Xarabank of course. There I was wondering why this blog had gone suddenly quiet then I remembered that even the mother of blogs (during elections of course) cannot compete with WE and Peppi. Who’s on tonight? I’ve got one last night in Oz before we head out for the nine hour drive back to Luxembourg. Sorry guys I’ve sent no postcards back but I DID send a sweet sms postcard to a few. Preferential treatment and all that.
I am trying to zoom through the news I have been missing. Gonzi seems to be telling Sant not to fiddle with the kids’ education: Hey Freddie Leave those Kids alone. Easy one that. So the reception class idea is definitely ditched. No discussion. No argument. Another sacrificial lamb on the altar of electoral expediency. I still have no idea whether it is a good or bad idea but I never will because the issue is secondary to the PN GOOD, LABOUR BAD equation. More black and white for a colourless future.
Many people have visited the blog and commented over the past weeks. I have not had much time to remind people of the J’accuse agenda. I have not had time to correct the perception that this is some Alternattiva platform of some sort. The agenda here is the future. It goes beyond the 8th of March and the foregone conlcusions of the nth election in the sign of MLPN. The agenda asks a question: Who wants to think about the future? Who wants to join the bandwagon for real change? This kind of question has no colour. It is not green, blue or red. It is an appeal to those who like me have seen that the current path in politics is getting us nowhere.
You try to avoid the tit-for-tat arguments that we have been used to. Sometimes you get dragged into their style of argument – it may be because we are hot blooded and we would still love to have the last word. Sometimes, as in the feminism comment, it is just a trap laid out to see who will bite… and prove my point. Whoever agrees with the J’accuse agenda agrees that old style politics will not work. We are aware of having to vote an old style political party into government for the safety of all the married mummies and daddies who are too weary to fight for a better future and prefer the tried and tested mediocrity than a new challenge. It’s time for the Kinnie Generation to take up the baton of change. It is after this election that we will be called to action. Those among us who will stand up and be counted will continue to voice their concern, suggest alternatives and push for reform.
Because equilibrium is good because it gives you stability but the beautiful thing about equilibrium is that it takes just one little push to bring about total change.
j'accuse 
Copy of a comment left on the Times (under Lou Bondi’s letter of Friday 21st). Just in case it is not published.
1. To begin with. No incident of intimidation, aggression or attack on any journalist can be condoned.
2. The MLPN media crowd have long played the “provoke and expect a savage reply” game. We are supposed to either clap hands at journalistic bravado or condemn the idiots who fall for the trap and react violently.
3. Sadly real journalism is scarce and hard to find. Instead we have different games of entrapment which only leads to political interviewees developing Sudden Mutism when faced with what could possibly be an intelligent question (I did say possibly).
4. Once again this is a result of black or white politics. Nobody will agree with a bomb threat. Anybody in their right mind would condemn them. Like they would condemn the attacks on Simone Cini at PN mass meetings a few years back.
5. The real losers are the real journalists and the people. The first for the stain on their profession being brought on by these mercenaries of cheap political propaganda and the latter for having to witness the whole charade.
6. Funny how a letter about the inaction of the Journalists Committee (and I agree with the gist of Lou’s letter) ends up in a condemnation of all that is green. Since when does Raphael Vassallo represent the greens Daphne? Are they becoming such a big threat?
Jiena hawn siehbi.
Mhux se nabbandunak.
Sandro
MLPN so called journalists provoking rival party supporters.
MLPN make-believe TV channels radiantly viewing scenes of opposing fans with the sole intent of degenerating and humiliating them.
MLPN phoney reporters physically assaulting each other while holding the bloody microphones and engaging in a sort of fight/interview to be aired during the evening news.
MLPN sickening secretary generals issuing press releases urging their supporters to remain calm and not to fall prey to provocation.
What a desperately pathetic country this is.
“I have not had much time to remind people of the J’accuse agenda. ..The agenda asks a question: Who wants to think about the future? Who wants to join the bandwagon for real change? …It is an appeal to those who like me have seen that the current path in politics is getting us nowhere….Because equilibrium is good because it gives you stability but the beautiful thing about equilibrium is that it takes just one little push to bring about total change.”
Please come and save us. Yaq. How pretentious can you get?
This started out as a relatively fresh nice blog. Now it’s just as self-important and puffed up as the old media it was supposed to represent a change from. Back to the newspaper for me!
Jacques, I woudn’t have expectesd you, of all people, to fall for Bondis tricks.
It has become a habit for Lou Bondi (The Times, 22/2/2008) to play the martyr during the election campaign. He complains loudly that he is not being treated fairly, then quotes himself in his own programme as proof that the MLP discriminates against him. He says he does not have time to ask all the questions he has. He rants and stamps his little feet and, this time around, even claims he was attacked with an umbrella as if, for all the world, Mary Poppins or Mrs Gamp are Labour candidates.
PS: Bomb threat? What bomb threat?
What a laugh!
“He complains loudly that he is not being treated fairly, then quotes himself in his own programme” – sur Laiviera, tahseb li hu ekwivalenti ta li titkellem wahdek?
You are really the pits, Victor, and maybe that’s why you’ve never been able to see anything wrong with Labour, and voted for that catastrophic, corrupt and violent mess in 1987. Unbelievable. What are you doing in this blog? The rest of us may have differing political opinions, but at least we’re basically decent people. Can’t you see that you’re the odd one out, derailing any debate that tries to take place?
Bomb threat what bomb threat, indeed. I suppose the Police Commissioner is deploying two officers in shifts round the clock just for the sheer hell of it, and not because your party media have been inciting hatred against me and my family for the entire week so far, and will carry right on doing so until the election. An entire political party and its media machine pitted against one person! That’s democracy for you. Josef Stalin would have been proud. You make me sick, Victor. I mean it.
Jacques asked who was on Xarabank last night. Here’s the answer: the wooden puppet with a voice recording that prevents him from answering questions. The intolerant marionette who challenges those who ask him questions, talks down to students who ask him something valid, patronises a teacher who asked him about the reception class, and fights with his interviewer in front of an audience of tens of thousands. Ghandkom priza, Victor! A real winning ticket, I must say. To say he has no inter-personal skills and can’t emote is the understatement of the year. My view is that he regards all questions as interference. How dare you question my opinion? I know best! This man could only have reached the top in the Labour Party (and hung on despite two electoral defeats and one referendum hammering, bolstered up by totally irrelevant local council elections). If the Labour Party can’t even get rid of a hopeless leader, no wonder it has consistently proved so inept at everything else.
Hi all…a newcomer here. I would like to mention the issue of ‘independent’ journalists. I have all respect fot both One and Net tv journalists because at the end providing a one sighted version of things is their job. (as its the viewer’s duty to analyse what is presented)
But please, can any one put their hand on their heart and say that Lou and Peppi are independent? One only needs to watch their programs in the past weeks to confirm what a huge part of the Pn propoganda machine they form….and they present themselves as independent on the public tv station. Shame!
Hmm … from my point of view, I think Sant gave a pretty good performance on Xarabank yesterday. To be honest, I don’t think Sant, or any other non-Nationalists (including AD, AN) on a WE program for that matter, get a fair treatment. Only Nationalist politicians are allowed to talk uninterrupted. So a slightly aggressive attitude from Sant was to be expected.
If I am not mistaken the definition of a marionette is a puppet whose arms, head and legs are moved by strings.
Consider the thinking process of some pseudo journalists that splatter their writings on the independent press (not to mention some tv pseudo presenters). Their thinking process clearly shows that they are mere marionettes. I wonder who is pulling the strings.
Incidentally, two of the most famous marionettes are Pulcinella and Pinocchio.
My point exactly StageName … in my opinion Lou and Peppi are a disservice to PBS and its viewers. If Peppi’s questions on Xarabank yesterday were the equivalent of a Kalashnikov rifle, I’m quite certain that next week’s questions to Lawrence Gonzi will be the equivalent of a pingpong-ball-shooting toygun.
“I have not had much time to remind people of the J’accuse agenda. I have not had time to correct the perception that this is some Alternattiva platform of some sort. The agenda here is the future.”
Jacques: Criticize constructively both PN and MLP and you are automatically labelled AD, but not by floating voters. It’s only the floaters you must care about. They’re the ones that are growing in number. They’re the only ones that can change things.
Victor: Come on, now. You honestly don’t think anyone in his right mind would make up a bomb-threat story…
Chere Daphne:
‘An entire political party and its media machine pitted against one person! That’s democracy for you. Josef Stalin would have been proud. ‘
Isn’t that what the PN machine is doing re: Sant?
This year’s campaign is all about character assassination, and all who stick their neck out are going to get the same treatment, whatever their colour.
(incidentally, this is a different Pawlu to the one above)
Well i see the Pn’s logic in the character assassination thing. They attack labour at its weakest (perceived) point: the leader. On the Gonzi vs Sant front it’s Pn’s victory. Though personally I think people should look beyond Gonzi’s all smiles and really listen to him!
Were PN to compare their candidates (including the cabinet who are being so well hidden in the campaign due to their track record) to Mlp’s it’s definitely the labour’s victory.
Logic tells me to vote for the party that offers the best candidates not the best leader.
