New loadshedding schedule December 17 2013 (Poush 2, 2070)

NEA (Nepal Electricity Authority)- the government owned sole authority for generating and distributing electricity in the country, has announced fresh schedule of loadshedding in the country. With the new loadshedding schedule effective from December 17, 2013 (Poush 2, 2070), there will be nine hours power cut daily, which is increment of 3 hours per day. 

Due to reduction of water level in the river, the country falls short of about 400 Mega watt electricity compelling to cut the power for 63 hours per week, which may be increased more during the dry season. The new loadshedding from push 2, Tuesday will be having three shifts of power cut on 4 days, one shift in one day and two shifts for two days. 

Here is the new loadshedding schedule effective from Poush 2 Tuesday (Dec 17, 2013)

Click the picture to enlarge.

Read More

Fifa World cup 2014 football draw officially announced.

Final draw for Fifa World cup 2014 football Brazil ( from 12th June to 13 July 2014), has been made at an special ceremony at Costa de Saupa Resort, Mata de Sao Joao in Bahia. After paying tribute to revolutionary leader Nelson Mandela (who died today aged 95), the final draw has been made with the already defined procedure (click to know). Altogether 32 countries from Africa, Asia, America, and Europe are allocated to eight groups, each containing 4 teams, with the timings and stadium location of each match being already defined. With the draw, the first match of the World cup 2014 Brazil will be held on 12 June, 2014 between host Brazil and Croatia (Group A match) at Arena de Sao paulo, Sao Paulo 12:45 pm Nepali time (NST). 

Here are the eight groups from the draw of Fifa World cup 2014, Brazil.
Group A: Brazil, Croatia, Mexico, Cameroon
Group B: Spain, Netherlands, Chile, Australia
Group C: Columbia, Greece, Ivory Cost, Japan
Group D: Uruguay, Costa Rica, England, Italy
Group E: Switzerland, Ecuador, France, Honduras
Group F: Argentina, Bosnia Herzegovina, Iran, Nigeria
Group G: Germany, Portugal, Ghana, USA
Group H: Belgium, Algeria, Russia, Korea Republic.
Till now, I see Group B, D and G to be a tough group among which Group D seems more tougher.... that means D is the Group of death (D for death) in this 20th edition of World Cup... More from the pundits later.

Read More

Motorola to build modular smartphones with Project Ara.

Motorola, a Google company is known to be working on Project Ara, an open source initiative for modular smartphones i.e. using separate modules for camera, processor, screen etc and assembling all to make a smartphone. In a bid to make phone last longer and reduce electronic waste, Motorola team up with phonebloks to make a smartphone by connecting detachable bloks to the base (endoskeleton or endo). You can easily upgrade or repair the bloks, thereby reducing the waste from the worn out/obsolete phones.

If this modular approach is achievable in real sense then it will be a revolutionary effort in the mobile phones we use today. Just like we use different apps (some good ones, some moderate and some extra featured ones) for the same tasks, we can have variety in the phone hardware. Say for instance, you want to use higher quality camera, faster processor, higher memory space or high capacity battery in your phone, you can just take out the old modules and replace it with better ones. Similar analogy can be found for apps store with blokstore; like a store for hardware (modules). Easy customization of your phone hardware with this approach will cut down the high price in upgrading your phone and even reduces the electronic waste.

I have this feeling that this sort of effort will be more feasible when all of the handset makers agree to bring such modular approach in manufacturing. Now lets say if the project surpasses all the challenges, I now wonder how will the rivalry between Samsung, Apple, Microsoft, and Google look like then. May be in the price or the durability of the modules!

Read More

Kathmandu is among the top travel destination in the World: TripAdvisor

Travel website TripAdvisor has revealed the winners of 2013 traveller's choice awards for the destination on the rise. The destinations were selected according to the data collected in their websites from searches and reviews. 54 places across the globe were enlisted that have seen the greatest increase in positive feedback and interest from the travelers in the last year. Havana, Cuba is in the top spot in the world, seconding La Fortuna de San Carlos, Costa Rica and our very own Kathmandu is in the third favorite destination in the world. Kathmandu even tops the list for such destinations in Asia, other Asian destinations that came second and third are Sappora, Japan and Hanoi, Vietnam. 

Here is the Top ten destinations in the world, including three Asian destinations.

1. Havana, Cuba

2. La Fortuna de San Carlos, Costa Rica

3. Kathmandu, Nepal

4. Jerusalem, Israel

5. Crusco, Peru

6. Ambergris Caye, Belize

7. Sapporo, Japan

8. Hanoi, Vietnam

9. Corralejo, Spain

10. Fortaleza, Brazil

Its a great news to all the tourism entrepreneurs working here in Kathmandu, that helps to boost their business. As a matter of fact, its a great opportunity to all the concerned people to enhance the tourism sector, including the government which has to invest more and systematize the various issues like different fares, road conditions/routes, airport facilities & terminals, add more national airplanes. 

