Sunday, June 16, 2013

Vanilla-the Orchid, I struggled to make some saplings


Vanilla-the Orchid, I struggled to make some saplings
It took almost six months for me to understand this wonderful plant.
It has a beautiful flower but it is famous for its smell of its pod.
If one keeps a pod inside your tea, it gives a wonderful flavour and aroma.
Vanillin is a simple phenolic compound and artificial flavour is nowhere near its natural compound.
It reminds me of the organic chemistry practicals as a school kid when we could smell and identify various compounds which I have forgotten now.
Last November, I accidentally found a few branches of Vanilla and and I thought it was piece of cake to get a few saplings from the branches I selected in a heap of branches.
I can pick a branch that would be young enough to plant I never thought, I had to wait nearly four months to see any sign of success.
First time, I cut the branches to various sizes to see from which node the young shoot will sprout.
Second time, I bought few more branches and the results were equally bad.
Then I went to the web and did a search and found unless one has young leaves at the end they won’t grow.
All the shoots I had were, without the young leaves.
I knew I was taken fora  sucker by the vendors in the city.
I demanded, I need few shoots with the top leaves remaining but not chopped off.
For my luck I met the old gentleman who comes to the city with Vanilla pods and sell them seated on the pavement.
I told him my plight, sure enough the next load of cutting he sent me two with leaves on the the top.
To my surprise when I came home to plant them, I noticed two of my original shoots showing signs of young buds.
1. If one wants to succeed one needs at least one foot long branch with young leaves on top.
2. One must not chop the top off like when one plants shoots as vegetative growths.
3. They should be grown in shade with lot of humidity.
4. They should be planted with other plants which need lot of water and and transpirate water around them giving lot of humidity.
In my case tomato plants and a particular water plant (name I do not know) did give the company for the young shoots. 
I have found even the amazon plant is a good company by accident.
5. No need for rooting chemical.
6. One need lot of patience.
The fourth batch of shoots even with top chopped off I managed to get saplings.
The secret is that the bottom part of the shoot have to be (at least one foot) flat on the ground covered with little soil. 
The top part has to be anchored erect on a pole or stick and that curvature gives the signal for shooting.
That is my observation.
 
The hormones are produced somewhere round the bend in the inter-node stem.
That is my observation and all my fourth round shoots are now showing (after about six weeks delay) signs of budding shoots, HAVING APPLIED THE SCIENTIFIC OBSERVATION ABOVE.
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7. when the shoots come out it needs a stick to anchor.
8. It is better to grow the anchor plant in anticipation of the young shoot. It is vital for its needs. 
The anchoring roots get hod of the closet anchor.
This orchid is a plant in between orchid and a runner.
It has a 90 degree orientation.
The flat portion is like any other vegetative plant.
The erect portion is the true orchid.
It is really a hybrid plant A cross between a runner and an orchid.
It needs lot of water and humidity when young.
I will report to you when it starts flowering probably in another six months.
I have changed to orchids since the Kandy weather is now  coundusive for them and its climate has drastically changed in the last five years.

Thursday, June 13, 2013

OpenSuse-12.3

OpenSuse-12.3
I received a copy 64 bit OpenSuse-12.3 today from Linux Magazine.
The copy of 12.3, I downloaded by torrent was faulty to begin with.
I did not investigate t or report it to SuSe.
To my surprise the copy I received with the Linux Magazine was also faulty (64 bit version).
To their (Linux Magazine) credit they checked the DVD and send me another copy with the another copy of the magazine.
Linux Magazine is dedicated to the customers.
Big Thank YOU.
After many milestone checkups the SuSe community got it wrong.
I have stop complaining to them for the last 3 years, anyway.

As for the Suse 12.3 is concerned it is pretty good.
I installed LXDE to save resources and it is sleek.
It has Gnome and KDE which is a plus point.
I believe they have shed lot of unnecessary stuff.
Its YAST (one of the best) is also pretty good.

