Dreams-X-Files-01
I deliberately censured or sanctioned only few of my dreams for private circulation, lately.
This not to annoy Maha Brahma but I had enormous amount of unfinished work.
Besides, Maha Brahma lives for eons and I have precise little time to spare, before He or Director of Apaya, International calls me for his recreational activity in the Apaya Hell Service Server.
Thanks the second letter is not R and the last letter is not E (XRXE).
Besides, I might deprive both of them by attaining Nirvana in this life, since if I have really finished, all the unfinished quota of work, I intend to do while alive and well and my memory being intact for those tasks, there is no need for me to carry on regardless.
I sometime think by stroke of luck if my memory fails and those tasks are no longer remembered, I have a strategic leeway.
Then no need for me to go on or call for another round of birth to finish the tasks, I could not finish.
Ether way, my memory being intact, I was busy doing lot of things on the fly, so to speak.
Having said that, the dream I had at 5.55 am yesterday was a nice one to be sent to Maha.
This dream was unusual.
It has never happened before.
I was up 5.55 am sharp, half an hour before my usual break in sleep with the alarm clock buzzing and another half an hour, charge up, and really get out of the bed and gear myself for another day of chore.
I was annoyed but it was a nice short dream.
I have accomplished one of my wakeful hour (“I have a dream type” of Martin Luther King) dreams, writing or developing a Linux Game for Kids.
I was playing it, with a nice Walter Disney type front end.
I was so happy, I left the dream world to enjoy in wakeful state.
Then when I was woken up, I was annoyed for breaking the sleep half an hour early and also annoyed that Maha has intervened in my dream state.
He has a nice attitude for me; if the second half of the dream is bad, fearing I get a heart attack in my dreams, he interferes with my dream and fills up gap story with his inter-planetary chat, he has with me.
Nonetheless, I decided to drop to sleep, since yesterday being Saturday and Kandy Perehara in full steam, I was forcefully and by default housebound and the unthinkable happened.
I dropped to sleep almost instantaneously and back in the dream world.
As it were to complete the dream.
The second time, I was test playing the game with some kids to see its childproof ability.
To my amazement one kid played with it and there was a mathematical quiz which he changed and the characters changed sex immediately.
This not something I intended in the game but the kid found a way to tease me and manipulate, picture characters.
I must tell this was done in French with all the non-command line text in French (I was revising my little ability in French) and I felt the guy did change my French text into command line.
Mind you French applies sex character to every noun in its vocabulary.
So I asked him and requested for him to show how he did the trick.
He was nasty brat and he immediately switched off the console.
I was annoyed for the second time in as few minutes as, may be five minutes (in my dream state), I was woken up again.
To see that was a dream and immediately switched back to dream mode (new found ability and the discovery dreams can be reactivated if the GAP time of wakeful state is short enough) and the kid did the same thing couple of times and every time he did it, I was absorbed in his skill in the sleep more and more realizing if I get annoyed, I would be woken up and the dream would terminate.
By the way, I wanted the game to be childproof as well as child friendly.
This went on and on and both me and the kids were enjoying the game (unfortunately, I cannot remember all the details) very much.
Finally, I got up at 11.00 am with a very relax mood.
In all I have dreaming for five hours and I could remember only 15 minutes of it.
This dream was unusual and it got to be sent to Maha for interpretation since, I know I had been dreaming for five hours and was very happy.
Maha will pick the GAPS, that I cannot remember anymore and to be put in print for posterity for all to enjoy.
As usual Maha was prompt in video chat.
Long time, no see.
I said it was very short time.
But for me no dream from you is a long time.
Why any problem with you.
No, No.
I was busy and the dreams were mediocre and nothing exciting.
But why now.
I told him.
The weather was fine and lot of raining in the hill country.
But there is drought elsewhere, you know.
But we have Perehara in Kandy and it is held to get blessings from Rain Gods and not Sun Gods.
But it is to be Sun Gods to begin with and during the Perehara and Rain Gods comes at the end of the Day Perahara, you know?
I told him, I had a secret deal with one of his subordinate gods and requested him to have 10 days of rain, during the festival.
It is naughty of YOU.
You must not interfere with traditions.
Hang the traditions.
If we had a dry spell poor baby elephants captured illegally would burn their feet in scorching, sun.
That was my rationale and your nice god could not refuse.
You are very clever.
They had captured over 200 and more than half died only 80 left and one of them is with a sitting judge.
Is that so?
Yes the remaining 80 will die of over work and sun strokes.
Well in that case, I have no qualms.
In any case, now everything end to front and not face forwards with shoddy deals like capturing baby elephants, changing their sex, identity theft and also identity cards and passports.
Why passports?
Well they have to go abroad every time an entourage takes the flight.
Do they come back?
No.
Why?
They are traded for foreign currency to pay debts.
Are they expensive.
Yes with “Gaja Muthu” and other paraphernalia like ivory are lot expensive nowadays.
How many elephants left in the jungle.
According to official figures 5500 (2009) and with over 1000 births after the end of the war and only 500 were officially and unofficially captured alive or dead, in 2014 there are 6000 in the wild, recorded on Registered Paper.
You are joking.
I am not, that is the official figures.
I know elephants do not procreate that fast and only in 10 years,you know.
If there are 3000 she elephants and one in three is pregnant and the bull elephants must be having a gala time know, making them pregnant.
The miracles are happening in this country, especially in the "wilder beasts" and it is quite possible, since it is on official record.
Then, he begged me to give the real records.
I told him 200 are killed every year and 1000 are feared dead during five years.
My estimate is only 2000 left and at this rate of habitat lost and rapid development and expansion, they will be potentially extinct by another regime change or so.
What is a regime change?
It is the time when the “power grab, power grip and power grid” change, usually 30 years, currently on the 21st annual running.
We had 17 years of curse, now we are going through 21st year of the Curse (over 35 years was the curse was spent on War Effects) but it may go on indefinitely.
It is only counted in marathons years, now.
That is not good for democracy, know.
Who the hell who cares for democracy now, it is only autocracy with a rubber stamp of democracy by crazy elections ad hoc and never on time.
Any more news.
No mosquitoes because of rain.
No work due to festivals.
Just in NATO mode, No Action Talk Only, especially for reconciliation and UNO probing of crimes of war.
Yes crimes of war, in Ukraine, Gaza, Iraq, Syria and Central Africa.
Only we are free of war but Navi Pillai and Bunki Moon want to probe us nevertheless and never in Israel.
Why is that.
You should ask Obama, not me.
Shall we get on with the interpretation of the dream?
OK.
Is there a second part?
No.
Is it futuristic?
Yes and NO.
Why?
It is related to your elections, election monitoring and computer games?
It is futuristic, know?
But I cannot give the time schedule exactly?
Why?
Your President is very crafty?
I have not have a measure of him yet.
He is unpredictable.
That is why I said Yes and No.
Yes for elections and no for the exact time.
But it is in the stars above know?
You mean the gods.
No, no the solar system and planets.
Do people still believe in planets and their movements, when probes are sent to monitor meteorites?
It is absurd.
This is the Awakening, the Renaissance, Revival of of modern science, you know.
But not in Sri-Lanka, unfortunately with science education, English, and mathematics gone down the Hela / Hell, the nasty precipice.
What is the outcome?
I cannot tell you with this new computers the the election commissioner has acquired.
Its speed is so fast and it is accurate to about 100 decimals and they have already predicted the winner.
Then why elections?
One need to spend the money and time, you know.
You mean to say, you cannot predict the outcome.
I am sorry.
But then all the candidates go and have prayers for gods, you know.
You got to remember there are no elections in heaven.
We have only merits.
No demerits.
So we do not understand.
We do not have monitors too.
We monitor ourselves well, so there is no need.
What about the computer games?
That I can tell you.
We love games and especially, computer games.
I ran your game with the kids in your dream mode.
I enjoyed it a lot.
In fact, I was there disguised as a kid.
You could not do any whetting of me know, in your dream mode.
You were naughty?
I just like to be a kid again.
Did you enjoy my computer game?
Yes.
That is why I let you play the game with me for five hours.
Who were the other kids.
They were also gods in kids' clothing.
Well will you take me to heaven, next birth?
NO.
Why?
You cannot dream in heaven only humans and animals can do that.
Which animals dreams a lot?
Your elephants, my dear?
I thought cats.
No, No the elephants come first, they all want to come here instead of parading in festivals.
What about dogs.
They have an inborn right to be born here.
What about Buddhist politicians and monks?
Please do not send them here.
They might introduce elections here and evict me from my seat before my term of eons is over.
To me 20 to 30 years of one party in power is like an eon.
But you must activate the inner self of all the voters.
It is not my job.
But they are in deep insomnia and slumber.
They are zombies.
Just give all of them “kick in the back”.
Wake them up from slumber.
See, you soon and he disappeared.
Saturday, March 28, 2026
Dreams-X-Files-01
My Dreams-XI-File 08
Monday, September 1, 2014
My Dreams-XI-File 08-Updated
My Dreams-XI-File 08
Elephants on Rampage
The dream
This was a short dream.
I woke up with the commotion.
It is not an Ali Kulappuwa - Elephants gone berserk but people gone berserk.
It was the night after the last Randoli Perehara and dawning for the Day Perehara. All the elephants who paraded the Perehara the night before were released from their bondage and shackles.
They were released by a group called “Elephant Freedom” and all the mahouts were tied to the same shackles that were on elephants.
It is “Free for Elephants” and not free for all for the Kandy citizens.
They elephants took to their natural instincts and were foraging and throwing their might about.
Cars were taken by their trunks and thrown away like toys.
The lorries and buses were smashed as if all of them were on musk.
Kandy citizens were fleeing in all direction.
Their were posts all over the city stating not to shoot any any elephant.
If they do shoot the “Elephant Freedom” they will do the same to the shooters.
It was commando type of operation.
This was something in my mind for long.
What if we were to remove the shackles of all elephants and restrain the mahouts?
Do they go berserk?
Do they return to the wild?
Do they become incompetent to look after themselves?
Then suddenly I felt something on my head and mucusy shower and a little knock on my head.
Instantly I felt as if a baby elephant was fondling my head like a toy.
I woke up with both fright and delight.
I have never ever had this mixed feeling in my life.
Woken up I was relieved that it was a dream.
I send an email to Maha for video chat.
He was prompt with a mighty laugh.
It took a little while for him to control his laughter.
You did not wet your pants.
Instantly my hand went down below as it to check and reported it is dry and told him I never wet my bed or pants.
I was just quizy, he said, just I case.
Then he said there is a political guy who has this syndrome, he elaborated.
Can you tell me please.
It is top secret, even in heaven and even if you come here you may have to guess it at play time.
Do gods play.
Yes, indeed.
Is there any bets placed.
Yes and know.
Gambling is prohibited but some gamesmanship is allowed without transgressions.
You like to hear the interpretation.
Yes, indeed.
Interpretation
This all happened in the heaven.
Almost all of the elephants in captivity end up in heaven.
So do the wild elephant too.
There is a distinct difference between the wild and the captive elephant even in heaven.
They need to be prompted for all play activity.
They have lost the touch of play time and spontaneous involvement.
One day Maha called one of the wild elephants now a creative god in heaven and told him that the timidity of some of the other elephants in full time gods was due to their capture when on planet earth.
We must simulate something like what was seen in your dream to release them from the inherent inertia at play time.
So there was a drama simulating the experience on Ceylon.
They were released from shackles to get rid of the inherent fear and were made to chase the humans, changing the roles as it were.
They really enjoyed the fun.
How come, I get to know what is happening in heaven.
It is only my connection but with a difference.
They scenario was bit different.
