2008: Personally

We are ready to good bye the year of 2008 and ready to welcome the new year of 2009. There are lots of things that can happen in one year. Many changes occurred in the world-political, in science and technology etc. My country Nepal has gone tremendous change in recent years. Something important might have happened in your personal life as well which might have guided you in some (new) direction.

In my personal life, there is not more that I have achieved or that something which changed the direction of my life or like that but obviously there is something I have gained/done in the year of 2008.

In my study: I completed all my course works, passed cumulative exam which is one of steps in the way to get my PhD degree in Chemistry, got excellent teaching assistant award from the chemistry department of Oregon State University, completed some small research projects and materialized my PhD research theme.

I think it is a right time to review what you have done in last year, what you have to correct, and make plan for new year. For some people its just one more year in your life/age, you became one year old but for some people you are one year more close to go to heaven. :)

I went to Nepal in the summer of 2008, met all my family members and relatives. That was kind of some achievement in the sense that going to homeland for a graduate student in the US is not easy. Nepal trip was great. You can visit some of the posts related to my Nepal trip by clicking the links below.

Share with us, how was your 2008.

My Journey Begins Today

Its 1:30 pm in Hong Kong now

Kirtipur as seen from my Camera

Kathmandu Streets on Jun/July 2008

Snow Fall in Corvallis

Corvallis has witnessed a week long snow fall so far this year. This doesn't typically happen in Corvallis. I remember last year and the year before last year. The snow didn't last for more than 24 hours. Normally Corvallis gets rain during entire winter rather than sun and snow. But this year less rain, more snow, low temperature.

This year it started late last Sunday and it is white all the days of the week and going to be like this at least next half week.

I took this picture while going to School this morning. It looks very beautiful, everywhere white and today it was sunny. I liked it. But this situation for long time doesn't make life easy. It drastically reduced the traffic on the road and then people. Homeless people had difficult time.

If you want to see more snow pictures from my camera and have facebook profile, visit the link below. I have uploaded some pictures on my facebook album.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/photo.php?pid=1151144&id=601397841&ref=mf

Temporal trend of Supervisor's behavior with PhD Student

There are lots of talks about graduate school and advisers. Some of them are funny but true. Have a look at following animated pictures and don't forget to leave comment.

At the time of joining,

Be good, you will be fine......

After a year...
Must Work Hard boy

After three year...
Must Work very hard you know!

After four year.....
Can you hear me, you must work hard!!!

I would like to thank him/her for this work. (This is not my work. I got it in email and just wanted to share it.)

PhD Student Resolution

Before joining PhD:

• I want to win the Nobel Prize.

First year of PhD:d

• I want to finish PhD in two years.
• I want to publish papers only in top journals like Science and Nature.
• I want to make ground-breaking research.
• I want to win the best PhD Thesis award.
  

बुशले झन्डै "जुत्ता" खांदा

आफ्नो आठ बर्षे कार्यकालको अन्तिम समयमा इराक पुगेका आमेरिकी राष्ट्रपति जर्ज बुशले झन्डै जुत्ता खाए। हान्नेले ताकेरै हानेको हो तर उनले छलिदिए। यौटा मात्रै होइन दुइ-दुइ जुत्ता। उसले पहिलो जुत्ता खुट्टा बाट निकालेर बुशलाई हान्यो। इराकी प्रधानमन्त्री सङै पत्रकारलाई सम्बोदन शुरु गरेका बुश आफ्नो टाउकोलाई बाया तिर ढल्काएर जुत्ता छल्न सफल भए। आक्रमणकारीले उसको खुट्टामा लगाई राखेको अर्को जुत्ता पनि निकाल्यो र बुशमाथि प्रहार गरिहाल्यो। यसपाली बुशले सजिलै सङै छले र कुनै पनि जुत्ताले उनलाई लागेन। "तलाई कुकुर् लौ खा तेरो बिदाई चुम्बन" भन्दै बुशलाई जुत्ता हिर्काउने अल-बगदादिया टेलिभिजनको लागि काम गर्ने मुन्तादर अल्-जीदी थियो। मुन्तादरलाई तत्काल सुरक्षाकर्मीले नियन्त्रणमा लिए। बुशलाई कस्तो लाग्यो होला? बुशले ठट्टा गर्दै तत्कालै भने-"यो त दश नम्बरको जुत्ता रैछ।" आक्रमणकारी पत्रकारको उक्त कदमलाई बुशले प्रजातन्त्र र स्वतन्त्र अभिब्यक्तिको उदाहरण हो भन्दिए। मुन्तादरलाई इङीत गर्दै बुशले भने "कसैकसैले चर्चामा अौनलाई यस्तै गर्छन।" के कुरो यतिमत्रै हो त?

यो घट्नाले बुश र उनको अमेरिकी प्रशासन कति अन्-पपुलर छ भन्ने देखाउछ। साथै मानिसहरु उनलाई कति घ्रिणा गर्छन भन्ने प्रमाण पनि हो। बुशले बिना कारण इराकी युध्ध सुरु गरे जसले लाखौ इराकीहरुले किरा फटेङ्रा सरह जिबन गुमाउन पुगे। अनि मुसलमालहरुले उनिहरुको धर्म माथीको आक्रमण सम्झेरपनि घ्रिणा गर्छन। बुशलाई यो घट्नाले आफ्नो अनुहार ऐनामा हेर्न बाध्य पार्ला कि नपार्ला त्यो त केहि भन्न सकिन्न। उक्त पत्रकार कुनै अरु आतकंकारी सङठनसङ जोडिएको छ कि छैन खुलेको त छैन। अथवा उसको यो सुनियोजित योजना थियो वा उसले आबेशमा आएर जुत्ता हान्यो त्यो पनि बिस्तारै थाहा हुदै जाला। तर मेरो बिचारमा यस घटनामा अलिकति सुरक्षा कमजोरि पनि पक्कै छ। किन भने क-कसलाई उक्त पत्रकार सम्मेलनमा सामेल गर्ने भन्ने निर्णय गर्न सुरक्षा निकय चुकेको छ। अमेरिकी रास्ट्रपतिलाई जुत्ता हान्न सक्ने सम्भाबित मान्छे पहिचान गर्न नसक्नु र सिमित पत्रकार उपस्थित कार्यक्रममा जान दिनु। तर त्यो भन्दा पनि महत्वपुर्ण अमेरिकि निति नै हो।

उक्त अपमानित हुने बेइजेत र दुर्ब्यहारले अमेरिकि नागरिकहरुलाई कस्तो लाग्यो होला? आफ्नो रास्ट्रपतिलाई कसैले जुत्ताले हानेको हेर्दा? पुर्बीय सभ्यतामा जुत्ताले हान्नुलाई राम्रो मानिन्न। उता अरबि सभ्यतामा त झन घोर अपमान जनाउछ। सद्धाम हुसेनको सालीक ढालेपछि इराकीहरुले उक्त सालीकलाई जुत्ता चप्पलले हिर्काएका थिए। हुनत अमेरिका पनि बुश र उनको निति निकै अन्-पपुलर छ। जसको कारणले उनको पार्टीको मेक्केनले रास्ट्रपति निर्वाचनमा हारे। जुत्ता काण्डको भिडीयो हेरिसकेपछि मैले मेरो ल्याबमा पोस्ट डक्टोरेट गरिरहेका अमेरिकनलाई सोधे-कस्तो अनुभव गर्छौ? उ सङ कुनै उत्तर थियन। केहि भन्न चाहेन। हुनत उ डेमोक्रेट हो तर पनि उसको मन दुखेको हुनुपर्छ। आशा गरौ नयां अमेरिकी नितिले यस्तो ब्यहोर्न नपरोस।

जुत्ता काण्डको भिडियो हेर्नुस।

PPP dis-approved Science to Society

After more than half a year of the approval, payperpost (ppp) disapproves this blog. Blogs popularity has not been gone bad during this time. I don't claim that its popularity has increased either. So, question is why did they approve and why they dis-approved now? According to the email they sent, they say

"you may have heard that we're enforcing stricter controls for blogs submitted to the PayPerPost network".

That means its bot because of the blog, its because of the policy change of ppp. Is it the effect of economic recession? well, may be.

Pay per post provides you oppurtunities to write reviews as your blog post and this is payed. Although I didn't get large number of oppurtunities, some blogs earned lot of money, according to ppp website.

Highest unemployment in US

Recent data published by US department of Labor shows the real image of the global economic recession. This time, the economy started to walk down from the US and its spreading worldwide. One significant indicator of this economic hard time is shown by job cuts. Major industries, companies are laying off thousands of employs. Those who lost their job are having very hard time. I have seen people who were selling their house, each and every item in the house in garage sell.

The un-employment rate of the US in November is 6.7%. The second highest un-employment rate in last 10 years was 6.3% in 2003. The employment rate was about 3.8% in 2000 and second highest 4.4% in 2006.

This bad time started last year. According to The National Bureau of Economic Research ,the US entered a recession in December 2007. The up-slope movement will increase in next month as large number of big companies have announced huge job cuts in near future.

This recession is not localized in single place. Global economy is interconnected and inter-dependent. Government around the globe are trying to save the economy. We have wait and see how worst this will be and will affect us.

Nepal's economy is not as integrated to the global economy as other countries. This may save Nepal from this global economic downfall but I think it can not stay away as claimed by minister Dr Bhattarai.

Realized Its Cold

Today afternoon, temperature of Corvallis, a small town where I stay, was 31F. This temperature is one of the lowest temperature here. This morning I had to wait for the bus for couple minutes, during that time I noticed that its cold today. It didn't rain though. I didn't care to wear enough warm clothing.

We had group meeting and I was the presenter in the meeting. It went well. Then I went to Gilbert (chemistry department building) for new faculty candidate seminar. Dr. Manish Gupta is one of the candidats for new analytical chemistry faculty. PhD from Harvard and Post Doc. from Standford, Dr Gupta seems very cool and his research is interesting. After the seminar, I got a chance to go for lunch with Dr Gupta. We had good conversation. We walked around the campus. After the lunch, I came to my lab, did some lab management work. But couldn't do more. I felt tired. and kinda sick So, came back home early~4.30pm. Heated up my room. Its all right now. I think its because of cold.

To see monthly average temperature and precipitation of Corvallis click here.

Turbocharger makes fast Run

Driving your car in high speed might not be safe all the time but in other side if you do it carefully, its fun. Sometimes your car doesn't run faster as your wish even within the speed limit of the road. Slower vehicle produce more pollutant and consume more fuel.That means you need to speed up.

You can improve the performance with the help of Turbocharger. The air induction is a major component of the automobile. Forcing air into the system either with a supercharger or turbocharger can greatly improve horsepower, torque and more. turbochargerpros.com has wide selection of Turbos and many more. Replacement with Turbo gives high power performance from same engine volume, better boost of engine. If you are looking for the best Turborcharger with the best price on a wide selection of replacement turbo and more, then turbochargerpros.com is the right place.They have a great selection of New and Remanufactured parts for Turbo, Superchargers, turbochargers and nose covers with complete warranty and are in stock, ready to ship today for any model car. For example: Volkswagen Turbocharger Audi Turbocharger or any other model.

PPP approved my post

PayPerPost has approved my first payed post. I am excited about it. The email notification says:

"Hello *******,

This is a notification letting you know that your PayPerPost post, ********** , has been approved. Tell your friends how quick and easy that was!

Thank you,

The PayPerPost Team

http://payperpost.com

http://blog.payperpost.com

If you have any questions or comments regarding this message, please send us a note by clicking on 'Contact Support' at the bottom of any page within your PPP account. Thank you!!

150 N. Orange Ave.

Suite 412

Orlando, FL 32801

 "

Lets see and how it goes!!

Police Gear for Tactical products

I was just browsing internet and suddenly something reminded me 5-6 years back in my country. Young generation used to wear cloths which look like army or police. And while searching such items, I came across a good site which sells good variety of tactical products. LA Police Gear serves the general public, military personnel, security professionals, and of course police officers.They provide varieties of tactical products like tactical pants, footwear,tactical polos, tactical eyewear, tactical shirts, gear bags, jackets and watches and many more. They are also offering the full line of outstanding products produced by Blackhawk Products Group. You can find large selection of gears from Blackhawk CQC Holsters.

Hysplit model useful for back and forward trajectory

Hysplit-Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory Model is a transport and dispersion model developed by Air Resource Laboratory (ARL) of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This model is used to generate trajectories. Both back air trajectory and forward trajectory using meteorological data. I use Hysplit to generate back air trajectories. I am analyzing air samples from Cheeka peak, WA. I wanted to know, which route the air sampled took before reaching the sampling site. And where the sampled air in particular day spend time in 10 days before I trapped it. Hysplit model helps to understand this. Using Hysplit, now I know how many hours my air sample spent in Asia or California or Willamette Valley before coming to pacific north west sampling site.

Details about Hysplit can be found here.


Hysplit forward trajectory is shown in figure on right. Forward trajectories are helpful specially to predict the spread of hazardous material in the atmosphere.

Cheap and High Quality Eyeglasses

Everyone knows eye is an important organ of body. We can't even think how would be our life without eyes and or with poor eyesight. Eyeglasses are normally used for vision correction, eye protection or for protection from UV rays.

While buying eyeglasses I would go for cheaper one, fashionable and stylish one. A combination of these things. Its a matter of our health concern. So you want to buy safe and comfortable having high quality, durable and in reasonable price.

You can find eyeglasses which are safe and high quality but you have to compromise with the price. They are expensive. If you are worried about this then here is a happy news. No more expensive eyeglasses. Zenni Optical provides high quality eyeglasses in less price. It has revolutionized the eyeglass market.

Zenni Optical uses latest modern materials, manufacturing and marketing systems. It sells its products directly from its factories to the customers. The cost is minimized by no middlemen, no retail overhead, and practically no advertising budget. That's why eyeglasses from Zenni Optical are cheaper.

You can buy 1.57 high index lens complete prescription eye glasses from just $8.00 online.They have a huge selection of frames, with single vision lens, sun sensor lens, tinted sunglasses lens, bifocal lens and progressive lens.

Enjoy it.

"Brainy Kids Live Longer"

Studies have shown the relationship between intelligence and mortality. I was excited to read an article in Nature about why do intelligent people live longer? People's rankings on intelligence tests show high stability across almost the whole lifespan, are substantially heritable and are associated with important life outcomes — including educational achievements, occupational success and morbidity and mortality.

The article talks four explanations about this.

First: intelligence is associated with more education, and thereafter with more professional occupations that might place the person in healthier environments.

Second: people with higher intelligence might engage in more healthy behaviors. Evidence is accruing that people with higher intelligence in early life are more likely to have better diets, take more exercise, avoid accidents, give up smoking, engage in less binge drinking and put on less weight in adulthood.

Third: mental test scores from early life might act as a record of insults to the brain that have occurred before that date.

Fourth: mental test scores obtained in youth might be an indicator of a well-put-together system. It is hypothesized that a well-wired body is more able to respond effectively to environmental insults.

But above evidences don't necessarily explain the intelligence and mortality to all people. There are many others factors to be explained, in my opinion.

To read full article in nature please click on the link.

Asian brown cloud danger

The regional haze, known as atmospheric brown clouds, contributes to glacial melting, reduces sunlight, and helps create extreme weather conditions that impact agricultural production, according to the report commissioned by the U.N. Environment Program.

Caused by the burning of fossil fuels, wood and plants, the brown clouds also play a significant role in exacerbating the effects of greenhouse gases in warming up the earth's atmosphere.

more on ABC here.

You are the analytical thinker

After answering some questions, I got following result from The Ultimate Personality Quiz in Facebook I am surprised by the result.

"Your talent and creativity are obvious to those around you. You appreciate beauty and are sensitive to the feelings of others. You scheduled, organized life matches your need for order. Although you make friends cautiously, you are faithful and dedicated to those you have. Your suspicions and insecurities are not unfounded and are sometimes misinterpreted as being self-centered. But, have these people seen the news lately?"

I think some thing is true there.

BASANT is candidate for Presidential Election 2008

While Obama and McCain are working hard in lthe ast hour of the election campaign 2008, people are looking for some other candidates as well. Some people think both Obama and McCain are not different fundamentally and they are fade up with their speeches, TV talks and campaign materials. So they started talking on online chat for finding one candidate who is unkown to most of the voters. With so much at stake, there is one candidate that may be able to make the difference. He is Mr Basant Giri. Now he is getting popularity in News channels. Giri has surprised both Democrats and Republicans with a grass roots effort. This candidate has made many wonders.

Don't you believe this?

Just click on the this link and watch news about him on News 3 Channel

Enjoy it.

तिहार आयो

नेपालीहरुको अर्को महान चाड तिहार सुरु भईसक्यो। तिहारको शुभ-कामना आदान प्रदान अनि देउसी भैलोका धुनहरु बजिरहेका छन जताकतै। अब केही दिन सम्म देउसी र भैलो खेल्नेको घुइचो पनि देख्न पाईन्छ। कसैलाई रमाइलो लाग्ला तर कसैलाई झर्को पनि लाग्ला। झर्को यसमानेमा की देउसी भैलो को नाममा पैसा जुटाउन राजनैतिक पार्टी, तिनका भात्रि संगठन देखी लिएर बिभिन्न क्लबहरुको राम्रो समय हो यो। हुनत पुरै नेपाल भरी एकै किसिमले मनाइदैन यो चाड। खास गरी हिन्दुहरुले मनाउछन्। म हुर्केको ठाउ थारुहरुको ठाउ हो। उनिहरुले मनाउदैनन्। हाम्रो तिर तिहार भन्ने चलन छ। कसैले दीपावली भन्छन भने कसैले दीवाली। मलाई पनि तिहार भन्दा नै आफ्नो पर्ब जस्तो लाग्छ।

यस्तो दिन पनि आउला ?

मनोज गजुरेल
mgaJurel@gmail.com
(From www.nayapatrika.com)

मलाई लाग्छ, खुला आँखाले देखिने प्रायः सपनाहरू पूरा हुन्छन् । यो भिडियो सिडी 'फोटोकपी’मा मैले त्यस्ता केही सपनाहरूलाई सदृश्य वर्णन गर्ने प्रयास गरेको छु जुन एउटा नेपालीले देख्ने गर्दछ । हास्यव्यंग्यलाई गालीभन्दा माथि उठेर सकारात्मक सन्देशका रूपमा पनि प्रस्तुत गर्ने मेरो प्रयास हो ।

राजनैतिक शक्तिहरूबीचको सहकार्य, सहमति र समर्पणले नेपालमा रेल कुदाउने, पाइपबाट तेल ल्याउने, आफ्नै देशमा कामअनुसार दाम कमाएर युरोपतिर टुरिस्टको रूपमा घुम्न सकिने सम्भावनालाई मेरो मनभित्र रहेको कलाकारले देख्यो, सोहीअनुरुप समाजका प्रबुद्ध दर्शकबीच ल्याउने जमर्को गरेको छु । फोटोकपीभित्रका विभिन्न प्रस्तुतिमध्ये नेपाल निर्देशअन्तर्गत केही गुदी कुरा पाठकका लागि प्रस्तुत गरेको छु ।

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नमस्कार, आज २०७५ साल असोज २२ गते आइतबार । नेपालमा गणतन्त्र स्थापना भएको आज ठीक दस वर्ष पुगेको छ । त्यतिखेर मानिसले कल्पना नै गरेका थिएनन् कि केवल दस वर्षमा नेपालमा यति धेरै विकास होला भनेर । पूर्व काँकडभिट्टादेखि पश्चिम धनगढीसम्म साढे चार घन्टामा पुगिने बुलेट रेल सेवा 'एकता एक्सप्रेस'को सञ्चालन होस् वा दार्चुलादेखि ताप्लेजुङ जोड्ने पहाडी हाइवेको स्थापना होस्, दुवैको निर्माणबाट केवल दस वर्षमा नेपालमा चमत्कार भएको छ । ल्हासाबाट खासा हुँदै काठमाडौंसम्म बिछ्याइएको पेट्रोल पाइपको कुरो होस् वा रोल्पामा खुलेको संसारकै सबैभन्दा ठूलो जडीबुटी उद्योग होस्, दस वर्षपहिले मान्छेले देखेका यी सबै सपना अहिले पूरा भएका छन् ।

