Queen of Pith

Cold Case: Missing Children Tammy Lynn Akers and Angela Mae Rader

2009-07-17T00:00:00.001-04:00

Vital Statistics at Time of DisappearanceTammy Lynn Akers
Missing Since: February 7, 1977 from Roanoke, Virginia
Classification: Endangered Missing
Date of Birth: June 28, 1962
Age: 14 years old
Height and Weight: 5'4, 82 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: Caucasian female. Red hair, blue eyes. Akers has a protruding navel and a black-colored mark on her cheek. Her earlobes are scarred.
Clothing/Jewelry Description: A green short-sleeved sweater, jeans, suede shoes and a suede jacket.

Angela Mae Rader
Missing Since: February 7, 1977 from Roanoke, Virginia
Classification: Endangered Missing
Date of Birth: July 30, 1962
Age: 14 years old
Height and Weight: 5'2, 100 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: Caucasian female. Brown hair, blue eyes.

Details of Disappearance
Tammy and Angela were dropped off at William Ruffner Junior High School by one of the girls' relatives on February 7, 1977 in Roanoke, Virginia. The girls did not attend classes that day and were last seen hitchhiking in the city. Neither girl has been heard from again.

Akers is described by her family as a spoiled child. She began to get into trouble at age twelve and had run away with Rader several times before their disappearances in 1977. The police originally did not take their disappearances seriously as a result. Several months after their disappearances, one of the girls' mothers got a phone call from someone saying she was her daughter and was all right. Akers and Rader were also allegedly seen in a grocery store in the months after they vanished but that sighting was never confirmed.

The girls' mothers told authorities that Akers and Rader worked for a friend of their families, Earl Conrad Bramblett, in 1977. Akers's mother stated that her daughter was friends with Bramblett and his wife at the time, frequently spending time at their home. He did not seem to have any adult friends, just children. Investigators believe that Bramblett may have been involved in Akers and Rader's disappearances. He reportedly told friends at a party in 1980 that he wished he did not "hurt Tammy" back in 1977.

Bramblett was charged with molesting a ten-year-old girl in 1984 but acquitted. Akers's older sister says he molested her when she was twelve years old and she believes he molested Akers as well. Bramblett convicted of murdering a Virginia family of four, Blaine and Teresa Hodges and their two children, in 1994 and sentenced to death. He was living with the Hodgeses at the time of their homicides. A jailhouse informant told police that Bramblett had told him that he killed the Hodges family after being caught molesting one of the children. The informant later recanted his statements but Bramblett was executed in April 2003, still maintaining his innocence. It is worth noting that Bramblett has many supporters (particularly on-line) who believe he was wrongly accused. The same people maintain that both Akers and Rader ran away from Roanoke voluntarily in 1977.

Eight months after Bramblett was sent to death row, authorities dug up the yard of the house he had been living in when Akers and Rader disappeared. They found nothing and the residence's current owners did not give them permission to search inside the house, so they never had the opportunity to look in the basement where they believe Akers and Rader may be buried.

Bramblett always maintained his innocence in the missing girls' cases. He said he was drunk when he made the statement about "hurting Tammy" in 1980 and his comment was misinterpreted. He said he believes Akers died in a bonfire in central Florida in 1980 and the police know about it and have tried to cover it up. There is no evidence to support Bramblett's theory, however.

Authorities never charged Bramblett in connection with the girls' disappearances. They have taken blood samples from the girls' mothers so if their bodies are found and their family members are all dead, the bodies can still be identified from DNA. Rader's mother has since died; she believed her daughter was still alive. Akers's family believes she is deceased and Bramblett was connected to her disappearance.

Akers's and Rader's cases remain open and unsolved.

If you have any information concerning this case, please contact the Roanoke City Police Department at 540-853-5305.

From the Charley Project.

