Announcing the Guardianship Convention Against Torture Project

by Janet Phelan 

While in Geneva, Switzerland recently I met with a number of disability rights oriented groups. It was suggested to me at that time that the guardianship victims bundle together our complaints and submit under the United Nations Convention Against Torture. The U.S. has both signed and ratified this international treaty and thus is bound to its conditions. Most of us who have faced off the guardianship system have come to the realization that there is no domestic recourse for us. The C.A.T. ofers an international venue which seems to be tailor made to our experiences and concerns.

Here is the link to the C.A.T.: http://www.hrweb.org/legal/cat.html
Please read it carefully to determine if your guardianship situation qualifies under the terms of the Convention. One thing to keep in mind is that the complainant must have exhausted his or her domestic remedies. Another thing to keep in mind is that the C.A.T. is about torture, not about loss of inheritance. So—if you have contacted the FBI or the US DOJ concerning your situation, you would qualify. As probate is a state issue, those who have contacted their State AG may also submit to this effort, per my understanding.
Please email me your submissions at writejanet@live.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Please keep your statements concise. All submissions will be confirmed so if you do not receive a confirming email, please re-send.

Japan Radiation Coming To The US

By Barbara H. Peterson

Farm Wars

At this point in time, most of us can say “no” to vaccines, genetically modified (GM) food, fluoride, and Big Pharma drugs. But we can’t “just say no” to radiation in the air all around us coming from Japan, and through oceanic contamination resulting from the BP Gulf incident. So, the difficult question is not how do we avoid this contamination, but rather, how we mitigate our exposure.

Let’s face it. We are surrounded by radioactive contaminants in the air, water, soil, and in our food, which is grown outdoors. We cannot control the air, which contaminates the soil, water, and plants. So, if we cannot get away from the problem, then what do we do? We can start by making sure that we have the knowledge to do the right things and collect the right resources to lessen our exposure. The following is a collection of some of the materials and applications that can be used to mitigate radiation exposure.
Personal detoxifying – people and animals

Unless we live in a bubble, our bodies will be contaminated with radioactive particles, so don’t just wait until someone tells you that you have been exposed, do something about it now. There are certain materials that will help detoxify the body without ill effects whether or not you have been exposed to these harmful materials. Some of these are:

•Zeolite Clay
•French Green Clay
•Bentonite Clay
•Baking Soda
•Boron
•Certain foods

Read it all=>> Here

Japan radiation detected in at least 15 states and in milk samples in Washington state

by Ethan A. Huff, staff writer (NaturalNews) Radioactive isotopes unique to the Fukushima disaster are now being detected in at least 15 US states, according to recent reports from CNN (http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/03/28/radiation.us/index.html). And the Associated Press (AP) has issued a report claiming that milk samples taken in Washington state have tested positive for low levels of the same radioactive component, Iodine-131, raising concerns about the true widespread effects of the Fukushima nuclear fallout (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/03/30/state/n145310D86.DTL&tsp=1). The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and various state and local authorities continue to repeat the same empty reassurances that all detected levels of radiation -- whether they be in air, water, or food -- are far below levels of concern, and that people do not need to worry or do anything in response. But is this sound advice? Earlier in the week, several nuclear facilities in North and South Carolina, as well as in Florida, reportedly detected low levels of Iodine-131 in the air (http://www.naturalnews.com/031881_radiation_Fukushima.html). That same radiation has also been detected across the West Coast, as well as in northeastern states like Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, which clearly indicates that Fukushima radiation has made its way throughout the US, at least in very low levels. But now, reports have been issued claiming that milk samples from Washington state have also turned up contaminated with Iodine-131. The levels were allegedly far lower than the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) concern limits for the radioactive particles, but they are not necessarily safe even at the levels being detected. According to the FDA "Radiation Safety" website, the Derived Intervention Level (DIL) for Iodine-131 is 170 becquerels per kilogram (Bq/kg) (http://www.fda.gov/newsevents/publichealthfocus/ucm247403.htm). A Wall Street Journal report of the milk incident explains that the Washington samples contained only 0.8 picocuries per liter (pCi/l), or 0.03 Bq/kg. That level is clearly far lower than the FDA's DIL for Iodine-131, but is any level of this radiation actually "safe"? And what about the other more serious types of radioactive particles being emitted from Fukushima that authorities appear to not even be looking for? Based on Japanese guidelines for radiation safety, Iodine-131 is the least of our worries. Cesium, uranium, and plutonium all have much lower maximum "concern" thresholds, with plutonium being the most serious. A Bloomberg report explains that just one Bq/kg of plutonium is enough to cause major concern if found in water or milk (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-21/japan-sets-safe-limits-for-consuming-radiation-contaminated-food-table-.html). Are authorities testing for plutonium and the other serious radioactive particles that we know have escaped from the Fukushima plant? The mainstream media has mostly abandoned the Fukushima incident in favor of the newly-instigated war in Libya. And yet reports are still continuing to trickle in -- though mostly without much fanfare -- concerning Japan radiation popping up across the US in air, water, and now food. But all the while, the EPA and others repeatedly dismiss the situation as being no big deal, despite the fact that conditions at Fukushima have basically reached a frightening dead end (http://www.naturalnews.com/031894_Fukushima_meltdown.html). As we keep saying here at NaturalNews, preparedness is key. And preparedness, of course, does not involve panic. It does, however, involve using your critical thinking skills to evaluate the seriousness of the situation, consider the anomalies surrounding the official US government position on it, and take appropriate steps to prepare you and your family for whatever may soon come as a result.

Get yours now , don't procrastinate on this! Ray Fernandez ----- Original Message ----- From: "Nukepills.com" <mhtml:%7B3244E316-74EC-42BD-B841-565B31FE966A%7Dmid://00001329/%21x-usc:mailto:info@nukepills.com> To: <mhtml:%7B3244E316-74EC-42BD-B841-565B31FE966A%7Dmid://00001329/%21x-usc:mailto:Ray@cyberray.com> Sent: Friday, April 01, 2011 12:39 PM Subject: online order Dear Raul Fernandez , Thank you for your order on 4/1/2011. Your Order Number is: 16138 To view and print your order please visit this URL: https://www.nukepills.com/shop/ If have you any questions please call us at 1-866-283-3986 M-F 9-5pm EST (excluding holidays). Thank you, Nukepills.com Related:http://naturalnews.tv/v.asp?v=604AB3FA803FF3647DF6E34EC5E8C8A0 http://www.naturalnews.com/ http://www.naturalnews.com/031909_radiation_milk.html

NaturalNews.com printable article

How to build a Bunker on a Budget

Originally published March 30 2011

Letter to the: Senate Special Committee on Aging

Written Testimony of Latifa S. Ring National Organization to End Guardianship Abuse (NOTEGA)

To the: Senate Special Committee on Aging for the hearing on Justice for All: Ending Elder Abuse, Neglect and Financial Exploitation

March 15, 2011

Senate Special Committee on Aging
G31 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Attn: Senator Herb Kohl

Dear Chairman Kohl, Senator Corker and distinguished Committee members:

Thank you for holding the recent hearing “Justice for All: Ending Elder Abuse, Neglect and Financial Exploitation” to address the crisis of elder abuse and financial exploitation of America’s elderly citizens and thank you for allowing Mickey Rooney to share his cry for an end to elder abuse with the committee and with the American Public.

Financial Exploitation and Abuse of the Elderly has become the crime of the 21st Century and has truly placed a black mark on our nation. Hubert Humphrey once said

“the moral test of a government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of their life, the children, those who are in the twilight of their lives, the elderly and those who are in the shadows of life, the disabled the weak and the vulnerable. “
How will we be judged as a nation and as a government if we do not take the steps necessary to end this crime against America’s most vulnerable citizens?

