"A Waltz With Love" #PoetsCorner

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Destinee Love ~ Author/Poet

"A Waltz With Love"


My heart beats for only you my love
feel it reaching for you into the night
to dance a melody of pure delight
the sweetest song of affection from above


Take me into your arms tonight
hold me close and dance real real slow
moving together in the melodious candlelight 
seductive words of delight..not even afraid to show


Meaning more than just the world to me
this is what I’ve been waiting for
a time of healing devotion..your heart to adore
a place where passion exist ..letting it be


Lets hold each other real tight tonight
pressing close and dancing slow
moving together rhythmically in the dim light
belonging with only you love..please never let me go

Destinee Love, Writer of erotic poems & passages. Read my expressions through love, passion, lust, intimacy, and erotica.

“Expressions of Love, Passion, and Intimacy” is my first collection of my spoken words about love, passion, and affection. Once you have experienced it, you can understand the true meaning of it {Ecstasy}.

Visit my blog site http://www.destineelove.com for blog post and excerpts from the book. Also, visit my webpagehttp://www.destineelove.net to get your personalized copy today!!

The Injustice Files World Premiere

To know subconsciously, that hate still exists in this day in age is very disturbing, but to actually live in an era where injustice crimes were committed and justice never prevailed, definitely makes you view life in a different light.

Today many cases from the civil rights era are still considered cold cases and have yet to be solved, which is why the show ” The Injustice Files” was created. Creator and Host, of “The Injustice Files” Keith Beauchamp, represents the true meaning of hero to many of the victims families, and is certainly out to make a difference in these cases.

Make sure to check out my upcoming interview with him and don’t forget to tune in to the premiere of the show tonight on Discovery I.D.




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HHGS Exclusive: NYC Gossip Girl Interviews Juelz Santana

Yessir!! This past evening I got to shoot some behind the scenes footage of a video shoot from artist Cankoone which featured Dipset pioneer, Juelz Santana. After the shoot was done, I sat Juelz Santana down to have a quick one-on-one session where we talked about his newest video "Homerun" featuring Lil Wayne and why the video took so long to come out. We also talked about Juelz' recent arrest and the Hip Hop police. Towards the end, Juelz had some choice words for all the websites and he's letting you know he's coming for your neck!! Hear it for yourselves below:



Any thoughts?

New Jersey Regulators Accuse Tax Preparers of False Advertising

By Alicia Cruz
Staff Writer
The New Jersey Newsroom

With a stagnate economy, soaring gas prices and brimming unemployment numbers, the lure of instant tax refunds with same-day cash offers are magnetizing to even the most level-headed tax-payer despite APR terms that carry a rate of 50 to 1,000 percent -- similar to those predatory payday loans.

Refund Anticipation Loans offered by many tax preparer companies, while attractive, come at a costly amount with high fees and interest rates deducted from the consumers’ refund.

The practice has become so commonplace, it caught the attention of The New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, The Attorney General and The Division of Consumer Affairs. All three regulators seem to agree the offers are predatory, not to mention deceitful, and launched an inspection last week at how more than 500 tax-preparation offices in seven counties promoted their offers of refund anticipation loans.

Businesses cited were Demian & Co. LLC in Cranford, City, Tax in Jersey City, Girotel NJ LLC in Union City, Personal Touch Taxes LLC in Newark, and MB Motorsports Inc. in Tinton Falls, which is actually a car dealer whom has collaborated with Tax Refund Services Inc., a finance company based out of Tampa, Florida. The company offers patrons in need of transportation the option of filing their tax at the car dealership and using their anticipated refund to purchase a car.

After the State inspection, owner Jesse Lehman posted this notice: "the advertised 48-hour refund was intended to read, '48-hour refund anticipation loan provided through our partnership with Tax Refund Services, TaxMax dealer program.' MB Motorsports had no intention of deceiving its clients and we would like to sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused."

The New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs said it is seeking a civil fine of $1,500 for each violation against all five New Jersey businesses found to be falsely advertising RALs as "instant" or "same day" refunds. Consumer advocates and government regulators agree that in the end, taxpayers are simply better off waiting three weeks for their refunds to come directly from the IRA versus paying exuberant fees for cash upfront.

The Neighborhood Economic Development Advocacy Project, which assists low-income residents in New York, said tax companies offering RALs often target mis-educated recipients, many whom are struggling financially. The agency believes a number of these people become ensnared in the fast-money trap because they are outside the “realm of mainstream banking and rely on lightly regulated fringe products” offering them a quick fix off high-rate loans.

In 2007, a survey showed that more than 80 percent of RALs prepared in New York City were to low-income citizens, and more than 60 percent went to EITC recipients.

Last week was not the first time consumer watchdog agencies, working in conjunction with the IRS and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency have engineered campaigns to rein in lightly regulated tax-preparation offices. 

In 2010, the National Consumer Law Center and the Consumer Federation of America sought to have refund anticipation loans eliminated saying the method preyed upon low-income filers, those most susceptible to these high-end, short-term loan practices, but government response has been slow to acknowledge their efforts.

Tax preparation companies HR Block and Jackson Hewitt, the nation's second largest vendors of RALs, faced class action lawsuits alleging they violated state and federal laws by deliberately peddling high-cost RALs to low-income taxpayers. 

Jackson Hewitt settled their lawsuit, filed by the California Attorney General Bill Lockyer, in 2007, agreeing to fork over $5 million, including $4 million in consumer restitution. HR Block agreed to a $4.85 million settlement, plus $2.45 Million in restitution to California consumers. 

The Justice Department sued five Jackson Hewitt franchises, including 24 individuals who worked at the companies saying they knowingly prepared fraudulent tax returns for consumers at several of the more than 125 offices they owned in Chicago, Atlanta, Detroit and Raleigh-Durham, N.C.

The Justice Department’s lawsuit alleged that Jackson Hewitt defendants "created and fostered a business environment" in which fraudulent tax return preparation is "encouraged and flourishes."

HR Block complaints
Jackson Hewitt complaints

State of New Jersey Taxpayer Walk-In Assistance
124 Halsey Street
Newark, NJ 07102
(973) 648-4713

Refund Anticipation Loans: Predatory or Convenience

February 1 was the Treasury Department's Earned Income Tax Credit Appreciation Day, a celebration of what is arguably the U.S. government's largest antipoverty program. And consumer advocates say there is some reason to celebrate: Increased federal oversight, they say, should limit the share of those tax rebates that low-income taxpayers hand over to financial professionals.

Low-income taxpayers frequently use tax-preparation services like Jackson Hewitt or HR Block to help them file their taxes. On top of fees for that service, such companies frequently sell them loans known as Refund Anticipation Loans or set up Refund Anticipation Checks -- temporary bank accounts that allow taxpayers who do not have bank accounts to receive their tax refunds.

In exchange for receiving their refund check immediately, however, the consumer leaves a piece of their total refund in the bank's account, much like a payday loan. A week or two later, when the full refund arrives, the bank deposits it and pockets the difference.

With fees of around $60 for a $1,500 tax refund, the annual interest rate on this very short-term loan can easily eclipse triple digits. Add in another $30 so that the RAL check can be deposited into a RAC, and $180 for tax preparation, and low-income taxpayers see hundreds of dollars in fees go to financial professionals.

"No other anti-poverty program requires its beneficiaries to pay for the cost of accessing the benefit, which includes both the drain created by [Refund Anticipation Loans] and by tax preparation fees," the National Consumer Law Center wrote in a 2010 report.

According to that report, 44 percent of taxpayers who receive the EITC take out either a RAL or a RAC. RALs drained $507 million from the EITC program in 2008, according to the NCLC, while roughly another $1 billion in EITC funds went to pay for tax prep. That's a conservative estimate, in that it only includes prep fees for taxpayers who received a RAL -- other EITC recipients may have paid to have their taxes done, but opted not to receive a RAL.

RAL use has been long bemoaned by consumer advocates, who argue that many taxpayers do not realize they are receiving a loan rather than their own refund check, and that many others have relatively simple tax returns that they could do for free on their own. But the tax-preparation industry and the RAL business may finally be on the decline.

JPMorgan Chase, formerly the largest bank to offer RALs, bowed out of the business last year after facing allegations from consumer advocates that it was preying on poor people. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, often viewed as uninterested in consumer-protection issues, issued a direct order banning British banking giant HSBC from extending RALs in the United States. HSBC had sold RALs through HR Block.

Only three banks will offer RALs at all this tax season: Republic Bank & Trust, River City Bank and Ohio Valley Bank. Republic provides loans through Jackson Hewitt, but expects RALs to decrease this year.

The Treasury Department is also rolling out a new low-cost debit card program this year for taxpayers who do not have bank accounts that will allow them to process their tax returns without forking over big fees to banks.

Now of course this is good news for the millions of working poor seeking refunds this tax season. Ultimately, this would mean more money in the pockets of consumers seeking refunds; and of course, given the state of economic affairs, having more to spend (or save) is a great thing. But unfortunately, as is the problem with poor people, there is a lack of discipline - we want what we want quick fast and in a hurry. With that being said, there'll always be someone to prey on the poor.

Pregnant West Philly Mother Dead After Philadelphia Courthouse Attack

 By Alicia Cruz
The Black Urban Times

A West Philadelphia woman, four months into a new pregnancy, is dead Monday after her former boyfriend and other men began fighting her current boyfriend and her as the couple left a courthouse.

Tovoyia Owens, 21 , was leaving Philadelphia Traffic Court on Spring Garden Street around 2:00 p.m. Monday when witnesses say five men attacked her and a man believed to be her boyfriend.

One of the men allegedly hit Owens in the head causing her to fall to the ground, hitting her head against the concrete pavement.

A traffic court Sergeant came out to the street after he was told of the fight and apprehended one of the suspects, a 29-year-old man, reportedly the former boyfriend of the victim.

Owens, who had a three-year-old daughter, was a student enrolled at Cheyney University and working as a pharmacy technician at Rite Aid in West Philadelphia at the time of her death.

She was rushed to Hahnemann University Hospital where doctors pronounced her dead at 3:10 p.m.

After word of her death spread, friends and family members flooded the young mothers Facebook page with words of love and disbelief. Known as Toya to friends and family, Owens enjoyed cooking and dancing, according to her Facebook page.

She was a bright young woman, with a great sense of humor who adored her daughter.

"Still can't believe this s---, You're my older sista, home will never be the same. Love you babe," wrote Abdul Aziz. "

"All we can think of is damn why they take our Toya from us? But we all love you we will always love your baby girl," wrote Zakkiyah Ali Kardashian.

Detectives are reviewing footage from nearby surveillance cameras hoping to get a look at other suspects involved in the senseless ambush.
"Hopefully we'll get the incident on tape and arrest the individuals responsible," said Homicide detective Captain James Clark.

Anyone with information on other suspects involved in the assault should call Captain James Clark at the Homicide Unit: 215-686-3334 or -3335.

View more videos at: http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com.

Portion of Atlantic City Boardwalk Collapses

Repairs are underway Monday night after an already decaying section of the world-famous Atlantic City Boardwalk collapsed into the water.

The collapse occured on the wooden walkway portion of the boardwalk, a section which had been closed due to deterioration. Officials have not reported any injuries.

Got Five Minutes and a Stamp to Thank Our Troops?

 Got 5 minutes and a first class stamp?
Whether walking a patrol in Baghdad, riding a helicopter in Afghanistan or filling supply requisitions in Kuwait, our men and women in uniform are drawing a line in the sand that reads, "to get to my country you'll have to go over me...and you're not going over me!" 

ThankaSoldier is giving you an opportunity to say thank you to our heroes in uniform and be a blessing to a soldier, sailor, airman or marine.

And here's how it works:

 Each week, via email, you'll receive the name and address of an active duty military man or woman now serving in Iraq or Afghanistan.....MORE

New York TV Exec, Pakistani Native Guilty in Beheading Death of Wife

By Alicia Cruz
The Black Urban Times

Muzzammil "Mo" Hassan, founder of a Muslim-oriented New York television station, was found guilty Monday of the 2009 beheading of his wife, Aasiya Hassan at Bridges TV, a studio the couple opened after the September 11 attacks on the World Trading Center.

The jury deliberated just one hour before returning with their second-degree murder verdict, rejecting Mo Hassan's claim that he killed his wife after years of abuse and because he was afraid of her. The couple were both natives of Pakistan.

Hassan, an imposing figure at 6 feet tall, defended himself at his trial and remained silent when the verdict was read.

Prosecutor's said Hassan's wife planned to divorce him and had papers served on him a week before the gory murder took place. Hassan, 46, was arrested on February 12, 2009 after he walked into the Orchard Park police station and calmly told officers he murdered his wife.

While Mo Hassan savagely butchered Aasiya, their children, then 4-and-6-years-old were sitting in their mother's car with his teenage son from one of his two previous marriages.

The children were on their way to dinner when Aasiya stopped by the studio to drop off her husband's laundry. The couple's two children were sent to live with their maternal grandparents in Pakistan after their mother's death.

Prosecutor Colleen Curtin Gable had jurors wiping tears from their eyes as she gave closing arguments.

She told the court how Mo Hassan was lying in wait for his wife inside the studio with two knives he purchased less than an hour before the murder, and how he covertly parked his car, obscuring it from view.

Then as Aasiya entered the studio, Mo Hassan pounced on her in a dark hallway and began stabbing her more than 40 times in the back, head and chest before decapitating her.

The gruesome attack was partially caught on surveillance video.

During his two-hour closing remarks, Mo Hassan spoke of his hurt and pain; he described his wife's rages and called the domestic violence system a "religion of patriarchy" that "unleashed a bloodbath on American women" because "battered men have no legal way out."

He told jurors how he was disappointed by the domestic-violence system, which refused to recognize men as victims, and blamed his wife's "troubled childhood" for her abusive behavior towards him.

However, unlike prosecutors, Mo Hassan had no medical evidence or witnesses to corroborate his claims of abuse at the hands of his wife.

During the trial, prosecutors produced numerous police reports filed by Aasiya along with her medical records that documented treatment she sought for neck pain, back pain, and early onset cataracts, all which may have been caused by repeated trauma, along with other injuries that proved she was a battered spouse.

Hassan fired three lawyers and used his fourth lawyer as a legal adviser, as required by law before he decided to represent himself at trial.

After Mo Hassan's arrest, many speculated that Aasiya's murder was an honor killing, a practice widely accepted in the couple's native country Pakistan and among some Muslim men who feel betrayed by their wives.

Read: Muslim Community Knew of Mo Hassan's Abuse of Wife

Attorney Nadia Shahram, a Buffalo Seminary Alumnae, lectures on the effects of religion and culture on family law, and said she believed Aasiya's murder was more than a domestic-violence homicide per the separation of her head from her body.

"He separated the mind, which he saw as worthless, and kicked it," said Shahram.

When Mo Hassan is sentenced March 9, he faces up to 25 years to life in prison.

Simon Cowell on 'X-Factor' Child Competition

Former American Idol judge, Simon Cowell, defends his decision to let 12-year-olds compete for a spot on his new competition show "X-Factor."

Cowell said, "I've never believed there should be a cut-off age for talent....MORE

Rocker, Gary Moore of 'Thin Lizzy' Fame Found Dead in Hotel Room

Rock legend Gary Moore was found dead Sunday in a hotel room in Spain, where he had been vacationing. The Thin Lizzy guitarist was 58.

The rocker was found laying unconscious in the lavish Kempinski hotel on Spain's Costa del Sol by his girlfriend....MORE

Coney Island Teen Questioned in Death of Newborn Infant

By Alicia Cruz

The Black Urban Times

The parents of a 14-year-old Coney Island girl told police they had no clue their daughter was pregnant until after she gave birth Monday morning.

Police have questioned the young mother, whose name has not been released to the media, after finding the remains of her newborn baby in a garbage bag.
The girl's parents rushed her to a local hospital after finding her bleeding profusely. Hospital officials called police after examining her and realizing she had just given birth.
When officers arrived at the family's W. 31st Street apartment around 5:30 a.m., they discovered the infant dead in the teenager's bedroom.

Last year, another Brooklyn mother abandoned her newborn baby outside of an apartment building in near-freezing temperatures.
28-year-old Maria Solano walked two-doors down from the apartment she was sharing with a friend, and left her infant son after she rang doorbells hoping someone would answer and find the baby. 

Neighbors at Solano's 68th Street apartment said the woman did not appear to be pregnant and had three other children, all under the age of five. A tenant in the building where Solano left the baby found the tiny baby boy wrapped in a blanket and stuffed in a plastic bag. He still had the umbilical cord attached.

Solano, who lived just a few blocks from a FDNY firehouse, where she could have left the infant without fear of prosecution under the state's safe-haven laws, was later arrested and charged with reckless endangerment and abandonment of a child.

RELATED ARTICLES
Safe-Haven Laws Fail to End Discarding of Babies

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 Mother gives birth in hospital toilet bowl as midwives 'ignore desperate calls for help

Allegations Prompt Federal Review of Embattled Church of Scientology

Controversial Church of Scientology is under Federal review by the FBI for suspicion of human trafficking and acts of enslavement.