Cold Case: Missing Child Melissa Lee Brannen

2009-07-10T00:00:00.001-04:00

Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance
Missing Since: December 3, 1989 from Lorton, Virginia
Classification: Non-Family Abduction
Date of Birth: April 13, 1984
Age: 5 years old
Height and Weight: 3'0; 38 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: Light brown hair; blue eyes. Brannen has a burn scar on her right forearm.
NCIC Number: M-395923188

Details of Disappearance:
Brannen was last seen at a holiday party in the Woodside Apartment Clubhouse on December 3, 1989 in Lorton, Virginia. Her family resided in the apartment complex at the time. Brannen was wearing a navy blue sweater with a yellow applique of the Sesame Street character Big Bird on it, a blue and red plaid skirt, red tights, black patent leather shoes with gold bows and a pink hooded jacket when she disappeared.

Caleb Daniel Hughes emerged as a suspect in Brannen's case almost immediately. Hughes was employed as a groundskeeper at Woodside Apartments at the time of Brannen's disappearance. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) examined blood and fiber evidence from Hughes' vehicle in the weeks following Brannen's disappearance. He was convicted of abducting Brannen with the intent to defile in 1991. Two other men were convicted of attempting to extort ransom money from Brannen's mother shortly after her daughter's disappearance. The individuals were not connected to her actual abduction. Brannen has never been located. Foul play is suspected in her case due to the circumstances involved.

If you have any information concerning this case, please contact Fairfax County Sheriff's Department 703-246-7800 or Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) 202-324-3000 .

From the Charley Project.

Cold Case: Missing Child Logan Nathaniel Bowman

2009-07-03T00:00:00.002-04:00

Warning: Content includes details of child abuse

Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance
Missing Since: January 7, 2003 from Galax, Virginia
Classification: Endangered Missing
Date of Birth: February 15, 1997
Age: 5
Height: 3'2"
Weight: 30 lbs.
Hair Color: Blond
Eye Color: Blue
Race: White
Gender: Male
Distinguishing Characteristics: Decayed teeth and burn scars on his feet, buttocks and groin areas. Healed fracture in left arm.
NCIC Number: M-552998307
Case Number: NCMC954408

Logan was last seen at home on January 7, 2003. In May 2004, Logan's mother, Cynthia Davis, was jailed for her role in his presumed death. Her estranged boyfriend, Dennis Schermerhorn, was charged as well.

Davis called the sheriff's department at 12:59 p.m. Jan. 26, 2003, and asked to talk to someone about a kidnapping. She also told the dispatcher that her son had gotten hurt, and that she had been held hostage by her boyfriend. Davis said she had not seen her son since Jan. 5, 2003. Later she told the dispatcher she hadn't seen him since Jan. 9, 2003.

The dispatcher notified a sheriff's deputy about Davis' call at 1 p.m. Jan. 26, 2003. Davis told him that while she was asleep Logan ran hot water to take a bath and "got burned pretty bad." She told the deputy that Logan had been missing since Jan. 7, 2003. She said that Schermerhorn wouldn't let her take Logan to the doctor. Davis fell asleep and when she woke up, Logan was gone. Schermerhorn told her he took Logan to his mother who was a registered nurse. Davis also told the deputy that Schermerhorn held her hostage for two weeks and hit her with a flashlight.

She told Grayson's chief investigator that Logan had a stomach virus and had gotten up in the middle of the night - after he soiled himself - and "set in the hottest water." She also told the investigator that Schermerhorn told her Logan was with his father and that Alvin Bowman would bring Logan home later. The investigator reported that Schermerhorn's mother, Margaret Brandow, said she last saw Logan on Jan. 8, 2003. She said Logan was lying on a love seat at Schermerhorn's trailer in Sherwood Trailer Park near Galax. Davis and Logan lived with Schermerhorn. Logan was completely covered with a blanket, except for his head, and he never moved or said anything. Brandow told the investigator she thought Logan was asleep.

Alvin Bowman, Logan's father, last saw his son on Christmas Day in 2002. Bowman had weekend visitation rights. He tried to pick up Logan on Jan. 3, 9, 10, and 17-19. He then notified the Grayson Department of Social Services and the sheriff's office around Jan. 21. On Jan. 26, Davis called Bowman and asked him to drop Logan off at Timmy Johnson's house on Stockyard Road. On Jan. 27, Bowman filed a missing child report.

Logan's kindergarten teacher told authorities that Logan was not in school for several days. She called the truancy office and social services. She had also reported suspected abuse to the Grayson Department of Social Services on Nov. 19, 2002.

