Connecting the Dots...

Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year!

2007-12-23T12:06:00.000-06:00

To the many of you that have dropped me an email I would like to thank you for giving of your time. Your well wishes are appreciated!This has been a busy time for me with closing out projects and kicking off new ones for 2008. So, I have once again neglected this blog.All is well with me and my family. I hope the same is true for all of you. May the New Year bring us all a little closer to peace,

Where is Justin Gaines?

2007-11-20T09:24:00.000-06:00

November 1, 2007 eighteen year old Justin Gaines left Wild Bills a popular Atlanta club at 1:00am and has not been seen or heard from since. Justin’s disappearance has not received the media attention many other cases have, but that does not change the fact that a family is extremely heartbroken and distressed.www.justingaines.com http://www.operationfindachild.org/Cases/JUSTIN_GAINES_JG1.

Madeleine McCann’s Disappearance

2007-10-31T08:17:00.001-05:00

This case is another that provokes very emotional outcry and appears to be divided into three distinct mindsets.1) Those that think the parents are guilty.2) Those that think this was a stranger abduction.3) And, those that just want to know the facts.Self-proclaimed “experts” sit in their easy chairs, watch assorted news clips and make psychiatric determinations about the fitness of Kate and

Monday, October 29, 2007 9:00ct/10:00et

2007-10-27T05:41:00.000-05:00

Some of you may know that I am a fan of On The Record w/Greta Van Susteren. I may not always agree with her take on some of the more publicized cases of the day, but I still enjoy watching and listening to her program. In fact, along with Greta and several other regular features, Fox News has become a daily routine for me.October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Greta accompanied First Lady

Desperation?

2007-10-10T11:32:00.000-05:00

Below is a translation of a recent Bon Dia article provided by ArubaGirl. I find it to be somewhat strange and the timing more than coincidental with Greta Van Susteren’s visit to Aruba. Perhaps more light will be shed upon these claims over the next few days.****************************American Congress with a petition to hold hearings becauseFBI Accused In Hindering and Threatening Aruban

“If They Won’t Do It, Then We Will!”

2007-09-30T12:34:00.000-05:00

DIARIO has made the decision to perform a water search for Natalee Holloway at their expense. At this time necessary equipment is still being gathered, but the search should commence within the next several days. I’ve been promised a day by day report detailing each event surrounding this latest endeavor.Way to go Jossy! It has become abundantly clear no one else is willing to make this effort.

How Low Will They Go?

2007-09-29T11:25:00.000-05:00

There is a famous turning point in the McCarthy hearings that took place in the 1950’s. Mr. Joseph Welch, the head attorney for the United States Army, had been repeatedly badgered by Sen. Joseph McCarthy during the Senate hearings. He finally took control and would not allow McCarthy to silence him. His famous words still ring true and clear, “You've done enough. Have you no sense of decency,

September Equinox

2007-09-27T09:24:00.001-05:00

Fall has always been a reflective time for me and my thoughts quickly return to a small southern town nestled in the tall pines and old oaks. The tines of steel yard rakes would sing as they moved across the asphalt streets, gathering small piles of leaves along side the curb to be burned. The aroma of the burning leaves would permeate the air along with the distant sound of a marching band

Silenced Voice?

2007-09-16T14:23:00.000-05:00

Anyone that thinks they have the power to take away someone’s voice across the World Wide Web in this day and age is obviously suffering from illusions of grandeur. But, to be perfectly honest with everyone, I have completely lost interest in this topic and the subject matter really doesn’t deserve my time or attention. The blog and its owner are just not that important. I no longer have any

A Mother's Love

2007-06-27T11:18:00.000-05:00

... and shattered livesNov. 15, 2004 Peter and Joan Porco were attacked while they slept. An intruder made a deliberate path into the house with use of a hidden key and then disarmed the security system by using the master code and the alphanumeric keypad. Without disturbing anything within the home the intruder made his way to the master bedroom and began his vicious attack by brutally swinging

