21 inmates get their christmas

TWENTY-ONE inmates from five of the island's correctional institutions this week got a gift that a number of them wished for during Christmas - freedom - thanks to Food for the Poor.

The inmates, who were imprisoned for minor offences, had fines totalling $600,000 paid by the charity organisation, which over the past five years has been paying for the release of low-risk prisoners. The organisation has given hundreds of prisoners their freedom by paying their fines.

At the St Catherine Adult Correctional Centre on Wednesday, the 10 men were overcome with joy when they were called to the prison chapel and told for the first time that they would be home in time to spend Christmas with their families.

Clive Tavares, a 37-year-old tiler from Green Island in Hanover, told the Observer that he was sentenced to six months on a wounding charge and fined $40,000, which he could not pay.

In the three months he has been behind bars, Tavares said things had started to "fall apart" for his five children.
"I am really glad for what Food for the Poor did today and I know things will start working out for me as soon as I get home," he said. "This is the best Christmas gift ah coulda get."

The men were given their belongings in small plastic bags and boxes and sent through the gate with the $2,000 Food for the Poor had also provided for bus fare to their homes.

Another inmate, Wayne Carey, a 53-year-old resident of West Kingston, was delighted that he was going home to a "good meal", especially since the prison diet did not cater to vegetarians like himself.
"Sometimes is all a bread me eat fi the day because me no eat no meat,' he said.

He was particularly grateful since he believed his two-month sentence was more severe than the crime he was charged with - operating a vehicle without a red plate, road licence and insurance.

"For someone who has a misdemeanour it is very hard for them to be sent here to mix up with hardened criminal," Carey said

Another inmate, who asked not to be named, said he too was sentenced for operating an illegal taxi. Unable to pay the $54,000 fine he spent the last month in prison.

On Wednesday, as he prepared to leave, he told the Observer he was now going to figure out a way to get his car out of the pound.

"I am really glad to be out because I don't like this place. It is not a nice place," he said.
Two inmates at the female prison at Fort Augusta also had their fines paid.

One of them, a 35-year-old mother who asked not to be named, broke down in tears after she was told she would go home at least two months earlier than expected.

The mother of two told the Observer that she opted to traffic ganja after she tried desperately to find the money to continue her practical nurse training without success. Instead she was caught, convicted and fined $58,000 in addition to a prison term.

"Ah so sorry I did this because it really affected my mother and my children and many times I think about it and wonder why I didn't try and sell some bag juice or something instead," she said.

Now that she has learnt her lesson, she said she wants to continue her studies as she still harbours the dream of becoming a practical nurse.

Warrel Russell, an inmate who is in prison on a murder charge, but who now spends his days writing hundreds of gospel songs and ministering to fellow inmates had strong advice for those men who were given their freedom.

"This is the best gift ever you could get so make use of the opportunity and don't step out of line and come back here," he told them.

Sandra Ramsay, manager of the Food for the Poor prison ministry explained that helping the inmates does not end with paying the fines, but that they assist them to start businesses once they are out. They also have to assisted with housing for a number of them.

She said the prison release programme has been very successful as it was very rare that there were repeat offenders.

Members of the audience in worship at 'The Way Forward Conference' with Bishop T.D. Jakes at the National Stadium on Tuesday night. - Peta-Gaye Clachar/Staff Photographer

International mega-church preacher Bishop T.D. Jakes believes that a united approach to tackling Jamaica's problems could yield phenomenal results.

The Texas-based man of the cloth spoke to an estimated 15,000 people who filed into the National Stadium Tuesday night to witness his maiden sermon on local soil.

Walking his audience through biblical episodes where unity brought dramatic results, the bishop urged the Church to take a united approach to resolving Jamaica's problems.

Bishop Jakes is guest of Pastors in Action, a group of prominent churchmen who have come together to stage 'The Way Forward, the Future Depends on You', a two-day conference that intends to mobilise the Christian community to become involved in the process of transforming the nation from its image of the world's murder capital to one of peace and prosperity.

The 51-year-old Jakes, who is pastor of Texas-based church, the Potter's House, challenged Christians in Jamaica to lead the process of change in the society.

Fear cripples efforts

The non-denominational preacher argued that the fear of triggering controversy usually cripples the efforts of individuals to become agents of change.

The famous preacher told the audience: "Faith will get you into trouble ... but faith flourishes in trouble ... When was the last time you did something that caused someone to want to shut you down?

Bishop Jakes said the Church should not turn its back on the undesirables of the society. "I like to work with people who nobody else wants to touch. I like to work with those who are messed up and rejected," he declared to loud shouts of approval and applause.

A c****ined choir of 400 voices led an inspiring praise-and-worship session. Popular gospel artistes and bands provided support for the event.

Editor's Note: The fourth and final instalment of the interview by Religion Editor Mark Dawes with Bishop T.D. Jakes will be published in tomorrow's Gleaner.

Woman gets 'do not resuscitate' tattooed on chest

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 05:45p.m.

A 79-year-old Dunedin woman is making sure medical staff get the message by having a bold tattoo on her chest.

In the event of a stroke or heart attack those trying to help will be met with the words "do not resuscitate."

Paula Westoby is a 79-year-old Dunedin grandmother and is determined not to be resuscitated if she has a heart attack or stroke.

Westoby's a member of exit international, a group that supports voluntary euthanasia.

Having caught the media's attention, now she's hoping to do the same with the politicians.

"The liberalisation of the law changed - that's our basic thing, and to have some choice over when and how we die," says Westoby.

The New Zealand bill of rights states that everyone has the right to refuse medical treatment. But seriously ill people often can't express themselves.

"In many instances those wishes are not respected - that a person has their wishes ignored because of the seriousness and sometimes the urgency of the medical situation and that's a problem that she's highlighting," says Dr Philip Nitschke.

But Bioethics Professor, Donald Evans, says hospital staff could be confused by the tattoo.

"But the problem is when did she have it done? Did she have it done under any type of pressure? Has she changed her mind since she's had it done?," says Professor Evans.

Westoby says she's trying to highlight the wider issue of suicide by giving people the right to choose for themselves -how and when they die.

"It's not easy to kill yourself, but when you've had enough and you're sick of things and goodness knows why you want to carry on living in a terrible way? Of course you don't".

For Westoby - it's a matter of fighting not so much for her life, but a dignified death.

Posted here...

***

President-elect Barack Obama has started his series of weekly web addresses, in the style of the president's weekly radio address. Though the move is a boon for transparency in government, the president-elect obviously faces some tough competition with the other videos on YouTube. Armed with little more than an excellent grasp of Obama's tone and inflection, a fake Barack Obama takes on his competitors in the video below.

