10 Gulf Daily News Sunday, 5th April 2009
Voice of the
TODAY is Sunday, April 5,
the 95th day of 2009. There
are 270 days left in the year.
PEOPLE YOUR
Mall culture eroding
Highlights in history on this
date:
1594 - Jean Chastel, pupil of
the Jesuits, attempts to
assassinate France’s King
Henry IV.
1664 - Peace Treaty of
Westminster ends first Anglo-
Dutch War.
1794 - French revolutionaries Sir,
GJ Danton and Camille
Desmoulins are executed.
1896 - Start of the first mod-
I SUPPORT both Dr Abaza and Mr Al Salloum
for raising a valid point that mall culture is
eroding true values, (GDN, March 29).
ern Olympic Games in When malls were first introduced, people were
Athens. happy and glamour-struck and thought that they
1939 - All German children were the coolest things.
between ages of 10 and 13
Now that the fad has passed, we all want to get
are ordered to serve in Hitler
Youth Organisation.
out of the claustro-
1946 - Soviet Union agrees
to withdraw troops from Iran
PLEASE phobic malls into the
open natural spaces.
on promise of reforms in
Azerbaijan.
WRITE IN No doubt, the
local suqs, outdoor
1951 - Julius and Ethel Letters can be faxed on vegetable markets
17622141 or left at the
Rosenberg are sentenced to GDN Classified office on and reliance on nat-
death in the United States as Exhibition Avenue. ural energy for cool
atomic spies for Soviet Alternatively they can be air rather than air-
Union. posted to: The Editor,
Gulf Daily News, PO Box conditioners are a
1958 - Fidel Castro begins 5300, Manama, Bahrain. blessing.
“total war” against Batista or e-mailed to: gdnltrs@ Already, the gov-
government in Cuba. batelco.com.bh or
gdn1@ batelco. com.bh. ernment is doing a
1971 - Pakistan airlifts for-
eigners from East Pakistan, Published letters are not fantastic job in land-
necessarily the views of scaping and planti-
now Bangladesh, as fighting the Editor. Readers wish-
ng more trees and I
rages during a revolt.
1988 - Hijackers comman-
deer Kuwaiti Airways plane
with 112 people aboard and
ing to make a complaint
through the GDN should
provide full details of the
complaint together with
their contact telephone
sincerely hope that
we as individuals
and organisations
s Malls are becoming claustrophobic
Is he seriously suggesting that we
should wait for the next ice-age to get
Great, but…
AGREE with ‘Mall culture eroding heritage’ (GDN,
force it to land in Iran.
1990 - Soviet Foreign
Minister Eduard
numbers. allot more energy
and time towards us out of this problem? How can he be
so certain that far-off planets, where
March 29). I
When I visited Bahrain I stayed in the suqs. The
implementing greener initiatives in whatever we
Shevardnadze, in talks with we’ve never even sent a space probe, malls were like we have in the US and I felt I was at
US Secretary of State James do.
much less a thermometer, are warming, home instead of in a country known for its heritage
Baker, edges away from Roy Yohannan
but doesn’t believe the huge body of and culture.
demand that unified scientific evidence that shows our plan- The malls are wonderful but there is definitely
Germany be neutral. Awareness growing et is warming? something more personal about the suqs and the
1991 - Iraq’s ambassador to
the UN says his government
will accept a UN fact-finding
I HAVE read many arguments from people who
believe we don’t need to do anything to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions. But the opinion of
Of course turning the lights off for people there.
one hour on one day of the year won’t Anna Lane
team to investigate the plight
reduce carbon emissions – Earth Hour
Arthur Macdonald really takes the biscuit, is about sending a message and raising aware- opportunity to make positive changes for a sus-
of the Kurds.
(‘Macdonald on Monday’, GDN, March 30). ness. By the time we have unequivocal proof that tainable, fairer way of living our lives.
1992 - With the support of the
military, Peru’s President climate change is hap- PJ
Alberto Fujimori suspends
constitution and congress,
claiming it is necessary to
fight corruption, leftist guerril-
Another Vietnam?
ITH reference to the report George W Bush in Iraq. It is time
pening it will be too
late. In a recent survey,
97 per cent of scien-
tists believe that global
A narrow view
T
HIS is in response to Samar’s letter, ‘Stop liv-
las and drug trafficking.
