Your article, Brangelina's very public affair (February 13), makes certain assumptions and states them as fact, which renders your conclusions fallacious. There may be some people who still mistake the wholesome character Jennifer Aniston played in Friends for that of the real life actress, but they are small in number and shrinking.
In the years since her divorce she has shown herself to be bitter, selfish, and self-centered. She has been unable to attract and hold on to any other person of note since Brad Pitt. Rumours that Brad and Angelina were having an affair started almost as soon as Mr and Mrs Smith began filming, fed in part by the months Brad and Jennifer seemed content to spend apart and by their own public statements. Jennifer neglected to mention Brad when she accepted a Golden Globe and Brad said in interviews that he did not believe marriage was forever. But in fact, Brad and Angelina did not start dating until after Brad's separation so the denials about their relationship were accurate.
Most people more discerning than the tabloid reading public. But even tabloid readers, most can differentiate between the fairy tales peddled by the bottom feeder tabs and the more accurate reporting.
The popularity of Brad and Angelina can be seen from the way they are mobbed in all of their public appearances, and the box office success of the movies they headline. In contrast, when was the last time the allegedly popular Jennifer Aniston was similarly mobbed? Where were her legions of fans when two of the worst performing movies last year were hers (Love Happens and Management)?
Name withheld by request
If the judicial system in Dubai used the English language then the need for courts reform may not be immediate, Dubai mulls extending power of DIFC courts (February 12). Statutes are not up to date. Law should take into account the intent, not just the action. In the UAE, it only does the former.
Without taking into account intent, it is bound to falter and fail to deliver judgments that are in keeping with the times. We belong to the 21st century. If UAE wants to march along with the comity of nations, then it should aim for change, which certainly would be for the better than it is now.
Expatriates account for 80 per cent of the population and do not know the local language. It is just not acceptable that the official language can only be the local language.
Dr K B Vijayakumar PhD, Dubai
Foreign languages, including English, should be used in the judicial system to accommodate other nationalities, but English should not be an official language. The main language in the region is Arabic, and although 80 per cent of the population is expatriate, many of them are from Arab countries and, most importantly, the people of the UAE are Arabs.
Being in sync with "civilised" society does not mean pursuing the same laws as the US or the UK. We have to realise that every country has its own culture and identity, which distinguishes it from others. Each needs its own tools to work.
There are huge differences between western and eastern societies, therefore each needs to have its own identity and laws that are most appropriate.
As a UAE citizen, I do not think that the UAE should be required to "march along" with the comity of nations. The UAE has developed at a rapid pace, and, yes, there are many areas that need drastic improvement. However, change should not be limited to adopting the improvements of others.
Change is good and needed, but not in the sense of "copying" what other countries have done. I think we should learn from their experiences, and create our own system.
Hareth al Hashemi, Abu Dhabi
Regarding Hissa al Dhaheri's column, If a woman can't lift a box, is it purely academic? (February 12), perhaps the female "emancipation" aspect of measuring the development of a society is the freedom to choose and become who you want to be. Some may want to be traditional, some may want to be liberal. Maybe emancipation is when a society allows individuals to live the way they want to live.
Frando Sarmiento, Dubai
Most of the flights leaving for the subcontinent depart late at night and from the old terminal in Abu Dhabi. As a result, there is a huge rush, especially on weekends. Adding to this hassle, the queue for baggage scanning can accommodate only about 10 passengers with their trolley inside the terminal at a time, leaving most outside in the cold. The problem could be avoided by moving the scanning machines to accommodate longer queues. Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi
