Sad tale of house for dog

A micro blog posting by a senior citizen living on his own promising a house as reward for bringing back his pet dog has drawn netizens' attention and triggered heated online discussion. It is not news that modern people treat their pets as family members, but the man's identity as an empty nester makes it seems especially poignant, says an article on rednet.cn. Excerpts:

The son of the old man may have his reasons for not being ale to take care of his father, the dog he gave as gift at least shows he is aware of his father's loneliness and is a way of fulfilling his filial piety in a different way. And the pet has indeed been a good companion.

Perhaps a family reunion during Spring Festival gave the man some emotional support and to some extent relieved the sadness he feels because of his missing dog, but after the holiday he was on his own again and he began to miss his companion of seven years. This is what prompted him to offer the huge reward. For the elderly, what they most rely on during their twilight years is the family bond. However, it seems quite difficult for the elderly with the younger generation fighting for brighter careers away from home.

The "house-for-dog" reward reflects this social problem. For senior citizens a society where the emotional needs of empty nesters have to be met by pets cannot be a happy place to live. Both society and family members should work out ways to ensure the elderly get the care and support they need.

Crack down on rural gambling

It has been shocking to witness some villagers indulge in gambling during the Spring Festival holiday. It is a very bad but prevailing custom. Gambling is a chronic disease in urgent need of a cure, says an article on gmw.cn. Excerpts:

The Chinese New Year is traditionally a holiday for family reunions. Family members, who have spent a tiring year working hard, return to their hometown with the fruits of their labor. It is normal for them to use this money to organize recreational activities with their families, but gambling should not be an option.

Gambling will not only swallow one's money but also corrupt hearts and souls. The government used to ban such corrupt customs, but in recent years, there seems to have been a resurgence of gambling. Gambling has increased as people's living standards have improved.

Some spend a large sum of money to gamble just for face; once they have lost some money then they bet more in the next round in an attempt to recover their loss. Most of the time they will simply keep losing money and even resort to usury. Their gambling eventually costs them not only money, but also their family happiness.

Joint efforts are needed to call a halt to the prevalence of gambling in rural areas. Grassroots Party organizations should play their role in publicizing its ills. The police should also crack down on villagers' gambling. Homecoming migrant workers should value their fruits of labor and avoid gambling during the holidays.

(China Daily 02/21/2013 page9)