Aren't we talkative these days? Everyone is talking to everyone else, but it doesn't seem to get us anywhere.
The seven student unions talked to the Ministry of Education last week, but predictably, the talks broke down. The revolutionary students also talked, but it was clear the talks were not about educational reforms but about social disruption. Those talks have yielded results, but we don\'t know for how long.

Temporary government teachers are now coming out with their long-standing demands, and threatening a strike-so the government is trying to talk to them too. Tanker owners demanding the right to dilute diesel with kerosene blockaded supply to Kathmandu Valley this week, so the government talked to them and gave in by allowing them to carry on with business as usual. Now, tanker operators in Amelkhganj also want the same privilege and say the threshold of "leakage" should be raised so they can steal more en route from the Indian refineries. Talks to resolve that dispute are ongoing.

The transport unions, egged on by their political mentors, brought the western half of the country to a standstill for a week. The government talked to them, but to no avail. Then, the eastern half of the country was brought to a halt, and the government supposedly gave in to all the demands so the strike was lifted from Thursday morning.

Political leaders admit to us privately that they are behind all these strikes, and the idea is to force the king give in. By strangling transport and education and with the daily street protests, the parties have reminded us of what they used to do to each other. So, if this is what they'll go back to once 'democracy' is restored, then let Pashupatinath have mercy on us all. There seem to be some behind-the-scene talks going on between the kangresis and the prime minister, but those chats don't show any signs of unravelling the current political paralysis.

Then, there is the mother of all talks: the peace negotiations between the government and the Maoists which are stalled and seriously threatened by recent skirmishes and flagrant violations of the code of conduct by both sides.

The extortion, threats and intimidation in the countryside have reached a crescendo. The Maoists are transporting arms, training in the higher ground and operating parallel governments wherever they are. The only thing the truce had going for it was that at least people were not getting killed. But for how much longer?

It is now becoming clear that all the king's horses and all the king's men can't seem to put humpty dumpty together again. The country is falling apart at the seams. But at least we'll go down talking.