Alternately, Schermerhorn told investigators that the night Logan was burned, Davis took off in Schermerhorn's car for about a day, according to police testimony. That was the last time he saw Logan, he told police. Somewhere in all of these events, Logan disappeared and has not been heard from since.

If you have any information concerning this case, please contact, Grayson County Sheriff's Office Officer Glenn Hyatt 275-773-3241.

From the North American Missing Persons Network.

Word For Wednesday - Lifetime Guarantee

2009-07-01T00:18:00.004-04:00

Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom. - Psalm 90:12 (New International Version)

First, let me thank Christian writer Brandilyn Collins for this post idea.

In the past week, the following people have died:
Farrah Fawcett, age 62
Michael Jackson, age 50
Billy Mays, age 50
My sister's friend, Tom, age 39
Over 150 people in a plane crash in the Indian Ocean

There is no guarantee you will see tomorrow. There is no guarantee your loved one will. What is guaranteed is where you or your loved one will go when they die depending on who their Savior is when they take that final breath.

Cindy Brady Moment

2009-06-30T08:48:00.002-04:00

Recently I had to do a video. No big deal except I was IN the video. I have no problems speaking in front of a group of people. But I HATE being on camera. Why? I guess because it is permanent and I get to see my ugly mug over and over.

Before the taping, we were joking about the Cindy Brady moment where you get massive speech anxiety before a performance. For example, when the red light on the video camera comes on, you freeze, like Cindy Brady did when she was on a quiz show on the "Brady Bunch." I was fortunate in that I did not have that moment, but I have nightmares where I have to go onstage for a musical or a play and I don't know my lines.

Do you have a "Cindy Brady" moment?

Changing Over

2009-06-29T23:33:00.000-04:00

I am in the process of making some changes to the blog. Stand by!

What Happened to Breeanna?

2009-06-29T15:35:00.003-04:00

I subscribe to the Southeast email alerts for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, just in case a child in our area goes missing so I can send out local alerts.

98% of the time when the NCMEC sends me a "recovery" email, it states that a certain missing child has been found. On occasion, I get something like the one I received the other day, "It is with great sadness and deep regret that we notify you that Breeanna Duncan missing from Vero Beach, FL, has been located deceased."

At that point, I usually do a Google search to see what happened. With this case, I found nothing.

Breeanna was a runaway. She was reported missing from Vero Beach, Florida on November 15, 2008. I received the email about her on June 25.

Someone obviously cared enough about her to report her missing, but there has been no followup that I could find - no obits, no memorials, nothing.

The former newsie part of me wonders what happened. The mom side of me wonders if she could have been saved and was she still missed after that initial missing report.

RIP Breeanna. Someone out there does care.

Two Days and Counting

2009-06-29T13:23:00.002-04:00

Two days and counting until the new health insurance kicks in. Since I cannot take diet pills like nuphedra, and since other diets do not work well with the hypoglycemia, I am going to go for the nutritionist.

I know that slow and steady wins the race. That is what I am aiming for.

It really is not fair though that it can take weeks to lose five pounds, but only a day or so to gain it.

Family Nature Time

2009-06-26T20:48:00.003-04:00

One of the nice things about living in our area is the fact that there are many opportunities for us to enjoy nature within ten minutes of our home. Today we headed to the duck pond with two loaves of bread. There were many happy ducks and geese when we got there. DS got nipped a couple of times, but it never phased him. DD liked one duck in particular and kept feeding it.

There were a few fishermen at the pond. A couple had caught some fish. I asked DD if she wanted to go look at the fish and she did. I feared that seeing a fish being caught and having the hook taken out would freak her out. Not so much. She seemed fascinated and wants to go fishing.

We sat in a gazebo and chatted. We decided it would be fun to go there again and read - just Mommy and Daughter. I hope we get to do that some time.

Toddler Boy Fashion

2009-06-26T16:51:00.004-04:00

What IS it with clothing stores in my area?

We have a special event next week, my brother-in-law is being commissioned, knighted, crowned, whatever the Navy calls it, to Commander. It's a big deal!

Last Sunday afternoon, we went to the mall to get DD some cleats and DS dress clothes. He has some stuff he wears to church, but our church is pretty casual. I wanted something more suit-like than a polo shirt and shorts. Most of his really dressy stuff is for winter anyway.

I went to Belk. Nothing for his age. For infants, yes. For ages 4+, yes, Age 2? No. We headed to Gap, Sears - nothing. We went to Dick's Sporting Goods for the cleats. I was in a hurry, so pulling DD off the ellipticals I dragged the kids to J.C. Penney. NOTHING!

I live in a rural, college town area. So I know getting a toddler dressed all hoity-toity is not high on the fashion trends here. But someone cut me some slack! Literally!

Cold Case: Men Missing After Car Accidents

2009-06-26T00:00:00.000-04:00

Both of these men went missing after a car accident, (the two cases are not related).

Donald Ray Billings

Missing Since: February 14, 1997, from Marion, Virginia
Classification: Endangered Missing
Date Of Birth: May 16, 1966
Age: 30
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 150 lbs.
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Brown
Race: White
Gender: Male
Distinguishing Characteristics: He has a gap between his upper middle teeth. Billings has previously broken his nose. He is uncircumcised.
Clothing: Blue jeans and low-cut brown shoes.
AKA: "Donnie"
NCIC Number: M-000968103
Case Number: 0201797

Billings was involved in an automobile accident on Route 16 in Marion, Virginia, on February 14, 1997. He was last seen walking away from the scene. It is rumored that Donald may have hitched a ride with a trucker at the Village Truck stop along I-81 in Atkins, Virginia. Atkins is located between Bristol, VA-TN and Roanoke, Virginia.

If you have any information concerning this case, please contact Smyth County Sheriff's Office 540-783-7204.

Robert Lee Kelley

Missing Since: July 24, 2002 from Buckingham County, Virginia
Classification: Endangered Missing
Date Of Birth: September 19, 1967
Age: 34
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 160 lbs.
Hair Color: Lt. Brown
Eye Color: Blue
Race: White
Gender: Male
Distinguishing Characteristics: May have a goatee.
Clothing: Blue T-shirt and blue jeans.
AKA: "Robbie"
NCIC Number: M-532566151
Case Number: 02-23-19-5060

Kelley was last seen on Route 675 in Buckingham County. He got into a car accident on the highway the day of his disappearance. Kelley apparently vanished from the scene of the accident.

If you have any information concerning this case, please contact Virginia State Police 434-352-3452.

Iconic Images: From Traditional to New Media

2009-06-24T22:00:00.004-04:00

This article from CNN is so interesting to media geeks like myself, Neda: Latest iconic image to inspire.

Every generation seems to have that one picture or video that portrays the end of innocence or some tragic event that when asked about that event pops right into our minds.

For me, the events would be:

Reagan shot, March 30,1981 - The video was played over and over again in the news. Saturday Night Live even made fun of the obsessiveness of the news.
Challenger Explosion, January 28th, 1986 - I saw this video in Jr. High.
Tiananmen Square, June 1989 - I remember making black armbands that I wore to my high school in support of the cause. I remember the picture of the man standing in front of the tanks.
Fall of the Berlin Wall, November 1989 - We had a West German exchange student in our high school. This was an exciting time for all of us to share with her. There were multiple images I remember from that day. The exchange student went home for Christmas and came back with pieces of the wall she mounted on a wooden square with the words "With love from Germany."

Those were just some of the images of my generation. There are many others, for sure, Waco Raids, OJ Chase, September 11th attacks, and more.

Those were images brought to us from the media.

Now? All of us are reporters!

Remember this picture taken of the landing of the US Airways plane in the Hudson River in January? It was the first picture that hit the media via Twitter. I first heard about it before it was on the news on Facebook from a former coworker who saw it land.

By no means does this mean that it is the end of journalism. However, I do believe that our world becomes a little smaller.

One of the important pieces of a democratic form of government is the freedom of the press and the right to free speech And for those in Iran screaming for a new government, their voices are being heard in a way that makes it harder for the tyrants to restrict!

Word for Wednesday - Faithfulness

2009-06-24T16:03:00.005-04:00

1Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer,[a] he desires a noble task. 2Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. 5(If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) 6He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. 7He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap.

8Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. 9They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. 10They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.

11In the same way, their wives[b] are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.

