Happi Kaniro  Money and Life  2006
This week I've read all of Shareable.net's 'Shareable Futures' series of fiction and non-fiction, focussing on future economies that function differently to that of the present day. Three fiction highlights:

Paolo Bacigalupi, 'The Gambler'  (LOU ANDERS, ed. FAST FORWARD 2, 2008)
A near future South East Asian journalist in Los Angeles experiences firsthand how the fast spread of superficial news actually determines its value. Nominated for both the Hugo and Nebula, it's very readable yet not typically 'Bacigalupian' in theme. I expect quite a bit of Bacigalupi's own experience has wound up in this story from the time he was working as an environmental journalist.

Benjamin Rosenbaum, 'The Guy Who Worked For Money'  (SHAREABLE.NET, 12 JULY 2010)
A woman meets a capitalist in a near future Frankfurt, but in a society where money is almost non-existent. This is a neat extrapolation of an economy based on the fluctuating nature of public reputations, and is a sequel to Rosenbaum's earlier and much shorter story, 'Falling'.

Bruce Sterling, 'The Exterminator's Want-Ad'  (SHAREABLE.NET, 22 JUNE 2010)
After the world economy has tanked, an American socialist tyranny rebuilds the country as a social network dystopia and uses fantasy gaming techniques to educate its undesirables. I particularly like the snarly, critical tone of the right-wing antihero.

Favourite short story of the week: Brian K. Lowe, 'Grinpa'  (DAILY SCIENCE FICTION, 11 OCTOBER 2010)
An appealing story about family priorities in the face of world-changing events. If I could nominate in the Hugos this year, I'd be including this.