On October 13, a retaining wall collapsed in that part of Swieqi overlooking Mensija Street, St Julians. This has been happening ever since the development of Josef Kalleja Street. Probably, the civil engineers responsible for the design did not take into account the mass of water that would cause the soil to become waterlogged and press against the barrier.

Cat's Cradle

Nasty people think they can commit heinous acts of animal cruelty with impunity. The latest case involves the poisoning of 12 neutered or spayed cats, all in perfect health, which used to roam around the Casa Antonia area in Attard. Feeders kept the area immaculately clean, yet they were faced with white powder floating in the water bowls and tainting the uneaten food. This is indeed a shame. Perpetrators must never again get away with a slap on the wrist when caught.

Way Off

The people who used the footpaths along Ibrag Road in Swieqi are astonished to find that they have disappeared, either because they have been built upon or because overgrown trees have encroached on them. They are wondering whether Mepa officials could give a reasonable explanation for this. The area by Mekkek Bar, near the entrance to Victoria gardens, is one open litter bin. Moreover, students can be seen walking down from Halland Hotel along the busy road.

Separate Waste

Retired journalist John Richards of Boston, Lincolnshire, was fined £75 for "flytipping", when all he did was place his domestic rubbish in a public litter bin. He was identified through an envelope addressed to him, among the litter. One wonders how much money local councils would rake in if they identified people who were throwing all manner of rubbish into skips.

Rubbish Mound

An art installation in the making, made from junk-mail hand-delivered since January, stands in the garden of Anne Cophen, in Fenham. With two more months to go until the end of the year, it already tops five feet in height. Undoubtedly, any Maltese person who tries to do the same thing will get similar results. The problem is doubled locally, because these items are left even where it is evident that the residence is empty. Is this against the Litter Act?

Blurred Vision

The monitors installed on buses still do not "inform and entertain" passengers as they have been meant to do. The picture quality is not sharp and the sound is somewhere between a whisper and a mumble. The same thing may be said of the monitors at branches of one commercial bank.

Gravity Force

This column has several times pointed out the dire need to clean and clear all the culverts in Valletta before the rains start. It is patently obvious to everyone except the incumbents of the local council that, since this city is built on a hill, gravity forces water down, and the people in the lower regions suffer the brunt of the sludge and garbage that is washed down in the downfalls when the drags, being blocked, cannot cope. How long is it since anyone actually checked the labyrinthine drainage system beneath the city itself?

Food Chain

In Britain, Jamie Oliver devised a new plan for school lunches. Prue Leith suggests children are locked inside schools during breaks to make them eat healthily, rather than having access to shops. Here, the Institute for Tourism Studies, in conjunction with APS Consulta and the Education Division have just launched Help (Healthy Eating Lifestyle Plan). Yet, the fact remains that, somehow or other, school yard bins are still overflowing with savoury snack packets and sweets wrappers. There must be a missing link, somewhere.

Sporting Chances

Well-deserved congratulations go to Danica Spiteri, first home in the women's triathlon held in Cyprus, in her best time yet of two hours 25 minutes. To be praised also are the members of the Maltese contingent who took part in the Special Olympics, the World Summer Games held in Shanghai, China. The 19 athletes won a grand total of 33 medals, making this one of the best results of all participating countries.

onthedot@timesofmalta.com