Saturday, June 9, 2018
Altered State of Mind and Near Death Experience
I do not want to use the medical terms like, illusions, hallucinations and delusions in this discussion since readers are ordinary guys/girls.
Awareness (sanity), altered state of awareness and insanity are better terms.
In near death syndrome, an altered state of awareness is common but most is easily forgotten, if traumatic but remembered with colorful stories if the experience (altered state of awareness) is pleasant.
In between these two extremes of Domanassa and Somanassa feeling or states many different states can be induced by drugs, alcohol, anaesthesia and meditative experiences.
This piece is to highlight the Acid Base imbalance that can be induced in meditative practice involuntarily.
Alcohol and over 18 hour starvation (much less time in kids) can bring about ketosis or disruption of acid state balance of the body and mind.
But ketone is a metabolic substitute for glucose.
In the brain the coconut oil with medium chain fatty acids can supplement and augment ketone pathway better than alcohol.
So do not fear eating Sambol and coconut milk curry if you have a long work schedule without food.
By the way, even patient with Dementia (there cognitive function) are benefited by a diet rich in coconut oil.
So I advice the coconut treatment to the corrupt politicians in the parliament (all parties new and old are included).
This treatment is with a strong Kithul Polla when they come for the next round of elections, since their nuts are stronger than coconuts.
So in addition to promoting Ceylon Tea give a push to the Coconut Industry and ban Yappies who vandalize coconut states for property development.
Now simple withholding of breathing (this can happen in a wrongly guided meditation) for few minutes causes carbon dioxide narcosis or acidosis that can alter one’s cognition and awareness.
This is not Jhana induced.
Hyperventilation can produce, alkalosis the opposite of acidosis.
This also can happen in meditation due to excitement of reaching a Jhana state or simply due to agitation and anxiety.
The bottom line is validating the effect of meditation should not be left to checking the blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol.
They are poor indicators of wellbeing.
The best indicator is the Acid Base Status which anaesthetists test as a routine in developed countries, since the damage they do to the brain (post operative complications) is substantial.
In that sense the altered states in NDE are directly related to imbalance in acid base balance and not due to divine intervention and often due to medical mishaps (that causes the patient to be transferred to an Intensive Care Unit) which helps the doctors to hide behind.
Our brain is not adopted to high mountain climbing (causes mountain sickness due to hypoxia) or deep sea diving (causes decompression syndrome) so do not volunteer for space travel which the private companies are offering for stupid but rich people.
Read my article on (very old one) physiological effects in space in the wider web.
Postscript;
I do not advice meditation for diabetes patients and both low and high thyroxin levels can have mental symptoms.
Friday, July 4, 2025
Altered State of Mind and Near Death Experience
Buddhism is a way of life not a Philosophy
Buddhism is a way of life not a Philosophy
I say that Buddhism is a way of life not a philosophy to trash about.
Why I say so?
The Brahmajala Sutta is meant for course correction and laid the foundation of Dhamma.
If one wants to label philosophical tenets, there are only three elements, nothing more.
1. Unsatisfactoriness (of both pain and pleasure principles)
2. Impermanence (of both mind and matter and the material world-Uppada, Thitti, Banga, Arising, Stabilizing and Falling nature of all things)
The modern rendering is “the state of flux”.
3. Impersonal nature of “Beings” and Bhava (Sansara).
Buddha is a teacher.
He laid down the cause (Kamma) and effect (Bhava).
He is not a Saviour.
He shows the path he trod on.
He has no reservations left for himself.
He is freed, so why any reservations?
There is a caveat here.
One is his/her own saviour.
On has to be diligent about the “Wrong View” or the “Wrong Path”.
There is only “One Way”.
Ekayana Maggo!
That way is “Meditation” and correct understanding of the three principles born above.
So Meditation (if one has the time and resources) is a “Way of Life” not a theory for philosophizing.
With those two out, I need to summarize the Nets of Views in brief.
There are basically three types of persons, who want to have their views heard loud and clear.
They are the Eternalists, Rationalists and Skeptics.
All are based on afterlife except one group.
There is no religion in this world that disputes the existence of afterlife except nihilists or skeptics.
Their views are either based on self realization in Jhana states or rationalization based on one’s own thinking.
One can read ones previous life (Jhana State Five) and based on these experiences some of them formulate that, since there was a past life, there ought to be an eternal life that continue after death.
In some religions merging of self with the eternal self tend to be the essence.
Many selfs are not identified as individual entities but one of a wholesome divine entity.
The next subset in this is that there ought to be a divine creator or God.
There are at least 18 subsets based on eternity.
