Plan B From The Bacardi Room

Pan Art

2012-01-13T17:38:00.002+01:00

Happy New Year 2012

2012-01-07T18:32:00.004+01:00

Happy New Year readers. Still on a break of sorts and I'll probably take it easy with the blogging in the nearby future. Blogging on the internet is one thing, being active in real life is another. Focusing more on the latter. Here in Holland the economic prognosis is pretty much doom and gloom. Every cost of living will go up, politicians don't even bother to hide it. Holland's healthcare system used to be topnotch but insurance went up while the coverage got less. Even dental insurance has been completely privatized, meaning dentists aren't regulated anymore - the cost of treatments will skyrocket. Seeing how America is doing, I fear the worst for my own country which used to be fair and social.

Pepper It

2011-12-19T15:58:00.000+01:00

The Socrates Decision

2011-12-08T16:22:00.003+01:00

Last sunday I found about Socrates, the Brazilian football player, who had passed away. Only 57 years old. I remember him fondly. As a young teenager I used to watch Brazilian football matches in 1982 and 1986 during the World Championships. Socrates also played and scored some magnificent goals during that time but sadly never lifted the cup.

When I found about Socrates I was having a drink and smoking a cigarette. Ironically, these 2 things plagued Socrates most of his life. Although being a doctor, he made no secret of being a heavy drinker and smoker. Prior to his death he was hospitalized twice with bleeding in the digestive track. He recovered but attracted one final fatal infection a couple of months later.

Personally, I had major problems with my intestines as well. Just 2 years ago I was operated twice after developing abscess' and later on fistulae. Spend months recovering from what turned out to be an intestinal infection, a surgeon remarked to me that it looked like Crohn's disease. It's also a condition that keeps coming back. I only drink a fraction of what I consumed when I was younger. Smoking a pack a day however continued.

Last weekend was weird. Spend the morning mostly in the bathroom relieving myself. In the afternoon I looked up articles on the internet about intestinal problems and found out that smoking can have a tremendous effect on the digestive system. Than I visit CNN on the internet with my cigarette and drink in hand and I click on the article about Socrates. That was my last cigarette...

Dude, Where's My Car? XII

2011-12-04T10:14:00.002+01:00

Why are car thieves often such bad drivers? I mean if you take the profession of stealing cars at least learn how to drive at high speed. Otherwise you'll simply wind up in jail like this fellow.

Sketchzoid #42

2011-12-03T21:52:00.002+01:00

Dag van de Verontwaardiging

2011-11-26T19:56:00.004+01:00

Pictures from the protest in Amsterdam last sunday called 'Dag van de Verontwaardiging.'

Oc Am

2011-11-26T19:54:00.000+01:00

The Occupy Amsterdam camp last sunday.

Fogger 2

2011-11-23T10:28:00.001+01:00

Last week's midday sun, for a moment shinning through the dense fog.

Imperial Tropes

2011-11-18T10:05:00.002+01:00

“We face the threats from rising powers — China, India, others — that we have to always be aware of and try to make sure that we always have sufficient force protection out there in the Pacific to make sure they know we’re never going anywhere.”

Leon Panetta
(US Defense Secretary)

Zeitdam

2011-11-13T15:03:00.003+01:00

Shots taken from the Zeitgeist Netherlands HQ, overlooking de Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal, Amsterdam.

Dutch Treat 3

2011-11-10T19:36:00.003+01:00

Check this out. Right after the Second World War in 1946 the Dutch government had plans to annex territory from Germany. You learn something every day. The plans were denied by Allied command in light of tensions with the Soviet Union and the necessity to build a strong, new Germany to confront the communist threat.
The Dutch annexation plan was actually the second proposal in their quest for compensation. In 1945 the Dutch state demanded 25 billion guilders from the Germans. Needless to say that this plan also didn't come to fruition. In the end Germany paid the Netherlands the amount of 280 million marks. Read more about it here. From my perspective it also shows the contemporary mindset of colonialism, seize every bit of land that you possibly can.

Sketchzoid #41

2011-11-10T19:11:00.002+01:00

Dutch Treat 2

2011-11-08T19:37:00.004+01:00

Interesting bit of news surfaced today in the newspapers. The Netherlands, along with the U.S.A., had formulated a plan to military intervene (invade) the South American country of Suriname. In 1986 the Dutch government was very concerned about its citizens who were residing in Suriname. The latter being a former colony of the Netherlands who gained independence in 1975. The resulting democracy was short lived since in 1980 a military coup overthrew the government and declared a socialist republic. Under the leadership of Desi Bouterse a number of citizens were executed in 1982 and a civil war ensued.

Most fascinating some 25 years later is that an invasion plan was actually considered at the time. The current Dutch cabinet remarks that the plan never reached the point of a political decision and remained in the consideration 'stage.' However, the ministers who went public today refuse to reveal the associated documents to the public. They simply remain classified. Which in some way is also revealing, secrecy still being the name of the game.

Summerback, Again

2011-11-04T16:28:00.005+01:00

Amazing weather patterns this year. Summer was downright bad with weeks of continuous rain in July, which normally is the time here in Holland to enjoy the beach. We didn't get a chance. Oddly enough autumn provided some days at the beach and that is quite unusual. Normally we have that fine English weather, wind and rain. Today the temperatures got up to 18C and you could walk around outside in your shirt. Normally you'd need a winter jacket already. Just last year we had snow and frost in November. Seeing the news last week it was America's northeast who got the winter surprise. Strange stuff.

Greek Tragedy (2)

2011-11-03T19:57:00.008+01:00

Holy crap, what's happening in Greece? On my way home this afternoon I ran into a friend who was waiting for the bus and he enlightened me about the 'crisis' in Europe. In another twist and turn Greece decided to let its people vote about the financial aid package (and subsequent austerity measures) through a referendum. This send shockwaves through both the markets and other nations that make up the European Union. Good chance of course that the Greek people will vote it down.

Watching a Dutch newspaper website which monitors the latest information regarding the Greek political situation it's evident that a lot of people are worried. It's also unclear at the moment if the referendum will proceed. There seems to be a great deal of political infighting in Greek parliament, and safe to say that isn't helping either.

Their situation can be described as followed. They are screwed, one way or the other. If they decline European help there's a good chance they will be ousted from the European Union. Should they accept, the financial situation of every citizen will drastically decline. Ironically, they have no one to blame but themselves. Although I'm no free market advocate I can see that 'the game' simply caught up with them and the simple axiom that everyone usually understands is that you can't spend more than you have.

There's a whole mechanism beyond politics and that is the money creation and immediate connected debt itself.

Governments that don't abide by the monetary rules are the first to feel its consequences. Greece has also been very deceiving and has proven to be an unreliable partner. When joining the European Union they presented false financial data. Their deficits where in reality much worse. Goldman Sachs was so kind to offer their assistance.

Greece failed to recognize the first monetary rule. Money is created in a bank, and has to go back to the bank. Failure to do so means foreclosure. Banks rule, not nations.

The Real Justintempler

2011-10-28T19:37:00.006+02:00

Just a couple of comments from the notorious Zeitgeist troll 'Justintempler,' who apparently enjoys creating havoc on the internet.

Occupy Amsterdam (Pics 22-10-11)

2011-10-28T19:30:00.003+02:00

Go Ed

2011-10-24T14:57:00.001+02:00

Thoughts On Occupy Amsterdam

2011-10-23T13:56:00.004+02:00

Spend a few hours yesterday and the week before on saturday at "Occupy Amsterdam." Especially last week was amazing since Beursplein 5, the square where the protests were held and which is right in front of the Dutch stock exchange, was pretty much packed with people. Police estimated that around 1500 people were present but they also mentioned that people come and go which to me sounds accurate on both accounts. In other words, the Occupy phenomenon which has spread across the globe has also manifested itself in Holland.

The latter is a little bit remarkable since Holland has one of the best social security and healthcare systems in the world, but seeing that austerity measures are being implemented, Dutch banks being bailed out, tremendous financial aid going to Greece, many people know what time it is. The Dutch taxpayer will get the bill just like in any other country. The government already announced that people will feel the new policies in their wallets and nobody thinks they are kidding. The bottom line is that many people realize the political and financial systems have failed to a large degree.

Visiting the event so far I'm also (pleasantly) surprised by the diversity of the protesters. Mainstream media has a tendency to label the protestors as coming from the left side of the political spectrum, which is simply not true. I've heard on more than one occasion right wing speakers who hint towards the meme of small government. People from all walks of life protested. Left, right, Christians, squatters, Anonymous and yes, I've also seen a few people speak who some would label as the lunatic fringe. Nonetheless, the essence here is that everyone is heard and everyone is allowed to speak. Democracy at its finest.

The only people I didn't see so far are the bankers themselves. Some politicians, namely from the Dutch Labour Party and Socialist Party did make an appearance on the 15th. Yes, they are of course from 'the left' and it would suit some right wing politicians to visit the protests as well but I guess they are afraid to get booed. How effective the demonstrations will be is anyone's guess. Personally, I don't anticipate any (radical) change soon but without a doubt it's constructive towards the future to let your voices be heard.

"Occupy Amsterdam" (Pics)

2011-10-20T21:06:00.006+02:00

Zeitgeist @ "Occupy Amsterdam" (Pics)

2011-10-16T10:54:00.006+02:00

Dude, Where's My Car? XI

2011-10-15T08:46:00.002+02:00

You know those types, showing off with their brand new Ferrari's . Here's one in Holland who somewhat lost control of all that engine power, drove through a few gardens and parked his expensive car against a house. (No one was hurt except the insurance company.)

Quote Of The Month (4)

2011-10-14T17:41:00.002+02:00

"The Republicans love the term "job creators" which they have substituted for "the rich" as in "do not raise taxes on the job creators." Republicans, unfortunately, are not the job creators as evidenced by the dismal Bush-Cheney record that created the fewest jobs of any modern administration while losing five million manufacturing jobs. Indeed, more jobs were created under Clinton (23 million) that Reagan, GHW Bush, and Bush, the lesser, combined and at higher tax rates. Republicans are, however, good at transferring wealth to the wealthy with 80% of income growth over the last 20 years of Reagan-era to present "trickle-down economics" going to the top one percent. While the beleaguered working class struggle, the rich are faring quite well with the annual salaries of Fortune 500 CEOs going up to $10.6 million or 400 times the average worker (up from 40 times the average worker in the '70s). By now, even the poorly-educated and/or bigoted should recognize that Republicans have historically NEVER represented the working class."

"Hallaguilla"

Sketchzoid #40

2011-10-07T19:30:00.000+02:00

R.I.P. Steve

2011-10-06T15:53:00.003+02:00

Had great fun using your iMac Blueberry G3, eMac G4 and now iMac G5. R.I.P. man.

Signed,
A Mac-head.

TZM Call to Action!: Support the "Global Financial Occupation"

2011-10-03T15:35:00.005+02:00

TZM GLOBAL RADIO | OCT 5TH 2011, 4PM EDT
Host: Peter Joseph

Guests:
Dennis Trainor, Jr
COALITION TO OCCUPY FREEDOM PLAZA
http://october2011.org/

Brian Phillips
OCCUPY WALL STREET
http://occupywallst.org/

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/zmglobal/2011/10/05/oct-5th-11-host-peter-joseph-tzm-global-radio

Discussing the growing "Financial Occupation; its importance and how TZM can strategically get involved. The Zeitgeist Movement stands in solidarity with these grassroots, non-violence awareness actions for they may represent the beginning of a global move away from the Monetary Paradigm. The Revolution is Now.

