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CONTENTS

Title…………………………………………… Page

From the editors’ desk…………………. 3

Those that almost made it………… 4

Perspective…………………………………. 5

Quality………………………………………. 19

Getting Candid…………………………… 30

Opinion Poll……………………………….. 34

Artist’s Creek…………………………..… 36

Believe it or not?.......................... 45

Delectable delicacies!................... 47

Curse of Tutenkhamen………………. 49

Cricket Mania……………………….……. 51

Math Magic………………………….……. 53

Crossword………………………….……... 55

Make a wish…………………………..…. 57

Surprise………………………………….…. 61

Section@work............................. 66
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From the editors’ desk (a.k.a. computer table)

Dear Reader,

We would begin with the time honored words; we’d like to thank the madam
principal, the teachers, and all others who made this possible, but for the fact that it
would sound clichéd. So we are content to begin with the fact that we would have
begun with that cliché, and delve into more important issues.

Firstly: Thank you. Thanks to all the awesome contributors (everyone in class
and one from abroad), thanks to the English Dept. Heads who had the brainwave of a
class magazine and thanks to you, reader (who is most probably one of the above,
but why risk it?). Special thanks to Adobe (for the software which facilitated the
designing of the covers) and Microsoft (for the software which facilitated printing the
magazine). Thank you, every one (just in case somebody we missed gets mad and
waits behind our bedroom door with a machete).

Thirdly: F.I.R.E is a combined effort of a multicultural team of various faiths

and beliefs. It’s essentially a patchwork of sorts, a knit in which the whole is
(hopefully) better than the sum of the individual parts. Hours were spent on making
the reading intelligible and interesting unlike *cough* some magazines *cough*. We
think we deserve a Nobel Prize, but due to an inexpressible urge to serve humanity
as a whole, we’ll pass, thank you.

Fourthly: No offense is intended anywhere in this magazine to anyone. Any

offense taken is at your own expense (if you sue us, we won’t appear at court since
we are working on minimum funds at the moment).

Lastly: Sorry if we’re boring you (not really, it’s quite fun) and for our
unforgivable math errors. We won’t keep you waiting. We’ll leave you for now, but
we’ll meet again somewhere amongst these pages, like it or not.

Go ahead, take the plunge.

Sincerely,

Vijay and Satchit

P.S. Are you still there? WE TOLD YOU TO TAKE THE PLUNGE!

P.S #2 Wait, not literally!

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THOSE THAT ALMOST MADE IT

Before we kick off:-

We’d like you to know that we didn’t just arrive at F.I.R.E out of the blue (no, not out
of the red either). Before the name (submitted by M.R. Sudha) was selected (by mass
vote, vetoing, another vote and another vetoing), there was widespread
indecisiveness about what name was to be chosen for the magazine (at one point,
we thought about ditching the whole magazine naming process and just call it
magazine).There were a wide range of names (both cranky and innovative) put forth
by the class students.

Here’s a short shortlist of some of the shorter names submitted by various

members of the student body of XI-B (that’s a synecdoche by the way):

1. The 4th Dimension (A.K.A Awesomeness) – Vasanth.

2. T.R.A.P – Thoughts randomly assembled on paper. (This was decided first, but
changed later (I think that’s obvious))– Satchit.

3. I.M.P.A.C.T – Improving maths physics and chemistry tirelessly. (Pretty sure you
are rolling your eyes by now)-Vijay

4. M.A.G.I.C – Magazine of artistic genius and intellectual creations (Nice adjectives

which can never be applied to us) – Soumya

5. Torque (With that tow symbol) – (Yeah yeah, a tribute to physics. ) – Satchit.

6. T.I.M.E – To instigate manic environment – Satchit (Guy never runs outta ideas)

7. CITA – Caught in the Act – Vijay. (It is CIA time, folks!)

-Vijay Sarathy
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PERSPECTIVE
(Where thoughts are transferred to print)

The one thing I miss

I have been living on this Earth for the past 16 years and many a time, like
everyone else, have
felt lonely in spite of
the fact that there are
a billion more humans
left on planet Earth.
Till my 5th grade, I used
to spend some time in
a crèche after school is
over. So, I probably
had my ‘playtime’
there before I came
home. When I was 8,
my dad brought me a
chess board. And I
would like you to know
that I haven’t played
chess with anyone else
except with my dad.
And, I haven’t used
that board for the past 6 years. I own only 2 board games, of which I have never
played one. I have never owned a deck of cards because I simply knew no one would
be there to play with me. And I realized this more after I had no place to go to play
after school.

Life went on well, if a bit sluggishly; I had switched my school and home, and
didn’t have so many friends nearby. I got a new computer to explore, and made
some new friends, but still felt a tinge of loneliness. After two years of life like this, I
suddenly got to own 2 dogs. I had always wanted a dog, but circumstances never let
me have one. But now everything seemed perfect and thus, I had opened a new
portal in my life, and this made me realize something that I had never experienced
before…
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Suddenly, I realized that I’m not the only little one in the family. I had 2 more
members who would listen to me and who I was responsible for!! Every day, I had
someone to play with, someone who helped me keep myself happy, it wasn’t always
happy though, dogs are always like kids, no matter how old they grow. Thus, I
realized how great it would have been if I had a brother or a sister all along. I could
have played lots of new games I learnt from my friends, I could have shared my
favorite noodles with him/her, I could have had a person to who I can wake up at the
middle of the night to tell about the cartoon I just dreamt of. I could have played a
thousand pranks when I had got bored and this and that and so on! I learnt to fill this
void I had not discovered all these years. My dogs became my closest friends, who
are as playful and young as I am and are with me all the time  . In other words,
they were almost like siblings.

Then I heard about my friends always complaining about the fights they had
with their siblings, the things they hate about each other and wishing they were an
only child like me. I would feel, “Walk in my shoes my friend!” As the months flew
past, I felt the intimate bond my dogs and I shared grow stronger. There were six
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dogs then. And one day I lost one of them. I had never lost anyone so close before. I
had never felt any pain of losing someone forever like this. What if there weren’t five
more of my closest pals? What if I had lost the only one who had been like my
sibling? And a string of fears and confusions followed. I wanted my friends to stop
talking non-sense about their siblings. I knew they still loved each other but they
were wasting all the time and missing all the fun that they could have. I learnt how
precious relationships can be.

Well, all of you who have a brother/sister would attack me with a bundle of
more questions about stuff you think I have enjoyed. But still, I would ask you, there
are so many relations we have- mother, father, uncles, aunts, cousins, gramps,
grannies etc. and also a brother/ sister. These people are meant to be a part of our
lives and people like me are missing a part of life!! It can’t be as great as having that
part right? I know the importance of having a sibling because I don’t have one. Of
course, all of us tend to know the value of something when we don’t have it and take
stuff we have for granted. And think of all that fun you had, all those joys that are
now a part of your childhood and having someone who has lived along with you in
the conditions and experiences you have been through, and will continue to do so in
the times to come. And so, never think it’s weird for someone to long for a friend
who would be as good as his/her sibling.

Life has made us this way, we have been given something and it must be
understood that things are supposed to go on like this. Why think of the bitter things
and lose the joy of sweeter things? Make the best of what you are provided with. I
am not a greatly experienced scholar or a philosopher (I am definitely not!), still
these are things I’ve learnt till now and would like everyone to know. And my final
piece of advice, don’t complain without thinking about your bro/sis/friends/family or
anyone for that matter, because I know you still like them so much deep inside  .
Precious things don’t become precious till they become a rarity!

Speaking my heart,

M.R.Sudha
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The Same, Everyday!

I suspect that most of the days in a year of most of the students begin with
the familiar ring of the alarm clock, “Get up! See, its 6:30, you’ll be late! Wake up!!”

“5 minutes, Mom!”

It would seem like just a minute has passed. But then, your alarm clock starts
screaming.

“Don’t even dream about taking leave. You know I won’t allow it, so, get up already.
It’s 7:15!” What?? 7:15?? So, I would turn into a super human every morning.

Spring out of the bed, fold the bed sheets, and walk like a snail to the washbasin and
sprint like a cheetah to grab a towel. And suddenly something would flash in my
head.

OMG! I haven’t ironed my dresses yet…

(By the way, this happens daily)

So , I would run to (supposedly) my room , as if I were chased by a dog, spread a

sheet on the floor and start pressing my dresses when,

“Its 8:00 already… what ARE you doing? I won’t let you go without having your
breakfast, so get going.”

“Yes, Mom!”

Then, i would (usually) suddenly realize that I had planned to finish one of my
home works... Well, I really would have been busy the previous evening… Umm…
reading novels….So, I always won’t have a
chance at ‘that time’ to finish it.

And again, as usual, I would drag my bag to the dining table and eat my breakfast
simultaneously, while trying to understand the home work questions.

“Mom! Water bottle….please…”

“How many times should I tell you that you have to do your work by yourself? This
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will be the last time….(blah ,blah)”.

“OK Mom! Sorry Mom! OK I won’t….” (I personally think Mom and I should try
recording this stuff…It’ll be useful in saving much energy of speaking the same
dialogue daily.)

And just when I would think that everything is under control and the time is
perfect to leave to school, my cycle key decides to stay at home for some more time
(it must not have been happy all the while). I would rush to (supposedly) my room
and then the dining room as:

1. The key would either be on the table in the room or

2. 2. It would be on the computer table, hiding beneath a pile of papers
(respectively :P).

When all the searching had come to an end, I would stare at the watch horrified-
8.55.

So, I would rush out of my house crying, “Bye, Ma!” for a minimum of ten times.
Now comes the best part- flying in the cycle. How I wish the word ‘flying’ happens
literally…

I can’t understand what delight people get in coming right in the way of other
people, especially the ones who are hurrying… Half-heartedly, I would hit the brakes,
and scowl at the people having lazy and leisurely trips during the rush hours.

It (was and is) a long way to school with (obviously) lots of idiots on the road.
The car drivers won’t find any other time which would be as crucial as possible to
drive right in the middle of the busy roads, especially the roads which act as main
roads for a few schools.

There wouldn’t be a day (except Saturdays) when I wouldn’t have mumbled to

myself, c’mon, move, move, move, move, MOVE! And then, it would be time for the
final countdown… One kilometer in five minutes…darn… ten minutes... This traffic
thing would really get frustrating near any school that I pass. Then, TA DA!!! I’m in
school!! C’mon people, clap... I’ve made it. But sadly (mostly) everyone would have
gone through the same…

By a desperate school-goer,

Vasudha Herale
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GENERATION TODAY

Swami Vivekananda once said: “My faith is in the younger generation,

modern generation, (and) out of them will come my workers. They will work out the
whole problem like a lion.”

Children of today, according to me are like a maze. The more you try to
understand them, the more complicated they will seem to you. I feel it is better to
accept them as they are. They long for love and affection which they think is not
available in abundance in their home front.

“Spare the Rod, Spoil the Child”, is not applicable is the present scenario,
even the role of profit seekers and megalomaniacs spoil the rapport between
teachers and students. The strict steps taken to punish the students create a void,
distancing the teaching faculty from the children.

Parents of a nuclear family, with their selfish attitude do not help in the
growth of children in the desired manner. Their approach towards educational
institutions is also one of the reasons for alienating children, which hampers their
natural conducive ambience.

The only way to plaster the gaping wound is to compromise-acceptance and

understanding. The youngsters think no one understands them, while the adults
think youngsters will never understand. If this is how things are going to be forever,
then no one is ever going to strike a balance between being a good parent/ adult,
and an equally responsible child.

B.Vaishali
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Our Alma Mater

Our school is not just a school, it’s our second home. School gives us a
direction, a purpose and mission and teachers give us a thrust in life. We experience
a liberal, happy and relaxed environment in school. Here we are exposed to a vast
store-house of knowledge and our interests are kindled.

We are groomed by our beloved teachers like a tiny sapling sprouts and grows
into a tree under the meticulous care of the gardener. Teachers are more of friends
to us and inculcate in us three main qualities, the 3Ps- Punctuality, Perseverance and
Perfection.

In school, we unknowingly grow a precious “friendship tree”-

We don’t know who sowed the trees,

We don’t know how it grew,

We don’t know who watered and nourished it,

We don’t know how it grew into a big tree,

But we know “friends” cannot be separated from us till our life’s end because
“friendship’s” roots have penetrated deep inside our heart!!

So let us be proud to be Modernites. We are definite to carve a niche in the

society. Such an amiable atmosphere in the school would surely help us reach
unimaginable heights of achievement. Finally, I would like to conclude requesting
you’ll to thank this ladder which has, is and will always help us to give our best.

Varsha Panda
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The psychological effects of violent media on children

Everything that children see or hear in the media early in their lives affects
them in some way. Over 60% of television shows being shown in prime time contain
some form of violence. There are 2 very opposite sides of this issue. The media who
market the (violent) television shows, video games and other forms of entertainment
argue that this is safe entertainment while the others argue that it promotes
violence.

Current research
tends to agree with
the proponents who
argue that violent
media is associated
with aggressive
behavior. The act of
imitating what they
have seen on a
television show
A typical example of a violent video game causes injury to
themselves and other
around them. The Academy of Pediatrics says more than 1000 scientific studies
conclude that significant exposure to media violence increases the risk of aggressive
behavior in certain children, desensitizes them to violence and makes them believe
that the world is a meaner and scarier place than it actually is. If children begin to
think that this type of violence is normal behavior, it would prove to be difficult to
alter their thoughts in their later life.

In conclusion, the fact of the matter is that parents need to pay more
attention to their children’s lives and not allow them to squat in front of the
television, whether it is for movies, video games or just normal television shows.
Children should be monitored in the media entertainment they are exposed to. And
most importantly, parents should play an active role in keeping the children away
from violent forms of entertainment.

T.M Swetha
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Freezeframe!

Perspective-
twig or tree?

Epitome of

stoicism

Photos by-

Satchit N S
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CCE – A novel approach to education

Writer’s note: Opinions may vary, but I’d hazard a guess that most of the students
feel something at least slightly similar to this.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past 2 years, you surely SHOULD
know about CCE. And for those who’ve been doing exactly that(living under a rock,
not knowing about CCE), well, here’s a brief briefing:

CCE, which stands for Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation was

introduced
as an educational programme in the year 2009-10 for all the classes from 1st to 10th
for all CBSE schools.

Sounds just like another one of the oh-so-many insignificant programmes right?

WRONG.
It changed everything.

The initial backlash:

Even before we (as in the students) even understood what this package meant for us,
we reacted negatively...because that’s human nature (generally); whenever there
comes something in our way that sounds even remotely alien, we dismiss it without
another thought. Anyway, that was what happened. With the exception of the
teaching staff,
everybody reacted to it negatively...at least initially. If there was one thing CCE
taught us, it was to never take anything at face value.
In the class, every announcement related to the new system was greeted
with
silent groans and muttered curses. We thought it was the Apocalypse or something.
The main concern for us was all this “comprehensive” evaluation meant that we’d be
scrutinized more than ever, which equated (in our twisted, brainwashed, well,
brains) to even less freedom. Right?

We were… you guessed it right…

WRONG (Version 2.0.1.1)

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The package:

What it did:
Mainly, it meant that the student would be graded based on his/her performance as
a complete individual and not only on how he/she performs in academics.

“Studying” (notice the quotes) was still a priority but not the only one either. And I
say “graded” because that’s how it was done; ranks were done away with (in our
school) and grading was introduced. It was a refreshing break from the usual rat-
race.

CCE also brought in project-based learning where students were given projects based
on the topics taught. Other activities in class (debates, discussions, etc.) were also
encouraged (to an extent).

The IMPACT:

Speaking as a student (debatable, but oh well...), I’d say that the most important
factor for a student to enjoy studying is for him/her to fully comprehend what
he/she is actually studying. When students study by rote (called mugging by those of
us too lazy to by-heart some terms) the “real” knowledge acquired is virtually next to
nothing. It kills the creative spark. It’s important to understand the concept and
apply it accordingly which truth be told, wasn’t really THAT much practiced in and up
to 10th.

Yes, maybe CCE didn’t really change the equation by a huge margin, but
it did make some classes way, way more interesting. The improvised grading system
meant less pressure overall as students would no longer need to compete fiercely for
ranks and therefore they could actually enjoy other stuff instead of always thinking
“How do I get the better of my classmates (Which IS the attitude in most of the rank-
system-based-schools)?”

But looking back, I’d say that the most important things that really
impacted us were the class projects/activities. I can’t stress this enough but, the
reason why I and (I think it’s safe to say) my classmates have enjoyed 10th the most
(so far) was because the class came together as a whole. And as clichéd (that means
 P a g e | 16

an overused phrase, word or sentence, as in, Hi) as this might sound, the projects
which were given to us played a huge role in this. It gave us new ways to innovate
and rekindled (what was left of) the creative fire is us. It showed us what team spirit
is and taught us how to have fun while being serious at the same time. It helped
create a strong social bond and encouraged a sense of camaraderie
in all of us.

CCE changed us... for the better (However miniscule it may be).

My only regret lies in the fact that CCE is not available for the standards of 11
and 12. If this is granted, then it’d probably be the biggest stress-buster for the
students. Hopefully, it’s just a matter of time before the proverbial icing is laid on the
cake. And if a 10th standard student gets to read this, a (common) piece of advice:
Make hay while the sun shines!

All in all, I’d say that if and when it is properly used, CCE has the potential to become
a revolutionary educational tool.

It’s truly a great approach to education. Hats off!

Vijay Sarathy

THINK (out of the box):

What walks with four legs in the morning, two legs at noon and three legs in the
evening?
Ans. The answer to this question is three-fold-
a. A drunk.
b. A chimp whose forelimb was run over by a truck at four PM.
c. A human (metaphorical, you see).
Idea- Vaishali Hariharan
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Exam preparations

As December arrives the first thing that comes to every student’s mind are
the exams. One of the hardest and most boring things in life-that’s the thought that
comes to our mind whenever we think of exams. How many of us really prepare for
our exams without wasting time…? We don’t really give much importance (only
though) to our preparation for the exams. In the end, we’ll all struggle hard only
during the last day…that is the general trend followed by students during the time of
exams.

First of all we all have to change this attitude, which makes us suffer during the exam
days…many of us have the attitude to prepare for the exam but we feel lazy to
study… We think we have a lot of time to study and we wind up doing some other
thing or just thinking about preparing but not actually doing it. To gain good marks in
the exams, the best way is to follow the teachers’ instructions. But many of us don’t
do this.

We can prepare a timetable for ourselves and study accordingly…we can relax
ourselves doing yoga and other exercises…this will make us control our mind and
make us feel refreshed.

I know that this would be boring for most students as everyone around you
would be insisting on you to study like this and that……but let us take these tips into
our mind as they are said only for the benefit of us.

Finally I would finish this article by quoting the Students’ law of tension:
“Pressure on the brain is inversely proportional to the number of days left for the
exam, where, “naalaiku padikkalaam” remains constant.”

ALL THE BEST EVERYONE!!

Snehaa Sri
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The 21st Century Plague

You might think that I am going to discuss about some disease that is
spreading throughout the country, but actually, I am going to discuss about a
dangerous virus of our country which has no solution: “Corruption”. Wherever we
go, we come face to face with this virus. It is even present in small day-to-day things
like toothpaste- they sell us 130g of toothpaste labeling it as 150. Since the paste
costs only 30 Rupees which is not really that much, no one stops to think twice and
they go by the name of the brand. This small corruption may lead to big scams. The
history of scams in India goes back to 1948, when Nehru ordered 1500 jeeps.
Because of his trusted personal assistant, India received only some jeeps. The others
were distributed among the political leaders including the P.A. Due to this scam; a
loss of Rs.100 lakh was incurred.

From 1948 to 2007, scam statistics say that India faced 50 and more large
scams. But I would say that every year, thousands of small scams occur, which when
taken individually have a small impact but when they congregate they have a big
effect on the Indian economy. Even now, we cannot see a hospital which would
charge less than Rs 1000- per scan and large ones even charge upto Rs.4000. This
year, around 50 people in Tamil Nadu alone were arrested for land scams. Past
election created a sensation among the people because of 2G scam.
India ranks No.12 in bank theft, No.3 in disease, No.125 in education and No.2 in
corruption. Overall, it ranks 143rd in the world. Being a culturally diverse country, we
can’t even secure a rank within 50.

Bad family politics and corruption make our country poor. All those who have
talent are recognized only when they are rich/dead/old/command power in society.
Most of the politicians are not true to their work. Even under British reign, we were
not prone to so many scams. After becoming the world’s largest democracy our
government can’t even give a pension of Rs.3000 to the great mathematician
Ramanajum’s family. He said to his wife in her dream that the Indian govt. would
fulfill all her needs. But his wish was never fulfilled. The govt. gave Rs.300 per month
after 20 years of her dream because he had worked in the Madras Port Trust.
Whenever there is news about a politician or a celebrity that would take up the front
 P a g e | 19

page. But if a mathematician wins a prize, a report is published in some obscure

corner of the paper. Is this India?

NO! We can change it by joining our hands to appreciate things other than
money or power, like nature and art for instance. We can stop being selfish and
spare a thought for the needs and wants of other people around us. We can respect
our culture instead of abandoning it for Western culture.

Thus can we restore the former glory of our country because, after all, it is
Incredible India!

B.Nitin Srinivas

Equations of life:

Reality- Dreams= Animal

Reality + Dreams=Idealism

Reality + Humor=Realism

Dreams – Humor = Fanaticism

Dreams + Humor = Fantasy

Reality + Dreams + Humor = Wisdom

S.Swetha
 P a g e | 20

Quality
(Assessment of random things)
Game review

The Best First Person Shooter franchise is back…

… with so many kick-ass things to keep us entertained. After 24 hours from the
release, it was officially announced that 9.4 million copies of Call of Duty: Modern
Warfare 3 were sold all around the globe. It features a reinvented co -op mode, a
definite multiplayer experience. Microsoft stepped up and provided thousands of
Xbox 360 MW3 special editions that we are going to need to get our hands into.

I would give my right hand for this- too bad I need it to play games

The plot of the game is simply incredible and nail-biting. The story continues from
where the previous edition of Call of Duty: MW2 left off. The main objective in the
game is to find and kill Makarov (a Russian terrorist, who was trying to bring down
America using nuclear missiles).The game contains 16 missions in all.
 P a g e | 21

The game cover

The first few missions were the best, damaging a Russian signal jammer and to blow
up a Russian submarine present in the New York waters. The other missions are a
series of events which give us clues about the location of Makarov. The game comes
with interesting twists and turns, gluing the gamer to his seat (or the floor, if he can’t
bear to sit).

And there goes the Eiffel Tower…

Coming to the other factors, visuals are not so improved over the last edition of CoD,
but the set-pieces are brilliant and the scope of the game is awe-inspiring. There is
no change in the already exemplary sound effects. To be fair, there weren't a lot of
glitches in the game. Gameplay has been improved to a great extent. The weapons
section is interesting. The developers have added a bunch of things to it, for instance,
every weapon comes with a dual scope. The disappointing factor is the price- it costs
3500 Indian rupees for a copy. But as they say, all good things come at a price and
even though it feels somewhat like déjà vu, the unique elements of CoD are sure to
keep any hardcore first person shooter fan on the edge of their seats.

CLOSING COMMENTS:

Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games have given us an enthralling fan experience
which we are unlikely to forget anytime soon.

L.Ragavendran
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Book review

The Kane chronicles by Rick Riordan

Book 1-The Red Pyramid

Sadie Kane and Carter Kane lost their mother and Carter was raised by his father
while Sadie by her grandparents. The Kanes get to meet each other hardly once a
year; everything changes when Dr.Kane tries to unleash the imprisoned gods in a
hope to bring his wife back and accidentally releases Set, the evil god who in turn
imprisons his brother Osiris and Dr. Kane. Now Sadie and Carter have to flee for their
lives and save their father. They find shocking truths about the death of their mother
and the ancient bloodlines of pharaohs; also that they are two the most powerful
magicians remaining on Earth. On the other hand Set builds his Red Pyramid and
decides to entomb Osiris forever, thus taking control of Ma ’at. They are joined by Zia
Rashid- a powerful young magician who guides them from the traps of the godsWill
the two be able to help save their father and stop Set from completing the pyramid?
Will they be able to see the real Evil other than Set? Will they be able to resist the
pull of their power? Read on...!

Book 2-The Throne of Fire

Soon after learning about the magical powers, Sadie and Carter recruit other kids
from around the world who were oblivious about their powers. With the Ma’ at
weakening, the threat of Apophis rising increases. As per the legends Apophis feared
only the Sun God Ra who was then the ruler of gods and later sent on exile. The
awakening of Ra is now the only hope to restore the order of Ma ‘at. But the council
of gods is against this. On the other hand Carter sets off to find the real Zia and
release Nephthys. The fear of Apophis and Chaos shakes the whole Ma ‘at and so do
the traitors taking sides. With no one to trust and the gods ready to gamble
everything for their safety, the long hidden pasts and new surprises popping up, the
book is a totally awesome read and the best of the two books, or more precisely, the
best work by Riordan yet!

I can assure you the book is fast paced , highly entertaining and amusing, making
you lose yourself into a whole new world of ancient and modern realms….
 P a g e | 23

Sudha: So you think it was worth reading it?

Vasudha: Of course, speaking the truth, I’ve wanted to read something as

extraordinary as this book!

Sudha: I know! Rick Riordan writes about chasing monsters, hunting Egyptian
mummies and running into Egyptian gods, but still can make you ROFL(roll on the
floor laughing).

Vasudha: Hmm Yeah! In many instances, I read the lines over and over again so that I
get to enjoy it again and again.

Sudha: You are right! So, which part did you like the most?

Vasudha: Many! Actually, the whole book! But I couldn’t come out of these lines:

“..Carter Kane, 14, died tragically in Paris when he was eaten by his sister’s cat,
Muffin...”! And of course Sadie’s unpredictable and weird reactions to things. What
about you?

Sudha: Loads actually! But since I read book 2 (Throne of Fire) first, I loved the lines
by Carter “Her blond hair was streaked with red highlights —very subtle for a stealth
mission. With her blue eyes and her light complexion, she looked absolutely nothing
like me, which we both agreed was fine. It’s always nice to have the option of
denying that the crazy girl next to me is my sister…”! I still can remember how much
amazed I was while reading the 1st chapter, not many writers write in this style. I
mean, come on, and have you ever read a book where people get splashed in cake
while stealing the scroll of Ra? (The sun god).

Vasudha: Exactly! They actually plan to sneak out if the museum but end up blowing
up the whole wedding party and most the museum. The author amuses us even in
the most unimaginably dangerous situations.

Sudha: The book is pretty good at serious parts too. The rise of Apophis (One of the
most feared demon snakes in Ancient Egypt) was quite scary. The possession of
Amos by Set, unleashing of Sekhmet, breaking into The Palace in St.Pietersberg were
all action packed chapters too. And- of course-taking over Elvis’s Graceland was quite
thrilling LOL!
 P a g e | 24

Vasudha: Yes! And Sadie and Carter’s journey in the duat (underworld), their
obstacles and the battle against Apophis too. There are many touching chapters too.
When Sadie couldn’t turn back to her old self from her kite form, Carter shares his
experiences and frustrations he had with father. Do you remember, when he gets his
shoulders poisoned, Sadie learns about Carter’s secret name (A secret name makes
us who we are, only the person who knows the deepest thoughts of another person,
can know of ones secret name.). Sadie comes to know of even the most
embarrassing experiences and feelings Carter had went through. Those parts were
heart-warming to read.

Sudha: And also the moments of sadness that Sadie and Carter had to go through
when their family house to which they were emotionally attached to was
destroyed... You see, there was not one moment I felt bored while reading this book.
Even if you are feeling grumpy, this light-hearted book would soothe your nerves and
bring a smile on your face.

Vasudha: Me too! I wish the 3rd part comes out soon. It is expected to hit the shelves
coming spring right?

Sudha: Yup! I have recommended this book to almost everyone who asked me for a
suggestion. I know the book is a bit thick, but still it’s worth every second you spend
on it! 

M.R.Sudha and Vasudha Herale

THINK (again!)

I am full of holes, yet I am full of water. What am I?

Ans. The answer is twofold-
A. A sponge
B. A wet sponge
A. is wrong, by the way
Idea- Vaishali Hariharan
 P a g e | 25

Cover art by M.R.Sudha

P a g e | 26
 P a g e | 27

Book Review

Kane and Abel

Kane and Abel is the story of

two soul brothers William Kane
and Abel Rosnovski, inspired by
Cain and Abel, the Biblical
characters from whom sibling
rivalry is said to have originated.
The story of the rivalry between
William, a banker who made his
first million when he was in high
school and Abel, a brilliant Polish
immigrant who was almost killed
in the Second World War is
mesmerizing. As you go with the
story, you find it difficult to take
sides as there is literally a war

going on. Both men are strong The man behind the masterpiece
characters and have been tested
by fate which links them as bitter rivals through a misunderstanding, making the men
wage a life-long battle.

Archer doesn’t let you drop the book even for a minute as the war wages through
the pages. The reader in you rejoices when you come across delightful twists fate
(and Archer) plays with. The most poignant moment is when their battle ceases and
they meet as old men nearing the end of their lives. That one simple moment moves
you beyond belief…

To conclude, Jeffrey Archer’s Kane and Abel is the complete package, it gives the
reader a blend of myriad emotions and completely satiates your appetite though you
do feel that some chapters have slipped through the editor’s scissors.

Kane and Abel is truly a masterpiece. Not for nothing is Jeffrey Archer known as the
master story-teller.

Anon (by consent)

 P a g e | 28

Television Show Review

Into the wilderness and back!

Man vs. Wild, also called Born Survivor: Bear

Grylls, Ultimate Survival, or Survival Game, is a survival television series hosted by
Bear Grylls on the Discovery Channel. In the United Kingdom, the series was
originally shown on Channel 4, but later series were broadcast on Discovery Channel
UK. The series is produced by British television production company Diverse Bristol.
The show was first broadcast on November 10, 2006 after airing a pilot episode titled
The Rockies on March 10, 2006. In a special first aired on June 2, 2009, Will Ferrell
joined Grylls on a survival trip to Northern Sweden. Grylls also said he has been
approached about doing a Man vs. Wild urban disaster 3-D feature film, an idea he
said he would "really like to do." Ben Stiller has also signed on for an episode later in
the year Bear Grylls has signed on to showcase urban survival techniques in a new
Discovery show called Worst-Case Scenario, which premiered on May 5, 2010 on the
network.

