Aging is a state of mind

Aging is a journey full of wisdom, grace, and a growing list of pet peeves. As you collect more candles on your birthday cake, you'll find there are certain things that just become intolerable, like loud music and chaotic crowds, so join us as we explore the 18 things you won't be able to stand as you get older

.Fast food may lose its appeal, as it takes a toll on your health and well-being. We now have so much research that shows that fast food is not good for the body. However, when you’re younger, the effects are less obvious. It’s when you get old that you realize that you really are what you eat.Dealing with very hot or very cold weather gets harder as people age. You might feel the cold more deeply and struggle more with the heat. Changes in the weather can also lead to health problems, making extreme temperatures tough to handle. This is because the body’s regulatory systems start to slow down at some pointGone are the days when late nights were thrilling—at an old age, they just leave you exhausted. Even if you manage to go out, you’ll take much longer to recover the next morning. Not to mention, there will be more long-term consequences of going out too much.. Technology Overload Keeping up with the latest tech can start to feel like more trouble than it’s worth. Older people don't feel the need to stay on top of the latest trends. There are just so many other things that are better uses of your money and time. Let's not forget that you might not be able to use all the new fancy gadgets, as they get more complicated with time. Crowded Places

As you age, navigating through crowded places can become a source of stress rather than excitement. Whether it's going on vacation or attending a local event, you’ll likely prefer something more quiet and intimate. The stress and anxiety that come with crowds are simply not worth it. Trendy Fashions/ Overcrowded Wardrobe With time, everyone comes to understand that a good wardrobe is one that lasts through multiple seasons and years without looking dated. Staying on top of trends will leave you with a closet full of clothes that you can’t wear after only a couple of months. Also, it’s a fact that you probably won’t find many of the new trends appealing when you're older. Heavy lifting can be risky Especially as you get older. Your muscles aren't as strong, and you might hurt yourself. Also, it takes much longer to recover from physical work. This is mostly due to sarcopenia, a condition that causes muscle loss in older people. Noise at Night If you find that noises at night bother you more than they used to, you're not alone. Many older people find it harder to sleep if there's noise. They need a quieter place to sleep well. This is a factor in why some people choose to live their last days in the country away from the hustle of the city.

Russia captures Ukrainian town

Russia captures Ukrainian town after nearly 2 years of trying top news 2 Min To Read 3 hours ago Russia appears to have successfully seized the key Ukrainian frontline town of Vuhledar after months of intense fighting. The town, located in the eastern Donetsk region, has been a strategic target for Russian forces since January 2023. The town's governor, Vadym Filashkin, described the situation in Vuhledar as "extremely difficult" as Russian forces moved in and the Ukrainian military struggled to defend the town. The Institute for the Study of War reported that Russian forces likely seized Vuhledar, with open sources and pro-Russian military bloggers confirming the takeover. The town's population has significantly decreased, with only a few hundred civilians remaining out of a pre-war population of 14,000. The loss of Vuhledar is a blow to the Ukrainian military, as the town was considered a "fortress" and a valuable position at the intersection of the eastern and southern war fronts. However, the ISW stated that the seizure of Vuhledar is unlikely to significantly alter the course of offensive operations in the region, as it is not a crucial logistics node. Despite this, the capture of Vuhledar could provide a morale boost to Russia, as President Vladimir Putin increases defense spending to record levels. The town's high ground and strategic location make it a valuable target for Russia, potentially threatening the security of surrounding areas. As the situation in Ukraine continues to evolve, the capture of Vuhledar highlights the ongoing conflict in the region and the challenges faced by both Ukrainian and Russian forces. The town's fall could have wider implications for the security and stability of the Donetsk region, as well as the ongoing economic and geopolitical impact of the war on both countries.

Britain's last Coal plant shut down

Britain shut down its last coal-burning power station, becoming the first among the world’s major industrialized economies to wean itself off coal. The move is all the more symbolic because the nation was the first to burn tremendous amounts during the Industrial Revolution, launching a global addiction to coal. The British government aims to generate all its electricity from sources other than fossil fuels by 2030. Oil and gas account for the majority of the country’s power supply, though renewables make up 40 percent of its electricity generation.

How to manage change in Sri Lanka?

We’ll need to keep our act together – with clear plans, arrangements and disciplined follow through,why the nation voted a new President to bring about a seismic change with our Parliamentary General Election on the 14 November 2024. Distractions may interrupt the flow and take us off track, there’ll also be lots of peripheral issues to attend to, so keeping sight of our priorities and doing first things first, will ensure that we are productive and effective. To manage change in the way we go about doing things, in the way we want the Government to help us do things, in the way we ourselves help our Government to deliver on its promises, we have a duty as citizens, to keep to our promises,to pay our due taxes,especially the overdue dues and taxes, in the first instance. As we all know that we cannot put the blame for corruption, for mismangement, for waste and for our indolence and inaction, we have a serious responsibilty.Tax avoidance involves bending the rules of the tax system to try to gain a tax advantage that Parliament never intended.Not paying the right amount of tax also means that our vital public services like schools and hospitals don’t get all the money they should. Why is it more expensive to be poor? It is because those who are rich want to keep the disadvantaged always poor. To reduce poverty, government policies could include: Means-tested welfare benefits to the poorest in society; for example, unemployment benefit, income support and housing benefit. Minimum wages. Regulation of labour markets, for example, statutory minimum wages. Policies to reduce or alleviate poverty in Sri Lanka is an absolute necessity and we need a mechanism, a policy to to be established soon. But first and foremost we need a Department and officers called Tax Police, to collect unpaid but promised taxes from those who have evaded paying their due taxes,which they promised settlement over years. Why has this group of people been let off the hook? Is it because of who they knew in government, or what they knew how to delay their tax payments, or both? Going to manage change in our tax laws, we need to simplify our taxes, give inducements to early settlement.Overcoming these challenges requires holistic change management. To make change management part of the new government transformation is a thoughtful, collaborative, time consuming process. It has to have a short term, medium term and long term way that results can be obtained in faster time to value, less risk, and assured returns. It explores the 5 critical steps to change management in any transformation project, and how the right tools can provide the insight and information you need to tackle them successfully. It needs first to ientify and engage with all the people in all parts of our country. There should be no one above the law, or no section of of our country's population, treated differently, because of class,creed, or language. To manage change,we need diversity. Secondly we need vision to bring evert part of our country on board. Thirdly, we need to frm Cross-functional Teams and Keep Everyone on the Same Page of our development plans. Fourthly we need proper and reaistic plan implemention. Last but not the least, we need to communicate in the langugage that the people know and understand in every part of our country to empower our people, not in one one language, but in all languages to celebrate our milestones of poverty alleviation and our successful implementation of our plans,over time. Victor Cherubim

A new vision for Sri Lanka

NPP: The Unrivalled Choice In Sri Lanka Politics By Prof.Asoka S. Seneviratne – NPP is a people-centered political movement. The primary purpose of the movement is the broader economic and social development of the country, a beacon of hope above petty politics, thereby ushering in the overall improvement of the Sri Lankan economy while safeguarding the nation’s true democracy. The Mission and Vision statements have smartly enveloped the masses in the country, both ordinary people as well as all professional groups and intellectuals, which is the foundation of the movement. NPP exists for a well-connected and harmonious Sri Lankan community without considering their ethnic origin, religious belief, or social background. Having clean hands, the NPP’s determination to deal with rampant corruption, fraud, waste, and misuse of resources seems to be the foundation on which all economic policies and programs are deeply rooted. It seems that the NPP is committed to changing the way of brewing, bottling, and offering or presenting wine against the old story of the exact wine in a new bottle. Given the above, NPP is the unrivalled choice in Sri Lanka politics. Introduction This article aims to present the reasons why the NPP (National People’s Power) has no substitute nor an alternative in the political arena of Sri Lanka. Since its establishment in 2015 by a well-committed, dedicated, and educated small group of people, the movement has not only garnered strong support from all life folks in the motherland and overseas but also achieved significant milestones. In realizing its goal, the NPP has prepared a well-crafted Mission and Vision to save our mother Lanka. Currently, the movement is in the process of its accomplishment, and no other political party or leader can dream of doing something even closer to what NPP has brought about. This track record of success reinforces the audience’s confidence in the movement’s capabilities. We all look forward to the tremendous success of the NPP based on its Mission and Vision statements in the context of inclusive economic growth and sustainable development. Mission and Vision of NPP The Mission of NPP is centered on social justice and equal opportunities for all in the context of inclusive economic growth (i.e. people who are capable and willing to participate and contribute to the production process can do so, thereby benefiting the output at the same time) and the agenda of sustainable development goals declared in 2016 by the UN. The Vision of NPP is aimed at a decent life for all by dismantling all barriers and hindrances created by petty politics. Since its independence in 1948, Sri Lanka has been plagued with rampant corruption, nepotism, fraud, waste, and mismanagement of its precious resource base, which has caused the paralysis of the economy at various times. Under the prevailing political framework, the educated and the skilled people have no place in the economy, resulting in the outflow of brains into more affluent countries. Given the above scenario, the cornerstone of the vision crafted by NPP is to eradicate the root causes that hinder economic growth, and fulfill the expectations of the masses for a better and decent life with security, leading to the country’s overall economic development. Ironically, NPP, having a genuine interest and commitment to the nation’s development, has orchestrated the well-thought-out Vision. This is in full swing at present. Of particular note is that the Mission and Vision created by the NPP are stunningly outstanding in Sri Lanka’s political landscape. Hence, no other political parties and leaders can come even near NPP. It is indeed a unique political movement in the history of Mother Lanka in many ways, gathering jealousy from many who do not have their counter-strategy for the country. NPP is Grassroots-Oriented

