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Yesterday we set up a donation page on our site.
Recently, the cost of our bandwidth has spiked as the Natalee Hollway story has gained momentum. We have had to change our hosting plan twice this past week to cover the increased volume. It has gone from 600 a day to 40,000 a day in a little over 2 weeks.
We are not complaining about this at all. It is a wonderful opportunity and we have made many new friends. Not to mention very interesting. But now we are improving Scared Monkeys to serve a much larger purpose than it was initially designed to. We have the web log, we have added a full discussion forum in the last two days that has over 450 members. We are looking to create a new site dedicated to the exciting news stories of the day, while maintaining the original Scared Monkeys that is a bit more personal and political.
And to handle the expected traffic like we experienced yesterday, we are looking for one final server upgrade. That is why we have created the donation page. If we can put aside enough money for the contract to have the server hosting, then we will not have to worry about the slow downs, and also be able to add new features.
For those who have already donated, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Your generosity has been overwhelming. For those who are thinking of donating, we are also appreciative.
The biggest thank you is to all our regular readers and commentors. The only reason this site is doing so well is the input we get from you. And for that we are especially grateful.
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Julie Renfro, Editor of Aruba Today, on Fox’s O’Reilly Factor
SCARED MONKEYS WANTS TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT.
We wish to do everything humanly possible to help find Natalee Holloway and have her return safe. However, some stories that are out there are not worthy of being reported. We need constructive reporting on this matter from everyone, so that Natalee can be found and the Holloway family can have peace of mind. We will be tough but fair on all sides to help this situation for the Holloway/Twitty family come to a resolution.
We have just go off the phone with Julie Renfro, Aruba Today, to confirm the following information. (Red)
Got this in the email just a minute ago from Texas Rick, great stuff. It looks like Fox is going to have to retract the comments made by Geraldo Rivera during the show. Wow. Why is it that Geraldo always self destructs.
Dear Tom,
I’ve been corresponding with Julia Renfro, Editor-in-Chief of Aruba Today.
(I’m sure you’ve seen her on the various news programs.)
I asked her about Geraldo’s jaw-dropping quote last night, citing an ‘impeccable’ source who told him that the Aruba’s Police commissioner was ‘best friends’ with Joran van der Sloot’s father. I asked her about Geraldo’s claim that a sex tape exists of Joran’s participating in a ‘gang bang’ (Geraldo’s phrase) with a 14-year old. And I asked her about the claims of “classism” and preferential treatment for Joran and his friends.
Her reply is below, and she is OK with you both publishing it on your respective websites… You may publish her email address as well:
……
Best,Rick
And here is Julia’s original letter to Rick from Texas:
Hi Rick,
I just spoke to Fox and all I was reassured that O’Reilly ‘retracted’ (the actual word went over my head) all of the statements made by Geraldo.
I was on with O’Reilly last night when he suggested that our Prime Minister was an idiot, but do you really think that the President of the United States gets involved in Police Cases? NO! Actually it would be illegal for a politician to get involved or be abreast of any details of Police investigation – same as in the US. Duh, I honestly don’t think O’Reilly is an idiot – he is obviously acting like one to get ratings.
Once again, I don’t know what happened to Natalee, and I’m not sure that anyone does! If van der Sloot or the others had any involvement in her death or disappearance they will be punished and justice will be served.
There is in no way what so ever that Arubans think that there is a cover up or that v/d Sloot’s father has any pull. It is to the contrary!
He is a civil servant and lives in a middle class neighborhood and drives a Honda? There is a great amount of wealth on this island and the v/d Sloots are not part of it. Taxi drivers probably make more than the judge!
As for Dutch influence. No way! An Aruban would never stick the neck of an entire nation for anyone – much less a Dutch national. The suggestion is ridiculous. Arubans are extremely honest by nature – all of this hype is made up by the international press trying to get ratings. Nothing more, nothing less.
I am sure there is no DVD otherwise v/d Sloot would have been hung out to dry with the local press as well.
Julia Renfro
Editor-in-Chief
Aruba Today
****
This situation is tough enough and family and loved ones without this to occur. There seems to have been enough investigative problems in this matter without going into this.
Afternoon Edition; Natalee Holloway
Cops are searching in Montaà ±a in Joran va der Sloot’s neighborhood (Aruba Girl.)
Aruban authorities have raided the home of Joran van der Sloot. They are reported to have been wearing protective white suits.
AP Aruban Police Search Home of Dutch Teen Held in Disappearance of Alabama Honors Student
Aruban police on Wednesday searched the family home of a Dutch teen detained in the disappearance of an Alabama honors student and towed two vehicles from the property.
Two police officers walked through the one-story, yellow-beige home, while others guarded the entranceway to the house in Noord, just outside the capital, Oranjestad.Authorities towed a blue sport utility vehicle and a red Jeep from the house, which is surrounded by a low stone wall and fronted by an expanse of trees and cactus.
MSNBC, Dutch youth’s home searched in missing teen case. Father of jailed teen to sue for access to son.
Police in Aruba searched the house and yard of a boy held in connection with the disappearance of Alabama teenager Natalee Holloway, NBC News reported Wednesday.
Police also towed two cars — a blue SUV and a red jeep — from the home of the 17-year old Dutch youth, who was one of the last people seen with Holloway.
From the Political Teen comes, “I like how they say “dutch teen” and not his name, Joran Van Der Sloot”. Good thing they did not call him the “Political Dutch Teen”.
Australian Hostage Rescued In Iraq
Douglas Wood, the Australian hostage was rescued this morning following a military operation according to the Australian Prime Minister, John Howard.
Australian hostage Douglas Wood has been rescued in a military operation in Iraq, Prime Minister John Howard says.
“I am delighted to inform the House that the Australian hostage in Iraq, Mr Douglas Wood, is safe,” Mr Howard told Parliament.
“Mr Wood was recovered a short while ago in Baghdad in a military operation that I am told was conducted by Iraqi forces in cooperation in a general way with force elements of the United States.”
This is tremendous news from a situation that looked rather grim at times. News of the release has the family on cloud nine. What a fantastic outcome to a very difficult situation.
A spokesman for the Wood family, Neil Smail, says the family is “elated”.
“The family is delighted that Douglas is now free,” he said. “It’s been a really horrifying ordeal for him.”
Mr Smail says the family wants to thank the Australian Government, as well as agencies in Iraq and Sydney-based Muslim cleric Sheikh Taj El-Din Al-Hilaly for their efforts in trying to free the engineer.
“The family is greatly relieved and it really does appreciate all the work that’s been done toward his release,” Mr Smail said.
According to Fox News the rescue took place as part of “Operation Lightning“.
The raid took place as part of Operation Lightning — a broader counterinsurgency operation that began in Baghdad on May 29, Warner said. He added there “was specific intelligence and tips that provided a hint at what might be found at that location.”
Wood was freed by the Iraqi army’s 2nd battalion, 1st Armored Brigade, with assistance by U.S. forces in Ghazaliya — one of the most dangerous Sunni Arab neighborhood of Baghdad, Warner said. He added that “no ransom was paid” despite a request for a “very large” amount of money.
Wood was found under a blanket and the insurgents told troops he was their sick father, said Gen. Naseer al-Abadi, Iraq’s deputy chief of staff. The operation also resulted in the arrest of three insurgents and release of an Iraqi hostage.
Morning Edition
I feel like the Adrian Cronauer character as this story goes along. We all know what we are involved in is a mess, but peoples lives and livelihoods are at stake, not to mention the poor Holloway and Twitty families and the people of Mountain Brook.
We seem to be have breaking news on a daily basis, that at the end of the day is not so breaking and not so news. However, FOX CNN MSNBC stops the world on it and since we are knee deep into this story, we are going to keep at it.
From everything we know at this moment, there was a massive search yesterday outside of the Marriott. There were a pair of panties found, but from my perspective, they were not a size that is fashionable for that age group.
This morning there will be some court action as Van Der Sloots father petitions the court to see his son in jail. For some reason the court has refused him visitation and he is trying to rectify that.
Top 95, the Aruban station that has been covering the story the best has coverage this morning that the JD in the case (judge) has told Van der Sloot’s Attorney Anthony Carlos, that he is not allowed to be Van der Sloots attorney anymore. Supposedly, he talked to people who had statements against Van der Sloot, and in the Dutch legal system, that is against procedure. So the Attorney is off to court to fight that motion too. This information comes from our correspondent and good friend Aruba Girl.
Texas Rick one of our regular posters put up a very good synopsis of what has recently happened in our comments. Click here to read it.
Reader David sent in this article on the FBI’s role from the Caribbean Net News. Looks like the Aruban’s are not using every reasource as Aruba Girl mentioned that there are 38 agents down in Aruba at the present. Bet they are a happy bunch.
I am sure more will happen with the case today, but for now this is Adrian Cronauer signing off.
Update: Texas Rick is on a roll this morning. He also found this nugget of an article from The Caribbean Net News about a radio station blacklisting the Caribbean due to the Natalee Holloway story.
