On my way to lunch recently, I passed a homeless guy with a sign that read "Vote Obama; I need the money." I laughed. In a restaurant my server had on an "Obama 08" tie. Again I laughed. Just imagine the coincidence. When the bill came, I decided not to tip the server and explained to him that I was exploring the Barack-Obama-redistribution-of-wealth concept. He stood there in disbelief while I told him that I was going to redistribute his tip to someone who I deemed more in need—the homeless guy outside. The server angrily stormed from my sight. I went outside, gave the homeless guy $10 and told him to thank the server inside as I've decided he could use the money more. The homeless guy was grateful. At the end of my rather unscientific redistribution experiment, I realized the homeless guy was grateful for the money he did not earn, but the waiter was pretty angry that I gave away the money he did earn even though the actual recipient deserved money more. I guess redistribution of wealth is an easier thing to swallow in concept than in practical application.
"Barack Obama has lived one version of the American Dream that has taken him to the steps of the White House. But a few miles from where the Democratic presidential candidate studied at Harvard, his Kenyan aunt and uncle, immigrants living in modest circumstances in Boston, have a contrasting American story." Zeituni Onyango, the aunt so affectionately described in Mr Obama’s best-selling memoir Dreams from My Father, lives in a disabled-access flat on a rundown public housing estate in South Boston." "Speaking outside her home in Flaherty Way, South Boston, on Tuesday, Ms Onyango, 56, confirmed she was the “Auntie Zeituni” in Mr Obama’s memoir. She declined to answer most other questions about her relationship with the presidential contender until after the November 4 election. “I can’t talk about it, I just pray for him, that’s all,” she said, adding: “'After the 4th, I can talk to anyone.'” "A photograph of Ms Onyango was later shown to George Hussein Onyango, Barack Obama’s half-brother in Nairobi, who confirmed that it was their aunt. George Onyango, 26, the youngest child of Barack Obama Sr, said that he had spent weekends with his Aunt Zeituni when he was growing up, and instantly recognised her."
I couldn't resist. I had to watch Barack Obama's infomercial last night. After watching it, I came to the conclusion that Obama isn't a socialist - as his critics have tried to paint him - but a utopianist (no, Virginia; a u-to-pianist is not a piano player for U2). In 30 minutes, he promised everything to everybody in the United States. Can't afford health care? Don't worry......he'll provide it. Are you unemployed or does your current job really suck? Relax. Barack will see to it that a gazillion new and marvelous jobs are created right here in the good ol' U.S. of A. Got milk? No? That's OK ...... just grab hold of the Government teat. With 21st century technology, we'll have cars that run on moonbeams and the problem of global warming climate change will evaporate. And guess what? You'll get all this and pay less taxes too. Unless, of course, you make more than $200,000 a year. In that case, you already have everything you need.....it's time for you to share, you selfish @#$@%^&*!
I had never heard of Reverend James David Manning or his ATLAH World Missionary Church until I happened upon a link to one of his videos yesterday. He may not be news to some of you. I've since learned that he was mentioned by Rush Limbaugh [Understanding the Black Church: Reverend James David Manning] during Rush's "Operation Chaos" in March. I must have been absent from class that day. In a way, this post is a continuation of what I wrote yesterday [Update on "Clueless Nun" Post ]. There are similarities in the stories of Sister Cecilia Gaudette and Rev. Manning although they've been treated differently by the media. Both could be looked at as "man bites dog" stories ......and that was how the media tried to portray Sister Gaudette, but Manning hasn't been given nearly the same attention. The truth is, Sister Gaudette was used by the media to further their cause of supporting Obama and abortion. Here's a 106 year old nun who is, in the liberals' way of looking at things, someone who could give up her prejudices and vote for a black man.....she could use common sense ( in their twisted view) and get past the Church's teaching on abortion. She could go against the stereotype and "do the right thing" and vote for the Chosen One. The media could have approached Rev. Manning in the same way......as a man willing to step out of the preset mold. He could have been written about as a man who would vote his conscience and not by racial prejudice. Instead, the media has chosen to ignore J.D.Manning because he speaks out against Barack Obama. The particular video I'm referring to is quite provocative, to say the least. Manning can be difficult to watch. He doesn't bite his tongue. I'm sure some will be uncomfortable with his message, as well as the words he uses to get his points across. He doesn't speak well of Obama. I can't repeat a lot of what he says of him. Some of his less, huh, coarse comments on Barack are words like "Senator Tarzan" and "long legged macdaddy".
In this Obama ad, we're told we should take the day off from work or school to vote for the Chosen One. If Obama wins, you'll probably be out of work anyway, so you may as well get a taste of what being off from work is like.
Earlier in the month, I wrote a post on Sister Cecilia Gaudette, [Clueless Nun Supports The Chosen One.] an American Catholic nun living in a convent in Rome, Italy who achieved heavy media attention for supporting Barack Obama. I was surprised that the post didn't receive more feedback; the post received the first comment yesterday from someone calling herself "Adriana." Adriana wasn't happy with what I wrote about the 106 year old nun. My point was that Sister Cecilia was being taken advantage of by the media because of her support of Obama....without regard to his position on abortion and infanticide. Of course, Adriana called me a hypocrite. It's a common argument from those who don't wish to address the facts you put forward. Leaving a comment to Adriana's comment, I discovered that another blog had linked to my post. I clicked on Storm in a cappuccino cup? 106-year-old nun supports Obama and learned that my blog was referenced to by a Reuters blog. I've put up a screen shot of the page. The link to my post is in the word "condemnation". Adriana wasn't the only visitor to that post yesterday, so I don't know which of the Google Analytics info applies to her....but I did learn that one source for yesterday's hits was the words nun supports obama typed into the Google search engine. As you can see from the screen shot from today, my blog post is #3 out of 455,000 for that particular 3 word phrase. ( I took the screen shot as evidence, because stats can change quickly.)
