September 3, 2025 · 4:11 pm

AI Looms Over Our Future …. Look-Out!

ITEM in LUMEN, Adelaide University Magazine, September 2025 or so … no date specified clearly & bearing this title: “The  Future and  AI” …. Authorship unclear: maybe Carolyn Semmler, maybe Isaac Freeman

Whether we like it, or not, artificial intelligence is here to stay. The genie is out of the bottle. Its rapid evolution has been embraced by some, and met with raised eyebrows by others.

  In our earlier issue of Lumen this year, we asked readers to describe their hopes and fears for the future. AI was an overwhelmingly present theme.

We shared some of these letters with academics from both the University of Adelaide and the University of South Australia to help clarify and respond to concerns on four broad themes: impact on jobs; global security; wellbeing; and the potential for cognitive decline.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under accountability, art & allure bewitching, Australian culture, australian media, centre-periphery relations, economic processes, education, education policy, governance, landscape wondrous, legal issues, life stories, modernity & modernization, news fabrication, politIcal discourse, power politics, security, self-reflexivity, the imaginary and the real, trauma, truth as casualty of war, world events & processes

September 3, 2025 · 1:29 am

Those Directing Sri Lanka Cricket TODAY ….

Michael Roberts

I realised that I had limited information about who held the reins of Sri Lanka cricket these days and That my knowledge was, at best, partial. In rendying this abysmal shortcoming, I am presenting  basic .details drawn  from the web. It seems that the cotreie of powerprokers associated with Shammie  Silva and Jayanatha Dharmadasa continue to command the board room; while Ashley de silva remains as CEO. This may not be a necessarily detrimental dimension ….. I simply do not know

It is  the Selection Committee and coaching staff [including physios] who really matter. Some of these details are also presented below. I invite commentary.

    Shammi Silvs spesking …with  Jayantha Dharmadasa on his right

 

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under accountability, cricket selections, governance, life stories, performance, Sri Lankan cricket

September 2, 2025 · 12:55 pm

Transforming Gaza …… “The Great Trust”

Outback Aussie

The Great Trust is a 38-page document setting out plans to turn Gaza into a grand American Riveria by constructing over the bones and bodies of Palestinians — hotels, casinos, bordellos, condominiums, golf courses, and million-dollar seaside properties.  America has no legal basis for taking control of Gaza but they want to do it anyway which is why the US and the West support the genocide in Gaza, ethnic cleansing, and if need be the extermination of all Palestinians in Gaza.

VISIT https://www.madamasr.com/en/2025/09/01/news/u/the-38-page-displacement-framework-for-a-tourist-hub-atop-the-rubble-of-gaza/

Palestine and Israel news today on map – Jerusalem today – Israel News today – Palestine News today – israelpalestine.liveuamap.com

Continue reading →

3 Comments

Filed under accountability, american imperialism, arab regimes, australian media, authoritarian regimes, centre-periphery relations, citizen journalism, demography, economic processes, ethnicity, Fascism, foreign policy, historical interpretation, human rights, Jews in Asia, legal issues, life stories, military strategy, Palestine, politIcal discourse, power politics, racism, trauma, truth as casualty of war, war crimes, world events & processes

September 1, 2025 · 8:10 pm

Learning Law with Aid From Colvin R de Silva

A Guy named Talagalla, …  with highlighting imposed by The  Editor, Thuppahi

I am just penning this note after finishing my research for the day, before the thoughts dissipate into the quiet of the evening. The cases I read, the legislation I examined, and the scholarly writings I consulted all converged in my mind, and they brought me back to a lesson I once received from my senior, Mr. D.S. Wijesinghe, President’s Counsel, passed down from his own mentor, Dr. Colvin R. de Silva. The story of how Dr. de Silva engaged with the law has lingered in me for years, and it bears repeating, for stories carry the weight of wisdom in ways instructions never can.

Dr Colvin R de Silva

Continue reading →

1 Comment

Filed under accountability, cultural transmission, education, historical interpretation, legal issues, life stories, meditations, politIcal discourse, self-reflexivity, sri lankan society, unusual people

September 1, 2025 · 11:50 am

High Rise Overkill in Colombo City Centre

Sanjiva Wijesinha, in Facebook, where the title  runs “The loss of habitat and heritage”

Last Sunday morning I went for my usual walk to Galle Face Green.

