The country that supplies eyes……..BBC By Ross VeltonBBC News, Colombo To restore sight to damaged eyes, doctors often need to transplant the cornea – the transparent covering of the iris and the pupil – from a donor’s dead body. There is a worldwide shortage, but one country, Sri Lanka, is doing its best to satisfy demand, without seeking any reward – at least in this life. Bandages cover Paramon Malingam’s right eye. A tear appears in the left one. It is the relief of a very lucky man. “I thought I was going to live the rest of my life with one eye,” he says. Thirteen years ago, Malingam, a shop owner from central Sri Lanka, cut his eye with steel wire. Last year, he injured the same eye with a piece of wood. After both accidents, a new cornea from a donor saved his sight. The cornea is the ...

The Bobby Darin 1960 Dream Car The 1960 DiDia 150 was a luxury, custom-designed iconic, handmade car also known as the “Dream Car” forever associated with its second owner, singer Bobby Darin. The car was designed by Andrew Di Dia,  a clothing designer, who Bobby Darin had met whilst on tour in Detroit in 1957.  Darin telling Di Dia at the time that he would purchase the car if he ever “hit it big”.  For seven years, from 1953 to 1960 the DiDia 150 was hand-built by four workers, at a cost of $93,647.29  but sold to Darin in 1961 at a cost of over $150,000 (1.5 million today). ] At the time the car was listed as most expensive ‘custom-made’ car in the world by the Guinness Book of Records. ] The body was hand-formed by Ron Clark  and constructed by Bob Kaiser from Clark Kaiser Customs. Its metallic ...

MELDER FAMILY – GOLDEN JUBILEE IN AUSTRALIA By Victor Melder, January 30, 2016 The descendants of the Melder family – Randolph Joseph Churchill Melder & Phyllis Dagmar Bulner, celebrated the Golden Jubilee of their arrival in Australia, in December 1965, with a gathering of the clan at Woodlands Park, Essendon, on Sunday, December 6, 2015. The first two members of the family (the second and third), Tony & Hilton, arrived in Melbourne, Australia on board the SS Orsova, on September 23, 1965. On arrival they lived with a paternal Aunt, Mrs Tera Phillips, at Thornbury. Both Tony & Hilton who were employed by the Ceylon Government Railway, obtained employment with the Victorian Railways. They then rented a house at 219, Raleigh Street, Thornbury, in the vicinity of their Aunt’s house. This was in preparation for the arrival of our parents and other members of the family, who arrived in Melbourne ...

Comedy of errors in English Redundancy: A needless repetition in language;  excessive wordiness       ...

World Cancer Day highlights the need for cancer awareness in Victoria s multicultural communities  Cancer Council Victoria is calling for greater awareness about cancer prevention and support in Victoria’s multicultural communities, ahead of World Cancer Day. World Cancer Day (4 February) aims to reduce illness and death caused by cancer around the world. In Victoria approximately one quarter of the total cancer diagnoses are in migrants and refugees born overseas in non-English speaking countries. Cancer Council Victoria Diversity Advisor Neela Konara said that World Cancer Day is an opportunity to increase cancer awareness amongst people from multicultural backgrounds. “We live in a multicultural state; we’re from around 200 different countries, speak over 260 languages and follow 135 different faiths and religions1 ,” she said. “Research shows that migrants and refugees are less likely to screen and test for cancer and, as a result, experience poor health outcomes.” Ms Konara said that ...

Battle of the Blues – Royal Thomian Cricket Encounter 2016 The Royal College and S Thomas College OBA’s in NSW & ACT proudly present a slice of OBA history from a distant shore   ...

Colombo s Lotus Tower by Gazala Anver On a clear day, it’s difficult to miss the yet to be completed Lotus Tower dominating Colombo ’s skyline. Although the project has been mired in controversy (and not the Freudian sort), and perhaps because of it, most people seem unsure as to what purpose the Tower will serve. We all know the basics of how the Lotus Tower will be the tallest tower in South Asia – but here’s a list of things about the Lotus Tower which you probably didn’t know, but should know (because let’s face it, whether you like it or not, it’s definitely here to stay). 1. Currently, 292.2 metres (958 feet) of the Lotus Tower , up to the concrete mast, has been completed. The metal mast and the petals are yet to be finished. 2. The entire project is to be completed by October 2017 and ...

Former Australian Prime Ministers We take a look at Australia’s previous prime ministers and how they lost office. TONY ABBOTT – September 14, 2015 (Liberal): Lost in leadership spill to Malcolm Turnbull. KEVIN RUDD – 2013 (Labor): Lost election to Tony Abbott, retired from politics. JULIA GILLARD – 2010-2013 (Labor): Ousted by Rudd after she spilled the leadership, retired following the loss. KEVIN RUDD – 2007-2013 (Labor): Resigned after Gillard challenged him for the leadership. Sat on the backbench until re-elected in 2013. JOHN HOWARD – 1996-2007 (Liberal): Lost election and his seat in parliament to Rudd and Labor after successful “Kevin 07” campaign. PAUL KEATING – 1991-1996 (Labor): Defeated by Howard in election, resigned from parliament. BOB HAWKE – 1983-1991 (Labor): Defeated in leadership ballot by Keating 56-51. Stayed on briefly as a backbencher before retiring. MALCOLM FRASER – 1975-1983 (Liberal): Defeated by Hawke in general election. Retired from ...

Health and Views 2016 February 1st Issue Click here to read more Health & Views February 1st issue ...

Gradient Alliance News Bulletin January 2016 The only source for a roundup of key Sri Lankan News. Economic News Budget deficit reaches 7.2% in 2015. 2016 budget revisions continue, VAT/NBT latest casualty. USD 5-6bn FDI targeted; 2015 inflows fall to USD 700-800m. Sri Lanka slightly improves to 83rd in the Corruption Index. ASPI closes at 6, 340.10 in Jan. (-8.0% YoY). Business News Tourist arrivals in 2015 up 17.8% YoY to a record 1.7m. Vehicle reg. up 54.4% YoY in 2015 to an all-time high. Tea production in 2015 at a three year low. Business sentiment index rises to 157 in Dec.(+5 pts MoM). Consumer News Nielsen consumer confidence index at 75 (-9 pts MoM). Dec. inflation rises 4.2%% YoY under the new index. Bread prices up. Rs.100 tax on a per kg of canned fish imposed. Gradient Alliance News Bulletin – January 2016 ...