Feature Page NumberFeature Page Number

N‐E‐W‐S 3

CHIREC Tattle 6CHIREC Tattle 6

History of the Smartphone 7

Cellphones and Radiation 11Cellphones and Radiation 11

The Monthly Grade 13

Easter Eggs in Android 15Easter Eggs in Android 15

Why the World Won’t End 16

F ntertain 18Funtertain 18

Iffat Ma’am’s advice for top marks in Exams 27

The Ne t Dimension 28The Next Dimension 28

What’s new in CHIREC Chatter 29

Anno ncements 30Announcements 30

About me 31

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) has teamed up with Mini Cooper in NewZealand to teach three dogs how to drive. The Auckland SPCA hopes to dispel idea that abandonedpets are second‐rate with the social campaign. "Obviously, we think dogs are pretty smart andamazing. And we reckon, if more people thought the same, more of our dogs would find happyhomes," the official Facebook page states. The interactive marketing campaign lives on the DrivingDogs Facebook page where visitors can learn about adopting a smart dog and about the Mini Cooper.The chosen pooches ‐‐ Porter, Monty and Ginny ‐‐ are learningto drive in rigs with paw‐activated accelerators and brakes.Trainers chose the canine trio based on their size, look andattitude from dozens of dogs at the shelter. After just a fewweeks of training with head driving coach Mark Vette andhis team of experts, the playful pups learned to sit facingforward with their paws on the steering wheels.

A group of developers created a series of Bluetooth‐powered stickers that track down the objectsyou're most likely to misplace. The StickNFind stickers are about the size of a U.S. quarter and syncwith a smartphone app. They have a range of about 100 feet and a battery life that reportedly lastsalmost a year. Using them is easy: The objects you tag with the stickers are displayed on the app'sscreen which lets you know how far away you are from them If you lose something that's taggedscreen, which lets you know how far away you are from them. If you lose something that s tagged,you can tap the object on your phone's screen, and the sticker will buzz and light up. The developerssay the stickers are also handy for finding your luggage at the airport. With the "Find It" feature, youcan choose which object you want to track ‐‐ in this case, your suitcase(s) ‐‐ and you'll receive an alertwhenever it comes into range. So, instead of crowding around baggage claim while hundreds of bagspile up on the conveyor belt, you can relax in the back of the line until your phone buzzes. The groupbehind the project is currently raising funds through an Indiegogo campaign. At the time of thisp j y g g g g p gwriting, funding was at $93,007 ‐‐ far past its original goal of $70,000. There are still 41 days left todonate. The group expects to release its first batch of StickNFind stickers by March 2013.

Casio's G‐Shock GB6900AA with Bluetooth 4.0 syncs with your iPhone to deliver email and phone call alerts. The G‐Shock Bluetooth Low Energy Smart Watch also includes notifications for basic things like calendar alerts weather and stock although you may have to squint to see them on the tiny screencalendar alerts, weather and stock ‐‐ although you may have to squint to see them on the tiny screen. You can silence all of these vibrating notifications by simply double‐tapping the watch's screen. Even with its iPhone‐syncing capabilities, the Casio watch reportedly doesn't consume an exorbitant amount of energy because it runs on a traditional button‐cell battery. Assuming that you use the Bluetooth function for 12 hours per day, the watch's battery could last two years. Casio isn't the first to release a smartphone‐connected watch. The sleek Sony LiveView, $78, runs Android 2.0 and can download apps from the Android$78, runs Android 2.0 and can download apps from the Android Market. The Meta Watch FRAME, $199, is another option that connects to both your iPhone 4S and Android smartphone.Casio's G‐Shock connects with iPhone 4S and iPhone 5. The watch was announced in Japan earlier this year.

John McAfee, the founder and namesake of the McAfee antivirus software company, is wanted for murder in Belize, Gizmodo reported Monday. According to Gizmodo, the antivirus pioneer is a prime suspect in the murder of an American expatriate named Gregory Faull who was shot in his home on Saturday night. Faull, described in the report as a well‐liked builder, had previously filed a formal 

l i i f f fi i ff d hibi i " i h b h i " l hcomplaint against McAfee for firing off guns and exhibiting "roguish behavior." Apparently the two men had had a disagreement about dogs sometime before Faull was shot. A police statement obtained by Gizmodo notes that police haven't established a motive yet, but are pursuing several leads, one of which appears to be McAfee. McAfee founded the antivirus company in the late 1980s and it was eventually sold to Intel for $7.7 billion in 2010. McAfee, however, retired from the company well before then in 1994 and has been unaffiliated with it ever since. In recent years, he has turned his attention to a new company he co founded called Quorumex which is based in Belize and researchesattention to a new company he co‐founded called Quorumex, which is based in Belize and researches antibiotics. Gizmodo states that McAfee has become "increasingly erratic" and estranged in recent years ‐‐ experimenting with hallucinogenic drugs and posting to chat rooms about his experiences.Earlier this year, McAfee was arrested in Belize for possessing illegal firearms, which he described at the time as being a "bogus charge." He also accused police of having killed his dog during the raid on his house ‐‐ for whatever reason, dogs seem to be a recurring theme in all this. As strange as it is, McAfee isn't the first founder of a software company to be accused of murder. Hans Reiser, the LinuxMcAfee isn t the first founder of a software company to be accused of murder. Hans Reiser, the Linux programmer behind the ReiserFS filesystem, was convicted of killing his wife in 2008.

MIT researchers say they've created a transformer‐like robot device that can take on almost any shapei i bl Th i hi h i hl h i f ill i d f l i d iimaginable. The contraption, which is roughly the size of a caterpillar, is made of metal rings and strips(pictured below) and designed to twist like a protein. Inside, there's a small motor that's able to holdits position without power ‐‐ similar to the beastly electromagnets used to lift cars in scrap yards,where a strong magnet is paired with a weaker one, TG Daily reports. MIT's new model pairselectromagnets and permanent magnets, using power only during charging, not while its switched onor off. Researchers say the device, which they've nicknamed "milli‐motein," brings them closer to theidea of programmable matter an emergence of computer programs and materials into aidea of programmable matter ‐‐ an emergence of computer programs and materials into aprogrammable, shape‐shifting form. In short: a more versatile robot.

On the 15th, 16th and 17th of November was an event that tested the averageschool student’s talent to the maximum. True to its name, SPHINX 2012 was oneof a kind inter‐school fest, held at CHIREC. A sphinx is a mythical creature, who, inancient myths, gives you a riddle. If you don’t answer her correctly, she devoursyou. This is why (or so I think) the name Sphinx is apt for such an event. As thewebsite stated, “It is a 3 day event which offers an array of cultural, literary andsports events. SPHINX 2012 heralds the exposure of the innate hidden talentithi i di id l A ti it th h i kill h t i thwithin every individual. An activity through various skill enhancements is the

axiom of our fest. We are keen on providing an environment which gives theimpetus to excel, to communicate effectively, and to seek motivation and supportfor an outstanding performance. It's not about winning or losing because we atCHIREC strive for a platform to discover the inner self within each and every one ofus through a myriad of events. We hope to see you at SPHINX 2012 and help makeus through a myriad of events. We hope to see you at SPHINX 2012 and help makethe event a great success.” It was obviously a great success, with a myriad ofliterary, cultural and sports events. We witnessed stiff competition on all sides, butultimately (and obviously) it was CHIREC who took home the Best School cup.

The National School Sanitation Awards 2012 was conferred on CHIREC. CHIRECscored 83% in Blue Category under the National School Sanitation Rating 2012towards Health Wellbeing and Dignity for all We are working hard to a Greentowards Health, Wellbeing and Dignity for all. We are working hard to a Green(90+ %) next time.

This ancestor of the modern smartphone was capable of text messaging, faxing andemailing, in addition to making phone calls. The device retailed for $1,099, or $899 ifthe buyer signed up for a two‐year service contract .

The initial BlackBerry device was certainly more affordable than the Simon PersonalCommunicator. The only problem was the first BlackBerry was only a two‐way pagerwith email capabilities, not a phone. It wasn't until 2003 that al k h h h kBlackBerry smartphone hit the market.

Ericsson called its R380 mobile phone a "smartphone," a term that has certainlyh i h k l Th d i li h i h fli h h hcaught on in the marketplace. The device was a lightweight flip phone that ran the

Symbian operating system. Symbian was the dominant smartphone operatingsystem until Android surpassed it in 2011.

Apple was not exactly a pioneering smartphone company. The iPhone was releasedyears after the first smartphone, and despite Apple's claim, it wasn't the firstcompany to have a multi‐touch screen. By combining the features, however, Apple

d h h ff d h j i i h hcreated a smartphone that offered more than just a way to communicate with otherpeople. The iPhone was literally a mobile media center. Updated versions of theiPhone have become progressively more sophisticated, and fanfare for theproduct seems to increase with each release. Apple introduced the most recentincarnation of the device, the iPhone 5, at a ballyhooed press event on Sept. 12.

