Letters to the editor
Public speaking – Short Take – Gulf Today – Dt. 29 November 2014
Public speaking
Public Speaking is an art. Some people are very talented at it. So much so, that we love to hear them speak for any number of hours.
It may be natural for some but for others it may be developed over a period of years. Both require indepth knowledge on the subject they speak and also huge amount of preparation before.
It is also the same case when it comes to answering questions spontaneously after the speech on the subject they talked as well as various others.
I was lucky to listen to two such speakers recently. One was a US scientist, who elaborated his mastery and presented it in the simplest manner that even a layman could understand.
The other one was one of my own seniors. With experience in the industry for about 40 years, it is a treat to watch and listen to him on any day. It comes so natural that the audience will never realise how much time and topic is covered until he leaves the podium.
It doesn’t end there as he has a natural way to answer post-speech questions. I haven’t seen him carrying a manuscript for his speech.
However, it was new experience for me and all others gathered who listened to him the other day at a huge gathering.
As he came in front of the podium, he took out a set of papers. Before reading out the key messages from it, he said to all. “Today, I am a virgin! It is the first time I am reading out from a pre-written note!”
It was really an icebreaker to capture the huge audience. Though he ventured out from the note at times, it blended perfectly.
Ramesh Menon
To read it in original, please visit Gulf Today online
Abu Dhabi’s F1 Grand Prix was a great specactle – Letters to the editor – The National Dt 25 November 2014
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| Fans applaud the Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix. (Christopher Pike / The National) |
Well done, Abu Dhabi, on a successful finale to the Formula One series (Hamilton takes Abu Dhabi GP, November 24).
The Etihad Formula One Grand Prix really was a treat to watch. The organisers did a great job from the issuing of tickets to the closing event.
Praise should be showered on the volunteers from Takatof who were well trained and well informed.
However, I have a wish list for next year’s event. It includes more television screens in the general stands, free earphones for following the commentary in English and Arabic, and a prominent display showing the lap number. Transport after the race is also an area for improvement.
Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi
To read it in original, please visit The National online.
Cancer battle – Gulf Today – Short Take Dt. 22 November 2014
Cancer battle
On a visit to India last week, I was at the lounge of Abu Dhabi airport waiting to board a plane. The renovation work happening there meant that the space was crowded.
Among the passengers I found a well dressed lady walking back and forth restlessly answering to phone calls and making her own calls.
At some point of time, she came close to where I was standing and I found that she was calling doctors at a Cochin hospital and enquiring about the health condition of someone in the ICU. Feeling for her stressful situation, I started a conversation with her just to make her relax a bit.
Talking to her I found out that she is a medical professional from Washington DC on an emergency visit to Kerala as her father has been admitted at a prominent hospital in Cochin.
She told me that her father was normal a few months ago and had visited her in the US.
Recently, he was found diagnosed with cancer and added heart and other conditions made things worse and his kidney had stopped functioning now.
It happened that there was lack of medical support and things have now turned out to be really worse.
To aid speedy recovery and assist with right medical guidance she decided to take emergency leave and fly down.
We talked about the recent increase in cancer of various types, especially in the region. Our topics also covered lack of proper medical guidance to the patients and their support system.
At the Cochin airport, I assured her all support if ever she required and left for home.
Next day, I was visiting Cochin for a personal reason and was driving in front of the hospital where her dad was being treated.
To my surprise, I found her coming out of the gate and I told my driver to stop.
She too was surprised to see me again. Her face was totally down and she told me that her dad’s condition had worsened and they did not have any hope. They would try and keep him in a ventilator till her husband and children arrived from the US in the next two days.
I felt too sad and consoled her. Having undergone similar situations in my life twice in the recent years, I know how distressing it is. I said goodbye to her, offering prayers for the speedy recovery of her dad.
Although, it was an unhappy situation we met, I never expected her to meet again when I left her at Cochin airport but we met again and hope we will meet again as her love and willingness for her dad left everlasting impressions in me.
