Disgraced paediatrician Dr David Southall loses battle to be reinstated on medical register
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 10:56 AM on 22nd May 2009
Dr David Southall
Controversial figure: Dr David Southall had challenged the decision of a fitness of practise panel
Controversial paediatrician Dr David Southall today lost his High Court battle against a decision to strike him off the medical register for serious professional misconduct.
The General Medical Council's (GMC) fitness to practise panel decided in December 2007 that he abused his position by accusing a mother of drugging and murdering her son.
The panel found that Dr Southall's actions added to the distress of the mother - Mrs M, from Shropshire - whose 10-year-old boy hanged himself in 1996.
It accused him of having a 'deep-seated attitudinal problem'.
Dr Southall made the accusations after being asked by a county council to provide an independent expert report related to the safety of Mrs M's surviving son.
His lawyers argued at the High Court that the panel failed to give any or adequate weight to inconsistencies in Mrs M's evidence, and to the totality of evidence from witnesses, including social workers.
They said it was Dr Southall's concern that the panel 'did not understand, certainly in its final form, what child protection involved and the part played by doctors like him'.
But today Mr Justice Blake, sitting at the High Court in London, ruled the decision to strike him off was justified.
The judge said: 'He was speculating on non-medical matters in an offensive manner entirely inconsistent with the status of an independent expert.'
The judge added: 'I am satisfied that the panel was entitled to reach the conclusion that nothing less than erasure would suffice to maintain confidence in the medical profession in general and the specialist discipline concerned with the difficult task of giving expert evidence in child protection cases in particular.'
Dr Southall's conduct 'was not a mere error of judgment in a challenging environment where there may have been few established principles for guidance'.
Neither was it 'a one-off failure with respect to the treatment of parents whose conduct had come under scrutiny'.
The judge said: 'Public confidence in the science of expert assessment in those cases where serious issues of child protection were indeed raised would be undermined if egregious behaviour of the kind under consideration here, when combined with the lack of insight into, or acknowledgement of, its nature and extent, was considered to be compatible with continued registration as a medical practitioner.'
The case of Mrs M marked the second time in three years that Dr Southall had been found guilty of serious professional misconduct.
In 2004 he was suspended from child protection work over his role in the case of Sally Clark, wrongly jailed over the death of her two sons.
Dr Southall accused Mrs Clark's husband Steve of murdering the two boys on the basis of a television interview.
He was banned from child protection work for three years, a ban which expired last year.
Dr Southall is viewed as an expert in Munchausen's syndrome by proxy, a condition which means parents deliberately induce or fabricate illnesses in their children to get attention for themselves.
He pioneered the use of covert video surveillance in the late 1980s and early 1990s, which led to a number of parents and step parents being prosecuted for abuse.
Dr Southall faced another GMC hearing into work that he carried out in the early 1990s, testing a new type of ventilator for premature babies.
But accusations that he failed to gain proper consent for the work were dismissed.
Dr Southall worked as a consultant paediatrician at London's Royal Brompton Hospital from 1982 before moving to the same post at the North Staffordshire Hospital in Stoke-on-Trent in 1992.
Friday, 22 May 2009
SELF PITY, BOO HOO HOO!
At least these selfish ar*eholes are keeping us all well entertained, with all the nonsense they are spouting day by day. (Which is a good thing, as the British Brainwashing Corporation, the trumpet piece of the Nu Nazi Corruption Squad refuses to tell the the whole truth and nothing but the truth in any of its documentaries, making them totaly not worth watching, and the so called independant channels aren't much better either)
Nadine Dorries, well, I told her two years ago how we mothers were being tortured in the secret family courts, she didn't seem that bothered about it really, so I don't know what she's squawking about MPs being witchhunted for - after all, what's good for the goose is good for the gander!
As for that idiot Anthony Steen, I doubt if anyone is jealous of him and his big house, no Christian ought to be, at any rate, because God has promised all His friends that we are going to live in a massive mansion prepared by Himself, and I bet that will make Anthony Steen's pile look like a council prefab! We're not all as mercinary as Anthony Steen, I'd be ashamed to be rattling around in a massive great mansion like that when there are so many people having to live in a cardboard box or a doorway on the streets of our cities and towns. Jealous? Not likely! I feel sorry for him though, as his moral values are obviously warped and twisted to such a degree that he feels a cut above his fellow men and women, he's probably terrified of people like me. I find that very sad indeed.
From The Times
May 22, 2009
Nadine Dorries: MPs 'at suicide risk over McCarthyite witchhunt'
Philippe Naughton
The campaign to expose MPs' Commons expense claims has become so personal that it has started to resemble a McCarthy-style witchhunt, a Tory backbencher said today.
Nadine Dorries, the member for Mid-Bedfordshire, also warned that the relentless drip-drip of leaked claims was creating such an atmosphere of terror that there was a real risk of an MP committing suicide.
"People are seriously beginning to crack," Ms Dorries told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "The last day in Parliament this week was, I would say, completely unbearable.
"I have never been in an atmosphere or environment like it, when people walk around with terror in their eyes and people are genuinely concerned, asking, 'Have you seen so and so? Are they in their office? They've not been seen for days.'
"There's a really serious concern that this has got to a point now which is almost unbearable for any human being to deal with."
Ms Dorries' comments, echoing postings on her weblog, appeared to be part of a fightback by MPs tired of having their reputations dragged through the mud even though they may have broken no Commons rules.
In an angry outburst yesterday one MP who was forced to stand down over the size of his gardening bills complained that his critics had merely been jealous of his "very, very large house".
"I've done nothing criminal, that's the most awful thing," said Anthony Steen, who spent £90,000 his second home, including big sums for lopping trees. "And do you know what it's all about? Jealousy."
Mr Steen was one of two MPs who confirmed their departure at the next election, the other being Ben Chapman, the Labour MP for Wirral South, who insisted that he had done nothing wrong despite allegations that he over-claimed £15,000 extra for mortgage interest.
Mr Chapman said that he had been given permission by the Commons Fees Office to maintain claims on the mortgage for his second home in London despite his decision to pay off £295,000 of it, which reduced his mortgage bill from £1,900 a month to around £400.
Another Labour MP, Ian Gibson, also offered to stand down if the voters demanded it after claims that he had sold his taxpayer-subsidised second home to his daughter at a knock-down rate. He, too, insisted that he acted within the rules.
In this morning's interview, Ms Dorries insisted that the underlying problem was not the greed of politicians but the fact that no Prime Minister in recent history had dared to award MPs a proper pay rise, preferring to use the second home allowance to make up the difference.
The proof, she said, was that until recent years newly elected MPs were advised by Commons officials that they had an absolute right to claim the full Additional Costs Allowance, which she said was a lump sum allowance not an expense account.
"In my intake in 2005 things had changed, but prior to my intake in 2005 MPs were told, they were sat down and told by people in the Fees Office: 'You haven't been awarded pay rises, an MP's salary is not commensurate with anyone else at your professional level, this pot of money has been awarded to you as an allowance, not expenses... Our job here is to help you maximise that.'"
Under interim reforms announced this week by Gordon Brown and Michael Martin, the Commons Speaker swept from office by the scandal, the Fees Office is to be abolished under a new system of external regulation.
In the meantime, MPs continue to blame it for the more fanciful expenses claims and opaque "arrangements" that have cost them their careers.
The veteran Tory Douglas Hogg, for example, was paid 1/12th of the second home allowance per month to help meet the running costs of his country manor in Lincolnshire, which exceeded the allowance.
Mr Hogg was forced to stand down by David Cameron, the party leader, after it emerged that he had "claimed" for the cost of having his moat cleaned because it was listed on the bills for his estate.
So far one minister, Shahid Malik, has been forced to step down pending inquiries into his claims.
Three Cabinet ministers - James Purnell, Geoff Hoon and Hazel Blears - have been criticised for failing to pay Capital Gains Tax on the sale of their second homes. Mr Brown yesterday gave his full backing to Mr Purnell and Mr Hoon but has called Ms Blears's claim "totally unacceptable".
Nadine Dorries, well, I told her two years ago how we mothers were being tortured in the secret family courts, she didn't seem that bothered about it really, so I don't know what she's squawking about MPs being witchhunted for - after all, what's good for the goose is good for the gander!
As for that idiot Anthony Steen, I doubt if anyone is jealous of him and his big house, no Christian ought to be, at any rate, because God has promised all His friends that we are going to live in a massive mansion prepared by Himself, and I bet that will make Anthony Steen's pile look like a council prefab! We're not all as mercinary as Anthony Steen, I'd be ashamed to be rattling around in a massive great mansion like that when there are so many people having to live in a cardboard box or a doorway on the streets of our cities and towns. Jealous? Not likely! I feel sorry for him though, as his moral values are obviously warped and twisted to such a degree that he feels a cut above his fellow men and women, he's probably terrified of people like me. I find that very sad indeed.
From The Times
May 22, 2009
Nadine Dorries: MPs 'at suicide risk over McCarthyite witchhunt'
Philippe Naughton
The campaign to expose MPs' Commons expense claims has become so personal that it has started to resemble a McCarthy-style witchhunt, a Tory backbencher said today.
Nadine Dorries, the member for Mid-Bedfordshire, also warned that the relentless drip-drip of leaked claims was creating such an atmosphere of terror that there was a real risk of an MP committing suicide.
"People are seriously beginning to crack," Ms Dorries told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "The last day in Parliament this week was, I would say, completely unbearable.
"I have never been in an atmosphere or environment like it, when people walk around with terror in their eyes and people are genuinely concerned, asking, 'Have you seen so and so? Are they in their office? They've not been seen for days.'
"There's a really serious concern that this has got to a point now which is almost unbearable for any human being to deal with."
Ms Dorries' comments, echoing postings on her weblog, appeared to be part of a fightback by MPs tired of having their reputations dragged through the mud even though they may have broken no Commons rules.
In an angry outburst yesterday one MP who was forced to stand down over the size of his gardening bills complained that his critics had merely been jealous of his "very, very large house".
"I've done nothing criminal, that's the most awful thing," said Anthony Steen, who spent £90,000 his second home, including big sums for lopping trees. "And do you know what it's all about? Jealousy."
Mr Steen was one of two MPs who confirmed their departure at the next election, the other being Ben Chapman, the Labour MP for Wirral South, who insisted that he had done nothing wrong despite allegations that he over-claimed £15,000 extra for mortgage interest.
Mr Chapman said that he had been given permission by the Commons Fees Office to maintain claims on the mortgage for his second home in London despite his decision to pay off £295,000 of it, which reduced his mortgage bill from £1,900 a month to around £400.
Another Labour MP, Ian Gibson, also offered to stand down if the voters demanded it after claims that he had sold his taxpayer-subsidised second home to his daughter at a knock-down rate. He, too, insisted that he acted within the rules.
In this morning's interview, Ms Dorries insisted that the underlying problem was not the greed of politicians but the fact that no Prime Minister in recent history had dared to award MPs a proper pay rise, preferring to use the second home allowance to make up the difference.
The proof, she said, was that until recent years newly elected MPs were advised by Commons officials that they had an absolute right to claim the full Additional Costs Allowance, which she said was a lump sum allowance not an expense account.
"In my intake in 2005 things had changed, but prior to my intake in 2005 MPs were told, they were sat down and told by people in the Fees Office: 'You haven't been awarded pay rises, an MP's salary is not commensurate with anyone else at your professional level, this pot of money has been awarded to you as an allowance, not expenses... Our job here is to help you maximise that.'"
Under interim reforms announced this week by Gordon Brown and Michael Martin, the Commons Speaker swept from office by the scandal, the Fees Office is to be abolished under a new system of external regulation.
In the meantime, MPs continue to blame it for the more fanciful expenses claims and opaque "arrangements" that have cost them their careers.
The veteran Tory Douglas Hogg, for example, was paid 1/12th of the second home allowance per month to help meet the running costs of his country manor in Lincolnshire, which exceeded the allowance.
Mr Hogg was forced to stand down by David Cameron, the party leader, after it emerged that he had "claimed" for the cost of having his moat cleaned because it was listed on the bills for his estate.
So far one minister, Shahid Malik, has been forced to step down pending inquiries into his claims.
Three Cabinet ministers - James Purnell, Geoff Hoon and Hazel Blears - have been criticised for failing to pay Capital Gains Tax on the sale of their second homes. Mr Brown yesterday gave his full backing to Mr Purnell and Mr Hoon but has called Ms Blears's claim "totally unacceptable".
NOW THE UK COPS WANT TO BE AS CORRUPT AS THE JERSEY COPS!
Thursday, 21 May 2009
UK police forces seek Jersey search powers
An officer of the States of Jersey police entering the Senator's home in April
POLICE in the UK would not have had the power to search Senator Stuart Syvret’s home without a warrant, the JEP has discovered.
On 6 April, the States force entered and searched the Senator’s Grouville home under the terms of the Police Procedures and Criminal Evidence Law.
Article 29(2b) of the law gave them the power to do so without a warrant. It states that a police officer has the authority ‘to enter and search any premises in which he [the suspect] was when arrested or immediately before he was arrested for evidence relating to the offence for which he has been arrested.’
The Island’s PPCE law is based very closely on the UK’s Police and Criminal Evidence Act. However, UK police can only enter and search a property in the way outlined in 29(2b) if the offence is ‘indictable’.
The UK Home Office confirmed that the UK law was qualified, but said that police in England and Wales were seeking the same powers as those enjoyed by Island officers.
Article posted on 21st May, 2009 - 2.57pm
Source
Posted by cover-up-jersey at 19:20
UK police forces seek Jersey search powers
An officer of the States of Jersey police entering the Senator's home in April
POLICE in the UK would not have had the power to search Senator Stuart Syvret’s home without a warrant, the JEP has discovered.
On 6 April, the States force entered and searched the Senator’s Grouville home under the terms of the Police Procedures and Criminal Evidence Law.
Article 29(2b) of the law gave them the power to do so without a warrant. It states that a police officer has the authority ‘to enter and search any premises in which he [the suspect] was when arrested or immediately before he was arrested for evidence relating to the offence for which he has been arrested.’
The Island’s PPCE law is based very closely on the UK’s Police and Criminal Evidence Act. However, UK police can only enter and search a property in the way outlined in 29(2b) if the offence is ‘indictable’.
The UK Home Office confirmed that the UK law was qualified, but said that police in England and Wales were seeking the same powers as those enjoyed by Island officers.
Article posted on 21st May, 2009 - 2.57pm
Source
Posted by cover-up-jersey at 19:20
Thursday, 21 May 2009
LORD FALCONER PART 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcOP6Qx5a3k
1) May 9th 2007
Lord Falconer became the first Secretary of State for Justice
2) In 2007, Lord Falconer crushed an attempt to open up the proceedings of the family court to public scrutiny, declaring "children's right to privacy comes first." This was in spite of a letter from myself, informing Lord Falconer that the secret family courts were using a syndrome called Parental Alienation Syndrome to take children away from the care of mothers and give them to fathers who had been accused, and even convicted and imprisoned for, of abuse. This syndrome, as I pointed out in my correspondence with Lord Falconer, was invented by an American paedophile called Richard Gardner. I also pointed out the widespread use of Muchausen's Syndrome By Proxy, which is being used to falsely label thousands of mothers every year as "child abusers". Many of these women are people who were abused in their childhood, and many are first time mothers who could never have abused a child for the simple reason that they are first time mothers of an unborn child, and you can hardly abuse a child that is not even born! Curiously, Lord Falconer did not seem that bothered about the secret family courts using a syndrome invented by a paedophile, or the forced adoption issue!
3) When Gordon Brown became Prime Minister, Lord Falconer lost his position as Minister of Justice to Jack Straw.
4) Lord Falconer then joined the London office of the international law firm Gibson Dunn and Crutcher. It was Gibson Dunn and Crutcher who resolved the disputed 2000 presidential election in favour of George Bush (you remember, I'm sure, the accusations of vote rigging and cheating)
5) In 2006 Gibson Dunn and Crutcher LLP recieved the Corporate Award for Special Achievement in Adoption from the North American Council on Adoptable Children. They were thus honoured for faciliating the adoptive process of thousands of children.
One last little fact that may or may not be entirely coincidental, is that there is another group concerned with children which origionated from North America, and the name of that group is the North American Man Boy Love Association, or NAMBLA for short. Very curious, isn't it?
1) May 9th 2007
Lord Falconer became the first Secretary of State for Justice
2) In 2007, Lord Falconer crushed an attempt to open up the proceedings of the family court to public scrutiny, declaring "children's right to privacy comes first." This was in spite of a letter from myself, informing Lord Falconer that the secret family courts were using a syndrome called Parental Alienation Syndrome to take children away from the care of mothers and give them to fathers who had been accused, and even convicted and imprisoned for, of abuse. This syndrome, as I pointed out in my correspondence with Lord Falconer, was invented by an American paedophile called Richard Gardner. I also pointed out the widespread use of Muchausen's Syndrome By Proxy, which is being used to falsely label thousands of mothers every year as "child abusers". Many of these women are people who were abused in their childhood, and many are first time mothers who could never have abused a child for the simple reason that they are first time mothers of an unborn child, and you can hardly abuse a child that is not even born! Curiously, Lord Falconer did not seem that bothered about the secret family courts using a syndrome invented by a paedophile, or the forced adoption issue!
3) When Gordon Brown became Prime Minister, Lord Falconer lost his position as Minister of Justice to Jack Straw.
4) Lord Falconer then joined the London office of the international law firm Gibson Dunn and Crutcher. It was Gibson Dunn and Crutcher who resolved the disputed 2000 presidential election in favour of George Bush (you remember, I'm sure, the accusations of vote rigging and cheating)
5) In 2006 Gibson Dunn and Crutcher LLP recieved the Corporate Award for Special Achievement in Adoption from the North American Council on Adoptable Children. They were thus honoured for faciliating the adoptive process of thousands of children.
One last little fact that may or may not be entirely coincidental, is that there is another group concerned with children which origionated from North America, and the name of that group is the North American Man Boy Love Association, or NAMBLA for short. Very curious, isn't it?
LORD FALCONER
I've just been watching that old tub of lard Lord Falconer windbagging on the debate in the House of Lords on the conduct of four peers, following the inquiry into cash for access.
For that creep to be standing in that place taking part in a debate on the transparancy and righteousness of anyone else makes me want to throw something at my telly!
Let's just remind ourselves of Charlie Falconer's track record and vested interests, shall we?
***************************************************
Charles Leslie Falconer, Baron Falconer of Thoroton, PC, QC (born 19 November 1951) is a British barrister and Labour Party politician. In June 2003 he became the Lord Chancellor and the first Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs (a position created originally to replace the position of Lord Chancellor). In May 2007 the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) became the new Ministry of Justice with an enhanced portfolio, that encompasses all the responsibilities of the former DCA plus some functions transferred from the Home Office. Upon that reorganisation taking effect on 9 May 2007, Lord Falconer became the first Secretary of State for Justice, while keeping the title and role of Lord Chancellor. Following Gordon Brown's accession to the position of Prime Minister, Falconer was replaced as Minister of Justice.
Educated at the Edinburgh Academy, Trinity College, Glenalmond, and Queens' College, Cambridge, Falconer became a flatmate of Tony Blair when they were both young barristers in London in the late 1970s in Wandsworth. They had first met as pupils at rival schools in the 1960s. At school, he dated Amanda Mackenzie Stuart, an ex-girlfriend of Blair's, immediately after that relationship. While Blair went into politics, Falconer concentrated on his legal career. They met up again in 1976 when working as barristers in the same building. He practised from Fountain Court Chambers in London, and becoming a Queen's Counsel in 1991. He married privately-educated Marianna Hildyard, a barrister as well, in 1985 [1]. Her father, D.H.T. Hildyard, was the British Ambassador to Chile in Santiago. She became a QC in 2002. They have four children: Hamish, William, Rosie and Johnny. Hamish is a student at St John's College, Cambridge. He was chair of Cambridge University Amnesty International 2006 - 2007, and is the director of Sudan Divestment. They own a £2.5m house and a £250,000 basement flat in Islington. They also own a £550,000 country retreat in Thoroton (between Bingham and Bottesford in Nottinghamshire). His father used to live in the village, and they rent out his old home[2].
Having had a privileged education and upbringing, he placed his daughter and three sons at independent Westminster School [3]. Tony Blair later used teachers from this school to privately tutor his children. This proved to be an electoral problem when he tried to be selected for the seat of Dudley East before the 1997 election, which had been held by John Gilbert. He intended to keep his children at Westminster if selected, which caused the local selection panel to drop him from the selection procedure.
In May 1997 Blair became Prime Minister and Falconer was made a life peer as Baron Falconer of Thoroton, of Thoroton in the County of Nottinghamshire (he was the first peer created on Blair's recommendation), and joined the government as Solicitor General. In 1998 he became Minister of State at the Cabinet Office, taking over responsibility for the Millennium Dome after the resignation of Peter Mandelson. He was heavily criticised for the failure of the Dome to attract an audience, but resisted calls for his resignation. This is in contrast to the sacking of Dome Chief Executive Jennie Page just one month after the fiasco of the New Millennium eve opening night.
He joined the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions as Minister for Housing, Planning and Regeneration after the 2001 election and moved on to the Home Office in 2002. At the Home Office he was responsible for criminal justice, sentencing and law reform, and annoyed some of his fellow lawyers by suggesting that their fees were too high.
In 2003 he joined the Cabinet as the Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs, becoming also Lord Chancellor 'for the interim period' before the office was abolished. The government argued that the position of a cabinet minister as a Judge and Head of the Judiciary was no longer appropriate and would not be upheld by the European Convention on Human Rights. The announcement was generally seen as a rushed one as the abolition of the office of Lord Chancellor would require primary legislation. Removing the Lord Chancellor's judicial role was a policy known to be disliked by Lord Irvine of Lairg, the previous Lord Chancellor.
The post of Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs took over the remaining responsibilities of the Lord Chancellor, and also became the sponsoring Department for the Secretary of State for Wales and the Secretary of State for Scotland. Falconer announced his intention not to use the Lord Chancellor's power to sit as a judge and stopped wearing the traditional robe and wig of office. Falconer hoped to be the last to hold the title, ending 1,400 years of tradition. However, Lord Falconer has since said to the House of Lords Constitution Committee that he now "regrets" campaigning for the historic role of Lord Chancellor to be abolished. He even joked about reinstating the traditional practice - abolished by his predecessor Lord Irvine - of making the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Great Chamberlain and the Earl Marshal walk backwards ahead of the Queen to show respect. "I was keen to walk backwards, but was told I could not because all the other people now walked forwards and I would look like a crazed... I would be a very, very odd Lord Chancellor on that basis", Lord Falconer told the committee.
In a recent radio address on the BBC, he rejected calls for an English parliament to represent the people of England in a similar role to the Scottish Parliament or Welsh Assembly (see West Lothian Question). He stated: "We need to have an arrangement whereby the regions, and Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland, are better represented in the House of Lords." This reference to "the regions" as opposed to England, is seen by many[who?] as implicitly Anglophobic, and in line with New Labour's aim to divide England into nine regions[citation needed].
Lord Falconer was replaced in his ministerial posts by Jack Straw in Gordon Brown's inaugural cabinet reshuffle.
On 8 July 2008, Lord Falconer joined US law firm Gibson Dunn & Crutcher as a senior counsel.
Freedom of Information Act
In his role as Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs, Lord Falconer has sought to make it easier for government bodies to refuse to release documents under the Freedom of Information Act (2000), on the grounds that they are too expensive and too time-consuming for civil servants to find. Currently, the legislation allows requests for information to be refused if the cost they will incur exceeds £600 for Whitehall and £450 for other public bodies. Lord Falconer's proposed changes would make no difference to this level, but would expand the number of activities that would be included in the totals, making it easier for government parties to refuse requests for information. At the end of March 2007, Falconer's department announced that it would not introduce the proposals to parliament, but would instead have a second three-month consultation with the public (the previous consultation, also of three months, ended three weeks previous to this). Media elements reported this change as a 'backtracking', and Maurice Frankel, director of the Campaign for Freedom of Information, was quoted as saying "This raises the strong possibility that the government will decide to leave the current arrangements untouched".
(Thank you Wiki)
***********************************************
As you can see, Charlie Falconer isn't really that keen on us being able to look at Government documents - he thinks it would cost too much money to make the Government documents available. Absolute poppycock - how much does it cost to put stuff online - next to nothing is the answer, and all bloggers will testify to that fact.
But what does cost a lot is when the Government departments, in order to cover up certain facts, have to "doctor" the paperwork, in order to keep naughty Government officials safe from being caught out in flagrante delicto!
So, what are Lord Falconer's own vested interests? What would Lord Falconer prefer you not to know about? Watch this space!
For that creep to be standing in that place taking part in a debate on the transparancy and righteousness of anyone else makes me want to throw something at my telly!
Let's just remind ourselves of Charlie Falconer's track record and vested interests, shall we?
***************************************************
Charles Leslie Falconer, Baron Falconer of Thoroton, PC, QC (born 19 November 1951) is a British barrister and Labour Party politician. In June 2003 he became the Lord Chancellor and the first Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs (a position created originally to replace the position of Lord Chancellor). In May 2007 the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) became the new Ministry of Justice with an enhanced portfolio, that encompasses all the responsibilities of the former DCA plus some functions transferred from the Home Office. Upon that reorganisation taking effect on 9 May 2007, Lord Falconer became the first Secretary of State for Justice, while keeping the title and role of Lord Chancellor. Following Gordon Brown's accession to the position of Prime Minister, Falconer was replaced as Minister of Justice.
Educated at the Edinburgh Academy, Trinity College, Glenalmond, and Queens' College, Cambridge, Falconer became a flatmate of Tony Blair when they were both young barristers in London in the late 1970s in Wandsworth. They had first met as pupils at rival schools in the 1960s. At school, he dated Amanda Mackenzie Stuart, an ex-girlfriend of Blair's, immediately after that relationship. While Blair went into politics, Falconer concentrated on his legal career. They met up again in 1976 when working as barristers in the same building. He practised from Fountain Court Chambers in London, and becoming a Queen's Counsel in 1991. He married privately-educated Marianna Hildyard, a barrister as well, in 1985 [1]. Her father, D.H.T. Hildyard, was the British Ambassador to Chile in Santiago. She became a QC in 2002. They have four children: Hamish, William, Rosie and Johnny. Hamish is a student at St John's College, Cambridge. He was chair of Cambridge University Amnesty International 2006 - 2007, and is the director of Sudan Divestment. They own a £2.5m house and a £250,000 basement flat in Islington. They also own a £550,000 country retreat in Thoroton (between Bingham and Bottesford in Nottinghamshire). His father used to live in the village, and they rent out his old home[2].
Having had a privileged education and upbringing, he placed his daughter and three sons at independent Westminster School [3]. Tony Blair later used teachers from this school to privately tutor his children. This proved to be an electoral problem when he tried to be selected for the seat of Dudley East before the 1997 election, which had been held by John Gilbert. He intended to keep his children at Westminster if selected, which caused the local selection panel to drop him from the selection procedure.
In May 1997 Blair became Prime Minister and Falconer was made a life peer as Baron Falconer of Thoroton, of Thoroton in the County of Nottinghamshire (he was the first peer created on Blair's recommendation), and joined the government as Solicitor General. In 1998 he became Minister of State at the Cabinet Office, taking over responsibility for the Millennium Dome after the resignation of Peter Mandelson. He was heavily criticised for the failure of the Dome to attract an audience, but resisted calls for his resignation. This is in contrast to the sacking of Dome Chief Executive Jennie Page just one month after the fiasco of the New Millennium eve opening night.
He joined the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions as Minister for Housing, Planning and Regeneration after the 2001 election and moved on to the Home Office in 2002. At the Home Office he was responsible for criminal justice, sentencing and law reform, and annoyed some of his fellow lawyers by suggesting that their fees were too high.
In 2003 he joined the Cabinet as the Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs, becoming also Lord Chancellor 'for the interim period' before the office was abolished. The government argued that the position of a cabinet minister as a Judge and Head of the Judiciary was no longer appropriate and would not be upheld by the European Convention on Human Rights. The announcement was generally seen as a rushed one as the abolition of the office of Lord Chancellor would require primary legislation. Removing the Lord Chancellor's judicial role was a policy known to be disliked by Lord Irvine of Lairg, the previous Lord Chancellor.
The post of Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs took over the remaining responsibilities of the Lord Chancellor, and also became the sponsoring Department for the Secretary of State for Wales and the Secretary of State for Scotland. Falconer announced his intention not to use the Lord Chancellor's power to sit as a judge and stopped wearing the traditional robe and wig of office. Falconer hoped to be the last to hold the title, ending 1,400 years of tradition. However, Lord Falconer has since said to the House of Lords Constitution Committee that he now "regrets" campaigning for the historic role of Lord Chancellor to be abolished. He even joked about reinstating the traditional practice - abolished by his predecessor Lord Irvine - of making the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Great Chamberlain and the Earl Marshal walk backwards ahead of the Queen to show respect. "I was keen to walk backwards, but was told I could not because all the other people now walked forwards and I would look like a crazed... I would be a very, very odd Lord Chancellor on that basis", Lord Falconer told the committee.
In a recent radio address on the BBC, he rejected calls for an English parliament to represent the people of England in a similar role to the Scottish Parliament or Welsh Assembly (see West Lothian Question). He stated: "We need to have an arrangement whereby the regions, and Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland, are better represented in the House of Lords." This reference to "the regions" as opposed to England, is seen by many[who?] as implicitly Anglophobic, and in line with New Labour's aim to divide England into nine regions[citation needed].
Lord Falconer was replaced in his ministerial posts by Jack Straw in Gordon Brown's inaugural cabinet reshuffle.
On 8 July 2008, Lord Falconer joined US law firm Gibson Dunn & Crutcher as a senior counsel.
Freedom of Information Act
In his role as Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs, Lord Falconer has sought to make it easier for government bodies to refuse to release documents under the Freedom of Information Act (2000), on the grounds that they are too expensive and too time-consuming for civil servants to find. Currently, the legislation allows requests for information to be refused if the cost they will incur exceeds £600 for Whitehall and £450 for other public bodies. Lord Falconer's proposed changes would make no difference to this level, but would expand the number of activities that would be included in the totals, making it easier for government parties to refuse requests for information. At the end of March 2007, Falconer's department announced that it would not introduce the proposals to parliament, but would instead have a second three-month consultation with the public (the previous consultation, also of three months, ended three weeks previous to this). Media elements reported this change as a 'backtracking', and Maurice Frankel, director of the Campaign for Freedom of Information, was quoted as saying "This raises the strong possibility that the government will decide to leave the current arrangements untouched".
(Thank you Wiki)
***********************************************
As you can see, Charlie Falconer isn't really that keen on us being able to look at Government documents - he thinks it would cost too much money to make the Government documents available. Absolute poppycock - how much does it cost to put stuff online - next to nothing is the answer, and all bloggers will testify to that fact.
But what does cost a lot is when the Government departments, in order to cover up certain facts, have to "doctor" the paperwork, in order to keep naughty Government officials safe from being caught out in flagrante delicto!
So, what are Lord Falconer's own vested interests? What would Lord Falconer prefer you not to know about? Watch this space!
Wednesday, 20 May 2009
PRESS RELEASE FROM THE CATHARSIS FOUNDATION
PRESS RELEASE!
The Most Appropriate Punishment For Anyone Who Abuses Children —
The realistic solution to the epidemic of child abuse
Calgary, AB May 18, 2009
How we can stop child abuse seems elusive but the solution is simple – if one really wants to stop it! We as a society cannot seem to get past talking about the issue moving into the take action phase – but it’s past time to take action. Talking about the problem will do nothing to end the violence against children and education will not stop criminals or help children to protect themselves. We need to accept that we have the responsibility as adults to protect ALL children. The solution is simple and it does not involve castration or torture and it does not involve imprisonment.
By now, everyone in today’s civilized society has heard about the prevalence and after-effects of child abuse and sadly, probably more than 75% of today’s adults are living painful, challenging and problematic lives after being abused as children.
Unfortunately, there has never been an appropriate punishment to deter anyone from committing the crime and the victim has been forgotten about – if the victims somehow manage to overcome their early Machiavellian training and become able to talk and reveal the identities of the abusers.
Abusers have been, for the most part, protected by their victims, by society, and by the legal system. Children are programmed to keep the abuser’s secrets by threats and intimidation, society labels victims who try to expose abusers as attention-seekers or worse, and the legal system has not evolved much from the days when ‘a man’s home was his castle’ or a victim was further victimized in court.
Children are convinced that they ‘caused’ the abuse, are bad and will cause further damage if they tell! Abusers intimidate children by their size difference, their position of power in the child’s life, or the child is dependant on those who abuse them for their survival. Children are vulnerable with no power and no voice in their lives and when those who should be protecting the child chooses to abuse them or refuses to protect them, the child is more than vulnerable and helpless, he/she becomes enslaved.
Victims who talk about child abuse, especially about things that they’ve endured first-hand are met with accusations of being attention-seekers and are labeled as less-than-as-intelligent as someone who has never been abused (or, most probably, still keeping their abuser’s secrets and protecting another abuser). Society seems to also be less likely to respect a victim of child abuse if they know that person was abused – yet it will deny this vehemently and blame the victim for any negative treatment.
Victims learn early that they are alone and must keep the secret – and the secret generally kills them. Many commit suicide and most indulge in dangerous lifestyles – drugs, prostitution or promiscuity, self-cutting, eating disorders, etc – which makes it easy for society to dismiss them as sub-human.
The victim is assigned a prosecutor, who may or may not meet with him/her before the court date, and has little hope of getting the facts straight before a judge. If the victim hopes to triumph in court, they need to be strong enough to be their own investigator and be vigilant presenting facts and information to the prosecutor so that he has something to present to the judge.
Children are abused by someone – it’s not just one boogie man who lives in the neighborhood who abuses as many neighborhood children as he can get his hands on. The truth is that there are too many adults who abuse children in one form or another and they are being protected! These abusers, and victims who are protecting abusers, have professions and employment and there’s little doubt that they are not involved as judges, lawyers, police, child protection services and any number of positions that determine how child abuse is handled. It’s no wonder why, in this millennium, we still can’t seem to protect innocent children from predators and harm. Society can draw up an 11-point instruction sheet on how to wash your hands correctly (including rolling up your sleeves and not get them wet!) for the adult workplace but it can’t seem to think of a way to protect children from being tortured. If Society were not so damaged, perhaps priorities would not be so distorted.
Children who are abused face a lifetime of medical, psychological and societal problems – there’s no debating the facts – yet society doesn’t address the problem. It’s leaving it to the victims to deal with the problem – but it first removes all the required tools and support that the survivor will need. Much like children are being taught to protect themselves from unwanted sexual touching or bullying and safe sex practices. They’ll have to wait until they enter the workforce before being taught the proper procedure for hand washing!
Adults need to take responsibility, deal with the issue and protect children! They should never be permitted to pass the responsibility on to the child! That is only perpetuating child abuse! “If you tell anyone…” “This only happened because you…”
Any adult who abuses a child (or children) whether privately in the home or by abduction or any dirty facet of the sex industry – and despite the relationship to the child or lack of relationship to the child – should be held accountable for their degrading, destructive deeds.
Going to court or jailing the abuser does little to help the victim. Flogging or fining the abuser only leaves the victim feeling more guilty because the victim isn’t usually prone to hurting other people – which is part of what makes them ideal victims. Victims are left to endure their lives alone, filled with anxiety, suicidal thoughts, PTSD, unable to trust or feel safe or any of the thousands of negative after-effects of child abuse – like discarded trash tossed out to fight the wind in the gutters and alleys.
There are an abundant number of young people out on the streets, choosing to become addicted to drugs rather than to endure the pain of their secrets and have acknowledged and accepted the worthlessness of their lives – and the number grows rapidly!
So what’s the solution? How do we force parents to care for their children or pedophiles to leave children alone or society to protect children? What is the most appropriate punishment, or deterrent, that keeps the victim’s rights to be protected as a child in sight?
First – we must stop protecting child abusers. Their identities need to be exposed prominently in society. This is easily accomplished by not exposing details about the child(ren) abused – the relationship, ages or other possible identifying information. When the media spreads the news, it should not focus on the sexual details in attempts to titillate the reader/viewer/listener but should focus on the destruction of the child’s life, the ugliness of the crime and the disturbing truth about the abuser – and warn others to protect themselves from the abuser. This includes animal abusers because those who would abuse helpless animals will also abuse helpless children – it’s the nature of these beasts). Arguments such as vigilantism and abuser’s rights are arguments in favor of protecting abusers and against protecting children – nothing more.
Second – we must hold the abusers accountable for their crimes to their victims. This is perhaps the only way a victim can feel vindicated and valued in society. The crime is not a crime against society – although it does define a society – it is a crime against the child(ren) and the punishment should not be jail time or fines paid to the court. Who is paying for the survivor’s medication or therapy? Who pays for the child’s inability to support him/herself because the child was too preoccupied with his/her personal safety to concentrate in school? Who pays for the child’s unshared living expenses because they cannot trust enough to have a life partner? The child endures a lifetime of pain and torment because of actions he/she had no control over while the abuser is left free to abuse others. A tiny percent are sent to prison for awhile and their expenses are paid for by the taxpayers – including those they abused – and that does nothing to help the victim.
All abusers must be held accountable to any life he/she has destroyed.
All parents must be forced to protect their children until they reach the age of adulthood – which is not 14 or 16. A child is not an adult until they have completed their education and is able to have a home and family of their own. A child cannot become emancipated until he/she can look after themselves financially, mentally, physically and emotionally, because it was due to the sex act of the parents that the child was conceived and children should not be conceived to be shamelessly disposed of unless we are to say that life is worthless.
Whoever is responsible for sending a child to live on the street must be forced to protect and provide for that child for life. Sometimes a child runs away to escape torture in the home and whoever is responsible for the destruction of a life should become responsible for the happiness of that life for the rest of that life – in every way! Because the effects of child abuse last a lifetime, the abuser must be responsible to try to correct their damage for a lifetime as well.
Whoever uses a child for pornography or sex in any manner, enslaves a child, uses for cheap labor, beats or tortures a child in any manner, provides a child with drugs, alcohol or any other addictive substances, must become responsible to try to help that child for the rest of the child’s life – to the detriment of the abuser’s own life. They must provide financially for that child forever.
The responsibility of enforcement should not be put in the child’s hand, nor a lawyer’s – and any lawyer who assists in the protection of an abuser beyond his/her right to a fair trial should be held accountable for causing additional harm and damage to the child as well!
A group of dedicated child protectors, funded by the government, should be created to be the liaison between the child and the abuser – much like the idea behind those who collect child support payments from deadbeat parents. The child should never have to be afraid of seeing the person(s) who abused them again and the child should not have to struggle through life because of circumstances created by an adult.
The solution is simple to implement and those who would consider abusing children would re-consider if they knew their crimes would not only hurt the child but hurt themselves as well. Abusers would reconsider once society puts it foot down and says, “No More!”
This is written and submitted by the founder of Catharsis Foundation. After being beaten, bullied and sexually abused by my father for 16 years, (detailed in the book, Cathartic Chronicles, Rikki’s Story which is available at http://www.catharsisfoundation.org/Books/Rikkis_Story.html) the criminal court sentenced him to 4 years in prison but he was allowed out after serving 2/3rds of his sentence and the civil court awarded me with a judgment that would be in excess of $1M today because my father left me unable to have children or to have a relationship – as well as many, many other problems that I need to hide from society for my own protection.
However, this judgment is not collectable. I have contacted almost 3,000 lawyers and none would help unless I gave them $15,000 minimum or others refused to work on a judgment “of this type” – that is until one law firm agreed to take the file on a contingency basis. They then held the file for years, seldom contacting me and avoiding my attempts to contact them until finally, two months before the judgment lapsed, they dropped me and refused to return my file, saying I owed them money despite that nothing was done by them. I suspect very strongly that Merchant Law Group DID collect on my judgment and have withheld the money.
All victims of crime are entitled to restitution! It is obvious that lawyers and prosecutors are not the solution to the problem of child abuse – victims and survivors are! Do we want to protect children or perpetuate abuse and protect abusers – or are we too damaged as a society to help anyone, even ourselves, anymore?
ABOUT CATHARSIS FOUNDATION:
Catharsis Foundation was founded in 2004 and is dedicated to helping survivors of child abuse to help one another.
CONTACT:
Director
Catharsis Foundation
www.catharsisfoundation.org
info@catharsisfoundation.org
It’s Time To Tell!
The Most Appropriate Punishment For Anyone Who Abuses Children —
The realistic solution to the epidemic of child abuse
Calgary, AB May 18, 2009
How we can stop child abuse seems elusive but the solution is simple – if one really wants to stop it! We as a society cannot seem to get past talking about the issue moving into the take action phase – but it’s past time to take action. Talking about the problem will do nothing to end the violence against children and education will not stop criminals or help children to protect themselves. We need to accept that we have the responsibility as adults to protect ALL children. The solution is simple and it does not involve castration or torture and it does not involve imprisonment.
By now, everyone in today’s civilized society has heard about the prevalence and after-effects of child abuse and sadly, probably more than 75% of today’s adults are living painful, challenging and problematic lives after being abused as children.
Unfortunately, there has never been an appropriate punishment to deter anyone from committing the crime and the victim has been forgotten about – if the victims somehow manage to overcome their early Machiavellian training and become able to talk and reveal the identities of the abusers.
Abusers have been, for the most part, protected by their victims, by society, and by the legal system. Children are programmed to keep the abuser’s secrets by threats and intimidation, society labels victims who try to expose abusers as attention-seekers or worse, and the legal system has not evolved much from the days when ‘a man’s home was his castle’ or a victim was further victimized in court.
Children are convinced that they ‘caused’ the abuse, are bad and will cause further damage if they tell! Abusers intimidate children by their size difference, their position of power in the child’s life, or the child is dependant on those who abuse them for their survival. Children are vulnerable with no power and no voice in their lives and when those who should be protecting the child chooses to abuse them or refuses to protect them, the child is more than vulnerable and helpless, he/she becomes enslaved.
Victims who talk about child abuse, especially about things that they’ve endured first-hand are met with accusations of being attention-seekers and are labeled as less-than-as-intelligent as someone who has never been abused (or, most probably, still keeping their abuser’s secrets and protecting another abuser). Society seems to also be less likely to respect a victim of child abuse if they know that person was abused – yet it will deny this vehemently and blame the victim for any negative treatment.
Victims learn early that they are alone and must keep the secret – and the secret generally kills them. Many commit suicide and most indulge in dangerous lifestyles – drugs, prostitution or promiscuity, self-cutting, eating disorders, etc – which makes it easy for society to dismiss them as sub-human.
The victim is assigned a prosecutor, who may or may not meet with him/her before the court date, and has little hope of getting the facts straight before a judge. If the victim hopes to triumph in court, they need to be strong enough to be their own investigator and be vigilant presenting facts and information to the prosecutor so that he has something to present to the judge.
Children are abused by someone – it’s not just one boogie man who lives in the neighborhood who abuses as many neighborhood children as he can get his hands on. The truth is that there are too many adults who abuse children in one form or another and they are being protected! These abusers, and victims who are protecting abusers, have professions and employment and there’s little doubt that they are not involved as judges, lawyers, police, child protection services and any number of positions that determine how child abuse is handled. It’s no wonder why, in this millennium, we still can’t seem to protect innocent children from predators and harm. Society can draw up an 11-point instruction sheet on how to wash your hands correctly (including rolling up your sleeves and not get them wet!) for the adult workplace but it can’t seem to think of a way to protect children from being tortured. If Society were not so damaged, perhaps priorities would not be so distorted.
Children who are abused face a lifetime of medical, psychological and societal problems – there’s no debating the facts – yet society doesn’t address the problem. It’s leaving it to the victims to deal with the problem – but it first removes all the required tools and support that the survivor will need. Much like children are being taught to protect themselves from unwanted sexual touching or bullying and safe sex practices. They’ll have to wait until they enter the workforce before being taught the proper procedure for hand washing!
Adults need to take responsibility, deal with the issue and protect children! They should never be permitted to pass the responsibility on to the child! That is only perpetuating child abuse! “If you tell anyone…” “This only happened because you…”
Any adult who abuses a child (or children) whether privately in the home or by abduction or any dirty facet of the sex industry – and despite the relationship to the child or lack of relationship to the child – should be held accountable for their degrading, destructive deeds.
Going to court or jailing the abuser does little to help the victim. Flogging or fining the abuser only leaves the victim feeling more guilty because the victim isn’t usually prone to hurting other people – which is part of what makes them ideal victims. Victims are left to endure their lives alone, filled with anxiety, suicidal thoughts, PTSD, unable to trust or feel safe or any of the thousands of negative after-effects of child abuse – like discarded trash tossed out to fight the wind in the gutters and alleys.
There are an abundant number of young people out on the streets, choosing to become addicted to drugs rather than to endure the pain of their secrets and have acknowledged and accepted the worthlessness of their lives – and the number grows rapidly!
So what’s the solution? How do we force parents to care for their children or pedophiles to leave children alone or society to protect children? What is the most appropriate punishment, or deterrent, that keeps the victim’s rights to be protected as a child in sight?
First – we must stop protecting child abusers. Their identities need to be exposed prominently in society. This is easily accomplished by not exposing details about the child(ren) abused – the relationship, ages or other possible identifying information. When the media spreads the news, it should not focus on the sexual details in attempts to titillate the reader/viewer/listener but should focus on the destruction of the child’s life, the ugliness of the crime and the disturbing truth about the abuser – and warn others to protect themselves from the abuser. This includes animal abusers because those who would abuse helpless animals will also abuse helpless children – it’s the nature of these beasts). Arguments such as vigilantism and abuser’s rights are arguments in favor of protecting abusers and against protecting children – nothing more.
Second – we must hold the abusers accountable for their crimes to their victims. This is perhaps the only way a victim can feel vindicated and valued in society. The crime is not a crime against society – although it does define a society – it is a crime against the child(ren) and the punishment should not be jail time or fines paid to the court. Who is paying for the survivor’s medication or therapy? Who pays for the child’s inability to support him/herself because the child was too preoccupied with his/her personal safety to concentrate in school? Who pays for the child’s unshared living expenses because they cannot trust enough to have a life partner? The child endures a lifetime of pain and torment because of actions he/she had no control over while the abuser is left free to abuse others. A tiny percent are sent to prison for awhile and their expenses are paid for by the taxpayers – including those they abused – and that does nothing to help the victim.
All abusers must be held accountable to any life he/she has destroyed.
All parents must be forced to protect their children until they reach the age of adulthood – which is not 14 or 16. A child is not an adult until they have completed their education and is able to have a home and family of their own. A child cannot become emancipated until he/she can look after themselves financially, mentally, physically and emotionally, because it was due to the sex act of the parents that the child was conceived and children should not be conceived to be shamelessly disposed of unless we are to say that life is worthless.
Whoever is responsible for sending a child to live on the street must be forced to protect and provide for that child for life. Sometimes a child runs away to escape torture in the home and whoever is responsible for the destruction of a life should become responsible for the happiness of that life for the rest of that life – in every way! Because the effects of child abuse last a lifetime, the abuser must be responsible to try to correct their damage for a lifetime as well.
Whoever uses a child for pornography or sex in any manner, enslaves a child, uses for cheap labor, beats or tortures a child in any manner, provides a child with drugs, alcohol or any other addictive substances, must become responsible to try to help that child for the rest of the child’s life – to the detriment of the abuser’s own life. They must provide financially for that child forever.
The responsibility of enforcement should not be put in the child’s hand, nor a lawyer’s – and any lawyer who assists in the protection of an abuser beyond his/her right to a fair trial should be held accountable for causing additional harm and damage to the child as well!
A group of dedicated child protectors, funded by the government, should be created to be the liaison between the child and the abuser – much like the idea behind those who collect child support payments from deadbeat parents. The child should never have to be afraid of seeing the person(s) who abused them again and the child should not have to struggle through life because of circumstances created by an adult.
The solution is simple to implement and those who would consider abusing children would re-consider if they knew their crimes would not only hurt the child but hurt themselves as well. Abusers would reconsider once society puts it foot down and says, “No More!”
This is written and submitted by the founder of Catharsis Foundation. After being beaten, bullied and sexually abused by my father for 16 years, (detailed in the book, Cathartic Chronicles, Rikki’s Story which is available at http://www.catharsisfoundation.org/Books/Rikkis_Story.html) the criminal court sentenced him to 4 years in prison but he was allowed out after serving 2/3rds of his sentence and the civil court awarded me with a judgment that would be in excess of $1M today because my father left me unable to have children or to have a relationship – as well as many, many other problems that I need to hide from society for my own protection.
However, this judgment is not collectable. I have contacted almost 3,000 lawyers and none would help unless I gave them $15,000 minimum or others refused to work on a judgment “of this type” – that is until one law firm agreed to take the file on a contingency basis. They then held the file for years, seldom contacting me and avoiding my attempts to contact them until finally, two months before the judgment lapsed, they dropped me and refused to return my file, saying I owed them money despite that nothing was done by them. I suspect very strongly that Merchant Law Group DID collect on my judgment and have withheld the money.
All victims of crime are entitled to restitution! It is obvious that lawyers and prosecutors are not the solution to the problem of child abuse – victims and survivors are! Do we want to protect children or perpetuate abuse and protect abusers – or are we too damaged as a society to help anyone, even ourselves, anymore?
ABOUT CATHARSIS FOUNDATION:
Catharsis Foundation was founded in 2004 and is dedicated to helping survivors of child abuse to help one another.
CONTACT:
Director
Catharsis Foundation
www.catharsisfoundation.org
info@catharsisfoundation.org
It’s Time To Tell!
OPERATION ALGEBRA
Paedophiles abused three-month-old
May 7 2009
Eight members of a paedophile ring have been found guilty of a catalogue of child pornography and abuse charges, including the sexual assault of a three-month old baby.
Two of the men - convicted sex offender Neil Strachan and gay rights campaigner James Rennie - were convicted of sex attacks on children.
Strachan, 41, and Rennie, 38, both from Edinburgh, were also found guilty of conspiring to abuse youngsters, as were three other members of the gang.
And all eight accused in the 10-week trial at the High Court in Edinburgh were convicted of a series of child porn offences.
The gang members were traced through their explicit internet chats about sexual fantasies involving children.
Nearly 125,000 indecent images were seized during Operation Algebra, which uncovered the group, believed to be Scotland's biggest paedophile network.
Ross Webber, 27, of North Berwick, Craig Boath, 24, from Dundee and John Milligan, 40, from Glasgow, were all found guilty of conspiring to participate in the sexual abuse of children along with Strachan and Rennie.
The five men, with Colin Slaven, 23, from Edinburgh and Neil Campbell, 46 and John Murphy, 44, from Glasgow, were also convicted of a catalogue of child porn offences.
May 7 2009
Eight members of a paedophile ring have been found guilty of a catalogue of child pornography and abuse charges, including the sexual assault of a three-month old baby.
Two of the men - convicted sex offender Neil Strachan and gay rights campaigner James Rennie - were convicted of sex attacks on children.
Strachan, 41, and Rennie, 38, both from Edinburgh, were also found guilty of conspiring to abuse youngsters, as were three other members of the gang.
And all eight accused in the 10-week trial at the High Court in Edinburgh were convicted of a series of child porn offences.
The gang members were traced through their explicit internet chats about sexual fantasies involving children.
Nearly 125,000 indecent images were seized during Operation Algebra, which uncovered the group, believed to be Scotland's biggest paedophile network.
Ross Webber, 27, of North Berwick, Craig Boath, 24, from Dundee and John Milligan, 40, from Glasgow, were all found guilty of conspiring to participate in the sexual abuse of children along with Strachan and Rennie.
The five men, with Colin Slaven, 23, from Edinburgh and Neil Campbell, 46 and John Murphy, 44, from Glasgow, were also convicted of a catalogue of child porn offences.
Monday, 18 May 2009
ANTHONY DOUGLAS (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF CAFCASS) QUOTES
“The public service is not a serial child-snatcher”
OH YES IT IS!
"My Staff are under. increasing pressure"
HARDLY SURPRISING, CONSIDERING ALL THE LIES AND PERJURY THEY ARE FORCED TO CONSPIRE TO
“Ending contact with a parent can help children grow up and move on from events to which they were often only miserable witnesses.”
THIS MOTHER HAS BEEN A GOOD PARENT WHOSE ONLY "CRIME" WAS TO TRY TO PROTECT HER CHILDREN FROM A MAN WHO HAS BEEN VIOLENT AND ABUSIVE, THE DAMAGE THESE CHILDREN ARE SUFFERING IS MADE THOUSANDS TIME WORSE BY THE INTERVENTION OF THE SECRET FAMILY COURT,FOR MONITARY PROFIT, AND YOU KNOW THAT DARNED WELL YOU WICKED, CRUEL, AVERICIOUS MAN!
"Sometimes children's lives are saved through quick intervention and specialist foster parents are needed immediately."
AND MANY CHILDREN'S LIVES ARE RUINED BY THEIR NATURAL PARENTS BEING FALSELY ACCUSED OF CHILD ABUSE USING DODGY SYNDROMES SUCH AS MSBP AND PAS, WHICH HAPPEN TO BE NICE LITTLE MONEYSPINNERS FOR THE CHILDSNATCHING MAFIA
"It's very important across the UK that enough foster carers of the right type are available for children who need them."
PREFERABLY OF THE MASONIC KIND - LETS KEEP THE LARGE ACORN FOSTERING FEE OF OVER £500 WEEKLY IN THE BROTHERHOOD!
ON THE MASSIVE INCREASE OF CHILDREN BEING TAKEN INTO "CARE" -
"The increase represents real cases which are nearly always upheld by a family court due to the power and strength of the evidence - there is no evidence that children are being taken into care needlessly."
NO, BECAUSE THEY KEEP THE MEDIA WELL AND TRULY GAGGED, BUT THERE ARE RECORD NUMBERS OF PARENTS COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING THEIR CHILDREN STOLEN IN THE SECRET FAMILY COURTS - OH YES, AND IN SPITE OF JACK STRAW SAYING THEY ARE NOT SECRET ANY MORE, WELL, SORRY TO HAVE TO TELL YOU THIS, BUT THEY ARE. YOU TRY SITTING IN ON ONE IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME!
"In fact it is our view that more children are now being safeguarded..."
NOT A VIEW THAT MOTHERS FOR JUSTICE WOULD SHARE, ANTHONY DOUGLAS!
ON A MOTHER BEING TAGGED TO PREVENT HER GOING ABROAD:
“Tagging may help to protect children in a limited number of cases where abduction is a risk. It can offer a reassurance to the child’s other parent and a child themselves that a parent who potentially places them at risk is being checked and monitored on their behalf.”
WOULD YOU ALSO SUPPORT THE BALL AND CHAIN ON HEAVILY PREGNANT WOMEN IN HOLLOWAY PRISON, ANTHONY DOUGLAS?
"No one is saying that our system is free from miscarriages of justice "
THAT IS A MASSIVE UNDERSTATEMENT!
"Where children are not at immediate risk local authorities do work with parents with the aim of rehabilitation."
WHAT THE HECK ARE THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES FIDDLING AROUND WITH CHILDREN WHO ARE NOT AT RISK ANYWAY? SURELY THEIR BUSINESS IS WITH CHILDREN WHO ARE AT RISK, PERIOD?
"Where children may be removed from the family home Cafcass guardians do rigorously test that local authority proposals are in the best interests of children."
NO THEY DO NOT! THEY USE MSBP AND PAS AS AN EXCUSE TO FRAUDULENTLY LABEL THOUSANDS OF PARENTS EVER YEAR - USUALLY WOMEN - AS CHILD ABUSERS!
"All of this is discussed in court with all parties present. "
NO, THERE ARE ALWAYS SECRET MEETINGS AND THE PAPERWORK IS RARELY IF EVER IN ORDER.
"New proposals are being implemented this year that will ensure parents get the information they need to be properly represented"
HOW COME? ARE YOU GOING TO FINALLY ALLOW THE PUBLIC IN TO BEAR WITNESS TO THE CORRUPTION?
"...but also to ensure that they actively consider the best interests of their children. "
IT WOULD BE IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF ALL CHILDREN TO INVESTIGATE THE BUSINESS INTERESTS OF MANY PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THIS WICKED EVIL CHILDSTEALING HUMAN TRAFFICKING SCAM, STARTING WITH YOU, ANTHONY DOUGLAS!"
OH YES IT IS!
"My Staff are under. increasing pressure"
HARDLY SURPRISING, CONSIDERING ALL THE LIES AND PERJURY THEY ARE FORCED TO CONSPIRE TO
“Ending contact with a parent can help children grow up and move on from events to which they were often only miserable witnesses.”
THIS MOTHER HAS BEEN A GOOD PARENT WHOSE ONLY "CRIME" WAS TO TRY TO PROTECT HER CHILDREN FROM A MAN WHO HAS BEEN VIOLENT AND ABUSIVE, THE DAMAGE THESE CHILDREN ARE SUFFERING IS MADE THOUSANDS TIME WORSE BY THE INTERVENTION OF THE SECRET FAMILY COURT,FOR MONITARY PROFIT, AND YOU KNOW THAT DARNED WELL YOU WICKED, CRUEL, AVERICIOUS MAN!
"Sometimes children's lives are saved through quick intervention and specialist foster parents are needed immediately."
AND MANY CHILDREN'S LIVES ARE RUINED BY THEIR NATURAL PARENTS BEING FALSELY ACCUSED OF CHILD ABUSE USING DODGY SYNDROMES SUCH AS MSBP AND PAS, WHICH HAPPEN TO BE NICE LITTLE MONEYSPINNERS FOR THE CHILDSNATCHING MAFIA
"It's very important across the UK that enough foster carers of the right type are available for children who need them."
PREFERABLY OF THE MASONIC KIND - LETS KEEP THE LARGE ACORN FOSTERING FEE OF OVER £500 WEEKLY IN THE BROTHERHOOD!
ON THE MASSIVE INCREASE OF CHILDREN BEING TAKEN INTO "CARE" -
"The increase represents real cases which are nearly always upheld by a family court due to the power and strength of the evidence - there is no evidence that children are being taken into care needlessly."
NO, BECAUSE THEY KEEP THE MEDIA WELL AND TRULY GAGGED, BUT THERE ARE RECORD NUMBERS OF PARENTS COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING THEIR CHILDREN STOLEN IN THE SECRET FAMILY COURTS - OH YES, AND IN SPITE OF JACK STRAW SAYING THEY ARE NOT SECRET ANY MORE, WELL, SORRY TO HAVE TO TELL YOU THIS, BUT THEY ARE. YOU TRY SITTING IN ON ONE IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME!
"In fact it is our view that more children are now being safeguarded..."
NOT A VIEW THAT MOTHERS FOR JUSTICE WOULD SHARE, ANTHONY DOUGLAS!
ON A MOTHER BEING TAGGED TO PREVENT HER GOING ABROAD:
“Tagging may help to protect children in a limited number of cases where abduction is a risk. It can offer a reassurance to the child’s other parent and a child themselves that a parent who potentially places them at risk is being checked and monitored on their behalf.”
WOULD YOU ALSO SUPPORT THE BALL AND CHAIN ON HEAVILY PREGNANT WOMEN IN HOLLOWAY PRISON, ANTHONY DOUGLAS?
"No one is saying that our system is free from miscarriages of justice "
THAT IS A MASSIVE UNDERSTATEMENT!
"Where children are not at immediate risk local authorities do work with parents with the aim of rehabilitation."
WHAT THE HECK ARE THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES FIDDLING AROUND WITH CHILDREN WHO ARE NOT AT RISK ANYWAY? SURELY THEIR BUSINESS IS WITH CHILDREN WHO ARE AT RISK, PERIOD?
"Where children may be removed from the family home Cafcass guardians do rigorously test that local authority proposals are in the best interests of children."
NO THEY DO NOT! THEY USE MSBP AND PAS AS AN EXCUSE TO FRAUDULENTLY LABEL THOUSANDS OF PARENTS EVER YEAR - USUALLY WOMEN - AS CHILD ABUSERS!
"All of this is discussed in court with all parties present. "
NO, THERE ARE ALWAYS SECRET MEETINGS AND THE PAPERWORK IS RARELY IF EVER IN ORDER.
"New proposals are being implemented this year that will ensure parents get the information they need to be properly represented"
HOW COME? ARE YOU GOING TO FINALLY ALLOW THE PUBLIC IN TO BEAR WITNESS TO THE CORRUPTION?
"...but also to ensure that they actively consider the best interests of their children. "
IT WOULD BE IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF ALL CHILDREN TO INVESTIGATE THE BUSINESS INTERESTS OF MANY PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THIS WICKED EVIL CHILDSTEALING HUMAN TRAFFICKING SCAM, STARTING WITH YOU, ANTHONY DOUGLAS!"
Friday, 15 May 2009
OPEN LETTER TO CLAIRE SHORT
Claire,
The newspapers are NOT trying to smear all MP's. They have actually let you people off very lightly - they haven't told the half of what has been going on!
You know darned well what has been going on in the Houses of Parliament and the Lords as well as I do. You just go and have a look at the letters that I have sent you.
The truth is, Parliament is riddled with corruption, and is in such a state of moral decay that it's not surprising that this country is in a real mess.
Instead of blaming the newspapers, who are, after all, only doing their job, you people ought to stop whining and making excuses and look at what you have been doing.
Both Houses ought to put pride and prestige to one side and get together and kneel before God and ask forgiveness for the conduct of the ministers. You all should be really really ashamed of yourselves, because it is you that the people look to for an example, plus the Church (why are the Archbishops and Bishops so silent on this matter?) and perhaps get someone to read Psalm 14 out loud to the whole of both chambers.
There are people who have really suffered in this country, who you people should have helped - it was your duty to help, but you shirked your duty and turned a blind eye. It isn't just the expenses that the people are so angry about - it's so many other things.
If you carry on whinging and wallowing in self pity you will continue to miss the point and end up even deeper in the mire. And that's a pity, because this country could rise out of the mire, with decent and upright leadership.
The newspapers are NOT trying to smear all MP's. They have actually let you people off very lightly - they haven't told the half of what has been going on!
You know darned well what has been going on in the Houses of Parliament and the Lords as well as I do. You just go and have a look at the letters that I have sent you.
The truth is, Parliament is riddled with corruption, and is in such a state of moral decay that it's not surprising that this country is in a real mess.
Instead of blaming the newspapers, who are, after all, only doing their job, you people ought to stop whining and making excuses and look at what you have been doing.
Both Houses ought to put pride and prestige to one side and get together and kneel before God and ask forgiveness for the conduct of the ministers. You all should be really really ashamed of yourselves, because it is you that the people look to for an example, plus the Church (why are the Archbishops and Bishops so silent on this matter?) and perhaps get someone to read Psalm 14 out loud to the whole of both chambers.
There are people who have really suffered in this country, who you people should have helped - it was your duty to help, but you shirked your duty and turned a blind eye. It isn't just the expenses that the people are so angry about - it's so many other things.
If you carry on whinging and wallowing in self pity you will continue to miss the point and end up even deeper in the mire. And that's a pity, because this country could rise out of the mire, with decent and upright leadership.
TWINK
I have learned a new word, Twink.
According to Wiki, Twink or twinkie is a gay slang term describing a young or young-looking gay man (usually in his late teens or early twenties) with a slender build, little or no body hair, and no facial hair.
I did log on to a few gay sites, to check this out. I feel that much of what I read and saw on the sites I visited was quite sordid. I found a lot of what I read supported sleeping with one partner after another, rather than have just one partner to love and cherish. It made me feel very sad to read the things that I read.
Anyway, I thought other people ought to be made aware of this term, in order to protect their children from people who might want to prey on them for sexual purposes. I am sure that most people would want their children to keep their chastity until they fall in love with one person.
According to Wiki, Twink or twinkie is a gay slang term describing a young or young-looking gay man (usually in his late teens or early twenties) with a slender build, little or no body hair, and no facial hair.
I did log on to a few gay sites, to check this out. I feel that much of what I read and saw on the sites I visited was quite sordid. I found a lot of what I read supported sleeping with one partner after another, rather than have just one partner to love and cherish. It made me feel very sad to read the things that I read.
Anyway, I thought other people ought to be made aware of this term, in order to protect their children from people who might want to prey on them for sexual purposes. I am sure that most people would want their children to keep their chastity until they fall in love with one person.
Thursday, 14 May 2009
UK MPs are condemning the arrest of Senator Stuart Syvret by Jersey Police.
MPs attack island senator arrest
Stuart Syvret
Senator Stuart Syvret was released pending inquiries
UK MPs are condemning the arrest of Senator Stuart Syvret by Jersey Police.
A Commons motion has been tabled by Lib Dem MP John Hemming, which has also been signed by Labour MP Austin Mitchell and Tory MP Peter Bottomley.
Police searched Mr Syvret's home and arrested him on 6 April over claims of breaching data protection laws and he was released pending further inquiries.
The island's attorney general said that the search, carried out without a warrant, was legal.
'Intimidatory action'
The motion says the search and arrest was an "intimidatory and anti-democratic action which the senator is virtually powerless to challenge".
It says: "This House deplores the arrest and detention of Senator Stuart Syvret by the Jersey Police Force."
It added that he had "information disclosed in the public interest, with which he is attempting to hold the Jersey government to account for a variety of profoundly serious child protection and clinical governance failures."
Mr Syvret, 43, said four police cars and eight officers arrived at his home in Grouville to arrest him.
A large number of documents and the senator's computer were seized by police.
Attorney General William Bailhache told the States after the arrest that he was confident police followed the law when they searched Mr Syvret's home.
A vote to express concern over the search and arrest was defeated in Jersey States on 30 April.
Stuart Syvret
Senator Stuart Syvret was released pending inquiries
UK MPs are condemning the arrest of Senator Stuart Syvret by Jersey Police.
A Commons motion has been tabled by Lib Dem MP John Hemming, which has also been signed by Labour MP Austin Mitchell and Tory MP Peter Bottomley.
Police searched Mr Syvret's home and arrested him on 6 April over claims of breaching data protection laws and he was released pending further inquiries.
The island's attorney general said that the search, carried out without a warrant, was legal.
'Intimidatory action'
The motion says the search and arrest was an "intimidatory and anti-democratic action which the senator is virtually powerless to challenge".
It says: "This House deplores the arrest and detention of Senator Stuart Syvret by the Jersey Police Force."
It added that he had "information disclosed in the public interest, with which he is attempting to hold the Jersey government to account for a variety of profoundly serious child protection and clinical governance failures."
Mr Syvret, 43, said four police cars and eight officers arrived at his home in Grouville to arrest him.
A large number of documents and the senator's computer were seized by police.
Attorney General William Bailhache told the States after the arrest that he was confident police followed the law when they searched Mr Syvret's home.
A vote to express concern over the search and arrest was defeated in Jersey States on 30 April.
A JOKE, SORRY GORDON! (HAHAHA!)
While on his morning walk, Prime Minister Gordon Brown falls over, has a heart attack and dies because the accident and emergency dept at his nearest hospital is too understaffed to treat him in time.
So his soul arrives in Heaven and he is met by Saint Peter at the Pearly Gates.
"Welcome to Heaven," says Saint Peter, "Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a Socialist around these parts, so we're not sure what to do with you."
"No problem, just let me in; I'm a good Christian; I'm a believer," says the PM.
"I'd like to just let you in, but I have orders from God Himself. He
says that since the implementation of his new HEAVEN CHOICES policy, you have to spend one day in Hell and one day in Heaven. Then you must choose where you'll live for eternity."
"But I've already made up my mind. I want to be in Heaven," replies Brown.
"I'm sorry .. But we have our rules," Peter interjects. And, with that,
St. Peter escorts him to an elevator and he goes down, down, down ...all the way to Hell.
The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a lush golf course. The sun is shining in a cloudless sky. The temperature is a perfect 22C degrees. In the distance is a beautiful club-house. Standing in front of it is Harold Wilson and thousands of other Socialist luminaries who had helped him out over the years --- John Smith, Michael Foot, Jim Callaghan, etc. The whole of the Labour Party leaders were there .. Everyone laughing, happy, and casually but expensively dressed.
They run to greet him, to hug him and to reminisce about the good times they had getting rich at the expense of 'suckers and peasants.'
They play a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster and caviar.
The Devil himself comes up to Brown with a frosty drink, "Have a tequila and relax, Gord!"
"Uh, I can't drink anymore, I took a pledge," says Brown, dejectedly.
"This is Hell, son. You can drink and eat all you want and not worry and it just gets better from there!"
Brown takes the drink and finds himself liking the Devil, who he thinks is a really very friendly bloke who tells funny jokes like himself and pulls hilarious nasty pranks, kind of like the ones the Labour Party pulled with the European Constitution and the Education, Immigration, Tough on Crime promises.
They are having such a great time that, before he realises it, it's time
to go. Everyone gives him a big hug and waves as Brown steps on the
elevator and heads upward.
When the elevator door reopens, he is in Heaven again and Saint Peter is waiting for him. "Now it's time to visit Heaven," the old man says, opening the gate.
So for 24 hours Brown is made to hang out with a bunch of honest,
good-natured people who enjoy each other's company, talk about things other than money and treat each other decently. Not a nasty prank or short-arse joke among them. No fancy country clubs here and, while the food tastes great, it's not caviar or lobster. And these people are all poor. He doesn't see anybody he knows and he isn't even treated like someone special!
"Whoa," he says uncomfortably to himself. "Harold Wilson never prepared me for this!"
The day done, Saint Peter returns and says, "Well, you've spent a day in Hell and a day in Heaven. Now choose where you want to live for Eternity."
With the 'Deal or No Deal' theme playing softly in the background, Brown reflects for a minute ... Then answers: "Well, I would never have thought I'd say this -- I mean, Heaven has been delightful and all but I really think I belong in Hell with my friends."
So Saint Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down, all the way to Hell.
The doors of the elevator open and he is in the middle of a barren
scorched earth covered with garbage and toxic industrial wasteland,
looking a bit like the eroded, rabbit and fox affected Australian
outback, but worse and more desolate
He is horrified to see all of his friends, dressed in rags and chained
together, picking up the roadside rubbish and putting it into black
plastic bags. They are groaning and moaning in pain, faces and hands black with grime.
The Devil comes over to Brown and puts an arm around his shoulder." I don't understand," stammers a shocked Brown, "Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and a club-house and we ate lobster and caviar and drank tequila. We lazed around and had a great time. Now there's just a wasteland full of garbage and everybody looks miserable!"
The Devil looks at him, smiles slyly and purrs, "Yesterday we were campaigning; today you voted for us!"
So his soul arrives in Heaven and he is met by Saint Peter at the Pearly Gates.
"Welcome to Heaven," says Saint Peter, "Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a Socialist around these parts, so we're not sure what to do with you."
"No problem, just let me in; I'm a good Christian; I'm a believer," says the PM.
"I'd like to just let you in, but I have orders from God Himself. He
says that since the implementation of his new HEAVEN CHOICES policy, you have to spend one day in Hell and one day in Heaven. Then you must choose where you'll live for eternity."
"But I've already made up my mind. I want to be in Heaven," replies Brown.
"I'm sorry .. But we have our rules," Peter interjects. And, with that,
St. Peter escorts him to an elevator and he goes down, down, down ...all the way to Hell.
The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a lush golf course. The sun is shining in a cloudless sky. The temperature is a perfect 22C degrees. In the distance is a beautiful club-house. Standing in front of it is Harold Wilson and thousands of other Socialist luminaries who had helped him out over the years --- John Smith, Michael Foot, Jim Callaghan, etc. The whole of the Labour Party leaders were there .. Everyone laughing, happy, and casually but expensively dressed.
They run to greet him, to hug him and to reminisce about the good times they had getting rich at the expense of 'suckers and peasants.'
They play a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster and caviar.
The Devil himself comes up to Brown with a frosty drink, "Have a tequila and relax, Gord!"
"Uh, I can't drink anymore, I took a pledge," says Brown, dejectedly.
"This is Hell, son. You can drink and eat all you want and not worry and it just gets better from there!"
Brown takes the drink and finds himself liking the Devil, who he thinks is a really very friendly bloke who tells funny jokes like himself and pulls hilarious nasty pranks, kind of like the ones the Labour Party pulled with the European Constitution and the Education, Immigration, Tough on Crime promises.
They are having such a great time that, before he realises it, it's time
to go. Everyone gives him a big hug and waves as Brown steps on the
elevator and heads upward.
When the elevator door reopens, he is in Heaven again and Saint Peter is waiting for him. "Now it's time to visit Heaven," the old man says, opening the gate.
So for 24 hours Brown is made to hang out with a bunch of honest,
good-natured people who enjoy each other's company, talk about things other than money and treat each other decently. Not a nasty prank or short-arse joke among them. No fancy country clubs here and, while the food tastes great, it's not caviar or lobster. And these people are all poor. He doesn't see anybody he knows and he isn't even treated like someone special!
"Whoa," he says uncomfortably to himself. "Harold Wilson never prepared me for this!"
The day done, Saint Peter returns and says, "Well, you've spent a day in Hell and a day in Heaven. Now choose where you want to live for Eternity."
With the 'Deal or No Deal' theme playing softly in the background, Brown reflects for a minute ... Then answers: "Well, I would never have thought I'd say this -- I mean, Heaven has been delightful and all but I really think I belong in Hell with my friends."
So Saint Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down, all the way to Hell.
The doors of the elevator open and he is in the middle of a barren
scorched earth covered with garbage and toxic industrial wasteland,
looking a bit like the eroded, rabbit and fox affected Australian
outback, but worse and more desolate
He is horrified to see all of his friends, dressed in rags and chained
together, picking up the roadside rubbish and putting it into black
plastic bags. They are groaning and moaning in pain, faces and hands black with grime.
The Devil comes over to Brown and puts an arm around his shoulder." I don't understand," stammers a shocked Brown, "Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and a club-house and we ate lobster and caviar and drank tequila. We lazed around and had a great time. Now there's just a wasteland full of garbage and everybody looks miserable!"
The Devil looks at him, smiles slyly and purrs, "Yesterday we were campaigning; today you voted for us!"
Two songs
Haut de la Garenne is a very sad place
No more crying, Lord, no more crying,
Haut de la Garenne is a very sad place
What went on there was a human disgrace
Oh Lord, no more crying.
Poor little boy hurled against the door
No more crying, Lord, no more crying,
Poor little boy hurled against the door
The Pinball Wizard keeping score
Oh Lord, no more crying.
How many teeth did you find today?
No more crying, Lord, no more crying,
How many teeth did you find today?
Has the bad tooth fairy been around today?
Oh Lord, no more crying.
Child, be still, don't question why
No more crying, Lord, no more crying,
Child, be still, don't question why,
Blend in, and the evil may pass you by
Oh Lord, no more crying.
The water is deep, the water is wide,
No more crying, Lord, no more crying,
The water is deep, the water is wide,
Took out for a sail and taken for a ride,
Oh Lord, no more crying.
Ghosts of sorrow weep and wail,
No more crying, Lord, no more crying,
Ghosts of sorrow weep and wail,
Never be silenced their haunting tale
Oh Lord, no more crying.
***************************
Dear God, I'm feeling very sad
And don't know what to do
Whenever I am feeling sad
I always turn to you.
It started 40 years ago
Abused, then put in care
To be abused in there as well!
You saw it; you were there.
I didn't know you then, of course,
That you were really real
To ask to get me out of there
Because of how sad I'd feel.
Well, I got out, my head messed up
And the ones who did it tried
To cover it up and persecute me
Until I nearly died.
I didn't understand, of course,
I just thought I was cursed
When all these strange things kept happening to me
I don't know which was worst.
Malicious vindictive persecution:
Of that I'd never heard
Until a nice man who'd been abused
Told me of these three words.
Then I realised I was not alone;
There were others just like me
Who'd been abused whilst in state care
Then left adrift at sea.
We all started to talk about
What we had all endured
Lots of us have PTSD
And just want to be cured.
But we can't, because the ones who messedUs up have got away
Scot free, and some hawk over us
Right to this very day!
They persecute us to this day
And won't leave us alone
It makes me feel so very sad
It makes me weep and groan.
I've got a leech solicitor
A very nasty bloke
I sacked him over 2 years ago
But he's got me in a strangle choke!
The Masons all run rings round us
It really is not right
And then pretend that we are bad
And they are gleaming white!
So, dear Jesus, please can you help
Us, I do hope that you will
We've tried to help ourselves, you see
But it's like trying to ski uphill.
Please get these ratbag people off
Our backs, and let us be
No more persecuted, scorned, mistreated
But happy, healed and free.
No more crying, Lord, no more crying,
Haut de la Garenne is a very sad place
What went on there was a human disgrace
Oh Lord, no more crying.
Poor little boy hurled against the door
No more crying, Lord, no more crying,
Poor little boy hurled against the door
The Pinball Wizard keeping score
Oh Lord, no more crying.
How many teeth did you find today?
No more crying, Lord, no more crying,
How many teeth did you find today?
Has the bad tooth fairy been around today?
Oh Lord, no more crying.
Child, be still, don't question why
No more crying, Lord, no more crying,
Child, be still, don't question why,
Blend in, and the evil may pass you by
Oh Lord, no more crying.
The water is deep, the water is wide,
No more crying, Lord, no more crying,
The water is deep, the water is wide,
Took out for a sail and taken for a ride,
Oh Lord, no more crying.
