Tendulkar is today’s Bradman, says Lara

Saluting the longevity of Sachin Tendulkar, West Indies great Brian Lara has described the Indian batting legend as the ‘Don Bradman’ of modern era but refused to the compare the icons of different eras.

Lara, himself a legendary left-handed batsman from the Caribbean, said what astonishes him the most about Tendulkar is his longevity.

“I don’t think there is any race. Both are great players. Tendulkar has shown the world what he is capable of and his longevity in the game is something to be really appreciated,” Lara said.

“The time he will spend in the game, records are going to tumble. The fact that someone can be there from the age of 16 and still at the age of 37 perform brilliantly is something that I cherish more than anything else,” he said.

The West Indies player is of the opinion that Australian great Don Bradman, who ended his career with an incredible Test average of 99.96, and Tendulkar should not be compared as they played and flourished in different eras.

“He is our period’s Don Bradman. Forget the difference in averages with Bradman but whoever I have spoken to who have seen very old players in action, they believe that he [Bradman] would not have averaged 99 in today’s cricket.

“So I believe that Sachin is our period’s Bradman,” Lara, who visited Dubai for a jewellery brand endorsement, told Gulf News.

Lara said he has just got back into cricket by playing three games in a Twenty20 tournament in Zimbabwe.

He also denied reports that he is becoming Zimbabwean coach but said he will be helping them in the batting department. He said he is fanatical about golf these days and spend time on the course.

“I love the game and have been working hard to bring my handicap down to five. I would love to get it a bit more lower. I spent a lot of time today at the Ernie Els Golf Course,” he said.

This article is taken from- http://www.thehindu.com/sport/cricket/article923576.ece

Outdoor play is vital for kids

Children chasing one another in parks and playgrounds or playing outdoor games is a sight now rarely seen due to academic pressure and the lure of video games, say experts, warning of the dangers of neglecting physical activity.

"Play Life", quantitative research commissioned by Nickelodeon channel and conducted by Hansa Research Pvt Ltd, revealed that only 25 per cent children play outdoor games on a daily basis while a whopping 39 per cent are not active in outdoor play at all.
Nina Elavia Jaipuria, the senior vice president and general manager of Nickelodeon India, said the results of the study had left them dumbstruck.
"It has been an eye-opener and has thrown up some startling insights. Outdoor play is clearly deprioritised in a kid's life today. It is a wake- up call for children, parents and schools too," said Jaipuria.
The rising trend of video games, other than academic pressure by schools and parents, is to be blamed, she said.

" Entertainment mediums are so many that children are opting for comfort. Video games like playstations and online games interest them more than to shed sweat in community parks," Jaipuria said.
Samir Parikh, a consultant psychiatrist with Max Healthcare, said: "It is disheartening but it is an obvious change that is clearly visible in every home. The social change that has taken place of giving importance to video games and activities has become the major reason for this."
"The time spent in school has increased, the time spent in academics has increased - extra classes have become a routine for schools," said Parikh.
According to experts, a lack of physical activity can lead to a lot of psychological and health problems like obesity. Children who do not spend enough time playing outdoors are also typically deprived of social interactions and natural stimulation.
Playing outside is one of the best ways to boost self-esteem in young children and qualities of leadership and cooperation may also begin to emerge, the experts say. Children who play outside for an average of 90 minutes per day in good weather have less risk of heart trouble later in life.
According to the findings of the survey, of the 75 per cent of the children who do not play outdoors on a daily basis, in the case of over half (38 per cent), it was the parents who did not allow them to play.
"Parental restriction is one of the biggest reasons for an inactive, non-playing generation. Our research shows an alarming 38 per cent of parents don't poke them to go out and play due to various reasons," said Jaipuria.
"The aspect which has suddenly brought in a major change is the way parents and children have started giving priority to academics over sports, which they are forgetting plays also an equal and integral part in the overall growth of the kids," Parikh added.
Seema Gupta, the mother of a 13-year-old, admitted that academic pressure was coming in the way of children playing.
"In our time, our parents used to force us to go out and play, but now it has changed. It is not that we want to deliberately make our child sit at home with books all around," she said.
"One of the reasons is the pressure put on children by the academic curriculum. Secondly they prefer indoor games like the playstation or would rather watch television. And also, with so much stress, they lose energy and like to sit back at home and relax rather than going out and raising sweat," Gupta pointed out.


This article is taken from- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/relationships/parenting/Outdoor-play-is-vital-for-kids/articleshow/6918600.cms

Play Wonderful, Worldly Games with 225 Kid Outdoor Games

As children, much of learning came from playing games.  In fact, it has been said that children tend to learn better when their lessons are as jam-packed with fun as they are with information.  Even as we get older, we realize that making things fun makes the learning process much easier and more enjoyable.  With 225 Kid Outdoor Games by Paidotribo, teachers, parents and babysitters everywhere can occupy their children (ages 2-16) with entertaining, educational games from around the globe.

Spanning a wide range of ages, 225 Kid Outdoor Games also spans the world, with games from 83 countries throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania and South America.  In fact, when you begin, the main page (also the All Games page) provides a map menu.  Simply tap on whichever continent or region you find interesting to peruse their various countries and available games.
Each country will be listed alphabetically, with their games listed alphabetically underneath their name.  Each games tab will list the suggested age group, the duration of the game and whether any materials are needed.  With games falling within a 3-15 minute allotted time period, these short durations make the games ideal for children considering most have rather short attention spans.  Tap on the game and you will find an illustration that depicts what the game will look like so you know the basics and if you are following the directions carefully.  Swipe past the image to move to the next page, which will reiterate the suggested age and game’s duration, as well at the setup and necessary materials.  Swipe again and you will find a description of the game as a whole.  Also, in the bottom right corner, users may rate, bookmark or email the game’s details to a friend.
Using the Search tab, users can choose what types of games to look for by specifying their desired age range, preferred duration and country of origin.  They may also filter according to whether a game requires materials or not.  The bottom button will let users sift through the entire list of 225 games.  The Shake tab allows users to choose the desired age group, and then shake their device to choose a random game from all that fall into that given bracket.  The New Game tab allows users to enter the details for their own game, while the Bookmarks tab will list every game that you have bookmarked in the past.
With short games that require no equipment and very few materials, 225 Kid Outdoor Games caters to the simple and easy, while encouraging development, tolerance and interest in other cultures.  By embracing the games other children play in dozens of countries all around the world, perhaps children will learn to be more accepting of these differing culture, as said tolerance will become natural at a young age.  Plus, the convenience of this application helps anyone who must keep a group of children entertained, for it provides a nearly endless supply of amusing activities right in the palm of one’s hand.
225 Kid Outdoor Games [iTunes Link] requires iPhone OS 3.0 or later and is compatible with iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. A small expedite fee was paid by the developer to speed up the publication of this review.
This article is taken from- http://www.theiphoneappreview.com/11/225-kid-outdoor-games-iphone/