Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 286 replies
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pdrake
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Mon, Sep 18, 2006 6:38 PM
this for GROG. hope it helps. |
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kingstiedye
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Mon, Sep 18, 2006 6:47 PM
i've got a couple of cobwebs hanging from the walls. as for my tc art, i need everything to help combat my own horrible case of baldness! :) |
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GROG
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Mon, Sep 18, 2006 6:47 PM
Pdrake, that was GROG's pet when GROG was growing up. His name was Horny. KTD, you poor bastard having a similar affliction. That must be why you have to buy all that nice art to look at to take your mind off the terrible baldness that affects us s o deeply. GROG sympathize with you brother. If anybody wants to send mugs to Kingstiedye to help him cope with his affliction........Aw, never mind. [ Edited by: GROG 2006-09-18 18:52 ] |
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Benzart
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Mon, Sep 18, 2006 6:52 PM
What was given, was given from the heart. If it was not recieved from the heart, then shame on them. I'm with Karbora and GMAN, that what was given is given from the heart and I am happy that I at least had the chance to help a boy who would have been much worse off than I or my Own son and I do not regret the ack of giving.It is not the physical things that were given, but the love and trust that was given that hurts. Yeah, Maybe it will end up on ebay, so buy it back, or let the little kid keep it since everything went to their address, the only question is weather he has cancer or not? |
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GROG
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Mon, Sep 18, 2006 6:55 PM
Where was the address? (not specific address, just city and State) |
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PoisonIvy
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Mon, Sep 18, 2006 7:01 PM
On 2006-09-18 18:52, Benzart wrote: Yeah, Maybe it will end up on ebay, so buy it back, or let the little kid keep it since everything went to their address, the only question is weather he has cancer or not? Benzart, you are one of the kindest people here. I believe the question raised, sadly, is if this child exists. |
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pdrake
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Mon, Sep 18, 2006 7:07 PM
horny always happy to help master i heard. |
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kingstiedye
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Mon, Sep 18, 2006 7:08 PM
the address is in houston. ben, you're right. i gave from the heart. i also shed a tear when i heard andy's dad had been killed in iraq. now, i'm just pissed, but i'll help again when needed, but i'll be sure that it's legit. |
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kingstiedye
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Mon, Sep 18, 2006 7:13 PM
p.s. i gotta get a wooly rhinoceros pelt to staple to my dome. grog look good! |
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rodeotiki
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Mon, Sep 18, 2006 7:16 PM
On of the sad parts about this is that my son went to school and asked his teacher if they could all right letters and make pictures for a sick friend. I appluade all who gave from the heart as Ben said, there is no greater group of people than tiki people. |
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hewey
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Mon, Sep 18, 2006 8:02 PM
What a shit... :( Big props to all the folks who donated, and especially Wendy for rounding a heap of folks up. Tiki folks are great! :) Tiki karma will catch up with everyone, both the folks who donated and folks who rip people off. I was going to paint "Happy Birthday Andy" on the piece I did, wish I did now. Would have made it difficult to sell... hahahaha. Didnt kow his name till after I sent it though. I can just imagine the ebay auction - cool surf art, ideal for someone named Andy who is having a birthday :) |
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RevBambooBen
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Mon, Sep 18, 2006 8:59 PM
Like Atomick Cockateal used to say, that's fucked up!! I say only help TC'ers in dire need, ON TC!!!. like we all did for Stentiki when he had his quadruple bi-pass. seemed to help him pull through. and he is real!!! I say, if you want to donate to anyone off TC, then do it off TC. Arrrrr!!! |
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Coco Loco
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Mon, Sep 18, 2006 9:04 PM