12A deacon must be the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well. 13Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus. - 1 Timothy 3:1-13 (New International Version)

Whew! Long one today!

I was in a conference all day and when we were talking about blogging, I was thinking, "I have no verse to blog about today." What to do?

Someone mentioned that the governor of South Carolina, Mark Sanford, was not hiking the Appalachian Trail as he said, but was in Argentina. Huh. I did not think much about it until I got back to work and my coworker said that he was in Argentina with his girlfriend. Oh yeah, he is married. Add him to the LONG list of politicians who, while screwing us figuratively, are screwing someone other than their spouse literally.

Which lead me to today's Word. Funny how that works.

Ever since Bill Clinton was caught with Monica Lewinsky or maybe even going back to John F. Kennedy, people have claimed that it is not our business, as long as they are doing a good job running the country. But it IS our business I say. To quote from the above passage, Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled. Yes, it is not the church they are overseeing, but to me it is a matter of faithfulness. If you cannot be faithful to someone you vowed, (some in a church and some to a judge), to be faithful to for life, then how can we trust you to be faithful to your country, to your state, to your office? For right now, that is the one of the few things I respect about our current president. He is faithful to his wife and a good family man.

If you are so in lust with someone that you may be unfaithful, then get over it. Personally, I would say to divorce, but that is not Biblical teaching. If you cannot control your lust, how can you stay under control in other situations. Oh wait, maybe THAT is why all our money is being thrown away in Washington, D.C. - we are electing the unfaithful with no control over their own lust.

I could go on and on about not managing the household well, but I think that is enough for today.

The Word for Wednesday was lovingly started by Jean.

Why Get Drunk?

2009-06-23T16:06:00.003-04:00

I have a confession - I have never been drunk. I am very proud of this fact and plan to never get drunk. Of course, getting drunk requires one to drink, which I rarely do.

Today though I had a preview of what my day would be like should I imbibe. The result? Not pretty.

My employer arranged for us, should we choose, to have a free health check. They gave us the dates available and said that we could schedule time in ten minute intervals. OK. So I looked at my calendar and scheduled one for this afternoon, thinking it would be the best time since I have a meeting right before the health check.

A few days later, we get some paperwork to fill out. With said paperwork is a sheet stating that we need to fast eight hours before the test.

Do what?

I called and tried to reschedule the test for first thing in the morning. There was no time available that would fit my schedule, so I was stuck with the late afternoon.

So today I have been completely loopy. I still don't feel quite right, (not like I ever am). After making a snarky comment to one of my coworkers, he said that he could not wait until I got something to eat. Meanwhile, I have been misreading emails and just all in all not functioning well.

No need to spend money on booze to get drunk. I just won't eat.

Confessions of a Not-Perfect Mom

2009-06-23T00:00:00.001-04:00

I came across this blog from Not a Perfect Mom through Twitter. She has something on her blog called "Confessions of Not a Perfect Mom." They are great.

So here are some of mine:

I do not keep all my children's artwork, just the main things.
I have not filled out the baby books for my children completely. In fact, the sheets we get from the doctors' offices are just stuffed in their books. A couple are around the house in various places.
I look forward to the time after the kids are in bed.
I do not knit or crochet for the kids.
When there is a potluck event, I bring something from Kroger.

What are your confessions?

Nutritionist Time

2009-06-22T21:13:00.004-04:00

I cannot figure out this hypoglycemia thing. So I am going to a nutritionist. I need to wait until our new health insurance kicks in with Anthem, (kind of like bcbsnc for my Southern neighbors). Once the insurance kicks in, I call my general practitioner and he sends me to the local hospital. Weight Watchers has worked in the past, but now there is this wrench in the works.

I am not looking to lose weight quickly, but I need to get this weight under control. I have hit the 100 pounds overweight mark. Can I have a cookie for that?

Pop to All

2009-06-21T00:00:00.002-04:00

Three months and two days before Black Tuesday in 1929, a woman gave birth to her third child, a boy, in a small town in Pennsylvania. He was named after his father.

The child grew up in that small town with his 2 sisters and 4 brothers, (one brother would die in childhood), in a Christian home. He was a bit of a rebel and got in trouble. He quit school after 10th grade.

