Thursday, November 30, 2006
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Undelete Plus
Undelete Plus is a quick and effective way to retrieve accidentally deleted files, files removed from the Recycle Bin, in a DOS window, from a network drive, from Windows Explorer with the SHIFT key held down.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
100 Greatest TV Catchphrases
Here are some of my favourites:
"Here it is, your moment of Zen" (Jon Stewart, "The Daily Show")
"Just one more thing" (Columbo, "Columbo")
"Welcome to the O.C., bitch" (Luke, "The O.C.")
"Live long and prosper" (Spock, "Star Trek")
"Yada, yada, yada" ("Seinfeld")
"You're fired!" (Donald Trump, "The Apprentice")
Read the rest
"Here it is, your moment of Zen" (Jon Stewart, "The Daily Show")
"Just one more thing" (Columbo, "Columbo")
"Welcome to the O.C., bitch" (Luke, "The O.C.")
"Live long and prosper" (Spock, "Star Trek")
"Yada, yada, yada" ("Seinfeld")
"You're fired!" (Donald Trump, "The Apprentice")
Read the rest
Ant Breeding Project Nets $379 Million
This story sounds rather familiar:
"BEIJING (Reuters) - A company in northeast China raised $379 million from gullible members of the public by promising big profits from a project to breed ants, Xinhua news agency said Friday.
The Donghua Ecological Breeding Company, in Liaoning province, offered returns of 35 to 60 percent on investment in the bogus project, Xinhua said. The state agency cited the Public Security Ministry which had detailed the case as an example of how fraudsters were becoming more imaginative.
The report did not explain why the public would want to invest in ants but, in the southern region of Guangxi, black ants are sold by the bagful to be steeped in tea or soaked in liquor as a natural remedy for ailments such as arthritis." (via Yahoo)
So maybe the word "ants" needs to be replaced with " slots" but people involved are the same - the world is full of suckers.
"BEIJING (Reuters) - A company in northeast China raised $379 million from gullible members of the public by promising big profits from a project to breed ants, Xinhua news agency said Friday.
The Donghua Ecological Breeding Company, in Liaoning province, offered returns of 35 to 60 percent on investment in the bogus project, Xinhua said. The state agency cited the Public Security Ministry which had detailed the case as an example of how fraudsters were becoming more imaginative.
The report did not explain why the public would want to invest in ants but, in the southern region of Guangxi, black ants are sold by the bagful to be steeped in tea or soaked in liquor as a natural remedy for ailments such as arthritis." (via Yahoo)
So maybe the word "ants" needs to be replaced with " slots" but people involved are the same - the world is full of suckers.
McDavid
This great picture is one of the entries at the Worth1000 photoshopping contest. Others include Last Supper, Coffee and Picasso Crayola.(via Boing Boing)
Monday, November 27, 2006
"Choura Rajina" Not Too Happy
Ex-prez CBK wants a book banned - and surprisingly, it's one that was written about her. Ravaya editor Victor Ivan's book "Choura Rajina" levels "serious allegations of corruption, political assassinations and gross abuse of power against her regime."
If I were CBK, I wouldn't want a book like that written about myself either, but that's what you get for being a power hungry fruitcake.
If I were CBK, I wouldn't want a book like that written about myself either, but that's what you get for being a power hungry fruitcake.
Friday, November 24, 2006
Money Laundering Label Hard to Shake
Foreign investors in Singapore who attended a road show by the Colombo Stock Exchange have raised questions about Sri Lanka's growing infamy as a money laundering hub, and the inability of authorities to counter such activities, participants said.
One foreign investor asked the head table what action the authorities planned to take against recent share acquisitions in Sri Lanka by companies with questionable backgrounds.
Sri Lankan officials had replied that the country has signed international conventions against money laundering and a Financial Intelligence Unit had been set up, a participant said.
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Google Book Search Can Reveal Plagiarism
"For any plagiarist living in an age of search engines, waving a loaded book in front of reviewers has become the literary equivalent of suicide by cop.
As it turns out, even authors not living in this online age are in trouble. My fellow literary sleuth Alex MacBride recently revealed to me that he'd uncovered an old crime in a new way. MacBride, a linguist employed by Google, idly ran a phrase from England Howlett's 1899 essay Sacrificial Foundations through Google Book Search, his employer's massive digitization of millions of volumes from university libraries. The search had nothing to do with his job—like the rest of us, sometimes Alex just kills time by plugging stuff into Google—and rather than go to the trouble of digging out Howlett's book by name, he'd decided to call it up with a phrase. To his surprise, he got more back than just Howlett: The search also revealed a suspiciously similar passage in Sabine Baring-Gould's 1892 book Strange Survivals. A lot of suspiciously similar passages."
LinkFlickr Camera Finder
Flickr has launched a new service - Camera Finder - which provides stats on popular cameras/camera phones.Link 1 - Boing Boing
Link 2 - Mashable!
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Taxi Drivers Major Source of HIV AIDS
So it's official then:
"Taxi drivers have been found to be the primary source in the spread of HIV-AIDS according to an extensive survey conducted by the Sexually Transmitted Disease Unit (STD), Health Ministry sources yesterday.
STD Unit Director Dr. Nimal Edirisinghe said that it had been found that taxi drivers took their clients to secretly operated brothels and the brothel operators would repay them with the services of prostitutes."
(via Lanka Newspapers)
"Taxi drivers have been found to be the primary source in the spread of HIV-AIDS according to an extensive survey conducted by the Sexually Transmitted Disease Unit (STD), Health Ministry sources yesterday.
STD Unit Director Dr. Nimal Edirisinghe said that it had been found that taxi drivers took their clients to secretly operated brothels and the brothel operators would repay them with the services of prostitutes."
(via Lanka Newspapers)
President's Son to Join the Navy
Yoshitha Rajapakshe (second son of President Rajapakshe) is to join the SLN shortly, according to "well informed sources".Talk about leading by example....
(via Lanka Newspapers and Divaina)
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
"Kramer" Loses It - For Real
Monday, November 20, 2006
Friday, November 17, 2006
Budget '07 - At a Glance
"Insurance companies set off their losses from life insurance from the profits from general insurance and these two operations are to be treated as separate entities for taxation purposes
*Companies are urged to pay dividends of 50 percent from their profit and any company which pays out a dividend of less than 1/3 will be taxed 15 percent for the differences between such 1/3 and the dividend paid out.
*Passport fee has been reduced to Rs.3,500 to Rs.2500 and the fee charged for Sri Lankans living abroad applying for dual citizenship is reduced from Rs.400,000 per family to Rs.200,000, provided a fixed deposit in foreign currency of 25,000 US dollars is made at a local bank.
*Tourists Visiting the country will have to pay a Visa fee of 10 US Dollars at the time of purchasing the air ticket and penalties for violation of Visa regulations will be increased/
*Small and Medium entrepreneurs in the business sector who face difficulties and had defaulted tax for the past 5 years will be given a waiver of all penalties and given a period of 3 years to pay the arrears of tax.
*Motor vehicles ' a tax of 2.5 percent levy inclusive of all taxes and duties paid at the point of Customs.
*Income earned on interests is taxed at 10 percent from such earnings above Rs.108,000 it is to be raised to amount above Rs.300,000 and the withholding tax is reduced to 5 percent as an incentive for savings. Only if the earnings from interests is above 600,000 the tax will be 10 percent.
*Retiring employees who had completed 20 years of service will be given the benefit of an exemption of tax up to Rs.2 million for terminal benefits.
*The tax for shares of employees of companies
*Import of buses exempted from VAT
*VAT exempted for projects to build houses for shanty dwellers.
*Tax reduction to 5 percent for imports of high tech medical equipment.
*Environmentally harmful polythene 5 percent Excise tax.
*Construction industry to receive depreciation on machinery allowance up to 25 percent. Now it stands at 12.5 percent.
*Tax exempted on heavy fuel, furnace oil and electricity and machinery imported by the CEB will be also be exempted from tax.
*Local film industry given a reduced VAT of 5 percent for imports of items needed for film production.
*Ten year tax holiday for newly constructed cinemas.