“Bomb threat what bomb threat, indeed. I suppose the Police Commissioner is deploying two officers in shifts round the clock just for the sheer hell of it, and not because your party media have been inciting hatred against me and my family for the entire week so far, and will carry right on doing so until the election. An entire political party and its media machine pitted against one person! That’s democracy for you. Josef Stalin would have been proud. You make me sick, Victor. I mean it.”
What a load of bullshit and crap! Are you sure you are sick cause of Victor?
Daphne, if you do not want to be part of the game, just don’t play. The Police Commissioner is doing what he is doing to shut your bla bla bla bla.
I see Victor Laiviera’s at it again, seeing conspiracy at work everywhere while ridiculing a very real threat to several people’s lives.
Cora,
yes it is a laugh. A big laugh.
When somebody calls MCAST, Higher Secondary and Junior College stating a bomb threat, the institutions are evacuated immediately but the Principals’ orders are that students and teachers must not go far from the institute so they can go back to their duties.
After the AFM leaves with their dogs (let say 90 minutes), all back to normal. Soldiers near immigrants. Police at the stations. Students at work and Daphne writing bullshit.
Keith, can you explain why the alleged “bomb threat” story was carried neither by The Times nor by The Independent – only by Maltatrightnow and only for one day – when it was relegated to the very bottom of the ‘other news’ pile?
Doesn’t it seem very very convenient that this happene at precisely the right time to divert attention away from event which were (and are) proving very embarassing to some people?
And even if, for the sake of the argument, it was true, so what? Anyone can go into a public phone box, call the Police HQ and say that a bomb will be placed at a certain place. But the thing is, the real bombers just go ahead and do it (likee the bomb at the Sliema Police station or the bomb that murdered Karin Grech).
The ones who call have other motives – usually to make somebody look bad.
Some of us are just too long in the tooth to fall for these gimmicks
Were PN to compare their candidates (including the cabinet who are being so well hidden in the campaign due to their track record) to Mlp’s it’s definitely the labour’s victory.
Yeah, sure. Here’s some of the more prominent Labour candidates: Joe Brincat, Joe Debono Grech, Joe Mizzi, Silvio Parnis, Joe Sammut, Adrian Vassallo, George Vella … truly a dream team.
Ever see them take the centre stage? Along with the ballerina perhaps?
……what the fuck…….
are students inferior to Daphne. Or the real bomb that the Police are afraid of is the sex-bomb?
I imagine Ms. D. in heaven. (?) Heaven?!
Saint Peter: “Welcome.”
D: “They killed me!”
Saint Peter: “Who did that!”
D: “The MLP Media Machine. They incited hatred and a bomb was placed next to my house.”
Saint Peter: “What is your name?”
D: “Misses Daffnikarwanagalizzjanivella.”
Saint Peter: “How old are you?”
D: “I am 96 years old.”
Saint Peter: “Good. You must meet a person. You have a lot in common.” (pause)
(Saint Peter calls with his mobile wi-fi)
Saint Peter: “Gandhi, please call Benazir!”
Gandhi: “She is in a meeting with John Lennon. What about JFK?”
Saint Peter: “I think Malcolm X would be perfect!”
(to Ms. D.)
Saint Peter: “When would you like to meet Malcolm X?”
Ms. D: “Just one week before IE BBQ. It would be perfect.”
Fausto, maybe they’re not a dream team but definitely not a team to hide
meta l-argumenti jispiccaw induru ghal vjolenza
Fausto…i may be misinformed…so i’d really like a more detailed reply as to why they don’t make a dream team…as for centre stage George Vella has been on the PBS BA debates held daily twice so far…Joe Sammut once.. (can’t say about the others cause i don’t watch them daily)…Pullicino wasn’t even there when the environment was discussed…maybe he was still celebrating the ‘certificate’ recently given to him by Gonzi? Or was he afraid of a face off with Cacopardo?
Should you wish me to elencate a similar list on the PN cabinet…do not hesitate…I’d be more than happy!
Anyone seen the MLP ads in the English-language papers? Brilliant stuff. Somebody must be green with envy.
Meta l-argumenti jispiccaw induru GHALL-ISKUZA tal-vjolenza.
What is the difference between Fred and Daph?
Fred wears one wig and the latter wears one kg. make-up.
il-ballerina ghal mn qed tirreferi, sur Fausto?
Il-ballerina li tal-labour ikkuppjaw minn fuq l-istock photos.
stock photos jinxtraw sur Sandro
Rajnihom ir-riklami sur Laiviera, vera tajbin.
re l-hdura, l-ghidut huma li jekk is-sinjura D tihdar ftit aktar, probabli tivvota Alternattiv
oooops, weqghtli l-a hawn fuq
xi hadd ra l-online poll tat-times. milli jidher ha jerbhu l-PN 56% tal-voti – MLP 32% u AD 7%
is-sewwa jirbah zgur bigfoot 🙂
BigFoot
An online poll means nothing on a national scale. It simply reflects the voting preferences of its audience.
Ifhemm…on average The Times acknowledges the existence of MLP on page 5 (after Kosovo and Pakistan *gasp*) ..so i’m not surprised about it’s readership’s opinion.
One would be better off buying l orizzont and in nazzjon daily to formulate an opinion than buying the times or any other ‘independent’ newspaper!
Fausto, would you care to define ‘prominent’? Most of the ones you mentioned are well known cos of their ‘longevity’ but are not particularly prominent in the party and (this is strictly my personal opinion) not many of them will make it to a ministerial seat.
I don’t know why you included George Vella though – he beats anything Gonzi’s got into a cocked hat.
Victor, “If it was true, so what?” What are you saying – that someone would threaten themselves?
Tahsbu li hi l-istess poll li iccensura Natalino Fenech minn fuq xarabank?
Stagename
Actually I find Maltatoday quite a balanced (and bluntly so) independent newspaper.
Pawlu: blinded by the light, are you? Or just short on brain cells? The situation now is yes, an entire political party and its media machine pitted against one newspaper columnist. You can’t possibly compare this to ‘what the PN is doing to Sant’. Sant was the prime minister, is working to become prime minister again, and has an entire political party and media machine to fight with. Please don’t confirm my belief that being unthinking is a prerequisite for supporting Alfred Sant.
Hemm xi raguni ghalfejn kull darba li tirrispondi lil xi hadd li ma jaqbilx mieghek dejjem trid iddahhal l-intelligenza fin-nofs sinjura? jidher li hu suggett li jinkwetak ftit sinjura D.
Victor: George Vella would beat anyone else into a cocked hat? Did you hear his outrageous outburst against university students? Very dignified and statesmanlike. Very old Labour.
The Labour ads in the English-language newspapers: they may look good to you, but it’s their effectiveness with people who aren’t diehard Labourites that counts. On that score, they are a failed message. Not even the terminology is right. They are quite clearly written by somebody who speaks Maltese as a first language, and English as a learnt one. They are clumsy, clod-hopping and ill-conceived. Better luck next time.
Gold Roast…I was mostly refering to the times and the malta independent actually…don’t read malta today much so i can’t really comment about it…but i’ll give it a try if u say so…
L-Indy ta’ Daffnie mhux hekk qalet sur Big
qisek barri sinjura D, dak kollu li hu ahmar iqabbizlek it-tempra! Skuzani inkellmek bil-Malti imma jien spijk moltijz ez e ferst lengwig ta.
Double standards Daphne! if students had the right to act the way they did, George Vella definitely had the right to criticize them.
Definitely double standards. An impediment of freedom of speech is “not giving someone the opportunity to speak his views”. I don’t know how objecting to booing and hollering is an impediment to freedom of speech … they can hardly be regarded as speech if you ask me … they’re closer to animal sounds in my view.
No double standards there Rupert. There’s nothing wrong with students disliking the Labour Party for being what it is, but there’s a lot wrong with MPs disliking students for being students.
George Vella calls students fascists for booing Alfred Sant, but it’s Alfred Sant himself who lifted the hand of Josie Muscat – the man who who’d like to establish a fascist state in Malta.
Sinjura D, int li thobb tikkummenta fuq kollox, ikkummneta ftit fuq dan l-artiklu plijs
http://maltastar.com/pages/msrv/msfullart.asp?an=18998
Allura Matthew … do you think it was ethical that, not even before the debate had started, a crowd of students was already on their feeting chanting ‘Gonzi Gonzi’ and ‘Ole ole ole Nazzjonalisti?’ … I mean what kind of debate is this? The other speakers realized they were playing away, before they had even uttered a word. And such behaviour was a disservice to students who wanted a good debate. You seem to be using the term ‘students’ in a very generic way .. but please note that there are students of different political creed at the university, and students who have no affiliation with any particular party. The way you are using the word ‘students’ is very discriminatory. Because it’s only referring to the blue-eyed cubs and no one else. Is this the attitude we have to put up with with another 5 years of PN in government?
“Huma corma hamalli…. L-Universita kellha bzonn iddur dawra fiha nfisha u tara x’inhi tipproduci.” – George Vella
How’s that for an attack on students in general?
Matthew, I asked a question and expect a reply not another question.
“There’s nothing wrong with students disliking the Labour Party for being what it is, but there’s a lot wrong with MPs disliking students for being students.” And you say this is not double standards? Those students are not 5 year olds but adults. So what you’re saying is that its ok for a group of 20 year olds not to like a 59 year old but its not ok for a 60 year old not to like the actions of a group of 20 year olds? In my book its double standards
Madame, just because I do not perceive things the way you do does not mean that I support Alfred Sant. Even my apparently-few braincells can see that your logic doesn’t hold water.
Secondly, yes, it is the same thing. A staunch Nationalist supporter/pseudo-campaigner in the public eye would deserve as much ire from the Labourite press as a Labour candidate would in the Nationalists’; or perhaps your megalomania has faltered for once and you’ve conveniently considered yourself unimportant for the sake of the argument?
Please don’t confirm my belief that being obstinate and blinkered is a prequisite for supporting gonziPN.
And in reply to that question, even though I’m still expecting an answer, if George Vella’s attack was at students in general and not the specific crowd that was booing and hollering, hazin ukoll. You cannot generalize. But I don’t have double standard unlike you, Matthew.
I’m still expecting a reply to my question … and please not another question this time round!
It’s perfectly ok not to like anyone but better can be expected of someone who wants to be in government.
Matthew, iebsa li laburist jajrek hamallu hux? specjalment meta taf li ghandu ragun!
So Daphne states that being unthinking is a pre-requisite for supporting Alfred Sant.
This is not the place to explain in detail the implications of that statement – I might be called racist. However, it does confirm my belief that there is a marionette around.
“Pulcinella, often called Punch or Punchinello in English, Polichinelle in French, is a classical character that originated in the Commedia dell’arte of the 17th century and became a stock character in Neapolitan puppetry.
The character of pulcinella may be defined as follows:
According to Pierre Louis Duchartre, his (or her) traditional temperament is to be mean, vicious, and crafty: his main mode of defense is to pretend to be too stupid to know what’s going on, and his secondary mode is to physically beat people. Actually Pulcinella is an archetype of humanity, with all its complexities and contradictions.”
The above is plagiarised from an article found on WikiPedia.
“The above is plagiarised from an article found on WikiPedia.” – Haricot jaqaw int Pippo Psaila?
imsomma…… kif ilqatt il-musmar fuq rasu b’dil-bicca ta pullicinu…eee….pulcinella
Seems like asking for a decent, intelligent, well-constructed reply from Matthew is too much.
Blinkers, blinkers, blinkers …
Haricot, when you acknowledge that you are quoting from somewhere else, that is not plagiarism, but a reference.
Plagiarism is when someone like Pippo Psail pinches a whole article from the internet and publishes it in a Maltese paper as his own work.
Well Victor, I consider what I wrote as plagiarism, because I am using the references to a historial character – pulcinella to describe a local marionette. In this sense I am making words written by others and made them my own – ergo plagiarism. But that is a techincality.
Sorry guys, correction.
I am using words written by others and making them my own – ergo plagiarism.
Madunna x’inti ikkumplikat Haricot. isma, x’inhi l-konnessjoni mal fazola, ghid?
Gold Roast, unlike the Leader of the Opposition, I am not answerable to the public. So, whereas I will give you a decent, intelligent, well-constructed reply when and if I want to, Alfred Sant has to give one whether he wants to or not. And Rupert, as for being a hamallu, well, this is where the Maltese language betrays you, I’m afraid. The word comes from the verb ‘biex tahmel’, to carry, and hamallu means ‘porter’. What have we here? Is the Labour Party promoting the prejudice of its electorate? Imagine Barack Obama calling American students ‘a bunch of niggers’. I wonder how that one would go down in the international press.
Anyway, I’m taking some lessons from Alred Sant – I’m scooting off through the back exit to buy some books. Ta ta!
igifieri GV kien qed jghid lil dawk l-istudenti li huma a bunch of porters, Matthew? kieku jien porter niehu ghalija!
I remember the word haricot being used by a French writer called Marcel Pagnol in a play called Topaz.
In a deriding and sarcastsic comment, one of the characters states (translating)
Panicault, Panicault did you eat the haricot?
Panicault is the one of the characters – a panic stricken type.
haricot – agro plagiarism
Matthew, siehbi, billi toqghod tlablabli fuq Alfred Sant lili mhux ha tibghatni f’rokna nibki ghax jien minix Laburist. Tant hu hekk, jien dejjem PN ivvutajt sakemm one fine day ma lahaqx Gonzi kap tal-partit u prim, u ftit xhur kienu bizzejjed biex jaqtali l-aptit kollu. Once again imma, ghidtli hafna affarijiet li lili ma jinteressawnix u r-risposta ma tajtilix. Mhux ghax stennejt li ha ttini risposta ta … probably that’s expecting too much from a university student.
Bil-Malti “haricot” nghidula zbiba.
Kullhadd isibha z-zbiba fl-ahhar tal-mazzita. Min jghajjar lil xi hadd bla mohh ghax ma jahsibhiex bhalu ma haqqux l-icken rispett jew simpatija. Miskin nghidlu jek forsi biex inkun iktar preciz, miskina. Il-kelma miskina naheb li gejja mil-kelma taljana ‘meschina’.
On the subject of the etymology of the word “hamallu” – does anybody know if there is any connection with the Carthaginian name “Hamilcar”? It translates directly as “servant of Car” – making it particularly appropriate to around 99% of this country’s population – and I have often wondered if the word “hamil” in this case, is in any way related to the clearly Semitic word “hamel”. I’m also interested in knowing if any connection exists between the Maltese word “hanin” and the first syllables of Hannibal (usually translated as “loved by Baal”).
Any takers?
Raphael, dwar hanini li nista nghid hu li hi kelma li tintuza t-tunezija bl-istess sinjifikat (jew vicin hafna) li nuzawha Malta. Dwar ‘Hamalli’ li naf nghidlek hu li milli jidher m’ghadhomx il-laburisti biss.
hamallu, if i recall well, is of Greek origin. It is the guy who carries your cases, as ort of porter or lower-rung stevedore, and is equivalent to ‘pastaz’…ergo ‘Xi hsibtni..il-pastaz tieghek?’
lol rupert
Igifieri jekk fhimt sew, jekk tkun hamallu kbir tkun tiflah iggorr hafna bagalji? min jak kemm hi b’sahhitha s-sinjura D
Raphael, I sugges you put your etymological question here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kelmet/
Prof Manwel Mifsud or Olvin Vella would probably be able to answer.
This is a very politically correct definition of the word ‘hamallu’ I found on the internet lol.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Hamallu
Actually I think Mark is right … χαμάλης (pronounced ‘chamalis’ where the ‘ch’ is pronounced daqs li kieku qed taqla xi bila minn qiegh l-istonku) … that means ‘porter’ in Greek.
Victor: I agree that the person who made the bomb-threat almost surely doesn’t have the balls to go ahead and make/plant a bomb. However, if it happened to me, I wouldn’t feel too happy about it, and would get the authorities involved. I believe this is what the prankster is after.
Also, a simple threat isn’t big enough news – it certainly doesn’t warrant a front page headline. I guess to make the news you have to get blown to smithereens. Besides, not making the papers doesn’t mean something did not happen. Suicides are never reported, for example. I believe studies have shown that the less these things are reported, the less they occur.
Hmm…well you can’t blame George Vella for generalising…the debate was characterized by generalisations…Starting with David Herrera claiming speaking as a representative of all students (!?! he didn’t consult me for sure)….and ending with the Nazzjon’s headline of the day after ” L-istudenti jghidu le lil Sant”
Now I am all for democracy and they had every right to clap, jubilate, scream, make a standing ovation whatever.
But i had a right to do the same…however everytime Sant spoke i couldn’t clap…cause that would have meant me joining in with the marmalja clapping and shouting Gonzi Gonzi (everryytiiime Sant spoke)….Now is that democracy?
No, Rupert – “if students had the right to behave as they did, George Vella had the right to criticise them”. Not at all. You are making the classic error of placing students and a senior politician (and would-be Minister for Europe) on the same plane. A senior politician criticising students IS NOT the same thing as students criticising a senior politician. The IMPLICATIONS are different. This is like Raphael seeing no difference between a newspaper columnist and a once-and-potential prime minister in the public figure stakes. When somebody who stands to become a cabinet minister in a couple of weeks calls students a corma hamalli, and threatens them with consequences, there are serious implications. And quite frankly, somebody of his age and status should not be using that kind of terminology in official meetings in any case. This from a man who pretends to be shocked at a 19-year-old you saying fuck off to an irritating cameraman! The medium is the message, remember – when George Vella speaks, he is representing the Labour Party and the potential government., Students represent only themselves.
Bigfoot, I’ve already commented elsewhere about the Journalists Committee statement, and this is the gist of it: that a committee of journalists can’t work if half of them are employed by political parties. One of the three people on the committee that issued the statement is a Super One/Labour Party ‘journalist’. Do you really expect him to issue a statement condemning Super One and sticking up for me? They didn’t even bother to call me for my story. They wrote a piece saying that I hated attacked their journalists, and curiously, they had no footage of this supposed incident even though the cameras were rolling. Those rolling cameras caught me sitting down calmly in my seat. You may be interested to know that there is a libel suit pending.
