Hola MaHigh School
Volume 5, Issue 7 October 2016
But also other things: October Month: Black cat day Halloween and more And China and Mars and quotes and poems and nuclear and books and .... much more
Gauteng, home to Africa’s economic powerhouse, Johannesburg, boasts an exciting mix of urban lifestyle, diverse cultural and natural attractions, as well as advanced infrastructure. Call us and we’ll show you why Gauteng in South Africa is the perfect location to bring your big idea to vibrant, colourful life.
Contents 06 Editor’s letter 07 Poem 08 Writers needed 10 Contributors 11 Holler at us 14 Exam Tips 24 Nuclear: The bomb
Contents 27 Quotes 28 October Month 32 China: the giant 36 Book review 38 Mars Colony 41 How not to do it 44 Mind Palace 46 Next Issue
Editors Letter October Month! This month that is sort of in-between a lot of things and notr really here or there. But the month is also exams and that is where we have provided some useful tips on how to do it: before, during and after exams. But October month is Halloween and other things. One of them is Black Cat Day! Imagine! OK, I am biased: We have a black cat. International is China. The last of our BRICS countries. It got four pages. No way we could cut it down. Science article is Mars. Elon Musk (from Pretoria nogal) made an announcement pertaining to his view on the Mars Colony - in our lifetime. And we have the quotes, which I love doing myself. Always worth a giggle. The poem is from my poetry book. I am not so great at it, but when I have time, I string a few lines together. Good read!
Sybil
Time for poems:
Time is for free Time is there, for free We can use it, misuse it, But it will never go away Time is ours, yours, mine But nobody can own time Time is of value And priceless And time is always right It is always time to do right
Sybil
We need writers! Our writers are growing up and getting older That is og course good. BUT.... it means they are leaving us Therefore: would you like towrite for us? What is required? That is easy You have to be in grade 10-12 Impeccable in your preferred language-and that might not be English. We try to be more than just English Passionate about your topic of choice no dull articles here
Do you get anything out of it? Well, not money, sorrry. BUT if we publish your articles you will have: Your bio in a commercial magazine A photo of yourself You can put it all on your CV you can use us as a reference ... and it goes in your portfolio
Is it important? YES it is. Look what Rofhiwa said: My name is Rofhiwa and I love to write. I think I am rather decent writer too. I took my talent and have used it to express my thoughts on international dealings of the world which have been published in Hola MaHigh-School. It has paid off, not only is my work printed for young people in the country to read, but it also contributed to me gettng a bursary from CNBC-Africa to do my post-graduate studies. Would be a lot harder to get by if I didn’t have platform like Hola MaHigh-School.
What
me o
to do
?
n iva n co.za @romele . : nam e scho Cell n ol E-ma umber ... and il addres s we w ill tal k!
Meet our contributors My name is Masiziba, a 16 year old girl from a small rural town called Balfour in Mpumalanga. I am a matriculant in wait. My mother worked as a domestic worker and my father is a backyard Farmer. During my spare time I love reading, writing stories and watching TV. I am a confident girl who has big dreams and wants to prove that you can make it whatever your background is
Pinky Rapoo is a creative writer by nature and not yet by profession.She lives in Vosloorus and is currently in grade 12 at Vosloorus Comprehensive SecondarySchool. Listening to music is her hobby,writing is her passion. Her motto is “Think twice before speaking,think three times before acting and think thoroughly before writing�. My name is Fikile Unifire Zulu, I hail from Evaton West in the Vaal Triangle, Gauteng. I love art (writing included) and started doing so ever since I can remember. I am a go-getter, determined, ambitious and diligent young woman, I strongly believe in reading because it allows you to look at the world in a new perspective and writing .. well you get to express your thoughts and imagination without any fear. Besides writing, I am passionate about serving the community, currently I am a Provincial Secretary-General for Disabled Youth South Africa, Deputy Chairperson for Evaton West Local Drug Action Commitee, PR officer for Educate South Africa and part of Gauteng Youth Road Safety task team.
HOLLER AT US Hola MaHigh-School
The stuff we need to mention: Editor & Publisher Sybil Otterstrom sybil@romele.co.za
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South WeSt GautenG technical
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APPLY NOW AND STAND A CHANCE T THE SECOND SEMESTER AND
“Sharpen your skills, Unleash your passion, Join the Economy and Shape up your Career at opportunity to all Grade 10-12 learners as well as youth seeking to further their education o Utility Studies.
As only a limited number of spaces are available in certain programmes, prospective studen
We are therefore inviting all eligible and interested prospective students to apply for any of
SEMESTER PROGRAMMES Business Studies
U
Report 191/Nated Programme Offered
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Campus
Business Management
N4 - N6
Dobsonville / Roodepoort
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Human Resource Management
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Dobsonville
Public Management
N4 - N6
Dobsonville
Management Assistant
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Roodepoort
Financial Management
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Roodepoort
DISTANCE EDUCATION
TRIMESTER P
Offered at Technisa Campus only Programme Offered
Business Management
Utility Studiwes
Engineering Studies
Engineering Stu
LEVEL
Report 191/Nated
Business Management
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Programme Offere
Financial Management
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Civil Engineering
Human Resource Management
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Electrical Engineerin
Management Assistant
N4 - N6
Electrical Engineerin
Marketing Management
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Mechanical Enginee
Public Management
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Water & Waste-wate Management
Public Relations
N4 - N6
Tourism
N4 - N6
Educare
N4 - N6
Civil Engineering
N1 - N6
Electrical Engineering
N1 - N3
Electrical Engineering
N1 - N6
Machanical Engineering
N1 - N6
Water & Waste- Water Management
N1 - N3
DHET BURSARIES THOUGH THEY AR TO THE STUDENT THROUGH THE M MAKE THE WISE PLY NOW!