Let me preface this with, Tiki people RULE! What an awesome display of generosity and kindness. Kudos to Wendy for stepping up to the plate to help a sick kid in need. Yes, the intent of giving for a good cause in itself, legitimate or unknowingly not, is satisfying. And yes, we should give to a legitimate cause to erase this bad memory, if in fact this is a scam...which I'm increasingly believing. Okay, now I can say that I'm pissed about this alleged (Babs hasn't gotten back to us yet) scam. I just spent 1/2 hr on the computer googling any piece of info in this story that could support it. Lots of college aged Matt Landrys in TX. No Andy or Andrew Landry matches and several Barbara Landrys, without association to anything here. Landry is a VERY common name in Texas. I really don't want to believe that it's a scam because that would be an erogenous abuse of the wonderful Ohana spirit here, and that makes me mad. It's sad. I really want Barbara, if that's her real name, to advise exactly what her story is. A picture with a kid holding the stuff won't convince me. Who knows who the kid is. It's just too weird that she sent TWO public images -- one confirmed to have been taken in Scotland. If there really is an Andy, that's 9, that's her son, who has cancer, please provide some evidence. At this point, I need some proof of legitimacy to continue supporting this. If Barbara gets back to us and doesn't resolve this, or if she never gets back to us, we should start a new thread posting pictures of items sent. It'll be a point of reference if this stuff ever pops up on ebay. Then perhaps we might be able to identify exactly who this person is via the seller. If this "alleged scam" is a scam...which I'm believing more by the minute. Oh, and yeah Aquarama, how in the world did you locate that clip!? |
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PoisonIvy
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Mon, Sep 18, 2006 9:29 PM
Wow, you're quick. |
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hanford_lemoore
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Mon, Sep 18, 2006 10:06 PM
I want to chime in here. I have to say that nothing adds up in the Andy Landry story so far. I've dealt with enough scammers on TC to know that if you wait for Barb to give you an explanation, she will. She'll come back with a crazy story. Like: "I didn't want to give out his photo to some stranger so I used a fake one! I didn't know what your intentions were!!!!". Or some other excuse. She'll make up something that will prey on your desire to want to believe, and your hope that it isn't a scam. She'll claim that there really is an Andy, and that he really is sick, and that your tikis did really go to a good cause, and the fake photos were a dumb idea because she wanted to protect her boy. blah blah blah. She'll try to make you want to believe it all over again. And some people will. She has already did this once before when we questioned her about the age differences in her stories. At this point we do know for a fact that we've been lied to. I think the writings on the wall as to why. Whatever Barb comes back with ... I'm not believing it. She's lost all her credibility with me. ~Hanford PS to Coco Loco: an erogenous abuse? Kinkay! [ Edited by: hanford_lemoore 2006-09-19 13:07 ] |
IDOT
I dream of tiki
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Mon, Sep 18, 2006 10:23 PM
Do we want Barbara even back on TC? Hasn't her actions of taking advantage of the situation merit being booted? I motion to ban her scamming butt from coming back to Tiki Central. |
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tekoteko
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Mon, Sep 18, 2006 10:23 PM
I'm so glad I'm not the only one who caught that. hee. |
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Coco Loco
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Mon, Sep 18, 2006 10:41 PM
Yep, I made a typo. Sorry. I meant to type egregious. I probably clicked on the wrong item on spell check. Or I'm tired. I agree with your point Hanford. However, I was merely expressing a feeling that I'd like to give the benefit of the doubt. "Like to" is the operative word. I really can't though, it's clear. Yeah, I know you see a lot of scamming on TC. It's just hard for me personally to stomach this. Anyhew, I'm moving on now. Karma's not pleasant and I'm glad I'm not in Barbara's shoes. |
QK
Queen Kamehameha
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Mon, Sep 18, 2006 10:50 PM
wow, I just read the last 4 pages. I too sent a big box of stuff for "andy". You know what's really said, the kid in the picture is really a acancer victim, sad. I agree with the sentiment here, we all did something we thought was nice. We shouldn't feel bad. Karma is a wonderful thing...theres good karma and bad karma, and I am thinking barb is not on the receiving end of any good karma coming...... Amy |
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tiki-tina
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Mon, Sep 18, 2006 11:02 PM
