The majority of Christians have stepped away from not only this prediction of day and time but those of others who have predicted Judgment day in the past.  I have heard that Jesus is coming soon most of my life…however, soon is a matter of opinion.  I DO believe that Jesus is the son of God and that he is returning for those who believe in him and those who are serving him on a daily basis…living their lives according to what the scriptures tell them to do to be Holy.

Already the news people are moving the story to the back of the page.  The story mentions that are appearing now, are that the Rapture has not happened on the other side of Earth where it is already May 22, 2011.

You need to read the Bible if you are truly interested in the End Times.  There are people who don’t know the signs to look for.   Wars and rumors of wars, natural disasters, politcal unrest around the world…these things are happening.  There are other signs as well.   Our world is going to end and there will be a new Heaven and a new Earth…but you must read the Bible or consult with a Bible Believing counselor, pastor or advisor who knows about the subject.  The Bible says be not fooled by those who claim peace…many will want to believe because the world is so troubled; but that is when the anti-Christ will appear and seem so able to handle things promising and doing things that people will be fooled by.  Read the word and be informed.

It is no joke…one day..again…no one knows the day or the time…God is coming back for those who have confessed that Jesus is the Lord and Savior of all who believe.   Are you ready? If you have sins in your life…or your life has areas that need dealing with and cleaning up…talk to God.  Got problems that feel too big to handle, or a feeling of emptiness that just can’t get filled up with all the things that the world has to offer?  Been abused, abandoned, hurt or been the one doing those things? God can fix it all, if you give him a chance.  Get your heart right…open the doors of communication through prayer and tell God that you are ready for him to come into your heart and make it right.

While that statement isn’t always true about every person…I believe that is the way that God created us.  Since he created animals too and they give so many of us a daily dose of joy and a lift to our spirits I have often wondered if God gave them a bit of the same compassionate nature that he gave to us humans.

Often you will hear stories of an animal that comforted or rescued someone who was hurt, lost, in danger, or suffering with a disease or illness.  I really enjoy hearing those stories.  Sometimes you will see animals do some amazing things; that’s why when I watched this video, which I first saw on the news, I had to post it here.  Then I went to Youtube to get the link.  The situation that unfolds, in the video, is that a group of elephants are drinking at the waters edge and a young one falls into the water.  The compassion and teamwork that the adult elephants put to use is very inspiring to me.  I hope you enjoy this elephant video rescue .

I love how the adult elephants size up the situation, are compassionate towards the young one who was in danger; and, use teamwork to rescue the baby elephant.  It just proves to me that animals are smart and have big hearts towards one another…I think that is amazing. God designed every part of our world in an impressive and fascinating way.  Compassionate behavior should be encouraged in both the human world and in the animal kingdom.  How can we be more compassionate and encouraging in our lives?  Leave your thoughts after watching the video to let me know you visited, if you please.

Bullying is more complicated these days because of the way in which it is done; it is psychological, it is persistent, and it can include threats, violence, or even sexual threats.  Most people over the age of 40 remember the school bully…you know the one.  He/She was the person who everyone feared and gave a wide berth to just because he sought out and picked on those he/she knew for a fact that they could take on and win.  We all have had some relationship to that kind of person.   However, now it seems that there is a group mentality when bullying or persistent harassment starts up.

  Back when i was growing up you had one of two options…ignore that person and stay far away from them or “stand up to them” and work up your courage to go toe to toe.  Remember the childhood phrase that we were all taught…sticks and stones will break your bones but words will never hurt you?  That couldn’t be farther from the truth; we all know that words have the power to destroy a person’s self-worth and the value of that person in the eyes of others.

Everyday it seems that we hear about another child/teen/college student that has been bullied or cyber stalked and trash talked about.  Many of those cases either end in a suicide or a violent attack or even in some cases of extreme bullying…a retribution plan of attack on a school with a violent outburst.  Lives are ruined, hearts and minds are damaged; many individuals end up in prison because of bullying.

 A real danger is people who think that bullying is a normal part of growing up…it isn’t and it should not ever be allowed.  Making excuses and telling a victim of such behavior to just ignore it is equal to nullifying their experience with bullying…which in effect tells them that they are powerless to change their circumstance in a positive way.

There is a hopelessness about our young people.   Many of them, in a desperate need to feel something, are self mutilating, becoming promiscuous,  developing eating disorders, or diving into the world of drug/alcohol addictions in reaction to their feelings about themselves and their lack of proper treatment by others.   They have been conditioned to think that nothing is going to change for the better; so they feel angry, bitter, broken and depressed.

 Don’t fool yourself into thinking that it doesn’t affect you, your children, your grandchildren, or the children in your church or neighborhood.  It does; and things are getting desperate.  Kids feel threatened, they feel demeaned and they feel powerless…so, many of them will arm themselves and things escalate quickly.   This is good for no one.

Respect for themselves as well as others is important to fight bullying.  Finding mentors for our young people is helpful…getting involved in sports or extra curricular activities that give them an appropriate sense of pride in themselves and their involvement.  Community service that gives them a sense of personal value and connects them to others who recognize their strengths and talents.  Inspiring hope and promise for a future is what kids need.  Instead, we often find that our young people aren’t getting those important messages about themselves.

With all of the new technology, kids are able to be “connected” 24 hours a day to not only their friends; but also, to people who wish them harm.  This connection includes cell phones, cell phone pictures, texts, email, chat lines, websites and forums.   Kids live in the midst of a multi-media blitz in their lives in school and at home.  Pay attention to them closely; watch for any changes in behavior, attitude, relationships and moods.  It could be life and death-for them and anyone who is in their lives, personally and socially.

Don’t think, not my child, not my child’s friend or the kids in my youth group.  I’ve worked with kids most of my adult life; for well over 30 years and things have broken down.  Kids, even good ones have low self esteem, they are depressed, frightened and angry.   Many of them don’t feel loved (even when they are), they don’t feel valued, appreciated or listened to.  They feel trapped and alone or isolated…even when they are surrounded by friends and activities.  It is a recipe for disaster not to recognize the patterns or seeds of destruction.

In truth, it makes you want to build a fortress around them to protect them against those who seek them out to do them harm.  So what can a parent, an educator, a spiritual leader, a friend, or a sibling do to help those caught in the web of persistent bullying/stalking?

First of all, pay attention.  Listen closely, monitor things…set limits of exposure online.  Talk to them and their friends about situations of bullying in their school or social networks.  Document any kind of negative interaction…write it down, talk to the school administration, file a report, alert teachers, bus drivers, neighborhood watches to any kind of bullying or violent situations that may come up.  Create a network of awareness and prevention where you can.  Ask your school to bring in safety experts and relationship experts who are trained in these areas of concern. 

Expect there to be resistence from the powers that be.  Many of them will give lip service to the no tolerance rule of bullying…but never, EVER, let them talk you out of filing official reports or grievances.   Often a school will just expell a student for a short time as a discipline…never following up with corrective action such as counseling or conflict resolution.   Leadership must establish methods of dealing with this type of behavior in a constructive way. 

For the victims of bullying or school violence… it may be helpful to have some self-defense training, some skilled training about paying attention to their surroundings and who is in their direct physical environment; making judgement calls about making decisions about where to go and with whom.   Get restraining orders or personal orders of protection if you feel it is something necessary to the physical and emotional well-being of the victim.     In some cases, change schools or even in extreme cases…it is best to even move or send them to live with a relative temporarily-especially if there is gang involvement.   This is no small thing to overcome and you do not want a victim of bullying/violence to become a prisoner to fear in their everyday life.

Does that sound like an over-reaction?  I can assure you that it is not; don’t believe me?  Watch the news, listen to a mother or a father that has lost a child to school violence or bullying; they would do anything if they could go back and do something different.   Or maybe listen to the child who in reaction to the bullying, who took matters into his/her own hands and tried to retaliate only to end up in prison for years or for life.  That ought to convince you that taking drastic measures to protect your child or your family is a good thing.  You see, persistent bullying often spreads and becomes a contagious thing…affecting other family members or sometimes even others in the neighborhood.   It is serious, but things can be done to improve the situation; get good advice from law enforcement or safety experts on the matter.

Ok, remember that I mentioned that some of you wouldn’t make it this far because you think it doesn’t affect you.  These young people who are traumatized, or trained to protect themselves emotionally by closing off normal pathways of emotion, are going to grow up.  They are going to become doctors, lawyers, nurses, teachers and nursing home supervisors, counselors and so on.

If their standards of what is acceptable, in relation to inappropriate levels of behavior have been damaged, are you going to want them caring for your grandchildren in day care, or taking care of one of your loved ones in a hospital or nursing home setting?  If they have learned to accept that kind of treatment in their own life, they surely won’t recognize it as inappropriate behavior in relation to others like yourself.  

Please, love on the youth today build them up and help them to be strong individuals in a healthy way; care for them, listen to them, protect them through legal channels and through school policies.  You won’t regret being proactive in the name of what is right!

       Tiger says that he is aware of the hurt and damage that he has caused and that he is sorry; and, he is asking for forgiveness.  He appears to be aware that his actions have impacted his sponsors, his family, friends, fans and the public in general in a tremendously negative way.   At one point, in the last couple of weeks, he referred to his sins, and the fact that he wasn’t perfect.  The effects of these poor choices are long reaching and potentially explosive.

       His statement calls for the need for time, privacy and a safe haven that he and his family need for healing.  News reports claim that Elin, his wife, has purchased a home on an island in Stockholm, Sweden.  This after the New York Post has reported that Tiger is being accused of paying a large sum of money to former alleged madam Michelle Braun for the services of her escorts (and some say prostitutes).   Ms. Braun allegedly claims that the services she provided through her escorts included more than just dates and sometimes included multiple girls at the same time.  He could be in  legal trouble there because prostitution is illegal; if that actually happened and it can be proven.

        All of these allegations simply imply that Tiger was living a life that was wildly out of control on a personal level.  The fact that people are making these claims and he is not denying them is horribly disappointing to many.  Tiger had the public image of a stand up guy; a guy who became a positive inspiration to many.   He had the image of a perfect family, a successful career, a role model to young people around the world…and wealth, fame and status that many only dream of achieving.   However, most of us know that putting people on a pedestal is wrong, human beings can fail. 

        Tiger and his father set up his Tiger Wood’s Foundation to give back to society.  When they began the organization it was intented to help young people discover who they are and what their skill sets are.  There is the Tiger Woods Learning Center which has after school programs that help kids explore and prepare for careers that they are interested in pursuing.  The foundation even offers scholarships to some.  This is all worthwhile and admirable.  However, it is hoped that these recent developments in Tiger’s life do not negatively impact the giving to the foundation or those who benefit from the foundation and it’s services; that would only hurt those who have come to depend on the opportunities that the foundation provides young people who are trying to reach for their dreams by achieving their goals.

        Tiger’s father Earl was instrumental in inspiring him and helping Tiger to focus his attention on achieving his goals.   When he lost his father, his Pop, you have to wonder if he lost his moral rudder.  Some say that it is possible that Tigers recent car accident was caused by a possible addiction to pain medication.  Tiger’s alledged participation with Ms. Braun’s escorts supposedly happened between 2006 and 2007.  

        Tiger Woods lost his father Earl in the Spring of 2006 and the birth of his first child, daughter Sam, was in early summer of 2007.  Knee surgery combined with these other major life changes happening at the same time could have contributed to this situation; however, ultimately no one is responsible for Tiger’s choices but, he himself.  The sad thing is that others will suffer consequences through no cause of their own.  Tiger has recently said that, he needs to focus his attention on being a better husband, father and a person.  It could be that he comes out of this whole debacle stronger, healthier and with more moral integrity than he was perceived to have had before he fell from grace.

          By moving to this home on the island of Stockholm, Sweden, that is only accessible by boat, he increases his chances of doing exactly what he said he needs to do, to become a better husband, father and a person.  They will need help as a couple to repair their marriage and they will need privacy…this home on the island should be helpful; as long as, they look at it, in that way and not as a means of running away.  

         There is going to be no easy fix.  The thing is, if there was as much promiscuity as the newspapers claim, then there are health concerns as well for everyone involved.  Testing should be manditory for each person who was sexually active with Tiger.   This  healing time will require open communication and honesty.  It may include professional help.  It should definately include a spiritual awakening, because that will help facilitate healing  in all of the areas of his life.  Tiger Woods is on a course to self-improvement…let’s wish him and his family well in their attempts to recover and heal from these difficult challenges.

