TOPIC: The John / John Media Circus...
More and more information is being tossed about in the investigation concerning JonBenet Ramsey's murder. John Mark Karr says he did it. Open and shut case, right? WRONG. In the eyes of many, the guy is a pedophile fruitcake. In the eyes of some, John Ramsey is still the most likely killer of the six year old beauty queen. John Karr may have been correct when it said, "It is not as it seems to be."
The man who actually provided the evidence that lead to the arrest of John Karr is University of Colorado professor and documentarian, Michael Tracey. Tracey, a longtime critic of JonBenét media coverage, hooked up with Karr via e-mail and got information that many believe led to Karr's arrest in Bangkok on Wednesday. "There was one particular thing that made me decide (to go to authorities)," Tracey said Thursday before District Attorney Mary Lacy met the press. "I'm not going to say what." One fact in one e-mail among years and hundreds of pieces of correspondence. Tracey isn't one to rush to judgement, though. In his own words, Karr may be "a wing nut." He added, "Obviously, I went to the district attorney for a reason, but let him have his day in court and let JonBenet have her day in court and let's see how it plays out." In another interview Tracey said, "I was kind of pleased when I heard he'd been arrested." Then, the professor quickly added, "I don't know if he's guilty or not."
Emails released to news reporters last night show a disturbed man offering loving lament for JonBenet. Those emails supposedly, written by John Karr, and sent to Michael Tracey.
"It's clear to me that he's somewhat interested or maybe even obsessed by the case and the real question is whether he's inserting himself into it for some obscure psychological reason," said author Carlton Smith, who wrote 1997's "Death of a Little Princess: The Tragic Story of the Murder of JonBenet Ramsey."
District Attorney Lacy refused to say whether authorities have evidence linking Karr to JonBenet's death at her Boulder home on Dec. 26, 1996. "We should all heed the poignant advice of John Ramsey," said Lacy, quoting the girl's father. "Do not jump to conclusions, do not rush to judgment, do not speculate. Let the justice system take its course."
Sharon Davies, a former prosecutor at the Ohio State University law school, offered an explanation for John Karr's almost immediate confession to the murder, "He seemed convinced that what he said would make him guilty of a lesser crime." Meanwhile, legal experts said DNA evidence will likely be key: DNA was found beneath JonBenet's fingernails and inside her underwear, and authorities have never said whether it matches anyone in an FBI database.
John Mark Karr was given a mouth-swab DNA test in Bangkok, according to a law enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the ongoing investigation. The results of that test were not known. Karr will be given another DNA test when he returns to the United States in the next several days, the official said.
Asked if authorities could tell whether Karr had firsthand knowledge of the murder or had just picked up information from news accounts, Lin Wood, the Ramseys' longtime attorney, said: "There is information about the murder that has never been publicly disclosed." He did not elaborate.
However, there are LARGE holes in Karr's confession and questions about whether he's truly been arrested or is just being deported. Still, the media circus did not take long to reassemble across from the Boulder justice center. Dozens of journalists gathered to hear Boulder District Attorney Mary Lacy say she couldn't say anything. Lacy was VERY careful not to say too much -- which leads me to believe media reports offered as fact are more speculation (drawn conclusions) than truth.
As can be expected, John Ramsey is keeping his head low. He doesn't want to say much... and he shouldn't. Many still believe he is the person who sexually assaulted and then strangled little JonBenet. Two burning questions (in my book) are -- How did the family NOT find JonBenet before they called the police? After all, the house is NOT that huge. Second, isn't it extremely suspicious that he basically went right to the body AND moved it shortly after the police arrived to search the home? The human psyche is an amazing thing. My POV says he went to the body because he either knew where she was -- or placed her there himself.
It's sad -- SO sad -- but the media circus will continue. DO NOT believe everything you hear reported. Most of the media outlets feed off one another -- without verifying what they are saying. I'll do MY level best to provide only established fact -- OR state speculation as such when posted on the Sope-Bocks. One thing is for certain -- guilty or not, we need to keep John Ramsey and his family, along with John Mark Karr and his family, along with the lasw enforcement officials in our prayers. Above all, justice should be served.

[Some info sourced from The Denver Post, the AP & Forbes.com]

TOPIC: John Karr & PowerWurks -- Is this the right John Karr?
Some folks -- including the new domain registrar for PowerWurks.com -- are speculating on a link between John Mark Karr and the John Karr who once owned an organization called PowerWurks. The domain for PowerWurks.com has been re-registered in the name of someone who obviously thinks the two men are one in the same. However, there is ZERO evidence offered by anyone (at this point) to link John Mark Karr and PowerWurks.com. The circumstantial evidence shows that PowerWurks was at least a domain brought into existence on May 15, 1996. Shortly thereafter, a few UseNet posts offered assistance to youth and families -- and mentioned big plans to make the organization worldwide. Other than the announcements, three UseNet posts were associated with the domain name -- all from supposed children between the ages of 10 and 12 years of age. There was no further use of the domain, emails or UseNet noted after July,1996.

Here is the first known post from anyone associated with PowerWurks:

Date: Thurs, Mar 7 1996 12:00 am
Email: an516...@anon.penet.fi
Groups: alt.missing-kids
If it would help anyone on this newsgroup, I have the complete data base of
the National Center For Missing and Exploited Children. I downloaded it from
their website. Their URL is http://www.missingkids.org If you don't have web
access, I'd be glad to help.
My name is John Karr, creator of PowerWurks; a world wide support
organization for kids, teens and college students. At this time, it is an
e-mail based crisis feedback program. I have alot of plans for the future,
like an 800 hotline and more. All my plans revolve around kids. I am very
concerned about the well being of all young people. I'll do anything I can to
help find a missing child. I have 3 children of my own and I don't know what
I would do if they were taken from me.
Please don't hesitate to ask for my assistance. I can't send the huge data
base to you but I will share any information that might help you.
Please respond via e-mail to PowerWu...@aol.com
For quicker response, *don't* address e-mail to an516...@anon.penet.fi.
Sincerely,
John Karr
PowerWurks
Support/Feedback/Security
PowerWu...@aol.com
http://members.aol.com/powerwurks/index.htm

The second came two days later:

Date: Sat, Mar 9 1996 12:00 am
Email: powerwu...@aol.com (PowerWurks)
Loneliness is alot of things. I believe that a large part of loneliness revolves around an empty heart that needs to be filled with love. Of course, love comes in many forms. It can be a nice compliment from a friend. It can be in the form of a term of endearment. Best of all, it can
be in the form of a caring person saying, "I love you".
If you feel like no one cares about you, that's impossible because I care about you. If you are cared for and loved, you don't have to be lonely anymore. If we all stick together, we can conquer anything. You can find happiness and independence with a super self-esteem. A strong inner-self has to be born. Love can breathe life into your lonely soul. That is what I do everyday and I receive the same thing in return.
PowerWurks is a support organization for kids, teens and college students but all ages are welcome. We provide a safe and private environment where you can freely and comfortably express your thoughts and feelings on any subject. No subject is banned from discussion. All conversations are strictly confidential and that's a promise!!
Please respond via e-mail to PowerWu...@aol.com. Also, visit our website.
Sincerely,
John Karr
PowerWurks
Support/Feedback/Security
PowerWu...@aol.com
http://members.aol.com/powerwurks/index.htm

Then, three days later, another approach was offered:

Date: Tues, Mar 12 1996 12:00 am
Email: powerwu...@aol.com (PowerWurks)
Groups: alt.parents-teens
Dear Parents,
My name is John Karr and I am the father of three. I talk to kids
worldwide about their problems or just offer my friendship to a young
person who feels like the world has forgotten them. If I can help your
kids or you, in any way, please feel free to contact me.
Please respond via e-mail at PowerWu...@aol.com and visit our website.
Sincerely,
John Karr
PowerWurks
Support/Feedback/Security
PowerWu...@aol.com
http://members.aol.com/powerwurks/index.htm

Almost two weeks went by and then the following was posted:

Date: Sat, Mar 23 1996 12:00 am
Email: PowerWurks
Groups: alt.parents-teens
Dear Parents,
Of course you care about kids and so do I. My name is John Karr and I am
the father of three. If I can help your kids or you, in any way, please
feel free to contact me. I talk to kids worldwide about their problems or
just offer my friendshi p to a young person who feels like the world has
forgotten them.
I want to tell you about my organization, PowerWurks. PowerWurks is a
support organization for kids, teens and college students, that provides
personal response feedback on any subject they want to d iscuss. We provide
a safe and private environment where young people can freely and
comfortably express their thoughts and feelings on any subject. No subject
is banned from discussion. All conversat ions are strictly confidential and
that's a promise!!
At this time, it is an e-mail based advice and crisis program. I have alot
of plans for the future, like an 800 hotline and more. All my plans
revolve around kids.
Sincerely,
John Karr
PowerWurks
Support/Feedback/Security
PowerWu...@sonet.net
http://www.sonet.net/usr/powerwurks/index.htm

There was also a post on a different group on April 5, 1996:

Date: Fri, 5 Apr 1996 21:22:36 -0600
From: PowerWurks@sonet.net
http://www.sonet.net/usr/powerwurks/index.htm
PowerWurks is a worldwide support organization for kids, teens and college
students. Discuss or get advice on any topic. It's confidential and that's a
promise!!

