A bone to pick.

The opinions offered below are mine, and are my perceptions only. I am not employed by Melita or Go, nor do I earn anything from the said companies. To my knowledge all information below is true and unbiased. I am subscribed to Melita for full TV package. Melita offer the best package on the islands, but with every company, sometimes it takes an outside view to improve things.

This time, the bone I have to pick up with is called Melita.

As time (and money) goes by, I look at the bills in hand and continue to queston myself.

"Why the hell am I still insisting on using an out-dated low quality TV provider such as Melita in 2009? And for such a price?"

Let me begin by saying that I understand that on such a little place (ie Malta), the infrastructure and setup costs must be high, and the return, in numbers, relatively small in amounts. Therefore it is only understandable that the fees must be commisurate with the service vs. the subscribers.

But let me say this. The infrastructure was already in place by Maltacom (back then), when Melita had opted to use the Maltacom distribution pipes in lieu of new trenching.

The old Jerrold set-top boxes were ancient and from what I could see, were being totally replaced on all their respective networks across the US, Canada, and the rest of Europe. Add to that their hopeless mono audio quality, and you are looking at a fledgling company trying hard to grab a sector of the market with (relatively) modest outlay.

I remember being an early subscriber almost immediately. I can also remember defending Melita for their service against mates of mine who had gone to satellite completely.

I can recall them telling me that I get a commision from Melita for using their service. How further from the truth could they be?

I used to tell my mates that a cable system was the sign of the future, while they all pointed out the deficiencies inherent with the cable company in the fact that I had a limited number of (mono) channels while they all could upgrade to as many (stereo) channels as they wanted. (I guess the free porn channels were also an important issue with them.)

I could on the other hand, point out the fact that whenever their pirated satellite card conked out on a Saturday evening, it was to my house that they usually congregated to watch the Formula 1 and the Serie A (which at that time, according to the news from Italy, was being pirated by Melita themselves. Telepiu'anyone?) Cease and Desist, if my memory recalls. During the Juve-Inter match was it that this came to light?

However, truth be told, I eventually switched to satellite not only when the cost of cable escalated to a point that I could no longer afford it, but when the satellite limitations at that time were eclipsed by the huge benefits brought forward. Free Juve matches every week? Hell yeah. I could no longer argue against that logic.

So it was that I switched to satellite. And boy, it was a wonder. Being so much more than an electronics technician, I made my own interfacing (at that time ridiculously simple), connected the old Nokia box to a 286 decoding the signals...and Bob's your uncle.

Those were the golden days of satellite. Sky was still a glimmer in the mind's eye, and Telepiu', together with (Dutch, French and Spanish) Canal+ and Al Jazeera were providing all the football I could digest.

Finally the bubble burst and with Mr.Murdoch creating SKY and usurping all the other broadcasters in one fell swoop, the game was up.

Sky became impossible to crack, and with it came the realisation that I no longer had time to dabble in the mystic art of satellite.

So it came about that I reverted to being a Melita subscriber again. Mind you, I have to be honest that despite many people complaining about bad customer service or interruptions to their services, I have been blessed with relatively good service.

What is the bone I have to pick with Melita then?

Easy and simple. Their TV service needs a face-lift. Yes, it is laughably old. Remember this is 2009. Going into 2010. So what if their service is 'Digital'? It's just a buzz word.

You can provide digital service as much as you wish, but if it's bad, it's bad. (By the way, what IS the resolution of the 'digital' picture being transmitted?)

Ok, so after many a hullaballo, the boxes were changed to stereo. We welcomed that. What we don't welcome is the excessive pricing strategy.

One example? Listen to this, Melita guys. Why the hell do you have kids cartoons (the proper cartoons like Boomerang and Cartoonito) only on the higher priced package? I have looked at the 'L' package just now, and notice that on the kids channels, there is nothing but Disney and Nickelodeon.

Seriously guys. Has anyone ever noticed how incredibly bad Nickelodeon programming is? A further couple of points. Do kids watch Nickelodeon? Or do parents allow their kids to watch Nickelodeon? A waste of time, with senseless bashing and violence. Definitely not good.

So it is with heavy heart that I must pay the extra thirteen Euros per month to just avail ourselves of Boomerang and Cartoonito.

And this is just for the kids channels.

Alright...the blurb by Melita would go - 'But you get 92 channels..'

Well, who gets to watch the Fashion channel, or EWTN, or Poker channel, or Moda TV (super-low resolution) I won't go into the utter drivel delivered by MTV since a large proportion of the population seems to be turned on by the gyrating uh.. 'singers' of ridiculous songs.

Why can't we buy the packages that we want at a better price? (The Maltese channels would be the first to go. Such biased rubbish with low standards.) Why can't we settle for a, say, minimum 30 channel package? It's not how much you have, it's WHAT you see. And the Maltese population can tell you that we ARE picky.

And now to my really big boner (excuse my pun).

The Sports channels have gone up in price again. According to Melita, this is due to UEFA increasing the price of licensing again. So, since I am largely indoors during the weekend, this I will concede. Modern football costs money, and the service offered here is extremely good. Add to this the extremely competent presenters during 'Kick-Off' and you do have a very worthy package. A month's football (and a bevy of other sports, including the useless wrestling..bleurgh!) will only cost the equivalent of two pizzas and a couple of Pepsi, so yes, I consider this to be a good package price.

My contention here is with the quality of the signal and that ugly blasted huge impractical AMATEURISH melita logo in the bottom left of the screen. Why? Who in hell's name designed that obscenity? It is absolutely humongous!

Let's start with my setup first. I have a gorgeous 50inch plasma TV with a super-fast computer and Samsung Blu-Ray player delivering immeasurably superior and unbearably beautiful movies at 720 and 1080 resolutions. All this is piped out through an old-style, classy NAD amplifier, delivering hundreds of watts of power to incredibly expensive Sony DSW speakers. Watching an HD movie is a moving experience. You'll want to see the big-screen stars perform over and over again. (I'd rather give my car away than sell these Sonys)

So, as one can tell, I not only know what I want, I also know how to get things working in harmony. As an experienced electronics technician and old IT savvy guy, I know what I am saying.

Now, back to that bloody logo....which is... even now, happily burning a permanent image on my screen. I have MELITA LIVE on my TV even when I am not watching the sports channels. A lawyer friend of mine informs me off the record that it could be a case for litigation if I so wanted. Not yet...not yet. But I DO urge Melita to take a look at the way that other channels portray their logo and redress a situation that should never have come to arise.

And the final nail in the coffin is the fact that the video signal is appalling. Many people are actually happy with the quality of their fare, and I can understand that. But for people buying modern TV/Audio equipment these days, it is simply not on. Some time back, I think it was two years or three, I cannot remember exactly, there seemed to be an experiment going on at Melita, consisting of HD transmissions on a special box(?). If I recall even more correctly, I contacted Melita to ask what one had to do, and was informed that not only did I require the ownership of an HD TV (obvious really), but that I had to pay a goodly amount of money for the HD box(!!!) and the experimental service. Get out of it!

Since then, nothing has come out of it, I presume. Further calls to Melita indicated clearly that no one seemed (seems!) to know what the hell I was talking about. I actually looked at my set-top box to see if 'component' connectors were available, but unhappily I only have an RGB Scart outlet. There is no information on the Melita web-site either.

The TV system used is sadly antiquated and needs a refresh. Now if only somebody can talk to me about whether any improvements are taking place. I don't want to exaggerate, but sometimes I watch internet TV through my PC and onto my TV, in incredible HD, mainly from Holland. My goodness, what a difference.

The Internet service offered by Melita is really very very good. No complaints AT ALL from me. I would not change it for the world. Excellent service. Hats off!

