The American Consulate has asked me to remind you that from 8 January 2007, new US government regulations will require all travellers to the United States, including Americans and Bermudians, to travel with their passports. Furthermore, effective 15 October 2006,...
I was amazed to learn today that the PLP’s ideological cousin, the Barbados Labour Party (BLP), has a blog. Moreover, last month they publicly thanked the Barbados Free Press, one of their most vocal blog critics, for giving them "a...
I wonder if Premier Alex Scott chatted with Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist about this during his trip to Washington last week: Veteran politicians more familiar with turntables and typewriters are enlisting twentysomething computer whiz kids to help them brave...
The war in Iraq and the “war on terrorism” are merging with the Sunni/Shiite conflict into what looks like civil war. Harper’s index reminds us of the continuing deception directed at the American public by its leaders: The minimum number...
Guilden Gilbert writes to express concern about the reports of US government officials being able to get bomb-making materials past checkpoints at 21 US airports. Or specifically, why the media chose to make the information public: "Shouldn't security agencies be...
First Muslims were offended by a Danish newspaper. Now Hindus have been offended by a French film and Christians by an American TV show (again). These religious folk really need to lighten up a bit. Mind you, I haven't heard...
As the violence over the Dutch cartoons continues, in Austria British historian David Irving has been jailed for three years for denying the Holocaust. Holocaust-deniers are ignorant, foolish, and quite possibly anti-Semitic. Their views are distasteful and offensive. As such,...
Last Tuesday, 3,200 gay cruisers landed on Grand Cayman. To greet the visitors in a variety of ways were hundreds of residents who lined the city of George Town streets. They were vocal in one of three ways – “welcome”,...
Njegos writes about the Danish cartoon furore: "By now, everyone has heard of the infamous cartoons depicting the prophet Mohammed that appeared on the editorial page of the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten. The crisis escalated recently when France-Soir ran the cartoons...
This weekend there was an interesting discussion here about the difference between news, opinion, bias and propaganda. But paying newspapers to run favourable stories, presented as independent accounts? Now that's propaganda.
I don't think I fully appreciated the horror that Hurricane Katrina unleashed upon New Orleans until I read this story yesterday, describing conditions at the Superdome and convention centre. "Refugees describe piles of faeces, knee-high, after the toilets overflowed and...
Former UK chancellor and political heavyweight Ken Clarke is to make a third bid for the leadership of Britain's Conservative Party. The current leader, Michael Howard, announced his intent to step down after the Tories' defeat at this year's general...
When George Bush went to war in Iraq, one of his justifications was the need to bring freedom to the Iraqi people. Unfortunately, if those who are writing the new Iraqi constitution have their way, one group of people could...
Last Thursday, buried in the news of the blackout, a politician apologised for using race to divide the electorate. Criticising some members of his party for "trying to benefit politically from racial polarisation", he said the party had not effectively...
In the wake of the London bombings, the BBC has been catching some flak for its use of the word "terrorism". The BBC's editorial guidelines state that its journalists should "try to avoid the term, without attribution". It's a policy...
Following the terrible attacks in London yesterday, the blogosphere has been full of messages of support for the Brits. This is one of the funniest.
It’s tempting to suggest that today’s terrorist attack in London would not have happened had Tony Blair not supported George Bush’s invasion of Iraq. Tempting, perhaps, but it would be wrong. Truth is, ever since 9/11 London has been at...
In an article in yesterday’s Royal Gazette (alas, unavailable online), the wife of a Bermudian marine in Iraq urged people to support the soldiers even if they don’t support the war. A similar call has been made countless times since...
Royal Gazette Opinion, Thursday 5 May 2005 As you read this, the British are going to the polls to elect a new government. They’re essentially being offered a choice between two men. One is Labour’s Tony Blair, a man who...
Suppose you're a believer in not smacking children to discipline them. You think it's tantamount to child abuse. Then one day you discover that's exactly what the people next door do to their kids when they've been naughty. You don't...
Those able to vote in the UK general election on 5 May might be interested in this site. It asks a bunch of questions on various policy issues, then tells you who you should vote for. Here are my results:...
One of the most jarring moments of my recent holiday in Florida came during a visit to SeaWorld. Operated by American corporation Anheuser-Busch, the park began its signature killer whale show, the Shamu Adventure, by screening Anheuser's recent advertisement honouring...
