Paranoia and persecution mania

Published: April 11, 2008 at 9:00am

Maltastar.com, the Labour Party’s ‘news’ portal set up by none other than Malta’s future prime minister, Dr Joseph Muscat PhD in Management Research (University of Bristol), last Tuesday carried this ‘anonymous letter’ in favour of guess-who, and against all those who would ‘turn the Pope into Satan’.

They would turn the Pope into a Satan

[email protected]

Tue, 08 April 2008

‘Hopeful’ wrote:

The ink on the contents of The Sunday Times interview with Joseph Muscat had barely dried when those who through ignorance, self interest, and the prejudiced view Labour as the plague of Malta, came out with vengeance against him.

The comments posted on The Sunday Times’ website barely a few hours after the interview was printed, shows that the even if Labour would propose the Pope as its leader, the Nationalists will turn him or her into a Satan from day one.

Witness the viciousness, the hatred, the vehemence and bitterness of these contributors.

Half the population of Malta still supports the Labour Party despite the enormous advantages the Governing Party had, despite the dirty tricks, the scaremongering tactics, and the hatred churned out against Alfred Sant.

I would also add that given the present political scenario, the Prime Minister and ministers should consult the Opposition before appointing chairpersons and key persons in the administration. Only than we would believe that this is a government for the people.

It kind of sums up the ingrained attitude which dictates that ‘all those who are not with us are against us’. We would turn the pope into Satan, eh? Some pope that is – though I have no doubt that had Joseph Muscat been born around AD1400 he would have latched himself onto some besotted cardinal’s frock-hem and ended up as Pope Poodle the First.

The Joseph Muscat campaigner who wrote that letter – I’m not going to suggest that it was Muscat himself, and twins Etoile and Soleil can’t yet use a keyboard (though prodigies breed prodigies) – overlooks the fact that every leadership contender is being run down as rubbish for the very good reason that they are rubbish. All except George Abela, that is, who isn’t rubbish at all – and that is why the people who are rubbishing the other contenders are not rubbishing him too.

The prospect of George Abela as prime minister does not send us running for the hills, like every one of the three Labour leaders in living memory did. Joseph Muscat? Run for the hills and take your Valium with you. Michael Falzon? Run screaming for the hills. Anglu Farrugia? Forget the hills, just emigrate. Marie Louise Coleiro? Oh, please – not Labour’s secretary-general from the Karmenu years. Evarist Bartolo? You’re joking, right? George Abela? So what? He looks OK to us – but then anything that comes in the shape and form of the man we voted for this time round is going to look OK to us, obviously.

Not obvious to Labour die-hards, though – but then we know they’re thick as two planks, even the ones with dikris. After all, they kept right on voting for that circus act called Alfred Sant, even though things were going pretty well and they refused to see this. But there you go.




124 Comments Comment

  1. David Zammit says:

    @DCG

    Revolting, stomach churning, nauseating – and no I haven’t eaten broccoli for breakfast. I just read the above. The above just makes me cringe and vow to myself that I can never associate myself with the party which people like Daphne feel comfortable with. Too far is too far, physical intimidation and police states bring a shiver down your spine but something like this – enough to take away your apetite for a week.

    Fancy bringing his young daughters who are still toddlers into the fray – well at least they didn’t tell someone to stuff a thingie up their backside like someone’s son did I guess.

    As for the ‘thick as two short planks’ comment – I guess it doesn’t include the PN members or executives who will have their general secretary chosen by an elite 50 (yes 50 not even the hundreds of kunsilliera or whatever they call them). Oh no it doesn’t include them cause your on that side of the fence aren’t you….

    [Moderator – Don’t be such a sourpuss. Would a normal person call their twins Star and Sun? No, but Joseph ‘David Brent’ Muscat would. Below: Labour supporters tell us to ‘leave Joseph Muscat alone’

    ]

  2. Matthew says:

    Someone should tell Joseph that the sun is a star.

  3. David Zammit says:

    @moderator

    Its a question of decency not a question of being a sourpuss. You can make fun of all the pepsodent smiles and brown waliking shoes and maby even goaties (although that one was lame). But making fun of a guy’s daughters is just not on. Lets say I’m not one to be put off too easily – but for me thats going too far

    [Moderator – I think it’s him that we’re making fun of, not his daughters. And anyway, they were only mentioned in passing, so you have reached the conclusion that to merely mention their names is to make fun of them. I think that says a lot.]

  4. ‘..the Prime Minister and ministers should consult the Opposition before appointing chairpersons and key persons in the administration.’
    Hah…I’d like to see THEM consulting the Opposition about appointments in key positions etc.
    As to the hatred ‘churned up’ against A.S. the man was a non-starter from the beginning.
    Such drivel!!!

  5. rene says:

    we might as well, ask the PN supporters to vote for the MLP leader – they seem to be quite focused on the subject at the moment.

    It seems, that only Joseph has the guts to speak on divorce and to say that both parties should aplogies for the 60s,70s and 80s …

    [Moderator – Here’s the thing reno: because there were more PN voters than there were Labour voters in the last election, the election of the MLP to government would involve PN voters voting for the MLP leader.]

  6. Gerald Fenech says:

    @David Zammit
    I think you’ve got yourself into a hot fit for nothing. I mean, what do you expect from this blog? People who get a kick rubbishing Labour and now they’ve had a go at a couple of toddlers? The more hate they spew out, the more rope they are giving themselves to hang from. As we have all heard, the battle is for the floating voter and these blog snippets should actually be kept to be resurrected come the next election. I’m sure we would have a nice Bible of hate by that time. I’m comfortable with DCG et al with the PN, a party I would never ever vote for again. And that’s coming from one who voted PN in 1992, 1996, 1998 and 2003 (plus the Referendum). Never again.
    Looks like JM is ruffling their feathers though…….

    [Moderator – Again – the mere mention of their names is to ‘have a go at them’. Are they really that bad? And ‘hate’, Gerald? Aren’t you the one with enough chips to put McCain out of business?]

  7. David Borg says:

    Joseph’s campaign song:

    The first time ever I saw your face
    I thought the sun rose in your eyes
    And the moon and stars were the gifts you gave
    To the dark and the empty skies,
    To the dark and the empty skies.

  8. David Buttigieg says:

    @David Zammit,

    Do you REALLY believe what you are saying? Are you so blind as to how hopeless Sant, KMB & Mintoff were?

    Can you not see Joe Muscat for what he is?

    Results speak for themselves, Mintoff brought about disaster, KMB continued it with incompetence that is hard to believe (he never one a single election in his life) and Sant only managed PM for 22 miserable months that threatened to undo the previous 10 years.

    Do you really think labour’s continued failure at the polls is not of it’s own doing?

    Do you REALLY not see why we want someone like George Abela to lead labour?

    I find that hard to believe but we Maltese are notorious for cutting off our nose to spite our face.

  9. David Buttigieg says:

    @Gerald

    You did not vote PN in the referendum, nobody did.

    Out of curiosity, for someone who claims to have voted PN up to 2003, what ‘pjacir’ did you ask for that got turned down? If you kept voting PN you must have seen what we all see now, so what changed that you would go so far as to defend the indefensible like KMB?

    @David Zammit

    Why on earth should the government consult labour for appointments? Labour lost – they have no say in the runnig of the country.

  10. Gerald Fenech says:

    Okay, a Freudian slip, I voted IVA in the Referendum.
    I did not ask for any favours thank you, I’m not your type of person as you seem to assume that one changes political views according to the favours given by any party. Imbasta tghajru l Lejber!
    As for the reason, I decided to make the switch, they are too lengthy to list here. Suffice to say that the downright arrogance, rampant corruption, gross incompetence et al were more than enough to make me change my way of thinking.

  11. Gerald Fenech says:

    “Labour lost – they have no say in the running of the country”.
    Stil gdid ta’politika. Ahna nazzjon wiehed. Jien Prim Ministru tal poplu Malti u Ghawdxi kollhu.
    Stuff and nonsense.

  12. Gerald Fenech says:

    Phaedra Giuliani: You really do believe in minority government do you? THEM and US.

  13. Alex says:

    I am starting to wonder, whether David and Gerarld are employed by Saint Muscat to try to counter the obvious or whether they are just pure whiners.

    Will you sop whining already?? There is nothing that can come close to offensive in that piece. You really need to start putting in some closure to your bitter defeat and move on.

    Gerald, I suggest that once Saint Muscat is the new leader you apply to join the ONE news room, it will work wonders for you having a job that satisfies your hobby (whining). Or that is what you are after????

    Unless you are acting like this because of some hidden agenda, I suggest to have a look at this – http://childparenting.about.com/cs/behaviorproblems/a/whining.htm – I am sure it will do wonders….

  14. David Zammit says:

    @ David Buttigieg

    Where in my comments did I mention KMB and mintoff???? Where did I mention anything about opposition consultation???

    I never even reffered to them in my comments!

    You must be just confusing me with some other poster:P

  15. Chris says:

    @ all labour apologists
    i would like to throw in my tuppence worth so here goes.

    I suggest all the lejber apologists read the fable of the emperor’s new clothes. You were blind to the previous emperor’s lack of clothing and even now refuse to see the new contender has no clothes on either. let me elaborate.

    AS was never really on the left. He raised prices of basic commodities making life difficult for the poorer segment of society. He crusaded against EU entry refusing to accept that the country would finally be pulled forward into modernity with all the help it could receive. His only major project was a few cobblestones at Bugibba which took forever to complete and overrun its costs thus rubbishing his claim to be a good manager. I could go on but it gets boring (VAT CET, early elections etc). the important point is that none of the present contenders had the spine to tell him it was wrong. GA is the only one who stood up and be counted.

    JM and GA were the only ones not involved in the messy 1980s. If not directly involved Varist, AS, MLC never spoke up either against what was so obviously wrong a blind bat could see it. Anglu was directly involved shudder shudder. MF is not just boring but has blinkers big enough to be proud of the glorious past of the MLP, to say nothing to his kowtowing to AS in the last 15 years.

    JM was elected MEP on the strength of his looks and not substance. Silvio Parnis would probably garner even more votes in a national election and I hope nobody believes he has any substance.

    JM boasts of his success as MEP but let’s look a bit deeper shall we. He cleverly chose three issues that the government was sure to lose and fought against those windmills. It was obvious from day one that the satellite license, roaming charges and car registration issues could only end up the way they did. NONE of these issues mean anything to the poorer segments of society who can barely pay for life’s necessities. There is nothing socialist or leftist in these issues.

    To conclude JM was a yes man where it was convenient to go up the ranks in the labour party, is no more to the left than his predecessor/master. This is hardly likely to make him attractive to floaters. Staunch labourites need to realise that a paradigm shift is called for and the only hope for this is represented by George Abela. But it looks like they will forever go on admiring the emperor and his successor’s new clothes.

  16. @ Gerald Fenech
    ‘Phaedra Giuliani: You really do believe in minority government do you? THEM and US’

    I believe that whoever is in government (The PN, in this instance)should implement his policies without having to consult the MLP) when the losers are out to further their own image rather than that of the country. The latter are notorious for putting spanners in the works. You are implying that Gonzi should ask for advice from the MLP opposition, and having asked, he is in duty bound to take it. By your reasoning, if I understand you rightly, the country should be run by both parties in tandem. Tridna sew!!!!

  17. Gerald Fenech says:

    @Phaedra. Ever heard of a national government? What about the much vaunted consultation preached by Gonzi before the elections? So you mean that the 50.6 per cent who did not vote for the PN have absolutely no right to be consulted, at least on issues of common interest and consensus? Your attitude only reveals the PN style of government, winner takes all and consultation my foot! And come on, the PM is not duty bound to implement the Opposition’s proposals. But he can listen at least. I thought you were more politically mature than that.

    [Moderator – I have heard of the term, and as far as I know, it is used to described a coalition of all the major political parties. Unless the Labour Party and the Nationalist Party coalesce or merge, it is a scenario we are not going to see.]

  18. Vanni says:

    @ Chris

    Not sure, but have a feeling that you are wrong on the Sat TV license issue. As far as I remember there was a groundswell of opinion about this subject, and a popular Maltese Sat forum organized letters to the press constatntly. I seem to remember an article as well written by Simon Busuttil, who wrote that it was illegal, or words to that effect. However I do stand to be corrected on the matter.

    [Moderator – The licence was illegal. Shortly before accession, the MIC had published a list of questions and answers about membership. One of the questions was about the satellite transponder (or decoder – not sure) license. The answer in the report clearly stated that the license would be abolished, and that all past fees would have to be repaid by the Malta Communications Authority. There was a case before the European Court of Justice, after the Commission received ‘numerous complaints and a written question from the European Parliament’, but it was dropped when Maltese laws were amended in 2005.]

  19. David Zammit says:

    @Chris

    First of all I wouldn’t be so presumptious as to say ‘The only hope’ or say that a party will for sure win or lose – the political landscape is indeed very mobile and a week is a long time in politics let alone 3 or 5 years.

    You also say ‘He cleverly chose three issues that the government was sure to lose and fought against those windmills’ Do you any proof that he chose these issues and avoided to chose any others? If yes can you mention such issues please? This is just for clarity – I’m not endorsing JM or anyone else.

    Finally you also say ‘To conclude JM was a yes man where it was convenient to go up the ranks in the labour party, is no more to the left than his predecessor/master. This is hardly likely to make him attractive to floaters’

    So someone on the left – a socialist would be attractive to floaters (who are in the centre) or PN voters who are to the right?

