The missing link is a sense of irony
Published:
June 16, 2008 at 5:30pm
Joseph Muscat has called for the rehabilitation of all those who have been cast out into the night by the Labour Party’s Board of Vigilance and Discipline. He didn’t use the word ‘rehabilitation’, of course, because history – as can be seen from his claim that he went to university thanks to Dom Mintoff – is not his strong suit.
No. Instead he said they should be given an amnesty. Amnesty? Language is obviously not his strong suit, either. What he means here is the rehabilitation of political non-persons, or those who have been cast out of a political party with Soviet structures.
Check this link, to see what I mean.
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Totally out of point. If anyone wants to try and understand our anger and mistrust of the Malta Labour Party. Please read Peppi Azzopardi’s letter in yesterday’s Llum. He addresses to Charles Flores. But really he could have mentioned any of that bunch of unprincipled apologists (Norman Hamilton, Albert Marshall, Mario Azzopardi, J G Vassallo, Frans Sammut etc.)
Just reading it made the hairs on my back stand on end.
What gets my gall is that many of them are still in the business of telling us what’s good for us, and think they claim it had nothing to do with them. @just following orders’ as one of the other contributors so naively said.
How like a parabbola tal-Iben Il-Hali. Come back….all is forgiven. Let me embrace you and love you, and kiss you . Who is he addressing I wonder? This man must have a Jesus Christ Superstar Complex.
Unbelievable!
Just imagine what reaction people like Lino Spiteri, Alfred Mifsud, Alex Sceberras Trigona and TOny Nicholl will have if they are offered an amnesty.
If anyone needs an amnesty it is Alfred Sant and his followers who in putting their personal glory ahead of party interest have rendered Labour the laughing stock of Maltese politics. Probably Joseph Muscat needs one too for leaking the JPO plot to the PN in the last few days of the election campaign!!
Dear Daphne, do you – like me – get a headache when you listen to Gonzi and Muscat giving an interview in English? Have you heard the ones they gave this week to Vanessa McDonald on di-ve?
I bet that sooner then later our dear Daphne will be questioning Joseph’s underwear! She plays the linguistic expert. Maybe she has a normal command of the English language though very often she falls in many pitfalls as anyone does now and then. Certainly, her command of written Maltese is next to zero.
Daphne’s behaviour and ways of twisting facts are not different from those of the Soviet regimes she mentioned. She believes that the goose is different from the gander and preaches this fallacy. Her ‘MLP obsession” is driving her away from today’s realities.
Nonetheless, Daphne has numerous enemies that are more dangerous in the PN camp then in the opposite camp. Is this the reason why Daphne is so terrified of mentioning the game the PN’s underground is playing in substituting Joe Saliba and the Capo.The whispers I mentioned yesterday are turning into strong rumours.
I fully agree with the “PN’s almighty underground’ that Dr. Gonzi is getting too old and too wrinkled and agree too, with its destined choice: Dr. Mario Demarco. It is evident that the PN needs a young, intelligent and sympathetic Capo. Dr. Mario Demarco comes from a bright Maltese family including Guido and Giannella.
Daphne should take a deep breath and divert her attention from Joseph and the MLP to the detrimental realities she is to face very soon.
@Peter Muscat
Your comment shows that you don’t follow all of Daphne’s blogs! His underwear was already under her scrutiny!
Mr Peter Muscat, your conspiracy fantasies know no bounds. You simply have no idea , dont you? The only difference betwen succession in the MLP and the PN is that whilst we groom the best people we have for the job of leading Malta, and not just the bloody PN, all the MLP is interested in getting the man they chose, to lead Malta, come what may. He may be the Hunchback of Notre Dame, but the “delegati” will elect him if they think he has the chnce of becoming Prime Minister. This is because they still see their winning Government as the ultimate goal, to be able to get the “handouts” that so many Laburisti deserve. Xi Gobb bhala Wacmen, per ezempju. Jew inkella haddiem tal-gvern li qatt ma jitfacca u jibghatulu c-cekk id-dar. Jew inkella, Kacca Ghal Laburisti biss…the list is endless. That, my friends, is how most delegati in the MLP see the role of a Lejber PM.He is the great father, the saviour, the facilitator of pjaciri ghal laburisti. And I dont blame them because thats what they were used to under Mintoff and KMB. And Most delegati are of that vintage, and their children are in the main imbued with the same chip on the shoulder and mentality. I’m not sayin that there are no good laburisti around. Far from it. But what they are doing in the present manifestation beats me. They are uncomfortable, and visibly so.JM and his deputies are not to their liking. I wouldnt be surprised that there will be a split in the MLP. and soon
Peter you clearly live in your own world. Kemm int miskin
@Pat – yes, I find it painful to listen to them, but I can also sympathise, because I would have the same problem if interviewed in Maltese. The problem lies not in failing to know the language adequately (both Muscat and Gonzi read and write English with ease, and I do the same with Maltese). It’s a matter of being able to think on your feet in the language, and not having to mentally translate what it is you want to say.
@Chris – will you post a link to the Illum article, please?
@Peter Muscat: so tell me, does Joseph Muscat wear briefs or boxers? I ask only because you seem to know.
Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them.
@Peter Muscat\Other “alter” egos
Instead of worrying so much about Daphne, shouldn’t you be out, worshipping the newly risen Christ?
Anyone saw the front page picture, titled “Hail Joseph”, in the Times yesterday?
I used to call myself a labour supporter. No longer so. I’m frankly embarassed by our new leadership. It’s a joke. Can you imagine the deputy leader of any other socialist party in europe writing a piece like this:
http://toniabela.blogspot.com/2008/06/tilgablix-mal-mouse.html
I’m lost for words. It’s 2008 and till a few years ago he was afraid that a computer at home would ruin his children’s future. But can you believe it?! Then he says he and his wife spend more time in front of the PC than in bed together. Do we really have to know that they are no longer that sexually active?!
It’s a disgrace. Joseph’s a joke. So are his deputies. We lost a chance to renew ourselves. The future looks bleak indeed.
@Silvan
So we have an ex-Labour elf, right? Dear Silvan, be fair and dont twist what Toni Abela wrote. That piece was actually in praise of the computer age, using a particular literary style.
@Albert Farrugia
The age of computer malfunctions and electoral manifesto misprints?
A particular literary style. Yes. Absurdism.
Toni Abel: “Kont smajt stejjer dwar kif tfal li ghadhom zghar tharbtu bic-chatting u li sahansitra harbu mid-dar.”
Yes. We should be proud of our deputy leader. John Prescott at his best.
@Albert Farrugia,
If that is a literary style then you are an intelligent voter … NOT!!!!
Better still, here it is:
Meta waddbuli ċangun għal sidri
Minn Peppi Azzopardi,
Ħal Qormi
Qed nibgħat din l-ittra biex tidher fil-gazzetta tiegħek wara li ġiet ċensurata minn fuq l-orizzont. F’din il-gazzetta, kull ġimgħa, Charles Flores qatt ma jkun iċċensurat jikteb dwar ix-Xandir Pubbliku. Iżda din l-ittra kienet iċċensurata.
Ta’ kull ġimgħa Flores jikteb paġna jippriedka u jippontifika kif għandu jkun l-Istazzjon Nazzjonali. Tajjeb infakkar li Flores kien jokkupa karigi importanti fl-istess Xandir Malta li llum ma jiqafx jippridkalna dwaru. Kien Kap tat-Taqsima ta’ l-Aħbarijiet. Kien Kap tar-Radju Nazzjonali.
Ħa nfakkar ukoll x’kien jiġri fix-Xandir Nazzjonali meta Flores kellu karigi importanti fix-Xandir Nazzjonali. Qed nillimita ruħi biss għal dak li kont involut fih jien.
Niftakar li dak iż-żmien konna waqqafna grupp bl-isem ta’ ‘Żgħażagħ tan-Numri’. Konna grupp ta’ żgħażagħ li fost affarijiet oħra konna nipprotestaw fit-toroq kontra t-tortura u n-nuqqas gravi tal-libertà ta’ l-espressjoni li kien jirrenja fil-pajjiż. Ara biss taħsbu li f’dan iż-żmien TVM u r-Radju Nazzjonali kienu jirrappurtaw xi protesta milli konna nagħmlu. Ma tarax!
Il-protesti kienu kważi dejjem jispiċċaw bil-Pulizija jingħaqdu mal-kriminali Laburisti u jsawtuna bla ħniena. Qatt, qatt u qatt dawn l-atroċitajiet ma kienu jkunu irrappurtati fuq ix-Xandir.
Mhux talli hekk, iżda b’mod mill-aktar vili, waqt li aħna konna nkunu l-isptar jew arrestati illegalment, it-televixin u r-radju ta’ l-Istat, immexija fost oħrajn minn Flores, kienu jirrappurtaw li konna aħna li wżajna l-vjolenza. Meta konna noħorġu stqarrija li dan ma kienx minnu, meta konna nipprovdu filmati u ritratti li juru eżatt bil-maqlub, ix-Xandir ta’ l-Istat kien ikompli jigdeb ġimgħa wara ġimgħa.
Dak iż-żmien ma kienx bħal-lum fejn iċ-ċittadini jistgħu jiġu f’Xarabank u jiffaċċaw u jgħidu li jridu lill-Prim Ministru quddiem Malta kollha. Dak iż-żmien aħna ż-żgħażagħ ma konniex ningħataw iċ-ċans nitkellmu. Qatt.
Darba iddeċidejna li mmorru fi programm live. Kien jismu ‘Bonġu Malta’. Staqsejna biex nitkellmu u qalulna li ma stajniex. Allura bħala protesta dorna mal-preżentaturi u meta ndunajna li konna live għamilna protesta u bdejna ngħajtu li rridu xandir ħieles. Domna biss ħames sekondi għax it-trasmissjoni qatgħet minn live. Eżatt kif ma bqajniex live tfaċċaw il-kriminali li flimkien mal-Pulizija tawna xebgħa li għadni nħoss l-effetti tagħha sa llum. Sawtuna u saħansitra tnejn minnhom rikbu f’karozza u għaddew minn fuq wieħed minna u kisrulu għadmu. Lili waddbuli ċangun għal sidri.
Waqt li konna l-isptar x’taħsbu li kien irrapporta x-Xandir ta’ l-Istat li fih kellu kariga għolja Flores?
Li aħna morna nsawtu lin-nies. Għalxejn tlabna kjarifika għax baqgħu jgħidu hekk jum wara l-ieħor. Immaġinaw kieku llum il-Kamra ta’ l-Aħbarijiet tal-PBS kellha tagħmel l-istess. X’differenza!
Nista’ nkompli nirrakkonta kif bħala ġurnalist kont dieħel biex nintervista lill-Prim Ministru ta’ dak iż-żmien. Jien u dieħel waqqfuni s-suldati li kienu jkunu għassa bil-machine guns max-Xandir.
Bil-machine gun ma’ dahri dħalt mhedded mis-suldati biex “nibża’ għall-Prim u ma nitkessaħx.”
Għal-lum nieqaf hawn. Kull kumment dwar dak li jippriedka llum Flores hu żejjed.
http://www.illum.com.mt/2008/06/15/l6.html
@Peter Muscat,
EVEN IF Daphne’s command of written Maltese is next to zero, which I doubt, so? nglish is an official language of Malta and let’s face it, much more important!
Silvan insellimlek. Int mal-principji ma ticcajtax. I sympatise with your discomfort in the Generazzjoni Gdida (!) .
@albert Farrugia. Kellek bzonn kellek ftit mill irgulija ta Silvan!
So, according to Mario Debono, Silvan is deemed a man just because he’s calling himself an ex-Labourite?! I doubt if he ever was a Labourite actually.
People like Mario Debono, unfortunately, are only there to attack those who happen not to agree with them.
I just have one question for him…are you a man, Mario, just because you vote PN?
Perhaps if Silvan is a true Labourite, he is hurt at the moment. I must say, I am hurt too as I’m not happy with the Deputy leaders chosen but I’m happy with the leader.We’ll just wait and see what’ll happen without firing our brimmed canons please, if that is ever possible.
Yes, MPG. I consider myself a Socialist. A European Socialist of the likes of Zapatero, Blair, Veltroni, Royal. Not of the likes of Muscat, I’m afraid. George Abela would have made us proud. Joseph is making us embarassed. Come on, now, for God’s sake. Anyone in his right state of mind would have felt like screaming while watching his maiden speech at the headquarters. He’s not up for it. Sant’s maiden speech was Shakespeare compared to Muscat’s. Gosh.
@MPG.Thank you for your post, I appreciate it. I happen to know Silvan, and Silvan’s heritage. Its as Labour as they come. But i have the greatest respect for a man who can call a spade, and depart from an organization that is not any more in tune with his ideas and beliefs. I confess that I am too hurt and too brutalised by the MLP to be ever able to vote MLP, but if the PN does lose its soul, and its beliefs not tally with my broad own ones, then I won’t vote PN. But it will have to be a drastic and dramatic change of beliefs. And no, I am not a man because I vote PN. Far from it. I criticise and attack the PN and the Government almost as much as as I support it, and if needs be, publicly , as anyone who knows me knows. There are ex ministers and other people in the PN who hate my guts because I speak my mind. I try to be positive and not negative,because the PN is ultimately there to govern well and serve the country. It has done a good job so far. The Delegati, in my opinion, did a disservice to the country and the MLP. Hence the brimmed cannons. In all fairness however, Lawrence Gonzi did a good job and is still there doing it. He will be a hard act to follow. By anyone, be it MLP or PN. Does that give you a better insight into my mindset now?
Are you the same Mario Debono as this one : http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/midweek/2007/08/15/t1.html
@Mario Debono
So you happen to know Silvan…I did not know that there was only one ‘Silvan’ around! Otherwise you wouldn’t be that certain that he is the one you know!
@Silvan
So you consider yourself “European Socialist of the likes of Zapatero, Blair, Veltroni, Royal. Not of the likes of Muscat”… By any chance, keeping in mind that you used to consider yourself as a labour supporter, do you consider yourself a “European Socialist” of the likes of Sant or KMB?
Can someone please remind me what is the Maltese translation of ‘thousand’?
Yes,Mario Debono, I got your point and I also believe that Silvan has every right to disassociate himself from a party which he doesn’t like anything about. However, this guy ha been barely there for two weeks and people are already expecting miracles.
I think you have forgot how many people thought Gonzi would not succeed as leader of the PN but he did because he was given a chance and that’s what people should do with Muscat.
MPG – have you just returned from outer space? ‘This guy’ hasn’t been there for barely two weeks. He’s been one of the public faces of Labour since 1992! He’s new in the role, sure, but he’s not new at all. He’s been active in the Labour Party much longer than Sant was when he was made leader in 1992. And Sant was invisible in the party before becoming leader. Muscat was highly visible, appearing wherever he could, bickering on television, wall-to-wall on Super One tv and radio, Maltastar.com, L-orizzont, the works. Anybody with commonsense isn’t going to start judging him now, when they’ve got 16 years of experience to go on. Are you by any chance one of those people who believe that a terrible boyfriend can become a wonderful husband just because his role has been formalised?
haha qrajt il-blog tat-Tonin! Qishom tawh komponiment fuq “Il-Kompjuter” u wara li kitbu, kien herqan jurih lil kulhadd! mahh!
x’lahaq ezatt milux…?
Yes, il-Vanni – what I liked most was his hypocrisy about not dragging politicians’ kids into it. The kids of those who criticise the Labour Party are fair game, though. I didn’t see the newly resurrected Toni Abela ticking off Miss Miriam Dalli and that ghastly prat with a face like an pig’s a**hole, Robert Francalanza, for putting a tape of my son on a loop during the election campaign. And apparently, only the children of Labour leaders have feelings. We’re supposed to get out of the kitchen because Toni’s daughter cried. How about all the crying of the wives, daughters, sons, husbands, mothers and fathers of those systematically attacked by Labour over the years, and treated as enemies of the state? Piss off, Toni. Sometimes you have to be spoken to in your own kind of language.
Silvan – (Re Toni Abela’s blogspot) – Coincidentally I have just posted more-or-less the same comment re Toni Abela/his computer/his wife, however under “Il-Karriera ta’ San Guzepp”.
Yes, first we had Alfred Sant going on about Sarkozy having fun with Carla Bruni in his pre-election interview in The Sunday Times (with Ariadne Massa), then we had Anglu-and-the-elephant, and Anglu-my-bottom’s-on-the-same-bench-where-Diana’s-was, followed by Joseph Muscat and the nappies (with not a baby in sight). Next came Toni Abela with that computer/wife/bed comment.
What an embarrassing lot they are! If not to everyone else, to themselves, at the very least.
Whatever next?
Look on the bright side – at least the caption for the following photo wasn’t “Anglu and his secret weapon”!
http://www.anglufarrugia.com/modules/xcgal2/displayimage.php?pid=40&album=random&cat-&pos=-40
Re: Toni Abela’s blog entry:
Dear Tony, you have mentioned that you get lots of viruses on your home PC. Well, I wouldn’t mention that too much, as sprouting of computer viruses normally is synonymous with unabashed surfing on the Net.
Ooh La La, it seems someone has been watching too much porn on Toni’s PC….
amrio: What’s the difference between porn and Otello?
no…I’m really asking…
apart from the hunk and the gorgeous babe in porn that is…
Just to point out that the Silvan posting here so far, is not myself, Silvan Mifsud. I will forward my comments after giving some time to Joseph, as he already has a number of important decisions to take, which will show to all and sundry what type of leadership he will offer.
Toni Abela has just discovered computers (after all, Mintoff told him they were bad). He still hasn’t discovered anti-virus software. Give him a chance, miskin.
Daphne: maybe this explains why their (so called) electoral manifest had “some” typos!
@SB: Why do you feel so irritated by my genuine comments, SB? No. I never considered myself as a European Socialist of the likes of Mintoff and KMB. I’m 23, for God’s sake. How can I?! I’m afraid I really had it up to here with the malta labour party. We’re a joke. That’s what we are. And saying this hurts. And seeing people like you who pretend nothing’s going wrong hurts even more. Anglu Farrugia. Toni Abela. What next? Id-Dulli as Secretary General?!
@Silvan Mifsud
I am relieved to know you are not the other Silvan. However, if you are one of those who would like to see change in this country, you should rather say that you will help the new MLP leader in his efforts for change. Witness how Hilary Clinton threw all her weight behind Obama after it was clear who is, effectively, party leader. Saying you will “wait and see” only helps to give strength to those who will undermine and weakening of there power base.
@Albert Farrugia
In the past i already worked within the Labour Party with people who were more interested in guarding their powerful position rather than working towards strenghtening the party. At the end of it, I felt I had wasted my time. This time round, I have no time to waste, and before deciding what to do, I must be sure that with the change (or earthquake) Joseph is advocating, such persons do not remain within the party….
@Albert Farrugia,
The country just missed an opportunity for change on June 5th. Now it’s back to same old same old, i.e. a counry without a halfway decent oposition. The only time I voted PN in the last 10 years was for the general elections and that’s because lejber kept forcing my hand.
Come 2013 they have forced my hand again!
One of the many things that are bothering me is that come next election Anglu Farrugia and Toni Abela will win seats from two districts. That’s the way things work. Even if they’re not fit for the job silly people will vote for them. Just like the delegates did. And if labour wins then both will be Ministers. Now – would you imagine Toni Abela Minsiter of something? Of what, exactly? And we will be sending a Toni Abela to Brussels to meet his European counterparts?! Ommi ma.
@Silvan
I am not irritated by your comments. I simply cannot figure out how can you consider yourself as a European Socialist the like of Zapatero et al and in the same post you say that you cannot identify yourself with JM when you identified yourself with past labour leaders!!! So much for European Socialism!
@Silvan
Toni Abela is NOT going to contest next election, that’s what he said at least!
[Moderator – Joseph muscat said that to enter parliament you must be either ‘a robber, a missionary or just plain crazy’ – and look at him go.]