Then there are other aspects of Melita that I'd rather refrain from talking about and refuse to be drawn into confrontation about.

The Movie channel. Grow up! Who wants to pay to watch a movie that is usually more than a year old?

The Hello fixed line is just about adequate. Great pricing here. Can't complain about that. BUT. Every couple of days when I ring I get an annoying 3-octave tone going dee, dee, dee for no apparent reason. This happens with whoever I am calling. How to solve it? Call yourself on your mobile phone. Really? Really Really! God almighty. 2009 springs to mind again.

The mobile service. I don't want to go there. I would only accept this if Melita paid me..and handsomely at that. What use is a mobile phone if you cannot get through to people? Past friends have become unreachable, and my brother insisted that his contract be rescinded. Maybe this is because the system is still in its infancy. Well, as a designer of electronic products for the industry, I can't wait for somebody to get hurt before applying improvements to my products.

The intrusion of Melita in the satellite sharing system has also left a very bad taste in my mouth. If people want to break the law by using this sharing, it is up to the local police forces to ensure legality, and not bringing it up yourselves. I can assure you that with software these days it is possible to obtain anything without your knowledge.

Finally, the price is too high for what is offered. Customers taking a whole package (like me) should be offered better pricing. Comparing your complete package (sans sports) to Go's is clear. Higher pricing at practically the same levels..with 400 minutes of mobile minutes thrown in with GO. Not that you can use them with Melita naturally.

So it was actually quite a big bone this week. One might think that if I am so disappointed, why not change allegiance to GO? Easy, without football I cannot live. Since Melita have all the rights to Serie A and Premiership (and also doing a good job), there is not much to do.

I would actually give a 6.5 out of 10 to Melita, with the mobile service and the pricing, together with TV definition bringing down the votes. Internet and Sports Channels are actually second to none.

But oh, how I wish I can watch a football match the way it is meant to be. In glorious HD.

Hello? Anyone listening?

Grande Vittoria

Siamo andati a Roma. Abbiamo guardato intorno. Cinquantamile tifosi Romanisti...e quattro mila fedeli Juventini. E li abbiamo battuti. Conquistata la terra dell'Olimpico.

Grande partita di tutta la squadra, con un punto di diamante come Diego. Due reti, tanti assist. Grande giocate. Fenomeno.

Altra rete di Felipe Melo, cuore indomabile della difesa bianconera. Grande prova.

Calcio samba, Calcio vincente. E siamo primi,

Juve, grazie di esistere!

Saturday football marathon

Sunday today, and it should be a day of rest. Unfortunately I have a mild cold that yesterday prevented me from enjoying what is about the only worthwhile day of the week. Saturday. So I turned to the TV set and the newly-restarted football leagues to watch the footy.

Things started rolling with the Formula1 qualifiers actually, but I managed to nod off during the last valid section for the top ten. Damn. Next up it was the Chelsea-Burnley match, which I did not elect to watch.

My favourites were on next. Tottenham against Birmingham. With the Spurs winning every match this year so far, it seemed to be a fair bet for an easy victory. At least on paper. What turned out to be had me and my daughter in tears right up to the very end.

A very tense (and domineering) first half performance ended goalless, and it looked as if the City Blues could easily hold on for a draw. That is, until Harry Redknapp unleashed Peter Crouch onto the field of play. The lanky forward showed the way to go and a number of chances started coming our way. Finally the deadlock was broken in the seventy-second minute. Crouch rose above the defence to power a header beyond Cooke’s reach. No more than Spurs deserved, and despite having a sore throat and all, our shouting was at fever pitch for the goal. Phew, what a relief!

But as a Spurs fan, one has to suffer, and suffer we did. Barely three minutes had passed, and the Blues were level. Another mix-up in defence, and Cudicini hesitated, before giving Birmingham an easy tap-in to score. 1-1. And we have to do it all over again. And this time in fifteen minutes.