Eventually, he found himself in Virginia where he met a young woman at a square dance. In 1953, they married. He was a railroad engineer and a Marine Corps Reservist, (a killer shot with a rifle too). By 1960, he had two daughters and a son.

He worked a lot, was not at home much and was a strict disciplinarian. He went to church with his family and started following Jesus like he should.

Then in 1972, he life was turned a bit upside down.

Before it became popular in the 1980s and 1990s, his wife became pregnant at age 40 with their fourth child, a daughter. He doted on her and she got away with a lot more than the other kids. She was a lot more sassy with him and he would just put up with it. He was not a pushover by any means, but he let her talk back in jest. She would debate him and he would egg her on. He coached her church softball team and pushed her to do her best at the sport.

He also became popular at church. A deacon at a Baptist church, he taught children's Sunday School classes and helped many youth in need. His youngest was a bit jealous, but he knew these kids did not have money or a supportive family. He kept them in church.

His corny jokes and sense of humor was popular among his children's friends. He loved pulling the legs of the more naive. He also encouraged them in sport as well. Everyone called him and still call him "Pop." To this day, friends remember his humor and kindness.

Over the years his health has declined quite a bit as he is becoming more like a child in his 80th year. There has been quite a change, but one thing that will never change, and that is that he will always be my father.

Cold Case - Missing Child Etan Patz

2009-06-19T12:01:00.000-04:00

Etan's story was aired recently on 20/20.

When I was a child, I remember telling my mom that I was heading over to a friend's house and see ya later. I would go to that friend's house by myself. I waited for the bus with a friend in the morning.

No big deal.

I remember the day I freaked my mom out because a friend of mine and I left his house to head to our next door neighbor's house for a visit. She was an older woman who we liked to talk to and would wait for the bus on her porch when the weather was bad. When I decided it was time, I left and walked home. I found my parents freaking out because they had no idea where I was.

It was about that time that Etan Patz went missing.

Two years before the story of Adam Walsh became national news, what happened to Etan Patz had parents all over the country scared to let their kids out of their sights.

On May 25, 1979, six-year-old Etan Patz begged his mother to let him walk by himself to the bus stop to catch the bus for school. His mom told him he could, and putting on his blue captain's hat, Etan walked to the bus stop in the SoHo district of New York City by himself for the first time.

He never made it to the bus stop.

When Etan did not arrive home after school, his mother called the police. The search began, but there was no sign of Etan. For weeks, people searched for the missing boy, but the case grew cold.

The parents were considered suspects at first, but were quickly ruled out. Another suspect emerged and is still considered a suspect to this day.

Jose Antonio Ramos was a drifter who sold trinkets to get by. He was arrested in 1982 for trying to get two young boys to follow him into a drainage tunnel where he lived. In that tunnel, police found pictures of young boys, many resembling Etan. When questioned about Etan, Ramos said that he knew nothing about the child's disappearance, but did date a woman who worked for the Patzes. This woman walked Etan to and from the bus stop during a bus drivers' strike. When the woman was questioned, she cried saying that she dated Ramos, but that he used her to get to her young son, whom Ramos molested.

But without enough evidence, Ramos could not be charged with the kidnapping of Etan.

In 1985, a bulldog of a former federal prosecutor, Stuart GraBois, took over the Patz case. Since 1985, he has been persistent in solving Etan's case. He is sure that Ramos is Etan's killer. However, Ramos has come just short of confessing the crime. From the 20/20 story:

GraBois brought Ramos to New York to meet face-to-face. Ramos had no idea why he was there. Out of the blue, GraBois asked him directly, "How many times did you have sex with Etan Patz?" According to GraBois, Ramos "froze" and said, "I'll tell you everything."

Ramos' response is now known as "the 90 percent confession." He admitted taking a young boy back to his apartment for sex on the day Etan disappeared and told GraBois he was 90 percent sure it was the boy he later saw on TV. As GraBois pointed out, "the only boy missing and on television that evening was Etan Patz." GraBois said that at that moment he "believed we had the right guy."

But the confession was not complete. Ramos did not use Etan's name and he claimed he had "put the boy on a subway."

GraBois worked with FBI agent Mary Galligan to get a confession from Ramos. Two inmates who were in prison with Ramos, (he was in prison on child molestation charges), came forward to talk about what Ramos had said in prison. Here is what Ramos said.

