Fucked economy - Cash becomes useless Barter Trade takes over

[thugnology]

http://tw.news.yahoo.com/article/url/d/a/111003/78/2zsev.html

希臘錢變薄 流行以物易物
自由 更新日期:"2011/10/03 04:21"

〔編譯陳成良／綜合報導〕深陷債務危機的希臘目前失業率超過16%，且經濟還在萎縮。苦日子當前，希臘民眾面對減薪、加稅、能否繼續使用歐元的窘境，已有好幾個組織推動可從事「以物易物」的在地替代貨幣，以因應瞬息萬變的經濟形勢。

紐約時報報導，失業電工馬弗里迪斯和其他5人在濱海城市沃洛斯，創辦了一個結合在地替代貨幣、以物易物機制及露天市集的交易網，一年來會員從50人激增到400人。馬弗里迪斯表示，他第一次不用歐元而是用替代貨幣，在自辦的露天市集買雞蛋、牛奶、果醬時，還會不自覺掏錢包找歐元來用，但其實不需要。

馬弗里迪斯的組織營運觀念很簡單，民眾上網註冊成為會員，帳戶一開始是零，一旦提供物品或服務，如教人彈吉他、幫人帶小孩、維修電腦等，便可獲得和歐元等值的替代貨幣。會員最多可借300替代貨幣，但要在一定期限內償還。

組織還發給會員類似支票簿的票據，可用來購買其他會員的物品或服務。沃洛斯有幾名自營業者，包括獸醫、裁縫、驗光師，也接受替代貨幣，交換折價優惠。該組織每月辦1次露天市集，性質介於車庫大特賣與農民市場之間，馬弗里迪斯用替代貨幣買到的新鮮食品，就是由當地的農民會員供應。

組織創辦人之一、退休教師荷碧絲強調，該組織不是搞革命，也不是想逃稅，只是順勢發展，構想是讓會員在艱困時期互相幫助，組織和正規經濟平行運作。不過，萬一希臘退出歐元區，替代貨幣組織可讓日常交易繼續運作。

希臘的公部門龐大，工作年齡層5分之1人口在公家單位服務，但學者指出，希臘的社會福利不足以照顧全部有需要的民眾，以物易物組織可填補缺口。希臘政府也注意到這個問題。國會上週通過勞工部所提的法案，鼓勵成立「替代形式的企業及地方發展」，其中包括以物品及服務交換為基礎的網絡。

 

[thugnology]

http://news.google.com/news/more?hl...sult&ct=more-results&resnum=1&ved=0CC0QqgIwAA

Eurozone crisis: Battered by economic crisis, Greeks turn to barter networks
Economic Times - ‎11 hours ago‎
VOLOS, Greece: The first time he bought eggs, milk and jam at an outdoor market using not euros but an informal barter currency, Theodoros Mavridis, an unemployed electrician, was thrilled. "I felt liberated, I felt free for the first time," Mavridis ...
Greeks turn to barter networks
Hindustan Times - ‎21 hours ago‎
The first time he bought eggs, milk and jam at an outdoor market using not euros but an informal barter currency, Theodoros Mavridis, an unemployed electrician, was thrilled. Mavridis is a co-founder of a growing network here in Volos that uses a ...
All 3 related articles »

Related
Volos
Greeks
Unemployment
Theodoros Mavridis
Euro
George Stathakis

 

[thugnology]

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com...n-to-barter-networks/articleshow/10214955.cms

3 Oct, 2011, 09.02AM IST, New York Times
Eurozone crisis: Battered by economic crisis, Greeks turn to barter networks
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VOLOS, Greece: The first time he bought eggs, milk and jam at an outdoor market using not euros but an informal barter currency, Theodoros Mavridis, an unemployed electrician, was thrilled.

"I felt liberated, I felt free for the first time," Mavridis said in a recent interview at a cafe in this port city in central Greece. "I instinctively reached into my pocket, but there was no need to."

Mavridis is a co-founder of a growing network here in Volos that uses a so-called Local Alternative Unit, or TEM in Greek, to exchange goods and services - language classes, baby-sitting, computer support, home-cooked meals - and to receive discounts at some local businesses.

Part alternative currency, part barter system, part open-air market, the Volos network has grown exponentially in the past year, from 50 to 400 members. It is one of several such groups cropping up around the country, as Greeks squeezed by large wage cuts, tax increases and growing fears about whether they will continue to use the euro have looked for creative ways to cope with a radically changing economic landscape.

"Ever since the crisis there's been a boom in such networks all over Greece," said George Stathakis, a professor of political economy and vice chancellor of the University of Crete. In spite of the large public sector in Greece, which employs one in five workers, the country's social services often are not up to the task of helping people in need, he added.

"There are so many huge gaps that have to be filled by new kinds of networks," he said.

Even the government is taking notice. Last week, Parliament passed a law sponsored by the Labor Ministry to encourage the creation of "alternative forms of entrepreneurship and local development," including networks based on an exchange of goods and services. The law for the first time fills in a regulatory gray area, giving such groups nonprofit status.

Here in Volos, the group's founders are adamant that they work in parallel to the regular economy, inspired more by a need for solidarity in rough times than a political push for Greece to leave the eurozone and return to the drachma.

"We're not revolutionaries or tax evaders," said Maria Houpis, a retired teacher at a technical high school and one of the group's six co-founders. "We accept things as they are."

Still, she added, if Greece does take a turn for the worse and eventually does stop using the euro, networks like hers are prepared to step into the breach. "In an imaginary scenario - and I stress imaginary - we would be ready for it."

The group's concept is simple. People sign up online and get access to a database that is kind of like a members-only Craigslist. One unit of TEM is equal in value to one euro, and it can be used to exchange good and services. Members start their accounts with zero, and they accrue credit by offering goods and services. They can borrow up to 300 TEMs, but they are expected to repay the loan within a fixed period of time.
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[thugnology]

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Greeks-turn-to-barter-networks/Article1-752826.aspx

Greeks turn to barter networks
The New York Times
Volos, October 02, 2011
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First Published: 23:09 IST(2/10/2011)
Last Updated: 23:12 IST(2/10/2011)
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The first time he bought eggs, milk and jam at an outdoor market using not euros but an informal barter currency, Theodoros Mavridis, an unemployed electrician, was thrilled.

"I felt liberated, I felt free for the first time," said Mavridis in a recent interview at a cafe in this
port city in central Greece.

Mavridis is a co-founder of a growing network here in Volos that uses a so-called local alternative unit, or TEM in Greek, to exchange goods and services - language classes, baby-sitting, computer support, home-cooked meals.

Part alternative currency, part barter system, part open-air market, the Volos network has grown exponentially in the past year, from 50 to 400 members.

It is one of several such groups cropping up around the country, as Greeks squeezed by large wage cuts, tax increases and growing fears about whether they will continue to use the euro have looked for creative ways to cope with a radically changing economic landscape.

"Ever since the crisis there's been a boom in such networks all over Greece," said George Stathakis, a professor of political economy and vice chancellor of the University of Crete.

In spite of the large public sector in Greece, which employs one in five workers, the country's social services often are not up to the task of helping people in need, he added.

"There are so many huge gaps that have to be filled by new kinds of networks," he said.

Even the government is taking notice.

Last week, Parliament passed a law sponsored by the labour ministry to encourage the creation of "alternative forms of entrepreneurship and local development," including networks based on an exchange of goods and services.

The law for the first time fills in a regulatory gray area, giving such groups nonprofit status.

Here in Volos, the group's founders are adamant that they work in parallel to the regular economy, inspired more by a need for solidarity in rough times than a political push for Greece to leave the euro zone and return to the drachma.

 

[flkyflky]

金钱已成废物！物物交换代替金钱交易!

 

[Conqueror]

Cash In USD Only

Most people in many countries are looking at the Big Brother, USA for consumption and protection. But, now ... If US decided to close its doors on foreign imports and to adopt protectionism, things will spiral to an end ? China is also depending on Europe and USA for its cheap labour and exports. Is its own local consumption power is still low and not able to sustain its growth like GDP without the wealth of foreigners ?

Cash is useless when Big Brother is no longer in power. Gold is an anchor BUT NOT a reliable anchor for wealth preservation. OIL is still the world's problem. Whoever has any form of energy resources, he will command premium profits to hijack the world. You can't be here in the internet when the oil is low - everything that needs electricity will be cold.

THE price of oil has had an unnerving ability to blow up the world economy, and the Middle East has often provided the spark. The Arab oil embargo of 1973, the Iranian revolution in 1978-79 and Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990 are all painful reminders of how the region’s combustible mix of geopolitics and geology can wreak havoc. With protests cascading across Arabia, is the world in for another oil shock?

There are good reasons to worry. The Middle East and north Africa produce more than one-third of the world’s oil. Libya’s turmoil shows that a revolution can quickly disrupt oil supply. Even while Muammar Qaddafi hangs on with delusional determination and Western countries debate whether to enforce a no-fly zone (see article), Libya’s oil output has halved, as foreign workers flee and the country fragments. The spread of unrest across the region threatens wider disruption.

The markets’ reaction has been surprisingly modest. The price of Brent crude jumped 15% as Libya’s violence flared up, reaching $120 a barrel on February 24th. But the promise of more production from Saudi Arabia pushed the price down again. It was $116 on March 2nd—20% higher than the beginning of the year, but well below the peaks of 2008. Most economists are sanguine: global growth might slow by a few tenths of a percentage point, they reckon, but not enough to jeopardise the rich world’s recovery.

That glosses over two big risks. First, a serious supply disruption, or even the fear of it, could send the oil price soaring (see article). Second, dearer oil could fuel inflation—and that might prompt a monetary clampdown that throttles the recovery. A lot will depend on the skill of central bankers.