Brittanee's 5-Year Anniversary Vigil

It was the weekend after Easter in Myrtle Beach, SC, but for some, this weekend was just as special. Friday April 25 was the 5-year anniversary of the day Brittanee Drexel went missing in 2009.
The date was commemorated with a candlelight vigil.



http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/2014/04/24/4186405/brittanee-drexels-mother-still.html

http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/2014/04/25/4188428/dozens-remember-brittanee-drexel.html

And here we have the latest from YouTube about Brittanee  Drexel, with eight minutes of images to show you just how big an event it really was.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOuD2jUkpqg

It lasted through Saturday as well. This is just a very small sample of the many news reports that have been churning out continuously throughout the weekend. It is now Sunday evening, and I'm sure that more will come after I close here, but let me finish with my favorite picture of Brittanee while she was still with us.

Something Rotten in Connecticut - Part Two

It reads like a Stephen King novel.
But it's the news, which makes it even scarier. This really happened, and it hasn't been absolved yet. Not even close.
It is hard to decide which question should be asked first, as there are so many of them, but I'd like to start with;
Why is Connecticut treating victims like criminals?
and
Why are suspected killers treated like VIPs?

The parents of a missing person have been sued by the suspected killer (or someone who knows the killer) for putting up posters of their missing son, which she had been tearing down, and had admitted in court to doing so. The police and town officials see nothing wrong with what the poster ripper was doing, and even overlook the fact that she was littering. This person claims that the displaying of the missing person posters are causing her "mental anguish."
Guess who got arrested?

Tales of Bizarro World!, you may be thinking. They're doing everything backward!
How are they getting away with it? Is this the expected norm for this region of America?

http://www.nhregister.com/general-news/20140410/missing-waterbury-mans-family-to-appeal-52666-judgment-against-them-for-defamation-emotional-stress

Now I promised to stick with the facts here, and I intend to keep that promise.

It is well established that the former girlfriend of the missing man is now or has been in a relationship with a local politician, for both have admitted to it in court.
The local politician has never been considered as a suspect.
To say why would be stating an opinion.
I'll just stick with the facts.

I will encourage anyone reading this to draw your own conclusion, and to form your own opinion.
Just promise me one thing, That you will read the whole story and know everything that happened before you decide what went wrong in Woodbridge, Waterbury, and all nearby towns in Connecticut.
Oh, one more thing please.
Decide what would be the right thing to do to in compensation to the grieving parents.
I'd like to hear what you come up with.

--------------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE 4/14/14
I have just found this YouTube video, and I want everyone to see it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZeRcUsfRAU

Something Rotten in Connecticut

Well Folks, I thought I have already seen my fair share of the most incredible and outrageous crime cases one can imagine to be happening in America. I thought nothing would ever shock me again when it comes to corruption in the courts.
I was wrong.
The case of Billy Smolinski Jr. is the most extreme example yet.
I knew something was very, very wrong with this case the first time I read about it.
And the more I looked into it, the more wrong it appeared!
I'm still wondering how the town of Woodbridge CT allowed such a thing to happen.

The story begins with Billy Smolinski, who went missing after breaking up with his girlfriend, over an affair with a well known elected official. While the parents of the missing person are going around the area putting up posters in attempt to find their son, the former girlfriend is following behind them tearing the posters down. For some reason which has never been explained, the ex-girlfriend feels threatened by these posters. And for reasons unexplained, she has the sympathy of the police and the town officials, even though she appears to be quite insane.

Why no sympathy to the parents of a missing son? As if the parents have not already suffered enough, they are subjected to further abuse  You would think the police would want to help them out, but they do everything that is not helpful. Eventually, the ex-girlfriend takes the parents to court and sues them for mental anguish.
And she won!

This has so many red flags it's ridiculous. But then more red flags appear, and more, and more, but the town of Woodbridge, and even the neighboring towns, somehow manage to ignore them all.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the more you learn about this story, the worse it gets!

To start you off...
http://happeninginyourownbackyard.com/?p=35#more-35
...and then we go to...
http://waterburyobserver.org/node/661
at which point we learn that three of the former girlfriend's children have died under suspicious circumstances..
http://cooljustice.blogspot.com/2009/03/more-bizarre-twists-leads-in-smolinski.html

And then, incredibly enough, it gets even worse.

To be continued.

Thousands March for Hailey Owens

More than 10,000 people showed up for a candlelight march in memory of Hailey Owens in Springfield, Missouri on Saturday.

No one expected this many people to show up in participation.
People had to bring their own candles. Streets were closed to motor vehicle traffic. All to remember a 10-year-old girl who was abducted and murdered. Her killer has been arrested,

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/10-000-people-march-remember-hailey-owens-article-1.1699060

This is how much the life of one child means to a family and a community.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2566241/Thousands-gather-pay-tribute-10-year-old-killed-abducted-walking-home-friends-house.html

What more can I say?

RIP Hailey Owens
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DU6Gdw4sItM

I AM DISGUSTED!

I have been wanting to say something about the Amanda Knox case for a long time, but couldn't decide how to say it. I mean, I try to be nice, you know?

The more I read about her arrest, the investigation, and the outrageous procedures that followed, the more incredible it became. Am I reading this right? Does this mean what it sounds like? Is anybody really that stupid? Sadly, the answer is yes to all.

It was difficult to swallow that any legal system in any nation could be that messed up. They had no evidence to even suspect her, let alone arrest her, and sure as hell not to convict her. All the evidence they actually DID have indicated the killer to be none other than Rudy Guede. Anyone with an IQ above 65 could figure that out.

The whole case seemed to be aimed at feeding a blood-thirsty media, which greedily devoured all the sensationalism it could create about satanic cults, evil freemasons, and out-of-control sex. Add that the prosecutor was a total asshat, and that  the Italian legal system didn't seem to think anything was wrong with abandoning all concept of reason, and you have a story so outrageous that any sane person would tend to think, "No, that can't be right."

By now, it seems the biggest mystery is; How did the Italian government get away with it?
Or why aren't they embarrassed about it?
Let alone; How on Earth did they find the AUDACITY to TRY THIS CASE AGAIN!
And then find her guilty?
It just blows my mind!

I could go on and on and on pointing out all the things they've done wrong with this case, and how they've done nothing right, but instead I'll spare my dear reader and just recommend this book.

http://www.amazon.com/Honor-Bound-Journey-Hell-Amanda/dp/1451695985/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1391192860&sr=1-1&keywords=honor+bound+my+journey+to+hell+and+back+with+amanda+knox

Human Trafficking Awareness

January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month

From what I've been hearing, there's a need for greater awareness of HumanTrafficking
Most of us  seem to think that such a thing does not happen here in America.
That's why I'm writing this, why this video was made, and why we have an awareness month.
This is not something that just happens "somewhere else" but closer to home than we like to think.
In Canada, Mexico, and even here in North Carolina.

Check it out.
http://www.wral.com/news/local/wral_investigates/story/10306854/

How the Merchants Stole Thanksgiving

I had already beefed about how much I hate that Thanksgiving has been overshadowed by Christmas just last year. But this year something new set me off.

 I was in a grocery store, of all places, two weeks before Thanksgiving, and the store was full of Christmas decorations, with Christmas music playing continuously on the PA. I was expecting to see pilgrims and turkeys, Indian corn and cornucopias, but instead there were Christmas trees, snowmen, and candy canes. (while marked down Halloween items were still on display) A friend who came in with me said he wanted to get stuff for Thanksgiving, but the music and decor spoiled the mood, so he just got dog food and left.

 Now I can understand why most merchants would want to push Christmas on us as early as they can get away with, but a grocery store? I mean, they sell turkeys and sweet potatoes and pumpkin pies and all that good stuff. I kept wondering what prompted them to join with  the other merchants, wanting to jump from Halloween straight to Christmas.

I kept on wondering what happened to Thanksgiving while watching TV. It seems to have been replaced with Black Friday. That's what most of the commercials were about, and even the news. Not much mention of Thanksgiving this year on TV. What's up with that?

It has been explained to me that the term 'Black Friday' comes from the way accountants write up a company's expenses in red ink and the profits in black ink, expecting to gain more profits during the Holiday Season. But I have another theory. During older times, the term 'black' was used to refer to something evil or satanic, such as Black Sabbath, Black Sunday, or anything that was a travesty of something sacred.

Gee, how might this apply in this case? We have a holiday that is supposed to be about 'Giving Thanks,' and the next day is devoted to 'Gimmie Gimmie.'

Now before I get accused of being a religious fanatic, I ask you to think about this. Doesn't this sound like something the devil would do to profane a sacred holiday? What a better way of distracting us from thanking God for the good things we have than to incite us into wanting more, more, more?

Of course, there are those of us who, for various reasons, do not believe in God or the devil, but we do believe in what we see. And what we see is people fighting against each other to the point of getting dangerous over material things. Is this what the Holiday Season is about? No way, Jose!

 People have actually been killed during Black Friday shopping. I don't even feel safe being in a shopping center parking lot during that day, as people are driving through there without any regard to courtesy or safety.

Say it with me, Folks. The Holiday Season is supposed to be about Peace and Good Will. The word, 'holiday' comes from 'holy day.'  It is appropriate to start off the Holiday Season by remembering to be thankful for the all the good things we have. What a pity that we have lost our perspective on the Holiday Spirit so completely. Should we blame the merchants, or should we blame ourselves for letting them con us the way they have?

I suggest we ask ourselves what we can do to bring the Spirit back into the Season, rather than how much money we can spend.

50 Years After JFK

I'm old enough to remember that fateful day in November of 1963, and how well I remember it. I was 8 years old. It was announced in school that the president has died, and we were all sent home for the day. On my way home I saw grown-ups in tears, which, for a little boy, carried quite an impact. That impact I still feel today whenever I think about Kennedy, and the tremendous influence he has had on our nation.

Billy Graham on TV was telling us not to vote for Kennedy because he's a Catholic, and America should always be run by Protestants of English descent. I have hated him ever since. Many great and wonderful people have died since then. Why is Graham still here?

I still have trouble believing that Kennedy won against Nixon by one of the narrowest margins in history. I always thought the choice was obvious.
I still have trouble believing Nixon was Eisenhower's VP.

In my eyes, there has never been a greater American president during the 20th Century, and I continue to think about what America would be like today had JFK lived out his second term. We can only speculate, of course, but I still wonder how much further we may have progressed in the direction he was leading us.

Five years later, his brother Bobby and Dr. King met the same fate, cut down by an assassin's bullet, which made me worry about the direction we had taken since then. I am very proud of the way my generation had responded to it.

We may never be able to prove the conspiracy theory about the assassination, but if you ask me, it's a whole lot more credible than the theory that Oswald acted alone.

"Don't let it be forgot
that once there was a spot
for one brief shining moment
known as Camelot."

Putting Castro Away

It was back in May, just a few months ago, when the news reached us that three young women who were missing, had escaped from their captor.
This was big news indeed!
Three girls were abducted, all in the same neighborhood, and were missing for over ten years.
Now we all know that when they are missing for that long, the chances are very slim that they will ever be seen alive again.
But it happened!

I wanted to write this up, but so did all the websites about missing persons, (or almost all) and they had gotten a head start on me. What could I add to it? I would only be repeating what everyone else was saying. So I decided to wait and see what happens.

I didn't have to wait long!
While summer is still here, the monster had already been tried!
It's about time they quit messing around when it comes to taking care of business like this. Not only the same year, but the same season! When was the last time that happened in America?

I especially like what Marc Klaas had to say about it.
http://www.hlntv.com/article/2013/08/02/ariel-castro-michelle-knight-victim-perpetrator-courtroom

And I'm glad they did away with all that "Aw the poor little schmuck who never had enough opportunities while growing up " kind of crap. We can do without making excuses for crimes of this magnitude.

Need I remind my fellow Americans that it is the victims we should feel sorry for?
Well, if that be the case.
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20722181,00.html

Lets hope our state, and the rest of our nation, can take an example from Ohio.
(I never thought I'd be saying that!)
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UPDATE
Less than a month into his sentence and the man hangs himself. It seems he couldn't take what he dished out.

Tom Lehrer

It has come to my attention that there are those of the younger generation who have not heard of Tom Lehrer.
 I find this news very distressing.

I would not want my fellow Americans to miss out on the messages brought to us in song by this once popular troubador of the 1950s and 60s.
So I've decided to do something about it.

This here song, 'National Brotherhood Week,' has long been a favorite of mine, for I find it very meaningful as well as funny as hell. I could say the same for nearly all of his songs, which are as relevent to society today as they were back then.