Several "test" posts followed over the next two months. The chronology is May 17, 18, 21, 22, 23 & 24. In June, 1996, only two posts were made -- both on June 15. Then, on July 16, the following post was offered on two groups:

Date: Tues, Jul 16 1996 12:00 am
My name is John Karr and I'm starting to college in the fall, majoring
in elementary education. During the time I attend college, I will
substitute teach grades K-4 at my local elementary school and grades 5
and 6 in middle school. I've always wanted to teach kids. I am 31 and
the father of three young children. I would like to correspond with
other people who are either going to college to become an elementary
school teacher or with those who are already teaching in an elementary
school. I can't wait to be a part of such a wonderful profession! I
love children and I hope to have an impact on the lives of every child
I teach.
John Karr
j...@powerwurks.com

It may be worth noting that some of the "test" posts were unnamed -- just "test". A few were titled "PW test". The most interesting are those that included names -- Teresa, Suresh, Doyle, Imogene, George and Chiko Patel.

On another group, PowerWurks' John Karr posted tests for the following georgraphic locations: Berlioz, United Kingdom, Germany and Australia. One last "test" post was directed towards Yale. Is there a link between the PowerWurks test posts and the places John Mark Karr says he has visited -- Italy, Germany, Australia?

QUESTION: Is there ANY real evidence that John Mark Karr, who stands accused of JonBenet Ramsey's murder, is the same John Karr who once owned the PowerWurks.com domain?
ANSWER: I have seen NONE thus far. However, I have challenged the new owner of the domain to provide us with some evidence -- lest his/her accusations be brushed off like bad gossip in the local beauty parlor.

UPDATE: 8/18/06
Here is the reply from the so-called Mr. Truth, who registered the PowerWurks.com after John Mark Karr was arrested for JonBenet Ramsey's murder:

"While I admit I do not have 100% concrete evidence that John Karr of PowerWurks was indeed our John Mark Karr, it would have to be a pretty wild coincidence to have two John Karrs, both of whom being the exact same age, both of whom having three kids, both of whom working as teachers, and both of whom having a sick interest in children.

I'd say the link between the John Karrs is about 99%.
Mr. Truth"

I disagree with the 99%. However, there is more and more compelling evidence -- that makes the link look correct.

TOPIC: John Mark Karr - Profile
Here is a succinct profile of John Mark Karr, gathered from media outlets and my own research thus far.

Full Name: John Mark Karr
Born: November 12, 1964
Father: Wexford Karr
Mother: Unknown
Siblings: Nate Karr, brother
Married: 1984 - Quientana Shotts (13yo)
1989 - Lara Knutson (16yo)
Divorced: 1985 - Shotts
2002 - Knutson (after being arrested on child pornography charges)
Children: Three reported (Lara had twin girls who died at birth in September 1, 1989)
Primary Education: High school in Atlanta, GA area
College: Bevill State Community College (Alabama), Regents College; Albany, NY (aka Excelsior College - distance learning) and University of North Alabama (did not graduate)
Residence: Lived in Alabama from 1989 until 2000
Also lived in Conyers, GA (near Atlanta at the same time the Ramseys lived in Dunwoody, GA)
Moved to Petaluma, CA in early 2000
Left Petaluma for parts unknown around October, 2001 (Presumed to have traveled back and forth to Europe, Central America and Asia quite a bit over the past five years)
Work History: Convent of the Sacred Heart Elementary School- San Francisco - 4wks in 2000
Sonoma County Schools / Wilson Elementary School (substitute teacher) - 12/2000 ~ 04/2001
Lost teaching credential (2003) after being arrested for possession of kiddie porn on April 13, 2001.
John Mark Karr's resumes list quite a few jobs, but only parts of that information has been confirmed.
His last job was at the Bangkok Christian College in Bangkok - June, 2006.
Resume #1, posted 6/22/05, is on job4teacher.com.
The other was one a non-English site for the GnB English Institute, englishwork.com.
[If you can't use the links, I have the entire text of both pages saved for future reference.]

The GnB resume says Karr was in Asia from 2001-02 and lists additional teaching work from 2004-05 in Honduras. It also says Karr taught English to executives in Costa Rica. The posting also says Karr worked as a private teacher and caregiver in Germany and the Netherlands, apparently for three families with young children from 2002-03. The posting doesn't name the German cities where he worked but later mentions Munich and Stuttgart as places he had visited.
Prosecutors in both of those cities said Thursday that they had no record of any investigation involving Karr. The posting also boasts of travels to many other cities, including London; Paris; Amsterdam, Netherlands; Zurich, Switzerland; Milan, Italy; Osaka, Japan; Seoul, South Korea; Sydney, Australia; Singapore; Taipei, Taiwan; and Istanbul, Turkey.
In addition to teaching, the resume says Karr can play several unspecified musical instruments, that he writes poetry, has acting ability and maintained an overall 3.8 GPA while at college. From 1981-96, the resume says Karr ran a private rental business and restored Victorian mansions.

DETAILS
Truthfully, not much more is known about John Mark Karr. There is A LOT of speculation -- even on my part -- about him. However, we don't have many more established facts. Here are some that have been brought to light...
-- John Karr wrote about the murder of JonBenet Ramsey during his college years (he was in his early 30's at the time). One professor reportedly encouraged him to dig deeper and write a book.
-- His ex-wife, Lara, says he was infactuated with the murder cases of Polly Klass and JonBenet Ramsey.
-- Wexford Karr, John's 85 year old father, said he has not heard from his son in five years -- and feared John was dead. He also mentioned obsessive behavior over the JonBenet case.
-- A former adminstrator/employer noted that John Karr was not a very good teacher.
-- A former coworker in the school system noted "oddities" in John Karr's relations with female students -- while he was student-teaching at her facility.
-- John Karr's resumes and the PowerWurks postings (not definitively linked to this John Karr) all state that he is the father of three children. No one in the media has mentioned anything about the children. Are two the deceased twins I mentioned in an earlier post? If not, where are his children? At least one of them should be a teenager by now.

Some questions that need to be answered -- irregardless of John Karr's confession:
-- Why would Karr have been in Boulder, CO during Christmas of 1996?
-- If he knew the Ramsey family, what is their connection? (Tutor, friend, what?)
-- If they were acquaintances, why was his name never made public before now?
-- What exactly is in the letters and email John Mark Karr sent to Patsy Ramsey and Michael Tracey? (We know Tracey read details that were not public, but what else is there?)
-- There has been an abscure reference to an unnamed cold case that John Mark Karr may be associated with in Santa Rosa Couty, CA. What are the details of that case?

[More will be added to this post as the research continues...]

TOPIC: Pysche of loss playing into the death of JonBenet?
*IF* , and I strongly emphasis, the "if" John Mark Karr is guilty of murdering JonBenet Ramsey, did the death of twin daugthers have an influence on his psyche? I found an obscure reference to the deaths of twins, Angel & Innocence, on September 1, 1989 -- born to a John and Lara Karr. Could this be the same family? The cemetary is in the Petaluma, CA area -- where John and his ex-wife, Lara Karr, lived at one time.

I think this is likely a stray. BUT, I wanted to throw out the question and information in hopes others could help me find links that make sense. I sincerely hope the link is wrong, though.

UPDATE 08/17/06: CONFIRMED! John & Lara Karr had twins SONS who died at birth.

TOPIC: IS John Karr guilty or a freak?
An American official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the criminal investigation, said that it was prudent in cases like this to be cautious about concluding that a confession necessarily means he did in fact commit the crime. Many people confess to crimes in high-profile cases - as the Ramsey case has been - based on what they read in the newspapers, and then turn out not to have done it, the official said. But the official added, Karr "certainly knows a lot about it." He declined to provide more details.
We already know that John Karr wrote a term paper on the Ramsey murder while attending college, as an adult. He was encouraged by his professor to investigate the case more deeply, and write a book about the murder and subsequent investigation. Within the next year or two, Karr began corresponding with Michael Tracey, the producer of three documentaries on the topic of JonBenet Ramsey's murder. According to Ollie Gray, a private-eye hired by John & Patsy Ramsey, (via the Rocky Mountain News),"(The suspect) talked about being there, about doing this and doing that, and knowing this and knowing that," Gray said. "He had a whole bunch of things that didn't come out before. It wasn't part of what the media was allowed to get at before."
Many bloggers and reporters are making reference to that fact. My answer is that Karr investigated the case as a reporter or author would. He went so far as to interview JonBenet's grandparents. Additionally, Karr's former wife, Lara, told KGO-TV in San Francisco on Wednesday that during their marriage her husband had spent considerable time researching the Ramsey case. Karr also interviewed police officials and former detectives. It is possible that someone mistakenly gave him details that were not public knowledge. After all, it's been almost ten years since Jon's death. Lips loosen over time.
To his undue credit, Lara Karr also said that she and her former husband were in Alabama when JonBenet was murdered -- so he could not have committed the crime.
Craig Silverman, a former Denver deputy district attorney, said he thought investigators are obviously worried about whether Karr is telling the truth or just trying to get attention. "He doesn't seem credible," said Silverman, who in addition to being a lawyer has a local radio talk show. "He's spewing nonsense." Silverman has been one of the most outspoken proponents of the idea that JonBenet may have been murdered by her parents. Thursday, he said he "just analyzed the facts like everybody else," and still had his doubts.
THE *KEY* to answering the guilt question will be a comparison of the DNA found under JonBenet's fingernails and in her underwear with that of John Mark Karr. What about a picture of Karr in the surveillance tape taken at a local hardware store where police said the distinct cord used to strangle JonBenet was purchased? Also, a match of the shoe print and/or handprint found in the basement would be huge. BUT, if the DNA doesn't match, he is most likely NOT the killer. Former Adams County Colorado District Attorney Bob Grant said, "It would take a heck of a lot to convince me this guy's convictible simply by some statement about what happened that nobody knows. Short of DNA evidence, it's trouble. Serious trouble."

ASIDE: Even before he was linked to the Ramsey case, Karr had come to the attention of American law enforcement officials in Thailand, as part of a broader investigation into Americans who come to Thailand, and other Southeast Asian countries, and engage in pedophilia, an American official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. Karr had been in Thailand several times in the past two years, the authorities said. He also has an outstanding warrant with California authorities stemming from a 2001 charge of posessing child pornography.

