Sunday, September 19, 2004
Oil, guns and moneyWhat's really behind the recent redeployment of U.S. military forces? Making sure no one messes with American access to global energy resources. An excerpt from "Oil: Anatomy of an Industry."
- - - - - - - - - - - -By Matthew Yeomans
Sept. 2, 2004 When President Bush announced a radical redeployment of some 70,000 active duty U.S. military personnel currently based in Western Europe and Asia in mid-August, he stressed that this new agile military would be focused on combating terrorism and fostering global stability. What he didn't mention is that the newly dispersed Army, Marines, Navy and Air Force will also be busy protecting another key component of U.S. national security -- its energy resources.
The plan, which the Pentagon has been explaining in dribs and drabs over the past year, is to rotate troops through a large number of bases scattered all over the world, with special attention given to the so-called "arc of instability" running through the Caribbean rim, Africa, Central Asia, the Middle East, South Asia, North Korea and the Caucasus. The new formation includes boosting new regional hub bases as well as establishing minimally-staffed forward operating bases that might house just a few dozen troops but could be quickly transformed into action-ready staging bases.
One look at a map of current Pentagon troop deployment demonstrates how the Pentagon sees its 21st century dual mission. Since 2001, new military bases have been established in Eastern Europe and Central Asia -- including Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, Romania, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan -- allowing the U.S. to keep watch over the Islamic tinderbox of Central Asia and the strategically crucial Caspian Sea oil region which will soon supply millions of barrels of oil to the U.S. and Western Europe markets. Other bases in Afghanistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Djibouti and Oman (not to mention the huge military garrison in Iraq), guarantee a strong and long-term presence in the Persian Gulf, while new pacts with Nigeria and other West African nations will ensure the U.S. military keeps a watchful eye on another important oil region, the Gulf of Guinea.
Today's Day Pass sponsored by ---------
Oil: Anatomy of an Industry
By Matthew Yeomans
The New Press192 pagesNonfiction
Buy this book
Energy security has been a mainstay of U.S. foreign policy ever since Franklin Roosevelt pledged to provide military protection to Saudi Arabia in return for unfettered access to the Kingdom's oil. In 1980, the so-called Carter Doctrine declared the U.S.'s intention to intervene militarily to counter any threat to Middle East security. And in May 2001, Dick Cheney's National Energy Policy announced that the Bush administration would make "energy security a priority of our trade and foreign policy." The most recent redeployment of military forces is just one more reaffirmation that in the post-Cold War global order, preserving access to energy resources is the prime strategic imperative.
The seeds of the latest twist in new energy protection policy were sown in 2002 when Congress authorized $98 million for U.S. troops and equipment to help the Colombian army protect oil pipelines owned by California company Occidental. The pipelines were regular targets of the FARC and ELN, the two main leftist rebel groups in Colombia's 40-year civil war. In the spring of 2003, just as U.S. forces were invading Iraq, a far smaller group of 70 Green Berets flew into Colombia to secure Oxy's pipeline.
The funds were authorized under the proviso of the administration's war on terrorism, but the military training had more to do with the National Energy Policy. The Andean nations of Ecuador, Venezuela and Colombia contribute 20 percent of the U.S.'s imported oil. Colombia is the 10th largest oil supplier for the U.S. and the Bush administration has made increased imports from Andean nations an important part of its goal of lessening its dependence on Middle East oil. Colombia's oil is easy to produce and output could be significantly increased were the oil companies not targeted so often. The national government also uses a good deal of its oil profits -- 25 percent of the country's annual revenues -- to fight the rebels
- - - - - - - - - - - -By Matthew Yeomans
Sept. 2, 2004 When President Bush announced a radical redeployment of some 70,000 active duty U.S. military personnel currently based in Western Europe and Asia in mid-August, he stressed that this new agile military would be focused on combating terrorism and fostering global stability. What he didn't mention is that the newly dispersed Army, Marines, Navy and Air Force will also be busy protecting another key component of U.S. national security -- its energy resources.
The plan, which the Pentagon has been explaining in dribs and drabs over the past year, is to rotate troops through a large number of bases scattered all over the world, with special attention given to the so-called "arc of instability" running through the Caribbean rim, Africa, Central Asia, the Middle East, South Asia, North Korea and the Caucasus. The new formation includes boosting new regional hub bases as well as establishing minimally-staffed forward operating bases that might house just a few dozen troops but could be quickly transformed into action-ready staging bases.
One look at a map of current Pentagon troop deployment demonstrates how the Pentagon sees its 21st century dual mission. Since 2001, new military bases have been established in Eastern Europe and Central Asia -- including Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, Romania, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan -- allowing the U.S. to keep watch over the Islamic tinderbox of Central Asia and the strategically crucial Caspian Sea oil region which will soon supply millions of barrels of oil to the U.S. and Western Europe markets. Other bases in Afghanistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Djibouti and Oman (not to mention the huge military garrison in Iraq), guarantee a strong and long-term presence in the Persian Gulf, while new pacts with Nigeria and other West African nations will ensure the U.S. military keeps a watchful eye on another important oil region, the Gulf of Guinea.
Today's Day Pass sponsored by ---------
Oil: Anatomy of an Industry
By Matthew Yeomans
The New Press192 pagesNonfiction
Buy this book
Energy security has been a mainstay of U.S. foreign policy ever since Franklin Roosevelt pledged to provide military protection to Saudi Arabia in return for unfettered access to the Kingdom's oil. In 1980, the so-called Carter Doctrine declared the U.S.'s intention to intervene militarily to counter any threat to Middle East security. And in May 2001, Dick Cheney's National Energy Policy announced that the Bush administration would make "energy security a priority of our trade and foreign policy." The most recent redeployment of military forces is just one more reaffirmation that in the post-Cold War global order, preserving access to energy resources is the prime strategic imperative.
The seeds of the latest twist in new energy protection policy were sown in 2002 when Congress authorized $98 million for U.S. troops and equipment to help the Colombian army protect oil pipelines owned by California company Occidental. The pipelines were regular targets of the FARC and ELN, the two main leftist rebel groups in Colombia's 40-year civil war. In the spring of 2003, just as U.S. forces were invading Iraq, a far smaller group of 70 Green Berets flew into Colombia to secure Oxy's pipeline.
The funds were authorized under the proviso of the administration's war on terrorism, but the military training had more to do with the National Energy Policy. The Andean nations of Ecuador, Venezuela and Colombia contribute 20 percent of the U.S.'s imported oil. Colombia is the 10th largest oil supplier for the U.S. and the Bush administration has made increased imports from Andean nations an important part of its goal of lessening its dependence on Middle East oil. Colombia's oil is easy to produce and output could be significantly increased were the oil companies not targeted so often. The national government also uses a good deal of its oil profits -- 25 percent of the country's annual revenues -- to fight the rebels
Catching a Virus in the Act
By Kristen Philipkoski Also by this reporter Page 1 of 1
02:00 AM Sep. 18, 2004 PT
Scientists can see how a virus causes infection by interacting with DNA, thanks to the first molecular-scale images of the phenomenon. Now that they can see how the virus does its dirty work, researchers can try to build a drug to block it.
Biologists from Brookhaven National Laboratory and Albert Einstein College of Medicine created a computer model of DNA binding to an adenovirus enzyme at a point in time they believe is critical for causing infection. The image they generated appears on the October 2004 cover of Molecular and Cellular Proteomics.
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Adenoviruses cause respiratory, gastrointestinal and eye infections, including pink eye. Some adenovirus eye infections lead to blindness and, in people whose immune systems are challenged, the virus can be deadly.
When the researchers caught a glimpse of the virus in action, they saw for the first time that DNA bound directly to the virus enzyme, called a protease. The researchers believe the protease uses the DNA as a guide to spread infection.
"This was the first example of that ever happening, and a lot of people didn't believe this when we first published it," said Walter Mangel, a co-author of the paper and head of the lab at Brookhaven that performed the work.
His lab first published data suggesting the phenomenon back in 1993, when it was met with some skepticism. But now they have visual proof.
The team used a technique called synchrotron footprinting, a technology pioneered by another study co-author, Mark Chance at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Synchotron footprinting involves bombarding biological molecules with X-rays to create an image of their surface.
Before performing the synchotron footprinting, the researchers crystallized the adenovirus enzyme. In crystal form, X-rays bounce off of the enzyme, and by measuring the reflected X-rays, the scientists can determine the exact location of each atom.
Sayan Gupta, a researcher at Einstein College of Medicine and the study's lead author, performed the synchotron footprinting on the adenovirus and DNA using the National Synchotron Light Source.
Using data taken from the X-ray bombardment, researchers used specialized software to create a computer model of the enzyme and the DNA.
"We think the protease binds to DNA almost like a train moving along a track," Mangel said.
Because the DNA binding site is long, drugs have lots of space where they could interfere with the DNA and enzyme interaction, Mangel said. He and his colleagues have already started looking for potential drugs and hope within a year to send some for testing to the National Institutes of Health, which funded the study along with the U.S. Department of Energy.
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Chickspeak: How Sexy Women Talk
So the next time you're cruising a bar or just walking down a busy city street and hear a group of young and sexy women chattering about phone zits, mouse potatoes, and e-mauling, you don't have to rub your ears. You heard correctly. It's called "chickspeak" and this new and fun dialect is all the rage among young, urban, single women, reports the Houston Chronicle. Many of these words started with "Sex and the City." Others can be found on DailyCandy.com, a fashion and style newsletter Web site founded and edited by Dany Lavey. Make sure you're not left out in the cold! Learn and memorize these chickspeak words, courtesy of Ms. Lavey.
The dictionary gets sexed up! Find out some of the English language's newest words.
Baby blue: ViagraBiphonal: Holding multiple phones to your ears or in front of you at the same time.Blamestorming: A meeting whose sole purpose is to discuss why a deadline was missed or a project failed and who was responsible.Drailing: E-mailing when drunk; drunk e-mailing.E-mauling: Stalking someone via e-mail.Fatkins: Disciples of Atkins who have taken the "all the fat you can eat" idea to lunatic extremes.
What is your favorite word? That's what Merriam-Webster OnLine wanted to know, and the answer is amusing.
GU (pronounced "goo"): Acronym for geographically undesirable.Guyatus: A hiatus from guys.Helicopter: A significant other who finds it necessary to hover around his or her mate at all times.Intie: The intimacy flu. Usually occurs two to three weeks into a budding dating relationship. Symptoms include unreturned phone calls, "mistakenly" deleted e-mail messages, and sleeping on the far edge of the bed.Karat dangler: A woman who finds it of utmost importance to flaunt her engagement/wedding ring at all times.
Here are 10 words every high school graduate--and the parents--should know. Do you? Click to find out what they are.
Lush flush: The rosy hue you get in your cheeks after a few too many glasses of wine.Mitin (pronounced "mitten"): Acronym/codespeak for "more information than I needed."Mouse potato: The wired generation's answer to the couch potato.Mousewife: A male housewife.Phone zit: The recurring chin zit that results from spending too much time on the phone.
If you love words, you'll get a kick out of PlayFour, a crossword puzzle that only uses four-letter words for answers. It's fun and fast to play. Click to try it.
Reverse evolution princes: Men who at first seem to be princes but turn out to be frogs.Single woman's sports pages: The New York Times' wedding announcements.Spenny: Pricey; short for expensive.Stray: A heterosexual male who everyone secretly thinks is gay.Teenile: Used to describe someone who is way too old for what she is wearing.Yellular: The loudness you adopt in response to a bad cell phone connection, in the misguided hope that talking louder will improve the connection.
We hear them 24/7. But at the end of the day, which cliché makes you want to scream? Find out the No. 1 most irritating cliché.
So the next time you're cruising a bar or just walking down a busy city street and hear a group of young and sexy women chattering about phone zits, mouse potatoes, and e-mauling, you don't have to rub your ears. You heard correctly. It's called "chickspeak" and this new and fun dialect is all the rage among young, urban, single women, reports the Houston Chronicle. Many of these words started with "Sex and the City." Others can be found on DailyCandy.com, a fashion and style newsletter Web site founded and edited by Dany Lavey. Make sure you're not left out in the cold! Learn and memorize these chickspeak words, courtesy of Ms. Lavey.
The dictionary gets sexed up! Find out some of the English language's newest words.
Baby blue: ViagraBiphonal: Holding multiple phones to your ears or in front of you at the same time.Blamestorming: A meeting whose sole purpose is to discuss why a deadline was missed or a project failed and who was responsible.Drailing: E-mailing when drunk; drunk e-mailing.E-mauling: Stalking someone via e-mail.Fatkins: Disciples of Atkins who have taken the "all the fat you can eat" idea to lunatic extremes.
What is your favorite word? That's what Merriam-Webster OnLine wanted to know, and the answer is amusing.
GU (pronounced "goo"): Acronym for geographically undesirable.Guyatus: A hiatus from guys.Helicopter: A significant other who finds it necessary to hover around his or her mate at all times.Intie: The intimacy flu. Usually occurs two to three weeks into a budding dating relationship. Symptoms include unreturned phone calls, "mistakenly" deleted e-mail messages, and sleeping on the far edge of the bed.Karat dangler: A woman who finds it of utmost importance to flaunt her engagement/wedding ring at all times.
Here are 10 words every high school graduate--and the parents--should know. Do you? Click to find out what they are.
Lush flush: The rosy hue you get in your cheeks after a few too many glasses of wine.Mitin (pronounced "mitten"): Acronym/codespeak for "more information than I needed."Mouse potato: The wired generation's answer to the couch potato.Mousewife: A male housewife.Phone zit: The recurring chin zit that results from spending too much time on the phone.
If you love words, you'll get a kick out of PlayFour, a crossword puzzle that only uses four-letter words for answers. It's fun and fast to play. Click to try it.
Reverse evolution princes: Men who at first seem to be princes but turn out to be frogs.Single woman's sports pages: The New York Times' wedding announcements.Spenny: Pricey; short for expensive.Stray: A heterosexual male who everyone secretly thinks is gay.Teenile: Used to describe someone who is way too old for what she is wearing.Yellular: The loudness you adopt in response to a bad cell phone connection, in the misguided hope that talking louder will improve the connection.
We hear them 24/7. But at the end of the day, which cliché makes you want to scream? Find out the No. 1 most irritating cliché.
GIANTS 20, REDSKINS 14
Back to Wall, Giants' Defense Turns FearsomeBy LYNN ZINSERPublished: September 20, 2004
AST RUTHERFORD, N.J., Sept. 19 - When the Giants' defensive players walked off the field after the Washington Redskins embarrassed them with an easy touchdown drive in the first quarter Sunday afternoon, they had already tried the patience of the Giants Stadium crowd.
Their fans had begun booing only three minutes into their home opener after an ugly rash of missed tackles and blown assignments. Once they got to the sideline, they found no sympathy.
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End Michael Strahan turned to his teammates and said: "What do we have to do? Do we have to be backed up against a wall before we want to play?"
The answer was, maybe they do.
From the depths of its shellacking last week by Philadelphia and the gruesome start against the Redskins, the Giants' defense turned instantly fearsome, jarring seven turnovers out of the Redskins. The Giants needed every of them to hold on for a 20-14 victory.
The Giants celebrated after it was over with as much relief as triumph. It gave them their first victory under Tom Coughlin and doused the Redskins' excitement over Coach Joe Gibbs's return.
It gave the Giants a split in their first two games against National Football Conference East opponents. And it lifted a cloud of doubt that comes from a nine-game losing streak stretching from last season.
"I'm excited to win," Coughlin said. "It was a win in the division on a beautiful day. The fans were great. The defense was outstanding. Of course, we made it real exciting."
The Giants scored 17 points directly off turnovers, and the victory grew from the most unlikely of starts.
After the Redskins shoved them aside for a 7-0 lead - getting one big gain and the touchdown on the same wide-open bootleg pass from Mark Brunell - the Giants' defensive linemen began forcing the issue.
They needed to. The Giants' linebacker corps started thin and was becoming thinner with injuries. The defensive backs were still wearing the skid marks left by the Eagles a week earlier. Redskins tailback Clinton Portis had sliced through holes with ease.
"My biggest message after that drive was, you don't let the offense dictate to you," Strahan said. "You have to dictate to them. You've got to fly around. That's exactly what we did when we went out there the next time.
"You can't sit back and wait and see how an offense is going to be and then react to them. You have to make them react to you."
On the first drive of the second quarter, the Redskins faced a third-and-3 at their own 44, and Brunell dropped back only to see defensive tackle Fred Robbins thundering toward him. Robbins sacked him, Brunell fumbled and Strahan scooped up the ball.
One play later, the offense turned it into a 7-7 tie with a 38-yard touchdown pass from Kurt Warner to Tim Carter.
Those kinds of swings of emotion and momentum happen every week in the N.F.L., but for almost an entire season they had been happening exclusively to the Giants' opponents.
In the slide last season, a franchise known for defense watched the defense collapse and the offense follow suit. After an overhaul of the team, the Giants did not look much better in the opening drubbing by the Eagles and early against Washington.
In the first quarter, there was that Redskins 10-play touchdown drive; a fumble by Warner after a sack; Warner taking another sack after tripping over his center's foot; a timeout before a field goal because the Giants had only 10 men on the field, followed by Steve Christie badly missing the kick; and tailback Ron Dayne getting stuffed on third- and fourth-and-short to strangle another drive.
But Robbins's sack seemed to turn everything around. When Strahan came up with the ball, he jubilantly spiked it, and the crowd forgot why it had been booing.
On the next Redskins drive, Giants defensive tackle Norman Hand turned a reverse to Laveranues Coles into a 16-yard loss with a stunning tackle deep in the backfield.
On the next drive, safety Shaun Williams forced Portis to fumble, and linebacker Barrett Green picked it up and ran 16 yards for a touchdown.
If a 14-7 lead were not improbable enough, Robbins tipped a screen pass and grabbed the interception - the first of his five-year career - and returned it 13 yards, leading to a field goal.
Christie tacked on one more field goal to give the Giants a 20-7 edge into halftime.
Back to Wall, Giants' Defense Turns FearsomeBy LYNN ZINSERPublished: September 20, 2004
AST RUTHERFORD, N.J., Sept. 19 - When the Giants' defensive players walked off the field after the Washington Redskins embarrassed them with an easy touchdown drive in the first quarter Sunday afternoon, they had already tried the patience of the Giants Stadium crowd.
Their fans had begun booing only three minutes into their home opener after an ugly rash of missed tackles and blown assignments. Once they got to the sideline, they found no sympathy.
Advertisement
End Michael Strahan turned to his teammates and said: "What do we have to do? Do we have to be backed up against a wall before we want to play?"
The answer was, maybe they do.
From the depths of its shellacking last week by Philadelphia and the gruesome start against the Redskins, the Giants' defense turned instantly fearsome, jarring seven turnovers out of the Redskins. The Giants needed every of them to hold on for a 20-14 victory.
The Giants celebrated after it was over with as much relief as triumph. It gave them their first victory under Tom Coughlin and doused the Redskins' excitement over Coach Joe Gibbs's return.
It gave the Giants a split in their first two games against National Football Conference East opponents. And it lifted a cloud of doubt that comes from a nine-game losing streak stretching from last season.
"I'm excited to win," Coughlin said. "It was a win in the division on a beautiful day. The fans were great. The defense was outstanding. Of course, we made it real exciting."
The Giants scored 17 points directly off turnovers, and the victory grew from the most unlikely of starts.
After the Redskins shoved them aside for a 7-0 lead - getting one big gain and the touchdown on the same wide-open bootleg pass from Mark Brunell - the Giants' defensive linemen began forcing the issue.
They needed to. The Giants' linebacker corps started thin and was becoming thinner with injuries. The defensive backs were still wearing the skid marks left by the Eagles a week earlier. Redskins tailback Clinton Portis had sliced through holes with ease.
"My biggest message after that drive was, you don't let the offense dictate to you," Strahan said. "You have to dictate to them. You've got to fly around. That's exactly what we did when we went out there the next time.
"You can't sit back and wait and see how an offense is going to be and then react to them. You have to make them react to you."
On the first drive of the second quarter, the Redskins faced a third-and-3 at their own 44, and Brunell dropped back only to see defensive tackle Fred Robbins thundering toward him. Robbins sacked him, Brunell fumbled and Strahan scooped up the ball.
One play later, the offense turned it into a 7-7 tie with a 38-yard touchdown pass from Kurt Warner to Tim Carter.
Those kinds of swings of emotion and momentum happen every week in the N.F.L., but for almost an entire season they had been happening exclusively to the Giants' opponents.
In the slide last season, a franchise known for defense watched the defense collapse and the offense follow suit. After an overhaul of the team, the Giants did not look much better in the opening drubbing by the Eagles and early against Washington.
In the first quarter, there was that Redskins 10-play touchdown drive; a fumble by Warner after a sack; Warner taking another sack after tripping over his center's foot; a timeout before a field goal because the Giants had only 10 men on the field, followed by Steve Christie badly missing the kick; and tailback Ron Dayne getting stuffed on third- and fourth-and-short to strangle another drive.
But Robbins's sack seemed to turn everything around. When Strahan came up with the ball, he jubilantly spiked it, and the crowd forgot why it had been booing.
On the next Redskins drive, Giants defensive tackle Norman Hand turned a reverse to Laveranues Coles into a 16-yard loss with a stunning tackle deep in the backfield.
On the next drive, safety Shaun Williams forced Portis to fumble, and linebacker Barrett Green picked it up and ran 16 yards for a touchdown.
If a 14-7 lead were not improbable enough, Robbins tipped a screen pass and grabbed the interception - the first of his five-year career - and returned it 13 yards, leading to a field goal.
Christie tacked on one more field goal to give the Giants a 20-7 edge into halftime.
Date:
Sun, 19 Sep 2004 20:28:34 -0700 (PDT)
From:
"Whelan Michael" Add to Address Book
Subject:
Ironworkers and The Future.
To:
tmarble@hotmail.com
From the very real perspective that I have now, I sadly would feel a failure as a parent if I had not been able to amply demonstrate to my son that this organization called "Brotherhood of Ironworkers" has largely outlived its relevance as an institution. The Organized Labor and resultant rights of collective bargaining came into being at a time when the working man and woman was clearly and viscerally aware of the pains and sacrifices that had been endured to make the concept of Union representation and membership a reality. It was born of hunger and strikes and Pinkerton Guards with rifles who fired into crowds indiscriminately. It was born of children who were forced underground to dig out coal from the earth at twelve and thirteen years old, and so this organization was a first second and third loyalty to its members. What is the point of belonging to a Union when the management of the company , in our case Field Superintendents, General Forman, Forman, etc. are all steady company hands. They drive expensive cars and trucks, they live in overly leveraged homes, and if they miss one day of work or are threatened with a layoff there is virtually no way they can do anything except what the given outfit tells them to do. No Tom, I would want my son to be able to belong to an organization , whatever that grouping or association may endeavor to achieve, that has the mission statement and fundamental values in the forefront of their decision making apparatus. If he joins a "Brotherhood" it would kill me to watch him slowly turn cynical as he came to understand that there was only one thing to know in order to succeed and that was to perfectly subscribe to the lie at every given point in the equation. The moment you would deviate from the "path of least resistance" you will inevitably set in motion a suspicion that can help you only to be inevitably marginalized and portrayed as a "trouble maker", or worse. There was a time when our Brotherhood knew what it meant and what it stood for. In 2004, in Las Vegas, Nevada, there is a picture that you have witnessed with your own eyes. I pray that there is the will to fight for a more clearly defined vision of what the future should become, but I cannot begin to throw away the remaining years of a life that has been already circumscribed by years of very serious personal stress and family responsibility, so as to discover that things here in Las Vegas are exactly the way the membership want them to be. Case Closed. Your Friend for Life, Michael
Sun, 19 Sep 2004 20:28:34 -0700 (PDT)
From:
"Whelan Michael"
Subject:
Ironworkers and The Future.
To:
tmarble@hotmail.com
From the very real perspective that I have now, I sadly would feel a failure as a parent if I had not been able to amply demonstrate to my son that this organization called "Brotherhood of Ironworkers" has largely outlived its relevance as an institution. The Organized Labor and resultant rights of collective bargaining came into being at a time when the working man and woman was clearly and viscerally aware of the pains and sacrifices that had been endured to make the concept of Union representation and membership a reality. It was born of hunger and strikes and Pinkerton Guards with rifles who fired into crowds indiscriminately. It was born of children who were forced underground to dig out coal from the earth at twelve and thirteen years old, and so this organization was a first second and third loyalty to its members. What is the point of belonging to a Union when the management of the company , in our case Field Superintendents, General Forman, Forman, etc. are all steady company hands. They drive expensive cars and trucks, they live in overly leveraged homes, and if they miss one day of work or are threatened with a layoff there is virtually no way they can do anything except what the given outfit tells them to do. No Tom, I would want my son to be able to belong to an organization , whatever that grouping or association may endeavor to achieve, that has the mission statement and fundamental values in the forefront of their decision making apparatus. If he joins a "Brotherhood" it would kill me to watch him slowly turn cynical as he came to understand that there was only one thing to know in order to succeed and that was to perfectly subscribe to the lie at every given point in the equation. The moment you would deviate from the "path of least resistance" you will inevitably set in motion a suspicion that can help you only to be inevitably marginalized and portrayed as a "trouble maker", or worse. There was a time when our Brotherhood knew what it meant and what it stood for. In 2004, in Las Vegas, Nevada, there is a picture that you have witnessed with your own eyes. I pray that there is the will to fight for a more clearly defined vision of what the future should become, but I cannot begin to throw away the remaining years of a life that has been already circumscribed by years of very serious personal stress and family responsibility, so as to discover that things here in Las Vegas are exactly the way the membership want them to be. Case Closed. Your Friend for Life, Michael
World's Beer Fans Meet for Annual Munich Binge
Sat Sep 18, 1:45 PM ET
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MUNICH, Germany (Reuters) - International squads of beer drinkers, leather-clad Bavarians and devotees of excess young and old converged in Munich on Saturday for the start of the planet's biggest beer festival, the Oktoberfest.
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Slideshow: Oktoberfest
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Oktoberfest - official site
Over the next two weeks, beer drinkers are expected to guzzle more than six million litres of beer -- enough to fill around six Olympic size swimming pools -- and chomp through vast quantities of food during the world-famous orgy of consumption.
