KC march past Charlemont

http://caribbeanworldnews.com/middle_top_news_detail.php?mid=447

sorry but the site wouldnt let me copy and paste the story...

PPLS IN MZJA MAKE SURE WHEN U UPLOAD A SOFTWARE OR SONG IT DOES NOT HAVE A VIRUS BECAUSE I DOWNLOADED FL AND IT GAVE MY COMPUTER A VIRUS SO SORT OUT UNU THING......

Aloha, a Hawaiian styled party is set to invade the Quad Nightclub in New Kingston, Jamaica on Thursday March 20. The event will serve as a precursor to the Luau Party which will take place over the Easter weekend at Reggae Beach, Ocho Rios.

According to Delano Thomas from Renaissance Disco, Alohas Hawaiian theme will perfectly blend with the fusions of soca, dancehall and hip hop, that will be readily available for patrons to consume.  The Hawaiian theme is very hot and its the soca season and this theme fits perfect. We are really doing it for the ladies, said Thomas.

Patrons attending Aloha will have the chance to win tickets to the Luau party.

Its the night before Good Friday so patrons should come out to have a good time with us at the Quad. Aloha is the best way to kick off the Easter weekend, Thomas added.

All the dance floors at the Quad will be available for patrons to party. We will be featuring music from the 80s to the present, from soca, to dancehall, to hip hop, to house and remixes. Everyone is guaranteed a good time, Thomas promised.

Music will be provided by the Renaissance Disco, DJ Renegade, and Coppershot among others. Ladies will be given Leis upon entry to the party.

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (AP):

Grim tales of cannibalism highlighting the brutality of West Africa's civil wars emerged in testimony yesterday at the war crimes trial of former Liberian President Charles Taylor.

Joseph 'Zigzag' Marzah, who described himself as Taylor's chief of operations and head of the Death Squad before Taylor became president, said African peace-keepers and even United Nations personnel were killed and eaten on the battlefield by Taylor's militiamen.

Prosecutors described Marzah as one of their key witnesses, testifying with inside knowledge of the former Liberian president's operations in Liberia and neighbouring Sierra Leone, where he is accused of responsibility for the widespread murder, rape and amputations committed by soldiers loyal to him.

Not guilty plea

Taylor, 59, has pleaded not guilty to 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity. He is accused of orchestrating violence in Sierra Leone's civil war, which ended in 2002, and trading in illegally mined diamonds to finance the conflict.

The trial by the Special Court for Sierra Leone, sitting in the Dutch city of The Hague, began last June but adjourned after one day when Taylor fired his lawyer. It reconvened in January, but many prosecution witnesses have testified behind closed doors for fear of retribution.

Marzah appeared in open court after lengthy negotiations involving protection for him and his family.

Graphic description

Prodded under cross-examination by defence lawyer Courtenay Griffith, Marzah gave a sometimes graphic description of cannibalism that altered between the ritual taking of vengeance and the practical need for food.

He repeatedly said nothing was done without Taylor's instructions, and that anyone who violated Taylor's orders would be executed.

"Did Charles Taylor order you to eat people?'' Griffith asked.

"Yes, to set an example for the people to be afraid,'' Marzah replied.

He appeared unfazed by Griffith's blunt queries, and responded in matter-of-fact tones to such questions as "How do you prepare a human being for the pot?''

Marzah then described the splitting, cleaning, decapitating and cooking of the corpse with salt and pepper. "We throw your head away," he said.

You asked and we are delivering. The 11th Annual JAMROCK Reggaefest, dubbed "Jamming in the City", is set to hit the Hammerstein Ballroom in full speed on Saturday, June 14th, 2008. Doors open at 6pm and showtime will be at 7:30pm.

The 11th Annual JAMROCK Reggaefest will showcase some of the most requested performers in the industry! "As usual, our events will continue to be of class and high nature," says David "Squeeze" Annakie, Publisher of JAMROCK Magazine, Inc.

Beenie Man

Performers will include Grammy Award winning Beenie Man, whose career spans back to 1981 with great hits like "Dancehall Queen", "Skettel Tune" and "Memories." It would be impossible for one to listen to Beenie Man's songs and not be completely engulfed in his rhythm. His contribution to the music industry is immeasurable, hence why the University of The West Indies recognized his work by honoring him with the title, "The Doctor". Also known as the "King of the Dancehall" Beenie is the embodiment of an authentic recording artist; he can sing, DJ, dance and is considered a fashion icon. He has a tremendous musical track record that speaks volume about his character and will no doubt bring something to the stage that many have never seen or heard before. Be prepared for this world class performer to entertain.

Ky-mani Marley

Ky-Mani Marley will be Continuing the family legacy and grace the stage of the JAMROCK Reggaefest and bring a mix of hip-hop, R&B and jazz that will keep you on your toes for his entire performance. This "Shottas" co-star will be performing his hits "Dear Dad", "Ghetto Soldier" and "One Time", to name a few. The remake of Eddy Grant's "Electic Avenue" with the Fugee's Pras has made Ky-mani even more of a success. Ky-mani's last performance was at the annual tribute to his father, "Africa Unite", with his brothers Damian, Stephen, and Ziggy. We look forward to seeing what surprises Ky-mani has up his sleeves for JAMROCK's big night.

Etana

The Strong One will be there to bring some roots and softness to the concert. This prolific female vocalist has one of the best voices in present day reggae. With every beautiful melody, she is winning the hearts of people one song at a time. Etana has been able to communicate uplifting and inspirational messages to the youths of today. With hits like "Wrong address and "Roots" she will certainly light up the stage with her warm words of peace.

Christopher Martin

From the first time he stepped on stage, this young artist was destined to become a star. Since winning the Digicel 'Rising Star' title in 2005, Chris Martin has hit some of the biggest stages and has been dubbed the next 'big' thing. Being one of the official singers of Blue Cross in Jamaica, along with singing on the 2008 Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues stage, Chris' next big stop will indeed be the stage of Reggaefest.

Sanchez

Another soulful singer making his second consecutive appearance at JAMROCK's Reggaefest is Sanchez. With his mix of reggae soul and gospel, this lovers-rock singer is truly a legend in Reggae music. He
will be performing such hits as "Wild Sanchez", "Love Mi Lover Bad", "If I Ever Fall In Love Again" and "Frenzy." With over 18 years of singing and song writing experience, Sanchez has acquired quite a body of work. With that said, it will not be surprising to hear new tracks from this great singer.

Third World

Third World, the longest-lived reggae band, will also be hitting JAMROCK's stage this evening. Third World is Jamaica's most popular crossover act among international audiences. While this band is very well based in the authentic roots of Reggae, they usually prefer mixing the elements with R&B, funk, pop and rock. As regular visitors to the American and British music charts in the '80s, they are loved universally. Hits by Third World do not need to be mentioned, only remembered. We look forward to having such a world acclaimed band with our other performers at the JAMROCK Reggaefest on June 14th, 2008.

Eleven-month-old Brodrick 'Pharell' Wright never will get to attempt blowing out the candle on his birthday cake.Nor will he ever become the centre of attraction at what should have been his first birthday party.

The toddler never lived long enough and will be buried on March 23, only six days before he should have turned one year old.

Last Thursday afternoon, while a police team chased a taxi operator, who allegedly committed a traffic offence, a bullet pierced through a single sheet of zinc, through his back and then through his little heart, killing him before anything could be done to save him.

Mother of the slain infant, Janice Wright told THE STAR that she had been planning on celebrating her 'one and only' child's birthday on March 29, but the tragic incident has forced her to change her plans to that of funeral arrangements.

"My best friend has a daughter who also celebrates her birthday on the 29th, so we were both planning to c****ine her daughter's and Pharell's party as one," she said. "Now, all that change."

Police reports were that about 3:30 p.m., members of the Island Special Constabulary were at the intersection of the Spanish Town by-pass and Port Henderson Road, where a motorist was observed committing a traffic breach and was signalled to stop. The driver, however, sped away with one of the lawmen in pursuit.

On reaching March Pen Road, the policeman reportedly opened fired at the vehicle.

A mere police report could not have reflected the feelings of the mother or father. Though they say they are coping with the loss of their child, hearing their voices as they speak about it, is enough to depict their grief.

"It really hard, trust me, it really hard," said Broderick Wright, father of the slain toddler.

According to Ms Knight, she was playing with little Pharell on her verandah when she heard someone screaming, "Police a come!"

A single shot

In explaining the event, she continued "So I picked him up off the ground, and was hurrying in to get inside ... As I was opening the door I heard a single shot, then I saw my baby started wiggling in my hands and when I checked him, I saw a deep hole in his back."

She afterwards rushed outside to get help, while shouting "murder".

After getting a taxi and driving just a few meters, they came upon a police team which urged them to transfer the baby to their vehicle and continued to rush towards the SpanishTown Hospital.

As faith would have it, the rush was all in vain. Commissioner of Police Rear Admiral Audley Lewin who condemned the incident, later went on to note that the actions of the policemen alleged to be involved were in breach of the police use of force and firearms policy.

