Gold, gold - money, money....

A couple of things seen over the last few days made the old subject rear it's nasty head!
Here in France, and in Germany, there has been a spate of TV publicity concerning a Company which will "give you the best deal" in buying your Old Gold, as they say -
"Been given a present - a Gold necklace that you just can't stand....? Send it to us, we'll give you the best price you'll ever get....!"
And people do - in their thousands.
Personally, I have never sold a present ever, although often tempted with too many ties, socks, hankies and so on gathering dust....I most certainly would never think of selling something expensive, like jewellery, unless......maybe...! But only because I don't have a garage....and parking on the street may be a problem....
I once did get rid of a piece, given to me as a present, but I gave it back to the person concerned on the basis of "falsehoods"...!
I didn't sell it.
I didn't use it to make the fortune of these modern day Shylocks.
If someone takes the trouble and the time to select someting valuable as a gift for you, the least you can do is to value it, not have it valued! Even if you don't like it, the sentiments behind the gift seem to me to be of more value than the actual gift.
On one of these spots, a stupid old woman tells us that "by selling all my jewels, which I never wore any more,  We (she and her husband) were able to go on a wonderful cruise."
Frankly - shame the ship didn't sink! After all - if she wanted a ship cruise, why didn't she say so, instead of just hoarding up old jewellery which she never "wore any more"?
Of course, the "best offer" - isn't!
They make money, and it seems enough of it to pay for TV adverts as well as giving themselves rewarding salaries, often through the miseries of others...!
And....more gold news....
It seems that German town and cities (some at least) have hit the headlines for something which has been going on for years and years.
Krematoriums, owned in Germany always by the local or Regional authorities, have taken some of their employees to court - on theft charges.
Not theft from individuals, no - theft from the Krematorium Organisations.
Seems they have a law that states "when a corpse is delivered for disposal, the effects and property included becomes automatically the property of the Krematorium".....
Well - after incineration, these employees were taking the gold content (from teeth etc) out of the ashes in the urns............and selling it!
I wonder to whom..?
I know the problems in Germany having had to go through the procedure, at the sad time of my own wife's death, and I know that you are not allowed to keep the urn, as elsewhere. It must be disposed of in the local cemetry!        This means that it is almost a guaranteed fact that all Uncle Joe's or Auntie Flo's golden teeth, rings etc., have gone either to the coffers of the Krematorium or it's employees! Neither of them see this as abnormal or as theft!    
I know also that it doesn't stop there - in Germany you are not allowed to witness the Incineration. That coffin which cost 2 or 3 thousand Euros is - burnt.....? Don't beleive in fairy tales do you....? It's back in the showrooms next day - on offer again....!
I know that there are certain practices linked to the undertaking profession which are despicable, so why don't the Authorities do something....?
Well - because they are in it up to the neck!
I really should have put this article onto my blogspot "L'hermitage" but now and then it's important to show the real nature of humans elsewhere, as well...!

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iwmpop(mr le marquis)         -           Vauvert, France.         -    Octobre 2010