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Mediawatch

Mass Downgrade

There was a time when the day after “mass meeting” events would be spent combing the papers comparing snapshot to snapshot of the human flood that would have filled the appointed spot at the appointed time. Pre-election polls in Malta were conducted with an expert off the cuff assessment (if you excuse the oxymoron) of the number of flag waving homini partisani who crammed every nook and cranny of Il-Fosos. That was then – when a silly tune like “We take a chance” could guarantee more votes than a commitment on Waste Recycling and when everybody could dance the night away happy that our economy was boosting and F’par idejn sodi.

I went through the papers – those sympathetic to government and their online version to look for the photos of the “masses” who were supposed to have spent three days of hedonistic remembrance and instead all I could find were close-ups of Lawrence Gonzi and Paul Borg Olivier. Was something being hidden from our prying 80’s mentality? Had the PN masses failed the ultimate fidelity test? Had they not crammed the beloved fosos while singing their anachronistic innu tal-kattolċi u tal-Latini? Apparently not. Here’s the party mouthpiece MaltaRightNow letting the numbers slip while describing part of Prime Minister Gonzi’s speech:

Lista ma tispiċċax illi ġiet elenkata mill-PM u Kap tal-Partit Nazzjonalista Lawrence Gonzi meta indirizza lill-mijiet miġbura fuq il-fosos tal-Furjana għall-mass meeting li bih għalqu l-festi tal-Indipendenza bit-tema ‘Kburin b’pajjiżna, għax nemmnu f’pajjiżna.’

Mijiet. That’s hundreds. Not thousands. Hundreds.

Just saying.

 

(Happy Independence Day)

Later on J’accuse: More on why Labour is intent on plugging the “PN are too partisan” line, how the PN attempted to rewrite six months of Maltese fence-sitting  in the libyan saga, and how telling us that Labour is no good alternative is not exactly our idea of a plan for our future (Pjan ċar u konkret għall-futur)

 

Independence Day Speech (4th of July): “We can’t be consumed by our petty differences any more” (or don’t you think that Joseph Muscat would look good in a bomber jacket?)

 

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Euroland

Press Standards & Poor Berlusconi

Italy’s sovereign debt rating has been revised downwards (A from A+) by Standard and Poor’s. The marginal comment to this revision was that the country’s outlook was “negative”. Notwithstanding Berlusconi’s “manovra” that seemed to have appeased worries in the institutional corridors of Brussels, the credit rating agency “cited fears over Italy’s ability to cut state spending and bring its finances in order, particularly given the country’s growth prospects.” (BBC)

The Italian government’s reaction to this revision is once again redolent of the double-vision that is evident in every major capital in Europe these days. On the one hand there is the inevitable reality that is a euroland crisis that is crying for a common solution (common because of the interdependence of the euroland states) while on the other hand there is the survival instinct of the parties in government eager to avoid losing valuable election points in the national microcosm.

Malta’s Labour has been lashing at Gonzi & Co. for what they claim is the “ostrich” mentality that has overcome Pietà and Castille. The tune from Labour and other critics of government is that the Government has “conveniently ignored” Moody’s recent downgrading. For its part, barring the bravado of mavericks like Austin Gatt, the party in government seems to be content with the government by default line that has worked so well in recent years. While it is true that Labour is far from offering a practical alternative to the current men at the driving seat, it is also blatantly evident that the government by default lacks a coherent, value-driven and globally conscious plan. Surely a tough nut to crack for voters.

Back to Berlusconi and his government. The first reaction to the S&P revision was a tirade on the fourth estate. His government and its manoeuvres was not to blame – instead it was the bad feeling and lack of confidence generated by the papers. Pity that the stock exchanges in Milan and elsewhere seemed to be more on the wavelength of S&P and the papers than on Berlusconi’s side. Here is part of Palazzo Chigi’s official reaction (from La Stampa):

«Il governo ha sempre ottenuto la fiducia dal Parlamento, dimostrando così la solidità della propria maggioranza. Le valutazioni di Standard & Poor’s sembrano dettate più dai retroscena dei quotidiani che dalla realtà delle cose e appaiono viziate da considerazioni politiche»

The question is whose reality (realtà) is the real one and whose is the virtual?

