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Steve Horn & Allen Ruff*December 16, 2011, should have been, at minimum, a fairly bright day for the people of Kazakhstan marking the country's Independence Day and 20th birthday.
But rather than being a moment of celebration, it became a day of brutal repression and death, a bloody scene in the regional center of Zhanaozen paralleling those that occurred at the hands of US-supported dictatorial regimes during the uprisings now commonly referred to as the Arab Spring.
Kazakhstan's state media reported police shot and killed ten workers, wounding more than 80 strikers.
Independent journalist Mark Ames translated an account of a Russian reporter who estimated approximately 70 dead, with 500 to 800 wounded. Scores more were jailed, likely the victims of beatings and torture.
Following the shootings and arrests, Zhanaozen, home to the state-owned oil company, KazMunaiGas (KMG), was placed under a state of emergency. Authorities cut off Internet and communications access nationwide and the city was inundated with additional thousands of police. KMG has ongoing business ownership partnerships with the US-based multinational energy giants Chevron and ExxonMobil, which hold significant concessions in the country.
Following the shootings and arrests, Zhanaozen, home to the state-owned oil company, KazMunaiGas (KMG), was placed under a state of emergency. Authorities cut off Internet and communications access nationwide and the city was inundated with additional thousands of police. KMG has ongoing business ownership partnerships with the US-based multinational energy giants Chevron and ExxonMobil, which hold significant concessions in the country.
EurasiaNet's Joshua Kucera reported the attacks on the strikers were carried out by police armed with US-supplied weaponry. Some of the 114 Humvees given to Kazkahstan since 2002 as part of the US-funded Kazakhstan Peacekeeping Brigade (KAZBRIG) were filmed on the streets during the height of the repression.
That same cold, dark December day at Aktau, 75 miles to the west, police cracked down on rallies held in solidarity with the Zhanaozen workers. Human Rights Watch documented that, "police detained about 100 protesters and took them to a temporary detention center ... Workers in Aktau reported heavy police surveillance at the protest, which was held in front of the regional mayor's office."
Human Rights Watch responded to the abuse of civil liberties by calling for an investigation into the use of state violence and called for the restoration of telecommunications services.
|Nursultan Nazarbayev
Later, parliamentary elections took place on January 15, with Nazarbayev initially barring those living in Zhanaozen from participating. He later revoked that decision, but that didn't matter, since the elections are consistently rigged to begin with under what is essentially a one-party state.
The December repression of oil workers, and the political situation at large in Kazakhstan, call for a deeper examination into the geopolitical situation of a country located at the heart of what has long been referred to as the historic Silk Road trade route and what investigative journalist Pepe Escobar refers to as Pipelineistan.
Four times the size of Texas and larger than western Europe, a massive country of over 16 million at the heart of Central Asia, resource-rich Kazakhstan has increasingly become a vital centerpiece of US strategic interest, "soft power" and "hard power" regional influence.
The country has become case study for US deployment of the so-called "three D's": diplomacy, development and defense - as part of the broader ongoing long-war effort delineated in the Pentagon's April 2011 National Strategic Narrative and elsewhere.
Northern Distribution Network: "A Modern Silk Road"
Kazakhstan sits close to the path formerly known as the Silk Road, an overland caravan trade route traversing the region linking China to the Middle East. A similar route, carrying weapons and key equipment to Western occupation forces in Afghanistan, is now referred to by US strategic planners as the Northern Distribution Network (NDN).
CNN describes the NDN's path this way: "The main route begins at the port of Riga in Latvia, from where freight trains roll across Russia, and continues along the edge of the Caspian Sea. It crosses the deserts of Kazakhstan and into Uzbekistan.... Other routes begin at the port of Ponti in Georgia on the Black Sea and at Vladivostok in the Russian Far East."
The Center for Strategic and International Studies, a conservative think-tank, wrote a report published in December 2009 that described the NDN as the "modern silk road."
CNN explained what was carried on this new Silk Road: "About 10 days after beginning their odyssey, the containers cross into Afghanistan, carrying everything from computers and socks to toilet paper and bottled water."
The Pentagon announced the NDN on January 20, 2009, the same day as President Barack Obama's inauguration. At the end of 2009, in December, Obama announced the "surge" in Afghanistan, to the shock and awe of some. But close observers, aware of the new president's previously announced intentions, and aware of behind-the-scenes developments like the NDN, found the announced escalation far from surprising.
The Pentagon announced the NDN on January 20, 2009, the same day as President Barack Obama's inauguration. At the end of 2009, in December, Obama announced the "surge" in Afghanistan, to the shock and awe of some. But close observers, aware of the new president's previously announced intentions, and aware of behind-the-scenes developments like the NDN, found the announced escalation far from surprising.
With the overland Khyber Pass supply route from Pakistan to southern Afghanistan regularly threatened and periodically closed by Taliban attacks, and US-Pakistan relations becoming increasingly sour - due, in large part, to Obama's drone war being waged in Pakistan - the NDN has only grown in importance over time.
"The Grand Chessboard"
The ninth-largest country in the world, Kazakhstan borders the Caspian Sea and Turkmenistan in the southwest, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan to the south, China to the East and Russia to the north. The country is also fairly close to key centers of current US geopolitical concern: Iran and Afghanistan. The broader region is also of vital geostrategic importance for its great-power neighbors - Russia and China.
In addition to Kazakhstan's geostrategic importance, the Caspian Sea, which it borders, holds over 4 billion tons of proven recoverable oil reserves and 3 trillion cubic meters of natural gas, according to the CIA World Factbook.
In his 1997 work on US geopolitical strategy, "The Grand Chessboard," Jimmy Carter's former national security adviser, Zbigniew Brzezinski explained the importance of the "Eurasian core," which has Kazakhstan at its center:
Zbig Brzezinski & the Grand Chessboard: Still pondering after all these years.
For America, the chief geopolitical prize is Eurasia.... America's global primacy is directly dependent on how long and how effectively its preponderance on the Eurasian continent is sustained.... Eurasia is the globe's largest continent and ... [a] power that dominates Eurasia would control two of the world's three most advanced and economically productive regions.
Brzezinski explained that the area is far too large to control through direct rule alone and alluded to the projection of what is now referred to as US "soft power" as part of the "great game":
That mega continent is just too large, too populous, culturally too varied, and composed of too many historically ambitious and politically energetic states to be compliant toward even the most economically successful and politically preeminent global power. This condition places a premium on geostrategic skill, on the careful, selective, and very deliberate deployment of America's resources on the huge Eurasian chessboard.
US soft power, inspired by the academic work of Brzezinski, would eventually be projected in Kazakhstan in the form of diplomatic efforts and development programs under the auspices of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Peace Corps, educational endeavors like the Bolashak Program, and American Corners, as well as assistance in the creation of Nazarbayev University at the nation's new capital, Astana.
US hard power would also soon be projected into Kazakhstan, including the provision of weapons for the Kazakh military and police; unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), more commonly known as drones; construction of strategic military bases in neighboring countries; the contracting out of private mercenary forces placed in the region; and the training of the Kazakh military and policing force.
The Three D's: The US-Kazakh Chessboard
Heeding Brzezinski's "Grand Chessboard" advice, US foreign policy efforts toward Kazakhstan have centered less around defense and more on development and diplomacy.
Given that caveat, there has been no shortage of US-provided "defense" for Kazakhstan and the countries surrounding the Caspian when Washington's grand strategists have called for it.
According to USAID figures, the US doled out $17.8 million in military aid to Kazakhstan between 2006 and 2009. While a seemingly paltry sum when compared to that bestowed upon major recipients such as Israel and Egypt, such assistance has played a significant role in solidifying the relationship with the Nazabayev regime.
An October 2009 State Department diplomatic cable released to the public by WikiLeaks showed that the United States provides UAVs, or drones, to the Kazakh military.
The Department of Defense (DoD), while it does not maintain any military bases in Kazakhstan, does maintain one in neighboring Kyrgyzstan, the Transit Center at Manas, formerly known as Manas Air Base. The DoD formerly maintained one in nearby Uzbekistan called the Karshi-Khanabad Air Base. Both bases were utilized by the US military during its ongoing occupation in Afghanistan.
The Transit Center at Manas, according to a November 2011 New York Times piece, is set to close shop in 2014, when the US lease with the Kyrgyz government expires. Washington currently pays $40 million per year to rent space at the air base, according to the Times.
In Kazakhstan, US-provided "defense" has gone far beyond the mere sale of weaponry and has entered into the sphere of operational support and training of the country's military. In 1995, the US Central Command (CENTCOM), through the National Guard State Partnership Program, initiated an exchange program between the Arizona National Guard and the Kazakh Armed Forces. The program aimed at "working towards expanding Kazakhstan's role in the [North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)] Partnership for Peace program," explained former Clinton administration Secretary of Defense William Perry at a February 1996 press conference.
Another key collaboration between the US and Kazakh militaries has been the annual joint "Steppe Eagle Exercise." Under the umbrella of NATO, the program was inaugurated in 1997 as part of NATO's Partnership for Peace. Kazakhstan, a bit far from the Atlantic, joined NATO in 1995.
CENTCOM troops, as well as reservists from the Arizona and Colorado National Guard, participated in the 2011 exercise at Camp Illisky, Kazakhstan.
Steppe Eagle falls under the US military's broader Theatre Security Cooperation Program (TSCP), an initiative begun in 1995 which prepares US allied military forces for joint operations, according to an Army press release.
"Theater Security Cooperation (TSC) programs are the centerpiece of our efforts to promote security and stability by building and strengthening relationships with our allies and regional partners and are an indispensable component of our overarching ... strategy," Hamlin B. Tallent, director of the US European Command's (EUCOM) European Plans and Operations Center explained in a March 2005 statement before the US House International Relations Committee.
|Participants in the 2004 Joint Civilian Orientation Conference take a ride in a US Navy special operations rigid inflatable boat during a visit to Baku, Azerbaijan
A 2005 article appearing in Agence France-Presse explained, "The United States plans to spend a total of 135 million dollars within the framework of the US-funded Caspian Guard Initiative, which envisions improving the capabilities of the maritime forces of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan."
Investigative journalist Jeremy Scahill, in his book, "Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army," wrote that Blackwater USA, now known as Academi and, previously, as Xe Services, plays a key role in the Caspian Guard Initiative.
"Beginning in July 2004, Blackwater forces were contracted to work in the heart of the oil- and gas-rich Caspian Sea region, where they would quietly train a force modeled after the Navy SEALs and establish a base just north of the Iranian border," Scahill wrote.
"Blackwater would be tasked with establishing and training an elite ... force modeled after the U.S. Navy SEALs that would ultimately protect the interests of the United States and its allies in a hostile region ... [serving] a dual purpose: protecting the West's new profitable oil and gas exploitation in a region historically dominated by Russia and Iran, and possibly laying the groundwork for an important forward operating base in an attack against Iran," he continued.
Also falling under the umbrella of the Caspian Guard Initiative was a key provision of the 2006 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Section 1206, which, according to a February 2011 report by the Congressional Research Service (CRS), "provides the Secretary of Defense with authority to train and equip foreign military forces for two specified purposes - counter-terrorism and stability operations - and foreign maritime security forces for counterterrorism operations."
Under Section 1206, Kazakhstan has, thus far, received $31.8 million for "Caspian Security" and "Counter-Terrorism and Stability Operations Capacity Aid," according to the CRS.
Kazakhstan, as a participant in the Global Peace Operations Initiative, a joint effort by the State Department and the DoD, also received "$14 million in funds ... [for] body armor, water purification units, vehicles, and uniform equipment" in 2006 and 2007, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
"Development and Diplomacy"
What Brzezinski described as placing "a premium on geostrategic skill, on the careful, selective, and very deliberate deployment of America's resources on the huge Eurasian chessboard" has many important facets, but all center around creating a stable, market-based economy friendly to US corporate interests.
The most overt example of this includes oil giant Chevron's entry into Kazkahstan in the early 1990s. The energy giant secured a major stake in Kazakhstan's huge Tengiz oil field with the creation of a partnership, called Tengizchevroil, between Chevron, ExxonMobil, the Russian government-owned LukArco and the Kazakh government.
|Railroad tanker cars wait on a siding in the Tengiz oil field in western Kazakhstan. (Photo: Viktor Korotayev / The New York Times)
Corporations, though, need legitimation among the population in the various nation-states in which they are operating - in other words, various avenues of soft power projection. A WikiLeaks cable from November 2008, for example, stated that the United States was involved in a soft power "war of ideas" in Kazakhstan.
One significant US influence peddler has been the Peace Corps, which entered Kazakhstan in 1993, two years after the country gained independence from the USSR. As of July 2010, according to a Peace Corps document, over 1,000 volunteers had spent a 27-month sojourn in the country.
Peace Corps volunteers taught classes at American Corners centers located throughout Kazakhstan, described by the US Embassy in Kazakhstan as "small, American-style libraries located within a local partner organization, usually a library ... [which] support local English instruction with an extensive collection of English teaching materials which are frequently used by local students, teachers and US Peace Corps volunteers."
An abrupt and controversial end to the Peace Corps presence in Kazakhstan in November 2011 shed light on some of the darker aspects of Kazakh society. "This organization assists mainly in the least developed countries," the Peace Corps said in a statement. "Many programs of the Peace Corps in Kazakhstan, in general, have come to their conclusion," said the Kazkah Ministry of Education and Science in an article appearing in The Christian Science Monitor.
Several former Kazakhstan-based Peace Corps volunteers offered starkly different explanations for the pullout.
In her November 18, 2011 "Eulogy to Peace Corps Kazakhstan," Rebecca Gong, now a graduate student at Harvard, offered what she referred to as "a long-suppressed insider exposé of all the issues." Gong honed in on the beyond-horrific experiences of women in Kazakhstan, explaining, "I don't think anyone expected, upon signing up for Peace Corps in Kazakhstan, that it of all places was going to have the highest rate of volunteer rape and sexual assault worldwide (if you were a girl who signed up for PC KZ last year, you had a roughly 8.3% chance of being raped)."
Another volunteer, Casey Michel, wrote about what he thought were the real reasons behind the departure:
It was the multi-level strains - from the [KGB successor] KNB's growing surveillance, to the impunity with which the drunks attacked us - that drove us from Kazakhstan. It was averaging one rape or serious sexual assault per month since June. It was school administrators allowing KNB agents to sift through both belongings and apartments. It was appointed government officials refusing to meet with Peace Corps administrators, out of either pride or contempt or grand-standing.
A WikiLeaks cable written in June 2009 confirmed one of these claims. It described a situation in which one volunteer, Anthony Sharp was, "arrested in what appeared to be a classic Soviet-style set-up, likely orchestrated by the pro-Russian old-guard at the Committee for National Security (KNB) and aimed at discrediting the Peace Corps and damaging bilateral relations."
The Bolashak Generation
The Bolashak Generation
Another crucial program for US soft-power projection in Kazakhstan is the State Department-funded Bolashak Program. ("Bolashak" translates into English as "the future.")
Journalist Joshua Kucera explained, "Since 1993, the Bolashak program has sent about 6,000 Kazakh students abroad for university study, mostly to the United States, all expenses paid - as long as they return and work in Kazakhstan for at least five years."
The generation that has arisen as a result of the program has been referred to by State Department diplomatic cable as the "Bolashak Revolution." A cable unveiled by WikiLeaks reads: "Soon after independence, President Nazarbayev created the Bolashak program that provides full university education to over one thousand Kazakhstani students a year ... The so-called Bolashak Generation is apparent now througout [sic] the public and private sectors - bright, globalized, young people, almost all speaking English, who are in positions just a level or two away from decision-making authority."
Another diplomatic cable noted that the"Bolashak program provides scholarships for several thousand Kazakhstanis ... where they absorb Western ideas and values. Additionally, Nazarbayev has brought into government service a new generation of young, ambitious bureaucrats, many of whom studied in the West through Bolashak or U.S. Government-sponsored programs."
In sum, according to the State Department, its Bolashak Program has, at least in part, achieved its original aim of inculcating loyal subordinate elites through its imperial "civilizing mission."
However, according to Kucera, Bolashak is in its waning days. "With little fanfare, the government is phasing out the program as it launches another, possibly more ambitious educational endeavor: Nazarbayev University, a brand-new Astana-based institution that aims to bring world-class education to Kazakhs, rather than forcing them (or allowing them, depending on your perspective) to go abroad to get it."
Nazarbayev University: "A Number-One Priority"
|Pres. Nazarbayev greets Western academics to Naz U. with open arms
Located in the country's new capital, the university, originally known as the New University of Astana, opened its doors in the fall of 2010. A February 2010 State Department diplomatic cable unearthed by WikiLeaks referred to NU as an "entirely new educational system in Kazakhstan and Central Asia based on the U.S. model, to prepare students for Kazakhstan's social and economic challenges."
Numerous acclaimed research universities, including the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the University of Pittsburgh, Duke University, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Pennsylvania, and the University College of London have partnered with NU to create programs in various academic disciplines.
An August 2010 article by Kucera stated that all of the professors teaching and researching at NU would come from abroad during NU's early years. Furthermore, all classes would be taught in English, and, down the road, the school's maximum population would be 20,000 students at most.
These figures suggest that the university has one main purpose: the training of a handful of subordinate managerial elites allied with the US imperial project. A peak enrollment of 20,000 students is a high-reaching prospect considering the school's population was only 130 for year one, and is small beans in a country with a population of over 16 million citizens.
A Foreign Policy of "Killing Hope"
Going through the proper diplomatic public relations motions, upper-level US diplomatic and military officials expressed their sorrow about the December massacre in Zhanaozen and called on the autocratic regime to conduct an internal investigation.
"We are deeply concerned by this week's violence in western Kazakhstan and wish to express our heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of those killed or injured in Zhanaozen ... The violence left at least 15 people dead, scores of others injured and millions of dollars in property damage. We condemn any use of violence to address grievances and urge all parties to exercise restraint ... [T]he United States strongly urges the Government of Kazakhstan to follow through on its pledge to conduct a full and transparent investigation of the events in Zhanaozen and elsewhere," said the US Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Ian Kelly on December 22, 2011.
One fact was lost on most media covering the massacre, but not on the International Energy Agency (IEA): the protesting workers were actually participating in Occupy Zhanaozen, inspired by and in solidarity with US-based Occupy activists. The militaristic hard-power tools that have made their way home to the US Occupy movement, it appears, mirror the ones that were used in Zhanaozen with US-supplied weapons, but with repression far more violent - and, ultimately, lethal - in form in Kazakhstan.
The takeaway: While there may be a US geopolitical long-term vision about the possibilities of reform toward an "open society," or liberal democracy, in Kazakhstan - a society aided by the presence of soft-power institutions and initiatives promoting a market-based economy - the reality remains that for now, US-supplied hard power will be used when US geopolitical aims are deterred in the slightest. Zhanaozen, unfortunately, is but a single example.
At the end of the day, US geopolitical interests and a corporate-friendly open-door foreign policy will always trump workers' rights and overall civil liberties in other countries. After all, if history has taught us anything, it's that the U.S. has an accomplished record of killing hope for empire in every crevice of the globe.


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There was a crow who lived on a tree near by a kitchen. He was tempted by the food kept in the kitchen. He befriended a pigeon with a plan to get in to the kitchen to steal food. This story tells us what the crow had to go through for the greediness he displayed.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Wow, you're looking great.
I know we had some problems, but that is all in the past right? Long time ago right?
OK, OK. I've changed, I swear.
You were hurt. Real bad. And when you needed me the most I turned my back on you. I was just being selfish. I know you never wanted this for us. I didn't either. I'm sorry.
I know you had some things you had to get through, it couldn't have been easy and I was a jerk for abandoning you. But you were such a tease, you know? One minute I thought you were coming back and then the next I would see you sitting with those other guys and I would lose it. I was jealous. I was sad and frustrated and angry.
I just missed you, that's all. I said some things I wish I could take back. Like when I said your heart wasn't in it. You just needed some time. You've always known what's best for you. I wanted you back more than anything. But I just didn't know how to show it and it came out all wrong.
I kept hearing things from your brother and from all these other people and I didn't know what to believe. But it was the only thing I had to go on, you know? I should have just listened to what you were saying all along.
I never had any problem buying all the shoes, the clothes, the drinks. I was happy to. But after all that, I thought you owed me something. You didn't. I was wrong.
We've been through so much together over the last couple years. It would be a shame to waste it all.
I admit, I saw some other people last year. No matter how hard they tried, they didn't compare to you. I think now we could be better than ever.
Sometimes I dream about those hot summer nights with you, scoring 10, sometimes 15 or even 20 times a night …
Will you forgive me? Just one more chance? Please?
Maybe we can talk about getting that ring again.
Scott Bolohan is a RedEye special contributor.
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Dialogue: David Fincher on the Cold, Dark, Perverse World of 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo'
Image courtesy of Getty Images
David Fincher isn't afraid to take long pauses during a conversation while he thinks of the right thing to say because David Fincher is in the business of getting it right. He's meticulous in the way he constructs his films, known for making his actors suffer through upwards of 90 takes for one scene because, as he'll tell you, that's just his "process," and he refuses to change it no matter how difficult the scene in question may be to pull off.
In person he's the kind of guy who likes to answer your question before you've finished asking it, but that doesn't mean he's not easy to talk to -- it just means he's difficult to figure out. David Fincher (Fight Club, Seven, The Social Network) is a man who doesn't stop working; his time doing press for The Social Network was cut short because he was already busy getting ready to shoot The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo -- and right from that film's press junket in New York, he was getting ready to travel down to Baltimore to prepare for a TV series he'll be directing called House of Cards. From there -- who knows (he certainly doesn't). Will he direct adaptations of the other two books in the Millennium series? Will he direct a 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea adaptation? Cleopatra? Nothing is set in stone, which is ironic considering Fincher appears to be a man who likes his ducks all in a row, preferably dressed in black, pierced and chain-smoking cigarettes. Just how he likes his movies.
And why is that? Why is David Fincher drawn to these cold, dark environments full of brilliant but emotionless characters who are so obsessed with the task at hand they barely have time to acknowledge those around them? Is it because that's who David Fincher really is -- a cold, emotionless man obsessed with the film he's currently working on? Or is he just into some weird sh*t? We tried to figure that out as we sat down with the filmmaker to talk about adapting the monster that is The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, which hits theaters today.
Movies.com: Your last few films have been adaptations. Do you like working off source material more? Do you find it more challenging when there's already this expectation from those familiar with the original work?
David Fincher: I'm not in the adaptation business; I'm in the script business. I didn't read F. Scott Fitzgerald, and say, 'God damn we gotta make a movie out of Benjamin Button!' I was given a script that I liked. Same thing with Zodiac – I wouldn't have touched it as a book; it was only James Vanderbilt's script. I still to this day haven't read The Accidental Billionaires because I had a script by Aaron Sorkin that was the reason to make the movie. And with [Dragon Tattoo], I almost said no on the basis of the book because I just didn't know how you could get to two-and-a-half hours, even, with this subject, with this source material. I couldn't get to two-and-a-half hours in cinematic terms because I couldn't see what the movie necessarily was. And so I was in the Steve Zaillian business.
Movies.com: Had you read the book?
DF: I read the book. I was given the book, and I was making my way through it kinda going, 'How many Vangers are there?' [laughs] How do I tell the story of Hedeby Island without a map? I was sort of amazed that [Stieg] Larsson got away with a family tree and a map in the first two pages of this thriller, but to his credit there was something here that was holding everyone's attention, and I felt it was those two people front and center.
Movies.com: How involved were you in the writing process?
DF: Yeah, well we did some rehearsals, and I would talk about some stuff that I just thought we could cut or spend less time on, but that was only two-to-three weeks worth of work. And then I was on a plane, and then we were shooting. Part of the task of this was Sony/Columbia Pictures saying 'We want this for next Christmas.' Ya know, who knows if the phenomenon will continue. At this point in time I think it was 25 million books that had sold, and it's sixty-something now. There was no reason to believe that the book would just keep selling.
Movies.com: Did you go near the Swedish films?
DF: Yeah, I saw [the first one] on DVD before it hit the states. I thought it was good. I thought it was a different movie than I would've made, and so I made a different movie.
Movies.com: Is it difficult to watch an adaptation of a film that you're about to work on?
DF: It was weird, yeah. It was definitely weird. I wouldn't have wanted to do the $15 million version after Niels [Arden Oplev] had done the $100 million version of the movie. Know what I mean? That's a different animal.
Movies.com: You changed a few things from the original book for your movie, but I'm surprised you didn't change more. Did anyone at some point request your version to take place in the United States instead of Sweden?
DF: Yes, but remember also that you have a sexual relationship between a guy in his mid-40s and a girl in her early twenties, and that is a very different thing in the United States than it is elsewhere in the world. The taboo nature of that just doesn't exist in Sweden, which is why we stuck with the location.
Movies.com: Looking back at your films, many of your main characters have similar traits in that they're cold, calculated and emotionless, in part because they're so obsessed with the task at hand. What draws you to characters like that?
DF: Don't know.
Movies.com: Do you relate to them in some way? Do you see them as extensions of yourself?
DF: I relate to Mark Zuckerberg, but I relate equally to Eduardo Savarin. Almost all of the characters are a subdivision of things that I relate to and know. When I look at Fight Club, I don't know Tyler Durden, but I love Tyler Durden. I know The Narrator and I find him to be a pain in the ass, but I know him as me – and I know how small, petty, weird, bitter and twisted and lost he is. And I know Marlow Singer, and there are parts of me that are Marla Singer. So, yeah, I probably personally relate more to Mikael Blomkvist than I do to Lisbeth Salander. I don't know how it is to be betrayed to the extent that she has been personally, so I'm making that up or identifying with it conceptually.
Look: The Ultimate 'Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' Image Gallery
Movies.com: The rape scenes and the subsequent revenge scene are a few of the more intense moments I've seen from any of your films. Were they challenging to shoot, especially with an up-and-coming actress like Rooney Mara who hadn't done anything like that before?
DF: I don't know that you know that's true …
Movies.com: You're totally right. Hey, I don't know what kind of stuff Rooney Mara is into behind closed doors –
DF: She's a freak!
DF: I don't think Lisbeth's done anything like that before, so I think she's perfectly qualified to do it. And Rooney should be as shocked or alternatively dispassionate as we would be in that situation. I mean we talked about a lot of stuff – we just tried to think about what would happen if you were in this situation. What would you do; where would you go?
Movies.com: You're a man who likes to do a lot of takes. Did you do a lot of takes for those scenes?
DF: Yes. I don't change my process for the temperature or humidity, or number of people involved. I'm responsible for half the movie – the picture side. And on the day in the moment I'm responsible for the behavior and the performance and the framing – whether the boom mic's in or out – and I have to juggle all that stuff and make sure I have the pieces to tell the story. The degree to which they're longer or shorter than they're intended has to do with once you live with the material, and once you see it juxtaposed with other material in it. You gotta make changes based on that. But I don't really change my process. I'm not saying my process is "the way" – I'm about to do a television show [House of Cards], and I know I don't have more than five or six takes. So it's going to be a different beast; a different way of doing it. But I didn't change up anything. Just because it was going to be twenty-below outside, I didn't say, okay, we're only gonna do six takes.
Movies.com: The opening title sequence is definitely one of the more memorable of the year. Where did those ideas come from, and how involved were you in putting that together?
DF: I had the idea of wanting to sort of get Lisbeth's point of view into the title sequence; I wanted it to be there before she walks in. I wanted to set the stage. I liked the idea of this sort of homage to Maurice Binder, and I liked the idea of dark recesses – the primordial tar-pit of her subconscious. I went to a friend of mine, Tim Miller, who runs Blur Studios -- he and his wife do titles and graphic packages. And I went to both of them and said, 'I want to do a title sequence. I see it being black and shiny, and I see this fluid simulation thing so it's sort of black lacquer splattered with black lacquer, but I don't know what the specific things are – can you do this?' And we had worked for two-to-three years trying to get Heavy Metal and The Goon off the ground, but I said I can give you eight weeks. And he and Jennifer went through the books and sort of picked specific scenes to put on these index cards – the drowning of Gottfried, emergence of the Phoenix – ya know, her connection to technology, or the blooming of Henrik's flowers. So we had this whole list of things we wanted to see and I said just make it as weird, perverse and black as you can make it. And they did.
Note: Watch parts of the opening title sequence in the below music video
Movies.com: Obsession is a theme present in many of your films. What were you obsessed with growing up?
DF: Making movies.
Movies.com: What kind of movies?
DF: These kinds of movies.
Movies.com: Dark, cold thrillers?
DF: Yeah, I mean, look, I enjoyed making Benjamin Button. I like those kind of stretches. I also like Social Network – I like making chatty, snarky stuff. Yeah, making any kind of movie, really. Making good movies.
Movies.com: Is 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea your next movie?
DF: There is no next for me. What's next is House of Cards, the TV show. I have to go to Baltimore and then Washington this weekend.
Movies.com: Are you a franchise man --
DF: What does that mean, am I a franchise man? Do I just do Bond movies?
Movies.com: I mean in that there are two other books in this series – do you see yourself as the sort of filmmaker who'd really like to own a franchise; to live inside a world for the span of, say, three films?
DF: I don't know. It's all gotta be based on scripts; it's all gotta be based on stories. I think the next two books in this trilogy are tough – tough to make cinematic. I feel like they're sort of one story that feels semi-arbitrarily bifurcated, and that would be something that'd need to be narrowed down.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is in theaters now.
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text:
By Matthew Heimer
After you reach the age of 70 ½, you're obligated to make a "required minimum withdrawal" (or RMD) each year from any traditional IRAs you hold (though certain exceptions apply, of course). Prior to that, whether you tap the accounts is up to you – and many retirees with the means to do so opt to avoid withdrawals for as long as possible, so their investments can keep growing tax-free. But a new study released this week by the nonprofit Employee Benefit Research Institute underscores the fact that many people don't have that luxury.
The study relied on data from the University of Michigan's Health and Retirement Survey, covering more than 12,000 households with ages ranging from 61 to 79. Among those aged 61 to 70 – the ones who weren't required to make withdrawals – the percentage that took money out ranged from 29% to 48%, with people not surprisingly being more likely to make withdrawals if they were in a lower-income tranche.
More significant, however, is how much the younger retirees are pulling out, in both percentage and dollar terms. Retirees in this group withdrew between 11.5% and 17.4% of their total balance annually – a rate that would exhaust their savings fairly quickly if they sustained it. They also tended to withdraw more money each year than retirees over 70, and to spend a larger share of their withdrawals on regular living expenses. (Older retirees, in contrast, often transferred their RMD withdrawals into other savings vehicles.)
Depending on one's tax and health status, there are plenty of financially sound reasons to tap an IRA early—some of these younger retirees may have been making Roth IRA conversions, for example. But in general, the study's author, EBRI's Sudipto Banerjee, frames these statistics as signs of a broader financial insecurity among retirees in their 60s. On the other hand, there's also evidence that retirees who still have an IRA balance by age 70 are in relatively good shape thereafter: Among people in the 70s, around three-quarters were taking no more than their RMD each year, which suggests that the majority weren't in tight financial straits.


text:
Research documents Forfattere "Wagener, Andres"
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Keller, Katarina; Poutvaara, Panu; Wagener, Andres (København, 2008)[Flere oplysninger][Færre oplysninger]
Resume: Economic theory predicts that military conscription is associated with static inefficiencies as well as with dynamic distortions of the accumulation of human and physical capital. Relative to an economy with an allvolunteer force, output levels and growth rates should be lower in countries that rely on a military draft to recruit their army personnel. For OECD countries, we show that military conscription indeed has a statistically significantly negative impact on economic performance. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/7714
Filer i denne post: 1dp 2008-10.pdf (234.9Kb)
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When I read on the 1930 census [where Louis & Emma appear together] that Louis had been a manager at a bakery, I thought to myself, "Oh good. A man with a low-key occupation. Someone that ~hopefully~ [fingers crossed] was good to her. Not someone that was 'bigger than life' like Big Paw Paw."
I know better than to make assumptions like that, but I was really pullin' for Emma, you know? So, as I was updating her info in my family tree database, the blanks for Louis M. Seidemann taunted me. "Fill me in. Fill me in. You know you wanna know." Dang it. Did I really wanna know?
Apparently, yes.
I quickly looked at their 1930 census entry & notated some details about Louis, and then hopped on over to FamilySearch.org for his death certificate. [We're really spoiled here in Texas with our death certificates.] And I found him. Or at least who I thought was the correct Louis M. Seidemann. The info coincided with the info on his 1930 census, or at least nothing ruled them out as being the same person. His father was Peter Seidemann and his mother was Genoveive Holzinger. He died in New Braunfels, Comal Co, Texas in a nursing home in 1969. And he had been a baker.
|Louis M. Seidemann's Death Certificate
I then hopped back onto Ancestry.com and quickly looked for him in any previous censuses. I had remembered seeing another Louis M. Seidemann with a wife with a funny given name when looking for Louis M. and Emma in the 1930 census. [No offense to all the Hedwig's out there.] Yup. right there. Louis M. and Hedwig Seidemann. Living in San Antonio, Bexar Co, Texas. 3 kids. Yadda, Yadda, Yadda.
But wait a minute. That's the 1930 census that they're together in. And my Emma and her Louis M. were together in the 1930 census in Guadalupe Co, Tx. Crap. Did I have the wrong guy?
So then I took a look at the dates the enumerator, um, enumerated these households to see if perhaps Louis had been married to Hedwig for the census in one county, and then perhaps divorced her and remarried Emma ~ all between the 2 enumerations. [Don't look at me like that. It could happen.] However, um, both households were enumerated on the same day, 2 Apr 1930.
Usually, when this happens, it means I've mixed up 2 people with the same exact name. However, there were no other Louis M.'s or Louis' or L.M.'s that fit this man's age, birth date, birth place., etc. And the clincher? I'll give you three guesses as to what this Louis M. Seidemann's [who was married to Hedwig with 3 kids in the 1930 census] occupation was.
Right. A baker.
|Image via Wikipedia
|Under Main Street Photo by Timothy Miller
Anyways, back to my identity crisis. Well, Louis' identity crisis. I found a Louis Michael Seidemann's World War I draft registration card. Residence? Boerne, Kendall County, Texas Occupation? Baker. And wife? Lucked out. He put down her first name. Hedwig.
|Louis Seidemann's WW1 draft registration card
Now I don't really have to tell you that there just aren't that many Hedwig's in this world, do I? That were born in Boerne, Texas? Who married a Louis Michael Seidemann? Also from Boerne? A Louis M. Seidemann who happened to be a baker? Who also both lived in San Antonio, Bexar Co, Texas?
