0. Occupied Kitchen: Rural farmers unite to feed Wall Street protestors How rural farmers, an unemployed chef and a protestor named Heather are getting 1,000 dinners served at Occupy Wall Street every night 1. Michael Moore Talks Expansion of Occupy Movement Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy 2. Goldman… Continue reading
Date archives "November 2011"
The MuA Project | Monuments at risk: Press Release
I cite the informative press release received by the manager of the very interesting and novel project, MuA, archaeologist, Stelios Lekakis: The MuA Project | Monuments at risk A project for the documentation & evaluation of the architectural heritage at risk The MuA project is a participatory project of collective data processing, concerning the documentation… Continue reading
Producing for our own consumption: generalizing the Scott Bader experience
David Braden thinks aloud on how to move towards a community economy, inspired by E.F. Schumacher’s Good Work and his mention of the experience of the Scott Bader coop company: “On the one hand, there are people who cannot find, or have stopped looking for, a paying niche in our market economy. Those people have… Continue reading
How Much of the Economy is Friction?
Charles Hugh Smith raises the question of how much of the U.S. economy consists of the actual output of goods and services, versus the friction entailed in producing them. As a small example, he cites a physicians’ group that includes ten doctors — and twelve billing clerks. That’s the general subject of a research paper… Continue reading
The world-historical importance of #15M and #OccupyWallstreet: Using Lateral Power to Transform the Political/Economic Landscape
1. The great economic revolutions in history occur when new communication technologies converge with new energy systems. … When internet communications manage green energy, every human being on earth becomes his or her own source of power, both literally and figuratively. Billions of human beings sharing their energy in vast social networks, like they now… Continue reading
Arthur Brock & Eric Harris-Braun explain the Metacurrency Project at #OccupyWallStreet
Arthur and Eric talk about re-claiming our capacity to create wealth and the Metacurrency Project on Re-visioning Money Day at OWS (on 10/24/11). Arthur Brock & Eric Harris-Braun at OWS from StormCloud Media on Vimeo.
Shared ownership vs. peer to peer rentals
Excerpted from Paul Citarella in Shareable: “The simple truth is, if you rent something long enough you’ll eventually pay for the cost of that item and have nothing to show for it. You could own these items, but then you’re paying for something that will sit idle most of the time, which doesn’t make much… Continue reading
#OccupyWallStreet Electoral Reform: Eva Waskell and the Election Integrity Movement
Gordon Cook has published an extraordinary and in-depth report on the work of Eva Waskell, pioneer of the Election Integrity Movement: Report: The Privatization of Democratic Elections via Computer Technology, on Eva Waskell and the Election Integrity Movement. Cook Report, February 2010 Full report at http://www.cookreport.com/eva.pdf Intro via http://www.cookreport.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&catid=38%3Acurrent-issues&id=253%3Aapr-may-2010&Itemid=73 Excerpts “Waskell: “The most important political… Continue reading
The Latin American connections to #OccupyWallStreet
Excerpted from New Compass magazine: This report from Liberty Plaza connects tactics and philosophies surrounding the Occupy Wall Street movement with similar movements in Latin America, from the popular assemblies and occupation of factories during Argentina’s economic crisis in 2001-2002, to grassroots struggles for land in Brazil. New Compass: Almost overnight in late 2001, Argentina… Continue reading
P2P Microfinance’s thousand points of light: Kiva’s Intercontinental Ballistic Visualization
Must watch, very impressive: “What happens when 620,000 lenders fund 615,000 entrepreneurs, students, and other microfinance borrowers around the world? Five+ years of Kiva loan activity, in full color. Thanks to all the lenders, borrowers, partners, and team members who brightened this map – and helped to change lives in the process.” Intercontinental Ballistic Microfinance… Continue reading
P2P and Utopia: the values of the new civilization
Very nice artistic rendering of the p2p value universe, by Vasilis Kostakis: P2P and Utopia from Vasilis Kostakis on Vimeo.
McKenzie Wark: #OccupyWallStreet as an Occupation, not a Movement
Excerpted from McKenzie Wark: “Commentators tie themselves in knots over whether it is a social movement or not. It is an occupation. It is in the title in case you missed it: Occupy Wall Street. Those who have been paying attention will notice it is part of a global wave of anarchist inspired occupations, big… Continue reading
The “one demand”: Robert Steele’s powerful proposal to the #OccupyWallStreet Electoral Reform Committee
Robert Steele presents his proposal to the Occupy Wall Street Electoral Reform Committee. This is a strong 6-minute statement that I recommend watching: “On 30 Oct Robert Steele traveled to NYC to present an electoral reform statement of demand and an act with eleven elements to the OWS working group on electoral reform. He was… Continue reading
An introductory series on “peer to peer” urbanism (bio-urbanism)
I’ve asked Øyvind Holmstad to introduce a new series of essays on bio-urbanism which are appearing in Metropolis magazine. They are all to be found here. And Øyvind Holmstad’s introduction is here. The essays in chronological order: * The Radical Technology of Christopher Alexander * The Sustainable Technology of Christopher Alexander * The Pattern Technology… Continue reading
Community currencies are complementing alternative currencies’ weaknesses
Instead of placing faith in the “economic experts,” these currency projects are built on faith in community and the creation of real wealth. When carefully designed, they can be a source of community empowerment, prioritizing caring relationships and community values ahead of profit as well as and generating meaningful employment at local businesses. As shops… Continue reading
Charles Eisenstein talks Re-Envisioning Money to #OccupyWallStreet
Must watch talk at #ows: