The Wedding Survivor

Well, today has royally been the day of all days - congratulations to William and Kate on their wedding day, I must say the bride looked stunning and I'm sure the mother of the groom was there in spirit.

However, what really made the day for me was spotting the fabulous Bear Grylls mingling with the crowd, as he attempted the gruelling challenge of surviving the wedding!

Here's hoping Bear remembered to pack his lunchbox - I fear for all those stray tourists... well for their sarnies anyway!

The Ghosts of Praia de Luz

Unknown diary entry, PdL
One 4th May, Yesteryear...

      A curious thing last night, which I should like to forget - perhaps if I put it down here, I may see it in its true proportion.

      I worked in the study from 8 o'clock until 10 o'clock. The serenity of the room was interrupted by the constant ticking of the clock, however the street and the pathway outside seemed to be unusually full of what I can only call movement without sound.

      By this, I mean there seemed to be continuous coming and going, and that whenever I ceased writing to listen or look out of the window, the stillness of the street was absolutely unbroken.

     When the clock struck ten, my thoughts were again disturbed by a wretched scream.  This time I could not be mistaken, for a commotion had begun to happen outside on the street, this time movement with sound.

     These imaginary happenings, I am well aware, are a common symptom of incipient decay of the brain - however as this is my first instance, I am not disheartened.  Nor is there anything in my family history to give colour to such an idea.

     My conviction of the ghostly happenings prior to the clock striking could well be construed as imaginary and figments of an excitable imagination.  Since putting it down here, I see their true proportion and have no wish to dwell on the ghosts of Praia de Luz.

~o0o~ 

Four years...

"She was really brave. She started crying but stopped almost immediately.  It was something that usually would have caused 10 minutes of crying rather than 10 seconds."

"If Madeleine had hurt herself inside the apartment – why would that be our fault?"

Irrespective of the language used in front of children and caught on video... if Mr McCann wasn't there to enjoy himself on his family holiday, what was he there to do?


****

In the wide outside

See the swallow as he glides
Like a spiral up to freedom

Time to Forget?... No way, José.

I'm feeling the full effects of Easter today as the latest tripe from Olga Craig has made my eyes bleed.

Interesting that the British media can obtain quotes when they pick and choose, although veiled xenophobia only works when you're clever enough to pull it off.  The ability to write an unbiased article in a less derogatory nature seems a thing of the past - getting Mrs Amaral's name correct would be a good start.  This pink and fluffy tale of woe however actually gave us a couple of pieces of factual information.

Congratulations and good wishes to Mr and Mrs Murat on the birth of their son.  It's no surprise that this family wish to remain private after past happenings and a welcome change that the press have chosen to respect their privacy.

Also condolences to the Fenn family on the death of their mother, Pamela who passed away last month.  Her son, Ian claims that Mr McCann visited her personally to apologise for all the unwanted attention.

Yet another witness contacted by or on behalf of a suspect in this case? Strange that, it really shouldn't be allowed.

1st May 2007 - At approximately 22.30 she heard a child cry, and that due the tone of the crying seemed to be a young child and not a baby of two years of age or younger. Apart from the crying that continued for approximately one hour and fifteen minutes, and which got louder and more expressive, the child shouted “Daddy, Daddy”, the witness had no doubt that the noise came from the floor below. At about 23.45, an hour and fifteen minutes after the crying began, she heard the parents arrive, she did not see them, but she heard the patio doors open, she was quite worried as the crying had gone on for more than an hour and had gradually got worse.

Sad words from Mrs Fenn, now set in stone and another in that series of stones that have been left unturned.

Time to forget?  What a pathetic, ludicrous question.  Apart from the frenzied courting of the media that the McCanns whipped up in early May 2007, along with the strange facts and inconsistencies in this case, the child is still missing.  All these factors have ensured that Madeleine will most likely never be forgotten, even if there is a conclusion. We're not going anywhere, are you?

Happy Easter to you all.

~o0o~

** Thanks to Steel Magnolia for correcting my spelling error... something that has bugged me all day, but couldn't put my finger on it - must've been the bleeding eyes :)

Fluffy, worthless words... McFishy or what?...

Am I alone in thinking that the huge jump of overnight 'likes' on the Official Find Madeleine Campaign group page is a little bit fishy?  It was around a steady 15,000 for some time - today it's over 30,000.  A welcome has gone out to the Madeleine public figure group - but that many, so quicky?

Anyway... things go from fishy to downright weird, with recent posts following the trend of...

Maddie I love you .pleas come home to mummy and daddy.

Kate and Gerry you are amazing people who never deserved to have this happen,

Sadly, Madeleine has been let down by the past 'investigation' into her disappearance.

Truthful, opinionated and experienced posts are removed before they are read by too many.  Practical posts which refer to Portugal as a beautiful place with friendly people are deleted.  Praise of the Policia Judiciara doesn't see the light of day, but condemnation of Portugal and it's police force are left to view.

