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Snow (mobile report)

It’s been an incredible night. At around 1700 hours yesterday an incessant fall of snow started to cover the Grand Duchy. Within an hour it was absolute chaos. I could follow it from my vantage point in my office in Kirchberg which overlooks a main artery of the rush-hour traffic. My colleagues and I were blocked in the office till we ventured out at around 2200 hour and managed to get home safely.

What has been impressive is not the ten centimetres of snow that have coated the country and paralysed transport to and from Luxembourg (trains still working though) but the sight of hundreds of people walking with one arm raised and a mobile device in their hands happily snapping away at the event. On such occasions, as Malta has shown with its recent floods, the nation becomes one whole mobile reporter. This photo of mine of a bus in distress blocking the main road made it to L’essentiel.

It took my dad (over to Luxembourg for a short visit) two and a half hours to fly to Frankfurt from Malta and nine hours of bus to get to Luxembourg. That’s 2010’s White Christmas for you.

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Personality of the Year (nominations)

For the third year running, this blog is selecting the “J’accuse Personality of the Year”. This may not be the TIME magazine but in our own little world we like to see which personality has struck our news critting minds most between January 2010 and December 2010. The rules are like a party political manifesto : vague and ambiguous. J’accuse will consider one man, many men, an event, an object or even an idea as being the Personality of the Year. Remember… personalities go a long way… both positive and negative so let your minds go wild. Here’s a few ideas from our laboratory:

1. The Flying Saucer (aka Plategate):

At the origin of a whirlwind in both internet and traditional media, the mother of all battles is still running in court. Will Plategate manage to eclipse the rest as the not so silent personality of the year? It’s a favourite in our laboratory for the storm in a teacup that hit the island around March. (Odds: Evens)

2. The Navel Gazer (aka Where’s Everybody?):

They’ve ended the year in style. The Broadcasting Authority has virtually described Bondi’s + as being both unfair and unprofessional. (To everyone’s surprise Bondi stated that “in the one instance in which the BA ruled against the programme it was completely wrong.”)  Meanwhile Peppi appears on a viral vid telling the world that “my bed is my tojlet”. They’ve baffled us with their choices on National TV and have provided the poor man’s philosophy of  “xarabankism”. Will Bondi’s ability to live in denial and in an alternate world be sufficient to make him and his friends Master of His Own Universe? A rank outsider. (Odds: 4/11)

3. The Bandwagonistas (aka Divorce à-la-carte)

Where to begin? Is it JPO and his bill? Is it the unconditional surrender to the Way of the Referendum? Is it the MPO wanting a bit of the Private Member’s Bill? Is it Inhobbkom J tagging along having been beaten in the first race? Is it President Emeritus EFA telling us that this is all about wanting to be different to those damn Filipinos? Will JPO feature in this year’s prize for the third year running? A bumbling racehorse. (Odds: 11/1)

4. The Hot Hot Summer (aka Boiler no. 5)

Was it no. 5? It sure was a winner this summer with it’s On Again Off Again approach. For a fleeting moment it shot through the popularity charts but like Halley’s Comet it might not be around for a very long while. Or at least until next summer. A hot one. (Odds 50/1)

5. The There’s No Smoke (aka BWSC)

It’s dragged on long enough with highs and lows for both government and opposition. Now that in the midst of a global wikileak furore we have managed to get the attention of the Israelites (there’s no real conspiracy theory if it does not involve Jews at some point is there?) there may be a case for the Bateman Saga to pitch its own tent among the Personality events of the year. Let’s face it… first prize going to Master Bateman would be funny if nothing else. Smokey. (Odds 23/10)

6. Holy Men (aka the Catholics)

Dan Brown showed Umberto Eco that conspiracy theories can very well survive without the circumcised being involved. This prize would go to the ups and downs of our own Catolicissimi from Gonzi to Grech via Benedict. Whether it’s condoms at University or condoms for life you’ll find them there. They’re egging the world on for an indissoluble marriage and tut-tutting at anything that isn’t kosher. It’s 2010 and they’re still the main protagonists. Blessed. (Odds 75/3)

7. The Fourth Estate (aka the media)

With a pinch of self-irony and a strong dose of mea culpa will J’accuse be prepared to award the Personality of the Year to the whole bloody lot of them for their willing connivance in the treacherous act of abdication from responsibility. Do you agree? Spinning. (Odds 100/5)

8. Agostino Pio Gatt (aka Minister my Minister)

The man who takes on the impossible single-handedly has both shone and stank in 2010. From the merits of strong negotiations to the murky questions still hanging on BWSC he has never been away from the limelight. The latest faux pas is the new attempt to prolong his heritage: for after he is gone he has anointed nothing less than Mr Huge vs Intellectual Potential to be his successor. Heaven forbid. (Odds: 200/1)

9. Don Quixote de la Sleepa (aka Franco Debono)

The rough renegade continues his battle on party financing and parliamentary reform unabashed. Whether you buy his ideas for what they are or whether you read the conspiracy theory of another in-house PN battle there’s something about Franco that is more and more convincing. Will this be enough for him to win the coveted prize? Tough. (Odds 60/7).

10. The Troll (aka the self-appointed “Blogger)

Thanks to the ignorance of the hacks at the Times, it would seem that the term Blogger still describes persons who the rest of the world calls “commentators” or more often than not “trolls”. They’re the annoying freaks who believe that the right of expression means that their expression is inevitably right. They’re everywhere (thankfully a bit less here than elsewhere – but that’s class you know) . Should we vote them in or rather vote them out?

Those are just some ideas. Feel free to add more to the list.

J’accuse Personality of the Year… int taf x’jfisser!

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The Confines of the Internet

I was assailed  by a sad thought while contemplating the shopping strategy for the purchase of the Secret Santa present at the work Christmas lunch. Without hesitating for even a second I had already subconsciously calculated that I would be in time to order the product – whatever it was – over the internet. And that was the sad part. Convenience had finally trumped over trudging through cold and ice and wading through a human mass of consumers. I would sit lazily at a console (the cool word that fits laptop, desktop or handheld equally) and browse the shopping halls and alleys of the ether.

I shall search, yes, but not indiscriminately and serendipitally as I would do at the Trier or Metz Christmas market. My mind will focus on particular, specific products and thanks to the google hegemony (bing? what’s that?) I shall be directed to outlets of choice and be a few clicks away from my final purchase. The only obstacle I might have is to be found in the physical delivery of the goods. Pauly the Postman might be stuck behind piles of snow or some last minute strike just in time for the festive season. There might also be one of the usual misunderstandings between web and real world such as DHL refusing to leave the package with the Pack Up Delivery system at the local post office because I am not there to receive it (which totally defeats the purpose).

The internet may have opened new horizons of practicality with its ever open, ever available and ever stocked markets but it has taken something out of the magic of Christmas shopping. So this Christmas, even if you plan most of your shopping on the net, do dedicate a day to good old fashioned Christmas adventure – take the kids out to Republic Street and let them marvel at the atmosphere and music. Buy them a couple of warm “imqaret” on the way in, run them from one shop to the other like there is no tomorrow and if possible “lose” them … yes, lose them, for a few minutes until they can see the Christmas lights through the tears forming in their eyes just before you scoop them to safety.

It may sound cruel, but it’s the kind of nostalgic experience that  they will surely remember when they grow up – not your office chair and bedside slippers as you click “Add to Cart” and fill up Santa’s Trolley.

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I.M. Jack – La Grippe

A day spent in the grips of  La Grippe (the common cold) meant a workday lost and blog day lost. Incredibly there’s more news to comment on than ever before – the storm we predicted a while ago is here and thank heavens for that. Here’s the snippets that we love best on I.M. Jack.

1. Middle Class

Yep. He’s definitely fixated with it and he will not let go and I am not speaking about Ed Miliband – at least he has the excuse of being a neo-Marxist. It’s (Inhobbkom) Joseph and his toying with multiple ideas like revisiting Labour’s history (more like reinventing) and redefining social castes in some mind boggling effort to garner support. Then we have the “innovative” concept of “the living wage” which has the Labour supporters drooling head over heels for a concept first flagged by a long forgotten pope at the beginning of the 20th century. I tried to find out more about what the living wage really is and basically it turns out to be a wage that allows people to live by being able to afford their basic necessities plus a bit. It threw me back to the Great Stipend Survey of 1999 when our KSU studied the expenses and costs of living of 500 students in what was definitely the most detailed survey to date. We argued that a stipend should cover these basic necessities (from transport to hygiene) and thus allow students to be non-dependent while also keeping them out of the labour market. That was a stipend argument (stipends Joseph – not a wage from an employer combined with a parrinu) Joseph’s seems to be a duty of society towards those who currently do not do enough to justify an increase in wages. Funny how he believes that the disgruntled employers – angry at years of Nationalist cheek – will usher him in only to find that they are being asked to foot the bill for the special needs of their employees. Instead of creating better economic conditions for workers to work their way up the ladder Joseph Muscat’s government will pass on the burden of improved conditions to employers. Good luck with that.

2. VAT’s next?

Paul Borg Olivier is in a fix because he now faces charges for not filing a tax return on time. Or something administrative of the sort. Like Daphne and Harry before him he is a bit of a fix with the law but more than that he has a problem with the very standards he has been busy imposing within his own party. The chaps in charge seem to have suddenly caught a bout of collective amnesia and nobody within the PN seems to be asking PBO to step aside – at least until his fiscal worries are over. Now that’s weird – especially coming straight up after the exacting conditions PBO himself set on all and sundry in the council. “Dimech or your mother” still echoes in the halls of Pietà. Meanwhile the Chancellor of the Exchequer (or the man who would occupy that position if it existed in Maltese politics) has gone all funny laughing off an incident about his maid not having been a registered worker. In a case of foot in mouth worthy of a nationalist party secretary general Tonio really has pulled all the shots in this one. I can sympathise with Tonio having registered a maid in Luxembourg myself only to have her f-off after two sessions and live off my taxes (I still had to pay her) while she enjoyed the whole incubation period of her latest offspring. I found out later that it was a scam perpetrated by many a maid in Luxembourg (in collaboration with doctors) and that honest tax payers like myself would often find themselves paying social security for registered maids who never ever turned up for work. But back to Tonio – it’s just not done is it? Not by a minister. What is this world coming to? Next we’ll have an association of contractors with a convicted criminal as secretary or something of that sort.

3. Disset Axed

Then there was the nationalist outpost known as PBS. We hesitated tagging this label before but now that the only two current affairs programs on national television are … wait for it… Bondiplus and Xarabank we cannot but go along with our original suspicions. There is no explaining why PBS’s only remaining investigative and informative programme would be axed unless there was a dire need to REALLY make it a one note band. We’re really looking forward to a season of Bondipluses regaling us with the oh so interesting story of attempts to dive into the Etna or about the farmer who has homosexual chickens that can play the guitar while ringing a bell. You know what I mean. Speaking of Bondiplus, the subject least tackled on the programme last year is back in the courts. Plategate continued today with a new, drier examination of testimonies – bafflingly 6 months have gone by and the Times reporter still cannot tell the difference between a blog and a post. Ah these paragons of reporting.

4. Gandir Malta

If you do not have it on facebook add it – Gandir Malta (Ahbarijiet tan-nejk minn Malta). It is busy doing to Maltastar and Maltese news in general what J’accuse used to do a while back when we had more time. We love the humour and we really dig the vibe. Keep it up Gandir!

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Milkshake (a teaser)

They’re drilling for oil close to home. It’s BP so it must be safe. They’re spinning thoughts in the divorce debate and lines are being crossed. It’s a PO (Pullicino Orlando) so it must be topical. They’re still wondering whether our mouths have been gagged or whether we are too scared to speak. Have we fought the law, and has it won? The Banana Republic on Saint Lawrence’s night – when the stars are dancing in the sky. Is it all about Milkshake?

mil-boghod riesaq jinstema l-pass
tal-hotbi qaddej tas-sultan
il-mishun fetah jaghli fuq in-nar
xi hadd rixu ser jitlef jitlef jitlef

mat-tokk ta’ nofs in-nhar
gallinar tas-sultan
is-serduq jidden saghtejn tard il-pagun jisthi jiftah il-mazz
kanarin jiehu lezzjonijiet tal-kant
minghand kokka xiha b’widnejn twal u toga qasira
hemm fil-gallinar
jekk roqqa qatgha tiehu tbid il-bajd
l-farawn qatt m’hu ser izur il-Kajr
gismu hu tqil wisq ghal gwinhajh
attent ghax daqt gej
attent ghax daqt gej
il-hotbi qaddej tas-sultan

(sctarr u isctri haun)

Who’s drinking your milkshake?

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FVRIA NERA (BDS)

Ir redattioni tal Bollettino Della Sfiga ghandha piacir thabbar edittioni speciali ta’ FVRIA NERA, l-organu officiali tal-iscuadra storica Deportivo Estudiantes. Jinghad illi id-Deportivo Estudiantes huma l-echdem scuadra fil-ligg tal-futsal Malti u li dauna mincheiia li huma scuadra di natura amatoriali jiehdu il-loghba tal-ballun bl-achbar serietà. Gara illi il-gimgha l-ohra plejer tal-iscuadra naqas milli jattendi loghba tal-11-a-side contra il-famigerati Valencia XI u li ghalhecc id-Deportivo tilphu bi score ta’ sitt gowls bi tlieta. Hunhecc ched nirriproducu is-sententia mill-bord tal-Autoritaiet li inharget contra il-famigerat scariota illi halla l-iscuadra minghair portier ghall-loghba. – Gakbu Sfi*o (Testata Sportiva BDS)

IKUN JAF KULĦADD KIF ISEGWI

DEPORTIVO ESTUDIANTES F.C.C.Q.

PROĊEDURA TA’ DIXXIPLINA

24 ta’ Lulju, 2010

Ġie imressaq quddiem l-awtoritajiet tax-xirka ċertu  MARK PAUL BRIFFA, minn xi nies magħruf bħala “Craxi”, ta’ tnejn u tletin sena, ġuvni, residenti is-Swieqi, u dan iż-żagħżugħ ġie mixli kif isegwi:-

Talli fit-22 ta’ Lulju, 2010, u fi ġranet preċedenti, irrenda ruħu ħati ta’ nuqqas ta’ ħeġġa lejn l-interess suprem tax-xirka, billi ma attendiex għal logħba futbol 11-a-side ġewwa l-Luxol Grounds, Saint Andrews, minkejja li kien ingħata debitu u koerenti preavviż;

Ukoll talli fl-istess jiem huwa irrenda ruħu ħati ta’ negliġenza gravissima lejn ix-xirka, dana billi naqas li jagħti avviż dwar il-fatt li ma kienx ser jattendi, b’mod illi, bil-komportament tiegħu, ikkomprometta ir-riżultat tal-partita (kontra ix-xirka, naturalment);

Intalab illi l-istess mixli:

1.     jiġi skwalifikat għal għomru minn kull logħob tal-futbol, kemm max-xirka kif ukoll ma kwalunkwe persuni oħra, inklużi oratorji u lanqas fit-triq jew fl-ispjaġġja b’ballun tal-plastika jew supertele;

2.     jiġi bastonat mija u tlettax –il darba fuq iż-żewġ irkobbtejh ‘biex jitgħallem’ kif ukoll ħalli żgur ikollu jottempera mal-ewwel kundanna;

3.     jiġi mirfus minn truck tal-ġebel, concrete mixer, jew inġenju ieħor ta’ mhux inqas minn żewġ tunnellati, meħuda kura li ma jmutx waqt l-istrapazz u li jkun konxju il-ħin kollu, mhux bi ħniena imma sabiex l-istat ta’ velja u ta’ luċidità tiegħu jippermettulu li jesperjenza l-eqqel ħruxijiet tat-tbatija b’mod l-aktar parteċipi;

4.     peress li huwa goalkeeper, prevja in-nomina ta’ esperti Rumeni għal tali għan, jgħaddi minn taħt idejn il-“Metodu Helmut Ducadam” b’mod illi jinkisrulu is-swaba’ kollha ta’ idejh it-tnejn b’konvalexxenza neċessarja ta’ mhux inqas minn disa’ xhur, kif ukoll illi għal tali perjodu jinżamm forzozament ġewwa kantina, bir jew x’imkien ieħor umdu ħalli ma jonqosx li jibda jbati mill-osteoporożi;

5.     jiġu konfiskati mill-pussess tiegħu il-flokkijiet kif ukoll ix-shorts kollha tad-Deportivo Estudiantes;

6.     ismu jiġi ikkanċellat mill-kotba u l-annali tad-Deportivo Estudiantes u kull fejn kien jirrikorri tali isem, minnflok jinkitbu l-kliem “dak il-ġarra l…, li kien goaler imma li tneħħilu ismu għax ħareġ ta’ p…..a”;

7.     naturalment ukoll, ma jiġix mistieden għall-attivitajiet soċjali tax-xirka, għal liema kull meta dawn iseħħu, irid ikun iktar ’il bogħod minn djametru ta’ erba’ kilometri minn fejn tkun qegħda tinżamm l-attività, sew jekk festiva, sew jekk ta’ dieqa.

