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Traveling is an important part of one’s life. Travel educates, surprises, calms, sometimes stresses and then makes you a witness of things that you think are physically and mentally impossible to do. It also makes you well-adapted to situations that you might presume that you are incapable of handling. Many take arduous journeys in the name of religion, faith, belief or just to experience something different from the mundane day-to-day life. Let it be clear that I am not referring to a social media tycoon with millions of followers. I admire them for pleasing an ignorant user with a view of exotic places, putting a smile on their tired faces and giving them a dream to accomplish. I am talking about the poor, the helpless, with no job or prospect who take up a physically and mentally challenging journey, not to get any medal, but with a belief and hope that something good might come of it, and they would be respected for just being a human being not deviating from the good path. Many Economists consider these people as a burden and hopeless sect of the society, who do not have much to do i.e. no job, no money, maybe no real prospects in life, unable to survive in a human jungle where anything goes. But, they could be missing the human and the emotional aspect and a basic right to exist as a good person in this world, as long as they are not harming the society. These adventurers believe and hope that upon successful completion, they can attain a thing that the world constantly tries to suppress and take away: - confidence and respect. Once a human being is born, they should have the right to exist in a manner that can be considered decent in human terms, or stop considering themselves as being any different from the society of animals.
Image in the right taken from "https://cdni.iconscout.com" Traveling to many developing nations, with large populations and having a global presence as-well, can make one ponder and realize the importance of one’s existence and not take granted things that are mostly neglected by many - one’s health, emotional and physical toughness, the environment, and right to exist as an individual. For many well-to-do insiders and outsiders, traveling to any populated area has the following challenges:- 1. Space 2. Sanitation 3. Health immunity 4. Mindset 5. Food. The first two can be solved by spending money generously. Immunity has to be developed by the individual by being physically and mentally strong. ‘Food’ and having a proper ‘Mindset’ can be achieved by adjusting to situations that one has never faced, having a problem-solving or accepting outlook, rather than constantly complain about unpleasant situations. An open mind that things may not go according to plan due to uncontrollable external situations can make one's journey half a success. Does this mean that travel is a welcoming hobby for the rich and an unnecessary and hopeless expense for the poor?  On the contrary, travel makes you wiser, more accepting, and enriches your mind no matter rich or poor. It gives you the willingness to believe and hope for things, surprise themselves that their body/mind can do things that they never thought was possible and give an emotional boost and a mindset. The problems of day-to-day mundane are not worth really beating their head in the bigger scheme of things. During the journey, one can observe different kinds of people, some more physically capable, and many not so capable but using their own means and simple tools to reach their destinations. Some have the physical and mental stamina to climb some great holy hill aspiring, hoping and believing with their own perceptions of things and life. I truly hope that in the cacophony of all noises, their wishes however small, mundane or hard be fulfilled using a means that they can achieve by tasking.  In East and South East Asia, many temples find their abode in the hilly areas. It always made me wonder why? Did the Gods and Goddesses, or the people who constructed them, want an escape from the day-to-day mundane and discard the regular conventions of life to find peace, knowledge, tranquillity and learn through their experience? Do the temples themselves challenge a human-being to be mentally and physically tough to take up the journey and find a sense of meaning and accomplishment in life. Is this not worthy enough for consideration? Many places ease this journey by using different means of advanced facilities, means of transport and shelter the individual to a cozy comfortable journey through various financial means. I am not a well-qualified individual to discourage or encourage these means and leave it to the economists, environmentalists, and businessman to ponder. But, any well abled young or not so old person must be encouraged to take up a journey and explore their own physical/mental limitations and strengths, have an outlook to observe other’s goodness and accept differences, appreciate their physical strength and capabilities, and feel good about their own strengths by taking a journey that they thought would be impossible to complete.
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Math - Order of Operations Order of operations is an important concept in Mathematics which sets the ground rules and a precedence. Without these ground rules, there would be different answers to one Math problem. For example, the problem 3 + 2 * 5 can have multiple answers. The general tendency is to solve the problem from left to right. The answer using this method would be 25. Some prefer to solve moving right to left. The answer using this approach would result 13. So, What is the correct approach? Both the solutions in the example above are wrong. Math operations must follow an order. The order is termed as ‘PEDMAS’ or ‘BEDMAS’. The order specifies that the parentheses has the top precedence, followed by Exponents, Multiplication and Division, then Addition and Subtraction. P - Parentheses (Brackets) E - Exponents D - Division M - Multiplication A - Addition S - Subtraction. Following the rules of Operation in the example 3 + 2 * 6, one must multiply 2 * 6, then add the result to 3. Thus, 12 + 3 = 15. The correct answer to the problem above is 3 + 2 * 6 = 15. The order of the operations follows a rank, with simplest of the operations taking higher precedence over other operations. Addition is the simplest. But, Multiplication is successive additions and Exponents are successive multiplications. If the operations are grouped together using parentheses or brackets, how does this affect the order? Are the results of 2 * 2 + 3 the same as 2 * ( 2 + 3) ? No, as the answer to the first problem is 4 + 3 = 7 is not equal to the 2 * 5 = 10. Parentheses has higher precedence over all the math operations. What is there are multiple parentheses? Multiple parentheses is termed as Nested parentheses. In the example, 5 + 2 * ( 7 - 2( 6 - 4)), one must evaluate the innermost parentheses, 6 - 4 = 2. Thus, 5 + 2 *( 7 - 2 * 2) = 5 + 2 * (7 - 4) = 5 + 2 * 3 = 5 + 6 = 11 @YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBvMiUm9aHc The order of operations in Polynomials is combining terms with the same exponents and solving them with math operations. Polynomial equations are solved in an order. Polynomials Polynomials are expressions with terms, degrees and may include numbers which are also called coefficients. Terms are some variables usually represented in the letters ‘x’, ‘y’ or ‘z’. The terms can have degrees starting from 0 and can include only whole numbers. The degrees are also called exponents. An example for a term is 6xy^2 (^ - Power) . Here, 6 is the coefficient, ‘x’ and ‘y’ are the variables. 1 and 2 are the exponents. Polynomials are important as they are used in business, science and economics. Polynomials of degree ‘1’ is used for profit optimization in business. Polynomials of degree ‘2’ is used to solve gravity related problems in science. Polynomials of degree ‘3’ or higher is used in the field of economics. Polynomials of degree zero are equal to one. For example, x^0 = 1. Polynomials of degree one are linear functions.For example, x + 2x = 6. Polynomials of degree two are called quadratic equations. For example, x^2 + 2x + 1. Adding, Subtracting, Multiplying and Dividing Polynomials For adding and subtracting the polynomials, add or subtract the coefficients of like terms. For example, 2x^2 + 3x + 2 and 3x^2 + x + 3 Add (2 + 3) x^2 + (3 + 1) x + (2 + 3) 5x^2 + 4x + 5 Subtract 2x^2 + 3x + 2 from 3x^2 + x + 3 3x^2 + x + 3 - (2x^2 + 3x + 2) (3 - 2)x^2 + (1 - 3)x + (3 - 2) x^2 - 2x + 1 Multiply When multiplying two polynomials, all the terms from one polynomial must be multiplied by all the terms from the other polynomial. In the example x(3x - 4), x is a monomial and (3x - 4) is a binomial. By multiplying all the terms in a monomial with a binomial, the answer is 3x^2 - 4x. In the example (x - 1)(x + 1), (x - 1) and (x + 1) are two binomials and thus multiply each term and the number of the first binomial with each term and the number of the second binomial. x*x + x*1 +(-1)*x +(1)*(-1) = x^2 + x - x - 1 = x^2 - 1. This process applies to multiplying polynomials with higher degrees. Dividing Polynomials 1. Dividing a binomial with a monomial Example, 6x^3 - 2x^2 + 4x / 2x = 6x^3/ 2x - 2x^2 / 2x + 4x/2x = 3x^2 - 1x + 2 2. Long Division  @YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HVtZiEpiHo
Checkout the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/app/logarithm-exponent-polynomial/id6479218431 Human purpose over centuries, has been revolving around outcomes. These outcomes may be short or long term. Short term outcomes are usually used to achieve goals that may suffice immediate human necessities. For Instance, the outcome of repeated practice may lead to fulfillment of a persons goal of winning a medal or succeed in a field of study. But, what about long term outcomes? Is it really necessary to record an outcome for a long period of time ?  According to Scientific theory, outcomes are collected based on data. The data collected is based on an interest or an experiment, performed and analyzed on a group of individuals, matter or subject. These outcomes are collected over a period of time and an informed prediction is made based on the results of these outcomes. Hence any outcome, be it positive or negative is recorded as a data to make a prediction. These predictions over a period of time may be recorded or analyzed to achieve a tangible or an intangible result.  Through the ages, stars were analyzed to make predictions. This resulted in the field of Astronomy. Various outcomes are used in Artificial intelligence to provide a guidance for an individual, based on the responses to certain questions. Many social media sites like Facebook use an outcome based intelligent games to make predictions I.e. based on the users response to questions. Big companies over time, might use these responses to create a personal profile of the individual and this could aid the individual in a positive manner. This could also be perceived as a nuisance by the user, as many interest based ads might create a negative outcome. Outcome is an outcome, be it negative or positive. Any outcome will result in making a prediction. Many companies use E-mail marketing sites to send surveys and based on users response to certain questions, the outcomes are analyzed and predictions are made. These predictions should be used as a benchmark to better the outcomes of the future to make more accurate predictions and not as a conclusive result. Some predictions may be valid for majority or minority of people and may totally be void for the rest. Hence predictions like any other tool or software should be considered as a special indicator and used for fun or educative purposes rather than creating a false sense of belief that, this is it. Outcomes and predictions have really aided in the field of robotics and artificial intelligence. Robotics or the creation of metallic tools to aid humans to deal with emotion and behavioral issues is a new field of study, which requires extensive data and analyzing various outcomes. Many Chatbots, AI tools like Siri , Google Assistant and Alexa help aid most of the human requirements from creating reminders, to switching the lights on and off, protecting homes or to more complex things like interest based chatting (may be in the future). Future technologies, like self driving cars, use extensive data and use outcomes to make predictions, which over time may create valid results. This proves that long term outcomes and their predictions might one day help aid in improving human quality of life. Many outcomes create a certain pattern and these patterns are used to predict definite results. Stormy weather and earthquakes are often predicted based on examining certain patterns recorded over a period of time. Many a time, pattern based outcomes have resulted in predictions, if not 100% valid, at the least close. Many lives are being saved based on the predictions from analyzing the outcomes.  As big companies use data from outcomes to make valid predictions, outcomes from various small games and apps are fun and informative that create an out of the box thinking. Predict - Me app is one such attempt to create a fun app to promote the knowledge of various desserts and fruits along with flowers and numbers. This app is not intended to create a character profile of an individual nor should this app be considered as a result. This is a fun app that analyzes the outcome based on users response to certain questions. This app make fun predictions based on users response to answers. No information of the user is recorded or saved, sold to third parties for future betterment of the app or monetary benefits. Check out the app in iTunes and Alexa. iTunes - https://apps.apple.com/app/id1567085605 Alexa-https://www.amazon.com/Kidz-Learn-Applications-Whats-dessert/dp/B0744PS9PN  “Working from home” or “Work for home” during COVID-19, some useful thoughts from "Kidz Learn Apps"5/15/2020
The beginning of the year brought along with it a huge surprise - COVID -19. All our resolutions, be it in our personal lives, professional, or in business, this pandemic has affected and changed our priorities. As the name suggests, CORONA is a king's crown of all viruses. Many who had to commute to major cities are now working from home. Schools all over the world are closed and rely on distance learning where ever possible.
With restaurants, play areas, and gyms closed, home is the epicenter where all the activities occur from cooking, entertaining, and maintaining mental and physical health. This enormous shift in lifestyle though new, cannot be beneficial until and unless we take a distributed approach to carry out the day-to-day tasks while sharing our time and space with other members in the household. As our lives are dependent on technology, it is easy to get carried away, not evenly break our tasks, and force our minds to cut our dependence and indulge in one activity. Here are a few pointers that I think everyone needs to prioritize ignorer to maintain a sound mind and body. 1. Take a break and have a movement from time to time. Working from home or "work at home" is not easy, as we suddenly have to manage both work and home. Even the homemakers have to change their activities and priorities. Everyone is affected. This virus has made sure even the lazy person does something. With our affinity to the digital devices and our laptops/Mac-books, It is essential to take breaks and have some movement every day, be it a walk or a casual stroll in the backyard or around the living area. 2. Have a healthy diet and drink plenty of water Schools and Offices have time for a break. It forces the employees and students to work while eating or otherwise have fun eating in the canteen. For a family or a single person working from home, he/she or the family decides when to eat, snack, and munch. It is essential to stick to the timing and mind your diet of you and your loved ones. 3. Cut the task and move on to others. Working from home or "for home," the work itself can get precedence over our self and the people surrounding us. It is vital to cut the job and give significance to other tasks. Be it a small chat with family or get some exercise. Mental relaxations essential, and it is worth spending some time and work on hobbies or listen to music. 4. Spend some time learning and reading. With so much negativity and fake news around, it is but natural to get overwhelmed and be upset about stuff and get into a sullen mood or worse. It is important to read or listen to some positive quotes or get on an adventure with a book of your choice. "Chicken soup for the soul" books are some excellent reads to maintain positivity. 5. Take some deep breathing and enjoy nature outside. People in the suburbs and cities often ignore the sounds of nature. With Spring almost ending and Summer soon approaching, it is a fun way to spend some time in the evening listening to the birds. Recently I heard that in Mumbai, India, the flamingos occupied the city and made it worthwhile for the photographers and other viewers within the vicinity. Capturing wildlife in the camera is a great way to stay motivated. On the positive side, the worst has passed, and the pandemic's curve is flattening, and the virus's influence is coming down. So hopefully, we can aspire for better days. In the meantime, check out a few resources from "Kidz Learn Applications" for adults and kids - https://www.kidzlearn.co Alexa Skills ( Free) 1. Manhattan, NY Local Guide - helps adults and gives information on kid-friendly restaurants and places in and around Manhattan. It provides various information on restaurants based on i. cuisine name. ii. meal type - brunch, lunch, dinner, late-night, or kid-friendly place. Link - https://www.amazon.com/Kidz-Learn-ApplicationsTM-Manhattan-Local/dp/B076FKGSXL 2. Edison, NJ Local Guide - helps adults and gives information on kid-friendly restaurants and attractions in and around Edison. It provides various information on restaurants based on i. cuisine name ii. meal type - breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, late night. Link - https://www.amazon.com/Kidz-Learn-ApplicationsTM-Edison-Local/dp/B0742M13GP 3. What's my dessert - A fun Alexa skill that predicts the user's favorite dessert based on a series of questions and their response - "yes" or "no." In the end, the skill also states a fun fact about the dessert and also predicts the user's personality based on their response. Link - https://www.amazon.com/Kidz-Learn-ApplicationsTM-Whats-Dessert/dp/B0744PS9PN We are truly living in a different time. In a matter of months, our lives, for good or bad, have been turned upside down. A new virus has inflicted the world and affected our day to day activities. With no school nor extra activities, kids are to stay at home mostly. Electronic gadgets have become a means to escape the boredom. With the rise of Internet shopping, a new kind of threat has emerged, email, and shopping scams. Why not escape for some time from all the stress from internet shopping scams, information overload, and video games to the world of board games. Classic board games like Candy Lane, Chess, Chutes and Ladders, Ludo, or Sorry are readily available in the internet search to download and make a print. Lego's which gets piled up over time, can be used as pieces for the game board. A spinning needle on a small board with numbers used as a replacement for a dice. Cut a cardboard box to make a square and glue the game on paper. The cardboard will make the game more sturdy. Below are the steps with images to recreate and make your own classic board game. This activity is suitable for kids, especially when they have a lot of time. The reward for this activity is that you get to play the game whenever they want something different to do apart from watching TV, playing games, or activity books. 1. Search the classic board game that you like to play on the internet, download, and print. If you do not have a printer, you can draw and color it in a big piece of white paper (if the game is simple or you see a complex game make your simple version of it).  2. Take a cardboard box, ones that you get from internet shopping at Amazon, eBay, post office, or from any other store, cut a square piece. Make sure the dimensions of the square-cut part of the cardboard box matches the game paper.  3. Glue the game paper on the square cut cardboard. The glue will make sure that the game is sturdy, and you can enjoy playing for days or months.  4. For the game pieces, search your Lego's and find the parts. If the game requires that you get the remnants of the same type and color, then Lego's with endless matching pieces and colors are the best choice. 5. Store the game board and the pieces in a big Ziploc bag for future play.