        She joined them and according to some news reports she too began drinking.  At some point, this group found it’s way to a darkened out of the way area on the school grounds where some terrible violence occured.  This young woman was violently gang raped, beaten and robbed; left to lay curled up alongside of some benches.  The story is still evolving, however there are reports that she may have been raped by as many as 10 individuals while other individuals came and watched, possibly taking pictures with their cell phones…and others were involved in physically assaulting her.    All in all, the numbers are still changing…but, at this point…five individuals have been arrested so far; ranging in ages from 15-21 years of age. 

       It is being said that those who viewed the crime but didn’t report it wont be brought up on charges, even though it is against the law for people to view a crime against children and not intervene through law enforcement; but it only applies from my understanding to children under the age of 14.  Still, if it is true that some by standers did in fact capture the attack on their cell phones…that is evidence.  But, if any of those people turn it in to the authorities…i wonder if they wont be charged for filming “sexual images involving a minor”, especially if they published it online.

        Investigators are still interviewing individuals and processing evidence.   A large number of people actually watched this rape and assault take place and did nothing to intervene; nor, did they call authorities or emergency personel.  

        This is a huge disconnect on a compassionate level for human beings; law enforcement, social workers, mental health experts, educators, parents and students will be studying this unfortunate situation for years to come to make sense of it and try to find a way to correct the conditions which allowed it to take place.   This attack allegedly took place over 2 1/2 hours; that is a long time to watch someone being abused and not be moved to act.  Eventually, some young men were discussing the alleged events and someone overheard it and called to report it to the authorities. 

         There are so many levels of horror to discuss here that it begs to be argued over which issue is more important.  However, rape and assault are never ok…and should never be condoned or viewed as entertainment or a spectator sport…that is my first thought that I want to communicate.    Beyond that…certainly we need to understand the reasons why our young people who were involved in this situation could allow themselves to witness and or participate in such dispicable behavior towards another human being.  Those who witnessed it and did not make attempts to stop it, nor to notify law enforcement need to examine why they did not take appropriate, compassionate action! 

         The young woman’s father allegedly tried to reach her by her cell phone and got no response.  I can only imagine the thoughts that ran through his head that evening or even now, knowing what took place and how his child was violated.

           The school where this took place has said that the homecoming dance event was a success with no problems…it was only after the young woman left the building that this assault took place.  While I understand what they were trying to convey…it did come across as somewhat insensitive to read articles that alledge that the school said that the school doesn’t take the students home…meaning that they aren’t responsible once they walk out the door.  Whether that is what the person speaking meant to say, or whether it was in fact what they did say…it does little to reasssure parents or community leaders that minor students are in fact safe in these environments once they are beyond the eyes of those who are supervising.

         Does any of this alleviate personal choices made by any of the individuals involved in the actual assault?  No…certainly we are all responsible for individual choices and actions.  Those who beat, raped or viewed the assault and did nothing have to understand their own responsibility.  The young woman who made the choice to stop and drink alcohol (which can lessen a person’s ability to make clear and responsible decisions in situations that are not safe) will be questioning her own decision making for a long time to come.  She will have a long road towards healing physically and emotionally.

        Let’s be clear…drinking alcohol certainly does not give anyone permission to physically or sexually assault another person.  Was it a wise decision to stop and drink alcohol on school grounds with a group of people when the young woman was only 15 years old?  No, underage drinking is not wise.  Still, no one deserves to be beaten and raped.  She will spend a lifetime trying to overcome this horrible experience and heal from the traumatic memories.

           These questions and more will be asked and pondered over.  In a larger sense, maybe as a society we need to examine the things that go on in our society that desensitize individuals to do these types of things.  We need to look at our cuture for some of these answers.  Everyday we bombard our citizens, both young and old, with images and words in marketing/ advertising aimed at sensualizing and sexualizing everything from soap to clothing, to food, to music, movies and video games.  Extremely troubling is some music videos and video games that seem to highlight treating women and children violently and with disregard for their well-being. 

         There are serious consequences to this kind of behavior in real life.  Rape and violence of any kind are troubling breaches of appropriate behavior and an acceptable personal moral code of conduct.   Some of these images and audios promote violent and uncaring attitudes towards others.  Respect for others is lacking; and things that seemed to be valued are monetary things.   Is it any wonder why some individuals appear to have a lack of control or compassion?

        We must start demanding positive and uplifting changes if we are to combat these types of incidents from becoming common place. 

           When David announced details  on the show about the alledged blackmail attempt (which he reported to the authorities) David was applauded by some supporters as “being manly”; or, being proactive and taking the reins in the attempt to spin the public’s perception of the whole sordid situation.   I personally dont find it manly to sleep with co-workers casually and then make a joke out of it for public consumption on television.   

             There are some people who are “standing by their Letterman” no matter what.   When I hear them talking it makes me wonder what their personal values are…and I also wonder about the individuals that they are in a relationship are thinking.  Hmmm…if my significant other thinks it is ok for David Letterman to cheat in his relationship and sleep with his co-workers…then what is my significant other doing when I am not around…that is the kind of thoughts that would be running through my mind if my significant other was speaking out in support of David’s bad behavior. 

         Another thing, while David has spoken in jest about such matters…he has that smirk on his face (in my opinion)…which just doesn’t sit well with me.  It makes me think he is callous in his treatment of others or worse…that he is loving all of the chaos that this mess is causing and is giving him more attention and ratings than he could have hoped for.  Either way, I don’t like watching his cheesy grin while he devalues his relationship with Regina or those other woman by turning it into some kind of “hip” monologue to “entertain” people with.  

            There is some concern that all of the jokes that David (and others) are cracking in public is going to create a backlash for David and his image.  I say, are you serious?  Ok, so none of the women he had relationships with on his staff are complaining.   Still, some women’s organizations are complaining about his attitude toward women in the workplace.   Ok, so his wife has not made a public statement about her feelings on the situation.  Ok, some really big stars and supporters are saying …yeah well, David is the man, because he confronted the issue through his television show.  David has done plenty of bashing of other men, who were in similiar positions as him regarding inappropriate or immoral sexual behavior over the years. 

        I just want to say that I don’t find any of this a laughing matter…it really rather offends me that he is cracking jokes about such a serious situation; one that is causing hurt for so many people.  For those who are spiritually minded, this is a huge concern as it goes against most religious guidelines for proper or appropriate behavior; in fact, it is considered a sin by many. 

         Maybe David thinks this is the appropriate way to address the situation by laughing at it.  Hmmm…or maybe not.  Maybe he is attempting to put a spin on the damage or as they say, he is doing damage control.  Except…really, for a man who waited so many years to remarry…to have a young son…wouldn’t you think he would be concerned about how this is affecting those closest to him?  I have heard him apologize to his staff, and acknowledge that his actions have deeply hurt his wife Regina.  I heard him say that if one is responsible for causing that kind of hurt that they need to repair the damage.  It is easier said than done.

          Ok Dave…I am going to speak your language and give you some free advice.  Here are the top 10  ten reasons that you, David Letterman, need to stop laughing and making jokes about your actions in this situation.

Reason #10

People might think you would do it all over again-because you thanked your staff for standing by you when you got “yourself” into something stupid!   Hello…you got alot of people into something stupid.

Reason #9

You could lose your job over the situation.

Reason #8

You could lose viewers in the long run (even though the immediate numbers are up).

Reason #7

You could lose sponsors for the show-which in turn could cause you to lose your job.

Reason #6

You could have damaged marriages & family relationships for the people on your staff.

Reason #5

You have given your child plenty of counseling material for years to come-plus ammunition for school bullies to taunt your young son Harry…he may not always respect you, like you appear to have respected your father.

Reason #4

You have given your wife reason to doubt and mistrust your actions with present & future staff-this may have destroyed the trustibility in your marriage-costing you companionship, love, support, and half of your financial legacy.

Reason #3

You have damaged your relationship with your wife & mother of your only child-yes you were not married but you were in a relationship with her during the time of this alledged behavior.

Reason #2

You look like an insensitive jerk by laughing at a situation that affects thousands & thousands of your viewer’s marriages and relationships each and every day.

