International Sources
Travel: Crestone: Colorado’s spiritual crossroads – Minneapolis Star Tribune
Crestone, in south-central Colorado, is about 200 miles and a four-hour drive from Denver. The most direct route — Hwy. 285 to Hwy. 17 — crosses four alpine passes, and Crestone itself is at an altitude of about 8,000 feet. That means weather is a … [read more]
Languages struggle to survive – Straits Times
NEW DELHI – CLASSROOMS at the Adivasi Academy in western India echo to the speech patterns of languages that may soon become no more than a meaningless jumble of noises. Kukna, Panchmahali and Rathvi are just three of dozens of tribal Indian tongues … [read more]
Gorkhaland hungerstrike enters second day – New Kerala
Darjeeling, Dec 12 A fast-unto-death protest by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) for a separate state of Gorkhaland entered its second day on Saturday even as the Darjeeling hill leaders said they would continue a democratic movement to achieve their … [read more]
Alternative gifts: Johnny wants a soccer ball, Suzy needs a heifer … – Ogden Standard-Examiner
Grandma will never guess what’s inside this package. A set of festive holly-trimmed goblets? Nope. A red and green bejeweled sweatshirt? Naw. A bottle of perfume to leave her smelling like fresh-baked gingerbread? Wrong again. How about — surprise … [read more]
Suffering from paralysis – Daily Times
KARACHI: Rehri Goth’s residents, whose children are suffering from paralysis of the lower limbs, have held a meeting and decided to protest outside the Karachi Press Club (KPC) against the delay in relief by the Sindh government, the provincial … [read more]
Qtel Dawli calling cards get good response – Peninsula
The Dawli Asia International Calling Card enables customers to connect with Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Diego Garcia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos, Macau, Maldives, Mongolia, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Taiwan for the same … [read more]
The Value of Nothing by Raj Patel – The Guardian
As Raj Patel explains in this penetrating and admirably concise guide to the follies of market fundamentalism … Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan, Patel informs the reader, the introduction of satellite television has been followed by a crime wave. [read more]
Cycling in Bhutan is a magical adventure – StarPhoenix
The grin on my face is as wide as the Bhutanese suspension bridge I’m flying across is long. And it defies all logic. I’m terrified of heights and way out of my comfort zone. But I’m cycling in Bhutan, the Land of the Thunder Dragon, a wonderful … [read more]
It’s absurd to think that you can measure happiness – The Guardian
It may not be a very scholarly term, but for think tank fashion and versatility, you can’t beat the word brittle. A few months ago, in a report called “Resilient nation”, Demos proclaimed that “British society is increasingly brittle”. That kind of … [read more]
A very townie Christmas 2009 – Ipswich Chronicle
Pat McNally; Charlie Surpitski, Ray Morley, portraying three wise men. Elizabeth Kilcoyne; Ingrid Miles; stuffing stockings and making eggnog again. “Bah Humbug†cried Bob Markel,†enough of this yearly charadeâ€Â; “Let there be lights and … [read more]
Kuensel – Bhutan’s National Newspaper
But what is the cost-benefit of a sound environmental policy?
12 December, 2009 – As Bhutan showcased its environmental friendly projects at the sidelines of the Copenhagen climate change conference yesterday, it also made a pledge in Thimphu, by signing a declaration, to follow and be guided by a strong sense of conservation ethics and remain a carbon neutral country. [read more]
Educating For GNH 12 December, 2009 – Examinations will always be an ordeal for students to get through to the next grade. But what alternative methods can Bhutanese schools explore to assess a student?
The fifth day of the “educating for GNH workshop” yesterday saw participants and observers extensively discuss current assessment tools in the Bhutanese school system. [read more]
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| Members of Parliament offer Tashi Moenlam to His Majesty the King during the concluding ceremony yesterday |
12 December, 2009 – The fourth session of the National Assembly (NA) formally concluded yesterday, with members expressing their appreciation for the support rendered by His Majesty the King to the people in eastern Bhutan affected by the September earthquake and fire. [read more]
12 December, 2009 – Many parents would have probably experienced trying to correct their child about something they learnt in school, and the child refusing to accept anything apart from what their teacher said [read more]
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| 11 December, 2009 – Shut Tight: A Layap household has vacated the premises and headed for warmer climes |
NA and NC are in accord for a change
11 December, 2009 – Parliament members, government secretaries and high court judges will now be paid Nu 50,445 a month. [read more]
National Integrity Assessment Report 11 December, 2009 –
In 2008, two out of every hundred Bhutanese paid an average of Nu 5,000 each in bribes to avail services, according to the national integrity assessment report (NIAR) of the anti-corruption commission (ACC). [read more]
To be opened in the event of a natural calamity
11 December, 2009 – A 50 kg box containing basic teaching materials will form a key component in ensuring that basic education of school going students continue when natural calamities strikes.