Here is the YouTube recording of Barack Obama's 2001 Chicago Public Radio Interview. I went to http://www.wbez.org/audio_library/od_rajan01.asp for the complete interview, but was not able to play it. I've provided the link in hopes that someone else may have better luck.
TRANSCRIPT:
MODERATOR: Good morning and welcome to Odyssey on WBEZ Chicago 91.5 FM and we’re joined by Barack Obama who is Illinois State Senator from the 13th district and senior lecturer in the law school at the University of Chicago.
OBAMA: If you look at the victories and failures of the civil rights movement and its litigation strategy in the court, I think where it succeeded was to vest formal rights in previously dispossessed peoples. So that I would now have the right to vote, I would now be able to sit at the lunch counter and order and as long as I could pay for it I’d be okay.
But the Supreme Court never ventured into the issues of redistribution of wealth and sort of more basic issues of political and economic justice in this society. And to that extent as radical as people tried to characterize the Warren court, it wasn’t that radical. It didn’t break free from the essential constraints that were placed by the founding fathers in the Constitution, at least as it’s been interpreted, and the Warren court interpreted it in the same way that generally the Constitution is a charter of negative liberties. It says what the states can’t do to you, it says what the federal government can’t do to you, but it doesn’t say what the federal government or the state government must do on your behalf. And that hasn’t shifted. One of the I think tragedies of the civil rights movement was because the civil rights movement became so court focused, I think that there was a tendency to lose track of the political and community organizing and activities on the ground that are able to put together the actual coalitions of power through which you bring about redistributed change and in some ways we still suffer from that.
MODERATOR: Let’s talk with Karen. Good morning, Karen, you’re on Chicago Public Radio.
KAREN: Hi. The gentleman made the point that the Warren court wasn’t terribly radical with economic changes. My question is, is it too late for that kind of reparative work economically and is that that the appropriate place for reparative economic work to take place – the court – or would it be legislation at this point?
OBAMA: Maybe I’m showing my bias here as a legislator as well as a law professor, but I’m not optimistic about bringing about major redistributive change through the courts. The institution just isn’t structured that way.
You just look at very rare examples during the desegregation era the court was willing to for example order changes that cost money to a local school district. The court was very uncomfortable with it. It was very hard to manage, it was hard to figure out. You start getting into all sorts of separation of powers issues in terms of the court monitoring or engaging in a process that essentially is administrative and takes a lot of time.
The court’s just not very good at it and politically it’s very hard to legitimize opinions from the court in that regard. So I think that although you can craft theoretical justifications for it legally. Any three of us sitting here could come up with a rationale for bringing about economic change through the courts.
I've written before about Obama's support of abortion, infanticide and redistribution of wealth. If his views on those issues aren't reasons enough to vote against him, we have polls that show World Citizens Prefer Obama to McCain by Nearly 4-to-1 and now, At the U.N., Many Hope for an Obama Win. Congo's U.N. ambassador, Atoki Ileka said, "We do not consider him [Obama] an African American,we consider him an African." Is there any doubts as to whether or not people outside this country have our best interests at heart? In Saudi Arabia, Obama is favored 50% to 19% over McCain; in Norway, it's Obama 71% to 13% and in Canada, the folks favor Obama 67% to 22%. The people in Norway,Saudi Arabia and Canada don't give a hoot about the United States....no one in those countries is looking out us. You can be sure that anyone who receives near universal approval from the United Nations is bad for the United States. As writer Jonah Goldberg observed in 2002, [First Things First] "The U.N. sucks." Does anyone doubt that?
There's a bit of a disconnect between comments made by Joe Biden while at a Seattle fund raiser recently and what we've been told about the world's view of Barack Obama. Biden said, “Mark my words. It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy. The world is looking. … Remember I said it standing here if you don’t remember anything else I said. Watch, we’re gonna have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy." How does this compare with Gallup poll results that claim that the world prefers Obama over McCain 4 to 1 ? Where is this "international crisis" to come from? Why would anyone do us harm when the world clearly loves Obama so? Obviously, Biden misspoke. Surely, it isn't an international crisis we will face but an interplanetary one. Evidently, Joe is aware of the threat we'll face from Aliens from outer space should Barack take office. I, for one, am sure Obama will pass the test.
I'm not revealing any secret when I say that this Presidential election is of the utmost importance. Of course, every U.S. Presidential election is important, but for the pro-life, conservative religious person the situation could not be more critical. I'm not John McCain's biggest fan. I didn't vote for him in the Republican primary; saying that I am disappointed in his being the Republican candidate would be an understatement.When it became clear that he was the GOP's pick, I began to seriously look at third party candidates. Bob Barr had been my representative when he was in Congress and going to his side was an easy choice for me. There were two things that brought me around to McCain. First, his picking Sarah Palin for VP. I had written about Palin in August before McCain made his preference known. [Who will McCain Pick?] Back then, everyone was saying he'd choose Leberman or Romney or Pawlenty and I wasn't happy. I was hoping he'd go against the conventional wisdom, but I wasn't optimistic. When I heard he picked Palin, I was enthusiastic about the race for the first time. Secondly, I was growing increasingly weary of Barack Obama. I was uncomfortable with his socialist leanings and his pro abortion views made him unacceptable.....but it was his votes on the Illinois version of the Born Alive Infant Protection Act that frightened me most of all.[Matthew 25 Obama and Abortion.] It's hard for me to believe that the American people would vote for someone with such a callous disregard for innocent human life. I've done my part. I've already voted here in Georgia. [Vote Early-Vote Often] All I can do now is pray. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops published a Novena for Faithful Citizenship and is available as podcasts or as a pdf. [http://www.faithfulcitizenship.org/resources/podcasts] Although they asked that people pray the novena on nine consecutive Tuesdays up until the election (too late for that) they said one could create any combination that works. There's certainly enough time between now and the election to pray the novena. Adding a Rosary every day wouldn't hurt.
In an effort to show his complete disdain for the teachings of the Catholic Church, Joe Biden told Ellen DeGeneres on her show recently.... “that if I lived in California, I would vote against Proposition 8.” Proposition 8 reads: "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.” Now, not only is Biden pro abortion he is for same sex marriage. More than one Bishop has stated that Biden cannot receive Communion in his diocese. Is Biden asking to be excommunicated? I found a website selling T-shirts, mouse pads, coasters and a wide variety of "excommunicate Joe Biden" paraphernalia. The link is here. Reference: BIDEN DEFIES POPE AND BISHOPS: NOW HE IS PRO-GAY MARRIAGE
I wish I had Monica Crowley's confindence in the Silent Majority.She writes [America The Invisible] "But there is another group of Americans out there who are quieter, more reserved, but no less proud of THEIR candidate. They are the great SILENT majority. They are Joe the Plumber. They are us. We carried Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and George W. Bush to election and re-election. We can turn the Obama tide. We may be quiet, but we are fierce. And we vote too."
I hope she's right. I'm certain, however, that if the Great Unwashed have their way and Obama is elected, they will be quickly disappointed. No one will be able to live up to the expectations his kool-aid drinking zombies have for the Anointed One. Not only will Utopia not arrive soon after his inauguration but, life for those who voted for him will be in the toilet before the mid-term elections in 2010 as well. The cliche goes that "people get the government they deserve".....Lord, I hope we deserve better than this.
A tribute to "Joe the Plumber".....sung to the tune of "Hey Joe".
Hey Joe, Where you going with that wrench in your hand? I said, Hey Joe, Where you going with that wrench in your hand? I'm going down to fix a shower...someone said they need a plumber man. Yes,I'm going down to fix a shower...someone said they need a plumber man.
Hey Joe, I heard you worked on kitchen sinks. Hey Joe, I heard you worked on kitchen sinks. Yes, I like them better, cuz sometimes, you know, them toilets stink. Yes, I like them better, cuz sometimes, you know, them toilets stink.
Hey Joe, I heard you put Obama down. Hey Joe, I heard you put Obama down....put him down to the ground. Yeah, he had the nerve to tell me that he wants to spread my wealth around. Yeah, he had the nerve to tell me that he wants to spread my wealth around....and that ain't too cool.
I started this blog nearly two years ago. Not long afterward, the Google Page Rank went to 3 and has, until recently, stayed there. Now, after trying to increase the rank by getting more reciprocal links and registering with more blog directories, the rank has dropped to 2. As if this wasn't bad enough, my Pen Pal Website of the Week blog has reached a rank of one. That makes this blog's puny rank all the more disheartening. While looking for an image to post here, I came across an article that said using the "open ID" option whenever I leave comments - rather that the "Google/ Blogger" - would point people to the blog in a more direct way and boost the page rank. I'm tempted to try....but I'm afraid that might even drop my page rank even lower. Oh, the humanity!
When I first heard of the lawsuit involving Barack Obama's birth place, my first thought was that this is just the delusional fantasy of some folks desperate to try anything to keep Obama out of the White House. Just a few days ago, a caller to the Neal Boortz radio program tried to get him to speculate on it but, Neal wouldn't take the bait. He said he was certain Barack was born in Hawaii and this lawsuit was a complete waste of time. Then, I came across a YouTube video posted on truthbloggedhere.blogspot.com.....now, I have some questions. The guy bringing the lawsuit in Pennsylvania believes Obama was actually born in Kenya and therefore ineligible to become POTUS. He sights Obama's grandmother who says she was present at the boy's birth. Naturally, Obama has lawyers fighting the case for him. At first glance, the answer seems obvious; produce a verifiable, certified birth certificate. Articles on factcheck.org and politifact.com say that's already happened. There are photos of the document and they say the case is, therefore, closed. To counter that claim, Pamela Gellar of atlas shrugs presents evidence from an expert in detecting forgeries who claims the Obama Hawaiian Birth Certificate is a forgery. Obama -or someone backing him- is paying lawyers to fight the lawsuit. Why not just save the money, end the whole thing and give a certified copy of the document to the judge presiding over the lawsuit. That seems the simplest thing.
A senile Catholic nun living in a convent in Rome has decided to cast her first ballot in almost 60 years and the world is all a-flutter. In all the reports I've seen on the story, folks are just beside themselves with joy that this 106 year old nun will set aside the abortion issue and for vote for the Chosen One. Why has he picked Obama? She believes he'll bring "Peace abroad". She's also quoted as saying, "Those Eastern people are not like we are." Can you imagine the great time the media would be having at her expense had Sister Cecilia Gaudette announced she'd be voting for McCain? Liberals would be mocking her and making a joke of her age. But, now, she's some sort of Wise old Sage because she's picked Obama. This old woman obviously doesn't have a clue as to how the media today twists and distorts everything. She is being used and doesn't even realize it. "Sister Cecilia is tired, she is startled and she is even a bit anguished by all the attention," said Sister Carmen Aymar, a deputy superior general at the convent in Rome where Sister Gaudette lives. "Now she wants to be left alone." She's being pounced upon by the media because it furthers their pro-abortion stance and she's totally clueless.
