NEPAL

          Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India. Nepal is the world's 93rd largest country by land mass with an area of 147,181 square kilometers (56,827 sq mi), and the 41st most populous country with a
population of approximately 30 million. The capital city of Nepal is Kathmandu, which itself has estimated population of 5 million. Nepal is a secular country. We can find all people of different religions living together in peace and harmony. Majority of people in Nepal follow Hinduism and Buddhism.
          Nepal is famous for its mountain called Mount Everest (Sagarmatha), which is the tallest mountain in the world with a peak at 8,848 meters (29,029 feet) above the sea level. It has a rich geography. The mountainous north of Nepal has eight of the world's ten tallest mountains including Mount Everest. It's a land of yak and yetis, stupas, natural heritages, and natural resources. Trekking is by far Nepal's biggest attraction for tourists. Most tourists embark on some trek or the other, and many do multiple treks before heading back home. Some arrive each year to do a different trek each time. Nepal has a flourishing tourism industry, but faces problems of deforestation and encroachment on animal habitats.
           It is nonetheless one of the world's poorest countries. Most of the population depend on agriculture, and the UN estimates that about 40 percent of Nepalese live in poverty. It struggled to overcome the legacy of a 10-year Maoist insurrection. Until Nepal became a republic in May 2008, it had been ruled by monarchs or a ruling family for most of its modern history. Foreign aid is vital to the economy of Nepal.

Goa: A Perfect Holiday Destination

         

           Goa is a state in India. It is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in West  India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its western coast. Goa is India's richest state with  a GDP per capita two and a half times that of the country as a whole.
           Goa, a tiny emerald land, with its natural scenic beauty, abundant greenery, attractive beaches, and temples and churches with distinctive style of architecture, colorful and lively feasts and festivities, above all hospitable people with a rich culture has an ideal tourist profile. The main asset that comprises the high profile product is Goa's 105 kilometers coastline studded with 29 beaches lined by golden sand, a natural harbor, large network of inland waterways, century old temples and churches, renowned for worship and pilgrimage, cultural diversity that has no parallel in the world. The greatness of Goa perhaps lies in its smallness with roots firmly entrenched into the hoary past with richly built heritage. In terms of tourist attractions too, Goa's offerings are superb with their traditions of hospitality, varied lifestyles, cultural heritage and colorful fairs.

Weather:
The best and most popular time to visit Goa is during the cooler months of November to March, when the weather is wonderful, rain is a distant memory, and the seas are calm and clear. Arriving in October, at the very start of the tourist season, you will find the beaches luxuriously empty, but many facilities, such as shops, restaurants, beach shacks and beach-hut operations, aren't yet up and running. As March stretches into April and May, the weather grows hot and humid, and swimming becomes trickier due to rougher seas. Beaches slowly empty of tourists but, much like October, this means that facilities aren't as extensive, businesses slowly shutting up shop to await the return of tourists the following November.

Dangers and annoyances:

•  One of the greatest and most deceptive dangers in Goa is to be found right in front of your beautiful bit of beach. The Arabian Sea, with its strong currents and dangerous undertows, claims dozens of lives per year, many of them foreign. Do not venture into the water after drinking or taking drugs.
• Theft from rooms is something to watch out for, particularly on party nights, at places such as Anjuna and Vagator, or if you're renting a flimsy beach shack at Palolem or Arambol.
• Muggings have been reported in Goa--avoid walking alone at night unless there are plenty of people around.
• For many foreign women, beach dress code is dramatically different to that normally preferred by Indian women. This has led to problems with some groups of young Indian men coming to Goa for no other reason than to stare at scantily clad women. Many foreigners do seem to forget that they are no longer at home, and that dress standards here are different, and the harassers seem unaware that their behavior would be considered by foreigners to be unacceptable. The best solution is to aim for the quieter beaches, and just give in to the fact that things that might be normal elsewhere, such as topless sunbathing, are taboo in some places, and by doing it you are only likely to cause problems for yourself. Though the harassment rarely steps beyond staring or a few comments, there have been instances of physical attack.

Betta Fish

                      Betta fish are also known as the Siamese fighting fish. The wild ancestors of this fish are native to the rice paddies of Thailand, Malaysia, and Cambodia. They usually grow to an overall length of 5 centimeters. Although known for their brilliant colors and large, flowing fins, the natural coloration of a Betta fish is dull green and brown. The fins of the wild specimens are relatively short. Brilliantly colored and long finned varieties of Betta fish have been developed through selective breeding. Betta fish have been affectionately nicknamed "The Jewel of the Orient" due to their beauty, and their wide range of colors which are produced through selective breeding. If properly kept and fed correct diet, Betta fish live approximately two to five years in captivity.

Tank and tank mates
Careful research should be carried out before selecting tank mates. In captivity, males Betta fish are best housed alone,since, as their name "Fighting fish" implies, they will aggressively attack and kill (or be killed by) another male in their territory. Putting male and female specimens together is not recommended either (except for breeding, in which the female should be removed immediately after the process) as they will often attack each other. Female bettas can sometimes be kept together in groups of three to seven in larger tanks with hiding places for the less-aggressive females. On average, males are more aggressive. Betta fish will even respond aggressively to their own reflections in a mirror.

Food and diet
Betta fish cannot control the amount of food they eat. They easily get constipated. The owner has to pay attention and make sure not to over feed them. They should be fed once a day, or maximum of two times a day (3 or 4 pallets at once). They have stomach of size equal to the size of the eyeball. So, no matter how begging they look, wiggling back and forth, do not let them eat more. They can go without food for a whole week. So, don't panic if you forgot to feed your betta fish. Betta fish are carnivores. So, make sure to include in a daily menu, live frozen food like worms and flakes. In every pet store you can find betta fish food, but read the instructions carefully. Food like freeze dried brine shrimps, blood worms, mosquito larva e.t.c., can be used for bettas, but these types of foods should be fed very sparingly, and no more than twice a week. If fed too much or too often, it can make your betta sick.Freeze dried blood worms and the like are known to carry bacterial infections. If fed sparingly as a treat, the chances of them harming your betta are very slim. If fed as a main source, he will definitely be heading for illness, such as constipation, ick, swim bladder disorder, and the variety of betta fish diseases.

Constipation and other sickness prevention
To prevent constipation or other sickness, once in a week, leave your betta fish without food. And, the next day feed him a pea. Take a pea and put it into microwave to cook it up. When ready, take it from the outer shell, and you will see two halves of the pea. Take one half, cut it up to betta's bite size and feed them. Repeat it once in a week.

10 Characteristics of a Good Leader

                 
           
                   A leader must not only have an in-depth knowledge about the thing he/she is leading for, but must also possess special characteristics that will help him/her become a great leader and produce a winning team. In some people, these characteristics are naturally found in them; however, these characteristics can also be developed and strengthened.

Here are the ten foundational characteristics to good leadership:

(1) Great Communicator
     A good leader has effective communication skills. He/She is a great orator and persuader. A good leader is very comfortable with public speaking, and is able to clearly articulate himself/herself.

(2) Enthusiastic
     A good leader is enthusiastic about his/her work, and also about his/her role as a leader. Leader needs to be a source of inspiration, and be a motivator towards the required action. Although the responsibilities and roles of a leader may be different, the leader needs to be a part of team working as hard as others, towards the goal. Leaders should not be afraid to roll up their sleeves and get dirty. 
   
(3) Believes in Excellency
    A good leader is committed to excellence. He/She not only maintains high standards, but also is proactive in raising the bar to achieve excellence in all areas.

(4)Passionate
    A good leader is passionate about whatever he/she is focused on and believe in taking action.
 
(5) Observant
    A good leader, as well as keeping the main goal in focus, is able to think analytically. Not only does a good leader view situation as a whole, but is able to break it down into sub parts for closer inspection. Not only keeps the goal in view, but a good leader can break it down into manageable steps and make progress towards it.

(6) Respectful to others
    A good leader values and respects the views of the team members. A good leader listens to all ideas presented by the group and gives everyone a fair chance to express ideas.

(7) Bold and daring
    A good leader needs to function in an orderly and purposeful manner in situations of uncertainty. People look to the leader during the times of uncertainty, and find reassurance and security when the leader portrays confidence and positive demeanor. A good leader need to be tolerant of ambiguity, and remain calm, composed, and steadfast to the main purpose.


(8) Trust worthy
    The most successful leader is the one that is able to gain the trust of colleagues, employees, and stakeholders. A leader needs to be trusted and be known to live his/her life with honesty and integrity. True authority is born from respect for the good character and trustworthiness of the person who leads.


