[Foundation-l] Putting the Foundation back in WMF

[GerardM]

Hoi,
If the US government defaults on its debts, there will still be a Wikimedia
Foundation. When it proves no longer possible to be based in the US
(unlikely) we will be based elsewhere. You forget that we are an
international organisation. When we must, we will continue elsewhere.

The notion that we are dependent on the performance of the US government is
absolutely wrong.

Thanks,
    GerardM

On Nov 18, 2007 1:33 AM, Thomas Dalton <thomas.dalton at gmail.com> wrote:

> On 18/11/2007, Ray Saintonge <saintonge at telus.net> wrote:
> > Thomas Dalton wrote:
> > > On 17/11/2007, Ray Saintonge <saintonge at telus.net> wrote:
> > >
> > >> Thomas Dalton wrote:
> > >>
> > >>> Being able to fund activities off capital gains would be very
> useful,
> > >>> but really it requires large endowments to work. Building up a fund
> > >>> from small fundraisers isn't going to work.
> > >>>
> > >> Capital gains are not a reliable investment, especially not in the
> short
> > >> term.  Short term capital gains are mostly a matter of good luck.
> > >>
> > > Putting the cash in a savings account still constitutes capital gains.
> > > The term doesn't refer just to risky investments.
> > Money put into a savings account yields interest income, not capital
> gains.
> >
> > A capital gain is the increase in the value of an asset.  When the
> > market value of a company's share increases from its original cost that
> > is a capital gain.  When you sell a piece of land for more than you paid
> > for it without having altered it since you bought it, that is a capital
> > gain.  If these values go down, it is a capital loss.
>
> Ok, perhaps my example wasn't a particularly good one, but my point
> stands. The profit made on a Treasury Bill is a capital gain under
> your definition, and they are generally considered risk-free (if the
> US government defaults on its debts, keeping the WMF running will be
> the least of our worries).
>
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