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More Grim Revelations Involving the Catholic Church Come to Light

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St. Joseph's Orphanage Story

Recently a Pennsylvania grand jury report disclosed details about how the church covered up hundreds of abuse crimes committed by priests. Then there was the Netflix documentary, “The Keepers,” which connected a sexually abusive Catholic principal to the mysterious murder of a whistle-blowing nun.

No matter how you turn, twist, or outright ignore it, it’s safe to say that these are difficult times for the Catholic Church. Bad press abounds and all of the skeletons in the church’s collective closet are coming out into the light one-by-one. This next revelation about a Vermont Catholic orphanage, however, may be the most disturbing of all.

Bouncing Baby Boy

St. Joseph's Orphanage Story
  www.burlingtonfreepress.com

It was a late summer afternoon when Sally Dale saw it happen. She was a child living in an orphanage run by Catholic nuns. Even now, so many years after it happened, Sally can barely believe what she saw that day. Incredulous as it seems, Sally had seen one of the nuns throw a little boy out of a fourth story window.

Vivid Imagination

St. Joseph's Orphanage Story
  www.radaronline.com

The nun was standing at the window, her arms straightened out in front of her over the sill. Sally looked on in horrified disbelief. The only two people that had seen the act were herself and the nun who had been escorting her. When she asked the nun what she’d just seen, the woman grabbed her by the ear and dragged her to the other side of the yard, scolding her for having a wicked, vivid imagination.

Report in 1996

St. Joseph's Orphanage Story
  www.dailymail.co.uk

Sally knew what she had seen and recounted it in vivid detail many years later when she and 28 other former orphans of the St. Joseph’s Catholic Orphanage came forward with horrifying accounts of abuse there. It was 1996 and each of the 28 people had brought lawsuits against the nuns, the diocese, and the social agency that oversaw the orphanage.

To Small Effect

St. Joseph's Orphanage Story
  www.dailymail.co.uk

For decades so many of those people, Sally Dale included, had avoided speaking about anything that had happened at St. Joseph’s. While many of them went on to marry, have children, and in some cases even grandchildren of their own, none of them liked to discuss the orphanage. Emboldened by each other and the help of some caring lawyers, they felt comfortable enough to speak out.

Awful Allegations

St. Joseph's Orphanage Story
  www.apartments.com

As stated, sexual abuse scandals by members of the Catholic Church were already being bandied about far more freely than they had been when Sally was an orphan. With the secrets and silence shattered, the church could no longer hide from its skeletons. Nevertheless, the stories told by survivors at St. Joseph’s were just as awful, and in some cases more awful, than the allegations that had come before.

Orphans a’ Plenty

St. Joseph's Orphanage Story
  www.buzzfeednews.com

In the 1930s, when the American orphanage system was at its peak, more than 1,600 institutions were open around the country. Many of these were supported partly by public funding but were run by various religious orders. The Catholic Church was one such organization. It is estimated that in the 20th century alone, more than five million American children passed through orphanages.

Many Forms

St. Joseph's Orphanage Story
  www.dailymail.co.uk

The abuse at St. Joseph’s is not a singular instance either. With so many organizations and orphanages across the country, it is reasonable to believe that a good number of them might have been improperly managed. And it’s not just poor hygiene, sub-par healthcare, and underfeeding, but actual physical, mental, and in some cases, sexual abuse.

Tales Across the Country

St. Joseph's Orphanage Story
  www.thecut.com

Tales of abuse are eerily similar across the United States and throughout different organizations. Some people who grew up in the system explain that they were made to kneel or stand for hours, often with their arms straight out, sometimes holding heavy items or their own shoes. There are even tales of children forced to eat disgusting things at the nun’s insistence, such as vomit.

Tons of Abuses

St. Joseph's Orphanage Story
  www.latestly.com

There are even scarier tales of children dangled upside down out of windows, or over wells and laundry shoots. It is also thought that children were locked in cabinets, attics, basements, or outhouses, sometimes for days at a time. Children were separated from their siblings permanently as punishment, sexually abused, or mutilated for no reason whatsoever.

Tales of Sorrow

St. Joseph's Orphanage Story
  www.dailymail.co.uk

Perhaps the darkest stories of all come from people like Sally of St. Joseph’s, who saw children defenestrated. Many children who entered orphanages like St. Joseph’s never actually left them alive. Many were considered “natural” deaths or were attributed to accidents, but if the stories are to be believed, then it was the staff who ran these places, nuns and priests that caused these deaths.

Outside the US

St. Joseph's Orphanage Story
  www.catholicphilly.com

This sort of thing doesn’t just happen in the United States, either. The UK, Canada, Germany, Ireland, and Australia have all faced multiple government inquiries concerning the mistreatment and alleged abuse of children in orphanages, many of them Catholic orphanages. Some of what these inquiries have uncovered has been just as shocking as the abuses in the U.S. as well.

Depravity

St. Joseph's Orphanage Story
  www.thelocal.de

One such inquiry from 1998 cited “exceptional depravity” at four homes run by the Christian Brothers order in Australia. Apparently, a boy at the home was the object of a rather disturbing competition between the brothers. The bet was to see who could sexually abuse him 100 times. This is a prime example of how this abuse can be more dangerous when it becomes systemic.

Rarely Prosecuted

St. Joseph's Orphanage Story
  www.dailymail.co.uk

Unfortunately, despite all the strides made in other parts of the world, the United States has seen no such reform. The tales told about the orphanages in this country are rare, and many of the former residents have gone on with their lives and forgotten it. There have been a few instances where settlements were made privately, but governing bodies have rarely pursued past hearing the allegations.

Joseph Barquin

St. Joseph's Orphanage Story
  digital.vpr.net

That was all before Joseph Barquin, a former orphan who chose to speak out when his new wife was shocked by the horrible scars to his genitals. According to him, a nun at St. Joseph’s had dragged him into a back room, forcibly fondled him, and cut his groin with something sharp when she was done. He buried the incident for years, but finally, after coming to terms with it, decided he wanted justice.

Other Abuses

St. Joseph's Orphanage Story
  www.sevendaysvt.com

He remembered other children being beaten senseless and even one girl being thrown down a flight of stairs to her death. It was because of Barquin that Sally Dale had come forward. The first lawyer Barquin asked for help decided they needed more witnesses. He wanted to hear what the other orphans had to say about the abuses at St. Joseph’s, so he contacted dozens of others, all who came forward to tell their stories.

Difficult Case

St. Joseph's Orphanage Story
  www.bencarrascolaw.com

Unfortunately, even though the group of survivors had found each other and grown closer because of their shared trauma, all of the assaults had happened so long ago. Corroboration aside, prosecuting the diocese and many of the nuns was going to be difficult. Priests had been known as sexual predators, but convincing a jury that nuns were too, was going to be hard.

Twists and Turns

St. Joseph's Orphanage Story
  www.thecut.com

It was three years and two lawyers later when the diocese finally decided to resolve Barquin’s suit through private mediation. They didn’t want to risk they story being talked about in open court. Barquin and his fellow complainants had become a thorn in the church’s side and they weren’t going away. Despite some ups and downs between them, the former orphans came together under Barquin and told their stories.

Brutal Tales

St. Joseph's Orphanage Story
  www.thesun.co.uk

Many of them spoke of dead children, of kids thrown out of windows, pushed into frozen lakes, or tied to trees and left to freeze overnight. There were even stories of infants smothered in their cribs by nuns. It was enough to send shivers down anyone’s spine. There was one problem though, there was no way to prove that all these stories were true.

Another World

St. Joseph's Orphanage Story
  www.cbc.ca

In the end, finding the truth about what really happened all those years ago is nearly an impossible task. The eerie world extant in many of these century-old Catholic orphanages is one that few people are aware of. Orphanages, even the well-known ones, were walled-off from the rest of society. No one knew what happened inside of them and most people didn’t want to know.

Decades of Doubt

St. Joseph's Orphanage Story
  www.dailymail.co.uk

It took decades for Sally, Barquin, and the other survivors to talk about what had happened. They received little more for their trouble than some conciliatory hush money and a meaningless apology from the Catholic church and the diocese. News of these atrocities finally coming to light has helped give all those who suffered from abuse a chance to heal.

More Grim Revelations Involving the Catholic Church Come to Light is an article from: LifeDaily


Student at Canadian University Seeks to Expose Chinese Re-Education Centers

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Shawn Zhang Story

When a University of British Columbia student had an idea that he believed would help save a nation, he decided to run with it. “Bold thinking is given a place to develop into ideas that can change the world,” the school’s website reads.

This is exactly the mentality that the law student holds as his entrepreneurial spirit challenges the status quo. His interests, as evident on his Twitter account, are “human rights in China, Tibet, Xinjiang, and occasionally international relations.” Here’s what Shawn Zhang has been up to at his school in Vancouver.

Studying at the University of British Columbia

Shawn Zhang Story
  www.theglobeandmail.com

Besides being a law student at the University of British Columbia in Canada, Zhang has been working on an important side project. The 28-year-old student had been using satellite images to track places over 6,000 miles away.

Law Student

Shawn Zhang Story
  www.usnews.com

By day, Zhang works at a student legal-aid program and then comes home at night and pulls up images from Xinjiang. He is looking for re-education centers in Xinjiang, a Chinese region, where he estimates that thousands of Muslims have been forced to undergo political indoctrination.

What is Political Indoctrination?

Shawn Zhang Story
  shawnwzhang / Twitter

Political indoctrination involves persuading people to adopt certain beliefs, ideas, values, and ideologies related to politics and governance. This happens through coercion, forcing people to act and think on the basis of a certain ideology.

What Zhang Believes

Shawn Zhang Story
  www.ottawacitizen.com

Many critics argue that religious and political indoctrination can and often does begin very early on. They say there’s a big difference between including your children in family traditions and forcing religious opinions on them. According to Zhang, re-education is basically part of China’s plan to gain full control over Xinjiang.

Xinjiang, China

Shawn Zhang Story
  www.wsj.com

Xinjiang is a region of China in the northwest part of the country that is home to a number of different ethnic groups including the Uyghur, Han, Kazakhs, Tajiks, Hiu, Mongols, Kyrgyz, and Russians. A man named Hasan is one of the many Uyghurs, a Turkic people, who reportedly disappeared in Xinjiang. It’s rumored he was sent to a re-education camp.

Re-Education Centers

Shawn Zhang Story
  www.videoblocks.com

Zhang is now playing an important role in documenting this system that authorities call, “vocational skills training,” although critics compare it to military prisons. Locating the re-education centers has become a personal project for Zhang and so far he’s found 21 suspected locations.

‘The Most Pressing Human-Rights Concern’

Shawn Zhang Story
  www.theglobeandmail.com

He sees the re-education system as the most pressing human-rights concern in China today, according to Canada’s The Globe and Mail. Zhang said that China is “basically trying to wipe out their culture, their identity, to fully assimilate Uyghurs into Chinese.”

Credible Resources

Shawn Zhang Story
  shawnwzhang / Twitter

Although Zhang’s research is a personal project, his database is founded in part on addresses contained in government bid documents. They’re documents pertaining to the construction or renovation of facilities used for re-education.

Darren Byler

Shawn Zhang Story
  anthropology.washington.edu

“This credible reference helps to demonstrate the vast scale of the project,” according to Darren Byler, an anthropologist at the University of Washington who studies the region. “Because of their size and their distribution across the province, we can deduce that this project is highly organized and systematic.”

Byler’s Beliefs

Shawn Zhang Story
  www.asianews.it

Byler continues: “The repetition in design — from fencing and police stations to dormitories and public gathering spaces — makes it clear that the camp system is centrally planned or at least synchronized, rather than an ad hoc system based solely on the impulses of local officials.” He also estimates that around 10 percent of the Uyghur population resides in these centers.

Adrian Zenz

Shawn Zhang Story
  www.chinafile.com

Adrian Zenz, a researcher who specializes in Tibet and Xinjiang at the European School of Culture and Theology in Korntal-Munchingen, Germany, has also used government documents to access the scope of the re-education system. He estimates that at least several hundred people have been placed into re-education centers.

Satellite Images

Shawn Zhang Story
  shawnwzhang / Twitter

“The evidence for re-education through satellite images is nice,” Zenz said. “Still, satellite images by themselves are currently unable to provide conclusive evidence of a widespread re-education network … But they corroborate some of my findings.”

Zhang’s background

Shawn Zhang Story
  www.wustl.edu

Zhang previously studied Chinese literature at Peking University and received a master’s in East Asian studies at Washington University in St. Louis. While dorming at Peking University, Zhang engaged in various debates with his roommates, which sharpened his political views.

Sparking His Interest

Shawn Zhang Story
  www.ndtv.com

He watched a documentary on the Tiananmen crackdown in 1989 and became interested in Charter 08, manifesto calling for major change to China’s authoritarian governance system. Zhang’s choice to study law at The University of British Columbia, he thought, would provide him with the tools he needed to pursue his interest in human rights.

Questioned by Secret Police

Shawn Zhang Story
  Wikipedia

Zhang’s online writing on human rights issues has drawn the attention of Chinese authorities. In 2012, he was questioned by secret police over Twitter posts he made about the Chinese Jasmine Revolution, a series of pro-democracy protests in 2011. Then, earlier this year, he had another run-in with authorities.

Officers’ Demands

Shawn Zhang Story
  www.scmp.com

Police contacted Zhang’s parents after he posted images of a Tibetan flag to Twitter and Weibo, a Chinese social-media service. The officers demanded he delete the content and when he didn’t comply, they reportedly persuaded one of his father’s friends, a propaganda official, to meet with his father.

Meeting

Shawn Zhang Story
  www.time.com

At that meeting, his father was photographed and asked to sign a document about their conversation. Police called Zhang’s parents again after he posted an unflattering image of Chinese President Xi Jinping. In response, Weibo suspended two of Zhang’s accounts this past year.

Immense Pressure

Shawn Zhang Story
  www.theglobeandmail.com

Zhang’s views have brought him attention in Canada, where his experience is provided as a warning about China bullying citizens outside its borders. Zhang doesn’t believe that he’s being monitored by the Chinese at his college, but he does fear his Xinjiang re-education research places him at risk.

Controversial

Shawn Zhang Story
  www.scroll.in

He plans to apply for Canadian permanent residency this summer and told The Globe and Mail, “I don’t think I will go back to China unless I have a Canadian passport. Chinese authorities have denied the existence of re-education centers, although media in the state has openly discussed campaigns to spread Communist ideology.”

Zhang’s Hopes for the Future

Shawn Zhang Story
  www.bbc.com

Zhang’s motivation in finding the centers stems from his desire to add concrete evidence to the accounts of people whose relatives have been taken into re-education, or who have experienced political indoctrination in other ways. His main hope is that the international community will press China to end re-education, although he is pessimistic about this happening.

Student at Canadian University Seeks to Expose Chinese Re-Education Centers is an article from: LifeDaily

Amazon Employee Sheds Light on the Company’s Odd Management Process

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Amazon Story

Amazon announced that its latest experiment in managing its large workforce is an employee appeal process. When the program was announced last year, Amazon acknowledged that it had been quick to fire employees instead of trying to resolve issues in other ways.

With its tremendous workforce equaling hundreds of thousands of employees, it makes sense that Amazon is trying to come up with new ways to manage such a number of people. Here’s what we learned after one employee came clean about her recent experience with the company.

Amazon.com

Amazon Story
  www.amazon.com

Since 1994, Amazon has grown to be the largest internet retailer in the world, the second largest after Alibaba Group in terms of sales. Today, it’s second only to Walmart for number of employees.

Growing Company

Amazon Story
  www.houstonchronicle.com

As the years pass, the number of people working for Amazon continues to go up, and in 2017, the company reached more than 566,000 employees worldwide. These employees include full-time and part-time workers, not contractors and temporary personnel. As Amazon seeks to set themselves apart from other companies, their hiring and firing policies are also different.

Training Staff Members

Amazon Story
  www.hcamag.com

According to a 2014 article posted on Investors.com, Amazon has a specific method to reduce hiring errors. They specially train staffers, known as “bar raiser,” to be interviewers. These people, who also hold other jobs at Amazon, are separate from the regular hiring team, but they have veto power over job candidates and can essentially block a hire.

Bar Raiser

Amazon Story
  www.prospershow.com

“The bar raiser exists to ensure that the next hire should increase the company’s collective IQ, capacity, and capability — not decrease it,” said John Rossman, a former Amazon executive. Rossman, who was director of enterprise services at Amazon, says…

Writing its Own Software

Amazon Story
  Executive Speakers Bureau / YouTube

The hiring process at Amazon includes all interviewers writing up a report and gathering to debrief one another following a candidate’s job interviews. When asked what a bar raiser does after a candidate’s job interview, Rossman says that Amazon wrote its own interview management system software called MRT, which stands for Matt Round tool.

Matt Round Tool

Amazon Story
  www.gurufocus.com

Matt, an engineer at Amazon, wrote the program and said it’s a tool that helps manage interviews and all the feedback. Rossman describes that when he was first interviewed at Amazon, he had been a partner at a prominent accounting firm. Despite being a 20-year professional at that time, he was interviewed like someone right out of college. As you can imagine, Amazon’s firing policies, are just as unique.

Fired From Amazon

Amazon Story
  www.dailyrecord.co.uk

While few people want to admit that they were nearly fired from a job, especially not from a big company like Amazon, a woman name Jane can clean about her experience. She works at Amazon’s headquarters in Seattle, where earlier this year, the company began a round of corporate layoffs.

Layoffs

Amazon Story
  www.videoblocks.com

They targeted mature, retail-focused areas of the business and employees also reported hiring freezes, where teams found themselves with too many people for the work in front of them. Layoffs also fell on Amazon subsidiaries, like Whole Foods, Createspace, and Zappos. In fact, in 2018 Amazon’s employee count declined for the first time since 2009. Jane explained what happened to her.

Evaluating Her Performance

Amazon Story
  www.abstract-living.com

After previously being told her work performance wasn’t good enough, Jane was called into a meeting with her manager and someone from the human resources department. They presented her with three options and she needed to choose one.

The Options

Amazon Story
  www.falcon-software.com

The first option was to take an Amazon company severance package and walk away. The second was to go on a performance improvement plan, part of something Amazon calls “Pivot.” This meant Jane would have to spend two months or more showing she could meet specific expectations from her manager. The third option…

Fighting Back

Amazon Story
  Shutterstock

Jane could decide to fight back by taking the whole thing to an employee appeal process in front of a jury of her Amazonian peers. It would be like a “video conference version of the Thunderdome,” as Bloomberg described it. The last option was not appealing to Jane as she didn’t enjoy confrontation.

Choosing Option Three

Amazon Story
  www.glassdoor.com

If she picked option three, Jane would need to face off against her boss, each going point-by-point through his disappointments with her performance, while the other Amazon employees watching decided who made the better case. Being that Jane had nothing to lose, she chose option three.

Weighing Her Options

Amazon Story
  www.videoadvertisingnews.com

She based her decision on weighing the pros and cons of all her choices. She noted that the second option, the Pivot program included pairing underperforming employees with “Career Ambassadors.” But according to Amazon employees, being put on a performance improvement plan was considered “a death sentence.”

Pivot

Amazon Story
  supplier.community

Amazon told Bloomberg, “Pivot is a uniquely Amazonian program that was thoughtfully designed to provide a fair and transparent process for employees who need support … When employees are placed in Pivot, they have the option of working with their manager and HR to improve with a clear plan forward, of leaving Amazon with severance, or of appealing if they feel they shouldn’t be in the program.” However, there are downsides to the program.

Stresses of Litigating

Amazon Story
  www.bbc.com

The stress of litigating a case before strangers and against their bosses while trying to get along with their manager is rather difficult. To plead her case, Jane had the option of choosing one manager or three non-managers as her jury. She chose the non-managers and was given a list of potential panelists in advance so she could look up their biographies, job titles, and work backgrounds, using an internal phone tool and LinkedIn.

Panelists

Amazon Story
  www.trueconf.com

Jane also had the option to dismiss any panelists if she worried they might be unsympathetic. It was time for her hearing, and while inside, the video conference made it difficult for Jane to connect with the panelists or engage on a personal level. She was so nervous she sweated through her shirt and she wasn’t invited to watch her boss’s presentation, and he got the last word.

The News

Amazon Story
  www.associationsnow.com

Jane waited by the phone until the career ambassador called her to tell her she’d lost. After Jane’s career ambassador called to tell her she lost the appeal, she was given one business day to decide if she wanted to accept one month of severance pay to leave or try to meet the goals of her performance improvement plan.

Downside to Winning

Amazon Story
  www.efe.com

Whether you win or lose, there’s a chance that if you stay with Amazon that you will wind up working for the same manager that tried to get you fired. If you win, however, there’s a process to allow you to create a new position within the company with a different manager.

Performance-Improvement Plans

Amazon Story
  www.alexjhiggins.com

It would take additional effort on both sides to get over the experience and work together efficiently. Jane chose to keep working at Amazon as she felt it was the best decision for her. But, Seattle employment lawyer Alex Higgins says he’s consulted with about 10 Amazon employees presented with performance-improvement plans.

Not a Long-Term Solution

Amazon Story
  www.businesstoday.in

Four of those clients appealed their cases and only one won. However, that client left Amazon for another job shortly after because the tension remained with his boss. “It doesn’t really provide a long-term solution,” Higgins said. “The people on the appeal panel say you’re right, and they go away. Then you’re still with the same boss, who thinks you aren’t doing a good job.”

Amazon Employee Sheds Light on the Company’s Odd Management Process is an article from: LifeDaily

This is What Happened to the Woman Who Flipped Off the President

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Juli Briskman Story

When an opportunity presented itself for a woman living in Virginia to show President Trump how she really felt about him, she took it. Unaware that anyone would have gotten a photo of her flipping him off, she went about her life until a text from a friend took her completely by surprise.

She was then faced with the decision to own up to what she did or pretend like it never happened. Here’s what happened when a split-second decision turned this mother’s world upside down…

Flipping Off the President

Juli Briskman Story
  www.cnn.com

It happened around 3 pm on a Saturday when President Trump was on his way back to the White House following a golf outing. His motorcade, which included a team of journalists, drove past a female cyclist wearing a white top and a cycling helmet. The woman reacted by raising the middle finger of her left hand.

Flipping Off the President Again

Juli Briskman Story
  www.thegrio.com

The fleet of vehicles continued driving but then slowed down for a red light where the woman caught up with them. She flipped the bird a second time before turning right, at which point, the motorcade turned left.

The Story Went Viral

Juli Briskman Story
  www.dmlnews.com

Soon after, the photo of the woman on the bike went viral on social media. Late-night TV host Stephen Colbert said, “No one has summed up the mood of the country better … Long may she wave.” The Washington Post called the incident, “the middle-finger salute seen around the world.”

Who Was the Cyclist?

Juli Briskman Story
  www.tampabay.com

While the cyclist’s face was not visible from the photo, with the assistance of friends on social media, the woman was soon found. Numerous questions remained. Who was this rebel? And what did she have to gain by flipping off the President?

Juli Briskman

Juli Briskman Story
  www.wikinetworth.com

Juli Briskman, 50, was a marketing executive at Akima, a government contracting firm in Herndon, Virginia. She lives with her two children and Labrador retriever, Sailor. The family resides in a cozy home not too far from Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Northern Virginia.

Home Decor

Juli Briskman Story
  www.heavy.com

Inside her house, Briskman has a guitar, piano, and aphorisms plastered everywhere with sayings like “All you need is love” and “Life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful.” In one her bathrooms a print reads: “Life is short, break the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably and never regret anything that made you smile.” The latter seemed like something Briskman could relate to on a personal level.

Avid Runner

Juli Briskman Story
  www.theguardian.com

According to an interview with The Guardian, Briskman describes herself as more of a runner than a cyclist and she even celebrated her 50th birthday by running in a marathon. In total, she’s run five marathons and has had a personal best of five hours and 17 minutes. On her walls are accomplishments that she’s proud of, like obtaining medals for her running.

Political Views

Juli Briskman Story
  www.heavy.com

Then, inside Briskman’s garage are stickers on the wall explaining her political views. “Proud Democrat” and “I’m an Obama Democrat” are displayed for any visitors to see. When asked if she felt that giving the middle finger was out of character …

Self Expression

Juli Briskman Story
  www.everipedia.org

… Briskman said, “It’s not something I do a lot… It was just sort of like, here I am on my bike. I’ve got nothing, right? This is pretty much the only thing I had to express my opinion. He wasn’t going to hear me through bulletproof glass… So that was pretty much how I could say what I wanted to say.” She didn’t get to see the president, so she had no way of gauging his reaction, but the look on the face of one of the Secret Service members said enough.

Stares from Secret Service

Juli Briskman Story
  www.cbsnews.com

Briskman recalls, “When I came past the second time, there was a guy looking out with a very round face and grey hair. I don’t know who that was but he was looking out and I looked at him and he had no reaction … I was a little bit nervous because you don’t know what the political persuasion is of the folks that are riding with him.” Little did Briskman know that there were other important people riding in the car with the president.

Picking up the Story

Juli Briskman Story
  www.heavy.com

Various journalists from different publications also accompanied Trump in some of the vehicles. As the motorcade passed her that final time, Briskman went home and texted her family about what happened. One person joked that it was “real mature” of her.

Publications

Juli Briskman Story
  www.engadget.com

But a report from The Guardian and photos of the incident were spreading across the internet, generating both praise and pity. That next morning, Briskman got up and a friend of hers texted saying, “I’m so proud of you,” and she sent Briskman a link to the story.

Indivisible Movement

Juli Briskman Story
  www.dailymail.co.uk

The link led to the indivisible movement, whose mission is to fuel a grassroots network of local groups to resist the Trump agenda. Someone had posted online that she knew the identity of the cyclist but that she would let her identify herself. That’s when Briskman responded, “Yes, that was me, ha ha ha.”

Taking Responsibility?

Juli Briskman Story
  julibriskman / Twitter

Briskman even put the photo of her protest on her Facebook and Twitter profiles, which at the time, were private pages. However, even though she said, “Yes that was me,” Briskman didn’t quite identify herself as the woman on the bike. “I was walking the line, so to speak,” she said. But, soon, she learned, there was no stopping what was happening.

Calling Attention to Herself

Juli Briskman Story
  www.elitereaders.com

Friends started tagging Briskman and putting links on her Facebook and then another employer, a yoga studio, asked to be taken off her Facebook page. The yoga studio had reportedly received threatening emails and bogus bad reviews on their page. The overwhelming publicity prompted Briskman to come clean and she told her bosses at Akima.

Fired

Juli Briskman Story
  www.videoblocks.com

In response, Briskman was immediately fired after having worked at the company for only six months. Akima stated that Briskman violated the “code of conduct policy,” even though she was off-duty at the time. “They were brutal, but they were very matter-of-fact and their minds weren’t going to be changed,” she said. The company referred Briskman to section 4.3 of their social media policy.

Akima: Section 4.3

Juli Briskman Story
  www.cnn.com

They highlighted the whole section, but verbally, they highlighted the word obscene. They told Briskman, ”We’re government contractors. We can’t have someone flipping off the President.” Briskman believes the decision was unfair.

Fighting on Facebook

Juli Briskman Story
  www.siliconangle.com

She recalls an instance earlier in the year when she found an offensive public comment about a senior director at the company in an online discussion about Black Lives Matter. The employee was ordered to delete it but still kept his job. Supporters have decided to flip off Akima, so to speak, for their decision to fire Briskman.

Lashing Out on Facebook

Juli Briskman Story
  akimallc / Facebook

Supporters showed their displeasure by bombarding the company’s Facebook with middle fingers displayed by a gorilla, Homer Simpson, wind up hands, and even an umbrella. Since the incident, Briskman has spoken with lawyers and is out of a job, but sympathizers online are saying: “We’ll hire her.”

No Regrets

Juli Briskman Story
  www.theguardian.com

When asked by a CNN reporter if she regrets flipping the bird at the President, Briskman responded “No … He doesn’t respect the office, so I don’t respect him.” At least Briskman took responsibility for her actions and didn’t claim that this was a mistaken identity. At the end of the day, if she didn’t post the image herself on social media, no one would have known it was her.

This is What Happened to the Woman Who Flipped Off the President is an article from: LifeDaily

High Saudi Divorce Rate Brings Awareness to a Much Bigger Problem

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Saudi Snapchat Divorce Story

While the divorce rate can be quite high for celebrity couples, it’s not as common for everyone else. But as the years go by, the sacredness of marriage is being devalued by the attitudes of young people and cultural factors in general. It’s not being held to the same standard, as say, 60 years ago.

In particular, this story explains how young couples in Saudi Arabia are not viewing the holiness of marriage as they should. A few examples of newlyweds in this story shed light on what’s really happening in the country and what the much bigger problem is…

Prenups

Saudi Snapchat Divorce Story
  www.kiplinger.com

Premarital or prenuptial agreements, commonly abbreviated to “prenups,” are a legal documents agreed upon and signed by both parties before marriage. These written agreements establish the property and finances of each spouse in the event of a divorce. The contract sets forth what will happen to you and your spouse’s assets and income in the unfortunate end of divorce or death.

Binding Contract

Saudi Snapchat Divorce Story
  www.wamc.org

In one very unusual contract, one man decided to create a binding agreement between him and his bride. In the agreement, he specified what was and what wasn’t allowed at their wedding. Although she signed it, she had no idea what she was in for…

Saudi Couple

Saudi Snapchat Divorce Story
  www.souqalmal.com

The Saudi couple had a prenuptial agreement in place that prohibited them from using social media applications such as Snapchat, Instagram or Twitter to post or send pictures from the wedding. The Saudi press reported that this agreement was a binding one.

Breaking Their Contract

Saudi Snapchat Divorce Story
  www.mirror.co.uk

“It was included in the marriage contract and became binding. Regretfully, my sister did not honor the pledge and used Snapchat to share pictures from the wedding ceremony with her female friends,” the bride’s brother said.

“Cancelling” Their Marriage

Saudi Snapchat Divorce Story
  www.allsnapchat.xyz

Her husband of only two hours decided to “cancel” their marriage and demand a divorce. “[It] resulted in the shocking decision by the groom to cancel their marriage and call for a divorce,” the brother confirmed. What was even more shocking was that the groom’s relatives argued on his behalf saying that he was perfectly within his rights to file for divorce.

Unilateral Power

Saudi Snapchat Divorce Story
  www.maroc-diplomatique.net

This is where part of the problem lies. Unlike U.S. law, under Saudi law, men have the unilateral power to divorce their wives without any legal grounds, effective immediately. Women, on the other hand, need the consent of their husbands or the judiciary before ending a marriage. Mothers will also lose custody of their children if they are over a certain age.

The Statistics

Saudi Snapchat Divorce Story
  www.emirateswoman.com

According to a Saudi legal expert, around half of divorces in the country involve newlyweds. Ahmad Al Maabi said “Misunderstandings, differences in views and the easy approach to marriage without a deep appreciation of the responsibilities are among the major causes for divorce among young people.”

Trivial Reasons

Saudi Snapchat Divorce Story
  www.gistreel.com

He added, “Marriages are bound to fail when there are no robust foundations or trust.” Saudis, in particular, are becoming alarmed over the rate of divorces in the country for trivial reasons. In another startling instance…

Saudi Groom

Saudi Snapchat Divorce Story
  www.gistreel.com

A Saudi man divorced his wife after she kept walking ahead of him despite his repeated warnings to keep a step behind him. Then another groom divorced his wife became she forgot to put the sheep head on the main dish presented by her husband as he hosted his friends for dinner.

Ending In Divorce

Saudi Snapchat Divorce Story
  www.i-lawsuit.com

After the guests left, the woman said that her angry husband accused her of embarrassing him in front of everyone by forgetting to present the most important part of the dinner to his guests, according to Al Watan from the Saudi daily…

Divorcing For Ridiculous Reasons

Saudi Snapchat Divorce Story
  www.aliexpress.com

Another husband divorced his wife during their honeymoon for wearing foot bangles after he told her not to. Earlier this year, a Saudi man divorced his wife after their wedding because she was too busy texting her friends to consummate the marriage. The groom then took his bride back to their hotel room after the ceremony.

An Argument Over Nonsense

Saudi Snapchat Divorce Story
  www.digitaltrends.com

When he tried to get intimate with her, she pushed him away because she was trying to respond to congratulatory messages from her friends on the phone. She became angry when he asked her to stop and pay attention to him…

Bitter Dispute

Saudi Snapchat Divorce Story
  www.telegraph.co.uk

He then asked her if her friends were more important than he was and the bride answered that they were. The frivolous argument brought serious contention between the newlyweds and the groom stormed out of the hotel, telling his wife that he wanted a divorce.

Divorce Epidemic

Saudi Snapchat Divorce Story
  www.arabnews.com

This divorce epidemic in Saudi Arabia is calling for the country to provide married couples, especially newlyweds, with counseling services. Humood Al Shimmari, an official who conducts marriages, said that in the past few years, he has seen an increase in divorces. He cites that there are many reasons for the steady rise…

The Concept Of Marriage

Saudi Snapchat Divorce Story
  www.technoworldnews.com

Some include evolving views toward traditions and social norms, with modern technology being a culprit. “Currently, there seems to be a poor understanding of the concept of marriage and these attitudes are much more common among young people,” he said.

Education Is Necessary

Saudi Snapchat Divorce Story
  stefanik.house.gov

Lateefa Hamid, a social consultant, says that divorces related to customs and traditions were individual misjudgments and reflect a great level of ignorance. “Families should educate their young men and women and encourage them to engage in psychological, social and religious awareness and education programs that will protect future spouses from family problems,” Hamid said…

A Stable Marriage

Saudi Snapchat Divorce Story
  www.todaysecho.com

“Training couples in ways to build a shared life ensures the success of the new couple and family. The more the new couple is aware of the concept of happy marital life, the more successful the marriage is,” Hamid added. But more importantly, the U.S. State Department considers that “discrimination against women is a significant problem” in Saudi Arabia.

“Guardian”

Saudi Snapchat Divorce Story
  www.stepfeed.com

They believe that women have very few political or social rights. In fact, every adult woman has to have a close male relative as her “guardian.” Human Rights Watch has described the position of Saudi women as no different from being a minor…

Little Control

Saudi Snapchat Divorce Story
  www.techjuice.pk

They have very little authority over their own lives and the guardian is entitled to make a number of critical decisions on a woman’s behalf. These include studying at a university or college, giving approval for the woman to travel, to hold a business license, and the decision to not work if the type of business is not “deemed appropriate for a woman.”

Restricting Women’s Rights

Saudi Snapchat Divorce Story
  en.dailypakistan.com.pk

Even if a guardian’s approval is not legally required in an instance, some officials may still ask for it. In courts, as we’ve seen in this story, women face discrimination where the testimony of one man equals that of two women. The list of what they can and can’t do is endless.

High Saudi Divorce Rate Brings Awareness to a Much Bigger Problem is an article from: LifeDaily

Workers Orchestrate Risky Plan After Beloved CEO Loses His Job

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Arthur Demoulas Story

Sometimes in business profit trumps other valuable things like employee welfare, customer satisfaction and public opinion. But when those three things have a heavy enough influence over the ability to generate money, the profit trump-card no longer applies. It’s important for businesses to find the right balance between all of these elements in order to remain successful. One family-owned supermarket would learn this lesson the hard way…

In the summer of 2014, the board of directors of a successful supermarket chain ousted the very person who made them such a success because he actually cared about people over profits. When loyal employees found out, however, they decided to fight for their beloved boss…

Chasing the American Dream

Arthur Demoulas Story
  www.tipntrips.com

In the early 1900s, a Greek couple dreamed of creating a better life for their future family in the land of opportunity. Eventually, they decided to make their dream a reality and left their home in Greece and all of their loved ones to move to the United States of America.

 

Market Basket

Arthur Demoulas Story
  www.masslocal.com

After resettling in Massachusetts, the couple made their American dream a reality when they opened up a grocery store, which they called Market Basket, in the Acre area of Lowell, Massachusetts. From the very beginning, the couple made it their purpose to keep costs low and quality high.

 

A Family Business

Arthur Demoulas Story
  www.bostonglobe.com

From the very beginning, the family-owned grocery store was a success with the people of Lowell. Over the next few decades, the store’s popularity and success only grew among the community as the couple ran the business together.

 

Passing Down the Business

Arthur Demoulas Story
  www.boudinlink.com

In 1954, the couple was ready to retire after building the successful grocery store on their own and decided to sell the family business to two of their six children. The two brothers were dedicated to continuing their parents model of providing high-quality items at affordable prices.

 

A Death in the Family

Arthur Demoulas Story
  www.lowellsun.com

For nearly two decades, Telemachus “Mike” and George Demoulas ran the family business together and found great success opening more Market Baskets in New England. However, that suddenly ended when George died in 1971 and Mike became the sole owner of the family business.

 

A Family Feud

Arthur Demoulas Story
  www.channelpartnersonline.com

However, George’s family argued they should have inherited George’s rights to the company, and decided to take Mike to court to fight for what they believed was rightfully theirs. After suing Mike for defrauding them, the judge agreed with George’s family.

 

The Ruling

Arthur Demoulas Story
  zeenews.india.com

In 1994, a judge ruled that Mike had defrauded George’s side of the family of both the rights to the company as well as profits. As a result, the judge ordered Mike to give 51 percent of the company to his brother’s family.

 

Expanding the Business

Arthur Demoulas Story
  www.pymnts.com

Over the years, Market Basket continued to expand throughout New England and the family-owned company reached new heights as the independent grocery store chain brought in billions of dollars in revenue.

 

A Shared Vision

Arthur Demoulas Story
  www.bostonglobe.com

And that success only continued when Arthur T. Demoulas was elected as president of the corporation in 2008 as he was committed to his grandfather’s vision of creating a store that treats both its employees and customers well without cutting corners.

 

A Promise

Arthur Demoulas Story
  mng-sen.smugmug.com

Arthur promised his 25,000 employees that they would always be rewarded for their loyalty and hard work and promised the customer that they would never increase prices just to increase revenue.

 

Unparalleled Growth

Arthur Demoulas Story
  www.fastenerandfixing.com

During Arthur’s time as CEO of the corporation, he managed to increase sales by a third, added 8,000 employees and sustained one of the highest profit margins in the industry all while maintaining the lowest prices and providing employees with bonuses, retirement plans, and benefits.

 

The Feud Continues

Arthur Demoulas Story
  www.masslive.com

Despite the success, however, the family was never the same after the feud over ownership and on June 25, 2014, Arthur T. was fired as president of the corporation after his cousin, Arthur S., and other relatives that controlled the board of directors ousted him.

 

The New CEOs

Arthur Demoulas Story
  www.bostonglobe.com

Yet, Arthur S. argued that his cousin was spending money recklessly and filed a lawsuit against the president, which ultimately led to Arthur T.’s firing. In his place, Arthur S. and the board of directors appointed two new co-chief executive officers.

 

A Beloved Boss

Arthur Demoulas Story
  www.businessinsider.in

The company’s loyal employees were heartbroken to see Arthur T., who regularly visited stores and even attended employees’ weddings and funerals, forced to leave the company. But it wasn’t long before they became outraged as the work culture quickly started to change under new management.

 

Money Over People

Arthur Demoulas Story
  www.wcvb.com

Within days, employees started organizing a protest and went on strike to try and force the board to bring Arthur T. back. “The people aren’t as important to the board as the cash is,” said protesters, who were determined to fight the board, who wanted to give more money to shareholders instead of reinvesting the money into the business and employees. “Receiving profit-sharing made workers extremely loyal and aware of wastefulness,” former employee Christopher Ward said. “It’s about more than liking [Arthur T.] as a person … employees are grateful for what he does for them.”

 

On Strike

Arthur Demoulas Story
  www.masslive.com

For the following weeks, thousands of employees refused to show up to work and instead spent their time camped outside the company’s headquarters. In addition, loyal middle-class customers refused to shop at the stores fearing the change in management would bring an end to the low prices, which were on average 20 percent lower than competitor’s prices.

 

Customers Join the Fight

Arthur Demoulas Story
  www.wbur.org

“If you take the lower price away from us, you might as well bury all of us,” said John Connor, a customer of the store who depends on lower prices to feed his family. As a result, shelves went bare and stores remained almost completely empty for weeks.

 

Hemorrhaging Money

Arthur Demoulas Story
  www.flickr.com

“I’m standing for what’s right – I’m standing for what I believe in,” said employee Jenifer Gil. During the strike, which gained national attention as a fight for the middle class, the company lost about $10 million every single day. The company couldn’t continue to hemorrhage money, so Arthur S. and the shareholders decided they had no choice but to sell their shares to Arthur T. for $1.5 billion in August 2014.

 

The Boss is Back

Arthur Demoulas Story
  www.bostonglobe.com

As soon as Arthur T. was back in control, employees worked around the clock to get the empty stores up and running again as 88 tractor-trailers of produce, 1.65 million cases of nonperishables, and 2.3 million cases of beef, poultry, and seafood were delivered. “Sales are already at 100 percent of where they were last year,” said Arthur T. He was tasked with stabilizing the company’s finances as well as managing the $1.3 billion debt from buying the shares owned by other family members.

Keeping His Promise

Arthur Demoulas Story
  www.salemnews.com

“Look, I’m happy just being a grocer,” said Arthur T., who also vowed not to change the discount pricing or the profit sharing plan for employees. “Every retailer has to stand for something,” he said. “We’re very much grounded in the basic philosophy of driving the ‘more for your dollar’ business model. That’s really something we live by every day … We keep it as simple as possible for people. We keep costs low and quality high. We keep the stores clean and offer service with a smile. And if at the end of the day you have some success, then you share that with the associates.”

Workers Orchestrate Risky Plan After Beloved CEO Loses His Job is an article from: LifeDaily

Boss Slammed After Giving Waitress Cruel Ultimatum After Devastating Flood

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Nichole Parks Story

A good mother will always put her children first no matter what the personal sacrifice or hardship.

When a young mother in Pennsylvania was struggling to support her kids, she got a second job without a second thought. And when she lost everything in a devastating flood, she did what she had to do to put her family first. Sadly, however, her boss didn’t see it the same way.

A Dedicated Mother

Nichole Parks Story
  pittsburgh.cbslocal.com

As a mother, one Pennsylvania woman from Millvale, a borough along the Allegheny River opposite of Pittsburgh, would do anything for her kids. So when she struggled to support her two children while working at a local truck rental business, she was forced to get a second job.

 

The Second Job

Nichole Parks Story
  www.kretzlerstavern.com

The young mother considered a number of different jobs to supplement her income and ultimately decided to apply for a server’s position at a local bar and restaurant. According to the woman, the choice came down to one important factor.

 

A Family Business

Nichole Parks Story
  www.patch.com

The bar and restaurant, which is well known in the community, is a family business owned by two cousins. As a mother with young kids, it appealed to her as she wanted to work at a place that actually values their employees and could be flexible with her schedule.

 

A Reliable Employee

Nichole Parks Story
  www.patch.com

Despite juggling the responsibilities and busy schedules of having two jobs and raising two young kids, the mother only called in sick one time and came in late for a shift once during the first five months while working at the restaurant.

 

The Storm

Nichole Parks Story
  pittsburgh.cbslocal.com

However, Nichole Parks had no choice but to miss a shift at Kretzler’s Tavern after waking up to a flooded home on the morning of July 5, 2018. In the early hours of the morning, a severe storm hit the area and caused Girty’s Run, a tributary of the Allegheny River, to run over its banks.

 

Severe Flooding

Nichole Parks Story
  WPXITonyRuffolo / Twitter

Water flooded into the streets and caused severe flooding to local homes and businesses. Nichole Parks’s home, which she rented from a landlord, was, unfortunately, one of the homes to be ravaged by the flood waters.

 

Property Damage

Nichole Parks Story
  pittsburgh.cbslocal.com

Almost all of Nichole’s belongings were destroyed in the flood, and the basement was left flooded with a few feet of water. Normally, her landlord would have dealt with the damage, but to make matters worse for Nichole, he was on vacation.

 

Out of Options

Nichole Parks Story
  pittsburgh.cbslocal.com

Nichole had no choice but to deal with clearing the floodwater before it caused more serious damage to the property, and had to call into work and tell them she wouldn’t be able to make it in for her shift. Since they’re a family-run business, she thought they would understand…

 

Time Off

Nichole Parks Story
  pittsburgh.cbslocal.com

“I called off Friday. I had no choice but to call off Friday. Saturday, I had no choice but to call off. My landlord didn’t get here until Sunday because he was on vacation,” Nichole said. However, when she told her boss Jason, one of the co-owners of Kretzler’s Tavern, he wasn’t as understanding as Nichole hoped.

 

A Cold Response

Nichole Parks Story
  pittsburgh.cbslocal.com

Nichole texted Jason and explained her situation, but he told her that she would be fired if she failed to show up for her shift. “You need to come to work or you don’t have a job. I’m 100 percent for real,” Jason wrote in response to Nichole’s message.

 

Cleaning the Mess

Nichole Parks Story
  pittsburgh.cbslocal.com

“I am sorry but I cannot. My kids lost everything and I am trying to save everything so that my kids have clothes. I still have water in my basement and today is the last day that I’m going to have help and I have them coming here to snake my drains because my landlord hasn’t even been here,” Nichole texted her boss.

 

Pleading for Compassion

Nichole Parks Story
  Shutterstock

“I have no clothes or shoes for work. I lost EVERYTHING and today is the only day I have help,” Nichole pleaded in her text conversation with her boss. “If you need me tomorrow I can be there but I’m trying my best to save what I can.”

 

A Heartless Ultimatum

Nichole Parks Story
  www.patch.com

“I’m sorry to here (sic) that but I have a business to run, so you have a choice to make,” Jason said in response. “So you’re going to make me make a choice by firing me and taking food out of my kid’s mouth when I just literally lost everything,” said Nichole, who was shocked by the ultimatum.

 

The Only Choice

Nichole Parks Story
  www.wtae.com

And when Nichole put her children before her employer, who wanted her to come in and clean up the flood damage the bar suffered during the storm, she lost her job just like Jason warned. While Nichole was shocked, her mother, Lisa Russell, was outraged.

 

A Mother’s Outrage

Nichole Parks Story
  Lisa Russell / Facebook

“She got fired for trying to take care of her disaster,” said Lisa, who expressed her frustration on Facebook. “Can you believe my daughter got fired from a family owned business the day after the flood!!!!!! (KRETZLERS). Who does this?”

 

Bad for Business

Nichole Parks Story
  pittsburgh.cbslocal.com

After Lisa posted screenshots of the conversation her daughter had with Jason before being fired, the community slammed the business and the family that owns it for being so cruel to a mother who lost everything during the flood.

 

The Apology

Nichole Parks Story
  Kretzler's Tavern / Facebook

Shortly after, Kretzler’s Tavern wrote an apology on their Facebook page. “Many of you have seen a post shared on Facebook in the past couple of days about an employee that was terminated. The way it was handled by one of our co-owners was not appropriate,” they wrote.

 

Regaining the Community’s Support

Nichole Parks Story
  pittsburgh.cbslocal.com

“We sincerely apologize for the poor communication and lack of consideration. New processes are currently being implemented to ensure that this does not happen again,” Kretzler’s Tavern said. “We understand that many people are upset by how things happened and we hope that going forward we can regain the community’s support. We will have a donation box setup behind the bar and we will be matching the sum of all donations up to $500 until July 15th to the Millvale flood cleanup GoFundMe.”

 

Making the Situation Right

Nichole Parks Story
  pittsburgh.cbslocal.com

“I totally disagreed with how [Jason] handled the situation,” said Brandon Kretzler, the other co-owner of the business. “He was selfish. He was unprofessional.” In addition, Jason has been suspended without pay “for a month or so” and Brandon offered to help Nichole recover from the storm. “I told her if there was anything that she needed, to please let me know,” he said.

Burnt Bridges

Nichole Parks Story
  pittsburgh.cbslocal.com

When the community demanded they give Nichole her job back, Brandon said he was open to the idea. However, they have not made a formal offer and Nichole has no interest in working for the family anymore. “Absolutely not, no way,” she said. “You’re supposed to be a family-owned restaurant. Anybody would pick their family over a job.”

Boss Slammed After Giving Waitress Cruel Ultimatum After Devastating Flood is an article from: LifeDaily

Random Traffic Stop Leaves Couple with Two Dollars to Their Name

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Dimitrios Patlias Story

No one likes to be pulled over. It’s a nerve-wracking experience no matter who you are and exceptionally bothersome if you didn’t happen to be doing anything wrong in the first place. Most of the time it’s some oversight that you didn’t know about, like a broken taillight.

Sometimes though, the reasons behind a random traffic stop remain unknown to us even as the officer demands we hand over our identification and insurance cards. One New Jersey couple had to hand over much more than that when they got pulled over in the middle of the night.

Some Coupons

  www.hotels-rates.com

On June 9, Tonya Smith and her husband Dimitrios Patlias headed to the Hollywood Casino in Jefferson County. Tonya was eight months pregnant at the time and the two of them decided to grab some cash and some casino coupons and head over to the casino to see if Lady Luck could help them out before the baby arrived.

Extreme Couponing

Dimitrios Patlias Story
  www.wvgazettemail.com

They had taken advantage of some promotional offers and between the two of them had 27 $100 gift cards. They had also taken out a fair amount of cash as well, just in case the coupons didn’t work. Not long after they set out towards the casino, Dimitrios noticed flashing lights in his rearview mirror.

Pull Over

Dimitrios Patlias Story
  www.videoblocks.com

Dimitrios did as he was supposed to and pulled over. He and Tonya waited for the officer to come over to the car and when all was said and done, they drove off with a stern warning for failing to drive within his lane. The officer, meanwhile, drove off with more than $10,000 in cash from Dimitrios and his wife.

Accusations Fly

Dimitrios Patlias Story
  www.crov.com

As it turned out, the officer had accused the couple of a number of things. He accused them of smuggling cigarettes, which they denied. Then he demanded to search the car, their persons, and Tonya’s purse. His argument was that they might have had drugs in the vehicle or were in the midst of gift card fraud.

Stolen Funds

Dimitrios Patlias Story
  Wikipedia

Thinking that the couple’s coupons and cash were ill-gotten gains, the trooper confiscated their $10,478 in cash and all of their gift/rewards cards, 27 of which were gift cards but the others were basic rewards program cards from chain businesses. He also took Dimitrios’ smartphone.

No Charges

Dimitrios Patlias Story
  www.washingtonpost.com

The couple drove off, headed towards their home in Egg Harbor, New Jersey feeling dejected and humiliated. The officer had stripped them of all their cash but a measly $2 and to top it all off, they hadn’t even actually been charged with anything. Tonya was not having any of it though. The minute they got home, she took to the Internet.

Humiliated

Dimitrios Patlias Story
  www.bgr.com

Tonya, who is a nurse and soon to be mother, decided that she was not going to stand idly by and let the police take their hard-earned money for no good reason. “It was a disgusting way of being treated.” She posted the incident on social media and began looking into the legality of the ordeal. Such an abuse of power, she thought, had to have been illegal.

Actually Legal

Dimitrios Patlias Story
  www.learnliberty.org

To her dismay, she found that the situation wasn’t just completely legal, it happens all the time. The seizure of their gift cards and cash was part of a totally legal practice known as “civil asset forfeiture.” This means that law enforcement officers have the right to lay claim to property that they believe was used in concert with certain crimes.

Reclaim

Dimitrios Patlias Story
  www.rare.us

Because the forfeiture happened in West Virginia, it fell under the West Virginia Contraband Forfeiture Act. This was good news for Tonya and her husband, who knew that the authorities had to file a motion in civil court now that they had the couple’s money and goods. In order to fully claim the property via forfeiture, they had to do it legally.

