My family attended the Science Festival at the Abu Dhabi Exhibition Centre on the weekend (The scientist forever blowing bubbles, November 24).
The large crowds showed how much demand there is for this kind of programming and the eager faces of the children in the workshop sessions showed how avid children can be to learn.
My husband and I liked the way the workshops were set up, with low walls around the areas so that we could watch our children learning.
It would be nice if programmes of this sort were available year-round, and especially in the summer when there is so little else to do.
Our only complaint was that admission was a real bottleneck; making kids wait in line for 40 minutes is a real challenge.
Joelle Raynor, Abu Dhabi
Stop littering in picnic area
How good to see the Abu Dhabi authorities clamping down on the throwing of trash in public (Municipality to put lid on litterbugs, November 27).
It is a pity the same could not be done for the Emirates Road (E111) between Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah. On a Thursday and Friday evening this beautiful stretch of road is a popular location for many local families who use the roadside as a picnic area.
Sadly, the following days reveal a disgraceful amount of rubbish left behind. The presence of litter bins does not seem to encourage a tidy-up.
This motorway is the main tourist route for entry and exit to the Northern Emirates. What a poor first (and last) impression these visitors must have. Such a shame.
RP, Ras Al Khaimah
It's easy to be better than men
I was impressed with the assertion that women "must beat men at their own game" to succeed in business (Women work hard to carve out their careers, November 25.)
I think this is still, sadly, all too true. The statement reminded me of a saying, famous in my homeland Canada, by the late Charlotte Whitton, a noted feminist who served as mayor of the capital city, Ottawa: "Whatever women do, they have to do it twice as well as men to be considered equal. Luckily, this is not difficult."
Susan Stanway, Abu Dhabi
Why argue about who wrote plays?
I am struck by the utter triviality of the long-winded debate about who wrote Shakespeare's plays ('Anonymous' must be more informed, November 27, and other letters).
Unless some astounding proof is discovered, we'll never know the truth of any of this, so why devote mental energy and newspaper space to it?
John Manallace, Dubai
Euro's doom would be ominous
If the euro really is doomed, as various experts suggest in Markets on euro death watch (November 26) the results will be bad politically as well as economically.
Since the Second World War, European integration has been advancing steadily, and the result has been peace and prosperity.
But now, because you can't really have a single currency unless policy on budgets is also unified, the wheels have fallen off. A reversal of the trend toward integration will mean more xenophobia, bigger military budgets, and then what?
Daoud Faraj, Dubai
Eco-labels won't protect hammour
Sorry, but contrary to the claim in your story Eco-label 'answer to fish plight' (November 27) the reality is that eco-labelling won't do much good.
Labels saying "please don't buy this fish because the species is being overfished" may convince a few wealthy "limousine liberals" to change their shopping behaviour, but I defy supporters to name any case anywhere on Earth where such a campaign has reduced demand.
As examples around the world have shown, half-measures about fisheries protection is a recipe for the collapse of fish stocks. The only way to preserve the hammour fishery is to ban commercial fishing right now, and then work hard to enforce the ban.
Lawrence Tamen, UK
Egypt's troubles are far from over
The news report Egypt may face 'revolution of the hungry' (November 27) revealed some of the real problems the country faces, problems which will get worse before they get better. Beyond the niceties of democracy vs military rule, there is the pressing reality that people need jobs and food, and Egypt's economy is a mess.
Hamed Nader, Abu Dhabi