*Economic service charge for tea, rubber and coconut processing industries reduced to 0.25 percent and VAT and customs duty exemption for machinery imported for these industries.
*Prawn farming, livestock, SME sector given duty exemption for imports of machinery. These include the jewellery export industry."
(Via Lankanewspapers)
More at LBO
*Companies are urged to pay dividends of 50 percent from their profit and any company which pays out a dividend of less than 1/3 will be taxed 15 percent for the differences between such 1/3 and the dividend paid out.
*Passport fee has been reduced to Rs.3,500 to Rs.2500 and the fee charged for Sri Lankans living abroad applying for dual citizenship is reduced from Rs.400,000 per family to Rs.200,000, provided a fixed deposit in foreign currency of 25,000 US dollars is made at a local bank.
*Tourists Visiting the country will have to pay a Visa fee of 10 US Dollars at the time of purchasing the air ticket and penalties for violation of Visa regulations will be increased/
*Small and Medium entrepreneurs in the business sector who face difficulties and had defaulted tax for the past 5 years will be given a waiver of all penalties and given a period of 3 years to pay the arrears of tax.
*Motor vehicles ' a tax of 2.5 percent levy inclusive of all taxes and duties paid at the point of Customs.
*Income earned on interests is taxed at 10 percent from such earnings above Rs.108,000 it is to be raised to amount above Rs.300,000 and the withholding tax is reduced to 5 percent as an incentive for savings. Only if the earnings from interests is above 600,000 the tax will be 10 percent.
*Retiring employees who had completed 20 years of service will be given the benefit of an exemption of tax up to Rs.2 million for terminal benefits.
*The tax for shares of employees of companies
*Import of buses exempted from VAT
*VAT exempted for projects to build houses for shanty dwellers.
*Tax reduction to 5 percent for imports of high tech medical equipment.
*Environmentally harmful polythene 5 percent Excise tax.
*Construction industry to receive depreciation on machinery allowance up to 25 percent. Now it stands at 12.5 percent.
*Tax exempted on heavy fuel, furnace oil and electricity and machinery imported by the CEB will be also be exempted from tax.
*Local film industry given a reduced VAT of 5 percent for imports of items needed for film production.
*Ten year tax holiday for newly constructed cinemas.
*Economic service charge for tea, rubber and coconut processing industries reduced to 0.25 percent and VAT and customs duty exemption for machinery imported for these industries.
*Prawn farming, livestock, SME sector given duty exemption for imports of machinery. These include the jewellery export industry."
(Via Lankanewspapers)
More at LBO
Jedi Knights Demand Recognition
Sure I'm a Star Wars fan, but I would never even dream of doing this:"Self-proclaimed Jedis Umada and Yunyun, better known as John Wilkinson and Charlotte Law, have adopted a more conventional approach in their pursuit of recognition – delivering a protest letter.
The unconventional pair are calling for the UN to acknowlegde what has become Britain's fourth largest 'religion' with 390,000 followers.
The UN International Day of Tolerance, which takes place annually on November 16, is aimed at emphasising the dangers of intolerance and promoting integration and cohesion across the globe.
In the 2001 UK Census 390,000 people listed their religion as Jedi Knight making it the fourth biggest belief in the country.
There are also an estimated 70,000 Jedi knights in Australia, 53,000 in New Zealand and 20,000 in Canada."
Link
Ninjawords
Ninjawords is a super fast online dictionary. Also available as "Ninjabox" - a desktop application. ( Link)
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Lightening Crashes
SL was blacked out on Wednesday night for about one and a half hours (7.45pm to 9pm - varies according to various parts of Colombo).
During the news telecast later, an official from the CEB stated the black out was due to lightening.
Surprisingly Jaffna and Trincomalee were not affected.
During the news telecast later, an official from the CEB stated the black out was due to lightening.
Surprisingly Jaffna and Trincomalee were not affected.
Classic Faux Pas
As Bush Goes To Vietnam, White House Website Displays The Wrong Flag
Yesterday, the White House website featured a graphic with the flags of the three countries he’s visiting on his trip — Singapore, Vietnam, and Indonesia. One problem: instead of displaying the Vietnamese flag, the White House graphic featured the old flag of South Vietnam. That flag hasn’t been the official flag of Vietnam since South Vietnam surrendered to North Vietnam in 1975.
