Don't Panic

KSU Elections at University

2009-04-01T11:41:00.002+02:00

“Election’s in the air".... I have just quoted every single magazine and newsletter on Campus. It’s that time of the year, or that one-off year, when SDM (Studenti Demo-Kristjani Maltin) are harshly contested by a group of budding individuals who decide to take up the challenge.

But how harshly can an election be contested?
Quoting Volume 9 of The Insiter, only 20% of the University population cast their vote in the last election two years ago - a very strange figure when one considers the fact that the Maltese are known to ‘have the highest voter turnout in the world’. I won’t be attempting to find a solution, or a reason, behind this problem, yet I will use this opportunity

in order to remind University students on the forum, and maybe beyond, that these elections and their results do have an effect - if not on them, personally, probably on their colleagues, who have had a guaranteed KSU seat for the past three years. I remind students that last year, SDM went uncontested and thus no election took place: this in Europe’s oldest national student union.

Luckily, a few people’s initiative is finally gathering fruit, and this initiative is the whole difference between the new organisation, ACT, and SDM. SDM represents the ‘Christian Democrat’ body at University, and although they continuously deny ties with a major political party, a quick glance at the contestants is enough to discern whether that is true or not. Needless to say, SDM has managed to obtain enough funds to set up a huge tent in the middle of Campus, deck it out with mixers and speakers, a couple of LCD screens, a Wii console, a coffee machine, an iMac (which continuously screens their promotional video by the canteen’s entrance), and professionally printed posters and manifestos. They now seem to be placing calls on students’ mobile phones encouraging them to vote. Their message is pretty clear: ‘SDM in KSU gives you €25,000’ (Edition 13 of The Stream). But mind you, it’s not all about the money. As a poster, anonymously pinned up on a notice board screams: ‘SDM in KSU gives €25,000…...but to whom?’

How can an independent group compete against this entire, organized charade?

The answer is quite simple – with planning and a fantastic vision. The first thing this group has done was to gather contestants from every spectrum. They’ve got a seminarian contesting for Social Policy Coordinator, a foreign student going for International Officer, a number of post-graduates and, most importantly, the cooperation of all student organizations in University, including GHSL, PULSE, MMSA, BetaPsi and many more. ACT’s tent on campus is hardly appealing. The contestants cram in a few metres squared worth of space, sit on cushions, hang up hand-painted banners, and hand out inkjet-printed leaflets. They do have a Wii and a coffee machine though, in case anyone gets bored, or anyone is finding it hard to beat the players at the SDM tent.

Yet the temporary tent is not what's important is it? The winning organization will have a comfortable office in which to chill for an entire year. What is most important is the need of a change in vision and setting. There is a very dire need of a new set of ideas, which should have replaced the old ones ages ago. The importance of student involvement, topped up with their representation through an elected organization, is always more than apparent when considering various issues. Recall the parking problem last year, the examination problem last semester, and the eternal condom machine/no condom machine debate, which has been going on for years.

My appeal....
Try to make a very, but very, small effort and do make yourself a favour – next Thursday 2nd April, take your ID card to University, spare 10 minutes of the time you spend at Pasha and cast your vote. The outcome might, or might not, affect you personally, yet having a student organization with good vision will make the whole difference at University.

Further reading:
SDM's website (includes manifesto and candidates) - http://www.sdm.org.mt/
ACT's website (includes manifesto and cadidates) - http://www.act4ksu.org/
Stream (SDM's newsletter which can be collected on Campus)
The Insiter (Indipendent magazine which can be collected on Campus)

The author of this article is in no way affiliated with any of the mentioned organisations. Article published on www.il-pjazza.com .

The Comebacks which everyone seems to have missed

2009-02-16T20:10:00.005+01:00

Everyone went over the moon with the news of Blink 182’s reunion… I understand the excitement for Blink fans, but it’s hardly worth the fuss people seem to be giving it. Same could be said for Greenday’s new album. Sorry guys, but what’s the big deal? Have you shopped around? There have been MAJOR comebacks by many amazing artists who in my opinion left a bolder mark on the history of music.

Well let’s start with Bruce Springsteen. Associated with the US musical scene, he sang what could be said to be the second national anthem for Americans, Born in the USA. And this year he’s back. His album Working on a Dream debuted at number 1 on Billboard 200, with Rolling Stone giving it 5 stars. I am not of the opinion that it’s his best album ever, however tracks such as This Life and Good Eye are reminiscent of Springsteen’s musical genre. In my opinion it is a very good album which is worth coverage.

Then there’s Robert Plant who in collaboration with Alison Krauss released Raising Sand winner of the Album of the Year at this year’s Grammies. Again, it is a remarkable album which together with Alison Krauss’ fresh voice made the album one not to miss. The most successful single from this album is Please Read the Letter which you can find on youtube.com.

Let’s not forget Long Road out of Eden by Eagles – their seventh album released in 2007. Although there had been changes in the line-up since Hotel California, this album took me by surprise. I wouldn’t have said it would be as good. Unfortunately it didn’t do as well as the above albums in terms of charts and billboard, however I do recommend it– after all it is a 7x platinum in the US and 2x in the UK.

It’s impossible to include all bands and artists in a single blog – I had to leave out Metallica, AC/DC, Annie Lennox, Tina Turner and many more.

So yes, although Blink 182, Greenday and Limp Bizkit’s comeback might be good news for many, just try to keep up with the comeback of these legendary figures of music which have entertained the world for decades now.

“Ethics? Just Ignore them. We’re the press!”

2009-01-22T20:43:00.001+01:00

Just a quick peek at web pages such as Daily Mail. and Perez Hilton’s infamous blog, it is easy to notice that these people just did away with general ethical principles which are supposed to protect people from these immoral intruders who wouldn’t mind destroying someone’s life.

Case-study 1) John Travolta

John Travolta had been protecting his son throughout all his short life. He even piloted his own plane whenever they wanted to go on holiday in order to avoid accidents but unfortunately Jett Travolta died in the bathroom after suffering from a seizure. Needless to say, John Travolta was devastated. He held a very personal ceremony to celebrate Jett’s life and asked the press to give him a short break in order to recover.

Right. Fair enough no? Not for the press it ain’t! Instead of giving him the time he asked for there they were blaming him for being a Scientologist! THEN they recall the story when John Travolta was seen kissing the nanny who was a Scientologist too! Then a huge extortion attempt from people who have photos of a dying Jett Travolta they threaten to sell to the press. (All links open news articles)

Now let me remind you that this man lost a son. And just when he expressed his wish to be left alone there they go happily blaming him for everything.

Case study no 2) Shelley Price the mother who “doesn’t love her daughter”

If you are not convinced that the press can and does destroy families, there you go. The story of Shelley Price , the mother who doesn’t love her daughter. The name pretty much says it all, but in short Ms. Price sold her responsibility of a mother who is supposed to protect her children to the press.

'I'm a loving person,' she says. 'Over the years I've had time to think about how this happened and I haven't come up with anything that would pass as a reason or excuse.'

Of course, Ms. Price could consulted a counsellor, or a family psychologist. But no. She makes money out of it. She sells the story of her daughter to the press, who instead of telling her to consult someone and get things right, they publish the story online. And they even did the whole thing properly. They took photos of the mother and daughter which were published together with the story! They invited them in, asked the daughter to smile and the mother to frown and everything and paid the mother for it.

Don’t tell me that it isn’t MORE than disgusting. I hope that the girl is taken from the mother and the newspaper sued and hopefully shut for good. There are so many things to report! The weather going barmy, the new US president’s agenda, the Oscar nominations… but no, they think that a whole article about Kate Garraway getting a new hairstyle is what people are after.

Our Beloved Elderlies with their Stinking Habits

2009-01-20T11:55:00.006+01:00

So you're sitting comfortably in a bus, (well relatively comfortably) listening to your favourite song on iPod when the empty seat next to you is filled by a man whose age compares to Elizabeth Taylor's. As comes natural in our politically correct society, negative thoughts are repressed and instead of cordially asking the not-so-gentleman to find another seat, you welcomingly smile at him... he grunts.

You ignore the grunt and go back to listening your favourite song... until the first whiff of stink infiltrates your nostrils, a stink which makes your brain itch. As if that isn't enough, the old man opens that cavernous mouth, coughs out that nuclear waste trapped in his throat, followed by a loud gurgle which makes YOUR throat go numb. THEN, after this ceremony is over, he raises his left buttock, pulls out a brown handkerchief and wipes his mouth and hands AFTER he's made the mess.

Now I do realise that we are expected to be nice to the elderly and respect them for being our society's infinite source of wisdom, but how do you respect someone who doesn't even respect himself, let alone others? I'm sorry but if you're too demented (no pun intended) to take a daily shower, use a deodorant and pull out a clean handkerchief BEFORE you cough then don't blame your reflexes when people complain. Blame your lack of manners and those who are too scared to tell you that your stink is insulting them. Being old doesn't mean that you automatically gain the right to bother everyone with your smell. If a 10 year old is yelled at for not taking a shower, then so should a 70 year old. Then its their problem if they think that youngsters are ungrateful.

The ongoing saga of Maltese Telecrap

2009-01-17T12:50:00.009+01:00

Is it just me or is the quality of Maltese television decreasing every year. We watched "Dejjem Tieghek Becky" and thought "no way can she come up with something worse than this" and BAM this year she started something new... KC... In three words - cliche, low-quality, POPULAR!

That's the thing! She is actually making money out of that crap! There are those who watch it in order to satisfy their sadistic tendencies, then there are those who find nothing better to watch (which is saying something) and there are those who actually plan their Sundays around it. Whatever it is, this shit is making her rich!

I've followed just one scene, and it was enough to understand its 'complex' plot. A sexy secretary (Eileen Montesin) and her sister (who looks nothing like her, luckily for her) together with the sexy secretary's daughter (yes you guessed again, Eileen's daughter) end up in "Livigno ma Stellina"(as always) on a holiday paid by the grandparents. The sisters take two men, who they tell the parents are their husbands, when in fact none of them had ever been married. (chuckles)

The sisters and the mother take a room, while the men take the other. Then (snickers) the sister fought for the bed nearest to the window (titter) and it took them 15 minutes to settle. The spectators had to witness those 15 minutes of hilarious (sic) arguing... at one point Eileen even calls her sister "Queen of Ice" (laughs). Hilarious stuff.

I'm not in position to dictate what airs and what doesn't but is it possible that there isn't a board which decides what sould and what shouldn't be on television? I've never seen anything that bad on television.

And I'll close this blog with a promotional clip from the infamous KC:

Ara.. that's Stellina at 1.33mins. The speed of her diction fascinates me!

Very dense indeed...

2009-01-13T15:49:00.006+01:00

So I've noticed that various bloggers are talking about The Killer's single Human and many seem to have been counfounded by their line 'Are we Human or are we Dancer?' "Wouldn't it be more grammatically correct to say 'Are we human or are we dancers?'" they asked.

The short answer is 'no'

The long answer is as follows:

Brandon Flowers was impressed by Hunter Thompson who accused America of raising a 'generation of dancers'. As farfetched as it may seem, Thompson, an American, from Kentucky, used a very clever analogy. Follow me here: What does a dancer do? He follows a beat, imitates the great dancers' moves and tries to perfect them, follows very very strict rules when it comes to dress and facial expressions etc.

So what Thompson meant by a "generation of dancers", was that we have become puppets' whose purpose is that of impressing people by behaving in ways which is expected of us by their unwritten rules. Freedom was replaced by laziness and people did away with creative thinking.

Had I been the author of the song I would have been mighty proud - all those who criticised the song for its triviality were simply confirming Thompson's idea... you all belong to the species of dancer (not dancers). You cannot think out of the box and you are too lazy to research something before you haphazardly talk about it.

Inspired by my friend Chris' blog

Can I have some of those Waffles?

2009-01-11T16:18:00.001+01:00

So my girlfriend has got one of those fancy appliances you make waffles with. We were hungry so we decided to try and make some. Amy conveniently pulled out, leaving the expedition to me and her sister, Ann.

We followed the recipe to the word, prepared the mixture, turned on the waffle-maker and started cooking the first one...

Phail...we forgot to brush some oil on the waffle-maker

So then the second one...

Not too bad but there was a bit of a spillage as you can see. So then we tried, and tried, until we got the perfect waffle! And that's only the fourth one!

Yeah and that's cream and chocolate-chips... I know, unusual but quite good

(And this is the recipe we used)

Oh and click the photos if you want some of that dramatic effect.

Rice with Soy Sauce

2009-01-03T21:33:00.002+01:00

I can't call myself a chef, yet I'd survive if I had no one to cook for me; and I do have a cookbook too!... "Three or Four Ingredients" The number of ingredients needed for every recipes don't exceed four...

Well long story short, what I'll do is occasionally write down a recipe I've tried and successfully managed to cook without causing any (serious) disasters.

