kim
Occupied
Posts: 82
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Post by kim on Nov 5, 2011 13:44:11 GMT -7
Hi Sara: I have an email list from Thursday night's gathering and notes that I took during out meeting, which I plan to type up and send out as soon as I can. I apologize to everyone for the delay on that, but it's tough to get them out immediately following the meeting, sine there is just so much more fun stuff to do than type notes ! During the meeting there was discussion of everyone's preferred method of dialogging and sharing information between classes. Some people are not interested in joining this forum and prefer we stay in touch via an email list, some really just want to talk face-to-face during the meetings. For now, I think I will post the general notes ("minutes," which I have been writing each during each meeting) on this forum, and send them around the email list as well. As recommended readings are sent from members of the class to that list, i will try to post them in this thread, and vice-versa, as well as have information or print-outs of them to hand out at the following class. I check this thread just about every day, so you can post your comments here as well. THIS APPLIES TO EVERYONE: To be added to the email list for this Study Group class, send a private message via this forum to me (username kim) and I'll add you---don't post your email address here, as this is a public forum that can be viewed by anyone! -KB
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Post by chebob on Nov 5, 2011 14:16:38 GMT -7
I especially enjoyed this class that is looking at Transition Towns. I think it is vital that more and more of these classes be set up. As Zizek warned the Occupy Wall Street protesters in New York..."the real question is where will this movement go," I believe he meant we lacked analysis and understanding and that dialoguing and broadening our critique is where we should go first. Setting up this Free School in a not free university is an awesome next step for Occupy Missoula. Let's "occupy" the UM!
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Post by debbyflorence on Nov 5, 2011 14:26:42 GMT -7
Hi Sara , i think you're in the right spot, the updates just havent come in yet. i know Kim, who usually posts notes, is out of town right now so that might be why ? But I think you're in the right spot... its just been hard to collect everyone!
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sara
Occupier
Posts: 15
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Post by sara on Nov 5, 2011 16:06:49 GMT -7
I'm glad to know that I'm not wandering around aimlessly in the cyber-wilderness. Thanks for the update. And Kim, no hurry at all and thanks a million for the work you do for us. sara
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Post by anniemt on Nov 5, 2011 18:56:02 GMT -7
Kim - here is some additional information you requested, with a change in location:
"Transition Town Missoula?" hosts "Creating A Positive Future Now" by Dr. Steve Running, and an introduction to the Transition Movement.
Change in location : Will meet at the UCC (University Congregational Church) on University Avenue, close to campus. November 10th, 630pm
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kim
Occupied
Posts: 82
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Post by kim on Nov 5, 2011 19:26:24 GMT -7
Thanks for the update! "Transition Town Missoula?" hosts "Creating A Positive Future Now" by Dr. Steve Running, and an introduction to the Transition Movement. Will meet at the UCC (University Congregational Church) on University Avenue, close to campus. November 10th, 630pm
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kim
Occupied
Posts: 82
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Post by kim on Nov 5, 2011 19:28:24 GMT -7
------------------------------------------ Free School Notes, Thursday, 11/3/11 17 people attended, Continuing subject: Transition Towns (TT) Facilitator: Gabe Please feel free to beat me on the head with a spoon at the next meeting if I left any important points out. Or just reply to all and add your thoughts and comments. -KB -------------------------------------------------- 1. Introductions & Reason for Attending 2. Discussion 3. Study Ideas/Discussion Suggestions for next class 4. Communication
1. Intros We began the class by introducing ourselves and saying why each of us chose to attend or what questions we hoped to answer. Interests/Questions expressed: What is the Transition concept responding to in our world? Interested or curious about Free School and popular education. Develop a network, share & explore ideas. Exploring models for change/While TT might not be "it," it is something! Seeking positive action rather than symbolic protest. Creating Community. What is Transition Towns, and is this a viable alternative? What is Open source, and how can the model be adapted to our own vision? Explore resiliency and escape from our fossil fuel addiction.
2. Discussion Discussion began with people sharing what we each had learned in individual study this week. There is a concept that plan A is to continue business as usual, plan B is to change--part of that change is to establish food and energy independence. There is a twelve step process to TT.* One of those steps is to establish a steering committee, which actually already exists here in Missoula, headed up by Claudia. While this class is meant to focus on learning and studying Transition Towns and then continue studying further topics in depth as well, a movement can spin off of the class. Members who want to pursue the TT concept are encouraged to engage with the existing movement in addition to this class, but not confuse this class with a TT movement! It is important to explore Rob Hopkins' analysis and to look into other critiques as well. We discussed some of the factors missing from his model, as well as how some of those factors (e.g. a critique of labor, "being too hippie,") are deliberately left out in order to maintain a broad appeal for the TT concept--a marketing scheme of sorts.
