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The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

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• Disabled Frenchman says Everest jump 'message of hope'
• Soldiers jailed over stuffed animals
• Adulterous website not welcome

Disabled Frenchman says Everest jump 'message of hope' Posted: KATHMANDU:  A multiple sclerosis sufferer hoping to become the first disabled person to skydive over Mount Everest says he wants his feat of daring to send "a message of hope" to others with the disease. "I am a happy person. Probably a little crazy...just a little. First, happy," 55-year-old Frenchman Marc Kopp told AFP in Kathmandu ahead of his scheduled tandem skydive next week. Kopp, who lives in Longwy, northeast of Paris, has suffered for more than a decade from multiple sclerosis, the degenerative nervous system disease which disrupts the brain's ability to communicate with the body. Muscles weaken, lesions emerge on the brain and spinal cord and in the worst cases, patients can lose the ability to speak or walk. Although he usually uses a wheelchair, few places in Nepal are disabled-friendly so he manages with a walking stick, holding on to his friend, champion skydiver Mario Gervasi who will accompany him on his jump. It was 13 years ago when Kopp, then a senior manager in local government, felt a haze before his eyes. He dismissed the blurred vision - a symptom of MS - as a sign of working too hard. Then he had trouble moving his right leg, experiencing sharp pain when he tried to do the simplest tasks. His right arm followed and soon, his whole right side hurt. An enthusiastic horseman, eventually, every activity became painful. After a battery of tests, he was diagnosed in 2001 with primary progressive multiple sclerosis, a form of MS with almost no prospect of remission. "I thought I was prepared to hear anything, it had taken so long, one year to diagnose the cause. But when I heard the news, it hit me hard," he said. A friend sent Kopp MS-related reports but he couldn't bear reading them. "But my wife looked at all of them and saw our future," he said. "Seeing her so frightened made me realise I had to be strong, I had to face my illness," he added. As his condition worsened, he became increasingly determined not to simply become a victim and instead began volunteering for a support group for fellow sufferers. When he met Gervasi last July at a parachuting event in Lorraine, the skydiver who has jumped over Everest and over the North and South poles, was planning a trip to Nepal with French football legend Zinedine Zidane. But a clash of schedules meant the footballer could not join him and instead, he asked Kopp if he wanted to skydive over the mountain together. It took Kopp less than a minute to say yes. "Why not? I felt like I would send a message of hope. Even if you are sick, you are still alive." He raised 26,000 euros ($35,885) for the trip from friends and well-wishers. The exact timing of the jump depends on the weather but it could be as early as Monday. The opportunity to jump from a chopper hovering 10,000 metres (32,800 feet) above the roof of the world is a gift, he said. "I always wanted some adventure in my life, like my childhood hero Tintin," he said, referring to the Belgian comic book hero who also travelled to the Himalayas in search of excitement.-AFP

Soldiers jailed over stuffed animals Posted: BANDA ACEH: An Indonesian military tribunal has jailed two soldiers for illegally possessing two stuffed Sumatran tigers and a stuffed bear, with the men forced to appear in court alongside the protected animals. The court in Banda Aceh on Sumatra island handed Chief Sergeant Joko Rianto a two-month jail term and Chief Private Rawali a three-month sentence on Thursday. Rianto was given a five million rupiah (RM1,452) fine while Rawali, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, was ordered to pay 2.5 million rupiah (RM726). "Rawali and Joko Rianto have been found legitimately and convincingly guilty of illegally possessing dead protected animals," judge Lieutenant Colonel Budi Purnomo said. Rianto, who was caught with one of the tigers and a bear in his house, argued he had purchased the critically endangered tiger to use its teeth to cure his sick wife. Tiger parts are frequently used in traditional medicine in Asia despite the lack of peer-reviewed scientific evidence showing that they have any medicinal benefits. Rawali claimed a friend had given him the tiger to repay a debt. Ratno Sugito, a local animal activist, welcomed the sentences: "Even though the sentence was weak, at least the military court showed its willingness to enforce the law." — AFP

Adulterous website not welcome Posted: ASHLEY Madison, a dating website targeting married spouses, is not welcome in Singapore, said Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing. Chan was responding to media reports that the dating website, which facilitates extramarital affairs between married individuals, is planning for a launch here next year. "I do not welcome such a website into Singapore. Promoting infidelity undermines trust and commitment between a husband and wife, which are core to marriage," Chan said in a Facebook post on Friday. The Canada-based website, which goes by the slogan "Life is short. Have an affair", has over 21 million users worldwide. It has already expanded to other Asian countries and territories such as Japan, and, more recently, Hong Kong in August. A Facebook page called "Block Ashley Madison – Singapore" has been set up by a Singaporean, after news broke that the website is planning to launch here. "I'm heartened by the responses of many Singaporeans who also spoke up against such a website. "This reflects the significance we all place in commitment and fidelity in marriage," said Chan. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

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The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

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The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

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Ha Ji-won in new drama 'The Empress Ki' Posted: Secret Garden actress returns with historical romance that charts the rags-to-riches story of a woman who becomes queen. ACTRESS Ha Ji-won is famed for portraying strong, independent heroines that run the gamut of modern-day boxer and national ping-pong athlete to Joseon-period detective. Her latest role is no exception. After winning audiences over as an a**-kicking stuntwoman in the hit TV series Secret Garden, Ha is returning as a history-making ruler-to-be in MBC's The Empress Ki. "I really like historical romances," Ha, 35, said at the drama's press conference in Seoul on Thursday. "When I starred in my first period piece, Damo, we filmed in very beautiful spots throughout Korea and I was able to enjoy the pleasure of being on set and gazing at the stars at night." This time around, Ha tackles a fiction-meets-fact rendering of the life of Oljei Khutugh (1315-1370), a Goryeo Kingdom native who rose from her fate as a concubine of the Yuan, or Mongol, Dynasty to the throne. Of her latest role, Ha said: "I was utterly taken by such an active character." Indeed, the rags-to-riches tale serves as a compelling foundation for the upcoming series, which promises to showcase plenty of high-flying action from Ha's heroine. (The show starts airing in South Korea on Mondays and Tuesdays from next week.) At the press event, co-scriptwriter Jung Kyung-soon revealed that while the inspiration for the drama came from Empress Qi, creative liberties were taken with the heroine, whose name, Gi Seung-nyang, is also fictional. Gabi actor Joo Jin-mo, who is returning to Korean dramas after a near-four-year hiatus, will be starring opposite Ha as fictional hero Wang Yoo. During the early stages of development, Joo was initially slated to play a historical Goryeo king, but controversy over fictional liberties being taken with the figure resulted in the decision to nix the initial hero for a fictional Goryeo king instead. Joo, who played a Goryeo king in the film A Frozen Flower, revealed: "I am working hard to bring my character to life as scripted. "This time, my hero initially mistakes Ha's heroine for a boy and then discovers she is a woman," Joo, 39, said of his latest turn as yet another Goryeo monarch. "He falls deeply and happily in love with her," said Joo, hinting at plenty of romance to come between his hero and Ha's heroine in the new drama. – The Korea Herald/Asia News Network

