Thondamen Saga and the Full Cycle

This is posted by my cellphone and I will have a swipe at every possible corner of Ceylonese politics
 
First of all, I pay my gratitude to the British for many antecedents in history,  including how they treated the Estate Labour and finally, it was the BBC who highlighted the plight of the Estate sector.
 
1. Highest level of maternal death in the region.

2.Highest per capita consumption of alcohol.

3.Poor Education facilities.

4.Lowest paid sector in economy. 

5. Poorest of living quarters. 

None of which is resolved after 100 years of high output labour and an active labour union which succumbs to power politics in the deep south, if not Colombo.
 
I must state few words about Sir John Kotalawala as a prelude.
He saw that Labour imported from the India would be a political hotbed.
He drafted legislation even before the independence and he had seen to that the Indian people labour force was not given citizenship entitlement after six years of continued  stay in Ceylon.
With the help of Estate Superintendents they were dished out pure alcohol that (this is carried to present day by developers who give hard core drugs to casual labour in Colombo) their daily pay is returned to the capital with outstanding arrears.
 
Now come to Thoppi Thotan and Thonda.
 
Unlike his grandfather he died of short illness purported to be heart attack,  if not due to Coronavirus in relative young age.
He had become very lazy in Colombo, and just like his Sinhala counterparts who are absolutely lazy but inherently vociferous with racial rhetoric. 

In addition he became a carrier of Coronavirus back to estates where this infection will spread like wild fire with the high level of funeral he was accorded.
With the downturn of economy which came with Coronavirus, there will be no market for Ceylon Tea while cost of production would go up and the yield per estate would come down drastically due to poor replanting strategy.
They will fall from pan (tea dust) to the fire while a particular Muslim strategist is adulterating the tea bought from the auction (rejected tea mixed with tea dust used for manure).
Now coming to Sirima who was a pest, just like her husband in Ceylon politics succumbed to pressure by Indian Indira who helped creating the LTTE with the help of Raw ably helped by Sweden and Canada. 
 
I must refer to heroic Mr. Douglas Devananda who did not curry favour with LTTE and looked after his clan in Mannar diligently by looking at the problem holistically and survived many attempt at assassinations.
 
He was steadfast unlike Thonda.
 
I would wind up with a slur that Tamils will  never be emancipated unless they shed the hereditary Caste System that is despised by Lord Buddha.

General Elections 2020: A Defining Moment for Sri Lanka

 The corollary of this is called "Raja Una" (King's Fever) or the Coronavirus Syndrome (hiding behind the tiny virus of nano particles is possible in this country) that effects the rulers in power.

They want absolute power without checks and balances.

We must profusely thank British for removing our monarch and keeping their geriatric monarch and the expended but fracturing extension of the family.

Reproduction

General Elections 2020: A Defining Moment for Sri Lanka

Friday Forum

May 30, 2020, 10:28 am

A headline in a newspaper of May 23rd quoted the Prime Minister as having said, "President and Cabinet can efficiently manage the country without parliament" (Daily Mirror May 23, 2020). The President has stated, and has been quoted many times in the media, as saying that he will not in any circumstances re-summon the dissolved 'old" Parliament. Both the President and the Prime Minister have indicated that they await the general elections 2020, and the summoning of the "new" Parliament.

Yet most candidates contesting the forthcoming general elections 2020 are those who have represented the people, for the past ten or more years. So why is there demonisation of the "old" and the faith in the "new"? Is it possible that there is an expectation that the much desired "new" Parliament will adopt and enact a Constitution that will do away with familiar institutions known as Parliament and the courts (the two other pillars of governance in a parliamentary democracy)?

We are known as the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. It is perhaps because some small aspects of the "socialism" survived the onslaught of the market economy, that our public health system has delivered in the Covid-19 pandemic. Are we now living in times when we are going to eliminate the "democratic" part, just becoming the plain and simple Republic of Sri Lanka?

For 70 years one of the key pillars of governance in this country has been Parliament. For at least half that period, (and until as recently as 2019) all political parties at some point or other, promised the nation to abolish the Executive Presidency, and strengthen the institution known as Parliament. Yet today, political leaders in government and their assorted supporters, jurists, scholars, professionals, business leaders, and opinion makers, express views indicating that they want to bury Parliament- some for 6 months, some for 5 years, and others for all time. Meanwhile the electronic media idealize the armed forces in a new war- the war against Covid-19. These are the only "veerodara ranaviru" (a word now used to refer only to members of the armed forces). "Front line workers" in the public health response, members of the police and public service, do not share this honorific title.

As we go to the polls in 2020, we should ask ourselves "Whither Sri Lanka?" With so much information on the internet, and in diverse media, we should try to reflect on the experience of other countries on institutional arrangements for governance. What was the experience of World War 11 Germany, and what is the current experience of Hungary, Hong Kong and Myanmar? We can also turn the pages of our history in antiquity, and reflect on the conversation between Venerable Nagasena and King Milinda.

The King: Reverend Sir, will you discuss with me again

Ven.Nagasena: If your Majesty will discuss as a scholar well; but if you will discuss as a king, no...........

The King: And how do kings discuss?

Ven. Nagasena: 
When a king, your Majesty, discusses a matter and he advances a point, if anyone differs from him on that point, he is apt to fine him, saying: "Inflict such and such a punishment upon that fellow".

Thus, your Majesty, do kings discuss.

[The Questions of King Milinda, Vol 35 part 1, reprint 1977, p.46].

It is important to remember that in 2018, a Full Bench of our Supreme Court held that this country has not had a monarch since 1972, and the President under our Constitution has not "inherited that mantle". 

Constitutions restrain the exercise of powers, and those who take oaths of office to respect the Constitution, in doing so, agree not to take on the mantle of kingship.

Prof. Savitri Goonesekere Prof. Arjuna Aluwihare on behalf of:

Mr. Priyantha Gamage, 
Mr. Chandra Jayaratne, 
Mr. Faiz-Ur Rahman, 
Bishop Duleep de Chickera, 
Rev. Dr. Jayasiri Peiris, 
Dr. A.C.Visvalingam, 
Mr. Tissa Jayatilaka, 
Prof. Arjuna Aluwihare, 
Mr. Pulasthi Hewamanna, 
Prof. Ranjini Obeyesekere, 
Prof. Camena Guneratne, 
Prof. Gananath Obeyesekere, 
Prof. Gameela Samarasinghe, 
Dr. Usvatte-Aratchi, 
Dr. Radhika Coomaraswamy, 
Ms. Manouri Muttetuwegama and 
Mr. Dhammapala Wijayanandana.

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Linux in Schools

An Old Piece-Reproduction

Linux in Schools

I had to delay writing this article for various reasons. 
It was mainly because, we Ceylonese have many other obsessions than to ponder for academic interests at large. In any case, IT obsession has been in the forefront for years, many have failed to understand the economic down side of its proliferation. My interest in Linux dates back for some years, ever since, I detected, a quite innocuous looking virus in my Window box. 
However, the credit should go to our own Sanath Jayasuriya. 
I was watching, Sanath playing a wonderful innings and there was some break in between in his innings. Being a cricket fanatic, I could not wait till the break ends, I decided to fiddle with an audio program, I installed in my son’s Window box the previous night. To my surprise I felt something amiss in the computer. I could not fathom what was wrong but felt it could be a virus. However, before I could diagnose the virus ailment and its treatment, the match started and I was temporarily engrossed in Sanath’s heroics and his century, 
I did not feel the headaches (pain) of the flu the Window was suffering. It took three months for me to find were the virus was residing and further three months to come to term with it. Many years gone by, nobody has found a cure for this script kiddies boot virus.

However, Linux could do the honours and erase the boot partition. 
Ever since, hesitantly and courageously, I tread on the pathway where Linux has laid for computer enthusiasts, I have many good things and bad things to talk about Linux. 
Good thing about Linux is that one does not have to be rich to own a Linux box. It comes free, open source and there are many flavours of it. Bad thing about Linux is that there are no experts to tell, how you get about with it. 
I had to do my own way, the hard way. 
It has paid it dividends just in two years for me.
While I was doing my initial research on Linux, how much, I need to spend learning from an expert (for that matter any computer course), I found it was not worth even contemplating a tutor. I could buy all the books (three versions in a time spell of one year) and all the CDs for a fraction of the money I should spend for a course. In addition Linux has a comprehensive manual (man page with the package) and online service. 
Not only it is cheap it is academically comprehensive. 
Importance of Linux for schools has been an interest of mine for some time but I am yet to find a teacher (government schools) who advocates it for school use. The learning curve (not for kids) for teachers is so sharp that the teachers are more inclined to discourage it than to embark on it. Our education system is so primitive that we still do not offer computer science as a subject for “O” level leave alone “A” level. Time has come for a giant step in education. 
The answer is Linux for its versatility and open source nature.

Reading from Linux magazines, the Linux phenomenon has come to schools in Nepal. 
With some foreign inputs it has taken a root in Nepal. 
Ethiopians have put their alphabet into Red Hat Fedora. 
Both Mandrake 10 and Red Hat Fedora could use Sinhala font now.

Why there is no enthusiasm in Ceylon?

With so many computer experts in Ceylon, it cannot be ignorance. It could only be the arrogance and vested interests of the multinationals. I come to believe on the latter, since the Intellectual Property Act has come to legislative enactment, few years ago without any debate in the Parliament, it is proof of the pudding.

With our foreign reserve going down we have no other option than to turn to Linux. We should make a concerted effort to make a version of Linux in Sinhala. Few of the bright and enthusiastic Linux fans in Colombo have done it. It is available online and it would have teething problems to begin with but with concentrated effort it would evolve into something substantial.

In tribute to the open source software foundation, the first project would be to develop a proper Linux in Sinhala Installation. 
Open source of course was created with a traditional Buddhist outlook of Sabbha Dhanam Dhamma Dhanam Jinathi and it is not difficult for someone to comprehend Sabbha Dhanam Linux Dhanum Jinathi Concepts. 
Linux converts (disciples) should preach this to the masses.
I am reproducing this, since I contacted the only teacher who was interested in Kandy, say Hi, due to Coronavirus respite.
He is now into video conferencing (he wanted to introduce in schools many moons ago and was stymied by the system that prevent innovation.).
In fact he was transferred out of his post and I advised him to take leave and go abroad an update his talents abroad.

Forming a New Party

Thought of forming a new party for the coming year was an idea I conceived from the Party of the Loonies from Great Britain. Unlike Great Britain we have a credible lineage of political loonies and my effort would not go waste in this country of politically blinds.

