It is amazing how, very often, people knock on the door to sell certain items for charity, saying they are the "last few" being sold on "the last day". Sure enough, this happens on different days, in different localities, with the selfsame charities being the benefactors. Word gets around, so no wonder some people tend not to support certain concerns.

Explosive

It is now par for the course for people to purchase their gas cylinders from places where distributors' trucks are parked, rather than waiting for the door-to-door delivery persons, the timetables of whom may not be compatible with consumers'. However, this raises a couple of questions: Does the amount of gas in the cylinders decrease if they have been exposed to the sun's heat for a long time? Is it dangerous to carry tanks in an enclosed boot of a car, rather than on the back seat, if this happens to be occupied by passengers?

Bookworms

The feedback from the Book Fair indicates that when and where books are available, people would want to read them. Bringing up a generation of children who read tangible books rather than their PDF versions is furthered by visits to the library. Why is it, then, that some teachers are reluctant to avail themselves of visits to branch libraries during breaks, even when they are on the same premises as their classrooms? It would be a fine thing were mobile libraries introduced on the lines of the mobile post office and blood bank.

Exposed

Every so often, gangs of workmen turn up with aggregate and tarmac in order to patch roads indicated as "not bad enough to need re-surfacing". Before the rains start, this patching would have already worn loose and by the time winter rolls around, the potholes become worse than they ever were. This is an apt illustration of "penny wise, pound foolish", where it comes to expenditure by local councils.

Rubbish

Attached to several places next to skips is the notice indicating that they are for domestic refuse only. Why is it, then, that residents barely find a place for one tiny plastic bag of garbage because all the rest is taken to bring-in sites or is put out for the grey-bag collection? It is obvious that restaurants, car dealers and other establishments are making use of these skips, especially on weekends.

Lessons

Students who attend the Junior College sometimes find that it is not worth taking two buses or await the circular route bus to go home. So if they live in Msida, Birkirkara, Ħamrun or in other towns and villages in the area they tend to walk home. Could the Public Transport Authority not do anything about it?

Wasted

Another rainy season is here and thousands of gallons of rainwater are seen gurgling their way to the sea, not only because drains and gutters have not been cleared properly of debris but also because water catchment plans are way behind schedule. This is indeed a great pity on both counts: a lack of civic pride and a dearth of environmentally-friendly measures.

Retailing

Shops that have been closed for years in Merchants Street, Valletta, are seen to be opening for business again, albeit sometimes in different trades. This is happening on either side of the clutch of Monti stalls, which remained bottlenecked within what is probably the narrowest area of the street. Has anyone bothered to take a census to see how this is affecting their business, rather than solely blowing the trumpets about the former issue?

Overlooked

On Sunday last, in the morning, at least four policemen were seen booking the driver of a white car at the Fleur-de-Lys roundabout. Meanwhile, passers by could see motorists driving by with cellular phones glued to their ears and seat-belts undone. Not one of these officers even noticed these infringements.

Boxed

Medical students have been asking for lockers to be installed at the Medical School at Mater Dei Hospital ever since the migration was being planned, let alone actuated. A year and a half down the line, these pleas have not yet been met. With corridors being the length they are, and the size of the hospital being what it is, students have to lug their belongings about with them. This could easily lead to cross-contamination, apart from the fact that the situation is not doing the students' backs any favours.

Pedestrians

Another sign of goodwill to the medical staff - and the public too - would have been a zebra-crossing installed across the four lanes of traffic near the University bus terminus to allow for safe crossing at all times. A request for this was turned down by the Precincts Office at the University on grounds that the terminus placement would not allow the space for said instalment. Furthermore, it was stated, the presence of a zebra-crossing would "obstruct the flow of traffic". Exactly.

Rehearsals

Christmas is approaching, and many schools are preparing plays and other entertainment for Christmas concerts. Sometimes, parents find it hard to spend money on a costume that cannot later be adapted for use as street wear. Moreover, they may be reluctant to indicate this to their children's teachers or to the school administration. A little foresight and empathy are needed here.

Yellow

The yellow lines in St Anne Street, Floriana, were recently repainted, but to no avail. Motorists are still parking their cars along the forbidden route not for just a quick errand but for long stretches of time. Enforcement, please!

Wasteful

The Prime Minister was quoted by The Times as stating that there was no way he would accept a situation that allowed people to continue wasting energy: "We need to eliminate waste and incentivise those who opt for alternative energy". People, on the other hand, are saying that the government should be the first to give the example. Why should monuments, empty public gardens, churches, government buildings etc remain lit till late at night?

Flashy

In the same vein it ought to be pointed out that, now that Christmas is fast approaching street decorations will be put up by many to express their joy on the anniversary of the birthday of the Lord Jesus Christ who was born in the poor circumstances of Bethlehem. So in this spirit there is absolutely no need to keep external decorations on when the majority of the population is fast asleep. Money saved could be directed to many charitable causes.