1995 - Israel launches its first
W on President Barack for discretion, not for sweeping
Obama’s Afghan strategy, the US judgments and decisions.
warming is man-
made.
ing in Cuckoo Land’ (GDN, March 30).
You’re making the same mistake as the MPs,
no wonder you think they are so wise.
spy satellite, putting it into an should be careful that Afghanistan Moreover a military solution has The debate on You are looking at the situation from a very
orbit that takes it over several whether climate narrow-minded perspective.
does not become another Iraq or not necessarily delivered in the
Arab countries. change is happening
Vietnam. past, and should be the last resort, You want to control the rush of people? What
1999 - Libya hands over to
Many US presidents carry the when all avenues of negotiation or not is misleading next? Enforce a quota on how many people
the UN two former govern-
burden of a key foreign policy have failed. and dissuades people cross over into Bahrain from Saudi Arabia
ment agents to stand trial for
the bombing of a Pan Am air- misjudgement, which impacted Efforts to prevent Pakistan’s slide from action. through King Fahad Causeway? Putting up a
craft over Lockerbie in 1988. the world for four to five years, into chaos are laudable; the funds Awareness is grow- parking lot with “Bahrain full” sign at the
The UN lifts sanctions resulting in loss of lives and credi- should be spent sensibly to ing and progress is bridge?
against Libya the next day. bility, like John F Kennedy in improve the health and education being made, but much Or maybe we should enforce curfews on an
2000 - Japan's Parliament Cuba, Lyndon Johnson and of citizens. more needs to be alternative basis, at different parts of the coun-
elects ruling party chief Richard Nixon in Vietnam, and Rajendra K Aneja done. Let’s take the try to limit the congestion!
Yoshiro Mori as the new current crises as an Getting rid of alcohol will not reduce hotel
prime minister, ending a polit-
ical crisis created by the sud-
den collapse of Keizo Gulf Daily News astrologer Patrick Arundell believes his columns enable people to enjoy a reflective pit-stop in an otherwise busy
Obuchi, who was on life sup- day, week or month. His sincere and caring approach strives to unlock the ancient mystery of astrology but in a modern context...
port after having a stroke.
2005 - Security forces in
Saudi Arabia storm a walled Aries March 21st - April 20th Gemini May 22nd - June 21st Leo July 24th - August 23rd
compound where militants
The Sun is “in-conjunct” to Saturn, Venus square to Pluto, and Your ideas can be quite hazy today, and even for logical you, You may find yourself asking if someone is being deliberately
had been barricaded for they are both located in your sign. The suggestion is that even accusations can be levelled that you are being too unrealistic. awkward, or plain evasive. Calls can go unanswered, changes
days, killing 14 armed your best efforts may not be directed in the right direction, or by But, if you wanted to dust down an “old classic” from the book- made to the schedule for no accountable reason, or you just
extremists, including top viewed by others with scepticism. With the Moon also opposing shelf and escape into a world of words and your imagination, or may not be able to make your mind up about one person you’re
Neptune, you can feel disheartened by negative feedback. Best a weepy on the TV, this would be a fine time to do so. Will oth- involved with. All you can do to counter this is to be philosoph-
leaders of Al Qaeda. not to look for any in the first place… ers be happy? That’s another question. ical. You can’t be responsible for everyone.
WHAT THEY Taurus April 21st - May 21st Cancer June 22nd - July 23rd Virgo August 24th - September 23rd
SAID...
BIRTH, ancestry, and that If you’re feeling raw, rundown, or decidedly weary, it would be You are one of the sensible members of the zodiac – no seri- It may be the Spring and you may be minded to jump into action
which you yourself have understandable if you wanted to share how you felt with those ously. Of course you have your moments, just like the rest of us and clean the car, cut the lawn or visit your local recycling cen-
not achieved can hardly closest to you. And someone may be sympathetic towards you, and today you could…just be tempted to have a little bit of a tre. Or you might think, um, duvet day? Of course that depends
be called your own – but someone else may be less so and tell you that you need to splurge. Well, if you have got some spare cash why not treat on who needs your attention, like young children, or if you're
Greek proverb. take more responsibility. Unfortunately, it can be a partner who yourself? But if you’re considering more major expenditure or a unfortunate enough to have to work. But if you do feel lazy
is the bluntest and least supportive. risky venture, um, best to stick with type. Virgo, you might give into it at some point.