Anything to declare?

Back in 1997 the Red River at Grand Forks, North Dakota flooded and then worked it's way north until the rising waters hit Winnipeg and caused 1/2 a billion dollars in damage.

Several other disasters have worked their way north over the border in the intervening years including numerous tornados and several hurricanes of which Hurricane Juan, which made landfall in Nova Scotia in 2003, was one of most powerful and damaging storms to ever affect Canada and damage was estimated at 2 billion dollars. (Isn't that more than Nova Scotia is even worth?)

Now comes word that a wildfire in Minnesota has crossed the border with total disregard for Canadian territory, immigration or customs and is threatening vast tracts of Northern Ontario timber.

Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Peter Mackay has issued a statement that border controls should be immediately strengthened and sent a letter of protest to the U.S. State Department.

He emphasised that these American bred disaster incursions into Canadian Territory, and the widespread damage they have caused, will not be tolerated indefinitely.

No word yet from the U.S. State Department.

Your "live from the front" scribe;
Allan W Janssen

North Korea reneges on $25 million deal!

Here in the West a deal's a deal but the same doesn't always hold true in the rest of the world. North Korea had tried to make a deal with the
United States to have $25 million in assets released, but settled on a bartered agreement that saw strong-man Dear Leader Kim Jong-il take possession of Michael Jackson's Neverland ranch with the balance to be paid in hookers.

The deal held for about two days when Jong-il came back with additional demands. It seems he was going to park his wayward son on the ranch and leave him there to keep him out of trouble but now is also demanding a lifetime pass to Disneyland for his son and his entire family as well.

Officials for Disney Corp. expressed reluctance to go along with the deal because of the negative publicity of having Kim Jong-nam (Jong-il's son) and his bodygaurds hanging around the park all day and bothering the tourists.

Negotiations are continuing and the State Department hopes to have a resolution to this dilemma by the weekend.

Your "on the spot" scribe;
Allan W Janssen