In Ceylon, there was long and drawn out political upheaval.
All methods of democratic institutions failed and people were on their own devices.
Like various NGOs people organized themselves to various gangs good and bad.
It all bad against the good.
However, one of the gangs were elephant lovers.
Due to poaching and natural causes, the wild elephant population dwindled and there was no prospect of natural increase in numbers to sustain a healthy wild population.
In actual fact those in captivity were more than was in the wild.
This commando type of group made an operation to release them to wild.
The plan was to block the Katugastota Bridge and Peradeniya Bridge and leave the Bridge towards Dumbara for the elephants to escape..
There were no healthy water reservoirs in the hill country and the idea was for them to move towards Randenigala and from there to the dry zone where the only remaining wild elephants remained.
They actually made it through the terrain but many of them perished.
Did the experiment successful.
No.
The domesticated animals unfortunately had a serious tuberculosis that they had acquired from humans.
They infected the wild lot and in two or three generations all were dead.
Elephants in Ceylon became extinct.
Dog Conference
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
Story of Three Sri-Lankan Dogs
This is a story I heard from a pedigree dog (not my dog).
The dogs were having a conference at late night.
The subject matter was current political campaign at night.
Pasting of campaign posters and removing of the common candidate's posters were their theme topic.
None of the dogs were involved in plastering or removing the posters.
Their duties were to give guard and protection to stooges of their masters who were doing the dirty work at night.
They were very much disturbed.
1. One dog's master was a supporter of the ruling party.
2. The other dog's master was a supporter was the common candidate.
3. The third dog was the master dog of an election monitor.
4. The fourth dog belongs to the Election Commissioner.
The problem was with the dog of the ruling party (let me take away the master part since he is inebriated to the spinal cord and was never seen on the street but in the bar from morning to night).
It had killed three dogs in a week while guarding the poster blasters.
One was a Muslim dog.
The other was a Catholic and the third was the Buddhist dog of New Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (pronounced Karumaya) killed by accident by his own master.
The discussion was related to what happened to them after death.
The consensus was that all of them were in heaven.
Unfortunately, in a matter of few days the three masters were also killed under mysterious circumstances.
Police are still investigating.
But according to the latest news all of them are at the gate of Apaya (hell) awaiting their sentences while their dogs are enjoying a welcome respite in heaven.
So now I will brief you with the final unofficial report of the dog conference.
1. The Muslim dog's merits that served him in heaven.
He used to go to the mosque with his master five times a day without failing.
His masters demerit that warranted him summons at Apaya Gate was as follows.
He was very very religious and went to the mosque sometime more than five times.
But he volunteered for the ISIS.
His quota was killing 100 infidels in 100 days.
He actually accomplished 99 but had only one to go.
His final task was to either kill himself or to kill another (making 101) with him and remain here for little while for a prayer.
But being religious he went to the mosque for a very long final prayer.
Unfortunately he was killed by a American Bomb.
2. The Catholic dog's merits that served him in heaven.
Just like the Muslim dog he too went to the Church every Sunday without any arrears.
What was his masters demerit that warranted him summons at Apaya Gate?
He missed and absconded few visits to the Church on Sundays to meet his extramarital flame.
3. The Buddhist dog's merits that served him in heaven.
He used to go with his master with a till (Pin Kate) to collect money for the tallest Buddha Statue in the world.
What was his masters demerit that warranted him summons at Apaya Gate?
He forget to put the last 7 to 10 zeros in his final treasurer's report.
Now the story does not end here.
It was a total mismatch, 3 dogs in heaven and 3 masters in hell.
The three gods in heaven (previously Sri-Lankan Paraya dogs) finally made up their mind to rescue their masters.
Could you guess how they accomplished this task without the help of “America Drones”?
You have to wait till the Election results are declared.
The Election commissioner has given me a warning that even a small yarn or a little spin by a spin doctor that might effect the final result is a punishable offense in this world.
The caveat is that candidates can yarn any length of fibs and fabrications, till cows come home, like Lanka Cyber News.
Lemon Rice and Banana
Lemon, Rice and Banana
This is a reproduction.
I did not know RICE act like a silica gel.
I am an advocate of not using any chemicals with bio-hazard to humans and all living beings.
Do not use Sri-Lankan Banana Peel as a manure / fertilizer.
Our farmers inject poisonous UREA into the stem of the flower and these poisonous chemicals are in the peel.
I have tested them personally.
I avoided eating BANANA for a long while.
Reproduction
When I was young, Femina magazine had a page with household hints.
Anyway here are some household hints on what you can do with lemons, vinegar, rice, milk and eggshells.
Citrus rinds, such as lime and lemon, make a great polisher.
Rub a banana peel against the leaves of the plants in your house and it will result in a beautiful shine. Banana peels can also act as a natural fertilizer.
To make glass coffee pots sparkle:
For mineral deposit build-up in tea kettles, fill the vessel with water and a handful of lemon peels and bring to a boil.
To stop the salt from clumping together put a few grains of rice in your salt shaker. They'll absorb the moisture, allowing your salt to pour freely.
Ever got your cell phone wet? Or accidentally spilt liquid on your television remote? If so, your gadget may be water-logged. Before you replace it, try leaving it in a tub of rice for a couple of hours or overnight. The rice will absorb the wetness and hopefully restore your device to working order.
You can use rice to clean your plastic kitchen wear. Just pour an inch into your container with two inches of water. Close the container tightly and shake it; the rice scrubs the inside and removes stubborn dirt.
Whether it's a bathroom fixture or a decorative accessory, you can restore the beauty of chrome just by rubbing the item with half of a lemon. Just glide, let sit for ten minutes and then wipe away finish.
Grout is the cement between the tiles. If it goes grey, cut a lemon into quarters and then use the pieces to scrub into the grout in between tiles. (If it's a really set-in stain, call upon an old toothbrush to help you rub the lemon into the grout.) The juice helps break down mildew, mould and other mysterious stains. Rinse with plenty of water.
