Or what part has a _________ with an _________?
And what agreement has the temple of _________ with _________? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”

In the college or in the workplace, you may be asked out to lunch by a colleague of the opposite sex. Learn to avoid such situations in a cheerful and pleasant way without giving offense. Remember that it is safe to be in a group.
If a person of the opposite sex helps you or saves you from a difficult situation, thank the Lord for that person’s help, for He uses people to help us. Also thank that person whole heartedly and with dignity. That is enough. Be polite, honest, and dependable with everyone.

A situation, where a young man and young woman are together alone, is fraught with danger. Avoid such situations. As we saw earlier, once you begin to fall in love, it is hard to stop. Whatever way the story ends after that, it is messy, and heartbreak is a part of it. But the gravest danger is the spiritual scars that you will carry all your life, for it is not easy to overcome the guilt and erase the memory of the passion you felt.

I wish that all of you, young people of this church, can face your marriage partner one day and pledge your love to that precious person from a heart that has known no one else. Keep your hearts pure and in readiness for that one special person.

If a person of the opposite sex becomes interested in learning about the Bible from you, in the light of what we have just discussed, which of the following should you do?

* Set apart a time for the meeting and share the gospel with the person regularly
* Invite the person to attend Bible studies with the pastor

(Nahomi Dhinakar; Published in Youth Column of Dhyanamlar May 2005)

'I prefer LOVE MARRIAGE':Aashis Luitel

2009-03-12T17:09:00.007+05:30

Real name ?
Aashis Luitel

Nickname(s)?
Aashu,Neta(KU)

Zodiac ?
Libra

High School ?
New Summit, kathmandu

Hair color ?
naturally its Black (but now red :) )

Long or short ?
short

Loud or Quiet ?
depends..

Sweats or Jeans ?
jeans

Phone or Camera ?
Camera(hahha i m crazy abt photo)

Health freak ?
yap,dam care:)

Drink or Smoke?
No smoke zone :) like to drink cocacola if there is no Dew...

Do you have a crush on someone ?
ya...hmhmhm dear diary,explain to whom?:)

Eat or Drink ?
both !

Tattoos ?
nop ! i hate !!

HAVE YOU EVER:

1.Been in an airplane?
yeah...(as a frn of Pilot:))

2. Been in a relationship ?
yap,but now m single:)

3. Been in a car accident ?
no..never

4. Been in a fist fight ?
used too...wtih my lil sis n school frnz !!!!bt never won....hahhah

FIRSTS:

1. First best friend ?
Bikram
.
2. First award?
while i was in grade 1...

3. Last person you talked to ?
with my dear brother Amir

4. Last person you chated?
chandani dd

5. Last person you watched a movie with ?
Amir(at Gopikrishna)

7. Last movie you watched ?
3 Idiots

8. Last song you listened to ?
All Izz Well

9. Last thing you bought ?
Jacket..

10. Last person you hugged ?
with Bikram while he was on the way of International Airport(for USA)!!

FAVES:

1. Food ?
meat,rice and simple curry ...momo and finger chips

2. Drinks ?
ya dew and slice

3. Clothing ?
I am not care but m comfortable with t shirt and pant...

4. Flower ?
orchids..

5. Colors ?
mostly prefer for black and then Red.

6. Movie ?
Slum Dog millionare's

7. Subjects ?
Communication systems and wireless network :)

kissed someone?
yes

celebrated on Halloween?
yes

had your heart broken ?
No

went over the minutes/texts on your cell phone?
No

gotten someone pregnant ?
haha No

done something you've regretted?
yes

broke a promise ?
yes

hid a secret ?
yes

pretended to be happy?
yes

met someone who changed your life?
No

pretended to be sick?
yes

left the country ?
yes

tried something you normally wouldn't try and liked it ?
yes

cried over the silliest thing?
No

ran a mile?
Yes

got into an argument with your friends?
Yes

hated someone ?
Yes

CURRENTLY:

Eating ?
pauroti:)

Drinking ?
Coffee

I'm about to ?
write an article about Exam Express for my column of Kantipur National Daily.

