Mohamed Fayed's $30 Million Memorial to his son Dodi ...

We're now at the Eve of the 10th Anniversary Death of Diana, Princess of Wales. But yesterday's exclusive feature story about Mohamed Fayed's personal memorial to his beloved son Dodi, by The Sun's Duncan Larcombe, brought home to me the utter tragedy of Dodi's and Diana's macarbe death ten years ago tomorrow. As I read, for the first time, about the existence of The Dodi Memorial, I was struck by its picture of their love for one another. I was struck even more by Mohamed Fayed's statement in the article that "They
(Dodi & Diana) were going to declare their engagement on the Monday, after the crash. She was happy and she was pregnant." But if I remember correctly, I thought I had read elsewhere that Diana was NOT pregnant according to the official autopsy of her. If so, then either the autopsy or Dodi's father is wrong. I'm always sceptical of "official" findings, especially coming from a government like New Labour that lives and lies by constant and deliberate spin. If indeed Anglican Diana was pregnant by Muslim Dodi Fayed, then to get rid of them because of that seems something very possible to me. The fear and hysteria among the royals and the government elite of such a possible pregnancy seems all to clear to me. For my part, I doubt very much that what happened in that Paris tunnel of 10 years ago now was anything but a pure accident. It was contrived to kill and kill it did ... The killing of two such beautiful people together was because they were beautiful and hence seen as very dangerous to the pathology and psyche of the British Establishment. To have the Princess of Wales carrying a muslim prince (s) by Dodi Fayed could not be allowed to stand. Even if it meant they must be murdered one way or another. If the Paris "accident" had not worked, I suspect other methods would have been found to have ultimately achieved the goal of killing them ...
The more I read of The Dodi Memorial, the more impressed I was of Mohamed Fayed's fatherly love and loss for his only beloved son. Every day he ensures the pepetual memory of his son by keeping his Dodi Shrine
completely intact and totally private at where everything has been left as it was when Dodi and Diana last left it to go to France. "For me," says Harrods boss Fayed, "this flat is Dodi's tomb. Everything he left here I keep forever. I believe his soul comes to see the people he loved and the places he enjoyed, the best times of his life." Now if that isn't spiritual words of utter devotion of a father for his lost son, then I am at a loss to add anything more meanful ...
What I also learned from Duncan Larcombe's interview with Mohamed Fayed was that Dodi's had been the executive producer of the movie The Chariots of Fire. Well done, Dodi ... I was unaware he was a movie maker, too. He also wooed a British princess and he paid the price of death for it ... and so did Diana, too.

We are now just hours away from the 10th Anniversay of their horrible deaths, yet I am unaware of any public memorial service for the ordinary people to gather to express their collective sorrow and affection for the Peoples Princess. Yes, the Guards Chapel at Wellington Barracks has excluded, of course, the genral public.
Only the elite can enter by invitiation only (minus thankfully Camilla, who has now fled to the Med after her rejection to attend the service by the British people). The service is to be broadcast, but still no place has been officially provided for the ordinary people to gather tomorrow as far as I know ...

It's ''DIRTY FIRE," not ''Friendly Fire" ...

Yet again, the Christian Yankees have bombed to death at least three of our British Army ladz in the name of killing-off the Islamic Taliban of Afganistan. Our American cousins have a long and dirty history of 60 years of being bomb happy as well as trigger happy in their theatre of global warfare. From Hiroshima to Vietnam to Belgrade and now to the towns and villages of Iraq and Afganistan there is no stopping the thirst of their cowboy pilots to bomb with impunity and immunity no matter if friend or foe suffer from their deadly carnage. The Yankees will drop their bombs on anybody or on anything or at anywhere or at anytime or for any reason. So watch out Iran, you're probably next ...

How the term "Friendly Fire" is used is beyond me. It is a complete misnormer. There is nothing "friendly" whatsoever when death results from insane acts like bombing or soldiers killing the innocent either by accident or carelessness or deliberately.
Such to me is "DIRTY FIRE" -- plain and simple. If I kill a friend or a stranger,
can I now claim it all happened because I committed "Friendly Fire" and not murder?

To use the term "Friendly Fire," instead of "Dirty Fire," allows the American culprit (s) to be legally excused from facing a criminal trial and/or being indicted for wanton murder. When you drop a bomb, you commit wanton murder no matter the rationale given by the US military or the supporting governments of such bombings.

"DIRTY FIRE" states what it means. It's dirty to bomb people and homes and communities no matter what pretext is used by the country's bombers. It was dirty
for our ladz to be wiped out by cruel cowboys in the sky. Forget those investigations of how or why it happened to our ladz ... it won't bring them back nor will it change one iota the same thing, sooner or later, happening yet again and again at where ever the Yankees reign with their cluster bombs and megabombs or by whatever type of bombs they use. Bombs have no passports, they hit any border or any country at the US whim and provocation.

