WaWeasill In WoWonderland

Meta nizlet l-Id ta' Alla

2005-07-25T10:18:00.000Z

Minn: www.corriere.it

La preghiera del Papa all'Angelus domenicale a Les Combes in Val d'Aosta «Dio fermi la mano assassina dei terroristi» Davanti a 8 mila fedeli il pontefice invoca l'Onnipotente affinché converta i cuori dei terroristi «a pensieri di pace»

LES COMBE (AOSTA) - «Odio e fanatismo». Sono questi per Papa Ratzinger gli elementi da sradicare dai cuori, perché muovono i colpevoli degli «esecrandi attentati terroristici che hanno causato morte, distruzione e sofferenza in vari Paesi quali l'Egitto, la Turchia, l'Iraq e la Gran Bretagna». Turbato dalle «tragiche notizie» dei nuovi attentati, Benedetto XVI affida «alla divina bontà i defunti, i feriti e i loro carì e invoca l'Onnipotente «affinché fermi la mano assassina di coloro che li hanno commessi e ne converta i cuori a pensieri di riconciliazione e di pace».

…U bhal sajjetta li taqsam l-ismewiet, nizlet l-Id ta' Alla. Qasmet l-ibhra u gabret it-terroristi minn kull kantuniera tad-dinja; ghalmithom is-sewwa u qaltilhom “morru u xerrdu l-bxara t-tajba”.

Meta wzint il-paranoja

2005-07-20T09:37:00.000Z

Il-bniedem abjad huwa ffissat u paranojiku li nies ta' gnus ohra, ghad jahkmu u jiehdu d-dinja f'idejhom. Bhal xi film ta' fantaxjenza ta' Spielberg, dawn l-aljeni, b'uzanzi u sembjanzi strambi u differenti minn taghna, ghandhom jigu minn artijiet imbiegheda, ghal raguni wahda biss. Biex jeqirduna u jahkmuna. Anke li kieku kien dak l-iskop taghhom, wiehed m'ghandux jehodha bi kbira. Wara snin ta' kolonizzazjoni, skjavitu u attitudni superjuri li l-Ewropa u l-Punent imponu fuq 'il-pajjizi aljeni', ikun biss konsegwenzjali li kieku jkunu jridu l-vendetta taghhom. Pero dak mhuwiex l-iskop ta' pajjizi bhat-Turkija li jixtiequ jissiebhu fl-Unjoni Ewropeja.

F'dinja aktar globalizzata, hija xewqa ta' kull pajjiz li jinghaqad mall-forzi l-kbar tad-dinja, bhalma hija l-Unjoni Ewropeja. L-ittra "Europe's Boundaries" ta' James George, li jghid li l-Ewropa m'ghandhiex thalli t-Turkija tinghaqad maghha minhabba l-biza li 'jikkolonizawha' u ghax mhux Kristjana, thassibni ghall-ahhar.

L-Ewropa m'ghandhiex tkun dwar lil liem alla titlob, liem religjon tipprattika, x'ikel tiekol jew x'ilbies tilbes. M'ghandhiex tkun impingija b'pinzell wiehed, b'kulur wiehed, m'ghandhiex titkellem b'lingwa wahda u tkanta b'ilsien wiehed. L-Ewropa, l-Unjoni taghha cioe, m'ghandhiex tkun monotona u m'ghandhiex tkun xenofoba. Ghandha ticcelebra d-differenzi bhala Unjoni li suppost tkun, minghajr mibgheda. Jew hekk, jew inkella ghandu jinbidel l-isem ghal Mibegheda Ewropeja. Li kieku James George kiteb dwar id-drittijiet civili kwazi inezistenti tat-Turkija, minghajr ma jsemmi l-biza li 'jikkrejaw kolonnji' (kif qal hu) gewwa l-Ewropa, jew ghax ghandhom alla differenti minn tieghu, kont nasal naqbel mieghu. Jidher pero, li l-paranoja tizen aktar mill-kwalita ta' hajjet Tork.

Meta hrigt bil-pjan dinji tieghi

2005-07-12T11:28:00.000Z

Hadt bizzejjed hin nahseb fuq dak li gara l-Hamis li ghadda gewwa l-belt ta' Londra. Huwa tassew impressjonanti kif xi nies jaslu jiehdu hajjet bniedem. Bhallikieku mhux bizzejjed, ma nafx kif xi nies tghaddilhom minn rashom, jiehdu hajjet ghexieren ta' nies. Mhux kwistjoni ta' min huwa fir-ragun, jekk humiex it-terroristi tal-LLvant jew dawk tal-Punent, izda hadd ma ghandu jasal jiehu l-hajja ta' bniedem. U m'hemmx gustifikazjonijiet ghalfejn wiehed ghandu jmut. Il-vjolenza ma twassal ghal xejn ghajr aktar vjolenza, u dawn l-ahhar hames snin kienu prova cara ta' dan.

Bdejna bil-foreign policy Amerikana, imbaghad 9/11, imbaghad l-Afganistan, imbaghad is-suldati mejtin, imbaghad Iraq, imbaghad aktar suldati mejtin, imbaghad Madrid, imbaghad aktar civili mejtin, imbaghad Londra.

Halli nkun pro-posittiv issa u nikteb dak, illi fl-opinjoni umili tieghi, huwa mehtieg sabiex ikollna dinja ta'paci, ferh u kuntentizza.

Ir-Riforma Dinjija Tieghi:

- Rotazjoni dinjija ta' gvernijiet. Jekk il-politici ghandhom jiddikjaraw gwerra kontra gvern iehor, jew gvern ma jaqbilx ma policies ta' gvern iehor, taghmel sens illi jihfmu d-diffikultajiet li l-gvern l-iehor ihabbat wiccu maghhom. B'hekk il-gvern ta' Bush jista jmexxi ghal xahar l-Iraq, u Hussein jista' teoretikament imexxi l-Amerka ghal xahar. Bush forsi jinduna li dak iz-zejt kollu f'idejh jidher attrajenti wisq ghad-dinja tal-Punet, li tipprova taghmel minn kollox sabiex dak iz-zejt taqgha f'idejha. Hussein jintebah li m'hemmx bzonn tbezza' u toqtol in-nies biex ikollok gvern tieghek. Huwa bizzejjed li jkollok wicc ta' bahnan u pajjiz injurant. Gonzi jkun jista jmexxi l-Afganistan ghal xahar u t-Talibani jmexxu Malta ghal xahar ukoll. Din ta' l-ahhar pero taf tkun wisq ghat-Talibani li jsibu l-Malta fundamentalista z-zejjed ghall-pjaciri taghhom, waqt li Gonzi, imhabbat mad-devastazjoni fundamentalista Afgana, jinduna li forsi ha t-twemmin tieghu 'l hinn wisq.

- Olimpijadi Religjuzi. Kont ser nipproponi li jinqerdu r-religjonijiet kollha, pero m'iniex wiehed li nhobb nimponi fuq in-nies. Ghandhom isiru Olimpijadi Religjuzi sabiex il-kompetizzjoni qalila ta' bejn dawn ir-religjonijiet jibdew u jispiccaw fl-istadiums biss. Ghandhom jiccelebraw dan l-avveniment dinji flimkien, filwaqt li jissieltu sabiex jirbhu l-aktar medalji, liema medalji jissarfu f'punti Divini li joffru lil allat taghhom. Il-Kristjani jafu jibbrillaw fil-'Lancio dell'Ostia', il-Fundamentalisti fil-'Salto in Aria' u l-Lhud fil-'Lancio del Martello' (dak li sallab lil Kristu).

- Energija Alternattiva. Hemm min, bhal Beppe Grillo, jargumenta illi l-parti l-kbira tal-problemi tad-dinja nholqu minhabba z-zejt. U jien nasal naqbel mieghu. Iz-zejt qed imexxi d-dinja tekno-industrijalizzata. Aktar zejt ifisser aktar produzjoni u aktar produzjoni ifisser aktar profitti. Ghalhekk il-bniedem wasal joqtol lil huh ghal bir taz-zejt. Hemm bzonn illi nintefghu b'ruhna u gisimna f'ricerka ghall-alternattiva ghaz-zejt. Nistghu perezempju, ma nibghatux space shuttle fl-spazju u minflok ninvestu f'ricerka. Sakemm insibu mod iehor kif nipproducu, il-kapijiet ta' l-istati jistghu jirkbu rota mqabbda ma dynamo u jibdew jaqdfu. Kull qatra tghodd.

Nibdew minn hemm imbaghad naraw.

Meta ma ftahtx l-ombrellone

2005-06-29T13:23:00.000Z

L'ombrellone ma kellix ghalfejn nifthu. Infatti t-thabbir tat-temp kien kompletament fazul. Xemx tizreg fuq il-monumenti ta' Franza, tahraqlek il-gilda waqt li tixrob Bordeaux abjad mall-mahbuba u tiekol ghazla ta' gobon. Parigi huwa post fejn ghandi mmur mitt darba ohra qabel ma l-kobor ta' l-arkitettura, l-isbuhija ta' l-arti u t-toghma bnina tal-gastronomija Franciza ma jibqawx jimpressjonawni. Dik hija l-vaganza li kelli bzonn.

Li ma kellix bzonn pero, huwa x-xoghol. Id-dokumenti li sibt fuq l-skrivanija tieghi bil-memos fuqhom, l-ucugh Inglizi, l-atmosfera "angljana" (jekk tezisti din il-kelma) li sibt ruhi fiha dalghodu hekk kif irfist fl-ufficju. U anqas kont qed niftakar ghalfejn ridt nitlaq mix-xoghol, pero dlonk intbaht b'dak li minnu kont qed nghaddi kuljum, ghal kwazi ghaxar xhur shah.

Pero bizzejjed dwar ix-xoghol u nibdew nahsbu fil-vaganza li jmiss.

Meta ftaht l-ombrellone

2005-06-23T08:46:00.000Z

Ilbierah hadtha 'sick'. Mhux vera kont sick, imma ntbaht kmieni filghodu illi qatt ma kont hadt wahda sick u allura tkun hasra li kieku kelli nitlaq mill-post tax-xoghol minghajr qatt ma zanzant wahda.

Affarijiet li ghamilt ilbierah:
- Breakfast. Zewg zalzettiet, tlitt bicciet bacon, zewg bajdiet, pinta halib.
- Nittanta x-xemx ghaddejja. 'Deckchair' fil-gnien, zaqq fix-xemx (ghal pjacir tal-gara x-xieha), ktieb ma gembi li ma qrajtx, u raqda ta' siegha.
- Ezercizzju. Set tal-hamsin 'bench press', tliet settijiet ta' l-erbghin, nixxuttja ballun zghir.
- Preparamenti ghall-ikla. Erbgha patatiet maqsumin f'salib, kemm kemm jidhlu ftit tewmiet, dilka ta' butir u trembil fil-fojl. Tewm u faqqiegh imqatta', laham marinat.
- Siesta. Saghtejn f'idejn Morfeu.
- Televizjoni. Mistoqsijiet u twegibiet tal-Parlament Ingliz. Wimbledon.

Ma kinietx gurnata produttiva, izda wahda mehtiega, sabiex inkun imserrah ghal vaganza tieghi ta' Parigi, li jkolli nghid, qed nistenna bil-herqa. It-temp li huwa mistenni Parigi, huwa denn tal-Bollettino. Temp sabih il-gimgha kollha. Il-Gimgha xita, Sibt u Hadd raghad, u t-Tnejn xita. It-Tlieta (meta ma jkunx ghadu jinterressani t-temp Parigin) terga tohrog ix-xemx. Zigliani, fil-'pagelle' tieghu kien jghid: "Ombrellone!".

Meta sirt gurnalist sportiv

2005-06-21T11:18:00.000Z

Nerga ninsab ix-xoghol u bhal kuljum ma nafx x'naqbad naghmel. Tifhmunix hazin. Mhux ghax m'ghandix x'naghmel, anzi, ghandi hafna x'naghmel kieku, imma m'ghandix aptit naghmlu. Ghidtilkom li ha nitlaq mix-xoghol nahseb. Sabiex il-hin jghaddi aktar malajr, ergajt bdejt inpejjep. Kull ma nkun qed nistenna malli tibda l-gimgha hija l-ahhar tal-gimgha. Nhar il-Gimgha sejjer Parigi sat-Tnejn ghal vaganza qasira. Verament qed niehu aktar pjacir ghax m'iniex ser inkun ix-xoghol milli ghax sejjer fl-art imwiegheda ta' l-arti, kultura u nbid.

Qed nahsibha mmurx nghix Spanja, fejn joqghodu z-zijiet u l-kugini, u l-hajja Mediterranja tixbah aktar il-hajja li jien imdorri ghaliha. Ix-xemx sirt inhobbha wisq, u kull darba li tohrog tehemzilna minn bejn l-ishab itini biex inkanta "Xemx, wisq sabiha". Anke l-bahar sirt inhobb, pero l-aktar vicin li nersaq ta' l-ilma f'dan il-post mishut huwa fil-kamra tal-banju. Ghalhekk ukoll nistenna bil-herqa li nerga lura Malta kull gimghatejn.

Dalghodu kont qed nikkorrispondi bl-e-mejl ma' Jurgen. Semmejna l-Grand Prix li saret fl-Amerka l-Hadd li ghadda, u l-farsa li nqalghet meta spiccaw telqu sitt karozzi biss minn 'l fuq minn ghoxrin karozza, minhabba li r-roti li kienu qed juzaw dawk il-karozzi li spiccaw ma hadux sehem, kellhom difett. Il-Ferrari ma ridux li tinbidel dawra minnhom biex inaqqsu l-velocita, u b'hekk perezz li lanqas riedu li jinbiddlu r-roti Michelin, spiccaw telqu dawk is-sitt karozzi li kellhom ir-roti tal-Bridgestone. Jurgen iccajta illi Xarabank kienu qed jahsbuha jaghmlux il-programm li jmiss dwar din il-grajja, pero rega' bdielhom ghax ma tantx kienu jgawdu vantagg politiku l-PN minn programm bhal dak. Allura hsibt x'kien jigri kieku t-tellieqa kienet fl-Ewropa. Missier Malta Ewropeja kien jezercita l-influenza fuq shabu l-Ewropej, Gonzi kien jirretifika l-istatut minghajr mistoqsijiet ta' xejn, u Tonio Borg, f'isem id-drittijiet umani kien idahhal ligi fil-kostituzjoni sabiex jissalvagwardja hajjet ix-xufiera - u tas-sigar li gew maqtula biex isiru dawk ir-roti, zied Jurgen.

Meta wasalt pass il-boghod mit-Tazza tad-Dinja

2005-06-14T11:11:00.000Z

Kien temp sabih ilbierah wara li morna lura d-dar. Williams sfidani ghal loghba futbol wan-on-wan (sic.) u jien htaft l-opportunita. Ilbist ix-xorts inkallat (qatt ma hsiltu mindu xtrajtu), inzajt bit-t-xirt ta' l-abandorado, u erhejtilha lejn il-grawnd (li fil-verita ma kien grawnd xejn, izda gnien ta' forsi tmien metri kwadri - ahjar mix-xejn). Ghaddew biss ftit sekondi qabel ma skurjajt l-ewwel gowl tieghi. Fraht modestament. Kont kalm iz-zejjed u ma kellix il-kuncentrazjoni mehtiega biex nassigura r-rizultat. Williams sab tlitt gowls mix-xejn. Tlieta b'wiehed - tmiem l-ewwel taqsima.

Biddilna naha, u tbiddlet wicc il-loghba. Ghollejt il-ballun minn fuq ras Williams, il-ballun bies il-lasta x-xellugija u baqa diehel biex jaghmel ir-rizultat tlieta bi tnejn. Ftit minuti wara, nisraq il-ballun minn taht imnieher Williams, indur fuq il-ballun b'mija u tmenin grad, nahrab mall-wisa' tal-grawnd u inrekken il-ballun fix-xibka. Tlieta bi tlieta.

Rimonta storika, partitarji eztatici, u l-eletricita' tal-loghba bdiet tinhass fuq il-haxix. Battalja ghall-ballun f'nofs il-grawnd. B'antagonismu ggilidt ghal l-isfera filwaqt li Williams, bla ebda kuncett ta' sportivita`, taghni erba' daqqiet ta' minkeb. Nistrieh hazin fuq sieqi x-xellugija u tinstema' tfaqqiegha ma' l-erba' irkejjen tal-grawnd. Skiet sahhar il-grawnd. L-ugiegh stajt taqrah minn fuq wicc l-ispettaturi. L-ghadma ta fuq l-ghaksa donna cediet u ntlewiet. Ippruvajt inkompli, pero kont imgieghel nirtira biex nissalvagwardja l-futur kalcistiku tieghi.

L-istorja mhix fidila lejn ir-realta`, pero nixtieq li l-grajja marret xi haga hekk. Ghax fil-medjokrita` tal-hajja tkun trid li dak li jigrilek minn jum ghal jum, jigrilek b'mod drammatiku, kwazi Hollywoodjan. Biex forsi tattira aktar attenzjoni u ta' madwarek jistghagbu u jaghtu kazek.

Meta l-Kavallieri hargu minn qoxrithom

2005-06-13T09:18:00.000Z

Il-Kavallieri t'Alla dan l-ahhar donnhom qed jimmultiplikaw. Grazzi ghall-kuragg tac-Chev. Tonio Borg, li ressaq il-proposta ta' l-abort fil-kostituzjoni, fost ic-capcip tan-neputi ta' l-Isqof faxxist, bdew hiergin minn qoxrithom bosta Difensuri tad-Dawl. U bhallikieku kellhom ix-xabla ta' Re Artur, tefghu x-xafra ma' ghonqna u ddeciedu li kulhadd ghandu jiggieled il-battalja morali taghhom waqt li naghjtu l-kliem "Alla huwa l-Akbar". U jekk m'intix maghhom mela inti kontra taghhom, u b'dak ir-ragunament jeqirdu kull opportunita` ta' dibbattitu logiku.

Ghax din mhix sfida lil min kien forsi jaqbel li tinghata ghazla, imma hija sfida lil kull min xtaq li qabel niddeciedu nitkellmuhom ftit l-affarijiet. Hija sfida lil kull min ghandu ideat xejn popolari u ghalhekk qieghed f'minoranza. Ghax f'isem Alla tista' taghmel li trid. Tikkondanna l-abort, il-kontracettivi, u z-zwigijiet omosesswali (u l-omosesswali infushom), kif jaghmel Paul Kokoski (b'kunjom bhal dak ma tistenniex ahjar) f'ittra tieghu lit-Times.

U allura waqt li Tonivs Maximvs ikompli jiggieled il-Gwerra Sagra ta' Gonzivs Cesare kontra l-elite liberali, inpoggu bil-qiegheda u nixxenqu ghal dinja aktar djalettika, aktar konverzjonalista, aktar kreattiva. Nixxenqu ghal dinja bla religjon.

Meta qatawlu l-bajda

2005-06-10T09:56:00.000Z

It-televizjoni Ingliza tqabbadni d-dwejjaq. Kemm ghax il-programmi li juru huma tad-dwejjaq minnhom infushom (ilbierah urew dokumentarju ta' wiehed li kellu kancer fil-bajd u spicca bla bajda) u kif ukoll ghax int u tara dik id-degenerazjoni ta' programmi, ma tistax ma tiftakarx nostalgikament fil-programmi Taljani li kbirna maghhom. Il-kartunz Gappunizi b'ilhna Taljani, Il-Grande Fratello, lil Gerry Scotti u l-kwizziz tieghu, it-TG5 ta' Mentana (avolja qaluli li m'ghadux id-direttur), lil Bonolis, le Iene u Mai Dire. Forsi jiena aktar Italofilu milli Anglofilu, imma hadd ma jista' jhares b' lenti oggettiva u ma jaqbilx mieghi.

Niftakar fil-verzjoni Ingliza, kruda u grafika, ta' La Fattoria, bil-bidwi li joqtol it-tigieg u il-barri live. Jew inkella lil Doctor Van Hagen (jew x'jismu), jiftah u jqatta l-katavri live biex jedukana. M'hemm ebda forma ta' entertejnment (sic.), anzi aktar tiddizgusta ruhek milli tirrilassa u tiehu pjacir. Mijiet ta' programmi dwar home improvements, kif issebbah il-gnien tieghek, kif taghmel aktar flus meta tigi biex tbiegh darek. M'hemm ebda xniegha ta' gnioccha tipo Canalis, jew le veline, fuq kwalunkwe stazzjon.

Mhux li t-televizjoni Maltija hija wisq ahjar minn hekk, imma ghandna x-xorti li nircievu stazzjonijiet barranin (anke jekk ma thallasx ghall-cable jew satellita), u min ma toghogbux it-televizjoni Maltija, xorta wahda ghandu biex jiegheda. Forsi ghax ma rridx naf aktar bl-Ingilterra u kollox f' dan ir-Renju qed jibda jdejjaqni, imma ma nistax niehu pjacir meta jaqtawlu l-bajda fuq it-televizjoni.

Meta nkanta ta' Pappalardo - aktar lardo imma

2005-06-09T11:34:00.000Z

Ghaddew il-fuq minn xaghrejn minn mindu ktibt l-ahhar blogg. Is-sigaretti donni ergajt bdejthom, mort Amsterdam ma' tax-xoghol bil-karozza, qabzitli mix-xoghol, l-imghallem qazzizni u tajt in-notice.

Illum qrajt il-blogg ta' siehbi Jurgen. Fl-ahhar kitba fil-blogg, li ggib l-isem 'Il-Bejta', semma' kif iltaqa' ma' Ghawdxi li qallu kif, minn jitlaq minn Malta jibqa jzommha gewwa qalbu, u b'xi mod jew iehor jara kif jaghmel biex jerga' lura. Qisha l-istorja tat-Tifel il-Hali, li jitlaq il-missieru biex jghix il-hajja estrema bla razan u li fl-ahhar mill-ahhar jerga lura ghand missieru li jilqghu b'idejh miftuha.

U min jaf jekk tajtx in-notice ghax forsi anke jien ridt nerga lura fil-bejta, aktar milli ghax xogholi ma nifilhux aktar, jew ghax l-imghallem bla rispetti. Kif qal siehbi, nispera pero li din il-bejta ma ssirx zghira iz-zejjed. F'dak il-kaz ikolli nerga ntir minn din il-bejta, u bhal Pappalardo inkanta, "Ricominciamo...".

Meta waqaft inpejjep

2005-03-16T12:27:00.000Z

Ili ma npejjep tlitt ijiem. Nikkonvinci ruhi li qed inhossni ahjar, li ha nibda nigri aktar, u li mhux ser immut qabel il-waqt. Imma filfatt qed inhossni mizerabli, m'ghandi ebda hajra naghmel esercizju u mejjet ghal sigarett. Bdejt nipprova niftakar fiz-zmien meta ma kontx inpejjep, imma ma stajtx. Allura ppruvajt niftakar fiz-zmien meta kont nixtri pakkett wiehed ghal meta kont nohrog biex nindahan. Bla ma ridt, ftakart fl-ahhar tliet snin li ghamilt l-iskola ta' Stella Maris, il-Gzira. Ftakart fl-ikliet li shabi u jien konna norganizzaw il-Gifen ta' San Pawl il-Bahar (li llum ghalaq, qaluli, ghax kien iqahhab in-nisa smajt) qabel ma jibdew il-vaganzi. Kienu jigu ukoll xi ghalliema taghna.

Siehbi Jurgen u jien, kellna rit sakramentali li konna nosservaw f'dawk il-granet. Hekk kif iddoqq l-ahhar qanpiena, nitilqu 'l-barra mill-iskola, nsibu xi growser, u nixtru pakkett Camel. Jien kont nixtri l-Lights, dawk li kellhom gemel fuq sema blu car, u Jurgen kien jixtri l-Filterless, dawk tal-gemel fuq kulur kannella-safrani, li kienu jifqawlek pulmun ma' l-ewwel nifs. Konna imbaghad nitilquha lejn San Pawl il-Bahar, u nibdew nixorbu l-inbid ahmar homemade. U nistennew ftit minuti sakemm jibda jaghmel tieghu. U f'kemm ili nghidlek il-borom tal-fenek jizvujtaw, il-fliexken ta' l-inbid jinghasru u l-ahhar cippa kien jiekolha Cilia. U mela nibdew nixorbu l-ispirti, u Joe l-Ingliz jitlaq jigri b'gismu mghawweg b-anglu ta' disghin grad u rasu tinstabat mall-hajt. Jaqa lura fuq daru u saqajh jibqghu fl-arja ghall-isbah minuta u nofs. Jurgen jirremetti l-fenek shieh, Alex ikejjel xagharu, Dalli u Cilia jidghu, Captur iferfer idu, Melvin jaqbad bajd in-nies, Dunstin jiskopri l-meravilji taz-Zippo. U b-element ta' surrejalizmu, tghalaq ghajnejk biex id-duhhan tas-sigarett li qed tigbed, ma jahraqlekx ghajnejk, tiftaghhom, u issa ninsabu l-Bajja ta' San Gorg, niccassaw lejn l-istillel u niskantaw il-ghala m'ghandniex hbieb tfajliet. U allura inqum bil-wieqfa u nghidilhom li sejjer nghabbi ghall-grupp kollu u nitlaqa lejn ic-centru. Pero nieqaf xi metri ftit il-fuq u niehu nghasa sakemm inqum nofs siegha wara u nerga mmur lura fejn shabi. Nghidilhom li ghabbejtilhom hames nisa, pero jien u niezel staqsewni jekk shabi kienux gustuzi bhali u ma stajtx nigdbilhom. Shabi qatt m'emmnuni.