The display of the old flag is highly incendiary to the current Vietnamese government. NPR reported last year the display of the old flag anywhere in the United States — much less on the White House website — “could create tension amid warming relations between the United States and Vietnam.
Link
Yesterday, the White House website featured a graphic with the flags of the three countries he’s visiting on his trip — Singapore, Vietnam, and Indonesia. One problem: instead of displaying the Vietnamese flag, the White House graphic featured the old flag of South Vietnam. That flag hasn’t been the official flag of Vietnam since South Vietnam surrendered to North Vietnam in 1975.
The display of the old flag is highly incendiary to the current Vietnamese government. NPR reported last year the display of the old flag anywhere in the United States — much less on the White House website — “could create tension amid warming relations between the United States and Vietnam.
Link
Awesome Hotel Rooms
This is an actual hotel room:
"A characteristic touch is that every corner and angle is outlined with a thin, hand-drawn, black line – whether on the ceiling, on the bed, or around a plug. The result is a dollhouse-like, comic book room with papaya green walls, a sunny yellow rug, a lilac bed and a pink cupboard. Graphics and decorations by the artist complete the design."
So is this:
(Via Boing Boing)
"A characteristic touch is that every corner and angle is outlined with a thin, hand-drawn, black line – whether on the ceiling, on the bed, or around a plug. The result is a dollhouse-like, comic book room with papaya green walls, a sunny yellow rug, a lilac bed and a pink cupboard. Graphics and decorations by the artist complete the design."
So is this:
(Via Boing Boing)
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Polish Exchange Student in US: My Half-Year of Hell With Christian Fundamentalists
When 19 year old Polish student Michael Gromek went to America on a student exchange, he was placed with a host family of Christian fundamentalists for six months.
"When I got out of the plane in Greensboro in the US state of North Carolina, I would never have expected my host family to welcome me at the airport, wielding a Bible, and saying, 'Child, our Lord sent you half-way around the world to bring you to us.' At that moment I just wanted to turn round and run back to the plane."
Read the rest
"When I got out of the plane in Greensboro in the US state of North Carolina, I would never have expected my host family to welcome me at the airport, wielding a Bible, and saying, 'Child, our Lord sent you half-way around the world to bring you to us.' At that moment I just wanted to turn round and run back to the plane."
Read the rest
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Borat Wins Again, Offends More People
Staying atop the box office for two weeks in a row proved quite easy for Borat - very nice!
Now in addition to earning $67 million dollars in ticket sales, Borat has somehow managed to offend his unsuspecting co-stars, some of whom have lost their jobs:
"Cohen's behavior also wasn't funny to former TV producer Dharma Arthur, who claims she was duped into giving Cohen airtime on a morning show segment in Jackson, Mississippi. Cohen's live appearance, in which he said he had to go "urine" and hugged a bemused weatherman, led her life into a downward spiral, she told the AP. She is seeking an apology.
(Link to CNN article)
There's more - Sacha Baron Cohen aka Borat managed to get his ass kicked by a passer-by who didn't get this joke:
Now in addition to earning $67 million dollars in ticket sales, Borat has somehow managed to offend his unsuspecting co-stars, some of whom have lost their jobs:
"Cohen's behavior also wasn't funny to former TV producer Dharma Arthur, who claims she was duped into giving Cohen airtime on a morning show segment in Jackson, Mississippi. Cohen's live appearance, in which he said he had to go "urine" and hugged a bemused weatherman, led her life into a downward spiral, she told the AP. She is seeking an apology.
Although Arthur has said she was fired from the show, she told the AP that she left the station.
Kathie Martin, who runs an etiquette school in Birmingham, Alabama, was also left out of the joke. Even though she was gracious and calm when Borat showed her nude photos of his son, Martin admitted she was "taken aback" by his schtick during their on-camera meeting.
