Natalee Case Discussion #741 3/7 - 3/10/08

[bluwaters]

Back from the St Louis Travel Show...what a terrific experience!! I LOVED it and encourage everyone who has an opportunity to participate in one to do so, it was incredibly heart warming the support and prayers and positive feedback we received!!!

Well done!!!
 

[SunnyinTX]

AUDIO update from the St. Louis Travel show!

We have a few updates from Sunny:

http://scaredmonkeys.com/files/030908a.mp3
http://scaredmonkeys.com/files/030908b.mp3
http://scaredmonkeys.com/files/030908c.mp3

Great updates Sunny!  You guys ROCK!

Unmanned, empty?  Good Job Monkeys!!!!!  Who all is there at the booth?  Mr. Smith isn't there is he?  Fill us in.......I can't wait!!  

I only saw one lady there and that was about 11:45....the other 2 times I went by the booth it was empty....nadda.....and no one seemed to be stopping for brochures....there were no deorations in the booth and no little giveaways...which of course is a great incentive for people to stop at the booth...just another example of how aruba misses the importance of even the little things

[SunnyinTX]

cool Sunny!! TY....TY you all!!

thanks nut,,,,and everyone....it takes a lot to pull this off and all the support is so encouraging!!

[SunnyinTX]

FYI
Here is the next travel show opportunity for those in the Houston area:

http://www.houstontravelshow.com/

WOOHOO....as we all know EVERYTHING'S BIGGER IN TEXAS!!!  Go TEXAS Monkeys.......bbbbwwwaaaaaa I wanna go!!!

[Finbar]

Venezuela Nabs Suspected Colombian Cocaine Kingpin

http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN09398680


Maybe PVDS was a mob/cartel lawyer and got caught skimming money.

No casino will allow anyone to gamble beyond the means to pay the debt. Unless an equal amount is in a bank account.

South FLA is the drug capitol of the U.S.. Maybe that is the reason for the trip. Bidness. Drug bidness.

Was this the guy from Aruba that was in FLA and then fled? H. Gonzales?


Fin

[SunnyinTX]

LD and Sunny,

Thanks for the update and for doing this for Natalee.  If there is a link to the local Fox coverage, be sure to post that as well!

You had a wonderful turnout thanks to getting so organized beforehand!  Great job!

Now get warm and drink lots of Hot Chocolate!

.

hi Anna...and thanks....the hot shower was fantastic!! And now i am sitting here drinking coffee laced with some yummy coconut rum cream.... I haven't seen a link to the local newscast...but if I do we'll check it out...

[SunnyinTX]

LD and Sunny,

Thanks for the update and for doing this for Natalee.  If there is a link to the local Fox coverage, be sure to post that as well!

You had a wonderful turnout thanks to getting so organized beforehand!  Great job!

Now get warm and drink lots of Hot Chocolate!

.

Anna that Hot Chocolate sounds good.... that's a great idea! 

hi Mrs. RED!!!!  no hot chocolate but I'll share my coffee and coconut rum cream with ya!!

[SunnyinTX]

I have been scrolling through the posts...is that blonde with the big snoze really sandraKRAZY!!!

[Dayhiker]

Back from the St Louis Travel Show...what a terrific experience!! I LOVED it and encourage everyone who has an opportunity to participate in one to do so, it was incredibly heart warming the support and prayers and positive feedback we received!!!

GOOOOOOO ST. LOUIS MONKEYS!!!!! THANKS FOR YOUR HARD WORK! WE LOVE YA!!!!

 

[klaasend]

First set of the St. Louis travel show pictures are posted now:

http://scaredmonkeys.net/index.php?topic=2656.msg363434#msg363434

[mrs. red]

LD and Sunny,

Thanks for the update and for doing this for Natalee.  If there is a link to the local Fox coverage, be sure to post that as well!

You had a wonderful turnout thanks to getting so organized beforehand!  Great job!


Now get warm and drink lots of Hot Chocolate!

.

Anna that Hot Chocolate sounds good.... that's a great idea! 

hi Mrs. RED!!!!  no hot chocolate but I'll share my coffee and coconut rum cream with ya!!

that sounds so good Sunny I will take you u[ on that.... pass the cup

[Dayhiker]

cool Sunny!! TY....TY you all!!

thanks nut,,,,and everyone....it takes a lot to pull this off and all the support is so encouraging!!

