UPAGUPTA

        UPAGUPTA

       UPAGUPTA, the disciple of Buddha lay asleep on the dust by the city wall of Mathura.

Lamps were all out, doors were all shut, and stars were all hidden by the murky sky of August.

       Whose feetwere those tinking with anklets,touching his breast of a sudden? He woke up startled, and a light from a woman’s lamp struck his forgiving eyes. It was the dancing-girl, starred with jewels, clouded with a pale-blue mantle, drunk with the wine of her youth. She lowered her lamp and saw the young face, austerely beautiful.

‘Forgive me, young ascetic,’ said the woman; ‘graciously come to my house. The dusty earth is not a fit bed for you.’ The ascetic answered, ‘Woman, go on yourway; when the time is ripe I will come to you.’ Suddenly the black night showed its teeth in a flash of lightning.

The branches of the wayside trees were aching with blossom. Gay notes of the flute came floating in the warm spring air from afar. The citizens had gone to the woods, to the festival of flowers. From the mid-sky gazed the full moon on the shadows of the slient town. The young ascetic was walking in the lonely street, while overheard the love-sick koils urged from the mango branches their sleepless plaint. Upagupta passed through the city gates, and stood at the base of the rampart. What woman lay in the shadow of the wall at his feet, stuck with the black pestilence, her body spotted with sores, hurriedly driven away from the town? The ascetic sat by her side, taking her head on his knees, and moistened her lips with water and smeared her body with balm. ‘Who are you, merciful one?’ asked the woman. ‘The time, at last, has come to visit you, and I am here,’ replied the oung ascetic.

RABINDRANATH  TAGORE

The Rotary Club

The Rotary Club

-         a voluntary organization.

-          Offers humanitarian services, encourages high ethical standards. Helps to build good will and peace in the world.

-         1.2 million Rotarians.

-         32,000 clubs in about 200 countries.

           Benefits offered

-        develops the community.

-        develops leadership skills.

-        not a profit making organization.

-        supported by contributions.

-        created by Arch.C.Clumph.

-        fund to improve quality of life-provides health care, clean water, food, education and other essential needs.

-        funds 1200 students to study abroad annually.

-        grants awards to University teachers for research and other activities.

Science & Technology

Science & Technology

Scine and technology has helped people to gain control over nature. The first people had little control over nature. They had to depend on nature for their living. They had only simple tools. They did not know how to raise animals or plants. They had no permanent homes. Animal skins were their only protection against the cold. The sun was their only source of ligt. With the passage of time, people discovered how to make fire and learnt to raise animal and crops. With the development of farming, they began to build settlements. Then they discovered new methods to make their work easier, and to increase their comforts. Through the ages technology has helped people to build a more comfortable way of life

      Industrial technology began with the invention of the steam engine. The work in factories became faster. The production increased. The working hours were reduced. The radio and the television changed their entertainment habits.

     Technology helps people to live in greater comfort and security than in the past. Agriculture, medicine and transport technologies have brought many benefits to man.

      Today machines do most of the work. Powered machines have increased production and given people more leisure. The needs of the people began to increase. The result is the creation of a world of modern science and technology.

Sources of knowledge is on historical ruins

Sources of knowledge is on historical ruins

     Hisstorical ruins provide a lot of knowledge about the country. Sometimes these historical ruins are not properly understood, or interpreted. There are some ruins about which there are no records.

   Stone Henge of Wales is one such ruin. Still people do not know what it could have been. Some people think it may have been associated with the worship of the sun.

   Stone Henge is a popular decoration! Many computer users have the Stone Henge as a wall paper.

   There is also the massive stone pillar on the banks of the river Themes. This is known as Cleopatra’s needle!

   The totem poles of the aborigines of Africa can be seen in the British Museum. For a long time the Sinhala crown and throne were kept in Britain. They were returned when we got independence.

   We can get an idea of the arts and crafts of the time from these ruins. We can learn about a country too from these ruins. They are an interesting source of knowledge.

SINHARAJA RAINFOREST

The Sinharaja forest is the only undisturbed rainforest left in Sri Lanka. It is about 900 hectares in extent. Many of the plants are very rate. Over 60% of the tree species are found only in the lowland wet zone of Sri Lanka. If these species of trees were allowed to get destroyed, the world would lose them altogether. So it is important that much effort is made to conserve this rich, valuble and fragile habitat.

The Sinharaja rainforest is thelargest rainforest reserve in Sri Lanka. In 1840 Sinharaja became a crown property. In 1988 the Sinharaja was made a National Wilderness area. In 1989 UNESCO included the Sinharaja Forest in the World Heritage list, as the first National Hertage os Sri Lanka.

The Sinharaja forest is home to many rare animals, birds, butterflies, insects, reptiles and trees. Ferns and mosses grow well as the climate is humid because of heavy rainfall.

The vegetation

Vegetation means trees, shrubs, herbs and woody climbers. The average height of trees in the Sinharaja varies between 35 to 40 metres. Some trees are above 50 metres.

The animals and the birds

Sinharaja provides a habitat for animals. The plants provide them with food. There are large mammals as well as small ones living there. The purple faced monkeys can be observed easily. They move about in groups. There are herbivores, carnivores as well as mixed feeders. The wild pig, the sambur, the mouse-deer and the barking-deer are some that you find in the Sinharaja. There is also evidence of the presence of the leopard. Among others are the rusty spotted cat and the fishing cat. There are many other varieties of small mammals.

     Studies have recorded 147 species of birds. Some threatened species of birds are found in the Sinharaja. Among them are the blue magpie, the white-headed starling and the ash-headed babbler.

Reptiles

Studies have recorded 45 varieties of reptiles. These include snakes, lizards and tortoises. The viper and the cobra are among the venomous species. Conservation of Sinharaja is of vital necessity. It ensures the maintenance of water resources. It also controls floods, which is a constant threat due to heavy rainfall in the area.

The Textile Industry

The Textile Industry

The development of the spinning machine

The Textile industry

Spinning was a cottage industry in many lands. Kuveni was spinning when Prince Wijaya landed in Sri Lanka. Weaving was a domestic industry in England too, till the invention of the flying shuttle and the spinning jenny. These inventions simplified the use of the machine. It could now be worked by power. It brought a tremendous change on human life, in terms of speed and volume.

The modern textile technology has influenced the ready-made garment industry is Sri Lanka. Factories have been set up in cities and rural areas, providing employment for both men and women. Mostly young rural women have taken up employment in these factories. Ready-made garments are exported to America, United Kingdom, France and other European countries. Fashion shows in modern trends are held in leading cities all over the world to promote the garments produced in Sri Lanka. The industry has become a leading foreign exchange earner for Sri Lanka.

Medicine

    Medicine

    The practice of medicine is based on diagnosis and treatment. A hundred years ago, the physician felt the pulse and came to various conclusions about illnesses.

     He had only a few instruments to diagnose a disease. Within the last hundred years, medical technology developed. Now the physician has sophisticated medical instruments to diagnose diseases.

     X – ray machine that was invented in 1895, came into regular use. It was invented by Wilhelm Rontgen. With the help of this machine the doctors were able to see the inside of the body and diagnose diseases. In 1973 the CAT scan machine was invented. With this invention medical science was revolutionized. The patient is kept inside the machine and the body is scanned by X – rays.

    Medical technology continues to develop very rapidly. Today the changes of the body can be observed and measured. These findings are the key to diagnosing diseases and deciding treatment.     

The E.C.G machine was invented during the last century. It is used to find out how the heart works. The damage caused by a heart attack can be measured on this machine.

    Modern technology is able to support failing organs. Ventilators are used to maintain oxygen levels to assist breathing.

    Sir Alexander Fleming, whose discovery of Penicillin led to the discovery of many other antibiotics. The antibiotics help in treating a large range of bacterial infections.

     Modern technology hs helped immensely to develop surgery. Now lasers are used in surgery. Kidney stones and gall bladder stones are removed through laser surgery. Laser treatments are used for treating eye diseases too.

    Medical science and technology has developed so much that surgeons transplant organs from one body to another. Kidney transplantation was first attempted in 1902. Today it is a well established operation. Heart transplantation was first performed in South Africa, in 1967. It was done by the surgeon, Christian Barnard.

      Immunization programmes are carried out to give protection to children. This has greatly decreased previously common diseases.

The Lions Club agrees to assist the Project

The Lions Club agrees   to assist the Project

On invitation by the respective Presidents of the Interact Clubs, the Lions Clubof Bentota South has expressed their desire to help them.

 Lion, Dr Ranjith Cooray, the president of the Lions Club of Sumanabedda Maha Vidyalaya introduces the Guest Speaker:

“Our honoured guest, Dr Ranjith Cooray, dedicated principals and teachers, and my dear friends;

It’s a great opportunity and a privilege to have Lion, Dr. Ranjith Cooray here with us today.

Dr. Cooray is a doctor of Medicine presently practicing at the Bentota Base Hospital. He is the president of the Lions Club of Bentota and has been instrumental in launching many community service projects.We are grateful to you for expressing your willingness to help us in our project. I shall now invite Dr. Ranjith Cooray to speak to you on the role of the Lions Club and its objectives.”

Cycling

Cycling    expedition

  The walk gave the class another idea.

   The students wanted to arrange a cycling trip.

   Not everybody had a cycle however. So, they discussed the matter, and came up with an idea.

   They decided to borrow bicycles from those wh had. Then they would fix a fee for the hire of the cycle. They also decided to ask for contributions, for food.

    They had many things to do; draft a letter of request asking for bicycles, decide on hiring charges, write to some caterers asking for contributions regarding food, and decide on the instructions for delivering and handing over the cycles..

    First of all they needed a letter of introduction from the school, which they could take to various places and persons asking for patronage.

Ravi Shankar

       Ravi Shankar

The system of India Music is known as Raga Sangeeth. It can be traced back to nearly 2000 years. The roots of this music are in the vedic hymns of the Hindu temples. It is the origin of all Indian music.

    As in Western music, the roots of Indian classical music are religious.

 Music gives a spiritual discipline. It helps a person to understand himself. In the Hindu culture sound is god-nada Brahma. It is a source of discipline. The pupils lean to behave in certain ways. They learn to concentrate. It is like meditation.

HANDICRAFTS OR FOLK ART?

Padma provided the following information on Indian Designs.Embroidered Quilt, kantha from Bangalore

Do you know embroidery? Do you know what embroidery is?

It is the addition of a pattern or other ornamental effect, to textiles by the use of the needle and thread. The wonder is that kantha embroidery uses only the simplest of stitches, the running stitch!

   The state of Bengal is famous for kantha art. Kantha actually means ‘embroidered quit’. The embroidered quilts of Bangalare are wonderful in their beauty, colour and design.

     The Sanskrit word ‘kantha’ means rags. It is a cottage industry, and is also a form of folk art. There are two types of embroidery. In one the old, discarded cotton sarees or dhotis are put one on top of the other and are quilted and embroidered. The other is quilted by using discarded cotton bedspreads.

   The colours used for this embroidery are black, deep blue and red. These colours stand for the three basic aspects of nature – earth, sky and space. The designs used are of lotus flowers, creepers, foliage, floral scrolls and animal and human figures.

     Today the kantha embroidery is famous all around the globe. The old kantha designs are priced possessions now. They are found on sleek shawls, sarees and bags.

      The village womwn spend a great deal of time and care in getting the perfect designs.

