If Alaska was a Canadian province ... (foreclosures, crime, home)

[RAMFEB31]

Originally Posted by mollytamale

While health care in Canada isn't free it certainly is not 42% of our wages. If your employer doesn't cover benefits partially or fully the following applies- this is for BC of course, however I am sure the costs are similar across the country -
In B.C., premiums are payable for MSP coverage and are based on family size and income. The monthly rates are:[indent]$54 for one person
$96 for a family of two
$108 for a family of three or more

Molly', tell me, if I were self employed, what would I be paying for health care
say, for a family of 4 in BC?

[mollytamale]

Ram it would depend on your yearly income. It seems as though the rates I quoted in the earlier thread are the highest rates one would pay. I am not an expert just reading what it says on the government website.
Five levels of assistance, based on adjusted net income for the previous year, are available. The rates are stated at the bottom of the following page. website is MSP - Premiums. Ray, sorry for any confusion I may have caused .

[MissingAll4Seasons]

Just a little tidbit my sister sent me from Texas. There is currently a man on trial for shooting (and killing) a man robbing his neighbor's house while they were out of town.

At this point, the judge is considering declaring it a mistrial, because there is little chance that the jury will ever reach a unanimous ruling. Since Texas is a gun-advocating state and their laws allow you to shot anyone trespassing on your property (if you didn't invite them, you can assume they mean you harm). 9 local jurors feel that the man was doing his legal and civic duty by protecting his neighbor's property and his community. Only 3 feel that the man did anything immoral or illegal (and they are all originally from gun-fearing states).

Now, an interesting tidbit... TX has one of the lowest crime rates in the US. Yes, murder is pretty high in Dallas, and you have some other violent assault issues around the borders and the larger cities... but the UT & Baylor studies (which include interviewing convicts) have concluded that criminals are much less likely to commit a crime against person and property when they have a real and probable likelihood of encountering an armed defender with the right to shot on sight.

[censusdata]

There isn't a correlation btw gun laws/ gun ownership rates and crime.

Mexico has very strict gun laws and very high crime. States like West Virginia and Vermont have very loose gun laws and very low crime.

The overall US crime is due to low income immigrants (speaking historically, not just Hispanics today) who move here for jobs. This immigrants are competing for the same jobs as African Americans, which creates conflict and crime.

Middle class homogeneous areas (where most Americans live) are some of the safest places on the globe.

[darstar]

Originally Posted by censusdata

There isn't a correlation btw gun laws/ gun ownership rates and crime.

Mexico has very strict gun laws and very high crime. States like West Virginia and Vermont have very loose gun laws and very low crime.

The overall US crime is due to low income immigrants (speaking historically, not just Hispanics today) who move here for jobs. This immigrants are competing for the same jobs as African Americans, which creates conflict and crime.

Middle class homogeneous areas (where most Americans live) are some of the safest places on the globe.

That is mostly true anywhere around the globe, even in Mexico. Stay a way from the boarder towns....... When the Plan to combine all of North America as one union comes to pass , things will change. They are working on it now....stay tuned !

[MissingAll4Seasons]

Originally Posted by censusdata

There isn't a correlation btw gun laws/ gun ownership rates and crime.

Actually, I quite agree with this! There are places where guns are hard to get and the crime is low. Places where guns are hard to get and the crime is high. Places where the guns are easy to get and the crime is low. And places where the guns are easy to get and the crime is high.

It's an orthogonal metric - the variable affecting the result are not directly correlated. You'd have to factor in all sorts of random variables to determine if gun control or leniency in a particular area would increase, decrease, or not affect the crime rate in that area. Since these variables are not constant or consistent from region to region, there is no solution or statistical data that applies universally to all situations.

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by RayinAK

Canadians are very nice people.

Perhaps when they aren't taking US citizens as hostages with support of their government, or plotting to blow up the trans-Alaskan pipeline.

[mollytamale]

Originally Posted by Glitch

Perhaps when they aren't taking US citizens as hostages with support of their government, or plotting to blow up the trans-Alaskan pipeline.

Hmmm - I did a search on google and did find one Canadian who was charged with plotting to blow up the pipe line Canadian pleads guilty in oil pipeline bomb plot | Markets | Reuters- I also found this PA man indicted for planning to aid Al Qaeda to blow up Trans- Alaska Pipeline - Militant Islam Monitor - Militant Islam Monitor and this Planet Ark - Man convicted in Alaska pipeline-shooting case

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by Glitch

Perhaps when they aren't taking US citizens as hostages with support of their government, or plotting to blow up the trans-Alaskan pipeline.

Well, the ones I worked with, as well as those in the border towns I lived for years are very nice, just like Americans along the Canadian border and small towns in the US. I do agree with you about what you have said above.

[darstar]

So many people in the US look at Canada , and Canadians , with such disdain. I can't understand why , we are so much alike , in many ways........ I hate to say it , but from my observation , it seems most of the hate is coming from the right wingers in our midst. About the only province they like , is Alberta. I wonder , oil ? , right leaning Provincial Government ?......some people have small minds , and , narrow thinking , they all listen to Rush , so , maybe thats where the hateful comments started.....? ( My apologies to the Righties who don't think that way , many are friends of mine )