No details whatsoever about the 'ongoing' private investigation or current legal battles that so many supporters have funded, yet encouragement for all and sundry to change their profile pictures to Madeleine prior to the book release.  What great publicity... call me a cynic but it certainly beats those time consuming book signings any day of the week.


If the posts that remain were a colour, they would be pink and they would be fluffy... they are simply not normal.  Lending support is one thing, but professing to 'love' Maddie is another thing altogether.


There now seems to be a cult of young teenagers dedicating their help to bring Madeleine home.  Young girls who claim to have large outgoings for their own planned events and ink to print their own posters.  One girl in particular even offers to befriend anyone and send posters to their home addresses.  We don't know who we're dealing with online, and this is where it gets very dangerous for naive youngsters who want be helpful and lend support.  It works both ways, Child A doesn't really know who she's befriending but those befriending her really don't know who Child A is. Yet it is all encouraged by the Official Campaign by being left to view with not even the utter of a warning, and is still there one week later.

I doubt very much that the Fund is reimbursing all these children for their efforts, don't you?

They could however take a leaf out of young Amanda's book on the art of raising awareness and searching for their daughter.  Over the years this young girl has shown more passion and awareness than her parents have ever done.  Another disturbing aspect of this case, in more ways than one.

Penny for your thoughts?...

Kate hopes to raise £1million from the book.

She said: "Every penny will go on the search for Madeleine."

Fund Objectives

The full objects of the Fund are:

a. To secure the safe return to her family of Madeleine McCann who was abducted in Praia da Luz, Portugal on Thursday 3rd May 2007;

b. To procure that Madeleine's abduction is thoroughly investigated and that her abductors, as well as those who played or play any part in assisting them, are identified and brought to justice; and

c. To provide support, including financial assistance, to Madeleine's family.

 

On one hand there is the promise that every penny from book sales will go on the search for Madeleine (a).  On the other, royalties will be given a much wider berth and donated to the McCanns company, aka the Fund (abc).  Perhaps some clarification is needed on just which objective/s will benefit overall - a, b and/or c?  

Problems arise when pennies = abc instead of pennies = a.

In hindsight, I'd hate to think of my pennies being thrown at lawyers, legal fights, mortgage payments and travel for extended family this time around.

With foresight... to buy or not to buy, that is the question.

Hindsight versus Foresight...

They say hindsight is a wonderful thing... they really do!  And funnily enough, there is an awful lot of it going on in this case.

"Of course, with hindsight... it's put in a very different light to us."

Gerry McCann

~

"...it's only in hindsight that... you know, which is a wonderful thing, you think, 'I wonder was that relevant?"

Kate McCann

~

"...they'd said they'd been crying and... this is sort of with hindsight but I was trying to think whether I'd heard anything but..."

Rachael Oldfield

~

"Yeah, I was carrying sort of... across the body like that... I suppose in ret...in hindsight you'd probably think that somebody would carry them more across the shoulder."

Jane Tanner

~

"With hindsight,... And again with hindsight,... with hindsight we should have taken action earlier, against the newspapers in the UK for publishing these stories."

Gerry McCann

~

"We were given legal advice that what we did was well within the bounds of reasonable parenting and of course at the time we thought what we did was perfectly reasonable.  However hindsight has proven that we made a mistake..."

Gerry McCann

~

"In hindsight, yes, Gerry and Kate wish they hadn't left the children alone."

Trish Cameron

~

"Kate always felt, in awful hindsight, their movements were watched..."

A friend of the McCanns

~

"In hindsight, he recognises he perhaps got a little too close to the couple and it may have clouded his judgement..."

A friend of Father Pacheco

~

"I want to tell her, for a start, that many of us have left our children in situations which (with hindsight) could have been disastrous..."

Bel Looney

~

"With hindsight, Kate and Gerry think someone could have disturbed Madeleine that night..."

Clarence Mitchell

~

"I think there's a tremendous amount of hindsight going on..."

Jon Corner

~

Yes, the buzzword was hindsight... not as bad as ludicrous but almost... Anyway, what about that incredible act of foresight?  After the child's mysterious disappearance, these people had enough foresight to...

Call the right people

Delete data from their phones

Create their own private company

Trademark the company name
Employ a crack team of lawyers

Give up work

Record a daily diary

Plan events months in advance

Create a wider agenda

Hold back photos and videos

Flee from Portugal

and many more...

