Thieves, pick-pockets or other miscreants who think they can out-fox the CCTV cameras on Front Street had better watch out unless they are capable of running a lot faster than a sub-four minute mile.

As all the other spectators last Friday evening were craning their necks to squeeze a view of the big money Front Street Mile invitational race, the CCTV camera perched high on the corner of Front Street and Burnaby Street was providing a grandstand view for a bored remote operator. The camera whizzed back and forth, keeping up with the lead athletes as they ran along the street and whirled around the Bird Cage.

What Hector would like to know is whether the camera operator was as diligent on Sunday morning to catch sight of an incident on Hamilton’s fair streets that evoked memories of the old USA/USSR Cold War.

International marathoner Mary Akor <$>had already suffered a torrid time having discovered her luggage and all her running gear had been sent by the airline to the wrong island — Maui, Hawaii.

As if warming up in her jeans was not bad enough, the American was at least thankful to receive a race T-shirt in her pre-race goodie bag and promptly used the extra clothing to keep herself warm on the start line and during the early portion of the marathon before discarding the extra layer.

But after finishing as second-placed female runner, Akor learned that Ukranian rival Victoria Ganushchina<$>, who was fourth, had lodged a protest against the petite American for covering up her race number by wearing the T-shirt.

Happily the protest was rejected by race organisers who clearly had the pedantic Ganushchina’<$>s number.It may be little over a week old, but there’s been no shortage of drama at the Cooper twins murder trial in Supreme Court One. There was one eye-opening exchange, however, that few could have anticipated. And it had nothing to do with alleged baseball bat attacks, decomposing bodies or pictures of skeletal remains. Panic gripped the court for a split second just before images were about to be shown on a big screen, when a prosecution witness grabbed hold of a laser pointer — and directed the device straight into his eye as if it was about to be tested. Lawyers leapt across the bench towards the box, amid fears the unsuspecting witness could be blinded by the device. Fortunately it was not switched on at the time, and the witness left the courtroom with his eyesight, if not his pride, fully intact. There was a hollow laugh booming out of Hector’s household as he read about Postmaster General’s plans to get tough on late payers. How about cracking down on late deliveries? For years Hector has been used to receiving bills and mail bundled by an elastic band on a monthly basis. Why deliver mail when it arrives, goes the PO logic, when some more will be coming soon? But the man in charge of Bermuda’s snail mail, George Outerbridge, is going to hit back at people who don’t pay their post office box charges on an annual basis. Hector suggests the PO box users stand firm, bundle their GPO bills together and then pay them sometime in 2016 when there were enough to make it worthwhile bothering. So the Bondarenkos have finally gone — or have they? Like in-laws who linger longer than their welcome and then immediately issue imminent threats to return, the Russian family might not have seen the last of Bermuda. Just before they sailed south to Turks and Caicos they pledged they might pop in on the way up to Canada. But when? As we know they keep getting holed up in Bermuda because of poor weather. But as we also know Bermuda’s winter storm season lasts five months and its hurricane season six. So unless they drop in during the month of May there is every chance the wonderfully-named Bondarenkos will have another “enforced” lay over before finally setting off to Canada where work awaits after 14 years floating around in the ocean. Hector knows the feeling, it’s awfully difficult to get back to the daily grind after a long holiday. Hector’s not sure what to make of Wayne Furbert’<$>s recent elevation to UBP leader. The common feeling is he’s a nice guy with a communication problem.

Don’t mean to be picky but isn’t putting over ideas pretty much what politics is all about? Big Wayne was on the radio enthusiastically telling us he had “hit the ground running”. He elaborated that he had been up at “5 a.m. doing his household chores”. Great Wayne, nice to know your house is in order, how about sorting out the UBP’s?