Is Bob Dylan embarrassed?
It must have been the most embarrassing phase in his life for Bob Dylan, being conferred with a Nobel prize for literature (‘Bob Dylan removes mention of Nobel’, Gulf News, October 24). But, it is a kind of a quasi-dream come true for me. I was so delighted about the surprise announcement and the idea made me uncomfortable in more than equal measure!
In the late 1980s, while being a faculty member, I was deeply contemplating a doctorate research on certain kinds of lyrics that had enormous power and propensity for good literature, when they are disassociated from their accompanying music. I was wishing dearly to advocate those kinds of lyrics in classrooms for their sheer humanity-oriented expression and thought-provoking messages.
Then, as circumstantial conditions could have it, my academic investigation from this perspective failed to take off. Instead, what was left behind out of that ambitious foray is my intense appreciation of that craft that continues to this day.
Undoubtedly, Dylan has gotten a lot out of this recognition. His piece of glory in history is well etched. Nevertheless, I think the coveted trophy of excellence, as a Nobel, is a little too much!
From Mr Reuben S.
UAE
Health is wealth
My advice to all women is to take care of your health, we all work day and night for our family, but don’t care for our bodies (‘Breast reconstruction science advances rapidly’, Gulf News, October 23). Health comes first, then wealth. But many get this wrong and wealth comes first for them. This was something I learnt. I never cared about myself, only my family. Health is wealth and I have now come to know this.
From Ms Chandra Kisani
UAE
Facebook comment
All too common practice
This is very common in the hospitals in Nepal, too (‘Newborn dies after slipping out of womb’, Gulf News, October 23). Every pregnant woman is made to wait in a room during labour and when nurses can feel the baby’s head crowning, they force mothers to walk to the delivery room, which is a common room. Everywhere you turn, you will see other mothers delivering babies and their families around, too. There is no privacy. Adding to that, doctors and nurses use bad language to mothers throughout the delivery process when mothers are not able to push out the babies or coordinate. They get so angry when you ask for any help. Every mother who has delivered babies at a hospital in Nepal has gone through this. Sadly, this is very common situation.
From Ms Resham K. B.
UAE
Facebook comment
Sounds traumatic
That sounds terrible, Ms Resham K. B. The trauma these poor mothers must endure. We have so much to be thankful for.
From Ms Jennifer Keramianakis
UAE
Facebook comment
So much privilege
Exactly, Ms Jennifer Keramianakis! We can’t even comprehend what it must be like to live without the privileges that we take for granted.
From Ms Samira Iqbal
Dubai
Facebook comment
Blame hospital
The hospitals treat poor people like expendables. Blame the hospital and not the entire country. Each state has its own jurisdiction. Some states have yet to catch up with others.
From Ms Nischal Kanth Mongam
Dubai
Facebook comment
Asked to walk
I remember when I was in labour, the nurse asked me to walk knowing that I was in so much pain. This poor woman.
From Ms Fatima Medrano
Brussels, Belgium
Facebook comment
Must walk
This is so sad and scary. Unfortunately, this is true in many hospitals. They make you walk to the delivery room.
From Ms Tahira Khurshid
UAE
Facebook comment
Worrisome priorities
The mother and grandmother want this rapist in the lives of his sons (‘Outrage as US judge opts not to jail father who raped his 12-year-old daughter’, Gulf News, October 23)? Isn’t there a lack of input from the victim? Perhaps the whole family needs to be looked at a little more closely. I’m not sure the victim should remain with any of her family.
From Ms Emma-Marie Horridge
UAE
Facebook comment
Media’s responsibility
Through Gulf News, I would like to put forward my views regarding the role of the media these days. The media plays a very important role in bringing people together. However, in order to catch the reader’s attention, nowadays, the media has started publishing absolutely absurd and ridiculous information instead of picking more important issues that take place in the nation. Also, they have learnt to sensationalise every piece of news, be it a celebrity’s marriage or an accident. It is the very clear that the media has been exploiting the freedom given to them in recent times. All they are doing is using cheap ways to gain fame and popularity, cooking up false stories and incidents and spreading yellow journalism.
It is high time they realise their responsibility and get back to the right job, leaving behind their alluring target since it is the media who can make a difference in society.
From Ms Effah Fatima
UAE
Sensationalising news
I have come across many newspapers encouraging yellow journalism. Some newspapers have been unnecessarily sensationalising news with fake facts or cooked up stories that have been added to the news, changing the story completely. Yellow journalism is used as a desperate grab for fame. It should not be encouraged. Freedom must be kept with a limit. Most people do not recognise yellow journalism and get the wrong ideas in their heads. People develop wrong sets of emotion towards problems. If researched, the news is quite different from the news in the newspaper. Yellow journalism falsely accuses honest beings and crowns dishonest ones, dragging society to play their games.
I believe that communities should have campaigns against such issues. We can try and convince the newspapers not to use this method.
From Ms Sana
Dubai
Aggravating divisions
I am Thai and I saw the Gulf News opinion piece regarding Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn (‘Maha Vajiralongkorn: Splitting heirs’, Gulf News, October 23). That’s a bad post! It must be understood that the Thai royal Institution is different from any other country. Thai people love the king’s family so much, as we bow at their feet. It seems like the writer just listened to someone about the king and his family who doesn’t like them. Now already, Thai people have cried and are very sad with pain for our King Bhumibol died. But, the writer doesn’t understand the situation and does not respect our king’s family. Thailand has a royal institution at the heart of the country. Prince Vajiralongkorn is our next king!
From Mr F. W.
UAE
Full name withheld on request
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