Bahamas B2B Blog

Lessons From Elizabeth

2010-02-17T20:55:00.001-05:00

The people of Elizabeth have spoken. While no one candidate has yet to emerge as the decisive victor, the voice of the people was loud and clear. There at least three important lessons to be learned from the Elizabeth by-election.

1. Bahamian voters are fed up with "politics as usual".

Voter turnout for the by-election was around 64%, low for The Bahamas, where the usual turnout is over 90%. There are many reasons why people do not take the time to vote. The biggest reason is because people see no one worth voting for.

As one disillusioned non-voter told BahamasB2B, "It won't matter which of these clowns wins the election. Nothing will change."

Another said, "I don't like any of the candidates, why would I waste my time voting."

It is high time for politicians in The Bahamas to understand that they are going to have to abandon their elitist attitudes and learn to serve their masters, the citizens of The Bahamas. You can bet that the general election in 2012 will go to the party that has some real solutions to the country's challenges, and acts to truly represent the people who elected them.

2. Independent candidates are now a formidable force in Bahamian politics. Sure, none of the independents came close to victory but they managed to siphon off enough votes from the PLP and the FNM candidates that a recount was necessary. If even a few of the voters, who voted independant, had voted PLP or FNM, there would have been a decisive victory for one of the main parties.

This is another red flag for the established parties that the days of unwavering loyalty to the PLP and FNM has come to an end. Bahamians want competent representation. They will no longer simply vote for whoever Daddy supports.

3. The governing FNM party will not coast to a victory in 2012.

It appears that there are a good number of Bahamians who are not happy with the adminsitraton of Hubert Ingraham. 'Hubbgity', as he is not so affectionately called, needs to wake up and smell the coffee. The blunders that the FNM has made in it's first two years in office had better be corrected, and the needs of the people better addressed, or there will be a change in goverment in 2012.

Meanwhile, it appears we will have to wait, at least for another day, to find out who the MP for Elizabeth will be. Then, comes the challenges and possible court battles. Democracy in action, eh?

Kudos for Stan Burnside Cartoons

2010-02-17T10:14:00.003-05:00

I love Stan Burnside. Well, I mean I love his cartoons that appear in the Nassau Guardian. I think he is right up there, with some of the best political/social cartoonists of our time. Not only is he poignant and relevant - he seems to capture the essence of Bahamian society's mood for the day - but his characterizations of public figures is wonderfully humorous.

In the cartoon below, for example, he has completely captured the likenesses of Duane Sands and Ryan Pinder. You don't even have to read the text, or know what's going on to enjoy this cartoon. If you know Sands or Pinder, you laugh out loud the moment you see the cartoon.

Mr Burnside's characterization of George W. Bush was among the best ever done. Although, Jim Morin of the Miami Herald also did a wonderful job depicting Bush also.

There's another side of Burnside that also shoes a passion for Bahamian culture, ancestors and history. Mr Burnside is a well respected fine artist (see image below), as is his architect brother, Jackson. Stan considers himself a 'landscape artist,' painting the 'landscape of his mind.'

Talented man, talented family.

The Undervalued Talent of Bahamian Artists

2010-02-11T21:24:00.003-05:00

I have rarely seen so many comments on a single topic as I have on the debate on Facebook regarding the funding of Bahamian artists. The thread started with a note by (I think) the talented Believe Glynatsis regarding the $35,000 the Ministry of Tourism spent promoting The Bahamas in a little booklet tucked into the latest Mariah Carey CD.

"The bahamas spending over $35,000 on Mariah Careys album .. just so she can mention the Bahamas in it! Okay fine .. but how about putting some of that money and marketing into a Sammi Star - Tada - Ronnie Buttler - Sosa Man or Mdeez .. even NCity."

The criticism was expanded to include the $300,000 spent on U.K. filmmakers who were flown to The Bahamas for a contest involving promotional videos for release in the U.K..

"How about the Bahamas spending $300,000 on a promotion to bring in European Film makers in for a competition .. but yet they dont want to give Bahamian Film makers equal opportunity."

No doubt the Bahamas government should be financing the arts, and I think they do. The NAGB, for example, is money well spent.

Bahamian artists, filmmakers and musicians are angry that more money is not being spent promoting local talent. I understand their frustrations but I do not agree with all of the comments.

I love The Bahamas and personally know many of the talented artists and performers in this nation. I honestly think, and have said many times, that The Bahamas may have a higher percentage of creative talent than anywhere else I have been. But to compare the talent or mass market appeal of anyone in The Bahamas with Mariah Carey is getting a little big-headed. Unless you are talking about Lenny. :-)

Ms Carey is one of the most gifted performers of our time. All the big name recording artists I have met in recent years - and that has been many - have tremendous respect for her talent. She is known throughout the world and her "draw" is nearly unrivaled. There is no way that the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism could have gotten the same amount of "bang" for their promotional buck by throwing money at any Bahamian artist.

Now, that comment may annoy many Bahamian artists, especially the young ones who think they "deserve" their chance at fame. But I think it's time for many of these folks to start thinking more realistically. You don't "deserve" respect, you earn respect. You don't demand it or legislate it. You may be a very talented individual but until you can command a million dollar purse for a performance, and until you win a few Grammy's, I don't think you have the right to compare yourself with one of the world's greatest recording stars. That'd be like saying that some young Bahamian basketball player at the Hugh Campbell gym should be headlining the Lakers, instead of Koby. Sorry, but as hard as it may be for you to accept, you are just not "there".

And while Facebook is full of great little videos produced by talented Bahamians, I haven't seen one yet that even comes close to rivaling the work being done by some of the most talented young filmmakers in the U.S. or U.K..

Again, I know that many Bahamians will disagree, but I have been involved in the creative arts for over 40 years and have had the pleasure of working with some of the most talented people in the industry. I am sorry to tell you that they ARE more talented and they have earned their elevated position in the industry, through talent AND hard work. And they didn't achieve their success overnight.

Groups of Bahamian artists getting together to pat one another on the back, show off each other's work and brag about how great they are, doesn't cut it in the real world. Nor does giving each other awards and demanding recognition and accolades.

Too many young Bahamians have been denied the opportunity to live abroad and experience the jaw-dropping talent that exists in other countries, places where there is a much larger population and, thus, a larger talent pool, in a much more competitive environment. People from those countries are tougher competitors and probably better at what they do, because they have to be in order to survive.

You can find exceptionally talented performers playing in back alley bars in New York for $300 per night. People whose talent might dwarfs anybody's in Bahamian history, yet these people haven't made it because they are competing against even more talented people.

It reminds me of the story of a young photographer from the Midwest United States who had achieved the pinnacle of success in the local photo industry and thought it was time he moved to New York to make a name for himself in the biggest, baddest photo market on earth.

His first sales appointment was with an Art Director from Young & Rubicam, at the time the largest advertising agency in the world.

As the art director was looking through the young Turk's portfolio, the photographer noticed some images that had been dropped off by another photographer who had just completed an assignment for this particular art director. The photos were from the legendary photographer Richard Avedon, arguably one of the greatest fashion photographers of all time. The art director made several nice comments about the images in the young man's portfolio, thanked him for taking the time to visit, then politely showed him the door.

Our young hero could have been angry that the art director didn't hire him for a job. After all, he was one of the best and brightest from the Midwest. But this was New York and the photographer that the art director was currently using was one of the best available. There was, seriously, no compelling reason why the art director would hire a young guy from Detroit, when he had available, within his budget, the king of fashion photography, Avedon.

Just like there is no compelling reason for the Ministry of Tourism to spend $35,000 on a promotion with a local artist, when they have available, and within their budget, Mariah Carey. Actually, the promotion with Ms Carey was money well spent.

So, the next time a young Bahamian artist feels slighted, they must remember that it isn't about foreign vs. Bahamian, it isn't just about raw talent, it is also about paying your dues in an industry, marketing muscle, earning respect and working hard. The fact is, if you are not where you think you should be, you may not have, yet, convinced your prospective audience that you deserve the spot in the industry that you covet. Yeah, that's right... covet, and as any good Christian knows, to covet thy neighbors goods (or position in life) is not healthy - in fact it's a sin.

Work hard, pay your dues, earn the respect you so desperately desire and you will achieve greatness in your field. But only if you really have what it takes. If you do, then dedication and perseverance will usually be the recipe for success. Stop whining and get back to work. As Craig Gibson says at the close of every episode of BahamasB2B's 'On Tha Blocks', "ain't nobody gonna do it for you, ya gotta do it yourself".

Bahamas Slow Showing Compassion To Haitians in Need

2010-01-15T10:41:00.003-05:00

Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, has decided to release ALL Haitians in the Immigration Detention Center on Carmichael Road. He has also suspended the apprehension of Haitians coming to our shores at this time. So much for all of Bran McCartney's hard work. But it is the right thing to do.

This wasn't just a goodwill gesture on Mr Ingraham's part. I think it came as a response to widespread criticism on Facebook and other Internet sites that The Bahamas was not showing even a fraction of the compassion of neighboring Caribbean countries in responding to this terrible tragedy.

While virtually every newspaper in the world had headlines showing concern and compassion, the headlines of the two major newspapers in The Bahamas were focused on potential immigration concerns that an influx of Haitians might come to The Bahamas as a result of the quake.

It was embarassing and shameful.

Bahamian cultural expert Dr. Nicolette Bethel posted this comment in an excellent critique that addressed our national shortcomings on the issue:

"O Christian Bahamas, where's the Christ in us?

"I hardly know how to write about the Haitian earthquake. The situation is worse than any possible imagining. And what is worst for me is this: our Caribbean brethren in Jamaica, Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago are demonstrating far more compassion than we seem to be doing...

"I don't wish to be crude, but WTF?

"Wake up, Bahamas. Ours is a country that has been built � for the last thirty years literally, but for all our history in many many ways � on the strength, sweat and hard work of our Haitian brethren."

Jasmin Willette Dorsett responded...

"It really and truly is a sad thing to see the hatred and ignorance displayed by some of my fellow Bahamians in light of this tragedy. All I can wish for is that more Bahamians will come to the realization that we are a blessed nation, in terms of our economy and our political stability; and that they will take the time to stop pointing fingers and instead lend a hand to help those less fortunate than themselves."

It is nice to see Mr Ingraham and The Bahamas displaying the compassion that we need to show to our neighbors in their hour of need, even it was a bit delayed.

Some Bahamian Artists Put Cart Before Horse

2010-01-01T18:56:00.020-05:00

UPDATE: I would like to apologize to Dr Bethel for my failure to address her by her correct title in my original post. Dr Bethel earned her doctorate from the University of Cambridge and as a former Director of Culture for The Bahamas Government, she is one of the most respected experts on Bahamian culture.

According to organizer Nicolette Bethel, a 'Day of Absence', staged last February by Bahamian cultural activists, was to make the point that Bahamian creatives aren't getting the respect they deserve from the community at large. Is that really true and if so, why?

Ms Bethel, former cultural affairs director and now a lecturer at the College of The Bahamas, was among those who felt that Bahamian artists, musicians, writers, actors, dancers, directors, designers, craftworkers and related others are taken for granted and not given enough respect.

The name 'Day of Absence' comes from the 1965 play of the same name by Douglas Turner Ward. In his play the white people of a small town in Southern America discover that all the black people have suddenly disappeared for a day. After having to do for themselves all the chores that blacks would have ordinarily done, the white folk realize, at least a bit, how important black people are to their lives.

Ms Bethel intended to apply this concept to Bahamian creatives, hoping to show Bahamian society how terrible a day without Bahamian artists would be. You can read her original blog post here.

Fast forward several months and we find Ward Minnis (son of songwriter/artist Eddie Minnis) losing the warm and fuzzy feelings he had after originally hearing Ms Bethel's call to action. After more carefully contemplating what was written about Day of Absence, he congratulates Bethel on a job well done, "while taking her to task for ideas that are at best half-baked".

Minnis recently earned a Master's degree in history from Ottawa's Carleton University. A visual artist and a writer, he will participate in a debate on the merits of the Day of Absence with Ms Bethel and the Bahamian art community on January 12 at the National Art Gallery.

You can read Mr Minnis's comprehensive essay on his website www.mentalslavery.com. Or, for a quicker read, you can see the abridged version on www.bahamapundit.com.

While the complete essay is definitely worth reading, Mr Minnis hits the nail on the head, early on, when he suggests that there are perhaps two reasons why Bahamians have not received much in the way of international (or local) acclaim for their art.

"The first is that average Bahamians, and the rest of the world, don't understand us. The other, and more interesting, reason is that we are not that good."

The first reason may be something that many artists experience, which I will discuss further in a minute.

His second reason is not only more interesting, it is also more important.

Some Bahamian artists think that because they are Bahamian, their art should be respected and command high prices. This, despite the fact that their work is often uninspiring, lacks originality and shows poor craftsmanship..

Is the respect they seek based on commercial success, or artistic acclaim?

Making art to make money isn't the same as making art to make art. Art that comes from within isn't always commercially successful. People may not want to display your inner demons on their living room wall. Meanwhile, producing commercially successful art might make an artist rich but not necessarily earn them respect from the art community.

Bahamian artist Toby Lunn elaborates on this in an interview with Bahamas B2B. He says that he and fellow artist John Cox made a pact many years ago to "be true to oneself" in creating their art. Rather than submit to what would be commercially acceptable, they would stay true to their personal visions, making art from their hearts, not just from their minds. At times, that has proven to be commercially successful, other times it has not. Both these artists have maintained their pact. I don't know if they are rich but I do know they are respected by their peers.

Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood

Getting back to Mr Minnis' first point, it is true that average Bahamians, and the rest of the world, don't understand artists. Maybe they never have. Some of the best artists in history, artists whose work now sells for millions of dollars per painting, never achieved commercial success, or even critical acclaim, in their own lifetimes. Not because they weren't "good" artists but because their work may not have been understood by the people of their day. Maybe they were "ahead of their time".

