Aretha, THIS Is the Title to fight over...YOUR CRIB!!

Priorities Ree-Ree, Priorities!

(image source)

The latest news in the world of "The Queen of Soul," oops, I meant "The Emperess of All Music" is she currently owes over $19k in back property taxes...and may possibly lose her crib.
Hmmmm.
One would think if you're going to put up a stink over a title, it would be the one to your home. But that's just me.
A $445 debt in 2005, now costs $19, 192 -which includes back taxes for the years 2006-07 and fees.

Too bad her other "titles" Queen of Soul, or The Empress of All Music can't get her out of this jam.

The Empress of All Music says she will have the debt paid by March 31st.
I hope so.

source

Come See What's Really Good at Bria's Own Words, my OTHER blog!

Why Bring Prince Harry, Home?? Let him fight!!

LONDON, England (CNN) -- Calling his unexpected withdrawal from Afghanistan a "shame," Prince Harry expressed his disappointment Saturday at being sent home after the media's disclosure of his deployment.

Prince Harry, left, walks with his father Prince Charles after returning to Britain on Saturday.

See Slideshow

"I didn't see it coming, obviously it's a shame," the 23-year-old said. " I am so disappointed, I thought I could see it through to the end and come back with our guys and the colonel himself."

He added, "I suppose I think deep down inside it would be quite nice to have a bath ... but, no, I'd like to still be out there with the guys ... I would love to go back out. I want to go out very very soon."

Harry was welcomed home by his father and brother Saturday, a day after he was quickly withdrawn from deployment.

His father -- Prince Charles -- and his brother -- Prince William -- were waiting for Harry at the Royal Air Force's Brize Norton base near Oxford, England.

Prince Harry walked off an RAF transport plane, along with several dozen other British soldiers, at 11:45 a.m. Saturday.

Charles told reporters he was "enormously proud" of Harry and said he now understood what the families and loved ones of soldiers endured when they were serving abroad. Video Watch as Harry arrives in UK »

He said: "As you can imagine it's obviously a great relief as far as I'm concerned to see him home in one piece."

The prince had been deployed in Afghanistan since December. Major news outlets had agreed to keep the information secret for security reasons, but a Web site broke the news blackout Thursday.

That prompted the British military to withdraw the prince for security reasons four weeks before the end of his 14-week deployment.

On Saturday, Harry said he was "surprised by the way the British media kept to their side of the bargain and ... I am very grateful to that."

He added, "At the same time it doesn't surprise me that once again it came down to media, foreign media, that's once again spilled the beans." Video Watch Prince Harry express his disappointment »

Asked if he had mixed feelings about Harry's premature return, Charles replied: "Yes." He went on: "I feel particular frustration that he was removed unexpectedly early because apart from anything else, he had been looking forward to coming back with the rest of his regiment.

"As you can imagine it's obviously a great relief as far as I'm concerned to see him home in one piece.

"It's been quite difficult also having to keep quiet about the fact he was serving in that part of the world.

"People kept saying to me 'you must be so frustrated about Harry not being able to serve abroad.'"

Charles said he now understood "what it's like for so many families with loved ones serving abroad."

The British Ministry of Defence had earlier described as "regrettable" the decision of "elements of the foreign media" to reveal Prince Harry's service in Afghanistan.

Because of the unique circumstances of the deployment, CNN, as well as other news organizations, chose to honor an embargo requested by the military.

While the deployment has transformed the image of Harry, previously dubbed the "playboy prince" by many newspapers, veteran PR expert Max Clifford on Saturday criticized what he regards as an ill-conceived publicity stunt.

"It just comes across, the whole thing, as a very, very calculated public relations exercise," designed to rehabilitate Harry's image as a partying posh boy, he told Channel 4 News.


He said Harry was never put "in real danger," and said the public was more clear-sighted about the manipulation than the media had been.

Clifford added: "The other aspect of it is he's been shown firing a machine gun at Muslims. What does that say? He becomes a big target. Harry likes to go to clubs and pubs -- does that make them targets?"

The 23-year-old prince holds the rank of cornet -- equivalent to a second lieutenant -- and served in Afghanistan as a forward air controller with a group called Joint Tactical Air Control, or JTAC.

"At the end of the day I like to sort of be a normal person, and for once I think this is about as normal as I'm ever going to get," he said in a interview while he was there. "As far as I'm concerned, I'm out here as a normal JTAC on the ground and not as Prince Harry."

His duties included calling in airstrikes and air support when necessary, guaranteeing the accuracy of bombing on the ground and guarding against incidents of friendly fire.

Prince Harry is the younger son of Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne, and the late Princess Diana, who died in a Paris car crash in 1997.

Last year, the military ruled he could not be sent to Iraq because publicity about the deployment could put him and his unit at risk.

Shortly after the news of the prince's deployment broke, several Islamist Web sites posted messages alerting their "brethren" in Afghanistan to be on the lookout for the royal soldier.

Several members of the British royal family saw combat in the past century. Prince Harry's grandfather, Prince Phillip, served aboard warships in World War II; his great-grandfather -- the future King George VI -- took part in the World War I naval battle of Jutland; and Prince Andrew, Prince Harry's uncle, flew Royal Navy helicopters during Britain's 1982 war with Argentina over the Falkland Islands.
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Prince Harry's brother, Prince William, is also an army officer. But as second in line for the throne, he is specifically barred from combat.

The last sitting British monarch to lead troops in battle was George II, who defeated a French force at the Battle of Dettingen in 1743. source

***
I have to agree w/Max Clifford...I think it was a publicity stunt also. I've watched Prince H shoot his machine gun w/a big Kool-Aid Smile on his face (it looked like he was told to take the gun and shoot-IMHO it looked completely staged)...but my suspicions came at how CLOSE the camera person filmed P.H. If Harry was truly shooting at an enemy...do u really think the camera person would be willing to film THAT CLOSE to a machine gun, AND still have a steady hand???
How many times have we seen photographers, camera people TRULY in the line of fire, FALL to the ground in hopes of not getting shot?? Didn't their film document their ordeal??? U can hear (and see) how fearful the person truly was. Such was not the case w/Prince Harry...I'm not blaming P.H., cuz even if it was a marketing ploy, to agree to go to Afghanistan is still a dangerous undertaking-the kid def has some cajones.

But don't manipulate the public...we're not as daft as u think we are.


**scroll to the bottom and get Recognizd! Sign my "Slide Guestbook!**

Hope She Does Right by Those Babies...

Britney Spears allowed monitored visits to sons three times a week

source

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- A court commissioner granted Britney Spears three monitored visits a week with her two small sons while ordering the pop star to childproof her house and work out a schedule for the visits with her ex-husband, Kevin Federline, according to a ruling made Tuesday.

Britney Spears must work out a schedule for the visits with her ex-husband, Kevin Federline.

Superior Court Commissioner Scott Gordon also required that Spears undergo random weekly drug and alcohol tests.

Spears, 25, also must continue meeting with a court-appointed parenting coach, and the youngsters must be in car seats when they are being driven, the ruling states.

Calls to lawyers representing Spears and Federline weren't immediately returned.

The nine-page ruling said Spears could have overnight visits with her kids -- something she had been seeking. She will get two visits a week from noon to 7 p.m. and one from noon to 10 a.m. the next morning.

The order also cited some details of an Oct. 19 report submitted by parenting coach Lisa Hacker about her observations of Spears with her children.

The report makes it clear that Hacker feels Spears "loves her children and the children are bonded" to her, the ruling states.

However, Hacker was concerned that Spears didn't seem to have "child-centered" interactions, according to the ruling.

The "environment at the house ranged from chaotic to almost somber with little communication at all," Hacker reported, according to the ruling.

During all three of her visits, Spears "rarely engaged with the children in either conversation or play," Hacker said in her report.

Hacker also reported that Spears seemed to have a "lack of general attention at times" but added there was nothing she "would characterize as abusive in a traditional sense."

Hacker added that during an additional visit Oct. 23, Spears seemed "much more engaged with [Hacker] and the children," the ruling stated.

The ruling came after a three-hour hearing last Friday attended by Spears and Federline. Extensive testimony was presented on a number of issues.

Gordon previously said there was evidence that Spears is a "habitual, frequent and continuous" user of drugs and alcohol.

He had withdrawn approval for her to even visit the children after finding she had failed to comply with some conditions for shared custody.

He later withdrew the ban and allowed her to visit Sean Preston, 2, and Jayden James, 1 -- but only in the presence of a court-approved monitor.

Spears had filed a request Friday to "terminate or modify" the order, according to court records.

Additional details about the request weren't disclosed.

***
Those babies need Brit, whether she realizes it or not.
I truly hope she does the right thing-get her priorities straight.
It's not easy being a parent, but parenthood is a choice.
She chose them, not vice versa.

Apparently, desperate times calls for desperate measures

Sellers offer house for the deal of their lifetime
Fed up with no offers, will refund entire purchase price upon their deaths
source
(image courtesy of Google Images)



WEXFORD, Pa. - It could be the deal of a lifetime. A Pittsburgh-area couple, Bob and Ricki Husick, are offering anyone who buys their home full cash-back upon their death and even their full inheritance, currently worth at least $500,000.

The Husicks have been trying to sell their home for almost a year, but have failed to do so in the current shaky market.

Bob Husick said he's asking $399,900 for the four-bedroom, three and a half bath home about 20 miles north of Pittsburgh.

According to the Husicks' offer, the buyer would get the money back when the couple dies. And if the buyer agrees to care for them in old age, they could also inherit their retirement home in Arizona, bringing the estate's current value to about $500,000.

***

Times are truly tough.

I'm sure there'll be incentives of all types out of desperation to sell a home. Honestly,

It's so hard to believe that many people's dreams of owning a home has been realized as a nightmare.

People are selling their homes at 50%+ than their asking price, or some are struggling paying 2 mortgages.

I don't know what it will take to resolve these issues, but it can't come soon enough for some.

Ivent

How Financially Fit Are You??

Family,

It's time to get our money straight!!

Take the Financially Fit Quiz at homemoneyhelp.com and find out: source

*UPDATE* God Don't Like Ugly...Juanita Bynum

JUANITA BYNUM NOT SELLING HER HOME, SAYS REP: Also, publicist wants to clarify that televangelist does not actually live there.



*Televangelist Juanita Bynum does not live in the house that's in limbo pending the repayment of $39,000 in back taxes, interest and other fees, her publicist said in a letter to EUR, disputing our source, the Associated Press.

The home, owned by her company Juanita Bynum Ministries, was "purchased for a future business development, as well as headquarters for Juanita Bynum Ministries," her publicist, Amy Malone, clarified.
Malone also says the property will not end up on the auction block Nov. 6 as stated in The Florida Times-Union by Ware County Tax Commissioner Steve Barnard.

"Arrangements are being made to satisfy any outstanding debts, and the property will not be sold," Malone affirmed.

***

All I gotta say is...mmmm hmmmmm Juanita. whateverrrrrrrrrrrrr








source

What Goes Around...

Bynum's $4.5M home in south Ga set for auction for nonpayment of taxesy

Evangelist Juanita Bynum's $4.5 million South Georgia compound is scheduled to be auctioned off next month for nonpayment of property taxes, officials said.
credits: ajc.com; hicktownpress.com (bold type by Ivent)

Ware County Tax Commissioner Steve Barnard filed a lien against the 23.6-acre property owned by Juanita Bynum Ministries on June 7, citing failure to pay $32,007.56 in 2006 property tax.
According to the lien, a $3,200 penalty and $2,240 (total= $37,447.56) in interest is also owed.

It's the latest legal drama involving the nationally known Pentecostal evangelist, who has been in the news in recent weeks after alleging she was beaten by her estranged husband, Thomas Weeks.

Barnard said Tuesday that the property, on St. Bernard Trail near Waycross, will be sold at auction on Nov. 6 on the steps of the Ware County Courthouse. The auction will be canceled if Bynum Ministries, which still has ownership, pays the full amount before that date, he said.

Bynum's Waycross-based ministry bought the property for $4.5 million last year.
Barnard said there is a 7,487-square-foot house, a 6,748-square-foot house and a 1,366-square-foot house on the property. Bynum lives in one of the homes (can u guess which house?), he said.
Barnard said someone from Bynum's office called him last month, "wanting to know if they could set up a payment plan, and I told them if she sent me $25,000, I'd take it out of the [Nov. 6] sale, and she'd have 60 days to pay the balance.

That partial payment was supposed to be made by Sept. 28, Barnard said.
"I never received anything, and then last week, I received a check for $5,000 (can u say ghetto?!)and someone from her organization called and wanted to know if we got the check," Barnard said. "I said, well, we got a check for $5,000 that was supposed to have been $25,000, and they wanted to know if that (the $5k )would take it out of the sale and I told them, no."

Bynum told police in August that her estranged husband, Weeks, beat, choked and stomped her to the ground in the parking lot of an Atlanta hotel.

Weeks, also a pastor, has denied the alleged abuse.

Bynum filed for divorce from Weeks last month in Gwinnett County. She moved to Waycross after separating from Weeks.

***

If it's the ministry's home, why is it being auctioned? That ministry generates MILLIONS.

Why would you send a check for a paltry $5k and the debt is in excess of $30,000?

Is this why there was a solicitation for $200k--for the FLESHING floor?

Is this why she's asking Weeks, for financial support?

I'm not an oderiferous expert...but somethin SMELLS FISHY!

You evicted your hubby, dogged him out, and now look. God does not like ugly.

She's going to have a perfect explanation as to losing the home. *smh*

The Bible says:

Proverbs 16:18 - Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

As long as Bynum continues to operate in Control, she's goin to lose much more.

It's time to confess and repent before the Lord, get some healing Juanita!

God is not to be mocked!

-Ivent

When Will Black Celebrities Learn?!

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE PRESS RELEASE: On arrest of rapper T.I. for possession of illegal firearms

source: eurweb.com, (emphasis added by Ivent)

Atlanta, GA -- CLIFFORD HARRIS, 27, (pictured at right) an entertainer also known as "T.I.," of College Park, Georgia, was arrested in Atlanta at approximately 2:30 p.m. today (Saturday, October 13, 2007) by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), as he allegedly took possession of three machine guns and two silencers. Three other firearms were found in the vehicle HARRIS was driving.

ATF also executed a federal search warrant at HARRIS' house at 4XX Creekview Lane in College Park, finding six additional firearms in his bedroom closet.
United States Magistrate Judge Linda T. Walker issued a federal criminal complaint after the arrest and search, charging HARRIS with the felony offenses of (1) possession of unregistered machine guns [and silencers] and (2) possession of firearms by a convicted felon. HARRIS will be held in federal custody over the weekend and then will make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Alan J. Baverman at the United States Courthouse in Atlanta on Monday, October 15, at a time to be determined by the court. The United States Attorney's Office and ATF will hold a short news conference afterward at a location to be determined.
"Machine guns pose a serious danger to the community, which is why they are so carefully regulated," said David E. Nahmias, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia. "The last place machine guns should be is in the hands of a convicted felon who cannot legally possess any kind of firearm. This convicted felon allegedly was trying to add several machine guns to an already large and entirely illegal arsenal of guns. Thanks to the good and quick work of ATF, he is now in custody and his firearms have been seized."

