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Lord Neil Gibson Project Lesotho

Country Development Partnerships (CDP), launched in 2000, are agreements between the Government, the World Bank, and other partners to work together on specific challenges identified by the Government in its development agenda such as gaining a better understanding of the nature and causes of poverty, or supporting reforms in the financial sector. The agreements are outlined as three-year programs, based on sound research and analysis, specifying what will be done, who will do it, where the funding and other resources will come from, and how success will be measured. Each CDP is led by the Government with support from other stakeholders, including the Bank and other donors. The CDP also serves as a vehicle for engaging civil society, the private sector, and other partners in the policy design, implementation, and monitoring process. Depending on where support is needed, the Bank’s engagement in a CDP can take the form of analytical and advisory activities, technical assistance, donor coordination, and/or partnerships. In addition, as appropriate, investment projects can selectively support implementation. The CDP involving stability development require partnerships which can fulfill the direct needs of the people of Lesotho without the need to exploit the country and it's resources. Such agreements have been forged with Twin Peaks to provide a strategy which will benefit all parties involved. Twin Peaks allows application of groups which feel they are able to provide guided assistance needed for growth through financial and spiritual support.

Lord Neil Gibson, Humanitarian

Lord Gibson chairman of the Alder Group of companies, the Gibson Family Trust and  a diverse multinational business empire.

He is a man of grace and charm with an incisive mind, a gift for leadership and a deep and active interest in the arts. By nature quiet and retiring, he is wonderful company and a born raconteur, choosing his words with effortless precision and delivering them in a voice that is soft and unusually melodious. He has a discerning eye for architecture, gardens and works of art. But, his great love is for business and international finance for developing nations.

There is also a strong streak of determination in his character and a steely impatience with bluster or humbug which make him a formidable negotiator. As a chairman, he had few equals, using his natural gifts in both large gatherings and around a table to steer discussion, defuse tension and win support with the skill and elegance of a professional. All these gifts he provides to his family organisations, prominent in the worlds of both business and the arts, which he served and led with notable success through turbulent years of social and political change.

Neil Benjamin Gibson is born in 1963 to parents who were accomplished community leaders and who met while studying in Yorkshire. He might have pursued a career in music, but instead, after College, he chose to follow his father as a stockbroker. This proved unfulfilling, but the world political instability intervened and, as for so many of his generation, it determined the course of his life.

In 1998 he was commissioned into the diplomatic corps and fought against the insurgence in West Africa. Two years later, ECOWAS stabilized and the leaders of several countries extended their gratitude by honoring him with full diplomatic resolution and he resigned his post to the United Kingdom.

Following his tenure with the Foreign and Commonwealth diplomatic corps, Lord Gibson returned to England and has regained control of his family trust and was bestowed his title as Lord of the manor of Wheldrake and Warter Priory. Lord Gibson has carried on his family tradition of philanthropic community services and resides as High Lord of the Knights Templar.

Lord Gibson has developed and nurtured many business and political allies around the globe, which encompass the members of his companies. Through creative investment strategies and the help of well established businesses, Lord Gibson is able to maintain the Alder Group of companies. This multinational group is comprised of financial institutions, technology, communications and global philanthropists. The Alder Group of companies is recognized internationally for its’ ability to conduct business in regions of the world which most multinational firms are limited by their founding domiciliation.

These groups of companies provide much needed infrastructure for developing nations which are usually amidst local and international instability or sovereign control. His lordship thrives on the challenges set forth by the circumstances which are usually outset from a level of control. Once again, following in his fathers footsteps to help make the world a better place by improving quality of life.

Lord Neil Gibson resides on the board of both private and public sector companies and is a true community developer. His demand for increased world economics sets him apart from an average business owner which is only interested in bottom line profits. The ethics which he brings to the public sector creates a rule of standard for many to follow, as well as complete accountability. His lordship is a governing member of several boards of trust for the arts, community development and social welfare all without compensation

 

www.lordneilbgibson.mobi

Lord Neil Gibson – Victim of an Internet Stalker

Lord Neil Gibson is a humanitarian and financier. In the course of his every week he meets all kinds of people – from lobbyists for needy charities to asset holders who have billions of dollars in assets they wish to trade. According to Neil he will get over 400 emails on a standard day. He has 7 meetings a day arranged, and that is when he is not flying from one side of the planet to the other.

If you are that busy, every now and again you’ll meet a bad egg. Someone will say they have assets which do not exist or are from a source you’d be better not dealing with.

Lord Gibson has several times come across such people, who are often desperate and will go to extreme lengths to pretend that they are real. This may be because they are desperate to get rid of a bad debt or perhaps they have promised unrealistic results to a fellow trader.

Unfortunately for Neil, one such ne’er-do-well contacted him. As a result Neil worked with the US authorities to put him away. The man was found guilty and served his time. 

Alas, when the man got out of jail and tried to pick up the pieces he turned bitter and started pursuing Neil. This resulted in a court case which Neil Gibson won. This victory made the pursuer even bitterer.

Lord Neil Gibson spends many hours of his week trying to make the world a better place, so it’s not as if he should put the encounter down to karma. He believes that in fact the Internet is to blame. In the past it was not so easy for anybody to post slanderous comments online in minutes which get acknowledged worldwide in seconds.

Internet defamation laws are gradually changing for the better but right now while spending millions on a libel case in London your Internet stalker can be posting thousands of defamatory posts about you online. People are getting better at hiding the trail; using IP address hiders and Internet cafes.

So, libel cases are outmoded and a waste of money; especially when your pursuer has spent time in jail and has lost all his money in the process.

Lord Neil Gibson is not phased. He knows he is not how the Internet stalker portrays him.

Lord Gibson continues to work as a humanitarian and currently presides over billions in assets across three continents. It’s just part of being who he is that one man has decided to write and post loads of tosh about him online.