The feds launched the probe into the church after members of the "Sea Org" religious order made allegations of abuse that included members being sent to "the hole," which consisted of two trailers on the San Jacinto, California compound where more than 80 members were sent to perform "group confessions" that lasted all day and all night.

Canadian screenwriter and former church member Paul Haggis, who directed the movie "Crash," told the New Yorker that he witnessed children as young as ten-years-old performing manual labor after being forced to join the sect. The 57-year-old said the sight put him in mind of child slaves he saw while in Haiti.

"They were ten years old, twelve years old ... scrubbing pots, manual labor -- that so deeply touched me," said Haggis. "My God, it horrified me!"

The probe, which has been underway for at least a year, is focusing on Church leader, and close friend of actor Tom Cruise, David Miscavige. Federal investigators are looking into everything from how he ran the church to his "swanky lifestyle."

The executive director, or any leader of a tax-exempt organization is not supposed to live like a celebrity, which many say applies to Miscavige. He flies on chartered jets, wears expensive, custom-made shoes and has chefs catering to his needs. One report stated Miscavige, whose wife, Michelle is also a member of Sea Org member, was given a $70,000 super bike.

Paul Haggis vs The Church of Scientology

Arrest Made in Shooting Death of Queens Woman, Avalisa Morris

 Avalisa Morris/Facebook Photo

By Alicia Cruz

The Black Urban Times

What started out as a surprise birthday party in Queens erupted into a fistfight that led to a shooting at 4:30 a.m. Sunday, killing an innocent bystander.
O'Neil Mairs, 23, was arrested Monday and charged with possession of a weapon and the murder of Avalisa Morris, 26, a young woman attending the party on 119th Road.

Police say Mairs fired two shots through the door of a Queens apartment after the tenants refused to allow him inside.

Morris, a native of Jamaica who worked as a bank teller, was helping others shut the door on Mairs after he became involved in a verbal altercation with someone at the party. As several people held the door closed, Mairs opened fire hitting Morris in the head and abdomen.
She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Morris' cousin, Lennox Grant told the NY Daily News his cousin was simply trying to keep everyone safe.

Larrissa Whyte, another cousin of Morris, who was also at the party said her cousin was standing at the door to prevent the troublemakers fighting outside from coming into the apartment.

No other party goers were reported injured. Mairs remains in custody, and investigators have not said when he is set to appear in court or whether he is being held in lieu of a bond.

AOL Buys Huffington Post For $315 Million

 

Huffington Post, the liberal-leaning online news site that has been one of the Internet's start-up success stories, said it agreed to a $315 million buyout late Sunday night from AOL Inc., the elder statesman of online access and digital content.

Huffington Post founder....MORE

Find Serenity, Wisdom, Empowerment at 'A Serendipitous Sojourn'

 Take a trip with...A Serendipitous Sojourn

 By Alicia Cruz

The Black Urban Times

"I am the bluest/truest part of the flame. One of my greatest desires in life is to, at all times, be true to myself. I want an encounter with me to be one filled with truth and godly love. In my learning to love myself, I have learned to accept the existence of my imperfections and to differentiate between those which may stay and those which have to go. I began my sojourn in 1971 and have steadily progressed towards the truth with each passing moment."

Those are the words of the author of "A Serendipitous Sojourn", Antoinette Dickson, a native of Columbia, South Carolina. Dickson, known by many of her friends and loved one's as the cyber poet laureate, shares her wisdom and love for the creator with all in her blog. She's amazing.

Need a new career? Don't know where the best restaurants are? Need a grant to further your education? Can't understand why your man isn't giving you any "act right"? Don't know why you seem to attract the tall, dark and sociopath? Want to show love and support for our troops overseas?

Shoot Dickson an email and you'll have answers to your questions in no time. She's a human wikipedia, employment coach, relationship counselor, poet, writer, copy editor, and map quest...but more importantly, she's the best friend you could ever pray to have and gives new meaning to the term Phenomenal woman.

When historians named Phillis Wheatley, Gwendolyn Brooks, Mary McLeod Bethune, Maya Angelou and Zora Neale Hurston as African American women of distinction, they left one out: Antoinette Dickson.
Having spent most of her life and career helping others, and guiding our youth, a passion that germinated during Dickson's youth, her career ventures have taken her from GlaxoSmithKline, Cisco Systems, IBM, the South Carolina Department of Social Services to
University Medical Associates.