"Unless you can figure it out for yourself, you have no way of knowing you have been tricked into being part of a childish prank with an R rating attached," she told the AP in an e-mail."(Link to CNN article)
There's more - Sacha Baron Cohen aka Borat managed to get his ass kicked by a passer-by who didn't get this joke:
"He approached the man and said: “I like your clothings. Are nice! Please may I buying? I want have sex with it.”
But the bystander didn’t see the joke. He took one look at Cohen and punched him in the face."
(Link to Sun article)Polythene Out, Banana Leaves In
Dr. Sujatha Weerasinghe (Agricultural Research Institute) has invented a method by which banana leaves and other natural leaves can be processed to be used as food wrappers.
The use/manufacture/sale of polythene (less than 20 microns) will be banned from January 1, 2007 and the Ministry intends to use banana leaves as substitutes.
The use/manufacture/sale of polythene (less than 20 microns) will be banned from January 1, 2007 and the Ministry intends to use banana leaves as substitutes.
Monday, November 13, 2006
List of Faux Pas from Wiki
Bangladesh
Closing one's eyes during a meal is said to invite demonic possession of the hosts.
India
India has had a complicated history with its neighbors (Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka), and confusing an Indian with any of these (or vice versa) is seriously offensive. This rule extends especially to Westerners.
For a man to comment to another person about the appearance of the latter's adult female relative (wife, sister, daughter, etc) is considered inappropriate behavior. However, it is acceptable for a woman to do so
Turkey
Placing a phone call to somebody after 22:00.
Greece
"No" is sometimes conveyed by a slight raise of the eyebrows, often accompanied by a "tsk" sound.
France
Biting into the piece of bread directly (unless you have something on it -butter, pâté,...). One should break a small piece off, and put it into one's mouth.
(Link to Wiki)
Closing one's eyes during a meal is said to invite demonic possession of the hosts.
India
India has had a complicated history with its neighbors (Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka), and confusing an Indian with any of these (or vice versa) is seriously offensive. This rule extends especially to Westerners.
For a man to comment to another person about the appearance of the latter's adult female relative (wife, sister, daughter, etc) is considered inappropriate behavior. However, it is acceptable for a woman to do so
Turkey
Placing a phone call to somebody after 22:00.
Greece
"No" is sometimes conveyed by a slight raise of the eyebrows, often accompanied by a "tsk" sound.
France
Biting into the piece of bread directly (unless you have something on it -butter, pâté,...). One should break a small piece off, and put it into one's mouth.
(Link to Wiki)
Friday, November 10, 2006
Raja FM Suspended
Raja FM has been shut down by the GOSL for airing sexually explicit content on its program "Three hours with Sumali".
I have not tuned in to this program but listened to a few clips (can be found at Wiki). Some of the stories are a little bizarre, to say the least. It doesn't sound outrageously explicit - just crude. However the *doctor*'s (Prasanna Jayatilleke) advice isn't inappropriate and it's high time sex education is made more available to the youth of SL Does the GOSL expect school teachers and parents to provide the necessary answers to the questions asked?
UPDATE 11/12: The Wiki article has been edited and the links are no longer available.
UPDATE 11/13: Links
I have not tuned in to this program but listened to a few clips (can be found at Wiki). Some of the stories are a little bizarre, to say the least. It doesn't sound outrageously explicit - just crude. However the *doctor*'s (Prasanna Jayatilleke) advice isn't inappropriate and it's high time sex education is made more available to the youth of SL Does the GOSL expect school teachers and parents to provide the necessary answers to the questions asked?
UPDATE 11/12: The Wiki article has been edited and the links are no longer available.
UPDATE 11/13: Links
How to be Interesting
Here are 10 ways to be "interesting" - good suggestions, all of them. It's strange that while I have always been described as "an interesting individual" during the occasional job evaluation (occasional=once or twice a year) here in SL, it never came up during the interview process. In fact, I once asked an interview what he expected of an employee and he rambled on a list of the usual "what-makes-a-good-team-player" crap but never once said he wanted a person who was "interested" in working for the company or an "interesting" person in general.
