aphid

Excuse me, I apologize that this thread has derailed, but to get back to my original request... I am still awaiting advice. If you don't mind. John

The answer, in part, may be found here: "In the 1980s, while the number of arrests for all crimes had risen by 28%, the number of arrests for drug offenses rose 126%" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_on_Drugs And see the image (graph) attached below this post. John

No argument here... I agree, America will survive. But the price paid while awaiting social, political and judicial recovery, will be and currently is being borne by many unfortunate individuals both home and abroad. Sadly, many of these will unlikely live long enough to experience that redemption. John

Infinite transfers implies stealing, at least as far as the MPAA and DMCA is concerned. Perhaps in their opinion, but I may like to watch these movies more than once. Much like a CD, I'd like to hear it more than once. I take it then, you suggest I should just purchase DVD's? So much for saving the distributor the cost of manufacturing and shipping physical product. Fair enough. Back to the semi-dark ages then. Thanks John

Looking for suggestions/recommendations for a service. Here are my criteria: - download, not live streaming - not a pirate site, I am happy to pay for them because I refuse to steal. - price point from 6.99 to 9.99 per unit - accessible from Canada - good quality compression - writable from my computer to an external storage device so I can use a stand-alone DVR (eliminates iTunes) - large selection with emphasis on current releases (eliminates Netflix) - infinite plays/transfers Thanks for all advice John

A doff of the hat to the best response.

Nice.

I thought they may have been a pair of Mormon missionaries or Jehovah's Witnesses. Or maybe just a pair of lightly inebriated Flames fans...

Central Alberta and Calgary specifically - the heart of the most conservative Christian gun-freedom Canadian territory. Apparently many local residents are nonplussed by his comments too. But, you may be correct...

Some may find this worthy of protracted debate... Originating letter from Michigan LEO on visiting Canada: http://www.calgaryherald.com/opinion/letters/nose+hill+park+confrontation+makes+visitors+feel+unsafe/7050028/story.html There are numerous embedded links to reaction, including the officers ongoing rebuttal and justification.

From where I sit, this incident has much broader implications on the topic of national security than say, seizing 60,000 Kinder-Surprise confections at the border annually, or limiting bottled water and fingernail clippers on a domestic flight. If there is actually something to be fearful of, this might qualify.

I was surprised to see this Reuters item as deep as page 17 of one of our national newspapers. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/02/us-usa-securtity-nuclear-idUSBRE8711LG20120802

Yes. Yes, they surely do.

It was the image of your bike that got my attention. So here's my skydiving art - adorning the tank of my rigid... it has been known to make an occasional appearance inside the Bent Prop at Eloy. :) It does elicit interesting reactions from non-jumpers when they look it over. John

http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/07/18/tourists-detained-on-way-home-from-vancouver-after-discovering-kinder-surprise-eggs-are-illegal-in-u-s/

Here's a good resource for job-search & contacts: http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/ns/lmi/workplace/jobs/abta/abta.shtml (Incidentally, many of the jumpers at one of my favourite progressive DZ's are currently engaged in the oil/gas field in Alberta.) John

In view of current economic conditions at home, some may find this of interest... (from the article) These are high-paying jobs in the oil/gas sector of western Canada. Everything from driving trucks and camp cooks up to construction workers and drilling tech's. In the news, the multi-national and domestic employers have indicated they will assist and fast-track work visa's for foreigners who qualify. http://www.edmontonsun.com/2012/07/11/lukaszuk-liaises-with-army Sure, it's Canada. But you might be surprised and actually discover a nicer, gentler, welcoming kind of place.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4AHuy8eybY (Remi, I expect you to guffaw aloud)

Fair enough. We'll just agree to disagree. John

And that's the rub. You suggest we carry documentation to prove a double-negative. You suggest that we need "official" stuff from CSPA to go to our winter training camps on our dollar, investing in your economy. You suggest the imperative is on the visitor. Think about it rationally for a moment. Should we now carry all the following to answer every possible query? - copy of home ownership title to establish residency? - marriage certificate to prove we have a spouse to go home to? - copy of latest income tax return to prove we have domestic income? - copy of stock portfolio to prove independent means? - copy of med insurance to prove no reliance on your beleaguered healthcare system? - copy of a Police Report to prove we are not criminals? - copy of something from a national body proving we are training for competition? The LAW says, we enter as Canadians in visa-exempt status with a valid passport. That is the LAW. Yet it is implied that we should accept, tolerate and cater to individual personnel making-it-up as they go and be prepared to carry a satchel of documentation for any imagined potential question? I suggest that the imperative rather is on the government personnel to be better educated and less hostile. Regardless of my situation, if not at least for the grandpa and grandma driving to their winter home, with a small selection of basic handtools in their vehicles trunk. I would also suggest that your system should grant Due Process properly. You have a background/interest in skydiving, and if you couldn't see the deteriorating nonsensical (my opinion) approach at the Ports of Entry, then it is no wonder it is impossible to explain our unique circumstances to a whuffo with a uniform, a gun, and an attitude. Thank you for your input. (Oh. I personally know a number of female packers that go south annually, and I can assure you none of them have been "hassled" to my knowledge) John

I am neither looking for advice or sympathy. My intent is to fight this individually, but in the process educate some Americans about the agency who represents an image to incoming foreigners... not just Canadians. You see, I don't think the system will ever be corrected from outside your borders. Agreed. But if your country is trying to sell Disneyland and South Beach and Manhattan to foreigners, it might be a good idea to figure out ways to make them feel just a bit more welcome at the Ports of Entry? Simply because there are no CSPA (or BPA or NZ) items in the dropdown menu. Apologies if that is confusing... But of course. No issues with the line of questioning. Being told repeatedly (with malice and hostility in every sentence) that I MUST be working because "nobody can do that for free" just tells me your border representatives seem unable to accept there is a world out there just a little different than their own experience. Um... the issue was that I was the team camera-person for the Canadian National CRW team as well as Canadian 4way FS team. NB: Canadian, where ALL of us have to be Canucks. Of course. And I never did one jump that interfered with them. Perhaps you could enlighten me how I could PROVE that when CBP kept insisting "nobody can afford to do that". Yes, I have done my damndest, rather successfully if I may be so immodest, to inform every Canadian skydiver I can. Don't worry though, the numerous pretty single female Canadian packers still seem to pass through with complete immunity every autumn.

This sort of thing... among others. (from yesterday's newspaper)

CBP is a rather large US government organization. Customs and Border Protection. See CBP.gov for more information on what they do. Understatement - Canadian style

Actually, I, for one, did participate with some interest in your thread re: this about a year ago; but unfortunately I'm not sure what more (other than agreeing with you) I can do for you than whatever your own lawyers may have done or are doing for you. It stinks that you've had bad results in court thus far. If your case is still on appeal, I certainly hope you win it, since I think you're being treated most unfairly. And yes, I find the practical denial of due process (not habeas corpus, btw) very disturbing. Thank you for the correction - I think my lawyers are using habeas to request the right of due process. Although I confess, much of the jargon ultimately exceeds my grasp. I really don't expect any help on a personal level, but it disheartens me that your citizens seem to place greater emphasis on topics like Cruise/Holmes as opposed to the negative impacts of a few out-of-control agents on thousands of legitimate and earnest northerners who simply wish to visit, stay warm in the winter, and actually contribute to your stuttering economy. To me, that is the truly sad part...

I don't spend much time in Montreal...