Courtship has come a long way from the king of the jungle’s not-very-eloquent introduction; however, the desired results have remained the same.

People meet their soul mates in various places – the school playground, youth centres, seedy bars, in the supermarket aisle, on a trans-Atlantic flight; anytime people engage with each other there is always the chance that sparks will fly. The emergence of online chat rooms and programmes like MSN Live Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, ICQ and so on has opened the doors for many people to ‘meet’ and get to know others whom they might not have met under other circumstances.

David and Daphne Kelleher are one such couple who met online and who are soon to be celebrating 10 years together. Over a cup of tea, Daphne tells me their story complete with inputs of ‘no, that’s not how it happened!’ from David.

How did you get to know each other?

We met when chatting on mIRC. He was chatting using someone’s else’s nickname and he came in the room saying ‘Xi dwejjaq tahdem is-Sibt filghaxija’ so I asked him what he did and when he said that he was a journalist I asked whether I knew him. He mentioned his name on an open channel, giving me a very bad impression of who David Kelleher was, because even though I didn’t know him I had read his interviews and I thought that he was a ‘downright bore’ and a ‘nerdish journalist’!  (David: Feel free to write that down!) We started chatting after that and I found out that he was much more interesting than I had first thought! We met in person for the first time at a channel meeting a couple of weeks after we had started chatting; one that I wasn’t planning on going to because I had a friend’s wedding and one which he said that he wasn’t thinking of attending either. However my friend and I decided to go to the meeting after the wedding and he happened to be there. In fact I didn’t go to the channel meeting with the intention of meeting him; I went there with my friend to meet the whole group.

Did you know what the other person looked like before you actually met?

Although he had sent me a very blurred photo of himself and I sent him one too, I imagined him to be very different to what he actually looks like! I knew that he had a beard and glasses however I imagined someone short and stocky living on an endless supply of coffee, cigarettes and crisps! Needless to say the reality was far more appealing.

What happened after you met each other for the first time?

After meeting we just continued chatting online and he kept saying that ‘one day we’ll go for a coffee”, “one day we’ll go here”, “one day we’ll go there” but I didn’t really think too much about it. So then he embarrassed me by going on the main channel and typing ‘Piao (my nickname) will you go on a date with me?’ There were about 200 people on the channel and slowly the channel froze as everyone waited for my reply. I replied to him in a private message which he then copied and pasted in the main channel so that they could have their answer – she said yes.

What made you decide to agree to go on a date?

When chatting he was very understanding, not the usual ‘me, me, me’ type of conversation and we also had quite a lot of common ground. So he called me to arrange a date and I realized that I was really busy that week, however I was free on Thursday. Two seconds after we hung up it dawned on me that I actually had a drama workshop on Thursday! But he wasn’t going to let me get out of it because he decided that he would call for me afterwards – which he did. From the outset he started playing jokes on me and when we were walking towards the car he stopped near a broken-down, rusty, old car pretending that it was it. He wanted to surprise me by taking me to the casino but since he had asked me to bring along my ID card I suspected his plan! A second date followed… and in June 2002 we got married. On the day of our wedding there was another channel meeting organized and we decided to go there after the wedding at about 2:00 a.m. all dressed up in our wedding outfits!

Do you think that online chat rooms have made it easier to meet a partner?

Meeting someone online can kick start the relationship because you get to know a person’s character in detail. It also removes certain inhibitions that would be present were you to meet someone in a bar because it can be quite nerve-wrecking to go up to a stranger and introduce yourself – this barrier is removed through online chatting. You don’t worry about how you look when you’re chatting online, you can have rollers in your hair! You can chat without being ultra-conscious of yourself. mIRC made it quite easy to meet people because it was a very open community where everyone joined one common virtual room and then moved into smaller rooms; nowadays I think that the number of opportunities are more limited, although it’s probably quicker to get to know the person because you can see the person immediately via webcam.

Do you still chat to each other online?

When I’m downstairs and he’s upstairs I’ll speak to him over MSN rather than shout down the stairs because our house has very bad acoustics!

IAN RANKIN: Doors Open, Orion, 2008, 316, pp. €12

Have you ever wanted something that was seemingly unattainable? Something that was owned by somebody else but they didn’t appreciate it in the same way that you would? Would you risk your future to get it?

Set in Scotland, Ian Rankin’s Doors Open takes the reader on a fast-paced and exciting trail of friendship, loyalty, betrayal, lust, power and escapism.

Friends, Mike Mackenzie, a selfmade millionaire, Allan Cruikshank, a banker, and Robert Gissing, head of the College of Art, are all art lovers who form the unlikeliest band of thieves when they realise that prized paintings – which they would dearly love to own – are being stored in a warehouse, closed to the public and unappreciated.

Together they plan an elaborate art heist to steal select paintings for their private collections during an ‘Open Doors’ day in the city of Edinburgh; the one day in the year when buildings that are usually closed to the public open their doors to visitors.

However, in order to pull off the perfectly executed plan, the men realise they will need extra help and thus enlist the help of a professional, the city’s infamous criminal, Chib Calloway.

Calloway went to the same school as Mackenzie but headed down a very different path to his classmate, ending up in the underworld of crooks and felons. A class apart to the gentlemen, Calloway is the only person who could provide a criminal mind, and oddly enough, he seems to have taken a liking to the world of art.

Then there’s Hugh Westwater, a gifted artist with a penchant for copying famous works of art down to the smallest detail, whose talents are the crux of the operation succeeding – a detail that doesn’t go unnoticed by Westie’s girlfriend Alice, who, in spectacular Lady Macbeth fashion, convinces her boyfriend to milk the situation for all that he (and she) can get.

Meanwhile, local Detective Inspector Ransome has made it his personal mission to catch Calloway in the act and lock him away for a very long time. However, who are the three gentlemen that he’s meeting up with? And since when does an uneducated thug attend art galleries and art auctions?

Ransome has many questions and intends to get to the bottom of it all and uncover the truth before rival Detective Inspector Hendricks does.

The presence of the beautiful and intelligent Laura Stanton provides another twist in the plot as a potential love interest for Mackenzie, but with a rather unhealthy obsession for Ransome, thus, unbeknown to them, further entwining the lives of the two men. And then there is the presence of the ominous Norwegian henchman known only as ‘Hate’.

The plan to pull off “the heist of the century” is established. Westie is to paint replicas of the paintings that they intend to steal, the rest of the team are to storm the warehouse during Doors Open Day and take the originals, which will then be swapped with the fakes. Everything is set and ready, there’s no room for mistakes – the day arrives. However, as is often the case with perfectly thought out plans, things don’t quite go accordingly.

A classic cat-and-mouse game ensues and Mackenzie soon realises that mixing with crooks and dipping your finger in the proverbial pie makes you question yourself like never before.

A professional in the field of crime writers, Rankin delivers a novel that will keep you in suspense with its tight plot, interesting characters and fast-paced motion. You will be left trying to guess what the next move is going to be and wondering what new twist lies on the next page.

Numerous households have a computer nowadays, one that is more often than not connected to the Internet. This wonderful world that exists ‘in the cloud’ holds a world of information behind the monitor screen that is easily accessed by simply searching for a specific word or phrase. Hundreds and thousands of possible sites will be presented to you and because of this vast choice into the unknown it’s very easy to fall into the trap of assuming that the internet is harmful and holds potential dangers, for two main reasons.

Firstly, because of the negative hype that often surrounds the internet due to the numerous pornographic websites that can be accessed by anyone with an internet connection; anyone, including children.

Secondly, people tend to fear what they don’t understand, and because the internet is constantly evolving and is considered to be a gadget that belongs to ‘the younger generation’, it has garnered itself something of a shady reputation.

Whilst several studies have concluded that children of an impressionable age who are exposed to certain images and visuals online can be negatively affected by the experience, it is important to recognize that there is another, opposite and positive side to online content.