SWGC Pe
For further enquiries on applications, please contact any of our Campuses on 086Â headoffice@swgc.co.za or visit us on www.swgc.co.z Head Office Contact Centre Dobsonville Campus 1822A Molele Street, Klip Valley/Union Street, Kliptown 5604 Van Onselen Road, Dobsonville c/o Koma Road, Molapo Roodepoort Campus Roodepoort West Campus Technisa Campus 1 Lawson Street, Roodepoort West Cnr Main and Huguenot, Blairgow 1 Webber Avenue, Horizon
cational
education
and
traininG colleGe
TO BE INVITED TO ENROLL FOR D THIRD TRIMESTER 2016!
t South West Gauteng TVET College.” The College is offering an or advance their careers in the fields of Engineering, Business and
nts are advised to apply for enrolment at the College, NOW!
the following courses/programmes provided that they meet the set requirements:
Utility Studies Report 191/Nated Programme Offered
Level
Campus
Introductory Clothing Construction
N4
George Tabor
Clothing Production
N4-N6
George Tabor
Educare
N4-N6
Roodepoort
Hospitality & Catering Services
N4-N6
Roodepoort
Popular Music (Composition, Studio Work & Performance)
N4-N6
Dobsonville
PROGRAMMES
udies
d
ed
Level
Campus
N1-N6
Molapo
ng
N1-N3
Molapo
ng
N1-N6
Roodepoort West
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N1-N6
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er
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Roodepoort West
S ARE AVAILABLE, EVEN RE NOT GARANTEED, EVEN TS THAT ARE DEEMED NEEDY MEANS TEST CHOICE, KHETHA AND AP-
eriod! Enough Said!
176 8849, Fax: 011 984 1262, za George Tabor Campus e 1440 Mncube Drive, Dube
Molapo Campus wrie 1822B Molele Street, c/o Koma Road, Molapo
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1. Manual Application forms can be obtained at any of the College Sites/Campuses and, or on the College Website; www.swgc.co.za 2. Online Applications can be found on the College’s Website: www.swgc.co.za and maybe completed electronically, please ensure to follow the system rules. 3. Returning of the Application Forms: - Semester Application Forms • Completed application forms to be sent to any of the College Sites, by hand, fax, email or post using the details or addresses given below, but must reach the College no later than 10 June 2016 • Applicants will be notified of their acceptance / non-acceptance no later than 24 June 2016 - Third Trimester Application Forms • Completed application forms to be sent to any of the College Sites, by hand, fax, email or post using the details or addresses given below. Completed Forms may be submitted from the 1 June 2016 and must reach the College no later than 1 August 2016 • Applicants will be notified of their acceptance / non-acceptance no later than 24 August 2016 - Distance Learning • Applications are opened throughout the year. 4. Completed Application forms must be accompanied by the following documents: - Certified copy of Identity document. - Certified copy of latest results/qualification
LATE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED! Address all correspondence to Private Bag X33, Tshiawelo, 1817. Distance Education correspondence to Private Bag X7, Pinegowrie, 2123
Exam tips: Just b There are plenty of things to look out for. Getting to the exam hall is only one of them. Preparing is actually also needed. What to do? Get there on time and know where it is. Obvious! But hey, if the school has more than one hall for exams, are you at the right place? And just get there on time. If you use transport, make sure it leaves you enough time for ‘disasters’. Eat something before exams. I can’t my stomach is a big knot. Well, yes maybe, but your brain will need the energy – and the right mix for that matter – so just loosen the knot a bit, sit down and get cereals, tuna (Omega 3) or a slice of chicken breast. Fruit is excellent as well. Chop an apple in yoghurt. At least something! Sure, Tuna is the better option and tin tuna is fine. Expensive? Hey, how many exams are you going for? Water during exams: No need to have a whole bucket of water. You are not going to wash there. BUT you have to stay hydrated. The brain works far better if the entire body is hydrated. So get a few bottles to take along. Oh yes, and leave the fizzy drinks. They actually dehydrate you. Water is fine, leave the rest! Did you bring a calculator? An extra pencil? A pen. Just one? The one which will die on you? Take an extra one along. Get the logistics right. Practical clothing is essential. Cold? Hot? An extra jersey? Shoes too
before you walk in tight? Make sure that whatever you wear will not occupy your mind. You cannot afford to focus on being cold or hot or anything else but the exam paper.
All-night preparation and cramming time or go early to bed the night before? Up to you. I think that is a choice and a habit more than anything. But be aware: your brain will have to work 100% next morning. Can it do that if you have not even had a kip? Maybe yes, if exam is just continuation of the night, but will you never go tired then? Choose wisely! As they say in Harry Potter. ‌ and now we get to the actual exam!