So was this the same Louis M. Seidemann that was on the 1930 census with Emma? Well, I couldn't find any other likely candidates before or after 1930 in any of these counties. And both of the 1930 census entries for these Louis M.'s indicate that they were both married. To 2 different women.
Not having online access and in the interest of getting this story out quickly, I wasn't able to run over to these counties for a look-see at some marriage records. But I did remember to check something out. Hedwig's death certificate. [How many Hedwig's could there be, right?]
Well, lucky for me when Hedwig died, her last name was still Seidemann. Hedwig died in 1961 in San Antonio. And her marital status? Divorced. [I'll just bet she was.]
|Hedwig Seidemann's Death Certificate
So, what happened? I dunno. There's a lot of scenarios for this one. Maybe there was another Louis M. Seidemann who was a baker, who was the same age, and who both had parents that were born in Germany. *shrugs* It could happen. Right?
Or maybe it is the same Louis M. and he and Hedwig were separated, and for appearances sake, Hedwig put him down as the head of her household.
Or maybe Emma had been Louis-the-baker's mistress.
Or maybe, um, Louis had 2 lives with 2 wives. At the same time.
Did Emma just have bad luck with men?
Goodness. I don't know what to think. This won't be settled until I see some marriage records and some divorce records. *sigh*
|Image by photine via Flickr
|Floating Down the River
|The Dodging Duck Brewhaus
And I guess I could go visit the ducks while I'm in Boerne, which is in Kendall County [right next to Bexar and Comal counties]. If I plan carefully, I can even spend some time at The Dodging Duck Brewhaus and Restaurant right there in Boerne ~ a fine establishment that has managed to bring home, according to its website, 3 gold and 3 silver medals from the World Beer Championships; that touts its motto with pride ~ Carpe Anatem [Seize the duck.]; and that advertises "Ducky Hour" every weekday from 3-6pm. Yeah. I could get used to a place like that. Sounds like a place I could really get in touch with my German-Texan roots.
For research, of course. [wink]


text:
Monday, April 18, 2011
Fairy Hollow
The girls have lots of games that they love to play while outside. Sometimes they build villages for families of little people. Often these villages are made of mud, usually there is a bakery filled with many, many mud delights, or at the least "ma" is very busy with (mud) baking day.
But a definite favorite is "fairy houses". Every spring the building begins anew, usually in a spot different than the year before.
This year there are more possibilities for fairy houses since there is also the 40 acre property down the road where keep our horses. A perfect site has already been found. (Probably the first perfect spot of many.)
There has been much talk, especially from Chloe, of how she truly truly believes in the fairies. Not just fairies, but other little nature folk too. After all, she found a gnome home just last summer.
She also thinks that there are probably not so many bad fairies anymore. If there weren't too many very long ago, and now there are even less fairies, then there are probably hardly any mean ones left.
There is also a lot of wishing and wondering... Will they ever see the fairies for themselves?
They have created such a special little space down in this fairy hollow. We are imagining how lovely it will be as the leaves begin to appear and enclose them in their magical little world.
Mom and dad have found a "perfect" spot here too. A spot for a wonderful new garden, to grow food that will feed our family throughout the year.
Oh yes, while the girls have been playing with the fairies, we have been very busy in this new garden. (Though the girls of course help out in the garden sometimes too.) There may be not much more than a lot of dirt to show for it yet, but it holds much promise. I look forward to sharing more about it with you soon!
I have some sewing projects to share also, new tops for the girls and even one for me. You see the one I made for Chloe here, this kinda wild green and blue paisley vintage fabric. I think it looks really nice one her...
Lots going on in this bustling spring season.
Hope you have all been enjoying many wonderful days!
19 comments:
- momma rae said...
oh how my heart would sing for sienna to be right there with them. so many times i visit your space here and tears fall softly down my cheeks. i miss you sweet friend and oh how i wish i could be with candice and you at this time in my life.
on a lighter note...i sewed a skirt for sienna! it was an exciting step for me. i hope to make more clothes for her this summer. love you!! xoxoxo
- April 18, 2011 at 8:43 PM
- a little crafty nest said...
Dear Renee, I have been thinking about you a lot, and have meant to send a special "hello". I love the fairy homes...a favourite for me, still! And of course, I always love love love the clothing your girls wear. There must be some etsy shop awaiting you and your creations...I will be a first customer! I wonder if you will be joining Melanie and me in knitting up that cardigan? Please...
xo Jules
- April 18, 2011 at 10:18 PM
- Melanie~Our Ash Grove said...
Renee, I've been wondering how you're doing and what you're up to!
Yes, yes Ella truly believes too, and so do Ollie and Asa. Ella thinks she's seen little blurs that must be fairies- and sometimes they disguise themselves as butterflies too, did you know?
I can't wait to see your creations- garden, sewing, all of it.
- April 19, 2011 at 3:04 AM
- the little gnomes home said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- April 19, 2011 at 6:02 AM
- the little gnomes home said...
A lovely post.....what a beautiful childhood your girls have :)
- April 19, 2011 at 6:03 AM
- angie said...
lovely fairy garden! My kiddos just have started with some new fairy houses this spring as well. So nice to see them outside enjoying themselves and their wonderful imagination.
- April 19, 2011 at 6:49 AM
- sheepish said...
I honestly don't think I could come up with a better way to spend a day or week or year or etenity!
Fairy houses and gardening....count me in.
- April 19, 2011 at 10:26 AM
- Soili said...
Such a beautiful post, full of childhood magic!
- April 19, 2011 at 10:45 AM
That first picture is positively magical! I wonder if you'd be willing to share how your girls came to love fairies, wee folk and other such magical creatures? It's so wonderful! Good luck with the garden - we just did all of our planting yesterday! :-)
- April 19, 2011 at 2:25 PM
- Nicola (Which Name?) said...
Renee, It has been a little time since I have caught up with you. Love your girls' fairy hollows.Sweet.
- April 19, 2011 at 4:50 PM
- earthboysblog said...
So sweet, I wonder what creations would come about if their were little boys in their company. My little ones create those wonderful little homes and forts to.. a lot of it is built with trucks or with sticks they collect. I must post some of them. It doesn't matter where we go there is always a place to build a home... for their little moose or a fairy. They tell me they see fairies sometimes. Pretty little paisley top... you are talented! Their hair is so long now. xxx
- April 19, 2011 at 6:38 PM
- Catherine said...
Oh fairy house season! Isn't it wonderful how they still believe and hopefully will keep believing in fairies?
- April 19, 2011 at 6:56 PM
- W-S Wanderings said...
Yes, yes - fairy house season! My Middling has been talking fairy houses lately too. What a perfect spot your girls have found for their imaginations to let loose. And I love how you've documented their thoughts on it all. Precious.
That shirt you've created is FABULOUS! I LOVE paisley prints. And vintage. And homemade. Can't wait to see the rest of your sewing!
- April 20, 2011 at 5:21 AM
- Yasmin said...
My daughter and I are also very much into fairies. We have a beautiful fairy tapestry in her room and we are planning on planting a fairy garden this year. Thanks for the beautiful post. Your daughter is so pretty and I love her new top.
- April 20, 2011 at 7:13 AM
- Plain and Joyful Living said...
What a sweet post. The blouse you made for your daughter is wonderful - I love the style. How nice to be outside without coats on.
Warm wishes, Tonya
- April 21, 2011 at 9:33 AM
- My Child's Diary said...
I have just found your blog, and enjoy every single word of your thoughts. There are so many lines that are similar to our way of living. I am so grateful for finding this space.
And the clothing you sew for your daughters is just beautiful. The blouse here is dreamy. Do you use patterns for your sewing? Something you might recommend for the less creative people than yourself?
May you have a fresh spring...
Thank you,
- April 22, 2011 at 2:22 AM
- 6512 and growing said...
I think your girls might be fairies themselves!
Enjoy these spring days!
- April 22, 2011 at 9:19 AM
- suzanne said...
Good morning Renee
This is what my children do often..I know they feel passionately about the places they create for the fairys. Can you just imagine being a child again and making a little home near the trees trunk..I wish for them that special experience of if not seeing but feeling something there..
A beautiful top Renee. I just love the fabric..all set and full of inspiration for Summer.
Love to you and your family
A happy Easter to you too~
Lots of love
- April 24, 2011 at 10:39 PM
- Jamie said...
I just found your blog from farmama's, I LOVE this shirt! Did you follow a pattern or did you wing it? I would love to make one for my daughters.
- May 7, 2011 at 8:51 AM


text:
When I think that school has started and the Labor Day weekend is over, even when we are having these hot days, I realize that summer's end is very near. I would really like some cooler days and wouldn't a cool rainy day be nice. You can tell that the days are getting shorter and before we know it we will turn the corner into fall.