TVB to actors who quit: 'No hard feelings' Posted: Station to welcome back stars who left for rival company. TVB stars including Myolie Wu, Moses Chan and Nancy Sit appeared on video on a TVB programme on Tuesday to welcome back ex-colleagues left homeless after start-up operator Hong Kong Television Network lost its bid to get a TV licence. The invitation was issued on Scoop, a current affairs talk show, which carried phone numbers for the stars including Felix Wong and Maggie Cheung Ho Yee to call to get a job. HKTV had sacked 320 staff after it was denied a licence last week. TVB also clarified that no blacklists exist that bar outspoken stars who had criticised the broadcaster from returning. Some actors had griped about long working hours and unsatisfactory working conditions at TVB. Apple Daily Hong Kong, however, called TVB's gesture "overdone" and an attempt to hardsell its upcoming shows. Online, some netizens said it was simply trying to get the stars back at a low price. – The Straits Times, Singapore/Asia News Network

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The Star Online: World Updates

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• Obama says shutdown shows contrast of parties' visions
• Guantanamo lawyers want Obama to declassify CIA prison program
• U.N. aid chief demands Security Council action on Syria aid access

Obama says shutdown shows contrast of parties' visions Posted: NEW YORK (Reuters) - With an eye to 2014 elections, President Barack Obama held up the government shutdown this month as an emblem of fundamental differences between Democrats and Republicans on Friday in an appeal to wealthy donors. "The shutdown was about more than just healthcare, it was about, sort of, a contrast in visions about what our obligations are to our fellow citizens," the president said at a fundraiser at the home of Karen Mehiel on New York's posh Upper East Side. Republicans made defunding the president's signature healthcare program a condition for continuing to fund government operations, leading to a partial shutdown for 16 days and bringing the country to the brink of debt default. The president must work with Republicans who control the House of Representatives if he hopes to pass budget, immigration reform or farm legislation this year, as he has said he hopes to do. But his comments point to an effort to take advantage of the shutdown, which hurt Republicans' in public opinion polls, to help Democrats make inroads and perhaps reverse the Republicans' majority in the House. Serious snags marring the rollout this month of the healthcare program could hurt Democrats, but Obama made no mention of those difficulties in brief public remarks at other fundraisers. Instead, the president focused on his hopes to boost spending on things like education and repairing roads and bridges, which he said were part of the vision for the country that Democrats share. "We believe that government has a role to play," he said. "Part of the debate and battle over the last several years has been what role do we have as a country collectively to create the platform and the tools for people to succeed." The president has embarked on a series of fundraising events that began this week in Washington. In New York, he raised money for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee at a reception followed by a dinner. It was the fourth fundraiser he has held for the DCCC in the 2014 cycle. At another event across town in Manhattan, Obama appeared at an event attended by 20 people who paid up to $32,400, a Democratic National Committee official said. Obama is due to travel to Boston for fundraisers next week. In November, he is expected to raise funds in Miami, Philadelphia, Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles. (Editing by Philip Barbara)

Guantanamo lawyers want Obama to declassify CIA prison program Posted: FORT MEADE, Maryland (Reuters) - Attorneys for five Guantanamo prisoners charged with plotting the September 11, 2001, attacks have asked President Barack Obama to declassify the CIA program that subjected the defendants to interrogation techniques that have been described as torture. In a letter made public on Friday, the lawyers asked the president to release potentially mitigating information that could spare the defendants from execution if they are convicted on charges of hijacking, terrorism and murdering nearly 3,000 people. The CIA's Rendition, Detention and Interrogation program, or RDI program, was authorized by President George W. Bush's administration after the September 11 attacks. It allowed captives suspected of links to al Qaeda to be seized, transferred without judicial review to secret overseas prisons and subjected to "enhanced interrogation techniques" such as sleep deprivation, extreme temperatures and a simulated drowning method called waterboarding. "The existing classification restrictions surrounding the RDI program only facilitate further concealment of war crimes committed by agents of our government," the lawyers wrote to Obama. Military officials have said much of the information is classified by the government because it could threaten national security if it is released publicly. The defence attorneys say the evidence would show that the United States violated the international Convention Against Torture, which President Ronald Reagan signed in 1988 and the U.S. Senate ratified in 1994. The secrecy restrictions violate the universal prohibition against silencing victims of torture, their letter said. "These self-serving restrictions also prohibit us from faithfully discharging duties and defending these men in a manner consistent with our most cherished values," it said. A White House spokeswoman confirmed receipt of the letter, but did not comment on the declassification request, instead noting that the CIA was cooperating with a report on the RDI program by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. "The president has made clear that the program that is the subject of the committee's work is inconsistent with our values as a nation," she said. The defence attorneys repeated their requests for the classified information this week during a pre-trial hearing in the war crimes tribunal at the Guantanamo Bay U.S. Naval Base in Cuba. On Friday, defence lawyers and prosecutors debated whether the government should return laptops that were issued to the defendants during a Bush-era prosecution attempt and later seized. They also debated whether the defence teams had enough Arabic translators and whether the defendants could be photographed to document injuries that allegedly occurred while they were in U.S. custody. The pre-trial hearing was monitored by Reuters through closed-circuit television at the Fort Meade Army base in Maryland. The letter to Obama was signed by 14 military and civilian defence attorneys representing the captives charged with funding and training the hijackers who slammed commercial jets into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field on September 11, 2001. The defendants include Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the confessed mastermind of the plot, who was waterboarded 183 times while in CIA custody. "Quite simply, the classification of the RDI program is suppressing evidence, suppressing the truth and ultimately will suppress any real justice," the attorneys' letter says. Obama banned further use of waterboarding and other "enhanced interrogation techniques" shortly after taking office in 2009, calling them "torture." Navy Commander Walter Ruiz, one of the defence lawyers who signed the letter, said the attorneys appealed to Obama because "the court does not have the authority to declassify these documents." The president does have the authority, he said. Army Brigadier General Mark Martins, the chief prosecutor in the case, declined to comment on the defence team's letter to Obama during a news conference after the hearing. But he said issues of torture could arise during the trial. "The totality of the circumstances does include looking at prior treatment," Martins said.

