Very Impressive Films on the Future of Society

1

Posted by webmaster (All posts by webmaster) | Posted in Economy, Environment, Veganism | Posted on 27-12-2008

Tags: ,

The following 4 films, taken together, whether you agree or disagree with any of the details, make an incredibly strong overall argument for immediate present-time action. They provide the “detailed proof” of the potentially hard times ahead and what we can possibly do about them.

Here are the links:

1. A Delicate Balance

https://rcpt.yousendit.com/636000832/188d769e2e6daac0c0206c0da1c7148e

This documentary basically advocates a vegan diet and describes how the health of our bodies and of our global environments would be totally transformed if the consumption of animal protein were minimized or completely eliminated.

Through a series of conversions A Delicate Balance is now a Real Player file that you can watch privately or with others via computer. Real Player 11 is the most recent version and is a free online download.

To obtain the film, cut and paste the above link into the address field of your browser and press Enter. Follow the prompts. It will take an hour or two to download. The link will expire in 12 days! (shades of Mission Impossible).

2. Zeitgeist Addendum

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7065205277695921912

Zeitgeist is a German language expression literally translated: Zeit, time; Geist, spirit, meaning “the spirit of the age and its society”. The word zeitgeist describes the intellectual, cultural, ethical and political climate, ambience, and morality of an era; also a trend. In German, the word has more layers of meaning than the English translation, including the fact that Zeitgeist can only be observed for past events.
Zeitgeist refers to the ethos of an identified group of people, that expresses a particular world view which is prevalent at a particular period of socio-cultural progression.

Zeitgeist: Addendum, a 2008 documentary film produced by Peter Joseph, is a continuation of the film Zeitgeist, the Movie . The film discusses many of the institutions we have grown up with and have learned to take for granted.
The film premiered at the 5th Annual Artivist Film Festival in Los Angeles, California on October 2, 2008 , and was released free, online, on October 4, 2008 . Millions of people downloaded or watched it online in the first days of release. The above link will take you to a Google video page where you can watch the film online.

3. Aaron Russo Interview

http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=aaron+russo&emb=0#

Hollywood director and documentary film maker, Aaron Russo, gives an in-depth and somewhat shocking 30 minute interview on the astounding activities and intentions of the global elite — information directly conveyed to Russo by  Nick Rockefeller during their many conversations. Russo is perhaps best known for producing Trading Places (Eddie Murphy), The Rose (Bette Midler) and a documentary on the Federal Reserve System and personal income tax.

4. Crash Course Slide Show – Chris Martenson

http://www.chrismartenson.com/crashcourse

Crash Course is a 3-hour slide show that presents the results of 4 years of data collection and analysis on the part of Chris Martenson, scientist and former corporate executive. In this course he shows us the astonishing long range trends in finance, environment, energy, and world population, how they interrelate, and how they define the future of our society. It is an amazing and thought-provoking presentation.

From the Crash Course Web site:

Chris Martenson: “The most important thing for you to know is the impact that the information that I’ve now placed on this site had on me. Let’s do this as a Before and After.”

Before: “I am a 40-year-old professional who has worked his way up to Vice President of a large, international Fortune 300 company and is living in a waterfront, 5 bathroom house in Mystic, CT, which is mostly paid off. My three young children are either in or about to enter public school, and my portfolio of investments is being managed by a broker at a large institution. I do not really know any of my neighbors, and many of my local connections are superficial at best.

After: I am a 45-year-old who has willingly terminated his former high-paying, high-status position because it seemed like an unnecessary diversion from the real tasks at hand. My children are now homeschooled, and the big house in Mystic was sold in July of 2003 in preference for a 1.5 bathroom rental in rural western Massachusetts .
I grow a garden every year; preserve food, know how to brew beer & wine, and raise chickens. I’ve carefully examined each support system (food, energy, security, etc), and for each of them I’ve figured out either a means of being more self-sufficient or a way to do without. But, most importantly, I now know that the most important descriptor of wealth is not my dollar holdings, but the depth and richness of my community. I hope you find what I have to offer here useful.”

Algae can save life on earth from human destruction!

0

Posted by webmaster (All posts by webmaster) | Posted in Economy, Environment, General | Posted on 01-10-2008

Tags: ,

Watch this 2 minute video to see one way that we could exist peacefully IF heartless gangsters didn’t rule the world:

Algae as Fuel
http://www.valcent.net/i/misc/Vertigro/index.html

The Real New Economy

0

Posted by Chia (All posts by Chia) | Posted in Economy, Politics | Posted on 12-05-2008

Tags:

I found the following article to be quite interesting and relevant to what’s happening today – not only in the U.S. but also around the world with the so-called food crisis.
 
Title:  The real “new” economy by Jurriaan Kamp, editor-in-chief, Ode Magazine, May 08
 
Since my days as the chief economics editor at a leading daily newspaper in the Netherlands, I’ve always believed recessions are substantially made by people’s fears.  Yes, certain economic cycles of supply and demand may cause recessions.  But at some point, we talk ourselves into it.
 
It starts with a few companies reporting disappointing results.  The media begin seeing a trend and raise the question of a looming recession.  Meanwhile, they start looking for other companies with problems, which they usually find easily.  Consumers take note and start withdrawing.  Then the government reports disappointing consumer statistics, etc…  A cycle of fear sets in and suddenly a recession is unavoidable.
 
Can we stop an upcoming recession by dropping our fears?  It would be a great experiment.  However it would require a different leadership than the dismal-minded bankers and economists who make the headlines in challenging economic times.
 
I was thinking about this recently when I visit he Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, California.  Over the past two decades, it has grown into the leading international show for new organic, healthy, and sustainable products.  I’ve visited the show many times and I’ve become impressed with the strength and resilience of this sector.  If you’re looking for proof of positive change, there are few better places to visit.
 
One morning as I walked the floor – big as a couple of football fields with some 3,500 exhibitors – I realized there was a disconnect between the sad news about banks in trouble that I’d read in the morning paper and the inspiring, booming atmosphere in the exhibition hall.  There was no recession in Anaheim.  Nor will there be, I think, in the foreseeable future.  Too many  new companies are exploring the many, many options to make our planet a better, cleaner and more just place.  They have to succeed and that’s what they’re doing.  Never mind the other news.
 
Are we witnessing a new split in the economy?  On the one hand, we see the companies that continue to do business as usual; on the other, we see an emerging force of new companies addressing the challenges the planet faces.  That’s the force we need more than anything to fight global warming and the divide between the rich and poor.  That force may face a different cycle of supply and demand than old-fashioned, money-oriented businesses.  Maybe North America is on its way to the first ever “partial” recession that won’t hit the much-needed forces of sustainability.  And maybe then we’ll prove we can avoid recession by keeping our faith in positive change.