Grazzi tal-kumment sinjura D. Hasra li sa l-elezzjoni ma nkunux lafu l-ezitu tal-libell
Daphne
Just because a person writes in a journal does not necessariily make that person a journalist. A journalist is defined as a person whose role is to collect news stories for newspapers, magazines, radio or Tv. Perhaps that is the reason why the Journalists’ Committee stuck up for their members rather than for a mere contributor to a pseudo independent journal. I do not believe that your contibutions have ever had any news value. Although, I must admit that I find them somewhat amusing.
Raphael, Rupert, I suspect that the word ‘hamallu’ is derived from the arabic term ‘Hamal’ meaning sheep.
It seems that the word hamalli is very appropriate for describing what happened at University. Interestingly, there appears to be a star which in Arabic is called ‘Ras al Hamal’ meaning “The head of the sheep”. We all know who was the star last Monday, the so-called head of the sheep, the ram.
I apologise for all those who might get offended by the above comments, but being sarcastic happens to be one of Haricot’s traits.
But no Haricot … how can you insinuate such a thing! That’s called freedom of speech!
Just watched a repeat of Xarabank. I had taken the PN spin regarding AD’s lack of criticism of MLP policies with a pinch of salt, but after watching Arnold Cassola’s intervention, I must say that I am very disappointed. Rather than highlight the shortcomings of MLP’s manifesto concerning the EU, the environment, etc., Cassola gave Alfred Sant an open invitation to look good on the question of a coalition government. I can understand that the strategy might be to make Gonzi accept a possible coalition in next week’s programme, but quite frankly it seems that this was a missed opportunity for AD to highlight matters of substantive importance. Cassola could have shown off AD’s credentials as an alternative to Labour but instead pandered to the one issue on which the two parties are in agreement.
The bottom line is this, Haricot: you’re gutless enough to use a pseudonym. I don’t see why I should sit here talking to somebody in a mask, when you know who I am but I don’t know who you are, so I will just reply to your completely ignorant comment and that’s it. You and others on this blog are working really hard to convince me that those who vote for Sant have something between their ears. You’re great ambassadors for his withering cause, I must say.
Journalism: the business or practice of writing and producing newspapers
Journalist: a person employed to write for or edit a newspaper or journal
– definitions taken from The Concise Oxford Dictionary, because I know you won’t take only my word for it.
On the other hand, it is the Super One cameramen who are NOT journalists. They are men employed by a political party to carry a television camera around and point it at people.
Sarcasm is not one of your traits, Haricot. That’s inanity. A slightly higher IQ and better education are required to deploy sarcasm. Even though it is the lowest form of wit it remains, at the end of the day, a form of wit. And the meaning of wit is…..look it up in the dictionary, if you own one. Oh, I hadn’t realised – we Wikipedia everything, don’t we?
I have looked at your piece of crass stupidity again, Haricot, and I see that you are confusing the term ‘journalist’ with ‘reporter’, which gives me some idea of why your writing skills and analytical powers are so poor. You’re obviously the kind of person who insists on explaining to a long-standing journalist what a journalist is. No wonder you like the bewigged marionette.
Justin, nobody in AD is criticising anything that the Labour Party does or says. As an avid reader of every single newspaper, and somebody who is following this electoral campaign minutely every step of the way, I can tell you that the only sound emanating from AD for the last few weeks is this: coalition, coalition, coalition. Tuned in to Alfred Sant’s corruption, corruption, corruption they are beginning to sound like the wind-up tin monkeys I had as a child. You turned the key in its back and it beat its drum and repeated a single word. I wouldn’t credit Arnold Cassola with strategic thinking. Opportunistic behaviour is a better description. With Gonzi ruling out a coalition, Sant is now AD’s only hope for power – because let’s not forget, what AD is after is not a mere humble seat but power and control.
AD spokespersons are sounding increasingly delusionary. This is Harry Vassallo in The Sunday Times last week: “Edward Fenech is better qualified to handle public finances than the prime minister and Tonio Fenech.” Better qualified than the mend who slashed the deficit to almost nothing and shoved us screaming and dragging into the Eurozone? Harry can believe what he wants to believe, but when you want electors to believe that your unique selling point is abject humility, it’s best not to go around speaking like that, because it sounds prideful and grandiose.
“You and others on this blog are working really hard to convince me that those who vote for Sant have something between their ears.”
Jacques, x’inhi l-izjed vulgari? Din is-sentenza ta’ Daphne jew il-kliem “baxx” li nghid jien tipo: Daphne, ghax ma tmurx tiehdu seba’ snin f’sormok u kif tkun hemm ara tiltaqax ma’ mohhok?
You are trying to convince us through your articles that you are somebody. When ONE TV filmed you, you pretended to be no one. How pathetic you are!
“On the other hand, it is the Super One cameramen who are NOT journalists. They are men employed by a political party to carry a television camera around and point it at people.”
Tan-NET TV huma mpjegati tal-Calyspo allura? U ta’ l-Independent ma jihux ritratti f’wicc in-nies li jkunu ghaddejjin f’xi laqgha ta’ Josie?
“I don’t see why I should sit here talking to somebody in a mask.”
The mask is yours. We are real people over here. Bloggers are the fresh journalists. Jacques is my favourite one ghalkemm fil-blogs ta’ qabel kien qisu r-ras imma issa mmatura hafna ghax ibiddel l-opinjoni. U min ibiddel opinjoni b’responsabbilta’, huwa intelligenti. Haga li fuqek Daphne, tinsab hafna l-boghod.
You seem comfortable replying a mask than to a person whose identity is public domain.
“I have looked at your piece of crass stupidity again, Haricot, and I see that you are confusing the term ‘journalist’ with ‘reporter’,”
It is you who is confusing the term journalist with columnist. It is like when confusing a bitch with a whore with a prostitute. Or confusing a bomb threat with bullshit.
“They didn’t even bother to call me for my story. They wrote a piece saying that I hated attacked their journalists, and curiously, they had no footage of this supposed incident even though the cameras were rolling. Those rolling cameras caught me sitting down calmly in my seat. You may be interested to know that there is a libel suit pending.”
Ok, I am with you here. They are playing your game. They a lying spuduratament for political advantage.
“The medium is the message, remember – when George Vella speaks, he is representing the Labour Party and the potential government., Students represent only themselves.”
Here, I am with you again. But you should follow your example as well. If you call yourself ‘journalist’, you have a big responsibilty how to represent journalism. And you are doing a very bad laghqi job.
I just came from PV. I met PN and MLP people. Wonderful persons from both sides.
A PN supporter told me this story and we laughed for 10 minutes:
“Mela kont waqt meeting ta’ Fenech Adami. U jiena bdejt sejjer OLE OLE OLE VIVA N-NAZZJONALISTI NAZZJONALIST. U f’daqqa wahda Fenech Adami qal: Hallihom ha joghlew il-prezzijiet, hallihom ha joghlew. U jiena bqajt sejjer OLE OLE OLE u dort fuq siehbi u saqsejtu: “X’qal dan?”
MLP supporter:
Sewwa jghidu li Alfred Sant huwa Nazzjonalist ghax huwa l-akbar giddieb ta’ Malta.
Go out and have fun Daphne. Grow up and get a life for madonna’s sake.
I had decided not get into this again given the depths to which the conversation had descended. Sandro’s piece has changed my mind.
‘Daphne: ghaxma tmurx tiehdu seba snin f’sormok’
‘It’s like confusing a bitch with a whore with a prositute. Or confusing a bomb threat with bullshit’.
This is after, further up the thread, fantasising about Daphne having being blown up and gone to heaven.
I hope everyone can see that this crosses a line, one that he had probably crossed a long time ago. This is not conversation; it is intimidation and abuse.
Irrespective of what they think about Daphne, people giggling nervously at what he is writing should understand that they are watching a nasty little bully at work.
I for one am out of here for as long as he is left to post freely without moderation. One last word before I go:
Bloggers are the fresh journalists’: Don’t count yourself among them Sandro. Bullying is not new or fresh; unfortunately it’s as old as the hills. With your ‘contributions’ this stopped being a debate about Malta’s future – now it’s just a wallowing in the type of past all of us want to forget.
I agree 100% that Sandro should tone down his language. He is giving all those who have seen through Daphne and are disgusted by her venom a bad name.
We do not need to descend to her level.
Victor, you don’t need anyone to give you a bad name. You’re doing that very well on your own.
Daphne
It appears that my contrutions have somewhat irritated your sentiments of love for your fellow brothers and sisters.
I suggest you refer to a better dictionary such as the Oxford Advacned Learner’s Dictionary for the proper defitinion of a journalist. Quoting precisely: “a person whose job is to collect and write news stories for newspapers, magazines, radio and television.”
You are a columnist who writes regular articles, usually on a particular topic and we all know what topic is, namely, an opinionated conjecture of how this country should be run.
There is from where I took mine.
I quote verbatum:
Waking up in the morning and feeling groggy. I can’t believe I wrote the above comment with so many typos. I should put on my glasses before sitting in front of a laptop.
History will eventually who where the real marionettes of this country and I am not referring to you Daphne. After all, it is your job and profession to be a paid columnist.
If we consider Malta’s history during the past forty years, the Mintoff era, The KMB (zero) era, Fenech Adami’s era, Sant’s era, Fenech Adami followed by Gonzi’s era, one question springs to mind . Why has Malta never struck oil?
Could you be a bit more specific, Cora?
Your “explanation” about the MLP’s Valletta project, for example.
“I agree 100% that Sandro should tone down his language. He is giving all those who have seen through Daphne and are disgusted by her venom a bad name.”
Victor, I speak on my behalf. Not on yours or the others who disgust Daphne. Hence, you are safe.
“I had decided not get into this again given the depths to which the conversation had descended. ”
You should had sticked to your decision.
“This is after, further up the thread, fantasising about Daphne having being blown up and gone to heaven.”
The play referred that she died for she was 96 and she blames MLP for that.
“Bloggers are the fresh journalists’: Don’t count yourself among them Sandro. Bullying is not new or fresh; unfortunately it’s as old as the hills.”
Bullying does not concern me. I replied to her statement about people who vote MLP do not have brains. And you blame me for saying “sormok”?
Patrick – I note that you’ve cottoned on to the gist of my comment (posted a few days ago) on the bad blood that exists between folks in Malta. There’s an entire repulsive context to some of the exchanges on this blog. A history of intolerance, ignorance and snobbery which has created deep-seated resentment and, yes, hatred. Not a hatred which leads people to massacre each other (although we’ve had our fair share of that too) but a hatred which poisons our society with its prejudice and vulgarity towards ‘the other within’: “injuranti”, “jaqq”, “hamalli”, “qatta tal-pepe”, “nothing between your ears”, the obscene speculation on whether a bomb threat should be taken seriously…
It is not normal for the stakes to be so high when faced with a change of government. There’s something very wrong with the system if people feel disgust, fear and complete rejection when faced with the eventuality. This isn’t a decent society.
It’s time to change things guys.
Daphne is incorrect about AD not criticising Labour. AD criticised the MLP’s surcharge proposal. Ad criticised MLP inaction on rent reform. AD criticised MLP’s environmental policies.AD criticised Labour’s stand on Hondoq ir-Rummien. AD criticised the MLP’s non-disclosure of donations to the party. This criticism is documented. However the PN has been in office for 20 years (minus the 96-98 period) – it is quite clear that its actions/decisions or lack of them is not above criticism. Or you can adopt the Daphne approach – criticise the PN (where necessary)for 4 and a half years and then transform yourself into someone who writes gushing columns about Gonzi’s appealingly nice wife and the sunny T-shirt wearing teenagers surrounding him and conveniently forget the criticism levelled so ferociously a few months back. Forget columns critical of Tonio Borg and Jesmond Mugliett written a few months back. So much for consistency
Sandro, this is to inform you that your name has already been put on record with the police in case there are further developments. A quick search – just a quick one – has revealed that you have already faced one police investigation and ensuing court case for malicious and vindictive harassment of two individuals. Because this kind of leopard rarely changes its spots, and in view of the violent and abusive language you are using towards me here, I thought it best to make things clear. You are not just another blogger, but somebody with a problem.
Haricot: “a paid columnist”, eh? Is that some kind of new term of abuse?
And I see you believed Alfred Sant when he told a meeting in Senglea that he and Joe Mizzi are going to strike oil. “Ghaliex le? Konvint.” He’s like something out of the Fast Show.
Patrick, thanks for being a gentleman and sticking up for me. The last time somebody did that he was plastered all over Super One news. This is a forum in which Alfred Sant and AD are the victims of evil oppression, remember.
I can’t help noticing that the only people who think, write and argue rationally on this blog are the ones who are voting Nationalist. This is not a comment from which anything else should be inferred. It’s just an observation.
Not all people voting Nationalist are clear thinkers, but all clear thinkers seem to vote Nationalist – and not just on this blog, either.
“Sandro, this is to inform you that your name has already been put on record with the police in case there are further developments. A quick search – just a quick one – has revealed that you have already faced one police investigation and ensuing court case for malicious and vindictive harassment of two individuals. Because this kind of leopard rarely changes its spots, and in view of the violent and abusive language you are using towards me here, I thought it best to make things clear. You are not just another blogger, but somebody with a problem.”
Wrong Daphne. I faced two police investigations. BOTH CLEARED!
About my name on the police records……Daphne: BUSLI L-BAJD.
Daphne,
Shouldn’t you just pipe down a little bit, now, and take things a tad more calmly? In your understandable anxiety to see the PN in Government for another five years, you may be over-doing it somewhat, and drawing a certain amount of contempt on the party itself. Just some words of advice.
dear Daphne,
can your son borrow me his shirt? I’m thinking of wearing as a farmer for carnival, so I would need a shirt like the one your son was wearing last Monday.
Where is Everybody? – watching Xarabank and Bondi+
Fl-opinjoni tieghi ma ghandkhom taqaw fil-baxx u toffendu l-familjari. Dan il-pajjiz ghandu bzonn nies vicin l-ideat ta’ Daphne, pero ghandhom ikunu nies aktar civilizzati. Qieghed nistenna il-mument meta in-nies jibdew jahsbu b’mohhok u ma jhallux il-politici jahsbu ghalihom! sfortunatament il-floating voters qeghdin jigu trattati hazin min-nies taz-zewg partiti l-kbar, dan ifisser li hemm chance li l-voti kollha jmorru ghal AD.
Dear Deaf-nee…
Emotion blinds reason and rationality… to be truly rational one must strip all emotion out of the system… and i believe women have a hard time at it 😉 so when u feel that gut wrenching feeling in the stomach when anything Red/Labour is shown… stop for a second, be aware of your emotional state and then see if you are talking rationally or seeing the big picture for what it really is… that this country was brought down to its knees with debt by Malta’s Elite.
Clive FDC is talking well. It is always a bad idea to call names and start bringing up family members into the discussion. Terms like “bigwigged marionette” should be avoided altogether. It is not only discourteous, but it also reflects badly on those who speak such words. Respect should be shown at all times, even to those whom we do not agree with, whom we possibly dislike, even intensely. Calling names usually back-fires – straight back at the one who is doing the calling! When we do so we lose the respect of our listeners, and even though we speak good sense, it is lost – all because we do not moderate our language. Great shame!
So right!
Hbieb u mhux,
jekk il-kliem hazin tieghi iweggghakom, jiddispjacini, vera. Ma rridx lil Jacques jahseb li jiena qed nabbuza mill-ispazju tieghu bil-kliem hekk imsejjah hazin tieghi.
Imma dan huwa l-Malti, take it or leave it. Pero’ li tiehdu ghalikom bil-kelma “zobb” , “sorm” ecc., bir-rispett kollu eh!
Jiena m’offendejt lil omm hadd. Jiena m’offendejt it-tifel ta’ hadd. Anzi shaqt kemm il-darba li nippreferi mitt darba nara lit-tifel ta’ Daphne jiffakkja lil ONE TV milli lil Michael Woods jghid Viva l-Labour.
Li rridkom taghmlu pero’ ftit riflessjoni ghal min irid. U ha ngib ezempju, skuzawni cliche`, dwar il-knisja.
Il-knisja mponiet (bold) li l-condom m’ghandux jintuza. Li min hu separat, ghalkemm ir-ragel spicca jsawwatha, m’hix accetta fil-knisja u titqarben i.e. mhux accettat/a fis-socjeta`.
Issa jiena nahseb li dawn it-tip ta’ statements huma vulgari. U jekk jiena nghid: “F’o** il-knisja”, vulgari kemm trid, pero’ hafna inqas, nemmen jien, minn dawn l-istatements li l-knisja taghmel u timponi. (bold)
Victor qal li jiena waqajt fil-livell taghha u li qed naghmillu isem hazin. Jiena ma tkellimtx f’ismek Victor. Tkellimt f’ismi u urejtu ismi bhal ma ghamilt inti. Inti ghandek il-mod tieghek u jiena ghandi l-mod tieghi.
Pero’ bir-rispett kollu Victor, dik minnek ma tibzax. Tibza’ minni li ma affrontatx mieghi argument wiehed u spiccat ghamlet rapport lill-pulizija. U ghaliex minni ma tibzax? Ghax jiena nilghab l-istess loghba taghha.
Hi qalet li jiena m’inix blogger u dan intihula. Jacques huwa l-blogger tal-mument u mhux jien. Toni Sant kien blogger ukoll tal-genn. La Delirante u David Cuschieri u Keith Chircop, Fausto Majjistral u Rupert Cefai, NinuHadida, Andre….dawk huma bloggers, taqbel u ma taqbilx maghhom, jaqblu u ma jaqblux mieghi.
Naf li ftit mill-bloggers li semmejt ma jifilhux jaqraw paragrafu minn tieghi, pero’ xorta nirrispettahom u nemmen hafna fil-kwalitajiet taghhom ta’ bloggers u allahares jiddeciedu li jieqfu.
Il-messagg tieghi huwa dan nies. Biex naghlaq. Il-blogosfera intom hloqtuha. La jien, la Daphne, la Cardona u la hadd izjed hlief intom specjalment in-nies li semmejt ninkludi Robert Micallef.
F’daqqa wahda certu nies tal-gazzetti bdew jibbloggjaw wara li raw is-success tal-blog minn fuq darkom. Wara li dawn l-istess nies xebghu iwaqqawkom ghan-nejk u jghidulkom “get a life” issa qed juzaw l-istess arma biex jitfu il-liberta’ ta’ l-espressjoni. Kien hemm sahansitra gurnalista partikolari li kritikat il-fatt li tibbloggjaw fis-sighat bikrin ta’ fil-ghodu u din illum qeghda taghmel l-istess haga.
