New York base Platinum Camp recording artiste Foxy Brown lashes out against Lil Kim and Vybz Kartel for using chemical products on their skin in order to gain a lighter complexion.

In the second verse Foxy asked, Brooklyn who a di baddest gal bout here - Cassa Piece who a di baddest man bout here? Then she went on to diss Vybz Kartel and Lil Kim saying, All a di goodas gal dem buss summi (gunshot effect) - black and pretty nah fi bleach out nutten, like Lil Kim Kartel and dem bleach face summi.

When OutAroad.com contacted Foxy Brown about her attack on Vybz Kartel and Lil Kim in Im So Special remix she said, Why do you want to look like a white person and they are the same people who enslave you?

Mavados Im So Special gully remix feat Foxy Brown is fast becoming an anthem in the streets of New York and is also wide spread on various download websites.

Deejay Aidonia and his musical father, Vybz Kartel, are not 'at war', despite rumours of a rift between the two.

The rumours began last week with the release of an Aidonia song, titled Matic Nah Laugh,in which the artiste supposedly 'disses' Vybz Kartel. Aidonia, however, is denying that there is any animosity toward Kartel.

He cleared the air by saying, "there is no rift between me and Kartel. The song post online and since people a tell me seh Kartel and me a war. Me and Kartel have nutten. Everything good wid me and Kartel and everyone from the Portmore Empire."

When contacted, Vybz Kartel was surprised about the rumours, saying, "that's news to me. I heard it first from the STAR."

Rumours

The song which started the rumours was uploaded to the website www.youtube.com and is listed as 'Matic Nah Laugh Kartel Diss'. People in the street and on the site are suggesting that the song states, "Clap it up Addi yuh head get lick offa cuff mek dem drop buff pon di plaza."

However, Aidonia told The STAR that he does not say 'Addi' but 'baddy' and in fact the song says "target mi shoot offa mi nuh miss offa, clap it up yuh baddy, yuh head get lick offa."

Fans on youtube.com who have posted comments about the song are mostly expressing disbelief that Aidonia and Kartel would be at odds, with one person stating, "noo Aidonia no diss Addi di Teacha".

The rumour comes on the heels of another rumour that Aidonia and Portmore Empire's Blak Ryno were involved in a fight recently. It has been said that Vybz Kartel was in defence of Blak Ryno and attempted to hit Aidonia, but someone interceded.

Aidonia also denied that there is any friction between him and Blak Ryno saying, "That is so false. There's nutten between me and Ryno. The last time I saw him was at Stephen's studio. We were suppose to do a song together on Stephen new 'Advocate' rhythm but because they were mixing, we didn't get to."

Sting on the horizon

According to Aidonia, with Sting on the horizon, persons are trying to create a war vibe between himself and Kartel.

"A studio mi deh. No one nuh see me 'round or on di streets caw a work mi a work fi try re-create Aidonia ting but wi good, wi still link. Dem need a hearing aid and don't create nuh vibe caw dem know who Vybz Kartel caan 'gree wid," he said.

In the meantime, Aidonia is busy in the studio voicing new songs for Sting and performing at shows. The artiste has an upcoming show with Blak Ryno in Montego Bay where the two are the headline acts. He is also planning to go on tour and hopes to release an album in Spring of 2009 with producer Stephen McGregor.

The sleazeball who admitted to offering drugs to Amy Winehouse has been sent to the slammer.

Johnny Blagrove -- the guy who sold footage of Amy allegedly smoking crack and snorting cocaine to a newspaper -- was jailed for two years for admitting to offer to supply celebs, including Wino, with drugs like coke and ecstasy.

When police raided Blagrove's home -- which he shared with his girlfriend -- they found a list of celebs they had planned to film taking drugs.

Johnny's girlfriend received two years community service.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR of Family Life Ministries, Dr Barry Davidson, has called on journalists to stop sensationalising crime when reporting it. He suggested that by doing so, they are contributing to its perpetuation.

Dr Davidson was speaking on Wednesday night at the Press Association of Jamaica's Corporate Area installation ceremony for new members, held at the Guardian Life Centre in New Kingston.

Dr Davidson noted: "Journalists are well placed to influence positive action and change in the society. They can reach a large constituency of persons who look to them for guidance and inspiration." He called on journalists to use this influence in a positive manner and report stories in a way that can contribute to the healing of the nation.

Imparting positive values

However, he said that the responsibility for imparting positive values should not be one that is limited to journalists; rather, every citizen has a part to play. He reinforced the importance of biblical teachings and the need to get back to a place where being our brother's and sister's keeper is the default behaviour.

Dr Davidson also emphasised the importance of forgiveness as a method of bringing about healing, both individual and collective. According to the psychologist, "Hate can be cured and pain alleviated/soothed when we are able to heal ourselves by forgiving." He noted that many people saw forgiveness as equal to tolerance and trust, but said this was not so. Rather, forgiveness, he said, allowed the wronged individual to gain peace and healing.

Seek forgiveness

Dr Davidson said that in order to liberate Jamaica from its suffering, the perpetrators of crime and violence needed to seek forgiveness from those they had wronged, and just as important, the victims needed to grant this forgiveness.

Dr Davidson's presentation was entitled "Responding to Crime and Violence in Jamaica", and was delivered at the first of two installation ceremonies for new Corporate Area members of the Press Association of Jamaica. The ceremony was held in collaboration with Guardian Life Limited. The second inauguration ceremony will be held early in 2009.

THE JAMAICAN BAR Association is gearing up for a fight with the Government should Parliament vote to institute minimum sentences for gun crimes.

"I don't agree with it and if they try it, we are going to challenge it in court," president Jacqueline Samuels-Brown told The Sunday Gleaner yesterday.

Among a menu of anti-crime proposals now before Parliament is a consideration to impose a minimum 15-year sentence for firearm offences.

At least two members of parliament have voiced their support for this minimum sentence and several others are expected to line up behind them as the Parliament seeks to implement tougher anti-crime measures.

Strong signals to criminals

Ernest Smith, a government MP who practises at the private bar, told The Sunday Gleaner that whenever the matter of the anti-crime bills comes to the lower House for debate, he would vote for measures that would send strong signals to criminals.

"Anything that has the potential to lead to a reduction in crime, that has the potential to send a message to criminals and potential criminals that Jamaica is serious about ridding itself of criminality, has my support," Smith, MP for South West St Ann, said.

West St Thomas MP James Robertson, who has admitted that he has not yet read the report from the joint select committee on crime, said he is in support of much stiffer penalties for gun crimes.

"People cannot be found with guns and bullets in the quantities that they are being found, like in recent times, and be getting away with some light sentences. It can't work," Robertson told The Sunday Gleaner.

In serious times

Asked whether he believes the imposition of minimum sentences could amount to tying the hands of the judge, Robertson said, "That is going to be a concern, but we are in serious times."

Last week, Ricardo 'Bully' Thomas, the alleged leader of a gang in c**kburn Gardens, Kingston 11, was sentenced to three years' probation and fined a million dollars for gun and ammunition possession.

Thomas was arrested in October at his house after police conducted an operation at the premises and found two 9-mm pistols with 49 rounds of ammunition.

Thomas admitted the guns belonged to him and pleaded guilty to the charges.

Samuels-Brown, who defended Thomas, said there are always extenuating circumstances which cause judges to decide not to impose custodial sentences.

"What the judge did was quite in line with what happens in cases of that kind," Samuels-Brown said.

Documentary evidence

The attorney furnished The Sunday Gleaner with documentary evidence of Gun Court verdicts which supported her claim that many persons convicted of gun offences do not end up in prison.

Of 45 firearm and ammunition offences in the Gun Court in the one-year period starting March 2001, 15 of the persons convicted were given non-custodial sentences.

According to Samuels-Brown, where a person admits to his guilt from the time of arrest, acknowledges his wrongdoing and pleads guilty in court, and has no previous conviction or charges against him, it is a factor that courts must take into account in determining sentences.

In Thomas' case, Samuels-Brown said the judge had evidence before him that Thomas had received many threats and reports had been made to the police.

Did the wrong thing

She added that the court recognised that he did the wrong thing by taking the law into his hands and not reposing total confidence in law-enforcement agencies.

According to Samuels-Brown, the judge did not err by not sending the alleged gang leader to prison.

Highly placed Government sources told The Sunday Gleaner that a senior police officer testified on Thomas' behalf before he was sentenced in the Gun Court.

"This case illustrates why mandatory sentences will not suit every case," Samuels-Brown said.

THE NATIONAL Road Operating and Constructing Company (NROCC) is considering an ambitious plan, which would involve building a new toll road to bypass the Bog Walk gorge in St Catherine. The move would facilitate the creation of a massive dam in that area to provide potable water to the Kingston Metropolitan Region.

If the multibillion-dollar project goes through, the new dam would store 1.8 billion gallons of water, about twice the capacity of the Mona Reservoir, and provide 107 million gallons of water each day, which would be about five times what is supplied by the Mona Reservoir.

New bypass to stem looming problem

This could solve a looming problem for Jamaica as studies estimate that unless there is an increase in water supply, the Kingston and St Andrew area will be short of approximately 25 million gallons of potable water each day by 2015.

"We have done some studies which look at the possibility of damming the gorge, and the new bypass would allow this possibility to take place," NROCC head, Ivan Anderson, disclosed recently.

"We are looking at that now and trying to finalise the geo-technical and topographic studies which are required to take that one step further, but that could have a significant impact on the entire country," Anderson added.

He noted, however, that the funding has not yet been identified to finance the damming of the gorge or to pay for the crucial geo-technical studies.

Until the studies are done, it will not be known how much leakage, if any, would occur, and a final determination will not be made until all the facts are in.

But even as these studies are being done, NROCC is excited about the possibilities which could open up with the construction of a massive dam in Bog Walk.

"There is the hydroelectricity potential as the dam could generate 45 megawatts of power per day. It could have tourism potential. We could have housing developments around the dam and it could help to alleviate some of the downstream flooding," Anderson said.

That excitement is not shared by the Water Resources Authority, which is examining the proposal to submit a report to water minister Horace Chang.

"I'm not as optimistic as Mr Anderson, but I'm going to submit a report to my minister, who I'm sure, will share it with Parliament," Basil Fernandez, head of the Water Resources Authority, told The Sunday Gleaner, while declining to provide additional details.

This is not the first time that a proposal has been put on the table to dam the Bog Walk gorge. In 2005, following one of the now-regular floodings of the area, then works minister, Robert Pickersgill, floated the idea of forcing all traffic through Sligoville and damming the gorge.

Impractical

In an instant response, former Prime Minister, Edward Seaga, sank the idea, describing it as impractical.

"The geological composition of the gorge would not provide the level of retention for storage. The rock material is too permeable," Seaga said at that time. "There is a much better prospect for dealing with the Rio Cobre to bring its flood waters under control, which now flow uselessly to the sea. This excess can flow to productive use."

But the concern about the level of retention is one NROCC has already considered and it appears satisfied that this will not be an issue.

"We have had some consultants come in, look at the characteristics of the material we have in the gorge and they have assured us that many hundreds of dams all over the world have been built on similar material," Anderson said.

WHAT would happen if the Senate votes against capital punishment next Friday?

Parliament's clerical staff is unsure and so is Prime Minister Bruce Golding. However, he has told the press that the decision of the House of Representatives, comprised of elected members, should take precedence if the Senate votes against it.

"I think a great deal of weight would have to be attached to what the 60 members of parliament said, because those were the persons who were elected by the people," Golding said.

A close vote in the Senate has been indicated by the contributions to the debate in that House so far, and the fact that a number of members are lawyers with liberal views.

Unlike the House of Representatives, where it was very clear from early where the wind was blowing, the signals are less clear in the Senate. So far, about 13 senators have spoken in the debate and the indications are as follows:

. for retention - Dwight Nelson, Arthur Williams, Ronald Robinson, Warren Newby, Basil Waite, in addition to Navel Clarke; and

. against retention - Trevor MacMillan, Dennis Meadows, Mark Golding, and Sandrea Falconer.

Attorney General and Minister of Justice Dorothy Lightbourne, who is also the Leader of Government Business in the Senate, did not state a position, neither did Leader of Opposition Business A J Nicholson.

Those left to speak are: Don Wehby, Andre Franklin, Desmond McKenzie, Hyacinth Bennett, Thomas Tavares-Finson, Norman Grant, K D Knight and Noel Sloley.

It seems likely, however, that those supporting retention will get home by a narrow margin, but this will depend largely on how Opposition senators like Knight and Nicholson, and Government senators Wehby and Bennett vote.

It will be interesting to see whether the Opposition will use the opportunity of a "yes" vote to force the prime minister's hand in supporting an amendment to the constitution they proposed, which would remove the Privy Council's five-year stricture on carrying out the death penalty.

Golding had indicated a compromise with the Opposition when they threatened to pull out of the debate in the House unless their amendment was attached to his resolution. The compromise was for bipartisan support of the Opposition's resolution, if Parliament agreed to retain the death penalty.

The Opposition's proposal read, "Be it resolved that the Constitution of Jamaica be amended to remove the five-year stricture in relation to the carrying out of the death penalty after conviction, and also that the rulings of the Governor General's Privy Council concerning the prerogative of mercy cannot be inquired in a court of law."

This proposal has been criticised by some human rights groups and is expected to be the most contentious of the current death penalty issues.

Uncertainty surrounds anti-crime bills

There is still some uncertainty as to how committed Opposition parliamentarians are to the six anti-crime bills tabled in the House of Representatives in September by Prime Minister Golding.

Golding had expressed the wish to have the bills, which followed the Vale Royal bipartisan discussions this year, dealt with urgently, in light of the crime wave sweeping the island. But three months later, there is still no indication of how soon they will be passed, or even if there will be bipartisan support.

The report of the Joint Select Committee that studied the bills was tabled in Parliament last week. The report bore none of the signatures of the six Opposition members, while all eight Government members signed.

It was interesting to note, too, the attendance record of the Opposition members of parliament. Former minister of national security, Dr Peter Phillips, attended only one of the six meetings. The names of Sharon Haye-Webster and Fitz Jackson were removed after the first two meetings, and replaced by Ronald Thwaites and Robert Pickersgill, who each attended three of the next four meetings. The committee received only one apology (from Thwaites).

Senator Dorothy Lightbourne, who chaired the committee, as well as Colonel Trevor MacMillan, Pearnel Charles, Laurence Broderick, Daryl Vaz, Dr Arthur Williams, St Aubyn Bartlett, AJ Nicholson, KD Knight and Mark Golding attended every meeting. Senator Tom Tavares Finson missed one.

	Written by: No Author
Ricardo Bully Thomas may have made c**kburn Pen, a tough and delapidated inner-city community in South West St. Andrew, his main stomping ground as a gangster, but he certainly knew a thing or two about style, judging from this mansion which he owne Indications are that Ricardo Bully Thomas, who was fined $1 million and given a three-year suspended sentence in the Gun Court last week, was the recipient of an unofficial plea bargaining deal in which he co-operated with investigators in smashing a number of major arms smuggling and other criminal activities. The light sentence handed down by Justice Martin Gayle after the accused was found with two 9mm pistols and 49 rounds of ammunition last October, triggered several caustic comments.  But police investigators told the Sunday Herald yesterday, that the gang leader provided useful information, which yielded significant results in crime fighting.   Thomas, deported twice from Britain, was said to be linked to with the infamous British Link-up Crew and the murderous Bully gang based in c**kburn Pen, a tough, inner-city community in South West St. Andrew. According to investigators, Thomas, who is a strong supporter of the opposition Peoples National Party (PNP), is said to be protected by some members of the police force.  Due to delays in getting results of tests from the forensic laboratory, two months after the guns which were seized from Thomas were sent for examination, investigators could neither deny nor confirm Sunday Herald reports that one of the guns was linked to several murders. When asked by the Sunday Herald if he was a character witness in the case against Thomas, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Les Green, said this was not so.  ACP Green, however, stated that he gave evidence in court, along with another senior officer, whose name he declined to reveal.  It is understood that the evidence from ACP Green had a bearing on the sentence which was handed down to Thomas. In response to a question about his knowledge of Thomas, ACP Green said according to his understanding, Thomas was one of the so-called area leaders of c**kburn Pen, who had considerable influence in the community.  He added that Thomas was believed to be involved in an ongoing dispute with certain elements within the area. In terms of his direct dealings with Thomas, ACP Green said he was involved in Thomas arrangements to surrender himself to the police after he was placed on the nations top 10 most wanted list earlier this year.

Two of the world's largest casino operators, Harrah's and MGM, are showing keen interest in partnering with the US$1.8-billion (J$143 billion) 'Celebration Jamaica' resort development touted to add gold to Montego Bay's 'Elegant Corridor', Rose Hall, The Gleaner has learnt.

However, Dennis Constanzo, president of local developers, Palmyra Resort and Spa, said he has been frustrated by delays in receiving his resort's casino licence. Prime Minister Bruce Golding had announced the award of licences to two groups, Harmonisation Limited and the Palmyra, earlier this year.

The mega project, set to become the island's first casino hotel, will form the cornerstone of a multilayered development that will celebrate Jamaica through an array of premier attractions, the developers said.

Winter season begins

Constanzo's call comes on the eve of the winter tourist season which officially starts today and runs until April 15, 2009.

Elated by news of Harrah's and MGM's interest, Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett told The Gleaner that Cabinet had already approved the policy outline of the licence and technocrats were working to complete legislation for parliamentary approval.

"This is the process in order to ensure prudence," he said, hardly able to contain his excitement about the casino players' interest.

"This is a strong indication that Destination Jamaica remains top of mind. MGM looking to Jamaica as one of two countries, when there is a downtown in Las Vegas, is a powerful statement of confidence."

Redefining moment

Bartlett cautioned, though, that the impact of the global economy would redefine the tourism industry in Jamaica and the Caribbean. He said critical and strategic repositioning must be done in the areas of marketing, product development and operational management.

"New business models must emerge to drive greater efficiencies in operations and visitor experience even as we market smarter and try to stay on the cutting edge of technology."

He reiterated his comments in a winter tourist season message to the nation yesterday, adding that potential threats to the sector could be grave.

"We must all commit to smarter, closer, dedicated partnerships, striving to mitigate the potential threats to our tourism industry and to even achieve a small level of growth," he urged.

Prime Minister Bruce Golding last night handed a lifeline to the Jamaican economy in the wake of global recessionary shocks, announcing billions of dollars in cheap loans and tax cuts to re-energise small businesses and the floundering fortunes of the tourism industry.

Citizens will also benefit from the raft of plans revealed, including mortgage payment relief and an elevation of the income-tax threshold, which was announced earlier this year.

Golding, in a broadcast to the nation, sought to inject confidence into an economy teetering on the edge of uncertainty, as job losses, high food prices and the plunging value of the Jamaican dollar heightened fears. The prime minister did not, however, disclose the rescue plan's repercussions on the current or future budget.

Multilateral aid

The stimulus package included US$600 million (J$47.7 billion), sourced from multilateral agencies, which will be pumped into the market to meet the need for foreign exchange. Most of the funds are expected to be available in six weeks.

"We are going to weather the storm," Golding told Jamaicans last night.

"Thank God we took the decision to re-engage the multilaterals. If we hadn't done so, we would have had nowhere else to turn and we would have been faced with a total disaster," he said.

Tax cuts will be in order for the tourism sector. General consumption tax (GCT) will be reduced by half for a period of six months, starting January 1, 2009, down from 8.5 per cent.

The Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) will also provide J$500 million for capital players in the sector to stem cash-flow problems. Each applicant will have access to a maximum $50 million at 10 per cent interest for two years. This is in addition to $100 million already being provided by the Tourism Enhancement Fund, Golding said.

Productive sector loans

The Government will also provide US$300 million (J$23.86 billion) to the productive sector, sourced through the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in January. The loans will be made available through commercial banks and the Export-Import Bank.

All locally owned companies can also expect tax on dividends to go.

"[This] will help keep them going, to protect the jobs of their workers and to encourage them to invest even in these difficult times," Golding told the nation.

Transfer tax on property transac-tions will also be reduced further to five per cent, following acut from seven and a half per cent to six and a half per cent in April.

The manufacturing sector and small businesses will also receive a boost. On New Year's Day, user fees payable by manufacturers on capital goods and raw materials will be scrapped.

Honouring a proposal made by the manufacturers some years ago, the Government will also adjust its contract procurement policy to provide preference to Jamaican-owned companies that submit bids that are no more than 10 per cent above the foreign competitor.

More cost

"It may cost us a little more, but we have to support our local manufacturers and suppliers," insisted Golding.

Likewise, small businesses will also get marginal government contract preference in a bid to stimulate more activity in the Jamaican economy. All government agencies will be mandated to ensure that at least 15 per cent of total procurement is reserved for small business and micro-enterprise suppliers.

The sector will also benefit from some tax adjustments as only businesses with annual sales of more than $3 million will be subject to file GCT returns, starting January 1.

"This will benefit approximately 2,800 operators," Golding said.

He said that while layoffs will be unavoidable, Government will provide retraining for redundant workers through the HEART Trust/NTA, via a special programme.

NHT strategies

The National Housing Trust has also been mandated to institute strategies to assist people who have been laid off or who have had income streams disrupted. These measures will include suspension of mortgage payments, reduction in monthly payments and rescheduling or extension of monthly payments.

The income-tax threshold would be increased to $220,272, in keeping with previous plans to provide relief to low-income workers. The threshold was last increased in July when it was moved up by 3.5 per cent to $200,304.

"Now is not a time to curl up and panic," Golding said. "If we pull together, if we build a national coalition with one agenda to put Jamaica on the right path, we can face this crisis and the future that lies in front of it with courage."

-- Edited by Garrick at 06:39, 2008-12-15

The LAPD is investigating an alleged brutal cat fight that went down between Sharon Osbourne and a contestant on the VH1 reality show "Rock of Love: Charm School" who ended up in the hospital.





Megan Hauserman claims Sharon Osbourne went ballistic during a taping of the show's reunion special Saturday night. She says Sharon O. ran across the stage of the show, grabbed Megan by her hair and would not let go. She says Sharon (who is the host of the show) continued to pull to pull at her hair and scratch her until security eventually separated the two. Megan went to the hospital Sunday afternoon and filed a report with the LAPD on Sunday night.

We're told Sharon's nonsensical hubby Ozzy was the cause of the beat down. According to Megan, she responded to a crack Sharon made about her by saying Sharon is only famous for managing a brain dead rock star. That's what set Sharon off.

The LAPD says Sharon is a suspect in a minor battery. No charges have been filed.

Calls to VH1 and Sharon's management company were not returned.

-- Edited by alligcold at 13:20, 2008-12-15

Being a victim of a robbery can be a nerve wracking experience, but imagine being left in the nude.

This is exactly what Mark Simms, a resident of Linstead, St Catherine, said happened to him recently when he was robbed at gunpoint and left naked and stranded on a main road.

Simms said that a few weeks ago while travelling to Kingston and upon reaching a section of the Linstead bypass about 3:45 a.m., he was forced out of his vehicle by a group of armed men who relieved him of his belongings before ordering him to take off his clothes.

"They took my cellphone which was valued at about $25,000, took about $4,000 cash and a watch ... It seems they didn't get enough money so they made me take off my clothes," Simms explained to THE STAR before adding "I had to walk quite some distance and persons who were driving pass were even laughing at me."

Reports of a few robberies

Head of the Linstead police, Inspector David White, says the police have received some reports of a few robberies occurring in the area but denied hearing that the victims were stripped.

Seemingly in an attempt to highlight what he says is a serious situation, Simms contacted THE STAR on at least four occasions and begged for the story to be published, and also said he knew other persons who have come across the stripping robbers.

"I have heard of at least three other incidents and it needs to be highlighted ... It is a group of about four men who are doing it," Simms said before admitting that he was way too ashamed to contact the police to make an official report.

"Have you ever gone to the police with a report such as that to see how they would handle it?" he asked when quizzed why had he not made a report.

Name changed to protect identity.

The body of Wang Diange, from the Chinese province of Inner Mongolia, was found in the wreckage of a house where he had been overseeing the wake of a previous family funeral, after mourners felt a loud explosion which took off half the roof.

As it was raining and thundery, they decided that the house, and Mr Wang in particular, had been struck by lightning. The police came to the same conclusion.

Further inquiries were made a few days later after Mr Wang's own funeral. As his body was being put into the cremation chamber, it blew up spectacularly, bursting the doors off the oven.

When the fire had been put out, the only clue as to what had happened was a small twisted piece of metal, which seemed to be the glowing remnants of a screw.

At first, local metallurgists were unable to determine what it was, though they noted it bore a military serial number. After a lengthy investigation, however, it was suggested it might be part of a shell casing.

Inquiries revealed that the rainfall on the day of the original disaster was triggered by the local weather bureau, which had been firing shells into the atmosphere to break up hail in order to protect the local tobacco crop.

Inside the shells were silver iodide, a chemical that helps to break up hail into rain.

Their own investigators concluded that one shell must have failed to explode, hit the house, and lodged in Mr Wang's body. There it passed unnoticed because of his extensive injuries, according to local newspaper reports.

As a result, and three years after Mr Wang died, his family have now received 80,000 yuan (£8,000) in compensation from the weather bureau.

A Long Island PTA official has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child after police say she was caught half-naked in a car with a 13-year-old boy.

Joan Tuckruskye, 44, of Baldwin, N.Y., was found with the boy in the parking lot of Meadow Elementary School. When an officer approached the Nissan Pathfinder, neither was wearing pants, according to police.

"They were in the back seat," Nassau County Police Officer Michael Aronsen told ABCNews.com.

The boy's parents were called.

Endangering the welfare of a child is a misdemeanor. Aronsen said further charges were possible, but police only have enough information at this point for the one charge.

Posted here

 

Veteran Florida school teacher Adrienne Laflamme turns 61 in September. She may celebrate that birthday behind bars.

The 60-year-old long-time employee of the Brevard County School District faces 15 counts of unlawful sex with a minor after authorities arrested her and charged her with having sex several times with a 17-year-old student she taught while he was in custody at a juvenile detention center this spring.

On one occasion, according to a Palm Bay Police Department spokesman, the pair invited a 14-year-old to join them.

"This woman's actions are an absolute disgrace," Detective Jasmine Campbell said in a police department news release. "We have reason to believe there are other victims, and it's important that they come forward."

Detectives began investigating Laflamme after the teen's mother contacted police. Laflamme was assigned as a science teacher at the Brevard County Juvenile Detention Center and taught the 17-year-old inmate as a student in her class from the middle of April into May.

Posted here

Another lawsuit to leave her brokenhearted.

A man hurt in a 2006 multicar pileup, which involved Brandy and left one person dead, is suing both the songbird and the deceased driver for personal injury and negligence.

Per the complaint, filed Dec. 8 in Los Angeles Superior Court and a copy of which was obtained by E! News, plaintiff Donald Lite alleges he sustained "serious and permanent injuries" as a result of excessive speed on the part of Brandy and Awatef Aboudihaj and their failure to properly maintain a safe distance from each other.

The fatal chain reaction occurred Dec. 30, 2006, at about 10:30 a.m. on the 405 Freeway, when the 28-year-old R&B singer's 2007 Land Rover collided with a vehicle driven by the 38-year-old Aboudihaj, a wife and mother of two. She in turn smashed into a 1989 Toyota Tercel driven by the 82-year-old Lite, while a fourth car broadsided Aboudihaj, who died the following day as the result of major blunt force trauma.

Last year, Los Angeles prosecutors opted not to bring a criminal case against Brandy, whose full name is Brandy Norwood, after finding insufficient evidence that she was at fault.

But that's not stopping Lite from pressing the matter in civil court.

More here

-- Edited by MZJ at 18:42, 2008-12-17

Whitney Houston is being sued by her stepmother in a legal battle over the wishes of Houston's deceased father.

According to court records, Barbara Houston claims the 45-year-old singer improperly kept the proceeds from John Houston's $1 million insurance policy after he died in 2003.

The lawsuit says the singer was supposed to use $723,000 to pay off the mortgage on her father's Fort Lee condominium. She holds the mortgage on the condo.

The stepmother, who still lives in the condo, claims that Whitney Houston was also supposed to return the remaining insurance money to her.

Lawyers for Whitney Houston and her stepmother declined to comment on the lawsuit, which was filed in federal court in Newark.

The 17 year old rap phenomenon Soulja Boy may have Superman-ed one woman too many. MediaTakeOut.com has learned that a nineteen year old Atlanta woman is claiming to be carrying Soulja's baby.

The woman, who reached out EXCLUSIVELY to MediaTakeOut.com, claims that the two dated off and on since last year. She also claims to have first been intimate with the 17 year old earlier this year -before Soulja Boy achieved nationwide success.

The soon-to-be mother tells MediaTakeOut.com, "I'm not just some groupie looking for a payday, me and [Soulja Boy] have history." She continues, "But ever since I told him that I [might be] pregnant, he stopped returning my calls and texts ... If I don't hear from him soon, I'm going to have to get a lawyer."

PREGNANT man Thomas Beatie has given birth to a healthy baby girl.

The tot had been due to be delivered yesterday by Caesarean section.

But bearded transsexual Thomas went into labour early and had to be rushed to hospital.

Last night Thomas, 34, and wife Nancy were pictured leaving the clinic with the baby girl he calls his little miracle.

The tot was delivered in secret on Sunday in a special section of the hospital away from the other mums.

Callers phoning the maternity ward were sternly told there was no Thomas or Nancy Beatie.

A hospital source said: Thomas gave birth without any problems at all, but amid tight security.

Burly

The baby girl is healthy and mother or father and baby have been allowed to leave the hospital.

The new family were discharged yesterday from the St Charles Medical Center in Bend, Oregon.

Thomas wearing sunglasses, a hoodie and shorts and 45-year-old Nancy strolled out of a private exit.

A maternity nurse followed, carrying the new arrival hidden under a blanket.

The family was escorted away by a team of burly female security guards.

Thomas who was born female but became a man in his 20s is now hoping to strike a £500,000 deal for the exclusive first pictures of his baby.

He has also had a documentary team following him during the last months of his pregnancy.

 

The real-life Mr Mum was born Tracy Lagondino and lived in Hawaii.

He fell in love with Nancy and had a sex change because Hawaiian law bars same-sex marriages.

Thomas took testosterone pills, had his breasts removed and then legally became a man.

But he kept his ovaries and w**** because Nancy, who has two grown-up children, had undergone a hysterectomy 20 years ago.

When they decided to try for a baby, Thomas stopped his testosterone treatment so that he could start ovulating again.

A year later he fell pregnant with twins using donor sperm, but lost them after developing life-threatening complications.

He then became pregnant again using a special syringe from a vet who helped out after doctors and baby clinics turned them away.

Just weeks ago, Thomas told of his joy ahead of the new arrival. He said: Were so excited. I just cannot wait to hold her in my arms and be a father.

But despite the controversy he said his pregnancy felt natural.

Thomas said: Its been excellent. I feel fantastic. Ive been so lucky.

I cant believe shes inside me. Shes our little miracle. Im just looking forward to holding her for the first time, to finally get to touch her and see her face.

It was a dream that Nancy and Ive had for a long time, to start a family together.

And Thomas said the pregnancy had gone so well, the couple were looking forward to MORE children.

He explained: Its in our thoughts. Well see what the experience is like with our daughters arrival first and then give it some more thought.

Were deeply in love. Im stable and confident being the man I am. Having this baby doesnt make me less of a man.

-- Edited by ladyvane18 at 05:35, 2008-07-04

The father of 3-year-old Adolf Hitler Campbell, denied a birthday cake with the child's full name on it by one New Jersey supermarket, is asking for a little tolerance.

Heath Campbell and his wife, Deborah, are upset not only with the decision made by the nearby ShopRite, but also with an outpouring of angry Internet postings in response to a local newspaper article about the cake.

Heath Campbell, who is 35, said in an interview Tuesday that people should look forward, not back, and accept change.

"They need to accept a name. A name's a name. The kid isn't going to grow up and do what (Hitler) did," he said.

Deborah Campbell, 25, said she phoned in her order last week to the ShopRite. When she told the bakery department she wanted her son's name spelled out, she was told to talk to a supervisor, who denied the request.

Karen Meleta, a spokeswoman for ShopRite, said the Campbells had similar requests denied at the same store the last two years and said Heath Campbell previously had asked for a swastika to be included in the decoration.

"We reserve the right not to print anything on the cake that we deem to be inappropriate," Meleta said. "We considered this inappropriate."

The Campbells ultimately got their cake decorated at a Wal-Mart in Pennsylvania, Deborah Campbell said.

About 12 people attended the birthday party on Sunday, including several children who were of mixed race, according to Heath Campbell.

"If we're so racist, then why would I have them come into my home?" he asked.

The Campbells' other two children also have unusual names: JoyceLynn Aryan Nation Campbell turns 2 in a few months and Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie Campbell will be 1 in April.

Heath Campbell said he named his son after Adolf Hitler because he liked the name and because "no one else in the world would have that name."

On Tuesday he wore a pair of black boots he said were worn by a German soldier during World War II.

Campbell said his ancestors are German and that he has lived all his life in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, which is across the Delaware River from Easton.

Two female employees of the Anderson Kentucky Fried Chicken have been fired for bathing in a deep sink used to clean dishes, while a third earlier quit her job.One of the young women posted photos on MySpace.com of the trio posing in underwear and swimwear, KCRA-TV reported.The photos were filed under a gallery called "KFC moments." Captions included "haha KFC showers!" and "haha we turned on the jets."

Posted here

 

Jennifer Hudsons sister, Julia, celebrated turning 31 on Oct. 23 with cake and a small party at home. The next morning, police say, Julias estranged husband William Balfour booted last February from the house on Chicagos South Side where they lived with Julias mother and 7-year-old son showed up and spotted a gift he believed came from another man. That jealousy is the motive that led Balfour, 27, to return to the house after Julia had left for work and shoot her mother Darnell Donerson, 57, Jennifers brother Jason, 29, then take Julias son, 7-year-old Julian King, and later kill him as well, prosecutors allege. Jennifer and other Hudson family members were relieved and happy after Balfour was charged Dec. 2 with three counts of first-degree murder and one count of home invasion, Chicago Police Deputy Superintendent Steve Patterson has said. Those family members assisted every step of the way under very stressful and painful circumstances, adds police Superintendent Jody Weis. Balfours attorney Joshua Kutnick says the stormy relationship between Balfour and Julia Hudson makes his client a convenient target. We are extremely confident that once all of the evidence has come to light and has been tested by our vigorous analysis of the case, that William will be found not guilty, Kutnick said after a judge ordered Balfour held without bail.

This story gets more and more strange as time passes. Could this f*ck up, Balfour, be that deranged to have killed the family over a gift from another man, or is One-Time reaching just to close the case out??

A Canadian man, apparently unable to find the perfect woman, has done the next best thing he's built himself one.

Le Trung, a 33-year-old software engineer who lives with his parents in Brampton, Ontario, a suburb of Toronto, says he's spent about $20,000 so far on Aiko, a 5-foot-tall female android with clear skin, a slim if shapely figure and a wonderful disposition.

"She can recognize faces, she can identify medication, she can even butter your toast," Le Trung tells the Toronto Globe and Mail.

Not only that, but Aiko speaks in both English and, for some reason, Japanese. (Le Trung has a Vietnamese name.) She can also read.

"Aiko is what happens when science meets beauty," Le Trung tells the Sun of London. "Aiko doesn't need holidays, food or rest, and will work almost 24 hours a day. She is the perfect woman."

She still can't walk, however. That will take a lot more work and, Le Trung tells the Globe and Mail, a new round of funding. He hopes to create and sell more pretty female robots in the future.

But, ahem, is there more than just companionship involved?

"Aiko is still a virgin, AND NO I do not sleep with her," he writes on the Project Aiko Web site, though he admits that she "has sensors in her body including her private parts, and yes even down there."

ZONE DO U REALLY RATE THE MUSIC PRODUCTION THAT CALL DEM SELF VENOM HOUSE PRODUCTION???

THEY PRE-RELEASE SOME RIDDIMS BUT YET STYLL THEY HAVENT WORK WIT A BIG ARTIST OR THEY HAVENT BUSS IN THE BIZZNIZZ YET...

PALL BEARER RIDDIM
NIGHT HAWK RIDDIM
EVIL MODE RIDDIM
SOLO KILLER RIDDIM
GHETTO PSALMS RIDDIM

DO U REALLY RATE THEM? TO ME I DONT RATE THEM

Should Jamaica have homosexuals in the cabinet?

By: Rootzgirl

The entire world stood up and took notice when the Prime Minister of Jamaica was being interviewed in England when a very important question was asked of him if gays could be in the cabinet. The ever, cool, ever suave PM responded, "Sure they can be in the Cabinet; not mine." When the interviewer pressed home the point, maybe wanting Bruce to back down by asking "But do you want to live in a Jamaica where they can be and they should be and it would be entirely natural for them to be so?" Big up to the PM when he answered in no uncertain terms "I do not know that that is necessarily the direction in which I want my country to go."

There have been a lot of back and forth debates about equality when it comes to gays, but while I do not condone the ill-treatment and cruel acts meted out to them, in fact I totally hit out against it. At the end of the day, they are all humans too. But I draw the line at having them in the cabinet. These are people who are involved in guiding the country and having a say in the laws of the land. How can we ask them to make certain moral decisions when their lifestyle totally belies what they will be representing?

For all we know there may already be a few gays in the cabinet, and if they are, they are taking great pains to keep it totally locked up in the closet. But coming out and advocating for the rights to be recognized as a legal couple, flaunting an immoral lifestyle, influencing our children, maybe even corrupting them...that stretching acceptance way too far.

The Recession Index: With the economy melting down and taking our credit cards with it, making the rent could mean thinking outside the box. What are you willing to sell?

Here, the going rate for all of your corporeal assets (not that we're recommending liquidation).

• BRAIN $10 an hour for university psychological studies
  
• HAIR $1000 for 10 inches in good condition
  
• INNER ARM $240 a month for twice-a-week platelet donations
  
• EGGS $7000 to $10,000 per donation
  
• HIP BONE $450 for bone marrow (note: it is withdrawn using a 5-inch needle)
  
• BODY $600 to $10,000 for pharmaceutical trials (depending on duration, risk, and invasiveness)
  
• KIDNEY $35,000 to $100,000

Posted here

WHAT RIDDIM SERANI - NEVA GONNA STOP OR NEVA GONNA ON ?

The journalist threw two shoes at Mr Bush as he shook hands with Iraqs prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, during a press conference in Baghdad.

The man, who was sitting in the third row jumped up and shouted: It is the farewell kiss, you dog, and threw his shoes one after the other towards the president.

Mr Bush ducked the first one, while the second narrowly missed him.

Shoes soles are considered the ultimate insult in Arab culture.

The two leaders signed a security accord which calls for American troops to pull out of Iraq by the end of 2011.

President Bush had earlier described the war he started nearly six years ago as hard but essential for the security of Americans, Iraqis and for world peace.

Mr Bush visited Baghdad just 37 days before he hands over to President-Elect Barack Obama, who has pledged to end the war and was partly elected because of his opposition to it.

Speaking after two hours of meetings with Iraqi leaders, Mr Bush defended the conflict, saying: "The work hasn't been easy, but it has been necessary for American security, Iraqi hope and world peace."

He added: "I'm just so grateful I had the chance to come back to Iraq before my presidency ends." He then went on to stage a rally with US troops.

-- Edited by Shem at 19:09, 2008-12-14

Jennifer Hudson was scheduled to begin shooting the video for her next single, "If It Isn't Love" next week, but has put the brakes on going back to work.

Reports surfaced earlier this week that JHud had decided to return to work, because she had been on hiatus since the October killings of her mother, brother and nephew. A source tells Us Weekly, "The video was set up before the tragedy and she felt like she should finish what she started, but she's realized that she's not ready to go back to work."

A rep for Hudson, however, calls the original video plans speculation. Jennifer's brother-in-law William Balfour was officially charged with the murders December 2.

At the recently concluded 36th Anniversary celebrations of stone love sound system held at the Mas Camp on Oxford road. Two of Jamaica's mst prolific entertainers walked away with the most coveted awards of the night.

Aidonia disses Kartel?

Since the release of Aidonia's song, "Matic Nah Laugh" last week, rumours have been circulating that there is a rift between himself and Vybz Kartel, which he vehemently denies, "There is no rift between me and Kartel. The song post on-line and since, people a tell me seh Kartel and me a war. Me and Kartel have nutten..."

It is rumoured that the lyrics of the song "dissed" Kartel. However, Aidonia suggested that the listeners need 'hearing aid' as the lyrics they claim to have heard are not the lyrics of the song. He claims to have made no lyrical reference to Kartel.

When contacted, Kartel expressed surprise, "That is news to me." he stated.

Aidonia also denied another rumour that he had a physical altercation with Portmore Empire's Blak Ryno, where Kartel attempted to hit Aidonia in defence of Blak Ryno, by saying, "That is so false. There's nutten between me and Ryno..." He also noted that he and Ryno are the headliners for an upcoming show in Montego Bay.

Aidonia has suggested that there are persons who want to create disharmony between himself and Kartel in preparation for the upcoming Sting stage show, and would like them to stop and "Don't create nuh vibe caw dem know who Vybz Kartel caan 'gree wid," he said.

Me seh Donia ago win cuz him kno kartel hard suh him ago guh harder!!

I was in a meeting with a Distributor of RINGTONES and MP3 discussing a DEAl.. when we began talking about music in jamaica as well as USA.

and after some sting predictions an reh reh.. and foxy brown and wi reach ahh
insider..(name protected)

Insider " well yahh.. i feel you.. i feel you.. but i mean which hip hop mc you think is the illest? "

W.A. " Well mi rate Ludacris still, Lil Wayne, Jay Z and the white bwoy him badd"

Insider " who Em?"
W.A. " yeah man .. Slim Shady or whatever him a call himself now"

Insider " Well Lil wayne might die soon. Ah mean, he on some prescription shit, it makes you rhyme wicked..cause it slows your brain down and.. man i mean its dangerous.. it killed PIMP C.. you know PIMP C right?

W.A.  "yah man, never know wha kill him still"
Insider " but still yow.. you ever see him with that lil cup?.. he always has to have that Sizzurp for real.. but its a sure death road man"

W.A. " Well him have tune bout if him die and them things.. soh mi guess him know. Jah know star.. and mi rate the youth from Juvenile days.. yuh membah  CASH MONEY ..."
.......................

SO i went to look it up.. and surely he wasnt lying ...

Lil Wayne may be
facing felony drug charges for possessing pot, coke and Ecstasy, but
his real problem is an addiction to prescription cough syrup -
Promethazine VC with Codeine. "If I go off it," he tells Blender, "I go into withdrawls."

The rapper usually can be found with "drank," "lean" or "sizzurp" - a cupful of syrup mixed with Hawaiian Punch - in his hand.

Promethazine VC
with Codeine (sold by Atavis) contains 10 mg of codeine phosphate, 6.25
mg of promethazine HCI, 5 mg of phenylephrene HCI and 7% alcohol. It
has a red-orange color and strawberry flavor, and generally sells for
30 per pint.

Promethazine is an antihistamine for allergies and nausea. Codeine is a mild opiate which has anti-tussive properties.

"Drank" was popularized by Houston DJ Screw, who overdosed on it in 2000. Since then, rapper Pimp C has also died from sizzurp.

Arizona Border Patrol stopped Lil Wayne's bus in Yuma on Jan. 22. A serach found 3.75 ounces of

marijuana, 29 grams of cocaine, 41 grams of Ecstasy, $22,000 and a gun.
Wayne (a.k.a. Dwayne Carter Jr.) was charged with felony counts of
possession of dangerous drugs, possession of a narcotic for sale,
possession of drug paraphernaila and misconduct involving weapons.

look .. they sometimes mix it with Sp8ite ..

jeeeze..prescription drugs gone bad.. who was the first to try it?

R.I.P.  EXPLORER ..

The major press outlets are abuzz this morning with news of a major new security flaw that affects all versions of Internet Explorer from IE5 to the latest beta of IE8. The attack has serious and far-reaching ramifications -- and they're not just theoretical attacks. In fact, the flaw is already in wide use as a tool to steal online game passwords, with some 10,000 websites infected with the code needed to take advantage of the hole in IE.

Virtually all security experts (as well as myself) are counseling users to switch to any other web browser -- none of the others are affected, including Firefox, Chrome, and Opera -- at least for the time being, though Microsoft has stubbornly said it "cannot recommend people switch due to this one flaw." Microsoft adds that it is working on a fix but has offered no ETA on when that might happen. Meanwhile it offers some suggestions for a temporary patch, including setting your Internet security zone settings to "high" and offering some complicated workarounds. (Some reports state, however, that the fixes do not actually work.)

Expedient patching or switching are essential. Security pros fear that the attack will soon spread beyond the theft of gaming passwords and into more criminal arenas, as the malicious code can be placed on any website and can be adapted to steal any password stored or entered using the browser. It's now down to the issue of time: Will Microsoft repair the problem and distribute a patch quickly enough to head off the tsunami of fraud that's about to hit or will it come too late to do any good?

Meanwhile, I'll reiterate my recommendation: Switch from Internet Explorer as soon as you can. You can always switch back once the threat is eliminated.

Links for other browsers to try: Firefox Chrome Safari Opera

 

MORE INFO  

Microsoft releasing emergency patch for perilous IE flaw

PERSONALLY I USE  FIREFOX..with tons of addons

WHAT BROWSER ARE YOU USING?

-- Edited by Western Alliance at 19:55, 2008-12-16

-- Edited by Western Alliance at 20:31, 2008-12-16

David Constantine Brooks November 30, 1981, better known by his stage name Mavado, is a Jamaican dancehall artist. He was raised in an area known as "Cuba", a micro ghetto within the heart of Kingston, Jamaica's Cassava Piece community. The community was considered dangerous and Mavado was exposed to many different things in his youth. Mavado had two major influences in his life that made him want to pursue a career in music. His grandmother who raised him, brought him to church with her each Sunday, and this helped to ignite his love for music. What kept the flame burning was his second influence in his music career; his idol, and current labelmate Bounty Killer.

Contents [hide] 1 Musical career 2 Charitable work 3 Feud with Vybz Kartel 4 Awards 5 Discography 6 References 7 External links

[edit] Musical career

Bounty Killer and legendary Dancehall manager Julian Jones-Griffith began to take Mavado under their wing and showed him the ropes of the music businesshttp://upload.wikimedia.org/skins/common/images/button_extlink.png. Mavado &[ Matthew Samuels] (Assistant Manager) met the Daseca Production Crew in 2004, and recorded his debut single "Real McKoy" over the Anger Management Riddim, which in turn made him a sensation in Jamaican dancehall music. His next single brought him more mainstream success, and outside of Jamaica people began to notice him. In 2006, the single "Weh dem a Do" (recorded over the Red Bull and Guinness Riddim) got major airplay worldwide on radio stations such as New York's WQHT (Hot 97). Mavado continued to pursue his musical interest despite turbulence in his personal life including the murder of his father and numerous run-ins with the authorities. His debut album Gangsta for Life: The Symphony of David Brooks, includes "Fathers Prayer", "Cassava Piece Radio", "Sadness", "Gully Side", and much more. He signed a deal with VP Records and released his debut album in July 2007. A slimmed down and remixed version of "Real McKoy" was featured in the fourth Grand Theft Auto IV trailer entitled "Everyone's a Rat". "Real McKoy" was also used in the Grand Theft Auto IV in-game radio station, Massive B Soundsystem. Recently, Jay-Z was featured on Mavado's track "I'm On The Rock" bringing his acclaim to even greater heights and his music to a wider audience. In 2008, he appeared on Terminate on Sight by G-Unit, in a song called "Let It Go".Mavado was on Digicel Rising Star with the new sensation "KHALIL" on September 21,2008.

[edit] Charitable work

Over the course of his career, Mavado has done a number of good deeds for the less fortunate. In October of 2007 he donated two computers to the Constant Spring All Age and Charlie Smith High School. He also donated 2 million Jamaican dollars to a victim of a rape.

Alongside the Gully Creeper Buckwheat, Mavado "Gully God" has risen to great success.

[edit] Feud with Vybz Kartel

A very involved feud between Mavado and former collaborator Vybz Kartel arose towards the end of 2006, where Vybz Kartel aka Addi di teacha, was lyrically attacked by Mavado. Hostilities arose following Vybz Kartel's much publicised exit from The Alliance. The two artists, who have done a number of songs together, have now released numerous diss tracks aimed at each other. Violence had also erupted in the streets, as a shooting occurred near a popular Mavado hangout and a few days later a shooting incident occurred at a Vybz Kartel hangout. And as Bounty Killer and the rest of The Alliance continue to denounce Vybz, it is unlikely that this feud between two of dancehall's top artists will subside.

Riddims that are used in the Feud are

The 'Twelve Gauge Riddim'- Mavado-How High/Vybz Kartel-12 Gauge

The 'Power Cut Riddim'- Mavado-Songwriter/Vybz Kartel-Alliance Diss The 'After Dark Riddim'- Mavado-Warn Dem (Kartel Diss Version)/Vybz Katrel - Only ting you squeeze

The 'Drumline Riddim'- Mavado- Informer/Vybz Kartel-Mofraudo

On February 28, 2007, a press conference was held to announce the end of hostilities between the two artists. The meeting had been organized by Jamaican police, in the hopes that violence in response to the feud would end. Vybz and Mavado both encouraged fans not to partake in any more violence, and agreed that neither of them would incite violence against the other in their songs. However, many members of the local media claimed that the announcement felt very staged, and the entire fiasco was simply a way of increasing the already high popularity of the two artists. The press conference concluded with the two singing one of their collaborations, "Happiest Days". It remains to be seen whether this peace will continue, or if further collaborations between the two artists will occur. Rumors continue to circulate to the effect that they are still feuding under the truce, however no more gang violence has been reported.

Around August 2008, a new feud erupted when Mavado and one of Vybz Kartel's close friends called Jeffrey Hype were in a heated arguement which led to a fistfight. Mavado then referenced about Vybz Kartel's belief in freemasonry and criticizes his tattoos. Mavado then said on a diss track that kartel is a fag and in a recent interview he stated that Kartel is jealous of his fame and money and has no morals. Vybz Kartel in response on a diss track he said he has sexual relations with Mavado's mother and in a recent interview he stated that Mavado is the dumbest musician in history and claims that he was the one to make Mavado popular.

Riddims that are used in the later Feud are

The 'Self Defence Riddim' - Mavado - Dem A Fag/Vybz Kartel - Wah Dat Fah

The 'Silent River Riddim' - Mavado - Dem A Pree/Vybz Kartel - Nuh ting Countraction

The 'Beauty & The Beast Riddim' - Vybz Kartel - Kill Dem All & Done/Mavado - Gangsta Nuh Play

The 'Magazine Riddim' - Mavado - Cant Bad Mi Up

The 'Colliemonster Riddim - Vybz Kartel - Mi Talk With Gunshot

Vybz Kartel - Say Weh Yuh Feel Like (Say It) (Alliance Diss)

The 'self Defence Riddim' - Mavado - man

[edit] Awards

In addition to receiving Jamaican awards, On 15 October 2008, Mavado won a MOBO award for best reggae artist of the year in a contest that included his Alliance colleague Busy Signal, self proclaimed king of dancehall Beenie Man, singing sensation Etana and reggae star Taurus Riley.

[edit] Discography

• Gangsta for Life: The Symphony of David Brooks (2007)
• Mr. Brooks: A Better Tomorrow (late 2008)

i may sound crazy for writing this, but i just realize the possibilty of this occuring
may be soon, heard some stuff from the three camps and things dont look so good, we are in for a saga

check out the the three of them myspace page..........they dont have each other in there top friends list, we all know wats going on with deva......but wats the deal with aidonia and kartel?????

 

POLICE were yesterday still searching for Robert Gordon, a manager at Manpower Maintenance Services, who has been missing since Friday evening.

GORDON. dropped off wife at Vineyard Town home Friday evening

Yesterday, police and Gordon's wife told the Observer that the company car he was driving was found in Yallahs, St Thomas on Saturday morning.

"The car was scrapped of its radio and ignition system and it appeared that whoever took it did not have the key," a police officer told the Observer.

According to the cop, Gordon had told his pastor that he intended to set up a meat business in Portland and had apparently gone to St Thomas Friday night to speak to someone about the venture.

Since his disappearance, calls by his family and the police to his cell phone have not been answered.

Yesterday, a worried Mrs Gordon told the Observer she last saw her husband when he dropped her off at their Vineyard Town home Friday evening.

The couple have two children, an eight-year-old girl and a six-year-old boy.

Gordon, manager of sanitation services, has been working at Manpower for three months.

Anyone who can give information about Gordon's whereabouts is being asked to call 119, or the nearest police station.

,

I have been reading your columns and find that you have been doing a great job. Keep up the good work.

I have this friend who is madly in love with a guy in Jamaica who is eight years older than she is. The problem is that she is living in the united States and openly dating other boys who do nothing but hurt her feelings. My friend does not sleep with any of these boys; she kisses them regularly, and then gets mad at her boyfriend in Jamaica for going to parties with other girls who he says he's going to "dagger".

Tell me, Pastor is this a good relationship for my friend and her boyfriend? I know they love each other but the age difference and the occasional flirting bothers me.

S.B., USA

Dear S.B.,

Mind your own business.

Pastor

CAH MI NUH SEE HIM NAME PAN DI POSTER NOR HEAR NUTTIN BOUT NUH BOOKING FI HIM

SUH PEEPS MEK MI KNO WAA GWAAN NUH.........TNX

2008 is already shaping up to be a year riddled with controversy and feuds. Just yesterday morning one of 876radio.com reporters received a telephone call about an incident that happened at the offices of ZIP 103FM the sister station of IRIE-FM located on Derrymore Road in Kingston.

According to our sources, Vybz Kartels former manager Patrick Samuels more popularly known as Roach came to the offices of ZIP 103FM on Friday morning quite upset and left several threats with members of staff which were intended for Zip Jock Liquid who was at home during the time of the incident.

In an exclusive video interview with 876radio.com, Zip Jock Liquid explained what he thinks may have caused the rift.

Chuckle.big up 876radio.com oonu ah go harder than ER, anyways here how the ting set. Mi deh a mi yard a sleep and mi hear mi phone ring when mi answer it a somebody from the office a ask mi whappen wid me and Roach.

Mi seh nothing, dem seh well him just come down here and cuss up one bag a badword (expletives) and threatened yuh seh yuh a violate and him want yuh know seh a gunshot yuh ago get.

A bit perplexed by Samuels actions he decided to call him to find out what was the reason for the commotion. When he answered his phone, Liquid said he was greeted by a barrage of expletives before being told to go and S*ck his Madda and the call abruptly ended.

Liquid said on his second attempt the phone was answered by one of Roaches colleagues who he refers to as a Press Button/Yes man who went on to say that,

some radio boy from country a go round the DJ ting and memba him seh a gunshot yuh ago get.

Ironically Roach who is well known in the streets as a Producer/ Songwriter, has written songs for several popular entertainers including the likes of Sizzla and produced one of the biggest riddims to ever hit the streets, the Emergency Riddim featuring the mega hit Emergency by Vybz Kartel and Break Out by the Multi-platinum Grammy kid Sean Paul.

The question still remained what could have angered him so much to the point of threatening the Zip Jock. But according to Liquid, Roach has taken a bold step and now considers himself an artiste he had recorded a couple of tracks which he had given him to play on the radio, Me never get round to playing the thing dem yet, cause a crazy new music we get everyday, but him just feel seh a go mi a go round him ting dem, when everybody know mi as the yute weh buss the most new artiste pon radio.

"But since him threaten mi, it mean he is no longer my friend, cause no real friend nuh tell yuh seh him wha kill you, and I just want him to know I will not be intimidated by him, his cronies or any other man that want to try and bad up selectors to play them music. - Liquid lamented.