In his 'Artist Talk' interview with BahamasB2B, Bahamian art legend Max Taylor, one of the very people who some artists accuse of stealing attention from their work (which they think more deserving), admits that he doesn't feel he has received his full compliment of respect either. He says he is not bitter but given his enormous talent he is certainly correct.

In a legendary example of not being understood in his own time, Rembrandt died penniless, yet there is a rare art collector in the world today who wouldn't pay millions for one of his paintings.

Like our own Bahamian artist Amos Ferguson, who died last year without ever garnering the respect he deserved from the Bahamian public. Ironically, his fame on the global level warranted an obituary in the New York Times.

Kendal Hanna, one of The Bahamas' finest living painters, lives, almost forgotten, in his small unadorned studio at Popop Center for The Visual Arts in Nassau. Not being understood isn't a phenomenon new to Bahamian artists, it is the nature of being an artist. While that challenge has frustrated artists for centuries, it should not leave them bitter.

If certain young Bahamian artists are bitter thinking they deserve more respect, they might be wise to show established Bahamian artists more respect, instead of dismissing them as "old school", while demanding their place above them.

As Ward Minnis appropriately asks, "are all Bahamian artists worthy of respect?

Then answers:

"The simple answer is no. Why should anyone respect bad poetry, bad writing, bad painting or poorly organized festivals?"

Echoing the wisdom of the pact made between Cox and Lunn, Minnis, criticizing the motive and concept behind 'Day of Absence', advises fellow Bahamian creatives that they, "should not be engaged in a project to make society respect us, we should be trying to be real artists.

"Whatever follows that process of becoming will be a natural consequence and will be well earned. Whether that consequence is disgust, indifference or the Nobel Prize should make no difference. Seeking respect before it is due and other such nonsense is putting the cart too far in front of the horse."

The Best of Everything For 2009

2009-12-30T21:01:00.000-05:00

If you are reading this, you made it through one of the toughest years in modern history, for a number of people all over the world. But, in a lot of ways it was also a good year. Here is a list of lists featuring, pretty much, the best of everything for 2009.

TIME magazine's Person of The Year - 2009 - TIME magazine names the man who runs the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank, Ben Bernanke, as Person of The Year for 2009.

The Top 10 Most Important Tweets of 2009 - buzzmarketing daily explains why Barack Obama's election victory tweet was the year's most important.

Top 10 Box Office Movies of 2009 - Yahoo! Movies lsist TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN as the top grossing movie of 2009 with $402,111,870 in ticket sales.

The Best Free Software of 2009 - The best things in life often actually are free. PC Mag has a list of 173 of the best free software, for launching apps, networking, backup, synchronization, entertainment, and more.

Best Books of 2009 - Publishers Weekly lists the top 10 books of 2009 in several categories; Overall, Fiction, Poetry, Mystery, Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror and more.

Top 100 Editors' Picks - 2009 - Amazon.com's choices for the very best out of a year's worth of reading.

The 50 Best Inventions of 2009 - TIME magazine's full list of the best inventions of the year includes the $10 Million Lightbulb and the AIDS Vaccine.

The 10 Best Books of 2009 - The New York Times takes on the task of choosing the 10 Best Books.

The 40 Best Albums of 2009 - SPIN magazine compiles their list of the best 40 albums.

Best Albums of 2009 - Another take on the best albums. Genres include alt-rock, indie-rock, post-rock, metal, hip-hop, rap, country, folk and more.

Best Books Of 2009 - National Public Radio has their list of the best books of 2009.

The Best Films of 2009 - Film critic Roger Ebert lists the films he thinks are the best of the year.

Top 99 Most Desirable Women - AskMen.com has graciously compiled a list of the 99 most desirable women.

The PopCrunch 100 Hottest Women of 2009 - Not to be outdone, PopCrunch has their list of the hottest 100 women. Funny thing... the AskMen's number 1, Eva Mendez, is PopCrunch's number 100.

Top 10 Songs of 2009 - Aol Radio Blog has another take on the top tunes of the year.

The Top 100 Tracks of 2009 - A viewer's grass roots poll on the best music for 2009 is provided by Pitchfork.

Hottest Music of 2009 -
LAST.FM presents the hottest new music of 2009 based on user scrabbles.

Top Words of 2009 - The Global Language Monitor has its conducted their annual global
survey of the English language and discovered that "twitter" is the year's top word.

The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2009 - Barbara Walters' "The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2009" highlights some of the year's most prominent names in entertainment, sports, politics, and pop culture.

The Best Games of 2009 - Metacritic's Best of 2009 coverage kicks off with Games.

The Top 35 Torrent Sites of 2009 - About.com tells you where downloaders found their music and movie files in 2009.

10 Best Intranets of 2009 - For the geeks among us, Jakob Nielsen lists the 10 best Intranets of the year.

Top Tech Acquisitions Of 2009 - TechCrunch has the top technology acquisitions.

Top Ten Astronomy Pictures of 2009 - If your eyes aren't burnt out from the hottest women list above, Discover has some images that are even more amazing.

Top Ten Space Pictures: Best of 2009 - National Geographic's selecton of the top ten space pictures.

Best Science Visualization Videos of 2009 - Some of the most impressive images in science are produced when researchers take numerical data and represent it visually through modeling and computer graphics.

The Top 10 Everything of 2009 - If you want even more top things for 2009, TIME magazine charts the highs and lows of the past year in 50 wide-ranging lists.

May All Your Christmases Be White

2009-12-16T08:47:00.003-05:00

Merry Christmas to all...

A funny video showing Santa Clause and his reindeer singing 'White Christmas'.

I wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy new year!

Lyrics:

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten
And children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write
May your days, may your days, may your days
Be merry and bright
And may all your Christmases be white

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten
And children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write
May your days, may your days, may your days
Be merry and bright
And may all your Christmases be white

Disparity Between Rich and Poor

2009-12-13T09:58:00.001-05:00

It's not like we weren't warned. Some say the gap between rich and poor has been growing over the past decade and is causing a host of social problems.

In fact, Pope Benedict XVI released a 44-page encyclical, titled "Caritas in Veritate" or "Charity in Truth", last July. At the time, the The Wall Street Journal noted that popes only address financial issues in encyclicals "during moments of tectonic shift" such as the Industrial Revolution (1891, Pope Leo XIII, argued for workers' rights) and the Great Depression (1931 Pope Pius XI, warning about the dangers of capitalism run amuck).

Caritas in Veritate calls for people to put aside greed and let their consciences guide them in economic and environmental decisions.

David Ian Miller, a blogger for the San Francisco Chronicle, discussed the encyclical with social ethics Professor William O'Neill.

O'Neill says he was very impressed, both with its scope and its depth. He calls it a remarkable document that raises very difficult questions, particularly for many Americans, partly because it speaks to the possibility of economic redistribution.

The pope is not the only one who recognizes the problem. Even stalwarts of the business world are waking up to the social ramifications of income disparity.

"We are at the end of a difficult generation of business leadership, and maybe leadership in general. Tough-mindedness, a good trait, was replaced by meanness and greed, both terrible traits," General Electric Co Chief Executive Jeff Immelt said in a speech at West Point last week.

"Rewards became perverted. The richest people made the most mistakes with the least accountability," Immelt said. "In too many situations, leaders divided us instead of bringing us together," the head of the largest U.S. conglomerate said in prepared remarks to be delivered at the U.S. Military Academy.

A study last year by The Wall Street Journal found that the top .01% or 14,000 American families hold 22.2% of wealth - the bottom 90%, or over 133 million families, just 4% of the nation's wealth.

In a discussion last year with Bill Moyer, author and historian, Steve Fraser, said the current economic times remind him of the late 19th century period between Reconstruction and Roosevelt, pejoratively named 'The Gilded Age' by Mark Twain. Mr. Fraser lists the hallmarks of this era: crony capitalism, extreme inequalities in wealth and income, ostentatious spending and wage depression.

Fraser notes that the first Gilded Age was met with labor unrest and political agitation. AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE magazine suggested the second might be as well:

"In the course of the 20th century, there were several eras of growing economic inequality. On a few occasions, they came to an end in a relatively gentle way, with democratic elections and more egalitarian legislation. More often, however, they were ended by a catastrophe, such as the Great Depression, a violent social revolution, or a world war. When the rich went out, it seems, they normally did so with a bang, and not with a whimper. The way things are now going, it is likely to be so in the future."

The problem was recently highlighted in a study by Professor Su at the Beijing University of Science and Technology.

The reasons behind the growing gap between rich and poor in China are legion but the obvious wealth gap on campus is a challenge other universities, and in fact, entire nations, have also been urged to address.

The poor, as the Bible has it, will always be with us and, therefore, accepted as part of the human condition. But it isn't the poverty that is unacceptable; it is destitution, the hopelessness of life at the end of its tether that raises the question, What's to be Done?.

Blogger Larry Cheng says the solution is to create jobs.

Cheng worries that by focusing on the disparity metric and creating policies around mitigating that metric, we are in fact just lowering the wealth creation opportunity for everyone including the poor themselves. He would rather focus on policies that enhance the wealth creation opportunity for everyone, rather than policies that are intended to bring one segment down to theoretically bring another segment up.

Bahamian blogger Rick Lowe, has made similar comments.

In fact, some people do not even believe there is a problem. Brian S. Wesbury And Robert Stein, from Forbes magazine, note that a new paper from Northwestern Professor Robert Gordon, a pillar of the "mainstream" academic establishment, argues that the factors used to determine income disparity may be skewed.

Correcting for these factors, Gordon says, eliminates 90% of the gap between productivity and middle-class household incomes.

Lawrence W. (Larry) Reed, president of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, in his 'Seven Principles of Sound Public Policy' says that while some lament the fact and speak dolefully of "the gap between rich and poor," he thinks people being themselves in a free society is a wonderful thing.

Obviously, in a democracy, inequality matters. When people feel left behind, populism expands and freedom comes under attack.

The challenge is, how do we regulate the economy in a way that will protect fundamental rights, especially for those who are least prosperous? Pope Bennedict appears to be calling for appropriate redistributive measures that would regulate the economy to satisfy its moral purposes, rather than displace it.

Bahamas - Local Movie Times The Easy Way

2009-12-11T23:02:00.001-05:00

There we were, driving back home from dinner at a friend's in Port New Providence, when he says, "Let's go see a movie."

"Great! Let's go see '2012'," I said, remembering that I had wanted to go see the Sci-Fi thriller while it was still playing.

"I wonder what time the next show is," he answered.

Being the geek I am, I grabbed my cell phone and pulled up the Local Bahamas Movie Feeds from BahamasB2B.com.

Within seconds, I had the show times and, as luck would have it, the next showing of '2012' was in 15 minutes. We were ten minutes from the Mall at Marathon.

Sweet!

Movie show times... when you want them, fast and easy.

Thanks B2B.

Local Bahamas Channels

2009-09-06T19:54:00.004-05:00

We've launched a slew of new content channels that focus specifically on local Bahamian topics. BahamasB2B has so many pages, we thought it would be convenient if we combined similar content from various areas of our site, added some new relavant content and publish it in one topic-specific channel.

Please explore the new channels and let us know what you think. Of course, we are just getting started gathering the content to add to each channel, so excuse our dust as we continue to add new material. If you have suggestions or would like to add articles to any of the channels, please contact our webmaster.

The Proverbial Free Lunch... It Exists!

2009-08-28T22:58:00.001-05:00

Who said there is no such thing as a free lunch?

How many times have you been told, "There is no such thing as a free lunch"?

Well guess what? There is!

And it's waiting for you at Balduccino, if you draw the winning ticket from the Balduccino Lunch Bag.

In addition to the huge selection of gourmet foods and specialty food items, Balduccino also features hot lunches, take-out meals, quiches, gourmet pizza, home-made soups and, of course, delicious sandwiches, made to order using the freshest ingredients and the highest-quality meats and cheeses.

Use our convenient Balduccino RSS feed to see the daily lunch specials.

Or find them on Facebook, or on BahamasB2B Connect.

Stop into Balduccino Fine Foods on East Bay Street, today, and take your chance to win a free lunch, compliments of BahamasB2B.com.

When you go into Balduccino's to purchase or pick up your order, all you have to do is mention "BahamasB2B" and you will get a chance to draw a ticket for a free lunch.

Only one free lunch will be given away each day, so get in there early for a better chance to win.

This promotion ends on September 7, 2009 and the offer is limited to a $20.00 value.

Cat Island Video

2009-08-28T22:41:00.002-05:00

I like this video about Cat Island that I found on the Concierge.com website. Cat Island is a great change of pace from Nassau, a different take on The Bahamas that so many tourists see. Instead of the hustle and bustle of the tourist centers, Cat Island is a sleepy little island, a great place to get away from it all - as the traveler in this video discovers.

Bikini-clad Miss Universe Contestants Hit The Beach at Atlantis Paradise Island

2009-08-04T20:41:00.002-05:00

From left to right, Miss Russia 2009 Sofia Rudyeva, Miss USA 2009 Kristen Dalton and Miss Serbia 2009 Dragana Atlija pose at Atlantis on Paradise Island in the Bahamas. They are among 85 contestants competing in the Miss Universe 2009 pageant. The winner will be crowned on August 23.

Miss Universe Contestants Arrive in The Bahamas

2009-08-04T20:24:00.004-05:00

It was a busy weekend at the international airport in Nassau, Bahamas, as the Miss Universe contestants started arriving from around the world.

The young woman will be touring The Bahamas, participating in civic and promotional activities and the television cameras will be rolling. Footage taken over the next few weeks will be edited into the live broadcast.

The 58th Miss Universe beauty pageant takes place on August 23, 2009 in Nassau, Bahamas, airing live in the US on NBC Television.

The first contestant to arrive for the 2009 Miss Universe Pageant, Miss France Cloe Martaud, is pictured as she arrives at Lynden Pindling International Airport, Thursday, July 30.

Miss Bahamas 2009 Kiara Sherman warmly welcomed Miss France to The Bahamas. Also pictured from left are Ministry of Tourism Director of On Land Communication, Janet Johnson and President of Miss Bahamas Universe, Gaynell Rolle. Standing in the background are MOT Official, Bernadette Bastian and Protocol Officer, Christopher Gibson.

Bahamas Information Services
BIS Photo/Raymond A. Bethel

What's Happening in The Bahamas This Week

2008-11-27T12:21:00.002-05:00

Check the Bahamas Calendar for things to-do, events, activities and entertainment on all islands of the Bahamas.

Opportunities in Travel-focused Social Media

2008-11-24T10:17:00.000-05:00

Want to know what people are saying about your hotel or restaurant on the Internet?

You should.

Travel-focused social media is becoming an important part of a hotel's marketing mix. Monitoring what's being said about your hotel in the social landscape is part of staying ahead of that curve.

An easy way to do this is to set up a free Google Alerts account for your hotel. Google will search news, blogs, video, and other sites for your hotel name, then email the results to you on a daily basis.

Another popular site for comments on hotels and destinations is TripAdvisor, where you can create a free RSS feed to keep you up-to-date on any comments made about your hotel or restaurant.

The economy is going to be tough for at least the next year or two, there's no end in sight yet. Travel-focused social media offers free promotion of your hotel... use it!

If you need help getting the hang of the rapidly growing social media landscape, contact the marketing experts at BahamasB2B. We offer a number of marketing services that can help you monitor and take advantage of the opportunities in social media.

Miss Gospel Bahamas Contestants Visit the Governor General

2008-06-23T11:01:00.006-05:00

Patrick Hanna (BIS) took this photograph of Miss Gospel Bahamas contestants and pageant stakeholders posed with Governor-General of The Bahamas, His Excellency Arthur Hanna, during a courtesy call on June 18, 2008, at Goverment House in Nassau, The Bahamas. Just last week, the contestants for the Miss World Bahamas contest called on the lucky GG. Apparently, our Governor General sees more chicks than a fox in a hen house.

Japanese Travelers Top Best Tourist Survey

2008-06-12T11:16:00.002-05:00

No doubt, the article below will get the fickle marketing managers at The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism scampering to Japan in an attempt to lure tourists from this latest and greatest source of potential visitors.

Japanese travelers top the list in Expedia's Best Tourist survey

Expedia� recently released the findings of a global survey seeking to crown the world's best tourists and measure travelers based on their best and worst travel traits and habits. More than 4,000 hoteliers from across the globe provided opinions on the best overall travelers, as well as 10 specific categories grading popularity, behavior, manners, willingness to learn the language and try local cuisine, generosity, tidiness, volume, fashion sense and propensity to complain.

The Japanese won top prize and are considered by hoteliers across the globe as overall the best tourists. German and British tourists tied for second place, followed by the Canadians and Swiss. American tourists came in at number 11 overall.

Americans lead the way with putting effort into learning a few key sayings in the local language and sampling local delicacies. The French, Chinese and Japanese were the least likely to incorporate the local language, and the Chinese, Indians and Japanese have the least interest in the culinary styles of the places they visit. Americans are also considered the most generous, followed by the Canadians and Russians.

In contrast to American generosity and willingness to absorb local culture, they are considered to be noisy tourists, along with the Italians and British. Additionally, Americans are said to complain about accommodations, along with the Germans and French � and are also among the least tidy hotel guests. Lastly, Americans fall to the bottom of the list when it comes to fashion sense, with the ever stylish Italians and French taking top prize.

"Hoteliers are the experts when it comes to interacting with tourists, so as the busy summer travel season approaches and vacationers prepare for their own travel experiences, we thought it would be fun to present some of their common perceptions regarding tourists from all around the world," said Karyn Thale, travel expert, Expedia.com�. "We hope the results inspire Americans to keep up their generosity and cultural curiosity and convince them to leave the white tennis shoes and fanny packs at home!"

Source: Eturbonews.com

Bahamian Beauty Queens Call on Bahamas Governor General

2008-06-10T10:52:00.001-05:00

Miss Bahamas World contestants paid a courtesy call on Governor General, His Excellency Arthur D. Hanna on Monday, June 9, 2008 at Government House. (BIS Photo/Derek Smith)

Source: Bahamas Information Services

Eight Mile Rock International Cultural Festival

2008-06-04T14:36:00.001-05:00

The Community Tourism/Product Development section of the Ministry of Tourism will launch the First ever International Cultural Festival in Eight Mile Rock, Grand Bahama on the grounds of the St. Stephen's Parish Hall on Saturday, May 31. The Festival Committee expects the communities of Eight Mile Rock and the surrounding areas to participate Pictured from left are Renamae Symonette, Manager Community Tourism; Rufus Johnson, Administrator; Roscoe Kemp, Chairman E.M.R Community Tourism; Jeritzan Outten, Sr. Director, Ministry of Tourism Grand Bahama; Jetta Baptiste, Haitian Representative and Mather Rolle, Coordinator Eight Mile Rock Community Tourism. (BIS Photo/Vandyke Hepburn)

Source: Bahamas Information Services

French Ambassador Makes Farewell Call on Foreign Affairs

2008-06-04T14:28:00.002-05:00

NASSAU, The Bahamas -- Ambassador of France to The Bahamas His Excellency Francis Hurtut (left) makes a farewell courtesy call on acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of National Security the Hon. O.A.T. Turnquest, on Monday, June 2nd, 2008, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (BIS Photo/Patrick Hanna)

Source: Bahamas Information Services

Justice Anita Allen Sworn in as Acting Chief Justice

2008-06-04T14:23:00.002-05:00

Senior Justice Anita Allen. left, is sworn in as Acting Chief Justice of The Bahamas by Governor General, His Excellency the Hon. Arthur D. Hanna in ceremony at Government House on Friday, May 30, 2008. (BIS Photo/Derek Smith)

Source: Bahamas Information Service

Justice John Lyons Sworn in as Acting Chief Justice

2008-06-04T12:51:00.003-05:00

Justice John Lyons left, is sworn in as Acting Chief Justice of the Supreme Court by Governor General, His Excellency the Honourable Arthur D. Hanna in a ceremony at Government House on Tuesday, May 3, 2008. (BIS Photo/Derek Smith)

The Planet Spam Center Explodes, Offline After Fire

2008-06-02T09:37:00.000-05:00

Sharon Stone would call it karma, after a transformer explosion knocked a Houston datacenter offline, taking down dozens of Bahamian spammer's websites.

We wondered why we only received few pieces of spam email this morning.

Later, we read in the news that the Planet datacenter in Houston, Texas exploded, knocking down three walls and causing a fire in the electrical equipment room.

Luckily, there were no injuries.

Planet CEO Douglas Erwin described what happened:

"Three walls of the electrical equipment room on the first floor blew several feet from their original position, and the underground cabling that powers the first floor of H1 was destroyed."

And the world is a better place as a result. Because the Planet is perhaps the largest source of spam and website attacks in the United States.

The Bahamian mafia uses Planet servers to attack this site and other websites that portray less than flattering reviews of The Bahamas.

About 3,000 servers affected by the explosion may be in for some serious downtime. Erwin said "the damage there was far more extensive, and we have a bigger challenge" to get them running again.

Take your time, Doug.

Respect for Your Elders

2008-04-22T16:51:00.004-05:00

Did you know that the age of your website may affects your rankings in the search engines? At least on Google.

Most small business owners are aware that high rankings on the major search engines are influenced by the number (and quality) of web pages that link to your site.

Links from popular and highly relevant web pages have a bigger impact on your search engine rankings than links from less popular or less relevant pages.

However, a new patent application with the name "Ranking Domains Using Domain Maturity" indicates that there may be another factor that helps search engines to determine the quality of a web page.

The abstract of the new patent application contains this food for thought:

"Ranking domains for search engines is provided herein. To rank a domain, contributing domains associated with the domain are identified. Additionally, the maturity of each of the contributing domains is determined.

A rank for the domain is then determined based at least in part on the maturity of each of the contributing domains. The domain rankings may then be used to order results for search queries."

This seems to indicate that Web pages that have links from older domains may be ranked higher than other domains in the search results. Newer domains may have to earn respect before being given higher rankings. Perhaps because newer domains are more likely to be spam or part of a link system that tries to skew search engine algorithms.

Domain names are cheap and some domain name registrars even offer free domain registration and trial periods. Spammers can easily take advantage of these offers to build a network of websites that link to each other (a so-called link farm).

The new patent describes how search engines can use the age of websites to determine the value of their links. For example, links from websites that are several years old could have a high effect on the search engine positions of the ranked sites while links from newly created websites might not have any effect at all.

Of course, the age of the websites that link to your site is not the only factor that influences the position of your website in the search result pages.

There are many factors that decide whether your website will get top positions on Google or not. But it is clear that a quality link from an established site like Bahamas B2B can be advantageous.

Submit your Bahamas-based website to Bahamas Web Directory on BahamasB2B.com. If your link is accepted for inclusion in the Directory, you will benefit in two ways. First, you'll receive extra traffic to your website. The Bahamas Directory has high search engine rankings for dozens of Bahamas-related keywords, attracting thousands of visitors per day. Plus, you will also benefit with a link from one of the oldest and most respected Bahamas websites.