The truth is out there.

 

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Articles

J’accuse: Doves in hawk’s clothing

During the Vietnam War, public opinion in the United States of America was virtually split in half between two factions that came to be known as “the hawks” and “the doves”. The monikers speak for themselves − hawks were the advocates of war while the doves were those who plugged more peaceful solutions. Such a description obviously risks being an oversimplification of the issues behind the Vietnam War, but I guess you get the drift.

Food for the masses

The run up to the 21st September celebrations is always seen by the Nationalist Party camp as a great time to drum up a feel-good feeling about the nation and its government (especially when the Nats are the ones at the helm). The orchestrations of the orgy of mass celebrations are the modern daughters of Speer’s efforts in Nuremberg that were handed down through generations via Mintoff’s slapstick parades complete with songs of adulation for the great leader. The Nationalist Party is not at its most confident. Still reeling from the disastrous handling of the divorce issue and from the complete failure of its concept as a party of diversity, it is in great need of a morale booster − its been angling around for a winning theme ever since the Arriva flop took the last feeble breeze out of its sails.

Even this week it lost some (minor) pieces of its organisational puzzle, as Pierre Portelli first (rumour has it that his Watermelon productions did not get all it wanted on NET) and Castaldi Paris later (will he do a Cyrus and switch sides before the big day?) ditched their roles within the party infrastructure. The Nationalist world does not begin and end with Portelli and Castaldi Paris and the government members of the PN would do better to focus on the economy than on the bickering among the growing club of prima donnas within the party’s fold. The euro debt crisis needs quick, clear thinking and the PN focus should not be distracted by the tantrums of its disaffected members or by the loud and empty noises being made by the Man Without a Plan.

Still. A theatrical drum roll is always needed before Gonzi of GonziPN can bark about achievements and order his minions to build their next year on hope. Selling hope is hard these times even if you are Obama, let alone Gonzi with his crumbling party. So what do you hang onto? Well the formula has always been “Religio et Patria”. The religio bit is not that sellable right now, what with the divorce setback and the Church’s woes, so Gonzi had best keep a wide berth of the spiritual infusions of pride right now. Which leaves him with patria.

Clout

This week’s news has been carpet bombed with info about Malta’s role in the Libyan Revolution. After six months of fence-sitting silence, we first got the shameless finger pointing about whose nights were best spent whoring away with the former Libyan tyrant.

Now we have suddenly become the pro-active nurse of the Mediterranean ready to pounce back into Libyan territory with a major role. So while the modern day Nelson and Napoleon were committing themselves to more assistance (such as they have been providing from day 1) in Tripoli and Benghazi, we were regaled without little narrative of heroism: Malta was to care for Aline, Gaddafi’s ex-nanny. We can be heroes too.

We got a full Times of Malta report with AFM in full regalia and Malta’s very known “Head of Defence” in the OPM speaking to the press about a “collective effort” to bring back two wounded Libyans and to ensure that our embassy and consulates would be bomb-free. It wasn’t exactly Obama speaking from the stairs of Air Force One, but you got the nagging feeling that this was an effort to conjure up memories of valiant Maltese battling it out again so close to Victory Day. It was very Hollywoodian. All that we needed was a Maltese Will Smith complete with cigar and smile celebrating his valiant escape from the clutches of the alien. You know the scene I’m referring to: Independence Day is the movie and it includes a stirring speech by a Hollywood Leader of a Nation.