Agreed Sabu. So is it the address on Chickamauga Ln? If that's the case, it's pretty dangerous to pull such a stunt and then have your address and telephone number available to anyone with Google skills! I just think this is so very sad and I am really aggravated that someone would exploit the giving nature of this ohana! I think all of us would like to know the absolute truth here (or at least as close as we can get). If all of the items were sent to the address for Matt and Barbara Landry listed in the Houston White Pages, perhaps we should try to contact Barbara directly for an explanation, or at the very least to determine if she ever received the items and how Andy is enjoying them. If she is a fraud, I'm sure she would LOVE all of the phone calls! Interestingly, Barbara posted on and on about fraud and contacting the authorities. Wish I lived a little closer...I'd swing by to check in with Barb and Andy! Wonder if there are any TC members who live in the area. Had a friend who lived in Sugar Land (not far from the address listed for Barbara in the White Pages) and her husband was a cop. If they still lived in the area, I'd have her drive by with her husband, but unfortunately, they've retired and are sailing the ocean blue somewhere. Anyway, proud to be affiliated with such a giving group of folks, but so dissapointed that someone would take advantage of everyone's giving hearts by using such a sad story. Question for Wendy: How do you know Barbara? What compelled you to get so involved? Have you heard anything else? Quite a sad situation, but hopeful that there really isn't a little boy named Andy who lost his dad and is suffering from Cancer. That would be really sad! [ Edited by: tiki-tina 2006-09-18 23:07 ] |
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tiki-tina
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Tue, Sep 19, 2006 12:23 AM
Very interesting. Just found this on the web. Assuming that this may turn out to be a scam,why would someone take this kind of risk? MAIL FRAUD - 18 U.S.C. 1341, makes it a Federal crime or offense for anyone to use the United States mails in carrying out a scheme to defraud. A person can be found guilty of that offense only if all of the following facts are proved: First: That the person knowingly and willfully devised a scheme to defraud, or for obtaining money or property by means of false pretenses, representations or promises; and Second: That the person used the United States Postal Service by mailing, or by causing to be mailed, some matter or thing for the purpose of executing the scheme to defraud. |
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aquaorama
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Tue, Sep 19, 2006 3:50 AM
As someone who works for the Military ( Well...sorta...) I'm sure the Army or Marines would LOVE to hear about someone using thier service to scam people. Guys/Gals in Camo tend to get REALLYYYYYYYYYY Upset about things like that...( This knowledge gathered thru witnessing numerous bar fights at "Enlisted Clubs"...) I'm quite sure a call to the local ARMY recruiter in Houston wold provide for some interesting times... :) |
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Benzart
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Tue, Sep 19, 2006 4:11 AM
I'm afraid I am the guilty one who got Wendy of danlovestikis into this mess. A fellow TC'r pm'd me about it and I told a few others. I was getting set to send my package when I forun the thread where the FBI was brought in. At that time I had second thoughts and decided not to send. Later Wendy came back with More info and Pictures and my heart melted and I gave in and sent the stuff. I'm Still glad I sent it because it felt great to possibly help someone in need. My heart still hopes the scam is not true, but it is prepared to accept the fateful truth that looms bigger and bigger every day. |
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hewey
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Tue, Sep 19, 2006 4:14 AM
As far as I know, it started when barbara posted chasing Kahakii for the tiki for her son. Obviously she was not getting any response. I PMd her and directed her to the thread in which Kahakii explained he was going through a divorce. I explained he was a top bloke when he posted on here, and im sure he just had other stuff on his plate. Got this PM response (all of the following PMs have not been edited in any form):
I PMd a few mates on here and suggested that we try and get some stuff to this kid, try and cheer him up. Many of the people I PMd then PMd further people. I beleive this is the point where Wendy came in and did an awesome job of rounding up a HEAP of tiki stuff. I PMd Barbara for her address so I could get folks to send her stuff. Note that at this point I had suggested I would try and send her something, but I did not say I was getting a heap of folks to post her stuff, because I wanted it to be a surprise. This is the next PM I received:
I must have rementioned I was sending something now I had her address, cant remember for certain. I think Wendy got into contact with her around this time-ish?
hmmmm, lets all take a minute to dwell on that last one shall we... :) Yeh, thats what I was thinking... But, these PMs do bring up some interesting thoughts/scenarios eg. Scenario #1 - It was an extremely well thought out and implemented scam. She could have browsed through old TC posts and saw that Kahakii had disapeared. By looking at previous events like Purple Jade mug, Stentiki etc. she would know how tops TCers are. She then posted re. getting into contact with Kahakii knowing we would stick up for him (and therefore create interest). She then pulls the Kid with Cancer card, then a little later the kid with cancer card AND the recently deceased husband card. How could we saps not rally together and donate some tiki stuff? She also found 2 shots of the same sick kid to bolster her 'case', which supports her doing a bit of homework. Flaws in this theory - perhaps relied too heavily upon a sap (like me and Barbara) to really get the ball rolling and thus minimise any potential questions of legitimatecy. But this does add more beleivability to the whole thing, as opposed to someone posting they want tiki stuff for their sick son... But if she was this organised you reckon she would have got her shit together with something as simple as ages?
I think # 2 seems most likely to me. Someone who puts in the amount of time as suggested in # 1 doesnt screw up something as simple as ages/years. Awefully convenient how they have "gone to visit grandma" at this stage, when the proverbial starts to hit the fan hey? Very interesting indeed. But - look on the bright side - at the start of all of this there was a kid with cancer. Now, thanks to the generosity of many TCers, there is no kid with cancer! Thus one can state that TC has helped to reduce childhood cancer rates! :) Personally, I think it sucks, but at the time I thought it was the right thing, and in the future I am still keen to help out GENUINE folks with problems, give em a little TC spirit. I just feel bad for my part in so many other folks getting burnt. |
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GatorRob
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Tue, Sep 19, 2006 6:10 AM
Hewey, thanks for the scenarios. At first I was angered that we were all scammed. But then I was confused because even as a scam, it didn't add up. But your scenarios show me that it is still 99.99% likely a scam, even if the events leading up to us sending packages to Andy/Barbara are somewhat roundabout. Even though I'm back to being angry that our generosity was taken advantage of, I'm happy that there is likely no Andy from Texas with terminal cancer. I'm surprised I was taken in by this. I am a natural born skeptic and always toss those "tug on the heart strings" emails. Hell, I'm always the one who points people to snopes.com and tells them they've been scammed! Well, fortunately, I hadn't gotten my package in the mail yet, so no financial loss here. But now I have to explain to my two kids that someone lied to us about this. THEY were taken advantage of too because they heard the story, helped pick out gifts for Andy and signed a "get well" letter to him that was just about to be mailed. I guess I get to turn this into a lesson for them about how to protect yourself from people who would take advantage of you. But I also get to tell them about what incredibly generous and caring people TC people are! And they will get to meet these wonderful people at Hukilau in just over two weeks! I think we all really need Hukilau now to erase these negative vibes and raise a glass (make mine a Jet Pilot please... hehe) to our incredible ohana. |
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Tangaroa
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Tue, Sep 19, 2006 7:18 AM
Arrrrgh!!!! (beats head against wall in frustration) Guys - there IS NO KID! There never was... |
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DawnTiki
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Tue, Sep 19, 2006 7:32 AM
Come on now people....it is September 19th! Pirate Tangaroa says: Aye, ahoy, arrrrgh!!! Shiver me timbers! (beats head against wall in frustration) Avast Mateys - thar Is No Kid, arrrrr, shiver me timbers! Thar ne'er was... |
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Tangaroa
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Tue, Sep 19, 2006 7:52 AM
AVAST!!!! She be right, says I.... |
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GROG
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Tue, Sep 19, 2006 8:05 AM
GROG still BALD!! Don't forget about GROG. GROG have a tough time getting out of bed this morning because of the pain caused by this disease. A nice SHAG-designed mug or a Gecko |
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Tangaroa
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Tue, Sep 19, 2006 8:31 AM
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Chongolio
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Tue, Sep 19, 2006 8:36 AM