Spurs not only did not manage to look too dangerous, but City had a glorious chance to win the match, but O’Connor managed to fluff the ball wide of the goal after a pass by Benitez.

On 88 minutes Jermain Defoe (who wasted innumerable chances) went to the ground injured and Russian international Roman Pavlyuchenko was drafted in to replace him. Still no go. The Russian giant barely touched the ball until the dying seconds.

94th minute and City were going forward, with ex-Spurs Steven Carr slipping on the ball. Tom Huddlestone nipped forward to take the ball off him, and pass it towards the Russian. Roman dribbled past two players before finding Aaron ‘Speedy Gonzales’ Lennon on the far left. The winger skipped nimbly past two defenders before allowing the ball to settle on his favourite right foot and slide it in beyond the reach of goalkeeper Cooke.

Ecstasy, Pure Joy, and of course much shouting at the last play of a match we thouroughly deserved to win. There we were, me, Roxy and Nunu, all jumping for joy, and my throat even more sore than before. Ah…the beauty of football. So exciting and unpredictable.

The next match was Man.Utd-Arsenal. That finished 2-1, with the Gunners feeling thoroughly peeved at the way they managed to lose a match they should have won easily. United are nothing without Cristiano Ronaldo, and trying to play Giggs in the same way as CR is such a wrong move. Suffice to say United won by a goal coming from a penalty and a ‘classic own goal’ by Arsenal defender Diaby…inexplicably, the defender, left alone, misjudged wildly his header, sending a bullet past team-mate Almunia in the Gunners goal.

The big match was then on at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in Italy. Two giants, Inter and Milan taking on each other in the ‘Derby della Madonnina’. Expectations ran high for this match, and things indicated it was going to be too close to call. As usual, Inter had no Italians in their side, while Milan had six. (In the two matches between English sides described above, there were barely ten … mostly in the Spurs squad!)

Anyway, back to the match. This was a whitewash. Inter dominated a hapless Milan from the start. Milan’s weak link this year is surely coach Leonardo. I never really fancied him as a player, let alone as a coach! He is so hopeless. Adding Kaka’s goodbye was then nothing short of disastrous. The scoreline? 4-0, with the first half finishing already 3-0 and Gattuso sent off for Milan. His injury hampered him and showed Leonardo’s inexperience in not preparing Seedorf for an immediate change. Between being injured and being substituted, a whole three minutes had passed. An eternity in football! Thus it was that following a late challenge on Sneijder , Gattuso was sent off! What a shambles.

Inter selected not to inflict too much injury to Milan, as they backed off their pace a bit, but managing to score again by Stankovic, who it seems, sees red every time he plays against Milan.

And now….I’m off to bed…AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAchoooo.

Damn that was good!

What a weekend it turned out!

Aaaaargh...Ten in the morning and I'm still feeling pretty stoned this morning. That's what happens to people who still insist on partying at my age.

I slowly creak out of bed, before dumping some six bottles of beer into the loo via a complicated system known as peeing.

OK..so what happened? A rocking weekend. That's what. It all started on Friday evening. St.Maria band club in Ghaxaq splashed a fantastic sum of money (or so I heard) to bring the Queen Rhapsody UK tribute band to Malta. So me and the wife were at Ghaxaq by 8pm, in the hope of securing a place at the front. Nothing doing...it was already jam-packed.

Naturally there were a couple of supporting acts that went down really well. First off, one of my favourite Maltese bands, Myth, bashed out an acoustic set that showed the real talent this band has - preparation, stage presence, and musical realisation. And humility.

Yep. Dion is ever so humble in accepting praises for the band, or the songs they write. But it's ever so true. Together with Karen, Patrick and Mark, they have been releasing songs like there's no tomorrow. And perhaps not surprisingly, songs that have been taken well by a receptive Maltese audience. What's more, they have been doing this for yonks!!!

Sometimes I wonder to what heights these guys would have gone had sponsorship money been available to them...

The second band to play was the 'Joe Brown Band'. Let me tell you in a few words. These guys are pros. Real pros. First off they had Eleanor Cassar take up the singing duties, and I was gob-smacked at the power in this little lady's voice. Absolutely amazing. Needless to say, most of the tracks were cover versions, but far from being easy, I would say doing a cover and doing it well is the epitome of perfection.

Eleanor also sang her Eurovision entry, and not for the first time, I wondered what made the people and jury vote for Chiara. Stupendous. Eleanor is another shy and humble girl away from the stage. When I talked to her about certain decisions, she shyly hung her head to the right and answered 'I will try harder next time.' No remorse or anger or cynical remarks. Another winner that I wish would have more air-time and sponsorship available...but where on earth does she hide that incredible voice in such a tiny frame?

Mark and Aldo of Lord Adder fame then took the stage, and the crowd went wild as they belted one rock tune after another...Smoke on the Water, Hotel California, You give love a bad name, and of course, something also from their favourites.. Beatles and CCR. I remember first seeing Lord Adder live way back in err... 1985 I guess....and like me, they never grew up! Absolutely great show. Obviously Joe Brown himself is nothing short of amazing. What a guy!

By this time the crowd had swelled to incredible proportions. There was simply no more space in the road and in the side streets. I had a great position....Exit Stage Left, and I could see clearly down to the bottom, and it was bedlam when Mark and Aldo sang Hotel California. Who hasn't heard of this great track? So the Ghaxqin, together with a huge contingent of 'outsiders' sang with much gusto... awaiting the arrival of Rhapsody.

And the Queen tribute band were greeted with fireworks as they made their way on to the stage. The following ninety minutes were a frenzy of inimitable music as written by the great band themselves. Rhapsody were nothing short of jaw-dropping as they belted one hit after another. The Ghaxaq crowd literally exploded as song after song unfolded, everybody chanting with the chorus and generally having a great time. The singer's 'Viva Santa Maria' then threw out a roar of epic proportions... I thought the band was technically very impressive. The bassist played with incredible gusto all round, and I feel he is the cornerstone of the guys, although in truth, nobody disappointed. The singer's voice war remarkably close to the great one's, and wisely kept from singing tones he could not reach. Maturity and professionalism.

The guys finished with 'We are the champions' naturally, and for the Santa Maria Band fans, this was the epitome of a great show, fireworks thundering in the sky above, people in their thousands chanting and holding their hands in the air. Spine-chilling. Finally it was time to take a bow, and with a gigantic 'Viva Santa Maria' banner held by the band, the crowd were whipped into a frenzy... this, my friends, is what ROCK music is all about.

An absolutely great evening! Thank you Ghaxaq! Viva Santa Maria!

Yep, so that was Friday...I think it was 2am by the time we arrived home!

SATURDAY evening.

What could be better than a rock festival. TWO rock festivals of course.

Around 8pm we left home to make our way to Ta'Qali National Park arena, where a feast of Rock and Metal was about to ensue. the guest stars this time? Nothing but 'Kiss Forever Band'.

Unfortunately the time constraints we had did not enable us to listen to 'The Red Labels'...damn. We started off by Estrella, a Scottish band I admit I had not heard of, but these guys are damn good! I enjoyed their show...I enjoyed it a lot. This band is a five-piece classic rock-blues band that has great stage impact. I am certainly going to look out for them!

Next up were our mighty FIRE!!! God I love this band. Up there with Myth as my all-time favourites. I don't think I will waste too many scrapes and bows here. The guys know I admire their music a lot, as of course, do many more real hard-rock fans locally. Fire gave us their repertoire from their debut album 'Ignite', as well as tantalising fare from 'Thrill Me' , their new effort.

People, don't take my word for it...just go and get this CD. Hehe...how many nights has Robert stayed up listening to this one as he produced it?

