Politics Unpacked

"In memoriam"

It is now seventeen years on since the former Leader of the Opposition Amirthalingam was gunned down. There are many Parliamentary contributions that he is best remembered by.

However, a minute here to remember the eloquence and erudition of Ananda Tissa de Alwis, who making his maiden speech at the House by the historic Diwanne Oya went on to state that in the historic city of Jayawardenepura a dravidian king Alagakonar changed his name to Alakeshwara embracing Buddhism - and went on to rule from that kingdom.

The sharp-witted Ananda said 'do likewise'' and openly invited the then Leader of the Opposition to change his name to Amirthasekara and crossover. One did not have to be a lip-reader to figure out Amir's reply, which was taken as light hearted banter. It is nice to recall repartee in Parliamentary exchanges.

Paper gone missing

It was amusing to be told by more than a few employees and others that a copy of our last Sunday's Edition, had gone missing and was not available for reading. The readership in that particular institution could not read our comments on the corporate and banking heavyweight's ability at 'not being brittle when it comes to raising a glass or two.' We take things in our stride. How about if what's said about spirits is taken in good spirit?

Aiyo, late no?

A matriarch who runs a massive business conglomerate is recently said to have called her sons in for a pow wow and deadpanned "look what happened, you let a mattress man beat you to it in launching an English language newspaper." She is said to have added: He cut the grass from under your feet - so you expect mom to do everything when we should have been the first off the blocks with an English Sunday read?

Newspaper piffle

We do recall the sensational breaking news of 2005 that bared the conspiracy to do away with the life of a leading blue chip company Chairman. The FMM along with the reader of the Front page on TV were those who were dismayed by this newspaper revelation on the plot to eliminate a Big Raja.More than a year on, what has happened? When a zealot launches such sensational hair-raising news, he or she must see it through to a finish, or else stop dishing out this kind of opiate for the masses....?!

C. S. R. Hatrick!

The Blue Chip conglomerates are anxiously awaiting the outcome of this year's best C.S.R. Award come October. Two consecutive years running the conglomerates that R. Y. heads walked away with the plum.

This year with the sun setting on a glorious four decades with the company founded by Chas in Galle, yes folks this scribbler is made to understand R.Y. will be standing tall with the winner taking it all.

Inflation

You should hear this, as it is vouchsafed for by the television industry's young Turks and regular staff. Nobody puffs up images as the television industry - the print media maybe remiss in this aspect, but compared to the television industry, the print media consists of angels.

The TV media is almost totally personality driven. At a given time managements are known to sit on the heads of news directors, and say "blow up this guys image, until he fairly bursts."