-an OD of Toughts-

Posts

Political Violence is Wrong, Mourning Kirk is Optional, Hypocrisy is Everywhere

- September 12, 2025

Political violence is always wrong. Always. Anyone who tries to argue otherwise is either insane, dishonest, or just loves chaos. Shooting someone because you dislike their opinions is beneath contempt, beneath common decency, and frankly, beneath explanation. But here’s the thing nobody wants to say: mourning Charlie Kirk is optional. Optional. You are under no moral obligation to light a candle, post a heartfelt social media tribute, or pretend the world has lost a saint. Kirk’s brain was like a rusted gearbox in a 1970s Lada—creaking, failing catastrophically, and emitting fumes of ignorance strong enough to kill small wildlife. And what ideas did he offer? Oh, just a parade of moral flatulence so noxious it could choke a small city. Nuremberg-style trials for doctors. “Some gun deaths” are worth it to protect the Second Amendment. Women should submit to their husbands, Martin Luther King was “awful,” and empathy is a made-up new-age fairy tale. Civil rights? A “huge mistake.”...

From Farage to Farce: The PN’s Latest Gamble

- September 09, 2025

Right then, let’s sharpen the knives. The PN has a new leader. Alex Borg. But before anyone starts blathering about rebirth and fresh horizons, let’s call this what it is: a party that’s been lying in a ditch for a decade has just propped itself up on one elbow and muttered, “still alive, sort of.” Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday) Borg only just won, wafer-thin, narrower than a spaghetti strand, which is hardly the sort of triumph that makes people think “ah yes, here comes the saviour.” What he does bring is youth, a new face, and the sense that the PN isn’t entirely run by men who still think the fax machine is cutting-edge technology. But experience? He’s got about as much as a teenager on his first driving lesson. And let’s talk about the leadership race itself. If this was supposed to showcase competence, it was a spectacular own goal. The electoral commission ran it with all the slickness of a goat trying to ice skate. Delays, confusion, a media policy so laughably restrictive...

Bang Bang Baby: Like Scarface, If Scarface Chewed Bubble Gum- Review-

- September 01, 2025

Bang Bang Baby is one of those shows that makes you sit there, scratch your head, and mutter: “What on earth am I watching?” We’re in 1986 Milan. Bubble gum, a foul-mouthed parrot, a psychic, and a soundtrack dripping with Echo and the Bunnymen. It’s part mafia thriller, part fever dream, and occasionally part “did someone spike my drink?” At the centre is Alice, a 16-year-old who discovers her dad isn’t dead at all, just very busy being knee-deep in mobster business. And suddenly she’s hurled into a world of lies, bullets, and family drama that makes The Sopranos look like The Waltons. Now, don’t expect the show to hold your hand. It throws you into the deep end, shuffles between subplots like a dodgy deck of cards, and moves at the pace of a Fiat on a cold morning. At times, you’ll feel lost. At times, you’ll wonder if you’ve sat on the remote. But here’s the thing: once it finds its stride, it’s stylish, moody, and strangely magnetic. Every shot oozes atmosphere, the music is p...

100 things to support your mental health that aren’t “go for a walk and drink more water”

- August 31, 2025

Realistic Recovery: Grit and Grace Have you taken your walk today? I haven’t. It’s August, and if I get told to go for a walk and drink more water one more time, I swear to the ever-living god I’ll throw my phone into the sea. Then, of course, I’ll probably go on a walk anyway, because frustratingly, I know it will help my mood. And yes, I am dehydrated, despite my motivational water bottle with its smug hourly reminder. photo by Lothar Baxmann Most good ideas are simple. But taking care of your mental health is hard. Well-meaning advice can be life-changing—or infuriating. Sometimes it’s like being handed a teaspoon of water for the house-fire that is your body, your brain, your room, the planet. They feel like a 2015 infographic: relevant once, now trite and overly earnest. And yet, the truth remains—complete fixes are a myth, usually a monkey’s paw in disguise. A life worth living is built from small but meaningful actions, often requiring more effort than you feel capable ...

