Can Europe Save Euro?

By Dr. Abdul Ruff

Western finances have been in shambles. For too long, euro-zone politicians have been discussing an alternative for increasing the means available to the rescue fund without national governments being required to provide further money. The trick is to provide the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) with a banking license that would allow it, in practice, to borrow as much money as it needs from the European Central Bank. The ESM would simply buy up bonds from crisis countries and then provide these to the ECB as collateral for loans, just as normal banks do.

While governments and central banks want to preserve the euro, it looks certain that Greece and some more countires in EU may soon face bankruptcy. Most countries of Europe support the idea of a common European fiscal policy, and shared debt would be part of that. But a solution needs to be found that would ensure discipline in the individual states..

The Greek tragedy itself is merely a prelude to the real battle to save the euro. Experts see a risk that ailing countries will simply continue to borrow, unhindered, as soon as the bill is shared by the entire euro zone.

Euro bonds are meant to obscure the differences in creditworthiness among the individual euro-zone member states. Regardless whether the borrower is Italy, France or Germany, all euro-zone states would issue common bonds, Europe is eager to reduce the borrowing costs for crisis-plagued euro-zone countries.

As a result of debates, a permanent euro bailout fund is likely to be launched this year. The ESM will provide a common fund for the euro-zone countries for dealing with the debt crisis. The intention is also that the ESM would be capable of financing possible aid programs for troubled countries like Spain and Italy, though the ESM doesn’t have enough money in its coffers for that on a permanent basis.

The ESM wants to achieve an impossible lending capacity of €500 billion until mid-2014, and even that sum would be too little for fighting euro fires in the larger euro-zone countries.

The last resort in the crisis is obviously the European Central Bank. The ECB is currently debating a proposal based on the idea that the ECB could intervene and purchase bonds was enough in recent days to drive yields on Spanish government securities back under the critical level of 7 percent. The central bank would set a cap on the upper limit for interest rates on the government bonds of heavily indebted euro-zone countries. Right now, for example, it could be set at 6 percent. If yields on bonds threatened to exceed this limit, the ECB would intervene and purchase securities on the market. Given its unlimited resources, it would essentially have inexhaustible funds for these purchases.

The central bank is reliant on the trust of financial market participants. But if it began indirectly helping countries to print money, it could damage that trust in the longer term. With yield caps, the ECB would become a tool of the euro-zone member states — a development that would be extremely controversial for an institution that is supposed to be independent.

But the problem is the question of political control as the ECB isn’t answerable to any parliament, and setting fiscal policy is among the most important tasks parliaments are responsible for. So, who will monitor and control which bonds the ECB purchases and at which level a yield cap is to be imposed? Some economists argue that as a political institution the ESM, for example, should decide which countries receive bond aid and the conditions which they must fulfill in order to obtain it even as the ECB tackles the market.

Divas’ Birthday Gift For Barack Obama

By Divas

Guys, i used to think that only Nepali politicians beg with others…but no, i was mistaken. Barack Obama has pleaded me to donate at least $ 3 to support his presidential campaign. He’s also asked me to join his birthday get-together. Hahaha…poor Obama gets 51 this year. Take care of your back, Barack. You’ve already spent half your life, dude!

However, i’m a little miser. Therefore, i’m not going to part with my hard earned bucks for Obama. And owing to my busy schedule, i’d also not be able to attend your birthday get-together. So sorry Barack, i know you gonna miss me a lot.

But, hey Barack, i couldn’t like your support for homosexuality. Of course, our LGBT campaigner Sunil Babu Pant loves you for your support. Be careful, when you ever come to Nepal…hahaha. Well, i don’t mind if your support is only for male homosexuality, coz i know your nature. But, i’m utterly against lesbianism. That reduces my chances.

Still, i like this new kid in the White House. Therefore, i’m posting his donation link on my international blog free of cost as a birthday gift to Obama. Believe me, it’s worth a lot more than any monetary donation. This is my contribution for Obama’s Presidential Campaign.

But hey Michelle, my contribution is less for Barack and more for you. I like the way you keep yourself so fit and gorgeous. I want to see Michelle as a First Lady for one more term. And i like the way you love each other. At least in public. You guys are really a gorgeous couple. But hey Michelle, keep an eye on Barack, he supports homosexuality…hahaha… Hey Romney, watch out…now Obama gets my support!

Btw, i hope Barack and Michelle Obamas would stop spamming me after my this contribution.

