Governments slow to support grassroots efforts
The news this week are the Internet-driven protests in Atlanta and Phoenix, and actually even more widespread in the smaller cities and towns across America, from what I understand. The protests each have their own regional, distinctive flavor, but I would sum them up as saying, "Look at Portland Oregon, why aren't we / can't we be more like that?" Portland had a plan, people. Turns out it's important to have a plan.
Turns out it's important to have community people who press for a plan. We here at 8tsoc are trying to get community people a little bit riled. Gala_Teah reads these reports of communities forming and making do for themselves and she's IMing mPathytest saying "Isn't this great?" Well, no, it isn't. Not when these people like Warnwood are being forced to make do with very little while other people drive by on their way home from work and wonder what all the fuss is about.
Would people hoard water in a drought? Or food in a famine? And feel okay about it? I hope not, but geez, these days I don't know. Fuel is food, people - Cid Yama spells that out right here. We are going to have hungry and cold people this winter. Quite possibly these people. And this guy.
So yeah, I'm a little angry. I'm not angry at people who have come out okay in a bad time. It's good that they did. But if anyone is sitting out in the ol' rocking chair figuring that now their job is done, then yeah I am angry at them. We got work to do, people. We gotta come up with a plan.
I sense that people are waiting. For what, I'm not sure. The other shoe to drop? It's knotty: it's not going to work itself out.
SOUNDS GOOD
A lot of people don't know about the World Without Oil podcasts, which is a shame, because Rainey, Bodi and Anna put my angry scratchings to shame. Here's Rainey on the week just past, for example. And Bodi, reporting from a backyard camp in Week 25. And Anna, brave words in a dark time, back in Week 16.
JUST JOINING US?
To catch up quick, just listen to the podcasts. To catch up even quicker, watch the kalwithoutoil videos (and maybe supplement with great videos from Chuckles, Illiana and Gala_Teah). Or the quickest yet: read the EXCELLENT web comic series by Anda.
INSANITY vs. STUPIDITY
Sometimes someone will take something very complicated and boil it down to something so simple even I get it. Thank you, Jessica, for expressing what I have so often felt but could never find the words for.
GATHERING COMMUNITY
The ideas I treasure are the information-gathering ones, like mapping the food resources in your neighborhood or starting a community skills bank as blueski has done. We humans are good at info-gathering, given a push in that direction.
NOW WHAT?
If you're new to the site, you're wondering what to do now. Easy: tell us how things are going with you, 27 weeks into the Great Oil Shock of 2007. Especially, this is the week you should show us your community and your accomplishments, in images and videos, by phone, and in your blogs and emails.
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