In this subset, it is the Maha Brahma (may be some of his retinues) who had the grandiose illusion that he was the creator of the world.
The bottom line is, when they consume these planes of lives and exit, they are often reborn in lower form of life often, even lower than human life.
It is a pity.
One who has not pursued the Jhana states to clear vision or wisdom sees these as eternal truths and postulate them as their discoveries.
They are the eternalists.
Then there are the skeptics who do not believe in afterlife.
They create the nihilistic view (only one out of 44 views).
There are 44 views (including View of the Buddha) with future life in in perspective.
This is where the category of perception comes into play.
The perception has a void in it and that gap is filled with any view out of the 62 views of reality.
The Brahmajala Sutta is an attempt at Course Correction from Eternalists, Rationalists and Skeptics, not from Divinity but for the Emancipation from ills, wills and imperfections.
That is to untangle from the tangled entanglement of the Wrong View.
That is why Samma Ditti is the first of the Eightfold Pathway.
In other words Mithya Ditti is the sure recipe for prolonging agony in the lower worlds of existence.
Once one gets his/her mind out of the Kalama Sutta and the Brahmajala Sutta one is free to delve into enormous Sutta discourses and Abhidhamma (mind you very dry in content) for clear view of Dhamma.
No part of Suttas or Abhdhamma is redundant for a wayfarer.
One either needs a true guide or one has to chose his own Sutta or Abhidamma discourses as a guide.
Please read the book of late Prof. A.D.P.Kalansuriya, if one is interested in philosophy.
It is heavy reading by the way, but that does not deter you from reading it, in small doses.
Philosophy is more difficult than Dhamma.
Buddha Spent 7 weeks after Enlightenment
Below is how Buddha spent 7 weeks after Enlightenment
1. First seven days.
Under the Bodhi tree.
2. Second seven days
He stood at a certain distance gazing at the Bodhi tree with motionless eyes for one whole week.3
3rd week
Did not give up the temporary residence at the Bodhi tree
4th week
The fourth week he spent in a jeweled chamber (ratana-guhara)5 contemplating the intricacies of the Abhidhamma.
5. Fifth week
Under the Ajapala Banyan tree
Enjoyed the bliss of emancipation (vimutti-sukha)
6. Sixth week
Mucalinda tree
Here arose an unexpected great shower, Mucalinda, the serpent-king,9 came out of his abode, and coiling round the body of the Buddha seven times, remained keeping his large hood over the head of the Buddha so that he was not affected by the elements.
7th week
Rajayatana tree
Experiencing the bliss of Emancipation and Enlightenment.
Discipline or Sila
1. Killing (no option but to be a vegetarian if one is practicing Dhamma)
2. Stealing (honesty is the only way)
3. Sexual misconduct including homosexuality (chastity as a virtue)
4. False speech and faked news (utter only the Truth)
5. Slander and political speech (Reconcile, conduce to concord for politicians)
6. Hash speech (again for political shows in TV and Media)
7. Idle or frivolous chatter (those new guys who would intend to contest presidential elections)
8. Musical shows (this applies mainly to Maharaja Organization)
9.Wearing garland (mainly to film stars)
10.Accepting gold and silver (Maligawa and Politicians around that Palace)
11. Elephant trade (Mahinda Mama and some monks)
12. Running messages (one version of Bodu Bala Sena)
13. Buying and Selling (Perpetual treasuries)
14. Bribery, deception and fraud (Finance ministry with P.M as head and the various parliament committees)
15.False measures and weights (Gold and Silver, Suwarnavahini included-not for bread and butter)
2. Come to Middle Order Disciplines (Majjhimasila)
1.Lottery
2. Buying and selling MP Vehicles
3. Gambling stalls
4. Massaging stalls (Chinese and Thai investments)
5.Games including cock fights, bull fights and elephant fights
6. Boxing, wrestling and karate
7. Cricket, football (Pirith Nula before championship tournaments, is a case in point)
8. Running errands for kings and politicians
9. Debating and wrangling arguments
10. Scheming and talking
3. Now the Long and the Mahala is intriguing
1. Palmistry
2. Astrology and Astronomy
3. Interpreting dreams (my putative specialty)
4. Predictions and Omens (good and bad)
5. Auspicious Times (for elections, financial dealings, weddings)
6. Fortune telling (at Anuradhapura and various temples in India)
7.Weather forecasting (BBC is found fault with giving wrong prediction for Ceylon, before cricket matches)
8. Poison Craft
9. Snake Craft
10. Scorpion Craft
11. Bird craft (my specialty-no fruit trees for them)
12. Predicting tsunamis
13. Predicting earthquakes
14. Predicting meteorites
15. Gifts for deities
16. Miscarriages or abortions
17. Virility and impotence
18. Fire sacrifices and fire goods
19. Ointments, medicine and surgery
20. Accounting, computing, calculation, and writing using Free Linux software.
Yes I slept well without nasty dreams but I started even forgetting my bank PIN numbers.
So because this PIN number problem I gave it up and back to blogging but sparingly now.
Abhinna
Abhinna
1. Iddhividha
Flying through the air, walking on water, diving into earth, creation of forms etc. belongs to this category.
2. Dibbasota
Is the celestial ear, also called clairaudience, which enables one to hear subtle or course sounds far and near.
3. Paracittavijanana
Is the power to discern the thoughts of others.
4. Pubbanivasanussati
Is the power to remember the past lives of oneself and others. This is the first supernormal vision the Buddha developed during the first watch on the night He attained the enlightenment.
With regard to this knowledge the Buddha’s power is limitless while in the case of others it is limited.
5. Dibbhacakkhu
Is the celestial or divine eye also called clairvoyance which enables one to see heavenly or earthly things far or near which are imperceptible to the physical eye.
This was the second knowledge the Buddha developed during the second watch on the night of his enlightenment.
These five kinds of supernormal visions are worldly, to this be added the sixth supernormal knowledge Asavakkhayannana knowledge with regards to the extinction of passions which is supermundane or the Nibbana.
The first kinds may be developed at any period but the last only during a Buddha cycle of about 2500 to 5000 years (my interpretation).
Jhana States
1st Jhana State
One attains
1. Vittakka (thought conception and attention to thought-thinkink)
2. Vichara (reflecting or on inner speech or discursive thinking)
3. Piti (rapture)
4. Sukha (joy)
5. Ekaggata (one pointedness)
2nd Jhana State
Vittaka is dropped.
1. Vicara
2. Piti
3. Sukha
4. Samadhi are accompaniments
3nd Jhana State
1. Piti
2. Sukha
3. Samadhi
4th Jhana State
1. Sukha
2. Samadhi
5th Jhana State
1. Equanimity
2. Samadhi
One has special powers when born with this Jhana (Five in number).
Citta and Mental Formation (Cetasika)
Citta and Mental Formation (Cetasika)
Citta and Mental Formation (Cetasika)
Loba 8
Dosa 2
Moha 2
Total 12
2. Kusala
Loba 8
Kusala/Akusala = Total 20
3. Vipaka
Akusala 7
Kusala 8
Kusala / Akusala Total = 15
4. Kriya
Akusala 3
Kusala 8
Kusala /Akusala Total =11
3. Sasankharika Kusala Vipaka Ctita (prompted)
4
4. Asankharika Kusala Vipaka Ctita (spontaneous)
4
Total 46 + 8 = 54
5. Sahetuka Meaning there are antecedent roots
24 (all Kusala)in the Kamavacara World
6. Ahetuka Meaning there are no antecedent roots
7+8+3=18
7 Akusala
8 Kusala
3 Kriya
5. Domanassa
2 under Dosa (I need to be corrected here.
6. Somanassa (only Kusala implied)
Kusala 8
Vipaka 8
Kriya 8
Total 24
7. Jhana
5
8. Magga
4 Four Paths of Knowing the suffering
9. Pala
(that are cultivated by meditation)
Ekaggata- One Pointedness
1. Vitakka
2.Vicara
3. Piti
4. Sukha
5. Sati
6. Passadhi
7. Samadhi
8. Upekkha
What one has to know is as one progresses higher one is left with two states of Samadhi and Upekkha (the highest level)
10. Ultimate Goal is Panna or Wisdom
No Entry
Monday, December 19, 2022
No Entry
Thanks to Organizers who did an excellent job by staging it in the Middle East.
I did not watch football at all except the match of Portugal and Morocco where a young football star Ramos displayed his skill well ahead of Renaldo.
Lionel Messy is my favorite and my gut feeling was Argentina will win not by penalty kicks but by a single goal.
It is painful to watch a football match for over 90 minutes and not see a goal.
I wanted the French to lose just like UK for secretly helping that mad guy in Ukraine who is a drug addict and an embezzler par excellence.
British, French and more importantly Germans are "currently" slimy guys.
One cannot believe what they say and what they do, like blasting the pipeline and blaming Russia.
Poland also has fallen into the ditch American have dug for them.
Angela Merkel's "spit" or 'vomit"epitomizes the Western duplicity, in politics and sports.
This War will drag on till 2024 Elections in USA and the West will have this winter better than the next.
It is a slow but steady meat grinder for the West.
Banning Russia in sports is not real cricket.
