Bolted

The EU has decided that no more 500 euro notes can be issued.

Apparently they are the terrorists currency of choice. A million euros worth can be slipped into a briefcase.

But they will NOT be withdrawn from circulation any time soon.

How many of these 'useful' notes have been issued to date.

The answer is 500,000,000.

Five hundred million in plain English.

With a value of €250,000,000,000.

Two hundred and fifty thousand million euros.

That's a lot.

Think what you could buy with it.

Weapons.

Drugs.

All sorts of bad things.

The words 'horse' and 'stable door' should cross your mind.

Can you believe the EU could be so naiive?

Neither can I.

I suspect they knew exactly what they were doing all along.

Maybe you do too?

My haiku published today at haiku universe

he takes a long pull

on a cigarette

beside the church door



-----
I think the haiku which follows it by R Soos is better.

Easter Saturday Newspaper

The Austrian paper Kronen Zeitung devotes pages 4 and 5 to last nights troubles in Derry/Londonderry.

The First Consequence of Brexit is that a new IRA will hinder the return of a north-south border the report says.

Yesterday, Good Friday, more than 50 firebombs were thrown at police in Derry/Londonderry according to reports. A photo shows something ablaze in the middle of a road in the vicinity of three military looking police vehicles. It appears to be in a residential area judging by the road signs.

Northern Ireland voted to remain in the EU.

The blinded political class in the House of Commons don't recognize the danger says the commentary.

Every country has the right to damage itself is the final analysis.

A female journalist was 'accidentally' shot during last night's unrest. The report carries no details.

And so I've just looked for more information on my BBC News App.

Not a word.

More important at the BBC is the news that the bees of Notre Dame are safe!

Did I expect Jimmy Saville's favourite news outlet to report otherwise?

Not really.

Update:

Finally at just before 10:00 am a report appears in the 'Headlines' column on the app. It's marked as 12 minutes old.

It appears that the journalist was killed by gunshots aimed at police. Two arrests have been made.

Naturally many people outraged.

US President Bill Clinton was credited with pushing  the Peace Process. It is now falling apart due to political self interest and incompetence.

On the roof and beyond

A revealing video highlighting the absence of any security (6 mins appx) is currently on YouTube.
As far as I can make out it was filmed 6 months ago*.

The two climbers who made the film descended via scaffolding having slept on the roof and explored many of its nooks and crannies.

The only people who spoke to the duo were two street sweepers.

'Sleep on Notre Dame of Paris!'

That's the title.

It's a must view.

Have yourselves a good Friday!


___________
correction:  *May 2018

Green Thursday

  " Eat your spinach it's good for you! "

 Most of the Austrian populous will eat spinach today. Usually it's  puréed.

As a dreamer who spent a childhood admiring Popeye the sailor man and his ability to squeeze open cans of the quick working energy food with one hand I've developed a special affection for the green leaf.

I confess not to know where the 4 or 5 million portions of spinach consumed today have their origin. But I doubt it's in the holy land.

I further confess I haven't a clue about the connection spinach has with Jesus, the disciples and the Last Supper.

Two confessions before lunch!!

Hopefully good for the soul.

Moving in mysterious ways wonders to perform . . .

Happy 92nd Birthday Emeritus Pope Benedikt! 

Today the day after the inferno engulfed the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris is his birth-day.

It's not even a week since he published his latest missive on the subject of pedophilia in the Roman Catholic Church and the decline in moral standards in society.

I recall watching the BBC World News live broadcast on the day this pope resigned.


There was a BBC reporter almost alone in the darkness of the evening in St. Peter's Square.  I remember it well.

The reporter was summing up the dramatic events of the day and saying something to the effect that the crowds had now departed and the square looked deserted.

Almost before the words were out of the reporter's mouth from the heavens above a flash like a blue arrow smashed into the highest point of the dome of St. Peter's Church on the opposite side of the square with what can only be described as an almighty crash.

To say I was astounded would be putting it mildly. I was agape.


Film director Oliver Stone couldn't have arranged it better.

Here is a mysterious force at work, I thought to myself.


And now on the morning of Benedikt's birthday (as if on queue) the most iconic cathedral in Paris, some say in Europe, lies in ashes.

A bizarre coincidence?

A birthday present?


Or something present?


The good Emeritus Pope must be wondering even as I am wondering.

Whatever next?

Whatever we want to call it,  it seems there is a force in the world that moves in mysterious ways . . .

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