* Book: After the Future. Franco Berardi. AK Press, 2011. Publisher’s summary: “After the Future explores our century-long obsession with the concept of “the future.” Beginning with F. T. Marinetti’s “Futurist Manifesto” and the worldwide race toward a new and highly mechanized society that defined the “Century of Progress,” highly respected media activist Franco Berardi… Continue reading
Date archives "April 2012"
Project of the Day: Open Source Hydro Power
On GlobalAnchor.org’s “open source hydro power” project: “Hydro power is one of the oldest ways of transforming energy and making it usable. With the help of a turbine, the potential and kinetic energy of water is transformed into rotation, kinetic energy. This movement can then be transformed into electrical energy with the help of an… Continue reading
San Francisco confirms new trend of sharing cities
Instead of pursuing strategies based on big taxpayer subsidies for big-capital projects managed by political and corporate elites, the San Francisco “shareable cities” vision aims at decentralized participation by ordinary citizens and neighborhood groups in conjunction with nimble, socially attuned startup businesses. Via David Bollier: “How might public policy help grow the commons? San Francisco… Continue reading
Video of the Day: Taking Back Our Public Spaces
Inspired by the 15M Movement in Spain, people are taking back their towns. Watch the video here: Background: “”It has been a long time decisions are taken for us but without us. Once upon a time, there were collective spaces where people lived together and took decisions amongst equals, cultivated dialogue, fraternal cooperation and work… Continue reading
Book of the Day: Social Movements as Anti-State Forces
Zibechi traces the interaction between the forces of dispersion and liberation and those tendencies that move toward forms of the state, new dynamics of centralization and cooptation through representation. In Bolivia, like in New York, Oakland, and elsewhere, the process is unfolding and is far from settled. For those who are looking for inspiration, new… Continue reading
The Significance of Art in the #OccupyWallStreet Movement
Interesting debate. Amongst the participants is Ross Wolfe, the author of what is probably one of the best blogs of all time. Ross Wolfe’s text is appended below. The Significance of Art in the Occupy Movement from Platypus Affiliated Society on Vimeo. Description of the panel: “The Occupy Wall Street movement (OWS) has altered conceptions… Continue reading
Video of the Day: Jay Bradner on Open Source Cancer Research
Watch the TED video here: