Honeymoon Cruise Disappearance

Eight days into George and Jennifer Smith's dream honeymoon cruise aboard the Royal Caribbean ship Brilliance of the Seas, something went terribly wrong. Passengers two floors below the Smiths' cabin woke up on the morning of July 5 and noticed a metal overhang above a lifeboat covered with blood.
Cruise Ship Mysteries
Fourteen people have disappeared from cruise ships in two years,


Somehow, George Smith had gone overboard and was lost at sea. Since he went missing, his distraught family -- parents George and Maureen, and sister, Bree -- have been highly critical of how the cruise line responded to George's disappearance.

"My brother is dead and missing and Royal Caribbean felt that they didn't need to tell us about what happened on that boat," said his sister, Bree. "They never told me that there were suspicious circumstances and they never told me about blood on the overhang."

The Smiths say the cruise line also failed to tell them about other evidence that they feel points to foul play, such as some blood that was also found in George's cabin.

The Smiths believe, quite simply, that George was murdered.

Heavy Drinking

The last people known to see George Smith alive were four young men also on the ship, and much speculation has centered on 20-year-old Rusty Kofman.

Although his lawyers say he is "the leading target" in the Smith investigation, he has not been charged with any crimes. Kofman has not spoken publicly about the events of the night George Smith disappeared, but his attorneys, Albert Dayan and Tony Mirvis, spoke exclusively to "Primetime" about their client's version of events.

Dayan said that Kofman first met George and Jennifer Smith on the night of July 4 at the ship's casino, and they all sat down together to have drinks.

"At the time, when Rusty comes up to this disco, this lounge, he observes Mr. Smith, as he describes, bombed, extremely intoxicated -- him and Mrs. Smith -- at that time," Dayan said.

According to Dayan, Kofman also observed Jennifer Smith "being flirtatious and actually draping herself over another man. ... The manager of the casino blatantly flirts with her, and in the presence of Mr. Smith."
According to several accounts, George was left alone with Kofman and his friends drinking shots of a potent liquor called absinthe.

Dayan says his client then observed George Smith have words with his wife -- which led to a confrontation.

"In fact, my client observes that she kicks him in the groin and she starts walking away with an attitude. And I use the word 'attitude' describing exactly the words Rusty used," Dayan told "Primetime."

Others at the bar recall Jennifer becoming intoxicated and flirtatious that night but do not recall the casino manager's role in any of this.

Last week, Jennifer Smith spoke about that night on "Oprah."

"I remember being at the casino, I remember being around George," Jennifer said on the show. "I remember very vaguely leaving the casino area to go to this revolving bar and then I remember nothing. We must have been drinking heavily. I don't remember anything."

What Happened Next Door?

Other passengers have confirmed the honeymooners were fighting and that Jennifer drunkenly stormed out of the bar. According to several accounts, George was left alone with Kofman and his friends drinking shots of a potent liquor called absinthe.

By the time the bar closed, Kofman's lawyer says George was so intoxicated, he couldn't make it back to his room, so Kofman and the other three men helped him back to his cabin.

"But when they arrive at George's cabin, his wife wasn't there, so Rusty says they helped George search for her," Dayan said.

With no luck finding her, Dayan said Kofman and the others took George back to his room.

A neighbor in the next cabin, Clete Hyman, said he heard what sounded like a party happening in the Smiths' room.

"At approximately 4:05 in the morning, we were awakened by what I would describe as cheering. Multiple individuals in the room, it sounded like they were encouraging somebody to do shooters or, you know, chug a beer," Hyman said.

Hyman, a deputy police chief from Redlands, Calif., with 30 years on the force, called security to complain about all the noise. Hyman added, "And then I banged on the wall a couple of times to hopefully get their attention."

Dayan denies that his client or the others were drinking in the room. According to Kofman's account, they just put George to bed. "In fact, George was so grateful they brought him back to the room that he kissed one of the young men," Dayan said.

But next door, Hyman says he heard things differently.

"Then, kind of suddenly, there was an argument out on the balcony," he said. "This argument was between three, maybe four individuals. It wasn't what I would call a fight, but it was definitely an argument."

Hyman says the argument went on for a couple of minutes, then he heard male voices say goodnight. He opened his door and saw three young men in the hall. Dayan said none of the men stayed behind in the room.