-- Edited by MZJ at 15:08, 2008-12-11

Dominique Strauss-Khan (seated), International Monetary Fund managing director, learns what Kerreth Atkins, gangster-turned HEART trainee, has learnt about computers during the launch of RISE's inner-city programme. - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer

Kerreth Atkins, a reformed gang member, wants criminals to not be fearful of being stereotyped and turn their lives around.

Atkins' success story was told during a visit from Dominique Strauss-Kahn, managing director at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), to RISE Life Management Services, on East Street, Kingston, yesterday.

As recent as seven years ago, Atkins was involved in a number of gang-related activities, including extortion, sale and abuse of illegal drugs and other activities in the United States of America.

Yesterday, Atkins showed Strauss-Kahn a little of what he had learnt about computers since being a participant in the RISE skills-training programme.

Do not fear

"Don't be afraid to do the right thing. The big factor for many of these men (who are involved in illegal activities) is fear. Fear of what people will say, fear to change their lives, or fear to learn to read," said 35-year-old Atkins, who grew up in Tel Aviv.

At age 17, after dropping out of high school, Atkins was taken to the United States by his father, who abandoned him shortly after.

The abandonment drove young Atkins to a life of crime.

After nine years of being a gang member, Atkins returned to Jamaica in 2001. Unemployed and unemployable, Atkins decided to get computer and other skills training at RISE.

"My children are definitely part of the reason I decided to change my life. I wouldn't want my sins to fall on them and I want to be there for them," said the father of two girls, ages 10 and five.

RISE Life Management Services, formerly the Addiction Alert Organisation, was established by the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica in 1989.

Health-related programmes

The non-profit organisation provides educational and health-related programmes for at-risk youth.

Strauss-Kahn made a donation to the organisation's programmes.

Strauss-Kahn's tour was part of his 24-hour visit to the island, which was at the invitation of the Government.

While at the organisation's facility, the IMF managing director also officially launched RISE's Kidz Club and Parent-Child Open Day, an adult and children academic and social participatory event, to be staged today in six Corporate Area inner-city communities.

As Landline Internet Mobile and Entertainment (LIME) comes towards the end of downsizing exercises, a further 50-100 workers are set to lose their jobs over the next nine months.

The job cuts are part of some 1,200 set to be on the chopping board regionally.

Errol Miller, regional vice-president for corporate communications at LIME, formerly Cable and Wireless, said the layoffs would be conducted periodically until September 2009.

Almost complete

In Jamaica, Miller said the restructuring of the company was almost complete and, therefore, these were the last of the downsizing.

"We are moving to a number that is optimum for operation," said Miller.

The employee target for the company regionally is 2,500. Currently, there are 3,700 workers across the Caribbean.

Miller said he was unaware of when the job cuts would begin.

The company, which competes with two other telecommunications firms locally, has been reducing staff for the last seven months.

do u think grung gad can put out  a next artist that made an impact like movado or even greater 

Cops on bail

Posted: 2008-12-12 08:19:48

An actor slit his throat on stage when the prop knife for his suicide scene turned out to be a real one.

Daniel Hoevels, 30, slumped over with *lo** pouring from his neck while the audience broke into applause at the "special effect". Police are investigating whether the knife was a mistake or a murder plot. They are questioning the rest of the cast, and backstage hands with access to props; they will also carry out DNA tests.

Things went wrong at Vienna's Burgtheater as Hoevels' character went to "kill himself" in the final scene of Friedrich Schiller's Mary Stuart, about Mary Queen of Scots, on Saturday night

It was only when he did not get up to take a bow that anyone realised something had gone wrong.

Though bleeding profusely, Hoevels survived because the knife missed the carotid artery as it sliced into his neck. Wolfgang Lenz, a doctor who treated him, said: "Just a little bit deeper and he would have been drowning in his own *lo**."

One officer told Austrian TV news: "The rumours are wild, with some claiming that he was the victim of jealous rival.

"We don't know anything for sure yet; we have to work through everyone."

The knife was reportedly bought at a local shop; one possibility is that the props staff forgot to blunt its blade. "The knife even still had the price tag on it," an investigator said.

After emergency treatment at a hospital, Hoevels declared that the show must go on, and returned to the stage on Sunday night with a bandage tied around his neck, ready to once again meet his mock demise.

Wanted man fined $1m, given probation

Friday, December 12, 2008

Ricardo 'Bully' Thomas, the man who made Jamaica's top 10 most wanted list earlier this year, was slapped with a million-dollar fine and put on three years' probation when he appeared in the High Court Division of the Gun Court yesterday.

Police said Thomas, 37, was held on Charlemont Avenue, Barbican, St Andrew on October 18, 2008 with two 9 mm pistols along with 49 rounds of 9 mm ammunition. He was subsequently charged and later pleaded guilty to two counts of illegal possession of firearm and ammunition.

According to the police, Thomas is the leader of a gang in c**kburn Pen, a tough community in Kingston 11 where ongoing warfare with a rival area gang has resulted in the murders of approximately 60 persons.

Yesterday, sources said the police were extremely worried that Thomas had to go to court seven times after pleading guilty before being sentenced. The police are also worried that his release will spark a fresh round of violence in the war-torn community.

ppl i was watching a live stream on sting's website and they were saying that theyre will be a suprise international act for sting this year....

most ppl in the forums were saying foxy brown....who do u think it is? 

Contractor General Greg Christie

New information deemed to be suspicious, which was provided Tuesday by the board of the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC), has forced Contractor General Greg Christie to reopen his probe into the affairs of the state-owned bus company.

This time, Christie is interested in finding evidence which could lead him to make "formal referrals to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for criminal proceedings to be instituted against one or more of the company's directors and officers for perjury".

Already, one director, Bindley Sangster, who has taken a leave of absence as the acting managing director of the JUTC, is on tenterhooks following a recommendation by Christie that the DPP consider bringing criminal charges against him for an alleged breach of the Contractor General's Act.

And Sangster could be in for more trouble if Christie finds compelling evidence that could lead DPP Paula Llewellyn to drag him and possibly other members of the JUTC board to court to answer criminal charges.

The contention stems from the board's assertion that the Finance and Procurement committee of the JUTC met 10 times between November 7, 2007 and July 25, and not once, as Christie had stated in his report.

Under the Perjury Act, any person who wilfully makes contradictory and inconsistent statements shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to a term not exceeding two years, or to a fine, or to both such imprisonment and fine.

Documents requested

According to the Office of the Contractor General (OCG), on July 30, 2008, Sangster was asked to provide a copy of the minutes of all JUTC Finance and Procurement Committee meetings which were held between August 1, 2007, and the present.

Sangster's response was: "One meeting of the (JUTC) Finance and Procurement Committee has been held since August 1, 2008. Copy of the minutes attached."

The OCG said that Sangster's assertion as to "since 1st August, 2008" clearly appears to be a typographical error. It should have read "1st August, 2007".

"This is incontrovertibly evidenced by the fact that (a) he was expressly asked to provide an answer in relation to a period which commenced on '1st August, 2007' and, (b) the 'Notes from Procurement Meeting' which were submitted by Mr Sangster to the OCG, in support of his declaration, clearly indicate that the sole Procurement Committee meeting to which he had alluded was convened on February 26, 2008," the OCG release read.

On Tuesday, a report from the JUTC board was tabled in Parliament, which stopped just short of accusing the contractor general of not being thorough enough.

In an apparent attack on Christie, the board said: "The minutes of that meeting make reference to the minutes of the previous Finance and Procurement Committee meeting and accordingly, the CG could have made himself aware of at least one other meeting."

As chairman of the Finance and Procurement Committee, Sangster had declared in the second quarterly report that the award of a contract to Simber Productions, a company in which the late Chairman Douglas Chambers was majority shareholder, had received the approval of the Procurement Committee.

Smith signed

But according to the board, Sangster, in the absence of Chambers, who was murdered on June 27, 2008, and the vice-president for finance, Wayne Smith, who quit the post, was asked to sign the report.

"Sangster signed the report as requested, accepting as accurate the statements contained therein that had been prepared by management," the board said. Christie has frowned upon this excuse.

"At all material times, Mr Sangster was the chairman of the JUTC's Procurement Committee and, therefore, had the wherewithal to know if the contract to Simber Productions Limited had in fact been approved by the company's procurement committee as the QCA report had falsely represented," the contractor general said.

The OCG also said that it was puzzled as to how the JUTC board and its senior management officers could have uncovered in one night other JUTC contracts, which they allege were associated with Chambers, when they were unable to do so during the entire course of its five-month investigation.

An 18-year-old wanted in connection with a killing following a pick-up basketball game has turned himself in to DeKalb County officials.

Markeith McDonald Bailey is one of seven to nine suspects accused of beating Yusuf Heri to death on the playground at Indian Creek Elementary School in Clarkston.

Four other suspects are in custody for the Nov. 1 killing, and the fugitive unit from the DeKalb County Sheriffs Office is seeking at least two other suspects. Bailey, who turned himself in Tuesday, is being held without bail in the DeKalb County jail.

Read

BATMAN BREAKING ANOTHER RECORD

The flick brought in about $530 million in movie ticket sales just in the U.S. alone. And, now, almost 3 million DVDs of the movie have already been purchased on DVD in the U.S., Canada, and Britain since its release on Tuesday.

And as many as almost 600,000 DVDs were purchased as Blu-ray DVDs.

Iron Man was only able to sell 260,000 Blu-rays on its first day of release!!

Ron Sanders, president of Warner Home Video, says, "It's encouraging. The Blu-ray sales of 'Dark Knight' were exceptionally strong and much higher than our projections."

The Dark Knight will be a big Christmas present this year.

"American Idol" will have several changes to its format when it debuts in mid-January, according to an internal Fox memo posted online.

The memo reveals that for its semifinal round, "American Idol 8" will have 36 instead of 24 contestants; the audition episodes will be reduced while the pre-semifinal Hollywood round episodes will be increased; the wild card round will return, giving eliminated contestants the chance to compete for one of the top 12 finalist spots; the show's focus on "bad singers" will be minimized; and Idol Gives Back, the show's charity telethon, will not air this year.

Read more

T-Boz -- she's the T in TLC -- is about to lose a Georgia house after failing to pony up her mortgage payments.

We've learned a five-bedroom, nearly 10,000-sq. ft. house owned by T-Boz (real name: Tionne Watkins-Rolison) is about to go on the auction block in January 2009. According to public records, she's defaulted on the original principal of her mortgage (around $530K), and so now the state is taking it.

Chris "Flash" Richardson, a member of the Harlem Globetrotters, died in his sleep Wednesday while on tour in Japan, an official with the team said Thursday. He was 28.

Although the cause of death was not yet confirmed, Richardson likely died of natural causes, said Globetrotters spokesman Brett Meister.

The players were at a U.S. military base in Sasebo, Japan, as part of an annual holiday tour. The Globetrotters are in their 83rd consecutive season of touring the world.

Meister said the organization was still in shock over Richardson's death.

A native of Corpus Christi, Texas, the 6-foot-7 Richardson played at UNLV and joined the Globetrotters shortly after his college career ended.

Richardson was known for his dunking skills and a genial disposition, according to Meister.

Posted here

A security guard perched atop an armoured vehicle monitors shoppers in Manor Park, St Andrew. - Photo by Anthony minott

Muggers planning to target early-bird Christmas shoppers at Manor Park Plaza in St Andrew had better think again. The strip mall has ramped up security since December 1, even deploying an armoured vehicle.

The move was taken by the plaza's managing entity, Jamaica Property Company Limited, to head off car-jackings, robberies and abductions in the lead-up to the holidays, a traditional hunting season for criminals.

Taking no changes

Although Manor Park Plaza, located in upper St Andrew, does not have a history of being plagued by criminals, the shopping centre management is taking no chances.

Gary Francis, operations manager for Jamaica Property Company Limited, said the increased security measures were to ensure the spraw-ling complex maintains its safety record during a year when crime has spiked nationally.

"It is just for the festive season and it has been the norm, over the years, to beef up the security complement in terms of numbers.," Francis said. "We have decided, this year, to add this as part of the additional complement."

Kidnapping scare

However, Francis said the armoured car patrol, which operates during the plaza's opening hours, was a direct answer to the threat of abductions which have featured among this year's crime statistics.

"We've noted a couple of shopping areas in the Corporate Area where people have told stories of kidnappings and all sorts of activities.

"We thought this might be deterrent for persons wanting to come to Manor Park to carry out these activities," he said.

Francis said he has not had any feedback, positive or negative, from shoppers.

The guy who blasted Vinnie Jones in the face with a beer mug says Vinnie "back-handed" him first -- and he only smashed the actor's face open out of self-defense.

TMZ just spoke with a lawyer for 24-year-old stein-fighter Jesse Bickett, who claims his client was peacefully shooting pool in the back corner of the South Dakota bar Thursday night when a "visibly drunk" Vinnie stormed in and tried to hijack their table.

According to the lawyer, the actor approached Jesse and demanded that he leave the table so Vinnie could play. Right after Jones laid down his demand, Bickett's lawyer claims Vinnie "back-handed him in the face before Jesse could answer."

Jesse's lawyer says Vinnie then tackled Bickett to the ground and threw several head-butts -- so Jesse, in an effort to protect himself, grabbed a beer mug and smashed Vinnie in the face.

After the fight, Bickett, who has no criminal record, also needed plastic surgery to fix lacerations on his hand.

The whole gang is due back in court in the near future.

No baby shall suffer the perils of cold footsies while Erik Estrada is on the case!

We're told while Estrada was on patrol as a reserve officer for Indiana's Muncie Police Department, he risked his own safety for that of a child.

Police say during one of Erik's midnight shifts, "he spotted a man and his girlfriend walking with a baby in the snow in 10 degree weather at 2 AM ... the baby was only dressed in pajamas."

That's when Erik braved the freezing temperature and "got them inside."

A hero never rests.

The Source was in the house Saturday night, when Ludacris and Soulja Boy played a free concert to Atlanta fans following the 2008 SEC Football Championship.

The red carpet event at ATLs Tabernacle, was open to the first 1,000 fans in line with a mobile ticket from AT&T. The communications giant hosted the concert and fans entered a contest for access via text message.

Before the event Soulja Boy said, I receive an amazing amount of love from the South when it comes to supporting my projects especially in college football games where I see some of the players and fans doing my dances when they score.

Check out images from the event after the jump.

 

An upcoming Dayton, Ohio actor who starred in Eminems hit movie 8 Mile has been found dead of an apparent suicide, AllHipHop.com has confirmed. 



Actor De'Angelo Wilson, who starred as DJ Iz in 8 Mile, apparently hung himself on November 26, just one day before Thanksgiving. 



According to police, Wilson, who also had a role in the hit movie Antwone Fisher, was found dead in the back room of a Los Angeles business, although it took police a week to locate his next of kin. 



Once Wilsons mother was contacted, she revealed that she didnt have the funds to bring her deceased sons body back to his native home of Dayton. 



A group of his friends have stepped in - including the real Antwone Fisher, who befriended Wilson during the production of the movie Antwone Fisher. 



Wilsons most recent role was in 2006, when he starred as Julius in Mercy Street. 



He also had small roles in The Salon, CSI: NY, Outside Man and others.

remember when critics used to say, shyne and biggie sound the same, or that erupt sound lke movado?

wud u say itsjust coincedence or wannabe?

ja rule and dmx
2pac and c-murder
merciless and bounty killer
Biggie and guerilla Blacks

add some more to the list

HERE'S HOW IT WORKS PPL. LETS LIMIT IT TO 20 CATEGORIES, YOU EACH NAME A CATEGORY AND THEN NOMINATE SOMEONE OR AT LEAST TWO PERSONS, STARTING WITH THE FIRST REPLY YOU ALL NOMINATE UNTIL WE REACH 20 CATEGORIES, THEN IN TWO WEEKS TIME I POST THE WINNERS ONE IN WHICH WE ALL VOTE FOR ALL THE NOMINEES, THEN TWO WEEKS AFTER WE SEE WHO THE WINNERS ARE BASED ON VOTES, ARE YOU GAME.... LET'S SEE.

Two ladies took the lyrical battle to male deejays at Saturday night's 'Riding West', held at the Llandilo Cultural Centre in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland.

The first was SK, who did a 'correction' of Bounty Killer.

"Killer sey anyweh p...y deh him a go dung deh. Me no understan' him," she said, going on to deejay "anyweh c..y deh we nah go dung deh". However, she faded very rapidly on the lyric and quickly called for "different suppen".

Very effective

Spice was much more extensive and effective in her lyrical onslaught on Beenie Man.

After declaring that "me no fight over man" and asking for a grab down below and a hand up above from all the men who "neva put yu h..d dere, roun' de rear", she demanded of the below par audience "yu ready fi likkle mix up?"

"Sey talk de tings dem," she encouraged.

"Beenie Man a de whole a we artiste. A my artiste. De woman dem love him. When yu go wrong yu go wrong. Las' year yu know whe happen? Beenie Man come strip naked inna me room, cause him waan see a likkle buff. Me tell him no. Him sey a lie me a tell," she said, demanding lyrically "how me woulda know sey yu by maaga so?", holding up a little finger to a laughing audience.

There was more to come, though. "A me fren an me love him, but me haffi touch him corn. Me haffi touch de Rasta corn," Spice said and got into the Beenie Man/D'Angel saga lyrically.

The audience listened as she deejayed "Beenie a gal clown whe a search gal phone/manoff him wife an' pop off de gown. Marry har because she brown/man a New York have har a spin pon de groun'. When him listen good Joe Grin' a mek a soun', cock it up gal, gimme whe de Doctor a get gal".

The audience howled.

Kanye West has never been afraid to show the world what a mess he is. The hip-hopper's debut was called The College Dropout. He's made a habit of storming off and onto awards-show stages. He just got arrested for brawling with the paparazzi. And he openly longs to be America's next Elvis, fully aware of the cruel trappings that come with that tragic Kingdom.

It's these glaring imperfections that make West one of the most fascinating (confounding, irritating) artists in pop. You might hate him because he's a head case; I love him for that very same reason.

Our mutual opinions probably won't change much with the arrival of cracked confessional 808s & Heartbreak, his fourth album and a solemn departure from his club-banging cut-ups. Decades from now (yes, decades), when we judge West on a remarkable career, this 11-track album will stand out as an anomaly, a polarizer among fans. If you're expecting Stronger and Gold Digger, keep walking.

I was prepared to dislike 808s & Heartbreak myself. As West deals with both the death of his mother (the liner notes are a poster of son kissing mom) and the public dissolution of his engagement to designer Alexis Phifer, the star hides behind the effects of Auto-Tune, the popular pitch-correction software that makes his brash, sloppy delivery suddenly sound no more human than the HAL 9000. On the song Street Lights, he's not just a computer, but a crashing one, fuzzed and broken. First single Love Lockdown is like a futuristic take on Fleetwood Mac's Tusk.

West tells us he doesn't need money or cars or clothes; the dude needs solace, and fast. He's a wreck, and it turns out that his search for peace sounds like a trippy Alan Parsons record. Even odder, it's a breakup album in which you actually side with the dumpee. (Run, Alexis, as fast as you can.) As Kanye proceeds to sing more than rap, he's almost begging people to turn their backs.

And yet, as strange as anything else on this album, the Auto-Tune works, as do the Martian keyboards and New Wavey beats, the spacey soundscapes and percussive blasts. On Welcome to Heartbreak, over a buzzing base of icy strings and nerdy synth washes, he robo-croons: ''My friend shows me pictures of his kids / And all I can show him is pictures of my cribs / He said his daughter got a brand-new report card / And all I got was a brand-new sports car.'' It's a moving moment even if it is set in the year 3000.

On a bonus track, he equates himself to Pinocchio, longing to ''be a real boy.'' By then, it's pretty clear that West isn't sure who he is anymore. Human? Robot? Prince? He's chasing Elvis at any price, and if that means being more plugged into his soundboard than his heart, so be it. (West's heartbeat has also been modernized, or at least made as modern as Atari's Pong bleeps.)

It's telling that he sounds most like himself on the dizzy '80s funk of Paranoid, the album's closest thing to a party jam. As a jester, he can relax. He opens the song with laughter, the first time we hear West (1) without the Auto-Tune mask and (2) happy.

But on the exceptional RoboCop, the most telling new track, he's back to bitter, comparing his life to a Stephen King book as Eleanor Rigby-esque strings chirp in the background. About an ex flame, he says: ''Just looking at your history / You're like the girl from Misery.'' The song closes with him repeating the cold kiss-off, ''You spoiled little L.A. girl.''

It'd be easy to say that reviewing 808s & Heartbreak is like critiquing a brand-new artist. It's a synthetic space opera; it's about sitting and pondering, not dancing and partying. But give it time, and the album sounds more like Kanye West than ever before. Mr. Mess just got messier.

Deva Brat is O.K. 24 Nov 2008 | by A.K.A., Contributing Writer One876 contacted a member of Deva Brat's road management team today who informed us that the deejay had survived the knife attack and emerged largely unscathed except for a 'few bumps to the head'. "Dem use a bottle and lick him inna him head and dem run him down with knives, him run go across the road and the police dem arrest the man dem who were chasing him. The deejay alright, him a voice right," the road manager told one876a short time ago. MI THINK A DI FISHAMAN - KARTEL - SENT SO BOY FI KILL HIM THATS JUST MI WHAT YOU THINK

Young Buck to Grand Hustle?

The King of the South is stacking the deck. Rumor has it, T.I. is interested in bringing his good friend Young Buck to the Grand Hustle fold.

"Buck is a personal partner of mine," Tip said. "We've spoken, about a month or two ago, but we didn't iron out no particulars. I would definitely be willing to speak to Buck about that, but I haven't."

50 Cent told us any offers to sign Buck would have to go through him.

"I don't know that situation," Tip said of Buck's status with the G-Unit. "That's why I would have to speak to Buck first. I haven't even begun to deliberate. I haven't even started the conversation with, 'What would it take to get you over here.' That's just the conversation that's been floating around the rumor mill. When I spoke to him, it was more, 'Hey, how you doing?' speaking as partners. We didn't speak professionally. Just him making sure I was all right. Him asking me how I'm feeling, me asking the same of him.

"Killer Mike, on the other hand, I have been speaking to about connecting and moving forward professionally together," he said. "Mike is an outstanding lyricist and phenomenal talent and very intelligent individual. We get along very well. Always have. It's a real organic fit."

Another paring that's natural to Tip is him and DJ Drama. Mr. Thanksgiving has been lobbying to get the Rubber Band Man to make more mixtapes with the PSC.

"Yeah, you know, we working on it," Tip said. "Drama is trying to get me outta mixtape retirement right now. Who knows?" ...

Abena denies dating Konshens

The energy god at it again..
might just be the next grammy kidd..

SOURCE SEH;
"Colourful dancehall act, Elephant Man, got the ultimate stamp of approval from the music industry on Wednesday night when he was nominated for a Grammy award. The 'Energy God', as he is popularly known, is being nominated for the first time for his album Let's Get Physical. He is also the only pure dancehall artiste nominated."

..
THE ENERGY GOD SEH;

"It would mean a lot 'cause if you ask anyone mi always a bring the energy, a jump and entertain di people," he said. "It would be di biggest achievement. Music carry me overseas and let me see di world; to have a Grammy unda my belt would be the best. No one can seh mi don't deserve it, 'cause even when mi tek weh miself or mi deh bout mi always have good music."

What a thing..

Source
BAD BWOY BLOG
GLEANER

well if lee scratch [erry can win it.. then..

i would think Mavado would be in the line up?

-- Edited by Western Alliance at 21:57, 2008-12-05

Dannett Gooden lovingly gazes at her son Nathaniel. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer

A sad spin was put to the joyous refrain, bouncing baby boy, when a mother's newborn reportedly fell to the ground during birth at the Victoria Jubilee Hospital (VJH) in Kingston last month.

During a visit to the VJH on November 4, 2008 to investigate claims that two or more expectant mothers were forced to share a single-patient bed, The Gleaner's news team met Dannett Gooden.

Gooden, 40, was one of three mothers seated on a wooden bench waiting to be admitted to the post-natal ward. But there was something conspicuously missing: She was the only mother on the bench not cl**tching her bundle of joy.

Hospital negligence

The mother of four provided details of what she described as the hospital's negligence, which resulted in her baby boy falling to the hospital floor after he exited her w****.

Gooden explained that she delivered the baby standing up. Then the unthinkable happened. The umbilical cord snapped as the baby exited the w**** and the child hit the hospital floor. The mother said the baby's shoulder softened the blow to his head.

There was *lo** everywhere, she said, even on the soles of her feet. Gooden claimed that three nurses were in the delivery room when the incident happened.

Gooden told The Gleaner that she was in the waiting room when labour pains set in.

"I was in labour (and) I asked a nurse for assistance, she said I must go to the delivery room. When I went into the delivery room, three nurses were there doing nothing."

Gooden claimed indecision grabbed a hold of her because of the contradictory instructions being given to her simultaneously.

"I asked them for assistance. Confusing (me), one was saying go on the low bed, the next one say go on that bed which was the high bed."

She continued: "I was asking them for help ... . The baby was coming and I was standing asking for help (and there was) no one to help me so the baby just fell while I was standing."

"The baby fell over there and the (umbilical) cord popped," she explained.

Refusing to help

Gooden claimed that one of the nurses refused to pick up the new-born. She also alleged that one of the nurses told her that she should have caught the baby and not allowed him to hit the floor.

"One was saying 'no, I'm not taking it up. I'm not taking up the child'. They were blaming me a lot, saying it was my fault that the baby fell but it wasn't my fault because I was asking for help," insisted the distraught mother.

