At last, I quit
Inspired by the recent Gulf News articles about smoking, I want to tell the world that being a smoker for more than 15 years, at last I’ve quit. One of the reasons is the new cigarette packets. The health warnings on the boxes had a very strong effect on me that I couldn’t resist quitting my poison friend. The recently released new packs have captions, which are very thought provoking. The most effective part of the packs is the pictures that scared and disgusted me. Smokers are usually particular about the cigarette pack they carry, the texture, the colour, the text; every small detail subconsciously affects their brand. However, the same elements including the pictures, this time were the key reason for a chain smoker like me, to quit. We all know smoking causes early death and more than 25 different kinds of diseases, some as serious as cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Yet we never think of these consequences when we smoke. But I think that the warnings on the new cigarette boxes and advertisements have a strong effect on us. I hope sooner or later every smoker is affected by these visuals and warnings.
From Mr Ganesh Bala
Dubai
$6 billion on US elections?
More than $6bn has been spent trying to influence the US elections. Knowing the global economic crisis, I think everyone around the globe agrees that this money could have been used more wisely.
The world today is facing endless issues from poverty, illiteracy, global warming, war crimes and the list never ends. However, these were and still remain the worthy goals. Now for US President Barack Obama there is another urgent issue to be resolved, which is restoring his country’s economic strength. Nothing else is really possible if this fundamental prerequisite is not re-established. The US has been running trillion-dollar deficits, resulting in a huge explosion in the country’s debt. Economic renewal and fiscal reform have become pre-eminent issues, not only for domestic and economic policies but for foreign policy as well. Drones, computer viruses and administration leaks are all the rage in the current political debate. They, indeed, merit serious scrutiny at a time when the rules of war and the technologies available for war are rapidly changing. However, these issues were not the foreign policy centrepiece of the 2012 presidential race. The US’ growing national debt is a threat, not only to the domestic programmes but also to the country’s tradition of an active foreign policy.
From Mr Samaoen Osman
Cape Town, South Africa
Avoid embarrassment
After reading Natalie Long’s tabloid! review on the new Maharashtrian restaurant called ‘Peshwa’ in Karama, I went to see what they had to offer. We were three families who have been born and brought up eating authentic Maharashtrian food. We decided to opt for home delivery for the food due to mobility issues. So we placed our order at 7.30pm. After waiting for two and a half hours we got very average food, which even a small outlet in Mumbai would have served better.
Firstly, please refrain from going overboard while reviewing new restaurants. In this case the writer has clearly done that for reasons best known to her. Secondly, the writer should visit the restaurant both as a journalist and an ordinary customer before compiling the review. This might help avoid embarrassment for both the publisher and the readers.
From Mr Hari Achariya
UAE
Editor’s note: The report on Peshwa ran as a preview, featuring an interview with the owners and served as a report on a restaurant opening, rather than a review. However, reviews published in tabloid! are done anonymously and usually take place after a restaurant has been open for at least a month. We welcome our readers’ perspective of restaurants in the UAE and their recommendations. Feedback helps us stay accurate and relevant.
Editor’s note: Do you have an opinion about a news report we published? Share your views on it at readers@gulfnews.com or post a comment on our Facebook page. You can also tweet to @GNReaders
