Klaus Krippendorff's Keynote at ASC/BIG

A link has been made available to view the excellent Keynote delivered by Klaus.  Tom Fisher says:
'I think that despite the difficult light and sound it came out relatively OK and the content is very good. I especially like the birthday cake and singing part at the end.'

Systems Praxis in the Systems Engineering Body of Knowledge

A systems praxis diagram, prepared for the Systems Engineering professional body (INCOSE) and ISSS is now available. It extends and complements other attempts to map the intellectual and praxis territory of Systems.  The process of putting it together has been led by Janet Singer and her partner Michael.  Feel free to use it.

UKSS International Conference 2012

Thursday 30^th – Friday 31^st August 2012

St Anne’s College, University of Oxford   

Final Call for Contributions

‘Global Crises: Exploring the Systems Perspective’

Keynotes Speakers:

Professor Edward Borodzicz, University of Portsmouth, UK

Risk: Developing standards for non-standard events

and

Professor Gerald Midgley, University of Hull, UK

Featuring a workshop with Dr Dario Leslie, Head of UK Ministry of Defence Cyber and Influence Science and Technology Centre

Global crises span a wide breadth of possible eventualities such as climate change, conflict between nations, increased cyber threats, financial instability, pandemics, reduced access to natural resources right through to existential risks that could threaten humankind as a whole and have adverse consequences for the course of human civilization or planet Earth. Some of these crises are current issues whilst others represent a growing risk or potential global shocks. Various risks exist for humanity, but not all are equal. Bostrum illustrates this well through his concept of existential risk, categorizing them by scope (personal, local, global, trans-generational) and severity (imperceptible, endurable, or terminal). Responding to global crises effectively requires a holistic systems thinking approach to the very real issues that exist today and for planning for the potential realization of future risks. This conference aims to focus on how systems thinking, systems concepts and systems methods can be and are being applied to cope with current global crises or to address future ones.

Full papers are invited addressing the conference theme and reports of on-going developments in systems research and practice. All submissions will be peer-reviewed (in respect of academic works) or editorially reviewed (in respect of accounts of Systems practice). Papers will be available in electronic format during the conference, and a small group of high-quality papers will be selected for an edition of the Systemist, to be published following the conference. Eligibility for publication in this special issue will depend upon at least one of the authors registering for and attending the Conference.

Presentations are also invited, either to accompany a Full Paper or as an independent contribution (from an extended abstract).

Ison history launched in Hackney

One of the highlights of my recent time in the UK was the launch of my new family history book in South Hackney on Sunday 13th May.  Luckily it was one of the rare, fine days of the early summer.

 

The book was 'officially launched' by Geoff  Taylor,Councillor for Victoria  ward on the Hackney Council who in his launch handed over a copy of his own book concerned with South Hackney, ‘Parish in Perspective’. All in all it was good day with a tour of relevant areas of South Hackney in the morning led ably by local guide, John Finn.  Descendants from four of the nine children of James Thurgood Ison Sr were present for the launch.  One, Rachel Marrington, led us on a walking tour of parts of Bethnal Green after a lunch and launch at the The Royal Inn on the Park in South Hackney.

 South Hackney Church

 Hackney Terrace

 Mike Fitch, Ray Ison and Geoff Taylor

In Bethnal Green

The citation for my book is:

Ison, R.L. (2011) “I am willing to give up my garden ground.” Market gardening in South Hackney, Middlesex, as revealed through the life and family of James Thurgood Ison Sr., (1792-1858) Self Published. (ISBN: 978-0-9551270-2-1)

A Table of Contents follows.

. 226

Table of Contents

 Preface

1.       Introduction

2.       Orientations

2.1. Market gardening in Middlesex

2.2 Imperial units

2.3 Geography of Hackney and surrounds

2.4 The origins of the "Ison" name

3.       Isons in the Eighteenth Century

4.       The Isons of South Hackney in Middlesex

4.1 The early records for James Ison Sr.

4.2 James Thurgood Ison family tree

4.3 South Hackney and surrounds

4.4 Market gardening in South Hackney

5.       Lease and land records

5.1 The tithe records

5.2  The impact of Victoria Park

5.3 The Rent Rolls - Sir John Cass's Charity

6.       Landlords and neighbours

6.1 Thomas Natt

6.2 William Fitch

6.3 William Ivory

7.       Family connections

7.1 Daniel Giles

7.2 The Thurgood connection

8.       The children of James Thurgood Ison Sr., and Elizabeth Giles

8.1    James Thurgood Ison Jr.

8.2    Emma Ison

8.3    Daniel Ison

9.       The family of James Thurgood Ison Sr., and Elizabeth Wiltshire

9.1    The death of James Thurgood Ison Sr.

9.2    The remarriage of Elizabeth Ison

9.3    Sarah and James White

9.4    Elizabeth Ann and John Mumford

9.5    Rosina and William Branchflower

9.6    George Ison and Lucy Greenwood (nee Worbis)

9.7    Fanny (Ann Mary) and Daniel Cottrell

9.8    William Thomas Ison and Mary Nix

10.    Concluding remarks

11.    Acknowledgements

12.    Further Reading

ANNEXES

Annex 1: Some other Ison Families in London and the County of Middlesex

Annex 2: Letter from Rachel Marrington

Annex 3: Thurgood, Clements and Brice Records

A3.1 Other Thurgood records

A3.2 Some Clements and Brice records

Annex 4: Rickman Family in Middlesex and Surrey

A4.1. Louisa Eliza Rickman

A4.2 James Latham – Louisa Eliza’s father

A4.3 The Rickman family origins

A4.4 A possible Rickman family tree

A4.5 The Rickman Family of Mitcham, Surrey and Homerton, Hackney

A4.6 Maria Rickman, Kittridge, Benton? ….. Louisa Eliza’s mother

A4.7 Margaret Kitridge and the Kirby connection

A4.8 Other Rickman families and entries.

Annex 5: Giles and Price Family Details

Annex 6. Possible Ison connections in other Counties