"After that, they said I must go on the bed. I spread the towel and go on the bed and then *lo** was all over so they started to assist me. Then afterwards they picked the baby up."

No injuries

Gooden, who gave birth on November 4, said she did not get to hold her baby until the day she was discharged from the hospital - two days after giving birth. She also said that she was told that an X-ray revealed that the baby did not sustain any injuries in the fall. But Gooden wants independent confirmation of that claim.

The Ministry of Health said it had no record of the incident involving Gooden.

"Our records cannot support the assertion of any baby falling during the birthing process in recent times.

"At VJH, no baby has fallen in recent times because of non-attendance at birth. There is always a skilled birth attendant to perform the delivery of all patients on the labour ward," read a section of the ministry's response, sent via email.

However, the health ministry did not state whether or not such incidents had occurred in the past.

Meanwhile, Novlin Little, deputy chief executive officer of the Kingston Public Hospital, who has direct responsibility for the VJH, confirmed that a verbal report of the incident was made to the hospital's administration on December 2.

Waiting on complaint

She told The Gleaner that the hospital's investigative machinery will pursue the matter as soon as Gooden files a written complaint.

"We have a lady who came in so we are in the process of conducting an investigation," she said.

Little explained that if Gooden's claim is proven to be true, the matter would be sent to a standing committee that would take the appropriate action.

"It's hard to say what exactly will be the measures taken. It has to go to a committee that is set up to deal with things of this nature," she told The Gleaner.

In addition to prescribing action to be taken, the standing committee would also examine the existing systems that are in place, to prevent recurrences.

"We would re-evaluate them and see if they need to be improved to prevent future occurrences," Little explained.

A man who authorities say jumped into a black rhino enclosure at the San Francisco Zoo has been cited. Neither the man, whose name has not been released, nor any animals were hurt in Monday's incident. But zoo officials say he was lucky the rhino did not go after him. The man was cited for violating a park code that restricts people from bothering zoo animals.

San Francisco's Animal Care and Control chief, Carl Friedman, said it's not clear why he entered the enclosure.

He apparently scaled a fence meant to keep humans out and then went over another metal fence.

The incident comes less than a year after a tiger escaped from its enclosure, killing a San Jose teen and mauling two others.

Posted here

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3 NYPD officers charged in subway sodomy case
By TOM HAYS, Associated Press Writer Tom Hays, Associated Press Writer Tue Dec 9, 11:50 pm ET
NEW YORK A police officer warned a tattoo parlor worker that if he reported being sodomized with a baton during an arrest at a subway station, officers would lock him up for a felony, prosecutors said Tuesday.

The threat was among details to emerge as the Brooklyn district attorney announced an indictment charging Officer Richard Kern and two other patrolmen with felonies.

Kern, 25, was charged with aggravated sexual abuse and assault after the Oct. 15 confrontation. Fellow Officers Alex Cruz and Andrew Morales were charged with hindering prosecution and official misconduct for allegedly covering up the crime.

All three pleaded not guilty Tuesday in state Supreme Court in Brooklyn. As Cruz and Morales were released without bail and left the courtroom, accuser Michael Mineo glared at them and clapped sarcastically. Kern left minutes later after posting $15,000 bail.

"I relive this every day. I'm still in pain," Mineo, a 24-year-old body piercer, said outside the courtroom. "No one should go through this."

The Associated Press does not usually name people alleging sexual abuse, but Mineo has come forward publicly to detail his ordeal, speaking to the news media and allowing himself to be photographed and captured on video.

Kern's attorney, John Patten, told reporters that civilian witnesses standing only a few feet away from the officers and Mineo never saw a sex assault. He predicted his client would prevail at trial.

"I represent a very decent young man," he said

THERE are some questions your man will sit there and ponder over, questions he may be too embarra**ed to ask even his doctor the answers to. And often, rather than find out the actual truth, he will either Google, or ask his equally stumped friends - and therein can lie a host of problems that will have him less informed than he was before he asked.

All Woman has stepped in to help, and this week, Dr Orlando Thomas, general practitioner, answers some of the most embarra**ing - and weirdest - sexual questions your guy may have.

AW: What is a normal penis size?
Dr Thomas: The average penis size is 5 inches - 6 inches. That is what has been scientifically documented. But the size varies across race. Eg, Chinese men [have been reported to be] on the lower end with black men on the higher end.

AW: Can I masturbate too much?
Dr Thomas: I wouldn't put a time limit or a number on it, but too much would be to the point where it starts causing harm to one's self, such as redness and pain to the genitalia. Also, it is too much masturbation if you find that you are now distracted from your daily routine and are consumed instead with the act.

AW: Can I reuse a condom if I don't have another?
Dr Thomas: Definitely not! Condoms are known to decrease in strength with each use, so it cannot be reused. Also once you take it off, semen from the inside, or even an infection, may get on the outside and compromise the whole purpose of the condom use.

AW: Why do I lose my erection sometimes in the middle of sex?
Dr: For young males it is usually a psychological problem, for example anxiety or stress, or maybe he is just not enjoying the moment. Some causes may be as a result of erectile dysfunction caused by diabetes, high *lo** pressure etc. But the most common reason is stress and anxiety.

AW: How can I tell if my girl is faking it?
Dr: It is really difficult to tell. You have to depend on your experience with the person. Example, when the woman is excited, she gets wet and some will discharge more than some when they have an orgasm. If she 'has' an orgasm and is still dry, then no, chances are she faked it. Also the vagina becomes rigid or throbs (jumps) a bit during orgasm, so you can tell from this. The vagina tends to get a little swollen and tender after an orgasm so she may need a break before another session, so these are ways in which you can tell.

AW: If I don't have sex for a long period of time, will it really cause penis pain and backaches?
Dr: That is definitely not true. What you may find is that sex acts as a good painkiller. The body releases certain hormones during sex that actually relieves pain such as headaches and back pains but it does not cause pain if you go without.

AW: Why does it hurt sometimes when I urinate?
Dr: You are not supposed to have pain when you urinate, so if you do, it could be as a result of urinary tract infection (UTI), sexually transmitted infection (STI) like gonorrhoea, bladder stone or some trauma to the penis during sex. But the most common causes are UTI and STI.

AW: What is the average time before I should ejaculate?
Dr: The average time for men to ejaculate is from three to 10 minutes. While some persons may believe it should last hours, that really isn't so. The problem here however, is that the female may not be satisfied. That is why it is suggested that you have foreplay before penetration or the man can pull out when he feels the urge to discharge to prolong the moment. There are also tablets and creams that can be recommended by a doctor.

Reuters  U.S. Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain (R-AZ) is joined by Joe Wurzelbacher, also known 

Former England cricketer Chris Lewis appeared in court yesterday charged with trying to smuggle £200,000-worth of cocaine hidden in tins of fruit into Gatwick.

Lewis, 40, played 32 tests and 53 one-day internationals as an all rounder in the Nineties and was once hailed as an heir to Ian Botham.

He was arrested on Monday morning with basketball player Chad Kirnon, 26, after Border Agency staff allegedly found nearly 9lb of the drug in their luggage.

The cocaine, apparently in liquid form, was allegedly discovered in a routine search just after they arrived at 6am on a Virgin flight from St Lucia in the Caribbean.

Friends spoke of their shock at his appearance yesterday at Crawley Magistrates' Court in West Sussex, where the two were remanded in custody until next week.

Lewis said nothing during the short hearing and was refused bail by chairman Elaine Richards due to the 'nature and seriousness' of the alleged offence and because such a 'large quantity' of the drug was said to be involved there was a risk Lewis might abscond if bailed.

The alleged large quantity of drugs also suggested a potential link with 'international crime'.

More

Bolt, Walker named stars for 2008

Published: Wednesday | December 10, 2008

876radio.com understands that Big Ship recording artiste Daniel McGregor also known as 'Chino' is gearing up to shoot the video for his hit single 'Protected'. The single produced by his younger sibling Stephen 'Di Genius' McGregor has been enjoying some major air time on the local and international airwaves. The video shoot slated for tomorrow (December 3rd) will unfold at Carlos Cafe in New Kingston and based on hints from the artiste the storyline will adapt a very formal and aristocratic ambiance. Just last month Chino's track titled 'Call We Name' was banned from the popular U.K. based radio programme BBC 1Xtra hosted by Robbo Ranx due to the lyrical content. According to Chino, "Dem ban di song because mi use the word 'Nigga' repeatedly, they consider the term to be derogatory". However the song has since been re-edited to meet the stringent requirements and is back on the British airwaves. On a segue Stephen has just released one of several projects slated for the festive season the compilation entitled 'Advocate Riddim' features music from Vybz Kartel, Mavado, Busy Signal, Elephant Man, Laden, Spragga Benz, Aidonia, Blak Ryno among others.

 

DMX is now a wanted man after missing his scheduled court date in Arizona Friday. A Maricopa County judge issued a bench warrant for Xs arrest. Hes facing drug, identity theft, and animal cruelty charges.

Turns out, DMX missed court because hes in rehab. (Collective sigh of relief) However, he forgot to show the job the appropriate documentation to postpone the court date.

BILLIONAIRE BOOKINGS WE SAY GULLY COW RIDDIM MIX CD COMING 1/1/2009

FEATURING TRACKS FROM : NUC LEAR - DEVA BRATT - G-LOC - RATIGAN - FUZICO - KAPACHIE - I-SHENKO - INDECKA AND MORE

FOR INFO AND BOOKINGS 917-337-3289 OR  WWW.MYSPACE.COM/BILLIONAIREBOOKINGS

BIG UPS TO

REAL MADD MUSIC GROUP

AFRIQUE SOUND STATION

AND ALL FANS OF WHAT WE'R DOING AT BILLIONAIRE BOOKINGS

-- Edited by Dj_Rubbut at 22:10, 2008-12-09

Hugh Hefner insists Kelly Osbourne will never appear in Playboy, because her body would need too much airbrushing.

The 22-year-old star, the daughter of Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne, recently revealed she would love to pose for the legendary magazine.

But when asked if he'd give Kelly a centrefold by Britain's Closer magazine, Hugh replied: "I can't see it happening somehow - we don't airbrush to that extent."

The magazine mogul recently announced his plan to invite Victoria Beckham to pose for Playboy.

The 80-year-old lothario said: "She should do a pictorial with us. We've got big plans for her. I think she's going to fit in fine - they're both gorgeous."

Preparing to welcome him

Hugh, who is thrilled Victoria's husband David is coming to the U.S. to play for the Los Angeles Galaxy soccer team, is already preparing to welcome him to the world famous Playboy mansion.

He said: "I think Hollywood is going to love him. The girls at the mansion have been talking about his move and want to be sure that we put him on the party list

By Horace HelpS,

KINGSTON (Reuters) - The coach of triple Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt is prepared to wait a while longer before declaring the Jamaican the world's greatest ever sprinter.

Glen Mills, who guided Bolt to victory in the 100 and 200 meters in world record times at this year's Beijing Games, believes his charge has plenty more to prove.

"His performance as a sprinter at the Beijing Olympics is the greatest ever in terms of quality," Mills told Reuters in an interview.

"However, that's one performance. I would like to see him back that up with other outstanding performances before he can be called the world's greatest ever. I want some more from him, because right now it is even difficult to compare other athletes and eras with him."

Bolt, 22, is favorite to win the sport's top two annual awards in Monaco on Saturday.

After elaborate post-Beijing celebrations which Mills said disrupted his training regime, the lanky sprinter has begun training for the 2009 season, highlighted by the world championships in Berlin.

"Training has just started but we are constantly interrupted with his numerous engagements. Hopefully, after Monaco we will be able to sit down and map out something in terms of his training so that we can be competitive," Mills said.

Bolt will not be running any 400 meters races in 2009 and will not compete on the indoor circuit because the risk of injuries is too great.

MORE CONSISTENCY

Breaking more records is high on Mills's agenda for 2009, although consistency from a man he regards as a son and friend is a more important goal.

Criticized by Mills for celebrating 25 meters from the end of the 100 meters final in Beijing, a move Mills believes denied Bolt a time of 9.50 rather than the 9.69 he clocked, the sprinter will receive stricter instructions next year.

"We earmark the big events, with the Olympics being number one and the world championship number two in terms of importance," Mills said.

Mills puts Bolt's transformation from an athlete who could only manage moderate times and performances until last year down to his training program.

"He has now developed his talent to the level that he can perform to the potential that he showed in earlier years," Mills said.

"He started as a junior, suffered some setbacks which put him out of action for a couple of seasons and it took a few more seasons for him to make that reconnection that was needed.

"Those of us who were involved with him knew how hard it was to take him to the highest level," Mills said.

Mills is aware that Bolt will face serious competition.

"Every athlete will be gunning for him next year. I expect that (fellow Jamaican) Asafa Powell, (American) Tyson Gay, the new star on the block Richard Thompson of Trinidad & Tobago, and Americans Walter Dix and Wallace Spearmon will emerge to challenge him.

