How many protesters are enough?

Only about one Syrian in 22 is protesting, a letter writer says, but many others would take part if they weren't so scared. Other letter topics: bad driving, "do not resuscitate" orders, that heel-kick goal, piracy, and men with purses.

Demonstrators march through a Damascus neighbourhood this month. A letter-writer says anti-government protests in Syria would be much larger except that people are intimidated by the regime. Reuters

Your editorial Deaths blamed on underage driving (July 19) is correct but the situation is normal here.

It seems to me that we have seen a deterioration in the way people of all ages drive. Between bigger engines and a callous driving style, the law of the jungle seems to prevail.

Speeding, tailgating and aggressive driving make the roads dangerous.

I often wonder how some of these drivers passed their driving tests. Then I remember the test lasts for just 10 or 15 minutes.

And then as we know some people drive without even having licences. What is needed is rigorous UK-style driving tests that instil respect for the safety of everyone on the road.

Joe Burns, Abu Dhabi

Coming soon to a cinema near you?

I refer to your story Dh11m gold robbery planned from foreign jail, police say (July 19).

I can't wait for the movie!

A Wright, Dubai

Let's modernise resuscitation rules

This is about your story Doctors let quadriplegic patient die, prosecutors say (July 17).

We are unfortunately not very modern in this country about "do not resuscitate" orders for patients near the end of life.

In fact we are lacking in the forward thinking that has made these orders acceptable by international medical standards.

It is forgotten that in life comes death and that it is not by artificial means that this comes. Let's move forward to provide acceptable care.

LB Juchli, Dubai

Many Syrians are afraid to protest

Ahmet Kianin concludes in his letter (No Syrian majority against regime, July 18) that the majority of Syrians still support the government.

He makes this argument on the basis that a million anti-government protesters in a country of 22.5 million is nothing but "a drop in the ocean".

Does he not realise that for every Syrian protesting against the government, there are several more who would join the protests but are too terrified to for fear of being abducted, tortured or shot at by the security services?

Mestin A, Dubai

Heel kick was just good fun

I don't agree with the criticisms about the football heel kick, as expressed in your story Video hit (but not with the bosses), (July 19).

When you're up by a score of 6-2 at 78 minutes into the game, why not have a bit of fun?

Abdul Ismail, Abu Dhabi

Selling too soon was a mistake

Your story 'Safe haven' gold soars to record price (July 19) reminds me of a mistake I made.

A few years ago I inherited 12 ounces of gold, in little bars, from my grandfather. I sold them for, as I recall, about $360 (Dh1,300) each, and I felt quite proud of myself for turning useless metal into cash.

Today, needless to say, I wish I'd held onto that "useless" metal. My family never lets me forget my mistake.

Craig Fraser, Doha

Still a lot to do in fighting piracy

Recently there have been news reports about some successes against pirates in this part of the world, but we can see that the problem has not gone away (Somali pirates hijack UAE tanker, July 19). How then can the world deal with it?

Your report does not say why this ship had not registered with the Maritime Security Centre; it seems to me that every shipowner would want to do that as a very first step.

Alexander E Skemling, Dubai

Chinese men lose revolutionary spirit

Thank you for your amusing report on the grooming trends in urban China (Chinese men avoid losing face, July 19).

I can only imagine Mao Zedong rotating at high velocity in his mausoleum as he reads of the trend toward anti-ageing cosmetics and "man bags" among the heirs to the revolution he created.

Truly the dominant force in the modern world is not communism but marketing. Big companies, having subjected the women of the whole world - but for the very poorest - to the abject slavery of shelf upon shelf of "beauty products", are now moving in on men.

Truly, their adage now, paraphrasing Mao, is that men can hold up half the profit margin.

Edwin Frost, Dubai