Reference: 1215080602

An ERS Client seeks to appoint a Project Control Lead working in Sizewell.

Location

Sizewell

Salary

Competitive package, which includes a core holiday entitlement of 24 days plus UK Statutory holidays, a Pension and Life Assurance Scheme.

Job Responsibilities

Control, monitor, analyse and report for projects within a portfolio.

Establishment of a cost and resource loaded, logic linked and base lined P3e plan for the project in accordance with PPC and control processes.

Establishing Work Breakdown Strcuture/Cost Breakdown Structure in terms of project scope, taking cognisance of API and CES processes and templates.

Liaising with Project Estimator, Supply Chain, Project Manager and Task leaders to establish the project activities, costs and durations and ensuring that these reflect project scope, constraints and commitments. Challenging as necessary to ensure compatibility and compliance.

Interfacing of the project's activities with outside interface departments or processes which have an impact on the project and ensuring that these are correctly captured.

Ensuring that the total project budget so established, is compatible with the capital amounts approved for the project, e.g. as per the Company's capital approval process - RIRM's etc.

Capturing the project plan in P3e using the established Work Breakdown Structure/Cost Breakdown Structure and ensuring that the logic is embraced through correct logic linking of activities.

Capturing project budgetary costs and resources in the P3e plan to determine time phasing of expenditure plus the total project budget. Manhours and costs to be captured by activity.

Facilitating acceptance of, plus ensuring that, the project plan embraces the full project work scope, is fit for purpose and is achievable. This to be done in collaboration with the Project Manager and the project's Key Team Members/Task Managers.

Ensure that the necessary planning interface with the site Work Management Process (WMP) is established.

Base lining of the project plan.

Updating and re-base-lining of the project plan on an 'as necessary' basis during the project lifecycle.

Maintaining authorised change records as to the reasons for and factors influencing each change to the project's baseline plan plus the implications of such change.

Progress monitoring of the cost and resource loaded, logic linked and baselined P3e plan .

Liaise with project team members and contractors with regards to progress and financial forecasting. Updating the P3e plan on a regular and as necessary basis to comply with project reporting cycles.

Interrogate Vanguard/GTRS as to actual manhours and costs booked to the project and capturing these actual amounts in the P3e plan.

Ensuring that the actual costs and manhours captured are in line with those recorded in Vanguard/GTRS liaising with the finance department as required.

To monitor, control and analyse the project programme and cost information using earned Value Methodologies, identify variances and to bring these to the attention of the Project Manager with possible alternatives.

Prepare specific reports to facilitate challenge and analysis to meet the project's specific needs .

Challenging schedule and cost variances against the baseline plan with inidividual tak leaders/contractors and or outside stakeholder managemenet as necessary to enable mitigation.

To be the vehicle through which project reporting information concerning time, cost and progress is obtained through a documented process plus regular project progress meetings.

Attending meetings as required concerning project's progressand cost variances against the baseline plan in support of the Project Manager.

Advising project stakeholders and other interested parties as to the project's progress.

Ensuring and overseeing the following additional and related functions are in place and that they are integrated within the project.

Change Management: To assist the Project Manager with control, monitor and update of the project change management log.

Issues Log: Raised via Project Manager's meetings, idetnifying theissue/owner/due date. Accessed centrally in 'read only' format and updated via a single source.

Financial: Cost spreadsheet (as appropriate). Cost spreadsheet maintained and updated by the Project Manager, Project control Engineer or Cost Engineer and to be in line with the project P3e plan.

Project Definitiion Document (PDD): to assist Project Manager with the drafting and updating of this document to ensure that it contains the project Scope of Work, KPI's, payment milestones and the methodology for controlling the project schedule, costs and variances.

Commercial interface for the project re audits and providing answers to audit queries on time, cost and schedule.

Tel: 01454 203 460

cv@energyrs.co.uk

Bake Goods/Coffee & Tea Sale @ Northwest School (NWS) (location subject to change)

CES Officers will be at NWS on 21/July 2008, Monday, selling bake goods, coffee and tea. They are offering community service to anybody who wishes to help out with the selling of the products. Students will be selling goods towards the end of the summer schools lunch as well as during their midday activity. They then have a break at 12:35 pm till 4:20 pm and then will return to selling until 4:40 pm. All profits made from this will go towards the betterment of Chief Sealth High School.Date: 21/July 2008
Time: 11:20 am – 4:40 pm
CSH Offered: 8 hours total

Bake Goods/Coffee & Tea Sale @ Westwood QFC

CES Officers will be at the QFC on 30/July 2008, Wednesday, selling bake goods, coffee and tea. They are offering community service to anybody who wishes to help out with the selling of the products. Students will be selling goods from 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm. All profits made from this will go towards the betterment of Chief Sealth High School.
Date: 30/July 2008
Time: 12:30 am – 3:30 pm
CSH Offered: 5 hours total

Car Wash @ TBD

CES Officers will be hosting a BBQ & Car Wash event on 1/September 2008. They are offering community service to anybody who wishes to help out with washing cars or selling the BBQ items. Those who work with the CES on this will be given free BBQ. Students will be working from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. All profits made from this will go towards the betterment of Chief Sealth High School.
Date: 01/September 2008
Time: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
CSH Offered: 8 hours total

If you are interested in participating in these events then use the following contact information to let the CES know.

Contact Phone – (206)-931-9578

Contact E-Mails –
Conciliar Elizabeth Kirk
council@sealthces.co.cc
iddepartment@sealthces.co.cc
CES: Intel Deliberation Department Head
CES: Conciliar

Chairman Duron Jones
chairman@sealthces.co.cc
duron.jones@live.com
CES: Public Relations Department Head
CES: Chairman
CES: Founder
CSHS: BEX Design Team

Company E-Mail
the_ces@live.com

La Confederación Sindical Internacional (CSI) ha convocado para el próximo 7 de octubre la Jornada Mundial de Acción por el Trabajo Decente.

  

Los trabajadores europeos se movilizarán contra la Directiva del Tiempo de Trabajo

La Jornada Mundial de Acción por el Trabajo Decente del 7 de octubre plasmará en Europa el rechazo a la Directiva

Los trabajadores europeos incorporarán a las reivindicaciones de la Jornada Mundial de Acción por el Trabajo Decente,  que se celebrará el 7 de octubre, su rotundo rechazo a la propuesta de directiva europea sobre Tiempo de Trabajo recientemente aprobada por el Consejo Europeo.

El Comité Ejecutivo de la Confederación Europea de Sindicatos (CES) debatió ayer ampliamente y manifestó su preocupación y rechazo por esta directiva que ataca directamente a  la línea de flotación de la Negociación Colectiva y da un paso atrás en las conquistas sociales y en la Europa Social.

Los miembros del Comité acordaron también aprovechar el periodo de su tramitación, ya que está previsto que el Consejo Europeo remita de nuevo el proyecto de directiva al Parlamento Europeo en septiembre, para una segunda lectura, para iniciar una intensa campaña de rechazo y explicar la posición sobre la misma de los trabajadores europeos a los gobiernos nacionales, a los grupos parlamentarios, y a través de ellos a los grupos parlamentarios europeos. La Confederación Europea de Sindicatos, por su parte, desarrollará las acciones necesarias para trasladar esta posición también al Parlamento Europeo.