We are living in an information society where news is immediate and pervasive and is no longer delivered via a one-way system such as a newspaper or television set. With online newspapers, fora, blogs and micro-blogging sites, news of all sorts is spread to as many people as possible whilst at the same time allowing readers to voice their own opinion. This is the information age that today’s children are being reared in and it is therefore important for them to be exposed to the technology that they are going to be working with in their future. If they understand the potential that lies there, then they will be in a better position of controlling and making the most of this technology.

There has been a development in media education classes within schools which is a positive trend for today’s kids. IT education is important and should be widespread in all educational facilities starting at a young age so that kids can be taught how to use the Internet in a positive and constructive manner. Although there is a lot of positive and educational content on the Internet, it is still imperative that children are supervised by an adult at all times and that all computers connected to the school network are adequately monitored with irrelevant and illicit websites being blocked, thus preventing either the kids or teachers from attempting to access any unethical sites.

The proliferation of computers in homes should be reflected in schools with teachers trained to find educational sites that the kids can then browse at home with their parents. There are sites such as CBBC, which is the BBC site designed for kids, thus exposing them to an array of activities and games that will help enhance their creativity as well as the psycho-motor skills needed when using a mouse to control what is happening on the screen. Another kid-friendly website is provided by Yahoo! whereby children can play games that will keep them alert and improve their reaction times whilst also having fun; there is also an ‘Ask Earl’ portion of the site which includes the sort of general knowledge that only children are able to come up with! And which parents are often at a loss of how to answer. Via ‘Ask Earl’ I discovered that a giraffe has the same amount of bones in his neck as a human – that is seven vertebrae. Information like this is fascinating for a child and is readily available on the Internet and could make a school lesson interesting, as well as fun, which is likely to lead to better interaction and participation from the kids.

As of 2004 all schools are meant to be connected to broadband Internet and with proper scheduling and teacher training all children can be taught about the wonders that lie within the World Wide Web and how they can learn more whilst enjoying themselves. By honing their technology skills, children will also realize the possibilities that lie open for them in terms of jobs and future opportunities. A child with an interest in art could realize his/her potential in the world of graphic design.

The Internet should not be shunned as a monster of viruses and pornography, but should be embraced as a learning tool that is capable of teaching and entertaining children and helping them boost their mental skills, as well as their creativity and curious natures – the latter two of which are rarely found in adults.

By Giselle Borg Olivier for The Sunday Times of Malta, Technology supplement

Whenever I’m asked ‘So what is it that you do in life?’ I tend to hesitate. Not because the answer embarrasses me, but because it often embarrasses the person who asked. However, I choose to be polite so I reply that ‘I’m a copywriter’ and am inevitably greeted with a half-smile and ‘knowing’ nod whilst the person’s eyes are clouded in bewilderment. Some let it go and move on to safer areas like what I think about the divorce debate, but there are those who, beguiled by this response, want to know more. ‘Right… So what is it exactly that you do?’ Oh great, we’ve specified it now… well, here goes…

A copywriter is really self-explanatory – it’s someone who writes copy. It doesn’t sound particularly sexy, and in fact it isn’t. It’s all about you and a computer – and the thousands of people whom you hope will read your words. Copy is a generic term for words found in adverts, jingles, taglines, website pages, press releases, whitepapers, newsletters and other forms of media where the idea is to promote a product, service or even a person. Then there’s also web copy, which is often referred to as web content because a website usually tries to persuade the reader to buy a product or service by informing them about its features, uses, advantages and desirability.

Content is a mainstay of the Internet. If there was no content, you’d likely be staring at a blank screen! Therefore content development has grown into an important area for any website owner who wants to get traffic and retain readership. Web content is an important factor that will influence a user’s decision about whether or not to remain on a site and whether to purchase the product/service/advice etc. so content must be informative and interesting in order to engage the reader. If you’re not providing the answers that they’re looking for, then they’ll just look elsewhere. Internet users tend to be a fickle lot with minimal patience and an attention span so short that it can’t even be measured. They want their answers and they want them now!