The bigger issue is why in heaven's name are we stuck in Afganistan and Iraq in the first place? Why should we be helping the Yanks to fight their wars? They started it all, so let them finish it. We can do without the so-called "special relationship"
with America, if all we do is provide 'live bodies' for them to kill. And to legitimize what is the most illegitimate and immoral military escapade of modern times in attacking weak Iraq under the vile and pigheaded George Bush and his stupid stooge Anthony Blair. "Dirty Fire" needs to be added to the list of war crimes.
A MUST READ: http://www.creators.com/opinion/paul-craig-roberts/more-shame-more-sorrow.html

Now how about something totally opposite to that? So lets look at US troop suicides and discover such is at a 26 year high "with 99 troops killing themselves last year," reports The Telegraph. It stated too that more than a quarter of the troop suicides were of those serving in Iraq or Afganistan. Perhaps more troop suicides
will help prevent more US soldiers from killing more children, more women, and more old men ... US murder and suicide has become as American as Apple Pie.

UPDATE: She's received truckloads of hate mail from those who are opposed to her even setting her little toe near the Diana Memory ... And oh and so, Camilla has now finally decided she's not wanted at this Friday's Memorial Service to mark the 10th Anniversary of the horrible death of Diana, Princess of Wales (1961-1997). Good for us, but not for her to attend anything to do with the late "People's Princess." Of which the British people have with endearment placed Diana "upon the Anglican altar of the dearest and the best."
Bravo, Bravo, Bravo ... So Adios, Camilla ...
Yet another update: Camilla is so angry over Charles' mangling of the Diana Memorial, she's
scurried off to the Med in fury and left him behind to tango with the invited memorial guests
... so reports the Evening Standard.

"The very government you elected, by either fair or foul or fraud, will soon deploy its own riot police and state mechanism against you when you dare protest, for whatever reason, too loudly and too vividly for its own comfort, self-interest, and self-preservation." alex albion.

THE COLD-BLOODED & CALLOUS MURDER OF LITTLE RHYS JONES ...

The cold-blooded and callous murder, in broad day light, of 11 year-old Rhys Jones is symbolic of all that is wrong with England today ... It tells us that as a nation we have lost our way. And we seem to have copied and internalized all that is to be found, day in and day out, in murderous America at where the culture of death is ever present both in the homeland and abroad like at America's Iraq.

Rhys Jones is an innocent boy, yet a classic victim, of the street gang culture that he did not belong to. His death will not prevent further gun horrors on the streets and housing estates of modern Britain because the whole society is rotting to it very foundation. The gun culture is alive and well not only among gang members but also among the British police!! They go around armed to the teeth with their submachine guns and are all dressed-up to kill. It is only a matter of time that every single cop in the United Kingdom will be like their Yankee and Dixie counterparts with their gun holsters and police arms to lay siege to the country. And all the police guns in the world will not stop the savage murders of such little guyz like Rhys Jones in the future. Why?

Because the moral and cohesive fibre has been discarded by many of today's angry and unhappy youthz. They are rudderless and have no clear demarcation lines of what is right and wrong. The British educational system was once the envy of the world ... Today we're almost like the Third World with zombie lessons and zombie results. The schools are also now bastions of conflict and
ignorance among so many yobz, hoodies, and alienated delinquentz. They don't give a damn no matter what ...

To restore a semblance of order, we need to restore the use of the cane at all state and public
or private schools without further delay. To try to legislate so-called "respect" is stupid. Laws don't instil respect, but rather parental and family guidance do more good often than not. Punishment that is immediate and direct -- such as the cane's six-of-the-best -- will do a dose of goodness like nothing else. Don't waste money on crime prevention programs. Spend a few quid on the school cane and use it openly for every punk to feel its true medicine across the rear end!! Bravo, I say!!

Rhys Jones has touched the heartstrings of millions and so he should. His slaughter will only play into the culture of death of those who seek to do all they can to inflict horror for horror sake. It provides a warped satisfaction of power over others as they stand powerless in the society to which they so hate and all that is inimical to their mindless behaviour ...
I'll have more to say about little Rhys. God Bless him and keep him in His everlasting love ...

"Does anybody care that nobody cares?" "No, nobody."... alex albion.

Religion & Homelessness ...

Father Alexander Sherbrooke, Rev'd Jim McCartney, and Sister Innocentia, are among the good religious people in Britain today who work closely with the problem and condition of the homeless on almost a daily basis.
G
Father Alexander and his magnificent volunteers run the Tuesday evening suppers for the homeless at St. Patrick's Church which is situated at London's Soho Square. The Rev'd Jim McCartney is the chief executive of The National Voice of T.H.O.M.A.S. UK. Based at Lancashire's Blackburn, where the organization provides shelter and detox programs for the homeless. While Sister Innocentia is Superior of Blessed Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity at St. George's Road at Elephant & Castle. The charity operates both a male and a female hostel that is heavily housing the Polish and Eastern European homeless in the national capital of England. I personally know Father Alexander and Sister Innocentia and their good works at first hand. I have not had the pleasure thus far in meeting Rev'd Jim ... But I read his informative magazine called "edges" whenever I can found it ...
G
Establishment religion takes a big back seat in England thesedays. The Church of England can blame solely itself for its declining church membership and public indifference toward its
bishops and clergy. The Anglican Church, especially in London, is no longer a white and native church for the English!! Rather the Africanization of the Church of England is clearly evident
on Sunday morning at where African immigrants oftentimes outnumber local white English parishioners by fifty per cent or more. While the white Anglican clergy is still very much intacted at the diocesan and parish levels, the laity and congregation is becoming more and more like Black Africa. As for our Catholic friends, they should note that England is now for the first
since before the Reformation a majority Roman Catholic nation. Such is due to the huge influx
of Poles and other Catholic nationals taking up permanent shop in England as new European Union citizens so entitled to stay ... By the way, Poles last year sent FIVE BILLION BRITISH POUNDS to their native country. No wonder it's now called "The Polish Pound!!" Soon they'll own all of bloody England ... won't they?
G
Let me get back to the bigger issue of religion and homelessness. If it wasn't for religious folkz
like Father Alexander, Rev'd Jim, and Sister Innocentia, I suspect the secular groups focussed on the homeless would have even more of a problem housing those in need of shelter, food,
and clothing ... And while such secular groups are useful and needed, I find a kind of emptiness in what many of them do. Expressions and acts of faith are far more important to me than all the fancy programs of secular remedy to the homeless and needy. After all is said and done, I always see a moral and emotional void in those touched by such non-religious based entities.
G
Take The Big Issue, for example, that is strictly secular to its core. It professes no faith or religiosity of any sort in its weekly publication or fundraising aims. I see it regularly
in the faces, lifestyles, and conversations with a wide assortment of Big Issue staffers and vendors. Many of them them love nobody including themselves because they practice no faith nor believe in divine good ... Too many of them are simply prayerless and godless I'm sorry to say. And so I see their emptiness in their eyes and their body language all too often ... That
doesn't mean to say that many are not good people because many of them are. But they would be even better people if they expressed and acted more by faith than by popular culturalism
and mass taste ...
G
Then there is The Connections at St. Martin's at Trafalger Square. I stayed there for awhile and at that time we all slept on chairs only! No beds or cots were provided to their homeless clients.
While the food was very good, they wouldn't let anybody enter until 10:00pm at night and then yank us out by 7:00am in the morning no matter what ... Worse still, at least to me, was that The Connections gave no outward indication of its Anglican roots and its religious base. Where we slept there was not even a cross of any kind or any religious symbols whatsoever. It seemed almost embarrassed and ashamed to say The Connections is Anglican!! Yes, interfaith too!! But
still Anglican and be proud of the fact and identification with the church ... Look at Father Alexander and Sister Innocentia and they have no qualms declaring openly their Catholic faith to those they serve among the homeless and needy. Why should they? And, so why should The Connections hide its religious identification to those they so admirably serve?
G
For now, I'll say no more about religion and homelessness. But I'll return to the topic whenever I see fit to do so ... Faithfully, Monty. +Vigil of St. Bartholomew The Apostle, 2oo7.
g
While writing here abit about religion, I just noticed in The Daily Telegraph the news story by Caroline Davies of how Princes William and Harry have requested special prayers to mark the 10th Anniversary death of their beloved mother Diana, Princess of Wales. It appears that the
Archbishop of Canterbury -- Rowan Douglas Williams -- himself composed two prayers to be said at Anglican congregations before and at the August 31st anniversary of the princess's death ... At the end of this piece, one of the archbishop's composed prayer is presented from the Telegraph article. Other than that, there is the nasty question of Camillia, Duchess of Cornwall, being present at the memorial service to Diana. Charles insists his duchess wife be present to show "family unity." I think her presence is an out and out insult to the memory of Princess Diana, especially when Camilia is known to have thrown a monkey wrench into the marriage of Charles and Diana ...
g
Camilla also says she doesn't want to be queen when Charles becomes king (if he ever should),
but whether she does or doesn't want to be queen misses the point. I, like the majority of English folkz, don't want the duchess to be queen -- period!! Then there was the Diana Concert a few weeks ago at where William and Harry acted more like court jesters than British princes!!
I was ruffled at the blase attitude they showed and the hideous questions put to them by some goofy DJ who should have had his head chopped off ... Then the fella Elton John, who I cannot stand, was all upset because he was forced to wait at the stadium so that Diana's sons could leave before him -- Elton John is just a plain old and worn out commoner despite his knighthood and his tune to Diana of "Candle Blowing in the Wind." Let's pray he doesn't arrive with Camilla at the Guards Chapel ... Both of them have one thing in common -- they're snotty-nosed commoners no matter their titles enscribed now before their lame names ...
1
And, now for one of the archbishop's prayers in memory of ...
FATHER eternal, unfailing source of peace to all who seek you,
we entrust to your love and protection all whom this anniversary
of the tragic and untimely death of Diana, Princess of Wales
reawakens the pain of grief and loss.
COMFORT all who mourn, that casting all their cares upon you,
they may be filled with your gifts of new life, of courage and of hope;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

... Billy Blythe's Birthday Tomorrow.

