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Written by a contributor
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Monday, 15 March 2010 17:17 |
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ITALY – Mutton dressed as lamb or femme fatale?
Sophia Loren at seventy-five still spins heads; I go for
the latter description. There’s never been eye candy like
her. Hearts are still pounding after her visit to Rome to
launch a new TV series in which she stars in a film series
about her life.
RUSSIA – Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is
poised to ditch the rouble and create a common
currency with Belarus and Kazakhstan to coincide with
a single economic market. If it sucks in the Ukraine the
new bloc will stretch from Europe to China. The
currency will challenge the euro and U.S dollar; a
further blow to the latter would be fossil fuels sold in
the currency. Both China and Europe are dependent
upon Russian energy fuels and raw materials.
FRANCE - In 1951 villagers were struck down with
apparent insanity. Five died, dozens were sent to
asylums, and hundreds afflicted by a mysterious druginduced
mania, the cause being blamed on infected
rye grain. It is now revealed to be the consequence of
a CIA Cold War experiment in LSD induced mass mind
control. Between 1953 – 1965 5,700 unwitting U.S.
servicemen were also drugged. The French want
answers.
THE VATICAN – Sex abuse scandals in the Roman
Catholic Church are proof that “The Devil is at work
inside the Vatican.” So says Father Gabriele Amorth, for
twenty-five years the Holy See’s chief exorcist during
which time he dealt with over 70,000 cases of demonic
possession.
ROMANIA – Most of us are familiar with circular road
signs; the red ring indicating a warning such as deer,
the elderly or children crossing. Pecica, a town in
Romania is placing such signs that read ‘Attention –
Drunks’. Each shows a reveller crawling on hands and
knees with bottle in hand. Mayor Petru Antal says his
town has a vibrant nightlife; the signs are to reduce
accidents.
SPAIN – More than a million Brits live in Spain,
permanently or for part of the year yet few can
converse in Spanish. This is a nightmare for Spaniards
too as it places Brits in a ghetto-like existence isolating
them from Spanish services and lifestyle. A deal has
been reached between the two nations. Spanish civil
servants will work at Alicante and Malaga consulates
to advise Brits on local authority, health service and
property problems.
SWITZERLAND – A woman has failed in her court
attempt to halt the world’s most powerful atomsmasher.
The Hadron Collider situated in a 27km
complex under the Swiss-French border mimics the big
bang conditions that formed the universe. She claimed
its use would lead to the earth being sucked into a
black hole; the court says she was unable to coherently
make a case. That doesn’t mean the lady is wrong.
GREECE – German government ministers suggest that
Greece sell some of its islands to help bring solvency
to its precarious economy. Greece has about 6,000
islands, only 227 of them inhabited. The most
expensive island is thought to be Skorpios, which was
reportedly put up for sale by Athina Onassis,
granddaughter of Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle
Onassis: A snip at 100 million euros.
GERMANY – The severe winter has cratered roads
which cash-strapped local authorities can’t afford to
repair. The mayor of Niederzimmern, near Leipzig is
selling the holes at 50€ each, which will be used to
repair them; each with a message from their
purchasers. Television and newspaper proprietors are
buying them. What about Spain’s golf clubs? |