Regarding your story Fresh veg, no digging required (June 25), I have actually spoken to Dan Frawley as I've been thinking of setting up my own system. The hardest part is finding the parts and pieces to make it happen and then having a place to put it. Now that I'm in a villa, I'm on my way and hope to have a system up and running by the end of the year. The one thing I'm looking for is an IBC container (a kind of shipping container for liquid goods).
Also, you might be interested to learn there is an aquaponics farm in Bani Yas, which is supposedly one of the largest in the world.
Don Glass, Dubai
We need to realise the value of women
I had just rested myself on the couch in front of the television after a tiring day when my phone started to ring. It was a call from my friend.
He started complaining how hot it was and how draining his day had been before I could say anything. He told me how fortunate I was to remain at home all day and not go to work.
I was not just upset with this remark but also angry. I wanted to tell him how busy I am. Being a woman is not easy.
Many people, especially men, often feel that women do too little work in comparison to the hard work they have to do to earn a living. This is not true, because women have to toil equally hard, even if many of them stay indoors.
While most jobs have fixed timings and offer compensation, women who stay at home work throughout the day, for which they are not remunerated. For any woman, the job of cooking and cleaning is the most rewarding and comforting feeling. It would be great if we learn to value women in our lives.
Fatima Suhail, Sharjah
Definition of success varies
The article Why we can cope without those material luxuries in the UAE (June 27) was interesting. The author rightly said that success is "whatever you decide it is". For some it's designer goods, luxury cars or apartments in the sky. For others, it's being able to make enough to be able to pay the bills, save a little for the future or just have a shelter. And for many here, being successful means making just enough to help their families back home. It depends on what one's priorities in life are. But if someone is unable to sleep at night while trying to figure out where the money is going to come from to meet those needs, then he should perhaps rethink them.
Majdel Musa, Dubai
Every person should prepare a budget. It is crucial to know where you are spending your money. People often have no idea where their money goes. When they view their bank statements, they are surprised. This shock sometimes prompts some people to change their spending habits.
While salaries are not increasing, the cost of living is rising. So we need to be realistic in setting our priorities and goals. Whether one can save money or not mostly depends on one’s lifestyle.
If one wants to fly out every two weeks and drive a luxury car, one can’t expect to save much, unless the income is solid. We should try to avoid temptations. Sometimes it can be hard, but it is a must if one wants to save money. Another important thing is that we should stop comparing ourselves with others. Everyone’s priorities are different and we should be proud of what we have.
Mathew Litty, Dubai
Interesting view on property
The article The returns on buy-to-let property 'no longer add up' (June 27) offers an interesting view on the global property boom. If property prices ease, so their yield or return on investment will increase, as long as the rent remains the same. If the two fall in tandem, only new entrants in the buy-to-let market will benefit from higher returns, while owners who have invested before the fall will see their average rate of return on investment fall.
This is not a Dubai-specific theory, and will happen the world over. Although the author states that rent controls, such as the Rera Rent Index, are not in everyone’s best interests, sometimes they are necessary to provide comfort to incumbent tenants.
Name withheld by request
