Gambling and suicide

April 2, 2009

Dear Sir,

May I quote William Salter — Trustee from Friend of Israel organisation. Executive Director

Despite the bright lights, glitter, and glamorous projected by the great gambling meccas of America, there is a dark side. Suicide rates in the major gambling cities of Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada, are reportedly four times higher than in cities of comparable size where gambling is not legal. Two years ago a gambling counsellor told a newspaper reporter that nine out of ten gamblers have contemplated suicide, and one out of ten has tried it.

These are significant statistics.

CONCERNED

Southampton

Accepting responsibility

April 14, 2009

Dear Sir,

It did not take long for me to consider my reply to Mark Emmerson's letter to the editor (Royal Gazette — April 14). He is quite correct in noting that my initial letter was dealing in the here and now, simply because it is in the here and now that we exist and must seek to make sense of the request from Ms. Winfield for an apology to the black community. He is also quite correct in that we need to get busy in addressing the issues of today "with as much wisdom at our command."

Strange as it is, that in our evolved state, we find ourselves at this point. Mr. Emmerson has a valid point of view. One held by many white Bermudians. We'll call it NOT guilty by association. We are white and for all intents and purposes, we have learned from the mistakes of the past (or have we? After World War Two we said 'never again' to genocide, but it has happened, is happening even as we debate this) and as such we preach a more tolerant and loving community. We admit that white people made mistakes in the past, but the past is dead and gone… isn't it? Have my white brothers become so complacent about racism in our society that we can simply leave the past to the history books? Should we not be recognising in our own communities areas that need to be corrected? Unfortunately it will take a little bit of effort. It definitely is a bitter pill to swallow.

It's a tough thing. No one has ever apologised for the past, and because we now take the stance of 'I don't hate' all is seemingly easily forgiven? Should we look at this as simply a black problem, one that they alone have to deal with? Are we that far beyond slavery and the civil rights injustices of the past that we are unable to look for ways to end racism completely? Our challenge today, is to recognise the past in more than just history books. Our challenge is to find ways to say we're sorry for the past and that yes, we will do everything in our power to make sure it never ever happens again. Let's use the "wisdom at our command" to understand where we've been, where we are, and where we have to go.

We are truly lucky. The guilt that Germans must live with today for their ancestor's treatment of the Jews in World War Two must be immense (just kidding). Imagine if we had to bear that guilt as well! No, today in our small world, we can work alongside blacks, and they have come so far in our society! They have the exact same rights as whites and we even have a black government! What more can they possibly ask for? What more can the white community, possibly give to the black community? Why should I apologise for something that I didn't do? Slavery? Civil rights? It had nothing to do with me. This is 2009… not 1959 or 1800. Yet if you ask a black person, they will tell you stories of where they have been made to feel different, where they have been stereotyped, where they have been hated… even here today. This is still a problem. It has NOT just gone away. It just looks and acts differently than it did.

As I noted in my last letter, racism…a direct descendant from slavery, continues to thrive in so many aspects of our society. We are still drawn upon racial lines in so many ways, socially, professionally and yes, even personally. As a white person who can also say 'it wasn't me' and even more, as a descendant of an uneducated Portuguese immigrant, one who chose so many years ago to deny his own children a chance at their own heritage to let them become 'white', I can recognise these issues. I can understand both sides. I can feel for those blacks who are held back simply because of their skin colour, and I can feel for my white brothers who are sensitive about it.

We must continue TODAY to make a conscious effort to not only ensure that the past is not just dead and gone, but that we have, each and every one of us, done our part to 'apologise' for it. The sins of the past are still there Mark. No one has ever asked for forgiveness, and as much as it hurts we must at some point accept that responsibility. History… the PAST makes us who we are today. The world, OUR world is NOT the pretty place everyone thinks it is. We have a chance… a chance to do something GREAT, a chance to make history… TODAY.

As for the coffee… I'd love to! Name the time and place… I'll be there!

PHILLIP RAY

Pembroke

Magic grey box

April 11, 2009

Dear Sir,

I recently received in my BELCO bill a PureNERGY flyer for a SOLAR-THERMAL HOT-WATER SYSTEM. They say the hot water tank is chewing up 30% of my monthly electricity costs. On a $200 bill that is $60. For a $600 bill that is $180.

Let's see. A family of four usually takes showers or baths in the morning and in the evening. During the day, the adults are at work, with the kiddies to nursery or school. When do we need the hot water?

We need the water hot in the morning and in the evening before bed. Let's say three hours for the morning and four hours in the evening for dinner and the like. That is seven total hours. We need the hot water only seven hours out of every 24 hours or 30 percent of every day. Thirty percent of the $60 is $18 of actual use, $42 is waste each month. For the $600 bill, $54 actual use and $126 is waste.

Do we really need a $15,000 solar thermal hot water system to save $60 or $180 per month? No, go buy the Little Grey Box at Gorham's, Universal Electric, or Telford Electric.

Twenty five years ago as a young laddie, I bought one for $39. I reduced my then electric bill by a third to $60 per month. I recovered the $39 cost in less than two months. Twenty five years on, the family electric bill is $270. I am saving $139 each month.

What is the Little Grey Box? Simply, it is a heavy duty electric timer.

How would you use one? Also, simply, if your hot water heater is at least five feet high and you and yours don't need more than what's in its tank each morning then set the Little Grey Box to start heating the water two hours before you normally wake and for one hour after waking as a cushion. The same reasoning goes for the evening. The other 14 hours the hot water heater is off and not drawing electricity.

So, if you want to save money now and reduce the Island's need for increasing fossil fuels, get your hands on the Little Grey Box.

INDIGENT BERMUDIAN

Warwick

Let's fight for Bermuda

April 12, 2009

Dear Sir,

I am sure that we are all aware of the many problems that face Bermuda today, and for those who aren't aware, then it is obvious they have their heads stuck somewhere else.

There was a concerned lady caller to one of the daily talk shows who wanted to know how do we start to fix the multitude of problems that face Bermuda. She was talking about crime, housing, education, traffic, Policing, tourism, respect and the lack thereof, wheeling and dealing, corruption … the whole nine yards.

Now since these problems affect the vast majority of us, to me the simple solution is to start with town hall meetings where people from across the Island come out and participate in discussion and solutions. This is where "A Big Conversation" is needed, and needed yesterday.

What's done is done; so we need to concentrate on the 'now' and the future as our children and grandchildren are at risk. If we continue on the path that we are on, there will be nothing left and Bermuda could probably end up being not a jewel in the ocean but a 22 square mile hellhole.

If crime, corruption, murder, civil unrest, unethical behaviour etc., continue at the rate that we are now experiencing, nobody will be safe on this island. If the cost of living keeps rising and the current economic situation continues, so will crime and all of the other unlawful activities that go along with it, and this little island will no longer be known as the isle of rest, but the isle of unrest.

One of the biggest problems is that the ball was dropped by the UBP way back when, then they picked it up and dropped it again in the late 80's, early 90's when complacency set in … and sorry to say, the ball has not been picked up since. Sure, some will say look what the PLP have done! Yes, they have done some things, but some of these things are far from being enough and many of these things are only cosmetic and vote getters.

This is where governments take advantage of the 'not so knowledgeable' and it is the 'not so knowledgeable' that keep a government like the PLP in power. It is called being used and not knowing it.

When you think about it, politics is truly a filthy game … it seems to be about fooling the people as much as you can to stay where you are and that is on top but hold on, isn't it me who is always saying that we are dealing with humans? And God knows that some of us are the lowest on the totem pole when it comes to morals, character and integrity!

Never-the-less Mr. Editor, Bermuda needs help to solve its problems, and I do believe that the time is way past due. I also believe that it does not start at the top with a President or a Premier … it starts at the bottom with the people because it is the people who suffer because of bad governance and unaccountability. I like President Obama's tactics … take it to the people and that's the way it should be.

So is there anyone out there who would like to get the ball rolling with town hall meetings? Anyone who would like to save this country from disaster? I don't care who you are, black, white, short, tall, straight, gay, bow legged, straight legged, fat, thin, we all make up Bermuda and Bermuda is our home. LET'S FIGHT FOR IT!!!

In closing, I have one last statement. I cannot wait to see if the Big Conversation will change the PLP campaign strategy in the next election. I want to see how much they rely on the race card this time … for example, by not voting for them, will take us back to the plantation, or if it will be on accomplishment, accountability and openness or racially whipped up emotion! I also believe that not all sitting members of the PLP agree with what is going on … but their silence is deafening. Are they silent because they do not want to lose their big fat pay cheques?

Where is their integrity? What they should really do is go out and get an 'honest job' because they certainly not doing the job they were put there for and that is the people!

Pat Ferguson

Warwick