·         Delia Coalition: The Delia coalition continues to struggle to find its footing in the Nationalist Party.  It seems that defiance is coming from all directions.   I believe that the biggest hurdle for Delia in the coming months will be to reconcile the distinct positions and disgruntlement within the Party structures.  On the other hand, if one had to speak with the citizens outside the party structures, I think there is a general belief that Delia can take the Party forward.

·         Seat:  The Parliamentary Seat issue seems to have been (almost) resolved.  I think that political parties should not find themselves in such a conundrum and an amendment to the Constitution designed to avoid the situation of having two captains to pilot a ship.  These circumstances were a repetition of what happened when Joseph Muscat was elected Leader of the PL. Now it was the turn of Adrian Delia.  If anything the Leader of the Opposition in such particular circumstances should automatically be allowed a Seat in Parliament possibly without voting rights when such a state of affairs arises. 

·         Coalition:  In my estimation the Nationalist Party should never have created a coalition especially with a party that had hardly been set up. This decision by the former ‘Leader of the Opposition’ was another howler, short-sighted and a desperate attempt to garner a handful of votes.  The worse thing about this whole proviso is that, from what I understand, there was no preparation on how the Forza Nazzjonali would function.  I cannot imagine the complications if the Forza had won the General Election.    

·         Common Good: The Archbishop presented a very interesting homily based on the fundamental principle of Common Good.  It is a respectable sermon that states the ‘obvious’; that talks about wealth distribution and choices we need to make to ensure the welfare society keeps supporting the weak and puny - in other words, matters that we have spoken about endlessly.  But this is the right thing to do.  The Church needs to articulate the ‘obvious’ and it needs to pronounce itself on the very intriguing and interesting social teaching that governs its institutional thinking. 

·         There’s a hole...: I had no other option but to listen to two commentators as I watched Southampton FC (yep, that is my team) versus Manchester United on GO Sports last Saturday.  Apart from the fact that the commentators make me jump out of my skin every time a player touches a ball, their commentary makes me sick and I’m not one for language purism (I can’t think how this would affect people who are for purism actually!). Let me mention just a few of the atrocious verging on the ridiculous statements made; 'esplossivita'; 💥'vertikalita', 'jinqabdu flat-footed' ⚽️, 'penetrating passing'😻, 'vantagg strameritat'🥅, 'redeeming feature', 'very very pedestrian',🤔 'l ebda repart', 'ghandhom progression', 😮'clearance approssimattiv', 'scavenger' and the top comment; 'ara x toqba hemm f nofs il-ground ta' Southampton' (I’m not sure the grounds man would be very happy to hear this)!

·         Frida:  Frida is the name of a rescue dog (Labrador) in Mexico that has been reported to have saved more than half a dozen children in a collapsed school following an earthquake.  I am a dog-lover and owner and it might be coming from there but this animal keeps mesmerizing me. The respect and commitment it shows to the human species is second to none.  Maybe humans need to take a cue from this behaviour and reciprocate kind-heartedness.

·         Adoption:  A friend of mine is in the process of travelling outside the Country to bring back to Malta a child she and her partner have adopted.  The amount of money, time and tension they had to go through is simply puzzling and unthinkable.  I applaud the couples who have to endure this agony.  I cannot believe that the State is unable to do more to help.

·         Eddie:  I am so pleased to have been invited by Sergio Grech the editor of Bejn Storja u Miti, to contribute a piece on Eddie Fenech Adami.  I choose to take the perspective of how I saw this great leader, one of the best I can remember, from the standpoint of a 16-year-old who lived the 80’s  and witnessed the story as it unfolded in a blend of agony and eagerness.

·         Antonio Flores:  The story of athlete Antonio Flores is amazing.  An inspiration to many of us who tend to falter in front of the challenges we are faced with.  Antonio shows us how to keep going, notwithstanding.

·         Cannabis:  The issue around Cannabis worries me.  We tend to shoot from the hip and because we are now a ‘so-called’ progressive Country many decide that we have to accept everything without questioning.  If we want Cannabis for recreation use I have a problem (I have no difficulty if there is enough evidence that it is used without dire effect for treatment).  Then again, recreation to me is sports, visiting libraries, art, drama, music, friendships, photography, hikes, watching a TV series or a game of football, movie nights, chatting, chess, eating at a nice restaurant etc. .... not cannabis....but I might be the old fashioned type, sorry.

·         Faculty for Social Wellbeing:  We are about to start the new academic year.  Actually the second years (and upwards) have already started lectures this week. Freshers’ will commence their academic year as from next Monday.  As a Faculty we are all set to continue our commitment to scholarship, lecturing and mentoring of our students.  Our 1000 students will be reading circa 35 different courses in an estimated 70 cohorts.  The team of over 80 resident academics, 100+ visiting and causal academics and c. 25 administrators are all set to go.  However, Faculty is not just about looking inwards, it is also about reacting to the public domain, which we did and will do even more so this year. 

·         Donald and Kim: US President Donald Trump and North Korea's Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un are putting at risk not only the Countries they lead but the World over.  I just cannot understand how the UN structures and systems are so powerless and weak in a context that is bringing us to the brink of annihilation.  Is there any diplomacy left around?

·         Mental health:  The Malta Chamber of Psychologists issued a Press Release (on the 11/9/2017) condemning the way ‘mental health’ is being used in the media to insult and attack public figures.  I feel that this is a very fitting position that the Chamber has taken and should be matched by other professional bodies.  Mental health already carries a stigma of mammoth proportions in our community and at this point we need to re-think our narrative. Writing and commenting is a right we need to safeguard but not at the cost of personalising our attacks by insulting, abusing and slurring.