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

must read on euro bailouts
by Michel Bauwens 06 May '11

06 May '11

see http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ee728cb6-773e-11e0-aed6-00144feabdc0.html Europe is running a giant Ponzi scheme By Mario Blejer Published: May 5 2011 22:47 | Last updated: May 5 2011 22:47 One of the pillars upon which the euro was established was the principle of “no bail-out”. When the sovereign debt crisis hit the eurozone<http://www.ft.com/indepth/euro-in-crisis>this principle was ditched. As Greece, Ireland and Portugal were unable to service their unsustainable levels of debt, a mechanism was instituted to supply them with the financing necessary to service their obligations. This financing was provided, supposedly, in exchange for their implementing measures that would make their, now higher, debt burdens sustainable in the future. Yet the mode adopted to resolve the debt problems of countries in peripheral Europe is, apparently, to increase their level of debt. A case in point is the €78bn ($116bn) loan to Portugal<http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b8e251a8-75c7-11e0-82c6-00144feabdc0.html>. It is equivalent to more than 47 per cent of its gross domestic product in 2010, possibly increasing Portugal’s public debt to about 120 per cent of GDP. It could be claimed that this mechanism is helping the countries involved since the official loans, although onerous, carry better conditions than the ones that need to be serviced. But the countries’ debts will increase (as a percentage of GDP the debts of Greece, Ireland, Portugal and Spain are expected to be higher by the end of 2012 than at the start of the crisis). The share of debt owed to the official sector will also increase (in addition to the bond purchases by the European Central Bank<http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/3ee5e0e6-75b2-11e0-80d5-00144feabdc0,s01=1.html>, which reportedly owns 17 per cent of these countries’ bonds with a much higher percentage held as collateral). EDITOR’S CHOICE ECB holds fire on interest rates<http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e550a554-76f9-11e0-be6e-00144feabdc0.html>- May-05 Lex: European Central Bank <http://www.ft.com/cms/s/3/935d6bda-7729-11e0-be6e-00144feabdc0.html> - May-05 MPC keeps interest rates on hold<http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4449b4c8-76fb-11e0-be6e-00144feabdc0.html>- May-05 Lisbon reforms to focus on jobs and deficit<http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b7d79688-773e-11e0-aed6-00144feabdc0.html>- May-05 Portugal’s €12bn bank fund questioned<http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ad7c6ee8-773e-11e0-aed6-00144feabdc0.html>- May-05 Global Insight: Clouds darken ECB meeting<http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ba665b52-766a-11e0-b05b-00144feabdc0.html>- May-04 Is this ongoing piling of debt an indication of imminent defaults? Probably, but not necessarily. An immediate default could result in major market commotion, given the high exposure of European banks to peripheral debt. Therefore, European governments are finding it more convenient to postpone the day of reckoning and continue throwing money into the peripheral countries, rather than face domestic financial disruption. Consequently, as long as European and international money (through the International Monetary Fund’s generous financing) is available, the game could go on. It is based on the fiction that this is just a temporary liquidity problem and that the official financing helps the countries involved to make the reforms that will allow them to return to the voluntary market in normal conditions. In other words, the narrative is that the recipient countries could and would outgrow their debt. To “prove” this scenario is feasible several debt sustainability exercises are being dreamt up. But the fact is that this situation is only sustainable as long as additional amounts of money are available to continue the pretence. Here is where this situation resembles a pyramid or a Ponzi scheme<http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/83307ab2-e382-11df-8ad3-00144feabdc0,s01=1.html>. Some of the original bondholders are being paid with the official loans that also finance the remaining primary deficits. When it turns out that countries cannot meet the austerity and structural conditions imposed on them, and therefore cannot return to the voluntary market, these loans will eventually be rolled over and enhanced by eurozone members and international organisations. This is Greece, not Chad: does anyone imagine the IMF will stop disbursing loans if performance criteria are not met? Moreover, this “public sector Ponzi scheme” is more flexible than a private one. In a private scheme, the pyramid collapses when you cannot find enough new investors willing to hand over their money so old investors can be paid. But in a public scheme such as this, the Ponzi scheme could, in theory, go on for ever. As long as it is financed with public money, the peripheral countries’ debt could continue to grow without a hypothetical limit. But could it, really? The constraint is not financial, but political. We are starting to observe public opposition to financing this Ponzi scheme in its current form, but it could still have quite a way to go. It is apparent that, if not forced sooner by politics, the inevitable default will only be allowed to take place when the vast part of the European distressed debt is transferred from the private to the official sector. As in a pyramid scheme, it will be the last holder of the “asset” that takes the full loss. In this case, it will be the taxpayer that foots the bill, rather than the original bondholders that made the wrong investment decisions. Is this good or bad? It all depends on how one assesses the value of the time gained. Would a bank crisis now be more damaging to the European economy than a future debt write-off? Or, alternatively, is recognising reality and accepting a debt restructuring now preferable to increasing the burden on future taxpayers? At the end, it is a political decision, but it would be refreshing if things are called by their name. Euphemisms may be useful in the short run, but one finally recognises a Ponzi scheme when it persists. *The writer was governor of Argentina’s central bank and director of the Centre for Central Banking Studies at the Bank of England. Samuel Brittan is away* -- 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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open commons region linz
by Michel Bauwens 06 May '11