MAN VS. WILD host, author and seasoned adventurer BEAR GRYLLS began a lifetime
of exploration at an early age. Bear grew up on the Isle of Wight, and as a young boy
would go mountain climbing with his father.

He served three years with the Special Air

Service, a Special Forces unit of the British
army. During his service, he broke his back in
three places in a parachuting accident over
Southern Africa.

Despite the accident and severity of his injury,

Back to civilization Bear went on in 1998 to become, at age 23,

one of the youngest ever climbers to summit
Mount Everest. He wrote about his experience in the book, The Kid Who Climbed
Everest.
 P a g e | 29

Not content to slow down, Bear achieved another first when he and his Everest
climbing group circumnavigated the United Kingdom on jet skis. He also led the first
unassisted crossing of the frozen North Atlantic Ocean in an open rigid inflatable
boat. His book about this adventure, Facing the Frozen Ocean, was short listed as the
U.K. "Sports Book of the Year." Bear was awarded a commission in the Royal Navy in
honor of leading this record-breaking expedition.

I really love to watch these kinds of shows that make people push themselves to the
limit. I have to say that this guy’s crazy- half the things he does to live out in the wild
would kill me- that’s all I can say. I don't know how he does it -every episode gets
harder for him and he still finds a way out of wherever he is. Some people think that
it’s all a facade and that there are people everywhere with him and they just give him
something to eat after a cut but I think that he is real and does all of these things-
what would be the point of showing the people how to live out there if you get in a
problem and can't get out? I think that he is all real and does what you see and he
does not get outside help after a cut of a part of the show. I don’t know if there really
are any camera men there but I think that he does all of the survival parts himself!

For someone saying it's

hard to "get lost" in the
wilderness, you're right,
but WHEN and IF you DO
get lost, you'll be happy for
any "survival" shows you
may have seen.
I try to watch all his shows
and when I do, I find it
enlightening. He shows
different ways on how to
find and catch and cook
food and how to find water
when out in the desert. But
I often wonder why he Its lunch time!!
risks his life, by jumping
into water that is less than 32 oF or why he jumps off of a cliff that could be over 40ft
from the ground, into a lake or river. I wonder if he ever gets hurt. I know I would try
to find a way around the cliff to get to the other side of the lake. Wouldn't it be
 P a g e | 30

easier & safer to go around?

But all in all, Bear hosts a very good show, and I find it very educational.

“If you risk nothing you gain nothing. The difference between ordinary and extra-
ordinary is so often just simply that little word - extra. And for me, I had always
grown up with the belief that if someone succeeds it is because they are brilliant or
talented or just better than me… and the more of these words I heard the smaller I
always felt! But the truth is often very different… and for me to learn that ordinary
me can achieve something extra-ordinary by giving that little bit extra, when
everyone else gives up, meant the world to me and I really clung to it…” says Bear. If
only everyone applies this philosophy to their life!

Vijay Kumar

Jokes:

Teacher: Spell weather.

Sravan: W-H-E-T-H-E-R.

Teacher: That’s the worst spell of weather I’ve had around here.

Teacher: How many letters in the alphabet?

Sachin: Eight, teacher.

Teacher:??!!!!

Sachin: A-L-P-H-A-B-E-T.

Q.What is an autobiography?
A- A car’s life story.

Teacher: Give a sentence starting with I.

Student: I is….

Teacher: No, always say I am.

Student: I am the ninth letter of the English alphabet.

Submitted by- Padma Shravan

 P a g e | 31

Getting Candid

Our school’s faculty is formidable in all senses of the word- not least of them is
Mrs. M.K. Girija, who has been a physics teacher in our school for eighteen years. Her
no-nonsense attitude is as daunting as her trove of knowledge, and students hold her
in high regard. Two of the braver students of XI B set out to interview her.

1. You have been teaching for more than 15 years in our school now. In this time,
what have been your most memorable moments? Why?

- We have five norms in our school for performance of the teachers. I got 82% (A1
grade) for the 3rd norm in the year before the last. Getting the 3rd norm is very
difficult even though the norm was 60%.

2. The majority of the students fear physics. What or who inspired you to pursue
it?

- It was definitely my physics teacher- Mrs. Padmavathy. She inspired me to choose

physics as a career.

3. Are you doing any higher studies in physics? If so, how are you able to cope up
with both school and your studies?

- No, but as soon as I completed M.Ed. I thought of doing PhD so I went to Jain
College and then to Pachayappa’s college to get a guide, but since they were
already busy with other teachers they asked me to wait a year or so. After school
I had to go there to do research, but it was very tough to cope up with it so the
idea got put off.

4. What is your greatest fear?

 P a g e | 32

- Lying. Because I get scared that I may be caught and punished.

5. Have you ever felt like quitting your job because it’s too monotonous, teaching
the same thing every year over and over again? Why?

- No, not at all. Every year is new and I get a new set of students who are very
enthusiastic to learn something new.

6. How hard is it for you handle a class full of vivacious teenagers?

- It’s not that difficult. To be honest, if the students think you are only trying to
help them, they’ll be quiet.

7. Were you always so professional in teaching physics? Or did you become a

professional as you went along?
- No. I did a lot of studies. When I came for teaching Physics (C.B.S.E), I had to do a
lot of research for the 1st five years to answer the questions put forth by
students. Still, some children ask some questions that are very exciting to
answer and very new in my eighteen years of experience.

8. If you were given the power, how would you improve the Indian educational
system?

- Ummm….I am against C.C.E. Moreover, when it comes to change I’d like to

introduce more chapters in classes of 6th – 10th. Other than that, I am happy with
it.

9. Do you have any piece of advice for the budding students of our class?

- Study every day. There is no need for tuitions or classes of any sort. Never
prepare for anything at the last moment - plan accordingly. So study for five
hours a day. Three solid hours a day and no one can stop you from getting 90+
marks.

10. The physics portions in our previous classes were very rudimentary. So many
students are feeling the entire brunt of physics in the 11th.What to do?
 P a g e | 33

- If a bit of surface tension, pressure etcetera was taught in the previous classes
you wouldn’t be having trouble in 11th and 12th .Many find physics in 11th and
12th difficult, because basically they have a very weak base.

Interview by-
Tarun Kaza and S.Vasanth

Quick Fact:

Vijay Joseph’s ‘Velayudham’ costume is adapted from (and insults) the costume of Ezio Auditore
da Firenze, the protagonist of the critically acclaimed video games series, Assassin’s Creed.

Quick Quote:

“You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”

Submitted by- Vaishali Hariharan

 P a g e | 34

Onion Opinion Poll

What’s your end goal in life?

Food
Money
Happiness
Knowledge
Wisdom
Fame
Power
Respect
Other

THAT was the question asked to the class students. And the (yummy) doughnut-
shaped-chart gives you the answer loud and clear: Happiness is the most preferred
as the end goal (The final objective). It came in at a whopping 44% trailed by respect
which came in at 20.5%. Some people were elusive and opted for the “other” choice
instead of the other choices. Oh and surprisingly (for our class) food came in at a
sorry third. The valuable stuff made out of paper (also known as money) clocked in
4th place with 7.69%. Knowledge, wisdom were the least preferred (ironically the
survey was done in a school) along with power.
 P a g e | 35

Some quotes by the students defending their choices:

1) Happiness:
“Happiness gives peace of mind!”
“You can be happy only when you get everything you desire”

2) Food:

“I live to eat”
“Without food, we’ll all die”

3) Money:
“Money is LIFE.”
“Money can buy both happiness and sadness.”

