Your Letters
15:39 UK time, Tuesday, 16 September 2008
Re. Mondays Paper Monitor. The Times has got it all wrong as they obviously can't tell the difference between a spirit orb and the reflection of the camera flash in the background.
Orbs actually look more like bubbles and appear lots on pictures of my house for some reason.
Rosy, Bolton, England
Not only can you now be fined for , it's also worth noting that it's also illegal to be drunk in a licensed premises in Ireland (Intoxicating Liquor Act 2003-2008). Looks like now the only option is to get drunk at home or work. Although I don't think my boss would be too happy about that.
Anthony Finucane, Dublin, Ireland
To answer Jinja from Edinburgh, it's almost impossible to design a comprehensive list of what constitutes an emergency worthy of calling 999. However, if you see a potentially violent and/or dangerous and/or destructive crime being committed, if you see someone injured or in danger of being injured or you see something on fire, call 999. On the other hand, if you've forgotten what time Strictly Come Dancing is on or you've been mis-sold something you saw advertised in your local paper, don't. Use the internet to get the information/advice you need. The emergency services are a limited resource and none of us can afford to have this precious resource wasted on such frivolous requests.
PS, Newcastle, England
Jinja from Edinburgh, stories about non-emergency calls to 999 do not serve to raise unnecessary doubt but hopefully to educate people, whom (like yourself) appear to be unaware of what constitutes an emergency. With regard to your example of the burgled pet shop, given the police's limited resources, they do not attend burglaries as an emergency unless the burglars have been spotted at or near the scene of the crime at the of the call.
CS, Manchester, England
Is it possible for naturists to be out-of-pocket due to the credit crunch?
Nigel Macarthur, London, England
An unfortunate case of nominative determinism in the case of the .
Alex Kennett, Bath
The 