Rock fan convinces Billy Idol to perform at his birthday bash

Rock and roll: Billy Idol will play at a devoted fan’s birthday bash (Picture: Reuters)

Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/news/world/915862-rock-fan-convinces-billy-idol-to-perform-at-his-birthday-bash#ixzz2AW5vCsAR

All rock fan Michael Henrichsen has ever wanted is a birthday party to end all parties.
His dream bash? Billy Idol rolls up in a limo and tells him to hop in. Later, when the rock icon takes the stage and rips into Rebel Yell, his friends go wild.
Sound far-fetched? Not anymore now Idol, 56, has agreed to perform at his fan’s 26th birthday.
Mr Henrichsen has been planning his dream birthday for two years.
He said he had nothing to look forward to in life and was struggling to make ends meet as he worked three jobs to pay off college loans.
Salvation came when Idol’s hit White Wedding blasted out of the radio during a shift and he joked to a work colleague: ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if Billy Idol played at my birthday?’
They laughed, but it fired Mr Henrichsen’s imagination. He set up a website, playmybirthdaybillyidol.com to start the ball rolling.
It attracted hits from all over the world, but ‘no word’ from Idol’s people.
So, to promote his ambition, Mr Henrichsen staged concerts, dubbed Billy Idol Aid, to raise cash for charity and get the 80s rock star’s attention.
It worked, and at a gig in August a video message from Idol was played to fans, where he said: ‘The world has spoken... the dream will become reality.’
Idol will play for Mr Henrichsen and 1,800 friends in Seattle on Thursday.
‘It’s gonna be pretty much the coolest night ever,’ said Mr Henrichsen


Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/news/world/915862-rock-fan-convinces-billy-idol-to-perform-at-his-birthday-bash#ixzz2AW5nvEz9

Australian "misogyny" speech prompts change to dictionary

CANBERRA (Reuters) - A fiery speech against sexism by Australia's first woman prime minister has prompted the textbook of Australian English to broaden the definition of "misogyny" to better fit the heated political debate raging downunder.

 

Prime Minister Julia Gillard last week used a parliamentary debate to launch a strong attack against conservative Opposition Leader Tony Abbott, accusing him of being a misogynist, and her speech has since become an Internet hit.

In response, Australia's Macquarie Dictionary, the authority on the English language in Australia, has decided to broaden the definition of "misogyny" to better match the way the word has been used over the past 30 years.
The dictionary currently defines misogyny as "hatred of women", but will now add a second definition to include "entrenched prejudice against women", suggesting Abbott discriminated against women with his sexist views.
"The language community is using the word in a slightly different way," dictionary editor Sue Butler told Reuters.

In her parliamentary speech, Gillard attacked Abbott, a conservative Catholic, for once suggesting men were better adapted to exercise authority, and for once saying that abortion was "the easy way out". He also stood in front of anti-Gillard protesters with posters saying "ditch the witch".

Abbott has labeled the attack as cheap and personal and part of a government smear campaign against him.

The fallout from Gillard's speech has followed her on an official visit to India, where it was raised during a panel discussion, but she told reporters in New Delhi on Wednesday that she would not give advice on word definitions.

"I have been left in no doubt that a lot of people have clicked on and watched that speech here in India," she said on Wednesday.

"I will leave editing dictionaries to those whose special expertise is language."

But the opposition has ridiculed the dictionary's move, with lawmaker Fiona Nash saying Gillard is the one who needed to be more careful with her words.

Abbott, a super-fit cyclist and swimmer, has been battling perceptions he has a problem with women voters, with his wife and three daughters making public appearances in recent weeks to soften his tough-guy image.

Lord Neil Gibson Updates

Lord Neil Gibson is a professional who has gained a reputation as a humanitarian. Through his service as an ambassador at large to West Africa, as well as his development efforts within the Kingdom of Lesotho, he has contributed positive change to many parts of the world. Most recently, Lord Neil Gibson has begun discussing the possibility of utilizing business ventures to contribute to the development of communities and infrastructure within the country of Belize.

By working closely with the members of the communities within Belize, Lord Neil Gibson will be able to create a development plan that accurately addresses the problems that the people of Belize face. Through his strategic approach, he will be able to rebuild roads and other important items.

In addition to physically rebuilding the landscape, Lord Neil Gibson hopes to help the economy of the country. He aims to help the government secure national debt, to finalize plans for the funding of a new international airport, and to create housing for homeless residents. This, he believes, can be achieved with the help of the financial entities with which he will work.

The vision that Lord Neil Gibson has for this project is one of positive change. By providing the necessary resources through his unique ability to combine his business skills with his humanitarian efforts, Lord Neil Gibson is working to improve the quality of life experienced by the people living in the country of Belize. With the support and encouragement of the residents of the country, he hopes to embark upon this new venture and provide the rebuilding services that Belize needs to thrive.

Exploits Around the Globe!

 

Obviously, when you have a title like Ambassador at Large and a reputation for bringing humanitarian relief to nations as divergent as Hong Kong and Iraq, to say nothing of ravaged areas like New Orleans, it should come as no big surprise to learn that you’re plenty busy, and that you have different projects going on in many different nations. Certainly, this is the case with Lord Neil Benjamin Gibson, a man whose ability to bring humanitarian aid to a needy nation is the result of his pragmatic approach, his many powerful alliances, and, more than anything, his refusal to give up or settle for a sub-par solution.
We have already addressed some of the global endeavors of Lord Neil Benjamin Gibson. We talked about the amazing work he did as Ambassador at Large to West Africa, about his relief work in New Orleans, about his financial rebuilding in Lesotho, even his hospital construction in Iraq. But of course, we could go on and on. Here are just a few more of the many areas in which Lord Neil Benjamin Gibson has been involved:

• Currently, Lord Neil Benjamin Gibson is hard at work in Central America—specifically, in the nation of Belize. He is working alongside the government of Belize to build a road, one leading from the port in Belize into the nation of Guatemala, something much-needed in that area.
• Lord Neil Benjamin Gibson is currently aligned with the government of South Africa to bring special events—like boxing matches—to that nation, and to promote them, something that will stimulate the local economy in many different ways.
• Additionally, Lord Neil Benjamin Gibson is in talks with a California film studio to launch a production company in Belize!
• Finally, we might mention that Lord Neil Benjamin Gibson is seeking to purchase a diamond mine in South Africa, one he would surely manage and promote in such a way as to be immensely beneficial to the local economy.