Read More

Chauka Chakka hanincha World cup khelincha: Nepali cricket team victory rally in Kathmandu

There were news regarding the huge crowd in the airport to welcome Nepali Cricket team back to their country, after their world cup t20 qualification in UAE. It was known that the crowd loudly chanted, "chaukka chakka hanincha world cup khelincha"( we will hit 4s 6s in the world cup play), but I missed taking video as I was not there. Today there was the procession of Nepali cricket team in Kathmandu, which I met accidentally during my office work and stopped to take the video of the victory rally. 

Lets hope our boys will play up to the mark to reach Super 10 of World T20 Cricket, where we will be able to compete with biggest teams like India, Australia, Pakistan, Srilanka.

Here is the video of the Nepali cricket team victory rally in Youtube, where people chanted the same slogan.

Read More

Sachin Tendulkar to visit Nepal.

Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar after retiring from Cricket, has become UNICEF's goodwill ambassador for South Asia to promote hygiene and sanitation in this part of the world where lots of children die of diarrhea. The god of cricket will be travelling across the region to help people use toilets and use proper sanitation. Sachin at the signing ceremony said to media: "Post Cricket, the second innings of my life as a goodwill ambassador will be equally important and means a lot to me". He also added " In the end we want to make our world a happier and healthier planet".
Sachin had sent a message to all people in Nepal to spread the message of washing hand with soap, in a brief talk to The Kathmandu post. He even congratulated Nepali Cricket Team for qualifying the T20 World Cup and mentioned he will be travelling soon to Nepal for promoting the hygiene and sanitation campaign with UNICEF.
Rumor has it that he may visit pretty soon, may be during the final of the running Journey to World Cup Cricket Tournament. Now we just have to wait for his arrival.

A banner held in a cricket match at Wankhede Stadium when Sachin was playing.

Read More

Top Ten Narayan Gopal Songs

Swor Samrat Narayan Gopal needs no introduction to all the nepali music lovers out there. His evergreen songs are not only air played in radio stations throughout the country but are still found in the playlist of the new generation people. Today (Mangsir 19) is the death anniversary of Nepal's most popular singer of all time, marking which I am posting my Top ten favorite songs from him (that are in my phone playlist), though all of his songs are equally outstandingly melodious.

1. Malai Nasodha.

2. Yati Chokho.

3. Euta Mancheko.

4. Luku Luku lagyo malai.

5. YO samjhine man cha.

6. Birsera feri malai.

7. Maya ta maya ho.

8. Timilai bhulda.

9. Sawan ko jhari bhani.

10. Preyasika Yaadharu.

11. Jun Phool Maile. 

12. Ankha Chopi Narou Bhani.

13. Timi Jun Raharle.

I cannot resist myself adding three more songs in the list which are of the same level to me as the other ten.

Read this also.
Top 10 unbelievable incidents in Narayan Gopal's life.
Narayan Gopal's 5 interesting facts.

Read More

World Twenty20 cricket 2014 schedule: Nepal first entry to world t20

Nepal created a history by making an entry to the ICC world T20 Cricket 2014 that is going to be held in Bangladesh from 16 March to 6 April. After the thrilling victory over Hongkong (for qualification) and lose to Afghanistan, Nepal even secured third place in the world t20 qualifier tournament with the defeat over UAE by 5 wickets. Six teams ( Nepal, Afghanistan, Ireland, Hongkong, UAE and Netherlands) from the tournament join Bangladesh and Zimbabwe for the preliminary round, forming two groups whose top team will be joining the other eight full members (India, Pakistan, Australia, South Africa, West Indies, New Zealand, Srilanka, and England) for the Super 10.

All the games from the world cup T20 cricket will be played in three stadiums in three different cities: namely Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet, whereas all of Nepal games in first stage will be played in Chittagong. First game of Nepal will be against Hongkong on 16th March 2014 ( 7:15 pm Nepali time), which we defeat in a thrilling chase for the qualification. 

Though I am thinking of going Bangladesh to cheer Nepal live, I am not sure if I can manage all to be there but its sure either Nepal TV or Kantipur TV will be broadcasting the event live. Otherwise ESPN, Star sports are always there for the world cup tournament.

The eight teams in the first stage are divided into two groups: Group A and Group B as:

Group A: Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Nepal and Hongkong

Group B: Zimbabwe, Ireland, UAE and Netherlands.

Here is the schedule for the group stage matches of ICC world cup t20 cricket in Nepali standard time (NST).

Group A (including Nepal). Click to enlarge and save to download the t20 world cup 2014 schedule.

Group B. click to enlarge and save to download the world t20 2014 schedule.

Read More