An analogy: Look at Girija. Reading various newspaper reports last month, I thought everyone hated him. But guess what? I was wrong. Instead, to (most) people's surprise, he was overwhelmingly ELECTED as the Chairman of the NC . . . for the third time. There was really no contest, pretty much a walkover from his opponent. Looking back, I have been asking myself: How was that possible? One hypothesis is that Nepali newspapers gave a disproportinate coverage to "the 5 per cent" of Girija-bashers (or the 'relative extremists') who hogged the headlines for days, making it appear as though Girija's end was near. The newspapers never consulted the majority or the so-called "boring middle" for their views for/against Girija. There was hardly any poll of any sort. Result? The 'relative extremists' or the so-called 5 per centers lost out, and for better or worse, Girija won handily. Lesson? What we wish (based on our own biases and prejudices) to be the truth about others and what the truth about them actually is ARE two different things. And that's a good thing. oohi ashu