[fernando]

Originally Posted by various

… Being from Sri Lanka does not give you ownership of the Kastane...moreover it gives you the opportunity to debate this very little known sword on the hot anvil of this Forum and not Sir, to attempt to slur the efforts of others.

… It is extremely bad form to suggest that I may have not the respect because I am not Sri Lankan and to suggest that by speaking to me in the 3rd person that everyone else is able to identify the lion except me is entirely without merit and very insulting

… Fortunately academic debates are not necessarily won based upon who writes the most about the subject during the debate just as in person arguments are not won by the person who argues the loudest.

… and marked by the high readership of now more than 13,000 hits...so somebody is reading the thread, no?

… If you do not wish to take part then it is entirely up to you...This is a Forum... you know what happens on Forums... ?

… It is at this point that I opt out of this discussion and perhaps I will come back n another 12 months.

… You continue to describe the ranks of forum members fleeing this thread (when in fact there is one only who has decided to call it a day for now. )

...

Hello Ibrahiim
I must say i am deeply impressed with your ability to make a (this) thread survive like a real siege around the same specific topic. I realize the common of mortals would have long given up this endless (not to say arid) discussion … which you bravely decided to maintain at all costs .
I am amazed that you claim that 13000 views are an evidence that this thread is a hit; you are smarter than that. Almost half of the posts are yours; this will potentially keep the thread alive. Perhaps you should consider that people visit the thread to check on something actually new ?; with all due respect, remember the thread wasn’t started by you and the theme is Sri Lankan swords in general … not only kastanes .
Also when you infer that no one has yet given up its follow up, you might be navigating on false waters; are you sure some of us haven't already abandoned the ship ?
You are also certainly aware that, when you consider addressing you by your last name is an insult, you are pulling the rope a bit too tight; that Prasanna Weerakkody was calling for your attention with a certain emphasis i believe so but, no more than that may be concluded. After all, what is wrong in calling you by your last name ? you have also addressed Prasanna as Weerakkody … and Gavin as SwordsAntiqueWeapons; not noticing that he signs his posts with his real name.
And speaking of addressing style, may i dare pointing out that you are the only one here who starts all posts with the same salutation expression; never minding that surely the majority of our fellow members do not practice such language; one could hardly call such attitude the best of diplomacy .
It is also noteworthy that, often mentioning the forum as a back up to our (unilateral) approaches doesn't make it obvious that such symbiosis pertains only to one of us.
I confess i am not surprised when you are told that, by now, with this kaskara topic, you are beating a dead gargoyle … or, in my native expression, raining on the wet ... if you allow me the joke .
I have a feeling that, if one makes a survey, asking out there if it needs such many hundreds of posts to confirm whether the figure on the kastane pommel is a lion or a makara, people would find it somehow implausible; even a draw would take an infinitely shorter discussion … unless one insists in bringing back the same (or questionably new) material again and again .
I know after all this time that you are a sportsman who doesn’t interiorize this type of observations and will consider my catharsis as a non valid episode; reason why i don’t hesitate to release it ... in any case with all due appologies for whatever might have affected you .