the attack on the airbase

initially i was really not that worried about the attack on the airbase when i heard about it. however as the facts emerge i get more and more concerned - not to a state of panic but a general sense of unease.

My laissez-faire attitude stemmed from the fact that I was told that they had used micro-lights to penetrate the airspace of Katunayake. This made sense as they can fly fairly low (below radar) and I suspected that they would have taken off from a beach not too far away. Micro-lights are very maneuverable and can be bought for about USD 5000. They are also easily transportable and cold be assembled and de-assembled quickly. So the fact that the military of the GOSL did not find it was not that worrying, nor that it was nto detected by the radar or the control tower.

My current concerns stem from the fact that they were not micro-lights but Pilatus aircraft (as reported by the daily Mirror 27 March 2007). The ltte seem to know their aircraft. They did not go for dinky little cessnas or pipers but a Pilatus. Pilatus makes trainers for airforces and stunt aircraft. These are incredible maneuverable and relatively hardy. My old boss in Switzerland was planning on buying one and he knew his aircraft. Other than the planes themselves I have the following other concerns:

• How did they beat the radar?
• Where did they get the fuel from?
• Why did none of the Migs/Kfirs/ helicopters not go chasing after them?
• Who the hell was watching the screens?
• What was the tower doing?
• How could they fly over the tarmac for 3 minutes without getting shot down? There are anti-aircraft guns all around temple trees – surely the airforce must have a few?
• Whose head is going to role for this debacle?

Sometime I wish I had continued with Aerospace engineering …and sometime I wish people would just get a clue.

Well hope to get some answers some time I guess…

my country for 2 points

What a glorious game - does it pay to loose to stay ahead in the Super 8's? Does the SL team have a strategist? Isn't it wonderful that we can play these armchair games?

As Sri Lanka go in to fight India in tonight's game - it is completely mind blowing but would it actually be beneficial for us to loose (not that I want it).

First you need to understand the nature of the Super 8’s. If we win against India than we get 2 extra points in the Super 8’s and India goes bowing out and Bangladesh goes thru. You only get to keep the points if you have beaten that team. The point is by having Bangladesh in the Super 8’s we never get to play them again and all the other teams do (in a sense negating our 2 points). If India goes thru to the Super 8’s all of the other 6 teams have to play her - fired up and looking to take the World Cup for themselves. Surely they would be able to win a couple of games? Thus the points would be more evenly spread. and Sri Lanka would be better placed for a spot in the Semi’s.

So you understand the conundrum?

But I have now done a further scenario based analysis and what we do need is for us to BEAT India and for Australia to beat South Africa. The resulting Semi-finals then should be:

1. Australia
2. South Africa
3. Sri Lanka
4. New Zealand

Which is just where we want to be ...

Oh what a glorius game we weave when first set out to spin the cup..

Odel's offensive advertising

why does odel only use fair-skinned models in their ads? isn't there a large enough assault on sensibilites that being fair-skinned is "lovely" or "handsome" if you are male. odel at one point stood for their environmental princinples but these seem to be less important now. i guess "fair" is what sells and it is up to us as consumers to voice or opinion with our money.

To start...

Muffy the wonder dog was a charachter in the Chunky Monkey - a column on the musings of a friend of mine in and around Colombo. Somehow it seems apt to continue it..