Posted Without Comment

Dan, being that we do not know you, we are a little disconcerted to have a stranger enjoy blogging about our misery and acting as if this is an episode of CSI. I am sure your motives are sincere but we need more prayers rather than pointless speculation. I hope you can understand this. You are crossing the line by stretching out to interview sources close to Joran Van Der Sloot. What will you gain by doing that? Have you no guilt that this young man could have harmed Natalee? We will review your site if there is anything we feel is incorrect, We will email you to keep you from posting incorrect info as youve done before. Several friends and family have come across your site in there own search for updates and were concerned about the content being gossip. Again I am sure your intentions are sincere. Your site is nicely done. At this time we just feel you are creating drama and speculation in order to bring more hits to your site. Please give the family time to comprehend and digest this ordeal. Im sending this anonymously. Goodbye

Comments

[ASB]

This is not a criticism, but an observation.

How can the reader trust the anonymous posts, e-mails or the interview with the anonymous friend of Joran in the other post.

Blogs are fantastic for reviewing and deciphering documents, photos and other data already available, especially if available online. For example, bloggers, not the MSM, exposed Dan Rather's fake memos. (eg www.rathergate.com) The memos were online -- the bloggers did not locate or find the memos. They deconstructed the memos.

Here, the problem is that the bloggers are attempting to collect the data, even while blogging from the US, based on emails, phone calls and anonymous blog posts.

There are some things that can be done effectively online. There are some things that cannot be done online.

Now, the MSM is often guilty of sitting in front of their computer instead of putting their feet on the pavement. Cases in point are the fake stories by Jayson Bair and John Kelley (see http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1174517,00.html ) and other "non traditional" content providers. (eg http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=34&aid=79766).

Let's be realistic about the limits of the blogosphere.

[AkekoaHoAlethia]

Can someone help me understand these esoteric comments?

[tideroller]

Sorry, Dan, While I usually admire what you've done, this time you do deserve the family's displeasure. I just hope the mother has not seen that interview. That whole interview was a bunch of hogwash. More than that, it is a slap in the face to Natalee. You've got the talent, please find someone that has seen his sex tape, that knows the boy thrown through the window, or that can get verification of his anger management problems, Talk to witnesses that have seen him underage drinking in the bars, playing in the casinos, etc. Find a witness that will describe that shoving match between him and Natalee's friends. If you want to know the truth. That interview sickened me.

[Getagrip]

Hmmm...the guy hasn't been convicted yet! I see nothing wrong with Dan interviewing the other side, for a little balance...and I think that we, his readers, are intelligent enough to come to our own conclusions.

If indeed JVDS turns out to have been involved, that interview will serve as testament to his 'entourage' not wanting to contemplate his guilt, or worse, covering up for him.

If it turns out he wasn't involved, then it certainly gives us a little perspective.

Remember that this is an on-going investigation. No charges have been brought (as frustrating as that is). I feel for Natalee's family and hope that this charade is over asap. However, I am intelligent enough to read through that interview, and see that in no way does undermine finding out the truth.

[Kid CD]

No, no, no. You guys have it all wrong. I too, am one of those people who has been reading for a week, yet hasn't posted, but feel I must at this point. Don't you see? Dan is making an attempt to make a fair, and factual report! He's not saying that he agrees with everything the girl said; he merely conducted the interview! Do you get pissed at Katie Couric because the person she is interviewing is full of s#%&???? No! This is his way of reporting, seperate from the MSM, in what he believes to be in a fair, concise, informative manner. Don't shoot the messenger, people. Let's be honest, we've gotten more (factual) info from this blog than ANY MSM report. Don't get me wrong, I think the chic (girl in the interview) is a hot, steamin' bowl of crazy, who just wants some attention, since she knows the pride of Aruba himself. But come on...it's not DAN that's saying these things about JVS. Just because it shows him in a different light than we all put him in, doesn't make it wrong. Even Manson had friends.
Dan, nice work bro.

