Tower Of Babel

Well, I did do a post yesterday, but as I flashing Wednesday and I will definitely not be posting while I away, I seh is only fair that I leave y’all with a post today….and perhaps tomorrow if I have suppem to seh. So here goes…..guess I going give each tidbit a little title of its own….

Bring on da money!

I forgot to mention that when I got my payslip for October….somehow suppem never look right….no….it wasn’t short….I noted an increase in my basic salary. Hmmm…is what a gwaan? Now, our salaries are directly lodged to the bank….so if they made a mistake the money done credit to the account already. OK, next day at work I called my yute up in accounts and asked him how it go. ‘Cause I know seh, if it was mistake dem mek and overpay me, dem ging tek dat ra$$ back outta next month salary. Well, hear wah…..rude bwoy tell me seh it correct. Apparently they got directives from the Ministry of Finance to start paying us at the salary levels for the wage period 2002-2004…..which done long time….and we presently in wage negotiations for the 2004-2006 period. Well, if that wasn’t all the decent news….rude yute also mention that starting next month…that is November, our hourly rate for emergency duty is to be increased as well! Now, it couldn’t come at a better time…cause trus me, tings ruff. Of course, concomitant with the increase, is a proportional increase in Income EFFING Tax! People, I am now paying more for Income Tax per month, than the mortgage to rahtid! Anyway, whatever, I give thanks for it…and the retroactive pay that my yute informs me is to be paid in April ‘06.

Not anymore than anybody else…

Now, that was an answer to a question that one of my colleagues asked a patient. Last week, one of my younger teammates asked for my opinion on a patient. Sure, no problem. I went to see the yute with her…fourteen year old bwoy inna him school uniform. I agreed with her assessment, which included the exclusion of certain Sexually Transmitted Infections. So, she later told me that when she asked said yute if he was sexually active…his reply was…”Not anymore than anybody else!” Yute claim seh him started at age nine and now has two partners. I doh know, but I can defienitely tell you seh at nine I don’t remember if I knew how to spell sex. Is how dem yutes a tek on sex so early? Blame MTV, HBO, internet, lack of parental supervision…I nuh know…. Of course, the bwoy naw use nuh boots….all I can tell him is he playing wid him life.

Brings to mind the answer that a female patient gave me to the said question a few years ago….Lady tell me she not sexually active, “‘Cause she doh go pon top!” OK then, I guess she sexually passive…nuh true!?

No rain!

Well, I doh know about your corner of the blogsphere, but today was a beautiful day here weatherwsie…..no rain, blue skies and not too hot…nice weather. Right now a nice cool breeze a come een thru the window off the hill into mi likkle sanctuary where blog posts are born. Hope it continues.

Soon flash.

Last but not least, if you been reading here regula, you’ll know that I suppose to tek plane Wednesday. At the mo…all systems for that are go. I hope BWIA…which takes me from here to St. Maarten, then Bim…and then LIAT from Bim..to St. Vincent will do what dem suppose to and not delay me. I am about 50-60% packed already. I plan to spend an hour or so going over one of the two talks I doing. BTW, Kami…..what makes for good eating down in St. Vincy? Any recommendations? I man walking wid me belly…so I hope y’all won’t disappoint. Maybe I’ll bring back a sample of onoo rum as well…what’s the big name brand of brew there? Last but not least, me naw come fe nuh grey rainy weather…so put in a order for nuff sunhot! Awoah. Take it easy my crew.

Well, I here, jus finish doing the ’stuff’ that I needed to do. That includes cooking mi Sunday dinner….what…you waan know what I cooked? OK, since you so faas…..some brown stew Jamaican chicken that me season up from yesterday, some shrimp fried rice, and likkle stir fry cabbage and carrot. A it dat. Who it nuh suit, can do dem next best.

In addition, just about all the secretarial work I needed to get done for my Wednesday trip is finito…just need to file some documents and put it near to the suitcase so me nuh figet fe pack it…head nuh good like first time. The two CDs with my talks cook and curry from Thursday night when I got compi back from the hospital…never needed any more computer crap to befall me….so did that pronto.

At the moment, it is cool and grey, but not actually raining, very still in fact and I a listen to Kenny G…Moments…wikid CD for those who can appreciate mood/reflective music. (Not you Mad Bull )

What else has been happnin on the weekend? Well, despite being on call, it has been ok. Rain has been on and off. Yesterday in the evening I had dinner at Rib Kage wid a bredrin. TOO MUCH FOOD! Me had some rib tip thing, with a garden salad and a baked potato. I doh think I had a sixth of the potato…dat suppem mussi did grow inna States and feed on steroids. It was all good eating nevertheless. Washed it down with a Red Stripe Lite. (Yeah, like I said, I was …and still am…on call…..till Tuesday 8AM…payment for going to conference and then tekking a few days when I get back)…so it go. While there, Jamdown Canadian called me to say that I could pass thru a pickney birthday party that he was having at his yard for his neice….he had more beers and ting. Ok, I would have one. So, left Rib Kage and went there. Good conversation took place and a number of people I knew were there. Well, eventually, the one Lite turned into a total of four (including the one I had with dinner….. )….what can I tell you? Anyhow, man was still very coherent…’twas Lite I was imbibing….left there at about 10:30 PM and headed home in more rain.

This morning after heading back from doing my ward rounds, I hear on the radio that one of our Most Wanted criminals was shot by the Police from Crimestop today. I figet de name, but he was the leader of the “Clansman’ Gang and apparently wanted for nuff murders and ting….I seh…anodda one less. Sound heartless but a jus so. I guess it will be in the headlines tomorrow. Hey, my favoutite song on the Kenny G CD a play….”The Champions Theme”….lovely….I have no clue how to post music so I can’t share it with y’all….too bad.

I also heard that in Small Island Girl’s country, they have had the second earthquake in a week! Apparently no injury though… can you confirm SmIG? What going on there……earthquakes and bombings getting regular…not that we here doh have our share of worries….

One last bit of chat. A Doc. at work shared this with me. She works at one of the Research Units on campus. UWI doing a study in collaboration with other Docs in the States and Europe. The people from the US sent a representative here for a few days to help ‘oversee’ the local work…apparently dem was expecting nutten but chaos from our peeps. My sistren tells me that the US rep had to tell them how surprised she was when she met the staff as they all seemed so…..“NORMAL!” So, she said they asked her what she meant by that……Well, she said before she left to come here she was advised by her US counterparts to be very careful while she was here…..OK…..Why? Yes, we do have crime….The woman said she was told that we in Jamaica are ALL ARMED, and that we all are high on narcotics. And that she was to be extra careful as CHOLERA is rampant here!!!! What the Ra$$!!! Cholera?? I have NEVER seen a case and it has been eradicated from this country for I doh know how long! I tell you. In addition, the woman says she was impressed with the ease that she could extract the necessary data for the study…she says retrieval was far easier and more organized than in the US. Anyway, at least she realized that all was not as chaotic here as she was expecting. That is about all I sharing now. I going see if I can get a little R&R in after eating the dinner that I just done cook. Tek care.

Yes my crew….sorry for the temporary absence caused by the failure of the power supply to compi. Anyway, that has been remedied, said power supply was repaired for the sum of 3G (bout $50 US) and compi is now up and humming like a busy worker bee gathering nectar. So, last nite, my first line of business was to edit (very minor changes) to one of the TWO talks I am doing at the conference which is next week……I flash Wednesday to Kami’s island and then copy both talks to CDs and print them. So, all systems go…man have ticket, passport, some greens (not too much..donations to said worthy cause welcome! ) and means to do the two presentations. Anyhow, enuff o dat shyte, which is thankfully behind me.

What else a gwaan? Well, if yu waan think about more crap….rain nuh deh pon we again. This time is some front or trough dat a siddung like fowl a lay egg over the island to ra$$! Then, to the South of us is Beta! I wouldn’t be surprised if it reach hurricane strength by this morning. Seems it a head in the Honduras/Nicaragua direction…..so dem Latinos (as Ri woulda seh….Bomba!) had better prepare demselves for the blow…..rahtid bwoy…..dah season yah a test man patience. So, it looks like anodda weekend of wetness deh pon we! Me on call so jus as well. We jus haffi mek de best of it, nuh true. I only hope the weather doh frig up flight plans for Wednesday! Here is today’s Gleaner weather article.

Anyway, I have a bit of blog reading to ketch up on, that may have to wait till later though, as despite the weather, work still deh ’bout. You all have a good Friday and weekend.

What can I tell you? One week before I head to St. Vincent, seems the power supply (I hope not motherboard) has died on my PC. So, it is in hospital. Of course, the two talks I am giving at the conference in St. Vincent are on the hard drive to be copied to CDs! So, suppem better ra$$ gwaan by Friday or I doh kno….

Just dropping you a line to mek onoo know what a gwaan….these computers, picky like some people (I was going seh picky like some woman…but cyaan tek the hate mail!) Jus cool sistrens. Hope to be back to regular soon.

Ok, mek see if I can come up with a post. Weekend been arite so far…at least we haven’t had any more rain. However, not sure how long dat going last as Alpha comes into the area. (BTW, is Alpha a rude bwoy or a sistah? I not so sure, dats why me asking? )

Now, to the meat of the post. It has been a while since I have done one of dem kinda posts where the topic is controversial and people tend to have strong feelings for or against. You know, things like termination of pregnancy, race issues etc. Actually, I have no problem with healthy discussion and differeing viewpoints, just be decent in how you argue….cool?

So, with that in mind, what I am going to chat about is the death penalty, by hanging. Apparently our Prime Minister, PJ, made a speech to the nation recently where he announced some new initiatives to try to combat crime in our land (won’t be the first time such tings have taken place). Now, I must admit that I had heard about his plan to address the nation, but I really made no effort to listen to or tek it een. Why you ask? Well, IMHO, he ‘aint a great speaker….I find he makes me sleepy….so, I never heard what he had to say.

Pripsing the Gleaner today, I see the headlines mentioned that he is planning to have chat with the JLP Opposition about the possibility of reintroducing the death penalty by hanging here. OK, so I suppose I should start the discussion with my thoughts.

I cannot say I oppose hanging 100%. There are some things to consider though. There have been many reports that in countries where crime is high and they do hang, that the imposition of the death penalty has not made any significant change in the level of crime. In addition, what about the individual who may be convicted of a serious crime wrongfully, and lose their life for something that they did not do? Sure, it can happen, can’t it? You are accused of a crime, it comes to trial, you’re found guilty based on the evidence, and sentencing is passed. Then of course, there is the religious side of things. Many will argue that we should leave decisions regarding life and death to God…..that we really do not have the right to take life. Well, I am known well to state my position regarding termination of pregnancy. Where that is concerned, I do feel that a woman in certain situations should be allowed the right to choose. I have also stated many times that I do not feel that termination of pregnancy should be used as a contraceptive method. Fine, nutten further on that. That’s a blog post done by me many moons ago. Hence, I don’t think that argument changes my viewpoint on the matter.

So, where do we go from here? It is no question that the business of violent crime, lawlessness and disorder is a big problem facing our nation. And, the decent citizens of this nation suffer at the hands of those who perpetrate these crimes, both here and abroad. Many of us have lost family, close friends…..or have seen and heard the stories about the carnage that is going on here. It must get to the man with the coldest of hearts when innocent children, women and men are being killed. We also suffer at the ports of entry of many countries where all Jamaiacans are looked upon as the spawn of the devil…or close to it. (Good haffi suffah fe de bad!) So, let us say we decide not to implement the death penalty. What then are we going to do? Sure, improving socio-economic opportunities and empowering people with skills can help….but is this enough?

It will be interesting to see what comes out of this…and somehow I think it will take years to make a final decision. But, the question still remains….shall we hang dem? I would love to hear what y’all have to say…..specially de legal man dem like Ri. Share you thoughts nuh. And, have a good rest of the weekend.

Alright, it being TGIF and me feeling OK, I guess I going exchange some thoughts.

Last night when I was about to lock the gate, I went outside and I could actually see the moon and clear skies! First in I nuh know how long… No rain a rass! Came back inside and decided that a fresh was needed before bed. Did dat and wanted to tek een some tele before sleep hol me. Well, after seeing the same old shyte ’bout Wilma on the Weather Channel, I did some more surfing. Stopped by HBO. They were doing some adverts of upcoming shows. OK. Then I see dem advertising suppem called, “Pornucopia”…coming up…NEXT! Why not? Was an interesting episode…actually is a series and I think I gwine look out for the rest. There were some facts shared too. 77% of visitors to sites weh dem show action (and me naw talk cowboys and injuns)….are male. No surprises there. Most rude bwoy do dem ting now and again…course now and again is relative. 50% of these 77% are married…..whatever. Far as I know the vows nuh stop you from check dem places on de net.

They then showcased a couple that have an interactive site. They have a videocam which shows dem doing dem stuff…and me talking everything. And of course, dem regular visitors watch and chat with them as well…probably doing their own stuff also. Seems the most ‘convenient’ position is doggie style…why? Well, wifey, while she is tekking bamboo from hubby has to be able to chat with the folks who log into their site. In the doggy position, she can access the keyboard easily…..Maybe some o de techies out deh can suggest some other positions that will allow her easy access to the keyboard while up to stuff…I cyaan think of any. All this sorta weird stuff for the monthly fee of $16.95 US. Dem wouldn’t get my money still. I think I would have much more fun mekking up mi owna rumpus, inna my owna bed….zeen. Anyway, if you want to see it, HBO, Thursday nite, think it was 10:30 PM (local time). BTW, mek sure seh de yute dem a sleep….nutten left to the imagination…big man and woman business.

Well, this AM I can see blue skies…..and the blueness of the skies has nada to do with my bedtime watching last PM…… …I think for us here in Ja, Wilma is now a has been. Respec to the Big Guy…..we don’t need rain for at least anodda month. On the work scene, tings a gwaan said way. My turn to teach today. A topic that I doh too mind…blistering disorders of the skin. Clinic as per usual this PM. THEN…..homeward bound before heading to street…rahtid, after the heap o lock up sake of the wet weather man mus want a breeze out. In addition, it was Jamdown Canadian’s birthday Wednesday, so, you done know seh some spirit haffi share in order to properly celebrate (even though belated). You all have a great Friday and weekend.

Addendum….is wah de blurdcleat a gwaan? Likkle rain start fall….thunda a lick!?

Couldn’t think of a nice catchy title for this post….but, whatever…..Well, last night we had a break from the everlasting rains and I went to bed at about 10:30 without the sound of any water falling on the roof. So, I thought to myself..ok, perhaps tomorow we will see some sunshine. Who seh so? In the wee morning hours, some rumbling start and again……pitter patter pon de roof…..though not as heavily as previously. I got up to anodda grey morning…come here and my suspicions are confirmed…..we are going to get more rain today to rass! Actually, as I write, the sun is just barely peeking through the clouds, so let me say thanks for that…..

Changing the topic a bit (I think I have become almost like some of the Brits who wake up each day to see what the weather is going to bring)…..Have any of you Caribbean folk ever noticed how some of our people think about their family and friends who live in ‘foreign?’ I get the impression that lots of our people feel that their folks ‘up so’ serve one sole purpose……to send money and consumer goods for them, as fast as a magic wand can be waved. Presto…..send it come gimme! Apparently, these folks who work for this money do not have to pay any bills, dem jus work to lodge dem money a bank mek it grow interest….. Wait? You mean fe tell me seh a nuh so it go? Naw man…everyting in ‘Merica, Canada and Henglan free…government inna dem place deh look afta dem people! OK, I think you get my point.

One of our patients yesterday was speaking with us on rounds. We want to start him on a medication…..now, we have some free samples which we will be giving him, but the samples are not enough to complete the treatment course…..his family here will need to purchase two tablets to finish the course. Unfortunately, this is a medication which the hospital does not carry. In trying to explain to him that we are going to give him a prescription for his relatives HERE to purchase at any half decent pharmacy he informs us…..”Doc, me have a daughter inna States you nuh. Jus gimme de information mek me send it give her……she will fax de tings come gimme!” Of course, we had a good laugh at the thought.

In truth though, I must say that on a whole, Caribbean people do try to look after their family…so yes, quite a bit of remittances do arrive from ‘up so’ in order to try to maintain your peeps quality of life back home. Some of these ‘peeps’ take a bit too much for granted though….and IMHO it creates too much of a dependency syndrome. Food nuh free ‘up so’…gas nuh free ‘up so’. Everyting ‘up so’ is not cheap. But indeed, its all relative.

Anyhow, that is my little contribution for today……y’all tek it easy….

Well, the photo above is of hurricane Wilma….what can I say? Last night I went to a meeting. While getting ready to go, the Weather Channel reported that she was a Category 1 storm, winds up to 80 mph…at that time, the eye was about seven miles in diameter. They did mention that conditions for strengthening were favourable. We got a bit of a lull here in Kingston from the rains last evening…however, by early this morning, lightening and thunda start lick…and more rains arrived, though not quite as heavy as on the weekend….trus me…we doh need anymore wet up for a while…we need some sunny days now to start dry out….Place damp….doors swollen…towels inna de bathroom doh get fe dry out…rass place come een like England! Anyhow, the rain last nite into this morning made for some good sleep.

Dis morning me wake up…grey and dark again…tun on the tele….Weather Channel seh de suppem is now ‘Cat’ 5 ….according to the Yanks (me nuh too fancy de Cat ting….you notice how dem love shorten everyting inna States?
) Anyway, had no idea seh the strength coulda increase so quickly…winds now up to 175 mph to rahtid…eye well tight…bout 3 mile across…mean seh nuff swirling a gwaan. I wonda how mi bredrin Mad Bull a fare in Cayman…dem really cyaan tek nutten. Probly see if I can get a call to him later. So….looking at the clouds from this thing I doubt we going see sun before tomorrow or Friday…..

I see the Gleaner reporting seh she has already claimed TEN lives inna Haiti. I believe one person here died as a result of the rains. And, here is suppem to which I can relate well….. the dutty pothole dem! Last night, I dropped in at least four easily…rim dem well dent up now. Front end need work…makes no sense to look ’bout it until this wet weather gone. Anyway, sorry to be so focussed on whats happening weatherwise….but I doh have much else to share. If you in the environs of Wilma, try stay safe and dry. Anybody have suppem else fe chat ’bout?

I guess I should post a likkle suppem eeh? I haven’t really had the time or ‘feel’ for a blog post ’till now as the weekend has been fairly busy for me being on call. Saturday evening, I was called to see a patient in A&E…well, I tell you I responded with a heavy heart, as I knew the waterways (that’s basically what many of our roads have become) would not be too easy to navigate. For one, the Integra is a pretty low vehicle, and two, many of the previous potholes have become carved out into massive craters waiting to swallow your car whole if you not careful! So, there I was going on my merry way, being very careful. Barbican Road had indeed become a river of muddy water….most other motorists (perhaps wannabe boaters) were driving cautiously like I was. Then, all of a sudden, my cyar is engulfed by a splash of water that makes it impossible for me to see, causing me to stop. What causes such an incident? The fassyhole driving the dutty nasty stinking whats it not claaat Escalade with the friggin spinning rims! Trus me, if I were a firearm holder that asswipe would have been rained on, and not with water either! It always baffles me…why is it that some people feel that when roads become inundated that their vehicles suddenly become amphibious? I have noted similar acts of eediat behaviour while driving in heavy rains in Florida also. I guess eediats are found not only here in Ja. Land We Love!

Anyhow, I reached the hospital, by the time I had arrived, the downpour had lulled. Dealt with the gentleman and admitted him…he was in a pretty bad way skinwise. His sister who accompanied him mentioned to me that he is the father of one of our famous female sprinters…..I’ll not disclose which one, but lets say she was among the medallists in the last Olympic games.

Yesterday day and night, we were drowned in more and more rains. As a result of that, it being a long weekend, and getting a bit bored, the plan for the BBQ got washed away. However, the crew roped in and we shared pleasantries over some spirit on the patio here, which was is still relatively dry. This morning, when I go to open the gate, I see a fairly large pile of rubble, stone, mud and sand collected in front of the gate. You see, my road forms a sort of natural river course for this part of my area, so this sort of scenario is a recurring decimal once we have heavy rains…whatever…it coulda worse. The house is dry and the roof naw leak.

I just now realizing that TD 21 has been named Wilma. Well, seems my peeps like Mad Bull going get wet up by Wilma as well. Personally, as much as I like the rain and cooler weather we been having, I think is time Wilma go find Fred and hug him up, and work on making Bam Bam’s new sister or breddah! Too much wetness, like anything else…nuh good. Stay safe and dry people, is definitely a stay indoors National Heroe’s Day dis!

Well, here is to a good Thursday people. This morning, sun peeping through the clouds….we did get some rain here again yesterday afternoon, but it seems this system may be starting to dissipate. I still would not be surprised if we get some more wet up this afternoon…..as the weather man would say…due to daytime heating increasing the humidity. Furthermore..it is October…rainy season in full force.

Guess you know by the title that the post is going to highlight some news articles. Some people don’t like news related posts…but right now…nutten else to discuss.

Well, the first item doh surprise me. Seems like if I decide to go give mi bredrin Mad Bull a check inna Cayman, I man going haffi apply fe visa! Yes people, the government there will be instituting a visa requirement on Jamaicans travelling there as they think our people are contributing to an increase in their crime levels. Now, I can’t say they may not be right. But like in many situations, the good haffi suffah fe de wrongdoers. Anyway, after reading the whole article, I realize seh me cool….my US Visa is still in force, so apparently I’m alright…send de ticket nuh MB!

Now, next item comes as a sigh of relief still. All o we complaining about the price of the liquid which we all consume in some way, shape or form….no, I naw talk water…is gasolene I talking. Well hear what, they claim that today, at least in Jamdown, the price is suppose to drop! Good timing too, as me need to replenish de tank today.

To end, as I will be taking to the skies over the Caribbean in a matter of weeks, I’m going to post one of my own shots of an Air Jamaica aircraft. Scratchie did the same thing earlier this week. I took this photo on the way back from Tobago last year when BEWEE (by no means my favourite) dished us dirt, and Air Ja. had to come bail us out…or we wouldn’t reach home same day! Hopefully BWIA, pictured below, will be able to redeem theselves this time as is dem tekking me on de first leg from here to Bim. Connect from there to St. Vincent on LIAT…. Lawd a Massy! As dem seh, Leave Island Any Time!

Soon come Kami. Have a noice day everybody.