March 2011 - P2P-Foundation - lists.ourproject.org

TODAY is the correct day Re: OER Glue online event Wednesday, March 30th at 9:30pm ET
by Maria Droujkova 30 Mar '11

30 Mar '11

Hello, Sorry about the typo - the correct day is today, March 30th, 9:30pm Eastern US time. Cheers, Maria Droujkova Make math your own, to make your own math. On Tue, Mar 29, 2011 at 5:15 PM, Maria Droujkova <droujkova(a)gmail.com>wrote: > Join Joel Duffin and Justin Ball, creators of the OER Glue platform<http://www.oerglue.com/>, > in discussing the latest in open course design architecture. > > *How to join* > > - Follow this link at the time of the event: * > http://tinyurl.com/math20event<https://sas.elluminate.com/m.jnlp?password=M.FCAF787B38E30D58F943EB7232EE27> > * > - Wednesday, May 30th 2011 we will meet in the LearnCentral online room > at 6:30pm Pacific, 9:30pm Eastern time. WorldClock for your time zone.<http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?month=3&day=30&year=20…> > - Click "OK" and "Accept" several times as your browser installs the > software. When you see Elluminate Session Log-In, enter your name and click > the "Login" button > - If this is your first time, come a few minutes earlier to check out > the technology. The room opens half an hour before the event. > > > All events in the Math 2.0 weekly series: > http://mathfuture.wikispaces.com/events > > About OER Glue > [image: external image chalkboard.jpg] > > OER Glue is a *uniquely open approach* to online learning that lets > content be used where it already resides rather than requiring it to be > copied into a new system. OER Glue can be used to *efficiently assemble > courses* and teach online by “glueing together” open education resources > (OERs) and integrating with popular online services including Google > Documents, Blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and discussion and assessment tools. > OER Glue’s web browser add-on approach allows it to wrap context and > navigation tools around online content and to *integrate content and > services from multiple sources in a coherent manner*. In order to ensure > that resources remain available, OER Glue integrates with services such as > internet archive. The following scenarios describe the experience of using > OER Glue: > Student Use of OER Glue <http://blog.oerglue.com/student-use-of-oer-glue/>| Teacher > Use of OER Glue <http://blog.oerglue.com/teacher-use-of-oer-glue/> > > Key aspects of OER Glue are: > > - *Student engagement* – OER Glue increases student engagement and > satisfaction by supporting online instruction that utilizes timely, > authentic content and popular Web 2.0 tools. > - *Instructional effectiveness* – OER Glue supports effective > instruction by helping teachers find and develop learning activities and > assessments that are aligned with their instructional goals. > - *Teacher efficiency* – OER Glue helps teachers efficiently assemble, > deliver, and update online courses. > - *OER* – OER Glue helps authors easily find and adapt relevant high > quality free online resources for their courses. > - *Glue* – People are frustrated with the poor user experience of > existing systems that require you to copy your content into them, but > enthusiastic about the new Web 2.0 tools that continue to emerge. OER Glue > lets you use content where it already is and to easily integrate third party > tools in a coherent manner to teach online. > > > > Event Hosts > [image: Joel_Duffin.jpg][image: justinball.jpg]*Joel Duffin*, CEO of OER > Glue, is a entrepreneur and software developer with a love for designing > software and understanding how people learn. Joel enjoys scheming about how > to design and leverage software systems and online content to encourage > youth to engage in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Joel > blogs <http://www.joelduffin.com/> about technology and STEM education. > *Justin Ball*, CTO of OER Glue, is an entrepreneur with several > successful startups and one major failure under his belt. He became involved > in the OER space under the direction of David Wiley at OSLO and then COSL > and participated in the construction of the various projects generated > there. He used to write C++ and .Net then moved to python and finally found > Ruby. In the rare moments when he isn't writing code, talking about code or > measuring his code productivity in profanity per hour, you can find him on > his bike in the mountains or on the roads surrounding Cache Valley. Justin > can be found pontificating at http://www.justinball.com > > >

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Fwd: [fcf_discussion] Re: Citizens, NGOs: Oppose EU Commission's Plans Against our Freedoms Online!
by Michel Bauwens 30 Mar '11

30 Mar '11

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: at <at(a)kein.org> Date: Wed, Mar 30, 2011 at 8:29 PM Subject: [fcf_discussion] Re: Citizens, NGOs: Oppose EU Commission's Plans Against our Freedoms Online! To: fcforum_discussion(a)list.fcforum.net Just wanted to remind people that the deadline for the consultation is tomorrow, and to applaud LQDN for the work which they have done on the submission. One element which would be worth adding is the absence in the report of an evaluation of the effect of the Enforcement Directive on innovation, as mandated in the same article requiring a review of the implementation. I have put together some remarks of my own which you can see here: http://knowfuture.wordpress.com/2011/03/28/analysis-of-the-ip-enforcement-d… On a different angle I think it's important to monitor the development and activity of the European Piracy and Counterfeiting Observatory, whose reports will form the basis for 'evidence' for economic damage in the future. The RAND corporation's UK office has recently been rewarded the contract for the report. Some may recall their US operation's report on Film Piracy, Organised Crime and Terrorism - the auguries aren't good. http://knowfuture.wordpress.com/2011/03/29/eu-contracts-rand-for-piracy-cou… You can find reports on other EPCO related activities here: http://knowfuture.wordpress.com/category/ecpo/ cheers, a. On 03/24/2011 06:50 PM, La Quadrature du Net wrote: > La Quadrature du Net - For immediate release > > Permanent link: http://www.laquadrature.net/en/citizens-ngos-oppose-eu-commissions-plans-ag… > > > Citizens, NGOs: Oppose EU Commission's Plans Against our Freedoms Online! > > *** The European Commission has begun a process to modify its copyright, patent and trademark enforcement, with the revision of the IPRED "anti-sharing" directive. By stepping up enforcement in the spirit of the ACTA agreement, the Commission wants to turn Internet companies into a copyright police. This would have disastrous consequences on online free speech, the right to privacy and the right to a fair trial. Every EU citizen and NGO is invited to participate to the consultation process to defend fundamental rights and express their views on alternatives to blind and dangerous enforcement. La Quadrature has published its draft [1] answer and a wiki guide [2] to help everyone participate. *** > > > > The IPRED revision process was biased from the start, relying on false figures and ideological stands propagated by the entertainment industries. In the preliminary documents, the Commission - without any detailed impact assessment of existing law - paves the way for waging a full-on war on sharing and against the Internet. After years of trying to sue and criminalize users, the EU Commission now plans to step up enforcement that circumvents the judiciary, in line with the ACTA international agreement. > > The objective is to turn Web service providers (search engines, content hosting services, etc.) as well as Internet access providers into a private copyright police. Putting legal pressure on these companies would inevitably lead them to automatically filter and remove online content, even though sharing has a neutral or positive effects on the creative sector, according to a number of independent studies [3]. The Commisison's plan is a coarse attempt at legitimizing censorship measures that may serve the narrow interest of obsolete industries, but which will inevitably undermine European citizens' fundamental rights as well as the very architecture of the Internet. > > It is essential that a high number of citizens and NGOs take the opportunity to answer the consultation by sending submissions to the Commission before March 31st. A guide is available to help them in that purpose. La Quadrature releases its own draft answer, open for comments, in order to help everyone participate in this decisive consultation. > > > ** References ** > > 1. https://lqdn.co-ment.com/text/uK6D3cM9UhD/view/ > > 2. http://www.laquadrature.net/wiki/IPRED_Consultation_Campaign > > 3. http://www.laquadrature.net/wiki/Studies_on_file_sharing_eng > > > > > ** About la Quadrature du Net ** > > > La Quadrature du Net is an advocacy group that promotes the rights and freedoms of citizens on the Internet. More specifically, it advocates for the adaptation of French and European legislations to respect the founding principles of the Internet, most notably the free circulation of knowledge. > > In addition to its advocacy work, the group also aims to foster a better understanding of legislative processes among citizens. Through specific and pertinent information and tools, La Quadrature du Net hopes to encourage citizens' participation in the public debate on rights and freedoms in the digital age. > > La Quadrature du Net is supported by French, European and international NGOs including the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the Open Society Institute and Privacy International. > > List of supporting organisations : http://www.laquadrature.net/en/they-support-squaring-net-la-quadrature-du-n… > > > ** Press contact and press room ** > > J�r�mie Zimmermann, jz(a)laquadrature.net, +33 (0)615 940 675 > > http://www.laquadrature.net/en/press-room > > > ----- +info http://list.fcforum.net/wws/info/fcforum_discussion ---- -- P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss: http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation Updates: http://del.icio.us/mbauwens; http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens; http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens

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Fwd: [fcf_discussion] FFII submission of the Enforcement Directive Consultation
by Michel Bauwens 30 Mar '11

30 Mar '11

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: at <at(a)kein.org> Date: Wed, Mar 30, 2011 at 8:36 PM Subject: [fcf_discussion] FFII submission of the Enforcement Directive Consultation To: fcforum_discussion(a)list.fcforum.net Startup companies and the IP playing field March 30, 2011 By Ante http://acta.ffii.org/wordpress/?p=587 FFII response to the Consultation on the Commission Report on the enforcement of intellectual property rights (Also available as pdf) March 2011 Summary We would like to thank the European Commission for this opportunity to provide feedback on the Report. To stimulate startup companies, the EU legal situation should minimize market entrance risks for innovators. Startup companies are often confronted with patent minefields. Even a mere allegation of infringement may easily lead to market exclusion. Startup companies often do not have enough resources to litigate. Established players in late stages of their own market life cycle may abuse the patent system to stifle entrants and emerging competitors, patent trolls drain market entrants in a phase where they want to grow. Care has to be taken that provisional injunctions do not lower the burden of proof. Damages beyond the actual prejudice should be avoided as they have a disproportional negative effect on startup companies, which do not have deep pockets. The Commission should offer safeguards to prevent enforcement abuse, strengthen legal definitions and clarify the law. EU legislation needs measures to ensure a fair balance between startups and established companies. EU legislation needs dissuasive measures against abuse by patent trolls. Risk reduction for startups is key to improve investment conditions. The actual needs of innovators should be in the center. The European system of fixed copyright flexibilities is not flexible enough in a rapidly changing world. The EU should introduce a fair use system. Many existing flexibilities should be made mandatory. A reverse Berne’s Three-Step Test could provide a solution for many problems in the copyright field. The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement may cause a fait accompli. In order to prevent a fait accompli, the FFII supports withholding consent on ACTA. more: http://acta.ffii.org/wordpress/?p=587 _______________________________________________ bxl mailing list bxl(a)ffii.org https://lists.ffii.org/mailman/listinfo/bxl ----- +info http://list.fcforum.net/wws/info/fcforum_discussion ---- -- P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss: http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation Updates: http://del.icio.us/mbauwens; http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens; http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens

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iranians draw lessons from middle eastern revolutions, a must read
by Michel Bauwens 30 Mar '11

30 Mar '11

http://iranianvoicesintranslation.blogspot.com/2011/03/iranians-draw-lesson… -- P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss: http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation Updates: http://del.icio.us/mbauwens; http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens; http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens

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Fwd: [p2p-research] OER Glue online event Wednesday, March 30th at 9:30pm ET
by Michel Bauwens 30 Mar '11

30 Mar '11

hi franco, this could be the topic for an article on the blog, sounds innovative, Maria, you are still using our old defunct list, Michel ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Maria Droujkova <droujkova(a)gmail.com> Date: Wed, Mar 30, 2011 at 4:15 AM Subject: [p2p-research] OER Glue online event Wednesday, March 30th at 9:30pm ET To: naturalmath(a)googlegroups.com, mathfuture(a)googlegroups.com, oer-university(a)googlegroups.com, p2pu-community(a)googlegroups.com, p2pu-mathfuture(a)googlegroups.com, iaep <iaep(a)lists.sugarlabs.org>, p2p research network <p2presearch(a)listcultures.org> Join Joel Duffin and Justin Ball, creators of the OER Glue platform<http://www.oerglue.com/>, in discussing the latest in open course design architecture. *How to join* - Follow this link at the time of the event: * http://tinyurl.com/math20event<https://sas.elluminate.com/m.jnlp?password=M.FCAF787B38E30D58F943EB7232EE27> * - Wednesday, May 30th 2011 we will meet in the LearnCentral online room at 6:30pm Pacific, 9:30pm Eastern time. WorldClock for your time zone.<http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?month=3&day=30&year=20…> - Click "OK" and "Accept" several times as your browser installs the software. When you see Elluminate Session Log-In, enter your name and click the "Login" button - If this is your first time, come a few minutes earlier to check out the technology. The room opens half an hour before the event. All events in the Math 2.0 weekly series: http://mathfuture.wikispaces.com/events About OER Glue [image: external image chalkboard.jpg] OER Glue is a *uniquely open approach* to online learning that lets content be used where it already resides rather than requiring it to be copied into a new system. OER Glue can be used to *efficiently assemble courses* and teach online by “glueing together” open education resources (OERs) and integrating with popular online services including Google Documents, Blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and discussion and assessment tools. OER Glue’s web browser add-on approach allows it to wrap context and navigation tools around online content and to *integrate content and services from multiple sources in a coherent manner*. In order to ensure that resources remain available, OER Glue integrates with services such as internet archive. The following scenarios describe the experience of using OER Glue: Student Use of OER Glue <http://blog.oerglue.com/student-use-of-oer-glue/> | Teacher Use of OER Glue <http://blog.oerglue.com/teacher-use-of-oer-glue/> Key aspects of OER Glue are: - *Student engagement* – OER Glue increases student engagement and satisfaction by supporting online instruction that utilizes timely, authentic content and popular Web 2.0 tools. - *Instructional effectiveness* – OER Glue supports effective instruction by helping teachers find and develop learning activities and assessments that are aligned with their instructional goals. - *Teacher efficiency* – OER Glue helps teachers efficiently assemble, deliver, and update online courses. - *OER* – OER Glue helps authors easily find and adapt relevant high quality free online resources for their courses. - *Glue* – People are frustrated with the poor user experience of existing systems that require you to copy your content into them, but enthusiastic about the new Web 2.0 tools that continue to emerge. OER Glue lets you use content where it already is and to easily integrate third party tools in a coherent manner to teach online. Event Hosts [image: Joel_Duffin.jpg][image: justinball.jpg]*Joel Duffin*, CEO of OER Glue, is a entrepreneur and software developer with a love for designing software and understanding how people learn. Joel enjoys scheming about how to design and leverage software systems and online content to encourage youth to engage in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Joel blogs <http://www.joelduffin.com/> about technology and STEM education. *Justin Ball*, CTO of OER Glue, is an entrepreneur with several successful startups and one major failure under his belt. He became involved in the OER space under the direction of David Wiley at OSLO and then COSL and participated in the construction of the various projects generated there. He used to write C++ and .Net then moved to python and finally found Ruby. In the rare moments when he isn't writing code, talking about code or measuring his code productivity in profanity per hour, you can find him on his bike in the mountains or on the roads surrounding Cache Valley. Justin can be found pontificating at http://www.justinball.com _______________________________________________ p2presearch mailing list p2presearch(a)listcultures.org http://listcultures.org/mailman/listinfo/p2presearch_listcultures.org -- P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss: http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation Updates: http://del.icio.us/mbauwens; http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens; http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens

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Fwd: [Commoning] fwd: degrowth - altergrowth - common growth + swecw-list
by Michel Bauwens 30 Mar '11

30 Mar '11

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: dr.woooo <dr.woooo(a)gmail.com> Date: Wed, Mar 30, 2011 at 5:44 AM Subject: [Commoning] fwd: degrowth - altergrowth - common growth + swecw-list To: commoning(a)lists.wissensallmende.de Audun Myhra Bergwitz Hi, thought this might interest There is some discussion on commons in the thread https://groups.google.com/group/socialwar-energy-climatewar/browse_thread/t… and I have a little tag on some writings about commoning here http://www.delicious.com/dr.woooo/commons v FWD: (hi to the list, I'm Audun, from Oslo, Norway.) This might mostly be semantics, but I was thinking a bit about degrowth and what it implies. This might have been discussed to death other places, or on this list before I joined it, but I'll post it anyway. This isn't a deep analysis, it's just some random thougths I got after reading this list and related things. While it seems rather clear that it is impossible to do anything about climate change or resource depletion without a degrowth strategy, degrowth doesn't sound like the recipe you'd expect in the face of an economic crisis. Saying "you need to consume less" to someone who just lost their job... that's not how you win their hearts and minds, but that's what degrowth sounds like. Wouldn't it be better to talk about a positive counterstrategy. We're taugth to think that "growth is good", arguing against that is difficult. People want "growth", because growth is what puts food one the table (as we do grow food). Also degrowth says a lot about what we're against, but not so much about what we want. It is kind of similar to the semantic discussion about the "anti-globalisation" movement. A global movement against globalisation was kind of counter-intuitive, so we started to talk about "alter-globalisation" instead. So one could change from the anti-growth "degrowth" to the more positive "alter-growth"? Altergrowth implies that the current growth regime isn't working, but that it is possible to develop alternatives. Of course, to some degrowth'ers it might be bad to talk about growth as anything good at all (?), but I think it is difficult to challenge capitalism if we don't plan to transcend it. We can't create any post-capitalist world without changing our whole system of production. A post-capitalist world must be something more than a return to "simpler ways of living" which is what we get with a post-apocalyptic world. Struggles against capitalism must aim for more than destroying the institutions of capitalism, it must create new institutions that are better. If the new institutions aren't better, why replace the ones we have. Communism and socialism was popular in the 20th century because it promised something better than capitalism, capitalism (the West) won against the communists (the East) because it delivered something better. An anti-capitalist strategy must go beyond capitalism on the level of production, not only oppose it with idealism and promises of utopias. New institutions need to grow economically/socially/politically/ecologically if they are to replace capitalism, (i.e. "seeds need to grow") hence altergrowth. While degrowth/altergrowth may imply alot of things, I think that one important aspect of an anti-capitalist strategy is commonism ( http://turbulence.org.uk/turbulence-1/commonism/) The commons as an alternative to both markets and state opens the way for actual new institutions of production that go beyond capitalism, in other words altergrowth is common growth. I think talking about common growth opens up some spaces strategically and tactically. At least it allows us to say "we'll manage if we stick together; come on lets build something new" to someone who just lost their job. All slogans and semantics so far, but do anyone have any thoughts about this? Is this reinventing the wheel, or does a semantic change allow for better tactics and strategies? best, Audun More options Mar 21, 8:21 am _______________________________________________ Commoning mailing list Commoning(a)lists.wissensallmende.de http://lists.wissensallmende.de/mailman/listinfo/commoning -- P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss: http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation Updates: http://del.icio.us/mbauwens; http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens; http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens

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"sailing the farm" : in search of resilient communities - nearby navigable waters
by Dante-Gabryell Monson 27 Mar '11

27 Mar '11

Hi Kevin, Hi Marcin ( cc: p2pfoundation , Michel, Sam, ... bcc: Ze) I found the following initiative of great interest. http://www.couchsurfing.org/people<http://www.couchsurfing.org/people/sailing-the-farm/> /sailing- <http://www.couchsurfing.org/people/sailing-the-farm/>the-farm/<http://www.couchsurfing.org/people/sailing-the-farm/> ; post: http://www.couchsurfing.org/group_read.html?gid=1173&post=8266944#gpid82669… *They are building a boat, on a farm in Norway.* *There is interest in sailing between ecovillages and transition town movements.* It seems to be a culturally diverse (self organized ?) group of people living together and building together. The contact for the project seems to be "Ze". I have been exchanging a few emails with her, and wish to share some excerpts below. It resonates with some of my own childhood dreams. I personally project parallels with the Hansa ( but with a convivial<http://www.delicious.com/deliciousdante/conviviality>resilient communities (1 <http://bit.ly/gU50GS> ; 2 ) <http://bit.ly/eBWFjy> non/post capitalist framework ? ) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanseatic_League or a league of neo-nomadic neo-venetian phyles<http://blog.p2pfoundation.net/phyles-the-new-neonomadic-p2p-business-struct…>? * * --------------------- Dante : Thanks for your reply Ze. you say : *"we are more in search of ecovillages/transition tows,* *to be the glue and means of contact and transport between them in future"* Are your boats also going upstream or on canals ? *Ze :* hi dante. yes, boat can go upstream and into canal. (maste height is around 14meter). what i am in search of is contact info for such stransition towns and ecovillages. wwoof could also be of interest but i think most of wwoof places is family run farm which is something very different. we are building up a transport network between communities not between family run places. (we want to help communities survive in the long run) thanks for tips. already know about findhorn (which is a little questionable since its a bit more or less a business place these days) and also know about gendatabase and ic.org *Dante :* it somehow reminds me of the historic hanseatic league ... except for the capitalist component :) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanseatic_League https://jspivey.wikispaces.com/file/view/hanseatic_league.jpg/71484255/hans… note : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanseatic_League#Expansion *the League never became a closely-managed formal organisation. Assemblies of the Hanseatic towns met irregularly in Lübeck for a Hansetag (‘Hanseatic Diet’), from 1356 onwards, but many towns chose not to send representatives and decisions were not binding on individual cities. Over time, the network of alliances grew to include a flexible roster of 70 to 170 cities.*

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article : "rule of money" - say "no" and do it differently...
by Dante-Gabryell Monson 27 Mar '11

27 Mar '11

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/mar/26/protest-rule-of-money link found via Frank, on gift economy list http://lists.gifteconomy.org/listinfo.cgi/gifteconomy-gifteconomy.org ----------------- Today's march is a challenge to the rule of moneyHow do we escape a system that's tearing up the world? We say 'no', and do things differently - John Holloway <http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/john-holloway> - The Guardian <http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian>, Saturday 26 March 2011 - Article history<http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/mar/26/protest-rule-of-money#h…> - [image: pile of coins]Things do not and cannot get better because behind political power stands another, greater power – the power of capital. Photograph: Laurence Dutton/Getty Images These are days of rage. Rage in the Arab world<http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/arab-and-middle-east-protests>, of course, but also on the streets of Athens<http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/greece> , Dublin <http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/ireland>, Rome<http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/italy> , Paris <http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/france>, Madrid<http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/spain>, and now a loud clamourous rage on the streets of London<http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/mar/14/anti-cuts-campaigners-26-march> . An age of crisis is an age of frustrated hopes, frustrated life. We want to go to university but it is too expensive. We need good healthcare, but we cannot pay for it. We need homes, and we can see homes standing empty, but they are not for us. Or, for the millions of people who are starving: we want to eat, we can see that there is plenty of food for everyone, but something stands between us and the food – money, or the lack of it. And so we rage. We rage all the more because we do not know what to do with our rage, and how to use our rage to make the world a different place. We rage against the government. But we know there is no answer there. Representative democracy holds our rage entrapped: like a rat in a maze, we run from one party to another but there is no exit. Things do not and cannot get better because behind political power stands another, greater power – the power of capital; the power of money. And so we rage against the rule of money. Not against money itself, necessarily, because in the present society we need money to live. We rage rather against the rule of money, against a society in which money dominates. Money is a great bulldozer tearing up the world. It is an insidious force penetrating ever more aspects of our lives. Money holds society together, but it does so in a way that tears it apart. At one stage it seemed we had pushed the rule of money back, at least in areas like health and education. It was never really so, and for a long time we have seen the progressive re-imposition of the rule of money as the prime criterion for every decision. Now money has emerged in all its arrogance. That is what makes us so angry – the government has proclaimed openly "Money is king, bow low to the king!" Rage, then, rage against the rule of money! As long as money rules, injustice and violence prevail – money is the breach between the starving and the food, the gap between the homeless and the houses. As long as money rules we are trapped in a dynamic that nobody controls and that is visibly destroying the possibility of human existence. Money seems all powerful, yet it is not. It is merely a form of social cohesion, and depends on our compliance. Say no, then. Do something else, do things in a different way. Refuse and create. In fact we spend a lot of our lives creating spaces we protect from the assault of money. We create no-go areas, we put up signs that say: "Here the people rule! Here, in our relation with our children and our friends, in our schools, in our hospitals there is a different dynamic at work. Money stay out!" We have many different names for these moments or spaces: love or friendship or trust. Cracks in the rule of money are everywhere. They can be seen not just in the love of children or friends but in the revolts and experiments where people are saying, "No, we shall not accept the rule of money, we shall do things in a different way". So many refusals and creations, so many dignities – sometimes big, sometimes small, always contradictory. Occupations, social centres, community gardens, alternative radio stations, free software, rebellions, and seminars that concentrate on the only scientific question remaining to us, namely how we can stop our headlong rush towards self-destruction. The only hope of creating a radically different world is through the creation, expansion, multiplication and confluence of these cracks. Refuse and create. Push back the rule of money. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: frank Date: Sun, Mar 27, 2011 at 1:34 PM Subject: [GiftEconomy] Great powerful little article To: gifteconomy(a)gifteconomy.org, Gets to the heart of it. The issue. And the why and how to act. Link from demonetize: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/mar/26/protest-rule-of-money :)frank -- It's a revolution. But it's the sort of revolution that no one will notice. It might get a little shadier, or brighter. Buildings might function better. You might have less money to earn because your food is all around you and you don't have any energy costs. and more people will be fed, as more land and resources, kept scarce for the dollar, for the abundance called glut, will be shared. _______________________________________________ GiftEconomy mailing list GiftEconomy(a)lists.gifteconomy.org http://lists.gifteconomy.org/listinfo.cgi/gifteconomy-gifteconomy.org