I also like 'Vatican Rag,'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3f72CTDe4-0
'Poisoning Pigeons in the Park,'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhuMLpdnOjY
and 'Pollution.'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPrAuF2f_oI

You will find all of these songs and more on YouTube.
So come on all you young whippersnappers, and see what you've been missing!

Whose Side is the Law On?

Those who have been following this blog may have noticed that I like to observe the holidays as they go by. I confess I sometimes use this as a distraction, something more pleasant to write about. Awhile back I had read a book that had disturbed me so much it took me a long time to decide how to respond to it. It's called "Bringing Adam Home: The Abduction that Changed America" by Les Standiford (w/ Det Sgt Joe Matthews)

http://www.amazon.com/Bringing-Adam-Home-Abduction-Changed/dp/B005OHTJEW

If the authors of this book are to be believed at all, it appears that the lead investigator of this case has been making great efforts to prevent this case from being solved.
Hard to believe? Read the book and see for yourself!

You may already know the story of Adam Walsh, and how his father, John Walsh, came to become the host on "America's Most Wanted," perhaps the most popular true crime show on TV. This certainly helped get this case a lot of coverage. It seems John Walsh has done a lot more to fight crime than the police in Hollywood, Florida.

It took 25 years to solve this case, but it shouldn't have. There were those who knew it all along. There was plenty of evidence as to who the killer was, but that evidence was kept hidden. The lead investigator, instead of trying to solve the case, was busy keeping anyone else from doing so. It begs the question of why any law-enforcement officer would want to protect such a vicious killer.

Has this happened before? I'm sorry to say this, but Yes, I think so.
Back in the 1990s I had read a book called "The Sleeping Lady" by Robert Graysmith.

http://www.amazon.com/Sleeping-Lady-Trailside-Murders-Golden/dp/0451402553/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1362775161&sr=1-1&keywords=the+sleeping+lady

This author is best known for  his work on the Zodiac killer. I was told this made him very unpopular with the police in that area, who tried to discredit him. I say this to warn you about those who will tell you this story is not true. I can't prove that it is, I wasn't there, but I can tell you that I was utterly shocked and disturbed when I read this book. The Sleeping Lady tells about a serial killer who apparently did a poor job of covering his tracks, and left clues all over the place. What was so shocking is that so much evidence was completely ignored, and leads not followed up on. I was wondering if perhaps the killer actually wanted to get caught.

But it's not always the police who screw up getting a conviction. In the case of Debbie Key, it was the judge and the DA. There are things that I believe and things that I know. I know the Carrboro Police really wanted to solve this case. ('nuff said?)

Being from Washington, DC, (and having often played in Rock Creek Park as a boy) I have also been following closely the case of  Chandra Levy. Now let me tell you about another book I've read recently. It's called "Finding Chandra : A True Washington Murder Mystery." by Bob Woodward.

http://www.amazon.com/Finding-Chandra-Washington-Murder-Mystery/dp/B005OL7W4M#_

If a murder could ever be considered a comedy, (not really) this case reads like a true comedy of errors. The remains were found in an area the police have supposedly already searched. After collecting all the bones they could find, a tibia was found later in the same area, after the yellow tape was taken down. But worse than that, the killer had already been arrested and was in custody while they were still blaming a congressman for committing the crime. One of his victims, a woman jogger in the park, managed to escape his assault and go to the police, providing a description and, after they caught him, an identification. But somehow that piece of information didn't get connected to the info that Chandra was last known to be jogging in Rock Creek Park before she went missing. Everyone was too excited about the fact that she was having an affair with Congressman Condit, and sure it must have been him "who done it." It took 8 years to solve this case, again while all the info was readily available. (I have more to say about this later.)

How often does something like this happen? Ask Kim Rossmo!

_http://www.amazon.com/Criminal-Investigative-Failures-Kim-Rossmo/dp/1420047515/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1363370467&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=investigative+failures+kim+rosmo#_

To this day, the Surete Du Quebec, the police in Canada who were "investigating" the case of Theresa Allore, still refuse to admit it was a murder, in spite of overwhelming evidence. Is it stupidity? Are they protecting someone? Or just too lazy to care? (See "Who Killed Theresa?" on the links list.)

Now I don't want to advocate vigilantism. I'm against it, really. But I do want to say that perhaps we must be careful not to become too complacent, when it comes to depending on those whose job it is to protect us from dangerous killers.

Oh, and don't depend on newspapers to tell you everything you need to know about a crime case. Take a trip to your local library and find what books are available about it. (unless you prefer to buy them from Amazon.)

PS -- I hope you like my "book report." I've decided to do this for March this year, instead of something about St.Pat's Day and Easter. I figured I had already covered these holidays, but I'll still be celebrating them!

V-Day

I have always loved Juice Newton (isn't she beautiful?) and this video. (I'm sure she must have had fun making it.) Today, when I think about Valentine's Day, this is what comes to mind.

I'm sure every one us, at some time in our lives, has been wounded in love. Don't feel bad. Life wouldn't be complete if it never happens. We keep on trying because we must. If you even think about giving up, you send up a red flag.

At a party recently I was in a conversation about how hard it is to get a date when you're at a certain age, (say 45 or 50?) and still single. One of the reasons is we get more discerning as we get older. When we do manage to get a date it doesn't always work out. Sometimes it's a total disaster. But always, it was worth a try.

When an attempt at a relationship fails, we never regret having put so much effort into it. For in truth we gain a lot more than we lose. (Oh no! Not another learning experience!)  Love doesn't always (if ever!) meet our expectations, but pity the poor soul who tries to live without it.

When we are younger we never talk about past relationships while on a date. It's not a good way to make sure there will be another one. We talk about the one we are with, and the possibility of a relationship in the near future. But when we are older we are expected to have had some experience with relationships, and hopefully, something to show for it. In some ways, it actually gets a little easier, having expectations that are a little more realistic. (maybe more than a little!)

So this year, for Valentine's Day, I wish for everyone still single and forlorn to take heart. As long as we are still living, there is still hope. (and if you end up spending the day alone, you can still listen to Juice Newton!)

Kitty Christmas

How many times have you wanted to give someone a cat for Christmas, but just didn't know how to wrap it? What perfect gifts they make. They eat less than dogs, they don't chew up your shoes, and for keeping your lap warm on a cold winter night, there's nothing better!

Well now, thankfully, someone has found out how to gift wrap a kitty, and has made this video to show us just how easy it is. Yes, wrapping cats is so much easier than wrapping dogs, rabbits, or porcupines. And after you see this, you may want to give a cat to everyone on your gift list!

But don't send me one, please. I already have a cat, and we're very happy together, thank you very much!

Now here is a must-see cartoon from "the Oatmeal."
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/cat_vs_internet

My cat Lydia and I have written a song for us, to celebrate Christmas and to remind us how special cats are.
To the tune of "Holly Jolly Christmas," we present...

Pretty Kitty Christmas

We'll have a pretty kitty Christmas
and in case we have a storm
I'll take a nap upon your lap
and help to keep you warm.

We'll have a pretty kitty Christmas
and I'll let you stroke my fur
you can pat me all you want
and listen to me purr.

Ho Ho! It's gonna snow!
What you think of that?
It's good you got some wood
to keep warm with your cat.

We'll have a pretty kitty Christmas
and in case you didn't hear,
Oh how giddy, we'll have a pretty kitty
Christmas - this year!

Thanksgiving 2012

Every year some radio station or TV news station takes a poll to ask people if we think we should wait until after Thanksgiving to display Christmas decorations.
And every time they do this, most of the people who respond say 'Yes" we should celebrate Thanksgiving as a separate holiday without having it being overshadowed by Christmas.

But the merchants always want to push Christmas even before  Halloween, and sometimes even as early as August. I can remember when the Town of Chapel Hill had to pass an ordinance against displaying Christmas decorations until after Thanksgiving. At University Mall in Chapel Hill, I was told that the Christmas decorations are hidden in the ceiling, and after closing time on Thanksgiving Day, they come down to the floor on elevators. Then, so they say, a crew works on the decorations through the night, and have everything ready when they open again in the morning. I was Santa Claus there one year, (a really fun job, let me tell you!) and that's when I heard this.

I like the idea of giving thanks for the good things we have before we celebrate having them, as an appropriate start to the Holiday Season.

I hate the idea of people killing each other on Black Friday the very next day.
That is one tradition I do not observe.

Some don't want to celebrate Thanksgiving at all, in sympathy with our Native American friends. (Which is why I don't tell the Pilgrim story!) Then there are the Jehovah's Witnesses, who don't celebrate any holidays, not even birthdays. (those poor kids!)