"This investigation developed very quickly," said Vanessa McLemore, Special Agent in Charge of ATF's Atlanta Division. "We learned only this Wednesday that the cooperating witness was allegedly buying the machine guns for Harris. The cooperating witness told Harris on Thursday that he had obtained the items, and on Friday Harris made it clear that he wanted them delivered to him today. Harris then agreed to meet and took possession of the machine guns this afternoon. He now faces serious federal charges and a potentially long prison sentence."

According to U.S. Attorney Nahmias and the information filed in court: On October 2, 2007, an employee of a federal firearms licensee advised ATF that an individual was seeking to purchase a machine gun without registering the weapon as required by law. The individual was directed to an ATF agent acting in an undercover capacity, posing as a machine gun dealer. Last Wednesday, October 10, 2007, the individual was arrested by ATF after purchasing three unregistered machine guns and two silencers from the undercover agent in exchange for $2,200 and a pistol. The individual then agreed to cooperate with ATF, including with respect to his purpose for obtaining the firearms.

The cooperating witness (CW) advised the agents that he was purchasing the machine guns on October 10 on behalf of CLIFFORD HARRIS, aka "T.I.," an entertainer for whom the CW had been working as a bodyguard (I cannot believe they divulged enough info as to who was working with ATF, is he going in the witness protection program?!) since July 2007. The CW admitted to straw purchasing about nine firearms for HARRIS and about 17 firearms for other persons on previous occasions. Firearm purchase records confirm that the CW has purchased about 25 firearms over the past 18 months. The CW said that HARRIS gave him cash to buy guns on four occasions. HARRIS asked the CW to purchase the firearms for him because HARRIS has a prior felony conviction and therefore cannot lawfully purchase or possess firearms under federal law, while the CW could lawfully obtain guns.

According to the CW, he purchased a Calico 9mm pistol on September 6, 2007, and delivered it to HARRIS at HARRIS' house on Creekview Lane, where he also saw multiple firearms in a safe in the walk-in closet in HARRIS' bedroom. The CW next purchased a Smith & Wesson .500 caliber revolver for HARRIS on September 18, 2007, delivering it to an associate of HARRIS' to give to HARRIS. On or about September 26, 2007, the CW purchased seven more firearms, three rifles and four handguns, using $7,000 in cash provided by HARRIS, and delivered the firearms to HARRIS at the Creekview Lane house.

Finally, last Wednesday, October 10, 2007, HARRIS arranged for the CW to pick up $12,000 in cash from HARRIS's bank, telling the CW to use the funds to purchase machine guns for HARRIS. The CW was arrested later that day when he attempted to purchase three machine guns and two silencers from the undercover ATF agent.

After agreeing to cooperate with ATF, the CW had a series of telephone calls with HARRIS, which were recorded by ATF with the CW's consent. On Thursday, October 11, 2007, the CW called HARRIS to say that he had"everything for you," referring to the machine guns he was supposed to purchase on Harris' behalf; HARRIS replied affirmatively.

On Friday, October 12, 2007, HARRIS called the CW. The CW asked HARRIS when he wanted to take delivery of what the CW had, and HARRIS told the CW that he would take delivery today, Saturday, October 13, 2007.

After the CW left HARRIS a message this morning, shortly after noon HARRIS called the CW to arrange the pick up. At approximately 2:22 p.m., HARRIS met with the CW in a shopping center parking lot in midtown Atlanta to take possession of the firearms. The meeting was recorded by ATF. The CW entered the vehicle that HARRIS was driving and displayed to HARRIS the two silencers and three machine guns that the CW had purchased from the undercover ATF agent on October 10. When the CW explained the function of one silencer, HARRIS said "no flash, no bang." (what were you planning on doing T.I?)The CW and HARRIS also discussed the selector switch of one of the machine guns, which switches the gun from semi-automatic to fully automatic fire. HARRIS also asked the CW for "change leftover" from the $12,000 that he provided the CW to purchase the firearms.
HARRIS was arrested without incident. A subsequent search of the vehicle located three other firearms, including one loaded gun tucked between the driver's seat where HARRIS had been sitting and the center console.