Il-punt hu li ma kontx nerga' inpejjep sigarett iehor.

Meta minuta ghaddiet wara ohra

2005-03-09T16:05:00.000Z

Pizza msahna mill-gurnata ta'qabel li ebda parti mill-istonku ma jrid jiehu r-responsabilta' taghha, tlitt espressi mill-magna tal-kafe tax-xoghol li jsahhrulek halqek b'toghma ta' tajn, ghaxar sigaretti, pinta lager mill-pub ta' hdejna, ugiegh ta' ras li tkompli tfakkarni fil-hin li ghaddej bil-mod, il-gilda ta' subghajja li qed tinqasam tant li tista' tara il-laham rosa bejn ix-xquq, infezzjoni f'ghajnejja li qed taghmini. Din hija l-kartella klinika tieghi, ta' llum, l-Erbgha, id-disa' ta' Marzu, Elfejn u Hamsa.

Ma tilhaqx tghaddi siegha li ma nibdiex nahseb fir-raqda li ser niehu la nasal id-dar, u kif imbaghad ser nahli l-kumplament tal-gurnata, u kif imbaghad ser nahli l-kumplament tal-gimgha. Din hija hajtek u qed tispicca minuta wara l-ohra, kien qal wiehed gharef.

Meta ktibt l-ewwel fen mejl

2005-03-08T13:39:00.000Z

Jien segwaci ta' l-opinjonista pseudo-intellettwali pseudo-socjali pro-posittiva, Elaine Meli. Ta' sikwit insib lili nnifsi mitluf fil-pagni tad-di-ve.com biex nara nsibx xi artiklu li kitbet. L-ahhar kontribuzjoni aghmlitha mhilux u ta' entuzjast li kont fittxejt minnufih biex naqra l-pagna ta' gherf. L-artiklu li jgib l-isem ta' 'Trusting the Inner Voice' tistaw issibuh hawn. Harbixt xi linji li xtaqt nibghatilha.

Dear Ms Elaine Meli,

I refer to your latest article 'Trusting the Voice Within'. I look forward to reading your weekly contributions on the online journal di-ve. I have always disregarded your suggestions and dismissed all of your ideas which you ask readers to put into practice. However as from the beginning of this week, with great enthusiasm I must add, I decided to give your voice a listen and started trusting my inner voice or 'the voice within' as you put it. Yesterday I decided to leave work 6 hours earlier to go and see my girlfriend, with whom I've been having regular arguments. I decided to buy some roses on the way home and so I did. That cost me 20 pounds. I also decided to buy a bottle of champagne which cost me another 20 pounds, and a shiney, gold, white ring of a value of 500 pounds. Midday hadn't even set in and I had already spent 540 pounds and another 5 on petrol, but that didn't matter - I was listening to the voice within.

I opened the front door to find a pair of knickers my girlfriend must have dropped whilst carrying the laundry basket to the washing machine. And her Levis jeans. And her sweater. And her bra. The bedroom door was still closed. She must have kept on sleeping. She's lazy and likes her beauty sleep. I hopped inside the bedroom door to surprise her and indeed she was. And so was the gentleman lying on his back, with his bare torso rubbing against my girlfriend's breasts. On the eleventh hour after I started listening to my inner voice, I slept in mother's spare bed. The boss called, before the sun made its way through the curtains, informing me that I need not go to work... How understanding of him... EVER! My recent performance at work left a lot to be desired, he said, and my anticpated leaving the previous day, had proved to be more than he could tolerate.

Yet again, I decided to listen to my inner voice and the latter told me that I should buy a one way ticket to England, find a new girl, find a new job and start a new life. So I did. It's now midday of the second day of doing 'listening to my inner voice' and I find myself writing this letter, pennyless (I spent all I had on my inner voice's choice of presents for my girlfriend, and a one way ticket with AirMalta, and I also got mugged) , cold (my inner voice failed to tell me how cold it was here) and homeless (my inner voice doesn't need a home, it's inside me).

Any new advice for me?

Patiently awaiting your next installment of wisdom,
WaWeasill in Wowonderland

PS If you publish this letter I want to get paid.

Meta hadd ma seta' jiggustifika

2005-03-07T16:04:00.000Z

Ihalli warajh il-mara u zewgt ibniet, wahda ta' dsatax il-sena u l-ohra ta' tlettax il-sena. Ihallihom u qatt ma hu ha jerga lura. Qatt ma hu ser jibki demgha t-tieg ta' ebda wahda minnhom. Qatt ma hu ser jara n-neputijiet tieghu jikbru. Qatt ma hu ser jaqralhom storja qabel jorqdu u qatt ma hu ha jerga jghannaq il-mara tieghu. Ghax hekk deheritilha l-Armata Amerikana.

