What is modern

JAN 12 - 

What is modern

Anil Bhattarai’s latest article was a nice read and I hope he continues to write with this improved presentation (“We are all modern,” Jan. 11, Page 6). As Bhattarai wrote, we may envision New Nepal and write flowery text to highlight a modern Nepal, but the bitter truth belies us. While modernity has meant bungalows and Pajeros to some powerful people, many Nepalis are still without two square meals a day. We cannot solve Nepal’s problems with grand statements of being the next Switzerland or Singapore in ten years, but we can follow the author’s direction to initiate small and feasible improvements. We are constantly thinking about big changes, like in education, healthcare and business. But the only way to initiate any change is by doing the little things right.  Being modern means different things to different people. Not only our politicians have the right to modernity. Average Nepalis can be modern by being accountable for their actions.

Santosh Kalwar

Ratnanagar, Chitwan

Source: The Kathmandu Post

Letter to the Editor

Where is the milk?

There was a small village in a northern Himalaya. Every individual in the village where very intelligent and social. But they had one great problem to solve. They had scarcity of milk in the village. There were not enough cows and the problem was that not every individual could feed their children.

They decided to arrange a meeting to further discuss this matter. Thousands of villagers gathered in one common friendly place. Five of the elites were selected to make final decision; they all sat under a tree and started to discuss.

“Today, we are going to discuss about our problem, which is:

How can we solve the problem of collecting enough milk so that everyone can feed their children’s,” said one of the elite member.

“You can form a group of hundred and start the discussion, and one team member can report us your suggestion,” said another elite member.

They all started to discuss the problem. Finally, they came up with one final solution. A member from the elite group has to make final decision so he said,

“Okay, it seems that we have come up with common great idea.

The idea is that everybody will help in digging a pond and put amount of milk they have in their home.

There is no suitable solution than this one, so let us implement this idea by tonight,

Just remember that everybody has to put milk in a pond.

Therefore, tomorrow morning, we will share the milk from the pond. Now the meeting is closed and everybody should go back home and collect the milk they have and put the milk by mid-night.”

All the villagers went back to their home and started to re-think on the idea. 

One villager thought, “What if I put water instead of the milk, nobody will find any difference. Besides, I will save my own share of the milk.”

Next morning, all the villagers gathered in a pond they were all expecting to collect the milk. They were all spellbound and socked; they were gazing at each other,

One villager said, “I see only the water in a pond, where is the milk?”

Passport adventure

DEC 29 -
As technology engulfs the world, every office and organisation must become tech-centric. Recently, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) in our own country has launched the much hyped Machine Readable Passport (MRP). The good news for me was that I could apply for one of these high-tech passports for my wife. The bad news was that we still had to stand in a long line to do so.

On the first day of our passport adventure, we went to the MoFA and waited in a queue to receive a “free passport application form.” We were excited to see that the queue was quite short; it only took us five hours to reach the front. Feeling pretty good, we decided to fill out the application the next day.

On the second day, we hurried to the Ministry to get in line to submit the application form. The tail of the queue was at Narayanhiti Durbar Museum where we popped in and waited for our turn. Patiently, we waited, and waited, and waited. The sun was shining bright and the blue sky had no sign of rain. We had reached the Ministry of Education and Sports when a police officer approached and said, “Please come tomorrow, you cannot submit the application today.”  Wow, a whole day lost and we hadn’t even submitted the application.

On the third day, we wised up and arrived much earlier, before sunrise, around 7 in the morning. Surely this was early enough that we would manage to submit the application—especially considering the government offices do not open before 10. Another journey in the queue had begun and we patiently waited our turn. Finally, we managed to secure a place at the window where the prized application would be submitted.

But a government officer on the other side of the window said, “You cannot write your application in ball-pen; write it in jell-pen or print it with the help of a computer and bring it again.” As we disappointedly trudged home, ordinary citizens of New Nepal, we took solace in the face that we had at least made many friends during our days of line-waiting.

On the fourth day, we arrived at the MoFA earliest yet, while the city was still sleeping, around 4 am. Our beloved queue had now become routine and we were no longer surprised to end the day without having accomplished our goal, nor to plan to return the following day.

Finally, on the fifth day, we were able to submit an application after answering a few questions asked by a government officer. Lesson learned: It is hard enough to be a V.I.P. in Nepal; it is even harder to be an ordinary person.

Posted on: 2010-12-30 09:11
Published: The Kathmandu Post

Worthy of reading

NOV 17 -
Reading is regarded as a way for people to acquire knowledge. But reading just anything cannot easily provide satisfactory knowledge. I read the content that interests and fascinates me. For example, I read newspapers, essays, articles and dozens of books every month.

There are several ways to read. Some people read thousands of pages very quickly. Such type of reading technique is called skimming. When someone takes a longer time to read text then it is called scanning. However, it depends on what type of material a reader is reading. Some may prefer to scan newspaper columns and essays. Moreover, other may prefer to read or briefly reread novels, stories and poems. It is not how you read but what you read that matters.

In my opinion, in our society we lack good readers. This can be seen from the literary merit and scarce number of works published by Nepali writers. There are works of many great Western contemporary writers that are quite popular in our motherland. On the contrary, not many Nepali writers are well known or well read in the West. This leads to burgeoning questions such as how many Nepali writers have published their readings at either the national or international levels. On the other hand, how many literary critics has Nepal produced or how many people here are interested in what our nation’s own authors have written. I think this lack of interest is due in part to the lack of reading. Our literary circle does not necessarily have clear expertise.

Everybody is trying to make money out of literature. But litterateurs should rather focus on making people more literate. Some people in villages do not even have textbooks to read, a newspaper to purchase nor the Internet to surf.  It wouldn’t be very surprising to find that many people from rural areas have never seen Google or Facebook. A reader therefore, would be much more interested to read the works that provides him knowledge and ideas rather than worthless information.

It seems to me that, the well-known publishers are publishing the works of well-known writers and the small faction of literary critics is promoting them. Moreover, much of

the media attention is given to those writers or publishers who are relatives of some political parties or editors

in one way or the other.  Until and unless this form of nepotism is not longer prevalent in our society, it would be difficult to receive genuine criticism and review of writer’s work. Thus, a publisher should focus on publishing content that can be beneficial to society or the community in general rather than beneficial to just himself or herself.

Nothing is permanent in this world and everything changes with time but an idea always survives. In my short lifespan, I have accumulated thousands of great ideas and knowledge from the works of many known and unknown writers. My simple idea in this short column was to exemplify that I would love to spend my valuable time on worthy material rather than worthless material and I think reading is just a way to know how.

Posted on: 2010-11-18 07:38
Published: The Kathmandu Post

A Journey

One poem accepted and published by, "Hanging Moss Journal" edited by Steve Meador.
You can kindly check the link below:
http://www.hangingmossjournal.com/guestpoet/Santosh_Kalwar11.html

I hope you will enjoy the poem and have wonderful journey of life.
May God bless you all !

The Farewell Speech by Queen Elizabeth I

The Farewell Speech by Queen Elizabeth I

Mr Speaker,

We have heard your declaration and perceive your care of our estate. I do assure you there is no prince that loves his subjects better, or whose love can countervail our love. There is no jewel, be it of never so rich a price, which I set before this jewel: I mean your love. For I do esteem it more than any treasure or riches; for that we know how to prize, but love and thanks I count invaluable. And, though God hath raised me high, yet this I count the glory of my Crown, that I have reigned with your loves. This makes me that I do not so much rejoice that God hath made me to be a Queen, as to be a Queen over so thankful a people. Therefore I have cause to wish nothing more than to content the subject and that is a duty which I owe. Neither do I desire to live longer days than I may see your prosperity and that is my only desire. And as I am that person still yet, under God, hath delivered you and so I trust by the almighty power of God that I shall be his instrument to preserve you from every peril, dishonour, shame, tyranny and oppression, partly by means of your intended helps which we take very acceptably because it manifesteth the largeness of your good loves and loyalties unto your sovereign.

