Nervana

Nervana

I don’t know about you but I’m getting rather worried about what is happening with the stranded people of New Orleans, it seems to me that we heard the word evacuation, evacuation, evacuation but that is not what actually happened. To evacuate a town usually means that the military are at hand to help get out the sick and elderly but there wasn’t help in sight before or after, people were just told to leave. Only those who could afford a car could attempt an escape and many thousands of others had no chance.

No aid was forthcoming for days whilst people were herded together in terribly crowded conditions – doesn’t this remind you of something? Deserted towns? Concentration camps? Nazism was not defeated after the 2nd world war – it just changed hands.

What we are seeing is an attempt again for ethnic cleansing and control of the world – no, don’t sigh and stop reading – you can sigh and stop reading when you’ve read this whole document, or are you not up to it? Believe me you will shocked after reading this article and if it doesn’t make you scared then there is no hope for you.

Ours and America’s attack of Iraq made me and you murderers, all those innocent people slaughtered and for what?
I’m pretty sure that oil has something to do with it but there is also another agenda in operation by key people behind the scenes, the people who control what you and I see, hear, eat and drink and know.

Guantanamo Bay is still in operation. You just don’t see it on the news. Filled with so called ‘terror’ suspects. They have absolutely no recourse to justice, all they can do is go on hunger strike – but then they can force feed them.
Most of the people on death row in America are black or mixed race. Most of the people in prison are black, mixed race or poor, in England most of the people in prison are socially disadvantaged, poor or mentally ill or both -
Afghanistan is a mess; Iraq is in ruins – its people wiped out
America’s constitution replaced with The Patriot Act, overnight – this act makes Guantanamo Bay possible – the torture and death camps of America. Nazism hasn’t gone away – it just went underground, or in plain sight where it wouldn’t be spotted. We don’t have a constitution in Britain but it won’t be long.

TERROR if you make a lie big enough it will be believed, there are some whoppers out there from our governments. Joseph Goebbels was one of Hitler’s henchmen.

"If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State." Joseph Goebbels

The most brilliant propagandist technique will yield no success unless one fundamental principle is borne in mind constantly - it must confine itself to a few points and repeat them over and over" Joseph Goebbels

Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it" Adolf Hitler quotes (German Chancellor, leader of the Nazi party, 1889-1945)

"Intellectual activity is a danger to the building of character“Joseph Goebbels

Doesn’t this seem to ring true?

9/11 is not what it seems – there is overwhelming evidence that the American Government had involvement or even planned it.

You are being controlled and you don’t even realise it. ‘What!’ You say – No-one controls me. I get up in the morning and go to work and come home, I have my weekends off and I can do what I like. But most of us are in debt. One way or another, we are all slaves to money, it keeps us under control. Just out of interest, Muslims cannot be in debt – it’s against their religion…

Have you ever been on the underground at rush hour? Look again at what is happening around you. We are all trapped. We are encouraged to have a mortgage, own your house – it’s a joke – the majority of people won’t actually OWN their own house until retirement age but they’ve got you by the short and curlies until then and by then you will be so exhausted with trying to achieve this goal that you will want a nice, easy retirement.
Oh boy- are we controlled!

The education system is also controlled. Here’s the quote again "Intellectual activity is a danger to the building of character“Joseph Goebbels
The education system in America and Britain has been subtly changed since they moved from learning subjects to goal based learning. Children as young as 6 sit tests. If you don’t have the right answer you go back into the education system until you do give the RIGHT answer. Teachers don’t have any lee way in teaching their subjects anymore, strict guidelines are given and must be carried out or YOU as a teacher are out. They don’t want free thinking people, they want robots. People who will tow the line. People who would tell on other people if they saw them breaking the RULES. If you want further education then you will be in debt, there is no way round it. You will need to take a job whilst you are studying – again you will be so exhausted that you won’t have time to think. They don’t want you to think! They want you to do as they say. If you are rich enough then you won’t need to get a job to study – but they know that rich people ARE rich people because generally they tow the line and they give rich people power.

Do you really believe what happened in the London bombings? It seems that since the hurricane, we haven’t heard anymore about the incompetence of the Police or the fact that slowly and gradually our liberties are being taken from us, foreign nationals who promote ‘terror’ either through websites, or their religion etc are to be extradited, this blanket word TERROR will be used everywhere because it is the plan. It won’t be long before that is extended to British nationals. Get rid of the trouble makers, they upset the status quo.

Look at it really closely. We never really had marauding gangs of fanatical Muslims roaming the streets, but the media will make you believe that we have. Osama bin Laden was a CIA Operative; he was treated in an American military hospital for his kidney dialysis. We have proof.
The only people who were allowed to fly in America the day after 9/11 was Osama bin Laden’s family and other Saudis. Not even President Bush’s father was allowed to fly!

The IRA have been a threat for many years, this TERROR was stalking us for decades, and we never knew when it would strike. Have you heard anything about the IRA since 9/11? Think hard… Now suddenly they are disbanding, just like that – their TERROR has served its purpose, now it’s time for the ante to be upped.

They weren’t content with a few IRA bombings here and there; they want to feed us the huge whopper. With a huge whopper we can up the game. 9/11 is a monster of all whoppers. Turn brother against brother. Turn religious against religious. Say the word TERROR enough and people will believe it. The media controls what you see, hear and think. Television programmes are either about indulgence in some way, an abundance of cookery programmes, fun – MONEY making auctions, big brother – we will be so used to being watched and monitored in the end that we won’t resist it when it comes – we already accept CCTV cameras under the guise of TERROR. TERROR everywhere, on the streets of your home town, on the buses, the underground, EVERYWHERE. Really?

Did you really walk around your streets feeling threatened most of the time? NO
Did the Muslims walking around threaten you? NO
Did the Jews deserve to be exterminated? NO NO NO

I haven’t even gone into our food supply – Aspartame, an artificial sweetener was fraudulently approved and pushed through by Donald Rumsfeld. It is toxic and kills hundreds of people every year but it is still allowed in our diet – and the diet industry is being promoted! Why are we getting fatter? Because one of the side effects of Aspartame is that you PUT on weight, there is a flavour enhancer that has been allowed in our food supply since the 1950’s – it’s called monosodium glutamate, it also has hidden names… it is in all our foods in the supermarket, even the vegetables and fruit are sprayed with it - the side effects from this substance is even worse, ADHD is one symptom, confusion, the list is enormous but the key point here is that WE ARE NOT PROTECTED FROM IT.
Our children are being ‘dumbed down’ – their food at school is full of this MSG substance and then they get another helping when they get home – ADHD – Attention Deficit Disorder – treated with drugs… NOW ARE YOU GETTING THE IDEA? The drugs have serious side effects. Now here’s the next whammy – we are going to find that we cannot treat our health issues naturally, using dietary supplements because of the Codex Alimentarius – it has clamped down on 75% of dietary supplements, strict testing will have to be performed for natural remedies that have been used for decades, most small companies won’t be able to afford the procedures and will go out of business, but the large pharmaceuticals will be able to take over – they have plenty of money – YES – from selling psychotropic drugs to our ADHD kids and I won’t even go into what the vaccinations contain – but if I say the word MERCURY… a very dangerous chemical. Drugs… Mike Ruppert was an LAPD cop in America, assigned to the drugs prevention section and found out that the CIA was dealing in drugs – BIG TIME – in fact America’s economy is bolstered by drug money… there is evidence for everything I am telling you. Evidence – this means tr.v. ev•i•denced, ev•i•denc•ing, ev•i•denc•es
1. To indicate clearly; exemplify or prove.
2. To support by testimony; attest.
Proof – we have it.

Are you seeing more of the whole picture? Do you believe this is possible?
I can hear you now… Whoh, she’s off her mind… our governments are run by good people… she’s making it up… that’s too much, it can’t be true… just conspiracy theory…she’s been taking drugs…
But I am stone, cold sober… There is so much evidence that it is true that I could turn your nice cosy world, upside down, and twirl it around until you were a gibbering, senseless wreck – NO MORE you would shout while you break down and sob.

I’ve been through what I just described and you do get through the nightmare but I am very angry -something tells me in my heart that I can’t let this go. I want a world where people are free people, where religious freedom is possible, where children want to learn about the wonders of our world, where there are no drugs, and no TERROR. Don’t you? It may not have rapped on your door YET but it will, in time – IF you don’t open your eyes very, very soon.

This is the master chess game and we are about to be check-mate. Keep your wits about you. Get to the other side and don’t just be a pawn… become a strong, well-informed queen. Don’t accept what you are told, think for yourself – step outside the game, and resist it – we are all trapped – just stop and think about what I said and I will tell you again – we have evidence, please, for the future of our children and the whole human race, stop and think.

I am comforted by one fact… You cannot unhear.

Comments

tdevans's picture

Agreement and cautionary note

I agree with the emotional tone of your message. There have been those among us who have said much the same thing for many years, generally referred to as anarchists. "When the rich meet to take up the business of the poor it is called charity, when the poor meet to take up the business of the rich it is called anarchy." As someone said, recently, "The class war is over, the rich won." My mantra these days, is "Prepare for the worst, hope for the best." The thing I have trouble with is decideing exactly how cynical to be. Everytime I think I've gone overboard they just keep proving me wrong. I try to be cynical, but I just can't keep up. When conservative politicians get up and read documents into the Congressional record regarding Peak Oil, and the danger of EMP's, I realize that indeed we are "through the looking glass, where black is white and white is black, and nothing is what it seemes." Organize and prepare. Terry
Tom Ellis's picture

Thank you, Kim

Dear Kim-- A few short years ago, I would have quickly dismissed your last blog as a paranoid rant. But there is substantial evidence supporting nearly all of your allegations. And that is scary. The root of the massive creeping fascism you cite is what I call "Glomart"--the corporate-sponsored, corporate-controlled "Global Market Economy" which has everything to gain, and nothing to lose, from controlling all markets, eliminating all competition, manipulating public opinion, privatizing everything (e.g. turning fresh water from a social good into a private commodity for sale), buying out and controlling governments, plundering the planet, and exploiting its people for cheap labor. Bush and his corporate cronies are just pawns of Glomart. So is the CIA, the military, the mass media, all the rest. And the (former) United States of America has become little more than Glomart Central. But the life blood of Glomart is money, which is mere arithmetic--a transform of information about the marginal value of commodities. And the money system, in turn, is predicated on *available net energy*--the energy left after the energy we spend to get that energy. When, after oil peaks, energy is no longer cheap--when the availability of net energy declines (as it must), Glomart will collapse like a house of cards. The short-term consequence will be chaos, war, and brutal repression, as the robber barons of Glomart go into a feeding frenzy to hang on to their wealth and power in a globally shrinking economy, exporting scarcity to all the rest of us. But, though we are all mentally and physically enslaved by Glomart, we have the choice, working together at the local level, to emancipate ourselves incrementally--by growing gardens, growing communities, and building a local economy from the ground up, while the global market economy collapses all around us. We have this choice, but time is of the essence. And no one ever said it would be easy. But it begins with small steps--stockpiling extra food and water, planting vegetables in your backyard, and talking to your neighbors. Thomas I. Ellis
Kim Dixon's picture

Reply

Dear Thomas Thank-you for your warm reply - the trouble is there are so many alarming pieces of the puzzle that you want to rant and scream - wake up! I also don't care anymore... those who have ears, listen...Your last statement is the only solution left, the true currency in the future will be seeds and water and of course the fruits of them both - food - by the local people. Any new energy systems will take time - and we don't have that time - CHANNEL 4 interviewed Matt Simmons this evening - see other blog entry - so it's mainstream news now - what will happen next economically and in the minds of the people is anybody's guess, at least peak oil is starting to get coverage.
Tom Ellis's picture

Further reflections as we approach the precipice

Well said, Kim. I particularly liked your observation that "the true currency of the future will be seeds and water and of course the fruits of them both - food -by the local people." This is very well said, and bears repeating. I would add that the other essential currency will be simply friendship and communication--the mutually supportive relationships we are able to build, first within our immediate circles of friends, then (as those friends become harder to reach because of a collapsing transportation infrastructure), with our immediate neighbors, and simultaneously, via this website, with each other, worldwide--sharing ideas and expertise, offering emotional support, and nurturing a common vision of an energetically local, informationally global, ecologically sustainable, village-based culture...what I like to call a Gaian future (our only alternative to No Future). Those who are still attached to Glomart emotionally, economically, or any other way will run mad with rage and despair as the bubble of illusion collapses around them. But those, like us, who *know* that Glomart is doomed, and (brutal, selfish, and corrupt to the core) deserves to die, must do our best to maintain the equanimity, resilience, and adaptive flexibility to provide the necessary moral and practical leadership through the coming bad times to those around us--to take care of everyone, abandon no one, but to take care of each other first! Since we are coming up fast on times of panic, chaos, and catastrophic loss, I close by sharing a simple guided breathing meditation I've developed that helps me keep an even keel when things get crazy. On each in and out breath, focus your full attention on the following verb phrases, looking through them as windows so that they are not mere words, but you are actually *doing* what they describe as you repeat them, out loud or to yourself: Breathe, Observe, Let go. Be well, do good work, keep in touch. Learn... Teach... Heal... Create... Blessings, Thomas I. Ellis
Kim Dixon's picture

Reply to Thomas - Could this be the paradigm shift we need?

You're right about the other essential currency - simply friendship and communication -in fact generally without this currency, we would be in anarchy, without communication we cannot exchange, without exchange we cannot grow emotionally, physically and spiritually, I'm hoping that we may be able to bring this community spirit to the people by our automated LETS Scheme. Can I run this by you to see what you think? It will operate a little bit like EBay - 'gift' points are given for work done - a general guide is given but not fixed so that you can give more or less for a job done - everyone will have a daily amount of points given but they are worth nothing - they can only be given away for a job that is done for you - the same applies to you, someone will give you points for jobs that you have done - this will build up the points that you earnt in the community - when you look at person's details it will show all the jobs that they have completed and the feedback will also be displayed (like EBay) This way, the gift points have no intrinsic value in themselves but can be given to exchange for a job. It will bring the community closer together as they realise that we don't have to live an insular life anymore where money rules and the information will be available online, of jobs that people have done - there will be chat rooms, forums, areas of interest like a carpooling area - people will log on when they are going to a place and will offer a lift - basically anything goes- saving energy etc, a calendar of local events for all to see and also free advertising for local trade - not everyone will want to exchange - once people have got the idea then there should be a buzz of people working for each other - for those who are not online then a job done could be you showing a person how to use the internet at the local library, you will gain points for service in the community, they can give back in another way.Old people in rest homes can offer services, knitting, teaching games - chess, if you are disabled you could write a letter for someone, read to the blind - obviously these are simple examples! The basic goal is to put people back in the driving seat of their community - to make them realise that they can be a strong people that doesn't need money to be happy, in fact most of us are at our happiest when we have contributed something to a community - they may not know that yet but that is one of the only true happinesses (sorry!) that humankind desires, it fulfills so much in our basic humanity, everything else is secondary (Three of us sat down to a Sunday breakfast this morning and discussed what this LETS Scheme would achieve, I wish you could have joined us)There would be sections like lawn cutting - the person would go on to look for their lawn to be cut and a list of people offering this service would be available, no tatty lists in a shop with scrawled phone numbers and no way of seeing if the person might do a good job but all would be accessible on an online database. It could revolutionalise our community as long as the people go for the dream... people are not happy... they are looking to believe in something... is humanity really that out of control?...no, just the few people that rule the world, the neocons - well lets show them that we don't need them... we are at our best when we have a strong community and nothing will break those strong bonds... if this LETS Scheme works then any town could use it... a worldwide revolution based on a strong community again, we have lost our way but it wouldn't take too long to find it again. With a little patience and plenty of mercy humankind can be great without having to conquer. Sermon over!!! What do you think? We are almost ready to launch this scheme and are today/tomorrow putting the benefits of this scheme on the front page www.seabay.org.uk It could be the paradigm shift we are waiting for; and technology is the key - all the while we have the Internet we have a massive global communication network - lets use it to rebuild our world. Kim
guamanian's picture

