Ah, I see. So that’s why Astrid’s pressure group is keeping mum.
Astrid Vella: “Piano is a foreigner”. Spoken like a true idiot.
Well, we know where Mrs Vella’s political sympathies lie because she has been parked on Super One for the last few years, a sideshow in her own right.
But she tells us that she has no opinion to give about Labour’s plans for a massive new power station, an LNG terminal and two vast gas-tanks, because she is not ‘technical’.
She can comment on a yacht marina at Hondoq ir-Rummien but she can’t comment on an LNG (marine) terminal at Marsaxlokk.
So OK, let’s accept that. By her own admission the woman is a (very self-assured) idiot. I’ve been saying that for years. Now she’s said so herself.
But she does have people on board at Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar who can pronounce themselves. One of them is her assiduous sidekick, Paul Cardona, a marine engineer. Surely the technicalities don’t scare him.
Ah, but here’s the thing. Paul Cardona tal-FAA has been broadcasting the fact that he plans to vote for JosephMuscat.com, and that he hopes for a Labour government.
So there you have it. At least these two weren’t indecent enough to come out in praise, in their role of pseudo-environmentalists, of a massive project which will destroy the area and present a lethal hazard to residents.
Last year Astrid, Paul and their FAA organised a demonstration against the building of blocks of flats in St Julian’s (see video below, but you’ll need Syndol after the whining). “Save St Julian’s” & c & c with Astrid nagging into a mike on the back of a lorry.
When I listen to her I think how she must be the personification of every man’s nightmare: persistent and amplified nagging in a whining voice magnified by a mike and with no escape into the shed.
Nine blocks of flats at St Julian’s merits a rabble-rousing demo. But a power station, an LNG terminal and two huge storage tanks for gas at Marsaxlokk merit silence.
Ghax m’hemmx nies tal-pepe joqghodu Marsaxlokk, u ahna nivvutaw Labour in any case.
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Her opinion of Renzo Piano (oh dear) was shared by Mario Philip Azzopardi, among the other usual suspects. It’s all sort of falling into place quite nicely.
[Daphne – Mario Philip left Malta for Canada in 1976, but apparently, he’s not a foreigner.]
And as far as I know, he’s a film director so there you go…he should know better.
I went to the theatre in December when they had that special opening – the atmosphere was great, the feeling was good.
Good because, once you’re there as a spectator, you feel you are in Valletta and part of Valletta, in the city and that is exactly what Piano wanted to do with his idea.
Hey, I’m making a bet from now, and giving odds of 100 to 1.
I’m betting that Lil Din’s dress when she sashays up the Castille dress will be red, and look something like this:
http://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/michelle-obama-dazzles-the-crowds-in-a-red-jason-wu-dress-at-the-commander-in-chief%E2%80%99s-inaugural-ball-092242454.html.
By that time red will be a safe colour for Labour anyway, as it will be too late for those who forget that Labour is always the same, however much blue is worn at the present.
Amazing. Only this evening we were joking about this at home but we were betting on Joseph to wear a red tie.
Min ma jifhimx, imaqdar.
U din fejn tifhem fl-arkitettura? Mhux bil-fors titkellem hekk?
Mario Philip Azzopardi and Edward Scicluna and Joe Vella Bonnici are brothers-in-law.
Fuq tlieta toqghod il-borma. U mbaghad, Carmen Sammut riedet ittir bil-ferh waqt il-kummenti li taghti fuq il-MaltaToday (gazzetta li saret aghar mill-One News, Maltastar u l-Kullhadd f’daqqa) ghaliex Mario Philip Azzopardi, li skond hi hadd ma jaf x’inhu, jiehu sehem fil-kanzunetta li josephmuscat.com hareg ghall-kampanja elettorali.
U dwar Pawlu Cardona – dan ghamel snin twal jilghaq lin-Nazzjonalisti biex ipappiha, u imbaghad ghax ma gitux tajba darba, xaqleb lejn josephmuscat.com.
Opportunist kbir, kif stqarret Comodini Cachia fil-Mument.
http://www.t3.com/news/600000-uk-users-drop-facebook
Malta should follow – daqs kemm qed jaqghu ghac-cajt.
And she’s so dumb as to think that little Joe’s project will be designed by Maltese?
