Just a thought

I was just wondering, if you replace letter writing with emails, if you do your homework assignment on your notebook and not on your loose sheets, if you draw pictures on photoshop and paint and not on canvas, if the kids start learning key strokes instead of writing alphabets on papers, then.......

...who will do the hand writing part?

Humans are going to forget how to write some day and using pens and pencils will be but a nostalgia.

Save our Planet

Questions: What can we do to save the world? How much are we concerned about the environment? What are people doing to save the world? How much should you be concerned?
Did you hear about the forest fires in California? Did you hear about the ground water drying in Australia? What about the rise in gas prices in the US? Leave other countries, LPG gas prices in Nepal spiked up to NRs. 1100 (from NRs. 800) recently and petrol price in the range of Rs 70 in addition to being in line at the pump station for few hours. Black market rates are even 40 to 50 percent higher and it is much easier to purchase. Do you know where the world is headed to? Who is to blame for the increasing household expenditure? How do we explain the forest fires and floods and other natural disasters?
We talked about the global warming many years ago. There was the famous Kyoto Protocol signed, now by 160 countries, whereas the members would reduce the production of greenhouse gases that is the main cause of global warming. Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) says that the temperature of the earth’s surface will like rise by 1.1 to 6.4 degrees Celsius during the 21st century. They say the rich countries are to blame more whereas the poor countries would suffer the consequences. Which means you will probably save your money not buying winter clothes to buy air conditioning during summer. Every year we see record breaking temperatures which are somehow related to record breaking climbs to Mount Everest. The ice-caps are melting at a faster pace. Between 2004 and 2005, a NASA satellite recorded a loss of 14% of perennial sea ice, which normally lasts the whole year. CIT NASA The overall decrease in perennial sea ice is about the size of Texas.
The real question is what can you do to save the world? You might think you are too small to make any improvements. You might think you are just a commoner fighting for survival in this ever increasing expenses. But you should realize that every pixel contributes to a colorful high quality picture that you take from your digital camera. If 100 pixels are dilated, you will see a patch in your picture. If you were competing for a photo contest, then you would be very concerned even though you have an 8 Megapixel picture.
If you are concerned about climate change and can convince 10 others, then you can make a change.
Raise public awareness, campaign against use of non degradable wastes like plastics and short term batteries. Recycle every possible item you can. Others might think you are poor, but make them realize that the world is getting poorer in resources and they better start doing the same. If you are in an underdeveloped country, you have a lot more to do. Sanitation, cleanliness, safe drinking water, wash before cooking, spreading awareness in the community.
After all, it is our world. We live in it. And we live as brothers and sisters. It is our duty to make sure that it is safe for the new generation, may it benefit the people living in another part of the world or in your neighborhood, you still care for each other. You want to see your children live a healthy life. You make sure you have done your part.
Come, lets save the world.
-Aafanta
References:
IPCC (http://www.ipcc.ch/),
CIT, NASA (http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2006-107)
Local Nepali Sources

USEF Nepal scholarship Announcements

Please notify the interested people.
From: usef_nepal@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 24 Oct 2007 04:38:53 +0000
Subject: [usef_nepal] Scholarship Announcements-54

EducationUSA Weekly Update

I. Scholarships and Fellowships
- Undergraduate: Villanova University- Scholarships
- Undergraduate: Future Leaders Student Scholarship Fund
- Graduate: Kate Neal Kinley Memorial Fellowship
- Graduate: Amon Carter Museum Davidson Family Fellowship Program
- Graduate: Brandeis Master's Program in Coexistence and Conflict
Resolution

I. Scholarships and Fellowships

Villanova University- Scholarships

In an effort to assist talented international students in making their
educational dreams become a reality, the University offers a limited amount of need-based financial aid to first-year (freshman) undergraduate international students. In order to be eligible for consideration for this limited aid, students must meet the following criteria:

Submit a completed freshman application for admission by the Regular Decision deadline of January 7, 2008; it is strongly advised that candidates apply to Villanova using the on-line Villanova Preliminary Application and the on-line Common Application.

. Be academically admissible to the University;
. Have partial financial need, demonstrated by completing the appropriate
forms (see below); and
. Be able to contribute financially toward their educational and personal expenses. This past year we had 72 applicants, of which 44 were awarded and 26 enrolled. The average need based award was $27,070.02, while the awards ranged from $8,175 to $35,850 a year. In addition, students are eligible to earn up to $ 3,000.00. Students must be able to cover at least $10,000 to be considered for aid.

NOTE:
. Although freshmen students applying for aid may be academically admissible, not all students will be awarded financial aid due to the limited amount of funding available.
. Admitted students receiving partial aid will be expected to personally contribute financially.
. Admitted students receiving financial aid will be notified at the time of admission - no later than the last week in March. Anyone accepted via Early Action will be notified of their aid eligibility by the last week of March.

Office of University Admission Villanova University 800
Lancaster
Avenue, Villanova, PA 19085-1672
Phone: 610.519.4000 OR Fax: 610.519.6450
Email: international@villanova.edu
Web: www.admission.villanova.edu
Application Deadline: January 7, 2008
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Future Leaders Student Scholarship Fund

Future Leaders Fund
Deadline: April 1, 2008
Open to: undergraduates or graduates at a U.S. college or university
The Future Leaders Fund Annual Scholarship is available to international
students currently enrolled in undergraduate or graduate study at a U.S.
college or university. You must be a non-U.S. citizen and demonstrate
leadership qualities and financial need to qualify for this award.
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Kate Neal Kinley Memorial Fellowship University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, College of Fine and Applied Arts, USA
Financial Aid: $6,000-22,000
Deadline: December 1, 2007
Open to: graduates of institutions in fields of art, architecture, dance,
landscape architecture, music, theatre and urban regional planning. The Kate Neal Kinley Memorial Fellowship is available to graduates of the College of Fine and Applied Arts at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and to graduates of similar institutions of equal educational standing whose principal or major studies have been in the fields of art, architecture, dance, landscape architecture, music,
theatre and urban regional planning. You must demonstrate character, merit, excellence of personality seriousness of purpose and good moral character
to qualify for this award

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Amon Carter Museum Davidson Family Fellowship Program
Amon Carter Museum, USA
Scholarship / Financial aid: stipend of $7,500
Date: a minimum four-week period of full-time research
Deadline: March 01, 2008
Open to: pre- and post-doctoral level candidates
The Amon Carter Museum Davidson Family Fellowship Program is open to both pre- and post-doctoral level candidates who are interested in continuing or beginning new research on American art. Preference is given to proposals that draw on the museum's collections of paintings, sculpture, works on paper, and photographs. The stipend covers a minimum four-week period of full-time research, culminating in a presentation or lecture.

You must submit a 2-4 page proposal, resume, transcripts, and three letters of recommendation. You must begin your research on or after May 1, 2007 and conclude by February 28, 2008.
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Brandeis Master's Program in Coexistence and Conflict Resolution

"If a person is seeking to get an MA in this field, this program perfectly ties theory to practice and does it in a way that is amenable to adult lives and needs." Graduate, '07
The Brandeis Master's program offers:

The newest thinking about contemporary theories of conflicts, and the interventions that can address them at local, regional and global levels. A professional course on Dialogue and Mediation Skills designed for use in intercommunal conflicts.
A unique program designed for the needs of early- and mid-career professionals, providing access to worldwide networks - over 80% of the students are international and already engaged in field work. Students from governments, the United Nations, World Bank, USAID, business, security, diplomacy, democracy, development, refugee, human rights, journalism and NGO fields. Financial aid in the form of partial tuition scholarships for students from low-income countries. The opportunity to learn from many of the world's leading universities and organizations in Boston.
One academic year in residence (September to May), a three-month field project, and a master's report.

