My daughters artwork

These are some pictures that my daughter Soumya did at her Crestar art class:

 

A Dream- poem by William Blake

Here is a nice poem by William Blake from his collection Songs of Innocence and of Experience:

Once a dream did weave a shade,
O’er my Angel-guarded bed,
That an Emmet lost it’s way
Where on grass methought I lay.

Troubled wilderd and folorn
Dark benighted travel-worn,
Over many a tangled spray,
All heart-broke I heard her say

O my children! do they cry,
Do they hear their father sigh
Now they look abroad to see,
Now return and weep for me.

Pitying I drop’d a tear:
But I saw a glow-worm near:
Who replied, What wailing wight
Calls the watchman of the night.

I am set to light the ground,
While the beetle goes his round:
Follow now the beetles hum,
Little wanderer hie thee home.

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Amar Chitra Katha – Amar rahega!

Today, heard  the sad news that Anant (Uncle) Pai passed away at the age of 81.  Anant Pai, (17 September 1929 – 24 February 2011) inculcated in young Indian children the love of epics.  I grew up reading Amar Chitra Katha and Tinkle comics.  Still remember the stories of Akbar & Birbal, Panchatantra, Mahabharata, Ramayana, Krishna, Karna, Shivaji, Rana Pratap etc.  These comics were so well illustrated and a pleasure to read.

Popularly known as Uncle Pai, Anant Pai is a renowned educationalist started the Amar Chitra Katha series in 1967 which retold traditional Indian folk tales, mythological stories, and biographies of historical characters. In 1980, he launched Tinkle, a children’s anthology. Today, Amar Chitra Katha, sells about three million comic books a year, in English and more than 20 Indian languages, and has sold about 100 million copies since it inception in 1967.

Ramu and Shamu, Kapish, Little Raji, Rekha, Fact Fantasy, Funland and Funtime are some of the comic strips created by Pai, most of which continue to appear in newspapers and magazines

(source: Wikipedia)

Meandering clouds

Snowy-white cotton balls
Magic carpet of eternal white
A white quilt for the blue sky
Soothing and comforting

Pearl-white candy floss
Across the  blue  skies
The sun like a small child
Bathes you in its  glow

An angel draped in her wedding gown
Waiting eagerly for her moment of bliss
Just in time the groom jets through
Lifting her off her feet

Meandering through infinite space
Slowly but purposefully
I see you change colours
Sparkling white, orange, yellow and crimson

We look at the sky in awe and wonder why
Your shapes keep changing all through the day
At times you turn dark and grey
And wave your magic wand to thunderous  applause

When the sun sets
You dazzle and sparkle
Like a peacock ecstatic
Showing its multicolour plumage

And when you are hurt
Tears fill your bosom
And fall down like pearls
As a blessing from heavens!

© copyright skm February 21st, 2011

Great start by Team India! Way to go

 

 

 

Today’s match saw great batting displays by Virendar Sehwag (Nawab of Najafgarh) – a great knock of 175 (14 fours & 5 sixes) and Virat Kohli 100 not out (8 fours & 4 sixes) and an also good bowling display by Munaf Patel (10-0-48-4).  Bangladesh did try to put up a good fightback and ended on 283/9.  It is easy to put the blame squarely on Sreesanth (5-0-53-0) but it would be wiser not to forget his aggressive bowling against South Africa in the recent series.

India put up a mammoth total of 370 for 4 that was out of  reach but  Imrul Kayes (34), Tamim Iqbal (70) and Shakib (55) put up a tough fight.

This match has been a very good practice match for both teams and Bangladesh will go into the rest of the matches with greater confidence and as for India a win in their first world cup match sets the tone for the rest of the matches.  Go India! Now take on England with the same vengeance!

 

 

ICC World Cup fever starts

There are only 2 days to go to the start of the ICC World Cup and cricket fever has started.
In the  ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, 14 Teams will take part, these 14 teams are divided into 2 groups:

The first Match of ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, will commence with India and Bangladesh at Mirpur, Dhaka on 19th February 2011 and Final Match of of ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, will be played at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on 2nd April 2011. 10th ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, will be played at 13 venues in Asia (India-Sri Lanka-Bangladesh).

Following is the Indian squad for the world cup:

Based on earlier world cups, the following are the statistics of teams winning and making it to runner-up.

Past statistics:

Country	Win	Runner-Up
Australia	4	2
India	1	1
SriLanka	1	1
South Africa	0	0
England	0	3
Pakistan	1	1

My predictions for the semis are that the following teams will qualify:

Australia
India
South Africa
England

Advertising and Brand Appeal

An advertisement is very much like a persuasive essay. It begins with a thesis,
something to be proved, and then uses visual images, techniques and persuasive text as
supporting arguments to attempt to persuade consumers to buy the product.

Techniques used in advertising:
Bandwagon: the impression that everyone else is doing it, or of being left out of
something if you don’t.
Sex Appeal: other people will think that you are more attractive or desirable because
you use that product.
Emotional words: specific words used to affect your emotions either positively or
negatively
Transfer: positive feeling about the people in the ad are transferred to the consumer
Visual imagery: use of people, setting or situations that appeal to consumers. Often the
image has little to do with the product.

Advertising as we know it, however, really began with the invention of printing by William Caxton in 1480.  Some of the popular media for advertising are:

1. Television
2. Radio
3. Print Publications
4. Internet
5. Direct Mail
6. Signage
7. Product Placement
8. Mobile Devices
9. Sponsorships
10. Other Media Outlets

Television advertising offers the benefit of reaching large numbers in a single exposure. Yet because it is a mass medium capable of being seen by nearly anyone, television lacks the ability to deliver an advertisement to highly targeted customers compared to other media outlets..

Radio advertising is mostly local to the broadcast range of a radio station, In many ways radio suffers the same problems as television, namely, a mass medium that is not highly targeted and offers little opportunity to track responses. But unlike television, radio presents the additional disadvantage of limiting advertisers to audio-only advertising.

Currently, internet and mobile media are overtaking the other media in appeal and reach.

Forbes came out with a list of most popular brands of 2010.  The leader in the list is Apple.

RANK	COMPANY
1	Apple
2	Microsoft
3	Coca Cola
4	IBM
5	Google
6	McDonalds
7	GE
8	Marlboro
9	Intel
10	Nokia

Apple shows just how a brand can survive and thrive even when a parent company stumbles. Apple’s sales in the late 1990s plummeted 46% over a four-year stretch while the company lost money seven times over eight quarters. The stock was trading for less than $4 (split-adjusted) in 1997 before company cofounder Steve Jobs, who had been ousted, rejoined Apple.The following year Apple released the iMac, the first in a string of monster hits over a dozen years. Sales over the past 12 months hit $57 billion, and net income was $12 billion. The stock is up 60-fold since 1997.

Thus companies like Apple that strive to establish a strong R & D , innovation and engineering win by becoming popular brands that everyone wants to identify with!

Gita Jayanti celebration

Today, a Gita Havan was held at the Sri Srinivasa Perumal temple, Singapore as part of the Gita Jayanti celebrations.   It was wonderfully conducted and brought together many people in the ‘yagna’spirit.

Gita Jayanti propagates the teaching of Srimad Bhagavad Gita. It is the largest singular event for Gita held in Singapore, where all 18 chapters of the Gita are recited and oblations offered into 18 Havan Kunds by the public for each of the 700 verses.

Srimad Bhagavad Gita (divine song) is unique among the body of scriptural literature for the simple, practical and relevant style with which it presents the essence of the Hindu way of life. It consists of a dialogue between Sri Krisna and Arjuna just before the commencement of the Kurukshetra battle.  The Gita does not set out merely to teach religion or even a religious exercise or prayer of its own.  Rather, it shows a way of life in which the common man shouldering many responsibilities may achieve all round success and happiness.

Gita Jayanti began in Singapore in 1997 as a simple one-day event with about 100 devotees chanting the full Gita. It has now evolved into a multi-dimensional program of events that include monthly Gita Parayan, Competition of various types for younger generation in different categories, International Gita Forum, Cultural Show finally culminating into Gita Havan.Gita Jayanti is conducted under the auspices of the Hindu Endowments Board, in association with other Hindu temples and organizations. Ganapathi Homam, Sri Krishna Pooja with Ashtotharam , Full Gita chanting with ahuti for each sloka,  Poornahuti & Maha Prasadam

Love is in the air

When there is music in the wind
And butterflies flirt with flowers
When time comes to standstill
Then I know love is in the air

When blades of grass dance
And dew drops glisten on leaves
When birds sing in chorus
Then I know love is in the air

 

 

When there is radiance in the moons glow
And  magic in the stars twinkle
When clouds pour ethereal rain
Then I know love is in the air

When there is a spring in your step
And a smile on your face
When you are at a loss for words
Then I know love is in the air

When two hearts beat as one
And tears and laughter play
The divine song of the soul
Then I know love is in the air

© copyright skm February 11th, 2011

Ode to Nature

The morning sun in all its glory
Is smiling through  pine trees
Mountains kiss the snow-white clouds
And birds soar  towards the heavens

Fields of multi-coloured tulips beckon
The honey bees buzzing by
The sound of the cascading waterfall
Calling to the river below

Wild grass swaying in the passing breeze
And radiant butterflies fluttering by
A frisky squirrel nibbling nuts
And cows grazing listlessly in the pasture

The sweet stream trickles in calm delight
Guiding rainbow fishes along
And water lilies shyly dance
Their leaves glisten in the light

I drink in the sights and sounds
And my heart feels light
Transfixed, I stand and gaze in wonder
Amazed at natures splendour!

 

© copyright skm February 9th, 2011