Party name is L.L.(“A”).P. 
It stands for Linux Lovers (“Addict”) Party. Initially I thought of L.L.P. but had to give into the enthusiastic supporter’s view who claimed that not only we are politically blind but we also inherit a strong sense of political addiction. Even though I was very keen in analyzing the statistical significance for the above bone of contention (conviction), I was over-ruled by the minority of the enthusiastic supporters (a political tradition of our own). I should confess I tried hard for the original name for the sake of brevity and easy pronunciation. However, to preserve the authorship of LLP for myself (in Linux tradition), using standard computer convention, I included “A” with double quotes and brackets so that it stands out prominent for the loyalists but in computer sense there is no operating leverage; only a comment. By the time of the annual convention the verified name would be put into a democratic voting, preferably an electronic method devised by the Linux Local Community. 
For parties opposing us can use any other interpretation's, like Lankan Loonies, Lankawatama Lights, Lanu (Dirappu) Lunu or l-Nunu l-Nunu (l-silent of course) Party. We encourage all these contradictory views since we believe in any form of advertising including negative to build our image in the first year. In case one needs to reassert the party image they can use Dr. Che Guerra type of attitude and say it is Linux Liberation and not anti-american (American citizens are entitled to their own interpretation and obsessions)

First of all this party is dedicated to late Prof: Senaka Bibile for his untiring effort in the UNTARD for developing the generic system of drug labeling as opposed to the proprietary system of labeling of drugs so that the addicts of the party could obtain a cheaper version (dose) of the party manifesto. 
Late Dr.Reily Fernando who is in heaven now is the Godly Patron. The lifelong patron is going to be Linus Torvalds.

The first wave of the promotion would be done with the reciting of “Linux Saranam Gachchami”, three times a day religiously when one start the day at office. This promotion should be used in tandem and it should be tempered with “Wi(n)dows Saranam Vinasayam” liberally when ever an opportunity comes across in the office and in front of All Wi(n)dow's Boxes. 
All e-mail communications should end with a greeting similar to “A linux a day keeps the bugs away”.

In tribute to the open source software foundation, the first project would be to develop a Linux in Sinhala Installation, well in advance of the Microshaft Cronies would have a chance to add a Sinhala Version to X-XPs for a pricey sum (for our village boys eating Kentucky Chicken). 
Colombook Cronies who a itching to make a fast buck once the Microshaft Edition of Sinhala comes into operation in our remote village (schools / tutories) corners (shops) may have heart attacks with the thought of our project. 
We recommend them that they should get their blood cholesterol checked until such time the Microshaft version is built in America.

For the young Buddhist monks (English Literate) we request for the sake of preserving Pali Stanzas in its originality, take an active interest in this project (Sinhala Script) instead of appearing at TV Talk Shows and spending sojourns in London Vihara. 
Open source of course was created with a traditional Buddhist outlook of Sabbha Dhanam Dhamma Dhanam Jinathi and it is not difficult for someone to comprehend Sabbha Dhanam Linux Dhanum Jinathi Concepts. 
Linux converts (disciples) may preach as they please.

This is for free distribution without any claim for originality in the true spirit of GPL agreement. Users should bear any consequences that may result and endanger their health status. This can be improved (Linux addicts) or defaced (Microshaft weaklings) as long as the original authorship is accepted as L.L.(¨A¨).P. Head Quarters, Peradeniya (Kandy), Ceylon.

P.S. As a proactive precaution (my e-mail may get ¨choker blocked¨) I have disabled my e-mail indefinitely so even I cannot access it. 
However, personal and paper communications are welcome.

Violation of Health, Safety and Security (Issues) Protocols

Violation of Health, Safety and Security (Issues) Protocols
It is pretty obvious that the entire legislature violated both the WHO Health Protocol and the Government's Local Security Protocol in the name of a dead politician's last right.
That alone is enough for the Election Commission to postpone the election  indefinitely or till October, 2020.
By the end of the funeral,  so far involuntarily protected poor Indian Origin Estate Sector will have a rollicking Coronsvirus epidemic / endemic which even Indian Gods won"t be able mitigate or control.
 
I suppose the DHS should resign paying the way for military medical dictator (metaphorically  speaking) to reign in.
Stupendous stupidity at the legislative level which even the JVP did not fathom.
 
All politicians go mad both in power and now in death.

Thun Man Handiya or Three Way Junction

Thun Man Handiya or Three Way Junction

This is a dream.

I felt sleepy while downloading the Open BSD Installer Utility for my laptop.

This dream is current, relevant and ambiguous in context.

Ceylon network or the Telecoms is SO slow, I fall sleepy and won’t wake up even when my Linux box gives a tinkle once a file is downloaded.

I am getting fed of Linux since guys and girls are scared of Microsoft cronies and won’t willify (becomes an impotent Willy) the UEFI boot distribution (it is not a boot loader).

Whereas BSD and OPEN-BSD erases it in a flash.

The story revolves round a wheeler dealer politician (was called 10% and now 100%), current D.H.S (the post not the person) and our poor Punchi-Sincho.

They were asked to go to a hermit sitting at high bench created by Boidu Bala Sena converts at a three way junction or Thun Man Handiya, under a young Kaputu (planted by craven dropping) Bo (pipal tree).

The whispering was that one gets what one wishes and only the first three will be offered the raffle tickets.

All of them have to wash their hands from a heavenly borne automated detergent dispenser (more expensive than the local Lifebouy make).

The tickets were named expressed currier delivery, standard postal and slow delivery system akin to Rs.5000/= dish outs by Samudi Niladharies.

Of course the politician demanded the express delivery.

By virtue of his high post the D.H.S. got the standard delivery ticket.

The Punch-Sincho got the left over ticket by default of the other two, which was the slowest.

Mind you the hermit was an ex-traffic warden run over by a politico.

All three thought that they were eligible for air tickets to heaven.

The hermit job was to direct them to the appropriate self serving dispenser routing them to the correct path or the roadway.

He was not supposed to tell where they lead up to.

1. The fastest one was to the corona virus cemetery.
I wish all our politicians end up there.

2. The standard one was to Seychelles.
I wish all our public servants who sleep after mid day meal at the desk be sent there as supervisors!

3. The third one was to heaven but with a caveat.

He had some option to delay his entry to heaven if he has some outstanding dues in his homeland.

Punch Sincho thought to himself and realized that there going to be elections (he was a betting addict) round the corner and would have one more betting opportunity before entry to heaven. 

This he told the hermit and the hermit warned that it would be a dicey choice and the coronavirus would be with us for eternity.

Hurry up or lose the heavenly aboard.

Just like me Punchi Sincho decided not to wait for a vote to elect undesirables to the hell or the wheeler dealer legislature of Ceylon.

Come to think about it our D.H.S should have gone to Seychelles and attended to (delegating the post to the new army guy) the 35 odd guys and saved Ceylon from another pocket of risky spread of the virus.

They pay you in dollars which has simply gone up by rocket science trend due to fast printing of currencies by the new head banker with poor credentials.

Coronavirus and My Resolve

Coronavirus and My Resolve

It is unfortunate when I started assimilating TRUE KNOWLEDGE and much later teaching in a higher education, I had to dish out my noted from a typewriter.

First things, I bought from my first salary in UK were a typewriter (English) and number of German super cameras.

I was a photographic fanatic from my childhood and I always had a primitive camera in my possession in Ceylon.

I never fathomed digital cameras and have number of outdated film loaded ones in my attic (as souvenirs) and now I have two digital cameras.

I have about 20 odd camera films (not developed) as a reminder of my old black and white printing in a makeshift room as a teenager.

I even bought a colour printer (gave it to safe keeping to a guy who ruined everything including my old Canon camera).

My latest addition was a microscope with digital camera (used by children in America) and the University where I worked did not have one for my research work as a geriatric adult with gray hair.

I hate selfie photos and cellphone cameras.

Sorry for the diversion and the type writer had done me lot of favours.

I use single handed (Ko-Ko System) type writing method with a coffee cup in my left hand (or a hand written note for typing a novel idea, like BSD or Linux).

I am now into BSD since, that is the only utility that can erase proprietary Windows in a flash and boot Debian instead.

So my type writer has helped me to use a keyboard in style while multitasking ideas in my brain.

Coming back to Coronavirus antigen system and antibodies, I found an old note of my genetic lectures for undergraduates.

I will type them below for my future reference.

Antigen Systems

HLA system

CD System

ABO System

Rhesus System

ABO System

All are oligisaccharides.

ceranide-glu-gal-gnac-gal-fucose 
H-Anigen (H-transferase)

ceramide-glu-gal-gnac-gal-fucose-galnac A-Antigen (A-transferase)

ceramide-glu-galgnac-gal-fucose-gal (B-Antigen (B-transferase)

Rhesus System

CDE/cde but d is not expressed

Bacterial cell wall antigens

Polysaccharide cell wall 

N-acetylglucosamine + 

N-acetylmuramide Acid

Polysaccharide backbone + glycine linkage

gnac N-acetylglucosamine

glac galactosamine

G N-acetylglucosamine Bacterial cell wall

M- N-acetylmuramic acid Bacterial cell wall

Linux booting a laptop with UEFI interface is painful

I omit the term Unified but use piggy  

 

 

Microsoft introduced the word EFI.

 

One can use BSD to erase Microsoft EFI as a boot management utility.

I had a laptop that booted with Microsoft (paid copy) but erased it and installed TrueOs (now depreciated and forked to VOID Linux) and Linux EFI utility and mounted two copies of Debian 9.00.

 I left it out for some time (I use my desktop with Debian 9.0 exclusively  and booted it yesterday and forgot the password for both copies.

I had no alternative but to erase everything with Kali Linux and Kali Linix could not erase the (it cannot hack Microsoft) the Microsoft boot record.

 

It did not boot.

I tried Debian it could not do it either.

Finally I had a copy of Trident net Utility and erased it in full but with Ceylon Telecom so slow it took five hours to install BSD with Illumini Desktop.

It is beautiful but its tank root file takes over the one terabyte hard disk with no way of resizing the TANK partition.

I usually have at least two or three distributions spread over the hard disk.

I have to thank Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD) profusely for its Trident Distribution (only 523 MiB) that works only when it is connected to the web.  

Tiny but a powerful distribution.

It simply takes over the hard disk by default.

Linux booting a laptop with UEFI interface is painful.

I am going to be on indefinite digital holiday.

So this may be the last update on booting a laptop with Linux and a welcome satire on Microsoft.

There are three things that I want to highlight.

1. One is, this is about SSD disks (not rotatory disks) and my experience with them is limited.

I hacked two of them to boot from them and last (the second) one was within the last 24 hours.

2. I am distro-hopper, tester of Linux distributions (live and installed) and do not use Windows at all. 

 

My understanding of Microsoft is bloated (like any American) image while wasting precise resources doing nothing (very slow to boot and poor workhorse) worthwhile like Facebook.

3. UEFI is pain in the Arxx (I have voiced it adequately, elsewhere).

4. Fourth of course, James has (below) given a very polite (unlike me) account of his undoing of UEFI. 

 

He deserves accolades.