Ghosts of sorrow weep and wail,
No more crying, Lord, no more crying,
Ghosts of sorrow weep and wail,
Never be silenced their haunting tale
Oh Lord, no more crying.
***************************
Dear God, I'm feeling very sad
And don't know what to do
Whenever I am feeling sad
I always turn to you.
It started 40 years ago
Abused, then put in care
To be abused in there as well!
You saw it; you were there.
I didn't know you then, of course,
That you were really real
To ask to get me out of there
Because of how sad I'd feel.
Well, I got out, my head messed up
And the ones who did it tried
To cover it up and persecute me
Until I nearly died.
I didn't understand, of course,
I just thought I was cursed
When all these strange things kept happening to me
I don't know which was worst.
Malicious vindictive persecution:
Of that I'd never heard
Until a nice man who'd been abused
Told me of these three words.
Then I realised I was not alone;
There were others just like me
Who'd been abused whilst in state care
Then left adrift at sea.
We all started to talk about
What we had all endured
Lots of us have PTSD
And just want to be cured.
But we can't, because the ones who messedUs up have got away
Scot free, and some hawk over us
Right to this very day!
They persecute us to this day
And won't leave us alone
It makes me feel so very sad
It makes me weep and groan.
I've got a leech solicitor
A very nasty bloke
I sacked him over 2 years ago
But he's got me in a strangle choke!
The Masons all run rings round us
It really is not right
And then pretend that we are bad
And they are gleaming white!
So, dear Jesus, please can you help
Us, I do hope that you will
We've tried to help ourselves, you see
But it's like trying to ski uphill.
Please get these ratbag people off
Our backs, and let us be
No more persecuted, scorned, mistreated
But happy, healed and free.
Tuesday, 12 May 2009
HEAL THE LAST STAND
It's been a long time since my emotions were knocked KO by any new music, but I have been delighted this weekend by "Heal The Last Stand", a bunch of scruffy looking acoustic playing hippies. Listening to and watching these delightful young folk perform their own music has made me feel that someone has opened the gates of heaven just a chink and allowed me to peep inside.
It isn't just the sumptious harmony that these people produce either - it is all underpinned by the heartfelt lyrics of their own material. They sing as though they have something worthwhile to sing about, as indeed they do. Their songs are as meaningful, melodic and natural as the blackbird's, in my opinion. I don't want to compare them to any other musicians from this or any other era, you will just have to listen to them for yourself.
Praise the Lord for the beauty of words and music, and praise the Lord for those who bring such beauty!
It isn't just the sumptious harmony that these people produce either - it is all underpinned by the heartfelt lyrics of their own material. They sing as though they have something worthwhile to sing about, as indeed they do. Their songs are as meaningful, melodic and natural as the blackbird's, in my opinion. I don't want to compare them to any other musicians from this or any other era, you will just have to listen to them for yourself.
Praise the Lord for the beauty of words and music, and praise the Lord for those who bring such beauty!
Friday, 8 May 2009
Why Did Jesus Come?
“But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons” (Gal. 4:4-5).
Why Did Jesus Come?
Christmas is about the coming of Jesus Christ into the world. It’s about the Son of God, who existed eternally with the Father as the radiance of his glory and exact image of his nature. It’s about the Son of God who took upon Himself human nature and became a man and lived among us (Jn. 1:1-5; Phil. 2:5-9; Hebrews 1:3). He was born in a unique and special way: conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin (Lk. 1:35). Jesus, the Son of God, came as a man in whom “all the fullness of deity dwelt” (Col. 2:9).
Christmas is about the coming of the “fullness of time” that was prophesied by the prophets. A Ruler would be born in Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2); and a child would be born called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6); and the Messiah, the Anointed One, a shoot from the stem of Jesse, a son of David would come (Isa. 11:1-4; Zech. 9:9).
But exactly why did Jesus come? Scripture gives us several reasons why Jesus came into the world 2000 years ago. According to our text, He came to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. What a wonderful thought. We can be brought into the very family of God through Jesus Christ. He came to redeem us! He came to open the way for us to belong to something great!
He Came to Give Abundant Life!
Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself stated, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (Jn. 10:10). The devil has a purpose for your life and so does God. God’s purpose is that you might have life and life more abundantly. Now that doesn’t mean that you won’t have any problems, but rather, it means that in the midst of your problems you will have a peace that passes all understanding because you know that God is working out all things for your good (Ro. 8:28). You are God’s child and you matter to Him. His plan is to develop you to be more and more like Jesus Christ. We do not only have abundant life now but it will be fully manifested in eternity. You can either live up to the potential that God has called you to or you can live down to the potential of the world and the devil.
He Came to Give His Life a Ransom for Many!
Jesus said, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mk. 10:45). I have always considered this to be one of the most precious statements of our Lord Jesus Christ. He knew His mission on Earth was to provide salvation for all those who would believe in Him by faith. To do this, He had to die as the ransom price to redeem us from slavery to sin. Service and salvation, not power and prestige, were His goals. The word “ransom” literally means the price paid for the redemption of something or someone. Therefore, to pay a “ransom” was the means by which captives or hostages were set free. If no ransom was paid, captives perished in their bondage. So anything that releases anyone from punishment, suffering, sin or bondage is a ransom. People are by nature captives to sin (Eph. 2:3). They are sold under sin (Rom. 7:14). They are under condemnation (Jn. 3:18) They are under a curse (Gal. 3:10). They are under sin’s domain (Rom. 6:12). But Jesus Christ paid the price to “redeem” them from the grips of sin and eternal death. Jesus paid the price with His life. He died in the place of sinners (you and ME), and God accepted His sacrifice and redeemed us from the grips of eternal death.
Isaiah wrote 750 years before Christ came into the world saying, “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed…Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors” (Isa. 53:4-5, 10-12). What an amazing prophecy that clearly points to Christ’s ransom for sin. Christ “came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Jesus paid a debt He did not owe. We owed a debt we could not pay. We needed someone to take our sins away. Jesus Christ came to forgive your sin. He not only forgives it but He washes it away. There is a difference. I can forgive you but I can’t wash your sin away. But God in Jesus Christ justifies you and that means “just as if I had never sinned.”
He Came to Heal the Broken Hearted!
Jesus said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord” (Lk. 4:18-19). Jesus Christ came to heal the broken hearted and set the captives free. He came to set at liberty those who are oppressed and give sight to the blind.
He Came to Save the World!
Jesus said, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (Jn. 3:17-18). Jesus Christ did not come to condemn anyone. He came to save. People condemn themselves when they reject the saving love of Jesus Christ that is offered to them freely. Like the woman taken in adultery, Jesus said to her, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she replied. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more” (Jn. 8:10-11).
He Came to Destroy the Works of the Devil
“The Son of God came to destroy these works of the Devil” (1 Jn. 3:8b) Jesus came that he might loose, the bonds of sin, and dissolve the power, the influence, and the connection of sin in our lives. Colossians 2:15 says, “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” Hebrews 2:14 says, “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” We are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ. We have victory in Him. To continue sinning habitually is to involve yourself in what Christ came to destroy. There is real victory against sin for those who are transformed by the working power of the Holy Spirit in their life. The Greek word for “destroy” is “luo.” It carries the idea of “subdue,” or to overcome Satan’s dominion. It’s not used in the sense of “closing life,” or “killing,” but to crush Satan’s power over you. This is the work that Jesus Christ came to perform; to destroy the kingdom of Satan in the world, and to set up another kingdom in its place. Colossians 2:15 says, “God stripped the spiritual rulers and powers of their authority. With the cross, he won the victory and showed the world that they were powerless” (NCV). Satan’s complete destruction will not come until the Second Coming of Jesus Christ (Rev. 20:10).
He Came to Fulfill Not to Destroy
Jesus said, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill” (Matt. 5:17). We hear a lot about purpose today. Purpose driven ministry. Purpose driven church. Purpose driven life. What was Jesus’ purpose? Jesus said that He came to fulfill the Law, not to destroy it. He was not some kind of a rebel trying to overthrow Judaism. The law was only a shadow (type) of the good things to come but the reality of those things is in Jesus Christ (Heb. 10:1; Col. 2:17). The people in Jesus’ day, like the people of today, lost the true meaning of what Christ came to do. The Old Testament pointed to Jesus Christ and the Old Testament believers looked forward to Christ’s coming. The New Testament church (believers) looks back to Christ’s first coming and His accomplishments on the cross and resurrection. His coming was a real historical fact that brought God’s salvation to us. It is not simply a day to celebrate but a life to celebrate God’s abundant grace. Jesus Christ was the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies and types. He was the long-awaited-for Messiah. He came to fulfill the Law and the prophets, not destroy them.
He Came to Call Sinners to Repentance
Jesus also stated that He came, not to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance (Luke 5:32). Did the Scribes and Pharisees demand good works? So did Jesus. But His righteousness was a righteousness that came from a right relationship with God the Father, not a code of laws. There was and is only one person who kept the whole law and fulfilled it. Jesus Christ is His name. He gave His own life as a sacrifice on Calvary’s cross, which satisfied God’s demand for righteousness. “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Rom. 10:4). The Pharisees thought that they had a corner on righteousness. They had a holier-than-thou attitude. But when Jesus came they saw what true righteousness was. The Pharisees “pretended” to be righteous. There are many people today with the same attitude. They believe that righteousness is inherent in them. They don’t need anyone or anything else. They make their own way. They are their own saviors. They spurn the idea of Christ as their Savior. But without Christ their only destination is death, destruction and hell. Jesus Christ came to call sinners who are aware of their sin and desperately need a Savior. Only those who know they need Him and who accept His invitation enter into His glories. Indeed, Jesus came to seek and to save people who are lost (Lk. 19:10). Jesus said, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day” (Jn. 6:38-40).
He Came as a King!
Pilate asked Jesus, “Are You a king?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world” The Magi asked, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him” (Mt. 2:2). Jesus is not only the King of the Jews but He is the King of all creation and one day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2:9-11).
Christmas is not just a birthday celebration. It’s not about Christmas lights, shiny tinsel, garland and Christmas trees. It’s not about writing and sending Christmas cards. It’s not about presents, parties and bonuses. Christmas is about Jesus Christ coming into the world and bringing us salvation, redemption, victory over Satan, and the forgiveness of sins. It’s about becoming a real child of God through faith in Jesus Christ. And what He asks of us is to give Him the best gift of all. Ourselves! “I beseech you…by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Rom. 12:1-2). Oh! I’m not saying it’s wrong to celebrate. I’m not saying that trees and lights and gifts and cards are wrong. But in celebrating, remember Christ and the purpose of His coming into the world as a human being, born of a woman, born under the law to redeem us from the clutches of sin and death. Yes! By all means rejoice and celebrate. Yes! Enjoy life to the fullest because Jesus came to bring us abundant life, which can only be found in HIM and HIM alone.
Light Upon the Word
A Concise Newsletter from Pastor Thomas L. Valencia
14000 NE Hwy 240, PO Box 837 — Newberg, OR 97132
December 24, 2006
Why Did Jesus Come?
Christmas is about the coming of Jesus Christ into the world. It’s about the Son of God, who existed eternally with the Father as the radiance of his glory and exact image of his nature. It’s about the Son of God who took upon Himself human nature and became a man and lived among us (Jn. 1:1-5; Phil. 2:5-9; Hebrews 1:3). He was born in a unique and special way: conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin (Lk. 1:35). Jesus, the Son of God, came as a man in whom “all the fullness of deity dwelt” (Col. 2:9).
Christmas is about the coming of the “fullness of time” that was prophesied by the prophets. A Ruler would be born in Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2); and a child would be born called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6); and the Messiah, the Anointed One, a shoot from the stem of Jesse, a son of David would come (Isa. 11:1-4; Zech. 9:9).
But exactly why did Jesus come? Scripture gives us several reasons why Jesus came into the world 2000 years ago. According to our text, He came to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. What a wonderful thought. We can be brought into the very family of God through Jesus Christ. He came to redeem us! He came to open the way for us to belong to something great!
He Came to Give Abundant Life!
Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself stated, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (Jn. 10:10). The devil has a purpose for your life and so does God. God’s purpose is that you might have life and life more abundantly. Now that doesn’t mean that you won’t have any problems, but rather, it means that in the midst of your problems you will have a peace that passes all understanding because you know that God is working out all things for your good (Ro. 8:28). You are God’s child and you matter to Him. His plan is to develop you to be more and more like Jesus Christ. We do not only have abundant life now but it will be fully manifested in eternity. You can either live up to the potential that God has called you to or you can live down to the potential of the world and the devil.
He Came to Give His Life a Ransom for Many!
Jesus said, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mk. 10:45). I have always considered this to be one of the most precious statements of our Lord Jesus Christ. He knew His mission on Earth was to provide salvation for all those who would believe in Him by faith. To do this, He had to die as the ransom price to redeem us from slavery to sin. Service and salvation, not power and prestige, were His goals. The word “ransom” literally means the price paid for the redemption of something or someone. Therefore, to pay a “ransom” was the means by which captives or hostages were set free. If no ransom was paid, captives perished in their bondage. So anything that releases anyone from punishment, suffering, sin or bondage is a ransom. People are by nature captives to sin (Eph. 2:3). They are sold under sin (Rom. 7:14). They are under condemnation (Jn. 3:18) They are under a curse (Gal. 3:10). They are under sin’s domain (Rom. 6:12). But Jesus Christ paid the price to “redeem” them from the grips of sin and eternal death. Jesus paid the price with His life. He died in the place of sinners (you and ME), and God accepted His sacrifice and redeemed us from the grips of eternal death.
Isaiah wrote 750 years before Christ came into the world saying, “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed…Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors” (Isa. 53:4-5, 10-12). What an amazing prophecy that clearly points to Christ’s ransom for sin. Christ “came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Jesus paid a debt He did not owe. We owed a debt we could not pay. We needed someone to take our sins away. Jesus Christ came to forgive your sin. He not only forgives it but He washes it away. There is a difference. I can forgive you but I can’t wash your sin away. But God in Jesus Christ justifies you and that means “just as if I had never sinned.”
He Came to Heal the Broken Hearted!
Jesus said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord” (Lk. 4:18-19). Jesus Christ came to heal the broken hearted and set the captives free. He came to set at liberty those who are oppressed and give sight to the blind.
He Came to Save the World!
Jesus said, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (Jn. 3:17-18). Jesus Christ did not come to condemn anyone. He came to save. People condemn themselves when they reject the saving love of Jesus Christ that is offered to them freely. Like the woman taken in adultery, Jesus said to her, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she replied. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more” (Jn. 8:10-11).
He Came to Destroy the Works of the Devil
“The Son of God came to destroy these works of the Devil” (1 Jn. 3:8b) Jesus came that he might loose, the bonds of sin, and dissolve the power, the influence, and the connection of sin in our lives. Colossians 2:15 says, “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” Hebrews 2:14 says, “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” We are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ. We have victory in Him. To continue sinning habitually is to involve yourself in what Christ came to destroy. There is real victory against sin for those who are transformed by the working power of the Holy Spirit in their life. The Greek word for “destroy” is “luo.” It carries the idea of “subdue,” or to overcome Satan’s dominion. It’s not used in the sense of “closing life,” or “killing,” but to crush Satan’s power over you. This is the work that Jesus Christ came to perform; to destroy the kingdom of Satan in the world, and to set up another kingdom in its place. Colossians 2:15 says, “God stripped the spiritual rulers and powers of their authority. With the cross, he won the victory and showed the world that they were powerless” (NCV). Satan’s complete destruction will not come until the Second Coming of Jesus Christ (Rev. 20:10).
He Came to Fulfill Not to Destroy
Jesus said, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill” (Matt. 5:17). We hear a lot about purpose today. Purpose driven ministry. Purpose driven church. Purpose driven life. What was Jesus’ purpose? Jesus said that He came to fulfill the Law, not to destroy it. He was not some kind of a rebel trying to overthrow Judaism. The law was only a shadow (type) of the good things to come but the reality of those things is in Jesus Christ (Heb. 10:1; Col. 2:17). The people in Jesus’ day, like the people of today, lost the true meaning of what Christ came to do. The Old Testament pointed to Jesus Christ and the Old Testament believers looked forward to Christ’s coming. The New Testament church (believers) looks back to Christ’s first coming and His accomplishments on the cross and resurrection. His coming was a real historical fact that brought God’s salvation to us. It is not simply a day to celebrate but a life to celebrate God’s abundant grace. Jesus Christ was the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies and types. He was the long-awaited-for Messiah. He came to fulfill the Law and the prophets, not destroy them.
He Came to Call Sinners to Repentance
Jesus also stated that He came, not to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance (Luke 5:32). Did the Scribes and Pharisees demand good works? So did Jesus. But His righteousness was a righteousness that came from a right relationship with God the Father, not a code of laws. There was and is only one person who kept the whole law and fulfilled it. Jesus Christ is His name. He gave His own life as a sacrifice on Calvary’s cross, which satisfied God’s demand for righteousness. “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Rom. 10:4). The Pharisees thought that they had a corner on righteousness. They had a holier-than-thou attitude. But when Jesus came they saw what true righteousness was. The Pharisees “pretended” to be righteous. There are many people today with the same attitude. They believe that righteousness is inherent in them. They don’t need anyone or anything else. They make their own way. They are their own saviors. They spurn the idea of Christ as their Savior. But without Christ their only destination is death, destruction and hell. Jesus Christ came to call sinners who are aware of their sin and desperately need a Savior. Only those who know they need Him and who accept His invitation enter into His glories. Indeed, Jesus came to seek and to save people who are lost (Lk. 19:10). Jesus said, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day” (Jn. 6:38-40).
He Came as a King!
Pilate asked Jesus, “Are You a king?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world” The Magi asked, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him” (Mt. 2:2). Jesus is not only the King of the Jews but He is the King of all creation and one day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2:9-11).
Christmas is not just a birthday celebration. It’s not about Christmas lights, shiny tinsel, garland and Christmas trees. It’s not about writing and sending Christmas cards. It’s not about presents, parties and bonuses. Christmas is about Jesus Christ coming into the world and bringing us salvation, redemption, victory over Satan, and the forgiveness of sins. It’s about becoming a real child of God through faith in Jesus Christ. And what He asks of us is to give Him the best gift of all. Ourselves! “I beseech you…by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Rom. 12:1-2). Oh! I’m not saying it’s wrong to celebrate. I’m not saying that trees and lights and gifts and cards are wrong. But in celebrating, remember Christ and the purpose of His coming into the world as a human being, born of a woman, born under the law to redeem us from the clutches of sin and death. Yes! By all means rejoice and celebrate. Yes! Enjoy life to the fullest because Jesus came to bring us abundant life, which can only be found in HIM and HIM alone.
Light Upon the Word
A Concise Newsletter from Pastor Thomas L. Valencia
14000 NE Hwy 240, PO Box 837 — Newberg, OR 97132
December 24, 2006
The Maddest Mad Scientist - The CIA’s Dr. Sidney Gottlieb
World's Worst Excerpt -- The Maddest Mad Scientist: The CIA’s Dr. Sidney Gottlieb
Posted by Mark Frauenfelder, July 21, 2005 4:53 PM
Here's an excerpt from my new book THE WORLD'S WORST: A Guide to the Most Disgusting, Hideous, Inept and Dangerous, People, Places and Things on Earth.
On a warm autumn evening in Paris in 1952, a 25-year-old, up-and-coming American artist named Stanley Glickman was enjoying a coffee at his favorite haunt, the Café Dome in Montparnasse. Perhaps he spent the moment thinking of his Canadian girlfriend who was touring Europe at the time, or of the painting he’d completed that was hanging in New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.
In any case, Glickman’s musings were interrupted when an acquaintance approached him and invited him to have a drink across the street at the Café Select. He accepted. There, the artist and his companion were joined by an unfamiliar group of Americans. Dressed in unfashionably straight-laced clothing, the strangers espoused political beliefs that were highly disagreeable to Glickman. After hours of hotly contested debate, the artist decided to pay his part of the bill and go home, but one of the strangers—a man with a clubfoot—insisted on buying him a drink as a way to make up for their argument. Instead of calling over the waiter who’d been serving drinks to the party all evening, the clubfooted man went to the bar himself and bought a Chartreuse for Glickman.
Before he even finished his cocktail, Glickman began to feel “funny.” The walls appeared to move, the electric lights in the café were ringed with halos, and wine bottles seemed to levitate on Glickman’s silent behest. Another member of the party told Glickman that he was now capable of “performing miracles.”
Unbeknownst to Glickman, the clubfooted man had spiked his drink with LSD. The aftereffects of the acid trip sent him into a lifelong tailspin of psychosis, electroshock therapy, and terrifying hallucinations. He had no idea what had happened to him—this was 1952, at least a decade before most people had even heard of the drug. His social life was destroyed. He never had another romantic relationship (he told his Canadian girlfriend to leave him before he ruined her life). He took on a series of odd jobs, including cleaning furniture at a secondhand store. Glickman, who once had a promising future in the arts, never painted again.
Who was the mysterious poisoner? In all likelihood, it was Sidney Gottlieb, a man who dosed many other unsuspecting people with powerful hallucinogenic drugs during the 1950s. Infiltrating the seedier neighborhoods of San Francisco and New York, he poisoned prostitutes and their customers just to see what would happen.
The authorities were aware of Gottlieb’s activities but did nothing to stop him. That may seem strange, until you learn that the man was an authority himself. For 22 years, Dr. Sidney Gottlieb ran the technical services division of the CIA and oversaw the CIA’s MK-ULTRA program, an illegal drug and mind-control campaign launched during the height of Cold War paranoia. In addition to developing poison darts and toxic handkerchiefs for assassinating leaders of Communist governments, Dr. Gottlieb ran clandestine drug experiments on unsuspecting U.S. citizens. (It’s not known exactly how many people were dosed, because in 1973 the director of the CIA, Richard Helms, ordered almost all records pertaining to MK-ULTRA to be destroyed.)
Gottlieb typically selected prisoners, poor people, petty criminals, and the mentally ill for his test subjects, since they were the least likely to be taken seriously should they have the temerity to complain about being drugged without their knowledge or consent by an upper-echelon federal official. (In all fairness, Gottlieb also enjoyed slipping mind-altering drugs into the drinks of his fellow CIA cronies, just for grins.) MK-ULTRA also ran tests on “willing” volunteers, like the seven people in Kentucky who were given LSD for 77 days in a row.
It’s not known how many lives were ruined as a result of Gottlieb’s hallucinogenic high jinks, but there’s at least one documented case of a death resulting from his experiments. In 1953, at a U.S. Army research retreat at the Deep Creek Lodge in western Maryland, Gottlieb spiked after-dinner drinks with LSD without letting his fellow diners in on the joke. Frank Olson, a 43-year-old germ warfare researcher, became very disturbed by the experience. When he returned home, his wife and three children could hardly recognize the formerly jovial husband and father. They didn’t have much of a chance to get to know this chemically transformed man, because nine days later, he jumped to his death from a 13-story window.
While some might call this murder, you have to remember that Dr. Gottlieb was acting in the interest of national security. In fact, during the 1977 Senate hearing on CIA abuses, Gottlieb told the committee that dosing unsuspecting human guinea pigs with drugs was justified. “Harsh as it may sound in retrospect,” he testified, “it was felt that in an issue where national survival might be concerned, such a procedure and such a risk was a reasonable one to take.”
Give credit to Gottlieb for being smart enough to work for an organization that would not only allow him to poison and murder people with such aplomb, but would also protect him from the consequences awaiting any other sociopath. Olson’s widow fought years of heartrending legal battles until Congress agreed to award her $750,000 in exchange for releasing the CIA from liability. Glickman never received compensation for his unwilling role as a drug test subject. In fact, after he died in 1992, his sister sued the government. Despite the evidence against Gottlieb, the jury ruled against her. As for Gottlieb, he enjoyed his final years indulging his passions for folk dancing and goat breeding on his farm not far from CIA headquarters in Reston, Virginia. He died in 1999 at the age of 80. While his family refused to disclose the cause his death, it’s not likely that he died as the result of a drug-induced suicidal jump from a hotel window.
Posted by Mark Frauenfelder, July 21, 2005 4:53 PM
Here's an excerpt from my new book THE WORLD'S WORST: A Guide to the Most Disgusting, Hideous, Inept and Dangerous, People, Places and Things on Earth.
On a warm autumn evening in Paris in 1952, a 25-year-old, up-and-coming American artist named Stanley Glickman was enjoying a coffee at his favorite haunt, the Café Dome in Montparnasse. Perhaps he spent the moment thinking of his Canadian girlfriend who was touring Europe at the time, or of the painting he’d completed that was hanging in New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.
In any case, Glickman’s musings were interrupted when an acquaintance approached him and invited him to have a drink across the street at the Café Select. He accepted. There, the artist and his companion were joined by an unfamiliar group of Americans. Dressed in unfashionably straight-laced clothing, the strangers espoused political beliefs that were highly disagreeable to Glickman. After hours of hotly contested debate, the artist decided to pay his part of the bill and go home, but one of the strangers—a man with a clubfoot—insisted on buying him a drink as a way to make up for their argument. Instead of calling over the waiter who’d been serving drinks to the party all evening, the clubfooted man went to the bar himself and bought a Chartreuse for Glickman.
Before he even finished his cocktail, Glickman began to feel “funny.” The walls appeared to move, the electric lights in the café were ringed with halos, and wine bottles seemed to levitate on Glickman’s silent behest. Another member of the party told Glickman that he was now capable of “performing miracles.”
Unbeknownst to Glickman, the clubfooted man had spiked his drink with LSD. The aftereffects of the acid trip sent him into a lifelong tailspin of psychosis, electroshock therapy, and terrifying hallucinations. He had no idea what had happened to him—this was 1952, at least a decade before most people had even heard of the drug. His social life was destroyed. He never had another romantic relationship (he told his Canadian girlfriend to leave him before he ruined her life). He took on a series of odd jobs, including cleaning furniture at a secondhand store. Glickman, who once had a promising future in the arts, never painted again.
Who was the mysterious poisoner? In all likelihood, it was Sidney Gottlieb, a man who dosed many other unsuspecting people with powerful hallucinogenic drugs during the 1950s. Infiltrating the seedier neighborhoods of San Francisco and New York, he poisoned prostitutes and their customers just to see what would happen.
The authorities were aware of Gottlieb’s activities but did nothing to stop him. That may seem strange, until you learn that the man was an authority himself. For 22 years, Dr. Sidney Gottlieb ran the technical services division of the CIA and oversaw the CIA’s MK-ULTRA program, an illegal drug and mind-control campaign launched during the height of Cold War paranoia. In addition to developing poison darts and toxic handkerchiefs for assassinating leaders of Communist governments, Dr. Gottlieb ran clandestine drug experiments on unsuspecting U.S. citizens. (It’s not known exactly how many people were dosed, because in 1973 the director of the CIA, Richard Helms, ordered almost all records pertaining to MK-ULTRA to be destroyed.)
Gottlieb typically selected prisoners, poor people, petty criminals, and the mentally ill for his test subjects, since they were the least likely to be taken seriously should they have the temerity to complain about being drugged without their knowledge or consent by an upper-echelon federal official. (In all fairness, Gottlieb also enjoyed slipping mind-altering drugs into the drinks of his fellow CIA cronies, just for grins.) MK-ULTRA also ran tests on “willing” volunteers, like the seven people in Kentucky who were given LSD for 77 days in a row.
It’s not known how many lives were ruined as a result of Gottlieb’s hallucinogenic high jinks, but there’s at least one documented case of a death resulting from his experiments. In 1953, at a U.S. Army research retreat at the Deep Creek Lodge in western Maryland, Gottlieb spiked after-dinner drinks with LSD without letting his fellow diners in on the joke. Frank Olson, a 43-year-old germ warfare researcher, became very disturbed by the experience. When he returned home, his wife and three children could hardly recognize the formerly jovial husband and father. They didn’t have much of a chance to get to know this chemically transformed man, because nine days later, he jumped to his death from a 13-story window.
While some might call this murder, you have to remember that Dr. Gottlieb was acting in the interest of national security. In fact, during the 1977 Senate hearing on CIA abuses, Gottlieb told the committee that dosing unsuspecting human guinea pigs with drugs was justified. “Harsh as it may sound in retrospect,” he testified, “it was felt that in an issue where national survival might be concerned, such a procedure and such a risk was a reasonable one to take.”
Give credit to Gottlieb for being smart enough to work for an organization that would not only allow him to poison and murder people with such aplomb, but would also protect him from the consequences awaiting any other sociopath. Olson’s widow fought years of heartrending legal battles until Congress agreed to award her $750,000 in exchange for releasing the CIA from liability. Glickman never received compensation for his unwilling role as a drug test subject. In fact, after he died in 1992, his sister sued the government. Despite the evidence against Gottlieb, the jury ruled against her. As for Gottlieb, he enjoyed his final years indulging his passions for folk dancing and goat breeding on his farm not far from CIA headquarters in Reston, Virginia. He died in 1999 at the age of 80. While his family refused to disclose the cause his death, it’s not likely that he died as the result of a drug-induced suicidal jump from a hotel window.
Thursday, 7 May 2009
CPS WON'T PROSECUTE OVER LABOUR PARTY DAVID ABRAHAMS MONEY LAUNDERING SCANDAL
David Abrahams donations: no charges in Labour donor row, CPS says
Labour Party treasurers at the centre of the row over "donations by proxy" from the businessman David Abrahams will not face charges, the Crown Prosecution Service has said.
By Andrew Porter, Political Editor
Last Updated: 12:47PM BST 07 May 2009
David Abrahams donations: CPS says no charges in Labour donor row
Mr Abrahams gave money to the Labour via third parties – which is against the strict rules governing political donations.
David Triesman, Matthew Carter and Peter Watt received a total of £600,000 in donations from Mr Abrahams that was not registered to him. But the CPS said today there was "insufficient evidence" to charge them with breaches of electoral law.
The revelation in November 2007 about the donations was a hammer blow to Gordon Brown so soon after the aborted general election that autumn. His popularity has never recovered from that period.
However, he will hope that the CPS decision not to pursue successive Labour treasurers will put the matter to rest.
The 18 month police inquiry is the latest into political donations and has ended the same way, without any charges. The final year of Tony Blair's premiership was overshadowed by the "cash for honours" investigation.
Mr Abrahams was anxious to avoid publicity and used a series of conduits including his secretary and a builder. The property developer was one of the party's biggest backers and gave £670,000 but his identity had been secret.
The proxy arrangement was designed to get around the law requiring political donors to be declared under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.
Under electoral laws, political parties have to declare their sources of funding and police have been investigating whether Labour Party staff may have deliberately sought to break the rules.
The scandal led to the resignation of Peter Watt, Labour's General Secretary, who is understood to have been investigated by Scotland Yard detectives.
But the revelation created an outcry that led to the resignation of Peter Watt, then general secretary of the Labour Party, when it emerged he knew of the arrangement.
Scotland Yard was handed over its files to the CPS last June.
Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister, who was not interviewed by police, condemned Labour officials at the time for accepting the money and described the arrangement as "illegal".
The Electoral Commission said: "The law requires that political parties and politicians report the source of donations to ensure transparency and integrity in party funding. This is vital to public confidence in the democratic process.
"In this case, following discussion with the Metropolitan Police Service and the CPS, we referred the matter to the police because there was evidence that an offence may have been committed. The police decided to conduct an investigation, and passed the evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service.
"The CPS has concluded that the donation reports in question incorrectly identified the donor but there is insufficient evidence to charge anyone with any offences.
The decision on whether or not to bring a prosecution is a matter for the CPS."
****************************************************************
Last Updated: Wednesday, 28 November 2007, 18:31 GMT E-mail this to a friend Printable version
Donor's business interests
By Alison Swersky Business reporter, BBC News
Mr Abrahams has said he never sought any favours from Labour
As the scandal over secret government donations unfolds, so the spotlight has been trained on the business arrangements through which the man at the centre of the allegations operated his property investments. David Abrahams is a former Tyne and Wear county councillor who has also gone by the name of David Martin. He has donated more than £650,000 to the Labour Party via other people, and is listed in Companies House as being the director of six companies, all based in the North East. At some of these firms his co-directors include Ray Ruddick and Janet Kidd, two people who were used to funnel money to Labour. See a full list of businesses The pair were used by Mr Abrahams for donations totalling £381,850 since 2003. One donation of £5,000 was used to help Harriet Harman pay off the debts relating to her successful campaign to become Labour's deputy leader earlier this year. Mr Ruddick and Ms Kidd are also listed as company secretaries at other firms with which Mr Abrahams is involved. The role of company secretary is an important one as among its responsibilities is a requirement to ensure that the business complies with company law and that the firm's board of directors are informed of their legal responsibilities. Mr Ruddick is a builder from Newcastle who has worked for Mr Abrahams, while Ms Kidd was employed by Mr Abrahams in a clerical capacity as his secretary. Investigation According to documents logged at Companies House, Mr Ruddick and Ms Kidd appear as the sole directors of a company behind a controversial commercial development in County Durham, for which plans were submitted by Mr Abrahams in 2005. Profile: David Abrahams Labour donations: Key players The registered address of the firm, Durham Green Developments, is Mr Abrahams' home address in Gosforth. In fact, Mr Abrahams' home is registered in the name of David Martin. His plans for a 540-acre business park south of Durham City, near junction 61 of the A1 motorway, were initially blocked by the Highways Agency. But about a year later their objections were withdrawn and the plan was given the green light. This application will now be investigated, ministers have promised. Following are a list of Mr Abrahams' companies and the people registered in the role of company director and company secretary: Park View Property Investments:Company director: David AbrahamsCompany secretary: Janet Kidd Acorn Residential Estates (North Tyne) Company director: David AbrahamsCompany secretary: Raymond Ruddick Acorn Residential Estates (Durham) Company director: David Abrahams Acorn Commercial Developments (Northumbria) Company director: David AbrahamsCompany secretary: Raymond Ruddick Foxlow Limited Company director: David AbrahamsCompany director: Janet KiddCompany secretary: Raymond RuddickWebfast Limited Company director: David Abrahams Company director: Janet Kidd Company secretary: Raymond Ruddick Acorn Business Park (Durham) Company director: Raymond Ruddick Company secretary: Janet Kidd Durham Green Developments Company director: Janet Kidd Company director: Raymond Ruddick Company secretary: Janet Kidd
***********************************************************************
Page 1
EAGLE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATES, INC.
PRESENTS ITS FALL 2008 SEMINAR
PRODUCTS LIABILITY CLAIMS IN THE UNITED STATES AND
THE EUROPEAN UNION INCLUDING
A MOCK TRIAL OF A PRODUCTS LIABILITY CLAIM
This seminar will inform attendees of the current state of products liability litigation in
the United States and the European Union. Experienced trial lawyers from the United
States and Europe will discuss timely products liability issues on both sides of the
Atlantic. In addition, an American mock jury trial will be presented allowing attendees to
see the trial presentation of a pharmaceutical claim. Attendees will witness all aspects
of an American jury trial and have the opportunity to observe and question the Eagle
International trial lawyers regarding all aspects of a major products liability lawsuit.
17 OCTOBER 2008
PULLMAN PARIS LA DEFENSE HOTEL
Paris La Defense, France
Page 2
P
ROGRAM
17 October 2008
8:00 a.m.
Welcoming Remarks
David D. Hudgins, Esq., - Chairman, Eagle International Associates
8:05 a.m.
Program Introduction
Simon Ndiaye, Esq. – HMN & Partners
8:15 a.m.
Overview of U.S. Legal System and Products Liability Law
Jeffrey V. Hill, Esq. – Bodyfelt Mount LLP
9:00 a.m.
Electronically Stored Information - Its Importance in the US Judicial Process
John E. Cuttino, Esq. – Turner Padget Graham & Laney
9:45 a.m.
Coffee
10:00 a.m.
Product Liability and Recall Process in France
Juliette Vogel, Esq. – HMN & Partners
10:45 a.m.
Recent Jurisprudence from the Court of Justice of the European
Communities on the Transposition of the Products’ Liability European
Directive into Members’ National Law
Pierre Humblet, Esq. and Eve Georges, Esq. – Lebeau & Humblet
11:30 a.m.
An Overview of an American Jury Trial
Jeffrey V. Hill, Esq. – Bodyfelt Mount LLP
11:45 a.m.
Introduction to Mock Trial
Mario C. Ciano, Esq. – Reminger & Co., LPA
12:00 p.m.
Lunch
1:30 p.m.
Demonstrations:
Plaintiff’s and Defendant’s Jury Selection
John P. McKay, Esq. – McKay, Graham & de Lorimier
Marc A. Sheiness, Esq. - Sheiness Scott Grossman & Cohn
Plaintiff’s and Defendant’s Opening Statements
Leland Eugene Backus, Esq. – Backus - Carranza
Peter A. Miller, Esq. – Peter A. Miller & Associates
Expert Witness Direct Examination
Debra T. Herron, Esq. – McNeer Highland McMunn & Varner
David A. Abrams, Esq. – Strongin Rothman & Abrams (Expert Witness)
Expert Witness Cross Examination
Alex J. Hagan, Esq. – Ellis & Winters
David A. Abrams, Esq. – Strongin Rothman & Abrams (Expert Witness)
Plaintiff’s and Defendant’s Closing Arguments
James Ryan III, Esq. – James Ryan III & Associates
Timothy W. Waldeck, Esq. – Waldeck & Lind
4:00 p.m.
Closing Remarks
4:00 – 6:00 p.m. Reception
A simultaneous translation from English into French and vice versa will be provided
Page 3
P
RESENTERS
David A. Abrams received his Juris Doctor from Hofstra University School of Law in June 1985, where
he graduated “with distinction” (top 10%). He graduated from the State University of New York at
Binghamton with a BA in June 1979. David has been admitted to practice law in New York since 1986
and in New Jersey since 1988. He is also admitted in the federal courts in those jurisdictions. Mr.
Abrams has over twenty years of civil litigation experience, including significant trial experience in the
State and Federal Courts of New York and New Jersey. Areas of concentration include products liability,
construction site accidents, insurance coverage, transportation/trucking, sports and recreational injury
litigation, hospitality industry litigation, premises and premises security liability, and commercial litigation.
Since 1996, Mr. Abrams has served as national coordinating counsel for Club Mediterranee, S.A.’s
insured litigation in the United States, a position he proposed, developed, and implemented. He is a
former Chairman and a member of the Board of Directors of Eagle International Associates, Inc. Mr.
Abrams is a contributing author to the legal treatise Products Liability in New York, Chapter 8, “Defending
the Design Defect Case: Strategic Considerations,” published by the New York State Bar Association in
1997. Additionally, Mr. Abrams has lectured on a variety of civil litigation topics at Bar Association
seminars and before professional organizations.
Leland Eugene (Gene) Backus is a native Nevadan and graduate of UCLA School of Law. He has
been chief trial counsel or regional counsel on some of the largest complex cases in the country from the
MGM Fire Litigation where he was appointed Liaison Counsel to Agent Orange, asbestos, Dupont Hotel
Fire Litigation, Pepcon Plant Explosion, Bone Screw Litigation, tobacco, diet drug and other
medical/pharmaceutical complex and class action litigation. When asked what he specializes in, his
answer is often the “complex and ugly.” His law firm, Backus · Carranza represents hotel, construction,
health care, real estate, and insurance clientele. Mr. Backus is an arbitrator with the American Arbitration
Association in complex construction and commercial matters and has been selected as panel chairman
in many large scale disputes. He has authored several articles in the field of litigation, including ABA
survey publications on pharmaceuticals and medical device litigation issues. Not only has he educated
others in healthcare law and products liability internationally, he has lectured in construction law at the
national level at both the esteemed Superconference and the ABA Forum for the Construction Industry.
He has helped educate judges and lawyers on civil rule practice; his peers refer to him as a “lawyer’s
lawyer.” Mr. Backus is a member of the Board of Directors of Eagle International Associates, Inc.
Mario C. Ciano served as Managing Partner of Reminger Co., LPA from 1990 to 2005. A few of his
many accomplishments include his vision to successfully expand Reminger & Reminger from 45
attorneys in two offices to over 125 attorneys in eight offices. An Italian immigrant, Mario’s hard work,
entrepreneurial spirit and sense of fairness makes him a frequently requested mediator by both plaintiff
and defense attorneys for complex litigation maters. Mr. Ciano has been recognized and included
among the ‘Best Lawyers in America’ for the last ten years. He has been a featured ‘Leading Lawyers’
by Inside Business Magazine and is a member of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel and
Defense Research Institute. He is also a faculty fellow for the National Institute of Trial Advocacy and a
life delegate of the Eighth Ohio Judicial District. He frequently lectures to peer groups on various trial
litigation and professional liability issues. His areas of practice include D&O Professional Liability,
Business/Commercial Litigation, Insurance and Mediation. Mr. Ciano received his B.A. in 1965 and his
J.D. in 1968 from Western Reserve University. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Eagle
International Associates, Inc.
John E. Cuttino is a Shareholder with Turner Padget Graham & Laney, P.A. in Columbia, South
Carolina. His practice is confined to civil litigation including, but not limited to, products liability, major
torts, construction defect, personal injury and commercial matters. He is also a certified civil mediator.
He has been in private practice since August of 1983. Prior to entering private practice, he served as a
law clerk to South Carolina Circuit Judge Dan F. Laney, Jr. (Third Judicial Circuit) from 1982 to 1983. He
is a 1979 graduate of Wofford College and a 1982 graduate of the University of South Carolina School of
Law. Mr. Cuttino is admitted to practice in all South Carolina Courts, the United States District Court for
the District of South Carolina, the United Sates Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, the United States
Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. He is a member of the
Richland County, South Carolina and American Bar Associations, is a former Chairman of the South
Carolina Bar Trial and Appellate Advocacy Section, and is a past member of the South Carolina Bar
House of Delegates. He is a member of the South Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys Association, the
Defense Research Institute (2008 Chair of the Construction Law Committee), the American Judicature
Society, and the U.S. Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference. Mr. Cuttino is a member of the Board of
Directors of Eagle International Associates, Inc.
Page 4
Eve Georges is an associate in “Lebeau & Humblet sc”, Belgium. She obtained a Master degree in Law
from Catholic University of Louvain-la-Neuve in 2001 and was awarded a post graduate Master in
Insurance Law and Economy from the same University in 2004. Her practice includes insurance
defense, particularly with regards to personal injury losses, professional negligence liability, fire
insurance etc. She was admitted to the Bar of Liège in 2001. She is handling cases both in French and
German.
Alex J. Hagan concentrates his practice on medical, hospital, and commercial laboratory defense, as
well as business litigation and product liability litigation. He has been active in representing software
manufacturers, automobile manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, and manufacturers of medical
devices and other products. He also has experience in employment matters, consumer claims, contract
disputes and trademark infringement matters. Mr. Hagan has considerable jury trial experience in
personal injury and commercial matters. In 2006, 2007 and 2008, he was recognized by North Carolina
Super Lawyers. Mr. Hagan received his undergraduate and law degree from the University of North
Carolina (B.A., 1987; J.D., With Honors, 1992). He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Carolina
Legal Assistance. Mr. Hagan is also an active member of The International Association of Defense
Counsel, the Defense Research Institute and the North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys. He is
also a member of the Board of Directors of Eagle International Associates Inc.
Debra T. Herron is a Director at McNeer, Highland, McMunn and Varner, L.C, where she practices in the
area of insurance defense and bad faith litigation. She is admitted to the West Virginia and Pennsylvania
Bars, Northern and Southern Districts of West Virginia and has argued before the United States Fourth
Circuit Court of Appeals and the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. She is the chairperson of the
Appellate Committee of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel. Debra received an
undergraduate degree in accounting and is a graduate of University of Richmond - T. C. Williams School
of Law. She is a member of the Defense Research Institute, Randolph County Bar Association, Harrison
County Bar Association and West Virginia State Bar. She has co-authored publications in the area of
bad faith litigation and has previously served as a speaker on bad faith, discovery and domestic issues.
Debra received a special appointment and spent two years as a Family Court Judge in West Virginia.
Jeffrey V. Hill is a partner at Bodyfelt Mount LLP (www.bodyfeltmount.com), an insurance and trial
practice law firm in Portland, Oregon. He is a twenty-five year trial lawyer who concentrates his practice
in the areas of complex insurance coverage, professional, fire, environmental and financial liability. Jeff
received his undergraduate degree in economics from Washington State University in 1978 and his law
degree from the University of Puget Sound in 1981. He is admitted to practice in all courts of the states of
Oregon and Washington. He is a member of the Oregon Association of Defense Counsel, Defense
Research Institute and is a frequent contributor to insurance and trial related presentations around the
United States. hill@bodyfeltmount.com.
David D. Hudgins is the founder of the Hudgins Law Firm, a litigation, business and insurance practice
serving clients in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. He was born in Virginia and attended
Hampden-Sydney College and the University of Richmond School of Law. Mr. Hudgins devotes his legal
practice almost exclusively to insurance and corporate defense litigation, and he has represented clients
in diverse areas of practice including professional liability, products liability, church liability, errors and
omissions, private security, intellectual property, admiralty, financial agents and brokers, defamation,
municipal liability, discrimination, commercial liability, construction and personal injury defense. Mr.
Hudgins has extensive trial experience, and handles insurance coverage determinations and declaratory
judgment actions as a regular part of his practice. He is a contributing author for the Virginia CLE
Publications Handbook Insurance Law in Virginia, and is a co-author of Tort and Personal Injury Law in
the Thomson West Virginia Practice Series. Mr. Hudgins is a member of the Bars of Virginia, Maryland,
and the District of Columbia, and he is admitted to practice in all state and federal courts within these
jurisdictions, as well as the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Hudgins recently served as Chairman of
the Risk Management subcommittee of the Virginia State Bar's Malpractice Insurance Committee. He is
a member of various state and local bar associations, the Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys, the
Defense Research Institute, the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, and the Association of
Defense Trial Attorneys. Mr. Hudgins is the current Chairman of Eagle International Associates, Inc. Mr.
Hudgins lives with his wife, Ann, and their three children in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia.
Pierre Humblet is senior partner of “Lebeau & Humblet s.c.” in Liège, Belgium.
He is Doctor of Law, from Liège State University (1967) and a member of the Bar since that time.
His practice concentrates on insurance defence, personal injury losses, fire insurance, professional
liability and malpractice, products liability etc. He is specialized in sports liability too. He is member of the
Arbitration Commission of the Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee and lecturer (civil liability) for
the Ministry of the Belgian French Community, General Administration of Youth assistance, Health and
Page 5
Sport. Mr. Humblet has been President of the Belgian Alpine Club and the International Mountaineering
and Climbing Federation. He is a Director of Eagle International Associates, Inc.
John P. McKay is Board Certified in Trial Advocacy and a member of the American Board of Trial
Advocates. Mr. McKay believes strongly in the First Amendment freedoms and the American jury
system. He has defended high-profile entertainers, manufacturers in product liability actions, clergy
accused of molestation, prominent lawyers and migrant farm workers. He is regularly before the
Appellate and U.S. District Courts, and won a 2004 benchmark decision for landowners in the California
Supreme Court. Bringing four decades of experience to the courtroom, he is valued as an insurance law
expert whether defending multinational corporations or our Constitution. He is a lawyer valued by his
clients and well respected by his peers. Mr. McKay received his B.A. from California State University at
Fullerton in 1963 and his J.D. from Pepperdine University in 1968. He is a member of the Board of
Directors of Eagle International Associates, Inc. and served as Chairman from 2001-2003.
Peter A. Miller is the senior partner and is the overseer of all divisions of the firm. He has been a trial
lawyer since 1975 and is admitted to all District and Appellate Courts in the State of Florida, as well as
the United States District Courts for the Southern District and Middle District of Florida. He is also
certified as a trial lawyer by the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Mr. Miller
is a Fellow with The Litigation Counsel Of America, a trial lawyer honorary society composed of less than
one-half of one percent of American lawyers. Peter A. Miller specializes in general liability defense,
religious organization defense, legal malpractice defense, construction litigation defense, products
liability defense, E.E.O.C. defense, employment practices defense, long term lessor liability defense,
transportation defense, and insurance and bad faith litigation defense. Mr. Miller received his B.B.A. in
1972 from the University of Miami and his J.D. in 1975 from the University of Miami School of Law. He is
a member of the Board of Directors of Eagle International Associates and served as Chairman of the
organization 2003 – 2005.
Simon Ndiaye is a partner with HMN & Partners. Mr. Ndiaye has obtained a Master of Philosophy of
Law and a Master of Insurance Law at the University of Paris Pantheon-Assas and also a LL.M in
International Legal Studies at New York University. He has an extensive experience defending product
liability claims and advising clients on product safety risk management. Mr. Ndiaye assists domestic and
international clients on high profile cases in aviation, insurance and reinsurance, directors and officers
liability and industrial risks. He is involved in criminal, administrative (AMF, SEC), civil, commercial
proceedings and class actions.
James Ryan III is a 1973 graduate of Tulane Law School. He is admitted to practice before all sate and
federal courts in Louisiana, as well as the United States Supreme Court. He is a member of the New
Orleans, Louisiana State (Member, House of Delegates, 1983-2007, Federal (President, New Orleans
Chapter 1990-91), and American Bar Associations, together with the Louisiana and International
Associations of Defense Counsel. Mr. Ryan is also a member of the Defense Research Institute and the
Transportation Lawyers Association. He is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell.
Marc A. Sheiness is Managing Partner in the Houston, Texas, civil trial law firm of Sheiness Scott
Grossman & Cohn, LLC and is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell. He received his B.A. from Texas A&M
University, his J.D. from Baylor University, and was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 1971. He was
board certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in 1980. He is
admitted to practice before the U.S. District Courts for the Southern, Eastern, Northern and Western
Districts of Texas, and before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. His professional
memberships include the Texas Association of Defense Counsel, Defense Research Institute, Eagle
International Associates, Inc., and the Litigation Counsel of America. He has been engaged primarily in
insurance defense since his practice began, with primary areas of practice in products liability,
professional malpractice, premises liability, and bad faith litigation.
Juliette Vogel is a senior associate of HMN & Partners. Ms Juliette has obtained a Master of Private
Law and a Master of Insurance Law at the University of Paris Panthéon Sorbonne and also a Master in
Medical Law at Saint Antoine Faculty of Medicine. She advises major insurance companies and domestic
and international clients on cases relating to complex product liability cases, medical malpractice and
pharmaceutical liability. She has been involved in class actions. Ms Vogel is also part time Lecturer in the
Master in Medical Law of the University of Sceaux.
Timothy W. Waldeck is a partner in Waldeck and Lind of Minneapolis, Minnesota. He obtained a BS
from Bradley University and JD from Drake University. His practice areas include insurance defense. He
is a member of the Minnesota Bar and the Wisconsin Bar. Mr. Waldeck is a member of the Board of
Directors of Eagle International Associates, Inc.
Page 6
Eagle International Associates Inc.
(www.eagle-law.com)
Eagle International Associates is a global network of independent law firms, adjusters and
claims related service providers throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Eagle
members are dedicated to providing insurance companies and self-insureds with the highest
quality legal and adjusting services for competitive and fair compensation. As members, we
are committed to the highest ethical standards and act with professionalism and civility in all our
endeavors. Eagle members exceed their clients’ expectations for quality and service. At every
opportunity, we promote the use of Eagle and its members and refer existing relationships
through active participation in Eagle’s meetings, programs and seminars.
While the concept of a network is not new, the Eagle network is unique for a number of
reasons: Members are held together, not by contract, but by the common goal of service.
Members offer the advantages and facilities of a global organization with the individual attention
and the local knowledge that are generally expected from a small firm. Members do not incur
referral fees, nor is there any additional cost to the client for utilizing any members of the
network.
Eagle members strive to meet the needs of many clients who want the benefits of small to
medium size firms, but need the extensive resources throughout the country and sometimes
the world.
Eagle International Associates, Inc. does not itself render any legal or adjusting services.
Members of Eagle are independently engaged in handling litigation and/or claims focusing on
major areas such as Products Liability, Professional Liability, Environmental Liability, E&O and
D&O, Toxic Tort, Premises Liability, Travel and Hospitality, Automobile and Truckers Liability,
Medical Malpractice, Coverage Evaluations and General Liability.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
David D. Hudgins (Chairman)
David A. Abrams
Gene Backus (Treasurer)
Mario C. Ciano
John E. Cuttino
Alex J. Hagan (Secretary)
Debra T. Herron
Pierre Humblet
Dale Jones
David M. Macdonald (Vice Chairman)
Peter A. Miller
Frank L Napolitani (Executive Director)
David L. Pennington
Timothy W. Waldeck
Page 7
SEMINAR REGISTRATION FORM
Register by October 6, 2008
Please complete a separate Registration Form for each attendee
Name _____________________________________________
Affix Your Business Card Here
Preferred First Name for Badge _________________________
Title_______________________________________________
Firm/Company ______________________________________
Address ____________________________________________
____________________________________________
City
State
Zip
Telephone __________________________________________
Fax _______________________________________________
E-mail _____________________________________________
To Register
By Email:
terri.napolitani@eagle-law.com
By Fax:
702-221-2295
By Mail:
Complete this form and mail to:
Eagle International Associates, Inc.
PO Box 371510
Las Vegas, NV 89137-1510
Venue
Pullman Paris La Defense Hotel, Paris
http://www.accorhotels.com/accorhotels/fichehotel/gb/pul/3013/fiche_hotel.shtm
Labour Party treasurers at the centre of the row over "donations by proxy" from the businessman David Abrahams will not face charges, the Crown Prosecution Service has said.
By Andrew Porter, Political Editor
Last Updated: 12:47PM BST 07 May 2009
David Abrahams donations: CPS says no charges in Labour donor row
Mr Abrahams gave money to the Labour via third parties – which is against the strict rules governing political donations.
David Triesman, Matthew Carter and Peter Watt received a total of £600,000 in donations from Mr Abrahams that was not registered to him. But the CPS said today there was "insufficient evidence" to charge them with breaches of electoral law.
The revelation in November 2007 about the donations was a hammer blow to Gordon Brown so soon after the aborted general election that autumn. His popularity has never recovered from that period.
However, he will hope that the CPS decision not to pursue successive Labour treasurers will put the matter to rest.
The 18 month police inquiry is the latest into political donations and has ended the same way, without any charges. The final year of Tony Blair's premiership was overshadowed by the "cash for honours" investigation.
Mr Abrahams was anxious to avoid publicity and used a series of conduits including his secretary and a builder. The property developer was one of the party's biggest backers and gave £670,000 but his identity had been secret.
The proxy arrangement was designed to get around the law requiring political donors to be declared under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.
Under electoral laws, political parties have to declare their sources of funding and police have been investigating whether Labour Party staff may have deliberately sought to break the rules.
The scandal led to the resignation of Peter Watt, Labour's General Secretary, who is understood to have been investigated by Scotland Yard detectives.
But the revelation created an outcry that led to the resignation of Peter Watt, then general secretary of the Labour Party, when it emerged he knew of the arrangement.
Scotland Yard was handed over its files to the CPS last June.
Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister, who was not interviewed by police, condemned Labour officials at the time for accepting the money and described the arrangement as "illegal".
The Electoral Commission said: "The law requires that political parties and politicians report the source of donations to ensure transparency and integrity in party funding. This is vital to public confidence in the democratic process.
"In this case, following discussion with the Metropolitan Police Service and the CPS, we referred the matter to the police because there was evidence that an offence may have been committed. The police decided to conduct an investigation, and passed the evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service.
"The CPS has concluded that the donation reports in question incorrectly identified the donor but there is insufficient evidence to charge anyone with any offences.
The decision on whether or not to bring a prosecution is a matter for the CPS."
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Last Updated: Wednesday, 28 November 2007, 18:31 GMT E-mail this to a friend Printable version
Donor's business interests
By Alison Swersky Business reporter, BBC News
Mr Abrahams has said he never sought any favours from Labour
As the scandal over secret government donations unfolds, so the spotlight has been trained on the business arrangements through which the man at the centre of the allegations operated his property investments. David Abrahams is a former Tyne and Wear county councillor who has also gone by the name of David Martin. He has donated more than £650,000 to the Labour Party via other people, and is listed in Companies House as being the director of six companies, all based in the North East. At some of these firms his co-directors include Ray Ruddick and Janet Kidd, two people who were used to funnel money to Labour. See a full list of businesses The pair were used by Mr Abrahams for donations totalling £381,850 since 2003. One donation of £5,000 was used to help Harriet Harman pay off the debts relating to her successful campaign to become Labour's deputy leader earlier this year. Mr Ruddick and Ms Kidd are also listed as company secretaries at other firms with which Mr Abrahams is involved. The role of company secretary is an important one as among its responsibilities is a requirement to ensure that the business complies with company law and that the firm's board of directors are informed of their legal responsibilities. Mr Ruddick is a builder from Newcastle who has worked for Mr Abrahams, while Ms Kidd was employed by Mr Abrahams in a clerical capacity as his secretary. Investigation According to documents logged at Companies House, Mr Ruddick and Ms Kidd appear as the sole directors of a company behind a controversial commercial development in County Durham, for which plans were submitted by Mr Abrahams in 2005. Profile: David Abrahams Labour donations: Key players The registered address of the firm, Durham Green Developments, is Mr Abrahams' home address in Gosforth. In fact, Mr Abrahams' home is registered in the name of David Martin. His plans for a 540-acre business park south of Durham City, near junction 61 of the A1 motorway, were initially blocked by the Highways Agency. But about a year later their objections were withdrawn and the plan was given the green light. This application will now be investigated, ministers have promised. Following are a list of Mr Abrahams' companies and the people registered in the role of company director and company secretary: Park View Property Investments:Company director: David AbrahamsCompany secretary: Janet Kidd Acorn Residential Estates (North Tyne) Company director: David AbrahamsCompany secretary: Raymond Ruddick Acorn Residential Estates (Durham) Company director: David Abrahams Acorn Commercial Developments (Northumbria) Company director: David AbrahamsCompany secretary: Raymond Ruddick Foxlow Limited Company director: David AbrahamsCompany director: Janet KiddCompany secretary: Raymond RuddickWebfast Limited Company director: David Abrahams Company director: Janet Kidd Company secretary: Raymond Ruddick Acorn Business Park (Durham) Company director: Raymond Ruddick Company secretary: Janet Kidd Durham Green Developments Company director: Janet Kidd Company director: Raymond Ruddick Company secretary: Janet Kidd
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Page 1
EAGLE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATES, INC.
PRESENTS ITS FALL 2008 SEMINAR
PRODUCTS LIABILITY CLAIMS IN THE UNITED STATES AND
THE EUROPEAN UNION INCLUDING
A MOCK TRIAL OF A PRODUCTS LIABILITY CLAIM
This seminar will inform attendees of the current state of products liability litigation in
the United States and the European Union. Experienced trial lawyers from the United
States and Europe will discuss timely products liability issues on both sides of the
Atlantic. In addition, an American mock jury trial will be presented allowing attendees to
see the trial presentation of a pharmaceutical claim. Attendees will witness all aspects
of an American jury trial and have the opportunity to observe and question the Eagle
International trial lawyers regarding all aspects of a major products liability lawsuit.
17 OCTOBER 2008
PULLMAN PARIS LA DEFENSE HOTEL
Paris La Defense, France
Page 2
P
ROGRAM
17 October 2008
8:00 a.m.
Welcoming Remarks
David D. Hudgins, Esq., - Chairman, Eagle International Associates
8:05 a.m.
Program Introduction
Simon Ndiaye, Esq. – HMN & Partners
8:15 a.m.
Overview of U.S. Legal System and Products Liability Law
Jeffrey V. Hill, Esq. – Bodyfelt Mount LLP
9:00 a.m.
Electronically Stored Information - Its Importance in the US Judicial Process
John E. Cuttino, Esq. – Turner Padget Graham & Laney
9:45 a.m.
Coffee
10:00 a.m.
Product Liability and Recall Process in France
Juliette Vogel, Esq. – HMN & Partners
10:45 a.m.
Recent Jurisprudence from the Court of Justice of the European
Communities on the Transposition of the Products’ Liability European
Directive into Members’ National Law
Pierre Humblet, Esq. and Eve Georges, Esq. – Lebeau & Humblet
11:30 a.m.
An Overview of an American Jury Trial
Jeffrey V. Hill, Esq. – Bodyfelt Mount LLP
11:45 a.m.
Introduction to Mock Trial
Mario C. Ciano, Esq. – Reminger & Co., LPA
12:00 p.m.
Lunch
1:30 p.m.
Demonstrations:
Plaintiff’s and Defendant’s Jury Selection
John P. McKay, Esq. – McKay, Graham & de Lorimier
Marc A. Sheiness, Esq. - Sheiness Scott Grossman & Cohn
Plaintiff’s and Defendant’s Opening Statements
Leland Eugene Backus, Esq. – Backus - Carranza
Peter A. Miller, Esq. – Peter A. Miller & Associates
Expert Witness Direct Examination
Debra T. Herron, Esq. – McNeer Highland McMunn & Varner
David A. Abrams, Esq. – Strongin Rothman & Abrams (Expert Witness)
Expert Witness Cross Examination
Alex J. Hagan, Esq. – Ellis & Winters
David A. Abrams, Esq. – Strongin Rothman & Abrams (Expert Witness)
Plaintiff’s and Defendant’s Closing Arguments
James Ryan III, Esq. – James Ryan III & Associates
Timothy W. Waldeck, Esq. – Waldeck & Lind
4:00 p.m.
Closing Remarks
4:00 – 6:00 p.m. Reception
A simultaneous translation from English into French and vice versa will be provided
Page 3
P
RESENTERS
David A. Abrams received his Juris Doctor from Hofstra University School of Law in June 1985, where
he graduated “with distinction” (top 10%). He graduated from the State University of New York at
Binghamton with a BA in June 1979. David has been admitted to practice law in New York since 1986
and in New Jersey since 1988. He is also admitted in the federal courts in those jurisdictions. Mr.
Abrams has over twenty years of civil litigation experience, including significant trial experience in the
State and Federal Courts of New York and New Jersey. Areas of concentration include products liability,
construction site accidents, insurance coverage, transportation/trucking, sports and recreational injury
litigation, hospitality industry litigation, premises and premises security liability, and commercial litigation.
Since 1996, Mr. Abrams has served as national coordinating counsel for Club Mediterranee, S.A.’s
insured litigation in the United States, a position he proposed, developed, and implemented. He is a
former Chairman and a member of the Board of Directors of Eagle International Associates, Inc. Mr.
Abrams is a contributing author to the legal treatise Products Liability in New York, Chapter 8, “Defending
the Design Defect Case: Strategic Considerations,” published by the New York State Bar Association in
1997. Additionally, Mr. Abrams has lectured on a variety of civil litigation topics at Bar Association
seminars and before professional organizations.
Leland Eugene (Gene) Backus is a native Nevadan and graduate of UCLA School of Law. He has
been chief trial counsel or regional counsel on some of the largest complex cases in the country from the
MGM Fire Litigation where he was appointed Liaison Counsel to Agent Orange, asbestos, Dupont Hotel
Fire Litigation, Pepcon Plant Explosion, Bone Screw Litigation, tobacco, diet drug and other
medical/pharmaceutical complex and class action litigation. When asked what he specializes in, his
answer is often the “complex and ugly.” His law firm, Backus · Carranza represents hotel, construction,
health care, real estate, and insurance clientele. Mr. Backus is an arbitrator with the American Arbitration
Association in complex construction and commercial matters and has been selected as panel chairman
in many large scale disputes. He has authored several articles in the field of litigation, including ABA
survey publications on pharmaceuticals and medical device litigation issues. Not only has he educated
others in healthcare law and products liability internationally, he has lectured in construction law at the
national level at both the esteemed Superconference and the ABA Forum for the Construction Industry.
He has helped educate judges and lawyers on civil rule practice; his peers refer to him as a “lawyer’s
lawyer.” Mr. Backus is a member of the Board of Directors of Eagle International Associates, Inc.
Mario C. Ciano served as Managing Partner of Reminger Co., LPA from 1990 to 2005. A few of his
many accomplishments include his vision to successfully expand Reminger & Reminger from 45
attorneys in two offices to over 125 attorneys in eight offices. An Italian immigrant, Mario’s hard work,
entrepreneurial spirit and sense of fairness makes him a frequently requested mediator by both plaintiff
and defense attorneys for complex litigation maters. Mr. Ciano has been recognized and included
among the ‘Best Lawyers in America’ for the last ten years. He has been a featured ‘Leading Lawyers’
by Inside Business Magazine and is a member of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel and
Defense Research Institute. He is also a faculty fellow for the National Institute of Trial Advocacy and a
life delegate of the Eighth Ohio Judicial District. He frequently lectures to peer groups on various trial
litigation and professional liability issues. His areas of practice include D&O Professional Liability,
Business/Commercial Litigation, Insurance and Mediation. Mr. Ciano received his B.A. in 1965 and his
J.D. in 1968 from Western Reserve University. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Eagle
International Associates, Inc.
John E. Cuttino is a Shareholder with Turner Padget Graham & Laney, P.A. in Columbia, South
Carolina. His practice is confined to civil litigation including, but not limited to, products liability, major
torts, construction defect, personal injury and commercial matters. He is also a certified civil mediator.
He has been in private practice since August of 1983. Prior to entering private practice, he served as a
law clerk to South Carolina Circuit Judge Dan F. Laney, Jr. (Third Judicial Circuit) from 1982 to 1983. He
is a 1979 graduate of Wofford College and a 1982 graduate of the University of South Carolina School of
Law. Mr. Cuttino is admitted to practice in all South Carolina Courts, the United States District Court for
the District of South Carolina, the United Sates Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, the United States
Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. He is a member of the
Richland County, South Carolina and American Bar Associations, is a former Chairman of the South
Carolina Bar Trial and Appellate Advocacy Section, and is a past member of the South Carolina Bar
House of Delegates. He is a member of the South Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys Association, the
Defense Research Institute (2008 Chair of the Construction Law Committee), the American Judicature
Society, and the U.S. Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference. Mr. Cuttino is a member of the Board of
Directors of Eagle International Associates, Inc.
Page 4
Eve Georges is an associate in “Lebeau & Humblet sc”, Belgium. She obtained a Master degree in Law
from Catholic University of Louvain-la-Neuve in 2001 and was awarded a post graduate Master in
Insurance Law and Economy from the same University in 2004. Her practice includes insurance
defense, particularly with regards to personal injury losses, professional negligence liability, fire
insurance etc. She was admitted to the Bar of Liège in 2001. She is handling cases both in French and
German.
Alex J. Hagan concentrates his practice on medical, hospital, and commercial laboratory defense, as
well as business litigation and product liability litigation. He has been active in representing software
manufacturers, automobile manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, and manufacturers of medical
devices and other products. He also has experience in employment matters, consumer claims, contract
disputes and trademark infringement matters. Mr. Hagan has considerable jury trial experience in
personal injury and commercial matters. In 2006, 2007 and 2008, he was recognized by North Carolina
Super Lawyers. Mr. Hagan received his undergraduate and law degree from the University of North
Carolina (B.A., 1987; J.D., With Honors, 1992). He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Carolina
Legal Assistance. Mr. Hagan is also an active member of The International Association of Defense
Counsel, the Defense Research Institute and the North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys. He is
also a member of the Board of Directors of Eagle International Associates Inc.
Debra T. Herron is a Director at McNeer, Highland, McMunn and Varner, L.C, where she practices in the
area of insurance defense and bad faith litigation. She is admitted to the West Virginia and Pennsylvania
Bars, Northern and Southern Districts of West Virginia and has argued before the United States Fourth
Circuit Court of Appeals and the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. She is the chairperson of the
Appellate Committee of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel. Debra received an
undergraduate degree in accounting and is a graduate of University of Richmond - T. C. Williams School
of Law. She is a member of the Defense Research Institute, Randolph County Bar Association, Harrison
County Bar Association and West Virginia State Bar. She has co-authored publications in the area of
bad faith litigation and has previously served as a speaker on bad faith, discovery and domestic issues.
Debra received a special appointment and spent two years as a Family Court Judge in West Virginia.
Jeffrey V. Hill is a partner at Bodyfelt Mount LLP (www.bodyfeltmount.com), an insurance and trial
practice law firm in Portland, Oregon. He is a twenty-five year trial lawyer who concentrates his practice
in the areas of complex insurance coverage, professional, fire, environmental and financial liability. Jeff
received his undergraduate degree in economics from Washington State University in 1978 and his law
degree from the University of Puget Sound in 1981. He is admitted to practice in all courts of the states of
Oregon and Washington. He is a member of the Oregon Association of Defense Counsel, Defense
Research Institute and is a frequent contributor to insurance and trial related presentations around the
United States. hill@bodyfeltmount.com.
David D. Hudgins is the founder of the Hudgins Law Firm, a litigation, business and insurance practice
serving clients in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. He was born in Virginia and attended
Hampden-Sydney College and the University of Richmond School of Law. Mr. Hudgins devotes his legal
practice almost exclusively to insurance and corporate defense litigation, and he has represented clients
in diverse areas of practice including professional liability, products liability, church liability, errors and
omissions, private security, intellectual property, admiralty, financial agents and brokers, defamation,
municipal liability, discrimination, commercial liability, construction and personal injury defense. Mr.
Hudgins has extensive trial experience, and handles insurance coverage determinations and declaratory
judgment actions as a regular part of his practice. He is a contributing author for the Virginia CLE
Publications Handbook Insurance Law in Virginia, and is a co-author of Tort and Personal Injury Law in
the Thomson West Virginia Practice Series. Mr. Hudgins is a member of the Bars of Virginia, Maryland,
and the District of Columbia, and he is admitted to practice in all state and federal courts within these
jurisdictions, as well as the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Hudgins recently served as Chairman of
the Risk Management subcommittee of the Virginia State Bar's Malpractice Insurance Committee. He is
a member of various state and local bar associations, the Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys, the
Defense Research Institute, the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, and the Association of
Defense Trial Attorneys. Mr. Hudgins is the current Chairman of Eagle International Associates, Inc. Mr.
Hudgins lives with his wife, Ann, and their three children in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia.
Pierre Humblet is senior partner of “Lebeau & Humblet s.c.” in Liège, Belgium.
He is Doctor of Law, from Liège State University (1967) and a member of the Bar since that time.
His practice concentrates on insurance defence, personal injury losses, fire insurance, professional
liability and malpractice, products liability etc. He is specialized in sports liability too. He is member of the
Arbitration Commission of the Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee and lecturer (civil liability) for
the Ministry of the Belgian French Community, General Administration of Youth assistance, Health and
Page 5
Sport. Mr. Humblet has been President of the Belgian Alpine Club and the International Mountaineering
and Climbing Federation. He is a Director of Eagle International Associates, Inc.
John P. McKay is Board Certified in Trial Advocacy and a member of the American Board of Trial
Advocates. Mr. McKay believes strongly in the First Amendment freedoms and the American jury
system. He has defended high-profile entertainers, manufacturers in product liability actions, clergy
accused of molestation, prominent lawyers and migrant farm workers. He is regularly before the
Appellate and U.S. District Courts, and won a 2004 benchmark decision for landowners in the California
Supreme Court. Bringing four decades of experience to the courtroom, he is valued as an insurance law
expert whether defending multinational corporations or our Constitution. He is a lawyer valued by his
clients and well respected by his peers. Mr. McKay received his B.A. from California State University at
Fullerton in 1963 and his J.D. from Pepperdine University in 1968. He is a member of the Board of
Directors of Eagle International Associates, Inc. and served as Chairman from 2001-2003.
Peter A. Miller is the senior partner and is the overseer of all divisions of the firm. He has been a trial
lawyer since 1975 and is admitted to all District and Appellate Courts in the State of Florida, as well as
the United States District Courts for the Southern District and Middle District of Florida. He is also
certified as a trial lawyer by the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Mr. Miller
is a Fellow with The Litigation Counsel Of America, a trial lawyer honorary society composed of less than
one-half of one percent of American lawyers. Peter A. Miller specializes in general liability defense,
religious organization defense, legal malpractice defense, construction litigation defense, products
liability defense, E.E.O.C. defense, employment practices defense, long term lessor liability defense,
transportation defense, and insurance and bad faith litigation defense. Mr. Miller received his B.B.A. in
1972 from the University of Miami and his J.D. in 1975 from the University of Miami School of Law. He is
a member of the Board of Directors of Eagle International Associates and served as Chairman of the
organization 2003 – 2005.
Simon Ndiaye is a partner with HMN & Partners. Mr. Ndiaye has obtained a Master of Philosophy of
Law and a Master of Insurance Law at the University of Paris Pantheon-Assas and also a LL.M in
International Legal Studies at New York University. He has an extensive experience defending product
liability claims and advising clients on product safety risk management. Mr. Ndiaye assists domestic and
international clients on high profile cases in aviation, insurance and reinsurance, directors and officers
liability and industrial risks. He is involved in criminal, administrative (AMF, SEC), civil, commercial
proceedings and class actions.
James Ryan III is a 1973 graduate of Tulane Law School. He is admitted to practice before all sate and
federal courts in Louisiana, as well as the United States Supreme Court. He is a member of the New
Orleans, Louisiana State (Member, House of Delegates, 1983-2007, Federal (President, New Orleans
Chapter 1990-91), and American Bar Associations, together with the Louisiana and International
Associations of Defense Counsel. Mr. Ryan is also a member of the Defense Research Institute and the
Transportation Lawyers Association. He is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell.
Marc A. Sheiness is Managing Partner in the Houston, Texas, civil trial law firm of Sheiness Scott
Grossman & Cohn, LLC and is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell. He received his B.A. from Texas A&M
University, his J.D. from Baylor University, and was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 1971. He was
board certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in 1980. He is
admitted to practice before the U.S. District Courts for the Southern, Eastern, Northern and Western
Districts of Texas, and before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. His professional
memberships include the Texas Association of Defense Counsel, Defense Research Institute, Eagle
International Associates, Inc., and the Litigation Counsel of America. He has been engaged primarily in
insurance defense since his practice began, with primary areas of practice in products liability,
professional malpractice, premises liability, and bad faith litigation.
Juliette Vogel is a senior associate of HMN & Partners. Ms Juliette has obtained a Master of Private
Law and a Master of Insurance Law at the University of Paris Panthéon Sorbonne and also a Master in
Medical Law at Saint Antoine Faculty of Medicine. She advises major insurance companies and domestic
and international clients on cases relating to complex product liability cases, medical malpractice and
pharmaceutical liability. She has been involved in class actions. Ms Vogel is also part time Lecturer in the
Master in Medical Law of the University of Sceaux.
Timothy W. Waldeck is a partner in Waldeck and Lind of Minneapolis, Minnesota. He obtained a BS
from Bradley University and JD from Drake University. His practice areas include insurance defense. He
is a member of the Minnesota Bar and the Wisconsin Bar. Mr. Waldeck is a member of the Board of
Directors of Eagle International Associates, Inc.
Page 6
Eagle International Associates Inc.
(www.eagle-law.com)
Eagle International Associates is a global network of independent law firms, adjusters and
claims related service providers throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Eagle
members are dedicated to providing insurance companies and self-insureds with the highest
quality legal and adjusting services for competitive and fair compensation. As members, we
are committed to the highest ethical standards and act with professionalism and civility in all our
endeavors. Eagle members exceed their clients’ expectations for quality and service. At every
opportunity, we promote the use of Eagle and its members and refer existing relationships
through active participation in Eagle’s meetings, programs and seminars.
While the concept of a network is not new, the Eagle network is unique for a number of
reasons: Members are held together, not by contract, but by the common goal of service.
Members offer the advantages and facilities of a global organization with the individual attention
and the local knowledge that are generally expected from a small firm. Members do not incur
referral fees, nor is there any additional cost to the client for utilizing any members of the
network.
Eagle members strive to meet the needs of many clients who want the benefits of small to
medium size firms, but need the extensive resources throughout the country and sometimes
the world.
Eagle International Associates, Inc. does not itself render any legal or adjusting services.
Members of Eagle are independently engaged in handling litigation and/or claims focusing on
major areas such as Products Liability, Professional Liability, Environmental Liability, E&O and
D&O, Toxic Tort, Premises Liability, Travel and Hospitality, Automobile and Truckers Liability,
Medical Malpractice, Coverage Evaluations and General Liability.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
David D. Hudgins (Chairman)
David A. Abrams
Gene Backus (Treasurer)
Mario C. Ciano
John E. Cuttino
Alex J. Hagan (Secretary)
Debra T. Herron
Pierre Humblet
Dale Jones
David M. Macdonald (Vice Chairman)
Peter A. Miller
Frank L Napolitani (Executive Director)
David L. Pennington
Timothy W. Waldeck
Page 7
SEMINAR REGISTRATION FORM
Register by October 6, 2008
Please complete a separate Registration Form for each attendee
Name _____________________________________________
Affix Your Business Card Here
Preferred First Name for Badge _________________________
Title_______________________________________________
Firm/Company ______________________________________
Address ____________________________________________
____________________________________________
City
State
Zip
Telephone __________________________________________
Fax _______________________________________________
E-mail _____________________________________________
To Register
By Email:
terri.napolitani@eagle-law.com
By Fax:
702-221-2295
By Mail:
Complete this form and mail to:
Eagle International Associates, Inc.
PO Box 371510
Las Vegas, NV 89137-1510
Venue
Pullman Paris La Defense Hotel, Paris
http://www.accorhotels.com/accorhotels/fichehotel/gb/pul/3013/fiche_hotel.shtm
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