Italy’s parliament has rejected a first project to reduce the perks and salaries of Italian MPs. The cut was another link in the chain of actions being taken by Monti’s technocrat government and although the collective salary of a bunch of MPs will never ever solve the national...
That Intergovernment...
posted by Jacques René Zammit
So we have the first results out from the latest round of talks to “save the Euro” and “tackle the crisis”. You have probably read about the UK’s latest “opt-out”, about how this means that there will be further “deepening”...
AAA
posted by Jacques René Zammit
Luxembourg is hanging onto its triple-A rating by the skin of its teeth. A string of the “well-to-do” nations in Europe wake up every Monday nowadays dreading the much-feared Standard & Poors downgrade from AAA to AA. Many still live in the land of make believe where they think...
La crisi l’e b...
posted by Jacques René Zammit
Fiorello revises an old Italian cabaret classic. Modern Times? Dreams In my dreams I have a plan spread the word:TweetEmailPrintMoreLike this:Like...
Rush on the Central ...
posted by Jacques René Zammit
The Times reports that there is nothing to worry about the queues forming outside the Central Bank. The picture taken by the Times shows a snaking queue outside the Valletta office of the Central Bank. Obviously the Times’ calming headline must be read in the context of the current...
51 proposals from another planet
posted by Jacques René Zammit
The challenge has been launched. The gloves are up and the million dollar question has been put on the table (and is now a guest at the myriad “talk shows” on our TV’s and radios). Joseph “Inħobbkom” Muscat has put an end to his party’s reticent “cards-to-the-chest” policy and finally announced the 51 proposals that are described as “positive and concrete”. It’s all down to a game of numbers – Gonzi asks 10 questions – he gets 51 answers. Beat that Gonz. Woe betide he who decides to actually read through the 51 “proposals” and tries to make out how...
The Value-Mouth Rela...
posted by Jacques René Zammit
Much is being made in the Labour-friendly press and media about the supposed strategic “U-turn” that is in progress in the spanking new halls at PN HQ. I will look into the fallacy of the “u-turn” argument in one of my next posts and will attempt to explain how rather...
Call my Bluff
posted by Jacques René Zammit
This nation has its testicles in the hands of Franco Debono because our current government will not give up power readily and because the only alternative to government is Joseph Muscat of the hacking, the “controversial secret plans for the economy” and the directionless policies...
Gilad and the 1,000
posted by Jacques René Zammit
The images of fervent joy that accompanied the exchange of prisoners between Palestine’s Hamas and Netanyahu’s Israel have dominated the front pages of the news these past two days. I wish to bow my head to the Macchiavellian planners (though I doubt they would enjoy comparisons to Florence’s dastardly product) in Netanyahu’s entourage who must have convinced him to OK the exchange. One man Gilad Shalit – a youth of 25 who has survived 5 years of prison “without seeing a human face” – was released in exchange of a 1,000 Palestinian prisoners. The exchanged occurred in Egypt and was purportedly...
When your surname...
posted by Jacques René Zammit
Here’s the full text of a law report from the Times of Malta. I am not leaving anything out or selecting only parts of it so that you too can read it in its entirety (look no editing). Thursday, October 13, 2011, 14:27 Lawyer wants Arbitration Tribunal decision to be declared...
Think Different (1955-2011)
posted by Jacques René Zammit
Is it hyperbolic of me to describe the death of Steve Jobs as something on the similar scale as living in the time of Galileo Galilei and being told of his death? Much will be written by many in acknowledgement of the greatness of this man and his impact on the globe. Us willing Apple Slaves feel like we have lost a part of us and still cannot get over the feeling that the world is not the same after Steve Jobs. But this is the man who told us : “Those people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are those that actually do.” I found this old-ish video of Jobs speaking about values and marketing. Here is how he...
Dio é morto
posted by Jacques René Zammit
Mi han detto che questa mia generazione ormai non crede in ciò che spesso han mascherato con la fede, nei miti eterni della patria o dell’ eroe perchè è venuto ormai il momento di negare tutto ciò che è falsità, le fedi fatte di abitudine e paura, una politica che è solo far...