El Secretario General de UGT y miembro del Comité del Comité Ejecutivo de la CES, al término de la reunión manifestó que “la presión  de la opinión pública y la presión sindical dará el resultado posible para que se modifiquen las posiciones de los gobiernos y esa modificación se haga efectiva en el Parlamento”.

El Comité  realizó un llamamiento a la participación en la  Jornada Mundial de Acción que tendrá lugar el día 7 de octubre por el Trabajo Decente, que incorporará en Europa, además de la demanda de salarios dignos, la expresión pública del rechazo de los trabajadores a la propuesta de directiva del tiempo de trabajo.

 

Reference: 1215004233

ERS has a Client actively seeking to appoint a Project Controls Lead Engineer, ideally with a Nuclear industry background (preferred but not essential) Must have a good working knowledge of P3e Must have a working knowledge of the auditing process Must have a detailed working knowledge of engineering change.

Location

Sizewell, Suffolk

Contract Rates

Highly Competitive

Job Description

Nuclear industry background (preferred but not essential) Must have a good working knowledge of P3e Must have a working knowledge of the auditing process.

Must have a detailed working knowledge of engineering change.

PC literate, with experience in the use of windows packages (word, Escel etc.) with suitable compensatory skills in adjusting to new IT applications HNC level or relevant experience 5 to 10 years experience in project controls or project delivery, preferably in the nuclear industry although not essential

Responsibilities

 
Control, monitor, analyse and report for projects within a portfolio Establishment of a cost and resource loaded, logic linked and base lined P3e plan for the project in accordance with PPC and control processes.

Establishing Work Breakdown Strcuture/Cost Breakdown Structure in terms of project scope, taking cognisance of API and CES processes and templates.

Liaising with Project Estimator, Supply Chain, Project Manager and Task leaders to establish the project activities, costs and durations and ensuring that these reflect project scope, constraints and commitments.

Challenging as necessary to ensure compatibility and compliance Interfacing of the project's activities with outside interface departments or processes which have an impact on the project and ensuring that these are correctly captured.

Ensuring that the total project budget so established, is compatible with the capital amounts approved for the project, e.g. as per the Company's capital approval process - RIRM's etc.

Capturing the project plan in P3e using the established Work Breakdown Structure/Cost Breakdown Structure and ensuring that the logic is embraced through correct logic linking of activities.
Capturing project budgetary costs and resources in the P3e plan to determine time phasing of expenditure plus the total project budget. Manhours and costs to be captured by activity Facilitating acceptance of, plus ensuring that, the project plan embraces the full project work scope, is fit for purpose and is achievable. This to be done in collaboration with the Project Manager and the project's Key Team Members/Task Managers.

Tel: 01454 203 460

cv@energyrs.co.uk ]]> http://joeduck.wordpress.com/?p=1759 Tue, 01 Jul 2008 01:13:08 +0000 JoeDuck http://joeduck.wordpress.com/?p=1759 Hey, it's already time to register for CES 2009 and there's a new fee structure where people signing up before November 1 will get in *free* to everything but the regular sessions.    Althought those sessions are interesting the big deal at CES are the many world class exhibits of new technology and the CES Parties, so frankly you could have a great time there without attending any of the sessions at all.

As a blogger or press person you'll get free admission to the sessions as well (this would run about $1000+, plus some really nice food, lounges, and freebies if they handle things like last year when even many press folks were envious of the great amenities at the blogging lounges.

I'll be at CES again next year, hoping to find as many interesting stories as at CES 2008 when I got to interview David Filo from Yahoo, see Bill Gates, and hear GM's CEO Talk about cool new cars.

I also had a great time at the Monster Blog Bash, Mary J. Blige Concert, SONY Poker Party, and PodTech's Bloghaus (thanks to John Furrier and Robert Scoble who are always very cool conference characters.)

Here is the CES 2009 fee structure:

More about CES 2009 at the official website.

Section Photos are up. Six sections in the Powerxfour "Y Barbados" 2008 presentation can be seen by clicking any of the below photos.

Who are you going to play mas with. Have fun!!

Log on to www.powerxfour.com for more info on price and packages available.

I recently received an e-mail from my Church Educational System (CES) supervisor, Thomas F. Olmstead--I will soon be starting my second year as a volunteer early-morning seminary teacher--who informed me of a great book that deals with the doctrine of deification as it was passed on in the Greek Orthodox tradition. I have not yet got my hands on a copy, but Bro. Olmstead highly recommended it.

The book is by Norman Russell and is entitled The Doctrine of Deification in Greek Patristic Tradition (Oxford University Press, 2004). He also mentioned that it was reviewed not long ago in BYU Studies, vol. 46, no.1 (2007).  From the back cover:

"The book traces the history of deification from its birth as a second-century metaphor with biblical roots to its maturity as a doctrine central to the spiritual life of the Byzantine Church. It begins with two chapters on the doctrine's antecedents in Graeco-Roman and Jewish culture which draw attention to the contribution of Rabbinic exegesis, and also to the fact that in speaking of the soul's ascent to God as deification Christian writers anticipated the pagan Neo-Platonist. Although the first enunciation of deification is in Irenaeus' celebrated 'exchange formula'. it was in Alexandria that the doctrine was fully elaborated. Two important chapters discuss and contextualize the different Alexandrian approaches from Clement to Cyril, bringing out the pervasive influence of Origen, who develops the idea of the rational creature's participation through the Son and the Spirit in a dynamic divinity deriving from the Father. The technical vocabulary of deification becomes problematical for Cyril of Alexandria, who replaces it with references to 2 Peter 1:4 ('partakers of the divine nature'). It was therefore through Pseudo-Dionysius and Maximus the confessor rather than Cyril that deification entered the Byzantine tradition.
Maximus' many discussions of deification (or 'theosis') are examined in detail, for in his concept of theosis as God's gift of himself to human beings through participation in the divine energies the patristic doctrine of deification comes to full maturity.... Two appendices review deification in the Syraic and Latin fathers, and present a survey of the Greek vocabulary of deification to the end of the fifth century."

From the Introduction:

"They crystallized for me something for which I had been searching, a vision of man transfigured by the divine energies" (intro. p.4).

"Appendix 2 summarizes my lexical findings. Briefly, then, Christian usage of deification terms expressing the soul's ascent to God precedes the pagan usage rather that the other way round, as is often assumed" (intro. p.8).

My thanks to Bro. Olmstead for introducing me to this book!

New Articles by Dr. Andrei Orlov

Dr. Orlov recently sent me the following links to some new articles that he has written. I thought they would be of interest to this audience.

