"DAD" -- you are completely correct in that sense.
This is an old article, and it's imperfect (in fact, looking back at this a decade later, it's rather awful) - the whole point was that someone tried explaining it to me why using the term was always misogynistic when referring to genitalia, not to a person.
Right now we're running with just one Mic, and we're still futzing with sound levels related to it. I'll see what I can do about remastering the sound better for the next episode -- I'm just so naturally loud though I didn't want to blow out anyone's eardrums when I talked though. :P
And I haven't created an iTunes friendly graphic mostly because I'm lazy. :)
Honestly, her story just doesn't sit right in my gut, which is why I need some sort of proof before I get close to buying it.
The only scenario that's believable to me until then is the one I spell out.
That said, as she's been at least rational and polite, I have to give her at least some credit -- and I maintain that I'm willing to hear out anything she has to say.
I wouldn't judge writing style as an indicator of age. I've known 16 year olds who can write brilliant phrases and 52 year olds who couldn't string two sentences together.
Well, I'm still of the strong belief that there's only one Tasha right now.
Funny note: Dantalion is trying to say on Rip off Report that my posting the link to Tasha's response somehow means that she and I are the same person. Could someone explain to me how that makes sense on any level?
Meep: It just seems too convenient that the boyfriend of one Tasha Palladino is running the website of ANOTHER Tasha Palladino, don't you think? Why would he be so tied into this. Not to mention, the resemblance would have to be absolutely uncanny -- I don't look that much like any of my relatives, that's for sure.
If Tasha can somehow prove her story to me, then I'll redact my story (as in, a short video of two Tashas, holding up drivers licenses, both talking, proving they are separate people)... but until then I stand by my assessment. I firmly believe they are one and the same person.
Piercings are easily removed, and the hole isn't readily visible... I've known enough people with facial piercings, so I don't take much stock in that.
I will say she is right -- she changed the photo prior to my publishing this article. I just had the screenshots prepped ahead of time and she made the change in the interim.
Yeah -- I found her legal name on her site afterward and felt kind of silly for having to dig for it.
The Article is in a "Free Article Database." Those are designed for SEO purposes, where sites can use them for free, but any links in them need to remain intact. That way, the website gets free promotion and moves up the search engine rankings for cheap.
Well, with Fastspells.com the site got thousands of views from the Consumerist. This time around, we just had my audience... plus, we still really don't know who is on the other end of the e-mail address in this case.
Well, there MIGHT be, but I doubt it. I will say there are probably legitimate (in the sense that they believe in what they are doing) Tarot readers, seers, psychics and the like.
Spell casters is a different thing. There's an overall attitude in most of the genuine Wiccan and Neopagan community that charging for that sort of thing is not acceptable. I will say if someone is claiming to be a Wiccan and charging money I'd be shocked to find they weren't a scam. A Wiccan might charge for a class or a workshop - or a tarot reading - but they aren't going to charge for a spell.
Most also aren't going to cast magick for a stranger either.
So, I'd say I don't expect any internet spell casters to be doing anything more than taking people's money and laughing on the way to the bank.
It looks like "Frater Dantalion" has now removed http://www.black-magic-spells.co.uk/ripoffreport.html from his webpage, as well as the link to http://www.black-magic-spells.co.uk/scam_warnings.html
On a Reynolds/Bucklin note -- I want to point out that since this article went up, SpellLock.com's address has changed from 5007C Victory Blvd, #271, Yorktown, VA 23692 in Virginia to 848 N. Rainbow Blvd, #2371, Las Vegas, NV 89107 US in Nevada.
Fundamentalists from within are the largest threat to *any* religion. They bang on the drums and claim a moral superiority. They create division and mistrust. They create alienation.
It's the same reason Fundamentalist Christians make Christians look bad. How many Wiccans hold a negative view of Christianity just because a small percentage of them are over the top?
Gardner named the religion, but the word Wicca really does come from the Old English word for Witch. And of course it's ridiculous that people would think of Willow from Buffy when they hear the word Wicca -- the same with any popular fiction. But there is a percentage that defines it too narrowly, and that hurts us. Most importantly though, it's the people with the attitude that anything that isn't their tradition is inferior which hurts us.
BTW isn't the problem. I'm not BTW, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. It's just that the most closed minded of Wicca flock to BTW since it seems more "established" in their mind. These are the people seeking moral superiority, and that is a problem.
Also, I won't post it because I don't know how much he's involved (i.e. Did they just get their webspace from a friend, or was he in on the scam?) but I found his Cell phone number.
Well, now that we have their actual names, it means that if they set up another scam they are much easier to find for people who get scammed. It would just be a matter of a simple inquiry to a Bank, Credit Card Agency, PayPal, etc.
If Kevin or Brittney starts this again, they can be found and stopped - and law enforcement can get involved if need be.
Again, I have screen shots of all of it. http://www.dreamthroughmagick.com/ seems to be gone, and while I don't have screenshots of it, the information is almost exactly the same as the other Coven of Four page... and I did save the WAV file of Brittney talking they had on there. :P
Buckland himself admittedly might still be considered a Witch by these people, but since Seax-Wica isn't British Traditional, there are some who don't consider those who follow it "truly Wiccan." It's ridiculous.
My biggest problem is that they seem to prey on people... and upon further investigation, Ratethecaster.com is DEFINITELY a front for these people too. Every one they say has "success" is a site they appear to own, and all the ones they don't own they say are scams.