Jiddispjacini biss li ma nistax naghmillha rapport tal-pulizija peress li qaltli li jiena bla mohh. Mank qaltli bahnan…..le xorta ghalxejn…..jew pervertit………xorta kienet tirbahieli…………mank qaltli sex-BOMB……….tajba dik kieku biex nirbhilha l-kaz.
Arrivederci u Viva Jacques!
“What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others”.
This will only lead to more people hiding behind nicknames.
Not me Keith.
Behind every nick is a valuable vote/s. No one should lose track of that.
Hear hear, F Aaakofph (strange name!)!!!
Behind every nick there is someone more prone to insulting others.
You know what? Can’t blame them for using nicks if telling someone to bugger off during an argument online gets a police report filed against you.
I disagree. You can use a nick and still behave responsibly.
Furthermore, when people form an opinion nowadays, they do not depend only on what the hired hacks scribble in the papers or what gets said on national or the political tv stations. The main political parties , as do powerful ngos with agendas of their own , keep underestimating the intelligence of voters. And polls are useless because people will just give you the sort of answer they think is expected of them , especially if faced with a tv camera, and not what they really believe. Intimidating , bludgeoning or bad -mouthing nonentities for having the temerity to express an opinion in the papers or online behind a nick will simply not do, no matter what Daphne or Bocca or Karl or Matthew or Peppi or Lou or Roamer may say.
@ Omega. You are perfectly right. Using a nick is not synonymous with behaving badly. Badly behaved people do not need an excuse to do their worse anyway. Using a nick though , is essential for nonentities like us to exercise their freedom of speech in a climate where hired party hacks rule the media roost and are backed and protected by powerful official and semi-offical entities encouraging then to do their worse at stifling, trivializing , blackmailing, intimidating and effectively censoring dissident opinion. Real freeom of speech is a marketable commodity available only to the well-connected chosen few nowadays
Sometimes using a nick is the only way to get a word in, in a situation where some opinions are more valuable/ legitimate than others, Aaakofph.
I agree with you that most people do not really need the opinions of others to form an opinion. After all, God gave us brains of equal magnitude and volume, and given a roughly equal standard of education (give or take a bit here and there), I don’t see why X is capable of forming a better opinion than Y, or why X should think his opinion is superior to Y’s, or why X’s opinion should be taken more seriously than Y.
Just to point out, Omega, that his nickname is meant to be read “Fuck-Off”.
Oh, I had realised that!
“FuckOff: Using a nickname is not synonymous with behaving badly.”
No comment.
Very high level of intellectual debate here. Kris, thanks for your advice, but I’ll carry on doing what I’ve done all my life and speak my mind with using the kind of language that others use on this blog. ‘Bewigged marionette’ is not name-calling, but a factual description.
My son’s shirt: they’re actually extremely fashionable, but obviously you wouldn’t know that. You’re stuck in the mindset where the only people who wear checked shirts are farmers, and you don’t want to wear one for fear of being mistaken (accurately) for a peasant. I live in a farming community, and have a great deal of respect for farmers, none of whom would ever behave like this or use this kind of abusive language. Oh, and they vote Nationalist. So much for this government being the ‘elite’.
It’s interesting that you imagine I am in this blog for the sheer unadulterated pleasure of ‘talking’ to people who can’t formulate a single decent argument (and in this I don’t include everyone, by any means). I am here because this blog has a considerable audience and the people I am actually talking to are the ‘voyeurs’ – the ones who surf past and don’t post.
Remember, communication is what I do for a living.
“I live in a farming community, ”
“Remember, communication is what I do for a living.”
Ah, I bow before an expert in manure-raking cum undisputed mistress of communicative skills unparalleled as yet in local journalistic history.
F.Aakofph ,
the goddess said we are the same person.
You 12.20a.m. and me 12.22a.m.
The goddess: – “Let me hazard a guess: F.Aakofph (how witty!) is Sandro Vella, right? The minute I mentioned the police you adopted a pseudonym but give yourself away by using exactly the same kind of abusive language. What a cunning disguise. May I give you a tip? If you don’t want me to know who you are, just be polite.”
Myself: – Jacques,
do you have access to IPs? Fil-kaz temmaghhom ma’ wicc is-sahhara.
The minute you mentioned the police ghedtlek biex tbusli l-bajd Daphne, ghax jiena ma nibzax minn falluta bhalek li hadd mhux interessat itik l-importanza.
U naf x’jiena nghidlek. Wara li inti ddecidejt li tirrapportani l-pulizija cempluli nies miz-zewg partiti! Miz-zewg partiti marija madonna. L-anqas biss stennejtha li xi nies tal-PN huma kontra tieghek.
Le, Daphne. Dak mhux jien. Jekk trid temminx u jekk tibqa’ ma temminx erga’ ejja busli l-bajd u c-ciwawa ja mara mdejjqa bik innifsek.
For what it matters I can confirm that Sandro Vella and F.Aakoph are not the same person. To say the truth they are not of the same sex either. Enough said I guess.
Yes, but me and Jacques are the same person.
He 12.27a.m. Me 12.27a.m.
U inti fejn taf x’orjentazzjoni sesswali ghandi Jacques?
Kif tridna ma nkunux nafu li int ragel? Ha terggha ssemmi il-bajd tieghek!
Oh really, Jacques? You mean there are women who swear like that? I must move in different circles.
Maybe it’s Claire Bonello’s alter ego.
Well. If the email address is not a dope (but it seems legit) then there are. Different circles or age gap… and trust me I am not being insulting there… my last night out in Paceville made me notice that the girls of today are nothing like in my time…
It’s not (CB alter ego). I know Claire well and much as I can see why you two do not see eye to eye I do not think she needs alter egos to get a point through.
F.Aakorph: “dissident opinion…”! In what era are you living? The same era inhabited by Kevin, this blog’s token communist? You sound like a loser with a big chip to me.
If people wouldn’t be filing police reports for trivial reasons, nobody would be using a nickname.
“Kif tridna ma nkunux nafu li int ragel? Ha terggha ssemmi il-bajd tieghek!”
Qatt ma smajt bl-ovarji ovulistici?
Daphne,
Jacques tak il-konferma.
Ovvjament l-apologija tieghek nista’ ninsiha.
“F.Aakorph: “dissident opinion…”! In what era are you living? The same era inhabited by Kevin, this blog’s token communist? You sound like a loser with a big chip to me.”
Istja qatt ma tighallem ghid? Dik l-ahhar sentenza ma stajtx tevita per ezempju?
Daphne. Do you know why I am sitting here laughing at 1 in the morning? Seriously having a good laugh? Because I don’t think you will change. What’s this thing of “loser with a big chip” etc etc? You remind me of the ladies playing cards in Marsalforn who would occasionally pass this kind of judgement on a passer by. The Slimizi on holiday with their incredibly caricatured character judgements. Hilarious really. As for Faak… of course the comment is silly “dissident opinion” indeed. Give people space to breathe. Correct maybe with a hint of sarcasm… but going so far as labelling them Losers or Big Chips… ? Maybe you do not realise that many people posting here are young first time voters… what lesson do they draw from having their tentative (sometimes bumbling) opinions rubbished in this manner?
P.S. Unbelievable as it may seem I wrote this before seeing Sandro’s comment above… before you think that I’m just another Sandro pseudonym.
Isma, Sangru, imma tigix tghidli li F.Aakofph mhux int 🙂
Jista’ jigi mitt Jacques jghid li mhux int ghax mhux se nikkonvinci ruhi.
Note to Jacques: Came to visit after Sangru Villa reported from the Norwellian Courts of Chastice that he’s battling Daphne the notorious mockunicator on this site. Greetings from this side of the empire.
You see Jacques.
I joined the club with David.
I think me and you are on the same wavelength?
Or is it just my dream?
europarl: kemm inti kornut.
Jacques, le ma ergajtx bdejt. lol
Europarl naf min hu sewwa jien u heheheh gie jkompli jsahhan it-tiben. Ghadu ma jafx kemm nikkalma malajr jien.
Mort niftah qalbi mieghu ghax jiena nibza’ hafna mill-pulizija (imsieken xi jkollhom jissapportu) u hu gie jikxifli l-patata hawn gew.
I know for a fact that F. Aarkofph is not Sandro,’cos F. Aarkofph is my best friend.
And who the hell is Moggy?
By the way, is F.Aarkofph pretty?
Anyway, Sangru, li ma kontx naf hu li tibza’ mill-pulizija (basta tlabt lil Daphne tbuslek il-bajd…)
U jekk qed tghid li F.Aakofph mhux int… x’nista’ nghidlek? Forsi insejt?
Enter Moggy, a.k.a. Sangru Villa, Prim Qaddej fl-Imperu Norwelljan.
“Anyway, Sangru, li ma kontx naf hu li tibza’ mill-pulizija (basta tlabt lil Daphne tbuslek il-bajd…)
U jekk qed tghid li F.Aakofph mhux int… x’nista’ nghidlek? Forsi insejt?”
Hehe kemm inti kornut doppju. Taf li kont qed ninki lil Daphne, li billi cemplet lill-pulizija tghidx kemm bzajt lol .
Jiena taf minn x’hiex nibza’ siehbi? Li l-pulizija jahlu l-hin fuq rapport li dahhalhom u l-kriminali ta’ vera jiggerrew mas-saqajn. Fil-bidu kelli ftit dwejjaq tal-pulizija, pero’ wara li cempluli 3 persuni PN u qaluli “Zomm il-kolp” hadt ir-ruh.
Dwar il-F.Aakofph qed terga’ taqa’ ghan-nejk europarl bhal ma waqat ghan-nejk il-Maltafly li fi zmien l-elezzjoni l-blog ta’ Jacques hadilha postha allavolja giet imweghda l-Maltafly 2.0 .
Jiena ghandi suspett li F.Aakofph hija ex-membru jew huwa ex-membru tal-Minus 2. Suspett biss lol
Il-pjanijiet ghall-Maltafly 2.0 qed jigu riveduti mit-Taqsima tal-Verifiki tal-Websites tal-Kummissjoni. Wara tkun trid tghaddi mill-Bord tal-Vigilanza tal-Molta Lejber Parti. Mhux nejk, Sang, hi – din mhux J’Accuse, jaqbad u japplowdja.
Il-Maltafly 2.0 qed tiehu wisq zmien. Qisu l-pont ta’ Manwel Dimech u l-overruns huma ta’ 200%.
J’Accuse jaqbad u japplowdja?
Jigifieri inti trid tghid li l-bloggata ta’ Jacques li mhux se jivvota labour DEFINITTIVAMENT kienet ta’ malajr?
Hehe…man nippreferi l-blog ta’ Jacques spontanju kif kellha tkun il-fly milli website mejta f’kampanja elettorali.
Kont nisfoga tant fil-fly u issa spiccajt nisfoga f’Daphne.
“And who the hell is Moggy?”
Moggy is one of man’s best friends.
Sfoga f’Daphne kemm trid, Sangru. Imma ahna ta’ din in-naha ta’ l-Imperu l-affarijiet naghmluhom kif suppost.
U ftakar li llum il-gurnata d-dissidenti m’ghadhomx jezistu ghax l-Unjoni Ewropea m’ghandha x’taqsam xejn ma’ l-Unjoni Sovjetika…
…kemm hawn min baqa’ jghix fis-70s hux?!
A pity li Maltafly is dead. A real pity.
In my little I did the upmost to revamp it.
But I lost my case.
Three months more………………..
@ Sandro: What do you mean “Who the Hell is Moggy?” Doesn’t a Moggy have the right to be here? Yes F. Aarkofph is very pretty!
@ Europarl: No I am not Sandro Villa. OK? I’m Moggy.
“@ Sandro: What do you mean “Who the Hell is Moggy?” Doesn’t a Moggy have the right to be here? Yes F. Aarkofph is very pretty!”
Yes of course.
Sorry for my comment.
lol
hahaahahahahahahahahhaa
HeHe. Quite amusing site. Have a snack, have a twistee.
Sur Vella, ahna tal-minus two ma nitkellmux hazin. Mur ahsel halqek bis-sapun ja tifel pastaz!
Ghal dawk li ma jafux min huma l-Minus Two, jistghu jaraw il-principji nobbli taghna hawn
http://www.minustwo.org
Commuication is what I do for a living. Everyone in some form or another is a communicator.
When we speak we communicate, when we write we communicate, when we gesture we communicate. We communicate all the time, we have to, whether we like it or not.
Some people communicate much better than others, they have acquired and learnt that skill because proper communication is a skill and a skill can be learnt through experience.
Alas, some so called communicators will never learn the skill to communicate properly because their vision is marred by their obsessions.
The above applies to some journalists, tv presenters as well as many politicians.
Il-principji medjevali taghkom ridt tghid …
As President of the Plus Two organisation, I hereby state Sandro Vella has no affiliation with us.
Mela ghandna l-Plus Two ukoll? Il-principji taghkom nobbli bhal taghna, Mr. Chircop?
Il-Plus Two hija organizzazzjoni stabbilita.
Inhalqet fis-26 ta’ Frar 2008 fl-10:29 ta’ filghodu.
X’tixtieq tkun taf, Ms Borg?
Iva imma x’inhuma l-ghanijiet, Mr. Chircop?
Agwuri fl-anniversarju tat-tieni siegha mill-holqien tal-Plus Two.
Bhalissa qed nahsbu jekk inbiddlux l-organizzazzjoni f’Plus Four.
Hey Jacques, I only post using my real name. I don’t need to go undercover. I don’t write newspaper ads for the PN and then squeal away in faux-indignation because it’s blindingly obvious to all. I think some people should lighten up and get a sense of humour/a hobby/a life.
Informazzjoni serja dwar Minus Two:
http://sandrovella.org/2007/10/minus-two-minus-ta-vera.html
“Alas, some so-called communicators never learn the skill to communicate properly because their visin is marred by their obsessions.”
Very apt, Malcolm. Anyone particular in mind?
Do I have to answer to that Moggy?
I prefer being subtle and leave it at that. I am sure that all those who can read between the lines can form their own opinions as to who I have in mind when I refer to so called communicators.
Just because the Nationalist Party adverts are excellent it doesn’t follow that I wrote them, Claire – though I’ll take your repeated accusation as a sort of warped, back-handed compliment. That kind of reasoning is what’s called a non sequitur. And as for “lightening up”, I’m not the one who’s scuttling about repeating the words ‘single-party rule’ here. Nor am I the one who’s desperate for a coalition.
Jacques – a little word about losers and chips. I think you’ll find (when you’ve reached my great age) that when people hide behind code-names to launch an attack on those whom they perceive as their social betters (and this is obvious through the nature of their attacks), you’ll find it’s due to a lack of self-confidence and an inferiority complex, which provoke envy, and through envy, hatred. People who consider themselves my equal, or superior to me, are by definition not envious and so feel no hate borne of bitterness. That’s why you’ll discover that all these little mice like F*** Off or whatever it calls itself are unlikely to high-achievers, Bill Gates, Maserati-owners, or even just plain nice people with a strong sense of self. I think you’ll find they’re generally losers with chips.
Oh, and I’ve also noticed the beginnings of a migration from Viva Malta to this blog, which accounts for the increase in foul language and violent terminology.
“I’m not the one who’s scuttling about repeating the words ’single-party rule’ here.”
lollllllllllllllllllllll
“Oh, and I’ve also noticed the beginnings of a migration from Viva Malta to this blog, which accounts for the increase in foul language and violent terminology.”
VivaDaphne!
“Daphne Says:
February 27, 2008 at 1:42 am
That’s why you’ll discover that all these little mice like F*** Off or whatever it calls itself are unlikely to high-achievers, Bill Gates, Maserati-owners, or even just plain nice people with a strong sense of self. I think you’ll find they’re generally losers with chips.”
Naturally, you are Bill Gates, drive a Maserati and have a string of PhDs right next to your married name. Ah, and you are a high acheiver too whilst everyone else is a non-entity and a loser with chips.
So-called high achievers are like monkeys. The higher they climb, the more of their neither parts are seen by all , including losers with chips.
‘ere, no hard feelings lassie. ‘Ave a chip with some hot sizzling barbacque sauce.
🙂
Daphne,
What do you mean by “are unlikely to high achievers”? I suppose that is an error.
Well to err is human, therefore do not worry, I will not point out your grammatical mistakes. That is generally your prerogative.
However, be mindful, to persist for so many years in repeating the same argument is either diabolical or obsessive. The latter is more plausible, it is a trait of human nature, I’m afraid.
Jacques inferred elsewhere that one of the parties has the values of the Vatican. I do not think that Jacques was referring to AD, MLP or AN. That leaves GonziPn. I agree with Jacques. You are the living example of these values!
The difference between values and principles is fundamental. The members of a gang may share the same values but their principles are outright wrong. Everyone might agree with that argument. Or probably Daphne will not, as usual, because I do not venerate her Gonzipn.
I prefer to base my decisions on principles. That is why given the present scenario, I cannot and will not choose Gonzipn or MLP. If people heed your arguments that a vote for AD=Sant, we Maltese can never have a change in mentality at the helm of our beloved country. That is why the more you and Gonzipn tell me not to vote AD, I become more convinced that come 8th March, I will do the right choice.
Vote AD.
Forgive me Jacques, the words ‘value of the vatican’ are David’s not yours. Incidentally, do you share that view?
No, Dap[hne is definetly not the one “who’s desperate for a coalition”. She is just desperate for a continuation if the Gonzi regime.
For obvious reasons.
Are public/semi-public figures with a family to care for like DR.Claire, DR.Giannella, DR.Mary, or DR.Justyne , high enough acheivers, MRS. Daphne?
J’accuse note: We’re bordering on the ridiculous once again. And this applies for this whole sub-thread and not just this particular comment. That’s a note from DR. Jacques if you are so obsessed with qualifications.
sorry.
😦
Victor Lavieira said:
“And even if, for the sake of the argument, it was true, so what? Anyone can go into a public phone box, call the Police HQ and say that a bomb will be placed at a certain place. But the thing is, the real bombers just go ahead and do it (likee the bomb at the Sliema Police station or the bomb that murdered Karin Grech).”