IN THE MIRROR OF THE DIVINE FACE: THE ENOCHIC FEATURES OF THE EXAGOGE OF EZEKIEL THE TRAGEDIAN http://www.marquette.edu/maqom/mosesmetatron.pdf

The Vessels of Light: The Luminous Aeon Traditions in 2 (Slavonic) Enoch http://www.marquette.edu/maqom/vessels.html

Praxis of the Voice: The Divine Name Traditions in the Apocalypse of Abraham
http://www.marquette.edu/maqom/jbl.pdf

 I'm sure I will be discussing these articles on this blog at some point in the near future. Until then, please have a look at the links and tell me what you think of these new articles.  Our thanks to Dr. Orlov for the links and for his tireless and excellent research!

075

Quo vadis,

Bosnien?

Liebe Alma,

Sie als eine Kennerin Jugoslawiens und Bosniens haben vielleicht schon von Vesna Kesić gehört, die im völkerübergreifenden Militarismus und Rassismus zwischen Alpen und Ägäis ein gemeinsames Muster zu erkennen glaubt: Das Muster jedes Krieges nicht länger im Kampf ‘Volk gegen Volk’ zu sehen, sondern im Muster ‘Mann gegen Frau, Männer gegen Frauen’. Das ist eine verblüffende, ‘neue’ Perspektive. Als Prinzip jedoch wohl mindestens dreitausend Jahre alt. Gemeint ist: Über die Fronten hinweg herrsche Einverständnis unter den Männern, einander als Macho und zugleich als Feind zu ‘würdigen’. Dabei die eigenen Frauen ebenso zu verteidigen vorzugeben wie sie in eine untergeordnete gesellschaftliche Rolle zu drängen. Als Alibi und willkommenes Mittel der Frauen-Disziplinierung diene die gewissermaßen theatralisch inszenierte kriegerische Vergewaltigung auch von Frauen durch die – insofern willkommenen – gegnerischen Truppen (1).

Eine brutale und perverse Logik. Wenn sie aber stimmt, müssen Menschen aller Völkern und Religionen sie aufdecken, um sie für alle Zukunft zu verhindern. Das wird gerade den Männern besonders schwer fallen, aber auch den Müttern, die diese Jungen und Männer erziehen und aus diesem Kontrast, nämlich nicht männlich zu sein, ihr fragwürdiges Bild von „national ehrenhafter und Gott wohlgefälliger“ Weiblichkeit beziehen. Ein weib-weibliches Konkurrieren, ein Ausstechen Frau gegen Frau liegt noch eine ’seelische Etage’ tiefer, wie sich ahnen lässt.

Islamischer Dschihad und Vergewaltigung als Kriegswaffe: Seit dem siebten Jahrhundert ist das ein ausgesprochen islamisches Thema. Gott wohlgefällig jedenfalls seinem Propheten, islamisch religiös, islamtheologisch vielfach abgesegnet. Andererseits und um Missverständnissen vorzubeugen hat der Kaufmann, Feldherr und Religionsgründer Mohammed weder den Vergewaltigungskrieg noch den Angriffskrieg erfunden. Doch hat er beiderlei gebilligt, geführt, empfohlen und geheiligt.

Wiederum hört man Muslime nicht völlig zu Unrecht sinngemäß entgegnen: „Zugegeben, ihr Christen seid theoretisch pazifistisch, doch in der Praxis der Jahrhunderte erwiesenermaßen grausam. Wir Muslime dürfen, das ist wahr, religiös militant sein, jedoch leben wir praktische Toleranz!“ Auch einer modernen Gesellschaft droht durchaus auch ohne Bezug auf religiöses oder historisches Erbe ein nationalistisches Regime (Atatürk, Mussolini, Franco), durch ein nationalistisch-rassistisches (Adolf Hitler, Idi Amin), ein atheistisch-totalitäres (Stalin, Pol Pot) oder ein islamistisch-rassistisches Regime (Dschihad- und Dhimma-Doktrin: Muslimbruderschaft, HAMAS). In der Gegenwart der rasanten Globalisierungen spreche man wohl auch angemessener von „asymmetrischer Kriegsführung“ und „low intensity conflict“. Wobei die Frage erlaubt sei, ob in Ost-London oder Stockholm-Södertälje nicht längst „low-intensity-conflict“ vorherrscht oder sogar herrscht und in Bradford, Luton und Amsterdam-Slotervaart die Scharia (2).

Ein Text der Frauenrechtlerin und Kriegsgegnerin Kesić, leider auf Englisch, analysiert die sexualisierte Gewalt gegen Frauen als Kriegswaffe im schrecklichen Jugoslawienkrieg, der bis heute Millionen Menschen, vor allem Frauen zerrüttet und seelisch verletzt hat und der bis heute selbst mitten im stark von Rassismus und Frauenverachtung geprägten Kroatien den Umgang der Menschen untereinander prägt und vergiftet (3). Wobei der Rassismus (Entführungen von Koptenmädchen, Rechtlosigkeit der Bahá’í) und die Gewalt gegen Frauen (Vergewaltigungen, Verstoßung von „Ehrlosen“, millionenfache schwere Genitalverstümmelung, Ehrenmorde, Zwangsverheiratungen) im islamisch dominierten Ägypten und die Ferne zu Bürgerrechten in der sich mehr und mehr islamisierenden Türkei wesentlich inhumaner sind als in Kroatien.

Doch wir sind einer Meinung: Möge Südosteuropa Wege zum dauerhaften Frieden finden. Der politische Islam wird für diesen Weg allerdings ganz selbstverständlich eine große Gefahr bleiben. Das sollten die Menschen in Bosnien laut sagen, so lange sie dazu noch ohne Lebensgefahr imstande sind.

Hinter dem Militarismus Jugoslawiens liege, so Kesić, eine kaum jemals gänzlich durchschaute Ideologie der Geschlechtsklassen. Und auch das Problem des Islamismus und Dschihadismus ist ein ‘Gender’-Problem, eine Frage der islamischen Frauenunterdrückung und des islamischen Männlichkeitskultes, so ähnlich sagte es bereits die weltbekannte Journalistin und Feministin Alice Schwarzer: „Rückzugsgefecht verunsicherter Extrem-Machos“. Denn ob der Gott, der vielleicht die Welt erschaffen hat oder auch nicht erschaffen hat, die irdische „institutionelle Herabwürdigung der Frau“ (Ralph Giordano) als Idealform beabsichtigt hatte, daran zweifeln zunehmend mehr Menschen, auch Gott sei Dank auch muslimische Menschen.

Die Aufwertung des Mannes auf Kosten der Frau aber ist kein ‘islamischer Betriebsunfall’. Sie ist im – geschichtlich geprägten – Koran für jeden sichtbar angelegt und wurde in hunderten von Hadithen festgeschrieben. Das ist auch mit Blick auf das künftige Südosteuropa wichtig, wenn auch die militärische Haupt-Aggressivität der 90er Jahre von Dikator Milošević ausgegangen war: Wird ein politisch ambitionierter Islam den Balkan prägen?

In diesen Jahren nämlich rangeln radikale wahhabitische und salafistische Gruppen in Bosnien und Kosovo um Einfluss und schießen mit saudischen Petrodollars finanzierte Betonmoscheen wie Pilze aus dem Boden. Es bleibt zu hoffen, dass die südosteuropäischen Muslime “immun”, nichtanfällig bleiben werden gegenüber diesen hinter den dortigen neuen Moscheevereinen stehenden und eher antidemokratischen Freunden von Gottesstaat (Kalifat) und Gottesgesetz (Schari’a). Vielleicht besteht die Gefahr, dass nach den Schrecken des Krieges, nennen wir die Namen der Orte Goražde und Srebrenica, der radikale Islam als attraktiv erscheint und im Namen der „Gerechtigkeit“ und der „Religion des Friedens“ einen neuen, riesigen, gespenstischen Kerker aufbauen kann.

Wie oft in der Geschichte haben Menschen einer neuen Freiheitsbewegung hoffnungsvoll zugejubelt, wie oft hat sie sich als eine neue Form der Versklavung herausgestellt. Der politische Islam wird überall da, wo er an die Macht kommt, eine der grausamsten Diktaturen aufbauen, wie gerade auch Muslime aus dem Bespiel des Iran (1979) erkennen sollten. Besorgte Demokraten jedenfalls vermissen glaubwürdige Distanzierung vom Projekt „islamische Gesellschaft“.

Sie unterschieden, liebe Alma, zwischen „Koran-Worten“ und „Worten politisch aktiver Menschen”. Eigentlich kommt mir diese Unterscheidung entgegen, doch für radikale oder fanatische Muslime sowie für kriecherische Muslime ist Politik und Religion bekanntlich eins. Ich wünschte Muslime wären in der Lage, die Verse des Koran und der Hadithen eben nicht als verpflichtende tagespolitische Leitlinie zu lesen. Doch derzeit hat im Islam leider von zwei Gläubigen der radikalere stets Recht, nicht der eher besonnene, nicht der demokratischere von beiden. So lange sich das nicht ändert, werden auch in den islamisch geprägten Teilen des Balkans wie Bosnien und Kosovo alle säkularen Politiker von ihren radikalen Kollegen „islamisch erpressbar“ bleiben.

Das historische Christentum war intolerant gegenüber den europäischen Polytheisten wie auch gegenüber allen Kirchenkritikern. Dieser durchaus inhumane Machtapparat aber ist seit Jahrhunderten von autonomen, stolzen städtischen Bürgern in Frage gestellt worden und in Europa seit Jahrzehnten beruflich und privat ohne jede Bedeutung. Bibelkritik ist heute in Europa für jeden Menschen möglich und sogar kirchenseits im Allgemeinen erwünscht. Öffentliche Korankritik ist im Iran, in Indonesien und in Ägypten wohl nicht möglich.

Der Islam jedoch war und ist eine sehr politische und eine sehr militante Religion. Das brachte und das bringt Probleme für die Muslime … und für die Nichtmuslime mit sich.

Doch, zu Ihrer Empfehlun, den Koran zu lesen, darf ich sagen: Ich kenne den Koran und Dutzende von Hadithen in mehreren Übersetzungen in mehreren Sprachen und seit nun über 20 Jahren. Und kenne den Koran damit vielleicht besser als die Mehrheit der türkischstämmigen Einwanderer meiner Stadt, die den Islam als Volks-Islam, als Familien-Islam ‘erben’, meist ohne Koran oder Hadithen zu kennen. Zeitgleich habe ich mich mit (größerem) Gewinn mit den Texten der Religionen Süd- und Ostasiens befasst.

Inzwischen lese ich sogar alte christliche Sachen. Mit Staunen, gelegentlich auch mal mit Abscheu, wobei es wesentlich mehr islamische Texte, Hadithen und Fatwas gibt, die einen auch nur halbwegs anständigen Menschen Ekel empfinden lassen, von den Worten und Taten der Mehrheit der islamischen Würdenträger gar nicht zu reden, die regelmäßig Antisemiten, Homophobe und Frauenhasser sind. Religion sehe ich als etwas grundsätzlich Positives, Nützliches. Mir gefallen der Ethnologe Mircea Eliade und der Seelenforscher Carl Gustav Jung ganz gut. Mit diesen beiden oder auch daneben halte ich die uralten Mythen und Märchen aller Völker für echte gottgewollte Ausdrucksformen von Spiritualität und Religiosität, auch wenn ja bekanntlich die neuen ‘Hochreligionen’ immer gegen die älteren Mythen und Volksmärchen gekämpft haben.

Im Deutschen empfehle ich die Koran-Übersetzungen von Rudi Paret, Lazarus Goldschmidt (1916) und Adel Theodor Khoury. Alle drei stehen vor mir auf dem Tisch. Was sagen Sie zu den drei Göttinnen Mekka, al-Lat, Manat und al-Uzza, denen der kleine Waisenjunge Mohammed, viele Jahre vor seinen Offenbarungen und gemeinsam mit seinen Großeltern, Opfer dargeboten hatte, wie es sich für fromme alte Araber damals so gehört hatte? Gerne von Ihnen also: Der altarabische Polytheismus. Ich vertiefe das jetzt nicht, nur das noch: Die Menschheit ist seit Jahrtausenden und Jahrzehntausenden religiös. Diese grundsätzliche Begabung und Berufung zum Religiösen gilt mithin auch für Bosniens Muslime als den Nachkommen der Neobogumilen, einem manichäischen Christentum.

Und die Götter oder auch Gott war damit, meistens, zufrieden. Die Menschheit wird auch bis ans Weltende immer religiös sein (und sich hoffentlich nicht vorzeitig mit Bomben oder Umweltzerstörung vernichten), und die Götter oder Gott werden auch damit, meistens, zufrieden sein.

Judentum, Christentum, Islam, alle Religionen sind historisch erklärlich und historisch gewachsen und gerade der Islam als die herrschüchtigste Lehre der drei genannten ist keineswegs ‘fitra‘, keineswegs ‘natürliche Veranlagung’. Islam ist, wie jede benennbare Religion, antrainiert und anerzogen oder, seltener, von einem Konvertiten rational gewählt oder auch mal von einem ‘Suchenden‘ eher ‘mystisch erkannt’. Dann gibt es seit ein paar Jahren weibliche Konvertierende, natürlich zum Islam, die andere Richtung ist ganz unerwünscht, die einen netten männlichen salafistischen Marokkaner kennengelernt hatten und angeblich völlig bewusst den Islam wählen und angeblich völlig eigenwillig den Tschador oder gar den Niqab trage.

Ich achte jeden Menschen und sehe den Menschen als ein zur Religiosität aufgefordertes Wesen. Der staatlich verordnete Atheismus unter Stalin und den ‘Sozialisten’ Osteuropas (heute: China) war selbst eine hochnäsige und eifersüchtige Ersatzreligion und wurde der tiefen, bunten, dunklen und geheimnisvollen Seele jedes Menschen nicht gerecht. Religion ist ein Medium und Werkzeug wie die Kunst der Freundschaft oder die Kunst der Sprache eine Brücke zu Menschen und ein Mittel des Ausdrucks ist, jeder ist gefordert, alles drei lebenslang zu entwickeln, Sprache und Freundschaft und Religion.

