Globalization of Valentine's Day: A triumph of capitalism

Penetration of the celebration of Valentine's Day across many cultures in the world is something that capitalism can cherish. With the global expansion of capitalism in the fastest ever speed, especially after the fall of USSR and liberalization in China, globalization of Euro-America centric culture is happening in further greater pace. I would like to analyze how Valentine's Day has turned to be a mere event to secure larger consumption for the bigger corporations and how local and indigenous cultures are threatened.

My tweet picked by BBCworld

My original tweet.

On January 24, US President Barrack Obama was giving State of the Union address to the joint session of US Congress - the Senate and the House of Representatives. I followed the event and participated in tweeting about it.
Happily, One of my tweet (right) with the hastag of the the day #sotu was picked by BBCWorld (pic below). Here is the snapshot of the pick. You can also see it in the BBCWorld site HERE.

My tweet as it appeared in BBCWorld site while it was live casting the event

ट्वीटरबाट राजनीति: सामाजिक र राजनीतिक आन्दोलनमा लाग्नेहरुलाई केही सुझाव

सोसल मिडिया प्रयोग गर्ने धेरैले यसबाट फाइदा बेफाइदा दुवै भएको बताउँछन् । मित्रता, बिचार आदानप्रदान, प्रत्यक्ष कुराकानी, पुराना साथीहरुसँग पुनर्मिलन, टाढा रहेका आफन्तसित प्रत्यक्ष कुराकानी र नियमित सम्पर्क, फुर्सदको समय उपयोग यसका केही फाइदाहरु हुन् ।

अझ बढेर भन्नुपर्दा यसले राजनीतिक अभियानहरु गर्न र एक हदसम्म आन्दोलन नै अगाडी बढाउन समेत सघाएको छ । जसको पछिल्लो उदाहरण अरब राष्ट्रहरुमा भएका अन्दोलनमा स्पष्ट रुपमा देखिएको छ । ट्युनिशिया र इजिप्टमा भएका आन्दोलनमा ट्वीटरले प्रमुख भूमिका खेलेको भनेर मुल्याङ्कन गरिएको छ । यसका थुप्रै सकारात्मक पक्ष छन् जसको पर्याप्त चर्चा धेरै ठाउँमा भइसकेको छ ।

Motorcycle diary: An accidental adventure

Absent-mindedly we chose to take the Daman way while coming to Kathmandu from Hetauda. Initially, we had planned to come through Kulekhani and Dakshinkali. But as I stopped in Bhainse, 9km from Hetauda to Kathmandu, for a cup of tea, I happened to stop it turning towards Daman way. Without thinking much, we took the Daman way after having a salty tea at Bhainse.

ब्रोडशिट दैनिकमा व्यापारिक समाचारको अर्थराजनीति

My recent article 'The political economy of Business news in Nepal's broadsheet dailies' is published in Media Adhyaan 5.

For referencing:
Kshetri, I. D. (2010). Nepali Broadsheet Dainikma Byaparik Samacharko Artha Rajniti [The political economy of Business news in Nepal's broadsheet dailies]. In Media Adhyaan 5: 115-133.

क्षेत्री, इन्द्रध्वज । ब्रोडशिट दैनिकमा व्यापारिक समाचारको अर्थराजनीति । मिडिया अध्ययन ५: ११५–१३३ ।
लेख पुरै पढ्नको लागि यहाँ क्लिक  गर्नुस् ।

नो वर्क, नो पेको पुरस्कार

The politics behind government's haste in bringing out an 'industrial policy' with a coveted anti-laborer 'no work; no pay policy' despite being unable to do almost anything else.

Use of Agency Materials in Broadsheet dailies of Nepal

Read my article on the trends and rationale of use of agency materials by broadsheet dailies of Nepal.

Online Newsportals in Nepal: An overview

My article on Bodhi on the brief history and current status of online news portals in Nepal. Read it HERE.

Regime change in Nepal: Is there any spark of hope?

After three weeks of political turmoil, Nepal has finally got the new coalition government. Now, the moderate communist party, UML led coalition replaces the hard-line Maoist led coalition in Nepal. When the Maoists pulled out of the government, opposition parties had to toil hard and wait long to materialize any such coalition to prove majority in jumbo 601 member constituent assembly and subsequently lead the government. All these mammoth efforts now put a veteran communist politician, Madhab Kumar Nepal who led the then largest communist party of the country for fifteen years until one year ago into the helm.

Has Nepal already failed?

NEPAL is the youngest Republic in the world. It is the only country in South Asia ruled by the Communist Party that rose from rebellion and grabbed power through democratic election. There are many things which make this beautiful Himalayan Sangri-la unique. Despite tremendous possibilities and enormous resources, Nepal is the poorest country in the region. People had high hopes that their fate would change after the former rebel took the helm. In just three years, the Maoists held two different fronts; the rebellion and the government. However, most of the indexes in the last three years have become nothing but negative. Nepal has been fighting with a number of problems and the enormity of them could even turn the country as a failed state.