How cute: a matching trio

Published: May 19, 2012 at 2:32pm

I’m left with no choice but to conclude that Joseph’s business meetings are chosen on the basis of the supplicants’ height. If they’re his height or shorter, then fine, slot them in the diary.

There can be no other explanation why he would have met, and been photographed with, an absurd person from Graffiti (stage left) and another absurd person from the Legalise Cannabis movement (stage right).

Or perhaps he meets people who are bigger than he is, but never takes pictures or releases them.

It looks like Joseph is doing with pot-smokers what he did with “gejs”: not actually promising anything (rather the opposite) but leaving them with the feeling that they entered The Presence and that The Presence listened, making them forever grateful for….nothing.




31 Comments Comment

  1. Absurd guy on the right says:

    As the absurd guy on the right, I would just like to thank DCG for the plug of our group! Keep up the absurdity, and hopefully we can collaborate on some absurd piece of fiction in future, something you are a pro at. Cheers!

    [Daphne – My, and you don’t even use your name. That’s what I call standing up to be counted, having the courage of your convictions, & c & c. With a spine like that, you’ll really make changes.]

    • Absurd guy on the right says:

      Thanks again!! Being called spineless from someone like you sure strikes hard with the irony bar :D

      [Daphne – Yes, because I’m spineless, of course. May we have your name, please? Age, job, career aspirations, current education? Or do you prefer to think of yourself as a secret warrior?]

      • Absurd guy on the right says:

        I am a secret warrior, an inspiration to irate post-menopause women all over the island to write about; I hide behind my own face which I myself post all over Facebook.

        [Daphne – Here’s another progressive one, busy with the menopause. And this time it’s POST-MENOPAUSE. Get your mother to sit you down and talk you through the various ages of women, my child.]

        This disguise seems to fool only the thickest of the thick, the stalwarts of a bygone era of slandering and mudslinging instead of scientific and rational debate, of a past generation who still seem to think they are anything but the laughing stock of the population.

        Before I leave this dark, dark corner of the internet, I would just like to invite everyone to head to the “Legalize It, Malta” facebook group page to partake in discussions pointing out both the good and the bad aspects of decriminalization and legalization of cannabis, and how our method of harm reduction and science-backed policies are trying to shed some much needed light and information on this misinformed and propoganda filled taboo of a subject.

        Remember people, a society is judged on how they treat the weakest among them; let us together work toward a society based on inclusiveness and minimum boundaries, not a society where people should keep silent and suffer alone for fear of stigmatization. Once again, thanks go to Daphne for the publicity.

        [Daphne – On the subject of publicity, here’s some free advice: you’re going about it the wrong way. If you want to be taken seriously, which is already very difficult given your issue, try to confound expectations by not looking and talking like a loser. Get your hair cut, wear a dark suit and tie, become eloquent and articulate, and get yourself a serious degree from an important university. A loser-type who looks like something out of Wayne’s World, who can barely articulate a simple sentence, who has shaggy hair (if male), and whose arguments are flawed when defending his right to smoke cannabis is exactly what everyone expects….and then immediately dismisses.]

      • ciccio says:

        Daphne is right.
        And when you visit the Leader of the Opposition and of the Partit Laburista, wear a long-sleeve shirt and a jacket. And a blue tie. And a blue shirt if possible.

      • Jozef says:

        To the secret warrior,

        Could you explain why the city of Amsterdam has recently banned the sale of cannabis to tourists?

        Do you confirm there must be some scientific reason for the decision to retract the culture you promote?

        Do you consider the plausibility of a correlation between the exponential increase in heroin junkies dying in public parks, red light district workers requesting the closure of coffee shops and the chemical modification of marijuana by the competing outlets to provide an unforgettable trip to Amsterdam?

        Cut the crap to your cool factor and take responsibility for what you propose.

      • JC says:

        To Jozef. To clarify, the city of Amsterdam did not, and does not, plan to close the coffee shops they have open. Only cities in the borders of Belgium and Germany were forced to close down http://www.abc.net.au/news/2008-10-24/dutch-towns-close-coffee-shops-in-drug-tourists/180830 and this was met with with criticism by Dutch economists, business owners and the frequenters of the coffee shops, obviously, so much so that many coffee shops have ignored the ban and continue to sell to anyone. I’m not exactly sure where you got your information from, and if you could link me to the articles where you found a correlation between the sale of marijuana and the increased death of herion junkies I would be glad to read it; as I previously said, I want to discuss both the good and bad sides of decriminalization.
        The reason the border cities were forced to close down, by the way, was because of increased crime in those areas. What was the increased crime, I hear you ask? Belgian and German criminal organizations were going to Holland and buying large amounts of cannabis to take back to their country and sell at a huge profit. The prohibition in their countries of cannabis led to the cannabis market(which will always exist whether you like it or not) being pushed underground, opening up many business opportunities for unscrupulous people. So, because of the criminal organizations in Belgium and Germany, who still have 1920s prohibitionist laws, the country that actually had science based laws (Holland) had to attempt to stop the criminal flow into their country through this ineffective plan.
        I hope the message is clear; prohibition does not in any way decrease drug use, all it does is push it underground, and cause a very successful billion euro/dollar trade to spring up. Just to put it into perspective, in Mexico alone over 40,000 people have been butchered, beheaded and killed since 2006 due to drug cartels taking over everything there to produce product to send to North America and Europe. The USA government had spent over 15 billion dollars in 2010 alone to conduct a failing War on Drugs. Then you look at a country like Holland which has decriminalization of cannabis and see that not only do the Dutch use cannabis much less than most European countries (since they grow up with it it doesn’t have the rebellious kick to it that we get in most prohibitionist countries and they are educated and informed about it, unlike the misinformation that we have here) but they are making lots and lots of money off of tourists from prohibitionist countries coming in solely to smoke the weed. So why do we insist on continuing this failed, failed war on drugs? The only reason I even got into being an activist was because of the injustice occurring on our islands; a man gets 12 years in jail and stigma for life for growing 2 plants, yet others do hit and runs, or sexually abuse children and are let off with suspended sentences or even go scott free due to an error on the charge sheet!
        I will gladly continue to discuss the matter of drug policy and decriminalization with anyone who wants to discuss it in an informed and intelligent manner, please head to our facebook group if you are interested. Just remember, you would you rather controlled the drug trade (bearing in mind that drugs are harmful), the government, like they do for alcohol and cigarettes already, or the criminal underground? This isn’t about cannabis anymore – this is about what’s good for society and how we are going to reduce the harm being done due to drugs in our society.

        PS: Sorry for the long post :p

  2. Robert says:

    Lol thanks Daphne, I feel famous.

    [Daphne – My pleasure. I mean it.]

  3. La Redoute says:

    Nice reverse victory salute. Maybe that’s what Graffiti thinks of Joseph Muscat’s hollow promises.

  4. Jozef says:

    Judging from the size of that grin, there could be another reason…

    Ustja man, ikollna gvern bomba.

  5. Dr. Vella says:

    Wow Daphne. These youths are active members of society and are trying to address the real concerns of today. Much better than you flinging shit in peoples’ faces for your own amusement.

    Your manners are clearly nonexistent. You don’t even know these young lads and yet you unashamedly call them absurd. Blame the politician for his unfulfilled promises but not the youngsters for their positively-directed energy.

    [Daphne – I am so, so sorry. Please explain their achievements. I am at a loss to understand them.]

    • Not Tonight says:

      ‘Active members of society?’ More like annoying riffraff/spoilt brats who crave attention and have nothing better to do than champion some useless cause or other.

      Just so they can have their picture put up in some newspaper or other, or a two second slot on the news from time to time.

      • Evey Hammond says:

        You don’t even know these people and why they are doing what they do.
        If you really think its because they would like to be shown in a newspaper, they could do a million other things for that, things which require much less time and effort.

        Please, stop assuming just because your intelligence only reaches so far.

    • GD says:

      @ Dr Vella

      Would you consider legalizing pot to be a REAL concern for today?

      Is that what the leader of the new Labour Movement encourages you to believe?

      • Evey Hammond says:

        Ask why they agree with legalisation before you talk rubbish. Try and open your ears to people before building up a wall immediately.

  6. Stanley J A Clews says:

    Graffiti guy is sticking up his fingers – sort of “up yours, Joe.”

    [Daphne – I think nowadays that means something a little different in nerd society: “He’s the man.”]

  7. edgar says:

    Did anyone mention the three stooges.

  8. Luke says:

    “[Daphne – I am so, so sorry. Please explain their achievements. I am at a loss to understand them.]”

    Daphne, people in glass houses definitely shouldn’t throw stones… ;)

    [Daphne – ? Please explain exactly how I am in a glasshouse when I ask your friend to list those achievements we talked about.]

    • Min Weber says:

      The kind of comments you’re getting are so disjointed … it seems that who’s posting them is smoking a … joint ?

  9. La Redoute says:

    Interesting specimens. What I would really like to know is where their unseen hands are, and why Joseph looks so pained.

  10. SC says:

    A tie and short-sleeved shirt, really? At least he made an effort unlike the one on the left.

    I think to go to a planned meeting with the leader of the opposition without wearing a suit is just plain uncouth. Given the weather, even a smart shirt (with sleeves) is just about acceptable. You have to learn to dress for the situation.

    • GD says:

      I diagree. With that sort of people one has to dress down for the occasion in order to blend in, like not washing or shaving for a week, wearing a Che Guevara T-shirt and wave the hippies’ peace and love symbols of the Sixties.

      • JC says:

        Judging people based on their outward appearance…I see we have a real intellectual here :/. Certainly people like Durkheim, Weber and Einstein would have failed your test of intelligence.

  11. A Grech says:

    Daphne, you’re one of the cutest/pain i.t.a. person we have in Malta. Not sure how to describe you but one thing I know, you are a very intellgent woman and can do a lot for Malta if you care to talk about interesting things and not things that Ganna tal-haxix talks about. Just told my wife that you are a very difficult person to describe :))

    [Daphne – Oh, she’ll love you for that. As for the rest, no thanks. I’d be a fool to give up my USP.]

  12. Joe Micallef says:

    Absurd guy whether on the left, right or bang in the centre, if legalising it produces specimens like yourselves, then we need a movement to eradicate it – and fast.

  13. Evey Hammond says:

    Do you really think the absurd guy on the right would create such a reasoned argument just to smoke cannabis? I don’t understand this at all!
    Intelligent arguments are based on a reasoned out thought structure. You, Daphne, are someone who would never earn a degree from a top university. Your theses based on assumptions without even first studying your subjects well would be the butt of all academia jokes.

  14. John Schembri says:

    By legalising cannabis, giving gay people more ‘rights’, and giving sixteen-yearolds the right to vote in local council elections in which they subsequently can become mayors, we are bound to have our recreational areas filled with more youngsters smoking, idling, and smooching instead of what the PL billboards are saying: “Taghlim, Tahrig u Xoghol”.

    Joseph’s ‘ghaqal’ seems to be totally focused on toppling Gonzi.

    • ciccio says:

      Issa addio ghaqal. Issa garanzija fuq kollox lil kulhadd.

      Issa nisperaw li din hi garanzija ta’ itwal minn sena, ghax sa sena ohra mhux zgur tkun ghadha saret l-elezzjoni, u allura hemm cans li l-garanzija tkun diga skadiet.

  15. Matthew Vella says:

    ….. How exactly would giving gay people more “rights” (I’m assuming you mean legalizing same-sex marriage, or introductions of hate crime laws) contribute to that?

    • John Schembri says:

      Mat, as far as I know Joseph hasn’t promised any specific rights for gays….publicly. There was some vague promise if you like.

      According to Cyrus, Joseph is only a good listener.

      Please note that it will not create work, does not create any immediate cash flow problems and most probably will add more burdens on taxpayers, in the form of surviving partner’s (widow’s) pension and less tax contributions in the future.

  16. CF says:

    Haha, good one, Joseph! You never fail to entertain me! I’m expecting that within a couple of weeks you will also say that you’re in favour of legalizing all drugs, in order to gain the votes of the Maltese anarchists.

    Guy on the left – nice way to show the show respect to the leader of the opposition.

    This article literally killed me.

  17. MC says:

    I was quite hesitant to leave a comment because I know that Daphne would get off on this, even more so the fact that it goes against her ‘opinion’. I don’t see the point of this article. Two university students met up with the leader of the opposition to discuss a VERY relevant current topic (after all, most prisoners in Malta are convicted for drug offences)… and they got bashed for it?? how does that work exactly? How can you tell someone to conform to what you think is the norm? You call them losers yet from the way you are talking, you sound like an 18 year old, immature spoiled brat. Can you please explain what the point of this article is because with all your experience in journalism, I still don’t get what you’re trying to say…

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