Violence, pepper spray mars Black Friday shopping

(Reuters) - A shopper pepper-sprayed other bargain hunters and robbers shot at customers to steal their Black Friday purchases, marring the start of the U.S. holiday shopping season, according to authorities.

Up to 20 people were injured after a woman used pepper spray at a Walmart in Los Angeles to get an edge on her competitors. In a second incident, off-duty officers in North Carolina used pepper spray to subdue rowdy shoppers waiting for electronics.

A man was in critical but stable condition after being shot by robbers in a parking lot outside a Walmart In San Leandro, California, at 1:50 a.m. (0950 GMT), Sergeant Mike Sobek said.

The man was in a group of men headed for their car after shopping when robbers confronted them and a fight ensued, Sobek said. The man's shopping companions held down one of the robbers until police arrived and took him into custody.

"It doesn't look like they got away with anything. They weren't expecting these guys to fight back," Sobek said.

In Los Angeles, authorities were reviewing security tapes to track down a woman in her 30s who pepper-sprayed a crowd at a Walmart as customers swarmed for Xboxes on sale late Thursday, Los Angeles police Sergeant J. Valle said.

"They were opening a package to try to get some Xboxes from a crate and this lady pepper-sprayed a whole bunch of people in order to gain an advantage over the Xboxes," Valle said.
Black Friday is the busiest day of the year for U.S. stores.



'SENSELESS ACT'

Off-duty police officers working as security for a Walmart in Kinston, North Carolina, used pepper spray to keep anxious shoppers at bay before the start of an electronics sale at midnight on Thursday, authorities said.

The already "rowdy" atmosphere intensified when employees began to bring out pallets of electronic merchandise, Kinston director of public safety Bill Johnson said.

When customers tried to grab merchandise from the pallets before the sale time, the off-duty officers hired as store security guards for the event discharged pepper spray to restore order, Johnson said. One man was arrested for failing to follow officers' orders, he said.

"No one was pepper sprayed in the face," Johnson said, adding that he was unaware of any injuries.
Walmart is the U.S. discount store unit of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. A company spokesman, Greg Rossiter, said violence at a handful of stores marred an otherwise safe start to the holiday shopping season at thousands of Walmart stores.

The San Leandro shooting "was a senseless act of violence and our thoughts and prayers are with the customer and his family during this difficult time," Rossiter said.

In another incident, a woman was shot in the foot by a robber who accosted her in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, early on Friday demanding her purse as she and companions put their purchases into a car trunk near a Walmart, police said.

The shopper was hospitalized. Her condition was not known.

A Cave Creek, Arizona, Walmart was evacuated and shopping halted temporarily Thursday night after an apparent explosive device was found in an employee break room, Maricopa County Sheriff's Department spokesman Christopher Hegstrom said.

"We sent a robot in," Hegstrom said, adding that the device was removed and the store was reopened after bomb squad dogs were sent through the facility.

In Manhattan, a group of shoppers upset that Hollister's flagship store was not opening at midnight like other locations apparently broke into the store and stole a large quantity of clothing, police said. No arrests have been made in the burglary.



*What a hot ass mess! 

Haven't people learned anything about the "black Friday" rush since it's been happening? 

I guess not since folks seem to keep pouncing on one another for material items that's only going to get thrown in the trash anyway. 

What's even more painful is people are going to great lengths to get this stuff!  A lady pepper spraying others, to off duty cops breaking out their pepper spray to subdue the rowdy crowds! 

It's all a hot ass mess!

The craziest thing is, people have been complaining all year long that they don't have any money to pay their bills, and feed their families. Let black Friday happen and now those same people have so much money to spend like it isn't anything! Time after time black Friday shows us what this country has come to...which is a bunch of materialistic, insensitive and violent clowns!

At the end of the day, people need to put more value in themselves instead of material items.  If they start doing that, then maybe this black friday mess will go away, and we can resume a normal way of doing things, including shopping.* 



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CHECK THIS OUT: SO CUTE!!

http://www.zazzle.com/bitches_rock_card-137747887471189522?gl=BitchitudeCity



This is so cute! Get yours today~!~



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FOLLOW UP: THE BALANCE BEAM EFFECT

Get the follow up to the book that is changing lives!

This holiday get "THE BALANCE BEAM EFFECT: Mind In Focus=Life Insurance And Assurance (Getting To Your Happy)."

Visit Amazon today and download it so you can get your happy back!



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CHECK OUT SPOKEN WORD ARTIST AND WRITER "Grigby" DOING HIS THANG!

Mr. Grigby of Warner Robins GA laying it down in true classic poetics!

"A Person A Kid" BY Grigby



For more of Grigby's poetics visit youtube and look up "Grigby."

Enjoy!



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GET INTO THE THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT!

The holidays are here and we here at Diva's Nation are in full holiday swing!

We are so excited about this holiday season that we can hardly contain ourselves here in the office!

So much has happened for Diva's Nation this year that we want to give back to you the people for supporting us on our path to success. 

To say thank you this holiday season we are giving people an opportunity to shout out their family and friends courtsey of Diva's House of BTR.

Email us who you would like to show love to and we will air it the week of Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

To get started send us an mp3 of your voice and all of your info. 

Send to: literarydiva29@yahoo.com to share your thank you greeting for the people that mean so much to you.


Happy Holiday!





Diva's Nation
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Black Friday Predictions: What Should You Buy?

From toys to tablet computers, which items will be steals on Black Friday and which ones are worth waiting for until the holidays are over.

Apparel
After demand for a limited-edition Missoni line brought Target to its knees in September, it's clear that shoppers are showing a preference for inexpensive and accessible fashion.
On Black Friday, that could mean a virtual stampede over discounts for items like $50 cashmere sweaters or $10 jeans at department stores and discount retailers alike.

"Expect an explosion of sales," said Candace Corlett, president of WSL Strategic Retail, a retail consultancy. "Department stores are not only competing with each other but with discount retailers," she explained.

And for consumers, that means there will be significant markdowns across the board — making Black Friday a good time to stock up on their favorites.

Since there has yet to be a "must-have" item to emerge this year, retailers may have to mark down their stock even further after Black Friday to keep consumers shopping, said Tom Julian, president of Tom Julian Group, a retail consultancy in New York. "Every mall store will be 30% off, but they will be 40% to 60% off later in the season."

But if there is an item you are particularly yearning for, don't hold off too long. In anticipation of slower sales, retailers have been limiting their inventory and may sell out of some items well before the holiday arrives. "They will run out of colors and sizes and on some things," Corlett added. So if it's that purple sweater you want, be prepared to head out on the day after Thanksgiving.

Computers And Tablets
The bargain-basement laptop has historically been the ultimate Black Friday deal. But this year, the tablet has stolen its thunder.

The tablet may be the hottest item this year, but finding deals won't be so easy. The popular iPad2's $499 price tag won't waiver — even on Black Friday — but it does leave some room for lower-priced models to make their mark.

Although Amazon's Kindle Fire has a lot of buzz, it's still pricey at $199, and don't expect that to change on Black Friday either.
But if you are willing to forgo a color screen and apps, the entry-level Kindle and lower-priced
Android tablets are really where the deals are, noted Steve Baker, an analyst with market research firm NPD Group. The Kindle 3G will likely be less than $100, while generic Android tablets could even be much less.

"We wouldn't be surprised to see a smaller 7-inch Android tablet selling for around $49 this year," added Olson.

And for those who are looking for a good old laptop or desktop, expect some rock-bottom deals. Olson predicts big-box retailers like Best Buy and Wal-Mart will offer an all-in-one desktop and a standard laptop with 15-inch to 16-inch widescreen LCD display and a dual-core processor for as little as $200.

High-definition televisions
Discounted HDTVs are usually one of the most coveted Black Friday scores, but since so many families upgraded their old standard-definition tubes for flat-screens already, retailers have notched slower sales this year, regardless of the deal.

"It's shaping up to be a muted season for TVs in particular," said Paul Gagnon, director of TV research at research firm DisplaySearch.

To bring buyers back, retailers are hoping some aggressive price drops will do the trick. "We fully expect to see the cheapest 42-inch LCD HDTVs in the $249 to $299 range this year," said Brad Olson, founder of Gottadeal.com.

Look for even better deals on smaller TVs, too, which retailers hope will entice some shoppers to upgrade the set in their bedroom or den instead, added Brad Wilson, founder of BradsDeals.com, a site that showcases daily deals on the web.

Gagnon predicts prices will be 10% to 20% lower than last year, but it may not stop there. "Towards the end of Christmas you'll see deeper discounting," he said.

Toys
After Toys R Us drew massive crowds last year with doorbuster deals like a $50 gift card with the purchase of an XBox 360, this year's toy deals are likely to fall short of expectations, said Jim Silver, editor in chief of TimetoPlayMag.com. Last year, "They were giving away money and that's not going to happen to the same extent," he said.

This time, retailers have reeled in their inventories to avoid those severe price cuts. That means even the season's hottest toys, like the LeapPad Explorer, will also likely be in short supply. "Have your kids make a list," Silver advised. "If they want a hot toy, buy it early."

Not only will those gizmos not be discounted later in the season, they could be sold out altogether.

Video game consoles
With no new "it" gaming console to drive sales, expect lower prices on older models this year, said Shawn DuBravac, chief economist and director of research of the Consumer Electronics Association.
New consoles tend to be released in five-year cycles, he explained, and we are currently in the middle of a lull.

A recent price cut on the Nintendo 3DS to $169.99 from $249.99 will likely mean particularly deep discounts on the older models like the DSi and DS Lite, noted NPD's Baker. Baker says the very best deals will be bundles on one of the older models with one or two games for $79 to $99.

Wii consoles will also be cheaper come Black Friday, as retailers aim to clear their shelves to make room for the new Wii U slated for next year. "Expect deals such as a Wii bundled with a $50 gift card for $149 this holiday season," said Gottadeal.com's Olson.


*Shop till your asses drop!

That's the retailers motto!

However, is it yours? Think about it.

I've neve seen it miss. Each year black Friday comes around with deals and more deals to temp folks into buying more than what they should. 

It's the American way right? 

Wrong!

What we should be doing is thinking about how we can stretch a dollor instead of buying things that we don't need, especially toys that kids will open and play with two or three times.

Remember it's all about the benjamins more now than ever, which means you the consumer need to think about if you want to give all of yours away to the big bad corporations.*



Diva's Nation
*Join The "Black Fiday Predictions: What Should You buy" Conversation*

DIVA'S NATION TOP ACCESSORIES FOR 2012!

ACCESSORIES! ACCESSORIES! ACCESSORIES!

Choosing the right accessories can make or break an outfit.  Here's our top must-have accessories for 2012.



EDGY-Jewelry

Nicole Romano Drake Chain Wrapped Dome Earrings Swarovski rhinestone chain wrapped dome earrings.















Eye Necklace

SOPHISTICATED-Jewelry

Pure pearl long necklace

Judith Ripka Melange Coin Pearl Earrings

















BLING IT UP-Jewelry

Silver "bling"  Flower Cuff bracelet

Fancy round and pincess CZ pave link necklace

FASCINATING FASCINATORS

BELT IT WITH ATTITUDE

Mulberry chain-trimmed leather belt

Nine West leather and chain belt

BAG IT WITH SIMPLICITY AND ATTITUDE

Miu Miu-Matelasse leather bag

Marc Jacobs-Hillier hobo leather shoulder bag

Stella MCCartney-falabella quilted faux leather bucket bag

TIME KEEPERS

Michael Kors sports ceramic chronograph watch

Marc by Marc Jacobs rivera crystal-embellished acetate watch

LEG IT UP WITH ESSENTIALS

Wolford sheer 15 denier tights














Spanx tight end control

Falke soft merino wool-blend tights

LEG WARMERS THE "IT" ESSENTIAL

Sonoma Life-ribbed boot topper leg warmer

Simply Vera Wang-fisherman cable leg warmers

We here at "Diva's Nation" love accessories!  It can add a special something or change an outfit all together.  This coming year accessorize with a "BANG" and have fun doing it!



Diva's Nation
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Young boy wishes to join Girl Scouts

Bobby Montoya is a 7-year-old boy from Denver. Unlike a lot of young boys, Bobby has no desire to join the Boy Scouts. Instead, he wants to be a Girl Scout.

We first saw Montoya's story over at 9news.com. The NBC affiliate reports that when the boy's  mother, Felisha Archuleta, tried to sign her son up for Girl Scouts, a troop leader told her no

Archuleta spoke with 9News about the incident. "I said, 'Well, what's the big deal?' She [the troop leader] said, 'It doesn't matter how he looks; he has boy parts, he can't be in Girl Scouts. Girl Scouts don't allow that, [and] I don't want to be in trouble by parents or my supervisor.'"

Reporters with 9News contacted  Girl Scouts of Colorado about Montoya's application, which prompted the group to release a statement: "Our requests for support of transgender kids have grown, and Girl Scouts of Colorado is working to best support these children, their families and the volunteers who serve them. In this case, an associate delivering our program was not aware of our approach. She contacted her supervisor, who immediately began working with the family to get the child involved and supported in Girl Scouts. We are accelerating our support systems and training so that we're better able to serve all girls, families and volunteers."


We placed a call to Rachelle Trujillo, vice president of communications at Girl Scouts of Colorado, for further clarification. She replied with this statement: "Girl Scouts is an inclusive organization, and we accept all girls in kindergarten through 12th grade as members. If a child lives life as a girl and the family brings the child to us to participate in Girl Scouts, Girl Scouts of Colorado welcomes her. Girl Scouts of Colorado respects the privacy of all girls and families we work with. When a family requests membership for their daughter, we do not require proof of gender, we respect the decisions of families."

So it would seem that Bobby will get his wish. Gender-identity issues are becoming more common, especially among young children--which makes it more likely that the policy of the Girl Scouts will face future tests in the months and years ahead.


*This is a hot ass mess!

First of all the parents should know better than to take this to the media anyway.  Second; the girl scouts are for girls, and not for boys.

It's sad that certain groups are put on blast just because a person is transgender and want to join. 
It's not fair and these whack ass parents should be ashamed of themselves!

At the end of the day, this child should be loved and nurtured by his parents, and not used as a spectacle just because his parents are media seeking whores!*


Diva's Nation
*Join The "Boy Wishes To Join Girl Scouts" Conversation*

Cain stumbling under glare of national spotlight

(AP) — Herman Cain is learning the hard way what it means to face the glare of the national spotlight.

After captivating Republicans hungry for an alternative to 2012 GOP presidential front-runner Mitt Romney, Cain has made a series of stumbles that have left some questioning whether he's ready for the White House.

His words and actions have drawn more scrutiny since his rise in the polls catapulted him into the top tier of the race for the party's white House nomination.

But Cain has sometimes appeared to be in over his head. Consider what's happened over the past week:

—He suggested electrifying a fence along the U.S. border with Mexico to kill illegal immigrants trying to enter the United States. Cain later called it a joke and apologized if anyone was offended by the remarks.

—He said he would negotiate for the release of U.S. prisoners held by terrorists, then reversed himself and said he had misunderstood the question.

—He muddied the water on abortion. He told CNN that while he strongly opposes abortion, "the government shouldn't be trying to tell people everything to do, especially when it comes to social decisions that they need to make." He later issued a statement reiterating his opposition to abortion.
—Amid criticism that his 9-9-9 tax overhaul would force the majority of Americans to pay more to the government, he reworked the plan to exclude the poorest people and to allow some deductions. Backers of Cain's original plan had praised its simplicity, and carving out exceptions could erode that support.

