Toni Braxton is bankrupt…again. For the second time in her 18 year career, the “Unbreak My Heart” hitmaker is staring down the barrell of financial ruin after filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection in California this month. Toni, 43, went bankrupt in 1998, but managed to regroup her finances after the success of her 2000 [...]
Posts Tagged ‘Marcus’
What is the Best Registry Fix Method? Posted By : Marcus Franco
September 19th, 2010 |
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If your computer is running slow and it takes two minutes to access a simple webpage, you should know that there are some reasons for that. Some of them would imply a virus, a malware program, or even a worm. However, if this is not the case, maybe a good registry fix or cleaning might be required.
“American Idol†Alum Chikezie Eze Sentenced To Probation In Identity Scam
August 20th, 2010 |
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Former American Idol finalist Chikezie Eze has been sentenced to three years probation and slapped with an order prohibiting from setting foot near Neiman Marcus as part of a plea deal after the aspiring singer tried to buy over $1,200 worth of cologne at the luxury department store with a stolen credit card, TMZ reported [...]
Teresa Giudice and Her Husband Are in Debts
June 9th, 2010 |
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According to the latest news the star of “The Real Housewives of New Jersey,†Teresa Giudice and her husband Joe have filed for bankruptcy.
The court documents that were filed on October 29, 2009 confirm that the couple is $8,709,831.34 in debt. As a matter of fact, their yearly income is only $79,000. Moreover, the [...]
Teresa Giudice Bankrupt: “The Real Housewives Of New Jersey†Star $8.5 Million In Debt
June 5th, 2010 |
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Teresa’s broker than one of LiLo’s stilettos after a night of binge drinking… The Real Housewives of New Jersey’s Teresa Giudice lives a lavish lifestyle on the hit Bravo reality series, but behind-the-scenes, the Skinny Italian author is drowning in a mountain of millions of dollars in debt and struggling to make ends meet, according to [...]
America’s shoppers: The retailers’ dilemma
May 27th, 2010 |
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As they decide how to stock their shelves later this year, America’s shopkeepers are debating whether the recent rise in consumer spending will last
THE mood of executives at retail firms normally moves in lockstep with that of their customers. But in America the news on May 25th that consumer confidence had reached its highest level in two years left them oddly subdued. Consumer spending per person, which fell for two years in a row for the first time since the Depression last year and the year before, has been rising again in recent months. But as retail executives place orders for the crucial end-of-year rush, they are anxiously debating how strong and lasting the consumer’s revival will be.
In the first quarter both fancier retailers such as Gap, Macy’s and Saks and workaday ones like Target, Wal-Mart and Home Depot all announced improved results. The rebound has been strongest in luxury stores: same-store sales at Neiman Marcus, for example, were 11% higher this April than last. But there was also reason for cheer at Home Depot, which relies on humbler consumers and the still-low housing market: revenues were up by 4.3% on the first quarter of 2009. Sales of home-improvement gear such as paint and gardening tools were especially strong. …
Chikezie Eze, Former “American Idol†Contestant, Arrested
February 26th, 2010 |
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Former American Idol contestant Chikezie Eze has been arrested.
The singer with the unforgettable name also has a pretty hard to forget face: Eze was collared on a charge of felony identity theft in Beverly Hills on Thursday after a Neiman Marcus sales rep spied him trying to make a purchase using a fake credit/check card.
He [...]
Demi Moore donates £62,500 to California’s shelter for poor
December 31st, 2009 |
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Hollywood actress Demi Moore showed off her generous side when she donated 62,500 pounds to a California shelter that burned down in a devastating fire earlier.
The Southwest Community Centre in Santa Ana helped poor children and needy seniors until it was destroyed on 15 December (09) after a suspected electrical fault.
Moore has written a cheque [...]
Savannah Music Fest 2010 Season
December 8th, 2009 |
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SAVANNAH MUSIC FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES 2010 SEASON
FEATURING UNIQUE PAIRINGS, ORIGINAL PRODUCTIONS AND INSTRUMENTAL VIRTUOSITY
Highlights include Wilco, Wynton Marsalis, Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi
 Wilco |
Tickets are now on sale for the 2010 Savannah Music Festival (SMF), which runs from March 18 through April 3. Opening with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chinese superstar pianist Lang Lang. The 21st edition of Georgia’s largest music festival features its most diverse array of acts ever. Called “one of the best events around the world” by The Times of London, SMF’s 2010 season is comprised of original productions, unique pairings, and a focus on instrumental virtuosity, including world-class artists in jazz, classical, bluegrass, blues, gospel, and a wide variety of other American and international musical traditions. Set in the idyllic atmosphere of Savannah in the early spring, these unique programs combine to create a musical arts event with worldwide resonance. Tickets are available here.
SMF Executive & Artistic Director Rob Gibson remarks, “With the ever widening gap between commercial music and the performing arts, we want to serve as a bridge that connects audiences with a wide range of first-class artistry, while also illuminating musical traditions from all over the world.”
Savannah Music Festival Original Productions
For the sixth year, SMF Associate Artistic Director and acclaimed violinist Daniel Hope has curated an original chamber music series called Sensations. Daniel Hope and friends welcome first-time guests and musical collaborators Gabriela Montero, Gautier Capuçon, Mark O’Connor, and Jeffrey Kahane.
Highlights of the series include performances of both sextets written by Brahms, a program entitled Forbidden Music, featuring works by composers incarcerated in the Thereseinstadt concentration camp including Schulhoff, Schull, Klein and Haas performed at Temple Mickve Israel (the third oldest Jewish temple in America), and an American music program featuring an O’Connor String Quartet, Heifetz‘ Gershwin arrangements, and works by Williams, Copland, and Bernstein. Pianists Sebastian Knauer and Jeffrey Kahane will perform a one-time only duo recital.
The New Orleans Blues Party features the Henry Butler Trio joined by several special guests and jazz greats throughout the evening. Additional jazz and blues productions include the annual Piano Showdown, which this year pits Butler, Marcus Roberts, Gerald Clayton, and Dick Hyman at opposite ends of the stage, on different Steinways, performing solos and duets. Ben Tucker at 80, celebrates the birthday of Savannah’s beloved jazz bassist/composer in a program featuring such jazz stalwarts as Marcus Printup, Wycliffe Gordon, and Kevin Bales. The prolific jazz pianist Dick Hyman plays an all-Fats Waller concert. All Star Swing Summit, the culmination of SMF’s Swing Central High School Jazz Band Competition & Workshop, features the Clayton Brothers, the Marcus Roberts Trio, the Ted Nash Ensemble, and the Georgia Horns featuring Chris Crenshaw, Wycliffe Gordon and Marcus Printup.
A multi-generational gathering of great mandolinists featuring Mike Marshall, Chris Thile, and Caterina Lichtenberg reaches back to the origins of the instrument in Italian music from the 1600s, also spotlighting the mandolin’s history up to the present day. The most formidable husband/wife team in the history of southern rock/blues, Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi, perform a set of ’60s and ’70s soul music.
Unique Pairings and Double Bills
· The Big World of Music series pairs innovative American instrumentalists with international virtuosos in Wizards and Gypsies: The Assad Brothers and the Roby Lakatos Ensemble; Mark O’Connor’s Hot Swing! and the Renaud Garcia-Fons Trio; and the Bill Frisell Trio with Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba.
· Divas of Country Music features two of neo-traditional country music’s biggest talents: Patty Loveless and Kathy Mattea.
· The passionate and gritty blues, rhythm & soul of Ruthie Foster intersects with the intimate and rich sound of Savannah native Kristina Train, whose debut recording is being released this month on Blue Note Records.
· Major Minors: Teenage acoustic music sensations Sarah Jarosz and Sierra Noble share a bill showcasing their youthful virtuosity and their respective trios.
· Jazz elder statesmen Dick Hyman, Ken Peplowski and Howard Alden are paired with the youthful and hard-swinging Gerald Clayton Trio.
· Mike Marshall’s innovative Big Trio and western swing/alt-country rockers The Belleville Outfit perform on the opening night of the festival.
· The “first family of bluegrass,” Cherryholmes, shares the stage with North Carolina singer/multi-instrumentalist Shannon Whitworth.
About the Savannah Music Festival
The Savannah Music Festival presents a world-class celebration of the musical arts by creating timeless and adventurous productions that stimulate arts education, foster economic growth, and unite artists and audiences in Savannah, Georgia. The 2010 festival runs from March 18 through April 3, including more than 100 performances of world-class jazz, classical, blues, bluegrass, gospel and other genres of American and international roots music in intimate venues throughout the historic district of Savannah.
The entire festival line up can be viewed here.
Victoria Beckham Dress Collection Stolen
December 7th, 2009 |
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Police in the UK are on the hunt stylish thieves who lifted Victoria Beckham’s $630,000 collection of new dresses in a staged robbery.
The former Spice Girl is reportedly shocked over the robbery of up to 75 dresses from her exclusive fashion line. The frocks due to go on sale at tony New York department [...]
Stephanie Pratt Rehab; “The Hills†Star Pleads Not Guilty, Heads To Alcohol Treatment
November 14th, 2009 |
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Stephanie Pratt pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor DUI in court on Friday. Pratt, 23, was arrested in October after celebrating Holly Montag’s birthday at Empire in Hollywood. The star of MTV’s The Hills will enroll in a 30-day residential rehab facility.
This is not the socialite’s first scrap with the law. In 2006, Stephanie — who [...]
Paris Hilton Facing Legal Action After Snubbing German Appearances
September 15th, 2009 |
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Paris Hilton is facing legal action in Germany after pulling out of a series of events she was scheduled to attend in the country last weekend.
Promoters booked the heiress to appear at a number of industry events in Frankfurt, but Paris baffled them by refusing to leave her hotel room. She then reportedly flew to [...]
Springsteen To Play Entire ‘Born To Run’ Album At United Center
July 28th, 2009 |
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Bruce Springsteen eased the worry of Chicago’s die-hard “Thunder Road” fans Monday: Springsteen and his E Street Band are playing the United Center on September 20th and they’ll perform his entire 1975 album “Born to Run.”
Greg Kot reported t…
Gerrard apologises for punching man in bar
July 23rd, 2009 |
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England footballer admits throwing blow in row over music but says he was acting in self-defence
The Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard claimed today he had been acting in self-defence when he punched a man in a row over music.
The England international told Liverpool crown court that he punched Marcus McGee three times during a clash at a bar in Southport.
He said that he had struck the man “to defend myself”, fearing he was about to be hit by McGee. Gerrard, 29, who denies affray, said that, at the time, he was unaware one of his friends, John Doran, had landed the first blow, elbowing McGee in the face.
“I thought he was going to hit me,” Gerrard said.
“He was on his way forward to me and his behaviour had changed from when I was having a discussion with him. I didn’t know why.”
Asked how he felt now, the footballer added: “I am certainly mistaken in thinking he was coming towards me to throw punches at me. Now I know, obviously, he had been struck, reacted and thought the strike was by me and he came into me and that’s when I reacted.
“I am sorry about the whole incident.”
Gerrard denied that he had lost control on the night of the fight.
He had been drinking at the Lounge Inn in Southport to celebrate a 5-1 victory over Newcastle earlier that day. The footballer had been drinking Budweiser and a sweet liqueur drink called a Jammy Donut shot, estimating his level of drunkenness as seven out of 10. Gerrard remained calm and quietly spoken as he gave evidence, repeatedly sipping a glass of water as he stood in the witness box.
“It was very difficult at the time to explain to the police why I did throw the first blows. But it was because I was arguing and I felt as if Marcus was coming forward to hit me.”
He told the jury he had been used to people “mithering” him and he was usually able to smooth things over.
Gerrard said he suffered “a lot of mither” at traffic lights, shopping centres, bars and restaurants and the comments can be “derogatory or insulting”.
He admitted calling McGee “a prick” to one of his friends when he refused to change the music.
During the conversation with McGee, 34, he claimed the man swore at him, saying: “You are not putting no fucking music on here.”
Gerrard said a member of staff at the bar had given him permission to choose music from a CD player that his alleged victim was operating.
A card that controlled the music was snatched from his hand by McGee, he said.
“I couldn’t understand why the guy had such a problem with me, why he was so aggressive,” he said.
Gerrard said that when he went over to speak to McGee for a second time, he had no intention of having a fight but wanted to “smooth things over”.
Gerrard told the court he had a conviction for drink-driving when he was 19 but had not been in any other trouble with the police.
Gerrard welled up with tears as a statement from Liverpool legend Kenny
Dalglish was read out. Dalglish described Gerrard as “not the archetypal footballer. He does not like to move in movie star circles.”
He described him as “quiet” and “very private.” Despite his wealth, Dalglish said, Gerrard has “never forgotten his roots.”
“He is a very respectful man who has always behaved to senior players in a respectful way,” Dalglish said. “He is a very humble man.”
Dalglish, who had earlier met Gerrard on the night of the incident, said he had been with a group of boys who were “normal, polite, eating sushi and enjoying themselves”.
The footballer said Gerrard had become involved in his wife Marina’s charity for breast cancer and had been a guest of honour at a Hillsborough memorial match.
William Bygroves, the chaplain at Liverpool football club, said in a statement he had known Gerrard since he was a youth. “I have seen him mature into a kind, mature, generous, community minded family man.”
The chaplain said Gerrard had shown interest in those less fortunate than himself.
Bygroves said Gerrard was always generous when meeting children at Alder Hey children’s hospital and had worked on an anti-racism campaign with Gee Walker, the mother of murder victim Anthony Walker.