Exam tips: Ok, now let us see. You have made it to the right place, on time, and have gallons of water, food, extra pencils and, well yes, all of it. Now sitting down, waiting. Like this is the Olympics and you are Caster. “turn the pages and begin..you have 4 hours…” or something similar.
moment!
Panic, the sinking feeling of it all, the cold sweat breaking out, the heart rate going up, the collar too tight, hands shaking. It is NOW where the entire future of the universe will be decided. Aliens or Illuminati will invade if I don’t get it right, this
RELAX! Here is what we recommend: First of all: Aliens and Illuminati will not arrive today. It is scheduled for next year, we believe.
easy one’s?
Now, take your time to do some planning of those few hours you sit there. READ it through, all of it. Make notes. What is easy to do, what is difficult? Are there a range of questions? What is the total score of the
Now you will know which one’s you can quickly do and what is then outstanding for passing this one test. Set time aside for the semi-difficult one’s.
It is NOW! Identify the one which you might not be able to do. See how much it will cost you not to do it, but use the time to do more of the other one’s. NOW you know perfectly well where to start. You have made a budget of the test. Time to spend on the individual questions and the weight of those. Now stick to it. If an easy one turns out to be not so easy, skip it. Get to the next one. You might just find that some of the other one’s will save you time, and voila, you are back on track. And the really difficult one’s? what if I don’t get to them? We trust you will have scored enough points on the easy one’s to make it up, but if not? “Houston, we have a problem”. You have to have some extra time to grasp the nettle and get on with the difficult stuff. No escape there. For every seconds to or on a piece answer it. It is the way to
question, just spend a few structure (in your mind of paper) how you will is called thinking and it success. To think that is.
Drink plenty of water, have a snack and enjoy exams!
Exam tips: after exa This is mind-games. Prepare and declutter your brain. If you want to read up on more for the next exam, by all means. BUT it is important to get the mind-set right. That means something simple: Don’t think about the last exam. Get all the ‘old’ notes and books away. They will clutter your works pace. Here is a trick: a clotted workspace WILL clutter your mind. You cannot afford that. So, clean up and clean out. Get yourself in a good mood. Take a day out with friends. You should anyway have prepared so well for the next exam that you can afford it. Otherwise we are into :”Houston, we have a problem”. Eat proper food. It is amazing how much food – the right stuff – will mean to you. The synapses will have to fire some days into the future and there are foods that will help you here. Omega-3, vitamins, proteins and all things. HOWEVER, it is also important to look at food and not at supplements. Supplements might give you a boost. But is it sustainable? If you put junk in the trunk, there is a good chance that you will think junk. So, skip the burger for this period. Do something better. The additional time it takes to prepare a meal might give you a bit of relaxation and might
ams, before the next just give you the energy sources required. Exercise is great. Don’t do a Marathon, but just get to walk or maybe run. Don’t overdo it either, but just ensure that you get out of the house and get to ‘stretch the legs’ a bit. Party is after exams. Not in the middle of the battle for grades. There is nothing to celebrate before the fat lady sings. Sleep is just as important. It is the brain’s only chance to regenerate itself. And the brain is indeed very active. It is ‘cleaning house’ (chemicals are going) and new connections are made as well as getting rid of old stuff. Help the brain a bit! Get enough sleep. Do you know that the brain only accounts for 5% of the body weight but takes 20% of the oxygen? Help your brain a bit! The brain is working in mysterious ways, so it is also an idea to look at ways of remembering things. Ways to improve concentration. It sounds like magic, but these are simple things to utilise. ... and remember: Exams can be fun! It is all in your mind.
CALENDAR 2016
MAR Construction Focus Week – Grade 9 - 12 Launch My Career – Grade 11
Food for Life Holiday Program
Bloodhound Rocketry Course Electronics Club – (Intro) – Grade 10 & 11 Fame Lab Speak2aScientist
APR Launch My Career – Grade 11
Bloodhound Rocketry Course Electronics Club – (Intro) – Grade 10 & 11 Mathematics Week – Grade Subject Choice – Grade 9
FOCUS WEEK
ENQUIRING MINDS PROGRAMME
Speak2aScientist
1 - 29 FEBRUARY
JANUARY Life after school – Grade 12
25 Jan. - 12 Feb.
FEBRUARY Life After School – Grade 12
25 Jan. - 12 Feb.
Enquiring Minds Programme – Grade 12 - 3
1 - 29
Finance, Banking & Investment Industry Focus Days– Grade 9 - 12
24 - 25
Finding my Way– Grade 7
15 - 19
Electronics Club - (Intro) – Grade 10 & 11
Feb. - Sep.
Speak2aScientist
25
Spea
Scie
RCH 8 - 11 7 - 11
mme
19 Mar. - 4 Apr.
e
29 Mar. - 2 Apr. Feb. - Sep. 22 31
RIL 11 - 15
e
29 Mar. - 2 Apr. Feb. - Sep.
4 - 12
18 - 22 18 - 29 28
ak 2a
MAY Electronics Club – (Intro) – Grade 10 & 11
Feb. - Sep.
