What, how much and how to eat in the lockdown?

Lockdown has left most people indoors today. Many people know what to eat and what to eat while staying at home. Whether it is woodcut or not, we should always eat healthy food at home. But, even in such a situation now, it is heard that many people are ordering food from various food delivery services. Even in such leisure time, the townspeople are reluctant to eat at home. But, we should eat home-cooked food as much as possible.

In some cases, just cooking at home does not mean that the food is healthy. For that, the food should be cooked in a healthy and clean way. You should not cook or eat more than you need, saying,

Some people have a habit of eating a lot after getting sweets. This habit can lead to weight gain as well as diabetes, high blood pressure and other health problems. When you cook too much, you can't eat all the food at once. Food is wasted. Throwing food at such a difficult time is like committing a crime. There are also people who get restless without getting a meal. These are the things to pay attention to.

What and how to eat

Eat less rice, bread and more green vegetables. Since green vegetables are not available everywhere now, you should eat as much as you have available. Nutritious food should be shared by everyone in the house. Living indoors and not having much work, the body now has fewer calories. Still, there are those who eat three or four meals a day. There is no need to make rice, pulses, two or three kinds of vegetables and pickles like other times. Rice and pickled vegetables and pickles are enough. Better a poor horse than no horse at all. It works on both lentils and vegetables. Eating in this way also reduces weight. And, the body needs enough calories. Some people can't even cook two or three kinds of vegetables without meat. This habit should be removed.

One meal in the morning and one meal a day. Rice or bread does not have to be eaten. Gedagudi and its soup can also be eaten.

This is a golden opportunity for a housewife to teach her family how to eat healthy food with little food. One meal in the morning and one meal during the day. Rice or bread does not have to be eaten. Instead, you can eat kodo soup, nuts and its soup. It also makes the stomach bloated. It is not always necessary to drink only milk tea in the morning. Lemon water, lemon tea can be eaten. Eating lemon peel with tea or rice also enhances the body's ability to fight disease. There are many foods in the home that increase the body's ability to fight disease. People are now eating turmeric. Some people eat it with hot milk and some with hot water. It is better to eat it with pepper. It increases the body's ability to fight disease.

There is a lot of gas in cooking many kinds of food. It's time to dump her and move on. Some foods can be cooked in the morning and kept in the fridge until the evening to be heated.

It saves time and food along with gas. Saving food means saving money. Lockdown has removed the idea that people should go to restaurants and eat burgers and pizza, and go to grocery stores and bring noodles. This time has taught us that we can live by eating home-cooked food. Especially middle and upper class families have learned this.

As the woodcut is getting longer, those who say, 'I feel bored of home-cooked food' start getting used to home-cooked food. Many are now in better health than before. Because, they have avoided eating out. However, some parents still go to the grocery store to pick up cartoons of noodles. Corono has quickly touched many junk food eaters. Even though they know this, they are pretending not to know. It's time to dump junk food. Feeding children junk food is like giving them alcohol and cigarettes. It has no less effect than alcohol and cigarettes. Similarly, many people are now making restaurant dishes at home and posting them on Facebook.

They have not seen any other food except mum and pizza. They feel ashamed when Dalbhat is posted on Facebook. They don't say on Facebook, 'I ate potatoes, chickpeas, sprouted food, millet soup, dumplings, bread, cake today'. No one posts photos of Malpuwa, Celeroti, Chiura's Pulau, Kheer. He thinks that he has lost his dignity. They are playing with the health of their family.

(Based on Srijana Khadka's conversation with nutritionist Upreti)

Internet consumption increased by 33 percent in lockdown

Internet consumption increased by 33 percent in lockdown

Internet consumption in Nepal has increased by 33 percent due to the government's call for a lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The figures were presented at a digital conference organized by the Technology Journalists Forum (TJF) on Tuesday.

Samit Jana Thing, chairman of Nepal Network Service Providers Group, said that domestic consumption has increased by 35 percent and external consumption by 25 percent. He said that 1486 gigabytes per second was consumed before the lockdown started and after the lockdown, it reached 1971 gigabytes per second.

Internet service providers add up to 2100 gigabytes per second, according to Thing. He said the downturn in the internet market, which normally grows at an average rate of 23 percent per year, has helped it achieve high growth in a short period.

Lockdown has seen an increase in the number of people watching movies on Netflix and running tickets at home, he said. He informed us that the consumption of the internet has doubled even in mobile gaming like Ludo. Meanwhile, Google, Facebook, and Amazon also have high rates of Internet use.

Director of the Nepal Telecommunication Authority, Vijay Kumar Roy, also said that the internet usage has increased by 36 percent in the first 10 days after the lockdown. He also said that international bandwidth consumption has increased by an average of 10 percent.

Lockdown has also stabilized Internet demand, Roy said. "Earlier in the day, there was a lot of demand at one time and a lot of demand at another time. But now there are no such fluctuations, 'he said,' but even now, between 8-10 pm, internet consumption reaches a high point. '

Where does the Internet come from?

Chairman Thing said that Bhairahawa is the main road to bring internet bandwidth in Nepal. He informed me that a lot of bandwidth will be imported from Birgunj after that. After that, the internet is also imported from Dhalkebar, Dhabi, and Tanakpur.

He said that despite an agreement with China to buy bandwidth through Rasuwagadhi, a large amount of bandwidth could not be imported from there. According to Thing, the risk of natural calamities has increased as the internet is brought from Rasuwagadhi.

"Avalanches and snowfall also cause fiber problems from time to time," he said. "Infrastructure is being constructed to bring water from Sindhupalchowk." With the opening of that border, trade with China could increase. '

 He said Internet service providers would be ready to import Chinese bandwidth if there was a facility to bring bandwidth from one checkpoint to another. However, he said that Nepali service providers have not been attracted as the Chinese internet is more expensive than in India.

Nepal is currently buying large quantities of the internet from India's Airtel and Tata. After that, Nepal also imports internet bandwidth from SIFI and many other companies. From China, Nepal Telecom is buying internet from China Telecom. According to Thing, Mercantile and WorldLink also consume less internet than companies like Alibaba and Baidu.

Rising consumption

Internet service providers say that up to 73 percent of the 2100 gigabytes per second internet available in Nepal is being consumed locally and internationally. The businessman said that most of the internet is being consumed only on Google and Facebook.

These two platforms use the Internet for 82 percent of domestic consumption and 56 percent of external consumption. Although there are more mobile internet users based on the number of users, wireless internet users are consuming only 11 percent of the total consumption.

Fixed Internet (WiFi), which is connected via wire, consumes 89 percent of the bandwidth, said, Chairman Thing. NEA Director Roy said mobile access has reached 126.70 percent of the country's population and internet access has reached 72.22 percent of the population. He said that access to mobile broadband has reached 56.14 percent and access to fixed broadband has reached only about 18 percent.

Customer interest

Internet service providers now say that about 80 percent of complaints are related to the quality of Wi-Fi. He said that the customers have been complaining about the slow speed and interruption of the internet due to network sharing.

However, there is a lack of a system to see how much bandwidth is coming to the consumer's router, said Chairman Thing. He said, "It is not possible to do this right now as it costs a lot to check the traffic every five minutes."

But the technical side of it is being worked on, ”he said.

However, he said that there was no denying that the internet would be shared. "We want to provide 25 Mbps internet for 8 people. Everyone gets 3 Mbps, 'he said,' but not everyone uses the internet at the same level at the same time, so one user is consuming 10-12 Mbps. '

He said Internet service providers already share bandwidth in this way and that it will be shared across multiple devices even when consumers use it at home. "If we don't distribute the internet like this, we can sell at such a cheap price No, 'he said.

Cheapest price

The price of the internet in the international market has come down drastically. NEA Director Roy said that the price of internet per megabit per month, which used to be  30, has now dropped to  6.

However, Nepali consumers have not been able to get the benefit of cheap internet bandwidth. Roy said that they would also discuss price adjustment in the Nepali market in line with the fall in international prices.

Policy initiatives

Director Roy said that Lockdown has further enhanced the importance of the Internet in Nepal and expressed the commitment of NEA to continue to take the lead in the implementation of the plans prepared by the Digital Nepal Framework. He said that NEA is regularly monitoring and improving the availability, access, price, and quality of the internet in Nepal.

He said that they have been conducting regular active monitoring to ensure that the internet service is not disrupted due to non-renewal even during the lockdown. He said that they are working on the availability of fifth-generation internet, internet facility in public places, use of internet in education and health, improvement of mobile service infrastructure.

Here's how to use Google's new app to read during the lockdown

Here's how to use Google's new app to read during the lockdown

Agency. Schools are closed due to the coronavirus. Various online courses and platforms are now taking up the responsibility of educating children. Meanwhile, Google has unveiled a new app to help students read.

Called Read Along, the app offers a variety of online classroom materials for students from nursery to grade 12. This will help the students to continue their studies.

Currently available only on the Android operating system, this app has been developed by Google targeting children above the age of five. Using Google's 'Speech Recognition' technology, it teaches children to read.

Similarly, as children read stories and readers in a loud voice, an assistant section called Dia responds to both sight and sound. So far this app has been downloaded 1 million times.

Use it like this

1. Download the Read Aling Android app for free on Google Play Store.

2. Read the app's privacy policy. According to Google, this app has no ads or in-app purchases. Once the app and its storage are downloaded, it also works offline when there is no data.

You don't even have to sign in for it. But you should allow it to record audio as well as take photos if you want to progress to be saved. But voice data is analyzed on the device in real-time and does not reach Google's servers. If users feel comfortable with these policies, they should click on Got It to proceed.

3. Then tap Virtual Assistant. Doing so will allow your app to record audio and give you feedback by listening.

4. See all options like Story Library, Play a Game, or Download a New Story.

5. Click the story you want to read. Look at the Digital Storybook page, you will see a button on the screen. The star appears when you read a word and pronounce it correctly. If you read incorrectly, a red line appears and then the correct pronunciation comes in Diya's voice.

In this app, you have to read for 10 minutes a day and it keeps track of your progress and the interest you get. If you need help pronouncing a word, you can tap on it.

Diya's feedback is effective and it teaches children what they don't know. Reed Launch was first made public by Google in India. The app is now available in 180 countries.

It is available in 9 languages ​​including English, Spanish, Prochugis, Hindi. Google says it will add more books and features in the coming days.

How to make money online in lockdown

Many kinds of work can be done through the internet in one corner of the world and in another. 

This is called IT outsourcing, online freelancing, offshore development. With the recent outbreak of the corona virus, the number of users of 'work from home', online classes, video conferencing, Google Meet and Zoom has increased. Zoom is gaining popularity these days. The number of daily zoom users was 10 million in December 2019 and has reached 200 million by March 2020.

Educational institutions are also conducting classes online. Lately, various IT companies in Nepal have been outsourcing online freelancing and IT team. From Nepal's point of view, most of those who have taken IT education seem to be engaged in outsourcing, but if we look at developed countries as well as neighboring countries like India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, those who have taken IT education as well as others have done a lot of work online.

Freelancing online with some practical knowledge according to your attachment, housewives and leisurely people can make a good income by working online by making good use of their time.

What can be done online?

Many things can be done online from home. Graphics designing, ghost writing, translating English to Nepali, business plan, thesis typing, online live chat agent of any organization, online support, digital media planner, image clipping, image processing, voice recording etc. .

Converting from voice to text, video animation, logo designing, visiting cards, AutoCAD designing, interior designing, banner making, website content creation, product cover designing, product banner making, posting on Facebook, Instagram, Or create bio data, earn some money online by teaching some lessons online.

Where to take the course?

Online courses can be taken through Ivarsity, CourseAra, Eudemi, Udacity, Code Academy, Block, Skill Share etc.

Websites like YouTube, Vivo, etc. have a lot of easy-to-learn videos. You can also learn through online reference, guide book, ebook, tutorial etc.

You can even get a certificate by identifying your needs and working. Google has been offering certificates to its various programs for free, including online exams, which must be renewed every year.

Where to find work online?

odesk.com, elance.com merged in 2015 to become upwork.com. Which connects those who work and those who work online in a variety of ways. It works to resolve disputes between two parties through upwork.com.

Freework can be done through websites like upwork.com Freelancer, 99 Design, Guru, Taptal, Credo, Popular Hour, Design Crowd. Some of the work that can be done online can be done on an hourly basis or on a project basis.

How to get paid?

Payments for work done online can be brought to your online payment account through various online payment gateways such as PayPal, Skrill, Two Check Out, Authorize.net, Stripe.

Also, such freelancing websites in conjunction with companies like Payner etc. send their customized cards to any corner of the world by courier after crossing some income or level.

He has not come to Nepal legally. PayPal, an online payment company, was founded in 1998 and has more than 305 million customers worldwide in 2019.

Network friends in lockdown

The growing use of social media and technology has at times raised concerns about the growing distance between people. Some even found it satirical on social media. A 2018 Australian Loneliness Survey also found that a quarter felt lonely three or more days a week. One of the main reasons for feeling lonely was the excessive use of social media.

Even in Nepal, some analysts have been interpreting social media as a means of isolating people. The adjective social media, used as a means to increase distance between families living under the same roof, has now changed. And, at the same time, social media has become a friend of the user as a connecting link rather than a disconnect.

In order to prevent the spread of Corona infection all over the world, the government launched a crackdown in Nepal from March 25. Due to the lockdown, the roads from the city to the villages are deserted. Except for the essentials, the doors of most institutions and offices are closed. Physical distance with friends and relatives who meet regularly is far away. How are people confined to their homes or rooms? At this time, online technology or social media has become a close friend of most people. Through social media including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram, he is active in his regular work, contact with friends and relatives, discussions and creative campaigns.

Creative programs online

Poet Shravan Mukharung chose social media as a suitable alternative after being locked inside the room after the lockdown. He thought that he should play a creative role when people were frustrated by frustration and negative news. As soon as the plan was finalized, poet Mukharung launched a series titled 'Poems from Quarantine'. Every day through Facebook, he comes live with local and foreign poems and recites them in a beautiful rhythm. The number of people listening and following the poem he recited on Facebook is increasing.

Poet Mukharung says that there is a 'positive vibration' when sharing creations while in bondage. "Everyone has their own responsibilities at this time. When I became a poet, I did my duty, 'he says,' so it also sends a positive message about making good use of social media. '

Journalist Dil Bhushan Pathak is running a special series of Tough Talk broadcast from Himalaya HD through Facebook Live. Every day from 9 to 10 pm in the program with singers and musicians with experts in various fields and related people come to the online conversation with relevant topics. Journalist Vijay Kumar is podcasting the 'Directions' program from home. Not only the program, but also the regular meetings and discussions of the organizations are taking place online.

Chairman Vishesh Khanal says that the regular and urgent meeting of the organization of scientists working in research and innovation will be held online. "We are doing video conferencing for regular work and research. It is becoming very effective, 'says Chairman Khanal. Spokesperson of the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) Suresh Kumar Dhungel says that the post-lockdown work and meeting is also being held online. ‘In such a situation, friends work online from home. We also hold the meeting online, 'said spokesperson Dhungel.

Online Festival

As soon as the festival is called, we imagine a large crowd, with guests all over the stage and spectators outside. The fact that people were confined to a room to avoid corona infection developed new options and possibilities, which became interesting and effective.

Kitab Jatra Foundation has started 'Virtual Literature Festival-Kitab Jatra-2020' from April 1. According to Rishi Ram Adhikari, chairman of the foundation, the literary debate 'Kitab Jatra' was held in Kathmandu. "But the festival has been launched online at this time due to fears of a corona infection," said an official who is also the festival's director. According to him, the debates at the festival can be watched live from the Facebook page of Kitab Jatra.

Various aspects of Nepali literature, art and life will be discussed at the festival, said session coordinator Shakuntala Joshi. "When we talk about art and literature in times of crisis, we are getting a response that is motivating us to be creative. Various suggestions are also coming about the program. The festival, which has been started for a week, can be extended according to the situation and response, 'she said.

Earlier, the Natya Mahotsav was held online for 16 days. The 'Quarantine Campaign Drama Festival 2076' has been organized by Theater Mall, Kirtipur Theater and Theater Center for Children.

India's book agency The Bookbreaker had earlier organized a literature festival online. The festival, which ran from April 6 to 12, was attended by 91 sessions and more than 600 speakers. The panel discussion, which was live on Facebook from 10 am to 9:30 pm, was attended by bestselling writers, cricket celebrities, famous actors, famous motivational speakers, leading journalists, political analysts, businessmen, police officers and others. "It simply came to our notice then. We are happy to have a challenging but different program during the lockdown, ”said Sanjeev, co-founder of the organization, Mathur said, "It was very effective as it included all genres."

Prosperous online class

Sheetal Chaulagain, who is studying Bachelors in Chinese Language at the University of Hawaii, China, came to Nepal on February 15. Her new semester started on February 17. University of China closed due to Corona disaster At the moment, he and all his friends are taking online classes. ‘Every day, online classes start at 11 a.m. Chinese time. At the same time, group work is also done from assignment or video class. This is how we are studying as soon as the new semester starts, 'she says.

Even in Nepal, some universities are conducting online classes for students. Sapkota, who is studying Fine Arts in the second semester at Kathmandu University in Hattiwan, takes online classes from home. According to the routine of the college, their classes are conducted from 10 am to 2:30 pm.

According to Professor Chandiraj Dahal, Kathmandu University is taking classes online on some subjects according to the concept of 'Work Firm Home'. "It simply came to our notice then. He is being taught by other friends including me, 'he says,' Instead, one or two students were absent in the physical class. Everyone is present. They are having a kind of engagement. '

Not only universities but also some schools are conducting special online classes for regular students. Sanskriti International School, located in Thulo Bharryang, conducts video conferencing with students of all classes through the 'Zoom' app. To free the children from Corona's terror, the school also conducted counseling classes online from psychologists. Similarly, the school has also organized a separate online conference for parents. The school is currently working on the concept of Google Class, says Bishwa Sigdel, a Nepali teacher at the school. According to him, even the teachers of the school are participating in the training on how to conduct online classes.

An educational organization called Spiny Babbler has teamed up with Cycle Story to offer online study for children between the ages of 3 and 13. The 'Offer Spine Babbler Evolution Online Education Program' is providing attractive education to children through arts, science, mathematics, social sciences, fitness, language and development through Google Classroom. Parents can fill out an online form for their children. Similarly, factories, Midas Education, Max Connect and other organizations are providing free e-learning to children. In this way, parents and teachers understand that the e-learning class is a good use of the time of the students who have access to the internet and does not hinder their learning.

Both the disadvantages and the advantages of social media

More than 3.8 billion people worldwide use social media, representing 49 percent of the world's population. It is estimated that 40 percent more people in Nepal are using the Internet than ever before. Anthropologist Dumbar Chemjong says the use of social media has increased in the current crisis to lift people out of loneliness and socialize.

"Even magazines don't come to the house now. It would have been difficult without social media," says Chemjong. "Social media has become the most comfortable medium at this time." In the village, it is being used more than before.

The author and thinker Ahuti says that social media is being used both positively and negatively. According to him, using social media for positive purposes is a great achievement of mankind. "It simply came to our notice then. A platform has also been provided to spread rumors. On the other hand, it has played a big role in providing accurate information and enrichment. '

According to Nast spokesperson Suresh Kumar Dhungel, people's mobility was very fast in the past due to the use of science and technology. I could not stand still in one place. However, with the advent of post-lockdowns technology, people are still connected to one another even when they are indoors. He says, "Science and technology has been very effective in exchanging information, in carrying out our activities, in providing entertainment."

The importance of social media has increased

Internet was used more during the lockdown. However, it has been used and misused. Most of the citizens are now suffering from laxity. Internet is running 40 percent more in Nepal. It has the most important role in the exchange of information. Online reading is now more popular than print media. If there was no social network, there would be no magazines and no double communication with television. But, social media has become a medium to feel comfortable. We should always pay attention to its positive utilization. Social media is the link of social relations at this time, so let's not misuse it.