Are people upset about this Saudi blogger being thrashed because the crime was so minor, or because

[Brentwood]

of the harsh, brutal method of punishing him?

It doesn't seem to be *that* different from the US dishing out lethal injections, or frying people in electric chairs

[Berni]

[Monty91]

[redgunamo]

And, of course, writers, news reporters and bloggers being persecuted is always big news amongst folk that write news reports and blogs.

[Brentwood]

illnesses by forcing them into a chair and pumping them full of electricity. I think they even televise it (or there are many ppl who campaign that they should)

http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/issues/death-penalty/us-d eath-penalty-facts/death-penalty-and-mental-illness (http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/issues/death-penalty/us-death-penalty-facts/death-penalty-and-mental-illness)

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

He was the model of impeccable manners; Eton and Oxford, one would imagine; possibly Sandhurst, of course - yet beneath the veneer of civilisation lurked a very visible savagery. One could see it in his eyes. I was a-feared that if I dug too deeply into the egg fried rice he'd have my hand off at the wrist.

The worst thing, of course, was that I was unable to order the ribs which, as you know, are the whole point of eating at China Tang.

[redgunamo]

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

I mean, whilst neither country seems to me to cover themselves in glory in this regard, the US can still claim a toehold on the moral high ground, what with its victims being pretty naughty individuals in the main.

[Monty91]

something that in any civilised country should not even be illegal, let alone punishable with any degree of severity.

In America people are only executed for crimes that every civilised country agrees should be punished with, at the very least, life in prison.

The subject of crime committed by people with mental health issues is a huge grey area that no country – however progressive -has reached a broadly agreed consensus on. We still lock them up for life :shrug:

Very, very different.

[Berni]

Or was it smearing your face with the sticky brown rib gloop you were worried about?

[Brentwood]

[Berni]

For instance, 1000 lashes and 10 years' imprisonment would be letting Myles Palmer off lightly.

[Berni]

They generally do it because they've murdered someone, I think.

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

swinging his scimitar (which I assume was concealed beneath his dish dash) around in, at the very best, a threatening manner.

He came to my office once for a meeting, halfway through which he casually remarked, 'Excuse me, I must pray', whipped out his compass and threw himself to his knees.

I made my apologies and left the room. Well one doesn't really know how to react, does one?

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

[Brentwood]

At the end of the day we all Saudis #jesweesowdy. We be dancing in the streets of Riyadh once this misunderstanding is resolved

[redgunamo]

outside Normandy Company's digs. Practically every intake seems to have one. Decent lads. Very much "when in Rome" types.

[Berni]

Hard to know where the tablecloth ends and he begins, I imagine.

[Monty91]

when we got stuck behind some kind of Catholic parade at the bottom of Highgate Hill. There was about 20 of them, most of whom were walking in the road, blocking the traffic.

I revved aggressively and got no response I then honked my horn and a few of them turned and looked at me as if I was somehow being unreasonable to expect them to stick to the f**king pavement.

Honestly, if my son wasn't in the car I would have lost my **** in a serious way.

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

Absolute bounder.

[Berni]

Do you remember that time we got stuck coming back from Borough Market as some Indian religious festival (I forget which flavour) blocked the road? That was irritating.

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

That was appalling. Totally destroying the traffic flow on a Saturday afternoon.

Shouldn't be allowed.

[Berni]

We all look the same to his lot, I reckon.

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

The ladies really do glam up to go to schul, don't they? Stilettos are de riugeuer for JPs on shabat.

[Monty91]

[Berni]

Anyway, it's best you didn't get all abusive. Think how it would look. 'Angry Jewish Man Attacks Church Parade'. You could have set community relations back decades.

[Ashberto]

And there's another gang of Mary-botherers who meet near the top of the Holloway Road. It's as though Henry VIII never swept them all away. :shrug:

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

One on down the road from mine yesterday also when I nipped out for sausages.