8/31/2008

World change starts with educated children

There are millions of children who do not go to school because they can't afford tuition fee, study materials and school is far away from their home. In many cases, they have to help their parents in work and collect evening food, take care of younger siblings etc. If they can't get enough food then how can they think to go to school. This is very sad part of poor countries like Nepal. And, this is more true for girls. I feel very lucky and fortunate because I was able to go school and now I go to world class University. I feel very and very bad when I see kids in my neighborhood who don't go to school due to various reasons. Many of my childhood friends didn't attend school or dropped at 3rd or 4th grade. This is the reality of our society, our village. This situation have changed to some extent but still there are many with the same situation. To be exact: there are over 115 million children of primary-school age who are not enrolled in school, 30% of rural children of developing countries are not enrolled in school, of the 770 million adults in the world who can not read or write-two third are women.

When I started school, I didn't know the exact benefit of going school, doing homework and taking exams. Parents and relatives used to say "go school, study good then you will become a BIG man".  But after reaching to higher grades, I knew the importance of education and how education can change the life of people and society. I was able to go to school because my father knew the importance of education and he helped financially as well. I always used to thing about other ones who could not afford tuition of the school, even though it was minimal amount. I haven't helped noticeably anyone for his/her education. May be I am still not in that position. There is one great guy named John Wood, who is helping thousands of kids.

8/27/2008

Lets Start Audio Blogging

I like to try something new today. I have been blogging with texts and pictures. It would be so nice if we just post audio blogs and get comments as audio. So you listen me and I listen you. Please just click below to listen this test audio posting. The audio quality is not good though. I apologize for this.

click here to listen

8/23/2008

बेईजिङ ओलम्पिकमा पदकको आशा

आशा गर्नु नै राम्रो। निराशा भन्दा त। कसैलाई के को आशा कसैलाई के को। नेपाली पत्रकारहरुलाई कान्तिपुरको सम्पादक हुने वा बिबिसिबाट आवाज छर्ने आशा। बिग्यानको बिध्यर्थीलाई नोबेल पुरस्कार पाउने आशा। राजनिति गर्ने लाई प्रधानमन्त्रि हुने आशा। दिनभरि काम गर्ने मजदुरलाई बेलुकि खाना खान पाउने आशा। कसैको आशा पुरा हुन्छ । प्रचन्डको जस्तै भने कसैको हुदैन माधब कु नेपालको जस्तै। आशै आशाको सपना देख्ने हरु प्रशस्त छन यो सन्सारमा। आशा अनि सपनामै बितेका छन धेरैका बिपनाहरु।

