Walter Burien's (CAFR) Consolidated Annual Financial Report

Read to the bottom....complex BUT in reality how can we owe and to whom do we owe? 

Budgets are like a hot dog stand as compared to the twin towers in relation to all the wealth confiscated through greed and deceit.

Walter Burien has been sounding the alarm for many years. This is being sent to every MP in Canada.

Spread this around so people will see and awaken. Although Walter has 3200 on his list, this info moves forward very rapidly through everyone's separate groups.

This CAFR Report was posted at the CAFR website on September 29, 2012
http://CAFR1.com/TheVoid.html

Walter Burien - CAFR1.com
P. O. Box 2112
Saint Johns, AZ 85936

Tel. (928) 458-5854
Email: <WalterBurien@cafr1.com>
Walter Burien's Biography: http://www.CAFR1.com/BIO.html
CAFR Main Website: http://www.CAFR1.com

Demurrage Exchange of Ideas

John Turmel

Tom Greco

... between John Turmel and Tom Greco

Tom Greco (TG): paper vouchers can be drawn against a member’s account as a temporary convenience for making small transactions or to pay non-members of the system for goods or services. These vouchers should have a limited period of validity (expiration date) to assure that the credits return promptly to the ledger system.

John Turmel (Jct) : Why would my poker chip IOU have an expiry date? What use does that serve? How long is too long?

And that means someone gets stuck with a useless piece of paper if they don’t manage to spend it back to you in time.

TG: In any case, the paper vouchers should never be more than a small portion of the credits circulating in a community exchange (credit clearing) system.

Jct: Why?

TG: John, the health of an exchange system depends upon the continual circulation of credits and timely redemption of obligations. A system credit, whether represented on a ledger or as a paper voucher, is evidence of someone's obligation to deliver goods or services. Whoever issued the credits in the first place by receiving goods and services is obliged to redeem them by later accepting them as payment for his goods/services. Credits cannot be allowed to remain idle for too long a period of time. Anyone having a surplus of credits should either spend them or allocated them to someone else as an investment. That person will then spend them and enable the original issuer to thereby redeem them. Ledger credits, above a specified amount, can be reallocated to investments as part of the membership agreement, (your credits are not lost, just reallocated to savings) but paper can be hoarded or permanently lost. That's the reason for the expiration feature. Loss can be avoided by spending the vouchers or depositing them to your ledger account. I believe i explained this in my book, Money: Understanding and Creating Alternatives to Legal Tender.

TG: Credits cannot be allowed to remain idle for too long a period of time.

Jct: Why? How long is too long? 

TG: Anyone having a surplus of credits should either spend them or allocated them to someone else as an investment.

Jct: Why would someone else need your chips as an investment when they can get their own chips interest-free at the cage? 

TC: That person will then spend them and enable the original issuer to thereby redeem them.
Jct: Why does the original emittor need to redeem that particular chip. Why not just pay his debt off by earning others? 

TC: Ledger credits, above a specified amount, can be reallocated to investments as part of the membership agreement, (your credits are not lost, just reallocated to savings) but paper can be hoarded or permanently lost. That’s the reason for the expiration feature.

Jct: Because someone may lose their poker chips, there should be an expiry? I see no reason what should be so. Someone else will find them and cash them in. Just like regular chips or money. Do we want an expiry feature on our money because some people may lose some?

TC: Loss can be avoided by spending the vouchers or depositing them to your ledger account. I believe i explained this in my book, Money: Understanding and Creating Alternatives to Legal Tender.
Jct: And loss can be avoided by not having chips that expire for no good reason.

NOTE:  The original article by Tom Greco is posted at this website:
Demurrage: Is It A Good Idea For A Local Currency Or Exchange System?
http://beyondmoney.net/monographs/demurrage-is-it-a-good-idea-for-a-local-currency-or-exchange-system

List of 94 UsuryFree Community Currencies In the United States

A 19th-century example of barter: A sample labor for labor note for the Cincinnati Time Store. Scanned from Equitable Commerce by Josiah Warren (1846)

Alternative Currencies/ Barter Systems

"Our world is changing and the monetary system that has existed and created such great imbalance is also undergoing a huge and necessary shift. When there is so much disparity between the corporate sector and all things to do with people and higher values, a re-balancing must take place. A shift away from making profits at the expense of morality and justice to a focus on service, local communities, inner values and a more equitable distribution of abundance will unfold. To enlighten yourself about the current system, you might want to see the following..." (snip) ...

Read the complete article with an abundance of resource links at this website:
http://www.newearthcyberschool.com/node/25

Thanks to New Earth Cyber School for creating and posting this list of 94 usuryfree community currencies in the United States. 

And the list does not yet include (a) Mountain Hours (b) Mile High Hours and (c) Clearwater Hours - that makes 97. AND there are probably others not yet listed. It is all good news!! 

List of 94 UsuryFree Community Currencies In the United States
1. Amesbury Hours Amesbury, Massachusetts
2. Anacostia Hours Mount Rainier, Maryland
3. Area Bucks Palo Alto, California
4. Atlanta Hours Atlanta, Georgia
5. Bainbridge Island Bucks Bainbridge Island, WA
6. Baltimore Hours Baltimore, Maryland
7. Barter Bucks Indianapolis, Indiana
8. Barter Network, The Winter Park, Florida
9. Bay Area Bucks Traverse City, Michigan
10. Berea Bucks Berea, Kentucky
11. Berkeley Barter Network Berkeley, California
12. Berkeley Bread Berkeley, California
13. BerkShares, Southern Berkshires, Massachusetts
14. BloomingHours Bloomington, Indiana
15. Blue Money Brattleboro, Vermont
16. BNI Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, NJ
17. Boise Hours Boise, Idaho
18. Brattleboro Hours Chesterfield, New Hampshire
19. Bristol Bucks Bristol, Vermont
20. Brookings Bucks Brookings, South Dakota
21. Brooklyn Greenbacks Brooklyn, New York
22. Buffalo Hours Buffalo, New York
23. Buffalo Mountain Hours Hardwick, Vermont
24. Bull City Bucks Durham, North Carolina
25. Burlington Bread Burlington, Vermont
26. Butte Bucks Crested Butte, Colorado
27. Cape Anne Dollars Gloucester, Massachusetts
28. Capitol Area Self-Sustaining Hours Albany, NY
29. Carbondale Spuds Carbondale, Colorado
30. Chenango Hours New Berlin, New York
31. Columbia County Hours Philmont, New York
32. Community Cash Durango, Colorado
33. Cuyahoga Hours Cleveland, Ohio
34. Detroit Cheers Detroit, Michigan
35. Disney Dollar Disneyland and Disneyworld
36. Flagstaff Neighborly Notes Flagstaff, Arizona
37. Floyd Hours Floyd, Virginia
38. Fourth Corner Exchange Pacific Northwest
39. Green Mountain Hours Montpelier, Vermont
40. Greyhound Bucks Taft, Texas
41. Hero dollar Minneapolis, Minnesota
42. High Desert Dollars Prescott, Arizona
43. Hobo Dough South Dakota State University,
Brookings, South Dakota
44. Hollandollars Holland, Michigan (apparently
being discontinued but honored by local
chamber of commerce
45. Houston Hours Houston, Texas
46. Humboldt Hours Eureka, California
47. Humboldt exchange community currency Arcata,CA
48. Ithaca Hours Ithaca, New York
49. Kansas City Barter Bucks Kansas City, Missouri
50. Kauai Barter and Trade Network Kilauea,HW
51. Kettle River Hours Kettle Falls, Washington
52. Kitsap Hours Bremerton, Washington
53. Lehigh Valley Barter Hours Bethlehem,
Pennsylvania
54. Liberty Dollars Evansville, IN
55. Lopez Island Hours Lopez Island, Washington
56. Madison Hours Madison, Wisconsin
57. Marbles Columbia, Missouri
58. Mendocino SEED Fort Bragg, California
59. Middletown Cash Middletown, CT, Wesleyan
University
60. Milwaukee Hours Milwaukee, Wisconsin
61. Missoula Hours Missoula, Montana
62. Mo' Money New Orleans, Louisiana
63. Mountain Money [18] Mars Hill, North Carolina
64. NOCO Hours Fort Collins, Greeley, and
Loveland, Colorado
65. North Fork Helping Hands Paonia, Colorado
66. Ormita Commerce Network Barter System
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
67. PDXhours Portland, Oregon
68. P.E.N. Neighborhood Exchange Takoma Park, MD
69. PHX BUX Phoenix, Arizona
70. PLENTY Pittsboro, North Carolina
71. Portage Hours Kent, Ohio
72. REAL Dollars Lawrence, Kansas
73. Riverbend Tokens Chattanoga, Tennessee
74. RiverHOURS Columbia River Gorge, USA
75. San Luis Obispo Hours San Luis Obispo, CA
76. Sand Dollars Bolinas, California
77. Santa Barbara Hours Santa Barbara, California
78. Santa Fe Hours Santa Fe, New Mexico
79. Santa Monica Hours Santa Monica, California
80. Sequoia Hours Garberville, California
81. Simply Hours Columbus, Ohio
82. Skagit Dollars Mount Vernon, Washington
83. Sonoma County Community Cash Santa Rosa, CA
84. Stoneridge Hours Kerhonkson, New York
85. Summit Hours Akron, Ohio
86. Thread City Bread Willimantic, Connecticut
87. Time Bucks Seattle, Washington
88. TradeMarket Nevada City, California
89. Tulsa Hours Tulsa, Oklahoma
90. Ukiah Hours Ukiah, California
91. Valley Dollars Greenfield, Massachusetts
92. Waldo Hours Unity, Maine
93. Wash Bucks Sioux City, Iowa
94. Wooster Hours Apple Creek, Ohio
NOTE: View samples of various usuryfree community currencies at this website:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.5535080636.5284.537845636

The Elephants Journey to pay their respect

A story worthy of sharing ...

SOMETHING IN THE UNIVERSE THAT IS GREATER AND DEEPER THAN HUMAN INTELLIGENCE. THE ELEPHANT'S JOURNEY TO PAY RESPECT, BUT HOW DID THEY KNOW ?

Lawrence Anthony, a legend in South Africa and author of 3 books including the bestseller The Elephant Whisperer, bravely rescued wildlife and rehabilitated elephants all over the globe from human atrocities, including the

courageous rescue of Baghdad Zoo animals during US invasion in 2003

On March 7, 2012 Lawrence Anthony died.

He is remembered and missed by his wife, 2 sons, 2 grandsons & numerous elephants. Two days after his passing, the wild elephants showed up at his home led by two large matriarchs. Separate wild herds arrived in droves to say goodbye to their beloved man-friend'.

A total of 31 elephants had patiently walked over 12 miles to get to his South African House.

Witnessing this spectacle, humans were obviously in awe not only because of the supreme intelligence and precise timing that these elephants sensed about Lawrence's passing, but also because of the profound memory and emotion the beloved animals evoked in such an organized way:

Walking slowly -for days -

Making their way in a solemn one-by-one queue from their habitat to his house. Lawrence's wife, Francoise, was especially touched, knowing that the elephants had not been to his house prior to that day for well over 3 years!

But yet they knew where they were going. The elephants obviously wanted to pay their deep respects, honouring their friend who'd saved their lives - so much respect that they stayed for 2 days 2 nights without eating anything. Then one morning, they left, making their long journey back home.

No money? Then make your own

By Marie Jackson 
BBC News

NOTE: This article was originally published on September 17, 2009

Can printing your own cash actually help revive a struggling economy? That's just what traders in one London shopping district are hoping for, as they begin accepting a new local currency.

Short on cash? Then why not make your own. There's no law against it, so long as you don't try to pass it off as sterling.

And you can use whatever you please to make your money, whether cigarettes, rabbit skins or paper notes.

That's what's happening in Brixton, a south London neighbourhood where shoppers, from Thursday, will be able to hand over 10 Brixton Pounds (B£s) in return for their groceries.

Proponents of local currencies say they boost the community's economy by keeping money in the area, but critics dismiss them as fashionable gimmicks, tantamount to protectionism.

They may sound experimental but have in fact been used since the Middle Ages when local currencies were all there was - it was not until the 1700s that every European country had its own currency, says Tim Leunig, an economist at the LSE.

Research suggests that when the wider economy slumps, communities turn to barter systems. In other words, when there's little money around, people think about making their own.

The Great Depression of the 1930s saw a wide take-up in the US and much later, the Global Barter Club was born after the Argentine economy hit rock-bottom in 2001. At its height, the system was supporting three million people.

And today's straitened times may well renew interest in complementary currencies but, as one unconvinced Brixton shopper, asks: "What's the point?"

"A local economy is like a leaky bucket. Wealth is generated then spent in chain stores and businesses. It disappears leaving an impoverished local economy," explains Ben Brangwyn, part of the team behind the Totnes Pound, launched in south Devon in 2007.

"Local money prevents that from happening and keeps the money bouncing around the bucket, building wealth and prosperity."

Currently, 6,000 Totnes pounds are in circulation from an estimated local economy of £60m.

It is, stresses Mr Brangwyn, a radical experiment, still in its very early stages, but he can see a day when England has 2,000 local currencies.

Other towns joining the experiment, started by environmental group Transition Network, are Lewes in East Sussex and Stroud in Gloucestershire which introduced the Stroud Pound this week.

Fake notes

Brixton, with its reputation for bustling streets, a lively nightlife and a notoriety for street crime, is the first urban area to have its own currency.

Volunteers behind the project say it has not been an easy sell.

Some shopkeepers are concerned about counterfeiting and the build-up of Brixton pounds in their till. Others see it as a novel advertising tool that could become gift vouchers, or even a collector's item.

So far, £10,000 has been pledged by businesses and local people to be converted into B£s, but on the streets there is still some convincing to be done.

Project manager Tim Nichols hopes people will be drawn by the notion of a kind of "secret club" for holders of the special notes and expects Brixton's antiestablishment spirit to work to its advantage.

"We are in London, the financial hub of the world, and are trying to do something that goes against the grain of the big banking system that we are living on the edge of."

He is also optimistic the recession can work in its favour.

That's the view of Susan Witts who co-founded the BerkShare, a local currency launched in 2006 in Berkshire, Massachusetts.

She puts the growth of BerkShares (from 1 million to 2.5 million in three years) down, in part, to the recession and a lot of hard work.

"Introducing a new currency means more work. You have to train staff to use it, adapt accounting processes. When things are going well, it seems an unnecessary extra step.

"But in difficult times, businesses are looking at ways to make their business work. It relies on people's sense of wanting to shape their own economic future."

But David Boyle, of the New Economics Foundation think-tank and a supporter of alternative currencies, believes efforts in Britain are hampered by its banking system.

Whereas the US has a major network of local banks willing to handle other kinds of money, banks in the UK are less willing to do that. He suggests the answer could lie with local authorities playing a more controlling role.

The vital factor though, says Mr Boyle, is belief.

"If you can maintain that belief in the community, it can work," he says.

Tax dodge

Other economists dismiss the whole concept as a gimmick.

"It might make people feel good, but it's not achieving anything meaningful," says Tim Leunig, of LSE.

"You're saying you can't buy goods from Hackney, Southwark or China, even if they are cheaper. It's giving Brixton shops monopoly power and in the long-run destroys incentives. Almost all collapse because they don't achieve anything."

The only use he can see for it is as a tax dodge, but the taxman says this is a red herring.

All businesses have to report all turnover and as every local currency is tacked to sterling, every sale, whether paid for in cream cakes, polar bears or carrots must be reported to its sterling value, the HM Revenue and Customs says.

And if you are not running a business, the HMRC has no interest because where there's no profit motive, there's no taxation consequence. The Treasury, meanwhile, views them as little more than gift vouchers.

So, with the government unperturbed, perhaps we could yet see Mr Brangwyn's vision of 2,000 separate local currencies realised. But would that be a brave leap into the future or a return to the Middle Ages?

NOTE: This article is originally published at this website:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8245276.stm

NOTE: Related video clips posted at this website:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8579476.stm

Wandering Monks New "Jubilee" Album coming soon

"The new Wandering Monks album “Jubilee”, is off to the presses and expected to be available by October of 2012. Bringing the concept of “Local Organic Currency” to the masses, teaming up with mtnHours and its creator Wayne Walton, the Wandering Monks intend to transform the way every individual understands money. The message is simple, remove the parasite, remove the problem. Abolish Usury and the ponzi scam that is backing today’s Federal Reserve system, and replace it with a system that promotes abundance, and gives the Power back to the People. 

Jubilee is a musical journey that both address’ the largest problems working against the well-being, and successful future of the average working citizen, and offers a clear tangible solution for people to immediately begin taking back the control over their own lives, and truly returning to a way of living that is both sustainable, as well as fruitful. Jubilee is the Wandering Monks 2nd album, although it is considered and EP for its relatively short track list. 

The album follows the Wandering Monks self titled “debut” album which was a huge success among the Colorado Hip Hop community, as well as amongst the “truth” movement across the nation, both of which have been growing in presence over the last 10 years. To purchase the Monks “debut” album, follow the buy now link to complete your order and support the Revolution by spreading the message, and the music that many more need to hear."

NOTE: This article is originally published at the Wandering Monks' website: http://wanderingmonksmusic.com

UsuryFree Finance is the 'Mother Theresa' of 21st Century Economics

A sample of the "Prosperity Certificate" Issued by the 

Government of the Province of Alberta in 1936

Just as the design flaw of 'usury' is the feeding frenzy for power, pride, ego, greed, and arrogance of the 'usury' elites' group of companies and their political pawns who are in cahoots with the IMF, the WTO and the World Bank, etc., this same yoke of 'usury' is the direct and/or indirect cause of wars, violence, poverty, scarcity and lack that troubles all of the third world countries, the middle class and the poor in North America and elsewhere, the anti-globalization protestors as well as many others who are too afraid to protest.

Usuryfree finance is the 'Mother Theresa' of 21st Century economics and its immediate implementation is essential to stop the genocide by the IMF, the WTO, the World Bank and 'usury' elites' group of companies. Usuryfree finance is possible NOW and has been possible since Michael Linton created the 'usury-free' LETS (Local Employment Trading System) software in 1983. Lots of relevant information at The UsuryFree Eye Opener.

Perhaps it will be necessary for one municipal government to come forth and take a leadership role to demonstrate how a 'usuryfree' community currency can function at the local level given the ease of our modern technology. 

After one municipality launches and evaluates a beta project as a proven method of creating prosperity and abundance for all who participate, provincial and national governments can implement similar projects. 

Eventually, a 'usuryfree' time currency can be implemented at the global level and there will be 'peace and plenty' by 2020.

What better municipality to do this than your local municipality. The two documents below offer a detailed explanation of how any municipality could take a leadership role and implement a usuryfree time currency for the benefit of all who live within that particular municipality.

I forwarded this proposal to the Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton in eastern Ontario on November 30, 2000.

“A Proposal To Limit Tax Increases While Improving Current Levels Of Municipal Government Services”

Twelve years later, the citizens of Ottawa still experience budget cuts - because of a lack of money. Hopefully, some other municipality will be motivated to take action NOW!

To show a definite political will for the implementation of  'usuryfree' finance at the municipal level of government, readers are invited to read and share "The Innovative Proposal" with your local, municipal politicians.

Tom Greco Update

Tom Greco has been active in the UsuryFree Community Currency Movement For A Very Long Time

Fall Tour 2012

My fall tour agenda has filled out nicely and includes an exciting assortment of presentations, workshops, and consultations.

On October 1, I will begin a five week tour that will take me to Switzerland, Greece, and the UK.

Here is a chronological list of events. If you wish to participate in any of them, please go to the indicated website or get in touch with appropriate contact person.

3-6 October. Geneva. Presentations and conferences with Community Forge, http://communityforge.net/home. “CommunityForge is a non-profit association that designs, develops and provides complementary currency systems and tools.” (Use the “Contact” button on the website to connect with Tim Anderson). This stop will probably include a presentation at the UN Palais des Nations, Human Rights Social Forum, on October 3. My topic will be "Strategies for community empowerment and the creation of economic democracy.”

7-14 October. Crete, Greece.

On October 10 and 11, I will be a presenter at the International Sustainability Summit, to be held at the European Sustainability Academy (Sharon Jackson, Director, http://www.eurosustainability.org/en/esa.htm).

The segment on Strategic shifts in prevailing systems includes a 2 day workshop that will focus specifically upon Community Exchange Systems and Alternative currency systems for Sustainable Communities. On October 10, I will give a presentation on The Emerging Butterfly Society: Making the shift to a steady-state economy and a world that works for all. Details and registration materials can be found at: http://www.eurosustainability.org/en/esa_summit4.htm

15 October to approximately 21 October. Mainland Greece

During this time period, I will be traveling to Thessaloniki, Volos, and Athens. Specifics are still developing.

25 October. York, UK

I will be speaking at the York LETS Conference on the topic, "Why local exchanges and currencies fail to thrive, and what is required to take alternative exchange to scale." Booking at, http://yorkaltcurrencies-efbevent.eventbrite.co.uk/ . Info at, http://www.facebook.com/events/495091860501637/?ref=ts

October 27-28. London. Events on Money and Alternative Currencies are being planned by Mary Fee of LETSlinkUK, http://www.letslinkuk.net/. Details will be posted, when available, at my site http://beyondmoney.net/.

30 October. Ambleside (Lake District). Cumbria University, Presentation, Beyond Money, Banks, and the Left-Right Divide.

31 October. I will be delivering a free public lecture, A New Approach to Community Economic Development at Cumbria University in Lancaster, UK.

1 November. I will conduct a workshop titled, Complementary Exchange Systems: Design, Organization, and Implementation, at The University of Cumbria in Lancaster( Room AXB003) from 2pm to 5pm.

Details of both events at: http://www.localwealth.co.uk/tom-greco/

Register for either at: http://www.localwealth.co.uk/booking-for-tom-greco-events-in-lancaster/ 

I will return to the U.S. from London on November 5.

_____________________________________________________________

The Wealth of the Commons

Following my participation in the Commons Conference in Berlin two years ago, I was asked to contribute a chapter to an anthology titled, The Wealth of the Commons: A world beyond market & state. (http://www.wealthofthecommons.org/) This book is a “new collection of 73 essays that describe the enormous potential of the commons in conceptualizing and building a better future.” At long last, the English edition has now been published and can be ordered from Leveller’s Press, https://store.collectivecopies.com/store/show/001.

I think the chapter I wrote for this book is one of the most succinct and information-rich essays I’ve ever written, so I’ve posted it on my site. You can download it at http://beyondmoney.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/reclaiming-the-credit-commons.pdf.

_______________________________________________________________

QE ad infinitum (QE3)

“Quantitative Easing,” commonly referred to as “QE,” is a euphemistic expression for currency inflation, i.e., the creation of money on the basis of junk securities and empty promises. On September 14, Ben Bernanke announced that the FED would continue to inflate the dollar on an ongoing basis for “as long as it takes.” A week earlier, European Central Bank president Mario Draghi announced a similar plan to save the Euro by buying the bonds of euro-zone governments, notably Spain and Italy. “There will be no "ex ante limits on the size" of the purchases, said Draghi.” He sugar-coated the bitter pill by saying, “governments that want the ECB to buy its bonds must agree to a program of reforms and oversight by the bailout funds and possibly the International Monetary Fund.” We know what that means for the ordinary person. Two of my recent posts address these announcements (http://beyondmoney.net/2012/09/20/qe-ad-infinatum/, and http://beyondmoney.net/2012/09/21/et-tu-ecb-inflating-the-euro/).

_______________________________________________________________

Recent posts

In recent weeks, I’ve been re-reading some of E. C. Riegel’s essays. I’ll be posting the more important ones from time to time. Here is one that, although written more than 60 years ago, seems especially timely.

The Right-wing Socialists, http://beyondmoney.net/2012/09/12/beware-of-the-right-wing-socialists/

Another important Riegel essay is, Breaking the English Tradition, which years ago I embedded, with my comments in a post to my other website http://www.Reinventingmoney.com That post titled, The Politics of Money, can be download at http://www.reinventingmoney.com/documents/BreakingEnglishTradition.pdf.

Hoping to see some of you along the way,

Thomas H. Greco, Jr.    Email: thg@mindspring.com  

PO Box 42663, Tucson, AZ 85733

Beyond Money: http://beyondmoney.net

Tom's News and Views: http://tomazgreco.wordpress.com

Archive Website: http://www.Reinventingmoney.com

Skype/Twitter name: tomazgreco

My latest book, "The End of Money and the Future of Civilization" can be ordered from Chelsea Green Publishing, Amazon.com, or your local bookshop.

The Eighth Annual UsuryFree Day & Week - Start Making Plans Now

Historically, the term “usury” was commonly used instead of “interest.” In the Islamic economic world “interest” or “usury” is referred to as “riba” - a tool of oppression and a means to unjustly take the money of others. Islamic law forbids a riba-based, economic system.

For a very long time, here in the western world, creditors (bankers) have been exacting usury on money loaned to debtors. In this 21st Century, “interest” which ought to be correctly identified as “usury” permits the creditors (bankers) to legally exploit the debtors, keeping them in debt bondage for generation after generation.

For lack of knowledge about the truth of money creation, debtors rarely question the evil and immoral aspects of the design flaw of usury as it is applied to our orthodox, economic system of debt money.

According to all of the conventional Holy Books any rate of usury (interest) above 0% is truly forbidden and unacceptable. During the 20th Century, many of the elder and experienced Socreds explained the evil and immoral aspects of usury by relying on these two statements of fact: (1) “Money cannot have babies.” (2) “Usury or interest is theft.”

It is unfortunate that as we progress into this 21st Century, the majority of debtors have been conditioned to accept that the word “usury” applies only to excessive rates of “interest” - above the legal limit of 60% in Canada. However, in reality, any rate of usury or interest above 0% is truly evil and immoral.

There was “Life Without Usury”  during the Middle Ages when the practice was banned and both creditors and debtors were given 30 days to cancel and loan contracts that permitted the creditor to exact usury from the debtor or face execution.

This brief communication is designed to inform and/or remind readers that the forthcoming, Eighth Annual UsuryFree Day/Week is scheduled to occur from November 13th to 19th, 2012. Usuryfree creatives and becoming usuryfree creatives are invited to make plans to host local events to help celebrate this Eighth Annual UsuryFree Day and Week.

Readers are invited to review the details and happenings of the seven previous UsuryFree Weeks. Simply type in “UsuryFree Day” or “UsuryFree Week” at any search engine and browse the postings.

The next step is to assume a leadership role and commence making plans to host a local event to celebrate the forthcoming Eighth Annual UsuryFree Day and Week from November 13th to 19th, 2012. These events would be scheduled at a mutually convenient times and places on any day or evening during the Eighth Annual UsuryFree Week.

Keep these events simple and informal. The focus during UsuryFree Week is (a) to expose the lies, deceit and deceptions about our orthodox, economic system of usury-based, debt money and (b) to offer solution-oriented, economic alternatives such as implementing a usuryfree community currency within our respective, local communities.

Please forward details of any planned events for this Eighth Annual UsuryFree Week by sending an email to: tom@cyberclass.net with “Eighth Annual UsuryFree Week” in the Subject line.

As of this date one event is planned. UsuryFree Day will be celebrated at Conspiracy Culture in Toronto where Rocco Galati will be the guest speaker bringing us details of the happenings in court on November 13th 

There is a Motion to Strike the Statement of Claim by COMER is on November 13, 2012 at 9:30a.m. at the Federal Court at 180 Queen Street West. Rocco will bring the news and happenings of that timely, UsuryFree Day event. 

Enjoy this day!

Tom J. Kennedy aka “Tommy UsuryFree Kennedy”

The UsuryFree Network, P. O. Box 9333, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1G 3V1

PS: Donations to help fund events for this Eighth Annual UsuryFree Week are welcomed. Any donations can be forwarded to The Family Life Foundation if an official receipt is required. 

Family Life Foundation, 6 Kings Inn Trail, Thornhill, Ontario, Canada L3T 1T7

http://www.flfcanada.com

If no receipt is required, the donation can be forwarded directly to the UsuryFree Network at the above mailing address.

NOTE: Read about the previous Winged Lion Awards and if you can suggest/nominate a worthy candidate for a Winged Lion Award in 2012, please forward details to: tom@cyberclass.net with “Winged Lion Award” in the Subject line. And do this before October 15th, 2012, so that the awards can be prepared for UsuryFree Week.