COLORADO Becomes Marijuana Capital Of America!......State Expects Millions Each Year In Sales Tax Revenue!

#ColoradoPOT


RECREATIONAL POT IS NOW LEGAL IN COLORADO

Effective Immediately!

It is now LEGAL to buy Recreational Marijuana in COLORADO.

The State is expected to generate Millions each year from LEGAL Sales of POT.

The Lines Wednesday morning were Outrageous!

Of course due to COLORADO State Regulations, only RICH people can actually Afford to become LEGAL POT DEALERS but........

At least You won't be Arrested for Indulging.

"Colorado's Recreational Marijuana Stores Make History"


Iraq war veteran Sean Azzariti described his purchase of recreational marijuana -- legally -- as a historic moment Wednesday.

"It's huge," he said at a marijuana store along a light industrial corridor outside downtown Denver. "It hasn't even sunk in how big this is yet."

Indeed, before the 3D Cannabis Center opened at 8 a.m. MT, more than 100 people were waiting in snowfall and cold under gray skies to be the next buyers of recreational pot under a landmark law voters approved in 2012. The dispensary was one of a handful that opened to lines of waiting people on New Year's Day, with scores more expected statewide in coming months.

Azzariti was selected to be the first buyer at the 3D Cannabis Center because he was a Marine from 2000 to 2006 who now suffers post-traumatic stress disorder after two tours in Iraq. He can't obtain medical marijuana in Colorado because PTSD isn't a qualifying condition for that treatment, he said.

"This is what we worked so hard for the last few years," he said of the voter-approved constitutional amendment that led Colorado to become the first state in the nation to open recreational pot stores to anyone age 21 and older. "It's mind-blowing."

Azzariti, 32, bought an eighth of an ounce of pot, plus chocolate truffles laced with marijuana. Those treats are called "edibles" at the store.

The price: $59.50.

The marijuana alleviates the anxiety and stress that come from PTSD, he said, adding that he'll smoke the pot Wednesday evening.

At several recreational weed stores, buyers waited in line for three or four hours to be a part of opening-day history. Despite the hundreds of people queuing on public sidewalks, no significant problems emerged Wednesday, Denver officials said.

"I want to thank the businesses and consumers alike for acting responsibly and with great accountability today," Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock said in a statement. "Denver is a progressive city, a vibrant city, and it's incumbent on all of us to continue getting this right."

Long lines

Even three hours after the stores opened, one downtown Denver dispensary had a line of about 100 people outside the front door to the corner. The snow had stopped falling by then, and the gray skies were clearing to blue.

While patrons -- young and the old, men and women -- waited patiently in line, the demographic at the downtown dispensary tilted more toward 20- and 30-somethings.

When many buyers emerged from the store and nudged through the line, they raised their bags of newly purchased pot above their heads.

People waiting on the sidewalk cheered them.

Even though recreational weed is now legal, some purchasers declined to disclose their last names.

One woman, Dee, who didn't want to use her surname, said she waited in line for almost three hours to buy her cannabis. She and a male companion bought a small amount, she said, just to commemorate the occasion.

"We voted for it, and now it's here," Dee said of the recreational marijuana law. "We just went in and celebrated the new law. It's a new day."

She didn't mind the long wait at the LoDo's Dispensary. "Everybody is cool and mellow and nice. So it's all good," she said.

Some motorists passing the pot shop honked and cheered the queue of buyers, who whooped in return.

One motorist, however, shouted a disparaging remark about the "potheads," and the crowd muttered raspberries in response.

Buyers whiled away the hours in line by talking aloud about the benefits of marijuana as a remedy for hangovers, headaches, sleeplessness and low appetite.

Then a young woman in a passing SUV slowed and interrupted them by asking, "What's going on, guys?"

"Legal pot sale!" a man in line shouted.

"Oh, I need an eighth!" the young woman shouted back excitedly. The car drove on.

In fact, around 11:30 a.m. MT, Don Andrews, whose family owns and runs the dispensary, announced to the waiting people on the sidewalk that he was being forced to limit sales to an eighth of an ounce to each person, though under the new state law, a resident can buy up to an ounce.

The dispensary will close at 7 p.m. MT, but Andrews said he may have to start turning people away at 4 p.m. The line had gone out the front door, down the street and around the corner by 2 p.m. MT, when more than 400 people had made purchases.

In all, Andrews counted buyers from several states and countries. Buyers showed IDs from Vermont, Arizona, Georgia, Oregon, Wyoming, Louisiana -- and even Alaska and Hawaii. Other prospective weed buyers came from Canada, Australia and Italy, though the Italian man, 21, walked away because he had to catch a bus for his tour of America.

South of downtown, the Evergreen Apothecary was encountering the same phenomenon: 700 people in line took numbers, but employees said they might not be able to serve all of them by the close of business.

The atmosphere at the dispensaries was clearly celebratory and cheerful. For example, about 10 miles outside of downtown, one man said he had waited in the snow since 2:30 a.m. for the Medicine Man dispensary to open at 8 a.m.

When asked how he felt after making the first sale there, he responded: "I'll feel better in an hour."

Applauding, criticizing the new law

Even before the weed went on sale, enthusiasts were anticipating the end of an era.

"Prohibition is over," blared a flier for New Year's Eve festivities at Casselman's Bar in Denver. "Celebrate Cannabis freedom in style."

As many as 30 stores throughout Colorado will sell recreational weed. Of the estimated 30 stores, 18 are in Denver.

"With Washington state next to implement marijuana legalization and other states strongly considering enacting similar laws, we believe this marks the beginning of the end of the nation's decades-long war on marijuana and its harmful human and fiscal toll," Ezekiel Edwards, a director at the American Civil Liberties Union, said in a prepared statement.

But not everyone was applauding.

"Legalization -- with all of the American-style promotion that will accompany it -- is the last thing people in recovery, parents, communities -- and even our nation -- need right now," Smart Approaches to Marijuana said on its website.

A total of 136 stores received state licenses last week, but most apparently had not obtained approval yet from their local governments to open on January 1.

In 2012, Colorado voters approved the sale of recreational marijuana, as did voters in Washington state. But Colorado is the first to have the pot shops up and running under regulations recently established by state and local governments. Colorado voters' approval in effect amended the state's constitution to allow for the retail sale of recreational pot. The state already allows medical marijuana.

Limits to marijuana consumption

Not all of the state is participating in the new law. A community can decide not to allow the shops, and in fact, most of the state geographically hasn't, including communities such as Greeley and Colorado Springs.

Proponents of the new law were dealt a setback last week when Denver and state officials threatened to shut down a private party at a dance club scheduled for January 1 celebrating the end of the prohibition against cannabis -- an event billed as "Cannabition." The organizers canceled the party because officials said it would violate a Denver ordinance prohibiting the public consumption of marijuana.

Cannabis can only be smoked on private property with the owner's permission.

Under the new state law, residents are now able to buy marijuana like alcohol. The cannabis purchase is limited to an ounce, which is substantial enough to cost about $200 or more. People from out of state can buy up to a quarter-ounce.

In a vivid example of how recreational pot is a new reality for the state, Denver officials posted public signs in the tourist-populated corridor known as the 16th Street Mall. The street signs read, "Know the Law about Marijuana Use in Denver."

"You must be 21 or older to have or use retail marijuana," says one bulletin on the sign. But further below it, the sign warns readers that "it is illegal to use, display or transfer marijuana on the 16th Street Mall."

One of Colorado's main media outlets, The Denver Post, has even devoted a website to the history-making moment and its ongoing impact.

"The culture of cannabis, that's what we're here to talk about," says the newspaper's "The Cannabist" page. "As marijuana's coming-out continues, we'll report journalistically from our homebase in Denver, Colo. -- the site of recreational marijuana's first legal sale in the modern world on Jan. 1, 2014."

This week, Denver International Airport authorities banned all marijuana on the airport grounds. Medical marijuana had been legal to bring to the airport as long as it didn't go through security checkpoints, said airport spokeswoman Stacey Stegman.

But a total ban was implemented to avoid confusion as the recreational pot law rolls out, she said. Officials are concerned that a large influx of people may take marijuana to the airport and transport it across state lines.

So if a visitor brings marijuana to the airport and leaves it in the car to pick up a relative at the terminal, that visitor will be breaking the law and could face a fine of up to $999, Stegman said.

Colorado becomes the first place in the world where marijuana will be regulated from seed to sale. Pot is the third most popular recreational drug in America, after alcohol and tobacco, according to the marijuana reform group NORML.


Sources: AP, CNN

Bobbi Kristina Brown's Future: Can She Be Saved From Whitney's Fate?

The Road Ahead for Bobbi Kristina

Despite her rich musical lineage, the path ahead for Bobbi Kristina Brown won't be easy.

For better or worse, the 18-year-old with musical aspirations of her own will undoubtedly be compared to her mother, the incomparable Whitney Houston.

"There is no way people are not going to compare her to her mother -- not to Rihanna, to her mother -- and if she doesn't sound on par with her mother or better, people are going to say horrible things," Billy Johnson Jr., a senior editor at Yahoo! Music, told ABCNews.com. "The public scrutiny is so great."

The only child of Houston and singer Bobby Brown had been in Los Angeles with her mother to attend pre-Grammy festivities and was staying at the Beverly Hilton Hotel when Houston was found dead Saturday night in the bathtub of her hotel room.

Whitney Houston's brother-in law, Billy Watson, told ABCNews.com that Bobbi Kristina was "doing OK" after she "broke down" over the weekend and had to be taken to the hospital twice for stress and anxiety.

Bobbi Kristina, along with much of her mother's family and entourage, returned to New Jersey Monday night in advance of Houston's funeral, which is scheduled for Saturday. Her father canceled his tour to be with his daughter and reportedly traveled to New Jersey as well.

"She ... is presently with my family, including her siblings," Bobby Brown told Access Hollywood, referring to his five other children from other relationships.

On the family's reality-TV show, "Being Bobby Brown," it was Brown who often acted more like the parent in the often-erratic relationship between her mother and father. Sources close to the family say that Houston's well-known battles with addiction were also a heavy burden for her daughter to bear.

"It's very common, when a parent has an addiction, for the child to be parentalized," Dr. Drew Pinsky, host of HLN's "Dr. Drew," told ABC News. "It's almost a survival mode to try and control and maintain that addictive parent safely, the child takes on the role of parent or parents."

When stories surfaced last year that Bobbi Kristina Brown might have started using drugs herself, it was her father who came to her defense with a strong denial, telling media outlets, "She doesn't do that."

Drew says Brown should be careful about how she handles the inevitable fallout from her mother's death.

