Short Take
Beauty of Bu Tinah – Short Take – Gulf Today Dt. 15.10.2011
Beauty of Beauty of Bu Tinah – Short Take – Gulf Today Dt. 15.10.2011
Off the western coastline of Abu Dhabi lies a unique wonder of nature, wild and undisturbed by human activity. The Bu Tinah Island.
It is now one of the 28 official finalists for the New7Wonders of Nature, a campaign where people worldwide can vote and nominate the seven most remarkable, beautiful or otherwise awe-inspiring natural locations and features on our planet.
Bu Tinah is host to critical marine habitats containing internationally important species. Seabirds such as the flamingo and the osprey, diverse species of dolphins and endangered turtles, including hawksbills and greens, are all found in and around Bu Tinah.
The island’s waters are also home to the planet’s second largest population of dugongs, a large marine mammal that is globally threatened.
Bu Tinah Island, rich in biodiversity, lies within the Marawah Marine Biosphere Reserve. The biosphere reserve is the region’s first and largest Unesco designated marine biosphere reserve. Closed to visitors, fishing and the collection of turtle eggs are prohibited on Bu Tinah Island. Its continued survival and protection must be ensured.
A special campaign to vote Bu Tinah as one of the new seven wonders of nature has been initiated by the Environment Agency of Abu Dhabi. You may visit online http://www.vote7.com and use the “vote now” option to choose your seven wonders.
An exhibition with a daily presentation has also been organised by EAD at Abu Dhabi Corniche to intensify the campaign to vote for Bu Tinah. It is informative for children and adults alike. Visitors can vote in the designated kiosks set specially inside a dome-shaped replica of this nature’s treasure. Act fast, only 27 more days to end this campaign. Let us make Bu Tinah one of the seven new wonders.
Ramesh Menon
To read it in original, please visit GULF TODAY online
Let us make Bu Tinah one of the seven new wonders.
You may visit online http://www.vote7.com and use the “vote now” option to choose your seven wonders.
“Do not forget to include Bu Tinah”.
Right Dream – Short Take – Gulf Today Dt. 08.10.2011
Right Dream – Short Take – Gulf Today Dt. 08.10.2011
Wired thoughts – Short Take – Gulf Today – Dt. 28.05.2011
Wired thoughts – Short Take – Gulf Today – Dt. 28.05.2011
I use Face Book for communicating with my friends and also to share photographs and articles. This online facility has given me many friends, some of whom have become very close.
However, at times I get scared by the pace at which these things grow in the modern world and man become e-slaves of them. Interesting is it to see updates now and then from friends with the comment, updated from my Iphone, from my BlackBerry, IPad etc. I smile seeing them, here goes one more wicket down to the magic of e-life. I also smile when I see people suggesting to create a FB account for their pets.
We are indeed in a fast paced world. This was proved in a different way the other day.
One of my colleagues had a baby boy. He and his wife are employed and within a week’s time of delivery, his wife had to go for an important project meeting abroad.
With no other alternative, he had to feed the baby using bottles.
My friend tells me now that his wife is back from work, but his baby refuses to be breast-fed.
I am closely following this child now and curious to know when he gets his hands on to the electronic world.
Ramesh Menon
To read it in original, please visit GULF TODAY online.
Trolley Trouble – Short Take – Dt. 21.05.2011
Trolley Trouble – Short Take – Dt. 21.05.2011
Trolley trouble
A friend of mine returned from holiday recently and during his short stay in Mumbai, he happened to visit a new shopping mall.
Walking inside with the mall, his son of 2 years got restless. Seeing this, he was offered a trolley by one of the junior shop attendants to place the boy on the trolley.
My friend was very happy and continued his walk inside the mall. As he was on a casual visit, his trolley was empty. A few yards further he was stopped by a supervisor, who questioned him and asked him why he was using the trolley to carry his child.
In an angry tone, he asked him to take the baby out from the trolley and carry him on his own and told him that the trolley was not meant for this purpose.
Surprised by this remark, my friend pointed out at the junior attendant and told the supervisor that he was offered this kind gesture by one of his junior staff when his son started crying.
