Girl With a Purpose (GWAP)

Happy Earth Day, Earth...Mmmwah...I Love You!

Young Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) in a Rowan Tree
Originally uploaded by Steve Greaves

I just want to say Happy Earth Day to our earth and to all of you who have been taking special care of her!!

Today, April 22, is celebrated globally as Earth Day.

Believe you me, when we give to our environment, it gives back to you!

Do you know that God made us custodians of our environment? (Please visit Genesis 1: 26-31, for a broader context, please see:  Genesis 1).

When God created Adam, he gave Adam the honorable duty to take care of the Garden of Eden.

Adam walked in the coolness of the day and gave the plants and animals, names. (Genesis 2:4-25)

...He was the official gardener for the Garden of Eden. :)

And when Eve was created...they both tended the Garden and ate from it.

Ever planted a tree or a plant and watched it grow?..and been completely in awe at the wonder of it all?

Remember that calm and fulfilled place you were at mentally, as you watered it, talked to it and fertilized it?

Well, that tree grows to give leaves that release oxygen into the air - oxygen that's necessary for us to breathe.

The tree-roots grow down into the soil, holding the soil in place, thus making it less susceptible to soil erosion when it rains.

The branches and leaves provide shade so that we can sit under it and read a book or eat mangoes.

They also provide a place for birds to nest, rest and sleep!

Yes folks, when we litter less, plant more trees...use more eco-friendly products...we create less havoc with our environment.

It is said that tourists in the Caribbean produce 1.5 times the litter that locals produce...and they use more energy...

When boats dock in ports across the Caribbean...they release effluent and other waste into the sea...

that destroy our coral reefs...

Coral reefs that house the eggs of fish and crustaceans, necessary to continue underwater life.

Coral reefs that are the lifeblood of the animal kingdoms of the seas and oceans.

Reefs that break the huge waves, from the deep ocean and sea, making them gentler as they kiss our seashore, so that our beaches don't become eroded.

Can you imagine...an industry that we are heavily dependent on, financially, has  become a burden on our environment?

...But yet these same tourists have to be environmentally conscious in their own countries!

Amazing, huh?

Remember when those people stole the sand from that beach in St. Ann to make a beach for another hotel in the area?...guess what?...the sand renewed itself in 1-2 years...something environmentalists didn't think possible!

...I say God was gracious to us in this matter.

...Sometimes we are so short-sighted...we just think about how we going to "hold a food" now...we just think about having a lunch today...that we don't think of the damage we are doing to ourselves, years in advance!

As we say in Jamaica... we cut off our nose to spite our face!

Let us not be short-sighted...let us not be greedy...for we only damage ourselves in the long-run.

To our tourists, welcome to Jamaica and the Caribbean...but do, take care of our environment, here.

To Jamaicans...don't let anyone give you money to destroy our earth...learn how to preserve our environment...and it will make you thrive!

To our farmers and fishermen, protect your environment and you will thrive! (People in Europe, USA and Canada are willing to pay 1.5 times more for organically-grown food.)

To the people who damage our environment...you may escape man's punishment, but you won't escape God's.

God gave man the environment to take care of...

He will hold us accountable for how well or how badly we take care of it!

===========

Happy Earth day, Earth!!.. Mmwah...I love you!!!

[ I would like to thank Steve Greaves for the use of his Flickr inset photo entitled, "Young Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) in a Rowan Tree". It's of a young fledgeling European Goldfinch in a Rowan or Mountain Ash tree].

Gillian

Sources Include

Genesis
1, Genesis
2:4-25 via BibleGateway.com

World Championships Round-up, What's Next for Jamaica's Athletics Program?

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Originally uploaded by machomonk

Well, Jamaica mined gold in Berlin - 7 gold medals to be exact. Additionally, we mined 4 silver and 2 bronze medals!

But the 12th IAAF 2009 Berlin World Championships were not without controversy.

Veronica Campbell-Brown told team management she would not run in the finals of the 4x100 (women's)relay, just 1 hour and 30 minutes before the event.

In an interview on KLAS Sports Radio FM 89, following the relay finals, Veronica said that she refused to do the any other leg but the anchor leg, as it's the leg that she had practised for, given:

1) Her toe injury 

2) The fact that this is the leg that she had practised for, with the other women, at the mandatory JAAA's  (pronounced "J" three As - Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association) training camp.

(The JAAAs is the governing body for athletics on island).

She said she should have gone to her doctor, re the lingering injuries she's been having...but sacrificed her health to be at the mandatory training camp.

Additionally, following the women's excellent run in the heats, she decided to opt-out in the best interest of Jamaica.

The female quartet of Simone Tracey, Aleen Bailey, Shelly-Ann Fraser and Kerron Stewart won the gold medal in a time of 42.06 secs.

Our men also did excellently, winning gold in a time of 37.31 secs and making a new Championship Record. (They weren't able to beat the world record time of 37.10 secs they set in the 2008 Beijing Olympics).

So our athletes have done very well!

But what's next for Jamaica's athletic program?

Surely we have an excellent opportunity to expand our prowess into the field events.

To do this well, however, we need to get the necessary coaches, equipment, athletes and sponsors in place and the dedication and commitment to expose our youngsters to these events.

E.g. we want to see more Jamaican high jumpers, long jumpers, shot putters, javelin throwers, decathletes and more Jamaicans doing the longer races like the 400m, 800m, 1500m, etc.

Also, what a fitting tribute it would be to our athletes, for them to have world-class training equipment and facilities, so that they can achieve their utmost for this country!

Surely the government cannot afford the extravagant celebrations they had for the athletes' on their return from Beijing?...but how about them channeling the money they will spend to give the athletes a "splash", into starting a fund, to equip our athletes, in all events, feasible?

Thus ensuring that we will have more Usain Bolts, Asafa Powells, Brigitte Foster-Hyltons, Shelly-Ann Frasers, Aleen Baileys, Veronica Campbell-Browns, Melaine Walkers', Simone Traceys, Steve Mullings', Michael Fraters...so that Jamaica will be and continue to be the athletics powerhouse of the world!

(I would like to thank machomonk for the use of his Flickr inset photo above, of Usain Bolt doing his famous "To The World" sign with the Berlin World Championship mascot, "Berlino").

Gillian

Sources Include

1) KLAS Sports Radio FM 89, August 22-26, 2009

2) List of World Records in Athletics- Wikipedia.org
 

Tropical Storm Olga Weakens to a Tropical Depression, No Longer a Threat to Jamaica!

Tropical Storm Olga has weakened and is now a Tropical Depression.

This means that Jamaica will experience wind gusts [of 45 miles/hour (72.4 km/hr) ] and lots of rain, (especially to the North of the island), but nothing like the stormy weather we had expected.

At 4:00 p.m. today, Tropical Depression Olga was located to the North of Jamaica, at Latitude 18.9 degrees North and Longitude 76.9 West.

Maximum sustained winds are at 35 miles/hr (56.3 km/hr).

It is still moving along a Westerly path at  23 miles/hr (37 km/hr), but is not a threat to Jamaica.

It will, however,pass over the Cayman Islands by tomorrow evening.

Olga is expected to bring lots of rain to Jamaica until tomorrow evening.

It is expected to move into the Yucatan Penninsula by Friday of this week.

Gillian

Sources Include:

1) Power 106 FM 5:00 p.m. News

2)Television Jamaica Nightly Weather at 7:53 p.m., December 12,2007

3) 5-Day Forecast Map of Tropical Depression Olga (showing Olga's position at 4:00 p.m. EST), Weather Underground website, December 12, 2007.

Tropical Storm Olga Weakens, Expected to Pass North of Jamaica Later This Afternoon

Tropical Storm Olga, is expected to pass north of Jamaica,later this afternoon. This is a strange phenomenon,seeing that the Hurricane Season officially ended on November 30, 2007.

