Heard in The Mess
Jim Beveridge's daughter in Holland sent this report to her Mum and Dad:

This is the funny/sad article I was telling Mum about - Holland's peaceful New Year - depends on your definition of peaceful I think!

2006 ends in good spirits despite violence, arrests

2 January 2007

AMSTERDAM - Despite several serious incidents, the Netherlands celebrated New Year's Eve in a relatively peaceful fashion on Sunday night.

A 36-year-old Barendrecht man died shortly after midnight in Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht when 'fireworks' exploded in his face.

Police suspect that the device was a mortar shell. Witnesses to the accident were offered victim assistance support.

Fireworks were the cause of a blaze in a home on the Merellaan in Maassluis in which a 90-year-old woman was killed.

The victim died from asphyxiation, while her 91-year-old husband was treated for smoke inhalation.

Police arrested one man on charges he started the blaze.

In Limburg, a 38-year-old man was seriously injured when 21 kg of fireworks exploded in his face. The man tried to light the fireworks with a cigarette.

After several operations, however, the man was reported to be out of a life threatening condition.

In Vaesrade in southern Limburg, a man was seriously hurt when a fireworks rocket exploded in his face. He suffered broken bones and burns injuries.

A 26-year-old resident of Nunspeet who initially thought he had been injured by fireworks later appeared to have been injured by a bullet. Police have no idea where the bullet was fired from.

Despite the fact that police reported a fairly peaceful New Year's night, a relatively large amount of violence was directed at emergency services personnel.

Police used dogs in Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht to quell drunken youths after a window of a fire truck was smashed earlier in the night.

In Dordrecht, youths pelted loose objects at fire brigade officers. Personnel were also hindered during fire fighting operations elsewhere in the city and police called in to end the disturbance.

Riot police cleared the Oranjeplein in Puttershoek after youths threw stones and fireworks at officers.

Some 70 riot police officers clashed with 70 youths in Nieuwerkerk aan den Ijssel. Revellers also threw
stones and fireworks at police and fire brigade officers in Voorschoten and in Leiden.

In Rijnwoude, the facade of a police station was destroyed. An official with the Hollands Midden police corps also said in some cases, ambulance staff could only operate with police protection.

Two large fires broke out on Sunday night, one in Zoutkamp in Groningen and the other in the Leeuwarden city centre. In the latter blaze, several premises were engulfed in flames, leading to millions of euros in damage.

Some 1,500 people at a nightclub in Raalte in Overijssel escaped unharmed after a fire broke out.

And in many regions around the country, a greater amount of vandalism than normal was reported.

A large amount of vandalism was particularly reported in Noord-Holland and the south of Zuid­Holland. Bus shelters and street signs were popular 'targets'.

But despite the long list of incidents, most police officials said it was a relatively peaceful end to the year.

That same message also came from The Hague, where 50 cars were torched and 150 people arrested.

No extreme problems were reported in Drenthe, Flevoland, Noord-Brabant or Zeeland. In Limburg, it was "relaxed and friendly", a police officer said.
Gardening Rule:
When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant.

Commenting on a complaint from a Mr Arthur Purdey about a large gas bill, a spokesman for North West Gas said, "We agree it was rather high for the time of year. It's possible Mr Purdey has been charged for the gas used up during the explosion that destroyed his house."
-The Daily Telegraph

Police reveal that a woman arrested for shoplifting had a whole salami in her knickers. When asked why, she said it was because she was missing her Italian boyfriend.
-The Manchester Evening News

Irish police are being handicapped in a search for a stolen van, because they cannot issue a description. Its a Special Branch vehicle and they don't want the public to know what it looks like.
-The Guardian

A young girl who was blown out to sea on a set of inflatable teeth, was rescued by a man on an inflatable lobster. A coastguard spokesman commented, "This sort of thing is all too common."
-The Times

At the height of the gale, the harbour master radioed a coastguard on the spot and asked him to estimate the wind speed. He replied he was sorry, but he didn't have a gauge. However, if it was any help, the wind had just blown his Land Rover off the cliff.
-Aberdeen Evening Express

Mrs Irene Graham of Thorpe Avenue, Boscombe, delighted the audience with her reminiscence of the German prisoner of war who was sent each week to do her garden. He was repatriated at the end of 1945, she recalled "He'd always seemed a nice friendly chap, but when the crocuses came up in the middle of our lawn in February 1946, they spelt out "Heil Hitler."
-Bournemouth Evening Echo
Hello 
Just a quick note of introduction, I think we have met in passing at Red Arrows BBQ and Beetle Drive meeting in April/May
 
Last night I did manage to get round to viewing the Branch web pages that Gordon (Chairman) had said was up and running, some weeks ago. It's great and easy reference, well done and very impressed. I'm now sending intro's to my old Akrotiri friends to have a look. many who spend holiday's there without making contact
 
I've recently transferred my Membership to Aphrodite (because I have more contact there than my local Yaxley Branch where we live) and will be out for the September gathering's, with a New Member I've just sent App's to Derrick Knapp
 
I write in interest of what sort of input you might consider of interest. I've recently put together Slideshow's of the Red Arrows (April) and Gurkha Curium Concert (May) and am just uploading them to the web, hoping you have Broadband, you might like to have a look at. While very much 'novice' quality. I have pondered whether a Disk
would 'pass' and make contribution to Branch Wings Appeal efforts. I would appreciate your thoughts and please do not hesitate in being critical and opinion
 
In  Windows Media Player format .mpg, I've run out of webspace and had to crib on our Probus site which I maintain as Secretary, so can only make one offering at this time:-

Click on This www.pboroprobus02.org.uk/BEK/2005RedArrows.mpg

 
On a personal side, you might like to look at:-Click on This  www.btinternet.com/~bekonweb/RAFACBA/
Looking forward to your thoughts
Best Wishes
Brian E King

Management Lesson

A crow was sitting on a tree, doing nothing all day. A smal1 rabbit saw the crow, and asked him, "Can I also sit like you and do nothing all day long?" The crow answered: "Sure, why not" So, the rabbit sat on the ground below the crow, and rested.

All of a sudden, a fox appeared, jumped on the rabbit and ate it.

A bank is a place that will lend you money if you can prove you don't need it.
Bob Hope

The Cumbrian Police set up a radar trap on a road in the Border Region between England & Scotland.

Whilst operating their hand held radar gun the Police saw a speed reading in excess of 300 MPH and the radar gun immediately ceased to function. A letter of complaint was sent by the Chief Constable to the Air Ministry who passed it back the R.A.F. Liaison Officer to investigate and reply.

The reply went thus;

At the time and date in question a two aircraft flight of Tornadoes was on a Iow level training sortie when the onboard auto-defence system on the lead aircraft detected a "hostile" radar which it countered at the same time arming an "air-to-surface" missile. A quick reaction by the Pilot managed to cancel the auto-defence reaction.

The police have not yet replied.