I have realized in the past two months that research, the empirical one, is not my cup of tea. I am fine with reportage, in-depth article and long form writing (non-fiction). But I do not enjoy a bit of the scientific method of data gathering, analyzing (quantitative) and presenting them in an organized manner. Respect to all scientific researchers out there but, given a chance, I would happily opt out of the business of empirical research. I think I like quoting people much more than citing them.
Category Archives: Tweets
Moonlit nights
Status
I love moonlit nights. Especially when the area I am living is submerged in darkness because of a scheduled power cut. I like to see clear sky too. This evening I can see stars, some of them are brighter than others.
Nepali Journalists’ Convention and New Leadership (tweets)
The Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) held its two-day general convention that ended today with the election of a new Central Committee. Here are my tweets from (and about) the convention and poll results.
Today’s Tweets
I have "my own" definition of a journalist: a person who is an active member of a political party doesn't qualify to be a journalist—
Dinesh Wagle (@wagle) May 04, 2011
@keshuvko Utheko thiye ta, once I got out of that Closed Session, bahira ta chair nai thiyena, so utheko uthekai ta ho ni.—
Dinesh Wagle (@wagle) May 04, 2011
And I am sad 4 Ramji Dahal (Himal Mag) who lost by 3 votes for Gen Sec post & Kiran Chapagain (Republica) who didn't become CC member #FNJ—
Dinesh Wagle (@wagle) May 04, 2011
Was there at the FNJ poll venue in the evening for a few minutes, results were coming out, some were celebrating.—
Dinesh Wagle (@wagle) May 04, 2011
Congrats 2 all, including @UjjwalAcharya (won membership), who got elected 2 the Central Committee, the Federation of Nepali Journalist #FNJ—
Dinesh Wagle (@wagle) May 04, 2011
Yesterday’s Tweets
Speakers r supposed 2 question GenSec's report.1ly handful sticked to topic,rest gave lousy speech n demanded professionalism! Funny. M out—
Dinesh Wagle (@wagle) May 03, 2011
Hello journalists friends and representative journalists from various political parties!!!! – says a Rep. Haha.—
Dinesh Wagle (@wagle) May 03, 2011
…his entertainment beat n associates.. another rep raised madhesi representation. He also demanded election procedure to b amended—
Dinesh Wagle (@wagle) May 03, 2011
Wow. Raman ghimire, my colleague at Kantipur's Nepal magazing is exploding. He is pissed off w/politicization of FNJ N marginalization of..—
Dinesh Wagle (@wagle) May 03, 2011
Now Kiran Chapagain, my former colleague at Post n now w/Republica, is speaking/asking Qs, getting lots of claps.—
Dinesh Wagle (@wagle) May 03, 2011
Or somebody may read these tweets n 4ward/complain to organjzers. In that case, my name may be announced next to be expelled frm hall. Haha.—
Dinesh Wagle (@wagle) May 03, 2011
@keshuvko m here as Tweetreporter to tweetport the meeting
so I hope they will allow me to be here!—
Dinesh Wagle (@wagle) May 03, 2011
Some Shabasads (reps4convention, not CA members tho) r screaming "paani". They r thirsty. N some r asking Qs to gen sec who tabled a report—
Dinesh Wagle (@wagle) May 03, 2011
Just sneaked into the CLOSED session of the general convention of journalists -FNJ-at academy hall. M not a sabhasad (rep) tho!—
Dinesh Wagle (@wagle) May 03, 2011
[झक्कुलाई झापड] A Man, Teashop Owner, Slaps a (Maoist) Lawmaker (Tweets- for the record)
For the record: Premraj Devkota, the teashop owner just outside Kantipur complex- where my office is located- slapped Maoist lawmaker Jhakku Prasad Subedi. Like many staffs at Kantipur I too have gone many times for tea and quick snacks at Premraj daju’s place (though its not my favorite teashop- didn’t even know his name till today. Is it Premlal or Premraj? Ok, will go with the latter). Last time I was there was some five days ago when a doctor from Nepalgunj had come to see me at my office. A week before that I had gone there at his teashop along with a representative of American INGO NED. Premlal dai is a politically conscious person- that I know from his talks. He almost always talks (a lot) to his customers- especially to journalists- about politics and gives his own analysis of the situation. He had voted for the Maoist party in the CA election- to Jhakku himself who was elected from Kathmandu-2. I also voted in the same constituency though I would not like to reveal my electoral leaning here
So here are my tweets of the incident. I couldn’t gather much info during the day as was busy translating a long Osama bin Laden obituary for the paper..so just presenting tweets here in reverse chronological order.
