Elephant painting an elephant

Email from JKS Weerasekera :-

It is a 15 minutes video, You will see how intelligent the Elephant is. This is Suda, a 4-year-old elephant from Thailand. Elephants are one of the few species on this planet that are sentient (can perceive feeling; feel emotions), self-aware (conscious of themselves as individuals, i.e. they recognize themselves in a mirror, rather than thinking their reflection is another elephant), and significantly intelligent. These are the three main traits we as humans posses, and they lead us to believe that we are separate from animals; better; more advanced. In reality, we are really not that different from them. It's such a shame that these beautiful animals are subjected to such cruelty and suffering at the hands of trophy hunters and circus masters, when they are so similar to us.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=566075863484336

The "F" word...really?

email from Kamalini Kanapathippillai.

There are  times when the F word is not only desirable, but quite frankly it can be the ONLY word in the English language  that accurately describes some situations. Check out the following examples:

The word  is ' F EAR ' …of  course!

The fate of a Lioness at Masai Mara Kenya.

Best regards

Dawood

Written by: Patrick Reynolds, Governors Il Moran Camp manager Lioness Siena from the Marsh Pride of lions in the Masai Mara was badly injured on her left lower flank by a buffalo horn. Siena has three tiny cubs so the lives of four individual lions were at stake. The wound was deep with the skin sheath being fleeced but no perforations to the stomach wall or any bone dislocation.

Governors Camp driver guides found her with the injury in the early morning and immediately alerted the rangers, we also made contact with the David Sheldrick Wildlife foundation that mobilised the vet in Nairobi and arranged a plane to fly the vet to the Mara. The veterinarian Dr Njoroge from the Kenya Wildlife service’s landed at Musiara airstrip at lunchtime and Governors guides drove the medical team directly to where Siena was resting. Treatment started in the afternoon when she was darted. Moments later a sub-adult lioness promptly sauntered up to Siena who was still standing while the drug was taking effect and pulled the dart out of her with her teeth. Siena was treated and stitched effectively which took approximately 1.5 hours. 48 hours later we found Siena 2 kms on from were she had been treated and she was doing remarkably well, she was walking with her cubs and also squatting to pee; all good signs, we only hope that she continues to improve. Sincere thanks to the effective response from the The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, the medical team from the Kenya Wildlife services, and the assistance of the Narok County Council and Governors’ camp staff. Without intervention it is certain that Siena would not have survived this injury and her cubs would also have been in jeopardy

 

Obituary - Prof. Valentine Basnayake.

email from Muttuvelu Maheswaran	9:45 AM (19 hours ago)

BASNAYAKE - VALENTINE, age 89. Professor Emeritus of Physiology, University of Peradeniya and accomplished Classical Pianist. Founder, Physiological Society of Sri Lanka, passed away on June 10, 2014, in Colombo. The remains were cremated soon after and his ashes scattered in the ocean based on his wishes. PROFESSOR BASNAYAKE is the proud husband of Dr. Mrs. Stella Meriam Collinette Basnayake nee Henry - son of Arthur Valentine (pre deceased) and Elsie (pre deceased) of Nugegoda. Beloved father of Nihal (Deborah Smith), Amal and Lilani (Lal Nugaliyadda). He is the proud grandfather of Danica and Laura Smith (Canada) and Ayushka Nugaliyadda (Sri Lanka), brother of Arthur, Sita Yapa (pre deceased), Kamala Gunasekera, Mahinda, Malini Wijesinghe, Prema and Rohan. A Memorial Service will be held mid-to-late August, details forthcoming. Our family would very much like to hear your personal anecdote of Valentine at the following website:memorialwebsites.legacy.com/ValentineBasnayake 107386

- See more at: http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=obituaries#sthash.T5GQD7Fe.dpuf

P.S.
Prof. Valentine Basnayake would be seen bicycling, with trouser clips in place and a wicker basket mounted on the handle-bar of the bicycle, sedately into the Colombo Medical Faculty. He would enter by the gate near the Anatomy Block, would park his bicycle in the shed next to Dr. Wijesundera's large Audi, remove the trouser clips, pick up a file from the cane basket on the bicycle and walk up the stairs to his room in the Physiology Department. This is a scene I recall of the early 1960s when I was a second MB student. He took renal physiology as the topic of his lectures. The measured sentences delivered with a 'dead-pan' face was his trade-mark. I still remember his lecture on the function of the 'Loop of Henle' and its use of the counter-current principle to extract water and nutrients after glomerular filtration.
Prof. Basnayake was active in the field of Arts and was an accomplished pianist.
He moved over to the Perdeniya Medical Faculty and was Professor of Physiology there for a long time. He became very active in the Arts circle there. Concerts, Musical accompaniments to Dramas were his forte. He helped Dr. Mark Amerasinghe in many of the latter's performances.
Prof. Valentine had a love and care of animals. He was known to keep a saucer of sweetened water for the nourishment of ants in his room. He had love and care for stray dogs. A pup once bit him and he came for advice when I was Resident Surgeon at the GH Kandy. He had to have a course of ARV injections. Before leaving he asked me whether he could use a hypnotic drug before going to bed. I advised my venerated teacher that a glass of hot milk, half an hour before bed-time, would be equally effective. He was mighty pleased with the answer and related the answer with glee to my 'Guru' Dr. Mark Amerasinghe, who later related it to me.

'Home is the sailor

Home from the sea,

The Hunter home from the Hill' -  R.L.Stevenson.

May his Soul Rest In Peace.

Dr. Philip G Veerasingam.

The Definitive Answer To 20 Of Your Biggest Health Questions.

Does olive oil prevent heart disease?

Short answer: Yes 
The health benefits of olive oil come from the presence of polyphenols, antioxidants

That reduce the risk of heart diseases and cancers. 
But to get these healthy compounds, consumers should buy good-quality, fresh "extra-virgin" olive oil, which has the highest polyphenol content. Most commercially available olive oils have low levels of polyphenols associated with poor harvesting methods, improper storage, and heavy processing.

Do cough syrups work?

Short answer: No 
In 2006, the nation's chest physicians agreed that the majority of over-the-counter cough medicines don't actually work.

These colorful syrups typically contain doses of codeine and dextromethorphan that are too small to be effective. 
Only cough suppressants that contain older antihistamines seem to relieve coughs.

That includes brompheniramine, an active ingredient in Dimetapp.

                                    

Do sugary soft drinks lead to diabetes? 

Short answer: Yes 
The majority of health research is stacked against sugar-sweetened soda. A large 2004 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that women who drank one or more sugary drinks per day increased their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 83% compared to those who consumed less than one of these beverages per month.

 Do I need sunscreen with more than 30 SPF?

Short answer: No 
Sunscreens with an SPF (sun protection factor) of 30 block about 97% of ultraviolet rays,

While sunscreens with an SPF of higher than 30 block 97%-98%. 
It's more important that you choose "broad-spectrum" sunscreen, meaning it protects against both UVB and UVA rays.

Sunbathers also need to apply a generous amount of sunscreen in order to get the full benefit of the SPF.

                                         

Is the MSG in Chinese likely to give you a headache?

Short answer: No 
A review of 40 years of clinical trials, published in the journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners in 2006,

Found that all previous research "failed to identify a consistent relationship between the consumption of MSG

And the constellation of symptoms that comprise the syndrome," including headaches and asthma attacks. 
The misconception spawned from several poorly-done small studies in the 1960s that seemed to connect MSG with a variety of maladies that people experienced after eating at Chinese restaurants.

Learn more about the MSG myth here »

Do nuts make you fat?

Short answer: No 
As much as 75% of a nut is fat. But eating fat doesn't necessarily make you fat.

The bigger factor leading to weight gain is portion-size.

Luckily, nuts are loaded with healthy fats that keep you full. They're also a good source of protein and fiber. 
One study even found that whole almonds have 20% less calories than previously thought because

A lot of the fat is excreted from the body.  

Is walking as effective as running? 

Short answer: Yes 
Studies have shown that how long you exercise — and thus how many calories you burn — is more important

Than how hard you exercise. Running is a more efficient form of exercise, but not necessarily better for you. 
A six-year study published in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology in April found that walking at a moderate pace and running produced similar health benefits, so long as the same amount of energy was expended.  

Is drinking fruit juice as good for you as eating fruit?

Short answer: No 
Calorie for calorie, whole fruit provides more nutritional benefits than drinking the pure juice of that fruit.

That's because when you liquefy fruit, stripping away the peel and dumping the pulp, many ingredients like

Fiber, calcium, vitamin C, and other antioxidants are lost. 
For comparison, a five-ounce glass of orange juice that contains 69 calories has .3 grams of dietary fiber and 16 milligrams of calcium, whereas an orange with the same number of calories packs 3.1 grams of fiber and 60 milligrams of calcium.

