Change Comes For 'Voice' Fans - TVJ Provides Live Option After Viewers' Social Media Rants

Tessanne Chin

Following a display of dissatisfaction from social-network users over the inconvenience of having to watch a delayed airing of The Voice on Monday night, Television Jamaica (TVJ) has responded. The angst came from TVJ's acquisition of rights to exclusively air The Voice in Jamaica. This meant the airing onNBC, the owner of the show, was blocked by local cable providers.

The blocking of the NBC feed aside, viewers were not able to see the show until 9 p.m., a full two hours later.

Interest in the US programme in Jamaica increased following the auditionof local talent, Tessanne Chin.

Chin had an impressive blind audition performance and advanced to a later round on the show's second night. read more...

What a Heart-Healthy Diet Looks Like....You've learned the basics of a healthy diet, but how do you put it all into practice? Find out how to create weekly meals with the top heart-healthy foods.

You know it’s important to eat heart-healthy foods for better health, but do you know just how beneficial it can be? Something as simple as eating a healthy diet can help reduce your risk of heart disease and other health problems, including obesity and cancer.

Most people know in general what foods are healthy and which ones aren’t. But translating this information into three meals a day, seven days a week can take some practice. Luckily, it can be easy to get the benefits of a healthy diet.

Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are essential to protect your heart. “Both are valuable sources of soluble fiber, which helps keep bad cholesterol levels at bay,” says Hannah El-Amin, RD, CDE, a nutritionist with Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago and owner of Nutrition That Fits, a nutrition counseling service. “Soluble fiber functions as a cholesterol magnet, cleaning artery-clogging low-density lipoprotein [LDL], or the ‘bad’ cholesterol, out of the blood.” read more.....

Man with No Arms, No Legs, Marries Woman...with Hot Body

'WON'T PAY RANSOM' Obama Tells Boehner: We'll Negotiate When Extortion Threats End... Boehner Asked About Votes For Clean Funding Bill, Walks Out Humming... Economic Confidence Tumbles... Worst Drop Since Lehman Collapse... Investors Flee U.S. Treasury Bills On Default Fears... LATEST UPDATES... WATCH LIVE: OBAMA SPEAKS

WASHINGTON -- WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama says he told House Speaker John Boehner he's willing to negotiate with Republicans on their priorities, but not under the threat of "economic chaos."

Obama spoke to reporters at the White House Tuesday in the midst of the eighth day of a partial government shutdown and a few hours after calling Boehner. Obama says he urged Boehner to hold a vote immediately to reopen the government.

The White House says Obama also urged Boehner to hold a vote that would allow the government to borrow more money. Senate Democrats are planning a vote this week to provide new borrowing, without new spending cuts Republicans want. read more....

4 easy steps for your breast self-exam

EVERY woman should know how to perform a breast self-exam (BSE), as this is key to spotting changes in the breasts. Before you start, though, it is important that you know how your breasts normally look and feel, so you can easily detect changes.

You don't have to have a fixed schedule to do your BSE, but it is good to practise doing it regularly, at least once per month. The more you do it, the more aware you will be of your breasts, and it will be much easier to spot if there are any changes.

The best time to do your BSE is when your breasts are not tender or swollen, such as a few days after your period ends. If you happen to feel a lump, don't immediately think that it's the end of the world. Some women have lumpy areas in their breasts all the time. Not every lump is cancerous, but to be on the safe side, bring it to your doctor's attention. Here are four steps to doing your BSE.

Step 1 -- in front of a mirror...... read more

 

JAMAICAN DOLLAR RAPID DECLINE (JA$104.15 to US$1) : Jamaica Facing Possible Currency Crisis

A country enters a currency crisis if its exchange rate depreciates by more than 25 per cent in a given year. So far this year, the Jamaican dollar has depreciated approximately 12 per cent, moving from J$93 to US$1 in January to roughly J$104 to US$1 at the moment.

The last time the Jamaican dollar had such a significant depreciation was in 2008, when the exchange rate fell by 11 per cent from $71.59 to US$1 in January to J$80.21 to US$1 in December.

Last year, the dollar depreciated in total just over six per cent for the entire year, and 50 per cent of this depreciation came in the last quarter, from September to December. If the trend continues this year, we can expect the dollar to depreciate beyond $105 to US$1 by December. read more...

DRAMATIC DEADLY SHOOTOUT ON HIGHWAY CAPTURED BY POLICE CAM

AMAZING DEADLY POLICE SHOOTOUT ON THE HIGHWAY

PRES. OBAMA to BOEHNER : The votes are there to open the Federal Govt. Let's vote.

President says put debt deal to a vote

Speaker John Boehner insists Democrats are wrong in saying a "clean" short-term spending plan would pass. FULL STORY

• Dire warnings meet GOP skepticism
• No debt limit hike? Where it would hit
• Poll: Much anger | Shutdown forecast
• Photos: Sorry, we're closed  

IN JAMAICA: Traffic authorities target heavily tinted ‘party’ buses today

TRAFFIC authorities are expected to flood streets across the island today in a massive clampdown on public passenger vehicles with tinted windows and loud sound systems.

Traffic Cop Targets Party Buses

"Police and other traffic authorities will be coming down hard on these operators. It will be a no-nonsense mode," head of the Traffic Department, Senior Superintendent Radcliffe Lewis told the Jamaica Observer yesterday.

The tough-talking Lewis said, for several months, authorities have sent out warnings to motorist to brace themselves.

"The time for talking is now over!" said Lewis. Police, last week, said they were becoming increasingly concerned about the number of taxi and bus operators found in breach of the law. "Come Monday (today), any vehicles, being operated in the public transportation, found with dark tints and the loud music will be seized and licence plates removed," he said. Traffic police say, in recent months they have stumbled on a number of trends in the sector that have left them worried. read more...

 

UK: Servant From Caribbean Slum Fights To Keep £20m Inheritance

Kent Adonai with Lord Glenconner.
Adonai's fortune is larger than
 the latest IMF disbursement
 scheduled for Jamaica.

Syndicated gossips are rushing into the island of St Lucia this week for a riveting court case. A white British aristocrat, Lord Glenconner, died three years ago and left his island fortune of £20 million for his faithful, loyal, black St Lucian manservant of 30 years, Kent Adonai.

Now a 19 year-old grandson of the Brit has filed a lawsuit to take the considerable fortune back into the hands of the family. The suit claims that Lord Glenconner was not of sound mind when he revised his will months before his death from cancer at 83, leaving everything for his servant and nothing but the aristocratic titles for his family.

Lord Glenconner, whose real name is Colin Tennant, had been separated from his wife Anne (Lady Glenconner) for decades although they were never divorced. Friends of Lady Glenconner say she had a preference for the cooler climes of Scotland. Her husband, who once chased Princess Margaret for marriage, was happiest in the pleasure playgrounds of the warm and inviting Caribbean isles. read more...

Theresa Anderson Pleads Guilty In Family Crack Cocaine Ring......Anderson, 58, faces 14 to 17 1/2 years in prison when she is sentenced Oct. 8 for running a 12-year operation that monopolized crack cocaine sales in her neighborhood.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — A woman who controlled the crack cocaine trade in her western New York neighborhood and employed her own children and granddaughter faces sentencing this week.

Buffalo resident Theresa Anderson pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy in June. Under the plea agreement, she faces 14 to 17 1/2 years in prison when she appears in federal court Tuesday.

The 58-year-old also will forfeit $52,000 and 10 houses she owns.

Authorities say Anderson led a drug operation for a dozen years in her neighborhood by buying up property, employing relatives and close acquaintances, and paying lookouts to watch for police. read more...

COUNTDOWN: 10 DAYS TIL DEFAULT Boehner: It's 'The Path We're On'... Refuses To Release Hostages... Says He Doesn't Have Votes To End Shutdown... But He DOES!... Treasury Secretary: GOP 'Playing With Fire'... BUSINESSWEEK: Default 'Will Be An Economic Calamity Like None The World Has Ever Seen'...

WASHINGTON -- WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States moved closer to the possibility of the first-ever default on the government's debt Sunday as Speaker John Boehner adamantly ruled out a House vote on a straightforward bill to boost the borrowing authority without concessions from President Barack Obama.

With no resolution in sight, Treasury Secretary Jack Lew warned that Congress is "playing with fire" as he called on lawmakers to quickly pass legislation re-opening the government and a measure increasing the nation's $16.7 trillion debt limit.

The government shutdown precipitated by the budget brinkmanship entered its sixth day with hundreds of thousands of federal employees furloughed, national parks closed and an array of government services on hold. read more...

Jamaican Artistes Face 'Destiny' - Christopher Martin Plays Major Role In New Jamaican Film

A few artistes have tapped into their acting talents in the past and, having cast Christopher Martin, Tifa and Spice in his new film, Destiny, film director Jeremy Whittaker believes artistes should be utilised more in local films.

In Destiny, Martin plays one of the major roles, while Tifa and Spice did cameos. The lead role is being played by Canada-based actress and singer, Karian Sang, who has collaborated with Mavado on Take It.

"Apart from being talented, they (artistes) all fit with what I was looking for in the characters. They have such strong persona and presence that they visually pop on screen," Whittaker told The Sunday Gleaner.

While films are quite different from the music videos that artistes do on a regular basis, he said film-makers should consider tapping into the artiste market more often. read more...

3-Year-Old Superstar, Heaven, Dances to Beyonce On 'Ellen' And Is Somehow Even Cuter Than We Previously Thought (VIDEO)

Last week, we fell in love with a toddler named Heaven who danced to Beyonce (with her awesome mom) like nobody's business. Today, the duo appeared on "Ellen" for an encore, and as soon as Heaven opened her mouth, we became a little more obsessed.

Seriously, don't miss this kid putting Ellen in her place at 1:24. read more...

Close-up look at ‘Mr Mandeville’, Cecil Charlton

MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Members of the public in Manchester and surrounding areas got a close-up look of the parish's former first citizen, Cecil Charlton, at a public viewing of his body yesterday, on the eve of his burial today.

The body of former Mayor of Mandeville
 Cecil Charlton being taken from the
 park named after him to the next
 viewing location at the
Cecil Charlton Hall.

 

Under the supervision of the police, members of the public poured into the Cecil Charlton Park and the Cecil Charlton Hall to view the flambouyant Charlton, who in real life was a colourful and sometimes controversial politician. He died at the Hargreaves Memorial Hospital in the town on September 12, aged 88.

The former mayor will be accorded an official funeral service at the Northern Caribbean University (NCU) Gymnatorium. His body will be interred at the Oaklawn Memorial Gardens. Members of the public took turns in signing a guest book and tears flowed freely from some of his family members. During Cecil Charlton's political career he served with both the People's National Party (PNP) and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP). read more.... 

World Cup Trophy arrives in Jamaica

Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller (centre)
 is flanked by Captain Horace Burrell,
 president of the Jamaica Football
 Federation (third left)

 

KINGSTON, Jamaica - The FIFA World Cup Trophy is in Jamaica. It arrived Saturday morning, making Jamaica the first Caribbean nation to host the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour.

Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller and other officials were on hand at the Norman Manley International Airport to officially welcome the Coca-Cola FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour to the island. Several thousand Jamaicans will have the opportunity to see the genuine FIFA World Cup Trophy at the Tour on Sunday, October 6 at the National Indoor Arena. read more.... 

Vybz Kartel: Dancehall Is In Jail......The incarcerated deejay says as long as he remains behind bars, so too does the success of dancehall music

The incarcerated deejay says as long as he remains behind bars, so too does the success of dancehall music. TO SAY it was a surprise to get an interview with Vybz Kartel would be an understatement.

STAYING STRONG: Vybz Kartel

Even upon hearing that the dancehall superstar would be doing press to support his new album, there was reason to be sceptical. After all, he is behind bars – where he’s been for the past two years – awaiting trial for murder. In such circumstances, it would be fair to assume that media duties wouldn’t be at the top of his priorities.

But on the contrary, the Jamaican deejay born Adidja Palmer, was keen to speak out about what he describes as the “injustice” of the Jamaican legal system, and the “repetition” of life behind bars. In addition, the star, famed for hits including Clarks, Ramping Shop and Pon Di Floor, lambasted the current state of the genre in which he found fame.

Granting Life & Style with an exclusive interview, Kartel says that dancehall has suffered a huge decline since he’s been behind bars – and insists that there is no artist in the market at present that can take his throne.

“Dancehall is in jail,” Kartel firmly insists. “And although the fact remains that if I die tomorrow, dancehall will continue, it’s also a fact that the next artist to bring the energy, panache and ‘vybz’ to dancehall, isn’t here yet.” read more...

BBC NEWS: Kenya's Westgate siege mother and children 'played dead' (VIDEO)

Kenya  

Faith Wambua was in the mall with Sy, nine, and her 21-month-old son Ty when the attack happened.

Faith spent four-and-a-half hours ''playing dead'' on the floor while protecting her children, before they were all finally rescued by a Kenyan policeman. read more...

VIDEO: Landmark ruling Attorney says Shanique Myrie judgement significant for Caricom travel.....CCJ rules in favour of Myrie

KATHY-ANN Brown, the lawyer representing the Jamaican Government in the Shanique Myrie case, has hailed yesterday’s ruling of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) as significant for every Jamaican travelling throughout the Caricom region.

The court held that where a Caricom national is refused entry into a member state, that national should be given the opportunity to consult an attorney or a consular official of his or her country, or to contact a family member.

Read more: 

IN JAMAICA:Arson! JUTC says Sept 5 bus fire deliberately set

THE State-owned Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) says the first of two recent bus fires in the Corporate Area, which sent frightened passengers fleeing, appeared to have been deliberately set.

The Jamaica Urban Transit
Company says a motor
vehicle fire expert has determined
that this fire was
deliberately set. (OBSERVER FILE PHOTO)

 

The bus company said yesterday that the determination was made by a motor vehicle fire expert, whom the company had engaged after the Jamaica Fire Brigade had ruled that the cause of the September 5 blaze, which occurred on Mona Road, "was undetermined". The Jamaica Observer reported then that the bus burst into flames while transporting passengers.

Meanwhile, the bus company said the second bus fire on September 17 was triggered by "an electrical short circuit in the engine area". The latter incident — which involved a No 88 bus that plies the Downtown to Cross Roads route, via Mountain View Avenue — occurred while the bus was being driven along Arthur Wint Drive, in the vicinity of the Bustamante Hospital for Children in St Andrew. read more...

Kerry Washington, Best-Dressed Star, Admits To Wearing Sweatpants

Kerry Washington's best-dressed status is practically set in stone at this point (no matter what we say), thanks to top honors from People and Vanity Fair. Still, the "Scandal" actress remembers to keep it real -- and really down to earth.

At the show's season premiere this week, Kerry opened up to our friends at Fashionista on her best-dressed designation, admitting, "When that was announced, that day I went to work in sweats."

Olivia Pope dressed down? We can hardly imagine. Still, the show's costume designer Lyn Paolo corroborates Kerry's story for People: "She came in her husband [Nnamdi Asomugha]'s giant football player sweatshirt and said 'Look, I'm the best dressed!' It was pretty funny." read more...

5 high fiber foods you should be eating Fiber is essential to a healthy digestive system. Find a place for these foods throughout your day and you'll get plenty.

Fiber helps feed beneficial gut bacteria. It speeds up digestion. It can change how other nutrients and chemicals are absorbed by the body. And some types of fiber absorb water in the digestive tract and help avoid constipation.

 

In fact, eating enough fiber is absolutely crucial to maintaining a healthy digestive system. And maintaining a healthy digestive system is central to overall well-being. 

 

The average healthy male under the age of 50 is supposed to eat as much as 38 grams of fiber a day — the equivalent of 5 full portions of kidney beans — and for women, the figure is 25 grams.

 

But there's more to think about than just how much fiber you are getting, namely how many different types. Because the term "dietary fiber" covers a wide range of different plant-based substances that your body needs to function healthily, I recommend to my clients that they eat a broad mix of different high fiber foods. Incorporating the following foods high in fiber into your diet is a great place to start. read more...

MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA: Anxious job seekers crowd Pier 1.....Close to 200 job seekers converged at Pier 1 in this tourist resort city

MONTEGO BAY, St James — Close to 200 job seekers converged at Pier 1 in this tourist resort city yesterday in hopes of securing employment. They were responding to a newspaper ad by Ocho Rios-based tour company Bamboo Beach Club. 

A section of the crowd of job
 seekers at Pier 1 in Montego Bay
 yesterday waiting to be
 interviewed by a
 Bamboo Beach Club representative

 

One woman to whom the Jamaica Observer spoke said she didn't know which company was recruiting, but came anyway because she badly needed a job. She even asked if the Observer was hiring. Another young woman, who asked that her name not be used, said it was the second time in two weeks that she was responding to the ad.

"The last time they took our documents but they didn't call or anything and they put back the ad in the paper, so I decided to come again today," she said, explaining that she recently graduated from a tertiary institution with qualifications in hospitality and tourism management, and was therefore eager to snag one of the jobs. read more...  

 

IN JAMAICA: Police Swarm Denham Town.....Cops vow to take back the streets from criminals

A massive deployment of police and soldiers blanketed the west Kingston community of Denham Town yesterday, as the security forces try to take back the streets from gangsters who have engaged in a bloody feud in the area.

"We are going to secure this community so that the residents can enjoy peace in their homes as they have a right to do," declared Deputy Commissioner of Police Glenmore Hinds yesterday, as he watched the police men and women at work in the heart of Denham Town.

Hinds was addressing members of the media amid reports that some 300 cops and more than 100 members of the Jamaica Defence Force were in the area conducting a cordon-and-search operation.

He said the police would be targeting the criminal gangs which have embarked on a murderous trail across the community.

Police intelligence have identified the criminal groups as the Strikers, Scare Dem and Four Storey gangs. Reports suggest that they have been responsible for several murders in the community. read more...

Miriam Carey Identified As Woman Killed By Police Near Capitol in Washington, D.C

Miriam Carey, Killed in DC

Law enforcement officers have confirmed the identity of the woman shot by police outside the Capitol building on Thursday.

The woman who attempted to drive through White House barriers and set off a Capitol Hill police chase was identified as 34-year-old Miriam Carey of Stamford, Conn. According to ABC News, Carey had a history of mental health issues and suffered from post-partum depression.

The suspect's sister, Amy Carey, was in disbelief when she told The Washington Post, “That’s impossible. She works, she holds a job." Miriam Carey has been identified by authorities as a dental hygienist in Connecticut. Former boss Dr. Barry J. Weiss told The New York Times that he and his partner fired Miriam Carey from their periodontics practice last year and cited her "temper" but would not go into detail. read more...

BOEHNER BLINKS NYT: Speaker Says He Won't Let Country Default... Still Makes Hostage Demands... White House Fears GOP Doesn't Grasp How Serious Obama Is... Treasury Warns Of 'Catastrophic' Damage If Congress Doesn't Act... Obama: Wall Street 'Should Be Concerned'...