But what seemed "strange" a few years ago, will become the norm, due to the effects of global warming.

At 1:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST), the centre of Olga was located to the west of Hispaniola, at latitude 19 degrees North and longitude 76 degrees West.

At 12:00 p.m. EST, Olga's centre was located  102.5 miles (165 km) NorthEast of Port Antonio.

Olga will continue along a westerly track.

Although her movement has weakened to 23 miles/hour (37 km/hour), Olga will bring strong gusty winds and torrential rains to the island.

The island will be experiencing heavy rainfall up until Friday of this week.

But Jamaicans are praying that Olga's effect on the island will be minimal.

The US National Weather Centre, Miami, has stated that "Olga lacks the convection required of a tropical cyclone...and based on visible satellite imagery probably also lacks a closed surface circulation.  however...we will hang on to Olga for a few more hours just in case deep convection returns or west winds become evident."

Please click here for their full report and forecast re this storm.

[Girl With a Purpose (GWAP) Blog will keep you informed of the progress of Olga and her efffect on the island, as long as we're able to :)]

Gillian

Sources Include:

1) Nationwide Radio,8:00 a.m. News, December 12, 2007

2) Radio Jamaica 12:00 p.m. News, December 12, 2007

3) National Metereological Service website, December 12,2007

4) Report, "Tropical Storm Olga Expected to Weaken-Subtropical Storm Olga Expected to Affect Caribbean Cruises", Cruise Critic (Cruise News & Reviews) Website, December 12, 2007

5) Picture of Olga's 3-day Forecasted Track (Tropical Storm OLGA Public Advisory Number 7a), US National Weather Centre,Miami website,10:00 a.m, Wednesday, December 12, 2007

6) Picture of Olga's 5-day Forecasted Track, Weather Underground Website, 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, December 12, 2007

7) Weather Underground Alert: Tropical Storm Olga(Picture of Olga's Current Position), Weather Underground Website, 1:00 p.m. EST,  December 12,2007

8) Tropical Storm Olga Forecast Discussion, US National Weather Centre, Miami, website,10:00 a.m., Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Jamaica's Local Government Elections: Final Results Are In!

Friends, please accept my apologies for the delay in bringing you these results...

The final results of Jamaica's Local Government Elections, held on December 5,2007, are in!

Of the 14 Parishes, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has won 9 parishes to the People' National Party's (PNP's) 4 parishes, with a tie of eight (8) seats each, in the Parish of St. Ann.

Girl With a Purpose(GWAP) Blog wishes our heart-felt congratulations to the JLP!

(Please see this link  to our previous post on December 5, 2007, for a short background on Jamaica's Local Government Elections.)

Please see the following table for the JLP and PNP Seat Count and percentage wins, by Parish:

JLP & PNP SEAT COUNT AND
PERCENTAGE WINS, BY PARISH
PARISHES	JLP Seats	PNP Seats	JLP Seat %age	PNP Seat %age
Kingston and St. Andrew	23	17	58%	43%
St. Ann	8	8	50%	50%
St. Thomas	8	2	80%	20%
Portland	7	2	78%	22%
St. Mary	10	3	77%	23%
Trelawny	7	2	78%	22%
St. James	13	4	76%	24%
Hanover	2	5	29%	71%
Westmoreland	0	14	0%	100%
St. Elizabeth	8	7	53%	47%
Manchester	6	9	40%	60%
Clarendon	17	5	77%	23%
St. Catherine	23	17	58%	43%

Please click on this link to view the winning Councillors by Pollling Division and Parish, and the percentages, they've won by.  (There are 227 Polling Divisions spread across the 14 Parishes in Jamaica.)

When you have opened the link, just go to the section entitled, "View Results by Parish",found to the middle left hand-side of the page. Then choose the Parish you're interested in and then click on the "View Parish Results" button, to get these results.

Gillian

Sources Include:

1) Jamaica Gleaner's Local Government Elections website