Whitney Houston’s ‘secret lesbian affair’ revealed in book....The report claims that Whitney’s father, John Houston, “settled the matter by sending a confidentiality agreement almost immediately,” although it was “unclear how much money was paid to silence the person and whether he met the initial demand for $250,000.”.

KINGSTON, Jamaica – A Chicago lawyer reportedly tried to extort US$250,000 from Whitney Houston in 1992, on the eve of the premiere of “The Bodyguard” movie, the New York Post has reported.
Whitney Houston
According to the article, the extortion attempt happened when it was rumoured Houston had a lesbian affair with personal assistant and long-time friend Robyn Crawford.
It was said to be revealed in “Whitney & Bobbi Kristina: The Deadly Price of Fame” by Ian Halperin.
The book emerges just six months after a drug overdose left Bobbi Kristina, 22, in a coma from which doctors have said she is unlikely to ever regain consciousness.
The Post reported that the lawyer told an FBI agent that the information included “knowledge of intimate details regarding Whitney Houston’s romantic relationships and will go public with the information.”
The report claims that Whitney’s father, John Houston, “settled the matter by sending a confidentiality agreement almost immediately,” although it was “unclear how much money was paid to silence the person and whether he met the initial demand for $250,000.”
That same year, Whitney married singer Bobby Brown. Halperin wrote in is book that on the wedding day, the bride gave Crawford a black Porsche “as a token of their friendship” 
The writer quotes Kevin Ammons, a former bodyguard of the deceased singer, saying that John Houston was extremely unhappy with Crawford and worried that she would go public with the relationship, the NY Post said.
Ammons said John told him,  “She’s ruining my family and driving everybody nuts. She’s lost her grip on reality. I’ll pay you $6,000 if you put the fear of God in her.” more

IN JAMAICA (CONGRATS): 10 y-o Jo-Nathan Smith and 11 y-o Daniel Campbell of Allman Town Primary boys design video game

BY ALDANE WALTERS Observer writer editorial@jamaicaobserver.com  Sunday, June 07, 2015    
BOYS, in general, love video games, and left to their own devices, will sit and play them for hours upon hours. But while most boys merely play these games, Jo-Nathan Smith and Daniel Campbell have taken it a step further; they've designed their own.
Grade Five students at Allman Town Primary in Kingston,
 Jo-Nathan Smith (left) and Daniel Campbell, display the
medals they won for topping the Visual Arts category of
 the LASCO Releaf Environment Awareness Programme
 on Wednesday. The boys entered a video game they
designed called Apple Eaters. (PHOTO: KARL MCLARTY)
The ten and eleven year olds, respectively, are grade five students at Allman Town Primary School in Kingston. On Wednesday, they copped the top prize in the Visual Arts category of the Lasco Releaf Environment Awareness Programme (REAP) for their video game, Apple Eaters. The game, developed on the Microsoft Kodu platform, sees the player competing against flying disks to eat the most apples, while avoiding flame-like obstacles.
In presenting it to guests at the award ceremony at the Jamaica Pegasus on Wednesday, the boys explained that the game represented the inside of the human body, and the 'obstacles' were represented bad bacteria in the body. The idead, they said, was based on the fact that LASCO promotes healthy eating.
"It's like you're moving through your own body," Jo-Nathan explained.
In an interview with the Jamaica Observer at their school on Thursday, the boys expressed how happy they, their families and their friends were about the win.

Jo-Nathan (left) and Daniel interact with their tech coach
Kacey Crooks
"I can't describe the feeling," said an excited Daniel, expressing how proud his mother is and talking about her never-ending hugs when he told her about it.
He said that it was Jo-Nathan, the younger of the two who introduced him and his other classmates to the world of video game designing.
"He just said, 'hey guys, let's try this,' and we said; 'sure why not' Everybody loves video games," Daniel said.
Principal of the school Khandi-lee Crooks-Smith said the project started with four boys, from grade four with the initial intention of getting students to understand the application of mathematics. They are now in grade five. more

Math champs : Jamaica's team to the Central American and Caribbean Regional Mathematical Olympiad to be held in Mexico later this month

 Sunday, June 07, 2015    
Jamaica's team to the Central American and Caribbean Regional Mathematical Olympiad to be held in Mexico later this month, Jason Salmon (centre) and Tamoy Seaborne (second right), both from Campion College, and Phillip Lloyd (right) of Glenmuir High School, in a tete a Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology at the University of the West Indies Prof Paul Reese (left) and chairman of the Jamaican Mathematical Olympiad organising committee Dr Raymond McEachin. Occasion was the medal presentation for the local leg at UWI, Mona on Wednesday.
(PHOTO: ASTON SPAULDING)

IN JAMAICA (DISTURBING STORY...WOW!): Perverts Preying On Young Girls And Circulating Videos Of The Sex Act In Clarendon, But Residents Downplay The Extent Of The Problem...There were more than 870 reports of child abuse cases in the last year mostly concentrated in the Frankfield area.

Published:Sunday | June 7, 2015Nadine Wilson-Harris
Several males in the central Jamaica parish of Clarendon are flouting the law by having sex with underage girls, and to compound the breach, these men are video-recording the act and putting them in mass circulation.
Several students try to get their transport in
Frankfield, Clarendon, last week
This filming of schoolgirls having sex is believed to be one of the factors contributing to a spike in sexual abuse cases in the parish despite the residents, for the most part, denying that they face a major problem.
According to registrar for the Office of the Children's Registry, Greg Smith, there has been an increase in child abuse cases in Clarendon, which had more than 870 reports in the last year. Most of these cases are concentrated in the Frankfield area.
Two guidance counsellors at a prominent high school in the parish last week told The Sunday Gleaner that most of the cases of child abuse they have dealt with in recent time involve the sexual exploitation of girls.
According to the guidance counsellors, oftentimes, the girls are encouraged by older boys and men in the community to engage in sexual activities, which are filmed without their knowledge. These videos are then circulated within the perpetrators' circle of friends.
Pat Murray*, who has been a guidance counsellor at the institution since 2002, said that one of the latest victims was a 12-year-old student who was filmed having sex with a much older student. Efforts by school administrators to find the video have been unsuccessful although it has been seen by other students.
"This one we have heard about, but we have not seen it as yet, but the students have it circulating on their phones, so we are trying to get it to give it to the police, but we haven't," said Murray, who lamented the breakdown of morals in the society.

BADGE OF HONOUR

Franklyn Mundle: “We don’t know of any old man or
young boy abusing no children.”
Her colleague Peter Smith* believes the filming of these sexual escapades has become the new badge of honour for males who save the videos as evidence to substantiate their exploits and earn bragging rights.
"Sometimes boys, who are marginally older, trick these girls and tell them all sorts of sweet nothings, then take them to a house and have them perform some form of sexual act, and the act is being videotaped and, as they say, 'the video do road'," said Smith.
"They do it for money and popularity, because there has to be something to be gained from being a star boy," he explained.
The counsellors said there have been a few cases of teenage pregnancies over the years, and they have referred a couple of students to the child guidance clinic because they were severely depressed and suicidal following sexual abuse. In one case, a girl tried to use a knife to cut herself, and in another, a student brought a rope to school with the intention of hanging herself after classes. more

Do you Know What Will Happen if You Drink Coconut Water For 7 Days?

BY PAMELA · June 7, 2015
Does coconut water have a magical effect as everyone claims? You have probably heard about coconut oil and the numerous benefits it offers. Now, you will read about the biggest advantages of coconut water of which you have probably not heard before.
Coconut and water
You probably did not know that coconut water has a practical compatible structure with the blood plasma in human bloodstream. Moreover, coconut water was used in armed conflicts in the past as a replacement for blood and numerous lives were saved in long and exhausting battles.
Nowadays, coconut water is used all around the globe. You can find it in numerous markets which offer you the chance to use the beneficial advantages of this unbelievable fruit. Coconut water does not taste very pleasantly, but this should not be the reason to avoid one of the best detoxification waters in the world.

What happens when you drink this water?

When you consume coconut water you strengthen your immune system and you eliminate the bacteria which cause urinary tract infections, gonorrhea, gum diseases and viruses which cause cold, infection diseases and typhus.
It will not only increase your energy, but it will also increase the production of thyroid gland hormones. This water is also very good for people who suffer from kidney diseases since it reacts as a natural diuretic. It will cleanse the urinary tract and the bladder canals.  It will remove the toxins from the body and ‘’crash’’ the kidney stones.  Coconut water is good for digestion due to the high level of fibber which it contains. If you drink it regularly it will eliminate the gastric acid. You can drink it in big amounts, since it has low levels of fat. You will lose weight, thanks to water’s ability for keeping you sated and meanwhile it lowers the appetite.
If you have acne, oily or dry skin, all you need to do is to soak a cotton wool in the coconut water and apply it to the skin. It will clean and freshen up the skin, and most importantly, it will keep the pores open. If you mix the water with olive oil, you can cleanse your organism. This mixture can remove bowel parasites.
According to experts, you can solve several health problems during pregnancy with the help of coconut water. Drink one cup of coconut water every morning and you will balance the electrolytes whose misbalance can lead to hypertension, also known as high blood pressure. more
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IN JAMAICA: PUBLIC sector workers have been offered a new pay increase deal of seven per cent for the 2015-2017 fiscal period....Government increases pay offer to employees

BY BALFORD HENRY Senior staff reporter balfordh@jamaicaobserver.com  Friday, June 05, 2015    
PUBLIC sector workers have been offered a new pay increase deal of seven per cent for the 2015-2017 fiscal period.
The new offer breaks down to a four per cent increase effective from April 1, 2015, and a further three per cent increase effective April 1, 2016. This arrangement is up from the original offer of three per cent and two per cent which was made in March and was rejected by the workers.
(L-R) DALLEY... optimistic offer will lead to a settlement.
DIXON... JTA will meet with teachers for their response.
BROWN... where there is a will there is a way
Minister with responsibility for the public service, Horace Dalley, told the Jamaica Observer last night he is optimistic that the offer will lead to a settlement of the prolonged public sector wage issue by the latest month-end.
"We have never had much of a problem with the fringe benefits, because some are not aligned with the wage costs. The problem has always been the basic pay, and we want to ensure that anything we offer we will be able to pay it and we don't go beyond the limit that will ensure that we meet the nine per cent of GDP target," the minister said.
The offer is a small step from the rejected five per cent, but the trade unions leaders feel that they have something substantive to put to their members.
Trade unionist, Lambert Brown, who is a member of the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Union's (JCTU) negotiating team, said that the new offer from the minister confirmed his position that where there is a will there is a way.
"We can always find appropriate ways to resolve these issues," Brown said.
But, other union representatives were more cautious, pointing out that they were not sure how their members would respond.
President of the Jamaica Teachers' Association, Doran Dixon, said that there will be meetings in Clarendon, Manchester, St Catherine, and Kingston to relay the new offers to the teachers and get their response.
Several meetings are also planned by the JCTU team, which represents 11 trade unions and over 40,000 government workers.
The increased offer has emerged in the midst of protest action by the members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, which began on Tuesday, and widespread two-hour demonstrations by teachers on the job. more

JAMAICANS among 16,000 farm workers heading to Canada

Sunday, May 31, 2015    
(May, 2015) - Approximately 16,000 workers from across the Caribbean and Mexico will be travelling toOntario farms this growing season as a supplement to local labour under the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Programme (SAWP).
Farmers across Ontario are welcoming their return, which will help the province's fruit and vegetable industry thrive. Some 1,450 farms will benefit this year.
Farm workers being registered at the Ministry of Labour
 and Social Security on East Street, downtown Kingston, on
January 2. The workers left the island on January 3 to take up
 jobs on farms in the United States and Canada under the
Overseas Work Programme. (OBSERVER FILE PHOTO)
This is the 49th year the programme has operated in Ontario, allowing many farms to remain viable in the face of critical shortages of suitable and available Canadian workers.
Because SAWP is a "Canadians first" programme, supplementary seasonal farm labour is hired from other countries (Mexico, Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad &Tobago and the Eastern Caribbean states) only if agricultural operators cannot find domestic workers to fill vacancies.
"Nearly half a century after it was created, this programme continues to serve the same vital function on an even larger scale," says Ken Forth, president of Foreign Agricultural Resource Management Services (FARMS), which administers SAWP.
"Without SAWP and its steady supply of reliable labour, some operations would be forced to stop growing fruits and vegetables altogether, or move into less labour-intensive crops," he said.
A couple thousand workers have been in Ontario since mid-winter, working at greenhouses largely in the Leamington and Niagara areas. Others began arriving over the past few weeks to assist with field work, fruit tree pruning and other important jobs.
The vast majority of seasonal workers opt to return on repeat contracts because they are able to earn far more than they can at home. This allows them to provide a better standard of living to their families, pay for their children to attend school and learn skills needed to operate businesses of their own in their home countries.more

GATLIN BREAKS BOLT RECORD: Justin Gatlin cruised to victory 9.75 secs in the men's 100 metres at the Rome Diamond League meet on Thursday....Gatlin last month clocked the fastest time of the year, 9.74, in Doha

American Justin Gatlin (centre) finishes ahead of the field
 to take the men's 100m event at the Golden Gala, the 4th
stage of IAAF Diamond League 2015 on Thursday.
(Photo: AFP)
Thursday, June 04, 2015 | 3:07 PM    
ROME, Italy (AFP) — American Justin Gatlin cruised to victory in the men's 100 metres at the Rome Diamond League meet on Thursday.
Gatlin, the 2004 Olympic champion who served a four-year doping ban in 2006-2010 for using testosterone, stopped the clock at 9.75sec to match the seventh-fastest time in history at the distance.
Gatlin last month clocked the fastest time of the year, 9.74, in Doha -- a performance that earned the American sprinter a new sponsorship deal with sportswear giant Nike, who ditched him in 2006 after he tested positive for the second time in his career.
France's Jimmy Vicaut was second in a season's best of 9.98, a time matched by American Michael Rodgers who tied for second place.
The rest of the field, including Kim Collins of Saint Kitts and Nevis, finished outside the 10-sec mark.

Bob ‘skanks’ to the top : BOB Marley & the Wailers' Easy Skanking in Boston '78 is number one on the Billboard Reggae Album chart.

BY KEVIN JACKSON Observer Writer  Friday, June 05, 2015    
BOB Marley & the Wailers' Easy Skanking in Boston '78 is number one on the Billboard Reggae Album chart.
01
Bob Marley
Released in February, it is the only title on that tally this year which has posted double-digit sales.
Featuring two historic live shows at Boston's Music Hall from June 1978, the set has sold over 11,611 copies to date, according to Soundscan, the company that tracks retail and digital sales in the United States.
Three other albums in the Top 10 have also posted double-digit figures, but were released last year.
Count on Me by Rebelution is at number two, posting sales of 225 copies during the past week. To date, the California band's third album has sold over 46,021 copies.
Amid the Noise and the Haste by SOJA is at number four with sales of over 29,000 copies after 42 weeks on the chart.
The Virginia band was nominated for a Best Reggae Album Grammy this year. They also performed at the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival in January.
San Diego, California band, Tribal Seeds, hold the number seven spot with their fourth studio effort, Representing. The album was released in May 2014 and topped the Billboard Reggae Album chart. To date, it has sold 10,986 copies.
Since it was released in April last year, Chronixx's EP, Dread & Terrible, has sold 8,988 copies and sits at number eight.
Soja and Chronixx
Former number one, Strictly Roots by Morgan Heritage, is down to number 12 after six weeks. It has sold 2,222 copies.
Singer Alaine is new at number 14 with her Ten of Hearts which has sold 55 copies.
Ancient Future by Protoje, which spent one week at number one, is down to number 15. After 12 weeks, it has sold 2,390 copies.
Grammy winner Fly Rasta by Ziggy Marley falls to number 19. Released in April last year, the album has to date sold 19,021 copies.
After four weeks, Barrington Levy's AcousticaLevy has sold 194 copies to be number 21. more

COMPROMISED : Chinese Hackers Hit Nearly Every Agency... 4 Million Identities Exposed...Could Be The Biggest Cyberattack In U.S. History...Third Major Breach This Year... FBI Investigating... China: U.S. Comments Irresponsible...

AP  |  By KEN DILANIAN and RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR Posted: 06/04/2015 5:19 pm EDT 
US and Chinese Flags
WASHINGTON (AP) — China-based hackers are suspected of breaking into the computer networks of the U.S. government personnel office and stealing identifying information of at least 4 million federal workers, American officials said Thursday.
The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that data from the Office of Personnel Management and the Interior Department had been compromised. "The FBI is conducting an investigation to identify how and why this occurred," the statement said. The hackers were believed to be based in China, said Sen. Susan Collins, a Maine Republican.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
President Obama
Collins, a member of the Senate intelligence committee, said the breach was "yet another indication of a foreign power probing successfully and focusing on what appears to be data that would identify people with security clearances."
A spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Washington called such accusations "not responsible and counterproductive."
"Cyberattacks conducted across countries are hard to track and therefore the source of attacks is difficult to identify," spokesman Zhu Haiquan said Thursday night. He added that hacking can "only be addressed by international cooperation based on mutual trust and mutual respect." more

IN JAMAICA: Insight Financial Services Limited recently presented a 650-gallon water tank and 100 exercise books to the Drews Avenue Primary and Infant School in Kingston.

Published:Friday | June 5, 2015
Insight Financial Services Limited recently presented a 650-gallon water tank and 100 exercise books to the Drews Avenue Primary and Infant School in Kingston. The items were among a list of priority items requested by the school's principal, Sacheel Grant-Henry.
Contributed Photo Julian Patrick (right), of Insight
Financial Services Limited, greets students of Drews
Avenue Primary and Infant School.
"We take our corporate social responsibility very seriously; it is embedded in our DNA as an organisation. Since we began in 2012, we have contributed to many different charities because we believe that it's as important to do good as it is to do well in business," said Renic Coke, director of sales at Insight.
Grant-Henry extended her appreciation for the items noting that it will go a long way in ensuring that the children have a hygienic environment in which to learn. The tank will be used to provide water for the flushing of toilets and washing of hands when the regular supply is insufficient, especially during this period of drought.
"As a small-medium enterprise, it's important that we give what we can until we are able to give what we want. As Jamaicans, we must step up and make our small contributions. We believe that contributing to the education of our children and supporting everyday heroes like Sacheel Grant-Henry is one of the best ways to achieve this," said Howard James, Insight Financial Services director of operations. Appliance Traders Ltd and Sangster's Book Stores were among the other sponsors.
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IN JAMAICA: More cops stay off the job despite court injunction : THE sick-out by rank and file members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) worsened yesterday, despite an injunction obtained by Attorney General Patrick Atkinson

 BY KIMMO MATTHEWS Observer staff reporter mathewsk@jamaicaobserver.com  Thursday, June 04, 2015    
THE sick-out by rank and file members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) worsened yesterday, despite an injunction obtained by Attorney General Patrick Atkinson that sought to restrain members of the Jamaica Police Federation from taking any further industrial action. A sick-out by the police started Tuesday after a breakdown of wage negotiations between Government and the Police Federation.
01
Red seam Police in Jamaica
Government is offering a five per cent increase, over two years, to the police. The injunction, granted by the Supreme Court Tuesday night, stated that all the members of the Jamaica Police Federation be restrained for a period of 28 days from causing and/or attempting to cause and/or carrying out acts to cause disaffection amongst the members of the constabulary force, and/or inducing and/or attempting to induce and/or carrying out acts to induce members of the constabulary force to withhold their services.
However, checks by the Jamaica Observer yesterday showed that more members of the rank and file called in sick, putting more pressure on policemen and policewomen who had already done double shifts as they worked with senior officers and members of the army in maintaining a security presence in towns and communities across the island.
“Based on our checks, the number of rank and file members who stayed off the job has doubled,” said a Police Federation source, who requested anonymity. He said about 3,000 of the force’s approximately 12,000 members were unable to report for duties yesterday, up from the approximately 1,800 members on Tuesday. Corporate Area police stations, meanwhile, continued to be among the worst affected by the sick-out. more

Over 50? Add These 7 Foods to Your Diet Now 1) Beans 2) Oats 3) Apples and more...

1. BEANS

Beans
I’m a bean fanatic, so if you read my blog regularly, you won’t be surprised that these guys made the list. Research shows that eating a daily serving of beans or lentils (3/4 cup) can help to lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol by 5 percent. Another study in people with type 2 diabetes found that eating about a cup of beans or lentils per day as part of a healthy diet lowered hemoglobin A1c, a marker of blood sugar control, by 0.5%, which is a substantial improvement. Need a simple way to introduce more beans into your diet? Toss canned, low-sodium beans with whole-grain pasta and sauteed veggies for a quick weeknight meal, or try some of these other easy ideas.

2. OATS




Oats
The risk for heart disease increases dramatically in men over 45 and women over 55, so incorporating more cholesterol-lowering foods like oats into your diet is a smart move. Oats are rich in a type of soluble fiber called beta glucan, and consuming at least 3 grams of this fiber a day (equivalent to 1.5 cups cooked oatmeal) has been shown to reduce total and LDL cholesterol levels by 5 to 10 percent. People who eat oats and other whole grains regularly are also at reduced risk of dying an early death. Plain oats are cheaper than boxed cereals and a perfect conduit for other healthy ingredients, like nuts, seeds, and fruit.

3. APPLES



Apples
Sure, they’re not as glamorous as acai berries or mangosteen, but apples are every bit as super as exotic fruits, and much, much cheaper. A large apple supplies 5 grams of heart-healthy fiber, and research shows that eating apples daily can lower both total and LDL cholesterol to help keep your ticker in tip-top shape. A 2013 study found that frequent apple eaters are at lower risk for type 2 diabetes. And the good news is, you can find apples almost everywhere, including gas stations and convenience stores. Slice one up and add a smear of peanut butter for a classic snack that never gets old. more