| Hello Children,
This week we have some interesting facts about corals. Did you know
that coral reefs take centuries to form? It is very important that we protect
the corals since they prevent erosion. If you go to Hikkaduwa or even to
Negombo you can see corals in various shapes and sizes. Don't be tempted
to buy them as we all have to do our bit to protect the environment.
Today is also the day dedicated to fathers all over the world. So
why not give your fathers a big hug and show them that you love them, not
only today but always.
Until next week
Aunty Sunshine
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River
River flows, river flows
Sometimes it flows very slowly
Sometimes very roughly
sometimes very happy and
sometimes full of sorrow
It contains plenty of water
It helps us to live happily.
It goes towards the sea like our life.
Thilini Aluthgamage
Mahamaya Girls' College, Kandy
Mother
You are precious to me my darling mother,
Who brought me into this world,
The most beautiful lady in my heart.
You are my dearest best friend,
With a loving heart and a smiling face,
Always ready to guide me along the correct way.
You teach me to be an obedient
and disciplined child,
And encourage me in my education,
Because mother dear you love me so.
What should I give you as a reward?
A bouquet of roses or a special gift?
But I promise to make you happy in everything I do.
I thank God the Good Lord daily,
For the wonderful mother He gave me.
Menoji Karunaratne
Good Shepherd Convent, Kandy.
Time to rethink......
We remember now and then
with a heartfull of gratitude
The ''Arahath Mihidu''
who spread the fragrance
of the ''Buddha Dhamma''
in this sacred land
It will be a real Fragrance
if we take it to our own lives
so, it's time to ''rethink''
the ''Buddha's sayings''
On this poson day.
"Every one is the creator of himself
and his acts will decide the future
of himself"
No one saves us, but ourselves.
If each living being is his own creator
how could there be such "difference'',
between human beings as we see in the
world today?
That is a "Universal" Question
which we, altogether must resolve
we "ourselves" must walk the path.
The attitude of being thankful to everyone
and having a peaceful mind
Is the only key to open the door
to the paradise of this earth
"Learn the way of doing good and avoiding evil"
The "Buddha'' taught his Dhamma for the
purpose fo helping human society.
We should confront all the hardships
and troubles with the Dhamma which will bring
peace on the earth.
Janadari Kapugama
Mahamaya Girls' College, Kandy.
Myself
My name is Fathima Rizmiya Amzadeen. I am eleven years old. I live in
Alawathugoda. I attend Badi- Udeen Mahmud National Girls' College, Kandy.
I am in year 7 B.
My father's name is A.R.M. Amzadeen. My father works at the (C.T.B.)
Depot as an Inspector. My mother's name is Dulfiya Amzadeen. I have two
brothers and three sisters.
My favourite subjects are English, Tamil and Art. My hobbies are reading
children's story books and collecting? I like to eat mangoes and chocolates.
My best friend's name is Hidaya Nazar. My ambition is to be a good teacher.
Fathima Rizmiya Amzadeen.
Badi-Udeen Mahmud National Girls' College, Kandy.
Christopher Columbus
We have all heard of Christopher Columbus. His name is known all over
the world, because he was the first man who sailed to America. Because
he discovered this land he's called the discoverer of the New World.
Columbus was born about five hundred years ago, in the city of Genoa,
in the north of Italy. Genoa, we know, is a great Seaport. So it was natural
that Columbus should know a great deal about the sea, about ships and sailors.
His father was a poor weaver. His son Christopher however, did not follow
the weaver's trade but became a sailor. When he was grown up, he left Italy
and went to Portugal. On the west side of Portugal, as you know, is the
Atlantic Ocean. This great Ocean stretches away from Europe to America
a distance of three thousand miles.
M.S.M.Aflal.
Zahira College, Gampola
A conversation
Pinith:- Good Morning. Rizan.
Rizan :- Good Morning. My dear. So how is life?
Pinith:- Not so bad, just existing.
Rizan:- By the way, where are you going now?
Pinith:- I am going to see a film. Do you like to join me?
Rizan:- I wish I could, what's the movie?
Pinith:- It's a Bond movie.
Rizan:- I like to see it with you,but now I am going to the hospital
to see my friend Naazly.
Pinith:- What is the matter with him?
Rizan:- He has had a fracture
Pinith:-In what sort of condition is he ?
Rizan:- He's not so bad, he's recovering.
Pinith:- I hope he'll recover soon. Then see you later, Good bye.
Rizan :- Bye.
Imesha Sanjeewani.
Convent of Mary Immaculate. (Matara).
Unjustly punished
It was sad day for me, when I had to undergo an unjust punishment from
my teacher. I was blamed for something I hadn't done. Even my friends lied
about me and told my teacher that I was to blame. I did not know what type
of punishment I was going to have. Some of my classmates were for the punishment.
But some were against it.
In any case I had to face my punishment with little or no help at all.
Anusha Narendran
Kingston College International, Colombo-6
Stamp News 21
Our indigenous people
By Uncle DCR
The death of the Veddah chief Tissahamy re cently marked the end of
an era where as head of 79 families he tried hard to preserve their identity
without yielding to modern day pressures. He fought hard against moves
to push his community out of the traditional areas.
Following tradition, immediately after Tissahamy's funeral, which was
held at Kotabakiniyawa, Dambana, his son Uruwarigaye Wanniya was proclaimed
the leader. Symbolising his acceptance as Veddah chief, he was handed over
a hand axe and a pair of bow and arrows used by chiefs of three generations.
The Veddahs were featured on two stamps issued on 12th September 1994
to mark the International Year for the World's Indigenous People. The Year
(1993) was designated by the United Nations General Assembly to recognise
and strengthen the role of indigenous people in the world. It was highlighted
that like many other indigenous communities, the Veddah community was also
becoming victims of 'development' activity designed and implemented without
their involement. These circumstances have led to the gradual sinking of
their living spaces and the erosion of their identity, culture and traditions.
The issue of the stamps marked the culmination of numerous activities
undertaken by a National Committee appointed by the Government to embark
on a programme of indigenous people. This initiative was designed to help
the people of Sri Lanka to gain a better understanding of the country's
indigenous people and their concerns and to assist them to protect their
identity and values. A wide range of media activities, conferences and
discussions, production of literature, research and surveys, development
of archives and museums for the preservation of artifacts of indigenous
people were done by the Committee.
The Rs. 1 stamp depicted a Veddah making his bow, the traditional symbol
with which his community is associated, and the Rs. 17 stamp showed a Veddah
relaxing beside a wall decorated with some of their rock art.
Let's protect our corals
Coral reefs take centuries to develop and the foundations
are part of a complex ecosystem.  Thousands
of species, fish and invertebrates inhabit coral reefs and the fry of many
other commercially valuable species of fish depend on the reefs as a nursery.
Almost 10% of Sri Lanka's coast line is flanked by coral reefs, the most
extensive reefs being found along the  Northern
and Eastern shores. Sri Lanka's reefs are facing increasing pressure due
to human activities. Threats include the collection of live corals for
lime kilns and for sale as ornamental to tourist; destructive methods of
ornaments fish collection; bad fishery practices; use of reef for harbours;
irresponsible tourism-related activities; coastal development activities
and population.
This is what destroys the sea, thus causing massive erosion as well
as less beach land to walk on and enjoy nature at its best.
How can you help save the coral reefs of Sri Lanka?
1. Do not remove corals or fish from the reefs
2. Do not stand on the corals as they break easily and it takes centuries
for them to grow back.
3. Don't throw rubbish into the sea, because pollution kills coral reefs
4. Don't encourage the selling of corals to your friends or relatives who
come from aboard.
5. Tell your friends and family to protect the coral reefs. If they are
not carefully looked after now they will be lost for ever and the next
generation would never see the beauty of coral ever again.
 Simple
water animals
Jellyfish, sea anemones and corals are among the
simplest multicellular animals. There are about 9,000 different species
and fossil records date from the Cambrian Period.
These animals are collectively called coelenterates, a word which comes
from the Greek meaning "cavity" and very aptly describes their
basic body shape. All coelenterates are simply a hollow sac with a mouth
at one end surrounded by tentacles.
The body wall of coelenterates is made up of three layers. The inner
layer lines the cavity and performs the function of a gut. The middle layer
is jelly-like and varies considerably in thickness; in jellyfish it forms
the bulk of the body. The outer layer contains the special stinging cells
called cnidoblasts. These cells are only found in coelenterates and are
one of the reasons why these primitive animals have survived and developed
so successfully. They are found in greatest concentrations around the mouth
and on the tentacles; when the hair-like trigger of a cnidoblast is touched
by a likely food item - a small fish or shrimp - a thread is shot out.
Some threads impale the prey with their barbed tips, others inject a minute
drop of poison, while another variety entangles the animal. Once the food
is caught it is pushed into the mouth by the tentacles.
Coelenterates can be divided into three classes. There are the hydrozoans
made up of the hydroids and the siphonophores; the scyphozoans or jellyfish,
and the anthrozoans which include sea anemones and corals.
Coelenterates also have two very distinct shapes. There is the sedentary
anemone-type animal known as a polyp, and the free-swimming jellyfish-type
called a medusa.
Hydroids and siphonophores
Hydrozoans live mainly as the polyp stage, although their life cycle
alternates from polyp to medusa and back. Hydra, one of the few coelenterates
which has invaded fresh water, lives as a solitary polyp attached to water
plants or rocks. Most of the time Hydra remains in one place but it can
move along by a slow, creeping motion or, more effectively, by actually
somersaulting over itself. Other hydroids, such as Obelia, form branching
plant-like colonies. Close examination of each branch reveals many tiny
polyps.
Siphonophores are also colonial, Hydrozoans. Although looking like jellyfish,
their tentacles and digestive unit are made up of thousands of polyps.
Some, such as the notorious Portuguese man o'war, have large gas-filled
floats up to 30 centimetres long which give them buoyancy and enable them
to drift about the oceans.
The floats are often brightly coloured, and are thought to consist of
specially adapted medusae.
Jellyfish
This class contains the true jellyfish which rhythmically pulsate their
way through the seas. Jellyfish live almost entirely as the medusa form,
a tiny polyp stage only occurring during reproduction. They range in size
from a few millimetres to the largest, Cyanea capillata, which can reach
a size of two metres across. The stinging cells on the tentacles of tropical
jellyfish sometimes contain deadly poisons, and even the two species found
in British waters can cause painful stings.
Sea anemones and corals
Antherozoans exist entirely in the polyp form and are either solitary,
such as the sea anemone, or live in colonies like corals. They look very
similar to hydrozoans but the body is usually shorter and stouter and the
cavity inside is divided into sections.
Sea anemones are extremely widespread, ranging from intertidal rock
pools to the great depths of the Philippine Trench some 12,000 metres down.
Most sea anemones attach themselves to rocks but some species live on the
shells of hermit crabs.
Coral is simply a colony of anemones, each protected by a hard calcareous
cup. The stony skeleton is secreted by the polyps and is almost pure calcium
carbonate. Some colonies of stony corals are 70 million years old and have
slowly grown to form the vast coral reefs and atolls of the Pacific and
Indian Oceans.
Not all coral is hard. In southwest England a coral with the rather
unfortunate name, Dead Man's Fingers, is found. The skeleton of this coral
is made up of a tough jelly-like substance and contains many hard spicules.
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