The Bilderberg conferences

[Ferre]

At the moment the Bilderberg conference is going on in Spain, secretive as ever.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/what-are-the-bilderberg-group-really-doing-in-spain-1991021.html

All the politicians that attend are paid by "We, the people" and so is their security, but "We, the people" are not allowed to know what those people decide or even what they discuss at those meetings.

I think it is way overdue for "We, the people" to demand transparency and force those public servants who attend to give a full account of what is going on there, after all they are on our payroll, no?

[pctec]

Thats because those sunz-a-bishes talk about your way of life and what they can do to get more of your money from you while puffing on the mother of all spliffs and sipping the best booze money can buy and its all bought and paid for by, you guessed it, you!

Now I have said it many times before... If only I was omnipotent, major changes would be made... I wonder who would want to be the first human to take a flight into space with no ship :)... or maybe a high altitude flight around the world a few dozen times at 5000 MPH.

Oh I am evil arnt I... no wonder I have not been given the power yet...

[Strong]

Seems like the B-list of ex power mongers. If they don't have power what could they do apart from yak?

[Ferre]

No Strong, it is definitely not a B-list of ex power mongers, it is an A list of present power mongers and occasionally they have power-mongers-to-be on that list, for example, every single president of the USA has been invited there BEFORE they got elected, now when you are familiar with the way American elections wordk you know that those who get the most/best media coverage are always the ones who get elected, coincidently the big owners of the media are also part of the regulars to those meetings.

[Strong]

So what do you think they are up to Ferre?

Hasn't anyone who has been there blown the whistle, spilled the beans and generally blabbed about what goes on? It seems surprising that of all the 'free' western democracies represented that there should be such a silence. Worst than the masons.

[Ferre]

Strong, I suggest you to read this article;

Europe of Freedom and Democracy Vs The Bilderberg Group - New Europe (http://www.neurope.eu/articles/Europe-of-Freedom-and-Democracy-Vs-The-Bilderberg-Group/101215.php)

[Halo]

So what do you think they are up to Ferre?

Hasn't anyone who has been there blown the whistle, spilled the beans and generally blabbed about what goes on? It seems surprising that of all the 'free' western democracies represented that there should be such a silence. Worst than the masons.

TPMS6tGOACo

Alex Jones (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Jones_(radio_host)) has been on about the Bilderberg group for some time.
yYsTecbO5pg
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheAlexJonesChannel

Alex Jones is only 36! :sqerr: If pushed to guess, I would have thought much older.

[Strong]

Strong, I suggest you to read this article;

Europe of Freedom and Democracy Vs The Bilderberg Group - New Europe (http://www.neurope.eu/articles/Europe-of-Freedom-and-Democracy-Vs-The-Bilderberg-Group/101215.php)


When asked to provide evidence to back up his claims, the author said that a press conference wasn't an appropriate place to do that.

I stand on sceptic feet and will not budge without evidence. So far all I have heard are rumours and innuendo. So, like minded people are meeting behind closed doors, a conspiracy that does not make. People are always meeting behind closed doors, that doesn't mean I should be constantly paranoid. They could just have a conference call and avoid all this nonsense if it was that secret.

When a guy from UKIP declares this as crazy, you know the idea is close to fiction. :sqwink:

BTW I can't see Tony Blair sitting in a room comfortably discussing the setting up of an undemocratic world government with these people. I am surprised he has not talked about it since then. In fact I'm surprised no 'members' of these meetings have spoken about them in public. Either it is a conspiracy or it is nonsense and they don't wish to feed the fire of paranoia.

[Strong]

This was an interesting read: Bilderberg 2010: Between the sword and the wall (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jun/05/bilderberg-2010-charlie-skelton)

[Ferre]

Point is, Strong, that we do not know and that is definitely not cool.

We aught to know because we pay the bill, public paid servants (also known as politicians) attend these meetings and in a democracy it should not and can not be that the most influential people in business and politics hold annual meetings which are forbidden to be attended by the media and of which the attendees have to take a vow of secrecy.