NPP is a movement which has its roots in the grassroots. This bottom-up process gives it solid strength, absolute power, high quality, and profound value. The livelihood of most people in Sri Lanka is agriculture, including plantations, of which rural areas are a part and parcel. Because the large majority of the population is rural, a large share of the educated lot in the country is rural-based, too. In this context, the substantial contribution of farmers and the educated lot to the economic growth and development of the country is profoundly significant. However, because of marginalization and lack of opportunities, a growing number of families become destitute, requiring outside support for their very survival. Since the welfare and well-being of the majority in the country have been neglected by all successive governments since independence, NPP is committed to addressing and resolving this ever-widening disparity created by all political parties and leaders. In short, NPP is fully engaged and has a solid professional and intellectual base to wipe out the above disparity and thereby bring about equality in life opportunities across borders. Because of this inimitable style of NPP, it is neither a substitute nor an alternative in Sri Lanka politics at present or in the future. High Degree of Foresight, Strategic Approach, Transparency, and Accountability of NPP Foresight, Strategic approach, Transparency, and Accountability are the four (4) cornerstones of NPP. Many countries can achieve their expected prosperity and progress mainly with the clean hands of the country’s political leaders. This means that there is no involvement in corruption, nepotism, fraud, bribes, waste and misuse of resources, hypocrisy, or good governance. Applying the above principles, there is plenty of unbreakable evidence that the political leadership of NPP is unique compared to all other leaders and political parties plagued with untold scores of misdeeds, corruption, and offenses. With this unique and crystal-clear feature of NPP’s political leadership, its leaders can move with the public freely whilst not having any fear of addressing public rallies or meeting people across the country. Masses have high regard and acceptance for the NPP for its transparency and accountability. Hence, the leaders of NPP have neither fear nor suspicion about any backlash or stone-throw directed at them by the general masses. In short, the hands of NPP’s political leaders are flawless from misdeeds, corruption, and guilt. NPP is Inclusive of Communities NPP exists for a well-connected and harmonious Sri Lankan community without considering their ethnic origin, religious belief, or social background. NPP Leaders use the same language, vocabulary, and substance to address the public rallies in the country’s North, South, East, and West. NPP’s strategy for development advocates the four pillars centered around the basic needs, namely, food, shelter, education, and health, to ensure a happy life and longevity for all. Ensuring safety and security while protecting human rights is also part and parcel of their political strategy and commitment to the country’s development. In parallel, all other political parties and leaders have different or hidden agendas to address public rallies in the country’s North, South, East, and West, which is a well-known fact. Given the above, most public rallies are meant to mislead or cheat the masses by promising short-term benefits, mainly food, cash, or personal gains, which have no place in the sustainable development of human beings. Even if it has been too late since 1948, the masses have understood the above fact in the right direction, which will make a turning point in the country’s economic, social, and political compass in 2024. NPP Leaders Have Nothing to Conceal/Hide The NPP movement has its strong base anchored in the masses, is people-focused, and hence is reinforced by the very people. Leaders and members of the NPP can mingle freely with the masses without being rejected or insulted by people. They address the masses on what they practice. What they say and practice are the same, which is unique. They do not have anything to hide or cover up or conceal. They do not portray faces that suit different situations, locations, and circumstances. Everything within the movement is open, frank, and transparent. The leaders are among the ordinary people who do not indulge in luxury life. They face economic and social problems similar to those of the general masses. As a matter of principle, NPP condemns stealing public assets and their accumulation for their benefit and the next generation. The lifestyle of the leaders of the NPP is simple, humble, and highly valued and appreciated by all. They live with the people and adopt a down-to-earth strategy. NPP Leaders are Professional, Productive, and Constructive Compared to most leaders of all other political parties, the leaders of NPP are truly constructive and meaningful in their speeches in Parliament. This is a unique feature to be highlighted. They are always professional and intellectual; their speeches and explanations are full of facts and address to the point. They do not engage in the practice of mud-slinging at others either in the parliament or outside. They participate and contribute to parliamentary debates well-prepared and planned, ensuring the value of public money. They are not shaken by any unexpected event or move in the parliament. They have a habit of smiling and taking in insults and abuse with a smile. They respect and strictly follow the rules and procedures established within this institution. They maintain the utmost calmness and sincerity when any unexpected behavior and responses are mounted against them in the Parliament. These are unique characteristics of the NPP’s parliamentary group that no party or other leader comes close to. The NPP’s Economic Policies and Programs are Somewhat Self-reliance The writer has heard that only the NPP wants to prepare a 5-year economic development plan, which is an excellent idea in the right direction. Other partiers and leaders talk about ad hoc economic policies and programs to please the people attending the public rallies or when they meet people, particularly in the North and East. None have a clear vision or solid ideas for the country’s development. Instead, it seems NPP has solid ideas, policies, and programs and a two-pronged approach to the country’s development. The aforementioned two-pronged approach appears to be somewhat self-reliance. First, the NPP’s determination to deal with rampant corruption, waste, and misuse of resources seems to be the foundation on which all economic policies and programs are deeply rooted. The eradication of the above will create a conducive and inclusive atmosphere for stable economic growth and sustainable development. Indeed, the open truth is that Sri Lanka has abundant resources to provide a better life for people on par with the developed countries. It is a matter of proper organization and management of resources effectively and efficiently to generate the expected outcome. In a broader sense, this is indeed in the context of inclusive economic growth and sustainable development, leading to proper and fair income distribution. This is the necessary primary condition to bring about a better balance in the national budget, not resorting to any form of (a) excessive taxes, (b) money printing, and (b) foreign borrowing because these three sources affect the welfare and well-being of the masses at present and in the future. In short, the above conviction is at the heart of the NPP’s economic policies and programs. The second concern of NPP seems to be the foreign exchange that comes under the Balance of Payment, or BOP. The current massive foreign debt is part and parcel of BOP. It appears that NPP is insightful and strategic in how to deal with substantial foreign debt. Given the above, it appears that NPP has realized that Sri Lanka has enormous potential to save foreign exchange and maximize foreign exchange earnings. Savings of foreign exchange have been an utterly neglected fact in Sri Lanka since the mid-1980s. It seems that NPP is committed to addressing and resolving the above under the umbrella of ‘organization and management of massive resource base of the country’ along with the concept of inclusive economic growth and sustainable development. There is no doubt that the farmers can produce and feed the nation without depending on the rest of the world. Currently, a substantial portion of consumption in Sri Lanka helps the income generation of the farmers of the rest of the world, depriving the massive and increasing benefit of ‘forward and backward linkages of local production’ to the local farmers and hence the consumers. This has been a tragedy. It seems that the concern of maximizing the potential for earning foreign exchange of the NPP is related to (a) extensive and intensive value addition to our raw material working collaboratively with the private sector, (b) export product and market diversification (c) inverted remittances and (d) the export of tourism among many other ventures is huge. The NPP’s concern to integrate with world trade extensively and intensively because Sri Lanka’s share of world trade is at a low ebb is commendable and, hence, in the right direction. Regarding the NPP’s concern for savings and maximizing foreign exchange earnings, the writer’s experience working with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka for over 20 years, there are long delays in adding export earnings to the country’s reserves, which is a huge problem. Sri Lanka needs to address this strategically and resolve it meaningfully and systematically to get the best benefit from export earnings. It seems that the NPP has the utmost focus on the above problem, which is strategic and central only to the NPP, while other political parties are highly reliant on borrowing from IMF/WB and other sources and selling national assets, paving the way for a disastrous impact that future generations too will suffer extensively. In short, when the concern and focus on economic policies and programs of the NPP, it does want to follow the traditional paths that give different names and meanings for liberal and neoliberal ideology by the opposition leaders and parties. It seems that the NPP is committed to changing the way of brewing, bottling, and offering or presenting wine against the old story of the exact wine in a new bottle. In short, the economic growth and development policies, programs, and strategies of the NPP appear to be geared towards self-reliance, which is practical and achievable when other parties and leaders have mere words (e.g., dealing with rampant corruption and fraud), follow political ideologies, and are highly dependent on assistance and advice from the IMF/WB and other sources, which is unfortunate in many ways. *The writer worked as the Special Advisor to the Office of the President of Namibia and was a Senior Consultant with UNDP. He worked as a Senior Economist with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (1972-1993) before he migrated to New Zealand. The author can be contacted at asoka.seneviratne@gmail.com

