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Jamaican Immigrant Thanks Rush Limbaugh, All Rich People for Helping Her Come to U.S.

December 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Jamaican immigrant thanks Rush Limbaugh and “all the rich people” for helping her to come to the U.S. and succeed.

Jamaican immigrant thanks Rush Limbaugh and all the rich people in this country for helping her “to come to this country with no education and succeed,” when she called in to his show Wednesday. Um, really? I thought the State Department and the person who sponsored her for the visa helped her to come to this country. Seems to me if rich people like Rush Limbaugh had their way, we wouldn’t see many immigrants coming to the U.S., because aren’t big fans of immigration.

The caller, named Michelle from Redlands, Fla., also said she couldn’t afford textbooks in Jamaica. I won’t say Jamaica doesn’t have its share of economic problems but she’s making the country out like it’s on par with Haiti. I went to high school in Jamaica, Mt. Alvernia High School, and the education, which went off the British system, was second to none. There were libraries and why didn’t she take the high school entrance examination? She said she left school in the ninth grade in the elementary school system. Um, when you can’t pass the entrance exam, that’s what usually happens. She said “if I could give birth to one million Herman Cain, it would solve some of the problems in this country.” Well, she must be a handful of blacks singing that tune.

I would be remiss in pointing out that Michelle says she hates what this country has become and also had some choice words for the Republican Party.  Michelle from, I can tell you with a great deal of confidence that Rush Limbaugh had nothing to do with your coming to this country. In fact, do you know where he stands on immigration? Here is the audio to her call to Rush Limbaugh’s show:

Jamaican Immigrant Thanks Rush Limbaugh, All Rich People for Helping Her Come to U.S.
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Hardley Lewin, Jamaica’s Police Commissioner, Resigns Over Frustrations with Rising Crime Rates

November 3, 2009 By Leave a Comment

As if things couldn’t get any worse for Jamaica, it’s police commissioner Hardley Lewin has resigned, as the island struggles to reduce it’s murder rate, that is one of the highest in the world. I am pained by this because Jamaica is such a beautiful place, but it has been dogged by so many social and political issues over the years that I have to take the position that if it was still actively governed by the British government, things would be far different. This news comes as the island has balked at the U.S. Justice Department’s request that reputed Jamaican drug kingpin Christopher “Dudus” Coke be turned over to the U.S. to face charges filed in New York.

lewin+leaves Hardley Lewin, Jamaicas Police Commissioner, Resigns Over Frustrations with Rising Crime Rates
Hardley Lewin leaves (NY Gleaner cartoon)

The statistics are damning for such a small island. More than 1,200 homicides have been reported in Jamaica through September, and officials have said homicides have risen dramatically in recent weeks. Gang violence is blamed for 90 percent of the slayings on the island of three million people. Lewin was appointed commissioner in 2007 after 30 years in the Jamaican military. He resigned Sunday night and Vaz said Monday that Lewin’s successor will likely be named this week. He was literally forced out of office by an establishment that didn’t want an “army man” running the police department. It’s a real shame that a good and dedicated public servant was forced to throw in the towel.

Equally damning for the island is that fact that Lewin is the second high-level person who has resigned in a short period of time.  The sudden resignation of Bank of Jamaica governor Derick Latibeaudiere, plus the Triple C (with a negative outlook) downgrade by Standard & Poor’s of the island’s long-term foreign and domestic currency ratings yesterday can’t possibly help the cause of Prime Minister Bruce Golding. The S&P said it’s reason for taking such a drastic move was based mainly because of the resignation of Latibeaudiere, who was the country’s lead negotiator for the International Monetary Fund standby facility. Many Jamaicans view Mr. Latibeaudiere with a great deal of skepticism. In some circles, many are glad that he resigned because they felt he was very ineffective and didn’t have the best interest of the island at heart.

dudus Hardley Lewin, Jamaicas Police Commissioner, Resigns Over Frustrations with Rising Crime RatesThis latest development with S&P, Lewin and Latibeaudiere, also comes with the recent disclosure that the Jamaican government has balked at the U.S. request to hand over a suspected crime boss, Christopher “Dudus” Coke,” with ties to Jamaica’s governing party amid reports that he is stockpiling weapons in his Kingston stronghold to prevent arrest. Coke, the alleged leader of the “Shower Posse,” has been identified by the U.S. Justice Department as one of the world’s most dangerous drug kingpins and allegedly controls a band of gunmen inside Tivoli Gardens, a rough neighborhood in Kingston.