[SL]

I agree with Getagrip. There have been no charges, no crime scene and not even a crime declared. There are two sides to every story. We've been so overwhelmed by the media with one side (fact or fiction) of this investigation that we can't seem to accept anything from the other side.

This interview didn't do much for me, but once again I thank Dan for bringing us new information - useful or not. If Riehl World View didn't exist, there'd be a lot less info out there about this investigation. This place beats the Yahoo! message board.

[Vance]

Good post SL. The MSM is being so polarized on this issue to keep people watching. now that th story is slipping down the radar, watch for a new spin to come out pointing at this new "mystery arrest"

[anonymous]

It's a SHAME !!!
After all the distortions some Nat's "friends" are doing since the beginning NOW they want to impose the FREE opinion!
IF, instead of trying to WASH your "truth" and your CHOOSEN "guilty", you started to see at ALL the hypothesis maybe the situation was already be solved.
But I understand... too much "WOLF" news is a DISEASE !!

[Terri]

Dan, the supposed friends and/or family that happened upon your blog are obviously not regular readers, and that is evident. They would know the kind of person you are, a fair one.

Quote from posted email:" Several friends and family have come across your site in there own search for updates and were concerned about the content being gossip."

My comment: Frankly,I'm very surprised that friends and family would search blogs for news and updates instead of calling the family in Aruba personally. That is what I would do if I knew the family. That is why (to me at least) the email is suspect and more than likely is from another blogger that is jealous you got an interview and they didn't.

One of the worse things that could happen right now is for people to quit talking about Natalee's disappearance. Why? It MUST be talked about, and it MUST stay in the news for obvious reasons, be it gossip, theories, or whatever. If Natalee's story disappears from the news, the effort that is underway to find Natalee will likely stop by Aruban investigators. What would happen if reporters leave the island and head back home to the states, and it ceases to be mentioned on the news? This is a case that Aruba WANTS to go away. Natalee's disappearance is bad for Aruba's image, and this case WILL effect their economy if it is not solved and soon. As the saying goes, "The squeaky wheel gets the grease." The pressure must be kept up to find Natalee. I'm sure that all will agree.

[Ari]

Dan keep up the good work. There are some people that want to hear only what they like, even going to the extend of asking you to remove the rest. This is sad.

One more thing: after reading the different sources of information and interviews like the one you posted, I know have the strong feeling that N might be alive.

[Vance]

Good call about not letting it die down. Look at CNN.com, this is not even on the front page any longer, and it is slipping everywhere except it appears fox. Look at the Amy Bradley story, they had some good leads and nothing ever came of it, and she was reported aline more than a year later. The fact that no progress is being made is not good for finding out what happened

[CaliGirl]

Dan,

I think, as always, you have done a great job!

I can see actually begin to see people disregarding the innocent intil proven guilty. As much as I want Natalee found unharmed, we can only point fingers and speculate who did it and what happened.

I had been waiting to hear from a friend or family member of Joran. There is nothing wrong with wanting to know about him. I think people are only sickened because of their preconceived notion of him.

There is already a victim here and until we know who did it and what happened, let's save the blaming and anger and pray for Natalee and ALL involved because, that is what praying to God is about. Praying for innocent, guilty, sinners.

Everyone wants to try around prayer, use it wisely.

[Christa]

Reader.......

and how he enjoyed holding hands and walks in the rain, poetry and the Backstreet Boys. Oh, and how he cried at sad movies......volunteered at the homeless shelters and nursing homes, etc.

[Vance]

And her and her friends went down to Aruba to look at dolphins and maybe just maybe see a rainbow. The media is playing the he is evil she is an angel card.

They went down there to get drunk, gamble and party because the age is 18. I am from Florida, didn't know anything about Aruba before this, and now know more than I care to know. But I do know that the image being painted of both are exagerated.

[Anonymous]

Reader wrote: "Anonymous,
1 - You seem to be getting pretty worked up about a man who has changed his alibi twice in a murder investigation. He was lying at least once.
2 - And you're screaming that the family is "washing the truth" - hmmm.
3 - I wonder what your native language is and where you're from...
4 - Never mind, I've figured it out."

1 - I'm never seen a confirmation of that... what I see is "professional" SPECULATORS spreading that.
2 - I do not that... but again, I understand... too much "WOLF" news is half way to a brain "CANCER"!
3 - Probably you are wrong... but I can "help" you... I'm someone concerned with the STUPIDITY of the "SMART" people"
4 - Me too... that's why I already stoped any constructive help... thanks to "YOU"... Oh, BTW I'm not in YOUR xxx@xxx.com adress neither... HYPOCRIT.

[MARY]

WELL, ANOTHER DAY GONE BY AND NOTHING. GRETA AS ALWAYS DID A GOOD JOB ON THE TOUR OF ARUBA AND
ALL THE PLACES SHE WENT. INCLUDING DUTCH BOYS PRIVATE SUITE. SHE DID AN INTERVIEW WITH A LOCAL BOY AND HE CALLED CHARLIES A "HOT ZONE" FOR DRUGS...!!!! HE WENT INTO DETAIL. INCLUDING THE DATE RAPE DRUGS. A BLIND EYE IS TURNED TO ALL THE DRUG ACTIVITY THAT GOES ON. I STILL SAY THAT THAT CLUB IS NOTING BUT TROUBLE!! AND..IT IS IN A ROUGH AREA OF THE ISLAND.
A BODY MAY NEVER BE FOUND. I DO NOT KNOW WHY THEY HAVE NOT SAID ANYTHING ABOUT SEARCHING THE DUMPSTERS AND THE LANDFILLS THERE. IF SHE IS IN A BLACK THICK PLASTIC CONTRACTORS TYPE BAG SOMEPLACE THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIND HER. WHAT ABOUT SHOVELS. DID THE DUTCH BOY HAVE SHOVELS AT HIS HOUSE WITH FRESH DIRT ON THEM. THEY IS SO MUCH THAT HAS TO BE INVESTIGATED. I BELEIVE THE DUTCH BOY KNOWS THE TRUTH. I DO NTO BELEIVE THE OTHER TWO HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH HER DISAPPERENCE OTHER THAN BEING DRAWN INTO IT BY THE DUTCH BOY. WHETHER IT WAS AN ACCIDENT OR IF HE HAD TO DO IT TO KEEP HER FROM REPORTING HIM TO POLICE. WHATEVER IT WAS AND HOW IT HAPPENED THE MYSTERY STILL REMAINS.
GRETA DID A REPORT TONIGHT WITH AN ARUBAN AUTHORITY TONIGHT THAT WAS REALLY GOOD. HE SAID THAT PROGRESS WAS BEING MADE. I HOPE THAT IS A GOOD SIGN.
GOD BLESS NATALEE AND HER FAMILY. STILL HOPING SHE IS ALIVE SOMEWHERE.
IF NOT DEAD....PLEASE LET HER GO....HEAR MY PLEA IF YOU READ THIS!!!

[Anonymous]

I have not time to explain you human behavior but taking your own words:

"The lawyers for the other suspects have confirmed that Joran has changed his alibi."

Anyone with more that TWO brain cells and with a CONSTRUCTIVE mind can EASLY understand why I have not PATIENCE to discuss with you!

[Anonymous]

Reader, my last words to you and good night:

"With 'friends' like you... who needs enemies?"

[Alabama]

I am sorry but it doesn't make much sense that these people would tell you these things. They don't know who they may be talking to. You could be anybody. And I don't think you are getting information that her parents and our FBI can't get. Her mother is out every day asking questions and looking for information. I think you are a little to full of yourself. You say you would never give out anyones address but when someone didn't say what you wanted to hear you did just that. Not professional.

[Kid CD]

I in no way claim to be an expert...however, I am a Cruise Director (hence the Kid CD) for a major cruise line. I have been to Aruba as many times as you can without being a citizen. I know the island like I do my hometown (which shall also remain anonymous). But, here's my take, some of which pertains to this case, some which does not. First of all, pertaining to this case: JVS is guilty as sin. The truth will come out. A body will not be found...mark my words, but confessions will prove evidence enough (eventually). Right now, you're asking why and how I know this...well...at 2am, intoxicated, how much effort is he really able to put forth? Chances are, he dumped her in the ocean (hence the lack of evidence). Had he been sober, he may have left her in the mangroves. His intoxication might be an asset (to him) at this point. He may not even remember much of the evening himself.

NOT PERTAINING TO THE CASE:
Let me address the whole "Aruba is a land of paradise, where there is no such thing as crime, or anything of the like"

As I mentioned, I know Aruba quite well. Everyone knows...If you are looking for hookers, drugs, or strip clubs, you go to San Nicholas. Is crime low...absolutely...but folks, it ain't Candyland. It's like anywhere else. Stay guarded. But, in it's defense, I would feel safe walking the streets of Oranjestad at 3am. The only other places I could say that about (and I've been just about everywhere), are Cozumel, Mexico, and Playa Del Carmen, Mexico.
Take it for what you will. These are simply my thoughts. But, no matter what you think of my post, you have no choice but to respect the fact that the last 5 years of my life, have taken place in many parts of the caribbean in which most of you only read about and dream of visiting.
This is an ISOLATED incident, I assure you. And I'm a USC (U.S. Citizen), not an Aruban national. But, I feel very compelled by this case. Joran should confess now. Can you imagine if he faced extradition??? Better yet, if they decide that there is not enough evidence to hold him?? My God...I think you will see direct flights from Birmingham to Oranjestad!!! If I'm JVS, I'd take jail time before I'd take acquital! There would be more hunters in Aruba in those first 24 hours than ever!!! His acquital would basically mean the DEATH PENALTY!!!!

[Freedom]

This is your 1st Ammendment Right!

Blog on brother!

[m]

How can you condemn someone for looking at both sides of the story? Joran has two sides - one he shows people in public, and the monster that comes out in private. What are you all missing?!

For family and friends of Natalee - put some more pressure on the police, etc, before you come onto a blog to criticize someone who has been heartfelt and has cared about your friend/daughter/niece, etc since the very beginning.

[Man Fraid]

Dan - you're bigger than CNN, MSNBC.

Gossip -- what about all that false reporting about a confession from the AP and other news outlets.

The family has done their own interviews (daily). Nothing wrong with talking to Joran's friends.

[LornaD]

Joran's friend is free to talk to anyone she wishes. Dan is free to listen and report what he hears. Internet users are free to visit here or not. Understand?

Dan asked some good questions. We can form our own opinion as to the veracity of her answers.

My opinion is, as a friend of Joran's she is not going to say anything to hurt him and she may be entirely truthful in her answers, if you consider that often we only know a person as they want us to know them. In other words, in most cases, we see only the facade a person deliberately presents to us.

That said, her description may be what Joran is truly like. He is young, he does the same things young people here do, actually in a more open manner since these things are allowed there. How many people do you know that were wild and irresponsible for a few years as a teen and now are the most staid and conservative of persons?

I think anything on the spectrum is possible at this point, from Joran being a temper driven sociopath to being an innocent angel in the wrong place at the wrong time to being a feisty, reckless teen who accidentally killed a girl.

Dan is exactly right to show all sides.

[harley]

As far as facts are concerned, this Blog is a waste of time. It's a sweet place to post your suppositions and guesses about the fate of this poor kid but don't look here for more. Tideroller, reader, Pacific and others have it right. Though well-intentioned, the interview was a complete waste of time.

