My mother had been advising me against going to India for the past few months...

The warnings for Mumbais blasts were on the web and in the news, it was no surprize. India is my favorite place to visit, I am deeply saddened.

A few years ago, while vacationing in Mumbai, I used to do my money exchange at a shop in Colaba and took pictures with the guard in front of the shop who was wearing a brilliantly colored head dress and uniform and carrying a gun. The next time I returned I found the shop vacant and closed. Apparently there was a robbery and the guard and all the people in the shop were killed. Really sad.
[Edited 11/27/08 8:16am]

Militant said:

i'm glad you found out your family and friends are safe. i could imagine how scary it has been.

Militant said:

[snipped. - anx]

I wish Manuela would keep her mouth shut and not contact CNN. You would not want the terrorists knowing who you are or who you are connected / disconnected to.

[snipped. - anx]


Wow how effing hateful are you?? How does outward appearance matter, it is what is in your heart that matters the most.

pplrain said:

why did she call CNN? i'm just placing myself in the situation, running from bullets and passing dead bodies, all I would want to do is contact my family and friends to let them know i'm okay and then try to get the hell up outta there, unless i'm a correspondent for the station or something. Just thinking about it is scary. i could imagine the horror those people are going through and the families of those who died.

[snipped. - anx]

what the hell is this?

wonder505 said:

Exactly why would anyone contact a major news network... she is sick. I would want to get the hell out of that place to safety.

She was once married to the artist formally known as prince in a place formally known as bombay

asg said:

They were married in Hawaii.

Manuela In Mumbai Attack Update: No Real Update
Posted in News on November 27th, 2008 by drfunkenberry

The crazyness is not over, and can it really be after what happened?
She is still at an undisclosed location with other people who were at the Taj Hotel when the attack happened.
For safety issues, I cannot tell you everything I know, until a later date. But for right now, the situation is the same, where she is safe but not sound.
There is still terrorists and hostage situations going on with gunfire and explosions, so it is not an ideal situation. The terrorists were speaking in Punjabi and are from Pakistan.
Leaders in India and Pakistan are trying to let it be known that this is a situation that is not just India’s problem or just Pakistan’s problem, but both of their problems and they need to come together to handle it.
When I have further information I can disclose, I will post.
Just remember, we are praying for everyone involved in this, not just her. Until then.-Dr.FB

Tags: India, Manuela Testolini, Mumbai, Pakistan, Taj Hotel

I got this today from www.drfunkenberry.com

Militant said:

You should cancel it, two disasters soo close in time would be too much.

I am glad she is ok.

Ok, I have never been one of Manuela's haters (she has many on this board), but I do find it suspect that it is being mentioned that she is Prince's ex-wife. Did she mention that to CNN?
Shouldn't she be referred to as the girlfriend of R&B singer Eric Benet?

Who the heck is Eric Benet? Exactly.

She's the ex-wife of Prince.

Secondly, surely the situation is horrific. But the media dumps everything into a funnel and we see it all on the TV. Imagine actually being there. There are moments of calm where you can collect your thoughts.

I have walked into an armed-robbery at a restuarant before and the staff told me to leave. But I just laughed it off. When the robbers actually ran out with guns in their hands, I still wasn't really phased or believed it was happening. Only an hour after the fact did I realize how much danger I could have been in. People's minds block out potential dangers all the time. If we didn't, we couldn't get on with life. Driving on the highway has potential fatal dangers all over the place. A car could easily swerve into yours. But you don't think about it. It's a good thing you don't or you'd drive like a paranoid maniac if you even drove at all.

So, maybe Manuella had some downtime. Maybe she even had access to a TV. She was calm and collected enough to call CNN.

A sick thought would be - by calling CNN she knew it would put Prince in the headlines. Therefore generating possible album sales and thus her collecting a little more alimony.

That's a sick thought, though. Whoever would think that is a real scum bag.

Also, a real scum bag would consider this:

If the US government would be willing to sacrifice 3,000+ lives in the 9/11 attacks, that is, IF the government was involved in a conspiracy, then why wouldn't the Obama camp do the following:

It was announced weeks before the election that Obama's grandmother was very ill. One day before the election she died. Could it be possible she was a governmental sacrifice for a sympathy vote? Hey, dirtier things have happened, especially if 9/11 was an inside job. 1 grandmother vs 3,000 civilians?