I'm lucky enough to be living in a country that tolerates criticism of the Government. Arash Sigarchi and Mojtaba Saminejad are not. These two Iranian bloggers have both been deprived of their liberty by the Iranian government for expressing opinions...
A reporter from CBS news claims to have overhead some muttered asides made by American President George Bush during his inauguration in Washington DC yesterday. "The survival of liberty in our land increasingly depends on the success of liberty in...
Tsunamis may be a rare occurrence and Atlantic tsunamis rarer still, but after the events of the last few days, living on a low-lying island in the middle of the ocean suddenly feels slightly more precarious. The biggest Atlantic tsunami...
Ever wondered what you'd see if you compared the way each state voted in the recent US presidential election with the average IQ of the inhabitants of that state? Wonder no more.
It appears that Bermuda isn't the only place where politicians are no longer held accountable for their mistakes. In the United States too, the voters yesterday shirked their responsibility. In an editorial last week, The Economist characterised the race for...
If, like me, you have strong opinions on who you'd like to see in the White House after next month's US Presidential Election but, like me, you're not actually an American citizen with a vote, help is now at hand....
I'm flabbergasted by the reaction of British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw to the Iraq Survey Group's verdict that Iraq did not possess any WMD at the time of its invasion last year. Mr. Blair had...
Remember those stockpiles of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) we were assured Saddam Hussein had assembled in Iraq in the run-up to the American-led invasion last year? Remember the way George Bush slowly began talking about "WMD-related programme activities" rather...
In the United States today, a lawyer for George Bush's re-election team resigned after admitting links to a Vietnam veterans' group that has been running ads accusing John Kerry of lying about his war record. The lawyer, Benjamin Ginsberg, wrote...
The US decision to withdraw a UN resolution seeking to extend its immunity from prosecution by the International Criminal Court (ICC) is a welcome move. It was the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal which sealed the resolution's fate, making it...
Please can someone explain the purpose of US Attorney General John Ashcroft's press conference today warning - yet again - that al-Qaeda is poised for an imminent attack on America? Mr Ashcroft, together with FBI chief Robert Mueller, said there...
The utter effrontery of the Americans staggers me sometimes. Last week the US announced that it would be seeking to renew Americans' immunity from prosecution by the International Criminal Court. It's a concession that was extorted two years ago when...
In recent weeks, the international news has become increasingly depressing. I wish I could tear myself away from the violence, dishonesty and hypocrisy currently saturating it. But I'm transfixed in horror. Take Israel. The actions of the Israeli army this...
So Disney have decided not to distribute Michael Moore's new film, 'Farenheit 9/11', a highly critical attack on George Bush's handling of the September 11 terrorist attack. According to Mr. Moore's agent, Ari Emanuel, this is because Disney is concerned...
There has been much criticism locally of the Bermuda government's recent development of cultural and economic ties with Cuba. Following the convictions of another batch of dissidents on Monday and threats from George Bush's political advisor Karl Rove to crack...
Bermudians are not the only people arguing about the need for a referendum at the moment. In the UK a debate is currently raging over whether the British government should call a referendum on a new EU constitution, due to...
A certain amount excitement has been generated locally about British Prime Minister Tony Blair's decision to spend his Easter vacation in Bermuda, his first trip to the Island. He's due to arrive on the British Airways flight from London this...
The US Consul, Denis Coleman, has been speaking out against Bermuda's ties with Cuba again. Citing them as one of the reasons why relations between Bermuda and the US were "not as good as they used to be", he observed...
I try to keep this site Bermuda-focused and avoid posting on international affairs. But after watching last night's interview of George Bush by ABC correspondent Diane Sawyer, I can't restrain myself. Anyone who didn't see it should check out the...
So now Private Jessica Lynch, the heroine of the Iraq war, valiantly rescued by US troops, has landed the Pentagon in it by telling American TV the circumstances of her capture and rescue weren't nearly as dramatic as they were...
I want to like Michael Moore. I really do. He's funny and merciless when it comes to exposing the stupidity of some facets of the American way of life. But he's also about as left-wing as they come, and there...
After the failure of the UN Security Council to pass a motion criticising Israel's construction of its 'security fence' (due to - what else? - the US veto), it was nice to see the General Assembly get one through (UN...
There are times when living on an island in the middle of a large ocean, cut off from the rest of the world, can be very refreshing. If you want to hear international news here, you've generally got to go...
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