Listening to ?
All Izzz Well

Plans for today ?
will finish article and may watch some movies:)

Waiting for ?
to meet with vinajyu !

YOUR FUTURE:

Want to get married?
LOVE MARRIAGE!!

Careers in mind ?
Analysist,VJ and of course Engineer..

HAVE YOU EVER:
Lost glasses/contacts ?
yess..

Snuck out of your house ?
nope..

Held a gun/knife for self defense ?
nooo

Killed somebody ?
may be mosquito...

Broken someone's heart ?
may b ..may b nt..

Been arrested ?
nah..

Cried when someone died ?
yes....it wuz terrible!!.

DO YOU BELIEVE IN:
Yourself ?
well….to some extent …

Miracles ?
YEESSSSS..

Heaven ?
yea..

Santa Claus ?
Umm..yes

Sex on the first date ?
Depends..ahah bt nt necessary

Kiss on the first date ?
ya !!

ANSWER TRUTHFULLY:
1.Is there one person you want to be with right now?
hmhm ... yeah.. ^_^

2. Are you seriously happy with where you are in life? ?
yes..its perfect

3. Do you believe in God ?
Not at all !!

A 44-Year Journey Ends on a Bus to D.C.

2009-01-20T16:18:00.002+05:30

"The moment just hit me," Allen said, looking at her mother and wiping away tears. "It's really real."

It was the culmination of a 16-hour journey, a grinding two-year campaign and at least four decades of struggle to turn the voting rights earned 44 years ago into something few thought imaginable. Fittingly, the journey for the students, parents and educators began with this simple prayer: "Jesus, we thank you for having the 44th president of the United States as a black African American."

Theirs was one of thousands of buses that have converged on Washington from across the nation to mark the start of Barack Obama's presidency. They all came for their own reasons, bringing their stories and their hopes to the nation's capital.

Selma, Ala., sent at least three buses. The city's name is seared in the American psyche because of what happened when peaceful marchers were brutally attacked on Bloody Sunday in 1965. The head wounds of John Lewis, now a Democratic congressman from Georgia, are still visible today.

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It was Lewis who led more than 600 protesters across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma on March 7, 1965. The marchers were headed to Montgomery, the state capital, in their campaign for voting rights. Footage of Alabama state troopers attacking the peaceful march helped quicken the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Today in Selma, the inauguration of Obama stands as a testament to what's possible when little people stand up. Locals contend that without the struggle for voting rights centered in their small city, there would be no Barack Obama.

The 40 students, parents and educators who left Selma High on the bus Sunday night carried with them the soaring hopes from Obama's election and the hard realities of their lives. Selma still wrestles with issues of equality, education and jobs. So much unfinished business remains from the civil rights years.

Denise Roy, who works at Alabama State University in Montgomery, says progress at home has been stalled by a lack of unity of purpose among black residents, who make up 70 percent of Selma's population.

"We are too easy to get complacent with the little bit we have," said Roy, 43, who is planning an anti-violence campaign in Selma.

Selma High's bookkeeper, Nadine Sturdivant, understands Roy's frustration. She was 2 years old on Bloody Sunday when mounted police stormed into her parents' back yard chasing protesters. But now her concerns are black-on-black violence in her home town. A school dance last weekend ended in a brawl, and six students were suspended. Some of the kids on the bus had felt the sting of pepper spray when police were subduing the other students.

She and her daughter, the homecoming queen, got on the bus to be a part of this historical moment.

It's not just violence locally that concerns her; it's what's going on in Iraq. "People want to see us come out of this war," she said. "What are we fighting for? Why are all these people getting killed? We need change."

A friend of hers, Lesia James, a Selma High administrator, planned the Washington trip. Last summer, the two were on different sides in the city's mayoral race -- itself a symbol of progress: Both candidates were black. Sturdivant's pick came out on top, defeating James Perkins Jr., who became the city's first black mayor in 2000.