OCTOBER2011 COALITION TO OCCUPY FREEDOM PLAZA PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 
September 26, 2011

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: 
Kevin Zeese, 301-996-6582
Margaret Flowers, 443-759-4635
Maria Allwine, 443-762-0892
press@october2011.org

OCTOBER2011 COALITION TO OCCUPY FREEDOM PLAZA IN WASHINGTON, DC
BEGINNING OCT 6th

DC Occupation Marks the 11th Year of Afghan War, Austerity Budgets and Builds on Arab Spring, European Summer, Madison and Occupation of Wall Street.
The People’s Uprisings seen around the world and in the United States come to Washington, DC’s Freedom Plaza beginning on Thursday, October 6 when thousands will converge to begin a prolonged people's occupation of Freedom Plaza. The October2011 Movement involves thousands of people and 150 organizations who have already signed. The DC occupation comes at a pivotal time: the beginning of the 11th year of war in Afghanistan and a new federal fiscal year that promises austerity of everything except weapons and war.
The Freedom Plaza occupation occurs as activists in New York are occupying Wall Street and follows major protests across the Midwest against austerity budgets, the environmental protest of the Tar Sands Pipeline where more than 1,200 were arrested and protests throughout the United States on a wide range of issues.
The October2011 Movement demands that the government represent the people, not just the top 1%. The pledge signed on by thousands calls for using our resources on human needs and environmental protection, not for war and exploitation. October2011.org stands with super majorities of Americans on seven key issues:
• Tax the rich and corporations
• End the wars, bring the troops home, cut military spending
• Protect the social safety net, strengthen Social Security and improved Medicare for all
• End corporate welfare for oil companies and other big business interests
• Transition to a clean energy economy, reverse environmental degradation
• Protect worker rights including collective bargaining, create jobs and raise wages
• Get money out of politics

Among those signing the pledge and participating in the action are Ann Wright, Baldemar Velasquez, Chris Hedges, Coleen Rowley, Cornel West, Cynthia McKinney, Ray McGovern, Sibel Edmonds and Ted Rall. The Freedom Plaza occupation builds on the experiences of Egypt, Tunisia, Greece and Spain. October2011 has joined with the Egyptian revolutionary movement in a solidarity statement based on four common principles: seeking real democracy, an end to U.S. interventionist military policy, protection of human rights through the rule of law and developing a sustainable economy that meets human needs. The Indignados of Spain have described our common Road to Dignity that includes the occupation of Wall Street and Freedom Plaza.
More information visit FAQ on http://october2011.org.

The occupation of Freedom Plaza is almost here! Momentum is really building and we can’t wait to be with you in Washington, DC. The time is now to create an independent movement built on participatory democracy and to demand an end to war and that our resources are used to meet human and environmental needs.
Occupy Wall Street continues and has sparked occupations all around the country. Some have already started and many others will begin this Saturday. The people of OccupyDC will join us on Thursday. Please support these local occupations. The time is now to unite as the 99% and work in solidarity. You can find out more at OccupyTogether.org.

We know that many of you are on your way to DC. Some are coming on foot, some on bicycle and others by plane, train and caravan. Please document your trip to DC and share your stories, photos and videos with us.

When you arrive in Freedom Plaza, there will be many ways for you to be engaged. You can join a committee and work on one of the 15 core crises. Committees start meeting on Friday afternoon and will present their work in the nightly assemblies. You can share your artistic talents in the Arts area of the Plaza. You can also sign up to teach a class or workshop – share your knowledge and skills so that others understand more about the crises we face, solutions to them and skills needed to create a new world that is peaceful, just and sustainable.

Prior to the action next week there will be training sessions in Washington, DC for skills in nonviolent action, peacekeeping and legal observation. Check the Calendar for more information (click on the topic for details) or check the Daily Schedule. We hope that you will volunteer in some way while in Freedom Plaza!

Many of us have spent time in Liberty Square with the people of Occupy Wall Street. We are impressed by the great sense of community and possibility. We look forward to building a similar participatory, educational, creative and respectful community in Freedom Plaza. One person summed it up by saying the atmosphere is one of less social networking and more socializing!

However, for those of you who can’t make it to Freedom Plaza in Washington, DC, please follow along virtually. We will live stream the nightly assemblies and other events. We will also post articles, photos and videos at October2011.org regularly. And we encourage you to be the media also!

In peace and solidarity!
The October2011 Team

Beginning Of The End?

2011-10-02T15:03:00.010+02:00

I guess most people have watched the news by now concerning the protests in New York. People are rising up against the system if you will. The wealth inequality and government policies that seemingly only help big business are at the root of this civil discontent. Police clamped down hard on the protesters and earlier this week 80 to 100 where arrested as they centered around Wall Street. Just yesterday 700 people got arrested as they marched over the Brooklyn Bridge towards lower Manhattan. Safe to say the police and authorities are keeping a watchful eye out.

Personally I salute the protesters. It has been clear to me for a while now that America hardly can be called a democracy anymore. The people there basically have a choice between 2 political parties and both cater the big wealthy business interests first and the American people second if at all. The U.S. is a society where money and wealth comes first, the top 10% possess 80% of all financial assets. Given the circumstances, do you really expect people to behave when it is clear their needs are secondary to an elite? Elites that prey off the majority of the people will fall sooner or later.

14 trillion dollars of public debt, 2.3 million people incarcerated, some 40+ million people on food stamps and 1 in 6 beneath the poverty line, how long do you think this game will last? Capitalism itself is at fault here although that is something most people don't want to hear. Likewise, Ron Paul and Austrian Economics are not going to save you. Trying to solve the problems of capitalism with more capitalism is just plain idiotic. The U.S. already gave the free market full reign and the present situation is what you get; the market regulating itself at the expense of everything else.

I fear the worst for America. The system can't perpetuate itself under these conditions. Seeing how law enforcement reacts to public protests yet stays catatonic when financial institutions plunge the country and world into a depression, I predict that this is a sign of things to come. Challenging the establishment is not encouraged. Action versus reaction. When the protests become more intense so will the response of the authorities who will try to protect the current state of affairs. Maintaining order is on the top of their list.

Yet the American spirit is build upon liberty and freedom, as such any violation of that notion is not tolerated. A vicious circle is what comes next with the likelihood of America transforming into a police state. America is on the verge of implosion and to be brutally honest this is a 'logical' consequence of the system that the people have supported for so long. If you let politicians be lobbied (bribed) by corporate interests than they are going to serve those interests. If you let a (partially) private Central Bank issue the currency of a nation than they are going to reward themselves and leave you hanging with the bill.

It's simple. Give the power of the people away to institutions and politicians who think of their own self interest first, the people are going to wind up with the short end of the stick. You've got to find a balance between what's good for you and the nation as a whole. Exclusively pursuing self interest will eventually create a massive imbalance. That is where the American society is at.
Perhaps in 20 years from now people will talk about America in similar fashion as they did regarding the collapse of the Soviet Union. Maybe they will fully realize that an elite deciding what's best for themselves first and what is good for the nation and its people second will always lead to revolution.

Self Interest

2011-10-01T22:11:00.002+02:00

Goalpost

2011-10-01T19:22:00.004+02:00

The killing of Anwar al-Awlaki created quite a stir on news channels and their related talk shows. The muslim extremist was mostly known for his recruiting efforts and may be implicated in previous terrorist plots although personally I haven't seen any conclusive evidence for that claim. Al-Awlaki was definitely engaged in recruiting (young) muslims to fight the jihad against the West. Videos and an entire website attest to that fact. What's so remarkable in this case is that al-Awlaki was born a U.S. citizen.

The latter has legal implications since U.S. citizens normally have this thing called due process. They are charged with a crime, they get a lawyer and have their day in court. The judge presides the case and a jury issues a verdict which can be the death penalty in some states. The thing is, while it is clear al-Awlaki was a recruiter and an extremist it is unclear how much he was involved in plotting attacks because there's no examination of evidence. It is all hidden under nation security.

What's perhaps most fascinating are the different approaches to this case on different news channels. I watched a segment on the Fox News channel and a number of commentators had no legal or moral problem with the killing of al-Awlaki. 'He was a terrorist, he took up arms against his country and therefor forfeits his rights!' Is it really that simple, or are goalposts moved because it is convenient? I always thought that laws weren't subject to great interpretation.

Lets also look at the circumstances. Al-Awlaki was killed using a missile from a drone in a foreign country, Yemen in this case. If I'm not mistaken, firing (high-tech military) weapons in foreign countries could be construed as an act of war. It could have been done with permission of Yemen authorities of course which simplifies matters, but on the other hand I've seen Pakistani officials protest when the same thing happened in their country.

My point is with this case, the legality of this and other lethal action(s) are too easily justified. I understand that the U.S. has a right to protect itself as a nation but laws are laws, and shouldn't be bend because it is convenient. Under the umbrella of 'national security' many things can be justified, that's the dangerous grey area. Today it is a U.S. citizen gone extremist abroad, tomorrow it's a liberal protesting too much against the Federal Reserve. Moving goalposts might be detrimental because it becomes a matter of 'how the shoe fits.' Perhaps something to think about.

Summerback

2011-09-29T16:48:00.005+02:00

It has been a weird summer. In late spring we had a dry spell over here in Holland and many farmers were complaining, it was even noticeable in a person's garden since plants bloomed a tad later. Then came high summer which was downright miserable here in Western Europe. Two decent sunny days in early July followed by almost 4 weeks of continuous rain - some days not reaching higher than 13C. August wasn't much better. The weather guys already calculated that it was the 6th worse summer on record since they started keeping logs in 1901.

Now the leafs are starting to drop and everyone was expecting the fall with its winds and rain, but this week the summer is back. Temperatures soared to 26 Celsius, beach weather. Which is quite unusual for this time of year. I recall this period, late September / early October in 1995 and it was 4C at high noon and didn't got higher. That's another excess weather-wise but it goes to show you what's also possible. The weather has been so irregular this year that I wont act surprised if we have snow in late October or early November. But right now I'm enjoying the last bit of summer.

Smiling Kitty

2011-09-29T16:46:00.001+02:00

TZM Response To "Occupy Wall Street"

2011-09-28T16:30:00.005+02:00

THE ZEITGEIST MOVEMENT: RESPONSE TO "OCCUPY WALL STREET"

www.occupywallst.org

On Sept 17th 2011, a grassroots expression of contempt was launched in the heart of the world's financial center in lower Manhattan of New York City, also commonly known to the world as the institution of "Wall Street". As of Sept 26th, there have been over 80 arrests and many recorded instances of what appears to be violence and abuse coming from the police and security forces there. However, the protesters remain vigilant in what could very well be a landmark event that will resonate for some time to come.

The Zeitgeist Movement would like to extend its public support to this basic expression.

As the world awakens to a failing financial system with growing civil unrest emerging without the bias of sovereignty, religion or political loyalty, a new, unifying perspective is slowly taking hold which transcends the framework many of us falsely assume as empirical to our way of life.

With the slow grind down of the global workforce as machine automation continues to replace human labor for the benefit of corporate cost efficiency, simultaneously reducing purchasing power and hence inevitably stifling so called “Economic Growth”; with the ever expanding Debt Crisis born out of the Fractional Reserve Lending System and the simple reality that money is created out of debt and sold as a commodity in exchange for Interest - Interest that can only again come onto existence through more loan sales; with the looming military programs growing in virtually all major powers as the financial crisis, coupled with a pending hydrocarbon energy crisis, begins to suggest a stage of global conflict possibly never before seen; along with the market psychology of Infinite Growth Consumption that continues to pervade and distort our values and what it means to live in harmony with nature on a finite planet...

...it might be time we begin to see that the social problems at hand are not specific to any general policy, administration, or even so called "corporate greed". The real problem at hand is actually systematic via the very core foundation of what defines our Economic System and the psychology that is supported and rewarded.

The historical illusion that continues to this day is that someone or some group is explicitly to "blame". Rather than focus on the 400 people who have more wealth than 150 million in America or the fact that globally 1% of the world's population has more wealth than 40%, let's instead ask ourselves how such a manifestation is even possible and, more critically, why we would expect anything less? Think about it.