She studied Spanish at Meredith College and currently resides in Raleigh, North Carolina where she continues to spread love, wisdom, self-empowerment and self-love.

Check out her blog, A Serendipitous Sojourn. Her posts have left everyone from single moms, men, women, construction workers, and yes, even Marines misty eyed or just enlightened and I'm sure you will feel the same way.

Posts You Will Find on A Serendipitous Sojourn

Love Reflection #4
 She awoke to the warm kisses of the ocean on her toes, the faint smell of your cologne on her skin, and the sound of your heart slowly beating in tandem with her love. a moonlit stroll followed by a beauti...

Love Reflection #3
My first encounter with the work of Pablo Neruda was probably in a middle school language arts class. It was not, however, until I began studying Spanish literature that I truly came to appreciate the beau...

Love Reflection  #2 

For my muse... she thought of him and began to write allowing passion with words to unite and suddenly the keyboard took on a life of its own there was no way to cease typing the words transitioned from tho...

Love Reflection #1
...And sometimes love lingers on the mind like the scent of dew-kissed honeysuckles on a vine. i watch as its wetness glistens in the warmth of the rising sun, and transfixed in silence i sit, as gravity p...

Don't Look Back
"One thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13-14 This...

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Christina Aguilera's Super Bowl Faux Pas

Listen to Chrissy's Super Bowl "oops" below

Christina Aguilera belted out the National Anthem in Arlington, Texas, Sunday night at the Super Bowl and - probably inadvertently - put her own spin on the words to the Star-Spangled Banner. Instead of singing the song's fourth line with the correct words - "O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?" - Aguilera sang, "What so proudly we watched at the twilight's last gleaming?"
According to Billboard, her error was....MORE

President Obama: 'Muslim Brotherhood Lacks Support'

"The United States and Egypt have been a partner for a long time. [Mubarak's] been a good partner when it comes to the peace with Israel. Counter terrorism effects that he's supported," said President Barack Obama.

 "We have said publicly and privately that trying to suppress your own people is not sustainable. When you resort to suppression and violence, it does not work."

When O'Reilly asked Obama about the presence of the Muslim Brotherhood and whether the group is a threat, Mr. Obama said, "I think they're one faction in Egypt. They don't have majority support in Egypt. But they're well organized. There are strains of their ideology that are anti-U.S. There's no doubt about it."

President Obama went on to say that there are many secular people in Egypt, along with...MORE

Day Three of Cambodian-Thai Battle

CNN- Fighting flared for a third straight day Sunday along the Thai-Cambodian border over a disputed ancient temple despite a reported ceasefire and international efforts to soothe tensions.

At least seven people -- two villagers and five soldiers -- were wounded after a new gunfight broke out shortly before 7 p.m. Sunday evening, Thai Army spokesman Col. Sansern Kaewkamnerd told his nation's state-run MCOT media outlet.

The skirmish...MORE

Cambodian, Thai Battle Continues to Flare

Cambodian-Thai Flare-up takes many back to the days of The Killing Fields

Cambodia-Thai Border Standoff

The Killing Fields Museum

Remembering The Killing Fields

New Tax Law to Give Military Families Stimulus Monies With/Without SSN

Married members of the military may receive economic stimulus payments this fall, even if their spouses or children don’t have social security numbers, following the newly-enacted HEART Act (Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax Act of 2008). Prior to this new legislation, some members of the military did not receive stimulus payments, or received a reduced amount, due to the absence of an SSN for a spouse or child.

In November, the Treasury will send checks and direct deposits to military families who qualify for these stimulus payments. The IRS estimates that there are more than 10,000 military families who will receive the additional stimulus payments. A specific time frame for the payments will be announced later this year.

WHERE'S MY REFUND?! CLICK HERE TO SEE IF THE IRS 

HAS YOUR REFUND COMING TO YOU

"The IRS wants to make it as easy as possible for military families to get the stimulus payments authorized by the new law. People who already have filed don’t need to do anything else to get their money. We’ll do the rest,” said IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman. “We will work as quickly as possible to put these new provisions in place while making sure the rest of the stimulus payment program continues smoothly through the summer and fall."

