Jamaica’s Top Ten Newsmakers for 2010 We asked the Jamaicans.com writers, editors and bloggers to name their "Jamaica’s Top Ten Newsmakers for 2010". Some of the names you will recognize but some are everyday people who are making an impact on Jamaica and the world in their own way. Some are being criminally prosecuted for alleged crimes that has affected Jamaica and Jamaicans everywhere. We are pleased to present Jamaica’s Top Ten Newsmakers for 2010.
Walk good, John! Since hearing of John Maxwell's death I've read the many many tributes celebrating his life and work. I never met him personally. I would from time to time send him emails re his articles. I knew he was ill and actually planned on writing Rebecca if she had heard how he was doing as I missed his Sunday Jonkanoo articles....time just never permitted.
Vote For Jamaicans.com Bloggers In The 2010 Jamaica Blog Awards We are pleased to announce that Jamaicans.com has a record 6 nominations in the 2010 Jamaica Blog awards. Voting is a simple one-click and requires no registration. Please see the Jamaicans.com list of nominations and vote for our Bloggers in the 2010 Jamaica Blog Awards.
Best of Jamaica 2010 Results The votes are in !!! The question was asked in our Jamaicans.com 2010 survey "What is the best of Jamaica" in Jamaica or in the city you live. Categories and questions included Best Facebook Fan page, Best Twitter page, Best website, Best Hotels, Best Patty, Best Reggae Artist, Jamaica Life, Jamaica Shopping, Restaurants, Jamaican Foods and Diversions/Entertainment !! See the results today!!!
Jamaican 2010 Christmas Gift Guide Do you want to put “Jamaica" in the Christmas holiday gift giving season this year? Impress your family and friends with hand picked Jamaican themed gifts? We have a list of gifts that scream Jamaica and are $50 & under. See our 2010 Christmas gift guide.
Another interesting week in Jamaican news, as the favourite for the JLP General-Secretary position, Daryl Vaz, is beaten by the "young Turk", Aundre Franklin. A policeman is caught amongst a crew that robbed a bar, but we theorise he was only trying to fill a gap, as rum sales have been halted temporarily by some manufacturers.
While not in Jamaica, the story of the Chile miners has captivated us all, but we're wondering if this movie they're planning will be just as captivating. And after our attention shifts to a cash-sniffing dog in Philadelphia, and the wonderful 107-year-old Jamaican woman in Washington, we hold a lengthy debate about the French band that have christened themselves, Jamaica.
The Upbeat Dad: Beware! Family Law is an Oxymoron! In the early 2000s as I was going through a divorce, I recall making the statement that the term “family law” is an oxymoron. The reality of what I was experiencing was that it is very anti-family. I used an analogy then that I think still holds true today: family law is like a sleeping, hungry lion
This week's Yaad Info: Deodorant Thief gets 3 Years in Jail | Taxing the Rum | $40 Million Manatt Enquiry In the land of Jamaica, stealing millions is called embezzlement and gets you a 6-month sentence, but stealing a roll-on, that's three years in the toughest prison on the island! Corporate Jamaica will say they don't like the things you sing or DJ, then turn around and spend millions on you anyway. And a football coach will complain he has no strikers, while everyone on his team is striking.
This week's Yaad Info: Duppy Haunts Boy | Madness at Bellevue | Ghost of Trafigura Lingers Rolling calf, "marmaid", the White Witch of Rosehall, they all must be gathered up under a cotton tree having a good laugh at this week in Jamaican news! It all started when one of our national television stations chose to carry a story about a boy who was being 'haunted' by his dead friend, and ended with the National Security Minister asking for an investigation into funeral homes. Somewhere in between, the Trafigura ghost returned to haunt the PNP, and a duppy took the life of a suspected murderer - now that would really be poetic justice!
Jamaican in China! (3)--Everything Happens for a reason So, if you read the previous installment, then I'm sure you're wondering if my passport with my China visa came in sufficient time for me to leave for my trip....Well, first I'll say that I'm a "go with the flow" type person, and when things happen that would disappoint your average nomad, I look for the hidden benefit or guidance in the situation, and take it all in stride... With that said, to answer your question...
This week we've got more stories than JLP excuses about Manatt, Phelps & Phillips! Ok, here goes: Bob Marley's daughter charged with biting six-year-old, Jamaican MPs refuse to use public bus system, Lester Crooks accused of being...uhh...a crook, Gov't MP unplugs microphone in Parliament while opposition member is speaking, fisherman nets stolen goods from - get this - a homeless man, juror has lunch and doesn't bother to return to court, and UK man jailed for stealing $5 million...in $20 COINS!!! Yep! We're Baaaaaaack!!!!
Tropical Storm/Hurricane Tomas News Watch Read news on Hurricane Tomas and also "on the ground reports" from people in Jamaica pre-storm and post storm. Post information of any planned relief efforts here.
How Much Luck Do You Need? “How much luck do you need?” Not a question most of us ever consider but one that could be profoundly insightful. At work I have a vase on my desk with some bamboo stalks growing in water. I had placed them there to add greenery to my workspace and maybe even bring myself some luck (bamboo’s legendary function).
Join author and nomadpreneur, Walt F.J. Goodridge as he travels the world. This time you can easily find him. He's the Jamaican in China!
This Week's "Yaad Info" Podcast - Manatt Commission of Enquiry | Bulb Blow! Kern May Go Free | Bruce's Green Card Dilemma Another year, another commision of enquiry - the PM promises that there will be an enquiry into the Manatt saga, nation goes back to sleep. In the courts however, anticipation builds as we await the outcome of the Kern Spencer/Cuban Light Bulb trial - defence lawyers see a light at the end of the tunnel. Also this week: a US-based media outlet accuses the PM of being a Green Card holder, Vybz Kartel is alleged to have inked an anti-gay-bashing deal, and chicken prices set to fly away!
Spread The Word About The Best Of Jamaica 2010 - Best of Jamaica 2010 Banners Spread the word about the "Best of Jamaica 2010" poll with our banners. Encourage visitors to your your website, Facebook Fan page & Twitter page to vote for you. Encourage your friends and family to vote for the "Best of Jamaica 2010" by putting a banner in your signature (Facebook, twitter, etc). Download your banner today!!!
Play Review: Time for 'Serious Business' in Jamaica It doesn't matter how often you watch the play "Serious Business," which is now out on DVD. “Di one Shebada” is one Jamaican phrase you are most likely to find yourself saying without your control, when you get down to “Serious Business” which opened at the Green Gables Theatre, each time it comes around. All throughout the play from start to finish Keith “Shebada Ramsay holds the audience on and off stage with vulgar, but witty lines and his colourful character.
This Week's "Yaad Info" Podcast - Sex, Lies & Affidavits SEX: Music, Media & Adolescent Sexuality in Jamaica. Author Marcia Forbes joins us on the podcast to share some insights on media and it's effects on our youths' libidos. Smells like teen spirit.LIES: Was this one fired? Has that one told us the truth about Manatt, Phelps & Phillips? Was this one told to hide gov't involvement with Manatt? We try to determine the truth(s) - in light of this new AFFIDAVIT, the gov't seems to be sinking, and "dem Haffi Save It!".
This Week's "Yaad Info" Podcast - Wata come een a mi room! | Facebook leads to Love, Heartbreak | Queen robbing the Poor?? Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink! Tropical Storm Nicole forms over the Jamaica, and wreaks havoc on our roads and infrastructure. Lightning and thunda!!! But before the rain started, there was a flood of crazy stories ranging from Love & Heartbreak on Facebook, Transport Authority officers allegedly ramming taxis with their vehicles, Old Politicians being asked to step aside, and the Queen of England attempting to use aid money for the poor to heat her castle. We'll try to keep it light on this roller-coaster week.
This Week's "Yaad Info" Podcast - Bounty Swings the Hammer as Buju Awaits the Gavel... While Bounty was HAMMERING, Derrick Kellier was DRILLING the Constituency Development Fund. Christopher Tufton SAW red, and the Auditor General NAILED home her point on the Road Management Fund. All this was happening while the PNP's Ian Hayles was SHOVELLING it in the Appeals Court, and the Tivoli residents were RAKING in compensation for damages incurred during the Tivoli invasion.
Usain Bolt gets bottled and put on Lemon Ice down under, but Buju Banton probably just feels like he's going under, after being 'squeezed' by his two co-defendants. Meanwhile, Harold Brady is causing nothing but problems for the JLP, as is (former) MP Shahine Robinson who has AGAIN lost her seat, and is now in the hot seat.
Congrats Yendi Phillips, 2010 Caribbean Queen of the Universe If not Miss Universe 2010, Jamaican Yendi Philips is at least the newest Queen of the Universe, by placing second in the Miss Universe 2010 competition held in Las Vegas, August 3rd.
New Blog & Podcast: Yaad Info We are pleased to announce a new partnership with Yaadinfo Jamaica that will place their weekly Yaadinfo Jamaica podcasts in a blog on Jamaicans.com. The Yaadinfo Podcast provides weekly commentary of the top news and entertainment stories of the week in an interesting and comedic, yet enlightening format.
A mothers' most hurtful graduation moment As President of the School PTA where my twin boys attended, I had become quite popular among the staff and some students. My boys being twin were also very popular (they were straight A students which rapidly declined after they touched the seventh grade), so when it became known that they had a very bad reputation in school I was hoping that being on the School Leadership Team (SLT) and President of the PTA would have changed their behavioral pattern.
