The Free

Venezuelans organise Barter 2.0 to Survive the Economic War, avoid Inflation and Tax.

by Nazareth Balbás via RT

Social networks have become the ally of the family economy of Venezuelans against rising prices. Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp work groups work as exchange sites for necessities: no money, no speculation.

The first surprise is the offer: varied, uneven, abundant. Second, the number of groups in the world. The third thing is that escapes public or private control.

Barter has become the new alternative for Venezuelans suffering the ravages of the economic war. The system, which has existed since time immemorial, gaining strength in the South American country with unique features is strongly mediated by social networks.

Falling oil prices since last year has resulted in shortages of foreign exchange for the mono-exporting country. This along with the long campaign of boycott and sabotage from the USA, and the determined resistance of the deposed oligarchy articulated through the upper middle class, has led to hyperinflation and economic disaster. Continue reading “Venezuelans organise Barter 2.0 to Survive the Economic War, avoid Inflation and Tax.”

Reported Death Of TTIP – An Abhorrent Political Deception

By Graham Vanbergen | TruePublica | September 9, 2016

The global mainstream media have loudly hailed the stunning success of the peoples uprising against the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership or TTIP in the light of its demise. In the last few years protests broke out all over Europe as the unelected bureaucrats steamed ahead with this unpopular trade deal, even after the results of the largest ever consultation study in the EU Commission’s history resulted in a 97% negative response of 150,000 people.

The emerging movement spawned enormous online activism never seen before, culminating in the largest petition in Europe’s history with a staggering collective of over 3.2 million signatures delivered by passionate foot-soldiers right to the epicentre of where the political elite inhabit in the EU. The beating heart of TTIP activism was Berlin, Paris and London. This is not to forget the huge protest effort made by citizens across almost all of the EU’s major cities.

Infographic: Corporate Europe Observatory

When preparing for TTIP negotiations, 560 meetings took place between 2012 and 2013. Just 4% were represented by public interest and civil society. Unashamedly, the Commission allowed 92% of all TTIP meetings to be dominated by lobbyists and corporate trade associations Today, these shadowy agitators amount to over 30,000 grey suits stalking the halls of the Commission HQ in the de facto capital of the European Union in Brussels. Continue reading “Reported Death Of TTIP – An Abhorrent Political Deception”

Spain: Banks steal 38 Billion while Public pay 721 Euros a Year each in Interest

The Bank of Spain has acknowledged this week that, so far, it has only recovered 5% of the 51,303,000,000 euros the State ”lent” the Spanish banks to make them profitable again. Now the agency has admitted to El Pais that in total at least 38,012 million is ‘lost forever’, even though the government promised repeatedly that citizens wouldn’t have to pay for the crisis.

Not only has the public forked out 38 billion to prop up corrupt crony banks but the state could only avoid intervention by putting it in the sacred Spanish Constitution that interest and loan repayments must come before ALL OTHER payments.

So Spain is a now Cash Cow forever.

At least until Capitalism collapses. Despite low or even negative interest rates each Spanish person pays 721 euros each year in interest on the public debt.

The public have to pay, it’s in the Constitution.

As in Greece, Spanish debt is a safe bet for the ECB, the big Banks and the portfolios of the ‘investment funds’ that prop up the already rich around the world. Continue reading “Spain: Banks steal 38 Billion while Public pay 721 Euros a Year each in Interest”

Spanish cities declare themselves ‘Free of Israeli Apartheid’

Dozens of Spanish cities reject Israeli Apartheid of Palestinians

Spanish cities reject Israeli Apartheid of Palestinians[/caption]

by michaellee2009

Dozens of Spanish cities declaring themselves ‘Free of Israeli Apartheid’

Cadiz, provincial capital in the autonomous community of Andalusia in the Spanish state, has become the latest municipality to pass a motion supporting the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement for Palestinian rights and declaring itself an Israeli “Apartheid Free Zone”.

With a population of 120,000, Cadiz joins more than 50 cities and towns across the Spanish state which have voted to declare themselves spaces free from Israeli apartheid. Other famous Apartheid Free municipalities include Gran Canaria, Santiago de Compostela, Xixón-Gijón, Sevilla, Córdoba and Santa Eulària in Ibiza. Continue reading “Spanish cities declare themselves ‘Free of Israeli Apartheid’”