U jinfethu inkjesti u ghad jinfethu ohrajn u jkun hemm min jipprova jiggustifika dak li gara. Il-verita` hi li hadd ma jista. Hadd ma ghandu jiggustifika dak li gara u hadd ma jista jiggustifika l-gwerra. Ir-ragel qatt ma kellu jiehu l-ahhar nifs b'comba f'rasu, u hadd ma twieled biex jaqa ma' l-art b'comba f'sidru.

U hadd ma jista' jiggustifika l-igsma bla hajja mgemmghin fl-irkejjen tat-toroq taht il-polvri tal-gwerra.

Meta inxteghelitli n-nicca

2005-03-02T12:25:00.000Z

Ilu daqxejn issa ma nikteb. Donnu, fost l-ohrajn, marritli l-hajra biex nikteb. Dawn l-ahhar gimghat kienu karatterizzati minn apatija, li hallietni bla rieda ghal kollox. Pero kemm hu sabih li taqra! Qbadt ktieb jumejn ilu li regha xeghelli n-nicca. Ergajt sibt l-entuzjazmu u ergajt sibt ir-raguni biex nerga nibda nesprimi ruhi.

Il-bard u shab skuri, huma sinonimi mat-temp ta' dan il-pajjiz minsi mix-xemx. Tmien sieghat ta' aljenazjoni huma sinonimi max-xoghol li sibt ruhi fih fl-ahhar xahar u nofs. Xjuh u nisa hoxnin huma sinonimi mall-karattri li jinstabu fil-pubbijiet. X' ma tinxifx!

Izda issa li t-temp ghadda minn fuqi u rabbieli saff ta' xaham, u issa li t-tmien sieghat sibtilhom tarfhom b'regime ta' auto-istruzzjoni, u issa li sirt ma nharisx madwari meta nkun qed nixrob pinta, qed inhares il-quddiem b'posittivita cinika. Bhal Voltaire nasal nghid "kollox huwa ghall-ahjar" u sirt ma ninketx.

Issa sejjer ghall-pinta ta' wara nofs in-nhar forsi ninjora sorm ta' baliena...

Free Mojtaba and Arash Day

2005-02-22T14:05:00.000Z

Global blogger action day called
By Jo Twist BBC News science and technology reporter

The blogging community is powerful, doubling every monthThe global web blog community is being called into action to lend support to two imprisoned Iranian bloggers.
The month-old Committee to Protect Bloggers' is asking those with blogs to dedicate their sites on Tuesday to the "Free Mojtaba and Arash Day".
Arash Sigarchi and Mojtaba Saminejad are both in prison in Iran.
Blogs are free sites through which people publish thoughts and opinions. Iranian authorities have been clamping down on prominent sites for some time.
"I hope this day will focus people," Curt Hopkins, director of the Committee, told the BBC News website.
If you have a blog, the least you could do is put nothing on that blog except 'Free Mojtaba and Arash Day'
Curt Hopkins, Committee to Protect BloggersThe group has a list of actions which it says bloggers can take, including writing to local Iranian embassies.
The Committee has deemed Tuesday "Free Mojtaba and Arash Day" as part of its first campaign.
It is calling on the blogsphere - the name for the worldwide community of bloggers - to do what it can to help raise awareness of the plight of Mojtaba and Arash as well as other "cyber-dissidents".
Some blogs have already posted messages about the day, and some have downloaded the banner to mark it.
"If you have a blog, the least you could do is put nothing on that blog except 'Free Mojtaba and Arash Day'," said Mr Hopkins.
"That would mean you could see that phrase 7.1 million times. That alone will shine some light on the situation.
"If you don't have one, find one dedicated to that - it takes about 30 seconds."
Technorati, a blog search engine, tracks about six million blogs and says that more than 12,000 are added daily.
A blog is created every 5.8 seconds, according to a US research think-tank.
'No man's land'
The Committee to Protect Bloggers was started by US blogger Curt Hopkins and counts fired flight attendant blogger Ellen Simonetti as a deputy director.
She has since started the International Bloggers' Bill of Rights, a global petition to protect bloggers at work.
Although not the only website committed to human rights issues by any means, it aims to be the hub or organisation, information and support for bloggers in particular and their rights to freedom of speech.

Ellen Simonetti set up the bill after she was fired for her blog by DeltaThe Committee, although only a month old, aims to be the focal point for blogger action on similar issues in the future, and will operate as a non-for-profit organisation.
"Blogging is in this weird no man's land. People think of it as being one thing or another depending on their point of view," said Mr Hopkins.
"Some think of themselves as pundits, kind of like journalists, and some like me have a private blog which is just a publishing platform.
"But they do not have a constituency and are out there in the cold."
'Everyone doing it'
A spokesman for Amnesty International said: "Just as the internet is a tool for freedom, so it is being used as an excuse for repression.
"Amnesty International has recorded a growing number of cases of people detained or imprisoned for disseminating their beliefs or information through the internet, in countries such as China, Syria, Vietnam, the Maldives, Cuba, Iran and Zimbabwe.
"It is also shocking to realise that in the communications age just expressing support for an internet activist is enough to land people in jail."
It is not just human rights issues in countries which have a track record of restricting what is published in the media that is of concern to bloggers.
The question of bloggers and what rights they have to say what they want on their sites is a thorny one and has received much press attention recently.
High profile cases in which employees have been sacked for what they have said on their personal, and often anonymous blogs, have highlighted the muddy situation that the blogsphere is currently in.
Everyone does this - mums, radicals, conservatives
Curt Hopkins, Committee to Protect Bloggers
Perils of blogging about work
Two bloggers explain their motives
"This is a big messy argument," explained Mr Hopkins.
He added: "It is just such a new way of doing business, there will be clamp downs."
But the way these issues get tested is through the courts which, said Mr Hopkins, "is part of the whole messy conversation."
"If you haven't already got bloggers in your company, you will have them tomorrow - and if you don't have a blogger policy now you had better start looking at having one.
Mr Hopkins said that the blogsphere - which is doubling every five months - was powerful because it takes so little time and expertise to create a blog.
"Everyone does this - mums, radicals, conservatives," he said.
Many companies offer easy-to-use services to create a blog and publish it in minutes to a global community.
"That is the essential difference. What I call 'templating software' gives every single person on Earth the chance to have one.
"You don't even have to have your own computer."

Meta nhares fil-mera

2005-02-21T16:17:00.000Z

Huwa tassew impressjonanti kif certu nies jippercepixxu dak li jigri madwarhom b'mod differenti ghall-ahhar minn nies ohra. Ezempju car ta' distorsjoni tar-realta` jtighielna l-habib tieghi Jonathan. Jonathan huwa dak li ghal ftit xhur issa, qed nghix mieghu. L-injoranza, in-nuqqas ta' sofistikazjoni u l-inezistenza ta' kortezija li dan is-suggett juri fl-imgieba u l-attitudni lejn il-hajja u n-nies ta' madwaru, ihalluni nahseb li t-tghawwig tal-fatti li jiddokumenta fil-blogg tieghu, m'huwa xejn hlief tkabbir disprat ta' l-ego tieghu.

Jghid li waqt il harga tal-Hadd (ikolli nkun jien li nohrog lil Jonathan - ghajnejh jimtlew b'kontentizza ta' tfajjel - u din id-daqxejn ta' karita' tirpagani bhalli kieku qattajt gurnata go dar ta' xjuh inpingi l-kartolini tal-Milied), halla somma sostanzjali ta' tipps biex jiskuza ruhu ta' l-imgieba tieghi. Din hija biss il mera distorta tal-verita. In-nuqqas ta' sofistikazjoni u manjieri wasluh jilghab bl-ikel tieghu stess u jtajjar iz-zalza mall-mejda kollha. B'dahqa ta' deficenti u b'wiccu mixghul biz-zejt tal-pizza, mhux talli ma halliex tipps izda hataf il-bqija kollha minn fuq il-mejda, fl-ispirtu hallieli tieghu. Kelli imbaghad inkun jien biex nispjega bit-Taljan modest tieghi l-kundizjoni specjali ta' Jonathan filwaqt li hallejt erbgha karti tal-hames Sterlini fil-but tal-wejter.

Kienet biss il-furtuna li wasslet lil Jonathan sabiex jahtaf ghaxar Liri minn idejn Kurt fuq il-mejda tal-billiards. L-inkreduli Kurt ma setghax jemmen kif barbaru, bniedem ta' sembjanzi trogloditi, rebahlu fl-loghba ta' strategija u tattici bhalma hija dik tal-billiards.

Kont jien ukoll illi kelli niskuza ruhi mat-tliet xebbiet gustuzi li l-annimal mar jimportuna. Dawn ma naqqsux milli jtuni dahqa ta' fehema kif ukoll in-numru tat-telefon taghhom. Essenzjalment hija din id-differenza ta' kultura li tiddistingwi l-bniedem tal-kaverna mill-bniedem sofistikat.

It-troglodita jhares fil-mera tar-realta` bl-ilma jgelgel mall-faccata taghha.

Meta ktibt l-ewwel darba

2005-02-17T14:58:00.000Z

Ilu daqxejn issa, li kont qieghed nikkontempla nikkrejax il-blogg personali tieghi. Bdejt nipprova nahseb ghalfejn ghandi nipprostitwixxi l-hsibijiet u l-istejjer ta' ebda valur tieghi ma' l-internet. Hrigt bl-idea illi minhabba l-fatt li m' ghandi assulutament xejn biex naghmel fuq il-post tax-xoghol, ghandi bizzejjed hin biex nikkura l-blogg. Dan ghandu ukoll iservi bhala mezz biex noqtol dawk il-minuti kiefrin li jwassluk sabiex tibda tidhaddet wahdek. Xtaqt pero' illi dal-blogg ikun ukoll dak il-psikologu li jiekol il-panina waqt li taqsam mieghu dak li hemm f'mohhok (u 'l hinn minnu) u bl-akbar disinteress ikompli mieghek bhallikieku qieghed tassew jisimghek u jaghti kaz. Hekk irridu jkun dal-blogg - dak il-psikologu li jwaqqa' il-frak tal-panina fuq rasi filwaqt li jlissen "hekk hu". Ghax f'dinja fejn kullhadd irid jghid tieghu, xi drabi jkollok bzonn il-xi hadd li juri li jrid jisma' tieghek...