Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Of Army Knives and Formula 1 Drivers…

Well Lewis Hamilton didn’t win the 2007 championship, but he has something to celebrate as he announced that he would be moving to Switzerland to escape the excessive public and media attention he has had in Britain over the last year. Hamilton is in fact the fourth Formula 1 Driver to move there in recent times, following in footsteps of seven time world champion Michael Schumacher, two time world champion Fernando Alonso and 2007 champion Kimi Raikkonen. This follows David Coulthhard who owns a home there, as well as Sir Jackie Stewart, the scottish driver who claimed the world championship in 1969, 1971 and again in 1973, who moved there almost four decades ago.

So what attracts the F1 drivers to the Swiss Confederation? Is is the lure of the fresh air in the Alps, the taste of the cheese or maybe the fact that motor sport is not regarded as a form of trade and as such professional drivers are listed as unemployed and their taxes lowered?

I think it’s the cheese…

Posted by Kev at 21:34:35 | Permalink | No Comments »

“Beam me up Scotty”

So as I sat and browsed the newspaper at lunch today, my attention was drawn to the current Minister of Works & Transport’s first world solution to the problem that he in fact created. I really am not sure if the Honorable Minister did in fact think a whole lot about it before making this statement, but I’m sure if he did, he would have considered, powering the elevators, servicing them, vandalism, safety for the users and everything else associated with the installation and operation of such mechanical devices alongside a major highway.

On the topic of walkovers, while on my way to work this morning, I was stuck in traffic from Freeport to just past Chase Village because people slowing down to maco the protesters begging for their walkover. While I’m in agreement that this particular area probably does need one, I have come the sad realization that soon enough there would be a walkover at every 100 meter interval on every one of the nation’s highways. From Aranguez to heading west to Don Miguel Road, a stretch of less than 2 km, there are no less than 3 walkovers, not to mention the two traffic lights at which pedestrians still cross the 6 lane highway. The sad part is, people still continue to chance running across the highway rather safely take the walkover.

But if I were Minister of Works and Transport., I’d look at science fiction from the 60’s and some advances in quantum mechanics to create safer crossings for both pedestrians, handicapped or not, cyclists, pets and even motorists.

Posted by Kev at 04:12:29 | Permalink | No Comments »