    Another thing I observed today in the papers that most of the old establishment seem to favour Abela. Take people like Dominic Fenech who wrote in the times today – amidst all his suggestions of how he believes labour can be more electable a particular line got me – ‘There are those who say times have changed and the focus on the working people is passé. That’s nonsense’

    Aha….now there goes your middle of the road politics! Another contributor who wrote in favour of Abela (‘tah palata’ kif jghid Abela stess) in the times today is a certain Charles Cassar…. Is he the same one who was at the helm of the SMU in the Mintoff/KMB era thateveryone remember with such horror….

    Are these the sort of people nationalists feel comfortable with? or will all this come out after Abela is elected leader…

  20. Keith says:

    Gerald, are you the same person who some time ago wanted to join the PN Media?

  21. David Buttigieg says:

    @Alex, when mentioning a David please specify the David :)

    @David Zammit – My point in mentioning KMB & Mintoff is that labour FINALLY have a chance for the first decent leader since Boffa. But they are not going to take it surprise surprise.

    @Gerald – And your ‘reasons’ suddenly made you think Sant, KMB and Mintoff were good PMs and lead good governments? You think the violence and bloodshed of the eighties, not to mention keeping the country as primitive as possible was justified after all?

    Labour lost, the Government is for all the people but that does not make the losing party get a say in the decision making. If you don’t know the difference that’s tough luck.

  22. David Buttigieg says:

    @Chris – do you really believe Silvio Parnis is good looking?

  23. @ Gerald Fenech
    So… two, or three or four athletes A, B, C and D ran a race. B won (by a whisker – but A won). So D EXPECTS TO SHARE THE WINNER’S PODIUM BECAUSE HE ALMOST WON. Is that it?!! And he thinks he has the right to get the trophy as well.

  24. David Buttigieg says:

    Gerald,

    You give the impression that you believe that those 50.6% voted labour – they didn’t. A chunk of those votes were wasted on AD, so do you believe Dr Gonzi should consult with AD too on decisions?
    The only votes that count are those that elected a representative in parliament – and from those, PN have an absolute majority. Labour lost, completely, get over it.

    Maybe you can ask for your ‘pjacir’ in 5 years time? (or 10 or 20 at this rate)

  25. me says:

    The second in any race is the first loser.

  26. Chris says:

    @David Buttigieg

    No I do not think he is good looking lol. But the people who vote for him ( probable 40+ labourite females with little grey matter) must see something in him that they would in JM. How else could one account for their votes. There certainly isn’t any beef in what they offer.

    @David Zammit. Ther issues I mentioned are the only ones I know that JM so proudly presents as his record. Did it ever occur to you that there might be people who espouse a left of centre ideology who find Laurence Gonzi as much more palatible and in synch wuth their principles than the goons who have led the labour party for the last 50 years or so?

  27. David Buttigieg says:

    @Chris ok , just checking:)

  28. David Buttigieg says:

    According to Alfred Mifsud most floaters favour George Abela, surprise surprise – http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=67533

  29. David Zammit says:

    @ Alex

    “I am starting to wonder, whether David and Gerarld are employed by Saint Muscat to try to counter the obvious or whether they are just pure whiners”

    Of course anyone who doesn’t agree with your agenda is a whiner….I wouldnt expect better from sultana brain and co…appraising other people’s opinions and debating isnt you forte is it?

    So its obvious to you that your view is always the best one isn’t it.

    Ye you seem to remind me of the other guy Kenneth ‘the mop’ Spiteri who didnt have the intellectual capacity to give me 1 reason why Abela was trustworthy apart from the fact that he left mlp and that made him ‘a man (ragel). Wow full marks for wisdom….maybe surpassed by wonder boy Alex whose mother didn’t manage to check out

    http://childparenting.about.com/cs/behaviorproblems/a/whining.htm

    when he was young, limiting his debating skills to accusations of ‘whining’ when someone doesn’t agree with him….. poor show….

  30. Tony Pace says:

    It would be interesting to see what kind of results Joseph Muscat would get were he to go through some psychometric testing, and never mind the names he gives his children.
    As far as I am concerned, he’s already failed his ”interview”. As to his body language and his cocky attitude…………….God, please spare us !
    Grow up kid !

  31. amrio says:

    @David Zammit and Gerald Fenech,

    I do not find Daph’s reference to JM’s daughters in bad taste at all (after all, unlike what some of you bloggers may believe, I think tht Etoile and Soleil are lovely names, like Phaedra).

    What Daphne my be inferring (can you confirm please?) is that it could be that whoever wrote that letter is very close to JM, but it can’t be his daughters, but close family – so that leaves his wife.

    Or we can’t mention his wife now? After all, if I’m not mistaken, she is an ex-public figure, no?

  32. amrio says:

    …. and dear mod, please bring in the smilies back, ’cause I think that some bloggers’ sarcastic comments are being mistaken for outright ‘hdura’

  33. David Borg says:

    spot on Tony.

  34. MikeC says:

    @Gerald

    A national government is generally formed when there is a major national disaster, natural, economic or political, which requires the coming together of all forces including civil society to resolve the problem. The only MAJOR disaster I can see is the MLP, and that doesn’t quite qualify as a reason to form a national government. :)

    This doesn’t mean that there shouldn’t be consensus on at least some issues of national importance (which there often has been and I see no evidence of this stopping) and on nominations to sensitive positions, but it takes two to tango and goodwill from a responsible opposition.

    If you recall the PM had written to the leader of the opposition (or, using your logic, the caretaker leader of the party which is even smaller than the one which has an absolute minority but a relative majority) with regard to the position of Auditor General in June or July, but at least up to March he had not yet received a reply. This was done by AS to obtain some perceived political/electoral advantage which clearly hasn’t materialised but has simply damaged the country in the usual amateur and irresponsible fashion typical of AS. I’m sure there are countless other examples of this.

    On another note, I was just sitting with three other managers in the company I work for, and we were all complaining about how there are too many jobs running after too few employees and how far to early in a job interview we find ourselves selling our company to the prospective employee rather than the other way round.

    Although a sign of other potential problems including our educational system, its hardly a sign of rampant corruption and gross incompetence in government is it? To clarify, just look at the employment situation in the eighties, a period when there WAS rampant corruption and gross incompetence, and you’ll understand, assuming you care about understanding and not simply about grinding axes.

    Oh, and before you say we were just a bunch of nasty arrogant nationalists living an illusion, I assure you its not the case.

  35. david borg says:

    True they’re nice names amrio. Incidentally my cat is called Xemx because she’s always lounging in the sun and my dog is called Stilla because she’s really really clever.

  36. History Uncovered says:

    @ Rene

    I’m sorry Rene when you wrote regarding the apologies promised by Dr. Muscat you made a mistake like he did on Dissett (showing what substance the guy has)! HE said that the MLP would be ready to apologise for what we did in the 70’s and 80’s if the PN apologise for what they did in the 60’s! I’m sorry I beg to differ! The PN were not involved in the Interdett in the 1960’s! The PN cannot grant an Interdett but the Church can. If I remember correctly Archbishop Mercieca had already apologised to us Labour supporters for what the Church did in the 60’s. So there you go, Dr. Muscat got history all wrong!

    I am a labour supporter but unfortunately would never trust someone that barely knows history! The Leader we had before used to say that he will let history judge what he did and said and now we have a prospective leader that does not even know history at all!

    If you are one of Dr. Muscat’s Elves please tell Dr. Muscat that he should as quickly as possible learn the political history of the country!

  37. Alex says:

    @ David Zammit

    Please David spare us… Do not try to spin this, as we are still dizzy from the electoral campaign’s spinning.

    I begged you to stop whining because you said:

    “Revolting, stomach churning, nauseating – and no I haven’t eaten broccoli for breakfast. I just read the above. The above just makes me cringe and vow to myself that I can never associate myself with the party which people like Daphne feel comfortable with. Too far is too far, physical intimidation and police states bring a shiver down your spine but something like this – enough to take away your apetite for a week.

    Fancy bringing his young daughters who are still toddlers into the fray – well at least they didn’t tell someone to stuff a thingie up their backside like someone’s son did I guess.”

    Now we all read Daphne’s piece and it is obvious to the rest of us that nothing of what you claim is being said, most especially when you are making a martyr of JM because Daphne said that his kids couldn’t have wrote the letter, and she called them by name.

  38. David Buttigieg says:

    MikeC,

    I have the same problem as you, I am desperately trying to employ a person who if he works hard can expect to gave at least €1500(after tax) in his\her pocket every month. All that is needed is a good aptitude.

    I have been looking for months now without any luck! And it’s not exactly manual labour either.

  39. kenneth Spiteri says:

    FYI People.

    JM is not the person who we need to thank for the car registration tax isuue…

    please search more and you will end up that it was a whole number of people who took the matter to EU commision..

    he just enter into merit while there was already a process ongoing.

    Once and for all…..

  40. Gerald Fenech says:

    Most of you accused Brian hansford of prostituting himself on this blog by advertising his programme. Have you turned into an employment agency now? We even have expected take home pay posted as a kind of incentive. whatever next please?

  41. Gerald Fenech says:

    David Buttigieg. Pls stop insulting our intelligence by remotely suggesting that manual labour can come close to bringing in EUR 1500 a month net. Or maybe you are suggesting a job as handyman at the Mosta LC when it was run by the PN?

  42. Gerald Fenech says:

    MikeC, seems that you have done very well for yourself under the PN government so you won’t try to understand my argument.

  43. Gerald Fenech says:

    David and MikeC, here are some prospective employees who are looking for a job.
    http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20080409/local/ac-cars-closes-malta-factory

  44. Brian*14 says:

    @ Hopeful
    “Witness the viciousness, the hatred, the vehemence and bitterness of these contributors.”

    Ehhh, please enlighten me. Who was saying prior to the general election, where national reconciliation should have been the order of the day “Ahna partit tal-laburisti”? “Dawk mhux tal-familja taghna”? “Tal PN ghandhom xi haga hazina fid DNA taghhom”?

    These were not contributors. These were MPs, top-brass people who should be a prime example to your average contributor.

    Where were you when the above words were being uttered?

    Anyways, I suppose maltastar had to fill up the space, somehow.

  45. Fabio says:

    a) Gerald. what’s the minimum wage in malta right now? honestly, i don’t know. and what’s the average (i.e. good) pay a month? in euros please.

  46. @ amrio,
    I do not hold it against your casting aspersions about the name ‘Phaedra’, amrio. This is a free country!

  47. @ Brian*14
    Who was saying prior to the general election, where national reconciliation should have been the order of the day “Ahna partit tal-laburisti”? “Dawk mhux tal-familja taghna”? “Tal PN ghandhom xi haga hazina fid DNA taghhom”?

    The same people who expect to be consulted in appointments to key positions etc. Who else?

  48. amrio says:

    @Phaedra

    I said it before and I repeat it now – I am not alluding anything and I really love your name! If I have a baby girl sometime, I am adding your name to the list of my fave names, along with Nirvana and India…

  49. Vanni says:

    Most of you accused Brian hansford of prostituting himself on this blog by advertising his programme.

    He was prostituting himself, so let’s cut the holier than thou attidude. And you did not object to his advertising, whilst you seem to have had a huge problem when the Blog owner advertised her magazine.
    Two weights Gerald?

  50. @ amrio
    De gustibus, amrio, de gustibus :-)

  51. david borg says:

    Amrio, how about Melita?

  52. me says:

    @Gerald Fenech
    “David Buttigieg. Pls stop insulting our intelligence by remotely suggesting that manual labour can come close to bringing in EUR 1500 a month net. Or maybe you are suggesting a job as handyman at the Mosta LC when it was run by the PN?”
    Being in a position to know, I can vouch that there are categories of manual labourers who have a net income of € 2000.00 per month. If there is someone who is ignorant of this fact it does’nt make less true.

  53. me says:

    Whatever you say Mr. Fenech, that is a fact. You do not seem to know what employers are ready to pay to entice manual workers. There is a real shortage that forces
    employers to bring over workers from third countries, who also command good wages. Let alone there supervisors and machine operators.

  54. Brian*14 says:

    @ Phaedra
    I’m so sorry. I had forgotten that Messrs Mintoff, Mifsud Bonnici and Sant had established and set the pace for these type of consultations.

  55. amrio says:

    @david borg

    Nah! I knew an old lady called Melita when I was a kid… she had long dirty nails… in both her fingers and toes…

  56. david borg says:

    Following is the full list of nominations that were submitted on Friday:

    II – Michael Falzon (MLP) – Agius Christopher
    II – Lawrence Gonzi (PN) – none
    III – Helena Dalli (MLP) – Buttigieg Ivan Vladimir
    V – George Vella (MLP) – Farrugia Joseph
    VI – Charles Mangion (MLP) – Gulia Gavin
    VII – Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando (PN) – Musumeci Robert
    VIII – Alfred Sant (MLP) – Debono Grech Joe
    IX – Robert Arrigo (PN) – Felice Donald Carmel
    X – Evarist Bartolo (MLP) – none
    X – Dolores Cristina (PN) – Borg Olivier Paul
    XI – Tonio Borg (PN) – none
    XII – Tonio Fenech (PN) – none.

    NOW GO BACK TWO WEEKS

    Labour candidate Gavin Gulia will not be contesting the casual election in the sixth district, if there will be one, but is sending out a clear signal that he is interested in the post of Malta Labour Party deputy leader for party affairs.

    Speaking to this newspaper, Dr Gulia stated that he is not interested and is not going to contest a casual election for the sixth district, if the MLP decides that Charles Mangion should relinquish that district.

    Even though he was not elected and is refusing to contest the by-election on the sixth district, Dr Gulia said that he will still remain active in the political sphere.

    The Labour candidate, a former parliamentary secretary in the Sant government, contested the sixth and seventh district and surprisingly failed to get elected in both. However, there is the possibility that he is elected in a by election since deputy leader Charles Mangion was elected in both the fourth and sixth district and will have to yield one. At this stage, it is more than probable that Dr Mangion will cede the sixth district, giving Dr Gulia the chance to be elected.

    However, speaking to The Malta Independent, Dr Gulia categorically stated that, if there will be a casual election on the sixth district, he will not contest it.

  57. david borg says:

    @amrio. sorry about the long nails. Me it’s India which puts me off, as in India Knight you know, although she’s one of my fav columnists. Her face is scary. Just a thought anyway, if you’re opting for a country might as well opt for your own Melita.

  58. MikeC says:

    @Gerald

    Ibni jahasra! Of course I’ve done well, you poor boy. My industry has done well, (notwithstanding the obstacles the MLP put in our way in the 80’s) everyone’s done well. The people the company employs (I’m an employee not a shareholder) have done well, the ones we wanted to employ have done well whether they joined us or our competitors.

    Our competitors have also done well, cos there’s enough business to go round. We often collaborate instead of compete.

    Our customers and our competitors’ customers have done well. Their customers have done well too. The foreign companies who come and set up shop here because they know they will find us (apart from other appropriate business environment issues) and buy services from us and our competitors have done well.

    And you know what? We all pay taxes and when something goes wrong like in the company you mention, the money to help retrain people for new jobs is there, instead of simply employing 8000 people with the government. And do you really think those workers are still going to be out of a job in a few weeks time?

    And just in case you’re trying to imply something which you can’t possibly know and would in any case have to retract, as you did with Alfred Mifsud this morning, my company does very little business with the government and quite a bit overseas, and do you know why? Because our country has a good reputation overseas, which is something you should be proud of, but I forget, with you lot the mantra is ‘u nahlef li jien fidili lejn il-partit u l-pajjiz’ and not the other way round.

    The only reason I and won’t understand your so-called argument is because you don’t have one, and as you consistently do on this blog, the moment someone responds to you with a reasoned argument you respond with either an insult (veiled or not) or a non sequitur.

    On a lighter note, a couple of days ago you told amanda mallia that your leg was hurting, presumably implying she was pulling your leg. Well, if you shoot yourself in the foot and stick your foot in the mouth your leg is bound to hurt you…… :)

  59. amrio says:

    Re: Toni Abela

    Was he ever listed by JM as one of his role models?

  60. Marku says:

    Speaking for myself, anyone who calls his children “star” and “sun” needs his or her head tested. I guess there are all sorts of ways that one can choose to buff up his or her ego.

  61. Bercsényi says:

    Timmaginaw lil Anglu Farrugia ‘Mexxej’, Toni Abela Deputat Mexxej, u Jason Micallef Segretarju Generali? Qisha xi haga minn Brueghel.

  62. amrio says:

    @Bercsényi

    Please elaborate. The Brueghel I know was a classical painter.

  63. David Zammit says:

    @Marku

    Whatever he chooses to call his daughters, thats his own affair and no one elses business (apart from his wife). Lets not attack the singer instead of the song. Same applies for AS and his marital life out of which DCG loved to indulge in making a pigs dinner any time she pleased.

    Yes I know tabloids all over the world shred politicians to pieces every minute – luckily in Malta we have always kept a certain restraint on such things – and I like it that way.

    Volumes can be written about Maltese holier than though politicians and their families, the sons and daughters of the old PN party leaders (those of the 80’s) hardly lead exemplary marital lives.

    So lets not be judgemental when there is so much to say – either way.

  64. andrew borg-cardona says:

    Just a small point – the original reference to JM’s kids was just an innocuous (is that how you spell it?) wise-crack. The writer could just as well have said the piece wasn’t written by JM’s granny – the paranoia and/or pretend horror displayed is utterly ridiculous.

    [Moderately – And slightly ironic, considering the title of this post.]

  65. Meerkat :) says:

    Of course JM has a god complex…his children are called Etoile e Soleil for chrissakes!

    I hope he doesn’t moon us too with more of his obscene declarations.

  66. Meerkat :) says:

    @ amrio

    Breughel is mostly famous for his painting of the Tower of Babel…see, I’m not only fluff

    http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e1/Brueghel-tower-of-babel.jpg/795px-Brueghel-tower-of-babel.jpg

  67. Meerkat :) says:

    @ amrio again

    So Bercsényi’s comparison is spot on.

  68. M Cutajar says:

    Just another small point ABC- what about the many times when DCG writes pieces to utterly and extremely run people down! I’d just like to mention the times (and there were many)when prior to the General Elections and even so after the elections took place, when she continuously degraded Dr Alfred Sant in her writings in Sunday newspapers and many readers replied showing their disgust at such writings (and, may I add that the readers differed in their political opinions)

    [Moderator – I suppose you’re talking about the same ‘readers’ who mistakenly sent a self-congratulatory email to the editor of The Malta Independent, exposing themselves as the elves in Sant’s grotto. And Alfred Sant is a parody of himself – it’s not as though Daphne ever forced him to wear a wig or taught him to appreciate a fine bottle of whisky, or advised him on how to hide under a Crosscraft kitchen set.]

  69. Meerkat :) says:

    @ amrio

    Why don’t you name one of your eventual sprogs Meerkat? I recall that you posted a photo of a rather fetching Meerkat not so long ago…

  70. CJB says:

    just to point out a little fact re:The infamous Archbishop that condemned people for voting Labour to eternal damnation, true it was the Archbishop but may I ask who was in government in those days? I’m too young to remember the actual facts I only heard them as a young boy.

    [Moderator – Charles J Buttigieg: I’m sure it’s you. To anyone unfamiliar with ‘CJB’, he was given a job at Air Malta under Mintoff, and returned the favour by defending the government during the strike at the airline, shouting and screaming and physically preventing the workers from gaining entrance. Years later, he’s still paying off the Party in kind, by trolling blogs and newspapers.]

  71. Albert Farrugia says:

    Kemm hu helu Mike C marelli. What a perfect country we live in, wow. Everyone’s done well. We are known the world over (halliha li meta mmur barra u nuri l-passaport idumu jteftfu mieghu tghix kemm). We are the best. We need workers. The EU is all over us asking what we think of this or that (halliha li Sarkozy ma semmmiex lil Malta meta semma l-Mediterran).
    Is it possible that people in this island have such a warped perception if their self-importance? Is partisan politics such a drug? By golly.

