Saturday, September 04, 2004
That third twin!
By Twister
Ever since I can remember I always wanted a twin. Another human being, who I presumed would think like me, like some things I like and do some stuff I do- and wouldn't that be great! My parents and siblings thought I was losing my marbles, well maybe I was and maybe I just wanted a companion whom I could relate to, or rather a playmate to support me in every 'clever' deed I pursue!
However, this childhood wish was recently granted when I jumped into another individual who likes almost every thing I like. It was cool at first sight! But later we realised it wasn't after all, when we started wearing the same coloured and same types of cloths, using the same expression and words and recently we declared it weird when we realised that we had gone through the same experience at the same time!
And now we have to go around making little differences to our habits so that there would be some difference not to confuse each other!
This earth shattering experience made me realise how horrible cloning would be! Not fun at all when you know that there is another individual looking, thinking, acting and talking just like you do. In short another person who is living your life- Ughh! It gives me the creeps!
Although this might be a moving experience to all the solos like myself there are many who would love to follow a given prototype blindly to the end, without establishing their own identity!
As an example take a sample of 20 year olds who are just out of school. Most of them wear the same type of clothes, talk the same way, think the same way, read the same books and spend their free time the same way! Gee man talk about variety! And it just occurred to me that most of them are trying to fit into the protocol, which is cool.
What happened to the good old days when being a solo in a pack was thought cool! Give me back the times when we did everything to look, sound and be different from the rest of the world! The times when you used all the creativity on earth to out do the others by being different through music, literature, fashion and life styles you adore!
Today the streets and hangouts are packed with prototypes with faces and figures, which look almost the same, wearing the same type of clothes and talking the same stuff.
Wonder what happened to the free thinker and the Brave New World of hybrids?
Ever since I can remember I always wanted a twin. Another human being, who I presumed would think like me, like some things I like and do some stuff I do- and wouldn't that be great! My parents and siblings thought I was losing my marbles, well maybe I was and maybe I just wanted a companion whom I could relate to, or rather a playmate to support me in every 'clever' deed I pursue!
However, this childhood wish was recently granted when I jumped into another individual who likes almost every thing I like. It was cool at first sight! But later we realised it wasn't after all, when we started wearing the same coloured and same types of cloths, using the same expression and words and recently we declared it weird when we realised that we had gone through the same experience at the same time!
And now we have to go around making little differences to our habits so that there would be some difference not to confuse each other!
This earth shattering experience made me realise how horrible cloning would be! Not fun at all when you know that there is another individual looking, thinking, acting and talking just like you do. In short another person who is living your life- Ughh! It gives me the creeps!
Although this might be a moving experience to all the solos like myself there are many who would love to follow a given prototype blindly to the end, without establishing their own identity!
As an example take a sample of 20 year olds who are just out of school. Most of them wear the same type of clothes, talk the same way, think the same way, read the same books and spend their free time the same way! Gee man talk about variety! And it just occurred to me that most of them are trying to fit into the protocol, which is cool.
What happened to the good old days when being a solo in a pack was thought cool! Give me back the times when we did everything to look, sound and be different from the rest of the world! The times when you used all the creativity on earth to out do the others by being different through music, literature, fashion and life styles you adore!
Today the streets and hangouts are packed with prototypes with faces and figures, which look almost the same, wearing the same type of clothes and talking the same stuff.
Wonder what happened to the free thinker and the Brave New World of hybrids?
Monks want residential aide removed
Saturday, September 04, 2004
Jatika Sanga Sammelanaya yesterday demanded the removal of a presidential consultant, whom they alleged is assisting LTTE and fundamentalist groups operating in Sri Lanka.
Spokesman for Sanga Sammelanaya, Ven. Galagodawatte Gnanasara alleged that the individual is a member of a fundamentalist group and accused that he had ordered the release of Panideniya and Nilawala Teachers' faculties for a fundamentalist group meeting for nearly 1000 youth from the North and East.
Ven. Thera alleged that there had been armed individuals attending the meeting held at Panideniya Teachers' faculty and alleged that they had been experimenting with explosives within the faculty premises.
"Although the watchman of the faculty had informed the Police of the explosion they had not being able to investigate the matter due to pressure from top authorities," he said.
Sanga Sammelanaya questioned the stand of the government on the incidents, which occurred at the two Teachers' schools adding as to who permitted the release of faculty premises for Fundamentalist group meetings and workshops despite the protest from faculty heads and officials of the Education Ministry.
Ven. Thera alleged that these presidential advisors are triggering comments such as the one recently made by the president insisting that the 'Preventing of Forceful conversion to Other Religions' bill would be of no use.
"We have already informed the president of the situation with solid visual proof," Ven. Thera said adding that JSS would hold a mass scale protest opposite the Presidential Secretary Office if no immediate action was taken to arrest the situation.
Jatika Sanga Sammelanaya yesterday demanded the removal of a presidential consultant, whom they alleged is assisting LTTE and fundamentalist groups operating in Sri Lanka.
Spokesman for Sanga Sammelanaya, Ven. Galagodawatte Gnanasara alleged that the individual is a member of a fundamentalist group and accused that he had ordered the release of Panideniya and Nilawala Teachers' faculties for a fundamentalist group meeting for nearly 1000 youth from the North and East.
Ven. Thera alleged that there had been armed individuals attending the meeting held at Panideniya Teachers' faculty and alleged that they had been experimenting with explosives within the faculty premises.
"Although the watchman of the faculty had informed the Police of the explosion they had not being able to investigate the matter due to pressure from top authorities," he said.
Sanga Sammelanaya questioned the stand of the government on the incidents, which occurred at the two Teachers' schools adding as to who permitted the release of faculty premises for Fundamentalist group meetings and workshops despite the protest from faculty heads and officials of the Education Ministry.
Ven. Thera alleged that these presidential advisors are triggering comments such as the one recently made by the president insisting that the 'Preventing of Forceful conversion to Other Religions' bill would be of no use.
"We have already informed the president of the situation with solid visual proof," Ven. Thera said adding that JSS would hold a mass scale protest opposite the Presidential Secretary Office if no immediate action was taken to arrest the situation.
JHU says govt. policy fickle
Saturday, September 04, 2004
By Damitha Hemachandra
The Jatika Hela Urumaya (JHU) yesterday questioned the indecisiveness of the government on Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA) proposals adding that the LTTE is bound to benefit from the fickle policy of the UPFA government.
Leader and spokesman for JHU, Ven. Ellawala Medhananda Thera pointed that the JVP is failing to make their opposition against ISGA felt within the government.
" President's contradicting statements and JVP's poster campaign are an advantage to the LTTE," he said.
Ven. Thera said the JVP is still acting like a member of the opposition and are launching a poster and a public awareness campaign around the country instead of tabling their opposition within the government and cabinet.
Commenting on the JVP stand of initiating talks based on a final solution, Ven. Thera said it is sad to see a 'nationalistic' party like JVP giving into the pressure of international and national peace brokers and LTTE.
"Since the Ceylon Workers Congress too is pushing for talks based on ISGA it is inevitable to see that UPFA government is heading for talks based on ISGA," he said adding that there would be no difference between the former UNF and present UPFA government other than the fact that UNF government was forthright about their stand on ISGA.
Presenting the JHU stand on talks with LTTE Ven. Thera questioned as to why the talks has to be based on ISGA for a final solution.
" JHU feels that any discussion to solve the present dispute should be based on the cause of the problem. However LTTE had no intention of finding a genuine solution but is only interested in ascertaining a separate state for them," Ven. Thera said pointing out that the LTTE is already strengthening themselves for war.
By Damitha Hemachandra
The Jatika Hela Urumaya (JHU) yesterday questioned the indecisiveness of the government on Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA) proposals adding that the LTTE is bound to benefit from the fickle policy of the UPFA government.
Leader and spokesman for JHU, Ven. Ellawala Medhananda Thera pointed that the JVP is failing to make their opposition against ISGA felt within the government.
" President's contradicting statements and JVP's poster campaign are an advantage to the LTTE," he said.
Ven. Thera said the JVP is still acting like a member of the opposition and are launching a poster and a public awareness campaign around the country instead of tabling their opposition within the government and cabinet.
Commenting on the JVP stand of initiating talks based on a final solution, Ven. Thera said it is sad to see a 'nationalistic' party like JVP giving into the pressure of international and national peace brokers and LTTE.
"Since the Ceylon Workers Congress too is pushing for talks based on ISGA it is inevitable to see that UPFA government is heading for talks based on ISGA," he said adding that there would be no difference between the former UNF and present UPFA government other than the fact that UNF government was forthright about their stand on ISGA.
Presenting the JHU stand on talks with LTTE Ven. Thera questioned as to why the talks has to be based on ISGA for a final solution.
" JHU feels that any discussion to solve the present dispute should be based on the cause of the problem. However LTTE had no intention of finding a genuine solution but is only interested in ascertaining a separate state for them," Ven. Thera said pointing out that the LTTE is already strengthening themselves for war.