Things That Go Bump in the Night

2007-06-17T15:10:00.000-05:00

Might just be the wind...*************************************************************I asked Carla to give us a little background about her trip to Aruba."It didn’t take long for us to realize that the trip to Aruba was not going to be one of our easiest. Supposedly, there was a ‘customs mix-up’ with all the trunks of lighting and camera equipment. The assertion was that it had not been properly

Intuitive Substantiation

2007-06-07T08:28:00.000-05:00

A commercial airliner breaks through the clouds and begins to drop altitude as it approaches a strip of land born of volcanic rock and jutting upward from the azure waters of the Caribbean. The landscape more closely resembles the desert southwest than what one might envision as a tropical paradise. Jagged rocks, scrub brush and shifting sands dominate the canvas, but the painting is framed by

Internet Prophets

2007-06-05T20:32:00.000-05:00

(Living in the Shadow of Simian)There are many bloggers across the internet sharing their thoughts about everything from recipes to politics and beyond. Most of us have other obligations and only devote our spare hours to blogging. That can leave voids in the content that can stretch into weeks at a time.An idea that embraced my thoughts recently was to invite other bloggers to make written

Update:

2007-06-05T07:07:00.001-05:00

Several of you have emailed, asking that I keep my blog going. Thank you for the response and I will try to find the time now that life has slowed for me. At this time I will just do a brief summary about some recent events surrounding the case of Natalee Holloway. There is a great deal of news about other happenings on the little tropical

Kalpoe Brothers Briefly Detained

2007-05-12T08:21:00.000-05:00

Per Jossy Mansur:This morning( May 12, 2007) at 7:00 a.m., a team of local policemen, accompanied by members of the Dutch team, went to the home of the Kalpoe brothers for the Dutch to further familiarize themselves with the area. Deepak and Satish resisted the action and were handcuffed and taken away by the local authorities accompanied by members of the Dutch team. The reporters of the DIARIO

Blogger Break!

2007-05-10T09:46:00.000-05:00

(Or the Case of the Missing Desire)Unfortunately, I have not had time to properly devote to this blog and will take a hiatus until a later date. If I do receive any news from Aruba that is significant, I will post it here.From the very beginning it has been difficult to get current news out of Aruba in the English language and software translators have a very difficult time with Papiamento. The

Paulus Who?

2007-04-20T15:34:00.000-05:00

______ To your left you will see blood stained rocks painted with silly putty and to your right you will see Boo-Tee in the bush…

Hot! Hot! Hot!

2007-04-18T10:18:00.000-05:00

DIARIO - 04/18/07This is not a translation of the DIARIO article, but rather a summary.*********************************This is the latest information we received from reliable sources. It says that Holland is extremely interested in the Holloway case and the Namdar bribery case. They are sending a large team of policemen from Holland to further investigate both cases. The Minister of Justice,

"You Can’t Handle the Truth"

2007-04-16T18:04:00.000-05:00

A Few AnswersEarlier a rather lengthy comment was posted that attempted to push a few myths and lies to the forefront. That is a typical reaction coming from a certain group of like minded people. None of it is surprising or even titillating at this juncture. It’s merely the same song and the same dance. If any legitimate news breaks the silence, some of these people go back through archives and

DIARIO - April 16, 2007 Editorial

2007-04-16T08:32:00.000-05:00

(English Translation Provided by Jossy Mansur)A TRAITOR AND HIS ANTI-ARUBAN GOVERNMENT (2)The truth can hurt when it’s exposed without circumlocution! What could have led the mediocrity of the MEP party to lose their heads in such an ugly manner? Could it be the bribery of 1 million guilders? Is that what made them try to look for any distraction from this most shameful anti-Aruban act known in

Dutch Arrive in Aruba

2007-04-12T09:29:00.000-05:00

It is always interesting to watch as things become twisted across the internet to serve personal interests. There is nothing secretive about the source of the following information and it has been said several times that their purpose may have a dual intent."They came for both reasons! True, the Awe Mainta editor came with the news and we picked it up. We publish his paper (Awe Mainta) for him

For The Record:

2007-04-11T11:07:00.000-05:00

Mike: Jossy, I received an email this morning asking me about something they thought they heard in a television interview. It has to do with you having Joran Van Der Sloot followed, before the Holloway incident. Do you have any memory of such a thing?Jossy: That question is way off base since I never had Joran followed by anyone! I never mentioned anything of the sort in any interview. People

Paradoxical Paradise

2007-04-08T13:55:00.000-05:00

The Lois McMillan Story January 2000, the battered body of a trust fund girl was found washed ashore a beach on the Island of Tortola, British Virgin Islands. The abrasions on her face rendered her almost unrecognizable, her hands were cut from apparent defensive wounds and her torso was badly bruised. An autopsy later revealed that her lungs were filled with sand, which was a strong indication

Jossy Mansur Responds!

2007-04-06T08:39:00.000-05:00

“To answer the stupid allegations in that MEP inspired and promoted piece of garbage: ...”"The MEP party is a party of delinquents and promotes delinquency (a Minister (Ramon Lee) who raped a woman, was accused by her to the Police, and was never even questioned! Another Minister (Rudy Croes)who brought in young girls from Santo Domingo and wanted to force them into prostitution with him and his

Ulterior Motives?

2007-04-06T07:33:00.000-05:00

Frenzy of the Bottom-feedersRecently some questionable documents were posted on a discussion forum that put prime suspect Joran Van Der Sloot in a bad light. Whereas the ramblings did not reveal anything alarming, those words did confirm many of the inconsistencies in his many stories about the night he lured Natalee Holloway away from a tourist trap on the island of Aruba. This would probably

The Rosie School of Moderation

2007-04-02T19:01:00.000-05:00

WTH?In the dark of night with only a forty watt bulb to light the way I find my keyboard covered with dust except for a few of my favorite letters. My thoughts have been inward and distracted from the everyday nuances of life. Then I hear a screeching sound coming from a distant television. The screech turns into a squawk. My head turns toward the glimmering light and through the shadows I see a

Welcome Mat

2007-03-30T07:48:00.000-05:00

What brings you here? What’s on your mind?The Natalee Holloway case caused many of us to voice our opinions and delve into the less than respectable side of Internet news. However, that news has slowly turned into a re-run. Nothing is coming out of Aruba, the Netherlands, or Mountain Brook. Beth (my hero in all of this) has not said a word lately.So, I must ask what keeps people interested and

Diary of a Sloot?

2007-03-29T09:45:00.000-05:00

Or, Who Stole the Spellchecker?Apparently, a document has surfaced that details the thoughts of Joran Van der Sloot while he was sitting in jail during the summer of 2005. The text is not particularly interesting and filled with inconsistencies. What IS interesting is the reaction across most of the Natalee Holloway related web sites.The owner of a particularly biased forum that is of the opinion

The Cathy Seipp Story

2007-03-29T08:24:00.000-05:00

A Wakeup CallCathy Seipp was a politically conservative columnist and blogger. Her sharp, pointed way with words gained her a great deal of attention and angered a few. She recently lost her long battle with cancer and left behind a legacy of interesting observations. What happened in her final days is astonishing!With freedom comes extremes and this internet infringement went beyond extreme.

Blog Wars!

2007-03-28T11:28:00.000-05:00

What is it all about?Reading through the comments section of this blog, it has become abundantly clear that many people have become discontented with the actions of a few regulars on these Natalee Holloway message boards. At what point was the focus lost? What allowed some of these boards to drift into what they have become? Why?I have attempted to contact Robin Holloway and offer her a platform

Comments

2007-03-26T07:15:00.000-05:00

Was that fun?I decided to have an Open House in the comments section this weekend and it proved to be interesting. Many of you apparently needed to vent about some of the things you have found to be wrong, or perplexing at various message boards. Maybe some of those comments will be taken to heart and used in a constructive manner.The only problem is that I will have to read through about 400

Fish Story!

