The 2011 Exceptional Aussie Awards (or, Notes Against Nationalism #1)

There has been a rampant growth of nationalism in Australia over the past few decades, following America's "we are the greatest democracy, ever, period, etc..." We used to be a country smart enough to take the piss, so to speak. Blind nationalism seems to take foot when the dominant strains of the culture forgets to critique itself, and looks for others to apportion blame when things go wrong. So, with a full metal rejection of idiotic Aussie flag waving, I've compiled a list of outstanding, although completely unsung Australians, whose work will no doubt become increasingly important in the coming years:

Anthony Loewenstein - writer of nonfiction, internet activist
Val Plumwood - writer of ecological philosophy, feminist (deceased)
Julian Assange - hacker, publisher, internet activist
David Holmgren - permaculture co-originator, sustainability writer
McKenzie Wark - hacker, writer of nonfiction
Alexis Wright - writer of fiction and nonfiction, aboriginal activist

Please help me expand this list with the names of those who are either critiquing consumer society or helping to rebuild socioecological resilience within communities.

The Post Carbon Reader (a video snapshot)

I'm currently reading The Post Carbon Reader, which is a timely anthology of resilience thinking and transition planning. This video is a brief summary of its parts.

"...excessive human activity – either resource exploitation or waste production – can erode the functional integrity of the same ecosystems that make these human activities possible..." p27. "...the human enterprise is a fully embedded, totally dependent subsystem of the ecosphere." p32. "Resilient communities will develop policies that favor greater regional self-reliance..."

– William E Rees, Thinking Resilience, Ch.3, The Post Carbon Reader, Edited by Richard Heinberg and Daniel Lerch, 2010

What the time calls for is a collective hack...

As there have been new calls for a new national flag today, here is my small contribution to Australia Day, otherwise known as Invasion Day and Hackers United Day.

The time is past due for new forms of association to be created that can steer the world away from its destruction through commodified exploitation – McKenzie Wark, A Hacker Manifesto, Harvard, 2004

Our SWAPs from Sweden

Maria and Erikka, our inaugural SWAPs – social warming artists and permaculturalists – have just left our home en route to another permaculture garden. Here's a snapshot of their great visit.

Artist as Family does Bed Intruder (in the garden)

Last year a solitary news report became the seed bank for this near-readymade musical anomaly, which soon sporulated into hundreds of covers, rip offs and responses.

Not before time, here is ours:

A big thanks to Nicholas Hansen, Rider and Rachael Leslie and Glen Dunn for their assistance in production and the the fun we shared in recording this little piece of counter-propaganda.

Human generated electricty

Since selling our car it's been treadlie power everyday:

Bike work,

bike tour,

bike camp,

bike draw,

bike fun.

Permablitzing on pushies: critical mass goes Daylesford NYE parade

Fifty cyclists turned up for critical mass this month, which landed on NYE, so we joined the annual parade, as we're want to do. Here we are getting ready on the back streets...

Oliver Holmgren is Obtainium Engineering.

St Mel and Leah Rogers as superheroes.

Pia, Brett and Fyfe beside my new bike.

Peak oil Zephyr and mates.

David Holmgren, Su Dennet and wwoofer Gabe as medieval cycle gang.

Nicholas Hansen and Ivan Carter (behind mask).

And then when we were ready, Meg and Zero lead the ride down the main drag.

Thanks Ian for your help with the Artist as Family signs, and thanks Glen for the great pics.