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Fwd: Icelandic Icesave referendum
by Dante-Gabryell Monson 27 Mar '11

27 Mar '11

http://www.irishleftreview.org/2011/03/22/4373/ Questions for the ECB ahead of the Icelandic Icesave Referendum Published:March 22nd, 2011 Section:Articles <http://www.irishleftreview.org/category/articles/>, Politics <http://www.irishleftreview.org/category/politics/> Discussion:No comments so far *↓*<http://www.irishleftreview.org/2011/03/22/4373/#comments> Possibly Related:Banking Crisis<http://www.irishleftreview.org/tag/banking-crisis/> , Britain <http://www.irishleftreview.org/tag/britain/>, EU<http://www.irishleftreview.org/tag/eu/> , Iceland <http://www.irishleftreview.org/tag/iceland/>, Netherlands<http://www.irishleftreview.org/tag/netherlands/> *A copy of the following letter has been sent by a small Icelandic group campaigning in advance of theforthcoming referendum<http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-16/iceland-support-for-icesave-agreem…> on the terms of the Icesave deal with Britain and the Netherlands to several officials within the EU and EFTA as well as to the ministeries of Britain, Holland and Iceland to whom this case belongs. The letter has also been sent to several European newsmedia.* Reykjavik 18.03.2011 Mr Herman Van Rompuy President of the European Council European Council Rue de la Loi 175 B-1048 Brussels Belgium Dear Mr Van Rompuy The Icelandic banks (90%) collapsed in autumn 2008 and with the banks Landbanki’s subsidiaries in London and Amsterdam (the Icesave deposits). According to the principal rule of the European Economic Area Treaty, the concept of market equality is the basis of co-operation within the European Community as stated in the Agreement on the EEA Part I: Objectives and principles, article 2, item e: *“the setting up of a system ensuring that competition is not distorted and that the rules thereon are equally respected…”. (Highlighted by signatories) **It is clearly stated that the principal rule of the EEU co-operation is to prevent distortion of competition”.* In this light, British and Dutch authorities were obliged to ensure that Landsbanki branches in London and Amsterdam had satisfactory securities from The Depositors’ and Investors’ Guarantee Funds within their own borders. If that were not the case, it would have been marketing distortion. Britain and Netherlands unilaterally decided to make the Icesave deposits a political issue instead of a legal one. On that basis, they have demanded that Icelandic taxpayers pay the Icesave deposits which under EU regulations should have been covered by British and Dutch Depositors‘ and Investors‘ Guarantee Funds, as is clearly stated in European Economic Area treaty. The first reaction of the Icelandic government was that Iceland was being bullied and the Icesave dispute should be resolved in courts. Britain and Netherlands refused but prior to that the British government had taken the unprecedented action to use anti-terrorism legislation against Iceland and Landsbanki. As a consequence, Kaupthing bank operations (Singer & Friedlander) in Britain were closed down and with it fell Iceland‘s biggest bank. Due to these harsh actions taken by British and Dutch governments all flow of capital to and from Iceland was stopped. Iceland state finances were taken hostage by a foreign power. As a consequence, Iceland was forced to negotiate the Icesave deposits if the country was to get assistance from the International Monetary Fund. The IMF demanded that Iceland negotiated the Icesave deposits due to pressure from Britain, Holland and European Union countries. The current Icesave agreement can cost Iceland up to half of its state budget. If the Emergency law of October 2008 will not stand up in court of