Jung Bahadur Rana

Jung Bahadur Kunwar joined the military service (1832-33) at the age of sixteen. As maternal grandson of Bhimsen Thapa, he lost his job and his property when the latter fell. After wandering in north India for several years, he returned to Nepal as a captain in the artillery in 1840. In November 1841, he was asked by the king to join his bodyguard, and in January 1842 he began work as Kaji in the palace. When his maternal uncle Mathbar Singh Thapa returned to power, Jung Bahadur rose with him. However Mathbar Singh disliked Jung Bahadur's ambition and had him removed to a lesser position on the staff of the heir apparent. When Fateh Jung Chautaria came to power, Jung Bahadur became fourth in the hierarchy of the coalition government and took pains to flatter the queen while showing no signs of ambition to Gagan Singh. A career opportunist, he was ready and waiting when the time came to act at the Kot Massacre.

Queen Lakshmidevi, the favorite wife of King Rajendra Bikram was not pleased by the new prime minister. She conspired to eliminate Jung Bahadur Kunwar and elevate her son to the throne. The Basnyat Conspiracy -- so called because many of its participants belonged to one of the last leading noble families, the Basnyat -- was betrayed and its ringleaders were rounded up and executed in 1846 at Bhandarkhal Parva. A meeting of leading notables packed with Rana supporters found the queen guilty of complicity in the plot, stripped her of her powers, and sent her into exile in Banaras along with King Rajendra. The king still had delusions of grandeur and began plotting his return from India. In 1847 Jung Bahadur informed the troops of the exiled king's treasonous activities, announced his dethronement, and elevated Rajendra's son to the throne as Surendra Bikram Shah (1847-81). King Rajendra Bikram was captured later that year in the Tarai and brought back as a prisoner to Bhadgaon, where he spent the rest of his life under house arrest.

By 1850 Jung Bahadur had eliminated all of his major rivals, installed his own candidate on the throne, appointed his brothers and cronies to all the important posts, and ensured that major administrative decisions were made by himself as prime minister. At this point, he took the unprecedented step of travelling to Britain and France[2], leaving from Calcutta in April 1850 and returning to Kathmandu in February 1851. Although he unsuccessfully tried to deal directly with the British government while he was there, the main result of the tour was a great increase in goodwill between the British and Nepal. Recognizing the power of industrialized Europe, he became convinced that close cooperation with the British was the best way to guarantee Nepal's independence. From then on, European architecture, fashion, and furnishings became more prevalent in Kathmandu and among the Nepalese aristocracy in general.

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Girija Prasad Koirala

Girija Prasad Koirala, a former Nepalese prime minister and a pivotal figure in establishing Nepal’s fragile democracy who also helped broker an end to the country’s Maoist rebellion, died Saturday in Katmandu. He was 85.
His funeral procession on Sunday in Katmandu, Nepal, followed a ceremony at a stadium where thousands lined up to pay respects.

Nepalese leaders, in announcing his death, declared Sunday, the day of his funeral, to be a national holiday, to allow public mourning of Mr. Koirala’s death, and they also ordered that the national flag be flown at half-staff. Mr. Koirala died at the home of his daughter after being in frail health.

Mr. Koirala’s death further complicates an already politically fraught situation in Nepal. The country’s interim Constitution expires in late May. The Maoists, now a political party, are negotiating with other parties to formally complete the peace process, ending their 10-year rebellion while the parties also are writing a new Constitution that would restructure the national government.

Mr. Koirala, patriarch of the Nepali Congress Party and a symbol of the political establishment, had been leading a working group of top leaders from different parties, including the Maoists, to try to break a political impasse in the negotiations. His death raises questions about the shape and fate of the continuing talks.

“Mr. Koirala’s death is a huge loss for Nepal and its ongoing peace process,” a spokesman for the United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, said in a statement.

Mr. Koirala served five times as Nepal’s prime minister, eliciting both praise and criticism, leading 5 of the country’s 18 governments since democracy was established in 1991. He was elected as prime minister the same year and had a rocky tenure, facing accusations of corruption, nepotism and mismanagement.

But his mark on Nepal’s politics was formidable, and he would become a respected statesman. He helped broker the peace deal with the Maoists in 2006 that ended a decade of bloodshed, an agreement that brought together the Maoists and the democratic political parties to ultimately depose Nepal’s monarchy and establish the country as a republic.

On Saturday, leaders from different sides of the political spectrum praised Mr. Koirala, even as they bemoaned his absence in the current talks. Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat, leader of the Nepali Congress Party, declared that Mr. Koirala’s death had “created a vacuum in Nepali politics. Now the authority is gone.”

Pushpa Kamal Dahal, also known as Prachanda, the leader of the Maoists, described Mr. Koirala as “a towering figure of Nepal’s democratic movement, one of the architect’s of Nepal’s historic peace and Constitution-writing process.”

Mr. Koirala was born in 1925 into a political family in Bihar. His two brothers were prime ministers. Inspired by his elder brother, B. P. Koirala, a major democratic leader who founded the Nepali Congress Party, Mr. Koirala started his political career working in the trade union movement in his hometown.

Kiran Chapagain reported from Katmandu, and Jim Yardley from New Delhi.

Correction: An earlier version of this article gave the wrong location for Mr. Koirala’s birthplace. It was Bihar, not Biratnagar.

This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:

Correction: March 26, 2010

An obituary and a headline on Monday about the former Nepalese prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala misstated his age, and the obituary misidentified his place of birth. Mr. Koirala was 85, not 86, and he was born in the state of Bihar, India — not in Biratnagar, Nepal. (As the obituary noted, Mr. Koirala was born in 1925, but he was considered to be 86 in Nepal, where by custom people are regarded as 1 year old at birth.)

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Carlos Slim Helu - 1st place in Richest Man Top 2011

Carlos Slim Helu (born January 28, 1940) is a Mexican business magnate and philanthropist who as of 2011 is the richest man in the world, for the second year in a row. He is the chairman and chief executive of telecommunications companies Telmex and America Movil and has extensive holdings in other Mexican companies through his conglomerate, Grupo Carso SAB, as well as business interests elsewhere in the world.

America Movil, which in 2010 was Latin America's largest mobile-phone carrier, accounted for around US$49 billion of Slim's wealth by the end of 2010. His corporate holdings as of March 2011 have been estimated at US$74 billion.

On March 29, 2007, Slim surpassed Warren Buffett as the world's second richest person with an estimated net worth of $53.1 billion compared to Buffet's $52.4 billion.

On August 4, 2007, The Wall Street Journal ran a cover story profiling Slim. The article said, "While the market value of his stake in publicly traded companies could decline at any time, at the moment he is probably wealthier than Bill Gates". According to The Wall Street Journal, Slim credits part of his ability to "discover investment opportunities" early to the writings of his friend, futurist author Alvin Toffler.

On August 8, 2007, Fortune reported that Slim had overtaken Gates as the world's richest man. Slim's estimated fortune soared to $59 billion, based on the value of his public holdings at the end of July. Bill Gates net worth was estimated to be at least $58 billion.

On March 5, 2008, Forbes ranked Slim as the world's second-richest person, behind Warren Buffett and ahead of Bill Gates.

On March 11, 2009, Forbes ranked Slim as the world's third-richest person, behind Gates and Buffett and ahead of Larry Ellison.

On March 10, 2010, Forbes once again reported that Slim had overtaken Gates as the world's richest man, with a net worth of $53.5 billion. Bill Gates and Warren Buffett now have a net worth of $53 billion and $47 billion respectively. He was the first Mexican to top the list. It was the first time in 16 years that the person on top of the list was not from the United States. It was also the first time the person at the top of the list was from an "emerging economy."

In March 2011, Forbes stated that Slim had maintained his position as the wealthiest person in the world, with his fortune estimated at $74 billion.

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Warren Buffett - 3rd place in Richest Man Top 2011

Warren Edward Buffett (born August 30, 1930) is an American business magnate, investor, and philanthropist. He is widely regarded as one of the most successful investors in the world. Often introduced as "legendary investor, Warren Buffett", he is the primary shareholder, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. He is consistently ranked among the world's wealthiest people. He was ranked as the world's wealthiest person in 2008 and is the third wealthiest person in the world as of 2011.

Buffett is called the "Wizard of Omaha", "Oracle of Omaha" or the "Sage of Omaha" and is noted for his adherence to the value investing philosophy and for his personal frugality despite his immense wealth. Buffett is also a notable philanthropist, having pledged to give away 99 percent of his fortune to philanthropic causes, primarily via the Bill Gates Foundation. He also serves as a member of the board of trustees at Grinnell College.