876radio.com is still trying to get in contact with Roach to get his side on the saga and look out for the exclusive video interview coming soon. 

A 14-year-old girl who was a victim of bullying over the internet has been found hanged at home.

Stephanie Burlingham, who was labelled as a "boff" by classmates because of her intelligence, was also spat at and ridiculed after teenagers at school learned she was in counselling for depression.

The Christian was found hanging from a loft ladder by her father and brother on the 2nd of February last year.

Stephanie's parents found a suicide note in a bin 18 months before her death, saying she was planning to throw herself from the roof of their house in Leeds, West Yorks.

The inquest, at Leeds coroner's court, heard how Stephanie had been bullied via text messages and on the MSN Messenger service on her home computer.

Her parents said she had also been looking at suicide websites.

Stephanie's mother, Jean, said: "She told us she had been cutting herself. She said it was because of bullying going on at school."

The inquest continues.

 

 

when is it going to stop. the man is great .. and why should carl
lewis undermind an whole nation.. Jamaica wi large .. so we get
hated on ,

Taken from www.timeonline.com

Please check out dancehall_Happenings on yahoo groups!!! Jah Bless!!


September 13, 2008

Carl Lewis calls for scrutiny of sprint sensation Usain Bolt
The winner of nine Olympic golds has said the Jamaican's achievements
are questionable because of an inadequate drugs-testing programme in
his home country
(Thomas Kienzle/AP)
Sensation: Bolt's performances at the Beijing Olympics, where he
broke both the 100 metres and 200 metres world records, left him open
to questions from former athletes

Rick Broadbent
It has been a Jamaican love-in since Usain Bolt bestrode the Olympic
Games and won a hat-trick of gold medals, but a voice from the past
urged caution as the new sprint sensation was heralded as the king of
Kingston. With Bolt in the throes of a national party after his
homecoming this week, Carl Lewis said that his achievements are
questionable.

The American, 47, who won nine Olympic golds, stopped short of
accusing Bolt of doping, but his remarks were the most damning yet
from a track insider. In an incendiary interview in Sports
Illustrated, Lewis said: "When people ask me about Bolt I say he
could be the greatest athlete of all time. But for someone to run
10.03 one year and 9.69 the next, if you don't question that in a
sport that has the reputation it has right now, you're a fool.
Period."

Like many others, Lewis pointed to Jamaica's perceived lack of
testing as the foundation for his suspicion. "I'm proud of America
right now because we have the best random and most comprehensive drug-
testing programme. Countries like Jamaica do not have a random
programme, so they can go months without being tested. No one is
accusing Bolt, but don't live by a different rule and expect the same
kind of respect. How dare anybody feel that there shouldn't be
scrutiny, especially in our sport?"

Lewis, who was allowed to compete in the 1988 Games in Seoul having
been cleared by the IAAF after being accused of testing positive for
banned stimulants, said that he was not singling out Bolt and also
questioned the performance of Jamaica's female sprinters. The IOC
targeted the Jamaica sprinters for *lo**-testing when they were in
Beijing and none of them tested positive.

Related Links
Bolt and the making of an Olympic champion
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Lewis also expressed his anger that Antonio Pettigrew, the American
who testified this year to doping when part of the United States
Olympic title-winning 4 x 400 metres relay team in 2000, had kept his
job as a coach.

However, it is Lewis's remarks about Bolt that will cause a storm in
Jamaica. Herb Elliott, the Jamaica team doctor and a member of the
IAAF antidoping commission, accused the US of peddling "condescending
crap" at the Olympics. "They still think we don't know anything down
in Jamaica," he said.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/olympics/article4740437.ece

 Carl Lewis fe get gun shot!!!

MONTERREY, Mexico (Reuters) Mexican gunmen have kidnapped a U.S. security consultant who negotiated the release of dozens of kidnap victims in Latin America.

Gunmen abducted Felix Batista outside a restaurant last Wednesday in the relatively safe northern industrial city of Saltillo in Coahuila state, Mexican authorities and his employer, security consultancy ASI Global, said on Monday.

Batista, a Miami-based Cuban American credited with negotiating the release of victims abducted by Col****ian rebels, was snatched after he stepped outside the restaurant, answering a call on his cellular phone, Mexican media said.

The U.S. embassy in Mexico City said it was investigating and declined to comment further.

"He may have been targeted by organized crime in an attempt to show their power. Saltillo is not a kidnapping hot spot," said a source at Coahuila state attorney general's office.

Batista's employer, Houston-based ASI Global, denied Mexican media reports that he was a former FBI agent and said he was on a private trip in Coahuila state near Texas, giving seminars on security.

"We have requested help from the FBI and the Mexican authorities," said ASI Global's President Charlie LeBlanc.

Hundreds of people are kidnapped in Mexico every year and the number of victims has increased sharply as drug gangs, under pressure from President Felipe Calderon's army-backed crackdown, seek new revenues to fund their operations.

Coahuila lawmakers last week sent a bill to Mexico's Congress to change the constitution to allow the death penalty for kidnappers who kill their captives.

More than 5,300 people have been killed in drug violence across Mexico this year as cartels fight each other over smuggling routes to the United States and clash with Mexican security forces seeking to restore security.

Kanye West is heading East! The rapper has revealed that he is heading the capital city, London to pursue a career in fashion and introduce his new fashion line Pastelle. Believe it or not, reports claim that Kanye has applied for apprenticeships at Louis Vuitton in Bond Street, Raf Simons and others.Im going to go and take an internship and just do something thats like completely normal, and just rap at the weekends or something, he said. A source told The Mirror: Everyone is surprised at just how seriously Kanye is taking his fashion dream. He is always in the front rows during the Paris and Milan fashion weeks, chatting away to the likes of Lily Allen. He absolutely loves London and wants to absorb the fashion over here. Reports in The Mirror also claim that the face of Pastelle will be Brit newcomer Mr. Hudson. If this does all materialize, Kanye will probably be the wealthiest intern around, with more people coming to see him then the shops!

BEENIE MAN BOOED AT WEDDY WEDDY
One876Entertainment.com passed through Weddy Weddy this morning. A lot of people were in the venue, a lot of the conversations revolved around the fight between Deva Bratt and Munga, but as usual Beenie Man found some way to steal the spotlight. He went on the microphone and asked why Stone Love had chosen to give Mavado the deejay of the year title when it was clear that Mavado was a singer. While he certainly had a point, he chose the wrong forum and method to communicate his message.

"Weh de *lo**cloth yu a deal wid Wee Pow, no disrespect, but Mavado is not a deejay, him is a singer.....so wha happen to my trophy?" he asked.

The crowd, at first shocked at the outburst, soon recovered their senses enough to begin to boo him. One girl even quipped that he was acting like the 'idiot of the year'.

Wee Pow seemed to be quite surprised by the Doctor's emtional outburst as well.

Later on, Matterhorn lightly scolded the deejay for making these statements saying as the self-proclaimed king of the dancehall, surely he did not need that title. We would tend to agree.

DOZER BIRTHYDAY PARTY TOMORROW
Dozer will celebrate his birthday with a rollicking party tomorrow at the Rebel T headquarters.

FOREIGNERS BALL NEXT WEEK
A lot of people are looking forward to the Foreigner's Ball on Dec. 28th which wil feature the Couture Models and Toya who will be modelling designs by Jamaica's premier dancehall designer Biggy.

Big up to the creator of the zone!!! I now know about 500 useful contacts.

Lil Kim was spotted at Caliente Saturdays, where she performed live and took some pictures with eager fans on the sofa. She looked normal enough last night, but the picture above with the random fan with her cakes hanging out makes us wonder just how they might have put that sofa to use. Freaks.

More pictures from the event up under the hood

We know certain supermarket tabloids are known for their reports of Elvis sightings, alien abductions and celebrity confessions that never happened, but several UK sites are reporting that Pamela Anderson has been seeing Michael Jackson. Cmon guys, were not buying it! Pam digs the rocker types like Tommy Lee and Kid Rock while Michael Jackson prefers well back to the topic at hand.

Apparently Jacko and Pam are currently hooking up in Malibu." A source claims, "It was all arranged by their people in total secrecy, very cloak and dagger." Hmm, wouldnt Michael be public about this? He could use the good publicity.

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