Yohan Perera

A close-up of several children, likely from an African community, gathered together. The child in the center foreground is smiling broadly with an open mouth, revealing white teeth, and has one hand near their chin. Other children are visible around them, some looking towards the camera with smiles or curious expressions, while others are partially obscured. Their faces are predominantly dark-skinned, and some have braided hair. The background is blurry, suggesting a shallow depth of field, and appears to be other people or a crowded outdoor setting. The overall mood is one of joy and innocence.

Tears of the Sun: The Massacre of 70 Congolese Christians

The Hollywood film Tears of the Sun, starring Bruce Willis as a U.S. Navy SEAL, is set against the backdrop of a fictional civil war and ethnic cleansing in Nigeria. While the film centers on ethnic violence, it echoes the brutal reality many parts of the African Continent continue to face. On the other hand,…

Technicity

Smart, Not Standard: 3 Little-Known Ways to Harden WordPress Security

There are many websites owned by Sri Lankans that are WordPress-driven. WordCamp Sri Lanka, held in 2017, saw 183 local users come together to share ideas and grow the community—proof that WordPress has a strong presence here. However, with popularity comes risk. When it comes to WordPress security, most blog posts echo the same advice—use…

Two men are seated in chairs facing each other on a raised platform, engaged in what appears to be an interview or discussion. The setting features a dark background with reddish-brown paneled walls. On the left, an older man with grey hair is wearing a dark suit, a white shirt, and a green tie. He is gesturing with both hands as he speaks, leaning forward slightly. On the right, a younger man with short hair and a beard is wearing a dark suit, a white shirt, and a patterned red tie. He is holding papers in one hand and seems to be listening intently or making a point, with his other hand slightly raised. Between them, there's a small table with two glasses of water. The overall impression is that of a formal televised debate or interview.

Ranil Wickremesinghe, Al Jazeera, and Bimal Rathnayake: A Study in Hypocrisy

On March 6, Al Jazeera’s Head to Head aired an interview between journalist Mehdi Hasan and former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe. The episode, later released on YouTube, purported to hold Wickremesinghe accountable but exposed Al Jazeera’s own double standards in the process. Hasan, known for his aggressive questioning, selectively framed issues while sidestepping contradictions…

A single human eye and part of a nose and mouth are visible peeking through a jagged, torn hole in a bright yellow surface, which appears to be paper or fabric. The eye is dark with a visible pupil and iris, and a hand with fingers slightly curled is positioned beneath the eye, as if holding the tear open or resting near the opening. The lighting highlights the texture of the torn yellow material and creates a shadow effect on the face, emphasizing the clandestine or watchful nature of the gaze.

10 Smartphone Apps that Threaten Your Privacy without You Knowing

Our daily lives are filled with subtle threats to our privacy, often without us even realizing it. In my 2021 blog post, “Four Mistakes That Could Undermine Your Privacy,” I discussed some of these hidden risks. That same year, I also wrote “I’m Sticking with WhatsApp: Here’s Why?” in response to the mass exodus of…

A very close-up, high-magnification shot of a housefly with prominent compound eyes and a textured body. The fly is perched on the edge of a vibrant green leaf, with a soft, blurred green background, indicating a shallow depth of field. Title: Close-up of a Housefly on a Green Leaf

A Buyer’s Guide to 11 Different Domestic Pesticides and Insecticides

When I was a toddler, there weren’t many pesticide or insecticide brands available. The only household insecticide we had was Baygon, which we used to deal with houseflies, mosquitoes, and other harmful insects. Aerosol sprays didn’t exist back then. Instead, insecticides were applied using a “Manual Pump Action Sprayer”—a tool that’s now considered a collector’s…

A young girl with long, reddish-blonde hair and large, framed glasses is seated cross-legged on a wooden table. She is wearing a light blue top, white tights or leggings, and ballet flats. Her attention is completely focused on a smartphone she holds in both hands. In the background, a large window with white curtains allows natural light into the room. To the left of the girl on the table, there's a stack of books and a container of colored pencils or markers. The overall scene suggests a quiet, focused moment of a child engaging with a digital device.

A Parent’s Guide to Productive Use of Social Media

I was compelled to write this blog post after seeing a Facebook post by a psychiatrist in Sri Lanka warning parents about the addictive nature of social media. While her concerns are valid and factually correct, my issue is that many professionals today focus solely on demonizing social media. Instead of repeatedly emphasizing its negative…

A child is shown from the chest up, holding a light blue smartphone in both hands and looking down at the screen. Only the lower half of her face, showing a smile, is visible, along with her dark hair styled in pigtails. She is wearing a teal long-sleeved shirt. In the background, another person, possibly a boy, is partially visible, wearing a striped shirt with white, blue, and tan horizontal stripes. The scene appears to be set at a desk or table, with notebooks and pens visible in the foreground, suggesting a learning or casual environment.

Social Media Safety: A Guide for Parents

In today’s digital age, social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok have become integral parts of our daily lives. These platforms offer a wide range of opportunities for children, from learning and creativity to social interaction. However, with these opportunities come potential risks, including exposure to inappropriate content, online predators, and…

A frustrated-looking man in a dark suit and tie is seated outdoors at a white table with a silver laptop open in front of him. He is looking upwards with his mouth open and both hands raised, palms open, in a gesture of exasperation or distress. A white coffee cup is also on the table to his left. The setting appears to be a city street or outdoor cafe area, with tall buildings lining both sides of the street in the background. The lighting suggests it's daytime.

A Frustrating Journey: Microsoft 365 Business Edition Sign-Up Woes

If you’re like me, you probably have a love-hate relationship with Microsoft by now. When I first started using computers in 1997, MS-DOS was still in use. Although I was good at it, I disliked its command-line interface (CLI). Fortunately, Windows 3.1 was already available, making MS-DOS somewhat tolerable. Then came Windows 95, which promised…

Technicity

Setting up the HNB IPG for a Non-Profit Organization

I worked for a well-known non-profit in Colombo for seven years before retiring early due to personal reasons. One of my key accomplishments during that time was helping the organization set up an Internet Payment Gateway in partnership with Hatton National Bank, a project I continue to maintain to this day. This blog post is…

The image is a triptych, featuring three individual portraits side-by-side. From left to right: A man with dark, neatly styled hair is smiling slightly. He is wearing a light-colored suit jacket over a white collared shirt, unbuttoned at the top. The background behind him appears to be an indoor setting with a framed picture on the wall. A woman with long, dark, wavy hair is looking directly at the camera with a neutral expression. She is wearing a light-colored top with a subtle pattern. The background is slightly blurred but appears to be an indoor office or room setting. An older man wearing a cardinal's vestments (red cassock, surplice, and zucchetto) is looking slightly to his right and smiling gently. He has glasses and a crucifix on a chain around his neck. The background behind him is a plain, light color, possibly with a subtle gradient.

Jerome Fernando, The Daily Mirror, and Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith: A Critical Reflection

The self-proclaimed prophet Jerome Fernando’s recent interview with the Daily Mirror, shared over 3.4K times on Facebook, has drawn significant attention for his bold remarks. In the interview, Jerome indirectly referenced Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, using sarcasm about ‘Cardinal Polish’ to make provocative statements. While the interview itself has not sparked controversy, its widespread reach highlights…