Close Reading

I stopped visiting Canada 40 years ago because of insane or corrupt border control policies. I traveled to Canada from California to record an album for a popular rock star. My crew number 4 people and we had reserves a month for basic tracking in a studio there. We bought our own reels of 3 inch wide recording tape because the studio wanted twice the rate as normal and since my studio was a distributor for the mastering tapes we brought from my own inventory. Each reel of tape was 3 lbs and brought 30 reels. We got to customs and they said we owed money for importing the tape. Normally a reel would have been $180, and customs wanted $38,000 x 20, and would not let us retrieve it to take it back to the US side of the border. How can a tape worth $180 suddenly have duty of $38,000?\nIt was explained to me as the Potential Value of the tape which meant AFTER a hit song was recording in it. Most recordings are total losses and the tape cant used on a new project even if properly bulk-erased. They expected me to pay on the spot $760,000 in duties. I gave up and left the tape with them. I called the artist and said we could not do the project in Canada and we went back to California. The artist came to us a few months later and the result was a minor hit, and probably barely made its production cost since the label only distributed it in Canada. I talked to an international trade lawyer about what happened and he said customs officials were wrong in Canada but they are given full latitude with no appeal so his advice was never take anything over the border that I did not mind being confiscated. Sometimes they would let it in because it was going back out in a month, but likely they sold it off and pocketed the money. The US is corrupt on a federal level but Canada is corrupt on the local level. I moved out of the US 24 years ago have a much higher quality of life than is even possible in the US, and live very cheaply. Total cost of living with a very active social and cultural life impossible to duplicate in the US which as some of the least options for culture. And my cost of living is $1500 a month, less than utilities alone for one house in California, and that is for 2 people. Last month for example I attended world class opera, ballet and symphonies 9 times, and went out to dinner, in jazz clubs or dance clubs, visited12 top museums, and it was still under $1500 for the month. A pair of tickets to the MET in NYC for lower grade performance, sets, orchestra ad theater, was $1800!! $600 for tickets to drama for 2. Here there 237 drama theaters within walking distance of my city center home, and can walk anywhere at any time of day and be safe due to VERY low crime rates. Free medical is good. I am not citizen but still I had an operation and 10 days in a vip single room for $5300 and despite my insurance I had been paying back in California $824.month, it was going to cost me out o pocket $500,000 and one day in a recovery 12 bed room, and require paid nursing attendant for 30 days. The results were great and was treated like king.\nCanadians have lost control of their government but Americas are screwed regardless, with lower than international standards for everything, with crime, corruption in Washington, extreme cost of living, no access to culture, few if any safe parks. My adopted city is not only far more beautiful than any US city, my GF can walk, alone, anywhere in a city of 7mil at any time of day through any of the 600 beautiful parks open 24/7..at 3am. There are no homeless, and 80% of those over 20yo own their home clear of debt. No college debt despite twice the % of people having degrees. The rest of the world caught up and has surpassed the US and Europe in quality of life. \n\nI have only been back to the US 5 times in 24 years and each time I am shocked by how much the entire society has declined while most of the world outside of Europe, Canada, US, UK or Australia have dramatically improved.\nEvery year since 2008 more Americans leave the US to live elsewhere than legal immigrants arrive.

Arab countries will never allow Muslims immigrants to enter their countries but they are happy if the immigrants migrate to Europe and America, Canada... what a shame

Exactly, once the Palestinians leave Gaza or the West Bank, the Jews will never allow them back and will claim the vacated land. The Palestinian ‘refugee’ idea is a Zionist plan to claim the remainder of Palestine they didn’t steal in 1947/48!

Allah bless you bro the Palestinians will never never leave their Gods given land

I bet the Palestinians are pissed at Hamas for causing all this. I know if the Palestinians would ever taste freedom from the terrorists group Hamas they would never again support Hamas.

It's not their land. They lost it in 1948. There will never be a two state solution. It's not in GODs plan. This was all prophesied in the Bible. Palestinians/Muslims are fighting GOD.

Why doesnt US and EU with such huge land take in the jewish refugee 70 years ago..such double standards amd hypocrisy...Palestinian would never leave their land and homes to robbers and imported thiefs in their land

If they leave, Israel will never let them come back to their land.

Well The answer was brilliant however is there any history of Petro Dollar Rich Arab countries ever taking any refugees? Not saying permanently allowing them but temporarily ever? Nahh... Nope... Never..

I hate the transportation system in Toronto. They have no concept of how to build a train/subway system. They spen billions on never expansion of the 401 when the could be using that money on a train system that works

The Palestinians must not leave their homeland... Israelis the one should leave. The Jews come to Palestine as refugee and should go back to where they came from. The land been and will continue to be Palestine forever. Israelis would've never make it without US and UK. If US and UK get the hell out of this and stop supporting apartheid state like Israel the Palestinians will be in much better situations right now. Free free Palestine ????????????????????????

I would never ever pay 140 Canadian dollars to get 100 dollars us

so nicely said ??\nThen why they dont take any initiative?? \nActually they are silence in activity. \nIts a transaction between silence for the genocide and nuclear formula.. ?? \nSoudi will never stand with any Humanitarian. They just want to sacrifice everything for their power. ?? \nSoudi wants to win but Soudi arab is not in the win win situation. ?? \nThey are expecting wrong ??

I never understand y arabs keep being asked to take palestinians.y should they?they did not create israel and push palestinians out.those who created this mess have a reponsibity to clean it.This is beside the fact that arabs need to grow a backbone and stand with the palestinians in demand for their freedom.

Yes. Any support to take refugees will be seen as encouragement to push the Palestinians out. Free palestine till the end. May we stay united! ? and never be separated.

Being 34 and born and raised here and never having lived in any other country. In my humble opinion, this country has gone down hill fast. I no longer enjoy living here. I cant afford to survive here on my own. It's getting worse by the month.

basically what they are saying is that they will never take any refugees into their country

How about u all learn Palestinian was never a country until very recently. An also the Israelis pulled out in 05 took everything that was Israeli even the graves. What the arabs need to do is condemn hamas and help end the bs that hamas is pulling which started this whole war now.

Saudis like to play on both sides. Everyone one knows how they were going to sell over an entire Palestinian population only to cut out a selfish deal with the Zionist. Moral of the story, never believe a Saudi.

Palestinians will never give up their land ,Israeli are only making bad history for themselves \nFree Palestine ❤❤

Lol they do not want anything to do with terrorists.\nThats why no country willing to accept them. Not arab or in the west \nEgypt has its own border with Gaza and never gave them daily work permits or access to hospitals.\nJordan ruled the west bank and Egypt ruled gaza from 48 to 67 but non of them even thought about establishing a palastinian state ?\nLook at Jordan. When the accepted palastinian refugees those refugees started a crvil war and killed the king.\nBy the way today 60% of Jordan population are Palestinians.\nHow is it that thier own country do not accept them ?

The weight must be lifted by those who created it. They who supported the occupiers with arms and aid must lift the weight and not the countries who never started this mess

Of course muslins would never take muslins into their peaceful, loving nations ?

Perfect response Saudi FM, thank you. If Palestinians leave Gaza they will never be allowed to return. Israel will take ownership of Gaza and thus US will own by proxy. \n\nThat is the Israel, US, UK & EU agenda. Destabilise Palestine to facilitate Israel’s goal. ?????

It's not their land, it was never their land! The true Palestinians are the Jewish people!!!

The media and several right wing groups are so determined to get Arab nations to take more refugees. This is horrible because that land will be lost to Zionist aggression forever and they will never return home like the 3 million Palestinian refugees that live in Jordan for example.

Nah arabs dont want them, never did, never will

Never heard them attack Palestine just gaza

Palestinian land belongs to palestine Israel want land Palestine will never leave their land their land ?

What about the Syrians, or Iraqis or afghanis or Pakistanis or or or or…\nHypocrites, you never help no one.

He look shock about the question, cause he knows the Arab World will never accept this Palestinian refugee. Egypt? Jordan? All the arab world dont want to accept Palestinians...

Yet they will never admit the trash they voted for caused this. They deserve this.

A Sayanim is asking a stupid question.\n Palestinians will never give up on their land.\n Zionism is the golden calf ( Exodus 31)

Palestine was never a country their was a British mandate but no Palestine state the jews however did the kingdom of Israel 1050BC their taking what theirs back Palestine was a name of a region if their wasnt the plo they wouldn't have occupied the west bank

It's not the Palestinians land and it will never be!!!

They always ask why the Arab countries don't take in the Palestinians but they never ask why no European countries took in the European Jewish refugees 75 years ago...

They will never give Palestinian there land because they can chaos the arab country ,

No one should leave their land. You can have dignified lifed only in your home land. There are people living in UK for centuries but many times they are called outsiders on streets. Palestinians should never leave.

❤! HI! LET ME 2 START WITH WORDSWORTHS : REALITY BITES!!: OR REALITY ALWAYS BEHIND THE COURTENS OR NONE HOLDS HAQQ/SATHYA/ TRUTH ALWAYS TIMES & PLACES. OR COUNTRY/ NATION TO NATION ITS 11:09 FIFFERS A LOT BECOZ OF MANY MANY MANY SEASONS THATS +VE & -VE AFFAIRES.. WELL: A&A (ASIA & AFRICA) R VERY VERY BACK UNCIVILISED THERE4 THEY R BACK 4 MANY MANY YEARS. \nAS INDEED: THE WORLD 1ST CLASSES NATIONS R VERY ADVANCED THEN A&A ? \nTHE REALITY IS ALL 200+ NATIONS GOT +VE & '- VE WORKS. OR CIVILIAED VS UNCIVILIZED OR LOW DEVELOPED OR HIGH DEVELOPED NATIONS. IT DIFFERS WITH SOIL CUM WATER 4EG: LETS START LOCAL LEVELS= IDLY /DOSA /WADA IN S.INDIA WILL GET VERY HIGH TASTY BUT ONE PERSON GOES TO M.S SAME IYEMS WILL GET TASTELESS. \nSO IF BOMBAY ITEMS USSAL/ WADA PAV WILL GET MORE TASTE IN BOMBAY SAME ITMES S.INDIA WILL GET TASTELSS IN TN+ TS+ K'TAKA. S.INDIA HOTEL NEVER ORDER TEA LIKEWISE NEVER ORDER COFFEE IN IRANI HOTEL !?? WELL: LETS GO 4 INT'L LEVEL IF SOME ONE COOK MUTTON IN AFRICA TASTELESS IF BEAF IS TASTEFULL ?? SO SAME B THECASE IN USA/ CANADA / UK. EVEN 4 BODY WEARING CLOTH DRESS CODE ALSO. IT DIFFERS A LOT. LETS C NOW BAD BAD PRACTICES: IN USA -VE AFFAIRES IS GUNFREE NATION GREAT SINFULL SYSTEMS. CANADA CCP CAPTURED.!?? H/STAAN -VE WORKS H VS M .(SINCE 1947) \nMUSLIM NATIONS -VE WORKS \nSHIA JAMAATS VS SUNNI JAMAATS (SINCE 1400 YRS OVER & NOW ALSO STILL FIGHTING GOES 4EG RECENTLLY: THERE WAS\n: BUS FULL OF SHIA JAMAATS WERE TRAVELLING IN KARACHI- PAAK ONE ARMY PERSON JUST CAME WITH M/GUN & KILLED 100 BUS TRAVELLERS THAT TOO IN TIME OF PM AS DR. N SHAREEF BHAI TIME & PLACES. SO BEST THING P.M SHREEF BHAI CAUGHT THAT SUNNI JAMAT ARMY GUY & PUT HIM IMMEDIATELY IN A JAIL & SENT JAILS KEY TO FRANCE PALACE 4 JUSTICE CAUSE. SO ALL ABOUT BAD VS GOOD AFFAIRES WARS. IN M- NATIONS/ ARAB NATIONS. \nSO CANADA IS 4TUNE NATION BECOZ WHEN ANY NATIONS FIGHTS & PUBLIC GETS BIG PROBLEMS THEN CANADA IS THE 1ST NATION TO SUPPORT & HELP IMMEDIATELY TRY 2 C WHEN THOUSANDS ASIAN GOT LIFE VS DIE ?? IN UGANDA IN 1972 AT PRESZ EDI AMIN WAS SRTONG PRESENT 4 TO REMOVE ALL ASIAS THEN THAT HOTTEST TIME & PLACE CANADA IS THE 1ST NATION WHO SUPPORTED & HELPED SHE SENT MANY PLAINS TO PICK UP TO SEND ALL ASIAN PUBLIC TO OTHER NATIONS WHERE EVER THEY WANTTED TO DROP IN AT THAT NATION BUT NONE COUNTRY CUM FLAGSHIP CAME OUT 4 TO SUPPORT & HELP ALL ASIANS. THATS BIGGEST CREDIT CANADA GOT FRM U.N.O TOO@ @ TOTALLY. NOW ALL UGANDAIANS ASIANS SETTLED IN DIFFERENT NATIONALITIES. BIGGEST C.C TO TWIN GOVTS & TWIN N.G.OS AGA THANKS PLZ Y.A.M

Never should have let the asshats live among you....the USA needs to learn the same lesson...NOW

The moment you used $300,000 dollars as the annual income as a comparison @1:04, I don't know what kind of reality or life style you are living in, therefore I will never resonate. Good luck with your channel.

They should never ever have made it easy for rich corrupt Chinese to enter.

It’s happening because it’s the will of God the same will when the settlers lined up and made a dash to claim lands all over America, it doesn’t look good to me people already here the same as it did when the Natives saw it knowing that their lives would never be the same and they wind up on reservations all over the country.

I AM FROM PAKISTAN\ni watch your videos regularly you doing extra good\nwe hear facts from you that are never heard before.

? it's not only immigrants leaving. I was born and raised here and eventhough it was great growing up, I will miss what this country was. There are far more affordable places to live with much better quality of life. I feel sorry for future generations who will never know what it will be like to live debt free.

Garbage beuracracy never disappoint....???

Islam is an evil barbaric religion that needs to be destroyed. That's all there is to it. There will never be lasting peace in this world as long as that religion is around. The problem is none of the politicians in Europe want to grow any balls and do anything because the woke media and the politically correct crowd have guilt-shamed them into looking the other way.

Do not worry Canada is the second largest country in the world behind Russia, and Canada never invaded like Russia, if the Ukraine war keeps up Canada might become the largest country in the world.

Hahhahahhaha people stand up against the democrats amd the ones who votes for them never let them forget they are all to blame.

Good that you are back!! Our country is best!! \nI have been asked few times in my company to go there and i have never opted it!!