Reason #1

The other half of the story isn’t out yet…and there will be more information to come out.  The more you laugh now the more there could be to explain later…to the public, to those you have personal relationships with and to the authorities in a court room.  Your name will not just be known for your comedic skills and talents…it will be forever associated with sex, scandal, back room relationships…and negative publicity.  Your so called friends and supporters will distance themselves from you quicker than quick if the publicity takes a negative turn.   Oh and by the way, it just isn’t funny David Letterman!

It is no secret that human beings need security and stability.  We all like to know that we will have enough food to eat, a place to sleep and people who care about us in our daily lives; a place to come home to…a place to belong.  It keeps us connected, protected and stops us from feeling rejected.  Children who are in foster care, no matter their age, have issues with security and stability; mostly through no fault of their own.   Most children, in care, have suffered through abuse or neglect or they wouldn’t be in the foster care system.   Their lives are in a constant state of chaos; a condition that they have little, or no control over.  That does not feel good on any level.  After all, they are the ones who have to live with the results of any decisions that are made about their future.

For teens who are in the foster care system; the effects are even more pronounced.  You see the chances of finding a permanent adoptive placement, if their parents rights are terminated, are slim.   It can happen and for those that do find a permanent adoptive placement that is stable and healthy…they often are able to find a certain level of peace, after a period of adjustment;  sometimes they do not.  Conflicting emotions can’t be avoided about leaving the tangled web of a biological family to join another family; even if the biological family dynamics are not ideal, from which they came.  It can be heartbreaking,  all children need and deserve love and protection.

For those teens in foster care, who do not find a permanent adoptive placement, even their status as a foster child can be chaotic.  Some placements are broken over, and over again, due to behavior issues, personality conflicts, demands of the court, death, violence, legal issues that can arise out of acting out behaviors…school placement needs and yes, even financial reasons.   Sometimes, as a child nears the “magical” age of 17 or 18 years of age…the system begins it’s process of moving the child out of the court’s jourisdiction.  In other words, they begin to weigh the cost of “caring and providing” services to that teen against the age of the child and conditions surrounding their placement; they start to plan for the release of that foster child into society.

This is where things can become more complicated.  Some agencies don’t want the legal or financial burden that continued care  can place on an agency when a teen is so close to “legal adult status”.  Especially, if the cost of that care includes, expensive psychological/psychiatric care, rehab or institutionalization, services of the juvenile delinquency system, respite care, high medical costs, or specialized placement due to violence or run-away issues.   Still other situations include those such as a teen that is getting close to adult status…but, he or she may not, have any biological family that can or will, stand up and be willing to parent the child/teen.   That is emotionally difficult…and can add much hurt and damage to the young person.

All of that tends to affect their self-esteem, confidence, and the desire for stability in the teen.  Some teens get so anxious that they act out, even more, in school or within the foster home; which only deepens the difficulty in maintaining their placement.   Foster parents are often caught in the middle of the situation because they “work” for the agency through which they are licensed and are obligated to uphold whatever decisions are made when it comes to the placement.

So, if an agency or a court system decides to “release” a teen to live on their own…even though they may not have completed their high school education, have a job, or an appropriate place to live…the foster family is often forbidden to continue to provide a home for them.  Once they are no longer a ward of the court, and the foster parent has other children in the home…it then could violate their agreement with the agency who licenses them to “allow” a person who is not a “family” member to stay there; even though that child may have lived there for months or years with the same “family” members.   It makes little sense to me.

If you know an individual or foster family who is struggling with such a situation…you can be a conduit for finding a place for that older child or teen to belong.   It is hard enough for anyone starting out in life…but, if you come from a place of dysfunction because of family issues in the birth family and spend time in foster care because of it…it can affect that person for life.

Everyone needs to feel good about themselves and what they are trying to achieve.   Spread the word to people who would be appropriate to help this young person to transition to adulthood; by allowing them to finish their education or continue it, providing a job, emotional support, maybe even some financial help to getting established, help them to find a church to support them in their efforts to start out on their own.    All of those pieces of the puzzle are needed to allow this young person to grow into an individual who is a productive, happy, well educated and on a positive path instead of perpetuating patterns of negative behaviors and actions that they may have picked up along the way.  Any ideas on how you can help someone to find a permanent place to belong that is condusive to living a long and healthy, productive and happy life as a young adult?

          Today, Bernie Madoff the so called-mastermind of the biggest Ponzi scheme perpetuated on the world of financial investing was sentenced to 150 years behind bars for his crimes.  He actually stood before the judge and said that he was NOT asking for forgiveness; nor, was he going to be offering any excuses for his behavior.  He tried to communicate how he is shamed, and that he must live with the pain and the suffering that he has caused.   Those sentiments do not jive well with the allegations that approximately $15 million dollars of company money was allegedly transferred into his wife’s personal account when it became clear that this scheme was about to come to an end.   Good Lord…is Bernie Madoff delusional? 

           Bernie…at least Robin Hood GAVE to the poor…he didn’t steal from them!  In the stories of Robin Hood, he is forced to steal from the rich to survive and he shares his gains with those less fortunate.  He becomes a champion of those who are suffering.  In this scam, Bernie has probably gone as far away from being a champion, of the oppressed, as you can get…rich or poor, his victims do not hold him in high regard.

        Alot of the media coverage has focussed on celebrity victims and high profile people who lost fortunes with the Madoff scam.  However, the truth of the matter is…there were many average people who invested their retirement funds with him and his company.  The thing is…no one deserves to have their money stolen from them when they put their trust in a company and it’s employees to invest for them.  It isn’t about how much money people can afford to lose…investing is sometimes a gamble; however, that is dependent on the market…not on the companies who are expected to conduct themselves honestly in their financial dealings.  Is there no agency, organization, or government branch that is supposed to oversee these types of transactions; deal with complaints, and look for patterns of improper behaviors.

         A person who is ashamed of their behavior does not say something like, I am not asking for your forgiveness or offering any excuses.  When you injure another person…there needs to be words expressed that explain the circumstances… there needs to be offered, true repetence.  That is obviously not going to happen here.   Bernie Madoff stole from those, both rich and poor.   He took from his friends, his acquaintances, his clients and from complete strangers.  Bernie Madoff…let’s remember, even Robin Hood GAVE to the poor!  No one, rich or poor, deserves what this Ponzi scheme has done to them.

         For each person scammed, there is a horror story.  There is a future that was stolen.  There is a trust that will never be extended confidently again to another individual.  There are folks who have suffered terrible financial losses, personal losses, health ills, and the list goes on. 

           I think that the judge hit the nail on the head when he said, that Madoff’s crimes were “extra-ordinarily evil”.    I think that there is no better description of what took place.  There are so many questions still standing…where is the rest of the money?  Did his wife know what he did?  She worked in his same office and had financial information, since she worked on the books.   Did his sons have any involvement in the scheme?  Are there any other relatives or employees involved in the cover up that took place, for all of those years?  

          In court, it appears that a message was trying to be conveyed.  Ruth Madoff said this in a statement that was released by her attorney; I am embarassed and ashamed.  Like everyone else, I feel betrayed and confused.  The man who committed this fraud is not the man that I have known all of these years.  

           To me that sounds like a defensive move…one that is trying to say that he “wasn’t himself” or that she is trying to distance herself away from the crimes…even though she has not YET been accused of doing anything illegal.    Whether she is involved in the crime herself or not…loving the man or not; how can she continue to live in a multi-million dollar home that she shared w/her husband that was more than like paid for with the money from the lives of the very people who have lost their investments through her husband’s schemes.   Wouldn’t the guilt alone eat most people up?

         Some people say that she should get to keep some of the money since there isn’t any evidence proven so far of her involvement.   Money that was stolen from innocent people is sitting there in the bank account of the Madoffs silently mocking the words of sympathy and understanding, for the losses of all of those innocent people.    Isn’t it possible to set up a foundation which could attempt to some sort of restitution for those who have lost their life savings and could prove their investments with their company?  That would go a long way towards healing the ill will that many victims of the scheme feel towards the Madoffs.   

          Mrs. Madoff  has said that  by keeping silent all of these months…that her silence has come across as being uncaring or insensitive.   Fair or not, many have held hard feelings towards her and the rest of her family while they themselves are suffering devastating effects from their losses…Bernie’s family continues to live in environments that many would consider well off.  Surely their lives are going through changes as well…but, ill will is going to be hard for many to overcome, as they struggle to meet their most basic needs while some of the Madoff family members do not have the same concerns.