4) Respect:
“Life is nothing without respect. It is not that when you become a leader,
people acknowledge you and respect you, but that only when people acknowledge
and respect you; you become a leader.”
“Respect encompasses happiness. And with happiness comes everything
else.”
5) Knowledge:
“Knowledge is immortal; it helps you till the end.”
Poll conducted by- M.R.Sudha
 P a g e | 36

Artist’s Creek
(self-explanatory)

Poems

Hosanna to Emma!

Unna paathale enakku grass itching,

For you, my heart is always twitching,
It is me, who you are always ditching,
Towards you, I am always approaching,
You are white, so I gave my shirt for bleaching,
Your eyes are just so damn enticing,
At you, I always want to keep gazing,
All your movies, I am regularly catching,
In Harry Potter, you are good at coaching The subject of the poet’s infatuation
Ron and Harry with their mismatching.
In the library, you are always researching,
You are also good at teaching
Ron and harry with their mismatching.
Without you, my heart is aching-
Unakkum enakkum something something!!

By the starry- eyed Rahul Bharadwaj

 P a g e | 37

Our World
come screaming and kicking to the infancy...into the world,
Toddle your way on over to the kid's world,
Skate your way on over to the juvenile's world,
Rock your way on over to the teen's world,
Work your way on over to the adult's world,
live your way on over to the gramps's world,
go screaming and kicking into the senility..out of world,
listen amigo this our world.....
V.Srinivas

Candle

Iam not a poet,

But I can’t keep quiet.

I am the candle,

Easy to handle.

I shed my tears

For your cheers.

Three inches in height,

A wick on my head.

Light me to give light,

Whenever you pray.

I hope your prayers are for my soul.

Your prayers are so long,

Longer than my life.

Curse me not,
I am not a poet.

K.Swetha
 P a g e | 38

Life!
It has no initial toss,
But has no supreme boss.

‘Do or die’ is a say,

But do not have it as a way.

It is indoor as well as outdoor game,

But no coach to tame

It does not involve match-fixing

Even though the ultimate end is known.

No reviews to rely on,

Because you got to die.

Life is a knockout game,

Live it with fame.

Sanjay S Prakash

Remembering the days gone by…

Kindergarten was where we started off,

Reluctant to leave our mothers.
The smallest thing would set us off,
Minds as light as feathers.

And then came standard one,

We were little kids, still innocent.
We made our caretakers run,
 P a g e | 39

which they grew to resent.

We moved on to standard two,

Still hesitant in school.
Oh! The things we used to do,
We thought we were born to rule.

Our next stop was standard three,

where innocence gave way to pranks,
The days when we were carefree,
Least bothered by “ranks”.

Next up was standard four,

A time when we used to say,
“Studies! Oh what a bore! ,
Let’s go out and play!”

Then I got double promoted,

Onto standard six.
My friends and I got separated,
I was in a real fix!

(Nah, just kidding)

Standard seven awaited,

We now had our own “gang”.
Teachers were left exasperated,
We “hooray!”ed every time the lunch bell rang.

The exams started to look daunting,

When we moved to 8th grade.
Social still looked Greek and Latin,
Remember the tiffin-boxes we used to trade?

Ninth was an experience unique,

So much fun we had!
 P a g e | 40

But it sure wasn’t a picnic,

Sometimes the world seemed so mad.

Of Tenth, we have memories to treasure,

With it, came the Board,
And hand in hand came the pressure,

But along came CCE, which paved us the easy road.

At 11th we’ve now arrived,

Now everything sounds so serious!
Yet, towards our fates, we must drive,
Though the path ahead looks perilous.

Vijay Sarathy

Sketches

Being a kid forever with a tiger for a best friend sounds exciting!! Art by Tarun Kaza
 P a g e | 41

Kratos, from the God of War games- I don’t envy his back story, but I sure do envy his
abs and his awesome twin blades. Art by Satchit N.S
 P a g e | 42

Michael Jackson, musical genius, dancing machine and immortal legend-depicted on

his famous toe stand here by Suresh Kumar
 P a g e | 43

Steve Jobs, founder of Apple Inc., reckless entrepreneur, persistent perfectionist,

and charismatic show-person, maker of history. Here’s to the legend. Art by
M.R.Sudha
 P a g e | 44

The most famous pirate with the possible exception of Black-Beard, Jack has fought
his way into many children’s hearts with his spontaneous wit, drunken stagger, quick
thinking and many quirks. Art by Anon.
 P a g e | 45

BELIEVE IT OR NOT?

Would it not be great if what we have come to accept as fundamental physics

is revamped and reorganized from scratch?

This may as well be the situation if the CERN’s Research proves to be

accurate. Let’s take a sneak peek …

CERN’s (Conseil Européen pour la Recherche

Nucléaire, which is French for "European Organization
for Nuclear Research”) recent study that neutrinos
have the ability to clock speed greater than light has
risen some serious questions on fundamental physics.
A neutrino is an electrically neutral, weakly
interacting elementary subatomic particle . Neutrinos
are created as a result of certain types of radioactive

decay, or nuclear reactions such as those that take Exactly what it says
place in the Sun, in nuclear reactors, or when cosmic
rays hit atoms. Since then the experiment has undergone extensive critique and
efforts to replicate the results because
confirming them would change our
understanding of relativity. According to the
theory of relativity proposed by Einstein, no
physical object, message or field line can
travel faster than the speed of light in a
vacuum, that is, maximum speed is finite.

Thinks he’s a big Einstein The special theory of relativity was very
successful in explaining that the speed of light
appears to be same to all observers and in describing what happens when things
move at speeds close to the speed of light. However it was inconsistent with the
Newtonian theory of gravity which says that objects attract each other with a force
that depends on the distance between them. This meant that if one of the objects
moved, the force on the other would change instantaneously, or in other words,
 P a g e | 46

gravitational effects should travel with infinite velocities, as the special theory of
relativity required. Einstein made a number of unsuccessful attempts between 1908
and 1914 to find a theory of gravity that was consistent with special relativity. Finally
he proposed what we now call as the general theory of relativity.

CERN situated in Geneva, Switzerland hosts the

largest machine in the world, the Large Hadron
Collider (LHC), which is capable of sampling and
recording the results of up to 600 million proton
collisions per second. Added to it, the machine has
the ability to generate temperatures more than
100,000 times hotter than the core of the Sun as

well as super cool temperatures around -271.3°C The Large Hadron Collider –looks its part
(1.9 K) – even colder than outer space! At full
power, trillions of protons will race around the LHC accelerator ring at a mind-
boggling 11,245 times a second, travelling at 99.9999991% the speed of light. To
avoid colliding with gas molecules inside the accelerator, the beams of particles
travel in an ultra-high vacuum – a cavity as empty as
interplanetary space. The internal pressure of the LHC is
10-13 atm, ten times less than the pressure on the Moon.
The data recorded by each of the big experiments at the
LHC will fill around 100,000 dual layer DVDs every year
(around 850000 GB).

The Oscillation Project with Emulsion-tRacking

Apparatus (OPERA) is a scientific experiment for Appudiye Shock Aayitten!
detecting neutrinos. It is a collaboration
between CERN in Geneva, Switzerland, and the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran
Sasso (LNGS) in Gran Sasso, Italy .CERN has reported that neutrinos travelled at a
speed of 299,792,458 m/s ,that is,1.0000247 times— the speed of light. To measure
neutrino speed with such great precision is an achievement; and Opera has
measured the speeds of 15,233 neutrinos with checks and counter-checks. If this
were true, it would shake the very foundations of physics as there is nothing in
known physics of a causal four-dimensional universe that can explain it (which means
no one knows how it could have happened) and conventional physics may as well
take a permanent spot in the attic.