While summer time is hanging on I try to do as much cooking on the grill as possible. If I was asked, "What is the most favorite food on the grill?" I'd have to answer, "Hamburgers." I don't know when they first were made or where they originally began, but hamburgers seem to me so all-American, especially when they're cooked outdoors on a grill. You can always find a good hamburger just about anywhere. I've had them at fair stands, sandwich shops, ball parks and every kind of cafe. They're served many different ways. Sometimes you'll find them barbecued, fried, steam, or water cooked, or char-broiled. It's always fun to dress any hamburger up a bit, with mayonnaise, cheese, pickles, tomatoes, onion, or lettuce, are favorites of mine. If they are served with lettuce and tomatoes and French fries that is California style. But no matter how they are served they're always welcomed at any meal and get an "A" on easiness.
So many of you have asked me how our daughter, Vicki and her husband are getting along with their move to Germany. Their furniture has come so they are really getting settled. They especially like living in the country and the little town of Erzenhauser is a couple of miles away. She said where ever they go there always seem to be a celebration. The Germans like to party. This last weekend they went to Heidelberg that is about 30 miles away. Their dogs are a little teddy bear dog, called Josie and Steve's dog, Digger, an Australian Terrier. No one has ever seen a dog like him, so he attracts a lot of attention. Vicki, says she is slowly getting some German phrases down, which helps a lot. Also most teenagers there study English in school and do quite well with it. Thank Goodness for the computer and skype, which means we can see and talk to each other. Vicki has decided not to work because she doesn't want to be tied down. They live 6 miles from the Landstuhl Military Hospital at Ramstein, Germany and she is going to do volunteer work there.
End of Summer Hamburgers
6 (18x12 inches) pieces
of heavy-duty foil
1 1/2 pounds of ground
1 package of brown
gravy mix
salt & pepper
10 ounce package of
frozen mixed vegetables,
partially thawed
1 pound package of
frozen tater-tots
Divide ground beef into
6 parts; flatten to 1/2
inch patties. On each
piece of foil place the
Hamburger patty, sprinkled with about 2 teaspoons dry gravy mix and salt and pepper; about 1/3 cup mixed vegetables; and 7-8 tater-tots. Wrap each foil dinner, folding edges over twice and sealing. Place on rack over hot coals.
Grill about 30 minutes or until done.
"Conceit is a strange disease, it makes everybody sick except the one who's got it!"


text:
A provocative piece over at the Great Orange Satan (that would be Daily Kos) titled "A Conservative Case for Universal Health Care."
Some key points:
- Government already controls about half of the health care market and it will get larger. Any hope of creating an efficient "free market" here is fantasy.
- Liberals need to hold their nose and concede a "relief valve" like there is in Great Britain, where people and companies can purchase insurance for health care "above the basics" and jump the queue to a private health care facility. Focus on getting the basics into a universal plan, and let the rich still get some benefit from being rich.
- ALL health care systems ration. The European systems ration the "middle procedures," those that are "important but not urgent," like knee replacements, and are also forced to look at cost-benefit on speculative treatments. The U.S. instead rations based on who your employer is. My conservatism says we need to look at cost-benefit on some rational basis.
- Most health care lawsuits are not about "malpractice." They are about fear of loss of future access to health care.


text:
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text:
In addition to the various animals with a child, Hicks would add a small depiction of William Penn's treaty with the Indians — a near-contemporary version of a peaceable kingdom.
This painting, however, is different. Hicks sympathized with his cousin Elias Hicks as Friends became divided in 1827. See the large group of Quakers in the left side of the picture? These are leaders among Friends, going back to George Fox, William Penn and Robert Barclay in the back of the group. Elias Hicks stands in the front row.
Source: Philadelphia Quakers: 1681-1981


text:
When a head of state meets the pope at the Vatican, the encounter unfolds according to a fairly strict program, usually ending with an exchange of gifts.
Paraguay's President Nicanor Duarte Frutos packed a gift for the pope in his luggage, but it was nowhere to be seen when he met Pope Benedict XVI earlier today.
The luggage apparently was a victim of strike-induced airport chaos in France, where Duarte had stopped before traveling to Rome.
Reporters traveling with the president said the gift was a traditional, vibrantly-colored poncho. Paraguay's ambassador to the Vatican promised to deliver it when it arrives.


text:
Having someone whom you care about in the hospital can be stressful. What follows is a quick directory highlighting nearby services that can make your visit to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center more convenient and easier.
A full menu of hospitality, medical, spiritual and practical information is available on this website in the Patients and Visitors section.
Links to specific information and services are available below:
- Dining in the Medical Center - includes information about the Medical Center cafeteria and how to order a meal tray to eat with a patient.
- Dining in the neighboring area - includes a map and a list of restaurants near the Medical Center. Please contact our Hospitality Services at (310) 423-4444 for more information.
- Helping Hand Gift Shop - located on the Plaza Level of the Medical Center.
Online shopping is also available from the Gift Shop.
- Hotel directory - a list of nearby hotels that includes many offering special rates (subject to change) for Cedars-Sinai patients and visitors. Please be sure to mention Cedars-Sinai Medical Center when making your reservations.
- Spiritual care services - open to persons of all faiths 24 hours a day, the chapel is located on the Plaza Level of the Medical Center, near the lobby desk. Spiritual support for both patients and their loved ones is available.


text:
"There is in Italy a power which we seldom mention in this House … I mean the secret societies … It is useless to deny, because it is impossible to conceal, that a great part of Europe – the whole of Italy and France and a great portion of Germany, to say nothing of other countries – is covered with a network of these secret societies, just as the superficies of the earth is now being covered with railroads." -Benjamin Disraeli, at British House of Commons, July 14, 1856
"The government of this country has not only to deal with governments, kings and ministers, but also with secret societies, elements which must be taken into account, which at the last moment can bring our plans to naught, which have everywhere their unscrupulous agents, who incite assassinations and can if necessary lead a massacre." -Benjamin Disraeli, at Aylesbury, Sept. 10, 1876
The Federal Reserve private banking syndicate was set up under
"I am a most unhappy man. I have unwittingly ruined my country. A great industrial nation is controlled by its system of credit. Our system of credit is concentrated. The growth of the nation, therefore, and all our activities are in the hands of a few men. We have come to be one of the worst ruled, one of the most completely controlled and dominated governments in the civilized world. No longer a government by free opinion, no longer a government by conviction and the vote of the majority, but a government by the opinion and duress of a small group of dominant men."
-Woodrow Wilson, 1916
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill was a Committee of 300 member and 33rd degree Mason. In 1920, he spoke from personal knowledge regarding the global conspiracy when he said: "From the days of Spartacus-Weishaupt to those of Karl Marx, to those of Trotsky, Bela Kun, Rosa Luxembourg, and Emma Goldman, this world wide conspiracy for the overthrow of civilization and for the reconstitution of society on the basis of arrested development, of envious malevolence and impossible equality, has been steadily growing. It played a definitely recognizable role in the tragedy of the French Revolution. It has been the mainspring of every subversive movement during the nineteenth century, and now at last this band of extraordinary personalities from the underworld of the great cities of Europe and America have gripped the Russian people by the hair of their heads, and have become practically the undisputed masters of that enormous empire."
"The real menace of our Republic is the invisible government which like a giant octopus sprawls its slimy legs over our cities, states and nation. At the head is a small group of banking houses. This little coterie runs our government for their own selfish ends. It operates under cover of a self-created screen, seizes our executive officers, legislative bodies, schools, courts, newspapers and every agency created for the public protection." -N.Y. Mayor, John Hylan, 1922
"The real truth of the matter is that a financial element in the large centers has owned the government since the days of Andrew Jackson" -US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1933
"The real rulers in
"Today the path to total dictatorship in the
Bloodline president John F. Kennedy was well aware of
"The high office of President has been used to foment a plot to destroy the American's freedom, and before I leave office I must inform the citizen of his plight." - John F. Kennedy at
Buy The Atlantean Conspiracy Now


text:
Sdvogel needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 18 designs submitted by 6 freelance designers.
http://www.KinaLearn.com - Helping Your Child's Dyslexia
I am a home mum who was told my 6 year old son was lazy and stupid at school. I did not accept that and found out he was in fact dyslexic. I searched for people and resources to help me help him, but it was scarce or American based. So I started a website http://www.KinaLearn.com with a vision to give other parents in the same situation, a resource to find answers. I have also developed a system to teach dyslexic children how to read & write and improve their self esteem, which sadly are usually non existent.
Parents (usually mothers) of children that have a learning difficulty (especially dyslexia). They are our main focus but we are also targeting schools (principals and teachers) to implement our system.
Initially we are sponsoring a charity cycling trip between Sydney & Brisbane for Royal Hospitals, so the logo will also go on their uniforms.
A logo to be used on promotional material .
Fairly simple.