यी सबै सपनालाई पूरा गराउने देशका सबै राजनैतिक दल, नागरिक समाज र प्रतिबद्ध नागरिकलाई अहिले विश्वका देशले बधाईका सन्देशहरू ओइर्‍याइरहेका छन् । अरू त अरू, अहिले यो कार्यक्रम 'नेपाल-निर्देश' काठमाडौंस्थित नेपाल टेलिभिजनको १२५ तले भवनको तीसौं तलाबाट सञ्चालन गरिहेका छौं । अब हामी यस विषयमा कुरा गर्दैछौं, दस वर्षदेखि निरन्तर रूपमा नेपालको प्रधानमन्त्रित्व सम्हालेका नेपालका प्रधानमन्त्री पुष्पकमल दाहाल 'प्रचण्ड'सँग ।

अजयकुमार- आरामै हुनुहुन्छ ?
प्रचण्ड- राजनैतिक रूपमा आराम गरेर बसेको भए अहिले जुन विकास देख्दै हुनुहुन्छ, त्यो दस वर्षमा सम्भव नै हुँदैनथ्यो भन्ने मेरो ठम्याइ हो ।

अजयकुमार- दस वर्षअघि नेपाली राजनैतिक पार्टीका नेताहरू विदेशी राजदूतहरूलाई भेट्न निवेदन हाल्ने गर्दथे । तर, आज दस वर्षपछि विदेशी राजदूतहरूले नेपाली नेतालाई भेट्न पाऊ भनेर निवेदन हाल्ने गरेका छन् । यो परिवर्तनलाई कसरी हेर्नुभएको छ ?
प्रचण्ड- कुरो के हो भने त्यतिखेर हामी सबैका कमीकमजोरी थिए । हामी सबैको विवेकमा खिया लागेको स्थिति हो । समग्र देशको भन्दा पनि व्यक्ति, पार्टी र गुटको हितलाई मात्रै अगाडि ल्यायौं । तर, विस्तारै हामीमा एकता, सहकार्य र सहमतिको जुन वातावरण बन्यो, त्यसले देश, जनतालाई यो अवस्थासम्म पुर्‍यायो भन्ने हाम्रो ठम्याइ छ ।



अजयकुमार- हिजो तपाईंसँग अमेरिकी राजदूतले भेटेछन्, के कुरा भयो तपाईंहरूबीच ?

प्रचण्ड- मने, अमेरिकामा गत सेप्टेम्बरमा जुन समुद्रीआँधी आयो, त्यसले त्यहाँको अर्थतन्त्रलाई नराम्रो धक्का लाग्न पुग्यो । नोभेम्बरमा फेरि आतंककारी हमलाका कारण अमेरिकामा भोकमरी सुरु भयो, यस्तो विपत्तिमा नेपालले पनि अमेरिकालाई सहयोग गर्नुपर्‍यो भन्ने कुरा राजदूतले राखे । हामीले पनि मानवीयताका आधारमा अमेरिकालाई नेपाल सरकारका तर्फबाट एक करोड डलर सहयोग दिने वचनबद्धता प्रकट गरिसकेका छौं ।

अजयकुमार- हाम्रो इतिहास हेर्दा, हाम्रो देश दाता राष्ट्रहरूबाट ऋण लिएर चल्ने मुलुक, केवल दस वर्षमा नै विश्वका ठूला देशहरूलाई अनुदान दिन सक्ने बनेको छ । कस्तो लाग्छ तपाइंलाई ?

प्रचण्ड- यो केवल हाम्रो कारणले भन्दा पनि सम्पूर्ण राजनैतिक पार्टीहरू, नागरिक समाज र आमजनताको सहकार्यको प्रतिफल हो । यो देख्दा निश्चित रूपमा खुसी नहुने कुरै छैन भन्ने हाम्रो ठम्याइ हो । अझ चीनमा आएको बाढीबाट पीडितलाई पाँच करोड डलर अनुदान दिने नेपाल सरकारको हिजोको निर्णयले नेपाल र नेपालीलेको महानता झल्किएको छ भन्ने मलाई लाग्छ ।

अजयकुमार- प्रधानमन्त्रीज्यू, त्यति धेरै सहयोग गर्न सक्नेगरी नेपालले स्रोतचाहिँ कसरी, कहाँबाट जुटाउन सक्यो ? बताइदिनोस् न ।

प्रचण्ड- हामीले प्रष्ट भनेको छौं, हामीकहाँ भ्रष्टाचार छैन, त्यसकारण राजस्वले नै राज्यका दैनिक खर्च चल्ने गरेको छ । उता कर्णालीको बिजुली तिब्बत, चीन, मंगोलिया, उज्वेकिस्तान र रसियामा बेचेर डरल भित्र्याएका छौं । रोल्पा र हुम्लामा सबैभन्दा ठूलो जडीबुटी उद्योग खोलेर वाषिर्क ५० करोडको त औषधि निर्यात गर्दै आएका छौं । गत वर्ष मात्रै २० लाख पर्यटक नेपाल भित्रिएको रिपोर्ट त तपाईंले पनि हेरिसक्नुभएको छ । छुर्पी, चिया, यार्सागुम्बा, मणिमाणिक्य आदिको व्यापारले पनि हामी अहिले एसियाकै सबैभन्दा बढी आयस्रोत भएको मुलुकको रूपमा स्थापित भएका छौं ।

अजयकुमार- सरकारले जुन मेचीदेखि महाकालीसम्म बुलेट रेल सेवा सुरु गर्‍यो नि, यसका बारेमा बताइदिनोस् न ?
प्रचण्ड- काँकडभिट्टादेखि कैलालीसम्म केवल तीन घन्टामा पुर्‍याउने यो रेल सेवा पेट्रोलबिनै हाम्रै त्रिशुलीको बिजुलीले चल्नेगर्छ । संसारमा पेट्रोलको जति भाउ बढे पनि तराईका जनताको एकताको प्रतीक एकता एक्सप्रेस रेल सेवालाई कुनै फरक पर्दैन ।



अजयकुमार- एउटा आरोप छ, यो रेल सेवाले जनतालाई भन्दा ज्यादा नेपाल-भारत सिमानामा क्रियाशील चोर, डाँका, तस्कर र कालोबजारीलाई बढी फाइदा पुगेको छ रे नि ?

प्रचण्ड- त्यो सरासर अफवाह हो किनभने नेपाल-भारत सिमानामा दुवै देशका प्रहरीहरू यति क्रियाशील छन् नि, गैरकानुनी रूपमा कोही पनि आवातजावत गर्न सक्दैन । त्यसमा पनि मेचीदेखि कालीसम्म नै नेपाल-भारत सीमाको दशगजा क्षेत्रमा १५ सय किलोमिटरको २० फुटे सेक्युरिटी वाल निर्माण भएको छ । त्यसमा करेन्ट जडान गरिएको छ । र, चौबीसै घन्टा स्याटलाइटले कन्ट्रोल र नेपाली सीमा सुरक्षा बलले निरीक्षण गरिरहेकाले नेपाल- भारतबीचको सम्बन्ध यति लामो समयसम्म सुमधुर रहन सकेको हो भन्ने मलाई लाग्छ ।

अजयकुमार- गत साता एउटा सनसनीपूर्ण समाचार आयो, एकजना मानिसले तपाइंलाई कालो झन्डा देखायो रे, हो ?

प्रचण्ड- हामी पनि अचम्मित भएका छौं कि यो दस वर्षबीचमा हिंसाको एउटा सानो रूप पनि देशमा देखिएन । तर, यो कालो झन्डा देखाउने घटनाले हामी चिन्तित भएका छौं । कतै हामीले जनताको आशा र अपेक्षामाथि कुठाराघात गरेकाले पो यो डरलाग्दो घटना भयो कि भन्ने लागेको थियो ।

अजयकुमार- किन देखाएका रहेछन् त कालो झन्डा ?
प्रचण्ड- आफ्नो अर्बौंको सम्पत्ति राज्यलाई दान दिने उनको इच्छा रहेछ । तर, राज्यको यो नियम छ कि जनताको सम्पत्ति राज्यले कुनै पनि सर्तमा लिनुहुन्न भनेपछि उनले राज्यलाई सहयोग गर्न पाउनुपर्छ भन्ने मागका साथ कालो झन्डा देखाएका रहेछन् ।

अजयकुमार- अचम्मको परिवर्तन हगि ? उहिले जनता कर तिर्न भनेपछि मरेजस्तो हुन्थे, आज राज्यलाई आफ्नो सम्पत्ति दान दिने हैसियतमा पुगे । कस्तो लाग्छ, केवल दस वर्षमा नै यस्तो संस्कारको विकास भएको छ ?
प्रचण्ड- मने, एक्काईसौं शताब्दीको लोकतान्त्रिक संस्कृति भनेकै यही हो जस्तो लाग्छ ।



अजयकुमार- तपाईं दस वर्षअगाडि एउटा शब्द खुब प्रयोग गर्नुहुन्थ्यो, चमत्कार । आखिर चमत्कार गरेरै देखाइदिनुभयो । समुद्र नै नभएको देश नेपालमा पानी जहाज पनि ल्याइदिनुभयो, कसरी ?

प्रचण्ड- बंगलादेशको फूलबारी नाकाबाट हामीले भारतसँग कुरा राख्यौं कि सप्तकोसीसम्म जोड्ने ठूलो नहर बनाउनुपर्‍यो भनेर । त्यसपछि पश्चिम बंगाल, बिहार हुँदै पानीजहाज चल्न सक्ने नहर सप्तकोसीसम्म जोड्यौं । सप्तकोसीबाट उत्तरतिर पानीजहाज धनकुटाको मूल घाटसम्म लगेर नेपाल र नेपालीले चमत्कार गरेकोमा अहिले सारा विश्व पनि अचम्मित भएको छ ।

अजयकुमार- नेपाल सरकारले अमेरिकन र युरोपियनलाई भिसा बन्द गर्‍यो भन्ने समाचार आएको छ नि ?

प्रचण्ड- बन्द भन्दा पनि व्यवस्थित बनाउन खोजेको हो । यसअघि नै दुई लाखजति अमेरिकीहरू नेपालमा लुकीछिपी काम गर्दै गरेका थिए । टुरिस्ट भिसामा आएर यतै लुकीछिपी काम गर्ने युरोपियनको संख्या पनि लाखौं रहेको स्थिति छ । त्यसैले हामी केही कडाइ मात्र गरेको हौं ।

अजयकुमार- त्यसको मतलब विदेशीलाई नेपालमा कामदार भिसा अब सदाका लागि बन्द गरेको हो त ?

प्रचण्ड- हैन, हिजै मात्र डोमेस्टिक हेल्परको रूपमा नेपाल आउने पाँच हजार अरेबियन महिलाका भिसा हामीले इस्यु गरिसकेका छौं । जुम्लाको अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय मिनेरल उद्योगका लागि दस हजार जर्मन मजदुरहरू यसै साता नेपाल आउँदै छन्। मुस्ताङमा निर्माणाधीन नेपाली डिजिनेल्यान्डमा काम गर्ने ५० हजार निर्माण मजदुर आगामी फेब्रुअरीसम्ममा नेपाल भित्रिइसक्नेछन् ।

अजयकुमार- प्रकृतिप्रेमीहरूको आरोप छ कि सरकार काठमाडौंमा बनाएका ८०,१००,१५० तले भवनहरूले काठमाडौंका डाँडाकाँडालाई छेके । यसले प्रकृतिमाथि अन्याय भयो रे, सरकारले के सोचेको छ यस विषयमा ?

प्रचण्ड- मने, विकासलाई त कसैले चाहेर पनि छेक्न सक्दैन । योभन्दा बढी भवनहरू काठमाडौंमा नबनून् भन्ने जनताको मागलाई ध्यानमा राखेरै हामी नेपालको शीतकालीन राजधानी विराटनगर, गृष्मकालीन राजधानी हुम्ला, शरदकालीन कैलाली र शिशिरकालीन राजधानी ताप्लेजुङलाई बनाएका हौं ।

Participate in Innovation 2008 online

Nation’s top thinkers gather at University of Minnesota Monday & Tuesday to highlight connection between presidential politics, science, and fixing the economy in a public forum.

As the race for the White House enters the home stretch, several of the nation’s leading thinkers in science and policy are gathering in Minneapolis to discuss how the next president can jump-start the economy and renew America’s leadership position in education, research, health, and energy, at a conference billed as Innovation2008.com

The conference will be keynoted by Minnesota native and 2003 Nobel laureate Peter Agre, with a closing address by famed science broadcaster Ira Flatow of NPR’s Talk of the Nation: Science Friday. Both events are free and open to the public.

Here are the links to tune in and watch streaming video of the Innovation 2008 conference this Monday and Tuesday:

The link for Monday is:
https://umconnect.umn.edu/innovation2008m/

The link for Tuesday is:
https://umconnect.umn.edu/innovation2008t/

"iBRAIN: Surviving the Technological Alteration of the Modern Mind,"

Jeff Sherman / Taxi-Getty Images

A leading neuroscientist says processing digital information can rewire your circuits. But is it evolution?

By Jeneen Interlandi | NEWSWEEK

Published Oct 14, 2008

Is technology changing our brains? A new study by UCLA neuroscientist Gary Small adds to a growing body of research that says it is. And according to Small's new book, "iBRAIN: Surviving the Technological Alteration of the Modern Mind," a dramatic shift in how we gather information and communicate with one another has touched off an era of rapid evolution that may ultimately change the human brain as we know it. "Perhaps not since early man first discovered how to use a tool has the human brain been affected so quickly and so dramatically," he writes. "As the brain evolves and shifts its focus towards new technological skills, it drifts away from fundamental social skills."

The impact of technology on our circuitry should not come as a surprise. The brain's plasticity—it's ability to change in response to different stimuli—is well known. Professional musicians have more gray matter in brain regions responsible for planning finger movements. And athletes' brains are bulkier in areas that control hand-eye coordination. That's because the more time you devote to a specific activity, the stronger the neural pathways responsible for executing that activity become. So it makes sense that people who process a constant stream of digital information would have more neurons dedicated to filtering that information. Still, that's not the same thing as evolution.

To see how the Internet might be rewiring us, Small and colleagues monitored the brains of 24 adults as they performed a simulated Web search, and again as they read a page of text. During the Web search, those who reported using the Internet regularly in their everyday lives showed twice as much signaling in brain regions responsible for decision-making and complex reasoning, compared with those who had limited Internet exposure. The findings, to be published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, suggest that Internet use enhances the brain's capacity to be stimulated, and that Internet reading activates more brain regions than printed words. The research adds to previous studies that have shown that the tech-savvy among us possess greater working memory (meaning they can store and retrieve more bits of information in the short term), are more adept at perceptual learning (that is, adjusting their perception of the world in response to changing information), and have better motor skills.Small says these differences are likely to be even more profound across generations, because younger people are exposed to more technology from an earlier age than older people. He refers to this as the brain gap. On one side, what he calls digital natives—those who have never known a world without e-mail and text messaging—use their superior cognitive abilities to make snap decisions and juggle multiple sources of sensory input. On the other side, digital immigrants—those who witnessed the advent of modern technology long after their brains had been hardwired—are better at reading facial expressions than they are at navigating cyberspace. "The typical immigrant's brain was trained in completely different ways of socializing and learning, taking things step-by-step and addressing one task at a time," he says. "Immigrants learn more methodically and tend to execute tasks more precisely."

But whether natural selection will favor one skill set over the other remains to be seen. For starters, there's no reason to believe the two behaviors are mutually exclusive. In fact, a 2005 Kaiser study found that young people who spent the most time engaged with high-technology also spent the most time interacting face-to-face, with friends and family. And as Small himself points out, digital natives and digital immigrants can direct their own neural circuitry—reaping the cognitive benefits of modern technology while preserving traditional social skills—simply by making time for both.

In the meantime, modern technology, and the skills it fosters, is evolving even faster than we are. There's no telling whether future iterations of computer games, online communities and the like will require more or less of the traditional social skills and learning strategies that we've spent so many eons cultivating. "Too many people write about this as if kids are in one country and adults are in another," says James Gee, a linguistics professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. What the future brain will look like is still anybody's guess.

CO2 from Ocean adds to Global Warming

Global warming and its effect climate change are challanges of 21st century. There is no dought that globe is warming because of natural process and because of human activities like carbon dioxide emmisions. And till date most of the scientists believe that anthropogenic emmisions are most likely the major source that is increasing the rate of warming and are trying to cut emmissions so that we could mitigate warming and make this globe safe for new generation. But new study shows that CO2 from Ocean (natural sourses) is also adding warming. General beliefe is that ocean absorbs atmospheric carbon dioxide.

Professor from Oregon State University Ed Brooks with other scientists by analyzing frozen blocks of ice ranging from 90,000 years prior is able to view in retrospect what our earth may have been like before human kind inhabited.

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He said "humans are still the culprit when it comes to the current glbobal warming circumstance but we have to consider the role of ocean in the future because oceans are also adding CO2 into the atmosphere."

You want to read more? click here.

Chemistry Nobel for green fluorescent protein, GFP

Nobel prize in chemistry has been awarded to Osamu Shimomura, Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) Woods Hole, MA, USA; Martin Chalfie, Columbia University New York, NY, USA and Roger Y. Tsien, University of California San Diego, CA, USA "for the discovery and development of the green fluorescent protein, GFP". Each person will share 1/3rd of the prize.

Official press release from Nobel foundation is here.

List of Nobel prize winners in Chemistry can be found here.

I would like to congratulate all of three Nobel winners in chemistry.

Nobel in Physics goes to Three Japanese Scientists

Nobel prize in Physics 2008 has been awarded to three Physicists namely Yoichiro Nambu (who is Japanese born American) from Enrico Fermi Institute, University of Chicago Chicago, IL, USA, Makoto Kobayashi from High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK) Tsukuba, Japan and Toshihide Maskawa from Yukawa Institute for Theoretical Physics (YITP), Kyoto University Kyoto, Japan.

Nambu will receive half of the prize "for the discovery of the mechanism of spontaneous broken symmetry in subatomic physics" where as Makoto Kobayashi and Toshihide Maskawa will receive 1/4th each "for the discovery of the origin of the broken symmetry which predicts the existence of at least three families of quarks in nature".

I would like to congratulate these great scientists for the prize.
For the official announcement click here.
And for the list of Nobel prize in Physics since 1901 click here.

Nobel prize in Chemistry will be announced tomorrow October 8th at 11.45 CET.

2008 Nobel Prize in Medicine

The most prestigious Nobel prize in medicine for 2008 has been awarded to three great persons. They are Harald zur Hausen,German Cancer Research Centre Heidelberg, Germany;Françoise Barré-Sinoussi,Regulation of Retroviral Infections Unit, Virology Department, Institut Pasteur Paris, France; and Luc Montagnier, World Foundation for AIDS Research and Prevention Paris, France. Harald will share 1/2 of the prize "for his discovery of human papilloma viruses causing cervical cancer" and later two will share 1/4 of the prize of each "for their discovery of human immunodeficiency virus."

For official press release please visit http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/2008/press.html

दशैंको सम्झना

पोहर् साल पोर्ट्लेन्डमा दशैंको टिका थाप्दै

सधैझै यस पालीको दशैं पनि आयो। वेबसाईटहरुमा दशैंको धुन बज्न थालिसके। इमेलमा दशैको शुभकामनाहरुको ओइरो लाग्न सुरु गरिसक्यो। घरमा दशै नमनाएको यो तेस्रो बर्ष हुन्छ। मेरो लागी यो महान् चाड धार्मिक रुपले भन्दा पनि सांस्क्रितिक पर्बको रुपमा महत्वपुर्ण छ। पुजा सुजा गर्ने तिर कहिले पनि ध्यान गएन। हुनत् धार्मिक आधारमा शुरु भयो तर आजकल सांस्क्रितिको रुपमा बिकसित भएको छ भन्ने मेरो बुझाई छ। हरेक बर्ष दशै आउदा मनमा पहिले पहिले दशै मनाउदाका रमाईला घटनाहरुको याद आइरहन्छ।                
                                                        