Cuc ordnata!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2013/jan/13/renzo-piano-shard-interview-observer
Enjoy, Astrid. The Shard will open next month.
It’s utterly magnificent. The energy it transmits has to be experienced.
Tickets for the viewing gallery fully booked until April.
They’re building a sister tower in the city next to Lloyd’s.
Going up the Thames with the two on either side of London bridge will be one of the things to do in life.
Just look at the thing.
http://www.londonbridgequarter.com/the-shard/overview
It doesn’t have dedicated parking, straddles the station and is open to the public. London shows how it’s done.
And she has the cheek to call him a conman.
Householders consequently pay five times the cost of production; the power spot price on wholesale exchange EEX of 6 cents a kilowatt hour contrasts with average bills of near 30 cents.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130122/world/power-tariffs-and-politics-arguments-rage-in-germany.454206
Take home points:
1) Germans pay 30c a unit, almost double our lower rate. Weren’t our rates the highest? No, Labour lieing, as usual.
2) We can buy power at 4c3 from the Germans through the interconnector
She’s one of the reasons why this country remains stuck in prejudice, ignorance and amateurism. A depressive, oppressive, envious mentality stiffling any fresh thinking.
Patron of the dead mummified arts, watchdog of artistic conservatism, incapable of abstraction. I won’t delve into her penchant for painting by numbers.
One has to see the sketches she had on her pages for ‘city gate’. A mishmash of statues of ‘important Maltese personalities’ surrounding a Berniniesque half round open theatre. Straight out of Las Vegas.
An impossibility, given that it’s stuck to St.James’ cavalier, which levels don’t correspond in reality. But there she is, how lovely this, and so deserving of our beloved city that. The delusional idiot.
And when push comes to shove, and someone tries to con the country with a terminal that will take over the whole bay, she reserves the right to silence.
Her primitive, inept charlatanism is made crystal clear when the arts according to her, have nothing to do with industry. Her art is dead.
People with potential and talent leave the country because of individuals like her. Damned if they’re going to submit themselves to her idiotic posturing.
Trust me.
‘The word Piano said he hated was “style”. “I think it is a trap. But what I don’t hate is ‘intelligence’ or ‘coherence’. Because coherence is not about shape, it is about something stronger, more humanistic, more poetic even. I don’t know, this all becomes a bit romantic, maybe I should shut up!’
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/architecture/renzo-piano-the-shard-is-my-dream-building-7678862.html
From the one chosen by Time magazine in 2006, as among the 100 most influential people in the world.
Who gives a toss if he’s not Maltese?
Din Astrid, tahseb li Malta taghha biss.
Malta taghna lkoll Astrid he. The Piano project is the best thing ever.
Valletta is part of my culture. If it’s not yours, tough, I am part of Valletta. I am part of the city. I am part of Malta. I am Maltese. I like the project. I like being in an open air theatre in Valletta, where when I’m there seated amongst many other people, (who like me, like the project, cause they wouldn’t be there if they didn’t) I can look around and still appreciate the beauty of the arcitectural works around me.
That is why the Piano project makes sense. It’s the feeling of being in a crowd and still feeling the richness of the beauty around us. But perhaps you haven’t got an eye for architecture, so you wouldn’t know what I’m talking about.
Finally, if you don’t like it leave Malta. There’s many a place you can go to. But careful, cause nowhere in Europe will you find such cheap ideas to defend your stance against the project.
Your saying that Piano is a foreigner doesn’t make sense. In Art and Architecture, no one is a foreigner. In Art and Architectural works, you’re either knowledgeable or you’re not.
Don’t try to get into this complex subject because from your comments it shows, the subject is not your forte.
The number of people employed to work on this project, the number of people who will be employed to maintain this project, the people who shall be employed in the new buildings, and so on.
The project created work opportunities, but no one mentions that, soltu gemgem u argumenti stupidi u injoranti.
Basta jergghu jifthu l-fabbriki. Il-Maltin hekk iridu, Makna daqs karozza, muntanja jeansijiet u hallihom hemm ha jtellghu production u overtime waqt it tfal qeghdin ic childcare centres.
Does this make any sense? cause writing this, gives me the creeps.
Laqwa li Malta taghna lkoll, u mela.