Android phones hit the market in October 2008, and it quickly became the dominantmobile operating system. There were more Android devices sold than Apple andSymbian combined in 2010. Although Android and Apple's iOS are rivals, there is notactually one "Android phone," but rather a multitude of models across several

i th t k A d id b d h T d th th 500 illicompanies that make Android‐based phones. Today, there are more than 500 millionactive Android devices, which is about one for every 14 people on the planet.

Smartphones have become so integrated that people are pushing all kinds of highlypersonal information through the devices, such as email passwords and bank accountinformation. This is exactly the type of information cyber criminals want to steal. Notto mention, with people freely and frequently installing third‐party software onto theirsmartphones, there is significant potential for security problems. Kaspersky Lab, amobile‐security software developer, identified what it said was the first Trojan virus forAndroid devices in 2010. Keeping your phone's operating system up to date shouldh l i h bilhelp protect against these mobile monsters.

In today’s world, we are slowly becoming smartphones’ tools and not the other way round. As a wise man once quoted, “I fear the day when the technology overlaps with our humanity. The world will only have a generation of idiots.” Here is a comic that depicts today’s smartphone scenario with shocking accuracy:

Cellphones & radiationRadiation. Powerful enough to turn Dr. Bruce Banner (Bill Bixby) into The Incredible Hulk(L F i ) k P t P k (T b M i ) i t Th A i S id M ( till(Lou Ferrigno), or meek Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) into The Amazing Spider‐Man (stillTobey Maguire, but more buff and spandexed). It also obliterated two cities in Japan,and continues to contribute to cancers near Chernobyl. It’s sciencey, strong, and scary.No wonder it creates so much apprehension. We’re all living every day surrounded byradiation sources, and bathed in radioactive rays. Cosmic rays are a significant andunavoidable source of radiation from above, and naturally occurring forms of radon,unavoidable source of radiation from above, and naturally occurring forms of radon,carbon, and many other elements in the earth’s crust bombard us with radiation frombelow. Not all radiation is the same. The more‐powerful, cell‐damaging kind is called“ionizing radiation,” and we know that can strip atoms apart and disrupt DNA. This kindof radiation occurs in cosmic rays and diagnostic x‐rays, and that’s why radiologytechnicians wear lead overcoats. It is a bad idea to be exposed to excessive ionizingradiation, though even that risk should be put in perspective, since you can’t possiblyavoid it entirely. For comparison, a single chest x‐ray exposes an adult to about thesame ionizing radiation that you’d get in three days of living on the earth at sea level.Three days, that doesn’t sound so bad. But an abdominal CT scan? That’s about threeextra years. Diagnostic radiology is a wonderful tool, but it should be used carefully.The other kind of radiation is called “non ionizing ” You’re swimming in that too AllThe other kind of radiation is called non‐ionizing. You re swimming in that, too. Alllight is a form of non‐ionizing radiation, as are radio waves and microwaves. Though atvery intense, high exposures these kinds of radiation can damage tissue (think about amicrowave oven, or spending a day in the sun), the process of damage is by the transferof heat, not the destruction of DNA or other molecules directly. And it only takes a verythin layer of shielding to protect from even intense non‐ionizing radiation. You can get aaye o s e d g o p o ec o e e e se o o g ad a o ou ca ge asunburn, yes, but you won’t burn through a thin piece of clothing or a layer ofsunscreen, and a little piece of darkened plastic can make squinting unnecessary evenon a bright day. Non‐ionizing radiation doesn’t penetrate tissue well, and that’s onereason it’s thought of as generally safe. Cell phones themselves use non‐ionizing radiowaves to communicate with their towers, and that radiation can barely penetrate thetopmost payer of your skin. The most recent research has found no link between cellphone use and cancer, though good studies of more than ten years exposure have notbeen done.

Certainly, if there is a risk, it’s very small; a large risk effect would be easy to spot in demographic and population trends, and it just isn’t there. Cell phone towers transmit in both radio waves and microwaves, though the microwaves are directed to travel along lines of sight to the next tower– they don’t point down towards the ground at all Therelines of sight to the next tower they don t point down towards the ground at all. There is no credible evidence that they cause any direct harm. At least not from their radiation. The real risk, of course, is automobile accidents. Car wrecks kill about 45,000 people in the USA every year. How many of these are caused by drivers distracted by a cell phone?For a while, high‐voltage electric transmission lines, which also emit electromagnetic radiation, were implicated as a cause of cancer and other bad things. After decades of research failed to find real evidence of any harm, the anti‐power line crowd seems to have moved on to cell phones as the latest health boogeyman. (For more about the story of epidemiology and the rise and fall of the hysteria over health risks from power lines, read Geoffrey Kabat’s Hyping Health Risks.) Don’t fall for the hysteria over cell towers. Careful studies have so far been able to rule out any large effect; though tiny effects are still possible good research is being done to see what the extent of that might be In thestill possible, good research is being done to see what the extent of that might be. In the meantime, if you want to be safe around cell phones, don’t use them when you’re driving. That’s a much, much bigger health risk than could possibly be associated from the Scary Rays from The Sky.

An article by ‐ Roy Benaroch who is a pediatricianAn article by  Roy Benaroch who is a pediatrician

With so many moving parts to learn and a seemingly infinite breadth of options toexplore, diving into any new MMO is a major investment of time and energy. It'sh ti ll hi h i h i t lik th f t l R l fexhausting, really, which is why one appreciates a game like the free‐to‐play Realm of

the Mad God. This fantasy‐themed, co‐operative bullet hell MMORPG is beautifullysimple, yet deep enough to keep you chained to your PC for days on end. It takes onlya minute or so to get right into the action, and, once you get a taste for running aroundwith a gaggle of your fellow pixelated‐warriors raising hell and slaying beasts across theonline realm, it's hard to stop. Like any of the other thousands of players populatingonline realm, it s hard to stop. Like any of the other thousands of players populatingthe bustling game world, you've been summoned by Oryx the Mad God to serve asdinner for his hungry minions. Of course, you've got other plans. Venturing out beyondthe safety of the hub nexus, your mission is to blast beasties, collect loot, grow morepowerful, and then stick it to the evil deity. Spraying magic projectiles around thescreen while dodging incoming fire from blocky sumo wrestlers, dragons, goblinwizards, and stranger creatures you encounter takes on a classic, arcade‐like quality.The straightforwardness is appealing – move, shoot, collect – and when you weave inexploration, obsessive loot hunting, RPG character growth and the camaraderie ofsmiting evil alongside other adventurers, sessions grow intensely hypnotic. Even if younever survive long enough get reach Oryx's doom lair, there's a ton of fun to be foundin collaborating with other players in battle and unlocking cool new classes to playin collaborating with other players in battle and unlocking cool new classes to play.Each of Realm of the Mad God's 13 unique character classes are accessed by reachingcertain level benchmarks in other classes. Above all, this is what kept me glued to mykeyboard playing for hours at a time. You start as a mewling wizard who can fire blastsof magic in any direction, but as you play longer and level‐up, you eventually open‐upmore interesting classes like the necromancer, huntress, mystic, and assassin. Everyo e e es g c asses e e ec o a ce , u ess, ys c, a d assass e yclass has its own set of weapons and items, magic powers, special abilities, and perks.They all play differently, and I got a thrill every time I unlocked a new one to try out.This adds tremendous replay potential too, since unlocking the coolest charactersrequires you to spend some serious time with each class.

Perma‐death layers‐on an intense roguelike element to the already zany large‐scale bullet hell RPG slugfest unfolding on any given server, and it seriously ups the challenge and risk factor. Getting careless will get you killed and force you to re‐start your current character over from level 1. As frustrating as it can be, death is sometimes a welcome opportunity to try out another class, since you can only have one character at a time without using microtransactions to purchase additional slots. But when you're committed to keeping your favorite character alive, the threat of losing all your hard‐earned experience and loot gently nudges you into working together with other players and forming impromptu gang of warriors to tackle the tougher swarms of foes as a group. Realm of the Mad God's streamlined approach to MMO gaming also changes up player interaction in good ways. Since there's no PvP, everyone in the realm is after the same goals – slay, loot, and level‐up. As you come across other players, the desire to tag along and pitch in for tougher fights comes intuitively. You share the experienced gained from defeating foes as long as you hit them once, and there's generally plenty of loot to go around. Typing in chat text makes a speech bubble appear over your hero, and communicating in short bursts is effective for concocting plans outside of the heat of battle. When you do find other comrades you want to stick with, you can highlight nearby players andWhen you do find other comrades you want to stick with, you can highlight nearby players and lock their names to your menu bar, allowing you to teleport to their location instantly if you get separated. It's a simple and easy‐to‐use system that works well. The realm itself is surprisingly vast, with a diverse landscape that holds more dangerous and inventive foes the further you venture away from your spawn point. Weaker baddies, like scorpions and pirates, populate the sunny beachside. But push through the thick forests, crumbling ruins, and mountains beyond and you'll find powerful god like foes capable of slaying low levelmountains beyond, and you ll find powerful god‐like foes capable of slaying low‐level adventurers with a single strike. It's these formidable opponents you have to defeat in order to reach Oryx. Thankfully, when you need a break from battle or a quick getaway, tapping the insert key warps you back to the safety of the nexus where you can trade, use fame points or in‐game cash to purchase special items, form a guild, and heal‐up. When so much of the MMO experience is pared down for ease of access and quick play, it's a shame that the controls 

' i h h h ld b f h d l h l M i h haren't as tight as they should be for the arcade‐style shooter gameplay. Movement with the WASD keys sometimes gets gummed up if you're clicking around to shoot a lot while changing direction. Holding the firing button down or toggling auto‐fire smoothes this out a bit, but it's frustrating to die because you get stuck walking in the wrong direction for a few seconds longer than you meant to and wind up charging into the middle of a rampaging horde of angry elves. Fortunately, it's not a game‐breaker. While the control wonkiness is a pain, the absorbing gameplay drowns out the irritation it causes. It may be vastly different from its big‐league brethren, but this stylish indie MMO has loads of staying power to match its unique concept. Realm of the Mad God’s accessible arcade‐style bullet hell action blends with RPG nerdiness in some truly potent ways, and the lovely pixilated world holds an abundance of adventure that’s ripe for the taking. Easy to jump into and damn near impossible to quit, this unusual free‐to‐play MMO hybrid is worth every second of your spare time.p y y y y p

Each version of Android since Gingerbread (Android 2 3) has included an Easter eggEach version of Android since Gingerbread (Android 2.3) has included an Easter egg, which is always accessed in the same way. The Easter eggs in the latest versions are becoming more complex, with animations and interactivity. Android’s Easter eggs pay tribute to Nyan cat, Tron, zombies, and jelly beans. Each Easter egg is themed to fit with the Android version’s release name. To access the Easter egg in your version of Android, open the Settings screen and tap About phone or About tablet at the bottom , p g p pof the screen. Locate Android’s version number on the about screen and quickly tap it several times. The Easter egg will appear. Look for “Firmware version” instead of “Android version” on Gingerbread.

Dec. 21, 2012, won't be the end of the world as we know, however, it will be another winter solstice., , , ,Contrary to some of the common beliefs out there, the claims behind the end of the world quickly unravel when pinned down to the 2012 timeline. Below are a few questions NASA scientists answered:

Question (Q): Are there any threats to the Earth in 2012? Many Internet websites say the world will end in December 2012. Answer (A):The world will not end in 2012. Our planet has been getting along just fine for more than 4 billion years, and credible scientists worldwide know of no threat associated with 2012.

Q: What is the origin of the prediction that the world will end in 2012? A: The story started with claims that Nibiru, a supposed planet discovered by the Sumerians, is headed toward Earth. This catastrophe was initially predicted for May 2003, but when nothing happened the doomsday date was moved forward to December 2012 and linked to the end of one of the cycles in the ancient Mayan l d t th i t l ti i 2012 h th di t d d d d t f D b 21 2012calendar at the winter solstice in 2012 ‐‐ hence the predicted doomsday date of December 21, 2012.

Q: Does the Mayan calendar end in December 2012? A: Just as the calendar you have on your kitchen wall does not cease to exist after December 31, the Mayan calendar does not cease to exist on December 21, 2012. This date is the end of the Mayan long‐count period but then ‐‐ just as your calendar begins again on January 1 ‐‐ another long‐count period begins for the Mayan calendar.

Q: Is NASA predicting a "total blackout" of Earth on Dec. 23 to Dec. 25? A: Absolutely not. Neither NASA nor any other scientific organization is predicting such a blackout. The false reports on this issue claim that some sort of "alignment of the Universe" will cause a blackout. There is no such alignment (see next question). Some versions of this rumor cite an emergency preparedness message from NASA Administrator Charles Bolden. This is simply a message encouraging people to be prepared for emergencies, recorded as part of a wider government preparedness campaign. It never mentions a g , p g p p p gblackout.

Q: Could planets align in a way that impacts Earth? A: There are no planetary alignments in the next few decades and even if these alignments were to occur, their effects on the Earth would be negligible. One major alignment occurred in 1962, for example, and two others happened during 1982 and 2000. Each December the Earth and sun align with the approximate center of the Milky Way Galaxy but that is an annual event of no consequence. 

Q: Is there a planet or brown dwarf called Nibiru or Planet X or Eris that is approaching the Earth and threatening our planet with widespread destruction? A: Nibiru and other stories about wayward planets are an Internet hoax. There is no factual basis for these claims. If Nibiru or Planet X were real and headed for an encounter with the Earth in 2012, astronomers would have been tracking it for at l t th t d d d it ld b i ibl b t th k d Ob i l it d t i t E ileast the past decade, and it would be visible by now to the naked eye. Obviously, it does not exist. Eris is real, but it is a dwarf planet similar to Pluto that will remain in the outer solar system; the closest it can come to Earth is about 4 billion miles.

Q: What is the polar shift theory? Is it true that the Earth's crust does a 180‐degree rotation around the core in a matter of days if not hours? A: A reversal in the rotation of Earth is impossible. There are slow movements of the continents (for example Antarctica was near the equator hundreds of millions of years ago), but that is irrelevant to claims of reversal of the rotational poles. However, many of the disaster websites pull a bait and switch to fool people They claim a relationship between the rotationdisaster websites pull a bait‐and‐switch to fool people. They claim a relationship between the rotation and the magnetic polarity of Earth, which does change irregularly, with a magnetic reversal taking place every 400,000 years on average. As far as we know, such a magnetic reversal doesn’t cause any harm to life on Earth. Scientists believe a magnetic reversal is very unlikely to happen in the next few millennia.

Q: Is the Earth in danger of being hit by a meteor in 2012? A: The Earth has always been subject toQ: Is the Earth in danger of being hit by a meteor in 2012? A: The Earth has always been subject to impacts by comets and asteroids, although big hits are very rare. The last big impact was 65 million years ago, and that led to the extinction of the dinosaurs. Today NASA astronomers are carrying out a survey called the Spaceguard Survey to find any large near‐Earth asteroids long before they hit. We have already determined that there are no threatening asteroids as large as the one that killed the dinosaurs. All this work is done openly with the discoveries posted every day on the NASA Near‐Earth Object Program Office website, so you can see for yourself that nothing is predicted to hit in 2012.

Q: How do NASA scientists feel about claims of the world ending in 2012? A: For any claims of disaster or dramatic changes in 2012, where is the science? Where is the evidence? There is none, and for all the fictional assertions, whether they are made in books, movies, documentaries or over the Internet, we cannot change that simple fact. There is no credible evidence for any of the assertions made in support of unusual events taking place in December 2012.

Q: Is there a danger from giant solar storms predicted for 2012? A: Solar activity has a regular cycle, with peaks approximately every 11 years. Near these activity peaks, solar flares can cause some interruption of satellite communications, although engineers are learning how to build electronics that are protected against most solar storms. But there is no special risk associated with 2012. The next solar maximum will occur in the 2012‐2014 time frame and is predicted to be an average solar cycle, no different than previous cycles throughout historyno different than previous cycles throughout history.

Little Bobby came into the kitchen where his mother was making dinner. His birthday was coming up and he thought this was a good time to tell his mother what he wanted. "Mom, I want a bike for my birthday." Little Bobby was a bit of a troublemaker. He had gotten into trouble at school and at home. Bobby's mother asked him if he thought he deserved to get a bike for his birthday. Little Bobby, of course, thought he did. Bobby's mother, wanted Bobby to reflect on his behavior over the last year. "Go to your room, Bobby, and think about how you have behaved this year. Then write a letter to God and tell him why you deserve a bike for your birthday." Little Bobby stomped up the steps to his room and sat down to write God a letter.y y p p pDear God,I have been a very good boy this year and I would like a bike for my birthday. I want a red one.Your friend, BobbyBobby knew that this wasn't true. He had not been a very good boy this year, so he tore up the letter and started overletter and started over.Dear God,This is your friend Bobby. I have been a good boy this year and I would like a red bike for my birthday.Thank you.Your friend BobbyB bb k th t thi 't t ith S h t th l tt d t t d iBobby knew that this wasn't true either. So, he tore up the letter and started again.Dear God,I have been an "OK "boy this year. I still would really like a bike for my birthday.BobbyBobby knew he could not send this letter to God either. So, Bobby wrote a fourth letter.God,I know I haven't been a good boy this year. I am very sorry. I will be a good boy if you just send me a bike for my birthday. Please!Thank you,BobbyBobby knew, even if it was true, this letter was not going to get him a bike. Now, Bobby was very upset. He went downstairs and told his mom that he wanted to go to church. Bobby's y p g ymother thought her plan had worked, as Bobby looked very sad. "Just be home in time for dinner," Bobby's mother told him. Bobby walked down the street to the church on the corner. Little Bobby went into the church and up to the altar. He looked around to see if anyone was there. Bobby bent down and picked up a statue of the Virgin Mary. He slipped the statue under his shirt and ran out of the church, down the street, into the house, and up to his room. He shut the door to his room and sat down with a piece of paper and a pen Bobby began toHe shut the door to his room and sat down with a piece of paper and a pen. Bobby began to write his letter to God.God,I've kidnapped your mother. If you want to see her again, send the bike!!Bobby

There were three generals, one Chinese, an Iraqi, and a Turk. They were bragging about how good each of their armies were.The Chinaman said, "My army would kill themselves for their country!"Then he put a platoon in a little room and told them "When this feather hits the floor IThen he put a platoon in a little room and told them,  When this feather hits the floor I want all of you to shoot yourselves!"He then went outside the room and five seconds later there were numerous gunshots and everyone in the room was dead.Next came the Turkish General and he said the same thing to one of his platoons. About seven seconds later they heard gunshots and once again everyone was dead.se e seco ds a e ey ea d gu s o s a d o ce aga e e yo e as deadFinally came the Iraqi and he did the same to his platoon. Several seconds past and there were no gunshots. They decided to wait a little longer. Then several more seconds past and still no gunshots.Finally they went in and the whole Iraqi platoon was on the floor blowing under the feather to keep it up.

•What gets wetter and wetter the more it dries?•You throw away the outside and cook the inside. Then you eat the outside andthrow away the inside. What did you eat?•What goes up and down the stairs without moving?•What can you catch but not throw?•What's black and white and red all over?•What goes around the world but stays in a corner?I h h l i d b l f d i h d i h iddl B I ill•I have holes in my top and bottom, my left and right, and in the middle. But I stillhold water. What am I?•Give me food, and I will live; give me water, and I will die. What am I?Find the answers at monthlygalaxy.wordpress.com.

•You’re in a prison with no windows or doors. All you have is a mirror and a block of wood. How do you escape?•A train leaves Hyderabad, heading to Chennai at a speed of 80 km/h. 3 hours later, a train leaves Chennai for Hyderabad, at a speed of 120 km/h. If Hyderabad and Chennai are exactly 800 km apart, which train is closer to Hyderabad when both trains meet?•A mail plane is flying above the Atlantic Ocean, at an altitude of  1200 m. A mail bag h f ll f h l H h i ill h il b k hi h dthen falls out of the plane. How much time will the mail bag take to hit the ground, taking the acceleration due to gravity as 10 m/s2?Find the answers at monthlygalaxy.wordpress.com

•A detective who was mere days from cracking an international petroleum smuggling ring has suddenly gone missing. While inspecting his last‐known location, you find a note:710 57735 34 5508 51 7718C tl th 3 t Bill J h d T dd C b k th d t ti ' dCurrently there are 3 suspects: Bill, John, and Todd. Can you break the detective's code and find the criminal's name?

•A man is found dead one Tuesday morning. He was killed while his wife was sleeping. The wife tells the police all that she knows. She tells them that the cook was cooking breakfast, the maid was cleaning and the butler was getting the mail. The policebreakfast, the maid was cleaning and the butler was getting the mail. The police immediately arrest the person who is responsible. Who is responsible and why?

•A crime has been committed at Vivekananda Street. The main suspect is a man named Rahul Reddy. It was said that a man had been walking along the pathway when he was suddenly shot in the stomach. The suspect had brown hair, blue eyes and wore a baggy Armani suit just like Rahul Reddy's.Rahul was asked to tell the story right from the beginning. "Well," said Rahul , "I was just hanging around the park when I saw this man walking along the pathway. Suddenly, a guy came up from behind him and shot him! I ran home as fast as I could." The policemen asked him to give a description of the murderer. "He had a red moustache red hair and a baggy Armani suit on "moustache, red hair and a baggy Armani suit on."I think this man is telling a lie," said one of the policemen. How did he know?

•A married couple live peacefully in a house together. But one day the wife shoots her husband. Then she holds him under water for over five minutes. Finally, she hangs him, but ten minutes later they go out and enjoy a wonderful dinner. How can this be? bu e u es a e ey go ou a d e joy a o de u d e o ca s be

Answers at monthlygalaxy.wordpress.com

•Teacher: Arun, why are you doing your math multiplication on the floor?Teacher: Arun, why are you doing your math multiplication on the floor?Arun: You told us to do it without using tables, ma’am.

•Teacher: Dhruv, how do you spell ‘Crocodile’?Dhruv: K‐R‐O‐K‐O‐D‐I‐A‐LTeacher: That’s wrong.Dhruv: Maybe, but you asked me how I spell it, ma’am.

•Teacher: George Washington not only chopped down his father’s cherry tree, but also admitted it. So Sashank, do you know why his father didn’t punish him?Sashank: Because George still had the axe in his hand, ma’am.

•Teacher: Karan, your essay ‘My Dog’ is exactly the same as your brother Arjun’s. Did you copy his?Karan: No ma’am, it was the same dog.

•Teacher: Akash, what do you call a person who keeps on talking even though people eac e as , a do you ca a pe so o eeps o a g e e oug peop eare not interested?Akash: A teacher, ma’am.

• Do not waste time in meaningless chatter.• Utilize every minute you can use – while travelling in the bus.• Post important formulas/equations on the bathroom mirror, almirahs etc.• Make notes.• Study in a quiet place Absolutely no cell phones!• Study in a quiet place. Absolutely no cell phones! • Make a study schedule.• Try to study at the time of day you work best.• Break large tasks into a series of smaller tasks that you can complete one at a time• Relax. It’s hard to concentrate when you’re tense. It’s important to relax when working on a task that requires concentration.g q• Meditation is helpful to many students.• Clear your mind of worrisome thoughts. You can get distracted by your own thoughts. Monitor your thoughts and prevent yourself from following any that take you off track.• Don’t daydream.• Take breaks whenever you feel fatigued.• This is the time to be true to yourself. A friend is not a friend who keeps on distracting you by clarifying his/her doubts from you.• Studying without concentration is like trying to fill a bucket with water when the bucket has a hole in its bottom. It doesn’t work.• If you find that there is something you have not understood something do not waste• If you find that there is something you have not understood something, do not waste time in trying to understand now. After this set of exams, you can get your doubt clarified.• Don’t worry too much, there is still plenty of time for your finals and 2 more sets of exams to prepare you.• Take time seriously, you will not be able to recall these minutes.y, y• Have faith, put in your best, you should not have any regrets when you look back after a few years.

The NeXt Dimension is a blog created by 3 students of class IX:Nikhil, Taashi and Mihir. As the picture suggests, it is an unofficialblog about the XBOX 360, and the various titles it has. It has reviewsof various games, and more. If you want to read about the latestd l i h XBOX 360 i h hi bl i fdevelopments in the XBOX 360 universe, then this blog is for you.

Tribute to the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Sriram and Jayanth pay homage to the Chili Peppers by singing their song ‘By The Way’. 

chirec.in/?p=627Waves of Change: The initiative by CBSE had CHIREC as an active 

participant, with a video covering the day’s events. chirec.in/?p=604

Sarthak Rout: A 12th grader, Sarthak Rout, shows his prowess in l i h i li lplaying the violin awesomely. 

chirec.in/?p=519TexMex‐the food stall: A few 12th grade Commerce students decided 

to start their own food stall in school. Needless to say, it was a blockbusterblockbuster.

chirec.in/?p=522

Expect something bigger next time! Send your contributions (stories, poems, jokes, riddles and what not) to adi1998is@gmail.com.  Visit our blog (monthlygalaxywordpress com) and Facebook Page(monthlygalaxy.wordpress.com) and Facebook Page (facebook.com/themonthlygalaxy) for more updates. And if you want to help in any other way, do get in touch!

Note: The poll has been cancelled, due to a lack of voters.

I’m Adhitya Mamallan, Class IX‐B, CBSE. I’ve been told that I’m fresh, practical, yet composed and unpretentious. I’m 14 years old, and my interests are reading, playing games on the computer, and playing outside I created this magazine because I was slightly ticked off byoutside. I created this magazine because I was slightly ticked off by the fact that other schools have a monthly magazine, but ours doesn’t. So, if you have any suggestions for the magazine, do get in touch with me at my e‐mail ID: adi1998is@gmail.com, my blog: monthlygalaxy.wordpress.com, or my Facebook Page:monthlygalaxy.wordpress.com, or my Facebook Page: facebook.com/themonthlygalaxy.