This is cool- it is directed at nerdy, development types, but it basically makes fun of the whole concept of development and how convoluted it can get. And how sometimes the “beneficiaries” are the last to know and the last to benefit. Enjoy your day. (I got this from a Tweet by award-winning Globe and Mail journalist Stephanie Nolen).

Just a picture today. Grief has a way of both prompting deep contemplation and jumbling thoughts so you can’t make sense of things. This is one of my favourite pictures I have taken and one of my favourite questions to ask.

Jamaica has ranked 5th on an international list, but it is not for a good reason. In fact, it is downright depressing, as the ranking is for the fifth most miserable country in the world. The right-leaning Cato Institute (out of the U.S., it is “dedicated to the principles of individual liberty, limited government, free markets and peace.”) compiles an annual list of 90 countries based on how miserable it is to live there.

Scholars and researchers who compile the list consider factors such as inflation, interest rates and unemployment to determine which countries fall where. According to the list, there are four countries in which people are likely to be more miserable than people in Jamaica: Venezuela, Serbia, Iran and Argentina.

The economic focus is evident in the fact that Jamaica ranks worse than nations such as Egypt or the Palestinian Territory or Honduras, where basic personal safety is not assured as conflict is regular in these countries.

It seems, not surprisingly considering the ideological bent of the Cato Institute, that economic factors are given the most weight. Of course, these are relevant. There is no doubt that Jamaicans are experiencing financial difficulties, which spill over every aspect of one’s life and affect its quality. However, there are intangibles that I assume the researchers did not take into account, such as how much family and community factor into daily lives here, as well as Jamaicans’ ability to have a good time, no matter what. There are many other intangibles that are part of the culture here that contribute to quality of life.

This is obviously a complex issue with as many factors as there are ideologies that are employed to assess big concepts such as a “misery index”. Here again, to me, is an instance of over-simplifying and overlooking the millions of stories to be told and accounted for.

Today is the culmination of carnival season in Jamaica. The road march went by my apartment so we ran out to catch some pictures. What an array of shapes and sizes and sweaty people dancing, walking and drinking. The road march lasts a few hours and consists of huge trucks upon which people dance and drink. Each truck has its own DJ station, which blasts soca music. The march is preceded by a substantial police presence, vendors and spectators. It seems everyone enjoyed themselves today, despite a hot, humid day. Hope you are having a relaxing Sunday.

Time Magazine is influential, I guess, but let’s remember that it is a magazine with falling circulation and an audience mainly in the U.S. In addition, the list of most influential people changes every year, so this is not a static list of influential people. Let’s also remember that it is a corporation trying to sell a product so it can break even and continue to survive.

So of course a picture of a beautiful young woman is the best choice for the cover of the magazine. With that out of the way, I will say that I like Beyonce as an artist, musician and businesswoman. At least I like the single dimensional character I have seen portrayed in the media. She seems smart, caring, ambitious and like a good mother. She is talented and beautiful. With that out of the way, I will say that I wish someone else were on the cover of Time’s 100 Most Influential People issue.

I also wish that Beyonce were wearing more clothing. Because all people are now talking about is her appearance, not her intellect or her accomplishments. Once again, a woman is an object primarily. Her intellect and character are secondary points of attention and consideration for the audience. So disappointing.

Some people are excited that a black woman has been chosen for the cover. I agree this is progress, as is a dark-skinned woman being named one of People’s Most Beautiful. It is indeed wonderful to see a wider variety of faces on the covers of these pop culture vehicles.

To me, however, more genuine signs of progress would be when we make heroes of women who are teachers, hard-working, dedicated mothers, nurses, doctors, lawyers, activists, writers. In other words, women of substance and commitment. Of course, I don’t mean these comments to detract at all from Beyonce’s achievements. It is just disheartening that women continue to be celebrated primarily for their appearance and used as objects to generate income.

Pew Research has some fascinating new research about Global Views on Morality. For whatever region, no Caribbean countries are included, but there are some South American nations included.

The survey includes responses from more than 40,000 people in 40 nations and topics range from views on abortion, homosexuality, extramarital affairs, gambling and sex between unmarried adults.

The majority of respondents in each of the following topics found these unacceptable: extramarital affairs, gambling, homosexuality and abortion. A minority disapprove of premarital sex, alcohol use, divorce and contraception use.

A survey of Jamaican opinions on these topics would be equally as interesting, I’m curious as to why Caribbean nations are not included.

Enjoy your day.

This is lovely. Happy Easter.

It is Good Friday, and in Jamaica this means (among many other more substantial, religious things) bun and cheese. The bun is sort of like Christmas cake in log form and the cheese is a bright orange concoction packaged in a tin. This combination is a big deal. All yesterday, I kept hearing people asking one another if they had had some bun and cheese yet. Even the guys on the corner washing windows asked me if I could bring them some bun.

For us Cuso volunteers, it is tradition to receive a Maxfield Bakery bun from Cuso Country Representative Tarik, for which Maxfield is a family business. I collected mine from the Cuso office yesterday and then walked with a friend around Halfway Tree on our way somewhere and then home.

Well, carrying this bun on its own caused quite a commotion. Perhaps it was the sight of a foreigner carrying a traditional Jamaican food, or perhaps people were just excited about Easter, I don’t know, but we had quite a few comments and many curious, hungry eyes on the bun I was carrying.

One man came up to me and told me that even though Jamaican men don’t like Easter bun, he would take it from me. Another asked me to open the package and give him some bun, in all seriousness, right then and there. And we got several other unintelligible comments related to the bun, as well of lots of other people just staring at this now famous bun in my hands. Finally, we visited a store where we got a bag for this bun so I could walk home in peace.

And no, I have not had my Easter bun and cheese yet.