Fraud In Other Movies

Stop by your local video store, grab a bucket of popcorn and study these films about fraud and fraud deterrence. Get the books at your local library or bookseller to discover even more details about the fraudsters and investigators.

Movies – New Listings Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room The Prime Gig The Inspector General Scroll down for the movie and book summaries, and more alphabetical listings

1. Catch Me If You Can (Film released 2002, VHS 2003, DVD 2003)Based on the bestselling book, this is the autobiographical story of Frank Abagnale Jr. Pursued by the FBI, Abagnale spent four years of his life impersonating an airline pilot, doctor, and attorney – all before he was 21. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Martin Sheen, Christopher Walken, James Brolin, and Jennifer Garner. Frank W. Abagnale Jr. appears in the movie as a French policeman. Directed by Steven Spielberg. Studio: Dreamworks Book: New York Times bestseller. “Catch Me If You Can: The Amazing Story of the Youngest and Most Daring Con Man in the History of Fun and Profit” by Frank W. Abagnale. Hardback, 1980. Hardback, publisher Mainstream, 2001. Paperback, publisher Broadway, 2000. Audio cassette, Audio CD, and e-book also available. 2. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (Film April 2005, DVD January 2006)) An excellent documentary about the fraudulent, fast growth of Houston-based Enron Corporation into the seventh largest US company and its rapid destruction. It was worshiped by investors and feared by rivals. The leaders were lauded as visionaries. Major banks, brokerage firms, politicians, and auditors at Arthur Anderson were caught up in the frenzy. It seems like an entertaining fairytale, but it changes into a catastrophic shocker as more facts are revealed. The movie includes videos from the energy company’s meetings and television coverage, arrogant phone conversations, internal memos, and document shredding. Oddly-named schemes like “Mark-to-Market,” “Raptor,” “Death Star Transactions,” “Ricochet Purchasing,” “Get Shorty,” and “Rolling Blackouts” are explained. The movie shows how greedy executives like Kenneth Lay, Jeff Skilling, Andrew Fastow, and Lou Pai were involved in the schemes. The executives reaped millions of dollars in compensation and left the employees,  pensions , and the State of California in a financial crisis. Obviously, Enron did not follow one of its own mottos – “Ask Why.” The film includes interviews with whistleblower Sherron Watkins and the authors of the book. Directed by Alex Gibney Studio: HDNet Films/Magnolia Pictures The movie is based on the best-selling book “The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron.” It was written by Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind, senior writers for Fortune magazine. McLean also wrote “Is Enron Overpriced?” for the March 2001 issue. Hardcover, 2003, Penguin Group (USA). Paperback, 2004, Portfolio.

3. The Prime Gig(Film 2000, VHS 2002, DVD 2002) Pendleton “Penny” Wise is a gifted telemarketer who can sell almost anything over the phone. He works for a small-time operator who goes bust and doesn’t pay Penny his sales commissions. Broke and out of a job, Penny is approached by Caitlin Carlson, who is recruiting telephone salesmen for Kelly Grant. Grant is a legend in the telemarketing industry, but not always for positive reasons; one of his previous operations landed him in jail, and Penny isn’t sure if Grant’s latest scheme — selling shares in a gold mine — is on the level. Greed, distrust, and betrayal are at the core of this drama of high-pressure boiler room operations. Starring Vince Vaughn, Julia Ormond, Ed Harris,  George Wendt, and Wallace Shawn. Directed by Gregory Mosher. Studio: New Line Home Video

4. The Inspector General(Film released 1949, VHS 2004, DVD 2004) An illiterate stooge is fired from a traveling gypsy medicine show. He wanders into a Russian village begging for food and is picked up on a vagrancy charge. The villagers and corrupt officials mistake him for the inspector general, they think is traveling in disguise. Fearing he will discover they’ve been pocketing tax money, they make several bungled attempts to bribe and kill him. He falls in love with the only honest person in the village. This is a hilarious view of loyalty, deception, mistaken identity, and friendship. The film was also released under the title “Happy Times.” It is included in several boxed sets of comedy classics. Starring Danny Kaye, Walter Slezak, Barbara Bates, Elsa Lanchester, Alan Hale, Alan Hale Jr., Gene Lockhart, and John Carradine. Music by Johnny Mercer and Sylvia Fine Directed by Henry Koster. Studio: Warner Brothers   The film was based on the Russian masterpiece “The Government Inspector” by Nikolai Gogol (1809 – 1852). When the satirical play was first performed in 1836, Gogol was driven into exile. Student edition, paperback, 2003, Methuen Publishing. The Government Inspector has been translated 17 times by other publishers. A new paperback will be available in April 2006.

Movies – Alphabetical Boiler Room Catch Me If You Can Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Eight Men Out The Emperor’s New Clothes Fargo The Flim-Flam Man The Freshman The Grifters Matchstick Men The Music Man Quiz Show The Scam (Afera) Shattered Glass Six Degrees of Separation The Sting The Sting II Traveller Waking Ned Devine The Yards Scroll down for the movie and book summaries.

