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West Ridge Academy aka Utah Boys Ranch Sexual & Physical Abuse Case

Posted on 13 January 2012. Tags: Ridge Academy, Utah Boys Ranch

Betti & Associates

News Coverage.

Copy of the Eric Norwood complaint against West Ridge Academy aka Utah Boys Ranch (pdf)

Posted in Child Sexual Abuse News0 Comments

Federal Bankruptcy Judge in Delaware Approves $77 Million Settlement for Abuse Victims Against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wilmington

Posted on 29 August 2011. Tags: delaware clergy abuse settlement, wilmington catholic church sex abuse settlement

By MICHELE BETTI | b&a opinions

As a mechanism for evading liability, the Diocese of Wilmington, Delaware filed its Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition October 18, 2009. Recently, a federal bankruptcy judge in Delaware approved a $77 million settlement for child sexual abuse victims against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wilmington.

Confirming a reorganization plan for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wilmington, the judge approved the $77 million settlement for nearly 150 alleged victims of child sexual abuse. Each victim will receive an average of $530,000 under the settlement. A court order signed Thursday by Judge Christopher Sontchi will release the Diocese from all further litigation related to the sexual abuse scandal.

The lawsuits against the Diocese were filed after a state law created a two-year window for claims of abuse to be brought regardless of whether the statute of limitations had expired.

Delaware is a state that has instituted a no limit on statute of limitations on child sexual abuse. Something that other states like New York and Hawaii have attempted to do, but have been openly opposed by the Catholic Church, and many other secular and non-secular institutions that vehemently oppose open statute of limitations on child sexual abuse.

The Diocese of Wilmington Delaware is the seventh of eight Roman Catholic Dioceses to file for Chapter 11 protection to deal with lawsuits for sexual abuse.

The case is In re Catholic Diocese of Wilmington, 09-13560, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Delaware, (Wilmington).

Posted in Clergy Abuse1 Comment

Why Are The Names Of Sex Offender Priests Being Redacted From Cardinal Mahoney’s Deposition Transcript?

Posted on 01 July 2010.

California, clergy sexual abuse, Roman Catholic, Cardinal Mahony, Los Angeles Archdiocese, cover-up, predator priest, sex offender

Why Are The Names Of Sex Offender Priests Being Redacted From Cardinal Mahoney’s Deposition Transcript?
By MICHELE BETTI | b&a opinions

Why are the names of sex offender predator priests being redacted from the deposition transcript of Archbishop Roger Mahony? Such action given the documented collusion of those in authority in protecting and covering up for sexually abusive clerics is troubling. Mahoney, Bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles provided deposition testimony under oath a few weeks ago. Several priests who were accused and convicted of child molestation have their names redacted from the transcript. An excerpt from the transcript reads as follows:

Q: Okay, 1985 or ’86 he [sex offender priest name redacted] was arrested and charged with child molestation, does that sound right?

A: Somewhere in that time frame?

Q: Does it help refresh your recollection if I represent to you he was accused of putting his hands and touching the genitals of high school seminarians while they were in bed at Our Lady Queen of Angels Seminary?

A: Yes.

Q: So he was accused of touching and did go to jail?

A: I don’t recall.

Bishops in Connecticut, Florida, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania have done everything possible to keep Child Victims Acts addressing child abuse legislation from being passed. Bishops have adamantly opposed any legislation that would change statutes of limitations that prevent child victims from seeking redress shortly after they turn 18.

It has been eight years since the U.S. Catholic church was rocked to its foundations by revelations of clergy sex abuse in the Boston archdiocese. And five years since a Philadelphia grand jury released a report documenting in explicit detail decades of abuse by clergy and cover up by the Philadelphia archdiocese.

Still church leaders continue to protect the molesters. And church leaders continue to place blame on the messengers rather than on themselves. The system has become so corrupted that it puts the protection of individual sexual predators along with an institution’s reputation before the protection of its most vulnerable flock – the children.

Posted in Clergy Abuse, Featured0 Comments

Who is in Donald Wuerl’s Back Pocket, and Why?

Posted on 27 May 2010. Tags: clergy abuse, mike ference, priest abuse

Guest Contribution August 17, 2:28 PM

Pittsburgh Independent Examiner

Mike Ference

Southwestern PA has the nation’s 18th largest Catholic population per capita, making the Catholic presence here as significant as it is in #17 Los Angeles, #12 New York, and #11 Boston. That was reason enough for Donald Wuerl to cover up the offenses of sexually abusive priests. But how could such a thing be done? Well, one must speculate that, for a cover-up to be undertaken and sustained, only unscrupulous elected officials and less-than-honest law enforcement officers – with perhaps ties to organized crime – would have to be in Donald Wuerl’s back pocket, if not in his pocketbook. Would such a thing even be possible? Imagine, street-smart thugs partnering with a frail, effeminate, and pint-sized creature such as Donald Wuerl, with one goal in mind – to protect dysfunctional sex freaks who used innocent children as sex toys. Let’s look at the facts:

Wuerl was trained by an alleged master of sexual preying, namely, the former Bishop of Pittsburgh, John Cardinal Wright. It should be noted that Wright was hauled off to Rome once the Richard Ginder scandal began to unfold. This is what happened to Bernard Law of Boston, once his cover-ups made headline news. Now, concerning Father Richard Ginder, he was a flamboyant homosexual and notorious pedophile who would eventually die under mysterious circumstances. Furthermore, it was discovered that he had an apartment in Shadyside, Pennsylvania. It was then discovered that he harbored child pornography in that apartment.

Concerning Donald Wuerl, he spent 10 years under the tutelage of Wright in Rome, where, according to a nationally published third party, Wuerl’s network of like-minded homosexual prelates began to form. Caring for a sickly Cardinal Wright in 1978 allowed Wuerl to be the only non-red-hat at the conclave that resulted in Karol Józef Wojtya being elected the new leader of the Catholic Church. Years later, the two persons would join forces again, when Wuerl would insistently object to the Vatican’s decision to have Father Anthony Cippolla be reinstated as a priest in good standing. Wuerl’s theatrics would prevail. The pope would approve the reversal of the church’s highest court (concerning the Cipolla case) and Donald Wuerl would make sure that everyone would know about it. This resulted in Wuerl gaining the reputation of a heroic bishop who had zero tolerance for clergy abuse.

Donald Wuerl’s Documented Cover-ups are Soon to be Presented, Here

As will soon be illustrated by a guest writer, the hero status of Donald Wuerl is hogwash. Wuerl had a self-seeking motive for pursuing the Cipolla case to the end, and he also had a number of sex abuse cover-ups which eventually found their ways onto one type of court docket or another; including that of criminal court. Furthermore, Wuerl has been and continues to be a catalyst for the homosexual community. Sadly enough, Wuerl has been proven to be nothing more than another figure in the Catholic Church’s hierarchy who is more than willing to cover up clergy sex abuses. Wuerl is also said to closely resemble one of Wright’s former play toys, thereby suggesting that Wright’s choice of Wuerl as personal secretary was made for reasons other than professional competency.

Donald Wuerl’s Support System While He Was in the Pittsburgh Diocese

Former Supreme Court Chief Justices Stephen Zappala and David Cappy served on Wuerl’s legal advisory committee, along with 12 to 36 high-profile Pittsburgh attorneys. It would have been virtually impossible for a family to file a lawsuit against the diocese without Wuerl getting wind of it shortly after it was filed, and maybe even sooner.

For whatever it’s worth, Stephen Zappala Jr., current district attorney for the Allegheny County which encompasses much of Wuerl’s former terrain, has been appointed by the President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) to a three-year term on the National Review Board. His term is to begin on June 1, 2010. Such board members collaborate with the USCCB in safeguarding minors from the sexual abuse of those dysfunctional sex freaks who have been placed in the service of the church. Ironically, Donald Wuerl is expected to receive a cardinal’s hat in June 2010, due to Cardinal McCarrick turning 80 years of age that month.

Zappala’s office has never prosecuted a clergy abuse case, and it has steadfastly refused to conduct a grand jury investigation into Pittsburgh area clergy abuse. Yet, the Philadelphia district attorney’s office held its own grand jury investigation into the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, ultimately issuing a scathing report that identified dozens of Catholic clerics who were guilty of heinous crimes against innocent children, while acknowledging the widespread cover-ups of archdiocesan leaders who protected the criminals instead of the victims who endured every imaginable form of sexual and physical abuse. The grand jury would label Anthony Bevilacqua a liar. Bevilacqua was the former Bishop of Pittsburgh. Insiders openly admit that Bevilacqua left quite a mess for Donald Wuerl to deal with, once Wuerl took over the Diocese of Pittsburgh.

The Recent Kickback Scheme

Is D.A. Stephen Zappala Jr. the right choice for preventing sexual abuse from occurring in an institution (the Catholic Church) that has been marked by widespread abuse and the subsequent cover-ups that appear to have been the accepted norm for a succession of bishops, cardinals, and popes? Recently, the D.A.’s brother, Gregory Zappala, was and may still be part of a probe involving two former Pennsylvania judges who knowingly sentenced juveniles to private detention facilities owned by Gregory Zappala, in exchange for $2.6 million in kickbacks. Over 5,000 children were sent to these homes, not because they were hardened criminals, but because in Pennsylvania – the pro-pedophile state – children have very little worth and can be exploited at every opportunity. These 5,000+ children were incarcerated for crimes such as truancy and stealing change out of parked cars – with neither legal counsel nor parents present, at times.

Originally, Gregory Zappala’s partner, John Powell, claimed that he was a victim of extortion. He has since come to his senses and pled guilty, as he will now serve time for the felonies he committed. Interestingly enough, this convicted felon claims that his former partner, Gregory Zappala, knew nothing about the kickback scheme. Quite frankly, are we to believe that a person who profited from judicial fraud is telling the truth this one time?

While Steven Zappala would argue that his little brother was the victim of a convoluted cash-for-kids plot, anyone with an I.Q. over 50 could easily argue that a seasoned financial wiz like Gregory Zappala (who has a retired PA Supreme Court Chief Justice for a dad and the district attorney of the second largest county in Pennsylvania for a brother) would be the last person to target for extortion, let alone claim to have been a victim? I’m not so sure that Stephen Zappala has the right heart or soul to reconcile the types of claims a supposedly objective member of the USCCB National Review Board would be required to address. Zappala’s appointment only adds accelerant to the search for a smoldering gun that seems to now be in reach.

Back to Shadyside Hospital

Shadyside Hospital officials knowingly covered up the crimes of John Wellinger which included feeding drugs and alcohol to an underage boy until he sank into an unconscious state. I recently sent my findings to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, and here is there response in a nutshell, provided by Andrea Beeler, R.N. Health Quality Administer:

The Department of Health, through the Office of Quality Assurance, is responsible for establishing and enforcing the standards that protect the health and safety of all patients who seek treatment within our Commonwealth. She goes on to write that, as per our telephone conversation, my concerns about the police and the Pittsburgh Catholic Diocese are beyond the purview of the department. But, what about my claim against the Shadyside Hospital administrators who hid the actions of a Pittsburgh Catholic priest from law enforcement authorities? The fix is still in. No recommendations on who might be able to help or what other agency might be able to handle this type of complaint. Again, welcome to PA – the pro-pedophile and ephebophile-friendly State.

A Recent Disclosure, Confided to me Shortly after the Brother Kenneth Ghastin Discovery

Recently, I learned from a very reliable source that a certain Pittsburgh hospital has been covering the homosexuality of a former Pittsburgh Catholic bishop. According to my source, the administrators were detailing the need to continue the cover-up, mentioning how important it was for this type of information to never leak out. Pittsburgh is certainly the right place for these types of secret agreements among hospital administrators.

Also, there may be more victims of clergy sexual abuse dating back to the time when Brother Ghastin and other Franciscan clergy members were assigned to Serra Catholic High School in McKeesport, PA. Could the City of McKeesport and its police department be responsible for covering up even more crimes against underage children?

Anyone with additional information on this report or on similar events is welcomed to send a message to my email address, Ference@icubed.com, or to call me at 412-233-5491.

Reporting live from Pittsburgh’s Golden Triangle – where the confluence of the Sicilian mob and the Democratic Party meet to form the deMOBocrats.