Hyman said he then heard one male voice talking and noises in the room. He also says he heard the sounds of furniture being moved on the balcony -- and then silence. "There was a couple of minutes of total silence, and then we heard what I would have to describe as a horrific thud. The sound was so loud, it reverberated through our cabin. My first thought was that somebody had fallen out on the balcony," Hyman said.

That was around 4:30 a.m. Kofman's lawyers say their client and the other men were back in their own cabin, eating room service food, before turning in for the night.

More Trouble on the Ship

But where was Jennifer? According to Royal Caribbean, at 4:30 a.m., ship security found her passed out on in a corridor and took her back to her now-empty cabin to sleep it off.

Later that morning, security arrived at Kofman's door.

"My client is asleep at approximately 8:30 a.m. in the morning, there's a knock on his door, saying, 'Wake up, we have a missing person on a ship,'" Dayan said. "He thought that everybody was talking about Jennifer, because they were looking for her the night before."

After a brief investigation, the ship left port in Turkey. Kofman and other three men were still aboard, living it up. By the time the ship reached Italy, they were implicated in yet another terrible situation, this one involving a young woman.

"They're in a Jacuzzi with a young lady," Dayan told "Primetime."

Kofman and another man left the tub, Dayan said. "They go back to their room. They receive a phone call from the other young man who says, 'Look, Rusty, we need to borrow your camera. We want to video a sexual escapade.'"

The young woman involved, however, remembered it differently, and she would accuse Kofman and two of his friends of rape. They all admit they had sex with her, but say it was consensual.

After that accusation, the cruise line booted Kofman, his friends and their families off of the ship. To date, no charges have been brought against Kofman or his friends for either the alleged rape or any role they may have played in George Smith's disappearance.

Family Wants Justice

Smith's relatives, though, say they will not rest until they find out what happened to him.

"We're going to continue until our dying day to make Royal Caribbean accountable and to make sure the perpetrators of the crime are brought to justice," said Bree Smith."They didn't preserve that crime scene, and now six months later there have been no arrests."

Royal Caribbean Capt. Bill Wright rejects the charge that the cruise line failed to preserve a possible crime scene.

"We contacted the authorities, we made the cabin available to them, the cabin was secured, as well as the stained area on the canopy by the captain, immediately," Wright said.

Wright also said the Turkish police came on board the ship and conducted a "full forensic investigation."

"They took blood samples, they took other evidence ... from the cabin, they dusted the entire cabin for fingerprints. All of that information has been turned over to the FBI," he said.

The Smith family is highly critical of the Turkish investigation.

"They were only there for three hours," said George Sr. "Three or four hours to do forensic work, they only took six statements from different people."

And according to his attorney, Kofman and one of his friends were only interviewed by Turkish police for about 10 minutes. Clete Hyman, who heard the commotion that night, says he was not interviewed at all.

Now, this case has taken a new turn. This week, Jennifer Hagel Smith's family hired medical examiner Henry Lee, who testified in the O.J. Simpson case.

Lee recently returned to the scene of George's disappearance -- combing the cabin, the balcony and the metal overhang for clues.

According to Lee, "We did find some evidence. ... But I cannot tell you what I found."

It has now been seven months since George Smith disappeared and his family still has more questions than answers. But for all the confusion and pain this tragedy has caused, the family's desire is simple: justice.

"Bring the perpetrators to trial and have them convicted and go to jail," said Bree Smith.

Jan. 26, 2006

COME WITH ME & THE PARTY
Welcome to the Year of the Dog in Hong Kong! This is a holiday festival like no other, an amazing celebration that is full of ancient traditions, rituals and culture. You'll find the holiday mood infectious as the people of Hong Kong come out to celebrate Chinese New Year and to welcome the Year of the Dog!

Friday 27 January - Saturday 28 January 2006
Experience the colours and f! ragrances of special Chinese New Year flower markets. Beautiful flowers, delicate potted plants and young trees are an essential part of celebrating Chinese New Year. Each type is said to bring different kinds of good fortune. Kumquat trees, narcissus and peonies bring prosperity. Peach blossoms add fire to romance, while tangerine plants with leaves intact help ensure long- lasting relationships and "fruitful" marriages. With so many plants in demand, people flock to special markets to find the right kind of luck. Mingle with the crowds and enliven your senses for the Year of the Dog!

