SPIEGEl ONLINE..as usual with sharpest instincts and detective-like awareness for global problems and dilemmata:):) - shoots some harsh criticism towards Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Federal Republic Of Germany,.

And I want to present it here. As I oftten wrote here about my great sympathy for Dr. Angela Merkel and her poltics. Next year and years I will take massive action in my country to initiate some more concrete perspectives.

For the moment I will shortly summarize some  first reply:

1. Its not enough to demand bold resolving power. Perspectives in a kind of biggest nation building project are necessary.

2. Europe cannot build up global power without very clear national work and identity building..


3. Leadership has to be redefined for Germany as much as for Europe.

4. Leadership rethinking in Gemany is a very special, specific and unique task and challenge in the context of European Integration. Its required to deal with the historic shipwreck of Germany in  in fascism AND communism. I have posted repeatedly here about these topics. A clear quantum leap in Germany  is utterly important for further European Integration.

In my last 12 months as Bureau Chief for German speaking countries of Integral leadership Review I witnessed astonishing phenomena regarding this theme....In last 10 years in general I discovered this is a challenge of historic scope and reach.

5. Media, Poltics . Business and Culture need complex new perspectives for reality , society and culture, consciousness. Its not about one realm teaching the other about the light at end of the tunnel. Consciousness emerges in all realms and qaudrants of reality.

6. The emergence of a new leadership understanding and public debate on highest levels is essential for Germany AND Europe.

7. It makes no sense to constantly asking questions:
 
Europe Produce An Obama?

Europe and Germany need an own leadership with global impact power. And it needs to make good use of its powerful traditions in creating landingstripes for the future. In fact, honoring and integrating trauma and shipwreck from the past, can create powerful future impulses and assisting making Europe a global power for 21st century.

Only then it will make history without beeing considered as Theme Park Europe...):)

Merkels Lack of Resolve Poses Risks for Germany

By SPIEGEL Staff

They call her "Madame No" in Brussels. But criticism of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's handling of the growing economic crisis has increased in Germany as well. It's been her first real test as chancellor -- and many say she is failing.

How well they get on. They greet each other with kisses on the cheek and a warm embrace, they address each other as "chère Angela" and "chère Nicolas" and they look inseparable. Merkel beams, Nicolas grins.

He does the German chancellor the honor of inviting her to his apartment to lunch with his world-famous wife Carla Bruni. And then, as soon as Angela Merkel has left, Nicolas Sarkozy makes the following remark about how the two countries are tackling the financial crisis. "France is working at it, Germany is thinking about it."


Indeed, despite appearances to the contrary, the reality is that they don't really like each other at all. Their meeting on Monday last week in Paris was in fact little more than an operetta. Once it was over and she was gone, he put the boot in, thump. And she didn't defend herself. Not a word from Angela Merkel about the staggering impertinence of Nicolas Sarkozy.

Impertinent he may be, but he's not entirely wrong. These days, Merkel is nothing like as active as the French president. Both are governing on the thin ice of the financial crisis, but Sarkozy is whistling as he turns confident pirouettes, while Merkel is crawling across the slippery surface on all fours, slowly and cautiously. Right now she's the one who looks pale, who is under fire.

It's not just Germany that's mired in crisis, it's Merkel's government. She had hoped to cruise through to the September 2009 general election and win it on her strong opinion poll results. All she had to do was stand by as the rival Social Democrat party wore itself down in perennial infighting. That was her campaign plan for next year.

Strategy of Silence

Now, though, she suddenly faces the biggest challenge of her chancellorship. She has to get Germany through the crisis. The hour of the Chancellor has chimed, but Merkel is behaving as though she hasn't heard the gong. There are no grand words or grand deeds coming from the chancellery. It's as though Merkel wants to overcome the crisis with a strategy of silence.


But is that feasible given the prospect of the worst economic downturn Germany has suffered in decades? Just a few weeks ago the experts still predicted that Europe's largest economy would deliver modest growth next year. Now they're forecasting the worst recession since World War II.

The financial crisis is paralyzing world trade and no country is set to suffer more from that development than Germany, due to its reliance on exports. The economists of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development predict that Germany will be "hit hard", and that the number of people out of work will surge by 700,000 over the next two years. The downturn has already begun. Daimler plans short-time working for four German plants, steel giant ArcelorMital wants to axe 6,000 jobs in Europe, and chemicals group Akzo Nobel is bracing for a decline in demand by between 10 and 20 percent. It could turn into a downturn matching that of the Great Depression following the 1929 crash.

And what is Merkel doing? She put together a rescue package for banks that so far hasn't had much effect. She has come up with an economic stimulus package that may not be enough. She hasn't made a single major speech. There is no sign of a claim to leadership, whether in Germany, Europe or the world.

Read More..

Now its official. Gabriela Ender - see also Interview with Gabriela Ender from August 2008 -whom I met several times last 2 years and talked about future of  integrated Online Collaboration and f2F Communication, is Ashoka Fellow 2008. Once again, dear Gabriela, my congratulations!

I am sure more world-class awards are awaiting you already!

http://www.openspace-online.com/



[November 14, 2008] Gabriela Ender, founder and CEO of OpenSpace-Online GmbH - The Power of People!, has been accepted into the international Ashoka Fellowship Support Network as >> Ashoka Fellow 2008 <<. Ashoka is the largest organization in the world for supporting social entrepreneurship. Ashoka was founded in 1980 by the Bill Drayton, USA. The Harvard Center for Public Leadership rates Drayton as one of the "20 Best Leaders" of the USA. The best-known member of the Ashoka-network is the Nobel Peace Prize winner, Muhammad Yunus. In almost 70 countries, around 2000 Ashoka Fellows work to promote social and sustainable change in fields such as health, education & youth, economic development, environmental protection, regional and urban development, citizen participation, and human rights. At the beginning of 2008, Gabriela Ender was invited by Ashoka to take part in a multi-level, national and international selection process. She has been through a very intense seven-month process, including a practical OpenSpace-Online® project for Ashoka. Gabriela was able to win against around 300 competitors throughout Germany. Worldwide, more than 7,000 candidates were evaluated.




Konstanze Frischen, Managing Director of Ashoka in Germany and Vice President of Ashoka International says: "Gabriela Ender has been selected by Ashoka because she has developed a unique communication system that brings people together across borders and allows them to jointly come up with constructive solutions to their problems. With OpenSpace-Online she makes a significant contribution to helping social organisations and businesses cope with change - she allows these institutions to make more effective and democratic decisions by involving all stakeholders."

>> Gabriela's Fellow profile at Ashoka webpage (in German)

Update: On November 19, 2008, Gabriela Ender has been formally honored as Ashoka Fellow 2008 at Ashoka's Award Ceremony in Munich. If you want, watch Gabriela's video portrait (currently only in German):

This is a new initiative of Steve McIntosh, author of INTEGRAL CONSCIOUSNESS.

Its interesting, it has potential and I just want to present it. As my own engagment for Emerging Integral Consciousness in Arab world, in GCC region as in broader Middle East is guiding me in creating synaptic connections for this region. The evolutionary leadership for development of this world is too important to leave it to polticians and their advisors..):)and consultants.

As I studied originally medicine I know about the contributions of Arab Culture to medicine, mathematics and other achievements for contemporary world culture.

Anybody seriously interested to get involved can email Steve directly.


"We All Speak Arabic" Memorial - cultural healing for Iraq

Monday, November 24, 2008 11:20 AM

 

As of this writing, it looks like the war in Iraq is winding down. So as we prepare to leave, I feel strongly that for all we have destroyed, and for all we have tried to build back up in the way of security and infrastructure, we also need to try to reconstruct some cultural interiors in Iraq-we need to restore some of the dignity of the Iraqi people and pay tribute to their once and future greatness.

Toward this end, I have conceived and designed a teaching memorial for Baghdad called: "We All Speak Arabic." This memorial would celebrate the accomplishments in mathematics achieved during the golden age of Islam-many of which were actually made in Baghdad.

The "We all speak Arabic" memorial would celebrate Islamic civilization's significant contributions to our international system of decimal numbers and to mathematics in general. The actual forms of our numbers, zero through ten, are taken directly from Arabic script! Think about how important ones and zeros are to the digital age. So this memorial would tell the story of Islam's achievements in mathematics during their golden age. These mathematical achievements were adopted by Europe several hundred years later and made a big difference in the development of capitalism in Italy, and in Western civilization in general. Numbers (Arabic numbers) are the world's only universal language, and now is the perfect time to thank Arabians and restore some of their pride as a people through this memorial.

I have a beautiful design for the memorial (the attached image is only a placeholder) that combines traditional Islamic architectural motifs with sacred geometry and some high-tech elements for a stunning appearance. Inside the open air memorial there would be exhibits informing visitors about the accomplishments of great Arabic mathematicians, such as Al-Khwarizmi.

From a cultural standpoint, the developed world can now help the evolution of Islamic civilization by showing respect and gratitude. A memorial such as this would thus help to heal the animosity that is an ongoing threat to peace, reducing the anti-American resentment that is so prevalent in the Middle East. Just as the Vietnam War memorial provided cultural healing for America, this memorial could help heal the "internal wounds" and restore some much-needed dignity to the Iraqi people, and to Islam in general. This kind of project can also contribute to the reduction of violence and the recruiting of terrorists. Although food, medicine, security, and investment are all needed, we can't ignore the "internal" cultural side of the problem either. Now that we have torn down the memorials to Saddam Hussein, we need to replace them with something positive-now that we have removed the dictator, we need to restore hope. And it is through symbolic gestures such as this memorial that hope and morale can be restored. This could also generally benefit international relations between Islam and the West, which would ultimately redound to the benefit of Americans.

Initial Steps to implementing this idea include the architectural rendering (CAD drawings and model making) for the memorial, as well as the collection of contents for the educational exhibits. Prior to actual construction, we could create a "virtual tour" of the memorial's design, viewable on-line. This would build support and help in the organization of a diplomatic mission to Iraq to secure the cooperation of the Iraqi government and find an appropriate site for the memorial to be constructed.

The optimal outcome would be that the memorial would become a symbol of pride for Iraqis. Similar to the way the Statue of Liberty (a similar gifted memorial) has become a symbol of pride for America. Measurements of success would include international media coverage of the memorial, both in its idea phase, in its construction phase, and ongoing thereafter. Success could also be measured by opinion polls of Iraqi people in their attitudes toward America and the West, and by the state of long term relations between the U.S. and Iraq. Once we raise initial seed capital, a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Foundation could be set up to receive the additional money needed and administer the creation of the project. If you would like to help with this project, send me an email: steve@stevemcintosh.com

As Steve McIntosh told me that his idea for the IRAQ PROJECT  would be soon presented at Online Section of World Security Network I want to introduce it here. I learned about it 2 years ago in he context with Dubai and United Arab Emirates.

Global security is a necessary integral component of any planetary consciousness. Pentagon Insider Thomas Barnett repeats rightly again and again that security questions need joint Ventures and networking between civil society and militars, polticians and diplomats.



Letter from the President and Founder


German entrepreneur and geostrategist

 Dr. Hubertus Hoffmann

is Founder and President of the World Security Network Foundation, an international, independent, nonprofit organization, the largest global elite network for foreign and security policy with more than 303,000 elite users all over the world who receive our weekly electronic newsletter, publishing this website with more than 2 million hits monthly with analysis and proposals, supported by

 60 mostly young editors

 from 27 nations, an

 International Advisory Board
 
of 56 well-known experts from 17 countries-including 14 generals and admirals-and more than 200 authors from all over the world. 230 media partners and 136 institutes cooperate with WSN and make use of its analysis "Networking a safer world".

The World Security Network is:


not American, Asian or European: we are the largest global-elite action network for foreign and defense affairs-focussing on the young, new elite of the world
not left or right, not U.S. Republican or U.S. Democrat or an adherent to any other party-line: it is an independent, international and pluralistic non-profit organization.
not a peace movement or an organization of warmongers: it promotes a realistic and credible balance of Realpolitik and Idealpolitik, of power and diplomacy, of necessary military actions and reconciliation-a Double Strategy of solid and realistic peacemaking
not academic: it is solution-oriented, looking for concrete proposals for all conflicts
not bureaucratic: we are creative and action-oriented, like businessmen
not fanatical: we are engaged global citizens with the vision of networking a safer and better world for our children

Read More..

As new member of the Global Security Network Steve McIntosh has written an article for the GSN Online Presence. Its worth beeing discussed in depth and length:

Winning in Afghanistan -An Innovative Strategy For Peace

For some integral context see his current blog entry:

Applied Integral Poltics .Simulating the Operation of Future Global Law


Winning In Afghanistan - An Innovative Strategy for Peace
written by: Steve McIntosh, 08-Dec-08


US soldiers hunt for Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants in Afghanistan's Khost province,
The war in Afghanistan is on the verge of being lost. Unlike the fledgling government of Iraq, the government of Hamid Karzai has not been able to exert control over the Afghan countryside (as is painfully demonstrated by the burgeoning opium industry which finances the Taliban). Despite the best efforts of the NATO alliance and many well-intentioned Afghans, the Karzai government remains a very fragile entity whose existence is wholly dependent on the ongoing presence of 30,000 American troops.

Employing the same tactic that defeated the Soviet Union in the 1980s, the Taliban have used the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan as their primary weapon, conducting hit and run attacks in Afghanistan and then retreating to their sanctuary across the border. Although Pakistan has made ostensible efforts to attack Taliban sanctuaries within its territory, these initiatives have been undermined by the ineptitude of the Pakistani army, and by the fact that many Pakistani military leaders covertly support the Taliban. This unwillingness to combat the Taliban arises from the perception that the continuing military viability of the Taliban is necessary to counter Afghanistan's increasingly close ties with Pakistan's enemy, India. Karzai has consistently favored India over Pakistan in his foreign relations, and this has helped to fuel the ongoing "cold war" in the region.

Exacerbating the situation of a nearly failed state in Afghanistan is the very real prospect that Pakistan may also become a failed state. The recent U.S. ground and missile attacks into the tribal areas of Pakistan may have taken out certain Taliban leaders, but these attacks have also put severe domestic pressure on Pakistan's new democratic government. Thus, the simplistic strategy of "chasing the Taliban into their cross-border sanctuaries in Pakistan and finishing them off" does not appear to be a viable option because of its destabilizing affect.

President-elect Barack Obama has pledged to send perhaps 20,000 more troops to Afghanistan. However, even a reinforced total of 50,000 U.S. troops are unlikely to resolve the conflict. During their war in Afghanistan the Soviets maintained troop levels of approximately 100,000 and still suffered over 15,000 deaths at the hands of the Mujahideen. Like the North Vietnamese before them, the Mujahideen effectively used the protection of an international border to defeat a more technologically advanced enemy. And this is the same situation we face today; the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan is proving to be as reliable a weapon in this century as it was in the last.

Tacitly acknowledging the futility of our military efforts, former White House Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski recently called for a "political solution" which would seek to disengage with the Taliban in exchange for a promise not to harbor or support Al Qaeda. However, it is doubtful that the Taliban's central command could make such an agreement, and associated tribal leaders have already broken similar agreements with Pakistan. So it is naive to expect that any agreements made with the Taliban regarding Al Qaeda would be honored.

Michael O'Hanlon of the Brookings Institute recommends a less conciliatory strategy that would concentrate on training and expanding the Afghan National Army. However, the Soviets tried this very same strategy, which failed badly due to the unreliability of Afghan troops and the Mujahideen's effective use of the border as a shield for its guerilla war.

The U.S. is thus faced with a seemingly no-win situation. If we withdraw our troops Afghanistan will revert back to the pre-9/11 status quo within weeks. If we accelerate the war by attacking the Taliban in the tribal areas of Pakistan we could trigger a civil war in Pakistan and destabilize the entire region. And if we try to "stay the course" by sending in two more brigades of U.S. troops with the hope of training the Afghans to eventually take over the war for us, we will have embraced a Vietnamesque losing strategy that will bleed us slowly until we finally capitulate.

Therefore, in Afghanistan we need a bold "game changing" strategy, similar to Nixon's trip to China in 1972, which turned the tables on the Soviets and marked the beginning of the end of the Cold War. We need a strategy that will improve conditions in Afghanistan and Pakistan simultaneously. Such a strategy will not be without its own risks, but wars are rarely won through plodding caution.

If we want to WIN in Afghanistan we need to eliminate the artificial, colonial relic that is the border with Pakistan. This could be done by ceding Afghanistan to Pakistan in exchange for a joint security agreement with the Pakistani military under which temporary yet direct military access to the tribal areas could be had by NATO forces. The divided region of Pashtunistan, which currently straddles the border, could be united as a province within an expanded Pakistan and given a degree of autonomy; providing something of a "victory" for this proud people, while simultaneously taking away the Taliban's primary weaponÑthe border that divides their country. The remaining Persian speaking regions of Afghanistan could also be given a high degree of provincial autonomy within a greater Pakistan, similar to the kind of autonomy enjoyed by the Kurds in Iraq.

Not only would such a bold move devastate the Taliban's ability to make war in Afghanistan, it would also strengthen and support Pakistan, making it more secure in its relations with its Indian and Iranian neighbors. Moreover, through this action we would remove the primary justification for the Pakistani military's tacit support for the TalibanÑwith the two countries consolidated into one federal region, the Taliban's role of buffer force for Pakistan will become unnecessary.

Unlike Iraq's government, which has developed a relative degree of freestanding legitimacy, the Karzai government's sovereignty extends for only about five square blocks in Kabul, and would quickly collapse without the presence of U.S. troops. Afghanistan's de facto government consists of corrupt warlords, and the countryside is increasingly lawless. Thus, if we want to bring lasting peace to this region we must face the fact that the "country" of Afghanistan is not a sacrosanct entity. Like a house with a faulty foundation, the current geopolitical container of the Afghan people cannot be built upon in a sustainable way. As long as Afghanistan remains occupied by NATO and defined by the 1,600 mile border that once marked the frontier of the British Empire, it cannot succeed as a nation.

Despite the inevitable difficulties and objections that such a bold strategy is bound to provoke, if the U.S. wants to put an end to the increasing bloodshed on both sides and avoid spending needless billions in a war without end, we need to innovate. We need to learn from the lessons of Vietnam and not allow ourselves to be defeated by a border that we must recognize but that our enemies may ignore.

Steve McIntosh is the author of Integral Consciousness and the Future of Evolution (Paragon House, 2007). He is CEO of a successful manufacturing company, and a graduate of the USC Business School and the University of Virginia Law School. He can be reached at: http://www.stevemcintosh.com/

A short reflection from Anthony Dworkin for European Council on Foreign Relations. And a special take from European view. it should be remembered too that - beyond the North/South and West/East gradient - few days ago Roger Cohen remembered in a NYT article that even Europe and USA have right now different views sometimes....

"Of the many issues that have soured relations between Europe and the United States under the Bush administration, few have been as poisonous as America's refusal to join the world's first permanent war crimes court here."

A Court For A New America
 
Human Rights - A Time For Reflection

 By Anthony Dworkin - 10 Dec 08
This article was published in Spanish in ABC on 10 December 2008.

The declaration of human rights that the countries of the world adopted sixty years ago was important above all because it was universal. An idea that had first been articulated in Europe was now agreed to be the property of everyone, everywhere. Acting on this principle, Europe has aimed in recent years to put human rights at the heart of its foreign policy-through dialogues with other countries, the United Nations, and European support for the International Criminal Court.

However the anniversary of the Universal Declaration should be a moment of reflection. The spread of human rights around the world has faltered, despite Europe's best efforts to support it. Powerful countries like China and Russia have flourished in recent years even while they repress individual freedom. European countries have not found a way to turn their extensive links with these countries into leverage on issues like freedom of expression or the right to liberty. It is China that punishes Europe when the French president meets with the Dalai Lama-rather than Europe using its influence to nudge China toward recognizing the rights of the Tibetan people.

A recent report by the European Council on Foreign Relations showed that European countries are losing ground in their attempts to support human rights at the United Nations. Despite some successes on subjects like the death penalty, Europe is less able to build winning coalitions for resolutions on human rights than it was ten years ago. Zimbabwe, Burma and Darfur all show the weakness of the international system.

The global conversation on human rights has become politicized. Regional blocs from the Islamic world, Africa and even Latin America increasingly deny the universal nature of human rights, portraying them as the property of the developed world. The challenge for Europe is to work against this trend without seeming perversely to confirm the argument that human rights are a "European" value. One way to do that is to make sure that European countries do not draw a line between human rights abroad and at home, and that they welcome scrutiny and discussion of other countries' concerns. The end of the Bush administration, whose "war on terror" has put Europe in a deeply uncomfortable position, should help.

A solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would also reduce the level of polarization. Perhaps most important, Europe needs to develop an idea of human rights as a legitimate interest alongside its other foreign policy interests. This would allow European countries to push more openly and consistently for other countries to respect the universal rights of their citizens, and avoid the traps of preaching or lack of commitment that a policy based only on "values" can easily fall into.

Once again, one of the real cutting edge statements of one of the greatest spirital teachers of our time, Andrew Cohen. Other guides in the exploding realms of montrous complexity in time are the TSK aproach of Tarthang Tulku (Time, Space, Knowledge), the work of A. H. Almaas, the Big Mind work of Genpo Roshi. And even -thanks Darina:) some peppering with Pronoia from Robert Brezsny..

These appraoches are working without to much structural and conceptual framework and at the same time excellently aligned with living and working in the world. Or whatever worlds you prefer to define as YOUR favorite ones.

Enjoy and try:


From Spiritual Intoxication to Spiritual Evolution

Whenever I contemplate the mystery of consciousness and how it evolves within and through us, I am always struck by the same thing: How easy it is to see a glorious future in those moments when we are spiritually awake, when our awareness is enlightened-and how difficult it is to see that glory when it is not.

When spirit overwhelms us, when we experience higher states of consciousness, previously unseen worlds open up to us. On the wings of spiritual ecstasy, deeper and higher human capacities for penetrating insight, profound cognition, blissful intimacy, and all-encompassing love reveal themselves in all their glory. It is, in many ways, very similar to what it's like when we fall in love. When we fall in love, the surging waves of surrendered affection carry with them an experience of a trust and vulnerability that is intoxicating, spiritually fulfilling, and life-affirming. And when we fall out of love, the bond of trust disintegrates, intimacy evaporates, and transparency and vulnerability disappear. The thrill of euphoric unity is gone and one is alone again, trapped in the prison of one's own personal mind and separate ego.

The same sequence often follows extraordinary episodes of spiritual illumination. When we experience states of consciousness beyond ego and realize spiritual communion with others, we enter into another dimension that literally transcends the old and familiar. And in this new world, we discover a oneness, an ecstatic intimacy, an ease of being, and a unity of mind that make all things possible. But when those higher states eventually dissipate, too often the palpable sense of unlimited possibility is nowhere to be found.

In the new enlightenment, in what I call Evolutionary Enlightenment, the goal is individual and collective conscious evolution in real time. That specifically points to the cocreation of new structures in consciousness, psyche, and culture. It's about creating the future from the inside out. And this process always begins with transformation at the very deepest depths of our own selves-a transformation that shines out and touches the world around us with the immediacy of its own radiance and potency.

In the early stages of our own spiritual development, we are dependent upon the experience of euphoric states to be able to see, feel, and know that these higher potentials really do exist. The bliss and ecstasy of those states temporarily breaks the deep and often unconscious shackles of postmodernity: nihilism, cynicism, narcissism, and materialism. It frees our awareness to expand in all directions, to embrace not only the outer limits but also the innermost core of our larger body, the entire Kosmos. When we share that liberating existential clarity with others, a truly enlightened perspective emerges. Together we can see and feel, directly cognize, and intuit a glorious future that is possible to create here and now, in the present moment-not as a remote ideal but as the most screamingly imminent potential imaginable.

When many individuals simultaneously know and experience the perfection of the possible, Spirit itself calls us all to its own next step. Indeed, we are compelled to be the future that we see. Under the intoxicating influence of spiritual bliss, all of the individual and collective ego's fears and attachments are rendered null and void. But until the individual or individuals have actually taken that next step, until those higher potentials have become a permanent attainment, our ability to see the future that we want to create will always depend upon the experience of spiritual intoxication.

However, when we do the unthinkable, when we actually and demonstrably evolve to a higher stage beyond the veiling influence of postmodern existential confusion, we will be able to see that future as easily as we see our own face when we look in the mirror. Seeing that glory will no longer be dependent upon the presence of a higher state-because we will already be there. From that point on, we will always only be creating the world that we have already become.

This is  very insightful article from NEWSWEEK. About some obvious change in European AND US Leadership.

The lines between beeing Insider and Outsider are blurring. The entrepreneurial like performance is increasing in relevance. This seems true for me for EVERY form of evolutionary leadership. Its a realization Dickey and McNicoll bring a step ahead of David Brooks in NYT who some  months ago doubted about Obamas status as sojourner


Like European Leaders, Obama Is Both Outsider and Insider


By Christopher Dickey and Tracy McNicoll | NEWSWEEK


 
When Barack Obama visited Paris on a tour of Europe last summer, he may have been surprised to discover that he and French President Nicolas Sarkozy had much in common, especially their status as outsiders. Sarkozy made a big deal out of it: "In Europe," he said to Obama, "there are many people who come from different backgrounds and who have many different histories and who are not altogether 'classic' French. Not everyone here is called 'Sarkozy'," said the son of a Hungarian immigrant. "And I'm well aware that not everybody in the United States is called Obama."

The most skilled and successful politicians in Europe—and now in America too—manage to be insiders and outsiders at the same time. Thus we have British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who spent a decade as chancellor of the exchequer, but remains a Scot in the middle of a political system dominated by the English. And there's Angela Merkel, the first woman to be chancellor of Germany and the first from the impoverished East. Every head of the seven most industrialized nations has been labeled—or has claimed to be—an outsider: Roman Catholic Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso, despite his family's wealth and influence; Stephen Harper, Canada's rare Protestant, non-Quebecer, non-Liberal leader; even billionaire Silvio Berlusconi, a onetime lounge singer who claims to be from outside Italy's political establishment, even in his third term at the helm.

No wonder that Republican John McCain—the white, Anglo-Saxon Protestant scion of admirals, who voted 90 percent of the time with the policies of President George W. Bush—spent the campaign fiercely contending that he represented real change because he was a true "maverick." But in the end, the Navy troublemaker lost to an eloquent black man with perhaps the single most coveted credential of the young northeastern elite: president of the Harvard Law Review. Obama is the ultimate Mr. Outside, Mr. Inside.

Still, for a Scot to become prime minister, a woman to become chancellor, an Obama to become leader of the Western world, they did have to work harder and be tougher than anyone else around them. In these hard times, that's the kind of background that should serve the public well. The worst economic crisis in several generations demands a new class of creativity. And none of these leaders knows better how to play on that theme than Obama. As he said on his visit to Paris, "The West generally is at its best … when it's a meritocracy and people rise from all walks of life. That's something that America has always taken great pride in. It is the essence of what we call the American Dream."

I found two articles in International Herald Tribune which are referring to phenomena in times of economic crisis.

The first one is basically describing some exaples from Germany and Czech Republic.

Worlds oldest profession, too, feels crisis

The other one from USA:

As Economy worsens, Churches fill up in USA

I was slightly amuzed. As the churches in Europe were not mentioned and no brothel in USA seems to exist. Of course I am exaggerating.

I guess however there is some deeper truth in this contrast. Examples from more secular Europe make a good antidote to evangelism in the American Dream.

Times of crisis reveal always hidden and powerful truths. About what really matters.
And its good to see what a big spectrum there is:):)

I am expecting the next articles with reversed roles for some country in Europe and USA.):)

And, of course, more crossover examples.

What about going to Evangelicals AND the brothels ?..:)

I have blogged repeatedly this year about David Brooks NYT column which had  strong references to the 08 election campaign. His lucidity, yet broken in some good conservative mood, is reflecting lots of complexity of dynamics of change.

I created the hyperlinks in his text myself for some shortcuts to the backgounds.

From Gladwells homepage:

What is Outliers about?

And his own blog answer to David Brooks:

Brooks on Outliers

So I am more than delighted that Dr. Don Beck commented this new article in NYT and added Gravesian framework to it!

Below article I am adding Dons comment.


Lost in the Crowd

By DAVID BROOKS
All day long, you are affected by large forces. Genes influence your intelligence and willingness to take risks. Social dynamics unconsciously shape your choices. Instantaneous perceptions set off neural reactions in your head without you even being aware of them.

Over the past few years, scientists have made a series of exciting discoveries about how these deep patterns influence daily life. Nobody has done more to bring these discoveries to public attention than Malcolm Gladwell.

Gladwell's important new book, Outliers seems at first glance to be a description of exceptionally talented individuals. But in fact, it's another book about deep patterns. Exceptionally successful people are not lone pioneers who created their own success, he argues. They are the lucky beneficiaries of social arrangements.

Read more..


Comment for NYT, from Dr. Don E. Beck:
 
December 16, 2008 4:54 am

The meshing of the social forces and unique, individual capacities is best explained in the seminal work of Professor Clare W. Graves entitled "the emergent, cyclical, double-helix model of bio-psycho-social development" best known as Spiral Dynamics. This framework describes the pendulum swing between the I:Me:Mine (individual) and We:Us:Our (collective) value-systems to form musical chord-like blends. These are systems within people, companies, cultures. This model played a major role in the South African transformation out of apartheid and is presently being used in Palestine along with Elza Maalouf. See http://www.buildpalestine.org/ for details.

Also, this paradigm will demonstrate why David Brooks and Malcolm Gladwell have slightly different views since it explores the deeper value-system codes at the core of an emerging human nature. As such, it also includes the role of behavioral genetics as well as strategies to raise levels of consciousness, all within what MacLean's Magazine in Canada once called "The Theory that Explains Every hing."

Since the concept integrates bio (the physicality of mind/brain) with psycho (the levels of complexity in individual world views) and socio (the impact of webs of cultures and societal systems and structures, it provides the Transpartisanship process that fits Obama's search for solutions that go beyond race, red vs. blue states, conservative vs liberal, extremism vs. moderation, and capitalism vs. socialism perspectives.
Over the years David Brook's essays and articles have described this emerging construct but without a knowledge of its basic tenets.

Professor Graves taught at Union College (New York) for many years and died in l986. His conceptual thinking and practical applications are now being used world wide in a number of Centers for Human Emergence.

­ Dr Don Beck, Denton, Texas

For all who are interested  in some virtual participation of World Economic Forums Annual Meeting in Switzerland. Which will be traditionally in January:


BRINGING THE WORLD TO DAVOS WITH THE "DAVOS DEBATES" ON YOUTUBE


-The World Economic Forum launches the Davos Debates hosted by YouTube

youtube.com/davos

-YouTube users invited to answer questions about the economy, the environment and US politics

-The person who submits the best video to attend the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting

Geneva, Switzerland, 15 December 2008 - The World Economic Forum today launched the Davos Debates on YouTubeTM (www.youtube.com/davos), a frank and open discussion on the state of the world. As well as inviting videos and comments from the YouTube community, the best of which will be shown at the Meeting, the person who submits the most thought-provoking video will have the chance to attend the Annual Meeting held in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland from 28 January to 1 February 2009 as a special guest and representative of the YouTube community.

The Forum has chosen to open the debates on the key issues facing our world today to the general public. YouTube users are invited to send in their solutions and suggestions for the key issues facing us today such as the state of the economy, the environment, US politics and business ethics. The four questions for public discussion are




Are you confident that global growth will be restored in 2009?
Will the environment lose out to the economy in 2009?
Will the Obama administration improve the state of the world in 2009?
Should company executives have a code of ethics similar to doctors and lawyers? The best videos uploaded to www.youtube.com/davos will be screened in key sessions at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2009 allowing direct interaction between the general public and the leaders gathered in Davos. These sessions will be webcast live on the Forum's website and on demand on the Forum's YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/worldeconomicforum.

All participants at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2009 can watch the responses to the Davos Debates and are encouraged to reply directly to the videos submitted at a special YouTube video recording booth set up for this purpose in the Congress Centre in Davos. At the Annual Meeting 2008, approximately 200 participants uploaded videos, including Henry Kissinger and Shimon Peres. The YouTube Davos Channel hosting last year's initiative has been visited over 400,000 times to date.

This year, for the first time, the person who submits the best video will be invited, all expenses paid, to attend the upcoming Annual Meeting in Davos-Klosters and interact with world leaders in person. The YouTube user, chosen by the YouTube community, will cover the Annual Meeting as a "citizen reporter" and post coverage of the discussions on YouTube.

The Forum on other Social Networking sites:


Become a fan of the Forum on Facebook www.weforum.org/facebook
Join the Forum's Facebook group www.weforum.org/facebookgroup
Befriend the Forum on MySpace www.myspace.com/worldeconomicforum
Design the programme of the Open Forum on our Wiki www.forumblog.org/openforum
Follow the Forum on Twitter http://twitter.com/davos
See the best pictures from the Annual Meeting on Flickr www.weforum.com/photos
Watch the plenary sessions live on the Forum's website at www.weforum.org/videos
Put your questions to the panellists of the press conferences on Mogulus (www.mogulus.com/worldeconomicforum) and Qik (http://qik.com/worldeconomicforum). Watch the pre-Davos press conference on 21 January at 11.00 CET.

Want to introduce my  favorite management author from Germany,Reinard K. Sprenger he was born 1954 in Western Germany, Ruhr Area like me.

 I was born and grew up in the Ruhr Area 1954 in Western Germany .

He is a fierce, passionate and clear  voice in the jungle of motivation training and themes of leadership, confidence and Committement. Wonder how Reinhard would describe this form of motivation karate:):)

Steve Ballmer going crazy

I had a very short discussion about Ken Wilber some years ago. He then denied to even read the work of the pundit. As He described KW as too arrogant ..):)

Well, of course I see the work of KW in another light. What fascinated me last years increasingly:

It does not matter for me in personal communication what the conceptual framework of someone is. The personal resonance is such a complex thing. Mystery, enigma and hidden connections of all kind are capturing my attention more and more.

We both are interested in parallels between Mangement and football. We did Judo in youth as basic traning. We have assimilated lots of the regional German Ruhr Area Mentality. We share the view on National identity in Global Context.

The work of Reinhard Sprenger is highly recommendable. Check it out.Iits not about cheerleading, hyperventilating and Hosianna. Its about self-resonsibility and self reliance

Reinhard K. Sprenger has written extensively on the topic of management, including the themes of motivation, trust and personal responsibility. His latest book, "Gut Aufgestellt" ("Well Positioned"), is a comparison between football and management. In karrlerefuhrer, he discusses international teams, the European Football Championship and what managers can learn from football. Sabine Olschner posed the questions.

Interview

and this interview about:

Confidence and Trust

I first  read about work of A. H. Almaas when Tony Schwartz wrote about him in "What really matters." . This is a small Wiki Intro for his work.

"A.H. Almaas is the pen name of A. Hameed Ali, an author and spiritual teacher who writes about and teaches a mystical approach informed by modern psychology and therapy, which he calls the Diamond Approach. Almaas is originally from Kuwait. He is the spiritual head of the Ridhwan School. Depending on one's perspective, he might be termed, among other things, an Integral theorist, mystic, spiritual teacher or an exponent of the perennial philosophy."

Wilber commened lots about his work. for example in INTEGRAL SPIRITUALITY.

Right now I am discovering very strong resonances between his work-in-progress -especially his book The Unfolding Now and my own perceptions.

BTW I did not knew up to now that Almaas is originally from Kuwait.

What he describes in Chapter 6 of this book as "Bold Vulnerablity" has always been a red thread for me last 30 years. And its even growing in importance.

The whirlwind of the The Unfolding Now can never be structured and fixed to maps however complex they may be.

Appreciating the most cutting edge maps we have now from various authors and directions I nevertheless discover more and more...the emerging nanoseconds   made in free fall of freedom of perception, perspective and concepts of all kind.

And not only personally. The unfolding We Space has unvisible connections and trajectories not mapped out right now. These connections maybe more with life -as in universer dark matter-and explosive energy than any structured approach can embrace  right now.

See also:

Instapundit, Pandit, Poets and Pioneer of Physics

Today is the longest night of the year. Solstice. And I feel it more than ever before..
Its advent too. And somehow again....in a deep meaning of the word.

The Economist- like in a hidden way most of European nrewspapers-is musing again about a possible European Obama. They picked up Cem Ozdemir from Germany. Cem is certainly a most intersting figure. Founding member of European Council on Foreign relations too he has a clear pragmatic and fresh view on Europe in its integration process in progress.

Homepage Cem Oezdemir

BTW: As my younger sister is married with a Turkish man to- both are hotel directors in the Mercur System Germany - I remember interesting discussions more than 10 years ago about this theme. Nobody would imagine easily at this time such perspectives. ...):)

Cem Difference



Germany's first party leader from an ethnic minority


APA Turk at the top
CEM OZDEMIR has picked a good moment to be elected co-chairman of Germany's Green Party. All of Europe is on the hunt for a European Barack Obama. As the first Turkish-origin leader of a big party in Germany, Mr Ozdemir is the country's top contender. It does not hurt the comparison that he is thin, good-looking, charismatic and devoted to his family (wife and daughter).



Like the American version, he tries to transcend ethnicity, but in a different way. Mr Obama hoped that the historical significance of his election would work in his favour. Mr Ozdemir (who, as a Green, is unlikely ever to rise higher than foreign minister) seems eager to play down ethnicity altogether. "Is it so important to have a Turkish chancellor?" he wonders. "The fact that we're still talking about this shows how far there is to go." He blames both native Germans and immigrants. Germans must become comfortable with the "hyphenated identities" of some of their fellow citizens; immigrants and their children must accept that "this is not enemy territory." The first words he heard were in the Swabian dialect of Baden-

Read more

And some randomly picked blog entries about Turkey, Germany , Europe and World.:

 Enterprising Turkish Webzine

Posted on Jul 28th, 2006 by  Albert
I found this remarkable article in WIE online about a Turkish Enterprising Webzine:   "The New Age of Islam An enterprising Turkish Webzine fans the winds of change in the Middle East by Ross Robertson Dateline Ankara:... More »

Qantara

Posted on Oct 6th, 2006 by  Albert
http://www.qantara.de/ is a joint venture between 4 German institutions and its contributing rich material and ressources for intercultural dialogue. with Islam. This portal is available in English, German and Arabic. Certainly time for introducing Spiral perspectives and... More »   



Struggle of Orhan Pamuk and Turkeys Intellectuals

Posted on Feb 11th, 2007 by  Albert
Nobel Prize Winner Orhan Pamuk is under threat in Turkey. Another case and challenge for European Integration Politics which cannot continue its blue eyed multi cultural drive and has to seriously find ways to confront... More

Economic and Political Profiles of Middle East Countries

Posted on Feb 28th, 2007 by  Albert
As this week is about Social Entrepreneurship on Zaadz and Entrepreneurship Week  in general I want to add :   http://www.meepas.com/ About Meepas "Meepas is the Middle East's first comprehensive Economic and Political Analysis web... More »  



Miniskirts Meet Minarets in the New Istanbul

Posted on Apr 15th, 2007 by  Albert
This is a Spiegel Online Report about development in New Istanbul/Turkey. When I fly to Dubai I like to have a stop there. its a wonderful vibrating metropolis between Asia and Europe. A brilliant breathing example... More »




Why Europe needs to assert itself in the World

Posted on Oct 7th, 2007 by  Albert
During a phone conference I listened to a conversation between  German journalist and Ex Foreign Minister  Joschka Fischer   who is presenting his new book "Die rot-grünen Jahre". A kind of reflection about 7 years... More »


A Close Up of Syrian Culture: An Integral Perspective

Posted on Oct 18th, 2007 by  Albert
I am mirroring here a report from Elza Maalouf- CEO and Co Founder of Center for Human Emrgence Mideast -about one more remarkable and innovative Integral Project recently done in Syria. Did only hyperlink some... More »


PKK circumverts Ban in Gemany

Posted on Oct 31st, 2007 by  Albert
Again some global conflict is erupting in a Western Country, this time Germany. though rooted in vmemetic tensions geopolitical impact spreads beyond any borders. The Area betwen Turkey and Northern Iraq   is only the... More »  



The Turkish Diplomats Daughter

Posted on Nov 5th, 2007 by  Albert
A friend recommended me a newly published book written under the pseudonym Deniz Goran. I found this review in TIMESONLINE and guess its one more example how much needs to be understood about values, rights... More »  


The Voice of a Brilliant European Thinker at the Leading Edge

Posted on Feb 2nd, 2008 by  Albert
This is a piece in five parts which explores the rise of a proto-spirituality in postmodern thinking and philosophy. Directly transferred from Frank Visser Site in order to simplify the access as Frank only allows... More » )  


New Issue of Integral Leadership Review

Posted on Jun 17th, 2008 by  Albert
Table of Contents, June 2008 (adapted) Leadership Quote: James Hazy, Jeffrey Goldstein, and Benyamin Lichtenstein Leading Comments: An Introduction to This Issue Integral Theory and Integral Action, Part 10: Mark Edwards and Russ Volckmann Leadership... More »



Another Fairy Tale for Germany?

Posted on Jun 20th, 2008 by  Albert
After the Germany reached the Semi Finales of EURO2008 yesterday it was the question why the German Team succeded in such a fantastic way. Playing with passion, fighting spirit and the absolute will to make... More »  



Lets meet in Istanbul

Posted on Jun 25th, 2008 by  Albert
This is a vivid, breathing report from my colleague at Integral leadership Reivew ,Yene Assegid. its about a recent integral event in Event in Istanbul , Turkey. As today Germany meets Turkey in Soccer/football in... More »



Islam and Globalization

Posted on Jun 25th, 2008 by  Albert
This is a new and great presentation from last SDi Confab in May. Dr. Akbar Ahmed presents: Change, Transitions and Transformations in Islam Annual Spiral Dynamics Conference "ConFab 2008", May 24, 2008 Insightful and Inspirational... More »



Turkey At The Crossroads

Posted on Oct 15th, 2008 by  Albert
As Turkey and its unique location between Europe and Asia is fascinating me for a long time I welcome SPIEGEL ONLINE coverage which saw this increasing significance of Turkey. Not only for European Integration but... More »

As is good use in Germany:):some days before Christmas German polticians are creating some attention in media with hard statements. Profiling something new. 1999 it was chancellor Angela Merkel who then wrote an article - At FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG  -on Dec 1999 which attacked Chancellor Helmut Kohl heavily and prepared her own way for candidating in CDU for this leadership position:)

This time it is former Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer.. His poltical instincts always brought and bring him to good insights. Fischer is- as Cem Ozdemir -founding member of European Council on Foreign Relations and wrote -together with 2008 Nobel Peace Prize winner Martti Ahtisari this excellent article about Europe and its role in the world of 21st century.

Why Europe needs to assert itself in the world

He adresses a felt black hole. Yes.
He misses the crucial dimensions.
He fails in correct prognosis AND diagnosis.

Mr, Fischer, open your eyes in new ways. Look for new allies in Germany and Europe. Make the move to a worldcentric worldview. You are needed.

But you are no longer the Alpha Animal for World Spirit in Poltics....):)

And read this

SPIEGEL INTERVIEW WITH EX-FOREIGN MINISTER JOSCHKA FISCHER



Germany Is Failing As A Leading Power in Europe?

Germany's former Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, 60, speaks with SPIEGEL about the global financial crisis, the lack of German leadership in Europe and what Barack Obama is doing right.


SPIEGEL: Mr. Fischer, France and the UK held the last EU summit without the German chancellor, and many European countries are mocking the Germans' hesitant economic policies. Is Germany headed toward isolation?

Fischer: Things have not gotten that bad. But Germany is staring at its own navel, too much so for my taste. I have made quite a few trips these past few weeks -- to Paris, Lisbon and Copenhagen. Everywhere the first question was: Can you explain why the chancellor, in this crisis, where everyone is looking to Berlin, is leaving Europe in the lurch? Why doesn't Germany see tackling the crisis as a joint project? Why does Germany always say no, instead of assuming a leadership role?



SPIEGEL: What reasons do you see for this?

Fischer: I have noticed a disastrous shift in focus in Germany's foreign and European policy. Until now Europe itself has been the key project in German foreign policy -- what was good for Europe was also good for Germany, and vice versa. The country's current leaders, however, increasingly see Europe as a tool to push through Germany's own political agenda. This entails a significant risk for Europe, but also primarily for Germany.

SPIEGEL: What signs do you see of this shift?

Fischer: First and foremost, how the crisis is being addressed. Apparently the German government at first underestimated the gravity of the situation. It failed to recognize how great the risk is that we could slide into a worldwide depression. The fact that the German government did not energetically take action back in November caused a great deal of consternation and confusion in Europe.

Read more.

Also:

91 Entries about Europe

63 Entries about Germany

Special Christmas Greetings, Thanks, Prayers and Blessings to:

All nurses of the world who work hard these days

Policemen and firemen

Soldiers who are doing service across the globe under life Threatening conditions,

All who have lost homes, work and security this year

All who starve in Poverty,

All people living in desperation and hopelessness.

All People who will not survive this year

All People who cannot even cry anmore and have lost their tears

All people who face darkest hours of their lives

Everyone who inst even connected these day to light, warmth and basic security.

For all you millions and milions:

Christmas Greetings, Thanks, Prayers and Blessings from the depth of my heart. Hugging you, thinking of you and my strongest wishes for light coming into your life. In whatever form it maybe!

Animated by an image about

Kundalini

posted by Bodichitta and a lifelong firsthand experiences with these phenomenons I am reposting three entries which refer to it. In 2007 Gene Kieffer who was still on Zaadz then sent me some of material about current research. As director of Kundalini Research Foundation and personally connected earlier with Gopi Krishna -as much as with Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker  - he has a long -and seemingly singular interest in developing research further.

IN other traditions like Zen these phenomema are simply regarded as makyo. And indeed, from causal or nondual point of view this maybe so.

Aproaches like the ones of Ken Wilber and AQAL in progess, maybe SDi in progress too, have at least the potential to crystallize more integral insight from a postmetaphysical point of view. Maybe a new research project for next 10-30 years can bring more light into it.

Something has to be however initiated in this direction. As Ken Wilber quoted Hermann Melville in "Many Faces of Terrorism", Chapter 11:

"Better to sink in boundless deeps, than float in vulgar shoals."



 Liquid fire and liquid light

Posted on May 1st, 2006 by  Albert
  Want to point to an online Book of Jana Dixon which deals with meaning, phenomenology and  context of Kundalini. Think that much of the material is valuable in any advanced context of evolutioanry , integral... More »

Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker 1

Posted on Apr 29th, 2007 by  Albert
A man has died who impacted my thinking and perception even long before 1980 when I came across the early work of Ken Wilber. Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker I want to... More »



Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker 2

Posted on Apr 29th, 2007 by  Albert
In case the Wiki Link does not work here is the text. Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation , search Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker, 1993 Carl Friedrich Freiherr von... More »

See also:

http://www.elcollie.com/

http://www.kundalini-teacher.com/

http://www.kundaliniguide.com/

Two scientists from Harvard University and University of California found out something social networks and correlation to happiness. Here are thier results ate edge.org:


"We found that social networks have clusters of happy and unhappy people within them that reach out to three degrees of separation. A person's happiness is related to the happiness of their friends, their friends' friends, and their friends' friends' friends-that is, to people well beyond their social horizon. We found that happy people tend to be located in the center of their social networks and to be located in large clusters of other happy people. And we found that each additional happy friend increases a person's probability of being happy by about 9%.

Social Networks and Happiness

By Nicholas A. Christakis & James H. Fowler



NICHOLAS A. CHRISTAKIS, a physician and sociologist, is a Professor at Harvard University with joint appointments in the Departments of Health Care Policy, Sociology, and Medicine. For the last ten years, he has been studying social networks. Nicholas Christakis's Edge Bio Page.

JAMES H. FOLWER is an internationally recognized political scientist who specializes in the study of social networks, human cooperation, and political participation. He is currently an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of California, San Diego. James Fowler's Edge Bio Page.





SOCIAL NETWORKS AND HAPPINESS

Happiness is a fundamental object of human existence. To the extent that it is synonymous with pleasure, it could even be said to be one of the "two sovereign masters" that, Jeremy Bentham argued, govern our lives. The other master, lest we forget, is pain.

Our happiness is determined by a complex set of voluntary and involuntary factors, ranging from our genes to our health to our wealth. Alas, one determinant of our own happiness that has not received the attention it deserves is the happiness of others. Yet we know that emotions can spread over short periods of time from person to person, in a process known as "emotional contagion." If someone smiles at you, it is instinctive to smile back. If your partner or roommate is depressed, it is common for you to become depressed.

But might emotions spread more widely than this in social networks-from person to person to person, and beyond? Might an individual's location within a social network influence their future happiness? And might social network processes-by a diverse set of mechanisms-influence happiness not just fleetingly, but also over longer periods of time?



Read more..

Deema Al-Shawa Writes this letter. Its mirrored diectly from blog of che-mideat.org

Dear Deema, I am with you. Palestine deserves complete attention from world audiences. And I know the Palestinean community in Federal Republic of Germany is great and strong too. Kudos to your work. You have my fullest support!

A heartfelt letter From A Palestinean Women



BUILD PALESTINE INITIATIVE

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Deema Al-Shawa Pleads with Pres-Elect Obama to End the Attack on Gaza

In light of Israel's invasion of Gaza, our Palestinian partner sent me this heartfelt letter expressing her pain about the death of innocent people, yet remaining optimistic about a fresh start with President-Elect Obama.

"Habibti Elza,

After reading your letter to Obama and while watching the news about Gaza today, I felt like sending something to Obama too, by using the alphabets of the word PALESTINE.


Deema Al-Shawa"



PALESTINE


P. President Obama, Dear "Abu Hussien" that's how we call you in the Middle East.

A. An Action by you would make a historical difference! Your words: "CHANGE HAS COME TO AMERICA!" brought back our lost hopes & faith in the change that might come to the Middle East, through a better American political policy.

L. Let Peace Rule the Globe and bring back the missing justice.

E. Encourage our Palestinian vision for a better future & development, Palestinian young people are educated enough to handle it very well.