[Some source data: FoxNews, Rocky Mountain News, Associated Press & 9News]

Folks, I just watched part of a FoxNews broadcast with John Mark Karr -- including his verbal statements that were quoted by the Associated Press earlier. [EDIT: REMOVED TEXT DUE TO CHANGE OF HEART BASED ON NEW INFORMATION] Karr is also mentally unstable -- which is also clear from the video interview (unless he was drugged). I'm going to go ahead and prematurely conclude that John Mark Karr is NOT JonBenet Ramsey's killer. A couple of points that lead me to this conclusion: Asked for details of how she died, Karr replied: "It would take several hours to describe — to describe that." He added, "There's no way I could be brief about it. It's a very involved series of events," said Karr, who speaks with a thick Southern accent. "It's very painful for me to talk about." Dressed in a baggy turquoise polo shirt and khaki pants, Karr said that JonBenet's death was "not what it seems to be," though he declined to elaborate. "In every way," he added, as authorities bundled him into a waiting vehicle. "It's not at all what it seems to be." Two statements that sound to me like someone who doesn't know the most intimate details -- and doesn't know how to answer the probbing questions of reporters.
This is not to say that John Mark Karr isn't a guilty party. He probably is guilty of other crimes -- such has child molestation, being a purveyor of child pornography and possibly the kidnapping of young boys for the purpose of sexual abuse. The presumption of innocence until proven guilty applies. I just don't think he will be proven guilty -- or even tried -- for the murder of JonBenet Ramsey.

TOPIC: John Mark Karr admits to killing JonBenet Ramsey...
But I don't think the entire story is being told by Mr. Karr. Here are his words and quotes from Thai authorities...
"I am so very sorry for what happened to JonBenet. It's very important for me that everyone knows that I love her very much, that her death was unintentional, that it was an accident." Asked what happened when JonBenet died, he said: "It would take several hours to describe that. It's a very involved series of events that would involve a lot of time. It's very painful for me to talk about it."
When JonBenet's body was found, investigators said she had been strangled and her skull crushed. Suspicions quickly fell on her parents, John and Patsy Ramsey. The police said they found no evidence of forced entry at the house. The Ramseys initially called the police to say that their daughter had been kidnapped. Hours later, when a detective arrived at the house, Ramsey went into the basement and came out carrying his daughter's body. [Very suspicious moment!]
The police found a 370-word ransom note written with a pen and paper from the Ramseys' house and contained details that the police concluded only someone close to the Ramseys would know. Among the demands was a payment of $118,000, exactly equivalent to the bonus Ramsey had received that year from his company.
Karr also told the AP he contacted JonBenet's mother, Patsy Ramsey, before her death in June and that he wrote her letters about "many things." He said he hoped that she received the letters.
Karr confessed to the killing after his arrest Wednesday at his downtown Bangkok guesthouse (The Blooms) by Thai and American authorities, said Lt. Gen. Suwat Tumrongsiskul, head of Thailand's immigration police. Suwat said U.S. authorities informed Thai police on Aug. 11 that an arrest warrant had been issued for Karr on charges of premeditated murder. The warrant was sent to Thai police on Wednesday.
Suwat said Karr insisted his crime was not first-degree murder but that JonBenet died during a kidnapping attempt that went awry. "He said it was second-degree murder. He said it was unintentional," Suwat said. "He said he loved this child, that he was in love her. He said she was very pretty, a pageant queen. She was the school star, she was very cute and sweet," Suwat said. Suwat further quoted Karr as saying he tried to kidnap JonBenet for a $118,000 ransom but that his plan went awry and he strangled her. Patsy Ramsey reported finding a ransom note in the house demanding $118,000 for her daughter.
We also now know that John Mark Karr has traveled to Asia at least five times over the past two years. My wife is a teacher, so I know he wasn't making those trips on a teacher's salary. How did he fund his trips and stay in Thailand? Was someone else giving him cash? Was it blackmail? Was he making money in the child sex trade of Thailand? Another looming question is -- What is the association between the Ramseys and John Mark Karr? I fear the answer will be explosive to the case -- and possibly to John Ramsey himself. There is A LOT more to this story -- I guarantee it. IF he's guilty -- my guess is that he was tired of running and is ready to just give up. Thai authorities say he didn't resist arrest and has cooperated with them. Is he ready to "roll over" on any accomplises? We'll see...

[This post may be edited throughout the day -- to add or correct information gleaned from my research.]

