On the Dot...

People had the choice of whether or not to leave their Yellow Pages out for collection and subsequent recycling, thanks to flyers given out before the new editions were delivered. This was not the case with the Business Directories, however, which were given out without prior notice. One wonders how many of the old issues ended up in garbage bags and in recycling bins.

Bread Crumbs

Is not the net weight of a Maltese loaf specified at law, where it comes to price per kilogramme, when the bread is not sold sliced and packaged? Are there laws that apply to fancy breads? Some bakers sell small bread for the price of a large loaf. A small sliced loaf is sold for 23c (€0.54). Would somebody in authority carry out random checks, please?

Two's Company

What this column had suggested, in connection with holding separate festivals to celebrate bread, and wine, at Qormi, was that it was impractical, to say the least, when (i) both items marry so well together, (ii) they were held in the same town and (iii) on the same long weekend and (iv) would have lent an air of festivity across the whole area, rather than half of it one day and the other half during the following two.

Bus Loads

Another scholastic year has begun and, alas, a dearth of common sense has again created the usual problems through sheer lack of co-ordination. A huge, monstrous crane selfishly and unprofessionally straddles the main road and front entrance to Stella Maris College, Gzira. It is creating daily morning mayhem, traffic jams and, above all, unparalleled danger to life and limb of college students there.

Light Yearns

Some streets have too many street lamps, such that people write to complain about the light pollution and energy expenditure obtaining. Others, such as the one leading down from Targa Gap to Burmarrad, and the one from Attard to Ta' Qali, are badly lit, such that in the case of a traffic accident, a pile-up could well result, because of the darkness. Some of the lamps that were meant to indicate trenching road works, moreover, were not working.

High Hopes

It could well be that Tal-Blata l-Gholja in the limits of Mosta obtains its name from the stretch of high waste ground in front of the housing estate. Whatever the case, the area could have been turned, long ago into a nice common or play area for the children on the estate; a safe, clean, place somewhat near to their residences and an oasis for the elderly with time on their hands.

Wheelie Bad

The cycling path between the Phoenicia Hotel and the entrance to the city is no longer available to cyclists. The signs are still there but the entire path has been illegally taken over by various sales outlets that dump their goods, chairs, tables and beverage crates right onto the said path. Thus, the path is accessible to neither cyclists nor pedestrians.

Papering Over

Too many companies rely on posting flyers and catalogues in order to advertise their goods and services. Some of the people employed to deliver them do not care for post-boxes and throw the literature onto front gardens. This means that before they are collected, they may get tossed about by the wind, or torn by stray animals.

Cold Callers

Another annoying practice is cold-calling potential customers, where people are asked seemingly innocuous questions with a view to having them subscribe to particular financial schemes, or other enterprises. There is one easy way to get fewer and fewer of these telemarketing calls: Asking the caller to "hold the line" and then simply walking away and hanging up after five minutes, unless the caller would have lost hope before and hung up himself.

Water Everywhere

The government expressed the intention of building a huge underground reservoir to save rain water. This is an excellent idea - but it would be even better to make sure that all the extant reservoirs are caulked and in working order before undertaking it. A case in point is the abandoned 19th-century cistern sited to the right of the back door of the Maria Addolorata Cemetery. At one time this was used to garner water for the trees; it is now merely a recipient for tonnes of debris and parched trees pay testament to this.

Smoke Alarm

Graphic pictures of tumours and diseased organs are to be placed on cigarette packs to deter smokers from their vice, in Britain. These would be accompanied by 14 different health warnings, covering issues from infertility to cancer. One wonders whether this step will be followed locally, where smoking, to some, still appears to be a glamorous occupation.