Chongolio might be able to help Grog by bashing signed Ukulele over his head thus releasing all the infused mana directly into his scalp. It may even help Chongolio feel better too about this entire hoodwinking we all suffered. Well I am excepting the fact we all were duped in a big way, but also proud at the way we rallied together to help. I am with Bamboo Ben, I am keeping my charity in the TC Ohana from here on out and leaving my other good intentions outside TC and in my private life. I still have an Ukulele that needs a home and would like to give it to one of the people who sent gifts, but I don't know which would be the fairest way to do this. Also, it has been signed "To Andy" and has writing all over it. Maybe I will paint it, have an auction and give the money to charity. Any suggestions, I am open to them. Keep the faith! P.S. ARRRRRR |
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VonTiki
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Tue, Sep 19, 2006 10:31 AM
I bit that one, hook, line, and sinker!!! At least I can tell my 10 year old son that asks about Andy everyday that he really is'nt sick. My Bostonian wife never bought into the story, she was skeptical from the beginning. [ Edited by: VonTiki 2006-09-19 10:31 ] |
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sweetpea
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Tue, Sep 19, 2006 12:15 PM
I'm seriously pissed off about this. |
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Coco Loco
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Tue, Sep 19, 2006 12:46 PM
You go Pea! Stand strong girl!! Rest assured in Karma -- just wonderin if it's going to hit her immediately or later in an even bigger dose!! Wonder if it's actually even Barbara who's posting all of this stuff? Could be Matt for all we know. Argghhh, I don't care at this point. **I agree with all your points Pea. ** PO'd here in Coco Loco land too. And yes, I admit that Coco Loco is not my real name. :wink: |
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TikiJosh
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Tue, Sep 19, 2006 12:48 PM
Yarrr! I was thinking to meself t'other day, that thar sick boy needs some tikis. But, yarr, I didn't get off me lazy butt in time to send any of me buried treasure. Then I reads this about it being a bleedin' scam! Total bummer that other fine sea-faring folk were so sails-to-the-wind quick about sending booty to that landlubber. Send 'em to Davey-Jones, the whole lot of 'em. Yarrrr. |
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pdrake
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Tue, Sep 19, 2006 12:56 PM
unfortunately it probably won't happen fast enough. karma is not a present life phenomenon. it is the accumulated influence that actions you take in your present life have on your future lives. that's the hindu karma. i know we're talking about the "you reap what you sow" type here, and "what goes around comes around"; the ever popular "you get out of the universe what you put into it" is my personal favorite. so, she's bound to have quite a few bad day then come back as a cancerous baby born with the hiv. a cock punch here and there probably wouldn't hurt, either. |
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pablus
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Tue, Sep 19, 2006 1:41 PM
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martiki
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Tue, Sep 19, 2006 3:28 PM
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danlovestikis
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Tue, Sep 19, 2006 4:01 PM
Hi Everyone, just got home from work and checked my emails and TC messages. I have emailed Barbara many times in the past few days requesting the Birthday Party Photos and an explanation. The depth of her deception was amazing in detail. Right down to saying that Andy had to be in a wheelchair for his party and that a nurse from the hospital had even attended. She told me very personal details of how she felt about the loss of her husband. I can't believe how horrible this deception was. I lost friends to the Vietnam war and I too work in a hospital with children with cancer. Dan's dad has just been found to have terminal cancer and we are treasuring the days he has left. All of these facts I shared with her and she and I suffered together...NOT. I was asked how I met her. It came about because Benzart was carving a necklace for Dan and I. When Hewey asked him for a necklace for Barbara Ben contacted me to see if he could send ours to speed up the process. I said of course. I asked for her address. Then Dan and I packed up three (we later sent a fourth) big boxes of tikis, from a carved tiki drum to coco joes to mugs, I went out and bought games and magnets, sculpey clay in bright colors, I even won another Pocketiki from England and had it sent to him. James then got involved and sent gifts along with the magazine, then he got his friends involved. When I sent the boxes I included my email address and said if I could help to let me know. Meanwhile I started asking my best tiki buddies to send boxes too. Everyone was so happy to send these surprises. I live in California so I'm not close to Barbara other than with what's occurred here. She wrote the most beautiful thank you and then like Hewey posted she described her situation. I told her that Andy was going to have a lot of fun things to see and play with because I was going to send another box and that I had friends that were going to send things too. She was very happy and delighted. Then I thought why not include TC. The reason I decided that was based on her angry thread. I hadn't seen it until after my friends and I sent boxes. I kept trying to find it and it wasn't until I tried typing