New US citizenship test

I came across the following article about the new citizenship test administered by US Immigration. Click here to view. Apparently 10 questions are pulled from a bank of about 100 of which the candidate must answer at least 6 correctly.

The article pulls ten questions and provide the answers. I have to say that I did not know the answers to mot of the questions. In fact, I submit that most Americans (even ones with a post secondary education) could not answer most of the questions listed in the article.

Anyway, I am sure the entire bank of questions is available someplace so the prospective candidate would just have to study for it. It is probably available online but I am too lazy to look it up.

And, with this US citizenship a dream to thousands worldwide, we are faced with stories like this one where an immigrant is being denied leaving the country after working years and saving his hard earned money. Click here to view.

In the News

I try to stay on top of things happening in the world by reading online newspapers each chance I get. I prefer this method as news items are updated almost instantly and most times the news items are current. I can remember growing up when Grandma would make it a point of her day to listen to the news on the radio at 6 (or was it 7 pm) on what was then RJR or JBC. Or sometimes she would watch the news on the television. She couldn’t turn it on but she would call someone to turn it on for her so she would watch the news.

Fast forward to today and I stay in touch with the news via the internet. I am not sure why Grandma was so hooked on the news but personally I find it depressing. I read a variety of online newspapers and news websites, from the local Sun-Sentinel here in Florida, to the Jamaica Observer, to CNN. Most times the news items are so ghastly that I wonder why is it that I read knowing that there is either going to be some gruesome report of crime or some real tear jerking tragedy. For example here are some news items that I found today Thursday September 27, 2007.

Palm Beach Post: Baby stabbed to death by Great-uncle

Palm Beach Post: Child struck by hit and run driver

Sun Sentinel: Boat crew missing, hijacking/piracy

Sun-Sentinel: Man shot in head in Riviera Beach

Jamaica Observer: Four die in car crash

Jamaica Gleaner: Student stabbed for cell phone

CNN: Security forces open fire in Myanmar

CNN: Angry father questions police over son’s death

Those are lead stories from some of the news sources that I read today. Depressing? Certainly. But interestingly I have come to expect these things reading the news nowadays. I would like to think that I am not becoming insensitive to these happenings that take place in my back yard, in my homeland Jamaica, within the US or half way across the world to some country I would probably never even visit if the trip was free.

(The Observer story above is similar to another story where 6 people were killed days earlier again in a car crash. See story here. )

With these stories now common place, I wonder if Grandma would still listen religiously to the news today as she did back in the day. I will still read the news because she taught me a long time ago that it pays to be aware of what is happening around me and around the world.

Not sure how it pays but I will still heed her advice. No matter how painful it is.

Air Jamaica commercial and Spirit's blunder

I heard this commercial this past week.

The setting is apparently at the airport where a customer is looking to checking in. I wrote the dialogue from memory but the gist of it is below.

Customer Service Rep: Welcome to Cheapo airlines. How can I help you today?
Customer: Yes I just want to check these bags.
CSR: Okay you know our airline has a charge of $10 per bag.
Cus: What you charging me to check my bags. Alright I just cant wait to get on board and get something to eat.
CSR: Well then I hope you bought your own snacks because our snacks start at about $2 each.
Cus: What? You charging me for the snacks too? Man, okay I just want to board and get some rest then.
CSR: Well in that case I hope you brought your blankets because there is a charge to use our blankets.
Cus: (Exasperated) Why did I not choose to fly Air Jamaica.

I heard that on one of the Caribbean radio programs in Broward and found it amusing. Sounds like Air Jamaica is calling out the competition…….

Speaking of the competition, there was this item in the news about Spirit Airlines a month ago where the CEO inadvertently sent a missive to a staff member after a customer complained. Definitely worth a read. Click here to view.

Broward carnival 2007 is on

So it seems like the Broward Carnival that was in jeopardy this year has finally found a home. Click here for article. Seems that there will be a race to get everything in place for it though. I hope that orgnaizers here will plan this meticoulsy and put on a good show. The carnival this year represents an opportunity for patrons to go out and have a good time leanr about what the carnival has to offer and give the Caribbean community a good name. Perfect chance to prove al the naysayers wrong. Let’s hope it comes off as planned and that we give a good account of ourselves.

Also, this Saturday is the Jamaican Jerk festival…………

Viewpoint on life in the US: Take Two

I am sending this entry to the Gleaner. Hopefully they will publish it. This is the second post I wrote surrounding this. Here is the prior post.

There have recently been a few articles printed in the Gleaner about Jamaicans living in the US. A section of one letter (Inspired by Success 9/20/07) expressed thanks for the inspiration that a prior letter (Jamaican success story 9/13/07) provided after the claim that the author has "made it" in the US. But, an earlier letter by a different author who claimed that she is struggling should not be disregarded (Diary of a Jamaican Born US Citizen 9/12/07). In fact, her letter is just as vital as the one claiming success. Probably even more important. Why? Because it shows the pitfalls that can happen.

I am not advocating that Jamaicans should not migrate to the US. But be educated when you do. I did migrate, and I consider myself successful. America is indeed the land of opportunity. But the opportunity for success is just as likely as the opportunity for a life of struggles debt and other things that get thrown at you. There are tons of success stories but there are tons of not so successful stories too. Do not assume that said migration is the answer in and of itself.

Both letters are needed as one shows what can be accomplished and the other shows how things can go wrong. Armed with this knowledge anyone considering migration to the US can then prepare themselves adequately. Providing inspiration for other immigrants is important but so is the educating of said immigrants.

The morning drive in...

On my way into work this morning I tuned into one of the Jamaican radio stations to hear some way back in the day music. Where I live those stations are not available as the signal does not get that far up but as I approach the area where I actually work I can hear the signal getting stronger as I approach the city. And once it became clear I heard the tunes. Another station has Thursday mornings Caribbean mix so I switch back and forth. I heard some Shabba Ranks, Lt. Stitchie, Cocoa T, Ninja and Tinga. Ah tellin yuh took me back in the dayyyyy.

I was jamming to the music so much with this big smile on my face that I swear that the people in the cars next to me must have thought I was crazy. But the thing is that there are times when I truly miss JA. The climate, the music the people and the culture.

So, when I hear the little bit of music on the reggae station I hold onto it and appreciate it so much more. So if you happen to be in the South Florida area and see some guy just jamming to the music in the car next to you looking crazy, that might be me. But now you know why.

Two viewpoints on life in America

These two articles came to my attention from the Gleaner’s website. The first was from a lady who talked about her struggles with life in America after migrating at an early age. The second is the other point of view; of someone who migrated at a later age and is doing fairly well judging by the letter to the Editor. I believe I fall into the latter category but I can easily appreciate the position of the former as it is not hard to see how one can fall into her predicament.

Here is my take: both are right in their assessment of how life can be in America but no two circumstances are exactly alike. Here is the major difference between the two stories in my opinion: one came at nine and one came at 34. I believe that America does not do a good job of preparing the youths for adulthood. Case in point: managing debt and the impact a credit score can have on your future. The credit score is a rating that a few respected rating agencies give to individuals based on their bill payment and debt history. For those who pay bills on time and demonstrate responsibility in managing their debt, their scores are higher. This rating affects the ability to qualify for a mortgage or car loan. The worst scores get the highest interest rates so it behooves everyone to try and have the highest scores possible.

Most Americans have debt whether it is credit card, car loans or a mortgage. In fact we are encouraged to in some cases. With credit cards available almost effortlessly it is no surprise that the average American is swimming in credit card debt. And with almost every major purchase (and minor purchase for that matter) being able to be financed it is almost encouraged for debt to be incurred. With the lack of education about managing debt it is easy for things to spiral out of control. And with the lady in the first letter migrating so young I think she fell victim to this circular system.

The lady in the second letter came at a later age and thus was able to exhibit greater responsibility. But her story shows one thing: every one has an opportunity for some measure of success in the US. It is a quicksand effect though; debt in America can grab you and suck you in quite easily.

So while both ladies’ stories are representative of what we face as migrants and what can be accomplished I would urge anyone migrating to seek to educate themselves about American life. (Note that this is not easy, the lady in the first letter spoke about 7 in 10 being in her situation with bad credit and debt. Those stats I do not believe apply to only Jamaicans in the US. I think that is more representative of Americans on a whole. That’s right. This situation also affects Americans born and raised here; black, white, Hispanic and any other other ethnic group though some are more at risk than others).

In closing, I wish the young lady in NY all the best and hope she pulls out of the rut. And in the same breath I would applaud the lady in Florida for overcoming the odds. And while America remains the land of opportunity, there is opportunity for the good life as well as opportunity for a continuous struggle.

Remembering 9-11 (belatedly)

The post by Aurie prompted me to expand on a prior post concerning September 11. Though it is after the anniversary of the tragic event, I decided to write it anyway. Before I jump into the memory, Hardbeatnews.com had this story about remembering the Caribbean victims of 9-11.

Like I had said before, I still remember driving to work that morning. Back then I took a series of back roads that connected to a major intersection that put me on Flamingo Drive in Broward County. I remember waiting at the stop sign before making one of my customary turns, and turning the radio on. I caught the news item in midstream and the only thing I could have discerned at that time was that a plane crashed into the World Trade Center. I dismissed it thinking that it was one of those small twin engine planes that clipped the roof or something. I got to work and the receptionist asked if I heard about the plane crash. I said yes and then thought I heard her say something about a second crash. I thought she was mistaken. So I went to my office turned the radio on with the intention of getting the full story and of course went on the internet. Of course that was when I fully became aware of the tragedy. And, at that time of the morning the news was still sketchy. So there was a lot of surmising and supposing. As the morning unfolded I learnt more as did the rest of the nation I assume, and started understanding what really went on. The news of the other two planes broke throughout the course of the day and the entire office was shell-shocked.

Other things I remember from that day was a discussion where someone said they thought it was not hard for the terrorists to do what they did in taking the planes because security can be lax at the airports. I can also remember saying to co-workers that the ideas for these actions came from some of the movies we watch and I named The Siege as an example (with Denzel Washington, Annette Benning and Bruce Willis). I remember saying about how I felt that this gave people ideas. And I remember driving home along Flamingo heading to Hiatus with tears in my eyes. I remember a Stevie Wonder song playing and the more it played the more the tears came. Years later, I can’t remember why that song in particular brought tears but it wasn’t the song it was the tragedy. I remember talking with my daughter’s mom and telling her I couldn’t talk to her right then because I was too upset and in a depressed yet reflective mood on the state of the country, the world. I remember praying not only for those people who were caught in the towers especially the ones who just knew they were going to die and that there was no way they could be saved with that unbearable heat. I also remember praying that no Jamaicans were involved in the carrying out the massacre as I knew the US would lash out.

I remember my dad calling from Jamaica trying to get a hold of me to see if I was alright. He must have called everybody he knew until a cousin got a hold of me and I sent word to let him know I was okay. I sugarcoated it by telling her to tell him I am so many miles away in Florida and this is several states away. Truth be told I was wondering if any attacks could have been in Florida as well. I for one didn’t think we were immune and certainly didn’t think that anywhere was safe. Later I found out that the President may have been in Florida at the time (memory a little fuzzy on that detail).

I remember talking with my step-dad and he pointed out that we could have easily been in New York instead of living in Florida. I mean, think about it. Most Jamaicans who migrate usually end up in Florida or New York. If when he did migrate he chose NY, then that is where I would have been too when my mother filed for us. He pointed out that he could have been driving a cab in NY for example and gotten a fare near Ground Zero. Or, maybe I would have secured a job in one of those buildings. Who knows, we could have been there he pointed out.

Two things drove that point home. One was the fact that a lady in my office worked years ago in one of the towers. She was even telling us about the elevator system and how it worked with different elevators going to specific floors and how fast they were. I remember this point more than any because the elevators in our building at the time were so slow you could walk up and down ten times on foot before the elevator got you there. The second point that brought home 9-11 that day was when we called a company that we do business with to make an inquiry. We were asked to be patient as the office that handled the issues we inquired about was in NY and that office is now gone…………….

Jamaica Election 2007 now behind us

This article illustrates why I just want Jamaica to put the election behind it and move forward. As long as the effect of the election lingers on this type of unflattering story will be in the mainstream media. The Miami Herald is quite a large newspaper with a wide reach so this story will be read by a large readership. With the island still dependent on tourism, we need to turn around this type of media coverage to more positive ones.

In an earlier post I mentioned that a country’s Diaspora may view the problems of the home country differently than the country’s residents do. The media reports in the adopted country are partly responsible for this especially if a particular individual only has a passing interest in the affairs of the home country. In my case I have more than a passing interest in the affairs of my homeland Jamaica so I try to stay on top of things using various online media available to me. But these articles such as the one I referenced above still carry some weight.

So now, congratulations to Prime Minister Golding but no time to waste. Time to get to work.

Jena 6

September 11. It has been 6 years now since the attacks. How many of us remember what they were doing when they heard of the attacks? I can still remember driving to work when I first heard the reports. Let us spare a thought for those that lost their lives in the attacks and those who are still feeling the impact with the loss of loved ones.