Elder abuse and financial exploitation of the elderly in our communities and when done by private citizens is being called a crime, yet quietly all across this nation elderly and disabled citizens are being abused and financially exploited under Adult Guardianships under the guise of protection and the color of law. In the courtrooms of our States, abuse and exploitation of vulnerable citizens is treated as if it is perfectly legal. Judges routinely rubber stamp exorbitant fees for services that do not benefit the wards resulting in financial exploitation of their estates. Family members and friends all over this country are crying out about the abuse and neglect of their loved ones in guardianship that they are powerless to protect yet it appears there is no one listening because there is a guardian and the court appointed them.

Under guardianships a person can lose all of their civil rights and their right to ask for protection under the law. Lives and assets can essentially be stolen. The perpetrators of financial exploitation and abuse in guardianships are getting bolder and often times elderly citizens with assets are targeted and adjudicated as incapacitated and placed under a guardianship or conservatorship just to give someone else control over an estate which they can then loot. Other times elderly citizens who are alleged to be incapacitated are placed into guardianships when they have family and friends who are willing and able to help them or when they only have a minor ailment; again only to give the perpetrators access to the estate. Many family members are tricked into believing that seeking guardianship will help to protect a loved one only to find themselves on the end of a never-ending onslaught of unproven allegations of wrong-doing deliberately launched to malign the family member and prevent them from being appointed as guardian. This tactic clears the list of available guardians and makes room for the perpetrators intent on looting the estate. When greed is the motivating factor in guardianships, the welfare of the ward takes a back seat and abuse of the wards is allowed by the guardians and other professionals more intent only on lining their pockets than caring for the vulnerable person. It seems that the “name of the game” in guardianships is to bill for as many services as possible as fast as possible knowing that the judge will routinely rubberstamp the fee applications. This routine approval occurs either because the judges are busy trying to clear an overloaded docket, they do not have time or resources to review the fee applications, they know the American Taxpayers will take care of the ward with Medicaid dollars or they want to make sure the guardians and attorneys (some of whom may have owe political favors to) get paid. It is just easier that way. Family members who complain may find themselves losing the right to visit their own loved ones or being told by the Court that they have no standing to speak on behalf of the ward that now has a guardian.

As I stated in my testimony to the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime Terrorism and Homeland Security, it is almost as if guardianships can be used as a form of identity theft. The guardian can execute any and all documents on behalf of the ward. This powerful position gives them unfettered access to the ward’s life and property. In the wrong hands this power can be and is enormously abused and can even be lethal to the vulnerable person. Without proper controls lives can be are being stolen.

When will our National Leaders finally address the Elder Abuse and Financial Exploitation of the Elderly that is occurring in Guardianships?

We have been calling for National Reforms to address Elder Abuse and Financial Exploitation in guardianships since 2008 when our group the “National Elder Abuse and Guardianship Victims Taskforce for Change” submitted a platform proposal to End Elder Abuse and Guardianship Abuse for the senior’s plank of the DNC platform. Many other groups and citizens have also been calling for reform and since 2008 and we have continued our call for National reforms with online petitions and letters to our State and National leaders.

I could fill reams of papers with examples of abuse and exploitation in guardianships but will limit this to the summaries I have attached to this testimony as appendix (A) and the comments made as part of the petition attached as appendix (B). I simply ask the following questions:

Why is it legal to abuse and rob the elderly in guardianships?

Why is it legal to force an “alleged” incapacitated person into guardianship with an emergency or some other hearing without due process of the law where the ward is not present and/or not represented by counsel? Why are our constitutional due process rights under the 14th amendment not protected in guardianships?

Why is it legal to isolate a ward, to over medicate, to chemically restrain, to sterilize and even authorize an early death through hospice in guardianships?

Why do the advance directives of these dear elderly citizens appear to mean nothing? The designation of a pre-need guardian, a power of attorney or health care surrogate are routine ignored in the incapacity process.

Why is it legal for one person (a judge) to give one human being to another private citizen (“the guardian”), then walk away, and let that person have their way with the incapacitated person and their estate?

Why are there no jury trials?

Why are these wards of the State in guardianships not being protected by the State… are they not wards of the State?

Why is it that when someone allegedly steals from an elderly or vulnerable person that the alleged victim can be sent into a guardianship instead of the crime being investigated by the criminal justice system and adult protective services? The victim is forced to pay for the crime in a probate court instead of it being handled by the criminal justice system where the victim doesn’t have to foot the bill to get justice? Furthermore, rarely are the allegations of wrong doing that create the need for guardianship ever proven in these guardianship cases. Instead, they are being used as an excuse to take over the life of the person and their property. Why do the American Rules of Civil Discovery not apply to Guardianship Proceeding?

Why do we need to have emergency hearings for guardianships when adult protective services should be able to do their job and protect the vulnerable alleged incapacitated person until they can be afforded due process?

Why is it legal to bill tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars to a ward for services that do not benefit them in breach of any fiduciary duty and yet it is not called a crime, it is called protection of the ward ?

Why is it legal for a guardian to deny visitation to a ward, to allow them to be isolated from their community and their loved ones ?

All over this country, people are outraged by what they are seeing done to their loved ones in guardianships. Many families are torn apart and many are secondary victims who suffer from the horrific abuse of not being able to visit their loved ones, not being able to protect them and sometimes not even being notified of a loved one’s death so they can attend their funeral.

There is nothing new about guardianship abuse to report. It is the same broken system with the same crimes that have gone on for over 30 years since the Claude Pepper days when the late Congressman submitted the “1989 Guardianship Rights Act” that clearly stated that the 14th amendment rights of the elderly in guardianship were being violated. Three GAO reports have been issued since 2004 that all spell out the problems in guardianships. Numerous Media outlets have reported horrifying cases of abuse and exploitation. Agencies have reported the problem. This committee has held several hearing including one in 2006 and the record reflects the enormous problem our seniors are facing. In May 2010, I testified before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime Terrorism and Homeland Security about this problem. I stand by my stated belief that without real and meaningful reforms, guardianships can and will continue to be used to steal lives and assets under what I can only equate to a legalized form of identity theft. Attached to this written testimony is a petition signed by close to 1200 people calling for National Reforms to End Elder Abuse and Guardianship Abuse. This petition can also be viewed online at http://www.facebook.com/l/f742ckOISH6OKSm5kKz_NPTovuA/www.endguardianshipabuse.org . I respectfully request that this petition be put on the record with this written testimony.

Members of the committee, it is time for action on guardianship abuse and it is time to recognize that elder abuse and financial exploitation in and under a guardianship or conservatorship is no less a crime that it is when the perpetrator is a family member or nursing home in the community. In fact, elder abuse and exploitation of the incapacitated person is the worst form of abuse as it is perpetrated against the most vulnerable of our society, the victims who have had their voice stripped of them and who are powerless to report the crime.

The federal government and your Senate Special Committee on Aging should take an interest in ending the abuse and exploitation in guardianship. They should take an interest because of the cost to the taxpayers in State Medicaid and matching federal Medicaid dollars, because of the 14th amendment rights that are violated in guardianships and because elder abuse and financial exploitation is a crime even if done under the guise of protection and under the color of law.

I close by echoing the request made by Mickey Rooney that you PLEASE STOP ELDER ABUSE and STOP IT NOW … not only in the communities, not only in a private homes, not only in our nursing homes but also when it is perpetrated under guardianships and conservatorships through our courts.

Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to submit this testimony and I hope the committee will consider having a separate hearing on the problems with guardianships and respectfully request we be permitted to have a member of our organization testify and provide more additional information on this problem. I also ask that the committee please take a serious look at the problems raised in the GAO report issued in 2010 and invite victims and family members to come to Washington and share their stories so the committee can understand what is really happening on the ground. They can bring the perspective of the victims have been stripped of their voice to speak, they are the constituents of the members of this committee and they are the eyewitnesses to this terrible silent crime of elder abuse and exploitation that is being perpetrated under the guise of protection.

Respectfully submitted,

Latifa S. Ring
President
The National Organization to End Guardianship Abuse

Houston, Texas

stopelderabuse@ http://www.facebook.com/l/f742cSyyeKSjiEhi7szwfNFrfjg/stopelderabuse.net

endguardianshipabuse.org

www.endguardianshipabuse.org

Up Date on Potential Nuclear Disaster

Everyone needs to understand something right now and that is that the media is NOT in place to alert people of how bad the situation may or may not be. They are in place to keep people calm and to keep people orderly until the last possible moments. They WILL NOT disclose what is currently happening. So any "experts" or CNN, MSNBC, FOX, you name it program talking about this nuke reactor situation WILL NOT be telling you all the current facts due to national security.

Japan's resources, energy and man power is currently being used up in its largest disaster in history, they DO NOT and CAN NOT have the power to contain the reactors as they begin to fail.

Why is this being understated by the media? Because we literally DO NOT have generators or power systems in any arsenal anywhere on the planet to keep these cooling systems running, which means that YES, these reactors will all at some point fail. As they fail, a nuclear meltdown is realistic. This is where the experts disagree. Some are saying that meltdown is next to impossible, others say that is bullsh*t and that it is damn near expected once the cooling systems fail, but most of the experts agree that we are just walking a tight rope and that as each reactor fails, we need to be very careful about how to proceed with the cooling down of the cores.

Remember, the media WILL NOT tell you whether or not these issues are a reality, they are in place to keep you calm.

This situation will MOST LIKELY be contained, HOWEVER, you should be prepared. There may be only a handful of times in your entire life you need to stop what you are doing, and take something really serious, like you have never before, and think about actually being prepared for the worst. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE TIMES.

If there is or is not a fallout, that radioactive cloud will literally turn one the largest disasters in Japan's history into the largest disaster the planet may have to address because the whole far east region may need to be evacuated. We are talking shipments of food and supplies CEASE here, people. We are talking an economic situation, the whole world will have to be engaged in this. It affects our economy, it affects our environment and YES, the radioactive cloud CAN travel to the United States and although it may dissipate, it will not spread by much due to the extremely unique jetstream we have in the Atlantic during this time of year. The west coast is literally in the jetstream path.

Like it or not, you should be prepared even if this disaster isn't imminent. You should have weeks of food and water in your house, water filters, survival gear, and the like. Most of you don't have any of this, in fact, most of you have food to last 3 days. There is NOT enough supplies in any arsenal by military or anyone else to provide for everyone for any extended period of time.

So with all this said, I want everyone to know that you should plan for the worst, but hope for the best. Plan for the worst though, be ready, don't be sorry. You don't want to regret something like this, knowing you could have done something to be more prepared. Survival gear and supplies are a HUGE commodity and are easy to sell if you want to get rid of that online. There is a HUGE demand for that stuff, so worrying about wasting your money should not really be entertained.

Farris Survival's website is:http://www.fsurv.com/

If this is the first you are hearing about all this, here are some links to bring you up to speed:

here is the US NAVY'S website on it: http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=59065

here is the Pacific Fleet's website on it:

http://www.cpf.navy.mil/media/news/articles/2011/mar/mar13_C7F_reposition.shtml

Video of the jetstream:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLWlxg95sEE&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Alex Jones is discussing this stuff on his show:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mqVrY3jJE4

More video of the jetstreams:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=898gfo9VLVA

Related:Potassium Iodide Pills - Do You Have Yours?

Urgent: Surviving Radioactive Fallout

All news stories from this newsletter are found on our website. News on the site is updated every 12 - 24 hours.

www.NewWorldOrderReport.com

Potassium Iodide Pills - Do You Have Yours?

Thank you Lisa baci@austin.rr.com for the heads up to our readers.

A while back we said that time for reform is short and that soon world events would happen to eclipse legal efforts to reform elder abuse laws, we believe that time is quickly approaching and we feel our obligation is to our readers to pass this information on:

Should have on hand POTASSIUM IODIDE..........or begin eating a LOT OF SEA KELP!!!!!!

Canada, California, Oregon, Washington state, Utah first to be hit then other areas of USA..........Texas as well. Check the jet stream paths.....

Tracking Page: Japan’s Nuclear Meltdown, Aftershocks & Fallout

Infowars Following Japan’s nuclear plant emergency with the latest updates.

30 Comments

TIME: Everything’s Tracked- Get Over It

Aaron Dykes In an astounding cover story,’ TIME tells readers to “get over” ubiquitous tracking.

16 Comments

Nuclear Plant Designer Says Japanese Government Suppressing Scale Of Crisis

BBC News A former nuclear plant designer has said Japan is suppressing vital info on the grave crisis.

4 Comments

Volcano in southern Japan erupts

LA Times A volcano in southern Japan began spewing ash even as the country struggled to recover from the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami.

4 Comments

U.S. West Coast in Path of Fallout

Washington’s Blog California is closely monitoring efforts to contain leaks from a quake-damaged Japanese nuclear plant.

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What about your pets?

http://www.centerforholisticmedicine.com/Physicians.htm

Dr. David Brownstein, the medical director of the Center for Holistic Medicine, received a B.S. degree from the University of Michigan. He obtained an M.D. degree from Wayne State University in 1989. He completed a Family Practice residency at Providence Hospital in Southfield, Michigan, and is board certified in Family Practice. Dr. Brownstein has practiced holistic medicine for 12 years and specializes in the use of vitamins, minerals, herbs and natural hormones. In addition, Dr. Brownstein utilizes applied kinesiology, acupuncture and nutritional therapies in his practice. He is a member of the American College for the Advancement in Medicine. He is active in numerous holistic organizations, and he has lectured internationally about his success with using natural items. He is the author of The Miracle of Natural Hormones, Overcoming Arthritis, Overcoming Thyroid Disorders, and Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can't Live Without It. Visit www.drbrownstein.com for more information.

	https://www.drbrownstein.com/homePage.php http://drdavidbrownstein.blogspot.com/

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Kohl to Examine Elder Abuse, Financial Exploitation at Aging Committee Hearing TOMORROW

PRESS ADVISORY March 1, 2011

Contact: Joe Bonfiglio Phone: (202) 224-5364

Kohl to Examine Elder Abuse, Financial Exploitation at Aging Committee Hearing TOMORROW

Legendary Entertainer Mickey Rooney will testify, sharing his personal story of financial and emotional abuse

WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, March 2nd at 2:00 p.m., U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging Chairman Herb Kohl (D-WI) will hold a hearing on elder abuse, exploring the nationwide trends of physical, mental and financial abuse of seniors with top experts and advocates. Entertainment legend, Mickey Rooney will testify to the emotional and financial abuse that he has struggled through during the golden years of his extraordinary life.

Kay Brown, Director of the Education, Workforce and Income Security program at the Government Accountability Office (GAO) will also unveil a new GAO report, detailing the existing estimates of elder abuse cases now being reported and will discuss the financial impact of elder abuse on state and federal government resources. Brown will be joined by Kathleen Quinn, National Adult Protective Services Association; Dr. Mark Lachs, Weill Medical College of Cornell University; Bonnie Brandl, National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life; and M.T. Connolly, Life Long Justice.

