Letters to the editor
My Letters – Khaleej Times – Dt. 16.09.2010 – Good cvoverage
My Letters – Khaleej Times – Dt. 16.09.2010 – Good cvoverage
Good coverage
16 September 2010
The ongoing Champions League T20 match reports along with the photographs make for an interesting read. The matches played so far have generated valid points in terms of player values and team composition. It has proved that however old they are, experienced players like Anil Kumble, Muttiah Muralidharan, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid still hold best techniques when it comes to business on ground.
Opportunities for emerging players, especially with the calibre of R Ashwin and J Vandiar can also be seen.
The games also show how different players from different countries handle pressure. An excellent example is the gesture of D Jacobs when he gestured to his partner Ashwell Prince to continue playing with confidence when he ran him out.
Millions of young players will be watching how some players gesticulate to opposition players when they get them out. Watching those, I feel, ICC should follow FIFA procedures and fine those players who use abusive local languages on field.
ICC websites should also be adapted to include options to rate and comment on players’ performance to consider the player of year award.
-Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi
To read it in original, please visit Khaleej Times online.
Reflections on UAE Statistics – My Letters – THE NATIONAL Dt. 15.09.2010
My Letters – THE NATIONAL Dt. 15.09.2010 – Reflections on UAE Statistics
Reflections on UAE statistics
I refer to the statistics provided in the Business article Snapshots of the Emirates … the numbers tell the story (September 13). Looking closely, the details give interesting insights. An average of 106 million barrels of crude oil is consumed per day for internal use in the UAE. A subsequent online review showed that the UAE ranks number two in terms of per capita oil consumption. This shows a heavy reliance on oil consumption and measures by authorities should be made to educate residents to resort to mass transport options, whenever possible.
Another interesting figure observed is the number of BlackBerry users within the country, which stands at number one in per capita use of mobile phones. Imagine the scenario if the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority puts a brake on BlackBerry usage here.
A US$10 billion reserve set aside by UAE banks against a rise in bad loans is an eye opener and shows that it is time for massive reforms by the Central Bank to stop excessive interest charges for bank customers which are directly increasing the alarming rise in the bad loans ratio here.
A total of 182 GCC newspapers and magazines closed since the start of last year. This is a sad note for the print media industry, which is shrinking each day, either due to cost factors or interest generated by online media. A realistic attempt should be made at school levels to initiate daily reading of news from printed sources.
Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi
To read it in original, please visit THE NATIONAL online.
Bus services for a city on the move – My Letters – THE NATIONAL – Dt. 13.09.2010
My Letters – THE NATIONAL – Dt. 13.09.2010 – Bus services for a city on the move
Bus services for a city on the move
It has been 27 months since Abu Dhabi Department of Transport started its brand-new, world-class, handicap-accessible buses.
Within this short time, it has grown into a service consisting of 12 main city bus routes and seven suburb bus routes extending its reach up to connecting town centres like Bani Yas, Shahama, Mussaffa and Khalifa City.
Public acceptance of this economic mode of transport can be clearly seen in the rush during peak travel hours. This is particularly the case on city routes that are fully packed to the limit with passengers.
This acceptance of public transport is very encouraging in terms of reducing the city traffic but at the same times calls for an upgrade on the frequency of buses operating within the city, especially on routes operating within the main city streets.
I request that the Abu Dhabi Department of Transportation initiates more bus services during peak hours to ease the travel difficulties of passengers in Abu Dhabi.
Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi
To read it in original, please visit THE NATIONAL online.
Short Take – Gulf Today Dt 11.09.2010 – Mail shock
Short Take – Gulf Today Dt 11.09.2010 – Mail shock
A few weeks ago, I was talking on the mobile with a friend based in Dubai. After 10 minutes, I received an email from him saying that he was stuck in Switzerland and lost his wallet, all credit cards and money.
The email continued requesting my help to rescue him out by sending a specified amount of money in US dollars which the author said will be given to me upon replying to the email. I knew then and there itself that his email account has been hacked.
I called him and he was shocked to hear this news. Within minutes he was receiving several calls from his friends who did not talk to him for some time and they all suspected the same or even thought whether it was real as he travels extensively. The damage had been done by then, and he was unable to recover the email address or thousands of contacts and records in it. Just the other day, the same thing happened to another friend based in Abu Dhabi. His friends too got a similar email and he too lost all details.
There is a new email hacking or threat happening now, which you may or may not be aware of. Please do not therefore use your email account from unknown computers or locations. Even if you have to use it, clear the cache, and history on the computer immediately.
Also, please do use a different password whenever you register yourself at new sites or promotional websites and keep it entirely different from your email password. Thirdly, please keep changing the password periodically. Hope, you do not get to become a victim the next time.
Ramesh Menon
To read it in original, please visit, GULF TODAY online.
My Letters – GULF NEWS – Air India cancels flights to Gulf sector
My Letters – GULF NEWS – Air India cancels flights to Gulf sector
Services to Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Muscat and Kuwait are affected by the decision.
By Anjana Sankar, Senior Reporter Published: 20:14 September 4, 2010 Reader comments (1)
Flights to some of the sectors are curtailed, and not cancelled. It is mainly due to commercial reasons as Air India is already operating flights to all these sectors, said Abhay Pathak, the regional head of Air India. Image Credit: Gulf News Dubai: Passengers have been left high and dry after India’s budget airline Air India Express announced plans to cut down more than 200 services to destinations including the Gulf Sector.
Services to Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Muscat and Kuwait are affected by the decision.
Abhay Pathak, the regional head of Air India told Gulf News the decision has been taken considering both operational and commercial reasons.
“Flights to some of the sectors have been curtailed, and not cancelled. It is mainly due to commercial reasons as Air India is already operating flights to all these sectors,” said Pathak.
He added that the decision was also taken because the unavailability of pilots. “The licensing of expat pilots is a long procedure and the needed numbers are not available now. Moreover we need to curtail the flying hours in order to continue the services,” he said.
According to him, only the daily flight to Cochin-Sharjah has been knocked off. “From Sharjah to to Thiruvananthapuram sector, four-day week service is cut down to two days. Likewise, for the flights in the Calicut sector, the daily service is reduced to three days a week,” said Pathak, adding that the number of cancellations quoted in the media is exaggerated.
For Air India Express operating from Dubai, flights to Thiruvananthapuram will operate six days a week and not daily. Flights to Lucknow have been reduced to three days a week from the current four days.
Pathak said all the passengers who are booked to these sectors “will be taken care of and will not be affected by the cancellations.”
According to reports quoting airline officials from India, the decision will come into effect from next week. “Around 203 flights (73 from Kozhikode, 74 from Thiruvananthapuram and 56 from Kochi) stand cancelled
My comments as follows:
As a NRI, the news that Air India cancels flights to Gulf Sector is a great relief. In fact, they should entirely stop the operations to GULF region rather than knocking down a selected sector and reducing frequency of others as announced by regional head of the national carrier of India. This step will surely reduce confusion in the minds of thousands of Indian expats from this region before they plan there holiday or emergency travel as to whether they opt for Air India as their preferred travel partner. Not any more in two minds and will never be too, if this attitude of Air India continues towards one of it’s maximum revenue generating sector. Whatever be the reason explained for this sudden reduction of flights just before the expat families return, this will definitely cause severe difficulties to the planning and scheduling of their return before the school starts after Eid holidays. Surprisingly, all representatives of the political parties show a harmonious honeymoon in keeping their silence towards these acts of Air India. Indeed for several of them, travel by Air India has never been an automatic choice whenever they travel out off the state even to other states or abroad destination. It is high time that regional organisations should raise their voice collectively and from, now on completely refrain from using Air India to protest against this step motherly treatment towards southern sector of India.
Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
To read it in original, please visit GULF NEWS Online.
Short Take – GULF TODAY Dt. 04.09.2010 – New Vigour
Short Take – GULF TODAY Dt. 04.09.2010 – New Vigour
New vigour
The Holy Month of Ramadan is almost getting over. Children and families have started arriving back to the UAE after their summer holidays. Many of them have had an extended stay this year due to additional holidays declared by educational ministry for children. The intensity of summer has also reduced. It is a new vigour and enthusiasm for all those who have taken this break. It should now be utilised to the year ahead.
Those memories, those beautiful scenes, interactions and travelogues should all be shared as positively as one can with friends and well wishers. Constructive methods and schemes observed should be tried to blend in to our society as far as possible. Readers should start transforming themselves from mere observers to active participants.
After all, the UAE is our home away from home, which gives us the opportunity to buy our daily bread and supplement ourselves for a future ahead. Let us be part of a contributing community that reacts to the needs of the hour as and when a necessity arises. Be active and interact with all the new energy you have gained during your summer break.
Ramesh Menon
Short Take – GULF TODAY Dt. 28.08.2010 – Surprise gift
Short Take – GULF TODAY Dt. 28.08.2010 – A surprise gift
Surprise gift
The other day, I was having dinner with an Indonesian friend of mine. He seemed to be very happy during our meeting. Conversing with him, I realised, he had just finished scheduling a Haj visit for him and his parents the next month. They were aged, and so he will go to Indonesia and from there fly to Saudi Arabia for Umra.
His parents have had a very normal life all throughout and they took care that their children did have good school and life, even forgetting about their own hardships.
Now, the son, who is here and well employed, is comfortable and thankful to hand over a surprise gift of their life to them this year.
I could see his joy as well as theirs while he conveyed this happy move from his side.
It brought out memories for me of many such parents who work all their life for the benefit of their children.
It was not a one-off instance, but it did create an impact in all our minds about what such actions can bring out in the life of those who get to receive it.
Ramesh Menon
Short Take – GULF TODAY – Dt. 21.08.2010 – Elephant walk policy
Short Take – GULF TODAY – Dt. 21.08.2010 – Elephant walk policy
Elephants – Temple elephants are an integral part in the life of Keralites. Especially, if you are from the Trichur area. The attachment towards the animal are so emotional and sensitive that people even address them by names and from ancient times there are several stories propagating the love and affection between man and elephant. An elephant’s walk is a beauty to watch.
