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Al-Qaida in Yemen Threatened the United States

tonguesoffire — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 13:03:53 +0000

An Al-Qaida operative in Yemen threatened the United States and said “we are carrying a bomb” in a video posted online four days before the botched Christmas Day attempt to blow up a Northwest Airlines flight.

The video does not contain any clear evidence that the speaker was anticipating Friday’s attempt, but it has attracted scrutiny because of reports that the bombing plot may have originated in Yemen.

The 23-year-old Nigerian man accused in the attack claimed he received training and instructions from al-Qaida operatives there, U.S. law enforcement officials said, and a key American lawmaker has said there are “strong suggestions” of a Yemen connection.

GP/QTP Automation: Conclusion but not closure

Albert Gareev — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 12:30:04 +0000

GP/QTP Automation: Conclusion but not closure

The main question – whether it’s possible to automate Microsoft Dynamics Great Plains application testing (OS Patch smoke tests, UAT/Regression tests) – was answered positively, and proven in the actual implementation of automated test scenarios.

Tools and Technologies

Standard GUI recognition method (via Windows Handle) used by UI Automation tools was ineffective because Dynamics Dexterity uses it’s own, intended to be platform-independent, GUI Rendering Engine. However, Microsoft provides an additional product, Continuum, that may serve as a gateway between a regular Windows messaging system and Dynamics Dexterity. COM technology should be used in order to connect to Great Plains through Continuum.

HP/Mercury Quick Test Professional was selected as a mature, enterprise level product, technically capable to recognize and handle Systems.Windows.Forms GUI, and integrate custom Dexterity GUI handling library I developed.

Issues and Workarounds

Two major issues were discovered during investigation and development.

1) VBScript limitation based on its “Variant” data type incompatible with “string pointer” data type through COM calls.

The issue was resolved by using MS Excel as COM Automation object, both as a server (to QTP) and a client (to Dynamics.Dexterity instance).

2) Cross-dictionary scripting issue.

The issue was resolved by using Dexterity Macros to bypass GUI forms defined in third-party dictionaries and thus inaccessible through sanScript.

Service Components Developed

Four Service Components were developed to supplement Test Automation and Automated Testing of MS Dynamics Great Plains application.

1) GUI Capture and Mapping scripts

2) SanScript custom code (see examples)

3) Interface class in MS Excel

4) Dexterity GUI function library for QTP (interaction with the all common Dexterity GUI controls, like Edit Boxes, List/Combo Boxes, Radio Groups, Check Boxes, etc.)

Next Steps

Links to the all information I posted could be found on the Reference Page.

Currently the project’s status is “successfully implemented and finished” for me but I may keep adding additional code examples or answers to the questions I receive.

Americans Chickens Have Came Home to Roost

olddogslive — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 12:21:00 +0000

Here is a list of question you should ask yourself in the interest of where the nation is going and what the outcome is. Then ask yourself. ‘is this by chance, or design?’

They are very simple yes and no questions. Keep you answers on paper and figure the percentage of yes and knows and see how you line up with the rest of the nation.

Do you believe that, under the Obama administration, America has seen an increase or a decrease in freedom?
Do you believe that today Americans can speak their minds freely without fear of punishment, penalty or retribution?
Do you believe that today Americans can associate with anyone they want, no matter who they are, without fear of penalty, government investigation or retribution?
Do you believe that today Americans can worship in any manner they choose without fear they will be punished, ostracized, investigated or face some other penalty?
Do you believe that the government today is using technology, such as cameras, scanners, and electronic health records, to become too intrusive into the lives of citizens?
If there were a controversial cause about which you felt strongly, would you be afraid to attend a local rally to voice your opinion because of fear of retribution, penalty, or government investigation?
How free do you feel to put a bumper sticker on your car or to wear a button expressing your political or religious beliefs?
How free do you feel to discuss political or religious beliefs in a public place, such as in a restaurant or on a bus or train?
Do you feel you are free to express what you truly think about any subject without fear of harm, punishment, government investigation, or some other penalty?
Do you find that you self-censor thoughts before speaking on certain issues in public because you fear harm, punishment, social rejection, or some other penalty?

WND FREEDOM INDEX POLL
Guilt by association? 1 in 3 fear punishment
Americans say they see ‘chilling’ loss of rights

Posted: December 26, 2009
11:40 pm Eastern

By Bob Unruh
© 2009 WorldNetDaily

"More Americans this month felt that there was more of a climate of fear over their freedom of association – with more than one in three – 36 percent – saying that they believed Americans had reason to fear punishment or retribution based on who their friends were or who they met with. This is chilling stuff!" said Fritz Wenzel of Wenzel Strategies.

Now just who is terrorizing who?

Could this be the reason Homeland Security Czar listed conservatives and Christians as domestic terrorist?

Are we being victims of a terrorist campaign to leverage control?

Have Americans Chickens Have Came Home to Roost By Popular Vote?

Socialism is just a fancy word for slavery.

That is the view from here,

Duane

Hostile Makeover: If looks could kill...

lisadrem — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 09:57:04 +0000

Hostile Makeover (146 MB download)
Investigate a fashion murder mystery, based on the Crime of Fashion Mystery novel by Ellen Byerrum. Help sassy Lacey Smithsonian find out who killed supermodel Amanda Manville! Interview 9 suspects, visit 13 locations in Washington D.C., and solve 47 hidden object challenges. Unlock special sleuthing abilities, "Savvy Fashion Sense" and "Female Intuition", to aid you in your search for the fashion criminal.

Not a Big Deal?

tonguesoffire — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 01:42:03 +0000

Officials say Detroit flight scare was incredible coincidence

By:FoxNewsChannel

Rupert Merdoch, Owner of Fox News Buys into Saudi Media

Manas — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 22:18:23 +0000

It’s not a good decision to allow Rupert Merdoch, one of the most Islamophobic figures in the world to buy into Rotana media, owned by one of the Saudi princes.

BullShyt Update: EMT's Deny Iggin' Dying Mother!

datGurl! — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 11:14:27 +0000

Ok- This is definitely Early Mornin’ B*S, just warmed-up a lil bit…

The EMT’s that ‘allegedly’ ordered their lunch while a pregnant woman died 600 ft away are denyin’ they refused to assist the woman. They claim (thru their lawyers), they were NEVER asked to examine her or told of her condition. They further claim they were only asked to ’summon an abulance’ (!)

Well I’ll be dayumm! Is that the best they can come up with? Jason Green and Melisa Jackson claim they never saw Eutisha Rennix (who was at the back of the store) and that “the employees did not seem overly concerned about it.” There was ‘no apparent panic.’

WHY would these people not hit the panic button when a PREGNANT woman is lyin’ on the floor, breathin’ heavy and complainin’ of pain; in obvious distress? WHY wouldn’t they, seein’ EMT’s in the store, NOT ask for their assistance? WHY would they tell “911″ to call “911“?

That sounds like a bunch a b*s, straws snatched up in a hurry. The ‘mouthpiece’ also said, ”protocol, training and regulations” also kept the two emergency workers from intervening further because they “didn’t have any equipment or medications and worked as dispatchers rather than in the field”. Does he know how dumb he sounds right now??

But – an EMT Union worker stated that said that “all dispatchers are required to be field-trained EMT or paramedics in order to be more effective at their jobs, and are capable of getting involved in emergency situations. The New York Fire Department says all members take an oath to “help others whenever emergency medical care is needed”.

They flucked up.

According to Cynthia Rennix, Eutisha’s mother, this lil story is no where near what the co-workers, the supervisor, and witnesses in the restaurant at the time have to say. “They were well aware of the seriousness of her being on the floor. They should have at least looked to see what was going on,” she said “That’s no excuse for it.”

Well Jason and Melisa have been suspended – without pay at that!- till this is ‘further investigated’ by the DA and the Dept of Health, which oversees EMT training.

We’ll see what they come up with.

Failed terror attack Airbus 330

tonguesoffire — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 10:42:00 +0000

Authorities in two other countries are working to fill in the background of the Christmas terror attack suspect and to determine if and where he might have been trained. Richard Roth reports.

By:CBSNewsOnline

By:FoxNewsChannel

Lawmakers are looking to "get to the bottom" of the attempted terrorist attack

tonguesoffire — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 00:35:29 +0000

Congressional lawmakers are looking to “get to the bottom” of the attempted terrorist attack on a Detroit-bound flight, pledging to hold hearings next month and raising questions over how the suspect was allegedly able to smuggle an explosive mixture onto an airplane.

The suspect, who claimed to have ties to Al Qaeda, was subdued Friday after he tried to ignite a powdery substance just before landing in Detroit, sources told FOX News. A preliminary FBI analysis identified the explosive substance as PETN, or pentaerythritol. The passenger, one of 278 flying from Amsterdam to Detroit, was charged with attempting to destroy an aircraft on Saturday. He originally boarded in Nigeria.

“This alleged attack on a U.S. airplane on Christmas Day shows that we must remain vigilant in the fight against terrorism at all times,” Attorney General Eric Holder said in a written statement. “Had this alleged plot to destroy an airplane been successful, scores of innocent people would have been killed or injured.”
Read more here:Fox News

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab Charged in Thwarted Terror Plot Aboard Detroit-Bound Jet

tonguesoffire — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 00:28:12 +0000

U.S. District Judge Paul Borman read 23-year-old Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab his charges in a conference room on Saturday at the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor, where he is being treated for burns.

Agents brought Abdulmutallab into the room in a wheelchair. He had a blanket over his lap and wore a green hospital robe.

The judge asked Abdulmutallab if he understood the charges against him. He responded in English: “Yes, I do.”
Read more here:Fox News

Pay to Investigate?

spschultz — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 15:26:14 +0000

Pay Up?

Should money ever exchange hands for an investigation? On the surface, I believe most ethical investigators would emphatically answer, “No!” Is this always the case or are there any exceptions? Here are some of my thoughts on the subject.

I can see no situation in which it’s appropriate for researchers to receive payment for an investigation. Perhaps if someone specifically invited researchers from out-of-town, it might be appropriate to help pay some travel expenses, but this might still be shaky ground ethically and I’m not very comfortable with it. Despite what some claim, paranormal research is not a “profession” in the sense the word is generally accepted. There are no agreed upon standards as in other professional fields. Everything is just a theory – certainly some theories are better founded than others, however they do remain opinion and not fact. Clearly there’s no basis for researchers to expect payment by claiming they offer a “professional service.”

What about researchers paying to investigate a location? I believe most ethical researchers would likewise agree it’s not appropriate for investigators to pay to investigate a location. This especially holds true for private residences, locations where the owner invited the researchers to investigate, and businesses hoping to document activity in order to advertise their “paranormal” activity. Unfortunately, thanks to certain TV shows and “paranormal thrill seekers” (as opposed to true researchers), more and more people see charging researchers as a way to make an easy buck. I believe this is generally an unethical practice and thrill seekers paying out exorbitant fees ruin it for people who are interested in serious research.

I don’t have a problem with “paranormal” or ”ghost tours” in general. However, a group of twenty or more people tromping through a location does not constitute an “investigation.” It might prove a very interesting historical tour and certainly doesn’t preclude the possibility of activity occurring during the tour; however it does remain just a tour. If the tour charges a reasonable fee (in other words, small), I don’t mind – and in fact have gone on a few of them and enjoyed them; but I do question the ethics of “celebrity ghost hunting investigations” which “feature” a “celebrity” from one of the “ghost” TV shows and charge several hundred dollars for a couple hours “investigation.” When those TV “ghost hunters” are conducting actual investigations, do they bring along twenty or more investigators?

Should serious, ethical researchers ever pay to investigate a location? About the only time I think it might be appropriate is to help cover the cost of a caretaker to remain on hand at a location such as a museum or historic site. I think this is particularly appropriate if researchers ask to investigate the location as opposed to being invited in to investigate. Even in this situation, I believe the fee should be reasonable.

What are your thoughts?

The Fox Has Reached Tasmania

Particular Kev — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 15:06:00 +0000

An investigation into possible fox populations in Tasmania has concluded that there are indeed foxes in Tasmania. It is thought that the fox population is currently small, yet the fact that the fox has now reached Tasmania is a major cause for concern. Some 24 plus native species will come under immediate pressure due to the fox now being active throughout the state. Evidence is now overwhelming that foxes are in Tasmania.

An eradication program will continue in its attempt to remove the growing fox problem in Tasmania.

HARDtalk 2009 - the good, the bad and the bizarre

Latif Yahia — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 14:20:32 +0000

HARDtalk 2009 – the good, the bad and the bizarre

By Stephen Sackur
Presenter, BBC HARDtalk

The HARDtalk studio is dark. The two leather chairs on our simple set are empty. This year’s interrogations are over and it’s time to remember the good, the bad and the downright bizarre from HARDtalk 2009.

It was the year we took the show on the road as never before. From interviews recorded deep inside the Arctic Circle, to a New York Bank vault and a Congolese forest.

And it was the year of the unpredictable guest. From the media manipulator who stormed out of the studio before the interview was done, to the fashionista who confessed to wearing no knickers (I felt no need to demand further evidence).

Shivering guests

Of all the big stories in our HARDtalk year, perhaps the most frequently revisited was climate change, and what to do about it.

For two weeks in the summer I travelled round Greenland, mixing our usual challenging interviews with reportage from the field.

As the ice melts people living in the Arctic Circle will need fewer huskies

Greenland’s warmer future

So it was that I found myself quizzing Australia’s environment minister Penny Wong and India’s climate envoy Shyam Saran high above Baffin Bay with icebergs for a backdrop.

In my four years on HARDtalk I’ve seen the occasional guest give an involuntary shiver of trepidation – but never before have I quizzed guests shivering with cold.

The debate itself was heated, even if the guest themselves were not.