Ich kenne Koran, Hadithe, Sunna und … Islamismus und sage: Man kann nicht als orthodoxer Muslim sondern nur als säkularer Muslim ohne große innere und äußere Konflikte in einer Demokratie der Menschen- und Bürgerrechte leben. Der orthodoxe Islam wie auch der neue Islamismus führt jeden Muslim in Konflikt mit Pressefreiheit, negativer Religionsfreiheit, Frauenrechten und Meinungsfreiheit.

Richtig, was Sie schreiben, vieles in der Bibel ist kriegerisch, arrogant und sogar völlig falsch, so ist das. Jetzt fragen Sie mal ‘deutsche Türken’, ob diese sagen können, vieles in Koran und Hadithen sei kriegerisch, arrogant und sogar völlig falsch. 90 %, 99 % von ihnen schweigen, gucken böse und zischen etwas von “Du willst mich wohl beleidigen”. Oder zischen gar nicht sondern schreien Bedrohlicheres und schlagen dem „gotteslästerlichen“ Fragesteller ins Gesicht. Deshalb verkriechen sich Islamkritiker gerne ins Internet.

Warum aber reagieren viele Muslime auf Kritik derart giftig? Klar, sie haben Angst vor Exklusion, Ausgrenzung. Und sie sind das autonome Denken nicht gewohnt. Idschtihad ist dem ‘muslimischen Endverbraucher’ nicht gestattet, der Qur’an darf nicht kritisiert werden. Das aber ist mittelalterliche Religion, keine moderne Religion.

Es gab kurzlebige „christliche“ unterdrückerische Gottesstaaten, Calvin in Genf und Savonarola in Florenz etwa, Sittenwächter fast so schlimm wie die afghanischen faschistischen Taliban. Die größten im Namen der Religion verübten Grausamkeiten waren und sind allerdings islamisch, diese Doktrin allein lässt das Töten im Namen der Religion am deutlichsten zu. Naja, wahrscheinlich lässt sich mit jeder Ideologie die Ausbeutung und Unterdrückung von Menschen erreichen, auch mit einer Doktrin des Stalinismus oder Atheismus.

In anderen Worten: ich halte Religion, ja, für gefährlich – zugleich bekenne ich mich als ein religiöser Mensch. Wir müssen mit dieser ‘Herausforderung Religion’ umgehen lernen. ‘Gott ist ein Risiko’. Psychologen würden allerdings von konkurrierenden ‘Gottesbildern’ sprechen. Und wir säkularen Menschen müssen die Sprache der Psychologie sprechen, um uns individuell und universalistisch orientierte freiheitliche Handlungsspielräume zu erhalten. Säkulare Schulen müssen lehren dürfen: Gott ‘habe’ die Welt geschaffen (nicht: Gott ‘hat’ die Welt geschaffen). Unsere Lexika und Schulbücher dürfen die Doktrin einer Religion, gerade der monotheistischen und da gerade der so machterpichten islamischen, nicht ohne den Vorbehalt der rhetorischen Außenperspektive darstellen.

Muslime müssen lernen, Polytheisten, Atheisten, Ex-Muslimen, Atheisten, Juden und Buddhisten mit Toleranz und Respekt und Freundschaft zu begegnen. Muslime haben da sehr großen Nachholbedarf, obwohl es sicherlich auch mal intolerante Christen oder fanatische Hindus gibt.

Globalisierung der Reisemöglichkeiten und des Handels, weltweite Nachrichten und auch mal Flüchtlingsströme: die Religionen aller Welt begegnen einander, das gibt natürlich Erstaunen und auch mal kleine Konflikte. Wir Menschen sollten die Vielfalt der Religionen als Bereicherung sehen, auch die Vielfalt der islamischen Strömungen, von Sufismus bis zur al-Azhar, vom Volksislam bis zu den mittelalterlichen komplizierten Stadtkulturen von Teheran oder Kairo, von Sénégal und von den Berbern bis zu den matristisch geprägten Minang Kabao oder den faschistoiden islamischen politischen Parteien Indonesiens und Malaysias … Islam ist vieles.

Wir sollten die Religionen studieren. Doch Muslime sollten in Ägypten die Kopten und Bahá’í nicht diskriminieren und zwangsislamisiieren und ermorden, im Iran nicht die Zoroastrier, Christen und Bahá’í.

Wir Demokraten sollen und brauchen die heiligen Schriften der Menschheit nicht zu verbrennen, doch wir müssen sie kritisieren. Ach so, in Deutschland bekommen Sie in jeder Bücherei ganz brauchbare Koranübersetzungen, die Saudis leiden schrecklich, wenn jemand eine Bibel oder einen Text der Buddhisten oder Bahá’í spazieren trägt, Peitschenhiebe sind das Geringste, Gefängnis kann sein, Aufhängen oder Köpfen kam schon mal vor. Polit-Islam.

Die ‘Lösung’ liegt in der Säkularität, in einer Demokratie, die jede Polit-Religion, gerade auch den Polit-Islam, in die Schranken weist. Radikale Muslime spielen hier aber beleidigt und jammern: “Jacques Auvergne unterdrückt uns und verhindert Religionsfreiheit”. Bekomme ich alle paar Tage.

Ich empfehle Ihnen, die Texte von folgenden vier säkularen Muslimen zu lesen: Fatma Bläser, Irshad Manji, Bassam Tibi, Ümmühan Karagözlü, sowie sich die Kritik von Wafa Sultan, Necla Kelek und sogar von Ayaan Hirsi Ali und Mina Ahadi geduldig anzuhören. Das sind acht gute Leute, muslimisch dazu, und das Zahlen-Verhältnis ist ganz typisch: “Es steht 7:1″, es sind sieben Frauen und ein Mann. Muslimische Männer sind offensichtlich manchmal die größeren muslimischen Angsthasen.

Oder aber … die Männer fürchten Macht-Verlust??? Das wird der wahre Grund sein.

Zugleich erziehen immer noch die meisten muslimischen Frauen ihre Söhne zu frauenverachtenden Machos und ihre Töchter zum Gehorsam. Ich erlebe die ‘muslimischen’ und die ‘nichtmuslimischen’ Erziehungsmethoden jeden Tag. Zugegeben, es gibt überraschende unschöne und sogar schöne Ähnlichkeiten, doch es gibt gewaltige Unterschiede.

Dschihadismus und Islamismus fallen nicht vom Himmel und sind auch nicht angeboren, sondern ein Ergebnis der Erziehung der Kleinkinder und Kinder. Söhne zu arroganten Paschas zu erziehen und Töchter zu keuschen Dienerinnen, das soll wohl dem Gott Allah gut gefallen?! Allah muss geduldig mit seinen Muslimen sein.

Umgekehrt, wenn der Ehemann oder Sohn die Teetassen spült oder den Müll herunterbringt würde man sein islamisches Seelenheil verspielen, seinen Platz im Paradies gefährden?! Allah ist der für engstirnige Muslime der Gott der familiären Enge, der Gott der Geschlechterspaltung, der ‘Gender-Apartheid’. Damit aber kann ein menschenfreundlicher Gott natürlich nicht zufrieden sein, ich bin mir da ganz sicher.

Diese acht oben erwähnten säkularen Muslime haben Ihnen, liebe Alma, mehr und Sinnvolleres und Menschlicheres zu sagen als die Vertreter der derzeitigen deutschen Islamverbände oder als der bosnische “Reisu-l-ulema Dr. Mustafa efendi Cerić”, Herr Mustafa Cerić, wenn auch diese letztgenannten sich die Deutungshoheit zum Thema Islam zwischen Rhein und Ohrid-See anmaßen und von der Nordsee bis zum Vardar bestimmen wollen, wer oder was muslimisch ist und was nicht. Takfir sagt man in Nordafrika, zum Abschuss freigeben, für ungläubig erklären. Den Zeigefinger des ‘Takfir’ auf sich gerichtet zu sehen kann in „stärker islamischen“ Gesellschaften mein oder Ihr Todesurteil sein.

Ich hoffe, dass in hundert Jahren Islamkritik nicht mehr ein lebensgefährliches Tun ist. Vorläufig ist es das, nicht zuletzt für Muslime.

Jene ‘islamischen’ Würdenträger oder/und Polit-Funktionäre, die von Europas Muslimen recht blinden Gehorsam fordern und die langfristig, so befürchte ich jedenfalls, die Demokratie durch eine schariatische-islamische Gesellschaftsform ersetzen.

Sehr geehrte Alma, Sie können Muslimin sein, natürlich, viele meiner Freunde sind Kinder muslimischer Eltern (ein paar allerdings sind Ex-Muslime). Religiöser Mensch sollen Sie sogar sein, finde ich wenigstens, doch rede ich von einer selbst erarbeiteten, ganz persönlichen Spiritualität, wenn ich mir einen religiösen Menschen vorstelle. Im Sinne der an den universellen Menschenrechten und am lebenslangen Lernen orientierten modernen Sozialpädagogik ist der magiegläubige Obskurant oder ist der hassgetriebene Fanatiker ebensowenig religiös wie der nachplappernde ‘Papagei’.

Sie können selbstverständlich Muslima sein, aber Sie sollten zugleich Frauenrechtlerin, säkulare Demokratin und damit also eine Islamkritikerin sein.

Sehr geehrte Alma, was und wen also kritisieren Sie als bosnische Muslima am historischen und am politischen Islam? Wie lässt sich Ihrer Meinung nach die Implementierung von immer größeren Teilen der Scharia in Bosnien verhindern? Kann von den gebildeten oder lernbereiten Menschen um die Flüssen Save, Drina, Bosna und Neretva gar eine Demokratisierung des weltweiten Islam ausgehen oder wird der patriarchalische Pöbel mit Hilfe arabischer Hassprediger selbst diese wenigen Menschen innerhalb der nächsten wenigen Jahre zum Verstummen bringen?

Droht eine radikale Islamisierung Bosniens und des Kosovo?

Mit freundlichen Grüßen

Jacques Auvergne

(1)

http://www.olympeheft.ch/seiten/heft14_inhalt.html

(2)

http://www.spiegel.de/panorama/0,1518,542806,00.html

(3)

http://www.eurozine.com/articles/2003-05-09-kesic-en.html

Major blogs jumped to action, calling for an AP Boycott, while another heretofore obscure group calling itself the "Media Bloggers Association" has agreed to meet with AP.   Based on some of the coverage I assumed this group had considerable standing in the blog community, and I was just ignorant about their existence.   I'm still checking, but based on their own website information it's not clear to me exactly what role the MBA plays with respect to the media, let alone blogging.

I'll reserve judgement on them until I know more, but I do object to the idea that "news bloggers" like me are going to be represented by a group I don't even know about.   Rather than the "corporate meeting" format  maybe the AP should meet with ... everybody via an online environment where we can get widespread participation across the board, especially from ... bloggers.

Ms. Drilon’s cook at her house is also very happy because Ces will come! She is so enthused that she promised to cook for Ces kare-kare, or according to her, anything that she - Ces - would like to eat.  (Chilled Kidnappers’ brains, Sauteed Abductors Heart, Liver and Spleen, Estofada Terrorista Lengua, or whatever).  Ms. Ces is finally going home.  She is finally going to come!!!!  (A Serious Question:  Didn’t she come with her captors?)

Ces’ captors and security guards in the Sulu Mountainside Resort, where she was the victim of a kidnapping and hostaging for ransom that we nincompoops suppose, are also very happy to report their situation.  Through cell phones, they ecstatically state that they ate extremely expensive food with her — unlike when ABS-CBN is not their guest!  Truly.  Fresh chicken, other meats that Muslims can eat were brought to the Sulu Mountainside Resort everyday.  Every single day!  Maybe Ces even made all or some of the Menu for the days that she was there.  This does not happen to them on a daily basis,  No Sir!  This was special!  It was Fiesta!!!  Yeeeeeeeey!!!  Yippeeee  Yeeeey!  The terrorista guarding Ces appeared to be yapping on the phone, happy.  As if noone was kidnapped or abducted at all.

She called her maid everyday, or almost.  What did she gossip to her maid about the Abos and their Dongs I wonder?  She calls her boss, Eugenio Lopez III a/k/a Gabby, Maria Ressa a/k/a Bruhang May Balat sa Mukha, and I wonder if she shares the declaration of her captors:  “Araw araw masarap ang ulam namin dito!  Lagi kaming nagpapatay ng manok araw araw!”

Hhhrrrmmmmmmmm?

The kidnap of Ces deflected a lot of issues. It is something that Oscar Lopez and Jesus Francisco of Meralco should be very exuberant about!!!

The Kidnapping made the Abo Suyya richer by many, many millions.  And the middle men too.

TV Ratings?  Kidnap-for-ransom and abduction stories are always front page news.  That is why they steal the thunder from simple things like electric bills. And all for a measly fee for Board and Lodging!  A few millions is really nothing to the squandering Lopezes.  Look at their debt burdens, placed on the shoulders of Filipino tontos, tarantados, idieotes, carajos, brutos and damonios?  Shit.

The utangs run to billions of dollars.  Everytime these are restructured, the debts I mean, they increase magnificently.

So, What! is a little package rate from Sulu Mountainside Resort?  It’s nothing.  At least Angelo Valderama, Jimmy Encarnacion, Prof. Octavio Dinampo and Ces at ABS-CBN’s expense account, had a lovely, masarap na vacation at the Resort.

The Abos that supposedly kidnapped the lot are all the Prof.’s friends.  The Prof. is an MNLF and Abo Suyya elder himself.  Sadly, as they say, the Prof. was betrayed.  Hey!  Kill the guide!  Kill the guide!  Kill the guide!!!

Al Bader Parad of course is a bad boy.  Along with Radulan Sahiron because his neighbors cut off his hand for touching the sex of their little girls.

