MM, All those are based on my experiences and opinions. You are welcome to disagree with them, and that's fine. That said, I do think that given a chance most Nepalis bad-mouth other Nepalis (especially those who are more successful than themselves) very easily, often with ZERO evidence. And I say this as someone who's far from a success in anything! So, this has been my experience in Nepal, the US and elsewhere. Again, you are welcome to disagree with this. For some time now, when confronted with gratuitious bad-mouthing against other Nepalis, my strategy is this. I ask the bad-mouther. "Is what you are telling me something you know for sure or is it something you heard from somebody (with an axe to grind) and which you HOPE/BELIEVE to be true about this third person?" The bad-mouther usually stops bad-mouthing against the third person after that. This technique works for me. Try it, maybe it will work for you too. **** I use the "lauro" as a metaphor to clarify my point. ***** If someone shouts "F this or F that", that does NOT offend me. My identity is not bound up with who other people want to F. It's their private business, NOT mine. And I need NOT be involved in their F. Ke ko tension linu, bekar ma! It's really that simple. For me, anyway. oohi ashu