This is now about Ben's brother Nate (Newtown, CT)

Ugh!

http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/l...

Not really sure what the story is yet but Newtown can't catch a break

DeThroned wrote:

http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/l...

Not really sure what the story is yet but Newtown can't catch a break

Probably some idiot who thought it would be "amusing"

lostlobster wrote:

Holy crap, Kush. If I see someone from the WBC when I'm at Ben's memorial, I might just lose my sh*t.

My condolences.

Just talking from people around in the Danbury/Newtown area, there seems to be universal desire to do some action against Westboro (the mayor of Danbury's even mentioned it). I'm assuming they'll be an effort to do a human shield thing (as in previous military funerals). Keep in mind, they always announce, and sometimes they don't come.

I've never seen an area so quiet as it was on Saturday morning. Hard to describe.

Fortunately, the St. Rose of Lima seems to be just a scare:

http://www.newstimes.com/news/article/Newtown-church-evacuated-after-unspecified-threat-4122361.php

Police have stated that all attempts will be fully prosecuted, as they should.

Anonymous responds to westboro;
http://betabeat.com/2012/12/anonymous-goes-after-westboro-baptist-church-members-over-plans-to-picket-sandy-hook-funerals/

Published some info of members and started a petition, links to both in article.

For those that were asking: http://newtownmemorialfund.org/.

DeThroned wrote:

Ugh!

http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/l...

Not really sure what the story is yet but Newtown can't catch a break

Utterly disgusting. Inhuman.

.

Thanks for removing that post, goman. Not the time or the place.

I'm also going to talk to Ben's dad when I see him on Wednesday and see what we can do for Ben's older brother, Nate, who is three years older than Ben and was also at the school. I gave them my PS2 back in the day. Maybe a new gaming system to give him something to do to forget at times. I'll pass along any info about that when I find out what would be appropriate/wanted.

LobsterMobster wrote:

Thanks for removing that post, goman. Not the time or the place.

I posted it in the wrong thread. Sorry about that.

Great idea lostlobster.

This is incredibly tasteless.
IMAGE(http://chicago.barstoolsports.com/files/2012/12/spa.jpg)
Facebook link if you want to tell them they're assholes
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Timel...

Trophy Husband wrote:

This is incredibly tasteless.
IMAGE(http://chicago.barstoolsports.com/files/2012/12/spa.jpg)
Facebook link if you want to tell them they're assholes
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Timel...

Where's the actual ad?

Grabbed this off of another site. They may have taken it down. I don't have the facebook, so I couldn't check it out.

Trophy Husband wrote:

Grabbed this off of another site. They may have taken it down. I don't have the facebook, so I couldn't check it out.

All I saw on FB was a bunch of people eviscerating them for the ad, but no ad itself. I have no idea if they did it or not, but it seems like a low-cost way to take out a business competitor. A few seconds in Firebug to edit the text, a "look at this sh*t" post on Reddit, and a few hours later, one less competitor.

If they actually did it, they're dickheads, though.

lostlobster wrote:

I'm also going to talk to Ben's dad when I see him on Wednesday and see what we can do for Ben's older brother, Nate, who is three years older than Ben and was also at the school. I gave them my PS2 back in the day. Maybe a new gaming system to give him something to do to forget at times. I'll pass along any info about that when I find out what would be appropriate/wanted.

I am so sorry to hear about Ben, Lobster. I can't even imagine what his family are going through right now. I would be very happy to chip in anything I could to make things even the tiniest bit easier on them.

I visited the memorials tonight. I took my boys. I felt that even being they were so young, I wanted to be able to tell them that they were a part of paying respects to the amazing people who were killed.

We have friends on the fire department, and so we were allowed in the firehouse. The mood was a mix of somberness, but also a calm. I was happy to bring my boys, they brought a lot of smiles at such a sad, sad time.

The memorial itself was stunning. So many flowers and candles and stuffed animals. The 26 trees that were donated, are filled to capacity with so many ornaments, and a white angel sits atop each one. It was breathtaking.

My kids sat in the stroller, eating their messy cookie that a lady in the firehouse gave them. It was so bittersweet. To be there with them, and know that their only care in the world at that moment was that special cookie (our kids do not eat sugar, so a cookie was a HUGE deal for them). Knowing how innocent they are and that they had no clue why they were there. Their squeals of balloons and bears were so genuinely filled with excitement. I leaned down and whispered to them that even babies in heaven need teddy bears. And when we walked away, they waved and said bye. If only they knew how appropriate that was.

This whole thing has rattled me to the core.

This is the first time I've actively avoided following a news story, it has affected me so much. And this is coming who witnessed firsthand 9/11 in New York. For some reason(s) this just seems worse.

lostlobster wrote:

I don't know how to write this.

Beautiful Benjamin, who just turned six, is gone.

There are no words.

Oh gods, I am so sorry. I thought I could make it through one day without crying. I cannot imagine what your friend is going through, and I wish I could do anything to bring those children home again, happy and unharmed.

I've only just been able to talk with my son about the tragedy. I didn't even know how, but I knew that with the prevalence of the news, he would hear about it; and I wanted to be able to walk him through his fears; even though my stomach still tightens every morning now when I see him off to class. We talked about Mr. Rodgers advice to always look for the helpers, and we talked about the boy who led his classmates to safety. We talked about evil, and what it really means. It's a conversation I never wanted to have with my 10 year old; but I thank the gods that I can.

My heart is breaking for those parents, for all the parents of the 5,000 children killed by guns this year...it is ... I don't have the words. I am silenced by shock and grief and despair.

Just came back from the service. Went to the memorial last night. It's surreal being there, but I'm glad I got to spend some time with the family.

I want to get Ben's older brother, Nate, a PS3 and a some games. Maybe even Rock Band and some instruments. If anybody would like to donate to the cause, that'd be great. I'll look into a PayPal solution if that's helpful.

lostlobster wrote:

I want to get Ben's older brother, Nate, a PS3 and a some games. Maybe even Rock Band and some instruments. If anybody would like to donate to the cause, that'd be great. I'll look into a PayPal solution if that's helpful.

Please do as I think many of us would love to help in making that happen.

Vega wrote:
lostlobster wrote:

I want to get Ben's older brother, Nate, a PS3 and a some games. Maybe even Rock Band and some instruments. If anybody would like to donate to the cause, that'd be great. I'll look into a PayPal solution if that's helpful.

Please do as I think many of us would love to help in making that happen.

Looking at PayPal I have no clue how to go about this. Do I have people send to my email address, or set up a separate account somehow?

lostlobster wrote:
Vega wrote:
lostlobster wrote:

I want to get Ben's older brother, Nate, a PS3 and a some games. Maybe even Rock Band and some instruments. If anybody would like to donate to the cause, that'd be great. I'll look into a PayPal solution if that's helpful.

Please do as I think many of us would love to help in making that happen.

Looking at PayPal I have no clue how to go about this. Do I have people send to my email address, or set up a separate account somehow?

Lobster, you should PM trichy, and see how set things up for that drive we did for his nephew.

Thanks for the suggestion momgamer. PM sent.

Some of us have used chipin, which deposits funds to your paypal account. I found it very easy to use.

Count the Bear Clan in. I was down in Florida at the Eukanuba Dog Show when this happened. Word around the show was that the parents of one of the children killed were down in Orlando showing their dogs. I never dog to give them a hug or help care for their dogs so they could get home as fast as they could. I am happy to say that the dog show folks surrounded them in love and made a difficult moment easier.

lostlobster wrote:

Just came back from the service. Went to the memorial last night. It's surreal being there, but I'm glad I got to spend some time with the family.

I want to get Ben's older brother, Nate, a PS3 and a some games. Maybe even Rock Band and some instruments. If anybody would like to donate to the cause, that'd be great. I'll look into a PayPal solution if that's helpful.

I wish there was more I (or we) could do, but please count me in for helping with the PS3 purchase.

Please let us know when your donation system is setup lostlobster. Things are a little tight this month but I will absolutely find some funds to pitch in.

Okay, I'm going to try doing this through ChipIn. Here's the link. It should funnel the funds directly to my PayPal account. Please let me know if there are any problems with it.

Thanks to all for giving whatever amount they can.

http://daveriedy.chipin.com/nate-whe...

I'm not going to be able to get this all together in time for Christmas and I have a feeling that's going to be a very quiet, family-oriented couple of days, anyway. But I'll be delivering the gift soon after the New Year.

Done and done.

Aside from the monies, sending lots of love to all the families.

When are you closing it off? I'll be more financially stable next week.