Fifth of a 10-posts-series on P2P Lab’s 2013 publications. Full reference: Kostakis, V., Niaros, V. & Giotitsas, C. (Forthcoming). Production and governance in hackerspaces: A manifestation of Commons-based peer production in the physical realm?. International Journal of Cultural Studies. Summary This article deals with the phenomenon of hackerspaces and sheds light on the relationship of… Continue reading
Pat Conaty on the Need for Fast Money but Slow Capital
This is an extraordinary #mustwatch presentation, on how to overcome the ‘casino economy’, Pat Conaty explains the background to this talk and his ongoing projects: “”I am working to compile this as a report on an integrated Fair Trade Money and Banking system. This BALTA report for the Canadians should be published early next year…. Continue reading
Collaborative Networks and the P2P Model in Brazil (2): Rio’s fought-over p2p economy
The idea of ‘life economics’ has a growing influence in Brazil thanks to a variety of experiences. Besides the discussion of a ‘universal minimal wage’ as the horizon of new struggles for the cognitive precariat, we could point to the experience of complementary currencies, social and community currencies, and the notion of co- operatives and… Continue reading
Project of the Day: Open Source Hardware Taxonomy
Open Source Hardware Taxonomy = “elements that you need to create comprehensive documentation for a physical object; metatags for critical elements that allows anyone to find specific information on a piece of hardware.” [1] By the Open Source Hardware Documentation Jam: “Using a stack of Post-It notes, the taxonomy group delineated essential metatags and metadescriptors to be incorporated into… Continue reading
Russell Brand’s call to Revolution and the Impact of Popular Culture
Given that I don’t watch TV (because I don’t have a TV), and that I avoid the whole celebrity nonsense at all costs (because it’s my choice) – I really have no clue whether Russell Brand is famous in Spain, or not. In any case, this recent face-to-face interview, which pits Brand against Jeremy Paxman,… Continue reading
Freicoin aims to be more energy-efficient than Bitcoin, by routing around the miners
Excerpted from an interview with Jorge Timón, by Ferdinand Reyes. Q: What is Freicoin’s stand about the never ending energy consumption’s run for currency generation? Jorge Timón: We tried to separate the miner’s function as the way to make the system secure and, on the other hand, as a way to generate the initial units…. Continue reading
Introducing the South-African shack dwellers movement
“S’bu Zikode, founder of the Durban-based shack-dwellers’ movement Abahlali baseMjondolo, was invited to speak at Rhodes University on Thursday 10 October 2013. After the recent shooting of 17 year old AbM member, Nqobile Nzuza, Zikode focused on the increasing state oppression and violence against poorer communities in Cato Crest, Durban, and across the country.” Watch… Continue reading
Open For-Profit Ventures can be open and equitable
Excerpted from Indy Johar: “Fundamentally, a “Not for Profit” entity in itself, does not automatically ensure a gold standard of ethical corporate behaviour as much as a “For Profit” does not automatically presume a deal with the devil. The issue is, in many cases NOT about the precise legal form, be it “for profit” or… Continue reading
Toward Resilient Architectures 4: The Geometry of Resilience
by Michael Mehaffy, Nikos A. Salingaros, originally published by MetropolisMag.com The Alhambra (The Red) in the evening light, Granada, Spain. View from mirador San Nicolas. Image credit: Jebulon / Wikimedia Commons We have previously described four key characteristics of resilient structures in natural systems: diversity; web-network structure; distribution across a range of scales; and the capacity… Continue reading
Liberating Organic Farmers through the use of Bitcoin ?
This short documentary is about how small organic farmers are using bitcoins to reach their customers directly – with no fees and middlemen. Watch it here at: