……….and yes, I would like to have the laptop at the end!

Yesterday, I, like almost every other one of my fellow self respecting Bermudians was enjoying the sights, sounds and traditions with family and friends that makes Good Friday a truly unique and completely Bermudian experience. While the day had forecasted to be windy and rainy, it turned out to be a surprisingly excellent day for flying kites, with plenty of wind and just enough sun to remind you that “Yes indeed I do live on a sub-tropical Island!”.

And then 2pm came along and I received the first report of someone ruthlessly being gunned down. What I thought was bad news only proceeded to get worse as more information came my way.

It was done at Victor Scott field!
The victim died!
The victim was flying a kite with his children!
It was a family day with lots of people and children there!

The news passed through everyone at my location like a cold wind, suddenly it didn’t feel like Good Friday anymore. To be honest I’m still numb just from hearing about this.

This single act alone demonstrates that the Gangs have the realisation that they can do what they want, when they want and without recourse. Sure those two poor excuses for human beings might get caught, but do you really think that is going to make a difference? Do you really think that will put a stop to this? If caught, do you think that the penalty will be just and fair? Ask the victims kid this question when they are older. I don’t know anything about the person who was gunned down except for this one fact; he was a father spending time with his children, and as a fellow father myself this act angers me right to the core with a fury, intensity and hatred for those involved in gang activity like none before. As a father I can emphasize with the victims children and family members for having seen this. As a Bermudian I want to see the gangs on this Island eradicated by any means necessary. I have no compassion or remorse for anyone involved in any gang activity that ultimately terrorises this Island. I am beyond giving them the benefit of the doubt, beyond trying to understand where they are coming from and beyond trying to walk in their shoes. I feel that this generation is lost and should be handled in a manner of action like never seen before. If there is a way that we can weed out the minority who can be salvaged, so be it, for the rest, right them off. Any efforts of long term social goals and programs must be focused on the next generation and the young children of today, but we can’t do that with this current generation acting in the manner they are, for this hinders any progress with our children that we hope to achieve. This current generation is lost and we had better deal with THIS generation before we loose another one.

Harsh words? Not in my view. As a Father and a Bermudian my concern is for the children who are going to inherit all of today’s social ills. They will never have grown up knowing there is a better way and that Bermuda once was an Island of peace. Without this simple knowledge there is nothing to strive for, no goal to reach for; they will have only known violence throughout their whole lives. Our generation has failed and I shudder for the day when my own kids look me in the eye and ask some hard questions about why OUR generation stood by and did nothing.

While doing a quick browse of Digg, I came across another example of this. I introduce to you the Icarus Project. Long story short, we Mr. Robert Harrison who wanted to take photos from space. Not having access to a rocket or even a portion of NASA’s funding, he cobbled together a large helium balloon, some packaging in a box, a cheap Canon digital camera, a parachute and a GPS tracker. The result was spectacular digital shots of the Earth from 20 miles up. The shots were so amazing that they caught the attention of NASA who called Mr. Harrison to ask how he did this and what he used. NASA’s solution to do this? Admittedly millions, Mr. Harrison’s? Oh just a little over $700! Seriously, if you are into all things space and astronomy, I urge you to see the pictures as well as the video. They are truly amazing!

Dear Sir,

If I may ask a question of our “Leaders” in the House, how have the silly games by the ruling party and the official opposition moved Bermuda ahead in any way, shape or form? I refer to the filibustering by the PLP and the scheduling of debates by the UBP. It would appear that in the constant game of tit for tat between both parties, that they have forgotten about the business of the People.

I can see this interaction for free between my two daughters of three and eight; I do not need another example at much higher costs to the taxpayers of children not playing nice in the sand box together. How proud they must all feel. As for myself and many other Bermudians, we shake our heads.

Wow that’s quite the social hand grenade statement there. If Mark is so much in favour of the preservation of Southlands, why is he denouncing the very people responsible for saving it? Was he ever there in the rallies or demonstrations? Probably not, but I could be wrong. If not however, what is his beef about this particular group, especially if they are rallying for something he also believes in? By his own expression, shouldn’t he also be out at EVERY rally, march or demonstration if they are about what concerns him? I take it that as a senator, he’s also for good governance, so we can expect to see him on the lawn of The House at the Forum for Good Governance tomorrow at 12:15 then?

I question Mark’s argument? Is he really that upset that these people haven’t come out to other rallies (Who’s to say that they haven’t?) or is he just being political as the Southlands/Morgan’s Point project is giving the Government grief lately. I would hope not as it would be a case of who’s pimping who?