When a loved one goes missing or is murdered during a holiday time, it tends to put a damper on the festive occasion, and the reminder keeps coming back around every year.

For those who came late, Debbie went missing the night of November 30, but as it was after midnight, and before daylight began, the date is also considered December 1. That year (1997) Nov 30 was the Sunday night of Thanksgiving weekend.

But I love the holidays, though it may always be a challenge to celebrate it the way I think it should be. But, you know what?, that is a challenge I always accept!

Happy Thanksgiving to All!

15-Year Anniversary

By the end of this month, we will be observing the 15-year anniversary of when Debbie Key was last seen. The 10-year anniversary got a lot of attention, which I am still thankful for. (see slide show at the bottom of this page) This time around, I would like to point out some other significant events that have occurred in 1997.

1997 - Deaths
Perhaps most memorable are Mother Theresa and Princess Diana, but also were comedian Red Skelton, poet Allen Ginsberg, and the lovely Nicolette Larson.
Carrie Slaughterbeck may have become the first person to die from blue-green algae.
Not as well loved but also remembered is Anton LaVey, founder of the Church of Satan.
Let' not forget the entire congregation of Heaven's Gate, with the appearance of the Hale-Bop Comet, on March 26, 1997

Other Anniversaries in '97
Vampire fans in the US and UK have observed the 100-year anniversary of when Bram Stoker (a favorite author of mine) published "Dracula," the novel that made him famous. (1897)
And in Roswell, New Mexico, a festival was held in celebration of the 50-year anniversary of the alleged UFO crash that made that town famous. (1947)

Other Events
Another favorite author of mine, Kathy Reichs won the Ellis Award for her first novel, "Deja Dead." This author's work was the inspiration for the TV series, "Bones."
The first mass protest against Scientology took place in Clearwater, Florida.
"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (the TV series, not the movie) began in 1997 and continued through 7 episodes. (1992 for the movie)

We do not live in the past. We get on with our lives and strive to progress. But one of the best ways of doing this is by learning from our history.

As for Debbie Key, at the present time I am not aware of any plans to commemorate the coming date, but I would not be surprised if any of our friends were to show up at that parking lot across the street from the Jade Palace Chinese Restaurant on Main Street in Carrboro, NC. It's been known to happen before around this time, and if you ask me, I'd say to enjoy a good Chinese dinner at Jade Palace is a good enough reason to go there anyway. Should an impromptu gathering occur, that's likely where it will be.

Holiday Season is approaching.
Peace on Earth. Good Will to People.

Smell the Coffee

We have established that the world is round, and it revolves around the sun.
We have established that there were dinosaurs, and the world is millions and millions of years old.
We have established that mental illness is caused by chemical imbalance, and not by evil spirits.
We have established that Negroes are human beings, and that people who are not white are not necessarily inferior.

Yet today some of us are still struggling with the misconception that the way to deal with poverty is to give more money to the rich.
Can you say, "Duh"?
Now seriously, Folks, let's get our brains in gear. The "trickle-down" theory does not work. To overflow a glass that is already full does not fill an empty glass. This shouldn't be too hard to comprehend.

Mitt Romney wants to rob our senior citizens of  Medicare and Social Security benefits in order to give tax breaks to the millionaires who can already afford things as they are. Now I ask you, does this make sense? What kind of president wants to rob from the poor and give to the rich?

So now you're probably wondering what this has to do with the Scarecrow of Romney Marsh. I will get to that, I promise. Let me explain.

Since childhood, my fictional heroes have been the ones who rob from the rich and give to the poor. Such heroes include Zorro, Robin Hood, the Scarecrow, (of course) and, more recently, V for Vendetta. I was an especially big fan of Zorro when I was a little boy. (Yeah! That's what I want to be when I grow up!) The gallant defenders of the poor and oppressed have always scored the biggest points in my book.

Masked bandits do not win the approval of everyone, and many tend to frown on those who break the law, even for very good reasons. But during the 1960s, most parents seemed to think it was okay to let their children watch anything endorsed by Walt Disney. This I am glad of. (It was shown on the Wonderful World of Color.)

But how many of us baby-boomers remember when this show was on TV? About a month ago I posted the above video on my Facebook wall, asking how many of us remember it. I never got a response. I'm hoping that was because it wasn't showing up on News Feed, where most of us go when we sign in to FB. Among my neighbors, only one person I have asked remembers. (better than I do, even!)

It is debated whether this story is true or fiction, or maybe a fictional story based on a real person. (like Zorro) Legendary heroes often appear in times of oppression, and Walt Disney himself seemed to believe the Scarecrow was a true story.

So why am I seeing the opposite today? Since when did it become acceptable to rob from the poor? I keep on wondering when the Republicans will wake up and smell the coffee.

President Obama, on July 19 of this year, in Jacksonville FL, said;
"It's wrong to ask seniors to pay more for Medicare just so millionaires and billionaires can pay less in taxes."
That's what the man said. Won't you listen what the man said?

This Halloween, let there be more scarecrows to haunt those who haven't been awakened yet.
Remember to vote, and remember that the road to Hell is paved with Republicans.
Take care!
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"Logical consequences are the scarecrows of fools and the beacons of wise men."
-- T.H. Huxley

Human Trafficking in NC

Are the days of slavery really over?
Or is slavery just wearing a different outfit now?

Human trafficking is no longer something that happens "somewhere else" but is going on right here in North Carolina.  In fact, NC is now in eighth place in the US in number of cases reported. (That puts us in the top ten, Folks!) Trafficking victims have been reported in Greensboro, Charlotte, Greenville, Raleigh, and Durham. That brings it pretty close to home for us here in the Chapel Hill/ Carrboro area.

Senator Ellie Kinnaird, our former mayor of Carrboro, (we are so proud of her!) sponsored the first anti-human trafficking law in our state in 2006. She is currently working to raise awareness at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte.

An estimated 18,000 to 20, 000 victims of  human trafficking are in the US today.
The US Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 defines human trafficking as;

"the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or commercial sex services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion, for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery."

Last year NC became one of the first states to introduce mandatory training in human trafficking for law enforcement. NC Coalition Against Human Trafficking, or NCCHAT, (shouldn't that be NCCAHT?) and the Carolina Women's Center pushed for and provided training sources for this effort.

Last August the Salvation Army of Wake County opened its anti-human trafficking program, and since then have worked on 19 cases assisting victims. They still have a heavy case load.

What can we do to help? Glad you asked! First we should learn what human trafficking looks like, and how to read the warning signs. For that we have Polaris Project.

http://www.polarisproject.org/human-trafficking/recognizing-the-signs

Learn how we can take action.
http://www.notforsalecampaign.org/empower/

And here is the Polaris Hotline, a toll-free number to call for more info, training, or to report a case.
1-888-3737-888

Special Thanks to;
Amanda Keener - news correspondent
Andrew Castle - director for World Relief Durham
Claire Chu - spokesperson for Polaris
for calling the news to our attention, and providing us with this information

Here are some more news stories you may want to see.

http://www.wral.com/news/local/wral_investigates/story/10306854/

http://www.wsoctv.com/news/news/special-reports/9-investigates-human-trafficking-happening-charlot/nN2X4/

Searching for Brittanee

Since April I have not been able to get Brittanee Drexal off my mind. Could this be some dreadful obsession I should seek help for? I'm sure there are plenty who would say so. I had taken such advice before concerning wanting to do a website about Debbie Key, and found a pretty good therapist I got along with. It may not surprise you to know I was told I was already doing something positive to help me deal with it, and should keep it up. Doing a website is better than shooting people or jumping off a bridge, and it actually does some good.

I tried to explain to some well-intentioned friends that when you actually know someone who goes missing, it tends to change your perspective a whole lot. Alas, I find that only a person who has been there has any idea what it's like. So I now have some new friends who deal with the same thing.

One could very easily get overwhelmed with so many missing persons out there, no matter how devoted one is to the cause, and so I tend to pick "favorites" to focus attention on.

Why Brittanne Drexal? Good question. I've been asking myself that a lot. Is it because she's so young and pretty? Don't think so. There are many who fit that description

The answer I came up with was Myrtle Beach, SC. A familiar place, and one not so far away from here. That's where Brittanee went missing. Anyone who has ever been there tends to go back again. It's a very groovy place.

