A minute with ClicksandWrites - Date Palm Trees Flowering Season

The date palm trees have flowered. It marks the arrival of a new season. Weather is cold now, but very soon it will change and the summer will begin. You can expect hot and sunny days soon. Then in no time, the holy month of Ramadan starts. By the time Eid Al Fitr comes, the flowers would have developed and fully ripened dates will be ready. I have been following them for the past several years. Each time they flower, it is an opportunity to remember about the past seasons. And also look forward to the future ahead.

If you have kids, take them around for a walk in the evening. Show them the changes to the trees and flowers as the flowers blossom to a fresh green date and then ripen to reddish and juicy ones.

Very few know about the hidden treasure from this part of the world. The actual date tree population in UAE is about 40 millions of which 8.5 in AL-AIN region. The gene pool is large and composes about 120 date varieties. New introductions from Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Oman included Khallas, AbouMaan, Hallawi, Khissab, Khenezi, Nabut Saif, Jabiri, Hillali, Lulu, Chichi, Khadraoui, Sakii, Sultana and Barhi varieties.

UAE produces 533,701 Metric tons of dates on an average.

A minute with ClicksandWrites - Working Together Works

As a Passionate Photographer, I always believe and propagate, a photo clicked is a history. You can never re-create it. However, you try!. There are several factors involved in the beauty and success of its presentation and representation. A keen eye, ready equipment, swiftness, aptitude and attitude, how you position yourself, how the external and natural lighting are, how you adjust our camera settings, and how the object you are photographing behaves while you shoot..... the list goes on endlessly....

During my recent visit to my home away from home, I was on a phone call, but noticed this happy union of a parrot and a squirrel enjoying a feast of their own!. I couldn't resist. As usual, my camera was ready, I was ready and here it is, for you all to enjoy.
#WorkingTogetherWorks

#OurIrinjalakuda unites for a Safer Roads initiative #AlertTodayAliveTom...

#OurIrinjalakuda unites for a Safer Roads initiative #AlertTodayAliveTomorrow



A recent spate of increase in road accidents, mostly due to speeding buses have urged a prominent Facebook Group “Our Irinjalakuda” to conduct a relay fast until the municipality, the police and RTO joint together and come out with measures to control the speedsters who violate road safety rules.



This is happening at Irinjalakuda in Thrissur District.



Today is the second day of the fast and Prof. Dr. Sr. Rose Anto, from St Joseph College is carrying have joined the volunteers and fasting. A kidney donor, she is in the forefront of all community activities beneficial to the society.

Voice of TISS Vol-2 Dt 19 Sep 2018

Presenting to you VOICE OF TISS - Vol-2 Dt 19 September 2018.
Inviting you all to listen to it in full, as it is an attempt by a group of children with special abilities. I am extremely happy to say that, if I had offered the same opportunity to children with abilities, they would have ignored me and maybe even ridiculed me. These children are from a close-knit family named "Team India Special Smiles" under the umbrella of Indian Association Sharjah. The children are encouraged to read out one or two headings from the newspapers and their siblings join in to complete the news with an additional two or three lines, while their parent record it. They then send the recording to me by WhatsApp and making my job simple, as simple as you can see, to listen to them, enjoy them and compile this news clippings into a one good audible audio/video format. Excuse them, or excuse all the team involved for any shortcomings. As I believe strongly on my concept, Talent Share - A Talent or Knowledge Within You is to be Shared, they too have stepped in and proved, "Yes, We Can and Of Course, We Will".

In case you wish to assist TISS in any way, you may contact them on teamindia1729@gmail.com. 

Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi 
@rameshmenonauh
rameshmenonabudhabi@gmail.com
19 September 2018

Team India Special Smiles

I also take this opportunity to thank Rajeev Saparyafor creating the title music for Voice of TISS.
Talentshare

VOICE OF TISS - 01 Dt 08 September 2018

A first of it's kind whatsapp news reading initiative was launched at 1:53 am on Friday, 8th September 2018.

An idea that came to my mind while doing a truly divine session for the children of TISS, relayed to them and whole-heartedly accepted and implemented with true devotion and dedication. I know, and I know you all know the effort that they took to produce this first edition of this news reading program, titled "Voice of TISS" is extra special.

As part of the program plan, children who are able to read and speak are encouraged to read out the headlines from daily newspapers and their parents will record them and send to me by whatsapp. My role is to compile them and continuously encourage them with guidance at difference stages of this production.

You won't believe on day one itself, 4 children volunteered and took the challenge. To start with 3 of them created the news on their own about their dream school, that has been approved recently. The topic was selected by these children and their parents. So, you can imagine how closely and fast they took this initiative to their heart. 4th reader talked about the Sharjah Book Fair. They even selected the theme music, and provided me the famous DD music with the first part of the news!.

The art of reading books, newspaper and reading it loud is very important. This is becoming a forgotten art among children who are abled. Here is a group who are divinely abled showing it to the world, "Yes, We Can and Of Course, We Will".

My sincere congratulations to the children, their parents, the office bearers of TISS and Indian Association Sharjah for supporting these blessed children.

The audio and video of this news reading will be available on Sound Cloud, Youtube, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. You are welcome to encourage them with your positive comments and guidance.

Due to limited resources available with me right now, the first few editions will be done with minimum video and photos. However, as we progress, you can be assured to watch a full fledge news reading broadcast from these children. I am optimistic about it.

Looking forward,

Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi

8th September 2018

#TISS #TalentShare