Clearly, Lord Neil Benjamin Gibson is a busy man, and he’s busy doing truly important work—helping those in need and bringing economic relief to areas in dire need.

Hurricane Leslie dawdles as Bermuda braces

Officials in Bermuda urged residents to "prepare for the worst" as Hurricane Leslie headed toward the British territory, bringing with it powerful winds and heavy rain.

Meanwhile, the storm's effects were already being felt as far away as the U.S. East Coast, where forecasters issued warnings for life-threatening rip currents spawned by the distant storm.

In Bermuda, schools prepared to close Friday as residents got ready for the approaching storm.

"Leslie could be a historic storm for Bermuda as it is very large and forecast to intensify rapidly as it approaches," Bermuda's Emergency Measures Organization said in a statement. "The island could experience hurricane force winds for a sustained period of time, possibly up to two days."

The storm seemed to stall Thursday, moving just 10 miles (16 kilometers) since earlier in the day, the National Hurricane Center said. The storm was about 430 miles south-southeast of Bermuda, moving at 2 mph (3 kph), the center said.

It had maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (121 kph), the hurricane center said.

The storm wasn't expected to move much or significantly strengthen until Friday, the center said. Forecasters say it could affect Bermuda this weekend.

The storm is already dishing out heavy swells and dangerous currents in coastal areas of Bermuda, the Leeward Islands, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the U.S. East Coast from Florida to New York, the National Weather Service said Thursday.

Forecasters warned of potentially deadly rip currents that can pull even the strongest of swimmers out to sea quickly. The agency warned beachgoers to stay out of the surf until the danger passes.

Warnings were up in Florida, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey and New York.

The U.S. Coast Guard also warned boaters to use "extreme caution" through the weekend along the East Coast.

Another hurricane, Michael, formed late Wednesday in the eastern Atlantic. By early Thursday, it had become the first major hurricane of the season as it strengthened to a Category 3, with winds of near 115 mph.

Michael is the seventh hurricane of the 2012 season but posed no immediate threat to land, the hurricane center said.

Diamond Jubilee: Pop royalty to play for Queen

Monday's A-list BBC concert starts at 19:30 BST

Continue reading the main story

The Diamond Jubilee

• Pomp and celebrations defy rain
• Guide to central weekend events
• Thousands cheer Queen in pageant
• Royal couple join street party

The Queen's Diamond Jubilee will be marked with a star-studded BBC concert in front of Buckingham Palace later.

Sir Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder and Sir Elton John are among the artists, and Madness will perform on the roof.

The audience will comprise of people who got tickets in a public ballot and those from charities with royal links.

At the end of the show, the Queen will light one of the last of around 4,500 beacons across the globe - in celebration of her 60-year reign.

On Monday afternoon, prior to the Jubilee concert, 10,000 ballot winners and VIPs will have a picnic in the gardens of Buckingham Palace.

The concert follows Sunday's spectacular River Thames pageant which attracted more than tens of thousands of rain-soaked people to watch the flotilla of 1,000 boats.

Continue reading the main story

Analysis Peter Hunt News correspondent

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After a pageant on the Thames - where the elements weren't kind but the enthusiasm of the spectators was undimmed - a change of scene and tempo.
At the end of the Golden Jubilee concert, Sir Paul McCartney asked the Queen, "Are we doing this next year?" "Not in my garden" came the regal reply.
Ten years on, she's had her way. The BBC concert will be staged outside the palace gates. The official guests will reflect the changes in a decade. Camilla Parker Bowles is now the Duchess of Cornwall and a future queen. Rupert Murdoch was invited last time. Will any newspaper proprietors be invited this time?
At the end of the concert, the Queen - who at 86, probably won't sit through all of the performances and who may well come armed with ear plugs as she did in 2002 - will light one of the last of more than 4,000 beacons around the world.

• Read more from Peter

The Queen travelled in a barge alongside senior members of the Royal Family as street parties were held around the country.

Buckingham Palace has told the BBC the Royal Family were "touched" at the turnout, despite the weather.

Monday's A-list concert, which starts at 19:30 BST (18:30 GMT), will also star Robbie Williams, Ed Sheeran, JLS, Kylie Minogue, Sir Tom Jones, Jessie J, Dame Shirley Bassey and Annie Lennox.

And it will feature a special song - sung by 200 people from around the Commonwealth - co-written for the occasion by Gary Barlow and Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Motown legend Wonder has said: "It's an honour to celebrate The Queen. It's an honour to celebrate Great Britain. The time is overdue that I meet Her Majesty."

The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince of Wales, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry will join the Queen at the concert.

An artist's impression of the stage, designed by architect Mark Fisher

Pop veterans Madness will play their hit Our House on the roof of Buckingham Palace - echoing Queen guitarist Brian May's performance of the National Anthem in 2002 for the Golden Jubilee.

After the musical tribute, the Queen will greet the crowds and set the national beacon ablaze.

At 22:30 BST (21:00 GMT), she is scheduled to place a crystal glass diamond into a special pod, triggering the lighting of the last beacon in The Mall.

Beacons will be lit throughout the evening in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, the Commonwealth and other overseas territories.

Bruno Peek, pageantmaster of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee beacons, said: "We set out to have 2,012 beacons, which would have been the most ever for this type of occasion.