Dressed in leather shorts, or lederhosen, Munich mayor Christian Ude got the festival under way at noon to the cheers of an impatient crowd by cracking open the first 200 liter keg with the traditional shout "O'zapft is!" - the keg is tapped.
With Germans dismayed by years of weak economic growth, high unemployment and the onset of painful reforms, Ude told Munich's Abendzeitung newspaper the yell captured the essence of the festival's importance.
"One shout and all of us -- otherwise such dependable moaners and worriers in the vale of tears that is Germany -- turn into rustic good-natured sorts whom we wouldn't even want to meet in the street during the rest of the year," he said.
By the time the 171st festival ends on Oct. 3, organizers are hoping more than six million people will have made the pilgrimage to its 14 massive beer tents that seat up to 10,000.
Inside the vast Schottenhamel pavilion where the beer frenzy kicked off, Norbert Eckert, a ruddy-cheeked, moustachioed veteran of 15 previous Oktoberfests was stunned by the turnout.
"I've never seen so many people here for the start as this year," said Eckert, a 54-year-old mechanic from Dormagen in western Germany.
The origins of the Oktoberfest date back to 1810 when a lavish five-day celebration was held all over Munich to mark the wedding of Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen.
With its huge influx of tourists, the festival creates work for some 12,000 people and generates close to a billion euros in revenues for the city.
Sat Sep 18, 1:45 PM ET
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MUNICH, Germany (Reuters) - International squads of beer drinkers, leather-clad Bavarians and devotees of excess young and old converged in Munich on Saturday for the start of the planet's biggest beer festival, the Oktoberfest.
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Slideshow: Oktoberfest
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Oktoberfest - official site
Over the next two weeks, beer drinkers are expected to guzzle more than six million litres of beer -- enough to fill around six Olympic size swimming pools -- and chomp through vast quantities of food during the world-famous orgy of consumption.
Dressed in leather shorts, or lederhosen, Munich mayor Christian Ude got the festival under way at noon to the cheers of an impatient crowd by cracking open the first 200 liter keg with the traditional shout "O'zapft is!" - the keg is tapped.
With Germans dismayed by years of weak economic growth, high unemployment and the onset of painful reforms, Ude told Munich's Abendzeitung newspaper the yell captured the essence of the festival's importance.
"One shout and all of us -- otherwise such dependable moaners and worriers in the vale of tears that is Germany -- turn into rustic good-natured sorts whom we wouldn't even want to meet in the street during the rest of the year," he said.
By the time the 171st festival ends on Oct. 3, organizers are hoping more than six million people will have made the pilgrimage to its 14 massive beer tents that seat up to 10,000.
Inside the vast Schottenhamel pavilion where the beer frenzy kicked off, Norbert Eckert, a ruddy-cheeked, moustachioed veteran of 15 previous Oktoberfests was stunned by the turnout.
"I've never seen so many people here for the start as this year," said Eckert, a 54-year-old mechanic from Dormagen in western Germany.
The origins of the Oktoberfest date back to 1810 when a lavish five-day celebration was held all over Munich to mark the wedding of Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen.
With its huge influx of tourists, the festival creates work for some 12,000 people and generates close to a billion euros in revenues for the city.
Madonna's Bodyguards Get Physical
Fri Sep 17, 5:50 PM ET
By Sarah Hall
Madonna (news - web sites)'s spiritual quest has taken a decidedly secular turn.
•
News: Madonna TV concert axed
•
News: Madonna tells hikers to get lost
•
News: Madonna who? Call her Esther
E! Online Photo
Two of the Kabbalah devotee's bodyguards were arrested in Israel Friday after a scuffle with photographers outside of the Tel Aviv hotel where the singer is currently ensconced.
Madonna, or Esther as she's known to her fellow Kabbalahists, arrived in Israel Wednesday to celebrate the Jewish New Year along with 2,000 other students of the mystical faith.
Her visit has caused a media frenzy in the country, with local newspapers obsessively detailing her every move and 1,000 extra police officers dispatched to protect her and the other 2,000 members of her Kabbalah delegation.
Apparently, the added public scrutiny has caused her bodyguards to pump up their level of vigilance.
The brawl broke out after paparazzi types trailed the Material Girl back to her hotel from a restaurant.
According to published reports, her Israeli bodyguards knocked a photographer to the ground and kicked him in the face, before attacking another photographer who reportedly tried to intervene.
A police officer trying to break up the fight was also reportedly injured in the melee.
The two bodyguards were being detained for questioning by the Tel Aviv police department, according to a police spokesperson.
Meanwhile, the "Like a Prayer" singer reportedly missed the excitement, having already entered her hotel before the brawl began.
Madonna reportedly spent Thursday immersed in six hours of Kabbalah prayers and song in a makeshift synagogue constructed in the lobby of her hotel.
Other Holy Land activities on the singer's itinerary include stops at Jerusalem's Western Wall, the Kabbalah-friendly city of Safed in Northern Israel and Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem.
Protesters awaited the popster-turned-pilgrim at Rachel's Tomb, demonstrating in support of Palestinians living under Israeli rule. The singer has been criticized by some pro-Palestinian groups for showing a lack of sensitivity to their issues.
On the flip side, the singer was also criticized by Orthodox Jews, who felt the singer had no business studying Kabbalah, given some of the more risqué values she has exhibited in the past.
But Madonna takes her adopted faith seriously and has reportedly been angered by reports that she is merely participating in a celebrity trend. (Stars such as Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher, Britney Spears (news) and Paris Hilton are among other celebs who reportedly study Kabbalah.)
Reporters covering the singer's visit have been ordered to dress in all white in observance of Kabbalah policy and not to take notes on her religious activities.
The 2,000 person delegation with which Madonna is traveling was organized by the Los Angeles Kabbalah Center and includes students of the faith hailing from 22 countries.
Designer Donna Karan and Donald Trump's ex-wife, Marla Maples, are also part of the delegation.
Earlier this year, Madonna canceled three concerts on her re-Invention Tour roster that were scheduled in Israel due to security concerns.
Fri Sep 17, 5:50 PM ET
By Sarah Hall
Madonna (news - web sites)'s spiritual quest has taken a decidedly secular turn.
•
News: Madonna TV concert axed
•
News: Madonna tells hikers to get lost
•
News: Madonna who? Call her Esther
E! Online Photo
Two of the Kabbalah devotee's bodyguards were arrested in Israel Friday after a scuffle with photographers outside of the Tel Aviv hotel where the singer is currently ensconced.
Madonna, or Esther as she's known to her fellow Kabbalahists, arrived in Israel Wednesday to celebrate the Jewish New Year along with 2,000 other students of the mystical faith.
Her visit has caused a media frenzy in the country, with local newspapers obsessively detailing her every move and 1,000 extra police officers dispatched to protect her and the other 2,000 members of her Kabbalah delegation.
Apparently, the added public scrutiny has caused her bodyguards to pump up their level of vigilance.
The brawl broke out after paparazzi types trailed the Material Girl back to her hotel from a restaurant.
According to published reports, her Israeli bodyguards knocked a photographer to the ground and kicked him in the face, before attacking another photographer who reportedly tried to intervene.
A police officer trying to break up the fight was also reportedly injured in the melee.
The two bodyguards were being detained for questioning by the Tel Aviv police department, according to a police spokesperson.
Meanwhile, the "Like a Prayer" singer reportedly missed the excitement, having already entered her hotel before the brawl began.
Madonna reportedly spent Thursday immersed in six hours of Kabbalah prayers and song in a makeshift synagogue constructed in the lobby of her hotel.
Other Holy Land activities on the singer's itinerary include stops at Jerusalem's Western Wall, the Kabbalah-friendly city of Safed in Northern Israel and Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem.
Protesters awaited the popster-turned-pilgrim at Rachel's Tomb, demonstrating in support of Palestinians living under Israeli rule. The singer has been criticized by some pro-Palestinian groups for showing a lack of sensitivity to their issues.
On the flip side, the singer was also criticized by Orthodox Jews, who felt the singer had no business studying Kabbalah, given some of the more risqué values she has exhibited in the past.
But Madonna takes her adopted faith seriously and has reportedly been angered by reports that she is merely participating in a celebrity trend. (Stars such as Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher, Britney Spears (news) and Paris Hilton are among other celebs who reportedly study Kabbalah.)
Reporters covering the singer's visit have been ordered to dress in all white in observance of Kabbalah policy and not to take notes on her religious activities.
The 2,000 person delegation with which Madonna is traveling was organized by the Los Angeles Kabbalah Center and includes students of the faith hailing from 22 countries.
Designer Donna Karan and Donald Trump's ex-wife, Marla Maples, are also part of the delegation.
Earlier this year, Madonna canceled three concerts on her re-Invention Tour roster that were scheduled in Israel due to security concerns.
