US & Israel Sign Murder-Suicide Pact
Babba Zee
Outraged Spleen of Zion
Allman Bros. ~ Whipping Post
American crews will control US FBX-band radar granted Israel DEBKAfile Exclusive Report
August 19, 2008, 12:43 PM (GMT+02:00)
In granting Israel the powerful FBX-T radar system to enhance its early warning resources against incoming missiles, Washington laid down a strict hands-off proviso. The system will be installed at a US base in the southern Israeli Negev. It will be off-limits to Israelis and managed exclusively by American personnel.
This discovery, revealed here for the first time by DEBKAfile's military sources, has aroused astonished rancor in senior Israel army circles. They questioned the judgment of prime minister Ehud Olmert, defense minister Ehud Barak, foreign minister Tzipi Livni, Shaul Mofaz, who leads the Israeli side of the twice-annual strategic dialogue with the US, and chief of staff Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi in accepting this proviso.
Even Poland, one officer commented, looked after its sovereignty and only signed its defense pact with the United States for the installation of missile interceptors on its Baltic coast after the Americans agreed to instruct Polish crews in their future operation.
Yet none of the Israeli officials involved in the radar transaction saw fit to carry this point. The FBX-T was requested to allow Israel's Arrow missile defense system to engage a Shehab-3 missile about halfway through its 11-minute flight from Iran, several times sooner than the Arrow's Green Pines radar is capable of doing.
The FBX-T can track objects in space such as a missile tipped with a chemical, germ or nuclear warhead.
When they swung the deal in Washington last month, Barak and Ashkenazi said the Israeli Defense Forces would acquire a major resource and Israel a valuable shield against enemy missiles.
But they erred badly in failing to demand its integration in Israel's national interceptor system for four reasons:
1. Israel will have no denied direct access to the data gathered by the system and can only hope the American operators will pass on the information as and when Israel needs it for self-defense rather than when it suits US interests.
2. The FBX-T will not only be able to track Iranian and Syrian missiles and aircraft but also keep watch on Israeli operations, giving the Washington a handle for stalling them. DEBKAfile's military sources point out that the Americans are suddenly in a hurry to have the system deployed in the Negev as soon as September. They will then be in position to forestall a possible Israeli pre-emptive attack on Iran's nuclear installations should one be decided in Jerusalem.
3. US experts say the FBX-T radar will lengthen the Israeli Arrow anti-missile system's range for detecting incoming Iranian missiles several times over. This is technically accurate, but in practice this enhanced capability is entirely contingent on a Pentagon order to the American crews in the Negev to activate a link between them.
4. Barak and Ashkenazi said on their return from Washington that they had procured US consent to links between Israel's early warning and missile interceptor systems, the X-band radar (which can pick up a missile 2,000 km from target) and also the American JTAGS satellites (which detects a missile launch).
This is not the case.
Any links between the IDF's radar and interceptors and the JATG satellites must be channeled through the X-band radar base in the Negev and are not direct. The data passed to Israel will be subject to pre-selection by American decision-makers.
Several billion dollars of US and Israeli funds have been sunk into developing the Arrow, which Israeli officials until recently claimed was a match for Iran's Shehab-3 ballistic missiles. It turns out now that the Arrow and its Green Pine radar pick up incoming missiles only when they are 800 km short of their target. Israel applied for the FBX-T radar to extend that range to 2,000 km from its territory. But as long as the system is operated exclusively by American personnel, its usefulness for shielding Israel against enemy missiles will circumscribed.
AUGUST 13, 2008:
U.S. puts brakes on Israeli plan for attack on Iran nuclear facilities
By Aluf Benn
The Americans viewed the request, which was transmitted (and rejected) at the highest level, as a sign that Israel is in the advanced stages of preparations to attack Iran. They therefore warned Israel against attacking, saying such a strike would undermine American interests. They also demanded that Israel give them prior notice if it nevertheless decided to strike Iran. As compensation for the requests it rejected, Washington offered to improve Israel's defenses against surface-to-surface missiles. Israel responded by saying it reserves the right to take whatever action it deems necessary if diplomatic efforts to halt Iran's nuclearization fail.
Senior Israeli officials had originally hoped that U.S. President George Bush would order an American strike on Iran's nuclear facilities before leaving office, as America's military is far better equipped to conduct such a strike successfully than is Israel's. Jerusalem also fears that an Israeli strike, even if it succeeded well enough to delay Iran's nuclear development for a few years, would give Iran international legitimacy for its program, which it currently lacks. Israel, in contrast, would be portrayed as an aggressor, and would be forced to contend alone with Iran's retaliation, which would probably include thousands of missile strikes by Iranian allies Hezbollah, Hamas and perhaps even Syria. Recently, however, Israel has concluded that Bush is unlikely to attack, and will focus instead on ratcheting up diplomatic pressure on Tehran. It prefers to wait until this process has been exhausted, though without conceding the military option.
Israel's assumption is that Iran will continue to use delaying tactics, and may even agree to briefly suspend its uranium enrichment program in an effort to see out the rest of Bush's term in peace. The American-Israeli dispute over a military strike against Iran erupted during Bush's visit to Jerusalem in May. At the time, Bush held a private meeting on the Iranian threat with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Ehud Barak, and the Israelis presented their request for certain specific items of military equipment, along with diplomatic and security backing. Following Bush's return to Washington, the administration studied Israel's request, and this led it to suspect that Israel was planning to attack Iran within the next few months. The Americans therefore decided to send a strong message warning it not to do so. U.S. National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen both visited here in June and, according to the Washington Post, told senior Israeli defense officials that Iran is still far from obtaining nuclear weapons, and that an attack on Iran would undermine American interests.
