It’s hard for me to understand the logic of this headline in today’s Jamaica Gleaner: Male to Male Sex Hurting Caribbean. The story comes from this report by UNAIDS, in anticipation of 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City beginning next week. Among issuing mostly positive news of the stabilization of the epidemic in many Caribbean countries, the UNAIDS reports states:

The main mode of HIV transmission in the Caribbean is unprotected heterosexual intercourse, paid or otherwise. However, sex between men, although generally denied by society, is also a significant factor in several national epidemics.

The second sentence is what the Gleaner chose as their lead and theme of the story, leading the reader to believe that homosexuals are to blame for the increase in HIV infections in the region. While homosexual sex is clearly one significant mode of transmission, this article seems to go over the line from explaining that to stigmatizing gay men, something another UNAIDS report issued the same day attributes to also playing a major role in spreading the epidemic.

Biofuels, gas prices, growing prosperity, and any number of other factors are being blamed for rising food prices around the world. Recent protests in Haiti about the cost of food led to several fatalities, the firing of the prime minister, and a debate in the Jamaican parliament about how to avoid a similar crisis. This week’s Economist tackles the roots of, and interesting solutions to, the growing food crisis that has come to fruition sooner than many people had predicted.

In Suriname, seeking justice for victims of former dictator Desi Bouterse.

Amnesty International criticized Jamaican government for not doing more to keep civilians out of danger of inner-city violence.

Blogger Yoani Sanchez has been chosen as one of this year’s recipients of the prestigious Ortega y Gasset Award in Journalism by the Spanish newspaper, El Pais. In her blog, Generacion Y, Sanchez ruminates, satirizes, and dreams about Cuban life from Habana. For those of us who have limited access to stories of Cuba due to restrictions on foreign reporters, travel restrictions on Cubans, and censorship within Cuba, the online journal provides a rare and thoughtful portrayal of the nation in transition.

I’d love to hear about other independent Cuban media outlets.

Another reggae woman raises her voice for the youth. Normally dirty DJ Lady Saw sings of her experience with rape.

From Caribbean Net News, Haitian students advocate agricultural reform.

The Jamaican Gleaner has been running a number of stories on climate change and how it will impact Caribbean landscape and society. Here they speak with the director of the Caribbean Community Climate Change Center on how a one degree rise in sea temperature could have disastrous effects to Jamaica’s fishing industry.

… last but not least, the latest reggae tribute to US presidential contender Barack Obama.

If your nation has one of the highest murder rates in the world, it’s news when a day goes by without a killing. It’s also a national pastime in Jamaica to propose and investigate different hypotheses for its high number of homicides. The economy, drug trade, and dancehall music have all been pointed to for the alarming rate of violence on the small island. A short video, Seeing Red: The Science of Violence, by UWI and UNESCO looks at the role played by human psychology on violent behavior.

During my afternoon at UWI, I met this man, Lenny, who was selling his jewelery to Global Reggae Conference-goers. I asked about the T-shirt he was wearing, which advertised a website, www.caribbeanmandate.com, about the campaign to legalize ganja in Jamaica. It didn’t occur to me until talking with Lenny that, in a week’s worth of panel discussions and academic papers on myriad aspects of Jamaican music — from gender and sexuality in dancehall to religious transformations through reggae — the absence of any conversation of marijuana and its role in reggae music is startling. Please correct me if I am wrong, if I have overlooked a panel that focused on ganja. If I have not, I ask: Is marijuana still a taboo subject, even in an academic setting where reggae music is the focus? Can one adequately discuss all aspects of reggae music without a discussion of the role ganja has played in the creation and content of the music?

I just returned from a whirlwind week in Jamaica, where I did my best to experience the Reggae Month festivities. The short bit UWI’s Global Reggae Conference that I participated in was immensely gratifying. The conference was very well organized and with speakers from all walks of life and from all around the world. It is a shame the conference was not better attended, as most of the chairs at the sessions I sat in on were empty. For those who missed the conference, UWI has streaming video of each session and event on its website here, which I am hoping they do not remove any time soon.

First, a quite appropriate piece for Jamaica’s National Reggae Month: an analysis of the Biblical and Rastafarian references of Bob Marley’s lyrics from writer and blogger Geoffrey Philp.

Next, a scary story in the New York Times of fishermen poisoning Jamaica’s Rio Grande. Fresh curried conch will never taste the same again.

Speaking of unfortunate animals, cockfighting in the Dominican Republic, with some great photos, by the NYT.

Cuba’s underground music scene, polygraph tests for Jamaican police, and a new documentary about the large number of internally displaced Afrocolombians.

Thanks to the folks at Afropop Worldwide for a roundup of carnival season for those of us who missed out. This here is Faye-Ann Lyons- Alvarez, performing her winning song of Trinidad’s Road March competition, Get On. It’s the second time she’s claimed victory.