Anticipating school
As the end of the two month long summer break is approaching, many of us, pupils, view the end of holidays from different perspectives.
For many pupils who follow the Indian curriculum, summer holidays come right during the academic year, which has already begun in April. So, these two months are not just relaxation and rejuvenation, but a time to complete our assignments, our projects and prepare for the next upcoming exams.
For many others, the end of this vacation is synonymous with a new academic year. Pupils are buying new books, new stationery and new uniforms. All will be filled with the excitement of greeting a new school year and perhaps even a new set of friends, too.
However, the fearsome burden of heavy books, exams and projects, thanks to the advent of technology, makes schools a foreseeable nightmare. It results in remarks from pupils, even the older ones, asking: “Who wants to go to school?”
But trust me: the beginning of school can be wonderful, full of surprises hidden for us in the months to come. That’s why I’m really excited for school to reopen.
From Mr Maria Vincent
Dubai
Overreactions
I don’t understand why there has to be such a fuss about massage parlour advertisement cards (‘Letters: August 23, 2014 - Punish the distributors,’ Gulf News, August 23). If you don’t like it, dispose it. Everyone here is trying to earn a living and this is a way to promote what is offered. No big deal.
From Mr Kirtan Varasia
Dubai
Teach children to care
People who are cruel to animals never think that animals feel the pain too (‘Community Report (Save An Animal): Animal cruelty leaves residents helpless,’ Gulf News, 23). I think that a lot of the cruelty towards animal cases are the result of small children though. If you really love your children, you should make them aware of animal cruelty.
From Mr Safin Rael
Dubai
Facebook comment
People suffering
I understand the concern people are experiencing: you all are very seriously worried and feeling pity about this cat. But what about people who also haven’t eaten food in a long time and whose family is suffering from tough living conditions. There are people and families that are going many days with nothing to eat. I think we need to be thinking of these people first.
From Mr Asif Ali
Karachi, Pakistan
Facebook comment
Helping animals
I can’t imagine who would do these things to animals. When it comes down to helping people or helping animals, I’ll always choose animals first. We have to protect them from the people who torture them.
From Ms Layla B.
Dubai
Facebook comment
Inexplicable
I seriously don’t understand this. There is something wrong with a person when they are attacking and injuring a defenceless animal.
From Ms Kate Nolan
Dubai
Facebook comment
Relax and respect life
Everyone needs to seriously calm down (‘Will the end of the world come in 2032?,’ Gulf News, August 23). We don’t know what’s going to happen in the next 18 minutes let alone 18 years. I don’t think that the scientists really know; only God really knows. Whatever knowledge they have acquired, it is through the will of God.
Yes, they have worked hard for many years and they’re just sharing the conclusions they have come to through observing patterns, paths and data, but the Earth has had tons of near misses. Paths change and things happen. You can choke on your dinner and die that way, too. We just don’t know, so we need to seriously relax and respect our fellow beings.
From Ms Scarlet Ebrahim
Dubai
Facebook comment
Extent of trusting science
Whatever asteroid there might be, there isn’t a scientist that can predict the end of the world. There isn’t a doctor who can confirm the exact time of your end.
As humans all we can do is try to know the people who exist around us and to know God, the one and only who created all that exists.
Scientists did not invent the air that we breathe, scientists just discovered it. Try to understand that scientists may predict approximately but can never confirm any such thing.
From Mr Ahmad Efthikar
UAE
Facebook comment
Whatever happens, be thankful
Everyone and everything created has a purpose. To acknowledge the Creator and His Oneness, to do good deeds to attain the pleasure of the Almighty, to work towards success in the here and hereafter, are goals that we should all embed in our lives.
There were comments from people wishing for doomsday and that it should come quick. To them I say skip food for a day, feel real hunger for one whole day. When you grow incredibly tired and starving, buy a meal for a deprived person.
Then, maybe, you will feel the reason to live, to help, to support people and to do good - to feed the hungry.
And when you see gratitude from the person you helped, realise that God has been providing for you. He has given you good health, clean food and water.
From Mr Kash Kashif Becker
Dubai
Facebook comment
Lucrative business
There is something off about the varying education fees in Dubai (‘Parents doubly tested by private tutoring,’ Gulf News, August 23). Some school fees are hitting a minimum of Dh60,000 to Dh90,000 for a British or American curriculum. This seems to be a lucrative business for some, at a cost of a child’s right to education.
From Mr Derrick Rodrigues
UAE
Facebook comment
Spirits dampen
It is funny to see how the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) political party and its leader, Imran Khan, is using strong and, at times, foul language trying to create the impression of strength and determination. They are also employing singers and musicians to draw the crowds toward their sit-in meetings in the evenings, but when the music is over, the crowds disperse.
But not only the followers, also the members of the PTI are wavering in their support for Imran Khan and his agenda. At least they do not want to sacrifice their positions just in case the whole revolution comes to naught.
While with loud fanfare, the resignations of the PTI members have been submitted to the Assembly Secretary, which the Speaker of National Assembly (NA) can accept on Monday if he ascertains them to be valid. Many among the NA’s members have been having second thoughts of losing their seats for nothing and are trying to get their resignations back with the argument being that why should they resign when the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly (KPK) members, who are in government, are allowed to stay on.
The speaker seems to support them by saying that he will attend office only today, so the resignations will formally only be submitted when he opens the letters, thus everybody has a chance to take it back.
The protesters are also finding fault with the services they are getting from the Capital Development Authority (CDA) of Islamabad, alleging that the water might be contaminated or the food is not up to the mark.
It seems everybody is expecting a five-star revolution with all amenities and no sacrifice. If this is the spirit, the government in place may survive this kind of protest easily.
From Mr Ali Ashraf Khan
Karachi
Massacre in Iraq
I wonder what our Arab League is doing about the mosque massacre that has happened in Iraq (‘Massacre in Iraq’s Sunni mosque,’ Gulf News, August 23). They have completely failed to stop bloodshed in Iraq, Syria, Nigeria, Pakistan, Afghanistan and in Palestine. They appear to be non-existent. We cannot expect any relief from the United Nations.
From Mr Mohammad Ejaz Ahmad
Dubai
Rice instead of ice
It’s very shocking to note that people are wasting time, energy and water in following the so-called ‘ice bucket challenge’ on social network sites. Besides the danger of putting ice cold water on the living human body, everyone will agree that it is also wasting electricity in freezing so much ice, then misusing huge volumes of water, and finally, spoiling quality time in doing such things.
Instead of an ice bucket, why not have a rice bucket challenge and in this way do something for a social cause? It will be the best challenge to our fellow human beings worldwide, to ask them to donate rice in buckets for the needy. For the needy can be easily ‘located’ in developing countries, war-torn areas, regions affected by natural disasters and even among our relatives.
From Mr Rakesh Verma
Doha, Qatar
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