Coke, the son of the late “Shower Posse” don, Lester Lloyd Coke, aka ‘Jim Brown,’ has been charged in the U.S. Southern District of New York with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana and conspiracy to illegally traffic in firearms. Coke, 40, faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted. U.S. authorities allege, that under Coke’s direction, “Shower Posse” members have sold marijuana and crack cocaine in the New York area and elsewhere and funneled profits back to him. It seems that the government is deliberately stalling by requesting more information about the gun and drug trafficking charges against this man. Prime Minister Golding & Co. need to remember that America is one of the island’s staunchest supporters and there is a mutual extradition treaty in place.

There has been a culture of corruption in certain pockets in Jamaica, especially in the ranks of the police department where there have been frequent allegations of corruption, that must be eradicated if the country wants to reduce its crime rates. Crime is exacerbated by the fact that police are understaffed and ineffective. The vast crime majority of the crime occurs in impoverished areas, but the violence is not confined. The crime rates of Jamaica are higher than Guatemala, Venezuela, Belize, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and the United States.

Jamaica has given the world so much — reggae and its ambassadors such as the great Bob Marley; tourist areas second to none; native dishes that are unrivaled, trailblazing athletes such as Usain Bolt, Donald Quarrie, Merlene Ottey, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Shelley Ann Fraser and so many others. Surely we cannot allow this island to sink into the depths of economic chaos. We must all rally behind the prime minister and say enough is enough. It is time to take back Jamaica from the thugs running around. It is time to implement programs that will help its citizens find gainful employment. It is time to change the mindset of the government and end the culture of corruption that emboldens criminals to run things.

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Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding Says New Constitution Should Ban Same-Sex Marriage and Same-Sex Unions

October 16, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Bruce+Golding official Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding Says New Constitution Should Ban Same Sex Marriage and Same Sex UnionsIt isn’t often that I focus on Jamaican politics, but I found it rather interesting that Prime Minister Bruce Golding would wade head first into the same-sex marriage issue on the island. Personally, I think marriage should be between a man and a woman, but I wouldn’t make it my mission to stop two people of the same sex who loved each other from spending a life together. That’s not my role nor is it my right to do so. I do admire Prime Minister Golding for taking a stand, whether it is widely accepted or criticized. At least you know what his convictions are but it doesn’t make them right. The reality is, having lived in Jamaica, that homosexuality, much less same sex marriage is taboo and it will take a long time, if ever, for that to be widely accepted on the island. Golding said the country’s parliament would not recognize same-sex marriage or same sex unions while he was in power.

“I make no apology in saying decisively and emphatically that the government of Jamaica remains irrevocably opposed to the recognition, legitimization or acceptance of same-sex marriages or same-sex unions,” Golding said on Tuesday.

The prime minister was opening parliamentary debate on a major proposed amendment to the constitution which would lay out the scope of rights and freedoms for Jamaicans. The provision, known as the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms, has been under consideration for several years in the island nation. “There is the possibility that sometime in the future parliament could pass a law that says same-sex unions are legal but it won’t be done in this parliament. Not as long as I sit here.” Source: Caribbean Net News

Golding has made controversial statements about gays and lesbians in the past. In 2007, during a BBC interview, he said he would not allow gays to sit in his cabinet, but also added that he does not believe it is the business of government to “interfere in what two consenting adults chose to do within their own protected privacy. Here’s my question to Mr. Golding, then why would you care if you had a homosexual in your cabinet? Sorry, but that’s a form of discrimination and Jamaica prides itself on its motto: “Out of many, one people.” There seems to be a terrible disconnect. On one hand, unemployment, crime and sexual assaults against children seem to be on the rise, but the prime minister has concerned himself with an issue that really does not affect the economic growth of the country.

What is equally disturbing is the fact that Jamaica’s constitution affirms the right to freedom of association and his hard line position against same sex unions is hypocritical, to say the least. He further stated that “I will not accept it that homosexuality must be accepted as a legitimate form of behavior or the equivalent of marriage.” Well, since Jamaica is so heavily dependent on tourism and aid from foreign governments, then there will be repercussions on such fronts. There comes a time when you have to accept that people have the right to do certain things within the confines of the law. It should not be a criminal offense for two people of the same sex have a civil union. He also said that “we remain steadfast in our determination that the values and culture must be protected and preserved.” Really?