  72. Albert Farrugia says:

    From di-ve.com:

    A woman filed a law suit against the Prime Minister, the Health Minister, the General Director and the Superintendent of Mater Dei hospital as she was boarded out after she reported several cases of abuses that occurred within the hospital.
    Laura Peregin said that the above mentioned authorities had constringed her to work in conditions which were unacceptable, and when she complained she was summoned before the medical board where eventually she was boarded out on the basis of not being able to carry out her duties.

    Peregin stated that she has been doing everything in her power to regain her job since 2004 and has been requesting a financial compensation ever since.

    Lawyer Anglu Farrugia appeared for the plaintiff.

    But, of course, tfiegh tat-tajn.

    [Moderator – Something doesn’t really sound right about this – naming the Prime Minister as a defendant sounds a bit like an Anglu Farrugia type publisiti stent.]

  73. Jason Spiteri says:

    Amen to ABC’s comment – DCG doesn’t pull back the punches when punches they are, but this thing with the kids’ names was obviously a comment about JM, not his kids.

    I’m becoming intrigued at this whole EP track-record discussion though – how about having a JM in the EP v Simon Busuttil in the EP post (with some research to back it up) to whet our appetites? Ought to be interesting. [I’m leaving the other 3 out because they’ve obviously not done anything worth writing about during their term so far.]

  74. M Cutajar says:

    Dear Moderator – Well, I’m sure that the readers were genuine Nationalists – btw, what makes you think that all the readers agree with all that DCG writes anyway? Even Opinion writers in the same newspaper wrote against such writings. And these writers don’t necessarily side with Labour.

    [Moderator – Well, those would be the sour grapes, wouldn’t they?]

  75. MIkeC says:

    Whats all this fuss about calling kids sun and star? Frank Zappa called his kids Moon Unit, Dweezil, Ahmet & Diva, and if he were still alive I’m sure he’d make a better MLP leader than the last three.

    And, closer to home, lets not forget the brothers Causio & Bettega Cuschieri…. :)

  76. The abbott says:

    Quick question to the moderator and/or visitors to her blog. Why is the idea of Evarist as MLP leader a joke? I agree not a good idea if Labour wishes to break from the Sant years and present a fresh new team – but a joke? Also why is Marie Louise Coleiro disqualified from consideration just because she held a party post in the 1980s? Using that rationale Labour would be restricted to either electing someone under 45 or a person who did not get involved in politics until later in life. Also why does Michael Falzon send Daphne running for the hills presumably in a state of mock despair and with tongue always firmly planted in the extreme right hand side of her mouth?

    [Moderator – Right hand side of her mouth? Where on earth did that come from?]

  77. The abbott says:

    Just a comment on your political slant – no offense intended. You are what you are – a gifted writer with a right wing slant in terms of party politics. How about answering my questions re Bartolo, Coleiro and Falzon? I can see why you dislike Muscat and Anglu Farrugia as leader would lead to celebrations down at tal-Pieta but what’s the substance behind your seemingly glib comments on the other three. I really want to know. And by the way, keep on writing, you’re the only reason I read the Malta Independent!

    [Moderator – I am not Daphne. Can you name any characteristics of her writing that appear to be ‘right wing’? I’d like to know what makes you think that, because my perceptions are very different.]

  78. M Cutajar says:

    Well Moderator – one thing is for sure – all those not in your favour are sour grapes!!

  79. CJB says:

    Moderator – Charles J Buttigieg: I’m sure it’s you. To anyone unfamiliar with ‘CJB’, he was given a job at Air Malta under Mintoff, and returned the favour by defending the government during the strike at the airline, shouting and screaming and physically preventing the workers from gaining entrance. Years later, he’s still paying off the Party in kind, by trolling blogs and newspapers.]
    Dear moderator my names is Chris not Charles “sorry” so I’m sure it’s you doesn’t fit my description :) I’m 33 years Old and a teacher, so can anyone answer my question?

  80. CJB says:

    I thought the moderator would actually send an email to check the identity and not just shout “wolf, wolf” before actually seeing one. On another note I really appreciate the fact that this blog lets you forward your thoughts without any silly comments…(I thought this was a free,democratic and futuristic looking country how wrong I was !)I only sent one question and was already mistook for some other bloke. Mud slinging?! more like stoning people! I thought Laborites were bad (or actually good at this new found sport:)

  81. The abbott says:

    I would be glad to if Daphne (or anyone in the know) elaborated on her comments about Evarist, Falzon and Coleiro? If you are not Daphne, what is your relationship to her? I thought that this was her personal blog that she moderated? Is it moderated by the Malta Independent staff?

    [Moderator – This is a personal blog set up by Daphne, at her own expense, and no income is generated from it. I work for Daphne, and not The Malta Independent. My services were engaged because she doesn’t have the time to constantly moderate comments herself. If you would like to find out more about me, my personal website is located here.]

  82. László Bercsényi says:

    Someone should tell Joseph Muscat that “soleil” is a masculine noun. Right, I’m outta here….

  83. Vanni says:

    @ CJB
    “just to point out a little fact re:The infamous Archbishop that condemned people for voting Labour to eternal damnation, true it was the Archbishop but may I ask who was in government in those days? I’m too young to remember the actual facts I only heard them as a young boy.”

    It might have been KMB, nah, he was the one who praised the aristokrazija for running riot in the curia. I always did wonder if that little episode was revenge driven, come to think of it.

  84. CJB says:

    @vanni

    So the answer to my question is? KMB?

  85. Vanni says:

    @ Mod
    “If you are not Daphne, what is your relationship to her? ”

    Please submit your Birth certificate, references, IQ level certificates, Tessera, Kartanzjan, ID Card, Kindergarden, Primary and Secondary School leaving certficates, and A DNA sample. Thank you

  86. Vanni says:

    @ CJB
    I am no historian, sorry. May I recomend Google?

  87. CJB says:

    @Vanni
    I’m not saying that it is justified what happened to the curia but just put yourself in those people’s shoes whose father, cousin, brother etc ended up being buried in the ‘mizbla’ not nice at all! again violence should never be justified but neither blatant disregard to people’s fundamental rights!

    [Moderator – This is going to sound horribly insensitive, but: burial on someone else’s property is not a fundamental human right. Grave space is a fully commodified resource.]

  88. CJB says:

    @vanni
    How convenient remembering the dark ages of labour and forgetting PN ones :)

    [Moderator – They were dark ages for all citizens – I would be as ashamed to live in a state of deep psychological violence as I would be to live in one of intense physical violence.]

  89. CJB says:

    @Moderator
    I agree fully with what you have just stated BUT why people connected to a certain party? fundamental right I was referring to freedom of thought and speech! not of being buried in a nice garden surrounded by trees and flowers!

  90. Vanni says:

    AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAhhhhhhhh light bulb popping, and all that. So you were asking a loaded question. You knew the answer all alomg. Wow, I would never have guessed!!!

    OK, fun over and let’s discuss this.

    What exactly would you expect the goverment of the day to have done? Arrest the Archbishop? Close the churches?

  91. CJB says:

    I’m no laborite myself but when history is distorted or used when it’s at one’s convenience I cannot help it but to butt into a conversation.

  92. Amanda Mallia says:

    Mod – Maybe he was thinking through La Lune when he named them

  93. david borg says:

    @ László Bercsényi . but you see Joseph wanted a boy and a girl and planned the names, Soleil was actually intended for the boy. he went ahead with his long-term plan, even though the offspring turned out to be two girls. the man is not for turning.

  94. CJB says:

    @The abbott

    as an educator myself, I do not think that Evarist Bartolo is a joke at all. If all truth must be told he brought a well deserved radical change to the educational system, the only pity is that his government led by ‘a paroli, fatti u wara naraw!prime-minister’ A.S. only lasted 22 months. Not all members of that particular government were useless or ridiculous. So the only reason I do not see Varist as Leader is that he’s too much of a gentleman for the JOB!

  95. Amanda Mallia says:

    David Borg – Names suitable for animals are not necessarily suitable for humans.

    Incidentally, good thing they didn’t have triplets – Imagine the poor third one being called “moon” – Try living up to that!

    Incidentally, I only ever came across one Etoile in my lifetime, and I can say that it’s a cruel name to inflict on a child, especially if the child concerned is anything but a “star”.

  96. Amanda Mallia says:

    Gerald Fenech – You said “MikeC, seems that you have done very well for yourself under the PN government so you won’t try to understand my argument”

    I would like to counteract your statement, not in defence of MikeC, but because I consider your comment as somewhat of an insult to the several thousand people who suffered under previous Labour governments (and who yes, – BUT ALONG WITH LABOURITES TOO – did well under the Nationalist administrations).

    I, for one, would carry on voting for a PN government for peace of mind at the very least.

    You really should try to see a little bit further than the tip of your nose. Try talking to anyone in business – See how things were at a standstill under Labour, and how things get moving again under PN.

    I know somebody who, in the bad old Labour days, was prevented from sacking a large number of employees (20+, if I recall correctly), despite the fact that work was at a standstill (under Labour, obviously) and that no money was coming in. That lasted for at least 4 years, Gerald. 4 years. Can you imagine that? We are not talking about a very long time ago, Gerald, but about the early ’80s.

    Thankfully, under PN, things tend to pick up again (no, not through “pjaciri”), but because with somebody reliable running the country, people feel more at ease spending their money (u ir-rota tkompli ddur).

    Incidentally, Gerald, did you vote for PN in four consecutive elections because “you did very well yourself under the PN government”? If so, what a selfish way of thinking!

  97. MIkeC says:

    @albert farrugia

    Mhux talli helu, gustuz, sabih u intelligenti. Almenu ommi dejjem hekk qaltli :)

    No, Malta is not perfect. Many aspects of our legislation need improving. Parts of our society need both help and protection, and NGO’s do more than their fair share, and the state does less than it should.

    I could continue, but my point is that Malta is a hell of a lot better off than it was 20 years ago, and absolutely none of this improvement has anything to do with the MLP, in fact if anything it has happened in spite of the MLP.

    Also, the problems I mention (and probably also some of the ones that I don’t, including the one you refer to, assuming it is an actual injustice) don’t depend on who happens to be in government at the time, but on the bureaucratic machine, the lacunas in our laws, and the flaws in human nature.

    Certainly some of them require economic stability and success, and the MLP has NEVER been the instigator of sustained economic success, although in fairness, the postwar period (the last time Labour had a decent leader) was not an easy time to generate economic success.

    The fact is that Malta is not the epitome of deprivation, economic stagnation, rampant corruption and seething injustice you and other doomsayers suggest it is. And what’s more its plain for everyone to see. Which rather detracts from your credibility when you suggest it is, certainly with people with the potential to change their vote to Labour.

    And that’s one of the reasons you lost.

    Again.

    @Vanni, @CJB, @Moderator

    I’m not about to get into another long winded debate about the so called dark days of the 60’s, but there is an exchange between myself and P. Portelli in the comments section of the following link which you may find interesting, if not a little incendiary. But hey, there’s always camomilla… :)

    http://daphnecaruanagalizia.com/?p=319

  98. David Buttigieg says:

    Gerald,

    I know you aren’t the brightest spark around but I assumed you know how to read english.

    When I said I was seeking desperately to employ somebody I specifically said it’s NOT manual labour. It’s actually in sales for your info. And yes I repeat that if they work hard they can EASILY take home €1500 AFTER tax each month. Unfortunately most people are not willing to work hard and make it clear in interviews.

    Having said that most manual labourers I know make well in excess of €1500 a month – without even paying tax!!

  99. Jurgen Berlin says:

    @ CJB

    You asked who was in government at that time, when the Curia imposed the interdiction to the MLP in the late 50s; it wasn’t the PN but the Colonial Government as at that time Malta was without a self government, because Mintoff in 1958 had resigned from his responsibilities and left the ship of state without a captain!!!

  100. Bendu says:

    Rene said “we might as well, ask the PN supporters to vote for the MLP leader – they seem to be quite focused on the subject at the moment.” Indeed that is true. If the PN supporters voted for the new MLP leader they would definitely come out with the best available on the market. Come June and I suspect it’s going to be Chama chama or is it cama cama (bit-tikka of course!)

  101. amrio says:

    CJB and Vanni

    Are you serious or just taking the mickey out of each other? Just in case you’re serious:

    1) The archbishop that gave the interdett was Michael Gonzi. Gonzi was the uncle of PM Lawrence Gonzi’s father. Rumours in the 60’s were that Gonzi gave the interdett as ‘ripicca’ (that’s Italian, don’t know what the English word is) against Mintoff. Gonzi after all had Labour leanings. Catholic fundamentalists used to try and mar Labour meetings by pealing church bells and blowing whistles. As far as I know my history right KMB WAS ONE OF THE TAS-SUFFARA.

    2) The Curia fracas was caused by Labour hardcore fanatics (mainly Dockyard workers) in 1984 during the height of the free Church schools issue. After this fracas, KMB thanked these idiots by saying they were the ‘Aristokrazija tal-Haddiema’

    So these two events are not connected in any way. To weigh one against the other on the scale of justice does not make any political or historical sense.