All these scenarios made me to quit all sports for good.
But nobody should take the credit out the Argentinians who deserved the victory.
My only wish was if only, Deo Maradona lived for a few more months to see the match.
He probably would have watched the match from heaven!
Hope you enjoy the dream of a dog below.
He is not in heaven but has attained Nibbhana by "NO Entry" plea!
No Entry For Football
Posted on January 9, 2011
World Cup Football (fever) is over and the Maha Brahma (really his assistant) tells me that few of the earthly beings ended up in his salvo with request to change the honor’s list which he declined until such time the inquiry into the head butting is over.
He was annoyed that he gave a big brain to the humans expecting them to use it wisely but not in combat as in head butt. He has set up a commission to investigate how to reduce the brain to a size (manageable in sport) needed for the current century that man including politicians can use prudently.
Maha is also worried about the free entry of politicians including French Presidents to sport events which they do not have a clue in administering let alone enjoying.
Until such time, I have to pen down a current story circulating in the heaven.
It is about a stray (Paraya) Dog of Ceylon.
This Paraya Dog of course is a resident of Kandy.
He had been frequenting a large temple, a doctor’s clinic and a lawyer’s residence in his active life. In actual fact, he was visiting the rubbish heaps of those concerned.
Unfortunately, he is terminally ill from a disease he contracted from the doctor’s rubbish dump.
I am not sure whether it was a dog’s dream or in fact a divine story but it goes on like this.
In his deja-vu state, he happened to address the Brahma and the Brahma politely asked him what he wants to be in his next life.
The Sandy (the adopted name for this canine specimen because of his muddy colour) of course asked can I be a High Priest in my next round.
The Brahma asked why you want to attain high goals?
Sandy promptly said no Sir, judging by the type of food he eats, his likings are no different from mine, he said.
Then Brahma said that is NOT what was intended by the Buddha if you want to be a high priest the minimum code is Dasa Sil and higher and listed all the prerequisites.
Then Sandy declined saying, that I was so faithful in my life, I cannot do that.
What about a doctor he asked. That is OK but there is a problem. The doctors have a Code of Conduct and they also tell you don’t eat this and that (cholesterol), don’t drink alcohol, don’t smoke and don’t have sex without a condom.
“But my experience is different” by the doctor I was frequenting and Maha promptly said that is typical of Ceylonese doctors and they do not practice what they preach, just like others.
Then Sandy asked why not a lawyer?
It is OK but there is a hitch. He went on elaborating that lawyers have to frame and pass laws to combat all the vices the doctors and high priests claim and he is inundated with such claims and there are pressure groups claiming that some are violating human as well as animal (if a man want to be an animal like Zidene Zidane be that so) rights.
Life is not easy on this sunny island, he said.
Then Sandy asked can I be your assistant?
Well that is no problem but there is a bit of a problem. As soon as you come here I have to take leave and you are in charge and you have to wait till the Maha comes from his leave of absence.
I thought you are the Maha.
No I am his assistant and I was a Pedigree Dog not worldly wise like you and I promptly accepted his offer as an assistant.
Moment, I came here he went on vacation but you must know that the vacations here are counted in eons and not in days.
So you are stuck with your faith of the master!
In that case can you cancel my life entry and no entry at all for next round like the next world cup?
It is possible but there is a long waiting queue and you have to wait for at least the next Poya.
Is that OK?
Then Sandy asked why such a delay?
I am in a hurry.
You know, I have to check each entry carefully and especially the CVs of all Ceylonese applications. There are lot of errors and false declarations, it is somewhat of a dull job.
To tell you the truth even my entry had a long list of Pedigree dogs and Maha Brahma had to scrutinize each generation and he told me “you are not that pure as it claims”.
I told him it is not my fault it is the fault of the master.
He promptly accepted my innocence.
How long is your CV?
Only 4 entries in all, Sandy told the Maha’s Assistant.
How come?
Paraya, Paraya, Paraya and Faithful are the only entries.
I am sure of my mother but not sure of the father.
Why the hurry?
In a short while the Kandy Perehara is due we would be rounded up and sent to hell by the Kandy Municipality.
Brahma’s assistant asked no more questions and the Sandy’s request was granted promptly and he successfully attained Nibbana.
Who says an intelligent, faithful and trustworthy dog cannot attain Nirvana.
This is not the first in record, the Brahma’s Assistant tells me.
PS. Zidane name was incorporated to celebrate the French Independence and no offense to him or France was intended.
14th July 2006
Why I DO NOT Watch Wikipedia- Everything Faked on Moon Landing
I said Good Bye to Debian 12 for Series 13
Thursday, July 3, 2025
Thondamen Saga and the Full Cycle
Thondamen Saga and the Full Cycle
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.
