Four killed at nightclub

 

BY KARYL WALKER Crime/Court coordinator walkerk@jamaicaobserver.com

Friday, July 03, 2009

FOUR men, including two brothers who were members of the British Link Up Crew, were shot and killed and another man injured at the Live Wire Sports Bar and Grill, formerly known as La Roose, at Port Henderson Road in St Catherine, late Wednesday night.

The dead men have been identified as Ricardo 'Bully' Thomas, his brother Kirk - both of Charlemont Drive - David Wisdom, also called 'Biggs' of Lindale Avenue, and Andrew Walker, also called 'Mampy Zeeks', of August Town, all in St Andrew.

The Live Wire Sports Bar and Grill on Port Henderson Road in St Catherine. (Photo: Marlon Reid)

Injured is a 24-year-old man.

Police said a group of men entered the open-air club armed with M16 assault rifles. They reportedly posed as police officers and were embraced by some women who were at the venue, minutes before they opened fire at the five who were among patrons seated at the bar.

The Thomas brothers, Walker and Wisdom died on the spot while the other man was taken to hospital where he was admitted.

Cops who arrived on the scene said they seized a 9mm pistol and 11 rounds of ammunition outside the perimeter fencing of the premises.

Last year 'Bully', who made Jamaica's top 10 most wanted list, escaped with a $1-million fine and three years probation after he pleaded guilty to two counts of illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, having been caught with two 9mm pistols along with 49 rounds of ammunition.

He was one of the reputed leaders of the British Link Up Crew and was alleged to have been involved in an internal gang feud in c**kburn Pen - a tough community in Kingston 11 - which led to the murders of dozens of persons.

Meanwhile, police said Walker was an influential figure in a section of August Town known as 'Jungle 12'. Last year he was shot and injured while waiting in his car at a traffic light on Hope Boulevard in St Andrew.

The police also alleged that 'Mampy Zeeks' was a main player in a feud between gangs from Jungle 12 and another section of August Town known as 'Judgement Yard', four years ago.

Yesterday, acting deputy commissioner in charge of crime and operations, Owen Ellington, said the police were following several leads and were moving to prevent acts of reprisals.

"We are anticipating some reprisal action and we are positioning ourselves to interrupt or prevent that," Ellington told reporters at a press conference at Eden Gardens in St Andrew yesterday.

Wednesday night's shooting was the second in a little over a year, and the third in six years at the popular entertainment spot. Last March, 41-year-old Clifton Reid was shot dead, and six others, including a woman, shot and injured during a gunfight at a British Link Up 'unity' dance at the same venue. Reid, the police said, was a member of the Lincoln Road-based Black Roses Crew. He was shot twice in the face after he attempted to restrain one of several men who were involved in a fracas over a woman.

In the aftermath of that incident, the police placed a ban on dances at La Roose.

In January 2003, five civilians were shot and injured after police fired into a crowd while a dance was in progress. Police said they went to the dance to enforce the night noise abatement act and while they were seeking audience with the promoter, gunshots were fired and they were pelted with missiles.

However, patrons refuted the police claims, saying the cops discharged their weapons when their demands for money were not met.

The incident prompted then Police Commissioner Francis Forbes to order the Bureau of Special Investigations to conduct a probe.

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has ruled that dancehall artiste Bounty Killer is to be charged in connection with a gun-related incident in 2007.

The deejay, real name Rodney Price, is now a person of interest for the Half-Way Tree police and is expected to be formally charged soon.

Crime chief for the St Andrew Central Division, Deputy Super-intendent Michael Phipps, confirmed that the police had received the ruling.

"The ruling was completed on June 23 and he is to be charged with illegal possession of firearm and wounding," DSP Phipps told THE WEEKEND STAR.

The incident in question is alleged to have occurred on September 27, 2007, after an off-duty policeman left a club on St Lucia Avenue in New Kingston, St Andrew, about 4:50 a.m.

car blocking road

The lawman is said to have seen a number of vehicles blocking a section of the roadway.

Several men including Price and the now deceased dancer David Alexander Smith, more popularly known as 'Ice', were allegedly at the scene.

The policeman is said to have tried to get the men to move the vehicles but was reportedly assaulted and fired at.

A report was subsequently made to the New Kingston police and a file later sent to the Office of the DPP for a ruling to be made.

Price already has two cases before the courts. A July 29 trial date is scheduled for a matter before the Traffic Court where he is charged with obstructing traffic and disobeying a red light.

Just last week, the deejay made headlines after he appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court to answer to a charge of assault occasioning bodily harm. He is accused of assaulting a pregnant woman in that incident and will face trial on September 10.

Bounty Killer is known for songs like Poor People Fed Up and Look Into My Eyes.

Dr. Conrad Murray

-- Edited by soul symbol sound on Thursday 2nd of July 2009 11:24:14 AM

Lady Gaga sports a buttonhead hat as she attends an AIDS charity event held by Body Positive North West in Manchester on Monday (June 29).

More pics

MZJA family lets start our own Bucket List. Things we would like to do before we kick the bucket(like the movie). Something other than the usual menage et trois with 2 lezbos or some other sensual conquest like Beyonce or Angelina. Something not too far fetched, attainable that would add meaning to life.
1. See the Grand Canyon.
2. Walk my daughters down the isle.
3. Build a house with habitat for humanity.

Damn my list is short, help me out and add some stuff.

-- Edited by DJ Romeo at 17:36, 2008-01-12

Michael Jackson was so distraught over persistent insomnia in recent months that he pleaded for a powerful sedative despite warnings it could be harmful, says a nutritionist who was working with the singer as he prepared his comeback bid.

Cherilyn Lee, a registered nurse whose specialty includes nutritional counseling, said Tuesday that she repeatedly rejected his demands for the drug, Diprivan, which is given intravenously.

But a frantic phone call she received from Jackson four days before his death made her fear that he somehow obtained Diprivan or another drug to induce sleep, Lee said.

While in Florida on June 21, Lee was contacted by a member of Jackson's staff.

