Sept. 27, 2001 – We tried, really tried, to find a web critic with something good to say about "Glitter," Mariah Carey's first major-role feature film. This is the best we could do:
Apollo Movie Guide: It's just a bland and tiresome, utterly predictable rags-to-riches story of a pop music star and her difficult personal life … shallow sentiment, awful dialogue, loose plot threads, a sucky romantic subplot and ugly voice dubbing in places.
Mr. Showbiz: Only diehard Mariah Carey fans, 11-year-old girls, or anyone truly desperate to escape [Sept. 11's] terror might find some reason to sit through this bland, bloated, self-addressed valentine … Sure, Mariah's no actress — her technique, bless her wide-eyed-songbird little heart, is just a compendium of throaty whispers and raised "Oh, no, you didn't!" eyebrows — but she's got nothing to work with.
The Cranky Critic: "Glitter" is an idea which was never developed into a full story … incompetently directed and filled with visually tortuous gimmicky edits and effects … Very little in this film looks anything like what those days [1980s] were like. A lot of it has to do with the "no drugs allowed" policy of current films. Some of it has to do with the fact that no research seems to have been done about how the biz works.
Hollywood.com: It is difficult to gauge Carey's performance in this film since she does not have that many lines. The ones she does have are so clichéd it is almost difficult to keep a straight face when she utters them. "Glitter" is also littered with slow-motion shots that are accompanied with dumb swooshing sounds. It's a musically inclined film without a decent soundtrack to back it.
The story, should you still care, is about Billie (Carey), a mixed-race singer who rises from poverty to become a star. Publicity goes to extremes to say it's not the Mariah Carey story, which of course raises the question of why they would do that. Billie's life is peopled by two girlfriends (Da Brat, Tia Texada) from their childhood in an orphanage, a pimp/producer (Terrence Howard), a DJ/producer/seducer (Max Beesley), and her mother (Valarie Pettiford).
The most emotional pang of the whole pic may be the shots of New York City with the World Trade Center towers still in place.
Carey's only previous experience on the big screen was in a supporting role in "the Bachelor" in 1999. Now, she already has another film in the can, a mob comedy, "Wisegirls."
Rated PG-13. Playing at Diamond Cinemas.

Sept. 27, 2001 – We tried, really tried, to find a web critic with something good to say about "Glitter," Mariah Carey's first major-role feature film. This is the best we could do:
Apollo Movie Guide: It's just a bland and tiresome, utterly predictable rags-to-riches story of a pop music star and her difficult personal life … shallow sentiment, awful dialogue, loose plot threads, a sucky romantic subplot and ugly voice dubbing in places.
Mr. Showbiz: Only diehard Mariah Carey fans, 11-year-old girls, or anyone truly desperate to escape [Sept. 11's] terror might find some reason to sit through this bland, bloated, self-addressed valentine … Sure, Mariah's no actress — her technique, bless her wide-eyed-songbird little heart, is just a compendium of throaty whispers and raised "Oh, no, you didn't!" eyebrows — but she's got nothing to work with.
The Cranky Critic: "Glitter" is an idea which was never developed into a full story … incompetently directed and filled with visually tortuous gimmicky edits and effects … Very little in this film looks anything like what those days [1980s] were like. A lot of it has to do with the "no drugs allowed" policy of current films. Some of it has to do with the fact that no research seems to have been done about how the biz works.
Hollywood.com: It is difficult to gauge Carey's performance in this film since she does not have that many lines. The ones she does have are so clichéd it is almost difficult to keep a straight face when she utters them. "Glitter" is also littered with slow-motion shots that are accompanied with dumb swooshing sounds. It's a musically inclined film without a decent soundtrack to back it.
The story, should you still care, is about Billie (Carey), a mixed-race singer who rises from poverty to become a star. Publicity goes to extremes to say it's not the Mariah Carey story, which of course raises the question of why they would do that. Billie's life is peopled by two girlfriends (Da Brat, Tia Texada) from their childhood in an orphanage, a pimp/producer (Terrence Howard), a DJ/producer/seducer (Max Beesley), and her mother (Valarie Pettiford).
The most emotional pang of the whole pic may be the shots of New York City with the World Trade Center towers still in place.
Carey's only previous experience on the big screen was in a supporting role in "the Bachelor" in 1999. Now, she already has another film in the can, a mob comedy, "Wisegirls."
Rated PG-13. Playing at Market Square East on St. Thomas.