Since there is no physical proof that Etan was killed or his body was taken across state lines, GraBois has no jurisdiction in the case. That is up to the New York City district attorney who has declined to proceed in the case against Ramos.

Meanwhile, no one knows for sure what happened to Etan Patz. If Etan were alive today, he would be 36, same age as me. Etan was born 13 days before me.

Here are some interesting aspects of the case (outside of the investigation):

Each year, on the anniversary of Etan's birthday and his disappearance, Stan Patz sends Ramos a copy of his son's missing poster. On the back he types the same message: "What did you do to my little boy?".
The day of Etan Patz's disappearance, May 25, is now designated National Missing Children's Day.
Etan was the first missing child to be featured on a milk carton.

Anyone wishing to offer information in regards to this investigation is asked to call FBI/NYPD Cold Case personnel at (212) 384-2200. All calls will be kept confidential.

Amazing Talent

2009-06-19T10:52:00.001-04:00

I got this from Boortz this morning. This group is amazing. Watch the whole thing to get the effect.

Customer No Service - PNC Bank and My Check Free

2009-06-18T12:37:00.003-04:00

I have spent my lunch on the phone, (and still am on the phone right now), for over 30 minutes. I am furious. Usually I give people the benefit of the doubt, but I got really incensed!

A couple of months ago, I refinanced our van to get a better rate and to have our local bank take care of things instead of a national bank.

After today's experience, I am glad I did so.

PNC bank had the original loan. Instead of using the antiquated coupon book system where I mail a check every month I signed up for online payments using My Check Free. That was the online system PNC used. I also use My Check Free for a utility bill with no problems.

Back in April, I looked at our bank account and found that $500 had been withdrawn to be paid to PNC. The $500 was refunded. I realized that I needed to call and make sure this doesn't happen again. So I called. The payment for May already processed, so I figured it was not a big deal, it would be refunded.

No.

I called PNC. They told me that I needed to deal with My Check Free since they sent the money back to them. I called MCF and got a lady who spoke English well through a thick accent. She offered to put me on a conference call with PNC. However when she called PNC, no one answered the number she had for them, there was a voicemail stating office hours. Then she asked what time it was in my country.

Do what? A BANK service outsources? Good Lord.

I gave her the 1-888 number I had for PNC. She got to the wrong guy. When he offered to transfer us to the loan department, I said that I had called them already and was told to call MCF. I exploded and said, "I want my $500 back. Someone needs to get it to me."

So basically something went wrong with the transfer, most likely on MCF's end. I have to wait 3-5 days for resolution.

Meanwhile, I will just blog about the experience and they will wait forever before I do business with them again, (except the utility bill - no choice there).

First Deadly Sin of Parenting: Comparing

2009-06-18T08:46:00.009-04:00

Come on, admit it parents, you compare your child to others. I did it with DD and since DS started reaching milestones in his life, I compare what DD did at his age. Bad Mommy.

It is not fair to compare the two. They are different genders, different birth orders, and I was a SAHM with DD for two years but working outside the home with DS.

So here is a comparison of the two, (don't judge me! He who throws the first sippy cup and all that):

Bedtime
DD: A fight since day one. We spoiled her and even though she is five, we still have issues. I would snuggle with her until she fell asleep. Kept coming in her room when she called. All the bad habits. Now we have a routine, and have for a couple of years, and new rules. She gets a drink by her bed, we read, pray, sing/snuggle, then I give her hugs and kisses - the amount to be determined by her. Her closet light is left on as a nightlight. I leave by a certain time. (usually 9:00), and if she calls either of us the first violation ends in a closed door. The second violation ends in the closet light turned off. So far, only the door has been shut.
DS: My champion sleeper. He is still in his crib. We play/read for a little while. Then lights out. I put him in his crib with a sippy cup and put the blanket on him. We sing "Baa Baa Black Sheep" over and over and over. If he misbehaves by hitting or whining, I leave. When I come back he realizes that he needs to settle down and it works. I say "Night night. I love you." and leave. He may whine a little, but then he goes to sleep.