मेरो दिमागमा ताजा भैरहने एउटा घटना छ। हाम्रो घर देखी उत्तर तिर महाभारत (कि चुरे हो?) पर्बतको टुप्पोमा देबीको मन्दिर छ। त्यसलाई हामी देबीकोट भन्छौ। भनिन्छ त्यहा महदेबले पार्बतीको लास बोकेर हिडदा कुनै अङग (कुन चाही हो याद भएन) खसेको थियो रे। त्यस मन्दिरमा प्रत्यक दशैंमा (ठुलो र सानो दुबै) जनावरको बली दिने गरिन्छ। र ठुलै मेला लाग्ने गर्छ। कसैले बोका लान्छन भने कसैले हांस आदि भने कसैले परेवा उडाउछन। यसो सम्झिदा लाग्छ, यि देबीलाई जे को बली चडाएपनि हुने रैछ। ठाउ भने मनोरक नै छ। अग्लो भएकोले त्यहाबाट दक्षिणतिर देउखुरी उपत्यकाको मनोरम द्रिश्य हेर्न पाईन्छ। दशैको बेलामा देउखुरिभरि धान पाकेको हुन्छ। हरियाली त हुने नै भयो। अनि उत्तरतिर अन्य पहाडहरु जस्तै हासिपुर, जबरकोट आदी। अनि यो सिजनमा मन्दिर वरिपरि बेलौति (अंबाको स्थानिय नाम), काक्रो (खिरा होइन है), नासपाती खान लाएक भैसकेको हुन्छ।

म सानै छदा एकपटक दशैंको उपलक्ष्यमा बोका लगेर जाने मौका मिल्यो। छिमेकी केहि जमिन्दारले प्रत्यक वर्ष नै लान्थे। उनीहरु धनि छन र पो लान्छन हाम्ले के लानु जस्तो लाग्थ्यो मेरो सानो मनमा। बोका लान नसकेर होला कुभिण्डो काटेको होला जस्तो लग्थ्यो। हुनत गिरिहरुले पशु बलि दिन हुन्न भनेर कुभिण्डो काटेको भन्थे तर मनले पत्याउदैनथ्यो। ४५-४६ साल तिर हो कि जस्तो लाग्छ। तेतिबेला त्यहा बोका लगेर जान पाउदा कम्ती खुशी थे'न म। रातो-खैरो रंगको बोका थियो। कतिपयले बेलुकानै लगेर जान्थे अनि राती मन्दिरमै रमाइलो गरेर बस्थे। बेलुका जाने हरुको लस्कर हुन्थ्यो उकालो चडेको।  तर हामी भने बिहान सबेरै (४ बजेतिर) उकालो लाग्यौ। हामी मतलब बुवा र म। जङलको बाटो। उकालो जानु पर्ने। अनि अध्यारो। बिहानपख हुनाले अलि अलि देखिन्थ्यो। आधा घन्टा उकालो लागेपछि बोका बाधेको दाम्लो (डोरि) चुडीयो अनि बोका त भाग्यो। लौ परेन आपत? अब के गर्ने? कत्रो सपना थियो घरमै सिङै बोका काटेर मासु खाने। अलि धनीहरुले त प्रत्यक दशैमा सिङै खशी वा बोका कट्थे तर हामी जस्ताहरुको समुहले दशै-तिहारमा सामुहिक खशी काटेर १-२ किलोले चाड पर्ब मनाइन्थ्यो। मेरो बोका त जङगल तिर पो जान खोज्छ बा। मैले कति बोलाए मरिगए आउदैन्। बुवाले केहि मतलबै गर्नुहुन्न। उहा रहर र आफ्नो इक्षाले भन्दा पनि करैले जानु भएको मेरो बुझाई थियो। बुवा त्यसताका बेस्सरी बिरामी हुनु भएकोले बोइ (बुवाकी आमा) ले भाकल गरेको बोका थियो त्यो। जसरि पनि देबिकोट लगेर मन्दिरमा चढाउनु पर्ने। बुवा भने बोका खोज्न कुनै चासो नदिने बरु भन्नु भयो देबीको शक्ती छ र देबीको भाकल हो भने आफै आउछ। हामी यत्तिकै जाउ मन्दिर। तर मैले मानिन। केहि समय सम्म बोलाई राखे पछि-मेरो बोका आयो। आखिर बोका त मेरै थियो। घास खुवाएको अनि मकै खुवाएको। अनि त्यो जङगलको अध्यारोमा उ पनि कतै जान सकेन-डरायो। आर्को कुरा त्यो बोकालाई के थाहा केहि घन्टा पछि उसलाई बली चढाईनेछ भनेर। पशुहरुलाई त मान्छेहरुले आफ्नो स्वार्थको लागी न प्रयोग-उपयोग गर्ने हुन। अघि चुडीएको दाम्लो मर्मत् गरि बोको लगेर मन्दिर पुगियो। सायद मन्दिरको पुजा सकिएको थियो। अनि पशु बली चढाउने समय आयो। मेरो बोकाको पनि पालो आयो। टाउको मन्दिर (पुजारी) लाई अनि बाकी हामीलाई। त्यो भन्दा अघी र पछि कहिले पनि हाम्रो घरमा त्यसरि पशु मन्दिरमा लगेर बली चढाएको छैन। त्यो नै प्रथम र अन्तीम (अहिलेसम्म) नै हो। कम्तिमा १५-१६ किलोको त्यो बोको बोकेर ल्याउन पो गार्हो। बाउ छोरा लाइ नै आपत। तर त्यहाँ मरेका बोका बोकेर ल्याउने पेशा गर्ने पनि हुदा रहेछन। तिनैले बोकेर घर सम्म ल्याइदिए। घर ल्याएर त्यसको स्याहार सुसार गर्दा त बेलुका भै सकेको थियो।

दशैंको अर्को रमाइलो र महत्वपुर्ण पाटो भनेको टीका लगाउन आफन्तकहा जाने हो। हाम्रो तिर पिङ खेल्ने चलन छैन दशैंमा। पिङ्ग त तीजमा खेल्ने चलन छ। दशमीको दिन पहिले त जमराको पुजा गर्नु पर्छ। म घरमा हुदा सम्म त्यो काम मेरै हुन्थ्यो। अनि अक्षता मुछेर प्रत्यक ढोका, डेहरी (धान राख्ने माटोको ठुलो ठुलो भाडो) लाई टिका-जमरा लगाइदिने। अनि मात्रै मान्छेको पालो। बुवाले हामीलाई लगाईदे पछि बिस्तारै काकाका परिवार र अन्य नातागोताहरुको पालो आउछ। सबैको निधारभरी टिका अनि कानमा जमरा देख्दा माहोल नै आर्कै हुन्छ। अनि खानपिन सुरु हुन्छ। त्यसपछि समय मिलाएर अन्य आफन्तकोमा टिका लगाउन जाने। बारीमा मकै भाचीसकेको हुन्छ अनि खेतमा धान पाकीसकेको हुन्छ। रातै निधार गरेका मान्छेहरु नया र राम्रा लुगा लगाई यता र उता हिडेको लस्कर निकै मनोरम हुन्छ। नातेदारहरुको घरमा डुल्दै टीका लगाउदै खादै गर्दा बेलुका सम्म केहि गर्ने नसक्ने गरि अटेस मटेस हुन्छ। काठमाण्डु बस्दासम्म कम्तिमा बर्षको एकपटक यसै अवसरमा घर जाने मौका मिल्थ्यो। सबै सङ भेटघाट हुन्थ्यो । अब त्कहिले आउछ त्यो दिन कुनै पत्तो छैन। आफ्नो नियमित काम बाट टाढा भैइ रमाउने चाड नै दशै हो।

Solving America's problem through science and technology

The ScienceDebate is going on and it has caught a lot of media coverage. As a continuation of it in another form, there is a conference coming up titled "Innovation 2008..." at Minnesota on October 20-21st for a very exciting national discussion at the University of Minnesota's Center for Science, Technology and Public Policy.

Keynotes
Nobel laureate Peter Agre
Science broadcaster Ira Flatow

Some of confirmed speakers and panelists
•    Andrew Fire, Nobel laureate and Professor of Pathology and Genetics, Stanford University
•    Bill Bates, Vice President of the Council on Competitiveness   
•    Darlene Cavalier, ScienceCheerleader.com
•    Kei Koizumi, Director, R&D Budget & Policy, American Assn for the Advancement of Science
•    Lawrence Krauss, astrophysicist, science policy speaker, and popular author
•    Chris Mooney, Washington Correspondent for Seed and popular author
•    Jan Morrison - Executive Director; TIES Teaching Institute for Excellence in STEM
•    Michael T. Osterholm, Director, Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP)
•    Shawn Lawrence Otto, screenwriter and CEO, Science Debate 2008
•    Eugenie Scott, Executive Director, National Center for Science Education
•    Alice Seagren, Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Education
•    Susan Singer – Carlton College; Board on Science Education of the National Academies
•    Manil Suri, Professor of Mathematics & Statistics, University of Maryland, Baltimore and popular author
•    Susan  Wood, former FDA Director of Women’s Health and Research Professor, GWU
•    Mary Woolley,  President of Research!America,
and many more, along with a few very special surprises.
The Obama and McCain campaigns have been invited.

Great Scientists with Obama in 2008 election

61 Nobel Laureates in Science have endorsed Barack Obama for the president of United States. Presidential election is on November. These great scientists signed a letter addressing American people to vote for Obama.

Last month Obama answered 14 questions related to science policy of US and the answers were scientifically sound. I don't how this is gonna increase the number of voters in favor of Obama.

To read the original letter and name of Nobel Laureates click here.

Proud to be a part of ScienceDebate2008

You probably know there is hot discussion going on about science and technology policy in the upcoming presidential election. This is called ScienceDebate2008. It has created a forum for Nobel laureates, scientists, professors etc to put their view focusing on the election. This blog Science to Society is a member of blogger coalition of this debate. We are proud to be a part of it.

Science and technology to be promoted

Kantipur Report

KATHMANDU, Sept 19 - To check the brain-drain of the indigenous scientists and technologists, Finance Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai in his budget speech said, programmes will be launched to encourage them to engage in innovative and outcome-oriented research works grounded on appropriate proposals.Moreover, a national lab will be set up under National Academy for Science and Technology (NAST) with a view to expediting the studies and researches in area of science and technology.The fifth National Science Conference to be participated by about 1200 scientists from within the country and abroad will be convened in Kathamandu. National Information Bank will be established with a view to protecting important public information from catastrophe and anthropogenic accidents. Rs. 230 millions is allocated for construction of building of this bank in the current fiscal year.
For increasing access of rural people to the modern information technology, Rs. 57.5 million has been allocated for additional 175 tele-centres in rural communities, schools and post offices.
Programmes for establishing one tele-centre in each Village Development Committee will be launched gradually, Minister Bhattarai said in his speech.
Arrangement will be made to forecast and disseminate the chances of catastrophic floods induced by heavy rain and ice lake explosion. A well-equipped Climate Change Research Centre will be established to carry out studies on the impacts of climate change in the development of water resources, hydroelectricity, agriculture and environment.

Interview with Ganesh Shah-Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Government of Nepal

Newly appointed minister for Environment, Science and Technology in Maoist led government in Nepal speaks his view about science and technology. This is an interview in "Chhalphal weekly", a Nepali Newspaper. Edited version of the published interview is presented here.
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हाम्रो मुलुकमा समावेशीका कुरा सबैभन्दा धेरै ठूलादलका नेताहरुले उठाउनुहुन्छ। तर व्यवहारमा सबैभन्दा कम लागू गर्नुहुन्छ। संयुक्त मार्क्सवादीका महासचिव समेत रहनुभएका विज्ञान प्रविधि तथा वातावरण मन्त्री गणेश साहले अन्तर्वार्ताका क्रममा भन्नुभयो– हामी हाम्रो पार्टीबाट हरेक निकायमा प्रतिनधित्व गराउँदा समावेशी गराउने गर्दछौं। नाई संघ खोलेर नाइहरुलाई संगठित गर्ने विषयमा होस् या राज्यबाट असाध्यै उपेक्षित पारिएका समलिंगीहरुलाई संगठित गरेर आफ्ना अधिकार खोज्ने साहस प्रदान गर्ने सन्दर्भमा होस् अर्थात् बहिरा लाटा र मजदुरहरुलाई नेतृत्व तहमा ल्याउने कायृमा होस्, मन्त्री शाहको योगदान कम महत्वपूर्ण छैन। मन्त्री बन्ने बित्तिकै आवास र आराममा लिप्त बन्ने अनि भेटघाटा पालो कुर्नुपर्ने मन्त्रीहरुको भन्दा आफूलाई पृथक पहिचानमा प्रस्तुत गर्ने मन्त्री शाह आफू जनताको मन्त्री भएको ठान्नुहुन्छ। आफू जनतासँग प्रत्यक्ष सम्पर्कमा जान सकियोस् भनेर आफ्नो फोन नं. समेत जनताका लागि सार्वजनिक गर्ने शाहको योजना पनि अनौठो छ आफ्नो मन्त्रालयमा विज्ञान प्रविधि सम्बन्धी कार्यक्रम दिनहुँ गरिरहने। जनतासँग प्रत्यक्ष कुराकानी र भेटघाट गरिरहँदा आफूलाई पूर्ण सन्तुष्टी मिल्ने बताउने वीनदास मन्त्री शाह जिम्मा पाएको विज्ञान प्रविधि तथा वातावरण मन्त्रालयमा नयाँ आयाम थप्ने सुरसारमा हुनहुन्छ। उहाँले भन्नुभयो– यो हेपिएको मन्त्रालयलाई मेरो कार्यकालमा सम्मानित बनाउँछु। ० मन्त्रीको जिम्मेवारीमा पुगेपछि पहिलो काम के गर्नुभयो? – नेपाल द्वन्द्वबाट गुजि्रएको एउटा अल्प विकसित मुलुक हो। यहाँ विज्ञान र प्रविधी मन्त्रालयप्रति कुनैपनि मन्त्रीको आकर्षण छैन। अहिलेसम्म नेपालमा वातबरण, विज्ञान तथा प्रविधि मन्त्रालय सबैभन्दा बढि अपहेलित मन्त्रालय हो। त्यसकारण अब यसलाई सम्मानित मन्त्रालयको रूपमा विकास गर्नु आवस्यक छ। ० तपाईंको पार्टी नेकपा(संयुक्त)ले कुन मन्त्रालय मागेको थियो? – हाम्रँे पार्टीले कुनैपनि मन्त्रालयलाई मागको रूपमा सौदावाजी गरेको थिएन। मन्त्रालय चलाउने एउटा काम मात्रै हो तर हामी त अहिले एउटा मिसन पुरा गर्न लागेका छौं। ० तपाईं त इन्जिनियरिङ क्ष्ँेत्रको एउटा जल विज्ञ र मजदूर क्ष्ँेत्रमा स्थापित हुनु भएको व्यक्तित्व हुनुहुन्थ्यो। बिषय विज्ञतासँग मन्त्रालयको समन्वय त्यति मिलेजस्तो देखिएन नि होइन? – आफ्नो लागि आफैले केही भन्नु उपयुक्त हुँदैन तर मलाई आफू बहूक्षेत्रमा अनुभव भएको व्यक्तित्व जस्तो लाग्छ। मेरो आफ्नै पृष्ठभूमि इन्जिनियरिङबाट राजनीतिज्ञ, श्रम क्षेत्रबाट विज्ञान र प्रविधि भएकाले यी दुवै क्षेत्रसँग मेरो अन्योन्याश्रि्रत सम्वन्ध छ। श्रम क्षेत्रमा असंगठित रहेका मजदुरहरूलाई सायद मैले नै संगठित गरेको हुँ। २० बर्षे यात्रामा मैले धेरै उतारचढाव ब्योर्होदै अगाडि बढेको छु। कुनै जमानामा नाई संगठन बनाई त्यसलाई स्थापित गरेँ त्यसपछि तेश्र्रो लिंगीहरूको संगठन निर्माण गरेँ। त्यसक्रममा म वाम राजनीतिमा हाँसोको पात्र पनि बने। ० नेपाल विज्ञान तथा प्रविधिको क्षेत्रमा निक्कै पछाडि नै छ। कुनैपनि सरकारले यस क्षेत्रको विकासमा त्यति ध्यान दिएको पनि देखिदैंन। तपाईंले यो मन्त्रालयको जिम्मेवारी सम्हालिसकेपछि यस क्षेत्रको चुनौति र सम्भावना कस्तो देख्नुभएको छ? – अवसर र चुनौति सँगसँगै जोडिएको हुन्छ। संघीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र भइसकेको हाम्रो जस्तो सानो मुलुकमा हामीले जुनसुकै क्षेत्रमा मेहनत गर्न सक्छौं। हामी अहिले हरेक क्षेत्रमा विज्ञान र नयाँ प्रविधिको कुरा गरिराखेका छौं। त्यसैले हरेक क्षेत्रलाई वैज्ञानिक दृष्टिकोणबाट हेर्ने र नयाँ प्रविधीको प्रयोग गर्ने हो भने पछाडि परेको हाम्रो मुलुकलाई छिट्टै अगाडि बढाउन सक्छौं। त्यसकारण मैले मन्त्री भएपछि तीनवटा नारा अगाडि सारेको छु। ० ती नारा के–के हुन् त? – विज्ञान शान्तीका लागि उपयोग गर्नुपर्छ। 'विज्ञान शान्तीको लागि, प्रविधि जनताको लागि र स्वच्छ वातबरण संसारका लागि।' अहिले विश्वको हावापानीमा दिनानुदिन परिवर्तन हुँदा वातबरण हरास हुँदै गएको छ। अर्थात वातबरणको मुद्धा विश्वव्यापी भइसकेको छ। मैले मन्त्रालय सम्हालिसकेपछि नेपाली किसान र मजदुरहरूलाई प्राविधिक ज्ञानसँगै प्रविधिको पनि ज्ञान दिई यसमा अभ्यस्त बनाउने सोच बनाएको छु। कुनैपनि व्यक्तिसँग शीप छ भने मात्रै उसले राम्रो आयआर्जन गर्न सक्छ। त्यसैले विज्ञान, प्रविधि र वातबरण एकअर्काका परिपुरक हुन्। ० हाम्रो जस्तो मुलुकमा कस्ता–कस्ता प्रविधिहरूको आवस्यकता देख्नुहुन्छ? – मैले खासगरी तीन–चारवटा प्रविधिको पहिचान गरेको छु। पहिलो, कृषि क्षेत्रमा अत्याधुनिक प्रविधिको प्रयोग, दोस्रँे हाम्रो मुलुकमा प्रचुर जलविद्युत शक्ति भएकाले हाइड्रो पावर प्रविधिको विकास अत्यावस्यक छ। तेस्रँे, प्रत्येक बालबालिकालाई वैज्ञानिक शिक्ष्ँा दिन आवस्यक छ। भविष्यका कर्णधारहरूलाई अहिल्यैदेखि विज्ञानसँग जोड्न सक्नुपर्छ। युवा– विद्यार्थीलाई विज्ञानमा केन्द्रीत गर्नुपर्छ र प्रविधिमा किसानलाई प्रँथमिकता दिनुपर्छ। ० मन्त्री हुने बित्तिक्कै लोकप्रियताका लागि पनि ती नाराहरू अगाडि सार्नुभयो होला तर सरकारले नै विज्ञान तथा प्रविधिको क्षेत्रमा नै थोरै लगानी गरिरहेको छ। अनि कसरी होला त यस क्षेत्रको विकास? – नेपालमा अहिले धेरै वैज्ञानिकहरू कुण्ठित अवस्थामा बसिरहेका छन्। उनीहरूको क्षमताको उपयोग नै भएको छैन। त्यसकारण सरकारले वैज्ञानिकहरूलाई नैतिक रूपले वलियो बनाउनेछ। यसको अर्थ उनीहरूको सम्मान गर्ने, राज्यको मूल धारमा समाहित गर्ने काम राज्यले गर्नेछ। विज्ञान र वातबरण अहिले विश्वव्यापी जोडिने बिषय भइसकेको छन् त्यसकारण मन्त्रालयले नेपालमा यस क्षेत्रको विकासका लागि वैदेशिक लगानी समेत भित्र्याउन प्रयास गर्नेछ। उद्योगी र व्यापारीहरूले पनि यस क्षेत्रमा लगानी गर्नुपर्छ। गैरआवसिय नेपालीहरूले पनि चासो देखाउनु पर्छ। सम्पूर्ण स्रँेतसाधन एकै ठाउँमा ल्याई विज्ञान र प्रविधिको विकासका लागि सरकारले पहल गर्नेछ।

Barack Obama on Research Policy

Q:For many years, Congress has recognized the importance of science and engineering research to realizing our national goals. Given that the next Congress will likely face spending constraints, what priority would you give to investment in basic research in upcoming budgets?

BO:Federally supported basic research, aimed at understanding many features of nature— from the size of the universe to subatomic particles, from the chemical reactions that support a living cell to interactions that sustain ecosystems—has been an essential feature of American life for over fifty years. While the outcomes of specific projects are never predictable, basic research has been a reliable source of new knowledge that has fueled important developments in fields ranging from telecommunications to medicine, yielding remarkable rates of economic return and ensuring American leadership in industry, military power, and higher education. I believe that continued investment in fundamental research is essential for ensuring healthier lives, better sources of energy, superior military capacity, and high-wage jobs for our nation’s future.

Yet, today, we are clearly under-investing in research across the spectrum of scientific and engineering disciplines. Federal support for the physical sciences and engineering has been declining as a fraction of GDP for decades, and, after a period of growth of the life sciences, the NIH budget has been steadily losing buying power for the past six years. As a result, our science agencies are often able to support no more than one in ten proposals that they receive, arresting the careers of our young scientists and blocking our ability to pursue many remarkable recent advances. Furthermore, in this environment, scientists are less likely to pursue the risky research that may lead to the most important breakthroughs. Finally, we are reducing support for science at a time when many other nations are increasing it, a situation that already threatens our leadership in many critical areas of science.

This situation is unacceptable. As president, I will increase funding for basic research in physical and life sciences, mathematics, and engineering at a rate that would double basic research budgets over the next decade.

Sustained and predictable increases in research funding will allow the United States to accomplish a great deal. First, we can expand the frontiers of human knowledge. Second, we can provide greater support for high-risk, high-return research and for young scientists at the beginning of their careers. Third, we can harness science and technology to address the “grand challenges” of the 21st century: energy, health, food and water, national security, information technology, and manufacturing capacity.

Barack Obama on Science policy - Energy

Energy is very important in 21st century. America along with other developed and underdeveloped countries are facing big energy crises. Many people believe that America led Iraq war was to capture oil wells of Iraq. Nepal is also facing problems due to petroleum products. This small and landlocked country doesn't have any source of petroleum products and has to rely on export. Nepal's politics sometimes goes around the price and scarcity of diesel and petrol.

Not just energy, more important is clean energy. Because of natural gas, oils and coals our planet is facing climate change and global warming. So, lets see how presidential hopeful Barack Obama address this problem.

Many policymakers and scientists say energy security and sustainability are major problems facing the United States this century. What policies would you support to meet demand for energy while ensuring an economically and environmentally sustainable future?

America's challenges in providing secure, affordable energy while addressing climate change mean that we must make much more efficient use of energy and begin to rely on new energy sources that eliminate or greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. My programs focus both on a greatly expanded program of federally funded energy research and development and on policies designed to speed the adoption of innovative energy technologies and stimulate private innovation.

First, I have proposed programs that, taken together, will increase federal investment in the clean energy research, development, and deployment by $150 billion over ten years. This research will cover:

• Basic research to develop alternative fuels and chemicals;

• Equipment and designs that can greatly reduce energy use in residential and commercial buildings – both new and existing;

• New vehicle technologies capable of significantly reducing our oil consumption;

• Advanced energy storage and transmission that would greatly help the economics of new electric-generating technologies and plug-in hybrids;

• Technologies for capturing and sequestering greenhouse gases produced by coal plants; and

• A new generation of nuclear electric technologies that address cost, safety, waste disposal, and proliferation risks.

I will also work closely with utilities to introduce a digital smart grid that can optimize the overall efficiency of the nation's electric utility system, by managing demand and making effective use of renewable energy and energy storage.

Second, it is essential that we create a strong, predictable market for energy innovations with concrete goals that speed introduction of innovative products and provide a strong incentive for private R&D investment in energy technologies. These concrete goals include:

• Increasing new building efficiency by 50 percent and existing building efficiency by 25 percent over the next decade, and taking other steps that will reduce the energy intensity of our economy 50 percent by 2030;

• Increasing fuel economy standards 4 percent per year and providing loan guarantees for domestic auto plants and parts manufacturers to build new fuel- efficient cars domestically;

• Extending the Production Tax Credit for five years and creating a federal Renewable Portfolio Standard that will require that 10 percent of American electricity be derived from renewable sources by 2012, and 25 percent by 2025; and

• Ensuring that regulations and incentives in all federal agencies support the national energy and environmental goals in ways that encourage innovation and ingenuity.

I will also encourage communities around the nation to design and build sustainable communities that cut energy use with walkable community designs and expanded investment in mass transit.

Barack Obama on Science policy-Climate Change

The Earth’s climate is changing and there is concern about the potentially adverse effects of these changes on life on the planet. What is your position on the following measures that have been proposed to address global climate change—a cap-and-trade system, a carbon tax, increased fuel-economy standards, or research? Are there other policies you would support?

There can no longer be any doubt that human activities are influencing the global climate and we must react quickly and effectively. First, the U.S. must get off the sidelines and take long-overdue action here at home to reduce our own greenhouse gas emissions. We must also take a leadership role in designing technologies that allow us to enjoy a growing, prosperous economy while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. With the right incentives, I'm convinced that American ingenuity can do this, and in the process make American businesses more productive, create jobs, and make America’s buildings and vehicles safer and more attractive. This is a global problem. U.S. leadership is essential but solutions will require contributions from all parts of the world—particularly the rest of the world’s major emitters: China, Europe, and India.

Specifically, I will implement a market-based cap-and-trade system to reduce carbon emissions by the amount scientists say is necessary: 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. I will start reducing emissions immediately by establishing strong annual reduction targets with an intermediate goal of reducing emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. A cap- and-trade program draws on the power of the marketplace to reduce emissions in a cost- effective and flexible way. I will require all pollution credits to be auctioned.

I will restore U.S. leadership in strategies for combating climate change and work closely with the international community. We will re-engage with the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, the main international forum dedicated to addressing the climate change problem. In addition I will create a Global Energy Forum—based on the G8+5, which includes all G-8 members plus Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa—comprising the largest energy consuming nations from both the developed and developing world. This forum would focus exclusively on global energy and environmental issues. I will also create a Technology Transfer Program dedicated to exporting climate-friendly technologies, including green buildings, clean coal and advanced automobiles, to developing countries to help them combat climate change.

Barack Obama on Science policy-INNOVATION

Presidential election in the US is coming soon. Debates are going on. Last week democrat's convention formally nominated Barack as candidate for the P residence and this week Republic's convention will do same for John. They have their own opinion in various issues like economy, energy, education, health, national security. On this hot debate no one can ignore the policies about science and technology. Science and technology have been responsible for the half of the growth of American economy. Realizing the importance of this issue, Sciencedebate 2008 has asked 14 questions to both of the candidates. Barack Obama has answered the questions. John McCain has said he will answer in near future. In the upcoming posts I will put Barack's view which are also relevant to developing countries like Nepal.

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Question: Science and technology have been responsible for half of the growth of the American economy since WWII. But several recent reports question America’s continued leadership in these vital areas. What policies will you support to ensure that America remains the world leader in innovation?

• Ensuring that the U.S. continues to lead the world in science and technology will be a central priority for my administration. Our talent for innovation is still the envy of the world, but we face unprecedented challenges that demand new approaches. For example, the U.S. annually imports $53 billion more in advanced technology products than we export. China is now the world’s number one high technology exporter. This competitive situation may only worsen over time because the number of U.S. students pursuing technical careers is declining. The U.S. ranks 17th among developed nations in the proportion of college students receiving degrees in science or engineering; we were in third place thirty years ago.

• My administration will increase funding for basic research in physical and life sciences, mathematics, and engineering at a rate that would double basic research budgets over the next decade. We will increase research grants for early-career researchers to keep young scientists entering these fields. We will increase support for high-risk, high-payoff research portfolios at our science agencies. And we will invest in the breakthrough research we need to meet our energy challenges and to transform our defense programs.

• A vigorous research and development program depends on encouraging talented people to enter science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and giving them the support they need to reach their potential. My administration will work to guarantee to students access to strong science curriculum at all grade levels so they graduate knowing how science works – using hands-on, IT-enhanced education. As president, I will launch a Service Scholarship program that pays undergraduate or graduate teaching education costs for those who commit to teaching in a high-need school, and I will prioritize math and science teachers. Additionally, my proposal to create Teacher Residency Academies will also add 30,000 new teachers to high-need schools – training thousands of science and math teachers. I will also expand access to higher education, work to draw more of these students into science and engineering, and increase National Science Foundation (NSF) graduate fellowships. My proposals for providing broadband Internet connections for all Americans across the country will help ensure that more students are able to bolster their STEM achievement.

• Progress in science and technology must be backed with programs ensuring that U.S. businesses have strong incentives to convert advances quickly into new business opportunities and jobs. To do this, my administration will make the R&D tax credit permanent.

बरियताक्रमको अन्तिममा विज्ञान मन्त्रालय

उत्तम बाबु श्रेष्ठ

मलाई थाह छ, पेरिस हिल्टनका ग्लामरस पहिरन र उदण्ड गतिविधीले अमेरीकी समाजमा जति चर्चा र परिचर्चा वटुल्छन् त्यो भन्दा निकै कम मान्छेहरुले चिन्दछन् ३७ वर्षो उमेरमा नोवेल पुरस्कार पाउने डेभिड वाल्टीमोरलाई । कृपया जानकारीको लागि यहाँ भनिदिई हालौं एड्स रोगीहरुको लागि जीवन लम्वाउन वरदान सावित भएको औषधी एन्टीरोट्रो भाइरल डेभिड वाल्टीमोर र उनका साथीहरुको अनुसन्धानको फल हो । भुमण्डलीकरणको यस युगमा अमेरीकी समाजमा जस्तै एउटा झुण्ड काठमाडौंमा पनि जन्मिसकेछ जसले गत साता प्रधानमन्त्रीको

गलामा भिरेको टाई र शीरको टोपीदेखि मन्त्रीहरुका वरियताक्रमसम्मका निरर्थक वहसहरुमा देशलाई डोर्‍याउन खोजे । विडम्वना साथ भन्नु पर्दछ, सरकारका निती र कार्यक्रम, उसका प्राथमिकताका वहसले भन्दा हाम्रा संचार माध्यामहरु सानो-ठुलोको जुँगे झगडाका खबरहरुले भरिन्छन् आजकल ।

कुरो त यहाँ पनि वरियताको नै गर्न लागिएको हो । तर कुनै व्यक्ति विशेषको होइन, मन्त्रालयको वरियताको जसले सरकारको प्राथमिकता, निती, कार्यक्रम र वजेट विनियोजन कतातिर ढल्कदै गइरहेछ भन्ने छनक दिन खोज्दछ । हो सधै झै वातावरण, विज्ञान तथा प्रविधी मन्त्रालय पछाडिबाट गन्दा प्रथम वरियतामा परेछ नयाँ नेपालमा पनि । आफ्ना मातहतमा कुनै विभाग र जिल्लाहरुमा कार्यालयहरु नभएको, सिहंदरवारको दक्षिणपूर्बी कुनामा थन्किएको, शुभलाभका खेलहरु नहुने, यस ‘ग्लामर’ रहित मन्त्रालयमा मन्त्री हुनको लागि पुरानो नेपालमा राजीखुशी कोहि मनुष्य पनि तयार हुँदैन थिए । मन्त्रीको कोटा पुरा गर्नको लागि विज्ञान विषयमा रुची, लगन, दक्षता र क्षमता नभएकाहरु मन्त्रीको सुविधा पाउनको लागि भएपनि यस मन्त्रालयको सर्वोच्व कुर्सीमा वस्न करवलले राजी हुन्थ्ये त्यतिवेला । त्यसो त यस मन्त्रालय सम्हाल्ने मन्त्रीको काम भनेको गोडा एक दुई वर्षामा मुस्किलले एक चोटी हुने वैज्ञानिक सम्मेलन, सेमीनारको उद्घाटन गर्ने, वातावरण दिवस, जैविक विविधता, सिमसार दिवस जस्ता दिवसहरुमा शुभकामना मन्तव्य दिने र कहिलेकहि वृक्षारोपण र स्कुलका विज्ञान प्रदर्सनीमा जस्ता कार्यक्रमा सहभागी भई टोपल्ने वाहेक केहि थिएन भन्दा पनि हुन्छ । लेख लेख्नेक्रममा म विज्ञान मन्त्रालयको साइवार भ्रमणमा पुगेको थिए । देशको प्रविधी मन्त्रालयको साइट र त्यहाँ राखिएका सुचनाहरुले हाम्रो विज्ञान तथा प्रविधी क्षेत्रलाई व्यंय गरिरहेको छ ।

आम नेपालीलाई जस्तै विज्ञान क्षेत्रमा लाग्ने मानिसहरुलाई पनि लागेको थियो पुष्पकमल दाहाल ‘प्रचण्ड’ प्रधानमन्त्री बनेपछि भने उक्त परम्परा पक्कै तोडिनेछ । आर्थिक क्रान्तिको नेतृत्व गर्छु भन्नेले आर्थिक विकासको मेरुदण्ड मानिएको विज्ञान तथा प्रविधीको क्षेत्रलाई पनि आफनो पार्टीको नेतृत्वमा लिएर त्यसमा जीवन भर्छन । किनकी उनले विज्ञान तथा प्रविधीको विकास नगरी देश विकास हुँदैन भनेर वारम्वार भन्ने गरेका थिए । त्यसो त प्रचण्डका उक्त भनाईहरु विज्ञान क्षेत्रकै सवैभन्दा अग्रिणी पत्रिका साइन्सको जुन १३, २००८ को अंकमा छापिएको थियो उहाँको फोटो सहित । नेपालको कुनै एक व्यक्तित्वको खवर साइन्समा आउनु आफैमा एउटा गर्वको विषय थियो । म संझन्छु, साइन्स पत्रिकामा लेखिएको नेपाल सम्वन्धी विवरणहरु देखेर हामीहरु निकै दंग भएका थियौं त्यतिखेर । विदेशमा वसेर यहाँ आर्जन गरेको ज्ञान, शिप, दक्षता र क्षमतालाई कसरी नेपालको विज्ञान र प्रविधी क्षेत्रको विकासमा लगाउने भनेर वहसहरु हुन थालेका थिए हामी बिच।

यसै व्लगमा त्यतिखेर लेखेका मेरा लेखहरुलाई प्रिन्ट गरेर त्रिविवीको किर्तिपुर क्याम्पसका सुचनापाटीहरुमा टाँसिएको कुरा कसैले मलाई इमेलमा लेखेको थियो । रोनाष्टका पुर्ब उपकुलपति दयानन्द वज्राचार्यले पनि हामीले गरेका अनलाईन वहसहरुबाट उत्साहित हुँदै साइन्सको उक्त खबर वारेमा कान्तिपुरमा लेख लेख्नु भएको थियो । समग्रमा भन्दा विज्ञान क्षेत्रमा लागेका मानिसहरु उक्त खबरले निकै आशावादी र उत्साहित थिए । तर नयाँ सरकारले पनि उपेक्षाको परम्परालाई निरन्तरता दिदै विज्ञान क्षेत्रलाई प्राथमिकताको पुछारमा राखेको छ । मेरो मतलव माओवादी कै विज्ञान मन्त्री बन्नुपर्छ भन्ने पनि होइन तर प्राथमिकतामा परेन भन्ने हो । निश्चित रुपमा सरकारको नेतृत्व गरेको दलले उक्त मन्त्रालय लिनुमा फरक अवश्य पनि हुन सक्दथ्यो विशेष गरि निती कार्यक्रम वनाउने र वजेट विनियोजन गर्ने सम्वन्धमा ।

माओवादीहरुले अवधारणापत्रमा विज्ञान र प्रविधी क्षेत्रको विकास र उनीहरुको शब्दको ‘प्रतिभा पलायन’लाई रोक्ने कुराहरु जोडदारले गरिएको छ । यसका नेता कार्यकर्ताहरु मौका परेमा प्रतिभा पलायनका लामै भाषण गर्नुहुन्छ । यसै सर्न्दर्भमा गएको हप्ता क्यानडामा रहनु भएकी मन्त्री हिसीला यमीसँग छोटो कन्फेरेन्स कल गर्ने मौका मिलेको थियो । फोनमा उनको मलाई पहिलो प्रश्न थियो नेपाल फर्कने की नफर्कने ? जरुर फर्कने पढ़ाईसकेपछि मेरो प्रतिउत्तर । नेपाल छाड्ने बेलामा ठुलो संख्यामा विदेश जान लागेका युवा जनशक्तिलाई एयरपोर्टमा देखेको दृश्यले उनलाई निकै नरमाइलो लागेको रहेछ । यसरी युवा र पढेलेखेका मानिसहरु विदेश लागेपछि कसरी देश विकास हुन्छ उनी भन्दै थिइन उनी ।

आजको युगमा विदेश जाने आउने भनेको भईरहन्छ भन्दै मेलै भारतको उदाहरण दिएको थिए । ५, ६ वर्षयता मात्रै अमेरीका विश्वविद्यालय दिक्षित भारतियहरु करीव ५०००० को संख्यामा फर्किएका छन् । काठमाडौंमा वेरोजगार भएको डाक्टरलाई हामी जिल्ला सदरमुकामको हस्पिटलसम्म पुयाउन सक्दैनौं तर विदेशमा संर्घषरत वैज्ञानिकहरुलाई फर्काउने कुरा गरिरहेका छौं । वैज्ञानिक शक्ति फर्काउन सबैभन्दा पहिले उनीहरुले आर्जन गरेको ज्ञान र क्षमतालाई प्रयोग गर्ने अवसर पनि दिनुपर्दछ । त्यसकारण वैज्ञानिक जनशक्तिलाई काम गर्ने वातावरण (प्रयोगशाला, पुस्तकालय जस्ता सामान्य सुविधा) मिलाउनुहोस् तपाईहरुले फर्कनुस नभने पनि धेरै यस क्षेत्रका मानिसहरु फर्कने छन् नेपाल । यहाँ पाएको भन्दा निकै कम तलव पाएपनि मेरो भनाई थियो । हामीहरु जसलाई तपाईहरुले ‘प्रतिभा पलायन’ भनेर भनिरहनु भएको छ । त्यो पलायन नभएर ज्ञान शिप आर्जन हो । अर्थात यो तपाईले मुदति खाताको राखेको पैसा हो । त्यसलाई तपाईहरुले झिक्न सक्नुहुन्छ, प्रयोग गर्न सक्नुहुन्छ तर निश्चित सर्त र समयमा मात्रै मेरो तर्क थियो । अन्त्यमा हामी दुवैले एउटै पुस्तक ‘द ओल्ड इज फ्ल्याट’को नाम लिंदै कुराकानी टुग्याएका थियौं । उहाँसगँको छोटो कुराकानीमा नै के लाग्यो भन्दा उनीहरुले जनताका समस्या बुझेका छन्, देखेका छन् । तर सवाल बुझ्नु भन्दा पनि वदल्नुको हो । कार्लमार्क्स यसै भन्छन् ।

त्यसो त विज्ञान र प्रविधीको विकास नभइकन देशको विकास संभव हुँदैन भन्ने कुरा ओलम्पिक खेलको समापन समारोहको दृष्य हेर्दा प्रधानमन्त्री प्रचण्डले प्रत्यक्ष वुझे । प्रचण्डको ओलम्पिक अनुभवमा यस्तो थियो “कहिले र्स्वर्ग पृथ्वीमा आए जस्तो त कतिखेर पृथ्वी र्स्वर्गमा पुगे जस्तो भयो । चीनको प्रगती हेरेपछि विज्ञान प्रविधी नेतृत्व र जनताको अन्तरसम्वन्धमा भए जे पनि गर्न सकिने पाठ सिकेर आएको छु ।” उहाँले वुझ्नु भएको छ बिकासको लागी विज्ञान र प्रविधीको महत्व । त्यसो त विगतका सरकारहरुले पनि त्यो कुरा नवुझेको कहाँ हो र ? वुझिवुझि वुझ पचाएको मात्रै पो हो त । गणेशमान सिं भन्नु हुन्थ्यो “निदाएको मान्छे भन्दा निदाएको अभिनय गरेर सुतेको मान्छेलाई उठाउन गाह्रो हुन्छ ।” विज्ञान प्रविधीको विकासको मामिलामा माओवादीले पनि निदाएको अभिनय नगरोस् । मन्त्रालय वाँडफाटमा यस मन्त्रालयलाई गरिएको उपेक्षा सरकारको निती र कार्यक्रममा नदोहरीयोस्, चेतना भया ।