Dashain Ra Tihar Ghar Kharchha

swwet and melodious song !

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विजया दशमी २०६६ को हार्दिक मंगलमय शुभकामना !!!

दुःख हटी सुख आओस,
सफलता ले चूमी रहोस
रोग ब्याधा टाढा भागोस,
संपन्नता ले जरा गाडोस
शत्रु सबै नस्ट भई
मित्रता को जाल बढोस
सत बिचार को बास बसोस
सबै नेपाली को कल्याण होस
जन भावना को संबिधान बनोस
राष्ट्र प्रेमको हागा बढोस
मात्री भूमि नेपाल को
चारै तिर हरा भरा होस
विजया दशमी २०६६ को हार्दिक मंगलमय शुभकामना !!!
हरि दत्त भट्टराई
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Cuxhaven, the important tourist destination in Germany

Last Sunday, some of Nepalese friends from Goettingen visited to Cuxhaven of Germany. It is a large independent city and county town in Lower Saxony. The city lies at the bank of the North Sea and has about 50,000 inhabitants. It is one of the beautiful towns in Germany. It is very important port of Germany from international trade and to link North Sea to Baltic canal in Hamburg. This town was adversely destroyed during the World War II. Now it is already renovated to restore its historic uniqueness.

It is also famous destinations for the tourists to see the sea shores. The people, who are very much interested to entertain the white beach mostly, visit the place. It is very excited place in terms of seeing and enjoying with the sea shores for the people like us who are from the land locked country (Nepal). It is our first visit to sea shores. Here are some photographs of the visit.

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General Election in Germany: Memoire of Nepalese Election and German Experiences

Germany is going to held General election on 27th of September 2009. As the final date of election is getting closer, all the parties are trying to attract their voters. But the election campaigns are very peaceful. Even though the parties have different principles and objectives, but they have very good understandings in between. There is no clashes between cadres, even not by verbal exchanges. There are no wall paintings, there are not any pamphlets pasted here and there. It looks like there are not any election. If I compare this environment for election in Germany and Nepal, I find that here is even less publicity and environment than the publicity of single party for a mass meeting in Kathmandu.

I have some adventurous experiences to hold the election in Nepal. As the "Voting Officer" responsible to held the whole election in Baghmare VDC of Dang, District of Nepal, I had collected lots of such kind of experiences in 2056B.S. (2000AD) parliamentary election in Nepal. I was there with around 10 subordinate staffs and around 11 police personnel for the security. As the Baghmare district was strong hold of rebellion, Maoist party, which was boycotting election that time, it was very risky and dangerous to held election in that place. As I have strong ground and good public relation due to the involvement in community forestry in these areas, the CDO (Chief District Officer) and Election Officer deputed me to conduct election there. Before me, there was one agriculture officer Mr. Pokhrel(from Agricultural Development Bank!)was deputed there, and he feared with the environment there. So from backdoor, he pulled out his name and chose another VDC for him and kept my name in this risky village. When I knew this, I was very angry in the beginning! But, CDO and District Election officer, said me that it is only me who can successfully held the election in such a risky area. I knew that they were just pacifying or flattering me to hide their partial decision but there were no other alternative for me to obey their legal order. Hence, I deputed there!
On the day before election, me and my team went to the Secondary School of Baghmare, where I had to establish voting booth and conduct election day after. We prepared booth with bamboo sticks and rope. We were in very stressful situation. Anything could happen anytime. Maoist wanted to disturb or raid the election anytime. Anytime, there could be blasting or kidnapping.

On the evening, while we were taking our dinner in small hotel just in front of Baghmare school, one person who was the vice chairman of one community forestry user groups and also suspected to be the supporter of Maoist, came close to me and ask me not to sleep with other subordinates and police personnel in the same building because Maoist are going to attack the booth tonight. He offered me the safe place to hide also. I was in great confusion about what to chose! Should I follow the escape route or safe hide out for me! or live together with other staffs and face the risks. Finally, I chose to stay with the staffs and asked this informant that I will be there with all staffs. As a government personnel, I am here to follow my duties. I am not their someone to force vote, vote for one or another parties. I tried to be very diplomatic to answer this to the informant.

After dinner we were sitting outside the school, and talking this and that only waiting to over the night. No one could sleep at that night due to fear and stress! Around 10 pm, the firing of gun and blasting of bombs started in nearby forests. I think at the distance of 500 meter, they was big blast and gun fire started. We all were very frightened. The assistant Sub Inspector of Police, who was with us for the security requested us to stay inside, and said me that his group wants to stay outside guiding and protecting all of us. I understood his motive that he want to run away. For him and all of us, the night was very hilarious and risky. I thought that I was offered the safe hideout, but I was there to stay with them, but the security personnel who was there to safe us, were trying to runaway by leaving us alone. I understood his fear and selfishness! I ordered him to report me security situation in every hour, even if he goes away! In this way I put him in trap and he could not escape on that fearful night. In that night, around 4 am, they pelted stones and such other materials on the roof of ours! We thought that these things were bombs and we are going to be killed! Later on, we came to know that there main intentions were not to explode us but just to frighten us.

