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Sunday, October 16, 2011

Recent Presentations by Peter Joseph

Recently, Peter Joseph, founder of the Zeitgeist Movement and creator of the Zeitgeist film series, has given a presentation to the Leaders Causing Leaders conference, and a speech to the #OccupyLA gathering and protest event. Fortunately, video of these very thoughtful and informative talks have been shared with the world and are presented below. As the worldwide rejection of the current political, social and economic structures continues to grow, we must be able to grasp the true nature of the problems we face and respond to them with viable and sustainable solutions that help everyone. The Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement stands with our local community in their efforts to bring awareness and information to the population and their continuing efforts to affect positive change to make the world a better place for all people.

UPDATE: Peter Joseph has released a new video presentation message to the whole Occupy movement. It has been added below, and I encourage all supporters of the global initiative for change to view it.






Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Notes on our 20th Meeting and #OccupyMcAllen Event

The Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement held an abbreviated meeting on Wednesday, October 5th, at 6:00 PM on the University of Texas-Pan American campus. The 4 members in attendance were very excited about and discussed the recent Occupy Wall Street movement that was growing across the nation and around the world, as well as the local Occupy McAllen event scheduled for the next day. We were also very pleased to have Sandy Lopez be in attendance after being out of town for an extended period of time. We ended the brief meeting after an hour or so and the majority of our group went to the sign making meeting for the Occupy McAllen meeting in Edinburg, hosted by a very generous family.

While there, we were fortunate enough to be joined by other RGVZGM members as well as other residents and activists throughout the evening. We shared our various views about the Occupy movement, our life experiences that brought us to this movement and how we can help each other achieve the different goals that we all had. I am glad to have met the wonderful artists, activists and other individuals who attended that session and am very grateful for their hospitality and generosity of art supplies and space.

On Thursday, October 6th, over 300 people arrived at Archer Park in McAllen to march in protest of the grotesque inequalities that our current social, economic and political systems have created. We moved across the downtown district and around the local Chase Tower to demonstrate the disdain we held for the large banks and the monetary system they represent. We concluded the event with public speakers, voicing their opinions, their concerns and their calls to action. The media coverage of the event was somewhat uneven, but we were for the most part well represented. As expected, the media does not yet fully comprehend the meaning of this worldwide movement, and is unlikely to be truthful about its underlying causes and desired outcomes. This is where the ideas and understandings of a resource based economy can flourish, however, as the upset masses begin to recognize the failures of the system and demand resolutions to it. I encourage all people who want a better world for all people to learn about the root causes of the current corruption endemic to our culture and begin to think about what are the real values that are relevant to the survival of you and your loved ones. Only then can we start to demand a better world, not only for all of us, but from all of us.




Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Notes on the Recent #OccupyMcAllen Planning Meeting

Several members of the Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement recently attended the initial planning meeting for the local Occupy McAllen movement. There were nearly 30 people in attendance during the nearly 3 hour meeting which took place on the University of Texas-Pan American campus. A diverse group of people with a variety of perspectives came together to discuss the initial preparations for the upcoming event occurring at Archer Park on Thursday, October 6th at 5:30 PM.

Fortunately, there was several former and current activists in attendance who had years of protest and organizational experience, and were able to identify and layout the significant issues and roles that should be addressed and quickly ran through the responsibilities and resources that we needed to provide. There was a great deal of passion and enthusiasm expressed throughout the meeting and people were eager to pitch in with their ideas and their support. Two events were created specifically to produce signage for the protest, and additional information and ideas will be disseminated to people through the event's website and Facebook event page.

The Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement, as well as the global Zeitgeist Movement have publicly stated their support for this movement and our members will be in attendance at this, and similar occupations across the country and around the world. The general public, particularly in the United States, is becoming acutely aware of the many problems that the current social, economic and political paradigms are creating and perpetuating, and will soon start to demand alternative methods and processes for accomplishing the basic functions of society. The Venus Project, and its associated Resource Based Economy is a viable alternative that will be offered as such, and it is my sincere hope and belief that it will be studied, examined and ultimately demanded by the people who so desperately want meaningful change.

Below are video recordings of the planning meeting. We encourage you to attend this and similar events going forward, in order to demonstrate the growing demand for a better world for all people. Thank you for your time and attention.



Friday, September 30, 2011

Announcing Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement Meeting 20

The Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement will hold its 20th scheduled meeting on Wednesday, October 5th at 6:00PM on the UTPA campus. We will gather at the University Center Circle at the Southwest corner of the campus in front of the cafeteria.

Our general agenda will be reviewing our awareness activism at the UTPA HESTEC event, plan for future awareness activism events such as Second Saturday here in Edinburg, discussing the ongoing #OccupyWallStreet movement and explore how we can assist or participate in this rapidly growing movement. Personally, I see this as an opportunity to bring the message of a sustainable and abundant social design for the benefit of all people to an group desperately trying to develop a solution to the general problem of the monetary system. Thanks for your time and attention, and I hope to see you there!

Thursday, September 29, 2011

The Zeitgeist Movement and Venus Project Parodied on Rap News

The very enlightened and funny people at The Juice Media have produced their latest Rap News video, reviewing the recent global economic turmoil and exploring some possible solutions. Peter Joseph, the Zeitgeist Movement, Jacque Fresco and the Venus Project are heavily featured and parodied to some extent. It must be pointed out that the depiction of advanced technology becoming tyrannical or genocidal is an extension of the Hollywood obsession with the fear of robots and artificial intelligence and the absurd notion of its resistance or overthrow of their human creators. I feel that this is a good sign of the penetration of the Zeitgeist Movement message into the mainstream conscious and will likely generate a great deal more interest and awareness!


 

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

The Zeitgeist Movement Response to Occupy Wall Street

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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 Classism”.

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.”

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Announcing Awareness Activism Opportunity - UTPA HESTEC 2011

Date: Saturday, October 1st, 2011
Time: 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Location: University of Texas Pan American
Event: UTPA HESTEC 2011 Community Day

The Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement will be engaging in awareness activity on Saturday, October 1st between 4 and 9 PM at the University of Texas Pan American's annual HESTEC Community Day. This event focuses on science, engineering and technology, which will give us a great starting point to talk to the local community and engage them with our ideas, our goals and share our knowledge of current technological capabilities that can result in a better world for all people. We will gather, if possible, at the gazebo in the central courtyard of the HPE Building I. I encourage everyone to produce whatever fliers, DVD's and other information that they can in order to distribute. It is important to note that we are not an officially recognized organization at this event, so we will not have booth or table space allocated to us. Be prepared to carry all the material you bring with you. Thank you for your time and attention, and I hope to see you there!

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Notes On Our Nineteenth Meeting

Date: Friday, September 16th, 2011
Time: 6:00 - 8:00 PM
Location: University of Texas - Pan American University Center Circle
Attendance: 5

The Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement held their nineteenth scheduled meeting on Friday evening at the University of Texas Pan American campus. We gathered in the outdoor University Center Circle next to a sporadically functioning and somewhat entertaining fountain. The small group of participants engaged in a wide ranging conversation going from food supply and production, vegetarianism, veganism and national political discourse to farm work, movement aspirations, religion and other events and issues that we have noticed in our personal lives. We also discussed our plans for future awareness campaigns, events and meetings. We talked about the movement and the Venus Project in general and what was happening recently regarding the Zeitgeist Media Festival and Peter Joseph's recent media interviews in addition to the amazing work being done by the Austin/Texas chapter.

Some interesting developments that have happened recently in our local chapter are the interest of Zack Quaintance from the local newspaper The Monitor, who seems to be interested in doing a story on our recent hydroponics presentation and subsequent use for home food production, and McAllen's Cine El Rey theater might be interested in screening a copy of Zeitgeist Moving Forward. These developments have not yet come to fruition, but they are both good signs that we will have some new publicity and exposure to the community, and it is very exciting to see what will happen!

For the near term, the annual HESTEC event at UTPA will be held in two weeks. This is a good opportunity to distribute literature and DVD's to members of the public who are interested in science, technology and engineering, and would likely be interested in learning about our ideas and goals. In addition, we learned that Edinburg has a community Second Saturday market day each month, where the local community gathers in a public space. This is another opportunity to engage in awareness activity and reach a general audience. I am looking forward to participating in these and other events in the near future and hope to see other members join in this important awareness activity.

Finally, we discussed future meeting venues and decided that we will start to meet in other public and outdoor places so we have a greater chance to interact with others while conducting our meetings. Our next meeting will be scheduled for Wednesday, October 5th at 6pm at UTPA. I hope to see you there and look forward to our continuing efforts to make the world a better place for all people.




Saturday, August 20, 2011

Notes On Our Eighteenth Meeting

Date: August 3, 2011
Time: 6:00 - 8:00 PM
Location: South Texas College, Building H, Room 231
Attendance: 7

The Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement held its eighteenth meeting on Wednesday, August 3rd this month. We were hosted by the Zeitgeist Movement student group at South Texas College. The main focus of this event was the presentation and practical demonstration of home hydroponics systems by chapter member and bio-mechanical engineer Brian Cerda. He illustrated the multiple implementation methods, elaborated on the basic components necessary and provided practical advice and information on how anyone can use common household items along with inexpensive and easily attainable specialty products to start growing fruits and vegetables quickly and easily in and around your own home. Luckily, we were able to capture the presentation on video, which is provided below. Thanks to all who attended, we look forward to all of your future gardens,  and we hope to see you at future meetings and events!








Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Announcing Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement Meeting 18

The Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement will hold their 18th scheduled meeting on Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011 at South Texas College. We will meet in Building H, room 231. We will be joined by Bio-mechanical Engineer Brian Cerda to discuss the practical implementation of a home based hydroponics growing system. We will also be discussing the upcoming Zeitgeist Media Festival that is being held globally on the weekend of September 9th. We hope to see you there!
-Frank

Monday, July 4, 2011

Recent Los Angeles Zeitgeist Movement Townhall Gathering

A couple of weeks ago, Peter Joseph and other prominent Zeitgeist Movement members engaged the local community in LA with a town hall lecture/discussion about the goals we are working towards. Such events are encouraged to be held by all chapters with a higher frequency to help make people aware of current problems and our proposed solutions.