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.
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 L.T.T.E 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 L.T.T.E 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.
Cassava or Manioc
I was a nutrition guy in the past but have lost touch over the years. This come from my upcoming book Vegetarian Saga.
Cassava or Manioc
Manihot esculenta
Cassava is a rich, affordable source of carbohydrates. It can provide more calories per acre of the crop than cereal grain crops, which makes it a very useful crop in developing nations.
It is popular because it is a hardy crop that is resistant to drought and does not require much fertilizer.
Cassava scientifically known as Manihot esculenta, is a woody shrub cultivated for its edible, starchy tuberous roots. It is a staple food crop in many tropical and subtropical regions, providing a significant source of carbohydrates for over half a billion people. While the roots are the primary edible part, the leaves are also consumed as a vegetable after proper preparation to remove toxins.
Both the roots and leaves contain cyanogenic glycosides, which release cyanide when ingested. Therefore, proper processing, such as boiling and draining, is crucial to remove these toxins before consumption.
Cassava is an essential energy source and contains nutrients, such as protein, calcium and fiber. People should not eat it raw, as there is a risk of toxicity due to naturally occurring forms of cyanide.
In Ceylon during financial hardships when imported food became expensive cassava french fries and cassava chips became very popular.
We have brand which is salted and not salted.
Instead of potato chips I quickly got used to it and it is much crispy and has a distinctive taste.
We solve the problem of toxin in double quick time.
Then, I did not know tapioca is cassava flour.
Raw cassava contains cyanide, which is toxic to ingest, so it is vital to prepare it correctly. Also, there are two types of cassava: sweet and bitter. Bitter cassava is hardier but has a much higher cyanide content. Most of the cassava used in the United States is sweet. In the U.S., people grind cassava down to make tapioca, which they eat as a pudding or use as a thickening agent.
Cassava is a root vegetable.
It is the underground part of the cassava shrub, which has the Latin name Manihot esculenta.
Like potatoes and yams, it is a tuber crop.
People can also eat the leaves of the cassava plant. Humans living along the banks of the Amazon River in South America grew and consumed cassava hundreds of years before Christopher Columbus first voyaged there. Today, more than 80 countries throughout the tropics grow cassava and it is a primary component of the diet of more than 800 million people around the world.
Cassava is a calorie rich vegetable that contains plenty of carbohydrates and key vitamins and minerals. Cassava is a good source of vitamin C, thiamine, riboflavin and niacin. The leaves, which are also edible if a person cooks them or dries them in the sun, can contain up to 25% protein. However, the cassava root does not deliver the same nutritional value as other tuber vegetables.
Tapioca starch is gaining attention as a source of gluten-free flour to make bread and other baked products that are suitable for people with an intolerance to gluten. Cassava is a source of resistant starch, which scientists suggest can boost a person’s gut health by helping nurture beneficial gut bacteria. Resistant starches remain relatively unchanged as they pass through the digestive tract.
160 grams) of cooked cassava contain:
calories: 306 kcal
Protein: 2.27g
CHO: 63.4g
Fiber: 3.04g
Calcium: 27.2mg
Magnesium: 35.2mg
Potassium: 451mg
Vitamin C: 29.1mg
Thiamine: 0.13mg
Riboflavin: 0.08mg
Niacin: 1.35mg
Sweet Potatoes
Beginning of this piece give my observations but the American assessment is biased towards American white potatoes.
Be your self the judge.
Another piece I have given Manioc or Cassava which is much cheaper globally and easy to grow.
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are a nutritional powerhouse, rich in vitamins A and C, fiber, potassium, and manganese. They also contain vitamin B6, copper, and pantothenic acid, among other nutrients. These nutrients contribute to health benefits, including improved vision, immune function and digestive health. In one animal study it was found, that the anthocyanins in purple sweet potatoes could help protect the brain by reducing inflammation and preventing free radical damage.
Highly nutritious
Good for gut health
Has cancer protection properties
Promotes vision
Enhance brain function
Promotes immunity
200 grams (one cup) of baked sweet potato with skin provides:
Calories: 180 kcal
CHO: 41g
Protein: 4g
Fat: 0.3g
Fiber: 6.6g
Vitamin A: 213% of DV
Vitamin C: 44% of DV
Manganese: 43% of DV
Copper: 36% of DV
Pantothenic acid: 35% of DV
Vitamin B6: 34% of DV
Niacin: 19% of DV
Potassium: 20% of DV
Potatoes
Potatoes are a good source of several vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They are particularly high in vitamin C, vitamin B6 and potassium, as well as containing other nutrients like niacin, choline, and zinc. Potatoes are also a good source of fiber, especially when the skin is eaten.