Health Science Week – Grade 4 - 12
16 - 20
Engineering Focus Week – Grade 9 - 12
23 - 27
Subject Choice – Grade 9
3-6
Minquiz (Provincial)
19
Exploring Careers – Grade 10
9 - 13
Speak2aScientist
26
JUNE
entist
Electronics Club – (Intro) – Grade 10 & 11
Feb. - Sep.
Subject Choice – Grade 9
1 - 10
Astonishing Anatomy Holiday Programme
25 Jun. - 17 Jul.
Bloodhound Rocketry Course
27 Jun. - 1 Jul.
Speak2aScientist
30
JULY Electronics Club – (Intro) – Grade 10 & 11
Feb. - Sep.
Subject Choice – Grade 9
18 - 28
Astonishing Anatomy Holiday Programme
25 Jun. - 17 Jul.
Bloodhound Rocketry Course
27 Jun. - 1 Jul.
Bloodhound Rocketry Course
4 - 8 Jul.
Minquiz (National )
13 - 14
Astronomy Quiz
Jul.
Speak2aScientist
28
Exciting Careers For Girls
SEPTEM
AUGUST Electronics Club – (Intro) – Grade 10 & 11
Feb. - Sep.
Electronics Club – (Intro) – Grade 10 & 11
National Science Week – Grade 4 - 12
1-5
Sustainable Energy Week – Grade 4 & 12
Media Week (Mnet) – Grade 9 - 12
15 - 19
Entrepreneurship Development & Support Bootc
ICT Focus Week – Grade 9 - 12
22 - 26
Subject Choice – Grade 9 Speak2aScientist
Girl Power: Exciting Careers for Girls 5 - 6 – Grade 9 - 12 Speak2aScientist
25
OCTOB Maritime Focus Week – Grade 9 - 12
Transport Week (special focus on Maritime We – Grade 4 - 12 Subject Choice – Grade 9 Space Explorers Holiday Programme Bloodhound Rocketry Course Mental Maths Speak2aScientist
NOVEMBER Early Explorers Month – Grade R
1 - 30
Subject Choice – Grade 9
1-4
Speak2aScientist
24
DECEMBER December Holiday Programme
10 - 31
MBER
camp
Feb. - Sep. 5-9 22 - 23 1 - 30 29
BER
eek)
24 - 28 (during Transport Week) 24 - 28
EARLY EXPLORERS MONTH 1 - 30 NOVEMBER
10 - 21 1-9 3-7 Oct. 27
ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT BOOTCAMP 22 - 23 SEPTEMBER
The B
Finally, I get to explore the commonly feared and most rational, emotional reason behind why nuclear energy is so dangerous and that is nuclear bombs! If we should ever get into a real nuclear war where nation-states release their arsenal and we see multiple nuclear explosions with associated fall-out, the world will cease to exist. Not only will countless millions of people die in the blasts, but the few survivors will probably not survive for long as the entire planet will be poisoned for hundreds of years. But then a limited exchange or just a few bombs? Look at Chernobyl (my previous article). That was equivalent to a small bomb. The conclusion is simple: even a few bombs can destabilise our way of life. That makes the bomb a great terrorist weapon. Surrounding a nuclear weapon with suitable materials (such as cobalt or gold) creates a weapon known as a salted bomb. This device can produce exceptionally large quantities of long-lived radioactive contamination. It has been estimated that such a device could serve as a “doomsday weapon” because such a large quantity of radioactivity with half-lives of decades, lifted into the stratosphere where wind currents would distribute it around the globe, would make all life on the planet extinct—believe it or not! Although H. G. Wells was inspired to write about atomic weapons in a 1914 novel, The World Set Free, which appeared shortly before the First World War. The implications of nuclear bombs have been much more devastating; leaving parts of the world turned upside down more than he could have imagined. Nuclear security is hard to control especially in the midst of so many nuclear-bomb possibilities.
Bomb!
One nuclear security problem in South Africa made all the connotations around nuclear security believable through the incident of the armed attack on the nuclear facility, shortly after midnight on 8 November 2007. What happened was that four armed men entered the facility and headed towards a control room in the eastern block. According to the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (NECSA), the four “technically sophisticated criminals” deactivated several layers of security, including a 10,000-volt electrical fence, suggesting insider knowledge of the system. So it can happen. Can nuclear security then be ever managed? Nuclear terrorism, according to a 2011 report published by the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard University, can be executed and distinguished via four pathways The use of a nuclear weapon that has been stolen or purchased on the black market The use of a crude explosive device built by terrorists or by nuclear scientists who the terrorist organization has furtively recruited. The use of an explosive device constructed by terrorists and their accomplices using their own fissile material The acquisition of fissile material from a nation-state. U.S. President Barack Obama calls nuclear terrorism “the single most important national security threat that we face”. In his first speech to the U.N. Security Council, President Obama said that “Just one nuclear weapon exploded in a city -- be it New York or Moscow, Tokyo or Beijing, London or Paris -- could kill hundreds of thousands of people”. It would “destabilize our security, our economies, and our very way of life.