Similar to our website banner at http://www.KinaLearn.com
Mainly blue colours (but will look OK when just black & white) -on photocopies
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|Update From Al-Ain: Mettle to Win Medals
|By GM Ben Finegold
|December 26, 2013
After round 8 at the World Youth Championship (Al Ain, UAE Dec 17-29), Christmas Day was a free day, and many of the players, parents, and coaches grabbed the chance to sight-see. Some went to Abu Dhabi, some went to Sharjah, but I decided to go to Dubai with Aviv Friedman, Michael Khodarkovsky, and Armen Ambartsoumian. We took a taxi, stayed at a hotel next to the famous Dubai Mall, and spent the better part of 2 days looking at everything the Mall has to offer.
Even though we were at the Mall December 24 and 25, they were open until 1AM each day! I was able to go to the Mall's Underground Zoo at the Aquarium, thanks to my (A)viv (T)eller (M)achine. We also saw the fountain show, and ate more times than I care to remember.
The 2013 World Youth is in the home stretch, and with 2 rounds to go, several Americans have good chances to medal.
The best chance for American Gold is Awonder Liang, in the U10 section. He has started with a fantastic 9 out of 9 (!) and is a lock to win a medal, and almost certain to win gold. (Update- after ten rounds, Awonder now has 10/10 and has clinched gold!) Many of his wins are smooth crushes, but here is one of his tougher efforts, where he had to make something out of nothing, and he was able to win a drawn ending:
Kushagra Mohan (IND) - Liang Awonder (USA) [B56]
36.a3?! The American coaches were wondering if black could draw after 36. f5! (he probably still can), but white was not interested in trying to win, but merely doing nothing and hoping for a draw. [36.f5! gxf5 37.Kf4] 36...Ke6 37.Re3+ Kf7 38.Rd3 Rc7 39.Kf3 Rc6 40.Kg3 Rc5 41.Re3 Rc7 42.Rd3 Rc8 43.Kf3 Rc6 44.Ke3 Ke6 45.Kf3 a5
After moving around, perhaps giving his opponent a false sense of security, Awonder goes for it! 46.Re3+ Kf7 47.Rd3 Rc7 48.Kg3 Moving the king away from the action. White can draw with several moves, including 48.b4, 48.f5, and 48.Rxd5. But the text move is also all right. 48...a4 49.b4 Rc4 50.Kf3?
One slip and it's over! 50.Rxd5! Rxc3+ 51.Kh4 Rxa3 52.f5! draws comfortably. 50...Ke6 51.Re3+ Kd6 52.Rd3 Re4! 53.Rd1 53.Re3? Rxe3+ 54.Kxe3 Ke6 and black easily wins the K and P ending with his outside passed h pawn luring white's king away. 53...Ke6 54.Rd2 Re1! 55.Rc2 Rf1+ 56.Ke3 Rd1 57.Rf2 Kf5 White is helpless due to his passive rook. 58.Rf3 h4 59.Rf2 h3 60.Rf3 h2
Several Americans are still in the medal hunt. In the U18 section, GM Daniel Naroditsky is undefeated, scoring 7 out of 9, and is currently tied for 2nd place. Daniel won in round 9 after his opponent lost on time on move 40, although Daniel was close to winning in any event.
Two Americans are tied for 3rd place in the U10, Josiah Stearman and David Peng. Both need to win their last two games to have good chances for a medal. I'm glad to say neither player has a draw, with 7 wins and 2 losses each. Scholastic chess can be bloodthirsty!
Stearman,Josiah P - Graf,Justus Felix (1489) [A00]
This Caro-Kann has not worked out well for black. Josiah has a crushing attack, whereas black has nothing against white's king. The American finishes in style!
24.Nxg7! Bxg7 25.Rxg7! Crashing through to victory! 25...Kxg7 26.Qg6+ Kh8 27.Qxh6+ Kg8 28.Rg1+ Black is defenseless against the onslaught. 28...Kf7 29.Rg7+ Ke8 30.Qg6+
I like to brag a little bit, and the player I am coaching who has the most points is Edward Song in the U14 section, with 6.5 out of 9. He is no longer in medal contention, but he fights to the end every game. Here he wins an endgame with a little help from his opponent's time trouble.
Bashirli,NQ - Song,Edward
30...Qxb2 Black has the advantage here, but white has good chances for a draw. However, white has been playing on the increment for some time, and blunders. 31.Rxe6 Qb5! The only winning move! 32.Kg1 Qc5+ 33.Kh1 Qc4! 34.Rf6 gxf6 35.exf6 Rxf6 36.Qd8+ Kg7 37.Qd7+ Rf7
I want to end this report with a bit of fun news. After we got back from our trip to Dubai, it was about 8PM and the women who are helping everyone at the dorms decided to have a barbecue, with food, tea, water, marshmallows, corn,and some football (soccer) and dodge-ball! It was great to see kids from all delegations taking part in the festivities and everyone having a great time. The people who work and volunteer at the tournament and University are doing a great job and are in good spirits, making the tough tournament more enjoyable.
Go USA and look for excellent news in my next and final report from Al Ain!
Find full results at the official website at http://www.worldyouth2013.com/. You can follow Ben Finegold on twitter and see his blog here.


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2007-11-21 / Opinion
An open letter to Gov. Eliot Spitzer
Dear Governor: We were exceedingly pleased to hear that you have decided to pull your ill-conceived proposal to award the privilege of drivers licenses to those individuals who have entered this country and this state illegally. We remain concerned, however, with the fact that you proposed this idea in the first place.
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Underwater researchers have revealed the first images seen of a sunken German submarine ever since it was presumably sunk by American planes and a merchant freighter during desperate days in 1942. The U-576 Kriegsmarine U-boat was on a mission to destroy Allied shipping along the Atlantic coast during the early days of the Second World War. It managed to sink the Nicaraguan-flag SS Bluefields merchant ship but was in turn sunk, taking down all 45 hands onboard.
Sonographic image of U-576 from 2014
The underwater expedition was intended to map the area near Cape Hatteras off the North Carolina shore. This discovery is the only known location in U.S. waters that contains archaeologically preserved remains of a convoy battle where both sides are so close together. Joe Hoyt, Monitor National Marine Sanctuary archaeologist and chief scientist for the expedition said of the find, "By studying this site for the first time, we hope to learn more about the battle, as well as the natural habitats surrounding the shipwrecks."
U-576 underway
Almost 1,600 Allied sailors, including 1,100 merchant mariners, died off North Carolina during the Second World War. Most of them perished in 1942 when Nazi submarines could easily destroy Allied ships that were inadequately protected by naval forces. It became known as the "Battle of the Atlantic." The wrecks of the U-576 and the Bluefields off Cape Hatteras were about 240 yards apart and 750 feet below the surface. They had been previously detected and viewed only by sonar when they were discovered in 2014.
SS Bluefields
David Alberg, superintendent of the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary in Virginia said that because the submarine's dive planes were tilted upwards, and that the hatches were still sealed, he concluded that the submarine contains the bodies of all the German crewmembers who perished while seeking to save their lives.
U-576 conning tower
The expedition launched its first dives with mini-submarines on August 24. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency and the University of North Carolina are working with the assistance of the nonprofit Project Baseline, which provided the research vessel and the two mini-subs.
The expedition had to return to port in Beaufort on August 29 because of heavy seas of the sort that have swamped thousands of ships over the centuries on the Outer Banks. Researchers hope to return later. Alberg said that while the group has obtained significant amounts of data, he hopes that the next voyage will produce more.
The mini-subs and an unmanned submersible vehicle took photographs that will be used to produce three-dimensional models. They also did laser scans to produce precisely detailed images and used sonar to sweep the ocean bottom and water column around the wrecks. The data will generate a 3D rotating model of the battle site that will be available online.
2G Robotics and SRI International provided submersible robots and remote-sensing technology. The Coastal Studies Institute of the University of North Carolina will create the three-dimensional models of the wrecks.
Alberg said that among the mysteries surrounding the wreck is the reason for its sinking. He also wondered out loud, "What were the last minutes for the crew like?"
A preliminary analysis shows that despite being targeted by depth charges dropped by U.S. Navy warplanes and being swept with machine gun fire from a merchant ship in the convoy, the U-boat shows no outward sign of damage.
The conning tower is intact, and the word 'Peterle' can be seen painted on the sub. The wooden deck has rotted away.
NOAA is now considering proposals to expand the Monitor National Monument to cover other offshore World War II wrecks, thus limiting diving and other exploration. Under international maritime law, the wreck of the U-576 remains the property of the German government. A recommendation could emerge in late winter or early spring as to how the area around Cape Hatteras will be designated.
Nazi Germany's state-of-the-art submarines "Unterseebooten" were extremely successful along the Atlantic Coast during the first year of the worldwide war. The area became known as "Torpedo Junction" because of the hundreds of vessels that foundered there. The U-boats used the offshore environment off Cape Hatteras and the Outer Banks to their advantage.
The U-576 was built in Hamburg at the Blohm & Voss shipyards. It was skippered by Capt. Lt. Hans-Dieter Heinecke and was on its fourth tour. It set out from the Nazaire sub base in France in June 1942 and headed towards North America. Along the way, it was damaged by an aircraft attack on July 12 or 13 and signaled that it would head east because repairs could not be accomplished onboard by the crew. But on July 15, the U-576 encountered Convoy KS-520. The convoy consisted of 19 merchant ships and five escorts and was headed from Hampton Roads, Virginia, to Key West, Florida.
The German sub fired four torpedoes, one of which struck and destroyed the SS Bluefields. Another hit and damaged the U.S. cargo ship Chilore, while the remaining torpedos struck the Panamanian-flag tanker J. A. Mowinckel, damaging her. All hands onboard the Bluefields survived.
After unleashing its torpedoes, the U-576 unintentionally surfaced in the middle of the convoy, prompting one of the convoy′s ships, the SS Unicoi, to open fire on her. It was then that two United States Navy Vought OS2U Kingfisher aircraft attacked the submarine with depth charges. One of the depth charges landed on the deck of the submarine but then rolled overboard before exploding. Subsequently, the U-576 sank, leaving a large pool of oil on the surface of the sea. There were no visible survivors.
U.S. Navy personnel have discovered the remains of an American aviator who was shot down in combat over the Pacific Ocean in 1944. A team aboard USNS ...
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Back-to-School Budgeting
Aug 12, 2013
Ah, that first day of school when, along with paperwork about joining the PTA, parents received the dreaded "supplies list," which can end up costing them $75 to $100 or more per child.
What's a Parent to Do?
The National Foundation for Credit Counseling suggests the following tips on minimizing the impact of back-to-school supply shopping on parents.
- Begin with a plan—start by taking an inventory of what you currently have at home and talking with your kids about what they will need. Many schools publish the supply list over the summer. Take a look so you'll know what you'll need or talk to parents with older children to get an idea of what's going to be on the list.
- Clip coupons and watch for sales—once you know what items you're likely to need, watch for those items to go on sale and compare prices on different items. You should also find out if your state has a back-to-school tax-free shopping holiday so you'll save even more.
- Develop a budget and stick to it—monitor where kids shop and limit spending amounts with pre-paid gift cards, which nearly every retailer offers for both in-store and online purchases. This is also a great opportunity to teach older kids about responsible spending habits. Let them do the comparison shopping and point out if they choose the more expensive item, they will have to cut back in other areas.
- Buy in bulk—buying supplies like pens or notebooks in large quantities can save you money in the long run. Consider splitting the cost and the items with another parent.
- Shop online—stores often put their best sales online and it's a great way to compare prices. However, protect yourself by making sure the online transactions are secure. When in doubt, pick up the phone and call. Most online retail sites also have toll-free numbers.
- Hang on to your receipts—return items that won't get used. If the item goes on sale after you purchase it, ask the store to give you credit for the difference.


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It all started with a contest called Giant Avatar contest I saw was coming up in a few days back when events were only a few a day and finding them was easy. I went to the sandox where you could usally work for about 30 minutes at a time between sim crashes and started ataching prims to my feet but that didn't make you any taller just made prims that went into the ground. So I thought about it and figured the way I'd have to do this is be in the foot. I didn't have a clue how to script legs to move and back then movment scripts didn't work in avatars anyway . Narrowed it down a bit to a one footed animal . The shell was maxed out at 30 meters or maybe I just remeber it that big . thing is I din't have a clue how to see out of that so had to stop a lot an cam outside the shell to see where I was.
It was hillariose I got to the contest about 20 minutes early and the guy holding it told me to please park off to the side somewhere I thought he was stearing me over there because I had obviosly won and he didn't wan to discourage the other avatars. Ends up I was the only one that took it him litereally and made a giant avatar. Well I didn't win.
I was in group called Montmartre Artists and we were trying to get on the most popular places list before camping chairs were invented and were each asked to come up with an event Mae Best had not another Quiz every other night it seemed like and that alone got us up to about 30th or so but not the top 20 anyway I was trying to come up with an event and talking to my good scripting friend and nighbor in fujin Catfart and he suggested giant snail racing. thats where it all started thats when I put together a better cuter av with blinky eyes that everyone loves and they havent changed much since. We did get into the top 20 a couple times.
It started on the ground using stone paths that that circled montmartre I made all the arrows and things needed for the race rez from a single prim and go find there spot in the sim just for the race then I'd go around after the race and shout the race is over and all of signs of the race track would vanish just leaving the stone path built by May Best they also went down the city streets of Chase Rutherford's manhattane in the Hawthorne sim an Aimee weber build at 8 pm on tuesday nights the thing that brought them to an end was mostly due to the phisics in sl where if you can find something to trip over you can fall a lot faster than anyone can run. Also once you get into that falling state you can close chat bar and hold the space bar down and get yourself to glide a long ways.
So I moved the race up into the sky onto a perfectly flat surface where there is nothing you can trip over. Same time Seifert Surface was experimenting with a transportation system that would use push and throw you across the map. He had set this set of flingers up at the future sim just one Sim south of Montmartre and owned by Chase Rutherford.
In fact I Used his experiments as the track I just built the course around them. the race stayed in the future sim as it changed hands to Gus Plisskin who said it was welcome to stay as long as I wanted to have it there. But the sim slowly filled to capacity and had a lot of scripts going and the flingers stopped working consistently and the sport became more of a luck thing but eventually become an endurance race. I got Seifert Surface to give me a copy of his experiments and carefully packed it all into a prim and moved it all back to where it started from Montmatre.
Also if you go to http://www.sluniverse.com/pics/ and look search using the tag snail race you can see 99 percent of that history there. The snail race is only a few months older than snapzilla. Snail races will be three years old at the end of november and have been held every saturday but cancelled 2 or 3 about a year ago when I was very sick.
RacerX Gullwing
Snail Racing History
2 comments:
brilliant to read the history :) thanks for sharing RacerX, and waelya for hosting this site.
- 7/06/2008
- Selina said...
Interesting to know.
- 11/11/2008
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Cornerstone, in collaboration with the Credit Union National Association, is drafting an amicus brief to be filed on behalf of a member credit union that is currently engaged in litigation over the ADA website issue.
Although compliance with the final rule isn't required until May 11, 2018, credit unions have had since May 11, 2016, to begin their compliance with the amendments to the Bank Secrecy Act that relate to these four core elements...
The following table shows pending regulatory proposals quickly coming to deadline. Cornerstone and Credit Union National Association will be submitting comments. Credit unions are encouraged to use PowerComment to file comment letters with regulators.
On Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 280-131 to pass H.R. 1153, the Mortgage Choice Act of 2017.
The February 2018 Dividend Guidelines from ALM Resources are now available for download on the Cornerstone Credit Union League website.
Good—even exceptional—service exists all around us. Companies like Southwest Airlines, Nordstrom, Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, Amazon, and The Ritz Carlton are continually recognized for such exceptional service, and while their offerings are wildly different, they have one thing in common: a focus on the customer.
Are you new to accounting, or do you need a refresher on the basics? The Cornerstone Accounting and Finance Council is hosting a special webinar to provide insights, tips, and best practices for credit union accounting on Tuesday, Feb. 27, from 2 to 3 p.m. CT.


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Let me tell you my story about making this puffs. I've prepared my own version of bbq meat the night before and was nicely kept in my fridge. The very next morning, I woke at 730am to start making the pastry. I was so excited and put so much hope that I can bring all these puffs back to my hometown for my grandma and others. But something was not right when I started to knead the water dough of the pastry. I followed exactly from the book and the I can't knead the said ingredients into a dough. I was so upset and frustrated then I started to panic because I've promise to bring back some nice puffs for our tea that day. Then I try my best to make some changes out from the book.
Well, from the pictures above I can say those puffs taste good and crispy. And so I've done another new version of the ingredients again..hehe!
300g Bbq chicken meat or BBq pork (finely chopped) ~ Recipe here.
(Water dough)
300g Plain flour
60g Margarine
3 tbsps fine sugar
2 eggs
5-6 tbsps water ( may need more if the dough still dry)
(Oil dough)
100g Margarine
~ Mix all water dough ingredients and oil dough ingredeints separately until a smooth dough form. Rest dough for 10 minutes.
~ Divide water dough into 20g each and 15g each for oil dough.
~ Wrap oil dough into water dough and roll into reactangle shapes. Fold into 3 layers and roll out again. (repeat 2 times).
~ Roll out dough (still rectangle shape) and place some fillings on one side of the pastry and fold the other end over the fillings. Seal tight all edges and seal both side edges with a fork.
~ Brush beaten eggs over surface and bake at 180-190'C for 20 minutes until golden brown.