U.N. aid chief demands Security Council action on Syria aid access Posted: UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N. aid chief Valerie Amos demanded stronger action by the U.N. Security Council on Friday to get desperately needed aid into Syria, where 2.5 million people in need have not received help for almost a year. Violence and excessive red tape have slowed aid delivery to a trickle in Syria. More than 100,000 people have been killed in the 2 1/2-year civil war and some 2.1 million have fled. After months of talks, the 15-member Security Council approved a non-binding statement October 2 urging increased humanitarian access. "This is a race against time. Three weeks have passed since the adoption of this council's statement with little change to report," Amos told the Security Council. "As we deliberate, people continue to die unnecessarily." "I call upon all members of the council to exert influence and take the necessary action to stop this brutality and violence," she said. "Without real and sustained pressure from this council on the government of Syria and opposition groups on the ground, it will be impossible to make progress." The Security Council adopted the statement on humanitarian access less than a week after overcoming a long diplomatic impasse between Russia and Western countries to pass a resolution to rid Syria of chemical arms. Senior U.N. diplomats said that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had at the time dismissed the possibility of a legally binding resolution on aid access. British U.N. Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant said after the briefing by Amos on Friday: "If the (aid statement) is not being taken seriously then obviously it behooves us to look at stronger vehicles, including a resolution." Russia, a close ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and China have vetoed three Security Council resolutions since October 2011 that would have condemned the government and threatened it with sanctions. 'GRIM, GRUESOME REALITY' Australian U.N. Ambassador Gary Quinlan said Amos made a "direct and powerful" appeal for the council to find a way to implement its statement, drafted by Australia and Luxembourg, which urged cross-border deliveries and called for humanitarian fighting pauses in fighting and agreed on aid convoy routes. Russian U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told reporters that, in council consultations after the briefing by Amos, "nobody explicitly suggested a resolution, but I don't think the format of the document is a problem." He suggested that the main obstacle was increasingly the disparate rebel groups fighting to overthrow Assad. "I'm very pleased that this time more and more members of the Security Council said that they are now realizing that the problem is not only with the government," Churkin said. "Very often various armed opposition groups are ignoring norms of international humanitarian law." U.S. State Department officials on Friday urged Russia to use its influence to convince Assad to allow humanitarian convoys into besieged communities around Damascus. The officials disputed a statement by Moscow on Thursday that snipers from opposition forces were shooting pregnant women "for fun," saying European medical workers had reported that government snipers were responsible. "The regime's refusal to grant humanitarian access to the U.N. and other humanitarian organizations is preventing humanitarian relief from reaching besieged, opposition-held areas, which can constitute a violation of international humanitarian law," the officials said in a statement. Meanwhile, the council statement had also urged the Syrian government to help aid operations expand and to remove bureaucratic impediments and other obstacles, but so far there had been no major breakthrough on these issues, Amos said. She said only 15 international aid groups were allowed to operate in Syria, it was difficult for humanitarian workers to get visas, and while the number of Syrian organizations approved to work with the United Nations had increased to 66, the number allowed to work in the areas with greatest need was limited. Syrian U.N. Ambassador Bashar Ja'afari said Damascus had given visas to hundreds of people working for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. "If there are any minimal cases here and there (of problems), that wouldn't affect the overall picture of our cooperation with OCHA," he said. Amos said kidnappings of humanitarian workers and hijackings and seizures of aid trucks were also on the rise and that "last week we had a convoy that was ready to go, but we could not get enough drivers as they fear for their lives." "The situation on the ground is increasingly complex and dangerous. Some estimate that there are as many as 2,000 armed opposition groups in Syria. Clashes amongst these groups are increasingly common and key humanitarian access routes have been cut off by fierce fighting," Amos said. "Words, despite their ability to shock, cannot really paint a picture of the grim and gruesome reality of Syria today," she said. "I am extremely disappointed that we have not been able to make further progress." (Editing by Doina Chiacu and Xavier Briand)

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The Star eCentral: Movie Reviews

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Sneak peek: X-Men: Days Of Future Past Posted: Filmmaker Bryan Singer reveals a teaser trailer and pictures from next year's superhero film. The producer and director of X-Men: Days Of Future Past has revealed a teaser trailer as well as some behind-the-scenes pictures of the movie. These were all posted on the superhero film's official social media pages (Instagram and Facebook), while Singer tweeted them out last night. In addition to that, Singer will also be hosting a Twitter chat on Oct 28 at 10.30am (Oct 29 in Malaysia at 1.30am) to promote the upcoming trailer and answer questions from fans. You can join in the chat – it will run simultaneously on Singer's Twitter account (www.twitter.com/bryansinger) and the film's official page (www.twitter.com/xmenmovies) – but do use the hashtags #XMen and #AskSinger when submitting a question. The official trailer will debut globally on Oct 29 at 9pm (in Malaysia) via YouTube (www.youtube.com/xmenmovies). X-Men: Days Of Future Past is set to open in cinemas on May 22, 2014. The movie revolves around characters from the original X-Men movie trilogy who join forces with their younger selves – those hot-looking guys from X-Men: First Class – in an epic battle to save the future. It stars Jennifer Lawrence (as Raven aka Mystique), Michael Fassbender (Erik Lehnsherr ake Magneto), Evan Peters (Pietro Maximoff aka Quicksilver), Ellen Page (Kitty Pryde aka Shadowcat), Hugh Jackman (Logan aka Wolverine), Nicholas Hoult (Hank McCoy aka Beast), James McAvoy (Charles Xavier), Anna Paquin (Marie aka Rogue), Peter Dinklage (Bolivar aka Trask), Ian McKellen (older Lehnsherr/Magneto), Halle Berry (Ororo Munroe aka Storm), Patrick Stewart (Prof Charles Xavier), Shawn Ashmore (Bobby Drake aka Iceman), Lucas Till (Alex Summers aka Havok) and Daniel Cudmore (Piotr Rasputin aka Colossus).

Bamboozled by bullies Posted: Bullies are everywhere, even on celluloid and the telly. WE were appalled when we read what our colleagues at R.AGE reported on the issue of bullying recently. Eighty percent of young Malaysians have been bullied. We thought the figure was wrong ... 80% is way too high. Or is it? When the entertainment team sat down to talk about this, we realised that this statistic couldn't be further from the truth. If art usually imitates life, then a look at the content of (high-profile) movies and TV shows nowadays should be an indication that cases of bullying are on the rise. Now, more so than ever, pop culture is bearing its beam down on bullies. Switch on the TV or walk into a cinema, and chances are, you will a see story about bullying. Teens are usually the victims, but bullies aren't necessarily always their peers. In Bates Motel, it is the mother; in The Hunger Games, it is the government; in earlier episodes of Glee, it was their teacher Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) who was the tormentor. Physical altercations aside, victims these days have to endure emotional as well as cyber attacks! Star2 takes a look at the various existing shows which tackle the bullying issue. While they may seem a tad dramatic (well, it is Hollywood, after all), these stories could mirror what's happening in our society. Ender's Game Plot: In Ender's Game (opening Nov 7) Young Ender Wiggins (Asa Butterfied) is given the option to join a military school in space where he will be trained for a planned attack on an alien invader that tried to take over Earth.  One of the reasons why he is determined to join the military is because he can't stand his nasty older brother and schoolmate who always taunts him.  At the military school, however, Ender learns that he has not escaped bullies – they are still there, be it the other boys who goad him at every opportunity or the supervisors who push, and push him to be the person they think he is. Defence mechanism: Being very, very, smart, Ender figures out that to ensure he is not bullied anymore, he has to play the bullies' game and ultimately, fight back. So he calculates his moves and strikes. What he should've been done: Obviously, the adults in the army think that striking back is a lesson Ender must learn. In any war, there is the option of discussion and negotiation, leaving bloodshed out of the picture. It would've been good if adults intervened and sat the boys together and just talked. Bates Motel Norman Bates should confide in Emma instead of suffering in silence. Plot: Norman Bates (Freddie Highmore), on the surface, looks like a normal teenager. But he has a deep dark secret.  No, we are not talking about his constant blackouts in which he may or may not have killed his father and a teacher. We are referring to his mother, Norma (Vera Farmiga), who uses guilt and emotional blackmail to bully Norman into submission.  Then, there's his stepbrother Dylan (Max Theriot) who rough-houses Norman because he's a mummy's boy. Physical and emotional bullying? No wonder he ends up a psycho killer. Defence mechanism: Norman keeps to himself, becomes a loner and then starts hallucinating, hearing "voices" which instruct him to kill. What he should have done: Consult a medical professional. Obviously, those "voices" aren't real. But since his mother prohibited Norman from seeking help, the next best thing was to confide in his classmate Emma (Olivia Cooke), who might have been able to help him out by telling her father the situation.  Maybe then welfare services may have reached the Bates Motel to check things out. Pretty Little Liars Plot: When their friend Alison disappears (and later presumed dead), Hanna (Ashley Benson), Aria (Lucy Hale), Spencer (Troian Bellisario), and Emily (Shay Mitchell) are devastated and scared.  Their lives are turned upside down when an unknown villain, who goes by the moniker "A", starts threatening to expose their secret if they don't do as he/she says.  "A" contacts the girls via SMS, e-mail and notes. The threats eventually turn, not only violent, (running one of the girls off the road) but "A" soon targets their family members and loved ones. (From left) Emily, Hanna, Aria and Spencer have to do community service after being arrested with a murder weapon ... no thanks to 'A'. Defence mechanism: The girls take things into their own hands, trying to find out just who is "A". Unfortunately, "A" is always two steps ahead of the girls. This results in the girls digging themselves a deeper grave ... just what "A" wants. What they should have done: Do you know that if you are being blackmailed, threatened or bullied online, you can report it to authorities such as the MCMC (Malaysian Communications And Multimedia Commission)? Even if the girls didn't want the authorities involved, they should've come clean with their parents about this problem right from the start, instead of getting entangled in this messy web. In this case, honesty is the best policy. Carrie Plot: Based on the book by Stephen King, Carrie (opening in Malaysia on Nov 7) tells the story of a lonely teenager (Chloe Moretz) who is subjected to humiliation by her schoolmates. She then comes home only to face a religious-zealot of a mother who gives her no emotional support whatsoever as she goes through teenage angst.  Things take a turn for the weird when Carrie discovers she has developed telekinetic powers – a fact she hides from both her mother and her peers, as she doesn't want the label "freak" to be confirmed. Defence mechanism: With so much unfairness happening to her, no one can blame Carrie for unleashing her power on her cruel schoolmates on prom night; a night that ends with dire consequence. What she should've done: If stories on X-Men and Heroes are anything to go by, then the thing for Carrie to do is to find people like herself, so she doesn't feel like the odd one out. Besides strength in numbers, having friends who understand makes a whole lot of difference. Percy Jackson series Plot: Doctors have pegged Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman) as dyslexic. This condition has made him the target for bullies in his class. In actuality, Percy's brain is wired such so that he can read Greek letters, not Roman; this is because he is the son of a Greek god.  Upon learning his origin, he goes to a camp filled with other teens like him. Only problem is, some of these children of god are very competitive and have no qualms of hurting others to be ahead of class. Defence mechanism: He acts impulsively. Although in his heart Percy wants to better the bad situation, he sometimes makes it worse by sticking his nose in things he shouldn't be involved in. What he should've done: Percy is one character who does the right thing. He asks for help from his father, who in turns sends him his half-brother who is a caring guy and someone Percy can depend on. Also, Percy has good friends who stand by him no matter what, which is always great.  In the end, even the bully becomes his friend. Percy Jackson (centre) sneaks around with his friends so he can go off on an adventure he has been forbidden to go. Glee Plot: Cold, biting, sticky and most of all, humiliating, the slushie is the most iconic symbol of bullying seen on the hallways of McKinley High in Glee.  The hit musical comedy-drama centres on the life and struggles of members of the school's Glee Club, a show choir group comprising an array of oddballs and outcasts.  Getting a slushie facial – being splashed on the face by the flavoured frozen drink – is a reminder of just how uncool and unpopular one is. Characters who have been regularly slushied include popular football jock Finn Hudson (Cory Monteith) for joining the Glee Club, fashion forward Kurt Hummel (Chris Colfer) for his sexuality and of course, ambitious, Barbara Streisand-loving Rachel Berry (Lea Michele) for being the face of New Directions. Defence Mechanism: Who can forget the episode where the Gleeks, clad in t-shirts that spelled out their insecurities, sang and danced together to Lady Gaga's Born This Way?  For the most part, that's what they do. They sing about their pain – it is Glee Club after all – and talk to each other within the safe, judgement-free confines of their choir room. What they should have done: While music heals in ways words cannot, it's important for these troubled teens to talk to someone about their plight, preferably someone older (er no, not coach Sue Sylvester).  The kids should take guidance counsellor Ms Pillsbury (Jayma Mays) more seriously. If you can see past her OCD and her occasional lapse of judgment, those brochures she recommend can be really hilarious, we mean, helpful. The Hunger Games series Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) band together to outsmart their evil authorities in The Hunger Games film series. Plot: The government can be the biggest bully at times. Adolescents, with their barely developed body parts, are forced to fight each other to the death in this post-apocalyptic film series.  In the first instalment, 12 children from around the nation of Panem are selected to take part in the annual Hunger Games, a televised event that sees them pouncing on each other until one remaining survivor is left.  In the upcoming Catching Fire, previous winners of the competition must fight it out once again in a special edition of the event. Defence Mechanism: Protagonist Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) has no choice but to go along and play the treacherous game but her spunk and tenacity eventually inspires many around her to start a rebellion against the government. What they should have done: Children, no matter how spirited or courageous, are just children. Parents need to defend their young and stand up against the oppression on their behalf.  As in real life, it's up to parents to protect their child's interests, be it an unjust school ruling or a rickety classroom chair. These bullies need to pick on someone their own size. The Perks Of Being A Wallflower Plot: The film is a coming-of-age tale focusing on the life of quintessential wallflower, Charlie (Logan Lerman). On his first day of high school, he doesn't speak much, eats lunch alone and gets picked on by his peers.  The 15-year-old boy, it seems, has just finished a stint at a mental hospital and is still reeling from the pain of losing his best friend who committed suicide. Charlie then befriends seniors Patrick (Ezra Miller) and his step sister Sam (Emma Watson) and the three forge a close friendship.  We later learn that Patrick, too, is being bullied for his sexuaity. The Perks Of Being A Wallflower shows us ... the perks of having good friends to count on in troubled times.  Defence mechanism: Charlie made the first move to approach Patrick and Sam. This shows just how desperate he is to find a place where he is accepted and understood by like-minded (especially fellow bully victim, Patrick) friends. What they should have done: Charlie is doing a great job spreading his vines and reaching out to other wallflowers. Given the fact that Charlie has sought help from a mental institution, what he needs right now is not another counselor (and definitely not another shrink) but a new best friend.  Meanwhile, Patrick, too, can rely on Charlie and Sam to help him regain his self-esteem and deal with the bullies. It's easy to get rid of a patch of wallflowers but how about a wall full of them?

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The Star Online: Business

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• By buying Newfield, SapuraKencana has become an integrated O&G company
• Budget 2014: GST rate within analysts expectations
• Budget 2014: Broadband phase 2 set to take off

By buying Newfield, SapuraKencana has become an integrated O&G company Posted: EARLIER this week SapuraKencana Petroleum Bhd became an integrated oil and gas player when it won the bid to buy United States-based Newfield Exploration Co's oil and gas assets in Malaysia for a hefty RM2.85bil. With SapuraKencana clinching this deal, it officially stands among the few players that are both field owner and one who offers support services. So far, only Petrofac and The Maersk Group fall into this category. So what does SapuraKencana get from parting with RM2.85bil? For starters, some reserves of 36 million barrels of oil equivalent (boe) with a daily production rate of 23,000 boe. So let's say, if SapuraKencana were to drill every day, this would mean that the reserves are good for 4.3 years. Newfield is the fourth largest oil and gas producer in Malaysia, with interests in nine production sharing contract (PSC) blocks spread over the country. It should be noted that the PSC partners of the target company's subsidiaries are to be offered preferential rights to acquire the assets of the target company group. Newfield owns its Malaysian assets via three wholly-owned subsidiaries, Newfield Peninsular Malaysia, Newfield Sabah and Newfield Sarawak Malaysia. The Malaysian assets delivered some US$400mil (RM1.24bil) of pre-tax profit in 2012. In April, Newfield made a natural gas discovery off the coast of Malaysia. This discovery was made in the gas field of Block SK 310, where Newfield has a 30% interest. Mitsubishi Corp owns 30% and Petronas Carigali, 40%. Newfield estimates there are 1.5 trillion to three trillion cu ft of gas initially in place after its discovery. Differentiation SapuraKencana was picked as the winner to buy all interests in Newfield Malaysia Holdings after a rigorous bidding exercise involving more than 40 international companies. SapuraKencana president and group chief executive officer Tan Sri Shahril Shamsuddin had just finished a round of golf at the CIMB Classic, playing with the likes of Phil Mickelson, and Retief Goosen before coming to meet the press. "I just got off a flight from the UK at 7am this morning. I went straight to the golf course! Played terribly today," he laughs. He adds that before boarding the flight, he had called his father, Tan Sri Shamsuddin Abdul Kadir to say: "Dad, I just bought another company." Putting in the winning bid came with many late nights. SapuraKencana had a team of nine people which focused solely on putting the bid together. "On Hari Raya Haji, these guys were still here by late evening. I told them, guys, if you're not home by the time I get home, you're all fired! That's the kind of energy we have here, in our energy division," says Shahril. When asked what SapuraKencana's edge was in winning the asset, Shahril simply says: "Our people. I truly believe, that we have the best people in the industry within our group," On now becoming an oil field owner, Shahril says that was not something completely foreign to the group. "We have been managing the Berantai marginal field. We executed it at large and have been operating it in the last year. "We have been building up our capabilities in the last five years and we have the facilities, in-house sub-surface capabilities, in-house economic modellers. "This is an extension of our energy business. The strategy from our overall business hasn't changed," he says. He adds: "We are very comfortable with this acquisition. We will see our debt levels start to go down next year. This is because the businesses with Newfield are already generating funds." SapuraKencana has a gearing level of 1.1 times as of June this year. As a field owner and operator, the Newfield business will require a different set of operating principles and as such, SapuraKencana will manage this new business division separately as an independent subsidiary. SapuraKencana will be financing the acquisition via a combination of internally generated funds and external bank borrowing. "Our priority now is to complete this acquisition by the first quarter of next year. The financing for this acquisition will be ringfenced. It is a different business with different risk and different expertise. The profiles are totally different. However, there are so many options out there on how to fund it. Its still early days. Lets close first and then we will clarify later. As it is however, Newfield is already value accretive. It will create values that are pretty close to those created for SapuraKencana," he says. According to industry sources, the syndicate of banks were led by CIMB Bank and Standard Chartered Bank as the lead bankers, followed by other international banks. Lowering its debt level Meanwhile, there have been rumblings that the company could be overgearing itself following the purchase of Newfield. It now has long-term and short-term borrowings totalling RM10.8bil, which includes the loan from its merger to Kencana Petroleum and bridging facility for the acquisition of tender rigs business. Presently it has an orderbook of RM25bil and cash of RM1.1bil in cash. Shahril explains it has already been made known that SapuraKencana plans to undertake longer term financing to achieve an optimal capital structure. "We were in a situation when some of the shorter term bonds were matched to the long-term contracts. So what we are doing now is to combine the bonds, and match it to the businesses and the tenures of the contracts that we have. The debt will be matched to the long-term nature of the assets we have purchased," he says. Shahril says that one cannot grow a company without debt. "You need to see where the debt is going. When we buy something, there are many assets that come with it. Take the Sapura 3000, a pipe laying barge that we bought in the early days. (At a price of US$220mil). "We issued convertible bonds for it. Today, it is one of our most prized assets. So now we have contracts of RM25bil, but there is cashflow and resources to back it. What we have to manage is the execution of those projects," says Shahril. Shahril says that while its still early days, capital expenditure required to produce the fields of Newfield would be at least RM1bil per year. The few analysts that have issued their reports are mostly positive on the deal. AmResearch analyst Alex Goh in his AmResearch report sees the Newfield acquisition as a highly attractive entry for a new domestic PSC operator. In fact, based on his numbers, he sees a 42.7% increase jump in SapuraKencana's net profit to RM1.26bil for its financial year ended Jan 31, 2015.

Budget 2014: GST rate within analysts expectations Posted: THE "long-overdue" goods and services tax (GST) – unveiled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in Budget 2014 – has received the thumbs up from economists and tax experts. The broad-based tax, which comes into force on April 1, 2015 at 6%, was largely within expectations of 4%-6%, Kenanga Research economist Wan Suhaimie Saidie told StarBizWeek. "This budget is geared towards fiscal reform. The lead-time of 17 months also leaves ample time for compliance," he said. Although Wan Suhaimie is leaving most of his economic projections unchanged, he pointed out that the Government's fiscal deficit reduction target of 3% by 2015 might be a stretch given that the new tax will not take effect until the second quarter of that year. Still, the country's fiscal balance would get some reprieve from subsidy cuts to sugar and other items, he said. Consumers would also need an adjustment period of six to 12 months, but the "offset package" in the form of tax-exemptions on food, healthcare and public services, as well as the one-off RM300 cash handout, would cushion any impact on low-income households, Wan Suhaimie added. Demand, along with inflation, might spike just ahead of the April 2015 deadline as consumers hoard goods and services to stave off higher prices, which could spur an interest rate hike by the central bank, he explained. Conversely, a knee-jerk reaction in the opposite direction could take place right after GST is implemented, which might see consumers refraining from discretionary purchases or spending less. This might dent growth rates, if only slightly, in the short term, Wan Suhaimie said. "Given that a 4% GST rate would largely be revenue-neutral, the 6% rate bodes well in terms of signalling the Government's serious intent to improve its fiscal housekeeping," OCBC Bank economist Selena Ling said in a statement. "Coupled with the market-friendly 1% point corporate income tax cut to 24% is the one-off cash assistance of RM300 to BR1M recipient households, as well as an individual income tax cut between 1%-3% points to improve their disposable income. These will surely help soothe GST transition pains." RHB Research said it expected headline inflation to average 2.2% for this year but head north to 2.8%-3.2% next year, depending on the extent of subsidy rationalisation. Crucially, GST would eliminate double-taxation and overlap that plagues the current sales and service tax regime, said Crowe Howarth Malaysia managing partner Poon Yew Hoe. "GST does not add to the costs of doing business as prices are based on cost and not cost-plus-tax," he told StarBizWeek. In theory, the price of manufactured goods should come down because sales tax is currently levied at 10%, compared with 6% for GST, Poon explained. The consumption-based tax, which is more comprehensive and transparent due to the multiple layers of cross-checking, was also an effective measure to curb tax evasion, he said. Poon noted that telco players, restaurants and those in the hospitality industry should not feel the pinch because they already pay 6% in service tax currently. "For the Government to rely on GST as a stable source of revenue, the rate will need to be progressively raised over time. It could be increased to 8% after the first three years and to 10% three years later. "That said, 6% is a good start and the Government's income will improve with GST's coverage of the whole supply chain," he explained.

Budget 2014: Broadband phase 2 set to take off Posted: A TOTAL of RM3.4bil will be allocated for the next phase of the country's high-speed broadband (HSBB). Of this, RM1.8bil will be spent on expanding coverage in mainly urban areas to benefit 2.8 million households nationwide. The Internet speed will be increased to 10 megabits per second (Mbps). Another RM1.6bil will be spent on expanding HSBB to suburban areas, with the Internet access speed increasing to between four and 10 Mbps, which will benefit two million consumers. Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) currently owns and manages the existing HSBB network, which it started to construct in 2008 in an RM11.3bil public-private partnership agreement with the Government. Budget 2014, however, did not disclose which party would fund this HSBB expansion, which is being termed as HSBB2. However, sources have indicated that TM may be forking out the bulk of these investments, with the Government bearing a smaller portion. TM declined to provide details on the funding plans for HSBB2 and said discussions on the project details were still ongoing. Group chief executive officer Tan Sri Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa applauded the Government's decision to expand the HSBB project to its second phase. He said TM was committed to continue expanding the broadband reach holistically across urban, sub-urban and rural areas and enhancing broadband user experience. "For broadband for the general population, especially in under-served areas, we would continue to strengthen our fixed-line services while exploring other alternative technologies," he said. The establishment of the submarine cable network to serve the bandwidth capacity requirements of Internet users in Sabah and Sarawak is much welcomed in anticipation of increasing future capacity requirements and ever-growing data needs. "A tremendous growth of data is expected over the next few years in tandem with an increasingly dynamic and high-growth business environment in Malaysia, tied with the exponential rise in Internet usage," Zamzamzairani said. Analysts said TM could leverage on its balance sheet to make the investment. As at June 30, TM had a total of RM3.44bil in cash and cash equivalents and a free cashflow of RM1.03bil. An analyst said TM's broadband service UniFi was gaining more traction, with its numbers continuing to look good. In the second quarter, the UniFi customer base was up 50.3% year-on-year (y-o-y) to 577,000, while TM's overall broadband customer base grew by 7.1% y-o-y to 2.15 million. Meanwhile, 1,000 telecommunication transmission towers will be built over the next three years to increase Internet coverage in rural areas, with an investment of RM1.5bil. To increase Internet access in Sabah and Sarawak, new underwater cables will be laid within three years at a cost of RM850mil. These investments will utilise the Universal Services Provision Fund, which is under the purview of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission.