2007-03-25T10:13:00.000-05:00

Along the gulf coast of Mexico, seafood restaurants are as plentiful as gas stations. Among the favorite dishes (setting aside gulf shrimp deep fried, stuffed, grilled and sautéed’) Grouper has to be high on the list of favorites.Nothing quiet as grand as sitting on the deck of my favorite seafood place, looking across the bay, reminiscing about the one that got away and eating the grouper

Collision Course

2007-03-24T17:54:00.000-05:00

Deadly CocktailAt different times lives come together and they shouldn’t. All the necessary ingredients swirl around and get poured into a lethal cocktail. Glancing eyes, sun burned skin and 30 minutes before the bar closes.Spring in Birmingham, Alabama is filled with Dogwoods blooming and Azaleas awaiting their turn to put on a show. Students prepare for final exams and dream of the long summer

Cyberspace Casanova

2007-03-23T18:17:00.000-05:00

Things That Go Bump In the NightOver the past several days a rather interesting set of circumstances has been put forth by some of you. I was unaware of the depth and magnitude of this particular situation and would like to learn a little more. Oh, I was aware of the onslaught of pornography sent via PM’s by certain individuals and I knew that there were a few that seemed to constantly defend

Call Me Aunt Blabby!

2007-03-22T19:55:00.000-05:00

Or, am I the proverbial kettle?The leadership of BFN attempted to make a comment on this blog tonight. It was rejected and sent to the trash bin. I don’t know about the rest of you guys, but I am an adult. In fact, I have three adult sons now. So, I really do not relish in the idea of being lectured by the likes of a message board madam that can’t even control her own environment.If this blog is

American Idol – Turning Point!

2007-03-20T21:03:00.000-05:00

Knock me out with a Randy, floor me with a Paula and slap my Cowell!Okay, I was wrong. There are some stars waiting to sparkle this season. One got my attention with her legs, another with his modern take on an oldie, then tears flowed when a favorite backseat lyric came from a young voice and the show ended with the impeccable performance of Melinda Doolittle.Could it be that I love that decade?

Oh The Drama!

2007-03-20T19:33:00.000-05:00

Bitchcraft Can Be A BitchA drama has been unfolding at one of the more familiar message boards and I do believe that true colors are beginning to show. This subject matter is definitely not new to this blog, but the recent written outburst deserves an additional examination.A very simplistic conjugation of the word “moderator” would lead us to moderate. There was absolutely nothing moderate about

My Take

2007-03-20T16:36:00.000-05:00

A Quick UpdateDancing With The Stars - So, far this television season has not been a very exciting one in the reality genre and that was true of the premier of Dancing With The Stars. Maybe it was just opening night jitters and will improve over the next few weeks. Gotta say, I was kind of clinching my teeth and peeking with one eye, when Heather Mills’ turn came around. I DID NOT want to see

Spring

2007-03-17T18:10:00.000-05:00

Yesterday a chill ran over my skin. Today a blue sky welcomes me and old oaks sway with the wind as if they were telling me a new season has arrived. Blue is bluer than blue and green is greener than green. Shadows are short and crisp against the emerging lawn. Smells whisk through the pristine air with reckless abandonment. The odor of fresh-cut Dandelions and wild garlic drift across the

Aruba Nights!

2007-03-16T20:00:00.000-05:00

The Latest From the "Happy Island!"There was a lot of activity behind the Light House last night, with police cars and what seemed to others to be cadaver dogs.. I was called from the U.S. at 12:30 a.m. to ask what was going on. I didn't know, but called my reporters who were in the field at that time. They confirmed it was true that a lot of police cars and anti-drug dogs were there, but it was

Pure Chat – Addendum

2007-03-16T07:29:00.000-05:00

Anatomy of a Message BoardSince starting the series about a few well known message boards, others have been brought to my attention. Never participating at any of them, I know little except what I have recently read. From the context of some of these boards, I could speculate as to their emergence from other boards, but I would rather open this topic up to discussion and let their membership

The Cat's Meow

2007-03-13T15:22:00.001-05:00

Nora, The Piano-Playing Cat(www.ravenswingstudio.com)

Killer Frogs!

