Here is a thread conversation in which I initiated a branch. It is taken from the Global Villages yahoo group at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/globalvillages/
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Jeff wrote and quoted:

>Franz Nahrada <f.nahrada@...> wrote:


> But we put together proposals to get funding for practical
>implementation. And we can only put our "ideas, visions and >dreams" together on a practical level if there are physical sites >that allow for experimentation and progress.
> That is why I think the globalvillages directory could be
>important: to show which places have which needs that our >global community can take up.
> The directory is still in embryonic stage - and we do not have >local editors yet. If we had more stories from Global Villages in >the Wiki it
>would help us make links for tentative implementations.
>it would be good to work on that more this summer.

>Franz


> Jeff Buderer writes:

> I agree with you.

> > Much of our time is spent thinking about putting together
> >proposals instead of actually our ideas, visions and dreams on >>a practical level. So we need to develop a new model and that >>is a major aspect of what Global Villages in my view is about.

> Jeff,
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That is when I got in with:


Jeff, Franz,

NOTE: In the following, I obviously speak out my frustration and my
questions carry a stinging "in our faces" attitude.
I trust that we all share such frustration and that the stinging "in our faces" attitude can be wisely handled to guide us in the
shoulder-to-shoulder positioning, on the mission to reach the high trust flow from cyber space to the reality of accomplishment, aboard the train of simple efficiency from idea to materialisation of our dreams and visions.
I've always heard that when we can raise 1 dollar of our own to finance a good business plan, then the banking system is there to put up from 5 to 10 dollars into it.
Have we not reached the point of pooling our own money where the time and energy of our mind, heart, soul and spirit go into dreaming and envisioning, day in and day out?
The Orchard of Thoughts that we are gathered into by Andrius' vision, is getting so rich and potent in good desires and genius of all kinds, that we are chocking in the wealth of theory that cannot find its way from out of cyber space and into reality. The Orchard will not get to be focused without the personal and communal pruning, maintenance, reaping and delivery of ourselves into an action that will see some of us sprout on the field of togetherness.
Focus will not happen without decisive actions and the delivery of our produce will remain in cyber space until it gets to be moved on the scene where it can be seen and tasted.
As far as I am concern, we are long over due to get on with what it takes to simply decide, to plan and to move on with the scenario of our own entry into the improvisation within the currency of times.
I suggest that we put our money together at the basic rate of what each currency can equate with one dollar a week of purchasing power is for an american in America. That's the price of a cup of coffe in a restaurant.
From a simple and solid commitment, we can work at fanning on the financing of what we materialise and how to go about it. As we do so, we begin to assemble into who we mean to be on earth iwith the aim of drawing the vivid attention and the commited interest of Bill Gates ' new found money to help releve human misery through charity-clarity.
Let's see the Orchard begin to distribute the materialisation of the
produces of Thoughts grown on the highway of genuine charity-clarity.
Lets take our little private brewing into such depth of personal and
communal bloom, that our eternal fragance of the Living Faculty shall draw with bold approach, all seekers, students and pilgrimms of spiritual renewal's action and truth.
The main obstacle arresting such simple approach is how do we move on to put ourselves in the position of demonstrable high trust flow among ourselves.
From the innocent novice's view at which I operate in cyber space, I can see on the Internet and more specifically here at Minciu Sodas, that what is known as Open Source Knowledge Management joined with the Public Domain and creative commons are like the rails of communication that makes it virtually impossible to fail the high trust flow.
When will we get on the train instead of just watching it go by with deep sighing, as if we were not already on it? Or are we just still working to lay down the tracks?
Permission to delete this letter if too offensive.

Peace,
Benoit Couture
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Jeff answered at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/globalvillages/message/1347

Benoit,

I am not sure if you have an offensive bone in your body, and I do feel the letter was just right in its tone and approach.

I would suggest that we take that community currency
thinking/methodology to combine our resources. However I am talking
about real money to propel this shared vision into some sort of physical reality that is the protoype seed for the larger network visualization of local sustainability in each of our communities around the globe.