Mayor Isnaji Alvarez, Sakur Tan are all identified with MNLF and even some people of Abo Suyya, and so were the late Congressman who was killed by a bomb at Batasan and the bomber is a son-in-law of a former Justice Secretary from Mindanao.  There was fortunately no Ransom because after the negotiations, the supposed negotiators did not allegedly buy the gimmick of the Abos and just insisted on paying the Resort package rate.

After this farce will come to light eventually 600 years from now, the generations then of the people of the Philippines will feel they were set up in 2008.

Then they will also look back at the GMA SONA of July 2008:  Ces Drilon like the Peninsula Siege, again stole the thunder from Malacañang and idiots like Ted paylon, corina Sanchos, Antange Tae Be Rna, Jiri al Baha and all the nincompoops at ABS CBN will certainly have a ball about the gimmick of their boss and Ressa.

It's a shame of course that it will take 600 to thousands of years before the fakery of the scenario will be discovered.  I certainly wish it was sooner.  But media is media.  They are the Gods of modern life, what media says, stays.  Whatever media wants is Will of God.

Today, let’s praise media, then.  Hep hep Hurrraaaaay!!!!  For a little money, the citizens of the world end up as complete fools!!!!  Yeheeeeeeeey!!!!!!!!  Long Live MEDIA!!!  Long Live Kidnap For Ransom!!!!

Anti-Climactix of the Ces Kidnap Story:

Thou shall not Expend so much Financials for just Ces and Abo to Come.

Why, Thou shall not Hate Robin Padilla so Much as Not to Give him a Role in this Porno Flick.

If They Sent the Lobo to Abo Suyya lair to kill the kind nappers, Gabby The EuHenYO Lopez would have cried his heart out and probably killed himself!!!  Thou shalt therefore not….

Thou shalt not Send Corina sanchos to negotiate.  She might lose more Than Her UnderPanties.  Oh  My  Goooooood!!!

Me hacen sentir aceptado y querido, tal y como yo lo quiero y forman parte de mi vida. Mi ahnelo de una vida juntos es cada día más grande y con mucha más ilusión, es ya muy difícil para mi despedirme tal y como lo es para ti, espero tener que dejar de hacerlo muy ... pero muy pronto.

Este fin de semana pude ser participe de muchas actividades de tu vida, de lo que será nuestra vida juntos, te ayude en las labores de tu profesión, fuimos de compras y cocinamos juntos, se que lo haremos muchas veces más y eso para mi es muy importante, me demuestra que todo lo podemos hacer juntos si así lo deseamos.

Gracias por compartir todo conmigo Casy.

Eres todo lo que le hacía falta a mi vida para ser feliz, ahora ya lo tengo. Te ama Ces.

Si de la mano de un amigo pudieras
Siempre juntos poder caminar
¿Escogerías tú sola el camino
o lo dejarías al zar?

Mira que el destino forja,
El tiempo, la persona y el andar
Por eso importante resulta siempre
Elegir muy bien junto a quien caminar

De cualquier manera seguro será,
Y eso todo el mundo lo sabe
Sola o de la mano de alguien,
Tu larga vida tendrás que marchar

He tenido la suerte de verte,
De tratarte y de acercarme
Mas por tu mente escasamente
De mi te habrás de fijar

Aspirante a andar la vida quiero
A tu lado y para siempre,
No quiero ser sólo un reflejo
Quiero ser tu hoy y tu presente

El presente y el futuro también
¿Por qué no he de entusiasmarme?
Si la vereda de la vida es larga
Creo que bien podría alcanzarme

Quiero poseer también la suerte
De tenerte y de abrazarte
De feliz poder hacerte
Andar la vida juntos al instante!

Como pretendiente a tu vida quedo
Espero puedas entenderme
Que para andar mi vida quiero
A tu lado estar presente

de Andrés de la Fuente

Para ti Casy  :D de Ces

]]> http://isl30fvi3w.wordpress.com/2008/06/12/ces-drilon-crew-alive-and-well/ Thu, 12 Jun 2008 04:37:52 +0000 isl30fvi3w http://isl30fvi3w.wordpress.com/2008/06/12/ces-drilon-crew-alive-and-well/ Veteran broadcast journalist Ces Drilon and her crew are alive and well despite being held hostage in the mountains of Sulu province, radio dzMM reported Thursday morning.
Correspondent Ruby Tayag reported that the good news was also confirmed by Armed Forces chief of staff Gen. Alexander Yano.
According to Yano, local officials in Sulu, who are also members of the crisis committee handling the case, said there is proof of life.
Yano said they continue to monitor the situation. He declined to elaborate.
He also refused to answer on whether the military is already in contact with the kidnappers of the ABS- CBN News team.
The military's initial findings said it was possible that the bandit group Abu Sayyaf is behind the abduction. He, however, said the military has yet to confirm this.
The AFP said it will implement a "no ransom policy" as the military does not negotiate with terrorists.
Meanwhile, in a related report, correspondent Noel Alamar also said that Drilon, Jimmy Encarnacion and Angelo Valderama are well despite being in captivity since Sunday.He added that Drilon, Encarnacion and Valderama are somewhere in the tri- boundary of Indanan, Talipao and Maimbung towns.

SOURCE: ABS-CBN NEWS

I surmise that it is time for me to get real, down and dirty in the face of a shocking UNdevelopment.

Yesterday evening, getting home from a whole day of pounding in a government office in Taft Avenue, Manila, I found a mouth-rending news story on GMA.  It was about TV journalist Cez Drilon's alleged kidnapping in Sulu.

Sulu, of course, is a sub-archipelago in southwestern Mindanao. Now, there's the rub -- the mere mention of "Mindanao" would most certainly act as an invocation of the ugly specters of terrorism and unrest. This would likely happen to the uninformed or to those who have not set foot on Mindanao. It's a sorry cycle that's hard to undo in the non-Mindanawon psyche.  Well, that includes foreigners who would normally feel hesitation whenever met with the prospect of getting to Mindanao.

The foreigners i've seen in Davao have a lot to tell their brethren (is this term in any way gender-insenstive?) on what they had been missing for not coming over.  Hopefully, that would elicit non-visitor regret for ever believing in generalist anti-Mindanao travel advisories.  Because, after all, Mindanao is not all about kidnappings, skirmishes, rebellions, insurgency and unrest.  For instance, tourists who have been to Davao can attest to the peace and security, not to mention the wonders and tourist attractions which abound from its islands to its highlands.

Indeed, the UNdevelopment in Sulu will set off a viral outbreak engulfing the "innocent" regions in Mindanao, a domino effect of sorts that would topple the painstakingly built images of the regions, provinces and cities which over the years have tried to make a good name for themselves in the effort to attract investors, tourists and relocators. This contagion or outbreak, spawned by generalized or sensationalized reports of events and anomalies occurring in a single point in Mindanao (Sulu, for instance), and which create public impression that such events or anomalies pervade or exist throughout the whole island, is the so-called Mindanao Stigma.