The failure of the rich nations and the developing world to strike a comprehensive and binding agreement in Copenhagen was foreshadowed in this and several other HARDtalk interviews with key players in the climate debate.

And amid the political arguments Greenland gave me some unexpected insights into the impacts of global warming.

I’ve been called a hard-bitten journalist more than once in my life – in western Greenland the description was all too accurate

Melting glaciers I’d expected, but what about the Greenlanders who are growing their own vegetables in the unprecedented summer warmth? And the clouds of voracious mosquitoes that can now be found deep inside the Arctic Circle?

I’ve been called a hard-bitten journalist more than once in my life – in western Greenland the description was all too accurate.

Hubris and greed

The struggling global economy was another staple on the HARDtalk menu throughout 2009.

Perhaps most memorable was my interview with Lawrence MacDonald, a former vice-president of the ill-fated Lehman’s Brothers investment bank.

We wanted an evocative and moody location – and we found it in a subterranean bank vault with mighty steel doors underneath Wall Street itself.

Stephen’s exchange with Noam Chomsky came in for some criticism

It used to house depositors’ cash, now it is an exclusive gentleman’s dining club for Wall Street’s remaining gazillionaires.

Mr MacDonald told me the compelling story of a company overwhelmed by hubris and greed. And what is this contrite banker doing now? Running a boutique investment fund for high-worth investors, of course.

Wall Street may be chastened, but it is unclear what has really changed. After a highly charged and (I hope) entertaining exchange with Steve Forbes, the millionaire publisher and defender of liberal economics, I was presented with a small gift.

It was a silk tie embossed with Mr Forbes’ favourite self-description: “The Capitalist Tool.”

Empty chair

By way of extreme contrast my HARDtalk year also took me to eastern Congo – perhaps the most war ravaged region on the planet over recent years.

The most upsetting interviews of the assignment were with two teenage girls – children still – who courageously chose to tell me how they were systematically raped by Congolese gunmen.

They spoke out, they said, in order that the world would know what is still happening in their country.

Sometimes in HARDtalk we push guests closer to their limits than perhaps we realise

The UN has its biggest peacekeeping force stationed in DR Congo, but there is precious little peace to keep.

And the UN has found itself on the same side as some highly questionable characters – including the warlord “Bosco” Ntaganda, who is wanted for war crimes, but now serves as a commander in the Congolese government’s armed forces.

We believed we had arranged an exclusive HARDtalk interview with General Bosco in his headquarters. We set up the cameras, prepared the microphones and waited.

And waited. Bosco never showed up. It was the first time HARDtalk aired an interview with an empty chair.

PR guru Max Clifford walked out when the questioning turned to Jade Goody

That was not the only spot of guest trouble we had in 2009. For the first time in my HARDtalk career I experienced a walk-out in the middle of an interview.

The guest in question was Max Clifford, Britain’s foremost celebrity publicist and agent. One of his highest profile clients last year was Jade Goody, a woman made famous for her appearances on reality television.

Goody was diagnosed with terminal cancer and spent her last weeks in a blaze of Clifford-controlled publicity which earned her children a great deal of money.

When I asked Max Clifford about his involvement with Ms Goody he was clearly unhappy. When I asked a follow-up question he stormed off the set.

As we had only recorded one-third of a full HARDtalk interview this was a programme that could never be aired.

Needless to say it led to a major inquest in the HARDtalk office. Did I cross a line? Was I gratuitously offensive? I really do not think so, but it was a reminder that sometimes in HARDtalk we push guests closer to their limits than perhaps we realise.

Memorable image

HARDtalk sees encounters with presidents and prime ministers every year, but it is often the more unexpected interviews which prompt the biggest viewer response. And this year was no exception.

Vivienne Westwood described collecting a royal honour… wearing no knickers!

My exchange with Noam Chomsky about the Obama presidency and American foreign policy drew much comment – much of it highly critical of my “aggressive and arrogant” questioning of the 81-year-old professor.

Another huge response greeted the interview with Latif Yahia, the Iraqi man co-opted to be Uday Hussein’s body double in the darkest days of the Saddam dictatorship.

How could such an experience leave Yahia defending Saddam and wishing his rule had never ended? Classic HARDtalk territory…

And finally I’ll leave you with an image which has stayed with me since I interviewed the wonderfully idiosyncratic British fashion designer Vivienne Westwood last year.

She confessed to me that when she went to Buckingham Palace to receive an honour from the Queen she had neglected to put on any knickers.

She only remembered when she was surrounded by photographers when the ceremony was over. “I couldn’t understand why they were taking their pictures from such a low angle,” she told me.

And then she remembered. And now so will I.

Ghosts and History: Two Great Tastes that Taste Great Together?

spschultz — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 17:35:21 +0000

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas ghost hunters, paranormal researchers and anomalous phenomena investigators! Nothing says “Christmas” like a Ghost Hunters marathon all day today on SyFy.

The topic of today’s post has to do with the relationship between interests in history and “ghosts.” Someone recently brought up an interesting observation. It seems many, if not most, people interested in the paranormal also have a strong interest in history. In my experience, I find this observation holds true. Most researchers I know are also history buffs.

For example, I’ve had an equally long interest in history as I’ve had in studying anomalous phenomena. I enjoy learning about history and visiting historic sites; in fact I’m completing a master’s degree in history. For me, one of the most rewarding aspects of an investigation is time spent in the archives leaning about the history of the location and the people.

In terms of application, I think the interest in history makes us more “in-tune” with a location. We’re more aware of the history and the people. This makes us better observers. It also allows us to separate the wheat from the chaff. We’re able to get through the urban legend to the historic truth. Many times the historic truth puts to rest the urban legend and “paranormal;” however sometimes the historic truth proves even more intriguing than the urban legend…

Channel 4 Report on Britain's Israel Lobby

chinarose — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 15:00:12 +0000

Must see video more about "Israel Lobby in the UK", posted

U.S. investigates need to regulate meds in water - finally

eideard — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 13:00:17 +0000

Federal regulators under President Barack Obama have sharply shifted course on long-standing policy

...see no evil

abirato78 — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 03:06:35 +0000

So, my little friend had to suffer a violent death because he had failed as a member of society. It must be said that, to an enormous extent, society had also failed him; failed to instil in him the simplest manners and social graces that would have kept him safe from the likes of me; failed to hunt down his murderer after I left the house teeming with clues; failed to notice me entering or exiting said foetid house; failed to find me suspicious as I made my way home in his borrowed clothes with a borrowed backpack stuffed full of my own blood soaked clothing…

And so, I sit here, a full week after the event, a free man. No one has come knocking at my door; no one has asked me any questions. No SWAT team has rappelled through my window. The investigation has disappeared from the pages of the local paper and from the autocue of the local television news report. It never made it national. Once again, despite my haphazard and uncontrolled approach, I have gotten away with murder.