The bomb - continued The danger is if a terrorist group ‘buy’ a bomb and gets the codes for setting it off. Which nation-state would sell a bomb to such a group? Maybe none, but if the nation-state is in turmoil? There was a case made that Russia’s arsenal could be ‘sold off’ to anyone interested by disgruntled former officers. Terrorists can however spread radioactive materials all over by normal explosives and that will still kill and make life impossible in the afflicted areas. And that is probable also good enough to a terrorist. World leaders joined to form a world summit known as the Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) that is aimed at preventing nuclear terrorism around the globe. The first summit was held in Washington, D.C., United States, on April 12–13, 2010. The second summit was held in Seoul, South Korea, in 2012. The third summit was held in The Hague, Netherlands, on March 24–25, 2014. The fourth summit was held in Washington, D.C. on March 31-April 1, 2016 The commitments made in NSS (Washington) in 2010 was that leaders jointly affirmed the seriousness and urgency of the threat posed by nuclear terrorism. The participating countries agreed to work to secure all vulnerable nuclear material worldwide. The participating countries agreed to shoulder their responsibility for securing nuclear material within their own borders. The threats are real. The official number of nuclear devices in the world is 10,144 per 2014. If anyone should get hold on a few including the arming codes, we have a problem. It can also be to ‘invade’ a nuclear reactor and create a deliberate accident like Chernobyl (as could have happened in South Africa) or just to capture nuclear waste products and pollute an entire city like New York. There are plenty of options outside of a nuclear blast. To top that off, the possibility that an atomic device being surrounded by materials such as cobalt or gold creates a weapon that can produce exceptionally large quantities of long-lived radioactive contamination. All I can say is good luck to the world leaders in preventing the use of nuclear weaponry particularly nuclear bombs.
By Masiziba Hadebe.
Quotes Let us honour our teachers for once:
Teaching is the one profession that creates all other professions. –Unknown Kids don’t remember what you try to teach them. They remember what you are – Jim Henson Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself – Chinese proverb
The Month
What is so special with October? No holidays. We can survive. Exams looming large Wiki, of course):
The first one we would like to mentions is of course Breast Cancer Awareness Mon ized by major breast cancer charities every October to increase awareness of the dis tion, diagnosis, treatment and cure. The campaign also offers information and suppo World Smile Day is celebrated on the first Friday in the month of Octocoined and initiated by Harvey Ball, a commercial artist from Worcester, created the Smiley Face in 1963. The World’s first World Smile Day was ly since.
And of course: Children around the world to hon Sunday of June in 1856 salist Church of the Red held a special service ju was named Flower Sund
October 27 has been de Cats Protection in the U and Northern Ireland, to cats and to encourage people to adopt an unwanted black cat. Cats Protection’s ow cats are more difficult for them to find a new home for than other colours. In 2014, t of the abandoned cats i ing a possible reason wa cats “un-photogenic
How can we not mentio the eve of the Western C Halloween activities incl decorating, carving pum playing pranks, visiting Happy October!
of October
now and results. But what else? Actually a lot of things. Let us have a look (all from
nth. It is an annual international health campaign organsease and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevenort to those affected by breast cancer ber every year. The idea of World Smile Day was Massachusetts. Harvey Ball is known to have held in the year 1999 and has been held annual-
n’s Day is recognized on various days in many places nor children globally. Children’s Day began the second by the Reverend Dr. Charles Leonard, pastor of the Univerdeemer in Chelsea, Mass. That Sunday of June Dr. Leonard ust for children to Dedicate them. Dr. Leonard christened the day, Rose Day. Later it day. Still later the second Sunday of the month of July was named Children’s Day.
esignated ‘Black Cat Day’ by United Kingdom of Great Britain o celebrate the virtues of black wn figures suggest that black the RSPCA reported that 70% in its care were black, suggestas that people considered black
on: Halloween is a celebration observed in a number of countries on 31 October, Christian feast of All Hallows’ Day. lude trick-or-treating (or the related guising), attending Halloween costume parties, mpkins into jack-o’-lanterns, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing and divination games, haunted attractions, telling scary stories and watching horror films
A tyre? No Goodyear unve Unique spherical shaped concept tyre highlights ultimate manoeuvrability, safety and connectivity
Geneva, Switzerland, March, 2016- After 117 years of making tyres, Goodyear presented a vision of a fut Goodyear unveiled its latest concept tyre, Eagle-360, at the Geneva International Motor Show. The spher for the long-term future when autonomous driving is expected to be more mainstream.
According to a recent study from Navigant Research, 85 million autonomous-capable vehicles are expec Tech Choice Study, consumers are most concerned with ensuring safety through technology in autonom “By steadily reducing the driver interaction and intervention in self-driving vehicles, tyres will play an ev president and chief technical officer. “Goodyear’s concept tyres the boundaries of conventional thinking and as testbeds for Spherical shape for ultimate manoeuvrability and safety The unique shape of the Goodyear Eagle-360 could contribautonomous mobility.The spherical shape of the tyre is key to move in all directions, contributing to passenger safety. Active from potential hazards, such as black ice or sudden obstacles, so In addition, the spherical shape of the Goodyear Eagle-360 This helps the car to overtake an obstacle without changing its Finally, because 360 degree turns are possible with this tyre, it less space will be needed for cars fitted with spherical tyres to same role, this could significantly increase the capacity of public
Connected via magnetic levitation To connect with the body of the car, the Goodyear Eagle-360 from the car by magnetic fields, similar to magnetic levitation “Though this is purely a concept tyre, it showcases some of drivers can be addressed. Based on our own recent research[3], able cars to be part of future mobility and that reliability and could deliver a safe and sustainable solutionfor our end consumer who is likely to drive or ride in autono as inspiration for the automotive industry as we continue to find solutions for the future, together.”
Sensors ensure connectivity with car and increase sa Goodyear imagined another feature, connectivity, to cles, which is brought to life in three features. First, s the road conditions, including weather and road surf to the car as well as to other vehicles to enhance safe and pressure monitoring technology, sensors in the E tyre to extend mileage. Finally, because the tread is p based on the region where the driver lives is a new p
Biomimicry - inspired by nature Elements of the Eagle-360 design showcase biomimi Goodyear often uses in its designs. The tread mimics blocks and grooves help to secure a safe contact patch. The groove bottom has the same elements as a n and aquaplaning resistance. This texture also absorbs water on the road and ejects water from the tyre f
o, Science eils Eagle-360
ture tyre that looks radically different from tyres today -it’s a sphere. rical, 3-D printed tyre highlights Goodyear’s vision for the future and presents an inspiring solution
cted to be sold annually around the world by 2035[1], for example. According to the J.D. Power 2015 U.S. mous cars. ven more important role as the primary link to the road,” said Joseph Zekoski, Goodyear’s senior vice play a dual role in the future both as creative platforms to push next-generation technologies.” ute to safety and maneuverability to match the demands of delivering ultimate manoeuvrability. The multi-orientation tyres technology allows the tyre to move as needed to reduce sliding it contributes to staying on a safe path. provides a smooth ride by creating a fluid, lateral movement. driving direction. could tackle anticipated parking constrictions of the future, as pull into parking spots. Assuming public parking areas play the parking areas without increasing their size.
concept tyre relies on magnetic levitation. The tyre is suspended trains, which increases passenger comfort and reduces noise. Goodyear’s best innovative thinking and how the needs of future we know that young drivers are looking for smart and sustainsafety are key for them.4 We believe the Eagle-360 concept tyre omous cars in the future,” said Jean-Claude Kihn, President of Goodyear EMEA. “We also hope it serves
afety o optimize driving conditions in autonomous vehisensors inside the Eagle-360 concept tyre register face conditions, and communicate this information ety. Secondly, leveraging Goodyear’s tread wear Eagle-360 register and regulate the wear of the produced by a 3-D printer, customizing the tyre possibility.
icry, which is the imitation of nature, a principle s the pattern of brain coral, and its multidirectional natural sponge, which stiffens when dry yet softens when wet to deliver adequate driving performance footprint through centrifugal force to reduce the risk of aquaplaning.
We round off our international section with the last of the BRICS countries – China. It is difficult not to use words like ‘biggest’, ‘largest’, ‘oldest’ and so on all the time when talking China. The thing is: China is all of it. Let us start somewhere: World’s most populous state (1,4 bn people) 2nd largest state by land area From freezing mountains to sub-tropical From deserts to crowded cities and areas One of the earliest civilizations – around the Yangtse and Yellow rivers Ancient culture – remember Mulan? But what happened over the last 10,000 years? Emperors, dynasties, civil wars, uniting the empire and breaking it up, numerous times. And then of course the opium wars in the 19th century. And then on top of the devastating war with Japan really from 1900 until 1945. The Mao Zedong period is a PhD study all by itself. But it also turned China onto its current path as a world economy (again), albeit the human consequences were dramatic. Read up on it yourself. It is both tragic and sad and has some good points. But then what happened? Economic reforms in 1978 – introducing state capitalism. This was really an un-shackling of the economy and the population. That is why China is back in the world as a super-power in its own
right (and not just a military power). So where are we today then? China is the biggest exporter and the 2nd biggest importer. This is huge. In many instances, China is where Japan was in the 1960’s. Then ‘Made in Japan’ was not exactly a badge of greatness. ‘Made in China’ is changing rapidly. It is becoming a sign of hi-tech and value. Look at Chinese cars. Compare to Japanese cars in 1960’s. Exactly! Same path. China is a big contributor to BRICS and the BRICS bank. For China to write out a cheque of some billions of dollars is not a big deal. But is there a plan behind the Chinese expansions? With the Chinese government’s mode of operation and a governed capitalism, it is possible for the government to formulate long-term goals and actually go for it. In a more democratic country, governments may change and policies may change based on that, but not in a Chinese environment. Capitalism tends to go where money can be made, but ‘state capitalism’ is directed by the state. Subtle differences? Yes, but with huge dramatic consequences.
