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The TV reduced the conversation the computers minimised and now the
mobile phones seem to be abolishing the face to face interaction.
If you watch today's youngsters, you notice that even friends
standing next to each other are sending SMS to some others, playing
games on their mobiles or speaking to a far away friend rather than the
one standing next to him. We seem to be having too much of
communication, paradoxically cutting off communication. Smiles are rare,
friendly banter is uncommon but everyone is busy on their mobiles.
The parents are on phone - more than one at some times, and have no
time to speak to children at a stretch and vice versa. Even doctors find
it irritating when patients start talking on their mobiles while being
examined.
Of course the reverse happens too - the doctors are interrupted by
phone calls on their mobiles, which in turn irritates the patient. How
did we even survive without mobiles? It's true it has become a wonderful
useful tool in our hands.
We have instant communication with any corner of the world, without
waiting, a laptop virtually in our hands, an alarm clock, a radio and
TV, tape recorder etc. etc. but all these should not stop us from
maintaining the most important means of communication - direct speech
and communication with other human beings.
I think it's time we all learnt to minimise 'virtual' communication
and start responding to those who are (physically) near and dear to us.
Limit your calls on your mobiles to the minimum and enjoy life as it
should be.
Dr. MAREENA THAHA REFFAI,
Dehiwela
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The outgoing Indian President has spoken words of wisdom which the
majority of our politicians should take to heart. He has declared "not
to take gifts that come with a purpose and build families with character
and a good value system."
Our country is poor and small. Our economy is buttressed by massive
foreign loans.
To most of us, small is not beautiful but ugly.
Most of our law makers do not live simple lifestyles. They want to
travel in huge vehicles unlike their counterparts in neighbouring India.
Their greed for power and wealth while in power and out of office is
limitless. President Abdul Kalam said that he will leave the
Presidential palace with 'two small suitcases'. What a contrast closer
home when valuables were spirited away a few years ago. Such unpatriotic
sham people bring shame to our country.
HAMILTON SENANAYAKE,
Panadura
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Let's hold immediate elections in the North and East. Let's hold it
over 31 days section by section. Let us have an electronic voting card
as well as an electronic identity card. Possibility of finger scanning
should be looked into.
Provincial elections and Pradeshiya Sabha elections should be held
together with two ballot cards. Categorising according to lists supplied
by party members can expedite automatic cross checking. This is normally
done at the polling station by party representatives. Regions are
divided by 31 and computers are shifted to different stations for 31
days.
This will minimise the computers to be used. The computers are
updated daily with regional data.
Elections in smaller areas means that officials, Police etc. will be
sufficient and of the best quality. International inspection and
monitoring should be arranged.
Manual voting may be arranged for some regions where there is
relative peace. The LTTE and other groups should be allowed to contest
the election. Polling cards can be issued at the polling station
accessed by identity card.
Check with International elections using electronic media. In some
regions, the officers may collect votes cast by house to house
visitation. Votes by cell phone should be considered, if it could be
developed with the aid of telephone companies. Access should be on a
secret number on the poll card. It should be scratched and work like
reload on the telephone card phone.
This vote could be done by a number of people on the same cell phone.
An official carrying a cell phone could verify identity, polling card
and get the voter to vote.
This cell phone should be recognised by the connecting computer.
Discussion with cell phone makers could produce a custom programme a
cell phone for use.
This could be the most up-to-date election in the world. Foreign
funds could be found as this may be applied all over the world; The
equipment could be reused locally as well as abroad.
Video cameras can be fixed at polling booths to ensure transparency.
modern methods can be combined with old methods to ensure effectiveness.
Sri Lanka can lead the world in ensuring a free and fair elctions.
RANIL WIJEYESEKERA
----
Household pets or street dogs rarely attack humans unless cruelly
treated, provoked or trained to bite. A recent study published in the
Journal of Uva Clinical Society, Vol.2, July 2007 on potential rabies
exposure, taking a sample of 234 persons, mainly children who presented
themselves with a history of dog or cat bites, conclude that the
injuries (70 per cent) were after provocation and irresponsible pet
handling.
The researchers conclude that "the concept of responsible pet
ownership is not well established in the region and educational
programmes are needed to broaden the public awareness of the subject".
Let us learn to look at a problem more objectively and offer workable
solutions. Where the dogs are concerned, vaccinate your pet against
rabies according to the current schedule and spay or neuter the cat or
dog, even the one you are feeding, to prevent unwanted litters. Treat
all animals humanely.
As regards road safety for pedestrians, we will have to bring
pressure on the authorities to close those open gullys, remove the piles
of garbage and prosecute the errant motorists who park on pavements.
Maybe, by refraining from emanating bad vibes whilst walking, we can
prevent those sudden nips from the otherwise harmelss creatures.
MALSIRI DIAS,
Colombo 5
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The post has introduced a new service called 'Business' mail with
increased postage rates.
According to Rule 73 of the Post Office Guide, Part I, their can be
only six classes of mail viz: Letters, post cards, printed matter, open
packets, periodicals registered as newspapers in Sri Lanka, literature
for the blind and parcels.
Hence, the postal regulations should have been changed in advance in
preparation for the new service. I believe that we are the only country
to introduce such a service with attendant complications and designed to
increase postage rates.
On the other hand, 'Business' refers to an occupation or profession
dealing with buying and selling. Accordingly, legally, business mail has
to be the mail posted by the Corporate sector - the business community.
Nevertheless, an ordinary letter weighing over 30 grammes has been
categorised as falling into the business mail category.
Thus if an individual or student posts a letter weighing 31 grammes,
the letter will be automatically placed in the 'Business' category and
the postage will jump up to Rs. 30 from Rs. 10.
In case of an open letter, the charge is Rs. 4.50 upto 30 grammes but
if posted in bulk even by an individual, the postage rate jumps to Rs.
12.
This is despite the fact that Rule 88 (3) (b) (iii) provides for the
posting of at least 20 copies at the same times to be treated a printed
matter open packets. Wedding invitation cards, new year cards posted in
bulk will be treated as business mail. Of course, there are ways to
circumvent that.
Then again if the sender's address is printed or stamped on the
envelope, and even if the sender is a religious organisation, club,
Welfare or Friendship Association, such mail is treated as business mail
and charged under the business mail rate, even though they are
non-business, non-profit making social service organisations.
There is no rationale or logical basis on which letters posted by
private individuals and non-business, non-profit making organisations
could be treated as 'Business mail'. It is therefore suggested that
non-business, non-profit making social service organisations be left out
from the business mail category.
Similarly, charging business rate on the basis of weight on letters
posted by individuals and the above mentioned organisations should also
be done away with.
Such organisations and associations could be made to register with
the Post master General as in the case of registered newspapers and get
them to post the mail only at named post offices.
UPALI JAYASEKERA,
Colombo 4
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