Of this and that

One of the great things about this job (mine, not Joe Muscat's) is that, very occasionally, you get an offer to do something fun. The S&H and I got one such just this week when the people at Eagle Associates gave us a trip in one of their choppers. It's that little yellow job that you can see buzzing around sometimes - they have a bigger machine but, given the choice, I'd stick to the smaller one, the experience is worth it.

I'm not exaggerating when I tell you that it's a real blast: you get a whole new perspective, which you might think is a statement of the obvious but try it and you'll see what I mean. What you see flashing past as you take off or land in an Airbus unfolds in fascinating detail when you are in a helicopter.

But on to the less important things in life, the more portentous issues that perplex us.

I hold no brief for Ms Sharon Ellul Bonici, who is quite capable of looking after herself. Well, I'm not sure about this last statement, as the way she reacted to the Gift-of-Life's latest outburst betrays a touch too much of the "I'm a revolutionary" outlook on life to be safe for a Maltese politician, but she's an adult and can take care of herself.

But am I the only one who is starting to become more than a bit annoyed with the way the GOL bunch seem to have it in for anyone who dares to express the thought that - just maybe - it's about time abortion was decriminalised and made a legitimate, if highly objectionable (at least from my personal point of view) choice for women?

I know that the preceding paragraph demonstrates that I am somewhat ambivalent about the whole thing. Being a liberally-inclined cove, I tend to bridle when the do-gooders get on their high horse and start preaching at me but, on the other hand, I am and remain anti-abortion.

But more than anti-abortion, I am anti-bullying and, so help me, the GOLers are taking on more and more of a bullying appearance as time goes on. I'm fine with them expressing their opinion, even if it gets tedious (as does mine, I suppose) but the way they have learnt their craft from their cohorts in the States is admirable, if you'll excuse the approbationary slant the use of the word "admirable" give. Personally, I find nothing to admire in the tactics, sometimes murderously violent, used by the more radical elements of the pro-life lobby in other countries and, while GOL have thus far restricted themselves to peculiar antics with little plastic toys and strange statuary, woe betide us if this virus spreads to this country.

So, frankly, more power to Ms Ellul Bonnici and her efforts vis-à-vis the pro-life GOL mob: If it weren't for the rest of her politics, I'd be tempted to vote for her. At least, she has the guts to stick to her guns and not worry about the effect this will have on her electoral chances.

As much as Ms EB is a bit of a refreshing change from the way too many politicians try to refrain from offending anyone at all at any time, her leader is becoming something of a disappointment. It's true, of course, that he has to play to all the relevant galleries, not least of which is the one that holds all the grumpy old men of the Left, and he has four more years in which to drag his image away from the one he's giving now, but from a pretty bright start he's had a couple of relapses into the bad old way of doing things.

Some of them, such as the faux pas of protocol, can be put down to his relative youth but others, such as the stunt which saw him reporting ministerial asides (even if they're true, which is not, apparently, a given - someone might have been yanking Dr Muscat's chain) to the police are more serious than that.

Even more serious, though, and I do hope a long, hard look at the full implications of the statement is taken by anyone who matters, was the dear fellow's promise that "whatever the courts say, a Labour government will refund the VAT paid on the car registration tax".

Does he not realise or, worse, does he not care, what effect this type of statement has on the general populace? This is a country governed by the rule of law and if this is too esoteric a concept to be fully grasped by the Leader of the Opposition, then he'd better re-assess things.

No food-related novelties to report on this week: How many times do I need to tell you that Otters, Ping's, Oleander and Maldonado are good places to feed yourself, even on long weekends when it sometimes feels as if everyone and her sister is up North?

imbocca@gmail.com, www.timesofmalta.com/blogs