Friday, July 18, 2014

Persevere!

God's will - What you sow you reap

A young pastor was sitting in a restaurant eating lunch. He opened a letter he’d just received that morning from his mom. As he opened it a twenty-dollar bill fell out. He thought to himself, Thanks, Mom, I sure needed that right now.

As he finished his
 mea l, he noticed a beggar outside on the sidewalk leaning against the light post. Thinking that the poor man could probably use the twenty dollars more than he, he crossed out the names on the envelope and wrote across the top in large letters, PERSEVERE!

So as not to make a scene, he put the envelope under his arm and dropped it as he walked past the man. The man picked it up and read the message and smiled.

The next day, as the pastor enjoyed his meal, the same man tapped him on the shoulder and handed him a big wad of bills. Surprised, the young pastor asked him what that was for.


The man replied, “This is your half of the winnings. Persevere came in first in the fourth race at the track yesterday and paid thirty to one.”

Old Ladies with Spray Glue.

email from Nihal Goonaratne





OK… you better be watching this in a place where you can laugh out loud!!



Puvan Nagalingam.

Hello 1960 batch - ranjini and Geri. I was in Sri Lanka in 2010. Pity I could not meet any of you. Did not know this organization existed. My former name was Puvan Nagalingam - the one who met with the cycle accident. I live in London now.

Inbox
x

Tammy Alingham tammy.alingham@sky.com

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Ceylon Police and Baila.



Olinton Mervyn Bastiansz aka Wally Bastiansz is the god father of Sinhala Baila, who brought Kaffrigna to the fore. Baptised as "'Ogustus Martheneus Bastiansz'", named after his grand father Wilhelmus Martheneus, his close family and friends called him 'Olie' or 'Olinton'. Once he embarked on his musical career whilst serving in the Traffic Division of the Ceylon Police, he presented himself with the stage name 'Wally Bastiansz'.

As a serving police officer, Wally played in the police band during the 1940s. It is said that he had been granted special permission to attend musical events by then prime minister Sir John Kotelawala. He was instrumental in providing road traffic presentations conducted by the traffic police at all major cities across the country.

Wally also played Banjo, Violin and the Spanish Guitar. His music style was later followed by many other successful Baila singers such as Anton Jones, M. S. Fernando, Desmond De Silva, Saman De Silva. 

His other popular songs include, Mathakai Amme, Nurse Nona, Hai Hooi Babi Archchi,Le Kiri Karala and Ratak Watinawa. It is a hidden fact that Nurse Nona was about his own sister Felicia Florence Jayasekera (née Bastianz, died 1996) who was a nurse in the 1940s.

Wally bade last farewell to his fans and the music world by leaving a lasting legacy on Chorus Baila, on the 16th January 1985.

The song is about his favourite instrument Viola. In the song Wally describes how little babies are consoled in their cradles to the sweet sound of the viola. He further goes on to say that he has no use of the sound of the flute at his death bed, except for the sweet sound of the Viola, and invites Viola to meet in heaven.
Wally's songs are about simple things in everyday life. Irene Josephine is a testimony to that.

Irene Josephine is a timeless classic by Wally that is echoed in all music circuits today in Sri Lanka even after 50+ years. Music was directed by Aelian Soysa and the violin solo introduction by M.K. Rocksamy.

Source: Google & Wikipedia

Brings back good old memories of the 60s when we were teenagers. You can listen to old favourites on Youtube.


Here is a collection of baila from Youtube










British greeting cards.

Getting old has never been so funny! Gloriously mischievous and oh-so-British: The best of the unique humour of Cath Tate, creator of our funniest greetings cards
Wonderfully witty and mischievous, these are just some of the thousands of greeting cards created by British artist Cath Tate in a 30-year career.
Read the full story:
17 July 2014

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

The faces of Cononialism.

email from JKS Weerasekera.



Cut Alzheimer's risk by walking

It only takes 20 minutes, 3 times a week, say Cambridge scientists
Scientists found a third of all cases of Alzheimer's are down to lifestyle factors such as smoking and high blood pressure, but lack of exercise had the biggest impact.
Read the full story:
14 July 2014