I heard about it where the Newmont executive for Indonesia claimed all the lies had been put to rest; that is where the kids in the affected area have all sorts of weird things growing on their bodies now because of mercury or something poisoning? Just like Suharto claimed he was proven innocent in the case against Time Magazine until 2 days later the UN put him at the top of their most wanted list for corruption (oooops).

Glad Howard is out though, really, well done Australia. Funny how certain Aussie papers were saying it was neck and neck right up to the wire; guess that was "wishful" thinking. God help the Brits when it comes to election time though. Still, at least we can vote in real elections, we just have to get past the mind implants as to who we should vote for. As someone that hates English sausages, thinks the Euro is a Godsend, likes his ice cream to have milk not vegetable fat in it and does not really care if he has a pint or the rough equivalent in litres of beer, plus does not believe these things are attempts by Brussels to take England's heritage way (watch out for UKIP and Tory snipers), you might gather I am just a tad pro-EU


Hopefully this will actually equate in some benefit regarding tourism to Bali and for the Balinese as well. I truly think it is time western countries, especially Australia, get tough with Jakarta, including about how so many of their citizens were sold, sold, sold land and villas in Bali they can never truly own and now are facing massive "fines", tax claims (I saw one report claiming it was 50% of the villa value - but what has tax to do with getting an operational permit - it is the other way around surely - get the permit, then calculate the tax) and even closures. I truly believe the pandering done unto Jakarta has made Bali less of a paradise for tourists and less of a decent home for the Balinese. So let us hope there is some change of view from Canberra that has a positive affect on Bali, and Lombok, for sure.

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There are two categories of travellers, those that experience a country and those that take their home with them wherever they go.

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