[read more]
By 2013, Bhutan’s school system should be GNH-engendered
Educating for GNH 11 December, 2009 –
Around 541 school principals and representatives of the two teacher colleges in Bhutan will meet on January 20 to ensure that GNH values and principles are brought into the school system starting from the 2010 academic year. [read more]
No study has been done on the perpetrators
11 December, 2009 – When Karma married his wife 12 years ago, he never realised that his job would one day cost his marriage.
[read more]
Bhutan Observer
Rocketing food prices hit Bhutan
The drastic increase in price of essential commodities has made this year expensive for consumers. They spent unusually more this year.
Karma Kunzang, a resident of Phuentsholing, said that Nu 300 to 400 used to be enough before to buy vegetables for a week, but now, with the same amount, he can get only a few [...] [read more]
Road construction resumes
With the end of monsoon, the construction work on the new Samtse-Phuentsholing highway has resumed.
“As soon as the monsoon ended, we started restoration works by clearing the blockages and damages caused during the monsoon,†said Niralal Rai, the Executive Engineer of the Department of Roads. During the monsoon season, the construction work was withheld and [...] [read more]
Quake relief works affect work plans
Earthquakes and aftershocks have affected this year’s work plan in the eastern dzongkhags.
Mongar Dzongda Sherab Tenzin said the dzongkhag was behind the planned work schedule by almost two months. This he said was because they had to engage themselves in relief operations and damage assessment after repeated earthquakes.
However, he said development activities in the dzongkhag [...] [read more]
Run against corruption
A five-km run from Kharbandi to the Zangdopelri in Phuentsholing town will be organised tomorrow to observe the National Corruption Free Week.
Organised by the dungkhag, the marathon titled, ‘Run Against Corruption’, will have two open categories for men and women. Some 250 people registered for the run. But interested people, who have not registered, can [...] [read more]
Zhongar 11 reaches Druk Wangyel final
Zhongar 11 defeated Druk 11,000 to reach the final of Druk Wangyal Archery Tournament at Changlingmithang yesterday.
The match saw frequent kareys from both teams but Zhongar 11 won the first game 25-14. The game continued, and Zhongar 11 again took the lead and sealed their place in the final 25-4.
The match saw spectators all ages [...] [read more]
Children overworked
Child workers work far beyond the time and day limits set by the Labour and Employment Act, according to a study conducted by National Commission for Women and Children (NCWC).
The child labour study, which was conducted by sampling 650 child labourers between 6 and 14 years of age from six dzongkhags – two each from [...] [read more]
Pemagatshel sees unusual cropping pattern
This year was an unusual year for mandarin farmers in Pemagatshel. Places unknown for growing mandarin saw abundant and good quality mandarin yield while places known for quality mandarin saw poor yield.
Sangay Dema, a young farmer in Jepobrangsa village, inherited some mandarin trees from her parents. Since the village is at high altitude, the trees [...] [read more]
Why is Bhutan not insulated?
The recent global crisis may not have had huge impact on Bhutanese economy, but economists say the country was not absolutely insulated from the shock. The economy growth slowed down and affected tourism and employment.
According to the Managing Director of Royal Monetary Authority (RMA), Bhutan did not experience adverse impact like other emerging economies of [...] [read more]
Uuh! This huge load, and the need to run!
[read more]
The direction of Bhutan’s education
As the week long conference on education and GNH is nearing its end, a private citizen like myself waits to hear what kind of future is being planned for our education system. Education undoubtedly is the central pillar of happiness and democracy and it is a matter of immense delight that this convention is taking [...] [read more]
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