Hi, Alexander!  Recently you wrote in a message to Ardith Hinton:   
      
    AH>  I can't help wondering, re the US/Canada idea, if he   
    AH>  understands the geography or has done the math.  :-))   
      
    ak>  They say that all politicians always tell lies when   
    ak>  they give promises in their election campaigns.   
    ak>  Common people are like just foolish fishes for a   
    ak>  fisherman.   
      
      
              Interesting analogy.  I tend to regard politicians as salesmen (or   
   -women) who are selling themselves & their ideas, but IMHO the same principle   
   applies.  As the ancient Romans said, "caveat emptor"... "buyer beware".  :-)   
      
      
      
    ak>>  Beside tunnels, too, I see little problems.   
    AH>        |Besides tunnels [...] little problem.   
    AH>        |Besides tunnels [...] few problems.   
      
    ak>  Ouch! I forgot the rule! "Little" is for uncountable   
    ak>  nouns, "few" for coubtable ones.   
      
    ak>   A cow gave little milk.   
      
      
              Yes.  The word "problem" has an added layer of complexity, though.   
   Depending on the situation it may be countable or uncountable.   
      
              As a rule of thumb I'd say "problem" is usually countable.  But on   
   occasion you'll see "little problem", "any problem", or "no problem"....  :-)   
      
      
      
   [re the descent from a high fence or wall]   
    AH>  I heard of a guy who impaled himself on a tree while   
    AH>  attempting to do something like that, though.  He just   
    AH>  wanted to avoid paying for a ticket.  ;-)   
      
    ak>  I wonder how a person cam impale himself on a tree? It   
    ak>  is not a stake. :)   
      
      
              Under normal circumstances it isn't... but a lightning strike or a   
   high wind can split tree branches & trunks in very interesting ways.  I guess   
   this guy was hoping the tree would cushion his fall, and forgot the old adage   
   "Look before you leap".  IIRC I read about the incident in one of those lists   
   circulated annually:  "World's Dumbest Criminals" or "Darwin Awards"....  ;-)   
      
      
      
      
   --- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+   
    * Origin: Wits' End, Vancouver CANADA (1:153/716)