TOPIC: Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey?
A former substitute teacher, who has lived in Alabama, Georgia and California, was arrested today for the murder of six-year old JonBenet Patricia Ramsey. I won't explain who JonBenet is -- because no one who has Internet access could not know how she was. What most people don't know is the name John Mark Karr.
John Karr is a 42 year old man living in Bangkok Thailand, of all places. ASIDE: Is there any connection to the huge child sex trade in Bangkok and the fact that Karr now lives there? Anyway, John Karr lived in Conyers, GA about the same time as the Ramsey family lived in Dunwoody, GA. According to the media, Karr says he was "with JonBenet when she died" on December 25, 1996. He also said her death was an accident. I wonder if he will implicate Mr. Ramsey as also "being with" JonBenet when she died. ??? I have always thought someone who lived in that house (or was visiting at Christmas, 1996) killed JonBenet. She was molested and murdered. My guess (now that Karr admits being there) is that John Karr and John Ramsey did it. I hope I'm wrong.
My plan is to do some investigation on my own. I don't know if there is anything I can add, BUT the Sope-Bocks was the blog that initially reported the connection between comic books, Darryl Littlejohn and Imette St. Guillen's murder.
Right now, it is pretty clear that John Mark Karr has a brother - Nate Karr. Nate Karr, said his brother's alleged involvement was a misunderstanding. He told Fox News his brother may have been implicated because of research he has done for a book about men who commit crimes against children.
John Karr was married to someone named Lara (or Laura) for approximately 13 years. He lived in Alabama, Georgia and California. He was an unsuccessful substitute teacher at Wilson Elementary School in Petaluma, CA. He may have known John and/or Patsy Ramsey during the late 1980's or early 1990's -- while living in Georgia. He has been in Thailand since June of this year -- and a secretly named suspect since around May of this year. John Karr has also corresponded with the man who produced the documentary, "Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey?", Micheal Tracey. One piece of damning evidence is that John Karr lost his teaching certificate after being arrested on child pornography charges in California during 2001. According to his father, Wexford Karr, John Karr has not had contact with the family since his release from jail. Another piece of circumstantial evidence is Karr's admission and the comment that he "was in love with her". Sincerely sick!
Now, the two big questions are:
1) Did he really do it or is he seeking infamy (for some sick purpose)?
2) If he really was "with JonBenet when she died" -- was he an observer; a willing participant; or simply a cold-blooded, child molesting, rapist and murderer? [If he was in truly "in love" with JonBenet, would he have beaten and strangled her to death?]

[Editorial note: I backed up the time on this post to make it show for Wednesday. It was actually written early Thursday morning. More will be added for Thursday's blog post.]

TOPIC: On This Day -- Computer Technology History...
The Apple Computer Company began shipping the Apple iMac on August 15, 1998. Aesthetically, the iMac was dramatically different from any other mainstream computer -- especially the PC clone. The first generation iMac was made of translucent blue plastic. It was egg-shaped -- built around a 15 inch CRT display.
FWIW, the iMac project was started one day after Steve Jobs returned as CEO in 1997. Jobs came out of early retirement to help the beleaguered company return from obscurity. The new computer style & idea was a huge success! The Apply iMac was the top selling computer model for most of 1998.

TOPIC: Google-sized Ego?

Source: CNet News.com

Google says no 'googling' in trademark warning
August 14, 2006 3:01 PM PDT

Less than a month after "google" became a verb in Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary the namesake is warning companies about using the trademarked word improperly. In covering the new verb, The Washington Post wrote: "Google, the word, now takes its place alongside the handful of proper nouns that have moved beyond a particular product to become descriptors of an entire sector--generic trademarks."
The venerated Washington Post received a letter from a Google trademark lawyer who objected to that characterization as "genericide." According to an article in the newspaper about the letter, Google lawyers then proceeded to provide appropriate and inappropriate uses of the word:

Appropriate: He ego-surfs on the Google search engine to see if he's listed in the results.
Inappropriate: He googles himself.
Appropriate: I ran a Google search to check out that guy from the party.
Inappropriate: I googled that hottie.

My Comments: Isn't it odd that Google.com accepted the use of its trademark into the dictionary -- then wants to give companies a hard time about actually using the word. Besides, "Google" was accepted into the dictionary as a VERB -- NOT a noun. The so-called appropriate uses are nouns, while the so-called inappropriate uses are verbs. Ridiculous! BTW, I googled this topic in order to provide information for this posting. Take that Google.com! :-)

SiteOfTheDay: HowStuffWorks.com
I've known about this site for a few months now. Why The Sope-Bocks hasn't featured it before now is a mystery to me. LOL! IOW, I simply forgot to post about it before now. How Stuff Works is a cool, fun and informative website offering explanations on -- you guessed it -- how some things do what they do. Categories of "stuff" includes:

• Automobiles
• Computers
• Entertainment
• Health
• Home
• Money
• People
• Science
• Travel

Some of the articles are fairly technical. Others are whimsical. Most are informative and interesting. Check out HowStuffWorks!

TOPIC: Color Photos of Russia -- From The World War I Era?!?
At first, you might not catch the significance of the subject. When I read it on Damn Interesting, I didn't catch it either. My eyes immediately glanced at the photo... and then it hit me. World War ONE?!? Color photography was not available at that time -- the chemicals, paper nor film. Huh?!? Yet, in 1909 a photographer named Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin-Gorskii set out to document the beauty of his native country -- IN COLOR.
Read on to find out about this ingenious photographer and how the color photos came to be.

