Short Take – GULF TODAY – Dt. 05.03.2011 – ‘Air’-ing it out
Short Take – GULF TODAY – Dt. 05.03.2011 – ‘Air’-ing it out
While travelling on a plane, we get to meet different people with different attitudes and approaches. Some get along very friendly and some act serious and remain like that throughout. On a flight recently, I was sandwiched between two gentlemen, who had all booked in advance and one even arranged his preferred meal choice.
As the plane took off and I made myself comfortable, I found my fellow passengers engrossed in a world of their own. There was an element of heaviness from both sides, which was not my kind of thing while travelling.
The stewardess came to serve us drinks and food. I found my co-passenger on the left asking for a Gujarati meal, which he had specially requested. The stewardess went in and brought him his special. It was the turn of the other passenger next and although not previously requested, he demanded for a Jain meal in an ‘I-must-get-it-or-else’ kind of tone. Although not available, the hostess said, she would try to get him one from the crew’s stock.
Watching all this, with a mischievous smile, I asked her, do you have a Menon meal. I will be happy to have one, as I feel very hungry and as you say, we serve homely food, so I can opt for it with all rights.
She knew, what I was up to, as did my co-passengers. Saying cheers to me, both started conversing with me, as the stewardess brought me a normal vegetarian meal available in her stock. The whole atmosphere lightened and we had a good flight and by the time we got off, we became good friends.
Ramesh Menon
To read it in original, please visit GULF TODAY online.
Used book fair lights young passion
Used book fair lights young passion
Children take part in writing and storybook drawing workshops in Sharjah
By Mariam M. Al Serkal, Staff Reporter
Published: 00:00 March 4, 2011
A child is seen drawing a picture and writing a short story as part of interactive sessions at fourth Used Book Fair.
Sharjah: Participants at the Used Book Fair have organised a range of activities to expand children’s imaginations and to boost their writing talent.
Students were in for a treat yesterday when they visited the book fair, which ends today. They were given a workshop on how to write short novels.
While a dozen students gathered at the Young Author’s booth, a volunteer from the Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services (SCHS) encouraged them to think about the most recent book they read and who was the protagonist in the novel, as well as what happened to the characters.
Extending the story
“Lots of children said they liked the book of Cinderella, so their task was to write about what happened to her after she married Prince Charming and to explain whether she had children, or if she became friends with her step-sisters,” said Cindrella Hassan, an employee at Sharjah Autism Centre who volunteered at the booth.
Although the activities at the Young Author’s booth catered to children from six to 15 years old, they were mostly frequented by students no older than 12 years old. After the workshop the children were directed to the activity area where they were provided with a notebook and crayons to create their own book.
“The children have to draw a picture on each page and write a few paragraphs underneath it,” Cindrella.
“Once the book and the cover page are completed, we then bind it together.”
The Used Book Fair, which is located on Buheira Corniche near Khalid Lagoon, aims to promote the value of books, as well as highlighting the importance of facilitating, acquiring and developing a culture of reading in the community. “Having such interactive activities is good because it encourages the child to become involved in books, otherwise they might forget how important it is too read,” said Umm Hassan, from Syria, who visited the fair with her six-year-old son and four-year-old daughter.
Umm Ashraf, an Egyptian mother, also agreed that children have shifted their focus from books to computers.
Computer generation
“My son, who is nine years old, is always playing with computer games and I was worried at first that he might get bored at the fair. Luckily, he is competitive in nature and soon took an interest in the workshops,” she said.
More than 500,000 books in various languages were available, which were provided by 52 schools and 53 organisations.
Due to popular demand, organisers have also extended the fair by an hour so that it runs until 11pm.
As part of the interactive sessions, the SCHS booth provided children with an activity that enabled them to say their names using sign language.
Volunteers at the booth handed out stickers with the Arabic alphabet that synchronised with the gestures of sign language.
To read it in original, please visit GULF NEWS online
Readerspeak IV: Get featured in the newspaper
Readerspeak IV: Get featured in the newspaper
3 March 2011
Welcome to the latest edition of KT Readerspeak with a brand new topic for discussion to which our website readers, print loyalists and our Facebook community can contribute.
