PlantCatching is an online ‘catch and release’ community that connects folks in possession of unwanted/surplus gardening materials with those who might want them. Matt Hickman explains: “Meet PlantCatching.com, a website that enables those with extra or unwanted seeds, perennials, gardening materials, and related plant-related paraphernalia to connect with local folks who might actually need/want the… Continue reading
Video of the Day: The Story of Change
Via: “In “The Story of Change”, Annie Leonard’s latest collaboration with Free Range Studios, she explains that conscious consumerism is a great place to start but terrible place to stop, because it is not the solution to a better environment. Annie believes that our global environmental issues begin with bad policies and bad business methods,… Continue reading
Movement of the Day: the Ouishare European sharing community
Ouishare is a pro-sharing advocacy community: an international network of entrepreneurs, citizens, activists, journalists and designers working toward the development of the collaborative economy. Shareable writes that: “With hubs in Paris, London, Berlin, Barcelona, Rome and Brussels, Ouishare is an international network of entrepreneurs, citizens, activists, journalists and designers working toward the development of the… Continue reading
Open Access Debates (1): A critique of the elitist aspects of Open Access in general
This is probably the greatest tragedy, Open Access does not by default produce Open products. Excerpted from Peter Murray-Rust: “Open Access is not universal – it looks inward to Universities (and Research Institutions). In OA week the categories for membership are: “click here if you’re a: RESEARCH FUNDER | RESEARCHER/FACULTY MEMBER | ADMINISTRATOR | PUBLISHER… Continue reading
Essay of the Day: Historical Reflections on Patronage, Autonomy, and Transaction
* Article: The intellectual and institutional properties of learning: Historical reflections on patronage, autonomy, and transaction. By John Willinsky and Johanne Provençal. New Media Society published 5 December 2012 Here is the summary of what looks like an important and interesting paper: “This paper attempts to cast a little historical light on current debate among… Continue reading
More selected citations on the commons
From the P2P Foundation wiki section on the commons, where you can find the sources of the following citations: * Sam Rose on Transition Economics “Where people work together to both share those resources that are shareable now (software, designs, knowledge, waste that can be used as food, surplus capacities and resources) and cooperate to… Continue reading
John Thackara on the End of Endless Growth
“Social critic John Thackara argues that the current human paradigm of endless growth is obviously unsustainable, so we should consider the brilliance of the Brazilian Jequitiba tree, which soaks up four tons of water a day. “I am a proper tree hugger, as well as a lichen hugger.” Watch the video here:
A warning on climate change
If we want a 50-50 chance of staying below two degrees, we have to leave 2/3 of the known reserves of coal and oil and gas underground; if we want an 80% chance, we have to leave 80% of those reserves untouched. Richard David Hames contributed the introduction to an important message from Bill McKibben,… Continue reading
Partner State Cities: Why Montevideo’s Open Public Digital Infrastructure Should Be Emulated
Guillermo Moncecchi, Head of Development in the IT department of the city of Montevideo, explains: “There is another, more expansive perspective on open government data: that it is part of an effort to build public infrastructure. Does making a shapefile available with all Montevideo’s traffic lights make Montevideo’s government more transparent? We don’t think so…. Continue reading
The commons and their im/possibilities
New ephemera issue: The commons and their im/possibilities – Volume 12, number 4 This issue addresses the question of the (im)possibilities of the commons within contemporary capitalism. It considers the commons within a variety of manifestations, including the Open Software movement, Open Education movement, housing, academia, the arts and art education. The contributions of this… Continue reading
Towards a regional/state/global “Chamber of Commons” system
A bottom line for this post — perhaps its punch line — is to propose the creation of a U.S. Chamber of Commons, modeled somewhat after the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (USCC). Indeed, how about a whole series of chambers of commons, at local, state, and regional levels!? They could form into a sprawling network… Continue reading
Europe vs Facebook – Austrian students point to facebook terms ‘not in compliance with EU privacy laws’
Tracking changes in Facebook’s privacy policy and pointing to the implications of those changes, has become almost an obsession for a group of Austrian students based in Vienna University. But not only that, the students have made complaints to the Irish Data Protection Authority, pointing to specific shortcomings to be investigated. More at http://europe-v-facebook.org/EN/en.html Irish… Continue reading
Steven Johnson on Peer Progressives
Steven Johnson, Author, explains the themes of his book, Future Perfect: The Case For Progress In A Networked Age (Penguin, 2012) Watch the 3 minute video presentation here:
Combining the modularity of LEGO components with open source and 3D printing
It has been widely argued that the traditional manufacturing model of non-adjustable standarised products has started to shift towards alternative ways of manufacturing, such as 3D printing and other desktop manufacturing techniques. The need of adjustable or modular machines arose while the need of constantly improving machines and products followed suit. This is the point… Continue reading
New issue of Interface Journal: For the global emancipation of labour
Interface: a journal for and about social movements, presents the Volume four, issue two (November 2012) entitled “For the global emancipation of labour: new movements and struggles around work, workers and precarity” Volume four, issue two of Interface, a peer-reviewed e-journal produced and refereed by social movement practitioners and engaged movement researchers, is now out,… Continue reading
The first international conference on Internet Science
“The first international conference on Internet Science” April 10-11, 2013. Location: The Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts (KVAB) Rue Ducale 1, Brussels (Belgium) Register online via the Conference Website To contact the event organizers, please email: [email protected] You are invited to submit your original and innovative work to the In3 conference, “the 1st… Continue reading