Strange Cases

Dimitrios Patlias Story
  www.macombdaily.com

Because of the unusual nature of these court proceedings, a variety of confiscated items had been taken into forfeiture over the years. One circuit case court named a Hyundai Elantra, an ignition key, a cell phone, a digital scale, and $523 in U.S. currency as the articles. Most of the cases, however, generally involve cash or cars.

Who Benefits?

Dimitrios Patlias Story
  www.policecararchives.org

Cars, cash, televisions, X-boxes; anything that a police officer believes might be stolen or purchased via the use of stolen money, can be confiscated. In the case of the above Elantra, the Morgan County Sheriff’s Dept. received 90 percent of the proceeds from the confiscated items and the prosecutor received the other 10 percent. All of this was perfectly legal.

30 Days

Dimitrios Patlias Story
  www.medium.com

The process goes like this: a prosecutor initiates a forfeiture proceeding and the person whose property was seized then has 30 days to file motions in response to reclaim their property. Most of the time, this will mean the citizen must retain legal aid to assist them in court. If it isn’t done in 30 days, the property is forfeited to the police department and the state.

One Big But…

Dimitrios Patlias Story
  commons.wikimedia.org

That being said, even if suspects are acquitted of the charges filed against them, they would still need to go through the civil court procedure to reclaim their property. For Tonya and Dimitrios, that meant that even though they only got a warning, they would still need to hire a lawyer to help them get their money back.

New Bill

Dimitrios Patlias Story
  www.mfcity.com

There is hope for those like Tonya and Dimitrios, who have had their property unfairly seized. In February, the state House Judiciary Committee considered a new bill that would tie the forfeiture more closely to the actual criminal charges. The idea being if you are acquitted of a crime, your property cannot be forfeited, 30 days up or not.

Supporters

Dimitrios Patlias Story
  www.pexels.com

Unfortunately, the bill was not passed. It died in committee. This is because there are many people still in support of the practice. Those who support it speak of its efficacy in hindering drug networks by leaning on their finances. Taking away a drug network’s cash flow can often be more effective than levying criminal charges against the dealers themselves.

Bad Seeds

Dimitrios Patlias Story
  www.spectrumlocalnews.com

The other plus side is that these illegal funds, once officially forfeited, help police departments to buy new equipment and supplies. Of course, there are always those crooked cops who end up using this often-misunderstood practice to sinister advantage. As far as Tonya Smith is concerned, it can turn good police officers into, as she put it, “dishonest crooks.”

Returned to Them

Dimitrios Patlias Story
  tech.thaivisa.com

After weeks of Tonya calling the police almost incessantly, not to mention the Jefferson County prosecuting attorney and many local politicians, she finally got an answer. This answer was a police officer arriving at their door to return all of their confiscated gift cards, her husband’s cell phone, and all their hard-earned money.

Active Investigation

Dimitrios Patlias Story
  www.journal-news.net

The trooper’s police department was asked a number of questions about the potential forfeiture of Tonya and Dimitrios’ possessions. While most of these questions were brushed off by Matt Harvey, the Jefferson County Prosecutor, the gist was that the investigation into why the trooper confiscated the property is “ongoing.”

No Policy in Place

Dimitrios Patlias Story
  www.nist.gov

Now, it is entirely possible the trooper didn’t actually know what the procedure was for such a situation. The main issue, as many see it, is that many agencies don’t offer any specific training on the forfeiture procedure. In addition, there is no statewide tracking system for the seized property.

Sour Taste

Dimitrios Patlias Story
  www.wvgazettemail.com

Today, Tonya Smith is a mother and thinks about how the whole experience has affected her opinion of police officers. She wants to teach her son to respect law enforcement, but the situation has left a bad taste in her mouth. It’s going to take time before she can trust the police enough to approach them for help again.

Random Traffic Stop Leaves Couple with Two Dollars to Their Name is an article from: LifeDaily


Teenager’s Snapchat Meet-Ups End Up Being Costly Switcheroo

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Sara Rowles Story

If you’re looking to meet new people, social media apps can be one of the best ways to do it. They can help you connect with perfect strangers you never would have encountered in your everyday life.

Unfortunately, one of the best things about social media is also one of the worst. When you’re meeting up with perfect strangers, you really have no idea what you’ll get. For people meeting up with one person, they certainly wished they’d just stayed home.

Pretty Girl

Sara Rowles Story
  www.themorningsun.com

Sara was exactly the kind of girl that a certain type of guy was looking for when he went on social media apps. The Michigan native was an attractive doe-eyed blond who seemed receptive to meeting up with strange men.

The Thirst is Real

Sara Rowles Story
  www.defendernetwork.com

And if you go on any social media platform, whatever else you find, you can be certain of one thing: There will be no shortage of men looking to meet pretty young strangers. Unfortunately, this abundance of men willing to meet strangers can sometimes land those men in situations they’d rather avoid.

Snap Me

Sara Rowles Story
  www.cultofmac.com

Sara’s app of choice was Snapchat, a phone app famous for its photos, videos, and direct messages that disappear for good after being seen once. Because of that feature, Snapchat is noted for being one of the platforms of choice for people keen on keeping their interactions private.

Good Bait

Sara Rowles Story
  www.wxyz.com

She would put up the most alluring pictures she could and “naturally attract a lot of guys to talk to her,” said Brent Chisholm of the Warren Police Department. And since Snapchat’s functionality allows for only a single view of a picture or video, it’s difficult to get a clear picture of who a perfect stranger really is.

420

Sara Rowles Story
  www.videoblocks.com

She would chat up guys for a few days at a stretch, determining if they were the kind of guy she was looking for. The only thing that Sara seemed to be looking for specifically in a guy was that he be into marijuana, presumably because the drug isn’t dangerous enough to seem suspicious and those involved in buying and selling it tend to carry cash on them.

Let’s Meet

Sara Rowles Story
  wwjnewsradio.radio.com

Ultimately if they were, Sara would ask them if they wanted to meet up. She would usually ask if they wanted to “hang out and smoke.” Or, if they were the right sort, she’d ask if they could “sell her marijuana,” according to police.

I’ll Come to You

Sara Rowles Story
  www.videoblocks.com

The chance to hang out and get high with an attractive girl was obviously a tempting offer to some of the men, and they likely held hopes that the rendezvous would turn into something more. When they agreed to meet, Sara would arrange to drive out to them and pick them up.

Fantasy Shattered

Sara Rowles Story
  www.wxyz.com

But once Sara rolled up in her car, the social media fantasy would invariably come to an end. Rather than just meeting to relax and socialize in a warm and fuzzy cloud, she had other ideas in mind.

Three Amigos

Sara Rowles Story
  www.wxyz.com

Inside the car with Sara Rowles, according to police, were her two accomplices Jackson Krosweck, her boyfriend, and Finzie Jones, a friend. The two men would allegedly hold Sara’s would-be suitors at gunpoint and rob them, demanding their wallets and phones.

Uncertain Numbers

Sara Rowles Story
  www.wxyz.com

The trio allegedly pulled off their plot twice with a third possible incident also being investigated by the authorities. However, it’s hard to say if there were any more cases since, if their victims were selling drugs, they would unlikely come forward to the police.

Take the Bunch

Sara Rowles Story
  www.wxyz.com

In one particular incident, one man who chatted with Sara reportedly got inside her car with three of his friends. That didn’t deter the trio from pulling the same routine — they pulled out their weapons and demanded the goods.

Deeper Criminality

Sara Rowles Story
  www.wxyz.com

“Everybody in the car got robbed, even people that didn’t have any involvement with that,” Chisolm said. “Certainly it took some planning, some thinking, and shows a deeper level of criminality.”

Facing Hard Time

Sara Rowles Story
  www.wxyz.com

All three of the alleged crooks were charged with five counts of armed robbery, which could carry a sentence of up to life in prison, a hefty price to pay for what couldn’t have been that substantial of a score.

Big Bail

Sara Rowles Story
  www.greatbigstuff.com

It’s also highly unlikely that any of the alleged culprits will see the light of day in the run up to their trials. That’s because bail was set for each somewhere between $100,000 and $250,000, an amount they almost certainly wouldn’t be able to pay.

New Crimes

Sara Rowles Story
  www.detroitnews.com

“This is another type of crime we’re getting familiar with — people using social media to commit crimes,” said Police Commissioner Bill Dwyer. With new technologies inevitably comes new ways for people to go outside the law to get what they want.

Blame Game

Sara Rowles Story
  www.dailytribune.com

In her defense, Rowle’s lawyer, James Galen, is attempting to frame the criminal behavior she is accused of as the result of the negative influence of her boyfriend, Jackson.

Poor, Poor Girl

Sara Rowles Story
  www.themorningsun.com

“Sara is a wonderful young, petite woman living at home with her mom and has full-time employment,” Galen said. “She met with a man who had a prior criminal history and was pressured by these two men. She now finds herself in a terrible, terrible situation.”

Painting a Picture

Sara Rowles Story
  www.wxyz.com

From his wording, notably his use of the word “petite,” it seems as if he is trying to paint a picture of Rowles as a young little girl in over her head. But looking at the facts as they’ve been presented by the police, she doesn’t seem all that innocent. Not to mention the fact that if it weren’t for her luring men into the scandal, the robberies wouldn’t have taken place at all.

Protect Yourself

Sara Rowles Story
  www.wxyz.com

However things play out with Sara and her alleged accomplices’ trials, there is a lesson to be learned from this story. It serves as a reminder to be smart about who you meet and where you meet them.

Out in the Open

Sara Rowles Story
  www.banana1015.com

If you’re meeting up with a stranger for the first time, it’s best to do it in a public place where you can be seen by others. That simple step can help you avoid being the victim of robbery or even worse.

Teenager’s Snapchat Meet-Ups End Up Being Costly Switcheroo is an article from: LifeDaily

Polygamist Demands Extravagant Dowries from Both Brides, but all is not What it Seems

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Krishna Sen Story

Internet dating is a sticky wicket if you think about it. You never know who you might meet over the web. After all, when you’re trying to sell yourself, everyone puts their best face forward. You never really know about a person over the Internet until you’ve actually taken the time to get to know them.

Then again, even if you get to “know someone,” do you ever truly know them? Two Indian women learned the hard way that their online boyfriend was not actually who he said he was, and they only learned this after he’d married both of them.

Ill Met on Facebook

Krishna Sen Story
  www.indianexpress.com

It was 2013 when Krishna Sen began uploading photos to Facebook. He had begun Internet dating with the express purpose of finding himself a wife. He had already chatted with a number of women over social media when he met a woman who seemed to match what he was looking for perfectly.

Businessman’s Son

Krishna Sen Story
  www.orientrailjourneys.com

About a year after he began Internet dating, Krishna traveled to meet his online girlfriend, Kamini. She was trusting and seemed quite taken with him, which worked out perfectly towards his plan. He told the Kamini that he was the son of a businessman from Aligarh, but it was a lie. It was not the only lie he had told her, either.

Beat on Her

Krishna Sen Story
  www.tolonews.com

The two courted for a while before finally deciding to tie the knot. The bride’s family wasn’t quite as enamored with Krishna as she was, but they were happy their daughter had found a someone who made her happy, or so they thought. Shortly after the wedding, Krishna started beating Kamini, demanding a dowry from her parents.

Commonplace

Krishna Sen Story
  www.deccanchronicle.com

For those who don’t know the term, a dowry is defined as property, such as jewelry, clothes, or even cash given by a bride’s family to the groom as part of their marriage. The payment and acceptance of dowry is a long-standing tradition in many Asian countries and though it has technically been illegal in India since 1961, the practice is still commonplace.

Borrowed Funds

Krishna Sen Story
  www.dnaindia.com

Unfortunately for Kamini, a dowry was not something her parents intended to offer her future husband. Krishna was not about to take this insult lying down, especially when the securing the dowry was all part of his plan in the first place. So he harassed his new wife and even convinced his in-laws to lend him more than £9,000 to start a business — money he had no intention of repaying.

Machismo

Krishna Sen Story
  www.kractivist.org

By all appearances, Krishna was every bit machismo. He drank, he smoked, and he beat his wife. Nevertheless, you can’t squeeze blood from a stone and Kamini’s family had no more money to give toward his dowry demands. Krishna’s plan had failed but he wasn’t about to give up. Instead, he just decided to take a second wife and procure her dowry instead.

Two Wives

Krishna Sen Story
  www.theasiantoday.com

Two years after he and Kamini married, Krishna met another woman named Nisha over the Internet. She was well known to the couple and had even attended their first wedding. More importantly, she didn’t seem to mind the fact that Krishna already had a first wife. Polygamy wasn’t uncommon in their culture and Krishna appeared to be successful.

Keeping it Secret

Krishna Sen Story
  www.indianexpress.com

Krishna was all about appearances. His deep voice, chain-smoking, alcohol abuse, and riding motorcycles with his rough friends all allowed him to keep up a very macho appearance. What both wives soon discovered, however, was that Krishna Sen wasn’t a man at all, and had fooled them both into thinking that he was.

Non Consummation

Krishna Sen Story
  www.videoblocks.com

The woman who was Krishna Sen would never allow her new wives to look at her body or touch her. Their only sex acts were performed in complete darkness and by utilizing sex toys to simulate the act. This might have been clear to Kamini first, as she was the first woman married to Krishna, but if it was, she didn’t tell anyone.

Threats and Promises

Krishna Sen Story
  www.indianexpress.com

As soon as Nisha learned that her new husband was actually a woman in disguise, she threatened to tell the police. Krishna, however, offered to pay her money if she kept silent. This, of course, was the opposite of why she had gone through so much trouble to get married in the first place, but she didn’t have much choice.

Hiding Out

Krishna Sen Story
  www.justdial.com

Krishna rented a room in the Tikoniya area of Haldwani where she kept both her “wives” in secret. Finally, Nisha had enough of Krishna’s demands for dowry, her broken promises, and her lies. When Krishna threatened to beat her, she called the Haldwani police, who came to arrest the con artist.

Hard to Tell

Krishna Sen Story
  www.navuttarakhand.com

It was only during questioning that the Haldwani police finally realized this bearded, gruff-looking suspect wasn’t a man at all, but a woman. One officer noted: “With a male hairstyle, dress, and behavior, Krishna used to live a male life. Nobody ever doubted Krishna. She even walked like a ‘confident man.'”

Revelations

Krishna Sen Story
  www.dainiknation.com

She came clean and told them that she’d always wanted to “live a man’s life.” Police soon learned that she had dressed up as a boy since her childhood and was known around her hometown of Dhampur as a bit of a tomboy. It was in her teens that she cut her hair to look the part.

Scheming with Reason

Krishna Sen Story
  www.india.com

Krishna’s scheme was an old one, but it hadn’t become a crime until recently. The Internet had provided her with the perfect opportunity to remake herself as the person she wanted to be and to leverage that into some money if she managed to find a wife. As a man, she would get to call the shots in a way she never could as a woman.

The Facebook Game

Krishna Sen Story
  www.digitaltrends.com

Krishna’s next step was to create the Facebook account that lured in both Kamini and Nisha. The two unfortunate women were not the only ones she had attempted to woo, but they were the two that took the bait. However, after all the violence and lies, she was about to pay the price.

Charges

Krishna Sen Story
  www.thenewsminute.com

Krishna Sena was arrested on charges of impersonation, fraud, and forgery. Her original charge also included dowry harassment, but police had to modify the complaint on the grounds that neither of her “marriages” actually qualified as such by law. That still left fraud, forgery, and impersonation for her to contend with.

Good News

Krishna Sen Story
  www.theasiantoday.com

“Krishna has been booked for forgery and not for dowry,” explained the Sanjay Joshi, the sub-inspector for the case. “Technically she was not a husband, therefore, it cannot be treated as marriage.” This was good news for Nisha and Kamini who thanks to this information could eventually marry someone else if they wanted.

Guilt by Association

Krishna Sen Story
  www.financialexpress.com

As Krishna awaits her sentencing, police are still on the lookout for her family. The Sens were present at both weddings and often visited the homes of the two duped women. This meant that they knew perfectly well that their daughter was posing as a man and are therefore culpable in her fraud.

Why do It?

Krishna Sen Story
  www.independent.co.uk

Looking back at this case, it’s not hard to understand why Krishna Sen did what she did. In the West, we live in a place where finding one’s sexual and gender identity isn’t always as cut and dry as just male or female. In some countries, however, that line is more pronounced and the disparity between those genders is significant.

Getting Rights the Wrong Way

Krishna Sen Story
  www.indianexpress.com

Krishna obviously identified as male and as we’ve seen from her police interview, she always had. It’s entirely possible that she wanted the same rights as any men in her culture, or perhaps it’s just she wanted to make money and this was the easiest way. We cannot know for sure. What we can be sure of, is that some people will go to great lengths to be accepted for who they are inside.

Polygamist Demands Extravagant Dowries from Both Brides, but all is not What it Seems is an article from: LifeDaily

Serviceman Ousted from the Military After Participating in Charlottesville Rally

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Vasillios Pistolis Story

When we see people marching in the streets for one cause or another, we tend to think of them only in relation to that cause. Of course, the truth is that those people have lives that go on outside of public view.

When they go back to their day-to-day lives, they still carry inside of them those views which they feel are worth fighting for. If they’re passionate about things like freedom, peace, and equality, that’s a good thing. But there are those who hold much darker values in their hearts, and some of those people are in positions that may surprise you.

Monumental Fight

Vasillios Pistolis Story
  www.kalw.org

In early August of 2017 an event took place that would go down as one of the darkest moments in recent history. That was when the Unite the Right rally was held in Charlottesville, Virginia. The rally was organized to protest plans to remove a statue of Robert E. Lee, a general in the confederate army during the Civil War, from Charlottesville’s Emancipation Park.

National Focus

Vasillios Pistolis Story
  www.cnn.com

However, this was going on against the backdrop of a movement to remove confederate monuments across the country in response to the racially motivated mass shooting in a church in Charleston, South Carolina. In the eyes of some, the monument in Charlottesville came to be a symbol of the entire movement.

Bad Company

Vasillios Pistolis Story
  www.wired.com

As a result, a large number of far-right and so called “alt-right” protesters descended on the small town, including self-identified neo-Confederates, white nationalists, and Klansmen. On that Friday night, they marched through the streets with tiki torches, shouting slogans such as “blood and soil,” the English translation of Nazi Germany’s most fervent chant.

On American Soil

Vasillios Pistolis Story
  Wikipedia

The next day, they again marched through the streets, with Gadsden flags and Confederate battle flags held high alongside Nazi flags and other, more obscure symbols of racism and fascism. Naturally, such a blatant display of racism and fascism on the streets of a nation that claims to offer “liberty and justice for all” wouldn’t pass without a response.

The People’s Response

Vasillios Pistolis Story
  www.dailywire.com

A number of counter-protesters came out to march in opposition to the rally. Some were ordinary residents of Charlottesville who just didn’t want white supremacists on their streets. Others were members of faith-based groups, civil rights organizations, and students of the nearby University of Virginia.

Far Left

Vasillios Pistolis Story
  www.kosu.org

There were also members of less mainstream organizations such as the Revolutionary Communist Party and Redneck Revolt, which is a pro-gun, anti-capitalist, anti-racist organization, and Antifa, another militant left wing group.

Battle-Ready

Vasillios Pistolis Story
  www.theroot.com

Tensions were extremely high and people on both sides were armed, some carrying firearms in accordance with Virginia’s open carry laws, and many more armed with clubs, body armor, helmets and shields. It came as no surprise when violence erupted

Violence in the Streets

Vasillios Pistolis Story
  www.wsaw.com

A number of skirmishes and brawls broke out and one reckless driver even plowed his car into a crowd of counter-protesters, killing a woman. He would later be charged with first-degree murder for the crime. At least 38 other people were injured in the fighting.

Condemnation

Vasillios Pistolis Story
  www.washingtonpost.com

In the aftermath of the rally, many people were quick to condemn the far and alt-right for the violence, while some laid the blame equally with protesters and counter-protesters. However, there was a much stronger effort from journalists and social media people to identify some of the white supremacists involved in the rally.

Make it Public

Vasillios Pistolis Story
  www.scoopnest.com

The idea was to make it known to the employers, friends, and family of Klansmen, neo-Nazis and other white supremacists what sort of beliefs those people held and let the chips fall where they may. It resulted in some bad repercussions for some people identified but for Vasillios Pistolis, the results would be far worse.

Active Fighter

Vasillios Pistolis Story
  www.huffingtonpost.com

There were two different factors that did Pistolis in. For one thing, he’d not only been at the rally on the side of white supremacists, he’d actively participated in the violence. There was at least one photograph of him taken by a journalist as he beat a person with a wooden flagpole and a video of him launching a flying kick at Emily Gorcenski, a well-known local activist.

Online Boasting

Vasillios Pistolis Story
  www.siliconangle.com

Pistolis also bragged online about further violence, saying “Today cracked 3 skulls open with virtually no damage to myself” in a post on the day of the event. He backed up his words with evidence, too, posting photographs along with detailed narratives of the assaults he’d committed.

Vile Audience

Vasillios Pistolis Story
  www.everydayantisemitism.com

If there could be anything more despicable than his bragging about his brutal acts, it was who he was bragging to. Pistolis’ comments were directed at his fellow members in the neo-Nazi group Atomwaffen Division.

Terrorist Organization

Vasillios Pistolis Story
  www.gbatemp.net

Atomwaffen, which translates to “Atomic weapons” in German, is a neo-Nazi terrorist group that is responsible for at least five murders, directly encourages violence and ethnic cleansing against anyone non-white, and calls for the overthrow of the U.S. government by means of terror and guerilla warfare.

Outed

Vasillios Pistolis Story
  reptilefundd.wordpress.com

Pistolis’ involvement in Atomwaffen as well as with another neo-Nazi group, the Traditionalist Worker Party, was extensively documented in online chat logs and through his social media presence. But when he was positively identified by Gorcenski and ProPublica, he would run into problems with his employer, which just so happened to be the United States Marine Corps.

Uncle Sam’s Response

Vasillios Pistolis Story
  www.propublica.org

When the Marines got wind of his actions, he was found guilty at summary court-martial and sentenced to 28 days of confinement, a reduction in rank to private, and forfeiture of two-thirds of his pay for one month.

Booted

Vasillios Pistolis Story
  www.videoblocks.com

And on the day that Pistolis was let out of the brig, he was also let out of the Corps. According to Marine Corps spokesman Major Brian Block, the type of discharge Pistolis received remained private due to privacy act restrictions. The major would only say, “He is not a Marine anymore.”

Unacceptable Conduct

Vasillios Pistolis Story
  www.stack.com

“The guidance to Marines is clear: participation in supremacist or extremist organizations or activities is a violation of Department of Defense and Marine Corps orders and will lead to mandatory processing for separation following the first substantiated incident of misconduct,” said Nat Fahy, a spokesman with Marine Corps Installations East.

Pervasive Problem

Vasillios Pistolis Story
  www.propublica.org

You would be correct in thinking that a Marine’s involvement with a white supremacist group is despicable but you would be incorrect in thinking that it’s unheard of. According to a poll conducted by the Military Times, “nearly one in four troops say they have seen examples of white nationalism among their fellow service members,” with 30 percent of respondents labeling a significant threat to national security — more so than even Syria, Pakistan, Afghanistan, or Iraq.

Simple Message

Vasillios Pistolis Story
  reptilefundd.wordpress.com

One person who was certainly happy to hear that Postilis had been discharged from the Marines was Emily Gorcenski. She succinctly summed up her message for him with a Tweet just two words long: “Bye Nazi.”

Serviceman Ousted from the Military After Participating in Charlottesville Rally is an article from: LifeDaily

LGBTQ Bank Robber Marries Trans Woman, Gets Famous from Behind Bars

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John Wojtowicz Story

Love is such a powerful emotion that it sometimes makes even the most stable people do crazy things. It knows no bounds and isn’t something to be chosen, but something to fall into. And when it comes to helping a loved one, there is almost no limit — not even the law — that will stop someone passionately in love.

This type of love is the central theme of the following story. During a time in the nation’s history when heterosexual relations were the only socially acceptable form of love, one man dared to be different. His story sparked a revolution that still affects America today…

Tough Times

John Wojtowicz Story
  Wikipedia

In his younger days, John Wojtowicz realized his own homosexuality. As such, he was fiercely loyal to those, like himself, who were disdained by society. At this time, gay couples in New York City couldn’t even publicly hold hands and he wanted to change all that. Even if it meant that he had to use violence to affect that change. He was not alone in this sentiment.

Learning Love

John Wojtowicz Story
  www.advocate.com

Wojtowicz was the son of immigrants. His mother was Italian, his father Polish, and they taught him to respect everyone, no matter what walk of life they came from. This may have been in part because of his developmentally-challenged brother, or perhaps because even as he grew older, they suspected that he was somehow different from other boys.

Extreme Reaction

John Wojtowicz Story
  www.policeny.com

One time, when Wojtowicz was caught holding hands with another man, a police officer called him a “faggot.” He didn’t appreciate the slur, so he responded by grabbing the man and kissing him with his tongue, right there in the street. This was of course only an example of his extreme reactions to the prejudice against the gay community, but it was indicative of the way he felt about those who would abuse his demographic.

Fight of a Lifetime

John Wojtowicz Story
  ww.chicagoreader.com

Responses like this would become part of Wojtowicz’s lifetime crusade to advocate for gay rights. True, Wojtowicz was vulgar, self-aggrandizing, and “rough-around-the-edges,” but he was also unabashedly positive about the person he was and about his sexuality. Of course, all of this came to light later in Wojtowicz’s life, after he served his country.

Vietnam Vet

John Wojtowicz Story
  www.advocate.com

Wojtowicz’s first gay experience occurred while he was serving in the Vietnam War. When he came home, he felt freer than he ever thought he could, but the world wasn’t ready for him to come to terms with his newfound sexuality. In 1967, he married Carmen Bifulco and they had two children together. Two years later, the two separated and Wojtowicz began immersing himself in gay culture.

Famous Involvement

John Wojtowicz Story
  www.gvshp.org

When the famous Stonewall Riots hit New York City’s Greenwich Village in September of 1969, Wojtowicz decided it was time to officially pick a side. He joined the Gay Activists Alliance (GAA) and surprisingly, despite his penchant for outspokenness, remained mostly in the background. When the GAA chose not to speak out in support of same-sex marriages, Wojtowicz helped organize some of the earliest protests for it in the 1970s.

Love and Marriage

John Wojtowicz Story
  www.tbo.com

Regardless of the fact that he and his wife became separated, Wojtowicz was actually a fervent believer in the institution of marriage. More importantly, he was a firm believer in love itself. “When I love somebody, I want to marry them,” he explained in an interview. It’s a sentiment that resonates well even today, especially for someone in the LGBTQ community.

Love Who We Choose

John Wojtowicz Story
  www.findagrave.com

As it happened, Wojtowicz fell in love with a transgender woman. Liz Eden was blonde, beautiful, and nearly a foot taller than he was. When they met, Liz was still going by Ernie and performed in drag, but she wanted to live as a woman. Wojtowicz thought it was a perfect match, and that he would loved her no matter how she presented herself.

Desperate for Change

John Wojtowicz Story
  www.advocate.com

The two were married and moved in together, yet even though Eden had been living as a woman for some time, she still desperately wanted gender-reassignment surgery. Wojtowicz was resistant to this at first, but when Eden became suicidal, he knew that he had to support her desire to change however he could. The problem was, this type of surgery wasn’t just unusual, it was expensive.

Erstwhile Bank Robber

John Wojtowicz Story
  www.ew.com

So expensive in fact that in August of 1972, Wojtowicz would resort to extreme measures in order to procure the funds. He and friends Salvatore Naturale and Robert Westenberg contrived a plan to rob a local branch of the Chase Manhattan bank at 450 Avenue P in Gravesend, Brooklyn. Wojtowicz was a former bank teller, so he knew a thing or two about bank operations.

Bungled Heist

John Wojtowicz Story
  www.indiewire.com

Unfortunately, on the morning of the heist, Wojtowicz abandoned his careful planning and based his new plans on scenes from the movie Godfather. Westerberg fled the scene before the robbery even started. What followed was a bungled heist and eventual 14-hour hostage situation broadcasted over live Television. It ended with Naturale being shot dead by police as they tried to escape.

Not the Motive

John Wojtowicz Story
  www.brockelpress.com

There are some who doubt that Wojtowicz’s motivations behind the crime lay with his transgender wife. Arthur Bell, a respected Village Voice journalist who actually knew Wojtowicz, reported that paying for Eden’s surgery was not the real motive. Bell alleged that the heist was actually a well-planned Mafia operation gone awry.

Gone Away

John Wojtowicz Story
  www.pressofatlanticcity.com

As expected, Wojtowicz was arrested and sent to prison. By his own admission, the court offered him a deal for pleading guilty but did not honor it and he was sentenced to 20 years in Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary for the robbery. He only served five years of the sentence, but his time in prison would result in major changes to both he and Eden’s situation.

Selling the Story

John Wojtowicz Story
  film.avclub.com

Three years into his sentence, Eden sold the story to Sidney Lumet, a director, producer, and screenwriter who wanted to turn it into a movie. He turned their story into the critically acclaimed film Dog “Day Afternoon,” and cast actor Al Pacino in the role of John Wojtowicz. The subsequent payment (approximately $40,000 in today’s money) helped pay for Eden’s sexual-reassignment surgery.

Life-Changing

John Wojtowicz Story
  www.nofilmschool.com

As for Wojtowicz, the film didn’t just make him rich, it also made him famous. Other prisoners who had seen the movie began calling him “The Dog” and he wholeheartedly embraced his new persona. Indeed, when he finally left prison, he did so as “The Dog” and relished the life that the film’s earnings now afforded him.

Released and Recaptured

John Wojtowicz Story
  www.beginningstreatment.com

Wojtowicz was released from prison on April 10, 1978. It would not be his last stretch in the slammer, however. He was arrested again some years later and did two more stretches for parole violations in the 1980s. His wife, Liz Eden, now a woman, visited him at least once a month, but Wojtowicz himself was not exactly the most faithful husband while away.

Trifling Husband

John Wojtowicz Story
  www.mimesislaw.com

Prison life was lonely for Wojtowicz and he fell in love several times while serving his first five-year sentence at Lewisburg Penitentiary. He met fellow gay man George Heath, who performed in drag like Eden, but identified as a man. The two formed a deep, meaningful love connection in jail. Wojtowicz even began to refer to Heath as his “third wife.”

Openly Bisexual

John Wojtowicz Story
  The Dog (The Movie) / YouTube

Wojtowicz was clearly not a man to shy away from his sexuality or to hide his love for others, male, female, or otherwise. He’s hardly a great role model when it comes to being faithful to his wives or following the rule of law, but he loved deeply and respected everyone for who they were. When he finally came out of prison in the late 1980s, he settled into a much more quiet lifestyle.

Inaccuracies

John Wojtowicz Story
  The Dog (The Movie) / YouTube

Despite his overall approval of “Dog Day Afternoon,” Wojtowicz did want to set the record straight about the nature of his relationship with Eden and his first wife. The movie makes it seem like he was cheating on Carmen with Eden, but he didn’t take up with her until two years after his first divorce. The film also made it seem like he “sold out” Naturale to police, which he also alleges he did not.

A Proper Ending

John Wojtowicz Story
  www.meteoweb.eu

Eventually, Wojtowicz and Eden parted ways. She ended up marrying someone else and then divorced. Eden died of AIDS-related pneumonia on September 29, 1987, and her eulogy at her funeral was delivered by none other than Wojtowicz. He died of a combination of breast and skin cancer in January of 2006, at the age of 60. He was living on welfare in his mother’s home in Brooklyn, New York when he died.

LGBTQ Bank Robber Marries Trans Woman, Gets Famous from Behind Bars is an article from: LifeDaily

Father of Three Seeks Justice After Trip to McDonald’s Nearly Takes His Life

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Trevor Walker Story

When it comes to providing dinner for the family, especially when there are young children at the table, the ideal meal is home-cooked, packed with nutrition and tastes wonderful. But to be honest, sometimes it’s just easier to hit the drive-thru. And although it’s usually the unhealthier option of the two, no one thinks that a cheat meal will result in an emergency trip to the hospital…

But when one family took a trip to a fast food restaurant, they got more than just some delicious, salty, fatty food. One of them would find himself in a struggle to survive…

Friday Night Treat

Trevor Walker Story
  www.businessinsider.com

On a Friday in August, Trevor Walker and his wife Rachaelle needed to get a meal for their kids. When you have three young children, there are few options that are faster, more convenient, and more universally accepted by picky eaters than fast food.

McDonald’s Run

Trevor Walker Story
  www.ntd.tv

On that day, the restaurant of choice was McDonald’s. After strapping their 12-month-old baby into the car seat and loading the other two kids in the car, Trevor and Rachaelle drove off to the closest McDonald’s to their home in Riverton, Utah.

Heading Home

Trevor Walker Story
  www.stltoday.com

They got a couple of happy meals for the kids, a couple of chicken sandwiches for themselves, and a couple of Diet Cokes to wash it all down. Trevor began sipping his drink as he drove the car on the short ride home.

Something’s Off

Trevor Walker Story
  www.huffingtonpost.com

But when he got home, the 33-year-old software engineer started to feel like something was off. He’d seated his two older boys on the couch with their happy meals and was holding his baby and reading emails at the computer when he started to notice physical symptoms of something.

What’s Happnening?

Trevor Walker Story
  www.pxhere.com

He knew something was seriously wrong when he tried to type an email and he couldn’t seem to get his fingers to hit the keys as he wanted. Initially, Trevor thought he might be having a severe anxiety attack.

Severe Symptoms

Trevor Walker Story
  www.businessinsider.com

But in very short order, Trevor’s symptoms got worse. His vision became blurred and he was losing feeling in his arms and legs. Growing scared, he handed the baby off to his 8-year-old son and sent two text messages to his wife, who was working in their in-house salon.

Vey Wrong

Trevor Walker Story
  www.komando.com

“Something is vey (sic) wrong with me,” he texted. “I am having sensation in my arms and everything is moving slowly. I’m feeling scared. I don’t know what to do.” Trevor wrote. “I’m so scared I’m trying to be calm. I need you.”

Wake Up!

Trevor Walker Story
  www.infotel.ca

Shortly after that, Trevor says that he blacked out. When Rachaelle found him in the living room, he had been face down on the floor, unconscious for at least a minute. When she was able to partially rouse him, he mumbled her name and something about not being able to feel his hands and feet.

Finding the Cause

Trevor Walker Story
  www.rumblestripvermont.com

Rachaelle acted quickly, calling over neighbors to come watch the kids as she rushed him to the nearest hospital. Once there, doctors were able to determine through a urinalysis that he had the drug buprenorphine in his system.

Drug Interaction

Trevor Walker Story
  www.fortune.com

Buprenorphine is a medication used as a “heroin substitute” to help safely wean people with opioid addictions off of the drugs. The drug had interacted with a medication that Trevor had already been taking, causing him to have a reaction that might have killed him if he hadn’t gotten to the hospital for treatment.

How’d it Get There?

Trevor Walker Story
  www.techcrunch.com

The big question now was how the buprenorphine had gotten into his system. Acting on a terrible suspicion, Rachaelle asked her neighbors to bring the McDonald’s meal to the hospital and not let the kids anywhere near it.

Sneaking Suspicion

Trevor Walker Story
  en.mogaznews.com

While Trevor was still being treated, Rachaelle inspected the meal for signs that anything was off. When she opened her husband’s Diet Coke, she said she noticed a white, filmy substance and little speckles floating on the surface of the beverage.

Lab Testing

Trevor Walker Story
  www.ksl.com

Rachaelle immediately informed the police, who sent the drink to the Utah State Crime Lab for testing. Her hunch turned out to be correct when the crime lab officials confirmed that Trevor’s Diet Coke contained the drug.

Spiked Drink

Trevor Walker Story
  www.wgntv.com

Since none of the other drinks contained buprenorphine, it seemed as if sometime between when the drink was poured and when it was sipped, someone had put the drug into Trevor’s drink.

Emotional Roller Coaster

Trevor Walker Story
  www.kslnewsradio.com

When he first found out that someone had spiked his drink, Trevor was relieved that he wasn’t experiencing some other kind of health condition like a heart attack or stroke. But that relief quickly turned to anger and confusion about why someone would do such a thing.

Suspected Culprit

Trevor Walker Story
  www.ntd.tv

The police suspected one particular McDonald’s employee whose social media posts had suggested that he was a drug user and that he liked to occasionally disrespect customers through the Drive-Thru window. That suspect also happened to be the younger brother of the restaurant’s manager.

Missing Footage

Trevor Walker Story
  www.gigazine.net

But when police requested the surveillance video of the night of the incident, they were originally sent footage from the wrong day. When they got into contact with the McDonald’s again, they were told that the footage from the correct day — footage that might have shown the suspect spiking the drink — had been automatically deleted.

Tight-Lipped

Trevor Walker Story
  www.rivertonwy.gov

Trevor’s attorney also said that employees were somehow unable to provide confirmation of who worked on the night in question. Still, police interviewed the suspected worker as well as his sister, the manager of the store. The interview proved fruitless but both the suspect and manager quit their jobs shortly after.

Lawsuit

Trevor Walker Story
  www.sltrib.com

So no arrests were made and the investigation couldn’t definitively say where the drugs had come from. It seemed to Trevor that his only path to some kind of justice was a lawsuit against McDonalds, Coca-Cola, and Swirer Coca-Cola, which is Coca-Cola’s local distributor in that area. He saught unspecified damages to cover his medical expenses, loss of income, and punitive payment.

Could Have Been Worse

Trevor Walker Story
  www.kslnewsradio.com

“I would like there to be some justice for what has taken place. I don’t want to see somebody else go through what we’ve gone through,” Trevor Walker told the Associated Press. “It could have been my son. If one of my sons had drank my drink, the outcome could have been worse.”

Father of Three Seeks Justice After Trip to McDonald’s Nearly Takes His Life is an article from: LifeDaily

Police Officer Fights for His Life After Terrifying Hostage Situation Ends Violently

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Kevin Valencia Story

Police officers dedicate their lives to protecting innocent civilians. In order to do that, however, they have to be prepared to make unimaginable sacrifices at any moment.

In early June of 2018, police officers in Florida were called to an apartment after a battered woman feared her children were in danger. They knew they were walking into a potentially dangerous situation, but were willing to risk it all to save four innocent lives.

A Life or Death Situation

Kevin Valencia Story
  Shutterstock

On the evening of June 10, 2018, a Florida woman managed to escape her apartment after her boyfriend started beating her. While the pair didn’t live together officially, the boyfriend often slept at the apartment. That night, however, the mother of four didn’t feel it was safe to stay.

The 911 Call

Kevin Valencia Story
  www.thoughtco.com

After escaping the apartment, Ciara Lopez ran to a nearby convenience store and asked the clerk to call 911 for her. While on the phone, Lopez told the dispatcher what had happened earlier that night. According to the 911 recordings, Lopez explained she needed help making sure her kids were safe as they were still in the apartment with her boyfriend.

A Dangerous Situation

Kevin Valencia Story
  www.aspenpublicradio.org

“I don’t want to leave them alone there for too long because he might do something,” Lopez said during the 911 call. “He has a gun. I don’t know if it’s on him right now, but I know it’s in the house.” When the dispatcher asked if Lopez’s boyfriend, Gary Wayne Lindsey Jr., had pulled the gun on her, she explained that he hadn’t that day.

The Main Concern

Kevin Valencia Story
  www.pxhere.com

The dispatcher told Lopez that police would be sent to the apartment right away. When asked if she needed medical attention, Lopez declined. She claimed she had only been scraped up and her main concern was getting her children out of the apartment and away from Lindsey.

The Responding Officers

Kevin Valencia Story
  www.news965.com

Just before midnight, several officers from the Orlando Police Department arrived at the Westbrook Apartments complex near Universal Studios. They hoped they would be able to speak with Lindsey and get the children to safety. Unfortunately, that wasn’t what happened when they knocked on the door and identified themselves.

Shots Fired

Kevin Valencia Story
  www.videoblocks.com

While knocking on the door, the responding officers explained that they were there because of a domestic battery call they had received. Rather than opening the door and speaking to police, Lindsey aimed his gun at the front door and started firing. One of those shots ended up hitting Orlando Police Officer Kevin Valencia in the eye.

The Standoff Begins

Kevin Valencia Story
  www.npr.org

The other responding officers immediately called for backup and an ambulance. While the cops were attending to Officer Valencia, Lindsey barricaded himself in the apartment with the children. Within a few minutes, Valencia was being rushed to the Orlando Regional Medical Center in critical condition. His fellow officers beginning a long and tense standoff.

A Criminal Record

Kevin Valencia Story
  www.heavy.com

Police knew they had to be careful as Lindsey was a dangerous and unstable individual. According to his extensive criminal record, Lindsey’s trouble with the law began in 2008 with an arson charge and a domestic battery after he stabbed a TV with a knife, smashed the screen with his fists, and ordered his former girlfriend to get out of their home. Once she was gone, he set fire to the home and tried to run away from police.

Punishment

Kevin Valencia Story
  www.mfcity.com

After being arrested, Lindsey was sentenced to 10 years of supervised probation. After that, he was also sentenced to additional unsupervised probation. He was also ordered to pay his former girlfriend restitution for the damages the fire caused to the property.

The Other Charges

Kevin Valencia Story
  www.orlandosentinel.com

In the years that followed, Lindsey ran into trouble several times and was arrested on a number of those occasions. One of his charges included aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. In May 2018, Lindsey was arrested again for violating his probation after he was caught stealing from a Walmart. For that, he was charged with grand theft.

Escaping Jail Time

Kevin Valencia Story
  www.fox29.com

Yet Lindsey avoided jail time after his sister agreed to pay $1,000 towards restitution and Lindsey agreed to pay $300. The judge also decided to reinstate Lindsey’s supervised probation. Despite Lindsey’s history of violence, police hoped he wouldn’t harm Lopez’s four children as he was the father of the two younger siblings.

The Plan

Kevin Valencia Story
  www.floridanationalnews.com

While Lindsey was barricaded in the apartment with the children, the police came up with a plan. “The national protocol, best practices in these types of situations, especially involving children and any type of domestic violence situation,” Orlando Police Chief John Mina explained, “is to negotiate in an attempt to come to a peaceful resolution,”

Saving the Children

Kevin Valencia Story
  www.officer.com

According to the police, the technique is normally successful in similar situations. The fact that innocent children were involved only made it more crucial to work towards a peaceful resolution instead of using force. Over the next 21 hours, police worked tirelessly to negotiate with Lindsey.

The Negotiations

Kevin Valencia Story
  www.bbc.com

“We’ve talked to him several times throughout the night and the morning,” Mina said after the standoff had been going on for several hours. “My main concern is the safety and the well-being of the children inside there. We believe they’re still alive at this time. We just implore him to release those children to us unharmed.”

Time to Act

Kevin Valencia Story
  kdkaradio.radio.com

During the standoff, negotiators spoke to Lindsey several times urging him to let the children go. On Monday evening, Lindsey’s phone wasn’t working properly so police tried to bring him a cell phone to use to continue negotiations. When they tried to bring him the phone, however, officers saw that one of the children appeared to be dead. Realizing that they would have to act quickly to prevent further harm to the kids, the police sent in the SWAT team.

A Sickening Discovery

Kevin Valencia Story
  www.orlandoweekly.com

When the SWAT team entered the apartment, they discovered they were too late. Not only did they find Lindsey dead in a closet from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, but all four children were also dead. According to officials, two of the children were discovered in a bedroom and the other two were found in another bedroom.

The Autopsy

Kevin Valencia Story
  www.newsday.com

A medical examiner determined that the children had been killed by Lindsey’s gun. It is also believed that the children were killed shortly before or after officers responded to the initial 911 call. “She ran out of the house in fear of her life, and the kids were locked in a room, and she never thought, ever, in a million years that he would hurt the children,” family spokesman Walter Benenati said about Lopez.

The Fight Continues

Kevin Valencia Story
  www.orlandosentinel.com

Now, months after the tragic night, Officer Kevin Valencia is still fighting for his life. “He’s fighting every second, and I need him to continue fighting,” said Valencia’s wife, Meghan. “He needs all the support so that he can pull through, so that he can wake up, so that he can live, because my boys need a daddy, I need my husband, and this community needs a real hero.”

Praying for a Miralce

Kevin Valencia Story
  www.gofundme.com/ofc-kevin-valencia-wounded-hero

In the weeks following the shooting, Valencia was in a coma but showed promise when he started squeezing people’s hands, reacting to Meghan’s voice, and giving a thumbs-up. “I know they had said that he was not expected to live, but he actually wasn’t, so the fact that he is moving and responding is truly a miracle,” Meghan said. “We are very, very thankful for all the prayers and support. I truly believe that helps.” In order to help the family during the trying time, a GoFundMe has been started to help raise funds. So far, almost $180,000 has been raised. “I am overwhelmed with gratitude at the support my husband is receiving,” Meghan wrote. “I could not have imagined so many people gathering to help a wounded hero! I cannot thank you enough for the continued donations to help the long road ahead in what I KNOW will be my husbands healing process! Thank you so much from the bottom our hearts, thank you!”

Continued Support

Kevin Valencia Story
  www.gofundme.com/ofc-kevin-valencia-wounded-hero

Recently, Valencia was transferred to a facility in Georgia where he can hopefully continue healing. However, the road to recovery is still very long and he’s not expected to return home anytime soon. So when Valencia’s oldest son had his first day of kindergarten, his brothers in blue stepped up and were there to escort him to school. “It was very emotional,” Chief Mina said. “It was tough because today you are supposed to be celebrating your first day of kindergarten with your mom and dad. With Officer Valencia still in a coma, we stepped in.”

Police Officer Fights for His Life After Terrifying Hostage Situation Ends Violently is an article from: LifeDaily

Brotherly Love Wins in a 25-Year-Old Man’s Fight Against Kidney Failure

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Brandon Lash Story

Siblings don’t always get along, but they’re usually people we can count on when times get tough. No matter what happens, they are the people we turn to when it really matters.

When a Pennsylvania man was in his early 20s, doctors discovered that his kidneys weren’t working properly. When most of his peers were out partying and enjoying their youth, he was forced to fight for his life. However, the fight came to an end thanks to his brother’s selfless sacrifice.

A Vital Organ

Brandon Lash Story
  Brandon Lash / Facebook

As a young man, a Fayette County, Pennsylvania native was diagnosed with kidney disease. His doctors explained that, like everyone, his two kidneys were responsible for a variety of vital functions. Some of those functions include removing waste from his blood, balancing water and minerals in his blood, and even managing blood pressure.

Suffering from Kidney Disease

Brandon Lash Story
  www.niddk.nih.gov

Unfortunately, the kidneys in Brandon Lash’s body weren’t working properly. As a result, waste products and fluid had begun building up in his body and all the kidney’s other functions weren’t being performed properly. According to his doctors, things would only get worse.

A Troubling Prognosis

Brandon Lash Story
  www.rd.com

After diagnosing Lash with kidney disease, doctors explained that he would likely start experiencing side effects as his kidneys progressively stopped working. While he was just in his early 20s, he was told that soon he would experience things like swelling in his ankles, vomiting, weakness, poor sleep, and shortness of breath.

No Cure

Brandon Lash Story
  www.newtelegraphonline.com

To make matters worse, kidney disease can’t be cured. The diagnosis terrified Lash, who, like many, never imagined his life would be in jeopardy at such a young age. As time passed, the effects of the kidney disease were becoming more pronounced and exhausting.

Chronic Renal Failure

Brandon Lash Story
  www.engadget.com

By the time he was turned 23, doctors explained that the kidney disease had progressed. He was now in chronic renal failure and his kidney function was extremely low. In order to stay alive, Lash had to begin dialysis treatment.

The Treatment

Brandon Lash Story
  ib.bioninja.com.au

When kidneys fail, a patient’s blood is pumped through a dialysis machine. Membranes in the machine filter and remove excess water, solutes, and toxins from the blood. After that, the filtered blood is circulated back in the body. Unfortunately, it’s not a perfect process, and certainly not as efficient as the body’s ability to do this naturally when the kidneys function properly.

A Temporary Solution

Brandon Lash Story
  Shutterstock

Dialysis machines are nowhere near as efficient as kidneys, so it can take hours for a single treatment. Not only is it a time-consuming process, but it’s also not a permanent solution as the average life expectancy on dialysis is just five to 10 years.

The Next Step

Brandon Lash Story
  Brandon Lash / Facebook

Lash spent three days out of every week going to a dialysis center and sitting for hours while receiving treatment. But by April 2015, Brandon’s doctors explained that he wasn’t going to live much longer even with dialysis treatment. His only hope was a kidney transplant.

Fighting for His Life

Brandon Lash Story
  Brandon Lash / Facebook

“I was really scared,” Brandon said about the scary prognosis. “I was only 23 — how could I need a kidney transplant at my age?” However, the only thing scarier that kidney failure was the fact that people spend years waiting for a kidney transplant in the United States.

A Long Wait

Brandon Lash Story
  www.livingdonor101.com

In the United States, more than 100,000 people are left waiting for years on the Kidney Transplant List. Sadly, many can’t afford to wait that long and nearly 5,000 patients die each year because they never received a transplant. Lash was terrified that he too would die waiting.

The Search Begins

Brandon Lash Story
  Brandon Lash / Facebook

For that reason, his doctors placed him on the transplant list as early as they could. Doctors also recommended Lash’s immediate and extended family get tested. If they could find someone who was a match and was willing to donate a kidney, he wouldn’t have to wait on the transplant list.

Discouraging News

Brandon Lash Story
  www.nytimes.com

At first, Lash’s parents got tested hoping that they would be a match. Sadly, they and the rest of their relatives who got tested either weren’t a match or didn’t qualify to undergo the transplant surgery. The news was discouraging, but the family refused to give up.

A Perfect Match

Brandon Lash Story
  www.today.com

Shortly after, however, their faith was restored. Test results revealed that Lash’s younger brother Derek was a perfect match. Rather than just telling him the news, the family decided to plan an exciting surprise.

A Birthday Gift

Brandon Lash Story
  www.today.com

Lash’s 25th birthday was approaching. On the night of its celebration, Derek presented his brother with a special card while their parents filmed the two of them. Lash knew something was going on but never guessed it was about his kidneys.

Breaking the News

Brandon Lash Story
  Beth Slavic Lash / Facebook

“I love spending time with you … I’m so thankful I have you for my brother. You have always been there for me, even though I get on your nerves sometimes. You will always have a piece of my heart,” the card read. “And now you will have my kidney, too. We are a perfect match.” When Lash realized what his brother was going to give him, he was overcome with emotion.

A Brother’s Sacrifice

Brandon Lash Story
  Beth Slavic Lash / Facebook

“I can’t believe Derek would sacrifice going through all this for me,” said Lash after being told he was a perfect match. “He’s giving me a chance to have a healthy life again … it’s overwhelming and I still can’t believe it’s happening.”

A Simple Decision

Brandon Lash Story
  Beth Slavic Lash / Facebook

According to Derek, however, it was a simple decision. He would have given anything to save his brother’s life. For Derek, giving up a kidney didn’t seem like a big deal. “I hated seeing him sick and knew something needed to be done to make him healthy again,” he said.

The Only Option

Brandon Lash Story
  Beth Slavic Lash / Facebook

“Not only was it the right thing to do, but the only thing to do. He’s my brother,” Derek explained. “I love my brother and couldn’t imagine life without him. We didn’t know how long he could be on the transplant list, and I knew I just wanted my healthy brother back.”