Anyway the night was over. Around 8 am, we started election. It went well! But around 1:00 pm, the army officer, who was on patrolling came to me and asked to wrap up the election. I politely denied his offer and said him that I will conduct election until 5 pm (which was scheduled time)! He said me that I am going to be attacked by Maoist guerillas. I said him that no matter, you are there to protect us. With this answer, he became angry but could do nothing because he was wrong and I was right to follow the rules and regulation. Around 4:50 pm, one candidate from UML Shreemani Acharya, came to our voting booth. Prior to his coming, he was not supposed that the voting is still on there. When he reached there, he came to me and praised me for the neutral conduction of election there. He said me;"Sir, I came here only to thank you for the free and fair election on the history of Baghmare VDC. I know that this is the stronghold of Congress and Maoist, I will get very few votes in this place. Despite of this, your efforts to conduct the fair election and bear all the stress from rebellion is praiseworthy" I do not know how far he was saying true! But, these words from the contesting candidate was more than any big prize for me! This is the beauty of nepalese democracy, even the looser can accept the result and praise the voting officers for his clean work. In this VDC, the Congress candidate Gehendra Giri got around triple votes than the closest candidate of UML, Shreemani Acharya while the results came out!

All these story is to compare the practices of German election and Nepalese election. We say that we are democratic country which true also, but there are many malpractices in election there. People and candidate spend lots of money there. The city wall and wall of private houses get dirty. Lots of aggression could be seen on the competing candidates and parties. Intolerance, aggression and wrong promises are frequent. But, as far as I come to know, it is not the case in German election. They are there with their doctrine, manifesto and promises which will be their guiding principles after election. Their election campaigns are peaceful, tolerance to each other and intellectual. They go to university and such other research institutions to deliver speeches rather than going to streets with loud mikes.

The election campaign of all four major parties of Germany in one place at Goettingen. I was surprised with their election campaign. The neck to neck competitors like CDU, SDP and other parties were organising election campaign in the same place comfortably. They are very quite, peaceful and respectful to each other. They are distributing pamphlets, and answering the quests of voters. I fear on, if the stalls like this, organised in Nepal for Nepali Congress, UML, Maoist, RPP, Forum and Kamal Thapas party, what would be the results? There would be big clashes and street fighting and many cadres need to admitted in Emergency, like they are in gun battle rather in election campaigns.
Die Linke (is the LEFT party). They are also very quite and peaceful. They are opposing the policy of German government to send troops in Afghanistan. They are asking votes to draw back their troops from Afghanistan. What a concrete and clear plan!http://die-linke.de/

The CDU (Christian Democratic Union), the ruling party. The Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel is from this party. Even though they are the ruling party, they are seemed simpler and less expensive than others. It can be seen on their stall also. http://www.cdu.de/en/3440.htm
Free Democratic Party (FDP) Germany.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Democratic_Party_%28Germany%29

The Green Party, they are also a ruling party and getting popularity in each election better than before. They are strong supporters of nature and oppose any kind of nuclear war and atomic industries. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_party
The hording board of CDU party. German Chancellor Angella Merkel in the board!
Some naughty people like everywhere, put the "moustache" and wrote "Bitch" on her photo at hoarding board. As politics is the dirty game, everywhere such people do exist. But, they are far less in number.
In totality, German politics is very clean, harmonic and understanding. This is the real practice of democracy in true sense.

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German forestry is not only for timber production

I have got an opportunity to work in the different areas of Germany for my research work. As I have widely travelled into the forests of Swabische Albs, Schorfheide and Hainich, I have lots of good memory and new learnings about it. The management, information systems and eco-tourism inside the forests are among the deep impressions that I have acquired. Forests are being managed more for the eco-tourisms point of view. The main goal of the forest management is not the harvesting of the timber, but it is for the recreation of the people. We got an opportunity to experience their recreational activities inside forests. I will certainly upload these photos in coming days but for the moment, I have some photos to share with you. Please enjoy the calmness and beauty of german forests..
Wild boars could be seen here and there. They are generally managed for the hunting desires of German people. Hunting controls the prolific reproduction of Wild boars in one hand and provide lots of income to the state!
Resin tapping was also an income generation activity in the past at East Germany. In Nepal, we are practicing this Rill method of resin tapping from Pine trees!
The panoramic reflection of trees in the moores!
Nearby areas have been leased to farmers to grow crop and animals. The average size of lease land is around 500 hectares. In photo, the cattle raising could be seen however the quality of this photo is not that much good!
I realise that why people used to say that "rest of the soul" in the sad demise of human being. Grave is calm and peaceful, and also better place to realise the "Final Truth"
This is the home garden. And, real Bio-production of vegetables!
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Ph.D. position is available for Forestry student

A PhD position is announced at Humbold University (half time employment E13/2) for 3 years in a project funded by the German Research council (DFG) and starting in October 2009
The topic is:
Stable isotopes and metabolite profiles as physiological markers for the drought stress sensitivity of Douglas fir provenances

The institution:
The Institute for Landscape Matter Dynamics (part of the Leibnitz-Institute für Agrarlandschaftsforschung) in Müncheberg close to Berlin; The PhD student will be enrolled at the Humboldt-University in Berlin

Background:
Global climate change will result not only in increased air temperatures but also in an increase of drought periods in Central Europe. It is therefore important to understand the drought response of long-lived trees and to develop tools that allow to screen the drought tolerance of provenances.

Objectives of the project:
The main goal of the research project is to characterise the response of Douglas fir provenances to drought on the physiological and biochemical level. We aim to detect physiological and metabolic markers for drought sensitivity/tolerance of provenances. Analytical techniques applied in the project are isotope ratio mass spectrometry and metabolic profiling with GC-MS. This project is linked to other projects dealing with forest growth, molecular biological tools for assessing drought tolerance and plant physiology/biochemistry. PhD candidates in this program will learn how to design and apply techniques used widely in field-based plus laboratory based ecological and ecophysiological research.
We offer a lively scientific environment at a Leibnitz-Centre (ZALF) dedicated to agricultural research at the landscape level and at the Humboldt-University Berlin

Prerequisites:
Applicants should hold a M. Sc. or equivalent (German Diplom) in a discipline relevant to the topic (forestry, ecology, biology, environmental sciences, biogeochemistry). The research project requires a high level of autonomy and organization and extended working periods at field sites in different parts of Germany will be required. The applicants must demonstrate a strong interest and experience in conducting interdisciplinary research and should be willing to co-operate with other researchers. Experience with GC-MS and/or isotope ratio mass spectrometry is advantageous but not required.

Application:
Applicants should send an application letter, CV, the name, postal and email address of two persons familiar with the previous scientific performance of the applicant to:
sonne@arthur-gessler.de (Dr. Arthur Gessler)
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The Full Speech of Barack Obama on Healthcare

This is the whole movie clip of the official speech of the President of the United States, Barack Obama. I am very much impressed by his words and confidence, his works and speech. He has been showing hopes to millions of American and worlds. If all the politician firmly stands in their words which they have promised during the election campaigns even after the election, there would be no misstrust between politician and people. This is the recent speech (09.09.009) at the joint meetings of parliaments in Capitol Hills, the USA. Read more...

Lease of Life: Changes in the Livelihood of the poorest of the poor_Part 2

This is the second part of documentary telecasted by BBC world service on 4th and 5th of September 2009. The documentary explains that how can the livelihoods of the poorest of the poor could be uplifted while managing the forestry resources. The story comes from the Dolakha district of Nepal. Please watch the documentary and provide your comments!

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PhD Opportunities for Spring

Organization:Alabama Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, located at Auburn University, Auburn, AL

Location:Montgomery, Alabama

Job Description:

Graduate Research Assistantships (2 - Ph.D.) are available with the Alabama Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, located at Auburn University, Auburn, AL. The selectees will conduct research to support the development of decision support tools for evaluating conservation strategies under competing models of climate change and response by aquatic and terrestrial wildlife populations.

B.S. required (M.S. heavily preferred) in wildlife biology, conservation biology, ecology, biometrics, or a related field. The candidate must demonstrate commitment to publication of results in peer-reviewed outlets, and strong potential to work collaboratively with multiple researchers on a highly visible topic.

Starts January 6, 2010

Stipend: $18,180 + tuition waiver

To apply: Email cover letter, resume, copies of transcripts and GRE scores,and contact information for 3 professional references to the address below.


Dr. James B. Grand, Leader
Alabama Cooperative Fisheries and Wildlife Research Unit
3301 School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences
Auburn, AL 36849-5418
Ph: (334) 844-4796
FAX: (334) 844-1084
Skills:
B.S. required (M.S. heavily preferred) in wildlife biology, conservation biology, ecology, biometrics, or a related field.

Apply By:12/1/2009

Contact:Dr. James B. Grand
Phone:(334) 844-4796

Mailing:
Dr. James B. Grand, Leader
Alabama Cooperative Fisheries and Wildlife Research Unit
3301 School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences
Auburn, AL 36849-5418 Read more...

LEASE of LIFE: The BBC documentary about Nepalese Forestry

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BBC: Documentary about Nepalese Forestry

Dear esteemed readers of our blog

Today, BBC world service is going to telecast a mind blowing documentary about Nepalese forestry. The time for telecast of the show is 21:30 (Berlin time).

Please watch it and provide comments to the show. Probably it is the documentary about leasehold forestry!

The BBC says in its website:

Lease of Life - 4 September

The magnificence of the Himalayas stands in stark contrast to impoverished lives of its denizens. But the poorest of the poor are now in the forefront of a controversial new government scheme to reforest barren hillsides –and planting trees helps absorb CO2.

The scheme has given Laxmi, a poor landless farmer a new lease of life. But wealthier villagers criticize the scheme insisting the land could be put to better use. Earth Report investigates

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झल्को लाँली ओठको..

The song is powerful to express the development needs and praise for those who works for the people. I love this song and request you to watch at least once it.

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