Ramesh Menon
To read it in original, please visit GULF TODAY online.
Learning experience – Gulf Today – Short Take – Dt 15 November 2014
Learning experience
It was a hectic week with Adipec 2014 celebrating its 30th anniversary.
The prestigious oil and gas exhibition and conference has gained immense popularity over the years. It was proved by the continuous flow of visitors with their quest to know more about technology and expertise present in each of the stands.
The event offered an opportunity to meet with colleagues who arrived for the exhibition from different parts of the world and also make some new friends who were first timers.
Observing them and many others in our and various other stands was a learning experience by its own. Some people make it a show and some others contribute significantly to make the show run!
For me, it was a month of long working hours and I needed a break. Off to the airport straight from the exhibition, I realised my dress was completely out of form.
I approached an outlet where an Ethiopian salesgirl gave me the right choice of shorts, jackets, belt and other accessories. In no time, I was relaxed and comfortable in my new dress.
Good customer service is an inborn art and a person like her should be congratulated and promoted to be role models. Our travel becomes all the more interesting when we come across such pleasant salespersons.
Ramesh Menon
BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY
BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY
On Nov.3, we celebrated the UAE Flag Day. As part of the events of the flag campaign “Raise it high… Raise it proud” we were hoisting the flag in front of the mall where our office is situated. All management and staff were present representing a high multi-national blend joining together to show our solidarity to the country and its leaders’ vision.
The UAE national anthem was played at the end and we were just dispersing when I suddenly noticed our vice-president Sultan Al Hajji rushing to the middle of the pathway separating the main road from the mall.
I saw a group of school children running between the vehicles to a school bus which had stopped wrongly on the middle of the road for them to alight.
I was shocked and my reaction was also as impulsive as my vice president. I too rushed to the bus, stopped the children and went and requested the driver to move the bus to a safe place for children to get in. All these happened in a flash and we were able to control the children quickly.
We sent a request to the mall authorities and through them to the government departments to have appropriate fencing immediately so that this easy path that tempts drivers to stop midway ends.
We also came out with a plan to reroute the direction for larger groups, especially children to board the bus in safety. End of the day, it became a productive effort with excellent coordination from all concerned.
This spur of the moment action made our UAE Flag Day memorable. We felt happy that we value safety.
Safety aspects cannot be given rest. Safety is everybody’s business.
That is the culture we wish to bring on in everyone’s mind.
Ramesh Menon
To read it in original, please visit Gulf Today Online
For all my readers:
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Thank you and best regards – Ramesh Menon Abu Dhabi – Clicksand Writes
School buses must be tamed – Letters to the Editor – The National Dt 04 November 2014
School buses must be tamed
I am relieved to know that road accident rates in Abu Dhabi have fallen (Deaths on roads decline by 17 per cent, November 2).
However, when I look at the way some drivers behave, I cannot believe that we have made any significant achievement in terms of road safety awareness.
For example, I regularly see school buses speeding through Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street, Corniche Road and through the narrow lanes of Madinat Zayed. I see them being driven recklessly almost everywhere in the city.
Are these drivers not bothered about the safety of children, that of their own and other road users? Are they not even afraid of punishment?
More importantly, there is no way to alert the bus owners about such dangerous behaviour as none of them carries the “Am I driving safely?” sticker. This issue needs to be addressed urgently.
Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi
To read it in original, please visit The National online
Noble cause – Short Take – Gulf Today – Dt 01 November 2014
Noble cause
Weekends are something one looks forward to. Come Sunday, and work keeps all busy. Occasional attendance to some public function may be the only diversion to this schedule. Come Thursday and things change. We look forward to meeting friends and a series of activities rejuvenate us.
One of the activities in my life is to assist a group of friends in serving the less fortunate and less educated within our society. Less fortunate is common to all. However, less educated is an interesting term I imbibed recently from an elderly person.
We were in the middle of a health awareness campaign and one among us casually checked his blood sugar level. He was well educated, a teetotaler, and had a disciplined life. However, he was found with a higher than normal blood sugar level.