The Surgery

Brandon Lash Story
  www.tribunist.com

On January 16, 2018, the brothers underwent their kidney transplant surgeries, which doctors deemed to be successful. After recovering, Brandon Lash was finally able to get back to doing the things he loved, like going on fishing trips. “I’m gonna get back to my normal self just taking my time getting there. But this summer will be the best one I’ve ever had,” he said. “Dialysis isn’t holding me back from doing what I want anymore. God has blessed my family and myself with a new chance at a new beginning of life. And I cannot be more grateful for this opportunity. I love you all who continue to support us through this journey!”

A New Beginning

Brandon Lash Story
  www.tribunist.com

“If it wasn’t for this man right here, I’d still be on dialysis struggling to live every day,” Lash said about his brother months after the surgery. “I thank god each and every day that my brother was a perfect match for me, and also that my family was there right with us as we began this new journey which continues to improve day by day. I love and thank every single person who has and continues to support my family and myself on this new life journey.”

Brotherly Love Wins in a 25-Year-Old Man’s Fight Against Kidney Failure is an article from: LifeDaily


Korean Peace Talks Bring Hope to Families That Were Separated Decades Ago

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Sang Chol Story

For many people, there is nothing more important in the world than family. The unique bond we share with our parents, siblings, and extended family are worth more than anything else in the world.

Unfortunately, the world sometimes has a way of breaking those bonds. For one nation of people, their families would be shattered by one of the most heart-wrenching episodes in human history…

New Conflict

Sang Chol Story
  www.sputniknews.com

In the aftermath of World War II, a new global conflict began between the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). With the key powers wary of the kind of destruction that ravaged the world in the battle between Axis and Allies, this conflict would be different.

Cold War

Sang Chol Story
  www.brewminate.com

Direct war between the United States and the USSR would mean a nuclear holocaust and near certain destruction for both countries. Instead, the two global superpowers engaged in a series of proxy conflicts, using smaller allied nations as limited battlegrounds to apply pressure on one another.

Division of Korea

Sang Chol Story
  www.quora.com

Before WWII, Korea had been a colony of Japan. And by the time the war ended, Korea was split roughly in half with the Soviet Union allied with the north and the United States allied with the south. The allied powers failed to successfully negotiate a way to establish Korean independence. As a result, the nation was split in two and went to war.

Devastating Rift

Sang Chol Story
  Wikipedia

That war, essentially a battle of Communist and democratic ideologies, is still technically ongoing and the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), a small strip of land separating the two nations, is still heavily fortified. And in the struggle between the two governing philosophies, thousands of families were separated when the country was split in two.

Mother and Son

Sang Chol Story
  explorationat.wordpress.com

Two of the people split apart were Lee Keum-seom and her son Sang Chol. When the war broke out, Sang Chol was stuck on the north side of the DMZ with his father while Lee was stuck in the south. Sang Chol was just four years old at the time.

Growing up Apart

Sang Chol Story
  www.cnn.com

Because of the ongoing conflict and tension between the north and south, Sang Chol would grow up to be a man without ever seeing his mother. It would be nearly seven more decades before the two would have any hope of being reunited.

Historic Declaration

Sang Chol Story
  www.nknews.org

That hope came in the form of the Panmunjom Declaration, a joint statement made by Kim Jong-Un and Moon Jae-in, the respective leaders of North and South Korea, that was the result of an Inter-Korean peace summit that took place on April 27th, 2018.

Working for Peace

Sang Chol Story
  www.thebulletin.org

The declaration was an agreement between the leaders to work together on ending the Korean war once and for all, beginning a new era of peace and sharing between the two separate nations. Such an agreement would have been thought impossible even just a few years ago.

Personally Important

Sang Chol Story
  www.local10.com

While any movement toward peace in the world is a good thing, this was an especially good moment for Lee and Sang Chol. That’s because part of the agreement was to allow separated family members to come together and see each other for the first time since hostilities began so long ago.

Lucky Few

Sang Chol Story
  www.openingupnorthkorea.com

Of the 57,000 families that applied for reunions, 89 were chosen. The family members in South Korea would be bused to the meeting place, a resort near Mount Kumgang in North Korea. Like Lee, more than 60 percent of those seeking reunions were over 80 years old and would be accompanied on the bus trip north by their children and younger relatives.

So Much Older

Sang Chol Story
  www.cnn.com

At that point, Lee was 92 years old and the son she’d last seen as a little boy was now 71 years old, an old man himself. For years, Lee had been praying for her son to have a long life so they could one day be together again. Her family in North Korea “didn’t live long so I prayed for my son’s health,” she said.

What to Say?

Sang Chol Story
  www.cnn.com

Now that her prayers had been answered, she was uncertain what to do when she was finally face-to-face with Sang Chol. “What shall I ask?” she said. “Oh I should ask him what his father told him about me. His father must have told him about how we got separated and where our house used to be. I should ask him about that.”

Overwhelming Emotion

Sang Chol Story
  www.cnn.com

But the moment Lee saw her son’s face, all her uncertainty and nervousness disappeared instantly. The elderly mother and son embraced each other as the tears began to flow down both of their faces. For the entire reunion, they didn’t let go of each other’s hands.

Mind Your Words

Sang Chol Story
  www.cnn.com

Lee was just one of dozens of South Koreans who made the trip into North Korea, each of whom were instructed beforehand to avoid saying anything that could be misconstrued or considered insensitive to the North.

Not All Wonderful

Sang Chol Story
  www.oikoumene.org

While their reunification was a great thing, it wasn’t joyous for everyone. Park Kyung-seo, president of the South Korean Red Cross which helped facilitate the reunification, said that he was overjoyed to see the family reunions take place. However, the fact that so few families were allowed to take part was a “human tragedy.”

Finding Solutions

Sang Chol Story
  english.yonhapnews.co.kr

“I share fully with the disappointment of those who were not selected so I am trying with North Korean partners to try and find other solutions,” Park said. Less than 100 total families out of the 57,000 that applied were able to come together.

Huge Numbers

Sang Chol Story
  www.sputniknews.com

“Huge numbers are waiting. Imagine 73 years long without knowing whether their family members are still alive or passed away — no news at all,” Park added. “The agony and anger, that’s an unthinkable human tragedy.”

Before He Dies

Sang Chol Story
  www.lufkindailynews.com

One of those people waiting was Kim Seong-jin. He was protesting the event because his father was one of those tens of thousands of people whose request to meet with a long-lost relative was denied.” I don’t know when he will die,” Kim said. “He is beginning to show signs of dementia. Before he loses everything he wants to go too.”

Historic Progress

Sang Chol Story
  www.cnn.com

The good news was that progress was happening in a way that wasn’t possible before. President Moon noted his strong desire for further steps toward peace between North and South Korea, citing his own family history as a child of North Korean refugees.

Deep Sympathy

Sang Chol Story
  www.leadertelegram.com

“Expanding and expediting the reunion has the utmost priority out of all the humanitarian projects that both Koreas must conduct. The Koreas must more boldly make an effort towards solving the divided family issue,” Moon said. “As a member of a divided family myself, I sympathize deeply with that sadness and pain. There really is no time”

Korean Peace Talks Bring Hope to Families That Were Separated Decades Ago is an article from: LifeDaily

Amateur Novelist Travels More Than 500 Miles to Stalk Online Critic

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Richard Brittain Story

When you’re starting out in any creative field, one of the most important things for your development is hearing feedback about your work. It’s far too easy to look at what you’ve created, usually with a heavy bias, thinking it’s the next best thing whether or not it’s any good.

Of course, a creation is almost never as good (or as bad) as the creator assumes. And when you’ve got a critic who tells you as much, it can be hard not to take their words personally. But when one aspiring writer got some negative feedback, his reaction would go far beyond what’s reasonable…

Brainy

Richard Brittain Story
  www.independent.co.uk

Richard Brittain was a pretty smart guy. In 2006, when he was just a teenager, he became the 55th champion of Countdown, a game show that challenges contestants with word and number puzzles.

New Challenge

Richard Brittain Story
  www.findamasters.com

Later in life, after he’d gone through schooling at the University of Greenwich, Brittain decided to apply his mind to more creative pursuits — he wanted to be an author. And as you may guess of a former quiz show winner, he decided to write about a somewhat nerdy subject.

Ambitious Debut

Richard Brittain Story
  www.dailymail.co.uk

Brittain’s first foray into the world of writing would be an epic fairy-tale romance titled The World Rose, which took place in a semi-fictional ancient world. To describe it as ambitious would be an understatement.

Triple Play

Richard Brittain Story
  www.goodreads.com

The story was meant to contain action, adventure, poetry, and comedy. It’s title was a play on words with its central character being “the rose of the world,” a woman renowned for her beauty. Roses were also central to the plot and the world itself.

Getting Feedback

Richard Brittain Story
  www.variety.com

After writing a good deal of his book, Brittain wanted to get a feel for what other people thought about it. In 2014, he posted the manuscript on Wattpad, an app where amateur writers post their work for others to review.

Hard to Take

Richard Brittain Story
  www.dailymail.co.uk

But like so many first-time artists, it seemed like Brittain’s reach had exceeded his grasp. The comments he got on his book were almost all negative. Some people might not have taken the criticism to heart, and instead used it to improve. Others might have been too hurt to go on and give up writing altogether. Brittain decided to do something else.

Thin Skin

Richard Brittain Story
  www.metro.co.uk

Brittain described his detractors as “idiots” and “teenagers” but, judging from the reviews, there were good reasons to not like his book. One review by a teenager named Paige Rolland stuck out particularly in his mind.

Roundly Lambasted

Richard Brittain Story
  www.metro.co.uk

“As a reader, I’m bored out of my skull,” Rolland wrote. “Not only does it begin with ‘once upon a time’ … it’s filled with many writing no-nos. Way too much telling, pretentious prose, and a main character that I already hate.” The review went on to describe just about every aspect of Brittain’s writing as unbearable.

Bad Reputation

Richard Brittain Story
  Richard Brittain / YouTube

Rolland then went on to say that Brittain “has gained a bit of infamy on Wattpad where he’s known for threatening users who don’t praise him (pray for me).” Though she’d said it in jest, she would soon find out that that prayer would be needed.

Tracking Her Down

Richard Brittain Story
  www.dailymail.co.uk

Enraged by her one star review, Brittain tracked down Rolland’s Facebook page and found out that she lived in Scotland and worked at an Asda supermarket. He then traveled more than 500 miles from where he lived in Bedfodshire to confront her where she worked.

Workplace Stalking

Richard Brittain Story
  www.dailymail.co.uk

Brittain figured out a day and time Paige would be working and showed up to the store during one of her shifts. When he arrived, he grabbed a wine bottle off of one of the shelves and made his way to the cereal aisle where she was stocking shelves.

Violent Ambush

Richard Brittain Story
  www.impactprogram.ca

As she was crouched down, busy with her work, Brittain came up from behind. Without a single word or any kind of warning, Brittain raised the bottle up and brought it down with all of his force on Rolland’s head in a single blow that left her unconscious and bleeding from a gash in her head.

Fleeing the Scene

Richard Brittain Story
  www.telegraph.co.uk

Brittain fled from the store as Rolland laid there, blood pooling on the floor. He was able to get away before being apprehended by police. Thankfully, Rolland hadn’t been killed.

“I could have died.”

Richard Brittain Story
  www.itv.com

“Had he hit me any harder, I could have died,” she would later say. “My first thought when I realized I had been assaulted was for my mum and how awful it would be for her to get a phone call saying I had died.”

Tracking the Stalker

Richard Brittain Story
  www.novostipmr.com

After the investigation, police were able to track Brittain to his home using his cellphone data, then arrested him. He was charged with assault and would eventually be found guilty and sentenced to 30 months in prison for the brutal attack on Rolland. But during the trail, it came out that she wasn’t the first woman he’d stalked.

Not the First Obsession

Richard Brittain Story
  www.dailydot.com

In fact, it turned out that the perfect princess character Ella, “the rose of the world,” from his book was based on a real woman, Ella Durant, that Brittain had been obsessed with back in college. In a blog post called “The Benevolent Stalker,” he described how he’d constantly show up to her job to harass her out of some twisted sense of romance.

Fleeing the Country

Richard Brittain Story
  www.nydailynews.com

Things got so bad that Durant notified the police. It was after that point that Brittain told her he’d made her the main character of his novel. When the stalking continued, she moved from London to Glasgow to escape him.

Bizarre Plan

Richard Brittain Story
  www.mirror.co.uk

Still he persisted and found Durant’s place of business online. Brittain went to Glasgow with a cockamamie plan to convince her to agree to a “fake kidnapping” to publicize his book about her. He approached her twice, once on the street and once outside of her job. Fortunately, she had been able to attract police attention both times.

‘Weird and Creepy’

Richard Brittain Story
  www.thescottishsun.co.uk

“I find it weird and creepy he tracked me down and traveled to Scotland to assault me. But then his book was about a woman he was stalking for years. The fact that he assaulted me and didn’t say a word is horrifying,” Rolland said.

Aftereffects

Richard Brittain Story
  www.express.co.uk

“I couldn’t believe it,” she said. Rolland remained shaken up by the attack years after it happened. “The attack has left me nervous and fearful. I find it difficult to meet new people and am nervous in big crowds.”

Amateur Novelist Travels More Than 500 Miles to Stalk Online Critic is an article from: LifeDaily

Teacher Suffers Heart Attack and Faces Unpleasant Surprise After Assurances From Hospital

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Drew Calver Story

When a person pays into a health insurance plan, it’s reasonable for them to assume that what they pay for they’ll get in return. However, sometimes there are loopholes that insurance companies can take advantage of, and customers don’t know until it’s too late…

That’s the story of one Texas family man who experienced a traumatic health issue just to be stuck with an enormous bill afterward. When the emergency came up unexpectedly, he would find out that playing by the rules doesn’t mean everyone else is playing the same game…

Sunday Errands

Drew Calver Story
  finance.yahoo.com

It started off as a typical Sunday for Drew and Erin, a married couple from Austin, Texas. Erin was on her way out of the house to go grocery shopping with their youngest, Emory. Drew would stay home with their other child Eleanor and do a little work around the house.

See You Later, Honey

Drew Calver Story
  www.drivelikeagirl.com

Drew was taking out the garbage cans as his wife pulled the car out of the driveway and gave them a wave goodbye, unaware of the ticking time bomb inside his body that was about to go off. Just minutes later, his life would change forever.

Help, Sweetie!

Drew Calver Story
  www.peachvitamins.com

Drew had just went into his bedroom when he collapsed on the floor with violent chest pains. “I thought I was dying,” he said. He called out to his daughter Eleanor, the only other person in the house for help, then used the voice-recognition feature on his phone to text his wife.

‘Widow-Maker’

Drew Calver Story
  www.fd2s.com

Eleanor was able to notify a neighbor, who quickly came over and rushed Drew to the closest emergency room at St. David’s Medical Center. There, the ER doctors confirmed what Drew had suspected: he’d had a “widow-maker” heart attack.

Healthy Guy

Drew Calver Story
  www.austinhighmaroons.org

That diagnosis came as a shock for Drew. He was relatively young and was an avid swimmer. In addition to teaching history at a local high school, he also served as the school’s swimming coach. He’d even competed in an Ironman triathlon just five months prior.

Will This Cost Me?

Drew Calver Story
  www.kxan.com

But even in the midst of his surprise of his near brush with death, a worry came to the forefront of his mind that was all too common for Americans receiving medical care. Emergency room visits can be extremely costly and St. David’s was out-of-network on his school district health plan. He needed to know if his health insurance would cover his treatment.

You’re Covered

Drew Calver Story
  www.stdavids.com

The people at the hospital told Drew not to worry, that they would accept his insurance and that he should devote all of his attention to getting well in the days to come as they performed the necessary surgery he would need to survive.

Successful Treatment

Drew Calver Story
  health.clevelandclinic.org

Over the next four days, Drew Calver would stay at St. David’s where he had four stents implanted to clear a blockage in his left anterior descending artery, the source of so-called “widow-maker” heart attacks because they are often so deadly. The surgery went well and the news was all good — until he got the bill…

Sticker Shock

Drew Calver Story
  www.people.com

In total, the hospital charged $164,941 for the surgery and the four day stay. Of course, that was the cost before the insurance company stepped in to cover its share of the cost. Aetna, who administers the health benefits for the Austin Independent School District did pay out the hefty sum of $55,840.

Stuck With the Tab

Drew Calver Story
  www.dallasnews.com

Even if your math skills aren’t stellar, you can see that left the majority of the bill unpaid. So who was on the hook for the remaining $108,951? Drew Calver and his family would be footing the bill, if St. David’s had its way.

Double Whammy

Drew Calver Story
  www.npr.org

Drew had fallen victim to the twin medical billing practices that cause devastating problems to many Americans who think they’re fully covered by their insurance: surprise bills and balance billing.

Tricky Situations

Drew Calver Story
  www.newser.com

A surprise bill is when a person goes to a hospital in their insurance network but gets treatment from a doctor who is not in their network, which means the patient is sent a bill directly. Balance billing is when an insurance company will pay for necessary emergency care at the nearest hospital but the insurer and the hospital disagree on a reasonable price, meaning the patient has to pay the difference.

Massive Loophole

Drew Calver Story
  blogs.mprnews.org

Some states, including Texas, have laws that help protect people from surprise and balance billing but there’s a massive loophole in cases like Drew’s. The state-mandated protections don’t apply to people who get their health coverage from employers that are self-insured, meaning companies or public employers that pay claims out of their own funds. That’s about 60 percent of people who get employer health benefits.