WASHINGTON — With a budget deal still elusive and a deadline approaching on raising the debt ceiling, Speaker John A. Boehner has told colleagues that he is determined to prevent a federal default and is willing to pass a measure through a combination of Republican and Democratic votes, according to multiple House Republicans.

Enlarge This Image

Doug Mills/The New York Times

Representative John A. Boehner, the House speaker, arrived at the Capitol on Thursday with his security personnel on the third day of the government shutdown.

One lawmaker, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Mr. Boehner had indicated he would be willing to violate the so-called Hastert Rule if necessary to pass a debt-limit increase. The informal rule refers to a policy of not bringing to the floor any measure that does not have a majority of Republican votes. read more...

BREAKING NEWS: GUNSHOTS OUTSIDE THE CAPITOL in Washington....U.S. Capitol In Lockdown After Gunshots Fired Outside

The United States Capitol is in lockdown, the Associated Press reports.

Shots were reportedly fired outside the Capitol Thursday afternoon. A shooter isreportedly in custody. Televisions inside the Capitol showed the following warning: Police say the U.S. Capitol has been put on a security lockdown amid reports of possible shots fired outside the building.

People standing outside the Supreme Court across the street from Congress were hurried into the court building by authorities. read more...

2-Year-Old Boy, Xiao Feng, Gives 'Birth' To Own Twin In China: Report.......AMAZING STORY

YouTube

A 2-year-old in China is reported to have "given birth" to the undeveloped fetus of his twin.

Xiao Feng, of Huaxi, was taken to the hospital after his parents noticed he had a bloated stomach and was having trouble breathing, News.com.au reported Monday.

Doctors found that Feng was carrying an undeveloped fetus inside his stomach, and removed it through emergency surgery, according to Inquisitr's translation of newscast from a China Central Television, a state-run media outlet.

The fetus, doctors say, was Feng's twin. Identical twins occur when a fertilized egg splits in two. Conjoined twins occur when a fertilized egg begins to split, but fails to do so completely. In Feng's case, the fetus was his conjoined twin that had been absorbed into his body inside the womb. read more...

Cocaine, HIV Linked In Research That Suggests Use Of Drug Boosts Vulnerability To Virus

Cocaine may not only rewire the brain after one use, but could also increase users' susceptibility to HIV, a new study suggests.

Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, found that a specific type of immune cell becomes susceptible to the virus after cocaine use.

"Our studies focused on a unique population of immune cells (cells that constitute our body's defenses against infection), quiescent CD4 T cells, which can be targeted by HIV but are resistant to the virus," lead researcher Dr. Dimitrios Vatakis, co-director of UCLA's CFAR Virology Core Laboratory, told The Huffington Post in an email. "We have shown that cocaine exposure sensitizes these cells and increases their susceptibility to infection."

To test their hypothesis, the researchers collected samples of these dormant immune cells, which constitute the majority of T cells in the body, from healthy human donors. The samples were then exposed to cocaine and infected with HIV in a laboratory setting. read more...

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'WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE DISRESPECTED. WE HAVE TO GET SOMETHING OUT OF THIS. AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT EVEN IS.'

AP

Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-Ind.) (AP Photo/Indiana Republican Party)

House Republicans are continuing to play hardball in negotiations over the spending bill that precipitated the government shutdown on Oct. 1, apparently out of fear that compromise would weaken their power.

"We're not going to be disrespected," Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-Ind.) told The Washington Examiner. "We have to get something out of this. And I don't know what that even is."

The GOP spent much of Wednesday blaming President Barack Obama and the Democrats for the effects of the shutdown, which led to the furlough of 800,000 workers and the closure of numerous government services. They failed to mention that the spending bill didn't pass because they loaded the bill with restrictions on theAffordable Care Act, a law that passed in 2010 and was found constitutional by the Supreme Court in June 2012. read more...