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WATER, WATER, EVERYWHERE...

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  Photo by  Imleedh Ali  on  Unsplash Water has always been a universal symbol of life across cultures, past and present. Nothing can live without water. As Jacques Yves Cousteau said it so aptly, “We forget that the water cycle and the life cycle are one.” Water is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula of H2O – transparent, odourless, tasteless, colourless, but the significance it has in all our lives is momentous. Mythology abounds with water deities. This list is mindbogglingly long. These gods and goddesses were prominent in civilizations that grew up next to the sea or ocean, or beside great rivers. A few examples are:   Ashiakle, the goddess of the treasures at the bottom of the ocean (Africa) Anuket, the goddess of the Nile, nourisher of the fields (Egypt) Nephthys, the goddess of rivers, death, mourning and night (Egypt) Mazu, the goddess of the sea and protector of sea farers, (China)   Mizuchi – dragon and sea god (Ja...

TIme for a Break!

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                                                                                                         Pinterest Some days are so busy that one needs to take a break! Hence, I decided that since I have already completed 15,206 words in the #Blogchatter #WriteaPageaDay Challenge, I could take it a bit easy today... Saturday Night Blues, as one might say.                                                                                                   The Spring Break Family It is ...

WINDCHIMES BY THE SEA – STORIES BLOWN ASHORE BY BEETASHOK CHATTERJEE - BOOK REVIEW

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                                                                                                   Amazon.in “The sea has so many stories to tell.” With that sweeping statement, the author who dubs himself “this old sea dog” has taken on the mantle of bringing his second collection of sea stories, the first one titled ‘Driftwood’. Published by Readomania, this collection has eleven stories that wax eloquent on war and peace, trials and triumphs and sadness and laughter. The cover in blue is as evocative as the melodious title of the book. Every story is preceded by a black and white illustration that gives a subtle hint about the story to follow. The first story titled ‘Service to the Nation’ is narrated against the backdrop of the In...

SHOCK TACTICS BY SAKI (HH MUNRO)

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  eBay Hector Hugh Munro is a writer who is known for his whimsical style of writing, his amazing sense of humour, his love of animals, his generous nature, and his consideration for others.   He took the pen name of Saki, the name of the cup bearer in Omar Khayyam’s The Rubaiyat. He was called the master of the short story even as he satirized Edwardian literature and culture, regaling readers with his rich political satire, his intriguing characters and his narrative style. The story titled ‘Shock Tactics’ is replete with all these characteristics. The story begins on a late spring afternoon as Ella McCarthy was siting listlessly in her garden when Bertie appeared before her, and sat down on an adjoining chair. She was elated to see him and began thanking him for the lovely handkerchiefs he had sent to her as a gift. She had wished to write and thank him for them immediately, but when she said so, Bertie’s face fell. “’You know what mother is,’ he protested; ‘she opens a...

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A BIOMETRIC DEVICE

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                                                   Iris Scanner - Mantra Softech When you walk into the lobby in school, you will find me on the wall in front of the office. A biometric device that captures the gaze of the teachers in school! Had I been human, I would have been the luckiest man ever… with so many ladies gazing into my attentive eyes. Some walk in and gaze languidly at me, others rush in like hurricanes, aware that time is ticking by, inexorably. Yet others make a beeline and look at me, not paying any heed to anyone around, singling me out for attention. Only after I capture their gaze do they even relax and wish others around them. That is how important I am in their lives. One teacher walks towards me, and stares into my eyes. She moves her head up and down, trying to reach that sweet spot when I can help her. When that does not work, she...

THE HAPPY PRINCE BY OSCAR WILDE - A REVIEW

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  Medium As a child, I remember reading ‘The Happy Prince’ and falling in love with the writing style of Oscar Wilde, born Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde, a writer whose initial foray into writing was unsuccessful. After facing a bleak writing career, in 1888, he wrote his volume of short fiction titled ‘The Happy Prince’ followed by ‘Lord Arthur Saville’s Crime’ and ‘A House of Pomegranates’ both in 1891. These three volumes along with the unusual themed ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ (1891) finally caught the public eye, winning him the reputation of an original writer with extra ordinary talent.                                                                                          Amazon.in ‘The Happy Prince’ has remained a favourite tale of mine for i...

Integrating Technology into Education and Learning

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                                                                                              Pin Page   “Technology is just a tool. In terms of getting the kids working together and motivating them, the teacher is most important.” Bill Gates  What is educational technology?   The concept of educational technology or Edutech is defined as a set of tools that enhance the educational process, and help improve the performance of both teacher and pupil through the use of fresh and new technologies.  What will educators have to do to adapt their teaching methodology and strategies to integrate technology into the teaching process?   The teacher has always been at the centre of education, the human element. Technology has always needed a...