Aruba at odds with Another Hotel; This Time the Radisson Renovations

At What Point do these Hotels Just throw their hands up in disgust?

(AM Digital: click on article to enlarge)

There comes a point where a government that draws tax dollars from hotel revenues needs to stop being so myopic. Over-regulation of hotel practices and renovation on an island with a slumping economy and declining over-night guests leads to hotels leaving the island for greener pastures.

A Monkey Wrench in the Aruban Tourism and Economic Works

Is it any wonder why the Aruban Tourism machine is not working properly?

(Vanderbilt – ‘06)

Normally Vanderbilt – ‘06 provides us with their great artwork and we provide the words to go a long. This one is all Vanderbilt including the comments and we thank Vanderbilt – ‘06 for the kind words.

Former Police Officer John Futrell of the North Hollywood Shoot out & Jossy Mansur will be on C-Band Talk Radio

Tonight on C-Band Talk Radio   

John Futrell and Jossy Mansur

(Click on Icon to listen to podcast)

North Hollywood Shootout  

GENERAL INFO (Back Ground) This case is also known as Matasareanu v. Gates, et al. It was tried in February and March, 2000 in United States District Court. Bradley Gage represented Police Officer John Futrell. His photograph in the Los Angeles Times won the Pulitzer Prize. The case revolved around the February, 1997 Bank of America Robbery in North Hollywood California where 17 police officers and citizens were shot and injured. Two alleged robbers died. One of the suspects family members sued claiming the LAPD allowed him to bleed to death.

IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS The attorney for the alleged bank robber’s family agreed to dismiss the action with a waiver of malicious prosecution. This means the lawsuit is over. The City of Los Angeles paid $50,000 for John Futrell and our firm in handling this matter. There is a pending book and movie on this case. Please watch this site for developments in the future. SilverCreek Entertainment is assisting with the book and movie deals.

SETTLEMENT INFO This matter settled, even though John Futrell was a defendant, he received $50,000 through payments by the City, and thousands of dollars more thanks to your generous contributions. The John Futrell Legal Defense Fund thanks all of its supporters. We couldn’t have won this case without your help!  

Royal Caribbean Strikes Again: 230 people aboard a cruise ship Mariner of the Seas

First it was Royal Caribbean passenger, Elizabeth Kay Galeana, reported missing. Now nearly 230 cruise ship passengers are reported ill aboard Royal Caribbeans cruise ship, the Mariner of the Seas.

Nearly 230 people aboard a cruise ship fell ill with a gastrointestinal illness during a weeklong Caribbean voyage, the cruise line said Saturday.

The illness, believed to be a norovirus brought onto the Mariner of the Seas by a passenger, struck 221 of the ship’s 3,660 passengers and six of its 1,202 crew members, said Royal Caribbean spokesman Michael Sheehan.

This is the second time an outbreak of the norovirus has been reported  aboard the Mariner of the Seas this year.

This is the second outbreak aboard the Mariner of the Seas this year. In January, the ship reported a norovirus that sickened 276 passengers and 27 crew members.

Noroviruses affect about 23 million Americans annually, and 16 incidents of the illness have been reported on cruise ships so far this year, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

(Orlando Sentinel)

Katie Couric Pulls Strings and Delays Delta Shuttle flight out of Washington, D.C

In the words of Katie Couric and all like her who think for some reason they are privileged and more important than they rest of us, “Don’t you know who I am?”

Katie Couric delayed fellow passengers aboard a New York-bound jet from Washington, DC as their plane was about to taxi to the runway. After the airplane door was closed, she got out of her seat and begged the pilot to allow one of her late-arriving producers to board. Nothing like preferential treatment. Hmm … and I thought such practices were illegal and against Homeland Security guidelines after 9-11. Wonder what would happen to you or I if we tried such a stunt.

“It was like, ‘Who the hell does she think she is?’ ” fumed one passenger who observed Couric’s diva-like antics. “If you or I attempted something like this, we’d be cooling our heels at Guantanamo.”

“One flight attendant rolled her eyes and told me, ‘This is only the second time I’ve ever seen this happen - the other time was a sick passenger,’ “ the witness said.

(New York Post)

UPDATE: Greta, with all due respect, spare us the violins. Amazing how those in the media defend their own. Greta, maybe you defend this because you would have done the same thing. Those of us common people are not allowed those same opportunities. I cannot believe that you would actually defend this action that goes against “homeland security” guidelines because Katie is one of your own.

From GretaWire, Aug. 1, 2006

By the way, did you see the articles about Katie Couric holding up a Delta flight for her producer? She got slapped around by the media for it. Don’t forget that Katie Couric also did the unthinkable on the shuttle to NYC awhile back  she gave up her aisle seat to someone and took a middle seat! That gesture is also unthinkable  unthinkably nice  no one wants a middle seat. As we get ready for the Couric roll out, we might think about cutting her some slack  she is there because she has staying power and has beaten out everyone else. I don’t know her (never met her), but I am willing to tip my hat to someone achieving great success rather than wanting to take her down a few notches because of jealousy.

Maybe Greta will add to her “GretaWire” the fact that I and many others who do not have the name Katie have given up their seats, including first class, to military personnel.

Its Happened again aboard Royal Caribbean; 22 year old Elizabeth Kay Galeana Missing

22 year old Elizabeth Kay Galeana missing aboard Royal Caribbean cruise liner.  Elizabeth Kay Galeana, is the daughter of a wealthy Naples automotive magnate who has been missing for three days from a cruise ship that was traveling the Mediterranean Sea.

Read full story at Missing & Exploited.

Craig Roger Gregerson; How do these people walk among us? They belong in the 7th Circle of Hell

Some people should just be sent to Dante’s 7th Circle of Hell, no questions asked.

The Destiny Norton case is tragic in so many ways. Long before we heard the details of Destiny’s death, we were all saddened by the fact that an innocent and adorable 5 year old girl was first missing then murdered.

What Craig Roger Gregerson did to Destiny defies understanding and comprehension as we live in a world with laws, morals and humanity. Obviously Gregerson did not.

How are such people able and allowed to live and walk among us until the commit the unspeakable? Like in the horrible assault and murder of Jessica Lunsford, the accused John Couey did things so shocking like burying her alive that is it any wonder that the Judge could find no jury capable of impartiality?

Such will be the case with Craig Roger Gregerson. The fact of the matter is one would have to be the same type of sociopath as Couey or Gregerson to admit they have not formulated an opinion. Either that or they pay no attention to anything, just crawled out from underneath a rock, just came out of a coma or are lying through their teeth to get on the jury.

We are supposed to formulate opinions against vicious criminals that would bury a young girl alive or attempt to have sex with a 5 year old who is already dead. We are supposed to be impartial against such monsters.  If we do start to not judging such immoral acts, we will lose our humanity ourselves.

Monsters like this that would perpetrate such a crime against humanity is supposed to get a trial by a jury of his peers, they are not entitled to be without judgment and opinions against them.

Read the full story and court documents at Missing & Exploited. We cannot come up with a punishment that is worthily of the crime. Some things shock us even though we are exposed to so many cases every day.

Things getting personal in Aruban “Gutter” Politics

AVP member Otmar Oduber stated in a recent AM Digital article that there is a lot to be desired in Aruban politics at the present. As Otmar refers to it as “gutter” politics being performed by the MEP Party. The politics of personal destruction. Occurs all the time when one begins to get close to the truth. If you cannot refute the truthfulness of the story, cover up, or corruption; one goes after an individual personally. Sounds all too familiar in the case of Natalee Holloway.

“Every time the MEP politicians feels that his back is against the wall, he will start looking for ways to bash family members of the adversary …”

(AM Digital: Click on article to enlarge)

Otmar Oduber also went on to say that it is not just politicians that are smeared, but members of the community as well.

“He did not only refer to politicians but the community in general: doctors, lawyers, Central Bank President, etc., who are dragged through the mud by MEP leaders and supporters …”

Here is a comment that we can agree on although in respects to the cloud over Aruba with the Natalee Holloway investigation, we sometimes wonder if this “fantasy world” mentality is only relegated to the MEP party.

What is more noticeable in the politics of MEP is that they live in a world of fantasy for others in Aruba.

Finally an Aruban Newspaper Discussing the Possible pending Halt to the Economy

Finally a newspaper in Aruba is discussing the cold, hard, inevitable facts of what a decline in tourism means. A decline in tax revenue, increase in import tax and a government that is still spending at the status quo means trouble.

I think we predicted this as well when we began to see the bottom continually fall out of the tourism market. Rather remarkable that AM Digital is actually stating that there are various factors that could cause the Aruban economy to halt.

What is the cause and effect of a declining economy, loss of tax revenue and no change in government spending? Aruba  will find out. Less tax revenues result in a need to cut programs or risk an out of control debt. No wonder Aruba had been budgeting less for tourism.

(AM Digital:Â  click on article to enlarge)

Jennifer Moore, 18, New Jersey Girl abducted, assaulted and murdered

This tragic tale should be called, Scared Straight 2006. The horrific story of what happened to 18 year old Jennifer Moore should be required reading for all teenagers. In the 1970’s there was a show called “Scared Straight” that was supposed to keep teens out of prison by showing them the reality of dealing with actual prison inmates. In Jennifer Moore’s case it will be a story necessary for all teenage girls to read so that they will not fall prey to the evils that exist in todays society.

Read the rest of this story at Missing & Exploited. It started out with two girls going out without a care in the world and wound up in a parents worst nightmare.