WHAT: Senate Special Committee on Aging Hearing – Justice for All: Ending Elder Abuse, Neglect and Financial Exploitation

WHEN: Wednesday, March 2nd at 2:00 p.m.

WHERE: 106 Dirksen Senate Office Building

WHO: PANEL 1
Mickey Rooney, Actor, entertainment legend, elder abuse victim and advocate

PANEL 2
Kay Brown, Director, Education, Workforce and Income Security, GAO
Kathleen Quinn, National Adult Protective Services Association (NAPSA)
Dr. Mark Lachs, Weill Medical College of Cornell University
Bonnie Brandl, Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence, National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life (NCALL)
M.T. Connolly, Life Long Justice (LLJ), Senior Scholar, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

The hearing will be webcast from the committee webpage: www.aging.senate.gov

California The Professional Fiduciaries Bureau is accepting applications for board positions

http://www.fiduciary.ca.gov/about_us/20101210_help.pdf

The Professional Fiduciaries Bureau is accepting applications for board positions. See link above. This is an excellent opportunity for us to be able to impact the direction of conservatorships in the State of California.

Janet Phelan

Please Join Us on Blog Talk Radio, Tuesday Nite

Marti Oakley, host of The Truth Squad Radio Show at Blogtalk_Radio.Com ,is inviting you to be a guest on her program and describe your experience in the probate system with guardians, judges, lawyers and/or other authorities. Please use this opportunity to ask the listeners to Marti's program for their help in bringing about the legal reforms needed to remedy and prevent the kind of systemic negligence and abuse which we have experienced.

Janet Phelan joins us to discuss her ongoing work in the fight to end the abuse of the elderly and disabled by professional guardians.

The show is hosted by Marti Oakley. Please contact Marti to schedule your time slot to tell your story. Her email address is fireflyari@meltel.net

"I will be on the Truth Squad tonight at 7 pm, CT or 8PM Eastern Standard Time. I will be abandoning my usual broad- strokes discussion on guardianships and going into detail concerning the attack on my mother by probate court, Please join us! "Janet Phelan

This is a wonderful opportunity for all of us to get the a
attention to our cases that we have longed for. I am thrilled that Marti has taken this on and I urge all of you to contact her and get on the air.

Call-in Number: (917) 388-4520

URL: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/marti-oakley this link will take you right to the show page

Previous show=>>Link

Protect Your Ass-ets, The March Toward Capital Controls is Quickening

A little while back I told you how what EstateOfDenial.Com calls IRA, Involuntary Redistribution of Assets, and which I call confiscation is taking place, as they were a little less subtle with me when they mailed me the confiscation letter which reminded me of Castro's Cuba in 1960 when my families assets were confiscated the first time.

For those of you not familiar with the 'Confiscation Letter' here is a link to it for your cultural enlightenment=>>Confiscation Letter

Those of you who think that when your parents assets were confiscated was due to an anomaly and because of a few bad apples within the system, and that some new legislature in the works will solve your problem so that it will not happen to you, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but your assets are being confiscated right now as we speak.

Allow me to explain: last summer in June 2010 you could buy an ounce of silver for under $18 dollars today it would take $29.00 of your devalued dollars to buy that same ounce of silver, likewise it would take $8.63 to buy a bushel of wheat, roughly twice what it cost last summer, when I get letters like these from my highly regarded Capital Research Companies, it triggers alarms bells and I feel compelled to pass the warning on to those of you who will listen:
-----------------------

Dear Ray,

I've said before that the US Dollar was in BIG trouble... but as of
tonight, it's on DEFCON 1 RED ALERT TROUBLE.As the below chart shows, the greenback needs to rally and rally hard if we're not going to head into a SERIOUS collapse shortly.

What you're looking at is the US Dollar right on its multi-year trendline. If we take this out now, then we are heading into an inflationary death spiral in very short order.

Indeed, once we take out this line, we're just a few ticks away from triggering the MASSIVE Head and Shoulders pattern the greenback has formed over the last 20 years.

In case you're wondering, this pattern has an ultimate target of 40...a full 50% lower than where the US Dollar is today.

We're talking about hyper-inflation on an order that would make Weimar Germany proud. And if we break the green line above, we're THAT much closer to this becoming a reality.

As you can see, we're literally on the ledge of a cliff. Do not, I repeat DO NOT put off preparing for this now. I've long thought the US Dollar had one last rally in it, but looking at the charts
tonight I could very likely be wrong.

Indeed, inflation is already exploding worldwide, which means paper money in general is going to be worth less and less on its way to worthless.

If you think the US is immune to this situation, you're in for a very RUDE surprise in the coming months. Indeed, the Fed just announced it might even implement QE 3!!! And this came from one of its supposedly ANTI-QE members!?!?

Let's be blunt... the end game is fast approaching if not already here.Smart folks are already preparing their families and portfolios for what's to come, which is why I've recently published four reports designed to help folks cover all the bases in terms of protecting their loved ones,
savings, and portfolios for what's coming.

To find out more about Capital Research's work click here=>>Capital Research
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Point being that even under normal circumstances "Inflation has now been institutionalized at a fairly constant 5 percent per year. This has been determined to be the optimum level for generating the most revenue without causing public alarm. A 5 percent devaluation applies, not only to the money earned this year, but to all that is left over from previous years. At the end of the first year, a dollar is worth 95 cents. At the end of the second year, the 95 cents is reduced again by 5 percent, leaving its worth at 90 cents, and so on. By the time a person has worked 20 years, the government will have confiscated 64 percent of every dollar he saved over those years. By the time he has worked 45 years, the hidden tax will be 90 percent. The government will take virtually everything a person saves over a lifetime."

Let me put it to you another way, Janet Phelan's mother had meant for the fruits of her sweat,blood and tears, a lifetime of savings, to be passed on to Janet as her lawful legacy before it was confiscated! Likewise Dr.A.J and Clara Fernandez also had a legacy to pass on to their heirs before it was confiscated, only myself having lived through prior confiscations (Communist Cuba 1959)I was able to wise up a lot quicker than a lot of you will and left the country before the totality of the Estate could be confiscated, others like Bonnie Reiter and too many to mention all here weren't so lucky.

However I have no doubt had I NOT taken the right precautions in order to be sure that my mother Clara now 94 is taken care of that there would have been nothing left after the guardian exhausted all liquid assets and allowed others like Real Estate to be lost by being auctioned off on their courthouse steps by the "Guardian" of my mother's assets, to be sold off by their failure to maintain and pay Real Estate Taxes on a timely basis... Real Estate Auction happens after three years of nonpayment of real estate taxes, my mother Guardianship battle lasted 5 years.

Ok, my point is this, had Janet Phelan's mother moved her assets overseas on a timely basis, (Before, she became incapacitated) do you have any doubt that Janet would be in complete control of her legacy, as it should be, out of reach from the greedy Guardianship Cartel that knows no bounds and knows of no decency and is inhumane to human suffering?Even going to the point of prematurely ending the elder's life after the money is gone? As documented here,here and here :

• The Probate Murders: Part Two
• The Probate Murders: Part Three
• Another Probate Murder?

For those who have already experienced asset confiscation , either subtly or not so subtly , those like Tom Fields whose legacy was subverted and opportunists struck while his father lay in bed on a morphine drip , See his Facebook Page=>>here

To those who have eyes to see and those who have ears to listen here is a letter from Simon Black that you will all do well to heed, if you wish to say NO Thanks and leave the lemmings pack before they jump off the cliff..........

-------------------------

Date: February 10, 2011
Reporting From: Santiago, Chile

In the late 1920s, the economy of the Weimar Republic was beset by numerous fiscal troubles. The global depression spread quickly to Germany, undermining the government's ability to make its reparation payments from the Great War.

Fearing a return to hyperinflation, many Germans who had spent the last decade building up a small fortune during the Weimar Republic's own 'Roaring 20s' decided to pack up and leave; they remembered the days when banknotes were used as wallpaper and had no desire to repeat the experience.

In 1931, Chancellor Heinrich Bruning imposed a 'flight tax', which levied a 25% tax on the value of all property and capital for Germans leaving the country.

Total revenue collected from this tax amounted to roughly 1 million Reichsmarks (RM) in its earliest days ($56 million today). By the late 1930s under Hitler's rule, flight tax revenue soared to RM 342 million ($21.5 billion today) as more people headed toward the exits.

This flight tax constitutes one of the earliest modern examples of capital controls. They've evolved substantially since the days of Hitler, but the end goal is the same-- governments controlling the flow of capital across borders.

Governments impose these for a variety of reasons-- rapidly developing nations may want to restrict the flow of capital into their country, preventing 'hot money' from pumping up prices and affecting local markets. We see this today in places like Brazil and Thailand.

In other instances, bankrupt governments seek to trap capital within their borders, maximizing the amount available for subsequent taxation or other forms of confiscation. This tactic is usually employed when lost confidence has impaired the government's capability to borrow.

We're seeing strong indications of both examples today, though the latter is the most alarming. As I scan the headlines and hear from colleagues in the US and Europe, it's clear to me that the march towards stricter capital controls is quickening its pace.

The British government, for example, just announced an increase to its bank levy that taxes UK-domiciled banks on their worldwide balance sheets. In response, HSBC has indicated that it may move its headquarters elsewhere.

I suspect the British government will enact legislation to discourage or prevent this from happening, likely with a modern day corporate flight tax (albeit with a more patriotic sounding name).

Capital controls can take a variety of other forms-- including taxation on outward remittances, restrictions on the movement of financial instruments, bureaucratic approval processes for foreign transactions, reporting requirements for foreign assets, and government control over banks.

This last is important-- when politicians and bankers are in bed with each other, banks can be compelled to loan a portion of their deposits to the treasury at unrealistic terms, sticking bank customers with sub-optimal yields below the rate of inflation.

In the US, I think retirement accounts will be the first to go. They're the easiest to grab because most people hold their retirement accounts domestically with a large financial institution that will happily sell every customer down the river when the government comes calling.

The way they'll do this is simple-- the next time there's a market meltdown (bear in mind that insiders are selling like crazy right now...), the government will step in with new legislation that requires these institutions to invest a portion of their accounts in the 'safety' of government securities.

Insider politiconomists like Teresa Ghilarducci have already strongly advocated for government managed retirement accounts in the US, and we've seen numerous examples of other bankrupt nations from Argentina to Hungary moving to seize their citizens' pensions.

The next step would be against retail bank accounts, specifically setting up provisions that discourage moving money overseas... and eventually restrict it altogether.

This would happen through new approval processes at the banking level, additional reporting requirements for foreign accounts, and disincentives for foreign banks to accept US customers.

Curiously, all of these have started to happen.

For example, while there are still a multitude of banks around the world who happily accept US customers, Americans are unwelcome at most foreign financial institutions thanks to continuous threats and pressure from the IRS. As one banker in Hong Kong told me recently, 'they are very scaaaaary'...

Also, the new HIRE Act legislation imposes additional reporting requirements and restrictions for foreign accounts that gradually phase in over the next two years.

This certainly jives with the timeline of the US government's ticking debt bomb; at a minimum, the market will require higher yields, and politicians will need cheap sources of capital to continue financing their waste.

I've said before-- it's imperative that everyone establish a foreign bank account, even with a small deposit. There are several banks like Caye Bank in Belize where you can open an account through the mail with just a nominal deposit.

This way, if you ever need to move the bulk of your funds in a hurry, you'll at least have the established infrastructure to do it.

For US taxpayers, I think the more immediate threat is to your retirement account. If you have an IRA, you can set up an Open Opportunity structure, take back control over your own savings, and be free to move your funds overseas.

(I think this is a no-brainer; you can read more about how to protect yourself with an Open Opportunity structure from my friend Terry Coxon's book Unleash your IRA, which he's now offering at a steep discount for Sovereign Man readers.)

Government playbooks are limited-- when confidence falters, new taxes fail to produce substantial revenue, and inflation causes a loss of popular support, capital controls are the answer. Problem is, we live in a world where legislation passed late at night can take immediate effect while we all sleep.

I know it's easy to kick the can down the road, but as the political and economic support for capital controls is spreading around the globe, I would urge you to take action immediately.



Until tomorrow,


Simon Black
Senior Editor, SovereignMan.com


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At The Crossroads Once More! What Will You Do?

The year was 1959 and Fidel Castro said " I am not communist" never the less many saw the writing on the wall and gathered whatever they could, and left the country.
Many Cubans such as my father Dr. A.J. Fernandez M.D. prospered in the new land and built a sizeable estate to benefit future Fernandez's generations until the State Sanctioned white collar looters took it all away......Never the less Dr. Fernandez and his wife Clara Fernandez enjoyed many years of prosperity until they got old and became easy prey with No one willing to help or protect them but rather pile on the piñata, and grab all they could in their drunken greed stupor to get it all before someone else does......

Others Cubans who viewed my father's comments as alarmist and chose to stay in Cuba are not so lucky today and are dying in Cuban prisons as political prisoners forgotten by all but a few.... Babalu.Com

Again the year was 1939 and many saw the writing the wall and many Jews left Germany and went on to build prosperous lives in Brazil,Argentina, Israel,America and countless other places.... many dismissed this warnings as alarmists and stayed behind in Germany, these did not do so well....

Again history places us at a crossroads in our destiny and the writing is on the wall, the war on the elderly has been declared, with no punches pulled as the number of elderly under guardianship languishing in human warehouses is kept secret, the number of property confiscations are on the rise, the loss/lack of human rights for an entire segment of the population is astonishing......

Will you be the one who waits until you are too old to water your lawn and be hauled off kicking and screaming to a nursing home, of if you live in the northern climate will you wait until you are unable to come out after every storm to shovel snow off the sidewalks and likewise be declared 'incapacitated' in a closed non parte hearing in which you or your loved ones have NO say and have all your property confiscated, your social security income diverted to pay for guardian fees, and your property sold to satisfy legal fees for the cost of having you declared incompetent?

Will you be one of the ones who sees the writing on the wall in time or will you be one of the ones dragged off kicking and screaming into the nursing facility?

If you think you are immune and this only happens to other people, think again! The year was 2000 , the place was New York City

The Honorable Judge John L. Phillips, known to all as the Kung-Fu Judge. Upon learning of his candidacy in 2001, Brooklyn D.A. Joe Hynes filed an ex-parte (secret action) to seal up all of Judge Phillips' assets. Twelve apartment buildings and two movie Theatres were part of the millionaire judges' empire. The Court then appointed Hynes former Chief of Staff, Harvey Greenberg, as Judge Phillips' "Guardian."

The transcript of the probate court proceeding is chilling. Anyone can file a motion to declare a person incompetent. The county government, ithen steps in to appoint a guardian.What happens after that is best exemplied in Judge Phiilips's case.
Sometime between November and December of 2000, Greenberg was appointed "temporary guardian" of the "mentally incapacitated" Phillips.
The following winter, Phillips' heat was cut off, and neighbors found him living in squalor and poor health, wearing an overcoat and hat. As one acquaintance of Phillips' put it, "They wanted him to die."

All of Judge Phillips' properties were sold for pennies-on-the-dollar. Then the judges' home mysteriously burned to the ground, obfuscating any records he had been keeping. The guardians neglected to pay the insurance. Six years later, the once museum-like four story brownstone at 155 Herkimer Street still sits in the heart of Bed-Stuy as a boarded up shell. A monument to the tragic end of the Kung-Fu Judge.

Now, the undisputed facts, according to the IRS, are that between the years of 2000 and 2007, four separate guardians sold $10 million dollars of Judge Phillips' property and failed to pay or file any taxes. The undisputed facts of the case: Judge John L. Phillips, died homeless and broke. He owned 12 apartment buildings and 2 movie theatres.

Blog sites such as ElderAbuseHelp.Org, EstateOfDenial.Com and others are gathering evidence that this is not an isolated incident but a rapidly spreading racket that threatens every elderly citizen who manages to retire with any monies saved up for their old age...In fact this practice is become the norm more than the exception in a single day the same judge that declared Phillip's incapacitated , Judge Pesce handed 17 guardianships in a single day to a 38-year-old attorney named Dagmar Plaza! In 0ne single day!

If this can happen to a sitting Judge, you think it won't happen to you? Or are you feeding the sharks hoping they eat you last?

Will you be like Silvia Bush who at 78 years old, you can’t get up fast enough Your house is broken into; you are pulled off your chair as you are cleaning you coffee pot peacefully at your own kitchen table.· You are grabbed by your shoulder pulled off your chair onto the linoleum of your kitchen, hurting your shoulder.· On the floor, you are handcuffed.· Taken out of your house.· Loaded into an ambulance.· In the ambulance, your are forcibly constrained , taken to St. Anthony’s psychiatric, ward with no attempt to contact your family

You have time to make a call and leave a message asking for your son on Frank Sampson’s answering machine while they are breaking in. This tape recording is proof you are not delusional, gravely disabled, or a danger to yourself or others.

Reporters such as Maria Bartiromo who initiated a series on this racket had soon to change networks and report on financial matters instead, another Investigative Journalist whose family legacy has also been wiped out in the probate racket named Janet Phelan who initiated a series of articles titled "The Probate Murders" has been subject to un relenting and vile personal attacks being forced to leave the country in order to continue her investigations. This writer when writing about the atrocities committed against our elders became a target for retribution, and after spending the family legacy in legal fees, opted to leave the country in order to continue to speak against elder abuse in the hope that others will open their eyes before it's too late and take concrete actions to protect themselves and their families.

Gerald Celente's Top Trends Of 2011

Top Trends of 2011 By Gerald Celente 12-28-10

KINGSTON, NY, 28 December 2010 - After the tumultuous years of the Great Recession, a battered people may wish that 2011 will bring a return to kinder, gentler times. But that is not what we are predicting:

1. Wake-Up Call The people of all nations, having become convinced of the inability of leaders and know-it-all "arbiters of everything" to fulfill their promises, will do more than just question authority, they will defy it. The seeds of revolution will be sown.

2. Crack-Up 2011 In 2011, with the bailout funds and arsenal of other schemes to prop up the economy depleted, teetering economies will collapse, currency wars will ensue, trade barriers will be erected, economic unions will splinter, and the onset of the "Greatest Depression" (a trend we forecasted before the massive bailouts existed) will be recognized by everyone.

3. Screw the People As times get even tougher and people get even poorer, the "authorities" will intensify their efforts to extract the funds needed to meet fiscal obligations. While there will be variations on the theme, the governments' song will be the same: cut what you give, raise what you take.

4. Crime Waves No job + no money + compounding debt = high stress, strained relations, short fuses. In 2011, with the fuse lit, it will be prime time for Crime Time. As Gerald Celente says, "When people lose everything and they have nothing left to lose, they lose it." And "lose it" they will.

5. Crackdown on Liberty As crime rates rise, so will the voices demanding a crackdown. A national crusade to "Get Tough on Crime" will be waged against the citizenry. And just as in the "War on Terror," where "suspected terrorists" are killed before proven guilty or jailed without trial, in the "War on Crime" everyone is a suspect until proven innocent.

6. Alternative Energy In laboratories and workshops unnoticed by mainstream analysts, scientific visionaries and entrepreneurs are forging a new physics incorporating principles once thought impossible, working to create devices that liberate more energy than they consume. What are they, and how long will it be before they can be brought to market?

7. Journalism 2.0 2011 will mark the year that new methods of news and information distribution will render the 20th century model obsolete. With its unparalleled reach across borders and language barriers, "Journalism 2.0" has the potential to influence and educate citizens in a way that governments and corporate media moguls would never permit.

8. Cyberwars In 2010, every major government acknowledged that Cyberwar was a clear and present danger and, in fact, had already begun. The demonstrable effects of Cyberwar and its companion, Cybercrime, are already significant ­ and will come of age in 2011. Equally disruptive will be the harsh measures taken by global governments to control free access to the web, identify its users, and literally shut down computers that it considers a threat to national security.

9. Youth of the World Unite University degrees in hand yet out of work, in debt and with no prospects on the horizon, feeling betrayed and angry, young adults and 20-somethings are mad as hell, and they're not going to take it anymore. Not mature enough to control their impulses, the confrontations they engage in will escalate disproportionately.

10. End of The World! The closer we get to 2012, the louder the calls will be that "The End is near!" Among Armageddonites the actual end of the world, and annihilation of the Earth in 2012, is a matter of certainty. Even the rational and informed may sometimes feel the world is in a perilous state. Both streams of thought are leading many to reevaluate their chances for personal survival, be it in heaven or on earth.

11. The Mystery Trend ... will be revealed upon publication of theTrends Journal in mid-January.

With http://enews.trendsresearch.com an unexcelled track record to prove it, no one can provide a more accurate look into the future than Gerald Celente, Trends Journal Publisher.

To scoop your competition and give your audience something of real significance to think about ­ and talk about in the New Year, schedule an interview with Gerald Celente by contacting:

Zeke West, Media Relations
zwest@trendsresearch.com
845 331.3500 Ext. 1

To Whomever is Inclined to Help:

Please see if you can look into this sad and tragic matter facing this 82 years old loving couple.

Evelyn, former principal and Jay, former electrical engineer, close friends, were dating weekly for 17 years in Columbia, Md.

On June 19, 2009, Evelyn’s daughter and granddaughter did secretly without any disclosure, obtain guardianship of Evelyn, against her will and under false pretenses.

Upon learning this, Evelyn stated that her family “stabbed her in the back”. The guardians misled two doctors, who disagreed on Evelyn’s condition to do this. Nine months later Evelyn is still perfectly lucid with no lapses in comprehension. She is only forgetful.

To prevent disclosure of their sinister motives, the guardians prohibit Evelyn from attending any of her own hearings, even when she pleaded to. To shut me up, the guardians obtained a restraining order against me using all false charges. I was not permitted to testify or defend myself.

The guardian family uses 3 inactive law degrees to maliciously abuse the law with false and perjurous charges without basis. They then filed false criminal charges against me. For the first time on March 10, 2010, the judge allowed me to defend myself. I was found NOT GUILTY of all charges with permission to visit my lady friend. Twenty year old granddaughter guardian irrationally and illegally violates grandmother’s civil and constitutional rights by stopping these visits at the Morningside assisted living facility.

Respectfully, Jay Engleman

11520 E. Maple Ave
Beltsville, MD 20705
301-937-2896

Attn:Fellow Victims of Cook County Probate Court Corruption

Fellow victims of Cook County Probate Court Corruption---please visit www.probatesharks.com and contact us!

Guardianship Protection Racket Sinks to New Lows

Jail time for Chicago estate litigation initiators? Check out a Media Advisory we posted regarding a Chicago case in which two women may be going to jail because they pursued a civil case against a guardian and other parties believed to be looting the estate of 93-year-old Lydia Tyler. Mrs. Tyler and her family are pictured above. A ruling is scheduled for Wednesday. We’ll keep you posted as more information becomes available.