laws, the Icesave deposits will amount to double state budget. The people of Iceland have found it hard to accept being forced to pay for actions made by reckless and irresponsible bankers: burdens which according to EEA-regulations actually belong to British and Dutch Depositors’ and Investors’ Guarantee Funds as applied to fair and equal competition within the European Economic Area. The Icelandic nation will vote in a referendum on the latest Icesave-agreement on the 9th of April 2011. We refused to accept the last one in a referendum. We therefore feel compelled to get answers to the *following questions* before the referendum. 1. What is the moral value of an agreement between three parties (latest Icesave-agreement) where two parties (Britain and Holland) force the third party (Iceland) to the negotiation table when the matter should be on the table of The Depositors’ and Investors’ Guarantee Funds in Britain and Holland? 2. Why has Iceland not been able to defend itself in courts of law against British and Dutch claims? 3. In the light that Landsbanki had to apply to British law, why was the bank allowed to open saving accounts before it had made the necessary arrangements with the Depositors’ and Investors’ Guarantee Funds? a. Did it not distort competition as Landsbanki was not obliged to make arrangements with the Guarantee Funds in Britain and Holland? b. Was the interest of British and Dutch consumers not looked after, as Landsbanki did not have to pay to the Guarantee Funds like its competitors? c. Is the European Union going to let Britain and Holland violate the principals of the EEA-treaty on equality of competition? 4. Is it in accordance with EU policy to let the taxpayers bear the burden when private banks go bankrupt? 5. Are Depositors’ and Investors’ Guarantee Funds of any country within the European Union strong enough to guarantee deposits in the case of (90%) banking collapse? 6. What will be the reaction of the European Union if the people of Iceland reject the latest Icesave agreement on the 9th of April 2011? Sincerely and with requests for good answers *Signed:* Ásta Hafberg, student business management Baldvin Björgvinsson, certified electrician, teacher Björn Þorri Viktorsson, supreme court attorney Elinborg K. Kristjánsdóttir, journalist, student Elías Pétursson, CEO Guðbjörn Jónsson, retired consultant Guðmundur Ásgeirsson, software developer Gunnar Skúli Ármannsson, cand med Haraldur Baldursson, technologist Helga Garðasdóttir, student Helga Þórðardóttir, teacher Inga Björk Harðardóttir, teacher, artist Karólína Einarsdóttir, biologist and teacher Kristbjörg Þórisdóttir, cand. psych. Kristján Jóhann Matthíasson, retired fisherman Pétur Björgvin Þorsteinsson,deacon, Evang.Lutheran Church Rakel Sigurgeirsdóttir, teacher Sigurjón Þórðarson, biologist Sigurlaug Ragnarsdóttir, bachelor of fine arts Steinar Immanúel Sörensson, ideologist Þorsteinn Valur Baldvinsson Hjelm, surveillance officer *Answers and/or questions should be sent to* Gunnar Skúli Ármannsson Cand. Med. Seiðakvísl 7 110 Reykjavík Iceland e-mail: gunnarsa AT landspitali.is <gunnarsa(a)landspitali.is>

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republishing on the blog
by Michel Bauwens 27 Mar '11

27 Mar '11

Dear Richard, could you republish this on our blog, post-dated april 3 or after? in case of difficulties, James can help, see http://almanac2010.wordpress.com/2011/03/25/analyzing-mixed-socio-economic-… Michel -- P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss: http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation Updates: http://del.icio.us/mbauwens; http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens; http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens

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