The slap to a CA member comes months after a similar incident in which a man in eastern Nepal slapped JN Khanal who, after couple of monts of receiving the slap, became the Prime Minister of Nepal. Here’s my story, in Nepali, on shabasad that appeared in last Saturday’s Kantipur: बिचरा सभासद !
LOL. so what's the headline? Jhakku lai Jhappu? Reminds me of "Jhakku le hanyo chakku" (on MK Nepal's chest) slogan after CA polls!!—
Dinesh Wagle (@wagle) May 02, 2011
Can't loiter around in office to get more juicy updates on Jhakku Subedi incident, got some work to do as deadline is looming—
Dinesh Wagle (@wagle) May 02, 2011
"I voted for you along w/my wife and you never seem to be bringing out a new constitution," is reportedly what the teaman told Jhakku—
Dinesh Wagle (@wagle) May 02, 2011
CA is supposed to write. Ironically, the shop-owner and Jhakku had pleasant relations in past, the guy HAD voted to Jhakku in CA poll—
Dinesh Wagle (@wagle) May 02, 2011
..greeted the lawmaker, invited him to the tea shop and wanted written commitment regarding the promulgation of constitution that the…—
Dinesh Wagle (@wagle) May 02, 2011
Ok. here's update (with correction to this tweet http://bit.ly/llmC0T ): No tea was served. Jhakku was walking past his shop, the man ….—
Dinesh Wagle (@wagle) May 02, 2011
MK Nepal, nominated to the CA, remained in the post of PM for several months despite tendering resignation..—
Dinesh Wagle (@wagle) May 02, 2011
MK Nepal, who also lost frm Rhautahat, later became head of Constitutional Committee of CA AND the Prime Minister of Nepal 4 almost 2 yrs—
Dinesh Wagle (@wagle) May 02, 2011
Jhakku Subedi is best known for defeating the then CPN UML general secretary Madhav K Nepal from Kathmandu-2 constituency in CA polls—
Dinesh Wagle (@wagle) May 02, 2011
Another TV camera went 2 interview d teashop-owner. As he was talking, a group of policemen came, arrested & took him away 2 nearby station—
Dinesh Wagle (@wagle) May 02, 2011
Jhakku ran away according to a colleague who witnessed the incident. And came back, entered Kantipur complex where KTV interviewed him—
Dinesh Wagle (@wagle) May 02, 2011
The teashop-owner just outside Kantipur office reportedly manhandled Maoist Constituent Assembly member Jhakku Subedi after serving tea!—
Dinesh Wagle (@wagle) May 02, 2011
Kathmandu Valley Banda After a Long Time (Tweets, for the record)
Kathmandu experienced a general strike (popularly known as “banda”- closure) today after a long time. I tweeted my thoughts about the strike. I present those tweets (in reverse chronological order) here for my record. I spent a couple of early hours of the day talking to two Maoist lawmakers- one of them was too shy to speak words, he communicated mostly by moving his head- and a Maoist journalist at the residence of one of the CA members and the journalist. The banda was withdrawn sometime around 3 pm which meant that I could go home in a public vehicle like I always do.
My impression is that today's banda comes as a speed bump to the people who were having relatively peaceful life w/a certain pace #Nepal—
Dinesh Wagle (@wagle) April 27, 2011
Okay, this bandh is 4 "timely statute, ..rights of indigenous communities [in statue] & against the CA term extension! http://t.co/I8fF1qs—
Dinesh Wagle (@wagle) April 27, 2011
A few days ago some of my friends & colleagues were passing jokes about absence of Bandas and strikes in Kathmandu in recent months #Nepal—
Dinesh Wagle (@wagle) April 27, 2011
I don't recall any Banda (so does my frn) since May tho there may have been. I didn't live in Kathmandu for many months b4/since May #Nepal—
Dinesh Wagle (@wagle) April 27, 2011
A banda (strike) in Kathmandu after a long time. Maoists had called 4general strike in May'10 http://t.co/2GMophU http://t.co/2IeqLYT #Nepal—
Dinesh Wagle (@wagle) April 27, 2011
And this tweeply:
@sabanchapagain bani napareko kaha ho ra chapagain ji. banda ra hadtal sanga bani napareko kun nepali hola ra.—
Dinesh Wagle (@wagle) April 28, 2011
The person tweet-mentioned me, after reading my tweets, that I would get habitual with the bandas soon. I said: It’s not that I haven’t been habituated [with the banda culture]. There could be no Nepali who is not habituated with the banda.
Related: Nepal Banda and Power Cut