TW LW WOC Artiste Name - Song Title - Record Label
01 02 09 Serani feat.Bugle-DOH-Daseca-New#1
02 01 12 Erup-Click My Finger-Truck Back-3wks@#1
03 03 09 Bugle-Journey-Daseca
04 06 05 Harry Toddler-Dont Run In-Truck Back
05 04 17 Queen I-Frica- Dont Touch Me There-No Doubt Records-3wks#1
06 08 04 Beenie Man- Wine Gal-TJ Records--Shot to Watch
07 05 15 Sean Paul Pick It Up & Drop It Birchill-Peak@#3
08 12 03 Busy Signal-Pon Di Edge-Star Kutt-Greatest Gainer up 4
09 09 07 Courtney Melody-Just Like The Rain-Smith Mansion/Reggae Vibes
10 07 10 Spice Up Inna De Light- Truck Back

Looking for that perfect weapon of mass destruction to pair with The Button? This USB B**** designed by Joel Escalona should fit the bill nicely. Unfortunately, it's just a concept at the moment, but we're sure with a little bit of Styrofoam and a whole bunch of black crayons you could get yourself on the FBI watch list in no time.

A BOY aged 14 was under arrest last night over the attempted murder of five armed cops rammed by a car.


One gun cop on foot miraculously survived after being run over and a colleague was flung over the bonnet of a stolen black Honda Civic.

The Honda then deliberately drove at three more armed Trojan unit officers getting out of a car.

 

Two youngsters in the car were arrested as they tried to escape.

 

One of them was zapped with a Taser gun.

 

But a Met firearms unit source said: "They are both very lucky they weren't shot."

 

Both youths under arrest are known to police.

 

The source said: "One of them is only 14 and the other is also a juvenile."

 

Roving Trojan armed units from the Met's CO19 firearms unit were called to flats in Yelverton Road, Battersea, South West London, at 1am this morning after neighbours reported seeing youths outside brandishing guns.

 

The first two officers to arrive on the scene spotted two people inside the Honda and approached them on foot.

 

As they got to within a few feet of the car it began revving loudly and then drove straight at them.

 

One of the cops was knocked to the ground and the wheels of the car drove over his arm and leg. He survived with heavy bruising.

 

The other went flying across the bonnet and also suffered heavy bruising.

 

As the cops lay injured on the ground, the stolen car roared round the corner into Gwynne Road where another armed response vehicle had just parked up.

 

A Met spokesman said : "The officers were still getting out of the car when the Honda drove into their vehicle.

"It was parked next to a stationary vehicle. One of the officers was standing between that car and an open door from the police car.

 

"He was very lucky not to be killed because the impact of the crash shunted the open door into the car it was parked next to."

 

Three officers next to the car hit by the Honda suffered minor injuries.

 

The Honda came to a stop and the two youngsters inside tried to escape on foot.

 

One of them was then plugged with a 50,000 volt electric shock from a Taser gun and the other was tackled by cops and restrained.

 

The Met spokesman said: "The two youths were arrested on suspicion of the attempted murder of police officers, which is a specific charge, and theft of a motor vehicle.

 

"It was extremely fortunate that nobody was killed in this incident."

A HOPELESS romantic saw his engagement plans vanish into thin air after a balloon containing a £6,000 diamond ring was BLOWN AWAY.

Luckless Lefkos Hajji wanted to surprise girlfriend Leanne, 26 so he told a florist to put the sparkler inside a helium balloon.

But as he left the shop a gust pulled it from his hand and the balloon soared into the sky.

Lefkos, 28, said: I couldnt believe it.

I just watched as it went further and further into the air. I felt like such a plonker. It cost a fortune and I knew my girlfriend would kill me.

The floor fitter spent two hours chasing the balloon in his car but eventually gave up hope.

Lefkos, of Hackney, East London, said: I had been planning the proposal for ages.

I thought I would give Leanne a pin so I could literally pop the question.

But I had to tell her the story she went absolutely mad.

Now shes refusing to speak to me until I get her a new ring.

Florist Helen Savva, of Cockfosters, North London, who put the ring in the balloon, said: I thought he was taking a risk. I said, I hope you hold on to it.

Lefkos is still hoping the balloon turns up.

He said: It would be amazing if someone found it.

-- Edited by littlemisslinkz at 13:01, 2008-03-14

JAMAICA'S most colourful policeman will put away his guns and ride off into the sunset in his red sports car when he begins his retirement from the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) in August.

Adams

Senior Superintendent Reneto DeCordiva Valentino Adams, once described by a writer as "the nemesis of the gunman", will end a 41-year career with the well-known bravado which made him famous and feared.

Confirming his pending retirement, he told the Observer yesterday that he couldn't wait to get on with his life.
"By August I will end my time with the JCF. This is 41 years for which I have no regrets," he said. "When you have a year-and-half to go before retirement, the JCF tell you to make preparation for retirement and I have done that. So I am just waiting on my time to go."

SSP Adams, who will turn 60 on July 11, 2008, has known no other life but that of a cop, bringing to the task titillating controversy, unbridled bravado and unmatchable flair.

But the price has been heavy. Sixty-nine death threats in 28 years; never being able to enjoy family life in public for fear of the evil that men could do to his loved ones; summary transfers for standing up against perceived corruption and the like.

Adams' harshest critics say he is a loose cannon, because he mouths whatever comes to mind, never stopping long enough to worry that he could be ruffling feathers from constable to commissioner, from politician to businessman.

But his critics admit that everywhere that Reneto Adams walks in the land, ordinary folks flock to touch the hem of his garment, which often resembles something out of a futuristic action flick.

"For sure, SSP Adams is a complex character. Men often can't decide whether he is the anti-hero or the superhero. Human rights activists insinuate that he is not above extra-judicial killings, despite producing no evidence so far to substantiate such claims," according to an Observer article on Adams in 2005.

The rights groups pointed to celebrated cases like the so-called Braeton Seven in which seven young men were killed by members of his Crime Management Unit (CMU) in an ill-fated house in Portmore; the shoot-out in Tivoli Gardens in which 27 persons, among them a soldier and a policeman, lost their lives; the Crawle incident that claimed the lives of four persons in the sleepy Clarendon village, and the slaying of Andrew Phang of Grants Pen. Inquiries into Braeton, Tivoli and Crawle exonerated Adams and his CMU colleagues.

The Crawle trial involving forensic evidence by Scotland Yard detectives represented a kind of Waterloo for Adams, even though it, too, ended in the acquittal of the men of non-capital murders.

But as a consequence of the incident, the then police commissioner, Francis Forbes disbanded the CMU and Adams was reassigned to a desk job at the Mobile Reserve Unit, apparently to serve out his remaining days in the force.

Yesterday, Adams remained as defiant as ever, saying his record as a policeman spoke for itself.

He said the police were today asked to police a rotten society and there was both the appearance and perception that criminals' rights were more important than those of law-abiding citizens.

"Law-abiding citizens never had anything to fear from me. They were never in danger of my policing. The people who I had a problem with were murderers, robbers and rapists," he insisted.

It was unusual for the controversial cop not to have any comments on some of the new methods introduced by new Police Commissioner Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin.
Instead he said he was looking forward to his pension and pursuing other interests.

Remember the Indian government's threat to shutdown RIM's in-country network if they didn't open it up for snooping? Ain't gonna happen. Today the Indian government ruled out banning the BlackBerry service. Instead, the government will continue working with the Telecom Commission on security matters (whatever that means) with a promise to resolve the matter soon. Look India, if the notoriously controlling Chinese allow the data to run encrypted, what's your beef chicken?

FORENSIC cops are to search the drains of the Jersey hell home for human remains.

It comes after tip-offs from several alleged abuse victims and sniffer dogs detecting death nearby.

Cops will focus on underground pipes connected to a bath containing *lo** traces, discovered in a hidden cellar.

Meanwhile, two more sinister items have been found in an opening to a second secret chamber in the former kids home, Haut de la Garenne.

Cops refused to reveal details so as not to compromise the child sex abuse investigation but the items are said to be similar to the wooden shackles found next to the bath in the first cellar.

 

Deputy Police Chief Lenny Harper said the search will begin this weekend while he discusses his findings with Scotland Yard in London.

He added: The big priority is the bath and the drains leading from it. Statements from victims tend to give us reason to be interested in it.

Mr Harper added they were treating the site in St Martin as a potential murder scene but have not yet got enough evidence to launch inquiries.

More than 160 people have come forward to allege abuse at the home. Around 25 people are suspected. Detectives expect to make at least two arrests in the coming weeks.

Seven students of the Spaldings High School were rushed to hospital yesterday, after the route taxi in which they were travelling got of control and slammed into an International truck. Two of the seven were said to be in critical condition last night.

Six of the seven have been identified as Dreon Fairclough and Rhajhai Smith who were admitted to the Mandeville Regional Hospital in critical condition and Shane Allen, Kemar Shakespeare, Robert Mills and Tegon Bailey who were admitted to the Percy Junior Hospital.

The driver of the taxi, who was identified as 24-year-old Garth Jones of Walderston, Manchester, fled the scene and was, up to press time last night, the subject of a police manhunt. The accident took place about 3:15 p.m. and, according to eyewitnesses, the driver was racing along with three other route taxis at the time of the collision.

The four taxis were all headed to Christiana. Three of the taxis managed to overtake the truck but Jones was unable to. According to eyewitnesses, as he attempted to overtake the truck a vehicle approached from the opposite direction. In an effort to avoid hitting that vehicle, Jones swerved and his car ended up under the truck, coming to rest against a utility pole. It was at this point that Jones fled the scene, leaving the children to fend for themselves. A woman who operates a shop nearby went to their rescue.

Corporal Albert Simpson of the Spaldings police told The STAR that it was just Friday last that he warned Jones about his bad driving habits but he did not take heed. In fact, the police say they have had to talk to him on several occasions about his poor driving habits.

The price of gold reached a record, trading at $1,000 an ounce for the first time, pushed higher by a weak US dollar and fears about the US economy.

Concerns about a possible US recession are seeing investors buy up commodities such as gold as an alternative to company shares and the US dollar.

Since the beginning of the year the value of gold has increased by about 20%, after it rose 32% in 2007.

Gold eventually settled for the day at $993.80, up $13.30 an ounce.

Analysts say gold will stay high as long as dollar and growth fears remain.

"Every bit of bad US economic data boosts gold in two ways," said Fortis Bank.

"First because it reinforces the return of its role as a safe-haven asset, and second because the dollar falls on expectations of further Federal Reserve rate cuts."

Gold is measured and sold in troy ounces. One troy ounce equals 31.1035 grams or 480 grains. One troy ounce is equal to 1.09711 avoirdupois ounce - those widely used to measure weights in the US and UK.

Short term fix?

The dollar fell further on Thursday against key currencies, including the euro and Japanese yen.

At one point, it was worth less than 100 yen for the first time since 1995, while it plumbed new depths against the euro at $1.5645.

Analysts are predicting that it could fall further as more details emerge of the losses suffered by banks and hedge funds due to investments centred on the troubled US housing market.

Already many companies have unveiled billions of dollars of losses which has caused credit markets to freeze and has created an environment where there is less money available for consumers and businesses to borrow.

At the same time, there are increasing signs that the US is on the brink of recession.

Official data out on Wednesday showed disappointing retail sales in February.

This has added to the recent drum beat of bad news, including a shrinking of the service sector in January and February, and an unemployment rate that is at its the highest level for five years.

'Cut and inflate'

Despite aggressive interest rate cuts and White House measures to stimulate consumer spending, it is expected that US rates - currently at 3% - will have to come down further.

Analysts said this will weaken the dollar further and accelerate inflation.

"The Federal Reserve is going to cut and inflate our way out of this credit mess and the implications are going to be higher and sustained inflation," said Ichael Darda, of MKM Partners.

"That's been signalled by not just gold but by virtually every commodity and the dollar."

The oil price surged to a fresh high above $110 a barrel earlier, while agricultural commodities, including cocoa and coffee, also rose.

Police Bust Multi-Million Dollar Worldwide Fraud Ring Based In T.O.

It's one of the biggest fraud cases cops here have seen in a very long time and it was as devious as it was clever. It involves the theft of more than $700,000 in electronic equipment, extensive credit card fraud, stolen vehicles and as much as $10 million in overall losses.

Cops first became aware of the scheme last December and began to track those they accuse of being behind it. They say the suspects set up a number of phony companies which appeared to be the real thing, and after gaining the trust of their "clients", would order large amounts of electronic merchandise. The purchases were paid for using certified cheques which were later found to be counterfeit. But by then, the material had been delivered and the crooks who took it were long gone.

As if that wasn't enough, cops say the men also rented a large number of expensive cars using the same M.O. Many were driven from the lot straight to a container, where they - and the ill-gotten electronics - were shipped overseas and resold.

Once they cleared customs, the gang reported the cars stolen, which, ironically, they were. So far, authorities have only been able to recover six of the vehicles with an overall estimated value of $280,000.

There were more than a thousand victims of credit card fraud pinpointed and scores of phony health cards, SIN cards, passports and I.D. papers found when police finally closed in.

Cops say the accused had ties to Nigeria, a country known to be the source of those infamous Internet scam emails many people receive randomly in their email. "This has been going on for a number of years," explains Supt. Ron Tavener. "One of the accused in this matter has been deported from the country eight times and keeps returning obviously with forged documents."

A 39-year-old Toronto man named Edmund Ezemo (top left) is facing a long list of charges. Detectives think there are other victims in this case and want to know if anyone else may have come in contact with him. If you've had business dealings with the accused, call (416) 808-2300.

Canadian Pedophile Suspect Goes On Trial In Thailand

 

Rita Marley, the wife of the late legendary reggae singer Bob Marley, recently revealed that she wants Lauryn Hill to play her in her husband's first ever biopic.

Rita, who will be producing the untitled flick, tells The Hollywood Reporter that if she has her way, the former Fugees' first lady would be portraying her.

Lauryn would be ideal [to play me] said Rita.  She sees my life as her life.

Lauryn is married to Marley's son, Rohan.  The couple have four children together.

The Marley biopic, which will be released in late 2009 by The Weinstein Co., will be based on Rita's 2004 autobiography titled No Woman No Cry: My Life With Bob Marley.  The book chronicled Bob's childhood, their turbulent marriage and the singer's death from cancer in 1981.

Marley will be portrayed by two actors in the film, one playing him as a teenager and an adult.  Casting is currently underway and Rita has hinted that her grandson Stefan, who she describes as a spitting image of Bob, would be a perfect candidate.

Barack Obama has beaten rival Hillary Clinton to win the Democratic primary election in the state of Mississippi, according to US media projections.

Exit polls suggest he picked up the overwhelming support of the state's many African-American voters.

Mississippi has 33 delegates to the August convention where the party will choose its White House candidate.

Senator John McCain, already the presumptive Republican nominee, is on a nationwide fundraising drive.

Mr McCain, who is set to secure the Republican nomination at the party's national convention in September after winning the backing of a majority of delegates, is under pressure to build up a campaign war-chest ahead of November's election.

Economic problems

According to exit polls for the Associated Press, Mr Obama won the votes of nine out of 10 black voters in Mississippi.

The African-American community made up almost half of the Democratic electorate in the state.

Hillary Clinton has been campaigning hard in Pennsylvania

Mrs Clinton won about two-thirds of the white vote, the exit polls suggest.

The results follow a day of campaigning dominated by a row over remarks on the volatile issue of race made by Geraldine Ferraro, one of Mrs Clinton's fund-raisers.

Ms Ferraro was quoted in a newspaper last week saying: "If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position."

The New York senator said she regretted the comments, and did not agree with them.

"It's regrettable that any of our supporters - on both sides, because we both have this experience - say things that kind of veer off into the personal," the New York senator told AP on Tuesday. "We ought to keep this on the issues."

Mr Obama had dismissed Mrs Ferraro's comments as "patently absurd", and David Axelrod, one of his senior advisors, had called on her to be removed from the Clinton campaign.

DEMOCRATIC DELEGATE RACE BARACK OBAMA: 1,579 Delegates won on 8 March: 7 Total states won: 25 HILLARY CLINTON: 1,473 Delegates won on 8 March: 5 Total states won: 16 Delegates needed to secure nomination: 2,025. Source: AP at 1215 GMT 11 March Can Clinton win?

During a final stop in Mississippi before flying to Pennsylvania, the Illinois senator pointed to the economic problems of the Mississippi Delta.

"We just haven't seen as much opportunity come to this area as we'd like," Mr Obama told people gathered at a restaurant in Greenville.

"And one of the challenges, I think, for the next president is making sure that we're serving all communities and not just some communities."

Mr Obama also dismissed Mrs Clinton's offer to run as her vice-president.

Mrs Clinton headed to Pennsylvania on Monday, reflecting the state's importance as the rivals' next major battleground.

The state is due to vote on 22 April, with 158 delegates up for grabs for the Democrats.

Mr Obama has 1,579 delegates in comparison with Mrs Clinton's 1,473, according to the latest tally by the Associated Press.

The successful candidate needs 2,025 delegates to secure the Democratic nomination.

McCain medical check

At a campaign rally in Scranton, Pennsylvania, on Monday, Mrs Clinton refused to be drawn on questions about a close political ally, New York State Governor Eliot Spitzer, who is alleged to have used a prostitution service.

"I don't have any comment on that," she said when asked about allegations he had paid for sex with a prostitute.

"Obviously, I am sending my best wishes and thoughts to the governor and to his family."

Meanwhile, Mr McCain, who has raised less in election funds than either of his Democratic opponents, is touring the country as he seeks to fill his campaign coffers.

He was due to visit New York on Tuesday, followed by trips to Boston, Pennsylvania and Chicago.

Mr McCain had a medical check-up on Monday and declared to reporters that he was free of cancer.

The Arizona senator has faced questions about his health after a bout of skin cancer in 2000.

