Content Central

Straight From The Heart: Does Integrity Require Rules

2016-04-19T22:34:00.001-07:00

By Dhanvin Kumar, National Finalist at ESU-MIDP Public Speaking 2016

Albert Camus, a world-renowned philosopher, once said. ”If you create rules to live by, sooner or later you'll encounter the situation where wisdom will have you break them. "

A very good morning, members of the hall. Today, I seek all of your ears for my speech, "Straight From The Heart." I am not here today to recite poetry, nor a Hindi movie, but to plant the seed in each and every mind in this hall that integrity is a virtue that comes straight from the heart and doesn't require rules.

For us to judge the statement well, let me resolve the statement into its two main components- integrity and rules. From what I know, integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles in one's life. Rules on the other hand, are a set of regulations within a particular area or activity.

Rules and integrity are two man-made designs that seemingly are unable to live without each other. The best example would be practiced by the leader of a nation. Leaders are supposed to be people of integrity, as they are the ones that will decide the fate of their nations. Their integrities are flanked by the long list of rules that act like statements of conduct on how they should be "politically correct" while in office. In theory, this may sound good. What about those who break the norm, however? Are they considered as people of no integrity? Does a leader have to be unblemished in his virtues in every angle even though his main duty of leading his subjects and governing the country is exemplary?

While peasants like us may crave for integrity in our national institutions, the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles will never be instilled in without reverence being set inside us. It is this reverence that has been rehashed as rules today.

What do I mean by this? It is simply that rules are there to scare us into acting "politically correct". Most of us fall under its spell and are bound to it for life. It is not a guarantee that we will act with integrity. Rules are not our brains, are they? So why should they even play a role in how they act?

Flipping through the history annals, I could not help but notice that no leader has ruled without a set of principles of conduct. Name them- Alexander, Julius Caesar, Genghis Khan. Can we say that they had no integrity, for they needed laws to govern? Their feats and achievements may have been great but cannot be taken at face value for history is always written by the victors. Perhaps even they knew that integrity and rules do not complement one another.

Integrity and rules do not co-exist. If mankind can carry out his obligations with restraint, rules should not be existent. A political leader with all sorts of rules to back him is not a person of integrity as the virtue does not come straight from the heart.

Let me cite an example. Ex-US presidents Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton presided over different eras of the United States- namely the 70s and the 90s, but their stories are somehow connected. Both had all the rules set in place, including a Constitution that had been created 200 years ago. But both of their political careers were tarnished- due to their non-existent integrity.

Nixon, the Watergate, was not so fortunate unlike Clinton, who I actually saw out his second term despite the Lewinsky scandal hanging over his head. The main issue here is, was integrity upheld with these rules? Not at all. Integrity is a human trait and is upheld only by the individual's sincerity to practice it. Apparently, Nixon, and to a lesser extent, Clinton lacked the trait. They erred big time in office and exposed the world's worst-kept secret, which was integrity is not guaranteed by rules.

If a leader were to rule with integrity, he or she would not need a long list of rules to carry out his duties with integrity. It needs to come from the heart. Instead of loudly claiming to be someone of integrity, the leader needs to show it! Show it by practicing honesty, meritocracy, tolerance and other good values openly. Leaders should also treat corruption and cronyism like Devils and not Angels.

With integrity you have nothing to fear, since you have nothing to hide.

With integrity you will do the right thing, since you have no guilt.

Ladies and gentlemen, the next time we see a leader acting without integrity, remember that integrity is always dependent on the heart and soul of someone.

- [x] Be the type of person that leaves a mark, not a scar. Thank you.

Changes in 15 years, 2030

2016-04-18T19:04:00.002-07:00

Peace and stability- Middle East
2) Technological advancements.
3) Manned space shuttles to Mars.
4) Robots

1) Fifteen years ago, it seemed like this year would be the peak of human civilization.movies? Fifteen years on, 2030 is not far away. I would like to envision 2030 in a great way; flying cars, robots and so on. I have to get back to reality though, as those will certainly not exist. Although 2030 should be a landmark year, I would still like to see it pan out differently.

2) The most important thing that I would like to see in 2030 is an even more technologically-advanced human society. Yes, we might admit that in 2015, we humans can do anything; from going to the bottom of the Mariana Trench or stepping foot on the Moon. But there are several things that still remain beyond our control.

3) A great example is cancer. A disease that has existed for as long as humans itself, we have yet to find a cure for it. Research for cancer has been progressing over the years but cancer continues to kill hundreds of people daily. Perhaps by 2030, the technology to cure cancer will exist, but another question shall arise; will everyone be able to afford it? The price of treatment will skyrocket and as usual, the poor won't be able to afford it. Even if there is a cure, the majority of the population can't be treated. So why should there be a cure in the first place? The people of 2030 need to make sure that the treatment is affordable and suits the poor's budget. Even before treating cancer, perhaps we should also strive to provide medical access to all in the first place. The need to convince the affluent population of the world that communicable diseases do indeed kill and mankind has managed to eradicate many potentially fatal diseases like small pox and poliomyelitis via immunization. Maybe, they are barking the wrong tree when they insist that autism is medically induced.

