A second chance for mangroves
Sri Lankans need no reminder of the value of mangroves, for bitter were the consequences of the 2004 tsunami on lives, homes and livelihoods in the coastal stretches where these ‘lungs of the sea’ had been destroyed due to callous human disregard for the environment. Close-up images at a Zoom meeting on Thursday, however, brought [...]
Lockdown: A foodie experience comes to your home
Sri Lanka has always been a melting pot of exciting cuisines and flavours and the Sri Lankan appetite for good food is well known. The COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdowns that came in its wake saw restrictions on restaurants big and small but from five-star hotels to bakeries and food trucks, restaurateurs have turned disdavantage [...]
Letters to the Editor
A ludicrous English translation at public park patronised mainly by the ‘physically unfit’! A notice board has been erected last week at the main entrance to the Wetland Park, Nugegoda popularly known as Weli Park prohibiting physically unfit members of the public from patronising the park to the amusement of park visitors, who are by [...]
Appreciations
Great engineer and leader who made lasting contributions and moulded many of us Douglas Ladduwahetty Douglas Ladduwahetty, a charismatic member of the Sri Lankan engineering fraternity, took leave of us a few days ago. He led a full life, dedicated to the engineering profession for more than five decades. His participation in the development of [...]
Herd immunity or abandoned flock? The unique problem with COVID-19
Herd immunity’ is one of the most poorly understood and misused terms in the context of COVID-19. The fundamental principle of herd immunity is the protection of susceptible individuals within a population with no immunity against a particular contagion, by individuals with immunity against that contagion. To better understand this concept, consider three categories of [...]
Post COVID-19: Re-booting your immune system
Good nutrition is the pillar of good health. This is because what we eat is what repairs, grows and regenerates our body. Feeding our body with a balanced diet allows it to fight off some common disorders, often referred to as lifestyle disorders or non-communicable diseases that could be avertible or reversible with some changes [...]
Gratiaen Trust workshop for budding young writers
Write Back!” – a workshop for young writers by the Gratiaen Trust, in association with the John Keells Foundation will be held on October 16 -17 led by three Gratiaen Prize winning authors – Lal Medawattegedara, Prashani Rambukwella and Delon Weerasinghe. The Trust invites budding young writers of 14 – 17 years of age to [...]
Dance in the sunlight
“Will you, won’t you, will you, won’t you, will you join the dance”(Lewis Carroll) It’s morning. I step into the garden and breathe in, deeply. The sun has just cleared the horizon, lighting up the rooftops, slanting across the garden, bathing parts of it golden, leaving the rest in shadow. The trees and the ivy-covered [...]
Lecture on ancient irrigation
‘Ancient Irrigation in Sri Lanka: Some Issues Pertaining to Cascade Systems, their Origins and Functional Linkages’ – the 138th in the monthly lecture series of the National Trust of Sri Lanka will be delivered online on Thursday, September 30, at 6 p.m. by Prof. C. M. Madduma Bandara. Those interested could use the following links [...]