In Sweden we have several high profile outdoor venues. One of the most high profile was in the town where I used to live, where they had outdoor performances all through summer, in a quaint tree-surrounded setting.

Our school took us there at least twice, although I can’t say if that was late spring or early autumn. Also, why does this limit schoolchildren from using it? If they want to, they can go during summer. If they don’t want to, then what is the problem?

The only part I really agree with her is where she insists on the government making public the brief given to Renzo Piano. I think it would be highly interesting to see, unless of course this is public already.

Weirdly, her biggest complaint about the outdoor theatre doesn’t seem to be meteorological, but about noise pollution. She can’t grasp that theatre performances could be scheduled around events such as festivals and the Isle of MTV.

She also keeps bringing up the current deficit (three times by a quick count), not realising that the 80+40 million would not be spent this year (I presume).

“FAA is seriously concerned about the bulk and mass of the Parliament building which risks overwhelming the surrounding structures.”

Not sure which buildings she is referring to here – the worn down block opposite the entrance, the cheap-looking arcades, or the Burger King that faces you on entry.

She has maybe a vague point about placing it on a busy shopping street. I’m a bit split about that. I’m sure the building is going to be really impressive and a parliament is something that should be on display, but I don’t know how the parliament activity will affect shoppers, nor how shoppers will affect the parliament activity. That said, I can’t wait to see it.

[Daphne – If parliamentary activity doesn’t affect shopping now, it’s not going to affect shopping there. Currently, it’s just down the same street. There too much straw-clutching going on here – desperate arguments by desperate people.]

“Another disadvantage of a roofless theatre is that it will exclude schoolchildren from attending performances or listening to Malta’s homeless philharmonic orchestra since schools are closed in summer and schoolchildren cannot be expected to sit through performances on wet or chilly winter days.”

Hell, doesn’t the sun ever shine from October to June? And there I was thinking this is Malta, not Sweden.

[Daphne – I guess Astrid’s into mollycoddling. She turned down an invitation to participate in a debate on TVM on the grounds that her son was recuperating from an operation to his leg and “he needs me”. She omitted to mention that her son was 21 at the time, allowing everyone to think that she was the devoted mother of a five-year-old, and that she had given birth the Old Testament way like the biblical Sarah.]

“The public wanted a theatre” – how did she reach that conclusion?

[Daphne – Astrid Vella is The People. She’s working on a version of ‘l’etat c’est moi.’]

http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/2009/07/19/astrid.html

[Daphne – I imagine she doesn’t even see the irony in a title like ‘the people never asked for a parliament’. Il-vera mohh ta’ pizella, jahasra. Manipulative cunning can only go so far in mimicking real intelligence.]

The lines of decency have been crossed long ago by FAA.

In a comment under the “Let’s avoid the subject, shall we?” post, Mario Debono describes very well the way FAA operate “…..misinformation, selective presentation of information, lack of consistency as to which projects they attack, the slinging of mud, veiled and open allegations, the cynical use of the media and of everyone who has an axe to grind against the government …..”

To these, I would add their arrogance when claiming that they speak on behalf of the “people”. FAA have been doing all these things for years (and not months Daphne, as you suggest).

Tim Ripard’s comment under the “Astrid’s toy soldiers” post is also worth noting: “I think the FAA was a bad idea to start off with and it’s been getting worse since then. Astrid, I think, started off with good, if misguided intentions but has since been sliding down a slippery slope into perdition.”

Will Astrid, George and the rest of them ever understand the difference between what is decent and what isn’t? I wonder.

Astrid Vella and her motley crew of timesofmalta.com ‘supporters’ believe that she is being investigated for exercising her democratic rights and not for trampling on someone else’s.

Astrid Vella, and all those tell her to “keep it up” – embarrassing choice of words – don’t seem to have understood the distinction. In their simplistic world, someone is right or wrong so it follows that everything that person does or says is consequently right or wrong. So, in their view, Astrid Vella is right because she has the best of intentions, so she is able to say and do what she likes.

It is extremely naive to believe oneself to be above the law. Even speaking ill of someone exposes you to criminal prosecution, let alone posting comments in writing where everyone can read them.

[Daphne – The people you mention have been casting aspersions and slandering others for months. You may have different standards, but in my view a couple of jokes about people don’t even begin to compare to slander and accusations of corruption. Incidentally, you are a fine hero who can’t even bring yourself to use your name. Astrid, George and the rest are beginning to discover that when you put yourself out there, you are laying yourself open to criticism.]

Why is she holding a copy of The Times in her hands? Is she trying to induce the Times to give the photo greater prominence?

I would have thought that she would have had a file in her hands full of notes and evidence to sustain her allegations. More likely that she has no notes or evidence to present and all her allegations and mud-slinging comes off the top of her head.

I think it was a mistake for architect-politician Musumeci to ask the police to investigate because she will use this to depict herself as a victim. The truth is that she is an egocentric constantly craving for public attention.