कुरो नेपालले ओलम्पिकमा पदक ल्याउने आशाको। धेरैले आश गरेका थिए। दीपकले कास्य सम्म ल्याउछकी भन्ने। यसपालीको बेईजिङ ओलम्पिकमा छानिएर पुगेको दीपकले ट्याकोन्दो मा पदक ल्याउछकि भन्ने झिनो आशा अनि उसको सपना पनि। अब सपना चकनाचुर भैसके। कसैले धेरै पदक जितेर रेकर्ड राखे। त्यो माईकल फेल्प्सले आठ आठ ओटा त सुनको पदक नै जित्यो यसपाली मात्रै। हाम्रो दीपकलाई यौटा पनि छैन। अंेरिका र चीन ले पदकको थुप्रो नै लगाईसके। रुस, बेलायत उनिहरुको पछि पछि। जहा पनि धनी, शक्तिशाली कै बर्चस्व हुने। नेपालको पछि कुद्ने कति होलान कुन्नी? भर्खरै आफ्नै कामले चीन पुगेकी मेरि एडभाईजरले १५ दिन सम्म ओलम्पिक हेरेर फर्किन र आज सोध्धै थीन कि नेपालले कति वटा मेडल जित्यो भनेर। के भन्ने खै। नेपालले सहभागी हुन पाउनु नै अंेरिकाले ३० वटा सुनको तक्मा पाउनु सरह हो भनेर पनि भन्न नमिल्ने।
पदक जित्ने गरि खेल मैदान सम्म खेलाडी पुर्याउन तिनवटा कुरा ख्याल गर्नु पर्छ। पहिलो हो खेलाडीको क्षमता। नेपालमा पनि खुबीवान खेलाडी जन्मिएका त होलान नि। जस्तो धेरै जनसन्ख्या भएको चीनमा त्यो सम्भावना धेरै हुन्छ। नेपालमा सम्भावना छदै नभएको त होइन। दोश्रो ति क्षमतावान खेलडी को पहिचान गर्न सक्नु पर्छ। नेपालको खेलकुद क्षेत्र नाताबाद र क्रिपाबादले ग्रस्त छ। आफ्नो मान्छे भएकै भरमा कम क्षमतावान लाई अगाडी ल्याउने चलनै छ। अनि तेस्रो कुरो प्रसिक्षणको हो। यसै त करिब मुलुक। यस्तो कुरामा कस्को ध्यान पुगुस र। बरु लाजै मर्दो गरि सात जना खेलाडी लगेर पैतिस जनाको टोली। अनि राजीनामा दी'सकेको मन्त्रि त खुसुक्क उतै। अझै समापन समापन समारोह मा त "नया नेपाल" का प्रधानमन्त्री प्रचन्ड पनि उतै हिडे बा। एुटै पदक जित्न सक्या होइन। के नाकले मुख देखाउने होला कुन्नी।
आशातित आखा ली खेल हेरिरहेका महानुभाबलाई नरमाइलो लाग्यो। हुनत सहभागी नहुन भन्दा हुन राम्रो। भैसके पछि पदक नजित्न भन्दा जित्न राम्रो। अरुको पोल्टा भरी पदकै पदक देखेर आरिस गरेर मात्रै के गर्नु र खै। खेल हेर्दा बित्तिकै साझामा नास भन्ने ले हिनताबोध महसुस गरे। उनले यति मात्रै के लेखेका थिय। अरु अनि माथि खनीइ हाले नि। यस्तै हो सन्सार।कसैको बिचारमा के राम्रो कसैको बिचारमा के।

8/19/2008

Brought Diarrhea From Nepal-II, Follow up

First part of this story is here.

My diarrhea case surprised many health personals and is interesting to them. Also, it was worthy to make news in one of the national daily's in Nepal.

After 4 days I gave stool sample to the Student Health Center, I got a phone call from the health center. According to her one of the stool samples had shown some kind of bacteria and when that becomes clear, I would get another call from health department of the Benton county (where I live) for further investigation. One of my friend, Dr. Shyam, had already told me the process one has to go through in similar case. They had suffered from similar problem some time back. So I knew what was going on.

Vivrio Cholera, a bacteria that causes cholera, was growing slowly on the stool culture. So, student health center notified to Benton county health department and I received a call from Benton county health department. They asked me a number of questions like these:

When was the diarrhea started?

Any other illness associated with this?

As I told them that it started during my flight, they asked details about the flight, airlines, flight number, food in the flight etc

8/16/2008

आसुको ढिका नदेखाउ प्रिया: Kabita/Poem by Maila dai

A poem by Maila dai
He can be reached at binrit@hotmail.com
------------------------------------------------------------

आसुको ढिका नदेखाउ प्रिया ,बेथा को सागर मन्भित्रै छ
कतिनै अट्छ आँखा मा आसु ,प्रशान्त को पानी मुटुमै छ
अधेरी रात्को के दर भो अब निसामय छ यो जिन्दगी
नथाक्ने भयो जिन्दगी अब प्रतिक्षामै जिन्दगी रमेको छ
चलेको देख्चन सबै आँखा नदग्ने गरी जीवन जमेको छ

फगत एक भेट भनी सयौ पटक भुल्न खोजे
बेथा को बाध बाधि भित्रै बाहिर म खुल्न खोजे
उम्लिएर आउछ माया बगएरै लाने गरी
बढ्दै जान्छ घाऊ तेसै बाँकी प्रान खाने गरी

8/15/2008

Yoga, Gymnastics, Acrobatics and Fun!!!!!!!!

Most of the Kollywood (Nepali) movies are copied from Bollywood and on the other side Bollywood movies are copied from Hollywood. This is the trend. I don't know from where Hollywood movies are copied. Copy-in the sense of the story!