Some have posted comments that Dan "scooped" the well-known media. False. A "scoop" is a story that no one else has and no one else and printed or aired. I guarantee you that every media outlet in the world has interviewed "friends" of those involved and not run anything about them because they don't develop stories worth running. Some of the more sophisticated posters here, like the ones I named and others, see this. The interview isn't "news" and offers nothing. If someone did an interview with the person who was allegedly thrown thru the plate glass window by this perp, that's a horse of a different color.

This Blog is amusing but as far as news is concerned, useless.

[Pee in S.E.Asia]

INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY. If the guy is INNOCENT, LIKE MJ HE WILL BE EXONERATED.

U people are just like the americans who believed that IRAQ had WMD jsut because fox n other media outlets fed that to u morning noon n night.

Yes it is frustrating for both sides, but couldn't it be that the guys's final version of events is the correct one?

FEEL FOR BOTH PARTIES.

Dan, ur doin a marvelous Job, dont let the haters win

[Narc]

The Green Monster eats sours grapes and spews! Go back to your own blog Harley.

[Ignorant]

Narc, learn to spell. Learn punctuation. Then use what brain cells you have left to show that Harley is wrong.

[Marin]

Dan,

Thanks for doing the interview.

As I read the comments from other posters claiming that HIS friend is simply lying about Joran's character I nearly choked.

We as a culture have a love affair with the victims of crime, meaning they're immediately Sanctified, especially if they're somewhat attractive and female.

What I've witnessed here is simply amazing and it makes one wonder exactly how disconnected from reality your readers truly are. DOES the world of the Internet feed its self from an internally produced pile of bile?

1. Natalie is portrayed as a saint by her friends and relatives. Gold could not gleam more than she in these glowing beatified gospels. And yet, we know, that there is no one human who is that one dimensional. NO ONE. And yet, the characterizations of her as St. Natalie have gone unchallenged. No friend has sat in an interview to say ANYTHING negative about her, why that would be unthinkable, she's the VICTIM.

2. Joran by sharp contrast has been monstrosized in the media and although no one had spoken out until recently anything negative about Joran and I'm sure they had to dig, but those negative words about this child were eagerly fed upon, swalloed without any question by the reeking masses of eager lynchers. The negative was NEVER questioned.

AND YET, a friend of Joran's who knows both he and his family gives an interview in which she portrays him as a nice guy she's always known, says SHE does not use drugs and has never seen her friend use drugs, says his family is great and in particular his father. (Who, by the way was not even ON the island when this tragedy happened he was in the Netherlands.) She is a friend to Joran just like Natalie's friends are friends to her. She knows him as a great guy, her friends know her as a great gal. What is the problem with that?

The negative comments are viewed as the truth, the person who dares say anything positive is a liar: that's the alleged suspect. The opposite is true for the alleged victim: anything negative is a lie, anything positive is the truth.

Is it OK to trash the alleged suspect and never question the alleged victim? How is it the brilliant Internet posters seem to have solved this crime, tried, convicted, and lynched Joran, all without having left their collective armchairs?

You all don't know JACK, and you don't even know you don't know JACK and yet you entertain yourselves for countless hours envisioning how you'd like to torture the truth out of this boy. He's not even charged with a crime and you've got him on death row already.

I read the reports of that vile radio reporter in Birmingham and were this case in the U.S. I'd see the makings of jury manipulation, and pressure upon a police department to toss the bugger in jail and damm due process; if there isn't any evidence, MAKE IT UP. This is the effect of the media on law enforement and it has to stop, IT HAS TO in order to save our justice system. The only problem is, you people LIKE IT YOU LIKE being whipped into a frenzy.

Everytime I hear this crap I think of the innocent Jesus waiting for the crowds to choose HIM to be released but instead, they chose the thief Bar-Abas because Jesus was unpopluar...and he was unpopular because of lies and false reports.