 Studies have proven that board games in young kids help aid their development. Kids learn basic concepts like coloring, drawing, counting, and making things through games and fun activities. The create your board game activity during the pandemic time and/or school breaks is another way to keep kids engaged and help while away the boredom apart from indulging in video games and/or binge watch TV shows. It is also a good break for parents to relive the nostalgia, revisit and play these games with kids. Happy playing :-)
I always wonder as to why kids or adults get mesmerized listening to fiction stories regardless of their length. Many of its contents in these stories do not make sense. At the end of a story, many valid questions arise in a logical mind:- like how can animals talk, how can a princess sleep for such a long time. Magic happens in a particular scene , how did that happen? Nothing makes sense, but at the end of the fiction story, a positive message is conveyed: - Do good then the outcome will be good and bad deeds or slacking leads to unpleasant situations. Most of the fiction stories may not have a message. The reader, mostly a young child or a toddler, reads and enjoys it and may forget about it. The sheer beauty of creating fiction stories lies in the power of imagination. Imagination is above and beyond human abilities, comprehension, or expectations in the real world. The funny and the undeniable truth about fantasy is money cannot influence nor be considered essential. No amount of worldly knowledge, High IQ, or academics can alter the seeds of imagination in a person's mind. Thieves cannot steal as they don't have the necessary tools or enough money to implement them. Imagination is above and beyond human limitations. The poor and the rich are free to imagine if they can do so. It is common to note in this world, the poor bestowed with imagination than the rich. Creativity knows no boundaries, and with fiction stories, a creator has the power to use them as long as his limitless mind can wander and create magic. The magic is usually considered a predecessor to science. The witches are the scientists who create many potions or magical stuff using weird stuff. They were equal to the modern-day scientists who mix and match various chemicals to create new and sometimes dangerous drinks. It is most sad to see the witches shown in many fairy tales as odd with red eyes, a pointy nose, and a hunch back. They are portrayed as ugly and evil. It is hard not to believe and think of these so-called wicked witches as scientists who spend hours and days in seclusion to create magical potions. They indeed are a dedicated living being, who did not care about their grooming but instead ventured on their quest for medicines. For personal interest or the sake of magic, these witches who are mostly women (a tribute) had dedicated their life and created something truly magical ( or scientific) mixing various magic potions (chemicals), which caused either the welfare or distress to the humanity.  The seeds of imagination pave the way for ideas. James Allen, a great philosophical writer, made a famous quote, "Dreams are the seedlings of realities." Dreams come from imagination. If a mind can imagine, then there must be a way to achieve some, if not all, of the endless ideas. As dreams are a part of imagination, there must be a direct, indirect, or an implied way to turn them into reality. Even a sensitive princess in some fairytale stories are successful in their endeavors by their power of imagination. They have the power of positivity and belief in their mind that a robust physical aid will come and help them. Their quest and their immense faith compel that person to seek new adventures. They then walk into a dangerous journey to find the unknown and lead them to the princess. Such is the power of imagination. Nothing makes sense, but in the end, everything falls into place, or there might not be an ending or a point to be made as the journey itself is an adventure of the mind for the reader as well as for the creator. Fiction stories as weird as they are to the listener should be given the same importance as any non-fiction stories. Sure they are bold and impossible, but in the end, they sure kindle interest to the listener or at least provide a silent smile to a tired mind. Please check out fiction, non-fiction stories for kids from "Kidz Learn Applications." iOS App - https://apps.apple.com/app/kidz-fun-stories/id1587764579  The word "Tourism" is commercial. But, it has an element of travel and excitement to it. Another better word or a sentence for "Tourism" can be "Exploring" or "Knowing and traveling to a place of interest." There is nothing new about exploring in this time and age. It has been human nature and a tendency to study and know the surroundings. Exploring can relate to a place, thing, technology or the stars. Literally, the sky is not a limit nowadays to explore and know about a place. "Tourism" is exploring an area within a specified period. It is good to have a guided tour of a place when time and budget takes precedence over leisure. It may be the best option for a family with kids. Kids can not only get to see the place but also know a thing or two about the culture, its people, and the historical significance.  Studies conducted over time have proved that traveling not only helps kids and adults in knowing a place but also refreshes the mind to take up new challenges and obtain new knowledge with renewed interest and vigor. By exercising, the body releases endorphins, which is good for not only the body but also enables a person to have a healthy mind. Traveling is equivalent to exercising plus relaxation for the brain with an added flavor of knowing the place. It not only releases endorphin's in gargantuan proportions but also enables a person to have a new perspective on life. Getting to know a place and its culture, meeting people with different social, economic, religious, and cultural backgrounds educates kids to have acceptance for people with an experience different from one's own. It can also teach kids to have local knowledge that can be helpful to deal with and cope with problems and challenges. Learning about a place can give a dormant idea to solve a need or have a purpose that can come in handy during the troubled period in his/her life.  Studies conducted over time have proved that traveling not only helps kids and adults in knowing a place but also refreshes the mind to take up new challenges and obtain new knowledge with renewed interest and vigor. By exercising, the body releases endorphins, which is good for not only the body but also enables a person to have a healthy mind. Traveling is equivalent to exercising plus relaxation for the brain with an added flavor of knowing the place. It not only releases endorphin's in gargantuan proportions but also enables a person to have a new perspective on life. Getting to know a place and its culture, meeting people with different social, economic, religious, and cultural backgrounds educates kids to have acceptance for people with an experience different from one's own. It can also teach kids to have local knowledge that can be helpful to deal with and cope with problems and challenges. Learning about a place can give a dormant idea to solve a need or have a purpose that can come in handy during the troubled period in his/her life. Early Historians, Zoologist and Botanist were explorers. They kept a record by exploring different places and knowing the people, animals and plants. Early traders not only exchanged products but also ideas and knowledge. Every country poor or rich has its own knowledge and practices to share with the world and create an identity for itself through languages, art, architecture and cultural practices.
In my opinion, tourism exists and will continue to survive as long as the place has its culture or its roots attached to it along with modernity in infrastructure. In the long run, people may not have an interest in knowing and visiting a place that has monotonous structures or is interested in visiting a place where the structures/culture/practices are similar and can be related to others. Adults and kids will definitely flock to see places where culture and modernity are fused to give a new remembrance and flavour to that place. At the end of the vacation, the distinct place not only has the potential to rejuvenate the body but also provide a much-needed peace and refreshment to the tired soul and mind. Check out "Kidz Learn Countries" in iOS and Android to learn about different countries to explore and their culture.  Pollution, Population, Traffic, and Congestion are the most common and talked about problems in any city. People dislike the hustle and bustle of a city and move to a small town expecting to get away from the big four problems, but are disappointed. The congestion caused by traffic due to overpopulation in or traveling to cities increases pollution, thereby increasing the stress, affecting a person's physical, mental, and emotional wellness. Though there is no straightforward solution to curb the big wicked problems mentioned above, change is not welcome by many. It is often surprising and ironic that many organizations, governments, and societies are not open to accepting, providing, and embracing alternate work options for its employees or its residents. One such viable option, if utilized and encouraged in the right way, is working from home or self-employment. It is surprising to note that not many organizations, multinationals, and societies foster the use of technology to the fullest potential to help encourage other working conditions, thereby help minimize the traffic and congestion that affect the cities. Developing countries must embrace the concept of alternative employment much more seriously than their developed counterparts. With overpopulation and increased congestion in cities, suburbs, and small towns, it may be a good idea to empower employees and residents by providing more feasible options, required resources, and remuneration to create alternatives. With the advent of technology, there are many applications over the web, phone, and cloud data to aid small and large organizations to help their employees interact, connect, and work smart. These conditions, in turn, might help its employees to work effectively, efficiently, and create a work-life balance. But sadly, it is hard to find an organization that can foster employee or person's growth before thinking about their own personal or company profits.  Technologies are surrounding every aspect of our life - be it jobs, personal growth, or enrichment, but many organizations, be it small-scale manufacturing or retail, technology or service, use them to reduce workforce and gain private profits. Technology that is supposed to be a boon becomes a bane in retaining company employees or create job boosting environment for the skills that people in society possess. Surprisingly, societies sometimes hinder and mock the concept of being self-employed or working from home as an excuse to hide one's laziness. Organizations claim to be the pioneers of change, forget to walk the talk, and fail to accept and encourage alternative work options and dismiss it with suspicion and doubt.  The society, instead of being open to innovation and be open and receptive to positive change, does not encourage the government to implement it and shuns the idea by under appreciating new work proposals. It views new concepts as a different spice, if and when accepted, can only lead to disruption. But with a growing population, harsh working conditions, traffic with congestion, joblessness, and with the rise in nuclear families, it might be a good time to reconsider alternative work options. Societies need to consider it as a positive try out rather than an obstacle. Good ideas need to be appreciated. It may not be wrong even to think and welcome a plan to promote odd-even work from home and work from office days to cater to the needs of an employees family, enrichment, education, or for reasons that demand the attention of his/her dependents.
The reasons though innumerable residents, especially employees, need healthy choices and viable options. People deserve pleasant and healthy conditions in work and encouragement for their excellent work. Above all, everyone deserves respect for skills they possess, alternatives to pursue their dreams, and live stress-free. An informed choice and change, for the younger generation, to look up to with hope. After all, there is only one life as oneself to live and be happy.  Winter is in full swing; we are mostly inside with sweaters and hot drinks. Frozen and white views fill eyes; our spirits dampen, and there is no bright side. Rooms lit with artificial lights; ears hear frequent sneezes that are no delight. Rooftops covered in snow; noses filled and blocked with white dough. The trees in the streets are barren; on white roads, snow is heavily laden. The sky has snow and is quite; the wind howls and moves snow to cover every sight. There is nowhere to roam or go; the weather is so cold that it freezes our toes. Winter is here; we find ways to engage us and our kin to find cheer.  It is the season after December and New Year festivities. The weekend is mostly covered in the snow shower. With nowhere else to go, the mind wanders to entertain and do fun, creative stuff apart from games and the regular dose of studies. A creative idea stuck when eyes fell upon the broken “Martial art” wooden slabs in the corner. “Martial art” is a form of physical activity with the artistic movement of the body. The wood is usually used for breaking, to test the physical power while an individual performs a martial activity. Often, these slabs make an excellent heating aid as it accompanies the main log in the fireplace. But this time, the mind did not accept throwing these inexpensive but beautifully square-cut logs in the fire. Why not take the broken pieces of wood to create a work of art and reuse it as a canvas to improve the imagination? Sounded like a great idea to combat the winter blues and have few hours of fun while engaging the young mind with creativity. Research says that fine art boosts imagination and creates a healthy mind. Whatever the outcome, nothing beats the few hours of engaging fun craft, with little or no knowledge of art to brightens the dampened spirits and have few laughs. No special materials are required apart from glue, some sketch markers, paint and of-course some interest in art and creativity. The sample images and materials needed to create are described below. 1. Materials used in this art form are a square cut wooden slab, cotton balls, and markers.
2. Materials used in this art form are a square cut wooden slab, sketch markers, cotton balls, Liquid glue and some colored sparklers or paint.