Therefore, they said, the U.S. would not allow Israeli planes to overfly Iraq en route to Iran. The Americans sent a similar message to Iraq, which had objected vociferously to the idea of its air space being used for an Israeli attack on Iran. These private messages were accompanied by a series of leaks from the Pentagon that Israel interpreted as attempts to thwart any possibility of an attack on Iran. For instance, the Americans revealed details of a major Israel Air Force exercise in the Mediterranean; they also said they doubted Israel had adequate intelligence about Iran's nuclear facilities. In addition, Mullen spoke out publicly against an attack on Iran. Two weeks ago, Barak visited Washington for talks with his American counterpart, Robert Gates, and Vice President Richard Cheney. Both conversations focused on Iran, but the two Americans presented conflicting views: Gates vehemently opposes an attack on Iran, while Cheney is the administration's leading hawk.Barak presented Israel's assessments of the Iranian situation and warned that Iran was liable to advance its nuclear program under cover of the endless deliberations about sanctions - which have thus far produced little in the way of action. He also acknowledged that effective sanctions would require cooperation from Russia, China and India, all of which currently oppose sanctions with real teeth. Russia, however, is considered key to efforts to isolate Iran, and Israeli officials have therefore urged their American counterparts in recent months to tone down Washington's other disputes with Moscow to focus all its efforts on obtaining Russia's backing against Iran. For instance, they suggested that Washington offer to drop its plan to station a missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic - a proposal Russia views as a threat, though Washington insists the system is aimed solely at Iran - in exchange for Russia agreeing to stiffer sanctions against Iran.
However, the administration rejected this idea. In an attempt to compensate Israel for having rejected all its proposals, Washington then offered to bolster Israel's defenses against ballistic missiles. For instance, Gates proposed stationing an advanced radar system in Israel and linking Israel directly into America's early warning satellite network; he also offered increased American funding for the development of two Israeli missile defense systems - the Arrow-3, an upgrade of Israel's existing Arrow system for intercepting ballistic missiles, and Iron Dome, a system designed to intercept short-range rockets. In addition, Washington agreed to sell Israel nine Super Hercules long-range transport aircraft for $2 billion.
However, it would not agree to supply Israel with any offensive systems. Now, Israel is awaiting the outcome of the latest talks between the West and Iran, as well as a formal announcement of the opening of an American interests section in Tehran. Israel views the latter as sure proof that Washington is not planning a military strike.7/31/08: Olmert to Quit AFTER ELECTIONS IN SEPTEMBER
8/17/08: Israel to free 200 MORE prisoners as Rice visits Mideast
Ian Gillan ~ Gethsemane
I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse;
~ Genesis 12:3
Want more Babba Zee and scenes from the Outraged Spleen? Try these recent posts: * Missing Links vs the Fall of Night & the Mares it Rides in on * 3 Wood: Dollars vs Euros * INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING UPDATE : GEORGIA |
by Babba Zee
images: Outraged Spleen of Zion
Source: US & Israel Sign Murder-Suicide Pact
US & Israel Sign Murder-Suicide Pact
Babba Zee
Outraged Spleen of Zion
Allman Bros. ~ Whipping Post
American crews will control US FBX-band radar granted Israel DEBKAfile Exclusive Report
August 19, 2008, 12:43 PM (GMT+02:00)
In granting Israel the powerful FBX-T radar system to enhance its early warning resources against incoming missiles, Washington laid down a strict hands-off proviso. The system will be installed at a US base in the southern Israeli Negev. It will be off-limits to Israelis and managed exclusively by American personnel.
This discovery, revealed here for the first time by DEBKAfile's military sources, has aroused astonished rancor in senior Israel army circles. They questioned the judgment of prime minister Ehud Olmert, defense minister Ehud Barak, foreign minister Tzipi Livni, Shaul Mofaz, who leads the Israeli side of the twice-annual strategic dialogue with the US, and chief of staff Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi in accepting this proviso.
Even Poland, one officer commented, looked after its sovereignty and only signed its defense pact with the United States for the installation of missile interceptors on its Baltic coast after the Americans agreed to instruct Polish crews in their future operation.
Yet none of the Israeli officials involved in the radar transaction saw fit to carry this point. The FBX-T was requested to allow Israel's Arrow missile defense system to engage a Shehab-3 missile about halfway through its 11-minute flight from Iran, several times sooner than the Arrow's Green Pines radar is capable of doing.
The FBX-T can track objects in space such as a missile tipped with a chemical, germ or nuclear warhead.
When they swung the deal in Washington last month, Barak and Ashkenazi said the Israeli Defense Forces would acquire a major resource and Israel a valuable shield against enemy missiles.
But they erred badly in failing to demand its integration in Israel's national interceptor system for four reasons:
1. Israel will have no denied direct access to the data gathered by the system and can only hope the American operators will pass on the information as and when Israel needs it for self-defense rather than when it suits US interests.
2. The FBX-T will not only be able to track Iranian and Syrian missiles and aircraft but also keep watch on Israeli operations, giving the Washington a handle for stalling them. DEBKAfile's military sources point out that the Americans are suddenly in a hurry to have the system deployed in the Negev as soon as September. They will then be in position to forestall a possible Israeli pre-emptive attack on Iran's nuclear installations should one be decided in Jerusalem.
3. US experts say the FBX-T radar will lengthen the Israeli Arrow anti-missile system's range for detecting incoming Iranian missiles several times over. This is technically accurate, but in practice this enhanced capability is entirely contingent on a Pentagon order to the American crews in the Negev to activate a link between them.
4. Barak and Ashkenazi said on their return from Washington that they had procured US consent to links between Israel's early warning and missile interceptor systems, the X-band radar (which can pick up a missile 2,000 km from target) and also the American JTAGS satellites (which detects a missile launch).
This is not the case.
Any links between the IDF's radar and interceptors and the JATG satellites must be channeled through the X-band radar base in the Negev and are not direct. The data passed to Israel will be subject to pre-selection by American decision-makers.
Several billion dollars of US and Israeli funds have been sunk into developing the Arrow, which Israeli officials until recently claimed was a match for Iran's Shehab-3 ballistic missiles. It turns out now that the Arrow and its Green Pine radar pick up incoming missiles only when they are 800 km short of their target. Israel applied for the FBX-T radar to extend that range to 2,000 km from its territory. But as long as the system is operated exclusively by American personnel, its usefulness for shielding Israel against enemy missiles will circumscribed.
AUGUST 13, 2008:
U.S. puts brakes on Israeli plan for attack on Iran nuclear facilities
By Aluf Benn
The Americans viewed the request, which was transmitted (and rejected) at the highest level, as a sign that Israel is in the advanced stages of preparations to attack Iran. They therefore warned Israel against attacking, saying such a strike would undermine American interests. They also demanded that Israel give them prior notice if it nevertheless decided to strike Iran. As compensation for the requests it rejected, Washington offered to improve Israel's defenses against surface-to-surface missiles. Israel responded by saying it reserves the right to take whatever action it deems necessary if diplomatic efforts to halt Iran's nuclearization fail.
Senior Israeli officials had originally hoped that U.S. President George Bush would order an American strike on Iran's nuclear facilities before leaving office, as America's military is far better equipped to conduct such a strike successfully than is Israel's. Jerusalem also fears that an Israeli strike, even if it succeeded well enough to delay Iran's nuclear development for a few years, would give Iran international legitimacy for its program, which it currently lacks. Israel, in contrast, would be portrayed as an aggressor, and would be forced to contend alone with Iran's retaliation, which would probably include thousands of missile strikes by Iranian allies Hezbollah, Hamas and perhaps even Syria. Recently, however, Israel has concluded that Bush is unlikely to attack, and will focus instead on ratcheting up diplomatic pressure on Tehran. It prefers to wait until this process has been exhausted, though without conceding the military option.
Israel's assumption is that Iran will continue to use delaying tactics, and may even agree to briefly suspend its uranium enrichment program in an effort to see out the rest of Bush's term in peace. The American-Israeli dispute over a military strike against Iran erupted during Bush's visit to Jerusalem in May. At the time, Bush held a private meeting on the Iranian threat with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Ehud Barak, and the Israelis presented their request for certain specific items of military equipment, along with diplomatic and security backing. Following Bush's return to Washington, the administration studied Israel's request, and this led it to suspect that Israel was planning to attack Iran within the next few months. The Americans therefore decided to send a strong message warning it not to do so. U.S. National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen both visited here in June and, according to the Washington Post, told senior Israeli defense officials that Iran is still far from obtaining nuclear weapons, and that an attack on Iran would undermine American interests.
Therefore, they said, the U.S. would not allow Israeli planes to overfly Iraq en route to Iran. The Americans sent a similar message to Iraq, which had objected vociferously to the idea of its air space being used for an Israeli attack on Iran. These private messages were accompanied by a series of leaks from the Pentagon that Israel interpreted as attempts to thwart any possibility of an attack on Iran. For instance, the Americans revealed details of a major Israel Air Force exercise in the Mediterranean; they also said they doubted Israel had adequate intelligence about Iran's nuclear facilities. In addition, Mullen spoke out publicly against an attack on Iran. Two weeks ago, Barak visited Washington for talks with his American counterpart, Robert Gates, and Vice President Richard Cheney. Both conversations focused on Iran, but the two Americans presented conflicting views: Gates vehemently opposes an attack on Iran, while Cheney is the administration's leading hawk.Barak presented Israel's assessments of the Iranian situation and warned that Iran was liable to advance its nuclear program under cover of the endless deliberations about sanctions - which have thus far produced little in the way of action. He also acknowledged that effective sanctions would require cooperation from Russia, China and India, all of which currently oppose sanctions with real teeth. Russia, however, is considered key to efforts to isolate Iran, and Israeli officials have therefore urged their American counterparts in recent months to tone down Washington's other disputes with Moscow to focus all its efforts on obtaining Russia's backing against Iran. For instance, they suggested that Washington offer to drop its plan to station a missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic - a proposal Russia views as a threat, though Washington insists the system is aimed solely at Iran - in exchange for Russia agreeing to stiffer sanctions against Iran.
