China.

[J.R.]

Given that all regular visitors to this site will know my views on 'Crime and Punishment' very well, I don't intend to comment at this stage.

I'm surprised that no-one has commented on the very recent event that occured in China after Christmas with regard to drug smuggling.

Thoughts anyone ?

[Mid A 15]

Given that all regular visitors to this site will know my views on 'Crime and Punishment' very well, I don't intend to comment at this stage.

I'm surprised that no-one has commented on the very recent event that occured in China after Christmas with regard to drug smuggling.

Thoughts anyone ?

I am anti capital punishment but that said I do believe in the right of a country to impose its own laws something that the UK, courtesy of the EU, can no longer do in many areas.

Given that the execution was committed by China there will be a little bit of huffing and puffing by politicians to register a protest as the victim was a British subject but nothing too strong.

Remember the ruthless way the freedom for Tibet protesters were removed from London's streets a few years back when the Chinese President visited?

This Labour government are bullies and only pick on the vulnerable and weak unless they are hiding behind a "big boy" like the US. They won't want to upset China.

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

I was surprised at the vehemence, with which our Government attacked the Chinese for their legal system.

May I suggest, it was not because the unfortunate Drug Smuggler was mentally impaired ---- it was because he was a European !

I am informed by a delightful young Ugandan Citizen, of 22 years, who is staying with us, that the penalty in Uganda for Homosexuality is DEATH !

Many other countries in the World, have the death penalty, but our Government chooses not to comment on them.

Surely ALL lives are valuable, or not, why choose ??

[J.R.]

I was surprised at the vehemence, with which our Government attacked the Chinese for their legal system.

May I suggest, it was not because the unfortunate Drug Smuggler was mentally impaired ---- it was because he was a European !

I am informed by a delightful young Ugandan Citizen, of 22 years, who is staying with us, that the penalty in Uganda for Homosexuality is DEATH !

Many other countries in the World, have the death penalty, but our Government chooses not to comment on them.

Surely ALL lives are valuable, or not, why choose ??

You are quite correct, Neill, though the death sentence isn't mandatory.

Even I find this form of treatment of people for their sexual orientation abhorrent.

[dinahcat]

The Chinese have never forotten The Opium Wars.

[Angela Woodford]

Why did the subsequently appalled family of Akmal Shaikh allow him to be messing around in Poland making a rabbit record for World Peace?

They should have ensured that their deeply deluded relative was in a place of safety.

To think that a Polish gang groomed him into carrying 9kg (9KG!) of heroin into China! Tragic.

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

Slightly "Off Topic" --- but apropos Opium Wars ----

Above my mantel piece, is a framed, black silk area of cloth--- embroidered with gold thread, depicting two pheasants (?)
and a flower.

This, tradition has it, is part of a Chinese Emperor's Robe, which was "Liberated" during the Boxer Rebellion !

Our Pastor once remarked that "Neill's house is full of the loot of seven generations of soldiery ! "
To which I replied -- "Not loot -- liberated items !" ops

[J.R.]

Slightly "Off Topic" --- but apropos Opium Wars ----

Above my mantel piece, is a framed, black silk area of cloth--- embroidered with gold thread, depicting two pheasants (?)
and a flower.

This, tradition has it, is part of a Chinese Emperor's Robe, which was "Liberated" during the Boxer Rebellion !

Our Pastor once remarked that "Neill's house is full of the loot of seven generations of soldiery ! "
To which I replied -- "Not loot -- liberated items !" ops

When I first moved to Dorking in 1958, I got very friendly with a family living in the same road.

The girl I got friendly with had an aged Great-Uncle living with them. He won a V.C. in the Boxer Uprising. He must have been well into his 90's when I met him.

If memory serves, his surname was 'Sutherland'.

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

"Off Topic" but on VCs --
I was sitting in a Jacuzzi, in a hotel in Minehead, and was chatting up a lady, in the same pool (Like you do !)

She remarked that her family had a VC in it --- I said "So have mine "----- and we discovered that it was Tom Adlam VC !!


Moral :--- Beware whom you chat up in Jacuzzis --- they may be your Cousin !!!