thanks for this contribution Vasilis!<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Apr 5, 2011 at 3:53 PM, Vasilis Kostakis <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:kostakis.b@gmail.com">kostakis.b@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;"><b>Post scheduled for the 15th of April:</b><br><br><p>Recently, Michel brought to my attention Irene Sotiropoulou's paper
titled "Alternative Exchange Systems in Contemporary Greece" published
at <a href="http://www.ijccr.net/IJCCR/2011_%2815%29.html" target="_blank">IJCCR</a> (freely available).</p>
<p>This report distinguishes several grassroots initiatives in parallel
currencies, which are not supported by any authority; exchange/barter
networks; free bazaars; and free networks that have been emerging in
Greece during the last five years.</p>
<p>The Athens Timebank, established in 2006 and run by the Greek branch of the <a href="http://www.enow.gr/196/index.aspx" target="_blank">European Network of Woman</a>,
is a form of parallel currency that follows the general structure of
time banks, i.e. �a �network� of individuals who are offering services
to other members of the group. In reward, the member gains �time� so
that he/she is able to ask for the other members� services�. (27)
Sotiropoulou outlines: �The value of the services is accounted in time
hours. The transactions and the time hours credited and debited for each
participant are recorded in a computer with software created by a
volunteer�. (27)</p>
<p>Another parallel currency is the<a href="http://www.ovolos.gr/" target="_blank"> Ovolos scheme</a>
run in Patras and Thessaloniki since 2009, and based on the idea that
�the members can use the Ovolos currency (which is virtual, e.g. on the
main computer system and on each member�s digital smart card) instead of
euro currency for their transactions with the members�. (28) It would
be interesting to highlight that Ovolos currency, according to
Sotiropoulou, is used by several people who do not live or work in the
two aforementioned Greek cities: �This has created a peculiar situation,
where locality of transactions is not linked necessarily to the �base
cities�. The Ovolos organisers see this as an advantage, which will make
Ovolos an online technology platform available to all people living in
the country, enabling them to experiment�. (28)</p>
<p>In addition, the Local Alternative Unit based in Volos city as well
as the Money Back System, which is a hybrid scheme that combines
exchange trade but also monetary elements and is based in Crete and
Dodecanese, are two other interesting cases of parallel currency under
development.</p>
<p>Except for parallel currencies, Sotiropoulou refers to various
exchange networks "either of general nature or specialised in one sector
of an activity". (30) In her account, <a href="http://www.peliti.gr/pages_eng/peliti_eng.htm" target="_blank">Peliti</a>
comes to the fore, which was founded in 2007, covers both rural and
urban areas and its structure consists of two separate but interrelated
networks: a network for exchanging goods and services, and another one
that enables people "to exchange or just find for free traditional
varieties of plants (either fruit or decorative trees, vegetables,
flowers etc) and to acquire (at the cost of breeding only) several
traditional species of domestic animals." (30)</p>
<p>Further, the free exchange bazaars are places where people bring
things to exchange or give away them. Since 2009,� as Sotiropoulou
mentions, first free exchange bazaars' dispersion, volume and regularity
have greatly increased not only in Athens, where <a href="http://sporos.org/" target="_blank">the Sporos cooperative</a> -the initiator of such projects- is based, but in several other cities.</p>
<p>Moreover, the free networks, in that context, are online platforms
which, more or less, work as a free exchange online bazaars: the <a href="http://www.xariseto.gr/" target="_blank">Charise-to platform</a>, the <a href="http://dwsepare.ning.com/" target="_blank">Dose-Pare initiative</a> or <a href="http://freecycle.wikispaces.com/freecycle_gr" target="_blank">the Greek network of Freecycle</a> are only some projects that exemplify this exchange pattern of free online networks.</p>
<p>------A last word------</p>
<p>Examining the Argentine economic crisis (1999-2003) and the
alternative exchange models that emerged and the role they played at
that time, it could be argued that although the alternative exchange
systems seem, for the moment, to have a peripheral, as an economic
trend, role, after a possible Greek bankruptcy they will arguably come
to the fore.</p><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On 3 April 2011 09:59, Vasilis Kostakis <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:kostakis.b@gmail.com" target="_blank">kostakis.b@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">
ok!<div><div></div><div><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On 3 April 2011 09:54, Michel Bauwens <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:michelsub2004@gmail.com" target="_blank">michelsub2004@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">
when you click on posts, you see the dates on the right side, any date with less than 4 items is okay, I would say from april 15 on up,<br><font color="#888888"><br>Michel</font><div><div></div><div><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">
On Sun, Apr 3, 2011 at 1:47 PM, Vasilis Kostakis <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:kostakis.b@gmail.com" target="_blank">kostakis.b@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">Michlel, if you have a suggestion on the postdating, please do tell me!<div><div></div><div>
<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On 3 April 2011 09:46, Michel Bauwens <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:michelsub2004@gmail.com" target="_blank">michelsub2004@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">thanks Vasilis, and thanks for looking at appropriate postdating<div><div></div><div><br><br>
