For all who are, or have been in love..

Rafferty still pre-occupies my mind.. this video is a tribute to his life.

Lyrics from the heart, of course.

And this one says it right…

Just say it.. that’s all that matters.

Thought of the Day

The forces in a capitalist society, if left unchecked, tend to make the rich richer and the poor poorer.

Jawaharlal Nehru

I was reminded of this when I saw on the BBC that banks are set to pay out BILLIONS in bonuses. They put the world into a recession, got governments to bail them out and now reward themselves for screwing everyone. Nice too bad.

Rafferty Lives on..

It’s a sad day for the Cap, as Gerry Rafferty passed on. He lives in me nonetheless.

His music landed in a very formative time of my life – 1980 – 1986. By strange co-incidence today, I was playing some of Rafferty’s classics in the car – not even knowing that he had passed away. I only found out just a few minutes ago.

Sad	Baker Street–the classic
A true favourite	Goose bumps…still come with this one.

Thought of the Day

Do not expect anything original from an echo.

PH, tails and bhaji

It seems that there is much ado about nothing on the taxi front. No, not the water taxis; the road taxis.

Maxi taxi drivers are intending to strike to demonstrate their ‘disapproval’ for the legalising of ‘PH’ cars. I find this a seriously dotish idea for a number of reasons.

• There are already Private Hire cars working in many routes all over the country. Whether legal or not, they are here to stay. Without legalisation, they will continue to work – alongside the maxi taxis! –  so that, as is the present situation, maxi taxi drivers still have to compete with them. A licence will not make a difference to that competition. It will however allow insurance to cover the passengers.

• For the same reason, the argument that PH cars takes income away from the maxi taxis doesn’t hold much water.

• PH cars being legalised is nothing new. England has public transport buses, black cabs and also private hire cars. The photo on the right is a private taxi and its driver.

• PH cars in Trinidad tend to supply a demand which the maxi taxis cannot or will not fulfil. Whether working hours the maxi taxis don’t/won’t or on routes such as off the main roads, PH cars do provide a vital service. There is minimal direct impact on the maxi taxis.

Seems to me that maxi taxi drivers should have their ire raised at the drivers who have sex with little school girls, play lewd music loudly and cuss the passengers when they complain, drive recklessly and cuss the passengers when they complain, unconscionably provide a series of short trips instead of charging the lower, long distance fare…

I haven’t even mentioned the touts they hire assaulting or cussing potential passengers and members of the public when they reject the overtures made by said touts…

I am waiting to see what impact, if any, a strike would have on the legalisation protest. I foresee that they will ‘boil dong like bhaji’ and go back to work with their tails tucked between their legs.

60’s retro?

I knew there was something a bit off about these glasses Jack is wearing in this photo.

A simple Google search for “women glasses from the 60’s” led me to this design on the right.

Described as: Very feminine 1950s or 60s frames for women.

Not exactly the same I know, but you have to admit, the style that Jack wears is very 50’s/60’s women retro. It is known as the ‘cat eye’ design.

Shift + F3 - Keyboard tip

In MS Word 2007 or 2010 if you select any lot of text in a document and then hit Shift + F3 (i.e. press SHIFT then quickly tap F3 on your keyboard), some amazing things happen.

Say you typed: This is so cool
Now after Shift + F3 (1st time): THIS IS SO COOL
Then after Shift + F3 (2nd time): This Is So Cool

This is a real time saving feature if you need to titlecase text or label packages with zip or postcodes, or if you just happen to have a thing for all UPPER CASE or lower case letters.

FIFA backlash or conspiracy theory?

The letter writer, John Henry, in yesterday's Express, is suggesting that the media coverage in the UK of the unfortunate Greens horrible attack and their subsequent venting of their spleen (unfortunate word) on the Tobago House of Assembly and its administration for their lack of compensation is as a result of Jack Warner and FIFA's choice of Russia over England to host the World Cup final in 2018. This may not just be a conspiracy theory.

Some people had warned about a backlash because of Warner's supposed promise of support for England, although his courteous acceptance to be wined and dined by royalty (he even gave marital advice to Prince William on his upcoming marriage) does not constitute a promise.

Some had even advised Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to get rid of him quickly as the FIFA decision against England would complicate diplomatic relations with that country.

One can only recall that when Warner was made a Minister, warnings had also been issued about it being unethical and possibly illegal for him to hold a high post in such a high profile international organisation and be a Minister in a Government of an independent State. The case for ethics was brushed aside, as it had been when he was chosen to contest the Chaguanas West seat. It was public knowledge that he was involved in controversial football issues, but perception was obviously of no concern in politics for the UNC.

Legal opinions were sought both here and abroad and they were, as would be expected, in favour of the People's Partnership government.

Now we have another development which is simply tying up FIFA with the Cabinet, which includes Mr Warner.

Russia, which triumphed over Britain in the World Cup competition, has been granted the privilege of their citizens entering Trinidad and Tobago without visas, ostensibly as tourists.

Another conspiracy theory to check out, Mr Henry.

Nikola Mitchell

Westmoorings

2011

2011. A new year. I’ve always wondered what that signified. I mean, did the earth pause in its journey around the sun so we’d know it was a ‘new year’? I think not. It’s business as usual, no change really in the grand scheme of things.

Business as usual in more ways than one. The murders and road deaths continue without abatement. In fact, if anything is to go by, there’s going to be a bumper crop Death will be reaping this year. Pity I am no artist as I am sure the image of the New Year is not the baby with the rattle, but a baby crawling along dragging a scythe behind. Or perhaps coming along empty-handed to collect the scythe from the Old Man (representing the Old Year) with the speech bubble saying “I bet I can beat your score, you old fart!”

If God existed outside the minds of the deluded, then I am sure ‘S/He’ would have done something to help. After all, we have murders, rapes, chopping, sex with minors, and all manner of ‘sins’. How could ‘S/He’ turn a blind eye to ‘Her/His’ children? Doh worry. Offer plenty masses, prayers, pujas and prasad and continue to bury your heads.

Thought of the Day

How can Elton John be the ‘daddy’ when he is the wife of his partner??? Is stupidity a prerequisite for being gay?

Maybe it’s just “Money talks, and …”

Hmm, does this mean the question of whose what goes where has been answered?