Village Connections » 2010

Archives Mar 2010

Creating knowledge for sustainably bright futures

While I don't have much hope that the present limited participatory political system or unfettered capitalism will deliver world-wide well-being, I do have hope that universities - who are in touch with the local everyday - could help to make unique and significant contributions to the creation of truly sustainable and flourishing futures.

Political parties - even those who pride themselves on integrity, such as the Greens - find themselves focusing on the election cycles to get and retain power and so tend to gravitate towards safe, status quo issues and framing of issues....

19th March 2010

From recession to same old – opportunity lost

Graphic: The Recession is over (NEWSWEEK, Aug 15, 2009)

I sometimes feel as if I'm just one of a few people in the world that think it unfortunate that for now, the global recession appears to be all but over. Here in New Zealand, the recession seems to have come and gone with barely a whimper....

19th March 2010

This is a spontaneous meeting space for Villagers - step onto the virtual Soap Box and share your top-of-brain notions and passions, opinions, knowledge or a story.
The brewing of ideas will help the whole Village to better understand itself and its possibilities.
It can also help generate everyday material and reality checks for academics and policymakers to collaborate in brokering robust solutions that the Villagers want.

The Soap Box

Framing coherent, flourishing community, economic and foreign policy

Awakening grassroots energy by Richard K Moore

The Emergence of Localism by Richard K Moore

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When down a hole, it is essential to distinguish a shovel from a ladder – one gets you out, one digs you in deeper. So too, with society’s opinion- and decision-makers. You are invited to nominate any of them for a Ladder or Shovel Award, explaining to fellow Villagers why they should endorse your Award.

Ladder and Shovel Awards

Ladder Award: Gareth Morgan for refreshing insights on welfare reform

Ladder Awards: Geoffrey Palmer & John Key re UN Gaza Inquiry

Ladder Awards: effective Restorative Justice and publicity

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Here Bloggers draw on an eclectic mix of news and comment from around the world to clarify contexts which can support, or impede, people building local connections that enable them to better understand and (sustainably) fulfill their aspirations, both within their localities and in relation to the wider world beyond them.