What fairytale offers the best lesson and why?
I think that Hans Christian Andersen’s The Emperor’s New Clothes must be a strong contender, with its satirical statement on society’s willingness to accept and bow to authority and on the hubris high office can impart.
Terence Rowell, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
• Hansel and Gretel, because there is always someone in the global economy ready to eat you up.
Philip Stigger, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
• Humpty Dumpty. This fairytale tells us that horses are no good at putting broken eggs back together.
Bill Hughes, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
• Goldilocks and the “just right” solution to choosing.
Pat Phillips, Adelaide, South Australia
• Little Red Riding Hood, who learnt that not all people are as nice as they appear.
Gillian Shenfield, Sydney, Australia
• Cinderella – if you’re ugly, forget it. The essence of celebrity culture.
Thomas Smith, Saint Louis, France
• Snow White, for the simple truth that lies in the mirror.
R De Braganza, Kilifi, Kenya
• Snow White. If you have seven very short men living under one roof, one is bound to be Grumpy.
Sunil Bajaria, Bromley, UK
• None offers a worthwhile lesson; I find most rather Grimm.
Jim Dewar, Gosford, NSW, Australia
It all depends where they are
Why are dimples seen as attractive?
Perhaps it’s because dimples are ephemeral – like clouds, butterflies, laughter and youth.
Donna Samoyloff, Toronto, Canada
• Dimples in cheeks? They are cute and make us think of babies and small children, therefore appealing. Dimples in the fat of adults? Definitely a bad look and not attractive at all!
Margaret Wilkes, Perth, Western Australia
• Dimples are certainly cuter than pimples.
David Isaacs, Sydney, Australia
• Those blessed with cheek dimples smile three smiles.
David Tucker, Halle, Germany
• Haig’s 12-Year-Old Dimple Scotch Whisky is not as desirable as the 15-Year-Old product, but is more attractively priced.
Lawrie Bradly, Surrey Hills, Victoria, Australia
Germans start out kinder
Do we have an inclination to be kind?
It helps me to get a better night’s sleep if I have been kind to someone during the day. Anger can be the equivalent of five mugs of coffee before I crawl into bed.
Doreen Forney, Pownal, Vermont, US
• There is a fundamental humanity about mankind, but the Germanic peoples have the distinct advantage of starting out as kinder.
Anthony Walter, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
• Of course we do; it’s only the other people who clearly don’t!
Joan Dawson, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
It’s best to keep it simple
What is the best, cheapest vacation?
A broken Wi-Fi connection.
Stuart Williams, Kampala, Uganda
• Armchair travelling.
John Ryder, Kyoto, Japan
• Take a break, buy a deck chair and enjoy being at home ...
Zoé Delmaire, Wimille, France
Any answers?
What, apart from champagne, is overrated?
E Slack, L’Isle Jourdain, France
Is there actually closure in anything?
R M Fransson, Wheat Ridge, Colorado, US
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