The leadership of Professor Mari Fitzduff, Ph.D., from Northern Ireland, who brings more than 20 years of international policy and practice experience to the program.
For more information click here
See what the participants say about the course
http://www.brandeis.edu/programs/Slifka/masters/quotes.html

Please forward this email and encourage other interested colleagues to apply by January 31st, 2008

'Preparing Leaders to Prevent, Manage and Resolve Intercommunal
Conflicts'

The Brandeis Masters in Coexistence and Conflict offers a unique blend of theory and practice to mid-career professionals, particularly from government and intergovernmental agencies, seeking an advanced degree in preventing and addressing intercommunal conflict. Slifka Fellowships may be available to candidates accepted in the program.

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The Noble Peace Prize Winners

The winners of the Nobel Peace Prize have been announced. The following are the laureates:

The Nobel Prize for Peace 2007:
INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON CLIMATE CHANGE (IPCC) and ALBERT ARNOLD ( AL) GORE JR. for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change.

The Nobel Prize for Literature 2007:
English writer Doris Lessing for "that epicist of the female experience, who with scepticism, fire and visionary power has subjected a divided civilisation to scrutiny"

The Noble Prize in Chemistry 2007:
Gerhard Ertl from Germany for "for his studies of chemical processes on solid surfaces".

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2007:
Mario R. Capecchi, USA, Sir Martin J. Evans, UK and Oliver Smithies, USA, "for their discoveries of principles for introducing specific gene modifications in mice by the use of embryonic stem cells".

The Nobel Prize in Physics 2007:
Albert Fert,France and Peter Grünberg, Germany, "for the discovery of Giant Magnetoresistance"

The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel 2007
Leonid Hurwicz, Eric S. Maskin and Roger B. Myerson, USA, "for having laid the foundations of mechanism design theory"

Carbon Dioxide in the air

The carbon dioxide emission in the world is ever increasing. According to Australian scientists, the CO2 emissions have doubled since 1990s. I found a clock that shows how fast the CO2 gas is increasing.

##

World CO2 (cubic feet) since you clicked.

The Darjeeling Limited

Do you know a new film is being released named "The Darjeeling Limited"? Apparently, the movie has got nothing to do with the beautiful hill station, the Queen of Tea Darjeeling, but the desert in Rajasthan. It is about the reunion of three brothers on a 'Darjeeling' train. Adrin Brody and Owen Wilson star in this Hollywood movie in Bollywood district. It premiered in Hollywood district on October 5. Anyway, just to let you know that I come from Darjeeling district.
More about the moive in IMDB

Sunset at Klamath Falls being reflected on the window of a car.

Thought of the Day

All wrong-doing arises because of mind. If mind is transformed can wrong-doing remain? - Buddha

Congratulations Prashant Tamang

Congratulations Prashant Tamang on being the Indian Idol ! You make the Nepalis around the world very proud !

Voice of a Nepali in America

The students who come to America work harder than those who enter otherwise. Students who come are struggling with the education system, not understanding the lectures or finding it difficult to make friends with others. Although Nepal sees lots of tourists, it is still strange to live a foreign land, without your loved ones.

People back home have a different impression of America. They have all kinds of imagination that is not in the real world. In real America, Nepali people struggle all the time. You work twice to three times harder than in Nepal. You suffer more than you can imagine. You are tempted by sensual beings, then you get distracted and end up in the world of suffering. By the time you heal from the suffering, you have already lost valuable time.

People who come with green cards (the DV immigration lottery) have a different story to tell. They say, they have to go through more. Poeple who apply for the immigration lottery are the ones who despretely want to move out of Nepal and make a new living, or who dream of making a good living in America and sending home money. But once they have fulfilled their dreams, they want to go back home. They know demand for money is never ending. They work day and night 50-60 hours a week, stay away from family and friends. When weekend comes, similar friends get together and then go out spending what they have earned. The theme would normally be "What is life, than to celebrate." They make more money, but spend more too, so in the end, your net income is zero. While the unlucky friends back home are gradually getting professional grip and settling down with a proper family and building houses and saving money. So lots of questions go through their minds. There is a whole lot of expectation back home from family members. You are supposed to send home money regularly, you are supposed to send loads of gifts with people going home, you are supposed to make phone calls regularly, you are supposed to help your someone who somehow is related to you.

Once you step into this side of the world, then you know what it is like.

To be continued...