February 4, 2024 · 2:28 pm

Sri Lanka in IMF-Western Stranglehold

Darini Rajasingham-Senanayake in The Sunday Island, 4 February 2024, where the title runs thus: “Of Elections, Bond scams, and Money Politics:  The IMF and the Anatomy of Default @ 75 …. Default as Hybrid Economic Warfare” … with the highlights in purple being impositions by The Editor of Thuppahi and those in red Darini’s very own.**

With the wisdom of hindsight, the Root Causes of Sri Lanka’s first ever Sovereign Default, staged three years ago on the eve of 75 years of ‘Independence’ from the British Raj are clearly discernible.

Political cartoon _ Satire, Humor, Criticism _ Britannica

Ancient tree roots wrapped around a large boulder in the French alps Stock Photo – Alamy

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February 2, 2024 · 2:03 pm

Lessons for Life: Dr Buddy Reid in Q and A

THE MAKING OF AN ALL-ROUNDER: A Conversation with Dr Buddy Reid …. Sunday Island, 28 January 2024 …. https://island.lk/the-making-of-an-all-rounder-a-conversation-with-dr-buddy-reid/   ….  Correspondence to Dr Sanjiva Wijesinha = Sanjivasw@gmail.com

Dr Buddy Reid – one of the finest all-around sportsmen Sri Lanka has produced – recently celebrated his 83rd birthday. During his University days, Buddy won the National Table Tennis championships of Ceylon three times, played Cricket for Ceylon, sang in the University SCM choir, and played clarinet in a dance band called The Neurones.

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January 31, 2024 · 1:14 am

African Wiild Life in John de Silva’s Lens

John De Silva  is an Old Aloysian like the Editor Thuppahi.  He resides now in Melbourne and is a key member of the small crew sustaining the Old Aloysian Magazine.

 

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January 30, 2024 · 8:07 pm

UNMASKING THE EMPIRE in British Ceylon: The Post 1915 Riots Campaign

Unmasking the Empire: The campaign for justice following the 1915 Pogrom and the collaboration of British Christian humanitarians at the beginning of Sri Lanka’s struggle for Independence, …. Prabodith Mihindukulasuriya

Social Scientists’ Association, No. 380/86, Sarana Road, Colombo 7, Sri Lanka, 2023, 312 pp, ISBN: 978-955-0762-47-7,

Printers: Karunaratne & Sons (Pvt) Ltd., 65 C, Thalgahawila Road, Midellamulahena, Horana, Sri Lanka.

EW Perera 

DB Jayatilaka

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January 30, 2024 · 1:49 am

Superlative Celebrations from Neophyte West Indian Cricketers in Australia

Michael Roberts

The West Indian Touring Cricket Team has a new look to it especially in the bowling department. Their performance in the First Test in Adelaide was ordinary — to put it mildly. But some encouraging moments were displayed in Adelaide by two relative newcomers and these two –Shamar Joseph and Kelvin Sinclair shone again at Brisbane in the Second Test with support from Alzarri Joseph. Joshua Da Silva and the rest …to beat Australia in a pulsating Test Match.

Among the ‘pulsations’ and ‘peaks’ were the celebratory acrobatics unfurled by Shamar and Kelvin when they picked a wicket or two.

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January 25, 2024 · 7:18 pm

Arrowheads directed at AUSTRALIA DAY…..Today

Item in THE ADVERTISER Newspaper in Adelaide … web-reference gone walkabout … But see ………………………… https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/cricket/cricket-australia-boss-nick-hockley-left-speechless-after-grilling-from-radio-host/news-story/199aa83d0e60b1da470ce4721b05b861

The issue that’s reaching boiling point today is the Australia Day debate. Australian cricket captain Pat Cummins has added his voice to calls to change the date from January 26:

“My personal opinion 

INSERTION: photos of typical Australia Day displays in Sydney in 2023 as  concurrent ceremnies occurred in all cities, town and villages

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January 23, 2024 · 11:40 pm

John De Silva: Aloysian, Sri Lankan, Australian

Michael Roberts 

John was one of my class generation at St. Aloysius College, Galle and we represented the College in cricket, soccer, athletics and swimming. …. yes swimming …..  and were recipients of training in life-saving at the little harbour of Galle. He was “Johnny” not a “John” in our minds then.

Alas, on one occasion a bad call for a run by me resulted in Johnny being run-out when he was batting well — in a match under my captaincy that we eventually lost. But in a previous year St. Aloysius had won all its matches under Mohammed Anwer’s astute captaincy and the quiet guidance of coach Marcus Jayasinghe.

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January 23, 2024 · 8:08 pm

In the Vibrant Heart of Cricket: India! … As England Face…!!!

Danny Byrne **

Match tickets are in my wallet. The first hurdle has been overcome. The Hyderabad Test begins two days from now.

Danny Byrne on the left with Nick White, an Australian cricket-lover, at an England Test Match in Galle some years back (photo by Roberts)

Obtaining tickets for the first Test Match wasn’t as difficult as I had expected. When the on-line website for Paytm – insider was working, and the WiFi in the Hotel had a decent signal, the process took only a few minutes. Of course, the best seats were sold out within 24 hours of being available, suggesting that very few were actually there in the first place. Turning the electronic tickets into paper versions was equally straightforward, at least by Indian standards. Hampshire Plaza Hotel is right next to Lakdi Ka Pul Metro Station on the red line and the Gymkhana Ground is close to Parade Ground on the Blue Line. The cost was only 40 rupees per journey and cash payments were acceptable. The trains were full, but not uncomfortably full. Apparently, they only can the sardines in the evening.

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January 23, 2024 · 5:40 pm

Boiling Point: Arrowheads Aimed at AUSTRALIA DAY

Item:  https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=AAWEB_WRE

But the issue that’s reaching boiling point today is the Australia Day debate. Australian cricket captain Pat Cummins has added his voice to calls to change the date from January 26: “My personal opinion is I absolutely love Australia and think it is the best country in the world by a mile. I think we should have an Australia Day but I think we can probably find a more appropriate date to celebrate. Australia Day is meant to be a celebration of everything Australia in our history. I think we could choose a better date.”

 

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January 18, 2024 · 9:31 pm

Expanding War in Middle-East with Increasing Brinkmanship & Bluff

SEE Alistair Crooke’s Assessment at almayadeen with this title “Bluffs and Counter Bluffs as the War Widens” …. with highlighting imposed by The Editor, Thuppahi

The Washington Post reported on 7 January 2024 that Biden has tasked his staff with preventing widening regional war. The piece was purposefully leaked (as even the Washington Post admit) — and is a bluff.

When Defence Secretary Austin last visited “Israel”, he clearly ‘green-lighted’ Israeli military action to push Hizbullah away from south Lebanon, to the north of the Litani River — about 29 kms north of the Blue Line southern boundary.

 

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