  102. amrio says:

    @Meerkat

    Naming my son/daughter Meerkat? No thankyou, after all I’m not considering having children at the moment! If you tell me your real name, maybe I’ll reconsider….

  103. László Bercsényi says:

    Oh Christ, you mean he actually intended to name his son “Soleil”?

  104. Meerkat :) says:

    @ amrio

    I told you since you were waxing lyrical about naming your offspring Phaedra, Nirvana etc so I volunteered mine since you seem to appreciate it… :-D

    Tell me yours and I’ll tell you mine

  105. david borg says:

    Amanda Mallia. Possibli, you didn’t realise that my tongue was firmly planted in my cheek when I wrote about my animals’ names? no sense of humour eh?

  106. Francis V says:

    This survey says a lot about the leadership race and the mentality of MLP supporters:

    http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=67533

  107. MikeC says:

    @amrio

    Archibishop Gonzi didn’t just have ‘Labour leanings’. He was a founder member of the Labour party along with other clerics and church inspired politicians and I believe he stood for election as a Labour candidate in the senate and won, before resigning to become Bishop of Gozo, later Bishop of Malta and eventually Archbishop. Its a little like saying Lino Spiteri had Labour leanings :)

    Gonzi’s official reason for the interdett was that Mintoff was taking the MLP so far towards the communist left, that since communism has always persecuted religion and eliminated democracy when in government, that therefore no true catholic should be a Labourite, hence the interdict, which is a kind of suspension of membership, with all that entails when it comes to religion and faith. A curia version of the ‘Board of Vigilance’, if you will.

    The flipside of that is that a ‘true’ catholic would therefore ‘fight’ labour, and if you weren’t a labourite then what would you be? A PN supporter, obviously. The bell tolling and whistle blowing was actually an importation of the Italian catholics similar earlier tactics against the Italian communists, depicted also in the Don Camillo & Peppone books by Giovanni Guareschi.

    Glieda bejn laburisti, imsomma. This was essentially a battle between two hardheaded Labourites (1998, anyone?) which the PN can hardly be blamed for taking advantage of.

    And anyway, if they hadn’t, who knows, we may have ended up behind the Iron Curtain, which is exactly where the MLP was trying to take us in the 80’s. Sure, we’d have got there just before it fell, but hey, that’s Labour for you, always behind the times…. no, not behind the times of malta building in flames, thats a little earlier :)

  108. david borg says:

    László Bercsényi. Heard it through the grapevine. do you put it past him?

  109. Gerald says:

    Since most of you all persist in continually insulting me, I will refrain from posting anymore.

  110. david borg says:

    @ Gerald. Le hi konna drajnik. Please dont’ go, don’t go away…………..:(

  111. amrio says:

    @Meerkat

    My name is incredibly common and easy to guess – just see my nickname! Now tell me yours… (before Daphne stops us again)

  112. Alex says:

    aha, Gerald is discovering the realities of blogging… unlike journalism blogging involves a two-way communication, where rubbish is rubbished immediately!!

  113. Gahan says:

    Oh no! The clown has taken his red nose and walked off huffing and puffing. Nominations to fill the vacancy anyone?

  114. david borg says:

    @Gahan. Michael Falzon.

  115. Meerkat :) says:

    @ amrio

    this is the real me… I am so important that I have had a painting commissioned…

    http://www.worth1000.com/entries/11500/11904_w.jpg

    this is my family
    http://googlemodules.com/image/screenshot/BCCA7E1E-8380-AD40-F603-7EF7C5C9AB08.jpg

    and this is the card mum gave me
    http://blogs.chron.com/tmi/vday_meerkat.jpg

  116. marika mifsud says:

    Don`t Madonna`s children also have unusual names ?

  117. amrio says:

    @meerkat

    LOL!! Love your sense of humour! Listen, do us all a favour and try to humour Gerald back to this blog – if he goes, we’ll miss him!

  118. Meerkat :) says:

    @ amrio

    re Gerald

    Nah, I think he wanted to look at the crumpet on Maltastar.com and he didn’t have enough time to do so with all the blogging he has been doing here. I think we should lure him back with some pix of hot crumpets

    http://colophon.com/ediblebooks/images/2003/womanCrumpetEngland03.jpg

  119. Amanda Mallia says:

    Gahan – Laiviera ….

  120. Amanda Mallia says:

    Gerald – You said “Since most of you all persist in continually insulting me, I will refrain from posting anymore”

    First of all, you’ve already said that before, but you didn’t keep your word.

    Secondly, I thought it was quite funny that you should post such a comment when the heading of this particular post is “Paranoia and Persecution Mania”. It must be another common factor in Laburisti (along with green chips).

    So long, farewell, aufweidersehn, goodbye …

  121. Daphne Caruana Galizia says:

    @CJB – you miss a fundamental point: the Catholic Church did not deny Labour supporters of the 1960s the right to be buried, but burial as a Catholic in a Catholic cemetery. If you join a club – and this applies to religions – you play by the rules or are expelled. You can’t simultaneously wish to be considered a Catholic while disobeying Catholic diktat. I don’t consider myself a Catholic because I am in no way inclined to abide by several of the Catholic Church’s niggardly, interfering and ultimately pointless rules, and you won’t see me protesting if I am denied burial in a Catholic cemetery. I’ll have myself buried in Ta’ Braxia instead. You say that the bishop had no right to interfere in how people vote. I agree. But he has every right to interfere in how Catholics vote, which is different. They are members of the club of which he, in Malta at least, is in charge.

  122. Becky d'Ugo says:

    What’s in a name huh? Quite a bit apparently! And much fun can be had playing around with the letters of one’s name to reveal what hidden message/meaning may be concealed therein! E.g.:

    Rearranging the letters in the name of one ANGELO FARRUGIA gives you : A NEURALGIA FROG, or even A LOAFER ARGUING!

    EVARIST BARTOLO – BREAST VIOLATOR or even STOLE A VIBRATOR

    JOSEPH MUSCAT – CAMPUS JEST HO (all those dikris!)

    ALFRED SANT – now here’s anagramfest 2008: FATAL NERDS, FAT SLANDER, AND FALTERS, DARTS AN ELF(!), DARN AT SELF, ELF AND RATS, and my personal favourite, RANT AS FLED!

    GEORGE ABELA – AGREEABLE GO

    Lest I be accused of being one-sided:

    LAWRENCE GONZI – LARGE NONCE WIZ and LAW CRINGE ZONE (Mistra?)

    And to conclude:

    DAPHNE CARUANA GALIZIA: A CZARINA DAUPHINA ALGAE (?) or even UNZIP A RADIANCE GAL, AHA! (Kinky eh?)

    MODERATOR does not go unnoticed: MAD ROOTER, or RETARD MOO (shades of mad cow perhaps? :-) )

    You so don’t want to challenge me to a game of Scrabble :-)

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