Through it all, Cain has appeared unflappable. He chalks up the reversals to the breakneck pace of the race.

"In a couple of instances ... I misspoke because of the pace of the interview. I don't call it a flip-flop. I'd rather come back and explain to people what I really meant," Cain said Friday after an economic speech in Detroit. "It doesn't send mixed messages. It just shows that I'm willing to correct myself ... if in fact I need to correct myself for clarity. That's what I'm trying to achieve."

For those in the GOP still in search of a candidate to back, his rocky rollout on the national stage has reinforced the view that Cain, who's never won an election, isn't ready for the big leagues.

"I'm looking for someone that's electable and right now I don't think he fits into that category," said 60-year-old Gene Carkeet of Memphis, Tenn., who attended a recent Cain rally there but remains undecided.

Gwen Ecklund, Republican chairwoman in Crawford County, Iowa, said Cain "has had a bad week."

"I do think it made some people take a second look," she said.

Cain's stumbles come as the campaign of rival Rick Perry shows signs of renewed vigor.

The Texas governor has plummeted in public opinion polls as Cain has climbed. But Perry turned in a spirited and combative debate performance at a recent forum in New Hampshire and plans to detail his own tax reform proposal relying on a flat tax under which everyone would pay the same income tax rate.

Cain and Perry are competing for support from tea party groups and evangelical voters.

Ralph Reed, a Republican strategist who founded the national Christian Coalition and now heads the Faith and Freedom Coalition, said Cain is going through the growing pains that come with sudden national exposure.

"It's a learning curve for any candidate who moves from the back of the pack to front of the pack," Reed said. "You undergo the political equivalent of a GI tract exam ... where every word is weighed and chewed over and scrutinized."

Reed said that after months of jumping on every media appearance offered, Cain and his staff must now limit his exposure and hammer home carefully honed talking points.

That's a tall order for a man who has spent years as a conservative radio talk-show host, saying what was on his mind and scoring points for being provocative.

Whether Cain's willingness to retool his 9-9-9 tax plan will be seen as a strength or a weakness is an open question.

"I guess we'll see what the polls say next week," said Grover Norquist, head of Americans for Tax Reform. Norquist had been critical of Cain's original proposal.

Not everyone is disheartened by Cain's missteps. Kay Godwin, co-founder of Georgia Conservatives in Action, said she is still solidly behind him.

''Look at Romney and Perry at the last debate. They can't even be civil to each other on a stage in front of a national audience," Godwin said. "At his core, Herman has the heart to save this country."


*Herman can't save a damn fly, let alone save America!

People say "your as good as you think you are."

Herman Cain Thinks he's the best man to save America from all the sh&t that America has brought on itself. 

"NOT!"

We all know that it takes alot more work to run a country than a pizza business.  Pizza is good eats, but it won't get you the republican nomination. 

At the end of the day this article proves that Herman Cain isn't the best man to run this country.  He has talked harsly about blacks, said he would electrocute illegals by electrifying the border fence, said something hidious regarding abortion, and then this ridiculous 9-9-9 plan seems to add more insult to injury.

Anyone that insults his own race, by saying "his secret service codename should be "Cornbread" and his use, often before white audiences, of phrases like "shucky-ducky" is a hot ass mess! He also claims that he likes to wear gold because it looks good against his "beautiful dark skin," and he likens himself to haagen daz's black walnut ice cream because he is, he claims, not just a flavor of the month."(per NYDaily News)

At best folks this sh%t is troubling because "shucky-ducky" is a nonsensical phrase often associated with uneducated Southern blacks. Cain's wish to be called "cornbread" is also troubling, since it can be viewed, like watermelon and fried chicken, as a stereotype applied to blacks. (per NYDaily News).

Herman Cain is a HOT ASS MESS!*





Diva's Nation
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