So here we go - Rice with Soy Sauce

Ingredients

Rice
Onions
Ginger
Soy Sauce
A couple of eggs

Method

Put the rice and water into the saucepan and bring to the boil
In a pan, fry the onions in a thin layer of oil
When the onions are half cooked (they turn a pale shade of yellow) throw in the ginger
Grab a small pan and scramble some eggs
When you think that the onions, the rice and the eggs are cooked mix them together and just add some soy sauce

That's it, you've got a very simple recipe which in my opinion isn't half bad

iCentre - Service with a... frown

2008-12-29T15:36:00.001+01:00

Woo a fancy name! its an 'i' and it's a 'Centre' and it sounds like a real Apple store!

Then you walk in, find an incompetent salesman who knows absolutely nothing about Apple products, who cannot spell a simple name, who has to concentrate in order to move around an iPod...

Yes that's what Malta's brand new iCentre is.

So as you might know, I received an iPod Nano this Christmas. A Nano Chromatic... wow.... My unit happened to be faulty. The touch wheel was faulty. The guarantee said that it was bought from Forestals. I went there and asked for a replacement, of course. Mr. G.B. at Matrix in Sliema told me "Dak ahna ma nistghux nibdluh. Trid tmur ghand l-iCentre il-Pieta ghax huma l-agenti" (we cannot replace the unit. You have to go to iCentre in Pieta since they are the agents.. we're are resellers). But that's another story about yet another incompetent Maltese IT Company.

So I go to this acclaimed iCentre this morning. I walk in, and see that someone else had a problem. A woman bought an iPhone which came without the USB cable. She had bought it online. He hadn't even realised that the 'iPhone' she bought wasn't an iPhone in the first place but was one of these cheapo imitations which try to emulate the apple look. I realised immediately but thought I'd better say nothing... The iCentre salesman had to call the technician because he couldnt make heads or tails of what to do and where to start from... at one point he was going to sell her a car-lighter charger... he had absolutely no idea of what the hell was going on around him.

Back to my iPod. I said look this doesn't work and I want a replacement. Taken aback, he simply said 'imma dak ma nistghux. Ha nehodlok id-dettaliji tieghek u t-technicians taghna iduruh u jaraw x'irid jigri' and after having seen what had just happened to the woman before me I said 'li ser jaghmlu t-technicians naf naghmlu jien... ga ghamiltu restore, irresetjajtu, updajtjatlu s-software u deher car li l-problema qieghda fil-hardware' which confused him... so he called the technician (again) who told me he'd restore it... ok i understand, he wouldnt take my word for it... but before he left to restore it I did say that it wouldn't work in order to prepare the smug when he'd return. And he did, and I smugged.

So he said he'd order a new one from Apple... in America. They had at least five bloody iPods like mine, and i asked for one of those. He said that it's not 'procedure'. Then the person who was with me, and had bought the iPod for me told them... 'right so how about I get a new bigger iPod which is more expensive, pay the difference, and you keep the faulty one to fix/change at your own pace' and it happened that they didn't have a procedure for something like that. THEN I said ok what's the procedure had the new iPod I get next week been faulty too... would I have to wait for another week? And they didn't have a procedure for that either

Long story short - iCENTRE IN PIETA HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO KNOWLEDGE OF ANY APPLE PRODUCTS, THEY DON'T KNOW HOW THEY WORK, CANNOT RECOGNISE COUNTERFEITS, CANNOT FIX THEM AND CANNOT CHANGE A FAULTY ONE FOR A NEW ONE.

Buy your electronics online or go abroad and buy a new one. It's quicker.

N.B. Oh and if you're the owner of the company, or you're the salesperson in question, I've got your name and several witnesses and all the documents I need in order to prove myself, so I'd think twice

Enter Sandman from a Kazoo

2008-12-27T13:51:00.000+01:00

Enter the Kazoo Man - Watch more Free Videos

And don't tell me that ain't the best thing since Barbie Girl played by an Orchestral Cello band

If you think that your blog is too boring...

2008-12-27T13:17:00.000+01:00

...then it probably is

Well I think mine was.

And besides, I kept receiving someone else's emails in my mailbox... Google still have some things to fix in Gmail...
----------------------------------------------------------

So now we've got a new one

Betelgeuse... It ain't about Tim Burton's Beetle Juice... And it ain't about Douglas Adams' The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy in which Ford Prefect is Betelgeusian

It actually means nothing... But I thought that if Tim Burton and Douglas Adams thought the word Betelgeuse was cool... it probably is!

And yes, I'm aware that there's an "r" at the end of Betelgeuse... It's a pun... and it's intended!

DON'T PANIC!