Sunday 29 January 2006 - Chinese New Year's Day
Featuring dynamic performers, glittering lights and impressive floats, this ranks among the world's biggest parades and is one of the most popular public events in Hong Kong. Staged once again at night and sponsored by Cathay Pacific Airways for the eighth consecutive year, the Cathay Pacific Internat! ional Chinese New Year Parade is marking its 10th anniversary with an international pageant of parade floats, marching bands, dancers and more to create an electrifying fusion of East and West. Add the backdrop of the incomparable Hong Kong skyline and Victoria Harbour and you have a truly spectacular event that offers lifetime memories.

Monday 30 January 2006
Expect to be spellbound and join in the waahs, oohs and aahs as an amazing display of computer-controlled fireworks ushers in the Year of the Dog. It's a traditional part of Chinese New Year celebrations, scaring away demons to ensure good luck, and no one does it like Hong Kong. What makes fireworks in Hong Kong special is the spectacular backdrop of city lights and harbour. More than 500,000 people line the harbour to witness the spectacle and millions more watch it on TV. Join the fun on the shoreline or aboard a harbour cruise, or watch it from a harbour-view restaurant or hotel. No matter where you are, you'll be cheering as the firewor! ks create intricate patterns across the sky.

Tuesday 31 January 2006
The action is fast and furious as horses thunder down the stretch to the roar of the crowds. You'll want to get in on the excitement and the thrills that a day at the track always deliver. Just seeing the crowds is a memorable experience. The first race meeting of the Chinese New Year is particularly fortuitous. Racing fans believe that winning at the track on this day creates good fortune all year long. To make the day even more special, join a Come Horseracing Tour.

The celebrations run from January 27-31, so come discover all that Hong Kong has to offer during Chinese New Year!

About The Religion of Peace
This entry is about: African And Arab Regional Conference On Electronic Transaction Security, Digital Signature And PKI |

About TheReligionofPeace.com

Ever since 9/11, Americans and others have been asking, "Who are Muslims and why do they want to kill me?" Western leaders have responded by insisting that Islam is a Religion of Peace. This is a line that is parroted from some Islamic clerics (presumably the ones who aren't calling for Jihad). But what does this mean?

Peace can have two different meanings. Westerners usually think of peace as being free to live one's life as one pleases, and allowing others the freedom to do the same.

But peace is also a condition that can be brought about through subjugation, in which unbelievers are brought under the domination of Islam to live meekly as dhimmis. Regrettably, this is the sort of peace that the Qur'an and Hadiths (the Islamic traditions) teach.

This non-partisan, straight-shooting Website provides a list of attacks committed by determined Muslims in the name of their faith. We also provide news from the world of Islam and links to other sites with additional information on the religion for people that want to better understand the violence on the part of thousands and the support or apathy on the part of millions.

Islam is a broad faith and it would be wrong for anyone to stereotype Muslim individuals. Most, in fact, are perfectly fine, either in spite of Islam or because of their interpretation of it. In fact, there are exceptional Muslims whose faith gives them character - the tiny handful of Muslim-Americans, for example, who choose to tell the rest of the world that America is not a legitimate target for terrorism. They stand in sharp contrast to American groups like CAIR and MPAC, which use their influence to complain of petty grievances and inflame hatred against a country that tries hard to accommodate their faith in spite of the violence.

On the other hand, however, Islam is clearly not a religion of peace. The ridiculous level of violence committed in the name of this religion is staggering, despite the many billions of dollars that are spent each year to prevent attacks.

Nor should Westerners continue to think that the solution to the violence is greater understanding and tolerance for Islam, as Muslim apologists often imply when commenting on high-profile terror attacks. It is the killers and their supporters who need to learn understanding and tolerance, not their victims.

Islam will be a peaceful religion when Muslims stop preaching hate, stop killing in the name of Allah, and stop remaining apathetic to the violence. Until this happens, we will faithfully document the each of the reasons why this is anything but a "Religion of Peace."

About TheReligionofPeace.com
 
Ever since 9/11, Americans and others have been asking, "Who are Muslims and why do they want to kill me?"  Western leaders have responded by insisting that Islam is a Religion of Peace.  This is a line that is parroted from some Islamic clerics (presumably the ones who aren't calling for Jihad).  But what does this mean?

Peace can have two different meanings.  Westerners usually think of peace as being free to live one's life as one pleases, and allowing others the freedom to do the same. 

But peace is also a condition that can be brought about through subjugation, in which unbelievers are brought under the domination of Islam to live meekly as dhimmis.  Regrettably, this is the sort of peace that the Qur'an and Hadiths (the Islamic traditions) teach. 

This non-partisan, straight-shooting Website provides a list of attacks committed by determined Muslims in the name of their faith.  We also provide news from the world of Islam and links to other sites with additional information on the religion for people that want to better understand the violence on the part of thousands and the support or apathy on the part of millions.

Islam is a broad faith and it would be wrong for anyone to stereotype Muslim individuals.  Most, in fact, are perfectly fine, either in spite of Islam or because of their interpretation of it.  In fact, there are exceptional Muslims whose faith gives them character - the tiny handful of Muslim-Americans, for example, who choose to tell the rest of the world that America is not a legitimate target for terrorism.  They stand in sharp contrast to American groups like CAIR and MPAC, which use their influence to complain of petty grievances and inflame hatred against a country that tries hard to accommodate their faith in spite of the violence.

On the other hand, however, Islam is clearly not a religion of peace.  The ridiculous level of violence committed in the name of this religion is staggering, despite the many billions of dollars that are spent each year to prevent attacks.

Nor should Westerners continue to think that the solution to the violence is greater understanding and tolerance for Islam, as Muslim apologists often imply when commenting on high-profile terror attacks.  It is the killers and their supporters who need to learn understanding and tolerance, not their victims.

Islam will be a peaceful religion when Muslims stop preaching hate, stop killing in the name of Allah, and stop remaining apathetic to the violence.  Until this happens, we will faithfully document the each of the reasons why this is anything but a "Religion of Peace."

The Age of Spiritual Machines is coming

Robotic ball that chases burglars A large black ball, originally designed by Swedish scientists for use on Mars, could be the latest weapon in the war against burglars.

How much do we humans enjoy our current status as the most intelligent beings on earth? Enough to try to stop our own inventions from surpassing us in smarts? If so, we'd better pull the plug right now, right we've only got until about 2020 before computers outpace the human brain in computational power., artificial intelligence expert and author of The Age of Intelligent Machines, shows that technological evolution moves at an exponential pace. Further, he asserts, in a sort of swirling postulate, time speeds up as order increases, and vice versa. He calls this the "Law of Time and Chaos," and it means that although entropy is slowing the stream of time down for the universe overall, and thus vastly increasing the amount of time between major events, in the eddy of technological evolution the exact opposite is happening, and events will soon be coming faster and more furiously. This means that we'd better figure out how to deal with conscious machines as soon as possible--they'll soon not only be able to beat us at chess, but also likely demand civil rights, and might at last realize the very human dream of immortality.

The device, developed at the University of Uppsala, acts as a high-tech security guard capable of detecting an intruder thanks to either radar or infra-red sensors. Once alerted, it can summon help, sound an alarm or pursue the intruders, taking pictures.

It is capable of travelling at 20mph, somewhat faster than a human being. Even worse for intruders, the robot ball can still give chase over mud, snow and water.

The ball relies on an internal pendulum to control its motion which, when shifted, changes the centre of gravity and starts it rolling.

Other devices, including microphones, cameras, heat sensors and smoke detectors are mounted on its central axis.

Nils Hulth, co-founder of Rotundus, the company which is marketing the ball, said it was especially well-suited to patrolling perimeter fences.

The prototype, just under 2ft in diameter, weighs about 10lb. "It is extremely light, which is why it moves so fast," Mr Hulth said.

While the current version can only raise the alarm, it could be adapted to corner an intruder if the customer wanted, Mr Hulth added.

Patrick Mercer, the Tory MP who is campaigning to give people greater rights to defend their property against burglars, thought the robot ball could have potential: "It would be interesting to see whether the ball had used grossly disproportionate force or whether it would be deemed reasonable.

"But I would much rather a burglar be terrified of householders and shopkeepers, rather than some sort of futuristic device."