Tire development today has come a long way from what it once was. Tires are now available with customized tread patterns, different colors, as run-flats or even with the ability to emit different colored smoke during burnouts. But German tire producer Continental has come up with possibly the most useful of all these developments, a self-healing tire that can repair itself during a puncture.

The tire contains a tacky, viscous coating on the inside of the tread which repairs any punctures as soon as they occur. The coating is also able to fill holes of up to 5mm in diameter if the puncturing object needs to be removed. The best part is however that the repair is permanent and not just a quick fix until youre able to replace it. And unlike run-flat tires the Continentals latest set of rubber can fit on all standard wheels and dont need pressure sensors to monitor tire pressures.

While some concerns exist over the strength of the tire structure after repair, Continental is set to start sales of its new ContiSeal tire from this summer.

Biker Dies as Cop flings helmet at him!


Cop in fix as biker dies
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Mumbai: The biker, involved in a skirmish with the police on Eastern Express Highway at Vikhroli on Tuesday, succumbed to his injuries at hospital on Saturday.
The family, which alleged that Kishore Kandagiri lost control over his motorcycle after a police official flung a helmet at him to stop him, vowed to fight to the end to get justice. But they seem to be in for a long haul; Vikhroli police station officials apparently refused to register an FIR on Saturday against a traffic constable (Yunus Pathan), asking the family why it had come four days after the incident.
Eyewitness accounts corroborated the familys claims and there were impromptu protests on the road soon after the incident. And, though the grievously hurt Kandagiri was booked by cops for rash driving, causing minor and grievous injuries, drunk driving, not wearing a helmet and jumping a signal,
doctors accounts indicated that police officials might be stretching the truth. Hospital authorities said Dinesh was comatose when admitted. He came in with subdural haematoma (clot in the brain). His breath tests showed no trace of alcohol, Sion Hospital acting dean Suleiman Merchant said.
The final nail in the coffin for the police-constructed case could be Dinesh Kewal, who was riding pillion with Kandagiri when the incident occurred on Tuesday. He told TOI that the police had offered him money to keep shut. They will obviously support their colleagues. They didnt even help us to a hospital. We managed to get to there thanks to passersby, he said.
The Vikhorli police on Saturday took a fresh statement from Kewal after his allegations about his statement being manipulated by police surfaced in the media.
But Kandagiris family, friends and neighbours were not as successful when it came to registering an FIR.

Quick action by a policewoman saved her life on Saturday night.

One of three men who attempted to abduct the woman constable at gunpoint was fatally shot on Golding Avenue, Papine, Kingston 6 on Saturday night. He was identified as Elton 'Duda' Frazer, 21, of Mona Commons, Papine. Police said about 7:45 p.m., the constable was walking along Golding Avenue when a Nissan motor car, registered 4988 EM, with three men aboard, stopped beside her. One of the men alighted, brandished a firearm and commanded her into the car. She refused, pulled her service pistol and fired at the gunman. He returned to the motor car and the men sped away. Frazer later turned up at the University Hospital with gunshot wounds and was positively identified by the constable. He died while undergoing treatment. The Half-Way Tree police are investigating.

Members of the Peace Management Initiative (PMI), along with councillor Kevin Taylor (fourth from left), acting president of the Duhaney Park Peace and Development Committee Earle Roberts, and president of the Duhaney Park Citizens' Association Laurel Roberts lead a march to mark four years of peace between Brook Valley and Sherlock Crescent on Saturday. (Photo: Karl McLarty)

Maintaining peace, not making peace. That is how Earle Roberts explains the four-year break in violence between the historically rival communities of Brook Valley and Sherlock Crescent in Duhaney Park, St Andrew.

Roberts, the acting president of the Duhaney Park Peace and Development Committee, walked through the communities yesterday along with a marching band to mark the peace anniversary.

The march, staged in collaboration with the Peace Management Initiative (PMI), was to be followed by a peace concert and is one of several yearly events Roberts feels has kept the peace going.

"[By] constantly using all these calendar events as a symbol [of peace]," Roberts said, "we maintain peace, we don't make peace around here. I believe if you maintain peace it endures."

The other events are an Easter fiesta, a health fair and dances to celebrate Christmas and the New Year.

But those events are not the only factors. With the absence a public address system and speaking mainly to people perched over their balconies or who were watching the marching band from the street side, Roberts credited, too, the youths.

"Give thanks to di youths dem who hol' di peace," he said. "We lose some along di way, and we hope we won't lose anymore on di way," he said.

President of the Duhaney Park Citizens' Association Laurel Roberts agreed that if the people did not want peace, there would be none.

"I endorse it because it is 50 avenues (in Duhaney Park) and when these two erupt in violence, it affects the other 48," she said. "In order for this community to move forward, we have to stop this segregation," said Roberts, who has lived in Duhaney Park all her life. She also commended the PMI and the communities for having sustained the peace.

One youngster, Rickardo Lewis, who lives in Brook Valley, said the peace is the natural order.

"Everyting jus' right," Lewis said. "No violence, a suh it fi guh."

An older woman, Tonia Harris, who watched the march outside her gate, said members from the communities now attended events Roberts spoke about, with ease.

"We and di neighbouring community, a jus' peace," Harris said.

March cant come any slower for MTV as they will be losing their president at the end of this month. Christina Norman, who gained the position of president for MTV in the Spring of 2005, will be leaving her post to pursue other interests in her career.

Norman flourished in her 17 years with the company where she started as a freelance production manager and worked her way up to the top. In her tenure as president, Norman succeeded in boosting ratings that featured a rejuvenation of the MTV reality-era with shows like The Hills and A Shot At Love With Tila Tequila.

This was not her first experience with reality shows though. In 2004 she was appointed president of MTVs sister network VH1, where she managed to help its network jump out of a ratings slump with celeb-related TV shows. Both of these positions made her one of highest-ranking African Americans in the television industry.

Only 47 years old, Norman still has a lot to look forward to in her career, but it comes with hesitant acceptance from her boss. Van Toffler, president of MTV Music/Logo Group announced the decision yesterday to his MTV staff with no resolution for the future as to who will take over.

For the time being, Toffler will relieve Norman at the beginning of March where he will hold the president position until he and the company can find a replacement.

HipHopDX will keep you in the know for any new updates concerning this story.

Reported By Edwin Ortiz

Snoop Dogg's upcoming album Ego Trippin', which was originally due in May, has been pushed up to a release date of March 11.

Interscope announced that they would be pushing the album up, which is reportedly to capitalize on the success of Snoop's current single for the album, "Sensual Seduction." The song, which is making its rounds on radio and television, is currently No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Ego Trippin' also features "Never Hafta Worry," a recently leaked track that has Snoop giving an account of his storied career has an emcee. The song touches on, among other things, his time at Death Row Records and his murder trial.

Ego Trippin' will also feature the songs "Hollywood Nights" and "Press Play," the latter of which uses a sample from the Isely Brothers' "Atlantis."

Latoya Grindley, Features Writer

 

The cemetery opens at 8:00 a.m. and closes at 6:00 p.m. and, when all depart, it's just Williamson who is left behind keeping a watchful eye.

By the sweat of your brow, you will eat bread' is the philosophy Stanhope Williamson uses to get him through the difficult days.

Williamson has been a caretaker for the Denbigh Cemetery in May Pen, Clarendon, for the past 22 years. In fact, he not only works there, but the cemetery has become his home. He says that on April 6, 1985, the very first day he started the job, he moved on to the premises and has no desire to leave, unless he decides to retire.

The thought of having to visit a cemetery makes many uneasy. However, Williamson, who sits quite comfortably on top of a grave for the duration of the interview, says he is quite at ease living there and, as a matter of fact, claims he is fearless. "Mi fraid a what? No sah, a black man mi fraid ah. Man yuh fi fraid a cuz them will kill you."

Wandering 'spirits'

But with so many stories circulating about wandering 'spirits' he is often asked whether he has ever had any weird experiences. To this, he remarks, "Me nah go lie to you still. But one night, when I was in my house a lay down mi see one tall man come in pon me. And I just rush him and from that mi nuh see it and nuttin else nuh happen."

The caretaker also notes that he has taken certain precautions to prevent those strange encounters.

"In mi house I sleep with water and machete by mi bed. With water, him haffi go sight it and nah go come in and dem (ghost) fraid a machete too."

Williamson professes love for his job, claiming he is well loved by the people he has to deal with on a daily basis. During the interview, a client who had purchased a spot in the cemetery says 'hello' to him. She tells him she is leaving to get lunch, to which he responds, "Alright mi dear. Bring back lunch fi me too, and drinks."

Getting a favourable answer, he smiles, saying, "They love mi enuh, God never put nobody on Earth to do wrong. I do my work the best way I can and just be fair."

Challenges

While patting himself on the back for doing a good job at what he knows best and loves, Williamson says there are challenges at times, but he has to remain strong.

"Is a difficult place to work, because nuff time people come here and say them want a spot and mi can't give them and more time them will gwaan a way, but mi still nuh give them. I don't deal with bandoolo."

A jovial man, his job involves measuring grave spots to ensure the measurements are correct and collecting documents required to carry out burials.

He claims that, since he has been at that spot, more than 26,000 burial spots have been used. Having witnessed so many burials and making the cemetery his home, this caretaker has earned a nickname.

"When people see me, especially police, dem call mi dead man, but mi nuh care at all. If them waan call mi dat mek them call mi."

The cemetery opens at 8:00 a.m. and closes at 6:00 p.m. and, when all depart, it's just Williamson who is left behind keeping a watchful eye. Well, maybe he is not the only one, but the only one who is actually alive.

latoya.grindley@gleanerjm.com

OutAroad.com:
Whats the easiest way for you to come?

Tunya:
Easiest way for me to come is when Im on top having sex while kissing him at the same time.

OutAroad.com:
Which do you prefer, having sex on the beach or one late night at your guys work place on his office desk?

Tunya:
I rather have sex on the beach because thats more romantic and comfortable.

OutAroad.com:
Where is the weirdest place you ever had sexual intercourse?

Tunya:
That would be on the deck of a yatch in the middle of the ocean the sun was scorching hot too, lol.

The Surface Band brought the house down at the Mas Camps weekly Bacchanal Fridays. Fresh from Trinidad and Tobagos annual carnival the band got the crowd pumping. Keeping within the nights theme Hot Dreams, Surface kept things steaming while playing a great mixture of the hottest tracks from this years road parade with some old favorites from years gone by.

Patrons could be seen singing along to the 2008 songs such as Patrice Roberts and Machel Montanos 'Rollin', Faye-Ann Lyons ' Get On' and Roy Capes 'Breathless'. Never missing a beat for a second the group brilliantly interjected melodies from popular Jamaican songs that had the crowd proudly raising their hands high.

The turnout at the Mas Camp was phenomenal as Kingston reconfirmed that the place to be on a Friday night is at the Mas Camp Village. With six bars to choose from delighted patrons hopped from bar to bar sampling the many concoctions offered by Appleton, Smirnoff, Tampico, Kingston Beer, Ocean Spray and Coca Cola. Enthusiastic socaphiles congregated by the costume desk all night to ensure they received the costume of their choice. Sales of the costumes have been strong as the second costume sold out half way through the night and the others quickly filling up.

If Bacchanal Fridays Hot Dreams is any indication of the weeks to come, the temperature is only continuing to rise. Mas Camp kicks off this Friday with Dreams of Neverland a costume themed party to the sounds of DJ Smoke from the Renaissance Disco while February 15th will be Cotton Candy Dreams complete with its own foam pit and music by DJ Liquid; Sparkles Disco the resident DJ will also be on hand! Also slated to appear at the Mas Camp is roll-it queen Allison Hinds on February 29th as well as soca darling Destra Garcia with the Atlantik Band on March 14th.

Also dont forget these great Bacchanal Jamaica events:

Bacchanal Beach Jouvert March 22

Bacchanal Jouvert NiteMares March 28

The Road Parade March 30

There are all kinds of things you can do with a cell phone, including email, texting, listening to music and even making calls. But a grandmother in the small town of Speake, Alabama discovered a new use for the device and it may have saved her life. She made it into a weapon.

It started Saturday, when the woman discovered her porch light wasn't working, so she opened the door to check on the reason. That's when cops say a man waiting outside forced his way into her home and threatened her with a Taser. It appears he actually used it on her, but the feisty victim didn't go down.

Instead, she grabbed the nearest weapon she could find to fight back - her cell phone. Cops have so far refused to say exactly what she did with the item or how it helped her defend herself. But it appears she may have beaten the intruder with it, wielding it like a blunt instrument until he fled.

Authorities are sure the stun gun was used, but can't account for why it appeared to have so little effect. "She thinks she was hit," Lawrence County Sheriff Gene Mitchell told the Decatur Daily. "Why it didn't put her down, we don't know. Then she used the telephone as a weapon and fought back. The man ran off."

Police say there have been similar home invasion incidents in the area over the past few months, but this was one grandma who had had enough. "She just wasn't going to put up with it," Mitchell concludes. He credits the fact that the woman's small granddaughter was home with her at the time for her courage to fight back.

Both have since been relocated because the suspect remains at large.

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News E-mail this story   Stone Crusher murder case still awaiting witness statement Tashieka Mair, Gleaner Writer WESTERN BUREAU The Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court is still awaiting an outstanding statement from a witness in the matter against an alleged Stone Crusher Gang member answering murder charges. On Monday when the matter was mentioned, the court was informed that only a witness statement was missing from the file, and that the prosecution may have to proceed without this statement as the witness was unwilling to give the statement. Michel Heron, 20, is charged with the murder of Albert Forrester, which occurred at Bottom Pen, Montego Bay, in November 2006. Heron first appeared before the court in December 2006. His alleged crony in Forrester's murder, Rohan Gordon, who was labelled as one of Jamaica's most wanted men, was killed by police last year. In light of the information revealed in court, attorney Roy Fairclough asked that his client be granted bail. However, RM Winsome Henry said she would revisit the matter on March 3. Allegations are that on November 3, 2006, Heron and Gordon approached Forrester, who was walking along the Bottom Pen main road. Heron allegedly pulled a gun from the right side of his waistband and fired in the direction of Forrester. Forrester ran and was allegedly chased and shot by Heron and Gordon. Forrester collapsed in a nearby yard and died on the spot

Three persons were shot, one fatally, in Watson Grove, Gregory Park, St Catherine, on Sunday night.

Dead is Wayne Richards, 33, of Pisces Close, Watson Grove, while injured are two men ages 18 and 28, all of St Catherine addresses. Reports from the CCN's Liaison Officer for St Catherine South are that at about 12 a.m., the three were among a group of men playing a game of cards on the road when they were approached by three men armed with guns. The men immediately opened fire hitting the three before escaping in the area. The injured men were taken to hospital where Richards was pronounced dead and the others treated. The Caymanas Police are investigating.

Plans are now in high gear for the production of the much anticipated first REGGAE ACADEMY AWARDS. The event unfolds on Sunday February 24th at 8.00 PM at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Kingston, and according to representatives of the RIAJam and the REGGAE ACADEMY, a first class live presentation is in store for patrons attending the show.

REGGAE ACADEMY chairman and RIAJam representative Lloyd Stanbury has indicated that a very experienced team of event and show producers is now in place and working hard to ensure a well organized and smooth production. The team includes Robert Bryan of Grizzlys Entertainment who will be responsible for venue management, stage, sound, lighting and design, LAntoinette Stines who will be in charge of choreography, movement and costumes, Ibo Cooper who is technical musical director, Dean Fraser band leader and musical arranger, Sharon Burke of Solid Agency with responsibility for media and artist relations, and Clyde McKenzie who is responsible for the script. Lighting director is John DaCosta. The team will also benefit from the experience of former Hollywood based music and film producer Josef Bogdanovich who now operates in Jamaica through his company Downsound Records.

The REGGAE ACADEMY AWARDS has been designed and will be presented as a made-for-television event and will be shot in HD. Stanbury explains that the decision to go HD has proven to be a very expensive proposition, but indicated that the long term broadcast value of this inaugural event could be prejudiced if done in other formats which are likely to become obsolete in years to come. With the very limited financial resources of the RIAJam, we therefore took the decision to seek a TV production partner who would be able to both invest in the awards and facilitate international TV broadcasts in order to secure a return on the TV production investment. Two overseas based TV production and distribution entities have so far expressed interest, and these are being pursued on the basis that RIAJam will retain the worldwide rights in the final product.

In a recently held media reception hosted by RIAJam and attended by Minster of Tourism Edmund Bartlett and Minister of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports Olivia Grange a very clear message was sent from the government with regard to the need for and its support of a properly produced first class international awards event for Reggae.

The REGGAE ACADEMY AWARDS has so far received local sponsorship endorsement and support from Television Jamaica/TVJ who has secured the exclusive rights for broadcast of the awards show in Jamaica and is onboard as the official media partner. The Gleaner has also signed on as the official print media partner, and sponsorship agreements are about to be signed with Partners Financial and Investments, the Hilton Hotel and Beaumont Car Rentals and Tours. The Jamaica Tourist Board, Jamaica Trade and Invest/JAMPRO and the Bob Marley Foundation have also officially endorsed the event.

-- Edited by RiddimRyder at 10:25, 2008-02-12

Dancehall superstar Mavado has started the year where he left off; his "On The Rock" track has become an instant hit and coupled with winning several awards, 2008 has jumped off with a bang. Determined to put his charity - Connect Jamaica - to the forefront, Mavado gave away two computers to the Golden Spring Basic School and Stony Hill Junior High on Friday.

