Early study shows AIDS-fighting gel promising

Francine Black, Staff Reporter

With immediate effect, the Broadcasting Commission has put a ban on the playing of all 'daggerin'' songs and songs that require 'bleeping' on all radio and television stations, including local cable channels.

In a release issued last night, the commission said it was working with the broadcast licensees, the Minister of Information, the Media Association of Jamaica, the Jamaica Association of Community Cable Operators, the entertainment fraternity and other stakeholders to end what it described as 'the deluge of inappropriate content on the airwaves".

content

"There shall not be transmitted through radio or television or cable services, any recording, live song or music video, which promotes the act of 'daggering', or which makes reference to, or is otherwise suggestive of 'daggering'," the release stated.

As it relates to bleeping, the commission has taken a similar approach. "There shall not be transmitted through radio or television or cable services, any audio recording, song or music video which employs editing techniques of 'bleeping' or 'beeping' of its original lyrical content."

In light of the ban, the commission is urging all broadcasters to take immediate action. "Programme managers and station owners or operators are hereby required to take immediate steps to prevent transmission of any recorded material relating to 'daggering' or 'bleeping'.

The commission further said if the stations do not comply, the public should expect strong disciplinary action to be taken.

bleeped section

The ban will mean that songs such as Vegas's Daggerin', RDX's Daggerin' and Dagga Train and Aidonia's Hundred Stab should no longer be played because of their daggerin' content. In addition, songs such as the popular collaboration between Spice and Vbyz Kartel, Rampin' Shop, as well as Kartel's Get Wild and Last Man Standing and Mavado's Full Clip would be banned because they have sections that are bleeped.

A 19-year-old man who was to have been transferred from the Bridgeport Police lock-up after being convicted for housebreaking and larceny, was found hanging by a piece of cloth from a grille on Wednesday.

Dead is Shane Stamp of Power Lane, Newlands, St Catherine.

Reports reaching the CCN are that Stamp appeared before the Spanish Town Resident Magistrate's Court and was sentenced to one year in prison. He was taken to the Bridgeport Police lock-up, pending his transfer to a correctional centre.

The Editor, Sir:

This is a response to an article written by Esther Tyson and supported by the rest of the social hypocrites who claim Rampin' Shop is musical poison.

Ms Tyson, the "devastating impact on the psyche of Jamaican children" is not caused by 'daggerin' songs but rather by socio-economic conditions which leave children without free education, single-parent homes, (or shacks), the lack of social infrastructure in ghetto communities, unemployed and disenfranchised young men with no basic skills who are caught up in the 'gun culture' cultivated by our politicians in the 1960s-'70s, all faults of the governments (PNP and JLP).

Scribes and Pharisees

When Vybz Kartel did Money Fi Spen' (the intro being 'We nah run dung gun/We nah run dung war), it went to number one on the charts. No accolades were given. When I did Emergency, no accolades were given; but when the same audience that embraced all those 'reality' songs embraced Rampin shop' for what it is - music - it's a problem to you and yours, the Scribes and Pharisees of our time.

What have any of you done to enrich the culture and the coffers of Jamaican music, especially dancehall music, that makes you think you have the right to criticise and chastise a (sub)culture about which you clearly know nothing?

Rampin' Shop is just as easily accessible to the public as are porn sites on the internet via laptop or phone; as accessible as 'R'-rated movies or carnival revellers 'daggerin' uptown in broad daytime on our local and cable television stations.

Why is the song so big?

Incidentally, has anyone ever wondered why this song is so big? It's because everybody loves it, and that's the whole bottom and top line. contrary to what is said, there are a lot of self-righteous, undercover Jekyll and Hyde characters around.

Ms Tyson, the "decent, well-thinking citizens of Jamaica" as you put it, love Rampin' Shop; only a few hypocrites are against it, at least publicly .

I encourage you to use your obviously lengthy spare time to write about things that actually affect the nation like, I dunno, probably a light-bulb scandal, etc., and stop making much ado about nothing.

I am, etc.,

ADIDJA 'Vybz Kartel' PALMER

vybzkarteljamaica@gmail.com

EDITOR'S NOTE: Vybz Kartel has

confirmed sending this letter to The Gleaner.

The prime minister's order comes just days after the Broadcasting Commission banned radio and television stations from airing songs with content deemed explicitly sexual and violent, particularly those which qualify as 'daggerin' songs.

Golding was responding to a request made by dub poet, Mutabaruka who, in his address during a reception in recognition of Reggae Month held at Jamaica House on Sunday, called on the Government to take immediate action to address the concerns of Jamaica's dancehall music.

Eroding the values

Mutabaruka noted that the negative lyrics and explicit images being promoted through the music were eroding the values of the society and impacting negatively on the behaviour of some young people.

Addressing the stakeholders in the music industry at the Reggae Month reception, Golding called for Grange to set up a meeting no later than this week and has requested that Mutabaruka be invited to participate in those discussions.

The prime minister said Jamaica's music was too important for the Government and citizens to allow it to be compromised.

"We are going to have to find a way to deal with what is going on out there with the music," Golding said. "If we have to change the law, let us prepare the legislation and go to Parliament and change it."

Stop assault on music

He continued: "If it is going to call for some resources, we will have to find them. As tough as things are, let us find it, because we can't allow this assault on our music, on our psyche and identity as a people, to continue."

He, however, said there might be some challenges, as musicians deserved the right to express themselves freely.

"But if we work with the music industry and if we embrace the kind of leadership offered by Mutabaruka, then we should set some parameters and be prepared to ostracise those who step beyond the boundaries of what is decent and uplifting," Golding said.

Since Breezy was seen jumping off with half of Europe, it seems as if Rihanna is not enjoying her time without the sidekick:

Rihanna might seem like a pretty tough lady in public. But off-stage, its a different story: the Barbados-born beauty is a clingy girlfriend who cant bear to let boyfriend Chris Brown out of her sight. She has to have Chris around her 24/7, a source close to Rihanna, 20, tells OK!. If Chris is with her on a photo shoot and steps away for a second, she starts saying, Where did he go? For her part, the Umbrella singer admits that being apart from her loved ones is difficult. My biggest challenge is being away from my family and friends, and all the people I love and Im used to being around, the Grammy winner tells OK!.  Its hard for me to just throw that all away and be by myself. The source agrees. If Chris isnt with her, she wants to call and check in every second. Shes crazy about him. Rihanna constantly talks about Chris, says the source.  So no doubt the 19-year-old Kiss, Kiss singers phone was ringing off the hook after he was photographed on Jan. 31 being mobbed by scantily-clad girls at Twenty One Club in Dublin, Ireland, during the last leg of his European tour!

Well, well, well. The Prince look-a-like is jealous. She better be, cause Breezy has access to some of the baddest chicks on the planet. Gotta show them you carewe guess.

Star of the Notorious biopic

Star of the Notorious biopic, Jamal 'Gravy' Woolard, flew to Kingston with Movado to collaborate on several projects.
Movado returned from a hectic promotional trip to New York where he created history by pulling a crowd of 4,000 fans in the Armory in Rochester, New York during freezing sub-zero temperatures and snow storms.
Movado also made three live appearances between Thursday and Saturday on the Hip Hop legend Funkmaster Flex's radio show on Hot 97 in New York. On Sunday he hosted an event in Manhattan at Club Prime.
With the release of his new album, "Mr. Brooks - A Better Tomorrow" on March 3 and "I'm So Special" Movado is poised to hit mainstream America.

THE BROADCASTING Commission has remained steadfast in its decision to place a ban on certain lyrics deemed inappropriate for airplay.

At the same time, the broadcast watchdog has asked the Government to urgently amend the Television and Sound Broadcasting Regulations.

During a press conference held yesterday at the Knutsford Court Hotel in New Kingston, Chair-man Dr Hopeton Dunn said the agency was determined to reverse the "intolerable increase of problematic content that has overtaken our public airwaves".

Ban on bleeping

On Friday, the commission announced a ban on all 'daggerin' songs, which in the dancehall sphere is a popular reference to the simulation of aggressive or violent sex. The commission also imposed a ban on bleeping and beeping, which are editing methods used to expunge material thought unfit for airplay.

The commission's actions drew applause from various sections of society and the ire of others who said it was an attack on dancehall.

However, the commission said while the directive was generated in response to the proliferation of daggerin' and related output on the air, its regulatory axe would also be swung at "all types of musical broadcast output, including soca music and carnival music".

Vulgar content

Cordel Green, executive director of the commission, said he was convinced that artistes do not have to produce explicit lyrics for public consumption.

"This is not about dancehall or any genre. It is about lyrics that are inappropriate for broadcast, whether you want to call it soul music, hip-hop music or dancehall music," Green said. "Our artistes have demonstrated the capability to deliver whatever we require of them and we are now saying that the radio stations must demand and transmit content that is created for that space."

Meanwhile, Dunn said the proposed amendment to the Television and Sound Broadcasting Regulations would allow the commission to place further restrictions on materials to which children are exposed on the air.

Among the proposed changes are regulations governing the non-transmission of songs that condone or encourage hostility or violence.

The commission also wants the regulation amended to give it power to rein in material which encourages or glamorises the use of illegal drugs or misuse of alcohol.

"The force of the regulation that we want to be changed urgently is to give children a better chance of becoming part of the public audience and that they ought not to be misused or abused in the course of our broadcast transmission," Dunn told The Gleaner yesterday.

Dunn added that the commission would like Parliament to give it the right to have media houses designate someone who is responsible for the selection of music played on radio and television.

Meanwhile, the commission said it would be recommending that Parliament repeal the Broadcasting and Radio Re-diffusion Act of 1946 and have it replaced by modern legislation.

"Until there is agreement on the need for a new act and its new provisions, we have sought an early amendment of an existing act to provide the commission with the authority to impose financial sanctions, with a parallel provision for an appeals mechanism.

According to the reports from the most reputable news sources, Brown turned himself in to authorities Sunday evening in connection with a charge of making a criminal threat. After being interviewed by police, he was released on a $50,000 bond. 

Brown is being accused of assaulting a woman Sunday early morning and fleeing the scene, leaving her in a car in the Hanc**k Park section of Los Angeles. As a result of the issue, Brown canceled his performance at Sunday's 51^st Grammy Awards where he was nominated for two trophies, best pop collaboration for his song "No Air" with Jordin Sparks and best male R&B performance for his ballad "Take You Down."

It is unclear whether or not his girlfriend pop star Rihanna was the victim, however, insiders are speculating that it was the "Umbrella" singer who made the 911 call to police, complaining of being attacked.

Rihanna also withdrew from her scheduled performance from the Grammys.

The couple was last seen together Saturday night when they attended the annual pre-Grammy party hosted by music veteran Clive Davis. Reports indicate that they were happy. 

On Sunday a spokesperson for Rihanna told People magazine that the singer was well, but did not confirm whether she was involved in the altercation.

I hate to speculate on matters like this until all of the facts have been revealed. But I do want to consider what the ramifications might be for Chris Brown if he is found guilty of hitting a woman.

Aside from potentially serving jail time, Chris could face a backlash from his fans and the companies that endorse him. 
Wrigley said Monday that it will be suspending its Chris Brown ad campaign for Doublement gum. In a statement the company said it would delay any advertising or related marketing until the situation is resolved, AP reported. Wrigley added that Brown should be "afforded the same due process as any citizen."

Advertisers and sponsors are quick to disassociate themselves from artists with controversial histories. Ludacris lost an endorsement deal with Pepsi in 2002 when The O'Reilly Factor host Bill O'Reilly attacked the soft drink giant for supporting an artist whom O'Reilly described to have socially irresponsible lyrics. And last year, Verizon pulled the plug on its sponsorship of Gwen Stefani's tour after opening act Akon was seen on a web clip dirty dancing with an underage girl at one of his club dates.

Just last week, we saw the consequences Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps faced when photos surfaced of the 23-year-old swimmer smoking marijuana via a bong pipe.

This could potentially affect Chris' invitation to other award shows and might even prompt fans to not support his upcoming concerts. 

Respected hip-hop historian and journalist Dave "Davey D" Cook said that Brown losing endorsement deals is hardly the key issue. He wants to know how the community will be affected by having role models in Brown and Rihanna entangled in a widely publicized domestic matter. "The music industry, they'll circle the wagons and protect him," Cook said via email. "They'll spin the story and even go out after the victim which is happening now with Rihanna, who is catching heat from people accusing her of snitching."

Cook adds that he would like to see both Brown and Rihanna get help, but he believes that the music business will first put emphasis on keeping Brown's career afloat. "Chris Brown is a hot commodity making money in a crumbling industry that celebrates abusive culture, i.e. pimping," Cook said. "He'll be protected and held up to high esteem just like Ike Turner, Dr. Dre and Big Pun and numerous other artists and entertainers accused of domestic violence."

Many of Chris and Rihanna's fans are already forming opinions about the allegations.

After the news reports were released, fans expressed their opinions on social networking sites. 

I've read many status updates on Facebook that conveyed anger towards Chris Brown.On Rihanna's MySpace page, some users left her encouraging words, telling her that they are praying for her, that she will be okay, and to do what's best.

Ironically, few harshly condemn Brown. Some even take his side, citing rumors that Rihanna may have provoked a fight between the couple.

The comments on Brown's MySpace page clearly support the artist. One reminded him that he is innocent until proven guilty, while another told him not to worry because everyone makes mistakes. 

We will see how the reaction develops as more of the story comes to light.

Brown is scheduled to go to court on March 5.

Prime Minister call Meeting re Music Ban..and Artiste Beaten again !!

Andrea Goulbourne has one request. She wants to hear her daughter, 14-year-old Jhaneel Goulbourne, laugh, cry and call her Mommy again.

GOLDBOURNE. kidnapped from her gate in Harbour View last October

Jhaneel, was kidnapped from her gate at Mortello Drive in Harbour View, East Kingston last October, after lodging a complaint at the Centre for the Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse that a policeman had sexual relations with her.

Police say three men drove up to her as she stood at her gate with a friend and dragged her kicking and screaming into a white Toyota Hiace van.

More than three months later, none of the child's relatives or friends have heard from or seen her.

The police constable, who is implicated in the child's disappearance, was arrested and charged with carnal abuse, indecent assault and attempting to pervert the court of justice. He has been languishing behind bars since November 4 last year.

Jhaneel's mother has still not come to grips with the empty space that has been left since her daughter's abduction.

"I am not coping. I can't sleep and I can't eat. I want back my child," the woman demanded strongly between heaving sobs. It was a demand she would repeat at least 30 times during a 30-minute interview with the Observer last week.

But while the police investigating the child's disappearance have not gathered any hard forensic evidence that Jhaneel has been killed, head of the Crime Portfolio, Deputy Commissioner Mark Shields was not optimistic about the child's chances of survival.

"It is highly unlikely that she is still alive," Shields told the Observer. "We have got a very strong lead where the body might be, but we have some way to go."

Since Jhaneel's kidnapping, the police have conducted a series of searches at various sections of the island in an effort to unearth clues that could lead them to the teenager. But the relatives and friends of the abducted child have lost faith in the police.

They have repeatedly complained that they were given the run-around when they tried to lodge a report at the Harbour View Police Station.

The case shone the spotlight on the nagging problem of police corruption and Shields hit out against his colleagues.

"I am very disappointed in the fact that we have had minimal co-operation from any member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force," lamented Shields. "When we are investigating cases involving criminality with the police our jobs are made 100 per cent more difficult. We have to overcome so many obstacles when we are working with our own. Their colleagues are prepared to cover for them even if it involves serious criminal offences."

Another policeman has since been named as a person of interest as investigations into the case continue, and Shields, who has taken a personal interest in the matter, says more persons are under the police radar.

"A number of persons who have already been interviewed are likely to be interviewed again," Shields said.

Jhaneel's eldest sister, Lisa Vassell, said the child told investigators in detail what was done to her.

Vassell was driven to tears as she contemplated the possibility that she will never see her younger sister alive again.

The anguished woman said she has already resigned herself to the fact that her youngest sister has been killed, and made an impassioned plea to her killer/killers to reveal the location of her remains.

"I think they killed her because no one would have her for more than three months feeding her, so even if we could just find her remains and give her a decent funeral," Vassell told the Observer.

The pain is even greater for Vassell, her mother and sister because years ago, her father's body was found in a pond in a state of advanced decomposition and was buried immediately on the orders of the Ministry of Health.

"My father wasn't given a decent burial either," she said.
Vassell is very concerned for her mother's health.

"She suffers from epilepsy and cannot manage this heavy stress," the woman said as tears fell from her reddened eyes.

Failure to save the ailing sugar industry could result in a spike in crime, including an increase in marijuana production and prostitution, as displaced workers try to make ends meet, a study has revealed.

The social impact assessment was commissioned by the Planning Institute of Jamaica close to three years ago.

Just last week, the Government announced that it was contemplating extending an invitation for new bids, among other alternatives, to divest the loss-making Sugar Company of Jamaica after Infinity Bio-Energy, a Brazilian company, indicated it could not meet the agreed deadline.

According to the report, industry workers believed that in the absence of sugar, persons would be forced to turn to a life of crime and children would be forced out of school.

Ppost-reform era

"Crime was generally seen as an important consequence of the reforms as well as a coming mechanism in the post-reform era," it read.

Respondents who participated in theassessment predicted that the more serious crimes, including murder, robbery and the selling of drugs, would be committed by younger, male displaced sugar workers and younger, male dependents of displaced workers.

"On the other hand, it was predicted that older displaced workers would engage in less serious crimes such as planting marijuana for sale and stealing public utilities services," the report stated.

Respondents also expressed the view that displaced female sugar workers and young female dependants of sugar workers would become involved in the sex trade.

Professor Ian of the University of the West Indies (UWI) was the lead consultant in the preparation of the document titled Social Impact Assessment of the Likely Effects of Sugar Reform Options on Industry Workers in Jamaica, which was completed in April 2006.

Urgent remedial action

"This study suggests that unless urgent remedial action is taken following the reforms, the communities may experience an increase in social problems, particularly unemployment, crime, sex work, out-migration, chronic illness, squatting and family disintegration," the document read.

Another section said: "Focus-group respondents anticipate that without sugar, there would be an increase in crime in their communities and surrounding areas, increased poverty and hunger, disease, immoral behaviour, growing illiteracy as children are forced out of school and a coarsening of interpersonal relationships resulting in domestic abuse, mental illnesses and conflict."

It is important to recognise, the report points out, that sugar is not only the main employer in the communities where data collection was done but also an employer of last resort.

Sugar only seemed sweet to many workers after their other business ventures failed or because no one else would employ them.

Before closing the failed Infinity deal, the Government initiated the process of making the jobs of several thousand sugar workers redundant. It paid out $800 million in lieu of notice and is to pay a further $2.1 billion for actual redundancies. However, it is estimated that about 40 per cent of sugar workers are to lose their jobs.

Donovan Stanberry, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, told The Gleaner that the Government is aware of the implications of the expected fallout in the sector.

"That is why a comprehensive social intervention programme has been designed by the Government and is being implemented as we speak," he said.

InformationWeek analyzed the hacked password list and found a number of interesting trends in the data, primarily revolving around the fact that most people do exactly what they've been told not to do since passwords were first invented.

Author/analyst Robert Graham has tons of analysis on offer. I'm ordering my favorite/most enlightening data points from the piece here, starting with the most interesting. On thing to remember: These passwords are from a group of people interested in computer programming, so if anyone should know better, it's these guys.

> The most popular password (3.03% of the 20,000) was "123456." It's also generally considered the most common password used today.

> 4 percent used some variant of the word "password." Seriously, people, there's no excuse for this one. "password" was the 2nd most popular password used, also in keeping with historical trends.

> 16 percent of passwords were a person's first name. No word on if it was their first name, but someone's. Joshua is the most commonly used first-name password, a likely reference to the movie WarGames.

> Patterns abound. In addition to "123456," other pattens like "12345, "qwerty," and "abc123" were common, comprising 14 percent of the passwords used.

> 35 percent of passwords were six characters long. 0.34 percent were only one character long.

> For reasons no one can explain, "dragon," "master," and "killer" all crack the top 20 passwords. (On the top 500 password list linked above, "dragon" is #7.)

> One thing Graham doesn't discuss is that phpbb.com is really just a message board, and many users may simply have not cared about the security of their passwords here (unlike, say, with a bank account). In other words, they may very well have intentionally chosen something simplistic here to avoid re-using a password they save for an important login, just in case this site got hacked. Which, it turns out, it did.

I could go on, but Graham's post has way more detail than I can digest here and it's easy-reading too. Worth a close look for any citizen of the web.

Posted here

Rihanna had to cancel herGrammy performance after it was alleged that she and her boyfriend Chris Browngot into a fight.

When the police came on the scene Chris Brown was nowhere in sight - he however turned himself in at the Wilshire station but was later released from jail after posting US$50,000bail. Chris Brown was booked on suspicion of making criminal threats.

According to E! News a source admits that the alleged victim was Rihanna, 20, and that she suffered visible bruises on her face during an altercation that took place hours earlier. Both in turn balked on scheduled Grammy performances.

A spokeswoman for Brown's label declined comment. Rihanna's publicist, Amanda Silverman, would only tell E! News that the 20-year-old "Disturbia" singer was involved in an unspecified traffic mishap. "Rihanna is well," the rep said. "Thank you for concern and support."

Per department policy, police declined to identify the alleged victim in the incident, which occurred about 12:30 a.m. in the Hanc**k Park area, apparently as the two were heading home from Clive Davis' annual pre-Grammy bash, where they had been all smiles.

In a statement, police say Brown and his companion "became involved in an argument. After stopping his car, Brown and the woman got out and the argument escalated. The woman suffered visible injuries and identified Brown as her attacker."

Well, it had to happen at some point. The Daily Mail is reporting that the first ever "Facebook divorce" has occurred in Lancashire, England. How is that legally binding, you ask? Well, it's not. But telling someone you want a divorce via Facebook pretty much guarantees your spouse isn't going to contest it. I don't think you can realistically "work things out" after that.

Apparently Emma Brady only learned that her husband, Neil, was through with her after her Facebook friends began calling.

More

Popular deejay Adidja 'Vybz Kartel' Palmer is defending his Rampin' Shop and has sought to speak out against the critics of the song.

In a letter which he sent to THE STAR on the weekend, the deejay responded to an article which was done by Esther Tyson titled 'Rampin' Shop - musical poison', which begged for a stop to be placed on "the promotion of such filth".

Kartel begins the letter by dubbing those who view the song as poison 'social hypocrites'.

"This is a response to an article written by Esther Tyson, (principal of the Ardenne High School in St Andrew) and advocated by the rest of the social hypocrites who claim Rampin' Shop is musical poison," Kartel writes before expressing his views as to what is affecting the minds of the nation's children.

Devastating impact

"The 'devastating impact on the psyche of Jamaican children' is not caused by daggerin' songs but rather by socio-economic conditions which leave children without free education, with single-parent homes (or shacks), lack of social infrastructure in ghetto communities, unemployed and disfranchised young men with no basic skills who are caught up in the 'gun culture' cultivated by our politicians in the 1960s/'70s. These are all faults of the governments (PNP and JLP)."

The deejay then touched on the issue of 'double standards', while making reference to two of his songs for which he claims he was given no great compliment by those who now find a problem with Rampin' Shop.

"When Vybz Kartel did Money Fi Spen (with the intro being 'we nah run dung gun ... we nah run dung war), it went to number one on the charts. No accolades were given. When I did Emergency, no accolades were given; but when the same audience that embraced all those 'reality' songs embraced Rampin' Shop for what it is - music, it's a problem to you and yours, the Scribes and Pharisees of our time," Kartel wrote.

Undercover Jekyll and Hyde

In the letter, Kartel also questions the contribution of his critics to dancehall music before asking: "Incidentally, has anyone ever wondered why this song is so big? It's because everybody loves it and that's the whole bottom and top line. In part, because contrary to what is said, there are a lot of self-righteous, undercover Jekyll and Hyde characters."

The letter continues, "Rampin' Shop is just as easily accessible to the public as porn sites on the Internet via laptop or phone; as accessible as R-rated movies or carnival revellers 'daggerin in broad day uptown during the day-time on our local and cable television stations. I encourage you to use your obviously lengthy spare time to write about things that actually affect the nation like, I dunno, probably a light-bulb scandal, etc ... and stop making much ado about nothing."

The song Rampin' Shop done by Vybz Kartel and Spice was released late last year and has become a hot topic for critics who say the song is not fit for airplay.

One such critic, Tyson, in her column published in The Sunday Gleaner ( February 1, 2009), blasted the song while claiming that it only aided in devastating the psyche of Jamaican children.

On Friday evening, the Broadcasting Commission issued a release stating that with immediate effect, a ban has been placed on the playing of all daggerin' songs and songs that require 'bleeping'.

Rampin' Shop, charged with sexually explicit lyrics, was among the list of songs to be banned.

LOS ANGELES - Police records showed that R&B singer Chris Brown was being held on $50,000 bail after an alleged battery incident. The L.A. Times is reporting that the woman in the incident is Brown's girlfriend, pop singer Rihanna.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that Rihanna was "reportedly hospitalized with bruises on her face."

Los Angeles police officer Karen Smith says Brown walked into a station around 7 p.m. and was being interviewed by detectives.

Police booked the 19-year-old R&B singer and dancer on suspicion of making a criminal threat, a felony. Police did not explain how their initial report of an injury assault related to the charge, but it will ultimately be up to the district attorneys office to decide what charges, if any, should be brought against Brown.

Police say the 19-year-old singer and a woman were in a vehicle in the Hanc**k Park neighborhood early Sunday when they began arguing, and the argument escalated when they got out of the car.

Police say the woman identified Brown as her attacker, but he was gone by the time officers arrived.

Both Brown and Rihanna were no-shows for Sunday nights Grammy Awards. Both were nominated and scheduled to perform.

With a record 12th nomination for a Grammy Award (most in the reggae genre) and a previous win, Burning Spear was optimistic about his chances.

Since the 1980s Burning Spear, whose real name is Winston Rodney, has been nominated in the Best Reggae Album category for albums such as Resistance, People of the World, Live in Paris Zenith '88, Mek We Dweet, The World Should Know, Rasta Business, Appointment with His Majesty, Calling Rastafari, Free Man, Our Music, and The Burning Spear Experience.

He won the award for Calling Rastafari in 1999.

ONE OF Jamaica's leading music video directors, Gerald 'Ras Kassa' Hynes, believes the Broadcasting Commission's clampdown on explicit content should target the airing of other risqué productions such as carnival parades, not only dancehall.

Kassa, who has worked on music videos for Damian 'Junior Gong' Marley and Italian singer Alberosie, says the Broadcasting Commission is likely to get support from the dancehall community once it "goes straight across the board" with its directives.

"They should insist carnival is not shown live on TV because it's not only Grandma putting up her leg, but it's the children in Kiddies Carnival too," he pointed out.

The local version of carnival is a largely middle-class affair that takes place in April when Jamaicans observe Easter, a Christian holiday.

Daggerin' backlash

The commission, which monitors standards for electronic media, announced Friday that it had examined the genre of music classified as daggerin' songs', which it considers "explicitly sexual and violent".

These songs, it noted, promoted hardcore sex and went against the provisions of the commission's Television and Sound Broadcasting Regulations.

A statement from the commission, published in The Sunday Gleaner, said radio, television and cable companies should not air songs or videos containing daggerin' lyrics or scenes.

Kassa says he believes tougher rules will force stakeholders in the music industry to be more creative.

"I feel like we (music video and record producers) are going too far with some of the stuff we are doing, so I have no problem with it (the ban)," Kassa told The Gleaner.

The Broadcasting Commission's stance came in the midst of heated debate over whether Rampin' Shop, a song reeking of sexual material, by deejays Vybz Kartel and Spice should be played on radio and TV.

In her February 1 column in The Sunday Gleaner, Esther Tyson said the song impacts negatively on youth and called for a shutdown of corporate support for dancehall artistes and events until the genre cleans up its act.

THE police say recent cases of criminals burning the bodies of their victims is disturbing, and expressed fear that it could develop into a trend.

"It is still early days yet but this development is one of concern and is suggesting some type of development in criminal activities," said Sergeant Dwayne Campbell of the Portland police.

The latest reported case took place in Portland, where two men armed with knives stabbed retired banker Herbert Salicram, then set his body ablaze at his home in Grange Hill.

The senior citizen, said the police, was robbed of an undetermined sum of money.

"Based on what we have been hearing in this (Salicram case) and the several other cases islandwide in recent times it would look as if it is a new trend for criminal attacks," said Sergeant Campbell.

In another case last week in Morant Bay, St Thomas, three children, along with their grandmother, were burnt to death during an alleged arson and gun attack at their home.

Gunman reportedly opened fire on the four after which they set the house on fire. The burnt remains were later found huddled together near an entrance to the house, the police reported.

Also, during the first week of January, Special Constable Richard Hamilton, 34, was brutally murdered by gunmen who sprayed his motor vehicle with bullets then set it ablaze in the troubled c**kburn Pen community of Kingston.

And last October police made the gruesome discovery of the charred remains of a 23-year-old female pharmacist, Terry-Ann Thompson, in Chancery Hall, St Andrew.

Police believe that the pharmacist, who worked at MegaMart on Waterloo Road in St Andrew and resided at Woodhaven Avenue, also in St Andrew, was abducted, raped and murdered shortly after boarding a route taxi in Half-Way-Tree after leaving work.

Girl tells Hamtramck police: 'Mom cooks me like a turkey in the oven'

HAMTRAMCK -- Police say she called 911 and confessed she was "harming her children," and now, 40-year-old Reyna Valentino could spend the rest of her life in prison on claims she abused and tortured some of her five young children.

Valentino was arraigned on felony child abuse and torture charges in 31st District Court Wednesday after police say she placed her 4-year-old daughter in a hot oven on Jan. 23 and singed her lower eyelids with a heated screwdriver. She then turned to her 5-year-old, beating her right leg severely with a pry bar. She later called 911.

Hamtramck Police Det. Ben Bielecki said in forensic interviews conducted with the children the 4-year-old talked about the abuse.

"She said her 'heart is hurt and broke because momma doesn't love me anymore,'" Bielecki read from the forensic report. "Mom cooks me like a turkey in the oven. I felt fire. It burned my back,'" he read. "She hurts me with a screwdriver all the time."

Police said Valentino called 911 around 3 p.m. to report the abuse.

"She said she is harming her family," Bielecki said. "It's extreme. It's an awful thing that's happened. I just hope she doesn't get custody of the kids -- ever."

After the incident, police said Valentino spent more than a week undergoing a psychiatric evaluation at Detroit Receiving Hospital.

Police said Valentino's husband was not home when the alleged abuse happened. Investigators said currently, there is no evidence the father was physically abusive to the children. The investigation is ongoing.

The couple also has three other children believed to be 7, 8, and7 or8 months old, Bielecki said. All five children are in foster care and doing fine, he said.

Social services is believed to be assessing Valentino's mental condition.

Valentino is being housed in Wayne County Jail. A preliminary hearing is set for Feb. 12.

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090205/METRO/902050444/1409/METRO

With a street party for every day of the week, the dance craze has taken on a new, disturbing twist - a street dance for children.

The party is held every other week in a community in Kingston and as the name suggests it is flocked by kids, some as young as 8 years old.

THE WEEKEND STAR visited the party twice and watched in amazement as dozens of kids flocked the street where they openly gyrated on each other while grown-ups looked on.

Some of the boys even got a bigger 'treat' as they were welcome by grown women who seemingly had no problem with showing off their wining skills while the kids tried with much effort to complement their moves.

On our first visit to the event we arrived shortly after 9:00 p.m and the kids were already in 'daggerin' mode and dancing up a sweat to songs of that nature.

Crowd favourite

RDX's Ben Ova was a crowd favourite and had to be replayed several times, much to the request of the boys and girls who adhered to the song's every instruction.

A makeshift stage just in front the selector's booth was not spared as the boys and girls carried on with their antics.

In the middle of the crowd also, another group of the underage party-goers danced wildly and showed off their sexually suggestive moves.

Alcoholic beverages

All this happened while the older patrons took a back seat, looked on, smoked and imbib their alcoholic beverages and even laughed and cheered on the children.

"Alrite now likkle man, hol da big woman deh an dagga dat ... Nuh watch how big she look gi har di dagga," the selector ordered over the microphone at one point before playing Bragga's Dagga Dat.

When contacted, chief executive officer at the Child Development Agency (CDA), Allison Anderson, said such a situation is a definite concern for the wider society.

"It is a concern for the CDA and it would be a concern for any good-thinking Jamaican," Anderson said before adding, "That's of grave concern to us and it all boils down to supervision because I presume adults were there."

Efforts to also contact a representative of the office of the Children's Advocate for a comment were unsuccessful.

Very quietly, Simon promised to help Fantasia take care of some of her back payments she owed so the house wouldnt go up on the block His offer of monetary support helped her stave off creditors, at least for the time being.

Simon didnt want to take any credit for it, he just wanted to help her out of a jam, disclosed the insider. He was hoping to keep his good deed a secret. He didnt want to cause Fantasia any further public embarra**ment.

Man Bites Man Lip Off in Fight

A brawl between two men in the old capital, Spanish town left one with less lip than he started out with, and both men facing charges. The 27 year old St Catherine resident, who bite off a piece of another man's lip during a fight, ended up in jail on a charge of unlawful wounding while his victim, a 46-year-old operator also, of content, has been charged with assault occasioning bodily harm. Both accused men, who pleaded not guilty when they appeared in the Spanish Town Resident Magistrate's Court on Tuesday, had their $30,000 bail extended, and are scheduled to return to court on May 18, when the matter will again come up for mention. Police told the court that their investigation reveal that the older man had borrowed a fish gun from the other some time ago. However allegations are that on January 17, at about 11:30 am, the younger man accused the other of borrowing the fish gun to shoot him. A fight developed between them and the knife was brought into play, which left the younger man nursing a wound to the hand. Allegations are that both men continued to fight and during the ensuing struggle the younger man grabbed hold of the other's lips with his teeth and bit off a piece. Police reports further indicate that the victim also received bite on his face, finger and forearm. Both men were treated at hospital injuries and after further investigations police arrested and charge the younger man for unlawful wounding and an his co-accused with assault occasioning bodily harm. Here is a cartoonist illustration for your viewing pleasure courtesy of the CHAT! tabloid.

HOW DO the police identify suspects? How do they know who to investigate? How do they know who to put under surveillance or who to arrest? These are questions many persons pose as they point to the country's unacceptably low number of arrests and convictions for crimes.

Veteran detectives note that to solve crimes, investigators may receive tips, infiltrate gangs, gather forensic evidence at crime scene and monitor emails or bank accounts.

Detective Superintendent Clinton Laing, crime officer for western Jamaica, says while first-hand accounts are critical, investigators cannot rely on this.

"Because of what is happening today, where most persons are not forthcoming with information, especially in murder cases, we have to do background checks on victims to help determine possible persons of interest and motives," Laing told The Sunday Gleaner.

Laing explained that intelligence-gathering is information that has been checked and verified and may be used for supporting evidence.

Circumstantial evidence

The police are also able to identify suspects based on the description of the perpetrator, an alias, and personal information pertaining to a place of residence or family and social ties. This information can be found in a complainant's report.

Evidence is facts presented in support of a claim, usually in a court, to establish or challenge allegations.

Shaun Wallace, criminal defence barrister based in London, England, shared that investigators also rely on circumstantial evidence to identify suspects.

"Circumstantial evidence is a set of facts, and from these facts you can draw strong indications that conclude in guilt or innocence," argued Laing.

"There are a number of factors they can use. There may be forensic evidence left at the scene; or if a crime is committed in a way similar to one committed by a certain type of criminal, then the police can narrow it down to that person," the barrister said.