curious and rather unexpected preoccupation with semantic niceties.

Apparently groups who have been beating each other up regularly for years can now sit down with each other amicably and chew the fat.

But what they really can't abide is being labelled as "gangs'' by the media.

This must have been the reason behind a Police press release heralding the peace talks as a "Meeting of Gang-Like Groups''.

Quite what other term is acceptable isn't clear but Hester thinks turning on the media is classic mob behaviour so perhaps we could use that term instead? Hester nearly choked on her complimentary champagne this week while touching down in Bermuda on a British Airways flight.

After the (expensive) long haul from London, Hester was unbuckling her seat belt when over the PA came a voice: "Thank you for flying British Airways. We do appreciate that you have a choice.'' Maybe the executives at British Airways have forgotten their monopoly on the Bermuda to London route which keeps the price of flying to Europe so high.

Hester was intrigued to note that a new holistic treatment seems to be available in Bermuda. In the Community Education Fall Term registration booklet Tai-Chi-Chuan is described as an unusual pastime. It apparently "helps to make the internal organs ''. Maybe some of our gutless MPs should sign up...

Well it's official. The Alison Swan nuptials took place in fine Hollywood style for 500 invited guests at Christ Church in Warwick and then on the grounds at daddy's home at Grape Bay.

Hester was there of course, and can confirm that star Robert DeNiro was on hand at the reception and reportedly told a proud father, Sir John, that the party rivalled the best he'd been to in Tinseltown.

Ms Swan , widely regarded as the most likely Bermudian director to make it big in LA, tied the knot with Robert Teitel, a producer of the popular movie "Soul Food'', on August 26.

While the weather was picture perfect that afternoon, Hester hears the traffic created by the horse-drawn procession from Paget to Warwick kept traffic at snail's pace for at least two miles, and made some invited guests late for church.