Baddaginnie, Victoria, Australia

Baddaginnie(බඩගිනි) is a small town in Victoria, Australia. When the survey team arrived they are without any food. It is believed to be named after the Sinhala word meaning "hungry" by the surveyor because of this.

ICT for Concept Economy - Symposium at University of Moratuwa

Information Technology Research Unit (ITRU) of Faculty of Information Technology at University of Moratuwa will be hosting ITRU Research Symposium. There topic is "ICT for Concept Economy". Symposium will be held on 20th November 2009 at Faculty of Information Technology, University of Moratuwa from 09:00 to 17:00.

ITRU is also calling for papers, dead line for full paper submission is 21st September 2009. You can findout more details from here.

Sri Lanka moves to second position

With the Australia's defeat of Ashes final to England, and Sri Lankans win over New Zealand at Galle,
Sri Lankan has moved to second position on the ICC Test Rankings. Sri Lanka was originally on the fourth position and Australia was in the top spot, South Africa in the second position and India on third. At the moment South Africa is enjoying the top spot, then Sri Lanka on second and India on third. Australia has moved down to fourth position. England is at the fifth position despite the success in Ashes.

Even though Sri Lanka is ahead India on the rankings, both countries has same number of point. In order to Sri Lanka to be on second position, Sri Lanka must beat New Zealand at SSC in the upcoming test cricket match.

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Cricket Books: MAHANAMA, RETIRED HURT | The Ashes: An Illustrated History of Cricket's Greatest Rivalry | Ricky Ponting's Captain's Diary: From Reclaiming the Ashes to Conquering the World Cup | Ashes Victory

Sri Lankan Association for Artificial Intelligence - SLAAI

Sri Lankan Association for Artificial Intelligence (SLAAI) is a non-profit scientific organization. Artificial Intelligence Research group in Sri Lanka (AIRLK) for 3 years before its formal establishment in 2000. At the moment SLAAI is calls for papers for its 6th Annual Session. 6th annual session will be held on 30th October 2009 at the University of Kelaniya from 09:00 to 17:00. SLAAI will be awarding a certificate and a cash prize for the best paper. More information about submmiting papers can be found here. The official home page of SLAAI is http://www.slaai.lk/.

Watch Sri Lanka vs. New Zealand 1st Test Cricket Match Live

You can watch the 1st Test cricket match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at Gall Cricket Stadium here.

Sri Lanka to retain same side for the 2nd Test Cricket Match against Pakistan

Sri Lankan Cricket source reviled that they are going to retain the same side for second match. Murali is still not fit, but the world class wicket keeper Prasanna Jayawardene is fit. But it appears that to retain the balance of the side there is no place for Prasanna. Sri Lanka is looking to gamble with glow work of Thilekeratne Dilshan. They also can go with Kumar Sangakkara as the wicket keeper.

Sri Lanka won the first test match by fifty runs, mostly due to the brilliance of Sri Lankan ballers. Sri Lankan batsman failed make a good mark with the bat. Sri Lankan battaing ledgends Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara has stay strong, if there are to put a good total in this match.

The 2nd Test match will start on July 12th Sunday at P. Sara cricket stadium, Colombo.

Sri Lankan Line-up: Kumar Sangakkara (Captain), Tharanga Paranavithana, Malintha Warnapura, Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Tillekeratne Dilshan, Angelo Matthews, Rangana Herath, Nuwan Kulasekara, Ajantha Mendis, Thilina Thushara Mirando
Reserves: Dhammika Prasad, Suraj Kaluhalamulla, Suranga Lakmal, Kaushal Silva, Chamara Kapugedara

Daily News ePaper - Its Good! Fast! and Free!

Daily News has started revolutionary concept. That is Daily News ePaper. Daily News ePaper feature lets you read the paper as it is. If you have ever used Google Books or Gmail Document View features, this ePaper page also has a smiler interface to those. ePaper lets you view the actual printed paper page by page. And you can click on any news item and zoom it for more conformable reading. On left hand side, there are list of thumbnails of paper pages. You must try this service. And more importantly they provide it for free.

God of War: Chains of Olympus Dedicated to Prof. V. K. Samaranayake

Today I finished the PSP (Play Station Portable) game God of War: Chains of Olympus after about 8+ hours of total playing, I guess. One of the best games that I've ever played.

When I finish the game and it started to displaying game credits, I was really happy to see a Sri Lankan name on top of everything. It was Ru Weerasuriya, the game director of this amazing game. And at the end of credits, I saw something more interesting that is "God of War: Chains of Olympus" is dedicated to late. Prof. V. K. Samaranayake, Father of Information Technology in Sri Lanka. I did bit googling on this and found out that Ru Weerasuriya was a student of Prof. V. K. Samaranayake.

It is good to see Sri Lankans doing good in computer gaming industry. Mind you God of War: Chains of Olympus won several awards last year. If I recall correctly, It won the award for the best game for portable gaming consoles.

Sri Lankan Online Shopping Guide

The online shopping is becoming much more popular in Sri Lanka due to vast usage of credit cards and affordable Internet connections. This article will give a guide on best online shopping web site for Sri Lankan Community.

Keels Super
This is said to be the first online super market in Sri Lanka. Keels Super is handled by the one of the Keels Super markets, one of the best super market chains in Sri Lanka. Items in Keels Super is cheaper and covers vast area. Payment process is very secure. User has the option to get a free delivery or keep the products ready at your favourite Keels Super out let. Even those who living out side can order and send items as gifts using Keels Super.

Props:
Lost of items from grocery, bakery, frozen foods, house hold items, cosmetics etc.
Very reliable.
Low price.

Cons:
You can not use your Nexus card when you buy online.

Singer Shpopping
This web site is also one of the pioneers in online shopping websites. This website has most of the items that is available on Singer Mega. Mostly electrical, electronic, house hold items and furniture.

Props:
You can take part in auctions.

Cons:
Items doesn't seem to be cheep.

BuyAbans.com
This is Singer's revial web site. Much nice design opposed lousy design of Singer. Lots of electrical/electronic/house hold items available.

Props:
Varity of items. (Electrical/electronice/house hold/apparals/motobikes/bathroom fittings etc.)

Dialog iBuy
One of the new comers to the arena of online shoping websites. But this web site do have innovative concept. This website provides different vendors. So user can buy items from different vendor but use same shopping cart and payment methods. This website is still evolving with more and more vendors getting there items on it. This site also offers varity of items and has the reliability of Dialog. Plus very neatly designed shopping service.

Props:
Quick delivery
More payments methods

Cons:
Still lesser number of items

ODEL
Lot of fancy items including cloths, footwear, sports ware etc. Nicely designed website and damn expensive products.

Props:
Best for high fashion shpopers

Cons:
Items are very expensive

Murali Out of First Test against Pakisthan

Sri Lankan champion spinner Muttiah Muralitharan is out of the 1st test match against Pakisthan due to an injury. The test match will start tomorrow at Galle International Cricket Stadium. Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath or off-spinner Suraj Mohamed will be the most likely replacements.

Vass dropped from Sri Lanka vs. Pakistan 1st Test

Sri Lanka Cricket named a 15 men squad for the 1st test match against Pakistan at the Galle cricket statum which will be starting on July 4th, Saturday. The Sri Lankan fast balling ledgond Chaminda Vass has been dropped from the squad and all rounder Angelo Mathews who had a successful T20 World Cup has been included in the squad. The wicket keeper Kaushal Silva has taken the place injurged wicket keeper Prassana Jayawardene. Thilan Samaraweera who was injured badly in Lahor terrorist attack on Sri Lankan Cricket team has be named too.

Sri Lanka squad for the 1st Test: Kumar Sangakkara (capt/wkt), Malinda Warnapura, Tharanga Paranavitana, Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Angelo Mathews, Chamara Kapugedera, Muthiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis, Thilan Thushara, Nuwan Kulasekera, Dhammika Prasad, Kaushal Silva (wkt), Suranga Lakmal

TV2 - Be Heard the new Television Channel in Sri Lanka

A new television (TV) channel has been launched in Sri Lanka by People’s Media Network (Pvt.) Ltd. (They also has an English radio channel "Radio 1"). The TV channel is named "TV2" with the tag line "Be Heard!". At the music channel is dedicated to music. Both foreign and local music will be featured.

You can watch TV2 by tuning to UHF 53. TV2 official web site can be found on www.tv2.lk. Program guide and list of show can be here.