Here’s Obama’s plea to me:

Hey Divas –

My upcoming birthday next week could be the last one I celebrate as President of the United States, but that’s not up to me — it’s up to you.

This July deadline is our most urgent yet, coming after two consecutive months of being significantly outraised by Romney and the Republicans.

And if you pitch in $3 or whatever you can before midnight tonight, you and a guest will be automatically entered to join me at my birthday get-together next month:

https://donate.barackobama.com/My-Birthday

Thanks. Hope I’ll see you soon.

- Barack

India: Parties, People, Unions and Regime: The Game Interplay!

By DR. ABDUL RUFF

___________________

Strikes those days were organized for a better life of common people. These days, strikes in India are being muted by the regime by colluding with union leaders. As a result, strikes do not make any difference to the existing situations. Strikes make the life of people more miserable while the regime, power brokers and its agents continue to enjoy the fruit all by themselves. Strikers and people lose  most and achieve nothing. Prices are rising almost on a permanent basis and at an exorbitant rate and speed. None really bothers about sky rocketing of prices. During the last 5 years of Congress rule prices of essential commodities have  multiplied almost 300 percent.

Millions of workers took part in a nationwide general strike against price hikes, privatization and the contract work system. In May, there was a general shut down and protests by workers, youth, the rural poor and small businessmen against fuel price hikes.  But strikes produced no real results.

The strike at Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) in the southern state of Tamil State (Nadu) was one of a series of bitter struggles by workers in India in recent years. The communist betrayal of the 44-day strike by 14,000 contract workers at the Neyveli Lignite Corporation, owned by the Indian central government, has vital political lessons for the workers movement throughout world. The left oriented AITUC on June 3 “closed” the strike, without meeting any of the workers’ demands, which included equal pay with permanent workers and “regularization” of their employment.

The striking workers defied the return call order by the union to work for several days. Hundreds protested outside the local AITUC office in Neyveli and on the following day ransacked the union premises. But lacking an alternative political perspective and leadership, they were unable to sustain their rebellion. The state and owners take advantage of this phenomenon.

NLC workers maintained their strike and challenged the contract system, which is employed in public and private enterprises throughout India for the extraction of super profits.  State political charade against the strickers has a tendency to win. Political alliances between the ruling parties and affiliating union parties have made things easy for the state to defeat the strikes. . .

The central and TN state governments are instrumental in defeating the demands of the strikers and they have used the union leaders as a key tool to defeat the strike. Union leaders deliberately blocked any political fight against the state and central governments. Trade unionists have sold the movement to the state perhaps son some “usual” return favors. The AITUC and the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), affiliated to the Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPM, did everything possible to isolate the strikers.

In India, that means above all drawing the necessary political conclusions from the long history of betrayals of the communists who play a role assigned by the regime. Earlier, the CPI and CPM falsely claimed to be communist and socialist and to represent the heritage of the October 1917 Russian Revolution to work for the welfare of poor and workers. They are now completely integrated into the Indian political establishment and openly defend bourgeois rule. As a result, people have rejected their premises of defending poor and the communist parties have lost the state governments it ruled for years, West Bengal and Kerala. West Bengal Bengalis have shown they have nothing to do with Indian brand communism and have opted for Mamata Banergi as their leader. It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, for the communist to get back to reign there.

Communists, fearing aggressive nature of Hindutva BJP outfits, now promote Congress party interests and people in Kerala and West Bengal where the communists face Congress party see this as communist betrayal of popular faith.

 Communism is now part of Indian politics – nothing more for people.  Communist parties consider themselves as part of rung elite. As state rulers the CPM-led communists promoted pro-market restructuring and privatization, governments have implemented anti-working class policies for the benefit of foreign and local investors.

Leftists and communists now worry too much about India’s national interest for promoting corporatists, multinationals and the rich and their concern o fro people has been reduced to supporting the corrupt regime. The regime misuses both communists and communalists to promote its corruption ridden  reign.

Corruption, under the prevailing circumstances,  cannot be wiped out of India so long as the corrupt parties like congress continue to rule.  When judiciary is weak, one doubts if any party can help India, occupying neighboring Jammu Kashmir, becoming a really corruption-free nation to provide people’s welfare measures, by withstanding pressure tactics of the rich and multinationals that control Indian Parliament and assemblies by its paid lobbyists. . . .

With communist parties losing their importance in India now, there is a greater need for a pro-people party both at central and state levels to help people – the weak, deprived, injured and insulted. A new crop of selfless leaders is the need of the hour and Anna team could have expanded their mandate to help India become a real people’s democracy! But the problem is  each member has other affiliations with which the regime maintains the nexus and control. Nothing comes out!