Carbs
Potatoes are mainly composed of carbohydrates, primarily in the form of starch. The carbohydrate content ranges from 60–80% of dry weight.
Simple sugars such as sucrose, glucose and fructose are also present in small amounts.
Potatoes usually have a high glycemic index (GI), making them unsuitable for people with diabetes. The GI measures how foods affect your rise in blood sugar after a meal. However, some potatoes may be in the medium range, depending on the variety and cooking methods
148g white potato contain:
Water: 77%
Calories:110kcal
CHO: 26g
Sugar 1g
Protein 3g
0% Daily Value of Vitamin A
30% Daily Value of Vitamin C
White and yellow fleshed potatoes are deficient in anthocyanins.
They are responsible for the red, purple and blue hues in fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Anthocyanins are a type of antioxidant, and their presence in potatoes contributes to the overall antioxidant capacity of the potato.
130g sweet potato contain:
Calories:100kcal
CHO: 23g
Sugar 7g
Protein 2g
Vitamin A20% of DV
Vitamin C30% of DV
Potassium440mg
Fiber 4g
Anthocyanins, found in purple sweet potatoes, and beta-carotene, found in orange fleshed sweet potatoes are two key chemical components linked to brain function. These compounds act as antioxidants, helping to protect the brain from damage and inflammation, potentially improving memory and cognitive function.
Kiri Habarala
Ratala
Ratala (රටල)
Kiri habarala (කිරි හබරල)Desi ala (දේà·ƒි අල )
Coleus rotundifolius
Dicotyledons family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Coleus
Common Sinhala name: Ratala
Food crop
I use to collect these yams and grow them in our rooftop garden. When they are ready I uproot them, wash and clean them for cooking.
I has to be cooked in a proper way otherwise it gives a caustic taste. Our domestic aid was very good at cooking them and make it creamy and that is why it is called Kiri habalaala.
Sadly she passed away recently and this piece is dedicated to her.
Habarala or Alocasia cucullatais the plant also known as hooded dwarf elephant ear.
Because it’s skin is water repellent it is used as a makeshift umbrella.
It has a beautiful large white flower which blooms very rarely. Just before I left Ceylon, it bloomed, may be just to say Good Bye, since I used to water it liberally.
It’s yam is supposed to be poisonous but our domestic aid says it can be eaten if properly cooked. I uprooted one of them and gave her a big piece of yam for her to cook in her own home.
I was scarred to eat.
Sadly when she died the tricks of domestic cooking disappear with her.
I believe the toxin is a cyanogenic glycoside similar to what is found in cassava.
Rajala
Greater Yam
Purple yam/ (Dioscorea alata)
The English name for the Sinhala yam known as "Wal-ala" (à·€ැල් අල) is Greater Yam or Winged Yam.
Wal in Sinhla means vine.
It is also called Purple Yam due to the beautiful colour of its flesh.
The common English name is Dioscorea alata, the species to which Wal-ala belongs.
The name Rajala has been given to these yams because of their immense size.
While many of the other varieties of creepers, bushes or plants that have edible tubers or roots usually produce multiple yams growing under each one, the Rajala creeper usually produces several large sized yam.
With their weight they drop to the soil where another vine sprouts.
I essence only one yam is seen during a season.
Two separate varieties one with a light purple peel and the other with dark purple peel.
After these yams are boiled they have a floury texture and can be eaten alone as a meal or can be made into gruel and sweet meats like muscat.
My friend and a distant elderly brother is a veteran in farming and naming plants according to local tradition.
He had several of these creepers in his garden. He was the youngest and his education was deliberately crushed by his elder brothers and sister so that there is somebody to look after the big plot of land.
Besides, he was very good at making kites and we were best of friends and every day after schooling I go and meet him knowing he was ill treated.
When I became a doctor, I confronted them and said he could have become a graduate if not doctor and what they did was very bad.
They used to avoid me. I kept in touch with him until, I left Ceylon and pay a visit at least once a month with some chocolates and he keeps some local sweet in smell and taste bananas that are not found Australia.
Air Potato
Udala (Dioscorea bulbifera)
The yams are grown not on soil but on the vine, so it is called Udala, meaning not air but above the soil. The tubers of the Udala creeper too, are large in size and have a taste which is very similar to potatoes. Another interesting fact about the Udala creeper is that it produces smaller tuber-like rhizomes on its surface.
It not as tasty as Rajala.
There is also a second kind of Udala.