WAY TO GO SUNNY!!!! YOU LADIES MAKE US ALL PROUD!!! 

[JE]

Thanks Klaas...re:front page edits--I agree.

Thanks Nut for this article.
Do the Conservatives think that the pot smokers are going to quit? This kind of legislation is a real boon to the illegal drug trade.
I am not saying that there is nothing wrong with marijuana, simply noting that the Netherlands has a good record on handling addiction.
It is foolish to change that. Why  turn good citizens into criminals?
Prohibition of alcohol did not work in the USA, and I doubt if this proposed prohibition will work in the Netherlands.
The late, great conservative, William F. Buckley, fully supported decriminalization of marijuana in the US. It makes perfect sense to me. This is the last thing that the drug cartels want to see happen. As it stands, they control the crop, distribution, street value,and pocket the profits of their illegal trade, all the while ruthlessly and lawlessly handling "problem" personnel.
If legalized in the US, then the government could grow, regulate, distribute, set prices, tax, and reap the profits. Our extremely crowded jails would find relief if marijuana offenders were not taking up space that could be better utilized for violent criminals.
JMHO

I question the motivation of these conservative Dutch MPs. What are they hoping to accomplish? 

Please understand that I am not supporting the use of marijuana. I am supporting the continued legality of those who chose to use it and I hope that the Netherlands does not take a step backwards in curtailing their citizens' civil liberties.

*puts on monkey armour and scurries up a coconut tree*

If legalized in the US, then the government could grow, regulate, distribute, set prices, tax, and reap the profits.

I think the point is that this never happened. Legalizing to some extent the distribution point, without legalizing production, makes it all the more easy for the criminal producers to make a profit. The ideology behind all this makes sense only if it is implemented from the source (growing) to the end user point of sale(coffeeshop) While it is legal in holland to be in possesion of a certain amount of grass or hash bought from a tolerated coffee shop. It is not legal to buy a few acres of farmland to grow marihuana. So where does the semi legal point of sale get its supply from? From illegall marihuana plantations. On top of that studies have shown that if the availability of soft drugs is great the transgression into hard drugs is easier. The point i am trying to make is that the tolerance and liberality holland has always claimed is a two edged sword. On the one hand yes we are  a liberal country but liberal  seems to become more and more synonimous with fear of making any kind of decision that could involve hurting this or that persons feelings. Don't get me wrong i am all for liberal ideas as long as it involves taking responsability for those ideas and having the guts to defend them when the heat is on. Holland has become a country where we do not accuse anyone for bad leadership or mismanagement. We promote them away to a better payed less high profile job.

[mrs. red]

Sunny are you here?

[Dayhiker]

Thanks WhiskeyGirl and JE. It's nice to see the term PSYCHOPATH being used to describe Joran. I always thought the term sociopath was much too conservative in describing him.

1. According to bram bakker, psycologist and columnist: Joran is a psychopath. Someone who because of an abnormal character displays deviant behaviour and has problems to cope in society. Same diagnosis goes for Paul VDS

[Nut44x4]

Indeed....he is also PSYCHOPATHETIC 

[SunnyinTX]

LD and Sunny,

Thanks for the update and for doing this for Natalee.  If there is a link to the local Fox coverage, be sure to post that as well!

You had a wonderful turnout thanks to getting so organized beforehand!  Great job!


Now get warm and drink lots of Hot Chocolate!

.

Anna that Hot Chocolate sounds good.... that's a great idea! 

hi Mrs. RED!!!!  no hot chocolate but I'll share my coffee and coconut rum cream with ya!!

that sounds so good Sunny I will take you u[ on that.... pass the cup

you got is Sistah!  And let me say it is SO GOOD to be on with you at the same time!!!

[Tamikosmom]

Thanks Klaas...re:front page edits--I agree.

Thought I would post this while it is slow...

High life in Holland under threatBy our political correspondent Rutger van Santen*

07-03-2008

For over 30 years, the Netherlands has had the most liberal drugs policy in the world. But all that is about to change. After this week's parliamentary debate on the drugs issue, it looks like even the Nethferlands' world-famous 'coffee shops' may not escape the present government's reforms.

During the debate, the government presented plans to ban 'grow shops', which sell seed and equipment for cultivating marijuana at home. Justice Minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin promised new legislation within a matter of months aimed at banning "everything that facilitates the domestic cultivation of cannabis" and imposing strict penalties on offenders.

Curtains for coffee shops?
A majority of MPs support the minister's efforts to take a much tougher line on the use, cultivation and sale of drugs. The spokesman for the main coalition party, the Christian Democrats, even advocated closing down the Netherlands' world famous coffee shops, where people can purchase a limited amount of soft drugs without facing legal sanctions. This proposal may also be able to count on a parliamentary majority.

This wind of change has to do with the fact that there are now far more conservatives among the people's representatives in the Netherlands than there have been for many a year. The coalition government currently running the country consists of three parties: the Christian Democrats, Labour and junior partner the Christian Union.

It is Labour's position that has undergone the biggest shift. Much to the vexation of the progressive opposition parties, Labour MPs have tend to vote along the same lines as their coalition partners since coming to power. And given that the opposition also includes the conservative VVD and the far right Freedom Party, both of which take a prohibitive stance on drugs, this is the first time in years that a real change in policy stands a chance of being implemented.

Success story
The left-wing opposition parties describe the changes as disastrous. For although the Dutch approach to drugs has been the target of much criticism from the rest of the world, its supporters within the Netherlands are quick to point out that it has been a shining success story. For years, the Netherlands has been at the very top of the rankings when it comes to the lowest number of drug-related deaths.

Experts say this is mainly due to the transparency of the Dutch system, the strict dividing line between hard drugs and soft drugs and the outstanding care for addicts. However, the current government is keen to jettison this liberal approach because of its own anti-drugs beliefs and because it is thought to contravene European regulations. Ironically, the proposed changes come at a time when an increasing number of governments are gradually coming round to the idea of following the Dutch example, precisely because it has been such a success.

http://www.radionetherlands.nl/currentaffairs/region/netherlands/080307-dutch-drugs

Thanks Nut for this article.
Do the Conservatives think that the pot smokers are going to quit? This kind of legislation is a real boon to the illegal drug trade.
I am not saying that there is nothing wrong with marijuana, simply noting that the Netherlands has a good record on handling addiction.
It is foolish to change that. Why  turn good citizens into criminals?
Prohibition of alcohol did not work in the USA, and I doubt if this proposed prohibition will work in the Netherlands.
The late, great conservative, William F. Buckley, fully supported decriminalization of marijuana in the US. It makes perfect sense to me. This is the last thing that the drug cartels want to see happen. As it stands, they control the crop, distribution, street value,and pocket the profits of their illegal trade, all the while ruthlessly and lawlessly handling "problem" personnel.
If legalized in the US, then the government could grow, regulate, distribute, set prices, tax, and reap the profits. Our extremely crowded jails would find relief if marijuana offenders were not taking up space that could be better utilized for violent criminals.
JMHO

I question the motivation of these conservative Dutch MPs. What are they hoping to accomplish? 

Please understand that I am not supporting the use of marijuana. I am supporting the continued legality of those who chose to use it and I hope that the Netherlands does not take a step backwards in curtailing their citizens' civil liberties.

*puts on monkey armour and scurries up a coconut tree*

This Canadian conservative disagrees with the liberal reasoning.

The rule in our home when our three kids were growing up ... if it is illegal ... it is forbidden ... no discussion ... case closed.  Two of our three kids conformed out of "respect" for the established boundaries.  However ... one conformed out of "fear" for the legal and parental consequences that he knew he would not be shielded from.

bluwaters ... today our eldest son concedes that the "fear" of the legal and parental consequences ... until he matured and grew a brain which allowed him to make wise decisions ... just may have saved him the struggles that accompany drug and alcohol addictions.  In other words he is thankful "now" that he did not have the legal or parental  freedom to  choose "then."

Janet

[SunnyinTX]

cool Sunny!! TY....TY you all!!

thanks nut,,,,and everyone....it takes a lot to pull this off and all the support is so encouraging!!

WAY TO GO SUNNY!!!! YOU LADIES MAKE US ALL PROUD!!! 

thanks there are so many people involved who contribute to making this  HAPPEN.....a huge thanks to everyone

[SunnyinTX]

Sunny are you here?

yep!!