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• <i>Beetlejuice 2</i>, maybe
• In Hayao Miyazaki&#39;s shadow
• Bamboozled by bullies

<i>Beetlejuice 2</i>, maybe Posted: The adoringly brash and conniving ghost is set to make a comeback. American filmmaker Tim Burton is preparing to produce a sequel to his 1988 comedy starring the rude yet lovable ghost. The Beetlejuice 2 project, which has been under discussion at Warner Bros for a number of years now, seems to finally be taking shape. According to details reported by Schmoesknow.com and confirmed by the Hollywood trade press, Burton has agreed to co-produce the feature. Michael Keaton, who has expressed his particular fondness for the character he brought to the screen in 1988, is expected to return to the role for the sequel. A scene from Beetlejuice, which was released in 1988. The storyline for Beetlejuice 2 is currently in development by producer David Katzenberg and writer Seth Grahame-Smith, who authored the parody novel Pride And Prejudice And Zombies and the screenplay for Burton's Dark Shadows. Beetlejuice was one of Tim Burton's earliest Hollywood films. — AFP Relaxnews

In Hayao Miyazaki&#39;s shadow Posted: Asia's animators draw inspiration from the Japanese maestro but could be hard pressed to emulate his success. AS Oscar-winning animator Hayao Miyazaki heads into retirement, industry watchers say the next generation of Asian filmmakers stepping out of his shadow will struggle to match the Japanese master's box office domination. "The view here is that there will be no 'second Miyazaki'," Tokyo-based author and film critic Mark Schilling says. The market for Asian animation is dominated by children's films, Schilling said, and not the more adult-themed productions Miyazaki became famous for, such as his Oscar-winning Spirited Away in 2002. The 72-year-old director last month shocked the industry – and his legions of fans – by announcing he was walking away from directing. The decision was made even as Miyazaki's latest production The Wind Rises – a look at the life of the man who invented Japan's Mitsubishi Zero fighter airplane – continues to dominate the box office in Japan. It has collected an estimated US$115mil (RM364.5mil) in takings since its July release. That success follows impressive global totals from Miyazaki's Spirited Away (US$274.9mil / RM871.4mil), 2004's Howl's Moving Castle (US$235.2mil / RM745.6mil) and 2008's Ponyo (US$201.8mil / RM639.7mil). The Wind Rises is scheduled to begin hitting screens in Europe and the United States from January. Schilling – who translated the Miyazaki-themed book Princess Mononoke: The Art And Making Of Japan's Most Popular Film Of All Time – said audience figures for many animators working in a similar hand-drawn style would inevitably fade. "None of their films have scaled the Miyazaki-like box-office heights and it's hard to see how they can in the future." Small market The small marketplace has not deterred 35-year-old Yeon Sang-Ho, whose second feature The Fake was a hit with critics at the Busan International Film Festival held earlier this month. "Animated films for adults are actually rare," he says on the sidelines of the festival. "So even when a film gets money invested in it, it's still difficult to get it released. "Animators like me will just have to make people become more familiar with animation by making more films." Undeterred: The small market for hand-drawn animation has not put off Yeon Sang-Ho, whose second feature The Fake was a hit with critics at Busan. Despite being lauded by critics – and picking up three awards at Busan in 2011 – Yeon's debut The King Of Pigs did not recoup its US$150,000 (RM475,500) budget from box office takings. Undeterred, Yeon has infused his latest production with a similar brand of savage and profane social comment as he explores the story of a man locked in battle with an unscrupulous church leader. The director, while acknowledging that the market for more mature-themed animation in Asia was small, says the reaction to his first feature and the inspiration he drew from the likes of Miyazaki and the manga artist Minoru Furuya (Himizu) had made him fiercely determined to continue developing his own style. His films are noted for their ultra-realistic mix of computer-generated and hand-drawn images. Creative control Also capturing the attention of both critics and the audience in Busan was 23-year-old Korean Han Yeo-ul, whose The Child Who Draws An Octopus was the only piece of animation in the running for the festival's major prize for Korean short films (unfortunately, it did not win). Animator Han Yeo-ul feels the medium gives her a better opportunity to communicate with her audience because 'you can express yourself more (in animation) than in other films. It is a very personal thing.' Han's production uses a very child-like cut-out style which belies the weighty issues it conveys. "Animation allows me to capture the innocence of childhood," she says. "You can capture how the world looks through a child's eyes but still look at serious issues." While Han also acknowledges the market is small, she says it gives her freedom to communicate more directly with her audience. "You can express yourself more (in animation) than in other films. It is a very personal thing." – AFP