...but not enough to realise the blatant dangers of leaving children alone?  They did have the foresight to use the stairgate provided as protection against those steep, concrete steps, yet none when treading that cold, tiled floor?  No foresight to all the dangers within a normal dwelling - sockets, door hinges, climbable furniture, sharp objects and corners, cutlery drawer, hot water?  Not to mention what was stored under the sink?... We all know that list is endless.  And with full responsibility being put on this 'little mother', anything could have happened to her younger siblings.  No foresight of a baby waking up, being lifted from their travel cot or fed something unsavoury?  They say their checks were all about listening for indications that the children had woken up or were crying, so did they really care about them simply waking up alone and in the dark?  And being frightened.

The mind boggles as to what Madeleine McCann and her little holidaying companions could have got up to if they'd woken up in an empty apartment.  It's a horrifying thought and one which should never be 'gotten over'.  In fact, it would be helpful to publicise to other, ahemm naive parents, instead of brushing under the carpet.

We are led to believe that all of the above was simply overlooked by eight professional adults, all parents of small children and babies.  They all left their children alone, in apartments further away than the McCanns?  Did they really?  Could any caring, sensible parent really be that selfish for the sake of a meal with friends?

Hindsight may be a wonderful thing, however it really is the donkey's ass when a little foresight or common sense is all that need be applied.

**Thanks to the McCannFiles for reference, please click to visit.

Fact or Fiction - you decide...

Worthy of it's own page... you have to ask yourself if there is any investigative journalism and integrity being practiced in this country. And what blatant lies are being told on our front pages... just where do they get their stories I wonder, and will we ever be told the truth?

Rowling helps Kate write 'story'... 11 April 2011

*******************

J.K. Rowling's Denial

The Independent, 12 April 2011

"Yesterday it emerged that the author had given a helping hand to Kate McCann, the mother of the missing eight-year-old, Madeleine, with her account of the disappearance in Portugal four years ago. But Rowling denied reports that she had written the book which is due to be published next month.

In a statement a spokesman for the author said: "While JK Rowling has been a long-term family supporter, her only part in bringing the book to publication has been in supporting the fact that her literary agent was also representing Kate. Beyond this, she has not been involved in any aspect of the writing, editing or publication of the book."

************************

We will eagerly await proper comment from Team McCann or Transworld and not just a rehash of the above... their silence and the fact that Ms Rowling herself felt the need to make the statement says it all really.


I suppose it's too much to ask the media to get their sources and stories right...?




* With thanks to the McCannFiles for the Mirror article - please click to visit.

Oh My! Oh My! - Really Mme. Anusol?

I've read so much about this case over the last 4 years... sometimes you miss a little detail and sometimes a little gem crops up that leaves you completely astounded.

Way back on the Mirror forum, there was much rumour and speculation about the complexity of Google translations or what later became known as Googlesque.

Obrigada Bela Sardinha - a very good catch!

REMEMBER TO LOOK AT THE PARTS IN CAPITAL LETTERS!

Portuguese translation by Google.

Denims = PANTS OF GANGA

~

Portuguese translation by Bling.

Denims = HAEMORROIDICUS

Now, what are the implications of that?!  The attention is in the detail but does it confuse matters that those pants of ganga now appear to be haemorroidicus?  It makes my eyes itchy, just thinking about it...

Users of machine translation programs should be aware of limitations when they judge the translation.  It may be good fun, but it won't tell you much about the translation quality. In as much as translation between two distinct, living languages is never an exact science, the current state of computer translation tools makes this more evident.  Small glitches in the translation can easily be exploited in repetition, becoming more pronounced as errors pass from one language to another.

Google has and always will confuse, but is it really such a good idea to be comparing it alongside another online translator?  Especially one such as Bing? Well maybe, if it's just for fun... I suppose.

The Hot Potatoes

Interesting... who will get the part of Vol... Voldemo... sshhhhhh!!  Who will get the part of 'he we do not speak of' - swarthy abductor or Dr Amaral?


We all know who the real villain is in this tale, does the author?...

*******************

J.K. Rowling's Denial

The Independent, 12 April 2011

"Yesterday it emerged that the author had given a helping hand to Kate McCann, the mother of the missing eight-year-old, Madeleine, with her account of the disappearance in Portugal four years ago. But Rowling denied reports that she had written the book which is due to be published next month.

In a statement a spokesman for the author said: "While JK Rowling has been a long-term family supporter, her only part in bringing the book to publication has been in supporting the fact that her literary agent was also representing Kate. Beyond this, she has not been involved in any aspect of the writing, editing or publication of the book."

************************





************************

Kate fears 'attack'...

The cancellation of the book signings comes as no surprise.

The fear of attack does.

A mere week after happily taking part in a very public charity run around Regents Park, an event which was well publicised and well attended, Mrs McCann now fears 'attack' in the comfort and security of a Waterstone's bookstore...

Another failure on the part of the parents who proclaim to be doing everything for their child... but also a huge kick in the teeth for their supporters, followers and well wishers who eagerly await the launch of the book.

"Madeleine book tour abandoned..." like daughter, like book.

*********

Calling Planet McFan...

