AOL Billing the Dead, charging $25.90 a month for life and in the hereafter

Maxine Gauthier who’s  father passed away 9 months ago is still being charged by AOL. And we thought AOL had stopped such practices.

Yet for the past nine months, she has been fighting one of the most persistent and some say irritating institutions in cyberspace: AOL, formerly known as America Online.

“They just haven’t wanted to let go,” the 55-year-old St. Louisan said. “I don’t think they’ll ever really let go.”

Her struggle has involved about a dozen phone calls often ending with an AOL customer service representative or manager hanging up on her. She even tried impersonating someone else in a couple of the calls. The giant online service provider wouldn’t budge.

(St Louis Today)

Remember this nightmare scenario that Vincent Ferrari went through with AOL customer service.

Watch and listen here  to the amazing customer service he received.

Royal Caribbean Looking to Dismiss Lawsuit filed by family of Missing George Allen Smith

Sound familiar? Another disappearance shrouded around tourism where one side is looking to have a law suit dismissed. This time its Royal Caribbean looking to have the lawsuit filed by the parents of missing honeymooner George Allen Smith dismissed as frivolous.

Read the full story at Missing & Exploited.

Aruba’s next Police Commissioner will come from The Netherlands

What a surprise …Â  Who controls Aruba?

(AM Digital: Click on article to enlarge)

According to reports the next Police chief of Aruba replacing the out going Ronny Bernadina will come from the Netherlands. Supposedly after three years an Aruban will be appointed to the position. Three years is a long time.

Once this new chief of police’s time is up, he will be replaced by a new chief of police from Aruba.   Bernadina insisted on the protocol and in cooperation with the Legislation Administration and Judicial Affairs, it was established with the purpose to improve the organization.

Seems that Gerold Dompig will not get his wish of having Bernadina’s replacement be Aruban.

Who the new Chief Commissioner will be is unknown to Dompig but he hopes that the Government will not again bring in somebody from the outside.

“When will we mature? When will we trust our own people”?

Bringing in a Dutch Chief again will not contribute to the progress of the police force.

According to outgoing Bernadina, “Nothing will change within the police corps if a local person is hired.” We are sure it won’t. Some how that lack of change is probably not a good thing.

Nothing will change within the police corps if another local person is hired for this job, said Bernadina.   He also said that politics was interfering too much with police matters in the past and the KPA could not do her job properly.  

Also the problem with discipline within the police corps has to be solved, said Bernadina.   This year, KPA had to take 40 disciplinary measures already against police officers.   Last year, this number was 38 for the entire year.  Ã‚   The protocol requires therefore a so-called audit, where all the police districts are investigated.   This will become the base for the new chief of police to test the results of his plans.  Ã‚  

More on the story read the full article from Amigoe, August 3, 2006

Read more

Beth Twitty,Mother Of Natalee Holloway ‘Crushed’ By N.Y. Case Dismissal

According to the  Boston Herald, Beth Twitty took the news of the dismissal by the NYC judge rather badly. That is  to be expected. Even though Beth and Dave knew that this attempt to bring Joran and Paulus Van der Sloot to justice was a long shot, the fact of the matter is everything has been an obstacle and long shot for this poor family who just want answers. “That was our only and last shot for justice,” said Beth Twitty, mother of Natalee Holloway.

Twitty said she knew the case filed in New York State Supreme Court against Joran van der Sloot was a long shot, but the family took a chance.

“Until you hear that door closed you hang onto hope,” Twitty said.

It is obvious that this is a set back for the family, but hardly their last option. The Holloway’s and Twitty’s stunned by the ruling as  the Van der Sloot attorney, Joe Tacopina, was doing his best spinning and misrepresentation of what the NYC judge actually stated. Attorney Tacopina, this was a procedural ruling and you know it. Guilt or innocence or the fact of the case were not decided upon.

“We were never afraid of the facts in this case,” Tacopina said Thursday when the case was dismissed. “He did nothing to this girl. … He’s trying to get on with his life.”

Get on with his life? You mean like Natalee Holloway will be doing? Or how about Imette St Guillen, Attorney Tacopina? Will she be getting on with her life either? Exactly how are you defending the St. Guillen family when you and your staff have made contradictory statements questioning Natalee Holloway that fateful night she left Carlos N’ Chariles? I spoke with Beth Twitty briefly today as well to discuss the decision and what some of the next moves would be. Obviously she was still upset from yesterdays ruling, but doing better today. I said to Beth that if it was any consolation just remember that this was strictly a procedural ruling and any thinking person could see it could have gone either way. It had nothing to do with innocence, guilt or taking Joran off the suspect list, no matter what Joe Tacopina may rant.

Joran Van der Sloot is still a primary suspect in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. That is why Tacopina protests so much. He knows the truth, even though he spins quite a different tale on the cable shows. It is obvious that Team Tacopina fear the facts as they would squelch procedurally any type of trial held in the United States.

Read more

Aruba … Roaming Addicts could be your Father, Mother, Brother, Sister …

Aruban roaming drug addicts won’t be solved overnight. How Long has Oduber been in power? Was  the Oduber Governments  just elected last night, or 5 years ago? So you cannot make them disappear, yet others seem to have disappeared while on Aruba.

(AM Digital: Click on article to enlarge)

Just how bad is the drug addiction problem on “One Happy Island”? During the past five years during the Oduber Governments the number of employees at the Drug Rehab & Coordination Dept. went from 20 to 103, a 400% increase. I don’t remember reading about this problem in the brochures or mentioned at the Travel Marketing functions that Aruba attends.

The reason for such an increase to deal with the drug addiction problem has to spread to main stream society and how the local and tourism community deals with this issue.

What is most stunning is the comment that was used by Minister Booshi Wever.

“We cannot make them disappear; they belong to a family; they may be a father, mother, brother or sister, neighbor or friend.”

A rather stunning choice of words when compared to how the disappearance of Natalee Holloway had previously been described.

Natalee Holloway is everyone’s child. She could be your daughter,  sister, cousin, grandchild or friend.

So Aruba would use the same phraseology for drug addicts as compared to a missing teenager, presumed dead. Doesn’t that speak volumes. Another interesting comparison is the wording when describing addicts, We cannot make them disappear.” Rather interesting, seeing that Natalee Holloway has disappeared and Aruba wishes the story of Natalee Holloway would disappear as well.