I hope the same steadfast and bold determination will spill over to tackling the other economic issues — high unemployment, high murder rates, teenage pregnancy, fixing the roads, upgrading schools, preserving national history, combating illiteracy rates, fragile economy, two industry country (tourism & bauxite) and corruption within the police ranks. Jamaica has been described by the U.S. State Department as a source, transit and destination country for women and children trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation and forced labor. It further states that the government of Jamaica does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, though it has made some efforts to do so. Prime Minister Bruce Golding has far more pressing issues to confront than to fight same sex unions. No matter what your sexual orientation is, you deserve the same protective rights as a heterosexual and should not be targeted for acts of violence just because one is gay.

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Jamaican Wilhel Blake, 91, Grilled for Four Hours by UK Immigration, Frightened Great Grandmother Wets Self after Detention

September 10, 2009 By Leave a Comment

blake Jamaican Wilhel Blake, 91, Grilled for Four Hours by UK Immigration, Frightened Great Grandmother Wets Self after DetentionWhat happened to Wilhel Blake,91, at the hands of immigration in Great Britain is unconscionable. The elderly Jamaican woman was detained for four hours and subjected to “patronizing” interrogation by immigration officers at Britain’s Gatwick Airport last month. She was reportedly kept in custody by immigration officers interrogation after once seeing her on a buggy, suspected that she had somehow illegally tampered with the National Health Service system on a previous visit. What is equally reprehensible is the fact that this woman urinated on herself because of the stress from this horrific treatment.

Blake’s granddaughter, Trish Adudu, who is a BBC journalist and radio presenter, was furious with the immigration officer’s actions. “It’s just disgraceful. The fact that they can detain a 91-year-old woman for four hours having come from Jamaica, not have her family be able to represent her in anyway and ask very patronising and scary questions for a 91-year-old – it’s disgraceful,” said Adudu.

Blake has had previous trips to England and had never come under scrutiny before. She flew to Gatwick to be at her grandson’s wedding in Coventry. She arrived at Gatwick at 10:20 a.m. and was detained until 2:20 p.m.

The treatment she allegedly suffered is cause for concern for Adudu. “She was disoriented because she had been on an eight-hour flight from Jamaica,” explained Adudu. “All she accepted from them was a cup of tea. She felt that they were very short with her. She felt very angry. She felt humiliated, distressed and frightened. She’s 91, so try and put yourself in that situation – how would you feel?”

Adudu added: “She’s really sad. She’s been here five times and it’s never happened (before). She’s over for my brother’s wedding and she felt humiliated. She was so distressed that as soon as my brother got her, when she was allowed out, she wet herself, which was humiliating for her because she’s a very strong woman. Source: Jamaica Gleaner

Sorry, but this seems to be a case of racial profiling and the 91-year old woman didn’t deserve this.

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Wells Fargo, the Stagecoach from Hell, Plowed through Communities with Racist Mortgage Tactics against Blacks

June 10, 2009 By Leave a Comment

wells+fargo Wells Fargo, the Stagecoach from Hell, Plowed through Communities with Racist Mortgage Tactics against Blacks Wells Fargo, the stagecoach from hell, is accused of literally railroading many black customers into an abyss of endless mortgage woes, many cases leading to foreclosure. It is a shame, but this reminds me of the Jamaican legend of Annie Palmer, the “White Witch of Rose Hall,” who inflicted untold pain and anguish to many slaves, even allegedly poisoning her husbands until one brave person took matters in his own hands and killed her. Yes, Wells Fargo is getting a dose of its own medicine. In the wake of the subprime mortgage crisis, the illegal and unsavory practices of many of the mortgage lenders are slowly coming to light. The claims filed against Wells Fargo by the city of Baltimore — and reported in the last week by the Baltimore Sun and New York Times — are pretty shocking and damning, to say the least.

The suit has accused against the bank of using a range of deceptive practices to push high-interest, subprime loans onto African-Americans in Baltimore and the Maryland suburbs, leading hundreds into foreclosure. Former loan officers Tony Paschal and Elizabeth Jacobson have signed the affidavits and their statements are damning. Paschal said “Wells Fargo targeted black communities for bad loans by focusing on African-American churches, using black employees as its public face, and using software to translate marketing materials into various languages, including something called “African American.” Watch Wells Fargo try to spin this and infer that these two former employees had an ox to grind. At this point, with foreclosures still in the stratosphere, I am inclined to believe these two people.

The affidavits were offered as evidence in a lawsuit filed on behalf of Baltimore last year and amended Monday, alleging “tens of millions” of dollars in losses from racist, predatory lending, known as “reverse redlining”- the targeting of minority borrowers, regardless of credit history, for unfavorable subprime loans. The city says the practice led to increased foreclosures, vacant properties and crime in black communities.”Our minority residents and homeowners, many of whom were first-time buyers, were led down a disastrous primrose path by Wells Fargo, one of the biggest lenders in the city of Baltimore,” City Solicitor George Nilson said in an interview Wednesday.”We’re trying to do what we can to get some kind of redress.”

In an 825-page amended complaint filed Monday, city attorneys attached 20 exhibits, including the employee declarations, 10 studies about reverse redlining and statements from Baltimore residents about the problems of living near foreclosed-upon, vacant homes. They also filed a motion asking that a hearing scheduled for later this month, to determine whether their suit holds water, be “reconsidered” based on the information. Source: The Baltimore Sun

Then they wonder why the push for black empowerment, to do business with our own people is in full swing. Check out Talking Points Memo for an interesting commentary on this debacle.

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Jamaican Army Deployed Ahead of Tax Increases on Gasoline, Cigarettes and other Consumer Items, Violence Would be a Deathknell to Tourist Season

April 24, 2009 By Leave a Comment
totaljamaica Jamaican Army Deployed Ahead of Tax Increases on Gasoline, Cigarettes and other Consumer Items, Violence Would be a Deathknell to Tourist SeasonMotorists flock a Total gas station in Kingston yesterday.
(Photo: Garfield Robinson)

Now this is news that the Jamaican government certainly doesn’t need to make the international mainstream media, especially on the heels of Stephen Fray’s hijacking of Canada’s CanJet airlines earlier this week. More negative publicity does not bode well for the tourist season. Apparently the government has put police and the army on alert to prevent violent demonstrations as it prepared to announce tax increases on gasoline, cigarettes and other consumer items yesterday. According to media reports, police and soldiers were deployed at what the government called “strategic” locations across the Caribbean island to quell any violent protests. Finance and Planning Minister Audley Shaw was expected to announce the tax increases during a budget debate yesterday. From what I have read in the Jamaica Observer newspaper, it seems that people are taking this in stride, but we’ll have to wait to see how it will play out today. At JA$8.75 per liter gas tax will be a hard pill to swallow, but I guess it’s a necessary one.

Prime Minister Bruce Golding told the nation during a national broadcast Wednesday night that Jamaicans should brace for tougher times because the island could not continue to borrow money to fill holes in the budget. Yes, he too inherited an enormous mess from Portia Simpson’s reign of terror. Of course, I am sure she is foaming at the mouth to start those very protests across the island. Portia Simpson Miller should be encouraging her constituents and others across the island to protest peacefully, not violently.

“There is speculation about the likelihood of tax increases and that there could be disturbances. But what purpose would that serve? Would it close the budget gap. Jamaica can no longer borrow to fill the gap in the budget,” Golding said. Source: Reuters

Jamaica has had a terrible past with protests, from my recollection growing up on the island. I recall in the 1980s leading up to the general elections that Eddie Seaga won by a landslide, there was so much violence that one was afraid to disclose one’s party affiliation. I also recall during my high school years at Mt. Alvernia that there were at least two protests over gasoline price hikes and I had to start a 10-mile walk home, from which I was rescued by my father. Nine people were killed during riots that broke out when a gasoline tax increase was announced in April 1999. I know the economic times are tough and those countries on the fringe, like Jamaica, will feel the excruciating pain, but I would caution that violence isn’t going to solve the ills that dog the country. It will have an adverse effect on tourism and the island’s image, that has suffered because of crime and unemployment. What ever little is left of the tourist season ought to be preserved.

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Perez Hilton Calls Carrie Prejean, Miss California, A "Dumb Bitch" for Saying Marriage Should be Between a Man and a Woman During Miss USA Pageant

April 20, 2009 By Leave a Comment

PREJEAN Perez Hilton Calls Carrie Prejean, Miss California, A "Dumb Bitch" for Saying Marriage Should be Between a Man and a Woman During Miss USA Pageant
I cannot understand why gays and lesbians feel that they must push their sexual orientation in our faces. I believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman. They can’t seem to respect the rights of others to feel that way. Did Perez Hilton, who asked the question about gay marriage to Miss California, Carrie Prejean, have to video-blog on his website calling her a “dumb bitch?” Was that really necessary? Don’t we have a right in this country to our own opinion? Personally, I could care less what gays and lesbians do, but don’t expect me to change my position that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. As a Christian, that is my belief, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want inclusion for all gays and lesbians. I guess the bigger question is did she lose the crown because of her response? Smells fishy to me.

Last night Kristen Dalton of North Carolina was named Miss USA 2009, but no one really cared about that. The night belonged to Miss California, who gave a response from her heart. She was questioned by judge Perez Hilton, I am still trying to figure out how he was asked to serve in such a capacity, about gay marriage. Here is the transcript of the exchange:

PEREZ: Vermont recently became the fourth state to legalize same-sex marriage. Do you think every state should follow suit? Why or why not?

CARRIE: I think it’s great that Americans are able to choose one or the other. We live in a land that you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage and, you know what, in my country and my family I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anyone out there but that’s how I was raised and that’s how I think it should be between a man and a woman. Source: Huffington Post

She said what she believed in with conviction and that is her right. So, for all the gays and lesbians out there who feel that the whole world should roll over every time you want your voices heard, think again. Perez Hilton took a gamble in asking that question and got what he deserved.

Separately, a group of gays and lesbians in New York City are boycotting Jamaica for its so-called treatment of gays and lesbians on the island. What I found absolutely laughable was that they poured out bottles of Red Stripe beer and rum as if that could make a statement and bolster their position. I believe that they should be afforded rights under a civil union and not in the true sense of a marriage.

Let me end by saying that Perez Hilton is a weasel for thinking he can get away with calling this woman a “dumb bitch” because she does not agree with his position as a homosexual. Donald Trump and his organization tried to be inclusive but were insulted by the lack of professionalism of Perez Hilton. That’s not how you get someone to see your point of view. They ought to take a chapter from the civil rights movement to see how blacks achieved some of the rights they were due in this country, even though the struggle for equality continues.

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Stephen Fray, a "Mentally Challenged" Gunman Holds Hostages on Canadian CanJet Flight 918 at Jamaica’s Sangsters Int’l Airport

April 20, 2009 By Leave a Comment

UPDATE

The gunman has been removed from the CanJet airline and is in police custody. Thank God this nightmare is over. According Jamaican Information Minister Daryl Vaz, the “mentally challenged youngster” was apparently upset over a failed relationship.

Well, this is indeed a first for Jamaica — an airplane being hijacked. I was dozing off last night and the last thing I recall hearing was that an airplane had been hijacked in Jamaica, but I thought to myself, that can’t be. I was mistaken. According to Fox News, Stephen Fray, a mentally challenged 20-year old man, hijacked CanJet Flight 918, a Canadian charter plane on the tarmac at Donald Sangster International Airport, located on the outskirts of Montego Bay. He is currently holding the flight crew hostage, after setting the passengers free, having robbing several of them first. All I can say is, he’d better step off the plane peacefully. The Prime Ministerfray Stephen Fray, a "Mentally Challenged" Gunman Holds Hostages on Canadian CanJet Flight 918 at Jamaicas Sangsters Intl Airport of Canada Stephen Harper is in Jamaica for a one-day visit and that’s certainly not the way Prime Minister Bruce Golding wanted him to be welcomed to the island.

Television Jamaica reports Prime Minister Golding, along with national security ministers, have flown in by helicopter to oversee negotiations with the gunman. The hostage situation began at 10:30 p.m. local time when the man breached security systems, possibly using an airport staff entrance, and providing several fake identification cards.

Flight 918 was carrying 182 passengers and crew. All passengers have been safely removed from the aircraft, but CanJet crew and the armed man remain on board. The motives of the gunman are unknown at this time and officials say the situation is ongoing. Source: Fox News

This incident begs the question of how did this man gain access to a restricted location within the airport building? According to the Gleaner, an official said that the man threatened personnel in the terminal before proceeding to the aircraft. He was still not restrained because there were no armed security personnel in the terminal. The Gleaner further states that a senior official at MBJ Airports Limited said armed security personnel are not usually in the terminal and that it is an internationally accepted practice. Really? That seems strange that you have a man issuing threats and no-one bats an eye, let alone approach the man to ascertain his state of mind.