When I first thought of writing a piece of the Columbus Day holiday, I wasn't quite certain how I should approach it. There are any number of angles I could have taken. When I was a boy, there was no question that Christopher Columbus was a hero. That was back in the days when all Americans felt good about the country. It wasn't the fashion to belittle the U.S. or denigrate the memory of those who were a part of our history. Now, it's more politically correct to look at Columbus as someone other than a great man. There are some who question whether the whole idea of Europeans coming to populate this land was worthwhile at all. In parts of the country, some cities no longer celebrate Columbus Day....it's Indigenous Peoples Day, instead. Where the holiday is observed, it's usually only done by the Federal Government and.....of course, banks and Post Offices. Nobody who has a real job gets the day off.
Strangely, though, when I think of Christopher Columbus, I'm reminded of one of the swing records my dad would play whenever he was in the mood to hear the music of his youth. I can't recall the name of the band on that particular recording, but I always loved the upbeat tempo of the tune. The version I heard as a kid was instrumental; I wasn't aware that there were lyrics to the song until much later.
So, in honor of Christopher Columbus I want to post this YouTube video of a Hungarian Band performing the Andy Razaf tune "Christopher Columbus".
I had never heard of the ancient Jewish rite of Kapparot until I came across the headline Rabbi Battles PETA Harrassment in Fight for Kapparot Ritual. Performed on the eve of Yom Kippur, the ritual involves lifting a chicken over one's head while saying a prayer in an act of atonement..... whereby the chicken symbolically carries away your sins. The chicken is then slaughtered and donated to the poor. I won't go into a discussion of whether or not God wishes us to do this. To some who are unfamiliar with this ritual, it may, at first blush, seem primitive and a bit bizarre. Being Catholic, I know that some of my own religious rituals seem that way to some outside the Church.
Just what is it that PETA is objecting to? PETA claims that the National Committee for Furtherance of Jewish Education (NCFJE) dumped thousands of dead chickens in garbage dumpsters last year rather than giving them to poor families. This, according to PETA, makes the NCFJE guilty of lying to consumers about donating the chickens to poor families, violating Jewish law by wasting food and violating New York city civic law by creating a burden for city sanitation workers. According to NCFJE, rabbis are present before, during and after the ritual to see that everything is on the up and up...so to speak. I thought PETA was in the business of dealing with the Ethical Treatment of Animals not consumer advocates dealing the wasting of food nor are they authorities on Jewish law. From what I've read on the subject, those practicing Kappoarot cannot rightly be accused of animal cruelty......unless one considers all meat eating as cruelty. I've searched the Internet but have failed to find a story of PETA protesting the Muslim Eid al-Adha. I've written about Brigette Bardot and the trouble she's gotten into over Eid al-Adha in France. She was convicted of 'inciting racial hatred' when she wrote, of Muslims, "I've had enough of being led by the nose by this whole population which is destroying us, (and) destroying our country by imposing their ways." Compare that statement to one faxed to NCFJE from a PETA supporter. This is from the article linked to above. "That letter, also apparently from a PETA supporter, had been faxed after the sender was unable to get it past the email spam checker on September 24, 2008. Handwritten at the top of the printed page was the following: "I guess you are 'blocking' all e-mails from PETA. Go ahead and 'Hide' like the little '[expletive deleted]' you are. Go molest your sisters. The letter, addressed to a former member of the Crown Heights kosher certifying agency and faxed to NCFJE, continued: LISTEN UP [expletive deleted]. I'M "GERMAN", AND I WOULD LOVE TO EXECUTE EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU… MAYBE WAVE YOU OVER GERMANS' HEADS IN APPRECIATION OF THE HOLOCAUST. HOW DOES THAT SOUND? STOP DISGRACING THE JEWISH COMMUNITY BY INHUMANE TREATMENT OF CHICKENS. "KOSHER" MEANS "KOSHER"… YOUR PRACTICES ARE A DISGRACE AND I HOPE YOU, RABBI LEVERTOV, RABBI YOSSI BROOK, & LET'S NOT FORGET, RABBI ZALMAN OSDOBA (rabbis in the community –ed.), ALL ROT IN HELL. HAVE A [expletive deleted] LIFE. LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT ME TO E-MAIL YOU AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE THAT. The cruelty at your kapporos center, year after year, is a disgrace. Please make the compassionate decision to use money instead of live chickens at the NCFJE kapporos. The NYPD Hate Crimes Unit has opened an investigation into the correspondence."
RE: very urgent. Thursday, October 9, 2008 2:00 PM From: "Transwordcourier Company" To: lamontsanford Dear Lamont, Thanks for your mail, but you did not include the money transfer control numbers (Mtcn) without this ten digit numbers, the western union here will not release the money to us, act fast and send the numbers together with full name to enable us proceed with your parcel to your location today. Bruno
money transfer control number Friday, October 10, 2008 7:53 AM From: "Lamont Sanford" To: transwordcourierservices@hotmail.fr Dear Bruno, What is this money transfer control number? Am I supposed to have a number? How do I find it? I don't understand. Lamont
URGENT AND IMPORTANT Friday, October 10, 2008 8:56 AM From: "Transwordcourier Company" To: lamontsanford Dear Lamont, When you go though the payment slip bing given to you by western union you can see the 10digit number there that is the money transfer control number just send it to me to enble me pick up the the money react fast beacuse we have able flight that is going to USA to night. Finally if you don't understand what is money tranfer control number you can send me the scan copy of the payment slip being given you by western union so that we can pick up the money. Thanks Bruno
Re: URGENT AND IMPORTANT Friday, October 10, 2008 10:44 AM From: "Lamont Sanford" To: "Transwordcourier Company" Hi Bruno, Thank you for your reply. I will have to locate the payment slip from western union. I put it on the kitchen table when I came home and can't seem to be able to find it. I am sure it is in the house....I will email you as soon as I find the slip. Thank you, Lamont.
RE: URGENT AND IMPORTANT Friday, October 10, 2008 11:52 AM From: "Transwordcourier Company" To: lamontsanford Lamont, It's very necessary that you find the payment slip and send it through email attachment, but if you don't see it, you better go back to the western union agent where you made the payment and explain to them to give you the mtcn. We want to make sure that your parcel leaves here tomorrow evening. Bruno
My employer Lamont Sanford. Friday, October 10, 2008 12:44 PM From: "Misty Meaner" To: transwordcourierservices@hotmail.fr Dear Sir, I am Miss Misty Meaner. I am the secretary of Mr. Lamont Sanford. My employer was urgently called away to the hospital. His dear father, Fred, has taken a turn for the worse and is not expected to live. Mr. Lamont will be staying with his dear father in the hospital and will not return until his father gets well or passes on to God's hands. Mr. Lamont instructed me to contact you immediately and assist you in a package delivery. Waiting for your reply, Misty Meaner
RE: URGENT AND IMPORTANT Friday, October 10, 2008 3:15 PM From: "Transwordcourier Company" To: lamontsanford Hello Lamont. Are you fooling your self or the company? you better stop asking people to contact us because we have now known that you are joking with us, but you are making a very big mistake as your parcel is still here. Bruno
your reply Friday, October 10, 2008 5:38 PM From: "Misty Meaner" To: transwordcourierservices@hotmail.fr Dear Sir, I am still waiting for your reply in the case of my employer, Mr. Lamont Sanford. As I told you in my last email to you, he is at the hospital with his dying father. Please contact me right away so we can settle this matter. Misty Meaner
RE: INTERNATIONAL PASSPORT ATTACHED. Saturday, October 11, 2008 3:09 AM From: "Transwordcourier Company" To: fredsanford Dear Fred We have to not hear from you for along time now what is going on. This will be my last mail to you regarding this issue and if we did not receive the security keeping fee your package will divert to government treasure. Thanks Bruno
RE: your reply Saturday, October 11, 2008 6:03 AM From: "Transwordcourier Company" To: mistymeaner Since you said that he explain everything to you,it means you know what you have to do so that we can settle the transaction. Finally if we did not receive the security keeping fee which we needed inorder to finalise this transaction then you stop contacting this company. Thanks Bruno
RE: URGENT AND IMPORTANT Saturday, October 11, 2008 6:05 AM From: "Transwordcourier Company" To: lamontsanford If we did not receive the security keeping fee which we needed inorder to finalise this transaction then you stop contacting this company. Thanks Bruno
RE: your reply Saturday, October 11, 2008 6:30 AM From: "Misty Meaner" To: "Transwordcourier Company" Mr. Bruno, As I explained to you before, Mr Lamont Sanford rushed to be with his dying father. He was in such a hurry he only explained a small bit to me. I do not know the full details. I hope you will not be so rash as to end the emails. My job may depend on this transaction. If I do not get this package I will lose my job. Please understand that I am doing the best I can under the circumstances. Thank you, Misty Meaner
RE: your reply Saturday, October 11, 2008 10:10 AM From: "Transwordcourier Company" View contact details To: mistymeaner What we need from him to end this transaction is our security keeping fee of $200 which he have to send to us for his father package to be delivered. Failure to do so this package will divert to government treasure and here is the information which he will use to send the keeping fee of $200 via western union money transfer because after today the package will divert to government treasure. Name ....................George Lukas Country.....................Benin Republic City..........................Cotonou Text Question..................Two Answer.......................Together Finally dont reply this mail without providing the fee . Thanks Bruno
RE: your reply Saturday, October 11, 2008 10:13 AM From: "Transwordcourier Company" To: mistymeaner We have no business with you, so stop writing us. Bye
RE: your reply Saturday, October 11, 2008 10:56 AM From: "Misty Meaner" To: "Transwordcourier Company" Mr.Lamont instructed me to go to Western Union and get a refund on the $200 he sent to you. He said it is obvious you are not a real and true business man. Misty
my father, Fred Sanford Thursday, October 2, 2008 11:02 AM From: "Lamont Sanford" To: transwordcourierservices@hotmail.fr Dear sirs, My name is Lamont Sanford. I am the son of Mr. Fred Sanford with whom I understand, you are acquainted. My father has just taken seriously ill and is in the hospital. He is in and out of consciousness and it isn't easy talking to him. However, he has told me that you have some sort of package for him. All I understand is that I am to contact you in order to have the package sent to us right away. Please advise. Thank you, Lamont Sanford
RE: my father, Fred Sanford Thursday, October 2, 2008 1:13 PM From: "Transwordcourier Company" To: lamontsanford Dear Lamont Sanford We are in receipt of your mail, yes your father's parcel a bank draft is in our custody at the moment and we have informed him on what to do to enable us deliver the parcel to his doorpost. What your father has to do for immediate delivery of this bank draft is to send our $200 security keeping fee which we have already given him name to send the fee through western union. As soon as this fee is received by this office, our diplomat agents will proceed with his parcel to your location. We are sorry for what happend, we pray for quick recovery. Thanks Bruno Mathew
RE: my father, Fred Sanford Friday, October 3, 2008 12:02 AM From: "Lamont Sanford" To: "Transwordcourier Company" Dear Sir, Can you tell me what is in the parcel? $200 seems like a large security deposit. My father is quite ill and I am only looking out for his interests. Lamont Sanford
RE: my father, Fred Sanford Friday, October 3, 2008 10:41 AM From: "Transwordcourier Company" To: lamontsanford Attn:Lamont Sanford I have explained this to you before,read my mails very well and you will understand the reason for your father paying the $200. The $200 is the company security keeping fee, as soon as we receive this money from your father,our diplomat agents will proceed with your father's bank draft of $800,000.00 to your location. The content of your father's parcel is a certified international bankd draft of $800,000.00, he can withdraw this draft at any bank of his choice in the world. I will advise you people to act fast in this matter because I personally in charge of this delivery will soon be leaving for my long vacation. The earlier the better for you. Bruno
RE: my father, Fred Sanford Saturday, October 4, 2008 9:11 AM From: "Lamont Sanford" To: "Transwordcourier Company" I understand that you want to go on your long vacation. I am sure that will be very nice. If you will be so kind as to pay the $200 for me, I will repay you $202 when the package arrives. Thank you Lamont Sanford.
package Monday, October 6, 2008 6:41 AM From: "Lamont Sanford" To: transwordcourierservices@hotmail.fr What is the status on the delivery of my father's package? You have not gotten back to me. We are having a difficult time with my father in the hospital and we are concerned about this. Thank you, Lamont Sanford
RE: package Monday, October 6, 2008 8:17 AM From: "Transwordcourier Company" To: lamontsanford Attn:Lamont Sanford This will be our last response to your mail, we have told you what to do to enable us deliver your father's parcel, we can't proceed with this parcel unless you send our security keeping fee of $200 Bruno
RE: package Monday, October 6, 2008 12:51 PM From: "Lamont Sanford" To: "Transwordcourier Company" Attn Bruno I don't have access to my father's email account and I don't know what has transpired between you two. Where am I to send the $200? Lamont Sanford
RE: package Monday, October 6, 2008 1:24 PM From: "Transwordcourier Company" To: lamontsanford Attn: Fred Sanford As soon as this fee is received, our diplomat agents will proceed with your father's parcel to your location. so go ahead and send the money through western union money transfer to enable us proceed, the bank draft will arrive to your location within 3working days from dispatching time. bellow is the payment info again. SenderName:..................? Receiver's Name: George Lukas Address: 13kl canatruwa avanue. City: Cotonou Country: Benin Republic Amount: $200 Text Question: Two Anwser: Together MTCN.....................? Waiting for your urgent response. Sir.Bruno Mathew +229 93 68 94 40
western union Tuesday, October 7, 2008 10:10 AM From: "Lamont Sanford" To: transwordcourierservices@hotmail.fr Attn Bruno Hi, I went to my local Western Union office to send the $200. The lady behind the counter said that a new Federal regulation had just gone into affect and I could not send the money. She said the new regulation forbids Western Union from sending money transfers from the US to Benin. She said the US government was concerned about American citizens being taken advantage of by Internet scammers. She said that if your company had an office in a different country, we might be able to send the money there. Please advise, Lamont Sanford.
RE: western union Tuesday, October 7, 2008 11:13 AM From: "Transwordcourier Company" To: lamontsanford Attn: Lamont Sanford Take your money and go to money gram and send the money, sometimes western union people are troublesome. Just look for money grame agent office and send the money, some times to send money is very hard because of fake people in the world, you don't have to discuss anything with the western union or money gram staff, just instruct them to send the money to the information you have. Much discusions some times prevent them from sending moneys, if they insist in asking you questions, just tell them the money is going to your brother over here. We have a flight coming to U.S today and tomorrow, so is very important that you send the money today to enable the flight depart with your father's bank draft for you to receive it within 48hours. You can go to another western union office or go to money gram to send the money. Bruno
RE: western union Tuesday, October 7, 2008 1:18 PM From: "Lamont Sanford" To: "Transwordcourier Company" I am sorry but I cannot go to another Western Union office because the Federal regulation would cover all Western Union offices in the US. I will try Moneygram but I will have to find their location in my city. I have never heard of that company before. Are you sure it is trustworthy? I may not find their office today and may miss your flight today so you can send it on a later flight. Lamont.
RE: western union Tuesday, October 7, 2008 4:20 PM From: "Transwordcourier Company" To: lamontsanford Lamont, My inlaw received money from a business associate from U.S.A today, so I suggest you go to another western union agent ofice or look for money gram, money gram is every where in the world and it is another way of sending and receiving money worldwide. You have to be fast about it. Bruno
RE: western union Tuesday, October 7, 2008 11:57 PM From: "Lamont Sanford" To: "Transwordcourier Company" you say moneygram is everywhere in the world....but I can tell you, it isn't here in Frostbite Falls Minnesota. This is a small town and there is only one western union office. I will do what I can, but you have to be patient. It's like a wise man once said "patience is a virtue". Lamont
very urgent. Wednesday, October 8, 2008 9:24 AM From: "Transwordcourier Company" To: lamontsanford Lamont I don't know what else to say, is going to be a very bad and painful news if you loose such a huge amount of money here because the western union refused to send the sum of 200$ over here, I don't know if the western union in your area is different from other western union agents in U.S.A. I told you yesterday that my inlaw received a very huge sum from U.S.A from a marketing business associates through western union, it happend just yesterday. Maybe the western union staff sees you as a small person that they can't collect money from your hand but I have told you to pesued and order them to send the money, just tell them that the money is going to your brother over here. if they eventualy ask you the reason for sending or who you are sending the money to, tell them that is very important that you send the money immediately as your brother need it. If it doesn't workout, that means you will travel to another city to send the money. Bruno
Re: very urgent. Wednesday, October 8, 2008 11:16 AM From: "Lamont Sanford" To: "Transwordcourier Company" are you asking me to be dishonest and lie to the western union agent? I hope that I am not doing business with someone who will lie just to get money. Be Patient. Lamont
RE: very urgent. Wednesday, October 8, 2008 1:46 PM From: "Transwordcourier Company" To: lamontsanford Don't call me a lier ok, I'm pushing you to say so because of the urgency required in this matter, you need to say something to convince the western union staff to help you send the money. is very necessary that you send the money urgently to avoid loosing your fund here. Bruno
RE: very urgent. Thursday, October 9, 2008 9:59 AM From: "Lamont Sanford" To: "Transwordcourier Company" Dear Bruno, You will be happy to know I sent the $ 200. You can pick it up now. Lamont
What follows is a series of email exchanges between myself (in different guises) and a scammer.
From: denis moussa Subject: FROM MR DENIS To: Date: Monday, September 22, 2008, 4:22 AM SECRETARY OFFICE BP 1818 COCOTOMY ABEDMEY. COTONOU REPUBLIC OF BENIN. Dear Friend, I have been waiting for you to come down here to pick up your Cashier Bank Draft before,i left Cotonou. Then I went and deposited the Draft with a Courier company name : TRANS WORLD COURIER SERVICES. here in Benin Republic,Please for your informations I travelled to Japan to see my boss as he instructed me and I did not know the time to come back. You are to contact the TRANS WORLD COURIER SERVICES. with the registration number, independent/mtm/ped/214/2006 and also the security code of 883kp to know when they will deliver your package, Bellow is their Contact Informations: Attn: Sir. Bruno Mathew Address : BP 15 Ste Ceceile Ave, City: Cotonou Country: Republic Du Benin. EMAIL:(transwordcourierservices@hotmail.fr) Try to contact them as soon as possible to avoid increasing the security keeping fee. Finally, you have to reconfirm these information to them: Your complete name Phone number Residence or office address Age Occupation Marital status House or office address Cell phone number These information are necessary to avoid any mistake in delivery. Let me know as soon as you receive your Draft. Regards, Mr. Denis Moussa. Secretary
package Monday, September 22, 2008 9:35 AM From: "Fred Sanford" To: transwordcourierservices@hotmail.fr I received an email telling me of a package for me. the registration number is independent/mtm/ped/214/2006 . the security code of 883kp. Please send more information to me. Thank you, Fred Sanford
RE: package Monday, September 22, 2008 1:28 PM From: "Transwordcourier Company" To: fredsanford HOMELAND & TRANSWORLD SECURITY NET-WORK Head Office Address: 13kl canatruwa avanue. Phone : +229-93689440 Email: info@transworldcs.tk ATTN: Mr. Fred Sanford We the management board of control (HOMELAND & TRANSWORLD SECURITY NET-WORK) hereby acknowledged your mail and also confirmed your deposited parcel with registration number including the security code number were well confirmed. Fred Sanford, After some few verifications has been made from our security department we found out that the said consignment belongs to you with the confirmed information: Registration Number: indepentent/mtm/ped/214/2006 Security Number: 883kp. But sir, because of fraudulent activity going on in the world today, you have to show us any of your identifications such as your photograph; ID card, driver’s license, or international passport, any one of this identification will be accepted by us. Also you have to call the customer service number +229-93 68 94 40 to enable us speak with you concerning this matter, we are sorry for the inconvenience, we are going through all these procedures because of our past experience, many years ago, some people in U.S.A claimed a huge sum of $320,000.00 cash that belongs to another man. What we are having here in your name also to deliver to you is an international certified bank bond of $800,000.00, which is as good as cash because you can withdraw this money from any bank of your choice in the world or you can take this bond to any bank and order them to transfer the money direct to your bank account and there wouldn’t be question from any body in the bank as it is an international certified bank bond, it’s very simple and easy. We await your urgent response and phone call. +229-93 68 94 40 Regards, Sir.Bruno Mathew Customer Services Department
RE: package Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:49 AM From: "Fred Sanford" To: "Transwordcourier Company" Dear Sir, I understand your need to see my ID. Can you send a copy of your ID to me? Thank you, Fred Sanford
RE: package Wednesday, September 24, 2008 9:50 AM From: "Transwordcourier Company" To: fredsanford ATTN: Mr. Fred Sanford Don't misunderstand us, the need of your ID is to insure safe delivery to the right person, but if you are comfortable with your home address, then send us the following to enable us proceed. YOUR FULL NAMES HOUSE OR OFFICE ADDRESS AGE OCUPATION As soon as this is received, we will proceed with your parcel to your location. Regards, Sir.Bruno Mathew
RE: package Wednesday, September 24, 2008 10:24 AM From: "Fred Sanford" To: "Transwordcourier Company" do not misunderstand me....the need for your ID is to insure you are a real person. Thank you, Fred Sanford
RE: package Wednesday, September 24, 2008 1:59 PM From: "Transwordcourier Company" To: fredsanford Attn: Fred Sanford The international passport of Mr Ben Simon Taka the appointed diplomat who was appointed from the security department by the chief security officer Dr Philips Okodu to come for the delivery will be forwareded to you in other for you to identify him when he arrives. He will call you once he arrive at the Air-port for more direction on how to finally come to your home address. Through our file here we find out that the delivery fee of your consignment has been paid including the diplomat service fee has been taken care of by the depositor Mr. Denis who work with the (OFFICE OF FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT SUPPORT INITIATIVE BENIN-REPUBLIC) who instructed us before he travelled to deliver the consignment to any body that come's with the code's which you proved. So you are advice to quickly get back to us with our official security keeping fee and the processing fee of $200 which will enable the release of your parcel from our security department. Send via money gram money transfer or western union money transfer to the name below; Sender Name:.....................? Receiver's Name: George Lukas Address: 13kl canatruwa avanue. City: Cotonou Country: Benin Republic Amount: $200 Text Question: Two Anwser: Together MTCN....................? Immediately we confirm this security fee, we will make all the necessary arrangement for our diplomat to come directly to your doorstep and deliver your consignment to you without any further delay. We awaits your urgent response Regards, Sir.Bruno Mathew +229 93 68 94 40
RE: package Wednesday, September 24, 2008 11:50 PM From: "Fred Sanford" To: "Transwordcourier Company" I am sorry, I do not see the ID. Fred
RE: package Thursday, September 25, 2008 1:56 AM From: "Transwordcourier Company" To: fredsanford Attn: Fred Sanford You don't have to worry your self, since you need to see my Passport before you send our security keeping fee of $200, I will send it to you. Get back to me before I send. Regards, Sir.Bruno Mathew +229 93 68 94 40
RE: package Thursday, September 25, 2008 4:46 AM From: "Fred Sanford" To: "Transwordcourier Company" OK send.
INTERNATIONAL PASSPORT ATTACHED. Saturday, September 27, 2008 11:25 AM From: "Transwordcourier Company" To: fredsanford Message contains attachments SCAN PASSPORT OF MATHEW BRUNO.JPG (245KB) Attn: Fred Sanford Sorry for my late response, we have poor network for some days now, attached in this mail is my international passport as you requested, we will be waiting for our security keeping fee of $200 to enable our diplomat agents proceed with your parcel to your location and your parcel tracking number will also be forwarded to you as soon the parcel depart, you will use the tracking number to monitor the movement of your parcel on air to know the time and date of it's arrival to your location. Regards, Sir.Bruno Mathew +229 93 68 94 40
Re: INTERNATIONAL PASSPORT ATTACHED. Monday, September 29, 2008 10:50 AM From: "Fred Sanford" To: "Transwordcourier Company" thank you for your passport. What do you need to complete this transaction?
RE: INTERNATIONAL PASSPORT ATTACHED. Tuesday, September 30, 2008 3:04 AM From: "Transwordcourier Company" To: fredsanford Attn: Fred Sanford Thanks for your mail, we have already informed you on what to do to enable conclude this matter, the onlything holding your parcel here is our security keeping fee of, as soon as this fee is received, our diplomat agents will proceed with your parcel to your location. You already have the name to send the money, so go ahead and send through western union money transfer to enable us proceed, you will receive your bank draft within 3working days from dispatching time. bellow is the payment info again. SenderName:..................? Receiver's Name: George Lukas Address: 13kl canatruwa avanue. City: Cotonou Country: Benin Republic Amount: $200 Text Question: Two Anwser: Together MTCN.....................? Waiting for your urgent response. Bruno. Regards, Sir.Bruno Mathew +229 93 68 94 40
RE: INTERNATIONAL PASSPORT ATTACHED. Tuesday, September 30, 2008 8:45 PM From: "Fred Sanford" To: "Transwordcourier Company" thank you for your email. I will have to wait until my social security check arrives before I can send you the 200. Don't worry, the government mails the checks out on the first of the month so I will have it soon. Fred
RE: INTERNATIONAL PASSPORT ATTACHED. Wednesday, October 1, 2008 2:40 AM From: "Transwordcourier Company" To: fredsanford Attn: Fred Sanford We will be waiting for the payment notification, you have to make it fast because we will soon be leaving with U.S parcels. Bruno. Regards, Sir.Bruno Mathew +229 93 68 94 40
RE: INTERNATIONAL PASSPORT ATTACHED. Wednesday, October 1, 2008 6:02 AM From: "Fred Sanford" To:"Transwordcourier Company" I will try to be fast...but I have to wait until the check from the government arrives. Fred
When I arrived home from work, I discovered an inordinate amount of harassing, snotty, anonymous comments left on several of my posts. Someone has taken a dislike to me and what I write; he - or she- took quite a long time going throughout the blog,dropping these little tidbits.
Of course, there's no use looking for those comments now. It was easy enough for me to delete the lot of them. With email notification provided by blogspot, it certainly took less time for me to trash the comments then it did for "anonymous" to read all these posts and comment.
Thanks to Google Analytics, I know a little bit about the person leaving the nasty remarks. Because of the sheer volume of comments, it was easy to track down the source ...... the Ga. Dept. of Education servers in Paulding County.
You would think, that someone working for the Dept. of Education would be smart enough to know about IP addresses.....
Anyway, I've enabled "comment moderation" to frustrate those who are afraid to reveal themselves.
Oh, yeah....and I've contacted the Superintendent of Schools.
From Chicago Tribune letters to the editor via Mike Long.