However, the administration rejected this idea. In an attempt to compensate Israel for having rejected all its proposals, Washington then offered to bolster Israel's defenses against ballistic missiles. For instance, Gates proposed stationing an advanced radar system in Israel and linking Israel directly into America's early warning satellite network; he also offered increased American funding for the development of two Israeli missile defense systems - the Arrow-3, an upgrade of Israel's existing Arrow system for intercepting ballistic missiles, and Iron Dome, a system designed to intercept short-range rockets. In addition, Washington agreed to sell Israel nine Super Hercules long-range transport aircraft for $2 billion.
However, it would not agree to supply Israel with any offensive systems. Now, Israel is awaiting the outcome of the latest talks between the West and Iran, as well as a formal announcement of the opening of an American interests section in Tehran. Israel views the latter as sure proof that Washington is not planning a military strike.7/31/08: Olmert to Quit AFTER ELECTIONS IN SEPTEMBER
8/17/08: Israel to free 200 MORE prisoners as Rice visits Mideast
Ian Gillan ~ Gethsemane
I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse;
~ Genesis 12:3
Want more Babba Zee and scenes from the Outraged Spleen? Try these recent posts: * Missing Links vs the Fall of Night & the Mares it Rides in on * 3 Wood: Dollars vs Euros * INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING UPDATE : GEORGIA |
by Babba Zee
images: Outraged Spleen of Zion
Source: US & Israel Sign Murder-Suicide Pact
The Oregon Health Plan:
When the Government Runs Health Care
"Elect me and your health care problems will all be over." The people of Oregon fell for that line almost 20 years ago. Expecting Utopia, what they got was a reality check: a lottery to pick who's covered and suicide coverage--instead of cancer drugs. |
In 1989. Oregon became the second State, after Hawaii, to attempt complete medical coverage of it's citizens.
It has not gone as planned.
In fact, it seems to be approaching disaster. Within a few year:
In early 2003, the Oregon Health Plan (OHP) implemented cost saving strategies, reducing benefits and increasing cost-sharing for a substantial portion of its members
Cost-sharing meant that people were being charged premium for the previously funded care. So we have a reduction in Medical care and services, and increased cost. But the degeneration of the plan did not end there. In March of this year, wire services carried the following:
Tens of thousands of Oregonians queued up quickly for a chance at the state’s latest lottery, but this one is no game.
Officials began drawing names last week for a chance at some rare openings in the state’s healthcare plan.
Announced in February, the lottery drew 91,675 hopefuls in 30 days. The winners will receive a postcard notifying them that they can apply for the Oregon Health Plan.
"Budget limitations capped the Oregon Health Plan standard benefit package in mid-2004. Now the plan has room for a few thousand people. The lottery winners will be the first new applicants since the cap was imposed.
When it was fully funded, it was considered a trailblazing program.
In 1996, the benefit package enrolled five times as many people as are enrolled today, and only 10.7% of Oregon’s population lacked insurance, compared with about 16% today.
Yes, you read that correctly. Not only are the numbers of uninsured increasing dramatically, with only 24,000 insured, but to get on the 'Universal" plan, you must participate in a lottery.
In June of 2008, it got far worse.
The "Universal" plan does not, apparently include medical care for seriously potentially terminal disease.As The Catholic News Agency reported:
Oregon health plan covers assisted suicide, not drugs, for cancer patient"
Eugene, Jun 6, 2008 / 01:09 am ( CNA).- An Oregon woman suffering from lung cancer was notified by the state-run Oregon Health Plan that their policy would not cover her life-extending cancer drug, telling her the health plan would cover doctor-assisted suicide instead.
That was not a misprint.
On October 27, 1997 Oregon enacted the Death with Dignity Act which allows terminally-ill Oregonians to end their lives through the voluntary self-administration of lethal medications, expressly prescribed by a physician for that purpose.
In 2008, as a cost control measure, Oregon apparently incorporated the act into it's failing health care plan--because it is far easier to kill patients than to save them. The publicity of the story ultimately saved the patient. The manufacturer of the life preserving drug stepped up and offered it to the patient.
The story appears to be a happy ending for Barbara Wagner, who has been notified by a drug manufacturer that it will provide the expensive medication, estimated to cost $4,000 a month, for the first year and then allow her to apply for further treatment, according to a report in the Eugene Register-Guard.
But the word from the state was coverage for palliative care, which would include the state's assisted suicide program, would be allowed but not coverage for the cancer treatment drugs.
"To say to someone, we'll pay for you to die, but not pay for you to live, it's cruel," Wagner told the newspaper. "I get angry. Who do they think they are?"
Dignity?
Anything but. Oregon now has half the physicians it needs. It rations health care like no other State. It has become a bizarre replication of the Soviet health care system of old;socialism run amok.
The cure? You guessed it?
"We don't know, and the American public doesn't know, what is going to happen in the next two to three to four years nationally," Speight said. "There are things we can do at a state level that can work with a national model."
Yeah. They want you to pay for their failure and participate in this irrational death factory.
images:
* onthefencefilms
*
sources
* http://www.commonwealthfund
* http://seattletimes.nwsource
* http://www.worldnetdaily.com
* http://www.catholicnewsagency
Death of the D. C. Madam by Beth Turnage of Astrology Explored
Deborah Jean Palfrey, the D. C. Madam, whose revelations led to the resignation of one prominent Washington official was found dead on May 1, 2008, at her mother’s Tarpon Springs Florida home. Recently convicted of racketeering and money laundering with a potential sentence of four to six years, Palfrey reported said that she “rather die than to go to prison again” and that “I’m sure as heck not going to federal prison . . . because I’m shy about bringing in the deputy secretary of whatever.”
Exactly a year previous she had released phone records which revealed Deputy Secretary of State Randall Tobias and Louisiana State Senator David Vitter, among others, were clients of Ms. Palfrey’s services. But as a commenter on the astrology blog ElsaElsa said about Washington culture “Nice girls don’t tell.”
Conspiracy theorists are having a field day with Ms. Palfrey’s death, calling it a murder, while the local authorities are labeling it an apparent suicide.
What does astrology say about the D. C. Madam’s death? Deborah Jean Palfrey was born March 18, 1956, 11:55 AM 40N09 79W59. We know her birth time from one of her astrologers, who posted it.
Read more of Beth Turnage's D.C. Madam Suicide: Was Death Written in the Stars at DBKP.com
Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.
BAGGED
1939 Dutch hunter shoots English bombers down.
WAR!
1738 English parliament declares war on Spain (War of Jenkin's Ear).
2003 American-led forces in Iraq dropped thousand-pound bombs on Republican Guard units guarding the gates to Baghdad and battled for control of the strategic city of Nasiriyah. President Bush warned of "further sacrifice" ahead in the face of unexpectedly fierce fighting.
TERRORISM
1986 Extremist Sikhs kill 13 hindus in Ludhiana India.
2007 Iran aired a video of 15 captured British sailors and marines; the lone female captive, shown in a white tunic and a black head scarf, said the British boats had "trespassed." (The crew members were released April 4, 2007.)
DISASTER
1960 Scotch factory explodes burying 20 firefighters (Glasgow Scotland).
1970 1,086 die when 7.3 earthquake destroys 254 villages (Gediz Turkey).
TRIAL LAWYERS
1866 1st ambulance goes into service.
PATENTS
1797 Nathaniel Briggs of New Hampshire patents a washing machine.
NUKES
1979 America's worst commercial nuclear accident occurred inside the Unit 2 reactor at the Three Mile Island plant near Middletown, Pa.
HOSTAGES
2007 In the Philippines, dozens of children were taken hostage on a bus by a day-care center owner armed with grenades and guns; the crisis ended peacefully 10 hours later with the hostage-taker's surrender.
SUICIDE
1941 Filling her pockets with stones, novelist and critic Virginia Woolf walked into a river near her home and died in Lewes, England.
IMMIGRATION
1898 The Supreme Court ruled in United States v. Wong Kim Ark that a child born in the United States to Chinese immigrants was a U.S. citizen.
SWAP
1930 The names of the Turkish cities of Constantinople and Angora were changed to Istanbul and Ankara.
JEWS
1917 Jews are expelled from Tel Aviv & Jaffa by Turkish authorities.
ZULUS
1994 Armed Zulus demonstrate in Johannesburg, over 53 killed.
BIRTHDAYS
Former White House national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski is 80. Country musician Charlie McCoy is 67. Movie director Mike Newell is 66. Actress Conchata Ferrell is 65. Actor Ken Howard is 64. Actress Dianne Wiest is 60. Country singer Reba McEntire is 53. Olympic gold-medal gymnast Bart Conner is 50. Actress Tracey Needham is 41. Actor Max Perlich is 40. Movie director Brett Ratner is 39. Country singer Rodney Atkins is 39. Actor Vince Vaughn is 38. Rapper Mr. Cheeks (Lost Boyz) is 37. Actor Ken L. is 35. Rock musician Dave Keuning is 32. Actress Julia Stiles is 27.
DEATH
1953 Athlete Jim Thorpe died in Lomita, Calif.
1958 W.C. Handy, the "Father of the Blues," died in New York at age 84.
1969 Dwight D. Eisenhower, the 34th president of the United States, died in Washington at age 78.
March 28, the 88th day of 2008. There are 278 days left in the year.
compiled by Mondoreb
image: azgfd
Sources:
* Today in History
* Today in History
DBKP.com - Bigger, Better!.
Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.
by Mondoreb & Little Baby Ginn
Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.
MySpace Suicide: The Story Of Megan Meier - Watch more amazing videos here
The tragic story of Megan Meier, victim of a cruel MySpace hoax which led to her suicide.
by Mondoreb
& Little Baby Ginn
More on the Megan Meier MySpace Suicide:
LATEST:
Supposedly an ex-friend of Megan's replies to our stories in
"Megan Had It Coming"
MySpace Suicide:
Megan Meier's Story May Prevent Others
MySpace Suicide Reaction:
Outrage! Outrage! Outrage!
MySpace Cruel Prank Leads To Teen’s Suicide
Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.
The tragedy of the "MySpace Suicide" of Megan Meiers could prevent others like it from occurring in the future. As news of the tragic story spreads across the nation, perhaps an event calamitous for one family may be an opportunity for others.
Upon reading the story, it's hard to come away feeling anything other than shock, disbelief, outrage or sadness.
13-year-old Megan was the object of mean attacks on the popular Internet site MySpace by, what she thought was, an attractive boy, "Josh", she'd taken a liking to. Others on the site joined in.
The attacks caused the depression-suffering girl to hang herself.
It was later learned that the attacks came not from the boy, who proved to be a fictitious creation, but from adults who lived down the street from Megan.
All this took place eventhough, from all accounts, Megan's mom monitored her Internet use in every way possible. Monitored it much more than most parents, in fact.
How could this story prevent others like it from happening?
TAKE 15 MINUTES
Do you have a teen? Do you watch "Jerry Springer"?
Judge Judy?
Oprah?
Turn off the TV, have them sit down and give them a copy of this story. If they haven't already heard about it, have them read it. They will probably wonder what's up at this point.
Did the news of their adventures in science class somehow reach home?
Chances are, after reading it, most will have similar reactions to adults.
Talk to them. Ask them what they think about the story. What would they do in Megan's case? Do they know any of their friends who've met fake characters online? Do they know how often it happens?
How would react if someone on line "said things about them"?
No definitive conclusion need be reached in the discussion. The fact that they're sitting down talking with a parent might be old hat. That's good.
But it might be a new experience--for everyone involved. They will certainly notice that you turned off the TV. That might tip them off that this is serious.
Maybe this sad story might cause them to think, if only for a moment. The disastrous story of the death of Megan Meier may stick with them. Maybe they'll file it away for future reference.
In the end, you can turn the TV back on at the end of all this: you won't have missed much. Jerry, Oprah and Judge Judy won't miss the ratings points. Your teen may look at you funny. That comes with territory--or should.
The word most often used to describe the MySpace suicide of Megan Meier is "tragedy". It is apt. Maybe this tragedy can prevent another Megan from occurring.
It's too late for Megan Meier and her grief-stricken family. It may not be too late for others.
by Mondoreb
More on the MySpace suicide of Megan Meier:
MySpace Suicide: The Megan Meier Story - Video
MySpace Cruel Prank Leads to Teen's Suicide
MySpace Suicide Reactions: Outrage!
[UPDATE: 11:40 11-15-07] Prosecutor to Take Another Look at CaseA St. Charles County teen commits suicide after being targeted by an online attack, but those who instigated it face no criminal charges, or could they? The county prosecutor says he never saw the complete case file. He doesn't want to give anyone false hope, but he says it's not yet case closed.
"Me personally, I've never seen anything on this case," says St. Charles County Prosecutor Jack Banas. He says from what he's heard he knows hearts are broken, but he doesn't believe laws were.
More on the Megan Meier MySpace Suicide:
LATEST:
Supposedly an ex-friend of Megan's replies to our stories in
"Megan Had It Coming"
Megan Meier MySpace Suicide Cruel Hoax: No Justice for Megan
Cruel Hoaxer's Outed: Let the Lesser Outrage Begin
Megan Meier MySpace Suicide Reactions: Outrage! Outrage!
Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.
The "MySpace Suicide" reaction to the Megan Meier story has been outrage. Outrage on a lot of levels.
Outrage at the vicious Internet attack on a 13-year-old girl by parents of the girl's erstwhile friend.
Outrage that the responsible adults have not been held accountable by the law.
Outrage that the only action taken has been a complaint filed by the parents who concocted this cruel hoax against the parents of the girl who committed suicide. They filed a complaint with local police against Megan's parents.
The reason?
After finding out who was responsible for the creation of the fictitious MySpace account that led to their daughters suicide, Megan's parents destroyed a foosball table they had been storing for the heartless adults.
Some of that outrage surfaced at the Orlando Sentinel:
Girl Commits Suicide Over Internet Prank by ADULTS--Who is Responsible?I heard this on the MJ Morning Show this morning and had to share. This story is so heinous, disgusting...I don't even know where to begin.
Any folks out there who are lawyers, law enforcement officers, or judges--can you shed some light? I'm looking for your input.
Some of it surfaced at the home of the original reporter, Steve Pokin, of the story in suburban St.Louis. Readers Respond in Force to Story on MySpace SuicideSome of you have asked your children to read the story and have requested/demanded to look at their MySpace pages.Of course, there has been outrage over the fact that Josh Evans - a 16-year-old who never existed - was created not by a teen, but by an adult. That anger is reflected in the comments posted on the Journal's Web sites.
The comments on both pieces were mostly of the "WTF" variety.
BACKGROUND:
Cruel MySpace Prank Leads to Teen's Suicide
DBKP, because we were the first in the blogosphere to pick up on this story, was contacted early yesterday morning by FoxNews from New York. The story is still flying under the radar for most of the nation.
It will get more attention for a variety of reasons. It's tragic that a young girl lost her life. It's tragic that it was adults that were responsible for her misery.
And that tragedy continues that no justice has been found for the bereaved parents of Megan Meiers.
It will draw attention to the mostly unsupervised world that teens inhabit on MySpace. The Internet, in our minds, should remain free.
However, that puts a responsibility on parents to properly supervise their children's actions. It's a responsibility that many parents voice, but far fewer practice.
It will command some space in any article wishing to argue against 'decadent American suburbia'. It will serve as an excuse to discuss some writer's pet peeve, however unrelated to this story it may be.
Additionally, it may focus attention on a culture that focuses on drama 24/7. The betting here is that there are more conversations on the latest drug-induced bumblings of Britney than there are about responsibility in many homes.
Drama sells.
Ask Inside Edition or any of the celeb-pandering shows that proliferate on the tube.
The story of Megan Meier is tragic story.
Hopefully, that story will spark some conversation and debate that will prevent other stories like hers from happening.
by Mondoreb
More on the Megan Meier MySpace Suicide:
LATEST:
Supposedly an ex-friend of Megan's replies to our stories in
"Megan Had It Coming"
MySpace Suicide: The Megan Meier Story - Video
Megan Meier MySpace Suicide Cruel Hoax: No Justice for Megan
Cruel Hoaxer's Outed: Let the Lesser Outrage Begin
MySpace Suicide: Megan Meier's Story May Prevent Others Like It
Megan Meier MySpace Suicide: Cruel Hoaxers Outed, Let The Lesser Outrage Begin
Mondoreb @ BNN:
MySpace Suicide Reaction: Outrage!
Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.
A cruel, and unbelievably vicious prank perpetrated upon a young girl has stripped away the Leave It To Beaver veneer of a suburban St. Louis neighborhood. A fourteen year old girl is dead by her own hand, her parents shattered and in disbelief, and the wonder if there will be justice for their daughter.
Will there be justice for Megan Meier?
UPDATE: MySpace Suicide Reaction: Outrage! Outrage! Outrage!
The story continues to a sad end for Megan's family. There were no winners in this story; there's not much that even the most optimistic could glean from this tale. Just a cruel prank by some vicious, thoughtless people who should have known better.
My Space' hoax ends with suicide of Dardenne Prairie teen
By Steve Pokin
Monday, November 12, 2007 5:48 AM CST
His name was Josh Evans. He was 16 years old. And he was hot.
"Mom! Mom! Mom! Look at him!" Tina Meier recalls her daughter saying.
Josh had contacted Megan Meier through her MySpace page and wanted to be added as a friend.Yes, he's cute, Tina Meier told her daughter. "Do you know who he is?"
"No, but look at him! He's hot! Please, please, can I add him?"
Mom said yes. And for six weeks Megan and Josh - under Tina's watchful eye - became acquainted in the virtual world of MySpace.
Josh said he was born in Florida and recently had moved to O'Fallon. He was homeschooled. He played the guitar and drums.
He was from a broken home: "when i was 7 my dad left me and my mom and my older brother and my newborn brother 3 boys god i know poor mom yeah she had such a hard time when we were younger finding work to pay for us after he loeft."
As for 13-year-old Megan, of Dardenne Prairie, this is how she expressed who she was:
M is for Modern
E is for Enthusiastic
G is for Goofy
A is for Alluring
N is for Neglected.
She loved swimming, boating, fishing, dogs, rap music and boys. But her life had not always been easy, her mother says.
She was heavy and for years had tried to lose weight. She had attention deficit disorder and battled depression. Back in third grade she had talked about suicide, Tina says, and ever since had seen a therapist.
But things were going exceptionally well. She had shed 20 pounds, getting down to 175. She was 5 foot 5½ inches tall.
She had just started eighth grade at a new school, Immaculate Conception, in Dardenne Prairie, where she was on the volleyball team. She had attended Fort Zumwalt public schools before that.
Amid all these positives, Tina says, her daughter decided to end a friendship with a girlfriend who lived down the street from them. The girls had spent much of seventh grade alternating between being friends and, the next day, not being friends, Tina says.
Part of the reason for Megan's rosy outlook was Josh, Tina says. After school, Megan would rush to the computer.
"Megan had a lifelong struggle with weight and self-esteem," Tina says. "And now she finally had a boy who she thought really thought she was pretty."
It did seem odd, Tina says, that Josh never asked for Megan's phone number. And when Megan asked for his, she says, Josh said he didn't have a cell and his mother did not yet have a landline.
And then on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2006, Megan received a puzzling and disturbing message from Josh. Tina recalls that it said: "I don't know if I want to be friends with you anymore because I've heard that you are not very nice to your friends."
Frantic, Megan shot back: "What are you talking about?"
SHADOWY CYBERSPACE
Tina Meier was wary of the cyber-world of MySpace and its 70 million users. People are not always who they say they are.
Tina knew firsthand. Megan and the girl down the block, the former friend, once had created a fake MySpace account, using the photo of a good-looking girl as a way to talk to boys online, Tina says. When Tina found out, she ended Megan's access.
MySpace has rules. A lot of them. There are nine pages of terms and conditions. The long list of prohibited content includes sexual material. And users must be at least 14.
"Are you joking?" Tina asks. "There are fifth-grade girls who have MySpace accounts."
As for sexual content, Tina says, most parents have no clue how much there is. And Megan wasn't 14 when she opened her account. To join, you are asked your age but there is no check. The accounts are free.
As Megan's 14th birthday approached, she pleaded for her mom to give her another chance on MySpace, and Tina relented.
She told Megan she would be all over this account, monitoring it. Megan didn't always make good choices because of her ADD, Tina says. And this time, Megan's page would be set to private and only Mom and Dad would have the password.
'GOD-AWFUL FEELING'
Monday, Oct. 16, 2006, was a rainy, bleak day. At school, Megan had handed out invitations to her upcoming birthday party and when she got home she asked her mother to log on to MySpace to see if Josh had responded.