Conspiracies linger on and on till the break of dawn...

pplrain said:

It's a shame there are places on Earth that are not safe for tourists. But honestly, I wouldn't let that dissuade you from visiting. A terrorist attack is less likely, in terms of odds of happening, than a plane crash. And a plane crash is way less likely than a car crash.

If anything maybe Mumbai will be a little safer after all this.

After NWA put Compton on the map, I went there and took a little stroll through the neighborhood. It really wasn't that bad.

berniejobs said:

Exactly my point.

PurpleCharm said:

i'm still trying to figure out why she called CNN? It just seems a weird thing to do when you're in the midst of something like that.

as far as the eric benet reference, i guess she's more known as Prince's ex more than Eric Benet's girlfriend.

I am greatful the Lord blessed Mani, friends, associates and others to reach safty and I will and am now praying for everyone's safe,peaceful and uneventful return. B Blessed. May the Lord B a light unto your feet and a lamp unto their pathway. And will you be found praising Him for his deliverance every time the Lord gives you the opportunity, space and blessed timing.

kok said:

berniejobs said:

I talked to my mother yesterday because I was so worried ...

Manuella called CNN at approx 4:00 AM Indian Time. If I was in the middle of a terrorist attack... the LAST thing on my mind would be to call a major news network, unless I had other priorities on my mind. I would want to get out of the situation fast.


Manuella is conniving, I think her main goal was to get back into the public view, which was not happening for her after she separated from Prince.

Also she is currently with Eric Benet, why not use his name... LOL! Tells you what is on her mind.
[Edited 11/27/08 12:38pm]

I just heard Mani on CNN...Thank God she was able to allow others to know about the devastation and the tragic events and occurances several hours after it began so those who love her and others could unite in prayer. She is incredibly calm, spoke clearly and concisely, but with a real respect, for what is still in progress. May all B blessed to come home, find peace and healing and tell the story of the Lord's deliverance.
I can see why Prince loves or loved her and why Eric B. loves her...she is like a peace in the mist of a storm... peacefully refreshing. May Mani and all the others' Faith B strengthen and soar Still praying 4 U all.
[Edited 11/27/08 13:15pm]
[Edited 11/27/08 13:19pm]

I'm pretty sure CNN had people on the ground asking survivors of attacks to call in. She did not call in for publicity. She called in to give accounts and inform in the public.

She probably relished the contact with American media.

Very scary and horrible situation. So glad she got away safely.

My prayers go out to everyone involved and their families

They were playing her account all night and CNN never mentioned Ps name once on this side of the pond (NE US). They also were playing a beautiful dark haired woman w/ a British accent who got out, all night. Who was that?

pplrain said:

I absolutely agree. This is not the time 2 talk. She should talk when she gets back to Canada or the U.S. Let's face it, she's probaly always wanted to be at the center of whatever....As Miles O'brien said to her....you seem so calm in light of what is happening right before your eyes. I would be praying to God to keep me safe....the hell with CNN.

wonder505 said:

That's what I'm talking about. Mani has issues. Anybody in their right mind dodging bullets and shit and here you are calling CNN....the in the hell is CNN going to do for her ass....nothing. Just to go to show you Miles O'brien didn't even know who she was....I'm glad she did not say Prince's former spouse....chick just wanted to make the News.

pplrain said:

I agree. I find it extremely interesting that a person who is supposedly fleeing for their life is calling up the media to gain attention and obviously still dropping Prince's name to stay in the news rather than worrying about safety and the safety of others. Just seems interesting she just happened to have a cell phone and was able to contact CNN. It is sad that she wants attention to that point. Cell phone transmissions can be tracked and then she is putting at risk the people she is hiding with and I find this to be very selfish and sad of her.

KeepinItReal

i pray for all those effected by this tragedy.i am happy to here Manuela made it out alive.i hope she's doing okay given the circumstances.

I think y'all are being too harsh on Mani. We don't know the exact circumstances that prompted her to call CNN. For all we know, she never mentioned that she is Prince's ex. Maybe someone at CNN (perhaps a Prince fan) knows who she is and put the fact that she was married to Prince out there as a frame of reference for the viewers. Like I probably would have done if I worked at CNN.