[Pil-pc-oceania] National Permaculture Day

[jedd]

On Sun, 4 May 2008, Graeme George wrote:
> Debate on this issue has stopped, so it seems time to take stock. Of
> the 19 people who have posted their preferences on this list (I hope I
> haven't missed anyone) -

 Heaven forfend.

 The solstice preference (you have omitted) is equally susceptible to
 timezone vagaries.  As per the equinox.  It (the science involved)
 need not be confusing (public education aside).  And that's even
 before you confront the 16 minutes of arc problem, which requires
 some understanding of geometry (and the ability to notice that
 the sun is not a point in space).  Hmmm, I digress.

 Oceania (still the name of this list, I see) extends 15 degrees north,
 by my back-of-the-napkin calculations, so asserting that the spring
 equinox is the same for everyone on this list (or planet) remains
 a disservice.  Typically the Latinised version, or better yet using
 the month as an adjective to remove confusion, removes ambiguity.
 Ie. the September Equinox and the March Equinox.

 Inclusivity, and all that.

 How are the convergence dates agreed upon?   Perhaps we could
 tack onto that process.  If it's good enough for the Christians (I was
 about to launch into a fairy detailed discourse on the subjects of the
 Christian liturgical calendar, the Computus, the bizarre ramblings of
 the world council of churches (a misnomer if ever there was one),
 the Finnish split, and a few other vaguely related topics, but it's
 a complicated subject that I don't wish to appear to be lecturing on)
 then it should be good enough for us.  The 'pick a date and live with
 it approach' I mean.  We don't have a problem stealing celebrations
 from the pagans, do we?

 But yes, the convergence dates seem to be fairly arbitrary, and
 they consequently have the benefit of not seeming to be limited to
 the lesser populated half of the planet.  Everyone who can't (or
 won't) trek across the planet to attend can throw their energies
 into something more regional-based, and enjoy the thrill of the
 ostensible synergy (if they're into that kind of word).

 For inter-convergence years I'm sure we can use the same
 paper-scissors-rock approach to come up with something 
 comparably unsatisfying to the non-scientifically-aware types.

 Most dates that spring <npi> to mind are, regrettably, already
 taken by various fringe groups anyway.  Ahhh ... the global village.
 Goats on fire, etc.

 Apologies if I've accidentally deconstructed your summary.

 Jedd.