A Tip of the hat to CD.

[pilot fish]

I wanted to make sure this very informative news article did not get missed by some of the posters on this board. No, I'm not being smug, just want you chaps to have the whole story. Now, I hope, Bonaire will be the dive capital it should be. My hat is also off to the Dutch Gov and thier people. Hurray for the good guys.


Apr 1, 9:21 AM EDT

Netherlands to use militia in combating crime

By KEN THOMAS
Associated Press Writer
AP Photo/Seth Wenig


WASHINGTON (AP)--The Netherlands have announced a plan to get tough on crime. For the first time in their history the Netherlands are sending a militia force to supplement local police in an effort to quell a growing crime problem. Bonaire, a territory in the Lesser Antilles has been faced with a pandemic of rising crime in recent years. A well known source has been quoted that the problem is "widely known throughout the entire Caribbean."There are two principal security agencies, which share responsibility for internal security: The Security Service of the Netherlands, which is responsible for intelligence gathering and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which controls the various police forces.

Under the Law on Militia, the major militia's tasks are to a) provide personal security for citizens; b) protect their rights and freedoms; c) prevent and combat crime; d) maintain public order; e) reveal and detect crime; f) arrest offenders; g) maintain safety on the roads; h) protect public and private property; and i) execute criminal sentences and administrative penalties (Clause 2).

The militia consists of several subdivisions: a) criminal division (detectives); b) public safety; c) transportation militia; d) traffic patrol; e) safeguards; and f) special forces (Clause 7). The Law on Combatting Organized Crime has provided for the creation of special divisions, such as regional agencies, to combat organized crime.

According to the Law on Militia, the militia has a right to use physical force, special means, and firearms. The use of force is forbidden against women with obvious signs of pregnancy, elderly people, persons with obvious disabilities, or minors. An exception can be made in cases where a group of these persons is committing an assault which threatens lives and health of people, militia officers, or cases of armed assault or resistance. (Clause 12).


<snip> Story continues here: AP - Netherlands Crime

 

[pilot fish]

:laughing:


April Fools' Day

April 1, 2001, in Denmark, regarding Copenhagen's new metro
Also called All Fools' Day
Type Non religous, cultural
Significance Practical pranks
Date April 1
Observances Humor
April Fools' Day or All Fools' Day is a day celebrated in various countries on April 1. The day is marked by the commission of hoaxes and other practical jokes of varying sophistication on friends, family members, enemies, and neighbors, or sending them on a fool's errand, the aim of which is to embarrass the gullible. Traditionally, in some countries, such as the UK, Canada, Australia, and South Africa the jokes only last until noon, and someone who plays a trick after noon is called an "April Fool".[1] Elsewhere, such as in France, Ireland, Italy, South Korea, Japan, Russia, The Netherlands, Brazil, and the U.S., the jokes last all day. The earliest recorded association between April 1 and foolishness can be found in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (1392). Many writers suggest that the restoration of January 1 as New Year's Day in the 16th century was responsible for the creation of the holiday, but this theory does not explain earlier references.

 

[pilot fish]

Birdwatching is another Bonaire highlight, particularly for flamingos, which who breed here. While weather and migration patterns dictate their numbers, the pink stilt-legged birds can outnumber the human population of about 14,000. Lake Gotomeer in the northern part of the island is a flamingo sanctuary, and a road around one side of the lake allows a close look. But it is best to keep your distance or the birds tend to fly away.

The lake is in Washington Slagbaai National Park, where parrots and parakeets also can be found. The park also showcases the tropical desert environment common to the island with tall, thin cacti and iguanas, which sometimes end up in soup back in the capital.

Despite the varied recreational options, let there be no mistake: this place caters to diving in ways few places ever have.

Bonaire is unique for its shore diving, because the reef begins a short distance from land, descending at about a 45-degree angle to about 130 feet (40 meters). The island has more than 50 easily accessible shore diving sites, marked along roads with yellow-painted stones. Pickups can be rented to drive to sites on your own. Divers can even find drive-through tank service for compressed air refills.

Boats take divers to a small undeveloped sister island nearby called Klein Bonaire for even more dive sites. Guides can enhance a dive greatly, because they often know where small hard-to-find critters like sea horses can be spotted. They also have good eyes for interesting behavior, such as when fish swim up to the reef so that the tiny parasites they harbor can be eaten off by small shrimp at so-called "cleaning stations."

:laughing:

 

[morecowbells]

Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't a majority of the theft/burglary crimes being committed by minors? The last paragraph specifically states that they are exempt from the use of physical or special means. BFD. Sounds like lip service to me. I personally applaud the guy whom pelted rocks as a means of restraint(hence, physical force) against the perpetrator until the police arrived. Sure he probably go off with a bribe or a slap on the wrist. However, one can only be hopeful that he will think twice about committing his next theft.

 

[Jax]

Interesting way to start a new thread, PF. Obsess much?

 

[mike_s]

I wonder how long it took him to figure out the post in the other thread was an April Fools joke?

 

[Jax]

'bout long enough to click the "more details here" link, I imagine. Then again, CD posted that pretty darned early this morning . . .

 

[morecowbells]

Crikey! I did fall for it! Actually that was a good one.

 

[pilot fish]

No, you don't get it, the April Fools part is the April Fools gag. duhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

I wonder how long it took him to figure out the post in the other thread was an April Fools joke?

 

[pilot fish]

Some times you gents make me laugh :laughing: