Category Archives: biotechnology

Darkness to Light in the Midst of Covid in Hambantota

Sarath Wickremasinghe of LIONs CLUB to ANDUREN ELIYATA

Dear Mr. Chandra Fernando, Project Officer, Anduren Eliyata – Darkness to Light Inc., Australia.

Dear Sir, …………………Our expected projects in Hambantota had to be postponed several times due to the health regulations prevailed in the country, and  finally we were able to implement the project on 05.01.2022. 50 Solar Power Units donated by “Anduren Eliyata” were given to 50  families recommended by Col. Jayarathne.  Recipients of Solar Units were very grateful to your organization and requested us to thank you on their behalf. Thank you very much for the services you do for the needy people.

Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under biotechnology, centre-periphery relations, charitable outreach, democratic measures, economic processes, education, landscape wondrous, life stories, patriotism, sri lankan society, unusual people, welfare & philanthophy, working class conditions

World’s Leading Mass Killers? Who? Answer = US Military Machine

Michael Moore, in Information Clearing House, 23 November 2021, where the title reads thus: “A Memorial to the Terrorists – when the Terrorists are US!”

Eleven days ago on Veterans Day, while watching the cable news, I learned that our Congress, never missing a chance to ingratiate themselves with what they think Middle America wants — more money for the military, more flags flying everywhere, more fake patriotism and more pandering to the fake patriots — decided it was time to create a brand new national memorial on the already overcrowded National Mall in Washington, D.C., between the Lincoln Memorial and the U.S. Capitol building. The memorial will be called “The Global War on Terrorism Memorial.” I’m not making this up.

And what patriotic politician or red-blooded American wouldn’t be in favor of that!

Well, me. I’m not in favor of it. And I hope you won’t be, either.

Continue reading

2 Comments

Filed under accountability, american imperialism, atrocities, authoritarian regimes, biotechnology, centre-periphery relations, demography, disparagement, fundamentalism, governance, historical interpretation, landscape wondrous, law of armed conflict, life stories, military expenditure, military strategy, politIcal discourse, power politics, self-reflexivity, slanted reportage, sri lankan society, taking the piss, terrorism, the imaginary and the real, truth as casualty of war, war crimes, war reportage, world events & processes, zealotry

The “Fertiliser Mafia” debilitating Sri Lanka’s Agricultural Wellbeing?

Chandre Dharmawardana, writing from Canada (see below)

Sri Lanka is heading towards an agricultural disaster similar to that created by Stalin who was guided by a so-called “Dialectical Materialist” version of agricultural science announced by Lysenko, a “party scientist”. Sri Lanka’s leaders also have ideologues who have various scientific and medical backgrounds and are ready to present “justifications” for the push for 100% organic agriculture. Here we trace this pseudo-science movement back to some of its roots and discuss some of the pseudo-science that is being presented as “science”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Jayasumana and Dr. Sanath Gunatilleke confronting a farmer in an unequal discussion.

Continue reading

9 Comments

Filed under accountability, biotechnology, citizen journalism, cultural transmission, doctoring evidence, economic processes, education, environmental degradation, historical interpretation, island economy, land policies, life stories, patriotism, performance, politIcal discourse, self-reflexivity, truth as casualty of war, unusual people, welfare & philanthophy, world events & processes, zealotry

Joe Biden’s Gas Outage at Glasgow Gathering

Prince Charles at his Best at the Glasgow Summit

At Glasgow, the Duchess Camilla
Said, Biden’s a jolly good fella.
But his tasteless solution
For Mankind’s pollution
Was too lengthy and loud and a smeller.

Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under accountability, american imperialism, atrocities, biotechnology, life stories, politIcal discourse, power politics, security, self-reflexivity, slanted reportage, travelogue, unusual people, wikileaks, world events & processes

An Agricultural Calamity on Sri Lanka’s Horizon

Chandre Dharmawardena, in The Island, 27 Sa eptember 2021, with this title “Red Alert: Need to quarantine imported organic fertiliser”

When the government suddenly banned the import of fertilisers and pesticides in April 2021 and went ‘100 percent organic’, many scientists warned of dire danger ahead. The hubris of becoming the world’s first to be free of alleged agricultural toxins made the government stand firm. Its rag-tag of ideologically motivated advisors pointed to roadside mounds of leaves, or Salvinia on rivers, and claimed that enough organic fertiliser can be produced, locally, to meet all needs. It was claimed falsely that Lanka’s ancients had even made it the ‘granary of the East’.

Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under accountability, biotechnology, disparagement, economic processes, governance, historical interpretation, island economy, landscape wondrous, life stories, patriotism, security, self-reflexivity, the imaginary and the real, trauma, welfare & philanthophy, world events & processes

Cartoons for All !!! …. as Anniversary of 9/11 LOOMS

Editorial Cartoon in The Australian, 9 Septmber 2021

 

Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under accountability, biotechnology, coronavirus, education, landscape wondrous, life stories, medical puzzles, security, self-reflexivity, travelogue, world events & processes

Guns Trained on China

A Dinkum Far Eastern Hand**

ONE INSTANCE:  As this story illustrates, the once respected Reuters news agency has succumbed to being another outlet of propaganda aimed at smearing China. … ……………………………………. https://www.mintpressnews.com/corporate-media-pushes-vaccine-hesitancy-china-russia/278052/ 

The BBC is also undermining its own professional standards when it comes to reporting on China, Hong Kong and Xinjiang as it succumbs to manifesting propaganda on China, and in China the acronym for BBC now stands for the Badmouthing Broadcasting Corporation. 

Continue reading

1 Comment

Filed under accountability, american imperialism, australian media, biotechnology, China and Chinese influences, conspiracies, coronavirus, the imaginary and the real, travelogue, unusual people, world events & processes

Fresh EU Assessment of Glyphosate

Conveyed by Chandre Dharmawardena, 25 June 2021: “NEW EU REPORT:  Assessment Group on Glyphosate, 15 June 2021”

Main findings
The dRAR [draft Renewal Assessment Report] consists of 11,000 pages, which is substantially larger than an average dRAR. In comparison, a typical assessment report for an active substance in the EU is less than 5.000 pages.

Continue reading

1 Comment

Filed under biotechnology, cultural transmission, economic processes, education, environmental degradation, governance, historical interpretation, landscape wondrous, legal issues, modernity & modernization, power politics, self-reflexivity, teaching profession, Uncategorized, welfare & philanthophy, world events & processes

Rendering Agriculture in Lanka ARID with Silly Science & Mad Economics

Chandre Dharmawardana, whose preferred title is  “Political Rhetoric, or Sounding the Death Knell of Sri Lanka’s Agriculture?”

A quote attributed to the Greek play write Euripides says that “ Those whom the gods wish to destroy they first make mad”.  Reading the news from Sri Lanka, one can only wonder if a prescient Euripides had Lanka’s successive rulers since 1970 in mind.

Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under accountability, biotechnology, centre-periphery relations, cultural transmission, economic processes, environmental degradation, governance, irrigation, island economy, land policies, life stories, medical puzzles, patriotism, politIcal discourse, Rajapaksa regime, self-reflexivity, sri lankan society, unusual people, welfare & philanthophy, working class conditions, world events & processes

In Appreciation of Larry Schokman: As Sturdy and Productive as Ever in Florida 2005

Selva Kanagasabai, whose original title in this essay presented in 2005 [before Larry passed away] runs thus “Larry “Evergreen’ Schokman now foliates Florida”  …. while highlighting emphasis has been imposed here and there by The Editor, Thuppahi

During the 1950s, changes began to appear in the management of tea estates in (then) Ceylon: Although most of the planting jobs were still the preserve of British expatriates, political realities and foresight opened opportunities for young Ceylonese to enter this challenging and rewarding occupation. Initially, it was mostly Trinitians and some Royalists who were selected (probably due to a perception that Rugby players were better suited for the outdoor life on plantations). The presumption was “if you played hard, you worked hard!”

Continue reading

4 Comments

Filed under accountability, biotechnology, British colonialism, centre-periphery relations, cultural transmission, economic processes, education, ethnicity, heritage, historical interpretation, island economy, landscape wondrous, literary achievements, meditations, politIcal discourse, self-reflexivity, sri lankan society, teaching profession, travelogue, unusual people, world events & processes