"When people are stressed, when they turn to substances, is when they can turn the switch on for addiction," he said. "That is my greatest fear for Bobbi Kristina."

Mother and daughter had begun working together on songs in the recording studio, according to Us Weekly.

With Houston's death Saturday, the world is eager to see -- and hear -- more from Bobbi-Kris, as she is known to her family.

"She idolized Whitney," a source told US Weekly, and "wanted to be just like her mother."

Brown comes from a musical family. Her father is a former member of New Edition, her grandmother is gospel legend Cissy Houston and her cousin is 1960s pop icon Dionne Warwick.

"People want to know if she has the gift," Yahoo! Music's Johnson said.

Brown posted a video in September of her singing a capella Adele's "Someone Like You" on her Twitter page.

Johnson thought the aspiring singer had shown some improvement since the last time he heard her, performing alongside her mother on "Good Morning America" in 2009.

But Us Weekly's senior editor Ian Drew wasn't sure Brown had grown enough.

"She's not her mother, but she's not the worst singer either," he told ABCNews.com. "With the right songs and auto tuning anyone can be big.

"I would encourage her to take her time," Johnson said. "People said the same thing about Michael Jackson's children. She needs to sort out things in life a little bit more before rushing into this adult world.

"I think she's already dealing with a lot," he said, "and I hate to see her end up in a similar type of situation as her mother."





WHITNEY FORCES COKE-Y DAUGHTER BOBBI TO REHAB


A heartbroken WHITNEY HOUSTON will put her daughter BOBBI KRISTINA into rehab after The ENQUIRER published world exclusive photos in our print edition of the troubled teen snorting cocaine.

Crushed by our report that her daughter - known to friends as "Krissi" - is hopelessly addicted to cocaine and alcohol, Whitney begged her: "Don't let drugs ruin your life the way they ruined mine," sources say.

The Grammy-winning diva and her ex-husband, Krissi's father Bobby Brown, are blaming each other for their only child's problems, according to insiders.

"Whitney was devastated over the photos showing Krissi using cocaine, and The ENQUIRER story that quoted her telling friends, 'I'm just like my mother,'" a friend divulged.
"She called a family meeting and sobbed as she told Krissi, 'I don't want to lose you.'"

The singer, 47, also canceled plans to celebrate Krissi's 18th birthday on March 4 in Atlantis, the luxury resort in the Bahamas, the source revealed.

"Whitney called Bobby, and they agreed that Krissi needs rehab," the friend said. "They also agreed on a tough-love move to shake Krissi up, and Whitney returned a Lexus convertible that she'd bought for Krissi's birthday."

Despite her parents' decision, Krissi is fighting the idea of rehab, said the source.

"Krissi is denying that she has a problem. She says that she does cocaine for fun and isn't addicted," said the source.

Meanwhile, Whitney and Bobby - who have both battled serious drug habits - are blaming each other for Krissi's problems, sources say.

"Bobby reminded Whitney that she used to have drugs all over their house," a friend divulged.
"He also accused her of being 'coked up' in public, looking like a mess and setting a bad example all along to their daughter," the friend said.

But "The Bodyguard" star was quick to snap back at her bad boy ex, said the source.

"Whitney told Bobby that he did drugs too and got into more legal trouble than she ever did," the friend said.

Bobby, 42, has been arrested for DUI, possession of marijuana, driving without a license, probation violations and misdemeanor battery for slapping Whitney.
The former "New Edition" singer, who has five children with four different women, has also been dragged into court numerous times for failure to pay child support.

"Bobby and Whitney are pointing fingers at each other, but the truth is that they're both responsible. Krissi has been around while her parents and their friends were drinking and drugging ever since she was a little girl," said another pal.

Krissi was only 12 when she was photographed drinking from a wine glass as her parents looked on.

In 2008 she was admitted to a psychiatric ward after attempting to slash her wrists with a razor blade. As The ENQUIRER reported, Krissi's suicide bid came after she tried to stab her mother during a heated argument.

And she was just 17 when a former boyfriend - who dated her for 2 1/2 years - snapped the coke-snorting photos that appeared in The ENQUIRER. He also claimed that he saw Krissi smoke pot and guzzle beer and the potent grain alcohol Everclear.

After The ENQUIRER's explosive story hit newsstands, Krissi took to her Twitter account to blast her ex-boyfriend. But she admitted that it was her in the photos, and said her mother "comforted me to the max."

Now with Bobby's blessing, Whitney is planning to send Krissi to an outpatient rehab program, said the source.






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Sources: ABC News, CBS News, CNN, Daily Mail, National Enquirer, TMZ, Youtube, Google Maps

Whitney Houston's Death "Teachable Moment" (Obama Drug Czar: Gil Kerlikowske)

White House drug czar says Whitney Houston's death is a 'teachable moment'

White House Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowske called the death of singer Whitney Houston a "teachable moment" in addressing the problem of prescription drug abuse in the United States.

"I think it's what we might call a teachable moment, when someone passes. Particularly someone that was as highly thought of and was such an incredible performer as Whitney Houston," said Kerlikowske to CBS News in an online video released Monday.

Kerlikowske, the director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, said Houston's passing puts a spotlight on the issue of prescription drug use. The superstar had opened up about in past interviews admitting to problems with substance abuse, however the Los Angeles County coroner however has still not ruled on the cause of her death.
Houston was found dead at the Beverly Hilton hotel on Los Angeles Saturday. The music icon was 48.

"We can use this a moment to help people understand and remember that there are literally billions of Americans suffering from this problem," he said.
The nation's top drug-policy enforcer told CBS that this type of drug use affects a "huge number" of people throughout the country and causes deaths in "very, very high numbers."

"They're coming right out of our medicine cabinets and yet these drugs are as addictive and dangerous as any other drug," he added.

Kerlikowske said that Houston's struggles with substance abuse highlight the fact that the issue spans all demographics and socioeconomic barriers.

He said that perception drug abuse needs to be recognized as a disease that can be managed and treated with the right help.

Kerlikowske said that when he took office the problem was "not on the public's mind," but after a review which revealed the significance of the problem, President Obama released a strategy to deal with the issue by coordinating state, local and federal involvement.

"We can use this a moment to help people understand and remember that there are literally billions of Americans suffering from this problem," he said.


Sources: CBS News, The Hill, Wikipedia

Whitney Houston's Cause Of Death? Most Likely Prescription Drug Cocktail

Questions surrounding Houston death echo past


Whitney Houston's life was a doleful cover of other addiction-riddled pop stars who put their talent and themselves at risk.

Her death has created more heartrending echoes of tragedies past: The painstaking investigation that follows the shocking loss. Why was Houston found in a Beverly Hills hotel bathtub, beyond resuscitation?

The 48-year-old singer, who had prescription drugs in her room, left behind disconsolate family and friends and unfulfilled dreams.

Her body was flown Monday by private jet to New Jersey, where she was born and where her funeral is planned for Saturday. Late Monday, a hearse under heavy police escort arrived at the Newark, N.J., funeral home that was handling the arrangements for the late pop star.

After an autopsy Sunday, authorities said there were no indications of foul play and no obvious signs of trauma on Houston. It could be weeks, however, before the coroner's office completes toxicology tests to establish the cause of death.

The singer had struggled for years with cocaine, marijuana and pills and her behavior had become erratic, including in the period before her death. Some described her as upbeat and eager to perform at producer Clive Davis' pre-Grammy Awards bash.

Others described an unfocused woman, unkempt and smelling of alcohol and cigarettes.

Law enforcement sources have confirmed to CBS News that prescription drugs were also found in the room, creating speculation that a mixture of drugs and alcohol could have contributed to her death.

It recalled the end of Michael Jackson's life, as he tried to turn his career around with an ambitious series of London concerts. The 50-year-old struck many as youthfully energetic and upbeat, while others said he was bedeviled by insomnia that led him to a fatal dosage of prescription drugs in June 2009.

Jackson's death was quickly linked to the anesthetic propofol, although the criminal prosecution of his doctor was played out through 2011. It took three months for a London coroner to rule that Amy Winehouse drank herself to death last July.

Houston's funeral service will be held Saturday in the church where she first showcased her singing talents as a child.

The owner of the Whigham Funeral Home in Newark said Tuesday that Houston's funeral would be held at noon Saturday at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, where her mother, Grammy-winning gospel singer Cissy Houston, led the music program for many years. The funeral home said there would be no wake.

It will likely be smaller than Jackson's Los Angeles memorial service, which included members of the public, 1.6 million of whom had vied for about 9,000 tickets, along with songs from Usher, Jennifer Hudson and Mariah Carey and speeches from other celebrities.

An impromptu memorial for Houston was held during a sadness-tinged Grammys, with Hudson saluting her memory with a performance of "I Will Always Love You." Viewership for the awards show soared over last year by 50 percent, with about 40 million viewers tuning in to the program on CBS.

"It was the greatest honor of my life to be able to be the one to pay tribute to Whitney's memory," Hudson said in a statement Monday. "It was from my heart. I haven't stopped crying since she passed."

Houston was found at the Beverly Hilton Hotel by a member of her staff about 3:30 p.m. PST Saturday, just hours before she was supposed to appear at Davis' party, police Lt. Mark Rosen said. She was pulled from the tub by members of her staff, and hotel security was promptly notified, Rosen said. She was pronounced dead about a half-hour later.

A sensation from her first album, Houston was one of the world's best-selling artists from the mid-1980s to the late 1990s, turning out such hits as "I Wanna Dance With Somebody," "How Will I Know," "The Greatest Love of All" and "I Will Always Love You." But as she struggled with drugs, her majestic voice became raspy, and she couldn't hit the high notes.

Houston left behind one child, daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown, 18, from her marriage to singer Bobby Brown.






Whitney Houston 'died from drugs and NOT from drowning' family 'are told by coroner' as fears grow over mental state of her daughter


1) Coroner tells family not enough water in singer's lungs to conclude she had drowned'

2) She had already died before her head went under the water'

3) Daughter Bobbi Kristina, 18, found asleep in hotel bathtub just 24 hours before

4) Fears grow teenager is suicidal after she is hospitalised TWICE since mother's death

5) Star found under water after mixing a cocktail of prescription drugs with alcohol, it is claimed

6) Award-winning star was on 'brink of bankruptcy' having 'frittered away pop fortune on crack cocaine'


Whitney Houston died from mixing a cocktail of Xanax and other powerful prescription drugs with alcohol, it has been reported.

Her family has allegedly been told by Los Angeles County Coroner officials there was not enough water in her lungs to conclude she had drowned in her luxury hotel bathtub and in fact died before her head went under water, said gossip website TMZ.