Sunday, June 19, 2011

Announcing Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement Meeting 17

The Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement will hold their seventeenth scheduled meeting (for real this time!) at 6 PM at the South Texas College Pecan campus, in building H, room 231. We will be screening Inside Job, as planned for last time, and start preliminary discussion and planning for the upcoming global Media Festival. This meeting will be hosted by the Zeitgeist Movement student chapter of STC. I sincerely apologize for the lack of activity these previous months. Thanks again for your continued interest and dedication to helping to make the world a better place for all people. I hope you are enjoying a safe holiday weekend, and I look forward to seeing you soon!
Thank you,
Frank Flores
Coordinator, RGVZGM

The Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement will hold it's seventeenth meeting on Wednesday, June 22nd in building J, room 1.216 of South Texas College We will be hosted by the Zeitgeist Movement student organization of STC. We will be viewing Inside Job, a documentary about the recent financial and credit collapse, which helps detail the processes through which the corporate greed and corruption caused massive economic turmoil though out the world. We will also discuss global Movement news and local activism opportunities. See you there! This event was canceled due to poor weather and road safety conditions.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

The Zeitgeist Movement Responds to FBI targeting Political Activists as Terrorists

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

>>>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. < br />
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”.

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 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

>>>END

If you would like to contribute to or join our Newsletter or Press Releases teams, please contact: newsletter@thezeitgeistmovement.com

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

The Zeitgeist Movement and the Venus Project Respond to the Death of Osama bin Laden

Both Peter Joseph, founder of the Zeitgeist Movement, and Jacque Fresco, founder of the Venus Project have released statements regarding the recent news about the death of Osama bin Laden. They are copied below.

On a personal level, I don't believe that decade of violence, wasted resources and lives lost in the pursuit of this person and those that followed him are at all comparable or in any way mitigated by the death of a single human being. To revel, celebrate or take comfort in the death of someone is a distorted value that we have been given due to the nature of our culture and societal focus on revenge and an imbalanced view of justice. Force and violence are not the answers to the common problems facing humanity.

================================================

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TZM: Response to Media; Death of Osama bin Laden

On May 1, 2011 Pres. Barack Obama appeared on national television with the spontaneous announcement that Osama bin Laden, the purported organizer of the tragic events of September 11th 2001, was killed by military forces in Pakistan.

Within moments, a media blitz ran across virtually all television networks in what could only be described as a grotesque celebratory display, reflective of a level of emotional immaturity that borders on cultural psychosis. Depictions of people running through the streets of New York and Washington chanting jingoistic American slogans, waving their flags like the members of some cult, praising the death of another human being, reveals yet another layer of this sickness we call modern society.

It is not the scope of this response to address the political usage of such an event or to illuminate the staged orchestration of how public perception was to be controlled by the mainstream media and the United States Government. Rather the point of this article is to express the gross irrationality apparent and how our culture becomes so easily fixed and emotionally charged with respect to surface symbology, rather than true root problems, solutions or rational considerations of circumstance.

The first and most obvious point is that the death of Osama bin Laden means nothing when it comes to the problem of international terrorism. His death simply serves as catharsis for a culture that has a neurotic fixation on revenge and retribution. The very fact that the Government which, from a psychological standpoint, has always served as a paternal figure for it citizens, reinforces the idea that murdering people is a solution to anything should be enough for most of us to take pause and consider the quality of the values coming out of the zeitgeist itself.

However, beyond the emotional distortions and tragic, vindictive pattern of rewarding the continuation of human division and violence comes a more practical consideration regarding what the problem really is and the importance of that problem with respect to priority.

The death of any human being is of an immeasurable consequence in society. It is never just the death of the individual. It is the death of relationships, companionship, support and the integrity of familial and communal environments. The unnecessary deaths of 3000 people on September 11, 2001 is no more or no less important than the deaths of those during the World Wars, via cancer and disease, accidents or anything else.

As a society, it is safe to say that we seek a world that strategically limits all such unnecessary consequences through social approaches that allow for the greatest safety our ingenuity can create. It is in this context that the neurotic obsession with the events of September 11th, 2001 become gravely insulting and detrimental to progress. An environment has now been created where outrageous amounts of money, resources and energy is spent seeking and destroying very small subcultures of human beings that pose ideological differences and act on those differences through violence.

Yet, in the United States alone each year, roughly 30,000 people die from automobile accidents, the majority of which could be stopped by very simple structural changes. That's ten 9/11's each year... yet no one seems to pine over this epidemic. Likewise, over 1 million Americans die from heart disease and cancer annually - causes of which are now easily linked to environmental influences in the majority. Yet, regardless of the over 330 9/11's occurring each year in this context, the governmental budget allocations for research on these illnesses is only a fraction of the money spent on “anti-terrorism” operations.

Such a list could go on and on and with regard to the perversion of priority when it comes to what it means to truly save and protect human life and I hope many out there can recognize the severe unbalance we have at hand with respect to our values.

So, coming back to the point of revenge and retribution, I will conclude this response with a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., likely the most brilliant intuitive mind when it came to conflict and the power of non-violence. On September 15, 1963 a Birmingham Alabama church was bombed, killing four little girls attending Sunday school.

In a public address, Dr. King stated:

“What murdered these four girls? Look around. You will see that many people that you never thought about participated in this evil act. So tonight all of us must leave here with a new determination to struggle. God has a job for us to do. Maybe our mission is to save the soul of America. We can't save the soul of this nation throwing bricks. We can't save the soul of this nation getting our ammunitions and going out shooting physical weapons. We must know that we have something much more powerful. Just take up the ammunition of love.”
- Dr. Martin Luther King, 1963

~Peter Joseph

wwwthezeitgeistmovement.com


Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Announcing Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement Meeting 16

The Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement will be holding their sixteenth scheduled meeting on Wednesday, May 4th 2011 at 6:00 PM at South Texas College, building J, room 1.404. We will be hosted by the Zeitgeist Movement student organization of South Texas College.

Our general agenda will be to welcome new members, discuss recent events within the global movement as well as local activities, discuss upcoming events and awareness activities and talk about the Teamspeak internet communication program that is widely used throughout the global movement.

We welcome all people who are interested in making the world a better place for all people, and we hope that you join us as we continue to help bring awareness to our local community. Thank you for your time and attention.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Announcing Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement Meeting 15

The Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement will hold its fifteenth meeting on Wednesday, April 6th at South Texas College, in building H, room 231 at 6 PM. We will be hosted by the STC chapter of the Zeitgeist Movement student organization.

Our general agenda will be to review our recent Z-Day event, discuss global movement news and future events and to come up with ways we can start to improve our lives locally, both individually and as an organization working for the community. There was a great deal of interest in the informative hydroponics presentation that was given at our Z-Day event, and we can discuss the idea of starting our own such operations.

In addition, we will open the discussion to any other issues, concerns, questions or other topics anyone would like to bring up. Please let us know what you would like to see our group work on by commenting here on our blog, emailing us, or using our discussion group. Thank you for your time and attention, and I look forward to seeing you Wednesday!

============

An audio recording of this meeting is being graciously hosted by our friends at RGV No State here!

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement Z-Day 2011 After Action Report

The Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement held their first annual Z-Day event this Saturday, March 11th 2011 at South Texas College in McAllen, TX. We were hosted by the Zeitgeist Movement student chapter at STC. The 10 hour event started with a screening of the Venus Project Key Concepts video to help give a preview of the information and topics we would cover throughout the rest of the day.

We were then treated to a very informative presentation by guest speaker Brian Cerda, a mechanical engineering student of South Texas College. He helped to illuminate the ideas of a more advanced agricultural system that can be implemented at any level, from the individual home garden, to the massive skyscraper configuration that can feed hundreds of thousands of people. Many in the audience were interested in growing hydroponic crops in their own home after this presentation.





Next, we were treated to a live musical performance by Sara Mundi, a local musician and medical professional. She performed two of her original songs, both of which partly express why she is involved with the Zeitgeist Movement and wants to see the world change.



Immediately afterward, she gave her presentation of why she advocates the Zeitgeist Movement. Her personal story and the news footage she shared with the audience were emotionally moving and very powerful insights into why we desperately need to transition to a new way of operating as a society.





Our next presentation came from Gardner "Spud" Reynolds, a professor of College Success at South Texas College. He gave an overview of how we are all more alike than we are different. This is a very important point regarding the need to transition to a society that values human life and the environment that sustain it. We all have the same needs, and the differences are ultimately minuscule in comparison.





After a meal break, we came back to some sounds of a local band, Candle Shipwreck, who explained that their name was representative of the ancient beliefs of the astrological underworld and how our life journey is like being on a sailing vessel to the candle light of the stars. We explained that the reason we were gathering today was because a musician put together a musical presentation called Zeitgeist several years ago and started a movement to change the world. They played some great music for us and even stayed to attend our next speaker's presentation.

Armando Lopez, both a math professor and leader of the local RGV No State Project, then gave a very spirited and informative presentation about the illusion of the state. The Venus Project wants us to shift away from human opinion based government, tradition and control. As it stands, we are currently a very regimented and controlled population thanks to a widespread belief that the people who call themselves the government and are there to protect and provide for us. We were very fortunate to have a good discussion with the audience regarding this and related issues during and after this presentation.



We then had an encore performance by the very talented Sara Mundi, who played a mix of original and popular music.



After several informational video selections and discussions, we ended the night with a pair of very talented musicians. Albert Gonzalez, AKA The Audio Hallucinogen, and Ray Perez pleased the crowd with very moving and inspirational solo performances of their original songs. The gathered crowd was very receptive to their music and their message, and we are very grateful for their performance.





After his performance, Ray gave us his reasons why he chooses to advocate the Zeitgeist Movement and the Venus Project. We then gathered together for a group picture and ended the evening by passing out various door prizes to several lucky attendees. We hope the starter gardening sets, efficient CFL lights and various flora that were passed out are being put to good use by the lucky recipients. We wish to thank all of you who helped to make this event possible, and we look forward to your continued participation in our efforts to help make the world a better place for all people.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Announcing Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement Z-Day Event

What: Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement Annual Z-Day Event
When: Friday March 11, 5 - 10 PM; Saturday March 12, 12 - 10 PM
Where: South Texas College, Pecan Campus, Building G, Room 201
Who: Live Musical Performances by Local Bands, Local Presenters and Guest Speakers

The Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist movement is holding its first annual Z-Day event on Friday and Saturday, March 11th and 12th, at South Texas College. We are being hosted by the STC chapter of the Zeitgeist Movement. This is an educational and awareness event free to the public. We will be screening the recently release Zeitgeist Moving Forward film on Friday between 5 and 10 PM, with extensive discussion and Q&A portions for each segment of the film. On Saturday, between 12 noon and 10 PM, we will be hosting live musical performers, guest speakers, presentations and video selections that will help us understand what the Zeitgeist Movement, the Venus Project and a Resource Based Economy really is and how we can and must transition to a radically redesigned society to help create a better world for all people. We hope that you join us for an interesting, educational and entertaining experience. Please contact us if you have any questions!

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Announcing Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement Meeting 14

The Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement will hold its fourteenth meeting on Wednesday, March 9th at 6pm at South Texas College, Building H, room 231. We will be hosted by the STC chapter of the Zeitgeist Movement student organization.

This meeting will be focused on Z-Day planning, scheduling, logistics and advertisement. We will finalize our scheduled speakers, presenters, performers and video selections. We will also spend time distributing and posting flyers on campus. We will also discuss planning for our after event meeting for any new members who wish to join us at subsequent meetings.

Our Z-Day plans are coming together quite well so far and I wish to thank all of you for your time, effort, contributions and talents that you have put forth in this effort to reach our community. I look forward to a successful event and to see all of you there.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Announcing Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement Meeting 13

The Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement will be holding its thirteenth scheduled meeting on Wednesday, March 2nd at 6 PM. We are being hosted by the Zeitgeist Movement South Texas College student organization in building H, room 231.

This meeting will be focused on Z-Day event planning. We will discuss the venue, our current and proposed speakers and performers, video selections and other items that we must decide upon for the upcoming event. Please bring all of your ideas and as much information as you can so that we can make informed decisions. We will also have a video camera available for those who are interested in helping to create any videos for the current Why I Advocate global campaign.

Thank you all for your work and dedication towards this event and I look forward to seeing you!

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Announcing Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement Meeting 12

The Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement will be holding it's twelfth scheduled meeting on Sunday, February 27, 2011 at 3 PM. We will be hosted by one of our members, Armando Lopez, in his private home. His apartment is located in McAllen, TX, near the corner of 10th St. and Trenton. His address is 720 Sandpiper, unit A. Thanks to him and his family for generously offering to host our meeting once again!


View Larger Map

Our general agenda will be to continue planning of Z-Day and the speakers and artists who we would like to invite. We will also continue our discussions about prospects for a UTPA chapter of the movement. We will also be planning our upcoming meetings, including potential meetings in the lower valley.

This meeting is open to all who wish to join us in helping to make the world a better place for all people. Please join us. Thank you for your time and attention.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Why I Advocate the Zeitgeist Movement - In A Song

One member of the Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement has written, performed and produced this music video. This is her way of showing support for the Zeitgeist Movement, the Venus Project and a Resource Based Economy. We encourage all people here in our community and around the world to share their reasons for advocating a better world for all people. Thanks to Sara for providing this great video, and for allowing us to share it with the world. Please enjoy her song, Evolution!

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Announcing Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement Meeting 11

The Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement will be holding it's eleventh scheduled meeting on Sunday, February 13, 2011 at 1 PM. We will be hosted by one of our members, Armando Lopez, in his private home. His apartment is located in McAllen, TX, near the corner of 10th St. and Trenton. His address is 720 Sandpiper, unit A. Thanks to him and his family for generously offering to host our meeting.


View Larger Map

Our general agenda will be to discuss the possibility of attending the People for Peace and Justice event in Weslaco, continuing our planning of Z-Day and the speakers and artists who we would like to invite. We will also continue our discussions about new member orientation materials and welcoming any new members we receive, in addition to discussing the prospects for a UTPA chapter of the movement. We will also be planning our upcoming meetings, including potential meetings in the lower valley.

This meeting is open to all who wish to join us in helping to make the world a better place for all people. Please join us. Thank you for your time and attention.

Friday, February 4, 2011

The Zeitgeist Movement Responds to Egypt

The Zeitgeist Movement has responded to the ongoing revolution in Egypt, and produced a video to illustrate the issues surrounding this complex situation.

Why I Advocate the Zeitgeist Movement

Peter Joseph, the creator of the Zeitgeist films, founder of the Zeitgeist Movement and one of its most well known communicators, has produced a YouTube video that explains why he advocates the Zeitgeist Movement. He encourages other members of the Zeitgeist Movement to produce similar videos that explain their personal reasons for advocating the movement, the Venus Project and a Resource Based Economy. I encourage members of the Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement to produce similar videos or written statements so that they can be displayed on this website. There are many such videos already available online if you search for the phrase "Why I advocate the Zeitgeist Movement", and you can learn of the many reasons why so many people around the world are calling for a radical redesign of our society. If you share these values, we ask that you join us in our efforts of making the world a better place for all people. Thank you for your time and attention.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

UPDATE: POSTPONED - Announcing Rio Grande Valley Movement Meeting 11

UPDATE: Due to weather conditions, STC has closed the campus this evening. We are rescheduling the meeting and will make an announcement here when the details emerge. I apologize for the short notice.

The Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement will be holding it's eleventh scheduled meeting on Wednesday, February 2, 2011. We will once again be hosted by the South Texas College chapter of the Zeitgeist Movement. We will be meeting at the Pecan campus in building H, room 231. We will be meeting from 6 to 8 PM.


Our general agenda will be to discuss our presence at the upcoming Art Walk event, the possibility of attending the People for Peace and Justice event in Weslaco, continuing our planning of Z-Day and the speakers and artists who we would like to invite. We will also continue our discussions about new member orientation materials and welcoming any new members we receive, in addition to discussing the prospects for a UTPA chapter of the movement. We will also be planning our upcoming meetings, including potential meetings in the lower valley.