Next up were Reborn. I have to be brutally honest here. This band had grabbed my attention two years ago when we took part in the RockBAZE competition, and I seriously thought they would be in the top two. This time however, I thought they were disastrous. The brashness of the lead guitar made listening to what was being played nigh-on impossible. The sound was actually coming through as one indistinct lump. The covers the band played? Shockingly bad. For next time then.

Okay, then up to the main attraction, greeting the band with the now infamous 'You wanted the best...you GOT the best....' Only God knows how long I wondered if I ever would hear that live. The band in question is the Hungarian 'Kiss Forever Band'... but damn me they are frikkin good.

A good tastes and selection of music was played for the now large-ish and VERY enthusiastic crowd...crowd pleasers, such as - I was made for Loving you , Detroit Rock City, Rock n' Roll all night, Beth, Strutter, Firehouse, Love Gun, Cold Gin, Doctor of Love, Shout it out loud and a host of others...

This band has now visited its' 21st country, Malta, and the fans here could not be happier that this Hungarian quartet has been here to play. I must admit to being superbly impressed...

Looking around me I could see pensioners, AND children, painted up as Space Ace, or the Cat, and it made me smile, at how the power of rock can bring people of all ages together. After all, the pensioners were still 20-something back then when KISS started playing. Fathers and mothers all painted up towing their now teenage offspring with them...also painted up.

I enjoyed myself supremely throughout the whole set...and we only arrived home at 3am... So no wonder I am stonked out! Anybody wanting the pics from the show are free to ask for them on the email above!

LONG LIVE ROCK 'N ROLL!

Beep Beep.....

A number of things pushed me on to write this blog this morning, but most probably it involves the young guy I nearly ran down with my car today. Granted it was still around 7am, and quite dark too, but that is no excuse...or is it?

This particular young man, after hollering outside my car windscreen, jumped back on his bicycle-converted-to-motorcycle contraption, and spluttered off, leaving me and a goodly number of onlookers gaping at him.

Looking at his receding back, I could see that he had no lights, no fluorescent vest, and worst of all, a black jacket. Ah. That is why I didn't see him then. The fact that he had no safety helmet on, I think, did not occur to him at all.

So, in a roundabout way, I am coming to the point of what I want to say. The government says there are way too many cars on the road. And I agree. So that is why we are seeing a proliferation of these death-traps on the road.

Buy a cheap bicycle, import an engine from ebay for a mere hundred euros, bolt it on the frame...and there you go. A registration fee of five malta liri, and you're good to go!

What the heck is wrong with this country? I have a little 50cc Gilera motorbike for which I have to pay MY drivers license and the bike's road-tax and insurance. Not to mention the dreaded VRT.

How can this be?

Let's compare the two items in question. Both machines have 2 wheels. Both have a frame, and a saddle, and err...brakes....but wait, wait.

Let's REALLY compare them.

The converted bicycle has two thin tyres very prone to bursting at high speeds, as well as a thin uncomfortable saddle bolted onto a narrow aluminium frame that is not meant to handle high speeds. Braking, as one can imagine, is an absolute joke. Try stopping a bicycle going at seventy kilometres an hour on two little rubber blocks! Safety is nothing short of hilarious. These drivers are not asked to wear a helmet. Or God forbid, have front and rear lights.

On the other hand my little Gilera has two thick high-speed capable tyres, a comfortably padded seat with storage space beneath it. The frame is welded in a number of places to ensure safety. Powerful shock absorbers amortize the disc-braking system and a nice little windscreen deflects the wind comfortably away from my helmet-protected head. Powerful lights at the front and back make a good job of advising other commuters on the road that a motorbike is approaching.

So, really, there is no comparison is there? My bike is far more safe on the road...both to me and to others.

So can anyone tell me why the heck I have to fork out ALL that money to keep what is essentially a bicycle with wheels on the road? While the other guy pays nothing for using the same road, albeit with dangerous equipment.