Shortly after the arrest, ATF agents executed a federal search warrant for HARRIS' house at 429 Creekview Lane in College Park. (looks like his baby-mama and son will be moving now, since they've PUBLISHED THE ADDRESS!) In a walk-in closet in HARRIS' bedroom, the agents found six more firearms (three rifles, two pistols, and a revolver), including three of the guns that the CW had said he purchased for and delivered to HARRIS in September. Five of the six guns were loaded.

Members of the public are reminded that the criminal complaint only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government's burden to prove the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case is being investigated by Special Agents of the ATF, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service, the Atlanta Police Department, the Fulton County Police Department, and the Fulton County Sheriff's Department.

********

Ok. Ummmmmm, hmmmmm.

Either T.I. is:

• paranoid schizophrenic,
• part of a militia,
• made some bad people very angry,
• is about to open a gun-store,
• has a stalker on his hands,
• received kidnapping threats
• going hunting
• had something to prove to Ted Nugent or the NRA
• on some pre-meditated stuff
• his own bodyguard, or
• none of the above

This is very serious. whenever ATF is involved, something's going down. They don't waste time over crap.

He was scheduled to appearton BET, Saturday Oct 13th, and he was collaborating with Steve Harvey (per Steve Harvey's radio interview) for the website, www.streetcred.com.

Looks like all of that is on hold now.

T.I. you better start rapping, cuz your boy had already started singing! It's too bad you couldn't be more like your character on ATL, who left that life alone. Pity.

You better recognize, you didn't need street cred anymore...YOU'RE FAMOUS!

I will never understand this.

$$$ Financial Freedom Friday $$$

Grandpa Terry

What's In Your Wallet??

We've seen the citibank commercial over a gazillion times, and I'll once ask again..."what's in your wallet?" or better yet..."what ISN'T in your wallet?"

If you like other Americans answered "money," you'd be in the majority.

Next question, "are you on a budget?" Most Americans who are in debt-do not utilize a budget.

Why use a budget?

Budgeting helps you to see where your money's going.

For ex., Starbucks coffee is delicious, but one $4 cup everyday on the way to work is $20/wk, $80/month, and a whopping $960 per year. Think of the gas you can purchase with $960 per year. Ok, it still wouldn't pay for a year but it'll make a huge dent in your gas budget! $960 is a down payment towards a car, you can buy new textbooks for a school year, you can treat yourself to wardrobe (on sale) etc.

Budgeting takes determination and discipline, it's not for the faint at heart, but for those who want to have money in the bank.

Where to Start

In searching for a credible online debt website, I could not believe my fortune when I read about "Grandpa Terry." Grandpa Terry, a former navyman, considers his job title "grandpa" to be his most important job right now. His website called "Budget Stretcher" found at

http://www.homemoneyhelp.com/

contains so much information about debt relief, that it seems almost criminal to offer it to the public-FREE. That's right, it's free. Many of our questions are answered here, and you can also sign up to receive helpful information via email. Also, he's speaking from experience. Grandpa Terry admits when he met his goal in the navy of being promoted to Second Class Petty Officer, Grandpa T admitted his finances were in a mess. Grandpa keeps it real, he is nonsense and he will help you get out of debt.

This is a start.

Next Friday, I will take a tip from Budget Stretcher and include it in Financial

Freedom Friday's post.

Fam, you betta recognize. It's time for a change.

Ivent

p.s. you cannot get out of debt, if you do not know how much debt you owe. Go here to get your FREE annual credit report: https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp

source: Budget Stretcher. image: budget stretcher