         There are rumors swirling about more arrests to come, at the end of the investigation…those however, are mere rumors.  The truth of the matter is, this is not over yet!  There is more to the story behind these events…hopefully, those responsible will be held accountable so that this can never happen again, to innocent people.   Do you know someone who was affected by this Ponzi scheme?  How has it impacted their lives?

         Think about a moment when you did something that  became clear to you that you wished you could go back and undo.   Perhaps it was on the computer and you pushed delete,  or ok , before you pressed save?  Maybe you said something that you couldn’t take back and you hurt another person.  Maybe you did something that had terrible consequences…such as a car accident and someone was hurt, or killed.   Maybe you made a choice and that choice had a negative effect on the rest of your life.   Maybe you made a life changing decision and announced it; and, from the moment you said it…things were never the same again.

         You know, the kind of situation where a complete moment of panic and understanding set in, making you wish that things were different.   If you could go back and redo things…what would you do, say, think, or feel differently?   What can you do differently to prevent yourself from repeating negative patterns of behavior?

         The one husband appeared to be an elitist…a snob of a royal kind.  He was rude, insulting…condescending and very emotionally cruel to the wife that was swapped to his home.  He came across as a total jerk.  He tried to change the game halfway through the program.  He refused to change the rules or activities like other families do during the second week; he threatened to stop the show, he ignored the swapped wife; and, he encouraged his children to do the same. 

        If you have never seen this show… it is a show where two families swap wives/mothers with each other.  Of course, the families for dramatic reasons are two exact opposites when it comes to lifestyles or practices.   When the women change places…they do as the family normally does the first week….during the second week, everything changes and the women implement changes/rules that they think would better or improve that family.

         This particular show, Stephen Fowler, was openly hostile, rude, emotionally critical, verbally abusive and controlling.  He made statements about middle  class Americans who he referred to as Rednecks.  He called the “wife” fat, lazy, ignorant, stupid…etc.  He insulted her education.   It crossed the boundaries of dramatic television and entered into nothing but abusive conduct, in my opinion.

        It seems that Mr. Fowler is now experiencing a huge backlash about his conduct and his wounding words.  Rightly so!  He tried to be so superior to everyone and everything that he came across to be very boorish.  I thought his wife, in retrospect, was fairly decent in her dealings with her family that she was swapped to; for the most part, at least until she was reunited with her husband. 

          At first, when his behavior came to light, during the meeting between families at the end of the show…she appeared to be somewhat ashamed of the things  when she was told of what he said and did.   Still, a person who conducts themselves so very openly and unapologetically towards another person…has to have exhibited that sort of behavior before,  i would think.  How could anyone allow their children to be raised around that level of contempt and disrespect for others?  How will those children relate to others in the future? 

        I thought to myself, if I were his wife…i would be ashamed to show my face because people would know what kind of a man she had married.   I would wonder if people thought that I thought the same things about others that her husband appeared to believe.   I also thought, a man who appeared to be filled with such contempt for others should not be allowed to have so much influence on young children’s minds  (he and his wife had children there who watched how he treated the swapped wife).    He was demonstrating cruelty to another fellow human being; simply because he thought she deserved his contempt.   

          But at the end of the show, both Mr. Fowler and his wife,  left me feeling glad that I no longer had to listen to him.  I really though that he could win an award for the most offensive person on television that week for sure; if someone would take a vote.

        I guess Mr and Mrs. Fowler’s neighbors are frustrated because people are driving by their home and pointing; and, someone even egged the Fowler’s home.  Someone has been passing out fliers with the Fowler’s name, address, and pictures on it.  These things are not ok.    Of course, the neighbors did nothing wrong…so this of course, affects them too.

         This printing of fliers, finger pointing traffic, and egging  is considered harassment.    Of course, no one should condone harassment or violence towards anyone…however, Mr. Fowler certainly struck a chord with many people.  It would appear that by his own words he behaved like a jerk and people were not ok with that.  

          Most people who have such a strong opinion towards others learn to keep it to themselves; or, find a more appropriate way to express themselves; rather than going on national television.    This past week, it was announced that Prince Harry, of Great Britain, is going to be taking sensitivity training because of something that he said about another person.   It would appear that being sensitive towards those who are different, from ourselves, is something many of us could benefit from.