The power consumption of China (electricity from coal, etc) has sky-rocketed. China has to find new sources of energy. The population is growing and with the living standard also sky-rocketing, consumer goods must be provided. The ‘new’ middle-class has tasted the ‘good life’ and will not easily take a decrease in their spending. What does it mean? China’s development is also linked to its borrowing. The Chinese debt is HUGE in real terms, but as a percentage of the economy, maybe not. But even so, it is the nominal debt mountain which impacts the rest of the world. The land can hardly feed more people. Agri-culture is on the fore-front, but food must still be imported. As China is a part of the world now, it also means that world economic trends will impact on China. It means something horrible: A down-turn world-wide will make the ‘new’ middle-class poorer. And they will not like that. On top of, as much as we believe that China is a ‘cheap’ place to put a factory, it might not be so anymore. Some companies are now investing in Kenya with factories which will require a workforce with no or very basic skills. China is too expensive to provide that now. So
China moved up the food chain, but now we have an entity with millions of a higher-skilled work-force. What are they to manufacture and where to sell it? Of course export it! That is where we see cars, airliners, trains, electronics, etc etc. Be prepared! Is it sustainable? Maybe, but if China should hit a ‘bump in the road’ because of international trends, lack of growth, lack of energy imports, etc, then the middle-class might demand a say in the direction of the society – democracy – and that can result in upheavals. Any ‘slow-down’ will have consequences and we are talking about a ‘middle-class’ counted in hundreds of millions. Any slow-down will impact world exports to China and that can result in international recession. And the world cannot afford to finance the growing Chinese debt burden. Combine this with industry moving to cheaper countries, and we see danger signs, but also good things: China will have to establish itself as more than just ‘cheap’. It has to be hi-tech and then we see a new ‘Japan’ as Japan was in the 1960’s: Growing fast and adding value to the world.
How does a nucle This is the basics. To create a nuclear explosion, we need to ‘tinker’ with the nucleus of the atom. So, we take a material which emits a lot of neutrons. These neutrons will plough into other nucleus and make them split into two or three other nucleus (in essence different atoms now). This ‘split’ creates energy (the explosion!) and a lot more of neutrons. Those will then .. and so on. If it is possible to have this ‘chain reaction’ to happen very fast, we have an explosion. If it is really a very slow process, we have a nuclear reactor. Simple, really. So what is the difference between a reactor and a bomb? The purity of the material which can cause it to go ‘bang’. Uranium 235 is a good option. Reactor grade fuel is about 5% pure. Weapons grade is about 90%. Going from 5% to 90% is really only a nation-state which can do that. SO: a terrorist cannot capture a reactor and turn the core into a weapon that will explode. It can do other things, though. For an explosion to occur, we need ‘critical mass’. Imagine we have to portions. None ‘critical’. If we now slam those together, we will have ‘critical mass’ and it will explode. And that in essence is a Uranium bomb. OK, what about Plutonium? Unfortunately, Plutonium can only be generated in a reactor (it is really a by-product and can then be used as either fuel or as a bomb). Plutonium cannot be used in the ‘slamming-together’ approach. It will fizzle as it is very unstable. Solution? Pack normal explosives around a ball of plutonium and when it explodes, it will compress the ball into a very very small one. THAT is then critical mass and it will explode.
ear bomb work? These are fission (splitting the atom) bombs. The other one’e are fusion bombs. Fusion is really simple: we will ‘fuse’ atoms together. That process (fusion) will release a lot more energy and the explosion will be really big. How to do that? Take a normal fission bomb, the explosion will generate so much heat (millions of degrees) that the lighter atoms (Helium and Hydrogen) will ‘fuse’. And that is it, really. HOWEVER! This is engineering, not science anymore, BUT it cannot be done at home. It will require a nation-state with a sophisticated industrial capacity to do this. But can a bomb then be stolen and made to go off? difficult, impossible. All bombs are protected by a tregger: Permissive Action Link, PAL. It is software and hardware which protects the bomb. Not knowing the right codes and it will diable itself. cannot go off. Try to take it apart and it will melt the core and become useless as a bomb. And just to make it clear: a reactor cannot explode as a bomb. the purity of the fuel is not high enough. It can melt and pollute - Chernoby - but it was not the core that exploded. It was the lack of cooling which created a steam explosion.
Off to Mars: Elon Mu Remember we had a few fascinating articles about settling Mars as a new frontier? We touched on a lot of issues: How to get there, how to sustain a Mars colony, the implications of a new civilisation on Mars, and all things in-between (also how to turn Mars into another ‘green’ planet. Did anyone think it was just a dream? Well, our own Elon Musk has outlined his views on it. What did he say? Let us start with the time frames. Musk is putting SpaceX into utilising fully re-usable transportation systems. That takes the price down to some $200,000 The duration will be some 30 days – ultimately. According to him, 1 million people on Mars can make it self-sustainable and that might take 100 years. We predicted that a Mars colony of 1 million people could be there in some 50 years (in your life times!) and we predicted that terraforming of Mars could take 300-400 years. 300-400 years? Van Riebeck landed here in 1652 and that is exactly 364 years back in time. So it is indeed not a long time, really. Is the technology really in place? Well, yes. Sort of. The re-usable part of getting into space has now been proven. His SpaceX rocket lands perfectly fine back on a floating platform. The first launch customers to buy space on his ‘second-hand’ rockets are signed up. So that should be OK. The rocket engine is there – raptor – and the launch rocket will be powered by 42 of those. Sounds a lot and sounds complicated. It probably is.
