RUMORS OF BREAKING NEWS #9

[mbhs05]

...
And even for all those families who think nothing of sending their kids off to an island vacation, I am not sure that the majority of them would be in a position to go there themselves and stay for a couple of weeks.....

Is the Holiday Inn actually CHARGING them for their room??

OMG - I certainly HOPE NOT.

No, it's free. They are in Natalee's room...well her mother is, anyway. HI is letting them stay free...for how long I don't know. Let's hope until they find her. But the room isn't all that they have to pay for, and the search itself is costing money...remember they can't work if they aren't at home, and I'm sure they don't have a lot to fall back on financially anyway.

[writergal]

I seem to remember reading that Mountain Brook seniors have been taking this Aruba trip for a few years now with no problems. Natalee's parents were aware of that, I'm sure, and also aware that Aruba is a pretty safe place for tourists. (I have friends who own timeshares there who have never had a problem.) Taking all those things into consideration, in addition to the fact  that Natalee appears to have been a responsible person--why wouldn't they let her go on this trip?
    And insofar as this "rich kid" business is concerned--maybe Natalee earned the money to travel by babysitting.

[sandy]

Rooms (plural). Unless the Twittys and Holloways take the concept of the 'modern' family to a whole new level.

[Ting]

Is the Holiday Inn actually CHARGING them for their room??

I don't know. What I mean is that there are many families who could afford a graduation trip for a son or daughter whose homes, for example, are not fully paid off, and who would not have the cash on hand to forfeit income for two weeks.

Just an example, a CNN report the other day mentioned such a trip where the cost was $1500 per student.

I am saying that there are a lot more families who could manage to save up $1500 than there are families who could do that, then buy two more plane tickets and take off work for two weeks and still pay the mortgage!

[Catriana]

After the information coming out on this case, I would think that parents should scrutinize their teens 'websites' and Internet surfing sites.

I know, if I had teens at home, I'd be doing some major investigation of their computer temp files, etc.

[Sleeks]

PERSONALLY I think these were young guys Not experienced drug lords that is why there is no ransome.  I think they were just being stupid young studs, thinking all the women they met were so impressed with them.  I do think they found drugs.  Date rape type or whatever.

[KerinTX]

Okay guys, sorry, maybe I was a little premature in my post about everything being calm and friendly here today.  

Dragonfly - I think some are still tired from too much of no new updates.

Sleeks, I don't think the authorities are taking the sites down. That's these guys main way to communicate with women in the US. If you notice, the site of Horan's I was looking at did not go down, it was just cleared of postings (evidence?).

OK BUT WOULD THESE GUYS have access (even to laptops) in Jail????

I would hope not! Joran's myspace account has not been touched since he was arrested. Myspace has a time/date stamp of a user's last login.

[Sleeks]

Mbhs05 OH THANK GOD That would be completely tacky if they charged them in this horrific mess.

[mbhs05]

I seem to remember reading that Mountain Brook seniors have been taking this Aruba trip for a few years now with no problems. Natalee's parents were aware of that, I'm sure, and also aware that Aruba is a pretty safe place for tourists. (I have friends who own timeshares there who have never had a problem.) Taking all those things into consideration, in addition to the fact  that Natalee appears to have been a responsible person--why wouldn't they let her go on this trip?
    And insofar as this "rich kid" business is concerned--maybe Natalee earned the money to travel by babysitting.

Yes I KNOW it's been taken for the last three years...no major problems. Same conditions. Aruba is safer than a lot of places we have school trips to. She's also really responsible and levelheaded, so they  had little reason to worry. Also a lot of kids paid for the trip themselves-my parents told me I had to, and that's why I didn't go. (I didn't have a job this spring and I knew I was getting a horse-I wanted a saddle and bridle set instead, so that's what I'm saving up for.)

[dragonfly]

...
And even for all those families who think nothing of sending their kids off to an island vacation, I am not sure that the majority of them would be in a position to go there themselves and stay for a couple of weeks.....

Is the Holiday Inn actually CHARGING them for their room??

OMG - I certainly HOPE NOT.

I heard (but this has not been confirmed...lol) that HI is not charging them for their rooms there.  I think I heard that very early on in this.

[KerinTX]

After the information coming out on this case, I would think that parents should scrutinize their teens 'websites' and Internet surfing sites.

I know, if I had teens at home, I'd be doing some major investigation of their computer temp files, etc.

Exactly, Catriana! NetNanny, etc. are excellent pieces of software to put on a PC used by teens.

[Sleeks]

OK Kerin I would hope not also.  I don't think they'd give up passwords etc. to allow others to get to their websites - do you???

[CancunMole]

NativeLing: Bon Dia. How, may I ask, is the atmosphere on the Island today? Are folks still searching or are there only official searches going on? Thank you.

[NativeLingo]

...
And even for all those families who think nothing of sending their kids off to an island vacation, I am not sure that the majority of them would be in a position to go there themselves and stay for a couple of weeks.....

Is the Holiday Inn actually CHARGING them for their room??

OMG - I certainly HOPE NOT.

NO...I don't think so....I'm sure AHATA (Aruba Hotel and Tourism Assoc) and/or ATA (Aruba Tourism Authority) are paying for all the expenses.....

[chloe2]

mbhs05 -- someone posted a rumor that there was a donation fund set up at AmBank in B'ham. I went to their site but saw nothing. Do you know anything about this? thanks[/quote]


I know there's more than one account...I don't know if there's one at Amsouth...maybe you could go in and ask? There was a post earlier about an account set up in Mississippi too...I haven't been to the bank yet, but I have to go today anyway-I'll ask them when I get there and if they have one, I'll post it soon as I get back!!![/quote]
Um, well, a little difficult to go in and ask since I live in the Northwest.   If you can find out anything, and if they set up a link, I'll be they would get plenty of donations online.

[friend of monkeys]

is this fox thing live??


yes, just saw it is live....
the official just being int looked like he knew more
than he could comment on...at the moment. imo

[bobcats1996]

writer gal
well put.  I sure several of them earned adn paid their own way for this trip.  I know dash told me she paid for the trip herself.  I believe these guys are mixed up in drugs and I willing to bet she saw something she was not suppose to and someone is holding her against her will.  And if the guys are to afraid to talk they are yellow belly cowards.  If Joran really did care about nat he would have died trying to keep them from taking her or be ratting out who is holding her now without regard to himself or his family.

[Catriana]

A noted posted on the comment section of the blog.   Good insight here!

Sad in Mt. Brook Says:

June 18th, 2005 at 1:49 pm
I allowed my child to go on this trip; it seemed all the parents had misgivings and doubts about the trip from the get-go. But, it had been done for several years, and the kids are all going off to college to live on their own in a matter of weeks…some to go across country to live, and it seemed a way to break the apron strings. Do I have regrets? Sure! Would I allow it again? No! But hind sight is always better. The important thing now is to find Natalee so these kids and her family can have closure. Especially the kids; they are at a big point in their lives where they need to be looking forward to college, etc., but instead, they are immobilized by this tragedy. So, pray they find Natalee.

By the way, according to my child (other tourists might want to know this), from the moment they arrived at the Holiday Inn things began to be stolen. Within 10 minutes of arriving, they went to the beach and immediately all their Rainbow sandals ($40 each) were stolen. Cameras disappeared; I heard one group of girls had their cameras stolen out of their hotel room at night while they slept. They were approached over and over about buying drugs. So, be aware of this petty type crime.

[Sleeks]

Mbhs05 did she babysit allot???

[momto5]

After the information coming out on this case, I would think that parents should scrutinize their teens 'websites' and Internet surfing sites.

I know, if I had teens at home, I'd be doing some major investigation of their computer temp files, etc.

I dont understand parents who dont? I have 2 teenagers, 1 preteen, a preschooler and an infant. My teenagers and preteen can use our puter, but ONLY if there is an adult in the room. My daughter who is 16 has a xanga (blog) and a myspace site. Both of them I help her with. I also have all of their passwords. They arent allowed to chat on AIM or Yahoo with anyone I havent personally met either. I figure if they dont like it, they dont have to use MY computer with MY internet connection. There are too many bad people out there anymore. I trust my kids, I dont trust people who for all we know can be predators online.