That was a chance discovery, which in normal case would have gone unnoticed till it had aggravated. A casual persuasive talk by someone to have his parameters checked helped him avert a danger to his life.
This is an important lesson we learnt. This has given us more vigour to come all out and create awareness to the less educated and less fortunate about health and dangers of smoking. Added with a bit of awareness on road safety, our mission each week is full of bliss.
End of the weekend, we all say blessed when we are able to convince someone to stop smoking or drinking or even help diagnose an unknown medical condition and assist him to get appropriate treatment.
Ramesh Menon
Gulf Today – Short Take – Dt 1st November 2014
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Thank you and best regards – Ramesh Menon Abu Dhabi – Clicksand Writes
De Margerie’s death a big loss – The National Dt 27 October 2014
De Margerie’s death a big loss
I refer to the article New boss assures Total’s commitment to Abu Dhabi (October 26).
The former Total chief Christophe de Margerie was a true leader who personified human values, professionalism and charisma. He was a very special man. He was at the forefront of major events such as Adipec and Formula 1.
He was a towering personality who will live forever in our memory.
He was famous for his quick wit, pleasant demeanour and warm handshakes.
I offer my condolences to his family and colleagues. May his soul rest in peace.
Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi
To read it in original, please visit The National online
Drive Safe – Gulf Today – Short Take Dt 25 October 2014
Drive safe
I am always worried when I get to see people driving dangerously. It has been a routine to talk and promote about safety on the road and elsewhere. From experience, I have felt people have to be consistently reminded of safe driving habits.
A moment of lapse in attention is enough to result in a major road disaster.
This is again and again proved when I drive on the Abu Dhabi – Dubai highway.
I was driving back from Dubai a few days ago and found the car in front of me not in control and wavering from one line to another. Feeling something dangerous going to happen as I watched a few distance from behind, I flashed and honked the driver to stop.
I went to him and talked to him whether he was ok. I found him exhausted and sleepy. It took some time for me to convince him to stop for some time, take enough rest and re-start his journey.
Many times, we may not get to be in that situation. I realised that it is not enough to drive carefully. But, we also need to watch out for others’ mistakes.
Beware of others’ mistakes. True to its word, at times we are really helpless.
Ramesh Menon
To read it in original, please visit Gulf Today online
For all my readers:
If you enjoyed reading this post and wish to subscribe to my blog, please go to the left hand side and choose the last ‘box’ which says subscribe. Also explore the many ‘previous articles’ listed month-wise on the links above on the left side of the blog. Share the posts with your friends through Facebook, Twitter or other accounts using the buttons below each post.
You may also read similar articles at: Safety First
I would love to read your comments.
Thank you and best regards – Ramesh Menon Abu Dhabi – Clicksand Writes
Key words: Road Safety, Safety First
Jaywalking on the increase
Jaywalking on the increase
I would like to bring readers’ attention to the fact that jaywalking has increased on the streets of Abu Dhabi – especially along Sheikh Zayed the First Street (formerly Electra Road).
I find driving in the evening quite dangerous, because people of all ages cross the road at will.
I don’t know why they do this without any consideration for their own lives, but I do know that a lack of fencing is allowing them to do it.
I believe the distance between the pedestrian crossings is too far, so people take the easy option. I also think that some people avoid using the underpass because they feel unsafe doing so.
There should be an official campaign to fine people who jaywalk, and this fine should be increased if the person is talking on a mobile phone or listening to music through earphones.
I would like to see fencing along the median strip and signage to indicate the location of the underpass.
Let’s work together to make safety a priority.
Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi
To read this in original, please visit The National Online
For all my readers:
(If you enjoyed reading this post and wish to subscribe to my blog, please go to the left hand side and choose the last ‘box’ which says subscribe. Also explore the many ‘previous articles’ listed month-wise on the links above on the left side of the blog. Share the posts with your friends through Facebook, Twitter or other accounts using the buttons below each post. Thank you and best regards – Ramesh Menon
ClicksandWrites 
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