The Internet saves the day!

I lately ‘stumbled’ on a message board post that demonstrates the sheer power of internet users working together.

To begin with, I should explain that by ‘stumbled’, I mean that I was using ‘StumbleUpon‘, a tool bar that you should actually download. Different to other toolbars, you tick a few interest boxes (humour, cars, [music genre], etc.) when you sign up and then click the ‘Stumble’ button, which then takes you to a webpage based on your interests. It sounds like an idea that would only work in theory, but it really does show you hundreds of interesting websites you never knew existed.

Anyway, back to the story. The tale of corporate injustice starts on eBay. Anyone who uses eBay regularly will know that every now and then you have to deal with some less-than-reputable characters. My own eBay problems occurred when I tried to buy a hip-flask with Brian Blessed’s face engraved onto it (yes, really). After one e-mail asking for me to send a picture, written in appalling English, I knew I would never see that £15 again.

This particular eBay fiasco begins with a brand new, 2008 BMW M3. Even though I’m not a fan of Beemers, anybody who knows anything about cars should know that the M3 is a particularly good model, one of the most powerful that BMW produces. The base models retail for £50,000 in the U.K and $50,000 in North America (How did they work that out? For people who don’t know their exchange rates, £50,000 is around $100,000). One American dealership in Lincoln, Nebraska, made a mistake they won’t soon be forgetting.

In this eBay auction, the ‘Husker Auto Group’ advertised their BMW M3 for $60,000 with no reserve (meaning they are obligated to sell at whatever price the auction finishes at), despite the car being loaded with extras valuing it at around $70,000. The victim in this story, Ken Tanisaka, bid $60,000 and fairly won the eBay auction. Not what the dealership expected to happen. When Ken phoned to arrange his payment, the salesman told him the auction had been ‘a mistake’ and was told the same thing by the manager. In short, they refused to honour the deal.

Whilst using StumbleUpon, I came across a post Ken had made on a BMW message board, asking for advice. People told him that he was being defrauded by the dealership and that he should seek legal advice. I’d like to say that Ken’s lawyer negotiated a deal with the BMW showroom, but he isn’t the hero of this story.

The internet is. Through the power of online journalism, Ken’s story was forwarded to local news story and, more importantly, the most popular car blogs. In a short space of time, there was an outcry from the internet and the hunt for justice began. The dealership in Nebraska began to receive to receive phone calls, e-mails and faxes, all of them condemning the showroom for not honouring the deal. As the internet support grew, the dealership began to crack. They realised they were losing hundreds of potential sales and were also giving themselves a terrible reputation.

The dealership cracked, but offered the car for the auction price only if Ken would agree not to sell the car for at least 2 years, and that he would try to diffuse the huge media interest that had been generated. Ken and his lawyer would not agree to these terms, but the dealership cracked again.

Ken received his discounted BMW, but will have caused limitless damage to the Husker Auto Group, having spread their dishonourable dealings across the globe.

I found it interesting that people could stand together for justice, but over a really unimportant issue. I was also pretty intimidated to see just how much damage a ‘word-of-mouth’ negative experience can do.

Online journalism played an important part too. Without the ability to communicate at such high speeds, such a media frenzy would never have been conjured.

The moral of this story is: Do not anger the internet, or you will suffer.

On a lighter note, this is the press release from the dealership, after they had sold the car to Ken:

‘Being the honourable dealership that Husker is, we have agreed to honour the price of $60,000 for the BMW E90 M3. This vehicle typically would have been priced around $70,000. At Husker BMW, we honour all contracts. And in this case we covered the $10,000 for the vehicle to make our customer happy.’

What?

Police search for fellow Officer’s missing wife. (Longer)

The 42-year-old wife of Glamorgan police officer Bernard Townsend has been confirmed as missing. Sarah Townsend disappeared at around 23:25 last night, following arguments with her husband.

 

Glamorgan Police received a distress call from the 12-year-old daughter of the couple, reporting a disturbance between her parents. The call was made at 23:25, but by the time police arrived at 23:30, Sarah Townsend had already left her home.

