Billionaire James Packer Leaves Tom Cruise Scientology Church

The Church of Scientology has lost its grip on James Packer.

The billionaire’s closest friends have revealed that he has quietly distanced himself from Scientology, labelled a cult by some former members, as it faces international controversy about its anti-psychiatry stance.

Members of Mr Packer’s inner circle have confirmed that the billionaire, who had ranked as Scientology’s wealthiest member in the world, was no longer undertaking Scientology courses and had slowly moved away from the religion, telling his closest friends he no longer “needs it”.

His office did not respond to the Herald’s calls yesterday.

Mr Packer was introduced to Scientology by his friend Tom Cruise in 2002. Friends say they remain close. They were most recently photographed dining together with their wives in Germany.

The religion entered Mr Packer’s realm at one of the lowest points in his personal and business life. He was overweight and depressed, his marriage to his first wife, Jodhi Meares, had ended and he was reeling from the humiliating and very public collapse of One.Tel, losing $350 million from the family business on the way.

He has spoken publicly of his involvement in the religion only once, telling The Australian Financial Review Magazine in 2006 that he spent an hour or so “every couple of days” practising Scientology. “I think it has been very good for me,” he said. “It has been helpful. I have some friends in Scientology that have been very supportive. But I think it’s just helped me have a better outlook on life.”

Thanks to his Hollywood confidant Cruise, Mr Packer and his fortune were embraced at Scientology’s highest levels.

James Packer is Australia wealthiest man and was ranked 142 on the World’s Billionaires 2007 list with a net worth of $5.5b.  Forbes.com

Source - Sdyney Morning Herald

Prince William Off To Fight Cocaine War In The Caribbean

Prince William is to fight in the war against South American drug cartels.

The Household Cavalry officer will join Royal Navy patrols to catch cocaine smugglers in the Caribbean.

Both Clarence House and Armed Forces chiefs want William, 25, to gain experience as an officer in all three services and he will soon complete his four-month stint with the RAF. A senior military source said last night: “Everyone agrees he needs operational experience and to feel he is playing a vital role.

“As a possible future King it is essential for everyone in the Armed Forces to see he is doing his bit.

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“But there are security issues with him going to Iraq or Afghanistan as he is a massive al-Qaeda target. The Caribbean on a Royal Navy warship is an ideal tour as it has operational potential and it works diplomatically.

“Local island governors will be very pleased to see a royal visiting them.”

The Royal Navy said: “We do not routinely comment on the details of the operational deployments of either our units or our personnel.”

Source - Mirror.co.uk

Cuban Refuses To Give Blogger Yoani Sanchez Visa To Collect Prize

Cuban authorities have refused to give a travel visa to Cuban blogger Yoani Sanchez so she can receive one of Spain’s top journalism awards in Madrid on Wednesday, said Spanish newspaper El Pais which hands out the awards annually.

Last month the newspaper announced it has awarded 32-year-old philologist Yoani Sanchez, whose blog “Generacion Y” chronicles the woes daily problems citizens face, the Ortega y Gasset prize in Spain for digital journalism.

“We still don’t know if she will be able to come,” an El Pais official told

AFP, adding the island’s communist government was “complicating” her exit.

Sanchez has said her request for a travel visa is the “perfect test” to see if Cuba’s new President Raul Castro, who succeeded his ailing brother Fidel Castro

earlier this year, is serious about opening up the regime.El Pais praised Sanchez’s “vivacious” writing style and “shrewdness” in overcoming hurdles to freedom of expression in Cuba when it announced her prize.

The blog, hosted on a server in Germany, is Cuba’s most popular, receiving 1.2 million hits a month.

Since becoming president, Raul Castro has taken modest steps to improve living standards, including allowing Cubans to stay in tourist hotels, take out mobile phone contracts, and buy appliances such as computers, motorbikes.

Source - Caribbean Net News

Inevitable Collapse Of The Dollar

Barbados Rihanna New Single ‘Take A Bow’ And Elle Photo Shoot

Barbados Rihanna continues to rock the world with her music.

Click here to watch to her video ‘Take A Bow’.

Rihanna will be  featured on the June cover of Elle Magazine. Just one of her many magazine shoots.

Click here.

 

Blogging Verses Journalism

Such was the 10 min topic on CBC TV 8 2hr morning show “Morning Barbados” where presenter Belle Holder sought to get the views of Eric Smith and Jewel Forde on how blogging has or is affecting journalism.

Well I would agree with Eric Smith, blogging is here to stay and is growing. They are critical, can allow feedback, compliment print media and are advantageous in providing audiences with additional information. An example cited was hurricanes.

On the other hand, Jewel Forde in a attacking mode could not help but made mention of the incident when the cameraman focus on her dropped head on election night so much so that one commenter on another blog related it to the BLP losing streak. Jewel, if it is any consolidation I believe it had to do more with the many UNPROFESSIONAL TECHNICAL HITCHES ON CBC THAT WE HAVE BEEN DURING FOR THE UPTEENTH TIME WHICH CBC CAN’T SEEM TO GET RIGHT EVEN IN 2008 but we are getting ahead of our self.

Jewel Forde believed that blogs should be policed. She believed that they are indiscipline. According to Ms Forde, blogs deal with personal opinions. Journalism reports the story and leave out the emotions and opinions. Ms Forde give an example. Before reporting on the above incident, she would of check with the individual to get a feedback before writing the story but we both know it doesn’t always work like that now do we?

That’s why we have blogs Ms Forde. Today reader want to express his or her opinions on a subject matter. They want to be heard not to be discriminating against. They want the nitty gritty of the story not just bland reporting that fails to investigates crucial stories that matters to the populace.

In response to Belle Holder statement that blogs cannot be held against the same ‘do & don’ts like journalism since this is ‘a man in the street expressing his opionion’, Ms Forde categorically disapprove. Character assassination, no recourse, irresponsible, full of innuendos were some of the terms express. Mention were two blogs Barbados Free Press and Cheese On Bread.

At least she saw the need to encourage media blogs and for CBC to incorporate cellphone footage in its news broadcast.

Barbados In Central America?

This report from chinaview.cn

David Thompson, prime minister of Barbados in central America, arrived in Beijing on Monday, kicking off a four-day official visit to China as a guest of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.

During his stay in Beijing, Thompson will meet Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, China’s top legislature, and hold talks with his Chinese counterpart Wen.

Besides Beijing, Thompson will also visit China’s financial hub Shanghai.

This is Thompson’s first time to pay an official visit to China since he took office in January 2008.

————-

Central America?. Good grief!!!.

We may not be a big industrial country like China but for a small island like ours, our voice is heard loud and clear in the UN and the OCED and we are rank consistenly among the top 50 in the world when it comes to our human development index.

The country lies in the southern Caribbean region not in Central America!.

And Barbados is listed in the TOP 10 MUST SEE DESTINATIONS in the world. I don’t see China on that list!!!.

Oh well, at least the PM would see first hand the world longest sea crossing bridge, 22 mile long [spanning from the business centre of Shanghai to industrial city of Ningbo] and the Olympic preparations. Any protests?.

And it will be interested to hear what advice the Chinese have for us to tackle traffic congestion on our roads.

UN World Food Program Credibility At Stake? Agency Cries Provety Whilst Sitting On $1.22b!!!

This article is sure going to raise a few eyebrows in the international community. Every since the surging global food crisis with millions around the world starving, the UN has been appealing to donors to contribute to its needy fund to feed the poor [who have been hit the hardest], one would have gotten the impression that the UN WFP [World Food Program] was on its last legs and  were hardpress to do any about the current situation when lo and behold FOXNews reports that the agency has 1.22b in its coffers. Not 1.22m. But 1.22 BILLIONS DOLLARS!!!.

Rice Shortage In Barbados?

No sooner had the ink dry on the previous post where pointed questions where asked about our security of rice here on this island than when I was inform that today’s Sunday Sun have reported that some supermarkets have started to limit  the amount of rice customers could purchase. Well it was bound to happen sooner or later, right?.