Eating
DD: She has always been picky. She was breastfed until 20 months and was perfectly happy with that. She LOVES milk. Now she is willing to try other things with a little prodding.
DS: Will try anything. Eats all the time. There is not much he does not like. Ranch dressing is not a favorite.

Growth
DD: Despite being picky, she was a chunk at DS' age. She was wearing 3T at age 2. She has thinned out quite a bit. She has been in the top percentile for weight and height for a long time. She towers over most of the kids in her class.
DS: Has pretty much worn whatever size clothes that corresponds to his age. It is rather surprising since he eats all the time.

Talking
DD: She was a big talker, (still is). She had a pretty extensive vocabulary and communicated well at DS' age.
DS: Grunts and points a lot. He has some words and knows what you are saying to him and is pretty good at communicating what he wants. He is JUST starting to learn some more words and use them.

Behavior
DD: She had her moments. Still does. For the most part though, she never got into anything. We had all these outlet covers and never really needed them or cabinet latches because she was not interested in getting into things like that.
DS: He is a wild man. He is into everything. Of course, he wants to do what his big sister does, so he tries things he can't physically do yet - hence the bumps and brusies all over his head and body.

OK parents. Confess your sins. Do you compare your children to each other or to other children?

Word for Wednesday - The Best Things in Life Are Free

2009-06-17T11:20:00.000-04:00

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." - John 3:16 (NIV)

I mentioned a while ago how sometimes I never know what I am going to post about when Wednesday comes around, but somehow I get inspired. Today was the same way. I had no idea what to post. I was going to post something snarky, (who me?) about Noah and the flood since it has been raining every day it seems for the past month.

Then this morning on the radio, I heard a satirical version of Carrie Underwood's "Jesus Take the Wheel" called "Cletus Take the Reel." It was hysterical! When I got to work this morning, I looked up the song on YouTube to send to my coworkers. Then I saw more songs by the comedian Tim Hawkins including a satire of the Free Credit.com commercials.

So once again, the Word for Wednesday is brought to you via YouTube. Enjoy!

The Word for Wednesday was lovingly started by Jean.

Tim Hawkins - Imagine & Scary Bedtime Prayers

2009-06-17T08:38:00.002-04:00

This guy is now my favorite comedian:

Kiss Your Diploma Goodbye

2009-06-16T12:10:00.003-04:00

Have you seen this story? Basically a high school senior was denied his diploma at graduation because he waved and blew kisses to his mom as he approached the stage.

What?

I can see both sides of the story in a way, but the zero tolerance policy of these schools are ridiculous. Instead of thinking through a situation, they follow black and white rules that require no thought on the part of the administration.

From what I read in the article, a few kids were being rambunctious and unruly. Yeah, make those kids leave. Tossing a beach ball is not a big deal, in fact, if I were the administration, I would have encouraged it before the ceremony to get the silliness out before the main ceremony.

I have been to a couple of high school graduations and over the years, parents gets all loud and whoop whoop when their kids crosses the stage. It IS obnoxious and it is embarrassing for the kid.

However, what Justin Denney did was bow and blow a kiss. It is not like he did cartwheels up to the stage, flip someone off, or anything like that.

I remember when I was in high school twenty years ago and we had our graduation, we were told not to throw hats, show emotion - like hug friends. Once the ceremony was over, we did it anyway.

What is going on in our government schools? Funny how all these zero tolerance and the not hugging/kissing/celebrating policies have popped up over the years. To quote Dr. Phil, "How's that working for you?"

Makes me want to homeschool.

Portable Potty Parenting

2009-06-15T13:10:00.006-04:00

I know I am not the world's most perfect parent. I have one child that likes to scream at the top of his lungs for no reason in public, and you know, sometimes I just let him. Bad parent.

However, today I witnessed something I have never seen before in public - a woman potty training her child, (at least I hope it was her child), in a training potty on the sidewalk outside of the local library. I kid you not!

She was maybe 6 or 7 parking spaces from the entrance to the library and the potties are located right inside the door. In the back of the library there is a larger bathroom with a kid-sized potty. So why did this woman get the little portable potty out of her car instead of taking her child to the indoor potty? She could even have brought the potty in the library instead of having her child naked for the whole world to see.

Am I missing something here? Have you EVER seen anything like this?