Yesterday, December 15, was to have been the final day for Argentina to pay more than US$1.3 billion to 'vulture funds'. Thomas Griesa, 81, a United States (US) federal judge for the state of New York, who had made several previous rulings on the matter, in a November 21 ruling had ordered the country to pay immediately and in full everything it owes to the plaintiff funds.

On Trevor Munroe's morning programme this past Monday, in our discussion of the People's National Party's (PNP) symbolic failures in selling the 'pricey cabinet' and 'pricey vehicle' moves to the public, we hit on an intriguing possibility. Perhaps the public's disgust over ostentatious perks of office, and extravagant government expenditures on rent for buildings, etc. may be the first signs that popular sentiment is now shifting, that we are entering a post-bling era.

Jamaica's Olympic gold medallist, sprinter Michael Frater, will be among scores of competitors at the newly constructed JamWest Speedway in Little London, Westmoreland, today. This is the second day of competition, after yesterday's qualifying.

Sprinter Michael Frater has had one of the more unusual seasons that a track and field athlete could anticipate. He captained Jamaica's successful team to the 2012 Olympics in London, England, doubled up as athlete and administrator by winning the third vice-president position of the Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association (JAAA) - and, a few days ago, cut ties with long-time club MVP.

This is the third and penultimate story in the series on taxi drivers' close encounters with death, as they clash with criminals while on the job.