I just returned from Indonesia via Bali. I had been following the Wetpixed thread/discussion for months about the corrupt Indonesian custom agents, so decided to pack my pelican case/UWphoto equipment in an empty suitcase. As I came to the customs agent at Denpasar airport in Bali, he asked me to open the suitcase which contained my pelican case with all my camera and strobe equipment. I thought I was going to be sushi!!!
He then requested that I open the pelican case, and I did. He looked at my passport and saw that I was from the United States and then he proceeded to ask me if I was going to vote for Barak Obama!! His attention completely left my camera equipment as he wanted to know who I was going to vote for. It was an automatic NO-brainer as I emphasized that Obama was getting my vote and that he would make a great president. The customs agent seemed quite delighted by my answer and waved me onward as he wished me a good trip in Indonesia!
OK, so perhaps this is a pseudo bribe of sorts, giving him the answer he wanted, but it sure did distract him from my pelican case! So if you are a USA citizen and are going through Indonesia customs with your camera equipment, you may want to consider the OBAMA MANEUVER whether you are left wing, right wing, independent, or just don't vote!!!
