Helen is retiring; Money Talk blog is closing down
Dear Money Talk readers,
I will be retiring Aug. 29 after 37 years with the St. Petersburg Times. As a result, the MoneyTalk blog will be closing for new posts and comments by the end of this month. At least for a while, old posts and comments will be available on the Internet if you have saved the link or you get there through a search engine.
The blog started as a way to share personal finance information and evolved into Lou Pearlman Central with my reporting on the Lou Pearlman/Trans Continental Airlines investment scam. The most exciting moment in its history was being able to play a role in Pearlman's capture in Indonesia. It also served as a communications link for victims for close to two years. Jerilyn Stein invites those who wish to continue the discussion on Pearlman to post comments on the discussion board at scammedbypearlman.com .
Although I am retiring from the Times, I am not actually retiring. (Here's a story about my decision to leave the Times.) I will be an independent financial adviser, offering advice on a fee-only basis, and will have an office in downtown St. Petersburg.
Good luck and best wishes to all of you.
Helen
St. Petersburg Times personal finance editor Helen Huntley writes about money topics and answers questions about financial planning, investments and personal income taxes.
Do you people have nothing more to do than harrass that girl. She is entitled to her opinions too. Who cares what her IQ is or isnt. She asked you to respect the mans family, why dont you do that. For Gods sake move on. Not one person on here wants to hear the bickering back and forth. She had a relationship with Frankie that is a fact. Those of us here in Pinellas County knew him. His life was lived outside of Orlando. He was a great man and very liked by those of us who knew him here. Always a gentleman. Now leave his family be.
Posted by: BL | August 16, 2008 at 11:00 PM
It's moot not mute. Once again Kim and her 142 IQ rule the world.
Posted by: | August 16, 2008 at 10:27 PM
Why Kim you believe there is a conspiracy with the way Frankie died???
Posted by: | August 16, 2008 at 10:19 PM
No I know he wasn't. If you work for a Jew does that make you Jewish. Give me a break. I am not going to bring the topic of Frankie up again and again out of respect for his family. If you have any morals you won't either. They have been hurt enough. Please show some respect. Time and time again people badgered me about bringing him up however, it is others who keep bringing up that topic. And Janet, whether or not you feel I have contributed anything or not is mute. This blog was designed for people to share their thoughts and opinions as well as any information they may have. So your opinion is just that, nothing more. You are the one who stated you have no life: In your own words "Phew! Thank God I don't have a life! That took a while!"
Posted by: Janet | August 16, 2008 at 09:20 PM
When this blog started I spent a great deal of time on it and gradually quit posting on a regular basis. I just recently started to posting again, however, it didn't seem to matter because there are those of you who seem to do nothing but attack me even when I wasn't posting. So with that said I am out for the night. Ciao
Posted by: Kim | August 16, 2008 at 10:14 PM
Okay, this is my last post of the evening. I promise...
Kim, I would feel some remorse for some of the things I have said if it were me alone. But I am not alone and there are many other that would like you to shut up. This can be proven by the crowd in your new blogs. This may be best for you. You can sit in there and have conversations with yourself.
The fact that you cannot give any details of your relationship/friendship with Frankie leads us all to believe that there was no relationship/friendship! And even if there were, that does not make you a Lou expert. The craziest part is how you keep talking about my pitiful life when if you go back and look over this blog, you will see who has spent a lot of her pitiful life here.
Goodnight, John Boy!
Posted by: Janet | August 16, 2008 at 10:14 PM
"I heart Janet! Kim do you think Frankie could have been gay? He worked for Lou for a long time."
....thank you for your comment and for saying what I couldn't say. Kim might not have known Frankie as well as she thought.....
:(
Posted by: Janet | August 16, 2008 at 10:02 PM
I heart Janet! Kim do you think Frankie could have been gay? He worked for Lou for a long time.
Posted by: | August 16, 2008 at 09:46 PM
"I have nothing nice to say about homosexuals. It is the worst thing a person can do."
...and you said I have a small mind...
"You can't find the stupid comment about the ankle bracelet because there isn't one."
....see below! :)
"As I sat here tonight and read your post after post I actually felt sorry for you that you had nothing better to do with your pitiful life. "
...I don't know if this was directed to me, but I thought I'd address it anyway. As I have said before, I have kept up with this blog from the very beginning. It has become invaluable in keeping up with the LJP story. But I have seldom posted as I don't have anything to contribute. But as I was searching for that "ankle bracelet post", I realized how much time you have spent of your "pitiful life" on this blog!! How sad. And the thing is, no one cares what you say, Kim. You are nothing but a joke on here.
Posted by: Janet | August 16, 2008 at 09:43 PM
Oops, sorry about that, I didn't think the first comment posted, however, the second is a little more articulate.
Posted by: Kim | August 16, 2008 at 09:41 PM
You just made yourself look like a real idiot! Nowhere in that comment do I say I do not know what an ankle bracelet is. What I said was "how the h@ll do you think an ankle bracelet would keep someone confined". An ankle bracelet is designed to track the person wearing it, it does not keep them in one place. You really must read the context sweetie. Now if a person is under house arrest and they leave then big brother will see that and they will get into trouble. So with that said, I really feel sorry for you that you spent so much time trying to make me look stupid when it only backfired on you. I think I just proved I have a much higher IQ than you. Now who is the mental midget? I am sorry that you have no life and can't find anything better to do with your time than to try and hurt someone with your silly little insults and name calling.
Posted by: Kim | August 16, 2008 at 09:39 PM
You just made yourself look like a real idiot. Nowhere in that comment do I state I don't know what an ankle bracelet is. I said "I don't know how anyone thinks an ankle bracelet is going to keep someone confined." In case you don't know, they do not keep you in one place. The only thing they do is allow big brother to track them wherever they go. (Now if someone is under house arrest and not supposed to go somewhere then they will get into trouble, but, again the bracelet itself does not confine you). You really should read the context sweetie. And wow, you really must have no life to sit and read through that many posts, I'm sorry!!!!!!
Posted by: | August 16, 2008 at 09:28 PM
Yaaaayy!!! I found it! :)
"Since selling it doesn't appear to work, how about using it as a containment unit for Kim? All we'd need to do is slap an ankle bracelet on her, yank the internet connection, and limit her to no more than 50 cats.
Posted by: | October 29, 2007 at 03:31 PM"
...and Kim's response!
"First my relationship/friendship with Frankie was very real, secondly, I can't stand cats, more of a dog person and last but not least, how the h@ll do you think an ankle bracelet would keep someone confined. Your just being stupid and trying to take people off the real topic. Was it you that broke into the house to find the money for Lou and now your trying to attack others. Wow, I agree with Bob, you really need therapy!
Posted by: Kim | October 29, 2007 at 08:02 PM"
Phew! Thank God I don't have a life! That took a while!
Posted by: Janet | August 16, 2008 at 09:20 PM
I have nothing nice to say about homosexuals. It is the worst thing a person can do. God made Adam for Eve not for Dave and vice versa. I will not change my opinion on that it is wrong. What is even more wrong is for a grown man, to do things to young boys. He will be judged on that come judgement day. I am not a fan of Helen's, I just appreciate her talent and her relentless pursuit to see justice done. Remarkable is one word that comes to mind. You can't find the stupid comment about the ankle bracelet because there isn't one. I won't have a new job, I like the one I have and probably make a hell of a lot more than you do because it seems you don't have one, except to sit here all day and hurl insults. Now why are you getting so upset? Does the truth hurt that much? As I sat here tonight and read your post after post I actually felt sorry for you that you had nothing better to do with your pitiful life. Over and out!
Posted by: Kim | August 16, 2008 at 09:08 PM
2:53pm Thank you, you articulated that beautifully. Well Done.
Thank you - I appreciate someone on my side! I wish Kim would understand it wasn't me that posted about her stupidness regarding the *^%^ ankle bracelet!! I actually went back to find the remark so she would shut up! And while I didn't find that particular stupid remark, I did find the ones she made bashing gay people.
Posted by: Janet | August 16, 2008 at 08:35 PM
Thank you Klass! It appears that I have touched a real nerve with the poster who keeps attacking me. Trust me when I say, that I am not upset, I am just tired of them insinuating I know nothing and that I didn't know Frankie just because our relationship had nothing to do with T-con. There was a reason for that and it is really nobody's business. However, I will check out that other board.
Posted by: Kim | August 16, 2008 at 03:03 PM
"O.K. sweetie, try again. You said you saved the comment so let's see it. Why are YOU avoiding the questions now? Where is your proof? Don't like it when the tables are turned do you?
Posted by: Kim | August 16, 2008 at 01:37 PM"
For the last time, that wasn't me.
And to Klaas, I apologize for my behavior. It's just that Kim is constantly posting drivel that is in no way valuable information to anyone. And I am sick to death of her claims of knowing about things that she really doesn't know about! Case in point - her remarks in Vanity Fair about Frankie's despondency over the fact that he "sought to withdraw a portion of the $100,000 or so he had with Pearlman" - that is not true. And was she in touch with Frankie at that time? I understand this is trivial but some of us were much more involved than she and we are tired of her scatterbrained remarks about something she knows nothing about! Honestly, if you ever have the time, go back through this blog and see how much she has "contributed".
Forgive my rant! I'm done now....
Posted by: Janet | August 16, 2008 at 02:53 PM
Dear Kim, please don't keep getting upset by these trolls, it's no use. I'd recommend you join Jerilyn Stein's board, too. Even after studying Pearlman's doings for four years I find it impossible to judge if poor mr Frank Vasquez's untimely death was a suicide or murder. In any way it appears to be directly related to the ponzi's surfacing. Bad enough as it is.
Posted by: klaas | August 16, 2008 at 01:50 PM
Again my name didn't appear on my post at 1:40 pm. And it was for J or Janet
Posted by: Kim | August 16, 2008 at 01:48 PM
Just in case you needed more education
"Themself is a reflexive pronoun that is sometimes used informally in speech instead of himself or herself when the sex of the person is not known or not relevant: Ex: Any member of the party would try to distance themself from this policy." It may not be a proper word to use but, none the less it is a word!
Posted by: | August 16, 2008 at 01:40 PM
O.K. sweetie, try again. You said you saved the comment so let's see it. Why are YOU avoiding the questions now? Where is your proof? Don't like it when the tables are turned do you?
Posted by: Kim | August 16, 2008 at 01:37 PM
"Well where is that proof you have? Why are you avoiding showing it? Is it because you don't have it?"
What are you talking about? The ankle bracelet comment? That wasn't me...
"As the person who wants to call themself Janet today goes, that person has stated that he/she just likes to pick on me."
Um...read again, sweetie. That wasn't me. And themself isn't a word.
"Tough! Get a life, you will need one once this blog closes down because you have nothing more to do."
Yeah! Cause I post on here sooooo much! Oh, wait, that's you! :)
"Does it annoy you that you didn't know every aspect of Frankie's life?"
No, not at all. But what I did know about Frankie was his impeccable taste in women and you just don't fit in there.
And how do you know my name isn't Janet? I may have been keeping up with these blogs for years but didn't post much because I had nothing valuable to say. Although there are those who don't have much of value to say and post anyway....
:)
Posted by: Janet | August 16, 2008 at 01:13 PM
O.K. Janet (if that's what you want to call yourself today) Sorry about the typo's, that sometimes happens when people are in a hurry. However, I am sure you are perfect right? Well where is that proof you have? Why are you avoiding showing it? Is it because you don't have it? Just in case you can't read let me reiterate this for you, I was only at the sentencing hearing, no others. Sorry to all who are viewing this immature conversation, but, I do not live in a trailer park and have never seen or heard take 5. As the person who wants to call themself Janet today goes, that person has stated that he/she just likes to pick on me. Why is that? Don't like my opinions, annoyed because you don't know me? Some of my comments hit to close to home? Tough! Get a life, you will need one once this blog closes down because you have nothing more to do. I do wonder why you seem to think that I am stupid! Why is that? Does it annoy you that you didn't know every aspect of Frankie's life? It seems to me, that because you don't know who I am, you just want to attack. Well have it sweetheart and best wishes on trying to annoy me!
Posted by: Kim | August 16, 2008 at 12:59 PM
I have also started a blog on blog stream. Here is the link to it:
http://kimridge123.blogstream.com/
Posted by: Kim | August 16, 2008 at 12:50 PM
"I only went to college for 3 years because the company I was employed with transfered me to another State with an opportunity I just couldn't refuse."
...transfered should be transferred and State shouldn't be capitalized. Maybe you should have passed on that opportunity and finished that last year...
And what have I said that means I am uneducated and have a "small mind"?
:)
Posted by: Janet | August 16, 2008 at 12:36 PM
"I only went to college for 3 years because the company I was employed with transfered me to another State with an opportunity I just couldn't refuse."
...transfered should be transferred and State shouldn't be capitalized. Maybe you should have passed on that opportunity and finished that last year...
And what have I said that means I am uneducated and have a "small mind"?
:)
Posted by: Janet | August 16, 2008 at 12:30 PM