Friday, 2001/11/02 03:40:58 PM - [Link Back]
Hey , I've decided what punishment should be meted out to the scum who write virus programs and to the email spammers I mentioned last night...

In the 18th century, when piracy was one of the biggest things in the Caribbean, the English came up with a method of punishing pirates they didn't like. (By that, read pirates who attacked English ships. Pirates who attacked other countries' ships were approved of and even elevated to political office. They weren't even called pirates, but rather privateers). They placed the pirates in a gibbet (an iron cage, just big enough to hold the body of the pirate in question), and hung them up where everyone could see them. For instance, here in Jamekyah, we have a cay just outside Kingston Harbour called Rackham's Cay, and it was named thus because thats where they hung up the pirate Jack Rackham. Placing the pirate there "killed two birds with one stone", as it were. The pirate would be devoured alive by sea birds, and being placed at the entrance to the harbour, would be seen by all ships entering the harbour (including other pirates or would be pirates), and would serve as a deterrent, or at least indicate to the pirates that the English "homeys didn't play that!"

I think such an end would be fitting for the virus writers... hang them up in a gibbet somewhere, ensuring that the scene is well covered by webcams, so that all the surfers on the internet can watch. Next, drape them with something to make them especially tasty, and let fly the birds. Can you imagine it. Some "would be" virus writer watching as one of his brethren is pecked to death... As the birds squabble over his delicacies, for instance his eyes, or maybe his tongue. That should give them something to think about, and maybe serve as a deterrent...

The email spammers are not such a serious threat as the writers of the virii... they are more of a public nuisance, and as such, their punishment will be less. They should receive 12 strokes from the "cat"! (the cat 'o nine tails was a whip used back then. It basically had nine lashes ("tails"). The ends of each lash were knotted and frequently the whip was wet with salt water before use. Lashes with this whip often caused many deep cuts and abrasions on the back of the person being whipped.) These whippings should be filmed and the movie files made available for download on the net. The spammers would be made aware of the possibilities should they be caught.

What do all y'all think?

Ok, so I'm joking... Thats cruel and unusual punishment, at least for the spammers... but the virus writers kind of deserve that, don't you think?

Thursday, 2001/11/01 10:27:48 PM - [Link Back]
Well, I asked for rain the other day and my prayers were most certainly answered. Lots of rain has fallen. It has caused flooding and land slides, but to tell you the truth, we needed it, so I'm glad we got it.

I attended a meeting today between members of my company's Information Technology Division and a vendor company re a computer they are trying to sell us. Some attendees were on "Jamaica time", (they were late) so those who were there engaged in small talk. Somehow the topic of conversation turned to email... The Computer Society of Jamaica had its annual conference recently and a number of persons in the meeting had attended. They were complaining/boasting how they got hundreds of emails while they were out of office. They were complaining because its a bit annoying when you get so much correspondence, but I say they were boasting too, at least I picked that up, based upon the way that they spoke about it, with a hint of pride in their voice, because it implies that they are important if they get so much email. What they didn't elaborate on was how much of their email was junk.

I get a lot of email too, but most of mine is junk. Its usually advertising, or email from some list I joined way back when, which I no longer read, but cannot easily stop because I lost my password to remove myself from the list of people signed up to receive the email. Receiving all that email IS annoying though, don't you agree. It makes me think of all the spammers out there... People who send you unsolicited email. They are bloody annoying! I wish we had some way to deal with these people. Not to mention the people who write viruses (or is it virii?) They are the scum of the earth. Nobody has troubled them, they just derive enjoyment by hurting and causing misery to others. Those people need to have the worst kind of punishment meted out to them. I'm sure all those who have suffered at their hands will agree.

Anyway, I'm gone. The mailbag got a letter yesterday, check it out!

Monday, 2001/10/29 09:03:08 PM - [Link Back]
Guess where I went on Sunday? Guess nuh, mon? (Please guess) Nope! Thats not it! I went to the Gap Restaurant, up near Hollywell, in the Blue Mountains! It was my first trip there, and I loved it. Jay G. came down from Ft. Lauderdale planning to go to the hills one day, and to Lime Cay the other. I don't think he made Lime Cay, because it was rainy today, but the hills were great. It was almost an all boy's move, as Jay. G., Steve, D. Nick, MB. Jr, and I went. The sole rose among the thorns was GrandMa Natty, MB. Jr.'s grandmother. (Hmmm. I hope she doesn't mind me calling her that. ).

We all piled into D. Nick's F-150 and off we went. Very soon we were past Papine, and began the real mountain climbing. The truck was more than up to the task. The only concern was the narrow roads, which gave cause for concern a couple of times. (As you know, in Jamaica its always "pedal to the metal", especially on roads designed for Mini Minors (a very small car) but currently being traversed by ten ton trucks, buses, SUVs, et cetera. Slow down? No sir, full speed ahead at all times. But what can I tell you? ) The roads were also very winding, twisting back and forth on themselves, but this is part of the fun of the trip. Hey, at least they were not in bad condition. The last couple of times I had been into the hills, the roads were in deplorable condition.