Malta: A Nation Caged in Concrete

- August 31, 2025

From Neighbours to Enemies We have become an aggressive, violent nation. This is not hyperbole. Concrete has swallowed the island, green spaces have vanished, and the result is obvious. Road rage explodes into fistfights. Parking disputes turn into screaming matches. Party hotspots end in blood. People murdered. People beaten. People snapping at the slightest provocation. Civilised behaviour has evaporated because Malta itself is no longer civilised. A Day in the Cage Here is Malta in one day. At six in the morning, the compressor starts drilling. It continues until eight in the evening, joined by the staccato rhythm of a jackhammer. I close my window because the neighbour below is smoking cannabis, choking my lungs. Two floors down, another neighbour lights his barbecue as if he owns the block It takes me an hour to drive a journey that should last fifteen minutes. A double-parker blocks the road, tells me to get lost when I honk, and refuses to move. On the return tr...

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World is like sipping a fine whisky while everything burns — relaxed, tender, and weirdly perfect -REVIEW-

- August 30, 2025

Right, so a good friend and a person who avoids mainstream movies suggested I watch Seeking a Friend for the End of the World . And immediately, I thought, brilliant, another one of those quirky indie films where everyone talks about their feelings while the world burns to ash. The sort of thing where characters exchange long, meaningful glances while a meteor is hurtling toward Earth. Normally, I would rather be staring into the foamy head of a Kilkenny than sit through two hours of people sighing into teacups. The premise is simple enough. In three weeks, a massive asteroid will slam into Earth and wipe us all out. Now, in most films with this setup, you would expect Bruce Willis in a vest, tanks rolling down Fifth Avenue, a space shuttle or two being lobbed into orbit, and about four explosions before the credits have even finished. That is the standard Hollywood recipe. But this is not that. No. This is a film where Steve Carell, usually the king of awkward comedy, goes on a ...

Malta’s Debt – The Ostrich Approach to Economics

- August 18, 2025

Right, let’s address the genius argument I keep hearing: “You’ve been telling us about this doom and gloom since March 2013. But it never materialised!!!!!” Yes, well done. You’ve spotted that the sky hasn’t fallen yet That’s not proof of economic brilliance, that’s proof you’ve got the observational skills of a goldfish. Debt isn’t a thunderstorm. It doesn’t arrive with a crash of lightning and a loud bang over Castille. It creeps. It lingers. It builds up quietly in the background, like cholesterol in your arteries, until one day, bang, heart attack. And you’ll be sat there, wide-eyed, saying, “But I thought pastizzi were fine, I’ve been eating them since 2013, and I’m still standing.” What we’ve got here is the economic version of that. Successive governments dishing out freebies, cheques, handouts, subsidies, anything to buy a smile, a vote, or at the very least a Facebook “like”. And where does the money come from? Not from a magical tree sprouting €50 notes in Castille’s ...

The Day I Discovered Doing Nothing is the New Luxury Car

- August 10, 2025

A few weeks ago, at a music festival full of people who smell like compost and regret, someone asked me how work was going. Without thinking, I replied, “I’m decentring work.” Photo by pen_ash Now, to most people, that sounds like I’ve joined some sort of spiritual cult where we wear linen trousers and hum at sunrise. In reality, it just means I’m working less and lying down more. Apparently, this is part of something called “the rest revolution,” which is a cultural shift where doing nothing is considered not just acceptable but aspirational. Like a Rolex but without the time-keeping or the €20,000 bill. It is fuelled by trendy buzzwords like “quiet quitting,” “micro-retirement,” and my personal favourite, “lazy boy jobs” which all translate to I’m sick of flogging myself for pennies while Jeff Bezos buys another yacht. And they’re right. We’ve reached the point where many jobs demand more hours, more stress, and more meetings about meetings, but give you less money, less stability, ...

