Thomas Jefferson said in 1802: "I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies."

"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not."-- Thomas Jefferson

"When in danger or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout." .... jbd

"When once a job you have begun, do no stop till it is done. Whether the task be great or small, do it well, or not at all." .... Anon

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. - Albert Einstein

Television is one daylong commercial interrupted periodically by inept attempts to fill the airspace in between them.

If you can't start a fire, perhaps your wood is wet ....

When you elect clowns, expect a circus ..............




Tuesday, March 3, 2015

A simplification of my problem


An ongoing problem ...................


Surgery is just hours away .............

3:15 AM, dressed, sitting and waiting for good friend, Craig Young, who is going to drive me to the OSU Medical Center for my Kidney Stone Removal Surgery. Have to be there at 5, apparently going to be admitted, and, I will be the first surgery of the day.

After that, what happens, I have no idea. Hopefully all will go well.

It has been a very long time frame, over a month, since the first stone was detected. A few procedures, to place "stents" in me, one attempt to break one up, which failed, a visit to the Surgeon in Columbus, Dr. Bodo Knudsen, then X-rays and Pre-Op, all additional visits.

I am ready to get this problem resolved and, hopefully, greatly increase my "Quality of Life."

I think these Subaru commercials are some of the best ever done. They must have taken a long time and a lot of patience to shoot.

Here, the driver, is watching a cute Poodle cross at the light,

The other is the reaction he got from his "wife." These are so cleverly done. This one makes me laugh every time I see it. the expressions on the faces, everything is expertly done. The one to the right above, he is getting a low "growl" from the wife.

I will be away from the keyboard for a few days, not going to take the laptop with me, going to stay as quiet as possible, and hopefully, will only be in the hospital overnight and come home the next day. We haven't figured that out yet .

See you in a few days .......................

Monday, March 2, 2015

3/3/15

I am rather sure that my age has much to do with it, and I gave up golf myself, but, recently I have watched NO golf, read nothing about it, and seem to care even less about it.

I miss Arnie and Jack and Gary and Ben and Sam, now, they were golfers, saw them all at least once in tournaments down in Dayton. Sam Snead, probably my favorite. Have bantered a bit back and forth with him at the practice range, and his swing, grace in motion.

I did have a golf revival with the advent of Tiger. I would watch TV if he was entered. He brought an interest renewal back to the game. Now that he is gone, none of the current "flat bellies" are of any interest to me.

Last night, and please don't make an issue out of this, just the first time I had seen it. I was watching dirt track midget cars racing, slipping and sliding, no fins, just roll bars, almost like I used to watch many years ago. They had a couple of preliminary races, and then the final 50 lap, I think it was. I am not even sure which race it was, or even the track, but, It was a BIG race for the midget cars.

The race was over, the driver got a tremendous ovation, seemed to be very popular, he did his laps, a few spins on the track, drove to the pits and, from the top of  the roll cage, sprang in to the arms of his Father. He was very short and slight, his girlfriend was taller than him .... then, he took his helmet off, and, he was ..... a little person ...... or, a midget. Ironic when you think about it ... Please do not take offense, I just thought it was unique, to say the least.

For those interested, I head to OSU hospital, enter at 5 in the morning, 3/3, and, I just found out, will be admitted and stay over night ...........

Sunday, March 1, 2015

Like the "clapper" on a bell

I am not complaining, just concerned. I know, I am told, that I will have a surgery/procedure on 3/3. It is now 3/1, and I do not know the time of the surgery/procedure, or when I have to be there.

We live an hour or so away from the OSU campus where the surgery/procedure is to be performed. It is difficult to make arrangements since we know nothing. They often, want you to show up early in the morning, like 4 or 5, which means we leave here around 2--3 or 4. And, after the surgery/procedure do I come home or have a brief stay, we had heard it might even be overnight.

So, how do we plan? There is no way.

We thought of getting a motel for Monday and Tuesday, but 3 or  hundred for such a convenience is not warranted, and all accommodations only afford being a bit closer to the hospital, so driving is still needed.

As many know, my wife is a Cancer Survivor, but has AFib. On one occasion recently, I had a surgical procedure performed, while signing in at the desk, they took one look at my wife and wheeled her down to the Emergency Ward. She was there while I was in Surgery. I don't want a recurrence of that. So, I have mixed emotions. I would prefer her being nearby at the hospital, yet, I am concerned about her. We have taken this 50 year journey together, always been close ... so ...