While America wages war on terror that was brought out so much into the spotlight 6 years ago, Osama still remains at large and American troops are still in Iraq. But on this anniversary of the attacks there is still another war being fought right here in the nation’s borders. In a small town in Louisiana called Jena there 6 black youths facing charges related to an attack on a white male in that town. Click here to view article by Newsweek. If you Google “Jena 6” you would find a barrage of articles, blogs, commentary and more on this.

The entire brouhaha started when some black kids sat under a tree that was unofficially “reserved” for the white students at the local school. The next day there were three nooses hanging from the tree that the school officials dismissed as a prank and handed out a three day suspension to the perpetrators. That triggered a series of events that included an attack by white students on black kids with a shotgun, a black kid being beaten up at a party, a white kid being attacked by some black kids that resulted in the black kids being hit with a slew of charges. One of those kids, known as the Jena 6 now sits in jail awaiting sentencing. As expected, black leaders around the nation are buzzing.

But as I sit back and ponder the developments regarding this Jena 6 story I can’t help but remember a Bob Marley song that starts like this: Until the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned, this a war.

Not only is the war being fought in the courtroom and along social and racial lines, there is also the physical confrontations as the Newsweek story points out. Who would have thought that in today’s world we would still be faced with this type of battle?

Article about undocumented workers

I picked this up on one of the Caribbean online newspapers that I frequent. Click here to view.

The article talks about domestic workers in the New York area but I am sure the same story can be replayed across the US including the South Florida region. Quite a number of Caribbean folks fill these roles and with immigration status so much in the headlines, the undocumented ones feel that they have little recourse.

Sometimes being here in the US in the pursuit of a better life may not be glamorous when you are undocumented or illegal. But you have to respect these ones though. Through it all they do what they have to do. Nuff respect and much love.

Interestingly, violation of law labors can result in lawsuits and the hiring of undocumented workers can result in prosecution I believe. Employers can also run afoul of the IRS if employer taxes aren't being paid. But, these employers who take advantage of these workers can safely bet that they (the undocumented workers) will not risk deportation to have them (the employers) prosecuted.

Quite a tangled web.

Caribbean politics overview - Miami Herald

Jacqueline Charles of the Miami Herald provides a quick run through of the political landscape in the Caribbean. Click here to view.

As stated in her article most of the countries voting populace that had recent elections cited mostly the same concerns: rising crime, concerns over the economy, and the feeling that the government is disconnected from the people.

With the Jamaican election out of the way T&T are up next and from the article that could prove to be the more interesting one of all. With new parties in place I wonder if this will result in a more unified Caribbean.

Nice overview by Charles.

More on Broward Carnival

A commentary by a popular radio personality here in South Florida on WAVS 1170 this morning talked about the ineffectual and arrogant nature of both parties in Jamaica. He offered that while the Caribbean seems to be going through some tough transition right now the South Florida Caribbean community is not positioned to take the leadership role it could. After all, we can’t even get it right here in our adopted backyard. Exhibit A? The problems plaguing Broward carnival less than a month away.

Here is another article by the Sun-Sentinel on the Broward carnival. Click here to view. This article has a comments section and some of the comments make for some interesting reading. It shows a little about how we are viewed as Caribbean folks. Some of it may be our own fault. Other comments you just can’t rationalize.

While some of the comments have some merit such as the littering and clean up required and the handling of the large crowd that is expected, these issues can be overcome with the proper planning. So the onus is on the organizers to guarantee that these issues will be addressed. Simultaneously, I believe the city of Miramar should afford every opportunity to the organizers to get it right. The event is very important to the landscape of the community.

As I stated in previous post, I believe the carnival will go ahead in some form. Once the organizers put this one behind them, I would suggest a task force of sorts to review the event and the problems that arose and some measures to address them. That way we can head off those issues for next year.

Broward Caribbean carnival on hold

So the city leaders in Miramar decided not to approve a plan to host the Broward Caribbean carnival this year. View article here.

I am surprised that the city commissioners voted this way. If there was one city that I expected to be more understanding of the Caribbean American population it would be Miramar.

Despite the reasons cited for the rejection I would think that there are sufficient positives to go ahead with the Carnival. It is only held once a year and there is a real economic benefit to vendors and possibly to the city itself. This is an excellent opportunity to market the city and the South Florida area as a whole since Caribbean folks are not the only ones to enjoy the Caribbean carnival. Tourists come from all over the country and quite possible from other countries to experience carnival.