After all, it's the "Free-Market", isn't it? Contrary to the statistically void efficiency assumptions made by most Market Economists, the Free-Market simply means anyone can do whatever they want and maximize however they want within the confines of legal legislation; legal legislation which, make no mistake, is also for sale in the Free-Market as well; as are political officials, regulatory institutions and whatever social entity you wish to consider.

Nothing but maximizing monetary gain is sacred and anytime a person or group brings some detrimental social or environmental consequence of this system to the forefront, pejorative distinctions are usually branded upon their forehead to stifle such concern and frighten other detractors – such as being called a “Socialist” or “Communist”.

Furthermore, while people in protest today across the world continue to condemn monetary influence in social dealings such as the legal reality of Corporate Lobbying, even using such colorful terms as "Corporatism", “Crony-Capitalism” and even “Fascism”, they seem to misunderstand what this system is and always has been.

The Free-Market model of Economics is a haphazard, unscientific anarchy of organization which assumes that any person or group with enough money and hence power will be “responsible” in their actions both socially and environmentally. The problem is that the very definition of being "financially responsible” actually means to be socially and environmentally exploitative, manipulative and negligent, for the main driver of this system is Inefficiency. The more problems in society in general, the more jobs are created and the more rich the upper 1% become. There is an empirical decoupling from what actually supports life and no alteration of the core configuration of the monetary-market Incentive will likely change that.

On a different level, this system, as an historical evolution, is actually based on a culturally hegemonic pretense. Once economic advantage is obtained, it will likely be kept. This is why everything in the system favors the wealthy by its general structure and inherent logic. While the public might complain about the fact that top Hedge Fund Managers bring in over 300 million dollars per year, they often do not find objection with an Interest system that rewards those with high deposits and essentially taxes those using credit. While you may buy your home with a loan, paying thousands in interest a year, a person of wealth can make a CD Investment and gain free interest income simply because they have the money to spare.

Class separation and perpetuation and the growing wealth divide is not a byproduct. It is inevitable. In the Free-Market, one is actually “free” to take away the liberty of others through the mere economic pressures generated from the game. You are only as free as the size of your wallet. The term “Institution Racism” was coined by civil rights activist Stokely Carmichael in the 1960s referring to how often unnoticed underlying policies and structures within the social system undermined African American prosperity and equality. What we have today is a mere variation: “Institutional Classicism”.

Wall Street itself, which is the ultimate manifestation of the pursuit of money as a commodity rather than any form of true creation or social contribution, is naturally a ripe entity for symbolic objection for, at a minimum, it shouldn't exist at all and most certainly not have the grand effect it does on the stability of the global economy today, regardless of the inherent shortcomings denoted.

However, that stated, it must again be made clear that Wall Street and the Banking System are not the source of our problems. They are only symptoms of an Economic System which will continue to fail by the very gravity of its outdated and false assumptions of human conduct and environmental relationships.

The question then becomes, what do we put in its place? ~Z

About:
The Zeitgeist Movement is a global sustainability activist group working to bring the world together for the common goal of species sustainability before it is too late. It is a social movement, not a political one, with over 1100 chapters across nearly all countries. Divisive notions such as nations, governments, races, political parties, religions, creeds or class are non-operational distinctions in the view of The Movement. Rather, we recognize the world as one system and the human species as a singular unit, sharing a common habitat. Our overarching intent could be summarized as “the application of the scientific method for social concern.”

To learn more about our work, please visit www.thezeitgeistmovement.com

Wakeup Photography

2011-09-28T10:17:00.000+02:00

The 2011 Zeitgeist Media Festival

2011-09-28T10:07:00.001+02:00

The 2011 Zeitgeist Media Festival, Global:

The Inaugural 2011 Zeitgeist Media Festival Global Event set, which enabled a socially conscience Arts and Media platform across 20 countries, accessing about 10,000 people in person and almost 200,000 through free live Webcasts, was a notable success.

Organized by The Zeitgeist Movement , a global, non-profit sustainability advocacy group seeking to change the current social order, this unprecedented concept has generated a resonance that is expected to grow every year as it continues its development. The integrity of the project seems to rest not only with the social intent, but also with the 1000s of Volunteers who worked to make it happen without any financial gain and even severe losses.

In a post event interview with Peter Joseph, the curator/sponsor of the Main Event at Hollywood's "Music Box", he stated "Yeah, I lost about $35,000 dollars when I expected to lose only $10,000. But it was worth every cent for the dedication and commitment of those who helped execute such a large production was unmatched and just glorious. This is what Community is about and we are only just beginning with our efforts to unify the world."

Coupled with its Global Food Drive Initiative via The Zeitgeist Movement's ongoing "Z-Drive", over 12,000 meals were facilitated through regional Food Banks to feed the ever growing the poor and starving population.

"The Zeitgeist Media Festival is a global, Non-profit, multimedia event working to utilize the Arts as an avenue to create sustainable values in the pursuit of a better world. Recognizing the power of art and media to help change the world, "The Zeitgeist Media Festival" engages the artistic community and their power to changes values. It proposes that needed changes in the structural/economic workings of society can only manifest in tandem with a personal/social transformation of values in each of us. While intellectual knowledge serves its role of showing the path, many in the world follow their feelings- not the knowledge. The Zeitgeist Media Festival hopes to bridge those levels, while also illuminating a focus where changing and improving the world is no longer considered a fringe, suspect or ever dangerous pursuit- but rather the highest and most honorable level of personal/social integrity we have."

Select Links:

Main Website:
http://zeitgeistmediafestival.org/

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Zeitgeist-Media-Festival/194115850637429

The Los Angeles Beat:
http://thelosangelesbeat.com/2011/08/zeitgeist-media-festival-at-the-music-box/

Examiner Interview:
http://www.examiner.com/local-music-in-los-angeles/peter-joseph-zeitgeist-movement-founder-on-innagural-zeitgeist-media-festival

The Zeitgeist Movement:
www.thezeitgeistmovement.com

Highwayman Donner

2011-09-21T20:57:00.010+02:00

Something hilarious just transpired in Dutch politics. Earlier this month on the 9th of September the Supreme Court in the Netherlands decided that upon requesting an ID card, which is done at the local town hall normally, no fee can be asked. The essence of the verdict by the court was that an ID card should be free of charge for every citizen and current legislation doesn't justify paying for it, yet it is normal practice that a town generates revenue with issuing passports, documents etc.

The court even decided that people who had paid for a card the last few months should get their money back. Needless to say that many people hurried to the town hall to request a new ID card. City officials got swamped with work.

Enter minister Piet Hein Donner from the Christian Democrat party (CDA). Just a few weeks have passed since this new approach was put in effect, the good Christian minister just forwarded a new bill today basically reinstating the previous arrangement and where people have to pay (generously) for their new ID cards. Just comical how money takes precedence in the political process seeing how fast these highwaymen, I mean politicians, react when it becomes impossible to rob the citizens of their cash.
Tax decreases 'have to be studied' but new tax legislation can be implemented with light speed so it seems. Donner also slaps the Supreme Court in the face by basically countermanding/overruling their decision. When legislation is quickly changed to suit the profit motive, you can ask yourself what democracy really means.

Quote Of The Month (3)

2011-09-20T08:38:00.003+02:00

"Pure ideology never works. Just as mutt dogs are strongest, mutt politics are the most effective."
- Sean "Muertos" Munger

Greek Tragedy

2011-09-14T16:43:00.004+02:00

This morning when I read the Dutch internet newspaper 'De Telegraaf' there were many articles dealing with Greece and their economy. For many months the Dutch government has been trying to support that country with loans and recommendations (austerity measures). The general consensus was, as far as the Dutch government was concerned, if we help out Greece (loan money) everything will eventually be fine. Greece just has to get their economy in order, privatize sectors, raise the retirement age, increase taxation etc.

Well, it turns out that all those measures are in vain. Reports have surfaced that several Dutch banks already have plans in effect for when Greece goes bankrupt and are more or less counting on it. Even the ministry of Finance along with the Bank of the Netherlands and (the Bank of) Germany and their politicians are having high-level talks, according to reliable sources. My point is, is that this scenario - the bankruptcy of Greece - was hardly mentioned in previous months as a realistic scenario. Instead, money should be pumped into Greece and they'll be back on their feet in a few years. That was the pretty picture.

House of cards is what comes to mind. If Greece goes bankrupt, and from the looks of it it will, all those measures and all that money loaned to Greece would have been pointless. And when you really think about it, the economy of a nation or the world for that matter, is seemingly highly unpredictable with (austerity) measures sometimes being inadequate. Both politicians and economists can't predict what will happen next and are basically just preachers of money value who hope to inspire trust in the markets.

Economy resembles religion. We should not lose faith in something like money which ironically is created out of thin air. Otherwise stocks would plummet, markets would crash which all have a relative value when you really think about it. The real fear of economists is when people become 'money-atheists,' that's why they keep pumping money in lost causes just to uphold the belief in an economy. Greece isn't the problem, the real tragedy is when the economy fails and people lose faith.

10 Years Later

2011-09-11T10:44:00.005+02:00

This week it has been 10 years since the attacks on 9/11 where a bunch of monsters flew airplanes into buildings with the aim of killing thousands just for ideological sake. 10 years ago I was working at Sony Music and in the afternoon it became transparent what had happened in New York. A colleague on the work floor mentioned to me in passing that a plane had flown in the World Trade Center. Not long after I had to go to the mens room and saw a group of co-workers huddled together near a radio. I asked what was up and they replied that America was under attack.

I called my mother on the cellphone and she was watching television at home while the whole thing unfolded. 'It's terrible,' she said. Returning to my workplace I recall starting a conversation with a colleague and he was also aware of the situation. I said to him at the time; 'this is the start of a war,' reciting the attack on Pearl Harbor as a similar if not identical situation. My mother called me again and shared the awful news that the towers had collapsed. I knew right then and there that thousands had perished. Upon returning home I immediately put on the television and watched the images most people have engrained in their memories.

10 years later now and this week was full of remembrance. Most tv channels showed documentaries and Hollywood productions made after 9/11 dealing with this subject. One documentary made by 2 French brothers is particularly hair raising since they were on the scene and in the tower just minutes before it collapsed. Remembering that awful day is a good thing. We mustn't forget that if a person becomes too radical and too extreme in their thoughts, violence is just around the corner. And violence begets violence. Lets honor the victims and their families as well as that notion.

Profile Of A Zeitroll

2011-09-10T13:53:00.005+02:00

Hey Muertos. Finally have some time and energy to make a rebuttal. Yes that excerpt was written by me on the Zeitgeist forums. Think YouTube user "Justintempler" already figured out I use that forum nickname so that was some decent detective work and internal communication. To clarify, I don't put you in the 'for no apparent reason' category.' It's remarkable that you took my comments and started a thread on the Skeptic Project forums because at the time of the writing I was very careful not to name anyone as an example. Yet here you are.

If you want my personal analysis on you and why you oppose Zeitgeist, here it is. And this is strictly my own observation. Let me just break in through the door. The conspiracy theory angle is not the main pillar on which you build your disagreement with the Zeitgeist Movement. I don't contest that you dislike conspiracy theories and in some cases it could be spot on. What brings me to this conclusion is this.

You have no problem creating conspiracy theories when it involves Zeitgeist so you're not opposed to it in the fundamental sense. A comment on the Zeitgeistmovie YouTube channel directed towards "ronaldodelosmuertos" is instantly attributed to Peter Joseph. How do you know it was him? Can you prove it without a doubt? Recently Peter Joseph commented that some critics are on the payroll. I would love to see some further information on that as well, but more importantly did he name you personally? No he didn't. Yet you take that personally and theorize that it's about you. That's a conspiracy theory Muertos! There are more examples of this kind methodology.

