Each Monday we will post a relatively short piece, gradually building toward a comprehensive theory of the way that money “works” in sovereign countries. We will then collect comments through Wednesday night, and will post a response to the comments on Thursday. The comments should be directly related to that week’s blog. Since we are trying to develop an understanding of MMT, we especially encourage commentators to let us know where we have been unclear. Since we will be presenting the Primer over the course of the coming year, we will sometimes have to beg for patience—obviously we cannot present the entire theory all at once.

UK based SilverWiz today announces MoneyWiz 1.3, the greatest update so far to their personal finance assistant for iPhone and iPad devices. MoneyWiz 1.3 brings over 50 new features, most notably: all new design for the iPad version. The new design brings innovative interface that combines zen beauty and simplicity, without sacrificing on functionality. Another unique feature is the ability to see reports in full screen, which gives the feeling of being able to touch your money on the iPad.

MaBaSoft today announces Currency Assistant 3.1.6, an update to their currency converter for Mac OS X. Currency Assistant is a very flexible currency conversion calculator that provides 174 currencies, including all major circulating currencies plus the 17 Eurozone legacy currencies, allows the creation of multiple converters, and automatically updates exchange rates over the Internet. Version 3.1.6 introduces a new icon and some minor improvements and interface revisions.

A couple of local activist geeks associated with CommonGoods.net are in the final stages of developing Kindista ("one who practices kindness") - a breakthrough alternative economics app which creates a virtual social networking space for gifting, sharing and lending of all kinds.

from the page: "..At the end of the summit's first day, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez announced that member countries had agreed to contribute 1% of their international reserves toward the bloc's main bank in order to create a reserve fund. The Bank of the Alba was established in 2008 with the intention of providing economic support to people-centred regional projects and to contribute to sustainable social and economic development across the region. The Bank is also cited as acting as a continental alternative to the International Monetary Fund... The heads of state also discussed the possibility of increasing the commercial use of the sucre, the bloc's virtual currency. The sucre is currently used for direct trading between the ALBA countries, allowing them to circumvent the U.S dollar and minimise the foreign-exchange risk.