3. Materials used in this art form are square cut wooden slab and paint.  Birthdays of loved ones are always an occasion to remember. This especially holds true for our own kid’s birthday party. Each passing year is a reminder for parents of a beautiful day in the past. It is a reminder of the joyous day, as a parent, we welcome our bundle of joy into this wonderful world. Each birthday celebration is a triumph celebration in raising a child with positive enthusiasm and good hope. It is a good practice to buy or make gifts that also reciprocate the same feeling. Some gifts last for a year and some leave impressions that last longer, maybe a lifetime. Why not make an impression and pass on the positive enthusiasm by creating small yet useful gifts in addition to a fancy one from the store? There are loads of videos and ideas on YouTube to create and DIY (Do it yourself) gifts from used and household materials. One such idea that I created taking inspiration from loads of innovative videos is DIY night-lights. These are beautiful night lamps that can be made from any household used and cleaned bottles and jars. Materials used to make this night light are a clean bottle, oil paints and one or two brushes, glitter, some fairy or any other cutouts with the black foreground color, a small flickering battery operated lamp and some liquid glue. 1. Take a clean bottle and paint the outside of the bottle with a brush. The design and different colors need to fill the bottle. 2. Now take some cutouts and glue them on the inside, covering all four sides of the bottle. 3. Take some liquid glue and apply it near the mouth of the bottle on all sides. Now generously put glitter on the glued area and gently pat for the excess glitter to fall inside the bottle. 4. Now take some pebbles or rock and fill one-fourth of the bottle. 5. Take a small flickering battery operated candle (Do not use the real candle) and put it inside the bottle. 6. If needed, cover the lid with a decorative coloured ribbon. These lamps can be used as night-lights or as a centrepiece in a table.
 The word "Space" is quite fascinating as it can differ from what we know as "Earth within" from its outside. Within Earth, the term "Space" can refer to "nothing in between 2 living or non-living things," and it is measured in 3 dimensions i.e., length, width, and height. From outside the Earth's realm, the term may refer to "Many objects in a defined or an undefined area" and measured in 4 dimensions. The fourth dimension is "Time," and usually referred to as "Space-time." Celestial space and its surrounding objects have always attracted, educated, and inspired us to seek knowledge and explore the unknowns. In many ways, the quest for space complements what we as individuals find within and compare/distinguish us from the world surrounding us.
"Space Science" states that Earth might have been created millions of years ago when many celestial objects collided and kept bombarding, making it a spherical shape with many huge craters. We now call "Earth" our home and its surrounding planets with the sun as our solar system, within our galaxy called the "Milky Way". Earth has the perfect environment for life to sustain and flourish. These celestial objects might have carried the first single-cell organisms. From these organisms many other life forms might have evolved, populated and thrived for million years. The metal iron in the Earth's core created a powerful magnetic field to help protect the atmosphere surrounding our planet. The Earth's atmosphere, in turn, protects its living things from the sun's harmful radiation. From the beginning, we had a curiosity, and a must know inclination for space objects. We were and have continuously attracted to the stars and other celestial objects visible through naked eyes. We created rhymes, songs, stories, imagined and created space monsters and hero's, made space movies to spread this curiosity for many to enjoy, and join this quest for seeking the known and unknowns in space. Space and its celestial objects have always looked divine, beautiful, and made us wonder about our existence. The dark skies have always looked vast, revealing many hidden celestial objects at different times from different parts of the world. Earth's neighboring planets, passing comets, shooting stars, and constellations shined bright in the dark skies and were discovered through the naked eyes. Many Astronomers calculated the paths of many celestial objects using mathematical formulae. Many tools powerful and simple are invented to help aid them and the common man to look and find new celestial objects in the sky. Many quests were, are, and will be unsuccessful, but every small or micro-step that is successful will lead one step closer to understanding the vast celestial space. As quoted by Neil Armstrong, "One small step for a man is one giant leap for mankind."  Earth as an entity has Space within and is inhabited by many living, and non-living things, just like an individual has Space composed of many internal parts and organs. Earth as a Celestial entity is part of a vastness comprising many different space objects or chunks, just like we as an individual are part of this world comprising of many living and non-living things. This perhaps might make a few of us more curious to know this world and beyond. We are always inclined to look into the dark skies to know more. We close our eyes and still see and feel the vastness and dark Space. We then realize that we are a part and maybe a product of Space. "Kidz Learn Applications" app "Space Chunks" is a small tool to help aid those interested and curious to know more about celestial objects and Earth. Check out the app "Space Chunks" in iOS and Android.
 Tea supposedly has its origin in China. Over time it gained popularity and is widely consumed across the world, mainly for its health benefits. Indian legend “Ramayana” has reference to a unique herb. Hanuman-1 went to the Himalayan mountain terrain and got tea leaves-2 to heal the wounded Laxman (brother of Ram-3), as he was injured fighting against the demon king of Lanka, Raavan. (Read the footnotes) Tea is mainly grown in mountainous terrain where the climate is usually cold and rainy. Rain clouds in the mountainous terrain always water and seem to kiss the tea plantation. Fertile mountain soil nourishes the tea plants and passes on the nutrients through the shallow tea roots to the leaves. Water must never stagnate in the tea plant. Hence, a step like a terrace is created in the terrain to benefit the tea plantation.
Munnar is one such beautiful place with abundant tea gardens and resorts in Kerala, South India. The rich vegetation and pleasant climate on the hilly terrain make it an ideal tourist spot. Many resorts have their abode on one of the many hilly terrains overlooking the tea plantation and scenic beauty of Western Ghats.  Munnar is one such beautiful place with abundant tea gardens and resorts in Kerala, South India. The rich vegetation and pleasant climate on the hilly terrain make it an ideal tourist spot. Many resorts have their abode on one of the many hilly terrains overlooking the tea plantation and scenic beauty of Western Ghats.  Munnar is one such beautiful place with abundant tea gardens and resorts in Kerala, South India. The rich vegetation and pleasant climate on the hilly terrain make it an ideal tourist spot. Many resorts have their abode on one of the many hilly terrains overlooking the tea plantation and scenic beauty of Western Ghats.  There are many trekking paths in Munnar. Many treks need guides and permissions, and some do not. The long walk through the beautiful paths covered by the tea plantation is soothing for the eyes. The fresh air gives a much-needed vigor to the tired body. Up the crisscross, hilly terrain is less tiresome than climbing straight up. Going up the mud path, one can view not only the tea plantations but also laborers cutting the seasons tea leaves with scissors. Though technology has not penetrated the tea leaves plucking industry, tools have improved and resulted in efficient plucking of leaves. Scissors have bags at one end, paving the way for an efficient pluck. Gone are the days when laborers had to pluck the leaves with their bare hands and toss it on their back, which carries a huge bag. Today the laborers wear long boots and gloves for protection against leeches and small snakes. Talking to the cheerful laborers is pleasant as they are friendly and talk about their life as seasonal Tea Leaf gatherers. For generations, they have been plucking leaves, and though their lives are filled with many hardships, they have a cheerful disposition and a jovial attitude. It took more than an hour to go up, explore, and come down the tea estate plantation. The long walk became less tiresome by the cheerful and curious questions from the laborers, they pose for the photographs, stories about elephants crossing their path while working and joking about life and people as such. It is hard to imagine elephants maintaining their balance on the hilly terrain and walking across the tea plantation. Still, photographs of rogue and other elephants prove that size does not matter to maintain a sturdy composure. Many laborers have frequent encounters with elephants. Some rogue elephants attack the estate destroying whatever crosses their path. Some pass by in search of water and food. The workers do lead a precarious life as many a time they are unaware of elephants walking on the estate. Not many tea plantations and not many estates are open to the public for trekking. The one at Kannan Devan’s tea estate is open to all with a clear path through the tea plantation leading to the dam at the other end and the main road on the other. On the whole, it was a fun and educational family walk talking, exploring, and learning about the tea plantation. Few advantages of drinking Green Tea 1. Controls blood pressure thus reducing hyper tension. 2. Excellent drink to reduce obesity. 3. Decreases the risk of getting heart diseases. 4. Prevents increase in blood sugar levels. 5. Great antioxidant that reduces the effect of ageing on skin, wrinkles and sun burn. 6. Protects against tooth decay and bad breadth problem. 1 . Hanuman; The mythical Hindu god.
2 . The tea leaves in that particular story were called the ‘Sanjeevani.’ 3 . Ram; the hero of the Ramayana. He was an incarnation of a major Hindu God Animals are everywhere- domestic, wild, and exotic. Animals migrate, adapt, and evolve based on the weather conditions and the topography of the land. Many lands are connected, making it easy for animals to migrate and explore the vast lands. Animals thrived and moved everywhere before humans created civilizations and limited their movement. Animals explored the continents moving from North to South, East-West, and vice versa. Over time lands became disconnected and got separated due to the various reactions inside the Earth’s core. Some islands became isolated, and they floated alone, taken away by the vast ocean currents, distancing themselves from the mainland. Weather and environmental conditions also caused large chunks of ice melt and part. It is no wonder many countries today, want a part of Antarctica for themselves. The disjointed island took along with them the vast plantations and the animals. The animals evolved and thrived in the islands based on the climatic conditions and the land structure. Some developed hoofs in their feet to climb boulders and mountains, and others have webbed feet to move about inland and in water. The animals in such islands cannot migrate and are mostly unique to the place. One such island continent with rare, wild, and exotic species of animals is Australia – A beautiful and dry continent.  Australia was part of the cold continent Antarctica some 60-80 million years ago before it split from the mainland. As the continent drifted apart and was taken away by the strong currents, North from the mainland, it became warmer and drier. The animals that also got separated evolved and adapted themselves to the conditions of the land. Thus a unique and wild species of animals and insects evolved, which are rare and may not be found in any other parts of the world. The island is warmer and drier, the animal species thrived and survived for millions of years. World statistics estimate that 80% of animal species and 90% of reptile species in Australia cannot be found elsewhere in the world. This blog describes a few of the animals found mostly in Australia. Check out the “Kidz Fun – Category Select” application to get information about wild and rare animals in other parts of the world.  1. Green Tree Python: -These are present in the rainforest of Northern Queensland and feed mainly on small mammals and birds. They sleep during the day in the tree hollows and ferns. They are active at night.  2. Magnificent Tree Frog: - This frog is mostly found in the caves of Northern Australia. These frogs feed on small bats.  3. Eastern brown snake: - They are highly venomous snake. When threatened, they turn in to an”S” shape. Though deadly this snake helps and protects human vegetation by eating harmful mice.  4. Tasmanian Devil: - These are marsupials i.e. they carry their babies in a small pouch attached to their mothers bodies. They are carnivore, and eat any type of meat.  5. Bush Stone Curlew: - These are ground dwelling birds found through out Australia. They are active at night and feed on insects, lizard and small mammals.  6. Koala bear: - These bears feed on Eucalyptus leaves and live on trees. The bears need special bacteria to break the tough leaves. They are not born with the bacteria, so the baby needs to be fed with a special paste by their mom.  7. Wombats: - These live in burrows and they are mostly prevalent in Southern Australia. Wombats have powerful claws and bony plated back which can crush and squash any small animal entering their burrow.  8. Water Monitor: - These are semi aquatic lizards that hunt by swimming and walking under water ground. These are mostly prevalent in Northern Australia.  9. Platypus:- These are mammals but lay eggs. They can eat half their weight in one night. They have electroreceptors in their bill that allows them to hunt for food and navigate under water with their eyes, ears and nose closed.  10. Cassowary: - They are huge birds and mostly feed on seeds. Many tree species depend on Cassowary to spread their seeds. The male birds take care of their young.  11. Wallaby: -
These animals have special compact body frames needed for life amongst boulders and scrubs. They feed on leaves holding food in their paws. The above photos and text are captured and referenced from Sydney Wildlife Zoo.  At a not so recent meditation gathering, I was asked to sing the first song that came to my mind. Though I had an early exposure to Indian classical music when young, the first song that came to my mind and felt comfortable singing was “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”. This made me think about Nursery Rhymes and the sweet memories as a young child, holding hands with friends and singing happily. Nursery rhymes may be most comfortable to sing and remember, even for a non-singer or a person with frog throat. Earlier, rhymes may have been an easy way for commoners (does not know to read and write) to remember things and pass on tales from one generation to next. Unlike classical songs, they do not need a certain rhythm or great tune to sing. Rhymes are short with words that may or may not make sense. The rhyming and catchy tunes may have had the ability to attract young minds and give them the ability to retain them in their memories. Many Rhymes have origins from the past and have been passed on from generations through word of mouth or repeated recitation in Preschool and Kindergarten. Most rhymes though beautiful have hidden meanings. Some have been quoted as really gruesome, some may have references to kings and queens and are quoted indirectly and some others are truly inspirational and have a moral to pass on to next generation. “Kidz Learn Applications” uses many rhymes in the app “Kidz Fun” under menu option “songs” and also tries to inspire young audience by providing quotes at the end. This blog is not intended to advocate parents or adults or kids to stop singing rhymes nor is a propaganda to defame rhymes. This blog is to gain knowledge about, what may be a seemingly true origin of rhymes, as mentioned in many websites and Wikipedia. Rhymes throughout the world are popular and have their own localized origins with deeper meanings. This blog describes popular English rhymes and their meanings from extensive research on the Internet. The below interpretation are solely from the Internet and does not make inferences from any books, so there is no guarantee of the authentic origins of the meanings. The readers are solely responsible for any effect it has directly or indirectly. 1. Ring-a-round the Rosie, pocket full of posies, Ashes! Ashes! We all fall down. This is a very popular rhyme that has its origin in 1600’s Europe. This rhyme talks about the black plague that was prevalent in Europe during that period. When a person gets infected with the plague, the symptoms start with pink boils in fingers and rest of the body. The doctors then carried herbs in their pockets to try and cure the patients. Many fell dead to this plague and existing burial grounds were not enough to bury the dead. The dead were burned to stop the disease from spreading, with entire city covered in ashes.  2. Mary had a little lamb, little lamb, little lamb, Mary had a little lamb, and its fleece was white as snow. And everywhere that Mary went, Mary went, Mary went, and everywhere that Mary went, the lamb was sure to go. This rhyme is based on a true story, and its origin is in Sudbury, Massachusetts, USA. A young schoolgirl had a pet lamb. She took the lamb to school. A young man was assisting a minister and visited the school. He saw the lamb and its devotion to Mary. He was touched and wrote the first two lines of the rhyme. 3. Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall; Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the King's horses, And all the King's men couldn't put Humpty Dumpty together again! Every kid assumes "Humpty Dumpty" to be a cute little egg, which falls off the wall and breaks. One cannot fix a broken egg even if he/she is a King/ Queen of the land. Though many theories exist on the Internet, the most relevant is mentioned below. "Humpty Dumpty" is the name of a siege engine (device to break strong walls and it shoots canon.). This siege engine, "Humpty Dumpty," was placed on top of the city wall, which was covering churches and castle during 1648. A shot from the enemy succeeded in breaking the base of the wall, which caused "Humpty Dumpty" to fall. The kings or Royal men attempted to raise "Humpty Dumpty" to another part of the wall but were unsuccessful as it was too heavy. Ultimately they lost the war to the parliament.  4. The Itsy Bitsy Spider climbed up the waterspout. Down came the rain and washed the spider out. Out came the sun and dried up all the rain and the itsy bitsy spider climbed up the spout again. The above is popular American folklore, which talks about a spider trying to climb a water sprout or (open-air reservoir), and the spider is unable to do so in the first attempt but works again and again until it reaches the top. This teaches kids always to try and never give up on their dreams and have a strong will. 5. London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down. London Bridge is falling down, my fair lady. This rhyme states the origins of “London Bridge”, the monument. The first London Bridge was made from wood but the Vikings invaded and destroyed the bridge. Then a stone bridge was made, and it took 33 years to build, and it had many arches, towers, and gates. There were many shops on the bridge, which traded on gold and silver. A great fire in 1666 weakened the arches and the foundations. A new bridge built in 1800 and the old bridge demolished. 6. Jack and Jill went up the hill, To fetch a pail of water. Jack fell down and broke his crown, And Jill came tumbling after. There are many theories, but the most popular one on the Internet is that of “King Charles 1” from France raising taxes on liquid measures. This was opposed by the parliament and rejected. Hence King Charles-1 ordered that the volume of Jack (1/2 pint) be reduced while keeping the same tax. So Jill (Gill ¼th pint) also went down following Jack. Even today, many Pint glasses have ½ pint mark with the image of the crown on top.  7. Rain, rain go away, come again another day. Little Johnny wants to play. Rain, rain go away. England was always under attack by Spanish legion during the rule of Queen Elizabeth 1. Spanish army waged war against England by bringing many big boats. England had smaller and swifter boats and, even though few, defeated Spanish armies. The stormy weather also favored England and scattered the Spanish army, which led to the rhyme, “Rain rain go away.” Some versions of the song also include two additional lines:- Rain, rain, go to Spain, Never show your face again!  8. Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
how I wonder what you are! Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky. The Authors "Ann Taylor" and "Jane Taylor" immortalized the poem by comparing the stars to diamonds. This rhyme encourages children to use their imagination and paint a mental picture of things and associate them with objects that they can relate to. 9. Mary Mary quite contrary, how does your garden grow? With silver bells and cockle shells and pretty maids in a row. The above rhyme refers to Queen Mary of England, the daughter of King Henry VIII. The garden refers to the endless graveyards that were increasing as she beheaded and tortured many people who were practicing a different religion. "Silver Bells" and "Cockleshells" were the two main tools used for torture. "Maids" are a row of devices (also referred to as The Maiden) used for beheading people. There have been numerous topics and blogs about songs and speech. Researchers and doctors have spent many hours in their life trying to know more or understand and cure adults/children less prone to them. I was surprised to find close to none or fewer posts/blogs related to "Sound" apart from elaborate mentions of it in technical books. Sound can have many meanings. It is used in Physics as a form of an equation, Art in the form of sound notation, and Maths as a representation of a beat. It also has a literal and straightforward meaning, and it is usually associated with the vibration of the drums in our ears. The wave is caused by the sound that emerges from every living being from the effort they put into making it, or it can also emerge from a non-living thing when it comes into contact with other living or non-living thing. Phew. To quote directly, the sound that emerges when a cow moos, when a donkey brays or when a drum is hit by a drummer using his skilled hands or when air passes through the holes of a bamboo shoot. It is not an understatement to say and think that sound is a gift from nature and when carved and sculpted under the skillful mouth of artist results in two major products which formed the basis for human's to interact and pass their knowledge for generations, they are Speech and Song (fine-tune to be precise). A newborn baby emerges from a mother's womb with a sound i.e., crying. Early tribes local to a particular place imitated sounds, created songs, and danced to the tunes of sounds that emerged from the local birds. The sounds of a running stream and the rhythmic sounds of waves when listened to intently create a pattern of sound and can be fine-tuned to create beautiful music.  The sounds of nature in the forest or near the sea have been an inspiration and source of enlightenment to many great people. The two famous ones are "Gautama Buddha " and "Swami Vivekananda". Buddha attained enlightenment by doing penance under a Bodhi tree in a forest. His philosophy and teachings are world renown. Vivekananda sat and performed yoga on a rock near a beach at "Kanyakumari"(India) before giving a speech at "World Religion Congress," which was held in Chicago. He was applauded by all and became world-famous as a humanitarian. The sounds in nature have always aided and inspired a person to put forth his/her best self.
