Looks like a put-on to me, Johnnie. Probably by a guy named, "Max."

Actually kind of funny.

a cruel april fool's day joke maybe on you and me?

It's part of the Blog Carnival "network" of blogs -- http://www.panix.com/~damron/index.php?entry=entry050323-122615

"We've made some really significant breakthroughs in how we author the blogs." -- Which could mean anything from "we bought a copy of MarsEdit" to "we're now paying our Burmese sweat-shop-authors $0.01 a post"

Regarding the Shapelle Corby case in Indonesia and her unfair, unjust conviction of 20 years in a Bali jail ... The media and country officials say, "Respect their legal system?" You want people of the world to respect a corrupt, out-dated, unfair legal system that tries people as "your guilty, prove your innocence"? Are you out of what's left of your mind? They didn't finger print the bags, she had to prove her innocence, they rejected testimonies, they didn't even ask her "who do you work for - are there others we can go after?" She got 20 years (potentially the death penalty; faced by a FIRING SQUAD; what is this, World War I or II?) for possessing a plant which Canada is about to LEGALIZE [Quote from an article on www.StopTheDrugWar.org "The only sensible course of action is to end the pointless prohibition of a substance that is neither more dangerous nor more addictive than alcohol or tobacco, and one that has reportedly been smoked by more than 10 million Canadians at some point in their lives," the editorial concluded. "It's time to make official what Vancouver's authorities have evidently already accepted, and legalize marijuana."] ... Then, (if you were so serious about locking up this woman for LIFE/DEATH PENALTY, what about those she worked for? Gosh, where did she get the pot IF it was hers? Where's the REAL INTEREST in SOLVING this crime and locking up MORE DRUGGIES. Why stop here? Why do they think they can lock up ONE LADY and think they've cleaned up the world? The farmers growing all the pot are laughing on their yachts right now. "No worries, we'll find another sucker ..." Meanwhile, one potentially, very innocent young woman faces life in a dirty, rotten, filthy, Indonesian can with 7 other women and one hole to squat in. Oh, don't forget the one bucket of dirty water to bathe in. --- What's more in American and Australia, she'd probably get 5-10 years and out for good behavior - oh, while being housed in her own cell, with her own BED, possibly 1 roommate; not 7 on a floor, where they never turn out the lights. The local Indonesian media calls for her execution by gun fire and locals have stormed the court demanding that the 27 year old be put to death. Okay, if they get their wish, well, we'll remember what they said and how they treat foreigners. Our move? We just won't visit their country any more; we can't! We can't trust them to provide us the due process of law (to protect the rest of our lives; "she won't be able to get married, have children; 20 years in jail is like LIFE in jail.) We won't fund your need for aid; we'll let you serve YOUR (ECONOMIC) PRISON term (tit for tat); and if you ever get attacked by one of your blood-thirsty neighbors, well, we'll remember how you treated someone (who just really might be very innocent). Remember this, 3rd world countries, if you want our love, you must love. If you want our BILLIONS IN AID, you must show us some respect. I guess, I just don't see any love from this nation or those in this region; never have; throughout history.) Again, this region received billions of dollars from Australia and other prosperous nations. Sadly there is no mistake. Bali continues to 'bite the hand that feeds them' by denying citizens of the world a fair trial and conditions in jail anywhere beyond the lowest level of human rights. Hey travelin' folks, if you want to live in a "fantasy world" then travel to these 3rd world, government-corrupt countries (and take your chances) with countries whose CONSTITUTIONS are a farce and not as strong or fair to the citizens of its own country (heaven forbid foreigners of prosperous nations) like America, Canada, European countries and Australia. If Corby is not freed, this will be an injustice the world over and we will never forgive the corrupt Indonesian country (and those like it). Very simply, this will be the very beginning of a quiet and steady withdraw of tourism to these poor, corrupt, 3rd world nations; basically (and only based on commonsense) OUT OF OUR OWN FEAR - that ANY ONE OF US COULD BE NEXT! Simply, every one should make other plans and not travel to these nations UNTIL their governments change for the better, i.e., come main-stream with the rest of the civilized world IN THIS CENTURY, please; apologize for a swift conviction and set Shapelle Corby free. Even airport workers are known to have been paid green cash to smuggle drugs in people’s bags. Why not? No one's looking. Do you know how much they make from their day job as a bag handler? Not enough to make ends meet - so a quiet few smuggle drugs for thousands of dollars each year (that's cash/tax-free/yippee); risking the lives of normal, every day travelers. Further, it IS FAIR to punish a nation whose own government oppresses its people, keeps them in bondage, secretly promotes legal corruption, continues physical abuses to its people, denies foreigners a right to due process, etc. Oh, I guess that's what sanctions are all about. Yep, to straighten out corrupt governments. It's done all the time. How about another, more not-so-obvious question: Why after all these years, decades even, are countries like Indonesia and other 3rd world nations STILL LIVING in the STONE AGE? ... Hmmmm, what's holding them back? Education? Their health? The economy? Religion? (

Bart:

I'm not sure why you posted your comment on this page but perhaps you were so possessed by your righteous indignation that you didn't notice where you were commenting.

Different countries have different legal systems. Canada's decision about cannabis is a red herring as far as the Corby case is concerned though I see that you have a point to make about the war on drugs generally.

I am irritated by the sanctimoniousness you and some others have about the billions in aid that prosperous countries have given in the past. First, it was freely given and it's silly to come in afterwards implying we want to attach a price tag. Second, I believe that prosperous countries are prosperous partly off the back of a history of colonisation of places like Indonesia. We can argue about the rights and wrongs of aid programmes but I am fed up with people getting on their high moral horse about being civilized. Within living memory, my country shot to death brave soldiers whose were found wandering in a daze from the frontline suffering from shellshock. My country has hanged to death quite a few innocent people in its time.

For you to label nations as living in the stone age is to say the least highly rhetorical. I hope that any Indonesians won't take such comments seriously.

On the one hand you bemoan the way the indonesians are punishing Schapelle and in the next breath advocate punishing an entire nation in the name of fairness. So you think it's not fair to punish Schapelle for the actions of - in one version of events - some baggage handlers. But you think it is ok to punish an entire population for the actions of some government officials.

You then excuse the baggage handlers on the grounds that they aren't paid well. But the fact that many Indonesians live in relative poverty doesn't appear to excuse them from your justice.

I am in favour of people expressing their anger in words rather than deeds. Sometimes having vented their feelings in colourful language they start to think more clearly. I hope this is how it works for you Bart.