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Around the World:
Prince William the choice of the People
More people in England prefer Prince William as their next monarch.
This was revealed when a poll was taken recently at the opening of
Discovery Channel's History Night. About a thousand people participated
in the poll.
It was a close vote in any case, 49 per cent standing up for Prince
Charles. Queen Elizabeth is still a popular figure but they think it is
time that she stepped down, reports The Statesman.
In weighing the respective merits of father and son, the 51 per cent
who voted for the son may have been, observers believe, mostly women.
William is a handsome boy retaining some of his mother's good looks.
That may have been the outstanding feature of William since we have
not heard of any attainment of his in matters intellectual, which is
just the opposite in the case of his father. His face may not disclose
this but he is probably the wisest aspirant ever to the throne in
England.
But the British public seem to be either unaware of his virtues or
appreciative of his wise words. Most of the British public are
comfortable with mediocrity and uncomfortable in the presence of the
intellect.
Here is the ordinary man's reaction to Prince Charles' thought and
deeds: 'Goofy Prince Charles, who talks to flowers, is to launch a line
of English clothing.
In what he says is a bid to boost the rural economy of Britain, the
clothing will be made only from British wool and would be made in rural
Britain...
The Prince is no fashion plate, and his awful girlfriend, Camilla
Parker-Bowles, must be the world's worst-dressed woman, as well as the
worst looking. If they model his clothing line, God save rural
Britannia!' (Bongo News).
Unlike the Bongo News, which is more like our Lata Pata newspapers,
the former Royal correspondent of the BBC, Jennie Bond, who oversaw the
Discovery poll commented: "Even though he is the best trained heir to
the throne we've ever had, the public seem reluctant to accept him as
King.
The damage caused by the breakdown of his marriage to Diana seems
irreparable. I think it's sad; we should be more forgiving and accept
that Charles is a far wiser head on more experience."
Potato is good for you
When the Dutch brought the potato to Ceylon about three hundred years
ago, they called it aardappel. And we in turn adapted and then adopted
it as arthapal, and to this day it remains a very popular dish.
The same thing happened in Europe a little earlier when this
vegetable was brought by the Spaniards from their newly conquered
territory in the Andes where it originates. And today Germany is the
largest consumer of potatoes in Europe under the name kartofel with
Russia a close second using the same name.
Before meat became the main dish in European cooking, it is said that
more vegetables were consumed in Europe than meat, and when the potato
arrived it virtually became a main dish in most European homes.
Ireland in particular grew the potato and when a blight destroyed the
crop about a million Irish died. That was the beginning of Irish
immigration to the States. The news has just been received that Spanish
researchers at the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona have discovered
some valuable properties in the potato.
It is rich in the B complex vitamins and has minerals like iron,
calcium, manganese, magnesium and phosphorus. And for those suffering
from IBS (Internal Bowel Syndrome) the starch in the potato provides
great relief. An interesting fact about potato starch is that when raw
starch was fed to animals in an experiment the bowel movements in the
animals turned out healthier.
Humans do not find raw starch palatable. But eating cold boiled
potato in the form of a salad helps, the researchers say, the smooth
movement bowel movement, according to a report in Chemistry and Industry
- a magazine of the Society of Chemical Industry.
Another feature noted during the animal experiments is that these
animals had decreased levels of white blood cells. It is said that white
blood cells like leucocytes and lymphocytes are predominant when the
body is too weak to fight illness. Another plus point for potatoes.
Loud-mouthed loud speakers
What may be popularly called 'soft loud speakers' have been invented
by South Korean inventors, reports the Times of India. No longer need
the listener have to wear earphones to listen to loud music without
disturbing the neighbourhood.
How this is done may not be clear to all readers of this news item,
but this is how it has been described in the news release: "...a sound
system, which focuses sound waves from several loudspeakers on to a
listening zone."
Officially named the 'personal sound system' by the Korea Advanced
Institute of Science and Technology, it assures readers that they can
soon discard their troublesome head sets and earphones.
By this invention the researchers claim that they have achieved a 20
per cent or even more reduction in the intensity of decibels. The
'personal sound system' researchers claim that this new system could
find a use in television and laptops too. Their ultimate aim, however,
is the mobile phone for which there is a ready market all over the
world.
But I am sure there is a greater impact the Korean researchers could
make on this country if they would also concentrate on eliminating the
loud speaker menace over here.
For instance, if they could invent a device or formula for the
reduction of the intensity of the decibels in the call to prayers or the
recitation of pirith or the loud noises that pass off as music, then
there is bound to be peace and happy thoughts awaiting this troubled
land.
The researchers could, now that their final target is the mobile
phone, use this device to reduce to some extent the present noise level
set up by our loudspeakers. After all, one in three persons owns a
mobile phone in this country and that would cover the entire population
of Sri Lanka.
Odd Spot
President Bush and his wife sent a message to all Muslims on their
"memorable celebration" recently. Bush said that he and his wife Laura
were sending their best wishes to all Muslims across the world. "This
holiday helps ensures the important values of compassion and devotion
are passed on to future generations."
The Roving Eye
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