I sincerely propose that for motorcycles up to 100 cubic centimetres, one simply pays a one-time registration tax...and that's it.

I can guarantee that up to a fifth of cars will disappear from the Maltese roads, especially in spring and summer. And why not. Mopeds are easy to drive and cheap to run. They use clean, efficient, unleaded fuel, cause less hassle on the road and are a doddle to park. Buying a moped doesn't necessitate breaking the bank with a loan. Being fun to drive is an added bonus.

So if the government really wants to do something (which I doubt), my advice would be to liberalise the sub-100cc motorcycle market.

So Cold....and so dispirited.

It's eight in the morning, I am already at work, but earning my way through the day couldn't be further from my mind than it already is. The air-conditioning unit is on, struggling to keep the place warm, and mostly managing...but I feel so cold. Colder than I have felt for some time now.

I should be a bit happy in the knowledge that at least it's Friday today, and a weekend is stretching in front of us all. But no, I will probably be here in for work tomorrow. At least it will be quiet and I will be able to earn some extra wages as well. In all probability I will miss another 'Thorn' rehearsal, but at the moment, the band seems to be going through a sticky patch, and there is not much to rehearse for. So what is the point of continuing at all?

Sure I enjoy playing live and all that, but the occasions have become so few and far in between that I wonder why I bother at all. Last Tuesday was another damp squib, managing to play a couple of songs in all, but generally listening to everybody grumble and moan. Me, I just kept my mouth shut. And I missed a great football match between Brazil and Italy. No. Definitely not worth it then.

We seem to have lost that spark so cruelly taken away just as we seemed to be regaining our popularity, when Clive (drums) called it quits, and even though his replacement is more than up to the task, Clive brought with him a certain flair. Then Jade's retirement and consequent passing away was another nail in the coffin, so to speak. We badly need a synth to complement our songs.

So where do we stand? I don't know actually. Part of me wants to keep on playing with the band, learning more as time goes by, or simply give it all up and concentrate on the other band, primarily a Christian Rock and Gospel type, which seems to attract people who are more than happy to hear us play. I thought it would be just because of our service during mass on Sunday at ten, but no. We have experimented with a couple of 'short shows' at odd times, especially on Sunday evenings, and people still come to hear us. Hmm. Seems like there is a goodly amount of people who are content listening to the diversity of songs we play. Some have even asked us for recordings.

All these thoughts could probably be just musings coming from the fact that with this damp weather my arthritis is driving me round the bend with pain and fatigue. No matter how long I sleep or how much I dress up, the ever-pervading damp is still there to suck on my bones, my strength and my will to move a muscle.

And God...how I miss the sun. How I miss that great big yellow ball of relief from the blasted damp. And of coures, I miss summer, with its' dips in the cool sea, and the relaxing evening nights on the roof, having a beer with my friends and my brothers.

Yes, I can't wait until this bloody season is over.

What a load of cobblers.

While we were on our weekend break at Selmun, it just happened that there was the Eurovision Song for Malta festival. While I am not a fan of soppy songs and all the corruption that comes with this travesty of music, my kids and wife usually like to watch it.

So it was no bother to me to have a lie-down in bed and actually watch events as they unfolded. And I have some comments to make. Timed at nearly four and a half hours, the competition was way too long. The adverts made up for half that time. Is that legal at all? I thought there was a legal limit as to the proportion.

The presenters? God almighty, I've seen wooden spoons that were far more animated than those two on stage.

And the songs? I could pick a handful that were above average, but only just. The winning song wasn't a song at all. Chiara tried to use her voice to carry her to victory, which she did. I tried listening to it, honestly, but I have rarely heard such a tuneless song. I dare anyone to try and whistle or hum the tune to it. You can't...there simply is none!

And finally, here is a pic of me and the wife watching the contest and occasionally falling to sleep.

All in another year's funny Eurovision. I am accepting bets that we won't make it past the semi-finals.

Gigantic Aircraft

Truly Spectacular