Susan Atkins – you were sentenced to die in prison. That is exactly what you should do. Compassionate release my ass. Where was your compassion while you stabbed the unborn baby inside Sharton Tate? Absolutely no where.
This converted, hydrogen (water) powered car was talked about this morning on Armstrong and Getty (Sacramento morning radio guys). Two separate callers discussed this technology. One was in the process of converting his car to water power and the other had already done it (twice). The first time – it leaked. He said his mileage is no better but hey – he’s not buying gas either so what difference does that make? Anyway – it was a pretty good hour of gas bitching and the first I’ve really heard (the bitchin) in our area. The water-powered automobile idea sounds verrry interesting.
My family is blessed. We aren’t well off at all, but we have enough money each week to buy groceries and gas. Things are getting tight though. When is the gas price going to level off? it’s ridiculous. I would be more than happy to take public transport to work monday through friday, but it just isn’t available to where I could make the trip in under 90 minutes – whereas it takes me about 35 to 45 minutes in my truck. I’m not ready to double my commute time to save $200 a month – not yet anyway. If it goes to $300 or $400 savings – then I would look into driving and parking at the bus station, being bussesd to the light rail, getting dropped off a a mile or two from work and walking in.
Groceries are getting too expensive as well, unless you go to Walmart. I usually do go to Walmart, but the closest one is sorta far away so it’s a toss up between using the gas to go a little further or save on the groceries. I chose Safeway today. It’s much closer and I got the gas discount for spending over $50.00. I spent $104 for my groceries – which was twice what I would have spent for the same items at Walmart. Then I thought about the gas savings. Big deal. Gas today at the Safeway is $4.48 for the cheapest regular. I got it for $4.23, but I only put in $25.00 worth, so I got around 5 gallons at a savings of $1.25. Not worth the extra $50 I spent at Safeway for what I could have got at Walmart. dumb dumb dumb
There’s a “lingerie” shop that opened up in a town near me. There’s a “back area” that sells adult toys and flavored goos. People are picketing and causing a big ol’ ruckuss cuz their big ol’ prudes. You have to be 18 or older to even enter the store so I just don’t get the big deal. Not everyone who wants these “specialty” items have a computer with internet access to buy their underthings and pleasure items online. I mention this here because it irritates me to no end that folks will spend their time picketing and complaining about this store – that adds pleasure to people’s lives (for those who enjoy that sort of thing) – but hardly a soul in my area is complaining about the how’s and why’s of the high cost of gasoline – which is affecting us all in a very negative way.
So, I go to PetSmart today to get my cat’s their food. I’ve had my 2 kitties on Science Diet’s Nature’s Best (chicken or fish – they like both) for near 5 years. Science Diet has changed the recipe for Nature’s Best to chicken with brown rice or fish with brown rice. Okay, fine. Then I look at the price. Six pound bag is $23.00. Are you freakin’ kidding me? The largest bag they sell, usually the best deal, is only 12 pounds and that goes for $35.00. They are no longer selling the original receipe for Nature’s Best (without the brown rice). I was buying a 24 pound bag for $35.00. They have doubled the price and added crap a cat doesn’t need. Not only do they not need brown rice – my cats both turned their noses up at the little 3 pound bag I bought for 10 bucks. I’m very irritated. I worked in a Veterinary hospital for several years and it is always wise to wean an animal from one type of food to another by gradually mixing the new stuff with their existing diet. Well, duh. Can’t do that since the original Nature’s Best is no longer available. I’m returning the bag and I guess I’ll try regular Science Diet Adult Cat. If they don’t like that – well, I guess they’ll eat it when they get hungry enough. I don’t like having to do that to them.
I’m trying to change a few things in my life this year. I have a target-date of becoming a better me. I don’t want to put down the details of what I want to change here (cuz I already know) for anyone to read (like anyone ever will – ya never know), but I can use this as a diary of some sort to see if I can keep myself on track.
There are things I want to do, want to see, want to buy. I need to set my priorities straight in order to accomplish some of these things. I want to buy a designer purse, maybe a pair of designer shoes for once. I have to budget money better and budget my life in general. I want to love myself before my next birthday. I haven’t loved myself in many, many years. I have 4 months. I can do this.
I began this blog with the intent of providing crime news for northern California. What happened? Stuff got in the way. Personal garbage. Work. Pets. My beautiful Cattle Dog became ill and had to be put down towards the end of last summer (August 2007). I got into some bad habits. Laziness. Depression. Lonliness. Friends, friends of friends becoming sick. Life. Daily life got in the way of a hobby I really wanted to begin. Now that a couple years have gone by, I’m not sure I want to write about crime anymore. Oh, I’m still gaga over reading and watching true crime material, just don’t know if I’ll ever be able to write about it myself.
I was hoping they wouldn’t just drop this case without a final word. Ellen Thompson of the Stockton Record online news source wrote (a final?) update to Elia’s story.
Young Elia has changed her story a few times now. This latest tale sounds a bit incredible and folks hearing the details are skeptical.
New Story
There was no tumble over the fence, as stated previously by Elia and relatives. There was, supposedly, a trip to the detached garage with a basket of laundry. But, instead of going back into the house, Elisa says she just decided to take a walk to relieve stress. She would not elaborate on what she was feeling stressed about.
Elia stated over the phone, “I just wanted to have time alone, to just think about stuff. I thought I knew the streets. I’m like that. I’m stubborn.”
I’ve not known alot of 12 year old’s other than my step-daughter and son when they were that age. The only stress my step-daughter had at 12 was which tights to wear to school and for my son, the condition of his skateboard wheels. If we are to believe Elia is under stress then perhaps it’s due to having too many responsibilities and chores in a home filled with younger children. This, along with being a straight A student could take a toll on a pre-teen’s life.
Elia’s “walk” took her 35-hours and an estimated 20 miles due to certain landmarks she indicated she saw along the way. She stated that when she knew she had become lost, she asked people for help and they were unwilling to provide assistance. “They were too much in a hurry,” she said. Can this really be true? A young girl walking alone asks for help from strangers and they shun her? I just don’t get it.
Then there’s the burrito boy. She states she came across a boy on a bicycle who gave her a burrito. Did they talk at all? Did she say, hey I’m hungry because I’m lost? Can I follow you home so I can call for help? Apparently, she didn’t think to ask for help at that time.
Wednesday evening she found an abandoned house and slept in it. Thursday she decided to start asking for help. So, it was Thursday when her stress began to dissipate enough to decide to ask for help to get back home.
The rest of the story is the same as reported earlier. A stranger recognized her and they called 911. The police picked her up, took her to dinner, then took her home. Since, as far as I can tell, she was not taken to a medical facility, we don’t know if she was assaulted, physically or sexually. There were no noticeable marks on her body, but something could have been covered up. I’m going to continue to keep an eye out for updates to this crazy tale.
I’m happy and relieved that this beautiful young girl is at home with her family. We may never know the true details of all that happened during those 35 hours, but what matters the most is that she is now safe.
This is an update to the previous story. Please scroll down to “Missing:” for part 1.
I heard about Elia’s safe return home last night after dinner. I’m extremely happy the child is safe and well and back with her family. These stories so often don’t end that way and I was really thinking the worst, but hoping for the best.
I saw Elia interviewed on TV news for a few moments upon her return last night. There aren’t many families who would allow their 12 year old to conduct such an interview, especially on her immediate return home. It appears that most of the family does not speak English, so perhaps there was confusion on their part as to whether or not Elia (who goes by her middle name “Sarah”) actually knew she was going to be on television. She seemed to be very thankful she was back home and began to cry a little at the immensity of it all. She was surrounded by a large amount of family members, media folks, lights and cameras. I felt a bit sorry for her.
Where did she go?
When she was first discovered missing, family made statements to the fact that she would never have walked off. Apparently that is exactly what happened. The why and how are still a mystery due to all the differing tales in the news. During the same news story last night where Elia was interviewed, a family member repeated what they said they heard from Elia. The story is that she climbed over a fence in the backyard to perhaps retrieve something on the other side and ended up falling over the top, hitting her head on the ground. When she hit her head, she claimed she stood up disoriented and did not know where she was or how she got there and simply began to walk in a direction that took her away from home. I would be curious to know if the direction she took away from home was actually towards the railroad tracks which the dogs had traced her scent to the previous day.
So, she’s wandering around, lost, all day. Did she get amnesia? Did she ask strangers for help? See a police officer? Law Enforcement were everywhere. How could she not have run into someone in LE while wandering the streets for 36 hours? One source states she was 3 miles away from home when found, others say 10 miles. According to her family, friends and teachers Elia is an intelligent child and somewhat big for her age. I’m not sure what I’m getting at here, but something seems a bit off. Let me be straight here. I’m extremely happy she’s home safe. No doubts about that. But, until I here more (and I hope we do) I am going to doubt the story.
How was she found?
During one of the television interviews, Elia continually thanked God and repeated that it was God who guided her and led her to an orange tree in the evening so that she could have something to eat. God kept her safe. Ok. Too bad God didn’t keep her from falling over the fence and bumping her head to begin with. But I digress.
Where Elia was, or what she did the first evening of her disappearance is still a mystery. But, on day 2 as it was getting dark, Elia stated she had asked people outside their homes for water and they had turned her away. Eventually, she found a home with people out front who recognized her from the photos shown on television. They used a cell phone to call police. I actually read in one story that LE took the child to dinner where they conducted an interview with her before returning her home. That boggles the mind. How about to a hospital first, and having close family meet her there? I just don’t get it.
Updates at end of original entry.
Elia is from Stockton, California. She went missing around 8:00 AM on Wednesday, January 3rd. This is a difficult one to figure out. Elia simply went to her garage with a basket of laundry and no one has seen her since. The garage is detached, so she had to walk outside towards the back of the home to enter the garage. Dog’s have tracked Elia’s scent to nearby railroad tracks.
This is day 2 of her disappearance and Law Enforcement has still not called this a kidnapping. The news article states that she lives with her Aunt and Uncle so that has me wondering about where her parents are and if one or both of them could be involved. She is described as a quiet girl who gets straight A’s in school and is not considered to be a runaway.
If you have any information about Elia’s whereabouts, please call Stockton Police at 209-937-8377.
Source: http://www.kcra.com/news/10672279/detail.html
Photo: http://www.news10.net/storyfull2.aspx?storyid=23019
Update 1/4/07 6:30 PM
Local evening news has stated that both of Elia’s parents live in Mexico. Elia has not had contact with them in years. Her father has already been interviewed by Law Enforcement and he does not know of her whereabouts. One news station tonight stated that “foul play is not considered” in this case. I’m a bit leary of that statement. Elia is only 12 years old and an on-TV interview by her teacher states she is an outstanding student and very helpful to others. Where are you young Elia? People love you and want you home.
Everyone still had high hopes Mr. Kim would find his way to safety, or rescuers would reach him in time. Unfortunately, that was not to be. James Kim was found deceased today, 7 miles from the car and family he loved so dearly to put his own life on the line to save them. To the Kim family: You are in our hearts and prayers.