The above 2 images and the quote inside the image is taken from the internet. Many great mathematicians are also musicians. Albert Einstein is known to play the Violin. The famous "Leonardo Da Vinci" attended music school. Music and Art are associated with increasing the senses and logic and are mostly associated with the right side of the brain. The right part of the brain is known to help enhance the left side, which is mainly associated with computations/calculations and grasping. Many musical instruments are made from trees and bamboo shoots. In modern times though many musical instruments made or replaced using other metals, the basic musical notations and their usage have not vastly changed. The essential ingredient for creating sound i.e., air, is again a product of nature. Many like to climb mountains and view the scenery of rocks/greenery from above. Is it just for achievement and a sense of pride for conquering a part of nature? Another feather in a cap? This may not be a complete truth. Another way to look at this - "The sound of fresh air knocking the ears and the body gives a sense of refreshment and unknown energy to tired brains and limbs. The combined effect of the scenic view, fresh air, and blissful sound create an effect on the body that can improve senses and give the much-needed boost.
 The world has produced a different combination of music using a different permutation of sounds and musical instruments. Research has confirmed that many trees and other flowering plants grow better when exposed to rhythmic sounds or music. Children perform better when an educational topic is presented as a song with a rhythmic sound. Many great cultures around the world have kept the tradition and also tried to fusion tunes from others to create new ones, and they are perfect. Still, if one needs to create something new, nature is the best and ultimate source of creativity.
"Kidz learn Applications" has created few educational songs and is trying to create new songs based on the above philosophy in the "Kidzfun-select" application. Viewer's help and support are much appreciated to continue this endeavor. ******The views expressed in this blog is not based on any research***************
Some time back, while traveling in the train I heard someone commenting, "It's simple, even I could have done it. What's so special?” It may not be the thought of just one but a thought voice of many - "Simple, it's not new, easy, if I could spend some time or had time, I could have done a better job". May be there are better designers, artists, architects and code developers. Well may be they could have. But there is a big difference in stating it and actually taking time and risk doing it. The reality lies in the path to make simple, user friendly and elegant things. It is quite complex. The best example for the above is the fashion industry. An artist will look and admire the designs on a model. He/She will appreciate the designs and the curves, which complements the models and their looks. The designer will spend days and nights and makes sure to create the perfect design to fit the model to look elegant, simple and noteworthy. A critique will appreciate and write about the plus and negative points that may have an impact on the designs and its success in the market. A novice and a fan will admire the beauty of the models trotting the ramp with designer swags. There might be others undermining the work and calling it lame. The designs are simple, elegant, having the right colors to complement the look. The fact that one can relate to a dress or its accessory is according to me a big success, but the path quite complex. It involves great amount of hard work, dedication, commitment and creativity to create something that one can relate to. The amount of scribbling, hours spent in designing using conventional paper and pen or a tool using a computer is undeniable. Fashion industry is one of the trendsetters that might have influenced the design of many great products and individuals.  As an individual and an admirer, the fashion industry had great influence on me to create "Kidz Learn Applications". Though not a fashion designer, the applications are coded taking kid's usability and ease of navigation. The interface is simple for a kid to understand, navigate and use the contents. But the path to achieving it is not simple. The hard work, amount of scribbling and coding involved to create a product that is simple enough for kids to understand and for others to relate to, is a complex and sometimes not so rewarding process. I am sure there are and there will be many a great and better products in the market. Their process might be different, but their story will be the same. The apps have a simple interface with simple and elegant contents. The contents, which parents and kids can relate to. The contents are designed for kids to appreciate and emphasize the beauty of art and drawings. The art might be simple but the process to create one may involve certain amount of commitment and dedication.
"Kidz learn Applications" will try its best to deliver the contents in a simple yet elegant manner. Though the path is complex, belief in advocating and in working hard to deliver the contents is the drive towards its motivation. Your ideas and feedback are important to the success of its mission and ideas.
Stories are an important and integral part our life. For generations, stories have been passed as folklore, fables, drama, tall tales, and songs through word of mouth and written. Stories about cave men and their life can be seen on the cave walls long before humans could speak or write. They depicted their way of life through pictures in a sequence, which makes them earliest realistic non-fiction storytellers. After few centuries, when civilization used languages to speak, there were great storytellers whose only job was to narrate hero's victory in a war, in the form of an interesting story. They used all their creativity to narrate the tale of the war hero so as to bring joy or tears in the eyes of the anticipating spectators. Even non-fiction becomes more interesting to read when there are numerous anecdotes of various short real life instances, depicted as stories. The curiosity in finding true stories here there and everywhere as an adult, must have originated as a kid. Kids love to hear stories. For a kid, stories are a way to know new things, improve on their vocabulary and foster their imagination. Sometimes these imaginations from listening to stories as a kid get implanted in their mind and can make them do great things as an adult. Kidz fun and Kidzfun-select applications have stories as a menu option. These applications attempt to include different fictional and non-fictional stories to foster imagination in a child. These stories attempt to provide entertainment with education. The stories in these applications are never an attempt or an intention to replace the stories that a child has fun, from listening to their parent, grandparent or an elderly person under the stars. The stories in these applications can be mere fictional story trying to depict a realistic mannerism and habitat of the animal or a non-fictional story in a fictional habitat with non-realistic mannerism. For instance all the life cycle stories of various insects and other animals come under non-fiction category but they are depicted using non-realistic speech bubbles. But other stories like 2 iguanas depict fictional stories with realistic habitat and mannerism. Some stories in the applications are narrations of what is written in other books, which can benefit a child. The stories in these applications are used as a tool for kids and adults to enjoy, learn and inculcate an interest to explore and find things on their own. Stories always have and will interest kids. Though everyone attempts to tell stories in the digital space, stories in "Kidz Learn Applications" is a small attempt to carry this tradition forward but with a different approach and narration. Checkout Books - https://www.kidzlearn.co/kidzlearnbooks.html Happy Story time.
Written by beautiful daughter.
Modified by her mother.
There are lots of fun places for a kid like me to visit and enjoy. Roller Coaster rides and fun theme parks make my adrenaline pump. Water parks make my day wet with fun and excitement. Buying new dresses, accessories and good books from shops and watching new movies in a mall brings joy and happiness to my parents and me.
So when my parents told me that I would be visiting countryside, I was thoughtful and did not know what to expect. Many thoughts occupied my mind, like, only a few people live there, there would be lots of space, the land would be filled with crops, I would not enjoy much etc. I accompanied them without making a fuss. 
The first part of our short trip was hiking. I was very doubtful if I wanted to hike as we had been told of a chance of meeting bear and the precautions that we need to take if a bear crosses the path. We hiked, nevertheless.
At the front of the woods, we noticed some beautiful butterflies sipping nectar from what I suppose were "Chrysanthemum" flowers. The butterflies looked like monarch butterflies. They were lots of them and it was happy sights watching them jump from flower to flower, crossing our heads and trying to escape my repeated attempts to catch them. It is extremely rare to find them even in the suburbs. 
After a while, thankful that I did not have a chance encounter with a bear, we reached the reservoir. It was a beautiful sight. I could spot some fishes in the water. My friend and I tried to catch them but they always escape. They were quite slippery. We also tossed small rocks into the lake, trying to make the biggest "plop" sound. There were lots of other wildflowers and the scenery was quite wonderful to look.
We made frequent stops while driving through the countryside. It was fun to watch and buy fresh produce near houses. There was no cashier but a box and a label with prices for each product. We bought few items and put the money in the box. Later my mom told me that they cost much cheaper from the ones available in shops.
After driving for few minutes we saw 2 cows inside a fence. They were happily gracing unmindful of the photo snaps that we took. We also noticed a flock of sheep returning to their shed. It was fun to see the flock following their leader here, there, turning around everywhere and finally reaching the shed with repeated bleating noises.
Later, we noticed two horses, a white and a brown one. They were blindfolded. My guess is they would not be able to jump the fence if they cannot see. We tried approaching the fence to take few snaps and suddenly the white horse pranced around and danced as if giving a pose for the picture.
So my conclusion, countryside or rural areas is more than farms, produce and space. It is a place of nature, beauty and goodness. It is a place where animals live in harmony with nature and humans. It was a different kind of fun and an experience of gaining knowledge. We should try and preserve the wild side of the land for future generations as well.
We live in a technology-driven world. There are products to help aid our comforts on a touch of a button. We live, breath and sleep with technology fumes (electromagnetic rays) all around us. Smartphones are used to talk, text and with their utility being extended to other personal aspects, they have become our integral part. Technology innovation emerging from science and exploration has become the need. Technology is slowly moving from real-world objects into the virtual world. It was easy and convenient to carry credit cards rather than having the burden to hold cash. Now, there is a virtual wallet programmed to replace credit cards. Many businesses also entertain transactions in Bitcoin which uses blockchain technology. Tech giants are pitching their products to combine blockchain technology and the Internet of Things to be used in consumers day to day life from equipment service reminders, transfer money and to make payments. The information from personal banking, paying bills, games, education, books, maps, a personal planner can be organized in a gadget. All our personal data is available in a virtual (though stored in physical locations) space called the cloud. Our data can be shared across all the systems. Science and Technology have become the new agenda and is sought after by many. Every middle-class household has at least 2-3 tech gadgets. In medium income household having a cell phone and a computer is a norm. Computers and cell phones have become an integral part of a teenager. Often teens place their phones under their pillows when they sleep to talk or text. Most of the information is available on the Internet. Even bathrooms have tech gadgets like automatic toothbrush, paste dispenser - one needs to just place the brush near the nozzle of the paste, the sensor senses the brush and the paste is automatically placed on the brush. Technology in the health sector has boomed rapidly. Many patients are treated and operated by doctors using highly specialized gadgets. Many famous personalities and scientists have been rumoured to have opted for Cryogenize (freeze) their brain in the hope for technology to be advanced in the future, to make them alive again.
With recent threats and breach of consumer data, how much can many technologies be trusted? Does privacy and security of the consumer mater anymore? For every free digital service or media that we use, our information is automatically breached by third-party marketers or content providers. Is this a boon or a bane? For a Technology savvy business person reaping profits, sure this is a perfect world. But, for a person to whom these gadgets are fascinating objects, may not have the means or knowledge to know them, or has the knowledge but do not use them, would it be a boon? The latter constitute more than 60 percent in the world. So do we curse Technology or accept it for the better or worse?
Images above :- Invention of wheel and atomic bomb explosion. Images below :- Stress and space debris traveling around the globe.
There certainly have been inventions since humans first evolved on this planet. But every good tool /product /invention/thoughts that were considered beneficial to the society has also given rise to bad/evil as a byproduct. When thought wisely and not taken literally, we can read many instances of it in mythological stories. Many inventions/ thoughts could not survive and ceased to exist over time, when the bad/evil byproducts became dominant and reduced it's overall good effect on the society. Each century must have produced many powerful leaders who had the power to handle/ absorb and eradicate the evil byproducts so as to benefit the society. So the effect of technology and its consequences on society should not be any different from other great inventions and its consequence in the past. For every good invention, there needs to be a great leader who is powerful enough to remove bad effects/causes that can be detrimental to the society. If not, the consequences are such that the bad effects can overpower its good effects and can become evil. Nature with all its power is the best example as it can absorb and destroy all the negative forces, for life to thrive and survive. A good leader unbiased and not influenced by external factors can foster technologies goodness to people. In return, the society also respected the hero with their loyalty. There is no good or bad technology. The way we use technology or the companies that do not use them wisely are either good or bad. Technology if used as a tool, with a great company leader and a company with strong ethics to control it, has and will aid humans. It is for us to decide if technology out there is absolutely necessary, can be trusted or not. The free content available on the Internet has empowered us but also to a large extent made us totally dependent on it. At the end of the day, it is the consumers choice to get the required knowledge and use their common sense. The consumer has the absolute power to resist, make an informed decision and choose wisely. Consumers having a choice and making an informed decision, has this become a Utopian world? It is now more than necessary to have knowledge of computer science to make an informed decision about technology and its usage. It is not just important to use technology and gadgets as a tool but also knows the science behind it. It is important to have computer science as a part of school curriculum and students taught the basics of computer science. We use the internet and get frustrated if the speed is slightly less. We are sad and try to bang the device as we cannot download our favorite music or a movie. Even adults need to have the basic understanding of the science behind common household gadgets like the router, modem, their speeds and other broadband terms. "Kidz Learn Applications" tries to do its part by creating useful videos related to computer networking and basic terminologies used in computer science. Check out "Kidz Fun - Category Select" application in iOS to read about basic computer science terminologies. Also check out the You-tube channel - https://www.youtube.com/c/KidzLearnApplications  Image above :- www.responsibletechnology.org. Note :- Images are downloaded from various sources in the internet . 
Ancient rock structures and monuments in all their grandeur have hidden stories. They stand tall, in ruins and remain mysterious for centuries, waiting to be discovered. They might have once been a busy city, where people gathered, traded, painted, sculpted and wrote stories on the rock walls. Now they stand covered with centuries of sand and mud, patiently waiting to be uncovered to share their stories.
One such Archeological marvel is “Sigiria – The lion rock monument” few miles away from Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka (pious and spiritual city). Sigiria was a monastery in 1-2 century B.C which was then converted into a capital by King Kasyapa I. He ruled from the fortress, which was built on the rock. It has a lot of rock caves with beautiful frescos adorning the walls. The paintings date back to 6-12 century A.D when the rock was crowded with visitors as it had many administrative offices.
Sigiriya rock fortress has lots of palaces, gardens and other royal buildings, now mostly in ruins. The steps leading to the top of the fortress has 3 entrances namely Cobra pass, Elephant and Lion paw pass. Enormous rock structures depict the past glory and their marvellous water engineering. The area in and around the rock has canals, lakes, dams, fountains and underground water pumps. The climb up the rock through well-placed vertical steps provides a beautiful view of the surrounding caves, mountains and other greenery. Midway, climbing up the rock leads to caves that have beautiful paintings of females. The frescos are made using natural colors, which depict the jewelry and other fashion accessories that prevailed in the era. The paintings effectively depict various human emotions and kudos to the unknown artist for the talent in depicting them effectively using art. Few steps from the caves are the famous “Sigiriya” mirror walls. The mirror wall has nearly 700 graffiti versus. The females in the paintings seem to be the main inspiration for the poems. The wall was so polished that one's reflection could be visible in those days. According to Wikipedia, One such poem, roughly translated, in Sinhala (Official language of Sri Lanka) is:
"I am Budal [the writer's name]. Came with hundreds of people to see Sigiriya. Since all the others wrote poems, I did not!" He has left an important record that Sigiriya was visited by people beginning а very long time ago."
Few more steps climbing up the rock leads to “Lion Paw Pass”. The colossal paws at the base of the rock provide a clear picture of the form and scales of the gate leading to the terrace. The steps pass through a giant lions head, that once decorated the gate's entrance, and leads to the top. Time and corrosion ruined the lion’s head as now only the giant paws decorate the entrance. There are few medical tents for assisting people in case of Wasp sting. There are also signs requesting people to maintain silence on wasp prone areas.
The climb up the rock from the lion pass, though tiresome is compensated by excellent view and breeze from the trees nearby. Climbing up the steps one can also see many buildings in ruins, mainly made from limestone and it’s by-products. Once at the top, there is a flat platform which was a terrace and has a 360-degree view of the nearby cities, mountains and other greenery.
The rock fortress, palaces and gardens are one of the finest examples of ancient city planning. No wonder this ancient rock with all its grandeur is considered a “World Heritage Site”.
1. The "Asian Weaver Ant" can hold 100 times its own weight while hanging upside down.
2. Certain types of Fungus secretes red drops that look like blood.
3. Pandas eat 36 pounds of bamboo everyday, that is equivalent to 144 hamburgers.
4.It takes ten years for a Saguaro Cactus to grow an inch (2.5 centimeters).
5. Ghost ants have see-through stomachs.
6.White-Faced Capuchin monkeys greet each other by sticking their fingers up each other's nose.
7. It is impossible to hum while holding your nose.
8. A palm tree is not a tree; it's a type of grass.
9. An Emu's body contains up to Three Gallons of Oil. It is enough to fill three milk jugs.
10. Rabbits can see behind them without moving their heads.
The facts taken from "Weird but true! 6" by NG and images from wikipedia.
Spring time is for flowers. Flower craft projects can turn a weekend into a fun-filled day. It's fun to create crafts using a colored paper, scissor and a transparent tape. They not only enhance creativity in kids but are also known to improve and test their motor skills. Here are 2 fun flower crafts, that not only make a greeting card beautiful but are also simple and easy to make.
Spring Tulip's 1. Take a sheet of colored paper and scale measure 3'X3' to form a square.
2. Fold at a slight slant.
3. Fold again at a slight slant.
4. Fold 4 corners as shown in the picture.
5. For leaf, take a 3'X3' square colored paper (preferably green).
6. Fold in half along the diagonal.
7. Fold the pointed corner and overlap it to the vertical side.
8. Fold the bottom corner and overlap it to the vertical side.
9. Fold the bottom corner at a slight slant.
10. Take a transparent tape and stick the leaf edge to the Tulip.
11. Make 2 Tulips to decorate a greeting card or frame and hang it to the wall.
Beautiful Lily
1. Take measurements to make a 3'X3' square.
2. Fold and make small rectangles of equal shape.
3. Fold the recitals alternatively between the two sides of the paper.
4. From the peak cut along the solid line to form a curved surface.
5. Open and glue the end sides.
6. Wide open the petal shapes to form a flower.
Other fun paper crafts
Spring is considered as a merry time of the year. Spring can mildly be warmer than winter with temperatures ranging from 6 to 12 degree C or if lucky it can resemble Summer with temperatures in mid 25 to 28 degree C. There are a lot of activities in nature from which we can predict that " The happy season" has come. Here are a few fun facts in our day-to-day lives that can brighten our spirits and welcome the season. It's fun to be woken by the chirping sounds of birds, who migrate North after travelling long distances. It's beautiful to watch them fly in groups, trying to find a suitable and safe spot to nest and lay eggs. It's fun and also sometimes scary to hear the "Spring Peeper" accompany the birds with it high-pitched calls to welcome the season. These frogs are mostly active at night and they can be heard from as far as 2 miles depending on their numbers. It's fun to watch bunnies, squirrels and other burrow creatures hop on and out of their long hibernation. They can be seen everywhere, busybodies trying to look for food to reenergize and fill their empty bellies. It's fun to watch Cherry blossom buds among the first to appear in trees during this season. It's also surprising to see the buds bloom and fill a tree before the leaves can emerge out of its branches. It's fun to see the landscape transform their color to green from the usual white or brown. After a few days, many other colors join green to brighten the landscape. The flowers with all the colors give a lively and fresh landscape look. It's fun to see kids engage in activities in their backyard and outdoors. It's not so uncommon to see a kid make and hang a birdhouse/feeder and decorate it with different art forms and paints. It's fun to plant seeds on the onset of spring and wish/hope to have an awesome yield at the end of summer. Flowers/Fruits/Vegetables can make a backyard/ front yard lively but beware of bunnies, rabbits and other voracious eating creatures, which can ruin the hope of having plenty. It's fun to watch a carnival parade with people dressed in different costumes/masks. The parade and the flavorful food is a good start to welcome spring. It's fun to explore and go for long treks and burn the accumulated winter calories. The season is just right, as the days are long and warmth from the sun is just right to re-energize our tired bodies. It's fun to Swing in to spring.
1. Who is big, red and round with a laugh that sounds like " Who...Who...Who...Who is next on my list"?
2. Who is white, has cute little buttons for eyes. He pretends to keep himself warm with a muffler and a hat on a cold winter night. 3. A cold little thing melts on my hand from up above. I am told it has a pretty shape but looses its form as it drops down. Who am I? 4. I have a pleasant smell and come in various colors. I give a relaxed feeling as I burn. Alas, I burn too fast and last for an hour or two. Who am I? 5. I usually sleep all through winter. I am sometimes woken up by the warmth and strange surroundings and puzzled to find my tree inside a house. As I peek, there are shrieks and cries. I am called a rodent as I frantically search for a way to get outside. Who am I? 6. I am an intelligent bird but many wrongly assume to be stupid and ugly. I am usually found in a "Deli" or "Sub" stuffed between 2 loaves of bread and most sought-after delicacy during the holiday season.Who am I? 7. I like to hug precious things big and small. I make them more appealing with a bow and a sticker. Some hasty ones like to tear me apart, ignore me and prefer only the contents I hug. Who am I? 8. I am colorful and I can twinkle like the stars in the sky. I am a treat to watch when I am put, neatly around things. Who am I? 9. I am the only green among the other barren lot. I remain the same throughout the year. I am lit up during the holiday season as I promise to offer hope. Who am I? 10. Machines cut me into rectangular/cylindrical pieces.I either decorate the mantle or get burned in many houses. Either way, I offer joy and warmth during the holiday season. Who am I?
Answers
1. Santa 2.Snowman 3.Snowflake 4.Candle 5.Squirrel 6.Turkey 7.Gift or Wrapping paper 8.Holiday bulbs/lights 9.Pine Tree 10.Wood.
1. Dress in colorful clothes, but keep yourself warm and walk in the woods. You might be surprised to find colors in nature more colorful than your clothes.
2. You might capture many pictures of fall color. All pictures on your digital device will look beautiful and colorful, yet they might look somewhat similar. 3. You clean up your yard every day to find more leaves in the yard every next day. While cleaning up you might find yourself unknowingly counting the leaves falling from a tree. 4. It is a pleasant time to walk and hike. It's not too hot nor too cold. You can get an energy boost just by walking, looking around and inhaling the fresh air. You are also surprised to have walked long distances, with little exhaustion. 5. It is a good time to loose some weight and do some physical activity. Good weather along with a 360-degree colorful view can motivate you to spend more time outside doing fun stuff. 6. Creeks and streams are full of colorful leaves. There are leaves all around. You might want to make leaf boats and make it float down the stream. You are also playing it safe by enjoying fall by keeping the environment clean (lest you are tempted to make paper boats). 7. It is a wonderful time to see animals in the woods, running, finding food and stocking for winter. You might be tempted to capture them in your camera and fill your social profile with their pictures. 8. It is an excellent time to walk in the woods and try to find the number and type of trees that have not yet or will not change colors. You can capture their pictures and try to find their names and classify their type. 9. You might be tempted to make a pile of leaves and have fun by jumping over the leaves.You can collect different colorful leaves and make a collage. After a few days, the leaves turn dull and dry. 10. Fall is a sign that holiday and winter is fast approaching. You can find yourself spending a lot of money shopping and buying gifts for yourself and loved ones. Have a Joyful and Fun filed FALL, but do not fall for it as it lasts for a short time.
"Shiva Ganga" is an 800-year-old, spiritual/Religious abode built by King Vishnu Vardhan. It is 150 km away from Bangalore city, India. This place has an equal mix of spiritual, architectural and scenic views. This place is an intermediate trekker's paradise as it has rock steps, small to medium in size, leading all the way to the top of the hill. For a beginner-intermediate trekker, it takes 3 to 31/2 hours to reach the top. On the way to the top, one can experience breath taking views of the rocky but sometimes steep hill, art, architecture of Bull (Nandi), Water Bed (Patala Ganga), the deities (mostly Shiva and Parvathy) and the rocky caves.
The trekking is made easier as there are vendors selling a range of edible eats and drinks. The monkeys in and around the vicinity entertain us by walking, running, jumping and snatching any eatables or drinks, without any fear or consequence. It is advisable to eat and finish at the vendor, as monkeys never near them.
The trek begins with big wide steps and then gets slightly harder with medium wide steps and more harder (narrow steps) as one goes up the hill. The level of inclination gets steeper and the steps get smaller to the extent that one has to look for vantage points on the rocks to get a firm grip. The last level of the trek is the hardest as the inclination goes an angle between 70 to 75 degrees, there are no steps except for light man-made step like carvings on the stone. There are rails supporting one's arms but the slightest mistake and a slip can make a person rolling down the hill or sideways. Local people prefer to remove their footwear and climb.
To quote some personal experiences; my daughter was holding some peanuts covered in a Newspaper. This did not escape the eyes of some naughty monkeys as they came running. They tried snatching the paper from her hands. She was wise enough to throw the paper. They merrily opened the paper and ate the contents. This made me think and smile as in a way the monkeys were aiding the local vendors by making sure "No personal eatables are allowed up the hill".
I made a mistake of holding a soft drink and trek. A monkey chased me. Copying my daughter, I threw the drink away. The monkey grabbed the drink and moved up a tree, sat and emptied the contents of the can. The trek up the hill gives one excellent view of the mountains nearby and different sculptures. It’s a pleasant sight for young and old to watch the monkeys of various sizes jumping, running and eating. I was initially sad and surprised at the number of bottles and food packets thrown on the ground. Then it struck me, the monkeys approach people for food and they, in turn, react by throwing the food cans and bottles on the ground.
As one moves up the hill, there are bull sculptures of various shapes and sizes. A bull sculpted on top of a vertical rock with a setting sun in the background gives a rusty, rock beauty to the place. As one reaches midway one can admire the beauty of art in the sculpting of deities Shiva and Parvathy. There is a huge body of water (Ganga) inside a rocky cave. Squeezing in through a small temple, made from a huge rock is another unique experience. On passing through a couple of dark and long door pathways, one can spot a big hole. There are tales that say "Touching water i.e. Ganga inside the hole brings good luck".
The joy of getting water in my hand blinded my mind for a second, as I stood up forgetting the low cave ceiling. A good bump in my head brought me back to reality. Feeling OK, I explored the temple cave. The sights of beautiful sculptures and paintings were a refreshment to tired eyes.
The final trek up the hill can be very tedious for an intermediate trekker. Steep inclination accompanied with dangerously narrow steps forces one to place their feet sideways to get a firm grip. Kids or a person with small feet can have much easier experience. Rail in the middle of the narrow trek gives a much-needed support.
Trekking in August or later months can make one feel at ease, with a cool breeze and occasional light showers.
Finally reaching the top, one can experience the joy of excellent views, a satisfaction of accomplishment and peace. The hushing sound of the wind, scenic views, art and architecture and spiritual experience, on the whole, can heal the mind with much needed positive energy.
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 The ideas and views expressed in the blog belongs to the Proprietor of "Kidz Learn Applications" unless explicitly stated. Also the ideas and views in the blog though mostly researched, may not be perfect.
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