Points I am raising here are SSDs do not understand GRUB Boot Manager.

Dual booting is virtually impossible and SSD is meant for booting one operating system ONLY.

Safe boot option won’t let you boot Legacy boot option nor it will let a Linux distribution boot unless Microsoft certifies it.

What a spoiled mind set?

 

I have found a way around with my PC.

I bought a laptop for my son with Windows installed.

He lost interest in it, in no time and I used to store my camera software (install camera software dedicated to Microsoft-Linux won’t jack them in - I have found a simple way around it) and photos.

I thought of booting Linux on it (dual booting) but failed.

I removed the hard disk and tried to install my favorite Linux distribution on the blank SSD and the boot manager won’t let me do it.

After 24 hours, I found a solution.

Only openSuse Linux supports UEFI.

After lot of fiddling for 24 hours except for my feeding and feeding my pet fish.

Good Bye Microsoft, the hard disk containing UEFI is inside a gold casket and will rest there peacefully till my son or wife (she has lost interest in laptops) asks for paid booting but not Linux rooting.

Installing Linux on a PC with UEFI firmware:

A refresher

By J.A. Watson for Jamie's Mostly Linux Stuff

Topic: 

 

Enterprise Software

 

What this means is that if you have UEFI Secure Boot enabled, you can only boot a certified signed image - and at least in the original UEFI specification, the only signing authority was Microsoft. 

 

I will leave the debate about the wisdom of that decision to others. 

 

All I will say here is that this decision had the effect of making installing Linux on UEFI firmware systems much more difficult.
 

Some OEMs (and their firmware suppliers) have put considerable effort into providing an alternate means for installing keys, certificates and signed images so that their users have at least some slim hope of regaining control of their computers. 

But in my opinion so far these have been difficult to understand and difficult to use, at best.

I have found many ways to overcome this problem since nobody in my house use Windows but Apple stuff.

 

I have used Endless OS to erase the Microsoft Hegemony!

Read also my comments below.

U.E.F.I Monopoly of Microsoft Sucks

This is the first blog post of mine, after I got my two computers working only on Linux, Debian to be precise, without Indians guys/girls working for Microsoft, Meddling with Bogus Updates that really upsets the booting of alternative operating systems.

 

What it means is Microsoft owns your computer after having paid a hefty some!

 

It SUCKS!

I did not lose any of my data except the Knoppix 8.1 iso (may be misplaced), the latest.

I found Knoppix hidden in a partition.

But I did make a start up SD Card and the Live DVD.

 

Knoppix is stuck with 9.1.

U.E.F.I. that stands for Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) sucks and is the Monopoly of Microsoft.

It intends to suppress booting other operating systems especially Linux.

This is how YOU nullify these business monopoly on new version of boot up BIOS .

I won’t go into minor details.

First go to UEFI boot up menu (press Del or F2 at boot up).

Find csm and change to other OP systems.

Find the legacy menus and change every options available to legacy.

Go to boot up and change options to boot from CD/DVD.

Go to boot up and change which hard disk to boot first if you have more than one.

There are many other changes you can make but fiddle with one options at a time.

Then save your changes and boot your Live DVD ideally, Gparted and prepare or partition your hard disks to satisfy your liking.

Boot up and install your distribution.

GRUB boot loader takes over booting (if Debian Do Not activate at boot up, UEFI even by mistake) seamlessly and YOU own your computer not Microsoft cronies.

This piece is only for Linux guys and girls.

If you have Windows and it sucks do not blame Microsoft, blame yourself for the stupidity. 
 

Read the description below, it is a tiny operating system hidden in the firmware and interfere with free software freedom.

Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) is a specification for a software program that connects a computer's firmware to its operating system (OS). 

 

In Linux terminology Dbus and it cannot be owned by a company.

UEFI is expected to eventually replace BIOS. 
 

Like BIOS, UEFI is installed at the time of manufacturing and is the first program that runs when a computer is turned on.

It’s not just a BIOS replacement, either. UEFI is essentially a tiny operating system that runs on top of the PC’s firmware, and it can do a lot more than a BIOS. 

It may be stored in flash memory on the motherboard, or it may be loaded from a hard drive or network share at boot.

What is BSD?

Reproduction

Greg Lehey

Abstract

In the open source world, the word “Linux” is almost synonymous with “Operating System”, but it is not the only open source UNIX® operating system.

So what is the secret? 

Why is BSD not better known? 

This white paper addresses these and other questions.
Throughout this paper, differences between BSD and Linux will be noted like this.

1. What is BSD?

BSD stands for “Berkeley Software Distribution”. It is the name of distributions of source code from the University of California, Berkeley, which were originally extensions to AT&T's Research UNIX® operating system. 
Several open source operating system projects are based on a release of this source code known as 4.4BSD-Lite. 
In addition, they comprise a number of packages from other Open Source projects, including notably the GNU project. The overall operating system comprises:

• The BSD kernel, which handles process scheduling, memory management, symmetric multi-processing (SMP), device drivers, etc.
• The C library, the base API for the system.
  The BSD C library is based on code from Berkeley, not the GNU project.
• Utilities such as shells, file utilities, compilers and linkers.
  Some of the utilities are derived from the GNU project, others are not.
• The X Window system, which handles graphical display.
  The X Window system used in most versions of BSD is maintained by the X.Org project. 
•  FreeBSD allows the user to choose from a variety of desktop environments, such as Gnome, KDE, or Xfce; and lightweight window managers like Openbox, Fluxbox, or Awesome.
• Many other programs and utilities.