You already know the drill by now rumor alert but we cant hold back from posting this juicy bit of information we just got. Weve heard the Nokia N810 with WiMAX (we heard it actually is still called the N810, not the N830) is going to launch April 1st. What day is April 1st, youre asking? The start of CTIA, peoples! Again, weve yet to confirm this ourselves, but figured wed give yall a heads up. Any takers?

Africa before European slavery

The 'Life in West Africa' gallery at the International Slavery Museum includes a variety of traditional African artefacts and this recreation of part of a family Igbo compound. Photograph © Redman Design/International Slavery Museum

The peoples of West Africa had a rich and varied history and culture long before European slavers arrived. They had a wide variety of political arrangements including kingdoms, city-states and other organisations, each with their own languages and culture.

The empire of Songhai and the kingdoms of Mali, Benin and Kongo were large and powerful with monarchs heading complex political structures governing hundreds of thousands of subjects. In other areas, political systems were smaller and weaker, relying on agreement between people at village level. As in 16th century war-torn Europe, the balance of power between political states and groups was constantly changing.

Art, learning and technology flourished and Africans were especially skilled in subjects like medicine, mathematics and astronomy. As well as domestic goods, they made fine luxury items in bronze, ivory, gold and terracotta for both local use and trade.

West Africans had traded with Europeans through merchants in North Africa for centuries. The first traders to sail down the West African coast were the Portuguese in the 15th century. Later the Dutch, British, French and Scandinavians followed. They were mainly interested in precious items such as gold, ivory and spices, particularly pepper.

From their first contacts, European traders kidnapped and bought Africans for sale in Europe. However, it was not until the 17th century, when plantation owners wanted more and more slaves to satisfy the increasing demand for sugar in Europe, that transatlantic slaving became the dominant trade.

Olaudah Equiano - life in Africa.

Thats why Richie Spice sey di world is a cycle. WE WILL RULE AGAIN!!!!!!
Everybody a fret a talk bout wa di world a come to, but if u pree di ting a same so our empire di crumble (more blacks where dying during slavery than now). Di evil dem just a mek way di real Rulers of the earth. OBAMA look like him cyaan wait though.

Pricey flash drives are a dime a dozen (so to speak), but just in case you haven't found one quite ugly enough to call your own, why not feast your eyes on the Adamant? The limited edition drive will be limited to 50 units worldwide and will feature 16GB of capacity, a trio of diamonds, a dash of yellow gold and a sleek black box that'll quickly get tossed moments after it arrives. Granted, you'll have to shell out $5,650 in order to even have that luxury, but you better act fast.

We've seen antiquated Macs given new life as fish tanks and living room decorations, but the iWipe takes repurposing to an entirely different level. As you can clearly see in the image above, one particular engineering soul figured a spare Macintosh SE case would look a whole lot better in his bathroom than in the trash, so he whipped out a screwdriver, removed some internal brackets and gave the unit a fresh coat of paint. $15 and a few hours later, out popped his new toilet paper dispenser. Check out the read link for a bunch more pics -- oh, and stop second guessing yourself, you're totally building one of these next weekend.

 

The No Joke Entertainment and VP Records' "Education Is NO Joke" School Tour, culminated on February 27 on a high note. It was the end of Black History month; during which artists visited schools, making a difference with their enlightening messages of encouragement.

Amongst the 'empowering gang' were hit-makers like: Sean Paul, Busy Signal, Macka Diamond, DAngel, Voice Mail and DaVille. The tour was well supported by members of the reggae music fraternity.

"I am overwhelmed by the response to the tour, we had the idea it would be successful but we did not know there would be such a great coming together of everyone involved to make it such a success. We are showing that it is not difficult to motivate students and that the work that is necessary can be done with the right planning and execution," Mario Lazarre, CEO of No Joke Entertainment, said. He added that the tour proved how much entertainers are valued, noting they are an asset in the society and can make a positive impact on their young fans.

It was all about giving back for artists who were thrilled to re-visit their alma-maters; but not as thrilled as the students who welcomed them with exuberance. Da'Ville's experience on February 26th at Norman Manley High School where he was a student back in the day, was enriching for him, as he spoke briefly and candidly to students on issues like: self esteem, discipline and self respect particularly in matters of sexuality. Mingling and handing out stationary, Da'Ville created quite a buzz.

Brother Arrested In Horrifying Mass Murder Of Family In U.S.

The TSA has been known to take issue with products designed in Cupertino before, but for one particular traveler, it was Apple's thinnest laptop ever that caused the latest holdup. Upon tossing his ultra-sleek slab of aluminum underneath the scanner, security managed to find enough peculiarities to remove it from the flow, pull it aside and wrangle up the owner for some questions. Apparently, the TSA employee manning the line was flabbergasted by the "lack of a drive" and the complete absence of "ports on the back," and while hordes of co-workers swarmed to investigate, the user's flight took off on schedule. Thankfully, said owner was finally allowed to pass through after some more in-the-know colleagues explained in painfully simple terms what an SSD was, but the poor jet-setter most definitely paid the price for trying to slip some of the latest and greatest under the sharp eyes of the TSA (and cutting it close on time, of course).

Gov. Eliot Spitzer has told senior advisers that he had been involved in a prostitution ring, the New York Times reported Monday.
Spitzer is a first-term Democrat and former state attorney general. He is married with three children.

Details about the prostitution ring were not immediately clear.

But last week, federal prosecutors in Manhattan filed conspiracy charges against four people accusing them of running a prostitution ring that charged wealthy clients in Europe and the U.S. thousands of dollars for prostitutes.

The Web site of the Emperors Club VIP displays photographs of the prostitutes' bodies, with their faces hidden, along with hourly rates depending on whether the prostitutes were rated with one diamond, the lowest ranking, or seven diamonds, the highest. The most highly ranked prostitutes cost $5,500 an hour, prosecutors said.

Spitzer has built his political legacy on rooting out corruption, including several headline-making battles with Wall Street while serving as attorney general. He stormed into the governor's office in 2006 with a historic share of the vote, vowing to continue his no-nonsense approach to fixing one of the nation's worst governments.

Time magazine had named him "Crusader of the Year" when he was attorney general and the tabloids proclaimed him "Eliot Ness."

But his stint as governor has been marred by several problems, including an unpopular plan to grant driver's licenses to illegal immigrants and a plot by his aides to smear Spitzer's main Republican nemesis.

Spitzer had been expected to testify to the state Public Integrity Commission he had created to answer for his role in the scandal, in which his aides are accused of misusing state police to compile travel records to embarra** Senate Republican leader Joseph Bruno.

Spitzer had served two terms as attorney general where he pursued criminal and civil cases and cracked down on misconduct and conflicts of interests on Wall Street and in corporate America. He had previously been a prosecutor in the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, handling organized crime and white-collar crime cases.

His cases as state attorney general included a few criminal prosecutions of prostitution rings and into tourism involving prostitutes.

In 2004, he was part of an investigation of an escort service in New York City that resulted in the arrest of 18 people on charges of promoting prostitution and related charges.

DIS MAN IS A ENTREPRENUER-A REAL BUSINESS MAN lol

A vast array of pharmaceuticals including antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones have been found in the drinking water supplies of at least 41 million Americans, an Associated Press investigation shows.

To be sure, the concentrations of these pharmaceuticals are tiny, measured in quantities of parts per billion or trillion, far below the levels of a medical dose. Also, utilities insist their water is safe.

But the presence of so many prescription drugs and over-the-counter medicines like acetaminophen and ibuprofen in so much of our drinking water is heightening worries among scientists of long-term consequences to human health.

In the course of a five-month inquiry, the AP discovered that drugs have been detected in the drinking water supplies of 24 major metropolitan areas from Southern California to Northern New Jersey, from Detroit to Louisville, Ky.

Water providers rarely disclose results of pharmaceutical screenings, unless pressed, the AP found. For example, the head of a group representing major California suppliers said the public "doesn't know how to interpret the information" and might be unduly alarmed.

How do the drugs get into the water?

People take pills. Their bodies absorb some of the medication, but the rest of it passes through and is flushed down the toilet. The wastewater is treated before it is discharged into reservoirs, rivers or lakes. Then, some of the water is cleansed again at drinking water treatment plants and piped to consumers. But most treatments do not remove all drug residue.

And while researchers do not yet understand the exact risks from decades of persistent exposure to random c****inations of low levels of pharmaceuticals, recent studies which have gone virtually unnoticed by the general public have found alarming effects on human cells and wildlife.

"We recognize it is a growing concern and we're taking it very seriously," said Benjamin H. Grumbles, assistant administrator for water at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Members of the AP National Investigative Team reviewed hundreds of scientific reports, analyzed federal drinking water databases, visited environmental study sites and treatment plants and interviewed more than 230 officials, academics and scientists. They also surveyed the nation's 50 largest cities and a dozen other major water providers, as well as smaller community water providers in all 50 states.

Here are some of the key test results obtained by the AP:

_Officials in Philadelphia said testing there discovered 56 pharmaceuticals or byproducts in treated drinking water, including medicines for pain, infection, high cholesterol, asthma, epilepsy, mental illness and heart problems. Sixty-three pharmaceuticals or byproducts were found in the city's watersheds.

_Anti-epileptic and anti-anxiety medications were detected in a portion of the treated drinking water for 18.5 million people in Southern California.

_Researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey analyzed a Passaic Valley Water Commission drinking water treatment plant, which serves 850,000 people in Northern New Jersey, and found a metabolized angina medicine and the mood-stabilizing carbamazepine in drinking water.

_A sex hormone was detected in San Francisco's drinking water.

_The drinking water for Washington, D.C., and surrounding areas tested positive for six pharmaceuticals.

_Three medications, including an antibiotic, were found in drinking water supplied to Tucson, Ariz.

The situation is undoubtedly worse than suggested by the positive test results in the major population centers documented by the AP.

The federal government doesn't require any testing and hasn't set safety limits for drugs in water. Of the 62 major water providers contacted, the drinking water for only 28 was tested. Among the 34 that haven't: Houston, Chicago, Miami, Baltimore, Phoenix, Boston and New York City's Department of Environmental Protection, which delivers water to 9 million people.

Some providers screen only for one or two pharmaceuticals, leaving open the possibility that others are present.

The AP's investigation also indicates that watersheds, the natural sources of most of the nation's water supply, also are contaminated. Tests were conducted in the watersheds of 35 of the 62 major providers surveyed by the AP, and pharmaceuticals were detected in 28.

Yet officials in six of those 28 metropolitan areas said they did not go on to test their drinking water Fairfax, Va.; Montgomery County in Maryland; Omaha, Neb.; Oklahoma City; Santa Clara, Calif., and New York City.

The New York state health department and the USGS tested the source of the city's water, upstate. They found trace concentrations of heart medicine, infection fighters, estrogen, anti-convulsants, a mood stabilizer and a tranquilizer.

City water officials declined repeated requests for an interview. In a statement, they insisted that "New York City's drinking water continues to meet all federal and state regulations regarding drinking water quality in the watershed and the distribution system" regulations that do not address trace pharmaceuticals.

In several cases, officials at municipal or regional water providers told the AP that pharmaceuticals had not been detected, but the AP obtained the results of tests conducted by independent researchers that showed otherwise. For example, water department officials in New Orleans said their water had not been tested for pharmaceuticals, but a Tulane University researcher and his students have published a study that found the pain reliever naproxen, the sex hormone estrone and the anti-cholesterol drug byproduct clofibric acid in treated drinking water.

Of the 28 major metropolitan areas where tests were performed on drinking water supplies, only Albuquerque; Austin, Texas; and Virginia Beach, Va.; said tests were negative. The drinking water in Dallas has been tested, but officials are awaiting results. Arlington, Texas, acknowledged that traces of a pharmaceutical were detected in its drinking water but cited post-9/11 security concerns in refusing to identify the drug.

The AP also contacted 52 small water providers one in each state, and two each in Missouri and Texas that serve communities with populations around 25,000. All but one said their drinking water had not been screened for pharmaceuticals; officials in Emporia, Kan., refused to answer AP's questions, also citing post-9/11 issues.

Rural consumers who draw water from their own wells aren't in the clear either, experts say.

The Stroud Water Research Center, in Avondale, Pa., has measured water samples from New York City's upstate watershed for caffeine, a common contaminant that scientists often look for as a possible signal for the presence of other pharmaceuticals. Though more caffeine was detected at suburban sites, researcher Anthony Aufdenkampe was struck by the relatively high levels even in less populated areas.

He suspects it escapes from failed septic tanks, maybe with other drugs. "Septic systems are essentially small treatment plants that are essentially unmanaged and therefore tend to fail," Aufdenkampe said.

Even users of bottled water and home filtration systems don't necessarily avoid exposure. Bottlers, some of which simply repackage tap water, do not typically treat or test for pharmaceuticals, according to the industry's main trade group. The same goes for the makers of home filtration systems.

Contamination is not confined to the United States. More than 100 different pharmaceuticals have been detected in lakes, rivers, reservoirs and streams throughout the world. Studies have detected pharmaceuticals in waters throughout Asia, Australia, Canada and Europe even in Swiss lakes and the North Sea.

For example, in Canada, a study of 20 Ontario drinking water treatment plants by a national research institute found nine different drugs in water samples. Japanese health officials in December called for human health impact studies after detecting prescription drugs in drinking water at seven different sites.

In the United States, the problem isn't confined to surface waters. Pharmaceuticals also permeate aquifers deep underground, source of 40 percent of the nation's water supply. Federal scientists who drew water in 24 states from aquifers near contaminant sources such as landfills and animal feed lots found minuscule levels of hormones, antibiotics and other drugs.

Perhaps it's because Americans have been taking drugs and flushing them unmetabolized or unused in growing amounts. Over the past five years, the number of U.S. prescriptions rose 12 percent to a record 3.7 billion, while nonprescription drug purchases held steady around 3.3 billion, according to IMS Health and The Nielsen Co.

"People think that if they take a medication, their body absorbs it and it disappears, but of course that's not the case," said EPA scientist Christian Daughton, one of the first to draw attention to the issue of pharmaceuticals in water in the United States.

Some drugs, including widely used cholesterol fighters, tranquilizers and anti-epileptic medications, resist modern drinking water and wastewater treatment processes. Plus, the EPA says there are no sewage treatment systems specifically engineered to remove pharmaceuticals.

One technology, reverse osmosis, removes virtually all pharmaceutical contaminants but is very expensive for large-scale use and leaves several gallons of polluted water for every one that is made drinkable.

Another issue: There's evidence that adding chlorine, a common process in conventional drinking water treatment plants, makes some pharmaceuticals more toxic.

Human waste isn't the only source of contamination. Cattle, for example, are given ear implants that provide a slow release of trenbolone, an anabolic steroid used by some bodybuilders, which causes cattle to bulk up. But not all the trenbolone circulating in a steer is metabolized. A German study showed 10 percent of the steroid passed right through the animals.

Water sampled downstream of a Nebraska feedlot had steroid levels four times as high as the water taken upstream. Male fathead minnows living in that downstream area had low testosterone levels and small heads.

Other veterinary drugs also play a role. Pets are now treated for arthritis, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, allergies, dementia, and even obesity sometimes with the same drugs as humans. The inflation-adjusted value of veterinary drugs rose by 8 percent, to $5.2 billion, over the past five years, according to an analysis of data from the Animal Health Institute.

Ask the pharmaceutical industry whether the contamination of water supplies is a problem, and officials will tell you no. "Based on what we now know, I would say we find there's little or no risk from pharmaceuticals in the environment to human health," said microbiologist Thomas White, a consultant for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America.

But at a conference last summer, Mary Buzby director of environmental technology for drug maker Merck & Co. Inc. said: "There's no doubt about it, pharmaceuticals are being detected in the environment and there is genuine concern that these compounds, in the small concentrations that they're at, could be causing impacts to human health or to aquatic organisms."

Recent laboratory research has found that small amounts of medication have affected human embryonic kidney cells, human *lo** cells and human breast cancer cells. The cancer cells proliferated too quickly; the kidney cells grew too slowly; and the *lo** cells showed biological activity associated with inflammation.

Also, pharmaceuticals in waterways are damaging wildlife across the nation and around the globe, research shows. Notably, male fish are being feminized, creating egg yolk proteins, a process usually restricted to females. Pharmaceuticals also are affecting sentinel species at the foundation of the pyramid of life such as earth worms in the wild and zooplankton in the laboratory, studies show.

Some scientists stress that the research is extremely limited, and there are too many unknowns. They say, though, that the documented health problems in wildlife are disconcerting.

"It brings a question to people's minds that if the fish were affected ... might there be a potential problem for humans?" EPA research biologist Vickie Wilson told the AP. "It could be that the fish are just exquisitely sensitive because of their physiology or something. We haven't gotten far enough along."

With limited research funds, said Shane Snyder, research and development project manager at the Southern Nevada Water Authority, a greater emphasis should be put on studying the effects of drugs in water.

"I think it's a shame that so much money is going into monitoring to figure out if these things are out there, and so little is being spent on human health," said Snyder. "They need to just accept that these things are everywhere every chemical and pharmaceutical could be there. It's time for the EPA to step up to the plate and make a statement about the need to study effects, both human and environmental."

To the degree that the EPA is focused on the issue, it appears to be looking at detection. Grumbles acknowledged that just late last year the agency developed three new methods to "detect and quantify pharmaceuticals" in wastewater. "We realize that we have a limited amount of data on the concentrations," he said. "We're going to be able to learn a lot more."

While Grumbles said the EPA had analyzed 287 pharmaceuticals for possible inclusion on a draft list of candidates for regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act, he said only one, nitroglycerin, was on the list. Nitroglycerin can be used as a drug for heart problems, but the key reason it's being considered is its widespread use in making explosives.

So much is unknown. Many independent scientists are skeptical that trace concentrations will ultimately prove to be harmful to humans. Confidence about human safety is based largely on studies that poison lab animals with much higher amounts.

There's growing concern in the scientific community, meanwhile, that certain drugs or c****inations of drugs may harm humans over decades because water, unlike most specific foods, is consumed in sizable amounts every day.

Our bodies may shrug off a relatively big one-time dose, yet suffer from a smaller amount delivered continuously over a half century, perhaps subtly stirring allergies or nerve damage. Pregnant women, the elderly and the very ill might be more sensitive.

Many concerns about chronic low-level exposure focus on certain drug classes: chemotherapy that can act as a powerful poison; hormones that can hamper reproduction or development; medicines for depression and epilepsy that can damage the brain or change behavior; antibiotics that can allow human germs to mutate into more dangerous forms; pain relievers and *lo**-pressure diuretics.

For several decades, federal environmental officials and nonprofit watchdog environmental groups have focused on regulated contaminants pesticides, lead, PCBs which are present in higher concentrations and clearly pose a health risk.

However, some experts say medications may pose a unique danger because, unlike most pollutants, they were crafted to act on the human body.

"These are chemicals that are designed to have very specific effects at very low concentrations. That's what pharmaceuticals do. So when they get out to the environment, it should not be a shock to people that they have effects," says zoologist John Sumpter at Brunel University in London, who has studied trace hormones, heart medicine and other drugs.

And while drugs are tested to be safe for humans, the timeframe is usually over a matter of months, not a lifetime. Pharmaceuticals also can produce side effects and interact with other drugs at normal medical doses. That's why aside from therapeutic doses of fluoride injected into potable water supplies pharmaceuticals are prescribed to people who need them, not delivered to everyone in their drinking water.

"We know we are being exposed to other people's drugs through our drinking water, and that can't be good," says Dr. David Carpenter, who directs the Institute for Health and the Environment of the State University of New York at Albany.

We already knew the GX600 would be showing itself at CeBIT this year, but apparently, quite a few siblings made the trek to Germany as well -- including the aforementioned unit's 14.1-inch sister, the GX400. Moving on, we've got the 15.4-inch GX620 and 17-inch GX720, and while the former looks to arrive in a wood, leather or carbon fiber finish, the latter supposedly arrives with a black lacquer coat and a built-in subwoofer (among other goodies). The GT-730 gaming lappie was also mentioned, but unfortunately, all we know is that it gets its graphics prowess from some form of ATI Mobility Radeon. The AMD-powered EX610 (15.4-inches) also turned heads with its integrated Blu-ray player and HDMI output, while the 17-inch EX700 sported the same along with a GeForce 8400M GPU. Hit up the links below for a couple more snapshots, won'tcha?

Monday, 10 March 2008   A Jamaican-born couple who fled Fort Lauderdale allegedly to escape federal charges in a multi-million dollar mortgage scam is now facing extradition. 

United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida says fugitive mortgage broker 41-year-old Yvette Scott Patterson and her husband 45-year-old Delroy Patterson were arrested late last week in Kingston by local authorities. 

The couple is being held pending an extradition request by the United States government.

The Pattersons were fugitives on an outstanding federal indictment filed in Fort Lauderdale in 2006 as part of Operation Whose House.

That indictment had charged that the Pattersons conspired to commit mail and wire fraud, mail fraud, wire fraud, and identity fraud involving mortgage fraud on properties in Broward County, Florida.

The case involved more than US$10 million in fraudulent mortgages. 

According to the indictment, Mrs. Scott Patterson was a mortgage broker from 2002-2005.

She is alleged to have submitted fraudulent mortgage applications and false documentation to mortgage lenders around the United States by using straw buyers and the fraudulent identification documents of innocent victims whose identities were stolen. 

To date, Operation Whose House has resulted in eight defendants pleading guilty and one defendant being convicted after a ten day trial in April 2007.

Another defendant Ishmael Grant was sentenced in June 2007 to ten years in prison for his role in the same scheme.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/reggae...5126107439.html

Reggae royals drum up a Caribbean storm

PRINCE Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, have joined a group of red, gold and green-clad Rastafarian musicians for a drum session outside the former home of reggae legend Bob Marley.

On a Caribbean tour to promote environmental protection, the royal couple were led through Marley's home now a museum honouring the late singer by his widow, Rita, and sons Robert and Rohan.

They viewed memorabilia such as tour photos and a Gibson guitar favoured by the singer.

Raised in Kingston's shantytowns, Marley rose to international stardom before dying of cancer at 36.

His lyrics promoting "one love" and African liberation, and recounting the oppression of the common man in Jamaica, made him an icon in his homeland and developing countries worldwide.

Hundreds of people jostled each other on Wednesday for a glimpse of the British royals during a visit to an impoverished Jamaican community.

Charles chatted with townspeople and planted a seedling at a community centre in Rose Town, where his Foundation for the Built Environment is helping with revitalisation efforts.

"It's quite a spectacle," local resident Dale Bent said of the touring royals.

The Prince also inspected an honour guard in the capital.

Governor-General Kenneth Hall and British high commissioner Jeremy Cresswell accompanied the royals, who are nearing the end of a five-island tour aboard a 75-metre yacht that boasts a hot tub, gym and 24-member crew.

IS BEENIE MAN A DEADBEAT DAD? Beenie_Man111.jpgOne876Entertainment.com understands that word on the street is that Beenie Man, or lawyers representing him are expected attend court next week in UK to deal with a child support case brought against him by Shezal Laing. According to our sources, an interim order was granted against the deejay to pay 300 pounds sterling per week to support his four year old son with Ms. Laing. However, those payments have not been forthcoming, and the case is approaching the end, and the deejay could end up having to pay a large sum to Ms. Laing to get rid of his arrears. Ms. Laing is the niece of Supreme Promotions CEO Isaiah Laing that produces the annual Sting concert. Estimates put this at several thousand pounds sterling which could translate into millions of Jamaican dollars. Beenie Man is expected to go to court on March 17th. Beenie Man has six other children. LENA BRITISH=MONEY Everytime me see Lena British, me see new money, first it used to be green money, US dollars that is, but lately, everytime me see her, me just a see pounds, sterling of course, not the heavy weight ting like wah Ms. Fluffy ah contend wid yea, ah dat mi say, mi no fraid fi talk the tings. Lena have a new dress people weh dem say cost 4,000 pounds sterling, and she plan fi unveil it at Hennessey British Link Up inna two weeks time. Mi hear say she fly from London to Milan to Paris fi find the perfect dress, and she did. And the way the dress bad, her friend dem say she shoulda keep a press launch just fi unveil it to the world, but Lena no inna the hype ting. Miami, New York, Atlanta, wah mi say? Proper lifestyle. Mi have an image to maintain, dem ah go sicka me. NO AFTER CHAMPS PARTY FOR MAVADO Though it isn't sure whether or not any after Champs party will be staged one advertised artste says he whill not be on these shows if they happen. "Mavado has not been contracted to appear on any After Champs shows or dances this weekend. He is being falsely advertised for Up to the Line and will not be in attendance. He will in fact be overseas for Foota Hype's Birthday Bash." said Julian Jones-Griffith. WHATS UP SADIKI? Sadiki ah walk and ah tell people say him innocent of the charges brought against him. Me nah go say nothing about it because the matter is still before the courts, but people, mi waan mek it clear say me, Abena, bun all child molesters, rapists and people who indulge in perverted, ungodly acts, mi no cata who you is and where yu come from. THE PEOPLE DEM AH ASK.... How Ninjaman so hype? Him ah travel to venue inna limousine, while him a carry him entourage of pretty girls inna another limo? Wah him feel like? And him no have a hit song? The limo dem not even hype. Next time yu see Ninjaman pon stage, just bawl out new tune, mi tired ah him and the foolishness now. STAGE SHOW SCIENCE: Which artiste pour some obeah oil at another artiste foot right before him fi perform? Which hot gal from a particular crew inna Portmore always inna name brand clothes and her pickney hungry? Mi no ready fi call up yu name yet. Sort yuself out. Is Milk going to play the step mother role to Liquids daughter? Me hear say she and Milk get along fine, if that is not true

Bounty and D' Angel

Look inna mi eyes tell mi wat yu see, yes darling is the Grung God an D' Angel mi did see a di recently held Irie FM Awards in a brief intimate moment a chat an a hold hands. But I can't believe dat di same mouth weh seh anyting me dash weh me tek it bak a di same mout a chat to di fallen Angel. No worry unnu self, MediazoneJa ago mek unnu kno a who a Blaze Blaze and we sure kno a no Beenie Man.

 

She's Royal

Wat is dis, I couldn't believe mi ears wen mi hear seh Mr. Royal himself is wit di Warrior Love Princess. One likkle bird tell mi seh a she him did a talk bout inna him song "She's Royal" an vise versa with "Warrior Love." Fi dem love definitely no ave no boundary because Mr. 'Not So Loyal' jus get a baby di odda day wit another "Queen," so some people wah kno a weh him an his songstress Princess deh pon. Every weh yuh turn a di two a dem yuh see, but as she seh "dem caan stop di way dat I feel for you". Stay tuned, MediazoneJa will definitely keep yuh posted.

Reggae Royalty giving the Royal treatment

Yes me chile Prince Charles is expected on the island today and guess which reggae royalty a lay out the red carpet fi him...Mrs. Rita Marley mi dear.

Cud it be wit such royal treatment we can expect some repriation...I'm wondering.

 

 

After a series of attacks on mobile phone towers, it appears life in Afghanistan has gotten even harder: the four privately-owned Afghan cell companies have all cowed to the Taliban's demands and begun shutting off their networks between 5PM and 7AM every night. The Taliban claims that the companies are aiding Afghan and NATO troops by leaving the networks operational, and has attacked 10 towers in the past few weeks, completely destroying six. We're not sure how big an impact the shutoff has on troops, but there's no denying the effect on Afghan citizens, many of whom rely on mobile phones to contact loved ones and summon medical services. The Afghan government has said it's encouraging the phone companies to resist the Taliban tactics, and that it will "persuade the companies to turn the signals back on again," but it's not clear when that might happen.

It's all a silly misunderstanding, we tell you. Microsoft has been holding fast to its "three years" development time frame for Windows 7 since forever, the problem is that it's never been clear when that three year period started. Well wonder no longer, Microsoft has finally officially confirmed that the three years started at Windows Vista's general availability release, which was January 30th, 2007. Obviously that doesn't mean will have Windows 7 on midnight of January 30th, 2010, but it does mean we can look forward to sometime within that year for a release. Microsoft plans to give an exact release date only once Windows 7 "meets its quality bar for release." Sounds like a good metric to go by, if you ask us.

We have no way to confirm the claim, nevertheless the LionKing800
boasts a remarkable 365 days standby or 3-5 days talk. The source of
that power is a 16,800mAh lithium battery -- that's about 10x the juice
of a standard cellphone battery. Take that Philips!
As to the rest of the specs, the GSM900 / DCS1800 dual-SIM phone costs
$145 and packs a 3.5-inch, 320 x 240 pixel display, 256MB of microSD
memory, Bluetooth 2.0, and a pair of rear and front-facing cameras into
a 120 x 65 x 20-mm shell. Picture of the battery after the break.

MAD COBRA, now a veteran in the Dancehall, is quietly holding his own.Over the past year he has taken the music to places like Zurich, Switzerland where dancehall is only now just warming up. He is also a very big favourite throughout the Caribbean, USA, Canada, UK, Europe, South and Central America and Japan. His performance in Costa Rica last year in front of an estimated 30,000 people is being hailed as one of the best presentations by a reggae artist in that country. Mad Cobra recently shot his first video in many years for the song called "Gansta Flex" and it has been getting rave reviews from fans all around. Having been in the business close to 20 years now, Mad Cobra has been smart enough not to be complacent; hence music to him, in his words is, "A constant work in progress." Ewart Everton Brown (Mad Cobra) was raised in St. Mary, Jamaica and moved to Kingston as a teenager. He began performing under his stage name, taken from the G.I. Joe cartoon, while still in his teens. His first single, 1989's "Respect Woman," was produced by his uncle, Tuff Gong engineer Delroy "Spiderman" Thompson. "Na Go Work" was release number two and it caught the attention of producers Captain Sinbad and Carl Nelson. Together they released a string of hits, including "Shoot to Kill," "Merciless Bad Boy" and "Ze Taurus."

Tanya Stephens, Jamaican singer and songwriter, is known for her insightful, relevant and often comical musical deliveries. Proof of this is evident through her latest projects that show she is still atop of her musical game. "Rebelution" and "Gangsta Blues," are the names of her two new albums, released over the last 4 years. But before the albums, she scored international hits with the classics, "Goggle," and "ou Nuh Ready Yet." Her last album Gangsta Blues yielded the one-drop anthem "It's a Pity." The song displayed her versatility and was clearly one of the biggest tunes of 2004. The single received rotation on mainstream radio as well as MTV and was critically acclaimed by the New York Times, Village Voice, Source and Vibe Magazine. Two years after its release, Gangsta Blues remained on the Billboard Reggae chart. When asked what she considers to be her most valuable assets Tanya replied, "Transparency and consistency. I believe if people want to gamble they will go to a casino. There shouldn't be any risk involved in walking into a record shop and using your hard earned cash to buy an album. That's why I had to make sure I kept honing my craft until I could confidently invite you to pick up any Tanya Stephens album being entirely secured in the knowledge I will never violate it!"

With the 2008 GraceKennedy/ISSA Boys' & Girls' Athletic Championships on the horizon, the issue of violence among and within schools once again rises to the forefront. School rivalries seem to go hand-in-hand with the annual sporting competition. There are stories of flag-burning, mobbing, and students attacking other students from competing schools.

Outside of the Champs-related school violence, we are all familiar with the numerous reports of gangs within schools, students carrying knives and guns where their books should be, and teachers being threatened by those they are responsible for educating.

A sound argument for the explosion in violent activity in the schools is that it is simply mirroring the excessive violence present in our society. Indeed, our general elections seem to be nothing more than 'champs' for the general public. There is the same occurrence of violence between opposing sides, the same irrational importance placed on 'team colours', and the same rabid and unnecessary competitiveness spearheaded by those who are neither politicians nor athletes.

This, coupled with our year-round high incidence of criminal activity, suggests that the violence within our schools will not subside until it does in the larger Jamaican society.

The violence among our male students may also be some misguided display of masculinity. There is an enormous dearth of fathers playing their roles - one of which is educating the young men of this country what it really means to be a man. The result of this is manifested daily; our youth digest the messages of 'badmanism' and 'gangsta fi life' that they hear in music and among their peers, and act them out, believing that they are a true representation of what makes a true man.

Whatever the cause of this epidemic of sorts within our schools, there is no doubt that a solution is needed to eradicate it, before it takes out the TEENs next in line for the running of our country.

It is now 2008, a new year, with new resolutions and the pressures of the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) exams from parents and teachers. This is the first pressure we feel as TEENagers.

So we must ask, why is it that at this time, some parents pressure their children over their limits?
Some parents make it seem as if our passing the GSAT exams is for their gain and not ours. Parents need to accept that we feel the stress of exams enough, even without constant nagging.

Some parents even go as far as promising their children luxuries and gifts, thinking that it will push us to do better. But for some children, this will only make things worse. Do you know what it is like to fail, worse when you know that you will not be getting that new bicycle, that new computer or that trip to Disney Land? Do you know what that does to us mentally?

This is why when the GSAT results are in and parents are not comfortable with the results of their children, some children think of running away, or even worse, committing suicide.

Parents, instead of pressuring your children about exam results, why not hug them and show them that they are loved and that you are proud of them regardless of the school that they pass for. After all, even students in some of the so-called 'low schools' can still come out on top.

You asked and we are delivering. The 11th Annual JAMROCK Reggaefest, dubbed "Jamming in the City", is set to hit the Hammerstein Ballroom in full speed on Saturday, June 14th, 2008. Doors open at 6pm and showtime will be at 7:30pm.

The 11th Annual JAMROCK Reggaefest will showcase some of the most requested performers in the industry! "As usual, our events will continue to be of class and high nature," says David "Squeeze" Annakie, Publisher of JAMROCK Magazine, Inc.

Beenie Man

Performers will include Grammy Award winning Beenie Man, whose career spans back to 1981 with great hits like "Dancehall Queen", "Skettel Tune" and "Memories." It would be impossible for one to listen to Beenie Man's songs and not be completely engulfed in his rhythm. His contribution to the music industry is immeasurable, hence why the University of The West Indies recognized his work by honoring him with the title, "The Doctor". Also known as the "King of the Dancehall" Beenie is the embodiment of an authentic recording artist; he can sing, DJ, dance and is considered a fashion icon. He has a tremendous musical track record that speaks volume about his character and will no doubt bring something to the stage that many have never seen or heard before. Be prepared for this world class performer to entertain.

Ky-mani Marley

Ky-Mani Marley will be Continuing the family legacy and grace the stage of the JAMROCK Reggaefest and bring a mix of hip-hop, R&B and jazz that will keep you on your toes for his entire performance. This "Shottas" co-star will be performing his hits "Dear Dad", "Ghetto Soldier" and "One Time", to name a few. The remake of Eddy Grant's "Electic Avenue" with the Fugee's Pras has made Ky-mani even more of a success. Ky-mani's last performance was at the annual tribute to his father, "Africa Unite", with his brothers Damian, Stephen, and Ziggy. We look forward to seeing what surprises Ky-mani has up his sleeves for JAMROCK's big night.

Etana

The Strong One will be there to bring some roots and softness to the concert. This prolific female vocalist has one of the best voices in present day reggae. With every beautiful melody, she is winning the hearts of people one song at a time. Etana has been able to communicate uplifting and inspirational messages to the youths of today. With hits like "Wrong address and "Roots" she will certainly light up the stage with her warm words of peace.

Christopher Martin

From the first time he stepped on stage, this young artist was destined to become a star. Since winning the Digicel 'Rising Star' title in 2005, Chris Martin has hit some of the biggest stages and has been dubbed the next 'big' thing. Being one of the official singers of Blue Cross in Jamaica, along with singing on the 2008 Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues stage, Chris' next big stop will indeed be the stage of Reggaefest.

Sanchez

Another soulful singer making his second consecutive appearance at JAMROCK's Reggaefest is Sanchez. With his mix of reggae soul and gospel, this lovers-rock singer is truly a legend in Reggae music. He
will be performing such hits as "Wild Sanchez", "Love Mi Lover Bad", "If I Ever Fall In Love Again" and "Frenzy." With over 18 years of singing and song writing experience, Sanchez has acquired quite a body of work. With that said, it will not be surprising to hear new tracks from this great singer.

Third World

Third World, the longest-lived reggae band, will also be hitting JAMROCK's stage this evening. Third World is Jamaica's most popular crossover act among international audiences. While this band is very well based in the authentic roots of Reggae, they usually prefer mixing the elements with R&B, funk, pop and rock. As regular visitors to the American and British music charts in the '80s, they are loved universally. Hits by Third World do not need to be mentioned, only remembered. We look forward to having such a world acclaimed band with our other performers at the JAMROCK Reggaefest on June 14th, 2008.

We've seen phones that push the boundaries of chintziness, but this newfangled MP7 phone really shows what humans are capable of when they've no motivation to assemble a decent product. Granted, most everything here is lost in translation, but the blatant "Blue tooth" logo on the front pretty much sets it up for disaster. Nevertheless, this GSM handset reportedly comes in silver or black and features a 320 x 240 touchscreen display, a 1.3-megapixel camera, built-in FM tuner and support for some form of mobile TV along with the elusive "MP7" format. Best of all, this marvelous gem of handset engineering can be had for $599.90 (or a dozen easy payments of $59.99) -- we can hear the N95 cowering from here (or is that laughter?). 

Robbers are terrorising the adjoining communities of Havendale and Meadowbrook in St. Andrew, causing residents to be afraid of even entering their own homes.

Since the beginning of the year, 15 cases of robbery have occurred, police reports summarise.

The officers say that money, cars, cellphones, jewellery and electronic equipment are the items on the 'hotlist' of the robbers.

In addition to the robbery cases since January, the cops have reports of shooting and at least one case of rape.

"These men go on their rampages on weekends," Detective Sergeant Michael Greenwood of the Area 5 police said about the robberies.

The sergeant said that only ....recently they were summoned to a section of Havendale after it was reported that a group of men were committing robberies and break-ins.

When THE STAR visited the troubled communities and spoke with residents, they all expressed fear.

"Me live here for 52 years and I have never seen anything like this...It way out of control," one resident said.

A taxi driver and resident of Meadowbrook in his description of the situation pointed out that things were spiralling out of control.

"Bway mi deh bout di place night and day and di man dem a rob people hard...A long time me deh bout and wah day ya a di first mi eva see a man grab a woman bag dem side a world here," he said.

The Meadowbrook resident said that he knew at least one female resident who has been forced to seek some form of 'security' when going home. "Anytime da woman deh a go home she come link one a we taximan fi escort her and mek sure she get inside alrite...She all pay di man dem to."

Greenwood says that the statements the police have received from residents indicate that a group of three to five masked men are responsible for the robberies.

"The men are said to go through the communities by jumping fences and walls while going from home to home," he explained. "These men are said to hide in the yards and await the man or woman to open their grill or door before proceeding to rob them."

In the meantime the police, Greenwood says, will be maintaining their presence in the affected communities in the hope of hindering the robberies.

The battling divas, Danielle and D'Angel faced off at the Spring Break show in Negril, Jamaica over the weekend. Looking like a sultry star in dark glasses, a leopard-skinned hoodie and a figure hugging gold tights, Danielle hit the stage singing Rudey. Danielle2.jpg"Compliments goes out to the man dem who work the hardest...grab it up, ah p#mp#m and it fat," she said, before deejaying Beat It. The crowd swayed a little but seemed to be waiting for something. She did not hesitate. She prefaced her current radio hit, Man Weh Mi No Want by saying: "Music me a deal wid, me caan come a Negril and no do this song." Then she launched into the song. As she gained momentum to the triphammer beat of the drums, the girls began to rock and a few lighters began to flicker in the crowd, and by the time she got into the punchline, singing 'she get me cross, angry and miserable too, and anywhere she go, she get boo', the forward came in a large wave, and people grinned widely. The stage was now set for Angel to respond, or choose not to respond, but before that, Beetle Bailey raised the stakes during an inane performance where he dissed D'Angel by saying 'there goes the Range Rover' in between kicking over the Taboo cooler, assaulting a cameraman and throwing his shoes at the speaker box. However, Nuffy's introduction of her was impassioned and energetic and the use of scriptural references like 'Jah is my kingdom' and "Who Shall I be Afraid' worked well to soothe the crowd. She hit the stage singing Yu Man Lef and Yu Lifestyle No Stall. She got a minimal response for Blaze but was impressive on Downtown Girl, spitting rapid fire lyrics on key and on tempo with the Ruff Kut band. When she exited the stage, Nuffy called her back and said 'Bounty Killer have power, Sizzla have power and Nuffy have power, give her a round of applause', almost as if to say he was the one who ensured that she was not booed that particular night, and he wanted the crowd and especially her to know it. Two relative newcomers to the dancehall field, Sassy D and Nina Sparkles earned forwards and did remarkably well and they don't get the same amount of ink and attention that the two D's command. Sassy D asked the males how they liked their nooky, did they like it when it was bushy, or when it was stressed, and got a few forwards. Sparkles was glittering, glowing, shining and sparkling, and got her biggest forward when she demolished MC Burger with a wicked wine and jumped into his arms. Tifa also did well, earning a few lighters with Tinky Winky and Kitty Police. Sampleman the emcee, got a few laughs at her expense, when he asked her what her peculiar walk was callled, dubbing it the 'walk to the left'. Amanda Jackson's performance was regrettable and forgettable, while Cat Eye gave the men a glimpse of her luscious with a sexy barely there black outfit, and a taste of her deep-voiced vocals during her performance. Amanda Kat entertained alongside Johnny doing the 'rum ram' to the amusement of the crowd. Fire Passion failed to ignite.

Tuesday, 11 March 2008   Police Commissioner Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin Tuesday made an unusual admission.

Addressing several business leaders in Kingston on Tuesday morning, Commissioner Lewin said the Jamaica Constabulary Force is riddled with criminals. 

It is something not usually mentioned by the top cop.

But on Tuesday Commissioner Hardley Lewin did not mince words as he told scores of business interests that the police force is laden with criminals.

To this end the commissioner made mention of two recent arrests.

"The fact is that there are criminals within the force, criminals. Just last Saturday we had to arrest two officers who were on a robbery spree in Montego Bay. Two officers were on interdiction for disciplinary matters," he said.

"There is a strategic review of the force being conducted and my task will be to drive that transformation process," he continued.  

In an attempt to clean up the force, the Commissioner pointed out that this can only be done with the help of the wider public. 

"The police, as one of the five dimensions, has a critical role to play in the fixing of the many ills of this country but this is not a policing problem. The other dimensions have a critical role to play this means that everything must happen simultaneously in order to fix it,"

"We want a police force that is relatively corruption free, you won't bring it to zero. I think the police force has reached a stage where it can't be reformed it has to be transformed because there are some cultural norms within the force," said Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin.        

HTC still hasn't gotten official with the exact price or release date for its HTC Advantage X7510 handheld, but that hasn't stopped a number of retailers from putting the device up for pre-order, and at quite a range of prices to boot. As Pocketables points out, UK retailers Clove Technology and eXpansys each have the X7510 up for £595 and £700, respectively, although neither are making any promises about when it'll ship. US retailers are also offering the device at similarly varied prices, ranging from $800 at GearTrade to $1,300 at Smart Mobile Gadgets and On The Go Solutions (Google Product Search even turns one retailer by the name of PrestoMart listing it at $550, although that link unsurprisingly goes to a blank product page). For its part, Pocketables speculates that the $800 price tag is closest to the official one (which probably isn't too far off base), but we'll just have to wait for HTC to give us the final word on that.

If you've been looking for some kind of incentive to dip into the savings account and splurge on a new gadget, this may be music to your ears. Nokia has just lowered the price on its jack-of-all-trades N810 internet tablet, shaving $90 off the MSRP to bring it down to a highly affordable $389.99. Of course, you can probably find the WiFi-sportin', QWERTY-havin', GPS-rockin' little guy slightly cheaper if you troll the internet (which we know you will). Before you lay down the cash, though, you might want to ask yourself this: does the price drop mean a new version is on the way, like, say... that WiMAX-equipped N830 we've been hearing about? It's a tough call, but we know you'll make the right decision.

Monday, 10 March 2008   A man who allegedly fondled a 15-year-old boy is dead after the youth stabbed him with an ice pick in St. Elizabeth on Sunday.

Dead is Everton Ramoney, 47, of Leeds in St. Elizabeth.

His body was found at a house on School Street in Black River.

It is reported that the teenager was at Mr. Ramoney's house when he allegedly touched the youth in an inappropriate manner.

The teenager used an ice pick to stab Mr. Ramoney several times.

He then wrapped the body in a tarpaulin.

The boy later turned himself over to the Black River Police.