tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264914780516321436.post9157927741680882609..comments2023-10-21T21:54:39.121+13:00Comments on Tim Jones: Books in the Trees: Good Times, Bad TimesTim Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14856414700019368658noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264914780516321436.post-58511409299095067532008-11-11T22:53:00.000+13:002008-11-11T22:53:00.000+13:00This comment has been removed by the author.Tim Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14856414700019368658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264914780516321436.post-25298693410729627432008-11-11T22:52:00.000+13:002008-11-11T22:52:00.000+13:00Re the poetry launch: Helen, it was lovely to meet...Re the poetry launch: Helen, it was lovely to meet you (again), and also to see so many Chch people there. Did celebrations continue deep into the night?Tim Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14856414700019368658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264914780516321436.post-76725973623427121912008-11-11T10:42:00.000+13:002008-11-11T10:42:00.000+13:00Re the poetry, I thought that the Before the Siroc...Re the poetry, I thought that the Before the Sirocco launch was very successful and it was fanatstic to see such a great turnout--a "vote" for holding laucnhes on the weekend, I feel. I know that as a Christchurch resident I would have found it more difficult to attend a weeknight event. It was also great to see such a good turnout from the younger poets, with some very promising talent on show. Congratulations to editor Joanna Preston an a fine job putting the anthology together and to Laurice and everyone involved with organsing the event.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264914780516321436.post-41401674433048788442008-11-11T07:49:00.000+13:002008-11-11T07:49:00.000+13:00Very good point re allocation of resources. It's s...Very good point re allocation of resources. It's such early days yet that it hasn't been relevant yet (not where I am anyway).<BR/><BR/>Hmm ...Johanna Knoxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09268918125129111587noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264914780516321436.post-58791829076871884972008-11-10T23:50:00.000+13:002008-11-10T23:50:00.000+13:00Claire: we science fiction writers can never resis...Claire: we science fiction writers can never resist a bit of time travel. I probably should have said "1990" rather than "2006". Thanks for spotting this!<BR/><BR/>Johanna: I think that Transition Towns derives a lot of strength from its "apolitical" approach, especially in attracting people who would be scared off by a more overtly political approach, but I also think that when TT groups start working on things like the "Energy Descent Action Plan" (see <A HREF="http://www.transitiontowns.org.nz/node/507" REL="nofollow">http://www.transitiontowns.org.nz/node/507</A> for more information), they will be dealing with questions of how and to whom scarce resources are to be allocated - and such questions are deeply political.Tim Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14856414700019368658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264914780516321436.post-16057172512734573482008-11-10T19:10:00.000+13:002008-11-10T19:10:00.000+13:00Hmm .. and what am I trying to say sbout TT exactl...Hmm .. and what am I trying to say sbout TT exactly? :) I think that a lot of current TT people *are* fundamentally very political, and won't be able to help themselves - they will fight stuff. Whether they do it as TT, or under the auspices of different groups I don't know though.<BR/><BR/>Perhaps TT will bring less political people under the influence of others who are more political, and be helpful in that way too? Even if TT never becomes a very political group itself.Johanna Knoxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09268918125129111587noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264914780516321436.post-49462392830942446452008-11-10T18:58:00.000+13:002008-11-10T18:58:00.000+13:00I agree that it will be interesting.A lot of activ...I agree that it will be interesting.<BR/><BR/>A lot of active TT people have a strong political streak, but my (limited) impression is that many feel they can achieve more, and/or work on a more manageable and less overwhelming scale when working within communities. <BR/><BR/>I guess you're right that TT doesn't frame itself as an activist movement, and yet I do see it as one.<BR/><BR/>I guess my wish for the coming decade would not be for people who are already active in any way to change their form of activism (unless they want to)... but for many people who are not active to become so - whether at a grassroots or a political level ... Maybe more people will be spurred to now.Johanna Knoxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09268918125129111587noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264914780516321436.post-5042579651739186092008-11-10T18:23:00.000+13:002008-11-10T18:23:00.000+13:00Hi Tim,Are we to understand from the words '2006 G...Hi Tim,<BR/>Are we to understand from the words '2006 General Election' that you feel NZ has regressed?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264914780516321436.post-67128335077186674522008-11-10T09:27:00.000+13:002008-11-10T09:27:00.000+13:00Thanks, Johanna!Under the previous Government, the...Thanks, Johanna!<BR/><BR/>Under the previous Government, there was the opportunity to make progress on issues such as climate change and even (to a limited extent) Peak Oil using the "traditional" political avenues - lobbying etc. It was often frustrating, and excruciatingly slow, but some useful work did get done.<BR/><BR/>I expect the incoming administration, especially given ACT's influence, to roll back or water down the present climate change legislation, remove restrictions on generating electricity from fossil fuels, and ignore concerns about future oil supplies as they ram through new roading projects. I hope I'm wrong, and there may be pleasant surprises - but that's the way I think they'll go.<BR/><BR/>I think that means that activists of various types, including Transition Towns people (who don't necessarily think of themselves as activists), are going to become the chief opposition to the new Government's direction in these areas. Transition Towns has not so far framed itself in political or activist terms - I'll be interested to see whether this continues to be the case in the new dispensation we now face.Tim Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14856414700019368658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264914780516321436.post-59912173590355679682008-11-10T00:56:00.000+13:002008-11-10T00:56:00.000+13:00Hi Tim - yes, a worrying (although not entirely un...Hi Tim - yes, a worrying (although not entirely unexpected) election result. :(<BR/><BR/>I was cheered up by spending the day with local Transition Towns people. Felt positive and empowered ... but your post reminds me that political action is still important too!Johanna Knoxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09268918125129111587noreply@blogger.com