Young Life
VOICE OF ASIA 16
Nepal’s musicians retune to tradition
FRIDAY, November 24, 2017
Young men, frequent drivers most likely to get distracted while driving
by Paavan Mathema by April Fulton
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ATHMANDU, Nepal | AFP | Nepal’s musical heritage is enjoying a revival as young musicians fuse the sounds of traditional instruments once at risk of disappearing with lyrics that examine the modern challenges facing the country.
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istracted driving is a growing problem, accounting for at least 12 percent of road crashes worldwide. Young men are more likely to be distracted, a study finds. If you’re reading this on your phone while driving, stop it. Especially if you’re a young neurotic extroverted guy who drives a lot.
The Himalayan country has a rich folk tradition, but its unusual traditional instruments -- which include a leaf from a native tree that is played like a harmonica -- were dying out as younger generations moved towards Western music styles.
Two seconds of attention to the insistent beeping and blinking of our mobile phones or simply changing the radio station accounts for at least 12 percent of car accidents worldwide and 14 percent of them in the U.S., according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.
That was until bands such as Night, which formed in 2006 as a metal group, decided to create a modern take on its indigenous music. “We grew up listening to sounds of guitars and drums and so we started to play the same. But then we started experimenting with folk instruments,” said Night’s Jason Kunwar.
Nepal’s musical heritage is enjoying a revival as young musicians fuse the sounds of traditional instruments once at risk of disappearing with lyrics that examine the modern challenges facing the country
Now the 33-year-old singer’s musical repertoire includes the more esoteric Sarangi, a three-stringed instrument made of wood and dried sheep skin whose sounds are said to closely resemble the human voice, as well as the deeper-sounding Piwancha.
we are to lose such valuable knowledge.”
The band’s latest album evolved from months spent researching instruments and singing styles in remote western Nepal. “It is fascinating to discover and learn new instruments. We are fortunate that there are still people who can teach us,” said Kunwar. “The longer we wait, the more likely
The songs tackle some of the most pressing social issues facing the country, including the huge number of Nepalis forced to migrate for work, often not seeing their families for long periods. The combination has proved popular -- it was standing room only at the band’s recent gig in Kathmandu. - ‘Turning point’ Ram Prasad Kandel, founder of a folk instrument museum in Kathmandu, believes the country is witnessing a “turning point” in attitudes towards
its music traditions. “There is such diversity in the sound and make of the instruments, and their playing methods. It is a gift from our ancestors,” he told AFP. “It is our identity and the young generation has to continue it.” Popular rock and pop bands Nepathya and 1974 AD were among the first to produce fusion hits with folk elements. Then Kutumba, an instrumental ensemble formed in 2004, brought the sounds of rural folk instruments to a more hip urban demographic.
College students far overestimate stimulant abuse, research finds
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esearch recently found America’s college students have an inflated view of prescription stimulant abuse, thinking it occurs more frequently than it actually does.
He said colleges have gotten better about educating on things like how to minimize risk when consuming alcohol, but they still have a ways to go regarding prescription drug abuse. Kilmer credits his interest in the topic of substance abuse to research he started working on as an undergraduate in 1989. “The general kind of mindset at that time was abstinence only, just say no,” he said. Kilmer credits his current work to IU’s own late Alan Marlatt because
Also, people who felt that distracted driving was socially acceptable or didn’t feel they could control distractions were also more likely to report distracted driving, the study shows. Older women and those who felt that they could control their behavior were less likely to report distraction. (-NPR)
HCC wins math curriculum award
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OUSTON, November 20, 2017 – Houston Community College has been honored with a 2017 MATH Pathway Exemplar Award for Excellence. The award was in the category of Curriculum and Pedagogy, which is the art and science of teaching. The award is given on behalf of the Dana Center at the University of Texas and the Texas Association of Community College’s Texas Success Center. It recognizes excellence in creating multiple pathways with relevant and challenging math content aligned to specific areas of study; acceleration allowing students to quickly com-
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ollege students who borrow to pay for school typically don’t have to start repaying their student loans until six months after leaving school. But when it does come time to start making loan payments, you may find yourself stressing out about the additional monthly expense.
Kilmer surveyed a total of 2,989 undergraduates from seven American universities. The participating schools cannot be identified for confidentiality reasons.
“That’s noteworthy,” Kilmer said. “If we can correct that misperceived norm, we might actually see that that could have an impact on people’s decision to use or not use.”
Young men were among the most likely to report distraction due to phones but also people talking in the car or flipping through the radio dial. The study found that the more distraction-prone included frequent drivers, and those with neurotic and extroverted personalities.
plete college-level math courses; use of strategies to help students develop learning skills; and curriculum design. “This honor once again exemplifies HCC’s commitment to fostering student success at all of our campuses,” said HCC Chancellor Dr. Cesar Maldonado. Dr. Betty Fortune, Executive Director of Student Success and Completion, praised her HCC team for their contributions to winning the award. “Our team is incredibly committed to creating multiple pathways for our students to excel in their chosen areas of study and this award demonstrates that,” Fortune said.