It is a habit I have cultivated over the years – an early morning walk before the sun gets too hot, when I can inhale the fresh ozone-laden air coming in from the Indian Ocean and invigorate my physical body while refreshing my mind. My custom used to be to start where the Galle Face Hotel stands, walk out towards Galle Buck and the old light house or even as far as the Port Maritime Museum and then walk back, which would take me about an hour. In recent times, I have changed my route from time to time – turning round at the roundabout opposite the old Parliament (now the Presidential Secreta-riat) and walking along the road that passes behind the Shangri-La, the ITC Ratnadipa and the Taj Samudra hotels back to my starting point. As I return along this road I can see on my left across the Beira Lake the Cinnamon City of Dreams hotel.

Continue reading →

1 Comment

Filed under accountability, architects & architecture, Colombo and Its Spaces, disparagement, economic processes, heritage, island economy, modernity & modernization, politIcal discourse, self-reflexivity, sri lankan society

September 1, 2025 · 1:40 am

Sri Lanka win another Nailbiter against Zimbabwe

Preliminary Thoughts from Afar from Michael Roberts

 & Another pulsating tight finish! …. Good for cricket.

& Sri Lanka delivered 17 WIDES …. Seventeen -with Madushanka (5) and Chameera (4) the worst culprits

& Sikander Raza (a Pakistani Punjabi) once again revealed his cricketing  capacities – showing  that, at 39 years, Age is  not a barrier to continuing excellence

& Pathum Nissanka was solid as usual as opening bat and composed 122 runs at  89.7 s/r …. deservedly securing the Man-of-the-Match award.                                                                                        

Pathum Nissanka

Sikander Raza Continue reading →

2 Comments

Filed under accountability, cricket for amity, cricket selections, life stories, performance, self-reflexivity, Sri Lankan cricket

August 31, 2025 · 9:32 pm

Fascist Aussies on the March in Melbourne & ….

An Observer, 31 August 2025

The Fascists in Australia have risen up and taken to the streets in capital cities across Australia demanding migrants (meaning coloured people, especially Indians and like folk) be kicked out of Australia, and no more let in, in the name of freedom and democracy.

This movement seeks to “reclaim Australia” for White Australians. Meanwhile, pro Palestinian marches take place every Sunday, so naturally the two protests clashed today showing the diversity of Australian society.
VISIT THESE SITES … https://youtu.be/ru6CaCFX-HY?si=bNeloxO_wUPcTZQe

1 Comment

Filed under anti-racism, Australian culture, australian media, chauvinism, communal relations, ethnicity, Fascism, fundamentalism, immigration, life stories, migrant experiences, politIcal discourse, racism, racist thinking, self-reflexivity, truth as casualty of war, vengeance, world events & processes

August 30, 2025 · 7:16 pm

A Pulsating Cricket Match capped with A Final Over Hat-Trick

Andrew Fidel Fernando in ESPNcricinfo, 29  August 2025, where the title reads “Madushanka seals thriller with last-over hat-trick”

Raza had valiantly revived Zimbabwe’s chase through the middle overs but he could not take them over the line ……. Sri Lanka 298 for 6 (Nissanka 76, Liyanage 70*, Kamindu 57, Ngarava 2-34) beat Zimbabwe 291 for 8 (Raza 92, Curran 70, Williams 57, Madushanka 4-62, Fernando 3-50) by seven runs

A spectacular Dilshan Madushanka hat-trick derailed a scintillating Zimbabwe chase in the final over, which Sikandar Raza had valiantly revived through the middle overs. Raza had brought Zimbabwe to the cusp of what would have been a famous victory. They needed ten off the last over, he himself was on strike and batting beautifully on 92 off 86 balls, and at the other end was Tony Munyonga, with whom he’d shared a 128-run stand.
 Dilshan Madushanka produced a final over hat trick

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under accountability, art & allure bewitching, cricket selections, life stories, performance, Sri Lankan cricket

August 30, 2025 · 6:35 pm

A Candle for GAZA in Colombo……Supporting the SUMUD Flotilla

Message from  Manel  Fonseka 

Join us to light a candle and say a prayer for the success of the Sumud Flotilla as they set sail to break the siege on Gaza.

Starting on August 31st, 150 ships will set sail with crew from more than 40 counties, in the biggest global effort to break Israel’s 18year siege of Gaza. As famine spreads in Gaza and Israel continues with complete impunity to murder, rape and starve the population of 2 million people living there, the people of the world are banding together to step up where international law has failed.

Join us this Sunday, 31st of August, at 4.30pm under the Nuga tree at the Chapel of Christ the Living Saviour on Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 07, to light a candle and say a prayer for the success of the fleet, the safety of its crew, and the salvation of the people of Gaza from Israel’s unrelenting genocide.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under accountability, atrocities, authoritarian regimes, charitable outreach, Colombo and Its Spaces, cultural transmission, democratic measures, disaster relief team, education, ethnicity, human rights, Jews in Asia, life stories, politIcal discourse, power politics, self-reflexivity, trauma, unusual people, war crimes, welfare & philanthophy, world events & processes, zealotry

August 30, 2025 · 1:50 am

Sri Lanka Snatch Victory from the Jaws of Defeat

First 50-Over ODI in Harare  is a Nailbiter

…  followed  by this Thuppahiyaaa on ball-by-ball script in ESPN ………………  With one MADUSHANKA producing  a hat trick in  Over no 50 to complement Asitha  Fernando’s superb over no 49

RESULT
1st ODI, Harare, August 29, 2025, Sri Lanka tour of Zimbabwe
Sri Lanka FlagSri Lanka
298/6
Zimbabwe FlagZimbabwe
(50 ov, T:299) 291/8

Sri Lanka won by 7 runs

end of over 502 runs • 3 wickets
ZIM: 291/8CRR: 5.82 
Tony Munyonga43 (52b 1×4)
Blessing Muzarabani1 (1b)
Dilshan Madushanka10-0-62-4
Asitha Fernando10-0-50-3
49.6

1
Madushanka to Munyonga, 1 run  …… length ball outside off, swung away high and over mid-off running back. The ball falls safe but it’s Sri Lanka that celebrate – they have snuck through by 7 runs!

PK: “This is the danger of not giving it some serious welly in the 45-49 overs.

49.5

•
Madushanka to Munyonga, no run

Wide yorker, misses and Sri Lanka are home free!

Boundary needed here, and nothing else.

Odinlass : “Hahahaha! My word! This is outrageous!”

49.4

Madushanka to Muzarabani, 1 run  ….. full outside off, swings this and connects well. Down to long-on. Munyonga of course not coming back for the second
49.3

W
Madushanka to Ngarava, OUT

Hattrick for Madushanka! Talk about your redemption arcs, a forgettable day is fast becoming one to be etched in stone! This was quick and straight and Ngarava had no choice but to swing at it. Too good for him though, far too good

Richard Ngarava b Madushanka 0 (1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0
Ashraf: “what have u done @Hayes???”
Akindu: “Madushanka YOU BEAUTY!!! clutch play to move the odds toward SL. “
Nuur: “…And that is the problem with one man shows. When that one man is gone, show is over”
49.2

W
Madushanka to Evans, OUT

Two in two! Full outside off, looks for the scoop but it can’t clear short fine who peddles back and holds on smartly! Harare is silenced.

Brad Evans c AM Fernando b Madushanka 0 (1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0
Alan: “Finally a jinx worked”

abhi : “Had to jinx him Hayes”

49.1

W
Madushanka to Raza, OUT

Oh my word, he’s crushed middle stump! Big gaps on the onside and Raza moves across looking to sweep this for four. But this a yorker on the base of middle stump. And quick. Raza has to trudge of desolately

Sikandar Raza b Madushanka 92 (87b 8×4 0x6) SR: 105.74

Continue reading →

2 Comments

Filed under accountability, cricket for amity, cricket selections, life stories, patriotism, performance, world events & processes