Secondly, I've been observing the Skeptic Project forums and you revealed some personal information at times. You commented that your father was/is in the U.S. Air Force. You mentioned that on the 4th of July that you recited the amendments with your family. To me that suggests a strong cultural identity and influence.
To summon up, in my list of reasons why people oppose the Zeitgeist Movement I wouldn't put you in the 'no apparent reason' or 'against conspiracy theories' category. I'm of the opinion that you are an American patriot with strong cultural ties that leads you to oppose influences that interfere with that. There are a few other elements but this is main one. So that's the bottom line as far as I am concerned. Patriotism, not conspiracy theories.

Zeitgeist Netherlands @ Eldorica Festival

2011-09-09T19:28:00.004+02:00

Last sunday Zeitgeist Netherlands was in attendance at the Eldorica Festival in Haarlem, Holland. The festival itself was themed around durability and how to get to a better, greener world, and it was organized by students which was really impressive since the set up was perfect. In a park a stage was constructed where bands played live music and dj's played there sets. Food and beverages were available. Many kinds of stands hosted by a variety of people and organizations. Art, skills, dance, you name it. Really impressive that a group of young people pulled this off.

Zeitgeist was generously given a stand (for free) along with a television and dvd player. Naturally we played Zeitgeist Addendum and Zeitgeist Moving Forward practically all day. The festival opened at noon and we immediately dressed up our stand with posters and flyers. I spoke personally to some of the people from the organization and to my surprise they were aware of Zeitgeist (to some degree). A few knew about the first movie yet were unaware of the two that have followed. They were given copies...

Another Zeitgeist member had burned around 200 copies of Zeitgeist Moving Forward, while I and another person arranged for 50 copies of Zeitgeist Addendum. At the end of the day I took the remaining copy of Addendum home with me... I'm not sure how many dvd's of Moving Forward were given away but I reckon at least 100. A council member of the city of Haarlem, who helped organize the festival, also took some copies home with him. The Zeitgeist message is getting out there for sure. I had also printed out a few hundred "Zeitgeist bank notes" but the kids seemed to be really fond of them and collected them wherever they were dropped or hung in trees.

Safe to say that the 6 Zeitgeisters, myself included, had a wonderful day at the festival. My compliments to the organization who also gave us drinks and food. We would love to come back next year. At 8:30 in the evening when it was getting dark, we packed up our stuff and the stand was disassembled. I spoke to the Dutch national coordinator of the Zeitgeist Movement and we both agreed; we should do this kind of thing more often...

Sketchzoid #39

2011-09-08T08:01:00.002+02:00

Chart: The Regression Of Capitalism

2011-09-08T07:51:00.002+02:00

(Click on picture to enlarge.)

Terrorist Chart (10 Years Later)

2011-09-08T07:45:00.001+02:00

(Click on picture to enlarge.)

Zeitgeist Netherlands @ Eldorica Festival (Pics)

2011-09-05T15:48:00.010+02:00

Grey Mafia

2011-09-04T09:11:00.002+02:00

The war in Libya is all over the news, and where Gadhafi is (rightly) portrayed as an evil dictator. Yet in the world of politics things are not that black and white. You would think that since Gadhafi is a dictator, democratic regimes would have nothing to do with him. Think again. Secret documents found in Tripoli highlight close links Libya and intelligence services from the U.S. and Britain. Cooperation was still there. Libyan oil also flowed freely to the West for decades. Other less relevant bits of information - like Tony Blair giving hints to one of Gadhafi's sons for his university thesis - also surface.

Safe to say that the evil dictator was not that evil in Western political circles. But if a "strong man" looses his power the dynamics change quite rapidly. Maybe the best comparison you can make here is to the Italian Mafia. A boss who's in control of his particular turf using force, is respected. Making deals and money is the name of the game. Should he lose his grip on his turf it's only natural that he should be replaced by someone else. Something similar can be seen in Libya. An oil deal was also quickly formed with the rebels in Benghazi when that territory was liberated from the control of Gadhafi. Politics is not black and white. It consists of many shades of grey.

Quote Of The Month (2)

2011-08-26T15:55:00.001+02:00

"Before you diagnose yourself with depression or low self esteem, first make sure that you are not, in fact, just surrounding yourself with a**holes"
— William Gibson

Sketchzoid #38

2011-08-25T11:05:00.002+02:00

A (female) mayor of a small town here in Holland was caught on camera having intercourse on top of a tower (while on vacation).

Food Stamp Nation

2011-08-23T21:45:00.003+02:00

Almost 46 million people in America are on food stamps, that's roughly 15 percent of the population. The cost of this program (in 2010) was $68 billion, more than a third of the amount the U.S. government received in corporate income tax last year. Taken from this article. A further 3 million people are in jail. $14 trillion in public debt, and from the looks of it no one wants to pay tax. Gee, where is this heading to? If the economy doesn't grow tremendously, people will become more disillusioned and will protest, the government will clamp down on dissent, resulting in a police state with fewer rights for its people.

Zeitgeist Wallpaper (3)

2011-08-19T19:40:00.004+02:00

Zeitgeist Wallpaper (2)

2011-08-19T19:37:00.004+02:00

Zeitgeist Wallpaper (1)

2011-08-19T19:32:00.003+02:00

Dutch Zeitgeist HQ

2011-08-16T19:23:00.005+02:00

Last weekend I had the pleasure of spending some time with fellow Zeitgeist members at the headquarters in Amsterdam. Well, headquarters is probably a too big a word. Lets just say it's a place where people can come together. The building you see above is called 'het Gespuis' and is owned by a foundation that hosts all kind of political, cultural or otherwise society oriented groups and organizations. Some organizations that share the building; Amnesty International, Turkish Youth Association, Young Democrats and Comite SOS.

The building itself is hundreds of years old and it shows. The ceilings aren't that high and the floors are uneven which gives the inside all kinds of 'compartments' but enough about that. The meeting on saturday involved 10 people and after an introduction of each individual members plans were laid out for upcoming events. In early september the Dutch chapter of the Zeitgeist Movement will be present at the Festival Eldorica, the latter being a 'green' event with music. Preparations are already underway. For anyone that wants to visit, every second saturday of the month the Dutch Zeitgeist Movement holds a meeting in the Spuistraat 47A-1 in Amsterdam at 13:00 hours.

Sketchzoid #37

2011-08-15T18:31:00.002+02:00

Epiphany Buffett Style

2011-08-15T18:12:00.002+02:00

I bet rich people will go: "someone check Buffett's temperature quick!" Read the article here - where Warren E. Buffett suggests rich people should pay more tax and carry more of the burden.

Holland FIFA Ranked Nr.1

2011-08-12T15:48:00.003+02:00

Yes, the Dutch football team is number 1 in the world. Ole, ole ole ole. Well, the circumstances led to this fortunate position. The previous world number 1 Spain lost in a friendly to Italy while the match England-Holland was canceled due to the unrest in London. I'm not exactly sure how the FIFA does its ranking system and there are different points to be won in friendly matches, qualifiers and the World or European championship itself. I've also read that when Spain wins its qualifier against Liechtenstein next month, a sure thing, it will regain the number one spot regardless if the Netherlands wins its matches against San Marino and Finland. So that part of the ranking system seems a bit iffy. No matter. Being number one in the world is a record for my country and everyone is happy about, only even if it lasts a month.

Update 24-8-11. It's official;

Zeitgeist Bank Notes

2011-08-11T20:43:00.003+02:00

Yesterday I started making these, Zeitgeist bank notes. Great fun. When folded and put on the ground it just looks like the real thing. The text is in Dutch with a quote from Henry Ford (the one about people not understanding the monetary system). Next it says "money rules the world, but who rules the money?" Followed by 'watch Zeitgeist Addendum and Zeitgeist Moving Forward.' Thought it was rather captivating so yesterday I printed out around 11 sheets and with some cutting you end up with 88 Z notes.

Naturally I immediately tested its effectiveness. Dropped one in my street and I think a neighbor further down the street picked it up and put it in his pocket. Maybe he was disappointed when he got home? Dropped around 3 of them in my city center this afternoon and when I checked later on only one was tossed away again further down the street. The others were missing. I must say that as a Zeitgeist supporter this method of promoting the movies and the movement is both comical and profound. Maybe I should start taping people who pick it up. Below is a sheet of Zeitgeist bank notes in English. (Click to enlarge.) Z notes rule!

Dude, Where's My Car? X

2011-08-10T08:30:00.002+02:00

So you just got your new Ferrari 360 Spider and you're trying to impress your girlfriend. Parking it near the water for everyone to see but than your brakes don't work and your Ferrari decides to go for a swim.

Street Art

2011-08-08T11:05:00.000+02:00

Not The Last Word On Corbett

2011-08-06T19:05:00.012+02:00

"The important revolution is the only revolution that will ever achieve anything and that is the revolution of the mind, because unless we understand the system that is enslaving us and unless we know who our enemy is and unless we know what they expect us to do, we will never be able to put up a resistance that matters."

Those words were spoken by James Corbett, who made a name for himself on the internet with his Corbett Report. In my previous blog I remarked on his video 'The Last Word on Utopia' which was (in)directly a critique of the film 'Zeitgeist Moving Forward' and the Zeitgeist Movement. Utopia can never be attained, according to Corbett, and will inevitably lead to chaos and bloodshed. I'm not denying that different ideologies can lead to conflict but it is by no means a guarantee it will happen automatically. Besides, utopia can not be attained and no one is making such claims.

James Corbett (during an interview) talks about the 'revolution of the mind.' I'm very curious what he means by that since he tries to nip another revolution of the mind, the one created by the Zeitgeist Movement, right in the bud. 'Understanding the system,' is another eyeopener. The movie Zeitgeist Addendum and Zeitgeist Moving Forward make it very clear what the system really entails. Yet sadly, we don't see one single word of acknowledgement coming from Corbett on that. Instead we see a kind of guilt by association tactic. Here's the system according to the Zeitgeist Movement;

We live on a planet of finite resources. Our current system is based on global capitalism. The economy relies on growth of itself by cyclical consumption. Infinite growth is impossible on a planet of finite resources. Money in this system is created out of thin air by financial institutions who demand the principal back with interest. The interest is non-existent in the money supply and can only be created by generating more money. This is the Ponzi scheme of capitalism and gives ultimate power to the banks. When a person goes bankrupt everything he or she owns is confiscated, when a bank goes belly up the accountability vanishes in the same thin air or the taxpayer is stuck with the bill.
Capitalism amounts to economic slavery. You have to work and earn your money in order to buy the goods and food which enables you to survive. You go to the bank for a mortgage which allows you to buy a house. The loaned money from the bank, which was created out of thin air by fractional-reserve banking, has to paid back with interest. Trying to own a house will require your time and energy for approximately 30 years if not longer.
Here's what the Zeitgeist Movement advocates. Abolish money! In present day society money is more important than people when it logically should be the other way around. With our current technology and resources every person on the planet can be housed and fed. The resources is what makes an economy and technology itself can free humans.

Sounds like understanding the system and a revolution of the mind to me. Now why did James Corbett didn't get this? The Zeitgeist Movement doesn't advocate establishing an elite (NWO). The whole idea is to free and care for people. Does the current system encompass that?
I'm starting to think that Corbett doesn't understand the system, and what a revolution of the mind really implies. When the bottom line is money, people are going to prioritize that. Yes, people can be selfish and greedy but in a system that fundamentally promotes greed you shouldn't act surprised when you see it in every facet of life. Greed is enhanced by the system. Is it that illogical to assume that by changing the system and environment greed will drastically decrease as well? Maybe James Corbett has a very bleak view of humanity. I don't. The revolution is in the mind. It's the realization that we should help one another and stop being so selfish, because that's the way to break free from the current system.

