Children

Who is really a disabled person?

Dear Children,

Do you have school friends, neighbours or relations who are disabled, may be by birth or due to some unfortunate incidents like accidents? We also cannot forget our war heroes who have sacrificed life and limb for the country. We must pay our gratitude to those heroic soldiers who may have now become disabled. Our grandparents or the elderly too sometimes face difficulties due to weakness. They are old and infirm. So I think its our duty as human beings to look after our disabled or as we call them differently abled people.

Since we celebrated The International Day of Disabled Persons yesterday (December 3) let us make a point to lend a helping hand to them, may be by offering our seat to such a person in the bus, helping a blind person cross the road etc. We must never forget that although these people are born with a disability they are very clever and full of talent.

Through the media we very often come across stories about such outstanding disabled personalities who have become very successful in life placing the so called abled people in the shade. They are an inspiration to fellow disabled people.

I am sure most of you being responsible, good, kind hearted children assist disabled people in their hour of need. But at the same time I know there are some children who laugh and try to make fun of them. Well if you are in this group (I hope not!) you must stop this habit at once. It is a very bad habit to make fun of others. The theme of this year's UN annual convention of the International Disabled Persons is: 'Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Dignity and justice for all of us'.

The theme of the Day is based on the goal of full and equal enjoyment of human rights and participation in society by persons with disabilities, established by the World Programme of Action concerning disabled persons, adopted by the General Assembly in 1982.

Children, please spare a thought for the disabled or the differently abled and go out of your way to give them a helping hand. Be nice to them. After all, a little kindness will certainly help make this world a nicer place.

Their disability is not for us to judge. It is their will power or dedication that we have to take into account. Only then can we understand who a disabled person really is!

Bye for now.

Aunt Anji

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A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him - David Brinkley

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Home Phaphenng Falls

In our series famous waterfalls in the world, today let us focus on Khone Phapheng Falls which is a waterfall on the Mekong River in Laos in the Champasak Province near its border with Cambodia. The Khone Falls are the main reason that the Mekong is not navigable into China.

The falls' total height is 21 meters (69 ft) in segmented cascades (or rapids) stretching over 10 kilometers (six miles) of the river's length. The average discharge of the cataract is nearly 11,000 cubic meters per second (3 million U.S. gallons per second), though the highest volume on record was reached at over 49,000 cubic meters per second (13 million U.S. gallons per second).

The area of the falls is dotted with islands and countless waterways, known as Si Phan Don (meaning 4,000 islands). The Khone Falls are well known as the prime reason why the Mekong river is not navigable into China. In the late 19th century French colonialists made repeated efforts to navigate the falls but they all failed. The first time they succeeded in bringing vessels of any size to the part of the river above the falls was when they had built a railway between two islands on the falls, circumventing the steepest rapids and allowing trans-shipment.
 

Royalist wins Wiz Kids of South Asia Competition

The Wiz Kids competition organised by Horlicks and Activity India is considered to be the largest interschool festival in South Asia.

All the participants had undergone training on various skills like project presentations, interviews, group discussions, talent, games, psychometric tests and other evaluation methods to prove their character and competence. This year's competition reached out to a million children across 4,500 schools in 24 cities across four countries. 64 talented students who qualified from their respective States and countries came together in Banglaore for a series of programmes spanning for five days which concluded with the South Asian finals held on November 14 at Ambedkar Bhavan. Anil Kumble, former Test Captain of India, Manoviraj Khosla, renowned Fashion Designer from Banglaore, Vivek Manshigh, Dr. Tara, Social Activist and Arundhati Nag, popular theatre personality, comprised the panel of judges. After the final talent and question-answer rounds, Viraga Perera of Royal College Sri Lanka was adjudged the winner of Wiz Kids 2008, together with Tanvi Jiten Gala-India, Bhoomika Meena-India and A. Karthikeyan-India, who would form the South Asian Wiz Team which would represent the region at The World Youth Conference 2008, to be held in England. They would also get an opportunity to interact with NGOs and students from the London School of Economics.

The other representative for Sri Lanka Aseliya Gunaratna of St. Lawrenece College won the award for best cultural presentation. This inter-school festival has helped students developed the ability and confidence to express their views and face challenges.

The festival also provided an opportunity for the young students from four different countries to come closer and learn to respect each others values and cultures. Viraga Perera of Royal College also received the award for the Most Popular Participant at Wiz Kids 2008.

Postman

A postman works at the post office. He collects the letters from the post office and delivers to us. He collects the letters from the post box and takes them to post office.

He wears a Khaki uniform and rides a bicycle. On festival days he brings us greeting cards. He is very busy during the festive season.

He rings the bell at our gates and hands over our letters. We give him gifts during festival time.

Dinuja, Grade 4

Kingston College

International, Wellawatte

By Uncle Sachi and Aunt Ruwi 

Yellowish trail of smoke  - Part 15

Sachi was thoughtful for a few minutes and Nalaka waited patiently for him to speak. The gnome closed his eyes, contemplating whether to relate one of the tales from many of the episodes that the goblins have got them in serious trouble.

Nalaka fidgeted in his seat uncomfortably. His back was hurting but he was more interested in hearing Sachi's tale rather than joining his sister and Scooby. He felt a jolt of excitement as Sachi cleared his throat.

"This episode took place years ago...," he began as he took out a small pipe from his pocket. He paused to search his pockets for a packet of tobacco and filled his pipe. Taking a deep puff he blew out a ring of purple smoke. Soon the pleasant fragrance of lavender filled the air. Nalaka watched in amazement as another ring of smoke, this time in blue colour, drifted into the air while a different aroma swept along with the breeze.

"Blue berry," Sachi commented when he saw Nalaka grazing at the smoke. "This is wildflower tobacco made by my brother, Ronny. He makes herbal infusions. This tobacco is made out of Lavender shoot, Blueberry juice, Dandelion pollen and Wild Rose petals," he said as he blew yet another pinkish ring of smoke.

"So anyway as I was saying... Many years ago when I was a wee baby there came a day when a pack of goblins were playing around the area of the forbidden wood. We divine creatures hardly visit the place because legend has it that there is something evil about the surroundings. There these mischievous goblins who were always making trouble for the gnomes, pixies, elves, brownies, hobbits, fairies and animals of the woods accidentally unchaste an age old spell and released an evil witch who had been trapped underground for centuries. The witch recognised the evil within the goblins and took them as allies to her side. Using her magical powers she bread an army who massacred many of the elves, the most powerful of our kind. The remaining few had no choice than to go into hiding. Nine dreary years passed and during that period the goblins ransacked our professions. We dare not step out at night because that is when the ghouls, Zelda's army, walked along the streets. Though she had tricked the elves Zelda was uneasy. She could not forget that it was the elves who had overpowered her more then 1,000 years ago."

Yet again he blew out a yellowish trail of smoke. Nalaka who had been engrossed in the story, hardly noticed the ring of dandelion smoke floating past him and vapouring within seconds. He was eager to listen to the rest of the story.

A witch! Oh my goodness! He had always thought that they were make-believe figures, yet here was another such creature, a gnome, sitting right in front of him relating a story.

"Since the witch could not lure the elves out of their hideout she thought of another plan to destroy them. The goblins aided her in creating animosity between the elves and the dwarfs. Hatred had spread everywhere. The dwarfs and elves lost their better sense. We gnomes, pixies and hobbits intervened just in time to stop them turning on each other. Together we united and tricked Zelda back into the lair she had been trapped for years and the goblins were banished from the woods. Many years have passed and we are still recovering from those gloomy days but the story does not end there... We have to keep constant watch for evil is still larking close by."