And Still I Rise

Good Times.
Any time you meet a payment.
Good Times.
Any time you need a friend.
Good Times.
Any time you're out from under.

Not getting hastled, not getting hustled.
Keepin' your head above water,
Making a wave when you can.

Temporary lay offs.
Good Times.
Easy credit rip offs.
Good Times.



Thanks to TVland's Weekend marathon I just can't get this jingle out my head.It's a great jingle though,one of my all time favourites.But unfortunately it is stuck in my head after watching too many episodes on Sunday night in particular.

Catching up with some of these episodes made me realise that despite the over the top JJ antics it was a pretty good show for that time.A lot of serious issues like child abuse,the lure of illegal activities as a means to escape poverty,the realities of being unemployed and the constant threat of eviction.Despite it all the family stuck together and worked out their problems in their own style.One of my gripes was killing off the father which somehow made the show less powerful due to the absence of a father figure.

How do I get this jingle out my head?

Ever felt being a woman(childbirth,periods etc) was the rotten end of the deal? Well cheer up cos after reading this the men will wish they were women too.

1. When a ship sinks, women (and children) get off first.

2. A woman can hug her best friend without worrying she'll think she's gay.

3. Women can talk to attractive members of the opposite sex without having to picture them naked.

4. A woman can never be blamed if it's wet on the floor around the toilet bowl.

5. If a woman cheats on her spouse everyone will assume it's because she was being emotionally neglected.

6. Women are capable of doing at least two different things to a passable standard at the same time.

7. Women live longer than men.

8. Women know how to cover up spots and other facial blemishes.

9. If a woman inexplicably disappears for two weeks, one of her friends will notice.

10. Women mature earlier than men (some men never mature at all).

11. There are times when chocolate is really the answer to all woman's problems.

12. Women don't feel uncomfortable with gay waiters or hairdressers.

13. A woman can fully assess a person just by looking at their shoes.

14. Women know the truth about whether size matters...

15. A woman can take a drive without trying to beat her best time.

16. If a woman forgets to shave, no-one has to know.

17. Women are capable of going longer than five minutes without thinking about either sex or football.

18. Women never lust after a cartoon character or the central figure in a computer game.

19. Women can be groupies. Male groupies are stalkers.

20. Women can cry and get off a speeding ticket.

21. A woman can get a whole new lease on life just by changing her lipstick.

22. A woman can congratulate her team-mate without ever touching her rear.

23. Women don't have to worry about catching anything important in their zipper.

24. If a woman says something stupid, most men will just think she's cute.

25. Women can admit to others when they've made a mistake

26. If a woman cries, she's sensitive; if a man cries, he's a wimp.

27. Women know who their children are without having a DNA test.

28. It's cool to be a daddy's girl. It's sad to be a mummy's boy.

29. Women can wear platforms - which is why there is no such thing as a short woman's complex.

30. Women can watch one TV channel at a time without getting bored.

31. Women have total control over their eyebrows.

32. Women can get drunk quicker and cheaper than men.

33. A woman's friend won't try to persuade her to get a tattoo while she's drunk.

34. A woman won't drive to Hell and back before she asks for directions.

35. Women aren't covered with hair like shag carpeting.

36. Woman don't feel threatened if their partner earns more than they do.

37. For women, a new season means a whole new wardrobe.

38. Women know exactly what buttons to push to get exactly what they want.

39. Women don't think reading the manual is a betrayal of all their species stands for.

40. Women can keep pot plants alive for more than a week.

Remember doing this growing up ritual? That boy is a bit young but it was a common thing amongst teenage boys and some precocious Junior 5/Grade 6 boys.In secondary schools boys refined it to using mirrors or placing themselves in strategic positions whenever girls were using the stairs.In some cases the young cute teachers were targeted as well. Bringing back memories? You can confess:)Anyway,it was always fun listening to stories from girls who went to coed secondary schools.

Friday,I had to go to the Prisons and unthinkingly wore a skirt.About half way up the stairs to go to the classroom I became conscious of some prisoners who were milling about the yard.I looked over my shoulder and yeah you guessed it-a couple of them were trying to get a look up my skirt.According to my friend,they are the only male grouping with a valid excuse.

Enjoy the weekend-am heading to a wedding this afternoon.

Yesterday,began like any other normal day.But by about 11 am everything had changed when screams were heard coming from the school yard.by the time the dust had settled a fifth form girl was bleeding profusely from the many stab wounds administered to her head and face by a fourth form girl.No one knows what triggered the fight but apparently there was a scuffle between two first formers which somehow spilled over into the second fight.

