Hola MaHigh-School - October 2016

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 to do?
Email me on ivan@romele.
co.za:
name
school
Cell number
E-mail address
... and we will talk!

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
Advertising sales
Next level Management services cc
011 614 5046
076 360 1792
sybil@next-level.co.za
Publlishing
Romele Publications cc
32 Eleanor street
Troyeville
2094
011 614 5046/076 360 1792
Website
www.romele.co.za
Hola Ma High School
When you post
your comments
here, it will go
to the website
Enquiries
Romele Publications cc
32 Eleanor Street
Troyeville
2094
Production and Art Direction
Ivan Otterstrom
ivan@romele.co.za
Distribution
On-The-Dot
Printing
United Litho
follow us on Twitter
@holamahigh
When you post
your comments
here, it will go
to the website

South WeSt GautenG technical and Voc
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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
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Report 191/Nated
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DHET BURSARIES
THOUGH THEY AR
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THROUGH THE M
MAKE THE WISE
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SWGC Pe
For further enquiries on applications, please contact any of our Campuses on 086
headoffice@swgc.co.za or visit us on www.swgc.co.z
Head Office
1822A Molele Street,
c/o Koma Road, Molapo
Roodepoort Campus
1 Webber Avenue, Horizon
Contact Centre
Klip Valley/Union Street, Kliptown
Roodepoort West Campus
1 Lawson Street, Roodepoort West
Dobsonville Campus
5604 Van Onselen Road, Dobsonville
Technisa Campus
Cnr Main and Huguenot, Blairgow

ational education and traininG colleGe
O BE INVITED TO ENROLL FOR
THIRD TRIMESTER 2016!
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r advance their careers in the fields of Engineering, Business and
ts are advised to apply for enrolment at the College, NOW!
the following courses/programmes provided that they meet the set requirements:
tility 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
ROGRAMMES
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N1-N6 Molapo
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ARE AVAILABLE, EVEN
E NOT GARANTEED, EVEN
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CHOICE, KHETHA AND AP-
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a
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Molapo Campus
1822B Molele Street,
c/o Koma Road, Molapo
Application procedure:
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:
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• 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
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non-acceptance no later than 24 June 2016
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• 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
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• Applications are opened throughout the year.
4. Completed Application forms must be accompanied by
the following documents:
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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

efore 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
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”.
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.
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

ms, 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.

APR
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
FOCUS WEEK
ENQUIRING MINDS PROGRAMME
1 - 29 FEBRUARY
Launch My Career – Grade 11
Bloodhound Rocketry Course
Electronics Club – (Intro)
– Grade 10 & 11
Mathematics Week – Grade
Subject Choice – Grade 9
Speak2aScientist
JANUARY
Life after school – Grade 12
25 Jan. - 12 Feb.
FEBRUARY
Life After School – Grade 12
25 Jan. - 12 Feb.
Enquiring Minds Programme
1 - 29
– Grade 12 - 3
Finance, Banking & Investment 24 - 25
Industry Focus Days– Grade 9 - 12
Finding my Way– Grade 7 15 - 19
Electronics Club - (Intro)
Feb. - Sep.
– Grade 10 & 11
Speak2aScientist 25
Spea
Scie

CH
8 - 11
me
7 - 11
19 Mar. - 4 Apr.
29 Mar. - 2 Apr.
Feb. - Sep.
22
31
IL
11 - 15
29 Mar. - 2 Apr.
Feb. - Sep.
4 - 12 18 - 22
18 - 29
28
k 2a
ntist
MAY
Electronics Club – (Intro)
Feb. - Sep.
– Grade 10 & 11
Health Science Week
16 - 20
– Grade 4 - 12
Engineering Focus Week
23 - 27
– Grade 9 - 12
Subject Choice – Grade 9 3 - 6
Minquiz (Provincial) 19
Exploring Careers – Grade 10 9 - 13
Speak2aScientist 26
JUNE
Electronics Club – (Intro)
Feb. - Sep.
– Grade 10 & 11
Subject Choice – Grade 9 1 - 10
Astonishing Anatomy
25 Jun. - 17 Jul.
Holiday Programme
Bloodhound Rocketry Course 27 Jun. - 1 Jul.
Speak2aScientist 30

JULY
Electronics Club – (Intro)
Feb. - Sep.
– Grade 10 & 11
Subject Choice – Grade 9 18 - 28
Astonishing Anatomy
25 Jun. - 17 Jul.
Holiday Programme
Bloodhound Rocketry Course 27 Jun. - 1 Jul.
Bloodhound Rocketry Course 4 - 8 Jul.
Minquiz (National ) 13 - 14
Astronomy Quiz
Jul.
Speak2aScientist 28
AUGUST
Electronics Club – (Intro)
Feb. - Sep.
– Grade 10 & 11
National Science Week
1 - 5
– Grade 4 - 12
Media Week (Mnet)
15 - 19
– Grade 9 - 12
ICT Focus Week
22 - 26
– Grade 9 - 12
Girl Power: Exciting Careers for Girls 5 - 6
– Grade 9 - 12
Speak2aScientist 25
Exciting Careers For Girls
SEPTEM
Electronics Club – (Intro)
– Grade 10 & 11
Sustainable Energy Week
– Grade 4 & 12
Entrepreneurship
Development & Support Bootc
Subject Choice – Grade 9
Speak2aScientist
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
BER
Feb. - Sep.
5 - 9
amp
22 - 23
1 - 30
29
ek)
ER
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.

omb!
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

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
How can we not mentio
the eve of the Western C
Halloween activities incl
decorating, carving pum
playing pranks, visiting
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.
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
Happy October!

of October
now and results. But what else? Actually a lot of things. Let us have a look (all from
th. It is an annual international health campaign organease
and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevenrt
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-
’s Day is recognized on various days in many places
or children globally. Children’s Day began the second
by the Reverend Dr. Charles Leonard, pastor of the Univereemer
in Chelsea, Mass. That Sunday of June Dr. Leonard
st for children to Dedicate them. Dr. Leonard christened the day, Rose Day. Later it
ay. Still later the second Sunday of the month of July was named Children’s Day.
signated ‘Black Cat Day’ by
nited Kingdom of Great Britain
celebrate the virtues of black
n figures suggest that black
he RSPCA reported that 70%
n its care were black, suggests
that people considered black
n: Halloween is a celebration observed in a number of countries on 31 October,
hristian feast of All Hallows’ Day.
ude trick-or-treating (or the related guising), attending Halloween costume parties,
pkins 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

, Science
ils Eagle-360
ure tyre that looks radically different from tyres today -it’s a sphere.
ical, 3-D printed tyre highlights Goodyear’s vision for the future and presents an inspiring solution
ted to be sold annually around the world by 2035[1], for example. According to the J.D. Power 2015 U.S.
ous cars.
en 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
mous cars in the future,” said Jean-Claude Kihn, President of Goodyear EMEA. “We also hope it serves
fety
optimize driving conditions in autonomous vehiensors
inside the Eagle-360 concept tyre register
ace conditions, and communicate this information
ty. Secondly, leveraging Goodyear’s tread wear
agle-360 register and regulate the wear of the
roduced by a 3-D printer, customizing the tyre
ossibility.
cry, which is the imitation of nature, a principle
the pattern of brain coral, and its multidirectional
atural sponge, which stiffens when dry yet softens when wet to deliver adequate driving performance
ootprint 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

ight (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 ac-
tually 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 mon-
ey can be made, but
‘state capital-
ism’ is directed by
the state. Subtle
differences? Yes, but
with huge dra-
matic 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.

ar 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.

sk’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.

We provide loans and bursaries to
students at all 26 public universities
and 50 public TVET colleges
throughout the country.

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-

emory 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

Next Issue
November issue - the very last
issue for this year.
We have a few things. Nothing
very serious, because it is ... after
all ... HOLIDAYS.
We look at what is to be done until
January. The good time and what
to be a little bit careful about.
The international part will be Antarctica.
It is fascinating!
Quotes of course and something
from my poetry book.
There will be a few more articles,
but alas, I have not figured it out
yet. LOL. I am also getting to holiday
mood.
The science one will be about
‘HAPPY’. Strange word really.
And then a WELCOME to our new
grade 10’s and a sad farewell to
our grade 12’s. GOOD LUCK
Sybil