"I promised that I would use proceeds form my Real McKoy Birthday Bash in December to buy computers," said the Alliance member. "The whole country knows what happened with the police conducting their operation that night, which cut the dance very short and caused us to lose a lot of money. However I had made my promise so I had to fulfill it, hence the computers and printers being given away in communities near to the venue in Temple Hall."

Principal of Golden Spring Basic School, Marcia Mitchell, was over the moon with the donation by Mavado; "When I heard we were getting computers I really had to thank the Lord and know that he really answered my prayers," she beamed upon receiving the computers and printers. "We have 165 children at the school and I don't even have a computer in my office. I usually have to write everything in a book for administration so it will be good to come into the age of technology. The children will be using it also so Mavado's donation will have double benefit. Not many people remember the little ones so for him to do this is truly special We are so thankful to him."

The children of the Golden Spring school made a huge Thank You card for Mavado to show their appreciation.

Stony Hill Junior High Principal Earl Samuels ensured the whole school was assembled in the playground to show their appreciation to Mavado. As these children are of an older and more impressionable age group, Mavado gave them a motivational speech about the necessity of education and staying in school.

"We live in a world that is run by technology so make sure you are computer literate," he urged. "Education is the key so stay in school and do you best to learn while you are here."

February 12, 2008. Well, well, well ... MediaTakeOut.com is hearing whispers that Kimora Lee Simmons may have a bun in the oven. Word is that she and Djimon are expecting their first child together.

While we haven't yet been able to officiallyconfirm this rumor, the below pics may be all the confirmation we need....

Illegal downloaders 'face UK ban'

Illegal file sharing costs the music and film industry millions People in the UK who go online and illegally download music and films may have their internet access cut under plans the government is considering. A draft consultation Green Paper suggests internet service providers would be required to take action over users who access pirated material. Under a "three strikes" rule they would receive an e-mail warning, suspension, and then termination of their contract. Six million people a year are estimated to download files illegally in the UK. Music and film companies say that the illegal downloads cost them millions of pounds in lost revenues. FROM THE DOT.LIFE BLOG If the law were enacted it would turn ISPs, like BT, Tiscali and Virgin, into a pro-active net police force Darren Waters, technology editor BBC News website The proposals are part of a Green Paper - a consultation document issued by the government - on the creative industries that is due to be published shortly. The government proposals were first reported by the Times newspaper. Voluntary scheme The Times suggested that broadband firms which failed to enforce the rules could be prosecuted, and the details of customers suspected of making illegal downloads made available to the courts. According to the Times, the draft paper states: "We will move to legislate to require internet service providers to take action on illegal file sharing." Internet providers are no more able to inspect and filter every single packet passing across their network than the Post Office is able to open every envelope, Internet Service Providers Association Some of the UK's biggest internet providers, such as BT, Virgin and Tiscali have been in talks with the entertainment industry over introducing a voluntary scheme for policing pirate activity, but no agreement has been reached. So far, they have failed to resolve how disputed allegations would be arbitrated - for example, when customers claim other people have been "piggybacking" on their internet service. 'No liability' The Internet Service Providers Association said data protection laws would prevent providers from looking at the content of information sent over their networks. Isnt it strange that when corporations start loosing money the Government acts quickly to stamp it out Jon Perez, Reading "ISPs are no more able to inspect and filter every single packet passing across their network than the Post Office is able to open every envelope," the association said. "ISPs bear no liability for illegal file sharing as the content is not hosted on their servers," it added. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport said that early drafts of the document had been circulated among stakeholders. "The content and proposals for the strategy have been significantly developed since then and a comprehensive plan to bolster the UK's creative industries will be published shortly," it added. "We will not comment on the content of the leaked document."

The Cumberland County Sheriff's Office is looking for a man with a mustache who is pulling in front of female drivers and then jumping out of his vehicle while wearing women's underwear, a garter belt and black high-heeled boots. Since last spring, there have been six reports about the cross-dressing motorist. The most recent incident was last Sunday. The episodes have occurred in the Standish-Buxton area. Sheriff Mark Dion said that while the man's behaviour may not be criminal in terms of dress, the fact that he's jumping out in roadways and apparently targeting women who are alone is cause for concern. The sheriff said women have had to swerve to avoid the man.

Tuesday, 12 February 2008   The police are reporting an increase in the number of illegal firearms seized.

Head of the Major Investigation Taskforce Assistant Commissioner Les Green, says more than 70 guns have been taken off the streets since January 1.

ACP Green says this is higher than the figure reported during the corresponding period last year.

"In relation to recovered firearms there have been 73 seized so far compared to 64 last year so we have seen an increase there, in relation to the seizure of firearms by the security forces," said ACP Green.

According to police statistics, an average 500 illegal firearms are seized annually.

And two women and a man have been detained in connection with the seizure of an illegal firearm in Gordon Town, St. Andrew.

They were held at a house in Cottage Hill where a .38 revolver was discovered.

About 4.30 Monday afternoon, the police carried out an operation in the community.

A house occupied by the three was searched and the gun allegedly found.

The police say a man who was inside the house managed to elude them.

Monday, 11 February 2008   The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) has projected a net surplus of $12.2 million including game sponsorship from Jamaica Money Market Brokers Limited for their friendly international against Costa Rica at the National Stadium on February 6^th.

The preliminary income inclusive of ticket sales, sponsorship and broadcast rights was $30 million.

However the JFF is awaiting returns from three ticket outlets as well as the returns from corporate sales.

The preliminary net expenses from the event total $17.8 million and includes $6.9 million for the airplane tickets and accommodation for the overseas based Jamaican players as well as fees.

Six and a half million dollars was spent on Costa Rica, while other expenses amounted to $4.4 million.

The Game Sentenced To Two Months In Jail February 12th, 2008 | Author: Allen JacobsRapper The Game learned yesterday that he is to serve two months in a California jail. The sentence stems from a no contest plea from a firearms charge in 2007. In February of that year, the Geffen Records star got into an altercation with a another man at Rita Walters Education Learning Complex in Los Angeles, and resulted in battery and the rapper removing a pistol from his car and threatening the victim. In addition to the two months of jail time, The Game received three years of probation and 150 hours of court-ordered community service. According to reports, other charges were dropped in the case. The sentences is said to begin next week. The incident comes after reports that The Game and mentor Dr. Dre would be reuniting on the rapper's next album, L.A.X. Questions have risen already due to statements that this would be the rapper's last album, after three official releases, and nearly half-a-dozen unauthorized releases. Geffen Records and Black Wall Street have

Associated Press

DETROIT General Motors Corp. reported a US$38.7-billion loss for 2007 on Tuesday, the largest annual loss ever for an automotive company, and said it is making a new round of buyout offers to U.S. hourly workers in hopes of replacing some with lower-paid help.
The earnings report and buyout offer came as GM struggles to turn around its North American business as the economy weakens.
But GM chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner said the company made significant progress in 2007, reducing structural costs in North America, negotiating a historic labour agreement and growing aggressively in Latin America and Asia.
The Detroit-based automaker is offering a new round of buyouts to all 74,000 of its U.S. hourly workers who are represented by the United Auto Workers.
GM wont say how many workers it hopes to shed, but under its new contract with the UAW, it will be able to replace up to 16,000 workers doing non-assembly jobs with new employees who will be paid half the old wage of $28 per hour.
Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler LLC already have announced similar buyout offers.
GM shares fell 65 cents, or 2.4 per cent, to $26.47 in premarket trading.
GMs annual loss of $38.7 billion largely was due to a third-quarter charge related to unused tax credits.
The 2007 loss topped GMs previous record in 1992, when the company lost $23.4 billion because of a change in health care accounting, according to Standard & Poors Compustat.
Excluding the tax charge and other special items, GM lost $23 million, or four cents per share, for the year, compared with net income of $2.2 billion in 2006, beating Wall Streets expectations. Analysts polled by Thomson Financial expected GM to post a full-year loss of 95 cents per share.
For the fourth quarter, GM posted a loss of $722 million, or $1.28 per share, in the fourth quarter, compared with net income of $950 million in the year-ago quarter. Fourth-quarter charges included $622 million to Delphi Corp., GMs former parts division, for its restructuring efforts.
GM reported $181 billion in revenues for the year, down from $206 billion in 2006. Its automotive business saw record automotive revenues of $178 billion in 2007, up $7 billion from a year ago thanks to growth in emerging markets and favourable exchange rates.
General Motors was profitable in every region outside North America.
GMs Latin America, Middle East and Africa division reported a record $1.3 billion in earnings, up 140 per cent from 2006. GMs Asia Pacific division earned $744 million, up from $403 million in 2006, while GM Europe reported a profit of $55 million, down from a profit of $357 million in 2006.
But GMs North American division continued to struggle, posting a $1.5-billion loss for the year, nearly identical to its $1.6-billion loss in 2006. GMs North American division also reported a loss of $1.1 billion in the fourth quarter, compared with a loss of $129 million in the year-ago quarter.
Wagoner said the weak U.S. economy and high commodity prices hurt turnaround efforts in North America. He said GMs decision to reduce low-profit sales to daily rental companies by 110,000 in 2007 also affected U.S. sales.
Were pleased with the positive improvement trend in our automotive results, especially given the challenging conditions in important markets like the U.S. and Germany, but we have more work to do to achieve acceptable profitability and positive cash flow, Wagoner said.
GMs results were also dragged down by its 49 per cent stake in GMAC Financial Services, which lost $2.3 billion in 2007. GM reported a $1.1-billion loss attributed to GMAC.
GM barely retained its title as the worlds largest automaker in 2007, selling just 3,000 more vehicles than Toyota Motor Corp. GM sold a total of 9,369,524 vehicles worldwide, up 3 per cent from the year before.

COURT HOUSE TUESDAY
Just call today Court House Tuesday as both Lutan Fyah and Deva Brat are set to face the music today at the Spanish Town Resident Magistrate's court in St. Catherine. Deva Bratt is facing a carnal abuse charge involving a 14 year-old while Lutan Fyah is facing a charge of arson. MZJAEntertainment.com will have an update on their situation as the day progresses.

MUNGAâS MOTHER IS CAR CRASH
She was driving a car and was going through the stoplight that sits at the intersection of Port Henderson road and the Hellshire road when a car cannoned through and slammed in the side of the car. Two kids were in the car with her at the time but they were unharmed. Munga's mom, or Karen as she is called, was slightly injured and is recovering from whiplash.
 
According to the Road Safety Unit, fatal accidents and fatalities continued to decline in Jamaica, falling 11 per cent and 12 per cent respectively in 2007.

DEMARCO CURSES AT BLACK MY STORY
Why Demarco violated the audience at Black My Story last week? That's what the streets are asking. It appears that his mike was not working well but instead of dealing with the challenge in a professional manner, he cursed an expletive while complaining 'oonu ah try f---- up my ting' and dropped the mike and exited the stage. Why could he not have been more professional especially since the female artiste Stream faced the same problem but dealt with the situation in a more mature manner

Dear Counsellor:

Recently I had an abnormal Pap smear. Further testing showed that I'm infected with genital warts caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV). My girlfriend and I were talking about it and she told me that I could develop cervical cancer as a result of my infection with genital warts. This makes me very nervous. Is that true? Worried Lover Dear Worried Lover: No, that's not true. There are about 70 different types of the human papilloma virus HPV. The types of HPV linked to cervical cancer are not the types that cause genital warts, however a woman with genital warts, like any other sexually active woman, should get yearly Pap smears or as advised by their health, care provider. Cancer of the cervix is the second most common cancer in Jamaican women (after breast cancer). This cancer can be prevented if you get your regular Pap smear test done.

Known for his uplifting songs, and sterling support of his community, reggae artiste Richie Spice was recently presented with an award to acknowledge his positive contributions.

The award was presented on stage shortly after a credible performance at the recently held Black My Story stage show in Red Hills, St. Andrew, Jamaica.

The award was conferred to the singer by a representative from Culture Minister Olivia Babsy Granges office.

Spice who has expressed his appreciation for the recognition, has been the recipient of numerous musical accolades in recent years.

Originally from the Rock Hall area of Red Hills, Richie Spice has been active in giving back to his community. He also promotes the All Spice stage show in the community which benefits residents annually.

Richie Spice who is known for a string of hits including Earth a Run Red, World Is a Cycle and Youths Dem Cold, is currently riding the charts here in Jamaica with the hits 'A Nuh Me Dat' and 'Plane Land'.

His forthcoming album for VP Records is expected later this year.

( L - R ) Jemmell Holgate, Ryon Bailey o/c 'Rasta', Cedric Murray o/c Paul Brown

Four men were added to the country's most wanted list, police revealed yesterday.The list now has 11 men after five persons from the old list were either killed or arrested since their names were announced last year. The new list was released at a press conference at the Commissioner's Office. The new men include: Jemmell Holgate, 20, from Kingston; Ryon 'Rasta' Bailey of Gobay, St Catherine; Christopher 'Chicken Back' Barrett, of Gregory Park, St Catherine; and Adiff Washington of Milk River, Clarendon and Alligator Pond, Manchester. Holgate is wanted for the August 2007 murder of Ruel Isaacs in Tredegar Park, St Catherine. Bailey is wanted for three counts of murder. Barrett is being sought in connection with the death of Kevin Bryan in January along Cottage Drive, Gregory Park, St Catherine while Washington is wanted for several counts of shooting and attempted murder. Police said that of the previous 12 most wanted men, two were arrested while three were killed, two of which are believed to have been slain by other criminals. Arrested is Eldon Calvert, who was a reputed leader of the St James-based Stone Crusher Gang. He was arrested during a police operation in Wood Grove District, Trelawny. Calvert was wanted in connection with several murders and shootings. Dead are Wayne and Deon Dryden who were alleged to be involved in some 13 cases of murder. Their bodies, along with that of a nine-month-old baby girl were reportedly found in a car with multiple gunshot wounds. Dead also is Gerald Taylor who reportedly died during a shoot-out with a joint police military team. He too was wanted in connection with murder and shootings. On Saturday, the police removed another person from the old list when Robert 'Deniro' Brown was nabbed. Brown was arrested after a police team carried out an operation in Rose Hall district, St James. He was reportedly wanted for several counts of murder. Heading the list is Paul 'Doggie' Brown, 33, wanted in connection with a 2006 triple murder in St James. Meanwhile, still on the list are: Linton Dryden, the third of the Dryden brothers; Wilberforce Matterson; Lincoln 'Harry Dog' Powell, who is wanted for the murder of Detective Corporal Dave Daley in February last year. Carey Rose, 19, who is wanted for the murder of Detective Sergeant Egerton Brown along Sundown Crescent, Kingston; Alton Gordon, wanted for shooting with intent and escaping police custody at the Frankfield Police Station, Clarendon, and Richard Brown. The police unfortunately admitted they have photographs of only three of the men. This, they said, is surely a hindrance to carrying out effective policing. "This is a major problem for us and we are working on that. In the future we plan to release more photographs to the public," Assistant Commissioner of Police Les Green, head of the Major Investigations Taskforce (MIT) explained. Green praised the cooperation of citizens willing to assist the police and urged other to follow. The MIT head noted that a number of guns have been recovered with the aid of citizens. "A lot of guns have been seized ... they are not informers, they are citizens that want to go about their normal business and feel safe," Green expressed. "We work with witnesses and keep them safe, that's why there's a hotline, there are very secure means of giving information."

This is the final part of a story, first published in The Sunday Gleaner, exposing a multimillion-dollar car-stealing network, involving the police, that led to the disappearance of businessman Oliver Duncan, 35, and Kemar Walters, a 20-year-old mechanic apprentice. Both men were accosted by policemen on December 23, 2004 at a plaza on Washington Boulevard in St Andrew, and have been missing since.

A second accomplice of the Kitson Town-based leader of the car-stealing ring decided to slowly break away from the group. But he played it safe by maintaining links with the ringleader and his police accomplices, as well as with another splinter group.

He operated a body repair shop in the wider Washington Boulevard area of St Andrew, that was used as a temporary holding area for units stolen in the metropolitan area, as well as a point of contact for members of the ring. This body repairman operated a scam where he crashed cars for owners who wanted to fleece insurance companies. He also was an integral part of a nationwide insurance certificate racket, whereby one could procure an insurance certificate for a fee as low as $3,000.

But the body repairman/racketeer got into the bad books of the leader of the car-stealing ring and his police accomplice - an investigator - by failing to live up to his promise to share his loot from his now b***bing insurance certificate scam. Another corrupt policeman - a corporal - issued the body repairman with a 'pay-over-or-else' warning, but the racketeer refused and countered by threatening to inform the authorities of the policemen's involvement in car-stealing activities.

Relative of racketeer

Kemar Walters, one of the two men who disappeared after being accosted by police on December 23, 2004, was a relative of the Washington Boulevard-based body repairman and insurance certificate racketeer.

Young Walters was described as a 20-year-old 'nerd', who had graduated from Spanish Town High School (formerly Spanish Town Secondary School). He was just an average student academically, but was very good with the technical stuff.

Walters grew up in Kitson Town, but spent a number of years in Portmore with his mother. However, he and his great-grandmother, Ms Iris, were inseparable and it was no surprise when he returned to live with her. To the elders in Kitson Town, he was the well-mannered young man who would always be seen in the company of his grandmother.

Growing up, young Walters was like any average child, and an avid football fan, who dreamed of one day becoming a mechanical engineer. Consequently, in 2002, at the age of 18, he decided to do apprenticeship at his relative's body repair shop in the Washington Boulevard area of St Andrew. Things were, reportedly, not to Walters' liking, but he decided to "stick around until he learned enough of the trade before going on his own".

Left for work

About 7:00 a.m. on the fateful day of December 23, 2004, young Walters awoke, did his chores then left Kitson Town for work at the body shop in St Andrew.

Meanwhile, another rogue member of the car-stealing ring, who operated a body repair shop in the Olympic Gardens/Molynes Road area, drove a blue Honda CR-V motor car he had stolen some months before to his crony's body shop in the Washington Gardens area. The men inspected a set of cars, after which the driver of the Honda CR-V was asked to assist young Walters with a ride to the nearby Washington Boulevard plaza to purchase welding rods.

While the driver waited in the CR-V, an unmarked police vehicle stopped alongside it and two men alighted and approached him. A developed between the CR-V driver and the occupants of the other motor vehicle. Two off-duty policemen who were conducting business on the plaza sought to assure concerned eyewitnesses that the men who had approached the driver of the CR-V were police personnel from the Organised Crime Unit.

Plain-clothes police

On hearing the commotion, Walters went to enquire as to what was happening. Just then, two other unmarked police units pulled up and five men in plain clothes alighted with guns in hand. The police investigator, who was a crony of one of the leaders of the car-stealing ring, remained in one of the cars.

Because the CR-V driver had told the lawmen he was waiting on Walters, they accosted and began to question the mechanic apprentice. He was then handcuffed and placed in the motor car with the police investigator. The driver of the Honda CR-V was handcuffed and placed in another vehicle, while another police officer drove the CR-V. All four vehicles left the scene together and turned on to Weymouth Drive, off Washington Boulevard.

In the meantime, the body repairman/racketeer was at his Washington Boulevard garage awaiting the return of his apprentice, Kemar Walters. The repairman was subsequently informed of Walters' plight, but he said nothing to the other occupants of the body shop; instead he left immediately.

Didn't return home

When Walters did not arrive at his home in Kitson Town at his usual time, and there was no response to calls to his cellular phone, his relatives contacted the body repairman/insurance racketeer. He then relayed to them the incident involving the police.

The racketeer/body repairman was told that he would have to pay over a certain amount of cash in order to get back his relative/ apprentice. But the racketeer refused. The young man was then taken to a police station in St Catherine, where his boss was again contacted and made to listen to the beatings his apprentice/relative was receiving, while begging for mercy. The CR-V driver, who was a renegade from the car-stealing ring, was also shot in the leg at the same police station by a police accomplice of the leader of the auto-theft ring.

When it became evident that Walters' relative/boss would not relent, the young man was taken to the swamplands in the vicinity of the Jam World Entertainment Complex in St Catherine where he was shot and killed. His body was then buried in Constitution Hill, St Andrew, by cronies of the leader of the car-stealing ring.

Opportunity for revenge

Several of the former cronies of the Honda CR-V driver, who had broken away from the original car-stealing ring and had set up a competing operation, were glad for the opportunity to take revenge on him. The ring-leader and his accomplice, the police investigator, wanted the renegade thief's loot. The police investigator also wanted to punish his former crony for openly defying him in the past. The cornered thief's persecutors included his former accomplice, the car alarm technician, a relative and two unidentified policemen.

The CR-V driver was taken to Green Bay in that parish, where the men took turns torturing him while his hands were handcuffed to a rail. The torturing only stopped when he revealed where he had hidden some stolen units and his money.

His relatives believe that he was then killed as he has remained missing since that December morning in 2004.

Reggae artiste Anthony Martin more popularly known as Lutan Fyah was granted bail in the sum of J$250,000 today when he appeared at the Spanish Town Resident Magistrate Court in St. Catherine.

The artiste appeared on an arson charge which he was slapped with after the police reported that on December 3 last year, he allegedly led a group of men into a tenement yard in Thompson Pen, St. Catherine in search of men who disrespected him while he was on stage in Tivoli Gardens in Kingston.

According to police reports he didnt find the men he was looking for so he allegedly attacked an occupant of a house which was later firebombed.

Portmore Empire artiste Deva Bratt appeared in court also to answer a carnal abuse charge but according to reports reaching MediaZoneJA.com his lawyer didnt make a bail application. We will provide you with updates on this later.

Bride dies during first dance with husband

Heart disease claims woman at her own Big Fat Greek Wedding

 

DAVIE, Fla. - Kim Sjostrom wanted a real-life version of the film "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," which played in the background as friends fixed her hair and makeup before her own marriage ceremony.

But less than an hour after she and Teddy Efkarpides were wed, Sjostrom crumpled in her husband's arms during a Greek song that means "Love Me."

At 36, Sjostrom was dead from heart disease.

The wedding had became a project at Davie Elementary School, where Sjostrom taught first grade. Fellow teachers provided the wedding gown, the flowers and decorations. One of them, an ordained minister, performed the ceremony.

"It was perfect for her," said Dominic Church, the minister friend.

Sjostrom carried blue and white flowers during the ceremony the colors of the Greek flag as she exchanged vows with Efkarpides, a 43-year-old carpenter and Navy veteran. They had met three years to the day before the Jan. 19 wedding.

During the couple's first dance, Sjostrom complained of being lightheaded. Efkarpides thought his wife, a diabetic, needed sugar, but she collapsed.

Wedding guests, paramedics and doctors at a nearby hospital were unable to revive her.

She had a previous cardiac episode in her 20s and was a poster child _ literally _ for juvenile diabetes, relatives and friends said. Efkarpides recalled seeing the poster featuring her on New York subways.

He consoles himself by reading a list of "101 Reasons Why I Love You" that Sjostrom gave him their first Christmas together. "Number 1. You make me smile."

No. 98 is especially difficult: "You're the one I want to grow old with."

 

jah kno me nuh kno how me wuda cope wid this

Dear Pastor,

I have a problem. I have a friend who is a nice person and everything you need in a friend, but she has a personal problem which I should share with you. She is sexually active and has a serious problem with her vagina. It smells very bad and she drains some yellow substances if she sits anywhere. I would love to know what kind of problem she is having. I would love to tell her about the odour, but I am so afraid it will hurt her. So give me some advice in breaking this news to her. Thanks for your advice. T.F., Jamaica Dear T.F., If you are truly her friend, you will tell her the truth. She wouldn't be upset with you. On the other hand, I wonder if you are not writing about yourself. How do you know that this girl has an unusual discharge (draining)? Do you see evidence after she gets up from where she was sitting? Anyway, whether you are writing about a friend or yourself, this person should seek the help of a doctor (preferably a gynaecologist) without delay. Pastor

Tuesday, 12 February 2008

There is news that Jamaica may oppose two time World Cup champions Argentina in a friendly international in the United Kingdom in May. This would precede the return friendly against Trinidad and Tobago in Port of Spain on June 7. The Reggae Boyz will first host the Soca Warriors in Kingston on March 26. Another friendly could also be arranged before Jamaica opens their CONCACAF World Cup qualifying campaign against either the Bahamas or the US Virgin Island on June 7.

 

BINGHAMTON, N.Y.   A woman in New York state sold a young girl to her landlord for sex to cover her overdue rent, federal authorities said.

Linda O'Connor, 46, also sold the girl to strangers twice at a hotel in 2006 and 2007, authorities said. The girl was 12 and 13 at the time of the alleged rapes.

O'Connor, who lives in the upstate New York town of Norwich, was arrested Sunday on federal charges of selling a child and other pornography counts. Assistant U.S. Attorney Miroslav Lovric said she could face up to life in prison.

O'Connor's former landlord, Dean Sacco, 49, of New Jersey, was also charged with having sex with the girl, crossing state lines to have sex with a minor and various pornography charges.

The girl told authorities that O'Connor and Sacco photographed the assaults. Now 14 and in foster care, she told police she faced homelessness and that Sacco threatened to kill her if she did not comply.

The girl told investigators Sacco had sex with her at least five times and that O'Connor took her to a hotel in December 2006 to have sex with a 40-year-old man for $150 while O'Connor watched. O'Connor later took her back to the hotel again to have sex with a second man, the girl said. After the second encounter, O'Connor took the girl Christmas shopping.

O'Connor's lawyer, federal public defender Melissa Tuohey, did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment about the charges.

Attorney Kelly Fischer said he was assigned Monday to represent Sacco in the federal court proceedings and declined to comment until he had studied the case.

O'Connor and Sacco were both being held without bail until a detention hearing on Friday, The Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin reported Tuesday.

Sacco was scheduled for trial this week in on rape and nine other state felony charges involving the girl, has been postponed at the request of his defense attorney in that case, said District Attorney Joseph McBride. His lawyer in that case was in court Tuesday and not immediately available for comment.

Lovric said the federal charges "encompass more activity" than the state charges.

im confused.....
im hearin dat shawn storm was responsible 4 d pic reachin kingfish..y shawn storm wuda do dat....
link dem seh him post it on myspace n a informa see it n print it n carry it 2 kingfish


A ME ALONE HEAR DAT??????
WHO THINK HIM WUDA SO Fra** FI POST PIC LIKE DAT PON MYSPACE????

Of all the countless parenting dilemmas out there, I never thought I'd face this one, at least not at this early stage. My son, 2 1/2, has turned his yearlong obsession with the alphabet into the ability to read. At first I thought he was just recognizing certain words that he remembers from his favorite books or videos, then I realized he's actually reading.

We were at Babies R Us the other day when he said, "bab." I looked up, and sure enough, most of the store's sign was blocked and he was reading what he saw. My husband took him to the bank the other day and Elias announced "Drive-Through ATM." And this weekend we were at Old Navy waiting at the cash register when he saw a sign (in reverse, mind you, on the store's glass meant for patrons coming toward the store) and said "Baby and kids." That's not even the half of it. He can read practically any three-letter word and lots of simple four-letter words too.

What's the problem, you may ask? Of course, I'm pleased and proud of my little guy. He's super-smart. But my older son Evan is pretty smart too. He's starting to read too, which I think is pretty normal for a 4-year-old. He sounds every letter out, while Elias instinctively just says what he thinks, which is right most of the time.

The dilemma is this: how do I make sure that Evan doesn't feel inferior? For instance, the woman ahead of us in line at Old Navy immediately said, "Oh my God, he just read that sign backwards!"

"Yeah, he's starting to read," I respond, trying to downplay the situation.
"Is that normal?" the woman asks.
"I don't know," I say, "I have two smart boys."

I have no idea if all this fuss about Eli's early reading even affects Evan. But I would guess that it does. I wonder if my response to that woman at Old Navy was lame, or if Evan can see right through my attempts to make him feel good too.

click here

The Worlds Most Powerful Flashlight? . November  2007

Youd hardly think something this small could be so powerful but with a light beam that can illuminate objects over half a mile away, youd be wrong.

It is called the Xenide from AE Light - the 25W version - sporting a HID halide light-source with a rated brightness of 1,500 Lumens that can light up a target more than 900m away. A burglar would have to run a very long way indeed before dodging this beam.

It's powered by a rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery with 120 minutes of life and it can survive being submerged in up to 2m of water - for a short time.

Still, considering it costs over £210, you really dont want to be waving this around near any H2O.

If its style and luxury youre after though, check out the cleavage-hugging SureFire Titan for £250.

In 1939, a man from a small village in the Andes mountains carried his five-year-old daughter Lina into a hospital in the town of Pisco, Peru. He indicated to the doctors there that the shamans in his village had been unable to cure the large tumor that was developing in her abdomen. Upon examination, the doctors learned that the swelling was not, in fact, a tumor.

Dr. Gérado Lozada was told by Lina's father that she had been having regular periods since age three, but they had stopped about 7 1/2 months prior to the visit. He listened to the young girl's abdomen with a stethoscope, and heard a tiny second heartbeat. An X-Ray was also performed, after which there could be no doubt to the doctors' astonishment, five-year-old Lina Medina was about seven months pregnant.

Soon she was transferred to a hospital in the city of Lima, where specialists confirmed the pregnancy. Lina's father was arrested on suspicion of incest, but due to lack of evidence, he was released. On Mother's Day in 1939, when Lina was just under 5 years and 8 months old, her baby was delivered by cesarean section. It was a healthy 6 pound baby boy, and was named Gerardo after the doctor who originally diagnosed Lina's pregnancy, Dr. Gérado Lozada.

Further research into the case was done by Dr. Edmundo Escomel, one of Peru's preeminent physician-researchers at the time. He discovered that Lina's menstruations had actually begun when she was only eight months old, much sooner than her father had originally reported. Escomel also documented the results of a test which indicated that Lina had the ovaries of a fully mature woman. He concluded that the reason for the early development of her reproductive system must must have been from a pituitary hormonal disorder. But the identity of Gerardo's father was never determined.

For a long time, Gerardo was raised in the Medina household as though he were Lina's baby brother. Two years after Gerardo was born, American child psychologist Mrs. Paul Kosak was permitted to speak with Lina at some length. As quoted in the New York Times in 1941, Mrs. Kosak said, "Lina is above normal in intelligence and the baby, a boy, is perfectly normal and is physically better developed than the average Mestiza (Spanish Indian) child. She thinks of the child as a baby brother and so does the rest of the family."

The case of Lina Medina has often been alleged to be a hoax, but the story has been confirmed many times over the years by physicians in Peru and in the U.S.. Sufficient evidence was gathered that there is little room for doubt, including photos, X-Rays, biopsies, and thorough documentation by a number of doctors.

Gerardo grew up believing that Lina was his sister until he was aged ten years, when taunting by schoolmates led him to discover the truth. In 1972, when he was 33 years old, his younger brother was born his mother Lina had married, and had a child with her new husband.

Gerardo died seven years later at age 40 from a bone marrow infection, but Lina and her husband still live in Peru, and their son currently lives in Mexico.

 

http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=236
http://www.snopes.com/pregnant/medina.asp

If you read CD or LP credits you've probably seen "Mastered by Greg Calbi" a bunch of times, but don't have a clue exactly what Calbi and other mastering engineers do. I don't blame you, it's a mystery to most music lovers. When I heard that Calbi was going to cut some LP masters I made arrangements to drop by Sterling Sound and watch the master masterer at work. He's mastered thousands of records; everybody from Bob Dylan to Talking Heads to The Roots, to the "High School Musical" soundtrack, and one of my favorite records from last year, Yo Le Tengo's "I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass." As a matter of fact, he's mastered all of Yo Le Tengo's CDs and LPs of the past 10 years. He must be doing something right.

In the early days CDs were typically mastered from the LP master, Calbi explians, "It wasn't until the mid '80s that we starting mastering for CD. Vinyl was still number one; CD and cassette masters were taken from the LP master."

Nowadays remastering can refer to a redo of a CD master, going back to the original tapes/files and giving them another listen and eking out better sound. Calbi remastered Bob Dylan's "Oh Mercy" CD a few years ago, but he also mastered it the first time in 1989. The first mastering was digital all the way, but for the remaster Calbi introduced analog tools (equalization, analog tape machines, etc), and that resulted in a much better sounding "Oh Mercy" CD and SACD.

In any case Calbi works from the final mix and fine-tunes the sound with equalization, dynamic range compression, and volume level adjustments. The mastering engineer's entire signal path--playback machines, equalizers, black boxes, etc--all influence the finished product's sound.

Still, you might wonder why the engineers don't just transfer the final mix and master CDs or LPs from that, but the sound benefits from a fresh set of ears. The mastering engineer perfects and completes the mixes, or as Calbi put it, "Mastering is finishing for a specific format, CD or LP." What about MP3? "That's very different, and not just from a sound quality point of view, It's assumed that MP3s will be heard in shuffle mode, competing against unknown music." Right, and that leads to extreme dynamic range compression; so all of the music's natural soft-to-loud dynamics are squashed flat; MP3s have to be loud all the time because with MP3s everyone is screaming for attention in a crowded market.

CDs and LPs are also different in that they're conceived as complete works, and their mastering balances are affected by the songs' sequence--how the songs sound next to each other, the key changes, the rhythm--all sorts of things are compensated for by the mastering engineers. They have to see, correction, hear the big picture.

The mastering engineer is the final critic of the mix, and uses his/her knowledge to try and improve it. And now that so many projects are recorded in home studios by inexperienced engineers there's even more of a need for a fresh set of ears to tweak recordings.

What about iTunes? I ask Calbi about the rumors about the Beatles catalog being remastered for iTunes. He was ahead of me, "They're not being remastered just for iTunes; they're being remastered because they got a deal with iTunes. I was partially involved the discussions leading up to the remastering sessions, most of the Beatles catalog hasn't been remastered in 20 years." It's likely the new remasters are destined for CD release.

Watching Calbi at work, mastering this killer blues rock LP, "Onyx Root," by Michael Powers, there's no doubt the man enjoys his work. Calbi's grooving to the music, swaying back and forth in his chair. His playback system is very audiophile, with massive Energy speakers and an Audio Research vacuum tube amplifier the sound is so good I feel like I'm listening to a live performance.

 

After numerous rumors, the G-Unit brand of clothing is officially shutting down. The news may come as a surprise to some, due to previous denials by representatives for 50 Cent.

The clothing line, which was a part of designer Marc Ecko's Marc Ecko Enterprises, was established in 2003. Despite its popularity since then, and Wall Street Journal reports that it made up 15% of Marc Ecko Enterprises' revenue, MissInfo.TV reports that 50 Cent will allegedly be walking away with full ownership of the brand - presumably to relaunch with another manufacturer.

It is currently unclear whether or not the split was a mutual decision between 50 and Ecko

-- Edited by Casino at 12:38, 2008-02-10

Launching its 1st Annual Caribbean Urban Music Awards in Jamaica on April 26th, 2008 at James Bond Beach in Ochi Rios, The Urban Music Awards has nominated Sizzla Kalonji for Best Album, "Overstanding" and Artist of the Year.

"Efforts being made and goals being achieved, just to show that we are apart of the blessed creation.  As organs of our body function, to make us survive as humans, so we ought to unite to reach our highest endeavors as a nation. I am so humbly thankful and ratherly overwhelmed with such a delightful recognition.  It pleases my heart and grace my soul to be honored with such a prestigious nomination." expresses Sizzla Kalonji about his two UMA nominations.

The Urban Music Awards is one of the biggest international awards ceremonies held in the USA, UK, France, and Germany, broadcasting worldwide to an audience of 14.5 million viewers annually. With over 3 million urban music fans nominating and voting on the official UMA website internationally per year, voting for Sizzla Kalonji will commence after February 14th on www.urbanmusicawards.net  .

The UMA's celebrated its 5th anniversary in 2007 by launching for the first time in New York on the 7th of July 2007.  The Urban Music Awards was born out of the need to build a worldwide and independent awards ceremony to recognize the achievement of 100% urban based artists, producers, club nights, DJ's, radio stations, record labels and artist that are a product of the current Urban music scene.

http://www.guba.com/watch/3000089689

jamaica look like iraq 2 ra**c*at its a shame weh the gun do to we pritty island




-- Edited by pengo at 19:42, 2008-02-09

Dwayne Mcleod, Staff Reporter

( L - R ) Jemmell Holgate, Ryon Bailey o/c 'Rasta', Cedric Murray o/c Paul Brown

Four men were added to the country's most wanted list, police revealed yesterday.The list now has 11 men after five persons from the old list were either killed or arrested since their names were announced last year. The new list was released at a press conference at the Commissioner's Office. The new men include: Jemmell Holgate, 20, from Kingston; Ryon 'Rasta' Bailey of Gobay, St Catherine; Christopher 'Chicken Back' Barrett, of Gregory Park, St Catherine; and Adiff Washington of Milk River, Clarendon and Alligator Pond, Manchester. Holgate is wanted for the August 2007 murder of Ruel Isaacs in Tredegar Park, St Catherine. Bailey is wanted for three counts of murder. Barrett is being sought in connection with the death of Kevin Bryan in January along Cottage Drive, Gregory Park, St Catherine while Washington is wanted for several counts of shooting and attempted murder. Police said that of the previous 12 most wanted men, two were arrested while three were killed, two of which are believed to have been slain by other criminals. Arrested is Eldon Calvert, who was a reputed leader of the St James-based Stone Crusher Gang. He was arrested during a police operation in Wood Grove District, Trelawny. Calvert was wanted in connection with several murders and shootings. Dead are Wayne and Deon Dryden who were alleged to be involved in some 13 cases of murder. Their bodies, along with that of a nine-month-old baby girl were reportedly found in a car with multiple gunshot wounds. Dead also is Gerald Taylor who reportedly died during a shoot-out with a joint police military team. He too was wanted in connection with murder and shootings. On Saturday, the police removed another person from the old list when Robert 'Deniro' Brown was nabbed. Brown was arrested after a police team carried out an operation in Rose Hall district, St James. He was reportedly wanted for several counts of murder. Heading the list is Paul 'Doggie' Brown, 33, wanted in connection with a 2006 triple murder in St James. Meanwhile, still on the list are: Linton Dryden, the third of the Dryden brothers; Wilberforce Matterson; Lincoln 'Harry Dog' Powell, who is wanted for the murder of Detective Corporal Dave Daley in February last year. Carey Rose, 19, who is wanted for the murder of Detective Sergeant Egerton Brown along Sundown Crescent, Kingston; Alton Gordon, wanted for shooting with intent and escaping police custody at the Frankfield Police Station, Clarendon, and Richard Brown. The police unfortunately admitted they have photographs of only three of the men. This, they said, is surely a hindrance to carrying out effective policing. "This is a major problem for us and we are working on that. In the future we plan to release more photographs to the public," Assistant Commissioner of Police Les Green, head of the Major Investigations Taskforce (MIT) explained. Green praised the cooperation of citizens willing to assist the police and urged other to follow. The MIT head noted that a number of guns have been recovered with the aid of citizens. "A lot of guns have been seized ... they are not informers, they are citizens that want to go about their normal business and feel safe," Green expressed. "We work with witnesses and keep them safe, that's why there's a hotline, there are very secure means of giving information."

-- Edited by Dj Rohan at 20:44, 2008-02-06

!! SLOWDOWN !!
WHY SHOULDnT YOU DRIVE WHEN YOU ARE DRUNK...?

WHY SHOULDN'T YOU EXCEED THE SPEED LIMITS...?

WHY SHOULD YOU PAY ATTENTION TO THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE
YOU ARE DRIVING...?

WHY SHOULD YOU LEARN NOT TO LOOK UNNECESSARILY
AT BOTH SIDES
OF THE ROAD EACH TIME YOU ARE DRIVING...?
 
WHY SHOULD YOU NOT BE TALKING ON YOUR CELL PHONE WHILE DRIVING?


THIS IS WHY.......

AND THIS...

AND THIS ...............



WE'RE NOT DONE YET...

IF YOU HAVE A WEAK STOMACH STOP HERE!

Th e remaining pictures shows what happened to the body
of the driver of the black vehicle. They are VERY graphic.

You've been warned...

MARLEY WINS GRAMMY AGAIN
Yawn. All the Marley clan has to do is show up and they win the reggae grammy, it has become oh so monotonous now. Last night, Stephen Marley won the Best Reggae Album grammy for his album Mind Control. Bravo. Bravissimo and all that. But come on, is this just a Marley award?

UNAUTHORISED BEENIE BOOK REVEALS ALL
Embarra**ing details of the good doctor's life could be revealed in a riveting tell-all that has been completed and will go to press soon. The book reportedly digs up the seamy details of the Doc's early years in Craig Town, delves into his musical friendship with Patrick Roberts, and never-before-revealed information on the Doc's relationships with Dancehall Queen Carlene, uptown girls of prominent political families, and other dalliances of the Doc. The authors have promised us a sneak preview, we will keep you informed.

MILK AND LIQUID BACK TOGETHER
Mi go drop mi girlfriend at the airport on Saturday and guess who me see? Nuh Milk and Liquid inna one piece ah hugging and kissing at the airport, you'd a tink say a war him a go fight overseas and not just a show wid Alaine and Don dem. Anyhow, mi haffi tek off mi glasses and look good because me swear say dem did done and Liquid's coochie privileges were permanently revoked. It come in like she give him a drop to the airport but the hugging and kissing de never normal. No sah, somebody better tell Renee and the other one weh a gwaan that Milk ah the ants inna fi dem milk. Well, I guess when all is said and done, yu caan help who yu love. Good luck wid dat de one deh.

NEW VENUE FOR BOUNTY KILLER SUNDAYS
Bounty Killer Sundays moved to Seaview Gardens this week as the Hunts Bay Police had objected to the weekly session being held in the Majestic Gardens community because of another request by residents there to host a Beenie Tuesdays. The policemen were afraid of a possible conflict because of the antagonistic relationship which exists between the two deejays.

"It mad last night, it keep over Bawly Bawly yard over Seaview, it nice," Mumma Spice, a regular at the event told One876Entertainment.com a short time ago. "Ah the Spice girls tek it, Spice to the world, ah dat we say."

GUIDANCE AND DETERMINE WAR
Why are the rastas warring amongst themselves? First, Determine start talk the tings say ah science mash up Beenie and Angel, and how much Guidance can only find the one hit, and him did a laugh and tik everyting peachy, only fi hear say Guidance have the counteraction that talk 'bout how management drop Determine and how much say Determine ah sex the monkey up ah the obeah hotel fi find back a hit, ah pure sitten sitten, Right now, people shock but the two song dem a get crazy airplay.

COURTNEY JOHN GIVEAWAY
Less than 24hr to WIN2 Night retreat at THE CAVES for YOU and your OTHER Plus $500us...Thats right $500us dollarsLink www.iriefm.net  and CLICK on 14 Ways to Romance for YOUR CHANCE TO WIN. There are other prizes to win like---Aveda-Spa Treatments at Strawberry Hill- An Island Outpost Resort, Courtney John CDs, Gift Certificates from Susies Bakery & Chocolate Dreams as well as DOVE product gift bags -----Dont FORGET LESS THAN 24 HOURS BEFORE THE CONTEST IS OVER--- www.iriefm.net 14 WAYS TO ROMANCE

This story is the reason why it make sense to go to school and be attentive in class, especially during the English session.

Just last Thursday at the EME awards held in the Gardens at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel by broadcaster Richie B, self proclaimed deejay, L.A. Lewis was asked to be a presenter and found himself in a bit of a predicament.

According to some patrons, Lewis who was dapperly dressed in an all-white ensemble took the stage to make a presentation alongside Paul Elliot and upon opening the coveted red envelope to reveal the winner his native tongue (english) failed him miserably, (guess he should have been doing his homework, instead of on the streets spray painting his name all over the city).

In making the announcement he utters and we quote "..and the category goes to", that raised a few eyebrows before he tried to redeem himself with ".. and the Nominee goes to". At this point several jaws dropped and some folks just shook their heads in disbelief while others couldn't contain their laughter.

Finally the good Lord must have knocked him over his head when he blurted out "..Oh sorry and the Winner is..." needless to say that brought a sudden sense of hope back to the show and the image of fellows entertainers who were in the house.

So L.A. Lewis if you're out there reading this MZJAradio.com would just like to say, 'School is Cool' ..oh! and we look forward to hearing even one song from you in 2008, because the silence is deafening.

The 2007 Slate 60 The largest American charitable contribution of the year.

Two hoteliers known for providing comfort to the well-to-do are leaving a different legacy: aid to the less fortunate. That's the takeaway from the top of our annual list of the largest American charitable contributions. This year, the Slate 60 was compiled, with our thanks, by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University. The top two spots on the list are occupied by prominent hotel billionaires: The late Leona Helmsley bequeathed $4 billion to the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, and Barron Hilton donated $1.2 billion to the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, started by his father.

Helmsley, who made her fortune not only in hotels but also in real estate, isn't the most obvious candidate for exemplary benefactress. Search Wikipedia for "Queen of Mean," and you'll be taken to her biography page. In the late 1980s she served 18 months in prison for tax evasion. After her death, it was discovered that she left $12 million to her dog and nothing to two of her four grandchildren. But at the same time, she also had moments of striking generosity during her life. After the Sept. 11 attacks, Helmsley gave $5 million to New York City firefighters, and in 2006 she made a $25 million donation to the New York Presbyterian Hospital through the Helmsley Charitable Trust. Helmsley's estate could end up being worth as much as $8 billion, which would make the trust the seventh-largest such foundation in the nation. The foundation's trustees will decide what causes will benefit from Helmsley's largess; as yet, they haven't made their choices.

Barron Hilton announced his $1.2 billion pledge to the Conrad Hilton Foundation in December after completing the sale of the Hilton Hotels Corp. and Harrah Entertainment. The foundation focuses its work on improving the lives of the poor around the world, working to provide sanitation systems in developing countries, early childhood education, and housing for homeless mothers and children, among other causes.

This is the first Slate 60 appearance for both Helmsley and Hilton. Helmsley's gift is the fourth-largest donation that we've recorded in the Slate 60. (Read an explanation of our methodology.) There have been a total of 13 gifts of $1 billion or more during the 12 years we've been keeping track.

A look at the top 10 indicates that giving toward universities and hospitals (and, perhaps synergistically, medical schools) remains a popular choice for leading philanthropists. Jon and Karen Huntsman donated $627 million to their foundation, much of which will go to cancer research. Denny Sanford is on the list for the third straight year, with a gift of $431 million to various groups, including Sioux Valley Hospitals and Health Systems. The gift will create pediatric clinics around the country.

Colleges also did well. No. 6 donor John W. Kluge gave to Columbia University, No. 7 donors Sandy and Joan Weill gave to Cornell, and No. 9 donor Robert A. Day gave to Claremont McKenna College. In addition, plenty of Slate 60 donors focused their efforts on public universities, like the University of Illinois, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, the University of Pittsburgh, and Texas Tech.

As David Plotz pointed out in our 10^th anniversary retrospective two years ago, the idea behind the Slate 60 was to fuse competition and generosity. And the competition has grown fierce. For the second straight year, donors had to pony up $30 million to warrant mention. The median gift was $75 million, compared with $60 million in 2006 and $32.5 million in 2005. For another measure of how steep the competition has become, let's travel back to the inaugural Slate 60, in 1996 (with apologies for not taking into account the effects of inflation). The top gift that year was a $105 million donation from Samuel and Aline Skaggs. George Soros was second with $100 million. This year, donors who made gifts or pledges totaling $100 million finished in a 10-way tie for 15^th place.

One of the most rewarding aspects of publishing the Slate 60 is recognizing the handful of people whose names appear year after yeardonors who have made generosity their life's work. We again welcome old friends Peter Lewis (10th time, $54.4 million to various causes), Eli and Edythe Broad (ninth time, $176 million to various causes), Larry Ellison (seventh time, $39 million to the Ellison Medical Foundation), George Soros (seventh time, $474 million to his foundations), Lorry Lokey (sixth time, $112.5 million), Pierre and Pam Omidyar (sixth time, $97.8 million to their foundations), Jon and Karen Huntsman (fifth time, $627 million to their eponymous foundation), Oprah Winfrey (fifth time, $50.2 million to her foundations), and Sandy and Joan Weill (sixth time, $328.5 million).You can find out how much your favorite philanthropists have given, and how often, using our searchable database.

In addition to the database and our bios of the named donors, Slate offers this week a package of articles about philanthropy. Google.org's Larry Brilliant explains how Google decided where to focus its giving, Lincoln Caplan looks at the lessons an underground classic teaches about philanthropy, Georgia Levenson Keohane explores philanthropy via online social networking, and Emily Bazelon asks how kids become budding philanthropists. Enjoy!

Correction, Feb. 11, 2008: Because of a reporting error, the 2007 Slate 60 did not originally include New York Mayor Michael *la*hmberg. *la*hmberg made donations totaling $205 million to 1,100 different organizations this year, which is good for eighth on the list. The total takes into account *la*hmberg's personal giving, his shares of his company's giving, and his foundation's giving. This is hisfifth appearance on the Slate

Chicago - Living to 100 is easier than you might think.

Surprising new research suggests that even people who develop heart disease or diabetes late in life have a decent shot at reaching the century mark.

It has been generally assumed that living to 100 years of age was limited to those who had not developed chronic illness, said Dr. William Hall of the University of Rochester.

Hall has a theory for how these people could live to that age. In an editorial in Mondays Archives of Internal Medicine, where the study was published, he writes that it might be thanks to doctors who aggressively treat these older folks health problems, rather than taking an ageist approach that assumes they wouldnt benefit.

For the study, Boston University researchers did phone interviews and health assessments of more than 500 women and 200 men who had reached 100. They found that roughly two-thirds of them had avoided significant age-related ailments.

But the rest, dubbed survivors, had developed an age-related disease before reaching 85, including high *la*hd pressure, heart disease or diabetes. Yet many functioned remarkably well nearly as well as their disease-free peers.

Men functioned better than women
Overall, the men were functioning better than the women. Nearly three-fourths of the male survivors could bathe and dress themselves, while only about one-third of the women could.

The researchers think that may be because the men had to be in exceptional condition to reach 100. Women, on the other hand, may be better physically and socially adept at living with chronic and often disabling conditions, wrote lead author Dr. Dellara Terry and her colleagues.

Rosa McGee is one of the healthy women in the study who managed to avoid chronic disease. Now 104, the retired cook and seamstress, is also strikingly lucid.

My living habits are beautiful, McGee said in an interview at her daughters Chicago apartment. I dont take any medicines. I dont smoke and I dont drink. Never did anything like that.

Until late 2006, when she fell in her St. Louis home, McGee lived alone and took care of herself. Now in Chicago, she is less mobile but still takes walks a few times weekly down the apartment building hallways, with her daughters help.

McGee credits her faith in God for her good health. She also gets lots of medical attention a doctor and nurse make home visits regularly.

Genes surely contributed McGees maternal grandparents lived to age 100 and 107.

Genes don't tell the whole story
But while genes are important, scientists dont think they tell the whole story about longevity.

A second, larger study of men in their 70s found that those who avoided smoking, obesity, inactivity, diabetes and high *la*hd pressure greatly improved their chances of living into their 90s. In fact, they had a 54 percent chance of living that long.

Their survival decreased with each risk factor, and those with all five had only a 4 percent chance of living into their 90s, according to Harvard University researchers.

Those who managed to avoid lifestyle-related ailments also increased their chances of functioning well physically and mentally two decades later.

The study followed 2,357 men for about 25 years or until death, starting in their early 70s. About 40 percent survived to at least age 90. Among survivors, 24 percent had none of the five risk factors.

Its not just luck, its not just genetics. ... Its lifestyle that seems to make a big difference, said lead author Dr. Laurel Yates of Harvards Brigham and Womens Hospital.

Its get your shoes on, get out there, and do some exercise, she said. These are some things you can do to increase the chances of a long life.

Never too late to get healthy
Yates said its never too late to adopt a healthier lifestyle, though the findings dont address whether waiting until age 70 to stop smoking, lose weight and exercise will increase longevity.

Hall noted that the United States has more than 55,000 centenarians, and that Americans 85 and older are the countrys fastest-growing group of older adults.

He said the new research underscores how important it is for doctors to become adept at treating the oldest of the old, who are becoming the bread and butter of the clinical practice of internal medicine.