4) The world needs a lot of peace and stability and that's what I would like to see fifteen years from now. Terrorism and extremism has become a major problem for many nations as the divide between moderation and extremism continues to grow. Let's ask ourselves; does religion really allow all this? No, right? Then why does terrorism remain to exist? It's because of the racial inequality that exists in this world. All religions and races must be tolerant of each other's views. I would like to see the Middle East to be a peaceful region. The wars in the world's most unsafe region should cease as there should be no reason to fight. Sure, the Middle East is rich with oil, but since oil reserves are expected to run out by then, there should be no reason for them to engage in their unending wars. Besides, haven't the current generation been taught about maintaining world peace? It is high time that we actually put a full stop to the wars and fights occurring all over the world, and use the energy instead to modernize the current human civilization. Our time on Earth as a species is finite. At look of things, it appears to me that we are heading straight to self annihilation.

5) I would like to see humans conquer space. Manned missions to Mars are planned for 2030, and I hope it happens. In the likely event where Earth is destroyed due to an apocalyptic catastrophe, we need a new home to continue the human race. Mars seems like a candidate, but we need a permanent base. The technology that we have seen in science-fiction films will become a reality as we will set up our first space colony. Perhaps we might be making homes all over the Galaxy, but that seems like a far-fetched idea for now.

6) I would also like to see the introduction of actual artificially-intelligent (AI) robots into our daily life. The line between reality and science fiction has been thinning over the couple of years, and with robots, science fiction might not even exist anymore. Robots will definitely be a boon for us as we do not need to depend on manual labour to get tedious things done. They can do it all for us. Our lives are made simpler and human civilization will make the next step in advancement. We shouldn't worry about AI taking over the world as it is bound to never happen. Instead, AI will take our comfort zone to the next level.

7) To sum things up, what lies ahead in 2030 is an exciting prospect. I would definitely like to see my hopes and wishes come true as it would make the world a better place to live in. These could only be my hopes and wishes and there is a chance that it won't be taken seriously. But shouldn't everyone be allowed to decide how their future world should be? How nice would December 31, 2030 be if what I wish really happened.

RIFLE RANGE BOY

2016-04-13T02:18:00.001-07:00

RIFLE RANGE BOY

friday the 13th

2013-04-24T16:40:00.001-07:00

“Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock.” The sound of the 20-year old clock ringing was the sound that was heard around the living room of the Parkers.

It was Friday, August 13, 1982 in the quiet and tranquil suburbs of West Area in Vince City. Everyone was in their own homes as the fear of Friday the 13^th hit the neighbourhood once again. Even the Parkers were, much to the surprise of the neighbourhood. The Parkers were usually out of the house during the weekends; but this time they decided not to go out. And it was this day where they met their demise.

At half-past ten he arrived. Rain splashed on the steps as he tip-toed and peeped into the window, where he saw the Parkers having a great time. How he wished he could have too, with a wife and a few kids. But no one wanted to marry

The Power Of Love

2013-04-18T01:58:00.001-07:00

Dylan, Carmen and Shaun are good friends. They have been good friends since elementary school and are still even though they have left university.

Carmen's mother, Nina is desperate to get her married in order to focus on Carmen's younger sister, Violet. Carmen tells her mother that she will only get married to the person that she loves truly and deeply.

The trio's friendship become increasingly closer, and Carmen makes a bond with Dylan, leaving Shaun out. Dylan is a bit sensitive and feminine, which makes Carmen to consider him as a friend rather as a partner. Shaun thinks that Dylan and Carmen are together and he becomes jealous.

Unknown to Shaun, Carmen actually loves him, but likes Dylan as a friend more as he can understand her suffering and problems. Dylan however gets the wrong message and thinks that Carmen loves him, so he starts loving her too.

The story gets more complicated when Shaun decides to send his friend, David to woo Carmen. He thinks that if David woos Carmen, he will able to persuade Carmen to fall in ❤ with him.

Carmen is charmed by David and ultimately falls for him. However, the plan is ruined when David falls for Carmen instead! Shaun is so angry with his inability to hatch good schemes and he plots to separate the two.

In the meantime, Dylan is sad as Carmen tells him about David. He is further saddened when Carmen reveals that David is her new partner. Dylan becomes depressed to the extent that he turns to drugs and alcohol.

Shaun decides to find a rebound girl in order to make up for his loss. He is smitten by Carmen's sister, Violet and falls in love with her. Violet refuses at first, but after some persuasion, she ❤s him.

Carmen decides to contact Shaun and plans a double date with him. At home, Violet reveals that she met the best guy of her life and they are now in a relationship. Carmen is thankful, but at the same wondering who is that guy.

Two nights later, the four of them meet at the Harbourview restaurant. Carmen is so excited to meet Shaun's new girlfriend. But to her shock, it is Violet! Carmen is angry at Shaun for dating her sister. Shaun tries to explain, but she storms off in anger.

Back at home, Shaun is waiting idly when Carmen walks in. She apologizes for her rude behavior two days ago. She said that she ended things with David. She reveals her feelings for Shaun the whole time. Shaun rejects her and says that he has Violet and he will always love her. Carmen is sad and walks away(*)

Carmen is so sad and she goes to meet Dylan. To her shock, Dylan is no more living in Park Street. She tries contacting him, and eventually finds him at a bar. She tells him about the problem she has. Dylan is very sad because all she cares about is herself and Shaun. He gets angry and storms off. Carmen is so sad and she begins to cry.
-I-(*)
Two months later, Carmen is now all alone with Nina and Violet. She has not contacted Dylan or Shaun for two months and has also quit her job. Violet bursts in through the door one day with Shaun(oops!) and announces that they are going to get married. Nina is delighted but Carmen is shocked. She leaves the place and exits the house.