Of myself I must say this: I never was any greedy, scraping grasper, nor a strait fast-holding Prince, nor yet a waster. My heart was never set on any worldly goods. What you bestow on me, I will not hoard it up, but receive it to bestow on you again. Therefore render unto them I beseech you Mr Speaker, such thanks as you imagine my heart yieldeth, but my tongue cannot express. Mr Speaker, I would wish you and the rest to stand up for I shall yet trouble you with longer speech. Mr Speaker, you give me thanks but I doubt me I have greater cause to give you thanks, than you me, and I charge you to thank them of the Lower House from me. For had I not received a knowledge from you, I might have fallen into the lapse of an error, only for lack of true information.

Since I was Queen, yet did I never put my pen to any grant, but that upon pretext and semblance made unto me, it was both good and beneficial to the subject in general though a private profit to some of my ancient servants, who had deserved well at my hands. But the contrary being found by experience, I am exceedingly beholden to such subjects as would move the same at first. And I am not so simple to suppose but that there be some of the Lower House whom these grievances never touched. I think they spake out of zeal to their countries and not out of spleen or malevolent affection as being parties grieved. That my grants should be grievous to my people and oppressions to be privileged under colour of our patents, our kingly dignity shall not suffer it. Yea, when I heard it, I could give no rest unto my thoughts until I had reformed it. Shall they, think you, escape unpunished that have oppressed you, and have been respectless of their duty and regardless our honour? No, I assure you, Mr Speaker, were it not more for conscience' sake than for any glory or increase of love that I desire, these errors, troubles, vexations and oppressions done by these varlets and lewd persons not worthy of the name of subjects should not escape without condign punishment. But I perceive they dealt with me like physicians who, ministering a drug, make it more acceptable by giving it a good aromatical savour, or when they give pills do gild them all over.

I have ever used to set the Last Judgement Day before mine eyes and so to rule as I shall be judged to answer before a higher judge, and now if my kingly bounties have been abused and my grants turned to the hurt of my people contrary to my will and meaning, and if any in authority under me have neglected or perverted what I have committed to them, I hope God will not lay their culps and offences in my charge. I know the title of a King is a glorious title, but assure yourself that the shining glory of princely authority hath not so dazzled the eyes of our understanding, but that we well know and remember that we also are to yield an account of our actions before the great judge. To be a king and wear a crown is a thing more glorious to them that see it than it is pleasant to them that bear it. For myself I was never so much enticed with the glorious name of a King or royal authority of a Queen as delighted that God hath made me his instrument to maintain his truth and glory and to defend his kingdom as I said from peril, dishonour, tyranny and oppression. There will never Queen sit in my seat with more zeal to my country, care to my subjects and that will sooner with willingness venture her life for your good and safety than myself. For it is my desire to live nor reign no longer than my life and reign shall be for your good. And though you have had, and may have, many princes more mighty and wise sitting in this seat, yet you never had nor shall have, any that will be more careful and loving.

'For I, oh Lord, what am I, whom practices and perils past should not fear? Or what can I do? That I should speak for any glory, God forbid.' And turning to the Speaker and her councillors she said, 'And I pray to you Mr Comptroller, Mr Secretary and you of my Council, that before these gentlemen go into their countries, you bring them all to kiss my hand.'

(The Farewell Speech by Queen Elizabeth I of England November 30th 1601 )

I laughed

Source: Sesam Production

hometown

I was born in the heart of the Jungle.

I was raised in a UNESCO world heritage site.

I do not know why you asked

but I know my answers will raise many eyes.

In the world full of intellectual animals,

you will not easily find the right insight.

Because, vanity kills us

while we are awake in the sunlight.

Well, my hometown

is called “Chitwan”

And I hope you will feel delight.

a poem

Who are you to dare and not share?

Maybe you are not here to care.

Then why are you talking to me.

Because I am your clock running downhill

A comment on article at Nytimes on title, "

Company Accused of Firing Over Facebook Post"...

This is not good that company or any industry has rights to "look into" their employee’s social media pages.
I do not know what the law is but the law has to be reinstated. No employer should be allowed to judge their employees on what they think about them. Moreover, they should rather put a "complaint box" or tool in their organization so that anyone can "drop in" their feedback and disuses that issue further. If that is done, then it will not only help the industry but also it might just improve the relationship between various stakeholders.
The only way to solve humanly problem is by understanding the magnitude of a problem. It is nowhere now an age of Big Brother but Collaborative Brothers. Welcome to this new world.


Source: Nytimes Online

Happy Dipawali

Policing porn

I am against the government policy to block pornographic material online (“Net effect,” Nov. 1, Page 6). The domain of the web, the most democratic of all mediums of communication, belongs to common people. The government should not be policing its content and deciding for the people what they should or should not view.

And it is also unrealistic to expect internet service providers to block certain sites; it is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. I would like to know who in the government comes up with these stupid plans when there are clearly more pressing issues to take care of.

Santosh Kalwar

By email

Published: Letter to Editor
The Kathmandu Post

WHY I AM NOT A CHRISTIAN by Bertrand Russell

This lecture was delivered on March 6, 1927, at Battersea Town
Hall, under the auspices of the South London Branch of the
National Secular Society.
As your Chairman has told you, the subject about which I am
going to speak to you tonight is ‘Why I am not a Christian’.
Perhaps it would be as well, first of all, to try to make out what
one means by the word ‘Christian’. It is used these days in a very
loose sense by a great many people. Some people mean no more
by it than a person who attempts to live a good life. In that sense
I suppose there would be Christians in all sects and creeds;
but I do not think that that is the proper sense of the word,
if only because it would imply that all the people who are not
Christians—all the Buddhists, Confucians, Mohammedans, and
so on—are not trying to live a good life. I do not mean by a
Christian any person who tries to live decently according to his
lights. I think that you must have a certain amount of definite
belief before you have a right to call yourself a Christian. The
word does not have quite such a full-blooded meaning now as it
had in the times of St Augustine and St Thomas Aquinas. In those
days, if a man said that he was a Christian it was known what
he meant. You accepted a whole collection of creeds which
were set out with great precision, and every single syllable of
those creeds you believed with the whole strength of your
convictions.

Answer and Win a book for free

If you want to grab a free copy of book, entitled, "The Vandana and Other Poems" then please hurry...Santosh Kalwar is givingaway five copies of his recent book for free. Please check the link below:

https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dGtsb0Qza0piaTM2SElKbGpJaWRZWEE6MQ

Cricketing country

OCT 23 -
Cricket is always regarded as a gentleman’s game. This mental attitude is very important in the game of cricket; this is the game of battle played with both hearts and minds. This game, of bat and ball is Australia and England’s national game. There is no doubt that has become like a religion in India. And if cricket is has become a religion in India, then obviously, Sachin Tendulkar is the god of the game.
I have been great fan of Sachin from my childhood days. I have loved the way he bats, fields and bowls in both one day and test matches. If anyone has ever played cricket then they must be aware of the great Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar. However, the cricket game, in particular is bigger than any personal legend or name. I have learned that no game is won individually. The team effort plays a vital role in the success or failure of the game. Nevertheless, it does not matter if we lose or win the game, what matters most is the way the game is played.

In my opinion, this sport is catching up and emerging in Nepal as well. Personally, I have participated in one national game and several league games. And from what I’ve seen, I believe that Nepal has the potential to play World Cup Cricket game one day. I have always imagined Nepal and Nepali players playing with big players the likes of Sachin. Someday, I hope this too can be achieved.
The problems with cricket in Nepal are several. First, the cricket grounds are not well prepared. Second, the players are not given any benefits. Third, compared to other cricket powerhouses, there are not good coaches and physical trainers in the country. Fourth, the media attention and sponsorships given to the sport are limited. And lastly, there are not enough
competitions held at all levels: district, municipality and national. There are surely solutions to overcome these problems. Some of the right solutions would be to engage people, sponsors, and media people and engage more players into the game. Sometimes, I feel sad that I no longer play cricket, something I had to give it up due to my age. But I still polish my heart when I see my brothers and colleagues playing. It does not matter if I am not the one representing the Nepali cricket team. What matters most to me is that Nepal is being represented and Nepali players are competing in a big arena.

If we make improvements to national facilities to play this so called gentleman’s game, I believe the next Sachin may emerge from our Himalayan land. Providing solutions to above mentioned problems, in a few years, we could be playing at a World Cup Cricket match.
If we really love the game and have the passion to fight, Nepal can surely win the hearts and minds of cricket lovers across the world.



Published: The Kathmandu Post
Source: ekantipur online

Goodnight

Okay, i am saying goodnight


Tonight and forever

When their will be twinkling stars

Up above in the dark sky



But can I ask one last thing

Do not ever feel my absence

As I will be gone

Let us say,

Just for tonight



Goodnight, good foes

Goodnight, good friends

Goodnight, so-called life

Goodnight, universes

Basics of Silverlight by JOHN STOCKTON

With a lot of people wanting to learn Silverlight today and not really knowing where to start, I thought I'd write something to help people get started.  This is not meant to be better than Jesse Liberty's version of the same thing, just a different take on it.

1. Go read my post titled What Is Silverlight.  This should give you enough of an overview of Silverlight to make sure that it is what you think it is.
2. Install the tools at http://silverlight.net/getstarted.  This will give you everything you need to begin building Silverlight applications.  Don't forget Expression Blend, even if you are not a designer some things are just a lot easier using Blend.
3. Watch a couple "How Do I" videos on getting started and any other topics that interest you.
4. Work through a QuickStart.  These expose you to programming numerous areas of Silverlight.  Feel free to just read the sections you need, when you need them.
5. Build something.  It doesn't have to be original, fancy or even work well.  Don't even show it to anyone if it doesn't turn out looking quite right, but build something.  Pick an idea like a weather widget or an ad rotator or get adventurous and build a simple little space invaders style game, anything just BUILD something.  Using it is the best way to actually learn any technology.
6. Don't be shy.  Use the forums at http://silverlight.net/forums whenever you run into a stumbling block.  I would encourage you to attempt a search of the forums first though since if you are having trouble with something, someone else probably has as well.
7. Read a lot.  Everybody and their brother is blogging about Silverlight.  A simple Google search will turn up information on nearly anything you can think of.  A good place to start is to subscribe to the Community blog aggregation feed from Silverlight.net.  Also be sure to catch Silverlight Cream as Dave Campbell does a great job of aggregating all the Silverlight posts he can find into a nice, searchable site.
8. Push yourself.  Commit to doing something that you don't know how to do yet but know is possible.  There are a lot of options in this arena:
   1. Build a prototype for a work project
   2. Give a Silverlight presentation to a local user group
   3. Write an in-depth technical blog post
   4. Enter a contest.  At the moment I know of the Control Builder contest, an article writing contest and INETA is supposed to be starting the Silverlight Challenge soon as well.

I know that everyone has their own individual style and pace of learning but hopefully this will point you towards the path of [Silver]enlightenment.

Original Source: http://tocode.blogspot.com/2008/07/how-to-learn-silverlight.html

Sheena Iyengar on the art of choosing

Jim Says:

"People are afraid of themselves, of their own reality; their feelings most of all. People talk about how great love is, but that’s bullshit. Love hurts. Feelings are disturbing. People are taught that pain is evil and dangerous. How can they deal with love if they’re afraid to feel? Pain is meant to wake us up. People try to hide their pain. But they’re wrong. Pain is something to carry, like a radio. You feel your strength in the experience of pain. It’s all in how you carry it. That’s what matters. Pain is a feeling. Your feelings are a part of you. Your own reality. If you feel ashamed of them, and hide them, you’re letting society destroy your reality. You should stand up for your right to feel your pain."


— Jim Morrison

A friend reading Quote Me Everyday