We had anticipated a fantastic concert on Friday night, and we weren't disappointed.
The opening act, Maske, was an electric string trio from Australia. Excellent musicians. Fun. Pretty.
The transition to Paul Potts was handled spectacularly with Maske accompanying Paul on "The Prayer".
On his own after that with, unfortunately, canned music he still startled with the depth of emotion that he brings to his singing. He virtually vibrates with it, and it comes across splendidly.
It's not that I don't like Bocelli, for example. Technically he may even be superior to Paul. But he's not as easy to "feel" as anyone knows who has ever seen Paul's "Britain's Got Talent" audition version of Nessun Dorma.
It was his encore on Friday night, and every bit as moving.
Too bad the audience wasn't larger. Maybe just over half the theatre was full. Maybe Atlantis set the price a bit steep.
In any event, this was an extremely rare splurge for us, but thank you Kerzner Iternational, it was everything we had hoped!
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
"Plus ça change" ... Some reminiscing about the days when "Snail" Mail wasn't.
In this case, the rest of the phrase ... "plus c'est la même chose" [the more it remains the same] doesn't apply.
"Disgusted with Third World Government Services" in today's Nassau Tribune writes that even his electric bill takes 20 days - 20 days! - between postmark and placement in his Post Office Box.
For those readers who are not familiar with the way things work here ... there is no home delivery of mail in the Bahamas. You either rent a box at the main post office or one of the satellites, or you get your mail via General Delivery. In either case you have to schedule mail pickup into your routine.
This is not necessarily a bad thing all around. My dad used to love his regular "hails" on his morning rounds downtown and as a boy I remember being with him as he and his friends exchanged updates about family, politics and even religion while clutching a handful of bills, letters and postcards.
It was a slower time, and "going to the post" was almost a social activity for some men. I guess the women visited at the grocery store - when men never ventured!
But I digress ... the point here is that there is no excuse for mail which is dropped off at the main post office - already franked - to take 20 days to make it from one part of the building (which ain't too big, folks) to the mailboxes.
I don't understand. The rest of the world has speeded up but what we now call "snail mail" has indeed slowed down.
35 years ago at college in Massachussets my Mom wrote a couple pages every Sunday afternoon . Dad mailed it on his Monday morning rounds before 7 a.m. and I got it on Thursday or Friday OF THE SAME WEEK!! I specifically remember being desperate for funds once, calling home on Saturday. Dad went to the Royal Bank of Canada Bay & Vic on Monday morning, bought the draft, mailed it and I got it on Friday.
Try that now.
When I was studying in Madrid letters from home took exactly a week. What was mailed here on Monday, reached there the next Monday. And I was living on the northwest outskirts of the city in the middle of the scrub.
[A funny aside ... my sister was also studying in Mass. at the time, so my mother wrote essentially the same letter to both of us using carbon paper ... added a personal note at the end, and mailed two separate letters. Kids today won't easily relate - as their mom's would likely type it into the PC and print out two crisp copies.]
The US isn't much better at this mail thing by the way. At work we get correspondence from mainland Europe or the UK within about a week. From Miami we're lucky to get it within 3. It just seems to hit the skids once it reaches MIA and "mañana" takes over!
So much for progress...
"Disgusted with Third World Government Services" in today's Nassau Tribune writes that even his electric bill takes 20 days - 20 days! - between postmark and placement in his Post Office Box.
For those readers who are not familiar with the way things work here ... there is no home delivery of mail in the Bahamas. You either rent a box at the main post office or one of the satellites, or you get your mail via General Delivery. In either case you have to schedule mail pickup into your routine.
This is not necessarily a bad thing all around. My dad used to love his regular "hails" on his morning rounds downtown and as a boy I remember being with him as he and his friends exchanged updates about family, politics and even religion while clutching a handful of bills, letters and postcards.
It was a slower time, and "going to the post" was almost a social activity for some men. I guess the women visited at the grocery store - when men never ventured!
But I digress ... the point here is that there is no excuse for mail which is dropped off at the main post office - already franked - to take 20 days to make it from one part of the building (which ain't too big, folks) to the mailboxes.
I don't understand. The rest of the world has speeded up but what we now call "snail mail" has indeed slowed down.
35 years ago at college in Massachussets my Mom wrote a couple pages every Sunday afternoon . Dad mailed it on his Monday morning rounds before 7 a.m. and I got it on Thursday or Friday OF THE SAME WEEK!! I specifically remember being desperate for funds once, calling home on Saturday. Dad went to the Royal Bank of Canada Bay & Vic on Monday morning, bought the draft, mailed it and I got it on Friday.
Try that now.
When I was studying in Madrid letters from home took exactly a week. What was mailed here on Monday, reached there the next Monday. And I was living on the northwest outskirts of the city in the middle of the scrub.
[A funny aside ... my sister was also studying in Mass. at the time, so my mother wrote essentially the same letter to both of us using carbon paper ... added a personal note at the end, and mailed two separate letters. Kids today won't easily relate - as their mom's would likely type it into the PC and print out two crisp copies.]
The US isn't much better at this mail thing by the way. At work we get correspondence from mainland Europe or the UK within about a week. From Miami we're lucky to get it within 3. It just seems to hit the skids once it reaches MIA and "mañana" takes over!
So much for progress...
Monday, April 21, 2008
Predestination and Starbucks.
OK. So Nassau has about 200,000 plus residents.
The new NAD airport authority wants to host two specialty coffee shops at NIA. (Kudos by the way for what's been done out there so far).
Today's Request for Proposals ads reads like a prescription for Starbucks:
- Proponents must have at least two (2) current locations similar to the proposed operation, which they have operated within the last three (3) consecutive years
- At least two of the proponent's current locations have to have generated at least $500,000 in average gross sales in the last two years
I don't actually know if the Starbucks operation here (essentially a locally owned franchisee) can meet those standards or not. But no-one else can for sure.
Caffè Caribe at Logos Bookstore was doing specialty coffees long before Starbucks moved in - since 1996 actually - and we did it with our own experience, capital and sweat equity - a fully Bahamian operation in every way. But we'd not qualify under NAD's RFP. Not that we'd be interested, but still ...
Do these guys think they're still in Vancouver - area population about 2 million?
Why bother to RFP if you write the thing at all if you have a predestined winner?
This is NOT a realistic background proposal if you're looking for local participation - I see there's nowhere in the RFP where it says the experience must be either local or Bahamian.
So folks ... my prediction, FWIW: look for a "Toomanybucksforme" at NIA soon - one in the US Departure Section and one in the Domestic / International Terminal.
The new NAD airport authority wants to host two specialty coffee shops at NIA. (Kudos by the way for what's been done out there so far).
Today's Request for Proposals ads reads like a prescription for Starbucks:
- Proponents must have at least two (2) current locations similar to the proposed operation, which they have operated within the last three (3) consecutive years
- At least two of the proponent's current locations have to have generated at least $500,000 in average gross sales in the last two years
I don't actually know if the Starbucks operation here (essentially a locally owned franchisee) can meet those standards or not. But no-one else can for sure.
Caffè Caribe at Logos Bookstore was doing specialty coffees long before Starbucks moved in - since 1996 actually - and we did it with our own experience, capital and sweat equity - a fully Bahamian operation in every way. But we'd not qualify under NAD's RFP. Not that we'd be interested, but still ...
Do these guys think they're still in Vancouver - area population about 2 million?
Why bother to RFP if you write the thing at all if you have a predestined winner?
This is NOT a realistic background proposal if you're looking for local participation - I see there's nowhere in the RFP where it says the experience must be either local or Bahamian.
So folks ... my prediction, FWIW: look for a "Toomanybucksforme" at NIA soon - one in the US Departure Section and one in the Domestic / International Terminal.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
How NOT to get your way?
Two stories in today's local papers ... and a third that ties in nicely ... have me wondering if there are lots of folks in our society who are a bit like tone-deaf candidates at an "American Idol" audition. They just aren't reading the feedback they get from reality.
Tying all this together ...
In dealing with yesterday's stabbing of a student at a local school the police spokesman restated the need for us to provide training in alternative forms of conflict resolution. Anger management, if you will.
Yes and No ... what we do need is some basic instruction in "brought-upsy" to use a good Bahamian term! This stuff has to be learned at home ... that beating someone up doesn't get your way. That killing them certainly doesn't.
But then you have ... The adults who don't seem to know any better ...
A father is now in a very public fight for custody of his son [while never making clear why the mother is not deserving].
A family already well known for conflict in public has sued the local and international arms of UPS and everyone remotely connected therewith.
These folks don't seem to understand that the court of public opinion can be a very harsh judge indeed.
I just don't understand why, as a society, we seem to think that arguing with the public and suing the pants of anyone who walks will somehow get us what we want. Notice I said what we want. Not necessarily what we need. Not what's best for everyone involved. No. I want what I want and I want it now and someone else better fix it for me!
"Of all my mother's children ..." You know the rest.
I don't know, perhaps we are indeed unduly influenced by North American media, where it seems so much more important to people to argue in the court of public opinion than where it really matters. Natalie Holloway's mother proclaiming "Joran did it" doesn't make it so, though it seems somehow she thinks constant repetition might indeed change reality. I understand the pain involved, but still ...
Uh Uh. Repeating a statement ad nauseum doesn't increase its veracity. The principle of "innocent until proven guilty" is disposable as long as it is inconvenient? Or is it only true for me? People don't seem to see how illogical it is to insist that others cut us slack while we keep the leash as tight as possible.
Aaargh! This feels like a rant. I guess it is. I shouldn't do it.
But everyone else is ranting!
Perhaps what's important to most of us is just what "makes me feel better" ... and ranting or stabbing or suing may do just that. But only short term.
We have to keep reminding ourselves that there are long term implications to whatever we do today:
Kids will remember if we "dis" their mother in public.
People will avoid doing business with you if they come to know (as they will in this tiny country, folks) that you will try and remedy even human mistakes by harassing them to death publicly.
Solve a disagreement with physical violence and you can end up in Fox Hill.
Write weird observations in a blog and they can come back and bite!
Logical conclusions, all, but too easily forgotten in the "heat of the moment".
OK ... so none of this is new and I'm certainly not the one who invented it, but some things just need to be repeated until they do become reality. (See Aruba rant above)
CALM DOWN, FOLKS!!
p.s. By the way ... I'd love to be able to hyperlink to articles from The Tribune. No can do yet.
Tying all this together ...
In dealing with yesterday's stabbing of a student at a local school the police spokesman restated the need for us to provide training in alternative forms of conflict resolution. Anger management, if you will.
Yes and No ... what we do need is some basic instruction in "brought-upsy" to use a good Bahamian term! This stuff has to be learned at home ... that beating someone up doesn't get your way. That killing them certainly doesn't.
But then you have ... The adults who don't seem to know any better ...
A father is now in a very public fight for custody of his son [while never making clear why the mother is not deserving].
A family already well known for conflict in public has sued the local and international arms of UPS and everyone remotely connected therewith.
These folks don't seem to understand that the court of public opinion can be a very harsh judge indeed.
I just don't understand why, as a society, we seem to think that arguing with the public and suing the pants of anyone who walks will somehow get us what we want. Notice I said what we want. Not necessarily what we need. Not what's best for everyone involved. No. I want what I want and I want it now and someone else better fix it for me!
"Of all my mother's children ..." You know the rest.
I don't know, perhaps we are indeed unduly influenced by North American media, where it seems so much more important to people to argue in the court of public opinion than where it really matters. Natalie Holloway's mother proclaiming "Joran did it" doesn't make it so, though it seems somehow she thinks constant repetition might indeed change reality. I understand the pain involved, but still ...
Uh Uh. Repeating a statement ad nauseum doesn't increase its veracity. The principle of "innocent until proven guilty" is disposable as long as it is inconvenient? Or is it only true for me? People don't seem to see how illogical it is to insist that others cut us slack while we keep the leash as tight as possible.
Aaargh! This feels like a rant. I guess it is. I shouldn't do it.
But everyone else is ranting!
Perhaps what's important to most of us is just what "makes me feel better" ... and ranting or stabbing or suing may do just that. But only short term.
We have to keep reminding ourselves that there are long term implications to whatever we do today:
Kids will remember if we "dis" their mother in public.
People will avoid doing business with you if they come to know (as they will in this tiny country, folks) that you will try and remedy even human mistakes by harassing them to death publicly.
Solve a disagreement with physical violence and you can end up in Fox Hill.
Write weird observations in a blog and they can come back and bite!
Logical conclusions, all, but too easily forgotten in the "heat of the moment".
OK ... so none of this is new and I'm certainly not the one who invented it, but some things just need to be repeated until they do become reality. (See Aruba rant above)
CALM DOWN, FOLKS!!
p.s. By the way ... I'd love to be able to hyperlink to articles from The Tribune. No can do yet.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Accusations of Sensationalism don't equal Censorship!
So I find myself a bit at odds this morning with several things in the newspapers, a couple of them related in a rather strange way.
Paco Nuñez takes exception in the Tribune (and reproduced in the letters section of the Guardian) to the Prime Minister's observation that the local press seems sometimes a bit too preoccupied with crime and those are the headlines that seem most days to figure most prominently at the top of the front page.
I must be getting old or something ... I find myself pretty well in agreement with the PM - at least on the observation that the Press sometimes sensationalises.
And if the Press pretends it doesn't, it loses credibility all on its own.
Certainly a response which essentially cries "Censorship" is taking the "best defense is a good offense" truism a bit too far indeed.
As much as I would champion the role of the press and value its freedom I said a couple weeks ago that headlines are sometimes a bit out of hand.
Many many years ago a couple kids at a school pretty close to the the Tribune dropped a couple cherry bombs in the boys toilet and blew it to high heavens. As far as I can remember it didn't make it to the newspapers, as messy as it was!
I can see the headlines today ... "Messy explosion at private school places children's lives in danger!" In bold 48 point type.
Paco Nuñez takes exception in the Tribune (and reproduced in the letters section of the Guardian) to the Prime Minister's observation that the local press seems sometimes a bit too preoccupied with crime and those are the headlines that seem most days to figure most prominently at the top of the front page.
I must be getting old or something ... I find myself pretty well in agreement with the PM - at least on the observation that the Press sometimes sensationalises.
And if the Press pretends it doesn't, it loses credibility all on its own.
Certainly a response which essentially cries "Censorship" is taking the "best defense is a good offense" truism a bit too far indeed.
As much as I would champion the role of the press and value its freedom I said a couple weeks ago that headlines are sometimes a bit out of hand.
Many many years ago a couple kids at a school pretty close to the the Tribune dropped a couple cherry bombs in the boys toilet and blew it to high heavens. As far as I can remember it didn't make it to the newspapers, as messy as it was!
I can see the headlines today ... "Messy explosion at private school places children's lives in danger!" In bold 48 point type.
Close to Censorship?
According to the first paragraph of a piece by Taneka Thompson in today's Tribune, Dame Joan Sawyer is supposed to have warned that "Those who publicly bad-mouth the judicial system 'impinge upon the respect' of the Court of Appeal or any court of justice and can be cited for contempt of court ..."
If that's what she said, and assuming that's what she really meant, one hopes the eminent justice is cognizant of the fact that those words can easily be interpreted as a threat to freedom of expression.
If that's what she said, and assuming that's what she really meant, one hopes the eminent justice is cognizant of the fact that those words can easily be interpreted as a threat to freedom of expression.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Larry Smith on Crime - I've got an easy solution, but Pardon me, Larry, is that a bias showing?
Larry Smith writes, as usual, an eminently well considered article on the subject of crime. Read it here: What to do About Crime in the Bahamas
We flap our gums a lot about all this, and there is just too much navel gazing (Larry quotes the repeated commissions and study groups).
All that is needed is to enforce the law. Period. It's one thing that is not done in the Bahamas.
Last week heading to the Airport took us from 7:50 am to 9:20 am to travel about 13 miles. During that drive we watched repeatedly as cars pulled out from the lines and flew up the right hand lanes. In one instance when they reached the intersection there was a policeman there directing traffic. All he did was come over and speak to the driver, who was then allowed to peel off into the traffic to repeat the offense once more.
That's just one example. Most of my Bahamian readers can reel off countless others.
So I repeat ... unless and until we are willing to enforce the law AND to allow ourselves to be subjected to said enforcement, we can forget about all the other theoretical solutions out there.
What reduced crime in New York? Zero tolerance. What will reduce crime in the Bahamas? Same t'ing bro'!
By the way ... Larry quoted a pretty shaky statistical correlation in his article between Societal Health and Popular Religiosity from the Journal of Religion and Society. Wasn't it Mark Twain who quoted Disraeli as saying there are three types of untruth - lies, damn lies, and statistics? (Check out this book from 1954 updated in 1982: How to Lie with Statistics )
Unfortunately, as usual, even the most basic of personal experiences can counteract their implied claim that religion is somehow detrimental to society. As much as one might want to malign the correlation between crime and "fundamental" religious belief, in my experience the most religious areas of, e.g., the US are the safest. Iowa, anyone?
Is there perhaps something else at play which is not even detected due to the established bias of the "statisticians"??
Let's not forget, please, that much of what we take for granted in modern society is the result of "religious" campaigning.
Go no farther than the influence (sadly unheralded as it still is) of William Wilberforce. Where would we be in terms of crime if we didn't have universally free education, for just one example.
Check out these books by Rodney Stark for an alternate view:
The Victory of Reason: How Christianity Led to Freedom, Capitalism, and
Western Success
and
For the Glory of God: How Monotheism Led to Reformations,
Science, Witch-Hunts, and the End of Slavery
We flap our gums a lot about all this, and there is just too much navel gazing (Larry quotes the repeated commissions and study groups).
All that is needed is to enforce the law. Period. It's one thing that is not done in the Bahamas.
Last week heading to the Airport took us from 7:50 am to 9:20 am to travel about 13 miles. During that drive we watched repeatedly as cars pulled out from the lines and flew up the right hand lanes. In one instance when they reached the intersection there was a policeman there directing traffic. All he did was come over and speak to the driver, who was then allowed to peel off into the traffic to repeat the offense once more.
That's just one example. Most of my Bahamian readers can reel off countless others.
So I repeat ... unless and until we are willing to enforce the law AND to allow ourselves to be subjected to said enforcement, we can forget about all the other theoretical solutions out there.
What reduced crime in New York? Zero tolerance. What will reduce crime in the Bahamas? Same t'ing bro'!
By the way ... Larry quoted a pretty shaky statistical correlation in his article between Societal Health and Popular Religiosity from the Journal of Religion and Society. Wasn't it Mark Twain who quoted Disraeli as saying there are three types of untruth - lies, damn lies, and statistics? (Check out this book from 1954 updated in 1982: How to Lie with Statistics )
Unfortunately, as usual, even the most basic of personal experiences can counteract their implied claim that religion is somehow detrimental to society. As much as one might want to malign the correlation between crime and "fundamental" religious belief, in my experience the most religious areas of, e.g., the US are the safest. Iowa, anyone?
Is there perhaps something else at play which is not even detected due to the established bias of the "statisticians"??
Let's not forget, please, that much of what we take for granted in modern society is the result of "religious" campaigning.
Go no farther than the influence (sadly unheralded as it still is) of William Wilberforce. Where would we be in terms of crime if we didn't have universally free education, for just one example.
Check out these books by Rodney Stark for an alternate view:
The Victory of Reason: How Christianity Led to Freedom, Capitalism, and
Western Success
and
For the Glory of God: How Monotheism Led to Reformations,
Science, Witch-Hunts, and the End of Slavery
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