So, the dilemma will exist until tomorrow ..... whenever THEY call, and, if THEY don't call by 2PM, we are to call them .... reassuring, to say the least.

The faint of heart need not read this next paragraph. Since I had my two stents put in, I "vacate" with a certain amount of .... soreness, pain, hurt, etc. And it varied in intensity, and seems to have done so as the days have passed by. Sometimes four of five times an hour, during the day, and about every two hours at night. Now, this morning I do not "voluntarily" vacate. It takes a great deal of "movement" .... shaking, almost akin to the motion of a "clapper" on a small bell. Bottom line, not vacating like I did yesterday, but still ..... reluctantly  .... doing it. I am not sure what this new development signifies. It has raised concern, however.

No point in calling my Columbus Surgeon Doctor with such news, he will say that he will see me on Tuesday, and I should live till then.

So, I sit here, somewhat in pain, of varying intensities,, watching old movies .... now, only "vacate" about every 2 or 3 hours ..... and then, only with a great deal of "movement."

This is not a very good Sunday subject, but it is the one uppermost in our minds, so I am venting via this blog.

And no local doctors will talk with me since my doctor is now my surgeon in Columbus, and, my guess is, with all the snow on the ground, he is out skiing ... but, right now I am comfortable, so will leave it at that ..............

MYSTERY OF THE DECADE

This has circulated around for a while, many questions that I have, and had. Few ask these, and no one answers them ..... and ..... it seems ...... that no once cares. It is a mystery to me, and to others.

THE UNANSWERED MYSTERY OF THE DECADE

This came from a union guy in Chicago who didn't vote for Obama.

Very, very interesting perspective that I never thought of in this light. -------------------

It will be interesting to see what they put in his "Presidential Library" about his early years when he is out of office. In a country where we take notice of many, many facets of our public figures' lives, doesn't seem odd that there's so little we know about our current president, Barack Obama.

For example, we know that Andrew Jackson 's wife smoked a corn cob pipe and was accused of adultery; Abe Lincoln never went to school; Jack Kennedy wore a back brace; Harry Truman played the piano. As Americans, we enjoy knowing details about our newsmakers, but none of us know one single humanizing fact about the history of our own president.

We are all aware of the lack of uncontestable birth records for Obama; that document managing has been spectacularly successful.

There are however, several additional oddities in Obama's history that appear to be as well managed as the birthing issue. One other interesting thing... There are no birth certificates of his daughters that can be found ?

It's interesting that no one who ever dated him has shown up. The charisma that caused women to be drawn to him so strongly during his campaign, certainly would in the normal course of events, lead some lady to come forward, if only to garner some attention for herself. We all know about JFK's magnetism, that McCain was no monk and quite a few details about Palin's courtship and even her athletic prowess, Joe Biden's aneurisms are no secret; look at Cheney and Clinton, we all know about their heart problems. Certainly Wild Bill Clinton's exploits before and during his White House years, were well known. That's why it's so odd that not one lady has stepped up and said, "He was soooo shy..." or "What a great dancer..."

It's virtually impossible to know anything about this fellow.

Who was the best man at his wedding? Start there. Then check groomsmen.

Then get the footage of the graduation ceremony. Has anyone talked to the professors? It is odd that no one is bragging that they knew him or taught him or lived with him.

When did he meet Michele, and how? Are there photos there? Every president gives to the public all their photos, etc. for their library, etc. What has he released? And who in hell voted for him to be the most popular man in 2010? Doesn't this make you wonder?

Ever wonder why no one ever came forward from President Obama's past saying they knew him, attended school with him, was his friend, etc?? Not one person has ever come forward from his past.
It certainly is very, very strange...

This should be a cause for great concern. To those who voted for him, you may have elected an unqualified, inexperienced shadow man. Have you seen a movie named "The Manchurian Candidate"

As insignificant as each of us might be, someone with whom we went to school will remember our name or face; someone will remember we were the clown or the dork or the brain or the quiet one or the bully or something about us. George Stephanopoulos of ABC News said the same thing during the 2008 campaign. He questions why no one has acknowledged the president was in their classroom or ate in the same cafeteria or made impromptu speeches on campus. Stephanopoulos also was a classmate of Obama at Columbia -- the class of 1984. He says he never had a single class with him.

He is such a great orator; why doesn't anyone in Obama's college class remember him? Why won't he allow Columbia to release his records? Nobody remembers Obama at Columbia University ....