Bajan Global Report blogging on “Jamaica To Import 30,000 Tonnes Of Rice To Prevent Shortfall  What About Barbados?” asked these questions,

1. Do we have any rice reserves on this fair island of ours?.
2. Are the importers increasing their orders to make up for the coming short fall?.
3. Do we have the warehouse space to store let’s say 10,000 tonnes of rice?.

Now we have at least 2 supermarkets - Channell Supermarket - Collymore Rock [formerly Budg Buy] and Popular Discount - Spooner’s Hill rationing rice. In Channell case, customers were limited to one bag of rice each whereas over at Popular, customers have a choice of either purchasing 2- 4kg bags or 1 - 20 pound bag per shopper.

But guess what, the larger supermarkets are still selling rice as usual!. Unusual right?,  since one would expect the bigger supermarkets to be the first to rationed rice. But wait! Who am I kidding!. The small man are always the first to suffer so why should it be any different now. If we are to go by the newpaper story a Channell female manager said “suppliers were limiting and rice scarce”.

Did the suppliers started limiting rice because of the anticipating shortage in the future or are we now in the throes of a shortage but the suppliers are allowing the larger supermarkets to stock up to look “good”, whilst limiting certain retailers?.

Then we have Lionel C Hill of Hill Milling - the leading local rice distributor and who packages rice for six different labels - Texana, Eagle, Indian Girl, Farmland, Ohio and Dallas - expressing delight on his bond being full.

Can we take it then that all is well with Hill and the Government? and exactly how much  tonnage of rice does the bond holds? and how long will it last?.

Questions that definitely need  answers.

 

 

 

 

Jamaica To Import 30,000 Tonnes Of Rice To Prevent Shortfall What About Barbados?

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dreams I saw [seven heads] of grain, full and good, growing on a single stalk. after them, seven others sprouted - withered and thin and sorched by the east wind. The thin heads of grain swallowed up the [seven] good heads……….”. Then Joseph said to Pharaoh,”God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind: They are [seven years] of famine. [Seven years] of great abundance are coming throughout the land……..but [seven years] of famine will followed.” [ Gen:41:22-30]

None So Blind As Those That Cannot See

As we took a look around the blogsphere we came across two interesting blogs on the issue of food crisis here in the Caribbean.

But first we have to ask a few questions. Is telling your citizens that there is no food crisis a way to avoid panic amongst the population hoping that the current global food crisis would go away? Or is it better to inform your citizens that there is indeed a looming food crisis on hand in terms of a food shortage, prepare them for the worse and protect them people as best as you can?

Caribbean people are not stupid. They read, watch and listen just like everyone else. They are very much aware of what is happening in the outside world. The riots, the protests, the hoarding of certain staples, the reduce exports of basic commodities like rice are telling us that they are indeed a food crisis and even if it has not reach our Caribbean shores as yet it will sooner or later as the Caricom depends heavily on its food imports.

For instance, over at Abeni’s blog ‘And Still I Rise’, he reports that the St Vincent government said that ” there is no food crisis on our shores”. Whilst one commenter “find this [statement] somewhat odd and extremely strange.”

He notes “…………with respect to increased and inflated food prices [this] is rather interesting if not ludicrous and irresponsible.

Then there is Trinidad & Tobago which last week could not agreed on the whether there is or is not a food crisis in that country!

Jyoti Communication writes “Agricultural Minister Arnold Piggot says Trinidad and Tobago is not facing a food crisis.”

“I wouldn’t like us to say that we have a crisis in food in Trinidad & Tobago because I don’t know that we do. I am not aware that we have a crisis at this time,” he added.

Guess what? His cabinet colleague sang a different tune last week. Consumer Affairs Minister Peter Taylor “encourage consumers to change their eating habits and start planting home gardens to survive the worsening food crisis.

Now you can see the confusion. One Minister says there is a food crisis and another says there isn’t none. Well which one is it? The Prime Minister came in the save the day. This week Patrick Manning acknowledged a food crisis in that country with the announce of that “the government has already created 7,000 news farms………….where food production has started.”

