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Treviso

2012-01-13T02:36:18Z

Piergi: Removed ex-Ambassador Trave

[[it:Treviso]]

{{Italy}}
{{Veneto}}
{{Local links
|placename = Treviso
|csgroup = 7588
|wikipedia = Treviso
|wikitravel = Treviso
|hitch = Treviso
|ambassadors = None
|image = Treviso-Stemma.png
|imagetext = Coat of arms
}}

[[File:20050528-024-treviso-signori.jpg|thumb|200px|right|alt=Treviso view|Piazza dei Signori]]
'''Treviso''' is a city and commune in Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Treviso. The municipality has 82,206 inhabitants (2008), of whose about 3,000 live within the Venetian walls (le Mura), that is, the historical and monumental centre. Around 80,000 live in the urban centre proper. The city hinterland has a population of approximately 170,000.

==Couchsurfing==

As of September 2010, there are more than 150 CSers in Treviso. The local CS group (counting 202 members as of September 16, 2010) organises meetings and activities, in close collaboration with the [[Vicenza]] and [[Padova]] communities.

===Meetings===

Local informal meetings are usually held on the 3 and 23 of the month, when local members and their guests unite, usually at the [http://tinyurl.com/22pk2oj ''Ombreria'']. Other typical activities include meeting in the main squares to drink ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spritz spritz]'', the local cocktail, and talk, pizza meetings or dinners at CS hosts' houses. Other CS events include tours of the nearby cities with lunch/pic-nic or attending major and lesser events in the [[Veneto]] area (such as the ''White nights'', with free concerts and exhibitions).

Please, ask your host to keep you updated about local meetings through the local CS groups ([http://www.couchsurfing.com/group.html?gid=228 Veneto], [http://www.couchsurfing.com/group.html?gid=7588 Treviso]). You can also check the [http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=9o0tb8rrbkkfrkab6i0p90uphg%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=Europe/Rome CS Veneto Google Calendar]: the local community keeps it updated with all the upcoming events!
Also, it might be a good idea to contact one or two active CS members to know if there is anything going on those days.

<div style="color: #888; border: 1px solid #888; background: #F9F9EE; width: auto; ">
<div style="background: #F5F0A9; border-bottom: 1px solid #C3C3A0; font-weight: bold; color: #444; padding: 0.4em;">Latest CS Treviso group posts</div>
<div style="padding-bottom: 0.5em;">
<rss>http://www.couchsurfing.org/feeds/group_rss.php?gid=7588|template=Feedimport|max=5|short|title=none</rss>
</div></div>

===Emergency couch===
In case you should find yourself in an emergency situation like your expected host not being reachable, the hostel being full, or anything of the kind, (BUT NOT because you did not properly search for a couch), you will find some help on the [http://www.couchsurfing.com/group.html?gid=11618 Veneto SOS Group].

==Get in==

===By plane===

Treviso has its own airport, [http://www.trevisoairport.it/tsf/index.jsp?language=en Antonio Canova], pretty close to the [http://www.veniceairport.it/core/index.jsp?language=en Venice Marco Polo] and [http://www.aeroportoverona.it/index_en.asp Verona] airports. If you're arriving from the Marco Polo airport, take a connecting bus to Mestre (Venice mainland station), where you can take a train to Treviso (20 mins. approx.).

* Bus from Treviso airport to Treviso centre/train station and the other way around (ACTT bus line no.6): [http://www.actt.it/uploaded_files/Feriali_INV_2009-10_06.pdf Mon. to Sat.] and [http://www.actt.it/uploaded_files/Festivi_INV_2009-10_06.pdf Sun. and national holidays]
* Coach Service from Treviso airport to Mestre and Venice - Piazzale Roma and viceversa: [http://www.atvo.it/index.php?lang=en&area=23&menuid=36 ATVO]
* [http://www.actv.it/pdf/urbano/U-5.pdf Bus service from Venice airport to Venice - Piazzale Roma (ACTV bus line no.5)]
* [http://www.actv.it/pdf/urbano/U-15.pdf Bus service from Venice airport to Mestre railway station (ACTV bus line no.15)]
* [http://www.atvo.it/index.php?lang=en&area=23&menuid=35 Coach Service Venice Marco Polo airport]

===By car===

On the A27 highway "Venezia-Belluno", take exits "Treviso Sud" (if coming from Venice Mestre) or "Treviso Nord" (if coming from Belluno) and follow the signs leading you to the city centre.

