Overreaction?

 Am I getting too old or just unable to get accustomed to the American way?

Hopefully it's the latter😊.

I have spent 99% of my life in places that are on hurricane paths and each year we prepare the best we can and wait it out. 

I have observed for some years now though, that ever since we in Jamaica started getting regular hurricane updates from the USA, a whole lot of additional and unecessary stress is added to our lives every year, as these natural occurrences occur or threaten to.

For when you look at the dramatic manner in which US television weather people bring you updates on hurricanes, it as if every one of us is going to be totally eradicated when each one forms!

Seriously, for when we never had those dramatic up-dates with pictures showing the bands swallowing us all all, the stress level was just not as terrible.

Think of it, aren’t earthquakes also natural occurrences? Because they cannot be predicted, when they happen, we mourn, pick up the pieces where we can and move on.

No additional unnecessary stress. 

That is great, for as the experts will tell you, stress is the root of all evil.

While in Jamaica, my most costly hurricane loss never came from the winds nor from ignoring warnings that the weather people would have you believe would blow you to hell and back.

It was hurricane Gustav in 2008. Not a category 5 like Gilbert in 1988. 

Gustav was barely a category 1 hurricane and it never came with much drama, but lots of water. It wasn’t even the water coming directly from the from the system which caused my misery, but a set of circumstances that one could never have imagined or prepared for.

My backyard was on the Sandy Gully, a major waterway in Kingston. But it had what was previously thought to be, an invincible gully wall.

Well Gustav by itself wasn’t the problem. My misery came from the water in the gully which was transporting a small section of a brick house, which crashed into my ‘invincible’ wall. For, unfortunately my backyard was on a corner, so the force of the water loaded with bricks tore into my retaining wall and made a large hole. Long story short, my backyard flooded to within two or three inches of the back of the house! I lived for weeks being unable to go outside for when the water had receded, my backyard had a 30-foot drop.

I am by no means suggesting that one should not take practical precautions where able, but there are so many things one can’t prevent or prepare for, so stirring up panic is of no use. 

Anyway, as  American weather people are no doubt in search of ratings, over dramatization is not too much in their my book!

I remember when Mrs. Thatcher was prime minister of England, a storm created some damage in London, but the weather people had not seen it coming, so she ordered that they all be fired!😊

Is that what American weather people are over-reacting to? You tell me.

Then there are the politicians.

We all know Florida is very flat so prone to flooding, but really, urging all who live in the path of the hurricane to evacuate has got to be too damn extreme.

For example, for days before Ian even became a category 4 hurricane and while it was hundreds of miles away from Florida, the governor was on tv urging the 2.5 millions in its orbit to evacuate. Naturally, sections of west and north western Florida ended up having traffic jams for miles.

Luckily, it was only a small proportion of those in its path who had obeyed his call!

I could not help wondering, if everyone did, where would they find safe havens? In the past, I have even heard of people evacuating, going further north only to have the hurricane bypssing where they fled from and hitting the place they had run off to!

Yes, I understand that politicians and weather people don’t want to be accused of not doing enough to protect people, but is creating mass panic the way to go? Or is it better to give practical advice, educate the population, provide things like sand bags, and create shelters where necessary?

Giving practical information on necessities that one will need, like food, cleaning supplies etc. would certainly be a better option than having panic-stricken shoppers cleaning out supermarkets to buy things they will never need. This is now part of the annual madness and it has taken hold in Jamaica too.

Having experience is really valuable I guess, as I have never rushed out to buy stuff for hurricanes. So when category 5 Gilbert hit us in Jamaica and left us without electricity for up to three months, we still survived, Yes, it was difficult and very inconvenient at times, but in my book, that beats the annual  stress and unnecessary expense of buying tons of stuff you will never need!

Each year as I watch the dramatic rituals, I often get the impression that many of these modern-day  politicians and some US weather reporters, are the type of people who would love to be able to go into crowded theaters and shout fire. Smh.

UPDATE. Ian made landfall mainly in Ft. Myers and it’s environs and my heart goes out to those affected. But that area was never targeted by the weather people. Instead it was Orlando and Tampa residents who were being urged to evacuate!

College? Not for me

 A few years ago, speaking to a young American, I was shocked when he declared that he was sorry he had gone to college. When I asked him why, he explained that he had wasted four years of his life getting a degree, cum laude too, only to find that the job market for graduates was no good. He told me that all around he heard of the thousands of young people who did not graduate with anything but were making huge sums of money on things like gaming and You Tube.

Interestingly, he did not mention criminal activity though.

I was a bit puzzled as where I come from, Jamaica, higher education had long been considered the route to upward mobility, including financial success.

I guess I am out of step though for I am only realizing that the type of youth that I knew who hungered for higher education, now seem obsolete, especially among young men.

It came home starkly when I was advised recently that two well-advertised scholarships valued at $2.4 million, to our own University of the West Indies, was commanding little interest.

These scholarships were being sponsored by Violet Edwards, a Jamaican, who is one of five people in the world that got a university degree while in their 90’s. (Joan, my views: Reflections on aging (joan-myviews.blogspot.com)

Even then I didn’t want to believe there was a serious trend until a friend sent me this recent news item from TVJ. (https://youtu.be/Y9WiSxpcc7I.)

 In the news clip, you see and hear Minister of Agriculture Pernell Charles Jr, bemoaning the fact that there are dozens of scholarships available for which there are no takers.

And to think that for years I have been living under the illusion that just enough scholarships are available for poor students! 😞                                                                    I really shouldn’t be surprised you know but I am genuinely dismayed.

I say I shouldn’t be surprised, for I have known for years that Jamaica is a country where crime definitely pays. 

So if you can get rich quickly and easily through crime, why study?

Even when our criminals are as high profile as Dudus was, the law does not touch them as our security force is super corrupt.

One of the homes alledgedly owned by Dudus

And, there are so many easy ways to make money and openly enjoy the flashy lifestyle in Jamaica without ever being deterred (unless the Americans step in), that those who don’t choose that route could be considered either cowardly or stupid!

Among the easy ways the youth see people making lots of money and living large without studying are; scamming, extortion, drugs, religion and politics.

On the other hand, most who choose the long tedious route involving years of study, after graduation, they end up in jobs which don’t even give them the ability to pay rent in relatively safe neighborhoods, if they don’t get the opportunity to migrate.

Of course, there are exceptions to this general trend, but clearly not enough to give most young people the impetus to pursue the straight and narrow.

Till we tackle this drift, college and higher education will continue to be unattractive to many in the younger generation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mt. Alvernia moving up

Mt. Alvernia located in the second city, is not a school I had heard much about. In fact, I have passed their sign on occasion when visiting Montego Bay, but had no idea it was a rather large (1500 students) all-girls high school and sister school to the fairly well-known Immaculate High School in Kingston.

I only got to learn a little about them recently on being invited to a fundraising function at the Hilton hotel at Sawgrass in Sunrise, Florida, by an alumnus and her sister.

Josephine Marshall, former tennis great at Mt. Alvernia

This was the first time since the Covid epidemic struck, that the Central Florida Alumni Association had gathered. The turnout was great, considering the inclement weather and their enthusiasm was contagious. 

Janice (l) and sister Josie (right)

This Central Florida Association has certainly been a dynamic behind the scenes organization, according to the reports.

In recent times, they have clearly raised a mountain of funds, so have worked wonders for the school. The things I learnt that impressed me were not the usual providing of equipment, or buying a bus, but they have actually financed the establishment of an Electrical Installation program, a fully qualified gym and to top it all, the solarization of the entire school!

Maybe I am out of the loop, for I have never heard of an electrical installation division in an all-girls school. Further this solarization of the entire school is revolutionary, and will certainly save the school millions annually. Can’t figure why other schools have not trod a similar path, considering we in Jamaica have an over-abundance of sun! 

And no doubt, as a result of the great assistance they receive from past students, this previously low-keyed school was last year in the top five in terms of CSEC and Cape exams.

Impressive too is the fact that they were also in the top eleven in terms of medals  won at Champs, although it was revealed that they have no athletic training grounds at the school!

As I listened to various spokespersons outlining the achievements there, I really had to wonder how come I had heard so little about that institution. I am deaf maybe!😉

The fund-raising event was in general, quite enjoyable with the hilarious Mistress of Ceremonies even changing into her school uniform at one point.

The MC was hilarious 

 The entertainment was impressive too as it was a musical performance by the Duggan family. I must say I was over-awed by the performance of the mom although they revealed that it was the youngest member who is a recording artist.

That Dougan Family of singers are really on top of their game.

                                              Memories

 

Common-Wealth!

I have given this title to the blog since it is clear that we are the common people and they, the royalty, control the wealth!

The Commonwealth, established in 1949, is deemed to be a political association of independent countries which were former colonies of the British empire. 

Up to September 2022, the head of the commonwealth was Queen Elizabeth 11.

There are around fifty-six countries currently involved. Interestingly, many of these countries, especially in Africa, were savagely exploited during the reign of the British. And in addition to all their natural resources and artifacts being looted, their people were kidnapped, taken overseas and worked to death as slaves, so Britain could build its country on free labour.

The British Empire was the largest of its kind in history, once controlling about a quarter of all the land on Earth. Britain began colonizing the world back in the 16th century, but when Queen Elizabeth 11 took the throne, only around 70 colonies still existed overseas.

Today Britain still maintains total control of the following countries; Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, the Pitcairn Islands, St Helena and its Dependencies, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands and the Turks & Caicos Islands.

However, while a number of other countries have supposedly declared their independence from Britain, they decided not to pursue republican status but instead keep the Queen as their head of State. 

This is strictly ceremonial as the monarchy does not interfere in the day-to-day affairs of those countries. Interestingly though, although the British monarch is their head of state, most citizens of these countries need to obtain visas to travel to Britain!

The countries outside of the UK include Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Australia, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu.

They along with many that opted for their own head of state, became members of the Commonwealth of which Queen Elizabeth was head up to her death in September 2022.

However, over the years many citizens and some leaders in countries including Australia and Jamaica, have been expressing disquiet at maintaining the British Monarchy as their head. Some citizens have also angrily pointed to the racist and savage past of the British which got rich by stealing the resources of its protectorates while torturing, raping and enslaving their people.

They have been not only demanding an apology from the Monarchy but also calling for reparations and even the return of stolen artifacts.

These demands have been ignored by the British Monarchy.

Now that the elaborate funeral of the queen is over, the big question is not only whether most of the countries that have retained the monarchy as their head will continue to so, but will Charles 111 be accepted as leader of the Commonwealth and can he even keep it intact?

For if for no other reason, Charles was confirmed by his son Harry and daughter-in law Megan as being a racist. Now he confirmed it in the news clip recorded by CNN.

This shocking clip nearly broke Twitter, for it clearly shows Charles bypassing/snubbing a black man who tried to greet him as he made his way down the line of mourners who had gathered to say goodbye to the Queen.

An interesting Twitter post can be viewed at ;

https://twitter.com/mrcyprians/status/1571832970918432769?s=12&t=tXI9P4V_C8z0BRcDCqQV3w. (Nb. On the 20th September, it was pointed out that this Twitter post was removed. However I checked and it's still there. You have to copy the entire thing and paste. The video is also available on You Tube at; https://youtu.be/FcNkXMtYhUk )

Yes, Queen Elizabeth 11 commanded international love and respect because she was a gracious monarch and had been reigning long before most of the people on this planet were born.

She was therefore accepted although the establishment she represented had been so reprehensible.

However, I am prepared to bet that Charles 111 just cannot cross it! (as we say in Ja!)

Wait for some interesting developments.

Kick the dog!

 

I have noted some pathetic attempts in various media to validate Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. This unprovoked war has led to the murders of thousands of civilians in Ukraine including women and children plus serious instability worldwide.

Apart from creeping international inflation caused by the disruption and increases in oil prices, the war has also had serious repercussions in poor, drought ridden countries, where starvation is now rampant. They had previously been able to buy basic foods such as wheat and corn from fertile Ukraine, but the disruptions caused by the war, have driven up the prices of these products where they are available.

If it wasn’t so serious, it would be hilarious to see and listen to the excuses by the apologists whose reasoning seems steeped in nothing but the ‘kick the dog’ philosophy!

For those who are not familiar, the kick the dog reaction is most often used by cowards. For when one cannot confront the real source of their displeasure or hurt, they find the weakest thing to abuse and take out their anger.

Often this is a harmless dog lying around at home!

This philosophy shines clearly throughout the writings and reasoning of most who have come out in support of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

The latest attempt at justification was written by one Maxim Artemyev, a so-called journalist at the state-run media empire in Russia called RT. His piece published on 9th September, is entitled “The West took advantage of Russian weakness in the 1990s and is unable to understand the trauma it unleashed.”

It begins “A series of articles published in the Washington Post in August about the events leading up to Russia’s military offensive in Ukraine, and its first stage of operation, raise a significant question. “How realistically and objectively do people in the West perceive the situation?”

In putting forward his justification for the illegal invasion of Ukraine, Artemyev spouts a series of injuries/indignities he claims Russia suffered since 1985-1991, when Mikhail Gorbachev pulled the USSR out of the arms race and ended the Cold War.

In the long diatribe which wreaks with self-pity (as a Russian), he itemizes the various indignities, financial and reputational losses Russia has suffered since 1985. While doing so, he pointed an accusing finger at many in the west and NATO but reading it through carefully, I could find nowhere that the Ukrainians were the villains.

Clearly by his own admission, Ukraine is just the dog!

And he knows that too, since he places the blame squarely where it should fall, writing; “The collapse of historical Russia was the result of Gorbachev’s remarkably weak leadership and Yeltsin’s personal ambition, as the latter tried to consolidate power even if only over a smaller state.”

So, Mr. Artemyev, if the Russian empire disintegrated as a result of poor leadership in Russia, how does that justify the murder of thousands next door?

Maybe this article was intended to be a salve for those Russian readers who wondered why their brothers and sisters in Ukraine were being murdered by Russian soldiers and not for an international audience.