Internerd
If you ever need to know 248 ways to annoy people (#107 - As people talk, smell their shoulders.), this is the site for you. It also includes a wonderful list of sarcastic remarks (#68 - And which dwarf are you? ) and a very easy-to-follow cookie recipe ;)
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
YouTube - Invention of the Year
TIME Magazine has named YouTube Invention of the Year - and with good reason too. It has completely changed the concept of video-sharing and tell me, where else can we find five minute clips of old TV shows with such ease?!
Desperate Measures
"Security forces have stepped up their red alert in the city following information that the LTTE, having failed in their bid to enter Colombo in the recent past, could use an ambulance with the siren on or even come dressed as a newly married couple in a decorated limousine.
Following this information orders have gone out to all check points not to spare ambulances, couples on honeymoon and even hearses."
That ought to make life more interesting for everyone, dead or alive...............
(Via Lanka Newspapers)
Following this information orders have gone out to all check points not to spare ambulances, couples on honeymoon and even hearses."
That ought to make life more interesting for everyone, dead or alive...............
(Via Lanka Newspapers)
Faith Hill is a BAD Loser
First - I am not a country music fan. I was watching CNN yesterday and caught a glimpse of Faith Hill's reaction when the winner of the female Country Vocalist of the Year award was announced at the annual CMA awards. It was hilarious!!
Just watch it in slow motion - I bet she actually new the camera was on her the entire time, too.
Ms Hill has been quick to deny she lost her temper and claims it was a joke. Right.
Just watch it in slow motion - I bet she actually new the camera was on her the entire time, too.
Ms Hill has been quick to deny she lost her temper and claims it was a joke. Right.
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Protecting Our Own
The plan to charge royalties for each song performed at musical shows and other commercial use of local artistes' creations has resulted in an actual fee structure.
Annually 100 rupees per song for broadcast on TV and 20 rupees for radio
Night clubs, karaoke bars, restaurants and musical shows are charged 5,000 rupees per song per year
Organizations such as banks, conference halls using local music for an event need to pay 15,000 rupees for a license
National Lotteries Board, Development Lotteries will pay an annual license fee of 100,000 rupees each
Copyright music is free for educational purposes, talent performances, welfare and non-profit events
"Under the Intellectual Property Act 2003 of Sri Lanka, organizers of musical shows and electronic media institutions, will now have to get prior written permission from artists, NIPO Office said Monday.
Director of Sri Lanka Performing Rights Society, Bobby Boteju says those who violate the law face a six months jail sentence or a fine of 500,000 rupees, with penalties doubled for repeated misuse."
(Via LBO)
Annually 100 rupees per song for broadcast on TV and 20 rupees for radio
Night clubs, karaoke bars, restaurants and musical shows are charged 5,000 rupees per song per year
Organizations such as banks, conference halls using local music for an event need to pay 15,000 rupees for a license
National Lotteries Board, Development Lotteries will pay an annual license fee of 100,000 rupees each
Copyright music is free for educational purposes, talent performances, welfare and non-profit events
"Under the Intellectual Property Act 2003 of Sri Lanka, organizers of musical shows and electronic media institutions, will now have to get prior written permission from artists, NIPO Office said Monday.
Director of Sri Lanka Performing Rights Society, Bobby Boteju says those who violate the law face a six months jail sentence or a fine of 500,000 rupees, with penalties doubled for repeated misuse."
(Via LBO)
"Rajatha Rashmi" - Gone for Good?!
So it appears "Rajatha Rashmi" - the state-funded Rupavahini's response to the insatiable appetite for talent shows prevalent these days - has been suspended since last weekend. The reason? Misappropriation of funds - around 30 million rupees, according to this report!
I have yet to read an official statement by Rupavahini on the subject - what's with the silence, I wonder. The program is aired on Sunday night and last Sunday (Poya) a message indicated the program will be shown again next weekend.
Prior to the start of Season 2 of its extremely popular Sirasa Super Star series, Sirasa was very quiet and three other channels (Rupavahini, ITN and Swarnavahini) immediately started their own talent contests - some of them mind-numbingly boring and the others barely watchable. "Rajatha Rashmi" was the better program by far.