5. Boiler Room (Film released 2001, VHS 2002, DVD 2002) In this morality tale, a college dropout abandons his illicit casino to please his father who is a judge. He joins a low-end stock brokerage firm which turns out to be a bigger scam. High-pressure salesmanship is used to bilk families out of their life savings. Starring Ben Affleck, Giovanni Ribisi, Nia Long and Vin Diesel. Directed by Ben Younger. Studio: New Line Studios

6. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Film released 1988, VHS 2002, DVD 2003) Two international con artists cross paths as they ply their trade on gullible wealthy women up and down the Riviera. Freddy Benson (Steve Martin) is a loud crass American. His competitor, Laurence Jameson (Michael Caine), is a suave European. The two are forced into a rivalry which results in a wager to see who can be the first to bilk an American heiress out of $50,000. The winner gets to stay in the area to continue his schemes and the loser has to leave. Is there honor among thieves? Starring Steve Martin, Michael Caine, and Glenne Headly. Directed by Frank Oz Studio: MGM/United Artists This hilarious comedy is a remake of the film farce “Bedtime Story” starring Marlon Brando, David Niven, and Shirley Jones  (Film released 1963, VHS 1994). A musical adaptation of “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” premiered in 2004 at the Old Globe Theater in San Diego. It moved to Broadway in March 2005 and stars John Lithgow, Norbert Leo Butz, and Joanna Gleason.

7. The Emperor’s New Clothes (Film 1987, VHS 1993) A funny satirical tale by Hans Christian Anderson about vanity, incompetence, corruption, and lies. It interweaves schemes by the Emperor’s court and tailors to deceive him. Two swindlers persuade the emperor that their magical cloth can’t be seen by any person who is foolish or incompetent. Only one young lad dares to tell him the truth. Starring Sid Caesar, Clive Revill, and Robert Morse. Original music by Sid Caesar. Directed by David Irving. Studio: MGM/United Artists   8. Eight Men Out (Film released 1988, VHS 1999, DVD 2001) Based on the 1977 book, “Eight Men Out: The Black Sox and the 1919 World Series” by Eliot Asinof. A historical portrayal of bickering baseball team owners, famous crooks, lowlife gangsters, and the low-paid baseball players of the Chicago White Sox. It details the conspiracies, payoffs, scandals and trial of the team that won the pennant and intentionally lost the World Series. Starring D. B. Sweeney, John Mahoney, Charlie Sheen, John Cusack, Studs Terkel, and Christopher Lloyd Directed by John Sayles. Studio: MGM/United Artists Book: “Eight Men Out: The Black Sox and the 1919 World Series” by Eliot Asinof. Hardcover, publisher Henry Holt, 1977. Paperback, publisher Henry Holt, 2000. Audio download also available.

9. Fargo Film release 1996, VHS 2003, DVD 2003) A dark, funny thriller about a rural  Minnesota car salesman who scams General Motors and he’s about to get caught. In desperation, he orchestrates the kidnapping of his own wife for ransom and things go horribly awry. A very pregnant sheriff runs across the scheme while trying to solve multiple murders in the middle of a snowy winter. Starring Frances McDormand (who won the Academy Award with this performance), William H. Macy, Harve Presnell, Jose Feliciano, and Steve Buscemi. Directed by Ethan Coen and Joel Coen Studio: MGM/UA Video Awards: Academy Award for Best Screenplay

10. The Flim-Flam Man (Film released 1967, VHS 1997) A comedy-drama about Mordecai Jones with his quicksilver tongue, the hands of a grifter, and a heart full of pure larceny. It follows the scams of Jones and his apprentice Curley Treadaway on their train-hopping travels in North Carolina. Starring George C. Scott, Harry Morgan, Jack Albertson, Alice Ghostley, and Slim Pickens Directed by Irvin Kershner Studio: 20th Century Fox   Book: “Ballad of the Flim-Flam Man” by Guy Owen. Hardcover, publisher AMS Press, 1965. Paperback, publisher Coastal Carolina Press, 2000.

11. The Freshman (Film released 1990, VHS 1991, DVD 1998 and 2002) Carmine Sabatini is a powerful New York importer, who bears a funny resemblance to Don Corleone in “The Godfather.” Clark Kellogg is a naive film student who is short on cash and accepts a job working for Sabatini. His misadventures involve lost luggage, the boss’s beautiful daughter, contraband, and an organized crime family. As if he is trapped in a comic nightmare, Clark finds himself drawn deeper and deeper into an ingenious scam involving an endangered Komodo Dragon and an illegal gourmet club.  When the FBI asks Clark to snitch on his colorful employer, he discovers a strange loyalty to this wry and wise fatherly figure. Starring Matthew Broderick, Marlon Brando, Bruno Kirby, Penelope Anne Miller, and Bert Parks. Directed by Andrew Bergman. Studio: Columbia Tristar

12. The Grifters (Film released 1991, VHS 2002, DVD 2002) Based on the novel by Jim Thompson. The story of a mother, her son, and his girlfriend who are con artists caught in a world of ropers, suckers, grifters, and squares at the race tracks, bars, and the streets in between. Starring John Cusack, Anjelica Huston, Annette Benning, Sandy Baron, Pat Hingle, Jeremy Piven, J. T. Walsh, and Martin Scorsese Directed by Stephen Frears Studio: Miramax   Book: “The Grifters” by Jim Thompson. Paperback, publisher Vintage, 1990. Audio cassette also available.

13. Matchstick Men (Film released 2003, VHS 2004, DVD 2004) There is no honor among thieves – or is there? This is a dramatic comedy that centers on Roy, a divorcee whose career as a master con artist or matchstick man is complicated by his ongoing struggle with obsessive compulsive disorder with various quirks and rituals and his distrust of banks. He and his partner swindle elderly people out of money by posing as telephone marketers who promise trucks, package vacations, and other fabulous prizes which they never get. For a quick buck, they follow up with schemes using money couriers, overhyped water filteration systems, rescams and mutilated lottery tickets. His wily partner Frank has criminal ambitions that are greater than Roy suspects. They are on the verge of a lucrative swindle involving money laundering and a Jamaican switch when a punky 14-year-old girl arrives claiming to be the daughter Roy has never known. It turns out that she has a knack for dad’s profession. Starring Nicholas Cage, Sam Rockwell, and Alison Lohman, and Bruce Altman. Directed by Ridley Scott Studio: Warner Home Video   Book: “Matchstick Men” by Eric Garcia. Hardback, 2002, Random House. Audio book, 2003, read by Stanley Tucci, HarperCollins Publishers.

14. The Music Man (Film released 1962, VHS 1998 and 2000, DVD 1999 and 2004) This musical is based on Meredith Wilson’s 1957 Broadway hit. A fast-talking traveling salesman, Professor Harold Hill, goes from town to town selling citizens on starting a boys band. He extracts money from them to order instruments and uniforms, with the promise that he will reduce crime and teach the kids to be musicians. After collecting his bankroll, he usually skips town. Marian the librarian in River City considers him a fraud when he promotes The Think System of learning music. This is a masterpiece of con games, romance, and fun. Starring Robert Preston, Shirley Jones, Buddy Hackett, Paul Ford, Hermione Gingold, Pert Kelton, Mary Wickes, and Ron Howard. Directed by Morton Da Costa. Studio: Warner Home Video Awards: Academy Award for best adapted screenplay. Golden Globe Award for Best Picture – Musical.

15. Quiz Show (Film released 1994, VHS 1998, DVD 1999) An entertaining thriller based on true stories of the 1950s game show scandals, when TV shows were rigged to attract higher ratings and lucrative sponsorships. The story focuses on the Congressional investigation of the quiz show “Twenty-One.” Popular contestant Charles Van Doren agrees to win by using answers supplied by the show’s producers. They even coached him on his facial expressions, so that he appeared to be struggling with difficult questions. The reigning champion Herb Stempel is unfairly beaten and blows the whistle on the scam to deceive the players and the TV viewers. Starring John Turturro, Ralph Feines, Rob Morrow, Paul Scofield, Hank Azaria, Mira Sorvino, Martin Scorsese, Calista Flockhart, Ethan Hawke, and Barry Levinson. Directed by Robert Redford Studio: Hollywood Pictures Awards: Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Best Director. Golden Globe nomination for Best Director.

16. The Scam (Afera) (Film released 2001, VHS 1993, DVD 2004) Successful businessman and former physicist Andrei Davydov plots an unprecedented scam aimed at causing the downfall of the world’s financial markets. He has no doubts that he will succeed, but speculating on an ecological catastrophe is a dangerous gamble. Especially when love interferes with his carefully thought out scheme of operation. Starring Mariya Globkina, Alexander Lazarev, Jr., Emmanuil Vitorgan, and Vladimir Siminov. Directed by Yevgeny Lavrentyev Studio: Image Entertainment / Alchemy-Film Russian with subtitles in Russian, English, French, Spanish, and German.

17. Shattered Glass (Film released 2003, VHS 2004, DVD 2004)This drama is the true story of a fallen journalist and pathological liar Stephen Glass. It demonstrates how Glass could single-handedly betray the trust of vigilant editors, writers, fact-checkers, and copy editors. He falsified 27 praised articles for The New Republic, a weekly political magazine in the late 1990s. Glass gets caught when a writer for the online Forbes magazine tries to research the sources in the articles and no one can trace them. The revelations of fraud had a profound effect on the ethics and operations of the publishing business. The disclosures were as shocking as those about Janet Cooke at the Washington Post and Jayson Blair at the New York Times. Starring Hayden Christensen, Peter Sarsgaard, and Hank Azaria. Directed by Billy Ray. Studio: Lions Gate Home Entertainment   Book: “The Fabulist” is a novel by Stephan Glass. Hardback, Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Group, 2003.

18. Six Degrees of Separation (Film released 1993, VHS 2000, DVD 2000) Based on John Guare’s hit Broadway play about an Upper East Side New York couple that gets bilked by a charming young black man who claims to be Sidney Poitier’s son. Inspired by a true story, it reveals that art dealers and wealthy people have scams as well. Starring Will Smith, Donald Sutherland, Stockard Channing, Ian McKellan, Mary Beth Hurt, Bruce Davison, Anthony Michael Hall, and Peter Duchin Directed by Fred Schepisi Studio: MGM/United Artists   Book: “Six Degrees of Separation” by John Guare. Paperback, publisher Vintage, 1990. Hardcover, publisher Bt Bound, 2001. Audio cassette, Audio CD, and Audio download also available.

The Sting (Film released 1973, VHS 1998 and 2001, DVD 1998) Winner of 7 Academy Awards including Best Picture. Set in 1936, a bogus bookie joint is set up to run a variety of cons with lots of twists in Chicago. It’s a high-stakes game of small time grifters played against the police and the master of all cheating mobsters. Starring Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Ray Walston, Robert Shaw, Charles Durning, Eileen Brennan, Harold Gould, and Leonard Barr Directed by George Roy Hill Studio: Universal Studios

19. The Sting II (Film released 1983, VHS 1998) The sequel to The Sting. Starring Jackie Gleason, Mac Davis, Teri Garr, Karl Malden, Oliver Reed, and Harry James Director: Jeremy Paul Kagan Studio: Universal Studios

20 Traveller (Film released 1996, VHS 1998, DVD 2000) A gypsy-like clan of Irish con artists sells defective trailers and runs construction scams in the southern United States. Starring Mark Wahlberg, Bill Paxton, Julianna Margulies, and Jo Ann Pflug Directed by Jack N. Green Studio: Hallmark Home Entertainment

21. Waking Ned Devine (Film released 1998, VHS 2001, DVD 2003) A clever comedy about 51 inhabitants of a village in Ireland who devise schemes to deceive lottery officials and share the new wealth of  Ned Devine, who died of shock when he discovered he had a winning ticket worth 7 million pounds. Starring Jackie O’Shea, Michael O’Sullivan, David Kelly, Ian Bannen, and Jimmy Keough Directed by Kirk Jones III Studio: Twentieth Century FoxBook: “Waking Ned Devine: An Original Screenplay” by Kirk Jones, Danny Boyle and Andrew MacDonald. Paperback, publisher Screenpress Books, 1999. Includes deleted scenes.