I'm not subscribed to any of the conspiracy theories but that's beside the point, what's bugging me is that this undermines the democratic system we have in place if this secrecy is allowed on our costs.

Of course underhand deals are made at these conferences, one must be utterly naive to believe that this would not be the case, we are talking about the most ruthless and scrupulous people on earth here, people who only got their positions by walking on other people's heads, as they say in my part of the woods. The democratic system is designed with a check and balance system specially meant to make sure the sharks do not have a chance to conspire against the people, those guys are bypassing that check and balance system and as I said before, that's not cool.

[Strong]

We pay the bills :sqconfused:

From the Guardian article I linked to previously:

Yesterday, the Spanish newspaper Público quoted the Catalan police union's estimate, that "the mere deployment of the Mossos d'Esquadra entails costs of €150,000 for each of the four days of the Bilderberg meeting". This union has lodged a formal complaint about the misuse of resources in guarding Bilderberg.

Público shares the union's concern: "The members of the Bilderberg club have not been elected by the citizens [of this country] in a democratic process, but the costs of the meeting is being met by them."

Ageing Bilderberg sleuth, Jim Tucker, says the Bilderberg group always reimburses the host nation for costs incurred. But if that's the case, the police are simply an army for hire.

Most of the people listed are ex-public politicians. But even if they weren't, are our politicians not allowed free time to pursue their own interests?

I know, I don't like that argument either, but it is a valid one. Who says we have to know what our politicians are doing every minute of the day, even during private functions. It would be nice to know, but ...

And let's say, for instance, that Tony Blair did buy into this global domination conspiracy, he would come home and have to secretly sell his ideas to first his cabinet, then parliament and then the people of Britain. And as Thatcher found out with the pole tax there is only so far that we will let politicians push us. And that's just Britain, the French are notorious for chopping their ruler's heads off for heaven's sake.

I just don't believe it is possible. Hell they can't even sort out the middle east. I reckon it is just a fancy dinner party where drunks talk nonsense and the rich get to have politicians rubbing their arses like they were the proverbial genie in the lamp.

[Zap]

Hell they can't even sort out the middle east.

That's assuming that they want to.
There is much profit in conflict.
There is no shortage of people who want peace, on both sides, and in high places. It should be attainable, right?
Unless, of course, there are forces working against it. :sqwink:

[Halo]

Could be wrong (it has happened before) but this seems imho to fit in here.
Just watched this documentary about Noam Chomsky and his views on media manipulation:
Manufacturing_Consent.wmv (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5631882395226827730#)

I found it on another forum:
THC - Cannabis - Ministry :: Community :: View topic - Manufacturing Consent (http://www.thc-ministry.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9579)
;)

[Zap]

Could be wrong (it has happened before) but this seems imho to fit in here.
Just watched this documentary about Noam Chomsky and his views on media manipulation:
Manufacturing_Consent.wmv (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5631882395226827730#)

I found it on another forum:
THC - Cannabis - Ministry :: Community :: View topic - Manufacturing Consent (http://www.thc-ministry.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9579)
;)

BTW does Google Video too...

-5631882395226827730

[Strong]

That's assuming that they want to.
There is much profit in conflict.
There is no shortage of people who want peace, on both sides, and in high places. It should be attainable, right?
Unless, of course, there are forces working against it. :sqwink:

The implications of what you are saying are serious! Allowing wars and terrorism to continue and sending their own citizens to die in places like Iraq and Afghanistan; who could do such a thing? Oh wait, Bush and Blair did for the oil in Iraq didn't they. OK, I concede the argument, they might be inclinded to sacrifice their young for profit. :sqfrown:

But I'm still sceptical about the world government thing!

[Zap]

But I'm still sceptical about the world government thing!

When you have a couple of hours (2, to be exact), you should have a look at this...

Zetigeist Addendum

There are other videos on the World Government topic too, if you're hungry for more.

[Ferre]

But I'm still sceptical about the world government thing!

Well, what if it is confermed by one of its members, namely ex-NATO secretary General and Foreign minister of Belgium Willy Claes?

Here is a Belgian site from a mainstream Belgian radio station and there is an article about a radio show in which Willy Claes litterally said;

Zonnewind - Bilderberg 2010 - Bilderbergers bepalen wel degelijk het beleid voor het komende jaar (http://www.zonnewind.be/bilderberg/2010/media-schade-beperken.shtml)

Translation; Google Translate (http://translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=1&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.zonnewind.be%2Fbilderberg%2F201 0%2Fmedia-schade-beperken.shtml&sl=nl&tl=en)


Guests are normally given around 10 minutes of talk time, after which a report is compiled of their presentation.

"The participants are then obviously considered to use this report in setting their policies in the environments in which they affect."

This article proves that despite the denial of the organisers, policy is made at those conferences for the coming year, and this bypasses the democratic system we have in place for policy making.

[Ferre]

The Power Gallery at Bilderberg 2010 | World news | guardian.co.uk (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/gallery/2010/jun/09/bilderberg-spain)

[Strong]

So Ferre, are you saying that they fixed the UK general election results?

[Ferre]

So Ferre, are you saying that they fixed the UK general election results?

What kind of stupid question is that? :sqconfused:

[pctec]

Oh oh... its getting nasty...

[Muddy]

Unless, of course, there are forces working against it. :sqwink:

Tried to find a clip of Church Lady saying, "Ohhh I don't know...could it be...SATAN???"

[pctec]

Tried to find a clip of Church Lady saying, "Ohhh I don't know...could it be...SATAN???"

LOL I remember those SNL episodes :sqbiggrin:

[Halo]

Tried to find a clip of Church Lady saying, "Ohhh I don't know...could it be...SATAN???"

You'll just have to make do with a chipmunk.
cCL7Z4Oo-jM

[Strong]

What kind of stupid question is that? :sqconfused:

An innocent one of course. Well do you and what about the one in the Netherlands yesterday?

[Ferre]

Well, I a counter question for you, just to make the old grey matter work a little; Why would one be busy with spending a lot of energy in manipulating elections when one is already shaping policies - despite elections.

:sqwink:

[Strong]

Because elections determine leaders, and if the leaders are not in your pocket you can have all the policies you want but nothing will be done. Hence my question, if they cannot control who gets elected, a global government there is not.

[Ferre]

Because elections determine leaders, and if the leaders are not in your pocket you can have all the policies you want but nothing will be done. Hence my question, if they cannot control who gets elected, a global government there is not.

I think you miss the point Strong. One does not need to have "all" leaders in their pockets nor does one need to tamper with elections to set an agenda.

All it takes is the right people at key positions to influence policies, and there is no doubts about two things;

1- Bilderberg HAS people in key positions
2- Bilderberg DOES influence policies.

I do not know why you keep blattering about this "world government", I don't whether you noticed but you are the only one who is doing that in this conversation, I am not subscribed to conspiracy theories, fact is that Bilderberg is meddling with the democratic system and fact is that I do not give a rat's ass about their motives, their motives are irrelevant, what is relevant is that they bypass the electorate to set policies in various western countries - and that is admitted by Both Willy Claes and on an earlier date by Rotshield.


Let's not bring any conspiracy theories into this discussion, the facts are wild enough as they are without the need to bring in speculations about the motives. And besides, this is not a conspiracy "theory", the conspiracy has been admitted and is very obvious.

[Muddy]

Go guys go!

[Zap]

Look at what's taken place with Deepwater Horizon and the MMS.
Execs at BP got nice and cozy with the regulators at MMS and cetainly bypassed some checks and balances because of it.
Now we all suffer.

This shit happens all the time. Humans being what we are, we sometimes befriend the wrong people when lots of cash is thrown our way.

This type of buying of people in positions of power takes place all too often, with us being penalized by the results.

[Cryren8972]

Look at what's taken place with Deepwater Horizon and the MMS.
Execs at BP got nice and cozy with the regulators at MMS and cetainly bypassed some checks and balances because of it.
Now we all suffer.

This shit happens all the time. Humans being what we are, we sometimes befriend the wrong people when lots of cash is thrown our way.

This type of buying of people in positions of power takes place all too often, with us being penalized by the results.

What'll really get you going...is ultimately, WE'RE the ones financing the whole thing...even the bribes exchanging hands.

[pctec]

Those of us who are not already revolting, we should be!

[Muddy]

Women think I'm revolting.

[pctec]

After I showed my wife the box of 100 vinyl gloves I just bought, she thinks the same thing about me...

[Cryren8972]

After I showed my wife the box of 100 vinyl gloves I just bought, she thinks the same thing about me...

Why vinyl? She allergic to latex? :sqbiggrin:

[pctec]

Nope... they were on sale ;)

[Cryren8972]

Tell her you're not cheap...you're frugal! =)

[pctec]

But I openly admit I am cheap :D

[Strong]

I think you miss the point Strong. One does not need to have "all" leaders in their pockets nor does one need to tamper with elections to set an agenda.

All it takes is the right people at key positions to influence policies, and there is no doubts about two things;

1- Bilderberg HAS people in key positions
2- Bilderberg DOES influence policies.

I do not know why you keep blattering about this "world government", I don't whether you noticed but you are the only one who is doing that in this conversation, I am not subscribed to conspiracy theories, fact is that Bilderberg is meddling with the democratic system and fact is that I do not give a rat's ass about their motives, their motives are irrelevant, what is relevant is that they bypass the electorate to set policies in various western countries - and that is admitted by Both Willy Claes and on an earlier date by Rotshield.


Let's not bring any conspiracy theories into this discussion, the facts are wild enough as they are without the need to bring in speculations about the motives. And besides, this is not a conspiracy "theory", the conspiracy has been admitted and is very obvious.

OK, we are not talking about a 'world government' or a conspiracy theory and motives are irrelevant. And they don't have the British or Dutch government in their pockets. Oh and they seem to be made up of predominantly people with no actual political power. Hmmm ...

Sounds to me like it is a rather rich talking shop, a think tank if you will that has the ears, (via the rustle of wealthy wallets), of some politicians once a year. Much like the 1922 Committee, the Fabian Society, the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Open Europe, in fact anyone of these think tanks (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_think_tanks).

I think the only thing that bothers you, and me to some extent, is the secrecy. You want to know it's members and the agenda. But it isn't written in law that the public needs to know every conversation a politician has, or document he reads. Or am I wrong in thinking this?

[Strong]

Look at what's taken place with Deepwater Horizon and the MMS.
Execs at BP got nice and cozy with the regulators at MMS and cetainly bypassed some checks and balances because of it.
Now we all suffer.

This shit happens all the time. Humans being what we are, we sometimes befriend the wrong people when lots of cash is thrown our way.

This type of buying of people in positions of power takes place all too often, with us being penalized by the results.

There is a phrase for it, political lobbying. It is not illegal, and does not need to be done in the glare of public opinion. I suspect there is a paranoia, perhaps that is a little strong, a fear, that the Bilderberg group is buying political favours.

[pctec]

Lobbying should be illegal because its the ones who have all the cash that can afford to do the lobbying... the rest of us poor suckers who want something done never get anywhere...

[Atom]

This is a 2005 members' list that I just came across in my pic files, I hope no one has posted it already, I shamefully have not read the thread yet.

BILDERBERG MEETINGS

Rottach-Egern, Germany

5-8 May 2005

LIST OF PARTICIPANTS



Honorary Chairman



B

Davignon, Etienne

Vice Chairman, Suez-Tractebel



Honorary Secretary General



GB

Taylor, J. Martin

International Advisor, Goldman Sachs International







NL

Aartsen, Jozias J. van

Parliamentary Leader, Liberal Party (VVD)

PNA

Abu-Amr, Ziad

Member of he Palestinian Legislative Council; President of the Palestinian Council on Foreign Relations; Professor of Political Science, Birzeit University

D

Ackermann, Josef

Chairman, Group Executive Committee. Deutsche Bank AG

INT

Almunia Amann, Joaquin

Commissioner, European Commission

GR

Alogoskoufis, George

Minister of Economy and Finance

TR

Babacan, Ali

Minister of Economic Affairs

P

Balsemão, Francisco Pinto

Chairman and CEO, IMPRESA, S.G.P.S.; Former Prime Minister

INT

Barroso. José M. Durão

President, European Commission

S

Belfrage, Erik

Senior Vice President, SEB

I

Bernabè, Franco

Vice Chairman, Rothschild Europe

F

Beytout, Nicolas

Editor-in-Chief, Le Figaro

A

Bronner, Oscar

Publisher and Editor, Der Standard

GB

Browne, John

Group Chief Executive, BP plc

D

Burda. Hubert

Chairman of the Board of Management, Hubert Burda Media

IRL

Byrne, David

WHO Special Envoy on Global Cornmunicable Diseases; Former Commissioner, European Commission

F

Camus, Philippe

CEO,EADS

F

Castries, Henri de

Chairman of the Board, AXA

E

Cebrián. Juan Luis

CEO, PRISA

USA

Collins, Timothy C.

Senior Managing Director and CEO, Ripplewood Holdings, LLC

F

Collomb, Bertrand

Chairman, Lafarge

CH

Couchepin, Pascal

Head, Department of Home Affairs

GR

David, George A.

Chairman, Coca-Cola H.B.C. S.A.

F

Delpech, Thérèse

Director for Strategic Affairs, Atomic Energy Commission

GR.

Diamantopoulou, Anna

Member of Parliament

NL

Docters van Leeuwen, Arthur W.H.

Chairman of the Executive Board, Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets

USA

Donilon, Thomas E.

Partner, O’Melveny & Myers

D

Döpfner, Mathias

CEO, Axel Springer AG

DK

Eldrup, Anders

President, DONG A/S

I

Elkann, John

Vice Chairman, Fiat S.p.A.

USA

Feldstein, Martin S,

President and CEO, National Bureau of Economic Research

USA

Ford, Jr., William C.

Chairman and CEO, Ford Motor Company

USA

Geithner, Timothy F.

President, Federal Reserve Bank of New York

TR

Gencer, Imregul

Member of the Board, Global Investment Holding

ISR

Gilady, Eival

Strategic Advisor to Prime Minister Sharon

IRL

Gleeson, Dermot

Chairman, AIB Group

USA

Graham, Donald E.

Chairman and CEO, The Washington Post Company

N

Grydeland, Bjørn T.

Ambassador to the EU

P

Guterres, António

Former Prime Minister; President, Socialist International

USA

Haass, Richard N.

President, Council on Foreign Relations

NL

Halberstadt, Victor

Professor of Economics, Leiden University

B

Hansen@ Jean-Pierre

CEO, Suez-Tractebel S.A.

A

Haselsteiner, Hans Peter

CEO, Bauholding Strabag SE (Societas Europea)

DK

Hedegaard, Connie

Minister for the Environment

USA

Holbrooke, Richard C.

Vice Chairman, Perseus

INT

Hoop Scheffer, Jaap G. de

Secretary General, NATO

USA

Hubbard, Allan B.

Assistant to the President for Economic Policy and Director of the National Economic Council

B

Huyghebaert, Jan

Chairman of the Board of Directors, KBC Group

USA

Johnson, James A.

Vice Chairman, Perseus LLC

INT

Jones, James L.

Supreme Allied Commander Euope, SHAPE

USA

Jordan, Jr.,Vernon E.

Senior Managing Director, Lazard Frères & Co. LLC

USA

Keane, John M.

President, GSI, LLC; General, US Army, Retired

GB

Kerr, John

Director, Shell, Rio Tinto, Scottish Americal Investment Trust

USA

Kissinger, Henry A.

Chairman, Kissinger Associates, Inc.

D

Kleinfeld, Klaus

President and CEO, Siemens AG

TR

Koç, Mustafa V.

Chairman, Koç Holding A.S.

D

Kopper, Hilmar

Chairman of the Supervisory Board, DaimlerChrysler AG

F

Kouchner, Bernard

Director "Santé et développement", CNAM

USA

Kravis, Henry R.

Founding Partner, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.

USA

Kravis, Marie-Josée

Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute, Inc.

INT

Kroes, Neelie

Commissioner, European Commission

CH

Kudelski, André

Chairman of the Board and CEO, Kudelski Group

F

Lamy, Pascal

President, Notre Europe; Former Commissioner, European Commission

USA

Ledeen, Michael A.

American Enterprise Institute

FIN

Liikanen, Erkki

Govemor and Chairman of the Board, Bank of Finland

N

Lundestad, Geir

Director, Norwegian Nobel Institute; Secretary, Norwegian Nobel Committee

USA

Luti, William J.

Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs

DK

Lykketoft, Mogens

Chairman, Social Democratic Party

CDN

Manji, Irshad

Author/Founder of "Project Ijtihad”

USA

Mathews, Jessica T.

President, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

CDN

Mau, Bruce

Bruce Mau Design

CDN

[Atom]

continued..

McKenna, Frank

Ambasssador to the US

USA

Medish, Mark C.

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP

USA

Mehlman, Kenneth B.

Chairman, Republican National Committee

D

Merkel, Angela

Chairman, CDU; Chairman CDU/CSU-Fraction

SVK

Miklos, Ivan

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance

F

Montbrial, Thierry de

President, French Institute of International Relations (IFRI)

INT

Monti, Mario

President, Bocconi University; Former Commissioner for Competition, European Commission

CDN

Munroe-Blum, Heather

Principal and Vice Chancellor, McGill University

N

Myklebust, Egil

Chairman of the Board of Directors, SAS

D

Nass, Matthias

Deputy Editor, Die Zeit

RUS

Nemirovskaya, Elena

Founder and Director, Moscow School of Political Studies

NL

Netherlands, H.M. tihe Queen of The



PL

Olechowski, Andrzej

Leader Civic Platform

FIN

Ollila, Jorma

Chairman of the Board and CEO, Nokia Corporation

INT

Padoa-Schioppa, Tommaso

Member of the Executive Board, European Central Bank

E

Palacio, Loyola de

President, Council on Foreign Relations, Partido Popular

Gk

Papandreou, George A.

President, Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK)

USA

Pearl, Frank H.

Chairman and CEO, Perseus, LLC

USA

Pearlstine, Norman

Editor-in-Chief, Time Inc.

FIN

Pentikäinen, Mikael

President, Sanoma Corporation

USA

Perle, Richard N.

Resident Fellow, American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research

D

Pflüger, Friedbert

Member of Parliament, CDU/CSU Fraktion

B

Philippe, H.R.H. Prince



CDN

Prichard, J. Robert S.

President. Torstar Media Group and CEO, Torstar Corporation

IN'T

Rato y Figaredo, Rodrigo de

Managing Director, IMF

CDN

Reisman, Heather

President and CEO, Indigo Books & Music Inc.

USA

Rockefeller, David

Member, JP Morgan International Council

USA

Rodin, Judith

President, The Rockefeller Foundation

E

Rodriguez Inciarte, Matias

Executive Vice Chairman, Grupo Santander

USA

Ross, Dennis B.

Director, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

F

Roy, Olivier

Senior Researcher, CNRS

P

Sarmento, Nuno Morais

Former Minister of State and of Presidency; Member of Parliament

I

Scaroni, Paolo

Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Enel S.p.A.