Sept. 27, 2001 – We tried, really tried, to find a web critic with something good to say about "Glitter," Mariah Carey's first major-role feature film. This is the best we could do:
Apollo Movie Guide: It's just a bland and tiresome, utterly predictable rags-to-riches story of a pop music star and her difficult personal life … shallow sentiment, awful dialogue, loose plot threads, a sucky romantic subplot and ugly voice dubbing in places.
Mr. Showbiz: Only diehard Mariah Carey fans, 11-year-old girls, or anyone truly desperate to escape [Sept. 11's] terror might find some reason to sit through this bland, bloated, self-addressed valentine … Sure, Mariah's no actress — her technique, bless her wide-eyed-songbird little heart, is just a compendium of throaty whispers and raised "Oh, no, you didn't!" eyebrows — but she's got nothing to work with.
The Cranky Critic: "Glitter" is an idea which was never developed into a full story … incompetently directed and filled with visually tortuous gimmicky edits and effects … Very little in this film looks anything like what those days [1980s] were like. A lot of it has to do with the "no drugs allowed" policy of current films. Some of it has to do with the fact that no research seems to have been done about how the biz works.
Hollywood.com: It is difficult to gauge Carey's performance in this film since she does not have that many lines. The ones she does have are so clichéd it is almost difficult to keep a straight face when she utters them. "Glitter" is also littered with slow-motion shots that are accompanied with dumb swooshing sounds. It's a musically inclined film without a decent soundtrack to back it.
The story, should you still care, is about Billie (Carey), a mixed-race singer who rises from poverty to become a star. Publicity goes to extremes to say it's not the Mariah Carey story, which of course raises the question of why they would do that. Billie's life is peopled by two girlfriends (Da Brat, Tia Texada) from their childhood in an orphanage, a pimp/producer (Terrence Howard), a DJ/producer/seducer (Max Beesley), and her mother (Valarie Pettiford).
The most emotional pang of the whole pic may be the shots of New York City with the World Trade Center towers still in place.
Carey's only previous experience on the big screen was in a supporting role in "the Bachelor" in 1999. Now, she already has another film in the can, a mob comedy, "Wisegirls."
Rated PG-13. Playing at Market Square East.

Sylvanita Carty died Sept. 24. her funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 2, at Christ Church Methodist. Viewing will begin at 9 a.m. prior to the service.
She is survived by her stepmother Mildred Gordon; adopted son Tyrone Paul; brothers Stanley, Julian and Wesley Gordon; sisters Lillett & Ruth Gordon, Louise Lettsome and Naomi Gordon-Smith.
Arrangements by Creque Funeral Home.

Adeta Adela Frett-Lettsome, age 85, died at Peebles Hospital, Tortola, on Sept. 19. Funeral services will take place at 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 30, at E E SOA Church. Viewing will be from 12 noon to 1 p.m. preceding the service. Internment will be in Greenland Cemetery.
She is survived by sons Darwin, Eddie, Jonah, and James Lettsome; daughters Marjorie Lettsome-Frett, Esmie Lettsome George, Yvonne Lettsome George, Ruby Lettsome Cain, Lydia Lettsome Jackson, Rosa Lettsome Turnbull and Virisks Lettsome Allen; 34 grandchildren, 4 great grandchildren, and many other relatives and friends.

Here, a little later than usual because I have been on Skyros for a month,
is our monthly bulletin. I scrapped the original in favor of this shorter
version because I felt something different was appropriate in light of the
events of September 11.
PUT ASIDE SOME TIME FOR CREATING OUR FUTURE
In Skyros I was leading a workshop called Create Your Future when news came
in of the terrible events in the United States. Suddenly we were reminded of
the degree to which others also create our collective future, and also how
puny some of our selfish goals seem in this larger context. Maybe there are
no grand gestures to make, but we can spend a bit of time every week thinking
of small changes or actions that might collectively help to make this more
the kind of world that offers a better future for everyone. Among these are:
Donating time and money to organizations that make life less miserable for
the poor.
Taking more care in terms of how we treat the environment.
Taking the time to let our elected representatives know what response we
want them to make.
Finding ways to help children retain their natural creativity and joy and
openness.
Letting the people we care about know how we feel.
Making the effort to find what unites us rather than what divides us.
Convincing those in power that when what we have done in the past does not
work, it is time to do something different.
I am aware that all of these sound prosaic, yet if enough people did these
very ordinary things, the world would change.
HOW TO BE EXCEPTIONAL
Bernie Siegel is a surgeon and author of several books, including "Love,
Medicine and Miracles." In an interview, he talked about the qualities of
patients who do well in their battle with cancer. He said:
"My wife came up with the term exceptional cancer patients. We realized that
a minority of people really participate fully; it is not about dying, it is
about living. They are not afraid to take on challenges. So this is what I
began to teach. There is a personality to survivors. This is true of any
activity you go into. If you said what makes a great athlete, actor,
statesman, whatever, you would find they have certain qualities. These
qualities are: action in terms of expressing emotion and doing things,
willingness to change your life, seeking wisdom and knowledge, and the
spiritual, devotional aspect. What I (also) found with one hundred percent
of these patients, if what they were doing did not work they would then have
alternatives.
You have to look at your life, because you could live seven years and say, I
have done all I came to do, or you may live 97 years and still not have done
what you were sent here to do. People need to say, What am I here for, what
is the purpose of my existence?"
A HEALING STORY
Martin Bronfman was diagnosed as having terminal cancer, but he healed
himself of it. I think what he wrote applies to healing an individual, a
family, a society, the world:
"When there has been a recognition of the path to health, nothing must
interfere with that path. The development and maintenance of a positive
mental attitude is imperative. Nothing else must be more important.
It is imperative that we keep our hearts open and replace judgement with
acceptance. It is vital that we learn to love once more, and to allow
ourselves to be loved. We must relate in our relationships and use
communication to clear misunderstandings and disagreements.
With our hearts open to the love all round us, and fully accepting
ourselves,we can heal anything. Anything can be healed."
Until next time, Jurgen

Editor's note: Requests to subscribe (or unsubscribe) should be sent to BstormUK@aol.com. We also welcome your comments and suggestions, and we do not sell or share our mailing lists. (Contents copyright 2001, Jurgen Wolff)

Sept. 27, 2001 — With the breakdown of contract negotiations between the Turnbull administration and the territory’s two rank and file police unions, both sides are resorting to press conferences to air their positions.
Negotiations between the St. Croix and St. Thomas Police Benevolent Associations and the administration’s Office of Collective Bargaining ended Friday after union officials declared an impasse. The issue will now go before a three-member arbitration panel.
On Tuesday, union officials held a press conference and blasted the administration, particularly chief negotiator Karen Andrews, for what they termed the government’s flaunting of negotiation ground rules, rejection of union bargaining points and paltry wage increase proposals.
In response to the PBA press conference, Andrews, Attorney General Iver Stridiron and Police Commissioner Franz Christian have scheduled one of their own for Thursday on St. Croix.
The St. Croix PBA pPresident, Naomi Joseph, ripped Andrews on Tuesday for starting negotiations eight hours late on one day and for comments that the territory’s police officers are already being paid comparable to officers on the mainland.
Joseph scoffed at that notion and said that even with the government’s plan to pay government workers their step increases by Oct. 16, police officers would still be getting paid at 1998 levels. She said the government offered officers, whose last contract expired in September 1999, raises of 3 percent for 2001, 2 percent for 2002, and 1.5 percent for 2003. No salary increases were proposed for 1999 and 2000.
Joseph said the increases total about 33 cents an hour for the approximately 300 police officers in the two districts.
"That ain’t no money to offer an officer," she said. "That is an insult."
Because of that, Joseph said, the unions declared an impasse. That means an arbitration panel will decide the issue. Because police officers are Class III employees, their union and the government do not have to agree mutually to go through normal impasse procedures such as mediation, said Andrews. "Class III can declare impasse at any time," she said. "Frankly, I think there was room to continue discussions."
According to the PBA’s collective bargaining agreement and the Public Employees Labor Relations Act, Class III employees are prohibited from striking due to public safety issues. But that hasn’t kept officers from staging sick-outs in the past. About a year ago, a Territorial Court judge ordered officers to report to work after they staged such an action over low pay and working conditions.
Andrews said she would respond to the unions’ allegations at the government’s press conference on Thursday. She said that since the unions went public with specific bargaining points, the government must answer in kind. But it is not out of disrespect for the officers, she said.
"I always say these are our employees first," Andrews said. "I highly respect our men and women in blue. I’m not here to incite them."
The government press conference is scheduled for 11 a.m. at Patrick Sweeney Headquarters on St. Croix.