We touched on how fortunate Missoula is to have the resources it does, such as MUD with it's tool library, yet the dangers of completely embracing an eco-localism stuck in the existing model because it require benevolent donors for support, making it beholden to those donors.
Next, we discussed scale: How to become a transition town? Are we trying to plan a message for the world, for all of Missoula, or for a neighborhood? The "Marketing" is not necessary if it's scaled to the local level. What about non-land-owners? How is autonomy maintained? The land trust model of the NMCDC/community gardens is one method of sharing land. Reading suggestion: David Harvey.
Then, what does it mean to be a TT? There is a requirement that communities spend 1 year "visioning" before becoming a (certified? card-carrying? bumper sticker-sporting?) Transition Town. We agreed that we need to spend more time looking at what it means to be labeled a Transition Town.
Finally we discussed different ideas of living, sharing spaces, and kinship networks, and how those relationships might look in new paradigm: the pros and cons of sharing space vs. maintaining individual space, or some combination of those two.
3. Study Ideas/Discussion Suggestions for next classes a. Discuss an actual town: What does it do differently, what does it look like, what are they doing? What do they have to give up (bankruptcy/debt conversation/side note mentioned was that Montana law does not allow garnishment of wages for credit card debt)? Spectrum: Totnes-Boulder b. Article: Culture Change" by Ted Trainer c. Explore setting up a conference call with Rob Hopkins d. People may share other suggestions using this listserv through out the week.
4. Communication To protect the innocent, or since not everyone attending this group is in OM or using the OM forums, we agreed to use a private email string for class communication. It was also requested that people limit email to the listserv to reading/learning recommendations rather than getting into lengthy discussions via email. Lengthy discussions are awesome, please engage in them at will, but try to have them on a face-to-face basis in class! As stated above, these notes will be posted on the OM forum too, where discussions strings may be started but whenever possible should be encouraged to occur at the class meet-up.
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kim
Occupied
Posts: 82
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Post by kim on Nov 8, 2011 7:00:27 GMT -7
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Free School Minutes 111011
Guest
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Post by Free School Minutes 111011 on Nov 11, 2011 11:59:34 GMT -7
Here are notes to last nights Transitions free school class, courtesy of Dave! Thanks Dave! ----------------------------------------------------------------- Another stimulating discussion ensued at the UC last night, thanks everyone for your contributions. My note taking abilities are marginal at best:
Materials that Kim thoughtfully printed were distributed for further reading. Jay talked about emergency GA and decision to dismantle encampment. Occupy Lives On! however, in many developing forms.
Started with review of purpose and discussion of last two gatherings. Transition Town seems to be an opening into a deeper discussion about critiques of current system and possible alternatives and approaches toward that goal.
To that end we heard a little about Murray Bookchin and social ecology/communalism, about Zapatista process and individual experiences of communal living or intentional communities. It is hoped a synthesis can be achieved incorporating best of these ideas with Transition away from growth-based economy into something resilient and just and nurturing.
Mike introduced the notion that we are trying to "create a culture" and Gabe emphasized the idea of a "safety net" to buffer us from shock of disruption or collapse. Groups build momentum by building some "physical project" ie barn raising, side by side with reflection and critical theory.
Jay added that improving technologies to life-enhancing rather than profit -based ends ie. transportation, health care delivery, etc might be as important as local food system for organizing. People might want to look into The Venus Project and work of Jaques Fresco (?) as rational utopia model. (utopia in the positive sense)
We broke in time for many to go hear Steve Running talk about peak oil and Missoula Transition Town. In my personal opinion, there is a total disconnect between reality of situation and proposals to reform or mitigate. Liberal Missoula is still squeemish about the "C" word and Prof. Running epitomizes that. On the positive side, Jay invited folks to explore a more radical analysis and was approached by several interested people. We will meet next week at the same time 5:30 same place, bottom floor of UC building.
Dave PS. feel free to use this list to post links to related reading material, ideas, thoughts, etc.
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sara
Occupier
Posts: 15
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Post by sara on Nov 11, 2011 12:46:42 GMT -7
Yeah, probably not going to tip toe through the rapidly oncoming crisis by getting that new electric mower and most of us can't afford the new Prius or the new windows or even the new mower, for that matter. But then, once all our dumb-ass lawns are turned into food production, we won't need it anyway. I did like the idea of some sort of CO2 sequestering cement. That was pretty swell sounding.
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sara
Occupier
Posts: 15
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Post by sara on Nov 14, 2011 12:21:17 GMT -7
For any of you out you in close proximity to a radio, this is a suggestion to tune in to Alternative Radio today. (Monday, 1:00 pm, KUFM 89.1 FM). Richard Wolf will be discussing "Capitalism hits the fan." I have to say that Alternative Radio is the one hour per week of not-to-be-missed radio on the air in Missoula.
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