Stories about Jamaica from July, 2008
Jamaica, India: Signs of the Times
The recent bombings in India trigger Jamaican blogger Annie Paul‘s memory about “one piece of graffiti by a Muslim group that had struck me with the simple force and stridency of its message.” In examining the many murals around Kingston, she wonders if “the signs are on the walls.”
Jamaica: Fountain Head
Less traffic or preserving an historic fountain? Montego Bay Day By Day can't decide.
Jamaica, U.S.A.: Track & Field
Raw Politics…Jamaica Style! writes a detailed post about the Track and Field component of the upcoming Olympic Games.
Jamaica, Haiti: Political Analysis
In examining the state of Jamaican politics, My View of JamDown from Up So notices some similarities to Haiti.
Jamaica: Crime Plan
As the Prime Minister announces new measures to deal with crime, Jamaica and the World wonders “if they will make any difference at all…”
Jamaica, U.S.A.: Obama the Hero?
“As the days, weeks, and months have gone by, it has become increasingly clear that Barack Hussein Obama…has been stepping into this role of the ‘selfless superhero'”: Jamaican Geoffrey Philp says time will tell if the Democratic US Presidential candidate can fulfill the “mythical role” that has been hoisted upon...
Jamaica, U.S.A.: Getting Connected
“I remember learning not to try to hold on to people after moving to the U.S. After all, the chances were good that I would never see them again. In Jamaica, the opposite is true”: Francis Wade blogs about the feeling of connectivity he enjoys in Jamaica.
Jamaica: Glass Casket
Francis Wade has the strange experience of driving behind a hearse that was transporting “the dearly departed” in a glass casket: “Perhaps this is something that every Jamaican who lives abroad should aspire to return home to accomplish… a fashionable and public exit.”
Jamaica: Patois Parlance
Transition Sunshine says that “all Jamaicans are multilingual, and while some may not speak patois, they all understand it”. Posted with video to prove her point.
Jamaica: Stolen Beach
“Apparently, some ‘enterprising’ Jamaicans have figured out a solution to the growing problem of private ownership of our beachfront lands”: Long Bench reports on the stealing of a beach, adding: “If this kind of theft weren’t a sign of how actively we are digging a serious hole for ourselves in...
Jamaica, Guyana: “Small Boys”
Jamaican litblogger Geoffrey Philp features a poem by Guyanese writer Marc Matthews.
Serbia: Bob Marley Monument; Serbian Reggae
Belgrade 2.0 writes about a monument to Bob Marley that's about to open in northeastern Serbia and posts YouTube video samples of Serbian reggae.
Jamaica: Green Space
Montego Bay Day By Day posts photos of The Old Hospital – an area that many Jamaicans agree “should remain as one of the very few green spaces in the city.”
Jamaica: Sex Tapes
Jamaican youngsters are engaging in a “[not so] new form of sexual exploration and entertainment” – the sex tape – and Long Bench says: “It's the absence of healthy attitudes about sexuality that creates the market and the appetite for these videos.”
Jamaica: Press Freedom
Jamaican blogger Diatribalist uses news clips showing an ugly interaction at a council meeting to illustrate how the media self-censors itself.
Jamaica: Conference Call
Active Voice gives an insightful report on a number of note-worthy academic gatherings, including the conference held in honour of the eminent Jamaican-born sociologist and poet MG Smith.
Jamaica: The Need To Take Responsibility
My View of JamDown From Up So uses recent international news events to illustrate how the Jamaican authorities and media may handle—or not handle—similar stories.
Jamaica: Why I Blog
In a passionate post, Jamaican blogger Geoffrey Philp describes the five top reasons he blogs.
Jamaica: Heat in the Dancehall
Several countries have banned Jamaican dancehall artists because of the violent, misogynistic and often homophobic content of their lyrics. Claude Mills.com discusses the marketing nightmare that this offshoot of reggae has become, and asks “Is Dancehall Dying?”
Jamaica: Just a Cartoon?
A caricature depicting Robert Mugabe as King Kong gets the attention of Jamaican blogger My View of JamDown from Up So. Is it just a harmless political cartoon, he asks, or a racist portrayal of the Zimbabwe President?
Jamaica: Biblical concerns
A project of the Bible Society of the West Indies to translate The Bible into “Patois” and have it published, is getting much attention in Jamaica. Living in Barbados joins the debate.
