On this day in 1954, the first of the annual Bilderberg conferences began. Named not for a family but for the hotel where the first meeting was held, the conference is an annual, invitation only meeting of roughly 150 of the most influential people in North America and Europe. The attendee list is done by committee and security for this little soirée is very tight so if you don't get your engraved invitation, don't even think of pulling a Salahi, as even some political "A" listers have been turned away.
Concerned by the wave of anti-Americanism in Europe (remember the term Ugly American) Polish politicians Józef Retinger and Andrew Nielsen, first proposed the idea of a conference to foster a better understanding between the cultures of the United States and Western Europe and cooperation on political, economic, and defense issues. It would also be a venue for leaders of government, industry, finance and labor to meet and talk regarding their issues and concerns honestly, face to face, without media involvement. (The meetings would be closed to the public and the media with no press conferences stating what was discussed.)
Retinger met with Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, who liked and agreed to promote the idea. Prince Bernhard brought in former Belgian Prime Minister Paul Van Zeeland, and Paul Rijkens who was then head of Unilever. Together with the Eisenhower administration in the US, the meeting was on.
A guest list was to be drawn up by inviting two attendees from each nation, one from the conservative and one from the liberal points of view. Fifty delegates from 11 countries in Western Europe would be in attendance, along with 11 Americans. The meeting was a great success and has been held ever since.
But while the point of American/Western European solidarity during the years of the Cold War may have been a great idea, the conspiracy theorists have a field day with it's present day agenda. Google Bilderberg and you will get results ranging from the establishment of a single world currency to the embedding of every human on earth with a microchip, to a plan to rid the world of 80% of its population. The group itself is compared to the Freemason's, the Illuminati, and the end of days. In fact, US radio host Alex Jones, stood on the street and heckled one meeting through a megaphone: "We know you are ruthless. We know you are evil. We respect your dark power."
I'm not sure of much when it comes to the group's meetings, save for the fact that they are the
world's most sought after networking invite and I probably won't be receiving mine anytime soon!
For more info:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-13682082
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Today, May 29th, is the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers.
Just coming off of our own Memorial Day, I wanted to write a short piece about this group of men and women who are neither revolutionaries, nor the oppressed - neither zealots, nor the established regime; they are there to simply stand directly in harms way and try to keep the peace. Unfortunately, since it's beginnings in 1948, nearly 3,000 peacekeepers have lost their lives to that one noble cause.
I do not know a single member of your force, but I salute you and your endeavors
and morn those whom you have lost.
(in a play on words with Peace Treaty this drink was created by Jason Beatty)
- 4 1/2 cl Finlandia Classic Vodka [about 1 1/3 oz]
- 9 cl Rooibos Tea with Berries [about 3 oz]
- 9 cl Peach Juice [about 3 oz]
- 2 cl Orange Blossom Honey with Water [about 3/4 oz]
- 1 1/2 cl Lemon Juice [about 1/2 oz]
- 3 Ice Spheres with Violets Frozen Within
Add ice spheres into glass. Add ingredients into mixing glass with separate ice and shake vigorously. Strain ingredients over ice spheres into glass. Garnish with lemon wheel.
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