<div class="gmail_quote">
On Sun, Apr 3, 2011 at 1:43 PM, Vasilis Kostakis <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:kostakis.b@gmail.com" target="_blank">kostakis.b@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">Will do it this week!<br><br>v.<div><div></div><div><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">
On 2 April 2011 14:25, Michel Bauwens <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:michelsub2004@gmail.com" target="_blank">michelsub2004@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">
Hi Vasilis,<br><br>could you present this to our blog?, <br><br>see <a href="http://www.ijccr.net/IJCCR/2011_%2815%29.html" target="_blank">http://www.ijccr.net/IJCCR/2011_%2815%29.html</a><br><br><br><p>Alternative Exchange Systems in
Contemporary Greece<br></p>
<p>Irene Sotiropoulou <span>D 27-31</span><br></p>
<p><br></p>
This paper is a brief
report of several schemes that exist today, September 2010, in Greece
and permit their members to perform transactions without any official
currency. The report covers parallel currency schemes, exchange networks
and several related initiatives that could be characterised as
alternative exchange or non-mainstream modes of economic activity. <br clear="all"><font color="#888888"><br>-- <br>P2P Foundation: <a href="http://p2pfoundation.net" target="_blank">http://p2pfoundation.net</a>� - <a href="http://blog.p2pfoundation.net" target="_blank">http://blog.p2pfoundation.net</a> <br>
<br>Connect: <a href="http://p2pfoundation.ning.com" target="_blank">http://p2pfoundation.ning.com</a>; Discuss: <a href="http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation" target="_blank">http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation</a><br>
<br>Updates: <a href="http://del.icio.us/mbauwens" target="_blank">http://del.icio.us/mbauwens</a>; <a href="http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens" target="_blank">http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens</a>; <a href="http://twitter.com/mbauwens" target="_blank">http://twitter.com/mbauwens</a>; <a href="http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens</a><br>
<br><br><br><br><br>
</font></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br></div></div><font color="#888888">-- <br><a href="http://kostakis.org/" target="_blank">http://kostakis.org/</a><br><br>
</font></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>P2P Foundation: <a href="http://p2pfoundation.net" target="_blank">http://p2pfoundation.net</a>� - <a href="http://blog.p2pfoundation.net" target="_blank">http://blog.p2pfoundation.net</a> <br>
<br>Connect: <a href="http://p2pfoundation.ning.com" target="_blank">http://p2pfoundation.ning.com</a>; Discuss: <a href="http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation" target="_blank">http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation</a><br>
<br>Updates: <a href="http://del.icio.us/mbauwens" target="_blank">http://del.icio.us/mbauwens</a>; <a href="http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens" target="_blank">http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens</a>; <a href="http://twitter.com/mbauwens" target="_blank">http://twitter.com/mbauwens</a>; <a href="http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens</a><br>
<br><br><br><br><br>
</div></div></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br></div></div><font color="#888888">-- <br><a href="http://kostakis.org/" target="_blank">http://kostakis.org/</a><br><br>
</font></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>P2P Foundation: <a href="http://p2pfoundation.net" target="_blank">http://p2pfoundation.net</a>� - <a href="http://blog.p2pfoundation.net" target="_blank">http://blog.p2pfoundation.net</a> <br>
<br>Connect: <a href="http://p2pfoundation.ning.com" target="_blank">http://p2pfoundation.ning.com</a>; Discuss: <a href="http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation" target="_blank">http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation</a><br>
<br>Updates: <a href="http://del.icio.us/mbauwens" target="_blank">http://del.icio.us/mbauwens</a>; <a href="http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens" target="_blank">http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens</a>; <a href="http://twitter.com/mbauwens" target="_blank">http://twitter.com/mbauwens</a>; <a href="http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens</a><br>
<br><br><br><br><br>
</div></div></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br></div></div><font color="#888888">-- <br><a href="http://kostakis.org/" target="_blank">http://kostakis.org/</a><br><br>
</font></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br><a href="http://kostakis.org/" target="_blank">http://kostakis.org/</a><br><br>
</blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>P2P Foundation: <a href="http://p2pfoundation.net" target="_blank">http://p2pfoundation.net</a>� - <a href="http://blog.p2pfoundation.net" target="_blank">http://blog.p2pfoundation.net</a> <br>
<br>Connect: <a href="http://p2pfoundation.ning.com" target="_blank">http://p2pfoundation.ning.com</a>; Discuss: <a href="http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation" target="_blank">http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation</a><br>
<br>Updates: <a href="http://del.icio.us/mbauwens" target="_blank">http://del.icio.us/mbauwens</a>; <a href="http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens" target="_blank">http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens</a>; <a href="http://twitter.com/mbauwens" target="_blank">http://twitter.com/mbauwens</a>; <a href="http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens</a><br>
<br><br><br><br><br>