 

In a press conference given by Inspector John Jones, it was revealed that Sarah was believed to have consumed medication and that she was in a vulnerable state of mind. She was last seen heading towards St. David’s Walk and has been described as ‘possibly suicidal’. No further details were available to how much medication the officer’s wife is thought to have taken.

 

Bernard Townsend, Sarah’s husband, is currently head of Community Relations for the Glamorgan Police Force. No details were given regarding the domestic disturbance that occurred before Mrs. Townsend became missing.

 

Police have made appeals to both Sarah and the general public. It is known that Sarah was carrying a black handbag, but with no money or mobile phone. Inspector John Jones asked Mrs. Townsend to contact family or friends, also commenting that ‘her daughter misses her’.

 

Sarah Townsend is described as 5’ 7’’, with a medium build and black collar-length hair. She was last known to be wearing black leggings, a black coat and a red pullover. Anyone with information regarding her whereabouts are encouraged to contact Glamorgan Police on 01443 546128. 

Police search for officer’s missing wife.

The 42-year-old wife of Glamorgan police officer Bernard Townsend has been confirmed as missing. Sarah Townsend disappeared at around 23:25 last night, following arguments with her husband.

 

In a press conference given by Inspector John Jones, it was revealed that Sarah was believed to have consumed medication and that she was in a vulnerable state of mind. She was last seen heading towards St. David’s Walk and has been described as ‘possibly suicidal’.

 

Sarah Townsend is described as 5’7’’, with a medium build and black collar-length hair. She is known to be wearing black leggings, a black coat and a red pullover. Anyone with information regarding her whereabouts are encouraged to contact Glamorgan Police on 01443 546128.

You think Britain has strict drug laws?

Not compared to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). I recently found an article detailing the ridiculous circumstances under which you can be arrested when entering or leaving the UAE.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=512815&in_page_id=1770

It told of a British man named Keith Brown, who was arrested in Dubai airport in September for some cannabis found upon his person. I should point out, that the amount of cannabis found was 0.003g. Where was this vast amount of marijuana found? The speck, so small as to be invisible to the human eye, was found on the bottom of his shoe. The full stop at the end of this sentance is bigger.

I cannot conceive what mentality would posses somebody to impose drug laws that could needlessly ruin lives. Keith Brown is admittedly a Rastafarian, but he is also the father of three children and a council youth development officer. Not the most likely candidate to be a drug user, despite his religion. There are endless circumstances which could have resulted in the cannabis becoming attached to his shoe; he may have even picked it up on the way into the airport. Even if the man had intentionally placed the drug on his shoe, what would he have done with it? If the quantity can’t be seen, it clearly isn’t intended for use. Regardless, the UAE have sentenced Keith Brown to four years in prison.

I find it so…unbelievable that such a thing could result in a four year prison sentence. I don’t smoke cannabis myself, but I’ve been exposed to it countless times and have no doubt unintentionally smuggled it from one place to another, maybe caught it my hair or on the bottom of my shoe.

Drugs are illegal for a reason, but there has to be a limit. How can such a tiny quantity of drugs pose a serious threat? When Keith Brown arrived back at Heathrow, he wasn’t going to scrape the speck (an almost impossible task) and sell it to some kids.

If the whole of Britain tried to enter Dubai airport carrying British money (unrealistic, but bear with me), and each person was checked to the same detail as Keith Brown, 99% would be sent to prison.

The reason? 99% of British banknotes are thought to be tainted with Cocaine, with 4% having direct contact with the drug. Almost every time we make a cash transaction with a bank note, we are dealing drugs. So why are we not hunted in the streets by armed police? The reason is that the British Government is not incompetent. They know the amount of cocaine on each bank note is negligible, and poses no threat.

COCAINE ARTICLE: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/464200.stm

The UAE Government needs to open its eyes. Such small quantities should not result in a ruined life.

Even more ridiculous is the fact that a Swiss man was jailed for four years for three poppy seeds found on his clothing. Yes, POPPY SEEDS. I’d discuss it, but my head would explode for the sheer stupidity of the UAE Government.

So anyone who has had any form of contact with an illegal substance (even the dreaded poppy seeds, known for ruining lives across the globe), you might want to give the UAE a miss.

If you’re gay, you’d best avoid it too. Homosexuality is still punishable by death.