Monthly Archives: April 2017

Stellaris Gets New Utopia Update – gameguiders.com

Posted: April 15, 2017 at 5:57 pm

Stellaris, the sci-fi strategy game from developers Paradox Interactive, has gotten its newest update, titled Utopia. Utopia is the first major expansion for Stellaris, the best-selling science fiction grand strategy game that delivers unparalleled variety in an ever changing universe. Utopia adds new ways to improve the players planets and even his species itself, with a greater focus on allowing the player to reach his full potential in a multitude of new ways both peaceful and aggressive. You can check out the new trailer for Utopia here.

One of the major upgrades in Utopia is the addition of Ascension perks. By harnessing the unity of your species to establish stronger cultural traditions, the player is allowed to expand his empire according to his own specific vision of Utopia. One may choose to advance via genetic engineering, psionic exploration, or even abandon frail mortal flesh entirely and pursue a path of cybernetic ascension.

Utopia brings a number of new features to Stellaris, including:

Stellaris: Utopia launches with the Banks update to Stellaris, another major upgrade free to all Stellaris owners. The Banks update reworks the place of factions in your population, adds new challenges to maintaining internal stability within your Empire, and makes changes to how ethics work in the game. The goal is to make empire management a more engaging task.

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Utah fiber-optic network UTOPIA may grow, giving Bountiful new internet options – Standard-Examiner

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BOUNTIFUL UTOPIA, the city-owned fiber-optic network serving Layton, Centerville and many other Utah communities, may be extending its reach to another Davis County community, Bountiful, augmenting high-speed internet offerings.

Unlike Layton and Centerville, though, Bountiful wont contribute funds to build out the network, shielding it from any risk associated with the systems development. UTOPIA which proponents say offers among the fastest internet speeds in Utah was the target of intense criticism in a 2012 state report that faulted operators at the time for mismanagement, though the current leader, Roger Timmerman, say its since turned things around.

This is just kind of a natural progression out of the Salt Lake Valley, said Timmerman, executive director of UTOPIA, which stands for Utah Telecommunication Open Infrastructure Agency. The dealbrings more options to Bountiful, aside from incumbent high-speed internet providers like Comcast, which offers its XFINITY service via cable, and CenturyLink, which taps phone lines.

The Bountiful City Council last week agreed to grant UTOPIA a franchise agreement, letting it extend its network into the city for use, most likely, by commercial customers. Per the arrangement, would-be Bountiful customers, not the city, would likely help finance the networks build out to hook into the system.

UTOPIA, formed in 2002, manages and maintains a fiber-optic network thats leased by private internet service providers that offer high-speed internet, telephone and other services to commercial and residential end users.A handful of member cities, like Layton and Centerville, own it and have helped provide funds and financing to build the UTOPIA network, aiming to improve connectivity in their communities.

RELATED: UTOPIA wonders what to do with $10M windfall

But a growing number of cities around Salt Lake City and now Bountiful have approved franchise agreements, allowing for expansion of the system without any financial obligation to them, Timmerman said.

If UTOPIA and its member cities find that providing services to customers in neighboring cities benefits their operation, then it could be a win-win for both UTOPIA and non-UTOPIA cities alike, Bountiful City Councilman Richard Higginson said in an email.

The firm is aproven player, he said, also noting that Bountiful doesnt have to put up any funding per the franchise agreement. It just has to grant UTOPIA access to right-of-way so it can install the necessary infrastructure to reach customers.

Im happy for residents and businesses in Bountiful to have access to as wide a variety of high-speed data/streaming/entertainment options as possible, Higginson said.

Aside from Layton and Centerville, UTOPIAs member cities include Tremonton and Brigham City to the north and West Valley City, Orem, Payson and four other cities farther south. Cities with franchise agreements, like Bountiful, include Salt Lake City, Draper, South Jordan and Pleasant Grove, Timmerman said.

Facilitating potential expansion into Bountiful is the existing UTOPIA fiber-optic line along Interstate 15 just to the west of the city, Timmerman said. He also noted the well-developed networkin Centerville just to the north.

I would guess we would start with a handful of businesses near existing lines and then kind of grow it from there, Timmerman said. Though Higginson expressed optimism the service could extend to homes, Timmerman said commercial clients in Bountiful would be the most likely customers.

At any rate, he said the existence of a new option for provision of high-speed internet is a good thing for consumers because it creates more competition, potentially bringing more competitive pricing among all service providers.

Exceptionally low churn rate

Since the criticism aimed at UTOPIA in a 2012 report by the Office of the Legislative Auditor General, Jesse Harris, who works in Utahs tech industry and is a UTOPIA proponent, says the entity has changed for the better. The report faulted UTOPIA for poor planning in building its network and working with unreliable business and financial partners, among other things.

Since then, UTOPIA has adopted a new strategy in building the network, seeking sufficient numbers of customers before building out, thus assuring a revenue source to cover expansion costs.Theyre actually generating enough revenue to cover operating costs at this point, Harris said.

Nine private providers offer internet service via UTOPIA, though not Comcast or CenturyLink, and Harris said the churn rate among their customers isexceptionally low. Comcast and CenturyLink have been invited to use the UTOPIA network, but have declined the offers.

Centerville Mayor Paul Cutler echoed Harris remarks, while acknowledging the bumpy past. More than 80 percent of Centerville has access to the UTOPIA network and a third of households in the city actually have service from providers that use the network.

What we find is once people get (service via UTOPIA), they dont give it up, he said.

Contact reporter Tim Vandenack at tvandenack@standard.net, follow him on Twitter at @timvandenack or like him on Facebook at Facebook.com/timvandenackreporter.

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Star Wars Battlefront II Will Tell a Canon Story of Imperial Revenge (and Have Last Jedi DLC) – Gizmodo

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Meet Iden Versio, the latest kick-ass Star Wars star. All Images: EA

Star Wars Battlefront II will give players a totally new Star Wars experience. And, this time, its going to count.

In Battlefront II, out November 17, there will be a single player campaign. Itll give you the ability to play as Iden Versio, played by Janina Gavankar, a special forces Imperial soldier who vows revenge on the Rebel Alliance after seeing Death Star II get blown up from the surface of Endor. The character wholly believes in the Empire and, for players, itll be a focus they are not used to: the eradication of the Rebellion.

In addition to a hugely expanded multiplayer experience, the highlight of Battlefront II is this brand new, canon Star Wars story that puts players on the opposite side of the conflict. As the leader of the brand new, elite, Inferno Squad (who will get their own book later this year, out July 25), Iden was raised on Vardos, a brand new planet created for the game thats kind of an Imperial utopia. There she was raised to totally and fully understand Imperial beliefs. Her team is the best at everything in the Empire: ground battle, flying, sabotage, spying, everything. So when the second Death Star blows up, Iden and her droid sidekick go off on a journey that will take her on a story spanning the time period between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens. (It also involves Operation Cinder, which fans will recognize from some of the new canon content) However, in the game, you wont only play as Iden. Shes the primary hero but the campaign will also allow you to play as Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, Kylo Ren and other stars of the series.

The addition of the multilayered, canon single player campaign is certainly the crown jewel in Battlefront II. But multiplayer has expanded too, now spanning all eras: Prequels, Clone Wars, Original Trilogy and Sequel Trilogy. (No word on Rebels characters. Fingers crossed for playable Thrawn). Among the confirmed names: Darth Maul, Yoda, Kylo Ren, Rey, Luke Skywalker, and, certainly, many more as we get closer to release. Also, players will be able to upgrade and customize the heroes much like the traditional troopers, giving them new abilities. The same will go for vehicles, which will be more numerous, varied (you can ride a freaking tauntaun!), and easier to fly thanks to the team at Criterion, who was brought in to help with a frequent criticism of the first game. And, yes, there will be space battles.

Players will start most multiplayer rounds as a traditional trooper (more on those in a sec) but acquiring vehicles and heroes wont be the same as the first game. Instead of grabbing some kind of power up, theyll be earned through various gameplay goals. Plus, even your traditional troopers will be able to earn heroic abilities that will allow them to stand toe to toe with the heroes. Also, there will be classes.

As for those traditional troopers, the variety will be much greater than the original game. We saw resistance fighters, Imperial officers, First Order stormtroopers, and even, yes battle droids. Theyll all be playable along with many more to be revealed.

But really, Battlefront II is all about Iden, a very different character who the team behind the game will eventually stand beside Leia, Rey, Ahsoka, and the other powerful women of Star Wars.

Star Wars Battlefront II is out November 17. Heres the key art, and you can check out the trailer here.

Update: At the end of the EA panel at Celebration, it was announced there would be Last Jedi add-ons for tied to preorders. No details were given but there will be new costumes for Rey, Kylo Ren, new heroes from the film, a Last Jedi Millenium Falcon and yet-to-be-revealed First Order TIE Fighter. Heres a glimpse of Kylo.

Entertainment Reporter for io9/Gizmodo

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Biodiversity in the Seychelles – Deutsche Welle

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Eco@Africa

To help save the Coco de Mer, a giant type of coconut that weighs up to 30 kilos, the UN Development Program is assisting the Seychelles in finding ways to ensure that it has the necessary funding.

The archipelago off the coast of East Africa is set for its first transition of power between parties since a 1977 coup. The People's Party has ruled the islands since the return to a multi-party system in 1993. (11.09.2016)

Germans protest industrial scale farming, while Venezuela explores urban agriculture. In Cape Town, farmers battle drought and water waste. And why coconuts have become an election issue in India. (27.01.2017)

You can receive the following channels via our partners. (19.08.2016)

Smog impacts peoples health and causes lung diseases. The problem: You cant really see or smell it. Now a start-up has built a device which measures air quality and tells users when the concentration is high.

Overfishing has depleted fish stocks off the Kenyan coast. Now to keep the ecosystem in balance, a nature conservancy -employs 32 controllers to monitor fish stocks and supervise fishing methods.

Overfishing has depleted fish stocks off the Kenyan coast. Now to keep the ecosystem in balance, a nature conservancy employs 32 controllers to monitor fish stocks and supervise fishing methods.

African masks have a history almost as long as the continent to which they belong, but an artist in Ghana has given them a whole new twist by making them out of waste. Meet the inimitable Ed Franklin Gavua.

Send us your stories, photos and videos and we will showcase them on our website where they can inspire others to do their bit too.

Meet a man who's doing his bit for the environment by digging holes in urban India. It might sound unlikely, but it's helping to prevent both flooding and drought. Welcome to the world of the recharge well.

Overfishing has depleted fish stocks off the Kenyan coast. Now to keep the ecosystem in balance, a nature conservancy -employs 32 controllers to monitor fish stocks and supervise fishing methods.

"Nature provides exceptions to everyrule." Margaret Fuller, 1843

In many parts of Europe, black vultures have died out. Yet on the Spanish island of Mallorca the birds of prey have survived - largely due to shepherds. But even there life is getting difficult for the vultures.

The half-hour radio show and podcast Living Planet makes the environment matter to you.

Even if you only buy eggs from free-range or organic chicken farms, chances are you've also eaten eggs from caged animals. In light of the Easter holidays, we shed light on the sordid business of eggs.

A new report finds that about half the food consumed in Europe contains pesticide residues. The EU's food safety authority says there is no danger. Environmentalists aren't convinced.

Disappearing puffins, a platypus murder mystery and 3D-printed bird's legs. Join us as we take a look through the lens at some green events from around the world over the past week.

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‘Liar’ who set off Kenya, Seychelles clash – Daily Nation

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Sunday April 16 2017

Ali Mwakwere (left) Minister for Transport and Bill Parkinson, Chairman of Phoenix Aviation, have a word during the launch of ExecuJet Aviation Group on May 26, 2009. Parkinson resigned from Safari Rally Limited. PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

Two notable events happened in the last one week one was the visit of the Uganda-born Seychelles President Danny Faure and the other was the death of Bill Parkinson, the former Safari Rally chairman and aviation industry investor.

Parkinson is the man who recently sold his airline to an American mercenary, Erik Prince, a former US Navy Seal and the founder of the notorious Blackwater, a private army outfit.

The visit by President Faure was significant, not because it was his first state visit to any country since his election in October 2016, but because it was the first by a sitting Seychelles president since the July 1990 premier visit by President France Albert Ren.

SEYCHELLES COUP Faure is a member of Rens former party, Seychelles Peoples United Party, now known as Parti Lepep (Peoples Party), which deposed former President James Mancham, a known friend of Kenyas post-independence Cabinet minister Tom Mboya and Attorney General Charles Njonjo.

In his free time, too, Mancham would play squash with the likes of former Police Commissioner Bernard Hinga and Criminal Investigations Department (CID) boss Ignatius Nderi.

He was also an avid rally driver, the famous co-driver to Safari Rally ace Vic Preston.

Now, this is the forgotten story of how Bill Parkinson was entangled in the Seychelles coup a story that led to his exit from the Safari Rally and dramatic fall.

Two years ago, I had written the story of how former Police Commissioner Ben Gethi and Njonjo were involved in one of the many abortive Seychelles coups and attempts to reinstate Macham.

ASSASSINATION PLOT It is a story that he always wished away and close friends say as much.

In the final Njonjo Commission of Inquiry Report by Justice Cecil Miller, Parkinson is dismissed as an acrobatic liar ... (who) shamelessly admitted having lied freely (and) felt obliged to do so

When Mancham died aged 77 in January this year at his Glacis-Sur-Mer complex in Mahe, the largest island in the Seychelles archipelago, there was hardly any mention of his political flirtation with the likes of Parkinson, who was fondly known as Babu in old age.

Thus President Faures visit is a notable diplomatic achievement given that Kenya and Seychelles have had a rough history thanks to escapades that partly involved Parkinson, a Kenyan citizen and former police officer, who served in the Special Branch for 14 years.

In 1986, President Rene was planning to visit Kenya in a bid to have President Moi throw out the many coup plotters who had camped for years in Nairobi.

The Kenyan visit was to follow the 1986 Non-Aligned Summit in Harare.

But a day before the meeting ended, Indias Prime Minister Rajiv Gadhi informed President Rene that his Minister for Defence, Ogilvy Berlouis, together with Raymond Bonte, were planning to assassinate him at the Victoria Airport once he returned from the Kenyan trip.

SECRET MISSION Gandhi gave Rene his presidential plane, Air India One, and disguised as a woman and wearing the Indian Sari dress, he flew back home.

This was part of what became known as Operation Flowers are Blooming the only time the Indian Navy helped thwart a coup in Africa.

Gandhi also sent a military naval ship, Vindhyagiri, which purported to have an engineering defect to dock for several weeks at Port Victoria; just in case.

Parkinson was an Irishman who had acquired Kenyan citizenship, and had strong connections to apartheid South Africa.

While doubling as a Special Branch officer then under the faceless sleuth James Kanyotu Parkinson had been approached by the CID deputy director DJ Irwin, and asked if he could participate in a secret venture. He agreed.

He was to have one of his planes fly the former Seychelles President Mancham and his cabinet back home after a plotted coup, led by South African mercenary Mad Mike Hoare, succeeded.

Also brought on board was Cedrick Vincent Gontier, an Assistant Commissioner of Police.

FICTITIOUS TOURISTS It was Parkinson who agreed to reserve his aircraft November 821 Charlie Alpha and gave the fictitious names of the people who were to be on board.

He also applied to the Civil Aviation Board to have permission granted to fly the American tourists Mr and Mrs Morgan, Mr and Mrs Bowman and Mr Nescott to Seychelles.

He also engaged a New Zealander pilot, Captain Schraft, and another Nairobi-based Captain David Leonard as the navigator.

Parkinson had bought an air ticket for Capt Leonard to fly from London to Nairobi for the secret mission.

Parkinson had lied to Captain Leonard that this commission had the blessings of the Kenyan government and when asked who, he replied your previous employer.

Apparently, Leonard was previously working with Boskovic Air Charters where Njonjo was a director and shareholder.

A booking officer for Sunbird Aviation, which operated Parkinsons Beechcraft 200 aircraft, later admitted that it was Parkinson who booked the flight to Seychelles and provided the names of the fictitious tourists.

The names had been given to Parkinson by some Seychellois residing in Nairobi.

The tourists were to be flown to Seychelles from Mombasa on the day of the coup.

CHANGE STATEMENTS Interestingly, according to Parkinson, only five people in Kenya knew about the 1981 Seychelles coup.

These were Captain Shraft of the Norwegian Church Aid, Captain Leonard, Mr Irwin and Mr Gontier.

For all this, he was to receive Sh50,000 and the two pilots would have received Sh6,000 each.

He also later admitted to have spoken to Njonjo about the coup.

How much Parkinson knew about the Seychelles coup will never be known since he had been sworn to secrecy by Irwin, the Assistant Commissioner of Police, and his deputy Gontier, the man who was handling the flight matters.

The reason Gontier and Parkinson were the main contacts was because Gontier, though a senior Kenyan police officer, was Seychellois a great supporter of former President Mancham.

During the 1984 Njonjo Commission of Inquiry, Parkinson tried to influence the two pilots to change their statements in order to cover-up the role of Sunbird Aviation.

And when he was cornered and asked whether he ever discussed the Seychelles matter with Njonjo, he said: My discussions were centered on the Safari Rally and I may have referred to Seychelles in loose terms

That was when Justice C.B. Madan got worked up with Parkinsons lies: Come on, cut these Safari Rally matters and put them in your pocket and talk about Seychelles ...

At the squash court of the Aero Club in Nairobi, Parkinson had discussed the Seychelles matter with both Captain Shraft and Captain Leonard.

I recall telling them that they will take the aircraft to the Seychelles flying the Seychelles cabinet in exile back to the Seychelles

At the time of the planned flight, President Moi was the chairman of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU).

When President Rene accused Kenya of having a hand in the planned coup, the small group of Kenyans who knew the truth kept quiet.

Actually, Moi dismissed Renes statement as malicious and was backed by his Minister of State GG Kariuki. Both, most likely, had been kept in the dark.

I was aware in my heart that the allegations were not entirely without foundation, Parkinson later admitted, what was uppermost in my mind at that time was the protection of the state in view of the fact that I was aware that the Kenya government was implicated through CID headquarters.

RESIGNATION FROM RALLY As a result of Parkinsons dalliance with Seychellois exiles, relations between Kenya and Seychelles hit rock-bottom.

That Parkinson emerged from the Njonjo inquiry as a liar is well documented.

He was often criticised for making contradictory statements.

At one time, lead counsel Lee Muthoga told him: Mr Parkinson, a liar must have a good memory and that is the weakness in your whole setup. You would want to lie and lie, and your memory is so bad.

At the point where he said that he never saw the need to tell Njonjo what he knew about the Seychelles plot and what he had discussed with Irwin, Parkinson was cut short by Justice Miller You are so hopeless, he was told.

Parkinson would immediately resign from Safari Rally Limited and he was replaced by Nicholas Nganga.

PRINCE'S MERCENARIES He would continue to work in the aviation industry and set up the largely successful Phoenix Aviation in 1994.

It was a passion that he had ever since at age 18 when he was taught to fly a Tiger Moth at Wilson airport by two ex-RAF pilots.

His Phoenix Aviation provided first generation jet aircraft to Amref Flying Doctors, and Parkinson with his son Steve now Phoenix CEO, have been running the company.

Interestingly, Parkinson recently sold some of his shareholding to the notorious American mercenary Erik Prince, the founder of Blackwater blamed for the killings of Iraq civilians when it served as a military contracting firm.

The Washington Post once described the firm as a symbol for mercenaries and impunity in Iraq and elsewhere.

Prince is also at the heart of the Trump administration and his sister Elisabeth Dee Betsy DeVos is Donald Trumps Secretary of Education, a story that we recently told here.

NO APOLOGY In other news perhaps unrelated, the Washington Post reported on April 3, 2017 that Prince was in Seychelles in January to meet some United Arab Emirates officials as part of an apparent effort to establish a back-channel line of communication between Moscow and President-elect Donald Trump.

The White House has denied that story and Princes spokesman has said: Erik had no role on the transition team. This is a complete fabrication.

The meeting had nothing to do with President Trump. Why is the so-called under-resourced intelligence community messing around with surveillance of American citizens when they should be hunting terrorists?

And that is how Seychelles has a place in our political history thanks to Bill Parkinson and President Faures visit might help undo some of the damage done in years past.

You owe Kenya an apology, screamed the Daily Nation of June 22, 1984. But Parkinson never apologised.

Emir of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, was on a one-day State visit to Kenya on Tuesday.

White cars are preferred by many due to their relatively lower prices.

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10 Best Caribbean Island Vacation Destinations – EscapeHere

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The Caribbean has some of the most beautiful vacation destinations in the world. This makes it popular with tourists worldwide. Many people, however, have trouble deciding which island to visit. Although it may seem that every Caribbean island is equally desirable and perfect, the fact is there are significant differences among them. Lets look at the top ten Caribbean islands and what type of traveler each is best suited for.

Aruba offers a diverse number of activities for people of all ages. On the one hand, its extremely family friendly, with many resorts catering to families with kids. On the other hand, you can find many adult-centered activities, such as nightlife and a wide assortment of casinos. Aruba also has a slightly different landscape from many Caribbean islands, having more of a desert appearance rather than forests.

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Widely considered one of the most beautiful of the Caribbean islands, St. Lucia has long been a popular spot for honeymooners. It features many all-inclusive resorts with lots of amenities, a lush landscape with mountains as well as pristine beaches. The island is also famous for its annual jazz festival, held each spring.

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5 Reasons Why Now is The Best Time To Travel To The Caribbean – Forbes

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5 Reasons Why Now is The Best Time To Travel To The Caribbean
Forbes
Who said that January and February are the ideal months to go to the Caribbean? Smart travelers know that spring brings empty beaches, sublime weather -- and lower prices. Any time after April 15 is considered the shoulder season in the Caribbean ...

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Time to reminisce about distinctly Caribbean Easter traditions – The Philadelphia Tribune

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Back in the Caribbean Easter is a very festive but sacred time of year. There are many Christian celebrations to commemorate the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is also the time that people dedicate themselves to fasting and prayer for faith renewal.

As we celebrate Easter 2017 it is important that as followers of Jesus Christ we recognize the impartation of spiritual power that is available to us through His death, burial and resurrection. If we are open to receive this spiritual power, it can give us the courage and the fortitude to hold our heads high here is this country (our new homeland) to lead our families to reach great heights and not lose touch with the importance of God in our lives. It can encourage us to continue to participate in a broken political system that is now blaming immigrants for many of the problems in America.