Looking for evidence of Obama's past, Fox News contacted 400 Columbia University students from the period when Obama claims to have been there... but none remembered him.

Wayne Allyn Root was, like Obama, a political science major at Columbia who also graduated in 1983. In 2008, Root says of Obama, "I don't know a  single person at Columbia that knew him, and they all know me. I don't have a classmate who ever knew Barack Obama at Columbia, ever."

Nobody recalls him. Root adds that he was also, like Obama, Class of '83 Political Science, and says, "You don't get more exact or closer than that. Never met him in my life, don't know anyone who ever met him. At  the class reunion, our 20th reunion five years ago, who was asked to be the speaker of the class? Me. No one ever heard of Barack! And five years ago, nobody even knew who he was. The guy who writes the class notes, who's kind of the, as we say in New York, 'the macha' who knows everybody, has yet to find a person, a human who ever met him."

Obama's photograph does not appear in the school's yearbook and Obama consistently declines requests to talk about his years at Columbia, provide school records, or provide the name of any former classmates or friends while at Columbia .
Some other interesting questions:

Why was Obama's law license inactivated in 2002? it is said there is no record of him ever taking the Bar exam.

Why was Michelle's law license inactivated by court order? We understand that was forced to avoid fraud charges.

It is circulating that according to the U.S. Census, there is only one Barack Obama but 27 Social Security numbers and over 80 alias connected to him.

The Social Security number he uses now originated in Connecticut where he is reported to have never lived. And was originally registered to another man  (Thomas Louis Wood) from Connecticut , who died in Hawaii while on vacation there. As we all know Social Security Numbers are only issued 'once, they are not reused' No wonder all his records are sealed...

Printed here for evaluation purposes ...  his library may be many years in the future .... the movement us underway to eliminate barriers tat might keep him from another four or eight or more years in office. Everything he has done so far, "he could not do" ..... but he did, so don't think his continuing on in Washington is not possible........................

Saturday, February 28, 2015

Still goin strong ..............

Dubai (AFP) - Roger Federer claimed the 84th title of his legendary career, kept his nose in front in his personal rivalry with Novak Djokovic, and equalled his best achievement at any tournament by winning the Dubai Open for the seventh time on Saturday.

The Grand Slam record-holder from Switzerland beat the world number one from Serbia 6-4, 7-5 in a colourful success which took Federer’s title haul here equal to those of Halle and Wimbledon. It also put him 20-17 up against Djokovic

Federer served superbly, his 12 aces taking his career total past 9,000, something only three other players have done since 1991.

Even more noticable was his risk-taking, the frequency with which he approached the net, and the commitment with which he attacked his ground strokes.

The victory was a fine riposte to those who said after his third round loss to Andreas Seppi in the Australian Open that his good days were now behind him.

"People are often saying how old I am – but who knows how many years I have left. I can still play with the best," the 33-year-old said challengingly

Friday, February 27, 2015

Should President Obama, or any President, be allowed to serve a third term?

Barack Obama - 
President of the United States from 2009 - ?
Here it comes, folks, I predicted it a few years ago ... and, I wonder if this is the start of something .... that will allow HIM ...... more time in office????????? Remember, there was NO WAY he could beat Hillary, there was no way he could win the election, there was no way he could get his ObamaCare passed, and no way he could win a second term ..... I have stated for years, he may be in that office .................... forever ..... SO, don't tell me it could never happen ... I think the "wheels" are slowly turning ..... he has little to nothing to say about his predecessor, maybe he already knows that there may never be one .............. he just sits back, puts his feet upon that gorgeous antique desk, and smiles ....... then ..... "Hey, get my plane ready, I think I'll go golfin."

With the anniversary of the 22nd Amendment on Friday, Constitution Daily looks at two hot-button topics: Should a President be allowed to serve a third term? And should members of Congress and the Supreme Court have term limits like the President?

The 22nd Amendment also bars a President from serving more than 10 years in office, in a case of a President who assumed office as Vice President.

For example, Vice President Gerald Ford took over for President Richard Nixon in 1974 and served more than two years as president. If Ford had defeated Jimmy Carter in the 1976 presidential election, Ford could not have run for re-election.

Long before the 22nd Amendment, George Washington had set an unofficial precedent in 1796 when he decided several months before the election not to seek a third term. But Alexander Hamilton and many Founders wanted a strong executive, and they opposed term limits as a concept. Thomas Jefferson and an equally influential group of Founders supported term limits for the President.

The only person to break from Washington’s precedent was President Franklin D. Roosevelt, with a record-setting four election wins. Before Roosevelt ran for re-election in 1940, most Presidents didn’t try for a third term in office, let alone a third consecutive term.

Roosevelt’s distant cousin, Theodore, came the closest to breaking the precedent in 1912, when he ran for President a second time. Theodore Roosevelt succeeded President William McKinley in 1901 and had served about 7 ½ years in the White House. Theodore Roosevelt passed on running for a third consecutive term in 1908, fully aware of the Washington precedent. But after a fallout with President William Howard Taft, Roosevelt sought a third nonconsecutive term in the 1912 presidential election. He lost the election but came in second ahead of Taft. (Woodrow Wilson and Harry Truman briefly considered seeking a third term but passed.)

After Franklin Roosevelt died in 1945, momentum built for a presidential term-limits amendment. Congress passed it in 1947, and it was ratified by the states in 1951.

Since then, several members of Congress have introduced bills to repeal the 22nd Amendment. The latest was offered by Representative Jose Serrano on January 4, 2013.

In fact, Serrano has offered the same bill since 1997–during the presidencies of Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama. The bills were tabled each time.

Representative Steny Hoyer offered similar bills in the past and current Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell sponsored a similar bill in 1995—during the Clinton administration. Barney Frank and Jerry Nadler also presented anti-22nd Amendment bills in the past.

There was no interest among legislators in pursuing a 22nd Amendment repeal, probably because most people are happy with term limits for the President. The odds of getting 38 states to ratify an amendment would be very, very steep.

Water, water, everywhere and not a drop to drink .................

Watching TV, as usual, and is it just my imagination or is EVERYONE drinking WINE on TV?  Every show, it seems, now has a scene or two where someone is drinking wine, or something.

Did the wine industry get to them, I wonder what they offered. I would not be surprised if the wine industry did not make sure that there are cases of wind delivered to ALL sets where TV shows are being produced. 

I have noticed it more, I think, as since my recent Kidney Stone problem, I have found that my present "system" does not seem to work well with alcohol, so, I have given it up for now.

But, almost every show on TV, at sometime, somewhere, someone is sitting and enjoying a drink. Maybe I just never noticed it before .................now, I am craving a glass of wine .....

Phil should be ashamed ...........

I imagine most of you have seen the Enbrel Commercial featuring Phil Mickelson. It has been on for quite a while, and in prime time, so most of us have seen it. He talks, walks through a crowd, slaps hands with fans, touches fists with a little kid, then, goes shopping for gifts to take home.

This is all good and well, whether the products works or not is another thing.

What concerns me, if you check closely, he is in a gift shop, has already purchased something and has it in a little bag, but then, he picks up a car, a van, silver, I think, and walks out of the store with it in hand, and, I don't think he ever paid for it, just walked right out carrying that van and takes it home to give to his boy. The above photograph shows him after leaving the gift shop, van still in his right hand, not in a bag, and no receipt.

Here is the full commercial, don't share with your kids .... it's just a bad example .... HERE IT IS.

A bad example if there ever was one, just pick something up and walk out of the store with it, and, it wasn't even a Walmart .....................

What's cookin ..............

I have had a number of requests to share some "old"...... basic, recipes that I have collected over the years. Some go back a long way, a few generations, many from the turn of the century. Almost all will be basic, no frills, no "food network" seasoning, just basic, good food, easily prepared.

The first I remember preparing for myself, and occasionally our mailman, who I often waited for with a plate of food .... this was in the late 30's. Food was prepared at 319 South Brown Street in Dayton, Ohio, in our old kitchen, on a gas stove, cold foods stored in our old double door Frigidaire. I think it was similar to the one in the above photograph, the timing is right and it was an electric. Many in our neighborhood at the time were still getting ice delivered.

I remember frying bacon, then cutting up some potatoes and chopping some onion to put on top. I wish I still had that old skillet, a thin iron skillet with a covered handle, about a six inch skillet. I learned to "flip" a skillet at an early age.

I remember our poor old mailman, a very gracious person, would stop on his rounds and sample some of my cooking. He did end up retiring after a long and industrious career, so my cooking did not hamper his career.

I have a small collection of old church cook books, PTA cook books and some old recipes that accompanied some old cooking utensils, plus some old family recipes.

I make make a link page out of this so that they are all retained in one place .... still working on it. Pending surgery will cause some breaks in continuity.

Another one leaves us in 2015

Leonard Nimoy, the actor known and loved by generations of "Star Trek" fans as the pointy-eared, purely logical science officer Mr. Spock, has died.

His wife, Susan Bay Nimoy, first confirmed his death to The New York Times.Nimoy's son, Adam Nimoy, said the actor died Friday of end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at his Los Angeles home. He was 83.

Although Leonard Nimoy followed his 1966-69 "Star Trek" run with a notable career as both an actor and director, in the public's mind he would always be Spock. His half-human, half-Vulcan character was the calm counterpoint to William Shatner's often-emotional Captain Kirk on one of television and film's most revered cult series.

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Reflections while awaiting the loss of my kidney stones ....

Some more random thoughts. Actually with my Kidney Stones and pending surgery, we are sitting more and talking, occasionally bringing back a memory or two.

I was reflecting on Reno a while ago, and some of those who passed through town, and my life.

Ray Slattery came to mind. We worked together at the Nevada Club, worked similar house, so did breaks together, etc., and clocked out at the same time, which often led us to be seated together at the bar on our way out. Slats was a good dealer, a great personality, and good to party with.

I remember one night a bunch of us were off work, sitting around in a bar, and someone suggested it would be fun to go bowling, so we packed up and headed for a bowling alley. I was not a bowler, as were most of the others. We were all pretty bad at it for a gem or two, and then. slats got lucky, suddenly became a bowler, had one in the 290's I think it was. Just lucky, and then, laughingly, mention he was a PBA member, followed the tour a few years. Bowled in a Reno  tournament, liked the town, and stayed.

Slats decided to leave Reno. I was working up at the lake, he got a ride up, a few of us had a nice breakfast, piled in the car, drove to a spot, over the mountains with a lot of road ahead. Slats thanked us, got out of the car, got his luggage, and started thumbing. Never saw or heard of him again, but, that is how many relationships worked in Reno, a very transient town.

Many people entered my life, briefly out there, working in the clubs seemed to be a stepping stone for many of them. One couple, the names escape me, both worked, saved their money, and he entered the University of Nevada, their goal, he was going to become a Veterinarian and they would spend their lives together.

Many, Reno was just a brief "stop" in their lives. A lot of women came to Reno to get  divorce. They would go to work in the clubs. Many got their divorces and moved on, some stayed.

Bob Bartoli, Jimmy Jones, Doc Ledford, Danny Fagan, Joe Frances, Jerry Havens, Jerry Christianson, met and got to know many good people out there. If they spent much time working in the clubs they became a "breed apart." It was a great "community" I lived and worked in, then.

A few, I knew, I never asked, they never told, just became friends, Reno was like that ..... THEN.


A random thought ...............

Just saw an educational ad on TV, brought back a memory.

In 1950, getting ready to graduate high school, I visited a number of colleges around the area, primarily because we could get out of school to do so. I visited a number of different ones, but one that stood out, Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio.

Veterans of WWII were everywhere, using their GI Bill.

I visited one Freshman English Class, held in a gym crammed with desks and tables, being taught by a professor, from his office, and shown on a screen. I talked with some students. They had been in school almost a year, and some Freshman courses they had never met a professor, their only contact was on that screen, and there were some Associate Professors physically in attendance.

Small classes were few and far between in those days.

I ended up going to The Citadel in South Carolina, a military atmosphere, all spit and polish and uniforms, except ...... for Veterans, who enrolled and attended class in civilian clothes. Some of their continued eligibility depended on their GPA, and their grades in individual courses. They were very competitive, their continued education depended upon it.

Overcrowding of colleges was somewhat of a problem after the war ...............

Oh ..... I see now ....

Our good friend, Jim Madison, who was visiting us from his home in Oklahoma, received a text from his wife, this morning ..... it said, "Windows frozen, won't open."

Jim sent a text back, "Gently pour some lukewarm water over it and gently tap the edges with a hammer." Something he had successfully done in the past.

A few minutes later, he received this text reply, "Computer really messed up now."

2/26/15

The previous article about a "Londoner" being Jihadi John, got me to thinking, how could it happen. After giving it some thought, easy. Look at all that is done here in our country, by our "own" people. Finding "people" to perform atrocities should be a piece of cake, and with the internet "recruiting," with access to millions and millions of people, easily done.

Are there any "cukes" in the world, you bet, do they have computers, right on, are they susceptible to ...... following ..... yep. and that is how it is done.

Someone will start an employment agency, Whackos Only. Fee Paid. I am not even going to list who and what they are looking for, we all know.

'Jihadi John' from Islamic State beheading videos unmasked as Londoner

By Michael Holden and Stephen Addison

LONDON (Reuters) - Investigators believe that The "Jihadi John" masked fighter who fronted Islamic State beheading videos is a British man named Mohammed Emwazi, two U.S. government sources said on Thursday.

He was born in Kuwait and comes from a prosperous family in London, where he grew up and graduated with a computer programming degree, according to the Washington Post.

In videos released by Islamic State (IS), the black-clad militant brandishing a knife and speaking with an English accent appears to have decapitated hostages including Americans, Britons and Syrians.

The Washington Post said Emwazi, who used the videos to threaten the West and taunt leaders such as President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron, was believed to have traveled to Syria around 2012 and to have later joined IS.

In each beheading video, he is dressed entirely in black, a balaclava covering all but his eyes and the ridge of his nose. He wears a holster under his left arm.

Hostages gave him the name John as he and other IS Britons had been nicknamed the Beatles. Another was dubbed George.

British government sources and the police refused to confirm or deny the report, citing a live anti-terrorism investigation, a position mirrored by a spokeswoman for Cameron.

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Clinton says she would push for inclusive problem-solving

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Hillary Rodham Clinton said Tuesday that if she decides to seek the White House again she would try to bring Republicans from red states and Democrats in blue states into a "nice, warm, purple space" that would encourage problem-solving.

Clinton, the leading Democratic contender should she run, referred to her likely presidential campaign in hypothetical terms during an interview on stage at a women's conference in Silicon Valley. But she said anyone who mounts a campaign for president in 2016 should make economic growth and restoring rising wages top priorities, along with rebuilding trust and cooperation in the nation.

"I'd like to bring people from right and left, red, blue, get them into a nice, warm, purple space where everybody is talking and where we're actually trying to solve problems. That would be my objective," Clinton said at a paid appearance before the Watermark Silicon Valley Conference for Women.

‘American Sniper’ jury finds ex-Marine guilty of murder

STEPHENVILLE, Texas — Erath County District Court Judge Jason Cashon sentenced Eddie Ray Routh to life in prison without the possibility of parole, then turned the floor over to the families of the two men the defendant had just been found guilty of murdering.

Relatives of “American Sniper” Chris Kyle did not speak, but the brother and father of victim Chad Littlefield wanted to have their say. Each stood to somberly and sternly address Routh.

“You took the lives of two heroes — men who tried to be a friend to you,” said Jerry Richardson, Littlefield's brother. “You became an American disgrace.”

Routh, a former Marine and Iraq war veteran, shot the men several times while at a gun range on Feb. 2, 2013. Kyle, a former Navy SEAL and the deadliest sniper in American military history, often took fellow veterans to the shooting range as a form of therapy. Littlefield, 35, did not serve in the military, but often volunteered his time to help veterans, his family said.

During the two-week trial, the defense team tried to convince the jury that mental illness and post-traumatic stress disorder triggered Routh to turn on Kyle and Littlefield.

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Drones spotted flying over Paris landmarks

Paris (AFP) - At least five drones were spotted flying over central Paris landmarks during the night and police were unable to catch the operators, sources close to the probe said on Tuesday.

The country has been hit by a series of mysterious drone overflights at nuclear plants and more recently over the presidential palace, and the fresh sightings come at a time of heightened security following last month's jihadist attacks that left 17 people dead.

The first drone sighting was near the US embassy in the French capital just after midnight, prompting police to follow the unmanned aircraft which continued on towards the Invalides military museum.

But they soon lost sight of the drone and later in the night, four other pilotless aircraft were spotted at several Paris landmarks including the Eiffel Tower, the Place de la Concorde and the Montparnasse tower, the tallest skyscraper in the French capital.

"It could be a coordinated action but we don't know for now," said one source, who asked not to be identified.

"We did everything to try and catch the operators but they were not found," another source close to the case said.

One police source, who also wished to remain anonymous, said there had never been so many drones spotted over Paris in one night.

In October and November, around 20 of the unidentified aircraft flew over French nuclear plants and their operators were never found.