When the union leaders strike secret deals with the regime, the not only people’s lives but even their hopes fall a helpless victim to such political manipulations. All parties coordinate their anti-people polices and  inflationary practices and jointly vitiate the  societal atmosphere.

A mischievous regime and hopeless people.  Polls after polls people continue to suffer, bearing the brunt of regime mischief.

Nepal: Will Former King Gyanendra Really Make a Comeback?

Gyanendra Laughs: My Time to Give a LOL

(Note: The opinion expressed here is entirely of the author himself, the blog editor may or may not agree with the author’s opinion. )

By DR. ABDUL RUFF

As a consequence of recent demonstrations in Kathmandu in support of the deposed king Gyanendra, King Gyanendra himself has expressed for the first time in about 4 years his desire, rather clam, to return to power in the Himalayan kingdom.

Nepal’s deposed king, Gyanendra, has said that he wants to return to the throne. Gyanendra said that he had made an agreement six years ago with his country’s political parties that he would be a constitutional monarch but the new regime did not let him so. His move comes at a time of political turmoil in Nepal. A constituent assembly was recently dissolved after failing to reach agreement on a new constitution. Fresh elections are planned for November, but in the meantime Nepal is in a political vacuum..

The new democratically elected red government abolished the monarchy in 2008. And the king Gyanendra, who lost power,  had retired into his palace in the thick forest when democratic forces replaced him. The former king said he did not want to be active in Nepal’s politics, but did want a largely ceremonial role.

In a rare interview, the former monarch, now known as Gyanendra Shah, told News 24 that he had been forced to make an agreement with opposition parties in 2006 after weeks of anti-government protests. “This included the reinstatement of the dissolved parliament, the appointment of a prime minister from among the parties, and restoration of constitutional monarchy and multi-party democracy,” he said. He said that the parties would have to answer for their behavior.

Many ordinary Nepalis are also frustrated with the failure of their politicians to make progress on key issues like unemployment. It is unclear how many would see the return of the king, even in a ceremonial role, as a welcome development.

Gyanendra’s return to power may not be that easy now, notwithstanding the popular demonstrations in his favor. The incumbent rulers are not going  to let him resume power either. However, if India and China come forward to promote  aristocracy that would be a different story all together. But India has already lost interest in Nepal with the communists taking over power. The Nepalese rulers do not even take  any advice even from Indian communists because the Indian regime uses them for its own advantage. As far as China is concerned it promotes red regime in Katmandu. Beijing has already established close political and military links with Nepal.

Nepal’s relations with China have been positive for decades now.  Nepal takes Chinese position on Tibet issue. China says Tibet was always part of its territory. Tibet enjoyed long periods of autonomy before the 20th Century. China launched a military assault in 1950. Opposition to Chinese rule led to a bloody uprising which began on 10 March 1959. Tibet’s spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, fled days later and crossed into India on 31 March 1959. Nepal is hoping to attract more Chinese investment – and eventually create a trans-Asian highway that will cut through the Himalayas, linking China to India and opening up this secluded country.

A small stretch of road – just 17km (10.5 miles) long – from the border to the Nepalese town of Syabrubesi is costing the Beijing government almost $20m. But it’s an important investment because this mountain pass not only connects Tibet to Nepal – it’s also the most direct land route to India’s capital, Delhi. The road will make a huge difference to communities on both sides of the border. Traders still walk the old path that runs alongside the new road – an ancient thoroughfare across the roof of the world that connects Nepal to the historic Silk route.

Silk Route has been the major target of NATO terror gangs in attacking both Afghanistan and Pakistan. It looks China is either trying to overtake the NATO or aiding it.

Squeezed between the growing economies of China and India, the Nepalese government welcomes this sort of infrastructure project that it hopes will bring wealth to an impoverished nation. The Nepalese government is keen to maintain a good relationship with China, its giant neighbor to the north. Nepal is home to a sizeable Tibetan community, many descended from refugees who’ve been fleeing Chinese rule since Beijing occupied Tibet 60 years ago.

China is worried that opening up the border could enflame an already unstable Tibetan plateau. Nepalese Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal said he has reassured Beijing that his government will not allow Tibetan dissidents to operate in his country. “China has only one concern, that is the concern of Tibet,” he says. ”That is why our policy towards China has been consistent. We believe in the One China policy, Tibet is an integral part of China and the soil of Nepal will not be allowed to be used against Tibet and China.” Nepal will need to continue to reassure China even after this road is finished next year.

