Is Paris Burning?

Yes. Yes, it is. :(

Roof collapses at Paris' Notre Dame Cathedral as massive fire rages



Devastating. I had the great joy of visiting Notre Dame many years ago, even witnessing a marriage in the cathedral during a visit with my mother. Watching the destruction of this astounding historical and architectural treasure is just heartbreaking.

:sadpace:

Heart breaking.

Just horrible. No words

No. Just no. :sniff:

Is it wrong that one of my first thoughts was that at least I got to see it before it burned down?

Probably no worse than me thinking there's no need for me to see Paris now.

Holy smoke!

[SIZE="3"][/SIZE][SIZE="4"]Quasimodo[/SIZE]?!?!

Safely out.

Griff;1030444 wrote:

Probably no worse than me thinking there's no need for me to see Paris now.

The tour will be quicker now.

Some rich Europeans have pledged to pony up big Euros, I've heard of donations of 1, 10, 50, 100, and 200 million Euros before the fire was out.

Between 1100 and 1250 AD the Catholic church built 1472 Gothic churches in the Paris Basin alone, at a cost of 21.5% of the regions GDP, or roughly $22 Billion 2011 US dollars. Notre Dame was started during that period but not finished until 100 years after it.
The Washington Examiner suggests the US should pay 17.83% of the rebuild costs. Bet the Vatican is happy they don't own it.

ABC news said the other evening that $700,000,000+ has been raised already.

xoxoxoBruce;1030574 wrote:

The Washington Examiner suggests the US should pay 17.83% of the rebuild costs.

Should? Why?

I disagree.

So does everyone else with more than half a brain.

I mean .... a donation would probably be welcomed and in order, but ... that's a very thin justification for such a vast sum of money.

One would almost think the French had acted purely out of a sense of common good in entering the revolutionary war - as opposed to acting primarily out of a desire for vengeance against Britain- or are we to believe the House of Bourbon had a some great regard for right of representation and freedom for colonies?

Contribute because Notre Dame is one of the world's great treasures and because the US was born of old Europe and still holds some kinship to that - but almost a fifth of the rebuild costs? c'mon.

Somebody set up a Go Fund Me page.

DanaC;1030687 wrote:

I mean .... a donation would probably be welcomed and in order, but ... that's a very thin justification for such a vast sum of money.

. Yeah, a great reason to donate other peoples money. :haha:

One would almost think the French had acted purely out of a sense of common good in entering the revolutionary war - as opposed to acting primarily out of a desire for vengeance against Britain- or are we to believe the House of Bourbon had a some great regard for right of representation and freedom for colonies?

High school American history class they said it was 85% to tie up some of England's forces, especially the Navy, and 15% the enemy of my enemy. That may have just been my teacher's take on it though.

Contribute because Notre Dame is one of the world's great treasures and because the US was born of old Europe and still holds some kinship to that - but almost a fifth of the rebuild costs? c'mon.

Being neither French nor Catholic, and knowing it will get done, I feel my charity should be directed at causes not receiving world wide publicity.

How about a little good news?
Nicolas Géant, the keeper of the three hives of Buckfast Bees on the roof of Notre Dame, along with 200 more on city rooftops, found out from drone pictures the hives survived intact.
But what about the bees?
He hasn't been allowed back on the roof yet but someone who is got a picture of at least some bees. There is hope for more. :thumb2: