2006-10-28

New Premier beckons

I don't comment on political issues often, usually because I'm either dissatisfied, uninterested or purposely oblivious to the goings-on.

ZBM reporter Mike Sharpe cornered me yesterday afternoon to ask me who would be the next PLP leader, the incumbent Alex Scott or challenger Ewart Brown. Personally I was hoping the question would be about sports but no such luck. Anyway, I stumbled to say that Dr. Brown would get the post, but offered no reason except to say it's time for a change.

When I got back to my desk, I thought a bit deeper about it. I think that it is indeed in the best interests of the PLP to change leaders because the present administration has been seen as ineffectual and for that political party to win over the votes of the many undecided people, it needed to present a leadership with a different look about it. A general election will be due within the next two years, and it will be interesting to see how things turn out.

As it is, Dr. Brown indeed won the leadership of the party, and is now slated to be the next Premier of Bermuda. Politics.bm has provided news on how the voting shook out.

2006-10-26

The effects of the police blitz

Many people are driving more slowly... which is having the effect of... well, only a bit more frustration.

Meanwhile, this morning, I'm behind car 40119 which makes a turn without indicating. Later this evening, I am walking to my bike and I see a van, licence 38360, run a red light. Then on my way home, in fromt of me is a bike, licence AD408, with no working rear light and also failing to signal a turn.

Oh yeah. We're becoming a clearly safer Bermuda with the police blitz. Joy.

So I don't appear to be completely dissatisfied with "The Man", I have to give major props to TCD for giving me the most efficient bike relicensing process imaginable. I booked an appointment for the inspection process, and it went amazingly quickly. The queue was short for the relicensing, and I was processed in record time. Congratulations! And of course, lesson of today is book in advance :-)

2006-10-22

One step closer

One step closer to relaunch of the home page, ironing out some kinks
with stylesheets and feed displays. If I can get some good cross-browser
checking (including Macs) and a couple more things I may bring it out
before month-end. Remember, my web editor is Notepad, heh...

2006-10-19

Traffic fun

For some stupid reason, the police are announcing that they're clamping down on traffic violations including illegal parking, speeding and running red lights.

Firstly, I'll believe it when I see it, particularly for the red-light runners. I can believe parking violations since there's little effort needed besides strolling around and slapping a ticket. Anything involving changing inertia, good luck.

Secondly, why the hell announce it? Just enforce the darn law the way you're supposed to. Why give people the opportunity to pretend to drive properly for a month and not learn anything new? Just book us according to the law and see if we change our ways.

Not by coincidence, I'm riding into work this morning and near the Tennis Stadium I come across these two guys holding up a banner of some sort. They were dressed in that shirt-and-tie combo that to me indicated that they were of the Latter-Day Saints movement. Their banner read, "Honk if you prayed this morning".

Me: "Oh dear lord..."

I can't make up this comedy if I tried. Of course I was too late to actually honk after I muttered that. However, wouldn't this be in violation of what the police are looking to cut back on? If I recall, it's an offense to use your horn for reasons other than certain traffic situations...

Limey is one of many weighing in on this bizarre announcement, particularly as it relates to enforcing the 35kph law.

2006-10-11

Bridgetown is beyond full

Was reading about things back down in Barbados when I came across this letter to the editor. Firstly, I can't imagine the benefit of another cross-country 'highway' that won't serve any purpose. Bus routes won't be created for this road, the only thing it really does is give commuters another method of going to the airport if they live in the west end of the island.

What I really agree with the most is that Bridgetown is a congested city and the only way to alleviate traffic flow is to divert business centres and the like to another location. I've seen small outlets take shape in Warrens, but I think an ambitious project should be taken up by the Government. Holetown and Speightstown are likely out - maybe somewhere centrally located should be developed into a business centre, and of course with it, restaurants, department stores and the like would follow.

Trust me - rush hour in Bermuda doesn't compare to what it's like getting out of Bridgetown most days...

2006-10-09

They got the bomb

So North Korea has the bomb now. Only a matter of time, I would have thought. And for all the talk about trying to persuade North Korea to not proceed with their program, it's hard to give weight to the suggestions coming from the United States which still has enough nuclear weapons to completely annihilate the planet.

Read a take on professional athletes choosing not to represent their country, as it relates to soccer. I'm of the opinion that there's few greater honours for an athlete, and it relays down here even to Bermuda. For some people, and I'd love to ask some of those guys who choose that route exactly *why*, they'd rather not.

Is it money or lack thereof? There've been issues with the West Indies cricketers and the Board over contracts, as well as soccer issues namely Togo and to a lesser extent Trinidad and Tobago. But when you see multi-millionaires, whether in soccer or the NBA, decide they're not interested in representing their country and instead are focusing on their club (admittedly, their employer) commitments, it makes one wonder.

2006-10-04

Beware, pirates!

They busted some skulls in Bermuda for video piracy. Watch out, all the Bajan video rental stores, you're likely to be next, what with a believed (my opinion) of more video rental stores per capita than any place else in the world... heh.