• The area in front of Block C Binja Kordin, Pjazza Sant’Antnin and around the other blocks in Paola has been turned into a dumping area. Two mattresses (pictured) were thrown there more than a fortnight ago. The local council should see to it that such dumping is not allowed to continue and also issue severe warnings to residents not to place their rubbish bags outside the indicated hours.

Dreary

• There is one big rubbish dump in Triq it-3 ta’ Settembru, 1798, in the general area of the Mrieħel industrial estate. This is ironic because it is situated only a few metres away from the bulky refuse site.

Doings

• It is good to note that a suggestion made several times in these columns is set to be actuated. Equipment discarded by the original owners that can be reconditioned will now not be cast off into a dumping site but will be reconditioned and recycled. The next step is to allow people to avail themselves of parts that would otherwise be expensive or unavailable to mend their own appliances.

Dismal

• Why is it that Triq it-Territorials, Mrieħel, in the section where it meets the bypass, is still in such a decrepit state? Car owners, for lack of space, park their vehicles every which way, even on heaps of aggregate, with one side listing much higher than the other. Surely this is doing the engines no good.

Disrespect

• One would expect representatives of cultural entities in the media to have at least a working knowledge of Maltese. One such young lady was recently heard to say that children of il-ħamest is-snin could join their group. This is ridiculous, especially when one considers that Maltese is this person’s first language.

Dingy

• One of the two buildings that tourists come across at the very top of Merchants Street, Valletta, is the Ministry of Tourism. So it is ironic that the “Malta” logo flag that flaps dismally at the entrance is allowed to get so dingy before anyone thinks of washing it. This is a pedestrian zone for most of the time and, thus, pollution from diesel fumes cannot be the real culprit.

Derision

• It is amazing how the number of people who are arguing that personal views ought to be left out of politics then go ahead and tell us that everyone should be liberal… like them. Are they not trying to impose their views on others by doing so?

Decision

• A lot of fuss used to be made about how fields in Għajnsielem were being turned into a replica of Bethlehem, how the Magi ostensibly travelled in a luzzu and on horseback, and so on. Now we are being told that “because of logistical problems”, the fifth edition of this prestigious event has been cancelled. One hopes that Fondazzjoni Betleħem f’Għajnsielem can sort out the problem/s and that all would cooperate.

Directions

• More than a year after the introduction of Arriva and some buses still indicate Chinese destinations in the interior character generator. Surely this is not a sign of efficiency. People who are not familiar with the routes they are using have to keep asking at which stop they are supposed to alight.

Dodgy

• Why is it that some people treat their dogs as designer accessories rather than pets? The dog park at Ta’ Qali is a mecca for these show-offs who vaunt their pets and literally make them jump through hoops in order to show other owners what clever, agile, obedient animals they have. This, alas, results in dogs being uncomfortable and owners making fools of themselves.

Descent

• Much ado has been made about different clips indicating abuse being carried out by teachers, in class and in public places, on children in their care in foreign countries. This once again raises the question whether it would be an invasion of the children’s and teachers’ privacy were CCTV cameras to be installed in classrooms to avoid even the possibility of wrongdoing or accusations thereof.

Development

• It is a foregone conclusion that the Ħondoq ir-Rummien/Qala Creek saga is still set to run for a long time. Now that a “mere” swimming lagoon has been proposed, one has to ask what is wrong with a natural bay and a pie-in-the-sky nature park. The only bright spot in this scenario is that with all the Mepa refusals and the developers’ appeals, the public will be able to enjoy the beautiful beach at least until next summer, when the hullaballoo will begin again.