I don't know if Joran is guilty of anything more than drinking with his buddies and NEITHER DOES ANYONE ELSE outside the inner circle of Aruban Law enforcement. WE DON'T KNOW JACK. We don't even know their stories; we don't KNOW that anyone lied we have lawyers saying one thing then retracting, we have lawyers for one side saying the other guy lied (DUH now why would they say that???) we don't know ANYTHING except a young woman is missing and no one has a clue where she's gone to EXCEPT that she could not possibly have gone anywhere on her own or done anything wrong because she is a SAINT.

Good interview Dan, it was nice seeing something other than vile comments about this boy. If there are two sides to every story, what's the OTHER side to Natalies. Jennifer Willibanks certainly had one.

[Narc]

Oh and one of the minions too! You got her back eh? Or is that one of your alter personalities posting again Harley?

[cancon]

ignore the criticism, a good reporter gets both sides of the story, like you said, some people were ready to lynch those two security guards

Fox News and MSNBC and CNN have been interviewing Mrs. Van Der Sloot and friends of Joran as well

part of the process

and hello, they are wrongly convicted people sitting on death row, now so you can never be sure, cases can take some wild twists and turns, just watch Law & Order, LOL, the original, they seem to arrest about 3 people before they get to the right party and in fact they've realized at the conclusion of trial they had the wrong person in a few episodes, not sure that happens often in real life but........

[Caty]

Dan,
Good posting. Even though I believe JVDS is guilty as sin - you have taken the high road and reporting on two sides of the story without making judgement. There is nothing wrong with posting an interview with a friend of his.

What else can we take from that interview is she knew him as a child, as part of a family. Everyone is on their best behaviour around family friends.

[fran]

I feel as though each and every one of you is living in a big, ignorant bubble! Carlos N Charlie's a 'hot zone' for drugs? Are any of you aware that drugs are ALL OVER THE US and you can walk into almost any bar/club and get them? No matter who you are? Aruba should not be boycotted because of a naive/or not naive little girl's mistake. People make mistakes/poor judgement calls every day. Should an entire island be blamed for the poor judgment call of a young woman??
Give me a break!!

The thing is, we don't even know if she made a poor judgment call because don't even know if the boys she left the club with did anything to her. All of you are labelling them as killers because they are not white? or because Van Der Sloot listens to hip-hop music?

And I think Dan should be allowed to post whatever he wants here-afterall, it is HIS website.

I'm going to be laughing at the ignorance of some people who might be wrong about Van Der Sloot. Perhaps he didn't do it afterall..(whatever 'it' is) Stop condemning him...if you're not a professional investigator than what gives you the right to say he did something awful to her?

Nobody has any idea what happened to Natalee and although it might be driving all of you crazy, you cannot get upset with a blogger interviewing a so-called 'friend' of VDS. I say that is great reporting.

I enjoy reading what you have to say, Dan.

[Caty]

Pee in S.E. Asia -

By the way - innocent people don't have to lie and change their story multiple times. Innocent people can say honestly whenere they have been and who they were with at any given time without having to change stories for a better fit. That alone is behaviour of a very dishonest person.

Please do not categorize all Americans as the same. Besides citizens did not vote to go to war becasue of WMD it was a Presidential decision based on fighting the terriorist in their own land
instead of on the home front.

[Katherine]

I think we all are entitled to our own opinion on what happened with Natelee. I pray she is found safe. I just read that they arrested another male, 26 with the intials S.C.G. I wonder if them boys owed him something, I think they need to be more thourough on the news. Because we obviously all care about this case. I just want to know more, way more than what they are telling us. I wonder all day whether or not they have found her. I feel for Natalee, think it is because we are almost the same age, and you really don't think it could happen, but it does everyday, somewhere. It is just a sad situation. I also think this site is wonderful. Atleast I can come here and get info that I can not find anywhere else. It is exceptionally helpful. I pray for the Holloway family.

[Concerned]

I would think the last thing the family would want to do is try to hush up ANY coverage of this situation. Public interest is what fuels the media frenzy. Comments such as this family member or friend e-mailed to Dan are disturbing to me. The last thing you want to do is squelch *any* public interest. Once the media pulls out of Aruba, it's over. Aruba will feel no pressure to solve this case, and will feel comfortable that this will all just fade away. And once that happens, it will. Look at Amy Bradley.

[Angela]

I think you are doing a wonderful job Dan and I am a faithful reader!! About Joran, Innocent until proven guilty~~~~~ Why are we so quick to prosecute someone in the media? This guy has absolutely 0 evidence against him other than the fact that he seen Natalee the night that she vansihed!!! Give him a break, he is not in a court of law and we are certainly not the chosen jury, he has family and friends just like you and I. I pray for Natalee everyday but I also pary for Joran, he has not been proven guilty of anything but knowing Natalee Holloway!!!

[TheTruth]

Tideroller, your post:

"Sorry, Dan, While I usually admire what you've done, this time you do deserve the family's displeasure. I just hope the mother has not seen that interview. That whole interview was a bunch of hogwash. More than that, it is a slap in the face to Natalee. You've got the talent, please find someone that has seen his sex tape, that knows the boy thrown through the window, or that can get verification of his anger management problems, Talk to witnesses that have seen him underage drinking in the bars, playing in the casinos, etc. Find a witness that will describe that shoving match between him and Natalee's friends. If you want to know the truth. That interview sickened me. --Tideroller"

Clearly goes to show that you have already been judge, jury, and executioner for Joran and want everyone's focus to be on nothing except trying to dig out as much dirt as you can possibly find about him. Clearly you want him to be nothing but a Joran-lynch mob. You think Dan should not interview ANYONE who may possibly have something positive to say about Joran, or have an argument for his innocence, yet he should try and go and find out about: the sex tape, the window incident, any violent episodes in the past, his underage drinking or gambling, shoving match he was said to be in, etc...

Would this be a fair and unslanted blog if that is ALL his focus was on? That, Tideroller, "is hogwash".

Now, don't get me wrong, if I had to bet my house on it, I think Joran did it, or knows who did it. But we don't know that yet, NO ONE knows that yet. Have you never heard of the phrase "innocent until proven guilty"?? Thank goodness our legal system is not run by people with your narrowminded and biased mind-set.

[TheTruth]

Posted above:

"Dan,
Good posting. Even though I believe JVDS is guilty as sin - you have taken the high road and reporting on two sides of the story without making judgement. There is nothing wrong with posting an interview with a friend of his."

Well said, Caty! The anti-thesis to some other narrowminded people who have no concept of what a legal system is, or how it operates.

[m]

Marin -
You need some serious help - comparing this guy to Jesus - HOW DARE YOU?! Have you NOT be listening to the fact that it was ADMITTED that "something bad happened" or that he changed his story?! You need to get your head examined - FAST! Incredible - its people like you that allow a-holes like Joran and Scott Peterson to roam free...

[jonscot]

The investigation is still on and nothing definitive has emerged.

Dan's honest interview does not potray Joran as being that nice guy. We have already received reports about his lying and perversion.

Instead this interview points, helps us to think beyond Joran. To tha fact that maybe this kid has other influences. Maybe there are worse killers on the run. Dont get so thrilled having caught one kid that you are ready to crucify him and get done with it.

There may be other more dangerous killers on the run. You will never get to them if you dont look beyond this kid.

Dan, not everybody understands the bigger picture. People just want a quick sensational story, hang the first criminal found and then move on to the next story.

It requires patience and honest reporting to get to the bottom of any case.

You are not a 'yellow journalist'. Thats the key.