When I think about Natalee Holloway, I wonder why an Alabama high school would choose a spot so far away to celebrate graduation, when we have so many good beaches here on the Atlantic coast. (Especially the Carolinas and Virginia) But unlike Aruba, Myrtle Beach didn't try to cover up the fact that  a teenage girl went missing there, but have been very supportive of the efforts to find her. Perhaps they have no need to fear a loss of tourists, as it continues to be the favorite vacation spot it's always been. A neighbor of mine has already been there half a dozen times before summer officially began.

Nor has Myrtle Beach ever tried to exploit the tragedy. You won't find any vendors there pushing Brittanee souvenirs. If you want a copy of the poster, you can download it for free off of her website.

http://helpfindbrittaneedrexel.com/print-a-poster/

Heading south from Myrtle Beach on 17 brings you to Charleston, SC, where Brandy Hanna went missing, and north on the same highway takes you to Wilmington, NC, home of the CUE Center for Missing Persons.
What to do for summer vacation this year?  You can look for missing persons, and take in our beautiful Carolina coast at the same time. Does that sound like a good plan?

Not Brittanee's Bones

Sometime around the anniversary of when Brittanee Drexal went missing in SC, some bones were found that were thought to be hers. A link was sent out, but the link was dead, so we had to wait awhile to find out what was up with that. Then we learned the bones were not human.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/29/brittanee-drexel-update_n_1389322.html

It appears the first news story got pulled. Perhaps out of embarrassment? You would think it wouldn't take a professional to tell human bones from deer bones. But before we start making fun of the examiner, let me share a story with you.

Once upon a time, in Orange County, NC, there was a group of friends who went searching for the remains of a missing friend. These people weren't professional searchers, they were just concerned friends. One of these friends found some bones and some brown hair, and called out to the other friends to see what he had found. With hearts pounding and adrenaline rushing, the rest of the skeleton was quickly uncovered to reveal it was a skeleton of a deer. There was a mixture of relief and disappointment. Once the whole skeleton was seen, there was no question it was that of a deer. No official report was ever made of this find.
By now you've probably guessed who I'm talking about.

I know very well the excitement that comes from a discovery like this, as do some of my friends here in NC, so we may not be so inclined to make fun of anyone in this situation. (except to say we did know it was a deer) We should assume it wasn't the whole skeleton they found in SC.

But since then there was more news about the Brittanee Drexal case, that is probably more important. (But I couldn't resist throwing in a personal account.) It seems we now have a POI.
http://helpfindbrittaneedrexel.com/three-years-after-brittanee-drexels-disappearance-a-victim-of-person-of-interest-speaks-out/

Which brings me to another subject, a personal issue, if you will.
This is just my opinion, mind you, but I believe that any person who would rape a child should NEVER be released! Not for any reason!
There, I said it.

Ordinary, everyday people searching the woods for human remains, just outside of Chapel Hill, NC?
Yep. It happens.

FDK now 5 years old.

Friends of Debbie Key first appeared on the Internet on June 1st, 2007.
The first website about Debbie was called "Debbie Key - Murder Victim" and was done by Jackie Helvey in 2006. Jackie is probably known by every musician and artist in the Chapel Hill/ Carrboro area, but is best known for the website Carrboro.Com.
http://www.carrboro.com/

I thought Debbie's story deserved more than one page, and so in May of 2007 I bought the URL and hired Judith Gadd of Star WebWorks to create FDK.
http://www.starwebworks.com/
I am very grateful to Judith for all the support and encouragement she has given me.

Our first year got off to a very good start with the news coverage of NC Wanted, and the 10-year anniversary candlelight vigil. But more than anything else, it was the blog "Who Killed Theresa?' by John Allore that really got it off the ground. There is a rather uncanny parallel between the stories of Debbie Key and Theresa Allore that got everyone's attention. From there the website seemed to take off on its own momentum.

The most rewarding thing for me about doing this was connecting with people like John Allore, Todd Matthews, Doreen Prior, Monica Caison, and our special friend 'Anon', who have each been a blessing to me. Through these new friends I have become more aware of the plight of missing persons, the heartbreak of victim's families, the people who are doing something about it, and the insane laws that fail to keep dangerous people locked up.

I really hate it whenever I hear people say, "I don't think there's anything we can do about it." before they even try. If I can make a positive example to anyone, I will consider it karma payed forward for all I have received.

Special thanks to everyone who has helped me along. I hope you know who you are.