Treviso is also connected with Venice through the SS13 "Pontebbana" road, lined by beautiful green landscapes and ancient villas. A very good option for biking fans thinking of cycling holidays in the north-east of Italy.

===By train===

Treviso can be reached in 30-35 minutes from Venice for €2,35. [[Padova]] is 50-60 minutes away. Travellers from most parts of Italy would have to change at Venice Mestre station, taking the line ''Venezia-Udine'' (about 20 minutes to get to Treviso station).

Check the website of [http://www.ferroviedellostato.it/homepage_en.html Italian railways] for timetables and fares.

==Going around==

Discovering the city on foot is very easy. The historic centre is actually quite small: it takes about 20 minutes to cross the walled town from North to South, and about 15 minutes from West to East. Most of the streets are narrow, with plenty of pictoresque alleys in the core of the town.

===By bus===

Treviso is served by a bus transportation system reaching every part of town. Buses are orange (older) or green/grey (newer) single deckers. Bare in mind that after 8:00pm the service is scarce, after 10:00pm is almost non-existent.

A 75-minute ''urbano'' ticket costs €1.00, while a ''suburbano'' ticket does €1.30: the first is valid within the municipality of Treviso only, while the second is to be bought when going to some neighbouring municipality (i.e., Paese, Quinto, Preganziol, Silea, Villorba, etc.). A 11-trip ticket can also be bought for €10 (urbano) and €13 (suburbano), with the same duration limit for the single trip.

The ticket must be validated every time you get on a bus, is personal and non-transferable.

Tickets are found in any ''tabaccheria'' (tobacconist) as well as in most kiosks and at the ACTT (the local bus company) office close to the railways station. Tickets can also be bought on the bus for €2.

Single day (€2.80) and week-end (€2.50) tickets are also availalble, being purchasable at the ACTT office only.

For prices and availability, please check [http://www.actt.it ACTT website].

===By bike===

Cycling through the historic centre is easy, since there are relatively few cars bothering you. However, the bicycle will be really useful when visiting the surroundings or reaching some of the beautiful villas in the countryside.

Very worth mentioning is the ''Restera'', a striking route going along the River Sile having already hosted 2 local CS bike events.

More info on more itineraries soon.

==Visiting==

In the '''centre town''' there is a tourist office (''IAT - Informazioni ed Accoglienza Turistica'', Tourist Reception and Information), located in Via Toniolo, very close to Piazza S.Andrea. It provides information about Treviso and its province as well as guides, maps and brochures in different languages.

Address: Palazzo Scotti - Via S.Andrea, 3 — Phone: (+39) 0422 547632 — E-mail: [mailto:iattreviso@provincia.treviso.it iattreviso@provincia.treviso.it]

'''Working hours''': Mon 9:00am–1:00pm; Tue–Fri 9:00am–1:00pm, 2:00pm–6:00pm; Sat 9:00am–1:00pm, 3:00pm–6:00pm; Sun 9:30am–12:30pm, 3:00pm–6:00pm.

Inside the '''airport terminal''', at the arrivals, there's an IAT info point with guides, maps and brochures.

Address: Via Noalese, 63 — Phone: (+39) 0422 263282 — E-mail: [mailto:iataeroporto@provincia.treviso.it iataeroporto@provincia.treviso.it]

''' Working hours''': Mon, Wed, Fri 10:30am–3:00pm, 5:00pm–8:30pm; Tue 12:00pm–3:00pm, 4:30pm–9:30pm; Thu 4:30pm–9:30pm; Sat 12:00pm–3:00pm; close on Sundays.

A comprehensive list of the IAT points in the province of Treviso can be found here: [http://turismo.provincia.treviso.it/uffici/dettaglio.asp IAT offices].

===Guides===

Guides are available in different languages at the IAT points in Via S.Andrea, 3 and at the Airport terminal (see the [[Treviso#Visiting_Treviso|Visiting Treviso]] section).

===Nearbies===

We strongly recommend visiting nearby [[Asolo]] (reachable by car or bus), [[Castelfranco]] (by car, train or bus), [[Conegliano]] (same), and [[Portobuffolè]] (by car or bus), all found in the province of Treviso within 35–40 km from the capital.

Also well worth a visit are the towns of [[Padova]], [[Verona]], and [[Vicenza]] (by car, train or bus); [[Venice]] is just 30–35 minutes away by train.

==Internet==

There are several Internet points in the town. A comprehensive list can be found here: [http://maps.google.it/maps?hl=it&source=hp&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=internet+point+treviso&fb=1&gl=it&hq=internet+point&hnear=treviso&view=text&ei=C41MS-XeMM_FsgapyoCDDA&sa=X&oi=local_group&ct=more-results&resnum=1&ved=0CBYQtQMwAA Google Maps - Internet Points in Treviso]

Two of the city library sites are provided with free wireless connection only available for library members:

'''Ex-GIL''' - Via Luigi Giacomelli, 10; phone: 0422 658351; Internet availability: Mon–Fri 9:00am–7:30pm; Sat 9:00am–12:30pm; 10 terminals available; printing service available.

'''Sant'Antonino''' - Via S. Antonino, 192; phone: 0422 545342; Internet availability: Tue–Fri 3:00pm–6:00pm; 6 terminals available; printing service not available.

==Emergency==

[[Image:Signs_-_SOS_Emergency_Telephone.jpg|110px|right|]]

* '''Police''': 113 (national) - (+39) 0422 577111 (Questura di Treviso - Via Carlo Alberto, 37)
* '''Carabinieri''' (other police militia): 112 (national)
* '''Medical emergency''': 118
* '''Hospital''': (+39) 0422-3221 (Piazza Ospedale, 1)
* '''Duty doctor''': (+39) 0422 405100
* '''Fire brigade''': 115 (national)

== External links ==

* [http://www.bookmarca.it/ Bookmarca] Portal carried out by the Public Library of Treviso on websites relating with Treviso and the territory of the province of Treviso
* [http://www.comune.treviso.it/ Official site]
* [http://www.flickr.com/photos/7266118@N06/sets/72157607862794069/ Free photos of Treviso]
* [http://www.trevisoinfo.it/bed_and_breakfasts.htm Bed & Breakfasts in the province of Treviso]

[[category:Italy]]
{{IsIn|Italy}}

CouchSurfing "conversion" issues

2012-01-13T02:18:23Z

Piergi: /* Italiano */ Aggiornata concordanza di genere con 'persone'

==English==

The issues with the "conversion" of CouchSurfing to a for-profit corporation are many and complex. Many members keep asking what the problem is, often accompanied by the remark "But for me, nothing has changed".

Here is an attempt to explain in a simplified and hopefully easily understandable way what to the best of my knowledge happened, with a summary of the issues at the end:

CouchSurfing was founded as a non-profit organization in the U.S. state of New Hampshire in 2003.

Under repeated assurances by CS management that CS would always remain non-profit, volunteers, dedicated members and donors helped build and rebuild CS after Casey Fenton accidentally deleted the database in 2006, gave up and walked away.

In 2010, CS was notified by the U.S. tax authorities (IRS) that it would be denied the 501c3 charity status for which it had applied because the way in which CS operated was viewed as social rather than charitable in nature (and for a number of other reasons).

At that stage, CS had to change its status. It could have chosen another non-profit type, such as 501c7 for the social and recreational organization which the IRS said it was, or go for-profit. Although CS had always pledged to remain non-profit, it decided to break that pledge and go for-profit.

To prepare this “conversion”, the chairman of CouchSurfing, Dan Hoffer, had already been working as an "Entrepreneur In Residence" at the venture capital firm Benchmark Capital months before the IRS denial was officially notified.

The bylaws of CS and the law stipulate that upon dissolution the assets of the non-profit organization had to be distributed to a charity or to the government.

CouchSurfing petitioned a New Hampshire court for authorization to buy the assets itself, telling the court that nobody else could receive the assets and that there were no interested parties to be notified of the plan to sell CouchSurfing. At the same, time CouchSurfing volunteers were told only that changes were coming, but not that CouchSurfing would be sold. Members and donors were told nothing. This lack of information deprived these stakeholders of their legal right to oppose the petition.

Based on a valuation commissioned and paid for by CouchSurfing, the non-profit assets were valued at only about $600,000, less than 1/3 of annual revenue.

The founders of CouchSurfing set up a new company under the name “Better World Through Travel, Inc.” (BWTT) in Delaware (a famous tax haven) which bought the CouchSurfing assets for a fraction of the actual value.

The proceeds of the sale went to a New Hampshire grant fund rather than to the CouchSurfing community which had created the assets in large parts.

The majority shareholders of BWTT, Casey Fenton and Dan Hoffer, issued shares to themselves and sold a minority share of the supposed $600,000 assets for $7,600,000 to two capital venture firms, Benchmark Capital and Omidyar Network. This puts the value of Casey Fenton’s and Dan Hoffer’s share at more than $7,600,000, most likely at more than $15 million.

Initially they announced that CouchSurfing had been converted to a Benefit Corporation, which was then corrected to “B-Corporation”. The right to carry the "B-Corp" label was obtained by submitting false information about the dissolved non-profit organization to B-Lab, the organization which hands out the label for a fee, and by using that label for the just created profit corporation under the false name “CouchSurfing International” (the real name being “Better World Through Travel, Inc.”).

CouchSurfing has been misrepresenting the nature of the business as “half-way between a non-profit and a for-profit” when in fact the legal form is a conventional for-profit C-Corporation (like Coca Cola or Microsoft). The future of CouchSurfing is now uncertain because it will have to go public in the not too distant future in order to repay the venture capital with a profit and to allow employees to exercise their stock options. Nobody knows who will then be the new shareholders and what their plans for CouchSurfing will be.

'''So, in summary, there are serious issues with the dishonest way in which CS, against repeated assurances that this could and would never happen, has been secretly privatized for the personal enrichment of a few when other alternatives existed, with how this has been justified, with the impact this has on the CouchSurfing community which in large part built what is now being taken away from it, and with how the nature of the new owner of the website and of our data has been misrepresented as a kind of non-profit when legally it is nothing but a conventional profit corporation illegitimately parading a B-lab label.'''

The moral issues with the above should be obvious. The legal issues are currently being investigated. The first consequence of this investigation is expected to be the withdrawal of the B-Corp certification. Other consequences could include the criminal prosecution of key actors in the above "conversion", its reversal, or the withdrawal of the investors.

==Français==

Il y a de nombreux problèmes complexes avec la "conversion" de CouchSurfing en une société à but lucratif. Beaucoup de membres demandent quel est le problème, souvent accompagné de la remarque "Mais pour moi rien n'a changé".

Voici une tentative d'expliquer d'une façon simplifiée ce qui s'est passé selon l'information disponible, avec une synthèse à la fin:

CouchSurfing a été fondé comme organisme à but non lucratif dans l'État américain du New Hampshire en 2003.

Sous les assurances répétées par la direction de CS que CS restera toujours un organisme à but non lucratif, bénévoles, membres dévoués et donateurs ont aidé à construire et reconstruire CS, après que Casey Fenton avait accidentellement effacé la base de données en 2006, renoncé et était parti.

En 2010, CS s'est vu notifier le refus par les autorités fiscales U.S. (IRS) du statut d'organisme reconnu d'utilité publique "501c3 "que CS avait demandé parce que la façon d'opérer de CS était considérée comme sociale plutôt que bienfaisante (et pour un certain nombre d'autres raisons) .

A ce stade, CS devait changer de statut. CS aurait pu choisir un autre type d'organisme à but non-lucratif, par exemple le "501c7" pour l'organisme "social et de loisirs" que l'IRS avait dit que CS était, ou se "transformer" en société à but lucratif. Bien que CS avait toujours promis de rester à but non lucratif, CS a décidé de ne pas honorer cette promesse et de se "transformer" en société à but lucratif.

Pour préparer cette «transformation», le président de CouchSurfing, Daniel Hoffer, avait déjà travaillé comme "Entrepreneur In Residence" dans la société de capital-risque Benchmark Capital plusieurs mois avant que CS ne se voit notifier officiellement le refus de l'IRS.

Les statuts de CS et la loi stipulent que lors de la dissolution les actifs de l'organisme à but non lucratif devaient être distribués à un organisme reconnu d'utilité publique ou au gouvernement.

Mais CouchSurfing a demandé à un tribunal du New Hampshire l'autorisation d'acheter lui-même les actifs, a communiqué à la cour que personne d'autre ne pouvait recevoir les actifs et que personne d'autre n'était concerné et devait être informé de l'intention de vendre CouchSurfing. En même temps, les bénévoles de CouchSurfing étaient informés seulement que des changements étaient à venir, mais pas que CouchSurfing allait être vendu. Les membres et les donateurs n'ont pas été prevenu du tout. Ce manque d'information les a privés de leur droit légal de s'opposer à la pétition.

Basé sur une évaluation commandée et payée par CouchSurfing, les actifs de l'organisation à but non lucratif ont été évaluées à seulement environ $ 600.000, soit moins de 1/3 du revenu annuel.

Les fondateurs de CouchSurfing ont créé une nouvelle société sous le nom de "Better World Through Travel, Inc." (BWTT) dans le Delaware (un célèbre paradis fiscal), qui a racheté les actifs pour une fraction de la valeur réelle de CouchSurfing.

Le produit de la vente est allé à un fonds de subventions du New Hampshire plutôt qu'à la communauté CouchSurfing qui avait créé CouchSurfing en grande partie.

Les actionnaires majoritaires de BWTT, Casey Fenton et Dan Hoffer, ont émis des actions en leur faveur et ont vendu une part minoritaire des actifs supposés valoir 600,000 dollars pour 7,6 millions de dollars à deux sociétés de capital-risque, Benchmark Capital et Omidyar Network. Cela met la valeur de la part de Casey Fenton et de Dan Hoffer à plus de 7.600.000 dollars, et probablement à plus de 15 millions de dollars.

Initialement ils avaient annoncé qu'ils avaient transformé CouchSurfing en une "Benefit Corporation", ce qui a ensuite été corrigé en "B-Corporation». Le droit de porter le label «B-Corp" a été obtenu en soumettant à B-Lab, l'organisme qui délivre le label contre paiement, de fausses informations sur l'organisme à but non lucratif dissout et en utilisant ce label sous le faux nom "CouchSurfing International" pour la société nouvellement créée (le vrai nom étant "Better World Through Tavel, Inc.").

CouchSurfing induit en erreur sur la nature de l'entreprise la présentant comme étant «à mi-chemin entre un organisme sans but lucratif et une société à but lucratif» quand en fait sa forme juridique est une société à but lucratif classique du type C-Corporation, (comme Coca Cola ou Microsoft). L'avenir est désormais incertain parce que CouchSurfing va devoir entrer en bourse dans un avenir pas trop lointain, afin de rembourser le capital risque avec bénéfice et pour permettre aux employés d'exercer leurs stock-options. Personne ne sait qui seront les nouveaux actionnaires et quels seront leurs plans pour CouchSurfing.

'''Donc, en résumé, il ya de graves problèmes avec la façon malhonnête dont CS, contre les assurances répétées que cela ne pouvait et n'allait jamais arriver, a été secrètement privatisé pour l'enrichissement personnel de quelques-uns quand d'autres alternatives existaient, avec la façon dont cela a été justifié, avec l'impact que cela a sur la communauté CouchSurfing qui avait créé en grande partie ce qui maintenant lui a été volé, et avec la manière dont le nouveau propriétaire du site et de nos données a été présentée à tort comme une sorte d'organisme à but non-lucratif quand légalement il n'est rien d'autre qu'une société à but lucratif conventionnelle qui parade illégitimement un label B-Lab.'''