[OneHappyChica]

Marin,

Thank you for reminding us of how human nature plays a significant role in bloggers’ opinions and our assessments of this situation. We’re predicting outcomes without facts. We’ve developed clear pictures of what happened to Natalee Holloway without facts. We’ve created austere characterizations of alleged suspects without facts. We’re playing the jury and the judge without facts. Those of us who claim to know the truth manage to forget that we don’t have any resources to obtain the truth (sorry, the MSM has not been a reliable source)!

You’re right-“WE DON’T KNOW JACK”…and we don’t know Juran, the Kalpoes, Natalee, or the authorities involved!

Yet, somehow, we’ve all managed to become omniscient beings!

We all have questions, we all have theories, and we all want answers. Ultimately (hopefully), the puzzle pieces will fit together. Fellow bloggers, as you are trying to connect the meager amount of pieces that exist presently, be mindful of how human nature propels us.

And, Dan, thank you for continuing to offer potential pieces to this puzzle! Your diligent efforts, dedication, and unbiased documentations do not (and should not) go unnoticed!

[Kara and Joel]

DAN DID THE RIGHT THING!!

You can't report the news without showing both sides, the goal is to remain impartial, otherwise he'd be posting biased crap that wouldn't be worth reading.

So far, all that's been done is show how evil Joran is, when he hasn't even be CONVICTED or PROVEN GUILTY yet!! For once, there is something positive being said about him and people freak out. That's just plain stupid.

The point is, Dan isn't doing this to point fingers, but is merely pointing out certain things going on. An interview with that girl is JUST WHAT THIS SITE NEEDED, in order to show that it's not just biased CRAP!

So people, if you don't like it, then DON'T FREAKIN' READ IT!

[Jan]

Dan, I cannot believe how you are being slammed here - all because you chose to post an interview with a friend of Joran's - I cannot believe how most people today convict without a trial - it seems no one is innocent until proven guilty - now granted he must be guilty of lying but that does not mean he is guilty of anything else - not yet. It is very possible that as a 17 year old, living on what at the very least is a very permmissive, carefree wild island - where many things are very different than the United States, that he got in over his head with something! But 17 is still just 17 and certainly not old enough to be a cold calculating killer, since there is no history of that. I am glad you are trying to be fair - keep up the good job!

[pw]

Dan,

You are doing a fine job with your site. I have learned alot from dropping in from time to time.

TheTruth,

Succintly stated. I couldn't agree more.

pw

[ugh]

".By the way - innocent people don't have to lie and change their story multiple times."

They don't have to, but some do. Even innocent people run from the cops out of fear. Perhaps this kid was scared of a corrupt judcial system, so that's why he lied. Hmmm...

[rob]

JAN: As a retired officer I can tell you that 12 and 13 year olds can plan and commit murders. You show your lack of knowlege and experience with 17 is just 17. Most people on this site will laugh at that.

Dan: This site will never be as good as Fox News. You lied about them on this site. When they report unconfirmed statements they announce it as unconfirmed. Yet your statements are full of gossip although you claim otherwise. It is nice that you give yourself compliments under assumed names.

[Jan]

Well, this just not sound to me like a cold calculated murder by a 17 year old - I realize that there are plenty of youths that do in fact do cold calculating horrible things - however there is nothing that has been devulged so far to indicate that that is what happened here. It certainly could be a rape gone bad, with drugs etc and a huge coverup but where could this 17 year old have hid the body on the beach at the Marriott? If he is involved I think this is a huge much bigger situation than just the disappearance of Natalie. And I also think we have the right to hear about friends and supporters of Joran - no different than we have to listen to how Natalie never drank and would never do anything stupid. Teens are teens and many drink and party to excess - and no I am not saying that means she deserved something bad to happen - but I just think we have a right to listen to friends of both sides.

[Keala]

After reading people's comments - whatever happened to "innocent until proved guilty"??? Are we not allowed to hear from "the other side".

[Jerlyn]

I agree with Terri. It is my opinion that "anonymous" is some poor jealous soul with an imagination big enough to play the part of the family and friends.