January 2012 - P2P-Foundation - lists.ourproject.org

Douglas Rushkoff on Getting Past Free Through Radical Abundance
by Karl Robillard 30 Jan '12

30 Jan '12

I just watched Mr. Rushkoff's brief talk about "getting past free" posted on the P2P blog [1]. His fixation on currency creeps me out. The FLOSS methodology exists outside of markets and money (while still being able to interact with them) and this is why it increases human freedom. Rather than being constrained to the current conventional concepts of political economy which focus on exchange value, we now have the opportunity to re-consider the advantages of the commons and use value. He completely ignores this in his talk and advocates for more variations of exchange value. Yesterday I came across an article on how the internet is being co-opted by corporations [2]. This is nothing new to anyone here, but the interesting part was about the Lauderdale Paradox where I learned of James Maitland and his book "An Inquiry into the Nature and Origin of Public Wealth and into the Means and Causes of its Increase" (1804). In stark contrast to Rushkoff, Maitland makes it clear that public wealth is diminished when we attach exchange values to things. Rushkoff also talks a bit about the lack of creativity in FLOSS and finds the remix culture to be somehow lacking. At this point in time I believe that all new ideas are always just variations on what currently exists (i.e. creativity is a vague term of idolatry for the act of making specific connections between existing ideas), so his criticism here seems pointless to me. He almost seems to be saying that sharing ideas freely is actually harmful to society. As someone who deeply appreciates being empowered by open access to highly technical knowledge this attitude makes no sense to me. -Karl [1] http://blog.p2pfoundation.net/video-of-the-day-douglas-rushkoff-of-getting- past-free-through-radical-abundance/2012/01/28 [2] http://monthlyreview.org/2011/03/01/the-internets-unholy-marriage-to- capitalism

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Fw: Stop Murdoch's BBC robbery
by robert searle 28 Jan '12

28 Jan '12

----- Forwarded Message ----- From: Ricken Patel - Avaaz.org <avaaz(a)avaaz.org> To: "dharao4(a)yahoo.co.uk" <dharao4(a)yahoo.co.uk> Sent: Friday, 27 January 2012, 21:17 Subject: Stop Murdoch's BBC robbery Dear friends across the UK, Every year the BBC is forced to hand over tens of millions to Rupert Murdoch’s BSkyB, under a hugely unfair law unprecedented in any other country. Pressure is mounting on Culture Secretary Hunt to end this outrage -- send your message now to make sure he does: The BBC is being forced to hand over tens of millions of pounds every year to line Rupert Murdoch’s pockets. Murdoch’s cronies in government are determined to save this scheme -- but together we can stop this outrage. These unbelievable regulations cost our public broadcasters up to £100 million a year. Rather than being paid for their valuable content, they actually have to pay BSkyB to show their programmes. This extortion is unprecedented in any other Western country -- and a sign of Murdoch’s shocking power.In coming days, Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt will decide whether to renew this dreadful deal -- and Murdoch's scandals have put him on the back foot. Our pressure can stop this BBC robbery. Click here to send your message to Hunt now:http://www.avaaz.org/en/stop_murdochs_bbc_robbery_2/?vlThese are our millions -- handed over in license fees to fund British content, not to boost Murdoch’s profits. But an unfair system of “retransmission fees” designed by Murdoch leaves the BBC and other broadcasters with no choice. They are forced to pay BSkyB to show their channels, even though they add huge value to the satellite platform -- accounting for 41% of all shows watched on BSkyB and vastly increasing customer retention.Amazingly, Murdoch has argued the exact opposite in the US -- there, he charges cable TV companies over $250 million a year to show his content. With the same deal Murdoch gets in the US, our public service broadcasters would have hundreds of millions of pounds extra every year to invest in quality content. This money would allow the BBC to reverse its cuts to BBC4 and local radio overnight.Murdoch's cozy relationship with our politicians has won him this outrageous UK scheme -- but his power is starting to crumble, and together we can end it. Labour has already come out against this deal, and Culture Secretary Hunt is about to make his decision in his communications review -- send your message now to make sure he stops this outrage:http://www.avaaz.org/en/stop_murdochs_bbc_robbery_2/?vlAvaaz members in the UK and around the world are leading the charge against the Murdoch mafia. Last year, we helped kill his proposed takeover of BSkyB and won press inquiries he didn’t want. Now, we can stop this BBC robbery. By continuing to challenge his corrupting influence where ever it appears, we can reign in Murdoch’s empire for good.With hope,Emma, Brant, Michael, Ricken, Alice and the rest of the Avaaz team SOURCESRe-transmission fees in the UK: the case for change (independent report):http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/reports/pdf/RetransmissionandAccessChargesReview.pdfHow the BBC can stand up to parasitic Sky (The Guardian):http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jan/02/maimed-bbc-parasitic-skyBroadcasters union backs call for reform (BECTU):http://www.bectu.org.uk/news/1408 Support the Avaaz Community! We're entirely funded by donations and receive no money from governments or corporations. Our dedicated team ensures even the smallest contributions go a long way. ________________________________ Avaaz.org is a 10-million-person global campaign network that works to ensure that the views and values of the world's people shape global decision-making. ("Avaaz" means "voice" or "song" in many languages.) Avaaz members live in every nation of the world; our team is spread across 13 countries on 4 continents and operates in 14 languages. Learn about some of Avaaz's biggest campaigns here, or follow us on Facebook or Twitter. This message was sent to dharao4(a)yahoo.co.uk. To change your email address, language, or other information, contact us via this form. To unsubscribe, send an email to unsubscribe(a)avaaz.org or click here. To contact Avaaz, please do not reply to this email. Instead, write to us at www.avaaz.org/en/contact or call us at +1-888-922-8229 (US).

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Fw: Robo Justice, Zombie Bees, Hollywood Ayahuasca
by robert searle 27 Jan '12

27 Jan '12

----- Forwarded Message ----- From: Reality Sandwich <news(a)evolver.net> To: "dharao4(a)yahoo.co.uk" <dharao4(a)yahoo.co.uk> Sent: Thursday, 26 January 2012, 0:18 Subject: Robo Justice, Zombie Bees, Hollywood Ayahuasca Psyche Eco Life Tech Commons Arts 2012 is finally here, but what's going to happen during this highly anticipated year? Ancient prophesies and current events point to an unprecedented worldwide shift -- but in what direction will it take us? Will this be “The Great Turning” or “The Great Unravelling”? Author Darrin Drda of Evolver Editions’ “Four Noble Turths: Awakening to the Peril & Promise of Our Times,” cautions against being "captivated" by either extreme as it can lull us into believing that everything that's going to happen is already set and that life on Earth is determined by forces beyond human agency. In The Four Global Truths, Drda writes: "While striving to be part of the solution, some may feel like Chicken Little crossbred with the Greek prophet Cassandra, blessed with the ability to see the future and cursed with the inability to alter the outcome or to convince others that the sky is falling. But convince others we must, if life on Earth is to survive. Somehow we must find a way to translate our collective desperation, anger, alienation, and grief--as well as our individual gifts, our passion, and compassion--into wise and skillful action, and we must do so relatively quickly. For the optimist, the hourglass is half full, while the realist perceives that it is at least half empty."Check out “The Four Global Truths” here: http://www.northatlanticbooks.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781583943441A…, for those in SF, catch his discussion,“Buddha, Jesus & Ayahuasca: Initiation in the Modern Age,” with Electric Jesus author Jonathan Talat Phillips. Feb 7th http://www.realitysandwich.com/buddha_jesus===EVENTSHow To Thrive: A Conversation Between Daniel Pinchbeck and Director Foster GambleBy Evolver IntensivesWhat would it take to lift the veil on what's really going on in our world? The movie THRIVE addresses that question by following the money upstream -- uncovering how the global consolidation of power effects nearly every aspect of our lives. On Monday, January 30th, you can join the discussion in a real-time, initimate and interactive Evolver Intensive video salon hosted by author and Evolver co-founder Daniel Pinchbeck, with Foster Gamble, director of THRIVE. http://www.realitysandwich.com/how_to_thrive***The Electric Jesus Book Tour: Evolver Co-Founder Jonathan Talat PhillipsPhillips recounts a harrowing initiatory process involving underground ayahuasca ceremonies, kundalini awakenings, prankster spirit guides, Christian mysticism, shape-shifting aliens at Burning Man, and an international movement working to heal our planet in crisis. Sponsored by Evolver Editionsand the Center for Shamanic Studies and Education. Evolver Calgary: Wed, Jan. 25, Self Connection, 7-9pm, FreeEvolver Vancouver, BC (and The New Agora): Fri, January 27, Banyen Books, 6:30-8:30pm, Free; Sat, Jan. 28, Unified Field 2012 Party, Submerged Studios, 390 industrial Ave, 8pm.Evolver Seattle with Evolver Everett: Tues, Jan. 31: Elliot Bay; Thurs, Feb. 2: East West BooksEvolver Portland, OR: Sat, Feb 4, New Renaissance, 7-8:30p, $12; Mon, Feb 6: Powell’s on Hawthorne, 7:30p, Free.Mountain View, CA w/ The Mayan Calendar Portal: Wed, Feb 8, East West BooksEvolver SF: Thurs, Feb. 9: Modern Times, 2919 24th St, 7pm, FreeEvolver Palm Springs: Sat, Feb. 11: Crystal Fantasy, 268 N. Palm Canyon Drive, 7pm, $5Evolver Santa Barbara (w/ HopeDance & Ayni Gallery), Mon, Feb 13, Ayni Gallery, 216 State St.Evolver LA & Project Butterfly: Thurs, Feb 16, Project Butterfly Lofts, 821 Traction Ave #108Evolver Long Beach: Fri, Feb. 17: Gatsby Books, 5535 E. Spring St, 7pm.http://www.realitysandwich.com/electric_jesus_hits_road***Touring Sacred EconomicsCharles Eisenstein is embarking on a book tour for Sacred Economics. Check out the dates below to see if he will be in a city near you.Jan 28th - 1-day workshop for B-notes BaltimoreFeb 3rd - Integral, NYCFeb 4th - 1-day workshop NYChttp://www.realitysandwich.com/touring_sacred_economics***The Design of Dissent: Socially and Politically Driven GraphicsEvolver NYC, Thurs, Jan 26A panel discussion hosted by RS Creative Director, Michael Robinson will feature Milton Glaser and Mirko Ilic and focus on graphic design's ability to convey how power is effectively used and distributed, and justice is fulfilled. 8-6pm; $15 The Open Center. http://www.realitysandwich.com/designing_dissent***The Sync Book: Synchronicity in the Synchronous CityTues, Jan 31Join RS producer and editor Jennifer Palmer and 8 other contributing authors of "The Sync Book" to discuss synchronicity during an interactive multimedia event, opening with the NYC premiere of Radio8Ball. Plus Synchromystic Short Films & a group Sync Walk.Adv. Tix $10( https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/218425)/Door $20The Drilling CompaNY Theatre; 236 West 78th Street, NYC*** Visionary Creativity & Designing the New Earth CultureEvolver LA; Wed, Jan 25.http://www.evolver.net/group/evolver_los_angeles/event/2012/01/25/evolve… of “The Black Hole”Evolver Boulder; Wed, Jan 25https://www.facebook.com/events/166979656742261/***Buddha, Jesus & Ayahuasca: Initiation in the Modern AgeEvolver Salon with Darrin Drda & Jonathan Talat PhillipsEvolver Bay Area; Tues, Feb 7http://www.evolver.net/group/evolver_san_francisco_bay_area/event/2012/02/… Salon: Intentional Communities - Exploring mindful livingEvolver Bay Area; Thurs, Feb 16http://www.evolver.net/group/evolver_san_francisco_bay_area/event/2012/02…: Time For Change ScreeningEvolver Indianapolis, Feb 18http://www.evolver.net/group/evolver_indianapolis/event/2012/02/18/evolve… Up ScreeningEvolver Indianapolis, Feb 24http://www.evolver.net/group/evolver_indianapolis/event/2012/02/24/evolve… Reincarnation ScreeningEvolver Indianapolis, March 2http://www.evolver.net/group/evolver_indianapolis/event/2012/03/02/evolver… AM ScreeningEvolver Indianapolis, March 10http://www.evolver.net/group/evolver_indianapolis/event/2012/03/10/evolve… "Donation Based" AstrologyFounded by RealitySandwich Contributing Editor and "Fishers of Men: The Gospel of an Ayahuasca Vision Quest" author, Adam Elenbaas, the Vision of Nightlight Astrology is to offer donation based astrological readings, counseling and education to the public. Nighlight Astrology also offers a One Year, Donation Based Archetypal Astrologer's Training Intensive. NYC classes and Distance Options are both available for the Intensive! Check out all the latest at http://www.nightlightastrology.com===================================MULTIM… The Ayahuasca Monologues: Tony MossArtist and musician Tony Moss shares how he healed his entire lineage during an ayahuasca ceremony, from his enslaved ancestors all the way to his troubled relationship with his late father, who appeared next to him at the circle.http://www.realitysandwich.com/video/ayahuasca_monologues_tony_moss*… this episode of "Rap News", host Robert Foster and his guests, Terrence Moonseed and General Baxter, conduct an in-depth rap analysis into the future, and humanity's place in it. http://www.realitysandwich.com/video/occupy2012***Spiritual Technology That You Can Dance ToThe film Electronic Awakening investigates the spirituality of dance music culture and its ties to ancient shamanic rituals.http://www.realitysandwich.com/video/spiritual_technology===NEW ARTICLESWe publish new articles on Reality Sandwich daily, M-F. Below are teasers for recent highlights. We hope you will enjoy these stories and share them with your compatriots: The Cosmic Hour: The End of the 5th Sun and the Beginning of EverythingBy Jill Ettinger and Baza Novic We are 26,000 light years from the galactic center. Now, under the galactic starlight of 24,000 years ago, we all have the opportunity to do a clearing of thoughts, memories, words, actions, processes and energies that no longer serve us, humanity or the planet.Read it here:http://www.realitysandwich.com/cosmic_hour_end_5th_sun_beginning_every… Empowered Public Wisdom Rising from the GrassrootsBy Tom AtleeHow can we generate public wisdom right at the grassroots, with people creating that capacity in their communities whenever they want to? Can we get at least 80% of the quality of a professionally organized face-to-face citizen deliberative council with far less expense and effort -- perhaps with smart use of the Internet?Read it here:http://www.realitysandwich.com/empowered_public_wisdom_rising_grassroo… You Have the Right Vibe, It's Not a Coincidence: Synchronicities, Energy Healing, and Other Strangeness in the FieldBy Amy L. Lansky PhDThe universe may not be a cold, meaningless machine. Objects, individuals, emotions, dreams, and events with similar vibrations tend to resonate with one another and co-occur. Some theories of quantum physics require such synchronicities. Read it here:http://www.realitysandwich.com/vibe_not_coincidence_healing***Where Next for Occupy?By Charles EisensteinThe occupations have served an important purpose, but the time has come to direct the energy they have awakened toward tangible goals. For too long, the left has mortgaged its soul to a dispirited, defeated version of the practical. Society and the planet are in such a strait that the old practical isn't enough. We need to think big -- and then be practical.Read it here:http://www.realitysandwich.com/where_next_occupy***The New Age PentecostBy Adam ElenbaasI was visiting a classroom of undergraduate Philosophy and Religion students talking about ayahuasca shamanism this past November. The question was posed to me, “Is ayahuasca a new religion?”Read it here:http://www.realitysandwich.com/new_age_pentecost***Hollywood Does AyahuascaBy Nese Lisa SenolWill the mention of ayahuasca in the new Jennifer Aniston movie have any effect on the public's view of the spirit vine? [VIDEO]Read it here: http://www.realitysandwich.com/hollywood_ayahuasca***Biopsychosocial Technoetics and the 99%By OddEdgesOccupy may be an ethically motivated, bio-psycho-social response to a systemic process that is being perceived as a threat to the collective organism.Read it here:http://www.realitysandwich.com/biopsychosocial_technoetics_and_99***Ro… For AllBy Jameson ViensSOPA and Protect-IP are threatening to bring rampant surveillance and security to an internet portal near you. Learn about the impending legislation and the protests against it around the internet.[VIDEO] Read it here:http://www.realitysandwich.com/robojustice_sopa*** Devil in Deep Space: The Birth of Azrael WisdomBy Michael Muhammad KnightIn the Five Percenters' system of Supreme Mathematics, "Understanding" corresponds to the number 3; "Equality" to 6; "Born" to 9; Understanding your Equality (3+6) leads to your knowledge being Born (9). Hip-hop is filled with these secret references.Read it here:http://www.realitysandwich.com/devil_deep_space_birth_azrael_wisdom***… FarmersBy silentinfiniteJapan has a plan for robot farmers and tractors to transform land destroyed by last year's tsunami into a futuristic super farm. Read it here:http://www.realitysandwich.com/future_farmers============Sponsorship==… Tribal Gathering is six days of ceremonies and prayer, music and dance. Honoring the elements, celebrating creation, welcoming all colors of humanity. March 3-9, 2012 in Costa Rica: http://pachamama.com/tribal-gathering.asp==================================… Power PlacesBy VerDarLuzAstrocartography is one of many techniques that can be applied in the enlightening art and science of Astrolocality or Relocation Astrology. Where do you want to be for December 21st, 2012?Read it here:http://www.realitysandwich.com/astrological_power_places***Dynamic Paradoxicalism: The Anti-ism ismBy Jonathan ZapDynamic paradoxicalism is my attempt to create a meta-philosophy that is a counter to fundamentalist and absolutist thought, which is nearly as common amongst New Agers and the Left as it is amongst religious fundamentalists and the Right. Read it here:http://www.realitysandwich.com/dynamic_paradoxicalism_antiism_ism***Lo…'s Evolution is My ResolutionBy Velcrow RipperLove's evolution is my resolution, my revolution, my solution. The time is now. 2012 is upon us. The beginning is here! It's time to come to our senses, and wake up! Listen -- can you hear the alarm bells ringing? 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Today's challenge is to bring food back into our cities, "past forward" to a 21st century model that joins new technologies with the old reality that food has to grow somewhere -- the closer, the fresher.Read it here:http://www.realitysandwich.com/urban_suburban_growing_food *** Occupy This WeekBy Kelly FragaleIn Occupy This Week, occupiers celebrate the removal of the barricades at Zuccotti Park, while Occupy Curve Ball puts out the call for “an all-hands-on-deck moment to bring new life and new direction to the movement.” [VIDEO]Read it here:http://www.realitysandwich.com/occupy_week_1 ***Sacred Economics: Chapter 24, Conclusion: The More Beautiful World Our Hearts Tell Us Is Possible (Pt. 25)By Charles EisensteinNow that I have entered the realm of speculation, I would like to describe a few more aspects of sacred economy that I believe will unfold over the next two centuries. This book has described developments that we can create in the next twenty years, and in some cases the next five. What about the next two hundred years?Read it here:http://www.realitysandwich.com/sacred_economics_ch24_conclusion*** Character and the Enneagram: The Yoga of RelationshipBy Douglas Rosestone and Olivia RosestoneAt various times in our history, oracular, archetypal systems such as the Tarot, Astrology, the I Ching, and Norse Runes have emerged out of various cultures. Within the last forty years, the discovery of a different group of archetypes has emerged -- the nine archetypal character styles of the Enneagram.Read it here: http://www.realitysandwich.com/character_enneagram_yoga_relationship***Cens… the RevolutionBy stefaniesaraThe whole world is watching—as NYPD arrest OWS live stream’s operators with suspicious charges.Read it here:http://www.realitysandwich.com/censoring_the_revolution***Empowering Public WisdomBy Tom AtleeThe revolution in decision-making that citizen deliberative councils offer us is of comparable magnitude to the revolution in decision-making created centuries ago by the idea of majority vote. It can be applied virtually anywhere, and it could make all the difference in the world.Read it here:http://www.realitysandwich.com/empowering_public_wisdom***Viva Venosa!By Tristan GullifordVisionary artist Robert Venosa lived in pursuit of beauty and truth, weaving together personal experiences with spirituality, philosophy, and plant shamanism to create vibrant, living works of art. Venosa spent many years studying spiritual wisdom and was well prepared for the inevitable ascent into the astral realms. He transitioned on August 9th, 2011.Read it here:http://www.realitysandwich.com/viva_venosa***The Coherent Heart: A Discussion with Dr. Rollin McCratyBy Stephen Hershey"Our studies have also shown that the more one becomes coherent, the more one has access to or is aligned with their higher selves..." A discussion with Institute of HeartMath's Dr. Rollin McCraty about the harmonic link between our hearts and their psychic environment.Read it here: http://www.realitysandwich.com/The_Coherent_Heart***Beyond the Anguish of ImpossibilityBy ShunyamurtiThe tragic sense is the power behind religion. God is an impossible concept. This has led, on the one hand, to rampant agnosticism and, on the other, to the silence of the Buddha. Today, instead of recognizing and accepting impossibility, we defiantly demand the impossible. Read it here:http://www.realitysandwich.com/beyond_anguish_impossibility***Physical…: A False View of the WorldBy Peter MeyerPhysicalism asserts that only that which is the subject of physics can be held to be real. If physical reality does not comprise the whole of what is real, then it is possible to accept the truths of physics while asserting the falsity of physicalism.Read it here:http://www.realitysandwich.com/physicalism_false_view_world*** Life as Art: The Legacy of Lynn MargulisBy Simon G. PowellIn the wake of Margulis's work, it is clear that relentless competition is not the sole theme of life. We have to acknowledge symbiosis as a key operating principle of life on Earth and install that operating principle within our culture.Read it here:http://www.realitysandwich.com/life_art_legacy_lynn_margulis***Dealing with Suffering and Seeting It As GraceBy Ram DassYou do what you can to relieve somebody's suffering with food, or shelter, or whatever you can do. But there is another level in which you know suffering is Grace. They are not asking for Grace that way. And you can't lay a trip. You can't say it's good for you, suffer. That's the beginning of dealing with the issues.Read it here: http://www.realitysandwich.com/dealing_suffering_seeing_grace***Soul and MythBy Patrick HarpurWe are all in the grip of a myth. We are all inhabiting an imaginative structure determined by the perspective and set of ideas we used to call a god. Proclus thought that myths are composed by the daimons and that the daimons shape our lives.Read it here:http://www.realitysandwich.com/soul_and_myth============Sponsorship===… "DMT" Mind-Release. Unveil a surreal reality that lies between physical existence and pure energy. Push your consciousness to a sacred place that only elite masters understood how to access. A place where you can naturally release "DMT" in your brain. This truly is, unknowable knowledge.. Go to the following link for a FREE 2 hour audio course: http://lp.higherbalance.com/ibtwn24===================================Cheer…, Ken, Jonathan, Jennifer, Michael, Remi, Chris, Stephen, Gabby, Maya, Faye, Cami, Michael and the rest of the Reality Sandwich team ________________________________ Manage Account Unsubscribe Opt Out RealitySandwich.com is Empowered By CivicActions, Creative Direction by nowhereNYC.com All Content

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Gateway Voyages..
by robert searle 27 Jan '12

27 Jan '12

Maybe of interest.. http://www.monroeinstitute.org/gateway_voyage/about/

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Fw: Soros on the Euro Crisis in the New York Review of Books
by robert searle 27 Jan '12

27 Jan '12

----- Forwarded Message ----- From: George Soros <info(a)georgesoros.com> To: dharao4(a)yahoo.co.uk Sent: Wednesday, 25 January 2012, 12:03 Subject: Soros on the Euro Crisis in the New York Review of Books Dear Friends and Colleagues, I thought you would be interested in George Soros's essay in the forthcoming edition of the New York Review of Books: http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2012/feb/23/how-save-euro. The essay is adapted from a speech he delivered at the opening of the World Economic Forum in Davos today. All best, Michael Vachon How to Save the Euro George Soros New York Review of Books My new book, Financial Turmoil in Europe and the United States, tries to explain and, to the extent possible, predict the outcome of the euro crisis. It follows the same pattern as my other books: it contains an updated version of my conceptual approach and the application of that approach to a particular situation, and it presents a real-time experiment to test the validity of my interpretation. Its account is not complete because the crisis is still ongoing. We remain in the acute phase of the crisis; the prospect of a meltdown of the global financial system has not been removed. In my book, I proposed a plan that would bring immediate relief to global financial markets but it has not been adopted. My proposal is to use the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF), and its successor the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), to insure the European Central Bank (ECB) against the solvency risk on any newly issued Italian or Spanish treasury bills they may buy from commercial banks. Banks could then hold those bills as the equivalent of cash, enabling Italy and Spain to refinance their debt at close to 1 percent. Italy, for instance, would see its average cost of borrowing decline rather than increase from the current 4.3 percent. This would put their debt on a sustainable course and protect them against the threat of an impending Greek default. I call this the Padoa-Schioppa plan, in memory of my friend who helped stabilize Italy’s finances in the 1990s and who inspired the proposal. The plan is rather complicated, but it is both legally and technically sound. I describe it in detail in my book. The European financial authorities rejected this plan in favor of the Long-Term Refinancing Operation (LTRO) of the European Central Bank, which provides unlimited amounts of liquidity to European banks—not to states themselves—for up to three years. That allows Italian and Spanish banks to buy the bonds of their own country and engage in a very profitable “carry trade”—in which one borrows at low interest to buy something that will pay higher interest—in those bonds at practically no risk because if the country defaulted the banks would be insolvent anyhow. The difference between the two schemes is that mine would provide an instant reduction in interest costs to governments while the one actually adopted has kept the countries and their banks hovering on the edge of a potential insolvency. I am not sure whether the authorities have deliberately prolonged the crisis atmosphere in order to maintain pressure on heavily indebted countries or whether they were driven to their course of action by divergent views that they could not reconcile in any other way. As a disciple of Karl Popper, I ought to opt for the second alternative. Which interpretation is correct is not inconsequential, because the Padoa-Schioppa plan is still available and could be implemented at any time as long as the remaining funds of the EFSF are not otherwise committed. Either way, it is Germany that dictates European policy because at times of crisis the creditors are in the driver’s seat. The trouble is that the cuts in government expenditures that Germany wants to impose on other countries will push Europe into a deflationary debt trap. Reducing budget deficits will put both wages and profits under downward pressure, the economies will contract, and tax revenues will fall. So the debt burden, which is a ratio of the accumulated debt to the GDP, will actually rise, requiring further budget cuts, setting in motion a vicious circle. To be sure, I am not accusing Germany of acting in bad faith. It genuinely believes in the policies it is advocating. Germany is the most successful economy in Europe. Why should not the rest of Europe be like it? But it is pursuing an impossibility. In a closed system like the euro clearing system, everybody cannot be a creditor at the same time. The fact that a counterproductive policy is being imposed by Germany creates a very dangerous political dynamic. Instead of bringing the member countries closer together it will drive them to mutual recriminations. There is a real danger that the euro will undermine the political cohesion of the European Union. The evolution of the European Union is following a course that greatly resembles a sequence of boom and bust or a financial bubble. That is no accident. Both processes are “reflexive,” that is, as I have argued elsewhere, they are largely driven by mistakes and misconceptions. In the boom phase the European Union was what the British psychologist David Tuckett calls a “fantastic object”—an unreal but attractive object of desire. To my mind, it represented the embodiment of an open society—another fantastic object. It was an association of nations founded on the principles of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law that is not dominated by any nation or nationality. Its creation was a feat of piecemeal social engineering led by a group of farsighted statesmen who understood that the fantastic object itself was not within their reach. They set limited objectives and firm timelines and then mobilized the political will for a small step forward, knowing full well that when they accomplished it, its inadequacy would become apparent and require a further step. That is how the European Coal and Steel Community was gradually transformed into the European Union, step by step. During the boom period Germany was the main driving force. When the Soviet empire started to fall apart, Germany’s leaders realized that reunification of their country was possible only in a more united Europe. They needed the political support of other European powers, and they were willing to make considerable sacrifices to obtain it. When it came to bargaining they were willing to contribute a little more and take a little less than the others, thereby facilitating agreement. At that time, German statesmen used to assert that Germany had no independent foreign policy, only a European policy. The process—the boom, if you will—culminated with the Maastricht Treaty in 1992 and the introduction of the euro in 2002. It was followed by a period of stagnation that turned into a process of disintegration after the crash of 2008. The euro was an incomplete currency and its architects knew it. The Maastricht Treaty established a monetary union without a political union. The euro boasted a common central bank to provide liquidity, but it lacked a common treasury that would be able to deal with solvency risk in times of crisis. The architects had good reason to believe, however, that when the time came further steps would be taken toward a political union. But the euro also had some other defects of which the architects were unaware and that are not fully understood even today. These defects contributed to setting in motion a process of disintegration. The fathers of the euro relied on an interpretation of financial markets that proved its