Is that Varist playing with his mobile instead of listening attentively to Mrs Vella? Tsk tsk.
Aren’t DNV Kema ‘foreigners’?
What do they know about Marsaxlokk?
She must feel deeply ashamed.
On Facebook (a never-ending source of fascinating encounters) I have locked horns with Astrid Vella on this issue of the Labour proposal. (apologies for the length)
Astrid Vella
I’m researching the Valletta Local Council application to re-design San Salvatur bastion garden and I’m totally confounded. The MEPA report begins by saying “Existing trees overlooking the bastion will not be removed” then just a few lines down it says: “The Environment Protection Division stated that there is no objection from an environmental point of view. Since the trees proposed for up rooting are not protected as per L.N. 200/11, a formal tree uprooting permit from EPD is not required”.
. . . . .
This is planning at it’s worst. They state that this children’s playground is being built to compensate for the one lost at Mattia Preti Square. But it makes far more sense to have a playground at Mattia Preti Square . . . The new playground is to be located on one of the most exposed bastions which children and old people can only access by crossing a dangerous, busy road.
Like • • Unfollow Post • Saturday at 6:08pm
Antoine Vella
Astrid Vella, instead of wasting your time “researching” the Valletta ornamental plants shouldn’t you be busy looking up the enormous environmental impacts of what is being proposed regarding energy?
Or is that too controversial?
Saturday at 6:28pm • Edited • Like
Astrid Vella
No, Antoine, I stick to my competence. I have no competence in energy issues, and I don’t indulge in sarcasm, I leave that to lesser spirits.
Saturday at 6:32pm • Like • 4
Antoine Vella
Really? So do you think that only “experts” should take an interest in environmental issues?
I cannot design a gas terminal but I can certainly research (ie read about) its environmental impacts on land and sea.
Antoine Vella
I once referred to the FAA taking on only soft targets and Astrid Vella became semi-hysterical but I did have a point didn’t I?
Saturday at 7:51pm • Like
Ray Pisani
Thank you Astrid Vella for your research and valuable information. Antoine Vella please put aside your personal animosity towards this lady as she gets things done whilst you cristicise and do nothing except try and hurt other people’s feelings. . . .
. . . When will this sorry saga end. I am seeing the Mintoff era in a new light – at least with that government the environment was not ruined as it is today and Vallettas only major indignity was the Nationalists Garage Door gate.
Sunday at 12:16am · Like · 1
Antoine Vella
There is no animosity but I cannot help observing how Astrid Vella is politically biased towards the PL. I am politically biased too but am not coy about it and am proud to be politically committed.
I dislike hypocrisy, that’s all.
Yesterday at 12:19am • Like
Astrid Vella
As regards my political affiliations, I have said this before but I know that this concept is very hard for you to get your head around – I am apolitical. My father died as a result of Lorry Sant’s victimisation, and I also suffered under Labour, having been sent by the same Lorry Sant to work at the Kalafrana building site. Now, let me ask you something, where were you when I obeyed EFA and went out on strike on Mnarja? Sitting in your cozy office like all the other Nationalists I know who go round flaunting their politics so that they get University promotions, seats on boards and juicy contracts? Did you get transferred to a construction site?
Yesterday at 12:37am • Like • 1
Antoine Vella
And by the way, a few days after the Mnarja strike I was arrested and held in a tiny cell for two days for pasting political posters on a public building. I did not get transferred anywhere because I was unemployed.
Now get back to the present.
2 hours ago • Edited • Like
Astrid Vella
The past is what makes the present. How can I be pro-PL with a track record like that. How can I be pro-PN when, like so many PN supporters I paid such a high price for a battle against abuse and corruption and see we have come a full circle and are surrounded by it now. I repeat I am apolitical.
Yesterday at 12:46am • Like • 3
http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa475/A_V11/FacebookconversationAstrid_zps496e6b2a.jpg
Forsi wara l-elezzjoni tkun wahda mill-esperti tal-Labour fuq l-ambjent. Hallina Astrid, go and get a life.
Just unbelievable…to say the least!
Pheeeew! Astrid a self-proclaimed xenophobe as well?
Did I spot Varist at 0.48-0.50 among the front of the group?
He pulled out his mobile before turning his face away from Astrid to call someone.