Billy Blythe will be age 61 tomorrow. At his birthplace they'll be somekind of birthday bash for
him no doubt ... Small town Hope, Arkansas, is also where his mother Virginia was born. When Billy was born on August 19th, 1946, his father was already dead so the story goes ... His mom was a nursing orderly at the local Hope General Hospital. Right there was where Billy was born. And from day his mom was determined Billy would make a name for himself. And so he did.
V
I first met Billy Blythe in 1988 at his boyhood hometown of Hot Springs at where he graduated from its local High School, I think, in 1964. He later became governor of his birth state after he'd already been to England as a Rhodes Scholar and holding a law degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. In the meantime he'd married Hilary Rodham, whose grandmother I am told was Jewish. Billy Blythe was born a Southern Baptist, but was later to be ''excommunicated'' by the elders of the Southern Baptist Church (SBC) for marital hanky-panky while he held the highest office in the so-called land of milk and honey ...
V
Many of you will not know the name Billy Blythe since at age 16 he legally changed his name to
William Jefferson Clinton. Now you know who Billy Blythe is today ... Last Thursday he was in
London under the title of "An Audience With Bill Clinton." To hear him speak and to shake his hand cost $US700- or 350 quid. If you were alittle poorer you could get a ticket for a mere $US500- or 250 quid to share moments with such a presidential and global celebrity ...
V
Last time I heard Bill Clinton speak far away from London, it cost me not a red cent. So why pay now so much money to see and hear him again? Even after I have heard him speak on the American political stump perhaps a good dozen times over as many years, it seems once he's finished his speech or presenation I cannot remember what he said even after a couple of hours of hearing him ... That's why so little really sticks to Billy Blythe. Though the story today is that you could put him on any street corner in any part of the world and a crowd will gather to see and hear him. No wonder he's now earning millions of dough as the former 42nd and 43rd President of these United States.
V
For me, my personal encounters with those who know or knew Bill Clinton best has instilled in me an interest in all things "Clintonana." Dick Kelley as the step-father to Bill is well remembered by me ... I first personally met Dick in 1999 at the dedication of the William Jefferson Clinton Art Center. A tall and erudite man, and originally from Minnesota and of Presbyterian stock, he was the last of three previous hubbies that Bill's mom Virginia Clinton married. The deep bond between Dick Kelley and Bill Clinton was that of a surrogate father
who dotted on his step-son at every turn. When I saw them together at the ground breaking ceremony of the Clinton Presidential Library, there was no doubt of such a father-son or son-father bond as they publicly hugged each other for all to witness. It was moving for me to see such unconditional human love for each other.
V
So sadly, (Richard) Dick Kelley passed away a few months ago and I am sure Bill was truly hurt by such a personal loss. Dick once invited me inside his home and I was struck by the press photographs and family memorabilia of the Clinton Presidential Era that cover almost every wall -- from top to bottom -- at Dick's home. No wonder he told me once that his step-son had brought him "eight wonderful years" while Bill was in The Oval Office.
V
One of my most abiding memories of Dick Kelley, who I also saw frequently at the monthly "Arts in the Park" at Hot Springs National Park, was spending a full day photographing him and his golf partners at the Glenwood Country Club ... At the club, there was an annual Democratic
Party fund raiser held in memory of Virginia Clinton Kelley as Bill's mother later became known
to everybody. I'll have more to say about William Jefferson Clinton at a later day ...
V
Subject - Viva Monte
Reply-To ... josecorpus@hispaniconline.com
hola monte when i saw you at the world homeless games in denmark you showed how kind you are you took fotos of my team they liked it much you speak spanish mucho my team would like you to come to barcelona jose domingo 12 - 08 - 07
V
I have gotten about 5 replies about what the front cover of The Big Issue does NOT have that
almost all other magazines have on their front cover. Nobody as yet as come up with the correct
answer ... If you think you know the answer, please e-mail me at thebiggerissue@k.st
V
Hello Monty,I got your card, which is the envy of the LSE Library. Nobody here has ever been to the Faroe Islands, or knows anyone who has visited, so everyone wants to look at the picture and then read about them on the internet. I hope that you had a wonderful time and that the weather, scenery, wildlife and the people were all fascinating. I think that I would wantto experience some stormy weather in a place like that, to see nature in all her power. That would be fantastic to witness strong winds, thunder,lightening and a boiling sea. Well, I hope London isn't too dreary for you now that you are back. I don't know if I shall see you this Saturday, because my dance teacher is away for the Bank Holiday. But I thought I'd drop you a line to see if you were home yet and to find out how the trip went. All the best,Beverly

Havnar Kirkja of the Faroes.

