Lori Drew, 49, of Missouri, was convicted of 3 misdemeanor charges of various types of computer fraud. Lori Drew, 49, of Missouri, killed her 13-year-old neighbor, Megan Meier.

Sure, she didn’t shoot the girl. She didn’t poison her or stab her or strangle her. She didn’t touch her at all. But Lori Drew, 49, of Missouri, pushed 13-year-old Megan Meier to commit suicide, hanging herself in her own closet.

Early in 2008, Lori Drew, with the help of her 18-year-old assistant and her 13-year-old daughter, created a MySpace profile under the guise of a cologne-ad-esque 16-year-old boy named Josh. “Josh” began flirting with Megan, who Lori Drew knew to be depressed and, as are most girls her age, insecure.

“Josh” carried on the relationship with Megan for four weeks while Lori Drew sat amused in her own home, planning all the while to build the girl up only to tear her down farther than she had been before the whole thing started.

Finally, one day, Megan told “Josh” he was the kind of boy a girl could kill herself over and “Josh” told Megan the world would be better off without her. Megan hanged herself in her closet with her parents downstairs.

Had the fraud and bullying been conducted by Lori Drew’s 13-year-old daughter, Sarah, that would be one thing. That would be kids being cruel to one another without quite comprehending what might happen. Not excusable but somehow less astonishing. Sarah, arguably, could plead naivete, saying she didn’t know that Megan wouldn’t know it was all a joke. Sarah, arguably, could say that she didn’t really think Megan would go through with it. Sarah’s 49-year-old mother can not make feasibly make those claims. Sarah’s 49-year-old mother knew what she was doing and knew what the outcome would be. Sarah’s 49-year-old mother has been convicted of three counts of computer fraud and will receive, at max, 3 years in prison and a $3000 fine – one year and $1000 for each count, maximum. Sarah’s 49-year-old mother deserves at the very least first degree manslaughter, at the very most first degree, premeditated murder.

And what is worse about all of this, in my opinion, is not that this woman did something deplorable which will go completely unpunished. It is that people are blaming Megan’s parents for not monitoring her internet usage. They are blaming MySpace for allowing “Josh” access to 13-year-old Megan’s profile. They are not blaming Lori Drew for being a malicious, heartless, cruel woman with absolutely no moral compass.

For what it is worth, Lori Drew’s home address and phone number can be found by Googling “Lori Drew MySpace.” Fifth hit from the top is the home address and phone number (which has probably been changed by now….) of Lori Drew in O’Fallon, Missouri.

Until next time, I’ll be looking for a horse’s head on my way to Missouri.

Crimson

*For the full story, click here:

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”- Harold Whitman

Yes, I voted Obama. I was torn between him and Cynthia Mckinney for awhile. It wasn’t a decision that I took lightly. I spent a lot of time researching and soul-searching. I’m not going to get into what made me vote Democrat. It doesn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things. If your curiosity is overwhelming feel free to shoot me an email and we will discuss it. All that matters is when I pressed the button to confirm my vote, I know that I made the right decision for me.

I can’t explain how I felt when I saw Obama was projected the winner. It was a rush of emotions. I watched the celebrating and finally felt at home. I realized that this country, my fellow people were tired too. It just wasn’t a few of us hoping and fighting for something better. The majority of us demanded it, exercised it, and finally got it.

I continued watching to see the speeches and saw Mccain concede. I was honestly impressed with his speech. It seemed heartfelt; it was definitely gracious. I liked that he attempted to stop the boo’s. I naturally enjoyed Obama’s speech. I really loved the fact that he stayed composed. I respected him for admitting that it was still going to be hard and far from perfect. I was moved when I realized that, yes this is a major step, and that this is history in the making. It was a nice night.

I watched the world celebrate with us, and it humbled me. Seeing the video of the celebrations now, still moves me. I want to weep. Weep in joy, relief, and desire that the good will continues.

I don’t judge Mccain’s supporters for booing. I understand that they had so much hope, desire and work built up in this too. They were disappointed and so they became human. However, it does sadden me that they are repeating the same negative campaign ads to belittle his supporters now. I hope that once the shock wears off and the ads fade from memory, that their hate will stop.

You know, I would have lived if Mccain had won. I made jokes of moving to Canada, but that is all that they were. I would have been disappointed sure. I would have tried to figure out why people weren’t like me. Still, there is no way that I would have verbally attacked anyone who had voted for Mccain. I would have accepted the fact and lived.

So I’ve celebrated, I’ve discussed, and I’ve listened. Now I’m moving on. In the end, I’m the only one who can make or break my life. Policies can make it difficult for me, and I can be fearful of what’s happening. In spite of that, or maybe because of that, I’ll have to try harder and fight more to live for my family and friends.

We still have battles to fight. This man is not our saviour. Even while we celebrated, gay marriage was banned in several locations all over our country. Gay couples were told they could no longer adopt children. This can not stand, no one should be made to feel inferior, while we elect a president and pat ourselves of the back for being open minded and accepting. Those propositions that passed prove without a doubt, that we are not. So yes, we still must fight. However, if we did it once we can do it again.

Until next time, I think I’ll hold on to hope while I fight.
autumn

“It is dangerous to be right in matters on which the established authorities are wrong.” ~Voltaire

“You’re not supposed to be so blind with patriotism that you can’t face reality. Wrong is wrong, no matter who says it.” ~Malcolm X

Ya know I was actually going to avoid talking about the political conventions. There is always a ton of bullshit that surrounds them, and frankly I’m fucking over it. Especially this election year, it definitely seems worse than before.

However, I keep reading about the protests. How they were stopped, raids on protesters, police brutality, how even fucking journalists are being jailed for reporting about said protests. So naturally I am pissed off.

Then I received an email… 3 pagan protesters were arrested yesterday. They were members of the Pagan Cluster. One of whom, Jason, was tasered four times while he was not resisting arrest. You can read more about it on the wild hunt blog, and view the video of Jason’s incident at kare11.com (All links will be found at the bottom of the entry).

I am sickened and disgusted. The police force has been way out of hand in these situations. I do realize that they may be scared and that there is the possibility of rioting. And that they did have a group of people earlier in the week who needed to be legitimately arrested and some force was necessary for that group. Still… they are taking it completely overboard. 295 arrests have been made so far several have been detained for a short while only to be released and not charged (but just long enough to miss their protest time.)

But what pisses me off the most is that more attention is being paid to the Palin baby controversies than any of the above situations. So in turn I’m leaving you all with several links at the bottom of the post to read about this fucking mess.

Until next time… Fuck it I’m moving to Tenby.
autumn

Wild Hunt- Pagan Protesters Arrested

Video of Protester Being Tasered

Media Silent about Police Brutality

Activists Deplore Police Brutality

Youth Beaten at RNC protest

DNC and RNC News Blog

Pre-RNC Police Raids

Police Raid Headquarters of RNC Protesters

Democracy Now Blog

“Every human being, of whatever origin, of whatever station, deserves respect. We must each respect others even as we respect ourselves.” — U Thant

Wow, have you all noticed the regular updates? I’m thrilled that we seem to be falling into a system where writing is getting done. Most of that is thanks to Crimson. I think that I have finally convinced her to become a regular author instead of an occasional contributor. Ok, ok so I begged, bribed and eventually threatened. But, hell whatever works. So welcome her to the team, and show her what wonderful readers you really are.

Speaking of work, Ethan is tweaking a few things on the site. While you may not notice this visually, it’s really great stuff. He may have a great surprise where you can search for posts by author name. I’m not making any promises, but hopefully that will work out.

Now moving on to what I want to bitch about today. I’ve actually been thinking of posting this story for awhile now, but I had to put it to the side a few days. That way I could actually write something other than “Oh those stupid fucking bastards, what devil did they sign a deal with to prevent being assassinated.” Along with my personal favorite curse words. I think that I’m to that point now, but we’ll find out together.

So by now, you all know who I’m talking about when I say Fred Phelps. Yes the antichri… er um… the evangelical preacher of Westboro Baptist Church. The once civil rights lawyer. Now, I’ll give you time to pick yourself up off the floor…. steady? Ok good. Yes I did say that this evil bastard use to be a civil rights lawyer. He worked on behalf of African Americans for various suits. Also notably, he sued then President Ronald Reagan for appointing an US Ambassador to the Vatican. Phelps claimed that this failed to be separation of church and state. He was eventually disbarred in 1979 for committing perjury.