The revelations come as it emerged that her daughter Bobbi Kristina, 18, allegedly fell asleep in a bathtub in the same Beverly Hilton hotel just 24 hours before her mother died. TMZ claims security was called to unlock the door and to help the 18-year-old on that occasion.

Relatives now fear Bobbi Kristina has become suicidal - after she was rushed to hospital twice in the 24 hours following the discovery of her mother’s dead body in the bathtub of a Hollywood hotel.

The teenager was first admitted after allegedly passing out, after drinking alcohol and then taking a sedative pill given to her by one of her mother's entourage to calm her down, upon learning of the devastating news.

She was then pictured being taken out of the Beverly Hilton - the same hotel where her mother had died just hours earlier- on a stretcher at 10.30am yesterday and being rushed to Cedars-Sinai where she was treated for extreme anxiety.

She was released several hours later, but friends and family are still very concerned about her mental state.

Crack cocaine user Houston, 48, was found dead under the bath water in luxury suite number 434 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Saturday afternoon, which is said to have been littered with bottles of prescription pills.

Reports vary who found her. Some suggest her aunt Mary Jones discovered her body, while others say it was her hairdresser Tiffanie Dixon.

On Thursday she is said to have gone on a 'wild binge' where she clashed with security guards. The next evening she 'partied heavily, drank and chatted loudly' with friends at the hotel bar.

Bottles of Lorazepam, Valium, Xanax and a sleeping medication were found in the hotel room, it has been claimed.

The drugs were believed to have acted as sedatives, causing her to fall asleep in the bathtub once they had been mixed with alcohol from the previous evenings.

Paramedics battled to revive the singer but she was pronounced dead at 3.55pm, hours before she had been due to perform at a pre-Grammys party at the same hotel.

Los Angeles coroner's office has officially refused to comment on rumours that water was found on her lungs, indicating she had drowned.

It said further details will not be officially released until a police investigation is completed, which may take between one and two months, and revealed no one may visit the body while it is in their custody. But TMZ has reported otherwise.

Houston's ex-husband Bobby Brown, with whom she had a notoriously turbulent 14-year relationship riddled with drug use, was in Nashville at the time of her death and his daughter's trips to the hospital.

Brown - whom she blamed partly for her drug issues - was said to be 'in and out of crying fits' upon hearing the news - but still appeared on stage on Saturday with his band New Edition, and cried out 'I love you, Whitney!' in the middle of the concert.

Singer Johnny Gill, one of Brown's New Edition bandmates on tour in Memphis with the star, said: 'Bobby is struggling and he's devastated.'

Brown then cancelled a concert in order to be by Bobbi Kirstina's side and was pictured last night arriving at LAX Airport.

He said: 'I am deeply saddened at the passing of my ex-wife, Whitney Houston.

At this time, we ask for privacy, especially for my daughter, Bobbi-Kristina. I appreciate all of the condolences that have been directed towards my family and I at this most difficult time.'

Houston's family also released a statement yesterday expressing their grief: 'We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Whitney. This is an unimaginable tragedy and we will miss her terribly. We appreciate the outpouring of love and support from her fans and friends.'

Celebrities, from singers and rappers to television personalities and business leaders, took to Twitter to express their sadness at the news.

Stars praised the singer's unmatched talent and passed on their wishes to her bereaved family, while others expressed their shock at how the award-winning singer passed away at the age of just 48.

'Heartbroken and in tears over the shocking death of

my friend, the incomparable Ms. Whitney Houston,' said Mariah Carey, who recorded the Oscar-winning song When You Believe with the late star in 1998.

'Shocked we've lost the immensely talented Whitney Houston!' wrote fellow singer Gloria Estefan. Rihanna tweeted: 'No words! Just tears. I honestly can't think of anything else!!! Feels so strange being at the Grammy rehearsal right now!!'

Bee Gees singer Robin Gibb added his condolences, saying: 'In my estimation we have lost one of the greatest voices in popular music today...but as we always learn too late....we never cherish it until it's gone. My thoughts are with her family.'

A 'devastated' Mitch Winehouse, the father of late Amy Winehouse who died last year after a public battle with class A drugs, paid tribute on Twitter, writing: 'Amy, Etta, Whitney. Their music will NEVER die. What a great girl group in heaven. Mitch'.

Former Boyzone star Ronan Keating said the severity of the singer's problems had become apparent two years ago at the start of her comeback.

He told Sky: 'I'm devastated. I cannot believe it. It's hard to believe she's gone. Another legend, we've lost another singer, probably the greatest singer the world has ever seen.'

'It's very sad to see the tough times in her life. I saw her two years ago when she was trying to make her comeback and I could see that she was weathered and you could see that she had been through tough time but you could see the voice was still there and she was trying.'

Asked if the music industry does enough to look after vulnerable performers, he said: 'It's about the people you surround yourself with. She really got involved in bad situations and the wrong crowd of people who led her down the wrong road.'

And music mogul Simon Cowell said that before her death he had approached her to ask if she would consider becoming a judge on the next season of the U.S. X-Factor.

He also paid tribute to Ms Houston and said the warning signs that she ‘still had problems’ came after the singer made an erratic appearance on the X Factor in 2009.

The performance was to promote a new album after seven years off the scene.

He said: ‘There are always moments in your life that are horrible to remember.

The day John Lennon died, the day Elvis died. More recently Michael Jackson, last year Amy Winehouse and now Whitney.

'I know quite a few people who had been working with her over the years. We all knew Whitney had issues. I last met her when she came on the X Factor.

You could see at the time there were still a few problems but she was a delight to work with on the day.'

The guest appearance on X Factor - her first UK TV appearance for 12 years - was billed as the start of her comeback but the worrying performance raised concerns for her well being and she suffered an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction when her dress straps snapped.

Miss Houston then embarked on her Nothing But Love World Tour tour in 2010, but the UK leg was beset by cancellations. She was forced to reschedule the first three dates in Manchester and Glasgow after picking up a respiratory infection.

She finally played her first UK gig in 11 years at the Birmingham LG Arena.

The talent show judge told Sky: ‘She probably wasn’t all together but it was still Whitney Houston and you were in the presence of a legend and I will never forget that day.
'There are so few people like her in the world. They are a rarefied breed, these are true superstar legendary divas, but I say diva that in the nicest possible way. She had one of the best voices I heard in my life ever.’

And it was not just the music industry that felt the influence of Houston, with other celebrities expressing their condolences and thanks to the award-winning singer.

One high-profile figure to speak out was Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg, who said: 'R.I.P. Whitney Houston. Thank you for the amazing music you brought into the world.'
Whitney Houston's death cast a shadow over the music industry's most prestigious event - last night's Grammys.

Stars lined up to pay tribute to the singer, who had previously won six of the awards, with X-Factor judge Kelly Rowland saying on the red carpet: 'We lost our hero.

'I would not be standing here today if it was not for her. My prayers go out to her mother and her daughter. If we feel this loss, I can only imagine how heavy their loss is.'


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Sources: AP, ABC News, CBS News, CNN, Daily Mail, Youtube, Google Maps

Whitney Houston's Funeral: New Jersey This Weekend. R.I.P.

Whitney Houston's body arrives home in N.J.

The body of Whitney Houston arrived in her home state of New Jersey for a funeral to be held at week's end, according to multiple report.

The plane carrying Houston left Los Angeles late Monday and arrived later at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, a few miles west of Manhattan, Reuters reports.

Houston's family raised the possibility of holding a wake Thursday and funeral Friday at Newark's Prudential Center, an arena that hosts college and professional sport events and seats about 18,000.

The 48-year-old pop star was found dead in the bathtub in her hotel room at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Saturday, hours before she was supposed to appear at a pre-Grammy gala.

Law enforcement sources told CBS News that while there were no illegal substances found in Houston's hotel room, there were prescription drugs. Authorities said the most likely theories for Houston's death are that she died of a heart attack or a prescription drug overdose, but no official determination has been made, CBS News correspondent John Blackstone reports.

Funeral arrangements were being made by Newark's Whigham Funeral Home, which handled the 2003 funeral of Houston's father, John Houston, according to the two people who spoke to the AP.

A woman at the funeral home said she could neither confirm nor deny reports that Whigham would handle the arrangements. A canopy was being constructed Monday afternoon at the rear entrance.

The Los Angeles coroner's office said Houston's body was released to the family late Monday morning.

Houston was born in Newark and raised in nearby East Orange. She began singing as a child at Newark's New Hope Baptist Church, where her mother, Grammy Award-winning gospel singer Cissy Houston, led the music program for many years. Whitney's cousin singer Dionne Warwick also sang in its choir.

On Monday, mourners continued to leave flowers, balloons and candles at the wrought-iron fence around the tall brick church, which sits near the edge of an abandoned housing project near the train line leading to New York City.

"She was an inspiration to everybody," said Gregory Hanks, a 26-year-old actor who grew up in the neighborhood and who dropped off a bouquet of flowers. He saw Houston perform at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center years ago.

"I grew up listening to her as a little boy, and to hear her sing, you knew she was special," he said.


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Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson & Amy Winehouse: Music Industry Drug Abuse Casualties! R.I.P.

WHITNEY HOUSTON, MICHAEL JACKSON & AMY WINEHOUSE all fell victim to rampant, corrupt Entertainment Industry Drug Abuse.
All three Stars died prematurely as a result of Prescription & Illegal Drug Abuse given to them by Entertainment Industry Professionals & Hacks.
Unfortunately many more Entertainment Industry Stars are going to DIE!
Because Once Singers & Performers sign Industry Contracts, they HAVE to Tour!
They will be forced to Tour, Perform & make new Albums until they DROP Dead from Exhaustion or Drug Overdoses!
Its All About The Money!
Nothing Else Matters.