Shaun catches up with her at the car park and asks simple questions. Carmen struggles, but eventually she bursts out "Why? Why did you go away? Shaun I really love you. I really really love you. Please marry me. Please!!" Tears start flowing out of her cheeks. Shaun tells her that he loves her too, but he's already engaged to Violet and he can't do anything. Carmen tells him to run away with her, but he rejects and tells her that he will be loyal to his fiancé. Carmen is so sad(**) and cries for him to come back. But Shaun walks away.

A flashback comes into his mind:
Two months ago, when Carmen told me the three words, I was shocked. That's why I said that. I thought she would work hard to get me. But she didn't. She thought it was real. I've got to find Dylan and tell him this. Now, what's going to happen?"

Shaun finds Dylan in the hospital after being knocked down by a car. Dylan relates his sad story of Carmen's rejection and Shaun is shocked. He tells Dylan about Carmen's grief. Dylan decides to marry Carmen in order to make her happy. Shaun is shocked, but Dylan tells him that its the only win-win way to make both happy. Shaun is forced to agree.

Dylan proposes to Carmen, who needs a rebound after the incident, says yes. Wedding preparations soon begin. On the night before the wedding, Dylan, Shaun, Violet and Carmen decide to have the last bachelor night of their lives and celebrate in a disco. Simultaneously, Carmen and Shaun regret their mistake of getting married. They meet outside the disco and hug each other as they cry about not being with each other. They go back to Shaun's place where the two of them have sexual intercourse.(*) Dylan and Violet have a great time at the disco in the meantime.

The next morning is the day of the wedding. The two couples are getting married together. Carmen and Shaun regret their infidelity last night, and decide to tell the truth. However, they do not.

When the priest asks Carmen whether she accepts this marriage, she says "I don't". Same with Shaun. The two of them tell their respective partners that they can't be happy if I'm(C and S) are not happy. The events of the previous night are revealed as well, to the shock of Violet and Dylan. Dylan and Shaun get into a fight(physical). However, Violet stops the fight and tells Dylan that Carmen and Shaun deserve each other. The power of love is also strong between them.

Dylan realizes his mistake and tells the priest to allow Shaun and Carmen to get married. The story ends with Shaun and Carmen getting married at the altar, with Dylan and Violet cheering for them.

Boarding Greats: Revenge of The Pennyfeathers

2013-02-09T17:25:00.002-08:00

Boarding Greats: Revenge of The Pennyfeathers

Nathan, Justin and Daphne return to the St.Willows Institution for their second form there. Many of the classmates, including Irene and Lionel have returned, but some like Jazz and Handel have not. This term there are three new students to the term- Saunders and his elder brother Karl Pennyfeather together with a girl named Ellen Fawkes.

The term starts off perfectly fine without any strange occurrences. Their history master, Mr Hopkins begins to tell them about the Pennylegs, a wealthy family who became poor after their three sons, Shaun, Kiry and Sam were rejected entry into many schools. Soon after, they died due to unforeseen circumstances till today has not found out. That night, in the teacher dormitory Mr Hopkins dies. He is found to be poisoned when the police found his body.

Saunders begins to treat Lionel well and Lionel begins to drift away from Justin and Nathan as well as Daphne and Irene. Over the summer, Lionel and Irene have developed a blossoming romance and now they are dating. Irene does not see any harm in Lionel befriending Saunders, so she just agrees.

The murder of Mr.Hopkins has an effect on the school, leading to rumors that he was murdered. However, Miss Ariana brushes this away, stating that rumors are not real and the school is conducting a thorough investigation into his death.

Ellen Fawkes, the other new student in the second form is introduced as a quiet and simple girl. She is also bright and hardworking. She and Nathan share a bond together, and Nathan introduces her to his friends. They like her and accept her into the group as a replacement for Lionel.

Saunders and Lionel develop a healthy friendship, much to the annoyance of Justin- and Karl. Karl is frustrated because of Saunders' dominance even though Karl is elder than him. The second form is given a shock when Mr.James, their Maths master of Form Two tells them that a robbery occurred in the sanatorium in the school. Mr.James also tells them that the robber escaped with a big amount of cash and this time, a student! A sixth-former named Catherine Jones. Justin, Nathan and Daphne are shocked. So are Irene and Ellen. The school try to keep this under control, but Justin overhears Mr.Ariana saying to some of the staff that she is crumbling under pressure as she has to handle two mysteries of the school.Justin is shocked to hear this and rushes to tell Nathan and Daphne. But he sees Karl on the way, and decides to talk to him instead.

Karl tells Nathan about his frustration of Saunders' dominance. Justin sympathizes with Karl and tells him that he will tell the head of the form, Timmy. He rushes to the common room to meet Timmy, where he forgets all about Miss Ariana’s words.

At dinner a week later, Miss Robinson announces to the second-formers that Daniel, a third-former complained saying that he saw a person walking in the corridors. Thinking that it was a ghost, he runs and checks the dorms, and that's where he found out someone from the second form was out of bed after seeing only 14/15 beds occupied. The school authorities say that they will investigate this matter. Daphne begins to worry about the safety of the school. She talks to Nathan and Justin about it, but they brush it off.

Felix Allen, a smart girl in Form 2 loves teasing Daphne as she thinks that Daphne is dumb. While teasing Daphne in the grounds, she is attacked violently by a mysterious stranger as Daphne tries to leave. Daphne is shocked and tries to save her. The assaulter escapes, but some students and teachers have arrived after hearing some shrieks. They all think that Daphne is guilty and Miss Ariana states that she will deal with her in a while.

Daphne is scolded and returns to the common room. The second-formers have heard about the affair and are shocked. Daphne pleads her innocence to Nathan and Justin, but they do not believe her. Saunders and Ellen together with Irene believe that she is innocent, and they try to comfort her. However, Daphne receives a notice from the school that she has been expelled after breakfast the next day. She tries to appeal, but Miss Ariana, who is mortified at the thought that her favourite student Daphne could do such things, does not listen to her. At half-term, Daphne is taken away by her parents, Mr and Mrs Peterson.

The second half of the term soon begins two weeks later without any incident. However, it is dampened after Saunders fights with Miss Robinson for giving 5 demerit points and a double detention for disobeying two fifth-formers who are prefects. Miss Robinson is hurt after Saunders storms off without notice. She leaves the class too and goes to her own room. The second formers are shocked, especially
Lionel. He finds Saunders in the common room after dinner, and he takes him to the dorm for a talk.

Lionel asks Saunders how he could have the guts to yell at Miss Robinson and leave her class without notice. Saunders, thinking that Lionel is over-concerned, tells Lionel that Miss Robinson is an ass and she will always be. Lionel becomes angry and tells him to watch his words. Saunders refuses to listen, instead taunting Lionel as a teacher's dog (pet). Lionel becomes hurt and ends his friendship with Saunders. He then storms out of the place.

While this is going on, Nathan is walking to the headmistress' office. He then talks to Miss Ariana about Daphne's expulsion. Miss Ariana, refusing to believe Daphne's innocence, tells Nathan that she would not wish to have any more words about the matter. Nathan protests, but she silences him. He walks out, having admitted defeat.

While walking back to the common-room, Nathan notices Lionel sitting on a bench. He joins him and asks him what the matter is. Lionel tells him about Saunders' behavior. Nathan, having snapped after the talk to Miss Ariana, unexpectedly scolds Lionel as he is very angry. He tells Lionel that Justin and the rest had told him to not befriend Saunders, but he didn't want to listen. Nathan leaves. Lionel is shocked and hurt. He then leaves.

Nathan returns to the common room, where he sees Ellen. Ellen goes to him and manages to cool him down. Ellen tells him about her discovery.

She discovered that the mysterious person behind the strange events this term had been spotted in the library a few nights ago. A first-former, Heffy told her about the discovery and she decided to find out whether it was true. She found out that night, Karl and Saunders were out of their beds! That means they were the ones. Nathan is shocked to hear this. Ellen tells him that they need to go to the library and find out whether it is true. Nathan agrees and decides to follow.

Meanwhile, Irene has finished her extra coaching session with Miss Summers and is walking back to the common-room when she sees a mysterious figure in the shadows. She decides to follow him and know his identity once and for all.

Ellen and Nathan are reading in the library when the door is flung open. They are shocked, thinking that it is a teacher and decide to hide. It is actually Saunders and Karl who have come to meet them.

Miss Summers sees a mysterious figure, just like Irene walking in the shadows. She is shocked to see a body there and recognizes it as Catherine Jones. The school then declares a murderer on the loose, and all students must stay in their common-rooms. Justin and Lionel notice that Nathan, Ellen, Irene, Saunders and Karl are not present in the common-room. They try to find them, but Miss Robinson denies them.

Ellen and Nathan are scared stiff. They are even more scared when Karl brings Irene in. Saunders reveals that he and Karl enrolling in the school was a ploy from the start. Saunders also tells them that he is Shaun Pennyfeathers, the student who was expelled from the school years ago, while Karl is Kiry. Nathan and Ellen are shocked! So is Irene. But Irene can't say anything as she is tied up. Saunders orders Karl to tie Nathan and Ellen up, before revealing anything else.

Meanwhile back in the dormitory, Justin and Lionel are trying to figure out where are the five. Lionel's sharp thinking makes them able to deduce Saunders and Karl guilty and they rush to tell Miss Robinson about it.

Saunders reveals the happenings of this term and it's reasons: (he means both of them)
•Mr.Hopkins' death was because he knew that they were Shaun and Kiry.
•The robbery was done to spice things up and make it clear that it was not an inside job.
•He was walking around at night to think about ways to kill more people.
•He attacked Felix as she managed to find her golden brooch stolen by him. She wanted to confront him, but he assaulted her. He ran away and hid by one of the doors and waited for the crowd, where he easily blended in.
•He killed Catherine Jones because if she was alive, she would have spilt the beans and escaped.

Nathan, Ellen and Irene are shocked to hear this. At that time, the library door opens and three more figures enter. Ellen tries to untie Irene but Saunders gets there first and attacks her. A fight between the Pennyfeathers and the students begin.

Justin, Lionel and Miss Robinson
are trying to find the five together with Mr.Jones, but are unsuccessful in their attempts. Suddenly, they hear a faint sound in the distance. They try to find it, and learn that it is Fransisco Saulter, a fourth-former who is injured very badly. Miss Robinson and Mr.Jones are forced to attend to him, leaving Justin and Lionel to continue in their search.

Meanwhile in the library, the duel is going on. Nathan, with his karate skills tries to defeat Saunders, but his brother, Samwise overpowers him. Sandra and Kilata take a knife and try to stab unguarded Ellen, but a mysterious figure stops them. That is actually Justin, who has found them together with Lionel. He manages to steal the knife and sends Kilata flying across the room. With his phone, Lionel tries to contact the police and Miss Ariana.

While everyone is distracted, Karl slowly tries to stab Irene, but Nathan is aware. Karl immediately puts the knife inside her and stabs her before he can react. Ellen however manages to take her away, and before Karl can do anything the police arrive. Saunders and Karl together with a unconscious Kilata are arrested, but Sandra and Samwise have escaped unfortunately.

Irene is severely injured following Karl's attack and she is brought on the stretcher to the sanatorium. Nathan, Ellen, Justin and Lionel are very sad to see their friend injured. Miss Ariana tells them to get some sleep and she will see them tomorrow.

The next day, Miss Ariana has a surprise for them- Daphne has returned to school. She apologizes to Nathan for believing in Saunders instead of him. Nathan accepts her apology, but he is given a shock when Miss Ariana informs him that she is no longer the headmistress of St. Willows as she resigned the previous night. She tells the six of them that they must keep persevering and hope for good things to happen. Miss Ariana then leaves her study. What the six of them don’t know is that she has left the school and she is going to visit Saunders.

Saunders is crying to himself when Miss Ariana arrives with a prison guard outside his cell. She begins to have a talk to him. Saunders is angry at first but he cools down and begins pouring out the whole story to her. When he finally finishes, Miss Ariana tells him that he had the potential of a good student and that was why he was accepted into St. Willows this year. She also tells him that she knew that he was Shaun Pennyfeather, but she still accepted him because she wanted him to have a good life. But now, [she says] all the hopes she put into him were wasted and killed by his evilness. Saunders tries to apologise, but Miss Ariana tells him that she will never ever have any contact with him and tells him that he deserves this punishment.

Meanwhile, Nathan, Justin, Lionel, Irene and Ellen have been waiting in Miss Ariana’s office for her return but she has not returned. They are about to leave when they see Miss Robinson entering. Miss Robinson tells them that the five of them are heroes of the school as they managed to save the school from utter destruction from Saunders and Karl. Miss Robinson tells them that she is very, very proud of the behaviour. The five of them are very pleased. Miss Robinson’s mood however changes when she learns about Miss Ariana’s resignation.

News of Miss Ariana’s resignation spreads around the school fast, and the teachers are wondering who will be the next headmistress or headmaster. As the end of the term is approaching, the second form is given a wonderful surprise when Daphne Peterson returns to school. Miss Robinson explains that since Miss Summers, the history-mistress has been made temporary headmistress, she decided to reverse Miss Ariana’s decision after learning about Saunders and Karl. However, Daphne learns about the “Saunders Affair”, as everyone calls it through Nathan and Will.

The last day of the term fast approaches and the students become busy packing their stuff to return home for the summer holidays. Nathan and Justin discuss about the things about the Saunders Affair and Miss Ariana’s resignation. Justin hopes that the new head will be better than Miss Ariana. Ellen, Irene, Lionel and Daphne find them near the gardens and tell them that it is time to go back. The six of them say goodbye before parting ways, hoping that they will see each other in the third form next fall. However, fate is strange and one of them will hit misfortunes this summer…………

Boarding Greats: First Form

2013-02-09T00:44:00.001-08:00

Boarding Greats: First Form

Nathaniel White is chosen to attend the prestigious Saint Willows Institution for teenage boys and girls. He packs his bag for the school and boards the train to the school in Coventry.

When he arrives there, he meets a boy named Justin Parker, and the two of them quickly become good friends. He also meets a girl named Daphne Rivers and finds solace with her. The three of them become friends. He learns about the other students in his dormitory, such as Irene, Lionel and others.

A mystery soon begins when a robbery occurs in the first form dormitory. Nathan and Justin try to find the cause of the robbery, but unknown to them that Lionel had been influenced by the robbers.

They fail to find the cause of it, and soon give up. However, a vicious gang named Heer (who were the robbers) have learned of their investigations. In anger, they attack the Institution, killing a number of students and a few teachers. Nathan's friend Hansel is presumed dead after being kidnapped.

The whole school is shaken by the attack, but headmistress Ariana Rivers assures them that it was minor. Nathan and Daphne together with Justin learn that the Heer's leader is someone from the school and they should not trust anyone. Nathan suspects that the leader is Irene's evil twin sister, Kirene.

In the meantime, love blossoms. Irene unexpectedly falls in love with Nathan after he saves her from a fire. Lionel becomes resentful with Nathan as he has feelings for her. Lionel soon slacks in his studies and becomes lonely. He makes up with Nathan after an accident, in which Ariana Rivers advises him to work hard.

Kirene begins contact with the Heer to plan something. From this, the. Kirene learns that Nathan suspects her and tries to prove her innocence.

After the exams, Kirene meets Nathan. She wants to tell him about the Heer. However, she is killed. Nathan learns that Hansel faked his kidnapping and joined the Heer. It is revealed that Kirene was dead after being attacked earlier during the sand she was played by a girl named Mandy. Hansel kidnaps Nathan and takes him to a secret place.

Justin and Daphne learn about Nathan's disappearance and they decide to find where he is. Through Irene's Life Detector, they find that he has been held captive in a warehouse near Bristol. They travel there, only to realize that it was a trap.

The two of them are brought to Nathan, where Hansel reveals that the robbery was staged to threaten Hansel into joining the Heer for safety reasons. He also explains the whole plot to Justin and Daphne. Nathan becomes angry when Hansel taunts him. In anger, Nathan fights with Hansel and a duel soon begins.

Nathan manages to kill him by stabbing Hansel. He states that a friend would not do this, but he was forced to do this. Nathan tells Justin and Daphne that they will become true friends. They bring Hansel's body to the school.

At the Institution, Mrs. Ariana gets apprehensive when she learns that Hansel has died. She accuses the three for murdering him. Nathan tells her about Hansel's plot. Ariana learns about the full story and is shattered.

Suddenly, the Heer attack again. But this time, it is without Hansel. They try to assassinate Ariana, but fail. The police soon enter, and the Heer gang are forced to surrender. However, they flee before the police capture them. Justin cheers Nathan up saying that even though they have escaped, but the Heer won't be strong as before because of their leader's death. Nathan realises that he is right.

Towards the end of the term, Ariana Rivers holds a funeral for Hansel. The whole school attends it, including Nathan, Justin and Daphne. They discuss about how the term was like and how they love the Institution very much. Much later, the exam results come out. Mindy Graves, a girl in their form is shocked to see herself at the bottom of the exams. As a result, she fails to enter second form and is forced to repeat first form the following year. The trio say goodbye before parting ways, and state that they will see each other next term.

Now you’ve read the first one, what happens next? Stay tuned to find out…..

death price

2013-02-01T01:53:00.001-08:00

Death Price

Chapter 1

Like any other day, the police force will receive reports from the public. Some involve missing children, others like missing pets, missing domestic helpers or any others that are completely unnecessary. But this Monday was an unforgettable one. The morning was still fresh when a woman burst through the door.

“Police please help me! My boyfriend has gone missing for the past week. I need your help to find him. Please!”

“Miss, please calm down! This is not a circus! Please wait and we will revert back to you in a minute.” Those were the words of Constable Kenneth John Mallory, a new rookie who was waiting to handle a case for the first time. Kenneth remembered the words of Lieutenant Samuel Rivers, who had given him a talk last week.

“Now remember Kenneth, you’re just starting here. You’re a fresh guy here, so I’m sure you’ll have plenty of energy to handle a new case. Look at me, Kenny. After more than 20 years, I finally became a lieutenant. If you work hard like me, you can become a lieutenant like me when you’re older. “Kenneth finally snapped back to his senses when the lady.

Gary

2013-02-01T01:52:00.001-08:00

Gary,Jason and Mitchell are three good friends who work at the same

newspaper company. Because of the failure to get a story, they are

almost fired. However, their colleague, Mary saves them. Mary asks

them for a reward after saving them.

They decide to find a boyfriend for Mary after deciding that her long-

lost friend, Jonathan is her soulmate. Mary decides to befriend

Jonathan and his current girlfriend, Gina in order to snatch Jonathan

away. The gang decide to help Mary by hatching some extraordinary

schemes.

After three schemes, it leaves a bad effect on Gina. Gina's secret

affair with her lesbian partner, Geraldline is revealed by the news

channels. She and Geraldline also lose their jobs after they are shown

a tape where they are kissing.

Then, Gary and Mitchell decide to become women in order to protect

their identities as their faces are seen on the video. Jason doesn't agree, but when Mary asks him to, he agrees.

Meanwhile, Jonathan and Mary develop a romantic relationship after his

break-up with Gina. Their relationship comes to heaven when Jonathan

proposes to Mary. After a long wait, Mary accepts Jonathan's proposal.

At the wedding, the boys decide to become their girlish identities.

However, Mary wants them to be boys so that Gina and Geraldline don't

suspect. They have a headache to sort it out, but manage to pull off.

As they try to escape, a green potato falls out from Jason's dress.

That makes Gina suspect and she calls for a secret meeting at the

Harbour.

At the Harbour, Gina reveals her discovery to the gang. Before

leaving, she hopes that her current misery period doesn't involve the

gang in any way. Jonathan, Mary, Gary, Jason and Mitchell make a vow

to never reveal their epic secret.

The Harbour holds many fond memories after the secret meeting. Gary

and Jonathan decide to have a surprise birthday party for Mary. Gina

and Geraldline are also invited. Gina feels dejected after Mary kisses

Jonathan. Gina runs away and mourns at the well. Geraldline try to

calms her down, but finds another green potato at the well,with the

writing 2/4.

The boys' tricks are finally figured out by Gina's friend, Reginald.

Before Reginald can reveal the secret, he is killed by Mitchell. Gina

is shocked to learn about Reginald's death and is told that an

accident happened and he died.

Gina finds the third potato falling from Gary's dress. The saying is

"We Love Your......". She reveals her discovery to the gang, not

realizing that they are all shocked.

Jonathan calls for a secret meeting. They decide to make new

protection for the final potato before Gina and Geraldline find out

more answers.

However, Gina and Geraldline accidentally enter the lab one night,

thinking it is a castle. They are shocked to figure out about this.

Gina is even saddened when she finds out about Reginald's death- it

was murder. Gary and the rest of the gang arrive, but Gina slaps them.

Gary and Jonathan try to explain, but Gina is saddened by their

actions. Gary decides to bring Gina to his friend, Russell. Gina

relents, but agrees when Geraldline tells her to.

After a long talk, Gina finally realizes her mistake. She forgives

Gary for his behaviour. They decide to visit Reginald's grave to give

him blessings. Gina and Gary finally kiss.

Meanwhile, Geraldline lifts her hand in front of Jason. He thinks that

he is going to get beaten. However, she instead hugs Jason and thanks

him. Jason and Geraldline kiss, and make up.

Jason, Geraldline, Gina and Gary meet Mary and Jonathan at the harbour to announce their new relationship. Just then, Mitchell and Samantha arrive there. It is revealed that Samantha was the one who knocked Reginald and dropped the potatoes as she was trying to help the boys. Geraldline and Gina thank her and the four couples embrace.

coming soon....

2012-10-29T06:30:00.001-07:00

4x24: The Wedding
Alvin and his investigators attend a wedding. Meanwhile, Sinchita and Azizul are kidnapped by Mr. Tarquin Tarn.

5x01: Shark Saves The Day
After learning of Sinchita's condition, the gang rush to meet her. Meanwhile, Wilbert Wong decides to work with the Shark, who wants to betray him.

5x02: Wilbert's Fortune
D

The Green Potato

2012-09-21T02:51:00.000-07:00

Gary,Jason and Mitchell are three good friends who work at the same

newspaper company. Because of the failure to get a story, they are

almost fired. However, their colleague, Mary saves them. Mary asks

them for a reward after saving them.

They decide to find a boyfriend for Mary after deciding that her long-

lost friend, Jonathan is her soulmate. Mary decides to befriend

Jonathan and his current girlfriend, Gina in order to snatch Jonathan

away. The gang decide to help Mary by hatching some extraordinary

schemes.

After three schemes, it leaves a bad effect on Gina. Gina's secret

affair with her lesbian partner, Geraldline is revealed by the news

channels. She and Geraldline also lose their jobs after they are shown

a tape where they are kissing.

Then, Gary and Mitchell decide to become women in order to protect

their identities as their faces are seen on the video. Jason doesn't agree, but when Mary asks him to, he agrees.

Meanwhile, Jonathan and Mary develop a romantic relationship after his

break-up with Gina. Their relationship comes to heaven when Jonathan

proposes to Mary. After a long wait, Mary accepts Jonathan's proposal.

At the wedding, the boys decide to become their girlish identities.

However, Mary wants them to be boys so that Gina and Geraldline don't

suspect. They have a headache to sort it out, but manage to pull off.

As they try to escape, a green potato falls out from Jason's dress.

That makes Gina suspect and she calls for a secret meeting at the

Harbour.

At the Harbour, Gina reveals her discovery to the gang. Before

leaving, she hopes that her current misery period doesn't involve the

gang in any way. Jonathan, Mary, Gary, Jason and Mitchell make a vow

to never reveal their epic secret.

The Harbour holds many fond memories after the secret meeting. Gary

and Jonathan decide to have a surprise birthday party for Mary. Gina

and Geraldline are also invited. Gina feels dejected after Mary kisses

Jonathan. Gina runs away and mourns at the well. Geraldline try to

calms her down, but finds another green potato at the well,with the

writing 2/4.

The boys' tricks are finally figured out by Gina's friend, Reginald.

Before Reginald can reveal the secret, he is killed by Mitchell. Gina

is shocked to learn about Reginald's death and is told that an

accident happened and he died.

Gina finds the third potato falling from Gary's dress. The saying is

"We Love Your......". She reveals her discovery to the gang, not

realizing that they are all shocked.

Jonathan calls for a secret meeting. They decide to make new

protection for the final potato before Gina and Geraldline find out

Public Speaking Text: How To Lead A Healthy Life

2012-09-20T00:42:00.003-07:00

* I recently participated in a public speaking competition and this is the text of the speech.

Thank you to the Master of Ceremony. Friends, let us ponder for a moment about some of these startling statistics. These statistics are by no means exclusive to Malaysia but is a worldwide phenomenon. In 2010, the obesity rate in Malaysia was 26.5%. In 2011, it shot up even higher to 28%. So after 28%, does it mean that in 2020, where our country will be a fully-developed nation, the rate would correspondingly be 41.5%? Or in 2050, it will be 86.5%? Being of normal weight would be at that time an endangered species then. Think about it. How are we going to prevent this?

A very good morning to the honorable judges, teachers and my fellow friends. My name is Dhanvin Kumar Lal Asokan and I am standing here today to deliver a speech entitled “How To Lead A Healthy Life”. I do not profess to expert on this subject, but I will try to shed some light on this matter.

What is healthy living? According to Webster Dictionary, healthy living is living a life without having to worry about diseases and body size. To obtain healthy living is not easy. We have to work hard to get it. There are several ways one can lead a healthy life. Among the ways are having a proper diet, having enough sleep, having enough exercise and also a proper time management.

So before I go on, let us see the ways to get a proper diet. Our diet should follow the food pyramid. We should eat sufficient carbohydrates such as rice, bread and noodles. We must eat plenty of vitamins such as fruits and vegetables. We should also eat proteins such as fish, meat and chicken, but in moderation. We shouldn’t eat fatty and greasy foods such as junk food, butter and margarine. If we follow this diet effectively, we will get a lot of good and rewarding benefits.

