Categories
Politics

It dawned on him…

We didn’t even get enough  time to digest the grappa and wish our readers a very prosperous recession-dodging new year that Inhobbkom-J gives us a charming regurgitation of baseless rhetoric on the second day of the new year (and decade – as he seems to be so prone to point out). Latching on to a change in decade in the hope to keep the “tidal wave” (more like squeak) of a revolution of change running is already pathetic as it is. That the attempt itself is couched in fruitless bla-bla and yada-yada only goes to show that we begin this new year (or decade) with much the same meagre prospects for real politics and real direction in leadership. It’s the 50-50-99 rule for us: there’s a fifty-fifty chance that one of the PLPN parties will be in power come next election and whoever it is has a 99% potential to screw the whole thing up.

A new decade has started. The time is now to plan for a better future and what we want Malta and Gozo to be-come. Great opportunities lie before us and there is a chance for everyone to play one’s part. We must welcome new ideas. We must listen to what people are saying. And we should open our doors to everyone who wants to make a contribution to the Labour Party, our new movement, your Malta and Gozo, as it will be in the coming decade. Labour has a record of solid achievement in Malta and Gozo. But it has been out of government for too long. The party at the core of the movement we are building must ensure it is proactive and answers the concerns of the voters of today. We will explain in no uncertain terms a plan that puts our vision into practice, that will be a win for all those who love this country and crave for a change in direction away from mediocrity, a vision that puts our children’s education and our environment at the heart of all we  do.

Inhobbkom Joseph Muscat (A new decade has dawned)

– Times of Malta, 2nd Day of the 1st Month of the First Year of the Second Decade of the twenty-first century

There’s more where that came from. Frankly I got sick after the first two paragraphs. I also picked out this sentence further down since the “uproot ourselves” part struck me as rather prosaic: “Exciting times lie ahead. We can uproot ourselves from the deep malaise of our current government and build a society of enterprise, fairness and equality.”

I’m off to uproot myself away from the pc and watch some ESPN Classic football. Happy New Year folks, looks like there will be much more fodder for the columns of J’accuse for months to come.

Categories
Arts

White Christmas (Parc de Merl)

Parc de Merl (view from terrace)

It’s been an icy one today as you can see from the photo. Thought you might like to see what I’ve bene on about.

Categories
Arts

Let it Snow

An update from 22 rue de Bragance. After a short lull and a sunlit Boxing Day the snow is back in action. It’s turning out to be a jolly White Christmas after all and more excursions around the Grand Region will mean less blogging for now. Don’t panic. We’ll be back on the stroke of the New Year. Don’t forget today’s article on The Malta Independent on Sunday.

Categories
Articles

J'accuse: Bad Romance (They've all gone Gaga for Xmas)

bert4j_201209_f_copy

This article and accompanying Bertoon were published on The Malta Independent on Sunday (20th December 2009).

The business of gifts is in full swing now as we approach the celebration of another saturnalia engulfed in the final, rushed and panicked search for presents. Have your shopping habits shifted to the net? Are you still running around from one shop to another in search of that final elusive gift that will definitely be to the liking of the receiver? Or do you, like Sheldon, subscribe to the theory that there is no such thing as giving “gifts” but rather the granting of “obligations”? Or, as he put it more concisely: “The essence of the custom is that I now have to go out and purchase for you a gift of commensurate value and representing the same perceived level of friendship as that represented by the gift you’ve given me. It’s no wonder suicide rates skyrocket this time of year.”

Well yes, Christmas is also about exchanging pleasantries and receiving those odd gifts that you will dispose of at the first opportunity. In politics it is a time of fraternal love and happiness – a welcome truce that allows the hardened men and women a deserved rest from the business of representation and government. A time in which to calmly share the spoils of the past year with party members and constituents without having to worry about anything more than who will be driving home tonight – unless of course you are a Nationalist MP.

Categories
Arts

There's snow (luggage)

I’ll be putting up last Sunday’s article as soon as I can. It’s been a hectic two days with the parents thanks to the sheets upon sheets of snow that landed on Luxembourg and the rest of Europe. Their arrival kept slipping down the schedule as the weather wreaked havoc  around the continent. They were scheduled to land at 10 p.m on Sunday with a connect flight. Through some major miracle they did make it to Luxembourg by 2am thanks to the second flight being as delayed as the first. Their suitcases failed to make it though. Four suitcases have been travelling around Frankfurt airport for almost two days now. Phoning Luxair for further information is rather impossible. Yesterday I left the phone speaking to an automated message for 1 hour 50 minutes only to be told that they have no new messages regarding the luggage.

This morning there is a ray of hope. Flight LG9302 from Frankfurt, landing in Luxembourg at 10.05 (about the time this post goes out) should contain the errant baggage. All fingers are crossed. Hopes are high and prayers are being repeated n a rhythmic mantra. Then. Only then. Can the holiday begin.

Categories
Politics

Inhobbkom's Christmas Wishes

Any resemblance to real persons is purely coincidental.