SB: Maybe it’s because Silvan sees a difference between Zapatero et al and JM.
Hehe. I think we’re quite far from having true European Socialists in our party. I’m sorry but Joseph Muscat is not meant to lead. A true leader read the signs of his time. Clinton failed the clinch the Dems’ bid because she voted for the war in Iraq. Obama didn’t and that’s what made ppl see a true leader in him. Muscat wanted Malta out of the EU. And kept believing that until he went to Brussels and saw what the EU is all about. You don’t need to go to Brussels to realize what the EU is. You just need to have some common sense and he lacked it. And now he’s leader and wants to be a Prime Minister. Oh God. WHAT A JOKE OF A PARTY.
Yikes I just had a nightmarish thought – it’s bad enough imagining poodle boy as PM, can anybody imagine inspector gadget as acting PM?
Yes, David Buttigieg – this is a country with an insufficiently educated and undiscriminating population, where a former inspector in Lorry Pullicino’s force, who graduated magna cum laude but who can’t write properly in either English or Maltese, who is a walking-talking joke, can become deputy prime minister.
“The missing link!” What a title!
From where has this expression been copied or is just a coincidence.
Scientists think that the missing link has finally been discovered, (pity not by Lady Daphne) but by
Garrett Lisi. Only verifications are now required.
Try to enter the name Garrett Lisi in Google and the reader will know to what I am referring. The true missing link in the study of the Universe, in agreement with the aspects of theoretical and applied physics.
Sory if this is all Cinese for certain but it is worthwhile for others to be aware of what is happening outside our (Malta) little world.
Nothing to do with this site except the coincidence of the title with -probably- a great discovery.
That would be more interesting to the connoisseur than perusing this stale, nonsensical, without head or tale, monotonous, nauseatic site.
@Michael Debono – if you didn’t speak English as a foreign language, you would know that the missing link is a very common expression.
@Michael Debono.
Whose a clever boy then?
Actually the original use of the term Missing link was with reference to the creature that combined aspects aof ape and man and represented the mythical evolution from ape to man as hypothesized by Darwin.
Daphne would obviously know this (having slugged her way through a BA in Archaeology,as someone pointed out) but she had the good grace to keep mum, something that our friend Michael should learn to do more often.
cheers
Michael Debono: The missing link is a sense of humour.
Silvan,
Toni Abela has stated categorically that he will not be contesting any parliamentary seats. And he is a man of his word, unlike Dr Gonzi who has alreadsy broken umpteen promises since the 8th of March.
But the coincidence in timing is striking.
Chris I, thank you for your short explanation of the missing link in human evolution. I am always grateful to be reminded of what I have learned. Now I have only to write to the editor of a renowned science magazine that an article in one of the latest issue ought to have been given another title not to give rise to confusion.
There are individuals who are always open to learn something new and might have taken the opportunity to open the suggested site and learn something. Friend Chris I. pity if you didn’t; however if you did I am delighted to have given you the opportunity, unless of course you already knew to what I was referring.
As for Mrs. Daphne, her B.A. Archeology is a plus that is why I started to mention it instead of inventing odious nicknames. Understood? It is hoped that she is proud of it and not otherwise though she might have preferred another subject.
A certain Quisling felt offended one day when people started to greet him with a “Good Morning Mr. Quisling” all along the way where he passed. I hope it is not the same in our case.
As soon as I expressed a certain surprise that a contribution to this blog was titled the missing link, certain correspondents promptly deduced that “missing link” could only refer to Darwin’s theory of evolution and jumped into the conclusion that I was not “au courant”. It does not matter.
In fact it referred to something else: the missing link that could reconcile two theories of the universe, the Graal (the missing link) that physics is looking for desperately, the process that would finally encompass the whole Universe and matter in one single equation, a theory of the whole that Garrett Lisi pretends to have discovered.(just look for Garrett Lisi on the internet to know more)
Referring to the Darwin theory of evolution, those following that theory are looking for something inexistent; something inexistent could not be missing. The creation of man by God could not be arrived at through Darwin’s theory.
As for asking me whether English is not a foreign language what could it be? Perhaps the question ought to have taken another form.