In my view such a step should ocur in combination with private
investments from wealthy people and also donations from grant
foundations and individuals. The eventual goal however would be to
function at a operational level without relying on outside establishment funds. A percentage of profits and/or repayment of loans would go into a fund. The fund once it grew large enough would go towards establishing a second center. Possibly if the right partner/sponsors were found, additional projects would be joint ventures between local networks, the global village network and outside funders who share our values and aspirations. The idea is that this would guarantee control of the centers in the Global Villages Network rather than in any outside groups.
If any outside money was cut off, the centers would still function at a basic level through income geneting activities at the Centers. The Centers themselves would be self-contained communities with many living and working onsite. However they would also be heavily
engaged in community outreach with the surrounding neighborhoods and
surrounding community.

To create the larger visualization of global sustainability, we have to create the first step as eco-poineers and pool together our resources to establish a truly visionary sustainable outpost within our own network.
This is the primary goal. The secondary goal would be to have this
center as a model for replication in the Global Villages Network. Once this was achieved we could then begin to scale out onto a regional level.

The key point that I want to make is that I am not against private
venture capital investments in such proposed ventures or funding from
grant making foundations but I think these funding sources should be
buttressed and balanced by internal funding within the network so that the projects are not totally depenendant on more establishment oriented funding.

Jeff
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I wrote the following in continuity and it is taken from: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/globalvillages/message/1364

Hi everyone,

I came across two articles regarding large scale finance and securuty of IST which seem to justify the appeal I made last week in a contribution to a conversation between Franz and Jeff. The thread is taken from http://groups.yahoo.com/group/globalvillages/message/1347 and the articles are, regarding security, at: http://istresults.cordis.lu/index.cfm/section/news/tpl/article/BrowsingType/Features/ID/82606 and as an example of the kind of cash that can use the materialisation from Orcherds of thoughts such as One Village and Global Villages at: http://www.explore-qatar.com/indexposts.html?show=1&idz=158

Benoit
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Jeff answered from http://groups.yahoo.com/group/globalvillages/message/1366:

Benoit,

A key issue for us taking a serious approach to funding the efforts of
our Global Villages Network and MS networks is the development of a
clear organizational structure and process. Some in our network have a
relucance to consider this. Yet to get funding from mainline Foundations
you need to explain the organizational structure and process of the
group being funded and in most cases be officially registered with the
government authories in the country that that organization is based in.

If we want to write proposals to attract funding to this network then we
first need to make the organizational infrastructure is ready to accept
those monies in a way that is acceptable to the potential donors.

Possibly Franz and Andrius could help us to understand how we might
actually manage ourselves in a way that would be compatable with the
needs of potential funders. There are generally accepted practices in
the NGO funding community that must be adhered to, unless one persues
individuals grants even then one needs an organization to fiscally
sponsor them.

I suggest we create a wiki page to discuss this further at Global Villages.

Jeff
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Markus says from: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/globalvillages/message/1368

I agree goo dstructure does no harm. but we should
note that Andrius has this as a "business" which
presents some opportunities and challenges instead of
a not for profit company

As for registering - well that depends on eth culture
an country. here in teh UK you don't need much (chair,
treasurer and secretary and an annual general meeting
is all.). You don't even have to pay a ny registration
fee.

but lets talk this over on teh wiki

markus
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Joy says from: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/globalvillages/message/1369

Global Villagers, Hello,

A real-time example is the project 'AirJaldi Summit' that Jeff and I have
the good fortune to work on now. Read on at leisure for your consideration
of how to proceed w/ the 'organizational' issues discussed in this email
thread.

AirJaldi Summit is a conference, focusing on wireless meshed networks in
developing countries and its role in revitalizing the rural life and
economy. The AirJaldi story takes place in Dharamsala India and the event
will be in Oct. 2006.

AirJaldi Summit needs funding both for the Summit meeting and for Workshops
after the Summit.

Summit meeting is taking funding through a non-profit in India. In the US,
we identified a non-profit fiscal agent to receive donations for the
non-profit org in India.

Workshops are organized by the grassroots movement called World Summit on
Free Information Infrastructure (WSFII). The Workshops also need funding.
The funding had to go through US non-profit fiscal agent to allocate it to
India non-profit group.

Global Villages is a movement and collaborative process. How could the
related projects be funded? I think the discussion points thus far are
helpful to drive for solutions.

Joy Tang
www.onevillagefoundation.org
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Jeff says from: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/globalvillages/message/1370

Just to add a few things to Joy's email:

The event is focused on wireless connectivity seeing it as one of key
disruptive technologies that has the potential to revolutionize the flow
of information and in particular address the digital divide.

On a practical level the progress that Air Jaldi Summit primary partners
Tib Tec has made in just one year with regards to wireless is noteworthy.

The /Dharamsala Community Wireless Mesh Network/ (see January 2006
article on the UK's netmag
<http://www.netmag.co.uk/features/default.asp?pagetypeid=2&articleid=43318>)
interconnects more than 2,000 computers located within a 60 Km. radius
around Dharamsala, India, using 30 locally developed routers based on
modified low-cost consumer hardware and locally-brewed software. The
network offers a wide variety of services to its users including
broadband Internet access, VoIP-based telephone services, file sharing,
offsite backup, etc. The network's capabilities and its exceptional
affordability demonstrate a well-tested and replicable model for other
rural communities in the developing world. The project has received
national and international recognition for its achievements.

*Air Jaldi Summit Partners*

*The Tibetan Technology Center (TibTec) *which developed and maintains
the low-cost Dharamsala Community Wireless Mesh Network that provides
Internet connectivity to rural communities, schools and institutions in
the Dharamsala region. www.tibtec.org <http://www.tibtec.org>

*The Tibetan Children’s Villages (TCV)* who will host the summit on its
campus in Dharamsala. TCV has donated the use of its auditorium and
additional spaces for the conference plenum and summit sessions.
www.tcv.org.in <http://www.tcv.org.in>

*The World Summits on Free Information Infrastructure (WSFII)* which has
chosen the Air Jaldi Summit to hold their annual meeting and workshops
in Dharamsala. Immediately following the summit, WSFII will offer a
two-week workshop in a range of wireless technology disciplines.
www.okfn.org/wsfii/ <http://www.okfn.org/wsfii/>

*The Oplan Foundation (OPLAN) *The Foundation is an independent,
non-political and not-for-profit organisation that seeks to build
greater and wider awareness and understanding of the massive social and
economic benefits that OPLANS will deliver to their communities.
http://oplan.org <http://oplan.org/>

*Dalai Lama Foundation:*
http://www.dalailamafoundation.org/members/en/airjaldi.jsp
**

*
For more information -*

*Website - *http://Summit.AirJaldi.Com <http://summit.airjaldi.com>

We see great potential in taking the practical and tangible best
practices that this network has been able to achieve and applying them
to our work in estabilshing Multipurpose Unity Centers in Africa..

Jeff
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Markus says from: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/globalvillages/message/1371

There are several aspects to funding if external or
internal.

If external it needs to be seed funding that we can
eventually do without. If internal then we need to
generate income to keep a project going .

There are interesting responses by different
organizations to these options.

On Cyprus the organization Baraka does nothing they
cannot fund internally and refuses to apply for grants
as they believe this compromises what they do. However
in the UK most big NGOs see that external funding must
be internalized so they try and get supporters to gift
aid a certain figure monthly. If this happens 25% can
be relcaimed as tax back from the government so its
quite valuable.

Both these approaches have draw-backs. In the first
work is slow and limited as people must have the money
spare themsleves, not easy in capitalist society where
money sitting still is punshed with taxes, tolls and
schemes to get it moving again.

In the other the NGOs often see a distance between
those fundraising e.g. dialog direct an Austrian
company (that works world wide) has many people
working for it, but they do not have real affinity for
the good cause they may be fundraising for. And those
giving often have no real connection with those they
are helping - they are just cash cows.

For me I want personal money to have real connection.

Similarly I want that if the money comes from a
foundation or governement grant or charitable trust
(external funding) that the organization giving that
money has a meaningful relationship with whatever
projcet they fund. So they understand it, can
implement it or at least share the knowledge and
outcomes.

This means not just jumping through hoops and
balancing balls on our noses to get another dog
biscuit. Rather a partnership and synnergy so we work
with a group on a specific outcome and develop
projects in accordance with their and our wishes.

I believe this mutualism has happened to some extent
with business realtionships, e.g. HP, the desire being
to create win win situation. However as yet we have
not fruitfully developed a relationship with others
such as the Aga Khan Development Network

http://www.akdn.org/

or Gulbenkian Foundation

http://www.gulbenkian.pt/portal/index.html

that seem to lend themselves to developing our work
fruitfully. Nevermind the many other smaller
foundations and trusts or government schemes that
exist.

I can think of several ways that we might internalize
the external personal fund-raisng. The community
currency is one of these that we began already with
minicui sodas. But cash in the hand does not seem to
have happened yet.

Ciao!
Markus
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Lucas Gonsalez answered from: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/globalvillages/message/1372

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.07/brilliant.html

Very interesting article about Google, pandemic flu and other threats or damages, and things being done.

"We’ll have three big areas: climate crisis, global public heath, and global poverty, not necessarily in that order. I’m going to approach this the way a venture capitalist would – map out the industry to see what the gaps are. You fund an initiative, learn what works, and ask, “Will it scale?""

Lucas
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I answered from: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/globalvillages/message/1373

Markus,

In making the difference between strictly using our own money versus using grants you say:
"In the first, work is slow and limited as people must have the money
spare themselves, not easy in capitalist society where
money sitting still is punshed with taxes, tolls and
schemes to get it moving again."

That perfectly describes my personal situation and the battle I fight, as a stay-at-home-dad of a disabled child-adult. I've been looking for the best ways to have me and my family "grafted" into an incubator of personal and communal growth, traditionally known where I come from, as being "community" or "church".
The investment we have available to offer in exchange for our incubation is our time, energy and each one's inclinations toward how we could be of service to the community who would incubate us to maturity. In the process and once mature enough to be of service full time, we're looking forward to then become a source of resources management for the perpetuation of the incubating process to maturity of others, while we no longer accumulate debts along the way but rather, become part of the win-win-win economy.
Because of how undisciplined we've become by being secluded within our own limits, combined to personal decades of sheer rejection in the name of whatever system of thoughts or beliefs from getting incubated to maturity, we now find ourselves with all of the personal gifts dormant and all of our hang ups stirred up into our own version of societal dysfunction, with 4 children ranging from 25 to 19 and a one year old grand son, whose parents might be ready to eventually settle in their search for maturity. Meaning that when the parents finally reach the starting point of genuine education, they will have to ween their child from its own heritage of dysfunction. The sooner the better, of course.
This example of ours points to the trans-generational cycle of immaturity. It belongs to a context of peer pressure called civilization and it is directly attached to where does our time, energy and talents go or do not go, from birth on to the grave.
The role of NGOs came into existence on the national scenes of many Western nations because the local well fare state could not get through to move the clientele they were serving, on the progressive side of economic production. The "parasite syndrome" took hold of many people that became trends of spoiled discontent. So in order to bring clarity and accountability, the NGOs became the means by which governments could desengage themselves from the business of directly looking after the human resources, and the NGOs could then take the hard work of social hand ups to those who wish to help themselves out of poverty.
The wellfare and NGOs expiriments are showing that money is not what needs to be moved first, but people. Inter dependency accomplished from personal volunteering investment operates outside of the confinements of the parasite syndrome and its systematic control over our lives. This is what money needs to see before it becomes unblocked and ready to move again.
This is why I propose the idea of drawing big money's attention by each investing ourselves into customizing the manifestation of our desired togetherness', starting by deciding which initiative we chose to light up such healthy assembling, and to follow through financially at the cost of one american dollar's worth of purchasing power a week. This investment spear heads each one's involvement into what grows to become 100% investment of who I am into we are becoming continuously.
In other words, we invest into the transformation and our adaptation to transform, until our time gets to be consume in the continuum of humanity, according to each one's measure of "comfortable capacity".
Because the goal is 100% self-investment from the offset, the "one american dollar a week of american purchasing power" soon grows to become the investment of the whole of one's capacity that gets to be transform into an investment of wise and progressive sustainability.
Such trails of renewal ought to be financed by Mr. Bill Gates new found capacity to implement reforms like that, through initiatives of eco-villages such as Global Villages and One Village Foundation. Mr. Gates could form differnet launching partnership funds with the World Bank and the International Moneytary Fund to set the pace of economic reforms, for the Western World to model after, in the training to open fields of investment of market forces, starting with North America, Europe, Japan, China, Russia and India; all together, we can lift Africa out of our colonizing them into the parasite syndrome, while we purge ourselves from it.
When I ran for the Green Party, I did so for the sake of making gains in addressing the Canadian unity crisis with the people's involvement into the required socio-cultural healing as opposed to leaving it to the ups and downs of the political process. My main line to convey such message was during the campaign and continues to be:
Voter, taxes, force of Law and legal Tender
together, to serve the Tender Living…!!!
Beam of hope against terror and anti-terror…!!!
I am standing and speaking from the safe ground that we, the people, are the only ones who can rise up to the task of loving life enough to inspire one another into the governing path of forgiveness, reconciliation, with the eternal renewal endowing our daily routine to get by in the simplicity of God's blessing. Sometimes this blessing is harsh to take, but the alternative is always worse.
The micro happening of such thoughts and the macro promotion of the initiatives that come out of them, is how and where I understand Minciu Sodas' work to be value added from where we each live, think and pray, without ever having to meet in person and yet, deploying tremendous action because of the potency of our inspiration and dedication to insist that all details be free from deceit and evil! (devil free, is what this is, since he lives in the details)