In 2008, Buffett became the richest man in the world dethroning Bill Gates, worth $62 billion according to Forbes, and $58 billion according to Yahoo. Bill Gates had been number one on the Forbes list for 13 consecutive years. In 2009, Bill Gates regained number one of the list according to Forbes magazine, with Buffett second. Their values have dropped to $40 billion and $37 billion respectively, Buffett having (according to Forbes) lost $25 billion in 12 months during 2008/2009.

In 2008 he was ranked by Forbes as the richest person in the world with an estimated net worth of approximately US$62 billion. In 2009, after donating billions of dollars to charity, Buffett was ranked as the second richest man in the United States with a net worth of US$37 billion with only Bill Gates ranked higher than Buffett. His net worth is up to $47 billion in the past 12 months.

Numerous books have been written about Warren Buffett and his investment strategies. In October 2008, USA Today reported that there were at least 47 books in print with Buffett's name in the title. The article quoted the CEO of Borders Books, George Jones, as saying that the only other living persons named in as many book titles were U.S. presidents, major world political figures, and the Dalai Lama. Buffett said that his own personal favorite is a collection of his essays called The Essays of Warren Buffett, which he described as "a coherent rearrangement of ideas from my annual report letters" as edited by Larry Cunningham.

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The Britney Spears of Yesteryear

New entertainers come into the forefront of popular culture every year, some only lasting in the limelight for a couple of years, while others remain popular for many, many years.

These days, there are many pop singers that are very popular and well-known throughout the world. If you ask any of your peers, or even you parents, chances are that they’ve heard of Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera and can possibly even hum a line or two from their latest album. But these young entertainers are relatively new and were not around when your parents and grandparents were growing up. So who were the famous entertainers in the years before Britney Spears?

Here’s a sampling of some of her predecessors:

The 1930s: Shirley Temple
You may think that Hillary Duff and the Olsen twins are young stars, but back in the 1930s there was a child star that was even younger and more well-known than the young stars of today. Born in 1928, Shirley Temple became an international star by the age of six. Recognized for her blond curly hair and sweet high-pitched voice, Shirley was praised for her singing, dancing, and acting abilities and was even awarded an Academy Award in 1935 “in grateful recognition of her outstanding contribution to screen entertainment.” She starred in over 40 movies as a child and was the top box office star from 1935-38. If you’ve never seen one of her movies, ask your parents if you can watch a Shirley Temple classic such asBright EyesorThe Little Princess– she may even tap dance her way into your heart the way she did for people over 60 years ago.

The 1940s: Judy Garland
Judy Garland (birth name was Frances Ethel Gumm) was born in 1922, the youngest of three girls in the Gumm family. The three young sisters took singing, dancing, and acting lessons at a young age and were performing in front of an audience by the late 1920s. Judy made her film acting debut in 1936 and went on to star in over 40 films during her career. Similar to Shirley Temple, Judy was famous for her acting, singing, and dancing abilities and was awarded a special Academy Award for “Best Juvenile Performance of the Year” in 1939. If you haven’t seen her films or heard her famous deep singing voice, ask your parents if you watch one of her classic films such asThe Wizard of Oz, Meet Me in St. Louis,orA Star is Born.

The 1950s: Elvis Presley
You’ve most likely heard of this next entertainer even though he first became famous over 40 years ago. He has one of the most recognized names of the 20th century and although you may have never heard his music you’ve certainly heard his name–Elvis. Elvis Aaron Presley was born in Mississippi in 1935, moved to Memphis, Tennessee in 1948, and was an international star by 1956. Famous for his songs (Don’t be Cruel, Love Me Tender, Hound Dog), films(Jailhouse Rock, Viva Las Vegas) and television and concert appearances, Elvis has been a household name around the world for decades. He is one of the very first “rock n’ roll” musicians and thousands of musicians today mention him as an important influence on their music.

The 1960s: The Beatles
These four famous lads accomplished the unique feat of being enormously famous and well-known entertainers while at the same time being respected and admired for their pure musical talent, song-writing skills, and the innovations they contributed to the music industry. They helped to move rock n’ roll music from its blues and R&B forms into more eclectic and experimental forms. Incidentally, they cite Elvis Presley as one of their influences and got the chance to meet the star in 1965. If you’ve never heard any of their famous songs (although chances are you have), try listening to some of their early hits (”I Want to Hold Your Hand,” “Help,” “Yesterday”) or later songs (”I Am the Walrus,” “Strawberry Fields,” “Let it Be”) — you might discover that you have something in common with older generations and find that you love these classic rock n’ roll oldies!