Watch Sri Lanka Victory Day Ceromony & Parade Online

You can watch the Sri Lankan Victory Day Ceromony and parade online here.

ICC World Twenty20 Warm-up Matches, Bangladesh v Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka in brand new out fit.

Watch it here... or get the live score card.

Removed!

Minimum 15% Salary Increment to All Private Sector Employees

The Finance minister of Sri Lanka has approved a Bill which comes into effect on 01.04.2009 and it states that all Privately Held companies need to give a minimum salary increment of 15% to all employees every six months.

This comes as a relief to petitioners appealing against the growing work hours in the Privately Held organizations and which do not have a proper system to check overtime.

The bill also mentions that all employees be provided 20 days of casual leave every year.

Following document contains list of companies list of companies which will be brought under the umbrella of the Bill in the first round of implementation.
URL: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcbsc86n_0d8hfv8dz

Somethings to concider before applying for foreign degree

I saw following Public Notice from the University Grants Commission on Sunday Observer (01/03/2009 Page: 49),

The Public is hereby informed that the University Grants Commission recognizes foreign Universities / Higher Educational Institutes that are listed in the following International Publications which are authentic sources of information on Universities and Higher Educational Institutes in different countries, are recognized at present:

1. Commonwealth Universities Yearbook (Published by Association of Commonwealth Universities)
2. International Handbook of Universities (Published by International Association of Universities)

It is repsonsibility of the general public to verify from the above sources or the University Grants Commission the recognition of Universities / Higher Educational Institutes before registration for a degree awarded by a foreign University / Higher Education.

With lot of scammers like Sakwithi Ransinghe, Seagul etc. You better check the foreign degree awarding institute before paying thousands of ruppies to them.
Good online resources are,

• http://www.unesco.org/iau/onlinedatabases/list.html
• http://www.webometrics.info/
• By using http://www.webometrics.info/university_by_country.asp?country=[COUNTRY DOMAIN], you can list of unversities of a certain country. For ex. http://www.webometrics.info/university_by_country.asp?country=lk for Sri Lankan universities.
• By using http://www.webometrics.info/rank_by_country.asp?country=[COUNTRY DOMAIN], you can get list of universities of certain country which belongs to Top 5000 universities in the world. For ex. http://www.webometrics.info/rank_by_country.asp?country=lk for Sri Lankan universities belongs to top 5000.
  

Yes, It is a good idea to check the world rank of the university also. ;-)

Watch Sri Lanka vs. India 3rd ODI Live!

Watch Sri Lanka vs. India 3rd ODI Live now!

Sri Lanka STF (Special Task Force) Documentary

Sri Lanka STF (Special Task Force) was featured in a Chris Ryan's Elite World Cops program recently. Hope you enjoy it.

Watch Sri Lanka vs. India 1st ODI Live!

The match is scheduled to start at 10:00 AM (LKT) at Rangiri Dambulu International Cricket Stadium. India has won the toss and has chosen to field first. Two teams are as follows,

India: 1 Sachin Tendulkar, 2 Gautam Gambhir, 3 Rohit Sharma 4 Yuvraj Singh, 5 Suresh Raina, 6 Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt/wk), 7 Yusuf Pathan, 8 Pragyan Ojha, 9 Zaheer Khan, 10 Ishant Sharma, 11 Munaf Patel

Sri Lanka: 1 Sanath Jayasuriya, 2 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 4 Mahela Jayawardene (capt), 5 Thilina Kandamby, 6 Chamara Kapugedera, 7 Thilan Thushara, 8 Farveez Maharoof, 9 Nuwan Kulasekara, 10 Muttiah Muralitharan, 11 Ajantha Mendis

Live scorecard is available on Cricinfo.

Watch Sri Lanka vs. Pakistan 2nd ODI Live!

You can watch Sri Lanka vs. Paskisthan 2nd one day international cricket match live on justin.tv.