King Gyanendra still hopes he can return to power and city palace!

Hey Babes, I’m Not only Great, but still Single

By Divas

A few friends have suggested that some people find my writing personal things on blog arrogant, pompous or showy. However, I’ve found that I can illuminate my point of view more clearly by writing about myself.  Moreover, I enjoy writing about myself and my own perspectives more than anything else. That’s coz I can say authentically only about myself. Those who’re bitten by the writing bug know what I mean. As Jagadish Ghimire also wrote in his ‘Artarman Ko Yatra’, a person is the happiest when he’s talking about himself.

That’s true. The primary reason for doing something should be that you enjoy it. Even from the point of view of social contribution, you can contribute the most by doing something you enjoy. And blogs were invented for people like me. Thanks to the blogosphere, I can talk to the whole world without speaking a single word. And I can do so without forcing anyone to listen to me.

So, when someone recently told me that he wants to write a book and if could give him any suggestion, I suggested him to write his own autobiography. “But can one be honest while writing an autobiography?” he asked. Well, how honest one can be depends on various factors. But who’s going to believe you even if you’re honest about yourself?

People would always be skeptical even if you stated your ‘goodness’ honestly. And people would immediately agree with you if you’d say that you’re a pig. Becoz people judge you not according to who you’re, but according to who they’re. When you say that you’re a pig, it feeds their ego. And when you say something ‘good’ about yourself, it hurts their ego. If you’d go about worrying what people think of you, you’ll never be happy.

Hence, I told him, “So what? You’re your whole world. Write your own autobiography, you’ll enjoy it.” And I’m my whole world. Therefore, instead of cursing the politicians and other people, I decided to sing my own qualities. So what if it sounds like bragging to others? I’ve always challenged people that if you think I’m bragging about myself, then prove me wrong.

Then people ask me, “So, you think yourself very smart…ehh. You think you don’t have any negative traits?” Those who ask me such questions, I’ve only one thing to say, “But why should I talk about myself negatively? If you’re interested in my weaknesses, the whole world knows it. Go and ask them.”

For example, I often call myself ‘Divas the Great’. And some people say that it shows my megalomaniac tendency. They ask me, “Show us, what great thing you’ve done?” I haven’t done anything great that I may show to others.  Even if it’s my megalomania, you’re learning about megalomania. But, that I call myself ‘great’ is a fact, not my opinion.

And by calling myself great, I’m not comparing myself with anyone. I’m incomparable. I’m what in Sanskrit it says, “Aham Brahmasmi”. I’m the whole universe.  I was simply born great. You might have heard that slogan, “I was born great, but education ruined me.” Thank god, I did not let education ruin myself.

In fact, people should thank me when I declare that I’m great. What I’m saying is that just as I’m great, you’re also great. I can see that you’re also great, but you don’t realize it. There’s just no comparison. As Walt Whitman said, I’m just celebrating myself. And if you wish, you may also celebrate yourself.

Btw, hey babes, did I say that I’m not only great, but I’m still single. Are You Interested?

Euro 2012 Football & European Politics: Curtains Up!

By Dr. Abdul Ruff 

Against background of grim Euro crisis shattering all hopes of Europeans and even as thousands have protested in Greece against the far-right Golden Dawn party after one of its members assaulted a woman on live TV, shouting “Neo-Nazis out” in rallies called by left-wing and anti-racism groups in Athens, Euro 2012 Foot ball tournament has been kicked off with Poland kicking into the net its very first goal against Greece. The 2012 European Football Championship, , commonly referred to as Euro 2012, is the 14th European Championship for national football teams organized by UEFA, kicked off on Friday, the June 8 in both Kiev and Warsaw, the capital cities of co-hosts Ukraine and Poland. Qualification was contested by 51 nations between August 2010 and November 2011 to join the two host nations in the tournament.

The winner of the tournament gains automatic entry to the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup hosted by Brazil. The final tournament, featuring 16 nations, is being hosted by Poland and Ukraine between 8 June and 1 July 2012. As the 2012 European Football Championship kicks off in Ukraine, all eyes are on the event’s co-hosts, Poland and Ukraine. It’s the first such event to take place in Eastern Europe, and young Poles and Ukrainians alike hope it will help improve perceptions of their countries.

Hardly any other country is, the visitors say, as Europe-friendly as Poland. Young people, in particular, understand that they have profited from joining the EU. They feel membership offers them big opportunities and huge profits, many of them professionally. And many even imagine spending a few years working abroad in Germany or Britain for more money.