The cost of war?

Opposition to a deadly war according to Western observers?

"Way Home" a Russian Womens' pressure group, presents a fundamental opposition to President Putin’s campaign in Ukraine, which has cost the wives,mothers of Russian soldiers,their husbands, brothers, and sons. According to a BBC assessment, more than 70,000 people fighting in Russia’s military have died. Russian anti-war and feminism have grown but are far from becoming mainstream movements. According to Politico, it has been easy for the Kremlin to use sexism as a tool against high-profile female opposers.President Putin has also named 2024 "the year of the family," and the state media presents the image of women who are as loyal to the Kremlin as they are to their husbands as an ideal.

War, what war in Moscow?

As Ukraine’s drones circle near the borders of Russia, some citizens in Moscow seem oblivious to the raging war aound. If it wasn’t for all the army recruitment posters dotted around Moscow, you wouldn’t know Russia was at war with Ukraine. Everything continues as normal – a city that feels like it’s in denial. There are rowdy bars, gleaming shopping malls, and evening river cruises packed with families desperate to soak up the last of the summer sunshine. Muscovites are enjoying life, as if they haven’t got a care in the world. And yet, barely 300 miles away, war is raging. Ukrainian forces continue to hold Russian territory in the Kursk region, following their cross-border assault in early August. It was the first ground invasion of Russia since the Second World War, and was certainly not part of the plan when Vladimir Putin launched his so-called Special Military Operation more than two and a half years ago.

But as embarrassing as that’s been for the Kremlin, there’s no sign of panic. The message from the authorities is that everything is under control, and the public appears to believe them. Initially, at least, there was some anxiety among ordinary Russians about the war getting closer to home. But most people I speak to now seem entirely unphased. Not even the drone attacks, which are increasing in scale, reach and frequency, have changed this. A woman was killed earlier this month when a drone hit a residential block on the outskirts of Moscow. But in the centre of the capital, it’s business as usual. For some, I think it’s a defence mechanism. Those who oppose the war realise they have little hope of changing anything, so the safest way to deal with it is to stay silent. After all, the price for speaking out has been made abundantly clear. re genuinely ambivalent. Muscovites have largely been shielded from the effects of the war to keep them onside, and this distraction-technique seems to be working. “If the fighting doesn’t directly affect me, then why worry?” goes the thinking. And then there are the believers, who view the war as a just and noble cause. They parrot the Putin line that Moscow is liberating Ukraine’s Russian-speaking population from a “fascist regime”. And they genuinely feel that the West is the aggressor, not Russia. That may seem hard to believe, but don’t forget, state media is the only source of information for many Russians. It’s a non-stop barrage of pro-Kremlin propaganda, so it’s really no surprise that many share that view since it’s the only thing they hear. The recent talk of allowing Ukraine to use long-range missiles to strike deeper inside Russia has been spun to play into this. Nato would be “at war” with Moscow, President Putin said, if the West does give Kyiv the green light. The same goes for the recent expulsion of six British diplomats, who were very publicly accused of spying. Their faces were plastered all over state media in what felt like a carefully choreographed attempt to shape public opinion. The Foreign Office dismissed the accusations as “baseless”. It shows if the West does give the go-ahead on the missiles, Russia wants to ensure that people here view it as a hostile move by a foreign adversary. “We’ll put on gloves, boots and march on Europe together,” said another, echoing the warning coming from on high. Deputy security chief Dmitry Medvedev recently threatened to turn Kyiv into a “grey, melted spot”. It might be tempting to laugh off this language as yet more sabre-rattling, especially given the number of times Vladimir Putin seems to have redrawn his red lines during the conflict. But I think that misses two important points. Firstly, I believe the target audience for this rhetoric is at home rather than abroad. The Kremlin wants to ensure the public continues to buy into the narrative that Russia is the innocent party, under attack. Secondly, Russia may not have reached for the red button yet, but it has begun to respond in other ways – for example, cosying up with the likes of North Korea and Iran. The US fears Moscow is already sharing nuclear know-how with Iran. Europe has also accused it of cyber attacks and sabotage. So Russia has other means at its disposal, despite the nuclear option. And what officials in London and Washington are worried about is that Vladimir Putin has staked everything on this war. For him, defeat is not an option. Ivor Bennett is Moscow correspondent for Sky News