Havnar Kirkja Dom Kirkan eystara prestagjald of the Faroes is the Cathedral of Torshavn. It was there that I first attended the Evangelical Lutheran Sunday service of Faroese hymns and prayers ... the choir was a sheer delight to me even though I could not understand a word of Faroese. Yet the hymns seemed so oddly Anglican and I could almost hum the hymn tunes, if not to sing the actual words with the choir itself of which I was only just feet away from them so assembled at the upper balcony of the cathedral. While the church dates back to 1788, it has only become a cathedral in its own right of rather recent times ... However, the Faroese church was an ecclesiastic diocese from the year 1000 until around the rise of the Reformation. Such was then transferred to the Church of Norway and later to the Danish diocese of Copenhagen. Some 45 years ago, the then rural dean of the Faroe Islands and the parson of the Church of Torshavn was elected Lutheran Vicebishop. I surmise that the rank of Vicebishop -- and a church term that I have never seen used before -- really means a Suffragan Bishop. Such is an assistant bishop in the Anglican Church that aids the Diocesan Bishop within the full diocese. So I would think a Vicebishop is much the same in the Lutheran tradition ... Lutheranism and Anglicanism aren't that much apart in liturgy and in the upholding of protestant and sacramental rites.

Today, the Havnar Kirkja is very much alive and well. About 300 worshippers arrived and sat
in rows of cream painted pews that had small gates that opened and closed as parishioners took their pews ... At one time, Sunday fees were paid for the use of the pews by church members.
I guess such prevented the poorest from showing their riff-raff faces to the richest at the church. So much then for true Christianity and gospel love!! I did notice that no collection took place at the Cathedral service, which is atypical of Churches in America and England that always seem to have collection plates very handy to gather whatever money is available from their captured congregation ... As for the Lutheran pastor, when he arrived at the pulpit to given his Faroese sermon, the senior church warden opened the gate to the pulpit and closed it behind the pastor as he climbed the steps ... at the end of his sermon, the warden did the same. Much of the service was seated with only the congregation standing briefly for prayers. They sat very comfy
in their pews while the choir stood up and did much of the hymn singing next to the organist
with his back to them ...

After the service, the pastor warmly greeted me and introduced his wife and a grandchild of his to me. Yet just the week before at Copenhagen's St. Alban Anglican Church the rector there -- Rev'd Mark Oakley -- showed no such affection or courtesy to such church "outsiders" as me and other Anglican visitors to the Diocese of Europe ...

What I liked about the Evangelical Lutheran service was its honesty and simplicity of purpose
and with no artifice of spirit or Christian love ... It would perhaps be best described as "Low Church" as opposed to "High Church" with all its ritualistic fanfare and ceremony ...
Best of all, I shall fondly remember my visit to the Torshavn Cathedral of the Faroe Islands not as a visitor per se, but rather as an Anglican openly welcomed to share their Sunday service without any question from anybody from laity to clergy ...

On the darker side of Torshavn, which is considered one of the world's smallest capitals of around only 48.500 folkz, a stroll along the alleys and shortcuts of the tiny city revealed graffiti
here and there of the kind one would expect to find in large urban capitals like Rome, Beijing, and London. In Torshavn, the Faroese graffiti was not artistic or pictorial. Rather I found such to express a desperation and anger in ''F*** PRIVATBILISME!,'' followed by in English ''GOD IS GAY.'' Elsewhere on the walls, ''QUEERPOWER,'' ''F*** ALL THE POLICE,'' along with one final stab at the local establishment that declared it suffered from ''HOMOFOBIA." Whoever did the
graffiti spelled ''homophobia'' in his own special way ... I figure, too, he has tried to create more havoc in half an hour than a whole platoon of pathetic punks would try to do in a whole year of graffiti's mayhem. Much of the graffiti was near the Barna oj Ungdomshusid on Margarinfabrikkin or the local youth club with pinball machines that looked more like something out of the 1950's to me ... Many of the local youth get out of the Faroes and go to Copenhagen, Berlin, Malmo, Oslo, and, of course, to London, to find work or to study for a college degree or to simply get away from the ''smallness'' of attitude and outlook of many of the grown-ups on the islands.

On the dark question of tourists getting ripped-off by taking Auto Taxi 3-1-1-2-3-4, which is based at North Finsensgota St., in Torshavan, be very CAREFUL and WARNED they'll take you to the cleaners by charging 500 Faroese or Danish Kroners or 70 Euro or 50 quid for a ride from the airport to your hotel or youth hostel in the capital. Our taxi driver called ''Jacky'' of Auto Taxi tried at first to get 90 Euro out of us!! He wasn't satisfied when offered 45 Euro for our 30- minute ride, but finally he settled for 70 Euro that was broad day robbery. Sadly he and Auto
Taxi always got away with it ... Take the local bus instead and it'll cost you a mere 90 Kroner or 9 quid or take the airport shuttle at 150 Kroner or 15 quid. Avoid using the local taxis if you don't want to get ripped off by such jackasses as ''Jacky'' who is a master of tourist trickery ...

