Sunday Summary

I cannot remember the last Sunday when I could calmly wake up without having to catch up with someone or something that is going on. I yearn for Sundays when the agenda in the morning is absolutely empty. And by empty I mean empty. I mean no guests to entertain, no midday lunch appointments to panic the inner clock into action, no waking up in somebody else's house with the obligation to be socially presentable. I love Sunday's when I wake up whenever I like, have my breakfast in gradually incrementing steps of cholesterol, peruse the net for the latest news and then lapse into a general dolce far niente mode until its time for the Sunday match.

And here it is. Another of those Sunday's is finally here. As I sip my PG Tip brew and bite on a gluten free flapjack that seems to have been immersed in butter I have time to type at the mac without any pressure. Actually there is a minor pressure.... the shop that calls itself Little Britain and stocks all things British does close at twelve - so I have fourty minutes before the newspaper supply runs dry.

Anyways. A Sunday summary is for summarising. For abusing the blog at its utmost. For pointing out what happened and what we liked. So here goes:

Immigration is still on the agenda. As is fire. Today's news is that Malta will put immigration on the Commonwealth agenda. Essentially our foreign policy seems to be stuffing an object called immigration on the agenda of any international organisation that can (a) listen, (b) cough up money. I say that it is still not enough. I say that immigration already forms part of a global agenda that runs from culture clash to economic disparity. We are not saying anything new. I say we should cough up a plan. A master plan and THEN go to the international organisations and lobby for support of this plan. Begging for the scraps and attention like some docile puppy will never work to our advantage. Or to our pride. It only helps reinforce those mentally challenged nincompoops of the RRR agenda. We need brains, ideas and motivation. And we need them now. Like Castro's revolution we can only bank on ideas - lacking most of the resources that make other countries powerful.

Journalism and journalists in Malta have been in the spotlight for various reasons. Another organisation representing the journalistic community was set up and we had the home of a newspaper editor being attacked by the serial arsonists. At a discussion on journalism in Malta, Labour MP Helena Dalli argued that political party stations only serve to polarise the nation. Tell us something we do not know. Times journalist Mark Micallef ruffled his feathers when the independent media was attacked for being a puppet for the PN. He said that the only blemish the Times could have was of being too much of a mouthpiece for all politicians. I could find one or two other blemishes.... but then I am not a journalist. So I should shut up. (Not).

The biggest news in Italy threatened to eclipse Prodi's new government. Police have intercepted telephone conversations full of bravado between Moggi, Giraudo and Pairetto. The journalistioc exposition of these conversations could not have been more biased in order to milk the anti-Juve feeling that has always existed. When read objectively it turns out that some calls are full of hopeful wishes of Moggi regarding future matches (most of which do not turn out in the way he likes) or insistence on particular referees during friendly matches (oh my god) and an irresponsible dealing that hurried up the acquisition of a car for a freind of former referee Pairetto (not exactly a rolex for every referee or an illegalfunding operation that amounts to fraud as we are used to from certain circles). However La Vecchia Signora always promises more sales, more cash and more publicity. Which is what papers need. They milked the doping story for seven years and they will do the same with the phone calls.

After seven years Juve were acquitted and the prosecutor involved is trying his second assault on Juve. So be it. It is interesting that after a year sitting at the procura, this so called evidence surfaces at the moment of Juve's crucial final matches of the league. It is evidence collected under a law refined by Berlusconi (legge di intercettazioni) and will serve Berlusconi's beniamini (winners of all this year) quite well in the final rush. Juve style demands that they are not broken by such rubbish. Juve fans have replied just as they should - full house today to watch the match versus Palermo. Meanwhile the comedian better known as Totti could not resist jumping on the bandwagon and repeat that the four one loss to Juve at the Olimpico had nothing to do with football and all to do with the arbitro Racalbuto. For crying out loud... anyone who saw that game could teach Tonto a thing or two about what it takes for a game to be fixed. I wonder who Moggi was calling on the day Juve lost the league because of the waterpolo match at Perugia? I wonder if Moggi's gea links also involve gracing Roma's 11 match run when they won such howlers against teams like Cagliari with blatant favoritism from the referee. Yes, it is true that football should be sad about such accusations... but about all of them.... you see...

And since my time is out I will just mention another interesting footballing match before we focus on the World cup...

Focus on the Maltese Premier league where Rahal are Champions once again much to Sliema's disappointement. The big match that is left has nothing to do with the upper echelons of the league. No indeed. It features the all time greats of Mosta facing the legendary Floriana. Like the legendary Ajax, the greens are involved in a do or die battle against the upstart blues. What a match it will be. Now I understand why some people have been busy working and working and working. Was it Marx who equated work with alienation? No wonder.