[The US Library of Congress now owns the plates and has produced a gorgeous website of Prokudin-Gorskii's photos.]

TigerDirect's Overstock Clearance Event - Summer 2006! Everything Must Go!

TOPIC: Lefty Men Make More Money

August 11, 2006 8:50 AM PDT
Source: CNet News.com

A paper by the National Bureau of Economic Research in Cambridge, Mass. found that left-handed college-educated men made 15 percent more than their right-handed counterparts did. Among females, however, there was no difference.
The study had intended to prove that a person's handedness is related to their earnings. The initial theory was that left-handers might have more difficulty in lines of work that require operating machinery, which is often built with right-handed people in mind. It also surmised that left-handed men -- who some studies have shown dominate the fields of architecture, math, art, and music -- choose to go into less lucrative careers than right-handers.
One hypothesis for the completely contrary results points to an earlier study, which showed that left-handers had a higher propensity for "divergent thinking." Could this trait be what is putting them over the edge in the work place? The researchers are just not sure. "We explore some possible explanations for these findings but are not able to provide concrete evidence leading to a theory that can reconcile all of the various facts we identify," said the researchers in their paper.
The data for the study was based on the information of 5000 U.S. citizens taken from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and represented a cross-section of the overall population.

Viva la difference! I'm glad to be a lefty. Now, where's my raise?!? LOL!

TOPIC: Privacy, the AOL Blunder and Googling?
From The Mercury News...

Although he was alarmed by AOL's haphazard release of its subscribers' online search requests, Google Inc. CEO Eric Schmidt said Wednesday the privacy concerns raised by that breach won't change his company's practice of storing the inquiries made by its users. "We are reasonably satisfied ... that this sort of thing would not happen at Google, although you can never say never," Schmidt said during an appearance at a major search engine conference in San Jose.

The security breakdown, disclosed earlier this week, publicly exposed about 19 million search requests made by more than 658,000 AOL subscribers during the three months ended in May. Time Warner Inc.'s AOL intended to release the data exclusively to researchers, but the information somehow surfaced on the Internet and was widely copied.

The lapse provided a glaring example of how the information that people enter into search engines can provide a window into their embarrassing - or even potentially incriminating - wishes and desires. The search requests leaked by AOL included inquiries seeking information about murder techniques and nude teenage girls.

Two things -- first and foremost, cancel your AOL subscription. They gave your information away to a researcher, without asking for your consent. They didn't make sure that data was protected. AOL was negligent and is liable. I don't believe in suing just to sue, but I would definitely advise EVERYONE with an AOL account to cancel it now.
Second, if you use ANY search engine(especially Google), you need to switch your web browser to Firefox. Folks, it's time to switch RIGHT NOW. MS Internet Explorer 6 doesn't offer extensions that allow the kind of privacy configuration you need. IE7 is still too unstable to use on your primary browser. Therefore, Firefox is the only good choice.
Next, download G-Zapper, Extended Cookie Manager (or some equivalent) to either block or regularly delete search engine cookies. There is NO good reason for Google (or any SE) to track your searches with a unique identifier. UIDs are used simply to derive income from your personal search queries. IMO, what I search for is NONE of their business (pun intended).

TOPIC: A "New" Pledge of Allegiance?
This little poem has circled the Internet more than a few times. However, it never fails to remind me of the inequality thrust on the majority of Americans by a small group of activists who remain ever vocal. Read this "pledge" and then THINK about what it says. Isn't it time we stop allowing ultra-liberal activist judges and a small group of Godless minions to dictate what we do, say and pray?!? Here's the "pledge"...

Now I sit me down in school
Where praying is against the rule
For this great nation under God
Finds mention of Him very odd.

If Scripture now the class recites,
It violates the Bill of Rights?
And anytime my head I bow
Becomes a federal matter now.

Our hair can be purple, orange or green,
That's no offense; it's a "freedom scene".
The law is specific, the law is precise.
Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.

For praying in a public hall
Might offend someone with no faith at all.
In silence alone we must meditate,
God's name is prohibited by the state.

We're allowed to cuss and dress like freaks,
And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks.
They've outlawed guns; but FIRST, the Bible.
To quote the Good Book makes me liable.

We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen,
And the 'unwed daddy,' our Senior King.
It's "inappropriate" to teach right from wrong,
We're taught that such "judgments" do not belong.

We can get our condoms and birth controls,
Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles.
But the Ten Commandments are not allowed,
No word of God must reach this crowd.

It's scary here I must confess,
When chaos reigns, the school's a mess.
So, Lord, this silent plea I make:
Should I be shot; My soul please take!
Amen

TOPIC: Technorati -- Cool Tool For Bloggers
I'm trying out a blogger service to hopefully add more traffic to my blog. Up until now, I have never really cared how much traffic my blog received. It's still NOT a major deal, BUT it would be nice to have folks reading the Sope-Bocks. The Technorati Profile service is one that ALL bloggers should check into. Have a blessed Sunday!

