http://blog.p2pfoundation.net/how-the-privatization-of-the-public-sphere-cri... hi sepp, could you look into this suggestion? Michel 1. jim costanzo <http://aaronburrsociety.org/> Says: November 8th, 2011 at 2:51 am<http://blog.p2pfoundation.net/how-the-privatization-of-the-public-sphere-criminalizesencloses-the-occupywallstreet-protest-commons/2011/11/06#comment-486689> e<http://blog.p2pfoundation.net/wp-admin/comment.php?action=editcomment&c=486689> This posting addresses important core issues so I would like to draw attention to another threat to our commons, as well as, our per to per practices. The Internet has become as vital as water and air to our physical persons. It is something that is ubiquitous while often being taken for granted. Today the Internet is our basic form of communication, our quickest access to free speech and in some ways the quintessential universal commons. In addition to the Aaron Burr Society’s history and our involvement with OWS, we have been working with our friend Paul Garrin who has been working to keep access to the Internet as part of the commons. In 1996 Paul wrote “This race toward ‘privatization’ is taking place behind closed doors and in corporate boardrooms, well outside the sphere of public debate, and threatens the very existence of free speech over electronic networks.” http://wwww.next5minutes.org/artikel.jsp;jsessionid=D31A1BAB0F0209593DD5C494... Paul is an artist & cultural producer who in 1996 started Name.Space to register top-level domain names. In 2003 he started WIFINY to provide broadband Internet access as an alternative portal and to provide access to underserved communities. Both companies are based on the Social Enterprise model. This means that serving the common good is built into the business model. One of the important goals for each company is to empower local communities by providing the digital tools that can be used to create sustainable, self-sufficiency. Both of these companies are currently working to both expand and protect access to the Internet. One of the more interesting developments will involve next year’s applications for top-level domain names. For more information go to the websites listed below. http://about.namespace.org/about/ https://wifiny.net/ In the spirit of full disclosure, Paul is a charter member of the Aaron Burr Society and he has been my Internet provider since the last century. And, as previously stated, I have been working with Paul on these endeavors. -- 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