To eliminate odours from a microwave, simply fill a small bowl with water, add a few lemon slices and then heat for 45 seconds. Let sit; then wipe out the inside of the microwave.
If you don’t want your cats in a certain spot in your home spritz the surface with a 50/50 solution of lemon juice and water.
After a while, coffee grounds can build up into the grinding blades. To eliminate the mess, simply grind about a 1/3 to a 1/2 cup of sugar, then empty. This can also deodorize, making sugar an excellent "cleaner" for spice grinders, too.
Vinegar is an effective bacteria killer, and you can use it for household cleaning purposes, ranging from scrubbing the tub to even cleaning mirrors or stainless steel.
Try putting a little bit of baking soda into a clogged drain and then pour vinegar into it. Your drain will erupt and the reaction helps break down the clogging. This is much safer than industrial chemical drain cleaners which are toxic.
Do you have some stinky laundry? Just pour a cup of vinegar into the washer or the bucket and it helps take care of your odour problems. The vinegar also helps keep your fabric soft and fluffy. Just add the vinegar when you start the laundry with your regular detergent.
Clear The Air. When painting the walls, all paints give off some odour. A dish of vinegar placed in the room will reduce the smell.
In addition to cleaning tarnished silver and rusty pans, potatoes can also be used to clean up your shoes. If you have shoes that just don’t seem to take a shine anymore, try cutting a potato in half and rubbing those old shoes with the raw potato. After that, polish them. They should come out nice and shiny.
Potatoes are nutritious for your flowers as well. When you plant your flowers in the ground, place some small slivers of a potato around the root. As the potato breaks down, it releases nutrients into the soil.
A classic tip for keeping a bouquet lasting as long as possible, add three tablespoons of sugar along with two tablespoons of vinegar to the water in your flower vase. The sugar provides nutrients to keep the clippings alive, while the vinegar fights off bacterial infections.
Whether it's from a pen or printer, these stains can often mean the end of the road for a garment. Not so, if you use milk before laundering. The enzymes in milk will dissolve the ink, without harming the material.
Do you have a cup that has been stained by your favourite warm beverage? Grind up some eggshells and drop them in the drink-ware filled with warm water. Let it sit overnight, and the egg shell will absorb the stain.
Use egg shells to start seeds. Fill the egg shell half with soil and the seed, then plant directly into the ground (or into the pot). As the plant develops and the shell breaks down, it provides the seedling with plenty of nutrients.
Pigeons and Religion
Pigeons and Religion
Pigeons and Religion
Yes we are all human being first and then religion comes next.
How many fanatics will understand this?
In an ancient temple, a number of pigeons lived happily on roof top.
The existing pigeons in the Church accommodated the new comers very well.
Christmas was nearing and the Church was given a face lift.
All the pigeons had to move out and look for another place.
It was Ramadan time and the Mosque was repainted.
All the pigeons now came to the same ancient temple.
The mother replied; they are "Human beings".
The baby asked, "but why are they fighting with each other".
Similarly they should be called just 'Human beings' wherever they go".
These people are yet to experience God.
Reflect!
Friday, March 27, 2026
Futuristic Dream and the Provident Fund
Futuristic Dream and the Provident Fund
This dream as far as I am concerned was futuristic. The reasons I would give below.
It goes on like this.
We had a long drawn out industrial action. This time students were on strike, just like in 1988-1989.
I was getting bored and decided to quit the university for good, which I did. After, six(6) months of struggling, I managed to get part of the Provident Fund and I wanted to buy a car for my retirement, now that even walking a few paces was a struggle. Incidentally, for administrative reasons, part of the entitlement is frozen as intellectual assets. What often happens is the salary is such low, the individuals takes loans from the university against the Provident Fund.
Generally, the maximum loan amount is up to 75% of your Provident Fund balance, according to Commission Circular No: 433. The 75% limit is re-calculated to account for all other loans you may have previously taken and are still repaying.
The bottom line is, the university authorities did not wish to part with the balance thinking, if I die before the release of the funds, it is gross University Saving. They wished, I would be dead by natural causes.
This is all about Government Duty Free Car allowed. I went with somebody which I cannot remember probably an in law to drive me home. We cleared everything and all of them got into the car and left leaving me behind with a heavy suitcase.
I thought now that I had signed the papers, they went for a test drive.
I could not leave my heavy luggage for safe keeping and after few minutes of waiting, I decided to stroll down the alley way. The luggage was so heavy and after a few minutes I sat down under a tree panting and cursing myself, had I some money I would have hired a three wheeler to reach home.
Then after about half an hour they realized, I wasn't in and came in search of me. By that time, I had gone bananas and with that commotion, I was woken up.
I must tell you why I was happy.
My present Provident Fund saving is not enough to buy even a three wheeler. I was visibly annoyed with myself for not waking up lest, I had gone to Anuradhapura in a pilgrimage in this new car with total happiness. I would have attained even Sovan.
That is the long and short of my dream but I was intrigued by the heavy luggage.
I sent an email to Maha Brahama and this time there was a long silence before his chat appearance. I was not least pleased with his attitude to my latest dream.
I asked him was he busy to which he gave a negative response.
Then again he was dragging his feet and asked me, how the industrial action was taking shape.
I told him we are having deliberations in the courts and I am not allowed to divulge anything.
Then he summoned his courage and said that this dream is not futuristic and dull and no point of discussing or interpreting.
I felt something fishy and asked him, this dream is about me, isn't it?
He paused and said how did you guess?
Do you really need some interpretation?
Why not, we earthling are going from pillar to post looking for godforsaken astrologers who take us for a ride.
We love to hear of our future, even if it is our funeral and specially the things like salary increment we are going to get.
This one is little bad.
You mean to say we won't get any increment?
No fool it is your final farewell?
Farewell for leaving the University?
No fool your ultimate farewell from this planet.
Or, I see!