"I beat her," Sturdivant said, playfully.

"She got me this time," James said, brushing off the loss.

It's good to be able to fight about electoral politics and not have to worry -- as their parents did -- about just having the right to vote, the women acknowledge.

Whatever political differences they have, the women are dedicated to the students. Both want them to have a sense of history and a foundation for success. But the challenges are significant.

Selma High has until recently struggled to meet statewide academic standards, and the school is nearly as segregated now as it was 50 years ago.

"I don't really have white friends," said 11th-grader Roneika Deloach. "I do have one white friend at Selma High. I think she is the only" white student.

"It's two at the school," a classmate chimed in.

Deloach is a member of the National Honor Society and student government. She's looking for a way out of Selma.

"Selma is a good place to live if you are retired, but for the children, it's not a lot to do," said Deloach, who plans to move to Huntsville.

Maya Rudolph, 16, agreed.

"It's not a good city for youth. It's a good city for the old people."

The chaperons, most in their 40s, cringed at being thought of as old but did not protest her basic point.

The sour economy is shuttering Selma's businesses and forcing furloughs, and African Americans make up the majority of those who live in entrenched poverty.

Obama's populist message, however, trumped Selma's problems for mothers such as Donna Allen, 39, who trekked to Washington with her daughter, Darianne.

Donna Allen has two younger sons, ages 12 and 7, and works for a youth development program. She often meets students with serious problems inflicted by adults: bad marriages, situations of abuse.

But hers is a journey of hope.

"He gave us something different to look forward to," she said of Obama. "I want my daughter to have a sense of feeling that even though people struggle, there is always a chance that you could be someone great."

wwwashington post

Skin deep

2009-01-11T08:34:00.002+05:30

(Originally Published in Kantipur national daily, 5 August and the conversion version is published in NEPALI TIMES)
BY Ashish Luitel

As the Miss Nepal contest draws near, opposition to it has been raised once more. This isn't new. In 1994, Ruby Rana became the first Nepali to be crowned amidst unnecessary controversy, partly orchestrated by the media. But the Kathmandu Jaycees continues to organize the contest every year.

Every competition has its limitations and Miss Nepal is no exception. Some people just can't qualify. But for any college student, five feet and above there is no problem. Look at it this way: at least someone gets to show off her talent.

The argument that beauty contests must be banned because they take women into the world of glamor is an attack on individual freedom itself. That is an individual choice and it's none of our business. Why are the protestors mainly women? Could there be an element of the stereotyped 'jealous woman' at work here? A winner is honoured, not oppressed. A Miss Nepal has a choice to appear or not appear on television.

Then there is the objection to the bikini round while representing Nepal in the internationals, but to win a title it is necessary to play by the rules. It may not be acceptable in our culture but it is in theirs, and women from a multitude of cultures will be there.

We talk about modernisation, and hope to catch up with developed countries. Is it oppression when you participate in a contest out of your own free will, or when you rally against a changing society? Does it make any sense to burn tyres or take part in a contest that brings out your talents?

Scientists find hole in Earth's magnetic field

2008-12-17T19:26:00.001+05:30

The Associated Press
Wednesday, December 17, 2008; 7:07 AM

LOS ANGELES -- Recent satellite observations have revealed the largest breach yet seen in the magnetic field that protects Earth from most of the sun's violent blasts, researchers reported Tuesday. The discovery was made last summer by Themis, a fleet of five small NASA satellites.

Scientists have long known that the Earth's magnetic field, which guards against severe space weather, is similar to a drafty old house that sometimes lets in violent eruptions of charged particles from the sun. Such a breach can cause brilliant auroras or disrupt satellite and ground communications.