In regards to Burch’s comments on sham marriages, while I agree with his distaste of anyone manipulating something like marriage to further their selfish goals; while feeling little sorrow for te stupid Bermudians who may be suckered/caught up in this game, Burch looses me with his views that foreign workers are allowed to only marry once. While I recognise that these are his personal views, I would warn against any government policy that treads on a persons right to choose who they love or wish to marry. The other day I heard someone say that ” If a Bermudian wants to marry a foreigner, then they should move away with that foreigner”. I shuddered at the thought of the brain drain we would have here as well as the instant reduction in the gene pool. Bermuda is too small to get xenophobic, we used to welcome foreigners to our shores as well as into our communities. While I love my fellow Bermudians, I also really appreciate hearing views from people outside our 21 square miles as well.

I would like my wife to remember all the smacks upside my head while driving and issue a full apology in leu of this.

The next day, while listening to the news on MIX106, I heard them say that they were now streaming on the web. When I got home I typed in their URL and a God awful website came up that reminding me of Geocities back in the mid 90’s. I found the streaming app, however all it was, was the pre-recorded news in an audio file that you can play. Not exactly streaming, however handy if you missed their news broadcast at 4:45, 5:15, 5:45, 6:15, 6:45 and 7pm. Come on VSB, you can do better than that website! It looks like someone slapped it together using Microsoft Word in about 30 minutes. If you are going to go online, do it properly, then sell advertising space for it!

While not a radio station, Let’s Talk Bermuda also has a website, all be it a wordpress blog, where you can submit your comments online instead of calling in. Great for me who is by far better at writing out my thoughts than speaking them.

All in all, Bermuda has a long way to go to utilise the internet as a media outlet. They need to work on this as most of them were done on the cheap or in a half-assed manner. Kudos to HOTT1075 though, if the rest of the radio station can get an app like that out it would be a boon to them as well!

Marching has always been a way of showing solidarity between a group of people in a particular issue. It is every Bermudian’s right to demonstrate (lawfully) and show their opinion and that is something that shouldn’t be criticised. Freedom of expression is something I feel very strongly about and as the saying goes,

These are words I will live by, unfortunately it’s something that I feel Bermudians do not tolerate anymore, which is another reason I feel we are where we are today.

Listen then respond

There is no tolerance for a difference of opinion in Bermuda. People are so quick to get violent, either verbally or physically today. This has never been the Bermudian way, not while I was growing up at least (Of course there were a few exceptions with the addition of alcohol). Typically Bermudians would listen to each other and respond in turn. What has gone wrong with the current generation and the one following it? Is it due to the many new cultures growing and influencing our Island? Is it the fact that many parents use the TV as a babysitter and our youth are bombarded with ridiculous Hollywood notions of thug life as being the way things are supposed to be? Is it the social frustrations and economic woes that manifesting themselves in parents behaviours which is copied by the children? Music? Drugs? I don’t have an answer for this but I will say that we are moving downhill and picking up speed with each passing month.

Applying the brakes

While I do enjoy a good march, I typically find that there is no follow up action; and this is where I side with Ashfield. I also believe we’ve had enough marches and public demonstrations. It’s now a time for action. If you want to march, I would suggest doing it at night in the areas in question. Having 1 to 2 hundred people marching/patrolling some of the bad spots will pretty much ensure that our residential gangsters would be sedated or move on. Alternatively, you can march to your neighbors and setup neighborhood watch. If you’ve witnessed something then march to your phone and repot it to the police. If you have the means, march to your nearest computer store and setup an camera, point it outside and put signage up that they the area is under surveillance; ask me how to do this if you don’t know. There is much more that our community can do instead of remaining indoors and doing nothing. Bermuda can’t afford to gather much more speed and apathy is only applying the gas. It’s time to stomp on the breaks, Bermuda!

Yesterday I took advantage of the weather and after my regular chores and moving more boxes from our old place ot the new one, I finished the tilling and grass clearing, next step is to erect a wind barrier and plant the seeds. To that end, I’ve downloaded a schedule of what to plant and when, adding on a month at the beginning and end of the seasons to account for Bermuda’s balmy weather. Of course I’m open to suggestions, so please feel free to give any.

Two points I have learned already:

1. Gloves are a MUST. I have some nasty blisters, especially on my ring finger.
2. Gardening muscles are a different set from computer muscles. To say I’m a bit stiff is an understatement today. It actually hurts to type! (Mind you the sudden case of cycling, moving and trying to pull start a motor didn’t help either)

Anyways, pics are sure to follow and I’ll keep you up to date on how it goes….or doesn’t go.