Comments on: You read it here first

By: Uncle Fester

Uncle Fester — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 16:52:36 +0000

@Corinne Vella. Tsk, tsk, tsk! Temper! I am hiding my identity as do many people on this blog in this micro-country of ours. Just look at this trail for confirmation.

By the way, asking a person how they or their family votes, on an intensely political blog is not being nosey. It is seeking relevant information.

I am not interested and would never dream about asking about Daphne or your or anyone else’s truly personal information. I have never and will never refer to Daphne’s husband or children unless she chooses to involve them in ongoing discourse. I care not a hoot where she lives, who her friends are, what she ate for breakfast, what she looks like etc. I am interested in her arguments and why she makes them.

Gees, it’s not like I didn’t disclose information about myself. I told you my voting preference and my family’s historical voting preference because it is important to assessing my contributions. Whether my last name is Gonzi, Borg, Sant, Falzon or Mangion is besides the point.

By: Corinne Vella

Corinne Vella — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 16:19:46 +0000

Uncle Fester: “Other than my actual name, nothing. Read my last entry. My profile is more important than my actual identity.” Apparently you *are* trying to hide your identity. Why else would you hide behind a false name while asking nosey questions about other people? Really,the rudeness you’re ignoring is your own. Did you inherit that value genetically or are you the family mutant?

By: Uncle Fester

Uncle Fester — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 16:06:37 +0000

@Moderator. If I could I would because the name would mean nothing. It would just be another name. If I was a public person like Daphne then I would disclose my name but I am not. My profile is more important. I am just (pick any name) with the characteristics I discussed above.

By: Uncle Fester

Uncle Fester — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:56:07 +0000

@ Moderator. I will give myself a “real person” name next time round. Any suggestions?……Be nice!

[Moderator – How about the one on your birth certificate?]

By: Uncle Fester

Uncle Fester — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:54:52 +0000

@Corinne Vella. In Malta, how one’s family votes is very important because for the most part people tend to vote as their parents did and tend to inherit their parents value system. By telling me that you come from a traditional Stricklandian family explains a lot about Daphne’s attitudes. She is with the PN by default really like half of my father’s family. It explains why she is more comfortable speaking and writing in English. It explains her pro business attitudes. It explains her sense of social superiority. It also explains why she is not with the PN on social issues (the church, divorce, gays etc). It explains a lot. I understand her more knowing that piece of information.

And no, I am not behind my persjana much less am I there with a duster in my hand – luckily I have a char woman to do the dusting for me! Also I never shell peas, too lazy, I buy them frozen and shelled! I am at my computer doing my best to ignore your rudeness and have a civilized discourse with you and enjoying most of the contributions on this blog. It really is a microcosm of a sector of Maltese society. For the most part it is like being a fly on the wall at the Union Club in its hey day.

By: Uncle Fester

Uncle Fester — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:44:07 +0000

@Corinne Vella. Other than my actual name, nothing. Read my last entry. My profile is more important than my actual identity. If I told you that my name was Joseph Borg, for example, would that mean anything to you?

[Moderator – Yes, because the medium is the message and when the message comes from someone called Uncle Fester it will be interpreted differently than if it were to come from someone called Joseph Borg.]

By: Corinne Vella

Corinne Vella — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:02:57 +0000

Uncle Fester: Maybe I should ask WHY are you hiding? Lurking behind a pseudonym and asking personal questions about people and their families is akin to hiding behind the ‘persjani’ to spy on and gossip about the neighbours. Are you also shelling peas and brandishing a duster while asking your nosy questions?

What my parents do with their votes (and what my grandparents did with theirs) is their business and not mine or my sisters’ (plural intended), let alone yours and everyone else’s. Incidentally, it’s very naive to imagine that knowing my parents’ voting preference (or their parents’, for that matter) would tell you anything about their daughter’s – not that it’s any of your business anyway.

By: Corinne Vella

Corinne Vella — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 14:29:05 +0000

Uncle Fester: What are you hiding?

By: Tim Ripard

Tim Ripard — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 14:08:13 +0000

Daphne, am I to infer that the analytical part of a woman’s brain works brilliantly – a nanosecond is all that’s required to assess a man – but one-third of women fail to use their judgement?

So, whilst your profiled JM supporter thinks that POLITICS ‘is not the art of the possible but of ‘what should be” (i.e. a wish list) and you condemn this, yet a fairly large proportion of women apply this reasoning to MARRIAGE, marrying w…rs because of things that ‘should be’ e.g. he will change or be changed.

Your arguments are usually very intelligent, well-reasoned, objective and persuasive but this time you’ve gone a little bit over the top. Pity.

Instead of being proud of the fact that you’re the first to proclaim why JM is not attractive to women and unwittingly doing women a disservice in the process, how about changing tack and stating what people want and expect from the guy?

Don’t get me wrong. I think you’re writing is excellent and a pleasure to read but why choose a club when you wield a rapier so well?

By: Uncle Fester

Uncle Fester — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 12:57:39 +0000

@Corinne Vella. I had no idea that you were Daphne’s sister. I think I saw a clip on u-tube of someone resembling Daphne sitting next to her at the so called University debates prior to the election. That must be you. I simply find it strange that your sister claims that she is a first generation PN voter. Which can only mean that your parents and grandparents were Strickland supporters. Just trying to piece together what makes the lady tick the way she does.

@ Meerkat. Which further proves that I am not Anthony Licari, otherwise I would have known that.

@Daphne. I did not demand anything. I simply asked. Big difference. I am trying to figure out what makes you tick the way that you do. It kind of figures that you are of Stricklandjan stock – that would explain your mastery of the English language. Very rare with Maltese columnists writing in the English language press. As for my identity – what difference is it to you who I am. I am not a public person, have no affiliation to anyone in public life, I am simply a working stiff who is enjoying this blog for a while. If I believed my identity was important I would reveal it. If I did you would be the first to say “Who?”

I will give you some relevant facts to assess me.

Sex: Male
Age: Early 40s.
Marital Status: Committed Relationship.
Sexual Orientation: Gay
Occupation: Lawyer
Highest level of education: Master in Law.
Working Languages: Maltese and English.
Religion: Roman Catholic (non-practicing)
Income level: 70,000 euros
Home owner: Yes.
Owns car: Yes.
Political Party at last election: Labour.
Social Class: Middle Class.
Important issues when voting: Economic policy, progressive policies on gay issues, respect for social rights of workers and women.
Newspapers: The Times during the week. Malta Today on Sunday.
Magazines: Vanity Fair and anything to do with cooking.
Television News: BBC.
Favourite Local Columnists: Daphne, Lino Spiteri.
Most respected local politician: At one time EFA, AS for a short period, nobody in particular today.