Day 85: Jamaica

[Bacon King]

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/jm.html

Discuss.

[minionofmidas]

Another third world country where old ideological differences have faded into the "Golden Straightjacket" background (with relations with Cuba as the one remaining ideological test), and replaced by populism... especially now that Seaga has finally retired.
Not sure if that's really a bad thing though... Jamaica's 70s and 80s elections were well-nigh civil wars.
Oh, and prime minister PJ Patterson will retire soon, and his successor (as PNP leader, anyhow) has already been picked. A woman. I forgot her name.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

"Golden Straightjacket" ?

I've heard the phrase, but can't recall what it means...

[minionofmidas]

"Golden Straightjacket" ?

I've heard the phrase, but can't recall what it means...

Neoliberal economist propaganda term seeking to imply that their policies are, by and large, inevitable. Also used to describe a situation where voters do not face a real choice, since all the major parties are vying to be the same as the other one except better.

[Gabu]

I hear their bobsled team is terrific.

[KEmperor]

I hear their bobsled team is terrific.

Ya Mon

[Undisguised Sockpuppet]

freedom fighters

[opebo]

As I understand it, this island is a primary desination for the female sex tourist seeking the Big Bamboo.

[Alcon]

As I understand it, this island is a primary desination for the female sex tourist seeking the Big Bamboo.

Is that some sort of Asian rapper?

[Cubby]

Worst Country in the Western Hemisphere for gay rights I can think of a few forumites who would like the social climate there. coughJakeStatescough

Everything I know about Jamaica, I learned from Cool Runnings (except for the sentence above)

[minionofmidas]

Worst Country in the Western Hemisphere for gay rights I can think of a few forumites who would like the social climate there. coughJakeStatescough

Well not the social climate as such - much too promiscuous for States, much too much weed for Jake, I'd guess - but you're right on gays. (Well, I'm not sure about single worst. Some of the smaller and more god-fearing caribbean islands might be even worse.)

EDITED for remarkable spelling errors.

[Platypus]

Worst Country in the Western Hemisphere for gay rights I can think of a few forumites who would like the social climate there. coughJakeStatescough

Everything I know about Jamaica, I learned from Cool Runnings (except for the sentence above)

Wrong. Bahamas (or was it Barbados?) is worse.

[Cubby]

Worst Country in the Western Hemisphere for gay rights I can think of a few forumites who would like the social climate there. coughJakeStatescough

Everything I know about Jamaica, I learned from Cool Runnings (except for the sentence above)

Wrong. Bahamas (or was it Barbados?) is worse.

The Bahamas banned Brokeback Mountain recently. The Cayman Islands didn't let a gay cruise ship dock there a few years ago, so while some of the small islands may be worse, Jamaica is the only one that is violently homophobic, with people getting killed and that awful "Dancehall" music encouraging said hate. There isn't any gay rights movement in the country because even straight people who defend gays would be attacked. Jamaica isn't the most religious place so I'm not sure where this hate comes from.

[Platypus]

More or less the same place as th Germans and the Jews. Scapegoating.