Finding compassion
There is a reason why people are pouring ice cold water over themselves for the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) ice bucket challenge (‘Ice bucket challenge draws mixed reactions in the UAE,’ Gulf News, August 28). The challenge was designed to make people feel the pain of everyone suffering from ALS. What you feel when you pour the icy water over your head, when it runs down your spine, is supposed to be similar to what ALS patients feel. The temporary five-second paralysis or shock you feel, is what those suffering from ALS have to suffer every second of their lives. The challenge is similar to one of the purposes of fasting in Ramadan — by depriving ourselves from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk, we feel the pain of those less fortunate, hence become more compassionate and giving. Most pharmaceutical companies aren’t investing in research and development to find a cure for ALS because it’s not profitable to them. This challenge was started by the best friend of someone diagnosed with ALS, to bring about awareness and to raise money for a cure — and it worked! We should all be thanking God for our health.
From Ms Scarlet Ebrahim
UAE
Facebook comment
Encouraging donations
The rice bucket challenge is also a good idea to help give back to our community, but for the people who think the ice bucket challenge is just a trend for fun, it’s not. The ALS ice bucket challenge is an activity involving dumping a bucket of ice water on someone’s head to promote awareness of the disease and to encourage donations for research.
From Ms Maria
Dubai
Website comment
Bucket challenges hold good
With the advent of the ice bucket challenge, the innovation of the rice bucket challenge by a 38-year-old Indian journalist seems wonderful. I have not personally tried the ice bucket challenge, but I feel it poses a lot of health problems with respect to the icy cold water and the risk of the bucket falling over the person. The rice bucket challenge is a positive initiative in India, where malnutrition continues to hover over a large portion of the population. The giving of rice not only helps towards increasing food consumption for the needy, but also replaces the wastage of water, which is bound to occur in the ice bucket challenge. This doesn’t mean that it is not a good way to spread awareness about a previously little known disease — ALS. But our health and environment should also be taken into consideration while participating. Both bucket challenges hold good in today’s society. However, they should spell a good end in the form of happiness and better welfare for the world, and not in death or illness for a few.
From Ms Maria Vincent
Dubai
Many will benefit
Donating rice is an excellent idea, which will be greatly appreciated by those who don’t want to waste water in the ice bucket challenge. There are lots who will benefit from the rice bucket challenge. How wonderful it would be, if people around world participated with such simple contributions.
From Ms Maria Kutty
Dubai
Website comment
Don’t mention it
In Islam, when you give, you are not supposed to mention it or flaunt it, or else the charitable action loses its meaning. However, this is a great challenge because of its cleverness in playing off of the ice bucket challenge. Just remember to give from the heart and that it’s not necessary to mention it.
From Ms Hashnairah H. Adil
Dubai
Facebook comment
For humanity
I understand the idea of not mentioning when you donate, but what is the harm in promoting something nice? It’s for humanity’s sake and I don’t think it should matter whether there is publicity or not.
From Mr Pravin Sivan
UAE
Facebook comment
Glass half full
While I understand the concern about wasting water, this charity and many others also need aid in the form of public donations. UAE residents have recently provided funds to Water Aid to help those in need of fresh and clean drinking water. The ALS ice bucket challenge is bringing the world together to support not only ALS, but other charities too, through a simple act that actually uses very little water. Look at the positive in this challenge and support the charity of your choice.
From Mr D. B.
Abu Dhabi
Website comment
Ceasefire welcomed
The long term ceasefire, which has been introduced in war-torn Gaza, is indeed welcome (‘Palestinians say permanent Gaza ceasefire reached,’ Gulf News, August 27). I honestly feel that both Palestine and Israel will stick to the terms and conditions of the ceasefire and jointly act to end the murderous fighting. The efforts of Egypt to this end were salutary and helped a lot in establishing peace in the area. It has thereby saved the innocent lives of the Palestinians. Still, the efforts of both the United Nations (UN) and the US seem to remain lukewarm and of no consequence.
From Mr Thomas Matthew Parackel
Muvattupuzha, India
Carelessness
While the Palestinians rightly deserve to celebrate their victory, it should have been done in a manner that was safe and did not cause harm to members of the public (‘Woman killed, 50 injured by celebratory gunfire,’ Gulf News, August 28). Due to being a safety hazard, the use of firecrackers and guns are prohibited in most countries across the globe. It is just sad that the young woman lost her life to mere carelessness. People should be more responsible and considerate towards others when engaging in celebratory activities.