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Michael Phelps Olympic Champion

8 Gold Medals in the 2008 Olympics

Michael Phelps is officially the greatest swimmer in the world! Phelps had one ultimate goal in mind for the Beijing Olympic Games - to break the 7 gold medal record held by Mark Spitz since the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich. Although many people were skeptical that it could not be done, he proved them wrong. After winning his eighth gold medal in the 4×100 meter medley relay (his final swimming event in the 2008 Olympics) Phelps stated, “Nothing is impossible. With so many people saying it couldn’t be done, all it takes is an imagination, and that’s something I learned and something that helped me.” Winning eight gold medals in a single Olympic games is only a portion of Phelps’ Olympic accomplishments. Phelps has won a total of 16 Olympic medals so far in his career, making him the second most decorated Olympic athlete of all time. Phelps also holds 7 world swimming records and 6 U.S. swimming records.

Phelps’ Physical Advantage
Phelps has the ideal swimmer’s physique - tall, broad shoulders, and narrow hips. Along with these classic traits, he has a long torso and short legs (his inseam is only 32 inches). Phelps height/leg ratio serves to his advantage because the lower body is what causes resistance or “drag” when swimming. Phelps also has a very long wingspan (measured from fingertip to fingertip) which is 3 inches longer than his height. Most people have identical height and wingspan length. Last but not least Phelps is double-jointed so his body is hyperflexible. This hyperflexibility allows Phelps to flex his feet approximately 15 degrees further than the average person, turning his feet into powerful “flippers.”

Phelps and the Future
Phelps’ recent accomplishments will make him the world’s richest professional swimmer worth an estimated 5 million dollars a year (or maybe more). Michael Phelps will continue to train as a swimmer and we can look forward to Phelps’ performance at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London. We won’t miss it!

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How to Be Popular

What do all popular people have in common? Do they all wear the same clothes? Have the same hair? Say the same things? Of course not. There are popular people all over the world, enjoying their social status at school, work, and wherever they go. They don't all look or act like each other, but they do all share one very crucial characteristic: people skills. Maybe they were born with them, or maybe they learned them from their family; however, they got them, they have them, and maybe you feel like you don't. Here's how to develop your people skills and start being the popular kid!

Create an objective. It is great to have a friend. If becoming popular is your goal, you need to know how you will get to know that you are popular. Is it when all your colleagues come to know your name? Or will you consider yourself popular when passersby wave at you?
Understand the methods of successful people. Once you have your objective clearly in your mind, proceed to check who is popular in that particular area and what they are doing. These people take steps that the not-so-popular guys are not taking. Example: One manager is known for his good communication with clients. How does he do that? He makes all his presentations very simple. He is ready with his suggestions and spends time understanding the client’s real needs. These are a few things that he does which most of the other managers do not do.
Be Confident. Everyone has some flaws. Don't let that stop you! Even if you feel that you just aren't good, keep believing. Love yourself and believe in yourself. Don't sit in the corner. Get up, and get into the spotlight. Don't worry too much about yourself. Get some courage!

Be willing to step out of your comfort zone. If you're not popular, it's because you're not comfortable doing the things that popular people tend to do--making conversation, cracking jokes, flirting, and in general, engaging people. You might be introspective, shy, or quiet, but in order to get what you want, you need to change how you interact with people. At first, that might feel like you're being shallow or fake, but remember that being yourself is, at its core, all ...about knowing what you truly want out of life. There's nothing wrong with wanting to be on good terms with most people (which is what popularity really is). To be popular, you're going to need to take a few chances (on a social level) that normally feel uncomfortable (perhaps terrifying) to you. So be prepared to be bold.

Be friendly.. Popular people are on friendly terms with pretty much everyone--not only their peers, but also the teachers, the supervisors, the grocery store clerk, the janitor, the parents, the kids, and generally anyone who's even the tiniest bit nice. (The only people they're not friends with are the ones who are practically impossible to get along with.) They're on good enough terms that they can hold a short, friendly conversation with anyone in the room. There's no reason you can't do that, too.

    Talk to anyone and everyone who crosses your path. Smile, say hello, and if they greet you back, ask them how they're doing. No matter where you go, make it a habit to chat with strangers and acquaintances alike, even if it's just for a few minutes.