Different from conventional LETS?

Hi Kim; Can you clarify the main differences between this proposal and conventional LETS systems? It sounds very similar to the type of LETS that exists in communities in Canada and Australia, amongst other places. Are you familiar with the LETS resources at http://www.gmlets.u-net.com/? They may be useful in designing your new, improved system. Thanks for more info!
Kim Dixon's picture

Different from conventional LETS?

Hello guamanian First of all thanks for offering input - I can't learn or improve without others input! The basic idea doesn't differ from any other LETS Scheme, of exchange for exchange - it's how it is run or self-administrated. From what I have read, it seems that an individual person doesn't have access to inputting their own exchange in the system, it is down to administrators to input the exchange which then goes on a list or a computer - with this Internet based LETS, it gives the individual the chance to give points into another person's account in 2 secs and leave feedback to boost reputation - hopefully! It is self-administering, there is no need for me to sit down at my computer for hours inputting data - the individual has more control in some ways - There is no LETS Cheques exchanging hands, it seems to me that with some schemes where they issue local money it then gives a value to the local money when there shouldn't be a value attached to it - what do you think? Not only does this scheme make the Lets scheme vibrant and instant but we will also have discussion areas, polls for voting on local issues, community input areas - posting activites/events in the area etc - eventually everyone will be able to post what is going on in their town to the central,local hub - The Lets Scheme. Well that's the dream anyway!! The central area for people posting services will again be instant, no posting bits of paper in shops or central areas - just input the data on the screen and put the 'point' exchange figure alongside. They can give more 'points' for a job well done or award less points - these points ONLY serve as a guide to what services you have given to others, they cannot be spent! Everyday, each person will receive a certain amount of points in his/her account and they can award those points to others for services. I hope that's answered your question. Please let me know if you know of anyone else running it this way so I praps could get in contact and exchange info... We live in a fast world, it's too fast, too instant in many ways so if we offer an instant LETS Scheme it might work - I don't care as long as they use it- so this way of running the scheme will also be instant until we have a GLOBAL slowdown - thanks again for your question. Regards Kim
Tom Ellis's picture

LETS work exchange system

This is a brilliant and innovative idea, Kim. It might be difficult, initially, for people to grasp that the "points" do not have any monetary value per se; that their value instead lies in the "community capital" they acquire, in the form of a good reputation, which in turn would make it easier for them to find others to collaborate with them, sharing their expertise, for their own projects. It would have to be tested and modeled locally to work out the wrinkles, but then the approach could be schematized as a set of start-up instructions for other communties to emulate. Best wishes, Thomas I. Ellis
Tom Ellis's picture

LETS and Gaia

I just found this very interesting passage in the FAQ on the LETS site: "What is the link between money and the environment? The advent of Agenda 21 has outlined the need for action at a local level to improve the environment. If you stop to think about it, concerted action is discouraged by the present economic system. We'd like to do something, but we don't have the money. Money is scarce and we will try to spend as little as possible to get as much as possible. We are therefore attracted to imported goods produced at third-world pay rates using cheap raw materials. These materials are cheaper if they are produced by unsustainable methods. Meanwhile our local economic activity is declining and unemployment is increasing. Our manufacturing shrinks, the tax base contracts, social costs increase and there is even less money to spend on improving the environment. Rupert Sheldrake, the physicist, points out that the people who delight in recreation in the natural world during the weekend are busy destroying that same world during the week. (Ref. 3) This is not because they want to be destructive, but because they don't know how to avoid doing so. For many people, the only 'green' issue is whether the giro or other funds arrive on time. Only when we are sure that we can buy what we need, when we need it, will we turn our attention to all the other pressing matters which require our time, resources and ingenuity. LETSystems have the potential to breathe life into the local economy. Using LETSystems, traders are already turning their attention towards recycling, sustainable food production and energy efficiency. But more than that, the ability to 'shop local' and get good value for money is a move in the direction of a more sustainable way of life. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Can LETS support local food production? Yes - as long as we have consent. Local food production is a business and, like in any business, cash has to be found at all stages. The grower needs to pay for labour on the land, the book-keeper (even if when it's her husband!), the seedsman, the distributor, the packing and so on. And we won't mention advertising. All of these people and all of the services may be found in one small area. If these people are prepared to accept local units (LETSystem money) for their time and effort, they will have created a local business which is sustainable, probably ethical and well and truly supported by LETS. The outcome is that local people are able to buy local food for part local money, in addition to each other's "regular" services, on a daily basis. In our promotion of LETS, we are now looking more towards people who understand LETSystems and will set up their businesses to use LETSystems from the outset, as a normal part of business life. This is opposed to the "LETS activist" approach where you try to convince existing business people of the benefits. So we "walk our talk" as far as food production, or any other business activity, is concerned." (From John and Mandy Winkworth) Best wishes, Thomas I. Ellis
Red Reid's picture

LETS let me down

The LETS system in this town collapsed due to lack of interest. I still have 20 LETS dollars in a drawer. In attempting to use them, I was rebuffed. So they sit. Now I just trade. Barter. Gold dust for whiskey. Okay bad example. Mow lawns for apple cider. The parallel system is a reflection of the system just like eating veggie slices when you really want the meaty ones. Direct trade circumvents bureaucracy. Regards Reid
Kim Dixon's picture

Has anyone else had a bad experience from a LETS Scheme?

Dear Reid Sorry to hear that.I guess there will always be casualties when a new venture starts, especially one that relies on the goodwill and patience of a community - I guess there must have been others who were also let down (scus the pun)Were the 20 dollars earned from you doing jobs? How did your LETS work? I'm just setting up an Internet based one and hope to learn from all good and bad experiences. regards Kim Dixon
stevehinton's picture

LETS system trials

We are also trying an internet based scheme, based on a version of the LETS ROCS called COGS. It's all explained at http://xcogs.avbp.net. Glad to hear what you think. We are using the LAMP platform and are in contact with the original programmer. But it is not working properly yet so any suggestions greatfully received.
Kim Dixon's picture

Looked at your COGS...

Hi Steve Just had a look at the link. The site is easy to use and I hope you are successful. This isn't a negative comment but I wondered if the printing of paper wasn't an un-neccessary waste of energy? Paper can get lost too. Does it create a lot of administration? Our 'points' scheme means there is no issue of currency but just virtual points in your account - my husband is the programmer so I can't offer suggestions about the LAMP platform. But I wanted to say 'the best of luck with your scheme' I hope we can keep in contact - we could learn from each other's schemes!!www.seabay.org.uk is our address, will let u know when it's ready to go to see what u think. very best wishes Kim Dixon
stevehinton's picture

Use of Paper in LET Systems (comparing notes(!))