I still can't believe the legendary WHITNEY HOUSTON is DEAD!
A fellow "Homegirl" from the East Coast, gone too soon.
I cried all weekend. My husband thought I was Crazy!
I cried because as a Loyal Fan, I closely followed her career for more than 20 years.
From Whitney's early days in Newark, to her Divorce from Bobby, to her Premature death Saturday, I remained dedicated. Even Praying for her at times.
She was a BEAUTIFUL, Gifted, Legendary, "Homegirl" Singer from Jersey who made it out of the Hood.
And Although she experienced International Acclaim for her Huge Voice, I along with many other dedicated fans personally witnessed how the Entertainment Industry Used Her Up, Contributed to her becoming a Drug Addict & then basically dumped her once she became a Liability.
i.e., Michael Jackson & Amy Winehouse.
YES!
The Entertainment Industry USED WHITNEY TO DEATH, Just like they USED MICHAEL JACKSON TO DEATH!
Whitney's personality was naturally very Shy.
To cope with Fame, the glare of Paparazzi, Stage Fright & Constant Touring, she was often given Prescription Drugs & Illegal Drugs by Industry professionals & Industry hacks.
There was also access to Diet Pills to help keep her weight under control.
Those Substances later led to Whitney using Harsher Substances.
i.e., Cocaine & Crack!
The Media often blamed ex-husband Bobby Brown for Whitney's Drug Addiction challenges, however Bobby was NOT to blame.
Prior to meeting & marrying Bobby, Whitney was already using Substances for various reasons.
In fact Whitney's late Father John Houston, tried to intervene & attempted to speak out against what the Entertainment Industry was doing to his beloved daughter.
The Result?
According to the Media he died from complications related to Diabetes & Heart Disease!
I believe Whitney's Father died from a broken heart after witnessing how the Entertainment Industry was using his daughter.
Many people could have helped Whitney before her challenge with Prescription Drugs & Illegal Drugs spiraled out of control, but they chose NOT to speak up because Whitney was PAYING them or Providing for them!
So while everyone else wants to talk about her Gifted Singing Voice & her legendary Career, I can't help but keep it REAL by exposing the TRUTH on how Entertainment Industry Professionals & Entertainment Industry Hacks lured a Young, Innocent Girl to Fame, Used her to make BIG Buck$, then basically dumped her when she became a Liability.
Whitney did NOT die happy. She died Sad. Her voice ruined by years of Drug Abuse. I'm just keeping it real.
I LOVE YOU WHITNEY.
They can't use you anymore baby!
R.I.P. Sweet Princess.

Unfortunately many more Entertainment Industry Stars are going to DIE because the Industry is Corrupt with Drug Abuse. Its All About The Money! Nothing Else Matters.



Wendy Williams Cries Over Whitney Houston's Death And Past Drug Use


Whitney's Houston shocking death has prompted an outpouring of emotion from across the entertainment industry. Monday on "The Wendy Williams Show," (weekdays on Fox) Wendy Williams, who famously clashed with Houston during her days as an L.A. radio host, broke down when talking about the singer's death and their shared history of drug abuse.

Williams described how the news of Houston's death stirred up a lot of raw feelings stemming from her own struggles with drugs. "Whitney and I, same age, and both plagued with the demon of substance abuse," Williams said, fighting through tears. "It's been almost 15 years since I smoked last from a crack pipe," she continued. "It's been almost 15 years since I waited on Jerome Avenue on the Bronx for my drugs."

In a 2009 episode of her show, Williams explained that she identified so closely with Houston because they both struggled with substance abuse. At the time, Williams criticized Houston for not taking "ownership" of her drug problem in an interview with Oprah Winfrey. "No matter what she said in that interview, she didn't own her habit," Williams said. "She's still blaming Bobby or the world."

Reflecting on their past squabbles, Williams said she always hoped she and Houston would reconnect later in their lives. "I just thought we would meet and we would hug and we'd be sober and older," she lamented.

The normally-gossipy Williams took the news so hard that she pledged to not discuss the case in the coming weeks. "I've never done this before on this show, but I'm telling you now that I don't have anything more to say regarding this particular case," she said. The camera then panned to Williams' studio audience, who were all holding up 'Whitney fans' to commemorate the legendary singer.


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Betty Ford Laid To Rest; First Lady Michelle Obama Attends

Current and former first ladies gather for funeral

Michelle Obama and three former first ladies were among dignitaries heading to California to pay tribute to Betty Ford at a funeral focusing on her twin passions: politics and her world famous Betty Ford Center for substance abuse and alcohol treatment.

Ford, who died at the age of 93 on Friday, had mapped out plans for Tuesday's ceremony including who would deliver her eulogies.

She chose former first lady Rosalynn Carter and journalist Cokie Roberts as speakers along with a former director of the Betty Ford Center.

Obama, Nancy Reagan, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and former President Bill Clinton said they would be there. And the former first lady of California, Maria Shriver, also planned to attend.

A spokesman for former President George W. Bush said he will be attending the California service and will convey condolences on behalf of his wife, Laura, who can't attend.

A second funeral will be held Thursday in Grand Rapids, Mich., where Gerald Ford is buried at his presidential museum. Former first lady Barbara Bush is expected to attend that event.

Speakers are expected to discuss politics, the White House and Ford's impact on substance and alcohol abuse treatment.

Roberts said Ford asked her to give a eulogy five years ago and specified it should be about the power of friendship to mend political differences even in these hyper-partisan times.

Roberts, a commentator on National Public Radio and member of a noted political family, said Ford asked her to talk about a time in Washington when Democrats and Republicans could be friends and partisan politics did not paralyze government.

It was that way, Roberts said, when her father, Democratic Congressman Hale Boggs, was House majority leader and Republican Gerald R. Ford was House minority leader. She said they could argue about issues but get together as friends afterward. The two families became close as did the Ford and Carter families, despite Jimmy Carter defeating Ford in the 1976 presidential election.

Carter spoke at Ford's funeral in 2007. The two families were so close that before his death, Ford asked the Carters to join his wife aboard Air Force One, which flew his body to its final resting place in Grand Rapids.

"Mrs. Ford was very clear about what she wanted me to say," Roberts said. "She wanted me to talk about Washington the way it used to be. She knew there were people back then who were wildly partisan, but not as many as today.

