Unique to Sri Lanka

Engineers use "Eng." preceding their names.e.g Eng.A.G.Perera. Architects have followed suite by using "Archt." e.g Archt. A.B. de Silva.Very soon mason basses will be using"Msbs" before the name. e.g. Msbs Girigoris Appu .

Probably medical practitioners using "Dr." provoked them to do this.But medical practitioners have a legal right to do this, in terms of medical ordinance.Once one registers as a medical practitioner in the Sri Lanka Medical Council one is entitled to use title "Dr."It is defined in the ordinance.Other privileges are right to issue medical certificates and excemption from jury service.Thus the RMPs who have never been to a University has the legal right to use the title "Dr."more senior RMPs have not passed even their GCE (A/L).They were enrolled to follow the course after GCE (O/L) or earlier the SSC (Senior School Certificate) Law may be an ass but that is what it is! But law has made engineers and architects to behave like asses.Lawyers are more sensible to use "Attorney at Law" following the name only when relevant.

There is an interesting phenomenon in UK.Surgeons although they have the legal right to use the title "Dr." they call themselves "Mr. "The famous Sri Lankan surgeon of 1940s and 1950s called himself Mr.A.T.S Paul, FRCS ,Surgeon. The others who followed this was Rudra Rasratnam ,FRCS and Mark Amarasinghe MCh,FRCS.The latter is still alive.

Public Holidays

The Sri Lankan calendar for 2011 has 27 public holidays.It became 28 when 15th of April too was declared a public holiday.Banks have two additional special holidays. Most countries have only around five public holidays per year.In a majority it is less than ten.Probably Sri Lanka is the country having the biggest number of public holidays.

Poya holidays add a burden to our list of public holidays.This should be reviewed without being emotional .In Thailand and Myanmar which are predominantly Buddhist not all full moon days are holidays.It is known fact that in Sri Lanka majority of Buddhists do not use the Poya hloiday for spiritual activities.

Cricket

I have never played cricket,not even with the soft ball or for that matter kaduru bole and polpithi bat. I do not have the knowledge of the game that a average house wife has.But my common sense tells me (common sense is not common!) that the selectors are either incompetent or are liars.

Timing Strategy and Marketing Patriotism

Price of petrol,kerosene diesel and LP gas gone up at 12 midnight on the eve of world cup final. People have been requested to display lion flags .This is marketing "patriotism"Good timing strategy indeed ,but a negative one.Female pickpockets lean against men in crowded buses .The man thinks he has a good time .When he goes home he finds his wallet missing! Minds of rulers and pickpockets have the same trend! They offer the victim something of low value or no value and grab the valuable thing.Timing strategy is very important both for the ruler and the pickpocket.