Have your comments and photo appear in the newspaper. Just post your response below to the following question, write in toktreaderspeak@khaleejtimes.ae or log on to http://www.facebook.com/khaleejtimes. This week’s question is:
Is the home delivery system really a boon? Is it making us inactive?
Your responses to the just-concluded edition of KT Readerspeak will appear in the newspaper and website with your photos on Sunday, March 6.
Contributions are welcomed from everyone, regardless of location. Entries need to be accompanied by your photograph, which can be emailed to the above address. Please remember to mention your full name, location and profession.
Let your friends and colleagues know about KT Readerspeak, the weekly forum on which readers can express their views on a specified topic and get featured in the newspaper too
To read this news in original, please visit Khaleej Times Online.
ഷാര്ജയിലെ വെള്ളക്കൂടാരങ്ങളില് വായനയുടെ ഉത്സവം
Online news coverage of 4th Used Book Fair at Sharjah by Malayala Manorama news.
ഷാര്ജയില് യൂസ്ഡ് ബുക് ഫെയര്
ഷാര്ജയില് യൂസ്ഡ് ബുക് ഫെയര്
ഷാര്ജ: ഷാര്ജ സിറ്റി ഫോര് ഹ്യുമാനിറ്റേറിയന് സര്വീസസിന്റെ നേതൃത്വത്തില് നാലാമത് യൂസ്ഡ് ബുക് ഫെയര് സംഘടിപ്പിക്കുന്നു. മാര്ച്ച് ഒന്നുമുതല് നാലുവരെ ഷാര്ജ ഖാലിദ് ലഗൂണിലെ പാം ഗാര്ഡനിലാണ് യൂസ്ഡ് ബുക് ഫെയര്. രാവിലെ പത്തുമുതല് രാത്രി പത്തുവരെയാണ് പരിപാടി.
വാര്ത്ത അയച്ചത്: രമേശ് മേനോന്
Open Space – Khaleej Times – Dt. 02.03.2011 – The lessons we learn
Open Space – Khaleej Times – Dt. 02.03.2011 – The lessons we learn
2 March 2011
Fourth edition of used book fair opens
Fourth edition of used book fair opens
Fourth edition of used book fair opens
The Used Book Fair, held under the theme, ‘The Treasure of Knowledge’, runs until Friday, and aims to promote the value of books, as well as highlight the importance of developing a culture of reading in the community.
By Mariam Al Serkal, Staff Reporter Published: 00:00 March 2, 2011 Reader comments (0)
Sharjah: The Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services on Tuesday launched the fourth edition of the Used Book Fair at Khalid Lagoon.
The Used Book Fair, held under the theme, ‘The Treasure of Knowledge’, runs until Friday, and aims to promote the value of books, as well as highlight the importance of developing a culture of reading in the community.
Jihad Al Taher, head of the organising committee at the Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services (SCHS), told Gulf News that nearly Dh200,000 was raised from last year’s edition of the event, and that all the funds raised during the fair are sent to the various departments that operate under the SCHS.
“The funds go towards various services, which include purchasing wheelchairs or aiding a department that may lack funds. Some parents are unable to pay the fees for their children at some of our schools, so we distribute the money and pay for the remainder of the fees,” said Al Taher.
He pointed out that around 55 private and public schools, and three universities participated in this year’s fair, in addition to 50 institutes, including the Japanese and Chinese embassies, Sharjah Police and the Juma Al Majid Centre. The used books are offered at between Dh1 and Dh20, and all the books are provided by school students.
“Beginning in October, we distributed circulars in schools requesting students to donate their old books for the fair. We are open to all books in any language as long as they are not academic ones,” Al Taher said.
“If visitors pass by and want to donate books, they are welcome to do so. Each stand has about 1,000 books, and the SCHS has one stand for miscellaneous donors, so visitors can drop their books there.”
He added that if there are still many books left on display by Friday, their prices would be slashed, and the books remaining unsold even after that will be kept and used for next year’s event.
Details
What: Used Book Fair in Sharjah
Where: Palm Garden at Khalid Lagoon
When: March 1-4; 10am to 10pm
Will you be attending the Used Book Fair? Do you think reading is still a popular activity? Or have other media taken over?
To read it in original, please visit GULF NEWS online.
ClicksandWrites 
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