It’s been well documented that Acting Chief Justice Norma Wade-Miller’s <$>home was struck by a tornado before Hurricane Florence swept past Bermuda. But radio reports at the height of the storm incorrectly stated that Chief Justice Richard Ground’s home had also suffered storm damage. With such reports circulating, Hector would forgive Puisne Judges Carlisle Greaves and Charles-Etta Simmons<$> for taking a quick look above their heads just to check that their roofs were secure. It wasn’t the only faux pas by Hector’s media colleagues. VSB’s Carol Marshall<$> fielded an on-air call from a patient at the Mid Atlantic Wellness Institute praising the dedication of staff. But Ms Marshall, who Hector would like to think was simply overworked after a very long shift rather than plain rude, tactlessly inquired along the lines of: “You are not one of those patients are you?” The women politely explained, again, that she was and didn’t rise to such an insulting query.

Meanwhile Hector is blaming the Hurricane on the Premier <$>— the last time he changed Home Affairs Ministers and put Randy Horton in the post we had Fabian shortly afterwards. Less than two weeks ago he changed Home Affairs Ministers again and we had another Hurricane before Derrick Burgess <$>had time to get his feet under the table. It’s certainly given the new Minister a crash course one of the other aspects of his job — Public Safety.Hurricane Gordon has got political commentators whipped up in the UK. Weathermen may claim there is no particular significance to the names they choose for hurricanes. But with Tony Blair’s leadership on the rocks, supporters of the Labour party who hope their Chancellor Gordon Brown<$> will bring in more left-wing policies may note that the weather system is currently menacing what the Guardian newspaper called the “British overseas tax haven of Bermuda”.Someone at JetBlue Airways must have a wicked sense of humour. A pal of Hector’s was due to fly back to Bermuda with the airline from JFK on Tuesday morning but found themselves stranded, like so many others, after the flight was cancelled because of Hurricane Florence.

Hector’s chum called JetBlue to arrange a later journey and was dealt with by a charming young woman who couldn’t have been more sympathetic. A pity then that the music callers had to listen to that day while on hold was so ill-advised — a seemingly endless muzak version of Elton John’s Candle in the Wind...