Re: <nettime> Re: The Piran Nettime Manifesto

[richard@hrc.westminster.ac.uk (Richard Barbrook)]

Hiya, 

>the Labour party's rumoured scheme to manipulate the
>unemployment figures by organising large groups of people >(in association
with British Telecom) to dig holes in the >roads and lay fibre all over
Britain over the next few >years. 
>

I wish that the Labour Party did have a definate scheme to build a
fibre-optic network over here! As a party member, I would certainly do
everything that I could to encourage them to launch such a project. We need
a fibre-optic grid both to provide employment for those living on inadequate
benefits and to create an infrastructure for anyone wanting broadband
communications. Unfortunately the unthinking anti-statism on both right and
left makes such long-term public infrastructure schemes seem very
unfashionable nowadays. How boring to talk about sweaty manual labour by
road-diggers when you can fantasise about ludic "non-work" instead! However
the development of the hi-tech gift economy still needs a functioning
broadband network if everyone is allowed to join the game....

Later,

Richard




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Dr. Richard Barbrook
Hypermedia Research Centre
School of Design & Media
University of Westminster
Watford Road
Northwick Park
HARROW HA1 3TP

http://www.hrc.wmin.ac.uk/

+44 (0)171-911-5000 x 4590

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