Bill Gates's sprawling Washington state compound is, as you might expect, packed to the gills with bleeding-edge gear, from the heated floors and 20-seat home theater to the X-ray machine (for screening the mail, of course) and miles of fiber-optic cabling. But here's what you definitely won't find at chez Gates: an iPhone. In the latest issue of Vogue, Bill's wife, Melinda Gates, reveals that among the "very few things" on "the banned list in our household" areyou guessed itiPods and iPhones.

Brutal, yesespecially for Bill and Melinda's three kids (two daughters and a son, aged 12, six, and nine, respectively), who'll just have to grin and bear it as their little pals make merry with the latest and greatest iPod.

And even Melinda herself admits to an occasional pang of Apple envy: "Every now and then I look at my friends and say, 'Ooh, I wouldn't mind having that iPhone.'" (Ouch!)

Then again, what else did we expect from Microsoft founder Bill Gates? The man has his pride, not to mention scores of Windows Mobile and Zune team members who'd probably feel a tad bit hurt if Bill Jr. was running around with an iPhone.

So, which phones and MP3 players are on the Gates's "good-to-go" list? Well, there's always the Zune for music and videonot the sexiest MP3 player out there, mind you, but at least it's got Wi-Fi and a snazzy interface.

And of course, there are plenty of Windows Mobile handsets to choose from; personally, I'd go for the Palm Treo Pro (if I had to get a Windows Mobile phone, that is), although it's not exactly a barrel of fun for the teens. Or how about the HTC Touch Pro? That's a pretty cool phone I guess (as I pat the iPhone 3G in my jeans pocket).

Related:
Gates of Heaven [Vogue]

The Medical Council of Jamaica could hold an inquiry into allegations of professional misconduct made against Dr Dennis Pyne who has been at the centre of a damning report on operations at the National Chest Hospital in Kingston.

Health Minister Rudyard Spencer said yesterday that the solicitor general has advised that the report be submitted to the Medical Council for its consideration of the contents and with a view to proceeding to hold an inquiry pursuant to the provisions of the Medical Act as it deems fit.

Recommendations were also made by Solicitor General Douglas Leys for the report to be submitted to the Public Service Commission in order to determine whether there has been any breach of the Staff Order Regulations.

Dr Pyne, a consultant general thoracic and vascular surgeon, was interdicted last year following allegations that he charged public patients private fees.

Spencer, who had sought legal advice from the attorney general on how to proceed, told journalists during a press conference at his downtown Kingston office yesterday that he has since submitted a copy of the report to both the Public Service Commission and the Medical Council.

A c****ative Spencer chided the media for what he described as their focus only on the area of the investigation as it relates to Dr Pyne, instead of on the report in its entirety, which looks at operations at the hospital.

He was, however, adamant that the apology requested by Dr Pyne of him would not be forthcoming.

"I will not be apologising," said Spencer. "If he is guilty, then he should be the one to apologise. If not, then there is no need for an apology."

Meanwhile, Spencer said the solicitor general has advised that the committee set up by him (Spencer) had no power to make any determination of the rights and obligations of anyone as it was advisory and could only make recommendations to the minister.

The solicitor general also found, however, that there was no breach of natural justice and no evidence of bias on the part of the committee set up to do the review.

Furthermore, the committee, he said, provided an opportunity to the affected persons to participate in the investigation and they declined.

"...At the Medical Council he (Dr Pyne) can bring all the legal representation he wants to and there he will get the kind of justice he has been seeking," Spencer said.

In addition, the solicitor general indicated that the minister should consider the recommendations that were made in the report relating to the operations of the National Chest Hospital and determine whether they should be implemented.

"In respect of the recommendations relating to the operations of the hospital... we had moved with dispatch to address the issues raised in the report," Spencer said.

The health minister explained further that $60 million in refurbishing work was done at the hospital and the items for an outstanding order for US$55,000 will arrive as soon as possible.

The Regional Health Authority, he said, has also made some changes to the senior staff of the region, which it is hoped will bring a greater level of productivity and transparency to the business of the South East Regional Health Authority.

While not saying much more, Spencer admitted that a parish manager singled out in the report has also been transferred to St Catherine.

He said they are in the process of getting persons from the University Hospital of the West Indies to oversee operations at the hospital.

Jamaica College students sing during a Peace Day concert at the school yesterday. - Ian allen/staff photographer

Health Minister Rudyard Spencer is calling on individuals to reduce the incidence of crime and violence in society in an effort to encourage a culture of peace.

The minister's speech was read by Dr Sheila Campbell-Forrester, chief medical officer, during the Health Promotion and Protection Division's celebration of 'Peace For Prosperity' yesterday.

The activities were held in the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Environment's lobby.

The minister went on to say the health sector was suffering because of crime and violence.

Local studies show that crime directly costs the health sector $2.2 billion annually, 40 per cent of the MOH's hospital budget.

One in every three elective surgeries at the Kingston Public Hospital is cancelled because of injuries due to violence.

Dr Campbell-Forester said it was important for adults to be mentors to children.

She said children were exposed to violence in their homes and communities and, as a result, many were angry.

She said persons must take the responsibility to protect children.

Several persons were also awarded for their participation in maintaining peace across the country.

Among them were Nada Marasovic, United Nations Children's Fund's chief of party; Dr Elizabeth Ward, chairperson for Violence Prevention Alliance; and Janilee Abrikian, general manager of Peace and Love in Society.

first of all, im not a fan of the two, they are both entreu-pro-negros, but when it comes to their music, hell no, especially 50, but anwyay

what do u think about their lyrical beef, is it worth listening 2, what is the sense in it, who is leading, do we care?

i cant afford to waste my bandwidth and precious electricity on them

you can see that its a album sale booster for 50. and rick ross is just defending himself...gimme ur thoughts on it

 

 

let me know ppl

well u know it's sting again wid a next mix up ..........................ra**claaaat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ppl knwo say mi fasssss.......................so mek mi get right to the point .......................mi deh yah a read a post weh a member mek bout "how long u deh pon the zone per day" ...............so me wid mi fasss self a read weh everyone a say and buck up pon weh the "hatain duppy aka mediazone most hated" aka (mek mi shut mi mouth).......... (stain mi a talk lol) say him go pon a private muzik site ......................weh dat site name ???????????????????? ra**claaat mi waaan know cause mi fasss no *la*h*o*dclaaaat .......................how u no busss mi pon it starrrrrrrrrrrr?????????????????????? yow u know wah mek mi shut mi mouth and start the mix up !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
lol

Which Team is your Favourite Team? and Your Favourite PLAYER?

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. Dust off the slide rules and recharge the calculators. Square Root Day is upon us.

The math-buffs' holiday, which only occurs nine times each century, falls on Tuesday 3/3/09 (for the mathematically challenged, three is the square root of nine).

"These days are like calendar comets, you wait and wait and wait for them, then they brighten up your day and poof they're gone," said Ron Gordon, a Redwood City teacher who started a contest meant to get people excited about the event.

The winner gets, of course, $339 for having the biggest Square Root Day event.

Gordon's daughter even set up a Facebook page one of a half-dozen or so dedicated to the holiday and hundreds of people had signed up with plans to celebrate in some way. Celebrations are as varied: Some cut root vegetables into squares, others make food in the shape of a square root symbol.

The last such day was five years ago, Feb. 2, 2004, which coincided with Groundhog Day. The next is seven years away, on April 4, 2016.

Before she had the octuplets, Nadya Suleman was investigated by the L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) ... and that's just the beginning -- cops have been called to her homestead a slew of times.

We've learned on July 7, 2008, DCFS received a complaint from a neighbor who felt Nadya's six kids "were not clean or being fed properly." An investigation was opened, and DCFS took a Suspected Child Abuse Report. Investigators went to Nadya's home, interviewed some of the kids and filed a report. Officials concluded the allegation was "unfounded."

Fair enough -- but then there's this. Our search shows that cops were called to Nadya's last two homes a total of eight times.

(1) On January 9, 2008, someone called 911 after one of Nadya's kids accidentally locked himself/herself in a room. The cops came and a patrol officer picked the lock.

(2) On October 27, 2008, Nadya called 911 in a panic because one of her kids was missing. Five patrol units responded to the house -- turns out the five-year-old had followed grandma around the block.

(3) On January 23, 2009, three days before the OctoBabies were born and Nadya was in the hospital, one of the kids called 911 from the house. We don't know why.

(4 & 5) Cops were called by neighbors twice (May 12, 2008 and August 10, 2008) because the front door was left open and they feared a break in.

(6) Cops went along with DCFS after getting the complaint on July 7, 2008.

(7 & 8) We all know about the two post-OctoBirth calls -- when cops were called to control reporters and when a neighbor brandished a shotgun.

But surely things will get calmer once the additional eight kids come home ...

A Ministry of Justice report has revealed that child maintenance matters accounted for most of the cases brought before the nation's four family courts in 2008.

According to the report, of the total of 49,925 cases brought before the family courts, 18,055 - or 36 per cent - were matters related to child maintenance.

This was followed by criminal (10,502), custody (2,888) care and protection (3,788) and domestic violence matters (2,501) which are also handled by the courts in addition to paternity and adoption matters.

The Corporate Area Family Court handled the majority of the cases, some 4,714, while the remaining 13,341 were shared between the Montego Bay (St James), Lucea (Hanover) and Savanna-la-Mar (Westmoreland) family courts.

The vast majority of complainants in the maintenance cases were women seeking orders from the courts for the delinquent fathers of their children to contribute to their offspring's welfare and development.

Yesterday, Children's Advocate Mary Clarke said while she had not seen the report herself, the figures underline the problem of irresponsible parenting. She called on fathers to not only support their children financially, but to play a role in their upbringing as well.

"We need to encourage the men not only to maintain their children, but to father them as well. Fathering has an important role, other than the money," Clarke told the Observer.

She said many Jamaicans were having children without considering the financial and emotional costs involved in raising a child.

"It is irresponsible parenting. Parenting costs money, time, emotions and nurturing. It takes two to tango so the mothers must take responsibility as well," Clarke said.

But while the figures suggest that a significant number of fathers are refusing to support their offspring, founder of male support group Fathers In Action, Lanny Davidson, said several issues have contributed to the high number of child maintenance cases before the courts.

"A lot of men are unemployed, while a lot of them say they are maintaining their children and the women are not telling the truth. There are some fathers who are not maintaining their children because they think they got a 'jacket' while others say they are being denied access to the child," Davidson told the Observer yesterday.

He, however, admitted that some fathers had neglected their parental duties altogether, but said such fathers were in the minority.

"The fathers who stand off and don't do anything are very, very few. It is not the norm," he said.

In the Family Court, a magistrate can order that a father should pay child maintenance at the court offices or hand over the cash to the mothers in special cases. Yesterday Davidson warned fathers to make sure their contributions are properly recorded.

"Don't give cash. Send it through a remittance company to create a paper trail," Davidson advised.

SAGINAW, Mich. A man has pleaded no contest to indecent exposure after police said he was arrested for performing a sex act with a car wash vacuum. The Saginaw News reported 29-year-old Jason Leroy Savage entered the plea Wednesday in Saginaw County Circuit Court. A no-contest plea is not an admission of guilt but will be treated as one at sentencing on March 25.

Police said Savage was arrested after a resident called officers early on Oct. 16 to report suspicious activity at a car wash in Thomas Township, about 90 miles northwest of Detroit.

Defense attorney Philip Alexander Sturtz had no immediate comment Thursday.

This happened in Paris recently and may happen elsewhere also. A few weeks ago, in a movie theatre, a person felt something poking from her seat. When she got up to see what it was, she found a needle sticking out of the seat with a note attached saying, 'You have just been infected byHIV'.The Disease Control Center (in Paris) reports many similar events in many other cities recently. All tested needles were HIV Positive.The Center also reports that needles have been found in cash  dispensers at public banking machines. We ask everyone to use extreme caution when faced with this kind of situation. All public chairs/seats should be inspected with vigilance and caution before use. A careful visual inspection should be enough. Recently, one doctor has narrated a somewhat similar  instance that happened to one of his patients at the Priya Cinema in Delhi. A young girl, engaged and about to be married in a couple of months, was pricked while the movie was going on. The tag with the needle had the message 'Welcome to the World of HIV family'. Though the doctors told her family that it takes about 6 months before the virus grows strong enough to start damaging the system and a healthy victim could survive about 5-6 years, the girl died in 4 months, perhaps more because of the 'Shock thought'. We all have to be careful at public places, restrooms... God help!

-- Edited by BABY at 11:42, 2009-03-02

Parents can select hair and eye colour A US clinic has sparked controversy by offering would-be parents the chance to select traits like the eye and hair colour of their offspring. The LA Fertility Institutes run by Dr Jeff Steinberg, a pioneer of IVF in the 1970s, expects a trait-selected baby to be born next year. His clinic also offers sex selection. UK fertility experts are angered that the service will distract attention from how the same technology can protect against inherited disease. The science is based on a lab technique called preimplantation genetic diagnosis, or PGD. I would not say this is a dangerous road. It's an uncharted road Dr Steinberg This involves testing a cell taken from a very early embryo before it is put into the mother's w****. Doctors then select an embryo free from rogue genes - or in this case an embryo with the desired physical traits such as blonde hair and blue eyes - to continue the pregnancy, and discard any others. Dr Steinberg said couples might seek to use the clinic's services for both medical and cosmetic reasons. For example, a couple might want to have a baby with a darker complexion to help guard against a skin cancer if they already had a child who had developed a melanoma. But others might just want a boy with blonde hair. His clinic is offering this cosmetic selection to patients already having genetic screening for abnormal chromosome conditions in their embryos. This is the inevitable slippery slope of a fertility process which results in many more embryos being created than can be implanted Josephine Quintavalle of Comment on Reproductive Ethics "Not all patients will qualify for these tests and we make NO guarantees as to 'perfect prediction' of things such as eye colour or hair colour," says the clinic's website. Dr Steinberg said: "I would not say this is a dangerous road. It's an uncharted road." He said the capability to offer such services had been around for years, but had been ignored by the medical community. "It's time for everyone to pull their heads out of the sand." Slippery slope But Dr Gillian Lockwood, a UK fertility expert and member of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' ethics committee, questioned whether is was morally right to be using the science in this way. "If it gets to the point where we can decide which gene or c****ination of genes are responsible for blue eyes or blonde hair, what are you going to do with all those other embryos that turn out like me to be ginger with green eyes?" She warned against "turning babies into commodities that you buy off the shelf." Josephine Quintavalle of Comment on Reproductive Ethics said: "This is the inevitable slippery slope of a fertility process which results in many more embryos being created than can be implanted. Choices will always have to be made. Do you choose octuplets or the ones with the prettiest noses?" In the UK, sex selection is banned and choices are currently permitted only in relationship to the baby's health. Italian fertility law does not permit the creation of surplus embryos or selective testing. Ms Quintavalle said that was "one sure way to avoid the slippery slope". Meanwhile, new legislation in the UK, due to come in on 6 April, will allow IVF mothers to name anyone as "father" on the birth certificate - even another woman. The only restriction on naming a second parent will be if they are close *lo** relatives or if the second person does not agree.

A mother was shot dead and her six-year-old daughter shot and injured when gunmen opened fire on them at a market in Clarendon, police say.

Dead is Marjorie Anderson, 35, of Palmers Cross, May Pen, Clarendon, while her daughter had been admitted to hospital in serious but stable condition.

The incident occurred at the May Pen Market in the parish on Saturday evening.

Police say about 8:15 p.m., Anderson and the little girl were among persons watching games at a gaming table in a section of the market.

They were approached by gunmen who opened fire hitting both of them. They were taken to hospital where Anderson was pronounced dead and the child admitted.

The May Pen CIB, which is investigating, has not identified any suspect in connection with the incident. Neither has a motive been established.

Cops warn motorists of glass-breaking criminals

The Area Four police are urging motorists in the Corporate Area to be careful of thieves who are smashing car windows and snatching items whenever cars come to a halt.

The police say they have received at least six reports in the last two weeks and believe that the occurrence of such incidents could become prevalent.

"We had the first report about mid-February and received about five more after," Detective Corporal Michael Creary of the Area Four police said yesterday.

"Not one of the victims say they were able to identify the thieves as it happened in a flash literally. So we think there will be more reported cases."

These reported cases occurred at nights, but in different sections of the Corporate Area.

Handbags, cellphones and laptops were among the items reported stolen in the incidents.

The thieves are said to normally make their move when a car stops at a corner or stop light, the police said.

"We are urging motorists to be on the alert for these thieves. Take precautions by placing personal belongings on the floor of the car rather than on the seats where they are visible," Creary said.

NEW YORK (Reuters) Hundreds of demonstrators rallied to boycott the New York Post on Thursday, branding the newspaper as racist for publishing a cartoon that appeared to compare President Barack Obama to a chimpanzee.

Demonstrators led by civil rights activist Al Sharpton chanted "End racism now!" outside the parent company's skyscraper in midtown Manhattan and called for the jailing of Rupert Murdoch, whose international media conglomerate News Corp owns the Post.

The newspaper has defended the cartoon as a parody of Washington politics, but Sharpton said it exploited a potent image in the history of racism toward blacks.

Published on Wednesday, it shows police shooting an ape and plays on the real shooting of a pet chimpanzee that went on a rampage in Connecticut this week.

One of the police officers says, "They'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill."

Read

Insurance giant AIG has reported a loss of $61.7bn (£43bn) in the final three months of 2008 - the largest quarterly loss in corporate history.

And the firm will receive an extra $30bn from the US government as part of a revamped rescue package.

AIG has already received $150bn in financial support - the biggest bail-out by far of any US company.

Stock markets slid sharply as AIG's plight underscored fears about the health of the global financial system.

The Federal Reserve and the Treasury said that AIG posed a "system risk" to the global financial system.

"The potential cost to the economy and the taxpayer of government inaction would be extremely high," they said.

BAIL-OUTS RECEIVED AIG - $180bn Bank of America - $45bn Citigroup - $50bn JP Morgan Chase - $25bn Wells Fargo - $25bn Goldman Sachs - $10bn Morgan Stanley - $10bn State Street - $3bn Bank of New York Mellon - $3bn

"The additional resources will help stabilise the company, and in doing so help to stabilise the financial system."

As well as insuring households, AIG plays a key role in insuring risk for financial institutions around the world.

The news of AIG's historic loss comes as HSBC, Europe's biggest bank, seeks to raise £12.5bn ($17.7bn) to strengthen its finances following a 62% fall in annual profit.

Facebook has been targeted by malicious hackers seeking to steal valuable data from members.

The social network site has been hit by five separate security problems in the last seven days, say security experts.

By creating fake messages padded with details of Facebook members the thieves are capitalising on the trust and social links that drive the network.

Security firms warn that the popularity of social networking sites makes them a tempting target for hi-tech thieves.

Trust network

"It's been a pretty bad week for social networking in general," said Rik Ferguson, senior security advisor at Trend Micro.

In the last week, said Mr Ferguson, Facebook had been hit by four malicious applications as well as a new variant of the Koobface virus that first targeted members of the social site in December 2008.

The rogue applications on Facebook all try to steal saleable information from the profiles of those who open it up, said Mr Ferguson.

One malicious application tried to trick people into adding it by claiming that their friends were having trouble looking at their profile. If the application is added it spams itself to every Facebook friend that a member of the site has.

Mr Ferguson said the way that Facebook is built can make it tricky for members to spot malicious or rogue applications.

A lot of security software looks for malicious activity on a user's own machine, he said. By contrast, when Facebook members add an application it is servers operated by the social site that link to the third-party computers hosting that program.

So far, said Mr Ferguson, the rogue applications on Facebook have been scary and a nuisance more than anything else.

The Koobface virus uses fake YouTube pages to trick people

"It's almost as if the applications we have seen this week are a proof of concept," he said. "It would be much better for them to generate rogue applications that did not look like rogue applications."

Mr Ferguson said he expected more sophisticated programs that hid their malicious intent to debut soon on social network sites.

He said it was time for Facebook to review its policy of approving applications. Currently, it only vets them after they are offered to members and have been reported as causing problems.

In a Radio 1 Newsbeat interview with Mark Zuckerberg in late February, the Facebook founder rejected a call to vet all the applications showing up on the site.

He said: "Our philosophy is that having an open system anyone can participate in is generally better."

Hitting Facebook users alongside the rogue applications has come a sophisticated variant of the Koobface virus that debuted in December 2008.

The new variant uses a Facebook message to try to get people to visit a fake YouTube page and install the malware. To make it look more plausible, said Mr Ferguson, the virus posts the image from a Facebook member's profile on the video page.

Once installed the malicious program hunts for cookies on a victim's computer and uses the details it finds in the small text files to log into other social sites that person may be a member of.

"This is not just restricted to Facebook," said Mr Ferguson, "it's a growing trend. Though I'm surprised it's taken so long for social sites to be targeted."

FOR EVERY Jamaican who makes the nightly news in a negative way, there are scores more who continue to soar to higher heights and make their country proud.

Among them is United Arab Emirates (UAE) first officer Ryan Gourzong, a 35-year-old Cornwall College and Wings Jamaica Limited graduate, who has the enviable achievement of being one of only two Jamaicans now flying the A380 superjumbo aircraft anywhere in the world. His friend, Craig Shim, is the other local pilot who holds that distinction. Both passed up an opportunity for promotion to captain, opting instead to learn to fly the new plane.

Prior to taking on his present role, Gourzong worked with Air Jamaica for six years; but now that he is living in Dubai, he has no plans to leave as long as there is a position for him in the UAE.

Prestigious training

Leroy Lindsay is an international aviation consultant and senior associate with an aviation consultative-management company.

On a recent trip home, he spoke exclusively with The Sunday Gleaner. He revealed that pilots were selected for the prestigious training on the basis of seniority and the bidding process. "You would have had to be flying with the company for a while and training began last summer for 18 intensive days in Dubai and France," he said.

The A380

There was much fanfare when the world's largest plane, a double-decker passenger jet, rolled on to the tarmac. And rightly so; to contemplate its size, picture the distance between two goal posts on a football field. The A380 will almost fill it and its wingtips would reach the sidelines! There is a grand staircase towards the front of the craft and another at the back and there is ample space for sleeper cabins, business centres, or childcare services.

The gigantic airbus can accommodate anywhere from 550-840 passengers and fly up to distances of 10,000 miles non-stop. There are two attendants just for the purpose of taking care of the first-class toilets and showers. The aircraft uses a crew of four pilots and about 27 flight attendants. And, passengers in first class are served a seven-course meal at dinner time on long-haul flights. The aircraft itself is the largest passenger aircraft, with new technology in avionics and composite materials.

Luxury airline

An Airbus A380 double-decker superjumbo takes off for the first long-distance test flight with hundreds of passengers on board drawn from Airbus staff and cabin-design specialists in Toulouse, southwestern France, recently. - Reuters

Suffice it to say that Emirates will be the largest operator of the A380 aircraft, with 58 on order. So far, they have received four for the New York, London, Heathrow and Sydney/-Auckland routes. The aircraft now flying in the Emirates are configured with 14 first-class cabins. Here, each passenger has his or her own mini-cabin. You electronically close your cabin doors as you require, after take-off. Included in the cabin is a mini-bar, a 21-inch television screen with 500 channels of music and the same of TV, new films and others. Of course, there is also a sleeper (bed) with massage facilities.

There are 74 business-class seats, without cabins, but with full sleeper flat beds. The first- and business-class seats are on the upper deck, along with two showers and a lounge. The remaining 380 economy seats are on the lower deck. The Emirates aircraft at present is configured for well below 500 passengers.

Exquisite pilot

Gurzong remains unfazed by his achievements and by the fact that he is in the c**kpit of such a luxurious flying machine. He said the A380 flies like all other commercial jets, but it is capable of doing a great deal more. "It can carry 1.3 million pounds of cargo and does not require a longer runway, but the wings are so huge, you can approach landing at a lower speed," Gourzong said.

Leroy Lindsay, a Jamaican now residing in Florida, who worked with Emirates Airline in Dubai for 15 years. Lindsay has high praises for Gourzong, describing him thus: "Ryan is an exquisite pilot and was even involved in teaching aircraft performance to Air Jamaica pilots before joining Emirates. That sentiment is echoed by Air Jamaica's Captain David McRae who described Gourzong as a great pilot and conscientious first officer. But I am not surprised, because it's the foundation we got in the training from Air Canada and the high standards that we all maintain. He has overall ability and is able to communicate well with all members of the team as well as management and his co-workers."

Change of scene

But just how did Gourzong get to this point? The former Air Jamaica pilot is one of the many who went to Dubai and other parts of the Middle East when some pilots decided they needed a change of scene. The way was paved by Lindsay who is currently an international aviation consultant and senior associate with an aviation consultative-management company. After his retirement from Emirates in December 2006, he was the head of the Emirates airbus fleet, with over 1,000 pilots and 55 airbuses.

In an email interview, Lindsay told The Sunday Gleaner that having left Air Jamaica as a systems operations manager in 1991, he joined Emirates as senior manager for network control for seven years before being given responsibility for the pilots.

Ironically, Lindsay is not a pilot, but said he has been told he is probably the first non-pilot in aviation history to have been put in charge of pilots at a major international airline. He disclosed: "I took about 15 of Air Jamaica's pilots to Emirates and Gourzong was one of them. I also cleared the way for about 10 others to join Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi and Qatar Airways in Doha, Qatar," Lindsay disclosed.

"Both Ryan Gourzong and Craig Shim joined as first officers on the A330 aircraft. They progressed to the A340, and recently decided to forego command on the A330 so that they would be among the first pilots to fly the superjumbo A380 aircraft," Lindsay said.

In the middle of last month, Gourzong received a call from the administrative superintendent on the A380 fleet asking him to make the inaugural flight of the A380 to Sydney. He made the inaugural flight to Sydney. Shim had been positioned in Sydney before that so that he would be able to do the return journey to Dubai.

Gourzong, who views the decision to train for the superjumbo jet as a strategic career move, said it will be a great addition to his résumé and pilot's licence and in another two years, he can be captain - a far cry from his start as a charter-flight pilot in Jamaica. Back then, it was a struggle, as clocking hours was not easy. There are no regrets. Life in Dubai is great. Food is expensive, but crime is practically non-existent and there are some 20 former Air Jamaica pilots there.

Gourzong is an avid sportsman who rides motorbikes competitively and also does rifle shooting for Jamaica. He is the son of businesswoman Veronica Stokes, is married with two children. He has one brother, Marco Gourzong, and one sister, Tamara Gourzong.

The foundation

VP Records was founded in 1979 by the late Vincent "Randy" Chin and his wife Patricia Chin, Chinese Jamaicans who owned the Randy's Records in Kingston, Jamaica (as seen in the 1978 film Rockers) as well as the Studio 17 recording studios. In the mid-1970s, the Chins moved to New York City, and in 1979 they opened a store in Jamaica, Queens called VP Records, which sells and distributes records. In 1993, the record label was formed after the success of the retail store. The name of the label is a product of the first letters in the founders' names, hence the title "VP".
The music

The label established itself as one of the first and largest independent record labels for reggae and dancehall, and with the popularity of the riddim sound of the early 2000s, the label achieved worldwide success for artists such as Sean Paul through the label's deals with Warner Music's Atlantic Records and Virgin Music Canada. The label is often also accredited with having increased the popularity of the now globally recognized Elephant Man, also known as the 'Energy God' or 'Ele', through a deal with Bad Boy Records. VP Records has acquired the slogan "Miles Ahead in Reggae Music" to signify that they could be considered to be the future of music that derives from the Caribbean. Besides reggae, VP is also known for dancehall and soca music. VP also releases a series of Riddim Driven albums, which feature various artists.

VP Records has been awarded Billboard's "Best Independent Label" for two consecutive years and has received the award for "Best Reggae Imprint Label" for three consecutive years. VP was also nominated for Best Independent Reggae Label at the 2003 Billboard Hip-Hop and R&B awards, and had been mentioned and featured in publications such as Vibe magazine, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Billboard, and Time magazine.

The label is now run by Mr. Chin's sons Randy and Christopher, while Ms. Patricia Chin continues to assist with the maintenance of her late husband's company as well. In 2007, VP Records began re-issuing classic albums from the 1970s and 1980s on the 17 North Parade label, the address of Randy's Studio, where it all began
 Artists

• Alaine
• Assassin
• Baby Stoosh
• Beenie Man
• Beres Hammond
• Bounty Killer
• Buju Banton
• Bunji Garlin
• Capleton
• Cocoa Tea
• Elephant Man
• Etana
• Freddie McGregor
• Gyptian
• I Wayne
• Jah Cure
• Jamelody
• K-Salaam
• Lady Saw
• Luciano
• Mad Cobra
• Marcia Griffiths
• Mavado
• Mikey Spice
• Morgan Heritage
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Will Recession Dull Hip-Hop's Bling?

(CNN) -- Gold teeth, luxury cars and diamond chains heavy enough to slump a bodybuilder's shoulders have been ubiquitous symbols in hip-hop music for years, if not decades.

But -- as you may have noticed at the Grammys on Sunday -- there are signs that the genre's high-dollar bling may not survive the economic recession.

Many rappers came to the annual music awards show wearing sleek suits; their famous jewels were conspicuously absent. Artist Lil Wayne, who accepted two of rap's biggest awards -- Grammys for best solo rap performance and best rap album -- performed wearing a T-shirt. Only a modest necklace dangled from his neck.

Like everyone these days, rappers are feeling the effects of the country's economic meltdown. But industry commentators are split on whether they think financial woes will cause rappers to give up their hefty jewels.

Some experts contacted by CNN said the bling era soon will come crashing down. See an interactive on the end of bling »

"We just came out of the 'bling era,' where everything was about wealth and what you could attain, and I'm starting to see artists being more socially conscious," said Amy Andrieux, a senior editor at The Source magazine, which covers hip-hop.

President Obama's election has inspired some of the change, Andrieux said, but rappers also "just can't afford what they used to" because of the recession.

Top artists such as Lil Jon, who once made about $80,000 per track, now are grappling with the fact that they may get half that sum if they're lucky, said Bryan Leach, senior vice president of urban music for RCA Music Group.

And while most Americans may not weep over the fact that famous rappers may make only $35,000 per song, the price cuts -- and layoffs -- are sending shocks through the recording industry, Leach said.

"Every major label has been laying people off," he said.

Adding to the uncertainty is the fact that hip-hop record sales are declining relative to other genres, according to a recent report from the Nielsen Co.

Last year saw rap album sales decline nearly 20 percent compared with 2007. While other genres also took dives, only classical, Latin and country music fell by a greater percentage than rap, according to the report.

Leach said the signs of hip-hop's move away from bling may not be apparent yet, but that listeners will see more of the trend soon.

"This is not about just popping bottles and buying jewelry," he said, also attributing some of the trend to Obama's election. "Everyone's got to be responsible and mature."

If financial woes don't dull hip-hop's diamond-encrusted image, then perhaps reactions from audiences and record labels will.

"I don't see concrete stuff yet, you know, but I imagine you will see more rappers doing some less-gaudy things just because it would be out of step with the audience," said Touré, an author and television personality. "The audience is struggling and striving, and then you're like, 'Look at my four diamond iced-out chains.' "

Last year, Young Jeezy -- an Atlanta, Georgia, rapper who wore an Armani suit to the Grammys -- put out his third album, "The Recession," which seemed to foretell the financial collapse.

In the track "My President," Jeezy says feeding and clothing the kids are giving him a headache; he also expresses worry that his son is "addicted to Polos," referring to the brand of designer shirts.

"It's about keeping it simple," he told CNN at the awards show Sunday.

The idea that musicians reflect on money in their lives and in their communities is not new. Throughout music history, poverty and wealth have influenced lyrics and musical styles.

The blues were born from tough times. And early hip-hop artists documented the ills they associated with President Reagan's economic policies in the 1980s and the crack epidemic, said Guthrie P. Ramsey, an associate professor of music at the University of Pennsylvania.

In the Clinton era and beyond though, the economy has been good to hip-hop listeners, and the genre has been less focused on social commentary and more intent on bragging about its commercial success, Ramsey said.

It's unclear exactly what will happen to hip-hop's bling now that times are tough, several experts said, but it's unlikely that bling will go away completely.

That may be because some brands of hip-hop promote an alluring fantasy -- whether or not it exists.

"In times like these people are looking for escapism, which is what I think that bling thing is all about anyway," Ramsey said. "It's just like a trend in movies: bigger and better, louder and stronger. ... The people for whom it's supposedly intended are never going to be able to attain those lifestyles, but just like little Shirley Temple and Bojangles, we want to fantasize about the life we could never have ourselves."

Some artists will continue to tout they can afford the luxury promoted in some hip-hop music videos regardless of the economic situation, said Leach of the RCA Music Group.

Those efforts have given birth to a new term in the hip-hop world: "recession-proof."

"Now when they are able to spend money and buy cars, they call themselves recession-proof," he said.

Andrieux, the editor at The Source, said more rappers will start following Young Jeezy's lead by commenting on the economic slump.

"There's still rich people regardless of the recession," she said. "And people want entertainment. At the end of the day, they want to escape ... but I think artists are going to move more toward lyricism again, where they're talking about real-life subjects, real-life topics."

Gospel artiste Kassim 'Moses' Grant, who was found dead in the Mammee River district of Gordon Town, St Andrew, on January 26, might have fallen to his death.

Speaking with The Star yesterday, the St Andrew North Police said that reports from the post-mortem done on Tuesday said the gospel crooner died as result of multiple injuries that would have been consistent with a fall.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Altermorth Campbell, crime chief at the division, said the examination revealed that Moses had broken and fractured bones in the torso area in addition to a fractured right hand and foot.

Police reports on the events before Moses' death were that the singer was involved in a dispute in the Mammee River community, during which he discharged a firearm hitting one of two people with whom he was arguing. The gospel singer reportedly fled the scene, leaving behind his car. His body was found below the Mammee River Bridge on the morning of January 27.

Different account

Family members have since offered a different account of the events leading up to Grant's death. They said that the injured man was not shot during the argument Moses had with a family member. They said it was after the man, a licensed firearm holder, confronted Moses, who had left the family house, that there was an exchange of gunfire and he was hit.

Kassim 'Moses' Grant was popular for songs such as Salvation Story, Big Him Up, Di Real Big Man and When Di Tunda Roll.

Coolio reportedly had his jewlery and other valuables snatched when he attempted to stage dive during a performance at a British University earlier this week.

According to Contact Music, Coolio was performing at Staffordshire University on Wednesday (February 25) and the rappper decided to jump into the crowd but the audience parted and he landed on the floor.

While on the floor, the crowd mobbed Coolio and snatched his jewellery, bandana and shoes before he was rescued by the venue's security teams.

"(He) nearly flattened one poor girl then all the students decided to launch on him," said James Fielden, a bartender who witnessed the incident. "They grabbed whatever they could, including his trainers, watch, chains and glasses. He was pulled back on stage by the bouncers. They got his shoes back for him."

daggering is constantly stabbing someone in one position    said dear pastor  what u think it is?

As speculation continues to swirl around Chris Brown's arrest on suspicion of making a criminal threat, industry executives are wondering about the R&B singer's future.

The 19-year-old Brown was booked and released Feb. 8 in Los Angeles after reports that he was allegedly involved in an assault on a female the night before. Though police haven't named the woman, several publications have identified her as the R&B star Rihanna. Both singers, known to be dating, cancelled their appearances at the 51st annual Grammy Awards.

"It's solely up to the fans who buy and listen to music to decide where his career goes from here," says Jeff Anderson, OM of Radio One's urban WCDX Richmond, Va. "In my personal opinion, his clean image has been bruised. But with damage control of an apology and anger management, he'll find a way to bounce back ... if his music is hot."

Some radio stations have already decided that, at least for the time being, Brown's music is anything but. Even though few details about the alleged incident have come out, several top 40 stations have stopped playing Brown's music, including WKST Pittsburgh; KWNZ Reno, Nev.; and CHUM-FM Toronto. After polling listeners, Clear Channel's top 40 WAKS (96.5 Kiss FM) Cleveland decided to temporarily ban his music.

"We are fans of Chris Brown's music and this is not something that will last forever," WAKS PD Bo Matthews told Billboard sister publication Radio & Records. "But it appears that Chris has made some poor choices. We are following the lead of our listeners and we will not be supporting him on 96.5 Kiss FM until the alleged situation gets resolved."

Other stations have handled the situation differently. Pulling Brown's music is "a little too extreme right now," according to WCDX's Anderson. "A good percentage of the industry has had its run-ins with the law, and we still play their music." DJ Law, PD of Clear Channel's urban WOWI-FM Norfolk, Va., says most of his listeners are waiting to hear more details about the alleged altercation before making a decision. "Most of them are reluctant to turn their backs on him before having all the facts placed before them."

Even so, several advertisers have already backed away from the singer, including Wrigley's Doublemint gum and the Body by Milk moustache campaign. "Those are the real challenges brands face when they align their products with individuals," says Jay Coleman, CEO of Entertainment Marketing & Communications. "You look at their history and make a calculated analysis of risk, but you never know."

Brown, a native of Tappahannock, Va., was named Billboard's No. 1 male pop artist for 2008. His career ignited in 2005 with his first single, "Run It!," and since then he has notched 18 Billboard Hot 100 hits, including "Kiss Kiss," "With You" and the Grammy-nominated "No Air," which featured Jordin Sparks. His two albums, "Chris Brown" and "Exclusive," have sold 4 million units, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Until the legal process is further along, it's hard to tell how much damage has been done to Brown's career. His representatives were unavailable for comment, and the singer said he won't appear at the NBA All-Star events set for Feb. 13-15, according to an NBA representative.

David Linton, formerly senior VP of urban promotion at Capitol Records, believes Brown will regain his musical footing, although his image has lost some of its luster. "The public has become used to celebrities having a variety of legal or public relations issues," says Linton, executive VP of Atlanta-based CO5 Music. "But I do believe he's hurt his image as an acceptable -- by parents -- teen idol. That innocent, squeaky-clean image is gone."

Marlon has always liked putting himself together and dress up. Whenever I go to the market on Saturdays, he would put on his nice pieces and show his friends," said Kiprich's mother, Diane, who stood in admiration as her son went through his closet at home in Horizon Park, Spanish Town, St Catherine.

She added: "I am so proud of him. I expected all of this (Kiprich as an artiste) because he was always singing and he would normally sing for me."

Image

"Yea man... you know how patrons react to what type of clothes an artiste wears on a particular show. If you are an artiste who normally look good, you have to keep that image because the fans look out for those things also," said Kiprich.

From expensive leather jackets to fancy footwear and silky-smooth outfits, the singer willingly showed off his collection, noting that most of the clothing was at his other home.

The crafty lyricist, who was an athletic Class 1 champion boy at Ardenne High, revealed that his favourite clothing brand was Dolce and Gabbana, describing it as "the b****". "My favourite world brand is Dolce and Gabbana. they make some unique stuff and their cologne is just the b****. I don't see any other brand with that edge," he said.

Ranking

The singer, who is still relishing a clash with the Monster Empire crew, also claims to be a Martial Arts specialist as he was issued a Certificate of Rank by the Associated Taekwondo Administration, where he graduated with a 8-R Yellow Belt and 4-R Blue Belt ranking. When asked what he would do if approached by a burgler, Kiprich responded, "(laughs) they would have to come good. If a fist-to-fist them cannot win, you have to come with an army," he said.

Kiprich says he has hopes of owning his own clothing line one day, a fete that many entertainers have invested in.

more here...


February 15, 2009. Chris Brown has now put out his first "official" statement. Here it is:

Words cannot begin to express how sorry and saddened I am over what transpired. I am seeking the counseling of my pastor, my mother and other loved ones and I am committed, with Gods help, to emerging a better person.

Much of what has been speculated or reported on blogs and/or reported in the media is wrong. While I would like to be able to talk about this more, until the legal issues are resolved, this is all I can say except that I have not written any messages or made any posts to Facebook, on blogs or any place else.

Those posts or writings under my name are frauds

DJ Stacious, is basking in the glow of winning her first major industry award at the EMEs. She is currently one of the main acts on the RJR Cross Country Invasion tour, which will be winding through St Thomas, Portland and St Mary this week.

Doc Media Productions will be shooting a music video for Stacious' latest single, Watch Over Me next week. In the meantime, Tired continues to enjoy good rotation on both RE and HYPE TV. The video also made its debut at number six on the RE MVP countdown this week.

At least two NFL players are missing after their fishing boat disappeared about 50 miles offshore in the Gulf of Mexico.

Victor "Marquis" Cooper, of the Oakland Raiders, and Corey Smith, of the Detroit Lions, are among the four boaters that the Coast Guard is searching for today.

A 21-foot center-console boat with four people left the Seminole Boat Ramp in Clearwater Pass, Fla., at 6:30 a.m. Saturday, according to the Coast Guard in St. Petersburg. The boaters were supposed to return after dark but never did.

At 1:30 this morning, the Coast Guard received a call from a friend saying that the boaters were overdue. The Coast Guard said the third boater was Nick Skyler and did not identify the fourth person.

Cooper, whose truck and trailer is till parked at the boat ramp where the men left from, is a linebacker with the Oakland Raiders. Smith is a defensive end for the Detroit Lions. Both began their careers with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Officials say the waters in the Gulf are extremely choppy and they believe the boat is in distress.

A Coast Guard 47-foot motor-life boat crew from Station Sand Key, Fla., HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and C-130 Hercules fixed-wing aircrews from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, and the Coast Guard Cutter Crocodile are searching a 750-square mile area west of Clearwater Pass for the missing boaters.

was first to report that Jamaican artistes Sizzla and Jah Cure got into a physical altercation at Cocoa Tea's Dancehall Jam Jam held last night.

Jah Cure management has since then issued a statement saying little about what happened. Read below:

"2007 was a challenging year for me; however, throughout the year I was able to stay focused on the music while maintaining a positive attitude.  I am here to uplift the people as I myself was once down. I want to use my music to comfort the hurt and bring joy to the sad.

"Many may have heard of a recent incident at Cocoa Tea's Dancehall Jam Jam, in light of this, I want to state that I am a positive person whose only aim is to uplift people and live in a positive way. I give thanks to those who have helped me throughout my career to reach the level that I am now. I want to thank Sizzla Kalonji as he was one of the first to believe in my music.

"Life is about challenges and hurdles but what makes a man a better person is the way he deals with these challenges and hurdles. I will try to make sure that my music remains positive and that my actions reflect my message." Jah Cure.

Despite rampant speculation to the contrary, Live Nation has not signed a multi-rights or long term deal with Janet Jackson, according to a company spokesperson.

Multiple online reports in the past few days have stated that Jackson has likely followed the course recently taken by established stars such as Madonna, U2 and Jay-Z and signed a 360-deal with Live Nation Artists.

"We have not signed a deal with Janet, nor are we currently in discussions with the artist," says John Vlautin, senior VP of communications for Live Nation.

After just 14 months on Island Def Jam, Jackson departed the label last September. According to Jackson's publicist at the time, IDJ agreed to dissolve their relationship with the artist at her request.

After a long stint with Virgin, Jackson inked a deal with Island in July 2007 and released her label debut, "Discipline," in February 2008. When album sales failed to meet expectations, the singer expressed dissatisfaction with IDJ.

Chris Browns publicist Michael Sitrick has finally released a statement from Brown, in relation to the alleged incident that occurred Feb. 8 between Brown and his girlfriend, R&B star Rihanna.

Brown has hired PR firm Sitrick And Company, Inc. who specializes in crises management, to issue the statement, where Brown says that he is "sorry and saddened" by what occurred and that he is seeking counseling from family and friends.

"Words cannot begin to express how sorry and saddened I am over what transpired," the statement from the 19-year-old R&B star read. "I am seeking the counseling of my pastor, my mother and other loved ones and I am committed, with God's help, to emerging a better person. Much of what has been speculated or reported on blogs and/or reported in the media is wrong. While I would like to be able to talk about this more, until the legal issues are resolved, this is all I can say except that I have not written any messages or made any posts to Facebook, on blogs or any place else. Those posts or writings under my name are frauds."

Stay tuned to VIBE.com for more updates on the story.

Gangster lyricist Adejah Palmer more popularly known as Vybz Kartel was given a rude awakening when his Honda Accord motor car was b****ed outside of his plush upper St Andrew home in the late hours of Sunday 24th August. According to reports from the area, a motorcycle was heard entering the road on which the Dj lives and moments later an explosion shattered the silence complimented by the sound of the motorcycle speeding off.

When the OutARoad.com team arrived on the scene, the charred remains of the car were seen outside the deejays gate cooling down.

The Dj was not available for comment, but OutARoad.com team hopes that he stays safe and that there will be no repeat of this incident.

It is unclear as to what were the motives behind the b****ing but OutAroad.com will keep you posted as the saga unfolds.

In this weekly Mus' Buss Caan Buss song review feature, three musical minds will analyse each song and will grade it on vocal ability, lyrics, musical arrangement and appeal. Songs that make the grade will be dubbed 'Mus' Buss', while songs that flop will be dumped in the 'Caan Buss' bin.

The three reviewers welcome feedback from the artistes and the public about the column. Send your comments to bussdem@hotmail.com or mail in your songs to 'Mus' Buss' at the Gleaner Company, 7 North Street, Kingston. This week the muss buss/caan buss team will be reviewing Life As A Juvenile by DeMarco (Head Concussion Music).

Witch: "Well, is a quite a while since mi hear from DeMarco and him come back conscious, the song have a likkle vibe. The beat mad."

King Kong: "Mi nuh really comfortable wid di chorus but I guess is reality for some. Him a seh yuh haffi pop it off, point it and squeeze it until yuh secure di job a so di ting set."

Lady Boo: "Kinda refreshing to hear something from him and something weh sound different as well. Mi like di riddim, it nuh too much, it fit perfectly wid di song."

King Kong: "Di song fit di likkle melancholy feel of di beat. Russian a go on."

Witch: "Yeah at least songs like dis can play pon radio, it clean and all. Di message is one from di streets, but it still saying that dem mus have faith and try live a good life but until den dem have dem own reality to live wid. DeMarco don't sound as auto-tunish as most times as well, we finally a hear his voice."

Lady Boo: "Him nuh sound too auto-tunish but mi nuh like how him drag on di words in di chorus."

King Kong: "Mi like di synth in di beat. It simple and nice. Its one of dem meds song dem, nice juggling tune."

Witch: "Yeah something di yutes can really connect to and relate to, it can play in di streets, at parties and on air- an all rounder. Di chorus/hook catchy enough."

Lady Boo: "Yeah it will play at places fi real, especially now when wi nah go hear any more daggerin songs."

King Kong: "It buss."

Lady Boo: "It buss, it buss."

Witch: "Yup it buss, it can go on wid a ting, the production nuh bad at all."

As we have gather dhat Adejah Palmer well know as enteertainer Vybz Kartel car was b**** up in di late sunday night residents of St.Andrew Area said that they heard a bike enting the community and moments later they heard di b**** and di bike was leaving the area in a hurry.

NOW WHAT DO U TIINK U TIINK ITS MAYBE TO KARTEL FOR DISSING DEVA BRATT(NEVER TUNNA A RAPER) R IS IT DI GUILLY GAD DAVID BROOKS WHO AS BEEN IN DI SPOT LIGHT ALONG WITH VYBZ KARTEL BECAUSE OF THERE RECENT CLASHH

PLEASE PRESS DEVA BRATT IF U TIINK IT IS HIM
PLEASE PRESS MAVADO IF U TIINK IT IS HIM
IF U NUH NOW *u*k U MOTHER
THANK YOU

Radio and entertainmentpersonality Nikki Z is moving on to bigger and better things as she recently landed a job on Irie Jam Radio that will see the diva moving back to New York.

Despite having been suspended from Zip FM and taken off front-line duties recently, as well as having been charged for possession of marijuana, things are finally beginning to look up for the popular entertainment personality.

Cool job

When THE STAR spoke with Nikki Z, she explained that she was hoping to move back to New York by the March 1. She said: "The job with Irie Jams is completely cool. Before I moved here, I had tried doing some work with them and the cool thing about it is that now they are moving to broadcast outside of New York and will be doing a lot of work in Jamaica as well."

Irie Jam Radio, in partnership with Black Emperor Entertainment, delivers Jamaican music to millions of Caribbean nationals living in the United States. The station maintains its #1 position as a Caribbean-American programme, and recently launched a national television programme, Irie TV.

According to Nikki Z, this new job will allow her a number of opportunities to branch into other avenues in music and media and will also allow her to be closer to her family, especially her mother who has been battling with cancer.

Stay connected

Still, the diva says that she will always be connected to Jamaica where she began working over two years ago.

"My hope is to come back to Jamaica like once a month, I love the two places for different reasons, the atmosphere in Jamaica is just so calming, I'll miss that and, of course, my fans. Promoters can definitely still book me to emcee shows and we're working on still trying to keep my voice on ZIP because they are my family regardless of what happened," she said.

The presenter is excited about the opportunity where she will also be working with noted disc jocks such as Java and Dubmaster who work with Irie Jam. She is also currently working on a project with BET Jazz on a pilot project for Real Productions.

"I'm working with them on a show based on different people living different types of lifestyles," she said.

Fans in Jamaica can still hear and see their diva Nikki Z on Irie Jams' website.

 

The superstar rapper and producer Johnathan Smith aka Lil Jon & "King of Crunk" who started out his musical career as a dancehall DJ with the Four Season's Sound System of the 1990's in Atlanta, is now creating a soca beat for this year's Carnival festival in Trinidad. Though he will not be performing, he will produce a beat for a collaboration between himself, Latin hip hop star Pitbull and soca artist Machel Montano called "Floor on Fire".
The track has evolved into a full fledged riddim including many Caribbean voices such as Kevin Lyttle and Mr. Vegas and will debut at this year's Carnival in Trinidad.
Jon, has in the past displayed a flair for island beats by appearing alongside Pitbull and Machel Montano at soca's Crop Over festival in Barbados.

Looks like Janet's not the only one that believes in secret weddings. the King Of Pop Michael Jackson has married his longtime nanny and close personal friend, 39 year old Grace Rwaramba.

Sources close to Grace have confirmed that she and Michael were married earlier this year. Before marrying Michael, Grace served as nanny to Michael's two children Paris and Michael Jr.

And there's more proof of the marriage. Michael Jackson recently classified himself as "married" in a legal contract. In a legally binding loan document, which Michael signed in connection with a real estate deal, the pop singer was required to state his marital status. The document, which must be 100% accurate in order to be legally enforceable, lists Jackson as a "married man."

This marriage is Grace's second and Michaels' third. His first was to Elvis Presley's daughter, Lisa-Marie and his second - to his nurse Debbie Rowe.

Dancer Nott Nice, NOT SO NICE

Popular street dancer Kahlyl Williamson better known as 'Nott Nice' is now the butt of a series of jokes, this after some compromising photos resembling him began circulating online sometime late yesterday afternoon. The total of three pictures sent to the office of 876radio.com shows a dark man resembling Williamson performing sexual simulations on a plastic doll and by the facial expression and bodily demeanor it becomes obvious the act is being enjoyed though somewhat playful. One photo in particular shows the accused sitting on a bed with the doll strategically placed over the genital area while another shows the dancer sitting in a chain between the legs of the doll. In that photo a female was observed laying to the bed watching the accused as he playfully posed for the camera. Incidentally many are now wondering if dancehall practitioners are actually practicing what they preach or if some are living double lives. Nott Nice has issued no formal statement regarding the photos but this in any event will probably not make the situation better. Many who have seen  the photos are of the opinion that the dancer's poses with the doll were just done in jest and should not be taken seriously, while others have disagreed. What are your thoughts of the images we have embedded below for your viewing pleasure (see image below) NB. Dancer Nott Nice is NOT the same person as the producer Not Nice who is responsible for several of Vybz Kartel current street anthems.

While Rick Ross has been going back and forth with 50 Cent, T.I. refuses to play along in 50 Cents war games. In an interview with XXLmag.com, the Atlanta based rapper addressed an apparent diss from 50s ongoing Officer Ricky cartoon series that poked fun at his October 2007 arrest for weapons possession.

Sidestepping the beef, Tip denied seeing the video that depicted an animated Rick Ross cuffing and then interrogating him. I havent seen it but, we all know dude, he said of 50. We all know his intentions, we all know his motives. Weve seen this too many times before. You know, I play chess, not checkers, you dig? I aint even trippin off of that. At the end of the day, Im more worried or concerned about what a man says to me or what a man does to me, not what he says or does in the eyes of the public.

50 has taken shots at T.I. in the past, notably on the song You So Tough off of G-Units last album, Terminate On Sight. Insinuating that T.I  had snitched in order to retain a lighter jail sentence. In the song 50 said:, How do you explain how homey breeeze /They said keep ya mouth shut or you eatin the cheese.

T.I. continues to shrug off any attempts to undermine his rep. Im a real dude, he said, a stand up guy with integrity, respect, morals, standards, [and] principles, and anything outside of that I aint got nothing to do with.

Movado saying quote:
"some P**y ah fret ova empire camp...
but me run off ah stage,but dem need fi kno that alliance, fi tek ova dis year...
and no artist pan empire can come out wid dem individual cd,and succeed like me."

Continuing to say......"that the world kno movado...and dem think one b*mb*clat stage show, can buss dem career"


^ The Artiste Has Spoken ^

 For Referrence : http://pegasus.dancehallreggae.com/forum/showthread.php?t=167267

-- Edited by Demitri at 16:00, 2009-02-15

The release of a new movie hasnt stopped Tyler Perry from keeping his eyes on future projects. As Perrys latest stage play turned movie, Madea Goes to Jail hits theaters today, the man of many trades reveals that he wants Jennifer Hudson in his next featureand hes written a piece specifically for her.Perry mentioned the former American Idol standout in a recent interview with People.