The Nationalist Party may have lost its media wizard who is now busy with Watermelon, but they still seem to be fixated with directing real life Hollywood sagas. The Floriana Fosos will be the stage for narrating the latest step in the PLPN construction of Maltese history, featuring once again one of the comic protagonists. Let’s hope that Lou Bondi does not get to write part of the script. Writing in his blog (Shweyga, you are welcome here) to the tune of this latest theme of pride in the patria he prepares to welcome Shweyga (the ex-nanny) with open arms and concludes: “And we should be proud that the first civilised land that she should set foot on is ours”.

We are Maltese

Shweyga is Ethiopian and moved to Libya for work. That makes it at least two other countries that she set foot on before ending up in Malta’s hospital facilities. Two other countries before she reached “civilised” Malta. I wonder if Lou really thinks that Ethiopia and Libya do not qualify as “civilised” countries or whether he just got carried away with his enthusiasm about the fact that finally, seven months after the Libyan revolution began, Malta is actually committing itself to something.

There was a Maltese film some time ago that looked like a spoof of Hollywood-style movies such as “Independence Day”. The catch line for the film was “We are Maltese, we don’t take no shit”. Sure we don’t. Once the battle is practically won. Once it is practically sure that Gaddafi is but a squeaking mouse in a corner. Once the rest of the international community has moved on. And above all once we realise that our inertia might cause us to miss any “business opportunities”. Then. Only then. We don’t take no shit. We are, after all, a pretty civilised country.

Down Under

So the Nationalists are busy building the new narrative that will hopefully sell packets of pride along with the imqaret and fenek on the stands. Merkel and Sarkozy are still trying to solve the euro debt crisis. For some real time distraction there’s nothing better than the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. I’ve just watched Ireland defeat the Wallabies in a great encounter. I don’t normally watch rugby outside World Cup season but there are some aspects of the sport (apart from the get-up of the Australians) that are fascinating.

For example, I love the way that the penalties are taken. The penalty taker strides with the confidence of a Beckham-Ronaldo hybrid before performing a dance that seems to be inspired by a combination of a lovesick matador and a llama readying to spit in the eye of its next target. There is a silent moment − a dance on the spot in true tap dance style then the run to the ball and the kick… up, up and beyond. It’s these sporting moments that make life worth living.

www.akkuza.com is in sports viewing mode and is contemplating adopting Finnish side Inter Turku as a new underdog to follow. www.re-vu.org has a new book review up for discussion.

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Rubriques

I.M.Jack – Global Edition

It’s been a long time since I went for the “round-up” style post but here is one for all kinds of tastes. Straight from the heart of eurodoubt we take a quick look at what’s going on in the world around us – and obviously pepper a few of our own comments. (and videos from the euronews youtube feed)

1. Plagiarism on the Independent
Well it’s not Malta’s Independent but the UK’s. Journalist and columnist Johann Hari made a public apology and promised to return the “George Orwell Prize” that he had been awarded after he admitted to having committed what he called “two wrong and stupid things”. The first “stupid thing” might not even sound like plagiarism to some but gives us a good example of the rigors of professional journalism. Hari was accused of replacing interviewees words with similar clips taken from books or articles elsewhere. The words used were by the same interviewees but they were not the ones they used in the interview.

The second “stupid thing” turns out to be really stupid. Hari adopted a user-name in order to edit Wikipedia entries. Here is his admission of his faults in this second error:

I factually corrected some other entries about other people. But in a few instances, I edited the entries of people I had clashed with in ways that were juvenile or malicious: I called one of them anti-Semitic and homophobic, and the other a drunk. I am mortified to have done this, because it breaches the most basic ethical rule: don’t do to others what you don’t want them to do to you. I apologise to the latter group unreservedly and totally.

Hari admitted plagiarism and publicly apologised for his actions. In addition to that ” (Hari) is to take four months’ unpaid leave to undertake a programme of journalism training at his own expense. He will also return the Orwell Prize which was awarded to him in 2008. ” (see Independent columnist apologises for plagiarism).

2. Governments Abroad

If you take a break from the PLPN hyperreality where Muscat sells mystery policies and Caruana Galizia and Bondi still peddle Mintoff as current affairs you will find a whole new world beyond the borders of good old Melita. In that world the German Constitutional Court has just delivered an important judgement that clears the way for Merkel’s plans to help the euro by helping the Greeks. Meanwhile, the markets remain nervous and shaky with different messages not helping to stabilise the environment.

Italy‘s “manovra” was pushed through as bombe carta exploded outside the Senate house but the “austerity” bill that was announced includes measures that are prone to bring the unions to the streets and the country to an unhelpful standstill. Berlusconi failed to tax the rich and seems to still believe that the less successful can help carry the burden of the crisis.

French banks were left wondering what hit them when Moody decided to downgrade the ratings for giants Société Générale and Credit Agricole among others. The downgrade was put down to the lack of confidence in the French banks due to “the increasing vulnerabilities of the market“. Meanwhile the bid to become Presidential candidate for the PS begins in earnest as the six candidates vowed to oppose each other but not to argue/fight.

UK banks seem to have survived the current tests but are also subject to warnings that the new rules could stretch their finances. (Telegraph) In his article on the Telegraph economist Andrew Lilico explains why the death of the euro could also mean the death of the EU. Analysis and reaction to recent events by major politicians have prompted calls for a rewriting of the treaty and even a call for a Federal Europe.

Maastricht, Amsterdam and Lisbon seem to have been the wrong antidote to the deepening vs widening argument that plagued Europe in the nineties and noughties. It should come as no surprise that once again economic realties push the reluctant continent into some long-awaited decision making about its future form.

 

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Values

Qatar

It’s official. Malta is one of the safest places on earth (bar Qatar). Apparently the Maltese archipelago is one of the zones of the earth that is least prone to natural disasters with a 0.72% risk of such an abomination occurring. There is one country that is safer and that country is Qatar (0.2% risk). While I was reading this fact sometime yesterday it struck me that this was the second time that I thought of Qatar and Malta at the same time.

Qatar, a Gulf state that has hitherto lived in the shadow of its giant neighbour Saudi Arabia is living a gold age. Success story follows success story with social improvements and business stories being the daily staple diet of the Qatari people. Sure, they have been well treated by mother nature since they do not only sit on the safest real estate on the planet but it also happens to be a source of black gold. It’s not just that though. It’s what the Qataris are doing with it that is fantastic. They have large scale projects, a modern society that has attracted major sporting events (FIFA World Cup anyone?) and smart investments. Qatar was given a heads up by mother nature and capitalised on the consequences.

Hearing a report on France Culture about Qatar’s success story I couldn’t help but wonder how important it is for a nation to realise its assets and capitalise on them quickly and efficiently. It also means investing wisely and pushing for the right marketing….

Just think about this. The Malta Tourism Authority decided to sponsor a team in the UK in order to raise Malta’s profile among the Brit tourist crowd. Who did we choose? For some obscure reason it was Sheffield United. Now much as I might think that the blades have a wonderful footballing pedigree steeped in history I cannot but question whether this partnership was well thought out.

Back to Qatar. Next time you see Barcelona skip onto the field in their Champion’s League outfit take a look at the sponsor on their shirts. Let me just add that Barcelona were famous for being one of the largest teams that obstinately refused to accept a shirt sponsorship for a very long time before finally accepting to carry “UNICEF” in the place of advertising. Well UNICEF is there no more. Do you know which country’s name sits proudly on the chest of Xavi, Iniesta and Messi while they weave their magic infront of a global audience?

Yep. You guessed it. Qatar. In the form of the Qatar Foundation. Here’s the vision statement from their website:

an independent, private, non-profit, chartered organization founded in 1995 by decree of His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar, to support centers of excellence which develop people’s abilities through investments in human capital, innovative technology, state of the art facilities and partnerships with elite organizations, thus raising the competency of people and the quality of life.