Why did he suddenly think she was mean? Who had he been talking to?
Tina signed on. But she was in a hurry. She had to take her younger daughter, Allison, to the orthodontist.
Before Tina could get out the door it was clear Megan was upset. Josh still was sending troubling messages. And he apparently had shared some of Megan's messages with others.
Tina recalled telling Megan to sign off.
"I will Mom," Megan said. "Let me finish up."
Tina was pressed for time. She had to go. But once at the orthodontist's office she called Megan: Did you sign off?
"No, Mom. They are all being so mean to me."
"You are not listening to me, Megan! Sign off, now!"
Fifteen minutes later, Megan called her mother. By now Megan was in tears.
"They are posting bulletins about me." A bulletin is like a survey. "Megan Meier is a slut. Megan Meier is fat."
Megan was sobbing hysterically. Tina was furious that she had not signed off.
Once Tina returned home she rushed into the basement where the computer was. Tina was shocked at the vulgar language her daughter was firing back at people.
"I am so aggravated at you for doing this!" she told Megan.
Megan ran from the computer and left, but not without first telling Tina, "You're supposed to be my mom! You're supposed to be on my side!"
On the stairway leading to her second-story bedroom, Megan ran into her father, Ron.
"I grabbed her as she tried to go by," Ron says. "She told me that some kids were saying horrible stuff about her and she didn't understand why. I told her it's OK. I told her that they obviously don't know her. And that it would be fine."
Megan went to her room and Ron went downstairs to the kitchen, where he and Tina talked about what had happened, the MySpace account, and made dinner.
Twenty minutes later, Tina suddenly froze in mid-sentence.
"I had this God-awful feeling and I ran up into her room and she had hung herself in the closet."
Megan Taylor Meier died the next day, three weeks before her 14th birthday.
Later that day, Ron opened his daughter's MySpace account and viewed what he believes to be the final message Megan saw - one the FBI would be unable to retrieve from the hard drive.
It was from Josh and, according to Ron's best recollection, it said, "Everybody in O'Fallon knows how you are. You are a bad person and everybody hates you. Have a shitty rest of your life. The world would be a better place without you."
BEYOND GRIEF INTO FURY
Tina and Ron saw a grief counselor. Tina went to a couple of Parents After Loss of Suicide meetings, as well.
They tried to message Josh Evans, to let him know the deadly power of mean words. But his MySpace account had been deleted.
The day after Megan's death, they went down the street to comfort the family of the girl who had once been Megan's friend. They let the girl and her family know that although she and Megan had their ups and down, Megan valued her friendship.
They also attended the girl's birthday party, although Ron had to leave when it came time to sing "Happy Birthday." The Meiers went to the father's 50th birthday celebration. In addition, the Meiers stored a foosball table, a Christmas gift, for that family.
Six weeks after Megan died, on a Saturday morning, a neighbor down the street, a different neighbor, one they didn't know well, called and insisted that they meet that morning at a counselor's office in northern O'Fallon.
The woman would not provide details. Ron and Tina went. Their grief counselor was there. As well as a counselor from Fort Zumwalt West Middle School.
The neighbor from down the street, a single mom with a daughter the same age as Megan, informed the Meiers that Josh Evans never existed.
She told the Meiers that Josh Evans was created by adults, a family on their block. These adults, she told the Meiers, were the parents of Megan's former girlfriend, the one with whom she had a falling out. These were the people who'd asked the Meiers to store their foosball table.
The single mother, for this story, requested that her name not be used. She said her daughter, who had carpooled with the family that was involved in creating the phony MySpace account, had the password to the Josh Evans account and had sent one message - the one Megan received (and later retrieved off the hard drive) the night before she took her life.
"She had been encouraged to join in the joke," the single mother said.
The single mother said her daughter feels the guilt of not saying something sooner and for writing that message. Her daughter didn't speak out sooner because she'd known the other family for years and thought that what they were doing must be OK because, after all, they were trusted adults.
On the night the ambulance came for Megan, the single mother said, before it left the Meiers' house her daughter received a call. It was the woman behind the creation of the Josh Evans account. She had called to tell the girl that something had happened to Megan and advised the girl not to mention the MySpace account.
Source: Suburban Journals - 'My Space' hoax ends with suicide of Dardenne Prairie teen
It's hard to see how after arranging such a cruel hoax with such tragic consequences, the adults involved could instruct their children on any moral or ethical issues that the children might have to deal with later.
It's just a sad story.
Our hearts go out to the parents and family of Megan.
By LBG
[photo:chatinthehat]
notes: Mondoreb
More Megan Meier MySpace Suicide Stories:
All stories listed on ticker in upper left-hand corner of page.
LATEST:
Megan Meier MySpace Suicide: Reactions to the Reactions to the Reactions
Supposedly an ex-friend of Megan's replies to our stories in
"Megan Had It Coming"
MySpace Suicide: The Megan Meier Story - Video
Megan Meier MySpace Suicide Cruel Hoax: No Justice for Megan"
Cruel Hoaxer's Outed: Let the Lesser Outrage Begin
Megan Meier MySpace Suicide Reactions: Outrage! Outrage!
MySpace Suicide: Megan Meier's Story May Prevent Others Like It
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Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.