So, up we went, into the lush paradise of the Blue Mountain range. Several times along the way, we were treated to wonderful vistas, sometimes of Kingston, far below us in the distance, or looking up above us at the beautiful NewCastle (view picture), way up there on the mountain, or even of other mountain ranges, magnificent in all their splendor . We eventually passed through Newcastle, which is where the Jamaica Defence Force maintains it's officer training school. On we went, along ever narrowing roads till, Voila! There it was on the left: The Gap!

The Gap was a quaint little cottage which had been converted into a restaurant. It is nestled among the clouds just below Hollywell, and it boasts a commanding view of Kingston... when you can see it! When we got there, the view (and everything else) was obscured by fog. We went in and sat down, and by the time we had ordered, the fog had cleared and there was the view. To the right is a picture of the view from the Gap. The fog came and went several times. It was kind of spooky, but it was fun too. The Gap was cool... literally. I had MB. Jr. in a thick sweater and a track suit bottom. It was quite nippy. We had Blue Mountain Coffee (no surprise there, as we were in coffee country), cream of red peas soup (which MB. Jr. kept asking for more of) escovitched chicken, which was pretty good, although I wished it had been a bit bigger, and then we finished off with dessert. We all had either carrot cake (the icing was "muy fabuloso") or rum cake, also very good. The picture is of some hummingbirds at a feeder set up at the restaurant.

After we left the Gap, we went to Hollywell for a bit. We walked around and looked at the log cabins they have up there (you can rent them and stay up there for a bit). They have a great view from there too. Anyway, all good things must come to an end. We came down from the mountain about six, but it had been a thoroughly enjoyable day. D. Nick and I agreed that we must arrange a trip to the peak next time. I'm going to work on that one...

When we came down from the mountain, I went to pick up Natty. She'd been at Sheggy's. Her brother was there, he'd cooked dinner, and I had some. It was really good too. I didn't know he was that skillful. Hey, G. You want a work. You can come and cook for us on the weekends. What do you say? Whats that? "My batty?!"

Sunday, 2001/10/28 12:28:05 AM - [Link Back]
So, we're up at Sheggy's, sippin' and chillin'. Shes up on the hill, so its cool up here, and she has a good view from her balcony. Sheggy said she called Dr. D and invited him up, and he said he didn't have anything better to do, so he guessed he would come. I tell you, that bwoy nuh have no brought-upsy! (he has no home training) And I know for a fact that his parents tried with him. Anyway, Sheggy finally went to look at my blog. She says she likes it, but she thinks I'm mad (re some of the stuff I write about).

Jay G. came down from Ft. Lauderdale, and brought along a friend of his, Steve, up to Sheggy's. Steve insisted on picking up and carrying around MB. Jr. We're not enamoured with that idea. I wish he'd just relax with that till we get to know him better, you know what I mean. I guess I'm either going to have to speak with Jay G. about it, or we're going to have to avoid them for the rest of the weekend (thats how long they'll be here). Uh oh, I guess I'm faced with the choice of those age-old alternatives for problem resolution: problem avoidance or problem confrontation... Which will it be, I wonder...

Saturday, 2001/10/27 09:32:48 PM - [Link Back]
The Halloween Party was a No Go! for MB. Jr. He went as a cowboy, dressed up in his cowboy hat, a plaid shirt, a neckerchief, jeans and a holster. He didn't have a sixgun, though... No sir, guns are not politically correct. Plus we couldn't find one, anyway. No, this cowboy was armed with a lollypop in his holster... A cowboy for the new millenium.
Thus armed, this cowboy ventured forth fearlessly into the night. (which after all, is the very repository of all fear, especially around Halloween!) Once he went outside, he was overcome by the sight and noise of all the other kids, and especially by the sight of the grown ups who had dressed up. He didn't cry, but he steadfastly refused to go up to the apartments to give his offer of "Trick or Treat?". He had a little pumpkin basket to collect treats, and so I took it from him and collected his sweets for him.

He then refused to play with the other kids. Instead, he wanted to go into other people's apartments and play with the toys he found there. That had to be nipped in the bud. The night was uncommonly hot, and so he eventually overheated in his cowboy getup, and produced some histrionics the like of which has never been seen before in all the civilized world. We changed him, and sent him out to bat again, but it was all downhill from there I guess he was tired. Don't worry, Little Man... We'll try it again next year.

Friday, 2001/10/26 05:37:06 PM - [Link Back]
I just got a haircut today. It wasn't that shaggy or unkempt, but guess what? When it gets longer, my grey hair starts to shock out. Its just in your face. And really, who wants to be reminded that they're growing older. You know what age is? Its like a cruel trick is being played upon you and you're being forced to watch. So off with the hair. I wonder if I should start coloring it? Hmmm...