usk’s announcement But as the plan is to transport 200 people per trip, well, a lot of power needs to be applied. The capsule or passenger compartment is there. Red Dragon, which is a further development of the current Dragon capsule, used for supplies to the space station ISS. Elon Musk predicts that the price will probably go down to $100,000. We predict it will be even less than that. On top of, Elon also plans on having some 1,000 transporters operational at any given time. That is a lot of people up and down to Mars. Is it even feasible? Oh yes. But it still raises a few questions which Elon Musk has not addressed. In terms of technology, it is easier to build a space station and go there before taking the long stretch to Mars. Building a Mars space station and do a space elevator to Mars is simple stuff. That can be done today. That will take care of a lot of cost and complexity. It is not necessary to land the transporter on Mars, just dock it at the Mars station. Simple stuff! The other thing is that for making things sustainable, it is not necessary for the Mars colonisers to return to Earth. Why would they? But here is the catch! What type of society will they build? Now let us look at this. Let us just imagine that we ferry 200 people to Mars every month and we use a fleet of 1,000 transporters. That is 200,000 people per month. That is a million in a year. So far so good.
Mars: Private Enterprise Building the mars buildings is not really difficult either. So they will quickly go from ‘exploration’ and survival to having a new world. Their kids will be born on Mars. But will they now be citizens of … what? Mars passports? In all likelihood they will not have any allegiance to ‘mom and dad’s old country’. Why should they? Will they embrace democracy? Select a King or Queen? Rebel against Earth governments? We can also ask ourselves if a private space station is feasible. Well, yes. Mr Bigelow is busy building it. It will actually be a hotel. Space tourists! And the price will be affordable. But who is Mr. Bigelow? Mr. Bigelow is a Las Vegas mega-billionaire, owner of the hotel chain ‘Budget Suites’. He is determined to put a new hotel in space and has designed and launched his first module (on Musk’s SpaceX) in space. His goal is to have several space hotels operational. But who is Elon Musk? Elon Musk is born in Pretoria, the CEO of Tesla Motors and was involved with PayPal. Rings a bell? He is the 83rd richest person in this world with some $14 billion in the bank. But why are these people doing this? Spending until billions of Mars? Because they believe in the survival of the human race and that can only be by becoming space creatures! They have a vision. They have a goal for humanity – and not many have that and the means to do something about it.
The Long March A book by Ed Jocelyn and Andrew McEwen ISBN 978-84529-255-3 Published by Constable & Robinson, 2006 As we are writing about China in our International section, it might also be fitting to dwell a bit on China’s immediate past. The Long March is a fascinating book. Although written in 2006, it is still relevant in many ways. The Long March is an iconic and defining moment in Chinese history. The background is the Chinese civil war. The Communist Party with Mao are setting out from Southern China to escape defeat by the nationalists. Ending in Northern China a year later and going from 86,000 to approximately 4,000 survivors was a horrific story. Ed and Andy trail the entire route to interview witnesses, doing research, proving history and all the usual ‘history’ things. However, the book and their journey evolve. After all, it is unusual to find two ‘whites’, fluent in Chinese, visiting and walking in remote China. Their journey is worth reading for its historic relevance, but I found their journey in semi-modern China much more fascinating. Although the Long March is the carrying element, I will recommend the book for its description of rural China, on the verge of ‘entering the world’. Insofar as China in 2006 was a very çlosed’environment, their journey is filled with incredible moments, giving this a flavour of fun, humour and modern history. Staff.
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Mind Palace: A M Here is something I stumbled across when I was doing research for exam tips: Mind Palaces. I have never heard of that, so obviously getting on to Wiki to see what this is now all about. It is a well-established technique for remembering information. Information in this respect can be anything: deck of cards, decimals of Pi, formula, letters and pronunciation of Russian alphabet, etc. The information can be simple or complex. The technique is to commit to long-term memory the information and an association to a physical object or location (hence it is also called Method of Loci). If you can see the object with your ‘inner eye’ you can recall the associated piece of information. That is simple enough, I should say. So what objects or locations can be used? Walk through your bed room (in your mind) and remember objects. The favourite trophy is a good one. That trophy I can always remember, because it was given to me for an outstanding achievement in grade 1. My very first trophy. The circumference of a circle is 2r * pi. Look at the trophy and repeat the formula. Store it in long-term memory – the brain will do that for you. Next time you need the formulae, you walk through your room, looking at the trophy and bang, there is the formula recalled! I wrote ’31 April 1652’ on my white board. It is a very silly joke and when-
Memory Technique ever I look at that I associate it with zebras. Their stripes are individual and no two zebras look the same. And zebras identify each other as they can see the patterns. Are these examples weird? Well, they are real. Here is the next big leap in this: Create your own ‘palace’. An entity entirely in your own mind, populate the rooms with curtains, colours, furniture, anything you like. Associate ‘things’ with the items (and the locations). Even create different palaces for different topics (e.g. palace 1 for maths, palace 2 for history, palace 3 for ..). It is also possible to ‘construct’ in your mind the roads leading to the different palaces and to associate things to these. You get the picture? I think it takes a bit of practice, but I will try it out. Is it new stuff? The roman senators (Cicero the most famous one) used this technique 2,000 years ago. Tried and tested as they say in the classics. Oh yes, is it widely used? Have you ever heard the term ïn the first place .. and in the second place ... Where do you think it is coming from? Just goes to show ... in the first place! Staff
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