"He will do very well again next year and I know that because we share a relationship that goes beyond coaching," Mills said.

(Editing by Ed Osmond))

More than ever, smaller record labels are wielding serious clout in the music industry. Do you want to be the person who finds the next big thing and unleashes it to the world? These days, you might be one great song and a really sweet marketing campaign away from being Mr. Record Man.

At the heart of it, starting a label is about finding talent and developing it. Creating art isnt about profit and loss, its about creating art, says Grant Dexter, CEO of one of Canadas largest indie labels, MapleMusic Recordings. Running a label is about profit and loss, he cautions, and you have to be willing to work very closely with artistic personalities to build something special.

The right artist and the right song at the right time can be huge. A couple of million dollars of investment can turn into hundreds of millions. Or you might just get to hang with the band. You have to be competitive in todays music market: The more innovative your strategy and business model, the greater the potential for profit, and the more likely youll survive.

SeekRisingTalent .::
Starting a label is about working on speculation. You have to be self-confident and maybe egocentric in believing that your tastes intersect with whatever segment of the public youre targeting. You need a keen understanding of musical trends, an ability to spot talent in the rough and the fortune to scoop it up at the right time. You'll also need the fortitude to sweat the small stuff to give your bands their best shot. To do that, you need to have a passion for music and know whats out there, whats hot at the moment and what will be hot in 10 years.

KnowAllTheTypesOfLabels .::
Before getting started, you need to know the lay of the land. First, you have the majors; the big four are Warner, EMI, Sony BMG, and Universal. The majors are owned and affiliated with larger companies that have diverse holdings outside the music industry and they control a variety of sub labels that theyve gobbled up through time.

Then there are the independent labels. Typically they fall into two categories; those distributed through a major, and those with no affiliation with a major and only have independent distribution.

CreateYourCompanyStructure .::
Labels generally consist of a variety of departments that handle the artists, the making of the music, the promotion of the music and artists, and the distribution.

A&R (artists and repertoire) reps find and develop talent. Theyre the link between the recording artist and the rest of the label throughout the process of making a record. Sometimes this involvement includes sending the artist back to the drawing board if necessary.

LearnHowToChooseYourBusinessModel .::
Increasingly, producers are taking on the A&R role of finding, signing and developing talent, and finding songs, producers and songwriters that match the artist. Aligning yourself with someone who has the ears, contacts and studio chops to get your new artists music on record is a major plus.

Theres also your marketing department that deals with promotion, advertising and publicity. Promotion people pitch music to radio, television and anyone else wholl play it, on and off line. Sales and product managers ensure that marketing, sales and promotion work together to maximize an artists presence in the market.

Your financial, business affairs and legal people will come in exceptionally handy when the licensing department is looking to place your acts music in movies, television shows and commercials, on cell phones, and in video games.

Since youll be starting small, those departments may consist of you and you alone at the beginning. You might be able to trick a few people into working with you if your persuasive enough. In some cases, you might be better off outsourcing responsibilities. You may start by farming out tasks, but as your infrastructure grows, you can become a service provider for other companies doing radio, publicity, marketing, finances, and web services.

LearnAboutDigitalDistribution .::
Getting product to people in the digital age isnt as hard as it once was, but getting the public to pay for it and cutting through the background noise of all the music out there might be more difficult. Basically, the music industry is pretty thankless; youre really only as good as your last project. Its easy to get lost in the shuffle if your partners dont share your vision.

Its high-risk investment. As with any business, it can take years to break even, let alone turn a profit. The young band that you invest your time, capital and energy in could make millions and cement your reputation as the bravest, hippest new label out there or they could implode in a heartbeat during an onstage brawl on live television, taking your investment with them.

If youre a musician yourself, starting an indie label is one way to spread the word. Thats how Dead Daisy Records, began, says its owner/operator Emm Gryner. At first it was just a logo to put on her record, now it represents a small, but growing, group of artists who are pooling their resources and making a profit.

Its all about partnership: With investors, says Dexter, "you have to have people who absolutely understand what youre doing, that its not a traditional investment strategy. If youre partnering with a major label as distributor, you need the president or an executive of that label to be your ally and be exciting about building the business with you.

ChooseYourBusinessModel .::
You might act strictly as a label that finds and develops talent, makes records, and partners with a distributor to get the music to the public. You could also opt to take a greater role in your artists careers and function as their management as well. As the industry struggles with expanding competition for the average entertainment dollar, person-to-person file sharing, and declining sales, the smart money is on people with innovative and inclusive business models -- companies that diversify in terms of the services and products that it offers.

HowToMakeMoney .::
The little-known secret about CD sales is this: Not only have they dropped 35% in five years [as of 2007], but the average business should be growing 3% to 5%. You've got to grow, keep up with inflation, and pay your employees. The other secret is that the value of the shipments were down 10% last year, so not only are you selling less, youre selling it for less to your retail partners. The only way to stay in business now is to go to the artist and say, Youre a young business and I want to invest in your overall business,' says MapleMusic Recordings CEO, Dexter.

That means taking a piece of the entire package; from merchandising to touring and publishing -- all the revenue streams that an artist generates. In return, the artist receives a larger portion of sales, and potentially more than they would have in a traditional deal. Look at it this way and your label wont have to be about just selling music. Its selling the artists, their clothing lines, the perfume, and so on.

FindFunding .::
When you're starting a record label, youre not just competing with illegal file sharing, youre also competing with the cultural bulldozers that dominate the U.S. market. Meet your other potential business partners: private and government organizations that provide funding for culture as well as tax breaks and employee support programs.

Strictly speaking, many labels -- large and small -- wouldnt be able to survive without programs like this. Before you get too deep in the laying of plans and scheming out the entertainment industry, see what kind of support there is for you and tailor your business model to maximize your chances of getting all the financial support you can.

While youre at it, bone up on the art of creating a compelling proposal to convince your potential benefactors that some of that tasty funding should go to you.

CornerYourMarket .::
Just as important as communicating your vision to your partners is communicating that vision to your artists audience. Honestly connect with the fans of your artists by giving them quality music and creating a brand that is as compelling as the music you release. Treating music consumers like theyre as important to your bottom line and longevity as they are to your artists lends additional credibility to you, your label and your artists.

....:: the future is in your hands

While the music industry changes and comes to grips with the revolution in user-generated products, new technology and a rapidly shifting market, theres a greater demand for music than ever. For a new generation of entrepreneurs -- like you -- its a perfect opportunity to come in under the radar and scoop some market share for yourself.