My memory is sketchy. I clearly remember the beautiful and explosive rush as my hands gripped his bird-like throat and the orgasmic bliss as I tore it out. I vaguely recall finding the back-pack, stripping down and shoving my sodden clothes in it. I know I had a shower, I remember the ghastly state of the bathroom; flies fossilised in scum on the sink and the bar of cheap soap impaled in a rusty nail inside the shower recess. The curtain was an ecosystem of its own. I showered, blood swirling down the greasy drain, leaving god knows how much DNA behind. I have no memory of searching for clothes but, as I was wearing strange ones on the bus, I obviously did.

I walked out of the darkness of that house and into the painfully bright light of the street. I don’t know how many fibres, hairs, clumps of skin or other traces of myself I’d left behind and I didn’t really care. I was totally drained and just needed to get home. I walked down the street towards the bus stop, edging my way through a crowd of people who didn’t even give me a first glance, let alone a second. After five minutes of leaning on a wall the bus came. I boarded, paid the fare, sat down and spent my ten-minute journey home picking dried blood out of my fingernails with the corner of my ticket.

A week has gone by. After a few days of tension and anxiety, waiting for that knock on the door, I know I’ve gotten away with it. I’ve always gotten away with it. Now the worried wait is over and the stress has drained away there is a gnawing, hollow space where it used to be, an empty space that has started to fill up, drop by drop, with The Need.

Drop by drop.

Drop by little drop.

Like the blood that soaked through the backpack and drip, drip, dripped a little trail of evidence that anyone could have followed.

Anyone could have, but nobody did.

I’ll kill again soon. I’ll get away with that too. I’ve always gotten away with it.

I’m meant to.

Editorialist Gets It Wrong

mindfreedomvirginia — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:50:14 +0000

Some of these would be mental health experts don’t know what they’re talking about. One case in point is that of Anne Ziegler writing in the editorial corner for the Fierce Healthcare website, No drug reform, no relief for the poor.

Mrs. Ziegler would take two seemingly disparate news stories, 1. Seroquel is being sold as a street drug, and 2. Senator Grassley investigating a certain Miami doctor for over prescribing prescription psychiatric drugs, and she would try to unite these two stories into a single story with a single message. This story being that these drugs are priced so high that the poor can’t afford them.

She even goes so far as to suggest that Seroquel is a life saving drug. That Seroquel can also be a life destroying drug seems to be a bit of information that hasn’t entered her consciousness yet.

Is Grassley target Dr. Fernando Mendez-Villamil an overprescriber? I don’t know, of course; but I do know that it’s likely some poor people got at least some of what they needed. Should street drug users buy and sell Seroquel? Definitely not, but if they’re too poor to buy it at retail, don’t have insurance and don’t have access to a psychiatrist, they’re going to do it anyway, particularly given that many are the untreated mentally ill.

The people buying these drugs off the street are not the labeled mentally ill as a rule. Seroquel is being peddled for its qualities as a sleeping pill. We may need to look more closely at just who would purchase street drugs, but these drugs are not being sold for their ‘medicinal’ qualities to people who are looking for a cure to their ills. They are also not being sold to people who need Seroquel. You have doctor’s to do that. If these ‘poor people’ had a diagnosis, believe me, paying for the pills wouldn’t be such a big problem.

But thanks to some bought and paid for legislators, we get no cheap drug reimportation, no strong price controls for drugs given to Medicaid patients, no significant pressure to curb “pay-for-delay” schemes bypassing generic competition; in sum, the poor are largely on their own.

‘Bought and paid for legislators’? By whom? By Astrazeneca, the maker’s of Seroquel? Does she have no idea as to whose bank accounts are feeding these legislators? If she does, she doesn’t go into it, laying the blame entirely on the legislators instead.

Then there is this ‘no strong price controls for drugs given to Medicaid patients’. Is this a slip of her typing finger? Her conclusion would be that ‘the poor are largely on their own’. Not those poor who are on Medicaid, our public insurance policy. This Medicaid is paying for their prescription drugs. The poor don’t pay for this insurance, and the drugs it buys for them, the taxpayers pay for it all. The very same taxpayers who are paying the saleries of those legislators she mentioned earlier.

She would make Dr. Fernando Mendez-Villamil an exception, and perhaps even an exception to be commended. Her assumption is that Dr. Mendez-Villamil is alone in his zealous over use of the prescription drug. He isn’t. The Chicago Tribute, conducting it’s own investigations, has been looking at one Dr. Michael Reinstein who has been overprescribing these drugs to patients in the Chicago area.

Dr. Mendez-Villamil and Dr. Reinstein I feel certain are only the tip of the iceburg. First you need someone in any area who cares intensely enough to launch an investigation into the matter. Dr. Reinstein is being investigated not only because he is quick to prescribe pills, but because some of the people under his care who had been prescribed these pills have died, undoubtably as a result of the drugs they were on.

Dr. Mendez-Villamil and Dr. Reinstein are definitely not the only people in the overprescription of the psychiatric drug business. The British are investigating the overprescription of psychiatric drugs in their nursing homes now. I have commented more than once about ongoing investigations into the overprescribing of psychiatric drugs to foster children and the elderly.

Sometimes two disparate stories, dealing with what’s going on in two different and distant locations, are not so related after all. Sometimes the facts of the matter are not so simple as one might have imagined them to be. Sometimes one needs to take a good long and hard look at all the facts before one jumps to an erronious conclusion. I suggest that Mrs. Ziegler should study the subject of the over prescription of psychiatric drugs more closely before she makes any more preposterous statements on the subject.

Early History of the Tylor House

baysideresearch — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:01:19 +0000

The Tylor House, Built in 1888

The Tylor House located on South Washington Street in Easton, Md., was completed in 1888 by Wilson Tylor and his wife, Elizabeth Needles Tylor. The alley behind the house is named Tyler’s Lane, most likely after the property. The family name is spelled both Tylor and Tyler in various records.

Wilson Tylor was born in June of 1856 and died in 1941. He was the editor of the Easton Gazette, predecessor of the Easton Star-Democrat, from 1885-1912. In a May 2007 column in the Tidewater Times, Harold W. Hurst called Tylor “a dignified and learned man, he made his paper into one of the most respectable and influential publications on the Shore.”¹Tylor was raised in Denton, Md. He wrote the column “Denton 70 Years Ago” for the Denton Journal.²

After Tylor retired from the Easton Gazette, he operated a small printing press in a meat house on the property on South Washington Street. He filled in the names of graduating seniors on diplomas for the Board of Education.³ Perhaps the structure in question is the shed that remains on the property today.

Historical marker for the Third Haven Meeting House

Tylor and his wife were Quakers. Wilson Tylor was at one time in charge of the Friends’ School in Easton. He and his wife are buried along with several of their relatives on the grounds of the Third Haven Meeting House, located only a block away from the Tylor House on South Washington Street.

Wilson M. Tylor Headstone

Elizabeth N. Tylor's Headstone

More can be learned about the Tylor family in The Tylors of Talbot and Caroline County, by Laurence G. Claggett. The book is available at the main branch of the Talbot County Free Library in the Maryland Room. Claggett was the Tylors’ grandson. Sadly, he passed away earlier this year.

An extended family history about the Tylors’ ancestors also was written by Claggett. Two Lives Entwined: Jonathan and Rebecca (2008) is also available at the main branch of the Talbot County Free Library. Tylor claims that his mother, Rebecca Morgan Huyck, was a grand-niece of Betsy Ross (a.k.a. Elizabeth Griscom), who famously sewed the first American flag.⁴

On page 74 of The Tylors of Talbot and Caroline County, there is a photo of the Tylor home*. It appeared much as it does today, except the front porch extended across the length of the home. The book says:

“In 1887, they bought a tract of land from Brookletts Avenue to the old railroad tracks on which they built the large Victorian… The house cost slightly less than $5,000.”⁵

After the Tylor children were grown and moved away, the house was divided into two parts. The Tylors occupied one part with, according to Claggett, “the north half being occupied at times by Capt. Frey, the Martin McHales, the Willard Daves, the C. Leslie Hammonds, among others.”⁶

After the Tylors passed away, their children sold the home to Mary Clough, who divided it into apartments.⁷ The property was and often still is used by nurses working at the hospital across the street.

Outlines of the house can be found in Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps starting in the year 1919. The lane behind the house was already called Tyler’s Lane according to that year’s map.⁸ The property has had three different house numbers since then.⁹

The Tylors are found listed at the property in the 1930 U.S. Census. The house at the time was valued at $20,000.¹⁰

Tylor House Front Porch Pillar

*Photos of the home may also appear in Quakerism on the Eastern Shore by Kenneth Lane Carroll and 75 years of caring: a history of the Memorial Hospital at Easton, Md., 1907-1982 by Dickson J. Preston (p. 173). Both of these books are also available at the Talbot County Free Library in Easton.

More details about the Tylors and how I performed this research project can be found here at my blog (use tag: Tylor). Interested in having me research your property? Email me.

————————————————————————————————-

Source List

Claggett, Laurence G. The Tylors of Talbot and Caroline County. Easton: Self-published, 1989.

Claggett, Laurence G. Two Lives Entwined: Jonathan and Rebecca. Easton: Self-published, 2008.

Digital Sanborn Maps 1867-1970. ProQuest. Digitial images. http://auth.esrl.org:2248/ : 2008.

“Eastern Shore Newsmen: 1830-1980.” Transcript by Tidewater Times, at“Tidwater Times,” Tidewater Times. http://www.tidewatertimes.com/HaroldW.Hurst-May2007.htm : 2007.

Maryland. Talbot County. 1930 U.S. census. Digital images. HeritageQuest Online. http://persi.heritagequestonline.com : 2009.

————————————————————————————————–

Reference Notes

“Eastern Shore Newsmen: 1830-1980.” Transcript by Tidewater Times, at “Tidwater Times,” Tidewater Times (http://www.tidewatertimes.com/HaroldW.Hurst-May2007.htm : accessed 10 October 2009); citing original publication in Tidewater Times, May 2007.
Laurence G. Claggett, The Tylors of Talbot and Caroline County (Easton: self-published, 1989), 73.
Ibid, 74.
Laurence G. Claggett. Two Lives Entwined: Jonathan and Rebecca (Easton: self-published, 2008), 80.
Claggett, The Tylors of Talbot and Caroline County, 74.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Digital Sanborn Maps 1867-1970. (ProQuest, 2008), 10, “Sanborn Maps of Maryland, Easton, May 1919”; digital images, The Sanborn Company (http://auth.esrl.org:2248/ : accessed 10 October 2009).
Digital Sanborn Maps 1867-1970. (ProQuest, 2008), 14, “Sanborn Maps of Maryland, Easton, January 1927”; digital images, The Sanborn Company (http://auth.esrl.org:2248/ : accessed 10 October 2009).
1930 U.S. Census, Talbot County, Maryland, population schedule, Easton City Ward 4, p. 182 (stamped), enumeration district (ED) 21, sheet 10-A, dwelling 246, family 282, Wilson M. Tylor; digital image, HeritageQuest Online (http://persi.heritagequestonline.com : accessed 10 October 2009); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T626, roll 879.

Investigators Burst Balloon Boy Bubble

catseyepi — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:00:24 +0000

Richard Heene and his wife, Mayumi Heene, may have not been expecting quite the media storm that the

What is 'Fraud'? .....www.wisegeek.com

sohandhande — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 14:04:40 +0000

I happen to find this http://www.wisegeek.com during my web search.

Its amazing to see the kind of curiosity people have & the commitment of others to provide possible solutions to those enormous questions. At wise geek, Free answers are provided to simple & common questions by common people like you & me. So next time when you have a question, you know whom to approach…. [:)] The site mentions to be having 55,971 articles on it…..

I wanted to know “What is Fraud?” ……… The answer is mentioned below…… but more interesting thought about it is the kind of comments it has received.

In a broad strokes definition, fraud is a deliberate misrepresentation which causes another person to suffer damages, usually monetary losses. Most people consider the act of lying to be fraudulent, but in a legal sense lying is only one small element of actual fraud. A salesman may lie about his name, eye color, place of birth and family, but as long as he remains truthful about the product he sells, he will not be found guilty of fraud. There must be a deliberate misrepresentation of the product’s condition and actual monetary damages must occur.

Many fraud cases involve complicated financial transactions conducted by ‘white collar criminals’, business professionals with specialized knowledge and criminal intent. An unscrupulous investment broker may present clients with an opportunity to purchase shares in precious metal repositories, for example. His status as a professional investor gives him credibility, which can lead to a justified believability among potential clients. Those who believe the opportunity to be legitimate contribute substantial amounts of cash and receive authentic-looking bonds in return. If the investment broker knew that no such repositories existed and still received payments for worthless bonds, then victims may sue him for fraud.

Fraud is not easily proven in a court of law. Laws concerning fraud may vary from state to state, but in general several different conditions must be met. One of the most important things to prove is a deliberate misrepresentation of the facts. Did the seller know beforehand that the product was defective or the investment was worthless? Some employees of a large company may sell a product or offer a service without personal knowledge of a deception. The account representative who sold a fraudulent insurance policy on behalf of an unscrupulous employer may not have known the policy was bogus at the time of the sale. In order to prove fraud, the accuser must demonstrate that the accused had prior knowledge and voluntarily misrepresented the facts.

Another important element to prove in a fraud case is justifiable or actual reliance on the expertise of the accused. If a stranger approached you and asked for ten thousand dollars to invest in a vending machine business, you would most likely walk away. But if a well-dressed man held an investment seminar and mentioned his success in the vending machine world, you might rely on his expertise and perceived success to decide to invest in his proposal. After a few months have elapsed without further contact or delivery of the vending machines, you might reasonably assume fraud has occurred. In court, you would have to testify that your investment decision was partially based on a reliance on his expertise and experience.

The element of fraud which tends to stymie successful prosecution is the obligation to investigate. It falls on potential investors or customers to fully investigate a proposal before any money exchanges hands. Failure to take appropriate measures at the time of the proposal can seriously weaken a fraud case in court later. The accused can claim that the alleged victim had every opportunity to discover the potential for fraud and failed to investigate the matter thoroughly. Once a party enters into a legally binding contract, remorse over the terms of the deal is not the same as fraud.

If you suspect you are a victim of fraud, consult a legal professional and collect all tangible evidence of damages. Keep in mind that fraud is not easily proven in a court of law, although the court of public opinion may be squarely on your side.

Discuss this Article

Thank you for your comment!

34. Beware when you transfer your car to taxi broker. the broker will cheat you of your downtime in case of a no fault accident in some cases, try to take your car. On the bill of sale always stipulate the special conditions of the sale.

- anon56923

33. government spending/welfare spending is not fair. it is causing american people to steal and kill. the only way to prevent the two is to stop the fraud with government spending and welfare spending. welfare should not have to be paid for by a person who doesn’t know or did not sign anything to pay it back.

- anon50014

32. I recently filed a claim against a company, and/or the owner. Neither he nor a representative appeared, and I was awarded. Two months later I never received any money due me. I did further research, and came to find out that the license on his business card does not exist, and his company doesn’t either. Yet, his wife owns a business with a similar name and both the business and their home address are one and the same. I recently drove past their address, and noticed the man’s business truck parked in their driveway. I had the business name painted on it using just the letters. The truck also showed the same phone number as on the business card (the company advertising a non-existent business license). If I’m right, this is fraud! Question: Being that his wife is the legal owner of a company with a similar name and I already sued the husband, and the company didn’t exist, I would like to know if I can sue his wife. As I pointed out earlier, the truck only shows the first letters on it. That appears to be short description of all the company(ies) they operate. Thank you, Ted Montesano

- seabeach

30. Me and my husband have been together for 14 years. The last four years we have been married, we have been in such a difficult state. I was working the third shift and he the first. In Sept a nail went into his eye. Lost the eyesight but is still functional. Well way before this I found out he has been abusing my daughter. He gave her a black eye, punched her in the ribs, locked her in the closet. All this was happening while I was a work. (I did not know this and this does not come up until later). After his injury his lawyer was giving him a $10,000 check to pay off bills like food for the kids to eat, electricity, gas, phone, car expenses, clothing for the kids etc. He told me I had permission to cash it. After all this we had to go to a school meeting. The school said they had red flags showing about my daughter. They had some concerns with her grades dropping and other issues. They then asked my husband to leave. She had told the nurse her father had pushed her into the wall while his arm was wrapped around her neck. They brought her down the the office to talk to the police. He actually locked her down in the cellar for and hour. The police confronted him and he admitted to it. It has been a long, ongoing case. Knowing this, he took me took me to court for fraud and larceny because I signed his name on the check and did not have him sign it. It was used for the purpose. There are restraining orders against him for me and my daughter. He violated it twice and is still walking the streets. Do you think I will go to jail for fraud? I have to meet in front of the judge soon. I never have been in trouble before. I am just protecting my kids.

- anon46265

29. i cashed a cashier’s check for $4980 and i took it to my bank. i didn’t know it was fake until the bank called me and said they were going to prosecute me for the money. i sent the money through the mail –cash — what a stupid thing i did, but just like a lot of people didn’t know. it was through mystery shoppers. i even told the bank i was willing to pay the money back, not knowing the check was a scam. i never did anything like this before in my life and just pray that i can straighten it up the right way and i pray these people are caught. i called the state police and i have to go in on monday and talk to a crime investigator. i know i didn’t do anything wrong and i’m innocent just like a lot of you. check into it before you cash anything. it looked so real, so be careful. don’t be fooled like me. i’m going to call the fbi on monday and report these people. it came from canada and they told me to send it to london, england and i sent cash like a fool. i know that i learned from this and that i just want to warn all of you about this.

- anon45005

28. I cashed a check for a friend, and she did not tell me that she did not have any money in the account. She cashed it for $700 and she got all the money. I only cashed it for her because she does not have a bank account. I just found out this morning that she put me in debt $700, plus the overdraft fees. She only got a $25 fee charged to her account, and I am now almost $1000 in debt. Should I take her to court for fraud, since she knowingly wrote a check to me that would bounce and now has no intent on paying the fees?

- anon41701

26. I recently ordered a product on line that is out of canada. I naively sent a moneygram, but have not received the product. They sent me an invalid tracking number. One phone number says not in service, the other continues to say all operators are busy then hangs up. I can not contact these people. Is this fraud? If so how do I go about taking legal action? It has been over a week, and they were to send it world wide express. I should have received it days ago.

- lorial1

25. I lived with a guy for eight years I was completely taken in by him

He was charming I believed everything he said Behind my back he was constantly having sex with other people ….anyone he met. There was no relationship on his part with me. I meant only money to him. In the end he did a runner with my money around 1 million euro. I am homeless at age 62, BUT no-one believes me He convinces everyone I am the bad guy. Its crazy.

- anon22310

24. We the American people have been subjected to large amounts of fraud by the Bush-Cheney administration, the Government cover-up of 9-11, the Wall Street robber-barrons and elite bankers, Pentagon psy-ops regarding the Iraq war, etc etc. What is the recourse of “We the people” against this wrong doing in instances of out right criminals? I’m just saying… How’s our foreign debt doing? How’s your 401k doing? How’s Bush’s plan to combine our three countries together – USA, Canada & Mexico – as in the North American Union (NAU) – similar to the E.U. – coming along? Get ready for the introduction of our new currency – the “AMERO” – once they (above) tank the U.S. Dollar! Traitors all!! You get the picture.

- anon22253

23. I want to start by telling about my situation. This company associated with my bank calls me back in late August of 2008 offering me some kind of sweet deal on life insurance. I told them I would like to discuss it over first with my husband before making a decision. Then they offer to send out an information packet about the policy. (Which I never even got) However, months went by and come November 15, 2008 my account is in the negative with money with drawn from it. I did not even recognize the charge. I knew this was an error. So I called my bank and told her I did not recognize the charge that was in place. I asked for the name of the company, so I could at least see if maybe I had bought something from online or out of a catalog that I had forgot about. She could not give the name of the company; all she could give was a number for the company. She told me to call and dispute it with them. If that did not work to call back and my bank would dispute it for me. So I tried, with it being Saturday they were closed. While waiting, I decided to google the number given to me, just to see if it would link me some way or another to finding out which this company was. I came upon this website talking about the company and how there were and still are people going through my situation. So first thing Monday morning I call the company, and demand my money back. I told them I do not know how they were able to get my account information, that I never ever under any circumstances gave permission to withdraw money from my account. At the end of the call, I did indeed hear that my money was being credited back into my account. Up to ten days, that is. So I hang up and call my bank to take care of the overdraft fee that I am being charged along with why and how that company got access to my account. I was pretty much b/s around until I asked the associate if I just needed to contact an attorney. I then was told once the money was credited back into my account that I should call my bank back and then they will credit my overdraft charge back to me as well. I told him everyone sure is quick to take that money, however when giving it back they want to take their time with it. I feel violated, my trust is broken with this bank, and I feel there is more I can do to stop this from happening again.

My questions being.

Is this considered fraud?

If not, then what is this considered?

What legal action can I take against the bank?

Is there even anything I can do?

- MgnMls

22. If a husband cashes in a life insurance policy and it is owned by his wife in her name, is this fraud too?? Can I take him to court as I was not aware of this and he cashed check without my approval .

- anon21239

21 What is the statute of limitations for fraud in Florida?

- thbevan

20. 2 employees from an agency forged and notarized my name on my company’s letter head and sent it overseas. I was contacted to verify the contents and realized that it was forgery. They were indicted by grand jury and pled guilty to forgery. Could I sue them for using my name without my permission? They misrepresented me and associated my name in a criminal act. What damages could I suffer from this?

- gtberbice1

19 Last year I borrowed $130,000.00 and I give her promissory note that will pay back following year. I pre paid her 12% interest, and carry payment to her for whole year. And I couldn’t do it anymore because of my financial situation. She thinks that I invest her money in real estate, but I don’t have any real estate. Now I am filing for bankruptcy. And now she’s accusing me that I have committed fraud, but I have done no such thing. I just borrowed money from her. Now she is seeking an attorney to get me for fraud. And she goes and tells everyone that I have defrauded her. Please tell me what to do. My attorney said after your bankruptcy is over I should sue her for fraud accusation.

- sheydary

16 I want to take the Certified Fraud Examiners from India. How do I go about that?

- ishwarchopra

14 a woman who was living with my dad signed some hospital forms with her name and his last name and wrote that she was his wife. However, they were not married Georgia and does not recognize common law. Also, she sign a warrantee deed for an right of survivorship with her real name and then put “aka her first name and his last name.” Is this fraud? she was draining him of all his money and assets. He died 3 wks. ago. I had power of attorney. His will stated all his posessions go to me. Does she have any right to anything?

- seasom

13 How do I find out if the house I’m renting is going through foreclosure? My lease is almost up, and although he promises to renew he hasn’t offered any paperwork.

- sparkles

12 For several years if my payment was late, my local creditor would accept and waive the service fee I crossed off my invoice when I paid the bill. There was no verbal exchange for this I simply crossed off the service fee, deducted the amount and sent the balance. Now, that same creditor has decided to charge the monthly service fees and is adding a % of interest to it. Can it be assumed that if the creditor has always waived the fee it would always be waived? There is no contract or agreement between the parties.

- anon12165

11 Thank you for posting this. Since 2000, I have used

Monster.com and have gotten several jobs with my resume, but then came 2005.

Monster is a US based company that sells information to anyone in the world who pays their fee and they take no responsibility after that. Fraud may be hard to prove, but it does not stop ruthless legal professionals and others from hounding you with one filing after another in the hopes that you won’t show up to court so they can win.

- egreenb1

9 I told a woman that I am in good health to get a job, but in fact I wear a colostomy bag and I have a fake leg. Is this fraud? And, if so, can I go to prison for lying about the colostomy bag?

- anon6340

Editor’s reply: While you should never lie during a job interview, your interviewer may not legally have the right to ask you certain questions pertaining to any disabilities you may have. You may find more information on the subject in our articles, What is the ADA? and What is the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)?

anonymous,that sounds like a tough dilemma you’re in! just because someone is in a position of trust, like a lawyer doesn’t guarantee the they’re trustworthy. if you feel uneasy about what the lawyer is asking you to do, you should get a second opinion! trust your gut! if you end up doing something wrong, it’s probably not likely that you could get the lawyer to take the fall. after all, a law is a law and if you break one, you still have to face the consequences. good luck!

- olittlewood

7 I have a lawyer telling me that something is legal, but i feel it cannot be. The basics of the story involve me lying about coming into the possession of some documents and claiming some money. The lawyer says nothing can happen to me, but i feel that this just can’t be true. I am worried I am going to get done for fraud, but I am under 18 and think that since the lawyer is telling me it is fine (I have emails to prove this) then I could blame it all on him? Please help! I don’t know what to do!!!!

- anon6139

6. What if at your job you borrow $10000.00 in cash but you are paying it back so as of right now you owe $7000.00. The person knows it was a stupid thing to do. My question is if they get caught before paying the whole thing back what charges will they face and how long of a jail time if any?

- natasha1

5. How much research did you do to confirm this person’s claim that the debt was yours?

If you didn’t do any research, and simply believed their threats, you may not have a fraud claim. It’s unfortunate, but one person lying to you is not always fraud.

Of course, if you did pay them when the debt wasn’t actually yours, you can take them to court to get the money back…

Good luck.

- anon4068

3. if someone knows you are not liable for payment of a bill and you are not aware of it, and this person scares you into paying it by threatening legal action, is this considered fraud?

- anon3998

1. I thank God for his mercies for providing a site like wise geek. I must commend you for your detailed analysis. You know, I have not come across site that explains this act in such a detailed way like this.

But, the kinds mention here are high levelled frauds. And it is not common; you know why it is very expensive and returns are usually very high.

On the issue of account, it is difficult to ask for ones credentials so the scammer has to be tactical in doing that. So there usually options in which that is one of them, but the most common is virgin account.

On the lottery, the notifications and all the other documents can be sent from any where in the world. But the string is not pulled from here, and you know it is global. Well I have not seen any that says Nigeria and there of them I have the format it is often UK, America and Australia.

Now there is another that should be of note. And that is publishing in details how these people work. Take the issue of over cost for instance, there are formats that are procedure it follows and they in this way say the scammer mails you on an item indicating interest well it will be a sin if you do not want to reply to your ad on the net. Then a second mail follows discussing thing extensively. Then after which a third one comes concluding the transaction. Again it should be of note that how a transaction started determines how it ends. By this I mean the discussions they had earlier in the process.

- anon1107

Tips for Good Leadership on Your Committees: Investigate

Matthew R. Perry — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Everytime I watch the Chicago Cubs play baseball on WGN, the announcers continually refer to their stadium as the "friendly confines of Wrigley Field." For the average church member, the church building becomes the ‘friendly confines’ to such a degree that they grow used to areas which need fixing.

So committee chairs, keep your eyes open to your friendly confines and train your people to keep their eyes open as well! We may grow used to spots in the carpet, but if left unattended conveys a carelessness when we should convey excellence. We may grow used to dead or fading flowers out front or sloppy work areas, but to quote James, “Brothers, may this never be!”

I recommend taking time to look over each of your respective areas with new eyes. Sit in the pews and look around like you were a visitor for the first time. What do you see? Pew Bibles and hymnals in good order, or are they falling apart from use? Are bulbs out? Is everything well-lit? What about the children’s area? Sunday School rooms? Kitchen area? What we see often communicates as much as what we hear!

Keep your nose open to the particular ‘odoriferous emanations’ coming from your building. Each church building has a particular scent. New church buildings have a fresh smell about them. Older church buildings need more maintenance, and the sense of smell can serve in a negative and positive way. Negatively, moldy, musty smells can serve as a bad first impression upon entry into a church building. How much more so does this principle apply upon entry into a restroom!

From the positive angle, trustees in particular and church members in general can use this as an alert to fix a potential problem. This takes particular attention and evaluation, since the majority of faithful church members are used to the scents associated with the church—even to the point of fondness! Yet these odors must cause us to investigate.

Is there mold in the building? If so, then moisture is creeping in somewhere.
Is there a musty feeling? What needs to be replaced or updated? If that’s not feasible at the present, what can be done to at least mask the smell?
Are you greeted with an unseemly scent upon entry in the restroom?
Is the trash being taken out immediately—especially in the children’s areas?
Are the mops and rags that are in regular use being washed regularly or replaced?

Keep your ears open to what folks are saying. A keen listener is tuned in to what their brothers and sisters in Christ are saying. For many chairpersons, it’s a priceless education. Even criticism (constructive or destructive) can be of value! For example, trustees need to keep their ears open for stray or off-hand comments about problematic plumbing, leaks, broken furniture, or some other issue that is malfunctioning. Music leaders need to listen to their choir and the congregation about favorite songs which minister to them, or to their concerns which may arise in choir (such as missed notes or rhythms).

Keep your mouth open by asking questions. Some are afraid to ask questions for fear of rocking the boat. Inherited traditions become so much a part of the culture, that they are seldom questioned—and as a result, questioning the status quo (which someone defined as “the mess we’re in”) may be met with ambivalence and apathy at best, or bristling and derision at worst. Do not let this deter you! If you find yourself being steered by unspoken traditions rather than steering your committee the way God would lead through His Word and His Spirit, then ask questions! Bring it to light! Churches get stuck in maintaining what always was rather than ministering to the people of God in the way the Holy Spirit leads them in the present—rather than the spirit of the past.

(This is Part II on Tips for Good Leadership on Your Committees. Feel free to read Part I as well. Feel free to print this off and pass along a copy to your leaders as well. If you choose to do so, you may print up to 200 copies of this with the following included:

Copyright © 2009, Dr. Matthew R. Perry, Pastor, Boone’s Creek Baptist Church, 185 N. Cleveland Rd., Lexington, KY 40509. Phone (859) 263-5466. E-mail: drmattperry @ gmail.com. All rights reserved. This is a ministry of Boone’s Creek Baptist Church (http://www.boonescreekchurch.com) and Gripped By The Gospel (http://gbtg.wordpress.com).

If you choose to include this on your blog, please simply link to it. This gives us an idea of who our readers are.

ipaypal

jegwom — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 04:23:24 +0000

The unthinkable has happened. My paypal account got hacked into and all my money taken from my bank account. I’ve always been so trusting of online security. I’ve been smart about spam – ei. NO I didn’t “confirm my details” via any bogus email! AgghhH! I don’t understand. No more trusting now!

On the good side, paypal noticed pretty much straight away and blocked my account – which was lucky because the tried to take a few more large payments out.

Everyone knows I would not be spending nearly $1000 dollars on fishing equipment. I hate fishing!

Anyway, still haven’t got my money back (1 week later). My bank put in a claim and it’s “under investigation” which just means it will take another forever til it gets back to me.

I say Bah! No Christmas presents this year!

Global Support for Susan

Kiirsi — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 18:19:53 +0000

Two weeks and counting. Does it get any easier? No.

I’m not crying as often as I was…but that’s because I have hope. Hope that, yes, she is still alive, being held somewhere against her will.

The media coverage has increased and we’re even busier than we were before, but this is a very good thing because it means Susan’s face and story are reaching even more people.

In fact, I have been so touched, uplifted, and strengthened over the past few days as messages of support and love have poured in from all over the United States and across the world.

I’d like to share some of these messages here…these all come from the Facebook group, Friends and Family of Susan Powell.

From Carrie:

Susan and the Boys are in my prayers!! The whole state of Iowa is hoping Susan is home in time for Christmas!!! Stay strong in faith and may God bless you and your family!!!

From Frances:

Our prayers are with you, family and friends of Susan Powell…we may not know you but our faith is the same and we are thinking of you as we follow the story from TX

From Emily:

Susan….tonight is surely not a "silent night", voices all over the world are singing and praying for you. We miss you.

From Dax Guzman:

Image of friends and loved ones supporting Susan Powell’s safe return. Even in the coldest and darkest nights we will hold on to hope and pray for her return. We love you Susan.

From Troy:

Dearest Friend and Family of Susan Powell, the cold and the ice here in Renville Galway Ireland was to dangerous for people to gather as I had planned, the ice started at 6pm and I could not even get over to my love of my life Celine’s house at 2am, so we all did our candle vigil for Susan on our own listening to Dean …Martin singing Silent Night, Josef Mohr would have been so proud of all this outpouring from across the globe for Susan. I know that Susan has heard us. With great respect and love to you and Susan’s family.

From Lori:

Our prayers to find Susan and bring her home. Heartfelt hugs to Susan’s family and friends from Branson, Missouri. May they find comfort during this difficult time.

From Regina:

From the mountains of Western North Carolina, I add my prayers to yours. The trials of this family break my heart. May God bless all and return Susan to her loved ones.

From Spencer:

To the family of Susan powell… i pray that your Loved one susan will be in your hearts while going thru this hard time… i no that if you stay close to god through this hard time you will feel peace… i also pray for you … thos little boys NEED there MOMMY please pray for her return Everyone!!!!

Spencer …. (Eastern Europe, Bulgaria)

This is just a small sampling of the messages we’ve received.

Here is the statement read last night at the worldwide prayer/candlelight vigil in West Valley City, Utah:

_________________________________________________________________

Over the past few days, Susan’s family and friends have been sustained, comforted and uplifted by love and support pouring in from China, Japan, Israel, New Zealand, Germany, France, Africa, Australia, Bulgaria, and all across the United States.
We are gathered tonight to join in a united prayer heard around the world. At this same moment across the globe, people are praying for Susan and her family in:
Sydney, Australia
Galway, Ireland
The United Kingdom
New Mexico
North Carolina
Maryland
Ohio
Washington
Michigan
Alabama
Georgia
Iowa
South Carolina
California
Wisconsin
Various parts of Utah
We join Susan’s family and friends in Puyallup, Washington to light a candle of hope for Susan. We have not given up and we will not give up until we bring Susan home.

___________________________________________________________________

Please keep those flames burning in your hearts and send Susan’s face and story throughout the world!

2009 Inaugural Parade - SSS interrogation, investigation, survey and

retrospecty5 — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 09:56:07 +0000

President Barack Obama SSS (Secret Secret Service), disguised as children, and to examine the question of Nancy Pelosi and the First Lady Michele Obama's brother Craig Robinson, as well as other members in the stands of the Icebox, publicly known as the Inaugural Stand Review. " You assume interrogation methods with smiles and flashlights as well as the validity and the role of a TV video camera check. 20. January 2009 in Washington DC. … Ham Cheese Interrogation Coach Oregon State …

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