-TSS-

These debates about immigration are so futile and lead nowhere as people have very deeply entrenched opinions one way or the other. Debating on the issue reminds me of a saying we have in Finland, I'm sure you have something of a similar saying, namely: When you wrestle with a pig you will both get covered in mud but only the pig enjoys it.

This only goes to show that you can prove exactly oposite things with statistics and they all are equally true. Namely, if you want to make a point how dangerous and violent a country the USA is then you can show the statistics of downtown Detroit or Atlanta. Equally you can say that statistically some states in the USA are safer than Finland and that is saying something. So, the old adage holds true; Lies, damned lies, statistics.

Aviation is very important in a country like Canada. Travelling by train from Toronto to Vancouver, how many hours does it take? Too many in any ways. By the same token I am so 100% against any domestic flights in my home-country, Finland. My country is only 1/3 of the size of Ontario in geographic terms but yet we have a fairly extensive network of domestic flights. Given the fact that aviation may not be exactly the most ecological way to travel, in that case travelling short distances by plane is just unnecessary. There is nowhere in Finland you couldn't get into within max 8h on train/bus.

Bermuda itself is a very tiny place, therefore each of those constituencies must be easily walkable and the candidates get to meet each and every voter in their constituencies.

Why would anyone now stop travelling to the USA because of violence and gun-crime over there? I don't think anyone is old enough to remember a time when violence and gun-crime wouldn't have been a problem in the USA. Besides, despite the recent days tragic news the homicide-rate in the USA is down. If you don't choose to socialize with the underworld the likelihood of being a victim of gun-crime in the USA is certainly not considerably higher than being a victim of gun-crime in any major Canadian city as well.

Isn't it strange that people keep on saying that prisons nowadays are too soft but when you ask them how do they know that, have they been in prison themselves or do they know people who have been in prison, very often they have not and do not? Yet they are very convinced of their views about prisons.

I wonder is there some sort of strange nostalgia among the older folks for the times of the military dictatorship. One should not think so as South Korea today is so much more prosperous a country than 20-30 years ago. Spain springs to mind as a comparison where some people hanker back to the days of Franco.

At least with me when I'm posting but have forgotten to log in I'm told that I haven't logged in but my reply does not disappear; so , I can cut an paste my reply before logging in.

I'm convinced that within 10 years it will be banned all across the USA as well.

Btw, do you know any grown-up Canadian who lives within 100km from the US-border but has never been to the USA?

She's the daughter of the former military ruler.

At least it would save me the hassle of having to think about what to buy for christmas presents to my cousin's two kids.

The real time-bomb is youth unemployment. In Greece and in Spain it is over 50% for the under 25's.

I don't mind having five days off from work, whatever the meaning of christmas is.

Actually, if one asked a number of random people do they know who the leader of China is it would be quite a worrying result to find out that very few people can name the leader of the most populus nation on earth.

In Britain deaths by stabbings rose manyfold after handguns were banned in the aftermath of the Dunblane school-massacre.

There seems to be the same pattern every time when a massacre happens. In the immediate aftermath there is a lot of talk about the need for more gun control. However, the more time passes by the whole issue seems to be almost like, if not forgotten, then at least put on a hold.

Unemployment-statistics need to be taken with a pinch of salt as unemployment always indicates failure by the government to create jobs itself or conditions for private businesses to create jobs. So all kinds of methods are being used to hide the real unemployment-rate.

If for nothing else, just for the sake of a hope for some stability it is good that the constitution in Egypt was passed.

The constitutional right to bear arms stems from the 1800's when there were no such efficient automatic weapons as there are today.

What are you on about? It is absolutely true what I said but we are spoonfed this illusion that only white people can be racist and if there weren't any white people the humankind would live in peace and harmony without any prejudice or racism.

Black and especially Asian people on the average are much more racist than white people. Especially towards each other.

I don't think Morsi will give up even if people reject the new constitution.

Immigrants are suitable workers because they are more flexible when it comes to working-hours and working conditions. Often they are also unaware of their rights.

Well acording to this statistics by The Economist you in Canada should not worry too much about the quality of your immigrants. http://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2012/12/daily-chart-2 Unlike we in Finland seem to get the leftovers. However, I know the old adage: Lies, damned lies, statistics.