Take a tablet, I'll see you tomorrow

A reader says Gitex is a great place to get gadgets we didn't even know we needed. Other topics: Goa's mining ban, Ikea's advertising and Spanish nations.

A reader wonders about the fascination we have with gadgets such as the Galaxy Note II tablet. Odd Andersen / AFP

Ban on mining will hit hard in Goa

Mining in Goa a rogue industry (September 30) was interesting.

The government action to ban mining due to illegal activity will affect many people who are working in that industry.

Apart from tourism, the world-famous destination's largest revenue earner is iron ore.

Many people in Goa will have a tough time until this situation is resolved.

K Ragavan, India

Welfare must have strings attached

I agree with the comments by John Adams (Danger in sense of entitlement, October 2). Welfare without responsibility is never good.

It would not be hard to draw a line between this and the article about young men involved in sword crimes (A growing threat of sword violence? An explanation is at hand, October 2).

I despair at the lack of motivation among some young people who seem to believe that they are too good for some jobs.

Not everyone is going to be a CEO straight away, and many a CEO started with a "lowly" job. There should be pride in a job well done, no matter what it is.

Lee-Avinne O'Farrell, Abu Dhabi

What I think kids are missing today are the after-school or weekend jobs that were around when I was a teenager.

Even if it was just a few hours once or twice a week, it helped when you had to go out into the workforce permanently.

A Jamieson, Dubai

Elderly deserve respect from us all

This week saw the observation of International Day for Older Persons, which had the theme "Longevity: shaping the future".

To me the issue of serious concern is whether young people are dedicated enough to the task of taking care of their elders.

The lack of careful attention to elderly people can lead to great upheavals in society.

In this context, it would be appropriate to look at the life of women living in Vrindavan, known as the "city of widows", in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.

Hundreds of elderly women from different parts of India come to this place every year. They are forced to go there by their families, who are denying them their basic rights.

These women receive no support from the government or any help to improve their living conditions.

Please, let's not abandon our elders, because their well-being is our responsibility.

Ramachandran Nair, Oman

Good news at last for troubled maid

The circumstances referred to in Suicide bid maid is released from prison with readers' help (October 2) are very sad.

Clearly, the fine should be imposed on the employer and the holder of the maid's visa. Only then will this kind of abuse stop.

James Magee, Dubai

Who reigns, and where, in Spain?

Thank you for Catalonia split prospects add to Spanish woes (September 29).

However, I think you should note that Prof Francesc de Carreras's opinions are not shared by many other professors from Catalan universities.

We Catalans need to explain the current circumstances in our country to the world, so we are better understood.

Spain is a melting pot of cultures, and we feel that not all those cultures are being taken into account.

There have been many attempts to make Spain a real plurinational country, but all we get is complete misunderstanding.

Other nations in Spain, such as the Basque country and Galicia, have the same problem.

Xavi Romeu, Spain

Ikea advertising is tailored to market

I am writing in reference to Ikea's latest product: the airbrush (October 2).

All companies adopt advertisements to suit the cultural environments of different countries.

Faisal Abdullah, Saudi Arabia

I think this has nothing to do with Ikea; it's more about the country of Saudi Arabia.

If you are going to do business there, you have to follow the rules.

Olga Mamizheva, Dubai

Take a tablet, I'll see you tomorrow

I was not surprised to read Strong sales as Gitex pushes the right buttons (October 2).

Apparently none of us can now live without products, such as tablet computers, that didn't even exist a few years ago.

While I understand others' appreciation of their toys, I'm holding out until I can buy a flying car.

T Holt, Dubai