This variety has white spots on its large, round leaves. The yams, too, have white spots on their peel. However, the yams of this variety of Udala are not eaten but only used in traditional medicine.
Arrowroot
Hulankeeriya (Maranta arundinacea)
According to the book Saru Diwiyata Deshiya Ala, the Veddas call this tuberarukka.
It contains protein, vitamins, calcium, and a high content of carbohydrates.
The yams of the arrowroot plant are narrow and white in colour, while the plant grows to about one to two feet in height and has long, dark green leaves.
Saru Diwiyata Deshiya Alamentions many health benefits which can be obtained by consuming arrowroot. Because of its high protein content, doctors recommend the yams for patients who need to consume a lot of protein foods.
Consuming the yam is also beneficial in preventing and alleviating illnesses related to the digestive tract, like indigestion and ulcers. Flour made from these yams is also a nutritious food for patients with heart ailments.
Buthsarana
Indian shot(Canna indica)
Saru Diwiyata Deshiya Ala states that the Indian shot plant grows to about five to six feet in height and has long, slightly broad leaves with brown stems. The booklet also states that the round yams of this plant can be found in two varieties: rathu buthsarana (red Indian shot) and sudu buthsarana (white Indian shot).
“Indian shot yams] are very tasty and are very high in starch. Unlike the other varieties of local yams, have a slightly sweet taste.”
Both the red and the white variety of these yams have many medicinal properties and have been noted in curing jaundice (yellow fever) and preventing phlegm-inducing diseases in infants.
Because of the high starch content in Indian shot yams and their ability to help reduce phlegm, they are an ideal food to be given to patients suffering from phlegm-inducing illnesses, and those who are physically weak and need a lot of nourishment.
Wednesday, July 2, 2025
Music Linux -Visit Noisepages
Music Linux -Visit Noisepages
Posted on January 13, 2011 | Comments Offon Visit Noisepages
Linux Music Workflow switching form Max OS to Ubuntu with Kim Cascone
Visit his Website Noisepages
Hi!
Your article is excellent and it is at a pretty high level of research.
I have no idea about music but write comments on Linux distributions except Ubuntu unfortunately.
There are many Linux distribution specialized in Music.
Dynabolic
Musix
ArtistX
XBMC is a game box like xbox and audio and video capabilities. I won’t recommend it for Music but for games and store your music and video.
I am going to extract some for your article for promoting Linux.
O.K?
I have extracted first few pages an article on computer music by Kim Cascone which is an excellent article.
Audio files and audio rendering (Free Software ) was pain in the neck 10 years ago. Now it has matured into hugely successful formats.
All digital music at the end of the day has to be read by our analog ears which has very narrow range and decibels to enjoy. We do not have the perception of a rat, mouse, dog or even an elephant. Snakes including cobras cannot hear music but they are receptive to vibration and catch a mouse in flight at night. Some snakes have infrared sensors.
Mind you elephants love music.
Reason of reproduction is two folds.
To promote Linux including Ubuntu
To promote Computer Music
HISTORICAL EVOLUTION
I’ve been working with computers since the 1970s. Inspired by the work of composer David Behrman, I taught myself assembly language and programmed a simple digital sequencer on a KIM-1, single-board microcomputer, controlling an Aries modular synthesizer I had built. I discovered a then-new magazine called Computer Music Journal at the local computer shop and bought every copy I could get my hands on. (I still have them, too.) Later, I helped a friend’s father, an executive at IBM, unpack and set up the first personal computer IBM made. The manuals alone took up two or three feet of bookshelf space.
Fast-forward through a couple of decades of owning Commodore 64s, Apple computers, and PCs. In 1997, I purchased my first laptop: a woefully-underpowered Compaq Presario. It wasn’t fast enough for real-time audio, so I had to render sound files to hard disk using the audio programming language Csound. I created many of the sounds this way for my CD ‘blueCube’. But the capacity to work anywhere was enough for me to give up ever owning another desktop computer.
Frustrated with the ‘code-compile-listen’ process of working with Csound and wanting to work in real-time, I switched to the graphical multi-media programming language Max/MSP, which necessitated a move back to Apple hardware, so I bought a PowerBook. Having Max/MSP running on a laptop was the perfect environment for me. I could build the tools I needed whenever an idea presented itself. The computer functioned as both sound design studio and stage instrument. I worked this way for ten years, faithfully following the upgrade path set forth by Apple and the various developers of the software I used. Continually upgrading required a substantial financial commitment on my part.