Another way that we should practice is eating at the right time. How many of us have breakfast in the morning? Not many, right as we are all too busy trying to make it to school on time? This is wrong because breakfast gives us energy to start a fresh day. If we do not have breakfast in the morning, we will feel very tired and sleepy. In fact, some cultures advocate breakfast as the most important meal of the day. Without a proper breakfast, our concentration span will also reduce, thus making us unable to comprehend what is taught in class.

We should get enough sleep every day. I am not hinting to my friends to take forty winks when they are in class. An average child needs at least 8 hours of sleep. For example, if we wake up at 6am, we should sleep at 10pm every night. What will happen if we do not get enough sleep? Well, for sure we will feel very sleepy and unable to comprehend what is taught in class, thus making us to lose out.

We must get enough exercise time every day. How many of us exercise every day? I am afraid to admit that I am also one of the guilty ones who fall in this category. We should exercise because when we sweat, the fats in our bodies will break. If we do not exercise, we will become obese and this may lead to various lifestyle diseases such as heart attack and diabetes. Our exercise routine should consist of a variety of activities such as running, games like football and basketball and also physical exercise such as tennis and swimming so that we don’t get bored with the same activities. Make sure you exercise and don’t say “I have exercised!” when you actually haven’t. Lifestyle diseases are one of the easily preventable diseases which have overtaken other communicable diseases like malaria and dengue.

We should also manage our time properly. Preparing a timetable and adhering to it strictly is the best way we can manage our time. If we do not have a timetable, we will feel stressed and unable to do our activities effectively because we will be rushing to do them. Plan your activities well so that it does not clash with your daily routine.

If you follow my suggestions to lead a healthy life, I am sure we can build a healthier Malaysia. Thank you for lending me your ears.

6 Things You Didn't Know About the Gregorian Calendar

2012-09-15T00:50:00.000-07:00

September 13, 2012

By Jennie Cohen

If you were living in England or one of the American colonies 260 years ago, this date—September 13, 1752—didn’t exist. Neither did the 10 days preceding it. Instead, you would have gone to bed on the evening of September 2 and woken up on the morning of September 14. Eleven days had been effectively skipped over as part of the parliamentary measure that implemented the Gregorian calendar, aligning Britain and its overseas possessions with the rest of Western Europe. In most of the world today, people continue to track their days, months and years using the centuries-old system, so chances are you’re intimately familiar with its workings. Still, there are a few things about the Gregorian calendar that might come as a surprise.

William Hogarth’s painting “An Election Entertainment,” thought to have sparked rumors that English citizens rioted after the adoption of the Gregorian calendar.

1. The original goal of the Gregorian calendar was to change the date of Easter.

In 1582, when Pope Gregory XIII introduced his Gregorian calendar, Europe adhered to the Julian calendar, first implemented by Julius Caesar in 46 B.C. Since the Roman emperor’s system miscalculated the length of the solar year by 11 minutes, the calendar had since fallen out of sync with the seasons. This concerned Gregory because it meant that Easter, traditionally observed on March 21, fell further away from the spring equinox with each passing year.

2. Leap years don’t really occur every four years in the Gregorian calendar.

The Julian calendar included an extra day in February every four years. But Aloysus Lilius, the Italian scientist who developed the system Pope Gregory would unveil in 1582, realized that the addition of so many days made the calendar slightly too long. He devised a variation that adds leap days in years divisible by four, unless the year is also divisible by 100. If the year is also divisible by 400, a leap day is added regardless. While this formula may sound confusing, it did resolve the lag created by Caesar’s earlier scheme—almost.

3. The Gregorian calendar differs from the solar year by 26 seconds per year.

Despite Lilius’ ingenious method for syncing the calendar with the seasons, his system is still off by 26 seconds. As a result, in the years since Gregory introduced his calendar in 1582, a discrepancy of several hours has arisen. By the year 4909, the Gregorian calendar will be a full day ahead of the solar year.

4. Some Protestants viewed the Gregorian calendar as a Catholic plot.

Though Pope Gregory’s papal bull reforming the calendar had no power beyond the Catholic Church, Catholic countries—including Spain, Portugal and Italy—swiftly adopted the new system for their civil affairs. European Protestants, however, largely rejected the change because of its ties to the papacy, fearing it was an attempt to silence their movement. It wasn’t until 1700 that Protestant Germany switched over, and England held out until 1752. Orthodox countries clung to the Julian calendar until even later, and their national churches have never embraced Gregory’s reforms.

5. Britain’s adoption of the Gregorian calendar sparked riots and protest—maybe.

According to some accounts, English citizens did not react kindly after an act of Parliament advanced the calendar overnight from September 2 to September 14, 1752. Rioters supposedly took to the streets, demanding that the government “give us our 11 days.” However, most historians now believe that these protests never occurred or were greatly exaggerated. On the other side of the Atlantic, meanwhile, Benjamin Franklin welcomed the change, writing, “It is pleasant for an old man to be able to go to bed on September 2, and not have to get up until September 14.”

6. Before the Gregorian calendar’s adoption, the English new year began on March 25, or Lady Day.

Julius Caesar’s calendar reform of 46 B.C. instituted January 1 as the first of the year. During the Middle Ages, however, European countries replaced it with days that carried greater religious significance, such as December 25 (the anniversary of Jesus’ birth) and March 25 (the Feast of the Annunciation). The latter, known as Lady Day because it celebrates the Virgin Mary, marked the beginning of the year in Britain until January 1, 1752.