Extra Cold

2011-08-06T19:00:00.004+02:00

Heineken came out with a new nicknack. A (doubled) glass with a fluid in it you can put in the freezer. You poor yourself a beer in it and the brew is extra cold, no kidding. Works fine during a hot day, but I did notice the glass thaws relatively quick (half an hour or so) and it does nothing for a second beer. Oh well.

B-Fly 5

2011-08-04T20:52:00.001+02:00

Distant Utopia

2011-08-03T16:30:00.008+02:00

James Corbett, the manager and producer of an independent news website, made a rather disappointing video about a "utopian" concept that can be found in the Venus Project and the Zeitgeist Movement. Making the connection between a utopia and the Zeitgeist Movement may not be entirely accurate since the latter makes no claims that such a thing is achievable in the first place. Pursuing a 'resource based economy' is not the same as 'getting to utopia.' Yet the connection is made with many negative expectations and projections.

However I do not disagree with all of James Corbett's statements yet at the same time I get the notion that he (like so many of us) doesn't recognize the root causes. Human nature / human nurture, take your pick, is one thing. That is a whole discussion in itself. What I found most disappointing is the 'standard' surface association and analysis. Planning a society immediately becomes central planning which is very bad because 'they' tried that in communist states with disastrous consequences. It is immediately assumed that such a thing will instantly occur again. (Inhale one puff of a marihuana cigarette and you're a drug addict for life!) That a capitalistic laissez faire societal construct has its own costs is quite often left out of the equation.

Critique is seemingly often one-sided and to be honest I expected more from James Corbett who in fact got his master in philosophy. Having said that it's not unusual even for educated people to be trapped in a particular ideological box. Happens all the time. The sad part is that the philosophy which James Corbett so often displays in his videos is not that far apart from many Zeitgeist members yet a rift is created by the former. We are not your enemy James.

It's very simple. Many (if not all) Zeitgeist members have no intention of creating a society like the one that could be found in Soviet Russia. We simply don't want such a thing. Period. The whole idea is to get more freedom and abundance without having to prostitute yourself in an environment based on profit, competition and greed. The main philosophy of the Zeitgeist Movement is that when you change the environment (which is based on the factors I just mentioned) you take away much of the negative aspects of "human nature." Change the environment and you change "human nature."

You actually think that when a person can get 10 hamburgers for free he will go out hunting for cows and trample on anyone that gets in his way? When all the needs are met, people behave entirely different. That's the whole concept behind the Zeitgeist Movement and if James Corbett wasn't so busy with the perceived communist phantom he might have noticed that. Communism or collectivism is not what the movement stands for. However, it's also not based on pure individualism (maybe a more accurate word is selfism). A balance must be found between individualism and collectivism. Giving too much to either 'ism' will have negative effects.

(To be continued.)

The Mental Abyss

2011-07-27T17:27:00.004+02:00

Last weekend a sociopath by the name of Anders Behring Breivik murdered 76 people in Norway. Without a shred of doubt a horrible act. Personally, I wonder how a person can reach a point in his mind where brutal, senseless violence and murder is perfectly justified. Because disagreeing with an ideology or politics and taking extreme violent action are two separate points widely apart on a linear scale. Disagreeing is one thing but making your disagreement known in barbaric fashion is quite something else. I truly wonder how a person can fall into the mental abyss like that.

Breivik seemed to disagree with the social-liberal policies of the Norwegian Labour Party. He is very much anti-Islam and against a multi-culture society which of course involves non-Christians. Yet in all that widespread hate he picked out his fellow countrymen, the young and the innocent of the Labour Party. Clearly we're dealing with a full blown psychopath here who wants to make a statement and maybe leave some sort of legacy behind for the like-minded. The latter is what scares me the most because what he is advocating on some level is that people should become a terrorist like him if they really want to change anything.

This we must avoid.

What scares me somewhat is that on a Dutch newspaper website 'de Telegraaf' (the Telegraph) similar to identical right-wing sentiments can be found in the commentary section of articles. Often these people are advocates of Geert Wilders' right-wing party PVV, which Anders Breivik listed as 'the only true conservative party in Europe.' That kind of makes you wonder since some of the commentary on the newspaper website is not that different from Breivik's rhetoric. Wilders also aims his sights on Islam and protecting the Christian identity, combined with verbal attacks on left-wing parties. Make no mistake, similarities are there.

The mental attitude of some people can be quite disturbing. Void of critical thought a number of Wilders supporters often make the shallow comment; 'he's right!' Another seemingly constant thrust of critique is to put blame on left-wing parties and also make them responsible for political decisions decades ago. 'It was leftist policies that got us into this mess!' Never mind of course that there never was a full left-wing government. The Dutch Labour Party, when it was in control, always had to share power with right-wing parties such as the CDA (Christian Democrats) and VVD (Liberals). Right wing influence was always there in the Netherlands but these people seem to be in denial over this fact.

That kind of mindless finger pointing and assigning blame is really scary. It displays a lack of insight and ultimately if we are not careful radicalization. Breivik apparently showed us the next step after becoming radical and extreme. I sincerely hope that a lot of disgruntled folks agree that we should not go there. Continuing the dialogue and re-examining our positions is the way to go.

Sketchzoid #36

2011-07-26T13:46:00.001+02:00

Money Volume

2011-07-24T16:11:00.005+02:00

Check out this website in order to find how much volume there is in physical money that is being owed to banks (etc.) in the United States. While you're at it, it's also sobering to view the U.S. debt clock. Are we watching the end of capitalism?

Pink Tigridia

2011-07-20T08:04:00.002+02:00

These came out looking amazingly beautiful. Bought a bag of Tigridia bulbs earlier this year and they were mixed colors so it was still a wait and see what I'd get. Normally pink isn't my color. In my country it can be associated with being gay which is just one of those cultural peculiarities (in Italy guys wear pink without the cultural baggage). So, just thought it was a nice flower.

TZM Not A Cult

2011-07-18T15:35:00.008+02:00

Good news. Even the most vocal critics of the Zeitgeist Movement have now largely concluded that it is not a cult. Despite the fact that several members of the Skeptic Project forums have maintained the 'cult claim' for a few years now and repeated it many times on their own respective blogs and/or YouTube channels, practically all of them seem to agree that TZM doesn't meet the criteria of a cult (although a few seemingly still have a problem with it). The (now closed) topic over at Skeptic Project forums can be found here. Here are a few quotes;

Matt: "So is TZM a cult? I would say no, it is not. Its certainly an ideology/religion with some cult-like qualities, but I don't think it would be accurate to call it a cult."

Kaiser Falkner: "I agree with this evaluation pretty hardily. Its not a cult, but maybe only because its so useless it cannot even achieve that dubious distinction."

Anticultist: "Yeah I know me too I dont believe they are a destructive/negative cult. But they do exhibit enough markers to be close to other less dangerous cults, like cults of personality, cults of politics etc.."

2012 CT: "After considering TZM as being a possible internet cult I started to do my own research checking through academic journals and using google of course. I realized that their was almost ZERO credible academic research on internet cults. [...] When I say TZM is a cult it's purely based more on opinion and to a lesser extent on academic criteria evaluation (that is based on academic research). Their simply isn't enough academic research to say that internet cults are even possible."

CyborgJesus: "In conclusion, I don't think TZM classifies as a real cult, but I don't think that should be the question anyway."

JimJesus: "The Zeitgeist Movement is as much of a cult as Trekkies or Bronies. [...] To call them a cult now is a stretch."

Vasper85: "As a former member I can't see TZM as being a cult."

It's ironic that some of the people who started creating waves on the internet by claiming the Zeitgeist Movement was in fact a cult now abandon their previous position. Better late than never I suppose. Lets take the positive approach; at least we've got it cleared up.

Aftermath: The World Without Oil

2011-07-17T14:30:00.006+02:00

Just a moment ago I watched a show on television called 'Aftermath: The World Without Oil.' It aired on and is produced by the National Geographic Channel. This show, being part of a series of "what if's?", revolves around a hypothetical scenario when the oil runs yet it isn't set in the future but in the present day. The show explores ramifications in the short and long term. How long do the oil reserves last? How does it affect food production? In an economy totally depended on fossil fuels the ramifications are enormous and could potentially lead to many casualties, lawlessness and mass migration from the cities to the countryside and warmer regions.

Fortunately, It's not all doom and gloom. Even with todays standard of technology (and resources) substitutes are available yet the show correctly points out that these are not adequate enough to power a nation such as the U.S. or continue the present way of life and consumption. A massive change in energy infrastructure would need to occur and people would have to adapt to products being more scarce. When oil runs out alternatives need to be manufactured. The diesel engine can in fact run on vegetable oil made from soybeans, peanuts and even algae. Producing large quantities of biodiesel requires a whole new infrastructure which also needs to be planned and crops planted.

Gasoline engines can run on a substitute; ethanol. Which is produced by fermenting corn or sugarcane. Another alternative, hydrogen, is something I missed in this NGC show and the technology to produce it has been around for a while. Lastly, the show also points out that lithium, a mineral that goes in (car) batteries, will become just as or even more valuable than gold. Keeping all these alternatives in mind, the show points out that a society without oil is far more depended on agriculture since crops would be planted for both fuel and consumption.

It's a good show to watch since it should be clear to anyone that the global oil reserves are diminishing each year and could drop even faster when other economies in the world such as China and India continue to grow. There will come a time when there's not enough oil to meet the consumption. Having alternatives seems like a sound plan. Ultimately you have to find something more sustainable. Maybe at this point in human evolution people will start to consider something like the Venus Project.

Dear Matt

2011-07-15T20:39:00.006+02:00

Why thank you Matt for that total honest post. Maybe you have noticed that I hardly commented on your actions on my blog, here and there in passing if my memory serves me right. Did comment on the CS forums in general of course. Let me say that I appreciate your honesty and if more people would simply state their true intentions the easier it is to make some sort of progress. You know what the downside is of the animosity between CS and TZM? It restricts the exploration of finer issues. When we enter the arena as "conspiracy theorist" vs "troll" defensive positions are quickly erected, on an intellectual level of course.

While I see in the topic over at the CS forums that some people are eager to label me as a conspiracy theorist let me prove that I don't want to be that myself. Besides, I don't recall making the claim that you, Muertos or Anticultist are paid disinformation agents. Trolls? Yes. Government agents? No. Hope you don't mind me using the word troll on this occasion and I believe you personally have no problem with the word. The label is also on your YouTube account and you admitted engaging in trolling if I'm not mistaken so I'm guessing you're not as quickly offended as the others. (In the topic on CS Anticultist also admits he engaged in trolling.)

Right. Proving I'm not the conspiracy theorist some people may think I am. A while back I installed a piece of software on my blog called a 'sitemeter.' It's in the bottom left of my blog. At the time blogger itself didn't have many options regarding how many people visit and so on. I also got some inspiration from "i.p.-hunter" Paul Jones (Anticultist) and I must admit I was curious who visits my blog (from time to time). The sitemeter lets you see the i.p. number, from which country people originate, sometimes which companies or organizations they work for. It shows how long visitations last, how many pages they visit and maybe the most informative matter is how they visit, meaning through which link they enter the blog (referring url).

Couple of months back, May to be precise, I did a piece on Muertos. The latter opened a topic on the CS forums. I watched my sitemeter and this one came up;

Quite strange actually. Navy Network Information Center. The city is listed as Maysville which I looked up on Google and it's a small village just a stones throw away from Camp Lejeune, a U.S. Marine Corp facility. The thing is Matt and I hope this proves I'm not the conspiracy theorist some people may think I am, I didn't do anything with this information. I didn't make a blog about it claiming CS is connected to a military agency or intelligence. Didn't run over to the Zeitgeist forums and yell you guys are paid disinformation agents and here's the connection. I just sat on it, because maybe it's simply some guy in the office checking your website out. (By the way, I also have a screenshot of a visit from Scott Air Force base.) Maybe you have even a better explanation for it. So here's to detente.