When I’m on the road, I use my laptop as a music studio, performance instrument, and administration office. I don’t like surprises on the road. Having a computer fail means a loss of income, and makes for an embarrassing moment if the failure happens during a performance. If watching laptop music bores some people, watching a musician reboot is even worse. So to be safe, I stress-test all new hardware or software in my studio for at least a month before I take it on the road. Max/MSP patches run for hours, software is used for weeks, and hardware is left on for days at a time to help induce failure before I leave home. But as fate would have it, an iBook I was touring with died a few years ago. I brought the laptop into an Apple repair shop in Berlin, where a technician diagnosed the problem as a faulty logic board. The failure rate on logic boards was high for that model of iBook, and in response to public pressure, Apple instituted a logic board replacement program. Luckily, my laptop qualified and the logic board was replaced for free. But the failure and ongoing buggy behavior impacted my work schedule and added to the stress of touring.
I’ve now replaced logic boards on three computers; the other two I paid for out of pocket. The out-of-warranty cost of replacing a logic board on an Apple laptop is around six hundred dollars — cheaper than buying a brand new laptop, but still significant.
If you make your living with applications that run on OS X, there are no options if a laptop fails. You either repair expensive Apple hardware or buy new expensive Apple hardware. This is called ‘vendor lock-in.’
Then, during my 2009 spring tour, my PowerBook G4 exhibited signs of age, with missing keystrokes, intermittent backlighting, the failure of a RAM slot, and reduced performance. As an alternative to repairing the PowerBook, I investigated what a new MacBook Pro and upgrades for all my software would cost. A quick back-of-a-napkin estimate came to approximately $3,000, not including the time it would take tweaking and testing to make it work for the tour. If the netbook revolution hadn’t come along and spawn a price-wars on laptops, I might have proceeded to increase my credit card debt. But as a wise uncle once advised, “you invest either your time or your money; never both.”
MEETING UBUNTU
I had tried Linux in 2005 on PowerPC-based Mac laptops, though at the time I couldn’t get audio working, even after extensive tweaking. But I had kept an eye on Ubuntu ever since. After considering MacBook Pro prices, I checked out the new netbooks coming to market and picked up a refurbished Dell Inspiron Mini 9 with Ubuntu pre-installed.
I loaded up my Dell with all a selection of Linux audio applications and brought it with me on tour as an emergency backup to my tottering PowerBook. The Mini 9 could play back four tracks of 24-bit/96 kHz audio with effects – not bad for a netbook. The solution to my financial constraint became clear, and I bought a refurbished Dell Studio 15, installed Ubuntu on it, and set it up for sound production and business administration. The total cost was around $600 for the laptop plus a donation to a software developer — a far cry from the $3000.00 price tag and weeks of my time it would have cost me to stay locked-in to Apple. After a couple of months of solid use, I have had no problems with my laptop or Ubuntu. Both have performed flawlessly, remaining stable and reliable.
GETTING PAST UBUNTU AUDIO COMPLEXITIES
There are a few differences between how audio works on Mac OS X and how it works on Ubuntu Linux. OS X uses the Core Audio and Core MIDI frameworks for audio and MIDI services, respectively. All applications requiring audio services on OS X talk to Core Audio, which mixes and routes multiple audio streams to the desired locations. Core Audio is simple, monolithic, and easy to set up, and all the end-user controls are accessible from one panel. You can even create a single aggregate device from multiple sound cards if you need more inputs or outputs than one sound card can supply. To Apple’s credit, Core Audio and the applications that make use of it are the reason why you see so many laptop musicians seated behind glowing Apple logos on stage.
On Ubuntu, audio is a rather different story. Apple’s slogan ‘Think Different’ would be good advice for musicians encountering Ubuntu’s audio setup for the first time. Audio in Ubuntu can appear at first to be a confusing jumble of servers, layers, services, and terminology. Go to System->Preferences->Sound, click on the Devices tab, and check out the pull down menu next to ‘Sound Events’ at the top of the panel. You will see various acronyms, possibly including cryptic-looking technologies like OSS, ESD, ALSA, JACK, and Pulse Audio. These acronyms represent a byzantine tangle of conflicting technologies that over time, and due to political reasons or backwards compatibility, have ended up cohabiting with one another.
‘Frankenstein’ might be an accurate metaphor here.
Thankfully, there is a simpler way, which is the combination of ALSA [a high-performance, kernel-level audio and MIDI system] and JACK [a system for creating low-latency audio, MIDI, and sync connections between applications and computers]. The battle-scarred among us have learned to ignore all the other audio cruft bolted on to Ubuntu and just use ALSA and JACK. One can think of the ALSA/JACK stack, the heart of most pro Linux studios, as the Core Audio of Linux and in my opinion Jack should be the first thing installed on any musicians laptop. I’d go so far as to suggest placing it in the Startup Applications so it’s always running.