I can't begin to describe fully the chaos that ensued.First there was the struggle to get the knife wielding girl away from the victim and then to keep the profusely bleeding victim from retaliating and get her to the hospital.In the meantime several other fights are breaking out. In no time the school was over run by police,the public and some parents who had heard that a student was stabbed and killed.Thanks to the police some sort of order was restored in that the stabber for want of a better word was taken into custody and the public was removed from the compound.

Of course the teachers are getting the blame for not being able to "control" the students.I am wondering how do you control students who repeatedly bring knives,guns,screwdrivers,scissors etc to school without the supporting framework from the authorities.In case you wondering ,suspensions and expulsions can only be done by the Ministry.So a typical scenario can be that today the stabber can come to school until the ruling is made.Then the school conditions are deplorable and far from conducive for learning.So what we have at least in my opinion are a group of tense students who are easily triggered off.The numerous stabbing incidents for this term only suggests to me that it is definitely a societal problem and not one that is glossed over by resting blame at the feet of teachers.Not saying teachers are blameless because some are more interested in being friends with the students rather than being the authority figure/s.

Am still traumatised,because although I have seen bad incidents yesterday was just simply the worst.Not even sure what is happening today although I have been warned by students to stay home because the different crews will be exacting their revenge.My hope is that this latest incident will serve as a catalyst for some much needed attention be paid to this school.

So christmas is just around the corner-although here in St Vincent the elections are overshadowing everything.I happened to hear a Killer Miller song that sorta reminded me that in December there is a big event that does not include having people at each others throat.I know its usually a chore finding the perfect gift/s so for those so inclined here is a sure winner

Boffins have invented a sex toy that connects up to an iPod and vibrates in time to the music.

The vibrations get faster as the music gets louder on the £25 iBuzz, reports the Sun Online.

Ali Carnegie, of adult-store www.LoveHoney.co.uk, said the firm is already on the verge of selling out of the bullet-sized device before Christmas.

She said its inconspicuous design has been a big winner with women and claims the sex toy, totally unrelated to Apple, is perfect for giving users "big smiles on their way to work".

Jessamy Hawley, of Gadget Candy - a technology website aimed at women - believes combining two female passions is sure to prove a No1 hit.

She added: "The iPod is this era's must-have accessory, while a vibrator is a timeless addition to every girl's gadget drawer.

"Entwine the two and you've got the ultimate cheeky Christmas stocking filler."

As a follow up to my least favorite tv characters am going to profile a few of my favorites.In no particular order,here goes:

Emily Gilmore of Gilmore Girls-I admit to loving all the characters in this show.So why am I choosing the grandmother as my favorite? Well,I happen to find the relationship between her and her daughter Lorelai the most interesting on the show.Domineering and society conscious Emily struggles to understand and connect with a daughter that she just cannot seem to understand.And because I have had similiar experiences with my mother it makes it all the more real and gripping.

.Maxine Gray(Tyne Daly) of Judging Amy-As the social worker Maxine never quits.Forever railing at the system,sometimes to the point of exasperation yet still doing her utmost to make sure the kids best interest comes first.Also the glue that keeps her family together with her firm yet loving ways.

Detective Briscoe(Jerry Orbach) of Law and Order.I rate Law and Order as one of the best shows ever and Briscoe was by far the best character.Despite L&O being plot based Briscoe played the no nonsense cop to perfection.Tough,cynical and given to wisecracks which were delivered with impeccable timing meant you were never bored when he was on the screen.We also got a peek into his life that included his battle with alcoholism and we felt his pain when his daughter was gunned down by drug dealers.RIP,Jerry Orbach.Nuff respect for the many years of great perfomances on TV's best show.

Det Sipowicz(Dennis Franz) of NYPD Blues.Tough,edgy,very politically incorrect(remember when he called the black activist a nigger?) and sometimes sensitive the show just won't be the same without him.Sometimes,I wonder how he managed to remain on the squad with his long list of infractions ranging from violating the suspects Miranda rights,getting drunk on the job as well as beating the daylights out of the suspects during interrogation.

Andy Rooney(60 mins).He's the reason why I try to watch 60 mins every Sunday and am rarely let down by his humorous or testy reflections at the end of the show.Watching Andy Rooney is kinda like listening to your grumpy grandfather or great uncle ramble on about the good old days when life was so much simpler.You want to tune them out sometimes but if you listen well enough you realise there are some lessons to be learnt.

Seth Cohen(Adam Brody) of the OC.I don't really watch this show much but when I do its because of Seth. I first became aware of Adam Brody when he played David on Gilmore Girls and later on in the Brady Bunch movie(yuk).On the OC he is the rich but geeky kid with the smart mouth,goofy wardrobe,love of comics,and mad playstation skills who always brings some hilarity to almost any situation.Added to all that is his devotion to Summer,the girl who he finally hooked up with after his break up with Anna.Despite his privileged life you also get a sense that he wants a bit more from life than what he currently has.


There are quite a few others that I like but am too lazy to profie.Anyway special mention to Stewie of Family Guy,Karen from Will and Grace and Clare from Six feet Under.

Today I called a courier service to enquire about a package.The person who answered the telephone asked me if I had a tracking number to aid in its location.Since I did not have the number with me I told her I would call back in a couple minutes after I had obtained it.

About 15 minutes later I made another call and relayed the tracking number.When I was finished the lady said the number had one digit too many .So instead of going through the trouble of double checking the number I suggested that she delete one of the twos and see if it would work.The number read something like this-70853222284 so I sorta figured maybe I had a two too many.

To my great surprise she asked me which of the two's she should subtract.A bit taken aback for words I managed to blurt out that it really didn't matter which one she left out.Somehow,my response given in a pleasant enough manner was apparently offensive to her because in a ice cold manner she demanded my telephone # and informed me she would call me.Realising that she was not going to give me priority I called back in about an hour's time with the corrected number.This time she was so pleasant leaving me to surmise that it was a result of not having to decide which of the twos to leave out.

Enjoy the weekend.

That's been the theme of the last two days as a tropical wave/depression made its presence felt.By the time it had left us seven homes were totally destroyed,several damaged,multiple landslides and damage to the roads were recorded.Unfortunately, in Bequia two fishermen perished when a rock slide trapped them in the cave where they were fishing.

A number of business places including the airport and some schools were also flooded with at least one remaining closed on Tuesday.The annoying feature of the rainstorm was the way we kept losing power-it would go off,come on for a few minutes only to disappear again.I wonder how many appliances were damaged by the power surges and if the homeowners will even be compensated since they would have to prove the Power Co was responsible.

But,do you know that despite all the rain the party faithfuls turned up on Sunday to the ULP's rally that presented all the candidates to the people.I say these people deserve a medal for standing up for hours in cold and damp conditions to listen to politicians rhetoric.It shows we can be really dedicated if we want to.If only there was some way to transfer love of party into love of country we would definitely be better off as a nation,won't we?

Sophie Kirkman of The Sunday Times

A man who tested positive for HIV, the virus that causes Aids, has subsequently shown up negative for the disease in a case that has mystified doctors.
It was claimed last night that Andrew Stimpson, 25, may have shaken off the virus with his own immune system after contracting HIV in 2002.

If proved, the NHS has said the case would be “medically remarkable”. It could provide vital information to researchers looking into treatments for HIV and Aids, which has killed about 3,800 people in Britain since the 1980s.

The worldwide annual death toll is more than 3m.

The Chelsea and Westminster Healthcare NHS trust, which treated Stimpson, has said he needs to undergo more tests before it can be established how he apparently conquered HIV.

“These tests were accurate and they were his, but what we don’t know at the moment is why that has happened, and we want him to come back in for more tests,” said a spokeswoman. “It is potentially a fantastic thing.”

Stimpson was tested three times in August 2002 at the Victoria clinic for sexual health in central London and the results showed he was producing HIV antibodies to fight the disease.

Stimpson, originally from Largs in Ayrshire, contracted the virus from his boyfriend, Juan Gomez, 44. He began taking vitamins and other dietary supplements to keep his body healthy in the hopes that this might fend off the development of full-blown Aids.

In October 2003, after impressing doctors with his good health, Stimpson was offered a new test, which came back negative. Further tests in December 2003 and March last year also proved negative.

“It was the last thing I expected. I was astonished. I was baffled too,” he told the News of the World. “I couldn’t understand how anyone could cure themselves of HIV . . . I thought it had to be wrong because no one can recover from HIV, it just doesn’t happen.”

The tests were re-checked by the Chelsea and Westminster Healthcare NHS Trust when Stimpson threatened litigation believing there must be a mistake, but the results confirmed all the tests had been accurate.