Will you walk out of your place of worship this Easter Sunday with a renewed mind that models a Christ-like spirit? Do you believe you already have the power to overcome the pain that results from unfair treatment because of your Caribbean heritage? Do you believe you now have the power to encourage your child who is being bullied at school because of his or her accent? Will you use your power in a nonviolent way and rise above lifes challenges? Will you heed your call to help another person in need starting right here in the United States or will you continue on the path of me, myself and I?

Easter is also a time when Caribbean people spend time with their family and friends by engaging in traditional activities. Regardless of the fact that island activities vary, many of them take place at the beach. In St. Vincent & the Grenadines, for example, some people may participate or be a spectator to the Bequia Easter Regatta. The Bequia Easter Regatta is a sailboat race wherein participants attempt to create perfect harmony with boat, wind and sail. There is also beach activities for the spectators.

In Grenada, holy week celebrations include Semana Santa. This unique celebration is associated with the floats of thrones involving historical religious icons. For example, there is the procession of El Silencio and El Cristo de los Gitanos. In Trinidad and Tobago there are observances on Good Friday, Glorious Saturday, Easter Sunday, followed by Easter Monday. Easter Monday is usually the Buccoo goat and blue crab races. It is said that this is a time when participants can play with their food before eating it. Blue crabs are placed on a straight line drawn in the beach sand. Participants get very excited as they cheer their blue crabs on to the finish line. After the poor creatures have completed this final task they end up on their coachs plates as a yummy meal.

While we reminisce about traditions in our island homelands, many of you may not have the luxury of a weekday off during the Easter season. However, most people do have the weekend off! Take the time to teach your children about the reason why we celebrate Easter. It is not all about the new clothes, Easter baskets and the Easter Bunny. Go to church. Instill the Caribbean culture in them. Teach them traditions. Make a quick run to the Caribbean market and treat them to some bun and cheese or hot cross buns. Escovitch some red snappers so that they can enjoy the traditional foods. It will perk you up and temporarily fill the void that homesickness brings.

This Easter let us go beyond the norm and connect with those individuals who are engaged in service to others following the examples of Jesus Christ. As we tell our Sunday School Students, Be Jesus Followers.

Upcoming events

Team Jamaica Bickle: Penn Relays are April 26-29. The Team Jamaica Bickle organization provides support for athletes from different parts of the Caribbean. The Philadelphia Organizing Committee invites you to the 23rd Annual Fundraising Reception and awards ceremony on Thursday at the PECO Energy Building located at 2301 Market St. from 6-9 p.m.

Our Athletes, Our Ambassadors: There is also a Community Forum that will take place on Thursday, April 27 at Calvary Baptist Church located at 6122 Haverford Ave. The Rev. Garth Gittens is the pastor.

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Cost no object: Caribbean vacations for the one percent – USA Today – USA TODAY

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Melanie Reffes, Special for USA TODAY 1:09 p.m. ET April 14, 2017

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At Sandals Royal Caribbean, villas built over the water come with butlers.(Photo: Sandals Resorts)

All travelers dream big, but only a handful can truly afford a six-figure vacation. With its world-class beaches, resorts and villas that exude exclusivity, the Caribbean is the primo perch for one-percenters who pay top dollar for privacy, plenty of space and top-shelf spoil-you-rotten amenities. Check out our big-bucks bucket list.

Posh pedigree

Its not that easy to get to and can be pricey once you arrive, but the allure of Nevis is worth the effort. Skip the hordes on some of the other islands and head instead to the sombrero-shaped isle across the channel from St. Kitts. Anchored by a volcanic mountain, the petite enclave 7 miles by 6 miles is where jet-setting urban dwellers shell out big bucks to lie low in the lap of luxury. The birthplace of Alexander Hamilton also lures the moneyed like Meryl Streep, Ellen DeGeneres and Oprah.Start with a grand entrance at the Yu Lounge at the Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport in St. Kitts, where for $200 you are picked up on the tarmac, expedited through immigration, poured a glass of chilled bubbly and driven to the pier for the short boat ride to Nevis. The top pick of the wealthiest one percent, AAA Five Diamond Four Seasons Nevis is swank-central with suites, villas and Beach Houses that are really houses on the beach, although no overnighting allowed (yes, naps are encouraged). The cabanas fronting Pinneys Beach have Wi-Fi, televisions, power outlets, servers delivering $20 Volcano Burgers with crispy hot peppers and $36 pitchers of pomegranate margaritas. Daily rates run $550, more than double during the December holidays. Go the distance with a Four Hands Massage ($320 for 80 minutes) and dinner at Coral Gardens, where South African chef Jason Baker raises the stakes with a 32-ounce $100 Porterhouse and a side mac and cheese gussied up with truffle oil. The priciest villa at the resort is also the priciest stay on the island. Packed with panache, the five-bedroom , five-bathroom 3,400-square-foot Monkey Business Villa is designed with funky animal-themed dcor, palatial pool, elegant dining area, a massive wraparound terrace and telescope to zoom in on the fabulous views of Nevis Peak.It also comes with a chef, and a Villa Ambassador (aka butler). Spoiler alert: Nightly rates run $14,000 with no seasonal adjustment.