However, it did not configure my network automatically and I am writing this report with Ubuntu based Regal Titanic on board.
I did not bother to configure network manually.
Suse was a very good distribution but it has lost part of its "crunch".
Overall it is much better than 12.1.

Ubuntu-13.04-Gnome Remix

Ubuntu-13.04-Gnome Remix
If you are a Linux user with old habits, you are not at all, at a loss with Ubuntu.
There is Gnome version for you to download at Ubuntu site.
Version 13.04 is available for download both for 32 and 64 bit computers.
It has both Gnome 3 and Classic version.
Go download and enjoy the Linux Freedom.
Of course there is no KDE version.
I must tell you I used the Ubuntu Gnome Remix for installation.
It has both classic and new gnome 3.
However the copy I downloaded had Gnome 3 only.
I hope the developers (First Release of Ubuntu Gnome remix is 12.04) will facilitate the use of Classic version in the 13.04 version, just like Mint Linux does.
Linux Mint came into prominence, since it took the right step of giving all the options for the use.
Even Debian has a Mint edition.
If you are not satisfied with Ubuntu Gnome, please use the Linux Mint.
Even though, I do not use (Mint) it regularly (just a habit), it is a very orthodox and user friendly distribution.
It is now on the top of the list of downloads and Ubuntu is in number 3.
Mageia, the resurrected Mandriva is number two but it still has some rough edges (having used Mandriva, I was a regular user) for a newbie.
Suse has drop out of my radar but the latest version and the latest Suse Studio have done remarkable update.
Only down side is, it uses lot of resources.
I regularly use PCLinux (FullMonty) mainly because it has a nicely organized desktop.
It is also resource hungry, just being KDE is always, consumes lot of bit and bytes.
It has now 64 bit versions, too.
Because of my user bias I do not write on it virtues.
If you do not like gnome, try the KDE.
Pretty Good.

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Linux Code of Conduct and its strength-Gparted included


Linux Code of Conduct and its strength-Gparted included
Linux has a strict code of conduct.
Sometimes it may be its weakness too.
I was down with flu and could n’t do anything constructively for a few days and decided to invest my time on a spare computer on which I had forgotten the password for the root or the administration work.
On does not have to use root unless there is a major mishap and that was the reason for forgetting it.
Linux does check its partitions on mount and start up and this computer also had some problem with a partition installed with a different operating system.
In other words the second IDE hard disk had faulty segment.
So I decided to erase everything and start afresh.
In this situation best utility is Gparted, a Debian based live distribution which is known for its breezy partitioning and formatting.
So I partitioned the normal disk which was piece of cake.
But when I tried to partition the IDE disk there was some problem.
I could not format, probably the segment which was defective was hindering the progress and was left with a situation where I did not have a partition table to mount any distribution.
It got stuck at fstab.
Unable to mount the defective disk I could not even install on the normal sata disk.
I went back to partedmagic and tried to rectify.
It did the partitioning on the first go but did not detect the sector which was defective.
Then I mounted Gparted and tried to reformat the possible defective segment and it got stuck.
The ReisereFS partition type is probably highly journalized it detected the faulty segment/sector.
I could not format and left without a partition table.
Back to square One.
After one night toiling and I gave up, with the flu making me irritable, after mounting Gparted several times.
In this situation I always press Ctrl + Alt+F1 to see what was wrong.
Only one sector was defective.
I never realized Gparted and ReiserFS were that finicky about partitioning and formatting.
In this situation what I do is to format with less restrictive swap partition and leave that portion virtually not utilized.
Other option is to keep that portion not allocated which not a good option.
Finding one sector out of sea of little segments was a difficult preposition anyway.
The third option was for me to physically remove the hard disk.
This has not happened after I started using Linux, for over a decade. 

I had to resort to windows less finicky partitioning which include ntfs.
I keep a windows 7 starter DVD without registering with the windows (then one cannot reuse it ) and installed it in my computer but it detected all the partition as normal and healthy.

Fortunately it did not detect the faulty sector. I was in business again.

Windows cannot read the partition details written in Linux.
That is another reason for me  not using Windows.
I deleted the most likely partition and installed the Windows 7.
Otherwise (if I do not install windows) I will not have a partition table.
Then I booted up Gparted and located the segment to about 6 GiB of the 80 GB IDE disk.
Tthen I installed Ubuntu 13-04 on the normal disk.
I won’t install any on the IDE disk but keep it as a place to store old files.
Lesson here is one does not have to discard a disk with few isolated (this was second hand disk I bought with an old IBM computer) segments gone defective.
If you are not storing any critical data on this disk, it is not a big deal.

That is the advantage of Linux.
It detects even the tiniest of defects when formatting and discard them outright.
Windows formatting cannot approach anywhere near that precision.
One should never install an operating system on a bad disk.
My Sata disk was almost new.
One can use the small SSD disk for operating system only and use other/ old disks can be used for data storage.
That is the current recommendation anyway till price of SSD comes down drastically.
I am not going to throw away a disk with only one sector defective.

Mind you, I mounted a external USB hard disk and  recovered all the critical or useful data from the defective partition before going through with partitioning with Gparted.
This is the first time I had a problem where I had to tease my brain to get an old IDE working for me.
While I am typing this I am installing at least three(3) operating systems in one disk.
If one system goes down I use the other system to recover my files.
This is something windows cannot boast.
I am also immune to copying an image of my system (probably useful for servers but not for my desktops).
Once the system is old it is far better to reinstall since the old system will slow down with junk history to rewrite every time it boots up.
I do that every year or at worst, 18 months the most.
My installation has finished on the other computer, so let me stop here.

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Ubuntu 13.04-An Update

Ubuntu 13.04-An Update
If I do not write few lines on Ubuntu 13.04, it is very unfair specially the bad publicity it got due to Unity Desktop.
Yes. I was very critical of the lack of work-spaces and the clutter and the size of window frames, it came out with Unity.
It was big mess for a guy who uses FullMonty’s nice Desktop arrangement, very well organized but consume lot of resources.
In summary,
1.       Unity has got its window frame problem sorted out. 
There is seamless number of windows which contract as the number increases which was a good ploy. 
I now have no problem with it.
2.       Finding a program by click of the mouse is not possible but fiddling with few icons one can get to what one needs.
It has a docky below which helps a bit with some icons but not comprehensive, enough.  

3.       The best part is, it is not loaded with unnecessary utilities. 
What is installed and not installed is shown.
4.       Its software center and update is good and breezy.
5.       I found difficult to find the add new user utility.
6.       It has high security passwords which is a very strong point. Unfortunately it goes into server mode when more than two users  are added and shutting down is difficult. 
But it is a minor problem, one logs out all the users and just press the computer's on/off button.
7.       It has LibreOffice 4.0, the latest.
8.       The best point about it is,it can be used by visually handicapped person easily. 
Its screen reader is pretty awesome and has done a major update. 
Well Done.
9.       Now, I usually recommend not to be connected to the internet when installing since it takes ages to finish. 
Not anymore. 
It takes only a little added time and in that process removes all the unnecessary language packages of LibreOffice.
10.   All in all it was a good experience, I decided to use it on a regular basis in my spare computer and report any major disadvantages to canonical as a user and a unity convert.
11.   Its Ubuntu One and Ubuntu Music arwe good for even an old guy like me. 
There is no obvious interference from Amazon too.

12. It has Sinhala capability but I have not tested it on installation.
I have installed it with Sinhala (LKlug-Unicode is installed) and it is working.
I believe one has to install Sinhala font to get full advantage.
I do not have Sinhala font to test it.
I will try Google Sinhala font and report it when I have time.
It takes little longer to install when one uses the Sinhala installation.
It is available on current Linux Magazine on both 32 and 64 bit versions.
If you are lazy to download, go and buy the magazine and help all the Linux writers too.
By the way downloading with torrent is breezy.

You must realize I was never been a fan of Ubuntu and all the reservations I have had are disappearing fast, and many questions I have raised against it is becoming less and less (has been taken into account by the developers) and I thank them profusely for their hard work.
In TQM, the customer is the best judge and quality comes at that level first.

I am going to be a quality check customer from now onward.

Sunday, June 2, 2013

Forgotten Tribes

Forgotten Tribes
I was running short of ides to write then hit upon a gold mine.
Shall I say it is the Pandora’s Box.
It was all indirect.
I was flabbergasted by how the white man of the West and America, now prompting Human Rights as its agenda, while all the time destroying all the history belonging to the tribes that befell (they have decimated in 500 years) in their hands.
No western nation is free of abuses.
European Union so powerful in their proclamation of human rights but won’t have any description of the tribal history in their modern libraries (history books) how and why there is no mention about Aborigines (who were wiped out from Tasmania).
There is a lot conspiring by historians and also people who are editing modern encyclopedias.
There is paucity of information of Arawak’s of Caribbean and the rest of the tribal exterminations.
There is paucity of information of slave trading.
Why,  children of 21st century are not told about these excesses and atrocities.
Can we wipe out the history of almost 50 to 100 million who were wiped out, by western colonizers?
Unfortunately, Christian Church is also culpable of propagating and spreading agenda of false information.
Past is forgotten for convenience.
The tribal nations Including Indian Tamils who were brought in here needs to know who brought them here as slaves for pittance.

History is history, there cannot be duplicity.

This applies to present Sri-Lankan administrators too.

History cannot be forgotten and statistics cannot be doctored.
There are dark ages in every history but falsifying it is not correct.
There is no consolation for the survivors even if the figures are right.
At least there is no genocide in this respect as it is claimed by the western erudite who know little in their history including Canada.
There is a fabric of untruth, they are weaving to distort the history of current events as well as past events of five centuries.
That cannot be called diplomacy, even though diplomats are habitually trained to lie but not get caught off guard, in the process of lying.

Saturday, June 1, 2013

Buddhism in Africa, Why no penetration?


Buddhism in Africa,  Why no penetration?
I am intrigued by the lack of penetration of Buddhism in the South African continent.
It is not that difficult to comprehend.
If one looks to India to the East, China has resisted it for centuries.
India is no exception.

China of course  evicted  DalaiLama and killed millions in the name of Communism.

India for it to keep its class and caste prejudices wanted it out sooner than late.

In the North where Buddhism had penetrated to Persia which is currently Iran.

Muslim expansion in North Africa effectively blocked its  penetration. 

What about the West Africa?
Germans have effectively, the missionaries had no place for for indigenous people.
Another religion which preached peace had no valid currency.

What about the South Africa?
It is again colonization and sometimes extermination of tribes could not tolerate, a peaceful religion.

East, again from Sudan to Somalia tribal and religious animosities still simmering, Buddhism is an antithesis.

What about Sri-Lanka’s contribution?

Surprisingly nil, since it practices a modern method of discrimination using religion as a scapegoat.

Above question made me to read a little bit of the history of mankind of the past five centuries.

No religion can cover the atrocities of war of the white man in full gear.

Religion was only a decoy or a cover up of expansion and extermination.

Summary of it goes like this.
1. South America Total annihilation by Spanish and isolation to small pockets.

2. North America Even worse and no Apache was the goal.

3. Africa From Belgium(Central) to West to South Africa it was combined effort of the from French, German, to English.

How come when a peaceful  religion and its present  advocates, preaches war in the name of religion now as a method of logic and  suppression of reason can penetrate Africa when it cannot penetrate its own brethren?

It is the sad truth of 21st century  history and politics.