Tuesday 24 August 2010

Fireworks or not?

Would a bit of consistency be too much to hope for?

Fireworks rounded off the Battle of Flowers Moonlight Parade (a little too soon, and a little too far away, but never mind) and also the Gorey Fete.

But hang on - didn't we decide that fireworks are environmentally unsound and best avoided? Didn't the island mess about Terry Macdonald considerably because his record breaking attempt was called off due to green concerns?

Terry has been treated disgracefully (google it if you're unfamiliar with the story!) so I have to wonder - are we happy with fireworks or not?!

Tuesday 17 August 2010

How the other half live




Here's where the Planning Minister lives.











- and here's where other Jersey people live.

Note the contrast?





Nobody said life was fair!

One man has the power to blight our lives by approving the building of monstrosities to ruin the charm of the island so that the rich minority can get even richer.

And today on the BBC phone-in it was made very apparent that lots of less fortunate islanders are enduring poorly heated States-provided housing, freezing in the winter in damp and mouldy conditions. For an island with money coming out of its ears thanks to the finance industry, and more flashy sports cars and status symbol 4WDs than you could comfortably count, and mansions aplenty, it must be obvious that something has gone very wrong with this island!


Privacy?

I did wonder about publishing this blog entry, but with the visit of the Google "Street-view" car in the news, I thought it was timely. The Senator's address is freely available, it's on election papers and it's in the phonebook. I took the photo from a public road, and it's a view anyone can see by going there for themself. I don't have an issue with Google photographing where I live - why should I? I believe in the power of the internet to show us as much as we want to see, within reason.