Ubuntu Studio 15.02=Pretty Good

Ubuntu Studio 15.02
Ubuntu Studio is for creative Linux guys and girls.

It is XFCE and boots fast enough.
It also has Open Office and Calligra.
What is not their can be downloaded from Synaptic package manager.
This is one distribution which has 95% of the applications and takes the downloading extra packages redundant.
I tried Ubuntu Gnome but it did not boot.
Why I do not know.
I have an old IBM.
But all Debian distributions booted well.
So better option for a beginner is Ubuntu Studio but for guy who is adept at Linux should also try Debian.
Mind you one can have both (dual boot) distributions in one computer or hard disk.
Thank YOU guys and Girls of Ubuntu Studio for having a version for 36 bit computers.
Debian on the other hand has PAE (both 32 and 64 bits in one image).
That is the better solution which most distributions with 64 bits do not care.

Debian 8 is out with many flavours

Debian 8 is out with many flavours.
I downloaded Mate, Cinnamon and Gnome (PAE-32 and 64 bit Edition) and I tested all three.
For Me
1. Gnome comes first
2.Cinnamon Second
and Mate distsnt third
They are fabulous.
Download what ever you like and enjoy Linux.
Big Thank YOU guys and Girls at Debian, you are doing a wonderful stuff when Android with tiny applications of poor functionality is ruling the WEB.

Nepal Earth Quake

Nepal Earth Quake

I was in the bus and heard a news item.

I could not stop laughing.

The news said that our foreign service have already sent a fax to Nepal to investigate the Sri-Lankans there.

True none of us had experienced a major earth quake but what follows after a major earth quake is devastating.

I have experienced one major earth quake and I could not sleep for six weeks with every after-tremor waking me up terrified if not in 'pouring' sweat.

Electricity, water, telecoms comes to a standstill and become disrupted.

The Disaster Teams, first objective is to gets the hospitals running for the injured.

I was off, the day this happened but was on call for emergency services.

I had also experienced a major cyclone in UK.

It blew off the brick wall of my house.

Without known there going to be a cyclone, I had pushed few heavy objects (Fridge, Freezer) against the back door, to ward off the wind and slept through it, in broad day light.
My neighbour's roof was blown off by the wind that went through his back door.

When I woke up, there was no gas, no electricity and little water.

I was again on call. 
It took 10 days to get everything back but the hospital was operating fully in 10 hours.

They, used to tease me saying; 'Here is the guy who slept through a major cyclone'

I used to say 'I am addicted to sleep'.

That is only thing I could do well in UK.

I laugh at Britishers who politely request for a sleeping pill.

I used to say, you must come to Sri-Lanka, all our office workers snooze after lunch.

Coming back to the news item this guy in the foreign service should be recommended for promotion immediately for his astute knowledge.

Now to Nepal.

It is a land locked country and we should help them by any means we can.

I had three Nepali postgraduate students under me and I wish they, are safe, if they read this piece.

I believe the Indian Tectonic Plate did not have a crack in 1960s.

I was aware of a earth tremor in early 1970s, which even Sri-Lanka felt and it was 400 to 800 hundred miles offshore.

This was the first time scientific people were taking about a crack in the Indian plate.

How come?

My answer is simple.

This was the period, US, France (in the Pacific), China, Soviet Union, India, Pakistan and all the nuclear capable countries, testing underground nuclear tests.

India, China, Russia and Pakistan should pay this small country Nepal heavily for cracking the Indian Plate.

France should pay for what is happening in Indonesia.

USA and Russia should pay these country for starting the cold war.

That is my verdict.

But Banki Moon will SIT on it but put the finger only towards Iran.

That is the high level of UNO hypocrisy.

It is high time we elect a neutral Secretary General.

T-Busts

T-Busts  
(Mind you T-Busts is also a legend / slogan and I hold copyright for it)

I believe New Yokers lack the gift of the gab and the jab, if not the humor.

These are my selection of  T-busts

I changed the slogan on a T-bust of a teenager.

'Love Arts'

Art of Loving is bouncy busts and or butts

 from New York
1. FBI:
Stands for Female Body Inspector

2. Bad Cop, No Donut

3. I'm in Shape:
Round Is a Shape


4. I Wish These Were Brains (on a bust)

Wouldn't it be cool if hot, dumb girls would "own" their hot dumbness like fat guys do their fatness? Great news: some do!

5.I Shaved My Balls for This?

6. The Man, The Legend (Man at head end and the legend at butt end)

In case the limerick shirt was a little too clever for your friends, this one should let them know that you really do find your penis quite impressive. Always good for laughs.

I believe New Yokers lack the gift of the gab and the jab, if not the humour.
Here is one from me.

These one of my T-busts
I changed the slogan on a T-bust of a teenager.
 'Love Arts'
Art of Loving is bouncy busts and or butts

Facts and Fiction in Politics.

What these gullible politicians, especially, their sons deliver is fiction not facts.

Mrs. Bandaranayake and T,B Illangaratne have done more than the other two ministers combined (depicted below.)

Other two joined (Viplawa Karaya included)the UNP for survival.

Philip should be credited for procreating a son who has an economic degree but cannot calculate the price of five loaves of bread, at current rate.

In my calculation a slice of bread is now vary from Rs.10 to 50 but if it is a sandwich, it costs more, even one makes the sandwich at home.

So in our New Year party bread was a tabooed item.

T. B. Ilangaratne

Tikiri Bandara Ilangaratne (February 27, 1913 - May 21, 1992) was a Sri Lankan politician, author, dramatist, and theater actor he was Member of Parliament for Kandy, Galaha, Hewaheta and Kolonnawa in Colombo district. 

He served as the Sri Lankan Cabinet Minister of Labour, Housing,Social Services, Finance,Commerce, Food, Trade and Shipping and in other government positions in a career spanning three decades. 

He was the mastermind behind;

1. The Employees' Provident Fund, 

2. Petroleum corporation 

3. Insurance corporations 

4. The People's Bank in Sri-Lanka

5. Labor day in Sri Lanka

6. He also contributed immensely to CWE and Cooperative movement

As a writer, Ilangaratne is best known for writing Amba Yahaluwo (1957), a popular children's novel.

In 1947, Ilangaratne left his post as clerical officer and ran successfully as an independent socialist candidate for the Kandy Parliament.

While in office, Ilangaratne helped create the Employee's Provident Fund, the National Bank, and Labor day in Sri Lanka among other things.

He retired at the age of 73 years from politics on April 12, 1986 but lived a quiet and simple life, for almost a century.

Charles Percival de Silva (April 16, 1912 – October 

09, 1972) was a leading Sri Lankan politician and civil servant. He was a Minister of Lands, Land Development and Agriculture.

In 1964, he crossed over to the United National Party (UNP). The government of Sirimavo Bandaranaike lost the throne speech and the UNP won the general elections in 1965, after which de Silva was appointed Minister of Lands, Irrigation and Power.

Don Philip Rupasinghe Gunawardena (11 January 1901 – 26 March 1972) introduced Trotskyism to Sri Lanka, where he is a national hero, known as 'the Father of Socialism' and as 'the Lion of Boralugoda'

He is remembered as the architect of the Paddy Lands Bills which brought relief to the tenant cultivator and spearheaded the Port & Bus nationalization.

Paddy land bill was a curse for the small holders, (especially in upcountry.)

Subsequently, Gunawardena served in the National Government of Mr.Dudley Senanayake, 1965–1970, as the Cabinet Minister of Industries and Fisheries.

(Introduction of Multipurpose Co-operatives movement and establishing of the People's Bank (NO), were attributed to him in Wikipedia but I have deleted them).

Both were dead (Philip and CP) by 1972 and have not contributed much to cooperative movement nor to the People Bank.

 CP was known for dragging his feet on Mahaweli (including NM) development until Mrs. Bandaranayake and Gamine Dissanayake stepped in.

Mahaveli Project.

Execution of Project I of Phase I was commenced in 1970 and completed in 1977. 

 

This was done under Mrs. Bandaranayake.

It comprises of a barrage across the Mahaweli Ganga at Polgolla to divert water through a 5 mile long pressure tunnel to a power plant installed adjacent to Amban Ganga basin.

The tail race water flows down a tributary of the Amban Ganga to the reservoir at Bowatenna formed by a concrete dam across the river, which diverts part of the flows into Kala Oya basin, through a 4 Mile long tunnel and a Tran basin canal into Kalawewa and Kandalama reservoirs.

The excess water run along with the natural flow of the Amban Ganga is diverted to existing Elahera and Angamedilla streams and existing conveyance canals.

Cooperative Movement

The history of the co-operative movement in Sri Lanka can be traced back to 1904 when the Agriculture Credit Society in Manikinna was

started.

The first co-operative society was established as Co-operative Credit Society under the Co-operative Society Act No. 07 of 1911.

Since 1911 the co-operative sector in Sri Lanka has played a major role at various stages, and there have been changes in its organizational structure with relevant legislations.

Before 1983, co-operative societies were registered under the Cooperative Societies Act No. 05 1972 and this was again amended in 1983 and later in 1992 as the Co-operative Societies (Amended) Act No. 11 of 1992.

The management structure of the cooperative societies was established under the Cooperative Employees Act No. 12 of 1972, and this was amended as Co-operative Employees (Amended) Act No. 51 of 1992.

Slogans

Slogans

1. Share your spirits (on a bust of a teenager) but not my bust.

2. If you cannot sleep (in a slowly plying Sri-Lankan bus) on a bus you sure will die of boredom.

3. Clown and Jokers are abundant in Sri-Lankan politics but the real difficulty is one cannot reckon whether they are on the left or on the right.

3. Doctor without laughter is ready for his funeral.

4. A man without laughter is sitting on his grave.

5. Neat hair cut brings the bad memories back, so don't cut your hair!

6. Good head massage brings the good times back, so don't be stingy when paying for one.

7. Long hair is useful when one wants to hang on.

8. Sure way to shrink one's brain is to wear a hat since the hat is always bigger than the brain.

9. One who has a shrinking brain should take up politics immediately as a profession, since there is enough room for another mad hatter.

10. 'Reentry or rear entry in politics', akin to reborn twice in one life, just like two birth certificates for the price of one.

Dudley and his Nephew

 Dudley and his Nephew

Book published in 2010 by Ranil Senanayake

The book is titled appropriately 'Clowns to the left of me Jokers to the right and I am stuck in the middle again'

This should be translated into Sinhala and Tamil, and should be given to all grand children, if you have any.

Epilogue

2008!

Thirty years after I first began to comment on our national preoccupation with mindless consumption as 'development', stand before a country addicted to fossil fuels for our existence. The creation of more ans more fossil plants is being shown as a the way forward. Our agriculture has been transformed into a system that cannot produce without heavy input of artificial fertilizers. Our forestry is reduced to the plantation of even aged monocultures of exotics and the destruction of existing patches of native forest (to grow banana for Americans to treat their constipation). Our endemic value system and the culture reduced to a political tyranny (coming as Mahinda Mama- should add another M in front but I would not be expressive - reader is entitled to substitute his own interpretation) that demonstrate the worst aspect of corruption and subverting social values. The fear of nepotism that my uncle Dudley had in rejecting my application to the Zoological Gardens seems like some silly little emotion today-nepotism has become the way of power.

Time, Universe, Infinity and the Movement our Astrologers cannot Comprehend

Time, Universe, Infinity and the Movement our Astrologers cannot Comprehend
It is very difficult to comprehend entirety of the universe.

What is beyond  this universe is another matter for conjecture and wild imagination. 

Only a mind running wild can abstract these thoughts. It is not the matter that determines the outcome buts the mind’s ability to conceptualize outer limits and boundaries of existence, whether it is matter or antimatter.

I am one who believe that there is the possibility of anti-universe and antimatter. 

At what point this transition occurs is also a debatable existence.

The postulation is when the matter meets antimatter there is enormous discharge of energy that repel each other to their limits  (limit of the universe) of existence and the matter will never have a chance to cross its constrained boundaries.

The converse is true for the antimatter and it would never get a chance to cross its limited boundaries, in the same stretch of imagination.

Even though, we imagine universe is as limitless on simple hypothesis, there is a limit to the universe, if antimatter is there at its boundaries.

Then what is beyond the antimatter and anti-universe.

Is it only the universe?
 
I do not think so.

There got to be other possibilities.

Like planets and solar systems, there are other modes of multiple universes like anti-anti universe that is not a universe or anti-universe.

At this level three dimensional thinking has to give into four, five or six, or more dimensions.

The three dimensional thinking is possible when there is movement in relation to another moving body.

If the movement cannot be perceived as in the blackholes, where energy is sucked in by the presumed default concept, our theories of relativity has no logic there.

Under these conditions saying sun (sun actually moves in relation to its position in the universe) moves around the earth was the best our prehistoric human mind could grasp over the last 3000 years.
It is time for us to drop these concepts like orbits and orbital segments (12 Rashies - there are more dimensions to the universe) from our vocabulary and study science, rather physics, in its real conceptual framework. 

But blackhole physics is something we are still to comprehend and it shows the limit of our scientific thinking, that suits only this planetary and solar system.

But the real contention is not physics but biophysics (my coining of a simple nano-level biology concept).

This is the only planet we know we can live in comfort. There is no place or other planet where we can survive over prolong period of time.
But we are destroying this planet by human activity including nuclear physics.

We are going through a vicious cycle.

It is sure the man (only a few will be enough) will destroy this planet, come the next century.
If not a potent virus would do that before that time.
But strangely viruses have 3 to 5 million year cycles not 100 year cycles that effect the very nature of evolution.
Man is the only one who believes, this planet runs in 100 year cycles.
Of this 100 year cycles, one human generation can do enormous damage which this earth planet cannot sustain. 

The irony is each subsequent generation is worse than the previous generation that preceded it.

Beware!

There is impending catastrophe, if man does not give heed to the biophysics.

Now the insects!

Now the insects!

After 15 years I noticed a single bee, must have traveled a long distance to venture into my domain.

The tiny black bee is below our Electricity meter.

Colony is big and healthy.

Butterflies were three in number, brown, yellow, and tiny black and white.

Dragon flies were mostly two, the regular blue visitor and a yellow brown one and possibly a brown one which I have missed.

Plenty of tiny and big spiders and today I noticed a exotic one.

Where the hell he had come from.

A two tiny multipede in our bathroom.

A brown Katussa and a lizard as predators but not a single chameleon this time.

Many birds droppings including in our veranda.

So the eco-system is thriving after 15 years of endurance.

But if I take three months of leave and come home all will be dead since this was all a Single Man Made (SMM for short) environment.

My desire is for it to be Multiple Man Made (3M for short) endeavour.

That is my Political Theory for the Mother Nature and this Planet but not a can of Baygon spray which I hate.

We do not have a single environment (green) party but one minor party (not in the blue camp but is trying to piggyback on it-one is a monk, the other is co-defender up with arms since a stupid astrologer-that is what the national papers won't say- has predicted that he would become a next president after the current Maithree term is torpedoed) is hijacking this theory for its leader to come in to power.

So much for the constitutional changes that would be torpedoed.

Reader, especially foreign one, should excuse me for insinuating subtle political buzz.

In any case it good for them to know the bottom line if they decide to come for a holiday.

But please avoid our April New Year, since for about a month and after that election campaign will be hot on the foot of a traveler.

Plant (Flower) watching!

Plant (Flower) watching!

I daily count the number of flowers after caring for the plants and then do a survey of the insect life (more about it later).

The insect numbers vary depending on the number of flowers.

This is why I am NOW totally against offering flowers on the altar or on temple platform as a godly gift or a godly bribe to incite blessing from unseen Devas (if there are any left in this country).

I usually see three flowers.

I get excited when there are five.

That is my gold standard.

If it is below five I take it as a failure of my gardening attempt.

So I persevere.

The other day I counted ten.

That was well past my goal post or gold standard.

Mind you it is a warning or a sign of weather changing for good.

I think it was a blessing this time after ten or more years of smile-less faces in this country, whether south, north of in the mid country.

I think this is a good year to make good choices for biodiversity if not political for me.

Most of them were water plants but there were five terrestrial plants and one a weedy vine.

If I counted the teeny weeny water plats it would have been almost 15.

To me it was a colossal achievement.

My exotic Dragon plant and Vanilla Plant are yet to bloom.

One Year Later
07-03-2016
Extremely warm 32 to 35 C.
Fish in the open die. Cover the top with black polythene to prevent absorption of heat and light.
 Only three flowers this time but one exotic.
Vanilla plant all dead except one.
Dragon plant is producing shoots all over but no flowers.
Pipal (BO) trees on pots barely surviving.
If I do not water all the plants would be dead in a week.
Global Warming is REALLY here.

Richie Benaud, the cricketer par excellence

Richie Benaud is no more.

He was the model cricketer of the yesteryear.

I suppose now he will teach cricket to angels!

Taking Stocks-My contribution to Biodiversity

Taking Stocks-My contribution to Biodiversity

After about decade we seem to have April Thunder Storms coming on the dot.

It was 31^st we had the first thunder storm and two days ago we had a massive blast over our house almost shaking the roof.

Thank god I was not up admiring my eco-system on the roof top mini-garden.

I would have been either dead or deaf.

My weather barometer is our dog.

He get frightened well before the thunder storm hit our neighbourhood.

Hide under my bed.

I in fact took the cloths put out for drying and sat on the computer, just to pen down Tiny Tot Theory of ex-president.

The thunder hit our telephone and I could not post my last email.

It by passed our electric circuit and hit the telephone post first and burned the wire / circuit at three or four places.

It was a massive one.

The Telecoms guys were very nice and prompt unlike the 'Chinthanaya Time' and did a thorough job but they are sent out with minimum hardware.

I just returned home with our daily fresh milk, just in time, and provided them all what they needed except wires.

I thanked the guys profusely and told that I could live without the Telephone and Internet for few days BUT they should not risk their life with impending thunder storms..

Minutes later I was on the web before the evening thunder storms.

Mind you I do want to post this as a separate blog!

My warnings are

1. Please no fire crackers, we have enough pollution in this city including noise (next prime minister campaign to b precise, we have to make a new series based on BBC, NO,NO, Prime Minister, Please do not come again, We had enough of YOU!).

2. It frightens my dog and your dog too.

Mind you many dogs die during this month (family goes on a holiday, poor servant eats the dog's food, thunder storm, and fire crackers and simply negligence).

To this add petty thieves poisoning them for meat in the corner hotel masquerading as chicken.

3. Beware lightening

4. Do not answer the telephone when there is thunder storm, it will busy your ear drum.

5. Switch off all the computers, I lost five during the last three years (I was not worried, I was pruning my 10 set computer network to two and now with my wife's one busted month age due to drop in voltage- to cut down on the 'Electricity Bill'.

The the rain that comes with the thunder storms is a blessing for me.

I was expecting it to come after mid May.

My water plants were dying including an amazon plant with a beautiful white flower.

I just resurrected it and put it in a bigger container with Guppy fish for company.

I have three or four (one never bloomed for the last ten years- the first one I started with which has a yellow flower most likely an imported variety).

Te most expensive one inside the house virtually dead (my wife changed the container without telling me. Leaves wilted away leaving behind a tiny yam). For the last three months it spouted out few leaves and they get entangled by the algae and die before the stem was long enough for the leaf to float free.

With my perseverance and insistence on clearing the algae manually (no chemicals please), it has now three tiny leaves and I cleared the space for the fourth one yesterday.

The second of the lillie was trapped with a big water plant with a beautiful tiny purple bunch of flowers (I let it grow till it was time to uproot and save my lillie).

I did uproot two of them and found a suitable containers and they are flowering again after my forceful overthrow from the residential setting on the roof top.

Plant (Flower) watching!

I daily count the number of flowers after caring for the plants and then do a survey of the insect life (more about it later).

The insect numbers vary depending on the number of flowers.

This is why I am NOW totally against offering flowers on the altar or on temple platform as a godly gift or a godly bribe to incite blessing from unseen Devas (if there are any left in this country).

I usually three flowers.

I get excited when there are five.

That is my gold standard.

If it is below five I take it as a failure of my gardening attempt.

So I persevere.

The other day I counted ten.

That was well past my gold post or gold standard.

Mind you it is a warning or a sign of weather changing for good.

I think it was a blessing this time after ten or more years of smile-less faces in this country, whether south, north of in the mid country.

I think this is a good year to make good choices for biodiversity if not political for me.

Most of them were water plants but there were five terrestrial plants and one a weedy vine.

If I counted the teeny weeny water plats it would have been almost 15.

To me it was a colossal achievement.

Now the insects!

After 15 years I noticed a single bee, must have traveled a long distance to venture into my domain.

The tiny black bee is below our Electricity meter.

Colony is big and healthy.

Butterflies were three in number, brown, yellow, and tiny black and white.

Dragon flies were mostly two, the regular blue visitor and a yellow brown one and possibly a brown one which I have missed.

Plenty of tiny and big spiders and today I noticed a exotic one.

Where the hell he had come from.

A single tiny multipede in our bathroom.

A brown Katussa and a lizard as predators but not a single chameleon this time.

Many birds droppings including in our veranda.

So the eco-system is thriving after 15 years of endurance.

But if I take three months of leave and come home all will be dead since this was all a Single Man Made (SMM for short) environment.

My desire is for it to be Multiple Man Made (3M for short) endeavour.

That is my Political Theory for the Mother Nature and this Planet but not a can of Baygon spray which I hate.

We do not have a single environment (green) party but one minor party (not in the blue camp but is trying to piggyback on it-one is a monk, the other is co-defender up with arms since a stupid astrologer-that is what the national papers won't say- has predicted that he would become a next president after the current Maithree term is torpedoed) is hijacking this theory for its leader to come in to power.

So much for the constitutional changes that would be torpedoed.

Reader, especially foreign one, should excuse me for insinuating subtle political buzz.

In any case it good for them to know the bottom line if they decide to come for a holiday.

But please avoid our April New Year, since for about a month and after that election campaign will be hot on the foot of a traveler.

My exotic Dragon plant and Vanilla Plant are yet to bloom.

Save our Dogs from Fire crackers

Save our Dogs from Fire crackers

Mind you I do want to post this as a separate blog!

My warnings are

1. Please no fire crackers, we have enough pollution in this city including noise (next prime minister campaign to b precise, we have to make a new series based on BBC, NO,NO, Prime Minister, Please do not come again, We had enough of YOU!).

2. It frightens my dog and your dog too.

Mind you many dogs die during this month (family goes on a holiday, poor servant eats the dog's food, thunder storm, and fire crackers and simply negligence).

To this add petty thieves poisoning them for meat in the corner hotel masquerading as chicken.

3. Beware lightening!

4. Do not answer the telephone when there is thunder storm, it will busy your ear drum.

5. Switch off all the computers, I lost five during the last three years (I was not worried, I was pruning my 10 set computer network to two and now with my wife's one busted month age due to drop in voltage- to cut down on the 'Electricity Bill'.

The the rain that comes with the thunder storms is a blessing for me.

I was expecting it to come after mid May.

My water plants were dying including an amazon plant with a beautiful white flower.

I just resurrected it and put it in a bigger container with Guppy fish for company.

I have three or four water lillies (one never bloomed for the last ten years- the first one I started with which has a yellow flower most likely an imported variety).

Te most expensive one inside the house virtually dead (my wife changed the container without telling me. Leaves wilted away leaving behind a tiny yam).

For the last three months it spouted out few leaves and they get entangled by the algae and die before the stem was long enough for the leaf to float free.

With my perseverance and insistence on clearing the algae manually (no chemicals please), it has now three tiny leaves and I cleared the space for the fourth one yesterday.

The second of the lillie was trapped with a big water plant with a beautiful tiny purple bunch of flowers (I let it grow till it was time to uproot and save my lillie).

I did uproot two of them and found a suitable containers and they are flowering again after my forceful overthrow from the residential setting on the roof top.