Bamboozled by bullies Posted: Bullies are everywhere, even on celluloid and the telly. WE were appalled when we read what our colleagues at R.AGE reported on the issue of bullying recently. Eighty percent of young Malaysians have been bullied. We thought the figure was wrong ... 80% is way too high. Or is it? When the entertainment team sat down to talk about this, we realised that this statistic couldn't be further from the truth. If art usually imitates life, then a look at the content of (high-profile) movies and TV shows nowadays should be an indication that cases of bullying are on the rise. Now, more so than ever, pop culture is bearing its beam down on bullies. Switch on the TV or walk into a cinema, and chances are, you will a see story about bullying. Teens are usually the victims, but bullies aren't necessarily always their peers. In Bates Motel, it is the mother; in The Hunger Games, it is the government; in earlier episodes of Glee, it was their teacher Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) who was the tormentor. Physical altercations aside, victims these days have to endure emotional as well as cyber attacks! Star2 takes a look at the various existing shows which tackle the bullying issue. While they may seem a tad dramatic (well, it is Hollywood, after all), these stories could mirror what's happening in our society. Ender's Game Plot: In Ender's Game (opening Nov 7) Young Ender Wiggins (Asa Butterfied) is given the option to join a military school in space where he will be trained for a planned attack on an alien invader that tried to take over Earth.  One of the reasons why he is determined to join the military is because he can't stand his nasty older brother and schoolmate who always taunts him.  At the military school, however, Ender learns that he has not escaped bullies – they are still there, be it the other boys who goad him at every opportunity or the supervisors who push, and push him to be the person they think he is. Defence mechanism: Being very, very, smart, Ender figures out that to ensure he is not bullied anymore, he has to play the bullies' game and ultimately, fight back. So he calculates his moves and strikes. What he should've been done: Obviously, the adults in the army think that striking back is a lesson Ender must learn. In any war, there is the option of discussion and negotiation, leaving bloodshed out of the picture. It would've been good if adults intervened and sat the boys together and just talked. Bates Motel Norman Bates should confide in Emma instead of suffering in silence. Plot: Norman Bates (Freddie Highmore), on the surface, looks like a normal teenager. But he has a deep dark secret.  No, we are not talking about his constant blackouts in which he may or may not have killed his father and a teacher. We are referring to his mother, Norma (Vera Farmiga), who uses guilt and emotional blackmail to bully Norman into submission.  Then, there's his stepbrother Dylan (Max Theriot) who rough-houses Norman because he's a mummy's boy. Physical and emotional bullying? No wonder he ends up a psycho killer. Defence mechanism: Norman keeps to himself, becomes a loner and then starts hallucinating, hearing "voices" which instruct him to kill. What he should have done: Consult a medical professional. Obviously, those "voices" aren't real. But since his mother prohibited Norman from seeking help, the next best thing was to confide in his classmate Emma (Olivia Cooke), who might have been able to help him out by telling her father the situation.  Maybe then welfare services may have reached the Bates Motel to check things out. Pretty Little Liars Plot: When their friend Alison disappears (and later presumed dead), Hanna (Ashley Benson), Aria (Lucy Hale), Spencer (Troian Bellisario), and Emily (Shay Mitchell) are devastated and scared.  Their lives are turned upside down when an unknown villain, who goes by the moniker "A", starts threatening to expose their secret if they don't do as he/she says.  "A" contacts the girls via SMS, e-mail and notes. The threats eventually turn, not only violent, (running one of the girls off the road) but "A" soon targets their family members and loved ones. (From left) Emily, Hanna, Aria and Spencer have to do community service after being arrested with a murder weapon ... no thanks to 'A'. Defence mechanism: The girls take things into their own hands, trying to find out just who is "A". Unfortunately, "A" is always two steps ahead of the girls. This results in the girls digging themselves a deeper grave ... just what "A" wants. What they should have done: Do you know that if you are being blackmailed, threatened or bullied online, you can report it to authorities such as the MCMC (Malaysian Communications And Multimedia Commission)? Even if the girls didn't want the authorities involved, they should've come clean with their parents about this problem right from the start, instead of getting entangled in this messy web. In this case, honesty is the best policy. Carrie Plot: Based on the book by Stephen King, Carrie (opening in Malaysia on Nov 7) tells the story of a lonely teenager (Chloe Moretz) who is subjected to humiliation by her schoolmates. She then comes home only to face a religious-zealot of a mother who gives her no emotional support whatsoever as she goes through teenage angst.  Things take a turn for the weird when Carrie discovers she has developed telekinetic powers – a fact she hides from both her mother and her peers, as she doesn't want the label "freak" to be confirmed. Defence mechanism: With so much unfairness happening to her, no one can blame Carrie for unleashing her power on her cruel schoolmates on prom night; a night that ends with dire consequence. What she should've done: If stories on X-Men and Heroes are anything to go by, then the thing for Carrie to do is to find people like herself, so she doesn't feel like the odd one out. Besides strength in numbers, having friends who understand makes a whole lot of difference. Percy Jackson series Plot: Doctors have pegged Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman) as dyslexic. This condition has made him the target for bullies in his class. In actuality, Percy's brain is wired such so that he can read Greek letters, not Roman; this is because he is the son of a Greek god.  Upon learning his origin, he goes to a camp filled with other teens like him. Only problem is, some of these children of god are very competitive and have no qualms of hurting others to be ahead of class. Defence mechanism: He acts impulsively. Although in his heart Percy wants to better the bad situation, he sometimes makes it worse by sticking his nose in things he shouldn't be involved in. What he should've done: Percy is one character who does the right thing. He asks for help from his father, who in turns sends him his half-brother who is a caring guy and someone Percy can depend on. Also, Percy has good friends who stand by him no matter what, which is always great.  In the end, even the bully becomes his friend. Percy Jackson (centre) sneaks around with his friends so he can go off on an adventure he has been forbidden to go. Glee Plot: Cold, biting, sticky and most of all, humiliating, the slushie is the most iconic symbol of bullying seen on the hallways of McKinley High in Glee.  The hit musical comedy-drama centres on the life and struggles of members of the school's Glee Club, a show choir group comprising an array of oddballs and outcasts.  Getting a slushie facial – being splashed on the face by the flavoured frozen drink – is a reminder of just how uncool and unpopular one is. Characters who have been regularly slushied include popular football jock Finn Hudson (Cory Monteith) for joining the Glee Club, fashion forward Kurt Hummel (Chris Colfer) for his sexuality and of course, ambitious, Barbara Streisand-loving Rachel Berry (Lea Michele) for being the face of New Directions. Defence Mechanism: Who can forget the episode where the Gleeks, clad in t-shirts that spelled out their insecurities, sang and danced together to Lady Gaga's Born This Way?  For the most part, that's what they do. They sing about their pain – it is Glee Club after all – and talk to each other within the safe, judgement-free confines of their choir room. What they should have done: While music heals in ways words cannot, it's important for these troubled teens to talk to someone about their plight, preferably someone older (er no, not coach Sue Sylvester).  The kids should take guidance counsellor Ms Pillsbury (Jayma Mays) more seriously. If you can see past her OCD and her occasional lapse of judgment, those brochures she recommend can be really hilarious, we mean, helpful. The Hunger Games series Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) band together to outsmart their evil authorities in The Hunger Games film series. Plot: The government can be the biggest bully at times. Adolescents, with their barely developed body parts, are forced to fight each other to the death in this post-apocalyptic film series.  In the first instalment, 12 children from around the nation of Panem are selected to take part in the annual Hunger Games, a televised event that sees them pouncing on each other until one remaining survivor is left.  In the upcoming Catching Fire, previous winners of the competition must fight it out once again in a special edition of the event. Defence Mechanism: Protagonist Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) has no choice but to go along and play the treacherous game but her spunk and tenacity eventually inspires many around her to start a rebellion against the government. What they should have done: Children, no matter how spirited or courageous, are just children. Parents need to defend their young and stand up against the oppression on their behalf.  As in real life, it's up to parents to protect their child's interests, be it an unjust school ruling or a rickety classroom chair. These bullies need to pick on someone their own size. The Perks Of Being A Wallflower Plot: The film is a coming-of-age tale focusing on the life of quintessential wallflower, Charlie (Logan Lerman). On his first day of high school, he doesn't speak much, eats lunch alone and gets picked on by his peers.  The 15-year-old boy, it seems, has just finished a stint at a mental hospital and is still reeling from the pain of losing his best friend who committed suicide. Charlie then befriends seniors Patrick (Ezra Miller) and his step sister Sam (Emma Watson) and the three forge a close friendship.  We later learn that Patrick, too, is being bullied for his sexuaity. The Perks Of Being A Wallflower shows us ... the perks of having good friends to count on in troubled times.  Defence mechanism: Charlie made the first move to approach Patrick and Sam. This shows just how desperate he is to find a place where he is accepted and understood by like-minded (especially fellow bully victim, Patrick) friends. What they should have done: Charlie is doing a great job spreading his vines and reaching out to other wallflowers. Given the fact that Charlie has sought help from a mental institution, what he needs right now is not another counselor (and definitely not another shrink) but a new best friend.  Meanwhile, Patrick, too, can rely on Charlie and Sam to help him regain his self-esteem and deal with the bullies. It's easy to get rid of a patch of wallflowers but how about a wall full of them?

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