Becoming a Better Person

- August 07, 2025

At some point, usually after a hangover, a breakup, or a speeding ticket, we all decide that it's time to become a “better person.” Whatever that means. We picture ourselves as less angry, more generous, perhaps someone who volunteers at a soup kitchen and doesn’t shout at printers. But we immediately run into a problem: we haven’t the faintest idea what “better” even looks like. Are we meant to start yoga? Hug strangers? Stop flipping people off in traffic? Nobody says. Now, the world is stuffed full of lifestyle gurus who’ll tell you to journal, meditate, juice kale, or swim with dolphins. But the truth is, self-improvement doesn’t come from reading books or listening to people who use the word “authenticity” unironically. It comes from doing . And more importantly, not being a complete arse . So, what does being a “better” human actually involve? For a start, stop being awful to other people. Revolutionary, I know. Try treating people with respect, not because it’s spiritual,...

I'm No Hero

- August 01, 2025

The pounding heart, it starts to race, A brand-new mask, a different face. It hides behind the daily news, Shifting truths and worn-out views. The ache today’s not hard to trace— Just miles away from my own place. From where I’d greet the break of dawn, But now that road feels far and gone. It’s a flight that cuts the sky, Then dives beneath where eagles fly. On this long and endless ride, In a world that dances then tries to hide. It’s a flight that sinks, not soars, With rusted wings and bolted doors. I’m nailed against this empty wall— And now I barely feel at all. No, I’m not a hero, Not one with stars to claim. I’m not a hero, Just one more lost name Since the war went down in flame. I sleep in fog, in silver-grey, Where fallen trees just rot away. And dreams that chased the wind at night, Collapse before they take their flight. Oh, what a weight, what bitter luck— To trip just past the final truck. From all the fear I tried to hide, From all the pain I...

The Death of Ozzy Osbourne Hurts, and Here’s Why It Bloody Should

- July 31, 2025

Look. Ozzy Osbourne died. And no, we didn’t know him personally. He didn’t send us Christmas cards or pop round for tea. But the moment that headline hit, something inside twisted. And not in a “oh, sad news” kind of way. No. In a deep, throat-lumping, soul-punching kind of way. Because Ozzy wasn’t just some ageing rocker. He was ours . The Soundtrack to the Chaos If you grew up anytime between cassette tapes and dodgy MP3 players, chances are Ozzy was in your ears. Loud. And often. Through heartbreaks, grief, anxiety, panic attacks, teenage sulking, and those moments where everything felt completely and utterly pointless. He was there. Belting it out while we stared at the ceiling, wondering if we were losing the plot. Sometimes it felt like he got it, like he was screaming what we couldn’t say out loud. Other artists came and went. Nirvana exploded, burned out, and became a logo on t-shirts. Trends changed, scenes shifted, and our lives did that thing where everything gets me...

The more time goes by, the more I realise we’re not living in a normal country.

- July 31, 2025

Look around you: Two people were shot dead. A woman was run over and killed by a drunk, unlicensed soldier, and the guy walks free. Another man beats a woman inside a car, and someone else gets seven separate bailouts for all kinds of charges. A man was crushed by a bus and died. And the daily dose of accidents we’ve become numb to. Then, when someone dies by suicide, everyone suddenly acts shocked. But the most we manage is a post about "mental health awareness", a podcast or two, and once a year, we light up Mater Dei and Mount Carmel in green as if that fixes anything. Everyone becomes an expert on depression for a week, and then it’s back to silence, especially from the institutions, which wouldn’t dare upset anyone. But this is the reality. This is what life has become here. It’s anger, it’s pressure, it’s helplessness from the top down. People are mentally and emotionally exhausted. The whole system is toxic, and it’s showing. Everywhere. You open...

The System Isn’t Broken. It’s Working Exactly As They Designed It.

- July 28, 2025

Let’s not pretend. What’s happening in Malta isn’t a mistake. It’s not a bug in the system. It is the system. Our institutions—those sturdy bricks that are supposed to keep power in check—have been hollowed out like a chocolate Easter egg. Nice to look at. Shiny, even. But bite into it and you find there’s nothing there. No substance. No spine. No resistance. And here’s the sick twist: it’s all happening legally . Quietly. Efficiently. And with a smile. We didn’t wake up to tanks in the streets. No strongmen banging fists on podiums. What we got was a carefully choreographed series of “reforms” and “updates”—each one just technical enough to bore the public, just ambiguous enough to avoid outrage, and just effective enough to neuter any serious oversight. The judiciary? Once a pillar of justice, now more of a suggestion. Appointments based on merit? Don’t be naïve. For years, judges were chosen by whoever held the keys to Castille. Loyalty, not law, was the ladder up. E...