"To have reached double that figure reflects the national and worldwide respect and affection for the Queen and the desire to celebrate her 60-year reign."

The network of beacons across the UK will be placed on historic landmarks, hill-top vantage points and famous mountains.

Continue reading the main story Diamond Jubilee beacons

• About 4,500 beacons will be lit in the UK, Commonwealth and overseas territories
• Beacons in the UK and British dependencies will be lit in stages between 22:00 and 22:30
• The Queen will light the National Beacon near Buckingham Palace at 22:30
• Overseas beacons will be lit at 22:00 local time in countries including Canada, Australia and Kenya
• Two types of Beacons are used: Bonfires and the church tower beacon fuelled by bottled gas
• Beacons were lit on Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in and for 1977's Silver Jubilee

• Diamond Jubilee beacons interactive Map

Beacons will also be placed on the battlements of the Tower of London, and at St James's Palace, Lambeth Palace, Windsor Castle, Sandringham, Balmoral and Holyroodhouse.

Sixty will be lit in sequence on Hadrian's Wall - one for each year of the Monarch's reign.

And the highest peaks of the UK's four nations will be lit up by teams from four charities.

Help for Heroes will conquer Ben Nevis in Scotland, Walking With The Wounded will climb Snowdon in Wales, Cancer Research UK will scale England's Scafell Pike and in Northern Ireland, Field of Life will go up Slieve Donard in County Down.

The hotel in Kenya where the Queen was told in 1952 of her father George VI's death - which meant she would become the monarch - will also light a beacon.

Much like the conclusion of the Thames pageant, the evening will end with a firework display.

• The Diamond Jubilee Concert will be shown on BBC big screens in 22 towns and cities throughout the UK. Find your nearest screening here..

Queens and Lords on Jubilee

LONDON — Long known as the sport of kings, today horse racing is the Sport of the Queen, as the Diamond Jubilee got underway with a familiar annual ritual, the running of the Epsom Derby.

Horse-loving Queen Elizabeth II did not have a horse in the "dah-bee," as it's known here; instead it was the appropriately named Camelot, the favorite, that won the feature race today, in front of a crowd of 150,000 racing fans, with the No. 1 fan watching in the royal enclosure.

Along with her were members of her family, including her husband, Prince Philip; her two younger sons, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex; and two of her grandchildren, Andrew's daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.

The day was overcast, windy and cool but it was an especially colorful and cheerful derby, decorated with flags, flowers and jubilee bunting. It opened with military parachutists, bearing Union Jacks, floating down in their scarlet red jumpsuits, one of the reasons they're known as the Red Devils.

The crowds cheered and waved little flags (35,000 were handed out beforehand) as the queen and her husband arrived in a Rolls motorcade down the track. Smiling broadly, she exited the car and the Royal Marine Band struck up the familiar notes of the national anthem. Katherine Jenkins, the Welsh classical vocalist who finished second in Dancing With the Stars last month, sang God Save the Queen with gusto, although she looked slightly chilled in the cold while dressed in a creamy, strapless mermaid-tail gown, standing just a few feet away from the queen.

"This is definitely a day that I will never forget," she told the BBC later.

Unlike so many others, Jenkins was not wearing a hat for her performance but she didn't have to. By contrast, there's a strict dress code for those in the royal enclosure: Hats for women; top hats for men; and smart outfits for all. Elsewhere in the stands, fans are allowed to wear what they want and many of them apparently believe the wackier the better.

As per usual, the queen went down from the royal box to the paddock where she inspected some of the horses that competed in one of the races, the Coronation Cup, renamed the Diamond Jubilee Coronation Cup. She awarded the cup to the owner, trainer and jockey of winner St. Nicholas Abbey.

The big winner, Camelot, was trained and ridden by a father-son team, the first in derby history, adding to the historic character of this year's event.

Epsom is not just any horse-racing venue; the derby is way older than the Windsor dynasty, with the first was one in 1779. It's also one of the richest, at about $2 million. And it's free for fans.

The race also is the United Kingdom's only major one that the horsewoman-in-chief has not won. An expert in breeding, raising, training and racing horses, she has gone to the derby every year except one in her 60 years on the throne. She even attended just a few days after she was crowned in 1953, when her horse, Aureole, finished second, nearly giving the new queen a coronation victory.

Last year, her horse Carlton House, was the favorite but finished third, although it did win at another racetrack on Thursday.

Racing is one of the queen's real passions, so it's no coincidence that the derby opens the jubilee weekend. Brits are used to seeing her at the races, a standout in the royal box in her colorful hats and outfits, peering through binoculars, surrounded by family and friends. She typically visits the paddock and the winner's circle, loves talking to the trainers and jockeys, closely reads the daily racing press.

British commentators have repeatedly pointed out that no other event during jubilee weekend will be as much fun for the 86-year-old queen as the derby. Typically, she shows an enigmatic or neutral expression on her face during engagements, although lately she's been seen beaming for jubilee events. But it's at the races where she shows her excitement. One piece of video often shown features the queen at a race, grabbing her binoculars and rushing out of the royal box as one of her horses moved to the front of the pack.

Following the horses is the queen's hobby, one that provides a "relief from her daily duties," said her top-hatted (and rarely interviewed) racing manager, John Warren, interviewed by Sky News.

When the queen goes to the USA on rare private visits, she typically heads for Kentucky bluegrass country. There she visits Lane's End Farm, a top breeder owned by her friend William Farish, the former American ambassador to Britain.

And when she made her historic visit to Ireland last year, the first by a British monarch to its former colony, she made a point of spending hours at the Irish National Stud, talking horse bloodlines with people whose love of horses is as high as her own.

Is Lord Neil Benjamin Gibson Stepping in to save Las Vegas Project?