Mucus and Mucous Membranes

Mucus and Mucous Membranes

This is an advice dished out by Island Newspaper by an author having no understanding of the protective function of the Mucous Membrane and Mucus.

Mucus is a live stream that flows outside the cells (minute bodies) to protect them from the beginning and to end of the intestine and in the respiratory tract in its entry point.

End point of the respiratory system has alveolar cells that are protected by surfactant (deficient in premature babies) that are deficient in smokers and the elderly.

Air pollution is a major hazard for even non smokers.

Any virus has sub-clinical forms and my gut feeling is that the current Coronavirus has an enteric phase before the respiratory phase.

The enteric phase activate immune systems that are not effective in the respiratory phase until further modifications to the immune system is made.

Immune system has advanced capabilities to build up heard immunity and it takes time usually six weeks and not three weeks which the Ceylon’s Army has dished out in quarantine.

They have no idea in health and health practices and that is why the security arm was the major purveyor of the spread of infection in Ceylon even with the suppressed statistics (better term is doctored statistics).

There is much more in mucus including cells that mediate inflammation and immunity.
I will refrain from talking about inflammatory mediators that is causing havoc in children in the West and undiagnosed in the East.

The stated blanket advice is false.

There milk allergy is in the West and Lactose intolerance in the East due to genetic reasons.

If you avoid eating those mentioned below there will be malnutrition epidemic.

The percentage probably (statistically speaking) is less than 20%.

The “Institute’ advises that people stay away from foods that can potentially increase mucus production. They list: Red meat, milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, butter, eggs, bread, pasta, sweet desserts, candy, coffee, gee, soda, alcoholic beverages.
Here are some foods that have the ability to reduce your mucus production: NOT TRUE.
The following foods except Agar are expensive but by far healthy foods.
all Leafy Greens, Radish, Cauliflower, Citrus ; Pumpkin; Pineapple; Watercress; Celery; Onion; Garlic; Honey or Agar (is a culture medium in bacteriology) ; Ginger; Cayenne pepper; Chamomile; Olive oil; Broth; Decaf tea.

Peanut Linux and Old Computers.

Peanut Linux and Old Computers

Since I have talked about peanut, jumbo variety which a seed cost more than one Rupee, this Peanut Linux renamed aLive / aLinux is FREE, if you have a good download facility.

aLive / aLinux the earliest version which I downloaded in 2009 is pretty good.

Enjoy Peanuts in Linux if not Jumbo Peanuts.

Thanks Guys and Girls of aLinux for your hard work, which is very much appreciated.

This is a reproduction from Distrowatch.

I am currently downloading it.

My oldest computer with 4M Graphic Ram on board has no Linux distribution to run except Redhat 8 and Mandriva 9 both of which are not supported.

Even Antix does not have a Kernel for it.

I will run this DVD on it with 256 RAM and let you know the result soon.

I do not think it will work.

If you have a Apple Mac not running there is Yellow Dog 6.2 available for download.

It is a DVD and I managed to download for an Emergency, after many failures over the last six months (6) and on the umpteenth attempt.

Our Telecom is super fast with many interruptions!

These sites will stop storing these images.

Yellow dog 5.2 is in 5 CDs and it works well (only distribution with enough utilities) works well on the Apple Mac I bought for testing Linux.

It has very little RAM and no DVD and I am not going to try this DVD.

I am keeping it for one day when an Apple Guy in Ceylon is in trouble not being able to run his computer.

I won´t spend money on an Apple from which I can buy 20 to 30 Tablets with Androids which will soon hit even the Ceylonese market.

Good Luck for Apple marketing strategy!

Reproduction

Jay Klepacs has announced the release of aLinux 15.0, an independently developed distribution (formerly known ad Peanut Linux) designed for aging computers and featuring the KDE 3.5.10 desktop: "aLinux 15.0 released, updates the graphical installer, dialogues, etc., easier to install. 

Same old system but with just enough updates to be 'usable'. KDE 3.5.10, X.Org 7.7, glibc 2.17, GCC 4.7.2, Linux kernel 2.6.34.14, Perl 5.16.2, Skype 4.1.0.20 (MSN and Windows Live support). 

Main web browser is Firefox 17.0.1. Distro is optimized for i686 now. Kopete has been removed and replaced with Pidgin messenger. 

It's still a distro aimed at computers from the past (mine included), so if you're looking for the latest bleeding edge, you won't find it here, but if you're looking for something a bit more complete from a past 'yesterday' operating system that still manages to work in 2013, this may suit you."

Paddy Bird (Wee Kurulla), My Dog's Woolly hair and Leaves of Havari Nuga Paddy Bird (Wee Kurulla), My Dog's Woolly hair and Leaves of Havari Nuga and dried up leaves of grass I wanted to write about global warming and constipation but my readers are spared of ignominy thanks to the Paddy Bird. Let me deal with a copyright issue first. I wanted to put a picture of my favourite bird with this piece and searched for a free photograph. I found one but it was copyrighted. I know this guy has a good camera and never cared for a paddy bird let alone take the husk out of a rice seed (which birds are experts). He is so selfish he tries to own this birds picture. He is a sordid bird watcher. I of course (my wife too) for the last 15 years trying to encourage breeding of these birds in our garden. I never thought that my rooftop garden (birds' paradise in all other respect with water and insects including dragonflies) was conduce for their breeding. Couple of weeks ago I was watering the water plants and a paddy bird flew across my ear in an aggressive manner. I just ignored it and did not give any eye contact. Thanks to my wife's effort lot of birds visit our mulberry tree daily. With scorching temperatures, hitting 95 outside most of my terrestrial plants including the two cocoa plants are shedding their leaves at a rate that alarmed me to my bones. I decided to do an overall and reduce the numbers of plants to the minimum to cut down on our water bill which was above the electricity (which is also very high) first time in my life. For the last three days, with a planned strategy to ease my blind dog's night prowl (no prey but jasmine flowers and spirit weed to sniff) around the trees, I made a wide pathway so that he does not bump against the plant pots. On the third day (today) I wanted to uproot the second but the tallest tree (hawari nuga and the tallest is an exotic local plant the name I do not know- I got it from a local gardener who is an expert on medicinal plants) but I could not. Then I looked at it in a meditative mode, this does not deserve an unnatural death and looked at its long leaves. Presto! Empty bird's nest. Owned by the paddy bird few weeks ago but discarded having got its brood out. It was made of my dog's woolly soft hair (90%) and few grassy bits and a single leaf of a Havari Nuga. I thought for a moment not only he contributes his liquid fertilizer to my gardening efforts but gives comfort cushion to avi-fauna's young ones. He got lovely treat for his indirect contribution. Birds of feather fly together. In other word nature nurtures nature. I hope the guy who sells the photos of birds reads this in full. In a different note if Europeans did not come and G.B.Henry did not tabulate our avi-fauna, this guy would not know how to name a bird. Series of reproduction from WiKipedia Hair of the dog", short for "Hair of the dog that bit you", is a colloquial expression in the English language predominantly used to refer to alcohol that is consumed with the aim of lessening the effects of a hangover. The expression originally referred to a method of treatment of a rabid dog bite by placing hair from the dog in the bite wound. Ebenezer Cobham Brewer writes in the Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898): "In Scotland it is a popular belief that a few hairs of the dog that bit you applied to the wound will prevent evil consequences. Applied to drinks, it means, if overnight you have indulged too freely, take a glass of the same wine within 24 hours to soothe the nerves. 'If this dog do you bite, soon as out of your bed, take a hair of the tail the next day.'" He also cites two apocryphal poems containing the phrase, one of which is attributed to Aristophanes. It is possible that the phrase was used to justify an existing practice, and the idea of Latin: similia similibus curantur ("like cures like") dates back at least to the time of Hippocrates and exists today as the basic postulate of classical homeopathy. In the 1930s cocktails known as Corpse Revivers were served in hotels. Alstonia macrophylla or Hard alstonia, Hard milkwood or Big-leaved macrophyllum is a species of plant in the Apocynaceae family. It is native to Indonesia (Kalimantan and Sulawesi), Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. It was introduced to Sri Lanka, where it is known as hawari nuga by local Sinhalese people. Alstonia macrophylla is a tree with a straight trunk and a high, narrow crown. It can become up to 30 meters tall. The trunk and branches contain a white latex. The bark is smooth and has a light grey color. Leaves are in whorls of three to four, simple, penni-veined, membranous, and glabrous above. Leaf-blades are 10 to 50 centimeters long, 5 to 15 cm wide, widest in or above the middle, and cuneate at the base. Flowers are about 7 mm in diameter, white, with narrow corolla tube, placed terminal on twigs. Fruits are about 30 centimeters long, green and filled with many small hairy seeds that are dispersed far and wide by the wind. The heartwood is yellowish, with a straight and shallowly interlocked grain with a moderately fine to rather coarse texture. The common tailorbird (Orthotomus sutorius) is a songbird found across tropical Asia. Popular for its nest made of leaves "sewn" together and immortalized by Rudyard Kipling in his Jungle Book, it is a common resident in urban gardens. Although shy birds that are usually hidden within vegetation, their loud calls are familiar and give away their presence. They are distinctive in having a long upright tail, greenish upper body plumage and rust coloured forehead and crown. This passerine bird is typically found in open farmland, scrub, forest edges and gardens. Tailorbirds get their name from the way their nest is constructed. The edges of a large leaf are pierced and sewn together with plant fibre or spider silk to make a cradle in which the actual nest is built. Like most warblers, the common tailorbird is insectivorous. The song is a loud cheeup-cheeup-cheeup with variations across the populations. The disyllabic calls are repeated often Scaly-breasted Munia/Spotted Munia (Lonchura puntulata) Very common resident bird of grasslands, gardens and paddy fields throughout the island. It lives as flocks of about ten birds and feeds on grass seeds and paddy. Scaly-breasted Munia breeds throughout the year though most nests are found in the period of October to May. The nest is a ball of grass blades in trees or shrubs. Thorny trees like lime or orange and sometime areca palm flowers are much favored nesting sites.

Our Dog is no more.

i am covering up of its loss and companionship by encouraging birds in our little garden including honey birds (humming Birds).

Bul Bul decided to build a nest over my head (where I do my leisure reading).

The magpie and bul bul devour my guppy fish.

I have grown lilies with pretty large leaves (counted 11 flowers yesterday) for them to hide under.

I moved all my reading material to the dining room.

The roof top garden is left to go wild now and I am sure little Munia will build a nest again after the monsoon rain, if they survive the horrible weather.

Reproduction

Paddy Bird (Wee Kurulla), My Dog's Woolly hair and Leaves of Havari Nuga

Paddy Bird (Wee Kurulla), My Dog's Woolly hair and Leaves of Havari Nuga and dried up leaves of grass 

 

I wanted to write about global warming and constipation but my readers are spared of ignominy thanks to the Paddy Bird.

