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Dear Stan, I loved the fabulous photographs by Phil Weymouth of BIGC Photography that you published in GulfWeekly as part of your excellent coverage of Bahrain's first international air show, particularly the one in the centre pages. The jet appears to be racing through a hooped cloud - can you explain this phenomenon?

Jeff Ross,

Bahrain

Editor's note: When an aircraft breaks the sound barrier an incredible 'vapour cone' surrounds the aircraft. This effect is called Prandtl-Glauert singularity

(sometimes referred to as a

vapour cone), which is

the point at which

a sudden drop in air

pressure occurs, and is generally accepted as the cause of the visible condensation cloud that often surrounds an aircraft travelling at transonic speeds (moving at a speed within the range of change from subsonic to supersonic speed).

Not As Perfect

(Dedicted to my best friend

a.k.a. AAAQ)

You may not be as handsome as Kimi,

yet to me, you'll always be.

You may not be as sexy as Sami,

But, oh yes! You are to me.

And, like a little teapot, you may be short and stout.

Some may not imagine falling in love with anyone so stout.

But I really do love ... every square inch of you.

Ms W Mylf

by email

Dear Stan,

With reference to the story concerning schoolboy Adam Jones. Why would anyone sign any documentation without knowing and fully understanding all the stated clauses and agreements?

But, as a son of a British expatriate mother, who is also a Muslim, and of a Gulf national father I have a decent insight into both sides of the respective families' arguments.

If this does appear before an official of the UK Government I would implore them to investigate the nature of the circumstances under which Mrs Jones signed the documents and if there were any reasonable signs of duress or unfair pressure put on her, and under which legal system the contract is applicable to.

If Adam is a British citizen, he is certainly, as a minor, protected by British laws regarding post-divorce custody agreements.

Best of luck, however, to both the families and let's hope it is Adam who ultimately benefits from any agreement.

Tariq Abdulrahman,

By email

Dear Stan,

Regarding the case of schoolboy Adam Jones, a child deserves to be with his own biological mother as long as she is capable of caring for him and raising him in a safe environment.

No power on earth should then keep her from him.

Sarah Saleh,

By email

Dear Stan,

Winston Churchill was before his time in many ways but his statement that 'the motor vehicle will become the curse of the 20th Century' was truly prophetic.

While almost every country suffers from chronic traffic problems, the situation here in Bahrain seems, somehow, even worse.

The volume of cars that swarm like locusts is absolutely incredible. If you prefer to walk, then you will be in for a frustrating, rage-inducing time. With no escape, there are cars literally everywhere you go.

The other day, with great surprise, I found an empty stretch of pavement. Yet when I walked across it a huge SUV started to drive up and over the kerb seeing that space as a good place to park. When I stood there in disbelief the driver began to gesticulate angrily that I was in her way, while my response cannot be printed here.

Later, I was wandering in the beguiling souq and despaired when traffic came down those narrow streets, just wide enough to allow them access, honking their horns in agitation, fully expectant that the pedestrians would simply bow down and let them go by, backs to the wall. Pure ignorance doesn't describe it.

I had to laugh when I saw big posters put up by the Government proclaiming: 'Love Bahrain. Make the environment cleaner' above a photo of a smiling, healthy young girl. Yes Minister, I thought, and begin by putting a ban on the infernal, pestilent motor vehicle.

The city of Manama and the country as a whole are so tiny that, if allowed, you could easily walk round it in a few days. Why not make Bahrain vehicle free? Become a world leader in environment friendliness? Introduce a green-powered public transport system? And, make a name for yourselves.

Those tourists who baulked at the howling throng of taxi drivers had the right idea when they turned round and got back on the ship, and if you see a man in the street cursing cars, sometimes thrashing them with a copy of this newspaper, then that man is me.

Andrew Parker,

By email

Dear Stan,

Thank you very much for Anasuya Kesavan's informative and interesting series of articles in GulfWeekly, issue January 20-26.

I am envious, too, of the privilege she had in interacting with Prof. Muhammad Yunus. When the majority of us are sighing about the so-called recession, here is a humble man who transformed lives and is empowering people to achieve a source of better living.

Naina Devadas,

Bahrain