Les questions d'ordre moral avec ce qui précède devrait être évidentes. Les questions juridiques sont actuellement à l'étude. La première conséquence de cette enquête devrait être le retrait de la certification B-Corp. D'autres conséquences pourraient inclure la poursuite pénale des acteurs clés dans cette "conversion", son annulation, ou le retrait des investisseurs.

==Español==

Los problemas de la "transformación" de CouchSurfing en una corporación sin ánimo de lucro son muchos y complejos. Muchos miembros siguen preguntando cuál es el problema, a menudo acompañado de la indicación: "Pero para mí, nada ha cambiado".

Este es un intento de explicar de forma simplificada - y espero que de forma fácilmente comprensible - lo que ha pasado, con un resumen de los problemas al final:

CouchSurfing fue fundado como una organización sin fines de lucro en los EE.UU. en el estado de New Hampshire en 2003.

En virtud de las repetidas promesas de que CS seguiría siendo siempre sin ánimo de lucro, voluntarios, miembros dedicados y donantes ayudaron a construir y reconstruir CS después de que Casey Fenton borrara accidentalmente la base de datos en 2006, se diera por vencido y se marchara.

En 2010, las autoridades fiscales de EE.UU. (IRS) notificaron a CS que se le negaría el status de organización de caridad "501c3" que había solicitado, porque la forma en que CS operaba fue visto como social en lugar de beneficencia en su naturaleza (y por otras razones).

En ese momento, CS tuvo que cambiar su status. Podía haber elegido otro de los tipos sin ánimo de lucro - tal como el 501c7 para la Organización Social y Recreativa, que es lo que el IRS dijo que era - o elegir con fines de lucro. Aunque CS se había comprometido siempre a permanecen sin ánimo de lucro, decidió romper esa promesa y volverse con fines de lucro.

Para preparar esta "transformación", el presidente de CouchSurfing, Dan Hoffer, ya había trabajado como “Entrepreneur In Residence” en la firma de capital riesgo Benchmark Capital meses antes de que la negación del IRS fuera oficialmente notificada.

Los Estatutos de CS y la ley estipulan que en caso de disolución los bienes de la organización sin ánimo de lucro tendrán que ser distribuidos a una organización de caridad o al gobierno.

CouchSurfing solicitó a un juzgado de New Hampshire la autorización para comprar sus propios activos, diciéndole al juzgado que nadie más podía recibir los activos y que no había otras personas interesadas a las que notificar el plan de vender CouchSurfing. Al mismo tiempo, sólo se les dijo a los voluntarios que venían cambios pero no que CouchSurfing se vendería. A los miembros y a los donantes no se les dijo nada. Esta falta de información les privó de su derecho legal para oponerse a la petición.

Basado en una tasación encargada y pagada por CouchSurfing, los activos de la organización sin fines de lucro, alcanzaba un valor de sólo 600.000 $, es decir, menos de 1/3 de sus ingresos anuales.

Los fundadores de CouchSurfing crearon una nueva compañía bajo el nombre “Better World for Travel, Inc.” (BWTT) en Delaware (un famoso paraíso fiscal), que compró los activos de CouchSurfing por una fracción del valor real.

Los beneficios de la venta fueron a un fondo de subvención de New Hampshire y no a la comunidad CouchSurfing que había creado en gran parte estos bienes.

Los accionistas mayoritarios de BWTT, Casey Fenton y Daniel Hoffer, emitieron acciones para sí mismos y vendieron una parte minoritaria de los supuestos 600.000 $ de activos por 7.600.000 $ a dos firmas de capital riesgo: Benchmark Capital y Omidyar Network. Esto coloca el valor de las acciones de Casey Fenton y de Dan Hoffer en más de 7.600.000 $; lo más probable es que en más de 15 $ millones.

Inicialmente anunciaron que CouchSurfing se había convertido en una “benefit corporation”, corrigiéndose luego a "B-Corp". El derecho a llevar la etiqueta de "B-Corp" se obtuvo mediante la presentación de información falsa sobre la disuelta organización sin fines de lucro a B-Lab (la organización que decide la designación para una cuota), y mediante el uso de esa etiqueta para la recién creada corporación con ánimo de lucro bajo el falso nombre "CouchSurfing International" (siendo el nombre real “Better World Through Travel, Inc.”).

CouchSurfing ha estado tergiversando la naturaleza de la empresa como "a mitad de camino entre una organización sin fines de lucro y con fines de lucro" cuando en realidad la forma jurídica es una "C-Corporation" convencional con fines de lucro (como Coca Cola o Microsoft). El futuro de CouchSurfing es ahora incierto, ya que tendrá que salir a bolsa en un futuro no muy lejano, a fin de reembolsar el capital de riesgo con un beneficio y permitir a los empleados ejercer sus opciones sobre acciones.

Nadie sabe quiénes serán entonces los nuevos accionistas ni cuáles son sus planes para CouchSurfing.

'''Así que, en resumen, hay problemas serios con la forma deshonesta en la que CS - en contra de las reiteradas garantías de que esto no podría y no volvería a suceder - se ha privatizado en secreto para el enriquecimiento personal de unos pocos (cuando existían otras alternativas), con cómo esto se ha justificado, con el impacto que esto tiene en la comunidad CouchSurfing que en gran parte construyó lo que ahora se le ha quitado y con la presentación falsa del nuevo propietario de la página web y de nuestros datos como una especie de sin fines de lucro cuando legalmente nos es más que une corporación con fines lucrativos que utiliza ilegítimamente la calificación “B-Lab”.'''

Los problemas morales con lo anterior deberían ser obvios. Los asuntos legales se están investigando en la actualidad. La primera consecuencia de esta investigación debería ser la retirada de la certificación B-Corp. Otras consecuencias podrían incluir la persecución penal de los responsables de la mencionada "transformación", su revocación o la retirada de los inversores.

==Deutsch==

==Italiano==

I problemi insorti con la "conversione" di [[CouchSurfing]] in una società a scopo di lucro sono molteplici e complessi. Molti membri continuano a chiedere quale sia il problema, spesso aggiungendo il commento «ma per me nulla è cambiato».

Quello che segue è un tentativo di spiegare in maniera semplice e facilmente comprensibile, sulla base delle mie conoscenze, che cosa sia successo, con incluso un riassunto finale.

CouchSurfing è stata fondata come un'organizzazione senza scopo di lucro nel New Hampshire (Stati Uniti), nel 2003.

In virtú delle ripetute assicurazioni da parte della direzione che la società sarebbe sempre rimasta ''non-profit'', volontari, membri dedicati e donatori hanno aiutato a costruire CS, e a ricostruirla dopo che Casey Fenton aveva accidentalmente cancellato il database nel 2006 e deciso di lasciar perdere.

Nel 2010 l'agenzia delle entrate degli Stati Uniti (IRS) ha notificato a CS che il richiesto status 501(c)3 per le organizzazioni caritatevoli legalmente riconosciute sarebbe stato negato, dato che il modo in cui CS operava veniva visto come ''sociale'' piú che ''caritatevole'' (e per un certo numero di altre ragioni).

A quel punto, CS doveva cambiare il suo stato legale. Avrebbe potuto optare per un altro tipo di organizzazione senza scopo di lucro, come il 501(c)7 per le organizzazioni sociali e ricreative, suggerito dalla stessa IRS, o diventare a scopo di lucro. Nonostante CS avesse sempre sostenuto di voler restare senza scopo di lucro, è stato deciso di rompere la promessa e diventare ''for-profit''.

Per preparare la "conversione" Dan Hoffer, amministratore di CS, aveva già lavorato presso Benchmark Capital come ''Entrepreneur In Residence'' diversi mesi prima che il diniego dell'IRS fosse ufficialmente notificato.

Lo statuto di CS e la legge stabiliscono che alla dissoluzione della società tutti i beni della società ''non-profit'' debbano essere distribuiti ad organizzazioni caritatevoli o allo Stato.

CouchSurfing ha richiesto ad una corte del New Hampshire l'autorizzazione per comprare quei beni essa stessa, sostenendo che nessun altro avrebbe potuto riceverli, e che non c'erano altre persone interessate da mettere al corrente del progetto di vendita di CS. Allo stesso tempo ai volontari di CS veniva detto che c'erano dei cambi in arrivo, ma non che CouchSurfing sarebbe stata venduta. Nulla è stato detto a membri e donatori. Questa mancanza di informazioni li ha privati del loro diritto di opporsi all'operazione.

Sulla base di una valutazione commissionata e pagata da CouchSurfing, il valore dei beni della società non-profit è risultato pari a circa 600 000 dollari, meno di un terzo delle entrate annuali.

I fondatori di CS hanno messo in piedi nello stato del Delaware — noto paradiso fiscale — una nuova compagnia sotto il nome di «Better World Through Travel, Inc.» (BWTT), la quale ha comprato i beni di CouchSurfing per una frazione del loro valore reale.

I ricavati della vendita sono andati ad una fondazione del New Hampshire invece che alla comunità di CouchSurfing, che aveva contribuito in larga parte a creare quei beni.

Gli azionisti di maggioranza di BWTT, Casey Fenton e Dan Hoffer, hanno emesso delle azioni a proprio favore ed hanno venduto azioni di minoranza di quegli stessi beni valutati 600 000 dollari per 7,6 milioni di dollari a due società di capitali a rischio, Benchmark Capital e Omidyar Network. Questo piazza il valore delle quote di Casey Fenton e Dan Hoffer a piú di 7 600 000 dollari, piú realisticamente ad oltre 15 milioni di dollari.

L'annuncio iniziale era stato che CouchSurfing si era convertita in una ''Benefit Corporation'', poi corretto in ''B-Corporation''. Il diritto di fregiarsi dell'etichetta ''B-Corp'' è stato ottenuto scorrettamente fornendo a B-Lab, l'organizzazione che a pagamento rilascia tali etichette, informazioni sulla dissolta non-profit ed utilizzando poi l'etichetta per la compagnia appena creata sotto il falso nome CouchSurfing International, essendo il nome ufficiale Better World Through Travel, Inc.

CouchSurfing definisce in modo ingannevole la natura della nuova compagnia come «una via di mezzo tra non-profit e for-profit», ma legalmente non è altro che una normale ''C-Corporation'' (come Coca-Cola o Microsoft, per intenderci). Il futuro di CouchSurfing è ora incerto, dato che in un tempo non troppo lungo dovrà quotarsi in Borsa per ripagare i finanziatori e per permettere ai dipendenti di esercitare le loro stock-option. Non è dato sapere chi saranno in quel momento gli azionisti né quali piani avranno per CouchSurfing.

'''Riassumendo, ci sono seri problemi per il modo disonesto in cui CS, nonostante le ripetute rassicurazioni che questo non sarebbe mai potuto succedere, è stata segretamente privatizzata per l'arricchimento personale di pochi mentre esistevano soluzioni alternative; per come questo è stato giustificato; per l'impatto che questo avrà sulla comunità di CouchSurfing che in larga parte ha costruito quello che ora le viene sottratto; e per il modo in cui la natura del nuovo proprietario del sito web e dei nostri dati è stato ingannevolmente presentato come "una specie" di non-profit mentre legalmente non è altro che una normale società a scopo di lucro che sfoggia un'illegittima etichetta B-Lab.'''

Le implicazioni morali di quanto sopra dovrebbero essere ovvie. Le implicazioni legali sono attualmente allo studio. La prima conseguenza di questo studio dovrebbe essere il ritiro della certificazione B-Corp. Altre conseguenze possono includere un procedimento penale a carico dei personaggi chiave della "conversione", l'annullamento di quest'ultima o il ritiro degli investitori.

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