Bl-ispejjeż tal-proċess u tal-ħruxijiet konsegwenti.

Evalwati il-fatti tal-każ, jirriżulta is-segwenti:

Id-Deportivo dejjem kellu diffikultà kbira biex isib goalkeepers suret in-nies, alemu sa livell aċċettabbli għall-aspirazzjonijiet internazzjonali tal-istess “club”.

Minkejja ħafna tfittxijiet, kellu jirripjega fuq l-imputat u jużah għal ħafna logħbiet, fejn, ikollu jiġi ammess, ma ikkomportax ruħu ħażin, apparti l-fatt illi wera “distribution skills” ekwivalenti għal vending machine fid-dockyard fil-bidu tas-snin tmenin.

Dawn l-attivitajiet komplew għaddejjin għal tul ta’ snin.

Fis-sena 2010, ix-xirka bi pjaċir, mal-“cricket”, il-futbol, u il-quiz żiedet ukoll skwadra tal-11-a-side, u bdiet tniedi logħbiet kontra timijiet organizzati mill-perfidissimu Valenzia, illi l-“average age” tal-iskwadi tiegħu tinżel b’erba’ snin kull logħba waqt illi id-difiża tad-Deportivo tant hi antika li għadha tgerger fuq kemm ma ħariġx ta’ raġel Napuljun meta ġie Malta, u kemm hu qasir.

Fl-11-a-side, l-importanza tal-goalkeeper hija naturalment waħda nevralġika, il-lasta hija kbira u l-ħsad huwa ftit.

Il-mixli ġie avżat kemm –il darba dwar id-data, il-ħin u il-lok tal-logħba.

Il-mixli però ma weġibx għad-diversi talbiet lilu magħmula, kemm permezz ta’ korrispondenza elettronika kif ukoll bil-metodu tal-sms, mhux biss, imma fil-jum tal-partita kellha tkun telefonata mix-xirka stess illi wasslet għar-rivelazzjoni skarjotika li l-imputat ma kienx ġej għal-logħba, għal liema oltraġġ lanqas ingħatat spjegazzjoni.

Kieku ingħatat spjegazzjoni valida, bħal per eżempju, serata galanti, l-imputat  seta’ (forsi) jibbenefika minn xi skonti ta’ piena, imma dana ma ġarax.

L-aġir tal-imputat huwa bil-wisq aggravat mill-fatt illi ir-risposta waslet tant tard fiż-żmien, b’mod illi allura ma setgħux jiġu użufruwiti opzjonijiet oħra jew bniedem kwalsiasi li għandu nofs talent ta’ goaler, dana naturalment għax kien tard wisq.

Bħala konsegwenza diretta tal-aġir tal-imputat, id-Deportivo qala’ xejn inqas minn sitt goals, dana għaliex il-persuni li alternaw ruħhom b’abnegazzjoni bejn il-lasti assolutament ma kellhomx idea ta’ “goalkeeping” u del resto wieħed ma jippretendix li jkollhom għaliex jaqdu dmirhom f’partijiet oħra tal-“pitch”.

Irriżulta wkoll minn sorsi informati u attendibbli li ir-raġuni għaliex l-imputat ma attendiex kienet addirittura laqgħa tar-Round Table, jew xi entità simili.

Ma hemmx għalfejn jingħad, imma xorta ser jingħad, illi dan il-fatt jaggrava ħafna l-posizzjoni tal-imputat, u il-Kumitat ta’ Dixxiplina ħaseb ħafna dwar il-possibilità illi il-piena tkun attwalment eħrax minn dik mitluba (f’dawn il-proċeduri, dana jista’ jsir).

Bħala liġijiet u regolamenti applikabbli, apparti is-sens komun, hemm biss l-istatut, illi jaqra testwalment hekk:

STATVT

ID “DEPORTIVO ESTUDIANTES” HIJA SCIRCA SPORTIVA U CULTURALI IMNEDIA MINN ANTONIO TUFIGNO U JAMES BANNISTER, FEIN JIDDECIDU COLLOSC DEJJEM HUMA U HUMA BISS.

FIRMAT:

ANTONIO TUFIGNO                                                                                                     JAMES BANNISTER

L-imputat ma ressaq ebda prova in difiża in vista tal-akkużi miġjuba kontra tiegħu, u sewwa għamel, għax tenut kont ta’ dak li għamel, kien imissu jistħi kieku ipprova jazzarda jiddefendi ruħu b’xi mod. Dana apparti mill-fatt illi naturalment lanqas ma ġie avżat li seta’ jressaq il-provi, għax xorta kieku kien probabilment joħroġ b’valanga ċuċati li setgħu, se mai, jippeġġoraw is-sitwazzjoni tiegħu.

Fatturi mitiganti, fil-fatt, assolutament ma hemmx, u, fil-verità, dan il-Kumitat, li huwa prevenut kontrih u li naturalment beda u mexxa dan il-proċess bl-intenzjoni mill-bidu sal-aħħar li jsibu ħati, ma qgħadx iħabbel rasu f’dan is-sens. Meta inti ħati, ħati u daqshekk.

Ħtija tal-imputat allura tirriżulta b’mod lampanti u assolut u bla ebda ombra ta’ dubju u għalhekk jeħtieġ li din il-proċedura, li hija l-ewwel waħda ta’ dan it-tip, twassal għal kundanna eżemplari u kif jgħid il-popolin, “inċaqċquhielu sewwa”.

Madanakollu mhux per simpatija personali imma sempliċement għaliex l-imputat jaf jiġi utli f’ċerti attivitajiet fosthom ġarr ta’ oġġetti ingombranti u ġieli wera ruħu utli bħala ħabib, il-Kumitat ma jħossx illi, minkejja il-ħtija spudorata u fjammeġġjanti tiegħu, jista’ jemana kundanna sħiħa kif mitlub, speċjalment fir-rigward tar-raba’ talba għaliex kieku jgħaddi mill-Metodu Helmut Ducadam, imbagħad ma jkun jista’ jġorr xejn, b’dannu kbir għal kulħadd.

Jaqta’ għalhekk u jiddeċidi il-Kumitat tal Awtoritajiet illi, waqt illi jsib lill-imputat Mark Paul Briffa magħruf bħala “Craxi” ĦATI tal-akkużi kollha miġjuba kontrih, jikkundannah:

Għal sospensjoni ta’ sitt xhur minn kull attività sportiva, fl-usa’ sens, jiġifieri xejn FIFA, XBOX, Playstation u lanqas Chess;

Jippreżenta ruħu għand Ġanni ta’ Fotti nhar il-5 ta’ Awwissu, 2010, fit-830 ta’ filgħaxija, fejn, fil-presenza tal-players tad-Deportivo kollha, in-nisa tagħhom kif ukoll it-tfal, jiġi mgħoddi minn pubblika umiljazzjoni billi għas-serata kollha jiġi ikkunsidrat bħala “Round Table” umana, fejn ikollu joqgħod “on all fours”u jippreżenta daru f’forma ta’ mejda, fuq liema mejda jintqegħdu diversi pjetanzi għal min ħaqqu, waqt illi naturalment l-imputat ma jmissu xejn la mil-ikel u lanqas mix-xorb.

Bl-ispejjeż tal-ikla, u tal-ħasil tal-art jekk bħala mejda, l-imputat ma jikkomportax ruħu tajjeb.

It-terminu tal-appell minn din is-sentenza jibda jiddekorri mill-lum sa nhar it-Tnejn, 26 ta’ Lulju, 2010, fil-11 pm, bl-email u bi spjegazzjoni motivata ta’ għalfejn wieħed qiegħed jazzarda tant li jappella. Fil-każ malawgurat ta’ appell, naturalment, dana jinstema’ mill-istess Kumitat, kif identikament kostitwit.

(Firmat)

Il-Kumitat tal-Awtoritajiet