So what the fuck happened? Did the disbarment affect his mind so badly that he became a living scum? I don’t really know how the switch happened. I’ve run across dozens of theories. So instead of listing them here, I’ll leave it to your imagination. We do know that he is anti-gay, anti-semitic, anti-sweden, anti-canada and against flag idolatry. Fred Phelps refers to the United States as “A sodomite nation of flag-worshiping idolaters.”

But on the other hand, he supports Fidel Castro for his response to homosexuals. He also was a temporary fan of Saddam Hussein. He wrote letters to Hussein complimenting him and asking to come to Iraq and make a speech. When his request was granted Phelps and the other members of the insane lunatic gathering then traveled and proceeded to protest the US. The love affair was short lived however because after Saddam was hanged Phelps released a video which stated that both Saddam and Gerald Ford were now in hell.

Phelps has targeted many people and groups with his infamous protesting. and his favorite seems to be funerals. Some of the targets include Jim Wheeler, Matthew Shepard, Diane Whipple, September 11, 2001 victims and those involved in rescue attempts, Gwen Araujo, the Columbia disaster, Fred Rogers (who the fuck can be against Mister Rogers, for crissakes), Americans killed in war (over 80 funerals so far), Canada (Phelps has a website strictly for this and many of the others but I refuse to post them), Ronald Reagan, Reggie White, Pope John Paul II, Averett University graduation ceremony, 2005 London terrorist attacks (their victims and rescuers), Hurricane Katrina victims, Sweden, William Rehnquist, The Sago Miners, Coretta Scott King, Sam Brownback, Michael Guest, Pat Roberts, Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, Ed Rendell, The Amish School Shooting, Billy Graham, 2006 North Carolina tornado victims, Huntsville bus accident, Saddam Hussein, Gerald Ford, Nyia Page, The 2007 tornado outbreak victims, Louis Theroux, Kevin Smith, Jews, The VT massacre victims, Jerry Falwell, The Cheney’s (when Mary had her Son), Craig Thomas, Ruth Graham, Keith Allen, Tammy Faye Messner, Ireland, Minneapolis Bridge Collapse, Utah mine disaster, Italy, Larry Craig, Gregory Bowman, 2007 California fires, and the Jokela High School Shooting.

Jesus fucking Christ and Mother Mary on a pogo stick. You would think that God would strike him dead to protect his image. It’s just that… Argh. Fuck, shit, damn, hell, whore, bastard, blasphemer. See what this ignorant piece of trash does to me? I can’t even think of rebuttals to the things he does. I’m sitting here waiting for him to take of the mask and be a time traveling Ashton Kutcher. “You’ve been future punk’d, bitches.”

Since we all know that isn’t going to happen I will leave you with a happier note. As of October 31, 2007 the evil fucker is 11 million dollars shorter than he was. A federal jury awarded the 11 million to the father of a Marine, who was killed in battle. Phelps had protested the funeral. Albert Snyder won the suit, and he is believed to be the first family of the fallen soldiers to do so. The jury awarded him $2.9 million in compensatory damages, $6 million in punitive damages for invasion of privacy and $2 million for emotional distress. Of course, Phelps intends to appeal the decision and said “Oh, it will take about five minutes to get that thing reversed.” Well I sure as fuck hope he doesn’t. I also hope that this helps ease some of the pain that those affected by his intolerable bullshit. I also hope that others file suit and are given justice as well. I wonder could we all band together and sue him? I mean just having to read thing he has said has made my IQ drop 50 points… thus I have emotional damage.

Until next time I’m going to start plans to protest his funeral,

autumn

And to be totally honest, I don’t even get peanuts. I am on the fence about the Writers’ Guild of America strike that is, as I type these words, entering Day 5.

On the one hand, “This is not about millionaire screenwriters,” [Tim] Robbins said. “This is about middle-class writers trying to support a family and make mortgage payments” (from KNBC.com, Day 4: WGA Picket Lines Draw More Celebrities).

Okay, THAT I get. Probably 80-90% of those of us holding a BA in English and/or some form of writing from any state college or university across this great nation of ours is working at an hourly wage job, living paycheck to paycheck, and writing freelance pieces on the side at a rate of $30 a pop, $100 for the lucky ones.

But what I don’t get is striking for more money. First of all, you aren’t getting paid for striking so that’s kind of like shooting yourself in the foot. Second, speaking from the point of view of a writer, a big reason writers write is the desire to entertain. If you are a stellar waitress (pardon the PIC) but you go on strike because your boss wants half of your tips, who are you punishing? Your boss? No, he’ll just find someone else to do your job. Yourself? A little, but you can still find another job waiting tables somewhere else. Your customers are the ones who will suffer from your absence. The same is true for the audiences of these striking writers. The networks’ execs have already planned to fill the slots with reality shows because they are not scripted by WGA writers. The statement I read (and subsequently lost the link to) made it sound like they have a hundred contingencies so the writers are welcome to sit around and not get paid for as long as they would like.

I am not saying that the writers should settle but from a writer’s point of view, I am not sure that the way they are going about this is necessarily the best way.

::In the back ground Autumn begins to whisper::- Ok so I’m getting ready to do my first post in months, no one else has updated either.. So what do I say… I was abducted by aliens, The FBI was looking for me, oooo wait maybe I had amnesia. Fuck, these people all know that I’m just a huge slacker that ignores all self imposed deadlines. I guess I’ll just carry on like I haven’t missed any posts. Maybe they’ll think it was a site error. Sure a site error and I can blame that on Ethan. Yea, that works. Bwahahaha!

“When George Washington threw the dollar across the Rappahannock River, he didn’t realize he was establishing a precedent for government spending.”- Harold Coffin

I’m going to be right up front with you all, I am horrible with money. I suck at saving it, budgeting it, hell even keeping it in the same place all the time. I’m awesome at spending it though. But, no matter what I always know what I did with it even if I did come to regret the purchases. I can tell you how much the original purchase was, the descriptions of all the items, hell I can even tell you what the average retail value was and if I received a deal. At the worst I may temporarily misplace ten bucks.

Apparently the U.S. State Department has a different amount that they can temporarily misplace. I mean its nothing for them to raise an eyebrow at or anything. After all 1.22 Billion Dollars is just chump change. Yes boys and girls I did use the words misplace and billion dollars together. On Tuesday, We finally heard that the state department does not know what it exactly received for the billion dollar contract with security firm DynCorp International.

The Office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction received a boot in it’s ass and was forced to suspend it’s audit of the contract after they were told by administrative officials that they had no confidence in their own accounting records.

So what were the problems with the accounting records? Oh, gee nothing much just a few duplicate payments, a purchase of a never used x-ray machine (1.8 million dollars on the x ray machine alone), a $387,000 bill in hotels to house the DynCorp officials rather than staying in ready accommodations, and the list just continues

So obviously the next step in my mind would be to sit down, organize records, and figure out where the money actually went, right? Well sure that’s a great idea. The only hitch there is the records and receipts are in such disarray that it could take three to five years to straighten out.

Hmmm, right of course. Fucking idiots. Here we are having a crisis in education funding. Schools are forced to cut programs every day. Be it the arts, sports or faculty. The contract I just mentioned was offered in 2004 and then in 2006 Bush proposed to cut education grants by 4.279 billion dollars. So much for no child left behind. And of course we all know of the growing problems of health care and social security.

Instead of focusing on growing problems here, we funneled money into a security corporation that was supposed to train police for Iraq so that the soldiers were free to focus on other things. We can’t even pick a security agency that will have reputable business acts and general abilities of bookkeeping.

I, seriously, become more disgusted ever day. Is it to much to ask for a government that is at the very least competent in what they set out to do? Never mind the fact that I might not agree with them, I just want them not to fuck up this badly every time I turn around.

Until next time… ::shakes head and wanders off::,

autumn

Allow me to begin with a few words about myself. Crimson is my name, writing is my game. I am an audiophile and bibliophile, all about the learning. I got myself sucked into this nifty site through a years long friendship with Autumn. That said, the story that she requested I bring to you:

Watch this video!!! Now, read this:

My first thought when this video started, with the anchorman’s “Tonight we have a warning about a teen phenomenon…,” was to hurl my computer through a plate glass window. Then, I realized that it wasn’t poor Chloe’s fault that seemingly intelligent people refuse the simple process of social education. So I set her back down and continued listening.

As I mentioned before, I am an audiophile. Music is one of the most powerful forms of communication that we have and to hear it being acosted in such a way seriously pains me. Here’s a little crash course in what these people don’t get.

First of all, a simple math problem for you to chew on. Hormones + School pressures + Peer pressure = teen angst. Raging hormones cause sexual excitement at all the wrong times. They cause disfiguring and mutiliating acne (just ask any 16-year-old with a bad case of it). They cause distracting interests in the opposite (or same, if you prefer) sex. School is all about competition. Be the best in your chosen extra cirricular endeavor, be that sports or theater or knowledge bowl. Get good grades so that you can get into a good college and then get a good job (that crock of crap is another rant for another day). Teenagers are horribly cruel animals. They will destroy each other at the drop of a hat, even members of their own pack (or flock or murder…did she just say “teens” and “murder” in the same breath?!).

Trevor Kelley and Leslie Simon wrote a book (which you can see the reporter holding in his hot little hand) called Everybody Hurts: An Essential Guide to Emo Culture. Trevor Kelley and Leslie Simon work for AP (Alternative Press) Magazine and were, just last week, on the Fuse network’s Steven’s Untitled Rock Show, talking about and promoting the book. They address many of these issues from the standpoint of journalists in the mix. They spend day after day after endless day with these emo bands, you know, the ones stirring up all the trouble. If anyone has any authority to report on the subject, it would be Trevor and Leslie, not some stuffed-shirt local news reporter from Bumsville, Utah.

Basically, here’s the scoop. Not all “cutters” are emo, not all emo kids cut. I went to high school with some of the poppiest, preppiest Barbie dolls I’ve ever met and they cut. They cut because it was the “in” thing in the 90′s. Oh wait, the in thing in the, what decade was that? The 1990′s. So, what you are saying, Crimson, is that this isn’t a new thing?

Moving on, not all emo kids wear black. Not all kids who wear black are emo (some of them are called Goths, Wizkid, and some of them listen to heavy metal and express their emotions by hitting things smaller than themselves). Not everything starts with the Internet, Al Gore, and emo definitely is one thing that didn’t. One of the first bands I ever heard the tag emo applied to (in 2002) was Weezer. Weezer is by no means dark or new, but they are definitely pre-Internet craze. The blue album came out in 1994…there’s that 90′s business again.

As for emo guys wearing girls’ pants and make up…Kiss was doing the make-up thing long before these kids were glimmers in their horny adolescent parents’ eyes. And, seriously, take a good long look at Nick Zinner or Tyson Ritter. Do you honestly think a guy who is 5’10 and has a 25 inch waist can find jeans anywhere but the junior girls’ department? As for “gender bending,” did anyone else notice that all of the so-called gender benders in that shot were boy-types? It seems that even when attacking the emotional issues of today’s teens and twenty-somethings, girl-on-girl is still cool.

I think my favorite part of the whole story was the blonde mother (end sarcasm). First, she calls her kid on his/her cell phone and asks, “What’s emo?” Then, after the kid explains it to her in his own words (which were obviously the blanket description of those outside the emo culture), she has to clarify, “But that’s not you, right?”

Clearly this hysteria, like most bouts of it, is being fueled by a lack of education as well as a lack of any desire to have an education. The short and curly of the whole thing is that emo culture, or music, fashion, whatever you want to call it, has made it okay for kids to have emotions. It is finally okay to be Ally Sheedy when all around you are expecting Molly Ringwald (would someone out there please help to clue in those who missed the Breakfast Club and therefore that painfully obvious pop-culture reference)

The problem is that humans have this uncontrollable need to blame someone or something for all of the bad in their cozy little suburban worlds. Do you all remember about ten years ago when Blink 182 was blamed for some kid’s suicide because the kid was playing Adam’s Song when he died? Today it’s emo music (in an aside, I’d like to find the clueless bastard who put together the AFI montage, as well as whoever gave the idiot reporter the lyrics to I Will Follow You into the Dark, and stab him or her in the head with a pencil, is that emo enough for you???), yesterday it was gangsta’ rap, before that heavy metal and video games. In the 40′s it was swing music and swing dancing. Bet you didn’t know that Count Bassie and the FREAKING jitterbug were responsible for pre-marital sex, the Great Depression, heroin…Hitler….Hiroshima…the atomic bomb….should I continue, or do you get the point?