You were waiting for the people to come and dump you and push the electric button and they were late and you were watching from above.
Heaven, I believe.
Can't tell you that.
In that case can you tell me what was that heavy stuff in the suitcase.
That was your Kusal-Akusala Kamma Load.
Which is more?
Can't tell that, too.
Can you tell me at least the Ahosi Kammas.
You have finished all your Ahosi Kamma by blogging and all in the suitcase were viable Kammas.
That means no Sovan for me.
Isn't it?
Can't tell you that, too.
You must stop all blogging and stop doing any Kusala or Akulsala Kamma.
Why?
You are then in Kriya Mode and then only you get to dream good futuristic dreams, not event related to your mundane life.
Or, I see.
Less Kusala and less Akusala in your suitcase and more I get to hear good futuristic dreams, from you.
For how long?
That is left to you.
In that case, I have to go on indefinite industrial action.
You won't have any problem with that since the case is in Sri-Lankan courts!
Happy dreaming.
See you soon.
Six level of Alcohol Actions
One does not have the insight into its progression from the first sip of alcohol ingested and that is the tragedy of alcohol .
Level six is death.
Level five is total loss of self control.
Motor vehicle and industrial accidents are the end points.
Level four is temporary euphoria which is transient and the need for frequent Top Us.
In other words one is addicted.
Level three is loss of control of one's spoken language.
Inhibitions are suppressed and this should not be interpreted as stimulation.
The gift of the gab manifestation.
Level two is sense of transient happiness which should not be interpreted as Euphoria.
Euphoria is a type of self delusion which meditators get addicted.
The best example is the state one feels with Ayahuaska inhalations. One feels Godly or Spiritually aroused.
Level one is that the Alcohol has No Effects.
What it means a certain amount of alcohol has to be ingested for one to show effects of alcohol above level one.
So one has to know only 4 levels.
I want a mathematical guy to take the Gompertz Curve and draw a graph to show effects of alcohol, in the middle portion of the curve.
Flat bottom, ascending middle and flat top.
Teaching Science-01
Teaching Science-01
by S.B.Asoka Dissanayake Visit www,writeclique.net
There
is a bizarre (somewhat insane) discussion going on local English
Papers. This is something I penned down many moons ago. Reproduced here
for any sane person's perusal.
Approach to teaching science is
changing in the West. It is realized that in spite of the rapid advances
in science (in the past century) the
benefit of science has not
filtered down to the masses, specially to the young (in and out of
school). When out of school the young adult has
no way of furthering
his or her basic learning in science for ones own benefit functionally
and socially. The school should be a place to make young people learn in
a constructive way (not irrelevant factual knowledge) and apply that
knowledge with common sense and with a scientific approach. There are
inherent
religious, ethnic and educational prejudices that one has to
circumvent to achieve these goals without upsetting the social
sensitivities. Young children are brought up in various ways according
to the way of life they are born to. Some are enriched and others are
deprived of valuable opportunity due to many factors beyond the control
of the child. The school should be the ideal place that can change this
social disadvantage and teaching science with a new and scientific way
is desirable and is found to be wanting.
The art of teaching science has to change form what it is now in our schools.
The
top down approach and the the assumption that the teacher as a sage
knows all what the students should know has failed in this country and
elsewhere whether it is the East or the West.
In the West
however, there is a changing attitude to teaching science (in a more
pragmatic way). My attempt here is to look at this problem in a child's
perspective rather than the teachers perspective. It is not possible for
a teacher to know (for that matter even a doctor to know all the
aspects of medicine) all the aspects of science.
A mixture of
integrative approach and pooling of resources rather than training pure
science teachers is what is intended. Instead of a purely scientific and
academic exercise it should be broad based taking the child's
development stage and the social background.
The medium of
instruction and the command in whatever the language that is utilized to
teach is also important. Bombarding factual knowledge to young is not
what is required.
What should be tested or trained is not the memory and factual contents but the way of thinking based on scientific reasoning.
It is the thinking capacity that should be developed not the retention capacity.
Even though I attempt this at the university level the outcome is not as it is expected by me in general.
What
is required is to make students ready for acquiring concepts
appropriate for their psychological development. Children vary in their
stage of development not only in the capacity but also at what level
they achieve certain milestones of conceptual development.
Brief
description of the psychological development is necessary before
discussing the outcome based teaching (OBE). One should not expect the
children to grow developmentally in a rigid programmed pattern. Even
though they follow a general pattern some are slow and some are fast in
acquiring conceptual skills. It is a normal behaviour of conceptual
development and it is not that a particular child is stupid or very
smart. It is the way they are born with and teachers task is for the
whole class to achieve a certain level of competence (achievement) in
thinking science.
To cover a particular syllabus forced on them
by the hierarchy in the education department who do not have a good
understanding (but just follow what was prescribed for the past 40 years
without any revision) of the current trends and thinking in education.
Changing requirements of the higher education should be balanced by the
new way of thinking and approach in teaching science.
From
concrete operational (direct experience) thinking to formal (acceptable
to science) operational thinking is a very big step in psychological
development. This change occur around 5 to 7 years of age and go on
until 16 years of age. What is amazing is that children (and many adults
too) do not shed their direct experience (and their thinking with it)
when the conceptual development is progressing in their development
(which has inherent variability).
This is a handicap (in a way
blessing in disguise) the children from the age of 8 to 16 years undergo
and overcome. Bombarding with factual knowledge at this stage of
development is a serious problem from the point of view of the child. It
is believed that conceptual development occurs at around the age of 16
and many do not develop this even up to 30 years of age and even then
the conceptual development function at a very rudimentary level.
There
is another barrier that is associated with psychological development.
It is the language barrier itself. The language and grammatical
structure did not evolve in parallel with science and its development.