Teenage Styles

 Teenage Styles

Some students of Grade 10 decided to put up a stall for Teen Fashions. They collected sample designs from fashion magazines. They had clothes for both girls and boys. They wrote to some well known stores asking them to display their ware. The dealers were very pleased, and even offered the clothes at a discount. The school could keep the discount. The students were very happy.

    Nalini brought some of her own designs.

  Her mother was a good seamstress. She had helped Nalini with the designs. She had provided samples of different types of collars and sleeves. Nalini hersrlf was good at sewing. She sewed her own clothes. They were so good that people thought she had got them tailored.

  The stall also provided information on fabric types and designs. They also provided information on how to select clothes, such as the colours most suitable for different occasions and times of the day.

Search Engines

Search Engines    

The Internet is a source of knowledge.It is of very recent origin. However the influence it has on society is immeasurable. The scope is very wide. It is known the world over. It is easily accessible to everyone.

   Knowledge has got a new dimension with the introduction of the internet. An internet user has access to a lot of knowledge and information. A book for example is read serially one sentence after the other. Words are written horizontally or vertically. If we want to read a book, and listen to music at the same time, we have to use two separate sources for that. But the internet has brought the two together for us. You must have seen people working at the computer listening to music.

      

       When producing a book, the weight and size play an important role. That is why dictionaries and encyclopedias come in volumes. We will not be able to lift one if they are produced as a single work. The internet has no ‘weight’ unlike a book which is heavy. And so with the network, there is no ‘but’. We can get what we want at a ‘clik’.

   The language that is most used on the internet is English. The internet was first started as a research project of the Department of Defense of the USA.

  The internet provides an immense source of knowledge, through search sites such as Google,Wikipedia,Yahoo etc.

   However there are certain disadvantages in the internet. No one is responsible for the information or the quality of information. There is no source for this information. There is no authority, or authorship responsible. 

Water

             Water

The needs of nature and people

Sri Lanka is lucky that she does not have to share water with any other country. Hence she is able to manage her water resources and minimize environmental hazards. If we are to preserve the natural beauty of Sri Lanka we have to manage our water resources well. Sri Lanka is called, ’the Pearl of the Indian Ocean’, because of her shape and natural beauty.

       There are two aspects to water management; firstly to allocate water to the environment according to the environmental demands, secondly to supply the human requirement of water for agriculture, industry, power generation and domestic work.

     Excessive removal of water from rivers, tanks and other waterways has exposed bird, animal, fish and plant species to danger. It also has threatened the livelihood of farmers and fishermen. Many people depend on river water for drinking, cooking, washing and for various other uses. When the supply of water for irrigation is interrupted, the farmers cannot cultivate their lands and inland fishing will not be possible.

     The flow of water keeps the ecosystem healthy and productive.

     Dr. Validimir Smakhtin, the principal researcher at The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) based in Colombo, points out that the water flow has to vary at different times of the year, to maintain the good health of the ecosystem.According to the IWMI, the environmental needs are not being met as too much of water is being removed. The policy makers should pay greater attention to the over exploitation of fresh water. They must recognize the need to allocate water for the maintenance of the environment. The water wastage must be controlled. They must also monitor the flow of water and pay greater attention to environmental effects. Finally they must take steps to maintain the ecosystem.

RAINFORESTS

    RAINFORESTS

The Importance Of Rainforests

Tropical rainforsts are located around the equator. The temperature around the equrator is high. Hence the rate of water evaporation is high. As a result there is frequent

Rain in rainforests. They are found in South and Central America, Africa, in the islands around Australia and Asia. The rainforests are importand to human existence and the surroundings. Rainforests are a rich source of medicinal plants, food and useful forest products. They maintain about 50% of the plant, animal, bird, reptile and insect species of the world. These forests help to maintain a regular rainfall. They also stand as a buffer against floods, droughts and erosion. These forests produce a significant amount of the world’s oxygen.

tablet 7

Item specifics

Condition:

New: A brand-new, unused, unopened, undamaged item in its original packaging (where packaging is applicable). Packaging should be the same as what is found in a retail store, unless the item is handmade or was packaged by the manufacturer in non-retail packaging, such as an unprinted box or plastic bag. See the seller's listing for full details. See all condition definitions Type: Galaxy Tab 10.1v 16GB, Wi-Fi, 10.1in - Black

Compatible Product Line: For Samsung Galaxy Tab Brand: Samsung

Detailed item info

Product Information

The sleek and lightweight body design of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1v tablet makes it quite portable. For superior quality viewing, this Samsung Wi-Fi tablet has a 1280 x 800-pixel screen resolution. Customize the home screen of this Samsung tablet PC with the help of the live panel feature that gives you real-time data updates of your favorite websites and social networks. Access utility features, such as calendar, PenMemo, World Clock, Calculator, or task manager, with the Mini Apps feature of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1v tablet and multi-task. To give you a better web browsing experience, this Samsung Wi-Fi tablet supports Adobe flash player. 

Product Identifiers

Brand Samsung

Model 10.1v

MPN GT-P7100/M16

Carrier No cellular ability

UPC 635753493467

Key Features

Type Tablet PC

Family Line Galaxy Tab

Display Size 10.1in (25.65 cm)

Hard Drive Capacity 16 GB

Operating System Android 3.1

Internet Connectivity Wi-Fi

Color Black

Processor

Processor Speed 1 GHz

Digital Camera

Rear Camera Resolution 8 megapixel

Front Camera Resolution 2 megapixel

Dimensions

Width 3.75in (9.55 cm)

Depth 0.47in (1.19 cm)

Weight 1.29lb (0.589 kg)

tablet 6

Item specifics

Condition:

Used: An item that has been used previously. The item may have some signs of cosmetic wear, but is fully operational and functions as intended. This item may be a floor model or store return that has been used. See the seller’s listing for full details and description of any imperfections. See all condition definitions Brand: Samsung

Screen Size: 7" Storage Capacity: 16 GB

Color: Black Connectivity: Wi-Fi + 3G

Model: SPH-P100  

Detailed item info

Product Information

Carry your social life with you wherever you go, with the Samsung SPH-P100 tablet PC. The Samsung Galaxy Tab comes integrated with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n connectivity that allow you to communicate, update and browse the internet, anytime and anyplace. The Movie Hub app of this Samsung tablet PC offers instant access to entertainment content like latest movies and TV shows. Pre-loaded with the Amazon Kindle, the Samsung Galaxy Tab brings out the bookworm in you by allowing you to peruse hundreds of books, magazines, and other online reading content, at the touch of a button. Thanks to a 3 MP camera, Qik app, and a 7-inch touchscreen display, you can capture images and video chat, all in this Samsung tablet PC. Enhance your gaming and video viewing experience with the Samsung SPH-P100.

Product Identifiers

Brand Samsung

Model SPH-P100

MPN SPH-P100ZKASPR

Carrier Sprint (US)

UPC 635753486988

Key Features

Type Tablet PC

Family Line Galaxy Tab

Display Size 7in (17.78 cm)

Hard Drive Capacity 16 GB

Operating System Android 2.2

Internet Connectivity Wi-Fi + 3G

Supported Text Formats PPT, Word, XLS

Color Black

Processor

Processor Manufacturer ARM

Processor Speed 1 GHz

Digital Camera

Rear Camera Resolution 1.3 megapixel

Front Camera Resolution 1.3 megapixel

Connections and Expandability

Expandability microSD, microSD Slot

Dimensions

Width 4.74in (12 cm)

Weight 0.84lb (0.38 kg)

This is a white Samsung Galaxy Tab model SPH-P100 that was used through Sprint. This can be used as a stand alone tablet with Wifi or with cellular internet service also. It is in good condition, no scratches, works as new. It has been restored back to factory and is ready for the new user. It comes as pictured with USB cable and extra charge/sync dock. You can look up the specific features on the internet. I only ship within the US, sorry no international S&H. Buyer pays $14.95 S&H with delivery confirmation, I accept Paypal for payment. Full payment due within 3 days of auction end. Bid only if you intend to pay, I can’t stress this enough, only bid if you have the money to pay, too many non-payers. If you have a negative or ZERO feedback rating, email me BEFORE bidding, otherwise your bid will be canceled. E-mail me with any questions before bidding.

tablet 5

Item specifics

Condition:

Used: An item that has been used previously. The item may have some signs of cosmetic wear, but is fully operational and functions as intended. This item may be a floor model or store return that has been used. See the seller’s listing for full details and description of any imperfections. See all condition definitions Brand: Samsung

Bundled Items: Case, Screen Protector(s), Samsung Keyboard Dock, Car Charger Storage Capacity: 16 GB

Type: Accessory Bundles Connectivity: Wi-Fi + 3G

Experience true mobility

The Galaxy Tab's 7–inch The Galaxy Tab’s 7–inch, high–res screen makes everything easier: reading with the Amazon Kindle app, watching videos or surfing the web with Adobe® Flash® Player 10.1, or playing games online. Multitasking just got simpler, too. Bring the Galaxy Tab into the kitchen to read recipes online while listening to music in the background.

Android 2.2 (Froyo) Operating System

Brilliant 7–inch display

V CAST Apps, V CAST Music and V CAST Song ID

3–megapixel camera/camcorder with auto focus and flash, plus 1.3–megapixel front–facing camera

Wi–Fi capable so you can connect without using up your data allowance

Camera

3.0MP rear–facing camera

Auto–focus

Flash

1.3MP front–facing camera

Video

3.0MP rear–facing camcorder

DivX HD video playback

Music

Create and Manage playlists

Music Player For: MP3, WMA, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, MIDI, WAV, & SP–MIDI Formats

Headset Jack: 3.5mm

Web

HTML Browser with Adobe® Flash® 10.1

Wi–Fi (802.11 b/g/n)

Thousands of apps & hundreds of widgets available on Android Market™

Amazon Kindle e–Reader

Google Services including Gmail, Google Talk, YouTube™, Google Calendar, Google Search, Google Maps, Latitude, Places

Thousands of apps & hundreds of widgets available on Android Market™

Communication

Bilingual User Interface: English/Espanol

Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) via AllShare

Widgets (AccuWeather Clock, Daily Briefing, News and Weather)

Notification Ringtones

Tools: Alarm Clock, World Clock, Calendar & Memo

Text, Picture & Video Messaging with threaded messaging , Consumer Email, and Corporate Email

Bluetooth

Bluetooth® Profiles: Object Push for vCard & vCalendar, SPP, BPP, A2DP, AVRCP, GAVDP, AVDTP, and AVCTP

Specifications

Dimensions

Dimensions: 7.48" (H) x 4.74" (W) x 0..47" (D)

Weight: 13.58 ounces

Operating System

Android 2.2 (Froyo) + Samsung TouchWiz (User Interface)

Display

7.0” Touch Screen

1024x600 WSVGA TFT LCD display

Supports up to 16M color

6–Axis Motion Sensor and Accelerometer

Keyboard

Virtual QWERTY Keyboard with Swype and Samsung keypad options

Battery

Usage time: up to 780 minutes

Standby time: up to 500 hours

SAR: Body 1.01 W/kg

Memory / Processor

1GHz Cortex A8 Hummingbird Processor

2GB internal memory & 16GB microSD™ card pre–installed

Up to 32GB microSD™ Optional

Original box with packaging contents inclued:

Samsung Tab,16 GB micro SD Card preinstalled, USB/Wall Charger, Quick Ref Guide