· December, 2008

Stories about Jamaica from December, 2008

Jamaica: Communing

  31 December 2008

“We won’t be condemning the Palestinians or the Israelis…we won’t be contributing to the chaos on frontlines…[we] have decided that our approach will be to help bridge communities”: Jamaica's Abeng News Magazine has a very clear goal for 2009.

Jamaica: Blogging in Times of War

  29 December 2008

The Israeli strikes on Gaza cause Jamaican Annie Paul to remember Nobel Prize-winning German author Günter Grass’ “heartfelt rumination on war and the role of writers in times of war”, saying: “While Grass did not explicitly mention bloggers (perhaps in 2006 they were not as omnipresent as they are today)...

Global Health: 2008 Blogs In Review

  27 December 2008

Bloggers in 2008 showed all the ways in which global health is interconnected with other issues, by covering health stories that touched on everything from poverty and women's rights to the environment and economics. They shared stories such as the prohibition of cannabis in Japan, how ads for children's food...

Jamaica: Bailout Plan?

  24 December 2008

“It is indeed a sorry state of affairs. Usually in times of downturn, alcohol sales increase as people look to drown their sorrows!”: As employees of a rum manufacturer are laid off, Jamaica Salt wonders whether “the government of Jamaica should be considering a bailout plan.”

Jamaica: Christmas Present

  22 December 2008

All blogger Long Bench wants for Christmas is “a public apology from Bruce Golding for how he and his government have been a spectacular failure and embarrassment to Jamaicans in 2008.”

Jamaica: Half & Half

  22 December 2008

Jamaicans have an innovative method of dealing with the impact of the global economic crisis – Iriegal says that merchants “are now cutting everything in half and selling it at reduced prices.”

Jamaica: Death Penalty

  19 December 2008

“An issue which seems to be troubling the government over their decision to reinstate the death penalty, is the worry that foreign governments will stop making aid contributions”: Jamaica Salt explains.

Jamaica, Grenada: “Reggae Boyz” Win

  18 December 2008

YardFlex.com reports that the Jamaican football team (affectionately referred to as The Reggae Boyz) has won the Digicel Caribbean Championship, defeating Grenada 2-0 in the finals.

Jamaica, Cuba, U.S.A.: A Shoe in Hand…

  16 December 2008

Blogging from Jamaica, Annie Paul declares Muntadar al-Zaidi (the Bush shoe-pelter) her “Man of the Year”, calling his action “the most inspired (and inspiring) act of the last few years”, while noting: “Bush must also be congratulated for his restrained response…” Review of Cuban-American Blogs and Yohandry's Weblog (ES) also...

Jamaica: Baby Cereal Break-Ins

  9 December 2008

A curious situation in Jamaica: a spate of robberies from “a gang of housebreakers [that] have been cleaning out people's homes, only pausing to mix their favourite drink, baby cereal.” Iriegal is befuddled.

Jamaica, India: Examining Mumbai

  8 December 2008

“Why is it that nations always try to save face before saving lives? Why do the authorities always wait for disaster to strike before putting in place the necessary safeguards?”: Jamaican Annie Paul tries to make sense of the Mumbai attacks, adding that “these questions are as relevant in Kingston...

Jamaica: The Agony of Defeat?

  5 December 2008

Jamaican Kadene Porter, writing at Abeng News Magazine, notices that women are often less than gracious “when it comes to conceding defeat in a political campaign.”

Jamaica: death penalty “savagery”

  3 December 2008

Idle Yout Speeks weighs in on the death penalty debate in Jamaica: "just beneath the surface we all hold a level of primal savagery that we keep under wraps under the premise of civilized behavior."

Jamaica, Bermuda: Quotes on Mumbai

  1 December 2008

“There is a lot to be said about the shocking series of events in Mumbai that finally–too late–drew to a bloody and violent close”: Jamaican blogger Annie Paul may eventually get around to articulating her own feelings about the attacks, but for now, she posts “a collage of quotes from...