Peace,
Benoit Couture
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Jeff continues from: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/globalvillages/message/1374

Markus,

If this is a business then a different set of issues apply.

My understanding was not at all clear about this. I thought Global
Villages would be more of a nonprofit organization from my discussions with Franz. I had in my mind an institute of global professionals comitted to sustainable development at the village level. Institutes are usually nonprofit.

Franz, Andrius, it would be helpful to understand what consideration has been given to these matters so that we can then assist you both in the most effective way to move the process forward.

Jeff
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I aswered from: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/globalvillages/message/1375

Jeff,

I quote your request to Andrius and Franz when you speak in regards to Global Villages being either a business or a non profit entity. You say:

"It would be helpful to know what considerations has been given to these matters..."

It seems that this point of investigation brings us to the gate of the socio-economic reforms that we need to explore in practice on a small scale amongst ourselves, until it can be deployed by philanthropy, business and governments as one.
Answering to this question puts us in position to grow as the transforming agent, providing currency stabilization through conversion in the use of our time and energy at the personal and communal level of execution, all aiming for global appeasement.
In practice, it means that the Rule of Law which governs our lives, needs to lead the way by going from ruling to serving, so that business as usual, which is stuck in the nature of competition may find the path of renewal into co-operation.
Such transforming endeavour puts us where tax money goes on spinning in the trappings of the parasite syndrome. In Canada, this is worth over one hundred billion dollars a year through health, education and correctional systems that are all seeking the social policy that will work to get on with the conversion into currency stablelization.
The issue needs to remain focused on the task at hand, so that all sectors may be drawn to move out of the zone of conflicts of interests and to make every ones interest out of being peace makers.
Focus on the sciences of spiritual hygiene...The Faculty of Living...The organic experience of spiritual unity...From Brown to Green.
Such various angles of the transforming reality are needed to fuel all sectors of human activities into the transition toward sustainability.
So when we face an obstacle such as: "...different set of issues apply." lets remember that these issues are there to teach us how to engineer the drawing of such sectors in the transition and not to get bend out of shape by its immovable positioning.

Benoit
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MORE TO COME...