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vendredi, février 24, 2006

Controversy


I still do not know what triggered off Mark's bilious outburst or his Tony Zarb attempt to put a cap to it. That's not important any more. At least not from this perspective. What it did trigger off in turn however was controversy. And the blogosphere once again exhibited Maltese (and Gozitan) traits. Solidarity with one side or (I expect) another would only be expresed privately. Ghax hadd ma jindahal. (because nobody intereferes). Disgust could be sniffed across the field - from London to Brussels to Luxembore to Bubaqra. The comments on the original outburst limited themselves to issues of linguistic coinage - it was tantamount to someone meeting someone else naked in the street and commenting about the weather. Sad indeed. You had two individuals in your midst expressing discontent with the state of the blogosphere and the rest preferred ignorant bliss. See Fausto... this is what pissed me off about the survey of happiness. It is this kind of ignorant happiness that reigns.

The feeblest attempt at taking sides (and I take my hat off to that - if David permits me this branlage) was Toni's "u hallik mill-wankellettwali". It was the only attempt. A mini-endorsement in the sea of bahh. Futbolite/accolyte tried a "u le tiggieldux jahasra" (please don't fight) thing in his blog. Admirable, but very Maltese and solves nothing. I liked nigredo best. His personal outburst was his perspective of things entitled Because (ghax). Oh. i loved Vlad's "What are you two queens on about?" - but that was about the dolly issue not the bilious repartees.

Now some may ask how self-important j'accuse is feeling again. Of course. You are entitled to. Thing is that this "controversy" like all controversies attracted its viewers. The second highest number of hits ever since Bocca mentioned j'accuse on the times. 350 hits in one day and 290 the day before. Surely not passers by? No. People feed off controversy, anger and heated debate like there is no tomorrow. Voyeurism is one problem. But I take issue with a bigger one. An ability to find (and moan privately about) problems but never, ever even thinking positively about solving them. If not solving them taking sides. See the Euro Committee. They surely must have noticed that the public opinion is not exactly four square behind the Jesus thing. But they stick to the "democratic survey" of sms maniacs. See our country. Surely we have noticed by now that year in year out we are run by a horde of wannabe statesmen... but we keep giving them number 1.

Fear and loathing have no place on the blogosphere as much as they have no place anywhere else. Thing is we have to have a bit of what mark call's the bull's equipment. Not to "fare i cazzi nostri" no. But to call a spade a spade. We chose to walk out onto the blogosphere and I love you all for that. I use that word specifically. I love every single one who takes up this medium and day in day out chooses expression against silence. Speak out. Do not be afraid to say what you think. Do not be afraid to say that you liked a book even if you did not study literature at the glorious enlightened University of Malta. Even worse do not be afraid to say that the book was shit. Same goes for wannabe djs, wannabe philosophers, wannabe lawyers and wannabe anythings. The list is endless. You know that you may be wrong. You know that deep down the whole world might disagree with you. But will you risk, for one moment, depriving the world of something that may in the end be right?

I choose not to.

So hold on hard to your middle finger and practice directing it surely in the general direction of whatever it is you want to talk about today. Do so lightly. Remember the joy of living. Take nothing too seriously except life and love and soon you will get the hang of it.When people deride or make fun, look hard till you see the joke. There is always a reason to smile. Either because you see the joke (it was good but you do not have to admit it), or because their joke was so helpless that the attempt itself was hilarious. Smile smile smile. That is what I learnt from Benigni. He was called useless, vulgar and ignorant. He fought back with love - and a heavy dose of humour and smiling. I love it.

Don't you? Say it then!