Kiev, the backward world of the Ukrainian capital, with its corrupt apparatchiks, unscrupulous oligarchs and headline-making human rights abuses, is still dynamic. Some 760 kilometers west of Kiev is the Polish capital of Warsaw. In Warsaw, reminding the Cold War’s Socialistic military alliance led by Soviets, the idea of Europe has long since become ingrained in the minds of students.

People now did/do not experience communist Poland, having grown up after the 1989 transformation that took place in their country. The Polish youth seem like “modern” pragmatic and self-confident members of the anti-Islamic European Union. Their joint bid was announced successful by UEFA chief Michel Platini in Cardiff on 18th April 2007, winning out over more favored bids by Italy and Croatia/Hungary – and causing widespread jubilation throughout the two Eastern Europe countries. Winning Euro 2012 will result in a great deal of construction investments and enormous financial benefits to both Poland and the Ukraine, with some analysts putting the figures as high as 3 billion US Dollars worth of revenue.

The Euro tournament would also help shift the balance of power in football, and bring in resources and prestige to help boost the games of East European countries which have traditionally made little mark in international competitions. Euro 2012 will be the first major footballing event held by a country behind, or formerly behind, the Iron Curtain since Yugoslavia hosted the European Football Championships in 1976. It will be the first major sporting event of any kind hosted by an East European country since Moscow Olympics 1980. Great news then for this part of the world, and a fantastic chance for Poland and Ukraine to show the world what they’re capable of, both in terms of organizing the event and competing in it! The competition, however, seems to be very tough and it is tool early to predict or even speculate any particular team to take away the Euro2012 cup.

Each nation in Europe wants to showcase its footfall prowess. Let us wait and watch the tournament! One important word, meanwhile, is necessary here. In fact it does not make any difference to the world no matter which team wins the Euro cup. It makes no difference at all when this is not going to change the mindset of European states engaged in massacre operations under the NATO terror syndicates led by USA-UK English terror twins, targeting Muslims in occupied nations like Afghanistan and Pakistan. Nor will Euro 2012 make any difference to the rising prices globally or the advancement of imperialist wars, targeting global energy resources and energy energy routes.

Will the outcome of Euro 2012 in nay manner rampant corruption and state criminal operations world wide or arrest the rising number of pathetically poor people even in Europe or rotting food grains in Indian food storing fields?

Yes, I’m Responsible for all the Problems in the World

By Divas

Of late, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for me to be ‘social’, I don’t feel like speaking with anyone.

However, even when you don’t speak, people won’t leave you alone.

They ask me: who is responsible for the problems that we’re facing right now?

And I ask them not to ask me such questions.

Coz I’ve found that people ask me questions, and when I answer their questions, they’re offended.

And they’re offended not becoz I offend them, I just state what I see, they offend themselves.

Therefore, I often ask people not to bother me with their questions.

And yet people keep on bothering me with their questions.

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Someone again asked me: who’s responsible for the problems in the society?

And I replied to him: you’re responsible for everything.

And, again, another person offended himself with my answer.

I don’t see any problem in the society.

The problem is in the individual.

The problem with the individual is that s/he wants to take credit when something works.

And no one wants to take responsibility when something goes ‘wrong’.

When something goes ‘wrong’, everyone wants to transfer responsibility on others.

And this is the main reason behind all conflicts: from interpersonal to all social and political conflicts.

What people don’t seem to realize that everyone is equally responsible for everything that goes right or ‘wrong’.

*************************************************************************

The reason why people don’t want to take their share of responsibility is becoz people lack spirituality.

People have become too materialist.

Since people have become too materialist, they’re not doing what makes them happy, they’re doing ‘comparative’ things: what makes them smarter, richer, higher, bigger, more powerful,…etc so that they may look down upon others.

And since people are not doing what makes them happy, they’ve become sick spiritually.

Since people are sick spiritually, they don’t enjoy what they’re doing.

And since people don’t enjoy what they’re doing, they find fault with everyone and everything.

And thus they transfer responsibility on others when something doesn’t seem to work.

And this is the singular reason behind all conflicts: YOU transfer responsibility on OTHERS.

************************************************************************

People often ask me: what are you? Rightist, Leftist, Capitalist, Communist, Socialist, Libertarian, Nationalist, Internationalist,….etc

And how can we solve the problems in society and in the world?

People ask me such questions coz they divide the world in two or more folds…they’re still materialists.

Materialists always divide the world in two or more folds, coz they must transfer responsibility on others when something doesn’t seem to work.

People don’t realize that there is yet another dimension, there is yet another approach of looking at the world.

*********************************************************************

I do not divide the world in two or more folds: for me all the world is one, everything in the world is interlinked.

And therefore, I cannot transfer responsibility on others.

And therefore, I do not fit in your definitions.

I cannot feed your ego by saying that someone else is responsible.

I will say that YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE.

I see that everyone is responsible when something goes right.

And everyone is responsible when something goes left.

And I can’t help if my answer doesn’t satisfy you – please don’t bother me.

And if you cannot be happy unless you transfer responsibility on others, transfer it on me.

Yes, I’m responsible for everything that goes right or left.

Why I Support Euthanasia

‘Woman on her Deathbed’ Watercolor by Van Gogh

By Divas

There was an old woman.

She’d, say, ‘n’ number of  sons. (n=2,34,…), n≥ 2

She also had a daughter/s, but daughter/s do not count that much in this story.

Amongst the ‘n’ sons, the youngest one was the weakest – both financially and in terms of health.

The old woman suffered a stroke in her 60s.

That paralyzed her right body parts, especially the limbs.

Thus, from now on, she’d need an active care-giving support until her death.

All her sons were away from their paternal home with their own family.

Then the question arose who was to look after the old mother.

Interestingly, all the sons & the daughters-in-law wanted to inherit the property, but none wanted to take their mom in their family.

Since, the youngest son was the weakest financially; his family was forced to look after the old woman in their paternal home.

And the sons, their wives, their children would quarrel over the same thing – everyone wanted to inherit the property but no one wanted the stinking old woman.

Another interesting twist in the story – the old woman, now in her 80s, fell from her bed and broke her femur.

And yet she didn’t die.

She becomes totally vegetable – she eats, defecates, and urinates on bed.

And, boy, she’d  really awfully stinking faeces.

Moreover, as an old woman on her bed for so many days, she also developed bed-sores that made her even more repulsive.

You’d feel like vomiting when near her, and some even vomited.

Btw, she was really a brave old woman, for she never complained anything about the pain she was going through, except the occasional bursting into tears.

Everyone wished that it’d have been better if the woman died, but no one dared to admit it openly.

And the ‘n’ sons and their families kept on quarreling over the old woman and her property.

Life becomes hell for everyone.

This is a true story, and I’m sure the story is more or less true for most families, only the number of the family members may vary.

Myself being a Mr-Know-All, I suggested euthanasia for the old woman.

Everyone laughed, but I could read in their faces that they agreed with me inwardly.

But, who’d ask the old woman if she wanted to die?

And who’d perform the euthanasia?

Thus I Started Wearing Dhaka Topi Again

Guys, i’ve started wearing Nepali Dhaka Topi again…well there was a political/philosophical reason when i’d stopped wearing Dhaka Topi about ten years ago…but the reason behind my wearing it again is not even cosmetic as some suspect…i’m not wearing a Dhaka Topi to hide my balding head…  nor have i any intetion of becoming a minister…(btw, those who know me well also know it well that my only interest is to become the elected President of Nepal)..

The reason behind my wearing a Dhaka Topi again is purely environmental one…i found that Dhaka Topis are the best to partially cover your head when the weather gets a little chilly and yet it’s not  that chilly to wear a woolen hat…and, beleive me, Dhaka Topis are more comfortable and less imposing on your head than the western style hats(which certainly have their own purpose) that i used to wear of late…moreover, you get more social mileage when you wear a Dhaka topi in Kathmandu…

i’ve learned this survival strategy from my dad: when you’re in Terai/Madhes – wear a Dhoti and Gamchha,  when you’re in the mountains of  Pahad – wear a Dhaka topi and Daura Suruwal; and when you’re in India – discard both…wear only shirts and pants, and don’t tuck the shirt inside the pant, keep the shirttails hanging over the  pants(as if you’re hiding a pistol)…& boy, it really works!

Btw, does anyone know why a traditional Nepali hat is called ‘Dhaka’ Topi(Dhaka being the capital of Bangladesh)?

9/11 & Obama’s Dead God

Guys, did you hear what Obama said on the occasion of 9/11? He says, ‘God is our last refuge’…hahaha… I used to think that Obama is a lil wiser than his predecessors…but alas…I don’t understand why even the most powerful man on earth invokes the dead God to justify human(read his predecessors) follies. Nietzsche, where are you man?