Jamaicans.com Redesign Launch We are proud to announce the launch of the redesigned Jamaicans.com website today Jamaica’s 48th Independence Day. The redesigned Jamaicans.com features updated technology, a streamlined site navigation, and the ability for more user interaction.
I AM JAMAICA, Make the Pledge - Happy 48th Independence As our nation of Jamaica approaches close to the middle age of Independence, you could say that we are at a pivotal crossroads. In recent months, a band of Jamaica's top reggae artists and industry professionals partnered to pen and produce a theme song of unity for the nation, whether at home or abroad.
Conditional Surrender - A Short Story A young woman surrenders to the charms of an older man at the expense of her self respect. Only drastic action brings her the revenge she craves after losing herself to an uncaring spouse.
Earlier this year, a massive earthquake which measured a whopping 7.0 on the Richter scale, rocked the country of Haiti and caused major damages to its capital Port-Au-Prince and surrounding areas, killed 200,000+, and affected approximately 3 million Haitians. Geological experts predicted a series of several similar devastating earthquakes for the Caribbean region. Jamaica was among the islands listed within the region that was high on the prediction scale of experiencing this catastrophe. It was inevitable. Experts were correct. It was unavoidable. An earthquake did occur in Jamaica. But the earthquake did not occur in the form that was predicted. It was indeed felt in every sector of Jamaica’s society and shook the very foundations of Jamaica’s civilization. The loss of lives was inescapable. This earthquake claimed seventy plus (70+) persons lives.
Labor Day Endeavor Labor Day is May 23rd in Jamaica but this year because the 23rd fell on a Sunday it was celebrated on Monday the 24th. This is one of the times of the year that civic organizations, companies, and communities unite to “Spruce Up Jamaica”, to borrow a slogan from the Jamaican Ministry of Tourism. It is a time where walls receive paint, roofs are fixed, or any one of a dozen or more projects are organized across the island. Our community was no exception.
Veronica Campbell-Brown Steals spotlight at the Adidas Gran Prix The 2010 Adidas Gran Prix Golden League at the Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island, was initially a showdown between 100-200 world record holder Jamaica’s Usain Bolt and American s rival printer Tyson Gay, both of whom, along with 400meter World record holder Michael Johnson, were present at the meet. When Bolt and Gay pulled out of their 100 meter duel, due to injuries the 200 meter clash between Jamaica's Double Olympic 200 meters champion and American arch-rival, , three-time world champion Allyson Felix took center stage.
Blooming Against the Odds: Remembering a Jamaican Father My father was a no-nonsense, hardworking man who made his living as a building contractor. He spent his days plowing through the streets of Kingston, shuttling workmen and building supplies from one job site to another, and spent his weekends scouting empty lots for sale.
World Cup 2010 Soccer forum - Contests, Photos & more We have created a forum dedicated to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. This forum is where you will find discussions/chat on current matches, scores, schedules, polls, contests, comments by other fans and pictures from our Jamaican on the ground reporter in South Africa . Check out the new forum and participate in the world's ultimate soccer tournament.
World Cup 2010 Contest - Reggae Boyz Trivia The Jamaica Reggae Boyz may not be in the 2010 World Cup but it does not stop us from reminiscing. Answer our Reggae Boyz Trivia Quiz and win. The first five people to answer the 5 questions below correctly will receive a Reggae Balls T-shirt.
Who is to blame? The past week in Kingston's history will leave us like amputees - eventually healed but never quite the same again. We are using some positive phrases, "tipping point", "cleansing", but the words stop in our throat as we count the cost in the body count. We mourn with Claude Clarke the tragic loss of his brother in what appears to be a case of mistaken identity. Meanwhile, the target of this operation is nowhere to be found up to the time of writing.
The Garden and the House It isn’t often that I am at a loss for a subject for an article but this past month has been a different one for me here in Jamaica. There hasn’t been anything tragic happen to me but still… This month started with my being tired all the time and not getting motivated to do anything except feed and water my garden which I wrote about a couple of months ago.
What it Takes to be a Loser… What have you struggled with most of your life that’s left you feeling as if you’re fighting a losing battle? For me, it has been my weight. I came into the world a bouncing nine-pound baby girl, born at Victoria Jubilee Hospital in Kingston, and I bounced my way through life to weights too horrifying to reveal. Like so many people in the Western world, I have read hundreds of articles on weight-loss and tried everything from acupuncture to the lemonade diet.
Babylon Indisposed The news reported several days ago, an incident that occurred due to the lack of Police vigilance. In one of New York's boroughs a member of the Jamaican community lost his life because he was waging his own war against drug criminals. Why are neighborhoods and ordinary people finding it necessary to take on protective duties, when Taxpayers are already contributing for the welfare of their communities? The answer to this question is, the Police Stations are either short staffed or the Officers have made themselves unavailable for their own causes.
