The risk is that, unless their strictures lead to action, the monitors' job will seem pointless and go the way of the crossing-sweeper, typewriter designer and hula-hoop maker.

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As I noted in my piece on some New Hampshire lawyers who find themselves having to pay Maine income taxes, multi-state tax issues are a source of aggravation for ordinary regional businesses or even local businesses in areas like New England, where, unless you start in northern Maine and drive south, it is very hard to go an appreciable distance without crossing a state line.

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When crossing the street in Hanoi, go!

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He lost count and celebrated crossing the line with one lap still to go.

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"Normally ships speed up to 15 or 20 knots when crossing this area but we couldn't go faster than five knots, " said Domjan.

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The now-common sight of bodies of Africans washed up on European beaches after trying to make a hazardous crossing shows the lengths to which people will go to try and move to a new life.

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"Imagine actors in the future crossing the theatre and perhaps paying homage to Shakespeare as they go on stage for luck, " she added.

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However, as the example of Mexico's immigrants demonstrates, the tougher border controls become, the less likely migrants are to go home when their work is done, and to incur the expense and danger of another crossing.

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