Oh, no I am not talking about movies. I have been watching Beijing Olympics games these days. Gymnastics, swimming, beach volleyball etc games are my favorites. Gymnastic fascinates me. Inspired from this I am putting some acrobatics photos of mine in this post. Another inspiration is from this blog.

Its not professional. Just for fun. These photos were taken during my last weekends trip to Marys peak. And today I thought its fun to post these pics here.


Place is beautiful. Ok, lets start from stretching hands.



Stretching hands (same thing) at different places.



Jumping. Its not easy to capture such images. My friend had to take many snaps just to take this pic. I remember one my friends (Suva), who always jumps and asks me to take his picture of the moment. This shot was taken by the inspiration from Suva.



Kinda yoga. Stretch your hands on the ground and ..............which asan is this?



legs and hands up while body is horizontal on the ground.



And this.........................?


One more.............................



At the last beautiful landscape at the Marys peak. Peace on your mind.

Thanks for visiting.

8/09/2008

के भाको यस्तो?

पढाईको सिलसिलामा अंेरिका बसाईको दुई बर्ष पछि नेपाल जाने मौका मिल्यो। घरबाट टाढा बस्दा सधै उतैको मात्रै याद अौने। दिनदिनै वेब साइटमा नेपाल सम्बन्धी खबर हेर्यो, फोन गर्यो अनि यतै भएका साथीहरुसङ कम्तिमा पनि सप्ताहन्तमा गफीयो। फेरि नेपालको राजनितिमा चासो राख्ने भएपछि अलि बढी नै समाचार खोजिदो रैछ। चैत्र-बैशाख को एैतिहासिक जन्-आन्दोलनमा सक्रिय सहभागी भएर यता आएपछि पनि नेपालको ईतिहासमा धेरै महत्वपुर्ण परिवर्तन भएका छन। सम्पुर्ण शान्ती प्रक्रिया, राजाको अधिकार कटौति, सम्बिधान सभाको निर्वाचन हुन्छ-हुन्न भन्दा भन्दै भयो, राजतन्त्रको उन्मुलन र गणतन्त्रको घोषणा, राष्ट्रपतिको चयन लाई फलो-अप नगरिकन कसरि बस्न सकिन्थ्यो र?

यसपाली भने एक महिना नेपालमै बसियो, एक हप्ता अौन जानै लाग्यो। यसो गर्दा ५ हप्ताको बिदा लिएको थिए। फर्किसकेको आज दशौ दिन ल्याबनै गैन। जानै मन लागेन। लामो समय काम बाट बाहिर बस्यो भने फेरि काममा फर्किन निकै गार्हो पो हुने रैछ गाठे। अगिल्लो हप्ताको बुधबार राति अैपुगेको थिए। बिहिबार, शुक्रबार त घर्मै सुतेर गयो। शनिबार र अैतबार पनि ल्याब जाने कुरै भएन। यो हप्ता सोमबार देखि ल्याब त गए तर काम केहि गर्या होइन क्यारे। खाली कम्प्युटर खोल्यो अनि यता उता। आज त जादै गैएन। अब अौने हप्तादेखि जमेर काम गर्ने योजना छ र दिमागलाई तेहि निर्देशन् दिएर तयारि गर्दै छु।

मलाई मात्रै हो कि अरुको पनि हालत यस्तै हो कुन्नी? एुटा गीत छ क्यरे यस्तै। अल्छी हुनुमा केहि तत्वले सहयोगीको भुमिका पनि खेले। जस्तो: बिरामि पनि परियो। सुरु सुरुमा जेट ल्याग पनि भयो। अर्को एडभाईजर बुढी पनि यहा छैनिन केरे। चाईनामा छिन। तर उनि आएपछी भने केहि नतिजा देखाउनु पर्नेछ। केटाले अौने हप्ता चाही कस्सिएरै काम गर्नु पर्ला।

8/07/2008

Beijing Olympics, Air pollution and Human Rights in China

This morning I was following up news in BBC and found one interesting and important article about the protest of around 2000 Tibetans (who knows all of them are Tibetans?) against Chinese policy on Tibet on the eve of the opening of summer Olympic. The activists wanted to attract maximum attention on their demand.

Summer Olympics 2008 is going to be started in less than 24 hours in Beijing, the capitol city of China. In addition to the players and game officials, leaders from the world including George W Bush, president of USA and Musharraf, president of Pakistan with other thousands people have gone to Beijing to see the Olympics games. At least, before the opening ceremony, news about Olympics is in shadow of Human right issue and Air pollution issue in China in international media. George W Bush when was on the way to China has expressed deep concerns over China's human rights record. "The US believes the people of China deserve the fundamental liberty that is the natural right of all human beings, he said in the Thai capital, Bangkok" , according to BBC news.

Along with human right issue, there is a big concern about the air pollution in Beijing. Because of rapid growth of Chinese economy and use of large amount of coal and other fuels for power, pollution in China is a great concern to the people and government of China, other countries and scientists around the world.

Science magazine, a reputed scientific magazine, published a special issue on first August about Beijing's air pollution. This shows the importance of the air pollution in scientific community. Not only in scientific circle but also in common people, its a matter of curiosity how China is tackling to mitigate the pollution. My adviser Prof. Staci Simonich is recently quoted in various print media, radio and television channels. She is in Beijing to collect air samples before and during Beijing Olympics. The result of this research will show how effective was the measures used to reduce air pollution. A comparison will be done on the concentrations of various Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) before the Olympic and during the Olympics. These pollutants are produced from burning coal, wood, vehicular emission. Other main pollutants in Beijing are sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide, and particulate matter less than 10 micrometers in diameter (PM10). Chinese government has done tremendous effort to improve air quality since 2001. They relocated coal fueled factories, coal furnaces in tens of thousands of houses were converted into gas furnaces. This effort has become a big scientific experiment in terms of air quality improvement in the cities like Beijing.

some links about Beijing air pollution during Olympics

USA Today Gazette Times OSU news OPB News

Barometer


Listen on wbur.org here and now


Wall Street Journal
Associate Press (AP) NorthWest Public Radio

Los Angels Times MSNBC

8/05/2008

Diarrhea travels from Nepal to the US: my story

Second part of this entry is here.
--------------------------------------------------------
When you have just traveled long journey with time difference 13 hours, obviously you suffer from jet lag. As I returned from Nepal last week after spending one month vacation time, jet lag is still not away from me. This morning I wake up at 4.00am which is very unusual in my regular schedule. This hampers my regular work. Not only this, I am also suffering from Diarrhea since last Wednesday which further reduces my ability to work.

While returning back to USA via Cathay Pacific air, they served Chinese food which included rice, beef, some salad etc. The food was ok for me. NP: I have never eaten beef if know it. But that time I knew it. Beef cooked in Chinese style. For the second meal they were serving cup noodle. Like others I also grabbed one cup, it was not good and threw half of it. Immediately after this cup noodle, I started vomiting in the plane. My goodness I managed to do in the toilet. I did it twice. Oh!!! one more time when the plane was landing in LA. So altogether 3 times. Last vomiting was on the paper bag because nobody was allowed to stand and move during landing time. Side by side of vomiting, loose stool started. i e Diarrhea!! oh my god! what the heck is this. Tired from 36 hours journey, vomiting, diarrhea, all works on the port of entry, long line on United Air counter for Boarding pass to Portland.

Streets of Kathmandu on Jun/July 2008

These photos were taken during my Nepal trip in Jun/July of this year using my camera Olympus FE-240 7.1 mega pixel having AF zoom 6.4-32mm 1:3.3-5 lens. Click on all of these pictures take you to my picasa album Nepal Yatra 2008.


Balkhu

Maitidevi

Bagbazar, DownTown Kathmandu



Sahid Gate


Tripureshwor as seen from the top of United Trade Center building



Baneshwor

8/01/2008

Kirtipur, Kathmandu from my Camera


This is TU central campus at Kirtipur. You see science buildings in the background and Jungle behind the campus.




Panga, one of the oldest settlement in the Kirtipur. Old houses are not seen here.

Chovar dada

Kathmandu city as seen from Kirtipur
Kirtipur campus area on the background