Wake Up Mr Green

2011-07-15T19:06:00.007+02:00

Sorry for the late reply Muertos but I was busy doing other things. It's fascinating to see you would go as far as stating that I have an obsession with you while you're the one constantly putting the Zeitgeist Movement in a negative light. First it was a conspiracy movement full of cranks and nuts (which you display above once again) and that is simply a generalization since not everyone supports conspiracy theories (like 9/11), don't care or have moved on already. Next you tried desperately to make an association between Destini and TZM like they are one and the same thing, or something close to it.

It seems to me that you are the one with an obsession since "conspiracy nuts" and "cult members" are fixed in your lexicon. You know what my part in all of this is? I simply confront you on your bullshit. That's it. If you like to visit concerts and get drunk - rock on brother. I couldn't care less. Yet when I perceive things that I consider plain falsehoods I speak up. And yes I called you a "troll" because in my book you fit the definition. When you direct other forum users over at CS to "harass and ridicule Zeitgeist members" than you've lost credibility as an objective critic. Can't make it any simpler than that.

In the rant above you display another falsehood. You claim I never took on any specific criticism you had. That's strange. I seem to recall having discussions with you last year where I didn't dismiss every criticism you had and I even agreed with some. Here's an excerpt from August last year;
"I agree with you that theories have to be proven yet I can also understand why some people would make such claims. They base it on 'circumstantial evidence', like you see with the 9/11 truthers."
We had long winded debates about conspiracy theories where I met you at the very least halfway;
"I actually watched Addendum first and later on Zeitgeist 1. Personally, I view that first film as a personal project of Peter Joseph. Even I see some faults with Zeitgeist 1 - hijackers or a plane that weren't there - a group of businessmen behind every war in history. The bashing of Christianity was also not very smart and a guarantee to upset religious folks. It's more entertainment than a documentary, but I believe it was intended to provoke thought."
And another one;
"I have no disagreement with the statement you made, in fact generalizations serve little purpose other then to label the opposition as inadequate."

I didn't dismiss all of your objections although here you are pretending I did exactly that. Maybe it is fairer to say Muertos that in the discussions with me you simply didn't get what you want, total agreement. Maybe that is why you started feeling you weren't getting anywhere and finally getting upset and giving up. "Conspiracy theorist!!"
But I will admit that a game is being played here. You play it (according to your convictions) and so do I. You have a weakness Muertos, when someone mentions a conspiracy theory you go on tilt and for someone who recognizes this, it is remarkably easy to push your buttons in order for you to make a mistake. "Wake up Mr Green." If you have followed the previous link you may get a glimpse of who your real adversary in all of this is.

Quote Explained

2011-07-13T16:29:00.003+02:00

Couple of days ago I posted this screenshot which I took from the comment section of a video from YouTube. Now, I've already seen some people giving it some attention and focusing on the first sentence of the comment which is of course conspiracy theory oriented. Personally, I found the other sentences and text far more powerful in meaning but of course critics quickly look over that section since it's seemingly not very helpful to their cause.

Let me be clear though. I don't believe in a Jewish banking conspiracy. In fact I believe not all bankers are Jewish or are part of some cabal. The bottom line is that it is totally irrelevant if bankers in the modern (western) world are Jewish, Christian, Muslim or Hindu. At the very top of financial institutions they have only one mindset and that is to think about the money. Religion has little to nothing to do with it. I also dislike this kind of focus as if Jewish bankers are at the fault of everything in the financial world. It can easily lead to anti-semitism which I reject on principal alone.

I found the phrase "in China the state controls the banks and corporations while in the USA corporations and banks control the state" rather fitting. It brings up the debate of 'isn't control always there in a monetary market?' 'The free market ideology meaning profit above all else.' 'Individual greed regulating one another?' Those are far more worthy matters to discuss.

Hardcore Flagraiser

2011-07-10T07:21:00.004+02:00

This article is a grave reminder of how many people are doing these days financially-wise and the situation where politicians are trying to cut spending on Medicaid and social services. Fascinating to see that some unemployed persons still raise the flag while it should be obvious to them that their leaders threw them over board starting many years ago. Really hardcore.

Quote Of The Month

2011-07-10T07:10:00.001+02:00

Munger - Muertos - Troll

2011-07-09T19:34:00.013+02:00

Troll: (1) Someone who criticizes CTs, especially on the Internet. (2) Term used specifically by adherents of the Zeitgeist Movement to refer to persons who publicly oppose the cult. Trolls are often the scapegoats for whatever is wrong in the Zeitgeist Movement—essentially the Zeitgeist equivalent of Scientology’s “suppressive persons.”

This is Muertos' definition of the word "troll" and while his version is partially correct, adherents of the Zeitgeist Movement do call him a troll (with good reason I might add), it is largely lacking accuracy otherwise. In his definition is also the derogatory word "cult" which immediately should raise some concerns to the objective reader. In typical lawyer style, or should I say National Enquirer style, trolls are scapegoats in Muertos' book and last but not least one final association is made with the notorious Church of Scientology.

Alas, trying to make someone seem guilty by associating them with other negative elements in our society/culture is one of the hallmarks of a troll. Clearing yourself of any wrongdoing in the process is another one since Muertos seemingly takes no hard look at his own actions while it can be easily proven he is not as clean as he pretends here to be. But first lets take a look at the accurate definition of a troll. From Wikipedia;

In Internet slang, a troll is someone who posts inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum, chat room, or blog, with the primary intent of provoking readers into an emotional response or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion.

The version of Wikipedia seems to differ quite a lot from Muertos'. The main motivation of a troll is to solicit for an emotional response from whoever is on the receiving end. Often this is done under a false identity yet this is not the case with Muertos whose real name is known. Provoking others into reacting is very much at the center of his game and as mentioned before it can be easily proven. I took the liberty of capturing some screenshots of internet venues where Muertos communicates with his ilk.

Here we have Muertos advising another forum participant to join Twitter just for the sake of [and I quote] "abusing and ridiculing Zeitgeist members." How does this fit in with Muertos' version of a troll? It doesn't, it does fit in with the Wikipedia version where readers are provoked into an emotional response. There can be little doubt that this is also the intent of Muertos' actions. Inflammatory messages by Muertos on the internet regarding the Zeitgeist Movement are simply there to create havoc .

Here we have Muertos on Twitter confirming the notion why Zeitgeist members refer to him as a troll. Apparently he likes Zeitgeist members getting upset over negative articles on the internet. Does this constitute as wanting/hoping to see an emotional reaction in other people? Does this fit Wikipedia's version of a troll? Personally, I already see enough justification for why Muertos is seen as a troll by members of the Zeitgeist Movement.

Here's some damning evidence. Here's Muertos giving advice to other forum contributors on "how to troll a dating site." When you give others advice on how to troll a website, aren't you one yourself? Isn't a bomb-maker who instructs terrorists how to make a weapon also regarded as a terrorist? Again this has nothing to do with Muertos' definition of a troll, it only confirms Wikipedia's version where other people on the internet are deliberately harassed by people who seemingly enjoy infusing others with negativity.

Clearly the labeling of Muertos as a troll is perfectly justified, it's in his words and for everyone to see. His version where it is used as some sort of scapegoat theory is disingenuous in every way. Seeing how Muertos lambasts Zeitgeist members for being conspiracy theorists while he shows no reservations theorizing about the Zeitgeist Movement, labeling it as a cult and using guilt by association tactics, we are fully entitled to call him a hypocrite and bigot as well. There's one last thing about trolls; they wont admit any wrongdoing, they can't because it disempowers them. Denial extents their game. There's one thing they hate though since trolls tend to hide out in the dark, and that is exposure to the (lime)light.

Frogger

2011-07-09T16:04:00.004+02:00

Found this fellow (or gall) in my garden when I was weeding the place out a bit and trimming bushes. Never seen a frog before in my garden and checking Wikipedia I can't definitively state what species it is. Doubt though if it is an exotic, meaning escaped from someones terrarium. Quite unusual to find this type of frog in my garden since the nearest canal is over a few hundred meters away and there's a busy freeway in between. Could be that someone has a pond in their garden nearby and that this fellow thought it was time to move on.

Sketchzoid #35

2011-07-07T15:50:00.002+02:00

Jackdaws

2011-07-05T20:52:00.002+02:00

I should stop feeding the Jackdaws my old bread, more and more live in the neighborhood each year.

Picture Anomaly? (2)

2011-07-05T20:29:00.006+02:00

Last weekend I took some shots in my garden, mostly of plants and birds. We had a northwestern wind which meant cool temperatures and vibrant air since the wind comes from the North Sea which also means less pollution. Since the sky was so clear I took this shot. Viewing the pictures later I was a little surprised to find an object in the upper left corner. Here's it enlarged.

Didn't see anything when I took the picture and I'm not claiming it's a UFO or anything. I'm just wondering what it is. Insect maybe? Probably a bird. Sometimes we have a flock of swallows cruising the skies although I didn't see any that day and they are "v" shaped - plus they make a high pitched noise you can even hear on the ground. My best bet is a seagull way up in the sky. Shots like these can easily be mistaken for UFOs.

Zeitgeist Charity

2011-07-01T20:49:00.011+02:00

The (main event of the) Zeitgeist Media Festival is being held in Los Angeles on the 11th of September. Naturally this is done to create awareness for the need of social change. In this case it is done through artistic means and many artists make an appearance in Los Angeles as well as other venues. (See website for further information.)

Yet this particular blog is not exclusively about the Zeitgeist Media Festival although I do recommend people should visit and learn everything about the Zeitgeist Movement. In the past a number of critics have accused the Zeitgeist Movement of not doing anything for charity. Regardless of the fact that these critics possess a habit of finding fault with practically everything the movement does simply because they don't like what it stands for, they also made the bald statement that 'we' were against charity while nothing could be farther from the truth.

This misconception originated from discussions where some Zeitgeist members forwarded the notion that while charity is a good thing - it doesn't solve problems in the long run and it also doesn't addresses the root causes of poverty and homelessness to begin with. Some detractors developed a hissy fit at this point and interpreted it in such a way that the Zeitgeist Movement was not doing anything for charity and was even against it. Well, at least this portion of their critique can be put to rest since the Zeitgeist Media Festival simultaneously organizes a charity event in conjunction with the Food Bank;

CHARITY FOOD DRIVE:
The Zeitgeist Media Festival is partnering with The Temple of Conscious Giving of LA & the LA Foodbank to pair in a Food Drive to help the many homeless and suffering people in Los Angeles. Entrance to The Zeitgeist Media Festival REQUIRES Dry/Can food to be personally brought to the event by all attendees!

Tigridia

2011-07-01T09:46:00.005+02:00

Bought a bag of Tigridia bulbs in early spring and planted them right away. All of them (6) came out of the ground but only one of them has bloomed so far. Their leafs also tend to snap and fall over after a strong breeze, resulting in the leaf dying off. Plant lice also tend to attach themselves to the leafs the moment they spring out of the ground. While the flower of the plant is gorgeous, I was a little bit disappointed to find out it only bloomed for one day. It's an ok plant for the garden as far as I'm concerned but personally I'd recommend something else - plants that bloom for a longer period.

I must vindicate the Tigridia. After watching the plant some more I'm not that disappointed anymore. While its flowers bloom for one day it does keep on making new ones, so it's not 1 flower per plant but many. The picture above is the second flower and a third one is underway right now. That certainly makes up for the short blooming period.

Multifunctional Headphones

2011-06-29T18:14:00.002+02:00

Have Sennheiser headphones myself but these probably work just great.

Fail-Troll Flop?

