Pelosi and Political Howitzers Aiming at Impeaching Trump

Professor Laurence Tribe joins Lawrence O’Donnell to discuss the path forward in a potential new impeachment trial of President Trump

Continue reading

1 Comment

Filed under accountability, chauvinism, democratic measures, disparagement, governance, historical interpretation, landscape wondrous, legal issues, life stories, performance, politIcal discourse, the imaginary and the real, unusual people, vengeance, world events & processes

Locals and Environmentalists Challenge An Aussie Sand-Mining Project in Mannar

ABC Science  environment reporter Nick Kilvert and Jane Lee for Science Friction

As a small child, Shreen Abdul Saroor remembers getting up before dawn with her father to spy on the masses of migratory birds that would visit her island. The birds were on their way down the Central Asian flyway — a migration path that crosses 30 countries from Siberia to the Indian Ocean. “We would hide somewhere and … we don’t make any noise,” Ms Saroor recalls. “[Then we’d watch] them coming and landing in the causeway areas and then catching fish and taking off as a huge group covering the entire sky.”

Continue reading

1 Comment

Filed under accountability, australian media, centre-periphery relations, communal relations, economic processes, environmental degradation, governance, historical interpretation, Indian Ocean politics, island economy, landscape wondrous, legal issues, life stories, modernity & modernization, Muslims in Lanka, politIcal discourse, power politics, self-reflexivity, sri lankan society, the imaginary and the real, tourism, transport and communications, truth as casualty of war, unusual people, welfare & philanthophy, working class conditions, world events & processes

QAnon Right-Wing Extremists and Scott Morrison: Ominous Togetherness

 and in an essay in 2019 which gains relevance in the light of the recent events in Capital Hill in Washington …. This essay was entitled Revealed: the QAnon conspiracy theorist who is friends with Australian PM Scott Morrison”

A significant Australian proponent of the QAnon conspiracy theory is a family friend of Scott Morrison, and his wife is on the prime minister’s staff. The sprawling, disjointed and incoherent QAnon conspiracy variously claims that Donald Trump is leading a behind-the-scenes fight against a shadowy deep state, that powerful forces are hiding and protecting satanic paedophile rings, and that a secretive individual named Q leaves clues for his followers to decipher on internet forums.

 

Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under american imperialism, Australian culture, australian media, authoritarian regimes, centre-periphery relations, conspiracies, disparagement, economic processes, fundamentalism, historical interpretation, life stories, modernity & modernization, news fabrication, politIcal discourse, power politics, security, self-reflexivity, taking the piss, truth as casualty of war, unusual people, world affairs, world events & processes

Ceylonese Enlisting in RAF during World War II: More Data

Group Captain Kumar Kirinde, SLAF (Retd)

 

Clarence Shelton Anthony Perera  was a member of the 1st batch of Ceylonese to join the RAF. As per the only ATA record available he has first served in the RAF from September 1941 to January 1943. He has left the service as a LAC. He then in April 1943 joined as a Pilot Cadet in the Air Transport Auxillary (ATA), a civilian organisation ferrying aircraft for the RAF and Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy ” — Charles Amarasekere Continue reading

5 Comments

Filed under British colonialism, centre-periphery relations, cultural transmission, economic processes, education, ethnicity, heritage, historical interpretation, landscape wondrous, life stories, martyrdom, patriotism, performance, self-reflexivity, sri lankan society, travelogue, unusual people, world events & processes

The Lasantha Wickrematunge KILL: The Financial Shenanigans Inspiring the Strike

Ahimsa Wickrematunge, courtesy of Groundviews, 8 January 2021, where the title reads “The MIG Deal: Why My Father had to Die”

Twelve years ago today The Sunday Leader Editor, Lasantha Wickrematunge, was brutally murdered in broad daylight within a high security zone. His killers have never been punished. Here is why.

When I first heard the phrase “MiG deal” as a kid in 2007, I never expected that less than two years later, the printing of those two words in my father’s newspaper would lead to my standing over his open grave on the darkest day of my life. It has long been clear to me, and to all those familiar with the evidence, that had my father not exposed the MiG deal in The Sunday Leader, he would still be alive today, still writing, still exposing wrongdoing, still standing tall against the powers that be. He knew the risks of exposing a man who cherished his holier than thou public persona, but the risk did not stop him from doing his job.