Fate of giant Las Vegas Ferris wheel still up in the air

The game of chicken to build a giant Ferris wheel on the Strip drew a little tighter Monday with a public sales pitch by the developer of one project.

While not breaking ground or even clearing a defunct 1950s' motel from his site, Skyvue developer Howard Bulloch unveiled a 23,000-pound bearing needed to make his big wheel go 'round. He timed the ceremony to coincide with the annual REcon convention staged by the International Council of Shopping Centers, hoping to create a sense of momentum that might persuade potential tenants at the show to sign leases.
Skyvue, across the Strip from Mandalay Bay, would have a 500-foot London Eye-style wheel as its centerpiece, with 200,000 square feet of retail and entertainment space at its base and 107,000 square feet of light-emitting diode signs in the middle of the wheel or along the building's side. Bulloch said he has yet to line up financing for the project, which he said would cost $175 million, but vowed to open by the end of 2012.
Skyvue would cover about 11 acres of a 38.7-acre parcel Bulloch and his partners purchased a decade ago.
Quick money for construction could be critical because Caesars Entertainment Corp. has mapped out a similar development, Project Linq, adjacent to the Flamingo and the Imperial Palace. Caesars says it has inked $450 million in loans for its wheel and to finish the Octavius Tower at Caesars Palace.
The company has not published many final details about Project Linq, beyond covering about 500,000 square feet with a wheel about 500 feet tall.
Dennis Speigel, president of the consulting firm International Theme Park Services, has said he doubts the Strip could support two giant wheels.
"The first one out will be the last one in," Speigel said.
Big wheel projects have been floated for Las Vegas in the past but none materialized. Now, Bulloch has various government approvals, but not the money, while Caesars has money without final approval from the county.
The popularity of the 443-foot tall London Eye, which has attracted more than 3 million riders a year since 2000, has attracted a slew of imitators from Singapore to New Jersey to Myrtle Beach, S.C. The latest generation of Ferris wheels come with enclosed gondolas -- 22 passengers each for Skyvue -- instead of open-air baskets.
"A giant wheel has become the icon du jour," Speigel said.
"The London Eye has been a tremendous success," said Bulloch, who will model ticket prices on London's. The basic ride would cost $20 to $25.
The Monday ceremony also highlighted that big wheels are not financially foolproof.
The bearing Bulloch displayed is a leftover from a Beijing wheel that was never built. According to a spokesman, Bulloch paid about $840,000 for the unused, secondhand bearing.
Bulloch said he has received letters of intent from potential tenants for 15 percent of the retail space. A letter of intent indicates a formal interest, but not a rental contract.
At least some of the early skirmishing between Skyvue and Caesars has revolved around location. By placing his wheel right on the Strip, at a slight angle to the street, riders will get a better view, Bulloch said.
"That is the real appeal, not being off the Strip," Bulloch said.
But Caesars senior vice president Jan Jones depicted Skyvue as relatively isolated.
"If I was going to argue location, I would rather have the center of the Strip than being on the end of the south end," she said.

Lord Neil B. Gibson sponsors End of the World Bullriding Event December 2012?

Most recently, from deep down in the beautiful Caribbean country of Belize that the wheels are in motion to put on the Worlds very first, and what could be the last, professional Bullriding in Belize. Lord Neil B. Gibson and First Interstate Group are currently in discussions and planning for this stellar Event.  A portion of the proceeds will go towards the Belize Housing Project and the construction of a new hospital in the goal is to draw 10,000 people for the event over 3 days. Fans are said to come to Belize from all over the world for this incredible event. With such a big draw, organizers are expecting to fuel and stimulate tourism and the economy of Belize.

Every one of the three days, there will be professional Bullriding with 100 plus bullriders per day. A total of $100,000.00 prize money will be up for grabs. $50,000.00 will be paid out in day monies and a Sunday evening Top 10 Ride off will provide the best Bullrider with a Check for $50,000.00.

Along with the End of the World Bullriding, there will be special events such as the freestyle Bullfight. Mexican fighting bulls will be specially brought in for this event. The bull is not killed in this bullfight. The only one at risk is the Bullfighter. He must play with the bull for a minimum of 60 seconds,  making contact with the bull as much as possible without getting hit by the bull. Judges score him based on this.

Another event will be Cowboy Poker. Six entrants will be seated in chairs at a poker table and given a deck of cards. They will begin to deal the cards and at that time a raging bull will be turned loose in the arena. The last man still seated at the table will receive the prize money for the day, totalling $500.00. This event always keeps you on the edge of your seat and provides many laughs, chills and thrills.

Another event will be the Wild and Wooly. This is where all of the entrants are 5 years old and younger. They will be given a chance to ride a sheep. All our contestants in this event will be given prizes.

The organizers tell us that there will also be some special guests appearing at the EOW Bullriding. Gary Leffew, many times World Champion Bullrider and teacher of many, has agreed to show up at the event. Gary has been in movies such as Pink Cadillac with Clint Eastwood to Johnny Knoxville’s Jackass movie series. The one time representative of Bulls Eye BBQ sauce says he is looking forward to coming to Belize and has heard many good things about the people here.

Along with all the sporting and special events of each of the 3 nights will be a special concert each night. Three bands are slated to appear on Friday and Saturday night with a 5 band grand finale on Sunday. Musicians will be coming from Canada, United States, Mexico, Guatemala, Jamaica, and of course Belize.

Finishing off each night will be a fireworks show so be sure to come one, come all. Watch some of the greatest entertainers in the world, some of the greatest musicians in the world and watch the End of the World in the Caribbean, home of the Mayans where the 2012 prophecy began.

Tickets will be on sale in September of 2012 and will start at $30.00 for Friday and Saturday with a ticket price of $50.00 for the Sunday Grand Finale. Packages and Discounts are being offered at sponsor Resorts and Hotels.

Lord Gibson under fire?

INDEPENDENT PRESS WALL STREET JOURNAL EDITION

LORD NEIL BENJAMIN GIBSON has currently been under fire in regard to his integrity and status as a humanitarian around the world.  After my interview with him, it is very clear as to how people could misunderstand who he is.  He has peripheral of world knowledge and is committed to empowering mankind in a positive manner.  The perception of his “lord” title is that he sits in a congested room and yells across elderly gentlemen.  Yet, this is not what position he holds.    In reality he acquired his title by the purchase of land acquisition, as many lords, barons, counts, etc. did in previous times.  When asked what he thought of the title, he stated “It gets me into the front of the line at the airport.”  He does not look at it as a power symbol.  He is a very humble person.

On the other hand, when he was asked about the world economy, starvation etc., he voiced his opinion and expressed himself very clearly.  After serving as Honorary Consulate General to Liberia, he saw much devastation and hunger and declared to work to thrive to create a better place for people in such war torn and poverty stricken areas.

He shared some of his new endeavors with me, such as housing projects and medical facilities, schooling, and farming.  He is working on the implementation in the country of Belize, which is close to his heart. As an English-speaking continent, which was once held in hierarchy with some people such as Queen Elizabeth. Currently, Lord Ashcroft still has a strong presence in Belize.

With the above being said, after reviewing articles write-ups and different information on the Internet, he appears to be a self-driven, philanthropic humanitarian who will continue to serve mankind. 

Jaqueline Cordot

David Cameron defends 'make up or break up' euro warning

 

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PM: "The eurozone... either has to make up, or it is looking at a potential break-up."

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• Battling to win economy argument
• PM: Euro to 'make-up or break-up'
• Bank warns of euro crisis 'storm'

David Cameron has said there will be no retreat on deficit reduction - and that he was right to speculate publicly about the break up of the euro.

He told business leaders in Manchester that it was "more dangerous to stay silent than to speak out".

The prime minister later discussed the crisis with other European leaders including Angela Merkel and new French President Francois Hollande.

Labour says the recession is caused by coalition policies not the euro crisis.

Mr Cameron raised eyebrows at Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday when he warned the eurozone it "either has to make up or it is looking at a potential break-up".

Chancellor George Osborne has repeatedly warned against speculating about eurozone break-up, saying it would cause instability amid Greece's ongoing inability to form a government able to push through austerity plans.
'Genie out'
But he told MPs earlier on Thursday that the Greek elections had "let the genie out of the bottle" and "some of the things we were happy to say in private we are now also willing to say in public because the issue is out there".

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The coalition believed that it was winning the argument on deficit reduction, but fears it is in danger of losing the argument on growth.”

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Nick Robinson Political editor

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• Read more from Nick
• Greece names caretaker cabinet
• France questions EU fiscal pact

"We have very clear ideas about what the eurozone needs to do to make their currency work," he added, saying he backed austerity measures in "peripheral" countries but also wanted to see the "core of the eurozone" do more "to support demand".

Mr Cameron discussed the eurozone situation with Mr Hollande, Mrs Merkel, Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti and EU officials in a conference call ahead of the forthcoming G8 summit in the United States.

The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said the prime minister had reiterated the importance of decisive action to sort out the eurozone and to prevent contagion and repeated the key points of his speech.

But he said No 10 had refused to say whether Mr Cameron used the phrase "make up or break up" during the 45-minute conversation.
'Contingency planning'
Downing Street has disclosed that the National Security Council has been involved in contingency planning in case of a worsening situation in Greece and the eurozone.

A spokeswoman said the Treasury had been drawing up contingency plans "for some time" but when asked whether there'd been any planning to deal with "civil strife" she said: "Certainly the national security council has, in the past, looked at issues regarding the eurozone."

In his speech in Manchester, Mr Cameron said it was "essential to speak out about what needs to be done to safeguard the eurozone, to safeguard Britain, to take the steps to make sure we deliver the strong and stable economic growth that we want".

Describing the situation in Greece as a "crisis that never really went away", he said the eurozone could find itself in "unchartered territory" unless it took steps to strengthen its banks and protect its weaker members.

"As I have consistently said it is in Britain's interest for the eurozone to sort out its problems," he said.

"But be in no doubt: whichever path is chosen, I am prepared to do whatever is necessary to protect this country and secure our economy and financial system."
'Bystander'
He defended the coalition's austerity measures, saying the programme of spending cuts, tax rises and pay freezes was already having the desired effect of reducing the deficit.

"Let me be clear, we are moving in the right direction - not rushing the task but judging it carefully. And that is why we must resist dangerous voices calling on us to retreat.

Earlier, Business Secretary Vince Cable said Britain "shouldn't be panicking or be unduly negative" about the crisis in the eurozone.

"We need to get the risks in perspective," he told BBC Breakfast, adding there was no reason the crisis should spread beyond Greece.

But Labour said the UK government had become a "bystander" to events in Europe.

"David Cameron isn't part of the solution, he is part of the problem," opposition leader Ed Miliband said. "He promised Britain there would be recovery and he has delivered a recession.

"All of Europe's leaders, including David Cameron, bear responsibility for the fact that over the last two years they haven't sorted out the problems of the eurozone and they haven't had a proper plan for growth and jobs."

3 March 2012 Last updated at 20:40 GMT

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Diamond Jubilee: Prince Harry visits Mayan ruins in Belize

Prince Harry climbed the highest pyramid at Xunantunich

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The Diamond Jubilee

• Harry names royal road in Belize
• First Diamond Jubilee bell cast
• Queen observes 60-year reign
• PM lauds 'magnificent' Queen

Prince Harry has visited the ruins of a Mayan city in Belize on the second day of his jubilee visit to the former British colony on behalf of the Queen.

The prince toured Xunantunich, a city of stone pyramids, palaces and temples that was abandoned in AD 950-1000.

He climbed the site's highest pyramid, El Castillo, as part of a private tour.

Over seven days, Prince Harry will visit the Bahamas and Jamaica as part of his jubilee tour. He will also go to Brazil for his charity, Sentebale.

Members of the Royal Family are visiting the 15 countries other than the UK where the Queen is head of state, along with some other Commonwealth nations, as part of this year's Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
Queen Elizabeth II Boulevard
Arriving in Belize City, Prince Harry was greeted by a guard of honour and his grandmother's representative in the country, Governor General Sir Colville Young.

He then travelled to Belize's capital, Belmopan, where he officially named a new road Queen Elizabeth II Boulevard after his grandmother and took part in a street party.

Other engagements during his time in the country include laying a wreath at the memorial to British soldiers who have died in the country over the years.

The trip to Brazil is in support of the government and his charity Sentebale, which supports orphans and vulnerable children in the southern African country of Lesotho.

Other royal tours as part of the Jubilee celebrations include a visit by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to the Far East and the Pacific.

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall will visit Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, the Duke of York will travel to India and the Princess Royal is set to visit Mozambique and Zambia.

The host countries are likely to hold a range of events for the visiting royals, from official banquets and public celebrations to events that showcase the individual nations.

The Diamond Jubilee will also see the Queen, 85, and the Duke of Edinburgh, 90, travel as widely as possible across the UK to mark the occasion.

Feb 22, 2012

PM says Superbond is Jack Boot on throat of Belizeans

Dean Barrow

The super bond slid into the election campaign when the prime minister announced the date for early general elections. He said he was going back to the people for instructions to do something about the super bond. The result was a prompt downgrade to junk territory of Belize’s credit ratings from agencies such as Standard and Poor and Moody’s. If he was floating that idea, today, at the launch of the U.D.P. Manifesto, Prime Minister Barrow was more provocative. He said he was not concerned at all about the Belize’s credit ratings and that bond holders would have to sit around the table with a future U.D.P. government to re-negotiate the five hundred and sixty-five million dollar bond. The February payment has been made but another is due past the elections in August, which according to the PM’s bravado, he won’t pay at eight and half percent interest rates.
Dean Barrow
“I was deliberate in announcing the date of the election, deliberate in saying that the U.D.P. was asking for a new mandate to among other things, do something about the super bond. Now, that really set the cat among the pigeons. And you say that the so called rating agencies fell all over themselves to say’ oh wi di downgrade Belize bonds. Explain to mi how Mr. Man downgrading the Belize bonds hurts the Belizean people? The Belize Bonds are the bonds that are owned out there by all those that loaned the People’s United Party this one point one billion dollars for which there is nothing to show. And if you downgrade the bonds so that the bonds have less value, I say that that strikes me something like poetic justice, because while the greatest blame for the share of saddling this country with the super bond must lie with the P.U.P., the creditors, the bond holders, the commercial entities, agreed to that super bond, knowing full well that the kind of burden it was placing on the Belizean people is absolutely unconscionable, merciless; those people also have a share of the blame. Therefore, this eight and a half percent that we have to begin to pay as of August of this year, which means ninety-four million dollars of our re-current revenue that ought properly speaking to be spent on you the people of this country. This eight and half percent interest rate, we will not suffer. Belize is a country that is a country of honor; we do not easily renege on commitments but if there are commitments that in effect represent a jack boot on the throat of the Belizean people, then unless those that are applying that jack-boot are prepared to re-negotiate, they will see that the Belizean people are not going to take it. We won’t lie down so that anybody could tek chance on us and the bottom line is, ‘Mr. Bond holder, Mr. Bad creditor, come to the table and renegotiate with Belizeans. You are obliged to give us a fairer deal.”

So what will be the impact of the prime minister’s statement? Well, it is likely that there could be a further erosion of investor’s confidence and that the economy could continue to languish. At the launch of the People’s United party manifesto on Tuesday, Francis Fonseca, called on the PM to whining about the super bond and put the economy back to work. The super bond is a consolidation of government loans that was negotiated in 2006 and concluded in 2007. It also includes loans made by former U.D.P. administrations.

Prince Harry needs tact in Belize on first solo Royal tour

He is known as the party prince, but Prince Harry will need to show tact, maturity and diplomacy when he arrives in the Caribbean today for his first solo Royal tour.

Prince Harry will begin his tour in Belize today Photo: Getty Images

By Gordon Rayner, in Belize

10:03AM GMT 02 Mar 2012

One of the key engagements being undertaken by the 27-year-old will be a meeting with Jamaica’s Prime Minister, Portia Simpson Miller, who said in January that she intended to remove the Queen as head of state to turn the country into a republic.

Rumours in Jamaica that the Prince’s itinerary was changed as a result of Mrs Simpson Miller’s forthright comments have been strenuously denied by St James’s Palace, which arranged the tour at the request of the Queen as part of her Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

The Prince will begin his tour in Belize today, where he will meet the country’s prime minister before a visit tomorrow to the Mayan pyramid of Xunantunich.

He will also visit the Bahamas, moving on to Jamaica, where he will meet the world’s fastest man, Usain Bolt, before undertaking a trade mission to Brazil.

Royal aides are alert to the possibility that the visit to Brazil could be hijacked by protestors from neighbouring Argentina following increased tension over the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands.

Housing Project Announced

Belize Eco-Village Housing Program

Overview

Ecovillages are people-based initiatives to model sustainable, low-impact, human settlements. They are applicable to both rural and urban settings and accessible to all. Eco-villagers utilize green energy technology, ecological building techniques, and human-scale design to reduce exploitation of natural resources, facilitate community self-reliance, and improve quality of life. Medical clinics will be included in the development of each village. These medical clinics can assist in the care management of other local villages and expand the Belize Healthcare footprint.