Language development and acquisition pre-dated the development of
science by more than 2000 years. It is only in the last hundred years
that the Language of Science started integrating with the standard
languages of the West. Scientific terms that emerged in the West were
not kind to Eastern languages and if not for the Pali Language
(specially Abhidhamma terminology) teaching science in Sinhala would
have been much more difficult. Unfortunately the people who started
translating scientific terminology went in tangents to the tenant of
Pali which was meant for a different purpose. By doing this they not
only destroyed Sinhala but also the teaching of science by distorted
interpretation of an ancient language.
The end result is that
we are producing poor quality scientific thinkers and educators. I am
one who believe that science should be taught in English very early in
children's education. Not only this will help improve the English that
the children would learn to use and would be an advantage in grasping
difficult concepts in later life (especially when they proceed to higher
studies).
Having seen students struggling to understand simple
concepts in their first year at the university and the introduction
English language learning before commencing their academic career has
not improved or remedied the problem as it is today my impressions are
somewhat biased and the reader should excuse me for that.
Having
said that English is not an difficult language to learn and English is a
very good supplement even if one wants to learn purely in ones own
mother tongue.
Conceptual Development
Modeling is an
acceptable way of expressing situations which we cannot observe
directly. Models help us to understand what we observe and predict what
will happen in situations that we cannot observe. Modeling a scientific
concept is an acceptable scientific tool in advancing a concept or an
idea. Eventually we may become so convinced of the reliability of the
model or the security of the model image. Then we tend to accept it as
total reality without any objection or question. The distinction between
the model and the reality disappears in our teaching of science and
this in turn inhibits the acceptance of new ideas. The atomic model is a
good example and everybody accepts it as a good model and almost
certain reality but few thinkers deviated from this mode of thinking and
went into talk about quarks and antiparticles and the like.
Our
educationists in science have gone into hibernation after the atomic
model and canceling the practicals at the university entrance for the
advance level examination (due to inherent inability to hold
examinations full proof so that some elements can doctor the results)
compounded the already deteriorating approach to teaching science in
schools. This is one example of the examples of skewed (squint) eye view
of the teaching and education in general. We have let this phenomenon
(science teaching without experiment and investigation at least at a
rudimentary level) progress for nearly 40 years without a review.
It
is high time at least from "middle school age" the children are brought
up looking for both knowledge and wisdom with open mind rather than
"programed minds"of the education department. Restricting them to free
books published by the education department which are probably 30 years
outdated is not the panacea for a long term problem of "learning on the
go" especially in science.
Australian teachers researching in
science teaching are introducing many models of art of teaching science
and I would like to jot down some thoughts about one of them in some
detail with my own adaptation of that model. It is called the 5E Model
(I am quite at ease with the Japanese 5S model of Quality Training) and
worth some elaboration. Students acquire a certain level of conceptual
development on a scientific phenomenon that is discussed based on 5E
Model. The focus is on a observable topic or phenomenon.
Engage
Students
express their views and grasp of a particular phenomenon (or a topic)
and study any connection with what they already seem to know at a
particular age of their development. The teacher generate the new idea
or the concept without any factual information.
Explore
Students
explore the phenomenon and use their own language to express and
discuss the phenomenon in their own understanding and experience without
any hindrance from the teacher who act as a facilitator rather than a
disseminator (discriminator) of knowledge. Students generate new ideas
based on hands on activities.
Explain
They explain the phenomenon in scientific terms and teacher help to develop new ides and concepts and terminology.
Elaborate
The
teacher introduces new challenging situation and students apply what
they have learnt to a new situation and modify their concepts
accordingly. This is the application of the newly acquired knowledge to a
given problem. Problem oriented but evidenced base learning is
gradually introduced and facilitated.
Evaluation
The students
reflect on the preconceived views (ideas) to the post conceptual
development of the new scientific theme and teacher allows ongoing
development of the theme as and when the experience of the class
improves with new situations and problems (the class encounter).
Building on a sound base of conceptualization children learn and
understand more complex phenomena.
A layer of conceptual (idea)
development is formed on top of the already existing concrete
operational thinking which each student inherit differently without
upsetting their own previous preconceived ideas and thinking capacities.
There is no label attached to the previous conceived idea as either
right or wrong but a modified version of the previous concept is laid on
top the previous experience which each student inherited with their own
experience or lack of it. The thinking capacity is developed instead of
retaining capacity. Unfortunately there is tremendous variation of
memory capacity of children. The top or the surface (outermost) layer is
kept open ended for further ongoing improvement and development of new
ideas and concepts. The approach is not rigid as it is in the book
oriented learning expectation of the department of education.
In effect there are there layers of conceptual development.
Layer 1 Students already perceived thinking and ides
Layer 2 The new concepts developed with exploration and explanation
Layer 3 Open end for further facilitation with new experience and understanding
The
third layer is kept open in true scientific spirits that what is
understood is kept for further development and refinement. With this
level of understanding and maturity students could enter what ever the
type of further education they wish in their life. It should not be a
static and should not end up abruptly at advanced level examination. The
concept of continuous learning should be ingrained in the minds of
school leavers who are encouraged to learn in their own pace and time
rather than regimented time scale as prescribed by the education
department.
Before elaborating with some examples that can be used in the class room
I should introduce few of my own 5ES to make the grand total ten.
1)Evidence based
2)Expansion of the
3)Experience of the individual to
4) Encourage true
5) Emancipation of knowledge leading to right thinking and wisdom.
Whatever the field of study one is free to apply this framework of exploration.
My intentions are to promote open discussion.
Butterfly Effect
Butterfly Effect
I am one who vent an air
Of protest that
When a few butterflies
Flutter their wings
On my side of the world
Would ignite a chain reaction
On the other side of the world
In the far corners of the globe
In the Arctic or the Antarctic
Come what it may be
In philosophical sense
With a scientific slant
And in an investigative mind
But not to stir up
The potential political undertones
But when I ask myself the question
How clean the clean air?