inadequacy in the crash of 2008. They believed, in particular, that only the public sector is capable of producing unacceptable economic imbalances; the invisible hand of the market would correct the imbalances produced by markets. In addition, they believed that the safeguards they introduced against public sector imbalances were adequate. Consequently, they treated government bonds as riskless assets that banks could buy and hold without allocating any capital reserves against them. When the euro was introduced, the ECB treated the government bonds of all member states as equal. This gave banks an incentive to gorge themselves on the bonds of the weaker countries in order to earn a few extra basis points, since the yields on those bonds were slightly higher. It also caused interest rates to converge. That, in turn, caused economic performance to diverge. Germany, struggling with the burdens of reunification, undertook structural reforms, principally in its labor markets, and became more competitive. Other countries, benefiting from lower interest rates, enjoyed a housing boom that made them less competitive. That is how the introduction of the euro caused the divergence in competitiveness that is now so difficult to correct. The banks were weighed down with the government bonds of less competitive countries that turned from riskless assets into the riskiest ones. The tipping point was reached when a newly elected Greek government revealed that the previous government had cheated and the national deficit was much bigger than had been announced. The Greek crisis revealed the gravest defect in the Maastricht Treaty: it has no provisions for correcting errors in the euro’s design. There is neither a mechanism for enforcing payment by member states of the European debt nor an exit mechanism from the euro; and member countries cannot resort to printing money. The statutes of the ECB strictly prohibit it from lending to member states, although it lends to banks. So it was left to the other member states to come to Greece’s rescue. Unfortunately the European authorities had little understanding of how financial markets really work. Far from combining all the available knowledge in the market’s movements, as economic theory claims, financial markets are ruled by impressions and emotions and they abhor uncertainty. To bring a financial crisis under control requires firm leadership and ample financial resources. But Germany did not want to become the deep pocket for bad debtors. Consequently Europe always did too little too late and the Greek crisis snowballed. The bonds of other heavily indebted countries such as Italy and Spain were hit by contagion—i.e., in view of the failure in Greece they had to pay higher yields. The European banks suffered losses that were not recognized on their balance sheets. Germany aggravated the situation by imposing draconian conditions and insisting that Greece should pay penalty rates on the loans in the rescue package that Germany and other states provided. The Greek economy collapsed, capital fled, and Greece repeatedly failed to meet the conditions of the rescue package. Eventually Greece became patently insolvent. Germany then further destabilized the situation by insisting on private sector participation in the rescue. This pushed the risk premiums on Italian and Spanish bonds through the roof and endangered the solvency of the banking system. The authorities then ordered the European banking system to be recapitalized. This was the coup de grâce. It created a powerful incentive for the banks to shrink their balance sheets by calling in loans and getting rid of risky government bonds, rather than selling shares at a discount. That is where we are today. The credit crunch started to make its effect felt on the real economy in the last quarter of 2011. The ECB then started to reduce interest rates and aggressively expand its balance sheet by buying government bonds in the open market. The ECB’s LTRO facility provided relief to the banking system but left Italian and Spanish bonds precariously balanced between the sustainable and the unsustainable. What lies ahead? Economic deterioration and political and social disintegration will mutually reinforce each other. During the boom phase the political leadership was in the forefront of further integration; now the European leaders are trying to protect a status quo that is clearly untenable. Treaties and laws that were meant to be stepping stones have turned into immovable rocks. I have in mind Article 123 of the Lisbon Treaty, which prohibits the ECB from lending money directly to member states. The German authorities, notably the Constitutional Court and the Bundesbank, are dead set on enforcing rules that have proved to be unworkable. For instance, the Bundesbank’s narrow interpretation of Article 123 prevented Germany from contributing its Special Drawing Rights to a rescue effort by the G20. This is the path to disintegration. Those who find the status quo intolerable and are actively looking for change are driven to anti-European and xenophobic extremism. What is happening today in Hungary—where a far-right party is demanding that Hungary leave the EU—is a precursor of what is in store. The outlook is truly dismal but there must be a way to avoid it. After all, history is not predetermined. I can see an alternative. It is to rediscover the European Union as the “fantastic object” that used to be so alluring when it was only an idea. That fantastic object was almost within reach until we lost our way. The authorities forgot that they are fallible and started to cling to the status quo as if it were sacrosanct. The European Union as a reality bears little resemblance to the fantastic object that used to be so alluring. It is undemocratic to the point where the electorate is disaffected and it is ungovernable to the point where it cannot deal with the crisis that it has created. These are the defects that need to be fixed. That should not be impossible. All we need to do is to reassert the principles of open society and recognize that the prevailing order is not cast in stone and rules are in need of improvement. We need to find a European solution for the euro crisis because national solutions would lead to the dissolution of the European Union, and that would be catastrophic; but we must also change the status quo. That is the kind of program that could inspire the silent majority that is disaffected and disoriented but at heart still pro-European. When I look around the world I see people aspiring to open society. I see it in the Arab Spring, in various African countries; I see stirrings in Russia, and as far away as Burma and Malayasia. Why not in Europe? To be a little more specific, let me suggest the outlines of a European solution to the euro crisis. It involves a delicate two-phase maneuver, similar to the one that got us out of the crash of 2008. When a car is skidding, you first have to turn the steering wheel in the direction of the skid, and only after you have regained control can you correct your direction. In this case, you must first impose strict fiscal discipline on the deficit countries and encourage structural reforms; but then you must find some stimulus to get you out of the deflationary vicious circle— because structural reforms alone will not do it. The stimulus will have to come from the European Union and it will have to be guaranteed jointly and severally. It is likely to involve eurobonds in one guise or another. It is important, however, to spell out the solution in advance. Without a clear game plan Europe will remain mired in a larger vicious circle in which economic decline and political disintegration mutually reinforce each other. ***Please do not reply to this message. This email was generated automatically and responses are not monitored. © 2009 GeorgeSoros.com | All rights reserved | Unsubscribe | Privacy Policy

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Fwd: ACTA: The new threat to the net
by Dante-Gabryell Monson 27 Jan '12

27 Jan '12

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Dalia Hashad - Avaaz.org <avaaz(a)avaaz.org> Date: Thu, Jan 26, 2012 at 11:23 PM Subject: ACTA: The new threat to the net ** Dear friends, <http://www.avaaz.org/en/eu_save_the_internet/?cl=1533854803&v=12249> *A new global treaty could allow corporations to police everything that we do on the Internet.* Last week 3 million of us successfully pushed back the US censorship bills -- *if we act now, we can get the EU Parliament to bury this new threat* to all of us: [image: Click here to sign the petition]<http://www.avaaz.org/en/eu_save_the_internet/?cl=1533854803&v=12249> Last week, 3 million of us beat back America's attack on our Internet! -- but there is an even bigger threat out there, and our global movement for freedom online is perfectly poised to kill it for good. *ACTA -- a global treaty -- could allow corporations to censor the Internet. * Negotiated in secret by a small number of rich countries and corporate powers, it would set up a shadowy new anti-counterfeiting body to allow private interests to police everything that we do online and impose massive penalties -- even prison sentences -- against people they say have harmed their business. *Europe is deciding right now whether to ratify ACTA -- and without them, this global attack on Internet freedom will collapse.* We know they have opposed ACTA before, but some members of Parliament are wavering -- *let's give them the push they need to reject the treaty.* Sign the petition -- we'll do a spectacular delivery in Brussels when we reach 500,000 signatures: http://www.avaaz.org/en/eu_save_the_internet/?vl<http://www.avaaz.org/en/eu_save_the_internet/?cl=1533854803&v=12249> It's outrageous -- governments of four-fifths of the world’s people were excluded from the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) negotiations and *unelected bureaucrats have worked closely with corporate lobbyists to craft new rules and a dangerously powerful enforcement regime.* ACTA would initially cover the US, EU and 9 other countries, then be rolled out across the world. But if we can get the EU to say no now, the treaty will lose momentum and could stall for good. The oppressively strict regulations could mean people everywhere are punished for simple acts such as sharing a newspaper article or uploading a video of a party where copyrighted music is played. Sold as a trade agreement to protect copyrights, *ACTA could also ban lifesaving generic drugs and threaten local farmers' access to the seeds they need.* And, amazingly, the ACTA committee will have carte blanche to change its own rules and sanctions with no democratic scrutiny. *Big corporate interests are pushing hard for this, but the EU Parliament stands in the way.* Let's send a loud call to Parliamentarians to face down the lobbies and stand firm for Internet freedom. Sign now and send to everyone you know: http://www.avaaz.org/en/eu_save_the_internet/?vl<http://www.avaaz.org/en/eu_save_the_internet/?cl=1533854803&v=12249> Last week, we saw the strength of our collective power when millions of us joined forces to stop the US from passing an Internet censorship law that would have struck at the heart of the Internet. We also showed the world how powerful our voices can be. Let's raise them again to tackle this new threat. With hope and determination, Dalia, Alice, Pascal, Emma, Ricken, Maria Paz and the rest of the Avaaz team More information: If You Thought SOPA Was Bad, Just Wait Until You Meet ACTA http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2012/01/23/if-you-thought-sopa-was-bad… ACTA vs. SOPA: Five Reasons ACTA is Scarier Threat to Internet Freedom http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/286925/20120124/acta-sopa-reasons-scarier-t… What's Wrong With ACTA http://www.edri.org/edrigram/number10.1/whats-wrong-with-ACTA The secret treaty: Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) and Its Impact on Access to Medicines http://www.msfaccess.org/content/secret-treaty-anti-counterfeiting-trade-ag… *Avaaz.org is a 10-million-person global campaign network* that works to ensure that the views and values of the world's people shape global decision-making. ("Avaaz" means "voice" or "song" in many languages.) Avaaz members live in every nation of the world; our team is spread across 13 countries on 4 continents and operates in 14 languages. Learn about some of Avaaz's biggest campaigns here<http://www.avaaz.org/en/highlights.php/?footer>, or follow us on Facebook <http://www.facebook.com/Avaaz> or Twitter<http://twitter.com/Avaaz> . To contact Avaaz, please *do not reply to this email.* Instead, write to us at www.avaaz.org/en/contact <http://www.avaaz.org/en/contact?footer> or call us at +1-888-922-8229 (US).

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University 2.0 - Sebastian Thrun
by Dante-Gabryell Monson 25 Jan '12

25 Jan '12

http://new.livestream.com/channels/556/videos/112950 http://matt-welsh.blogspot.com/2012/01/making-universities-obsolete.html /// http://www.udacity.com/ *CS 101*: BUILDING A SEARCH ENGINE Learn programming in seven weeks. We'll teach you enough about computer science that you can build a web search engine like Google or Yahoo! /// ps: also see : http://ecolecon.missouri.edu/globalresearch/

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Fw: A Systems Approach to Financial Reform
by robert searle 24 Jan '12

24 Jan '12

----- Forwarded Message ----- From: John Fullerton <jfullerton(a)capitalinstitute.org> To: Robert Searle <dharao4(a)yahoo.co.uk> Sent: Monday, 23 January 2012, 22:45 Subject: A Systems Approach to Financial Reform To forward this email, click here. A Systems Approach to Financial Reform by John Fullerton I spoke last Thursday at the Congressional Progressive Caucus Policy Summit in Baltimore on how our work at Capital Institute might have relevance to the 2012 Congress’s financial reform agenda. These are the hopes I shared for how policy could shape the Future of Finance: “Good Afternoon, and thank you for offering me the opportunity to address you on the subject of Financial System Reform. The Glass-Stegall Act was thirty-four pages. Dodd-Frank is 849 pages. And I’m going to talk about what must follow in seven minutes! You all know the core issues. What I would like to offer is a fresh lens through which to view them.” Read more at the Future of Finance Blog. MBA in Sustainability Launch This week, John Fullerton will be speaking in New York at the Bard College MBA in Sustainability launch event. The Bard MBA will teach future leaders of the public and private sector how to make the business case for sustainability, and Capital Institute is collaborating closely with Bard in developing the program’s finance curriculum. To join us in celebrating the founding of this critical institution RSVP here. The event will be held on Tuesday, January 24th, 6:30pm, at 434 West 33rd Street. For more information on the event, click here. ________________________________ The Biospheric Reality John Fullerton recently spoke with filmmaker Katie Teague, creator of the soon-to-be-released documentary “Money & Life,” about the enormity of the challenges we face–climate change, environmental degradation, unsustainable wealth inequity–and the foundational shifts in our economics, politics, and even ethics that we must make in order to weather the coming storm. What We're Reading In a piece we’ve been discussing recently, Naomi Klein lays out the argument for a new economics to meet the challenges posed by climate change and the destruction of our ecosystem. She reiterates the profound need for the work of groups like the Capital Institute to help find solutions. Capitalism vs. the Climate ________________________________ Comment of the Week "Not a day goes by we are not bombarded with servings of pro-growth Kool Aid. Every politician, every pundit, every news anchor, and nearly every journalist and headline writer couches his or her message in terms that assure us growth is obviously beneficial, and is - in fact - the Holy Grail." -Dave Gardner, Limits to Growth - Forty More Years? ________________________________ Quote of the Week "We have reached a critical point . . . We can . . . see clearly the gulf to which our present path is leading. We must expect the progressive breakdown of the existing structure of contract and instruments of indebtedness, accompanied by the utter discredit of orthodox leadership in finance and government, with what ultimate outcome we cannot predict." -John Maynard Keynes To unsubscribe from this email list, click here. 73 Arch Street, 3rd Floor Greenwich, CT 06830 United States

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JSTOR.
by robert searle 24 Jan '12

24 Jan '12

Personally, I had some problems with JSTOR. I was suprpised to find a number of complete articles on google scholar, and put their links on a forum. However, a day, or so afterwards, I noticed that instead of the articles there was a subscription form for JSTOR! Rediculous! It is more rediculous when you realize that the subject matter concerned had such limited public interest, and as such should have been made freely available. R.Searle. http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/01/locked-in-the-ivory-tow…

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Deep Black Lies...
by robert searle 23 Jan '12

23 Jan '12

The following maybe of interest. I do not know how credible, and genuine the following site is... http://www.deepblacklies.co.uk/deepblacklies_new.htm

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