Nuwan Online - Nuwan Weerasinghe’s Web Log

There is a cool service (more about this in a moment) which allows you to access your favourite web sites, blogs,music from any where in the world. Since our favourites folder resides only in our PC this service is good for some one who travels or frequently changes his/her PC, but still wants instant access to their favourites.

Also you can share these favourites with anyone and find what others find interesting as well.
This service is del.icio.us (delicious). For a summary of what del.icio.us
is check http://del.icio.us/help/uses

Exactly after one month since my request for the new google ‘PageCreator’, I got the invitation yesterday.
(See my February 22nd Post). This new service comes with 100MB (the google way of being larger than life)
and a host of new cool yet self explanatary controls, gadgets, widgets to enhance your web site. There is also a interesting collection of templates to desighn your web site.
Since this is an early post, I confess that I did not go through the entire feature set.
My URL is http://nuwan.weerasinghe.googlepages.com/

Thanks Google.

Even before the Page creator, I got a Windows Live Messenger Invitation from Merill. Live Messenger’s File sharing feature is something I loved. But It also gives problems from time to time and causes my IE to fail.
In few cases including mine, Live Messsenger Abruptly stops with an error message.
Due to this problem I dont want to send any of my invitation to any one. Hope Microsoft will fix it soon.

Last but not least, Windows Live Mail. I got the Invitation this morning and My 2MB inbox is now1000 times bigger. I have exactly 2GB. I now have more than 6GB of Combined EMail space courtesy of Google, Yahoo,Microsoft and some others……………………….

Thanks Microsoft.

Finally I’m awaiting a similar invitation for Office Live. If you also want to have a look at these new generation services from Microsoft visit http://ideas.live.com/

1. On irrigation: “Neither in the lands of their (i.e. of the Indo-Aryan settlers) origin nor in South India did there develop an irrigation system of the magnitude or complexity of that which the Sinhalese afterwards constructed in Ceylon; nothing comparable and contemporaneous (i.e. 1st century A.D.-12th century A.D.) with the ancient dam, canal and tank system of Ceylon , mingling the waters of rivers flowing in different directions is known in continental India” (A Short Account of the History of Irrigation Works, C.W. Nicholas, JRASCB 1960, 43-69).

2.On architecture: “The constructive and artistic genius of the Sinhalese race proceeded in the following century (i.e. 2nd century B.C.) to develop the design to an extent not found elsewhere. The most important examples erected in Ceylon are comparable with the greatest pyramids of Egypt. The two largest dagabas at Anuradhapura surpass in contents, and three exceeded in height all but the two enormous pyramids Khufru and Khafra at Gizeh” (Ancient Ceylon, H. Parker, 262).

3. On literature: “One of the greatest contributions of the Sinhalese people to the cultural development of South and South East Asia and to world literature is the creation of a historic literature. It is well- known that on the Indian sub-continent before the invasion of the Islamic conquerors virtually no historic literature had developed. …Sri Lanka tells a different story. In the Dipavamsa and Mahavamsa and in various other Sinhalese texts, we are given an account of the political and cultural history of the island from earliest times until the present time.” (Wilhelm Geiger-His Life and Works, Heinz Bechert, 2nd ed., 69). Even the identification of Emperor Asoka was made possible by the Mahavansa; so is the dating of the history of South India.

4. On being colonized: “The Sinhalese voluntarily surrendered their Island to the British Sovereign with full reservation of their rights and liberties. They may thus claim to be one of the few ancient races of the world who have not been conquered.” (Sketches of Ceylon History, Ponnambalam Arunachalam, 1906)

It is quite interesting to know that one University Student from UK went on selling single pictute elements on a web page he created(pixels). He created a blank web page on which he asked people to buy ‘Advertising Space’ in the form of pixels. If i remember correctly one pixel was 100$ worth.
He had started this in August 2005 and at the beginning of this week he had achieved his goal of making 1 million US$. Now this is a very cute bit of thinking.
Go and see this for yourself at milliondollarhomepage.

President George W Bush has found a new friend or Ally in the Form of India. The extent of this new relationship is such that the US will help India on developing it’s ‘Civilian Neuclear Capabilities’. This is indeed a dramatic turnaround considering the geo political situation 2 decades ago when the Russians were in Afghanistan and when the US was actively channeling aid to the Mujahideen fighters through Pakistan. (Osama Bin Laden was First a Mujahideen before becoming Al Quaeda).
Then, the main US Ally in the Region was Pakistan and former President of Sri-Lanka, J.R Jayawardena was also actively seeking US mediation in the Region at this time. India being a traditional Ally of the Former Soviet Union was quick to put pressure on the Colombo Government to deter Colombo on any Co-Operation with US or Israel.
Given the History of US and Indian relations, recent developments are certainly interesting and requires more insight. First, Europe and Japan are no more considered as ‘powers’ as their declining economies suggest. There is a New Kid On the Block………………….China.
At the beginning of this year China surpassed UK in terms of GDP and by now Should be the 5th Largest Economy and growing at 9-10 percent annually. Also India is fast Emerging as an Economic power. But unluckily these two Asian Giants have their own problems regarding border disputes.
Also India is Sceptic about the ‘Emerging China’. This is the opertunity George Bush has Seized. He knows well and truly that there is nothing much USA could do to stop the Chineese emergence and what he wants is someone to try and counter this. Naturally this is India.