It does not need any wisdom to know that a hotline will accomplish little against overpriced water (Cafes still breaking water price law, October 11).
Every single coffee shop I know sells bottled water for more than the official price. Every single customer then should call the hotline every single time.
If the authorities just sent inspectors into the malls and started giving fines, that would be effective.
A Almuhairbi, Dubai
I paid Dh6 for a bottle of Aquafina in a mall restaurant in Abu Dhabi this week.
I asked the waitress if she knew it was illegal to charge that much for water. She said "I know" and nothing else.
But what else could she say? Restaurant owners will keep on overcharging for as long as they can get away with it.
So, what if people fill expensive restaurants at dinnertime and order only water? Then they will wait until the waiters and managers complain because people are not spending much money. At that point, perhaps, bottled-water prices will fall to the legal level.
Donald Glass, Abu Dhabi
Animals are lucky to have hospital
Thank you for the story Dozens of pets rescued at new shelter (October 8). I continue to be impressed with your articles advocating for defenceless animals.
Here in Oman, the plight of stray and mistreated animals has been left to a stalwart group of volunteers who work tirelessly to deal with the problems you describe. Perhaps the Omani technician in your article will return and help to establish an animal shelter as wonderful as the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital?
Dian L Buck, Oman
Finding superbug is not shameful
Your story Indian health chiefs admit superbug is in hospitals (October 11) confirms what many already knew.
But resistant bacteria are inevitable, and hospital officials should feel no shame about them.
They are however a very serious problem, and will keep getting worse until we make new breakthroughs in antibiotics and end the practice of prescribing antibiotics so quickly and easily.
EJ Francoeur, Abu Dhabi
Why must we pay more for video?
This is about the report Video calls coming, at a price (October 10).
I'm paying over Dh700 fixed per month for my 3G and eLife connections. So why should I pay extra for technology that is available free-of-charge to the rest of the world?
Nicolas Dumont, Dubai
To stop piracy, first help Somalia
I refer to your article A daughter's desperate wait (October 10).
I feel devastated every time I hear of people, whether they are adventurers or simple sailors, hijacked by Somali pirates.
There have been spectacular rescue stories but those are quite rare, unfortunately.
I believe that an effective government, and employment opportunities for Somali people, would reduce piracy.
Gaye Caglayan, Dubai
Mental illness needs attention
I agree with the argument in the column Attentive study of risk factors can prevent many suicides (October 10).
Specialists should address mental illness in this way. But unfortunately mental illness gets too little attention. I am sure insurance companies would like this to continue.
Reuben Smile, Dubai
School system needs to improve
Your story Education chiefs consider cutting compulsory subjects (October 5) makes me want to say a consultant was not needed to come to the conclusion that change is needed.
Many studies over the years have found problems in government schools but the majority of the suggestions made never saw the light of day.
I have personally experienced educational systems abroad and here in the UAE. No system is perfect but ours still has a long way to go before it even gets close to being perfect.
Ahmed Al Hashemi, Abu Dhabi
The problem with having so many compulsory subjects in the classroom is that when we say that almost everything is important, this has the perverse effect of sending the signal that nothing is really important.
As your story of October 5 reported, "Grade 10 pupils currently must take Islamic education, Arabic, English, mathematics, history, geography, physics, chemistry, biology, geology, information technology, civic education and physical education."
We can argue about what matters and what doesn't, but the final list of truly vital "core" subjects needs to be short.
Eddie Pfister, Abu Dhabi