P.S.Rahul
 P a g e | 47

Delectable delicacies!

Christmas is around the corner, and what better way is there to celebrate
Christmas than to indulge in some delectable sweets?

tspn.: tea spoon

tblspn:table spoon

The perfect hot chocolate:

For those cold rainy days, this is my favorite.

For 1 person-
Ingredients
 cocoa powder 2 tspn
 water 1/4 cup
 milk 3/4 cup
 sugar 2.5 tspn
 whipped cream (optional)

Method

1. Boil the water and cocoa powder together and then filter it into a mug.
2. Boil the milk in a skillet and then add the sugar to it.
3. Add the milk and sugar to the cocoa solution and stir well.
4. Top with some whipped cream.
5. Enjoy a hot drink to warm yourself from head to toe.

Sopapillas:

This Mexican treat is sure to tingle your taste buds!

Ingredients

 4 cups all-purpose flour

 2 teaspoons baking powder
 1 teaspoon salt
 4 tablespoons sugar
 1 1/2 cups warm water
 oil for deep frying
 P a g e | 48

 5 tblspn powdered sugar

 2 tspn cinnamon powder

Method

1. In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Stir in
water; mix until dough is smooth. Cover and let stand for 20 minutes.
2. Roll out on floured board until 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into 3 inch squares.
Heat oil to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Fry until golden brown on both
sides.
3. Mix together the sugar and cinnamon and toss the hot sopapillas in it.

Toffee sauce:

The closest to heaven you’ll get while you are alive!!

Ingredients

 Condensed milk (milkmaid) 1 can

 Cream 3 tblspn
 Honey 1 tblspn

Method

1. Heat the condensed milk in a pan while continuously stirring till it forms a light
amber-colored caramel.
2. Turn the heat down to a simmer and mix in the cream and honey.
3. Best served hot over cold vanilla ice cream.

You are still reading!? Go and cook ‘em up!

Oh, and don’t forget to share it with us!

Tarun Kaza
 P a g e | 49

Curse of Tutankhamen
When, in November of 1922,howard carter discovered the tomb of
Tutankhamen in the valley of the kings on the west bank at Luxor, the world was
really different than it is today.it was not a time of instant – live television coverage
by investigative reporters. Rather the world of media still belonged to newspapers
and information travelled much slowly and less reliably.it was a time when reporters
often simply made up facts in order to sensationalize their stories.

In late march of 1923, a novelist named Mari Corelli (Mary MacKay) published
a warning that there would be dire consequences for anyone who had entered the
sealed tomb. Perhaps this revelation was inspired by the fact that on the day Howard
Carter opened the tomb, his pet canary was swallowed by a cobra .cobras as the
goddess Wadjet, were the protectors of the pharaoh.

Lord Carnarvon financed Howard carter’s explorations. He had been in poor

health for 20 years following a motoring accident. When he died of pneumonia in
Cairo on April 5th 1923, only a few weeks after Mari corelli’s warnings, newspapers
and other media went nearly crazy. Even Conan Doyle , the creator of Sherlock
Holmes and a believer in the occult and at this time a popular writer, announced
Lord Carnarvon’s death could have been the result of the “Pharaoh’s Curse”.

It was said that at the moment of Lord Carnarvon’s death, the lights went out
in Cairo (an event that is still uncommon today) , and that back in England ,his dog
Susie , howled and died at the same instant. These reported events are difficult to
prove or disprove.

One newspaper printed a curse reportedly found in the tomb:

“They who enter this sacred tomb shall swift be visited by wings of death”.

There was no such curse, but there was one inscription found on an Anubis shrine
that stated:

“It is I who hinder the sand from choking the secret chamber. I am for the protection
of the deceased”.

This was correctly reported to the public, but one reported added his own words to
the inscription:
“ and I will kill all those who cross this threshold into the sacred precincts of the royal
king who lives forever “.
 P a g e | 50

According to one list, 26 people associated with the find died within a decade
of its discovery. In reality only six people died during the first decade, while many
others lived to an old age. For example, the curse should have lain squarely on the
shoulders of Howard Carter himself, but he lived another 17 years, dying just prior to
his 65th birthday. Yet he had spent a decade working in the tomb. Others likewise
lived long and fruitful lives.

In reality, the curse of the mummy probably did more good than harm. Even
Tutankhamen himself might’ve been pleased with the discovery of his tomb. All of
this brought revivals of interest in Egyptology to the world, and there is no doubt
about the blessings that
the curse has bestowed
on Egypt’s tourism
industry.

B.Swetha
(Source-“The Mummy’s
Curse” by Jimmy Dunn)

Tutankhamen’s final resting place. Art by B.Swetha

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CRICKET MANIA!

1. Sri Lanka is the only team which has the highest score in all the 3 formats of
the game. Also, in all these games Sanath Jayasuriya has been the top scorer
and the winner of the Man of the Match award.

2. Clive Lloyd and Ricky Ponting share the record of leading their respective
teams to a World Cup victory for 2 consecutive World Cups.

3. Ryan Tendoeschate of Netherlands and Kieron Pollard of West Indies share

the record for representing the highest number of domestic teams.

4. Only Robin Uthappa, Aashish Nehra, Manish Pandey and Mohammed Kaif
have already been part of 3 different IPL squads till IPL 2011

5. The record for the most number of World Cup matches played is held by Ricky
Ponting.

6. Sachin Tendulkar is the first cricketer to get dismissed by referring to the third
umpire.

7. Ricky Ponting is the only player to have got out for the most number of times
by taking reviews / referrals.

8. Ed Joyce played for England against Ireland in the 2007 World Cup.
Interestingly, he switched his royalty to Ireland and played against England in
the 2011 World Cup.
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9. India registered its 100th Test win after playing 430 test matches. It took 270
matches to get the first 50 wins, but the only 160 more games were played to
get the next 50. (Progress!)

WORLD CUP TITLE WINNERS:

YEAR WINNER CAPTAIN

1975 West Indies Clive Llyod

1979 West Indies Clive Llyod

1983 India Kapil Dev

1987 Australia Allan Border

1992 Pakistan Imraan Khan

1996 Sri Lanka Arjuna Ranatunga

1999 Australia Steve Waugh

2003 Australia Ricky Ponting

2007 Australia Ricky Ponting

2011 India M.S Dhoni

Sanjay S. Prakash
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Math Magic
Fun-sized Facts

 The number 1729 is the smallest positive number that can be expressed as
the sum of two (positive) cubes in two different ways!

1729 = 13 + 123 = 93 + 103

2.
 Sum of first N odd numbers is = n

 The number 8 is the largest cube in the Fibonacci sequence.

y x
 The number 16 is the only number of the form x = y with x and y being
different.

 81 is the square of the digits of the number 81.

 The prime number 73,939,133 has a very strange property. If you keep
removing a digit from the right hand end of the number, each of the
remaining numbers is also prime. It's the largest number known with this
property. Take a look: 73,939,133 and 73,939,13 and 73,939,1 and 73,939 and
7,393 and 739 and 73 and 7 are all prime!

 Number 6 is the smallest perfect number .i.e.(sum of proper divisor of the no

is the number itself)-1+2+3=6

 If we keep on cubing the digits of a number, in the end we end up with an

Armstrong number.
(20+25) 2 = 2025
(30+25) 2 = 3025
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S.Sabarish

Math is now disproved!

Note: The instructions in the brackets are for those who find strings of
numbers unintelligible (like the editors).