Been a bit tired recently. As you know (if you've been reading my log) I went to the US last week, travelling between Atlanta, South Carolina and Florida. It involved lots of early and late hour airport trips. We had to drive from Atlanta to South Carolina too, so you know we were tired.
Well, I had to go to Savannah-La-Mar and Montego Bay this week, and I had to get up at ungodly hours again, and late to bed as usual... What can I tell you, I am a bit tired, but it was fun. I was part of a team doing presentations to the employees at my company of some new software that we're installing, hoping to get some positive change management going, know what I mean? I stayed at the Wyndham Rose Hall Hotel in Montego Bay, and I loved it. As a matter of fact, I had asked Natty to come with me but she didn't want to. The night when I was staying there, Jamaica suffered an all-island power cut. Happily, the hotel had it's own generators, so I was cooling out in the well-lit hotel in the A/C. I had to laugh at Natty for that one . I'd recommend the hotel, its a nice place to stay at...

Tomorrow we are having a Halloween party in my complex for the kiddies... And the adults too, I guess, because I hear that lots of liquor has been bought. Anyway, I'm going to run, because I'm going out to dinner with Natty this evening. Bye, baby!

Tuesday, 2001/10/23 08:47:39 PM - [Link Back]
M.B. Junior is a really nice kid. In fact, he's too nice. I would prefer if he was just a bit rougher. Theres a little boy next door who is the terror of our complex. He is really rough with all the children who are smaller than he is. I am not saying that hes a bully, because he attemps roughness with bigger kids too, but his success rate against the smaller kids is much better. He is about 6 months older than Junior, who is a month shy of two years old. There really isn't that much difference between them in size (though he is a bit taller) or in weight... I wish Junior would stand up to him more though. He is continually hitting him or taking away his toys... And the thing is, I think Junior could take him. I really wish Junior would thump him in the nose one day... soon.

But here I am wishing my son would be more violent... Wierd, isn't it. If I try to encourage his more aggressive instincts so that he would defend himself more, I have to be careful that I don't influence him to become like the boy I am hoping for him to defend himself against. Can you imagine, I encourage this aggression, than when he's seventeen or so, I get a call that he has stabbed another boy at school, or something like that? But if I do nothing, am I setting him up to be somebody's beating stick for the rest of his life? Being a parent is hard stuff!!!.

Monday, 2001/10/22 10:26:55 PM - [Link Back]
Boy, what a strange turn of events. Here it is, I go all soppy on you, and rush to apologise for leading all y'all astray, and then what I said had happened did indeed come to pass. Yes sir, today Percival J. Patterson shuffled his cabinet (This time, I heard it myself on the radio ). Peter Phillips is the minister with responsibility for security and justice. He is supposed to be a performer, and has been tipped to take over the leadership of the party when P.J. leaves, (possibly to take up residence in the swiss chalet he supposedly outbid Tom Hanks for, but this last is hearsay, I have no proof whatsoever), but if he (Peter Phillips) flubs this ball, he will probably be going nowhere. They say that K. D. Knight is now the minister of Foreign Affairs, so you done know (means "can be sure", but this is only speculation on my part) our relationships with all other countries will be strained from now on. What can we do about that, though.

Listen nuh, (means "Please listen") in the last week, I've heard of two couples I know who are splitting up, and they were people who looked like they really had it going on... Though Natty says she wasn't surprised at all, I was surprised to hear about them, but hey, theres a lot of splitting up going on. What can I tell you?

Did I tell you I got a digital camera? No? How remiss of me. I got a Olympus C3040 ZOOM. Pretty decent camera. Now, I have to learn how to use it. But from what little I've seen so far, it seems to be an irie l'il camera...

To all that have been practicing safe sex and so have given up on going down, hope is here, Baybee. I had heard about using a dental dam to do this stuff, so as to protect against the AIDS virus, but never could figure out what one would use... Well I was told recently that SARAN Wrap does that job, baby! Get busy, DUDE!

In other news, Afghanistan suffered yet another bombing attack, and a couple more people got struck with skin anthrax....

Sunday, 2001/10/21 08:30:48 PM - [Link Back]
Hmmm. It seems I made a boo boo. I wrote the other day how K. D. Knight was replaced... I actually didn't hear the news myself, so I asked someone who I thought had, but they may have sent me wide... Yeah, I know, its a bummer. I know how all ye who read here must have sighed with relief when you read that he'd been changed... Sorry to steer you wide... From now on, I will try to be more accurate. I will try to let you know when I am repeating what I heard instead of what I know, ok? Cool. I did read in the newspaper where K. D. Knight and his partner in failure, the Commissioner of Police, acknowledged that the people of the nation felt that crime was the number one concern, and as such, they posted some numbers for us to call them with suggestions as to how they could more effectively fight crime. I told you he doesn't know how... Hopefully someone in Jamaica who does know how will call and enlighten them.

Well I am back in JahMekYa (Jamaica). Let me tell you, the country looks good from the plane. I am pleased to be back. Also, let me report that the "Mailbag" page has been updated. Go ahead and give it a gander.