On the Dot...

For the last month at least, there have been problems with skimmed milk packets. It is practically impossible to open them without either using a pair of scissors or a knife. The problem is not as bad with regular milk packets; however, these sometimes fail to cooperate, too.

Big Bang

At the unearthly hour of 5.45 a.m., most residents of the area of Ta' L-Ibrag road valley are often woken up by so-called "traditional" shotgun sounds, courtesy of hunters-cum-conservationists bagging a feather or two. This is probably something the temporary residents of the nearby hotel would not have bargained for.

Morning Jingle

A similar source of annoyance - though of a more permanent nature and closer to home, literally - are gas cylinder deliver trucks. Apart from the noise caused by the cylinders hitting each other as the truck negotiate the smooth (sic) roads, the deliverymen have made it a habit to hoot their super-loud horns, even as early as 7.30 a.m. in some areas.

Super Troopers

A supermarket and a department store are now added to the list of outlets that treat every customer as a potential shoplifter. Women are greeted by dour security personnel who indicate that handbags must be sealed in plastic before one may proceed to do one's shopping. Surely a CCTV system would be cheaper, and more user-friendly!

Helping Hands

In Aurora, Colorado, 50 homeowners who cannot afford to pay for necessary needed work on their houses will have that work done by volunteers from the City of Lights Workcamp. This consists of about 300 high school students and adults from all over the country (and Canada). The students have raised the funds to pay for materials, themselves, through various activities. Now there's an idea youth groups could emulate.

Bird Brains

Year after year, one reads reports of hawks, marsh harriers, swans, herons and hoopoes being killed, be they protected birds, or be it closed season. What makes this all the more galling is that, having been injured and therefore in pain, these birds are not collected and put out of their misery, but rather, left where they fall.

Due Credit

Air Malta was just been voted as the airline that has the least amount of baggage go astray. This bodes well for the national airline and should be yet another plus point in the marketing campaign, and included in both the MIA and the MTA websites.

One Way

Work on arterial roads always affects the traffic flow. Hence, the need for such jobs to be well-planned and completed as quickly as possible. Thus, one wonders why work on the Sta Venera tunnel is taking so long. It does not seem to take place 24/7. Why?

Street Life

A few misguided people still go around leaving margarine tubs full of gooey food for cats to eat. They believe they are doing the animals a favour, and exclaim in joy when, by morning, the containers are licked clean. What they do not realise is that rats could be the ones getting to the food.

Room Service

The Jerma Palace Hotel has closed down. The Excelsior is set to open its doors relatively soon. Now would it not have been a lovely idea for the administration of the latter to enter into an agreement with the management of the former in order to ascertain that at least a number of those who had become jobless would be re-employed forthwith?

Unsavoury Habits

Some students can be regularly seen throwing away packed lunches. They will not remain hungry, however; the myriad shops in the area see to that as do the school tuck shops that have shelves groaning with sugar- and salt-laden goods.

Light Work

It would be interesting to find out how many applications have been made for exemption from the electricity surcharge to date. In a tiny country such as ours, even one such plea is one too many. Those in such a dire financial state that they have to ask for this type of hand-out are, undoubtedly, also suffering in other areas of their life.

Front Runner

In Wisconsin, a sheriff wrote himself a traffic ticket after a minor accident, although a deputy and the local prosecutor said it was not necessary. Yet, Dennis Kocken decided otherwise, especially as he is supposed to be setting an example. One hopes this type of integrity will pervade all members of all police forces, and of the public service, across the world, including Malta.