CNN Feb 5, 2010: Ancient tribe becomes extinct as last member dies

New Delhi, India (CNN) — The last member of an ancient tribe that has inhabited an Indian island chain for around 65,000 years has died, a group that campaigns for the protection of indigenous peoples has said.

Nation News 2/4/2010 Co-accused confesses

Christopher Omar McCollin, 27, of Vineyard Tenantry, St Philip, was in the No. 4 Supreme Court where he was arraigned with murdering 16-year-old Druzhinina on November 8, 2008.

He denied that charge, but pleaded guilty to the lesser count of unlawfully killing her.

“On the 8th November, 2008, I never had any intention to kill anyone. I didn’t know my co-accused would have wanted me to carry out a personal vendetta he had against the man,” McCollin told the court.

Nation News 2/4/2010 ‘I didn’t want her to die’

“I felt bad because I did what he [the man who had been charged with him] told me to do. I could not believe that such a crime had been perpetrated in front of me. I could not believe that she was dead. It really hurt me and I really wanted to take my own life ’cause I could not handle it,” the killer said.

Does this defendant expect this excuse to get him leniency?

CNN, February 1, 2010: L.A. cardinal deposed for 5 hours in abuse lawsuit

(CNN) — The head of the largest Catholic archdiocese in the United States faced a grueling five-hour deposition last month, answering questions about his knowledge of abusive priests and his attempts to prevent the information from reaching police.

A spokesman for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, California, would not answer further questions about Cardinal Roger Mahony’s deposition in a civil lawsuit. …

Mahony has dealt with accusations he covered up sex-abuse cases for years. Three years ago, the archdiocese agreed to pay $660 million to 508 people who claimed they were victims of abuse by priests.

Associated Press, Sunday, January 31, 2010, via Fox News: Haiti Kids Taken by Americans Reportedly Have Families

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Ten U.S. Baptists detained trying to take 33 children out of earthquake-shattered Haiti without government permission say they were just trying to do the right thing, applying Christian principles to save Haitian children.

According to AP, Prime Minister Max Bellerive said “it is illegal trafficking of children.” These are very serious charges!

We visited John U. Lloyd Beach State Park on Saturday. Here is the web site.

Loggerhead Cafe

Drive or sail to this very casual, semi-outdoor restaurant on the water. Our lunch was reasonably priced, and delicious. We had conch fritters, buffalo wings, and pulled pork sandwiches. The weather was pleasantly cool, so we ordered hot Earl Grey tea.Thumbnail linking to aerial views on Google Maps. Loggerhead Cafe is on the top left.

Poison ivy lurked with frost reddened seagrape along one of the many nature trails. Days after the recent freeze, children frolicked in the clear water, which remained at a near-tropical temperature.

Cruise ships were docked at nearby Port Everglades.

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Monument to the Civil Rights Struggle

Click on the above image to enlarge.

Miami Herald, Jan. 23, 2010 - UN panel chief won’t quit for Himalayan melt error

NEW DELHI — The head of a panel of United Nations climate scientists said Saturday he would not resign despite a recent admission that a panel report warning Himalayan glaciers could be gone by 2035 was hundreds of years off.

Caribbean360.com - Another CL Financial exec calls it quits

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, January 21, 2010 – Another CL Financial top executive is leaving the embattled company.

Group Financial Officer Michael Carballo has handed in his resignation, just a week after chief executive officer Steve Bideshi said he was leaving at month end.

CL Financial is a holding company with many subsidiaries including CLICO and British American Insurance Company Limited

CBS, WASHINGTON, Jan. 20, 2010: 635,000 Cribs Recalled over Injury Fears

Cribs Sold by Kmart, Wal-Mart Pulled after Death of 6-Year-Old Boy

(AP) A Barbados-based company on Tuesday recalled about 635,000 cribs sold by Kmart, Sears, Wal-Mart and other stores after the death of a 6-month-old boy and multiple reports of injuries.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall of 20 models of Dorel Asia cribs with both drop sides and fixed front rails.

Some of the Chinese- and Vietnamese-made cribs were recalled because their drop sides can detach, creating a space where a child can be trapped and suffocate or strangle.

A 6-month-old boy from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, strangled after getting trapped in the crib when the drop-side hardware broke. His parents were using the crib after trying to repair it themselves.

What is the role of this Barbados company in the manufacture of these cribs? Will it be sued in the US?

Here are some companies with the name “Dorel” from the corporate registry in Barbados, CAIPO:

Miami Herald, Jan 2010. Read entire article here.

MONDAY (Martin Luther King Jr. Day)

•  Liberty City Parade: Begins at 10 a.m. at Northwest 54th Street and 10th Avenue and ends at the Martin Luther King Jr. Park at 32nd Avenue.
• The 5000 Role Models of Excellence: Eighth annual Unity Scholarship Breakfast, 8:30 a.m. at the Fontainebleau Hilton Resort, 4441 Collins Ave. in Miami Beach. The guest speaker is hotel developer R. Donahue Peebles.
• The 15th annual South Dade MLK Parade and Gospel Extravaganza: 9 a.m., corner of Homestead Avenue and Southwest 184th Street. The parade then heads west to Southwest 104th Avenue, then north on 104th Avenue. Organizers expect Florida A&M University’s Marching 100, high school marching bands, the Nassau Bahamas Junkanoo, floats and funny cars.

There is a free gospel concert at noon, West Perrine Park, 17121 SW 104th Ave.

The free Gospel concert looks good, and the parade will be impressive!

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid referred to Obama during the 2008 campaign as:

a ‘light-skinned’ African American ‘with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one,’

(Source CBS, January 9, 2010 - Reid Apologizes for “Negro Dialect” Remark)

Reid apologized with these words:

“I deeply regret using such a poor choice of words. I sincerely apologize for offending any and all Americans, especially African Americans for my improper comments. …”

Update: CNN, January 10, 2010: GOP chair: Reid should step down following race remark

Are Bajan Politicians Racist?

In 2006 BFP took two Barbados Ministers to task with: Barbados Government Racial Slurs: Negrocrats and Caucasians

Here is what I wrote back in 2008 - Richard Goddard - The Chicken Farmer who is not Chicken

Don’t believe me? Here is the video clip with the former Environment Minister, Liz Thompson, a.k.a. the Honourable Elizabeth Thompson, spitting out the words “Caucasian male” as if she were saying “Devil incarnate”!

The big difference between Elizabeth Thompson and Harry Reid, is that Thompson never publicly apologized. Reid will be held accountable for his actions and so should the “Honourable” Liz Thompson.