To read my June 5th article, Is Stephen Zappala the right choice Cardinal George?, go to:

http://www.examiner.com/x-12613-Pittsburgh-Independent-Examiner~y2009m6d5-Is-Stephen-Zappala-the-right-choice-Cardinal-George

To read my June 12th article, Citizen Investigator Won’t Be Silenced, go to:

http://www.examiner.com/x-12613-Pittsburgh-Independent-Examiner~y2009m7d12-Citizen-investigator-wont-be-silenced

About the Author:
Mike Ference is an entrepreneur, writer, speaker and investigative reporter who has been probing clergy abuse and government corruption in Pennsylvania for almost 20 years. Mike may be reached at 412-233-5491 or email him at Ference@icubed.com.

Posted in Clergy Abuse0 Comments

Child Sex Abuse News – May 12th

Posted on 12 May 2010. Tags: child sexual abuse attorney, Child Sexual Abuse News

May has been a busy month for Child Sex Abuse, Clergy Abuse Arena.
Below are some of the articles and news pieces we are following.

Flicker Credit: Author:i.n.d.e.p.e.n.d.e.n.t

Ohio Statute of Limitations on Child Sex Abuse Not Enhanced by Repressed Memories. On April 14, 2008, a Greene County, Ohio woman filed a complaint claiming she had been sexually assaulted and molested at least three times — the last …

Publish Date: 05/06/2010 11:43

http://cincinnatilaw.blogspot.com/2010/05/ohio-statute-of-limitations-on-child.html

=”color: #007000;”>Ohio State Law Ruling on Statutes

Compton teacher charged with child sex abuse | San Francisco Examiner

A Compton High School math teacher has been charged with the alleged sexual abuse of three female students.

Publish Date: 05/10/2010 18:25

http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/ap/compton-teacher-charged-with-child-sex-abuse-93347039.html

Tweets About Sex Abuse

Many in the Catholic Church now speaking out against Child Sex Abuse and pre-meditated cover-up. http://tiny.cc/m5phd via @bravekidsvoices

By malachim9 at 05/12/2010 8:09

Play golf & support the fight against child sex abuse
http://sctnow.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.eventDetails&;eventID=604

By SCTNowTulsa at 05/1

Breaking News:
Florida law lifts time limits for criminal, civil cases alleging child sex abuse http://j.mp/cziB0r

By tisearch at 05/12/2010 4:41

2/2010 6:28

Paul Child : Pope says child sex abuse scandal is biggest threat to Catholic Church – Daily Mail http://dlvr.it/x3MW

By slvyas at 05/12/2010 4:20

Global Child Sex Abuse News

Child sexual abuse cases rise by over 9pc : CHILD RIGHTS DESK

The report recommended that laws, policies and child protection bill should be passed to protect every child from sexual abuse. Support systems should be established for intervention and rehabilitation. …

Publish Date: 05/12/2010 3:05

http://pakistan.childrightsdesk.com/?p=2441

German Bishop Resigns Over Child Sex Abuse Scandal | Pattaya Daily …

Pope Benedict XVI has formally accepted the resignation of a leading German bishop who has been embroiled in investigations into alleged incidents of sexual abuse, assault and financial irregularities.

Publish Date: 05/09/2010 0:36

http://www.pattayadailynews.com/en/2010/05/09/german-bishop-resigns-over-child-sex-abuse-scandal/
Catholic Ireland Struggles with Response to Child Sex Abuse …

Catholic Ireland Struggles with Response to Child Sex Abuse Scandals News Hour DAVID QUINN: People still have the impression that the scandals are burning out of control and that abuse is as prevalent in the church as it would have …

Publish Date: 05/11/2010 17:53

http://www.bestfamous.info/catholic-ireland-struggles-with-response-to-child-sex-abuse-scandals-newshour/

Posted in Child Sexual Abuse News0 Comments

Betti & Associates Philadelphia Press Coverage On priest-uncle abuse case

Posted on 09 January 2010. Tags: arcdiocese of philadelphia, betti & assoc, betti and associates, phildelphia, sex abuse philadelphia

Man tells of abuse by priest-uncle

By DAFNEY TALES
Philadelphia Daily News

talesd@phillynews.com 215-854-5084

NOTE: THIS STORY HAS BEEN CORRECTED.