06 May '11

Dear Laurent, if you find this video interesting (it doesn't load for me), see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UThy5ZhnsAE could you write an introductory paragraph, so that I can mention and embed it on the p2p blog? any additional info to add is welcome, 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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rational vs irrational
by Michel Bauwens 06 May '11

06 May '11

Hi Sepp, Chris, do you have the skillls to turn the text regarding parmenides in a quotable text file? see http://www.peterkingsley.org/cw3/Admin/images/Parmenides%20Origins.pdf (sepp, you'll like the incubation passage) -- 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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Mozilla Refuses to Roll Over for Homeland Security Nazis
by Kevin Carson 06 May '11

06 May '11

Sent to you by Kevin Carson via Google Reader: Homeland Security Demands Mozilla Remove Firefox Extension That Redirects Seized Domains via Techdirt by Mike Masnick on 5/5/11 Apparently, the folks at Homeland Security are not at all pleased with the very, very simple Firefox extension, called MAFIAAfire, that negates ICE's domain seizures, by automatically rerouting users to alternate domains. Apparently, DHS demanded that Mozilla take the extension down from its listing of Firefox extensions claiming that the add-on "circumvented" DHS's seizure orders. Thankfully, Mozilla didn't just fold, but instead left it up and sent DHS a list of questions concerning the request. The list of questions is really fantastic, as it goes way beyond the direct request to really get to the heart of the questionable nature of ICE's activity with domain seizures: To help us evaluate the Department of Homeland Security's request to take-down/remove the MAFIAAfire.com add-on from Mozilla's websites, can you please provide the following additional information: 1. Have any courts determined that MAFIAAfire.com is unlawful or illegal in any way? If so, on what basis? (Please provide any relevant rulings) 2. Have any courts determined that the seized domains related to MAFIAAfire.com are unlawful, illegal or liable for infringement in any way? (please provide relevant rulings) 3. Is Mozilla legally obligated to disable the add-on or is this request based on other reasons? If other reasons, can you please specify. 4. Has DHS, or any copyright owners involved in this matter, taken any legal action against MAFIAAfire.com or the seized domains, including DMCA requests? 5. What protections are in place for MAFIAAfire.com or the seized domain owners if eventually a court decides they were not unlawful? 6. Can you please provide copies of any briefs that accompanied the affidavit considered by the court that issued the relevant seizure orders? 7. Can you please provide a copy of the relevant seizure order upon which your request to Mozilla to take down MAFIAAfire.com is based? 8. Please identify exactly what the infringements by the owners of the domains consisted of, with reference to the substantive standards of Section 106 and to any case law establishing that the actions of the seized domain owners constituted civil or criminal copyright infringement. 9. Did any copyright owners furnish affidavits in connection with the domain seizures? Had any copyright owners served DMCA takedown notices on the seized domains or MAFIAAfire.com? (if so please provide us with a copy) 10. Has the Government furnished the domain owners with formal notice of the seizures, triggering the time period for a response by the owners? If so, when, and have there been any responses yet by owners? 11. Has the Government communicated its concerns directly with MAFIAAfire.com? If so, what response, if any, did MAFIAAfire.com make? It's always nice to see some organizations not just roll over when the government comes calling. Kudos to Mozilla for not just refusing to takedown MAFIAAfire, but for also asking serious questions of DHS. Of course, DHS has refused to respond at all... Permalink | Comments | Email This Story Things you can do from here: - Subscribe to Techdirt using Google Reader - Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites

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meet me in Dublin: "Everything Open and Free: A model for Hacking Everything"...
by Michel Bauwens 05 May '11

05 May '11

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Facebook <notification+pjiidwm(a)facebookmail.com> Date: Thu, May 5, 2011 at 2:55 PM Subject: Bill Doran invited you to the event "Everything Open and Free: A model for Hacking Everything"... To: Michel Bauwens <michelsub2004(a)gmail.com> facebook Hi Michel, Bill invited you to Everything Open and Free: A model for Hacking Everything<http://www.facebook.com/n/?event.php&eid=208282642525246&mid=42c551bG1f7c63…> . Everything Open and Free: A model for Hacking Everything<http://www.facebook.com/n/?event.php&eid=208282642525246&mid=42c551bG1f7c63…> Sunday, May 8 at 12:30pm Location: Exchange Dublin, Exchange Street Upper Are you attending? Yes<http://www.facebook.com/n/?ajax%2Fevent_invite_rsvp.php&eid=208282642525246…>- No<http://www.facebook.com/n/?ajax%2Fevent_invite_rsvp.php&eid=208282642525246…>- Maybe<http://www.facebook.com/n/?ajax%2Fevent_invite_rsvp.php&eid=208282642525246…> Remove from My Events<http://www.facebook.com/n/?event.php&eid=208282642525246&show_remove_dialog…> Thanks, The Facebook Team To see more details, follow the link below: http://www.facebook.com/n/?event.php&eid=208282642525246&mid=42c551bG1f7c63… message was sent to michelsub2004(a)gmail.com. If you don't want to receive these emails from Facebook in the future, please follow the link below to unsubscribe. http://www.facebook.com/o.php?k=c05bf5&u=528245547&mid=42c551bG1f7c632bGe83…, Inc. P.O. Box 10005, Palo Alto, CA 94303 -- 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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agorist radio's cypherfunk podcast series
by Michel Bauwens 05 May '11

05 May '11

http://agoristradio.com/ Dear Chris, or Sepp, could you present this podcast series on our blog? fascinating stuff on the frontier of digital cash ... -- 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: link to Open Transactions interview etc.
by Michel Bauwens 05 May '11

05 May '11

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Dante-Gabryell Monson <dante.monson(a)gmail.com> Date: Thu, May 5, 2011 at 4:19 PM Subject: Fwd: link to Open Transactions interview etc. To: Michel Bauwens <michelsub2004(a)gmail.com>, Sepp Hasslberger < sepp(a)lastrega.com>, Samuel Rose <samuel.rose(a)gmail.com> via Steph, via Leander , also includes podcast - mp3 : http://agoristradio.com/?p=234 Posted April 18th, 2011 in Cypherpunkd <http://agoristradio.com/?cat=4> and tagged bitcoin <http://agoristradio.com/?tag=bitcoin>, cryptocurrency<http://agoristradio.com/?tag=cryptocurrency> , digital cash <http://agoristradio.com/?tag=digital-cash>, Digital Market<http://agoristradio.com/?tag=digital-market> , Digital Smart Contracts<http://agoristradio.com/?tag=digital-smart-contracts> , Fellow Traveler <http://agoristradio.com/?tag=fellow-traveler>, loom<http://agoristradio.com/?tag=loom> , Open-Transactions <http://agoristradio.com/?tag=open-transactions>, pktp<http://agoristradio.com/?tag=pktp> , trueledger <http://agoristradio.com/?tag=trueledger>, value transfer systems <http://agoristradio.com/?tag=value-transfer-systems> by admin Part 1 of our first Interview with Cypherpunk Fellow Traveler on the “Open-Transactions Financial Crypto System and Bitcoin Integration”. Traveler gives an intro to where this system came from from, motivations behind it, history. How to look at this system and what it does. Accounts transfers, Vouchers, Checks, Digital Cash, Basket Currencies, the Integrated Stock Exchange type Market features. …And drum roll… Integration with Bitcoin… to fulfill the other need for Bitcoin: Anonymous and Instant transaction settlement. FellowTraveler / Open-Transactions Github and Info Site https://github.com/FellowTraveler/Open-Transactions/ Nick Szabo — The Idea of Smart Contracts http://szabo.best.vwh.net/smart_contracts_idea.html Lucre: Anonymous Electronic Tokens v1.8 http://anoncvs.aldigital.co.uk/lucre/theory2.pdf Ricardian Contracts http://www.systemics.com/docs/ricardo/issuer/contract.html https://github.com/FellowTraveler/Open-Transactions/wiki/Sample-Currency-Co… http://iang.org/papers/ricardian_contract.html BitCoin Virtual Currency http://www.bitcoin.org/ Podcast: Play in new window<http://library.agoristradio.com/library/cypherpunkd/cypherpunkd-EP011.mp3> | Download<http://library.agoristradio.com/library/cypherpunkd/cypherpunkd-EP011.mp3> -- 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: Announcement: "Moneychanger" -- new Open Transactions GUI!
by Michel Bauwens 05 May '11

05 May '11

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Dante-Gabryell Monson <dante.monson(a)gmail.com> Date: Thu, May 5, 2011 at 4:37 PM Subject: Fwd: Announcement: "Moneychanger" -- new Open Transactions GUI! To: gtmonnaie(a)gtmonnaie.be, opencc(a)googlegroups.com ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Daniel <daniel Date: Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 3:49 AM Subject: [Ripple] Fwd: Re: Announcement: "Moneychanger" -- new Open Transactions GUI! To: rippleusers(a)googlegroups.com Screenshot has a Ripple tab... Also, there's a new Open-Transactions mailing list ( http://groups.google.com/group/open-transactions) -------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: Announcement: "Moneychanger" -- new Open Transactions GUI! Date: Tue, 26 Apr 2011 10:01:35 -0400 From: Pelle Braendgaard <pelle(a)stakeventures.com><pelle(a)stakeventures.com> Reply-To: agile-banking(a)googlegroups.com To: agile-banking(a)googlegroups.com This sounds great. FT you are a force in bringing back all of these technologies. I still haven't been able to build it locally but I will need to experiment more with it. I really like your views on the http://agoristradio.com podcast about how the bearer technologies fit in with BitCoin. P On Sat, Apr 23, 2011 at 9:58 AM, Fellow Traveler<f3llowtraveler(a)gmail.com> <f3llowtraveler(a)gmail.com> wrote: > Hi all, > > It's your buddy, Fellow Traveler. I know it's been a while since I last > rapped at ya, but I've been very busy on "work stuff" for the past few > months (and for the next few) and haven't had time to do a lot of coding > like I would like to. > > However, I do have some big news for you guys! > > ------------------------------------------------------------------ > > GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE > > Being too impatient to wait around for anyone else to write an Open > Transactions client GUI, **I went ahead myself and PAID someone to do it.** > > I call the new GUI: "M O N E Y C H A N G E R" > > ...and I hope you like it! Software and SCREENSHOTS are here, including jar > file and Java source code: > > https://github.com/FellowTraveler/Moneychanger/wiki > > The main purpose of Moneychanger is to provide a working GUI implementation > against the OT API, to serve as a model for the other developers out there > who are building actual OT software (yes they are out there now), and who > need to see how the API is actually used in a working model. > > (Actual end-user GUIs may have entirely different interfaces than > Moneychanger, depending on their purpose.) > > ------------------------------------------------------------------ > > GNU LICENSE RELAXED > > ...But wait, that's not all! > > To celebrate the release of Moneychanger, I've decided to LOOSEN THE GNU > LICENSE a little bit… > > The OTLib and OT-API (what most developers will actually use) are now under > the less-restrictive LAGPLv3 license. > > The practical result of this is that if you are only using the OT API in > your own software, then you don't have to release your OWN source code as > open source -- only any improvements made to OT itself. (This is just like > the LGPL license. LAGPL is the AGPL, but with LGPL-style relaxed > permissions.) > > The purpose of this is to make the OT-API available to all the developers > who otherwise wouldn't have been able to use it, based on the prior > requirement to open source their own code, which has now been relaxed. > > ------------------------------------------------------------------ > > POTENTIAL > > I recently did a radio interview about Open-Transactions on AgoristRadio, > you can listen to it here, in two parts: > > http://agoristradio.com/?p=234 > > http://agoristradio.com/?p=246 > > I think this interview does well in describing the system and what it can > do--and its potential. > > Speaking of potential, I think there's a lot of milage to be gained from > integration with BITCOIN, which is what I plan to do next. Part 2 of the > interview really focuses more on Bitcoin and OT integration. > > Think about it: > > ==> Bitcoin gives OT: > > A universal "glue" between servers, a network of existing exchangers, and a > publicly-auditable reserve currency that cannot be confiscated or shut down. > > ==> OT gives Bitcoin: > > Untraceable cash, instant finality of settlement, and convertibility > in-and-out of other currencies, on OT Markets. > > …Now that's two great tastes that taste great together! Anyone who can't see > the potential there needs to get a job as an analyst at