So let us put this in a nutshell. The Consumer Minister knows more of a “worsening food crisis” than the Agricultural Minister who has responsible for the food security in that country!!!?. If that de bout hay somebody de gine holler early elecshuns!!!.

Thank God for Haynesley Benn. The Agricultural Minster seems to have his feet on solid ground. He has already ask farmers to gear up for the 2009 onions crop season, doing all within his power to protect local farmers that an “all hands on deck” approach was necessary if Barbados was to achieve food sovereignty — “which speaks to our ability, not only to feed ourselves, but to produce the food with which to do so.”
The Minister who grew up with agriculture in his bones is keen on improving Barbados food security unlike the previous government who answer to the spiralling food costs was to introduced a basket of 9 goods with subsidies pricing without a fruit or vegetable in it.

With a $1/2b food bill hanging over our heads I believe we can do without the brussels sprouts, [roasted] corn and some of the imported frozen products that are already old by the time they get here to name a few.

Barbados Listed In TripAdvisor Top Choice World Destinations

This is our 100th post and what better way to celebrate in style than to crown our post with fantastic news on Barbados being in the top 10 of must see destinations.

It is often said that word of mouth is the best form of advertising. Here’s why. Barbados has been chosen by travellers as one of the top destinations in the world to visit. TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel community unveil on Wednesday April 29th, the winners of it’s 2008 Travellers Choice Destination Adwards.

The TripAdvisor Travellers’ choice Destination Awards honours the world top destination, earning their distinction from those who know them best ——– real travellers. The winners were determined by a combination of TripAdvisors’ travellers favourite places and overall popularity on TripAdvisor.

“Whether it’s for their unique beauty or abundance of attractions, the 2008 Travellers’ choice Destination awards honour the most beloved destinations from around the world,” said Michele Perry, vice president of global communications for TripAdvisor. “Determined by millions of travellers, the Travellers’ choice destination awards are unique because they single out not just the popular places but truly exceptional places that enthrall travellers and keep them coming back.”

Well Barbados would fall in the category of “truly exceptional places that enthrall travellers and keep them coming back” since we are not blessed with an “abundance of attractions”. Nevertheless we are humble that Barbados is highly favour on travellers’ lists.

One traveller from Marbella Spain wrote, “we are definitely returning to Barbados next year. The duty free shopping in Bridgetown is a must. Cheap shoes ……… say no more!”.

Here’s is Barbados position in the Top 10 [100] Choice World Destinations and the Top 10 [25] Choice Latin/ Caribbean Destinations.

2008 Travellers’ Choice World Destinations

1. Milford Sound, New Zealand
2. Queenstown, New Zealand
3. Philipsburg, St. Maarten
4. Cayo Largo, Cuba
5. Rhodes, Greece
6. Charlotte Amalie, St.Thomas
7. Cruz Bay, St.John
8. Bridgetown, Barbados
9. Banff, Canada
10. Lake Tahoe, California

2008 Travellers’ Choice Latin/Caribbean Destinations

1. Philipsburg, St. Maarten/St.Martin
2. Cayo, Cuba
3. Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas US Virgin Islands
4. Cruz Bay St. John, St. John US Virgin Islands
5. Bridgetown, Barbados
6. Hamilton, Bermuda
7. Marigot, St. Martin
8. Seven Mile Beach, Cayman Islands
9. Chichen Itza, Mexico
10. Oranjestad, Aruba

TripaAdvisor websites attracts 25m monthly visitors, 6m registered members and 15m reviews and opinions.

Source - TripAdvisor

Haiti To Receive Food Aid From Florida

                                                                                                                                                                                                Mayor Major Thomas Masters [Riviera Beach, Palm Beach County] returned from Haiti late Tuesday, armed with a challenge: Collect enough flour, rice and cooking oil to return to the impoverished country in 30 days.