And here is their mission statement:

Qatar Foundation’s mission is to prepare the people of Qatar and the region to meet the challenges of an ever-changing world, and to make Qatar a leader in innovative education and research. To achieve that mission, QF  supports a network of centers and partnerships with elite institutions, all committed to the principle that a nation’s greatest natural resource is its people. Education City, Qatar Foundation’s flagship project is envisioned as a Center of Excellence in education and research that will help transform Qatar into a knowledge-based society.

Now that’s what I would call smart.

 

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Mediawatch

An Apology to Manuel Cuschieri

Dear Manuel,

I don’t really know you. I’ve never met you and I cannot even claim to have heard any of your radio programmes that shot you to notoriety and turned you into a household name synonymous with political mud-slinging in the days of Alfred Sant. I might have criticised your brother for his lack of political sense and his hopeless career as the 6th seat that never was and I will probably do so again since such criticism falls well within the  rules of the game.

The fact that I do not really know you does not mean that I am  not obliged to deal with you in the manner that any respectable citizen deserves to be treated by a columnist and blogger. However, I believe that I still owe you an apology.

I owe you an apology for having compared you to Daphne Caruana Galizia. True, Daphne is no foreigner to mud-slinging and engages daily in the “guilt by association” tactic that has been perfected to a tee by our wonderful political class. But you see, Manuel, you were not half as sophisticated in your tirades in your time. You might have tried to repeat lies to no end in the hope that the gushing followers of your rants would take your word as the gospel truth.

In fact, forgive me if I say that the similarity she bears with your style in this case is uncanny. The thing is that in your case you might have sold lies. You were just an evangelist, a propaganda peddler, eager to drum your gospel into your unquestioning flock’s psyche. Daphne goes one better. She denigrates by implication, and moves on to unhesitatingly savage even people who are remotely affiliated or connected to any of her pet hates.  You might have seen your enemy as one big anonymous blue blob. But your rallying cry is nothing compared to her Facebook forays and ISP indictments. It’s all about taking a half- truth, a sweeping assumption,  another desperate pigeonhole, and creatively moulding a hundred links by spurious association.

There comes a time when there need be no factual lien between her targets. Take the manner in which time and again Daphne has peddled the idea that J’accuse is somehow involved in some pro-Labour or pro-AD conspiracy. Our name is dropped in the middle of a rant against a fellow columnist simply based on the hopeless claim that J’accuse is somehow fixated on being anti-PN. I’m sorry, Manuel, but your “the enemy of my enemy” line has been worn out of all recognition. Daphne is desperate to slam the Labour/AD label on this blog without once engaging on the matters which this blog has raised time and time again. Take the “Why now?” issue…. it’s too complicated to answer, is it? Better apply some of the good old mud-slinging tactic and throw in some non-sensical statements like “remote controlled blog” (What is a remote controlled blog anyway, Manuel? Can you tell me?)

By the way, Manuel, in case you mistakenly believe that there might be more for me to apologise about : I’m not the one who  compared you to Lou Bondì.  You must admit that if it is style and method that we are talking about, the description fits like a tailor-made glove. However, Manuel, I did not come up with that comparison myself and  I always give credit where credit is due. Lou’s another one who seems to have been perfecting  your style for some time. Don’t worry, he rarely takes criticism head on so he’s bound to claim never to have read anything about this comparison. He doesn’t need to anyway, there’s always Daphne to do the business for him. You know… a sneaky message and a call here… a mud-slinging blog post there…. There must be lots of back scratching going on.

So there Manuel. I’m sorry. I’m sorry to have compared you to the masters of modern day mud-slinging and grudge-bearing slurs. You were just the primitive precursor of this new politics. Your legacy however seems to be guaranteed a dark and slimy future whether or not you return to grace the radio-waves (please don’t).

So, Manuel, if you did find my comparing you to Daphne Caruana Galizia to be in any way jarring or insulting, then I take it back. In any case… she’s much better than you in doing what you used to do…  but I guess you knew that already.

Saħħiet.

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