Barbara necklace that it came up. I thought this poor woman, she must have become so angry because it was one more bad thing in a life of tragedy. So I thought lets heal her, lets have TC people send things and all the anger she has at being told to get off TC will go away and it will eliminate that hurt. When the TC member response was so incredible it made my day, it made my week, then yesterday it all crashed and burned. It is so horrible that she would cash in on saying all these types of lies when so many families are living them day to day. I had told Dan's dad what we were doing and he was so proud of us. I think that Barbara should be ashamed and take every single item we donated to the Cancer Society in her area. If someone knows of one close to Barbara they ought to have them call her and offer to pick everything up. Barbara should take photos of them picking it up and photos of it displayed for sale. Then she should write a huge apology to us and then exit TC never to be heard from again. It's not over until there is some satisfaction for those of us who do not lie and deceive. Thank you to each and every one of you who wrote to say you didn't hold me responsible. I appreciate those notes so much because I'm really beating myself up over this. I tried so hard to stop more boxes from going out. I do feel blessed in that I have seen and met so many more TC members who are angles on earth. So Caring and kind. Dan and I feel like our best friends on this planet have come to us through collecting and loving tikis. You are all just the very best of friends. Now I'm smiling again, more to come, Wendy [ Edited by: danlovestikis 2006-09-19 19:20 ] |
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midnite
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Tue, Sep 19, 2006 5:20 PM
Aloha Wendy, midnite |
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pablus
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Tue, Sep 19, 2006 6:41 PM
Kindness is its own reward. Further - in keeping with today's theme... ... arrrrrr, cap'n midnite be correct. Ye should always make sure yer jests be apparent, lest ye end up cryin' in yer rum, filled with sorra that ye dealt another mate undue payeen and arrrrgony. It be as simple as a colon, dash, close parentheseeeaaaasss. Like so... :wink: I'm as gillty o' the same as the sword what killed my dear mate, cook. remorzful and vexed, |
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PoisonIvy
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posted
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Tue, Sep 19, 2006 6:42 PM
Wendy, |
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danlovestikis
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Tue, Sep 19, 2006 7:02 PM
Hi, Marty is one of our dearest friends and a gem of a guy. I guess trying to joke around at this time is a very bad idea and I've learned my lesson about what's appropriate. If you sent Barbara a package and would like to email her send me a personal message. I do believe that it's appropriate to turn it over to all involved. Her phone number is listed in the Houston, Texas phone directory under Barbara and Matt Landry and matches her street address. Wendy [ Edited by: danlovestikis 2006-09-23 09:04 ] |
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pdrake
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Tue, Sep 19, 2006 7:18 PM
don't worry wendy. i'll blame edgeoftexas1 if you want. he's sniped enough stuff from me. :wink: the only thing you're guilty of is being a good person. i hope if i ever need someone, there's someone like you in my life. |
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danlovestikis
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Tue, Sep 19, 2006 7:27 PM
Wow, down in the dumps and back to feeling good again. Must be what it like to be manic depressive. Thank you so much. I just found that there is a way to edit so I removed the joke. I had emailed Marty to read these so he's going to be really courious. Now that's fun. I'll have to confess. I hope I don't have to erase any of my personal or sent messages, is there any time limit on how long I can save them? I like to refer back. I've met so many great people during this it's hard to keep everyone in mind. Back to smiling again, Wendy |
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danlovestikis
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posted
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Tue, Sep 19, 2006 8:51 PM
Barbara, you need to return what you falsly accepted from trusting people. Gecko in Hawaii sent these things to you and he needs them back since there is no Andy. If you need it I have his address, you should respond to my emails. Wendy |
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teaKEY
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posted
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Tue, Sep 19, 2006 9:18 PM
I got to reread some of this, but what I do know, is there certainly is someone out there that is SICK |
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paranoid123
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Tue, Sep 19, 2006 9:49 PM
Yes, and that sick person is dear, poor GROG. He has been suffering from baldness long enough. My question to you is: can we all care enough to send him tiki? Hang in there, GROG, and keep chasing that rainbow. |