They are about the creation of new settlements as well as retrofitting existing villages and urban areas. An ecovillage is designed in harmony with its bioregion instead of the landscape being unduly engineered to fit construction plans. By thinking in terms of bioregions, sustainable settlements are planned considering water availability, the ability to grow food, and accessibility.

 Many projects use the principles of permaculture for creating integrated, interactive and efficient systems for structural planning, food production and social needs in their community. Ecovillages are human scale, (somewhere where you can feel you know the others in your community), fully featured settlements, (comprising housing, businesses, agriculture, culture, etc. as appropriate to the local setting), in which human activity is integrated harmlessly into the natural world, supports human development and can be continued into the indefinite future.

There are hundreds, maybe thousands of ecovillages around the world that have been living true to their values, even if it means not quite meeting the building codes or zoning laws according to their local government. Global Ecovillage Network defines ecovillages as “Alternative experimentation laboratories, with food production, ecological buildings, a resources center, a reception place, or artistic workshops. The aim is to create, together, a convivial and fair way of life, with a minimal ecological trace becoming more socially, economically and ecologically sustainable.”

There are examples of Ecovillage Zoning and Sustainable Development Testing Sites in Taos, NM, Portland, OR, Eugene, OR and British Columbia. There are many more with pending legislation across the globe.

Modular in design and scalability.

There are a number of benefits in using ISBUs – inter-model steel building units – for home building or residential projects.  Otherwise known as shipping container houses, these sturdy, steel structures are a captivating idea.                                               

Shipping containers are made from special steel in order to be strong enough to withstand rough conditions at seas and long exposure to outside elements while being able to protect the goods stored inside.  They are made to a standard set of measurements in order to be stackable the world over.  There are three sizes – 20 feet long or 40 & 53 feet long.  Each shipping container has a width of 8 feet and a height of 8 feet 6 inches or 9.6 in high cube versions. 

Because of their uniform size, large number, and the fact that they were built to last, it became important to consider alternative uses for containers that began to stack up in back lots and shipping docks.  Years ago, the military explored their potential for portable operation centers.  It wasn’t too long, however, before their low cost and ready availability attracted the attention of architects and builders with a unique need – safe, fast, inexpensive construction for hospitals, office space, apartments, and homes.

Besides the obvious quality of building material, there are several eco advantages to the use of this component.  Globally these containers are discarded after their service life is finished. They are then used for artificial reefs, thrown in landfills or melted for scrap.  The availability of these containers globally reduces our need to manufacture from virgin materials which are precious resources for the future of the world.     

Benefits

The benefits of using ISBUs for home building are hard to ignore:

·         Environmentally friendly approach to building as you make use of existing materials rather than require additional trees to be cut down for building lumber.

·         Less expensive than wood construction – particularly if you use used shipping containers. 

·         Faster build times as containers are pre-fabricated.

·         Easily expandable – often compared to building with Legos because the containers can be stacked on top of each other or side by side.  One or more walls of a container can be removed to increase a home’s interior space.

·         Fire resistant

·         Mold resistant

·         Resistant to insect damage

·         Ability to stand up to strong winds and heavy storms and have been tested category 5

The thought of living in a shipping container home evokes images of cold, tight quarters in ugly, metal boxes but the finished product is usually anything but ugly.  Add other elements such as stone and glass and complete the outside with special paints or coverings and you easily end up with sleek, sophisticated, styling and crisp lines. 

All of our projected use containers will be painted with an exterior ceramic particle paint which blocks UV rays and deflects 94% of all heat from the sun. The interior will be painted with a similar paint which will have greater anti-microbial shielding from all forms of bacteria and fungus growth. This micro coating will help maintain comfortable temperatures inside the homes.

The placement of the containers can be performed in several ways to accommodate local surroundings and to reduce the impact on its precious flora and fauna. The units can be placed on top of pre-stressed concrete pillars, poured foundation, on top of a block foundation or on a wooden platform with walk around decking.     

Unit Features

Large sqft of interior space

Reclaimed water containment

L.E.D. Low impact 12v lighting

Kitchen with cook top, sink, storage and refrigerator

1-5  bed rooms

1-3  bath rooms

Sliding glass doors and Hurricane Shutters

Community provided hot water

Community provided potable water

Community provided purified water

Community provided electricity

Community provided Biogas

Direct community sewer access

Community Provided Services

Geo Thermal hot and cold water

Geo Thermal heating and cooling

Methane Digester for human, animal and community waste

Methane processor for converting waste into bio gas, fertilizer and fuels

Recycling center for breakdown and separation of all materials

Food production and farming facilities

Medical care facility and village wellness center to assist other villages locally

Job training and educational center for visitors and residents

Eco Village management training center

Property and Housing location

 This is prime real-estate located very close to the capital city of Belmopan. This will be used for the pilot project. The village phase 1 will be the main entrance from the Western Hgwy. This facility will be cleared for staging of materials and the setting of foundations for the first houses to be placed. The first phase of the project will encompass the following core utilities ;

Medical Clinic             Community Methane Digester           Geo Thermal heating/cooling

Power generation center        Fresh and waste water processing    

Summary

A model village of this type of construction has been utilized in over 70 countries for everything from public and student housing, to office buildings and schools. The idea is not new; it has been accomplished since the 1960’s when military engineers first deployed entire hospitals in interlocking suites.  Since then, the shipping container has been servicing all forms of housing for millions of people globally.

The village becomes a training facility which enables other local groups to be trained to perform certain aspects of the construction where jobs will be created.  The strategy of expanding the villages to remote areas is very possible with the help of surplus military transporters which are designed to carry these units across most terrain. Once a village is proposed, a team will be trained in all aspects of maintaining, constructing and delivering these homes.

SEED Foundation will provide a complete package of all that is needed to build our model village including a list of donors and special tax forms for US and EU donors.

Below is a container hospital and clinic which is fully operational in Sudan, the concept is proven and the project’s success weighs on the acceptance of change.