To get a stimulus payment, eligible taxpayers must file a 2007 tax return. For married couples who have already filed a joint return, no further action is necessary. Generally, married couples qualify for an economic stimulus payment of up to $1,200, plus an additional $300 for each qualifying child younger than 17.

Because of the special challenges involved in making these newly-authorized payments, the IRS is taking the additional step of working with the Department of Defense to ensure that eligible filers get their money.

Originally, the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008, enacted in February, barred economic-stimulus payments to anyone filing a return who did not have a social security number. Returns using any number issued by the IRS, such as an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN) were not eligible. For joint filers, this meant that both spouses must use valid social security numbers.

Those barred by the original law...MORE

Rodgers Leads Green Bay Packers to Super Bowl Win, 31-25

Aaron Rodgers inspired the Green Bay Packers to a 31-25 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV at the Cowboys Stadium in Dallas Sunday night.

It is the fourth time the Packers have claimed the Vince Lombardi trophy, holding off a comeback by the Steelers, who had trailed 21-3 approaching the half.

Lombardi was a former coach of the Packers, leading them to the first two Super Bowls staged before succumbing to cancer in 1970.

Star quarterback....MORE

Birthday Wishes, One Love for Robert Nesta Marley

Happy Birthday, Robert Nesta Marley. R.I.P. Papa

Born February 6, 1945 in Saint Ann's Bay, Saint Ann, Jamaica , Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley was a Jamaican superstar, the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for reggae band The Wailers beginning in 1964 and lasting through 1971.

40 years after his death, Marley remains the most popular and revered reggae performer and is credited with helping spread both Jamaican music and the Rastafari movement to the world. 

While traveling to Germany to be cared for by holistic physician, Josef Issels, Marley's medical condition worsened. The melanoma to his lungs and brain began eating away at the singer's health.

En route to his home in Jamaica, he fell gravely ill and his flight had to land in Miami to get Marley medical treatment. He died at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Miami (now University of Miami Hospital), at the age of 36, on May 11, 1981.

 On 21 May 1981, at Marley's state funeral, Jamaican Prime Minister Edward Seaga delivered the eulogy saying, "His voice was an omnipresent cry in our electronic world. His sharp features, majestic looks, and prancing style a vivid etching on the landscape of our minds. Bob Marley was never seen. He was an experience which left an indelible imprint with each encounter. Such a man cannot be erased from the mind. He is part of the collective consciousness of the nation."

FIND a Grave (Bob Marley)

One Love

Buffalo Soldier

Stir it Up

Grange Supports Hero Status for Bob Marley

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Olivia Grange said she will lead the advocacy for Reggae singer Bob Marley to be declared a national hero.

The Order of National Hero is Jamaica’s highest honour.

Grange told a national radio audience and those gathered at the Bob Marley Museum in Kingston today to celebrate the late singer’s 66th birthday that Marley was a “great Jamaican...MORE

Exclusive Interview “Aliesa Nicole”

So not to long ago I had the chance of sitting down with the music sensation Ms. Aliesa Nicole. She is one of R&B next big things of 2011. She is a young girl from the mid-west with a voice that she can take her all around the world.

Interview:

So what got you started singing, and what age?

“I started singing around the age four,I would watch my favorite television show. From there I started singing for my family and friends. I would sing when ever family came into to town.”

Who would you say is your favorite artist of all  times?

“Umm it’s a tough choice to say just one because I have a lot but I would have to say Beyonce. The reason is because she is a great performer and singer.”

What gave you the tittle for your mixtape SuchAFuckinLady?

“The idea came from my fans on Facebook . Lots of people on Facebook who were using the phrase and I thought it would be great.”

What made you do a collaboration with SODMG Arab?

“ Well my DJ, DJ Stretch had brought the opportunity to me. I said yes he got on it, the next thing I knew we were in the studio.”

How do you think that your music impacts ladies?

“It’s about the things that they may going through with their man, just everyday issues that they may face.”

What are you working on right now?

“Well I’m working on a mixtape it’s called BadGirlsClub. Most people may think that I stole the idea from the show but I didn’t. The reason that I named it that is because there will be a lot of females working with me on this mixtape. I’m also working on my album which be dropping later on this year.

This young lady has lots of great things going for her shelf. She is a great person, with a amazing voice. Make sure you go download her mixtape SuchAFuckinLady , we make sure to keep you posted on what’s new with her.