The hell of it all is that the media understands this human need to place blame so they latch on to something hip (something that word is not) and exacerbate that need with expose’s and urgent social warnings on the local news at 9. Is it any wonder that I turned my back on journalism long ago?

“How people treat you is their karma, how you react is yours.”- Wayne Dyer

That being said, I’m trying REALLY HARD to be good right now. I’m trying so much to reserve those snarky comments that just fall from my tongue. While, I’m writing this I want you to know that the whole time I’ll be chanting- Be nice, be nice, be nice.

Jerry Falwell died today. He was found in his office unconscious and with no pulse after he missed a morning meeting. He was 73 years old. He led a long life in which he had definite beliefs and little “give” when it came to others way of living. He was also well known for his controversial quotes. In order not to include my personal feelings I’m just going to list some of these quotes and let Falwell speak for himself.

“The abortionists have got to bear some burden for this because God will not be mocked. And when we destroy 40 million little innocent babies, we make God mad. I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People for the American Way�all of them who have tried to secularize America�I point the finger in their face and say “you helped this happen.”

“AIDS is the wrath of a just God against homosexuals. To oppose it would be like an Israelite jumping in the Red Sea to save one of Pharaoh’s charioteers . . . AIDS is not just God’s punishment for homosexuals; it is God’s punishment for the society that tolerates homosexuals.”

“If the American Atheists Society or Saddam Hussein himself ever sent an unrestricted gift to any of my ministries, be assured I will operate on Billy Sunday’s philosophy: The Devil’s had it long enough, and quickly cash the check.”

“Thank God for these gay demonstrators. If I didn’t have them, I’d have to invent them. They give me all the publicity I need.”

“If you’re not a born-again Christian, you’re a failure as a human being.”

“Grown men should not be having sex with prostitutes unless they are married to them.”

“Billy Graham is the chief servant of Satan.”

“The ACLU is to Christians what the American Nazi party is to Jews.”

In the end I just have to say, Falwell, while being far in the Christian Right and having some wild theories, never gave up in what he believed in. That is something to respect if nothing else.

Until next time, see I was nice afterall,
autumn

This will be my last update of Virginia Tech. I need to step away from it. I can’t keep reading these stories and interviews. I was ignoring all other news and immersing myself completely in this event. I need to focus on several things at once. I need to form an opinion and educate myself on all current events. Ethan or TheShamelessOne may choose to continue picking up this story, but that of course will be up to them. Don’t worry though I won’t leave you in the dark. If there are major changes to anything, I will of course update you. I will also post the link to the wikipedia entry.

We now know alot more about Seung-Hui Cho. We have heard (and in some occasions read) of his disturbed writings. Writings which were filled with graphic violence. He had also been investigated for stalking 2 students. I refuse to this as an excuse or an explanation but he was also diagnosed as mentally ill in 2005 by a Virginia special justice, in which he was ordered to seek outpatient treatment. Cho’s great-aunt also claims that he was diagnosed with autism at age 8.

Personally, I think that the most disturbing piece of information is the videos that he sent to NBC. The package was sent in between the first shooting and the second. During these videos he blames everyone and everything possible. He says “I didn’t have to do this. I could have left. I could have fled, but no I will no longer run.” He continues with, “It’s not for me; it’s for my children, for my brothers and sisters… I did it for them.” He compares himself to Jesus Christ, saying that he crucified himself like Christ in order to inspire the weak and defenseless people.