From Ms Fatima Suhail
UAE
Facebook comment
Reducing hours, hiring more
Working hours should be reduced according to international standards, which is 40 hours per week (‘Saudi five-day week for private sector scrapped,’ Gulf News, August 28). I think that the Saudi authorities should also be encouraging residents to work in the private sector because this could help accommodate the loss of eight hours in the work week.
From Mr Yasin Bawaney
Dubai
Website comment
Working for efficiency
Dropping the hours by so much might indeed cause a problem, but this might have been easier on the economy if there was a gradual shift in the reduction of hours worked. If other countries can survive and prosper on a 40 hour week, why can’t Saudi Arabia? The wellbeing of people is far more important. If you look at it another way, it would help to make the country more efficient, as I am sure that for many jobs, the work load expands to fill the time allotted. Perhaps the work could still be done in a shorter time.
From Mr John
Abu Dhabi
Website comment
Not in favour of peace
It is a fact that the regional strategic balance for peace and stability is dependent on India and Pakistan and how they treat each other (‘Modi shooting himself in foot over Pakistan,’ Gulf News, August 28). Narendra Modi, with his aggressive nature, is trying to dominate the political situation with his personal interests and objectives. Short term dialogues about the major conflicting areas of South Asia, and specifically between India and Pakistan, need to be discussed through diplomatic channels and negotiations. In this prospect, the consensus and consent of both parties is required. Pakistan, being a friendly and peaceful nation, extended its hand, but India, by closing the doors of negotiation, have once again proven to the international community that it is not in favour of peace.
From Mr Rishi
Mumbai, India
Website comment
Not the problem
The problem is not in getting a vehicle registration card quickly — it’s the long wait and queue for the vehicle inspection, which is required before the registration card is given (‘Vehicle registration in malls, Metro stations,’ Gulf News, August 28). How about developing a smart vehicle inspection service to speed things up? If we have to already wait at the vehicle inspection place, and getting the new registration card afterwards only takes a few minutes, why bother to go elsewhere or use a smart portal?
From Mr Louie Tedesco
Dubai
Website comment
Dehydrated indoors
This is a great report that covers the common misconception that by staying out of heat, you can prevent yourself from being dehydrated (‘Drink enough water to avoid dehydration,’ Gulf News, August 27). It’s true to some extent that you can avoid dehydration indoors, but even in an air-conditioned environment, even though one might not be perspiring, one is still prone to becoming dehydrated. According to the European Hydration Institute website, air-conditioning can cause low water content in the atmosphere, resulting in increased water loss from the lungs and through the skin. Dehydration can result in headaches. So, I guess the message to take from this is that it doesn’t matter if you are inside or outside, one should drink the required amount of water anyway to stay healthy.
From Mr Asghar
Dubai
Website comment
Protecting customers
I suggest that whenever a customer purchases something using a credit card, they should be made to show their Emirates ID or proof of their identity (‘Central bank asks banks to block cards on suspicion of data theft,’ Gulf News, August 28). This way, we will always know that the customer is safe from fraudulent activity.
From Mr Shakeel
Abu Dhabi
Website comment
Remembering Attenborough
The procession continues with the recent passing of actors Robin Williams, Lauren Bacall and now, the last surviving member of the World War II epic ‘The Great Escape’. Richard Attenborough started off as an actor, and then he went on to work behind the camera to deliver his magnum opus, a biography of a man he much admired – Mahatma Gandhi. After many years of wrangling, he finally got the approval of the Indian government and produced one of cinema’s best works. It was a performance by an Anglo-Indian actor that many agreed was an exact replica of the founding father of India. The film was received accolades. He finally went on to collect his first-ever Oscar, at the same time, giving Ben Kingsley global prominence for his flawless execution of the British-educated freedom fighter.
From Mr A. R. Modak
Johannesburg
Time to be real
I feel for the families of the passengers on this plane, but I think it’s time we are realistic (“Malaysian Airlines jet mystery: Files were deleted from flight simulator”, Gulf News, August 29). This is not a television show about people marooned on an island, and there is no conspiracy here. This is real life and the chances of finding them alive, or even finding their bodies, is zero by naught. We are not masters of the universe and aeroplanes can get lost in the sea without a trace. It is tragic, but we all know there is the risk that something could happen when we board an aeroplane. We just never think it will happen to us.
From Ms M. J.
Dubai
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