"I just wrote a movie for her that I'm really excited about. I'm hoping she'll be able to do it," Perry said Wednesday.

Perry also revealed that he believes the role hes written for Hudson will help her cope with the recent tragedies shes faced. Last October, Hudsons mother, Darnell Donerson, brother, Jason, and nephew, 7-year-old Julian King were murdered in Chicago.

"Looking and talking to [Jennifer], there's sadness in her eyes, but my thoughts and prayers are always with her," Perry added. "That's one of the reasons why I want her to do this role, because I think it'd be really cathartic for her to take it on and work through some things."

Any details on the project remained close to Perrys hip, but the playwright turned media mogul stated that Hudson has wanted to work with him for a long time.

"[Jennifer] says that she's been wanting to work with me for a very long time and I definitely want to work with her. We just have to find the right time."

Made Goes to Jail stars Perry as the title character, Derek Luke, and former Cosby kid Keisha Knight-Pulliam

Klass Kaos will be on December 16, 2008 @ the king street car park (infront of the spanish town prison) show time 5PM Admission 400pre-sold 500 at the gate. Ticket outlet Kake world (Loj food court)

PERFORMANCES BY: BRAGGA, PAMPUTTAE, D ANGEL, CHRIS MARTIN, ZEBRA, KHALIL, CAMEAL, ASSASSIN AND MANY MORE.................

DANCERS ROLL OUT: RAVAS CLAVAS, SAMPLE SIX, BLACK BLINGAZ, CLOCK WORK DANCERS, ARD AT DEM, HOT SQUAD AND  MANY MORE.........


PROCEEDS IN AID OF BASIC SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

 Big Ship responds to Munga diss

JUST IN RUSSEL SIMMONS AGREES TO PAY EX WIFE KIMORA LEE 40,OOO DOLLARS A MONTH FOR CHILD SUPPORT FOR HIS TWO DAUGHTERS .................HAVE TO BE KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW

Gravy, who stars in the new "NOTORIOUS biopic about the life of slain rapper Biggie Smalls flew to Kingston Monday with Mavado, who returned from a hectic promotional trip to New York. The two will be collaborating on several projects together whilst Gravy is in the island.Mavado created more history last weekend at a show in Rochester upstate NY. The only act on the bill, Mavado pulled out an astonishing 4,000 fans into the huge Armory venue in freezing sub-zero temperatures and snowstorms. Observers said it was the biggest Dancehall show ever in Rochester and attracted more patrons than many rap shows including recent gigs with TI and Fat Joe.

http://yawdfromabroad.com/luciano-aka-jah-...sound-engineer/

Singer Luciano, AKA Jah Messenger, whose given name is Jepther McClymont, was beaten with a lead pipe on Friday, February 20th, and required 6 stitches in his face, after he was allegedly attacked by his sound engineer, Freckles Trench at a service station, on Constant Spring Road and Dunrobin Ave, in Kingston.

Freckles, who is a well known and respected writer, producer and sound engineer, for artists like Maxi Priest and Beenie Man, spoke exclusively to intrepid reporter, Brittany Somerset, about the alleged incident. According to Freckles, the beating was long overdue, in retaliation for Luciano dispatching his boys to cut chop up Freckles back and his thumb over a disagreement about money.

The quarrel between Luciano and Freckles started back in September of 2008, when Luciano asked Freckles to come on tour with him in Australia, as his sound engineer. Luciano and his manager, Copeland Forbes, agreed with Freckles in advance, on what his salary would be. During the middle of the tour, Luciano pulled Freckles aside, and told him in confidence, that there was a problem with money on the tour, and they were subsequently going to have to lower his salary. Freckles amicably agreed. Afterwards, Lucianos manager asked Freckles what the conversation between the two was about, during which his manager revealed that there was in fact, no money shortage on the tour, and that, he should insist on receiving the original amount that was agreed to. Although Freckles agreed in principle, that Mr. Forbes point of view was correct, he already agreed with Luciano on the lower figure, and as it initially was only a small monetary difference in pay, he let it go. After Luciano and his manager discussed the situation, with Freckles present, Luciano changed his mind and said his word was his bond, and assured Freckles he would honor the original agreement, and pay him the proper amount that he was due when they returned to Jamaica.

When they returned to Jamaica, Freckles went to Lucies yard, to collect his salary. He kissed Lucie on both cheeks, a customary greeting, and placed his baby in the chair by Lucianos feet. Lucie then instructed Freckles to see his wife, who would give him his pay. Feckles greeted Lucianos wife, and put the money she handed him, into his pocket without counting it; assuming he could trust the honorable messenger of Jah. Luciano wife then remarked that she was surpired he pocketed the money without counting it, as it was short. She then referred him back to Luciano to discuss why. Luciano then cursed Freckles, remarking that Freckles and Lucianos manager conspired against him, and that Freckles didnt deserve the agreed-to amount, that engineers didnt deserve that much money, etc. Without saying another word, Freckles, feeling demoralized, picked up his infant and he left.

On His Imperial Majesty Halie Selassi-I the Firsts birthday, in June, Freckles went to see Luciano and told him, Today, is his Imperial Majestys birthday. It is my new year. It is time to let old things go, and let bygones be bygones. Luciano later called Freckles back, said he thought about the situation and had a change of heart. He asked that Freckles return to his yard, so they could break bread together. Freckles stopped by Lucianos yard to make peace. As he was leaving Lucianos yard, Luciano signalled his crew to jump Freckles and attack him from behind with machetes. They sliced up his back and chopped off his thumb. Freckles had plans to leave Jamaica and go abroad later that same day. His trip had to be postponed while his back was stitched up and his thumb was surgically re-attached. To this day he has permanent nerve damage in his thumb.

Several months later, Freckles was traveling on the road and happened to see Luciano at the service station. He approached Luciano and an argument quickly ensued. Freckles allegedly picked up a lead pipe and and hit Luciano over the head with it. As a result, Jahs Messenger required the removal of two of his dreadlocks, so doctors could put six stitches in his head.

While the X-News reported (in what was obviously a thinly disguised editorial from Lucianos point of view) that Freckles attacked Luciano from behind without provocation, the physical altercation actually stemmed from a prior vicious, *lo**y attack on Freckles, by Lucianos camp. While the X-News also reported that Freckles came through Lucianos yard unannounced, Freckles claims he was lured to Lucianos yard, under the guise of Luciano wanting to make amends.

Meanwhile, the Editor from The Star, ran the headlining quote that read Anger made me beat Luciano, even though Freckles didnt make that statement. When he called the editor of The Star, to complain that he was misrepresented and misquoted, the editor snapped, It was just a headline meant to be sensationalized. Freckles demanded a retraction, to which the editor of The Star wouldnt oblige. The article also falsely asserted that Freckles said he had more than 10 years of pent up frustration towards Luciano, which caused him to attack him. How can I have 10 years of pent up frustration towards Luciano for a situation that started less than one year ago? How can The Star not report that it was Luciano, who had me attacked first, from behind? How can they not report that I needed physical therapy to re-gain the use of my hand? This is not good for Rasta on a whole. All I wanted was justice.

A fit and healthy teenage rugby player died 12 hours after taking treatment for acne, a coroner said today. Recording a narrative verdict, Mary Hassell said Shaun Jones, 14, died "as a result of complications of medical treatment". Shaun, who was described by his mother as "vain" about his appearance, saw his doctor about spots on his back and shoulders after learning his friends had been given medication to deal with similar problems. The 6ft schoolboy, of Rhydyfelin, near Pontypridd in South Wales, who had previously used Clearasil to treat the spots, was diagnosed with mild acne and given a prescription, Cardiff coroner's court heard.

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