Woops, I meant reins in. Ten lashes for HP.

I don’t agree with the six apps he identifies. Science and the rule of law, certainly. I would add pathos – that most Hellenic of concepts, the ability to BE MOVED. It’s a deeply Western thing. Even the Maltese have some difficulty with it. It’s where art springs from.

It’s what distinguishes Western Art from non-Western artistic forms. It’s the basis of democratic politics and the concept of the Res Publica. It reigns in the baser instincts and tempers religious fervour.

Then there’s the most important app of all: self-ridicule.

Someone needs to write a book called: “Us, Alone: Why Malta will never belong to the West”.

Niall Ferguson would be proud of you and I must admit, I am too.

You mean a zaghzugh etern? What does it matter? I feel ancient. 21st century Maltese life has a way of sapping your will to live. The global economic crisis, the environmental and demographic crisis, the global offensive by China, and then Malta. I fizzled out before I could achieve anything.

Can we be honest and drop the political correctness here? I’m running out of time anyway. China is our enemy. For the Chinese, we are untermensch, worse than a trod-on piece of dogshit. They aim for nothing less than global domination.

They are not competitors. They are enemies. Unless we identify the enemy, there is no way we can fight back. I didn’t fight to join the EU for a few silly government scholarships or the resurfacing of a couple of streets. I joined because I want the West to win, because I believe there’s such a thing as Western civilisation, because I want to belong to that civilisation.

None of our politicians will agree with me. Not even the Nationalists. How could they? Take Konrad Mizzi. He obviously has divided loyalties. If push came to shove which flag would he defend? Take Joseph Muscat. Who financed his meteoric ascent to power? He is not beholden to his countrymen, but to China. Which flag would he defend?

The prime minister can’t help the fact that he is short. But his increasing girth, stumpiness and ‘figolla’ shape are the result of bad eating habits and lack of exercise.

Surely being such a public figure he can make an effort. I am approaching 50, am only five feet tall, but wear a dress and jeans size 6. This not without careful eating and regular exercise.

What is Mrs Muscat’s assistant getting paid for?

Mrs. Muscat likes to wear peep-toe shoes on various occasions.

I love them for their 1940s glamour, but I am aware that they are considered inappropriate in some scenarios. I have looked up the matter on the net and it seems there are no definitive answers.

My common sense tells me that in rainy countries they are inappropriate as you end up getting your feet wet. As office wear, combined with a suit, revealing one’s toes may be considered inappropriate and unprofessional.

I am aware that the British royals always wear closed shoes with hosiery.

My question is: when is it acceptable to wear peep toe shoes? Also what is appropriate footwear for the Maltese climate? Closed shoes in summer, even good quality leather ones, tend to rub against the heel and do not allow the feet to breathe.

[Daphne – I’m absolutely the wrong person to ask because I can’t stand the restriction of shoes and tend to wear flip-flops or the equivalent bejewelled sandals wherever and whenever I can get away with it. If I could wear them in January, I would. In brief, though, complicated shoes are always unacceptable in any scenario and considered tacky even if they cost a fortune and came from a designer’s table. Play it by ear – toes are far more acceptable in Malta than they are elsewhere, largely because of the climate but mainly because of the beach culture. It’s not because of the toes that peep-toe shoes are considered a little tacky – it’s because they’re associated with a certain kind of look/woman. But then really, it all depends on the context and the rest of your outfit.]