Are all wheat breads better for you than white bread? 

Short answer: No 
Not all wheat breads are created equal. Wheat breads that contain all parts of the grain kernel,

Including the nutrient-rich germ and fiber-dense bran, must be labeled "whole grain" or "whole wheat." 
Some wheat breads are just white bread with a little bit of caramel coloring to make the bread appear healthier,

According to Reader's Digest.

Can a hot tub make me sick?

Short answer: Yes 
Hot tubs — especially ones in spas, hotels, and gyms — are perfect breeding grounds for germs. 
The water is not hot enough to kill bacteria, but is just the right temperature to make microbes grow even faster.

Even though hot tubs are treated with chlorine, the heat causes the disinfectant to break down faster

than it would in regular pools. 
The most common hot tub infection is pseudomonas folliculitis, which causes red, itchy bumps.

A more dangerous side-effect of soaking in a dirty Jacuzzi is a form of pneumonia known as Legionnaire's disease.

This is what reportedly sickened more than 100 people at the Playboy Mansion back in 2011.

                                       

Does coffee cause cancer? 

Short answer: No 
Coffee got a bad rap in the 1980s when a study linked drinking coffee to pancreatic cancer.

The preliminary report was later debunked. 
More recently, health studies have swung in favor of the caffeinated beverage.

Coffee has been linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, Parkinson's disease, liver cancer, and even suicide.

 Do eggs raise cholesterol levels? 

Short answer: No 
Although egg yolks are a major source of cholesterol — a waxy substance that resembles fat — researchers have learned that saturated fat has more of an impact on cholesterol in your blood than eating foods that contain cholesterol. 
"Healthy individuals with normal blood cholesterol levels should now feel free to enjoy foods like eggs in their diet every day," the lead researcher from a 25-year University of Arizona study on cholesterol concluded.

                   

Can you drink too much water?

Short answer: Yes 
It is very rare for someone to die from drinking too much water, but it can happen. 
Overhydrating is most common among elite athletes. Drinking an excess of water, called water intoxication, dilutes the concentration of sodium in the blood leading to a condition known as hyponatremia.

The symptoms of hyponatremia can range from nausea and confusion to seizures and even death in severe cases. 
To avoid this, drink fluids with electrolytes during extreme exercise events.

Can yogurt ease digestive problems?

Short answer: Yes 
Our digestive tract is filled with microorganisms — some good and some bad. Yogurt contains beneficial bacteria, generically called probiotics, that helps maintain a healthy balance.

Probiotics can relieve several gastrointestinal problems, including constipation and diarrhea. 
Certain brands of yogurts, like Activa by Dannon, are marketed exclusively to treat tummy issues.

                                         

Do whitening toothpastes whiten teeth more than regular toothpastes?

Short answer: No 
Whitening toothpastes usually contain peroxides and other strong abrasives that might make

your teeth appear whiter by removing stains. Unlike at-home whitening strips and gels that contain bleach,

these toothpastes do not actually change the color of your teeth.

Is it safe to microwave food in plastic containers?

Short answer: Yes 
But the plastic container should display the words "microwave safe." This means that the Food and Drug Administration has tested the container to make sure no chemicals used to make the plastic leech into foods during microwaving.

If chemicals do seep out into food, the amounts are tiny and not dangerous to our health. 
As a general guideline, plastic grocery bags as well as most plastic tubs that hold margarine, yogurt, cream cheese,

and condiments are not microwave safe.  

Can watching TV ruin your eyesight?

Short answer: No 
Watching TV will not destroy your rods and cones as the outdated myth suggests. Before the 1950s,

TVs emitted radiation that could increase an individual's risk of eye problems after excessive TV viewing.

Modern TVs have special shielding that blocks these harmful emissions.

Is red wine better for you than white wine?

Short answer: Yes 
Red wine contains much more resveratrol than white wine, an antioxidant found in the skin of grapes

that has been shown to fight off diseases associated with aging.              

                                        

Is bottled water better for you than tap water? 

Short answer: No 
Bottled water is no safer or purer than tap water, although it is substantially more expensive. 
A recent study by Glasgow University in the U.K. found that bottled water is actually

more likely to be contaminated than water from your faucet because it is less well-regulated. 
Bottled water and tap water typically come from the same sources — natural springs, lakes, and aquifers.

While public water supplies are tested for contaminants every day, makers of bottled water are only required

to test for specific contaminants every week, month, or year.