10 Gentle Ways to Break Up with Your Phone – Without Having a Nervous Breakdown

- July 25, 2025

Let’s be honest. Breaking up with your phone is a bit like breaking up with a clingy ex who lives in your pocket, listens to everything you say, and reminds you to drink water but forgets to mention it’s been spying on you since 2016. Every time I try to reduce my screen time, my phone throws a tantrum. Pinging, buzzing, lighting up like it’s hosting the Eurovision Song Contest in my jeans. But here we are, and here are 10 ways I’ve found to gently divorce my phone… without ending up curled in a corner screaming, “Just one more reel!” 1. Set Specific Time Limits – Like a Responsible Adult, Apparently You know it’s bad when you pick up your phone to check the weather and four hours later you’re watching a raccoon make pancakes. Now I set a timer—15 minutes to do the thing, then out. If I ignore it, my phone goes into Time Out, which means I throw it onto the nearest sofa cushion and walk off like I’ve won an argument. I haven’t, but it feels good. 2. Create Phone-Free Zones – Bec...

Deep Cover: So Good I Nearly Spilled My Beer- Review

- July 24, 2025

There are times in life when you’re bombarded by so much misery, you think the world has officially become one giant Twitter thread about why everyone hates everyone else. And just when you’re about to go full Unabomber , along comes a film like Deep Cover, and it does something extraordinary. It makes you feel again. Now, I know what you’re thinking: "Another action comedy? Isn’t that just more bullets, bad puns, and explosions filmed in Bulgaria with a budget that wouldn’t cover a decent lunch?" But hold on. Because this… this is something else. First off, we need to talk about the chemistry . Not chemistry as in test tubes and the kind of people who wear lab coats and smell of Dettol. No. I’m talking about Nick, Orlando, and Bryce. A trio so good together on screen, you’d think they were genetically engineered in a lab run by Tarantino and Shane Black. Nick is that rare breed: the man who can make awkwardness look like an Olympic sport. Every eyebrow raise, every side...

THE DREAM THAT MOST PEOPLE JUST WON’T BLOODY UNDERSTAND

- July 15, 2025

I bought a bike… not because I needed transport. No. I bought it because somewhere, deep in the part of my soul where reason goes to die, I had a dream. One day, when I’m old and I mean really old, the kind of old where your knees sound like a gravel driveway… I’ll roll into my garage, unable to walk, but there she’ll be. My bike. Not just metal and petrol. But a trophy. A monument to the chaos, the freedom, the madness of youth... ...and the fact that I still somehow have both kidneys. I’ve met people along the way. Some of them became lifelong mates, bonded by the sacred ritual of shouting over engines and complaining about tyre prices. Others… Well, let’s just say I’m thrilled to have the memory of a goldfish. I’ve been soaked through to the underpants, I’ve frozen to the point where my eyebrows developed frostbite, And I’ve also been warmer than a pie in a glovebox on a summer’s day. I’ve been terrified. I’ve crashed. I’ve fallen over, sometimes with great...

Echoes of an Unseen Battle

- July 14, 2025

Today... Everyone walks alone. A crowded world with hearts left hollow. Friends— they're myths now, and if they still exist, you cradle them carefully, like fire in a storm. We crave a corner of nature, a quiet patch to lay our noise down. Somewhere the world doesn’t scream at us. But peace is a vanishing species. We became our own chains, running, chasing the ticking hands of clocks as if salvation lies somewhere between deadline and burnout. People... want everything. Now. No time for patience, no room for grace. Privacy? Gone. Respect? Evaporated. This world spins on coins and credit. Life’s sacred values— buried beneath the weight of wallets. But remember... wasn’t it more beautiful when we had nothing? Back then poverty had a soul. It wasn’t about the lack of things, it was about the presence of people. There was struggle, yes, but there was unity. Today, we walk solo, heads down, hearts guarded. But how long can you keep walking alone? How long can you act strong, when inside...

Search This Blog