"They were friends and that was what made government possible," said Roberts, adding that the topic seems particularly appropriate this week when the two parties are divided over dealing with the national debt ceiling.

Roberts said she expects Rosalynn Carter to talk about life in the White House and the important role of first ladies in "greasing the wheels" for their husbands' accomplishments by forging bipartisan friendships.

Former Betty Ford Center official Geoffrey Mason will also speak. Mason, a former member of the center's board of directors, is expected to extoll Ford's vision and determination in building a substance abuse and alcohol treatment center after her own recovery.

Ford's funeral will be similar to the final tributes for her husband.

The ceremony, to be held at St. Margaret's Episcopal Church in Palm Desert, is billed as a private affair but it will be televised.

Following the funeral, members of the public will be invited to file past her casket and sign a guest book until midnight.

On Wednesday, her body will be flown to Grand Rapids where another church service Thursday will feature remarks by Lynne Cheney, wife of former Vice President Dick Cheney, and historian Richard Norton Smith.

Later Thursday, her body will be interred at the presidential museum along with her husband on the day that would have been Gerald Ford's 98th birthday.


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Lindsay Lohan Ordered To Jail For Non-Compliance, Fallen Star

Lindsay Lohan's Future On Hold Until Jail, Rehab Are Done


Lindsay Lohan's future includes a new fashion line, two new movies, some time in jail and another stint in rehab.

The actress was sentenced Tuesday to 90 days in jail and 90 days in a residential substance-abuse program for violating her probation stemming from two separate 2007 cases of driving under the influence of cocaine and alcohol. She is to surrender and begin her jail sentence July 20. Rehab will follow.

The punishment, levied by Superior Court Judge Marsha Revel, will keep Lohan from promoting "Machete," the Robert Rodriguez action film due in theaters in September. Fox, which is releasing the film, had no comment Tuesday.

Lohan's jail and rehab sentence will also delay production on "Inferno: A Linda Lovelace Story," in which the 24-year-old actress plays the starring role.

Writer-director Matthew Wilder said after the ruling that he and his crew remain "100 percent behind Lindsay."

"We are proud to have this remarkable artist work on our film," he said.

Lohan's sentence may also prevent her from further promoting her new fashion line, 6126. The first items from the 280-piece collection are shipping out to department stores nationwide this month. Lohan was instrumental in the line's design and marketing plans and is featured in its promotional materials. Her business partner, Kristi Kaylor, did not immediately respond to phone and e-mail messages seeking comment.

Lohan's agent, Nick Styne, declined to comment Tuesday. Her manager, Jason Weinberg, did not respond to an e-mail request for comment.

Kerry Wallum, a producer with Lucky Films, said Lohan was in negotiations for a role in the upcoming Willie Nelson flick, "The Dry Gulch Kid," and that the production would wait for her if she wanted the part.

"We're behind her," he said Tuesday. "We'll wait until all of this blows over."

Revel chastised Lohan for missing a court hearing in May while at the Cannes Film Festival and repeatedly skipping out on court-mandated alcohol-education classes. She said Lohan lied about using drugs and tried to blame others for the two driving offenses when the original charges were filed.

A tearful Lohan pleaded with the judge before the sentencing, saying she did the best she could to juggle jobs and the court-ordered classes and really tried to comply with the terms of her probation.

"I'm not taking this as a joke," Lohan said. "It's my life. It's my career I've worked for my entire life."

Revel said she found the starlet's apology insincere, comparing it to "somebody who cheats and thinks it isn't cheating if she doesn't get caught."

Lohan burst into tears upon hearing the terms of her punishment. Her sister, Ali, and father, Michael, were also in the courtroom and cried after the ruling.

Lohan spent 84 minutes in jail in 2007 after she pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of being under the influence of cocaine and no contest to two counts of driving with a blood-alcohol level above 0.08 percent and one count of reckless driving.

The plea came after a pair of high-profile arrests earlier that year. Lohan was sentenced to three years of probation but had to ask for a yearlong extension in October after she failed to complete her alcohol-education courses on time.

Prosecutor Danette Meyers argued Tuesday that Lohan wasn't taking the charges or her punishment seriously and urged jail time for the actress.

"You have not caught her attention," Meyers told the judge. "I appreciate the tears, but I don't think you've got it."

Lohan's attorney, Shawn Chapman Holley, claimed that the actress had adhered to the spirit of the law, if not the letter.

"She has gotten it together," Holley said. "She changed her conduct and is now in compliance with the court's overall order."

Lohan may serve less than her 90-day sentence, thanks to jail overcrowding and a state program that credits inmates for good behavior, said Los Angeles Sheriff's Department spokesman Steve Whitmore. Nonviolent female misdemeanor offenders typically serve about 25 percent of their sentences, he said.

Lohan will be taken to the Century Regional Detention Center — the same jail that housed Paris Hilton for 23 days in 2007 after she was found guilty of driving on a suspended license while on probation in an alcohol-related, reckless-driving case.

Lohan's jail sentence could impact a civil lawsuit filed after Lohan's second arrest in 2007. A woman in a car chased by the actress sued for infliction of emotional distress and the case is scheduled to begin trial a week after Lohan surrenders.

It is unclear how much of the trial Lohan would have attended, although she is listed as a potential witness in the case. A hearing was set for Wednesday in Beverly Hills.


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