2007-03-13T13:36:00.000-05:00

Amphibians Terrorize San FranciscoTuesday, March 13, 2007FOX NEWSMeat-eating killer frogs have invaded a pond in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, leaving environmentalists wondering how to stop their deadly march before they move on to bigger waters.The African clawed frogs have chomped through everything from turtles to fish in Lily Pond, near the California Academy of Sciences, the San

Dancin’ with the Stars – 2007

2007-03-12T15:34:00.000-05:00

A Leg Up on the Competition?The big news about this program, which premiers March 19, 2007 is Heather Mills! She will be joining Laila Ali, the daughter of Muhammad Ali, country music star Billy Ray Cyrus, former 'N Sync boy-band member Joey Fatone, Olympic speed-skater Apolo Anton Ohno, former basketball star Clyde Drexler, TV-radio host Leeza Gibbons, and actor Vincent Pastore, who appeared on

Pure Chat - Part V

2007-03-08T09:36:00.000-06:00

Anatomy of a Message BoardBlogs for Natalee (BFN) was the brainchild of Ian Schwartz (Political Teen) and was initially to be a collaborative effort with Dan Riehl (RWV) and Richard Bingham (Hyscience). Steve Huff (The Darkside) soon joined their efforts and BFN was off and running.It began in late June of 2005 with a few posts taken directly from the headlines of other main stream media (MSM)

Pure Chat - Part IV

2007-03-07T13:26:00.000-06:00

Anatomy of a Message BoardScared Monkeys (SM) has been around for awhile, but it was primarily an outlet for a couple of ultra-conservative political activist before it became a victim’s advocate with the headline making Terri Schiavo case. Across the top of their blog is written, “A Weblog by two guys who went to school together, and have been discussing politics and life for years. Now we are

Pure Chat - An Intermission

2007-03-06T17:51:00.000-06:00

Anatomy of a Message BoardFor amusement I visited a few of the forums I’ve mentioned and read some of the responses. Most of them are along these lines, “Who is that idiot” “What does that idiot know?” “What an idiot!” yada, yada, yada…… Extremely classy reactions coming from some of those that were offended by my words. Why am I not surprised?Of course, none of them recognize themselves in my

Pure Chat – Part III

2007-03-05T10:23:00.000-06:00

Anatomy of a Message BoardTruly Open Court is another message board with its roots deeply buried into the CTV soil and began out of frustration. CTV had an area entitled “Open Court” where all off-topic posts were welcomed. It became the CTV playground and was a lot of fun until the “moderator” became temperamental and would do a mass banning on Monday mornings. Thus, Truly Open Court was born

Pure Chat - Part II

2007-03-04T16:32:00.000-06:00

Anatomy of a Message BoardThe Court TV (CTV) message board probably has the largest membership and the broadest range of topics. In my naiveté of message board mechanics, I thought it would be a fair, impartial well moderated board. My assumption at the time I joined was that such a board would attract people with a common interest in the judicial system and the outcome of various trials. That

Pure Chat – Part I

2007-03-04T11:15:00.000-06:00

Anatomy of a Message BoardOver the past few years I have spent time posting on various message boards and have found them to be an interesting phenomenon. Many times the antics across these boards become a bigger story than the original topics of discussion. This blog entry will examine some of my findings over the past few years and attempt to put some of the dynamics of this form of

Anna Nicole Smith – Finally!

2007-03-03T11:04:00.000-06:00

Or, maybe not…..Only hours before the funeral was to take place Virgie Arthur made a last ditch effort to stop the ceremony and gain custody of the remains. The Bahamian court denied the motion. Virgie arrived unfashionably late for the services amidst boo’s and jeer’s from the many onlookers that had gathered outside the church.One can only wonder what the true motives are for this bizarre,

Dialogue with Jossy Mansur

2007-03-01T19:41:00.000-06:00

Jossy Mansur answers a few questions about recent eventsMike: Jossy, DIARIO published an article today that describes an encounter an American tourist had with a rather boisterous woman in Aruba. A translation is provided on the Scared Monkeys blog. What are your personal feelings about that exchange?Jossy: My personal feelings on the matter at Baby Beach are that they should come down hard on

Clear Intent – Anna Nicole Smith

2007-02-28T21:07:00.000-06:00

May she rest in peace, damn it!Very few parents bury their children in one location then only months later decide to leave them alone, while adjacent gravesites are left empty. This is a no-brainer and it has taken much too long for the final decision to be made.Information is also starting to drift in that Anna Nicole actually died due to complications of pneumonia. The greed and mockery of

American Idol – “Top Dawgs”

2007-02-28T18:38:00.000-06:00

The guys upped the ante last night and improved their performances across the board! Even Sundance redeemed himself with a bloozie rendition of “Mustang Sally.” Quirky talent still seems to dominate the competition between the males and two names quickly come to mind, Chris Sligh and Blake Lewis.Strictly my opinion, but the weakest performances last night came from Brandon Rogers and Sanjaya

American Idol – Season 6

2007-02-22T19:12:00.000-06:00

This week the gun fired, the gates opened and the top 24 came out running… hmmm, walking… hmmm limping…Hey, I know they were crawling with the breath-taking speed of a snail race. Thus far, this probably has been one of the weakest seasons yet and excruciatingly boring. The comments coming from the renowned judges have become so predictably familiar they seem trite and cliché. Even though the

Judge Larry – Part Trois

2007-02-22T15:49:00.000-06:00

Infant daughter to get custody of Anna Nicole’s body!The spark seemed to glow less brightly in the Florida courtroom today. Fatigue and stress had apparently gripped everyone that has been present over the past several days. One of Virgie’s attorneys (a diabetic) had a fainting spell as he stood to offer yet another objection.At the end of the day Judge Larry announced he would be giving his

CTV’s Haunting Evidence

2007-02-21T22:54:00.000-06:00

The program premiers around the 20th of June with a trip to Aruba, according to Carla Baron and her associates. Hauntingly, the premier is almost a month to day, after the anniversary of Natalee’s disappearance. Does Carla Baron know something? Or, is it pure coincidence that her program makes its debut a month after Natalee walked out of Carlos-n-Charlie's?Yours truly made contact with Carla

Judge Larry – Part Deux

2007-02-21T19:09:00.000-06:00

What can I say? Day two and I am already adjusting to Judge Larry’s style!Today’s marathon began with Virgie on the witness stand, while no less than 18 lawyers encircled the judge’s bench. The Mother’s testimony brought no surprises this morning, but after an extended lunch break fireworks almost erupted. The implication was that Virgie informed the media that she was going to the morgue during

Anna Nicole Smith

2007-02-20T13:35:00.000-06:00

Just when one thinks they have seen it all enters Circuit Judge Larry Seidlin stage left! Is this guy auditioning for the next Judge Judy spin-off, or is this for real?Jurist all across the country will be bald by the close of business today February 20, 2007, because they will have pulled their hair out by the roots!The details of Anna Nicole’s life really do not interest me and I see it as

Has The Tide Turned?

2007-02-15T18:45:00.000-06:00

This blog does not purport to be of the “breaking news” variety, but more a periodic journal. However, new developments have surfaced in the past few days that deserve acknowledgment. Paulus Van der Sloot did not prevail in his quest for the monetary damages he proclaimed were caused by his incarceration during the summer of 2005.Three Dutch judges made the ruling that the incarceration was

2007-02-06T16:10:00.000-06:00

Why my interest in the Natalee Holloway case?Years ago I lived in an apartment situated on Red Mountain. Every morning I would walk onto my little balcony and take in the surroundings. The sky was usually brown from the steel mills.As I looked across Birmingham, I could hear the radio blasting in the background, telling me not to breathe the brown air.Typically, I would look to my left and nod at

Spin Cycle – Round and Round We Go

2007-02-05T22:25:00.000-06:00

“…the Prime Minister went public to say that the person and/or newspaper that keeps the Natalee Holloway case alive are traitors to Aruba!”The mission was clear and the purpose succinct. Stop media access to the island. Stop it now! Dilella and Cohen began their campaign by encouraging the increase of satellite uplinks from $800.00 to $4,000.00. The next move was to encumber the movement of

Spin Cycle - The Media and Natalee Holloway

2007-02-02T13:52:00.000-06:00

In late spring, shadows lengthen and dance with the prevailing winds while the sun drowns in the azure waters that surround the tropical paradise of Aruba. Surf and sand yield to clinking slot machines, laughter and music in a usual scene for an island that has promoted itself as a crime-free tourist haven in the Caribbean. On May 30, 2005, however, the serenity of this island paradise is changed