While those videos are sad and tragic yet overwhelming disgusting and disturbing, somewhere deep my heart bleeds for the little boy he must have been. The one that became so broken he couldn’t climb out of the hole that he was in. I wonder when exactly the break in his mind, spirit, and soul began. This whole situation is tragic. All the lives were ended needlessly. Hopefully we will learn a lesson and grow from all of this, the lesson we should have learned long ago. We HAVE to tolerate and respect each other. We don’t have to like each other, because lets face it that is a tall order. We HAVE to stop the demeaning, judging, and persecution. We are all stuck here together, we HAVE to learn to live together in peace.

With that said, I’m going to wrap this up. Below you will the new list of victims, as well as, the link to VT wikipedia entry.

Ross Abdallah Alameddine- Saugus, Massachusetts
Brian Roy Bluhm- Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Ryan Christoper Clark- Martinez, Georgia
Austin Michelle Cloyd- Blacksburg, Virginia
Matthew Gregory Gwaltney- Chesterfield, Virginia
Caitlin Millar Hammaren- Westtown, New York
Jeremy Michael Herbstritt- Blacksburg, Virginia
Rachael Elizabeth Hill- No additional information at this time.
Emily Jane Hilscher- Woodville, Virginia
Jarrett Lee Lane- Narrows, Virginia
Matthew Joseph La Porte- Dumont, New Jersey
Henry J. Lee- Roanoke, Virginia
Partahi Mamora Halomoan Lumbantoruan- Blacksburg, Virginia (orginially from Indonesia)
Lauren Ashley McCain- Hampton, Virginia
Daniel Patrick O’Neil- Lincoln, Rhode Island
J. Ortiz-Ortiz- no additional information at this time
Minal Hiralal Panchal- Mumbai, India
Daniel Alejandro Perez- Woodbridge, Virginia
Erin Nicole Peterson- Centreville, Virginia
Michael Steven Pohle, Jr.- Flemington, New Jersey
Julia Kathleen Pryde- Blacksburg, Virginia
Mary Karen Read- Annandale, Virginia
Reema Joseph Samaha- Centreville, Virginia
Waleed Mohamed Shaalan- Blacksburg, Virginia (originally from Egypt)
Leslie Geraldine Sherman- Springfield, Virginia
Maxine Shelly Turner- Vienna, Virginia
Nicole White- Smithfield, Virginia
Christopher James Bishop- Foreign Languages Instructor
Jocelyne Couture-Nowak- Adjunct Professor, Foreign Languages
Kevin P. Granata- Professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics
Liviu Librescu- Professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics
G.V. Loganathan- Professor of Civil and Enviromental Engineering

Virginia Tech Tragedy on Wikipedia

Until next time and in memory of those who died,
autumn

More information has come to light today about the shootings. Some names of the victims have been released and the shooter has been identified. At the end of this post I will give the list of names that I have found. As I have said before I will continue to update any new information that comes to light.

The shooter was identified as 23 year old Cho Seung-Hui. He was a resident of Centerville Va, but resided in the dorms. There were two weapons found with him; one was a 9mm and the second was a 22mm. Cho apparently wanted to remain anonymous. He carried no id on his person and wiped the serial numbers from both guns. Also at this time there still is no known motive; while there was a note found in his dorm room with several grievances about the campus life. It is also believed that during the 2 hours time difference he went back to his dorm room to prepare for the second part of his action.

Classes will be canceled for the remainder of the week, and the school has offered several counseling opportunities for the students and family to express their grief. Also at this time 12 victims remain hospitalized. While the full list of those who died have not been released this is what we have heard at this time:

Ross Alameddine- 20, Saugus, Mass.
Christopher James Bishop- 35, German Proffessor
Brian Bluhm- no additional information at this time
Ryan Clark- 22, Martinez, GA
Jocelyne Couture-Nowak, a foreign language professor.
Daniel Perez Cueva- Student from Peruvia
Prof. Kevin Granata- 45
Caitlin Hammaren- 19, Westtown, NY
Jeremy Herbstritt- no additional information at this time.
Rachael Hill- 18, Henrico County
Emily Jane Hilscher- 19, Woodville
Jarrett Lane- Narrows, VA
Matt La Porte- Dumont, NJ
Henry Lee- Roanoke, VA
Prof. Liviu Librescu- 76
Prof. G.V. Loganathan- 51
Lauren McCain- 20, Hampton, VA
Daniel O’Neil, 22, Rhode Island
Juan Ortiz- 26, Bayamon, Puerto Rico
Erin Peterson- no additional information at this time
Julia Pryde- Middletown, NJ
Mary Karen Read- Annandale VA
Reema Samaha- Centreville, VA
Leslie Sherman- no additional information at this time
Maxine Turner- Vienna, VA
Nicole White- 20, Hampton Roads, VA

One final note, CrimsonLadybug, you are absolutely right. I still remember the Columbine day vividly too. I remember exactly where I was and what happened while all the students with me watched in horror. This will never fade away. Not in CO, or VA, or the Amish shooting in PA. We learn to cope and deal with the pain that’s present and never understanding why. Thank you for the lit candles. It means alot.

Until next time, I’ll be learning to cope,
autumn

�There are hurts so deep that one can not reach them or heal them with words� � Kate Seredy

I know you all have heard about the tragedy that took place in Blacksburg, VA today. This really hits me in the heart. The details of what happened are still unclear and law enforcement is working on finding out all the information that they can. However at the time of writing this there are a few things that we believe are accurate. (If any of this information changes I will post an update.)

33 men and women are dead after a massacre on the Virginia Tech campus today. The Washington Post is also saying at least 30 more were injured. The shooter at this time is still unidentified but is said to be an Asian male. He had used two 9mm pistols in his unbelievable rampage. It is also believed that he used chains to lock the main entrances of the building in one shooting.

The shootings took place in two locations more than two hours apart. The first shooting took place in the dormitory of West Ambler Johnston. Two students were killed during the first shooting. This shooting was reported to happen approximately at 7:15 am. At the time law enforcement believed this as an isolated incident. So, there was no need to �lock down� the campus. They believed that the suspect had fled and were continuing the investigation when the second shooting occurred.

The second shooting took place at Norris Hall (where the college of science and engineering is housed) two hours later and almost a half mile away. This is the shooting that the chains were used to lock the entrances. It is also where 30 students were killed before the shooter turned his weapon on his self.

This is a very sad story with many questions still to be answered. Of course the biggest questions are who and why. There are also questions being posed to the directors of Virginia Tech. Such as why the school was not immediately placed on lock down, and any errors that may have been made to keep students safe, such as the notification system. Questions that, I personally think, should be put on hold until families are notified, the who and why are answered, and students are given time to take this all in and grieve.

I think that it is also notable to say that in the past weeks there have been several bomb threats. Two of the threats were aimed at the science and engineering department. However, at this time, there is no information if this is connected to the shooting today.

As I said before, this is an incident close to my heart. I have friends and ex-coworkers that attended Virginia Tech. I haven�t heard anything from them yet, but I am keeping my hopes up. At the same time, I am happy to say Ethan had some coworkers that attended the school as well. They are all safe and uninjured.

I just wish that everyone was as lucky as Ethan. It is really heart-breaking to see this story unfold. I hope all those that are injured pull through. I will keep you updated as more information comes to light.

Until next time, my heart bleeds for Virginia Tech,

autumn

From : Finally, someone who stood up, spoke his mind and wasn’t interrupted. This man, Harry Taylor, NC, openly spoke his views on the administration in Washington, DC. Not only did he speak out publicly, he addressed Pres Bush directly from the audience of thousands of Bush supporters. I have to give the man credit for having enough in him to get up there.

Taken from Fayetteville Online:

“In my lifetime, I have never felt more ashamed of my leadership in Washington,” Taylor told the president. “And I would hope from time to time that you have the humility and grace to be ashamed of yourself.”

Mr. Taylor went on to discuss the President’s decisions on the War on Terror, opposition to Legalized Abortion and his Environmental Record. Amazing. Why can’t more Americans stand up, speak their minds without worrying what everyone else will think?! We have a provision in our country’s most powerful document, The Constitution which states we have the right to do so freely. Why are so many afraid? We don’t have to sit back and just let things happen. That’s one thing that’s wrong with this country. Americans don’t care. Fuck that. Eyes need to be opened. Changes are long overdue. Get this bullshit out of power.

Yes, the President should be ashamed of the way he’s handled decisions while running our country. However, Americans should be ashamed for allowing it to happen.

ethan