And when I get the answer
That there are 1000 minute particles
Of dust in every cubic metre density
On this planet
But not in the clear looking Iceland
Or the Antarctic
Gets the credit for
Such an accolade
In this contemporary world
When somebody asks me
Are asking the right question?
Lest you get the wrong answer
Of some sort
By the Coal Power Merchants
Of the modern world
Who continue to discover
The latest technology
To clean my air and breath
Sans how to dispose
The vast amount of ashes and sediment
That get deposited
On this tiny Island Paradise
One who was brought up
With the tradition of zero tolerance
In life and matters of discordance
And purity par excellence
Having forced to go
From macro to micro to nano-tolerance
Of the 21st century macroeconomics
Driving me mad
To go to the outer space
For the safety limits of tolerance
In the Dead Space of my lung
But not the Vital Capacity
Which is fast receding
With time and age
But when I think
Of the virulent fungi
That grow endlessly
In the closed tubes
Of the artificial respiratory tracts
Of the Space Station
I wonder
I could be born again
In another Planet
Outside this Solar System
As an alien being of some sort
Bringing the alien wisdom
To this Island Paradise
Is it a wishful thinking of mine?
Iran May Go All The Way
Thursday, March 26, 2026
Alcohol Consumption
Alcohol Consumption
Bangladesh=1
India =5
Ceylon=15
Russia=50
Russia 14 Litres per year
Australia 13 Litres per year
United Kingdom 12 Litres per year
While Australia's alcohol consumption is relatively high, it is lower than both Russia and the UK. Russia has a higher overall consumption and a greater proportion of spirits in its consumption, while the UK's higher consumption is reflected in the larger standard drink size and the recommended 14 units per week.
Australia: 12.6 litres of pure alcohol per person per year.
Standard drink: 10 grams of alcohol.
Australian guidelines: recommend that adults consume no more than 10 standard drinks per week and no more than 4 standard drinks on any one day, with lower recommended consumption for women.
In Australia, two standard drinks would be 25ml of pure alcohol, or 250ml of a typical 40% ABV spirit. For other types of drinks, two standard drinks would be 200ml of wine or 570ml of full strength beer.
Spirits: A standard drink of spirits (40% ABV) is 30ml (1 nip). Therefore, two standard drinks would be 60ml (2 nips).
Wine: A standard drink of wine is 100ml. Two standard drinks would be 200ml.
Beer: A standard drink of full strength beer (around 4.8% ABV) is 285ml. Two standard drinks would be 570ml (285ml x 2).
A standard drink contains 12.5ml of pure alcohol. Therefore, two standard drinks would be 25ml
Russia: 14.5 litres of pure alcohol per person per year.
United Kingdom: 11.4 litres of pure alcohol per person per year.
Standard drink: 8 grams of alcohol.
UK guidelines: recommend that adults consume no more than 14 units per week, with lower recommendations for women.
Alcohol the Miracle
Alcohol the Miracle
Alcohol Consumption
Regarding alcohol, what I find interesting is the minimum even in Bangladesh, the country with lowest intake is one liter of pure alcohol per person. Which is a colossal amount when multiplied by the number who consumes alcohol.
I find it interesting Iranians drink as much as Russians.
It is said Belorussians drink the most but their officials figures are scaled down. Maldivians drink more simply due to lack of pure water. Come to Ceylonese they drink about 15 times as much as Bangladeshis and only about 5 times less than Russians.
I expected the Africans to drink more but it is true of only a few countries like Zambia, Nigeria and South Africa. Myanmar tops India and Indians drink far less amount than Ceylonese.
My gut feeling was that people of rich and relatively happy countries consume more but they are less than all the Muslim countries put together.
Malaysia is an exception.
I guessed Singaporean drinks more but I was proven wrong. The reason, they have no time to drink.
Except New Zealand most of the Western counties drink an average more than Asians. The Australians are heavy drinkers but it is coming down unlike in UK and USA.
My analysis is where there are dictators running the country, the alcohol consumption is high.
Myanmar is a classic example and some Latin American countries with dictators running the affairs are close allies of alcohol.
A point what our Buddhist monks have failed to grasp is when there is a dictator running, the alcohol consumption goes up significantly and rapidly.
So, if we want to drop alcohol consumption democracy should go hand in hand.
There is no other way round.
If our alcohol consumption goes up by the next election do not blame the drinker but the rulers. The corollary is, for a dictator to succeed the country should streamline and jack up alcohol production and sell alcohol at an affordable price.
The variety of alcohol does not matter but the production rate does.
I gather Americans are drinking much more after the previous election with enthusiasm and steam. This will increase if, President Biden approves and let the furloughing, to go through. President Biden has to make sure that the alcohol production goes unhampered during his term of office and he will be remembered for life, if he cuts down taxes on alcohol in spite of medical advice. It does not matter he fails to keep 90% of his promises. That also make Republicans to drink more and lose track of the elections. For his successor to have a smooth riding, he also should not follow the doctors advice on alcohol and should not let through, the numerous medical legislatures brought in front of him for approval. Just pretend that the president (President Trump) is absorbing the advice in good spirit.
Now that the war in the Middle East is escalating one should not let the alcohol price go up but let only the oil and the gas prices, go up.
Still on alcohol, I tried to find a Clinical Pharmacology book by Lawrence et all, from which I absorbed the basic knowledge and clinical effects of alcohol but could not find a single copy available (published in late nineteen sixties). Then I found a book on Clinical Chemistry by Calbreath and that gave a real scientific introduction, including its manufacture and adulteration.
I gave up drinking local alcohol due to its adulteration since independence. I went only for imported alcohol and very lately to wine. I never enjoyed beer but local Gin and Tonic was my favorite before a billiard or snooker game.
I never realized, I was getting addicted, perhaps in small doses, including alcohol inside chocolates. I have weaned myself off, after a decade of trial and effort. I never had the insight, I was becoming addicted and the that was the first critical faculty, I lost.
That is insight into my own predicament.
I have never been able to cure any person from alcohol addiction. Since, I pretend that I am not a medical man by not registering in the Ceylon Medical Council, I am writing these comments as a non medical person.
I took the liberty to use the title "Alcohol and its Charms" not to entice a guy or girl who has never tried alcohol but to make it readable like a novel.
In return I get my royalties as a bonus.
I was heavy smoker and I could stop it abruptly, since it affected my physical performance and activities in sports. That effort made me to realize one day, I can stop my alcohol addiction clinically not obvious to even my close ones.
Simply, I was a nice guy after alcohol.
I would not have realized the bad habits, I have acquired as an adult including violent temper, if not for the reason of enjoying a bit of alcohol.
I do not believe that alcohol brings worse in anybody, it only exposes one's hidden genetic tendencies.
Please do not blame alcohol.
It is the second discovery of man in evolution, after honey. The fundamental biological agent, the yeast was the starter for the bread industry but it branched much bigger to alcohol industry.
Even Buddhist monks consume it, in Dasa Mula (ten root causes) Aristaya and the Fifth Precept in Buddhism is Mujja Pama Dhattna.
It means little bit is OK and I have not fathomed how little is little bit.
Now that foreign liqueur is totally banned, if I do not list ten or more of the wonders of alcohol, it is an insult to the the mankind ability to discover, from prehistoric times.
1. It is the man’s first discovery that alcohol elevate mood.
In other word the state of euphoria.
The other method of delivering euphoria is intense time consuming meditation. Both alcohol consumption and meditation are human addictions.
This euphoria lasts only momentarily.
2. Alcohol removes inhibitions.
3. Alcohol in moderation makes one to speaks fluently on matters of no significance.
The politician are adept at it.
President Trump impeachment is a living example. Both Republicans and Democrats speak with no end in sight on flimsy points. They consume lager quantities of alcohol during active sessions, especially during impeachment process.
4. In my case alcohol makes me to settle my nerves and play a good game of snooker or billiards.
5. It makes me to tolerate unwelcome guests in a party, wedding and funerals especially where even the enemies come to celebrate. Mind you, I now avoid all these by gut reaction.
6. It makes me to discover new ideas to ponder over the table “Wonders of Alcohol” is one out of many.
7. It made me to discover that it destroys all the normal functions of the liver by default. Including the actions of Endorphins, the Feel Good Hormones released by a good piece of chocolates.
8. It makes me to forget all the promises given by politicians but never acted upon when they hold the power.
9. It makes me to forget all important part payment, I own.
10. It gives me happiness on one side and cancer on the other.
A truly double edged sword to stab an enemy. Strangely in this country nobody offers a drink to an enemy on the other side of the aisle.
11. Why did you give up alcohol?
If somebody asks me this question, I have two ready made answers and a few more thought provoking ones.
It effects my memory and my sleep.
I had a fantastic memory as a kid and I did not have to take notes. Unfortunately, many of my friendly fellow beings did not have that capacity. Equally, I only took short notes in strips of paper not A 4 size but which fitted in my front shirt pocket. That is also things or an idea I heard for the first time. However, I did not believe in them, first hand. For example evolution.
I loved my sleep. Alcohol adversely effects the normal sleep.
The reasons outside those two are many.
The recent tax imposition which was draconian by all means to all the liberals.
I only prefer to drink alcohol not taxes.
12. The effect of alcohol on liver, especially on feel good factors (hormones) of chocolates is an important discovery by me. Fact that, alcohol hijacks the important biochemical pathways in the liver and depletes micro-elements is another reason.
Alcohol turns non carcinogens to carcinogen and the vise versa.
It is a double edge sword.
My current intention is to highlight the good things about alcohol.
Cirrhosis and depletion of glycogen are few others.
Sugar metabolism and early morning hypoglycemia can be mortal in one’s own sleep mode, especially for the elderly over 60.
One does not have to be a diabetic.
13. It effects driving skills and is the commonest cause of accidents.
14. It is a universal cell poison, including brain cells.
Two points I missed and not mentioned in the description of alcohol side effects in web pages and sites are;
15. Compulsive gambling and legal problems related to money matters.
Like politicians, the new breed can become compulsive liars to buy the next drink or the basic needs.
16. Lying is a human survival trait.
17. This is where domestic problems arise, including violence.
18. The debts increase and responsibility decreases.
There are many more to fill a book of decent size.
Bangladesh=1
India =5
Ceylon=15
Russia=50
Russia 14 Litres per year
Australia 13 Litres per year
United Kingdom 12 Litres per year
While Australia's alcohol consumption is relatively high, it is lower than both Russia and the UK. Russia has a higher overall consumption and a greater proportion of spirits in its consumption, while the UK's higher consumption is reflected in the larger standard drink size and the recommended 14 units per week.
Australia: 12.6 litres of pure alcohol per person per year.
Standard drink: 10 grams of alcohol.
Australian guidelines: recommend that adults consume no more than 10 standard drinks per week and no more than 4 standard drinks on any one day, with lower recommended consumption for women.
In Australia, two standard drinks would be 25ml of pure alcohol, or 250ml of a typical 40% ABV spirit. For other types of drinks, two standard drinks would be 200ml of wine or 570ml of full strength beer.
Spirits: A standard drink of spirits (40% ABV) is 30ml (1 nip). Therefore, two standard drinks would be 60ml (2 nips).
Wine: A standard drink of wine is 100ml. Two standard drinks would be 200ml.
Beer: A standard drink of full strength beer (around 4.8% ABV) is 285ml. Two standard drinks would be 570ml (285ml x 2).
A standard drink contains 12.5ml of pure alcohol. Therefore, two standard drinks would be 25ml
Russia: 14.5 litres of pure alcohol per person per year.
United Kingdom: 11.4 litres of pure alcohol per person per year.
Standard drink: 8 grams of alcohol.
UK guidelines: recommend that adults consume no more than 14 units per week, with lower recommendations for women.