On the good side, crime is of little or no concern or fear to those who visit The Faroe Islands ...
Unlike my visit to South Africa's Johannesburg at last Advent, where I was robbed openly in front of crowds looking on. o such case exists for the Faroese -- period. Jo'burg is nothing more than a lawless and dangerous place for locals and especially so for white foreign visitors like me
who clearly found the place hostile and violent and thus it lived-up to its legend as South Africa's New York ... Yet, the real New York City itself is far safer now than vile Johannesburg ... the crime figures from both cities bare out that Jo'burg is a place to boycott on any visit to an otherwise lovely South Africa ... Capetown is just the place to visit, but again do be careful of street thugz and criminal predators there, too ... Cheers, Monty ... +Edvard Grieg, 2oo7.

While still in the Faroe Island ...

``Monty, I am writing regarding your blog, which you have been handing out printed copies of on your pitch. Whilst I respect your right to express your views on your blog, please remember that you have signed a Code of Conduct which states that vendors are not allowed to do anything to bring the Big Issue into disrepute. Please be aware that whilst you are wearing a Big Issue badge you are representing the Big Issue and cannot be handing out material that is offensive about The Big Issue or Big Issue staff. If you do hand out any such material you will be in breach of the Code of Conduct. Regards Paul (Joseph)
Outreach & Distribution Manager (London), The Big Issue, 1-5 Wandsworth Road
London SW8 2LN 020 7526 3487 07931 536128. ´´(His e-mail is dated Aug. 3rd, 2oo7. Received Aug. 10th, 2oo7, by me at Torshavn, the capital of the Faroes Islands, and thus
I now respond herein to Paul's warning directed at me ...)

Here is my open response:
``I received the above e-mail from Paul while here with Contessa Maria at The Faroe Islands ...
I gave Paul a copy of my open newsletter when he visited me at my pitch with Steven Robertson of The Big Issue Foundation. This occurred a few days before I left to attend the 5th World Homeless Cup of 48 nations at Copenhagen. I then left there with Maria to take a short break here at the Faroes ... The point is that I did NOT give out my newsletter inside copies of the The Big Issue nor did I give it to the general public, but I strictly handed it to friends of mine ... and to folkz I know like Paul Joseph ... Indeed, my right to express my opinion about anybody or anything applies to me and The Big Issue ... Listen to what The Big Issue co-founder John Bird says and read what he writes ... John is like me, he says what he thinks and that's how it should be.

``The right of The Big Issue to not publish my letter regarding John Duffy's comments about "mugging old ladies," gives me the right to find another public forum to express my personal views ... And there's nothing better than using my own blog to say what I think ... Freedom of speech is not the exclusive right of any one party, but rather is inclusive for all of us of which such happens to also include me and you ... I cannot criticise Big Issue's John Duffy while I wear a Big Issue vendor badge, but John can criticise me to all his heart's content while he works for
The Big Issue ... Funny, I think!! "What is good for the goose is good for the gander," isn't it?

``Paul has failed to recognise what I have stated, but rather has focussed his attention on my
method of communication and not the message I have detailed for all to read ... there is not a single word of criticism of John Duffy's outrageous comments about "mugging old ladies" nor any compliment for my open stand against what he stated ...

``Let me assure Paul Joseph, who I happen to like, that I will distribute my next newsletter -- Vol.1 No. 2 -- to whoever I wish or to anybody who may ask me -- like Sam did, a BI distributor, when she came before and visited my pitch to obtain the same copy I later gave to Paul -- Vol. 1 No. 1 -- but her real intention, I suspect, was to see if she could catch me distributing my newsletter inside The Big Issue copies I was selling ... She didn't, of course!! I gave her a copy she so requested from my wheelie bag ... even then, Sam also officiously warned me that I could not distribute my newsletter by inserting my newsletters inside such copies ... which I was already well aware of and have'nt nor do I intend to do such either then, or now, or in the future ... My written and printed thoughts have broad wings that will find plenty of opportunity to be distributed and shared no matter what ...

``I understand what Paul has stated and that he speaks for The Big Issue management as a whole and I am glad and pleased about what I have stated and have no shame for what I have done to raise my anger at being unrighteously painted as possibly being someone among others who goes around "mugging old ladies ..." No way!! It's also interesting to note that John Duffy, as far as I know, has made no apology nor retraction for his terrible statement ... about the homeless ...

I think he should, but then again I'm only a lowly vendor of no importance to The Big Issue and who cannot dare to compete against the 'almighty' Mr. Duffy's and his pronouncements no matter how outrageous and offensive they are ... to all homeless folkz ... no matter where or who they are ...
``One last comment for now: Always remember "I say what I believe, NOT what I am told to believe."´´
And of passing note: I also took The Big Issue inside North Korea's Pyongyang and got no thankz for that. I took The Big Issue inside the Nazi concentration camp of Auschwitz; to South Africa's
hometown of Archbishop-Emeritus Desmond Toto while in Cape Town; even inside The Holy See or The Vatican I took The Big Issue yet again!!; and not to mention to the Medina of Morocco, to the 5th World Homeless Cup of 48 nations, to China's Beijing (at where John Bird lost his passport while visiting there); and now to The Faroe Islands ... Such visits have been paid for so generously and so lovingly from Maria to me. Bravo, my dear Contessa and thank you so kindly for your magnifience towards this old soul almost 64 years old. While The Big Issue, for its part, has not given to me one word of interest or thankz for taking its homeless publication to almost the four corners of the world and have photographed those displaying it for all to see. Yet, even Lisa Woodman, BI Publisher, wanted first to know first if I wanted to be paid for use of my images from North Korea showing the magazine cover being displayed by one of my bodyguards ... Woooooooooooooow, what's wrong with those folkz? And the exclusive photographs I took of Beyonce hereself holding up The Big Issue with his own mugshot on the same week's cover got nowhere with The Big Issue after I asked ex-amount of money for their right to use my imaginative images ...

All I got was dead silence and no offer even to buy the images of Beyonce ... As a retired news
pohotographer I don't intend on selling my photographic skills and my exclusive photos for peanuts to anybody. Prior to my news experience, I was a forensic photographer that photographed vile scenes of murdered bodies and unbelieveable crime scenes of utter violence and sub-human behaviour ... I hold, by the way, an undergraduate degree -- a B.A -- in sociology and criminology and did two years of Gradute School in political science and divinity ...

But so far all have I gotten from anybody at The Big Issue ... is condemnation from Paul Joseph, John Duffy, Sam, et al, and its other management figures who seem to think they know what's best no matter when in fact they oftentimes do not ... in my opinion ... they don't see talent, they see only criticism!!

I can and will stand firmly without fear or favour even as a two-penny vendor that they seem to think I am ... maybe!! Just maybe ... After losing my uninsured house and everything by a catastrophic fire, I was left pretty much homeless ... such has been a learning experience that I hold no self-pity about. Life is to live to its fullest no matter what befalls you ...
Remember: "Be Thou Not Dismayed ..." My personal faith has always sustained me no matter
what comes next down the road ... we are all here only for a very short time and so don't worry
if others want to condemn you or deny you what you are ... Truly, Monty. +Sunshine Day, 2oo7.

A Glorious Day at Kirkjubøholmur ...

Saint Magnus Cathedral began in the 13th century and stands in ruin on the islet of Kirkjubøholmur in the Faroe Island ... What a sight and site to behold on such a glorious day of these Faroese summer afternoons ... Its medieval history is so stunning to me! And to also visit the Roykstovan as part of Bishop's Palace covered with a traditional turf roof just made my day. Inside, I stood in awe of the 700 year-old splitlog edifice with its carved wooden doors of rams and early religious symbols to embellish the interior that is still used today as a Kirkjubøur residence that is now called the King's yeoman house. The then Diocese of the Faroe Islands was abolished at the rise of the Reformation and the cathedral was left to ruin. But thankfully, resortation of the holy site is now underway and I was pleased to see the beginning results of preserving the Faroes historic centre of great ecclesiastical and cultural significance ... Bravo!! Faithfully, Monty.

Contessa & I at the Capital of the Faroes ...

So here I am with Contessa Maria at Torshavn, the capital of the volcanic mass of The Faroe Islands. There's a biting cold with sheer brutal winds, even though it's summertime in early August ... Everything is truly expensive here with the taxi driver charging €70.00 or over £40.00 for the ride from the airport to the capital of around 48.000 folkz. Tourist accommodation is also a big rip-off at £55.00 per night even to stay a some lowly youth hostel. A regular hotel like Hotel Hafnia
or Hotel Foroyar demand over £150.00 per night ... Will get back with you shortly
on more about The Faroe Islands ...
=============================================

I attended the 5th World Homeless Cup Press Conference at 9:00am this morning ...

This morning I attended the 5th World Homeless Cup News Conference along with the finalists out of 48 countries to have competed here in 100 matches ... Scotland and Poland are now set to play later this afternoon -- in the presence of HRH The Crown Prince of Denmark -- to determine who wins the World Homeless Cup, which was designed by Art Partners of Scotland's Big Issue.

As far as I know, I am the only person as a vendor connected with The Big Issue right here in Copenhagen. I wasn't asked by The Big Issue to represent them anyway as I came here first as an accredited news photographer for NEWS SCOPE.

Whatever, I have spend time with our English team and its first class coach Louie Garvin, who I first met last year at the Manchester playoffs. He instantly remembered me and we had a great encounter once again ... Of course, I photographed the players and Louie, for sure. I have now taken around 250 photos of the various matches, players, and coaching staff from around the world ... Also I have taken the scenes of local homeless folkz and recorded such for my ever growing ''Faces of Homelessness'' from yet another capital of the world ... Copenhagen seems to have alot of homeless from what I have seen on the Danish streets. Alcohol seems to be the biggest social and emotional problem for those who are down and out due to such addiction and
lifestyle ...