MSNBC! > > ------------------------------------------------------------------ > > I've also recently realized that COMMUNITY CURRENCIES are similar to > Bitcoins in that they are not so easy to confiscate (the reserves are the > community itself, and the choice of its businesses to accept the currency. > How can you confiscate that?) > > Having all sorts of different currencies instantly convertible on markets > against gold, etc, including Bitcoin and Community Currencies, means that > persecution towards physical metals-based currencies will simply cause funds > to flow, via markets, more and more into Bitcoin and CCs, which are more > difficult to confiscate, driving their price up. Whatever percentage of the > overall value that ends up stored in Bitcoin will actually represent the > real value BTC brings to the table, in terms of its unique properties. > > All of these systems solve different problems, and will continue to > integrate together into an overall eco-system. > > ------------------------------------------------------------------ > > FUNDING > > Being as how I am working hard under deadline on real-life stuff, I've > decided to start taking DONATIONS to fund development for Open Transactions > components. I spent over a grand of my own hard-earned money to have > Moneychanger written (since I don't have time right now to do it myself) and > I also basically took a year off of work to write OT in the first place, so > I think you guys know my heart is in the right place. > > I can use the donations to continue adding features to the software, to > place Bitcoin bounties on certain pieces of work, to further integrate with > Ripple, Loom, and other systems, to write a Firefox plugin, to add p2p > aspects to Moneychanger, and so on. There is a lot that could be done, and > with the proper funding, ==>I can move mountains.<== > > If you believe that I am doing good work, then please donate to the cause. > Funds will only be used to pay for more coding on this project. > > The Bitcoin address to send donations is: > 1NtTPVVjDsUfDWybS4BwvHpG2pdS9RnYyQ > > If you prefer to use PAYPAL, go here: http://coinpal.ndrix.com/ > > These are also good: > > www.bitcoinmarket.com > > http://www.mtgox.com/ > > If you prefer another method, please email me: fellowtraveler(a)rayservers.net > > ------------------------------------------------------------------ > > REMEMBER WHAT IS HAPPENING TO YOUR FREEDOMS... > > A moment of silence for "Jolly Good Fellow" Bernard von NotHaus, > > the founder of NORFED who was recently (and wrongfully) convicted of > > "domestic terrorism." > > For history, the gloating FBI quotes after Bernard's conviction: > > "Attempts to undermine the legitimate currency of this country > > are simply a unique form of domestic terrorism." > > ... > > "We are determined to meet these threats through infiltration, > > disruption, and dismantling of organizations which seek to challenge > > the legitimacy of our democratic form of government." > > ... > > "While these forms of anti-government activities do not involve > > violence, they are every bit as insidious and represent a clear and > > present danger to the economic stability of this country." > > ------------------------------------------------------------------ > > First they came for 1mdc, but I didn't say anything because I didn't use > 1mdc. > > Then they came for e-gold, but I sat around and did nothing while they put > an ankle bracelet on Dr. Douglas Jackson. > > When they finally come for all of you, remember that human action is the > only thing that counts in this world. Don't let another year go by that you > don't have access to digital cash! > > Your friend, > > -Fellow Traveler > > P.S. FREE BERNARD VON NOTHAUS! > > > > > > > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "agile-banking" group. > To post to this group, send email to agile-banking(a)googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > agile-banking+unsubscribe(a)googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/agile-banking?hl=en. > -- http://agree2.com - Reach Agreement!http://stakeventures.com - My blog about startups and agile banking -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "agile-banking" group. To post to this group, send email to agile-banking(a)googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to agile-banking+unsubscribe(a)googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/agile-banking?hl=en. -- 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: WHAT IS “Moneychanger” ?
by Michel Bauwens 05 May '11

05 May '11

thanks Dante, Sepp, could you look into this? ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Dante-Gabryell Monson <dante.monson(a)gmail.com> Date: Thu, May 5, 2011 at 4:39 PM Subject: WHAT IS “Moneychanger” ? To: econowmix(a)googlegroups.com *https://github.com/FellowTraveler/Moneychanger/wiki* *M O N E Y C H A N G E R* *Radio interview about Moneychanger, Open-Transactions (and Bitcoin):* Part 1 <http://agoristradio.com/?p=234> Part 2 <http://agoristradio.com/?p=246> *To see more screenshots,* click here.<http://orlingrabbe.com/?p=1476084340> ------------------------------ WHAT IS “*Moneychanger*” ? It’s a Java-based GUI for Open Transactions<https://github.com/FellowTraveler/Open-Transactions/wiki> Moneychanger can be used to issue currencies, open accounts, withdraw cash, deposit cash, write cheques, purchase vouchers (cashier’s cheques), deposit cheques, and soon, to create basket currencies, exchange in and out of basket currencies, set up payment plans, and trade on markets. (Bitcoin integration is also coming soon.) README <https://github.com/FellowTraveler/Moneychanger> FAQ <https://github.com/FellowTraveler/Moneychanger/wiki/FAQ> Troubleshooting<https://github.com/FellowTraveler/Moneychanger/wiki/Troubleshooting> -- 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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new capitalism and commoning
by Michel Bauwens 04 May '11

04 May '11

I got this from Pat Kane, an initiative that resonates with Umair Haque's Capitalist Manifesto See: http://fearlessrevolution.com/blog/introducing-common.html "Benefiting people, communities, society, the environment and future generations is the new advantage in business. Our *new capitalist* brand is about transitioning from competitive advantage to collaborative advantage. COMMON is a brand that is community designed, community owned, and community directed. It is a single open source brand — a living network — for rapidly prototyping many progressive businesses that unleash creativity to solve social problems." Michel's comments: why is this interesting, well, in the context of the stress that our friends like Massimo and Silvia Federico place on opposing 'capitalist commons' my question is the following, generally, as I don't know much about this particular initiative: - are these people 'enemies' simply because they are 'pro-capitalist' - or are they friends because their heart is in the right place, and they want to create and share value, and have generally progressive social goals This is not just a matter of analysis, but also of language, and it poses a key question: should a new 'hegemony' (not the right word, I know, but even in a distributed world, something like that does exist) for a progressive commons approach, not necessarily include progressive social and other enterpreneurs ? My answer would tend to be yes, as many young people in the West, but even outside the West, especially here in East Asia, think that way; they want to see progress, don't believe in old-style socialism, believe in cooperation and sharing, but believe only free enterpreneurship offers progress and dynamism for their society and their own projects. Such an approach would require an analysis that distinguished exploitative commons approaches, from genuine commons; but also in a language that doesn't construct such people as enemies, and a pragmatic openness. To come back to the notion of capitalist/anticapitalist commons, through an example. Take the free software movement, a movement of a particular labour aristocracy, that has resulted in the creation of a strong commons, strong relatively autonomous communities, but also with a strong ecology of supportive corporate entities, that both profit from those commons, but also, pay wages to free software developers, practice various forms of benefit sharing, and support the communities and commons in various ways. (this of course needs to be problematized, but nevertheless, this is an important side of the equation) So here we have a commons that is both instrumental to corporate entities and 'capitalism', but also beneficial in substantial ways to a particular type of knowledge workers. In this scenario, both sides have both concurring and antagonistic interests. The model of the free software movement is not unique, as it is now largely replicated in many other open knowledge, open design and open manufacturing projects, for whom it served as a successfull template I'm not advocating either uncritical support of the model, nor a pure antagonistic approach, but rather an approach that starts with the interests of the peer producing communities and their commons, and looks at how they can optimally reproduce within current economic and power structures, and advance their goals, step by step, until they are stronger to achieve more fundamental transformations, In many cases, the creation of a successful ecology of corporate entities, and the attraction of progressive young enterpreneurs who may be willing to create non profit maximisation market-operating entitities, will be a sine qua non for the social reproduction and growth of the concrete commons and their contributors/users 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 Commons Strategies Group, http://www.commonsstrategies.org/

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