Well sometimes they do just “go ahead and do it” and sometimes they don`t. It is pretty standard procedure amongst terrorist organisations to issue warnings. The IRA issued them all the time. Sure, a nutcase who makes a bomb threat is probably not enough of a nutcase to actually plant a bomb somewhere. However, there have been some instances in human history where people have actually CARRIED OUT THREATS. Hard to believe, I know, but true.
I wonder if you would be so blase if there was a bomb threat made against you, if your own home had actually previously been targeted and almost razed to the ground. It`s pretty easy to brush off a threat when it`s made towards someone else now, isn`t it?
Not sure if I would want you as Police Commissioner with your “Let`s just wait till people DO commit crimes rather than get excited just because they are TALKING about commiting crimes” approach to crime prevention.
J’accuse comment: I find this comment about bomb threats vs actual bombs puerile. Another result of black and white politics that leads people to state irrational facts to spite the opponent. In this case I am sure Victor knows fully well that bomb (or assassination) threats need to be followed up whether they are fundamentalists threatening to kill Danish cartoonists or with threats on a person who has had her house attacked a couple of times. Victor prefers to play the fool. And I stress play the fool. All too often in political issues and political spinoffs the parties play the fools and the game of half truths. Victor tells me he does not know what Old Politics is about. I can understand that. Let me just tell him that both himself and the Daphne he loves to provoke so much are a product of the same passe system: blinkered from relaity out of a distorted passion for a cause – one cannot see the need to follow up bomb threats, the other can put her hand on her heart and swear that she votes liberal by electing Tonio Borg. PLus ca change.
Mind you, I have my suspicions that the present Police Commissioner takes broadly the same approach. 😦
Victor: What’s the big deal with calling the cops after a bomb threat? You make it sound like it’s an unusual reaction. Do you think one should wait and see if the threat is genuine before getting the coppers involved? Should one get his foot blown off before dialling 112? Come on now…
Min naha ta persuna li vvutat lil-partit nazzjonalista ghall-ahhar tleiet elezzjonijiet. semplicement ghar-raguni li jien kont pro EU u dan mhux ghal ragunijiet ekonomici (li frankament f’dan l-istadju nigi nitnejjek minnhom) izda ghal fatturi ambjentali u kulturali:
Inhossni DIZGUSTAT kompletament bil-kampanja elettorali tal-PN. U nhossni dizgustat b’min itenni li Lou Bondi u cohorts m’ghandhomx l-agenda personali taghhom. U nhossni dizgustat izjed minn-nies li suppost jippossjedu modicum ta intelligenza u jibqghu jaqghu fil-bassezzi ta’ fervur politiku li huwa kompletament inutli. U hawn ikolli naqbel mat-tajn mitfugh lejn l-universita ghax frankament, x’qed nipproducu minn hemm? Izjed avukati u izjed periti…u billi kemm il-gustizzja u kemm l-ambjent jinsabu fi stat tal-biki ma nistghux nghidu li l-universita m’ghandiex iddur dawra maghha innifisha. Qas nies li jiktbu kolonna semi-dicenti (bl-eccezzjoni ta xi tnejn li tghoddhom fuq ponot subghajk) ma qed tipproduci ahseb u ara.
Fuq Bondi haga wahda nista nistaqsi (ghax kont iccaqlaqt ftit mil-punt originali)
Ghaliex dan qieghed jitkaza li f’kaz ta koalizzjon (li personalment naraha possibilta remotissima) semplici dizgwid bejn il-gvern u l-AD fuq golf course jista jikkawza il-waqgha ta gvern? Mhix raguni valida li jaqa l-gvern fuq kwistjoni ambjentali tahraq?
Hadd ma oggezzjona li waqgha l-gvern minhabba kwistjonijiet ta Cens Perpetwu l-Isla izda holl caghrek u gib iz-zejt jekk il-gvern jista jkun imxekkel fuq kwistjoni li hija VALIDISSIMA. Ghalija hareg ta Purcinell kbir Lou Bondi b’din l-istqarrija.
L-uniku glieda li fadal niggieldu f’dan il-pajjiz hija dik ambjentali (u ta dan in-Nazzjonalisti ghandhom WISQ ghal xhiex jirrispondu…biss biss tistghu taraw x’gara l-MEPA il-bierah. Nies jirrizenjaw ghax l-awditur qed isostni li c-caqqnu inghata permess kontra l-ligi biex jizviluppa Supermarket iehor (j’alla l-uniku permess kontra l-ligi li nghata)) Issa li kulhadd ghandu l-flat screen u l-bajd maghsur mill-loan tal-bank issa xhiex?
Daphne hija biss cajta…u wahda li m’ghadha tnissel l-ebda umorizmu.
U ghaliex qed tistghagbu li l-AD qed tiehu l-pozizzjoni li hadet? Ghandhom xi ghazla ohra? Jistghu qatt icaqalqu xi haga jekk ma jiehdux siggu (f’dan l-istadju kemm bis-sewwa u kemm bid-dnewwa) ? L-isfortuna hija li probabbilment dan kollu mhux ser jigri
Pero ghal-ewwel darba il-vot tieghi sejejr ghalihom. Forsi vot mormo. Pero nhoss li mhux daqstant mormi meta tara l-marmalja tal-PN u l-MLP li m’ghandu l-ebda futur quddiemu b’dak il-leader li mil-ambigwita ghamel zbandola li tahdem biss fuq il-partit tieghu.
Jekk iz-2 partiti ewlenin jiddizgustawk indaqs, u l-AD joghgbuk, ghandek l-ghazla lesta. Hawn min ghadu itellgha u jnizzel jekk jiddizgustawhx indaqs il-PN u l-MLP…
Ma narax lill-AD bhala opportunisti. Qed jaraw hafna nazzjonalisti imdejqin u qed jippruvaw jigbduhom lejn l-AD. Qed jaghmlu xogholhom, xejn iktar.
Jien dik il-problema tieghi Keith
Li ma nistax nittolera poplu li ghadu jtella u jnizzel meta l-ghazla hija DAQSTANT OVVJA.
U l-fatt li lanqas nies tampari ma jistghu jaraw dan ma jhallili ebda triq ohra hlief li nemmeni li s-sitema edukattiva f’dan il-pajjiz FALLIET KOMPLETAMENT.
Falliet taht il-Labour
u regghat falliet taht il-PN.
u kemm ser indumu bil-kampanji elettorali li jbezzghuna mil-grajjiet tal-passat (u jien niftakarhom it-tmeninijiet ukoll jigifieri laqqas hu kaz li jien ma kontx hemm)
Ghalija l-ghazla ovvjissima hija AD. Jekk ma jistghax ikollna siggu taghhom nippreferi bil-qabda il-Partit Laburista fit-tmun minn dak Nazzjonalista. Ragunijiet ghal dan? Onestament l-ebda wahda konkreta hlief li l-korruzjoni tal-PN lahqet livelli kolossali ta sfaccatagni. Nittma li l-iscaremongering taghhom ifalli bis-shih.
AGHAR MIN KIF AHNA MA NISTGHUX INKUNU. Ghallinqas hekk nemmen, Forsi nista nkun zbaljat pero haddiehor diga kien ZBALJAT BIL-PROVI.
Iss jrid il-MEPA f’idejh GonziPN? (banner li wahdu jixhd kemm hi mnawwra it-tuffieha Nazzjonalista)
Affarijiet WISQ OVVJI dawn. Pero probabbilment ser inkun meqjus cuc ghal argument ‘semplici’ u ‘simplistiku’ li qieghed niggranfa mieghu.
Isma nies, is-sinjura Daphne x’sar minnha? Kemm ilha li nqalat din tal gidba sparixxiet.
lil mario: fl-ahhar, xi hadd qed jitkellem ftit sens u minn qalbu.
I never said the PN newspaper ads are excellent. I don’t think they are. I just asked whether Daphne writes them. They’re either written by her or someone with a very similar style. In any case, I don’t see why she shouldn’t be able to come out with it and say, “Yes, I write the text for the PN ads. I email it to Gordon Pisani/Joe Saliba/X”. Nothing wrong with carrying out pr services for a political party, so why not say so?
Sinjura Claire, milli jidher li tammetti il-verita ma hix kwalita tat-tim tal-Gonzipien
u ejja Claire..
x’importanza ghandu min kiteb dawk il-kampanji skifuzi?
L-importanza hija li ngharfu li huma skifuzi u daqshekk. Nahseb li dawn il-battibekki personalssimi bejn diversi fazzjonijiet tal-media lokali m’hu ser iwasslu imkien.
Il-Media lokali hija inutli fejn tidhol l-espressjoni politika (fost bosta espressjonijiet ohra)
Jien inhossni dizilluz kull darba li nipprova nakkwista daqsxejn informazzjoni li hija bilancjata.
U hawnhekk ma nistghax nonqos li nsemmi il-programm (sfortunatament qasir wisq) li jmexxi Saviour Balzan fuq il-PBS. Wiehed mill-ftit ezampju cari ta kif ghandu jkun il-gurnalizmu serju. Hudu ezempju minnu.
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