Something should be done about the state of the basketball courts at the University Campus. First of all, the rims are shoddy and not fit for play. Secondly, the mesh fence has been torn down and has just been left lying where it is, rusty and an obvious danger to all who use the courts.

It has become practice for vehicles to go right down to the beach front when barbecues are on the go. One typical example is Fra Ben in Qawra. If one heads down there at about 6pm, one will be greeted by pick-up trucks galore almost all the way down to the water’s edge. Is this legal?

On the same issue of barbecues – if we are not mistaken, events like these for more than 10 people require a permit. Well, does this permit include a licence to take over with six-foot high speakers, a DJ, a volleyball court, generators and such? We think not. An urgent rethink is needed.

Language students – what a mess they make. The authorities seem to turn a blind eye to their antics, especially in the Paceville area. One wonders what might happen to a Maltese teenager if he was involved in the following sequence of events: Got drunk, got into a fight, exposed himself in public, urinated in someone’s front garden, then proceeded to throw up the entire contents of his stomach, only to slump into a sodden heap on someone’s doorstep. This is not fiction; it is what happens every weekend with foreign students. Urgent, and we mean urgent, action is required.

Why is it that any time one heads for Malta International Airport, one of the automated ticket payment machines is out of order? Check for yourself – you’ll be lucky to find one working machine.

The local television stations are already airing advertisements for Christmas this and Christmas that. OK, some people do like to plan early, but it’s still August – summer! – for goodness’ sake.

Can someone please explain how come a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice costs Lm1.20? One reader called in with this info. You could buy a whole crate of oranges for that price. Daylight robbery is what that is called.

Here’s one for the property people. Prospective house buyers go to an estate agent’s with a budget. It is already hard enough to get that budget together, so why, for example if a person tells them they can afford Lm50k, do estate agents insist on showing a place that costs Lm60k? It’s a waste of everyone’s time.