What is clear though is that Russia had expected the dog to run away whimpering, but instead, it is biting back!

So, the carnage and war crimes continue.

An outstanding role model

 

This week, on September 7^th 2022 to be exact, the world lost one of its most outstanding journalists and role models, Bernard Shaw.

You wouldn’t believe it though, considering how little mention was made of this fact!

He passed away the day before the Queen of England did, and while her death was expected to make an international impact, one would also have expected that most media houses would at least have taken the time to mention Bernie's passing. But most didn’t and I suspect it’s because he was a black man.

For everything in the great USA revolves around color.

So sad.

I remember how in the late seventies; a satellite dish became my most prized possession.

At that time, I resided full time in my wonderful homeland of Jamaica, but unfortunately, we only had one television station.

The dish therefore opened up a world to me that I could never have imagined.

Then in 1980, when it was announced that we would get a twenty-four-hour news station, CNN and I could not wait.

Imagine my delight when I first turned on CNN and saw an articulate black man delivering the news in what is reputed of be one of the most racist countries in the world! (after South Africa at the time.)

Shaw was their first chief anchor from the day they launched.

For some twenty years, this courageous journalist came to us live from all over the world, Bagdad, Tiananmen Square, Iran etc, wherever there was dangerous conflict. But he never showed any fear. He simply summed up the situation for us calmy and professionally.

Bernard Shaw was not only a superb role model for all journalists, but also for people of color who know they must perform above average to out shine all those who only gain fame and recognition by virtue of their complexion.

Our preeminent role model died on September 7, 2022.

Rest in peace Sir, for you were cherished by those who respect excellence over all else.

King Charles 111? Yuck.

Over the years and much to the disgust of many of my fellow Jamaicans, I have never hidden my distaste for my country holding on to a member of the British monarchy as our head of state, despite our decades of so-called independence.  

Many of my listeners and readers would take umbrage, asking stupidly; “so what shi do yu soh” or “how it a go mek di price a bread go dung if wi get rid har?”

I have never had a personal problem with the Queen herself, as she was simply doing very well, the job she was trained to do. My repugnance has always been with the institution which she has unapologetically represented for over seventy years.

For it is that institution which cruelly murdered, tortured and exploited our ancestors for centuries, thus becoming an extremely wealthy nation on the backs of black people.

How many times have you seen the Queen being featured in Forbes magazine as among the wealthiest women in the world? Where did her wealth come from? A statement from the Economic Freedom Fighters of South Africa, partially reminds us. “... we do not mourn the death of the Queen, because her death is a reminder of a very tragic period in South Africa and Africa’s history.”                               

Neither is it only Africa that suffered greatly at the hands of the British monarchy but basically most of the black world.

Also, I used to often wonder aloud if those Jamaicans who support the continuation of the British monarchy assumed that the “nice lady” would live forever? Have they really been looking forward to Charles being their head of state? That man who took an innocent young lady into the terrible institution that the British monarchy is, treated her like garbage then abandoned her thus causing her untimely tragic death?

In my book, the very thought of Charles being our head of state along Camellia who had no problem breaking up a marriage to move up in the world on her back, has always made me cringe.

Well, here it is now.

In reality, heads of state ought to be, at the very least, role models. Now we are stuck with those two, who certainly are not. 

This is because for decades, successive Jamaican governments twiddled their thumbs and caused that lot to become our reality. That is totally unforgivable. 

The worst government was led by P.J Patterson for 14 years but they did nothing. In 2022 however, Patterson had the nerve to demand that the government act quckly to make Jamaica into a republic, because Barbados had done so!

Now, we, a struggling nation, must find millions to finance the changes, especially in the court system and parliament, to accommodate the new king. And if Mallahoo-Forte is to believed, we will become a republic before the next election, so that means we will soon have to waste the money all over again, to accommodate that transition.

Such unnecessary nonsense caused by this inexplicable love of our oppressors. 

The Stockholm syndrome, no less.

While it is really none of my business, the last British prime minister to have been sworn in by the queen, Liz Truss, did in 1994 call for the abolition of the monarchy! Maybe having someone like Charles as her king and Camellia as their queen, will speed up their process.

However, it is unlikely that King Charles 111, like Charles the 1^st, will be executed (He is the only English monarch to be executed). Though, it will probably be more appropriate karma for Camelia if he follows in the footsteps of Charles 11, who was mockingly called the “merry monarch” because of the many affairs he had during his tenure on the throne! (He is probably too old for that though😆.)

Only time will tell what Charles 111’s fate will be, but in the meantime, we in Jamaica certainly do not need such people as our heads of state and assumed role models. ……then there’s the pedophile!👎

Now even Trevor Noah is ridiculing us; https://youtu.be/nOI--lP8bVI

AAnd im own subjects don't want him! ;https://youtu.be/xPeCv9MxzJs