It’s reported that as soon as the man boarded the flight he issued orders that he wanted to go to Cuba. Though this is an isolated incident, nonetheless, it raises some serious concerns about security at the airport and heads should roll for this. Unfortunately for Jamaica, which depends heavily on tourism, this incident will have some fallout and may hurt the country’s image. Considering the economic challenges the island is facing, this is the last thing they needed, but the damage isn’t irreparable. They need to bring this to a close sooner, rather than later. The longer this drags on, the longer it stays in the news and could have an effect on the country’s image.

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McDonald’s Golden Arches Topple in Arizona Due to High Winds, Crushes Russell and Carolyn Janke’s SUV, Couple Sustains Multiple Injuries

April 17, 2009 By Leave a Comment
arches McDonalds Golden Arches Topple in Arizona Due to High Winds, Crushes Russell and Carolyn Jankes SUV, Couple Sustains Multiple InjuriesThe golden arches of a McDonald’s restaurant in Window Rock,
Ariz., fell on top of a vehicle carrying Russell and Carolyn Janke.
(Elise Bennett/www.ireport.com-Chicago Sun Times)

Well, fast food giant McDonald’s has a new headache this morning. A giant set of golden arches outside one of its eateries in eastern Arizona toppled in high winds Wednesday, crushing Russell and Carolyn Janke’s Chevy Trailblazer as they sat inside the parked vehicle. Thankfully they did not die, but sustained multiple injuries. The Naperville, Ill., couple had stopped at the McDonald’s on the Navajo Nation reservation in Window Rock as they were making their way back to Chicago from their winter home near Tucson.

Navajo acting Police Chief Steven Nelson said winds hit 60 mph Wednesday, causing the sign to be blown down from atop a pole across the street from the restaurant. Yep, a freak accident that may have lawsuit written all over it. How could it be that the sign was not properly secured? I have been in 60 mph winds in Jamaica during a tropical storm and that’s not enough to bring a well-secured sign down.

Carolyn Janke, 68, was trapped inside the SUV and had to be cut out of the vehicle by rescue crews, Nelson said. Both were taken to the Fort Defiance Indian Health Service. Carolyn Janke was later transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix — about six hours from Window Rock — where she remained in intensive care Thursday, her daughter-in-law, Ann Janke, told the Chicago Sun-Times.

Carolyn Janke, who was knocked unconscious, has a fractured spinal column and a fractured sternum, her daughter-in-law said. Russell Janke, 70, a retired engineer, was hit in the head and “has over 70 stitches,” she said. Source: Chicago Sun Times

Ann Janke, the couple’s daughter, said she’s desperately trying to get more information about the accident. I can’t say I blame her one bit. They need to get to the bottom of this. I also hope the company won’t give this family a hassle to pay their medical bills, especially since Carolyn Janke was reportedly in the intensive care unit.

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Jamaica’s Bobsled Team on Track to Qualify for the 21st Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver

April 10, 2009 By Leave a Comment

jamaicabobsled Jamaicas Bobsled Team on Track to Qualify for the 21st Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver Laugh all you want, the Jamaican Bobsled Team is back and on track in its qualifying bid for the 21st Olympic Winter Games scheduled to be held February 12-28, 2010 in Vancouver, Canada. According to the Jamaica Information Service, the team recently concluded four months of training and competition with a 10th place finish in the two-man race at the Bobsled and Skeleton World Championship in Lace Placid, New York. Yes mon, laugh all you want, as a Jamaican expat, I have to be happy for my yaadies.

Other highlights of the team’s season include a 20th place finish at the Junior World Championship in Koenigsee, Germany, as well as extensive sliding time in Park City, Utah. While on a brief stopover in New York on April 3 on their way home from Lake Placid, Alexander, Wallace and Marvin Dixon, toured the Jamaican-owned Caribbean Food Delights production plant located in Tappan.

Devon Harris, a member of Jamaica’s first bobsled team, which qualified for the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, served as chaperone during the group’s stop in New York. Source: JIS

Don’t count the island out yet, if the past Olympics in which Usain Bolt and the other sprinters made a tremendous mark, this may be yet another area in which the island does well. Okay, I am not saying they will win, but they may surprise everyone. Yeh mon, Jamaica’s got a bobsled team!

pixel Jamaicas Bobsled Team on Track to Qualify for the 21st Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver
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