In our minds we have capacities you know
To telepath messages through the vast unknown
Please close your eyes and concentrate
With every thought you think
Upon the recitation we're about to sing
~
Calling occupants of interplanetary craft

Calling occupants of interplanetary
most extraordinary craft

~
Calling occupants of interplanetary craft
Calling occupants of interplanetary ultra-emissaries

~
We've been observing your site
And one night we'll make a donation to you

~
We are your friends
~
Calling occupants of interplanetary
quite extraordinary craft
~
And please come in peace, we beseech you
Only a landing will teach them
Our fund may never survive
So do come, we beg you
Please Portuguese policeman
Oh won't you give us a sign
Give us a sign that we beat you

~
With our minds we have ability to form

And transmit thought energy far beyond the norm

We close our eyes, we concentrate

To all those Mrs Holmes

To send the message

We declare world contact day


********

UNHELPFUL - BEGONE

HELPFUL

HELPFUL

HELPFUL 

HELPFUL

What planet are they on?...

Piles of McVile...

I'm lost for words with the latest shenanigans over on the Official Find Madeleine group on Facebook.

On a link to a recommended blog, which painted children as inconveniences and attempted to excuse neglect, one woman dared to disagree with the content!

Good for you Janet Canepa.  I genuinely believe you speak for the majority of us when we say that we would never leave our children on their own.  Shame you were subject to the vilest rants and abuse simply for putting forward your experienced thoughts, including this one which some have construed as a veiled threat...

What was most surprising was the response from the Official Find Madeleine Campaign group themselves...

Come on... is that really the way to speak to a supporter of your group simply because she disagreed with the author of a blog and gave her own experience of parenting?  Is it acceptable to publicly compare her comments to the irritation of PILES?!  It's rude and downright appalling. The Official comment was later removed, along with Janet's - did someone within the group have similar thoughts or was the post just another moment of madness when someone's guard was down.

Just because they now have the wrong kind of piles...

...really doesn't give them or their supporters the right to bully and descend on a person simply because she has a different view on parenting.  These manic, vocal 'supporters' come across as nothing but self righteous, narcissistic morons and are unfortunately tarring all genuine people who quietly lend support and want Madeleine found.  And I'm sure they're out there somewhere, despite their silence.

Questions really have to be asked about this group where propaganda spouted by McCann supporters is allowed to be posted without question, yet anything which does not toe the party line is removed.  I agree that certain posts have to be deleted, but certain people are not permitted to post and if they do, their posts are removed.  Like Janet's. It appears that you must agree that it is perfectly fine to go out and leave your children to care for themselves while you eat elsewhere.  And that everyone does it.

Misinformation and its misinformed comments are allowed to be spread and shared by themselves, their followers and anyone else who has the misfortune to stumble across this page.  Such as individuals being jailed for torture.  It is a free public group, not costing the McCanns a penny to run, unless a waged muppet is in charge of vetting comments.  It seems to have taken over from the Official Find Madeleine website, which is a shame because so much effort went into running the site.  Around £37,000 per annum worth.  Save a penny, save a pound.  Hopefully the site costs will be greatly reduced on the yearly accounts?

In hindsight... really - if only they'd eaten here.  Maybe then it would have been like 'dining in your back garden'.  Give me the chimps' tea party any day.

**********************************

Yes, people can THINK what they like, but not post these very hurtful thoughts for others to see...  

That says it all really.  I wonder how many supporters are afraid to post what they really think?  And I have to ask just what hypocritical and smallminded  planet Mrs Holmes is on.  Wherever, it obviously lacks any media source if her eyes have only just been opened and claims that this case has any bearing on the world enlightenment of child abuse, slavery and paedophiles..  What a vile, hurtful insult to the many victims of child abuse over the years.

A Reconstruction - Muppet Style

During their holiday, the children spent all day,
every day in the creche...

Whilst their parents sailed...

...and played tennis.

By night, the children were put to bed...

and left alone.

Whilst their parents dined...

drank...

and got jiggy.

A sticker book to read...

...and a sofa to play on?  Alone.

Despite 'regularly checking'...

...a wicked, swarthy abductor hid in the shadows.

And during one of her checks...

...the mother found an empty bed...

and smashed, broken, jemmied shutters.

(Rewind - the shutters were undamaged)

The child had vanished.

'They've taken her' she screamed... from the balcony? flat? restaurant?

And while the staff, residents and holidaymakers
searched high and low for the little girl...

the parents and their friends stayed in the apartment...

...deleted their messages and made phone calls.

Where was the child?  She had simply vanished.

The 'wider agenda' made a swift appearance.

Command Centre was drafted. 

The thorn...

Those pesky posters.

And that damn disgraceful cop.

It's time to face the music

It's time to make it right.

Go on - if the Muppets can do it, then what's the problem?

~o0o~