However, imagine a situation if it gets wild. You just have to do a search on YouTube, you will see several videos of attacks by wild elephants killing their mahout or others who come across.
Out of love and passion for the animal, I have developed an important management principle based on elephants, closely following its gentle and beautiful walking style which is a beauty to watch and its actions scaring all when it is wild. I have termed it as Elephant Walk Policy. It is somewhat related to some of the age-old philosophies and principles we normally follow.
The first part of this principle follows non-violence. Be mild – as mild as you can till you cannot tolerate any more when you may change over and follow the other part and be wild and aggressive – as aggressive as you can. Create a wild impact and then let this impact force the results.
Ramesh Menon
To read it in original, please visit GULF TODAY Online.
Independence Day wishes – My Letters – THE NATIONAL – Dt. 15.08.2010
My Letters – THE NATIONAL – Dt. 15.08.2010 – Independence Day wishes
India is getting ready to celebrate its Independence Day today. Since 1947, the nation has moved towards true independence through economic progress and continuous agricultural and industrial development. Strict controls by the Reserve Bank of India have made sure that India did not suffer much due to the global recession.
Let the coming days bring about more prosperity and free Indians from the perils of politically ambitious moves by a few. I wish all Indians a truly independent year ahead.
Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi
To read it in original, please visit THE NATIONAL Online.
Gulf News Community reports published in July 2010: Winning entry – Spilt fuel can have dire consequences
The newspaper recognises readers who raised their voice on issues that they felt were important, relevant and required immediate attention.
And what goes around comes around.
Today, we acknowledge and award those who shared their experiences and brought significant matters to the fore during the month of July.
Over the past few months, the Your Turn page’s Community Report section has highlighted myriad subjects that concerned residents and helped alert the authorities about matters that required urgent attention.
Topics of concern ranged from misspelled signboards to street lights burning much-needed energy during the day.
Readers have found Community Reports to be the right platform to create awareness and turn the spotlight on situations that generate interest and truly impact their lives.
Raising important questions, seeking answers from the relevant authorities and highlighting social issues take effort. And community reporters do not hesitate to prod and poke, if it has a chance of making a real difference.
The community reports published in July were judged by UAE Editor Meher Murshed. The criteria for selection included content, issue, impact on community, responsibility and the quality of contribution.
FIRST PRIZE
Spilt fuel can have dire consequences
July 9
By: Ramesh Menon
Reason for selection:
The consequences of mistakes are magnified if they are made in places such as petrol stations.The community reporter highlighted the hazards of spilling fuel when trying to accommodate rush-hour traffic.
UAE Editor Meher Murshed said: “This is an excellent community report because it raises an issue that is relevant to all of us. We should all make an effort to be careful. I congratulate Mr Menon on his excellent civic sense and urge others to follow suit. Safety is a common concern.”
Profile:
Ramesh Menon is a technical officer, based in Abu Dhabi.
The reader actively promotes and exhibits community talent in the blogosphere through his blog: http://www.talentshare.blogspot.com/.
As a frequent reporter of community issues, the reader said: “I wish, in the future, more readers will find time to write in without holding back on their thoughts, as community reports are gaining immense popularity and attention, with the issues getting addressed and resolved at a faster pace than through normal routes.”
SECOND PRIZE
Danger of contamination
July 12
By: Boban Thomas
Reason for selection:
When temperatures soar, water is a crucial part of people’s day. But what if even that is under the risk of contamination?
UAE Editor Meher Murshed said: “The reader has raised a valid point. Quite often, we leave water in plastic bottles in our cars. Leaching of chemicals in water, in high temperatures, has been known to have a negative or bad impact on health. This is a documented fact. When we see such displays of ignorance, action should be taken.”
Profile:
Boban Thomas is a logistics supervisor, based in Abu Dhabi.
He repeated the need to safeguard water bottles and not leave them out in the heat.
The reader said: “This is a bad practice and I see it [happening] every day in front of small supermarkets wherever I go. I request the authorities to intervene at the earliest.”
Thomas said he hoped to have the issue addressed through his community report. “Also, thank you Gulf News for giving readers a good platform to highlight their concerns.”
THIRD PRIZE
Beach ruined by rubbish
July 22
By: Vijoy V.J
Reason for selection:
In most parts of the world, summer is synonymous with the beach.
When the community reporter came across a large amount of litter in one such spot in Ajman, he decided to write and call for a change in attitude.
UAE Editor Meher Murshed commended the reader’s initiative.
He said: “We should all make an effort to protect our open spaces. Keeping our environment clean is necessary to ensure future generations can still enjoy Nature. The report and pictures bring to the fore the gravity of the problem on Al Zorah Beach, in Ajman.”
Profile:
Vijoy V. J. is a marketing officer, based in Dubai.
A second-time winner of the community report competition, the reader said he was confident about being heard.
“If the relevant organisations and authorities come together with the people who raise their concerns, I am sure it will make a difference.”
However, according to the community reporter, the situation remains the same at Al Zorah Beach.
He said: “Nobody has looked into it yet, but I know it is a huge task to clean up the area. It has been in a sorry state for the past two years. I hope the authorities take action.”
To read this in original, please visit GULF NEWS Online.
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