I am a black American teacher and my presence in the UAE has not only been educational for my students, but also for many adults.
I have had people say to me they didn't know black people lived in the United States.
Yes we do. There are black Americans all over the world working in professional, upper management areas and speaking different languages.
My experience in the UAE has been a pleasure and I am happy that I can show the Middle East that America is as diverse as the UAE.
A Williams, Dubai
Norwegians now have the full story
I am a Norwegian man, born in Abu Dhabi and a big fan of the UAE.
I was pleased to see that your editorial, Dubai sex case offers lessons both in the UAE and abroad (July 23), was written in the most professional, diplomatic and fair way.
The media in Norway are now making references to your article, so Norwegians are being told the complete story, not just the first one.
Name withheld by request
Ban on unwanted SMS ads welcome
I am writing regarding Etisalat and du get 3m requests to block ads (July 25).
Unwanted promotional advertisements sent to personal phones are a nuisance, and their banning is a welcome step.
The mobile phone operating and billing system also identifies the International Mobile Station Equipment Identity (IMEI) number of every mobile phone, making it is easy for the service provider to identify stolen phones.
Are the UAE service providers implementing these checks?
Also, what is the policy on the continued use of stolen mobile phones? Are service providers required to block them?
Do the providers take any proactive steps to report the continued use of a stolen phones to the police in order that the thief is located and dealt with by the courts?
Name withheld by request
It's very commendable that Etisalat and du have this service, but unfortunately it is flawed.
I have received a number of advertising text messages and when I have gone through the "block" procedure as detailed by Etisalat, I get a message back saying that "this number is already in your block list".
If so, I wouldn't have received it in the first place.
A Turnbull, Dubai
Medical inflation not sustainable
I am writing in reference to Daman shakes up policy structure (July 18).
Outpatient medical inflation has been running at an average of 26 per cent a year since 2007, according to Daman's data.
How is that sustainable when wages have, at best, been growing at a creep?
J Buckingham, Abu Dhabi
Video a matter for the courts
The incident described in Man held over road rage attack (July 17) seems to have made many people angry.
For justice to be served, it should be dealt with purely as a criminal case, irrespective of the nationalities of those involved.
Moiz SA, Dubai
US decision may set a precedent
The United States' move to arm Syrian rebels should be seen as the failure of diplomatic efforts to resolve a conflict that has already claimed thousands of lives (Obama ready to arm Syrian rebels, July 24).
The US decision to intervene in the sovereignty of another country may indirectly encourage militants in other parts of the world to fight against governments that are accepted by a majority of the local population.
The fact is that the US is yet to fully recover from the economic downturn, but it is prepared to spend a massive amount arming the Syrian rebels.
Meanwhile, the silence on the part of the United Nations is disappointing.
Ramachandran Nair, Oman
