At 05:52 22/09/02 -0400, you wrote: (BMcC) <<<< Foxes are supposed to be smart.
Why did the family of foxes take up residence in the embassy of what I believe is a relatively social-welfare country? Don't they know they are on the losing side, that soon their embassy will have to close because Finland won't be able to afford an embassy any more unless they dismantle their social welfare system? Finland has to be almost bankrupt already anyway, because I don't think they've stopped taxing the rich yet. Furthermore, I thought Finland was neutral in the Cold War. How can the foxes trust these people? Poor foxes -- even foxes can be fooled, I guess. >>>> These are far from being unsmart or poor foxes it would seem. The BBC radio item the other day got it all wrong. The family living in the garden of the Finnish ambassador (in a modest but thoroughly waterproofed shed) are not only fastening on the benevolence of the Finnish welfare state in being allowed to dig up the flower beds in search of worms and bugs but have also sossed out the benefits of wider-ranging enterprise. The Russian ambassador, Mr Karasin, is far from unhappy about the foxes playing with his tennis balls and has no reprisal plans against the Finns next door. In fact, every Friday evening, after he and Polish and Slovak ambassadors have had a game of tennis and are sipping their restorative vodka and limes, the foxes appear on cue and entertain their hosts by playing with the balls in exchange for a few canap�s. When the foxes want fresh vegetables -- they have a fondness for carrots apparently -- they sneak them from garden of the Nepalese embassy two doors along, but pay in full measure by gambolling, hugging, wrestling and even kissing one another on the lawn for the delight of the ambassador's wife, Mrs Singha Bahadur Basnyat. But for more substantial fare they have to foresake their diplomatic immunity and venture into the wilder parts of Kensington where they partake of wood pigeons in the Park and duck from the pond in Kensington Gardens. Even though the foxes must be aware that Tony Blair has been promising for years to outlaw fox-hunting (that is, of the traditional Xmas card variety -- horse-riders dressed in pink jackets, tooting on ridiculous horns and accompanied by packs of vicious dogs), but without actually having the courage to do so, it's therefore still dangerous for foxes to be too prominent in English environs, even though these particular foxes have the diplomatic blessings of at least five nations. The Finnish ambassador, Mr Salolainen, says, "They must be very clever to have been able to survive in a 10 million strong city -- I doubt if any dog would survive like that." By the way, I much enjoyed your comment about the state of the Finnish economy! But Finland hasn't any rich people. All their high-paid executives have moved their headquarter offices to London -- no doubt their salaries are deflected through milder regimes and never see a Finnish tax man. Keith ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- Keith Hudson,6 Upper Camden Place, Bath BA1 5HX, England Tel:01225 312622/444881; Fax:01225 447727; E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ________________________________________________________________________