Let me deal with a copyright issue first.

I wanted to put a picture of my favourite bird with this piece and searched for a free photograph.

I found one but it was copyrighted.

I know this guy has a good camera and never cared for a paddy bird let alone take the husk out of a rice seed (which birds are experts).

He is so selfish he tries to own this birds picture.

He is a sordid bird watcher.

I of course (my wife too) for the last 15 years trying to encourage breeding of these birds in our garden.

I never thought that my rooftop garden (birds' paradise in all other respect with water and insects including dragonflies) was conduce for their breeding.

Couple of weeks ago I was watering the water plants and a paddy bird flew across my ear in an aggressive manner.

I just ignored it and did not give any eye contact.

Thanks to my wife's effort lot of birds visit our mulberry tree daily.

With scorching temperatures, hitting 95 outside most of my terrestrial plants including the two cocoa plants are shedding their leaves at a rate that alarmed me to my bones.

I decided to do an overall and reduce the numbers of plants to the minimum to cut down on our water bill which was above the electricity (which is also very high) first time in my life.

For the last three days, with a planned strategy to ease my blind dog's night prowl (no prey but jasmine flowers and spirit weed to sniff) around the trees, I made a wide pathway so that he does not bump against the plant pots.

On the third day (today) I wanted to uproot the second but the tallest tree (hawari nuga and the tallest is an exotic local plant the name I do not know- I got it from a local gardener who is an expert on medicinal plants) but I could not.

Then I looked at it in a meditative mode, this does not deserve an unnatural death and looked at its long leaves.

Presto!

Empty bird's nest.

Owned by the paddy bird few weeks ago but discarded having got its brood out.

It was made of my dog's woolly soft hair (90%) and few grassy bits and a single leaf of a Havari Nuga.

I thought for a moment not only he contributes his liquid fertilizer to my gardening efforts but gives comfort cushion to avi-fauna's young ones.

He got lovely treat for his indirect contribution.

Birds of feather fly together.

In other word nature nurtures nature.

I hope the guy who sells the photos of birds reads this in full.

In a different note if Europeans did not come and G.B.Henry did not tabulate our avi-fauna, this guy would not know how to name a bird.

Series of reproduction from WiKipedia 

Hair of the dog", short for "Hair of the dog that bit you", is a colloquial expression in the English language predominantly used to refer to alcohol that is consumed with the aim of lessening the effects of a hangover.

The expression originally referred to a method of treatment of a rabid dog bite by placing hair from the dog in the bite wound.

Ebenezer Cobham Brewer writes in the Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898): "In Scotland it is a popular belief that a few hairs of the dog that bit you applied to the wound will prevent evil consequences. Applied to drinks, it means, if overnight you have indulged too freely, take a glass of the same wine within 24 hours to soothe the nerves. 'If this dog do you bite, soon as out of your bed, take a hair of the tail the next day.'" He also cites two apocryphal poems containing the phrase, one of which is attributed to Aristophanes. It is possible that the phrase was used to justify an existing practice, and the idea of Latin: similia similibus curantur ("like cures like") dates back at least to the time of Hippocrates and exists today as the basic postulate of classical homeopathy. In the 1930s cocktails known as Corpse Revivers were served in hotels.

Alstonia macrophylla or Hard alstonia, Hard milkwood or Big-leaved macrophyllum is a species of plant in the Apocynaceae family.

It is native to Indonesia (Kalimantan and Sulawesi), Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. It was introduced to Sri Lanka, where it is known as hawari nuga by local Sinhalese people.

Alstonia macrophylla is a tree with a straight trunk and a high, narrow crown. It can become up to 30 meters tall. The trunk and branches contain a white latex. The bark is smooth and has a light grey color. Leaves are in whorls of three to four, simple, penni-veined, membranous, and glabrous above. Leaf-blades are 10 to 50 centimeters long, 5 to 15 cm wide, widest in or above the middle, and cuneate at the base. Flowers are about 7 mm in diameter, white, with narrow corolla tube, placed terminal on twigs. Fruits are about 30 centimeters long, green and filled with many small hairy seeds that are dispersed far and wide by the wind. The heartwood is yellowish, with a straight and shallowly interlocked grain with a moderately fine to rather coarse texture.

The common tailorbird (Orthotomus sutorius) is a songbird found across tropical Asia. Popular for its nest made of leaves "sewn" together and immortalized by Rudyard Kipling in his Jungle Book, it is a common resident in urban gardens. Although shy birds that are usually hidden within vegetation, their loud calls are familiar and give away their presence. They are distinctive in having a long upright tail, greenish upper body plumage and rust coloured forehead and crown. This passerine bird is typically found in open farmland, scrub, forest edges and gardens. Tailorbirds get their name from the way their nest is constructed. The edges of a large leaf are pierced and sewn together with plant fibre or spider silk to make a cradle in which the actual nest is built.

Like most warblers, the common tailorbird is insectivorous. The song is a loud cheeup-cheeup-cheeup with variations across the populations. 
The disyllabic calls are repeated often

Scaly-breasted Munia/Spotted Munia (Lonchura puntulata)

Very common resident bird of grasslands, gardens and paddy fields throughout the island. It lives as flocks of about ten birds and feeds on grass seeds and paddy. Scaly-breasted Munia breeds throughout the year though most nests are found in the period of October to May. The nest is a ball of grass blades in trees or shrubs. 
Thorny trees like lime or orange and sometime areca palm flowers are much favored nesting sites.