S. Save our hungry poor children in Gaza and millions will pray for you. Save them from the unjustified non-stop Israeli harm and the non-sensed political conflicts. Dear Mr. President in our Palestinian case, supporting the basic human rights by such a leader like you, will be remarked with a golden line in history.

T. Time has come for us to be treated as humans! It's almost 2009, 60 years of an unfair war, enough of erasing and neglecting our harmless Palestinian identity, kindly support our people, we do exist and we have rights. African Americans had suffered for years but today while celebrating your presidency HOPE is back! Justice will come after all to Palestine.

I. Initiating action for Cultural emergence in the Middle East by Enhancing "the Center for Human Emergence" through its SDI needed mission, will definitely help the US administration in implementing a better political, social and economical international transformation. Dr. Don Beck and CEO Elza Malouf our American Heroes will help you as much as they helped us, if you just give them the chance.

N. NO! For more genocides by the Israeli army, PALESTINE is screaming for your HELP!

E. Enough of taking sides! HO HO HO!! The Israeli Santa did deliver his bombs as a Christmas gift to the Palestinian Innocent children in Gaza, documented 27.12.2009. Merry Christmas Mr. President & Happy New Year.
By Deema Shawa.

Deema is a founding member of the Palestine Integral Committee at the Center For Human Emergence-Middle East . Since 2005, she has been leading the efforts to promote "Build Palestine Initiative" among young Palestinian leaders

I am wishing a most happy new year 2009 to all friends and readers´worldwide.
May it be a jumptime of possibilties, joy, breakthroughs and new imagination. And confidence and trust for all tough challenges to come:


AFRIKAANS gelukkige nuwejaar
ALBANIAN Gëzuar vitin e ri
ALSATIAN e glëckliches nëies / güets nëies johr
ARABIC ??? ???? (aam saiid) / sana saiida
ARMENIAN shnorhavor nor tari
AZERI yeni iliniz mubarek
BAMBARA bonne année
BASQUE urte berri on
BELARUSIAN ? ????? ????? (Z novym hodam)
BENGALI subho nababarsho
BERBER asgwas amegas
BETI mbembe mbu
BOBO bonne année
BOSNIAN sretna nova godina
BRETON bloavezh mat / bloavez mad
BULGARIAN ??????? ???? ?????? (chestita nova godina)
BURMESE hnit thit ku mingalar pa
CANTONESE sun lin fi lok / kung hé fat tsoi
CATALAN bon any nou
CHINESE xin nian kuai le / xin nian hao
CORSICAN pace e salute
CROATIAN sretna nova godina
CZECH štastný nový rok
DANISH godt nytår
DARI sale naw tabrik
DUTCH gelukkig Nieuwjaar
ENGLISH happy new year
ESPERANTO felicxan novan jaron
feliæan novan jaron (Times SudEuro font)
ESTONIAN head uut aastat
FAROESE gott nýggjár
FINNISH onnellista uutta vuotta
FLEMISH gelukkig Nieuwjaar
FRENCH bonne année
FRISIAN lokkich neijier
FRIULAN bon an
GALICIAN feliz aninovo
GEORGIAN ???????? ???? ???? (gilocavt akhal tsels)
GERMAN ein gutes neues Jahr / prost Neujahr
GREEK kali chronia / kali xronia
eutichismenos o kainourgios chronos (we wish you a happy new year)
GUJARATI sal mubarak / nootan varshabhinandan
GUARANÍ rogüerohory año nuévo-re
HAITIAN CREOLE bònn ané
HAWAIIAN hauoli makahiki hou
HEBREW ??? ???? (shana tova)
HINDI nav varsh ki subhkamna
HMONG nyob zoo xyoo tshiab
HUNGARIAN boldog új évet
ICELANDIC farsælt komandi ár
INDONESIAN selamat tahun baru
IRISH GAELIC ath bhliain faoi mhaise
ITALIAN felice anno nuovo, buon anno
JAVANESE sugeng warsa enggal
JAPANESE akemashite omedetô
KABYLIAN asseguèsse-ameguèsse
KANNADA hosa varshada shubhaashayagalu
KAZAKH zhana zhiliniz kutti bolsin
KHMER sur sdei chhnam thmei
KINYARWANDA umwaka mwiza
KIRUNDI umwaka mwiza
KOREAN seh heh bok mani bat uh seyo
KURDE sala we ya nû pîroz be
LAO sabai di pi mai
LATIN felix sit annus novus
LATVIAN laimigu Jauno gadu
LIGURIAN feliçe annu nœvu / feliçe anno nêuvo
LINGALA bonana / mbula ya sika elamu na tonbeli yo
LITHUANIAN laimingu Naujuju Metu
LOW SAXON gelükkig nyjaar
LUXEMBOURGEOIS e gudd neit Joër
MACEDONIAN ?????? ???? ?????? (srekna nova godina)
MALAGASY arahaba tratry ny taona
MALAY selamat tahun baru
MALAYALAM nava varsha ashamshagal
MALTESE is-sena t-tajba
MAORI kia hari te tau hou
MARATHI navin varshaachya hardik shubbheccha
MONGOLIAN shine jiliin bayariin mend hurgeye (???? ?????? ?????? ???? ?v????)
MORÉ wênd na kô-d yuum-songo
NDEBELE umyaka omucha omuhle
NORWEGIAN godt nyttår
OCCITAN bon annada
PASHTO nawe kaalmo mobarak sha
PERSIAN ??? ?? ????? (sâle no mobârak)
POLISH szczesliwego nowego roku
PORTUGUESE feliz ano novo
ROMANCHE bun di bun onn
ROMANI baxtalo nevo bersh
ROMANIAN un an nou fericit / la multi ani
RUSSIAN ? ????? ????? (S novim godom)
SAMOAN ia manuia le tausaga fou
SANGO nzoni fini ngou
SARDINIAN bonu annu nou
SCOTTISH GAELIC bliadhna mhath ur
SERBIAN srecna nova godina / ?????? ???? ??????
SHIMAORE mwaha mwema
SHONA goredzwa rakanaka
SINDHI nain saal joon wadhayoon
SINHALA suba aluth avuruddak vewa
SLOVAK stastlivy novy rok
SLOVENIAN srecno novo leto
SOBOTA dobir leto
SOMALI sanad wanagsan
SPANISH feliz año nuevo
SRANAN wan bun nyun yari
SWAHILI mwaka mzuri / heri ya mwaka mpya
SWEDISH gott nytt år
SWISS-GERMAN es guets Nöis
TAGALOG manigong bagong taon
TAHITIAN ia orana i te matahiti api
TAMIL iniya puthandu nalVazhthukkal
TATAR yaña yil belän
TELUGU ???? ??????? ???????????? (nuthana samvathsara subhakankshalu)
THAI ???????????? (sawatdii pimaï)
TIBETAN tashi delek / losar tashi delek
TURKISH yeni yiliniz kutlu olsun
UDMURT Vyl Aren
UKRAINIAN Z novym rokom
URDU naya saal mubarik
UZBEK yangi yilingiz qutlug' bo'lsin
VIETNAMESE Chúc M?ng Nam M?i / Cung Chúc Tân Niên / Cung Chúc Tân Xuân
WALOON ("betchfessîs" spelling) bone annéye / bone annéye èt bone santéye
WELSH blwyddyn newydd dda
WEST INDIAN CREOLE bon lanné
WOLOF dewenati
YIDDISH a gut yohr