Continue reading

1 Comment

Filed under accountability, conspiracies, economic processes, historical interpretation, island economy, life stories, politIcal discourse, power politics, security, self-reflexivity, sri lankan society, the imaginary and the real, unusual people, vengeance, war crimes, world events & processes

Sathasivam’s Gem of a Double Century vs Madras in 1947

Nicholas Brookes …. with highlighting emphasis added by The Editor, Thuppahi

On February 1947, a Ceylon Cricket Association XI was invited to play Southern India in Madras. It was a great moment for Ceylonese cricket. Everyone scored runs: Makkin Salih made 98, de Saram 42, Jayawickrema 52 and Heyn 66 – but no one remembers these innings. They were blown out of the water by a sublime 215 from Sathasivam, a new record at Chepauk and according to many, the best innings ever played at the ground. Bertie Wijesinha, who made his first-class debut in the game, later wrote ‘Sathasivam wafted his magic blade and carved out a work of art’. Sport is often described as performance, but rarely has the term been more apt. Satha played for the crowd. His was a batsmanship elevated beyond the mere making of runs. 

Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under cricket for amity, historical interpretation, life stories, performance, self-reflexivity, Sri Lankan cricket, sri lankan society, the imaginary and the real, travelogue, unusual people

Coconut Goodies Sri Lankan Style …. with Hard Work

VISIT https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJk4JaLNyd4

TRADITONAL ME tells us

Since the ancient times Coconuts have become so closely linked with every Sri Lankan cuisine! Coconuts have become a part and partial of Sri Lankan cooking. Later on due to this deep bond with this versatile crop, the coconut tree became well known as the “Kapruka“ on earth ( “Kapruka” is a mythical tree which is known to be in the heavens where it is believed to be a wishing tree that grant every wish & abundance of wealth).

Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under accountability, citizen journalism, cultural transmission, economic processes, education, heritage, historical interpretation, island economy, landscape wondrous, life stories

England Cricket Squad in Lanka …. Moeen with Covid

Rex Clementine, in  ISLAND, 8  January 2021,  England begin training after negative PCR tests”

There was good news coming from the England camp in Hambantota yesterday after PCR tests done on the team turned negative for COVID-19 except for Moeen Ali. The all-rounder had tested positive for the virus on arrival at Mattala and he is currently in isolation. England Media Manager Danny Reuben told The Island that Chris Woakes, a close contact of Moeen had tested negative but will continue to isolate in his room.

Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under accountability, cricket for amity, world events & processes

Satha and De Saram: Outstanding Batsmen as well Prominent Jailbirds

Nicholas Brookes in The Cricket Monthly at ESPNcricinfo, 6 May 2019, where the title runs “The story of De Saram and Satha: batting geniuses who went to jail” …. Two of Sri Lanka’s greatest batsmen had memorable lives, but they have been nearly forgotten today

The 1947 Ceylon squad that played South India: De Saram and Sathasivam are seated third and sixth from left (holding bats) …. details at bottom of this item

Ask any sports fan what it takes for a player to reach the pinnacle of their game and you’ll get the same tired answers. Talent. Temperament. Determination. But sporting greatness also relies on factors more arcane. Like luck. Or opportunity. Being in the right place at the right time. Just imagine if Pelé had been born in Bombay or if Gavaskar had grown up in Brazil. Where would they be now?

Continue reading

1 Comment

Filed under accountability, British colonialism, centre-periphery relations, cricket for amity, cultural transmission, education, heritage, historical interpretation, life stories, patriotism, self-reflexivity, sri lankan society, unusual people, world events & processes

Red Letter Day for Women: Penetration of Cricket Umpiring Heights

ESPNcricinfo staff ………. https://www.espn.com.au/cricket/story/_/id/26615484/claire-polosak-make-history-first-female-umpire-men-odi

Australia’s Claire Polosak will make history on Saturday as she becomes the first female umpire to stand in a men’s ODI when she officiates in the final of the World Cricket League Division 2 between Namibia and Oman.

PLUS: For the first time in 144 years of Test-match cricket, a womanAustralia’s Claire Polosak  has officiated in the longest format of the game, as the fourth or reserve umpire, in the third Test between Australia and India, which started at the SCG on Thursday.

Continue reading

1 Comment

Filed under Australian culture, cricket for amity, democratic measures, female empowerment, historical interpretation, landscape wondrous, life stories, unusual people, world events & processes