This meeting is open to all who wish to join us in helping to make the world a better place for all people. Please join us. Thank you for your time and attention.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Official Online Release of Zeitgeist Moving Forward

The official online YouTube release of Zeigeist Moving Forward is now available for the free to the public! There will be a DVD download and subtitles available soon at the official Zeitgeist Movie website. I encourage everyone to watch this highly informative and perspective-shifting documentary in order to learn that we can make the world a better place for all people. Thank you for your time and attention.

Announcing McAllen After Hours Concert Awareness Activity

The Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement has been granted permission to have a table and information booth at this Friday's McAllen After Hours Concert at the McAllen Convention Center. We will be passing out flyers, literature and information about our local chapter, the global Zeitgeist Movement and Venus Project and encouraging people to watch the free online version of Zeitgeist Moving Forward. We will also be looking for performers and local organizations who might be willing to participate at our upcoming Z-Day event in March. Below is all the pertinent information about the concert. Hope to see you there!

Date: Friday January 28, 2011
Time: 7:00 - 10:00 PM
Location: McAllen Convention Center

Facebook Event Page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=179667422071659

Music Afterhours returns with some indie and alt rock! Let's get the blankets and friends and enjoy these amazing artists this Friday! THE SHOW IS FREE! Can't beat that! oh wait yes you can...

There will also be vendors selling jewelry,t-shirts and trinkets! We will record & film the event LIVE so make some noise!

Performances by:

RAY PEREZ
FRIDAY AVENUE
VULPES
SOMETHING TO REMEMBER

Looking forward to seeing all of you wonderful people!

Music Afterhours is brought to you by:
McAllen Chamber Of Commerce
The City Of McAllen
Sun Fish Records
Dave's Music CenterWhere
McAllen Convention Center

700 Convention Center Blvd.
McAllen, TX 78501
956-320-0896

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Notes On Our Tenth Meeting

Date: January 20, 2011
Time: 6:00 - 8:00 PM
Location: South Texas College, Pecan Campus, H-231
Attendance: 11

The Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement held its tenth meeting this week, in McAllen, Texas at our old meeting venue at South Texas College. We were once again graciously hosted by the Zeitgeist Movement at South Texas College student organization. We were able to discuss a good number of important upcoming events, welcomed our two newest members, and planned for our next meeting.

We began with a discussion of our recent screenings of Zeitgeist Moving Forward, and discussed how we could better use the film at future events. We determined that due to the length and content of the film, it might be better viewed in sections, rather than shown as a whole. This discussion lead us naturally into a discussion of our upcoming major event, Z-Day.

We discussed the idea of turning our Z-Day event into a three-day, art/music/lecture/video/presentation/community event, allowing a diverse group of individuals, organizations and artists take the stage at STC to help bring awareness and understanding of the Zeitgeist Movement to the community. The STC student organization will be attempting to reserve the auditorium for the weekend of March 11th, and we will intersperse sections of the latest film, lectures and presentations by local professors and community leaders, TED videos and other documentary selections, as well as musical performing artists. We hope to have nearly 20 hours of content to help fill the time we have requested, which should not be difficult due to the overwhelming amount of information that is available to us. We ask all of our members to think about who and what they would like to see discussed and suggest it on our discussion list so that we can  approach them with this interesting opportunity.

During this discussion, two of our newest members joined in the discussion. We were able to give them copies of the rough draft of our New Member Orientation information, and they immediately started contributing their ideas and suggestions to our plans. We are very grateful for their attendance, and we encourage them and others to continue attending our future meetings and events. We each give valuable perspective to our shared vision, and it makes for a far better outcome.

We then discussed the possibility of having meetings in the lower valley. There has been a growing number of people in Harlingen who would like to be a part of the movement, and we would very much like to see this become a reality. I encourage all interested parties to let us know when and where you would like to meet so that we may organize a meeting there. I hope to see all of you soon so that we can help spread our information to more people in more areas!

We also discussed some more ways to help make people aware in more ways as individuals. We have previously discussed things like Day-Z, which is the effort of chapters in California to wear or display Zeitgeist Movement and Venus Project related items on the first day of every month. I recently proposed an idea that would encourage all of our members to write a few paragraphs that explain why they are a part of this movement, and share them on this website. There was also discussion of having an informational booth in a local mall. We also had a member indicate that we could display flyers and posters in a network of businesses that he is a part of. There are so many opportunities for us to help bring awareness to the people in our community, and we are fortunate enough to have members who are doing so.

We ended by making plans for our next meeting, which will be on the first Wednesday of the month at STC. We hope to see you there, as we will be planning for the final McAllen Art Walk of the season that following Friday. Pictured below are some of the attendees of this week's meeting. As always, our friends at the RGV No State Project have hosted the audio recordings of this and our previous meetings. Thank you for your time and attention.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Notes On Our Zeitgeist Moving Forward Screenings

The Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement held successful back to back screenings of the popular documentary series latest installment, Zeitgeist Moving Forward. We were able to secure two locations across two cities, and are very happy to have all 48 people who attended enjoy the film despite the bad weather. This represents our first major effort in terms of a major project for our community, and we can only expect bigger and better things in the near future, such as our upcoming Z-Day event in March.

We want to thank everyone in our community who took the time to not only watch the film with us, but also engaged in a very good discussion about how the concepts and vision outlined in the film can be shared with more people in our community. We have recorded our hour long discussion period after our South Texas College screening, and present it here for all to view in the hopes that it brings a better understanding of our movement and goals.



Thanks again to all of the current members of the RGVZGM who made this possible, and thanks to all of you who have since joined our growing cause. We look forward to continuing our efforts to help educate and inform as many people in our community as possible. Thank you for your time and attention, and your efforts to help make the world a better place for all people.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Announcing Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement Meeting 10

The Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement is happy to announce it's tenth meeting which will take place on Thursday, January 20th 2011. We will be hosted by the Zeitgeist Movement at South Texas College, in the Pecan Campus in Building H, room 231 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. This meeting will have a specific focus of greeting and providing orientation materials for new members.

Our agenda for this meeting will include getting to know our new members, discussion about our recent screenings of Zeitgeist Moving Forward, the distribution of new member information packets, planning for our next meetings and events and open discussion for new awareness ideas and campaigns. We will also start making plans for our upcoming Z-Day event which will take place during the March 11th weekend.

We look forward to receiving all new members who have recently discovered this local chapter or attended our recent ZMF screenings and would like to learn more. We hope to see you there as we continue our efforts to make the world a better place for all people!

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement to Attend McAllen Music Afterhours Concert

The Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement will be attending the McAllen Music Afterhours Concert event this Friday, January 14th at 7:00 PM. The concert will take place at Archer Park UPDATE: we will be in The Incubator due to the weather. The Incubator is located at 1001 S. 16th St. in downtown McAllen. We will have an informational booth and be distributing flyers and information about the Movement, the Venus Project and our upcoming screenings of Zeitgeist Moving Forward. We encourage you to come out and enjoy the free concert, interact with your community and engage us with your questions, comments and concerns. We hope to see you there!


Sunday, January 9, 2011

Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement To Hold Zeitgeist Moving Forward Screenings

The Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement will be holding two screenings of the new independent film Zeitgeist Moving Forward on Saturday, January 15th, 2011. We are happy to announce that both screenings will be free and open to the public, and we encourage all people in and around our community to attend. Our first screening will be at the Edinburg Public Library on Closner, while our second screening will be at the Pecan campus of South Texas College.

Dustin Michael Sekula Memorial Library
Location: 1906 South Closner Edinburg, TX
Date: Saturday, January 15th, 2011
Time: 11:30 AM - 2:30 PM
Seating: 100 seats available
Parking: Overflow parking is available on Palm Dr. in front of the stadium. Please do not park at the nearby private businesses, as we have been informed that those vehicles will be towed.

South Texas College - Pecan Campus
Location: 3201 West Pecan Mcallen, TX - Administration Building Auditorium, D-103
Date: Saturday, January 15th, 2011
Time: 3:30 PM - 7:00 PM , Q&A / Discussion 7:00 PM Onwards
Seating: 150 seats available
Parking: Parking available on campus. Please observe handicapped and reserved parking space signs.

About the film:
Zeitgeist: Moving Forward, by director Peter Joseph, is a feature length documentary work which will present a case for a needed transition out of the current socioeconomic monetary paradigm which governs the entire world society.
This subject matter will transcend the issues of cultural relativism and traditional ideology and move to relate the core, empirical "life ground" attributes of human and social survival, extrapolating those immutable natural laws into a new sustainable social paradigm called a "Resource-Based Economy".
If you have any questions regarding these screenings, please contact us at rgvzgm@gmail.com and we will address your concerns as soon as we can. Thank you for your time and attention, and we hope to see you there!

Saturday, January 8, 2011

McAllen Art Walk After Action Report

Date: Friday, January 7th 2011
Time: 6:00 - 9:00 PM
Location: N. Main St. McAllen, TX
Attendance: 10+ members

The Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement took to the streets this week in order to help spread awareness of the Zeitgeist Movement, the Venus Project and our upcoming screenings of Zeitgeist Moving Forward. This was our second month in a row at the McAllen Art Walk community event, and we were once again reaching more people who have known about the Zeitgeist Movement but were unaware of our local chapter.

During the course of the evening, we were able to talk to several individuals, including a store front owner and operator who was frustrated by the limitations and actions imposed on his business and the community by an oppressive and unresponsive local government. We also were able to talk to a library employee who lamented recent changes and cuts to community services and programs that promoted the arts and education aspect of a shared and engaged culture. We were also able to speak to assembled crowds who were perusing the artistic wares and listening to one of our members sing and perform songs and music of her own creation.



We were also able to distribute hundreds of flyers, tickets and other literature to the roving crowds. We are hopeful that these and other actions help draw our fellow citizens together to learn more about the world in which we live and how we can choose to make it better for all people. We hope you join us in our efforts, and we would like to see you at our future events. Thank you for your time and attention.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Notes on our Ninth Meeting

Date: Wednesday January 5th, 2011
Time: 6:00 - 9:00 PM
Location: Private Residence in Mission, TX
Attendance: 12

Update: Our friends at RGV No State Project are graciously hosting the audio recordings of this and previous meetings.

The Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement held it's 10th general meeting this week, and was graciously hosted once again by Ray Perez at his home in Mission. Once again, we were provided with a pleasant and intimate environment, with food and beverage provided by several of our members. Even after our stated agenda had been completed, we found ourselves spending even more time engaging in interesting discourse and enjoying some great food and dessert. It was a truly a great pleasure.

We were able to work our way through the stated agenda, including making plans for Friday's Art Walk and sharing designs for flyers and tickets that we will be handing out during that event. In addition, we made final plans for our Zeitgeist Moving Forward screenings in Edinburg and McAllen. There was discussion and planning made for a New Member Orientation meeting to be held during the week of the screenings to help receive new members who join. We also came up with some more structural and content related plans for our upcoming New Member Information Packet, and started to contemplate a New Member DVD. Some of the newer things we discussed were having a meeting in the Harlingen area for those members who are unable to travel to the McAllen area. If you live in the lower valley and are interested in facilitating or attending such a meeting, please contact us or join in our discussion group to lend voice to your community. We hope to start reaching new areas in the RGV, and the sooner the better. One of our last topics of discussion was the After Hours Music Concert that will take place on January 14th. Thanks to the efforts of one of our members, we have been allowed to setup an information table and distribute literature and information to those in attendance. This will be a great opportunity to help direct people to our movement and our screenings and an exciting development for our cause.

Our next meeting will likely be a private meeting to screen the Zeitgeist Moving Forward after we acquire it from Peter Joseph. More details will be made available on or after January 11th. This will be our last meeting before the music concert and the screening, so those two events will likely be the focus at that time. Thanks again to everyone who has helped us get this far, and for continuing to work for a better world for all people.


Attendees of our ninth meeting.

Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement at the McAllen Art Walk

The Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement will be attending the monthly McAllen Art Walk festival on Friday, January 7th, beginning at 6 PM. We will meet at the McAllen Public Library at the corner of Main and Fir.

Our general goal is to pass out flyers and literature, informing people of our movement, the Venus Project and more specifically, our upcoming screenings of Zeitgeist Moving Forward. We will even have music provided for us by some of our talented singers and musicians!

This will be our second month attending this community event, and I am certain that we will be just as successful, if not more so, in engaging our fellow Valley dwellers and letting them know of the potential for a better future for all people. We hope to see you there!

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Announcing Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement Meeting 9

The Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement will hold it's ninth general meeting on Wednesday, January 5th, 2011 between 6:00-8:00 PM. We will once again be graciously hosted by Ray Perez and his family at their private apartment in Mission.

Our agenda will consist of the following:
  • The plans, flyers, posters and t-shirts for the McAllen Art Walk on Friday, January 7th.
  • The Zeitgeist Moving Forward screening details and plans, including plans for a new member orientation meeting.
  • Content and creation of a new member orientation packet of information.
  • Open discussion of any other topics that arise.
If you have not already shared your designs and ideas for these topics to our discussion group threads, then please do so at your earliest convenience. Some of you have already shared your work and it looks very good. Please note that we are focusing on advertising our upcoming screenings, so please have that information incorporated into your fliers and other material you plan to distribute or display at the upcoming Art Walk.

As noted previously, we will be at the Pueblo de Paz apartment complex, which is 3401 N. Mayberry, in Apt. 1227. We will be asking once again for anyone who is able to bring a snack or beverage to share with others. Thank you for your time and attention, and I hope to see you there!

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Notes on our Eighth Meeting

Date: Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Time: 6:00 - 9:00 PM
Location: Private Residence
Attendance: 12

Update: Our friends at the RGV No State Project have graciously hosted the audio recordings of this and previous meetings.

The Rio Grande Valley Zeitgeist Movement held its eighth meeting and was graciously hosted by member Ray Perez and his family in their home on Wednesday, December 22nd 2010. There was a good deal of snacks and drinks provided, and we were all treated to a comfortable and intimate environment. The venue is so popular now that we plan on holding our next meeting there as well. We are very fortunate to have generous members in our group and I just want to say again how much they are appreciated.

The meeting started off with a short discussion about our previous Art Walk experience, in which there were some raised concerns about our ability to effectively communicate our movement's purpose and goal. We spent some time discussing how we can hone the description of our movement into a short and concise statement that would help people get what we're doing. We understand that the Venus Project contains such a great deal of nebulous ideas, but ultimately, we can conclude that we advocate a radical redesign of society with a relevant set of values and utilizing the method and tools of science and technology to remove or reduce problems we have today.

We then transitioned abruptly into a fairly time consuming discussion concerning the possibility of the Venus Project working with the New World Order global elite. One of our members had found some information that she believed was evidence of such a link, and wanted to make us aware of the potential dangers. There was a great deal of debate, point of views expressed and some intense questioning that took place, but ultimately, we had to end the discussion for the time being in order to proceed with the publicly discussed agenda.

We moved on to discussion about our upcoming screenings of Zeitgeist Moving Forward. We have now secured two locations to hold screenings, both in McAllen and in Edinburg. We will be making official announcements about these soon. We also decided to have a meeting after the screenings in order to help welcome and orientate new members who may join after watching the film. Along those lines, we discussed the idea of having a new member packet which will contain hard copies of important documents and understandings of our movement. We hope to be able to identify relevant documents for our community and provide them to all who join us.

Related to that is the need to start advertising our screenings. Our major push for advertising the film will be the upcoming McAllen Art Walk on January 7th. We discussed the plans we should make in terms of placement of our table, the need for permits and the focusing of our fliers and shirt designs on our upcoming screenings of ZMF.

We concluded with discussing our next meeting, which is scheduled to be on Wednesday, January 5th, once again at Ray's home. I have included links to all of these individual discussion threads in order to foster more participation and share more and better ideas. I hope you take advantage of our Google groups discussion site and make your questions, concerns and comments known to the rest of the group, and we can all come to a better understanding of the world we live in. Thank you for your time and attention.