TOPIC: Little Boy Impacted The World...
A blog called Damn Interesting caught my eye this week. Although the name is an unfortunate use of vulgar language, the blog offers some excellent articles on historic events. Specific to this date in history, Eyewitnesses to Hiroshima and Nagasaki tells the story of the atomic bombing that took place on August 5, 1945. Take the time to read the eyewitness accounts of those who survived the blasts that changed the face of Japan and World War II. They will bring shivers and tears to you. Let's hope we never have to use such drastic measures again. Let us also be reminded of why it is so important for rogue governments (such as Iran and North Korea) NOT to have nuclear weapons.

[BTW, I would skip most of the subsequent Comments section as the writers digress into diatribe and cynicism.]

TOPIC: Bootstraps Can't Help...
Here is another excellent devotional from Woodrow Kroll and Tony Beckett. It comes from the Holy Bible: Psalms 74-76 and Romans 9:16-33. Check it out and consider your position in eternal life...

We sometimes describe a person who has accomplished much on his own as one who has pulled himself up by his bootstraps. Though today it might be hard to visualize what a bootstrap is, we nevertheless understand what this phrase means. It speaks of working hard, doing yourself what is needed rather than asking or expecting someone else to do it for you. It is being self-reliant, independent, self-sufficient.
Bootstraps remain a powerful aspect of our mind-set and philosophy. Unfortunately, this belief spills over into the way people understand God and their relationship to Him. Many think that the way to heaven is to live a life sufficiently meritorious so that their good deeds outweigh their bad and on that basis they earn or achieve eternal life.
Romans 9 destroys any hope that salvation is something a person can earn or deserves. The first part of the chapter emphasizes God's work in our salvation. It is only by God's mercy that any of us are saved. Then the focus turns from God's sovereignty to man's responsibility.
To the surprise of the Jews, Paul wrote of the salvation of the Gentiles, obtained by faith. Also to their surprise, he spoke of the Jews' failure of not obtaining righteousness. They could not gain by works what others received by faith. The difference between those who obtain salvation and those who do not is the difference between faith and effort.

The bottom line is Jesus. Faith in Him, not our effort, saves.

TOPIC: A little computer age history... Sixteen years ago in October...
IBM contracted with Bill Gates of the fledgling Microsoft Corporation to write a new personal computer disk operating system. MS-DOS, as it was known, was based on 86-DOS, written by Seattle Computer Products. Microsoft then purchased the rights to 86-DOS for a mere $50,000, while keeping the IBM deal a secret from Seattle Computer Products.
IBM allowed Microsoft to retain the rights to market MS-DOS separate from the IBM PC project. Microsoft proceeded to make a fortune from the licensing of MS-DOS. That money later funded the development of the Windows operating system.

TOPIC: Profiling or Common Sense?
The next time you hear someone like Gloria Aldred or Nancy Pelosi railing against profiling or harassment of young Muslim males, remember the following:

1968 - Bobby Kennedy was shot & killed
1972 - At the Munich Olympic Games, athletes were kidnapped and massacred
1979 - The US Embassy in Tehran was taken over, along with the kidnapping of dozens of Americans
1980's - A number of Americans were taken hostage in Lebanon
1983 - The US Marine barracks in Beirut was blown up
1985 - The Achille Lauro is hijacked and a 70-year old man was murdered & thrown overboard
1985 - TWA Flight 847 was hijacked at Athens. A US Navy diver was murdered
1988 - PanAm Flight 103 was blown out of the sky
1993 - The World Trade Center was bombed
1998 - US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed
2001 - Four airplanes were used to attack the very heart of democracy and capitalism
2002 - Reporters & other civilians were kidnapped and beheaded
200? - A nightclub was bombed -- killing dozens
200? - A hotel was bombed, killing a the majority of a wedding party
Lest we forget, England and Spain also suffered terrorist attacks.

Who perpetrated EVERY SINGLE ONE of these crimes of terrorism, murder and/or bombings?

Young Muslim males!

So, tell the Pelosi's and Aldreds of the world to shut their traps. They are DEAD WRONG! These bleeding heart liberals are only working to allow Muslim extremists to harm more people -- not only in America, but around the world. It's time to look the devil in his face and say, "We're NOT going to take it amymore!"

OnThisDay: August 1st
1790 - First US census completed (Population = 3,939,214)
1873 - San Francisco's first cable car begins service
1903 - First coast-to-coast (SF-NY) automobile trip completed
1914 - Germany declares war on Russia in WW I
1958 - First class postage increases to $0.04 (It had been $0.03 for 26 years)
1972 - First article exposing Wategate scandal published (written by Bernstein-Woodward)
1981 - MTV premiers at 12:01 AM with "Video Killed the Radio Star" by the Buggles

Simply Audiobooks is a great resource for historic references -- on CD or downloadable audio.