Category Archives: the imaginary and the real

Alongside Turtles at Unawatuna Beach in Southern Lanka

Michael Roberts

The Thuppahi item on the turtle nursey at Rekawa along the southern coast of Sri Lanka …… https://thuppahis.com/2024/10/24/the-turtle-nursery-at-rekawa-in-southern-sri-lanka/#more-85722 …… has revived two inspiring ‘moments’ when I had ‘brushes’ with a turtle. Both indelible experiences which are etched in my mind’s pictorial eye took place at the Unawatuna beach about four miles east of Galle town – a popular tourist beach on the other side of the Buona Vista peninsula that constitutes the eastern ‘front’ of Galle harbour.

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The Question Mark — It’s Intriguing History

Wikipedia

The question mark ? (also known as interrogation pointquery, or eroteme in journalism[1]) is a punctuation mark that indicates a question or interrogative clause or phrase in many languages.

History =  In the fifth century, Syriac Bible manuscripts used question markers, according to a 2011 theory by manuscript specialist Chip Coakley: he believes the zagwa elaya (“upper pair”), a vertical double dot over a word at the start of a sentence, indicates that the sentence is a question.[2][3]

8th century punctus interrogativus from the Godescalc Evangelistary. (BnF NAL 1203, f. 6v.)

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Justice: Another Opportunity Lost

A DailyFT item, 14 October 2024, entitled “Another Lost Opportunity”

The new administration of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake lost yet another opportunity in the international stage to rectify past wrongs and charter a new course. This time at the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), keeping with the policies of the Rajapaksa-Wickremesinghe administrations, the Government rejected international efforts to deliver justice for the tens of thousands of victims of State atrocities. 

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From Brook to Bradman ….. Errol in AWE

Errol Fernando in Melbourne in Email Letters to Pals

ONE: Errol the Fernando to Gavin, 10 October 2024

It is quite unbelievable, Gavin, that a side makes 556 in under 2 days and then spends the next 3 days trying desperately not to LOSE the match!  A side scoring 556 would usually be trying to win by an innings. However, in the Test match at Multan, Pakistan batted first and made 556 and since then they are trying desperately not to LOSE the match!! 

England ended day 3 nearly 500 for 3 with Joe Root 175 not out.  Pakistan will spend the next 2 days trying desperately not to lose!

Yes, cricket is indeed a funny game and impossible to predict.

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Meirsheimer’s Forecast in 2009 — Seeking to ”Save Israel From Itself”

John Meirsheimer, in The American Conservative, 18 May 2009….. article entitled “Saving Israel From Itself” …. with highlighting emphasis imposed by Tthe editor, Thuppahi

The two-state solution is the only way to guarantee the Jewish state’s long-term security—and our own.

Israel and Palestine in Middle East on contour map. Palestinian territories of Gaza and West Bank. Jerusalem and Jordan River on outline map. Theme of Israel, war, conflict.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The United States and Israel fundamentally disagree about the need to establish a Palestinian state living side by side with Israel. President Obama is committed to a two-state solution, while Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu is opposed and has been for many years. To avoid a direct confrontation with Washington, Netanyahu will probably change his rhetoric and talk favorably about two states. But that will not affect Israel’s actions. The never-ending peace process will go on, Israel will continue building settlements, and the Palestinians will remain locked up in a handful of impoverished enclaves in the West Bank and Gaza. Anticipating this outcome, Obama has told Congress to expect a clash with Israel.

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Facing Wokism in Britain Today

Matthew Said, whose title in The Sunday Times reads If you think we’re past peak woke, we may not even be halfway up that hill” …. with highlighting imposed by The Editor, Thuppahi

Unconscious bias training and cancellation are mainstream for the young. Just wait until they’re in charge.

Here’s what ‘woke’ means and how to respond to it

In the Second World War, the Allied bomber command had a problem. Aircraft were flying missions over Germany and being shot down in ever greater numbers. The top brass decided that they needed additional protection in the most vulnerable areas (it would be impossible to cover the entire aircraft, as it would be too heavy to take off). But where to place the armour? The good news is that they had plenty of data from craft that had returned to base, and they showed a clear pattern: there were lots of bullet holes in the wings and fuselage, but not so many on the cockpit and tail. The answer seemed obvious: put armour on the wings and fuselage.

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Remembering Anagarika Dharmapala

Item presented in FACEBOOK by Peradeniya University Friends with this title: 160th Birth anniversary of Anagarika Dharmapala**

Anagarika Dharmapala a noble son of Sri Lanka who made immense sacrifices towards Buddhist revival and national upliftment in the 19th century was born at Matara on 17 Sept 1864.

He worked and campaigned with unswerving loyalty to the nationalist cause in an era when Buddhism and the national culture had reached their lowest ebb.

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Chance Encounters: A Pot Pourri of Books on Sri Lanka

Michael Roberts

I have  a large stock of books and an even larger stock of typed up paper material in my messy study.  Looking over some of the books I came across some that I had not read or even glanced at. I present a selection of a half-dozen that aroused my interest …. arranged in chronological order.

I invite commentary on any of these books by personnel who happen to have read them or had some friendship with the authors.

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Gamini Goonetilleke’s Wide-ranging Medical Work in Lanka

“In the Line of Duty: The Life and Times of a Surgeon in War and Peace a memoir published in 2008. …………………. now sold out.

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Serenity with Cliff Richard’s Song by Minneriya Tank

Dr Sanjiva Wijesinha, …. whose orginal title reads “Twilight Reflections 19-A Summer Holiday”

We’re all going on a summer holiday

No more working for a week or two….”
-from a popular song of the sixties by Cliff Richard

Isn’t it amazing how hearing a few bars of a song can suddenly trigger the flooding back of a host of memories?

A Serene Scene  … Just the Scenario for “A Summer Holiday” wuth Cliff Richard

I was having dinner at a restaurant with my wife the other day – it was one of those quiet uncrowded restaurants where they have soft music playing in the background. The music is soft enough not to disturb one’s conversation, but just loud enough so that you are aware of the melody being played in the background.

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