XL Capital lays off 10% of their workforce.  Hardly shocking news.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/bankingfinancial-SP/idUKN1032077820090210?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0

That's another hit to property prices in Bermuda.
How are those BNTB shares holding up?  Another 52 week low?

Yeah I heard Zane fills in a lot of the blanks on cheques.

How's that police investigation going anyway?

"additional ammunition" - wasn't that found in the post office before the last election?

President Brown has arranged a "private" little eight hole tournament for himself and 'select' friends tomorrow (only 8 holes are even close enough to being finished).  The idea was to get out and play on the course so that he could then stand up and say "See, it was finished on time!  We said January and we got it done in January."  Mere peons and plebes won't be able to play until August though.  And would have been on budget too if those bye's hadn't messed up planting the grass.  Funny how they only got the holes visible from public roads done.  Outa sight, outa mind.  Good thing Zane and his byes are putting in all that extra overtime for the next few months to get the other 11 holes ready.

Yes but Ewart and his buddies are playing a spashul 8 hole tournament at PRGC tomorrow.

Don't know about taxes but they sure had to pay Argus' enormous fees.  Clearly the fees didn't cover due diligence.

PwC might be next.  They wont need the audit team that worked on the Kingate Management audit!

There's a large demographic segment of Bermuda's population that doesn't see a real problem with corruption.

And that's why I think there's little long term future here.  I'd love to be proved wrong but Plan B is already in place.

Is Beyonce going?

Another silver platinum lining:  Have you seen all the apartments and houses for rent in the local paper?  When was the last time you saw a half page of listings?  And not a single ad from potential renters begging for a lead on an apt.

Its probably a good thing Bermuda's banks are so 'well capitalized'.  I can see a few landlords and construction companies defaulting on their mortgages over the next few months.

How long has the premium's official residence been empty now as they wait for that mythical $15,000 a month rent?


[editor's note: just fixing the strikethrough.]

I'm waiting for the Buck Burrows statue to be dedicated at the Governor's House.  All Black Power boys will be there.  Probably Tigga and his Momma too.

I'm upset at seeing the innocent people injured by these morons. 

to the morons: If you want to be a finalist in Bermuda's Darwin awards, at least don't hit anyone else as you record your exit from this world.  I won't waste time reading how you were so adorable that even wild animals were attracted to you, you were the worlds next Pele and your granny thought the sun shone from your ass.  Oh, who am I kidding.  most of the Darwin award finalists in Bermuda can't read anyway.

Registered voters?  Hell, I'm pissed.  My wife gets a card from the Great Leader and she's not even Bermudian.  I still haven't seen mine.  And I vote.  Not for him, but I do vote.

Andre (I'm NOT Gay) Curtis is currently cooling his heels in police custody.  I'm sure about now, he's hoping that's the 'hand of the lord' crawling up his backside rather than a Bubba.

This is not a topic of much interest to expats but it annoys the hell out of me.

Argus and their pension plan extortion.

They require you to choose from their 'Argus select funds' saying they have chosen those funds as the best blah blah blah.  More likely they were chosen based on their willingness to share revenues with Argus.  For this, and ensuring your funds are 'properly balanced', Argus charges you a pretty hefty fee.  Now we see they have failed in their due diligence and put money into an outright fraud.  Their response?  Bummer man.  But don't worry, over time you'll make it up.

That's so WRONG.  If Argus failed in their due diligence, Argus should eat the loss.  If I picked the investments, fine, but I didn't.  Argus did.  I am required to invest in the funds Argus has selected.  They selected a fraud and now their sticking me with the loss.

When will the BMA grow some balls.