Regarding the ‘Save St Julians’ video, the planning application for Villa Fieres (PA/00856/02) was submitted on 13 February 2002 and the permit granted on 29 November 2012, ten and a half years later.
Now Joseph Muscat expects MEPA to approve his Mad Hatter scheme in two months and Astrid Vella doesn’t comment because she’s not competent.
If she were to speak only when she’s competent she would be forever silent.
http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa475/A_V11/VillaFieres_zps2a4d82cd.jpg
Does Astrid draw a salary as head of FAA?
Yes, en plein air.
You know who will also be voting for Dr. Muscat’s PL ? William Mangion, the “nationalist” singer who had sung the GonziPN tune ” Flimkien Kollox Possibbli ” ( Hlief li ma nibghux KORROTTI !) in 2008 !
You’re about 48 hours too late. Go back to sleep, grandad.
And don’t forget to take your and Karmenu Vella’s dementia pills before you hit the pillow, Dward!
[Daphne – My, I had no idea Eddy Privitera and Il-Guy are an item.]
Go easy on him Baxxter, because he’s got dementia.
What a sad old man you are, Dward.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130122/elections-news/planning-extensions-will-come-with-conditions-muscat.454319
“Dr Muscat visited the offices of software company Ascent in Luqa where he heard company bosses say they were not finding enough people to employ in the ICT sector.”
Meanwhile in Joseph Muscat’s Malta 7,000 people are waiting in line for jobs at Smart City.
Astrid cannot remain silent to this however. If she does, she’s finished.
Reversing real enforcement to return to the shelled urban landscape favoured by a certain strain of developer.
What Joseph proposes is exactly why she started out in the first place. Labour intends to remove the abuse by making it legal, condoning it. Legality now indeed.
Whither now Astrid?
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130122/elections-news/planning-extensions-will-come-with-conditions-muscat.454319
Is Ing. Paul Cardona the same person appointed to the Board of Directors of the Malta Transport Authority by the Nationalists?
I would have sworn he is a Nationalist like the rest of them? If yes, can a wing of the Nationalist Party like the Malta Transport Authority afford to have a Labour-leaning person on the board?
That would have been a grave mistake by Austin to keep him there I suppose.
No. Definitely not. I happen to know Ing. Cardona quite well, and, no matter what his opinions or leanings, it would have been a mistake had any Government not availed itself of his experience and services! I disagree totally with what you state in paras. 2 and 3 of your comments. Whatever the reasons for his differences with the PN (was it the Palumbo takeover of the Drydocks?) one cannot just throw aside a man respected even abroad for his professional abilities.
All the more reason why Astrid cannot avoid the matter then.
She did it with Sargas when those proposed a rigged installation in the middle of Marsaxlokk bay.
Paul is a good man, very professional and thorough in whatever job is assigned to him.
He just happens to be very disillusioned as a result of a couple of nasty experiences he had with Minister Gatt. Come back, Paul.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-21142475
Shit! I thought Piano was a musical instrument.
Haqq il-muntanji.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/18/lng-market-price-hike-idUSL1E9CI9IE20130118
Daphne, don’t have your email but this might be worth commenting on.
Hi Daphne,
Could you please give me your email address? Thanks.
[Daphne – [email protected]]
Did you spot Evarist Bartolo in the crowd @ 0:50 who is evidently more interested in his mobile than in what is being said? Not surprising he would make a guest appeareance seeing that he is a candidate on the 10th district.
On Xarabank a couple of weeks ago, Leo Brincat said that he lives in a flat. Well, his flat is just up the road opposite Ryans in Spinola Bay, just where Astrid held her protest against the building of other flats there.
Give them a couple of numbers and costings and they get lost on the grounds that they’re not technical.
Hondoq ir-rumien is not spoilt.
Marsaxlokk (rather Delimara) is completely caput because Mintoff’s house was there and the people who out of conscience and Christianity voted against divorce built the power station nearly in his yard.
Mintoff was more than amply compensated and retained the property consisting of l-Gharix where he entertained his favourite friends with a special treat of sandwiches and washed down with a mouthful of coffee from a thermos flask brought from his villa in Tarxien.
We ‘Christians’ sent him to the other side after a funeral mass said by the Archbishop and a state funeral to boot.
Kollox ha mieghu, ta.