G8 Summit

[ingo]

HE landed today in Rostock/Germany:

http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,886519,00.jpg

Last Saturday we had the worst riots since 20 years due to this summit. More than 400 policemen were injured.

http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,884143,00.jpg

http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,884098,00.jpg

They meet in a nice hotel in Heiligendamm

http://p3.focus.de/img/gen/X/9/HBX9m8NL_Pxgen_r_700xA.jpg

There is a restricted area at sea that is controlled by a dozen of police boats and even some US warships.

Will be some interesting days here :)

[JimD]

What is throwing rocks at police supposed to accomplish? :(

http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,884098,00.jpg

[P.I. Stazzer-Newt]

What is throwing rocks at police supposed to accomplish? ...

Its traditional, as is the summit meeting - and nearly as pointless.

[Tylerdurden]

Those are more likely hired provocateurs. It was discovered that in the Seattle protests the man hired a private group, they had a warehouse and financing. Its a common tactic to discredit peaceful protest. Read up on Cointellpro. Really you should only believe about 10% of what you see in the media.

The Ron Paul fiasco is something you should see here. He has a huge following and the media is doing everything it can to stop it. I am truly surprised at the number of people waking up to reality. A guy I know who was totally pro facist Bush supporter has started to ask a lot of questions and comes back a lot saying "I looked at that and had no Idea"
He has sent away for a pack of Ron Paul bumper stickers last I heard. Who Knew?

[JimD]

The G8 Summit was in Canada in 2002. No riots. We're just not much into rioting, I suppose.

[Bruce Taylor]

The G8 Summit was in Canada in 2002. No riots. We're just not much into rioting, I suppose.

Hard to raise a crowd in a place like Kananaskis:

http://www.kananaskis.com/images2005/kmlframe.jpg

[JimD]

Hard to raise a crowd in a place like Kananaskis:

http://www.kananaskis.com/images2005/kmlframe.jpg


My old stomping grounds. Quite a place to hold a 'summit'

http://www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/1wing/photo_gallery/wallpaper/IS-02-3120a.jpg

[Bruce Taylor]

What the picture doesn't show is old Farley is skulking around in the woods with his .22...

[mmd]

I was working in Halifax in '95 when the G7 circus came to town. The then-US Prez was being driven from Province House to a luncheon engagement in a building right below my office window. There is an old fort in the centre of Halifax called The Citadel. It fires a cannon every day at noontime. Guess what happened? Yup, the cannon went, "BOOM!" just as the Prez was about to get out of his car.
The locals checked thir watches.
The Japanese tourists looked up and smiled.
The Americans took out their concealed automatic weapons.

Cultural differences... go figure!

[Bruce Taylor]

It fires a cannon every day at noontime.

We used to have one of those in Ottawa. In elementary school, the sound of it started my stomach growling.

[JimD]

...The Americans took out their concealed automatic weapons...

Did they storm The Citadel?

http://www.maritimegiftshow.ca/Preparing%20noon%20gun%20firing%20at%20Halifax%20C itadel.jpg

[mmd]

No; actually, they scurried for cover. It looked quite silly from above, what with the tourists standing idly by (probably thinking that it was some sort of display) and the SS hunched over, guns at the ready, running from lamppost to garbage can to doorway.

Of course I understand their concerns, but it looked rather silly because any tourist guide to the city will tell you that there is a big boom at noon. They shoulda oughtta known...

[P.I. Stazzer-Newt]

They have one of these in Edinburgh - 1 o'clock - knew a guy who jumped through Jenner's window.....

[JimD]

... any tourist guide to the city will tell you that there is a big boom at noon. They shoulda oughtta known...

I am reminded of the old joke about the one day the canon did not go off and so exactly at noon the whole town jumped out of their pants. :D

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

"In Hong Kong,
They strike a gong,
And fire off a noonday gun,
To reprimand each inmate,
Who’s in late...."

[P.I. Stazzer-Newt]

It seems such a shame when the English claim the earth,
They give rise to such hilarity and mirth.
......

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

Mad Dogs and Englishmen by Noel Coward

In tropical climes there are certain times of day
When all the citizens retire to tear their clothes off and perspire.
It's one of the rules that the greatest fools obey,
Because the sun is much too sultry
And one must avoid its ultry-violet ray.
The natives grieve when the white men leave their huts,
Because they're obviously, definitely nuts!

Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun,
The Japanese don´t care to, the Chinese wouldn´t dare to,
Hindus and Argentines sleep firmly from twelve to one
But Englishmen detest-a siesta.
In the Philippines they have lovely screens to protect you from the glare.
In the Malay States, there are hats like plates which the Britishers won't wear.
At twelve noon the natives swoon and no further work is done,
But mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.

It's such a surprise for the Eastern eyes to see,
that though the English are effete, they're quite impervious to heat,
When the white man rides every native hides in glee,
Because the simple creatures hope he will impale his solar topee on a tree.
It seems such a shame when the English claim the earth,
They give rise to such hilarity and mirth.
Ha ha ha ha hoo hoo hoo hoo hee hee hee hee ......

Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.
The toughest Burmese bandit can never understand it.
In Rangoon the heat of noon is just what the natives shun,
They put their Scotch or Rye down, and lie down.
In a jungle town where the sun beats down to the rage of man and beast
The English garb of the English sahib merely gets a bit more creased.
In Bangkok at twelve o'clock they foam at the mouth and run,
But mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.

Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.
The smallest Malay rabbit deplores this foolish habit.
In Hong Kong they strike a gong and fire off a noonday gun,
To reprimand each inmate who's in late.
In the mangrove swamps where the python romps
there is peace from twelve till two.
Even caribous lie around and snooze, for there's nothing else to do.
In Bengal to move at all is seldom ever done,
But mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.

[ingo]

Greenpeace entered today the resticted area on the baltic sea in front of Heiligendamm. Police and Navy vessels stopped them:

http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,888262,00.jpg

http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,888382,00.jpg

They were rammed by a police boat and fell overboard

http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,888253,00.jpg

Ouch!