I watched a few episodes of the singers' auditions in Rajatha Rashmi (it also includes acting and dancing) and was very impressed with some of the talent from outstation areas. I must mention this guy called Saman Lenin, was quite outstanding - I haven't seen him on TV much since he was selected for the finals. He has a really good voice and so do at least three others whose names I can't remember, unfortunately.
What's going to happen to these guys if the program is permanently canceled? Or is the e-news article just another pro-Sirasa creation?!
I have yet to read an official statement by Rupavahini on the subject - what's with the silence, I wonder. The program is aired on Sunday night and last Sunday (Poya) a message indicated the program will be shown again next weekend.
Prior to the start of Season 2 of its extremely popular Sirasa Super Star series, Sirasa was very quiet and three other channels (Rupavahini, ITN and Swarnavahini) immediately started their own talent contests - some of them mind-numbingly boring and the others barely watchable. "Rajatha Rashmi" was the better program by far.
I watched a few episodes of the singers' auditions in Rajatha Rashmi (it also includes acting and dancing) and was very impressed with some of the talent from outstation areas. I must mention this guy called Saman Lenin, was quite outstanding - I haven't seen him on TV much since he was selected for the finals. He has a really good voice and so do at least three others whose names I can't remember, unfortunately.
What's going to happen to these guys if the program is permanently canceled? Or is the e-news article just another pro-Sirasa creation?!
The Search for Black Gold
Nov 06 (LBO) - The Maharaja Group on Monday signed a deal with Norwegian based oil drilling firm Aker Kvaerner, for future involvment in oil and gas exploration in Sri Lanka. (Link to LBO article)
Hmmm..as diversified as The Maharaja Group is, the idea of them dealing with a Norwegian oil drilling firm is just plain freaky....
Hmmm..as diversified as The Maharaja Group is, the idea of them dealing with a Norwegian oil drilling firm is just plain freaky....
Download Episodes of LOST 3 and Prison Break 2
Garret the Great has created two separate pages for LOST 3 and Prison Break 2, where each new episode is added weekly.
By the way, if you have not watched the complete first season of Prison Break, please don't bother watching the second - it won't make any sense!
By the way, if you have not watched the complete first season of Prison Break, please don't bother watching the second - it won't make any sense!
Four-finned Dolphin Stuns Scientists
"Experts believe that the dolphin's ancestor was a dog-like creature which roamed the earth many millions of years ago. And now the extraordinary discovery of a bottlenosed dolphin with an extra set of flippers has provided living proof of the theory.Scientists have so far been unable to tell whether the four-finned dolphin, caught in fishermen's nets off Japan's Wakayama province a week ago, uses its extra set of fins when swimming."
(Image from Daily Mail)
Pronto - the Best Way to Get It On
Condoms which can be put on in just a few seconds are going on sale in South Africa this week. Appropriately named "pronto", the condoms are sold with a small plastic applicator packed inside each foil pouch
Seeing is believing, so watch the demo - oh yes, there really is a demo.
Unfortunately pronto condoms are not for available outside South Africa - yet.
Seeing is believing, so watch the demo - oh yes, there really is a demo.
Unfortunately pronto condoms are not for available outside South Africa - yet.
Monday, November 06, 2006
Indian Cities Head List of Best Off-shoring Sites
New Delhi headed the seven Indian cities that topped the list of 24 from around the world vying for the tag of favorite offshore sites, said neoIT in a report entitled: "Offshore Insights: Global City Competitiveness."
New Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai and Kolkata were the seven most favoured sites worldwide to locate offshore, said the report assembled from feedback from over 60 clients.
Read the rest at LBO
More at Reuters
New Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai and Kolkata were the seven most favoured sites worldwide to locate offshore, said the report assembled from feedback from over 60 clients.
Read the rest at LBO
More at Reuters
Chocolate Sushi
KookiSushi: fetishistically accurate replicas of sushi, executed in fine chocolate, including green-tea "wasabi" and chocolate soy sauce.(Via Boing Boing)
Borat: Box Office King
"Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" turned out to be the number 1 movie at the US box office this weekend.
Here's a clip of a TV interview about the movie:
Here's a clip of a TV interview about the movie:
Friday, November 03, 2006
Concert Featuring Music by Rohana Weerasinghe
'Susara Gee Rawe, Rohana Ransara Geethavaliya,' a musical evening organised to mark 35 years of music composing career of Rohana Weerasinghe, the true Sri Lankan music legend who has made a name, locally and internationally, will be staged on November 4 at 6.30 p.m. at the National Youth Council Auditorium, Maharagama.
The top most artistes Sunil Edirisinghe, Edward Jayakody, Deepika Priyadharshani and Charitha Priyadharshani Peiris will also perform at this musical evening. This would bring wide range of top songs composed by Rohana Weerasinghe.
(Via Daily News)
The top most artistes Sunil Edirisinghe, Edward Jayakody, Deepika Priyadharshani and Charitha Priyadharshani Peiris will also perform at this musical evening. This would bring wide range of top songs composed by Rohana Weerasinghe.
(Via Daily News)
How to Save a Wet Cell Phone
I wish I had read this before I was flung into a swimming pool with my brand new mobile phone tucked in my pocket......would have saved me 50k....
Chasing Seagulls
Investigations into the Seagull saga have revealed the firm held accounts in at least two commercial banks and approximately 113 million rupees have passed through the bank accounts discovered so far.
Victims of the scam have formed an association and have posted a picture of a man who called himself Raj Kumar on their website and are offering a reward for his capture (bounty hunter alert!).
Victims of the scam have formed an association and have posted a picture of a man who called himself Raj Kumar on their website and are offering a reward for his capture (bounty hunter alert!).
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Bye-bye Polythene
Finally, the government has decided to ban the use of polythene from January 1, 2007.
By far one of the better decisions made by the GOSL, I salute those who have undertaken the task of implementing and monitoring the ban.
By far one of the better decisions made by the GOSL, I salute those who have undertaken the task of implementing and monitoring the ban.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Reviews by Readers at Amazon.com
I found the following review of Orwell's classic "1984" quite amusing...:
"Caitlyn from Atlanta, GA, wrote: "1984 is the worst book I have ever read. I would advise anyone who is thinking about reading this book to reconcider! George Orwell is not a bad writer, however, this book he does not do evry well on, as some of his others. Prehaps he was getting old and lost his touch. Animal Farm was okay, but 1984 was horrible. It took him forever, it seemed like, to get into the accual book. If someone were to take out all of the useless part of 1984, it would be half as long. Why would he wirte so much about nothing? I havent ever meet someone who could wirte such a boring book about the goverment. I have meet many people who have loved this book, but i dispised it. I am not at all intrested in the goverment. This may be part of the reason that I didnt like it. I would advise you not to read this book." (via Boing Boing)
...until I read the last entry posted at Amazon World:
"Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
This book was as intellectually stimulating as watching a blind goat rape a treestump. I've never been as horrified in my life as I was by this terrible, terrible disgrace upon writing . I have to wonder where people come up with some of these images. "
Sadly Amazon World has not been updated in awhile.
"Caitlyn from Atlanta, GA, wrote: "1984 is the worst book I have ever read. I would advise anyone who is thinking about reading this book to reconcider! George Orwell is not a bad writer, however, this book he does not do evry well on, as some of his others. Prehaps he was getting old and lost his touch. Animal Farm was okay, but 1984 was horrible. It took him forever, it seemed like, to get into the accual book. If someone were to take out all of the useless part of 1984, it would be half as long. Why would he wirte so much about nothing? I havent ever meet someone who could wirte such a boring book about the goverment. I have meet many people who have loved this book, but i dispised it. I am not at all intrested in the goverment. This may be part of the reason that I didnt like it. I would advise you not to read this book." (via Boing Boing)
...until I read the last entry posted at Amazon World:
"Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
This book was as intellectually stimulating as watching a blind goat rape a treestump. I've never been as horrified in my life as I was by this terrible, terrible disgrace upon writing . I have to wonder where people come up with some of these images. "
Sadly Amazon World has not been updated in awhile.
LTTE Cadres To Provided With Overseas Jobs
"They will be found jobs here or abroad, depending on their choice, after they undergo rehabilitation,' government defence spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said."
Well, that's one way of getting rid of them........
Well, that's one way of getting rid of them........
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