Just click on the "Play" button below. ;-)

Global Economic Crisis Hits Sri Lankan Cricket

(Image Source: Crickinfo. (C) AFP)

Yes, the "Global Economic Crisis" has hit the Sri Lankan Cricket. This doesn't have to do any thing with the current form of Sri Lankan Cricket team which I guess result of long seasons of low quality cricket and restless back to back series. :-(

The Dilmah the main sponsors of Sri Lankan Cricket team haven't renewed its sponsorship mainly due to current global financial situation. Dialog Telekom has stepped up as the main sponsor but only temporally. Dialog is not very bold enough to make such a large investment. So Dialog Telekom will be the main sponsors of the Sri Lankan Cricket team at least for the three back to back ODIs against Pakistan. In the mean time MAS Holdings will continue its sponsorship till the end of the deal which falls on March 2009.

Sri Lanka won by 130 while two players setting up individual records.

Sri Lanka beat the Zimbabwe by 130 runs. Sri Lanka got into a good start with some untidy balling of Zimbabwe fast ballers and good partnership of Upul Tharanga and Sanath Jayasuriya. But Sanath got out while chansing a wide delivery. And Zimbabwe fast ballers had a crack at Sri Lankan top order dismissing Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardena and Chamara Kapugedara cheaply.

Thanks to the watchful batting of Upul Tharanga, Mubarak and Mathews and aggressiveness of Thilina Thushara, Sri Lanka posted 210 on a baller friendly track. Mathews made his 1st ODI half century, 52 not out with 1x4 and 2x6.

Thanks to Nuwan Kulasekara's early strikes and brilence of Ajantha Mendis and Murali, Zimbabwe were restricted to 80 runs. (4th time that the Zimbabweans got out less than 100 against Sri Lanka) Mendis and Kulasekara took three wickets each, Murali took a couple and Thilina Thushara and Angelo Mathews took one each. 21 year old Angelo Mathews won the "Man of the Match" award.

Stuart Matsikenyeri is cleaned up by Ajantha Mendis, Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe, Tri-series, 2nd match, Mirpur, January 12, 2009
(Image Source: Cricinfo, (C) AFP)

Ajantha Mendis - Fastest to get 50 ODI wickets
When Ajantha Mendis took Ray Price's wicket he became the fastest to get 50 ODI wickets braking 10 year old record, set by Indian fast baller Ajith Agarkar. He took 23 matches to do it while Mendis did it in 19 matches.

Mahela Jayawardene - Most Number of ODI Catches
Mahela Jayawardene silently equalize another record. Most number of ODI catches by a non-wicket keeper. Another Indian Mohommad Azharuddin have taken 156 catches in 334 ODIs. Now Mahela have taken 156 catches in 289 ODIs.

• Scorecard
• Fastest to 50 Wickets
• Most catches in career
  

Ajantha Mendis - All Set to Brake the Record

Today Sri Lanka is taking on Zimbabwe on Grameenphone Tri-Series. This is Sri Lanka's first ODI in the series. On Saturday Zimbabwe turns the table by beating Bangladesh by 38 runs. The match is scheduled to start on 0830 (LKT - Lanka Time) in Mirpur Ground.

Today's spot light goes to Ajantha Mendis who have already taken 48 wickets in 18 matches. If he could get another two wickets he will be the fastest to get 50 ODI wickets. Current record holder India's Ajith Agarkar has done it 23 games. He have also taken the 50th wicket against Zimbabwe in Harare, 1998.

Ajantha went wicketless in the last ODI, Sri Lanka's Zimbabwe tour in 2008. He got injured in club match in Sri Lanka and missed the 1st Bangladesh due to the injury. Lets wish him good luck to brake the 10 year old record in this match.

• Fastest to 50 wickets
• Cricinfo Match Preview
• Cricinfo Live Scorecard
• Live Video

Airtel Offcial Website Launched.

Airtel has launched its official website. You can visit the web site via the link www.airtel.lk. But still they haven't released prepaid or postpaid plans and tarrif rates. Seems to be Airtel will be providing cutting edge 3G experience and BlackBerry Solutions. BlackBerry Curve 8320 and BlackBerry Bold will be available initially with Sim locked to Airtel, which will make BlackBerry solutions more cheaper.

Airtel will starts its operation today (12th January). Sri Lankans are expecting Airtel to make dramatic changes in the mobile industry in means of rates. There were long queues in Airtel branches last week, people trying to book an Airtel number for them selves.

Those who have already booked numbers have to wait till 15th to get the connections. You will be needing copy of your national identity card and passport size photograph. Stay tune in for more information.