He described Gerrard as a warm-hearted genuine person.
Cross-examined by David Turner QC, for the prosecution, Gerrard was asked to show the jury how he hit McGee. He gently lifted his right arm to demonstrate the uppercut.
Asked by Turner if he was sickened by what he did, Gerrard replied: “I am certainly sorry.”
The jurors are expected to be sent out to consider their verdict tomorrow.
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Footballer Gerrard ‘delivered barrage of blows’
July 22nd, 2009 |
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Alleged victim of attack in Southport nightclub tells court Liverpool captain hit him two or three times
A man allegedly attacked by Steven Gerrard told a court todayhow he “faced a barrage of punches” from the Liverpool captain, who swore at him when he refused to hand over control of a CD player.
Marcus McGee, 34, said he disliked the footballer’s attitude when requesting a card that controlled the stereo. “I would describe it as bad and rude. He was bad-mannered straight away. I acted in proportion to what his attitude was.
“When you see a famous person like that you do not think you are going to have a fight or trouble with them.”
He told Liverpool crown court that Gerrard, 29, said “something to the effect of, ‘Here you are, lad, give me that.’ “
He refused: “It was my job, so I didn’t hand it over.” McGee said the manager of the Lounge Inn in Southport had asked him to be in charge of the music as he wanted to get everyone dancing.
He told the court that Gerrard made a move to try to grab the card off him to take it away and recalls it slipping on to the floor. The footballer walked away.
Gerrard, who was in the bar with friends celebrating Liverpool’s 5-1 win over Newcastle United, is shown on CCTV walking away before later returning to confront McGee.
Seven minutes later McGee was sat on a bar stool at the bar when Gerrard approached and said: “What the fuck is your problem?” McGee stood up as he felt threatened and vulnerable sitting down and looking up at the footballer and they had a brief conversation.
He told the court: “I remember a barrage of punches coming in at my face but at that point I don’t know who has done what. Having watched the CCTV it was quite obvious Steven Gerrard hit me a couple of times, maybe three times but I couldn’t honestly say on the night.”
Gerrard, a married father of two, denies affray. Six co-defendants, including two Accrington Stanley players, have admitted charges of affray or threatening behaviour before their trial was due to begin.
Under cross-examination by John Kelsey-Fryer, Gerrard’s barrister, McGee strongly rebutted a suggestion that he swore at the footballer.
McGee said he was innocent, saying: “I didn’t throw any punches, I wasn’t acting aggressively, I didn’t hit anyone at all.”
His girlfriend, Gina Lond, told the court: “I saw an elbow going into Marcus’s face. At that time I thought it was Steven’s. Marcus was just getting punched and kicked by several people. He had blood on his face and he had a cut on his forehead.”
Bar worker Nathaniel Lockie, who saw the start of the fight, told the court that he saw Gerrard pull McGee’s jumper over his head with his left hand, pulling him forward “so that he was off balance” before punching him.
Lockie ran round to the other side of the bar to try to stop the fight. Earlier in the evening, he said, Gerrard had approached the bar staff for help changing the music “but none was given”. He saw Gerrard walking back to the restaurant area “in a huff” after his music request was refused.
Later, he saw Gerrard and McGee speaking to each other across the bar. “Marcus looked puzzled at first,” Lockie said. “There was an argument or an exchange of words.”
He said John Doran, whom he assumed was Gerrard’s minder, struck McGee with an elbow and the fight began from there. McGee lost a front tooth crown in the attack, received a cut to the forehead and had hospital treatment following the incident in the early hours of 29 December last year.
Gerrard is expected to give evidence tomorrow.
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Zuma replaces central bank chief
July 19th, 2009 |
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South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma has named former deputy governor Gill Marcus as the new governor of the country’s central bank.
She replaces Tito Mboweni, who has faced criticisms in some quarters for keeping interest rates too high, and will take over in November.
Ms Marcus served as deputy governor of the South African Reserve Bank between 1999 and 2004.
She is currently chairwomen of banking group Absa.
"I have reappointed Mr Mboweni as Reserve Bank Governor. However, he has indicated his wish to leave in November 2009 to pursue other interests," said Mr Zuma.
"I have therefore decided to designate Ms Gill Marcus."
The appointment has been closely watched. With the country in recession, the president has come under pressure from unions to loosen monetary policy, and focus more on job creation.
But, for now, Mr Zuma seems to be resisting such calls.
"She’s not new… let nobody wonder what’s going to happen. She was there when the policy was made, so there’s nothing really new," he said.</p
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.