Blogging the plaNetwork conference in San Francisco.

Hazel Henderson is giving the opening keynote presentation. She is talking about the history of the movements that have led to the idea / realization of public opinion as a world super power.

Talking about the economic / money model, and its need to take into account the love economy and nature. Errors in current economic thought that government works on. Conventional economics of distress, not a system view. The vicious circle economy, which you see if you look at it as a system.

Talking about her book from 1981, "The Politics of the Solar Age". (Someone next to me is typing with a keyboard and a Palm: my laptop is heavy and hot on my lap, and the batteries are not going to last very long :-()

Transition to new economic ideas invalidates most of neo-classical economics. Technology is a driving factor, outside of the old model. She couldn't get anyone (in government) to hear her ideas because the economic advisors control the dialog about the economy. Situation started in 1947 with the employment act, which basically locked the relationship between economists and public policy.

Three resources we have as humans: information, matter, and energy. Information is affects how you use matter and energy. Whether you are working with the planet or against it.

Slow evolution towards material and energy efficiency. We haven't made the transition: still in petroleum era. Even G.W. Bush, which she calls the fossil administration, realizes that there is a transition going on, e.g., to hydrogen.

We need to realize what a grand orchestration this actually is, happening globally on all these different levels. So question is: how do you take local activists and connect them into the whole system.

She is working with futurists: came up with 15 global challenges. Got people all over the world to agree that these 15 challenges are on the human agenda. The corporate world is still way behind the curve. Like with the Internet: they think it is about shopping.

Talking about globalization index measuring money and wires, not treaties and agreements.

What are the goals, what are the values?

Nitty-gritty about transactions. Money economy vs Love Economy (cooperation, barter-mutual aid). We are at the end of the money area. Please stop calling electronic barter a currency system. We are beyond money systems. Money systems are just about information: that is all a coin or bill is.

Information is the world's new currency. Good information is more valuable than currency.

Going to end here, to save batteries for blogging Mitch Kapor and the blog presentation.