2011-06-25T13:03:00.010+02:00

Notorious Zeitgeist critic MarioBrotha made some predictions which turned out to be somewhat incorrect. The movie Zeitgeist Moving Forward was nominated for an award (for best documentary film) at the Image Gazer Film Festival. (I did a blog on this just yesterday.) Mario however seemed to think that the movie wasn't even nominated, and secondly that it would result in a flop. That people have to pay $15 at the theatre is strictly the responsibility of the organization. Peter Joseph and the Zeitgeist Movement have nothing to do with the admission costs that the festival charges. The movie is freely available on YouTube for viewing - without any cost.

Typically for "fail-trolls" is that they put a negative spin on every bit of information. The main motivation here is that they want to see the other party fail, in this case Peter Joseph and the Zeitgeist Movement. But when you see that the movie Zeitgeist Moving Forward was not only nominated but in fact won the award for best documentary film, surely that must constitute as a decisive 'fail-troll flop.' Because all the predictions turned out to be false. Poor Mario. The image below is taken from the Image Gazer Film Festival facebook page.

Zeitgeist Moving Forward Winner Best Documentary

2011-06-24T19:30:00.004+02:00

Winner Best Documentary Film Award, Image Gazer Film Festival.

Zeitgeist: Moving Forward [2011] by director Peter Joseph is a 162 minute film work which continues what the prior two films of the Zeitgeist Film Series started: a critical look at the “Zeitgeist” or ‘Spirit /Awareness of the Time’. A prominent underlying thesis of the Film Series is that a great many notions, beliefs and practices currently engaged in today and assumed as “presupposed”, “given” or seemingly empirical to our societal approaches and values are not only intellectually/historically incorrect but highly detrimental to our personal and social progress and sustainability.

Zeitgeist: Moving Forward focuses on the very fabric of the social order: Monetary-Market Economics. While the majority of the world today have slowly come to see some basic flaws in the economic system we share, as large scale debt defaults, inflation, industrial pollution, resource depletion, rising cancer rates and other signposts emerge to bring the concern into the realm of “public health” overall, very few however consider the economic paradigm as a whole as the source. The tendency is to demand reform in one area or another, avoiding the possibility that perhaps the entire system is intrinsically flawed at the foundational level. ZMF presents the case that it is, indeed, the very foundational mechanics of this system that generates the patterns of behavior and unsustainable methods of conduct that are leading to the vast spectrum of detrimental consequences both personal, social, and environmental and the longer they go on, the worse things will become.

Moreover, unlike the prior films of the series, this film lends more direct support to the data sets of both The Zeitgeist Movement and The Venus Project as Activist and Sustainability organizations respectively.

Please visit thevenusproject.com and thezeitgeistmovement.com to learn more about these issues and how to help bring the world back in line with nature.

Sketchzoid #34

2011-06-24T16:33:00.001+02:00

Banc Jeu Zero

2011-06-23T20:57:00.005+02:00

Yesterday I read an article on a Dutch newspaper website and it was both shocking and revealing. The article was about which countries owe Dutch banks money. It has more significance when you realize that after the credit crisis of 2008 2 major banks in the Netherlands were nationalized, meaning the government took them over and rescued them with taxpayer money. So in essence the money that's being owed to the Dutch banks, also belongs to the normal Dutch citizen if I can make that correlation. (Of course the government plans to privatize the banks again once they are solvable.)

The article reads as following. Ireland (13), Portugal (5), Spain (58) and Italy (34) owe 109 billion euros in total to Dutch banks, and to insurance companies and pension funds "dozens of billions." Dutch minister of finance Jan Kees de Jager reports this to parliament. The minister is also an advocate to loaning Greece more money since he fears that when that country goes bankrupt it will have a 'domino-effect' to other south European nations. However, the average man on the street is very much against that plan and fears that loaning money to Greece will be futile endeavor.

While these amounts may not seem much in comparison to bigger economies such as the U.S., for a small country such as Holland these figures way heavily, especially if taxpayer money is involved. In Holland the taxation on consumption is one of the highest in the world. We may have a decent social net for when you get sick or unemployed but this system is already stretched to the max under the current economic climate and austerity measures are high on the agenda. The Dutch government also jumped quickly on the new paradigm that people should work until they are 67 before they can retire and made it law.

Personally, I wonder how this system can last - considering that countries such as Spain, Italy and Portugal are doing much worse than Holland. I've come across information that suggests that Spain and Italy owe 1 trillion dollars in total, Greece and Ireland are between 3-400 billion dollars in total debt. Seriously, how can this have a 'happy ending?' Even if these economies recover it will take many years, decades even before they are in the green. You simply can't keep on borrowing, everyone knows that. That begs the question; 'Are we nearing the end of this system?' Wont you get to 'zero' at some point?

Oops, Lost 18 Billion

2011-06-19T15:43:00.004+02:00

Osama al-Nujaifi, the Iraqi parliament speaker, has told Al Jazeera that the amount of Iraqi money unaccounted for by the US is $18.7bn - three times more than the reported $6.6bn. Just before departing for a visit to the US, al-Nujaifi said that he has received a report this week based on information from US and Iraqi auditors that the amount of money withdrawn from a fund from Iraqi oil proceeds, but unaccounted for, is much more than the $6.6bn reported missing last week.

"There is a lot of money missing during the first American administration of Iraqi money in the first year of occupation. "Iraq's development fund has lost around $18bn of Iraqi money in these operations - their location is unknown. Also missing are the documents of expenditure. "I think it will be discussed soon. There should be an answer to where has Iraqi money gone."

The Bush administration flew in a total of $20bn in cash into the country in 2004. This was money that had come from Iraqi oil sales, surplus funds from the UN oil-for-food programme and seized Iraqi assets.Officials in Iraq were supposed to give out the money to Iraqi ministries and US contractors, intended for the reconstruction of the country.

The Los Angeles Times reported last week that Iraqi officials argue that the US government was supposed to safeguard the stash under a 2004 legal agreement it signed with Iraq, hence making Washington responsible for the cash that has disappeared. Pentagon officials have contended for the last six years that they could account for the money if given enough time to track down the records. The US has audited the money three times, but has still not been able to say exactly where it went. Al Jazeera's Iraq correspondent, Jane Arraf, reporting from Baghdad, said: "It's an absolutely astonishing figure - this goes back to 2003 and 2004.

"There is going to be a fairly wide net cast - some of them [involved in mishandling of this money] are thought to be US officials, but many here believe that it is the Iraqis who have filled their pockets. "Safeguarding the money was up to the Americans ... after the invasion, provisional authority here was run by the American military. "Piles and piles of shrink-wrapped US dollars came here, but the cash coming in is not the important part - it is what happened to it after [it got here]. "There are no documents to indicate who got it, where it was spent and what was ever built from it." (Source: Al Jazeera)

--------------------------------

I'm trying to remember the name of the documentary I watched a while back where it was claimed that billions of dollars where flown into Iraq only to be handed out to American corporations doing reconstruction work. (I'm guessing it was the internet documentary "the 1 percent" but I have to check up on that.) In any case it was claimed the cash was handed out to companies like Halliburton and that they went on a shopping spree, buying SUV's for every employee (that sort of thing) - deliberately wrecking them at times or replacing the cars after minor damage.

Since the money is likely to have been misused it's also no wonder they can't find any paperwork, and probably never will. The pile of money was one big "candy jar" where everyone gladly put their hands in like little children.

Blackbird: The Second Batch

2011-06-17T14:56:00.003+02:00

Amazingly enough, the blackbird couple that nests in the tree of my neighbors produced yet more offspring. On the first of May I snapped a few pictures of their younglings whom were already close to maturity. Yesterday I took the picture above where a fresh out of the nest blackbird is chilling on a branch. (I suspect there was another because momma blackbird also flew in the conifer a couple of times and out of sight.) It still has a couple more weeks to go before flying out but the rate of reproduction with this particular bird is simply amazing. I estimate they produce offspring every 2 months (in summertime). They are also incredibly active and when you have the time to observe the garden you can see them hopping around during daylight practically the entire time. Not so strange considering how many mouths they have to feed. No doubt the breadcrumbs I lay out now and then are also appreciated.

Nitrous Oxide

2011-06-17T10:59:00.003+02:00

No, not talking about the laughing gas here but about the Polish trance producer. Trance being my cup of tea I often listen on YouTube to music of that genre and I must say that N2O is one of the most talented composers out there. With respect to other musicians I often find that they have a few good or decent tracks with the rest being mediocre, but with Krzysztof Prętkiewicz (Nitrous Oxide) the standard is simply much higher. Tracks such as 'Alive' and 'Red Moon Slide' will do awesome on any dance floor. To complicate matters a bit, Krzysztof has used several artist names in the past. 3rd Moon, N2O and Nitrous Oxide are all his, but if you type in the names on YouTube you'll undoubtedly discover his trademark of music. Not wanting to sound too commercializing but if I discover one of his cd's in the music store I'm going to buy it off the shelf without a second thought. So if you are a trance lover check out his work.

Sketchzoid #33

2011-06-15T18:41:00.002+02:00

Indian Aphrodisiac

2011-06-11T19:57:00.001+02:00

Last night I was strolling on YouTube and found myself looking at some Bollywood videos. More to the point; this one. I find the whole Indian cinematic experience fascinating and to be honest the main reason why I started investigating is because I find some of these actresses gorgeous. Aishwarya Rai is a natural beauty but Madhuri Dixit (see pictures) belongs in the same category. To make matters worse most videos displayed stunning beauties so I found myself watching for over an hour forgetting time.

While through western eyes India may seem traditional and somewhat old-fashioned, I think they are catching up pretty quick. Song and dance in the movies is superbly done. Madhuri Dixit is such a good dancer and entertainer that she would have made it in western similar productions just as easily. I've also seen videos that were outright artistic, women in colorful long fashionable gowns walking in the desert with the wind blowing through their hair. Looked fantastic. Bollywood is on equal playing field with Hollywood in many aspects.

As mentioned before India has a strong foundation in tradition, but I think I've figured them out. While excess nudity is not done in India, they make it up with these movies they produce because quite often I see the screen filled with beautiful women dancing. With a little imagination, what most guys seem to posses, it's still highly erotic. So that is the Indian way, kinda. With all these attractive women on the movie screen it's no wonder there are over 1 billion people in India. Guys probably walk out of the cinema after the movie, horny as a bat. Not that I mind though, I'm starting to appreciate Bollywood more and more.

4Peace?

2011-06-11T18:27:00.006+02:00

"For the good of humanity Zeitgeist Movement and the Venus Project needs to be destroyed." As a member of the aforementioned movement comments such as these send chills through my spine. The comment itself can be found on YouTube where a user by the moniker of Axis4peace3 ran a huge channel mostly filled with the latest news items. Due to copyright claims the channel got removed. What I did find out is that Axis4peace3 is a devout Christian and months ago I commented on his channel pointing out that fact. He replied that I was putting him in a box while he had no problems referring to the Zeitgeist Movement as a cult.

While this is one incident where a religious person is deeply offended (probably by the first Zeitgeist movie) it is by no means an isolated incident, and while they are 'for peace' they seemingly have no problem advocating stern measures to be taken against that which challenges their ideology. I'm not hesitant to say that the 'for peace' reference in his nickname can be taken with a grain of salt. Personally, I discovered years ago that when a belief system becomes too fundamental it becomes equally rigid - bound to clash with other fundamental belief systems that have a (slight) deviation or those concepts that challenge them. Peace and fundamentalism don't go hand in hand.

