Written by John Anthony
The fearmongering has led economists on radio in Jamaica and elsewhere to postulate that the recession in the US is the worst since the Great Depression. But these economists must know of the facts that anyone can read in any history text book or research on the internet and they must know that the facts undermine their claims. So what gives? Well what gives is most listenners are not digilent enough to do the research themselves and unfortunately so too is the Prime Minister who on no evidence whatsoever allowed the fearmongers to influence him. Here are the facts.
THE ECONOMIC DECEPTION EXPOSED!
Let us compare the present recession in the USA to the one in the 80s and see what were the remedies applied then. What a major difference Ronnie and Ralston? This is not a partisan chart too; it is from the FDIC!!
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The Jobless Rate Gap Comparing now to the 80s Recession
We've still got a long way to go Ronnie and Ralston.
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Jobless Claims As Percent of Payrolls Comparing 1980 to 2009
Mr. Prime Minister believe your eyes; not your ears. This is all US govt. data and charts.
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Who was the president that caused the recession in the 80s? Let us see:
________________________________________
39th President of the United States
January 20, 1977 – January 20,1981
Who succeeded Jimmy Carter and caused that dramatic fall in unemployment for 8 years? Let us see:
________________________________________
40th President of the United States
January 20, 1981 – January 20, 1989
What were the solutions Reagan used to stimulate the economy??
His supply-side economic policies, dubbed "Reaganomics,"
1. included deregulation and
2. substantial tax cuts implemented in 1981. No stimulus package was used; none whatsoever in what was according to the facts, not real business radio show, a far worse economy.
MORE CHARTS TELLING A DIFFERENT STORY THAN WHAT ONE HEARS ON REAL BUSINESS RADIO SHOW!
President Barack Obama has turned fearmongering into an art form. This fearmongering may be good politics, but it is bad history and bad economics. It is bad history because our current economic woes don't come close to those of the 1930s. Mr. Obama's analogies to the Great Depression are not only historically inaccurate, they're also dangerous.
At worst, a comparison to the 1981-82 recession might be appropriate. Consider the job losses that Mr. Obama always cites. In the last year, the U.S. economy shed 3.4 million jobs. That's a grim statistic for sure, but represents just 2.2% of the labor force. From November 1981 to October 1982, 2.4 million jobs were lost -- fewer in number than today, but the labor force was smaller. So 1981-82 job losses totaled 2.2% of the labor force, the same as now.
Job losses in the Great Depression were of an entirely different magnitude. In 1930, the economy shed 4.8% of the labor force. In 1931, 6.5%. And then in 1932, another 7.1%. Jobs were being lost at double or triple the rate of 2008-09 or 1981-82 (see chart above).
~Economist Bradley Schiller in yesterday's WSJ
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By now, it's clear to everyone that we have inherited an economic crisis as deep and dire as any since the days of the Great Depression.
~President Barack Obama in today's Washington Post
MP: The chart above shows annual real GDP growth during the Great Depression I (1930-1932) and the 2007-2009 period, using the WSJ consensus forecast of -.30% for 2009 growth.
So then what is really going on?? How come all this fuss over what is not a serious crisis as in the 80s? Why the deception??
Monday, March 2, 2009
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Tirade on the legalization of corruption
Written by Carol Lawton
Let legalize corruption! Why? It makes complete sense! My first point is that its already institutionalizes in Jamaica . The second is the lack of respect for time. The third is poor customer service. It just makes sense and will be less stressful to do business.
Taxes will be gathered better because there is someone to cook the books and stamp it approved just like the government accounting. The formal economy will be equal to the informal economy in that it’s a free for all and the restriction of government is gone and information and connections in a lethargic civil service will prove of great value which the private sector can now move to without the microscope of government.
The government can then add a corruption fee to grease the wheel of this useless civil service. I speak of it this way because it is not here for the public but to ensure that they exist so let them hustle for it and the better hustler in the system win. They will set the price for doing business with the government for the service based on time. Each setting their own prices for moving things fast through the red tape. Out of each hustle the government will get a commission and will not have to pay their salaries as the hustle will be more than their take home.
The civil service will be based upon production pay. No work No production no pay! Cant deliver a document faster than another civil servant you lose the money to the other. Rude and indifferent to the public, you lose to the people person type who is able to build their network faster. Just think how much the few tax payer will save if they don’t have to pay the civil service. Essential service could be outsource to foreign companies who would always be on edge for the next bidding so they would provide a good service and know that if the don’t lay down in bed with corruption a next person may just get it. The citizen will get to decided who they want for a fire service, a security company as a police force, import doctors and nurses for medical, imported farm workers to replace what we have, This will free up Jamaican to be full time hustlers.
The government could do away with all the departments that monitor corruption as it will be an obstacle to a pure system of liaise faire capitalism which many think they can play. But take away the rules and lets play is what the private sector would like to say to the government and underground economy. Hustling could be a university degree as who really needs to spend time and money gathering knowledge and skill. We will then have a society of full tertiary educated people. Math skills would go out the roof as Montego Bay will become the financial capital of Jamaica due to the sophisticated hustling schools and operations. There will not need to be a dependent on tourism just a digital track to their bank account.
Contracts could be cleared easily and the work finish which could push the country faster to their first world status. The Ministry of foreign affairs can make it clear as well as the Ministry of commerce that we are really ready to use our full pool of well trained hustlers and the wheel are ready for greasing. We can revert back to the good old days of dog eat dog cut throat competition with no barrier to trade. No visas, no work permits just a global cesspool of the best corrupt people the world can offer now imagine the outsourcing that could go on with even that guy with that $50 billion Ponzi scheme. Even 10% of that if we had given him support could do the country well.
Why should we not think about it now that corruption can be a good thing since it is already there. It cost too much to get rid of. We already have a world rating for it. Lets be the best at it. It’s a thought for the coming 2009. A country whose GDP is based purely on the informal sector, non performing civil service and corruption vs the minuscule production of a dying private sector while improving the function of the public sector. Imagine full employment! Well have anyone ver propose it? Lets think about it. LOL
Let legalize corruption! Why? It makes complete sense! My first point is that its already institutionalizes in Jamaica . The second is the lack of respect for time. The third is poor customer service. It just makes sense and will be less stressful to do business.
Taxes will be gathered better because there is someone to cook the books and stamp it approved just like the government accounting. The formal economy will be equal to the informal economy in that it’s a free for all and the restriction of government is gone and information and connections in a lethargic civil service will prove of great value which the private sector can now move to without the microscope of government.
The government can then add a corruption fee to grease the wheel of this useless civil service. I speak of it this way because it is not here for the public but to ensure that they exist so let them hustle for it and the better hustler in the system win. They will set the price for doing business with the government for the service based on time. Each setting their own prices for moving things fast through the red tape. Out of each hustle the government will get a commission and will not have to pay their salaries as the hustle will be more than their take home.
The civil service will be based upon production pay. No work No production no pay! Cant deliver a document faster than another civil servant you lose the money to the other. Rude and indifferent to the public, you lose to the people person type who is able to build their network faster. Just think how much the few tax payer will save if they don’t have to pay the civil service. Essential service could be outsource to foreign companies who would always be on edge for the next bidding so they would provide a good service and know that if the don’t lay down in bed with corruption a next person may just get it. The citizen will get to decided who they want for a fire service, a security company as a police force, import doctors and nurses for medical, imported farm workers to replace what we have, This will free up Jamaican to be full time hustlers.
The government could do away with all the departments that monitor corruption as it will be an obstacle to a pure system of liaise faire capitalism which many think they can play. But take away the rules and lets play is what the private sector would like to say to the government and underground economy. Hustling could be a university degree as who really needs to spend time and money gathering knowledge and skill. We will then have a society of full tertiary educated people. Math skills would go out the roof as Montego Bay will become the financial capital of Jamaica due to the sophisticated hustling schools and operations. There will not need to be a dependent on tourism just a digital track to their bank account.
Contracts could be cleared easily and the work finish which could push the country faster to their first world status. The Ministry of foreign affairs can make it clear as well as the Ministry of commerce that we are really ready to use our full pool of well trained hustlers and the wheel are ready for greasing. We can revert back to the good old days of dog eat dog cut throat competition with no barrier to trade. No visas, no work permits just a global cesspool of the best corrupt people the world can offer now imagine the outsourcing that could go on with even that guy with that $50 billion Ponzi scheme. Even 10% of that if we had given him support could do the country well.
Why should we not think about it now that corruption can be a good thing since it is already there. It cost too much to get rid of. We already have a world rating for it. Lets be the best at it. It’s a thought for the coming 2009. A country whose GDP is based purely on the informal sector, non performing civil service and corruption vs the minuscule production of a dying private sector while improving the function of the public sector. Imagine full employment! Well have anyone ver propose it? Lets think about it. LOL
Friday, January 2, 2009
INSIDE THE MIND OF PRIME MINISTER GOLDING! NEVER BEFORE REVEALED SECRETS!
Written by John Anthony
What kind of man is Prime Minister Bruce Golding? What drives him? What are his strengths and weaknesses? Here we reveal information never before read anywhere in annals of Jamaican history and politics.
SPEAK SOFTLY PRIME MINISTER
Bruce Golding is a honest and straightforward man. This straightforwardness gets him in trouble often especially when he gets emotional and strays from his written speeches. This man should rehearse and rehearse answers to potential questions or his straightforwardness will continue to get him in trouble. He needs a speech writer yesterday and should refrain from the temptation to stray from his written speeches. His straightforwardness makes him unwilling to acknowledge mistakes and change course even after it seems obvious that he is alone . Sometimes others care not so much about being correct as they care about being acknowledged. Negotiators with this man need to be aware of this trait and never tell him bluntly that he is wrong. When he speaks without anger or resentment his words compel attention and reformation and are extremely powerful.
He is apt to jump to conclusions without considering all the relevant factors and full consequences and difficulties.. This is a blunt and outspoken man often unwilling to wait for the proper times and seasons and desire to rush through every piece of work as soon as it presents itself. An unfinished task is almost like a disease to him and he often rushes ahead too quickly as in the case of the EPA agreement. He is right overall on the EPA in that we must learn to compete but he is wrong on not examining the fine details. The way to out-manoeuver this man in negotiations is to steers him away from his own insights to analysis and to get him to become emotional. The other strategy is to include ultra-fine details and clauses in contracts and agreements. When he becomes emotional he often makes wrong choices.
A PROPHET IN JAMAICA HOUSE?
Here is one of the greatest secrets of the Prime Minister. He has visions and hear things he is afraid of telling normal humans about. His mind reaches out far beyond the present and he has the ability to see the future by his understanding of current events. Of course, since he has never been trained in the art and science of divination he feels like a round man in a square hole!
The powers of intuition that lie latent within this man are enormous rivalling that of even so-called psychics.Intuition (knowledge) - understanding without apparent effort, quick and ready insight seemingly independent of previous experiences or empirical knowledge.
If he relied more on this great gift instead of on partisan emotions, and the influence of charitable endeavours,he would shock the nation with his uncanny gift at being correct. Frankly, his radio show is an attempt, unknowingly, to bring some of this much needed insight to the common man. Callers to this show should ask him what he feels, not what he knows!
