Monday, July 18, 2011
Links for July 18, 2011
Private sector not happy with importance given to cooperatives in the budget---Nepalnews
Economists in Nepal seem to be unanimous in their criticism against the budget. They feel that private sector is the backbone of the economy. The budget puts too much emphasis in the cooperatives. I am not an expert on this, but aren't cooperatives one of the reasons for Nepal's current financial mess?
A very good report on the Khan Academy---Wired Magazine
Khan has not pioneered the distance learning, but in his own way, he has phenomenally changed it. His video instructions on various subjects have been viewed by 50 million people all over the world. And, that number is rising as teachers have started to include his materials and website in their classrooms to let students learn concepts and ideas by themselves at their own pace. Khan's idea is aimed at changing the way students learn. And, it seems to be impressing the big guys like Bill Gates and Google. Gates Foundation gave him $1.5 million grant, and Google has given him $2 million grant.
One landslide means 25,000 people going hungry in Rasuwa---Nepalnews
This just goes to show how Nepal desperately needs to invest in improving its current transportation infrastructure, and construct new ones.
What is the Khetan group up to?---Nepalnews
Something is fishy about the way Khetan group has been selling its stocks and shares. Recently, it sold Rs 3 billion of shares it had in Gorkha Brewery. But, the brewery was doing excellent business and giving great returns. Why did Khetan group sell its shares then? And, now, the group has sold all its shares it had in Bottlers Nepal. Bottlers Nepal makes the world famous Coca-Cola in Nepal, and has been giving great returns. Khetan group claims that it is selling the shares to raise capital to buy another bank (they already are part-owner of the Laxmi Bank). But, that doesn't sound right. Do they really need to sell a golden-egg laying hen to buy a normal duck?
China is warming up to Buddhism and its development in Nepal---China Daily
Supposedly, all religions are banned in China. But, given many different demonstrations that have occurred in China over religious freedom, I am guessing China has officially decided to embrace Buddhism. Some of the recent news have reported about China holding Buddhism seminars and trainings. So, this news of China's interest in developing and improving the Lumbini area is a welcome news for Nepal in two ways. First, Lumbini will see some decent investments in infrastructure. Second, China's involvement in Buddhism growth in Nepal will act as a counter-foil to India's attempts at creating a "false" Buddha birthplace in Uttar Pradesh. Ultimately, Chinese officials involved in this project claim that they aim to establish Lumbini for Buddhism the same way Mecca has established itself for Islam and Vatican has established itself for Christianity. Both Mecca and Vatican get 5 million visitors each year. Lumbini only gets 0.5 million.
Some Nepalese abortion statistics from a news report---Republica
The article's title is actually "teenage abortions on the rise", but it's moot to focus on that topic. The numbers should be interesting.
*Sunaulo Parivar Nepal, which runs 55 Marie Stopes Clinic in 42 districts in Nepal, conducts 80% of abortions in Nepal
*51,415 abortions carried out in Nepal in 2007/08
*83,978 abortions carried out in Nepal in 2008/09
*88,938 abortions carried out in Nepal in 2009/10
*More than 18,000 teenagers had abortions in 2010 through Marie Stopes.
*23% of the total in 2010 were between 15 and 19 years of age. 37% were between 20 and 24 years of age.
*22% of those women had completed Bachelor's degree education.42% had completed +2 level education. 30% had completed SLC. The remaining 6%, I am guessing, were those teenagers below the SLC level and those women with no education.
*20% who aborted were aborting their first child.
*18% already had a child and were aborting because they did not need a second child.
*33% already had two children and were aborting because they did not need a third child.
*15% already had three children and were aborting because they did not need a fourth child.
Conclusion: Marie Stopes Clinics are providing a very invaluable service to the Nepalese women.
Economists in Nepal seem to be unanimous in their criticism against the budget. They feel that private sector is the backbone of the economy. The budget puts too much emphasis in the cooperatives. I am not an expert on this, but aren't cooperatives one of the reasons for Nepal's current financial mess?
A very good report on the Khan Academy---Wired Magazine
Khan has not pioneered the distance learning, but in his own way, he has phenomenally changed it. His video instructions on various subjects have been viewed by 50 million people all over the world. And, that number is rising as teachers have started to include his materials and website in their classrooms to let students learn concepts and ideas by themselves at their own pace. Khan's idea is aimed at changing the way students learn. And, it seems to be impressing the big guys like Bill Gates and Google. Gates Foundation gave him $1.5 million grant, and Google has given him $2 million grant.
One landslide means 25,000 people going hungry in Rasuwa---Nepalnews
This just goes to show how Nepal desperately needs to invest in improving its current transportation infrastructure, and construct new ones.
What is the Khetan group up to?---Nepalnews
Something is fishy about the way Khetan group has been selling its stocks and shares. Recently, it sold Rs 3 billion of shares it had in Gorkha Brewery. But, the brewery was doing excellent business and giving great returns. Why did Khetan group sell its shares then? And, now, the group has sold all its shares it had in Bottlers Nepal. Bottlers Nepal makes the world famous Coca-Cola in Nepal, and has been giving great returns. Khetan group claims that it is selling the shares to raise capital to buy another bank (they already are part-owner of the Laxmi Bank). But, that doesn't sound right. Do they really need to sell a golden-egg laying hen to buy a normal duck?
China is warming up to Buddhism and its development in Nepal---China Daily
Supposedly, all religions are banned in China. But, given many different demonstrations that have occurred in China over religious freedom, I am guessing China has officially decided to embrace Buddhism. Some of the recent news have reported about China holding Buddhism seminars and trainings. So, this news of China's interest in developing and improving the Lumbini area is a welcome news for Nepal in two ways. First, Lumbini will see some decent investments in infrastructure. Second, China's involvement in Buddhism growth in Nepal will act as a counter-foil to India's attempts at creating a "false" Buddha birthplace in Uttar Pradesh. Ultimately, Chinese officials involved in this project claim that they aim to establish Lumbini for Buddhism the same way Mecca has established itself for Islam and Vatican has established itself for Christianity. Both Mecca and Vatican get 5 million visitors each year. Lumbini only gets 0.5 million.
Some Nepalese abortion statistics from a news report---Republica
The article's title is actually "teenage abortions on the rise", but it's moot to focus on that topic. The numbers should be interesting.
*Sunaulo Parivar Nepal, which runs 55 Marie Stopes Clinic in 42 districts in Nepal, conducts 80% of abortions in Nepal
*51,415 abortions carried out in Nepal in 2007/08
*83,978 abortions carried out in Nepal in 2008/09
*88,938 abortions carried out in Nepal in 2009/10
*More than 18,000 teenagers had abortions in 2010 through Marie Stopes.
*23% of the total in 2010 were between 15 and 19 years of age. 37% were between 20 and 24 years of age.
*22% of those women had completed Bachelor's degree education.42% had completed +2 level education. 30% had completed SLC. The remaining 6%, I am guessing, were those teenagers below the SLC level and those women with no education.
*20% who aborted were aborting their first child.
*18% already had a child and were aborting because they did not need a second child.
*33% already had two children and were aborting because they did not need a third child.
*15% already had three children and were aborting because they did not need a fourth child.
Conclusion: Marie Stopes Clinics are providing a very invaluable service to the Nepalese women.
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