In a letter understood to be from the NHS Litigation Authority in October this year, Stimpson was told: “The fact you have recovered from a positive antibody result to a negative result is exceptional and medically remarkable.”

The trust said there had been several other cases of claimed “spontaneous clearance” of the virus worldwide, although it is not believed any have been proved. A spokeswoman added that the trust had urged Stimpson to return for tests, but that so far he had not done so

This story,if true interests me greatly since it would be a major break through in studying the disease.My fear though is it will most likely make people less careful about preventative methods

There was a middle-aged couple that had two stunningly beautiful teenage daughters. The couple decided to try one last time for the son they always wanted. After months of trying, the wife finally got pregnant and sure enough, delivered a healthy baby boy nine months later.

The joyful father rushed into the nursery to see his new son. He took one look and was horrified to see the ugliest child he had ever seen. He went to his wife and told her there was no way he could be the father of that child.

'Look at the two beautiful daughters I fathered!' Then he gave her a stern look and asked, 'Have you been fooling around on me?'

The wife just smiled sweetly and said, 'Not this time!' "

That's your weekend chuckle

If you watch as much televison as I do there are bound to be some characters that tick you off.Some are mildly annoying while others make you want to throw rocks at the screen.In no particular order here are some of the characters I just love to hate.

Dr Phil.It was bad enough listening to his self serving stuff on Oprah,(whose show by the way is fast becoming a major irritant) but horror of horrors the man now has his own show.Is there anything Dr Phil doesn't know?Having an adoring audience lapping up your every syllable must work wonders.Can somebody tell me why a fat man is giving advice about diet? It makes me question advice that you yourself don't appear to be heeding.

The Nanny aka Fran Drescher.She is the reason I can only take the Nanny in small doses.I actually like the show,fairly good premise and all but that voice drives me up a wall.Maxwell Sheffield deserves a sainthood for living with Fran all those years and remaining sane.Saw an ad for a new-well to me at least sitcom with Fran which means the voice is still around to torture us once more.

Elmo.Sesame Street used to be a cool place with some equally cool puppets like Grover,Cookie Monster et al.One day a red furball named Elmo showed up and refused to leave.Neither funny or cool Elmo seemed to be everywhere and succeeded in lessening the other fun muppets airtime.The last straw was when Elmo got his own half hour spot-the very annoying Elmo's World.That's when I knew Sesame Street had lost the plot.

Scooby Doo.Lol,I'll probably get shot for this but what manner of dog is this?Always hungry,always scared of literally his own shadow.Actually,the whole show is real silly and this is coming from a person who loves animation.Bugs is fine,he got spunk and not afraid to antagonise and my fave Daffy talks a good game.Scooby,on the other hand has not an ounce of courage,charisma or anything that makes him vaguely interesting to me.His entire life is spent running from monsters,who when unmasked would make any self respecting dog cringe.Come on Scooby,grow some balls.

Bill O'Reilly.Ok,I confess to religiously watching the O'Reilly Factor but yet its host makes my most annoying list.Paradox,you say? Well to tell the truth my attraction is watching some one be so wrong so often.And the most amazing thing is O'Reilly seems absolutely convinced that he is 100% correct on his rantings.Got to love the irony of his No spin Zone which is intent on being a mouthpiece for the Republicans.

Melissa and Joan Rivers.The fashion experts formerly of E and now residing on TV Guide Channel.How can two women who are definitely not attractive neither do they dress particularly well have so much to say about the red carpet stars?The irony is that many a show their own outfits can definitely make their own worst dressed list.I particularly love it when Joan gets it wrong e,g congratulating a star for being nominated only to learn he/she is a presenter.

Special mention to Steve Irwin ,who am I secretly wishing would get bitten by the croc .

Off to the polls we go on Dec 7th.Thank God,it will soon be over and life can revert to some normalcy and not the madness that is taking place right now.It goes without saying that productivity is low since everybody is caught up in the election/party mode.You could see people stumbling to work on Mondays i.e if they even manage to wake up after attending the weekly rallies.Upon arriving at work a substantial part of the work day is spent discussing in detail the events of the weekend.This morning I went to pay a bill and the cashiers were so engrossed in discussing their party's chances in the elections that I was the invisible woman.