He rarely makes mistakes when he follows his own inspirations but is sure to be led astray when he seeks the advice of yes men. This gift shockingly seems at odds with his outbursts and unscripted statements but these come not from inspiration but from angry partisan instincts. He is quick to foresee events and is sure he is correct. If he can differentiate between his inspirations and emotions he will make accurate decisions and changes never before made in the history of Jamaica. Great prophets learn to differentiate between their inspirations and their emotions.
A LUCKY SPIRITUAL GOOD MAN
To say that Golding is filled with energy is an understatement. He is a source of energy, outgoing and loves to be on the move. Actually he would much rather be hiking outdoors rather than sitting in the parliament. His carefree adventuresome nature can be refreshing. This is a man who loves to travel and l-ov-e-s to be on the move. For one who loves freedom so much, it seems odd that he would want to detain innocent persons, called crime suspects, for 60 days but his inability to bear to see others suffer will cause him to propose unwise actions. He should never make decisions under such duress. This man should watch his generosity and goodness as others will quickly take advantage of him. Emergencies bring out the best in him and he can become timid and afraid when there is no need for action or quick thought. He is a money generator too!
ONLY GOD HAS NO FAULTS
Bruce has the tendency to fly to pieces over even small matters, is quick to anger, combative and determined to have his own way. He can be unreasonable in his desire to help those he loves, zealous and over-sanguine in whatever he underrtakes. He also should watch the temptation to sacrifice health and good nature in his determination to finish what he initiates. The bluntless of this man is the cause of much unnecessary suffering to others and the truth of his words must not be used as an excuse to domineer others. He should learn to be gentle in speech and to give out the truth with discrimination. He should teach himself to forgive and forget. Bruce can expect too much of others, quick to observe, to plan and to do and make small allowance for those less gifted.
He should cultivate calmness and purpose and think well and in silence, drawing on his inspirational giftings before making important decisions. Golding is not concerned with details and should not lead negotiations especially where contracts are involved. This makes him especially unsuited for the EPA negotiations and he will never understand the details therein.
GOD IS ON HIS SIDE
Call it luck if you want; but the universe is on the side of this man. The beneficient universe loves to send him help which often appears at the 11th hour and luck will even help him at winning games of chance and lotteries. especially when he is close to his last dollar.
A LONER HE MUST BE
Prime Minister Golding must have set times alone where he processes his intense feelings. He needs a space at home for himself to maintain his sense of self-control and must not be disturbed. His close circle of friends must be selected carefully; he has too many.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Tirade on the Market and Downtown Kingston and Street Wisdom
Written by Carol Lawton from www.FinditJamaica.com
In the street you learn the streets, its alleys, its lanes, its corners and each person who travel through it. The market is a dynamic factor that when politician and administrators make a decision they do not see the ripple effects. An orderly downtown market is needed before any invest will flow into the area by outside. The city needs to look at creative finance and collection which I think is being looked at and not the central government.
The money that moves in that small area is crazy as good are exchanged and redistribute across the island. Even a simple decision as remove the ugly stall carries a ripple effect. Lets me show you how 2 garbage wood pallets are worth $36K per year. A wooden stall is rented for $100 per day hence $3K per month hence $36K per year. Now imagine when one man owns 100 of these stalls, 20 push carts (rent as well to cart men) to move them and goods around .The underground economy is huge just for him as when you see him you will have pity thinking he is not making money. The chaos ensures him making money. I could pull numerous works in downtown that are high paying but would be silly as we all know them. (Assumption on my part)
Hence to remove him would affect the haggler from country, the follow of goods across the market, and efficiency of the market. But a man like this making over $3M does not even have a high school diploma. When these people are making that amount of money how can we tell the young around them that education will make them money vs. hustling. The hustling is business so no pity for these people who make as much as the PM. I had though the present JLP would move rapidly to pull these people into the fold by changing the tool called the TRN from a money collection tool to a system development tool to close the informal economy which does not give it full share to the government and erodes the formal economy.
Frankly the city can afford to fix it now that it has made its collections more efficient at 70 percent up from 30 percent. Lets be frank as usual, the KSAC councilors have no excuse for the bull that they are pulling off about their party is not in power, the MP is not giving anything, the central government is not helping. Its all bull. If revenue is at $15billion that means the city now has almost US$200 million to invest into the city which can be expand further by grabbing the other 30%. This is recurring money since these fees and city taxes are due every year.
The collection of taxes from the citizens by the KSAC could even by government paper and be a part of the city portfolio. The sale of government paper would be sold to the KSAC as Samari bonds at rates that are variable and equal to the inflation rate of a hard currency on which the bonds could be pegged hence no 14% and higher rates but 2-3%. If it’s the welfare, you politicians are about these are the ideas that are out there. But a poor man’s wisdom is lost up high and the fool is praised for his/her inaction. Jamaica not land of wood and water but land of talk and talk. Stop the hustling of the people. Stop the informal economy as its not all drugs but its untaxable business activity that we all know.
Lets stop the garbage and put the taxpayer money to work on rebuilding the city vs. hiding behind falsity of inaction. The generation that is looking at you is very much analyzing the system making rational decision as to if the system is for them. The formal economy pays taxes but get no service, the informal pays nothing and gets no service. Yet the revenue is there to create an efficient system which is equitable to all. But hi this is just what this poor man learns from walking the street and listening to the corner talk.
PS: They are not all idlers and criminals on those corners
In the street you learn the streets, its alleys, its lanes, its corners and each person who travel through it. The market is a dynamic factor that when politician and administrators make a decision they do not see the ripple effects. An orderly downtown market is needed before any invest will flow into the area by outside. The city needs to look at creative finance and collection which I think is being looked at and not the central government.
The money that moves in that small area is crazy as good are exchanged and redistribute across the island. Even a simple decision as remove the ugly stall carries a ripple effect. Lets me show you how 2 garbage wood pallets are worth $36K per year. A wooden stall is rented for $100 per day hence $3K per month hence $36K per year. Now imagine when one man owns 100 of these stalls, 20 push carts (rent as well to cart men) to move them and goods around .The underground economy is huge just for him as when you see him you will have pity thinking he is not making money. The chaos ensures him making money. I could pull numerous works in downtown that are high paying but would be silly as we all know them. (Assumption on my part)
Hence to remove him would affect the haggler from country, the follow of goods across the market, and efficiency of the market. But a man like this making over $3M does not even have a high school diploma. When these people are making that amount of money how can we tell the young around them that education will make them money vs. hustling. The hustling is business so no pity for these people who make as much as the PM. I had though the present JLP would move rapidly to pull these people into the fold by changing the tool called the TRN from a money collection tool to a system development tool to close the informal economy which does not give it full share to the government and erodes the formal economy.
Frankly the city can afford to fix it now that it has made its collections more efficient at 70 percent up from 30 percent. Lets be frank as usual, the KSAC councilors have no excuse for the bull that they are pulling off about their party is not in power, the MP is not giving anything, the central government is not helping. Its all bull. If revenue is at $15billion that means the city now has almost US$200 million to invest into the city which can be expand further by grabbing the other 30%. This is recurring money since these fees and city taxes are due every year.
The collection of taxes from the citizens by the KSAC could even by government paper and be a part of the city portfolio. The sale of government paper would be sold to the KSAC as Samari bonds at rates that are variable and equal to the inflation rate of a hard currency on which the bonds could be pegged hence no 14% and higher rates but 2-3%. If it’s the welfare, you politicians are about these are the ideas that are out there. But a poor man’s wisdom is lost up high and the fool is praised for his/her inaction. Jamaica not land of wood and water but land of talk and talk. Stop the hustling of the people. Stop the informal economy as its not all drugs but its untaxable business activity that we all know.
Lets stop the garbage and put the taxpayer money to work on rebuilding the city vs. hiding behind falsity of inaction. The generation that is looking at you is very much analyzing the system making rational decision as to if the system is for them. The formal economy pays taxes but get no service, the informal pays nothing and gets no service. Yet the revenue is there to create an efficient system which is equitable to all. But hi this is just what this poor man learns from walking the street and listening to the corner talk.
PS: They are not all idlers and criminals on those corners
Friday, October 31, 2008
Obama's election
Written by George Graham - www.geocities.com/gwgraeme
I have to confess that I never dreamed a person of color would become the President of the world’s most powerful nation in my lifetime. Yet it looks as if that is about to happen. When I was a boy, Jamaica was still a British colony. At Munro College, the teachers (whom we called “masters”) were all British, and they made no secret of the fact that the best we Jamaican students could hope to become was second-class Englishmen.
True, to those of us who were light-skinned (Jamaica white), our complexion was an asset. To be darker was to be even more disadvantaged. Belonging (like most Jamaicans) to a multiracial extended family, where some of us were blonde and blue-eyed and others were coffee-colored or darker, I regarded this prejudice with resentment.
My resentment grew when I immigrated to Canada during the 1950s to find that there, too, the English and their descendants were put on a pedestal.
I suppose this perception was a legacy of the colonial era when aggressive white races - with their slave ships, their merchant ships and their warships – roamed the earth and dominated the people they encountered. Whatever the reason, the presumption of European ethnic superiority has stuck in my craw all my life.
Despite all this, I won’t vote for Barack Obama just because he is African-American. I will also vote for him because he is incredibly gifted. He is poised, intelligent, humane and reasonable. A voracious reader, he has learned from many and diverse sources. His ability to listen, absorb, evaluate and select makes him an exceptional leader. And his ability to inspire presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform an increasingly ugly world.
Around the globe, people are killing each other over racial, philosophical and religious differences. The message today is, “Be like me and agree with me or I’ll blow you up!” That’s why Obama’s reasonable approach is so important. That’s why crowds of idealistic young people flock to his side, daring to hope for change.
Make no mistake; the fact that Obama is African-American is of very great importance – not just to Americans but to people around the world.
For one thing, I believe his election as President of the United States of America would enhance the credibility of all non-white people. Television commentator Dan Rather compared Obama to Tiger Woods. And I would compare him to Jackie Robinson, who broke the color barrier in baseball, and Jack Johnson, the first black heavyweight champion of the world.
But this is so much more important. Golf, baseball and boxing are sports. The leadership of the free world is a matter of life or death. Elect John McCain and Americans can look forward to wars and the horror of wars, the retreat of compassion and the rule of the law of the jungle, revered by financial bandits as “the free market.” (That kind of freedom could be translated as, “The powerful are free to plunder and ravage; the weak are free to go hungry and, if they get sick, to die.”)
I cannot conceive of a Jamaican expatriate voting for a Republican. When I listen to McCain and his running mate, Sarah Palin, I hear the echo of hooves at midnight and see the shadows of sheet-shrouded horsemen. I recall the indignities and injustices of Apartheid and the horrors of European colonization. And I cringe at the memory of terrifying tales I was told as a child about the slave ships and the slave masters.
Could the election of a person of color as the head of a predominantly white nation sweep away the memory of such atrocities? Maybe not. But it could pave the way for other historic breakthroughs. There would be hope for a dark-skinned Prime Minister in Canada, Britain or Australia, for example.
Martin Luther King’s dream might yet be realized, not only in America, but also around the world. People might actually be judged by their character and achievements, and not by the color of their skin or the birthplace of an ancient ancestor. Bob Marley’s evocative refrain might yet prove prophetic.
“One love, one heart. Let’s get together and feel all right.”
George Graham is a Jamaican-born journalist and author who has worked as a reporter in the Caribbean and North America for more than half a century. He lives in Lakeland, Florida. For information, see his web site at http://www.geocities.com/gwgraeme/.
I have to confess that I never dreamed a person of color would become the President of the world’s most powerful nation in my lifetime. Yet it looks as if that is about to happen. When I was a boy, Jamaica was still a British colony. At Munro College, the teachers (whom we called “masters”) were all British, and they made no secret of the fact that the best we Jamaican students could hope to become was second-class Englishmen.
True, to those of us who were light-skinned (Jamaica white), our complexion was an asset. To be darker was to be even more disadvantaged. Belonging (like most Jamaicans) to a multiracial extended family, where some of us were blonde and blue-eyed and others were coffee-colored or darker, I regarded this prejudice with resentment.
My resentment grew when I immigrated to Canada during the 1950s to find that there, too, the English and their descendants were put on a pedestal.
I suppose this perception was a legacy of the colonial era when aggressive white races - with their slave ships, their merchant ships and their warships – roamed the earth and dominated the people they encountered. Whatever the reason, the presumption of European ethnic superiority has stuck in my craw all my life.
Despite all this, I won’t vote for Barack Obama just because he is African-American. I will also vote for him because he is incredibly gifted. He is poised, intelligent, humane and reasonable. A voracious reader, he has learned from many and diverse sources. His ability to listen, absorb, evaluate and select makes him an exceptional leader. And his ability to inspire presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform an increasingly ugly world.
Around the globe, people are killing each other over racial, philosophical and religious differences. The message today is, “Be like me and agree with me or I’ll blow you up!” That’s why Obama’s reasonable approach is so important. That’s why crowds of idealistic young people flock to his side, daring to hope for change.
Make no mistake; the fact that Obama is African-American is of very great importance – not just to Americans but to people around the world.
For one thing, I believe his election as President of the United States of America would enhance the credibility of all non-white people. Television commentator Dan Rather compared Obama to Tiger Woods. And I would compare him to Jackie Robinson, who broke the color barrier in baseball, and Jack Johnson, the first black heavyweight champion of the world.
But this is so much more important. Golf, baseball and boxing are sports. The leadership of the free world is a matter of life or death. Elect John McCain and Americans can look forward to wars and the horror of wars, the retreat of compassion and the rule of the law of the jungle, revered by financial bandits as “the free market.” (That kind of freedom could be translated as, “The powerful are free to plunder and ravage; the weak are free to go hungry and, if they get sick, to die.”)
I cannot conceive of a Jamaican expatriate voting for a Republican. When I listen to McCain and his running mate, Sarah Palin, I hear the echo of hooves at midnight and see the shadows of sheet-shrouded horsemen. I recall the indignities and injustices of Apartheid and the horrors of European colonization. And I cringe at the memory of terrifying tales I was told as a child about the slave ships and the slave masters.
Could the election of a person of color as the head of a predominantly white nation sweep away the memory of such atrocities? Maybe not. But it could pave the way for other historic breakthroughs. There would be hope for a dark-skinned Prime Minister in Canada, Britain or Australia, for example.
Martin Luther King’s dream might yet be realized, not only in America, but also around the world. People might actually be judged by their character and achievements, and not by the color of their skin or the birthplace of an ancient ancestor. Bob Marley’s evocative refrain might yet prove prophetic.
“One love, one heart. Let’s get together and feel all right.”
George Graham is a Jamaican-born journalist and author who has worked as a reporter in the Caribbean and North America for more than half a century. He lives in Lakeland, Florida. For information, see his web site at http://www.geocities.com/gwgraeme/.
A Presidential Choosing
Written by Chirs Daley - www.yardgeniusnetwork.com
In choosing a presidential candidate, keen discernment, not giddy longing is
required. This is extremely difficult given the pied piper atmosphere that engulfs
us. The backdrop of war and recession just adds to the drama, tension, runaway
panic and thus limited objective thinking.
In addition, we are indeed in the super bowl season of trash talking. It is the
season of the herd mentality, where quiet, reason reflection is swept away by the
tsunami of change and hope. Remember, a dead fish can float downstream, but
it takes a live one to swim upstream. It takes more courage to express a
personal conviction that runs counter to the stream, and this is what I hope to
deliver.
Here we are a mosaic of people under the stress of political polemic peak-ness.
It is not only the difference in political outlook that is causing these gale force
winds, it is also the forced homogeneity that promises to strip one of individual
choice. Permit me to inject the rule of reason in the hope of informing one’s
objective sensibilities. Discernment requires critical thinking. Critical thinking is
not afraid to be wrong. It works with fairness, and respect. It is not hooked on the
consensus idea. It is not an undisciplined emotion that will give sway to the
current popularity wave, like a teenager at a jamming concert, but it does careful
analysis and evaluation for one’s self.
We come to this significant debate with the upfront acknowledgement that we are
shaped by our upbringing and conditioning, and thus monolithic conformity
disadvantage the group’s synergistic potential. There is no doubt that the
historical nature of the race has an enormous tug on the heart. Who wants to be
on the wrong side of history? I however, write this piece with a future grandchild
in mind. Should I be so privileged, I want to share the thinking and decisions that
guided my vote at this most historical moment. I would share that I used the timetested principle of paying more attention to the “marriage rather than the
courtship and wedding”.
So, let’s deal with the issue of race. If Dr. King could return, he would smile at
the progress that has been made. Yes, indeed America has made great strides in
living up to its constitutional creed. The enormous progress this country has
made in becoming a more perfect union should be trumpeted. Statements by
congressional leaders Murtha and Lewis discount this progress and attempt to
link the present with the dark past for political gain. Yes, there has been a surge
of racial harmony whose momentum is unstoppable. The major discrimination
initiatives have been to principally address race, gender, disability, and age. This
political season have provided us with candidates emphasizing all three
attributes. Surprisingly, the race element has received a significantly favorable
and very biased treatment, while vicious comments against Palin and McCain go
on without coverage and requisite outrage. The media that give us a information
window into these candidates have been most blatantly biased in this regard.
Given what folks have been through lately, the meltdown of the market driven by
government engineered failure, there is a reactive hunger for leadership. The
mantra of change and hope resonates within many hearts. The real question
needs to be what type of change is truly needed. Great leadership is not a casual
commodity, not an element endowed by a reaction to stress and fear.
Personally, I am looking for a leader with solid intellect, sound judgments, past
experience, and personal testing. That is my description of a transformational
leader. Nelson Mandela embodied the gold standard of a transformational leader.
Reverend Desmond Tutu is a recent book; “God has a Dream” shared his
insights regarding the recent political transformation of South Africa. One key
gem was his declaration that Mandela’s time in prison provided him with the
needed chiseling to convert his anger into purposeful political power. In addition,
folks have equated political power with socioeconomic progress. A careful study
of this history shows that that political power has not been a major engine to
move folks from poverty to prosperity. I invite you to examine the contrasting
history of the Irish and the Chinese for instance.
The Saddle Brook forum was a defining moment for me in discerning these
candidates against the definition supplied above. This was the only setting where
we gained insight into the candidates’ reflective maturity, and presidential
temperament. On the core issue of life, the response of this being above my pay
grade was an astounding quote to me. This is an internal value that cannot be
outsourced to an advisor.Writing two books, being rhetorically-gifted, and having an enviable marketinggame plan make for a promising draft choice, not the next leader of the free world. We are faced with huge challenges that will take seasoned leadership to shepherd us through these tough times. Can someone inform me of another time when a major leader was elected with such a lack of requisite seasoning?
Finally, when I construct a matrix of the compelling policy issues of the day that
drives my decision; positions on the economy, taxes, security, healthcare,
entitlement, energy, and education, finds me aligned with the McCain positions. It
supports the market-oriented, entrepreneurial spirit that fosters innovation, and
manage risk, which has been the under girding that has propelled the American
dream. McCain’s bipartisan’s record on major challenges is also telling as it gives
insight in how he will embrace differences.
I do agree it is time we practice the principle of Dr. King Jr. Let’s judge all
candidates by the content of their character, not the color of their skin, even if
that pigmentation is white. Then we will truly practice our motto of out of many,
one people.
In choosing a presidential candidate, keen discernment, not giddy longing is
required. This is extremely difficult given the pied piper atmosphere that engulfs
us. The backdrop of war and recession just adds to the drama, tension, runaway
panic and thus limited objective thinking.
In addition, we are indeed in the super bowl season of trash talking. It is the
season of the herd mentality, where quiet, reason reflection is swept away by the
tsunami of change and hope. Remember, a dead fish can float downstream, but
it takes a live one to swim upstream. It takes more courage to express a
personal conviction that runs counter to the stream, and this is what I hope to
deliver.
Here we are a mosaic of people under the stress of political polemic peak-ness.
It is not only the difference in political outlook that is causing these gale force
winds, it is also the forced homogeneity that promises to strip one of individual
choice. Permit me to inject the rule of reason in the hope of informing one’s
objective sensibilities. Discernment requires critical thinking. Critical thinking is
not afraid to be wrong. It works with fairness, and respect. It is not hooked on the
consensus idea. It is not an undisciplined emotion that will give sway to the
current popularity wave, like a teenager at a jamming concert, but it does careful
analysis and evaluation for one’s self.
We come to this significant debate with the upfront acknowledgement that we are
shaped by our upbringing and conditioning, and thus monolithic conformity
disadvantage the group’s synergistic potential. There is no doubt that the
historical nature of the race has an enormous tug on the heart. Who wants to be
on the wrong side of history? I however, write this piece with a future grandchild
in mind. Should I be so privileged, I want to share the thinking and decisions that
guided my vote at this most historical moment. I would share that I used the timetested principle of paying more attention to the “marriage rather than the
courtship and wedding”.
So, let’s deal with the issue of race. If Dr. King could return, he would smile at
the progress that has been made. Yes, indeed America has made great strides in
living up to its constitutional creed. The enormous progress this country has
made in becoming a more perfect union should be trumpeted. Statements by
congressional leaders Murtha and Lewis discount this progress and attempt to
link the present with the dark past for political gain. Yes, there has been a surge
of racial harmony whose momentum is unstoppable. The major discrimination
initiatives have been to principally address race, gender, disability, and age. This
political season have provided us with candidates emphasizing all three
attributes. Surprisingly, the race element has received a significantly favorable
and very biased treatment, while vicious comments against Palin and McCain go
on without coverage and requisite outrage. The media that give us a information
window into these candidates have been most blatantly biased in this regard.
Given what folks have been through lately, the meltdown of the market driven by
government engineered failure, there is a reactive hunger for leadership. The
mantra of change and hope resonates within many hearts. The real question
needs to be what type of change is truly needed. Great leadership is not a casual
commodity, not an element endowed by a reaction to stress and fear.
Personally, I am looking for a leader with solid intellect, sound judgments, past
experience, and personal testing. That is my description of a transformational
leader. Nelson Mandela embodied the gold standard of a transformational leader.
Reverend Desmond Tutu is a recent book; “God has a Dream” shared his
insights regarding the recent political transformation of South Africa. One key
gem was his declaration that Mandela’s time in prison provided him with the
needed chiseling to convert his anger into purposeful political power. In addition,
folks have equated political power with socioeconomic progress. A careful study
of this history shows that that political power has not been a major engine to
move folks from poverty to prosperity. I invite you to examine the contrasting
history of the Irish and the Chinese for instance.
The Saddle Brook forum was a defining moment for me in discerning these
candidates against the definition supplied above. This was the only setting where
we gained insight into the candidates’ reflective maturity, and presidential
temperament. On the core issue of life, the response of this being above my pay
grade was an astounding quote to me. This is an internal value that cannot be
outsourced to an advisor.Writing two books, being rhetorically-gifted, and having an enviable marketinggame plan make for a promising draft choice, not the next leader of the free world. We are faced with huge challenges that will take seasoned leadership to shepherd us through these tough times. Can someone inform me of another time when a major leader was elected with such a lack of requisite seasoning?
Finally, when I construct a matrix of the compelling policy issues of the day that
drives my decision; positions on the economy, taxes, security, healthcare,
entitlement, energy, and education, finds me aligned with the McCain positions. It
supports the market-oriented, entrepreneurial spirit that fosters innovation, and
manage risk, which has been the under girding that has propelled the American
dream. McCain’s bipartisan’s record on major challenges is also telling as it gives
insight in how he will embrace differences.
I do agree it is time we practice the principle of Dr. King Jr. Let’s judge all
candidates by the content of their character, not the color of their skin, even if
that pigmentation is white. Then we will truly practice our motto of out of many,
one people.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
THE 4th R PROJECT IS YOUR TICKET HOME
Written by Hansen – www.Jamlink.com
Most Jamaicans that I have spoken with have a burning desire to go
back home. Nostalgia overtakes them sometimes to tears. Even the
hostile economic environment is no deterrent; but there is a
hesitation, and a fear caused by the rising violence in the country.
Those who migrated more than twenty years ago can't understand the
ravaging effects of criminal activities, whether they are drug
related, politically orchestrated or power driven. These times
bewilder them. These Jamaicans have stood fiercely proud of their
country. They have remained Jamaicans with culture in tact, amid new
peoples, climates, cultures and borne hardships the likes of which you
could never imagine. These give from the heart, sending approximately
US $2 billion in 2007 through the remittance pipeline to families in
need down a yard. To these stalwarts who desire a new Jamaica, I say,
"We have your ticket" in the 4th R Project. To those down a yard, I
say, "Wi have yu back!"
The 4th R is the re-introduction of Reverence into the skill-set of
Reading, 'Riting and 'Rithmetic. Those of us older than forty remember
a time in Jamaica when people were respectful to each other; when any
adult could correct a child on the street; when you shared a
breadfruit with your neighbor and got a dish of ackees in return and
you both had dinner as a result of the mutual exchange. That silent
4th R was a part of school, church and home. Children learned to be
respectful of each other and especially of their elders because they
were taught respect by their teachers, community members and parents.
They acted out exactly what they were taught.
Now we ask, who taught these new offenders to act with such uncaring
violence? And the answer is that we did, if even by default. We have
not paid attention to the things that really matter; the things that
create successful nations. What went wrong? Many things! The
splintering of the family; the political divide; the brain drain from
the country; gangs became family to many and aggressive video games
their mentors; violent movies took away any shred of remorse they
would have had and modeled the way for destructive behavior. Many of
our popular musicians continue to cement false values into the minds
of our youths through their lyrics and the wheels of this fierce
culture keep turning.
You don't need to be a PhD to figure it out. What is important however
is that we also have the solution in our hands. It is the 4th R
model. This model offers a new paradigm shift in education, which
places the highest value on our children and our people. The 4th R
skill-set is developed through playful exercises aimed at developing
conscious, productive and caring people. If children are nurtured
they will flourish and become functional adults. If children are
abused, they become cruel and violent adults. If children grow up with
criticism, they learn to hate themselves and others. These behaviors
are learned in the early years and become the brick and mortar, which
build or breakdown character later on in life.
Phase 1 of the 4th R project will begin on August 25th, 2008. Two
schools in the Rockfort community of Kingston have been identified as
pilot projects to plant the seeds of the 4th R; Rennock Lodge All Age
and Windward Road Primary and Junior High School. Approximately
eighty teachers from these schools will be trained and certified in
the 4th R methodology to begin the new September term. Additionally
community parenting sessions will be conducted for the Rockfort
community.
The model we speak of was introduced into the South Camp
Rehabilitation Center in 1995. The tangible result of that project
was a furlough and mentoring program, which was the final step in the
rehabilitation process. Teammates worked as highly focused groups in
the pursuit of specific activities in which they had interest. Teams
included for example – the Suns of God Gospel Choir, The
Transformational Unit, God Messengers, Righteous Reggae Vibrations,
Students Expressing Truth (SET), and the Council of Elders. Their
activities were directed at giving back to their community, and as
such they practiced within the closed community of the Center, and
most critical to their rehabilitation, returned to the outside
community to entertain, to mentor and to minister. By the third year
more than 89% of teammates at South Camp were voluntarily
participating in group programs. In addition, a formal request to the
Commissioner of Corrections was made by over three thousand inmates of
the other two maximum security correctional centers, for the program
to be implemented in their respective facilities. As a follow up, the
Reverence For Life (RFL) program, as it was then called, began an
extension of the program at both Tower Street and Spanish Town maximum
security institutions.
The Outcome - While the RFL program formed the dominant culture in
these institutions, violence in the prisons was almost non-existent.
For most teammates on the program, sentences were shortened and parole
granted at a faster rate than for prisoners not on the program.
During the period 1995 to 2000 when this program was active, the rate
of recidivism dropped from 90% to 30 %.
We are convinced that if such dramatic changes could be made in that
space of time within a community of men, many of whom were repeat
offenders, then the model can also be used to create a new Jamaica;
one that we can return to, to build our retirement homes and live in
peace or vacation with family without having to look over your
shoulders.
It is possible. It can happen if we all stand behind this project.
Like everything else it takes money to care. We will be initiating a
number of fund raising activities, membership drives and sponsorship
opportunities which we know will be of interest to you. One hundred
percent of the funds raised for this project will be ploughed back
into resource materials for teachers, 4th R books for children,
promotional 4th R materials, to compensate workshop and project
facilitators and to begin an island-wide marketing campaign.
In January, 2009 we begin the full island-wide roll out of the 4th R
project. Yes we can create a new Jamaica if we all pitch in to support
this project. Your support is vital! Our slogan…'Empowering Each
Child To Move Jamaica Forward.' Let us join hands, hearts and
resources, 'because Jamaica matters.'
Most Jamaicans that I have spoken with have a burning desire to go
back home. Nostalgia overtakes them sometimes to tears. Even the
hostile economic environment is no deterrent; but there is a
hesitation, and a fear caused by the rising violence in the country.
Those who migrated more than twenty years ago can't understand the
ravaging effects of criminal activities, whether they are drug
related, politically orchestrated or power driven. These times
bewilder them. These Jamaicans have stood fiercely proud of their
country. They have remained Jamaicans with culture in tact, amid new
peoples, climates, cultures and borne hardships the likes of which you
could never imagine. These give from the heart, sending approximately
US $2 billion in 2007 through the remittance pipeline to families in
need down a yard. To these stalwarts who desire a new Jamaica, I say,
"We have your ticket" in the 4th R Project. To those down a yard, I
say, "Wi have yu back!"
The 4th R is the re-introduction of Reverence into the skill-set of
Reading, 'Riting and 'Rithmetic. Those of us older than forty remember
a time in Jamaica when people were respectful to each other; when any
adult could correct a child on the street; when you shared a
breadfruit with your neighbor and got a dish of ackees in return and
you both had dinner as a result of the mutual exchange. That silent
4th R was a part of school, church and home. Children learned to be
respectful of each other and especially of their elders because they
were taught respect by their teachers, community members and parents.
They acted out exactly what they were taught.
Now we ask, who taught these new offenders to act with such uncaring
violence? And the answer is that we did, if even by default. We have
not paid attention to the things that really matter; the things that
create successful nations. What went wrong? Many things! The
splintering of the family; the political divide; the brain drain from
the country; gangs became family to many and aggressive video games
their mentors; violent movies took away any shred of remorse they
would have had and modeled the way for destructive behavior. Many of
our popular musicians continue to cement false values into the minds
of our youths through their lyrics and the wheels of this fierce
culture keep turning.
You don't need to be a PhD to figure it out. What is important however
is that we also have the solution in our hands. It is the 4th R
model. This model offers a new paradigm shift in education, which
places the highest value on our children and our people. The 4th R
skill-set is developed through playful exercises aimed at developing
conscious, productive and caring people. If children are nurtured
they will flourish and become functional adults. If children are
abused, they become cruel and violent adults. If children grow up with
criticism, they learn to hate themselves and others. These behaviors
are learned in the early years and become the brick and mortar, which
build or breakdown character later on in life.
Phase 1 of the 4th R project will begin on August 25th, 2008. Two
schools in the Rockfort community of Kingston have been identified as
pilot projects to plant the seeds of the 4th R; Rennock Lodge All Age
and Windward Road Primary and Junior High School. Approximately
eighty teachers from these schools will be trained and certified in
the 4th R methodology to begin the new September term. Additionally
community parenting sessions will be conducted for the Rockfort
community.
The model we speak of was introduced into the South Camp
Rehabilitation Center in 1995. The tangible result of that project
was a furlough and mentoring program, which was the final step in the
rehabilitation process. Teammates worked as highly focused groups in
the pursuit of specific activities in which they had interest. Teams
included for example – the Suns of God Gospel Choir, The
Transformational Unit, God Messengers, Righteous Reggae Vibrations,
Students Expressing Truth (SET), and the Council of Elders. Their
activities were directed at giving back to their community, and as
such they practiced within the closed community of the Center, and
most critical to their rehabilitation, returned to the outside
community to entertain, to mentor and to minister. By the third year
more than 89% of teammates at South Camp were voluntarily
participating in group programs. In addition, a formal request to the
Commissioner of Corrections was made by over three thousand inmates of
the other two maximum security correctional centers, for the program
to be implemented in their respective facilities. As a follow up, the
Reverence For Life (RFL) program, as it was then called, began an
extension of the program at both Tower Street and Spanish Town maximum
security institutions.
The Outcome - While the RFL program formed the dominant culture in
these institutions, violence in the prisons was almost non-existent.
For most teammates on the program, sentences were shortened and parole
granted at a faster rate than for prisoners not on the program.
During the period 1995 to 2000 when this program was active, the rate
of recidivism dropped from 90% to 30 %.
We are convinced that if such dramatic changes could be made in that
space of time within a community of men, many of whom were repeat
offenders, then the model can also be used to create a new Jamaica;
one that we can return to, to build our retirement homes and live in
peace or vacation with family without having to look over your
shoulders.
It is possible. It can happen if we all stand behind this project.
Like everything else it takes money to care. We will be initiating a
number of fund raising activities, membership drives and sponsorship
opportunities which we know will be of interest to you. One hundred
percent of the funds raised for this project will be ploughed back
into resource materials for teachers, 4th R books for children,
promotional 4th R materials, to compensate workshop and project
facilitators and to begin an island-wide marketing campaign.
In January, 2009 we begin the full island-wide roll out of the 4th R
project. Yes we can create a new Jamaica if we all pitch in to support
this project. Your support is vital! Our slogan…'Empowering Each
Child To Move Jamaica Forward.' Let us join hands, hearts and
resources, 'because Jamaica matters.'
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