Have good style.
Have good style. No one wants to follow a person who has a bad fashion sense. If you can't afford brand names, shop at stores that still have cool clothes at an affordable price (e.g. charmingCHARLIE, Target, Aeropostale, American Eagle, etc.) If you want your own signature style, buy from all stores and mix & match. Everyone loves a person who has no fear when it comes to fashion.

    Keep it casual. Small talk is all about sticking to "safe" topics. Stay away from anything controversial, like religion or politics. By expressing your views on a controversial topic, you're bound to be unpopular with people who disagree. Keep the topics "light".
    Be polite. Respect people's privacy; don't pry. Learn to read body language so you can see when your questions are starting to make them feel uncomfortable. Don't invite yourself anywhere, don't brag, and don't interrupt. In other words, don't be annoying.

Stop thinking about yourself. Of all the people skills that popular individuals have, the one that none of them can do without is empathy. How well do you relate to other people? If you're so caught up in how they perceive you that you don't consider how they feel, then you're being self-absorbed--not in that cocky, obnoxious sort of way, but still, your thoughts are revolving around you. Stop worrying so much about how you look, how you sound, how you compare, and start thinking about how other people are doing. Don't try to act interesting to get other people's attention; act interested in them. Ask them how work or school is going, how their family is doing, how that situation they mentioned a while back turned out, and so on. Then relate. Talk to them about how you or someone you know had something similar happen to them, and how they dealt with it. Find common ground.

Give a helping hand. Popular people don't just know everyone--they're on good terms with everyone. They establish those terms by helping people out, and they don't do it in particularly noticeable ways (they're not the martyrs or saints of society). They do little things to establish rapport (in addition to some big things, like volunteering). They offer someone a pencil when they need it. They close the neighbor's gate when it opens after a strong wind. They hold the door open and wait for the person behind them. But most often, they listen to people when they talk, and they offer to help somehow. If you truly empathize with people, you'll want things to work out for them. If there's nothing you can do to help then, at the very least, let them know that you're hoping the best for them. Here are some phrases that you'll often hear popular people saying:

    "Well, I hope things work out. If you need anything, just call me, OK?"
    "Whoa, that's crazy. I can't believe he did that. Do you want me to talk to him for you?"
    "Yeah! I definitely want to go check that out. Do you want to go there together? We can split the gas that way."
Be yourself. It may sound trite, but popular people live out this popular phrase. You might think that in order to be popular, you need to be attractive and talented, but--while it's true that those qualities are more likely to make you a hit with people--there are extremely popular people who are otherwise quite average, and there are extremely good-looking and talented people who are anything BUT popular. Remember, the only thing you need in order to be popular is a good set of people skills--the remainder is all yours to mold as you see fit, regardless of what anyone else thinks.
Don't try too hard. Surprisingly, many "popular" people don't put too much conscious effort into it. They simply are themselves. If you're desperate to be popular, it will show in your actions, and people will think you're a poser, or worse, a freak. It helps if you find a group of friends that shares your interests, whom you can easily be yourself around. Then as you become more and more accustomed to hanging out with people, you can branch out and start talking to different people. But don't abandon your old friends!
Dress like you mean it. Being popular is being dressed like you mean it. Most popular people wear those expensive, rare clothes 'imported from Singapore', but it's easier to dress like yourself. Most people don't like people who wear flashy clothes, but they also don't like people who look like they've just finished rolling in the mud. Be yourself! Remember to dress accordingly too, being popular doesn't mean dressing yourself in a Sweater with Jeans in 0 degree weather!
Know that this is something you grow into - and not over night. So you need to start with the attitude/ personality. There's no point putting your hand up in lessons, because that's nerdy- the complete opposite to cool. However, if the teacher does ask you a question, saying "No" or "I don't know" will not only make you look dumb, but it will make you look like a slacker, and someone who doesn't give a damn about their life. Home life should be pretty simple. Avoid telling your parents to bog off, butt out, etc. It is offensive, and might cause you to get grounded. Be careful about what you do and say.

Try to fix your hair. Parents may restrict this but whatever, you're cool. Trying colourful (non-permanent) hair extensions is a risky idea, so just go for some coppy bangs, side fringe and lots of hairspray. Coon tails can be a good idea too.

Accessorize. Loads of cool accessory shops can provide colorful, costume jewelry, and they can always provide good gift ideas for your friends.

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