Inside Job Review

2011-06-10T16:49:00.005+02:00

Just finished watching the movie 'Inside Job' which was produced, written and directed by Charles Ferguson. The film takes a hard look at the financial meltdown of 2008 but more importantly it examines some of the root causes. Here's a short summarization (storyline) from IMDB;

"'Inside Job' provides a comprehensive analysis of the global financial crisis of 2008, which at a cost over $20 trillion, caused millions of people to lose their jobs and homes in the worst recession since the Great Depression, and nearly resulted in a global financial collapse. Through exhaustive research and extensive interviews with key financial insiders, politicians, journalists, and academics, the film traces the rise of a rogue industry which has corrupted politics, regulation, and academia. It was made on location in the United States, Iceland, England, France, Singapore, and China."

The movie also alludes to the de-regularization of the markets, starting in the 1980s under the Reagan administration, as the main cause of the credit crisis. Financial institutions that are heavily intertwined with government were essentially given a free reign to make a profit and that's what they basically did at the expense of everything else. The maximization of profit and the pursuit of self interest is not that shocking to me, after all that's the cornerstone of the free market. That people can't see the ramifications of their actions or take accountability for them, is.

With CEOs of major corporations transferring in and out of government you would think that these people have an understanding of the result of their actions, however seemingly it's not there. The current Obama administration is filled with the same people that caused the crisis in the first place and they have no intention of regulating the market to avoid similar financial meltdowns. Business as usual apparently. Which leads me to believe that there's even a more dire cause, and that is simply the cultural mindset.

Even Ferguson remarked that while researching the film and conversing with a friend about the housing bubble that was crashing under their eyes that 'they should get into it in order to make a buck.' His friend advised against it because it was going down even more so but that's not important here. The mindset of making a buck almost literally over the backs of other people is. It's the prevalent 'American Dream' where most people aspire to be millionaires, that's what in the end gets you into trouble because you have all these single-minded people walking around trying to take advantage.

What the movie also points out, although not in abundance, is that this culture of raking in the dollars is promoted at almost every level and in many institutions. Professors at universities who teach and promote a free market with little government and are against regulations - often work at financial institutions, companies or enter a prominent position in government. As such there are very few dissenting voices. Maybe what the movie failed to point out more clearly is that a culture based on greed and self interest will cause crises by default.

First Oil

2011-06-09T09:54:00.005+02:00

The other side of 'bringing democracy to the Middle East' apparently is securing economic interests. Not surprising. Has been going on for ages. You can wonder what's the most important with these military interventions because 'national interests' a.k.a. economic interests are often if not always there. And since dictators have been supported in the past by the West you can also equally wonder about 'spreading democracy.' Full article here.

TZM: Response to FBI targeting Political Activists as Terrorists

2011-06-06T20:48:00.003+02:00

TZM: Response to FBI targeting Political Activists as Terrorists

As many students of history are familiar, Galileo Galilei, famed mathematician & astronomer, known today by many as the “father of modern science”, was forced by the Catholic Church under threat of torture to recant his “heretical” view that the earth revolved around the sun and not vice-versa in the 17th century. This scientifically valid idea voided long held religious dogma and hence challenged the Church's integrity itself.

In a letter from 1634, René Descartes, one of the world's most noted thinkers and philosophers, stated:
“Doubtless you know that Galileo was recently censored by the Inquisitors of the Faith, and that his views about the movement of the earth were condemned as heretical. I must tell you that all the things I explained in my treatise, which included the doctrine of the movement of the earth, were so interdependent that it is enough to discover that one of them is false to know that all the arguments I was using are unsound. Though I thought they were based on very certain and evident proofs, I would not wish, for anything in the world, to maintain them against the authority of the church.... I desire to live in peace and to continue the life I have begun under the motto to 'live well you must live unseen'.”

If we step back and think about the challenges that faced this small progressive and scientific community during 17th Century Europe and compare the fear and patterns of suppression coming from the established orthodoxy of that time to that of the modern-day, we find only mere variation. Descartes' revelation and retreat from exposure, as expressed by the motto:
'to live well you must live unseen' is a disheartening disposition that speaks volumes and sadly carries on to this day across the world. The use of fear, intimidation and other time tested variations of oppression continue to persist as the dominant institutions of our society work to protect it's established orders regardless of social validity. Even more, the overall cultural itself, which invariably tends to support the accepted beliefs put forward by those that define “power” of a period, also tends to condemn those who choose to pose a challenge as it becomes a threat to the mass accepted identity itself.

The result is that many simply are not willing to risk their lives, occupations and reputations to challenge the orthodoxy of the time.

In late May 2011 news reports were generated that detailed how the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States was actively targeting “Political Activists” under the pretense of “Terrorism”.

http://rt.com/usa/news/fbi-political-activists-terrorists/

Just as people like John Lennon and Martin Luther King Jr. were watched and harassed by the FBI for their activism decades ago, it appears modern, so-called “Anti-Terrorism” resources are being used to target environmentalists, peace, animal and political activists.

Just like the accusations of “Communism” against people like MLK Jr. in the mid 20th century, this newer, more generalized device called “Terrorism” of the 21st century is no less an “heretical”, accusatory tool than what was employed by the Inquisition century's ago to maintain the politico-religious social system.

So, we can sympathize with Descartes' notion, as to move against the Zeitgeist is to position yourself against the odds, regardless of how empirical, necessary or obvious the truth you wish to convey and act upon is.

Unfortunately, Descartes' position is unacceptable in the modern world. The risks that now exist within our current order are beginning to far outweigh the temporal personal risks generated by the act of activist objection itself.

It is no longer issues of accurate data, “rights” and “freedoms”. Today our very stability as a civilization is now in question and, if left unhindered, it threatens us all, regardless of one's position in the modern feudal hierarchy.

So, we can sit in confusion and watch as global unemployment rises due to technological unemployment and the resulting regional instability that is sure to grow. We can stare blankly at the systematic debt collapse of the world economy, country by country, like dominos, as self-appointed global banking institutions that derive money out of nothing impose austerity measures against the poor and middle class of each country to help support the wealthy, furthering the income divide.

We can twiddle our thumbs as what we have called “democracy” turns inexplicably into global plutocracy and the world economy becomes measured by how much money the rich move around amongst themselves. We can distract ourselves with our little gadgets as the rain-forests – considered by many to be the “lungs” of this planet – are destroyed at faster and faster rates, reducing our ability to absorb the growing CO2 in the atmosphere. We can keep the TV on as the clean water and food shortages that currently affect over 1 billion people continue to grow to 2 billion... 3 billion. We can scan the tabloids at the grocery store news stands as the very basis of industrial civilization, the Hydrocarbon Economy, inches towards crisis scarcity with virtually no active initiative taken to change course.

We can continue to pretend that our “leaders” are anything but “mis-leaders”, set in motion by monetary commercial interests that follow the rules of the free-market with all legislation and offices going to the highest bidder, one way or another... and we can stand amused as a new global arms race gains speed as each country comes to terms with the very real reality that wars for resources are upon us in a way unlike any period in history.

This is what separates our world from the one Descartes hid from.

The fact is, the fear tactics of the Orthodoxy - in this context the FBI or any such “Intelligence Agency” - are no longer worthy of viable concern or even acknowledgment. At no time in history has any true social change come in a manner that was not opposed with hostility by the dominant orders of the time. If you choose fear, then fear exists and those little lists/tactics held by the Intelligence/Police Agencies have merit. If you choose love, pride and self-respect then no accusations, lists, or threats can ever stop you. The trick now is in numbers and if we can gain critical mass and override the “divide and conquer” techniques used to keep the orthodoxy in place, the game is over.

The Zeitgeist Movement is a global sustainability activist group working to bring the world together for the common goal of species sustainability before it is too late. It is a social movement, not a political one, with over 1100 chapters across nearly all countries. Divisionary notions such as nations, governments, races, political parties, religions, creeds or class are non-operational distinctions in the view of The Movement. Rather, we recognize the world as one system and the human species as a singular unit, sharing a common habitat. Our overarching intent could be summarized as “the application of the scientific method for social concern.”

To learn more about our work, please visit www.thezeitgeistmovement.com

Day In The Garden

2011-06-03T20:19:00.003+02:00

Had the day off today and the weather was just great, warm but a bit windy. Had the camera with me when I sat in the sun and made a couple of shots. Above, a moth (I guess) was feeding on the petunias and was moving around like a hummingbird. You have to look for it in the shot.

Couple of green flies going at it.

Young jackdaw resting in a tree after it was startled by a cat and flew against my window. Do like photography, and when you really look for it you can find the perfect shots.

Continued Madness

2011-06-03T17:44:00.007+02:00

This sort of madness seems to be getting more and more common these days here in my native Holland. In the province of Limburg and in the town of Hoensbroek, a 41 year old man flipped after an altercation with a neighbor in the street. The argument seems to have been over (the height) of some conifer trees! The disturbed man grabbed an ax and a torch, killed his neighbor across the street and seriously wounded another person. Shortly thereafter the police arrived on the scene where they were challenged by the disturbed individual who apparently dared them to shoot. After a warning shot and threatening gestures from the man the police shot to kill.
Really disturbing to see these kinds of violent, utterly useless outbreaks. I recall that as a kid (some 30 years ago) that a murder was committed in my hometown. Most people were shocked at the time because it was practically unheard of. A few months ago we had a maniac here in Holland who went on a shooting spree in a mall. Murder and senseless violence is getting more and more common. That's scary.

Zeitgeist: Beyond The Pale

2011-06-02T11:03:00.006+02:00

Was pleasantly surprised to find out today that Peter Joseph is working on a next installment of the Zeitgeist movies. Somehow I had the impression Joseph was going to do other things and that his next movie was also going in another direction but I was mistaken. His upcoming flick is going to be titled 'Zeitgeist: Beyond The Pale' and will undoubtedly be another critical look at our society and culture. A trailer can be found here. There's also a website up for this particular movie but since it is scheduled to be released in 2012 at the earliest, it is still a long wait. Do like the artwork and video effects so far.

Foster's

2011-06-02T10:42:00.002+02:00

Around 20 years ago I visited London on a school trip and one of the things that I remembered most aside from the fun with my classmates was the fine pints of beer I drank there at the time. Being much younger of course one/two pints did the trick so maybe that's why I bought it again last week when I discovered the brand at a particular liquor store (I rarely visit). Must say that although it's a fine beer, it's not as exquisite as I remember but maybe it's also romanticizing the memory. Did have a little hangover this morning from the beers so that accounts for something I guess.

Buy Muertos' Books

2011-06-01T16:57:00.007+02:00

In typical Conspiracy Science fashion my previous blog on possible motivations the Zeitgeist critics might have is called into question and Conspiracy Science-wise I'm clutching at straws. My point was not to find some dark ulterior motive as Muertos puts it, but simply to point out human behavior. Lets be honest, if something stands in the way of personal gain all people are tempted to take action that removes that threat. We live in a society that's based on the pursuit of self interest. It's also fascinating to see how people react when you question them. Maybe you guys over at the Conspiracy Science forums can take a hint since you question everything the Zeitgeist Movement does?

When a person like James Kush, who's in real estate, stands to make a lot of money with selling houses I'm not in shock and awe that he feels inclined to oppose that which calls his livelihood into question. In a sense it's "normal" human behavior although how the dialogue should progress is something entirely different and this is where James also fails considerably. Likewise I don't frown upon people making money or a living. I do that as well. That's simply the world we live in. Paul Jones making a living with his record company? Go for it. I actually like some of the remixes Jones made because I'm into trance/techno/house. Maybe the real issue here is to investigate and value individual elements on their own merit without comparing them to an overall predetermined bias?

So Muertos, I honestly don't mind you writing books and making some money. I like science fiction stories because they can be highly creative and transcend the normal world we live in by opening doors to new ideas. If you felt hurt by my little post about the Zeitgeist critics making money and that it possibly could be a motivation for their behavior, let me make it up to you. The blog title and added pictures should provide some additional publicity. I'll keep an eye out on how many hits this particular blog gets and you provide an appropriate fee. Back scratching and all.