It was the middle of the night when a young John Katubi was roused by someone who slipped into bed with him.

It was his uncle, the Rev. Robert Gaghan, a parish priest and teacher, who Katubi said fondled him under the covers and then performed oral sex on him.

Katubi said it happened that one time, but since then, his life had been wrought with emotional distress, an overwhelming sense of guilt and substance abuse. Now, Katubi, 64, a divorced father who lives in Florida, is trying to pick up the pieces.

“I realized I had problems, but the cause [for them] I realized about a year ago,” he said yesterday at a demonstration outside Saints John Neumann and Maria Goretti High School, in South Philadelphia. He had attended Neumann years after his abuse, where Gaghan taught. Neumann and Goretti merged in 2004.

“I thought this was some kind of initiation that I didn’t know about,” he said.

A handful of supporters joined him yesterday outside the school, at 10th and Morris streets, to request that school officials inform alumni about Gaghan and to encourage possible victims to come forward. Katubi didn’t tell anyone of his abuse until 2008, when he reported the incident to Daylesford Abbey, in Paoli, run by the Norbertines, who supervised Gaghan before his death in 1989.

An investigation “determined that Mr. Katubi’s allegation of sexual abuse by the Rev. Robert Gaghan was credible,” a statement released by an abbey spokesman said yesterday.

Officials had offered Katubi assistance with counseling, the statement further reads. But their offer, which Katubi’s lawyer, Michelle Betti, said was $2,000 per year for 10 years, was unsatisfactory.

It’s not enough because he believes that his uncle, who died of liver disease, may have molested more boys. His younger brother Robert had admitted to being another one of his alleged victims. His other brother, Andrew, he said, was abused by a friend of their uncle’s, also a priest. Both later died of drug overdoses, he said.

Outside the school, Patricia Sticco, Neumann-Goretti principal, sympathized with Katubi.

“I’m sorry for what happened to you,” she said to him before shaking his hand. She referred media inquiries to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Archdiocese spokeswoman Donna Farrell urged abuse victims to contact the Victims’ Assistance Office at 888-800-8780 or at phila vac@adphila.org.

CORRECTION:

A story in yesterday’s Daily News incorrectly identified the religious order of a priest accused of abuse many years ago and the order that runs Daylesford Abbey, in Paoli. The Abbey is run by Norbertines and Rev. Robert Gaghan was a Norbertine, not a Vincentian.

Posted in Clergy Abuse0 Comments

News From The Web – What we are reading

Posted on 05 September 2009. Tags: abuse survivor, Child Sexual Abuse News, law, SNAP

NEW ENGLAND: Court to decide whether clergy sex abuse files
Published: September 5, 2009
Source: Abuse Tracker
CONNECTICUT NECN [with video] (NECN: Brian Burnell, Hartford, Conn.) - The battle over documents detailing sexual abuse by priests in the Bridgeport, Connecticut, Roman Catholic Diocese will be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. The diocese wants the papers to remain sealed, but victims want the...
Out of Left Field: Another deposition, more betrayal
Published: September 5, 2009
Source: Abuse Tracker
CHICAGO (IL) Chicago Catholic News (POSTED: 8/31/09) I have just finished reading Bishop Ray Goedert's deposition, and I am very, very sad -- and very confused. Where is the Catholic outrage? Where is the call from the faithful for a public act of penance by this bishop, this former vicar for pri...
Relationships after Severe Trauma: Making Healthy Choices
Published: September 4, 2009
Source: Dr. Kathleen Young: Treating Trauma in Chicago
We all need connection. Interdependence, mutual relationships are crucial for our well being. However, for those who have experienced severe childhood trauma, relationships were also the source of betrayal, wounding and abuse. What does this mean then for those who have been severely abused by paren...
Landrieu amendment opens door for reforming foster care-financing system on The Louisiana Weekly
Published: April 14, 2009
Source: Best Interests - News
Landrieu amendment opens door for reforming foster care-financing system on The Louisiana Weekly The United States Senate recently approved a foster care financing reform amendment authored by Senator Mary Landrieu. The amendment to the Senate’s budget would allow for reforming the foster care-...
Childhelp uses a 'Trooper' to drive Web traffic, fundraise - PRWeek US
Published: April 15, 2009
Source: Best Interests - News
Childhelp uses a ‘Trooper’ to drive Web traffic, fundraise – PRWeek US Like many nonprofit organizations coping with the economic recession, Childhelp, a child abuse prevention and treatment organization, is on a tight budget. Still, it needed to raise awareness, drive traffic to its online...
Judge Orders offender priest files released to referee. Expect objections in hearing A
Published: April 15, 2009
Source: Abuse Tracker
LOS ANGELES (CA) Examiner Kay Ebeling LA City Buzz Examiner “Your clients have a right to come in and make those arguments in court,” says the judge to the attorney defending pedophile priests in the L.A. Clergy Cases 2007, who was trying at a hearing March 5th to keep files on the perpetrator...
Will It Be Just a Change of Face or An About Face In New York?
Published: April 15, 2009
Source: Abuse Tracker
NEW YORK The National Survivor Advocates Coalition New York, NY – The National Survivor Advocates Coalition (NSACoalition) knows the Archbishop of New York is no ordinary bishop. By virtue of the prestige of New York, the heft of the Catholic population, the uniqueness of the City to the United...
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Posted in Articles We are Reading0 Comments

