tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164794708270892518.post2593009319044834607..comments2024-03-18T04:20:15.987-04:00Comments on Statement Analysis ®: Statement Analysis and Blind Testing Statement Analysis Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13607372649929274491noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164794708270892518.post-4745907297380369692016-01-07T05:29:46.047-05:002016-01-07T05:29:46.047-05:00That sounds a reasonable summary of how it all mi...That sounds a reasonable summary of how it all might have been. I would so like to see his browser history from this time last year, or the year before. Poor Amanda.Hey Judehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05118508358051764200noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164794708270892518.post-11093616255941715662016-01-05T17:07:15.775-05:002016-01-05T17:07:15.775-05:00Does he actually know the definition of a martyr?
...Does he actually know the definition of a martyr?<br /><br />In the context of church history, from the time of the persecution of early Christians in the Roman Empire, it developed that a martyr was one who was killed for maintaining a religious belief, knowing that this will almost certainly result in imminent death (though without intentionally seeking death). This definition of martyr is not specifically restricted to the Christian faith. The first Christian witness to be killed for his testimony was Saint Stephen (whose name means "crown"), and those who suffer martyrdom are said to have been "crowned." From the time of Constantine Christianity became the religion of the realm and there was less and less persecution. As some wondered how then they could most closely follow Christ there was a development of desert spirituality, desert monks, self-mortification, ascetics, (Paul the Hermit, St. Anthony), following Christ by separation from the world. This was a kind of white martyrdom, dying to oneself every day, as opposed to a red martyrdom, the giving of one's life in a violent death.<br /><br />https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyr<br /><br />Why does he refer to Amanda as a martyr?<br /><br />She was allegedly the victim of a home invasion, they would not be demanding she renounce her faith, they would be demanding money,pin numbers etc.<br /><br />Is this leakage from davey himself?<br /><br />Is he telling us he wanted Amanda to renounce some or all of her beliefs and she refused?<br /><br />He demeaned her love for hergod and jesus, he demeaned her faith, he demeaned her sexually, he demeaned her education, he demeaned her.<br /><br />As he proudly told us in one sermon, anything goes in the bedroom once married.<br /><br />Did he demand things that Amanda was not comfortable with or wanted to do?<br />Did she learn the truth about his sexuality?<br /><br />On learning the truth about who she married and what would happen in the future, did she decide to walk away?<br /><br />Amanda walking away from him would mean the truth of the marriage coming out in court, it could not be allowed to happen.<br /><br />A divorced pastor with a sexuality problem means his dreams of a megachurch come crashing down.<br /><br />Start up money needing to be paid back, no congregation, he would be left with a son who was proof of Amanda, proof of her faith, proof of his lies to her, proof of his lies to his congregation and followers.<br />With Weston alive, Amanda's spirit is still alive and there to haunt him.<br />Weston would grow up and want to know what happened to his mom, why davey did what he did and didn't do,<br />Weston is a living breathing reminder of Amanda , who and what she was, everything davey isn't.<br /><br />Did Amanda die not as a result of a home invasion, did she die because of her beliefs, she believed her love for her faith meant she could no longer live a lie with a child and one on the way.<br />She refused to change or alter her beliefs to suit him so she had to die?<br /><br />She died to let davey live his life, the way he wanted to?Tania Cadoganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06511272355142175684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164794708270892518.post-57508484770607553162016-01-05T14:23:31.540-05:002016-01-05T14:23:31.540-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Tania Cadoganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06511272355142175684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164794708270892518.post-9911687042431049442016-01-05T14:07:54.709-05:002016-01-05T14:07:54.709-05:00I also believe Amanda is among the martyrs. Do you...<b> I also believe Amanda is among the martyrs. Do you know why? Because she and I moved up here to reach people just like the people who killed her."</b><br /><br />Is this leakage?<br /><br />The people who moved up here killed her?<br /><br />Oh dear davey.http://www.wyff4.com/news/pastor-whose-wife-was-murdered-preaches-for-first-time-since-her-death/37130008Tania Cadoganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06511272355142175684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164794708270892518.post-73196642019969280502016-01-05T09:35:40.234-05:002016-01-05T09:35:40.234-05:00OT (I keep forgetting)
John said of Davey:
@ 51...OT (I keep forgetting)<br /><br />John said of Davey:<br /><br />@ 51:51 he says: " I don't care if you believe me or not. I believe that Amanda is listed among the martyrs now. You know why, you know why. Because she and i moved up here to reach people. Just like the people who killed her. Yes i said it" Listen to what he says about the people ("the enemy") who killed her.<br /><br />Is he saying that the people who killed Amanda are the same people who moved to Indiana to reach people? Or is he saying they moved there to reach people just like the people who killed her - reaching out to would-be murderers was there reason for moving there? Well, that's not true. White, middle-class with the potential to tithe well is the most likely demographic - people like themselves.Hey Judehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05118508358051764200noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164794708270892518.post-16998148403850768622016-01-05T08:39:50.796-05:002016-01-05T08:39:50.796-05:00Elf - thanks for the introduction to Frasier - I&#...Elf - thanks for the introduction to Frasier - I'm more than a bit late. I didn't like 'Cheers' so didn't bother with Frasier - I should be more willing to give shows a chance. <br /><br />---<br /><br />I don't immediately understand what he means by 'lock and load' - I assume he meant something like one shouldn't 'zone in' on, or be prepared to target one person, particularly, as a suspect. It's an aggressive sounding thing to say, but then one would expect investigators to be aggressive in the pursuit of what can only pass for justice in such a horrible crime. Hey Judehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05118508358051764200noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164794708270892518.post-22421947354550236522016-01-04T12:08:03.451-05:002016-01-04T12:08:03.451-05:00A few things:
First, Tania: tania cadogan said.....A few things:<br /><br />First, Tania: tania cadogan said...<br />Thanks John, he just can't help himself.<br />He is leakier than a sieve.<br />January 4, 2016 at 9:50 AM <br /><br />Bizarre but true. <br /><br />Next, anonymous: Anonymous Anonymous said...<br />John, what got me about SA is he said something like: Why would they find evidence?<br /><br />I would have expected: How would they find evidence? (That is, if none were there).<br /><br />(end of quote)<br /><br /><br />Very good observation. Questions used as responses are very important. <br /><br /><br />Lastly,<br /><br />200,000 signatures asking for Steven Avery to be pardoned. <br /><br />This is a lot of people who are deceived and it highlights how rare discernment is, and how powerful multi-media is in persuasion. <br /><br />I blame, for the most part, the prosecutor and investigators who all brought suspicion upon the case, by their own hands. Far better to present what they had factually, and tell the truth. We all make mistakes and every investigation has mistakes. Let a jury decide and treat others as you would like yourself treated. <br /><br />We must have justice but consider this:<br /><br />If your son was alleged to have done something, would you want honest police and an honest prosecutor, or would you accept those who "lock and load" and do whatever "it takes" to get a conviction?<br /><br />Good investigators do not need to manufacture, intimidate, nor coerce confessions. <br /><br />Skill trumps falsehood and civil rights of Americans still matters though it comes in and out of vogue. <br /><br />Peter Statement Analysis Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13607372649929274491noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164794708270892518.post-27265713199152721172016-01-04T11:30:59.888-05:002016-01-04T11:30:59.888-05:00John, what got me about SA is he said something li...John, what got me about SA is he said something like: Why would they find evidence?<br /><br />I would have expected: How would they find evidence? (That is, if none were there).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164794708270892518.post-86002406191329053332016-01-04T11:28:50.554-05:002016-01-04T11:28:50.554-05:00OT-
A must read in nastiness, self-centered alcoho...OT-<br />A must read in nastiness, self-centered alcoholic fueled rant:<br /><br />http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/banter/trending/woman-launches-facebook-attack-on-restaurant-after-fellow-diner-57-ruined-her-new-years-eve-meal-by-having-a-heart-attack-in-the-bar-34333990.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164794708270892518.post-56434673373378013922016-01-04T11:09:31.930-05:002016-01-04T11:09:31.930-05:00OT Update:
'Making a Murderer': Petitions...OT Update:<br /><br /><b>'Making a Murderer': Petitions call for Steven Avery's release</b><br /><br />(CNN)Fans of a popular Netflix docuseries are calling for the release of its subject.<br /><br />Almost 200,000 people have signed online petitions seeking a pardon for Steven Avery, whose his case is the subject of "Making a Murderer."<br /><br />'Making a Murderer': Our newest obsession<br /><br />Petitions have been launched on Change.org and at the White House, asking for a presidential pardon for Avery and his nephew Brendan Dassey, who were convicted of murdering photographer Teresa Halbach.<br /><br />"Steven Avery should be exonerated at once by presidential pardon, and the Manitowoc County officials complicit in his two false imprisonments should be held accountable to the highest extent of the U.S. criminal and civil justice systems," the Change.org petition states.<br /><br />Avery was released from prison in 2003 when DNA evidence exonerated him in a woman's brutal attack. He had served 18 years for the crime. Two years later, in the midst of a civil suit he filed over his false conviction, Avery was arrested and convicted for Halbach's murder.<br /><br />Filmmakers Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos put together "Making a Murderer" over a decade. Former Calumet County District Attorney Ken Kratz was the special prosecutor in the case against Avery and his nephew and has said the pair left out crucial evidence that pointed to Avery's guilt -- a charge the filmmakers have denied.<br /><br />"One of the things I hope viewers who really engage with the series will take away from this is this question of, if they have lingering questions, are they comfortable living with that?" Ricciardi told The Daily Beast. "There are now two people who are behind bars, probably for life. Do our viewers feel satisfied with the process that led to those convictions?"<br /><br />http://edition.cnn.com/2016/01/04/entertainment/making-a-murderer-steven-avery-petition-feat/index.html?sr=fbCNN010416making-a-murderer-steven-avery-petition-feat0406PMVODtopLink&linkId=20073416John Mc Gowanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00430624388902099338noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164794708270892518.post-82528387226069336522016-01-04T10:58:00.943-05:002016-01-04T10:58:00.943-05:00tania cadogan said...
Thanks John, he just can...tania cadogan said...<br /><br /><b>Thanks John, he just can't help himself.<br />He is leakier than a sieve.</b><br /><br />HahahahaaJohn Mc Gowanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00430624388902099338noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164794708270892518.post-57183877651162410072016-01-04T09:50:31.557-05:002016-01-04T09:50:31.557-05:00Thanks John, he just can't help himself.
He is...Thanks John, he just can't help himself.<br />He is leakier than a sieve.Tania Cadoganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06511272355142175684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164794708270892518.post-57845129215722836882016-01-04T07:06:30.510-05:002016-01-04T07:06:30.510-05:00OT Update:
Davey Blackburn:
Resonate Church:
27...OT Update:<br /><br />Davey Blackburn:<br /><br />Resonate Church:<br /><br />27 December 2015<br /><br />Contains VT and or audio. Duration 1 hour 14 mins<br /><br />Resonate Church – Carrying Hope in the Midst of Hurt<br /><br />Whether big or small, we all experience pain in our lives. But if we trust in Jesus, no matter the cause of our pain, it won’t ultimately end in evil. God wants to restore us and use our pain for His glory. In this Christmas message, Davey shares what God has been teaching him about carrying incredible hope in the midst of unbelievable pain.<br /><br />@ 12 mins 30 secs he says:<br /><br />Note the order. What is missing!<br /><br />"Now let me stop for just a second just a second. Because i believe there are some people in here, who you feel like there have been some things on your life that have been killed. They have died, maybe a dream they had has died, mayb..maybe it's a a a job or career, that has died, <b>maybe you've settled into something that's less than what you thought you're gunna achieve at this stage in your life</b>. Maybe, listen, maybe it's a family member or close friend, maybe Christmas is difficult for you. Because you've just experienced loss. And death, and here's what i know about are god.... <br /><br />It is not until 17:30 that he speaks Amanda's name, and this is in conjunction with Amanda's Dad, and last's for approx 3 1/2 mins in 1 hour and 14 mins. He then begins his now well documented "tangents" <br /><br />@ 51:51 he says: " I don't care if you believe me or not. I believe that Amanda is listed among the martyrs now. You know why, you know why. Because she and i moved up here to reach people. Just like the people who killed her. Yes i said it" Listen to what he says about the people ("the enemy") who killed her.<br /><br />He then goes into the number of people who have joined recently, (his staple) and reads out Emails sent to him about the death of Amanda.<br /><br /><br />http://resonateindianapolis.com/mediacast/resonate-church-carrying-hope-in-the-midst-of-hurt/John Mc Gowanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00430624388902099338noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164794708270892518.post-12286983132636729762016-01-04T01:36:23.036-05:002016-01-04T01:36:23.036-05:00Works with dogs too!Works with dogs too!trustmeigetithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05707304982363758140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164794708270892518.post-39672541337462148702016-01-03T23:42:14.066-05:002016-01-03T23:42:14.066-05:00Dr Frasier Crane would disagree lolDr Frasier Crane would disagree lolAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164794708270892518.post-63789036512220625212016-01-03T22:16:55.720-05:002016-01-03T22:16:55.720-05:00Anon @ 7.50 I used to like white, but now prefer ...Anon @ 7.50 I used to like white, but now prefer the reds, you can't go wrong - well, not after the first bottle. :-D. <br /><br />The wine I like best costs only around £6 a bottle, a cheap and cheerful Merlot. Tasted blind, I can't tell the difference, so the more expensive, yet still comparatively cheap wines, which Mr Hey Jude prefers, are wasted on me. If it was up to me I wouldn't pay more than £7-8 for a bottle - he probably wouldn't go above £15. 'Not serious wine lovers', some have said, before making a fuss about bouquets and palettes. I'm impervious to it all.<br /><br />I also have no preference for crystal, except for liking to flick an empty crystal glass for the sound effects, which I have long since discovered is even more taboo than saying 'it's okay' to a connoisseur who just poured you an expensive prized wine - well, I just want to get to the coffee, and I think fine wine collecting is more of a serious affectation than a hobby. :) <br /><br />It seems to me that some people have a need to impress, and to demonstrate their superior knowledge or taste, and will spend a lot in pursuit of that - I count that as an expression of insecurity - if you're not suitably impressed by wines, cars, houses, or stuff, and can't be made to feel awed and inferior, they don't get it, but stuff is only ever stuff, while it's the people who own, or who try to hide their insecurity behind it, who are of true value. I think acquisitive people are most likely to be drawn in by the marketing techniques, as they like to be able to boast about the product. When people find their own worth to be reflected by their material possessions, spending more is like increasing their own value in the eyes of others. That's how it seems to me, anyway, and it's sad. I like a few nice things, which I use till they need replacing - I read up in Which? and I love a bargain. Stuff annoys me, it takes up as much place in the mind as it does in a house. <br /><br />Hey Judehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05118508358051764200noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164794708270892518.post-53886846108138826642016-01-03T19:50:22.903-05:002016-01-03T19:50:22.903-05:00Whoever selected the most inexpensive wine as the ...Whoever selected the most inexpensive wine as the best wasn’t tasting inexpensive Arrowhead Wine Cellars’ (Lake Erie) Riesling and Chardonnay. They’re undrinkable unless you enjoy sour vinegar with an aftertaste of rubbing alcohol. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164794708270892518.post-57257996864620635682016-01-03T18:25:34.509-05:002016-01-03T18:25:34.509-05:00Who is this twisted Iranian whose most memorable e...Who is this twisted Iranian whose most memorable events occurred on the 11th of the month? I'd put money down its from Texas and enjoys the fruits of 'everything's better with blue bonnet on it.'<br /><br />(btw, I only read the first few words of each sewntence.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164794708270892518.post-31964140394111735942016-01-03T13:29:25.568-05:002016-01-03T13:29:25.568-05:00From this blog post:
