BOBBI KRISTINA, NOW RESTING IN PEACE, DIES AT 22

Bobbi Kristina Brown, the daughter of late music legend Whitney Houston and R&B singer Bobby Brown, died on July 26, surrounded by her family, at Peachtree Christian Hospice in Duluth, Georgia. She was 22.

"She is finally at peace in the arms of God," the Houston family said in statement to ET. "We want to again thank everyone for their tremendous amount of love and support during these last few months."

On Jan. 31, Bobbi Kristina was found unresponsive in her bathtub, and was then taken to North Fulton Hospital in Roswell, Georgia, where she was put on a ventilator to assist her breathing. She was later placed in a medically induced coma at Atlanta's Emory University Hospital.

Nearly two months later, she was moved to a rehabilitation center, where she remained until June 24, when she was moved to the hospice center.

"Despite the great medical care at numerous facilities, Bobbi Kristina Brown’s condition has continued to deteriorate," Pat Houston told ET in a statement that day. "We thank everyone for their support and prayers. She is in God's hands now."

Born March 4, 1993, in Livingston, New Jersey, Bobbi Kristina was thrust into the spotlight at an early age, but the love her mother had for her was obvious early on.

"She brings me a lot of joy," Houston told ET
back in 1993. "She brings both Bobby and I a lot of joy. It's a different thing when you become a mother. It changes your whole perspective on life. You really don't live for you anymore. You're living for your children."

Between her father's string of hit songs and her mother being one of the best-selling artists of all time, as well as her parents' tumultuous relationship, as a child Bobbi Kristina became a target of tabloid scrutiny.

Then 10 years old, she was featured on the controversial 2005 Bravo reality series Being Bobby Brown, which famously depicted the family's darker days.

After years of controversy surrounding her parents, including accusations of domestic violence and drug abuse, Bobbi Kristina's parents eventually separated in 2006. When the divorce was finalized in 2007, Houston was awarded custody of her daughter.

On Feb. 11, 2012, Houston was found dead in a bathtub in her Beverly Hilton Hotel suite.

Bobbi Kristina had been very close to her mother, often appearing with her at movie premieres, and even accompanying her on tour. She would frequently speak to press about her mother's love and support, and Houston's death reportedly hit her very hard.

Bobbi Kristina was in the lobby of the Beverly Hilton when she was informed of her mother's death. According to reports at the time, Bobbi Kristina suffered a hysterical breakdown and had to be sedated and hospitalized. She was soon discharged after being treated for severe stress and anxiety.

Only 18 years old when her mother died, Bobbi Kristina became the sole inheritor of Houston's estate. The inheritance was estimated at nearly $115 million.

"I still feel her everywhere," Brown said on the 2012 reality show The Houstons: On Our Own. "She's still around me and that's what keeps me comfortable, is knowing that my best friend, my everything, is still with me."




Bobbi Kristina's bond with her late mother was reminiscent of the close relationship Houston shared with her own mom, Cissy Houston. "That's a little bit of what my mother and I had," Bobbi Kristina acknowledged on The Houstons. "That's the bond that we share and we did share. We still share that bond no matter what -- even after death."


Bobbi Kristina even had deep aspirations of following in her mother's footsteps. On Jan. 29, Bobbi Kristina promised a bright future ahead, tweeting, "Let's start this career up&&moving OUT to TO YOU ALLLL quick shall we !?!???!"

Following her mother's untimely death, Bobbi Kristina sought comfort in Nick Gordon, a childhood friend who grew up with her under the same roof.

The two began a romantic relationship, becoming engaged in October 2012, just eight months after Houston's passing. The couple claimed to have tied the knot on Jan. 9, 2014, though family representatives later said the marriage was not official. Shortly after Bobbi Kristina's hospitalization, Gordon appeared on Dr. Phil and subsequently checked into rehab after the emotional interview and left after nearly seven weeks on April 28. Following Bobbi Kristina's transition into hospice care, her court-appointed conservator filed a $10 million lawsuit against Gordon.

The discovery of Bobbi Kristina in the bathtub came just days before the third anniversary of her mother's passing. A source close to the situation told ET that Bobbi Kristina suffered from an apparent drug overdose, the circumstances of which were eerily similar to those of her mother's passing. Houston's death was ruled an accident as a result of drowning, but the medical examiner also stated that cocaine and drug-related heart disease contributed to her demise.

 I believe Bobbi Kristina never healed from the tragic loss of her mother. She longed for that love and
connection she and her mother shared, but never found that love again. Only a motherless child knows the heart wrenching agony and pain that feels like. I hope Bobbi Kristina now knows she meant more to the world than she could have ever imagined, and I am so sorry she never got to experience the dreams and aspirations she set out to accomplish. May God preserve her soul.

Condolences to the Brown and Houston Families, from PRGirlAngel Entertainment.

NICKI MINAJ LAUNCHES NEW FRAGRANCE AMIDST TWITTER WAR

Just days after a all out twitter war with Taylor Swift, which was basically a miscommunication on Swift's part, Nicki continues business as usual launching her new fragrance "The Pink Print". 

Designer Nicki Minaj had 6 perfumes in her fragrance collection. This is Minaj's 7th fragance launch. She's previously released, Pink Friday in 2012, Pink Friday Deluxe in 2013, Pink Friday Deluxe in 2013, Minajesty in 2013, Minajesty Exotic Edition in 2014, Onika in 2014, and now The Pink Print July 24 2015. All usually released with names or close to her album release dates. 

She's continually building her brand as she also has a clothing line "Nicki Minaj" available in stores such as Kmart, and Kmart.

Nicki Minaj is currently on tour with new boyfriend, Rapper, Meek Mills,  Dej Loaf, Tinashae, and Rae Sremmurd.

UBER to leave Broward County, Florida July 31st 2015, Tonight I Tried The Service For The First Time...

I've used yellow taxi's for many years, from Boston, to New York, to Florida. And I must say, with no alternative service, my experiences were typically extremely lack luster for the last few years, especially here in South Florida. Waiting in excess of an hour to 2 hours for a ride, to then be taken on extra long scenic routes to my destinations for a few extra toll dollars, I was more not pleased than pleased with most of my yellow cab experiences. I've actually missed flights waiting for yellow cab drivers who reported to dispatchers they were "around the corner", but were actually with other customers on the other side of town, I stopped using yellow cab many months ago. But, when it's the only option, you learn to work with it.

Today for the first time I experienced "Uber", and I must say, it was quite the experience, and far
more superior than the age old yellow cab service. Let me tell you about it.

I decided to take an evening stroll to the market to get a few items to cook. Like most woman, I ended up with many more bags than expected, so I opted to call a cab, a yellow cab. I was told by dispatch, the only cab available was an hour away. Then I remembered a friend sent me a promotional UBER text, for a free ride for using the service for the first time. So I decided to give it a shot.

I downloaded the Uber app, and set up an account and applied my promotional code. In the click of a button, I had a map view of all the available drivers in the area. There was approximately 4. I clicked a button, and immediately, I was shown my drivers profile, face, vehicle type and license plate number, and estimated arrival time which was 3 minutes. WOW. I took note of the time and the driver actually arrived in 2 minutes in a Honda CRV. I approached the personally owned, contracted vehicle of a driver named Rodrigo. As I entered the vehicle he immediately asked if I needed assistance with my bags, which I didn't, so we began our ride. He asked how my day was, and we began to chat.

I asked him about the recent changes in Uber and how he felt about the service ending in Broward county in a few days. He stated his disappointment, but was hopeful it wouldn't be for too long. He then told me about the tiers of vehicles and class of vehicles of the different Ubers, Uber X, and Uber XL. He explained the UberXL's were more luxury vehicles like Escalades, Navigators, even BMW and Benzs'. These XL vehicles were typically used for groups maybe going out for a night on the town, or special events. Impressive to say the least.

He then asked me what I did for a living, and if I'd used the service before, and I explained what I typed in the first paragraph. And we engaged in great conversation, for the duration of my ride.

When we got to my destination, I asked, "ok so how does this work now", he said no money was needed, my account (which is linked to my debit card would be charged for whatever was owed and I would get an email receipt. It came through almost instantaneously as he pressed a button on his smartphone to end the trip. Of course this ride was free, so my receipt was ZIP, ZILTCH, ZERO.

The email allowed for me to give the driver a rating from 1-5 stars, and leave a comment. I gave him 5 stars for his stellar service, great conversation, as well as the clean, manicured appearance and smell of the vehicle.

I was then sent a promotional code to share with my friends for a free ride, the same way my friend had received one and sent to me. There is also great incentive for every free ride my friends used, I would get another one too for up to $20.

https://get.uber.com/invite/angelw288ue Feel free to use my promo code for a free ride up to $20 as well :)

The trip was significantly cheaper (the receipt shows what the charges would have been had I not used that promo code.

All in all, the service was so superior, I began to think, how dare Broward County end such a great service! My next step is finding every petition possible to sign to keep Uber here, because I'm in love with the service I received tonight.

According to Sun Sentinel newspaper, Boward County commissioners on Tuesday passed a sweeping new law regulating app-based ride services such as Uber, despite the company's threat to leave town if they did.

The new regulations legalize services including Uber and Lyft, whose drivers use their personal vehicles. But the law left intact tough provisions that Uber said would make it impossible to operate in Broward.

Each driver will be required to register with the county, submit to a county-run fingerprint-based background check, and carry the heightened insurance state law requires for commercial vehicles for hire.

"We are disappointed at some of the decisions that were made today,'' Kasra Moshkani, Uber's South Florida general manager, said after the vote.

Later that night, company spokesman Bill Gibbons issued s statement that Uber can't follow the new law.

"We cannot operate in Broward County if such onerous regulations are enforced, and stand ready to reengage with the commission to bring more choice and opportunity back to Broward County.''

Commissioner Stacy Ritter said she disliked Uber's public relations campaign, which included emailing and mailing fliers to residents telling them the county was forcing Uber out with its regulations.

"If Uber leaves this county,'' she said after the vote, "It's Uber's decision to do so voluntarily. There's nothing in this ordinance that is onerous. Uber can comply with this ordinance without any problem. This is a company worth $40 billion, with a 'B.' If they can't pony up a few dollars for insurance, background checks and permits, then shame on them.''

Uber had hoped state legislators would have passed a law preventing local governments from regulating it, as well as setting insurance and background check requirements for drivers. But the House adjourned its session Tuesday without passing an Uber bill.

With the new laws, the county:

•Enhanced background check standards to "Level II,'' requiring fingerprinting. Uber representatives had said a "significant'' number of Uber drivers wouldn't submit fingerprints when Columbus, Ohio, implemented the rule. Any driver who applies for a license will be allowed to carry passengers under a temporary two-week license until the background check is complete.

•Scrapped a requirement for liability insurance for drivers, but required drivers to follow state law, which county officials said requires 24-hour commercial insurance. Uber currently has different insurance coverage that the county says leaves gaps.

•Upgraded vehicle inspection standards for all cars for hire, including Uber and cabs. Third-party licensed mechanics will give 19-point inspections.

•Raised the standards for drivers, excluding those with serious criminal backgrounds or poor driver histories. The law removed some of the subjectivity in granting the chauffeur registrations drivers must obtain.

•Stripped the county's Consumer Protection Board of some of its authority to grant chauffeur registrations to drivers who were rejected by county staff. The change was proposed by Commissioner Mark Bogen after the Sun Sentinel reported earlier this month that the Consumer Protection Board overruled staff in 62 percent of appeals, putting drivers with lengthy rap sheets, including violent crimes and DUIs, behind the wheel.

•Allowed Uber to field unlimited vehicles, with no restrictions on fares. Uber can charge less than the county-mandated cab fare, and can continue its "surge pricing,'' which is exponentially higher.

An overflow crowd filled the meeting Tuesday, split between Uber and taxi drivers.

Robert Bonner, the owner of Intercity Taxi, said he supported the additional regulation.

"If there's been one recurring theme, it's been safety. When people get into a vehicle for hire, they want to know someone has checked out the driver, someone has checked out the vehicle and that it has insurance. This is added expense, more red tape, more work involved. It's worth it.''

The debate over the past eight months was tinged with criticism of the traditional cab system in Broward, with riders complaining about dirty cars, rude, unreliable drivers who don't speak English well, broken air conditioning, inoperable credit card machines and late arrivals.

"It's the taxi industry that needs a kick in the butt, not Uber,'' Hollywood resident Doug Eney wrote to elected officials. "Services like Uber and Lyft are the only way the taxi industry in Broward will invest to really clean up its act.''

Dan Lindblade, CEO of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce, said in a letter to Commissioner Chip LaMarca on Tuesday that he'd spoken with many hoteliers and restaurateurs who support Uber. He urged the county to find "common ground.''

"Our guests expect this type of solution to an otherwise mediocre traditional cab system,'' he wrote.

ber's aggressive tactics turned off commissioners from the beginning. As it has done throughout the world, Uber refused to follow county taxi laws, simply paying fines when drivers were cited.

The company was not subtle.

Miami-Dade activist Darrin McGillis sent law enforcement officials this month an email from Uber Miami, advising drivers how to avoid detection at South Florida airports, where Uber drivers have been cited and fined.

The email said that "while we continue discussions'' with local officials, there are a few ways to make the airport trips "more enjoyable.''

"Keep your Uber phone off your windshield — put it down in your cupholder,'' the email said. "Ask the rider if they would sit up front.''

LaMarca, the company's main supporter on the dais, said the county has been patient with Uber.

But now a law tailored largely to Uber is on the books, eight months after Uber arrived and asked to be treated differently than traditional cabs. Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties are working on new laws as well.

"If they do the wrong thing and break the law,'' LaMarca said, "we come down on them like a ton of bricks, like we would anyone else. That's it.''

bwallman@tribune.com or 954-356-4541

Eric Garner Case Is Settled by New York City for $5.9 Million

New York City reached a settlement on Monday with the family of Eric Garner, agreeing to pay $5.9 million to resolve the claim over his killing by the police last July on Staten Island, according to a lawyer representing the family.

The agreement, reached days before the deadline to file suit in the death, appeared to be among the biggest reached so far as part of a strategy by the city comptroller, Scott M. Stringer, to settle major civil rights claims even before a lawsuit is filed. Mr. Stringer has said the aim is to save taxpayers the expense of a drawn-out trial and to give those bringing the suits and their families a measure of closure.

Eleven months after Eric Garner's death, his grave is covered by a lush patch of grass in Union County, N.J. His mother, Gwen Carr, is pulling together money for a headstone.
Last year, Mr. Garner’s relatives, including his widow, Esaw Garner, and with his mother, Gwen Carr, filed a notice of claim — a procedural step that must precede a lawsuit against the city — seeking $75 million in damages. Mr. Garner died on July 17 after a police officer, Daniel Pantaleo, placed him in a chokehold during an arrest as other officers wrestled him to the ground. The confrontation was captured in a cellphone video taken by a bystander.
The medical examiner ruled the death a homicide, citing the chokehold and the compression of Mr. Garner’s chest by the police. In December, a Staten Island grand jury declined to indict Officer Pantaleo.

Jonathan C. Moore, the lawyer for Mr. Garner’s family, said the city had until Friday, the anniversary of the death, to come to an agreement. If none had been reached, a suit would have been filed.

“The City of New York has agreed to pay $5.9 million to resolve the Garner case,” Mr. Moore said.
The death of Mr. Garner, a father of six who was suspected of selling untaxed cigarettes and was unarmed at the time, fueled protests over police killings of black men. His final words — “I can’t breathe” — became a rallying cry. His death, followed by the fatal shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., in August, set off a national debate about police actions in minority communities.

The settlement was reached even as several inquiries into Mr. Garner’s death were still pending, including investigations by the United States attorney for the Eastern District of New York, the Civilian Complaint Review Board and state health officials, who are looking into the actions of emergency medical responders in treating Mr. Garner.

The Police Department has concluded its internal investigation but has yet to say whether any officers would be disciplined.

On Saturday, Mr. Garner’s family is expected to lead a rally, with the Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network, outside the Brooklyn offices of the United States attorney to call for a federal case to be brought against the officers involved in Mr. Garner’s death.

“This is not about people getting money,” Mr. Sharpton said on Monday. “This is about justice. We’ve got to restructure our police departments and how we deal with policing nationwide.”

Mayor Bill de Blasio, speaking to reporters shortly before the settlement had been reached, said the anniversary of Mr. Garner’s death was on his mind. “I think it’s on the mind of many New Yorkers, and we, you know, mourn the death of Eric Garner,” Mr. de Blasio said. “I think we’ve come a long way, even in the last year, in terms of bringing police and community together
In recent months, the comptroller’s office has reached major settlements in several cases without a suit being filed, effectively cutting out involvement by the city’s Law Department.

Mr. Stringer reached a $6.4 million deal with David Ranta, who was imprisoned for 23 years after a wrongful murder conviction; Mr. Ranta had sought $150 million. A deal was also reached for $2.25 million with the family of Jerome Murdough, who died in an overheated jail cell at Rikers Island, to settle their $25 million claim against the city.

In 2001, a suit brought by Abner Louima, a Haitian man tortured with a broomstick while in police custody at a Brooklyn precinct station house in August 1997, was settled for $8.75 million, with the city paying $7.125 million and the police officers’ union, the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, which was accused of conspiring to cover up the assault, paying Mr. Louima another $1.625 million.

That agreement was reached three years into the suit brought by Mr. Louima, who was sodomized with the broken broomstick handle. The settlement came after federal trials in which one officer, Justin A. Volpe, was convicted in the attack and sentenced to 30 years in prison, and another pleaded guilty to perjury. Two more were sentenced to probation in the cover-up. Two other officers had their convictions overturned on appeal.

Nearly five years after the killing of Amadou Diallo in 1999, the city settled with his relatives for $3 million. The city settled a suit over the 2006 fatal shooting of Sean Bell for $3.25 million.

In January, Mr. Stringer agreed to pay $17 million to settle wrongful conviction claims brought by three defendants whose cases involved Louis Scarcella, a retired homicide detective whose investigative tactics have come under scrutiny and are under review.

In an interview last December, after the grand jury’s decision, Mr. Stringer called Mr. Garner’s death ”a terrible tragedy” and said “my heart goes out to the Garner family, and I feel very strongly about that.”

some infornation courtesy of New York Times

50 CENT FILES BANKRUPTCY DAYS AFTER JUDGEMENT AGAINST HIM IN RICK ROSS BABY MAMA SEX TAPE SCANDAL!

According to Forbes, court documents made public by the Wall Street Journal, hip-hop mogul 50 Cent (real name Curtis Jackson) has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Apparently, the rapper isn’t out of money, but he doesn’t exactly have enough to cover what he owes. The documents filed earlier today in Hartford, CT claim that while his assets may total up to $50 million, his liabilities match the figure.This, including a 5 million judgment to Rick Ross baby mother, for the leaking of a sex tape.

50’s fall from the top has been swift and almost inconceivable. Earlier this year, Forbes named the
rapper one of the wealthiest people in hip-hop, estimating his net worth at around $155 million. To go from that to filing for bankruptcy in such a short period of time surely has to be some kind of record.

Thus far, 2015 simply hasn’t been the rapper’s best year. A few months ago, 50’s boxing promotions company SMS Productions went under, also filing for bankruptcy. Last week, a judge ordered the Grammy winner to pay $5 million to a woman whose sex tape he leaked online. The bankruptcy filing might be a way for the star to protect himself from some of the fallout from these losses.

While he has certainly made a pretty penny from the tens of millions of albums and singles he’s sold over his decade-plus-long career, the majority of 50’s hefty income has come from his business acumen and his ability to sell companies off for a massive profit. Several years ago the rapper sold Vitamin Water to Coca-Cola KO +0.67% for billions, and it’s estimated that he earned somewhere close to $100 million for the deal. Since then, he’s gotten involved in everything from energy drinks to an underwear line to headphones, hoping to strike gold yet again.

Jackson made his name in the music world thanks to a close relationship with fellow rapper Eminem and thanks to hits like “In Da Club”, “21 Questions”, and “Candy Shop”, all of which made it to number one. In the past several years, he hasn’t kept his grip on the charts or radio like he had in the past. He dropped his fifth studio album, Animal Ambition, last summer, and while the record debuted at number four, none of the ten or so singles released managed to perform well. He is apparently at work on a sixth album, which might be out sometime later this year.

MISTY COPELAND, OUR BLACK BALLERINA!

The American Ballet Theatre has named Misty Copeland its principal dancer - the first time a black ballerina has held the prestigious role.


Ms Copeland, 32, made her debut this month, starring in Swan Lake in New York, one of the most coveted roles in ballet.


In recent years, Ms Copeland has found fame outside of the ballet world.
She has appeared in commercials and TV shows and wrote a best-selling memoir.

"We haven't had a ballet dancer who has broken through to popular culture like this since Mikhail Baryshnikov," said Wendy Perron, an author and former editor of Dance Magazine.

The moment of her promotion was captured on video and shared on Instagram. "Misty, take a bow," said Kevin McKenzie, the company's artistic director, as Ms Copeland fought back tears.

The dancer has also appeared in a Diet Dr Pepper commercial and danced with Prince on his 2010 tour.
And she has been unusually outspoken about her desire to become the first black woman to be named a principal dancer at the American Ballet.

"My fears are that it could be another two decades before another black woman is in the position that I hold with an elite ballet company," she wrote in her 2014 memoir. "That if I don't rise to principal, people will feel I have failed them."

"It's incredible to be a brown swan," she said of her current role in Swan Lake.
Her performance is already credited with bringing a new diverse audience to ballet.

"In the racially under-represented world of ballet, Misty has already had an historic impact," said Damian Woetzel, a former principal dancer for New York City Ballet. "Now, as a groundbreaking principal dancer, she will continue to inspire."

RIHANNA - FIRST ARTIST TO SELL OVER 100 MILLION DIGITAL SINGLES

The Recording Industry Association of America reveals that Rihanna has sold more digital singles than anyone else in history.

With the #iTunes store only opening in 2003, the digital music industry is still pretty young, but it's far from devoid of competition, commerce and platinum-selling artists. The most successful of these, it turns out, is none other than Rihanna.

In a new report, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has revealed that Rihanna is the first artist to ever sell over 100 million digital singles, and when combined with her cumulative 7.5 million digital album sales, that makes her the best selling digital artist of all-time.

In a statement included in the report, RIAA CEO Cary Sherman said:
“Gold & Platinum is the industry’s premier way to celebrate achievement in the marketplace. We’ve given awards to artists for nearly 60 years, but it’s rare that we have the opportunity to recognize a milestone like the one Rihanna has reached. Congratulations to Rihanna! She has not only surpassed RIAA’s one-hundred million mark, but also is the first artist to do so. It’s an historic feat and a testament to an extraordinary career.”

Way to go Rihanna! Island Girls Rock!!