Observations from Themis show the Earth's magnetic field occasionally develops two cracks, allowing solar wind _ a stream of charged particles spewing from the sun at 1 million mph _ to penetrate the Earth's upper atmosphere.
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Last summer, Themis calculated a layer of solar particles to be at least 4,000 miles thick in the outermost part of the Earth's magnetosphere, the largest tear of the protective shield found so far.

"It was growing rather fast," Themis scientist Marit Oieroset of the University of California, Berkeley told an American Geophysical Union meeting in San Francisco.

Such breaches are temporary, and the one observed last year lasted about an hour, Oieroset said.

Solar flares are a potential danger to astronauts in orbit but generally are not a risk to people on the surface of the Earth.

The research was funded by NASA and the National Science Foundation.

Scientists initially believed the greatest solar breach occured when the Earth's and sun's magnetic fields are pointed in opposite directions. But data from Themis found the opposite to be true. Twenty times more solar wind passed into the Earth's protective shield when the magnetic fields were aligned, Oieroset said.

The Themis results could have bearing on how scientists predict the severity of solar storms and their effects on power grids, airline and military communications and satellite signals.

The Themis satellites were launched to find the source of brief powerful geomagnetic disturbances in the Earth's atmosphere.

For the Web, Change All Sides Can Believe Groups Differ on How to Pull Off Obama's Goal of Access for All

2008-12-14T16:11:00.006+05:30

By Cecilia Kang
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, December 17, 2008; Page D01

President-elect Barack Obama's call to bring high-speed Internet to all Americans has set off a scramble among service providers for a piece of the action.

Building out networks to rural and underserved urban areas -- with possible help from the economic stimulus plan being crafted by Congress -- could create hundreds of thousands of jobs and enrich telecom, wireless and cable companies whose businesses have suffered as households tighten spending.

Within the well-funded world of telecom lobbying, even fierce opponents are in rare agreement that Obama's plans to expand networks would boost the economy with jobs digging trenches for fiber lines and designing complex networks. But the interest groups differ on how that ambition should be executed, and that has sparked a race that one lobbyist calls a "telecom takefest."

For the Telecommunications Industry Association, tax breaks are a priority. In a letter to House Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) last week, the trade group asked for tax breaks to build broadband infrastructure and $25 billion in grants to companies that build networks in hard-to-reach areas.

Corning, a supplier of ultra-fast fiber-optic technology, wants companies to offer higher speed standards to qualify for financial help. Corning wants network operators to meet higher standards for speed and quality of service, which no doubt would require faster fiber optics.

Free Press, a public interest group, has urged lawmakers and Obama's tech advisers to give oversight of the plan to an agency familiar with technology policy such as the Federal Communications Commission or the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which is the White House's telecom office. The group insists the service should be affordable and seeks subsidies for low-income families with school-age children so they can buy laptop computers and deduct the cost of home Internet access.
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"The worst-case scenario would be to write a billion-dollar check in tax breaks and funnel money directly to prop up a stock price," said Ben Scott, policy director at Free Press.

The Communications Workers of America wants Congress to approve tax breaks that would allow network operators to expense, through tax deductions, a larger portion of their broadband deployment costs right away, which the union says would encourage operators to build networks more quickly. The CWA asserts that for every $5 billion invested in the broadband networks, nearly 100,000 jobs are created.

"We need to aim high with this," said Larry Cohen, president of CWA, "and public policy needs to catch up with the realities of the global economy."

The United States has dropped in international ranking for broadband access over the past decade to 15th place, with 6 million to 8 million households cut off from the digital superhighway, according to public interest groups.

Wireless trade group CTIA met with Obama's tech advisers this month to suggest that wireless technology should be the focus for broadband expansion because people are increasingly using Internet data services over their cellphones and wireless laptops.

Telecom carriers are among a chorus of companies that have called for repurposing a fund that uses monthly charges from telephone bills to pay for expanding basic phone service in rural and underserved urban areas. The fund, they say, should be channeled to build broadband networks instead of land lines. But Public Knowledge, a public interest group, cautioned that arguing over the $7 billion fund could hold up progress.