"Although there are v...From this blog post: <br /><br />"Although there are various bias elements within expectation, it is very rare to overcome this particular error. Our belief regarding human nature not only impacts what we expect people to do, and subsequently what people will say, but it impacts how we view life, death, marriage, work, how we raise our children, what methods of instruction we consider best, and even down to how we view politics today and how we vote. <br /><br /> Over the years, I have known only 2 investigators who 'overcame' their initial bias to move on to successful analysis."<br /><br />Is there a particular misunderstanding about human nature that causes statement analysts to fail? Or, rather, is it a general lack of understanding about human nature? <br /><br />Also, about that 2nd paragraph quoted above, does that mean that good/successful statement analysts are rare? That second paragraph above makes me want to sign up for the course (I love a challenge)! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164794708270892518.post-64919733154378012372016-01-03T13:02:25.423-05:002016-01-03T13:02:25.423-05:00(10/11) “It was like a nightmare. I fell on the fl...(10/11) “It was like a nightmare. I fell on the floor and started screaming: “No, no, no!’ I cried for days. I couldn’t go to work because my eyes were so red. I went to the hospital and they had to give me medicine to calm me down. Security related reasons? What can that mean? They don’t know my family. I know my family. My father was a train driver. Every male in our country had to do military service for six months when they were young, but he only did the radar. He swore to me that he’d never even touched a gun in his life. Our family loved America. My father always told me about America. He made us go talk to American soldiers during the war. Other people were afraid of Americans, but he told us they were here to help us and not to be afraid of them. He told us that America was a place where so many different people lived in peace. So many religions. So many communities. We loved America! Every day we watched Oprah. My father promised me that one day we would go on her show and meet her. We even wrote about Oprah for our assignments in school. Why would we ever hurt America? All of my dreaming ended on the day this letter arrived. I became a person without hope.”<br />11/11) “Six months ago my father disappeared. He left one morning and didn’t come home. That morning he answered the phone one time, and he said: ‘I’m fine, Aya. I’ll be home soon.’ And he never answered the phone again. You can’t imagine what this has done to my mind. I don’t know if he is dead. I don’t know if he remarried. I know nothing. All day and night I must imagine what has happened. I haven’t even told my younger sisters. I tell them that Daddy went to Istanbul to work but he will be home. They wouldn’t be able to take it. I still post old photos to his Facebook page so it seems like he exists. But it’s been six months, and they want to know why he hasn’t called. I promise he’s a good person, really. I love him so much. He loved me too. He always told me that he was proud of me and I was going to be something in life. But how could he leave me like this? How could he leave all of this on my shoulders? I’m twenty years old. I can’t handle all of this by myself. I don’t need him to work, or make money, but I need him. I need my Daddy. I can’t do this alone much longer. I’m getting tired. I’m a warrior and I’m strong and I’ve fought so much but even warriors get tired. I’ve been having crazy thoughts lately. I don’t want to do it. I’ve been through so much. I wanted to go to school and be something in life. But I can’t do this much longer. I’m alone here and I’m in a very bad place. I feel very scared. I never wanted to be the traditional Arabic girl who marries her cousin and spends all day in the house. I’ve worked so hard to escape it all. And I know it’s dangerous. But if things don’t change for me, I think I’ll have to go back to Iraq.”Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164794708270892518.post-41631100801781913682016-01-03T13:01:23.536-05:002016-01-03T13:01:23.536-05:00A8/11) “My years in Turkey have been the hardest f...A8/11) “My years in Turkey have been the hardest four years of my life. When we first arrived from Syria, we couldn’t communicate with anyone. I had no friends. If we wanted an egg from the store, we had to make chicken sounds. I paid for everything in this apartment by working as an interpreter for an NGO. We started at a zero and I built us up to a six, all by myself, and I’m very proud of that. But we can go no further without citizenship. I can’t get a degree. I can’t work any other job. Turkey has taken many refugees and we should be thankful for that. And the people here were nice to us at first. Our neighbors brought us rice and food. But then more refugees came. And more. And then everything changed. Now people shout at us in the streets. They tell us to leave. But we have nowhere to go. A man recently started sending me messages on Facebook, saying: ‘Get out!’ I didn’t even know him! Why me? Why did he choose me? We’ve had to switch apartments four times because our landlord decided that Arabic people are no longer allowed. I’ve been hit by a car. My sister got hit in the face at school and lost two teeth, and now her vision is bad in one eye. Being a refugee is really hard. They blame us for everything. They blame us for no jobs. For crowded streets. For crime. They say that we are the reason for everything bad. And if war ever comes to Turkey, we’ll be the first to die. Because they’ll blame us for that too."<br /><br />9/11) “We applied for resettlement in America. We did all our paperwork. We had two different interviews in Istanbul. Then we waited for a very long time. For months I kept checking the website, but it always said: ‘Case pending.’ Then one night my friend called me, very excited. It was midnight. She told us there had been an update on the website. I ran to the computer, entered our case number, and it said ‘Case accepted!’ I zoomed in on the word 'accepted’ and my hand started shaking. I screamed to my family: ‘Turn off the TV! We’re going to America!’ It was like a wedding. We turned on the music. We started dancing and crying and kissing each other. A new life! The United States! We couldn’t believe it! Over the next few weeks I spent so much time on the computer. I searched for schools for my brother and sisters. I found the university I wanted to study in. I found a hospital for my mother. I was searching for jobs for my father. I had everything planned. I even found extra clothes for George because I thought it might be cold. In the evenings I’d sit with my sisters and help them plan what their rooms would look like. And Christmas time was coming. We thought we would go to New York during Christmas time! We were even planning to see the big tree! For two months we dreamed like this. Then a letter came in the mail.”<br /><br /><br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164794708270892518.post-82816415798678625632016-01-03T13:00:14.508-05:002016-01-03T13:00:14.508-05:00(5/11) “Our house in Baghdad was located near a mi...(5/11) “Our house in Baghdad was located near a military compound, and the militia officers wanted it for themselves. They sent three men to our house to order us to leave. When my father refused, they mailed us an envelope with bullets inside. My father was working as a library security guard during this time. The militia went to the library and murdered my father’s coworker—thinking it was him. My father became very scared when he heard this. He told us we had to pack all our clothes into bags and leave Iraq immediately. It was the middle of the night. I didn’t want to go. I didn’t want to leave my bedroom or my school or my friends. I wasn’t even allowed to say goodbye to anyone. Nobody knew we were leaving. When the taxi arrived, I held onto the doorframe and screamed that I wasn’t going. My father pulled me away and told me that we were going to live in a better place. That night we drove to Syria."<br /><br />(6/11) “I was fourteen when I arrived in Syria. Those were the best two years of my life. The first day we arrived, I made my father take me to school so I could register. I was doing so well in school. I got very good grades. I got so many awards and my teachers kept telling me that I had a very bright future. They told me: ‘One day Aya, you will be the voice of refugees.’ On the weekend I was volunteering to help other refugees. I organized an entire chorus of refugees. Things were going so well. My father was working as a driver. We were very comfortable. Then war came to Syria. It began for me as a bomb threat at our school. Then people began killing each other in the street. I was studying one afternoon, and I looked out the window, and a man smashed another man’s head with a stone. Right in front of me. Our landlord told us: ‘I am leaving the country. Everyone must go.’ So again we became refugees. We put everything we had into six bags, and we left.” <br />(7/11) “George is my refugee dog. We’ve been through many horrible things together. I found him in Baghdad when he was just a puppy. My father and I were driving down the road and I saw some teenagers holding George by the ears and hitting him. I jumped out of the car and begged them to stop and gave them all the money I had. George was so thin and dirty, and the doctor said he was very sick and he’d only survive if I took perfect care of him. And look at him now! He’s been with me through Iraq, Syria, Turkey… everything. Whenever he sees me crying, he jumps in my lap and uses his paw to pull my hands away from my face.”<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164794708270892518.post-25028598858874296972016-01-03T12:59:05.402-05:002016-01-03T12:59:05.402-05:00"When I was a baby I came very close to dying..."When I was a baby I came very close to dying. I’m not sure how to say the name of the disease in English, but all the water in my body started to dry. I couldn’t gain weight and I became very weak. This was during Saddam’s time, and the hospital staff told my mother that in two days they would euthanize me. But my mother refused to accept this. She called everywhere and found a clinic in Jordan that said they could give me treatment. There was an American doctor there who saved my life. We stayed in Jordan until I was seven, and then we moved back to Baghdad. One day I was playing in our garden and I heard very loud noises and the sky was really red and everyone was screaming. It’s very hard to describe. It was like there was blood in the sky.”<br /><br />(2/11) “This is a photo of me right before the war came. Maybe my parents knew the war was coming, but they didn’t tell me. I wouldn’t have understood. I didn’t even know the meaning of war. Bombs started falling all around us. We lived very near one of Saddam’s castles. My mother told us: ‘It will be very loud, but nothing bad will happen to us. We will all be here together.’ Many houses in our neighborhood were destroyed, but I’d close my ears and sing songs whenever the bombs came close. In the cartoon shows, the good always wins, so I thought that we were good and nothing would happen to us. Then one day I heard a big sound and I saw that my best friend Miriam’s house had been destroyed. We walked to school together every day. I went to see if she was OK and I saw Miriam on the ground. She didn’t have any legs and she was screaming and I can still hear that sound now. They pulled me away but I saw everything. I don’t think it was good for a child to see this.”<br /><br />"After Miriam died, I began to have silly thoughts. I thought that I was supposed to be President of the World. It sounds funny now but I was just ten years old. I thought that if I was really clever in school and got all the best marks, I would become a leader and I could stop the war. I could just tell everyone to love each other and they would listen to me. I taught myself English during this time. I would listen to American songs and translate every word. I’d watch Hollywood movies. I’d practice talking to myself in front of the mirror every night. I’d even give gum to American soldiers so I could have conversations with them. I thought maybe if I just concentrated on my studies, I could avoid the war. It worked for two years. But one day I was driving with my father and a car bomb exploded ahead of us. I got out of the car because I thought that maybe I could save the people but there were hands and heads in the street. Everyone was dead. It was like a horror movie. It was like Titanic but it was really happening and it was in the street.”<br /><br />(4/11) “These things are very hard for me to remember, but I try not to cry because I want to be strong for my mother. It was hardest for her because she had children. During the war she had to worry about herself, but she also had to worry about us. It made her very ill. Her blood pressure is very high now. Her hand shakes. She has bladder problems. But she is my hero because she always protected us. One time when my father wasn’t home, a strange man entered our house. But my mother pretended to be a man and screamed downstairs in a very deep voice. And she saved us.”<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164794708270892518.post-69792862351999036182016-01-03T12:57:51.310-05:002016-01-03T12:57:51.310-05:00Observation of something pretty minor: a popular ...Observation of something pretty minor: a popular advice columnist swears letters written asking her advice are real; not fabricated. I think I believe that, but based on how similar they all seem to each other in phrasing, tone, sentence structure, I do believe they are edited for clarity. In so doing, they all sound as if they're written by the same person. Me2lhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08369069267909573020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7164794708270892518.post-83995051427077510642016-01-03T12:54:30.300-05:002016-01-03T12:54:30.300-05:00Off Topic:
I was wondering if you could analyze a ...Off Topic:<br />I was wondering if you could analyze a statement of a non-native English speaker. In persons where English is a second language, is there any difference in analyzing? I included statements from "Humans of NY", where a young adult originally from Iraq and a refugee in Turkey is looking into resettlement into the U.S. Wit her family, There is no crime involved, but I was intrigued by the language change. Transcript is posted after. Thanks!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com