28 migrants arrive

Raymond Sammut

Aug 17th 2008, 06:23

@ Matthew Metric

You need to quote your source, else we may think you are a genius.

The number is related to the Muslim calendar which is a lunar calendar.

Gaddafi has a passion for astronomy. He was born in 1942, the year when Malta suffered the mother of all bombardments. When one was ending, another was being born. Saint Paul shook off the viper into the fire, but it turned out to be a salamander.

P Debono

Aug 16th 2008, 08:00

I think it's safe to say that we should change the words of the Maltese song, "Lanca gejja u ohra sejra" into "Lanca gejja u elf ohra gejjin!" Of course we should translate it to Arabic for the benefit of our distinguished Somali guests....

n camilleri

Aug 16th 2008, 07:45

Don't worry Mr Agius, more will come it;s the weekend ;)

Matthew Metric

Aug 16th 2008, 05:02

It is a composite number, its proper divisors being 1, 2, 4, 7, and 14.

Twenty-eight is the second perfect number. As a perfect number, it is related to the Mersenne prime 7, since 22(23 - 1) = 28. The next perfect number is 496, the previous being 6.

Since the greatest prime factor of 282 + 1 = 785 is 157, which is more than 28 twice, 28 is a Størmer number.

Twenty-eight is a harmonic divisor number, a happy number, a triangular number, a hexagonal number,and a centered nonagonal number. Twenty-eight is the sum of the first five prime numbers, and the sum of the totient function for the first nine integers.

It appears in the Padovan sequence, preceded by the terms 12, 16, 21 (it is the sum of the first two of these).

It is also a Keith number, because it recurs in a Fibonacci-like sequence started from its base 10 digits: 2, 8, 10, 18, 28...

Twenty-eight is the ninth and last number in early Indian magic square of order 3.

There are twenty-eight convex uniform honeycombs.

Twenty-eight is the number of immigrants that land in Malta on a regular basis.

Kenneth Galea

Aug 16th 2008, 00:53

I think the media should stop reporting the daily arrival of these illegal immigrants. The day to day news is spreading fear and panic amongst the citizens who are living legally in Malta. However the politicians from both sides appear to be so complacent about the whole thing. This is illegal immigration which is out of control and it is clear to me that the authorities lost track of it. We cannot create a fortress Malta for sure but when immigration gets out of control it becomes a serious threat to the country concerned. Immigration is beneficial when it is under control and manageable. I am gobsmacked why Dr Gonzi and Dr Muscat appear so relaxed about this serious issue. I thank the Times of Malta for allowing us to voice our concerns unlike the politicians because they don't want to hear about it.

F Bonello

Aug 15th 2008, 23:29

Welcome to Malta.......You are better than the Sta Marija convey....that only arrived once!!!!

Isobel Mcgonigle

Aug 15th 2008, 22:43

A friend in England asked me today on the phone"Anymore arrived?" I knew immediately to what he was refferring to. I answererd "no, not yet". But here they are!! 28 exactly again!!! As the Maltese hand over the keys and get in the boats, will someone say "the last one out,please turn off the lights?" Then again, why bother? You obviously don't care what happens to your country.

Joe Morana

Aug 15th 2008, 22:42

Give us this day our daily share of illegal immigrants, and tempt not others to come in their wake today! Tomorrow will be soon enough!

Joseph Agius

Aug 15th 2008, 21:56

I was wondering why we did not have our daily share of 28 today!