A few minutes from the Four Seasons and with a name that says it all, Paradise Villas on Paradise Beach are a manicured collection of seven multi-bedroom villas each with pools and mesmerizing views. The four-bedroom stunner goes for $2,800 nightly.$950 buys a day on a sloop named Feisty with Captain Miles Denne at the helm. With pick-up at Oualie Beach and the pier at the Four Seasons, sunset sails priced at $550 are a big hit with newlyweds. Couples register for a cruise which is a far more appreciated wedding gift than a tea kettle, says Captain Miles.

Skys the limit

All you need is five days away from the office, 10 pals and $250,000 (yes, thats a quarter of a million dollars) to live like royalty in the Blue Diamond Villa at Altamer on the southwest tip of Anguilla. A super villa designed by architect Myron Goldfinger, whose work has been exhibited in New Yorks Museum of Modern Art, the 13,000-square-foot five-bedroom villa is the newest of three Altamer villas, all striking with a geometric, stark white exterior. Designed to look like a flower, creature comforts include meditation and massage rooms and a big outdoor tub that can host the whole gang at once.Upping the ante, theres a pool, butler and yacht sails to St. Barts to sun on Nikki Beach.The outdoorsy play golf and tennis and for gamblers, staff set up a casino night. Perfect the fine art of chilling out with massages, breakfast in bed and cooking lessons with the chef.

If a resort stay is more your speed, check into a Beachfront Junior Suite at The Reef on Merrywing Bay Beach. Nightly rates start at $1,800 through April and $750 during the less-busy months.For a large brood, Beachfront Family suites at $1,500 nightly fit the bill. Rates include breakfast made healthy with the herbs and vegetables from the hydroponic garden at the next-door sister property CuisinArt Resort & Spa. Splurge for a Couples Rendezvous massage at the Venus Spa for $480 and a bottle of Veuve Cliquot and tuna poke at Breezes Beachfront Restaurant.

Also on the moneyed radar, Jonquil Suite at Cap Juluca goes for $5,865 per night through April, $3,285 in May and $2,620 during the summer, and comes with an oceanfront dining terrace, freshwater pool and marble Jacuzzi. Treat yourself to a $2,700 bottle of 1994 Ptrus (French red considered by many as the best in the world), dinner on the beach ($150 pour deux), Green Tea and Ginger Sea Enzyme Wrap ($205) and a half-day on the Juluca Pride yacht ($700 for four guests).Partnered with many of the islands high-end resorts and villas, Tradewind flies from the U.S. in light jets that comfortably seat four to six big spenders. One-way fares from New York start at $25,000.

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Princely and pricey

The holy grail of extravagance, Jamaicas Round Hill is where Prince Harry and his regal entourage camped out in March to celebrate a friends wedding. Eight miles west ofMontego Bay, the storied hotel was built in 1953 and has long hosted discerning guests like John F. Kennedy, who penned his famous "ask not what you can do for your country" inauguration address in Villa 25. Spy novel writer Ian Fleming preferred Villa 3, and superstars Beyonc , Sir Paul McCartney and other A-list names have checked into the posh retreat. Smartly designed by Ralph Lauren, who owns two of the 27 villas, the top of the line is Villa 20 with six bedrooms, eight bathrooms and two pools. Nightly rates for the Instagram-ready lodging start at$8,539 through April 15, and $4,569 from April 16 - October. The natural setting on a private peninsula allows for exquisite privacy, said Josef Forstmayr, Round Hills managing director.

At Sandals Royal Caribbean, villas built over the water come with butlers and nightly rates starting at $2,870. Add another $400for a Sweet Ginger Couples massage in the Red Lane Spa.For adventurers staying in Ocho Rios, Island Routes offers private cocktail and canape tours onboard a comfy yacht for $1,800.

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Hey big spender

There are no shortage of champagne wishesandcaviar dreams in the Turks & Caicos Islands. Away from the fray on the more popular Grace Bay beach, The Shore Club on Long Bay Beach is the newest resort to join the Hartling Group that also includes The Sands at Grace Bay and The Palms Turks & Caicos. Topping the live-rich list in Providenciales, the three-bedroom penthouse is 3,500 square feet with a wraparound oceanfront balcony, hot tub and an on-call chef and sommelier. Nightly rates through June start at $5,250, and should a splurge be in the cards for the December holidays, nightly stays jump to $11,000.

For high rollers in a villa or resort, Eden Charters offers day trips aboard a 60-foot yacht.From $5,500 for a full day, the all-inclusive sail includes scuba diving, deep sea fishing andstops at the bird sanctuary called French Cay and Little Water Cay, home to the indigenous rock iguana. Options include an overnight on the boat and dawn dives and champagne breakfasts. Day trip options in Turks & Caicos include excursions to Parrot Cay for head-to-foot pampering in the Japanese baths at the COMO Shambhala Retreat, where you might run into Donna Karan, Bruce Willis and Keith Richards, who own multi-million-dollar beachfront homes on the cay. To snap the sunset, $1,200 buys two hours aboard the Atabeyra schooner named for the mythical goddess of the Lucayan Indians who arrived 500 years before Columbus. The Sun Charters tour starts at the Blue Haven Resorts VIP dock and although the boat fits up to 50, sunset cruises are a favorite of honeymooning twosomes.If a yacht is more your style, book a day on the Sea Ray or Sea Dancer for $2700 or a sail on the Island Routes catamaran that goes for $3,500 for up to 25 of your best friends.

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Luxury retreats

A week at Jade Mountain in St. Lucia is an Olympian-sized treat that comes with a you-deserve-it price tag.Designed by owner and architect Nick Troubetzkoy, the showpiece sanctuaries are grand sweeping spaces with nighttime illuminating floating platforms that are called mere infinity pools at other resorts, unapologetically sinful bathrooms and the signature fourth wall that opens to a commanding landscape. Start with a helicopter ride from the Hewanorra Airport for $530 per person, one way. Check into to the 2,000-square-foot Galaxy Sanctuary the resorts largest and kick-start a seven-day Tropical Tranquility package that goes for $28,232 per couple, through the middle of April ($25,208 through the end of May and $23,612 from June-October). Gratis options include spa treatments and champagne at sunset, plush bathrobes and your own comfy beach chairs on Anse Mamin Beach.A few extra shekels will buy an en-suite chef and sommelier who work their magic pairing fine wines with dry aged filet mignon and foie gras.

Overlooking what author James Michener called the most beautiful bay in the Caribbean, Capella Marigot Bay is ultra-chic in rooms, suites and the three-bedroom penthouse for $2,770 per night through Easter. Perched on a leafy hillside with views of Marigot Bay, the majestic 3,200-square-footer is super-comfy with a four-poster bed and high beamed ceilings, hot tub and big kitchen. Mix and match with massages at the Auriga Spa, sails on mega-yachts that dock at the marina, farm-to-fork dining and a nightcap at the Rum Cave. For $1,050 per couple, youll get a land and sea tour and for $895;adventuresome twosomes hike the Gros Piton at 2,619 feet above sea level.

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Cost no object: Caribbean vacations for the one percent - USA Today - USA TODAY

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St Lucia concerned about threat of terrorism to Caribbean tourism – Jamaica Observer

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CASTRIES, St Lucia (CMC) St Lucia's national security minister, Hermangild Francis, has voiced concerns about terrorism and the possible effect on Caribbean tourism.

In an address to members of the St Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, Francis said he has discussed the issue of terrorism with the Director of the Regional Security System (RSS) and the threat it poses to the Caribbean.

We do not have the exact number of ISIS fighters returning to their countries but we know that between 150 to 400 of these individuals, especially from Trinidad and Tobago, have returned, the former deputy police commissioner who is currently chairman of the RSS said.

He asserted that the situation was very problematic for the Caribbean.

Imagine, most of the islands are depending on tourism and we have an incident with one of our tourist ships maybe in Aruba, Martinique, St Vincent you could imagine the sort of catastrophic reaction that is going to happen to our main export, the minister stated.

Francis say St Lucia will be addressing the issue by going to the primary schools to ensure that young children are not radicalised.

According to Francis, all the evidence indicates that children are radicalised from a very early age.

That is one of the techniques that the ISIS movement uses, he observed.

We are going to make sure, with the help of our minister of education, to put in place programmes so that those young children vulnerable children, can be taught how to deal with radicalisation, Francis told members of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture.

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St Lucia concerned about threat of terrorism to Caribbean tourism - Jamaica Observer

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