The very real public grief and anguish that we have seen cannot be compared to that of Nicola and Kevin, Sharon and Les and their families.

BBC: 'Milestone in shared journey of grief'

The diplomats and planners, on the other hand, argue that the Iraqi opposition, especially the main organisation, the Iraqi National Congress, cannot be compared to the Northern Alliance.

ECONOMIST: Foreign policy

He is quick to add that these games cannot quite be compared to South Africa's hosting of the Cricket World Cup in 2003 because that "was a matter of national pride".

BBC: South Africa goes crazy for Indian cricket

It cannot be easily compared with past unemployment figures, because since 1979 umpteen changes to the definition of unemployment and to the rules for claiming benefit have taken hundreds of thousands off the jobless total.

ECONOMIST: Labour stats aren��t working

In many instances, research at the community level cannot even be delegated to the equivalent of laboratory assistants since observation in one locale must be compared to observation in another so the same person has to be on site in both places.

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