Sept. 26, 2001 — The territory’s only known victim in the Sept. 11 terrorist attack on the Pentagon, Army Staff Sgt. Maudlyn White, was buried Wednesday with military honors at Arlington National Cemetery.
White, 38, of St. Thomas, was among the 186 people killed when a hijacked passenger jet was crashed into the Pentagon on Sept. 11. Funeral services in the chapel at Fort Myers in Arlington, Va., were brief but well attended, Delegate Donna Christian Christensen said.
After the playing of taps and the military gun salute, the flag, the Purple Heart medal and a badge of meritorious service were presented to White’s 5-year-old daughter.
"It was a very sad day," Christensen said. "I conveyed the condolences of the entire Virgin Islands community to her family and friends. Sgt. White will be remembered as one of our country's heroes who lost their lives in the tragic terrorist attack."
The ceremony was attended by the Army Chief of Staff, Gen. Eric K. Shinseki, along with White’s mother, Priscilla Irish; close friend Master Sgt. Jerraine Wynter of St. Croix; daughter, siblings and other family members, co-workers and friends.

Sept. 27, 2001 – As acting governor Tuesday and Wednesday while Gov. Charles W. Turnbull was in New York City, Lt. Gov. Gerard Luz James II sent his own message to that city and followed up by sending five ambassadors of goodwill.
On Tuesday, according to a Government House release, James wrote to the comptroller of New York "updating him of the territory's efforts to support the national relief drive for the victims of the terrorist attack." He said the Virgin Islands' people "stand ready to render unwavering support and pledge to assist the people of New York in its recovery."
Further, he wrote, "In a collaborative effort with local private and public agencies, all financial resources will be pooled together to support recovery efforts." And, he said, telephone calls would be made to the V.I. Tourism office in New York "as well as local companies who also occupy office space in New York" to "accommodate many companies who have lost their offices and need operations on a temporary or long-term basis."
The release concluded with James saying, "With the assistance of the people of the United States Virgin Islands, New York will continue to play a vital role in keeping America proud, free and prosperous."
The "assistance," the letter explained, of V.I. firefighters collecting donations to assist fellow firefighters involved in rescue and recovery efforts at the World Trade Center. By the end of Tuesday, $30,000 had been raised, he said, and five firefighters would be "traveling from the Virgin Islands to New York to present a check to the New York Fire Department, Local 94."
On Wednesday, in another release, James said the donations had reached $40,000. He also announced that he had granted administrative leave for the five firefighters to go to New York "to participate in recovery efforts" and to delivery the money to the union local. The trip is being financed by the V.I. Firefighters Union, the release stated.
Those making the trip are David Hodge, Eustace Grant and Luen Anthony of St. Thomas and Angel Torres and Davidson Charlemagne of St. Croix. They were to leave Wednesday and are expected to return "after Oct. 1," the release said.

Sept. 27, 2001 – As acting governor Tuesday and Wednesday while Gov. Charles W. Turnbull was in New York City, Lt. Gov. Gerard Luz James II sent his own message to that city and followed up by sending five ambassadors of goodwill.
On Tuesday, according to a Government House release, James wrote to the comptroller of New York "updating him of the territory's efforts to support the national relief drive for the victims of the terrorist attack." He said the Virgin Islands' people "stand ready to render unwavering support and pledge to assist the people of New York in its recovery."
Further, he wrote, "In a collaborative effort with local private and public agencies, all financial resources will be pooled together to support recovery efforts." And, he said, telephone calls would be made to the V.I. Tourism office in New York "as well as local companies who also occupy office space in New York" to "accommodate many companies who have lost their offices and need operations on a temporary or long-term basis."
The release concluded with James saying, "With the assistance of the people of the United States Virgin Islands, New York will continue to play a vital role in keeping America proud, free and prosperous."
The "assistance," the letter explained, includes V.I. firefighters collecting donations to assist fellow firefighters involved in rescue and recovery efforts at the World Trade Center. By the end of Tuesday, $30,000 had been raised, he said, and five firefighters would be "traveling from the Virgin Islands to New York to present a check to the New York Fire Department, Local 94."
On Wednesday, in another release, James said the donations had reached $40,000. He also announced that he had granted administrative leave for the five firefighters to go to New York "to participate in recovery efforts" and to deliver the money to the union local. The trip is being financed by the V.I. Firefighters Union, the release stated.
Those making the trip are David Hodge, Eustace Grant and Luen Anthony of St. Thomas and Angel Torres and Davidson Charlemagne of St. Croix. They were to leave Wednesday and are expected to return "after Oct. 1," the release said.