Doing Things Right

Drew Calver Story
  www.khn.org

By just about anyone’s judgment, Drew was someone who’d “done everything right.” Despite exercising regularly, being covered by insurance, and making sure at the hospital that his insurance would cover treatment, he was blindsided by a medical emergency and left on the hook for a medical bill that was more than twice his annual salary. It seemed there was nothing he could do to avoid financial ruin.

Bad Reputation

Drew Calver Story
  www.stellarplumbing.net

Unfortunately, Drew’s situation wasn’t all that unusual for people in the U.S., especially for patients of St. David’s, which, according to industry analysts and consumer advocates, has a reputation for exorbitant billing and for trying to collect big payouts as an out-of-network provider.

Price Inflation

Drew Calver Story
  www.fd2s.com

“This is a well-known, problematic provider,” said Dr. Merrit Quarum, chief executive of Well Rithms, which scrutinizes medical bills for self-funded employers. “We’ve seen multiple bills from them and they are always highly inflated.” His organization said that Drew’s charges, especially for the stents, were much higher than they would be at comparable hospitals.

Media Involvement

Drew Calver Story
  www.adweek.com

Thankfully, for Drew there was a light at the end of the tunnel. National Public Radio did a story on his situation as part of their “Bill of the Month” series and, just hours after it aired, St. David’s agreed to drastically reduce what they were going to charge Drew.

Sudden Turnaround

Drew Calver Story
  www.kxan.com

Apparently the public attention on the exorbitant billing was enough to get St. David’s to drop what Drew had to pay from nearly $110,000 to next to nothing. They first offered to drop the bill down to $782 then, days later, dropped it to just $332, which Drew paid immediately, eager to put the stressful event behind him.

Nobody Deserves This

Drew Calver Story
  www.people.com

“It feels great that this is over for me and my family, but this isn’t just about my bill,” Drew Calver said. “I don’t feel any consumer should have to go through this. He and his wife were grateful for the outpouring of support they got after their story circulated around the media, and were even more grateful that they wouldn’t be saddled with crippling debt.

‘Reasonable and Customary’

Drew Calver Story
  www.rawstory.com

For it’s part, St. David’s HealthCare says that it “did everything right in this particular situation.” Their chief executive C. David Huffstutler described the hospital’s charges of nearly $165,000 as “reasonable and customary.” He placed the blame on the school district and its health plan administrator, Aetna, saying their choice to offer a narrow network plan “can potentially place a heavy financial burden on the patient.”

Teacher Suffers Heart Attack and Faces Unpleasant Surprise After Assurances From Hospital is an article from: LifeDaily

Strangers Refuse to Allow Little Boy’s Spirit to Break After His Lemonade Stand is Robbed

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9-Year-Old Lemonade Stand Robbed Story

There is nothing more symbolic of the young American entrepreneurial spirit than operating a lemonade stand. However, in today’s society, it seems like operating a lemonade stand is getting more difficult for kids.

Not only is government licensing getting out of control, so is theft. While the latter is not as common, a 9-year-old boy experienced being robbed first hand when he was selling lemonade one warm afternoon. But instead of breaking his spirit, complete strangers made sure he’d had a different memory from the ordeal. Here’s what happened…

Lemonade Stand in Charlotte

9-Year-Old Lemonade Stand Robbed Story
  abcnews.go.com

A 9-year-old boy named Mark was running a lemonade stand outside of Charlotte, North Carolina, on Saturday when he was robbed at gunpoint. The boy had less than $20 on him, but the robber stooped to a new low when he targeted the little boy.

Horrifying Moment

9-Year-Old Lemonade Stand Robbed Story
  www.videoblocks.com

Mark happened to be on the phone with his dad while the gunman approached and his dad heard the panic in his voice. The suspect threatened to shoot the boy if he didn’t hand over whatever money he had, which was only $17 at that point. So, while holding a BB gun, the suspect, identified as a young black man wearing a cap and a black shirt, took the money from the boy and left.

Robbed at Gunpoint

9-Year-Old Lemonade Stand Robbed Story
  abcnews.go.com

“The suspect allegedly stuck a black handgun to the boy’s stomach, demanded money and fled the scene on foot,” the Union County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. Mark was very distraught and his father, Phillip Smith explained that his son ran the lemonade stand to raise money for a riding lawnmower, to use in for his budding lawnmower business.

Targeting an Innocent Child

9-Year-Old Lemonade Stand Robbed Story
  www.policecararchives.org

“Never had an incident like this, never thought this would happen,” Smith told WJZY News. Meanwhile, deputies began searching for the suspect and located a trail in the woods where a hat, a black colored BB handgun, and the stolen metal lemonade stand tin were recovered. Deputies believe that the suspect left a bicycle and walked from there to the lemonade stand before the robbery.”

Supporting Mark

9-Year-Old Lemonade Stand Robbed Story
  newsroom.lowes.com

After news of the theft spread, the community reached out to support Mark. Lowe’s, the home-improvement chain, donated a new lawnmower worth about $1,100 to Mark. “We watched the news over the weekend and heard neighbors were collecting money,” Sarah Lively, Lowe’s spokesperson told ABC News.

Isolated Incident?

9-Year-Old Lemonade Stand Robbed Story
  www.nccharlottehomes.com

“We thought that was something Lowe’s could help with and contacted our Monroe, North Carolina, store to help surprise Mark on Monday morning,” Lively said. Monroe is about 30 miles east of Charlotte and this type of incident was something that no one had ever seen before.

Inspiring Others

9-Year-Old Lemonade Stand Robbed Story
  abcnews.go.com

“It’s pretty cool what you’re trying to do at such a young age, and tell you what, it’s pretty awesome to be a part of it,” Lowe’s store manager Chris Beatty said. “If he’s trying to have some kind of goal, maybe the people of the neighborhood could chip in and help out, reward some hard work,” neighbor Lou Armada said.

Supporting His Lawnmower Business

9-Year-Old Lemonade Stand Robbed Story
  abcnews.go.com

In addition to the brand new lawnmower, Union County Sheriff’s Deputies created a GoFundMe page to raise money for Mark. “We have been overwhelmed with calls, messages, and requests from citizens all over the country wanting to donate funds and even [lawn] mowers to the child,” according to Mark’s fundraising page.

Donations

9-Year-Old Lemonade Stand Robbed Story
  abcnews.go.com

Good samaritans wound up donating over $400 to the fund, which Mark’s parents said will be put into a college fund for their son. The GoFundMe says: “His parents would like everyone to know that no further contributions are necessary or being requested. Any additional donations/contributions will be put into a college fund for their son. He would like to go to school to be a robotics engineer.” Then, on August 8, 2018, an update was issued about the suspect in the case.

Update

9-Year-Old Lemonade Stand Robbed Story
  www.thecamteam.com

Union County Sheriff’s Deputies identified and arrested the suspect involved in Mark’s lemonade stand robbery occurring near the roundabout in St. John’s Forest. Detectives found the man by obtaining security camera footage depicting an individual matching the suspect’s description in close proximity to the robbery.

Identifying the Gunman

9-Year-Old Lemonade Stand Robbed Story
  www.wral.com

“The footage was instrumental in helping detectives identify the suspect. The suspect is a juvenile under North Carolina law and therefore his identity is not eligible for release,” the GoFundMe said. Detectives, working with the NC Department of Juvenile Justice wound up charging the suspect with robbery with a dangerous weapon as well as possession of drug paraphernalia.

Never Giving Up

9-Year-Old Lemonade Stand Robbed Story
  abcnews.go.com

What’s incredible is that the next day on Sunday, Mark was selling lemonade again, but this time with his mom and dad. He reopened his lemonade stand in a new location at the community pool. “We are being resilient,” his dad said. “We kinda explained it to him that bad things do happen to good people.”

Entrepreneur

9-Year-Old Lemonade Stand Robbed Story
  abcnews.go.com

A business card collected from Mark’s lemonade stand showed that mowing lawns and operating a lemonade stand aren’t the only things on his resume. According to WSOC News, the business card that one customer collected said that Mark works not only as a lawnmower, but also a dog walker and a professional ring bearer. “I’m often seeing the young man selling organic lemonade,” neighbor Robert Pendleton said.

Painful for a Parent

9-Year-Old Lemonade Stand Robbed Story
  abcnews.go.com

Mark’s mom, Ilona Mustafin, spoke out regarding the incident saying, “It’s really terrifying and every parent can relate to that, even if it’s not your own child, your heart hurts and bleeds for that, she said. To this day, Mark recalls the terrifying moment that he had to open up his lemonade box and give it to the gunman. “I opened the box, he grabbed it, pushed the gun at me and ran away,” Mark told WSCO.

Overwhelming Support

9-Year-Old Lemonade Stand Robbed Story
  abcnews.go.com

However, neighbors believe that Mark has bounced back after the crime since he continues to set up his lemonade stand. His mother always stays on a video chat with him when he’s selling lemonade if she can’t be there with him in person. “I’m just so happy and thankful,” Mark said. Since the incident, the family has received countless messages from people wanting to help.

Inspirational Messages

9-Year-Old Lemonade Stand Robbed Story
  abcnews.go.com

“It restores faith. It’s just so much love,” his mother said. So many caring people not only donated money to Mark but also left sweet comments telling him how inspired they were. “Good luck with your future businesses! So proud of your entrepreneurial spirit and willingness to work hard. The world needs more kids like you!” a woman wrote. Another person wrote, “Just a retired law enforcement officer trying to help out a hardworking young man.”

Closing the Case

9-Year-Old Lemonade Stand Robbed Story
  TruthYouCanHandle / YouTube

“I am very proud of the work our deputies and detectives did to identify the suspect in this case. They have worked tirelessly to bring closure for the victim, his family and the St. John’s Forest community,” Union County Sheriff Eddie Cathey said. This reminds us of another incident back in July 2018 when a man stole the donation box from a little boy’s lemonade stand.

Similar Story

9-Year-Old Lemonade Stand Robbed Story
  www.patch.com

That donation box alone was worth $75 and it contained between $50 and $75 in donations. The incident happening around closing time at Alex’s Lemonade Stand in Southpark Mall in Strongsville, Ohio. Surveillance cameras captured images of a man and woman near the counter just after all the employees left and when they returned the next morning the box was gone.

Alex’s Lemonade Stand

9-Year-Old Lemonade Stand Robbed Story
  Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation / YouTube

Alex’s Lemonade Stand is a charitable foundation that raises money to help combat childhood cancer. It’s named after Alexandra “Alex” Scott who started holding lemonade stands at the age of four to fight cancer after being diagnosed with neuroblastoma. Alex passed away at the age of eight, but her legacy lives on through the foundation.

Her Legacy Lives On

9-Year-Old Lemonade Stand Robbed Story
  PhRMAPress / YouTube

Liz Scott, Co-Executive Director of Alex’s Lemonade Stand and Alex’s mom told Fox 8 News, “It’s always disheartening and sad, because people give and they want the money to go to help kids and we know too well that every single donation matters and then sometimes I think what kind of bad situation are you in if you need to steal from a children’s cancer charity.” Thankfully, the suspect turned himself in and admitted to everything, although he was charged with two counts of theft.

Strangers Refuse to Allow Little Boy’s Spirit to Break After His Lemonade Stand is Robbed is an article from: LifeDaily

One Final Hope Remains to Save the Nearly-Extinct Northern White Rhino

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Northern White Rhino Story

For a long time, the population of the northern white rhino has been in steep decline. The massive, horned herbivores’ numbers have dropped so quickly, it seemed that their extinction was all but inevitable.

With their numbers so catastrophically low, it would seem that they’re past the point of no return. But now, some scientists are working to bring the peaceful pachyderms back from beyond the brink…

Quiet Disaster

  www.iflscience.com

There’s a quiet disaster that’s been going on for the last forty years that is so large, it’s hard to wrap your head around. For the past few decades, the earth has been in the midst of a “mass extinction event.” During this time, the rate of extinction of species has been 100 to 1,000 times higher than the natural background rates.

Massive Die Off

Northern White Rhino Story
  www.healthline.com

By some estimates, roughly 60 percent of the worlds vertebrate wildlife — animals that have back bones — have died since 1970. Dozens of species go extinct each day largely due to the influence of human beings. At the same time as we kill unsustainable numbers of animals, especially fish, for food, we are also polluting and destroying animals’ natural habitats.

Troubled Species

Northern White Rhino Story
  www.sciencing.com

While most of this mass extinction goes unnoticed by the general public, there are a few “fan favorite” species that are currently endangered or who have already gone extinct that tug at our collective heart strings.

Another Victim

Northern White Rhino Story
  www.thelocal.de

Animals like the panda, tiger, and blue whale are all close to the brink of being lost forever. Creatures like the Baiji river dolphin, golden toad, and Pyrenean ibex have all gone over the edge in recent years. And just earlier this year, it seemed that that the northern white rhinoceros would be joining them soon.

Sought Commodity

Northern White Rhino Story
  www.newscientist.com

For the northern white rhino, the threat of extinction started to become severe in the 1970s and 80s when demand for their horns skyrocketed. Powdered rhinoceros horn was used in traditional Asian medicine as a supposed cure for things like hangovers, fevers and even cancer. Owning and consuming rhino horn also came to be seen as a symbol of wealth.

Hunted to Death

Northern White Rhino Story
  www.thetimes.co.uk

With all the money to be made selling rhinoceros horn, northern white rhinos were hunted en masse. By 2016, there were just three northern white rhinos left in the world — one male and two females.

Sudan

Northern White Rhino Story
  www.theatlantic.com

The male rhino’s name was Sudan and he was 43 years old, which is elderly in rhino years. The females were his daughter Najin, 26, and granddaughter, Fatu. Because of his advanced years, Sudan had all sorts of troubles, which in turn were troubles for the survival of his species.

Health Problems

Northern White Rhino Story
  www.livescience.com

During his final years, Sudan was unable to naturally mount a female and also suffered from a low sperm count, making procreation difficult. The two females had health problems as well and seemed to be unable to carry a pregnancy. Still, people held out hope that the remaining northern white rhinos would find a way to reproduce.

Dashed Hopes

Northern White Rhino Story
  www.chron.com

“There has been recorded mating between different pairs over the last few years but no conceptions,” said George Paul, deputy veterinarian at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, a 700-acre enclosure in central Kenya where the remaining northern white rhinos lived.

The Apparent End

Northern White Rhino Story
  www.time.com

The hopes for natural reproduction would prove to be in vain when, two years after the northern white rhinoceros population dropped to three, it dropped again to two. In early 2018, the elderly Sudan could no longer stand and became extremely ill due to age-related problems. He was put down, effectively rendering the species extinct.

Scientific Options

Northern White Rhino Story
  Wikipedia

But while many people around the world mourned the inevitable loss of a beloved species, there were scientists who were hard at work to try and make sure that Sudan’s death wasn’t the end. For some time, they had been collecting and storing his sperm and the eggs of the remaining females, as well as the sperm and eggs of other northern white rhinos before they had passed. They were also collecting bits of skin and other tissues.

Test Tube Babies

Northern White Rhino Story
  www.npr.org

The hope was that this genetic material could be used to one day revive the species using “in vitro fertilization” (IVF) and other techniques to create viable offspring in test tubes that could be reintroduced into the wild, even long after the last “natural” northern white rhinos died.

Expensive Project

Northern White Rhino Story
  www.etapainfantil.com

In a project that cost about $9 million scientists were able to use the sperm of a northern white rhino to fertilize the egg of the southern white rhino, its closest relative. Now they hope to use the same sort of techniques to create an embryo of pure northern white rhino eggs, which they would then implant into a surrogate.

Good Things Ahead

Northern White Rhino Story
  www.post-gazette.com

“Within three years, we hope to have the first [northern white] rhino calf born,” said Thomas Hildebrandt of Germany’s Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, who co-led the project. Though the project may seem like it’s on its way to bringing back the species, there are a surprising group of people who are not happy with it.

Heavy Sorrow

Northern White Rhino Story
  www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk

Those people were conservationists, one of whom was Michaela Strachan, the host of the BBC’s environmental shows Springwatch and Countryfile. “The last male northern white rhino died recently which I found incredibly sad because I saw him two years ago with my son who touched it through the bars,” she said.

Absolute Madness

Northern White Rhino Story
  www.michaelastrachan.co.uk

But describing the plans to produce new northern white rhinos through cloning, she described it as “absolute madness.” “I think we should be using the huge amount of money that costs on saving what we can save now,” she continued.

Unnatural

Northern White Rhino Story
  ZOOOstrava / YouTube

Some conservationists, on the other hand, were strongly opposed to “interfering in nature” by using IVF or other lab techniques to save the northern white rhino. “Many people working in the conservation area are very against using biotechnology,” said Hildebrandt.

Our Mess

Northern White Rhino Story
  www.wtae.com

But to him, the extinction of northern white rhinos had nothing to do with nature and everything to do with human interference in the first place. “The northern white rhino did not fail evolution. … It was slaughtered,” he said.

Let’s Fix It

Northern White Rhino Story
  www.npr.org

The hunting of the northern white rhino “caused a disbalance in the ecosystem,” Hildebrandt continued, “and we have the tools in our hands to correct that. Time will tell if those tools are ultimately successful.

Things Must Change

Northern White Rhino Story
  kids.sandiegozoo.org

In the meantime, there are still thousands of other species of animal that go extinct each year. If things keep heading in this direction, biologists believe that approximately half of all species will be extinct by the end of the century.

One Final Hope Remains to Save the Nearly-Extinct Northern White Rhino is an article from: LifeDaily

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