Think about your favourite websites; why do you visit them time after time? It’s likely because they provide you with the information that you are looking for and they present it in a way that is appealing to the eye. This wasn’t done by chance, there was thought and effort put into the creation of the site and the content that was developed to hook readers and turn them into repeat visitors.

Indeed, there is one extremely important tool when it comes to copywriting and that’s a spell checker. Spelling and grammar mistakes have no place on an official medium. Carefully chosen words lose all their effect if they are misspelled. Mistakes make a site look unprofessional and whilst it may not have anything to do with the product/service, a shoddy site could be interpreted as a reflection of the company.

Knowing that the correct words could affect a person’s decision-making process is quite a responsibility. That decision could mean money… and, let’s face it, money is quite an attractive prospect; or it could also help build a reputation. Bylined articles not only feed the pocket, they also feed the ego. Consequently effective copywriting does hold a certain amount of potential in its grasp. When words appeal to the senses they are making an impact on the reader; describing the balmy summer evenings of the Maltese Islands on a travel website invokes the idea of relaxation and tranquility, far from the mundane routine of daily life. Yes, a holiday in Malta sounds perfect! A designer fashion website describes the glamorous lifestyle that a handbag can bring; a jewellery website promises that she will love you forever with their diamond rings. The right words can result in the desired actions and that is what effective copywriting strives for.

Methods, tips and tricks about copywriting and content development are plentiful and can easily be found online. It need not be a very complicated process but the benefits of effective copy are just as plentiful.

By Giselle Borg Olivier. Published in Style Magazine – June 2009

For most people living in Malta, the year tends to revolve around the summer season. Mainly because summer is not limited to its calendar days between the 21st June and the 20th September, but tends to start in May and can easily carry on until the end of October. Naturally the season tends to revolve around the warm weather and Maltese sunshine is definitely not lacking in that area; however, there are other hints that indicate that a Maltese summer is well and truly underway.

1. The sun is beating down on you as you step outside your house, full of energy and in good spirits.  After a 30 second trip to the car, however, you realise you’re already out of breath and on the verge of hallucinating and the energy you felt just 30 seconds ago has vanished completely. As you slide into your seat and frantically reach for the AC button, you are greeted by the cool breeze of quick relief from the air vents.
2. All the hotel car parks are full during the weekends because couples choose the summer months to get married (no worries about the rain ruining the big day!), leaving you with nowhere to park.
3. Signs of summer lovin’ are evident as the summer weather turns everyone into a social butterfly. The numerous events and parties that fill up the summer social calendar become a proverbial hunting ground as people look for a partner to nest with during the forthcoming winter months.
4. As less clothing is worn and more flesh is shown, gyms start getting full again with people guiltily remembering their New Year resolutions and re-using their annual subscriptions that “is so much more worthwhile and will help motivate me to continue attending classes”.
5. People no longer drive their cars up and down the Sliema front on the weekends checking out the strollers through their aviation Ray Bans; instead they race each other to the best spot at Blue Lagoon (or the latest Mediterranean hot spot) on their cabin cruisers/yachts/speedboats.
6. The beaches look like crowded zoos that house all different sorts of animals ranging from graceful gazelles to sweltering hippos with all of them trying to claim their spot ideally located midway between the seashore and the bar. Luckily they share the space easily enough without any animalistic scenes.
7. Scores of English language students descend on the island crowding the buses and the beaches, contributing to the gazelle population and every teenage boy’s fantasy as Sweden suddenly becomes a fascinating country that they MUST visit.
8. Loud bangs go off at intermittent intervals throughout the day and tourists can be seen gazing around in fright wondering whether Malta has suddenly gone to war. Don’t worry, it’s just festa time! Every town’s and village’s excuse to block roads and have a street party where alcohol and cholesterol are the main ingredients for everyone aged 9-99. Of course we discourage underage drinking and aim for our ‘five a day’… but it’s the festa and traditions must be upheld in all senses.

Ultimately though, by the 1st of July people are wishing for winter to arrive, the rain to fall and for the weather to cool down because the heat is just too much to bear! Have a great Maltese summer everyone!