I hope your laughs turn into tears

Come on everybody, isn't this by far one of the cutest things you have seen in a while? I mean, what better "awww" moment exists? I look at this pic, and the confidence I have in the people guiding our younger generation has increased 10 folds, no a 100 folds! I'm not sure if I'm laughing or crying anymore, never mind me though, as always, I get ahead of myself. I take life too seriously, I need to loosen up a bit, ITS - NOT - AS - BAD - AS - IT - SEEMS!! Silly me here thinking that we are going to the dogs, HA! yeah, silly me. 

Black Butterfly

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlGNEqOpQZo&feature=player_embedded From a caterpillar to taking flight, from nothing to something, from a thought to an action, and from captivity to freedom. The struggle never ends, and the well of success knows no limit, knows no drought. Humility gives you wings and determination a better view of life. Staying low never gets you the view from the mountain top, but being grounded keeps you firm when you get there. Helping others learn how to fly never makes your wings heavy, on the contrary it strengthens them. As time flies, you should too...Black Butterfly!

Gold Nuggets

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F76r7GsqH_8&feature=channel After watching the video, My heart felt warm, seeing young and aware(intelligent) black children, it provided that spirit of hope. I just hope they don't develop a liking to dance-hall music. People always seem to glance over the adage "the children are the future". But what to say of OUR(Jamaican) children? I wonder if I should do a similar video if I would get questions pertaining to our entertainment industry, or more social and political issues? Just thinking. What should be noted in the video too is how culturally grounded they are, with their traditional dancing and singing. Sing 'Linstead Market' to our youth and chances are you will be greeted by something unpleasant, sing something from BET/MTV or something 'Gaza' and 'Gully' related and you're sure to be a hit with them. Where has our culture gone, do we even need it in anyway or there are just bigger fish to fry? How important is it to society that we preserve our old culture and ways; or some of it (Not a big fan of Jankanoo)?. What I do know is that awareness, whether self or global awareness is lacking amongst our children, our teens and even adults. Would you agree that a major revamping of our schools' curricula is necessary, not to educate them just on strict academics, but a more holistic and cultural approach, bringing back that genuine love for one's self and country? Jamaica's culture has moved from being unique to the trashcan of Uncle Sam's backyard.

More Birth control than Self control, and more mothers than wives...the cycle continues!

Here is one immediate step to take in securing a future for our people: STOP HAVING CHILDREN YOU ARE NOT FIT TO NURTURE! its a serious matter. We have cultured ourselves to have children as accessories, women: "have to have my first child by ....". Men: "how you call uself man an noh have a pickney?" we need to correct the view of what it takes to be a mother and father instead of a sperm donor and child bearer. Now I'm not here to start a sermon on unprotected sex and what not, because quite frankly I know I'm talking to the wrong generation if that's the case. What I am urging us to do is to really THINK if any of us are really prepared to bring a child or children into this wonderful economic/political/spiritual situation going on in our country? Now I agree, if we should wait on the perfect atmosphere to have children in, then we can might as well wait until the next lifetime. But where does the buck stop? I am SO SICK AND TIRED of girls and boys no not men and women, girls and boys bringing forth children INTENTIONALLY when they know they are not equipped in no way to be EFFECTIVE PARENTS. Now why would you do that? You know you cannot even finance this child through secondary level education much less giving he/she a jump start to stand on their own. Boys don't know how to be fathers, much less husbands. Girls opting to be 'babymothers' as opposed to wives (why value yourselves so little?). What is the garbage that's gaining popularity amongst our women where they are ASKING men to impregnate them and leave after; just for the sake of having a child?!?!? It's bad enough we have so many single parent situations for one to go out and seek it. I would institute a law just for that. What are we doing for and to our children, what are we doing to this country? You see folks, these are the little things that fast tracks a nation to hell, or for one that is already there, keep it there. Without healthy homes, you can't have healthy communities, and without healthy communities you won't have a healthy nation. Never underestimate the dots of stupidity, they connect to paint a bigger picture.

Another cup of coffee...

It was an interesting evening and atmosphere by the University of the West Indies when some patrons at a party(weekly party called integration)got the news the government slashed tertiary level education subsidies by 1.6 billion dollars. When it was announced at the party they told the patrons(students) that they are asking the students to attend a meeting next week Tuesday to flesh it out. To my surprise not all students were disgruntled, not because they could afford the school fee, but some believe the students are not worth it in the end; as someone said, "they are wasting their education anyway." One cannot ignore the fact that tertiary institutions now, mainly UWI, have turned into recreational grounds more than academic nurturing grounds. Deny it to death, but the noble institutions of this land have moved from lush vegetation status to looking like parched grass during a drought, with more alcohol and marijuana than learning. Hardly being sober, how can we ever be aware? The night life has become THE LIFE, students get a degree but with what behind it? A burnt brain with a body feeling like 50(no offense to any reader over 40), but you get my point. We have the older generation looking at us the supposedly younger ones and asking if we are in the same bracket just because of how worn we are! So then, are we even worth the 1.6 billion? Or maybe that slash is just adding to the truth that the people up top really do not care about the people? If you care then why make it so out of reach? But then if you don't value it, why should you have it? Yes the good will forever suffer for the bad because the good allow the bad to be so popular. So then do we march or do we re-evaluate what is it we are going to march or protest for, isn't it about time we change the culture? Let's sip this coffee and think about it...

Letter to the editor by KD Smith endorsed by bbphilosopher

Letter : Dear Sirs, I am tired of the arrogance that characterizes the body politic in our beloved country. When a Minister can claim that they cannot live in squalor as a valid explanation for spending over J$50 million on the renovation of a house; when our Prime Minister can validate the arrangement of a deal that should have been passed by Cabinet by claiming that it was a good deal, with not even a slap on the wrist for those who have totally disregarded the checks and balances that should govern our legislature. When one Minister feels it is of utmost importance to correct the public on the pronunciation of the name of a known area leader and an alleged criminal. Jamaica, we have a problem! This is not the time for campaigning this is the time to build Jamaica Land We Love. In this time of crisis, where we have a “free” health care system where our doctors do not seem to be equipped to treat gallstones we are reducing budget allocation for the development of our health system. But it is the norm I guess because who doesn’t have overseas health coverage? It is evident that the government believes that our “free” education system is not working, because obviously the entire Jamaican populace is illiterate and unable to grasp the fact that we are being treated with the utmost disrespect! For the first time I long for the traditional role of the Opposition, to oppose! Why the silence. Gather yourselves together. It is not the time to sit twiddling your thumbs waiting for the country to place you in the driver’s seat. Your silence leads us to a state of despair, detachment and desolation. My fellow Jamaicans I know that you share my thoughts, I hear you crying out. Let us remember that the positions of leadership in this country were established for the leaders to serve Jamaica, not the other way around! Unless you are an area leader and that is a whole other story. I am etc. KD Smith

Watch as the Rock roll away...JamRock

Try all you want, run all the (9.58)s you want, get all the Bob Marleys you can but here is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth...JAMAICA IS ON A BLAZING TRACK TO NOWHERE!! No its not because we have 'stupid' leaders, because if you ask me, I believe they are amongst the most intelligent leaders known to man. When you can have a people voluntarily submitting themselves to a vicious political cycle and empty promises for generations, that's intelligence. When a people are aware of the truth BUT STILL refuse to address it or DEMAND answers, that's intelligence! Because all of this friends, is nothing more than classical conditioning (google it) and political psychology at their best, and you will agree, no dunce can pull that off. So what is then the reason or reasons? Greed maybe, capitalism maybe, laziness or THE UNDERVALUING OF EDUCATION, I mean if you wish, we could really churn out a list or two. I am going to run with however the point about education, look at the state of some of our schools (still using pit toilets or compost toilets for those who don't like the pit phrase) and the curriculum! Then look at the salary packages and increases the ones in power have pleased themselves with (greed). Also take a look at the fact that while some parts of Kingston and wider Jamaica are experiencing SEVERE drought, University of the West Indies (where 'smart' people and future 'leaders' attend) is going to have water trucks spray water on carnival goers to get off the party paint, wow, hold on let that sink in, wooooooow. Also lets highlight the stink and always talked about CORRUPTION that for heaven's sake is squeeeezing the life out of us. Friends in high places giving killers in low places the reign to cripple a society, and you know the sad thing, you are going to read this post and do nothing. Yes I said it, NOTHING, you like everyone else in this disgusting situation will nod your head in agreement and say "true, true" and then go back to the daily garbage. Hey don't worry, you have company, after doing this hard hitting post I am going to roll over and play possum just like you, I mean whats the sense right? After all, if push comes to shove, I will go and live in Canada or another country, oh, that's if I still have my visa! Worse case scenario...sit here with my sunglasses on and burn with Rome. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JS3_vxvvqh0

LOVE IS BLIND or you just had your eyes closed the whole time...'baby'?

Today we are gathered here not to mourn, but to celebrate the life of the great adage "love is blind". While it has served its purpose in being the best excuse ever for us adults to be 'stuck on stupid' (yes I love that phrase), I think its time we wish it well and usher in a new time, one of responsibility. Responsibility to not say "love is blind", BUT PAY ATTENTION TO ALL THOSE WARNING SIGNS you got before you decided to enter that dead end relationship. Responsibility to control that ever burning passion that clouds your 'vision', so you don't see the glass as half full when its really half empty. Why must my darling women (please recognize the sarcasm) insist on living off sweet nothings, yet they will look you dead in the eye as a friend and reassure you how much they are in control of the situation? Why must we pay so little attention to the obvious (actions)? My philosophy: if you have many questions, then there is still much to find out. "Some men are such dogs." Well news flash! these dogs gained their status from being associated with a lot of silly/blind/eyes closed women. I'm POSITIVE in his career he was flat out rejected by women who had their heads screwed on and passion in check. Hey I could be wrong! but I'm just saying. Remember how we were taught to cross the street when we were younger, wait until all the cars stop look up, down, UP AGAIN (I was trying the traffic light effect with the colours, nice right?), observe road signs and so forth? Same rules apply, so lets give love a break and proceed with caution and common sense for once. On that note, may it's soul rest in peace.

Man and His Ego - deadliest of combinations

Here I was on a mellow Sunday evening in my Brazilian jersey (yes they are going to win World-cup); nice day for some football; everybody was out children running and the vibe was right. An hour later myself along with everybody else on the field was trying to squash a fistfight (with rocks included). Now one might say, well that's a regular thing right, just sports? Its sad that arrogance has become the norm. Why couldn't one of the two involved take my advice and just leave the field when it was just word-throwing, NO! he had to prove a point, he had to show the other fellow that he's far from soft, and besides, being the 'bigger man' and walking away never wins the crowd over. So maybe the theory about man's animalistic side (defending his territory) applies here, or maybe its just a representation of the sad state our people are in, actions before thoughts and ego before control. And Words, words my friend, what to make of them? History has documented and proven it, the power of words; it made soldiers out of men, men out of boys, it rallied simple minded people to push for a revolution, it also brought disaster where peace reigned. Death and Life truly lies in the tongue, but just as deadly is one's ego.