From Illinois (via Arizona) Posted: 31 May 2009 01:53 PM PDT MEDIA ADVISORY May 30, 2009 Contact: Mary Beth Smith 602-434-2900 ***MEDIA ADVISORY*** Family Battling Guardianship May Go to Jail Nieces of 93-year-old Lydia Tyler say their aunt was targeted with an unwarranted guardianship as a tactic for looting assets from her multi-million dollar estate. A legal battle to have the guardianship revoked and to compel an accounting of her financial status may land two of the nieces, Mary Lynn Drabik and Mary Sue Richards, both of Phoenix, in jail. The two women say Cook County Probate Judge Maureen E. Connors has allowed counsel for one of the delinquent fiduciaries to press false “direct criminal contempt” charges as a result of the women’s continued pursuit within the civil court system to protect their aunt’s interests from what they believe is a coordinated effort on the part of Tyler’s guardians and associated parties to deplete her estate. Ruling was issued Friday, May 29, to bar Drabik and Richards from further involvement in resolving their aunt’s affairs. Judge Connors has scheduled ruling for 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 3, on the contempt charges. Drabik and Richards face a fine of up to $500 and/or three days in the Cook County jail. Guardianships have become controversial as families across this country learn the increased commonality of these probate instruments being abused as targeted individuals experience a deprivation of their liberty and a looting of their assets. Photo ops as well as interviews with the family will be available. WHO: The Family of Lydia Tyler WHAT: Cook County Probate Judge Maureen E. Connors’ Ruling on “direct criminal contempt” charges against Mary Lynn Drabik and Mary Sue Richards. WHEN: 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 3, 2009 WHERE: Richard J. Daley Center Court Room 1814 50 West Washington Street Chicago, Illinois 60601

Attn: California Members

Investigative reporter Janet Phelan is working on an article concerning the reports that gone into the California Professional Fiduciaries Bureau concerning guardian abuse. Would the California members who sent in such complaints please contact her via email? at tinker.belle2000@yahoo.com

She needs to know if your complaints were responded to and if so, what did the Professional Fiduciaries Bureau say.

We would appreciate hearing from you soon!

Thanks,

Janet Phelan & Editor, E.A.

Elder Abuse Victims Act of 2009 Needs to Pass

Elder Abuse Victims Act of 2009 Needs Senate Vote & Obama’s Signature to Pass

Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA) was recently defeated in Pennsylvania’s senatorial race. His Elder Abuse Victim’s Act was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives. Here’s the information:

“House of Representatives HR 448: Elder Abuse Victims Act of 2009: To protect seniors in the United States from elder abuse by establishing specialized elder abuse prosecution and research programs and activities to aid victims of elder abuse, to provide training to prosecutors and other law enforcement related to elder abuse prevention and protection, to establish programs that provide for emergency crisis response teams to combat elder abuse, and for other purposes.

"Feb 11, 2009: This bill passed in the House of Representatives by roll call vote. The vote was held under a suspension of the rules to cut debate short and pass the bill, needing a two-thirds majority. This usually occurs for non-controversial legislation. The totals were 397 Ayes, 25 Nays, 10 Present/Not Voting”

[see link: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-448]

The above is one of many already passed Congressional bills awaiting passage by the U.S. Senate. Once HR 448 is passed it can be signed into law; its Democratic legislation introduced by Democrat Sestak and passed by a Democratic House of Representatives and it's now awaiting a Democratic Senate majority to vote on it. Then it goes to the Democratic president to sign it into law.

IMPORTANT: We STILL have the same Democratic leadership and the majority until January 1, 2011 that we had prior to the recent election.

They are said to be the lame duck Senate but, to we elder advocates, they are an important group of politicians. They are our duly elected and functioning government and they work for we tax payers & elder advocates....for now. If they want our votes in 2012, they can start to work on obtaining our votes right now by passing HR448.

Most of you will agree with the following: we want our elderly protected.

We have to start somewhere, folks, so let’s be realistic. There is no panacea, no magic bullet to protect senior citizens or any other disenfranchised group. Social change happens slowly. Laws will be built out of horrible and imperfect situations like those we have encountered; it will be trial and error, unfortunately, and this evolvement may span decades.

In fact, in 2002, the American Medical Association said it would be 30-40 more years before awareness about elder abuse reached what it was then for child abuse. That’s pretty scary, isn’t it? If everyone in America knew what we know about elder abuse, neglect and exploitation, they would take this more seriously. However, we were the unwillingly “chosen”…we KNOW and because WE KNOW the responsibility falls on us to act.

We need social change and yet "we" don’t want health care or Wall Street, etc. reform with many saying government will be "too big." Let those of us who have had our family members slaughtered by greed keep this in mind when Republicans say they want less government. Could they mean they want less oversight?

Those of us who have seen what leaving the foxes guarding the chicken coup can bring about ought to have some big issues with less oversight. And, perhaps, it may be fairly easy to surmise a possible reason why the Republican Party poured money into the Pennsylvania election to make sure Joe Sestak was defeated.

Let’s get real about this political stuff for just a moment. It took eight years to run the country into a sewer. We elected a man from Chicago, not Oz or the Emerald City, as president. But, we really did expect him to be a magician not a politician, didn't we?

We are a nation that seeks immediate gratification and not the daunting task of commitment to social change and self-examination. Because social changes were addressed the “dogs of war” have been set upon Obama and he has been called a “socialist.”

The truth is our government has two huge socialist programs that have been and remain successful for over 60 years. They are Medicare and Social Security. Do you want to change them or remove them because they are socialist? Do you know that every country in the world has socialistic programs that were brought about for a more humane society?

Are social workers socialists? They're certainly highly respected professionals and they’re in the trenches with us...thank God for the ones that were with me in Walterboro, South Carolina when my father met with an untimely end. Paradise Costs would have never been written if it weren't for them. I remember one named Linda who said to me: "Irene, don't you see why this is happening to your family? You're a writer; the pen is mightier than the sword. Write about this." She encouraged me to reframe what was happening to my family under some ugly and dire circumstances.

Most social workers urge us to change, too. They want us to understand that if we keep doing the same thing, the same thing is going to happen. We can sit here at this blog and discuss our personal tragedies, try to re-invent "the wheel," we can think magically about the future, we can bicker, we can attempt to infuse our fractured and dysfunctional society with fantasy about our imperfect union or pie-in-the-sky thoughts about capitalism with morals or we can do something and comfort ourselves by knowing we tried everything we could to make a difference.

Think please? We have 3 Democratic legislative bodies (House, Senate and President) and some already written legislation, let’s pour the pressure on the lame ducks to “grow a pair” and do the job we elected them to do.

Yes, elder advocates will argue that this is wrong and that is wrong with the above legislation just as they did with the Elder Justice Act…but, listen, it’s a start and we have to start somewhere and why not now?

It’s really, really simple and it's in this moment.

You’re part of the problem or you're part of the solution.

Pick a side right now.

People who want to be part of a possible solution click on this link http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
and look up your senators’ phone numbers (you have 2 U.S. Senators)
and call his or her office every day until December 31, 2010 if need be
and tell him/her to vote “yes” on HR 448. Please ask your friends to do
likewise?

Here’s the White House’s number: 202-456-1111;
call the President's staff everyday...see above.

I will be calling my senators (both Democrats), tomorrow and everyday from now until December 31, 2010 to say, “Please pass HR 448 or I'll never vote Democrat again and I can promise you I will tell everyone of the 78 million baby-boomers I can possibly reach that you and your colleagues turned your backs on us.”

And while I have your attention can I please tell each of you something else that's critically important?

Please don’t view yourselves as victims. Empower yourself and see yourself as a pioneer, a champion of the elderly and an advocate taking a proactive stance.

Every one of you is an awesome spirit having the human experience that's been tainted for some reason by this horrendous social ill called elder abuse. Reframe it?

You are more powerful than you know. God, in His wisdom, has chosen each of us to make a difference and lead the way by sharing our expanding consciousness about elder care issues. Do it!

And as the famous poem says, "...whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the Universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy."

For those who still need a little more inspiration, please see this link & have your speakers on:
http://www.youtube.com/user/operaphila

Peace,
Irene

Irene A. Masiello
Author: Paradise Costs-A Victim’s Daughter
Fights Back against Elder Abuse
Afterword: Rabbi Bennett Blum, M.D.
www.ParadiseCosts.com
http://www.bennettblummd.com/

©Copyright November 2010-Irene A. Masiello-All rights reserved

"Never doubt that a small group of committed citizens can change the world;
indeed it is the only thing that ever has" - Margaret Mead

Call To Action !

The report to Assemblyman Dave Jones´ office (archived here =>>ElderAbuseHelp.Org and at JanetPhelan.Com) reveals a disturbing level of complicity by the Professional Fiduciaries Bureau with the crimes that the Bureau is pledged to investigate and curtail.

The issues that have been uncovered so far are summarized here:

1) The Bureau has been caught lying to complainants in order to illegally close down complaints.

2) The Bureau has evidenced a brazen disregard for sunshine laws and has been violating the public records act in order to obscure its own functioning.

3) The Bureau, through its attorney, has lied to the press in order to obscure the nature of its activities.

The PFB was set up to protect vulnerable elders in the State of California from unscrupulous and predatory conservators. It is not only failing to do so, but its contempt for the sunshine laws reveals that this Bureau appears to believe itself to be above the law.

I am requesting the recipients of this message to take immediate action and contact Dave Jones´ office and state your concerns in an email to Jones´aide Kayte Fisher. Her email is kayte.fisher@asm.ca.gov.

Thank you. The elderly and disabled of California deserve better. If you have any questions, please contact me at janet_c_phelan@yahoo.com.

Sincerely,

Janet Phelan

Come To Philly Today: Let your Voices Be Heard

ON TODAY, OCTOBER 4th 2010,THERE WILL BE A PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATION OUTSIDE OF PHILADELPHIA,PENNSYLVANIA'S CITY HALL WHICH IS LOCATED AT 15th AND MARKET STREETS IN PHILADELPHIA,PENNSYLVANIA.

THIS PROTEST WILL START @9:AM YES EVEN IN THE RAIN.ANOTHER FAMILY HAS BEEN VICTIMIZED BY A ORPHAN'S COURT JUDGE AND THEY ARE THREATENING, WHICH IS ALREADY IN AFFECT TO PUT HER OUT IN THE STREET AFTER THEY TAKE HER LOVED ONE FAMILY HOME AND SALE IT FOR PROFIT.

IT IS ALMOST WINTER TIME AND THE WEATHER IS GETTING COLDER.THIS WOMAN UP AND RELOCATED TO PHILADELPHIA TO TAKE CARE OF HER AUNT AND THE STATE ENDED UP TAKING HER AUNT TO A REHABILITATION FACILITY IT WAS SUPPOSE TO BE SHORT TERM THEN THEY ENDED KEEPING HER.NOW THE FAMILY IS TRYING TO FIGHT TO GET HER HOME SAFELY AND SOON.,YES WE ARE STARTING IN PHILADELPHIA,PA BUT WE PLAN ON MOVING ACROSS THE MAP.

WE HAVE OUR LOCAL MEDIA ATTENDING,THE NATIONAL ACTION NETWORK WHO IS AFFILIATED WITH ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL VOICES ON THIS PLANET REV. AL SHARPTON AND MANY MORE WE PLAN ON MAKING HEADLINES AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE HEARD JOIN IN.AS A WHOLE AND ONLY AS A WHOLE WE CAN TAKE THESE CORRUPTED ORPHAN COURT JUDGES AND GUARDIANS AND LAWYERS BY STORM.CALLING ALL TRUE AMERICANS WHO IS WILLING TO UP FOR THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF THE ELDERLY AND DISABLED, PLEASE JOIN US.

THIS WILL BE AN ALL DAY EVENT SO IF YOU'RE NEAR OR FAR YOU ARE WELCOME BRING YOUR POSTERS WITH MESSAGES AND DRESS FOR THE OCCASSION. THE FORECAST FOR PHILADELPHIA, PA IS RAINY AND COLD.BUT PLEASE DON'T LET THAT STOP YOU FROM BEING HEARD.

DON'T JUST BE ABOUT TALK TAKE ACTION

Please Write the County Commissioners by Monday

Please make a difference, their fight is our fight!

WE NEED TO CHANGE THE INQUEST PROCESS! They meet next Tuesday, October 5th. Please email all of the County Commissioners listed below by Monday. If you do not live in Las Vegas, tell them that you will not vacation or retire in their city simply because you don’t feel safe. You can use the template letter below or write your own. Please email this template to as many people that you know that may have an interest in this situation. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!!!

http://www.accessclarkcounty.com/depts/commission/Pages/commission.aspx

ccdistA@co.clark.nv.us
ccdistB@co.clark.nv.us
ccdistC@co.clark.nv.us
ccdistD@co.clark.nv.us
ccdistE@co.clark.nv.us
ccdistF@co.clark.nv.us
ccdistG@co.clark.nv.us
ccmgr@co.clark.nv.us


SAMPLE LETTER - COPY AND PASTE

Dear County Commissioners,

I respectfully request that you change the Clark County Coroner's Inquest process to ensure ALL facts surrounding the death of any victim killed by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police officers are presented fairly at the deceased's hearing. To that end, I request your immediate action to ensure the family's attorney can:

Cross-examine all witnesses presented by the District Attorney, including the Metro officers involved.

Challenge evidence presented by the District Attorney.

Present witnesses on behalf of the victim's family.


Present additional evidence.

Require the Coroner, District Attorney and Metro police officials to disclose key evidence to the family's attorney prior to the inquest hearing, including homicide investigators' reports and the coroner's autopsy and toxicology reports.

Further, the District Attorney must not be involved in the inquest process, because the DA is not an independent party.

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department detectives should not be allowed to investigate officer-involved incidents that result in death. Instead, an independent third party, which has no relationship or involvement with any Police Protective Association (PPA), should investigate all officer-involved shootings, accidents, etc.

All findings of the third-party investigation must be shared with the victim's family, its attorney and representatives of the PPA at a pre-inquest meeting, prior to the formal hearing.

The PPA should have its attorney at that meeting to assist in reviewing evidence and facts.

In addition to the jury, members of an independent citizen's review board should be present at all inquest-related hearings, empowered to make inputs and evaluations. Its primary objective would be to ensure better training and avoid the use of excessive force by Metro officers.

Jury instructions must be written and presented to jury members prior to the initiation of the formal inquest hearing.

The inquest hearing should always be televised and video-streamed via Internet, enabling interested parties in the community to monitor all hearing proceedings.

Not implementing these changes virtually guarantees that a victim's hearing will be extremely one-sided, only carefully selected "facts" and data will be presented, and the DA's and Metro's focus will be on assassinating a victim's character, not on answering questions surrounding how and why the person was killed.

As it stands today, the ordinance governing the conduct of any Clark County Coroner's Inquest proceeding violates any reasonable interpretation of constitutional "due process." Thank you for ensuring it is changed immediately.

Regards,

your name here

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