Masters along with two local Haitian  ministers were among a 20-person delegation, headed by the Rev. Jesse Jackson, that spent three days in Haiti.   The group met with top government officials and toured the country in an effort to assess Haiti’s food crisis.

“Poverty and devastation like I’ve never seen before,” said Masters, also a bishop and pastor of New Macedonia Baptist Church in Riviera Beach. “People are literally starving to death.”

The trip moved Masters to lead a local campaign to collect food and water to be shipped Haiti.

At a news conference after his trip, Jackson called the food crisis a “horror of hunger.” He asked for the Bush administration to intervene by forgiving Haiti’s debt, stabilize food prices and provide financial assistance to Haitian farmers.

Haiti needs rice, cereal, bottled water, dry beans, flour, cooking oil and powered milk. The medical supplies like Band-aids, hydrogen peroxide and anti-bacterial ointment are required also.

Mayor Masters is also enlisting the help of other Mayors to provide drop-off locations throughout their cities.

Pablo Garcia, a 19-year Palm Beach Community College student decided to get involved. The Lake Worth teen dropped off 40 pounds of rice and two gallons of cooking oil at city hall to aid in Masters’ campaign.

“When I was younger, my mom and I were living on the streets. I know what it’s like,” said Garcia, who is studying to be a software programmer. “I just wanted to give back.

Source - Palm Beach Post

Nelson Mandela On US Terrorist List

 Nelson Mandela still needs  special permission to visit the States all because the Nobel Peace Prize Winner is blacklisted on US terrorist watch lists.

18 years onwards since his release from prison, commom sense finally prevail when at a Senate hearing Tuesday 9th April,  US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice “urged lawmakers…………..to make sure the legislation was passed” to remove Nelson Mandela and ANC’s [Africa National Congress] leaders from any US databases that list them as terrorists. Somehow Ms Rice felt it was time to remove the goodly gentleman and the ANC from a blacklist drawn up during the apartheid era.

Apparently being being South Africa first black president, a Nobal Peace winner, doing humanitarian good and promoting equality between the black and whites races are not good indicators that the gentleman had uhhhhh  “reformed.”

This is what Ms Rice had to say about the shameful situation. “It is frankly a rather embarrassing matter that I still have to waive in my own counterparts - the foreign minister of South Africa, not to mention the great leader, Nelson Mandela.”

The African National Congress (ANC) was designated as a terrorist organisation by South Africa’s old apartheid regime.

At present a waiver is needed for any ANC leaders to enter the country.

 In 2002, former ANC chairman Tokyo Sexwale was denied a visa. In 2007, Barbara Masekela, South Africa’s ambassador to the United States from 2002 to 2006, was denied a visa to visit her ailing cousin and didn’t get a waiver until after the cousin had died.

In other related news

Nelson Mandela  will turn 90 on July 18 this year. People around the world would be able to send personal greetings to Mandela thanks to the Nelson Mandela Foundation which  says it is negotiating with mobile phones networks to make possible. 

The greetings can be send by text or email and will be posted on the Foundation website as part of a year-long series of events which would include interviews to honour Mandela, brithday concert, lecture and exhibitions.

[Adapted from International Press Reports]

How To Catch A Sex Offender

Family Watch Dog is a free service run by volunteers to assist persons in locating registered sex offenders in their neighbourhoods.

So I decided to put in a search for the Brooklyn New York area, since I have relatives out there and out pops a zillion- looking little squares in front of me. Click on any of those squares and sure enough a sex offender’s picture appear before your eyes.

Name, alias, convictions, even victim’s age and how far [ or near] the person is in relation to where the intended victim[s] resides now. To be more precise, enter a street name. Brooklyn alone have 655 sex offenders and Queens - 1478. Wow.

The service is available in the US only but many of us here in Bim have relatives living in the States and some of those relatives have children so this info is a good resource to pass on to them and be alert of who is living in their communities and to protect their children - the most precious things on earth.

Hey did not the international press reported on the low enrollment in the US army that the army have decided to recruit criminals and SEX OFFENDERS into their ranks. Who is going to be on them 24/7 to keep them away from foreign children?.