Random thoughts of the week - Budget and more

1. The Budget statement doesn't inspire confidence. Cutbacks of significance weren't announced, instead the public (employees and employers) is being asked to shoulder a bigger load in this climate. All businesses, both local and foreign ones operating here, are being told to shoulder a bigger burden. Retailers for one can't be happy.
2. I am strangely fascinated with Olympic curling. Since NBC continued with their dramatic stories form of televised coverage I was lucky to get this (British?) telecast on one of the cable channels which showed tons more sport. The Sweden-Canada women's final was compelling. Of course, it's not really TV-friendly but the telecast suited me just fine.
3. The Southlands-Morgan's Point situation has turned ugly really, really fast, or at least that's how it appears in the headlines. Most likely the developers have been stewing for a while on the lack of a resolution and right now nobody's happy at the situation.
4. I think the BDA Party is getting there, but needs to step it up even more. Right now they're still not at the level needed to realistically challenge the PLP in an election, rather they're just splitting the old UBP support block. Swing voters overall still have to be convinced that they're truly viable.
5. Kellon Hill's murder looks more and more like a situation where justice won't be achieved in the courts. I feel terrible for his family and friends.
6. Avoid Lindo's supermarket in Warwick on Saturday afternoons. Checkout lines extending into the aisles. Maddening... although it beats MarketPlace in town on Wednesdays easily.
7. Global catastrophes seem to be more frequent or immiment nowadays. It's scary to think that disaster is potentially so close.
8. We need more hangars at home. Yeah, throwing a *really* random thought out there.
9. I cannot recall the last time I went to a local movie theatre. I guess it's sad, but either there's no "must see now" movies out there or the prices have just gone past high and into crazy territory. At least Specialty/Little sells nachos now, right?
   
10. Babies at home reduce your sleep allotments, test your resolve when they pee everywhere and can possibly cause more stress,... but I won't trade him for anything.
    

Getting food at KEMH

Got to experience a bit of the hospital over the past couple of weeks. You hear both horror stories and tales of enjoyment, but at the end I have a few observations as a relatively frequent visitor:

1. No way the front desk should be 'closed' at 8:30pm. Having everyone routed to the emergency department entrance at night just seems out-of-place for some reason. At the very least, put a sign up in the lobby so I don't go all the way up to the electronic sliding doors for them to not activate but instead mock and laugh at me.
   
2. I was stunned to find out that not only does the hospital cafeteria close at 12pm on Sunday, there's no vending machine or anything else in the area where a visitor can get a beverage or light snack. This is 2010 and Bermuda used to be a developed country.
3. Whoever commissions the toilets there, two things - firstly they gotta raise the seats, but secondly they need to install whatever motor is propelling the flushing action in our house. Like a jet engine.
   
4. Most importantly, the nurses and staff working in the SCBU (Special Care Baby Unit) have been an absolute joy to talk with and get information from. They've helped to make our time there so much more pleasant with their encouragement, professionalism and care.

I'm not sure if the talks about the replacement hospital have fallen off the country's radar but I hope it's addressed again in the near future because I think the environment there could use improvement from an infrastructure and facilities point of view.

What about the Causeway

Read a short piece by Vexed Bermoothes today relating to the Causeway here. Essentially, it's the only way for people to get from the mainland to the Airport and St. George's, and vice versa. The powers that be have had to close access to it a few times recently due to high winds and storm.

The discussion on a replacement or enhancement to the Causeway has been going on (and off and on) for quite a few years now, with nothing close to a concrete plan being determined. But according to the VB post that I linked to earlier, plans are going to be soon revealed by Government. The website created for this initiative looks to be pretty informative.

Vexed rightly points out potential issues from a spending and financing point of view, for me, the idea that they may choose to bypass the existing location of the causeway and instead go through Coney Island and potentially Ferry Reach, that's quite surprising. And almost certainly, something that would not be appreciated by the owners of Swizzle Inn, Bailey's Ice Cream Parlour, and Blue Hole Shell gas station.

About the Lindo's TV commercials

You know, Lindo's supermarket in Bermuda have gotten a fairly good reputation for witty and clever TV commercials over the years (by local standards, of course).

However, for some reason the producers continue to have the microphones for the actors in the most obvious and visible places ever. Such as these two:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNBoZTcRzIM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMmljPxUhHM

Surely they could hide them to give them a bit of a realistic appearance?

There's also one not yet online where there's not only the obvious mic attached to the collars of the actors, but if you look at one guy's shades you can see the reflection of the video camera operator. Sigh. Pity.

Where I've been

World events, local issues, politics, community, crime, I've put off (for the most part) in great detail over the past few weeks.

When you become a parent, all other things tend to pale by comparison, at least for the first several days. There are few awe-inspiring moments (and right now I can't think of a single one) that can match watching your son emerge into this world.

He was born a few weeks before due date, so right now we're still in the "wait for him to put on some weight" stage and have to visit the hospital often to see him and get some quality time in as far as interacting and making those bonds with.

It's great though, to be a proud dad.