This Way Out

I know, I know. This has nothing to do with Bermuda. But it's been awhile since I kept you in the loop about what I've been up to with Outside Television. Remember when Bermuda Shorts was out of commission for two weeks? I was in Telluride, Colorado filming my Emmy-nominated show Outside Film Festival: Mountainfilm. (Yes you read correctly and no I won't be taking home the golden statuette if we win; that goes to the producers. But at least I got to hang out in front of Wilson Peak for awhile. Check your Coors Lights cans people. That's the one!). Since 1979, Mountainfilm in Telluride has debuted hundreds of socially conscious films and today I covered a handful of 'em on my Outside Television blog, This Way Out. Interested? Then click on over to Just Back: Mountainfilm in Telluride and read about some stellar documentary films one of which ironically stars Bermuda's own Johnny Barnes (it's called Mr. Happy Man by director Matt Morris and it's fantastic; view the trailer here). In the meantime, I'll be back tomorrow with your regularly scheduled Bermuda Shorts programming.

This Way Out

For the sake of brevity—and for the pure fact that an Oscar-nominated film about natural gas drilling really, truly, has nothing to do with Bermuda—I'll keep this short and sweet. Today on my Outside Television blog This Way Out, you can read about the Oscar buzz surrounding Gasland, a film nominated for Best Documentary at this Sunday's Academy Awards, which uncovers the nasty truth behind natural gas drilling (ya know, how it eventually causes methane gas to find its way into your drinking water, which you can then light on fire). Problem is, big energy companies including Haliburton, BP and Shell aren't too happy about it. So much so that their lobbyists are calling for the film's nomination to be pulled. I don't know about you but that doesn't sound like playing fair to me. Hate the player not the game, ya know what I mean? If you're interested then click on over to Outside Television and read my piece Oscar Buzz For Mountainfilm Documentary. In the meantime I'll be back tomorrow with your regularly scheduled Bermuda Shorts programming.

This Way Out

The South Pole is no where near Bermuda. In fact, I have no good reason to be discussing the South Pole in any context with Bermuda except of course, for my own selfish reasons. So here goes. Ninety-nine years ago today, British explorer Robert F. Scott arrived the South Pole to discover that Roald Amundsen and his Norwegian team had beaten him there by one month—an interesting historical fact that you can learn more about by going to my Outside Television blog This Way Out and reading Celebrating the South Pole. As you'll see, adventurous travelers are trying to recreate the 100-year-old anniversary by flying there, skiing there, you name it. And while the pole is truly a destination that I'd love to visit one day, I'll stick with my sunny Bermuda days for now. In the meantime I'll be back tomorrow with your regularly scheduled Bermuda Shorts programming.

In The Bag

One of the benefits of living on an island in the middle of the Atlantic—outside of the obvious, like sunny weekends spent on the beach—is being part of a community that for the most part, cares deeply about the environment. Don't forget, Bermuda is a tiny 21-square-mile archipelago with limited natural resources. Clearly, it's important to preserve what we've got. In that spirit islanders commonly bring reusable canvas bags to the market, are conscious about recycling and save every bit of rainwater that falls from the sky. Sure, lots more can be done to help create clean sustainable energy on the island—like solar panels atop government buildings for starters—but isn't that always the case? Unlike landlocked towns across the world, islands have fragile eco-systems very much in need of preservation. Which is not to say inland areas shouldn't care about the environment, just that islands need to care more. Take South Padre Island, Texas for example. The small U.S island has voted to eliminate the sale and distribution of all plastic and non-compostable bags in local stores, a vote that I've covered on my Outside Television blog This Way Out. If you've got a few minutes read my story In The Bag, which praises South Padre for a move that will no doubt keep its beaches clean while reducing the use of harmful plastics—something Bermuda should seriously start thinking about. In the meantime, thanks for reading! And of course, I'll be back tomorrow with your regularly scheduled Bermuda Shorts programming.

What The Frack?

Positioned nearly 650 miles off the shores of North Carolina, Bermuda isn't really known for an abundance of natural gas. After all, its an archipelago of volcanic islands in the middle of nowhere. The best hope Bermuda has for producing sustainable energy is capturing the sun or harnessing the wind, which by the way is blowing like gangbusters right about now. Seriously folks, hold onto your hats! But I digress. As many of you know Tuesday brings with it a focus on all things outdoors including adventures, experiences and everything that is the life outside. On today's installment of This Way Out—my Outside Television blog for all you wondering—I'm talking about hydraulic fracturing. Ya know, the controversial natural gas drilling practice that's contaminating water sources across America (and throughout the world). New York's governor recently ordered a temporary moratorium on fracking, something I argue is a good thing. If you agree, or even if you don't, click on over to What The Frack? on Outside Television and give it a read. And to learn more about the ugly truth of hydraulic fracturing—namely, how folks who live near natural gas wells can light their tap water on fire—watch the trailer for the film Gasland above and stay tuned until the very end to see some shocking footage. In the meantime I'll be back tomorrow with your regularly scheduled Bermuda Shorts programming. Happy reading!

Now Playing: Mountainfilm in Telluride

Bermuda is well known for its powdery pink sand beaches and its world-class golf courses, but did you also know that the island mid-Atlantic island also hosts a world class film festival every March? Next year the Bermuda International Film Festival begins on March 19 and plans to feature independent documentary films of all kinds. So why the sudden interest in movies? Mainly because I'm particularly jazzed that my show, Outside Film Festival: Mountainfilm is now airing every week on Outside Television. If you're interested in watching some truly groundbreaking films, then check out my short recap of this week's picks on my Outside Television blog This Way Out and read Now Playing: Mountainfilm in Telluride. One of my favorites? Throw Down Your Heart, a film that follows American banjo virtuoso Bela Flek on his journey to Africa to explore the roots of the banjo (watch the film's trailer). And for those that don't yet have Outside Television go here to watch a few of my interviews that appear on the show. In the meantime I'll be back tomorrow with your regularly scheduled programming.