He continued to him, “Seeing your actions I feel the duty role should have been reversed.”
He returned the trolley and moved out of the mall instantly. Another instance of who is walking tall and short? A simple act of kindness by one junior staff became an unpardonable crime for his senior.
Ramesh Menon
To read it in original, please visit GULF TODAY online.
Tall and short – Short Take – Gulf Today Dt. 14.05.2011
Short Take – Tall and short – Gulf Today Dt. 14.05.2011
We come across several people on the road and business and pass through several interactions. Many of them pass away from our mind quickly. But, a few of them remain within us. It is one such chance listening to an interesting conversation that lead to the creation of this news item.
It was Ramadan time with short working hours and as usual all the bank counters were busy with customers.
I was standing in the line at one such counter and in front of me was a tall person. He was about 6ft 4” or more. And at the other side of the counter was a Philippino Teller, comparatively short with a height of approximately 5 ft.
Due to some reason, he was slow and added to it the computer system was responding slow too. May be, in order to ease the restlessness of the customer in front due to all the delay, the Teller opened up a casual conversation with the tall customer telling him that he envied his height and always wanted to be a tall person.
Answering him with a smile, the tall man replied: “It is the other way for me. I wanted to be shorter than what I am and really helpless about it each time.”
His answer once again created a spark of thoughts for me to work on a new subject. Walking tall and short in life!
What do we really assume by saying a person is tall or short? How many times we stand tall and short in our life?
Ramesh Menon
Moments of life – Short Take – Gulf Today – Dt. 07.05.2011
Moments of life – Short Take – Gulf Today – Dt. 07.05.2011
It is very interesting to interact with different people as we get to observe and learn many new things from them.
The journey towards my office consists of a long time in a lift and it is a good opportunity to say “hello” and exchange short words between regular faces from different floors.
The other day, I was in a lift with a colleague of mine, who had returned from holiday.
A good athlete, he took a short course in Para Jumping. The coaching and trial went well and the day came for real time performance to jump from an aircraft towards a picturesque valley.
The instructor explained to him all the basics to be followed and also rechecked the equipment and he was signaled to jump. He was telling me the moment after was one of the most memorable ones ever in his life so far.
The beauty of the valley was unimaginable as he looked and enjoyed while he lowered. However, suddenly he realised, his equipment was not opening up and then the joy turned out to be a panic situation. For moments, he said, he recapped his whole life, all the while trying to correct the equipment, and felt absolute helplessness towards the wind, the nature and the situation he was in. He thought, it was going to be the end.
Somehow, at the right time, before any danger could happen, the equipment opened and he managed to do a heavy landing, with minor bruises.
All the while he was narrating this, there was another passenger in the lift, who was blaring a music through his ipod and completely out of this world. People around were looking at him as the noise level was unbearable in that small and packed area. All kept quiet and left him on his own as he destroyed his own ear drum with that blistering volume.
Yes, life is full of controllable and uncontrollable situations and it is all how we act and react to it.
Ramesh Menon
To read it in original, please visit GULF TODAY online.
Personal Touch – Short Take – GULF TODAY Dt. 30.04.2011
Personal Touch – Short Take – GULF TODAY Dt. 30.04.2011
Personal touch
I have a Parrot named Mittu, which whistles back whatever we prompt. I also have a good collection of plants in my balcony. These two have become an integral part in my life since some time. It all started as an attempt by us to return home every night whenever we venture outside. Having the thought of these members who cannot speak remaining un-attended have definitely worked in favour and achieved our goal towards it.
There are times when we cannot remain pledged to this commitment and recently it happened that we all had to go on emergency for an unplanned period.
As usual, I had to rely on my caretaker, who came diligently and fed the bird and watered my plant every day.
On my return, I found that our pet was looking thin with most of its feathers gone and the plants also looking lifeless. I knew immediately what the reason was. Within two or three days, they were both looking fine and healthy as before.
The secret was the personal attention, care and a few minutes of special time spent for each one of them. With the parrot, in addition to his regular food of sun flower seed, we used to give it bits and pieces of whatever vegetarian food, biscuits, bread etc we were having.
Constantly, we were keeping it active by talking or rather whistling to it and it was this personal touch that was missing for it. For the plants, each time when I watered, I made sure, if ever there is any weed or dried leaf on them and made it look neat and clean. This personal touch was missing for both of them.
No wonder the old saying in our epics “a personal touch in our deeds is the best rejuvenating medicine for all living beings” remains true forever.
Ramesh Menon
To read it in original, please visit GULF TODAY online.
Caring hearts – Short Take – GULF TODAY – Dt. 23.04.2011
Caring hearts – Short Take – GULF TODAY – Dt. 23.04.2011
I was walking back along the long corridor when I heard a loud prompt from my back. “We know that you write regularly. Please write about our department.”
I turned and with a smile told the chief nurse on duty, “Sister, I had already put it as a topic on my writing list.”
Yes, for the last four years, the long drive to Mafraq hospital in Abu Dhabi and its long corridors leading towards the Oncology department have been a routine.
The doctors, the nurses, administration, support staff and the restaurant employees — They were all caring and were always willing to assist whenever we needed any emergency assistance.
As I collected the discharge report and medical history of my mother from the head nurse, we couldn’t speak to each other.
A wry smile eclipsed on our face. She knew very well that I will not be returning there for my mother’s purpose again.
While passing by the waiting area, I met a familiar patient, who has become a family friend by now. She was anxious to know why I had come alone. I did not tell her anything, as I said, I just came to collect some report.
But, she was smelling something, as we all knew each others’ treatment cycle and stage. Her eyes were speaking of anxiety as she turned her face not to speak further.
Yes, for the past few years, that long drive to Mafraq hospital from Abu Dhabi and the long walk through the scenic areas surrounding it were “our only picnic,” as it was told to me by mother during one of her trips.
It was a place bound to generate compassion but well maintained to conceal each individual’s privacy.
So, each of those patients returned from its exit gate, more revitalised and reassured with a prolonged stay in this world.
Thank you doctors and staff and let God give you more strength to serve patients suffering from the “Emperor of all maladies.”
Ramesh Menon
To read it in original, please visit GULF TODAY online.
Unpredictable life – Short Take – Gulf Today Dt. 16.04.2011
Unpredictable life – Short Take – Gulf Today Dt. 16.04.2011
At the beginning of each week, I set aside a point to express through Short Take and accordingly I had completed a write-up by this morning.
Reaching office, I came to know of the unfortunate demise of a little girl, Nandana, the only daughter of the famous Indian singer, KS Chitra. As a music lover, I like her songs since the time she started singing in movies and have a good collection of them. As a keen observer of things, I have been watching her closely too.
They say when the going gets tough, the tough get going. Chitra with her music was a true example of this. After a wait of 15 years in her marriage, she was given this blessed child, who happened to be with special needs. She had no regrets and during a transit through Dubai airport and speaking to a friend of mine on duty at the transit desk of Emirates, she clearly mentioned about it.
During an early morning with a long queue of transit passengers, my friend noticed a vibrant little girl wearing a green frock playing around with her mother.
Having a closer look at the person, she understood who it was and looking at the girl, my friend thought she would go and help her to reach the front of the queue. They were on their way to South Africa via Dubai.
Denying the help offer, Chitra told my friend, “I do not have any problem waiting or please do not think that my child is giving trouble to me. I was praying all these years for a child, irrespective of a boy or girl and I couldn’t believe even now that God has given me such a loving child.” Indeed, Nandana was an affectionate child as my friend narrated many things about Chitra and her daughter, in disbelief, after hearing the sad news. It is a shock to all of us.
As a person who interacts with schools and organisations like Manzil and the Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services taking care of children with special needs, I know how important and affectionate they are. Let me join millions of Chitra fans in offering prayers as no words can fill the vacuum in her life.
Ramesh Menon
To read it in original, please visit GULF TODAY online.
Cool Factor – Short Take – GULF TODAY – Dt. 26.03.2011
Short Take – GULF TODAY – Dt. 26.03.2011 – Cool Factor
Cool factor
ClicksandWrites 
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