D

Schily, Otto

Minister of the Interior

A

Scholten, Rudolf

Member of the Board of Executive Directors, Oesterreichische Kontrollbank AG

D

Schrempp , Jürgen E.

Chairman of the Board of Management, DaimlerChrysler AG

D

Schulz, Ekkehard D.

Chairman of the Executive Board, ThyssenKrupp AG

E

Sebastián Gascón, Miguel

Chief Economic Adviser to Prime Minister

ISR

Sharansky, Natan

Former Minister for Jerusalem & Diaspora Affairs

I

Siniscalco, Domenico

Minister for Economy and Finance

GB

Skidelsky, Robert

Professor of Political Economy, Warwick University

E

Spain, H.M. the Queen of



IRL

Sutherland, Peter D.

Chairman, Goldman Sachs International; Chairman, BP p.l.c.

PL

Szwajcowski, Jacek,

CEO, Polska Grupa Farmaceutyczna

FIN

Tiilikainen, Teija H.

Director, University of Helsinki, Network for European Studies

NL

Tilmant, Michel

Chairman, ING N.V.

INT

Trichet, Jean-Claude

Governor, European Central Bank

TR

Ülsever, Cüneyt,

Columnist, Hürriyet

CH

Vasella, Daniel L.

Chairman and CEO, Novartis AG

NL

Veer, Jeroen van der

Chairman Committee of.Managing Directors, Royal Dutch Shell Group

USA

Vinocur, John

Senior Correspondent, International Herald Tribune

S

Wallenberg, Jacob

Chairman of the Board, Investor AB; Vice-Chairman, SEB

USA

Warner, Mark R.

Governor of Virginia

GB

Weinberg, Peter

CEO, Goldman Sachs International

D

Wissmann, Matthias

Member of Parliament, CDU/CSU Fraktion

GB

Wolf, Martin H.

Asscociate Editor and Economics Commentator, The Financial Times

INT/USA

Wolfensohn, James D.

President, The World Bank

USA

Wolfowitz, Paul

President designate, The World Bank

USA

Zakaria, Fareed

Editor, Newsweek International

D

Zumwinkel, Klaus

Chairman of the Board of Management, Deutsche Post AG







Rapporteurs





GB

Micklethwait, R. John

United States Editor, The Economist

GB

Wooldridge, Adrian D.

Foreign Correspondent, The Economist


* * *

[Atom]

I suppose they're more accurately characterized as attendees rather than members.

[Ferre]

Brzezinski admits that these non-elected, exclusively private and elite organizations that pretend to be "think tanks" actually write, manipulate and influence policy when he was asked about his relationship with such examples of these institutions like the Council on Foreign Relations, Annual Bilderberg meeting and the notorious Trilateral Commission.

WzX62zhZjf8

[Atom]

Maybe we need a different type of capitalist system.

[Atom]

For example; replace paper bills with jelly beans.

[Atom]

Honestly, I think the only way out is death, but I'll try to figure something out before I go.

[Atom]

I'm trying my best not to change the subject to the fourth dimension. I think if we could identify the fourth dimension then the solution may become suddenly and inadvertently apparent. Then again maybe not, too lol. All that I know is that it doesn't seem entirely right, this money/power thing.

[Atom]

It seems an inseparable part of the capitalist equation; money must equal power. But is there really no other acceptable way?

[Ferre]

Yes, there is, actually there are a few other ways but I doubt those guys in power will like those.

[Ferre]

Lobbying should be illegal because its the ones who have all the cash that can afford to do the lobbying... the rest of us poor suckers who want something done never get anywhere...

I agree, lobbying causes more deaths than car accidents, just look at how GM crops are allowed for consumption, how pharmaceutical industries can freely dump tons of brain toxic chemicals into the world population, how aspartame became wide spread into our foods and drinks etc. Even how wars are sold both to politicians and the public.