(9) Confident
    A good leader is confident. In order to lead and set direction, a leader needs to appear confident as a person and in the leadership role. Such a person inspires confidence in others, and draws out the trust and best efforts of the team to complete the task as well. A leader who conveys confidence towards the proposed objective inspires the best effort from the team members.


(10) Responsible
     A good leader will take responsibility when things do not go according to plan or when a project fails. Good leader always acknowledges the team members.

Anuradha Koirala: A hand out of horror

Some facts on Girl's trafficking:

(1) Nepal and Bangladesh are the main source countries in South Asia for trafficked children.(Masako Iijima, "S. Asia urged to unite against child prostitution," Reuters, 19 June 1998) 

(2)The trafficking of girls from Nepal into India for the purpose of prostitution is probably the busiest 'slave traffic' of its kind anywhere in the world. (Tim McGirk, "Nepal's Lost Daughters, 'India's soiled goods," Nepal/India: News, 27 January 1997)

 

(3) Every year between 5,000 and 7,000 Nepalese girls are trafficked into the red light districts in Indian cities. Many of the girls are barely 9 or 10 years old. 200,000 to over 250,000 Nepalese women and girls are already in Indian brothels. The girls are sold by poor parents, tricked into fraudulent marriages, or promised employment in towns only to find themselves in Hindustan's brothels. They're locked up for days, starved, beaten, and burned with cigarettes until they learn how to service up to 25 clients a day. Some girls go through 'training' before being initiated into prostitution, which can include constant exposure to pornographic films, tutorials in how to 'please' customers, repeated rapes.(Soma Wadhwa, "For sale childhood," Outlook, 1998) 

(4) Trafficking in Nepalese women and girls is less risky than smuggling narcotics and electronic equipment into India. Traffickers ferry large groups of girls at a time without the hassle of paperwork or threats of police checks. The procurer-pimp-police network makes the process even smoother. Bought for as little as Rs (Nepalese) 1,000, girls have been known to fetch up to Rs 30,000 in later transactions. Police are paid by brothel owners to ignore the situation. Girls may not leave the brothels until they have repaid their debt, at which time they are sick, with HIV and/or tuberculosis, and often have children of their own. The girls are abandoned when they become infected with HIV. 

             

          While there are many organizations, working to abolish child-sex slavery, none of them are as dedicated as Maiti Nepal. Many NGO's are registered with aims and objectives to help the poor but the poor become poorer and ultimately dies in scarcity when those supposedly working for their benefit get fat and fatter. 

         Anuradha Koirala is a social activist, and the founder and director of Maiti Nepal --a non-profit organization in Nepal, dedicated to helping victims of sex trafficking, which has rescued more than 12,000 women and girls from sex slavery. She was named the 2010 CNN Hero of the Year. Working with Nepalese police, Maiti Nepal assists in intercepting young women at border crossings before they are taken into India, by providing surveillance at the border points. Maiti Nepal staff members rescue trafficked girls and women in Indian brothels, repatriate them to Nepal, and rehabilitate them. Maiti provides food, shelter, clothing, medical care, and a hospice. For the young women whose physical health can be restored, Maiti provides vocational education and micro-loans to help them start small businesses. In addition Maiti provides legal and psychological counseling, public awareness campaigns, and it lobbies for tougher trafficking laws in Nepal. 

 

 Anuradha Koirala's work

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A new member!!

Hello frens!!
I have a new member in my house. My new fish "B"!!...I decided to keep his name B because he is blue, he is a betta fish, and my name starts with letter "b". So, i thought it would be a good combination. I was not crazy about fishes before meeting B, and i never thought of having one. You might be thinking, then why do i have a fish? Let me tell you the story of my first meeting with B. It was thanksgiving holiday week, and my friend Sadhana had invited me for sleepover at her apartment because all of her roommates had left to spend their holidays with their family. As we were cooking, i saw little blue B in a little glass pot filled with water behind the kitchen sink. It looked like the water had not been changed for a long time. I asked my friend, whose fish it was. My friend said, her roommate, who graduated and moved out already, had abandoned him, and my friend did not want to keep him. I felt bad for the little fish. So, i decided to bring it home with me. Now, he is a little happy fish with a proud to be mom, which is me.