* thanks for the hits. j'accuse is ever closer to reaching the 50,000 target in one year of counting (4th april). the controversy did give birth to a baby - the laughing fit which will be a blog dedicated to satire and humour. finally march 10th will see the birth of my blog in maltese - kinnie&twistees. bollettino will also return from hibernation on march 10th.
** kenneth. if you are reading is, david of Hello Dolly fame needs a lesson in justification of posts. Once he decides that something must be centred all the post follows suit even though it is evident that it was not the intention. He said he does not have a clue what I am on about. But there is nothing new in that either. :) (the smiley - what a nice sign)
*** All blogs mentioned on this post may be accessed via the Pull Down "Blog Boulevard" menu in the side-bar.

so long and thanks for the hits!


Controversy (Prince)
I just can’t believe all the things people say -- controversy
Am I black or white? am I straight or gay? -- controversy
Do I believe in god? do I believe in me? -- controversy
Controversy controversy
I can’t understand human curiosity -- controversy
Was it good for you? was I what you wanted me to be? -- controversy
Do you get high? does your daddy cry? -- controversy
Controversy controversy

Do I believe in god? do I believe in me?
Some people wanna die so they can be free
(I said) life is just a game, we’re all just the same...do you wanna play?
Controversy controversy controversy
Controversy controversy controversy

Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who trespass against us
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil
For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever
Controversy controversy controversy controversy
Love him, love him baby
Controversy controversy controversy
Controversy controversy controversy

Listen
People call me rude, I wish we were all nude
I wish there was no black and white, I wish there were no rules
(repeat 3 times)
Controversy controversy

Do I believe in god? do I believe in me? let me tell ya...
Some people wanna die so they can be free
(I said) life is just a game, we’re all just the same...don’t ya wanna play?
Controversy controversy controversy controversy




23 commentaires:

Peklectrick a dit…

I'm going to get a reputation for this but since you were (i think) the one who commented on people who can't distinguish between your and you're, i feel i have to point it out. Am sure you'll see the joke in this...you don't have to admit it either...

Your text:

or because there joke was so helpless that the attempt itself was hilarious.

Jacques René Zammit a dit…

thanks. Hmmm Peklectrick begins to sound more and more like pedantic. U Hallik min joe grima! :)

Jacques René Zammit a dit…

actually i will give you a special j'accuse status in the sidebar... wait for it!

Arcibald a dit…

Nissupponi li qrajtha l-ahhar bloggata tieghi... ma nahsibx li qaghdt halqi maghluq xi hafna, avolja ma ghidtx esplicitament li qed nikteb b'reazzjoni ghal xi bloggati ricenti. Preferejt nikteb ingenerali, imma, minflok nakkuza u nirribatti lura.

Jacques René Zammit a dit…

Mea culpa baldu.

Ma qrajthiex sew. Rajt l-ewwel paragrafu u hsib li ma kellhiex x'taqsam. Niehu gost li donnok taqbel li d-dritt ta' espressjoni ma huwa ta' l-ebda elit. U li hemm modi differenti kif tesprimi ruhek - inkluz il-hmerijiet (u nejk) li f'ghajnejn l-akkuza dejjem kienu elevati ghal filosofija ghalihom!

apologiji dovuti. pero' xorta niddejjaq li hadd ma deffes rasu u qal tieghu... imqar "Kemm iz-zobb int injurant jew antipatiku" kien ikun iktar indikattiv.

Issa naraw min se jaghmel l-ewwel kumment prevedibbli li jinkludi dak li ktibt fil-quotes jien. :)

sahhiet
U ma nahsibx li nkun qed nghid xejn gdid jekk nghid li bloggtok huwa fl-ewwel ghaxra li naqra kuljum. Hasra li l-ahhar post qrajtha bic-cpar tal-argument f'ghajnejja u xhin hsibtha out of point hallejtha ghal granet iktar kalmi.

Peklectrick a dit…

Haha. LOLIMH (laugh out loud inside my head).

U ijja. A lil promotion for my forsaken page...

(a cheap attempt at reverse psychology)

gybexi a dit…

since when is "not interefering" a particularly maltese trait?

Tihux ghalik, ser nghidlek l-affarijiet kif narahom jien bla wisq tlablib....

Jacques, hasn't it crossed your mind that no-one interferes or takes sides because no-one REALLY gives a shit about this spat between you and David? it's your business and I don't interfere because it's none of my business and I, quite frankly, couldn't care less about two lawyers slogging it out on their blogs even if I happen to know them both. It's like when two friends or acquaintances argue over something that happened in the past and they keep going on and on about it. Perversely amusing at first but after a while it gets tiring if you're not an active participant...

now please, please get back to proper blogging, not because some of us want peace, justice and bananas to reign on earth but simply because some of us would rather have the usual blogs on subjects which might actually interest us rather than having posts with thinly veiled insults on things which probably stretch back to the days when you and David were in Bruges together.

there. i said it.

Jacques René Zammit a dit…

and well said too. and no offence taken. but I have th ehabit of syaing things too...

the spat i refer too is not with david. I agree full y taht the dolly business had nothing to do with anyone else. Anyway there was no problem there... david ha incassato e replicato senza fare scene.

I referred to mark's attack. In it the (un)veiled insults affected the style I blog, the topics I choose and all... that was also about blogging.

and finally. I was in Bruges two years before David knew the taste of the fries under the belfroi. Tant biex taghraf tiddiferenzja.

and please, please, please
can you too blog more often?

sahhiet and no offence taken
j

Jacques René Zammit a dit…

- two more things.
More than not interfering it is not taking sides in an argument when present. They will mumble and mutter. But put them in the midst of the debate and they will not commit. They will whistle away.

- as for not interested. The statistics, as I pointed out. Did say otherwise. Too many (different) visitors over the days to justify disinterest.

All the better anyway. What prospects for devolvement in Belgium? Do you support Brussels as a free city like Monaco? Hows that for a change of topic for what you call 'proper blogging'?

Arcibald a dit…

OK mhux problema Jacques. Anki jien hassejt xi ftit li kienet indirizzata lili (ghax tlabt opinjoni dwar il-karozzi u tajt ftit 'pariri' lil Sant dwar il-Pink Floyd). Jigifieri nifhem l-argument tieghek perfettament.

L-unika haga li fadal xi nzid hi li wara kollox jien qatt ma gieghelt lil hadd jaqra l-blogg ta' bilfors. U lanqas ma ghandi xi obbligu socjali/edukattiv bhal ma suppost ghandu l-PBS. Jien nikteb ghax inhoss li ghandi nikteb, u jekk xi darba niddeciedi li fil-blogg inpoggi r-rapport tat-temp f'forma ta' poezija u daqshekk, hadd mhu sa jindahalli.

Propjament mhux f'dan il-blogg ridt niktibha din, imma ghallinqas ktibtha x'imkien.

gybexi a dit…

ah bon. i see. :) (ara mark - smiley... SMILEY!)

re: blogging more i've run out of subjects actually - cheese, belgium and architecture are the only things I know anything about and Belgium has run out of edible art nouveau houses for the moment. I'll be back in March. But merci vilmolls an' all.

Mark Vella a dit…

Bald, tal-Floyd vera kienet b'ċikka għax ili sew ma naqrak...imma qisni ikkonfermajt l-impressjonijiet tiegħi

Angelo Chetcuti a dit…

I enjoyed this whole debate, sbejjaħ. What I suggest is not to fall into xifer's own trap of having to pigeonhole everyone and everything ;)

fermo restando the beauty of having everyone calling a spade a spade. but, as you well know, there's no need to conclude a view expressed with a solution...

david a dit…

I disagree Zemploid. When two celebrities like Jacques and myself slog it out, THE WORLD should take note.

Besides (and now I'm being serious), the Dolly business really does have further implications for us all. As an argument it was childish (and both Jacques and I know this) but the implications were quite interesting I think. Intellectual plagiarism and all that. Someone could easily have pitched in with an opinion (without necessarily getting entangled in the 'pika').

Mark, in my eyes, was also crucial in the debate and, yes, it does take some balls to go in so forcefully when you have nothing 'to gain'. His 'intervento a gamba tesa' cleared the air and made all of us sit up and think. Jacques included.