Michele Betti of Betti & Associates Supports SNAP in its Effort to Uncover Nun Abuse in Silver Springs, Maryland.

Posted on 26 August 2009. Tags: child sex abuse attorney, clergy abuse, Nun Sexual Abuse, Sex, sexual child abuse protest, SNAP

Michele Betti of Betti & Associates Supports SNAP Survivors to Uncover Nun Abuse at the Leadership Conference of Women Religious in Silver Springs, Maryland.
By MICHELE BETTI | b&f opinions August 26, 2009

Nun Sexual Abuse – SNAP & Sexually Assaulted Victims Picket in Maryland

SILVER SPRING, Md. – On a very hot day in Silver Springs, Maryland, where the heat index was 110º, several SNAP survivors and SNAP advocates peacefully marched in front of the office of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious.

While many know of about the allegations of sexual abuse by priests, many do not know about the victimization of children by Catholic nuns. While most nuns are loving dedicated women, some are not, and abuse victims say they should be investigated and held accountable just like priests. Continue Reading

Posted in Betti & Associates Cases - News, SNAP, Survivor Conference & Events1 Comment

Irish Catholic abusers and those covered up crimes – Examiner

Posted on 26 August 2009. Tags: Betti & Associates News, catholic abuse, catholic priest abuse, clergy abuse, examiner.com

War tactics should be applied to Irish Catholic abusers and those covered up crimes

By Mike Ference

Every day brings new evidence that we no longer live in a civilized and principled society. The worst part, it usually concerns another case of sexual misconduct involving a Catholic priest, young children and a church hierarchy that helped to cover up the case.

The recently unveiled 2,600-page report by the Irish Commission explaining the systematic practice of torture and molestation at the country’s labor and educational institutions run by the Catholic Church for decades clearly suggests that Catholic Church Hierarchy have certainly outlived any usefulness to society.
And they still deny the heinous crimes and expect their weekly bounty of donations. But as more and more cases of abuse — and cover-up — come to light, one begins to wonder whether the Pope and his entourage of red hats should be considered any more trustworthy than, say, Saddam Hussein.

So — what should be done now that we know it’s a pattern of terror orchestrated by the Catholic Church and repeated everywhere the dysfunctional sex freaks have established a church, school, hospital or other institution. Given the level of wreckage and anguish caused in the lives of so many people, it seems appropriate to look to the war on terror for a model strategy.

Click on the link below or cut and paste into your browser for the rest of the story
http://www.examiner.com/x-12613-Pittsburgh-Independent-Examiner~y2009m6d3-War-tactics-should-be-applied-to-Irish-Catholic-abusers-and-those-who-covered-up-crimes

Mike Ference is an entrepreneur, writer, speaker and investigative reporter who has been probing clergy abuse and government corruption in Pennsylvania for almost 20 years. Mike may be reached at 412-233-5491 or email him at Ference@icubed.com.

Posted in Clergy Abuse0 Comments