Thanks for the wishes of luck! About paper: the legal tender system uses so much paper and work hours today. About 25% of the workforce just work with money. Think about it, reciepts, bills, envelopes, statements, even the ATM gives bits of paper...Not to mention notes, vouchers, application forms, True the ideal is to do away with paper altogether. The reason we wat to use vouchers is not for trade technical reasons but for reasons of MARKETING. Spreading complementary currencies is much harder than programming them. People outside the scheme should be "drawn in" by users giving them vouchers. To redeem vouchers they must register in the scheme and a new user is born. So a little bit of paper can go a long way. We absolutely should keep in touch an compare notes (pun!) maybe we can create a separate forum for complementary curreny on this site? Thanks again and keep up the good work over there in Blightly
Kim Dixon's picture

from blighty

Hi Steve well it's going to be interesting to see how we both get on - there's room for everything, if my way is not at all successful then I might switch to yours or vice-versa... either way we are doing something to get our local community together!! The seperate forum could be a good idea, how would we go about it? It would mean that there would be one area for all the different LET Scheme rather then hunting through recent posts etc - good idea!! will let u know when we are ready to go online with our scheme speak to you soon Kim
stevehinton's picture

Separate forum on Web-Based Clearing now set up

Look at http://www.postcarbon.org/node/1066 for a forum on web-based clearing of local currencies.
stevehinton's picture

OCP experiment up on AVBP

Kim! I just installed the OCP platform on our server. But I cannot see exactly how to use the points system yet. http://avbp.net/ocp Can you give me admin access if I give you and admin account on the server here?
Kim Dixon's picture

OCP experiment reply

hello Steve! It's a bit daunting at first huh? Each user gets paid a fixed no of points per day by being a member, these are virtual points and can only be spent on paying for services. If you make some 'dummy' users you will see that you can give these 'gift' points to another user. As you GIVE these points their own 'real' points (not gift points) go up in value, obviously!! As you give these points you can make a note of what it's for like doing a job for someone - what you say about the person is feedback. This shows up on their membership details, so when you enquire of any member you can see their 'points' totals and how they earnt them. In addition the system sometimes randomly gives out extra points apparently!!... You use the forum section to advertise the jobs and allow the users to negotiate by email or via the chat-room system. All this of course is theory, we are still setting it up ourselves, configuration takes a while. you wish you never asked?? yes it's complicated but it does a hell of a lot. We hope you can see the potential. if you can wait til we have sorted a few things out we will have a system that is ready for anyone to use. best wishes Kim
Kim Dixon's picture

For internet based LETS use...

Hello Steve look at the script, OC Portal on the net, it's point system is how we are going to handle transactions since it has such amazing configurability it's suits our purpose fine. Since it administers automatically the 'points' earning system its seems ideally suited as an internet based LETS - will look at your link. This is all theory of course at the moment but should be running next month. thanks for the info Kim Dixon
stevehinton's picture

OC Portal as Ideal platform for community currencies

Kim! The OC Portal product looks amazing, if it is as configurable as you say we might be onto a winner. Let's keep comparing notes!
guamanian's picture

Let Down by LETS?

Hi Kim and Reid; A quick note, as I'm at work -- earning 'federal' dollars, not LETS green dollars! -- and so don't have much time. On language, please consider using 'LETS System' (Or 'LET System' if you're a stickler for grammer!), rather than 'LETS Scheme'. To most people, schemes involve profit, and correctly-designed LETS systems are zero-sum. Debits and credits exactly balance and equal zero within the system, so it is not possible to make a 'profit' with LETS. Reid... that your local system used printed currency is unusual. It sounds more like a non-LETS local currency system: I've never seen a LETS system that was not entirely membership-based, and a circulating paper currency would destroy the membership aspect of the system. It seems to me that in this kind of mixed system, the LETS books would not balance, but would go into 'the red', as currency leaked from the system into people's desk drawers. More thoughts later on why LETS systems fail or survive: there are a lot of factors.
Kim Dixon's picture