Personally, I came out of this tiff liking both Jacques and Mark (even) more.

And the blogosphere is abuzz once again...

Now go to Lanzarote and do your duty as a patriotic Maltese citizen...

Jacques René Zammit a dit…
Ce commentaire a été supprimé par un administrateur du blog.
Mark Vella a dit…

...and probably, that was my point after all...phew!

Jacques René Zammit a dit…
Ce commentaire a été supprimé par un administrateur du blog.
Jacques René Zammit a dit…

well. seems a bit of a long winded (and detoured) way to make the point which zemp makes in one sentence. A bit of free style attacking everything and everyone's style to get to the point? Ah well.. We get it now. back to NORMAL blogging.

Though what is so normal about this bunch of freaks in the blogosphere is beyond me. (and before anyone goes into a huff I include myself in that category).

Jacques René Zammit a dit…

The two deleted comments were the result of a cosmic and internet conspiracy. The above comment had originally appeared before Mark's comment notwithstanding that it was written AFTER he wrote it. Reason for the fuck up: my pc's clock is two minutes behind mark's. Apologies for the inconvenience.

Peklectrick a dit…

kumbaya me lord...kumbaya...

Kenneth a dit…

1. gybexi, you rock.

2. I left a comment on David's blog just yesterday about paragraph alignments in blog posts. If he needs any further help, it's better if David drops me a comment on my blog and I'll get back to him (why isn't there such a thing as RSS feeds for Blogger comments?)

3. Jacques, Jacques, Jacques. Don't fall in the trap of marketers and be too happy about hits. I have no idea what web statistics software/utility you use, but I'm assuming you did not deliberately mention "hits" instead of "page views / visits". In fact, the two are not interchangeable!

A small explanation follows...
A hit is a request to the server for a file. If your blog has 5 images, that would be 6 hits... 1 hit because we requested the page, and another 5 because we also indirectly requested those 5 images to load.

So there we have 6 hits ...but it's still the same user. Hence the need for page views / visits. Only page views/visits give you a clear indication of the number of human beings that accessed your site.

You may now ask...

- Why the hell does every site brag about hits, when in reality it's page views/visits that count?

Since pages have gazillions of images, the number of hits per user will be high. When you add them up, the total number of hits will be significantly higher than the total number of page views. Those high numbers are excellent for the "Illostja x'għandhom tan-nies!" factor in press releases.

- Why do companies/sites still keep on using hits if they know they do not give an honest picture of their site's popularity?

If your competitor claims to have 1,000,000 hits, you must fight back with your 2,000,000 hits. 500,000 visitors would look less to someone who doesn't even know "hits" and "visitors" are two different things.

Assumptions for this "brief" explanation:

- Technically speaking, 1 visitor may visit more than 1 page... so we may have 1 visitor and 6 page views if he views 6 pages, but on blogs I'm assuming it will count as one, as users generally only look at the frontpage which will have the 3 most recent posts.

- I don't know about your statistics' accuracy. It would be difficult to have 100% accurate statistics unless the blog is hosted on a server on which you have access to the raw logs (i.e. before they are interpreted by some web stats utility)

Thank you if you've made it this far. At least I'd know I haven't totally wasted 15 mins of my life :)

Jacques René Zammit a dit…

KENNETH:
Thanks Kenneth. You remain King Geek and we love you for that. No it is not hits in that sense. It is a paid statcounter and goes by uniue visitors and page loads. In any case, even if the results are twisted - there is a doubling of the average number I have daily. Yesterday (the day of this post) the second highest number of PAGE LOADS was reached again. - 404. Cool innit?

DAVID
His intervention made me think all right. But I do not think it made me think the same things you seem to imply. Let's just say that I find a gamba tesa interventions dishonourable. Thank you very much.

blog on!

Kenneth a dit…

Holy moly (sounds lame, I know), I'm impressed then!