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I just remember some big case involving Australian tourists to Singapore that got caught with weed and were sentenced to a harsh penalty...maybe a few years in jail or something. It really pissed Australia off.

Oh yeah, because if citizens of another country break local laws they should be let right off....
And because Australia would totally do the same for us....
Honestly, though, those tourists were sentenced to 6 months in DRC. Stop the presses. Also, the auzzies and us have....notoriously chilly relations, especially after they bugged our embassy in Canberra.

Well, in fairness, I don't think anyone would think just carrying weed would amount to such a large punishment anywhere, whether the time was months or years. Most of the developed world is in the process of decriminalizing or even legalizing it.

Unfortunately I'm not an expert in Australian/Singaporean relations...it's just something that was major enough to make it on American news awhile back.

I'm not arguing for harsh drug laws (honestly, if you want to use drugs and pretty much end your life, go right ahead, its your life. Just don't hurt anyone else.), and I dont even particularly dislike Australians. I just think that when people of other countries express shock or dismay at the laws of another country its a bit ... I dont even know how to describe it.. like, its another culture, another country.

One time, an American expat guy I knew said he had nothing but disgust for Singapore drug laws. In quite possibly the most insulting and superior way (and most expats in Singapore act like that which has earned them a rather negative reputation around here. He also showed a complete and utter lack of knowledge of what he was actually talking about) possible. My response was to say "Thats great, Greg, but I find your country's gun laws insane and if you want to compare how many lives have been lost due to Singapore drug laws and how many to American gun laws, who do you think would come out ahead?" He went on a great monologue about how its part of American culture and how someone like me could never understand unless I was part of that culture and how America had a very legitimate reason for doing things that way (again, in a very condescending way). My response was "And what, you think we dont? You think we have these laws for shits and giggles?" He stopped talking after that.

I'm not equating your words with Greg's, on the contrary. I'm just making the point that, just like how you have perfectly legitimate reasons for doing things you do, we also have reasons. And I like America, I've been there and my backup plan has always been to claim birthright citizenship and move there if things went south here. I just wish sometimes that people on both sides of the world (including my own) could learn to look at things from other peoples viewpoints.

I think most people are just surprised, that's all...I don't know about Australians, but most Americans would just assume the laws are similar to what they are in America, where unless you were selling weed the most you would get is a fine. I personally don't understand the thing where people go places and get high, having never been high before, but yeah.

He went on a great monologue about how its part of American culture and how someone like me could never understand unless I was part of that culture and how America had a very legitimate reason for doing things that way (again, in a very condescending way).

Funny.  I was born and raised in the US my entire life, and even I really don't understand our "legitimate" reasons for even half the shit we do/have/allow (aside from, you know, propaganda and whatnot), which includes why we're so gun crazy.

Obama's gonna come and take your guns, that's why.

I think most people are just surprised, that's all...I don't know about Australians, but most Americans would just assume the laws are similar to what they are in America, where unless you were selling weed the most you would get is a fine. I personally don't understand the thing where people go places and get high, having never been high before, but yeah.

People go places and get high because it makes it more fun.. :p

If I went to another country and smoked some weed and got arrested and put in jail for 6 months for it, I wouldn't think they had a good reason to do it. I don't really see how you could argue that it's a reasonable thing to do. I wouldn't be hurting anyone at all, or even affecting them.

You COULD argue that your government sometimes does crazy things because of historical reasons or something, and you'd be right. That wouldn't be arguing that it was reasonable though.

I think most people are just surprised, that's all...I don't know about Australians, but most Americans would just assume the laws are similar to what they are in America, where unless you were selling weed the most you would get is a fine. I personally don't understand the thing where people go places and get high, having never been high before, but yeah.

People go places and get high because it makes it more fun.. :p

If I went to another country and smoked some weed and got arrested and put in jail for 6 months for it, I wouldn't think they had a good reason to do it. I don't really see how you could argue that it's a reasonable thing to do. I wouldn't be hurting anyone at all, or even affecting them.

You COULD argue that your government sometimes does crazy things because of historical reasons or something, and you'd be right. That wouldn't be arguing that it was reasonable though.

Again, not jail, drug rehabilitation centres.

They tried to take Evey to rehab and she said no, no, no.

I just remember some big case involving Australian tourists to Singapore that got caught with weed and were sentenced to a harsh penalty...maybe a few years in jail or something. It really pissed Australia off.

For the record, that was tourists from Australia in Indonesia who were dealing drugs. I think they got the death penalty...

I just remember some big case involving Australian tourists to Singapore that got caught with weed and were sentenced to a harsh penalty...maybe a few years in jail or something. It really pissed Australia off.

For the record, that was tourists from Australia in Indonesia who were dealing drugs. I think they got the death penalty...

Well, thats Indonesia. They're quite a belligerent country, especially if your dutch.

Well, thats Indonesia. They're quite a belligerent country, especially if your dutch.

10/10 would colonise again

In any case...I've been doing more research on TMJ, the condition I believe I have, and in addition to stress it's also aggravated by poor posture...like, say, the posture of leaning forward in front of a computer for hours on end. So I'm going to be learning how to improve my posture there.

In any case...I've been doing more research on TMJ, the condition I believe I have, and in addition to stress it's also aggravated by poor posture...like, say, the posture of leaning forward in front of a computer for hours on end. So I'm going to be learning how to improve my posture there.

I read up on it. It truly is jaw dropping.

I'm sorry, pun intended, couldn't resist.

Ha. Ha.