Aside from the business side of things, there is the cultural and social aspect. The carnival is a uniting factor among the community. It is arguably the one area that brings the entire Caribbean community together. The rejection by Miramar to host this is not only a “no” to the carnival but a “no” also to the opportunity to share the Caribbean culture. This brings us to the cultural aspect. Everyone knows that carnival is a major part of our community. This is not just a big party. It represents the opportunity to share in music, art, foods and other avenues of expression.

I still think the carnival will proceed despite the setback. I am just not sure where. But I hope that the people behind this will work to find a way to bring this to fruition.

Election Reaction

The airwaves on the predominantly Caribbean radio stations here in South Florida were alight with the reaction to the Jamaican elections. In gauging the response I would say most folks are optimistic about the future and adopting a wait and see approach to Bruce Golding’s victory based on the various bits and pieces of the call-in programs that I had the opportunity to hear. Most callers on these programs were hopeful that the change that would take place after 18 years would be for the better. There also was hope that Jamaica was deviating from the hardline garrison party politics and were looking to vote on the issues.

There was also a backlash about Sister P’s comment about not wanting thieves to control the outcome of the election. I myself did not hear the comment nor did I find a report of it online but most callers and moderators were furious about it. They claimed that it could in fact spawn a violent reaction among some sectors on the island. And not surprisingly Sister P was ripped for her uncouth approach. One caller pointed out that the country needs someone who can give good representation and compared her to a "sketel". Lawd gees dat was kinda harsh tho.........

One thing I gathered from the calls though. Most Jamaicans abroad are concerned about the crime and violence in JA. They are fearful of what can happen when they visit the island. I wonder if this concern is also at the top of the average Jamaican’s list of concerns. I don’t think anyone welcomes violence but that element has far deeper issues with it such as poverty, lack of opportunities for the youth and so forth. So when the callers to these programs talk forcefully about stopping crime as if waving a magic wand will cure the problem I wonder what eyes they are looking at this through. There may be a gap between what we as Jamaicans abroad hope for versus what Jamaicans in JA hope for.

One program, Links 104.7 FM played the Marcia Griffiths song Fire Burning with Cutty Ranks and one line stuck with me: ….. “We’d like to ask you leaders, what do you have in mind………………?”

So now that we look like we are changing course that question seems appropriate!

Jamaica politics vs US politics

The Jamaica elections bear some resemblance to the US political and election landscape. First, there is the amount of money that has been spent on the election presumably by the JLP. If this is in fact true then it does bear resemblance to the US as American politicians always go on massive fundraisers to obtain capital for their campaigns. And then there is the internet. American politicians are now using the internet to channel campaigns having realized that they can reach a wider section of the voting public. The internet does give the opportunity to spread news good or bad rapidly. US democrat Barrack Obama is the subject of an Obama girl clip on Youtube. I believe it was not sanctioned by his camp. The JLP by all accounts seemed to have embraced the web and the power it has to enhance their campaign position. It may have made a great bit of difference. I for one would have to give praise to the party who embraces technology since it might just translate into a new line of thinking for the future. The US political climate features a female in Hillary Clinton and of course Jamaica has Sister Portia.

Then there is the recount issue. Years ago we had the same thing with Messrs. Bush and Gore in the infamous hanging chad situation in Florida. Now Jamaica has it own recount ballot story. To top it off I read in the Gleaner that Bruce Golding had a hunting accident of his own years aback. Well so did Dick Cheney though I think his shooting accident came after the US elections (memory fuzzy on that detail).

Jamaica's election in the news...........

This blog has been on my mind for a while and finally I decided to go ahead and get it started. What better point to start off than with the election in Jamaica at this time. After all the posturing and campaigning and all that goes with it, the Jamaicans abroad like myself have been trying to stay on top of the situation. The major newspapers dedicated some column inches to this and I will provide links to some below:

Sun-Sentinel - South Florida's Jamaican community tunes in to island's election

Sun-Sentinel – Editorial Jamaica's election is crucial to its future

The Miami Herald had some articles as well and The Associated Press reported in a Miami Herald article that Portia lost.

A couple media outlets with more Caribbean element to them reported on the election as well:

South Florida Caribbean News reports that groups of Jamaicans congregated in various locations to stay on top of the elections.

Hard beat News: Victory for JLP?

This election I believe opens some major doors about politics in the future. One Miami Herald article pointed out we can stay informed the world over due to the internet. Not only as a tool for campaigning but for informing Jamaicans abroad as well, the internet may just prove to be revolutionizing Jamaican politics.