I must run now to cover the arrival of the Crown Prince and the all-important
match between Scotland and Poland. One of them will carry the Cup home and I hope
lads from Bonnie Scotland pull it off ... I have their photographs already!! Bravo from København ... as they say here in Copenhagen ... I'll also be posting some of my photos
of 5th World Homeless Cup at a later date to share with you all ...

Thanks, too, to Eric ''The Bushman'' of Australia, dear Jill Ferguson of Covent Garden, Soleh Zizzih of Iran, Marge Bridges of Oregon, Davy O'Kieth of Ireland, Rev´d Jamie Madison of
Rome, Christy Paulson of Alberta, and quite a few others for their supportive messages as I'm getting to travel further afield from here onto The Faroe Islands within the next few days ...
Cheers to everybody ...

UPDATE: Bonnie Scotland beat Poland by 9 to 2. From the word go the homeless lads from
Scotland were sure footed and skilled and very hungry to win. While the Poles seemed from
almost the word go to lose their will to win once the bonnie lads of Scotland just began to ''kick ass'' on the pitch ... The closing ceremony of the 5th World Homeless Cup was pretty giddy
and a sight to behold as Crown Prince Christian was cheered as he arrived to watch the final
match ... Mel Young, the founder of the World Homess Cup, told me that His Royal Highness was eager to be supportive of such and was attentive to what Mel discussed with him about the issues of homelessness ... Certainly, the presence of the prince helped elevate this year's world street football event of 48 countries of the homeless competeing at Copenhagen, 2oo7.

I thought the feature story in the English-language ''The København Post'' was well worth reading with its frontpage caption 'Homeless, but not goalless.' The feature by Robert Cellini raised some important questions about what happens to those -- like the bonnie lads from Scoltand -- after the cheering has stopped and they're back on the streets and still homeless after all the glory and magic of winning the World Homeless Cup? I fear and suspect that many go back to nothing and that their lives are still made dark and hopeless by the street and hostel environment of homelessness. As Robert Cellini also noted very aptly that being homeless isn't the same for all homeless people. In other words, at where one is homeless may well be more severe than at some where else. For example, being homeless in Russia is far different to those in America. Some countries are more ''humane'' toward the homeless while others are not ...
I wish I could have interviewed all the homeless guyz and girlz from all the 48 countries to
gather an in-depth picture of global homelessness and to compare their experiences with those from other nations ... Such would be a monumental task to undertake, of course, but one that is worthy of doing, I think ...

A welcome e-mail from the Aussie Bushman ...
Hi Monty, Hows the weather in Copenhagen? As hot as southern Europe? Finally the weather hit double figures in the UK. Hope all is well and that you are having a good time at the world cup. I wont see you for a few weeks so as they say in Oz - keep on punchin. Catchya, Earl (Bush man)

... More Anglican Than me?
Arriving at St. Alban's Church for the 10:30am Anglican service of Holy Eucharist, I was struck by the pastoral and evergreen open setting with ducks, singing birds, and flowing water surrounding the parish at Copenhagen's Churchill Parken. The British chaplain, Rev'd Mark Oakley, 57, wasn't exactly friendly to the ''outsiders'' visiting for the first time. He didn't even ask what my name was, nor where I was from, nor what I was doing in Denmark's capital. He seemed impersonal and didn't give a damn from what I could see of him despite his pulpit sermon of grins and smiles to the congregation of about 175 parishioners. Perhaps over half were summer visitors and not regulars at the church. Under the episcopal authority of the Diocese of Gibraltar in Europe, St. Alban's also presented the Baptism of Babies that found a couple of babies screaming for all they were worth as they were Baptized into the faith on what was The Feast of the Transfiguration that is marked on August 6th each year or at the nearest Sunday to that date ...

On the pew I sat on, the Rev'd Helen Monroe sat closest to me.
She had the airs of a lady bishop from her holy-than-thou attitude and her stiff mannerism of
upper class poshness. Yes, she even refused to be photographed although Rev'd Mark Oakley
did grant that to me at the nave. Rev'd Helen didn't officiate at the service as she pruned herself in her full clerical attire. I suspect she really wants to posture as another Duchess of Cornwall!!

With refreshments after the service held outside at the garden of the St. Alban's, nobody seemed to want to speak to any of us ''outsiders.'' We were politiely ignored to say the least. Our treatment was unbecoming of the local clergy and laity, who spoke barely a word as the cheap tea and cake was served by ourselves ... I got the feeling that they thought they were more Anglican than me!! How dare they think or act in such a cold manner!!

So with the next Lambeth Conference set for 2oo8, I hope His Grace, Archbishop of Canterbury,
The Most Rev'd & Rt. Hon. Dr. Rowan Douglas Williams, will discuss the issue of how his clergy
assigned abroad treat such visiting Anglicans like those at Copenhagen. We come to church to worship, of course, but we also come to find Anglican fellowship among us. That, Your Grace,
I did not witness at St. Alban's. The Rev'd Mark Oakley and Rev'd Helen Monroe need to be more humble and perhaps even more truly Anglican in how they present themselves to us ...
Peace by with you all, Monty.

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