22. The Yards (Film Released 2000, DVD 2001) Leo is a young, poorly educated ex-con who is out on parole for a crime he didn’t commit. He seeks an honest job from his relatives, so he can support his ailing mother. Soon he discovers his uncle’s business and family loyalties are not what he expected. The dark gritty business of repairing New York City subway trains involves bribery, racketeering, sabotage, political corruption, contract rigging, a conspiracy of silence, and revenge. Starring Mark Wahlberg, Joaquin Phoenix, Charlize Theron, James Caan, Ellen Burstyn, Faye Dunaway, Tony Musante, and Steve Lawrence. Directed by James Gray Studio: Miramax

Notes: DVD – Digital Video Disc, a five inch optic disc that has more storage capacity than a compact disc (CD). DVDs were introduced in 1996. VHS – Video Home System, a half inch wide video tape format, packaged in a plastic cassette and introduced by JVC in 1976.by Larry C. Adams

Aloha!

For us Canadians, Thanksgiving has come. Ah, yes, a time for family, loved ones, and friends. Eating turkey, drinking wine, and fighting over minor things at the dinner table that are just expressions of repressed emotions such as hate and disappointment.

For climbers, however, this is the time to skip all that crap. Yep, most of us use those last few vacation days to extend the long weekend, and make the beautiful drive down to Kentucky for annual Rocktoberfest crankin’. As far as my Facebook newsfeed tells me, there are climbers from all over the east coast trailing it down to the Red! This includes K1 and other Homo Climbtastic crew members. Paint me jealous. For those joining in the festivities, please say hi to “Twinkie” and “Fuzzy Undercling” for me. And if you do care, you’ll being me back an Ale-8.

BUT this does not mean I’m missing out on climbing completely! Oh no! I’m basically waiting/crashing at my childhood home to catch a crackass early flight to California in the morning. So I’ll be crankin’ it in Yosemite for the first time and hopefully  chilling with the Flame’n'Flash crew! If I can arrange it, I’m gonna head to Bishop also but only time will tell. You may now colour me stoked.

Like a dork, I keep checking the Reel Rock Tour website(www.reelrocktour.com), almost daily at this point, because I’m anxiously awaiting the release of the Toronto screening. Does anybody know those guys? What’s holding them up? I’m so excited to see the friggin movies already!

In other news, Homo Climbtastic is on the verge of officially announcing the details for the greatly anticipated New Years Eve trip. Keep an eye out for that mofo of a message.

Anyways, everybody have a rockin’ long weekend! Over and out…

(sidenote: Chavez/Jon/Anthony/Tyco! I threw my backpack in the washing machine at my parent’s place. It  no longer smells like “month-long forgotten cheese”, hooray!)

We are leaving Leikanger now en route to Flåm. Yesterday was probably the most different Joanne you’ve ever seen. I knew this Norway trip is gonna be an outdoor one but I still went along anyway. We kayaked 4km in the huge lake across the fjords. The view was amazing. Seeing the glacier getting nearer motivated me even more to kayak faster despite all the blisters and aching of the arms. This is what I called the real kayaking. During SMU’s orientation, we were just kayaking near the coast without any equipment. Here, we have the shoes, gloves for the oars etc, just like a pro.

The hot chocolate after hours of kayaking was probably the highlight of the trip. There’s nothing a hot chocolate can’t solve in the cold (it was 2 degrees). It took away cold and hungry from sad and lonely.

I dreaded the glacier hiking initially ‘cos the guide wasn’t very nice to me. I was one of the minorities in the group, the guide was a spanish speaker so were more than half of the group. Spanish boy beside me asked the same question and didn’t get screamed at but I did. And I couldn’t seem to get anything right, from wearing the spikes to the harness. Grr. He even made me go infront next to him ‘for my safety’. Felt like primary kid but whatever. When the hiking started, he was much nicer and all negative thoughts were forgotten. The view on the glacier was breathtaking. I really felt like I was on top of the world. How many people you know actually went hiking on a glacier? Joanne, the most indoor girl you’ve ever known who can’t cycle, swim or blade, went hiking on a glacier! I’m so proud of me! Everyone asked if I’m going shopping though. I’m the only one in the group without waterproof jacket and a backpack. Imagine me, looking fashionable in a wool coat and tote bag on the glacier. LOL. It is so me, and it looks so wrong. I’ll post the photos once I find them on facebook!

You know, I’ve never thought that I’m such a city girl until I came Europe. We never had any mountains, waterfalls, fjords of any kind in Singapore. Even Jurong Island is considered a city compared to this place. It’s really great to see the other part of world but this kinda countryside living is probably good for only a couple of days. No booze, partying, shopping or any slightest form of civilisation here. How does one survive? I guess I’m still a city girl at heart.

Ok, Guys, We Need To Start Up A Few Recruitment Parties, or Rally’s to get large. So vote if you want a RECRUITMENT PARTY, a RALLY, or BOTH.

~!~DerKomma~!~

Klar habe ich mich mittlerweile wieder in den Alltag eingefunden. Es geht mir gut. Ehrlich….

Naja, fast stündlich schweifen meine Gedanken noch ab zur Costa Atlantica. Und dann verfolge ich mittels Webcam (streikt öfter mal), was sie gerade so macht. An dieser Stelle werfe ich mal die Frage ein: “Was wären wir alle für arme Würstchen ohne Internet???

Noch immer fährt die Costa Atlantica turnusmäßig die gleiche Route, auf der wir vom 5. bis zum 19. Juli mitfahren durften:

Kopenhagen – Flåm – Hellesylt- Geiranger(fjord) – Bergen – Stavanger – Oslo – Kopenhagen – Talinn – St. Petersburg – Helsinki – Stockholm – Kopenhagen

Und da ich bei An- und Ablegemanövern (das ganze Brimborium, sprich Animationsprogramm auf Kreuzfahrern kann mich nicht locken) an der Reling nicht wegzuschlagen bin, egal zu welcher Tages- und Nachtzeit, hatte ich schöne Fotos geschossen, die ich Euch nicht vorenthalten möchte:

Auf einem der Außendecks der "CA"

Treffen von Schwestern im Geirangerfjord: Im Vordergrund die "Costa Luminosa", links dahinter die "CA". Das Schiff mit dem schwarzen Rumpf ist eines der Hurtig-Linie

Hüttchen mit...."Frisur". Gesehen auf dem "Floyen", dem Hausberg von Bergen

Passage durch den Oslofjord

Zwischenstopp in Kopenhagen. Die "CA" wird neu bevorratet, bevor sie abends ablegt in Richtung Talinn

Über die Fortsetzung der Seereise berichte ich später……..

]]> http://karachiites.wordpress.com/2009/08/12/get-your-aunty-on-sunday-16th-august-2009/ Wed, 12 Aug 2009 06:29:48 +0000 batster http://karachiites.wordpress.com/2009/08/12/get-your-aunty-on-sunday-16th-august-2009/

A.D.P is having a gig! Woo hoo! It’s been a long time since funkytown came around, and The Aunty Disco Project are coming to rock Rangoon Wala Auditorium this Sundayy! Time to get dowwwwn and Bo0ogy! Oba has made some super awesome promo’s that are positively hilarious, and I personally think the marketing for the gig is brilliant! The official website is given below:

Get Your Aunty On! Sunday 16th August 2009

Shared via AddThis

You’ve GOT to check these out! Enjoy, and see you at the gig!

The Promos on Facebook:

• Aunty Disco Project Invites you to their gig

• “Feelings”

• “Juice”

Bis jetzt konnte ich mich noch nicht wieder überwinden, einen neuen Blogbeitrag zu schreiben. Der Grund ist, dass mir unserer Urlaub noch immer in den Knochen steckt: In die Realität, in den Alltag möchte ich mich eigentlich noch gar nicht wieder einfinden.

Die "Schnute" der Costa Atlantica (aufgenommen in Bergen)

Einfach zu schön war unsere 15-tägige Kreuzfahrt, auf der wir wieder einmal entdeckten, wie liebenswert einige Ecken unseres Planeten noch sind. Für die, die nicht wissen um was es geht, führe ich noch einmal die Etappen auf: Mit unserem Auto fuhren wir am 5. Juli nach Kopenhagen, wo die “Costa Atlantica” auf uns wartete. Der erste Zielhafen war Flåm, ein kleines Örtchen im norwegischen Aurlandsfjord.

Die CA in Flam

Weitere Etappen unser Seereise waren: Geirangerfjord, Bergen, Stavanger, Oslo (alle Norwegen).

Kopenhagen (Dänemark), Talinn (Estland), St. Petersburg(Russland), Helsinki (Finnland), Stockholm (Schweden).

Mit einem ausführlichen Reisebericht möchte ich mich an dieser Stelle noch gar nicht befassen.

Etwas vorgreifen möchte ich aber doch: In meinem nächsten Leben werde ich zur See fahren!

Viel zu schön sind die Lichtspiele des “Seehimmels”, viel zu faszinierend das Freiheitsgefühl, als dass Leute wie ich -die immer vom Fernweh gepiesackten- das Leben im Binnenland als “Normalität” akzeptieren könnten. Wie unbedeutend sind fern der Küsten die News über Politik, Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft, die einem das Bord-Nachrichtenmagazin einmal pro Tag präsentiert!

Bin ich eine Träumerin? Realitätsfern, eine Realitätsflüchtige? Mag sein.

Aussicht von unserem Balkon auf die Brückennock der "CA" und die offene See

Exclusive clip from upcoming ‘Real Application Training’ DVD: Joe Alessandro talks about what a flam is, playing variations of it, and patterns you can use in starting out with drums.

Check out a clip from Drum Lesson 1: Pearl Stick Balance

Nação Palestrina,

Vimos essa noite no Maracanã aquela que foi, ao meu ver, a melhor partida do Palmeiras no Campeonato Brasileiro 2009.

Seguido a essa, vem a partida contra o Avaí.

Jogamos como a muito não jogávamos, trocando passes, marcando a saída de bola, enfim, impusemo-nos no jogo.

O Flamengo, não fosse o pênalti inventado pelo árbitro, jogaria conosco por 3 dias e não marcaria sequer um gol.

Digo inventado não pelo puxão de Danilo sobre Adriano, o que de fato inconteste ocorreu, no entanto, o juiz deixou de ver o lance anteiror, quando o Imperador (que não vem passando de um bobo da corte) primeiro empurrou o nosso zagueiro para, daí então, ser puxado.

Isso sem falarmos no pênalti escandaloso em Diego Souza, quando o jogo ainda estava no 0 x 0.

Pierre, Marcos, Edmílson e Diego Souza merecem muitos louros por essa importante vitória.

Ortigoza, por sua vontade e determinação, foi um show a parte. Precisamos comprá-lo com urgência!

Foi uma atuação maiúscula e que denotou a vontade do grupo em jogar bem e, salvo engano, jogar por Jorginho.

Agora devemos nos perguntar: por que desse entusiasmo com o interino? O que os jogadores vêem nele que não viam em Luxemburgo?

A resposta é simples: liberdade.

Jorginho não tem condições, ainda, de comandar o elenco, sem ser contestado.

Haverá uma acordo. Nós jogamos por você e você nos concede certas benécies.

Enquanto tudo forem flores, e Jorginho certamente fará concessões aos atletas para ganhar seu apoio, tudo bem.

O problema aparecerá quando ele tiver que “enquadrar” algum jogador.

Acontecerá algo como ocorreu com Mancini, ou exige e sai ou coloca panos quentes e perde o controle do grupo.

O único problema de efetivarmos um técnico sem autoridade suficiente para mandar e desmandar no grupo é a imposição de disciplina.

Atualmente, dos treinadores brasileiros, só vejo dois com esse poder de ser mais que os atletas, ganhando , assim, qualquer queda de braço: Mestre Vanderlei Luxemburgo e Felipão.

O resto tem que negociar (para não dizer ceder) se quiser permanecer em qualquer time.

Nem Parreira, com seu ar professoral e sua Copa do Mundo, deixa de ter essa condição.

Infelizmente, graças à cultura do futebol brasileiro de demitir os treinadores quando os resultados não são bons, criou-se o vício nos atletas de derrubarem aqueles que lhe causam problemas.

Alterações táticas, substituições de medalhões, concentrações em demasia, restrição a baladas e mulheres nas vésperas dos jogos causam um certo mal estar.

E a solução para essa situação desconfortável é fazer corpo mole até o treinador cair.

Essa é a prática, essa é a cultura.

Tática e tecnicamente tenho certeza que Jorginho, como bom atleta que foi, não deixa nada a dever a treinadores com fama e salários maiores que o dele.

Seu desafio é outro: saber como domar o grupo quando o primeiro ato de indisciplina surgir.

guilhermemendes.blogdotrio@gmail.com

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Det er ein av dei virkelige turistatraksjonene i Norge. Har du tatt Flåmsbana nokon gong? Eg tok den fyrste gongen, sumaren 1987… Siden den gang har det vorte omtrent ei gong i året. Her er noko av grunnen:

Flåmsbana, som går gjennom den trange og vakre Flåmsdalen, regnes som et mesterverk av norsk ingeniørkunst. Da jernbanestrekningen mellom Oslo og Bergen ble tatt i bruk i 1909, manglet det bare en sidebane ned til Sognefjorden. For å sikre transportveien til fjorden ble arbeidet med Flåmsbana påbegynt i 1923. Det skulle ta 20 år før Flåmsbana stod ferdig.

Denne spennende jernbanestrekningen trekker hvert år til seg mennesker fra hele verden, noe som har ført til at Flåmsbana i dag fremstår som en av Norges største og mest spektakulære turistattraksjoner.

På den 20 kilometer lange togturen opplever du noe av det villeste og mest storslåtte som finnes av norsk natur. Her ser du elver som skjærer seg gjennom dype gjel, fosser som kaster seg utfor bratte fjellsider med snødekte fjelltopper og fjellgårder som klamrer seg fast i bratte skråninger.

Flåmsbana er en av verdens bratteste jernbanestrekninger på normalspor. Nesten 80 prosent av strekningen ligger i 55‰ stigning, det vil si en stigning på en meter på 18. Vendetunnelen som går i spiral inn og ut av fjellet er et bevis på den mest dristige og kyndige ingeniørkunst i norsk jernbanehistorie.

Teksten er i all hovedsak henta frå www.flaamsbana.no

Er på jobb medgruppe i dag, og skal guide Hol, Aurland, Gudvangen, Flåm, Flåmsbana og opp til Myrdal. Bestemte meg for å ta turen baklengs i dag, for å få ein ny dimmensjon av fjorden…

Nærøyfjorden skuffer aldri. Nærøyfjorden er en fjord i Aurland kommune i Sogn og Fjordane. Nærøyfjorden er omkring 19 kilometer lang og utgjør en arm av Aurlandsfjorden som igjen er en arm av Sognefjorden. Nærøyfjorden strekker til det lille stedet Gudvangen.

Bakka er en liten bygd som ligger på den ene sida av Nærøyfjorden, like ved Gudvangen. Man finner også den fraflyttete bygda Dyrdal og gården Styvi i Nærøyfjorden. Vaflene smaker forøvrig aldeles fortreffelig med hjemmelaget, nyrørte bringebær!

Fjorden er en smal fjord, og et sted bare 250 meter bred, mens fjellene i området strekker seg hele 1800 meter over havflaten. 14. juli 2005 ble Nærøyfjorden innskrevet på UNESCOs liste over verdens kultur- og naturarvsteder. Nærøyfjorden verdenshavpark er ett av pilotprosjektene i Verdiskapningsprosjektet til Riksantikvaren.

Det finnes også muligeter for å oppleve fjorden med RIB og Kjakakk. Jeg anbefaler kajakk. Og vafler.

Sognefjorden: 1308 meter på det djupaste, 206 km total lengde…

På jobb i Nærøyfjorden

Slik kan det sjå ut då japanesera og andre sko vente på toget på Geilo Stasjon. Dette er under vår markise ein tidleg morgon før toget til Myrdal /Flåm. Det er artig å sjå koss dei oppfører seg rundt sparkstøttingen som står utanfor…. he he! Skulle likt å visst kor mange biletu som blir tikji tå den i løpet av sumaren!

Hjå uss får alle låne stol eller anna å sita på...Smiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiil!

Japansk fotosession på sparkstøtting

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yC8rDDiF-s

This morning, we got up early to take the long awaited “Norway in a Nutshell” fjord tour.The wikipedia definition for a fjord is “a long, narrow inlet with steep sides, created in a valley carved by glacial activity“. The Eurail pass holder fare was 550kr (S$127), discounted from the full price of 935kr (S$216) as we do not need to pay for the NSB train segments. Pretty expensive for a 12 hour roundtrip, but no Norwegian experience is complete without a visit to the fjords.

It all starts with a ride on a regional train from Bergen to Myrdal. The train is a short one, comprising of only four or five carriages, and is pulled by the front carriage, much like any other overland metro, not locomotive pulled. The windows were pretty dirty, so the view outside was not as clear compared to the EX-class train we took from Oslo to Bergen which did Myrdal-Oslo as the final segmant. The weather today was also rather poor, with forecasts putting it at cloudy with showers and no sun.

NSB regional from Bergen to Myrdal.

Around two hours later around 10.40am, we got to Myrdal, for the change of train and the start of the Flåm railway. Myrdal to Flåm is a 55 minute train ride along snow filled fjords and tunnels through the mountains, and provides stunning views of the mountains and some waterfalls.

View from Myrdal train station.

Flåmsbana train from Myrdal to Flåm.

I could really get some amazing pictures out of the window during this train ride, as the scenery was just so dramatic. It started out in a very snowy area where the lakes were all frozen and mountains we blanketed in snow, and progressed gradually to areas with less snow and then to the lush green valley of Flåm.

Entering one of the many tunnels along the Flåmbana.

I would not want to live down there.

Waterfall.

Less snow, more brown.

Another train approaching.

Where did all the snow go?

Finally in Flåm!

There is not much to do in the little town of Flåm if you are just stopping here foe three hours as we were. If you had more time, like a couple of days, there are many trekking paths around the town which go around and on to the fjords where complete solitude can be experienced. Unfortunately, we were surrounded by 40 or so other tourists, so no solitude here. We just had our over priced fish and chips lunch and hung around to take in the scenery.

Views from near the Flåm railway station (and town centre).

At around 3.10pm, we boarded the ferry to Gudvangen (~2 hour ride) that would bring us out the Aurlandsfjord and into the Naeroyfjord, one of the narrowest fjords in Europe. Surrounded by towering mountains up to 1,800 metres high, this branch of the Sognefjord is amazingly beautiful. We sat on the open top deck of the ferry to soak in the beauty of the fjords, and braved the ice cold winds and slight drizzle that started to emerge about 15 minutes into the ferry ride.

Ferry to Gudvangen.

View of the town and fjord from the top deck of the ferry.

Damned seagulls that would be interrupting 99% of my photos on the ferry.

Views of the fjords along the cruise.

Damned seagulls again!

Mini-rainbow.

Last of the fjords.

We got to Gudvangen around 5.20pm, and from there jumped onto the bus for the hour long ride to the Voss train station. The view out of the window during the bus rise would have been nice on a clear day, but a few minutes into the bus ride, it started raining again! Most of the peope dozed off, including myself (but only a few minutes).

Gudvangen. Looked nice, but we did not have time to hang around.

Bus to Voss.

Once at Voss, we had to wait about 50 minutes for the train back to Bergen as the ferry had come in early to Gudvangen. I went to the nearby Esso to get the first part of my dinner, a 54 kr (S$12) hotdog and Coke zero. We got on the train back to Bergen around 7.20pm. It was not a very interesting ride as everyone looked really tired and it was raining really heavily outside. Got to Bergen around 8.30pm and headed back to the hostel.

NSB regional train back to Bergen from Voss.

It was a good but long day today as we got to see a lot of the nature that we do not usually see in city life. This is a highly recommended tour to take if you are around Bergen as you really do get to see a lot during the 12 hour trip. The weather could have been much better (but it could also have been much worse).

Today’s pictures here.

we will be WebWaving from Flam, Norway today at 14.30 CE time. To see us web waving log on to the Flam webcam:

http://www.flaamsbana.no/eng/akkurat_na_e.asp

If you see us, please save the web cam images and upload them to the web waving groups on Facebook and flickr, thanks.

Doug

This update was made using a Nokia E71 connected to the interweb via free wifi link in the Fiinse DNT hut, Norway.

Because this post will attempt to cover a number of different topics in one go, I’m going to resort to bold text to highlight the different sections.  I hope this is acceptable.

The Oslo to Bergen train, while long (nearly seven hours), wasn’t in the least tiring; about an hour outside Oslo and its suburbs, the scenery put on an absolutely wonderful show, full of dramatic mountains, pine-covered slopes, attractive farmsteads and, around the Finse station (the highest station in Norway at 1,222 m aabove sea level), snow.

Snow, there.  Unfortunately, much of the rest of the scenery, while equally arresting, was frequently much less photographable from a train seat, particularly with screens of pine trees in between the middle distance and the camera, as well as the understandably somewhat dusty carriage windows – here are the couple that I thought most salvageable:

Please take my word for it: this trip is absolutely wonderful and doesn’t feel anything like as long as the journey time would indicate and, while the photographic record mightn’t show it so well as I’d hoped, there is astonishing variety in the scenery too, going from temperate-and-brown to entirely snowed-under wastes of land to Alpine landscapes at the Bergen end.

On day four we took the Flåmsbana, or Flåm railway.  As you may remember from the itinerary, the plan was to take this railway down to the little town of Flåm from the station at Myrdal; from Flåm we’d journey through two fjords to Gudvangen and from Gudvangen take a bus onward to Voss, where we’d booked a hostel for the night.

This is not how it took place.

We did manage to take the Flåmsbana down to Flåm without incident, and the train is absolutely stunning.  In about 50 minutes it takes you from Myrdal, 865 m above sea level, to Flåm at sea level (the BF had to explain to me that this is quite a feat of engineering and so its fame is more than justified for that alone).  But that’s not why it’s such a tourist attraction: it is more famous because it is breath-taking.

By choosing to go from Flåm to Gudvangen to Voss (rather than the other way round, which is the conventional tourist route), we avoided the rest of the tourists, which meant that we could rocket from side to side in our carriage, empty but for two others, to get the best possible view of the magnificent sights out of the windows on each side.  Taking this route also meant that we had a few hours to spend in Flåm itself, rather than the 40 or so minutes that the usual route allows it; the BF, having read all the literature, found this inexplicable, as Flåm is apparently very beautiful.

It is indeed beautiful, but my God it’s boring.  The sum total of things to do there are the little museum about the Flåmsbana, about five minutes of marvelling at the scenery, and the dubious attractions of about three cafés, none of which opened until the rest of the tourists, coming in the opposite direction to us, turned up.  Three and more hours in Flåm does not exactly fly in; it is what I imagine purgatory is like.

When we went to take the ferry for our fjord trip, we were informed that an avalanche had put paid to the bus that was meant to take us from Gudvangen to Voss at the other end, and so we were treated to a trip up just one of the fjords (the Aurlandsfjord) and back again, in time to take the Flåm train back to Myrdal to wait on a train that would ultimately bring us to Voss by around nine (as opposed to six, as the unimpeded bus would have done).

Still, mustn’t grumble.

Now to the all-important gastronomic report.  Your intrepid taste-testers discovered a number of toothsome Norwegian delicacies which we would like to recommend to the world at large.

The BF’s top tip from Norway is the Kvikk Lunsj, which he was delighted to learn was basically a Kit-Kat not made by Nestlé (whose products he, the big Guardian reader, won’t touch).  It is, however, made by Kraft, so I’m not sure whether this is really a tremendous step up the morality ladder.  It even has nostalgia value, apparently, because it is so packaged that it will melt in its own wrapper.  For some reason this is to be cherished.

I think my favourite was the excellent Fruktnøtt bar made by Freia.  Be advised, though, that the plain old bar (the Melkesjokolade) is not a patch on their fruit and nut version.  I feel obliged to tell you the above photo features a monster 200g bar not because I’m a glutton, or at least not entirely, but also because it was to do the pair of us for at a day or two of immense train journeys.  Yes.

I think we both really liked the Smil sweets, again made by Freia, which the BF dubbed “ethical Rolos”.  They are nice, though are again made by a company owned by Kraft, so I’m not sure how much more ethical they are than the usual kind.  (Please note the scenic photo in front of the Norwegian royal palace, taken a few doors down from the Ibsen Museum.)

Now!  The next post is my last on Norway and, appropriately, will be all about the Norwegian capital.  I hope you’ll join me for it.

The Oslo-Bergen Railway and the Flaamsbana Railway (Flåmsbana) have been voted as two of the top 25 Railway journeys in the world by The Society of International Railway Travellers .

Flåm Railway

The railway recently underwent a facelift; its new fleet of trains, in forest green livery, comprises five engines and 12 cars. It also boasts new interiors and a unique guide and loudspeaker service.

Oslo-Bergen Railway

Different international ratings consider the train ride between Oslo and Bergen with the Bergen Railway as the most exciting and beautiful train ride in the world. Last up was the well known travel journalist Gary Warner, who published his favourite train rides in the American newspaper The Chicago Tribune.

Riding high

No other train ride between two cities in Europe is at a higher altitude than the one between Oslo and Bergen. Its highest point is Finse, 1,222 metres above sea level. During the ride you will witness amazing nature. The total travel time between Oslo and Bergen is approximately seven hours.

Introduction/History:
The complete Oslo-Bergen line was opened in 1909 as the only year-round land transport between Norway’s two largest cities. It was electrified in 1964. The 300-mile length of track passes through 200 tunnels and 18 miles of snowsheds in addition to crossing more than 300 bridges. In 2009, the Bergen Railway celebrates its 100th anniversary!

The scenery on the 7-hour Bergen Railway trip across the Hardanger plateau, the largest wilderness area in Europe, is breathtaking. Keep your eyes open for reindeer and other wild animals on what the Eurail Guide calls the “most scenic rail trip in Europe.”

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At this trip you will see Bergen, Sognefjord, Flåm, Eidfjord and Hardangervidda.

Hiking in Norway

“…I found a neat way to explore this lovely land without paying an arm and a leg.

By cruising with a group of hikers, we were able to see the sights at affordable prices – with the added creature comforts of a cruise ship as a bonus…

…The idea of taking an organised walk at each port of call is new, but it’s one which is gaining in popularity…

…By day you can yomp around in shorts and T-shirt, trainers and boots, exploring the local countryside. By night, back on board, you can shower and change into your gladrags for the evening’s entertainment…”

What’s the deal?

An eight-day trip sailing on Balmoral to the Norwegian Fjords costs from £861pp including shore transport and some tips with Ramblers Worldwide Holidays. For more info go to www.cruiseandwalk.co.uk or call 01707 386767.

Read the full story at www.mirror.co.uk