Juelz Santana Arrested By Bergen County Police

It was reported on various websites last night that Juelz Santana was arrested by Bergen county police officers. The charges were as follows:

possession of a firearm and a controlled dangerous substance
possession of a handgun without having a permit
possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance within 1,000 feet of a school zone.

I just wanted you guys to know that although Juelz Santana was arrested, he actually turned himself into police after a warrant was issued for him. Juelz Santana was charged after one of his artists, Toby “Hyneif” Raynor was arrested on Thursday, January 20th, for "allegedly" selling marijuana. After the incident, it was reported that Raynor was then followed to the Santana’s World Studios in Bergenfield, New Jersey. While Raynor is now out on $50,000.00 bail, Santana was implemented after Raynor’s arrest. Santana was out of town at the time of Raynor’s arrest.

Juelz Santana's publicist, Lynn Hobson, had this to say about the incident below:

"We are just looking forward to having this whole situation cleared up."

But don't you fret just yet because I was informed that Juelz Santana's brother, Twin, posted bail which was set at $125,000. Here is what Twin had to say about the situation below:

"We are hopeful that my Brother will be released tonight. He is just being processed through the system right now. I posted his bail earlier today. All computers are currently down at the Prosecutor’s Office."

I'm sure everything will work out just fine for Juelz Santana. Your thoughts?

24 MEU Commanding Officer Charged in Wal-Mart Larceny

 By Alicia Cruz

The Black Urban Times

Col. Robert Gerald Petit, the Commanding Officer of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina was arrested over the weekend and charged with one count of larceny, WITN News reported.

The Jacksonville Police Department detained Petit, 50, on Saturday, January 29 around 5:15 p.m. at the Walmart on North Marine Boulevard and he was later charged with larceny.

Petit, of St. Mary’s Drive aboard Camp Lejeune, is accused of stealing two printer cartridges and a bottle of STP gas treatment, the alleged stolen items have a value of $65.68.
The Colonel, a native of New Orleans, La., was released on a written promise to appear in court. His first court appearance is scheduled for February 22.

In December 2003, Petit, 50, led the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines into Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan in support of CJTF-180. The Colonel, who took command of the 24th MEU in September 2010, was in the Washington, D.C., area Monday attending a conference on expeditionary warfare. Petit, who enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps reserve in 1978, has been in the Marine Corps for at least 23-years having been commissioned as an infantry officer in 1985.

According to Captain Robert Shuford, a spokesman for the 24th MEU, Petit met with Lt. General John M. Paxton, commander of II Marine Expeditionary Force, the MEU’s parent command, before departing for the conference.

"We take this seriously," Shuford said, "but nobody is guilty until they are proven guilty."

Before assuming command of the MEU, Petit was assigned to Headquarters Marine Corps and then the Joint Staff, Shuford said.
In a statement, the II MEF said the incident involving Petit was "currently under review," and that the Colonel is cooperating with civilian law enforcement officials.

"The Marine Corps takes these allegations seriously, but innocence is presumed unless found guilty,” The statement read.

Petit's arrest is the second in six months involving a local high-ranking Marine officer.
In October 2010, Colonel Douglas Denn was stopped for speeding on U.S. Highway 70 in Newport, N.C.
Denn was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated, and possession of an open container/consumption of alcohol in the passenger area. A breathalyzer administered to the Colonel indicated his blood-alcohol level was .14.

Denn was later charged in a separate incident with driving with his license revoked. He was relieved of his command within days of his arrest and now faces military and civilian charges.

TMZ: The Dream, Christina Milian Locked in Divorce Settlement Battle

by TMZ Staff

The Dream and Christina Milian are battling each other over their divorce settlement -- and the wrench in the works is apparently none other than Justin Bieber ... TMZ has learned.

According to docs filed in Georgia, The Dream previously agreed to pay Milian a hefty settlement -- including 10% of his publishing interest in Bieber's mega hit, "Baby," which The Dream co-wrote.

The Dream is pissed because Milian is trying to re-negotiate the settlement by demanding more support, including a greater percentage of the Bieber gold mine.

Since Christina tried to renegotiate ... The Dream is trying to pull the plug on any payments to her. Obviously, Christina is fighting that.

Tune in to TMZ on TV weekdays Monday through Friday 

(check http://www.tmz.com/tmztv/ for syndicated/local listings)