"He called and was very frantic and said, `Michael needs to see you right away.' I said, 'What's wrong?' And I could hear Michael in the background ..., 'One side of my body is hot, it's hot, and one side of my body is cold. It's very cold,'" Lee said.

"I said, `Tell him he needs to go the hospital. I don't know what's going on, but he needs to go to the hospital ... right away."

 

"At that point, I knew that somebody had given him something that hit the central nervous system," she said, adding, "He was in trouble Sunday and he was crying out."

Jackson did not go to the hospital. He died June 25 after suffering cardiac arrest, his family said. Autopsies have been conducted, but an official cause of death is not expected for several weeks.

"I don't know what happened there. The only thing I can say is he was adamant about this drug," Lee said.

Following Jackson's death, allegations emerged that the 50-year-old King of Pop had been consuming painkillers, sedatives and antidepressants. But Lee said she encountered a man tortured by sleep deprivation and one who expressed opposition to recreational drug use.

"He wasn't looking to get high or feel good and sedated from drugs," she said. "This was a person who was not on drugs. This was a person who was seeking help, desperately, to get some sleep, to get some rest."

Jackson was rehearsing hard for what would have been his big comeback his "This Is It" tour, a series of performances that would have strained his aging dancer's body. Also, pain had been a part of his life since 1984, when his scalp was severely burned during a Pepsi commercial shoot.

"The Incredible Hulk" star Lou Ferrigno, who's been working out with Jackson for the past several months, said Jackson was focused on health.

"When he was with me, he wasn't different. He wasn't stoned. He wasn't high. He wasn't being aloof or speedy. Never talked about drugs," Ferrigno said. "I've never seen him take drugs. He was always talking about nutrition."

Several months ago, Jackson had begun badgering Lee about Diprivan, also known as Propofol, Lee said. It is an intravenous anesthetic drug widely used in operating rooms to induce unconsciousness. It is generally given through an IV needle in the hand.

Patients given Propofol take less time to regain consciousness than those administered certain other drugs, and they report waking up more clear-headed and refreshed, said University of Chicago psychopharmacologist James Zacny.

It has also been implicated in drug abuse, with people using it to "chill out" or to commit suicide, Zacny said. Accidental deaths linked to abuse have been reported. The powerful drug has a very narrow therapeutic window, meaning it doesn't take doses much larger than the medically recommended amount to stop a person's breathing.

An overdose that stops breathing can result in a buildup of carbon dioxide, causing the heart to beat erratically and leading to cardiac arrest, said Dr. John D****rowski, a member of the board of directors of the American Society of Anesthesiologists.

Because it is given intravenously and is not the kind of prescription drug typically available from pharmacists, abuse cases have involved anesthesiologists, nurses and other hospital staffers with easy access to the drug, Zacny said.

In recent months, Lee said, Jackson waved away her warnings about it.

"I had an IV and when it hit my vein, I was sleeping. That's what I want," Lee said Jackson told her.

"I said, 'Michael, the only problem with you taking this medication' and I had a chill in my body and tears in my eyes three months ago 'the only problem is you're going to take it and you're not going to wake up," she recalled.

According to Lee, Jackson said it had been given to him before but he didn't want to discuss the circumstances or identify the doctor involved.

Londell McMillan, attorney for Katherine and Joe Jackson, talked about Lee's disclosures Tuesday on CNN.

"It's a hearsay comment. It would be inadmissible anywhere in a court of law," he said. "I also wonder why anyone would make a comment about something that they don't have much knowledge about. They didn't see the drug administered. It's again because of the Michael Jackson factor."

Lee said the singer drew his own distinctions when it came to drugs versus prescription medicine.

"He said, `I don't like drugs. I don't want any drugs. My doctor told me this is a safe medicine,'" Lee said. The next day, she said she brought a copy of the Physician's Desk Reference to show him the section on Diprivan.

"He said, 'No, my doctor said it's safe. It works quick and it's safe as long as somebody's here to monitor me and wake me up. It's going be OK,'" Lee said. She said he did not give the doctor's name.

Lee said at one point, she spent the night with Jackson to monitor him while he slept. She said she gave him herbal remedies and stayed in a corner chair in his vast bedroom.

After he settled in bed, Lee told Jackson to turn down the lights and music he had classical music playing in the house. "He also had a computer on the bed because he loved Walt Disney," she said. "He was watching Donald Duck and it was ongoing. I said, `Maybe if we put on softer music,' and he said, `No, this is how I go to sleep.'"

Three and a half hours later, Jackson jumped up and looked at Lee, eyes wide open, according to Lee. "This is what happens to me," she quoted him as saying. "All I want is to be able to sleep. I want to be able to sleep eight hours. I know I'll feel better the next day."

Lee, 56, is licensed as a registered nurse and nurse practitioner in California, according to the state Board of Registered Nursing's Web site. She attended Los Angeles Southwest College and the Charles Drew University of Medicine and Sciences in Los Angeles.

Comedian Dick Gregory, who knows Lee and her work, said he believes Jackson's insomnia had its roots in the pop star's 2005 trial on child molestation charges. Jackson's health had deteriorated so much that his parents called Gregory, a natural foods proponent, for help.

Gregory said Jackson wasn't eating or drinking at the time and, after he was persuaded by Gregory to undergo testing, ended up hospitalized for severe dehydration.

But Jackson obviously was healthy enough to withstand the level of medical scrutiny needed to insure him for the upcoming high-stakes London concerts, Gregory said. "That you don't trick," he said of the exams.

Lee, who has also worked with Stevie Wonder, Marla Gibbs, Reynaldo Rey and other celebrities, said she was introduced to Jackson by the mother of one of his staff members. Jackson's three children had minor cold symptoms and their pediatrician was out of town.

Lee said she went to the house in January, the first of about 10 visits there through April, and treated the children with vitamins. Michael, intrigued, asked what else she did and took her up on her claim she could boost his energy.

After running *lo** tests, she devised protein shakes for him and gave him an intravenous vitamin and mineral mixture known as a "Myers c**ktail," after Dr. John Myers which Lee said she uses routinely in her practice.

"It wasn't that he felt sick," she said. "He just wanted more energy."

Lee said she decided to speak out to protect Jackson's reputation from what she considers unfounded allegations of drug abuse or shortcomings as a parent.

"I think it's so wrong for people to say these things about him," she said. "He was a wonderful, loving father who wanted the best for his children."

WOW THERE ARE SO MANY VIDEOS THAT I LOVE QUITE FRANKLY HE MAKES THE BEST VIDEOS EVER 

If youre a fan of Lil Wayne, chances are youre, well, stupid.

Love Beyonce? Youre in major strife. And if you love the music of the Lord, the news is bad for you, too.

A California Tech student has matched music preferences to US high school marks, and come up with correlations that will send brainiacs scurrying for their iPods.

PhD student Virgil Griffiths somewhat unscientific study showed the smartest students listened to Beethoven, Counting Crows and Sufjan Stevens. Radiohead and Ben Folds Five also appealed to big brains.

Lil Wayne, Beyonce and Soca took the cringeworthy honours at the other end of the scale.

But before you relax, considered this: jazz, gospel and pop were all well down the ladder and even classical music was behind the general pack, trailing acts like Snow Patrol and Kanye West.

According to the data, people who listen to indie music were the smartest.




FULL ARTICLE HERE


-- Edited by titus on Tuesday 7th of April 2009 02:39:49 PM

Increasing network browsing speed

Does your computer slow down when you browse your local area network and connect to other computers that are sharing data? One of the most common causes of this slowdown is a feature of Windows Explorer that looks for scheduled tasks on remote computers. This effort can take some time on some computers and can really slow down your browsing. The window with which you are browsing the network may appear to freeze momentarily, as the system is waiting for a response from the remote computer.

Although this problem is a complex one, the solution is very simple. Instead of having to wait for the remote scheduled tasks, which is useless information to anyone who is not a system administrator remotely configuring scheduled tasks, you can disable this feature.

In order to do this, you will have to hack the System Registry and delete a reference to a key so that this feature will not be loaded. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Open up the Registry Editor by clicking the Start Menu and selecting Run. Then type regedit in the text box and click the OK button.
2. Once the Registry Editor has loaded, expand the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE key.
3. Next, expand Software and then Microsoft.
4. Locate Windows and expand that as well.
5. You will want to be editing the main system files, so expand CurrentVersion.
6. Because this feature is a feature of the Windows component known as Explorer, expand the Explorer key.
7. Next, you will want to modify the remote computer settings, so expand the RemoteComputer key and then expand the NameSpace key to show all of the features that are enabled when you browse to a remote computer.
8. In the NameSpace folder you will find two entries. One is "{2227A280-3AEA-1069-A2DE-08002B30309D}" which tells Explorer to show printers shared on the remote machine. The other, "{D6277990-4C6A-11CF-8D87-00AA0060F5BF}," tells Explorer to show remote scheduled tasks. This is the one that you should delete. This can be done by right-clicking the name of the key and selecting Delete.

Tip:
If you have no use for viewing remote shared printers and are really only interested in shared files, consider deleting the printers key, "{2227A280-3AEA-1069-A2DE-08002B30309D}", as well. This will also boost your browsing speed.

Once you have deleted the key, you just need to restart and the changes will be in effect. Now your network computer browsing will be without needless delays

hala back
gaza fans only

When I was in law school, I took a class called Mental Illness and the Law. The cases we studied were devastating accounts of how our justice system mishandles defendants, convicted felons and prisoners who suffer from serious and debilitating mental diseases or defects. A recent court case noted in USA Today is yet another example of our systems shortcomings.

Aaron Hart, an 18-year-old from Paris, Texas, received 100 years in prison for sexually abusing a 6-year-old neighbor. He pleaded guilty to five counts including aggravated sexual assault and indecency by contact, and received two five-year terms and three 30-year terms, which will be served consecutively. Hart is mentally retarded, has an IQ of 47, cannot read or write and speaks haltingly.

Apparently the jury didnt envision this woefully misguided outcome:

Jurors said they sent the judge notes during deliberations in February, asking about alternatives to prison, but didnt get a clear answer. They believed the judge would order concurrent sentences, jurors said.

The judge decided to make the sentences consecutive because he felt there was no other option:

In the state of Texas, there isnt a whole lot you can do with somebody like him, [Judge Eric] Clifford said.

The young man had no prior felony record. Aaron is 18, never committed a felony, had no violent record. He couldnt understand the seriousness of what he did, said his father, Robert Hart. I never dreamed they would think about sending him to prison. When they said 100 years - it was terror, pure terror to me.

My heart goes out to everyone involved here (except Judge Clifford, of course). A child was sexually violated. A mentally retarded person was sentenced to prison for a crime he perhaps didnt understand was wrong (Harts appellate attorneys are arguing that the court-appointed physician performed tests on Hart assessing mental illness, not mental retardation). And a jury tried to render an appropriate sentence but was stymied by a lazy judge and a justice system ill-equipped to handle mentally retarded criminals. How is it possible in this day and age that Harts only option is lifetime imprisonment?

A strip club that hired a 14-year-old as an exotic dancer is suing the teenager, saying she conned them into employing her.

A lawyer for the Cheetah Club in Corpus Christi, Texas, says managers didn't know the girl was underage when she exposed her breasts, a violation of state law.

The health ministry is insisting that there is no need to panic, although the Ministry of Education has chosen to close all 69 primary and secondary schools in Manchester following the confirmation of two cases of the influenza A (H1N1) virus in the parish.

One of the cases includes a student at a preparatory school in Mandeville where 13 per cent of the school population have also reported flu-like symptoms.

"There is no need for people to panic," Minister of Health Rudyard Spencer told THE STAR yesterday. "We are just concerned and in trying to protect the nation ... we decided to go that route (of closing the schools)," he continued.

The news of the school closures sent many residents of Manchester into a frenzy yesterday afternoon.

Many people were seen in the Manchester capital, Mandeville, wearing masks or using handkerchiefs to cover their noses and mouths after news broke about the confirmed cases yesterday.

put off graduation exercises

Parents, similarly, rushed to pick-up their children from as early as noon at both private and public schools.

"It (the closure) will affect all our planned programmes. Everything we have now is on hold. But we have to survive," said principal of the Mandeville Primary School, Byron Farquharson.

End-of-year exams were put off and graduation exercises cancelled as the ministry said it was taking no chances.

Yesterday's confirmed cases, along with two others on the weekend, brought the total number of confirmed cases on the island to 19 since May 31.

Up to late yesterday, the Health Ministry said it could not confirm a local spread of the virus as it was still conducting tests.

"We are investigating. When we are finished then we will say what is happening," said Director of Emergency Services in the Ministry of Health Dr Marion Bullock-Ducasse.

"The health team is in the field. As usual, we would contact the persons who had direct contact with the cases and then do their tests," she added.

THE STAR understands that hospital officials at the Mandeville Regional Hospital were kept busy on the weekend as suspected cases of H1N1 began flooding the emergency room from Thursday.

But it was yesterday's release by the Ministry of Education that created a frenzy in Manchester.

The ministry reported that two students had been found to be infected with the virus. However, the Ministry of Health later said that only one child and an adult had been infected.

The child is said to be a student at the EL Instituto de Mandeville - a preparatory school in the parish capital which has since closed temporarily as a precaution. The child started to show symptoms last week and was taken to a doctor.

A man has been using porn to scare off annoying children, police say.

Michael Buck was so fed up of children playing in his cul-de-sac that blared a pornographic soundtrack to chase them off.

A 36-year-old part-time teacher at a popular Corporate Area-based all girls' high school is to be formally slapped with carnal abuse and other related charges today after being taken into custody yesterday for allegedly having a two-year long intimate relation with a student.

The girl at the centre of the matter, now 17 years old, is also said to be pregnant THE STAR has learnt.

Police sources told THE STAR that acting on information received, they went to the St Andrew home of the teacher yesterday where both the tutor and the young girl were present during school hours.

The man, was subsequently taken into custody while the teen, who was clad in her school uniform, was taken to the Centre for Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse (CISOCA) were she was examined. Sources further told the newspaper that the girl told investigators she was pregnant based on a 'home' pregnancy test she had done.

Information reaching THE STAR is that the teacher has been in a relation with the teen since she was 15 years old.

Investigators say the teacher, who offers his services at other institutions as well, is to be charged by the St Andrew North Police later today.

The 16 finalists for this year's renewal of the Jamaican leg of Heineken Green Synergy (HGS) were unveiled at the studios of Fame FM on Lyndhurst Road yesterday.

The final 16 for the eliminations that begin next week, includes one female DJ, DJ Jazz, who is the first and only female DJ to make the finals in the seven seasons of Heineken Green Synergy.

She will be up against Jason Goshine, DJ Shine, Ricky Eminence, DJ Fire Chief, Daniel Moreno, DJ Force Ripe, Christopher Green, Jermaine Lindsay, DJ Diamond, Ricardo Swaby, Devon Thompson, DJ Posey, DJ Chungy, Oneil Taylor and DJ Supa O.

six beach parties

August 1 marks the start of a series of six beach parties to be held mainly at Sugarman's Beach, as well as three road shows across the island during which the DJs will show off their skills and will be judged.

The victor will claim the title of Heineken Green Synergy Champion for Jamaica after a series of face-offs live on Fame FM. At the end of the first round, eight remaining contenders will be featured on a reality show to be aired on TVJ where the public will decide on their favourite DJ.

A c****ination of the public's vote and the FAME FM judges will help to determine four semi-finalists who will take on each other in September and the final two will battle it out for the ultimate crown at the local finals on October 10.

apprenticeship

The last man or woman standing will earn an apprenticeship at Fame 95FM as well as $2 million in cash and prizes, including a state-of-the-art DJ console, Clarke-Cooper, who is also executive producer at Fame said. The winner will then compete against other hopefuls from the Caribbean to become the Ultimate Green Synergy Champion on October 31.

Clarke-Cooper added that Fame had benefited from past winners of the Jamaican leg of HGS. "This is the seventh staging in six years and we are particularly pleased because we have managed to benefit from some of the talent that has come through Heineken Green Synergy, DJ Inferno belongs to Fame 95, DJ Kevin belongs to Fame 95, DJ Denvo and our newest DJ here, DJ Nico." She thanked Heineken for having Fame on board and for maintaining the relationship over the years.

Heineken brand manager Kerry McKenzie, welcomed all the other sponsors. Jamaica, she said, has always performed well in the regional finals of the HGS, but this year they were aiming for a Jamaican to win it all.

When Richard Daleman was arrested in December and charged with possessing and cultivating marijuana for sales, it seemed unlikely hed ever be reunited with his confiscated stash. However, that is exactly what happened outside of the Tulare County Courthouse late last month.


In March a jury acquitted Daleman, a medical marijuana patient in good standing. This prompted a judge to rule that Dalemans medicine, which had been stowed in the courthouse evidence room, be returned. After prosecutors delayed the return of his property, Daleman decided to head down to the courthouse and retrieve it himself.


Daleman proceeded to roll out 12 pounds of marijuana from the courthouse and load it into a waiting truck. Before driving away, however, Daleman made sure to weigh (and sniff) his medicine. All in all, Daleman admits, They maintained it pretty good.

There are good places to commit a theft, there are bad places to commit a theft, and then there's the place Michigan student Willima K. Bradley decided to commit a theft. Bradley was sentenced to 180 days in Kalamazoo County Jail on Monday, for stealing a computer from Kalamzoo County Jail, where he was already serving his sentence from a different case.

Handing down the sentence, Judge Gary C. Giguere Jr. told Bradley: 'This is the dumbest crime I've heard today. It may be in the top half-dozen in my career.'

Wow, this chick just wont stop. Tameka is still holding onto the fact that she had no idea her marriage was falling apart even though the two of them had been living separately for over a year.
Tameka Raymond says she didnt see it coming.

Ushers soon to be ex-wife states in a new court filing that she and the R&B star have not been separated since July 2008 and, in fact, were intimately together less than a week before he started divorce proceedings.

She had every reason to believe her marriage was intact, her attorney stated in documents filed Monday in Atlanta.

But since it wasnt, Tameka now wants to make sure that her estranged husband takes care of all of her legal fees pertaining to the split and continues to support his family financially, per the filing.

Usher filed for divorce June 12, checking off irretrievably broken as his reason to end the marriage and requesting joint custody of the couples two sons.

The duo swapped vows in a private civil ceremony in August 2007 and brought family and friends into the mix with a more elaborate set of I dos the following month.

Ushers divorce petition states that they were on the rocks less than a year later.

Superstar rapper/mogul Jay-Z has officially signed a new distribution deal with Sony for his new label Roc Nation.

According to Billboard, the rappers new solo album The Blueprint 3 will be distributed by Atlantic, although that deal is only for the third installment of the rappers Blueprint series of releases.

Jay-Z offered to have the Roc Nation imprint be distributed through his longtime home Def Jam over four years ago.

Island Def Jam Music Group (IDJ) also distributes Jay-Zs Roc-A-Fella imprint, which has such superstar artists as Kanye West, Jadakiss, Beanie Sigel and others.


You have to figure, this is like four years ago, and to them it was just like, 'Are you crazy? No! Make a song,' " said the mogul, who bought his way out of his Def Jam contract for an estimated $5 million.


The rapper also revealed that executives at IDJ were not fully capitalizing on Jay-Zs entrepreneurial abilities.

"To me it was like, I've sold companies for huge amounts of money. I'm an entrepreneur - that's what I've been all my life, Jay-Z told Billboard. I can't just sit here and make records and not do anything else. Why wouldn't you want to do this with me? I felt under-utilized.

On the management side, Roc Nation handles the careers of Wale, Melanie Fiona, Mickey Factz and others.

Study: More sex may help damaged sperm

LONDON For men with fertility problems, some doctors are prescribing a very conventional way to have a baby: more sex.

In a study of 118 Australian men with damaged sperm, doctors found that having sex every day for a week significantly reduced the amount of DNA damage in their patients' sperm. Previous studies have linked better sperm quality to higher pregnancy rates.

The research was announced Tuesday at a meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology in Amsterdam.

Dr. David Greening of Sydney IVF, a private fertility clinic in Australia, and colleagues looked at 118 men who had damaged sperm. Greening and colleagues told the men to have sex every day for a week. After seven days, the doctors found that in 81 percent of the men, there was a 12 percent decrease in the amount of damaged sperm.

Many fertility experts suggest men abstain from sex before their partners have in-vitro fertilization, to try to elevate their sperm counts.

Sperm quality can also be improved if men don't smoke, drink moderately, exercise, or get more antioxidants.

Since concluding the study, Greening says he now instructs all couples seeking fertility advice to start by having more sex. "Some of the older men look a little concerned," he said. "But the younger ones seem quite happy about it."

A 15-year-old boy died last week at a school in St Elizabeth while playing a game of 'water war' with his friends.

Dead is Shadayne Smith of Woodlands in the parish.

According to police reports, about 11:30 a.m. last Wednesday, Smith suddenly collapsed while playing the game.

After several unsuccessful attempts to contact school officials, THE STAR managed to speak with schoolmates of the deceased boy who they describe as "very friendly and energetic".

 

full of energy

"All now I can't believe ... . Is a youth that was full of energy and him just gone like that," 16-year-old Shawn Mullings, a friend of the deceased boy, said.

THE STAR heard that Smith had just completed his end-of-term examinations last Wednesday and decided to partake in a game of water b****ing, a traditional game played on the final day of school in which students simply chase and wet each other.

It would be Shadayne's final day indeed.

While playing, the youngster fell unconscious and was reportedly taken to the school nurse who rushed him to the Black River Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

 

in shock

"Is something we do every last day and all now we don't know what went wrong ... . We were running up and down, wetting up each other and the next thing I see is when they brought him to the nurse," 15-year-old Kevin Allen, another schoolmate, said before adding "everybody at school sad, everybody in shock".

The police say a post-mortem is expected to be conducted to determine the actual cause of death but admitted that it is suspected that the teen may have drowned.

When THE STAR contacted a female family member, all she said was, "Him gone him gone," before hanging up.

Efforts to contact the person again were unsuccessful as several subsequent phone calls went unanswered.

-- Edited by Dj Quiva on Wednesday 1st of July 2009 08:27:36 AM

Apple has issued a warning on its support pages regarding iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS overheating, marking the first time the company has officially acknowledged the problem. Reports that the iPhone 3GS is having overheating problems have surfaced last week, merely days after the devices was launched.

Over the last few days, many iPhone 3GS users have been reporting that Apple's new iPhone 3GS is getting abnormally hot when used in various environments. PC World's Melissa J. Perenson noted in her report that she was experiencing the same phenomenon with her new 16GB iPhone 3GS.

Various U.S. gadget sites such as as Gizmodo and Engadget have circulated reports of the same problem, and PC World's Tech Inciter David Coursey, a hot iPhone 3GS owner as well, was even discussing a possible iPhone 3GS recall from Apple. Others have even claimed a discoloration of the iPhone's back cover due to the device running very hot.

Though Apple has not officially acknowledged a problem with the new iPhone 3GS, the company has now issued a warning on its support knowledge base, basically putting the blame on users. The warning prompts users not to leave their phones in a car because temperatures in parked cars can exceed the -20º and 45º C (-4º to 113º F) range the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS were designed to function in properly.

Apple says in the support article that "if the interior temperature of the device exceeds normal operating temperatures, you may experience the following as it attempts to regulate its temperature: the device stops charging, display dims, and/or weak cellular signal."

Apple also posted an image (above) of an overheated iPhone screenshot with a message that appears when the operating temperature of the devices is too hot. The company says this is a safety mechanism that protects the components of the iPhone 3G/3GS.

Other conditions that Apple deems as possible overheating causes are: leaving the phone in direct sunlight for extended amounts of time or using certain applications in hot conditions or direct sunlight for a long time. An Apple overheating scenario is using GPS tracking in a car on a sunny day or listening to music while in direct sunlight.

Apple further advises hot iPhone 3G and 3GS owners to turn their device off when the above-mentioned temperature warning appears on screen and move it to a cooler environment, allowing the iPhone to cool down before resuming use.

Apple has sold over one million iPhone 3GSs since the device launched on June 19.

If there wusnt an ALLIANCE, wuld there be a GAZA?

JUST ONE QUESTION. WHAT IF MOVADO LEFT ALLIANCE. WHO WOULD BE THE ONE TO TAKE HIS PLACE AS THE NEXT BIG 2PAC TREND SETTER? BUSY SIGNAL? SERANI??? BOUNTY???

will.i.am has revealed that he has no plans to "leak" the new material he recorded with Michael Jackson.
The Black Eyed Peas singer insisted that he is not interested in cashing in on the demand for Jackson's music since he passed away last week.

"I don't know what I'm going to do with the songs but I won't leak them or give them to another artist," he told the Daily Star.

The rapper, who previously remixed the late King Of Pop's 1982 single 'The Girl Is Mine', recently claimed that he had completed a dance album with him.

Jackson's single 'Man In The Mirror' is on course to top the charts on Sunday, while a number of his albums are also expected to dominate the Top 10.

By: David Balls

Police: TV pitchman Billy Mays found dead

MIAMI (Reuters) A fight broke out on a Florida bus when news of Michael Jackson's death sparked debate over whether he should be remembered as a great musical talent, and one passenger was charged with assault, police said on Friday.

The bus was moving through the city of North Lauderdale on Thursday when passenger James Kiernan received a text message about Jackson's death on his cell phone, and he read it aloud on the bus, the Broward County Sheriff's Department said.

The unidentified bus driver opined that "Michael Jackson should have been in jail long ago," prompting Kiernan, 60, to retort that "the world just lost a great musical talent," the police report said.

It said the last remark enraged another passenger, Henry Wideman, who started a swearing match with Kiernan, then pulled out a knife and chased Kiernan down the aisle with it.

The driver called his dispatcher and pulled over near a convenience store to wait for sheriff's deputies, who arrested Wideman, 54. He remained in jail on Friday on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

(AP) - A look at who wins and loses in Michael Jackson's 2002 will, which aims to move all of his estimated $500 million-plus assets into a private family trust.

SHUT OUT: Ex-wife Debbie Rowe; Jackson's father Joe Jackson.

CLEAR WINNERS: Mother Katherine, 79, who also was named guardian of Jackson's children; son Michael Joseph Jr., known as Prince Michael, 12; daughter Paris Michael Katherine, 11; and son Prince Michael II, 7. All were called trust beneficiaries in documents filed with the will.

POTENTIAL WINNERS: Several Jacksons were named "contingent remainder" beneficiaries, who usually gain once the main beneficiaries pass away. They include the three sons of brother Tito Jackson Taj, Taryll, and T.J., who make up the band 3T.

CHARITIES: Unknown, but one of the people to be notified of the will is California Attorney General Jerry Brown, whose office oversees charitable gifts from estates.

MOTOWN MOM: Diva Diana Ross was named guardian of his children if Katherine passes away or is unable or unwilling to serve.

EXECUTORS: Three executors were named in the will, but one, Santa Monica accountant Barry Siegel, resigned in 2003. The remaining co-executors are John Branca, a longtime Jackson attorney who split from Jackson in 2006 but says he was rehired two weeks ago, and John McClain, a music executive and longtime friend.

INSURANCE: Documents indicate the existence of a "Michael Jackson Insurance Trust." Estate lawyer Roy Kozupsky said if that trust holds a life insurance policy, the proceeds could be used to pay off the huge tax bill the estate could owe the federal government

http://vimeo.com/5393997

As a hobby 50 has been studying photography, acting, and directing.

Catch the September issue of Smooth magazine and the debut of the "Before I Self Destruct" in which he wrote, directed, and starred in.

At 8:15pm June 29,2009 I was informed by a really liable source that our Dj Naz as swept the judges off there feet thus officially landing her a place in the Competition where she will face other top Dj's in the island, but a mi say.



Congrates Girl Power to the world

-- Edited by DekaNo on Tuesday 30th of June 2009 01:05:13 PM

• Genetic condition had ruined his lungs and left him unable to sing
• He became so skeletal, doctors believed he was anorexic
• He had nightmares about being murdered and wanted to die
• He used swine flu as an excuse to avoid coming to England
• He thought he was agreeing to 10 concerts it was 50

Whatever  the final autopsy results reveal, it was greed that killed Michael Jackson. Had he not been driven by a cabal of bankers, agents, doctors and advisers to commit to the gruelling 50 concerts in Londons O2 Arena, I believe he would still be alive today.

During the last weeks and months of his life, Jackson made desperate attempts to prepare for the concert series scheduled for next month a series that would have earned millions for the singer and his entourage, but which he could never have completed, not mentally, and not physically.

Read more

Seven fans have committed suicide because of the death of Michael Jackson. Seriously people we are all hurt and saddened to the point of speechlessnesshowever DONT SELF DESTRUCT! Michael Jackson believed in world peace, and wouldnt ever take his own life.Get it together people, lets not turn Michaels death into a circus ..>Damn!! Jesse Jackson talks about coping with the death of MJ, in hopes that noone else will succumb and imitate what the other seven have done.



UP DATE:
As many as 50 callers seeking help from suicide prevention hotline Lifeline Australia have told counsellors that Jacksons death on June 26 has left them distressed.

According Sky News, Gary Taylor from London, who owns Jackos online fan club has said that he was aware of about 12 suicides following the performers death.

Soca madness is taking over Jamaica as more dancehall artistes are seeking to tap into soca market.

 

Da'Ville is one such artiste who has dropped his new soca single entitled Turning Me On.

 

The single, which was recorded on his Fashozy Record label, was produced by executive producers O. Thomas, J. Brown and co- produced by one of Trinidad's top Soca producers Sheldon 'Shel Shok' Benjamin, who is responsible for a string of hit tracks: Roll It by Alison Hinds, Dance With You by Machel Montano, Sugar Boy by Patrice Roberts, Good Morning by 3Canal and On The Floor by Mr Vegas featuring Destra, among them.

 

Da'Ville says, "The song has been going good so far, the response has been great, from as far as places like Canada, England and Japan, so it's all positive. We released the song outside of Trinidad first, because they were already in their carnival season, so the song will work its way around first and then into Trinidad in time for carnival next year."

 

And that strategic move, Da'Ville said, was on the advice of the Trinidadian producer who also co-produced the project. Although Da'Ville admits, "This is the first I'm really tapping in on this sort of energy," he says he still managed to maintain the Jamaican flavour. " I never left out the Jamaican energy, it's just the beat that makes it different," he said.

 

He added, "I'm just showing my diversity and I am also a big fan of soca, I listen to Machel, Destra, Rupee - and furthermore, you have other Caribbean artistes who tap into dancehall. Look at Pressure and Natural Black, but it's just a musical vibe."

 

Meantime, for Vegas, however, tapping into the soca market is nothing new for him, as he explained it was by chance that he ended up there.

 

"Machel Montano wanted me to do a remix on one of his tracks called Dance With You, and from there he felt that I should do a tune on the rhythm, so I did a song called Genie Wine which Machel produced," he said.

 

According to Vegas, some of his songs are endorsed more in Trinidad than in Jamaica, "because every Vegas song is a hit for them, and there are songs that are used in Trinidad and are more popular there like Tamborine and Hot Gyal Nuh Fight Ova Man."

 

"In Jamaica, only certain people are allowed to represent carnival, but in places like Trinidad, it doesn't matter who you are, once you have a bad song it is used," Vegas said.

 

But Vegas says this doesn't really affect him much, "because I don't want to be known as a soca artiste in Jamaica."

Michael and Lisa Presley appear to have had an intense and active sex life. She told a friend that he was 'hot stuff in bed' and 'amazing'  -  and she should know, the friend added, because 'she's been around'.

Nevertheless, some of his habits were a little odd.

'The first time, she went to turn on the lights afterwards, and he leapt out of bed and ran into the bathroom so she wouldn't see his body. He emerged 20 minutes later, in full make-up and wearing a silk robe. Then they went at it again.

'He liked her to wear jewellery in bed. They were into role-playing games, although Lisa would never say who was playing what kind of role.'

Read more

The former nanny to Michael Jackson's children, Grace Rwaramba, 42, told the London Times she constantly had to pump his stomach after he mixed a dangerous c****ination on drugs.

"I had to pump his stomach many times. He always mixed so much of it," Rwaramba said in reference to Jackson's drug use. "There was one period that it was so bad that I didn't let the children see him. He always ate too little and mixed too much."

 

Rwaramba was introduced to Jackson through a mutual friend, the best-selling author, spiritual teacher and medical doctor Deepak Chopra over 15 years ago. Chopra believed the former nanny's statements were taken out of context, reports EurWeb.com

"For the record, Grace never pumped Michael's stomach. She has no idea how she would even do such a thing," Chopra wrote on his Web site Sunday. He added,  "Grace is more than my best friend I refer to her as my sister."

 

Rwaramba claims she notified the Jackson family of Michael's prescription drug abuse and tried to organize an intervention and sought the help of his mother Katherine and sister Janet. She was fired once Jackson caught wind of her efforts.

"He didn't want to listen," she says, "that was one of the times he let me go," she said.

Rwaramba worked for Jackson for more than a decade. She started as an office assistant to the pop star and later became the  nanny to his three children: Prince, now 12; Paris, 11; and Blanket, 7. She was last fired by Michael in December, and claims that when she visited the children in April, and further stated she had to buy balloons for Paris's birthday, because Michael was so broke.

 

"Michael had no idea about money," Rwaramba says, and referred to a $1 million offer he received to appear in Japan. "By the time everyone took their share he ended up with $200,000," she said.

According to Rwaramba, the day after Michael died, his mother Katherine called her from Michael's Holmby Hills house and asked where he kept his cash.

"She said, 'Grace, the children are crying. They are asking about you.They can't believe that their father died. Grace, you remember Michael used to hide cash at the house. I am here. Where can it be?"

 

Rwaramba told her to look "at the garbage bags and under the carpets." Then, said the former nanny, "She said, 'Grace, where are you? Come. I will pick you up from the airport.' She sounded so strong. So strong!"

Rwaramba, who is originally from Rwanda, is now in Los Angeles and expected to be interviewed by LAPD detectives to further investigate Jackson's death on Thursday.

no

In the first file-sharing case ever to go to trial in the U.S., a Minnesota mother of four was ordered to pay the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) $1.9 million dollars for violating music copyright laws. She shared 24 songs on the network Kazaa, which comes out to about $80 G's per track

A Florida man was arrested last week for calling 911 repeatedly, seeking a police escort to the residence of rapper Lil Wayne.

Michael Kruse, 20, charged with making false emergency calls by the St. Johns County Sheriffs Office.

According to thesmokinggun.com, Kruse called 911 on his cell phone, from his Ford Taurus repeatedly, asking for a police escort -by -helicopter - to take him to Miami so he could meet with Lil Wayne.

An arriving officer probed Kruse, who admitted to calling 911 the previous day as well. that incident, Kruse told 911 operators that he might need medical attention because he was under the influence of an unknown substance.

When the arriving officer attempted to help, Kruse refused medical attention.

The United States 911 system launched in 1968 and handles over 240 million calls annually, with 99% of the country covered with the service.

Officials are looking to crack down on abuse of the 911 system. In some cities, up to 80% of the calls placed to 911 are non-emergency.

In March, a woman was arrested for calling 911 three times, to complain that McDonalds was out of Chicken McNuggets, after she had paid for a ten piece meal.

Last year, a San Francisco man was charged with calling 911 more than 27,000 times.

Bother were charged with misuse of 911 charge and fined as well 

Celebrity website TMZ.com claims the Jacksons will transport the body to Neverland, in southern California, on Thursday.

They will then hold a wake on Friday or Saturday ahead of a funeral service on Sunday.

The part owners of Neverland have sent a letter to residents of Santa Barbara warning them of the madness that will occur when Jackson's fans flock to see his body.

Meanwhile, the singer's tour promoter has said hisill-fated show at the O2 Arena in London could be turned into a tribute gig featuring his family.

The president of AEG Live Randy Phillips told Sky's Kay Burley he saw Jackson rehearsing the day before he died and that he seemed fit and "engaged".

In an exclusive interview Mr Phillips denied Jackson was suffering from stage fright, saying AEGwould at "some point" release video of the rehearsals.

He said the show was going to be "beyond anything", adding: "At some point the world needs to see this production.

"I would imagine it could be done as a tribute with the family, with the brothers performing, some sisters, and the stars that were influenced by him.

"It would have been, which is the tragedy here, one of the most amazing shows ever, so at some point we want the world to see that."

Describing rehearsals, Mr Phillips said: "(Michael) was so amazing in the final week.

"He gave me a hug and said 'now I know I can do this'. He was that engaged and that incredible."

Earlier it emerged the singer's estate was valued at $236m (£142m) in March 2007 - but his father Joe, with whom he had a troubled relationship, will get nothing.

In his will, Jackson reportedly divides everything between his mother, three children and one or more charities - but there is no mention of Joe Jackson.

That is according to the Wall Street Journal which says the will could be submitted to the superior court in Los Angeles on Thursday.

Lawyer John Branca and music executive John Mclain, a friend of Jackson, are named as executors.

Mr Branca, who worked for Jackson from 1980 to 2006 and was rehired by Jackson a week before his death, wrote the will in 2002, says the Journal.

In an email message, a lawyer for Jackson's parents, L Londell McMillan, said neither he nor his clients had seen the 2002 will.

The size and complexity of the star's assets and debts is expected to pose a major challenge for his executors.

His assets, which include a 50% stake in Sony/ATV Music Publishing, could exceed his estimated debts of $500m (£300m) by as much as $200m (£120m), the paper said.

It is not known what custody provisions the 2002 will sets out for Jackson's three children.

His mother, Katherine, has been granted temporary custody of the youngsters - two boys and a girl - until a court hearing in August.

-- Edited by musicman_77_99 on Tuesday 30th of June 2009 05:34:44 PM

TMZ just report's Michael Jackson was not the biological father of any of his children. And Debbie Rowe is not the biological mother of the two kids she bore for Michael. All three children were conceived in vitro -- outside the w****.

Multiple sources deeply connected to the birth tell us Michael was not the sperm donor for any of his kids. Debbie's eggs were not used. She was merely the surrogate, and paid well for her services in the births of Michael Jr. and Paris.

In the case of Prince Michael II (the youngest), we're told the surrogate was never told of the identity of the "receiving parent" -- Michael Jackson. Three days after Prince was born at Grossmont Hospital in San Diego County, Jackson's lawyer came to the hospital to pick the babies up and deliver him to Michael.

We do not know if Jackson chose the sperm or egg donors or if he even knew who they were.

Although Rowe is not the biological mother, it's not a slam dunk that she would lose a custody battle. This type of case has never been litigated in California courts. Since Rowe was married to Jackson when Michael Jr. and Paris were born, there's a presumption that she's the biological parent. That presumption can be rebutted by other evidence.

We know there are documents outlining the whole arrangement for the birth of all three kids. Nonetheless, it's still an open issue with the courts.

UPDATE:

We've learned Michael Jackson never adopted his three children, even though he's not the biological father.

TMZ broke the story that neither Jackson nor Debbie Rowe are the biological parents of Michael Jr. and Paris. And Michael was not the biological parent of Prince Michael II either.

Now here's the rub. We've learned Jackson never filed legal papers to adopt any of his children. Legal experts tell us Jackson would be presumed the father but it's not conclusive by any means.

As for why Jackson didn't formally adopt -- we're told at the time the kids were born there was no third party whom he believed would try and claim custody. For some reason, Jackson never thought Debbie Rowe would mount a custody challenge.

On Jeezy's newest track "24-23", he takes shots at Gucci & Juiceman. (Read the verses after the jump) When XXLMag reached out to both OJ and Guccis management for comment, they stated: We not feeding in to that. We getting money. Much More Here.

The Snowman has a controversial history with Gucci. Back in 2005 Jeezy put out several diss songs against the rapper, claiming he was not paid sufficiently for his appearance on Guccis hit single, So Icey. Gucci alleged that Jeezy went as far as putting a hit out on him, which many believe lead to Mane killing a man rumored to be a Jeezy associate - in self-defense. Since 05 there have been no other incidents between the two rappers.

Ironically all three MCs are set to play two shows together this weekend, 102 Jamzs SuperJam In North Carolina and Hot 107s Birthday Bash in A-town.

On the track, titled 24-23, Jeezy first takes aim at his longtime rival Gucci. Im on my Louie shit today/ f**k some Gucci, mane, he spit. These niggas still on my dick/ they like some groupies, mane/Cant keep they lips closed/ they worse than coochies, mane/ And that fruity looking stupid/ like some Coogi, mane/ Let you trick me off these streets/ you must be stupid, mane/ Tell him this aint what he want/ not the boy Snow/ But between me and you/ I think the boy slow.

He then takes aim at Guccis friend OJ. Straight shots to the head, f**k some juice, man, he added. Next to real n-s in the city who got the juice, mane. these n-s talking bout the work but what they prove, mane. Yall know these n-s really clowns but Im the truth, mane. And this is what you goin for then whats the use, mane. Tell him this aint what he want, not the boy Snow. But between me and you, I think them boys slow.