What is the need for gadgets in school?
M y children read books at school and don’t rely on laptops and other devices (“Kids tethered to screens at school? Push them to think”, Gulf News, October 28). They are not allowed to bring gadgets to school and are encouraged to use books in lectures and while writing notes. I was surprised when I came to the UAE because here, children are using gadgets, especially laptops, in class, from a very early age. From Ms Gallo Campollo Kisha Marie North Pole, Alaska Facebook comment
Safety first
T he Dubai Police is the public’s friend (“Why Dubai Police visited a 4-year-old girl”, Gulf News, October 30). They let the public feel safe and protected through their friendly behaviour. They have a high quotient of humanity, friendship and protection for all citizens, residents and tourists. From Mr Sindhi Ali Noonari India
Start early, end patriarchy
S ociety, in general, allows men to get away with violent behaviour, be it physical, emotional, verbal or sexual (“#MeToo: Taking it lightly?”, Gulf News, October 26). The rationale behind this sort of mentality is the patriarchal nature of the world. I feel the reason for this is the assumption that the male population is superior to that of women. This naturally makes men the providers, protectors and the decision-makers. This gives them dominance over women and they think they are justified in the way they behave with them. This belief gets underlined in their mindset from birth, and they never consider women as equals. Unless this changes, issues will continue. From Ms Sajida Kamal Abu Dhabi
Olaf of effort
F or me, the best time I had during Halloween was during my college years in the US (“Letters: The ‘spirit’ of togetherness”,
Gulf News, October 31). It was common for people to celebrate Halloween all weekend long, so it was dubbed as ‘Halloweekend’. It was fun, because the entire weekend would be filled with Halloween parties and spooky campus events. In the US, people take Halloween very seriously and plan outfits months in advance. It is almost frowned upon to not put in effort, for your costume. That entire weekend, I had planned out three different costumes to wear. In one instance, my roommate and I dressed up as ‘Thing 1’ and ‘Thing 2’ from the book by Dr Seuss. I had a pink onesie that I bought previously and I dressed up as the Pink Panther for one event. The third and final outfit was my favourite, wherein I dressed up as Olaf from the movie, Frozen. I made the whole outfit from scratch and I loved it! From Ms Divya Suri Dubai
Scary decor
F or me, the festival of Halloween has always been associated with different kinds and types of pumpkins. The shape and colour of the pumpkins has always attracted me. When they are carved and lit in the dark, they create a different ambience because of the way they look. In the countries where Halloween celebrations take place, almost every house will have scary decorations. Some bushes are covered with scary clothing and some pumpkins are placed at the doorstep, ready to welcome people. From Ms Annie Rathi Samuel USA
A good time for the family
H alloween is always fun for the children. Dressing up as ghouls and going around the community and watching other families take part contributes to the sense of “togetherness” in a place where so many of us are from such different backgrounds and cultures.
We enjoy getting into the spirit of things by dressing up our front porch with various props that we have collected over time. We leave the light on so the children know they can come to our door for treats, and always have a full bowl of candy waiting for them.
Halloween is a good bit of family fun that fills the void of dressing up as crazy characters, between the annual Middle East Film Festival and the Middle East Comic Con. From Mr Najib Zaman Dubai
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