Copenhagen Post 05

Sometimes you just have to roll the dice and do something, well... incredibly stupid.

Let's hope it wasn't for nothing.

To ensure this is seen, and with the help of mel0drama (see Post 01), I have hidden this VIDEO somewhere on the web...




01.51: I just watched it again. Not good. The look on Mittelwerk's face before he started to say that last bit... it was bordering on recognition. Has he been accessing this blog?

Well, if he has, guess I'm screwed anyway... so, "Howdy, Thomas!"

Deep breath. Okay. Moving on...

That map. Now, THAT has to mean something doesn't it?

Now, I know it looks like just a piece of coastline. But I saw a LOT more than my camera did. I'm pretty sure those maps were all of the same place - and, it was an island. Looked to me like it was near the equator. If you can, help me identify it. This could be the key to unravelling Mittelwerk's plan.

Any ideas on the island, post your comments below. I wish the map wasn't so blurry -- didn't exactly have the time to mount my camera on a tripod! Anyway... this is the best piece of info we've gotten yet. Let's not waste our opportunity.





03.08: Look who’s back.


GidgetGirl: Rachel, I hate to be the crack of doom, but do you really think you're going to get any further by literally bumping into these guys?

ME: Got any better suggestions? Cause all I'm hearing is another Monday morning quarterback.

GidgetGirl: Look, all I'm saying is that if they didn't know who you were before, you're giving them an awfully good reason to figure you out. And, I don't get it. Why are you putting yourself at risk like this? Why are you doing this, Rachel? Who are you?

ME: I have my reasons. Most of them, I think I've made pretty clear.

GidgetGirl: No, this is personal for you. If you want us to help, why don't you tell us what's really going on?

ME: Because my reasons are MY reasons. I've given you more than enough to stand up with me on this. But, if you want to play that little game of the pot calling the kettle black, then I don't mind pointing out -- you're not exactly being forthcoming either, GidgetGirl.

GidgetGirl: Fine. You got me. We each have things we don't want to talk about. Let's move on.

ME: Great. Then, the question I have... the question that's keeping me up at night, is why am I the only one willing to put myself in the line of fire to stop these guys?

GidgetGirl: You're not. Not if you let me help. Now, you've said it yourself. You want ANSWERS instead of more QUESTIONS. If that's true, then all you have to do is agree to my terms.

ME: And what would those be?

GidgetGirl: Take down the photos of Hugh McIntyre.

ME: So, we're right back where we started?

No sale. I'll tell you the same thing I told Mel0Drama... This is how I work: if you give me a good tip up front... solid info that pans out? Then I'll be more than happy to take those pictures down. But for all I know, you ARE Hugh McIntyre.

ME: GidgetGirl?


07.10: Can't sleep... checked the boards... Shocker, no word from GidgetGirl. And what kinda name is that anyway?

Oh well... at least we’ve got our work to keep us busy. Let’s figure out that map!

Rachel Blake, signing off...

Copenhagen Post 04

This just keeps getting stranger.

Know that vegan place Mittelwerk uses as a secondary office?

I took it upon myself to slip a little something special in the pepper-shaker... and then, with my telephoto lens, I picked up a Korean man sitting down to tofu and noodles with Mittelwerk.

To ensure this reaches you, I've hidden a RECORDING of their conversation somewhere on the web...

rblake
105years

17.01: Yes, Mittelwerk speaks Korean. But I don't.

The only thing I picked up was a name, "Paik." Which is pretty much the Korean "Jones." Whoever they're talking about... it could be like a million different people. Anyway, I leave it to you guys. Time to test those translation skills.

Keep the comments coming. Let's figure this out.

19.59: Well, we've had some good translations and some that don't add up at all. Anyway, the consensus seems to be that this translation is the best (from Kwon-Yong Su: but thanks also to mochi + ari, h, pilferk, gohan, winged_eel):

MITTELWERK: Minsu, so great to see you.
MINSU: Dr. Mittelwerk. Good to see you too. Mr. Paik sends his warmest regards.
MITTELWERK: He's just saying that because we've paid him so much money.
MINSU: Ah. I see that it's straight to business.
MITTELWERK: As always.
MINSU: I think you'll be pleased to hear your ship is almost ready; with all the modifications. But I have to warn you - this kind of ship can't dock just anywhere.
MITTELWERK: We have a port. How long will it be?
MINSU: I'd say no sooner than three weeks.
MITTELWERK: Could you pass the pepper? So what will it take to make it 2 weeks?

But once again, I'm thrown. None of this is leading where I thought. And, the only Hanso we've seen mentioned is probably Alvar's frickin' grandpa!

So this ship... the vessel The Hanso Foundation commissioned this Mr. Paik to build. What do we think that's for?

Be honest with me, guys. Are we getting anywhere?

Here's hoping tomorrow brings less questions and more answers.

Copenhagen Post 03

So, by all accounts, yesterday took things in an unexpected direction. Guess it shouldn't be shocking to find out The Hanso Foundation's origins include not only the weapons trade in this century, but the SLAVE TRADE in centuries past. I guess old Alvar Hanso comes by his hypocrisy honestly.

But the questions still remain... How is this relevant NOW?

Why is Mittelwerk researching hundred-year-old SHIPPING LANES?

Does all this CONNECT to something greater?

Now, I think it's pretty clear, Mittelwerk likes to keep his hands clean. He's not offering up any answers - or the leverage to get them. So, if there's no dirt to be found on Mittelwerk, how do we proceed? Well...

Enter: Communications Director of The Hanso Foundation, HUGH MCINTYRE. Check out this smug piece of work.

Don't believe a word he says. Hugh's a cheater. Your classic hypocrite, he sits on the boards of all these family organizations, but can't seem to keep his own fly in the locked and upright position.

Now I'm not gonna judge this guy on morals. But I will on the company he keeps. Today, I followed him around the streets of Copenhagen to find out just WHO he's alley-catting with this week. Check out these PHOTOS.

EDIT: photos removed on request of GidgetGirl...

If you're not disturbed, you should be.

I have to hand it to Hugh, he's a smart tactician. I guess THIS is how Mittelwerk knows when to pull a tarp over the mass graves. I guess THIS is how The Hanso Foundation has carte blanche on anything it wants to do in any part of the world... where people have only the GLOBAL WELFARE CONSORTIUM to protect them.

22.20: Well, well, well.  Looks like my Hugh photos touched a nerve.  Check out this back-and-forth I had with a rather prickly user named GidgetGirl:

GidgetGirl: Rachel, I'm all for airing the truth, but you've crossed a line. What these guys do in private is their business. You could destroy a family, here.

Me: Like I said, what Hugh does personally, I don't really care... I'm just asking what kind of power is he wielding by sleeping with this woman from the GWC?

GidgetGirl: So you don't care if you wreck his marriage?

Me: Frankly, if you want to go there, he said good-bye to his marriage the second he decided to have that affair.

GidgetGirl: For someone claiming not to take the moral high ground, you're certainly carrying around an awful lot of venom for this guy. You got something against men, Rachel?

Me: Only his type.

GidgetGirl: If you had any decency, you'd take those photos down.

Me: The way I see it... he's the head of publicity? Well, then let's make it public. The pictures stay.

GidgetGirl: Who are you? What do you have against these people?

Me: Who are you?

Kinda makes you wonder, doesn't it?  I can't WAIT to see what you guys have to say about all this.

First, Some Business

Listen, guys and gals, I have to tell you... for those of you supporting me, offering help, spending your time devoted to cracking this Hanso mystery, even arguing back and forth about WHAT IT ALL MEANS, I can't thank you enough. I'm reading as many of your posts as I can (what with my "day job") - they're giving me the strength to go on with this thing... as scary and lonely as it gets from time to time.

But, because of those few who have chosen the comments thread as a testing ground for your flamer skills - a waste of everyone's time -- I'm gonna have to up the security of the comments page just a bit. If you want to comment, you're gonna have to register a Blogger account. You'll have to be logged in. I hope this helps everyone to have a better dialogue in the coming days...

Love and resolve.

Rachel

On to Post 03...

Copenhagen Post 02

It's my fifth day in Copenhagen. Already, this is a lot tougher than I'd hoped.

I don't know if I was secretly wishing for Mittelwerk to rendezvous with a missing Alvar Hanso in a dark alley or a parking structure at midnight... But so far, nothing's as I expected...

Well, here goes with my new, sneaky strategy...

FIND my next video and let me know if you can make heads or tails of any of this!












Mittelwerk didn't leave the shipping archive until it was dark - couldn't get any usable footage.

However, that archive delivery guy was still inside the building. So, I waited until he came out, and then... I did a little bit of acting. I played the damsel in distress. Rushed up to him, all out of breath. On the verge of tears. "The archive is closed, isn't it?"

I told him I was on vacation in Denmark, it was my last day, but I had a great-grandfather that was once a crewman for the Allied Copenhagen Marine Merchants, and I was piecing together his life's story for my grandmother. All I wanted was to look in the archive and get the names of some of the ships on which he had served... but I'd gotten lost on the way there, and...

Yeah, I squeezed out a tear or two.

Well, maybe it was my story, or maybe it was the way I batted my eyelashes, but my new friend -- his name is Joen -- he let me in. (Pretty sure he wanted to take me to dinner, by the way... too bad I had to catch that plane back to America!)

Inside, it was as expected, just drawers full of files... but, I did manage to shoot a pic of the computer search console with my cell phone camera. It looks like Mittelwerk's last query was still on-screen! Check it out.



























So, it looks like this shipping company is owned by The Hanso Group. Guess Mittelwerk is personnel.

But, what does that query mean? Does SHIP LN mean "shipping lane?"

I tried to hit ENTER on the keyboard, but the screen just kept asking me for a password. So, I throw it to you guys. First one to figure out why Mittelwerk spent eight hours at the Allied Copenhagen Marine Merchants wins the toaster.

Any thoughts? Post all your replies and theories in the comments box...

00.10: Looks like we have at least part of the answer to our question about the Allied Copenhagen Marine Merchants. Check it out:

Jambi08: Rachel, I've done some research on Dutch and Danish shipping. It's a hobby of mine. Over the years, I've also collected a number of rare and out-of-print works on the histories of these early trading companies. I believe I've come across some information that may shed light on what Mittelwerk was doing at the Allied Copenhagen Marine Merchants.

It seems that in the 1950s, the Hanso Group purchased a British-owned shipping company known as the East Ocean Trade Group, and renamed it the Allied Copenhagen Marine Merchants. Now, looking through one of my rare volumes on shipping history, I came across the following - and you will see the names that caught my eye.

Here is a scan from the book.

00.25: Not to mention this from terry idaho: http://www.freewebs.com/shipwreckmate/index.htm

So, what do we think? Was The Hanso Foundation built on the backs of slaves?

Why am I not surprised?

Copenhagen Post 01

So, here I am in Copenhagen... wanna know why I'm really here?

You're not the only one.

WATCH MY VIDEO and find out the truth.
















Wow.


So, I've looked through my comments, and I've looked all over the web... and frankly, I'm a little blown away...

I've already got a problem with my videos!!


This may be recap for those of you at the bleeding edge of the story - but, before my blog even went live, my first video was out there, all over the web, for EVERYONE to see.

Now, that, in and of itself is not a bad thing. I mean, I WANT everyone to see what's going on.

But, the very fact this has happened? It's made me realize my site might not be as secure as I think it is. And, I can't sit by idly waiting for something to happen again.

What I have to say is important. Too important for me to post my video blogs to a site that THEY could hack or shut down.

So, I've made a decision. Rather than risk these posts not being seen, I'll be sneaking all the videos to come onto some major corporate websites.

They'll be password protected - you'll have to check back for the keys.

I apologize in advance for the bold commercialism. But in my mind, if you have to sit through an ad or two... that's a price worth paying to hear the truth.



ENOUGH about that!


Well, well, well. I just had a pretty intriguing conversation with a user by the name of Mel0Drama in my Comments section. Check it out:


Mel0Drama: Rachel... I don't know if you really look through all these
threads, but if you do, I NEED to talk to you.

Hello?

Rachel? Hi? Hello?

Me: Hey, Mel0Drama - what's up?

Mel0Drama: Call me Mel.

Me: What's up, Mel?

Mel0Drama: Nobody ever listens to me. This is stupid.

Me: I just looked back through the posts. You say you NEED to talk. About what? you got info on Hanso? Mittelwerk?

Mel0Drama: No... not really. I can't specifically link either of them...

Me: So... what, Mel? Girlfriend problems? Need a stock tip?

Mel0Drama: Don't. make. fun. of. me.

Me: This conversation is about ten seconds from over.

Mel0Drama: He's in our heads, Rachel.

Me: Who is?

Mel0Drama: Hackett. Dr. Hackett.

Me: Okay... I've never heard of a Dr. Hackett.

Mel0Drama: I used to work for him. He's here, with the rest of them. In Atlanta. At the EDC. They sneak it in, we lap it up. I have proof!

Me: Mel, it's been fascinating. Truly.

Mel0Drama: WAIT!! You need safe passage for your videos. You said so yourself. Places you can hide them. Places THEY can't find them. I have a place. Nobody can get to it but ME. I have all the keys. Your videos will be safe for all to see.

Me: What are you talking about?

Mel0Drama: I work in the archive of the Engineering Development Center. It was a punishment. I asked Hackett too many questions. But he never could have guessed... the ARCHIVE was the last place he should have sent me to work. I have the proof. The DOCUMENTS are all there. Sealed in a vault. Untouched by human hands. Ready to convict. And, I need you to help me expose them.

Me: So, why don't you just post your evidence here and get done with it?

Mel0Drama: BECAUSE NOBODY BELIEVES ME. They have to see for themselves. They have to see the documents. Sitting in the company vault. On the company mainframe. Please. It's a fair exchange.

Me: What is?

Mel0Drama: I'll hide your video, secure it for your users to access online. Password-protected. On a CORPORATE mainframe. Untouchable. All you have to do is tell your followers to go to my archive portal and hear my story... once they do, I'll place your video in the archive vault. They can watch it through my portal!

Me: No. Here's how I work. You host my video, keep it secure. If I'm satisfied people can see it, that The Hanso Foundation can't hack it, that YOU'RE not part of the Foundation yourself, THEN I'll put the word out to my friends to check out your "evidence" about Hackett and whatever the heck you think he's doing. Deal?

Mel0Drama: ... Deal.

Me: Cool. Gotta go. I've got 43 things to do to stop their "better tomorrow"

Looks like Mel and I will be in touch. Do I trust him? Not yet... but, from here on out, looks like everything I do's gonna be a gamble.

MORE TOMORROW!!