Tips to repay student loans as quickly, affordably as possible
In a study by University of Washington’s Jason Kilmer, students guessed about 30 percent of their classmates were taking drugs like Adderall and Ritalin for nomedical purposes at least once a year. Kilmer found only 17 percent of students surveyed had done so.
The spring 2017 Indiana College Substance Use Survey reported 5 percent of 4,814 students surveyed from 31 Indiana colleges had misused prescription stimulants in the past month. More than one fifth of students Kilmer surveyed guessed that more than half of their classmates were abusing prescription stimulants at least once a year. Some students guessed that number was as high as 98 percent.
While anyone can get distracted behind the wheel, some people may be more prone than others, according to a study published Friday in Frontiers in Psychology by Ole Johansson, a researcher at Norway’s Institute of Transport Economics.
The study looks at the driving habits and personalities of hundreds of Norwegian high schoolers and adults. While few reported distracted driving was a problem for them, some patterns about who was more likely to be distracted emerged.
File photo he got his start working with college students on a project with one of Marlatt’s graduate students. In a time where abstention was recognized as the primary means to solve substance issues, Kilmer said Marlatt was asking tougher questions. “Listen, we can’t tell people to just say no,” Kilmer said, citing Marlatt’s philosophy. “We obviously can’t tell them to just say yes, but what if they do say yes?” Regarding his interest in this topic, Kilmer also pointed to researcher Amelia Arria from the University of Maryland. In a keynote presentation the two collaborated on together last year, Arria theorized that nonmedical use of prescription stimulants could be linked to marijuana use. The basis of her theory is that those who use marijuana are more likely to have attention, concentration and memory decreases, Kilmer explained. Experiencing those issues may cause people to turn to stimulants to aid their
focus. Kilmer’s research found 86 percent of students who engaged in nonmedical use of prescription stimulants also used marijuana in the past year. Only 38.8 percent of students who did not abuse stimulants reported using marijuana in the past year. His findings also showed skipping class and heavy drinking are correlated with abuse of prescription stimulants. In her paper, “Dispelling the myth of ‘smart drugs,’” Arria concluded both alcohol and marijuana use lead to decreasing GPA and skipping class, which can lead to nonmedical prescription stimulant use. “To me, it highlights the importance of considering the context of a student’s substance use,” Kilmer said. He said it can be difficult to recognize signs of stimulant abuse since some of the behaviors you would look for are also signs of a busy college student.(-IDS News)
K. V. Doraiswamy Bhattar 281-489-0464 or 281-948-8368 kvdoraiswamybhattar@yahoo.com kvdoraiswamy60@gmail.com
Rituals Performed: Sreemantham, Punyahavachanam, Namakaranam, Annaprashanam, Vidyarambham, Choulam, Upanayanam, Wedding, Sathya narayana puja, and all kind of Homas (Havans) and more. I can drive to your place. More than 30 years of experience as Priest in major temples including Sri Meenakshi Temple Pearland, TX. Can speak 5 languages (Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and English)
“Properly preparing for this transition can help students successfully manage their payments now and in the future,” says Martha Holler, senior vice president, Sallie Mae. To help, Holler is offering the following insights. • Know who and how much you owe. Keep track of lender and servicer contact information and other important details on a spreadsheet. Include the type of student loan, name of the servicer, the servicer’s phone number, interest rate and type, and the ending date of your separation or grace period. • Tap technology. Set up automatic payments so you’ll never have to worry about missing a payment. You’ll avoid late fees and you might qualify for a discount on your interest rate. For example, Sallie Mae customers may be eligible to receive a 0.25 percent interest rate reduction when they pay on-time via auto-debit. • Save money. Make more than the minimum payment each month to pay off your loan faster and pay less interest overall. • Think long-term. Paying on time
consistently can help you establish and build a favorable credit history. This can make a big difference when you apply for a car loan, credit card, lease, mortgage, or even a job. • Be responsible. Open any mail you receive from your servicer or lender and read it carefully. Update your contact information when it changes, such as when you leave school and “.edu” is no longer part of your email address. If you run into trouble, contact your lender or servicer, touch base with your cosigner if you have one, and look for solutions. For more tips and tools, visit salliemae.com and check out Sallie Mae’s “Manage Your Student Loans,” a one-stop source of straightforward, comprehensive information featuring practical tools -- including a monthly budget worksheet and a loan payment estimator, as well as easy-to-understand explanations of complex subjects, like how interest accrues, how payments are allocated to principal and interest, and how to build a strong credit history. “Our student loan repayment tips and tools are designed to help new grads adopt responsible personal finance habits now that will serve them well throughout their lives,” says Holler. Time to repay your student loans? Be sure you have all the tools and facts needed to do so as quickly and affordably as possible. (-StatePoint)
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