Thoughts on terrorism and the death of George Tiller

George Tiller is a victim of terrorism.

Tiller was murdered today in his church. He was an usher. He was also one of the nation's three doctors who perform abortions after the 21st week.

Tiller was prominent on many anti-abortion hit lists. He was protected by federal marshals for several years. In 1998 he was shot in both arms by a would-be murderer. His clinic was fortified with concrete walls and bulletproof glass, and he rarely left without a bodyguard. Earlier this month he asked the FBI to investigate when the security cameras at his office were disabled.

Today a man who had been noted as one of the regular protestors of Tiller's church walked into that church and killed him. Tiller's wife was in the choir.

We can disagree on issues of pro-life and pro-choice. We can engage in spirited debate. We can assemble with like-minded activists and state our minds. But we cannot terrorize.

And that's what happened to Tiller: he is a victim of terrorism.

Thomas Oates' Mantra

Thomas Oates posted his mantra on Facebook this afternoon: Let the other person be the psycho.

I believe I will embrace his mantra as my own.

The Writing Sample Scam

A fellow posted a classified ad looking for a staff writer for his three businesses. He wanted weekly content for the websites of his three businesses, and said he would pay $600.00 a week. Overall, it was an excellent-sounding gig.

I found the ad and asked for more information. The client replied that he wanted to test my writing skills, and asked for a 500-word article covering a particular topic. What he wanted me to write about is not in my realm of expertise, so I did my research.

As part of my research I attempted to locate the website of his companies. I started with the domain name of his email address. The domain name is everything after the @ in your email address: if your email address is stevecase@aol.com, then your domain name is aol.com. Typically, the domain name corresponds with the website you are affiliated with.

The domain name for the client was not related to any of the three businesses he claimed to be involved with. Instead, it was the website for a discount freelance writer. The site claimed that he could expediently provide press releases and ads to clients for relatively low prices.

That smelled funny, so I did a little more research into the client. It turns out he had been noted by other writers for using what is apparently a common scam in the writing world. By asking for a writing sample, the client suggests he is testing your skills. In actuality, the client is another writer attempting to steal your work, or possibly sell it to another client for a relatively low price.

I'm glad I did my research before I invested too much time in the project. It's a shame, too, because the article would have been clever.