Then there are the talk shows which go on for ever and ever.They are bad enough with out election fever and in this atmosphere they have become doubly worse. From now until the 7th the campaign will only get more feverish and to tell the truth sometimes it is very humourous with all the picong(old talk).One feature of elections that I find amusing is the practice of giving burials to candidates who were defeated in their respective constituencies.These burials,complete with coffins and waxen images in some cases are elaborate events with the features of a real burial.Either way there are many funerals to look forward to on Dec 8th.

Last but not least when it is all over hopefully persons can revert to being friends.It may be a big ask given how heated a campaign can be but here's hoping good sense will prevail.

As you all would/may know Dr D is here in St Vincent attending a Dermatology cinference.Today,was the planned meeting day due to conference and work constraints.So we set a time of 4pm and yours truly arrived on time only to find the goodly doc missing in action

So,like a good little girl I relaxed in the reception area and settled down to wait.At 5 pm I was ready to leave but I figured since I was already there I'd suffer through so my evening won't be totally wasted.The clock rolled around to 6 and still no sign.Apparently nobody told the doc that you don't keep a lady waiting:)

Anyway,just as I was about to leave I saw this tour bus roll in and a couple passengers disembarked.None of them fit the image I was looking for so am there trying my best to spot him.Eventually, I spotted him heading up the path that led to his cottage and yelled out his blog name.The poor fella looked confused as to who on earth would be calling him by his nick but he quickly realised it could only be me.

It turned out they went to do some sightseeing hence the late arrival so it was all good.Unfortunately,the visit was short since the man had big banquet to attend at 7.15.But we had a good little chat and a photo session with Doc rejecting several shots and his friend getting in on the photography act.So there you have it folks and y'all can look out next week for Doc's impressions of SVG and his version of the meeting.

Talk about being in a sticky situation.

GREENSBURG, Pa. (AP) - A man claims his ex-girlfriend owes him more than $30,000 for gluing his genitals to his abdomen five years ago. "This was not just some petty domestic squabble," attorney Grey Pratt told a Westmoreland County jury Wednesday.

His client, Kenneth Slaby of Pittsburgh, is suing Gail O'Toole of Murrysville. His lawsuit claims the two broke up in 1999 after dating for 10 months and Slaby began dating someone else.

Slaby contends that O'Toole invited him over to her home on May 7, 2000, where he fell asleep. He woke up to find that O'Toole had used Super Glue to stick his genitals to his abdomen, glued his buttocks together and spelled out a profanity on his back in nail polish.

Slaby said O'Toole told him it was payback for their breakup, and he had to walk a mile to a gas station to call for help. He pressed charges and O'Toole pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault and served six months' probation.

O'Toole's attorney, Chuck Evans, said it was a consensual act and Slaby wasn't permanently damaged.

"This is a case that should have been left in the bedroom," he said

Am referring to the election campaign which is going into high gear.Each weekend the two main political parties with much fanfare launch/present a candidate in his/her respective constituency.The ruling Unity Labour Party of Dr Ralph Gonsalves is conducting a catchy campaign with its usage of top local and regional entertainers as guest performers.

Addresses from the platform are also interspersed with the appropriate sounds designed to whip up the thousands of party faithfuls.A point to note here is that several of the local entertainers have declared their political allegiance and it would appear that the ULP has definitely attracted the more popular ones.The NDP led by former PM Arnhim Eustace is conducting a more subdued campaign which still attracts sizable crowds.

Undoubedtly, the ULP with its catchy theme song has caught much of the imagination of the youths in pretty much the same way the 2001 campaign did.Back then the 2001 campaign saw the presence of mega regional stars on the ULP's platform.Vincentians still insist that Beres Hammond's appearance at one of the rallies was one of the largest crowds seen here.

This weekend promises to be a monster rally in the all important East Kingstown constituency.Opposition Leader Eustace won this seat by 26 votes in 1998 and 45 in 2001 and the ULP is determined to be the victor this time around and if the rhetoric is to be believed send Mr Eustace to his political grave.On stage will be Destra Garcia and Atlantic along with locals.Maybe this undecided voter will take a trip down to Sion Hill Playing Field.

Meanwhile the talking point this week revolves around questions the PM has asked Senator Leacock in relation to the usage for political reasons of some Tshirts donated by Tommy Hilfiger to the Football Federation.Sen Leacock,who is also Pres of the SVGFF has gone on record as having "procured" 72 of the shirts under question.This has given the PM an opening to question whether or not they were paid for and which Mr Leacock has dismissed as being "out of place".From where I sit I think the Senator has some explaining to do because this points to questions of integrity. Never a dull moment in Vincentian politics.