Stickler for grammar -

Hi guamanian just a quickie as I'm busy working on press releases for advertising our LETS... First of all get your spelling right before you start picking holes (grammer should be grammar)!! HERE'S THE ENTYMOLOGY OF THE WORD SCHEME. scheme (n.) 1553, "figure of speech," from M.L. schema "shape, figure, form, figure of speech," from Gk. skhema (gen. skhematos) "figure, appearance, the nature of a thing," related to skhein "to get," and ekhein "to have," definition of the word scheme: a schematic or preliminary plan, an elaborate and systematic plan of action, a strategy, incentive program , syntax, organisation,network, social organisation... need I continue? also there is no implication of profit with the word scheme only perhaps scheming... if we spent more time DOING the LETS then making petty points then we might make a difference in this world!! :)Looking forward to hearing more from everyone of their experiences with LET Schemes. regards Kim
guamanian's picture

No negativism intended

Hi Kim; No negativism towards your LETS project was intended in my post - I consider LETS a very useful tool, and helped set up and operate a local LETS system in the 1990s. The intent of my post was constructive: You still might want consider pulling together an informal focus group of friends to check if the word 'scheme' in this context has a negative connotation to them -- if it does, you might want to avoid using it to describe the system. Language influences people's acceptance or rejection of new ideas. Since your LETS proposal will be new and innovative to potential users, avoiding words with negative connotations makes sense.
Kim Dixon's picture

Too picky??

Hi guamanian I'm very interested in language, I'm a poet, song-writer and teacher but I have to say that the majority of the 'ordinary' people are not going be discussing whether they like the word scheme being used!! Most people are more interested or curious as to how this will work - It's hard enough to get people to think that we have a problem with energy in the future then imagining that every person is likely to dissect the name of the scheme. I shan't be forming a focus group for this as I have more important issues to consider. Maybe you should write to the man who invented the scheme with your complaints... Kim
guamanian's picture

OT - Two peoples divided by a single language

Ah! I get it now... what we have here is a failure to communicate -- You're speaking 'EN_GB' and I'm speaking 'EN_US'! A quick Google shows that whatever validity my comment on marketing may or may not have in a North American context, it is clearly not applicable to speakers of the Queen's English, for whom 'scheme' carries no negative connotations at all. Apologies, and good luck launching your LET System...er... LET Scheme.
Kim Dixon's picture

we are divided by a common language!!

Hi Guamanian We're killing ourselves laughing here!!( that's an english pun - not literally) :) Hilarious! It's easy to forget sometimes isn't it... like with spunky... such different connotations over here. Wonderful. Regards Kim
Red Reid's picture

Paper LETS

Sorry for the delay... I got my LETS dollars for doing a job. They had two concurrent systems - for those who weren't in the LETS system proper (digital non currency transactions) they could be let into the loop via "Green Dollars". Nice thought but it flopped. I guess they are collectible now. I think a new "community dollars" system has surfaced. In Canada we are used to parallel money systems - Canadian Tire and Pioneer both have their own currency printed by Canada Banknote Company. SOme people treat them like the real thing but they are essentially coupons. A restaurant near here treated them as par to the dollar for a while so I think we are pre disposed to paper instead of numbers in a bankbook. That said we are the number one users of debit card transactions in the world. Go figure Regards
guamanian's picture

LETS and Debit Cards

Back when I was involved in a LETS system I attended a workshop with Michael Linton, the creater of the original LETS concept. At that time Michael was very keen to push for LETS dollars becoming an alternative currency system on debit cards issued by credit unions. The idea was that progressive local credit unions would manage LETS currency in an account parallel with your 'real' dollars, and that stores choosing to use the system could accept either or both. Perhaps by now there is a chance for this idea to fly -- particularly if a LETS system reaches widespread acceptance in a specific market area, there may be a regional credit union or similar institution that would jump on the innovation. I believe that historically, alternative currencies thrive during a deflationary depression, and die out when times are good and official currencies are more accessible. With that in mind... we could be seeing a lot more LETS systems by spring! :-)