toby and i spent a day on aruba oce during a cruise port stop. we walked through the shopping center and found the people pretty nice.

she might have done nothing wrong except step out of the hotel to find a friend or to look at the stars or to have a cigarrette. girls have been abducted in many cities in the states.

i wouldn't blame the cities or aruba or the school or even her.

i blame whoever may have kidnapped her.

Simply Said Rick.. but I'm sure they were briefed as to what to watch out for?? Military Wise anytime we had a stop over somewhere or went TDY to another country.. we always had briefings on the local envoronment...

Always Go in Pairs (Period) or no less then 4 (Middle East)

And you can you guess what City in the USA the Briefing was as bad as the Middle East Briefing ??

Hog

Had this girl turned up missing here at home, nobody would even be concerned. There are so many kids that end up missing on a daily basis in America it will make your head spin. Why all the media hype? She went out with some questionable characters late at night and got herself killed. Sorry, but that's what happened I'm sure. This happens every day.

Somehow or another the fact that this happened in Aruba is causing a media craze. It sounds so exotic, so dangerous, so full of pirates, and cannibals, and strange people that aren't American. Man! It's a tourist island in the Carribean. Big deal....I personally find the place one of the safest places I'd rather be. What is this fascination with sueing the school and all sorts of stuff simply because it's "in Aruba" that this occurred?

Personally, I think the school should have taken them all to Western Papua New Guinea. Now that would have been a vacation all right.

Hog DC

LOL Bass... Close DC, would Rank 2nd on the USA Briefings

I gotta also say... these briefings were long before 911 and Terrorist Briefings were of no part of these Briefs...

Hog

I think they should have went to different parts of Sudan...

Hog

I've traveled extensively to the Caribbean and I have never been to a more tourist friendly destination than Aruba.

The vast majority of their economy is dedicated to tourism ( now that their oil refinery plants don't do as much business). The people there are extremely accomodating and they are actually happy that you're there. Most of the tourists are Americans with a smaller percentage of Dutch and European visitors.

Although the people of Aruba are an amalgam of different countries ( the native language of Papiemento is a combination of Spanish,Portuguese,Creole,and maybe some Dutch), there is no semblance of racism.

I would gladly go back there again.

Now, from what I've read, the trip this girl went on was NOT school sponsored. That kinda eliminates all the

hypothesis and lawyering (is thast a word?)

I just hope they find her soon. This family deserves some resolution.

Blister,

No...."thast" is not a word.

Next question?

"Personally, I think the school should have taken them all to Western Papua New Guinea. Now that would have been a vacation all right"

Been there, got the **** gourd to prove it...

Although you have a point about the media hype, quit trying to internationalize everything, it gets tiresome, Kurtz.

usahog

new york, the bronx