Gulf News Readers’ Pictures – Under the elephant

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This entry was posted in Clicks and writes, Gulf News, Letters to the editor, Opinion 2012, Photo Speaks.

Gulf News Readers’ Pictures – An elephantine view

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Parents urged not to drive with children on their laps

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Parents urged not to drive with children on their laps – My Letters – Gulf News Dt 31.01.2012

Dubai: Traffic officials have warned parents against driving with infants on their laps, as they are risking their child’s life by doing so, engineer Maitha Obaid Bin Udai, CEO of the Traffic and Roads Agency at the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), said yesterday.
As many as 13 infants were injured in traffic accidents last year, but the number has dropped considerably as compared to the year before.
 
Two fatalities
 
According to traffic accident statistics of 2011, a 35 per cent drop in the number of infants (between the age of 0 to 2) injured in accidents was recorded.

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While 20 infants were injured in traffic accidents in 2010, the number dropped to 13 in 2011, she said. Two infant fatalities were recorded in 2010 as well as in 2011.
RTA credited the drop in injuries to a Child Safety Programme, launched at Latifa Hospital and Dubai Hospital in 2009. Over 1,000 mothers are members of the programme.
  • 13: infants were hurt in road accidents in 2011
  • 20: infants were injured the previous year
My comments as follows:
Added15:33 January 31, 2012

This is a common scenario. I get to see and keep a controlled silence, because, I wonder, what they think about their own safety, their child’s safety, others who are in the car, and on the road at the same time with them. I really do not know. Women are not exemption. Last week, while driving on Shaikh Zayed Road, I watched with awe a woman, with a fully tinted four wheel drive speeding with her child on her lap (between the door and the seat) and even more, talking on the phone. God, save us, and reach us back home safe, that is the only prayer, I have, when I drive each time from Abu Dhabi to Dubai and back.

Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
To read it in original, please visit GULF NEWS Online

This entry was posted in Clicks and writes, Gulf News, HSE, Letters to the editor, Opinion 2012, Road Safety, Safety First.

Plastic money – Short Take – Gulf Today dt 27.01.2012

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Plastic money

I had a good friend, who was not responding to my calls for a long time. Earlier, we used to talk daily on all matters. I was able to reach him finally and he talked to me for a few minutes.

He said everything was OK with him, but the tone and reply did not sound so. I wish him well.

Another friend of mine was also missing from regular contacts. I was worried about him, and last week I met him at a function.

He hugged me and apologised for not keeping in touch. I asked him where he was all this time. He replied, “I am a free man now.”

I got more anxious and asked him what happened!

He continued, “I have closed all my credit cards. They were killing me day and night. Somehow, I sold off whatever I could and closed them. Now, I have peace of mind.”

I could feel it from the expression on his face.

Yes, he’s one who could come out of the clutches of plastic money that has destroyed several lives.

I wish others too manage to follow in his footsteps.
Ramesh Menon

To read it in original, please visit GULF TODAY Online.

This entry was posted in Clicks and writes, Gulf Today, Letters to the editor, Mind Speaks, Opinion 2012, Short Take.

2011 Thrikarthika Mahotsavam Urakam Ammathiruvadi Temple – 09 December 2011

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A safety culture is critical – Gulf News Community Report – Dt 24.01.2012

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A safety culture is critical – Gulf News Community Report – Dt 24.01.2012

Image Credit: Ramesh Menon/Gulf News Reader
The reader advocates mandatory safety procedures, equipment and dress codes for maintenance and cleaning crews whose work constantly requires them to challenge vertical limits

A safety culture is critical

Firms undertaking dangerous jobs have a duty to their workers, and so do the authorities
I see that many old buildings in Abu Dhabi city are being painted these days. While this beautification campaign should be appreciated, I have noticed that some safety elements are being ignored in the process.
 
Most of the maintenance teams use poor quality suspended cradles and the painters are not properly harnessed and do not wear safety helmets. Even if they do have helmets, they often keep them aside as they probably feel the helmet-shaped plastic caps may not be much help in case of an accident.
 
Through this community report, I request the supervisors of companies undertaking such jobs to take appropriate measures for the safety of the workers.
 
I also urge the authorities to implement mandatory safety procedures, equipment and dress codes for all involved in such high-risk jobs. Let us be proactive and think of safety 24/7, rather than acting after an incident happens. 

 

— The reader is a technical officer, based in Abu Dhabi

To read it in original, please visit, GULF NEWS online.

This entry was posted in Clicks and writes, Community Reports, Community Service, Gulf News, HSE, Letters to the editor, Mind Speaks, Opinion 2012.

PlanetSolar at Abu Dhabi for World Future Energy Summit 16-19 Jan 2012

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PlanetSolar at Abu Dhabi for World Future Energy Summit 16-19 Jan 2012

planetsolar – First around the world with Solar Energy
At Abu Dhabi for World Future Energy Summit 16 – 19 January 2012
481 days in the Ocean on pure Solar power…
Follow planetsolar at:
http://www.planetsolar.org/

This entry was posted in Abu Dhabi - Miscellaneous, Abu Dhabi - Today in UAE, Clicks and writes, Photo Speaks.

തൃശൂര്‍ ജില്ലയിലെ ഊരകം പ്രാവ്സികളുടെ കൂട്ടായ്മയായ ഗോപുരിനെറെ ഉത്ഘാടനം

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പൊതുയോഗത്തില്‍ ഗോപുര്‍  കൂട്ടായ്മയുടെ 2012  ലെ ഭാരവാഹികള്‍ ആയി
ബാലഗോപാല്‍ കുണ്ട്ടാര രക്ഷാധികാരി, രമേശ്‌ മേനോന്‍ പ്രസിടന്ടു,
പ്രശാന്ത്‌ രാജ് വൈസ് പ്രസ്സിടന്ടു, മോഹനന്‍ ചെന്നനാത്തു സെക്രട്ടറി,
ദിനേശ് ബാബു കണ്ണോളി ജോയിന്റ് സെക്രട്ടറി,  സജീവ്‌ മേനോന് ട്രഷറര്‍‍,
ഹരിഷ്‌ മേനോന്‍ ഓഡിറ്റര്‍, കൊമ്പത്ത് ഗോപിനാഥ്  കോ–ഒര്ടിനെട്ടര്‍,
ശ്രികാന്ത് മേനോന്‍, യുവജന മെമ്പര്‍, രതി മുരളി വനിതാ വിഭാഗം മെമ്പര്‍,
എക്സിക്യൂട്ടീവ് മെമ്പര്‍മാരായി ശ്രീജിത്ത്‌, രഘു കണ്ണോളി, പ്രശാന്ത്‌
ഐരാണിക്കുളം, അജിത്ത് മേനോന്‍, ഷാഫി ഊരകം എന്നിവരെ ഐക്ക്യകണ്ടെന
തിരഞ്ഞെടുക്കുകയുണ്ടായി.
ഈ അവസ്സരത്തില്‍ മിസ്സ്‌ നന്ദ, മിസ്സ്‌നവ്യ, മിസ്റ്റര്‍ പ്രദീപ്‌
എന്നിവരുടെ കലാപരിപാടികള്‍ അവതരിപ്പിക്കുകയുണ്ടായി.

This entry was posted in Events - Urakam Ammathiruvadi Temple, GOPUR, Malayala Manorama, Mathrubhumi, Photo Speaks.

Children shouldn’t use passers by for target practice – My Letters – The National Dt. 15.01.2012

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Children shouldn’t use passers by for target practice – My Letters – The National Dt. 15.01.2012

One day recently I noticed a group of children playing football in the empty space between two buildings in Tourist Club area.
There is a transformer there, and they use the wall of it as their goal.
While on my walk, I noticed them practising their shots by shooting at some labourers sitting nearby.
First I thought these were accidents but as I watched I realised they were also pinpointing passers-by at random and at will. Some of the people were hit quite hard.
I continued my walk but, returning, had forgotten this business and became their victim myself. It was painful.
The area has two public parks plus play areas, and these children should be controlled. Could the authorities take appropriate measures?
Children deserve opportunities to play but they should not be developing sadistic skills.
Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi
To read it in original, please visit The National online.

This entry was posted in Clicks and writes, Letters to the editor, Mind Speaks, Opinion 2012, The National.

Volvo Ocean Race 2011 – 2012 – Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing wins Leg 3 First Stage and also clinches Etihad Airways In-Port race

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Volvo Ocean Race 2011 – 2012 – Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing wins Leg 3 First Stage and also clinches Etihad Airways In-Port race
Abu Dhabi – 14 Jan 2012
Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing clinched this victory by little more than one minute over PUMA in a thrilling finish of the first stage of Leg 3, continuing their winning streak in home waters.
 Within two miles of the finish Abu Dhabi skipper British Olympian Ian Walker stole the lead from Team Telefónica, who had held pole position over the fleet from the start of the 106 nautical mile race to Sharjah.
The first Emirati team to ever compete in the race crossed the finish line at 1629 UTC, scoring the maximum six points and boosting their points tally to 31.
PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG netted five points for second place, finishing just one minute and 16 seconds behind Abu Dhabi. Groupama sailing team earned four points for third, Telefónica placed fourth for three and CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand will receive two for fifth.
Winning the sprint capped off a stellar week of racing for the locals, who leave their homeport as heroes having also won the Etihad Airways In-Port Race on Friday.
Overall Standings:
1. Team Telefonica 71
2. CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand 64
3. Groupama sailing team 51
4. PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG 36
5. Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing 31
6. Team Sanya 4
Today’s results:
1. Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing — 57min 51sec, 6pts
2. Groupama sailing team — 58.48, 5pts
3. CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand – 60.47, 4pts
4. PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG – 62.22, 3pts
5. Team Telefonica – 62.47, 2pts
The first stage of Leg 3 of the Volvo Ocean Race starts today (2pm), with the fleet sprinting from Abu Dhabi back up to Sharjah, from where the boats will be transported to an Indian Ocean safe haven ahead of their journey to Sanya in China.

News source: www.volvooceanrace.com

Photos: On board clicks by Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi  / 14.01.2012

This entry was posted in Abu Dhabi - Today in UAE, Clicks and writes, Sports +, Sports Reviews, Volvo Ocean Race.