Prove that:

4=5

Solution:

Most of us know that

-20 = -20

=> 16 - 36=25 - 45

Adding 81/4 on both sides (using the + operator)

16- 36+ 81/4 = 25 – 45 + 81/4

42 – 2 x 4 x 9/2 + (9/2)2 = 52 - 2 x 5 x 9/2 + (9/2)2

[4-(9/2)]2 = [5-(9/2)]2

Taking square root on both sides (which means removing the

small 2 above the square brackets),

4 - 9/2 = 5 - 9/2

Adding 9/2 on both sides, (again using the + operator)

4=5

Hence Proved :D

Note 2: Since 4=5, using the Principle of Mathematical Induction (which is some
complicated woodle-doo), we have proved that all natural numbers are in fact equal
which confirms with the theory of Advaita (refer: spiritual texts on subject).

S.Swetha
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Word
(get it?)

S. Sridharini

1. World’s largest tower

2. Old currency of Italy

3. World’s largest robot manufacturing country

4. Capital of Netherland

5. Longest dam in India

6. Cabbage was first cultivated here

Crossword-

Editors’ Note: We’re really sorry for the inconvenient crossword, but Word decided
not to co-operate, and we couldn’t blame it- it was obviously overworked.
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1 _ _ _ _ _ _ 2_ _ _ _
_
_
_
3 _ _ _ 4_ _
_
_
6 _____
_
_
_
5 _______
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_
MAKE A WISH COLUMN – A DREAM SCHOOL
Every student has his/her own view how a “dream school” should be. While some
look for better facilities, others look for better emotional bonding, some wish for
both to go hand in hand. When this question was posed many wonderful ideas
were bought about. An opinion poll was taken for the most preferred ones:

S.no WISHES % agree % disagree % can’t choose

1. Excursions out of city organized by school. 91% 9% 0%

2. School canteen. 88% 6% 6%

3. One more break period. 88% 6% 6%

4. School reunion organized by school. (i.e., after we leave 84% 16% 0%

the school.)

5. Playground with sufficient facilities. 78.1% 12.5% 9.4%

6. Student organized charity/social events. (Ex: Turtle 75% 19% 6%

walk.)

7. Lockers to keep our Note books/Books so that we don’t 75% 19% 6%

have to carry heavy bags to school.

8. Replacement of benches & chairs with study tables. 72% 22% 6%

9. Bigger cycle stand. 69% 19% 12%

10. Arrangement of classes according to students wishes. 62.5% 28.1% 9.4%

11. More cultural activities. 62.5% 12.5% 25%

12. Drinking water facilities. 59.4% 25% 15.6%

13. Library period and library to provide us with a wide 56.3% 15.6% 28.1%
variety of books.

14. Change of school uniform.(Many schools have the same 56.3% 18.7% 25%
uniform as ours)

15. 11th & 12th Standards to have CCE. 53.1% 37.5% 9.4%
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Feedback:

I think students need extra break time. Break is meant for students to refresh. This
would help students stay more attentive in classes and break the monotony. Small
tours would be a great change from normal routine. They might also double up as
study tours and even help in developing social skills.

- M.R.Sudha

If CCE pattern is introduced to 11th & 12thtoo, students would become lethargic;
importance given to the main subjects would decrease. These subjects are purposely
based on portions for college entrance examinations. CCE will bring everything but
seriousness. Is the future at the cost of evaluation on other activities? At the same
time the semester pattern stagnates the brain. The practice of reading the whole
portion would be lost. Many times, some portions are forgotten.

- Vasudha Herale

More cultural activities produce a wider platform for showcasing talents. It provides
a change & entertainment out of usual studies and relaxes our mind. Students get
exposed to Indian culture & arts in a better way.

- Sri Dharani

Students are the future citizens of India. Hence they should be more responsible
towards their surroundings and what could be a better way to develop good qualities
than sharing, caring and helping others than organizing charity functions. This would
sow the seed of a model Indian citizen.

- Varsha

It would be a wonderful and great exposure if the school were to take us on

excursions. We are leaving school within a year; it would help in creating beautiful
memories along with teachers & friends.

- Snehaa Sri
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Introducing locker facilities would be so very student friendly that the number of
“outstanding” students would decrease.

- B. Swetha

I wouldn’t like to have any more cultural activities than there already is. They would
make us get bored.

- Tarun

Library facility in our school has to be expanded; the variety of books available at
present is far from sufficient.

- P.S. Rahul

Introducing canteen facility in school would be an ideal choice as it is an important

facility that every school needs.

- Swaminathan

Study tables in a way prevent interaction amongst us which make me feel very
lonely. And I don’t want CCE – “complicating children’s education” anymore.

- R. Suresh Kumar

The reason that many schools have the same uniform is that they are the most easily
available colors. They don’t have the need to go treasure hunting for colors that are
only found on computer. Also lockers even though it is a wonderful idea it isn’t
practical, half the students may forget their combination or keys if it is on manual
lock. Personal table for each & every student means 40-44 tables per class. There
would hardly be any space left for mobility.

- S. Vasanth

I like all the ideas as it useful for our education & life. Also, I would like if the school
were to be provide us with laptops which can be used in numerous ways & as
computer science it would be most productive for us.

- S.Rishee Kumar

I feel change in school uniform is a wonderful idea & I would love it even more if we
could come in color dress at least on alternate days.

- Vaishali Hariharan
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Excursion gives relaxation to our mind & with a serene atmosphere makes us forget
our worries about exam.

- S. Swetha

We would be overjoyed if we are freed from heavy burden of schoolbags. Lockers

would truly be a boon for student community. It would be even more wonderful if
the uniforms were changed especially for girls if dupatta were replaced with
overcoats it would be truly comfortable for girls.

- K.Swetha & T.M. Swetha

With CCE launched for 11th as well as 12th we would hardly have time to study with
all the burdensome projects imposed upon as. Since marks are allotted for every
exam from starting of the year till the end it also sometimes reduces mark aggregate.
CCE is also good in a way. It helps us get deeper into the subjects. Fluency is
improved due to student organized seminars which makes the students bubble with
enthusiasm. Discussions, debates & arguments prove good for improving social skills.
It fills us with loads of knowledge & enthusiasm.

- Vaishali.B

I feel with CCE there is no difference between a student getting 90 or 100. Our hard
work is not paid off. Getting admission to good colleges becomes difficult. Since
there is no competition students wouldn’t try to strive better.

- Sai Janani

I think school reunion is a wonderful idea as it would be fun to see how the lives of
my friends and classmates have turned out to be. We can yet again revive the
memories that we had cherished at school. Since it is organized by school we would
get to see and thank our teachers who had shaped us to what we are and what we
are going to be. Bigger cycle stand would diminish the “world war III” among cycles
in the morning. Reading or library period will be a great idea to inculcate the
wonderful habit of reading especially for the non-readers (not in terms of textbooks)
and “I’m too busy for anything” groups. A wide variety of books means more choice
for the huge group.

- Soumiya Srinivasan
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Compiled by Soumiya Srinivasan

Meanwhile, backstage…

The Staff:

Vijay Sarathy (Cryptographer/Editor)

Satchit N.S (Cryptographer/Editor/Cover designer)

M.R.Sudha (Chief collector/Scanner/Namer)

Suresh Kumar, A.K.A Rhesus (Printer/Chief Cover Adviser)
S.Vasanth (Co-cryptographer)

Contributors:

XI B
Special thanks to:

Mrs.Girija Suresh. (For conceiving the idea of a magazine and giving us free
rein to incubate and hatch it.)

___________________________________________________________________________
Note: Cryptographer = Deciphering the beautifully handwritten articles written in
wonderful original calligraphy. (That’s sarcasm, if you are wondering.)

US
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(Unfortunately, Srinivas, Ragavendran, P. Vingesh and Vishweshwaran are absent)

And our signatures *again, P. Vignesh couldn’t sign+(with a complementary troll

face)
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That’s all folks (for no

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