With such unsettling news, I can't help but be defensive. Knowing the "generalist" media, I expect that in no time, the broadcast and print platforms will be awash with unfair, nay scurrilous, articles, accounts and news items on Mindanao. Not to generalize, though, but it can be observed that many media practioners still breathe life into the smelly nostrils of the notorious Mindanao stigma.  Such are the yellow curtains of an  unfair, unbalanced and sensationalist brand of reportage that lends a myopic but glaringly uninformed view of Mindanao.

With that, please treat this post as an appeal: Let the trouble in Sulu remain in Sulu.  Avoid using general terms like "Mindanao" or "Southern Philippines" when referring to the locus of this incident. After all, the media never uses "Visayas" to refer to such Provinces or Cities as Cebu, Iloilo or Bacolod.  Neither does media use "Luzon" when referring to Albay, Bicol or Ilocos. 

It's about time, perhaps that the media collectively take on the responsibility of finally eradicating the "Mindanao stigma" and its destructive effects.  I admit that this task would be long and hard, but starting now will do a lot in safeguarding not only the good image but also the potentials of the other provinces, cities or regions where none of these evils occur but which are too unlucky to slip into the "Mindanao" branding trap. This applies to Bloggers and the Web media, as well.

Cuando la lluvia

cale en mis huesos...

y al despertar

no sienta tu calor...

Me dormiré

pensando en tu sonrisa

y las estrellas

brillarán para los dos.

Contigo hasta el infinito y más allá Casy

Te ama Ces :D

A hunting eagle in the Kazakhstan mountains.

 Almaty has shown me marvelous sites but most important has been the friendly people there.  Isaiah 52:7 says, "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace..."

How beautiful are the people, the landscapes, the hope, and the future for us.

Mountain around Almaty - spring flower in cold mountains

Primary in Almaty - friends, students, members after fireside

Primary in Almaty - the future is creatively drawing

outskirts of Almaty - Kazkahstan = between steppe and desert

Always a lovely memory!

During communist times we grew up in a political climate where the individual was nothing, only the proletariat was everything. Though, our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ kept us in focus on the One. My mom was a wonderful example to me in my whole life. She helped our neighbors, friends, and members, knowing and recognizing how the Lord helped her always.

I still remember when I was 8-10 years old, mom sent me Sundays very often to bring an old nice lady of our Church dinner. In a bag with a shaking pot I tried to run to keep the food warm and to be back early enough. Sister Marx was her name. And still I have her eyes in my memory - full of goodness and amiableness. My mom was focusing on the One as she was taught by her parents who joined our church in the 1920s. Despite the political system she made the change and was well respected in our part of the city.

Today we still focus on the one student - how he/she feels - what challenges he/she faces. Together with my great friend Sasha from St. Petersburg we visited Kaliningrad (Koenigsberg) to see our students and teachers there. One morning, after a stormy night, we went to see the Baltic Sea, famous for the amber you might find there.

First, we had to learn what amber is. I've shown Sasha the difference between a little rock and a piece of amber. Second, we had to focus, to be close to. Others climbed a wall and couldn't see anything from a distance. As a "Band of Brothers" we've been enrolling 500 students more since October.

Look at the pictures and find yourself applicable doctrines and principles in your life.

The Baltic Sea close to Kaliningrad

Sasha searches the treasure

Sasha finds the One - distinguishing rocks from amber

Finding the "One"!!

Schedule
Current Chief Sealth High School Schedule
Period 1: 07:45 – 08:40
Period 2: 08:45 – 09:35
DEAR: 09:40 – 10:00
Period 3: 10:05 – 10:55
Period 4B: 11:00 – 11:55 (2nd lunch 11:55 – 12:25)
Period 4A: 11:35 – 12:25 (1st lunch 11:00 – 11:30)
Period 5: 12:30 – 01:20
Period 6: 01:25 – 02:15
Tutorial: 02:30 – 04:00

Proposed Chief Sealth High School Schedule (1)
Monday / Tuesday / Friday
Tutorial: 07:45 – 08:40 {00:55)

It was decided to move tutorial from the latter day to the beginning of the day so students who have trouble at home with work can come into school early, just like they would on WASL, and gain the help that is needed and complete their assignment by the time class starts. Since the district is placing all High Schools on metro by the time we return, changing the times should not be a problem and our lunches are still after the time that lunch and breakfasts are delivered to the school so we can still make our lunches without interfering with the district schedule.

Period 1: 08:45 – 09:40 {00:55}
Period 2: 09:45 – 10:35 {00:55}
Advisory: 10:40 – 11:00 {00:20}

Advisory is something that was suggest by Adviser Jackson and agreed upon by the three members present as a good idea to implement into Chief Sealth High School. From our understanding it consists of a teacher who has 11 students and follows them for the duration of the 3 years in middle school or 4 years they are in high school and they check in with them during advisory time to make sure they are up to date with community service and grades as well as other things. This would be a great thing to implement due to us having 1 ninth grade counselor and two counselors who deal with 10-12. To be honest you can’t get great results from that so having the teachers take a more on hands role during district paid time would be beneficial. If a student wishes to participate in DEAR instead of meeting with their adviser then they can by just showing up and reading there.

Period 3: 11:05 – 11:55 {00:50}
Period 4B: 12:00 – 12:55 {00:55} (2nd lunch 12:55 – 01:25)
Period 4A: 12:35 – 01:25 {00:50} (1st lunch 12:00 – 12:30)
Period 5: 01:30 – 02:20 {00:50}
Period 6: 02:25 – 03:15 {00:50}
Sports: 03:30 – 05:00 {02:20}

The only known problem with the modified schedule is that of sports, however, we can work that kink out down the line.

Wednesday / Thursday
Tutorial: 07:45 – 08:40 {00:55}

It was decided to move tutorial from the latter day to the beginning of the day so students who have trouble at home with work can come into school early, just like they would on WASL, and gain the help that is needed and complete their assignment by the time class starts. Since the district is placing all High Schools on metro by the time we return, changing the times should not be a problem and our lunches are still after the time that lunch and breakfasts are delivered to the school so we can still make our lunches without interfering with the district schedule.

Period 1/2: 08:45 – 09:55 {01:10}
Meetings: 10:00 – 11:00 {01:00}

Traditionally terse meetings are held by the programs at Sealth high school during DEAR, especially the CES, TRiO, as well as other programs and we want to still give them time to meet with the students they need to. This can be possible on the two days provided during the hour of time provided. This is also a time that we can hold all grade level meetings, sport meetings, or class meetings to just give updates and such. Even if students don’t show up to a location during the meeting time they are still required to show up for 3/4 so the skipping rate shouldn’t increase for classes.

Period 3/4: 11:05 – 12:15 {01:10}
Lunch: 12:20 – 01:10 {00:50}
Period 5/6: 01:15 – 02:25 {01:10}
Activities: 02:30 – 03:15 {00:45}

This can be one of the few times that the Denny students interact with the Sealth students as this can be the sanctioned interaction time as activities are organized by the ASB / CES for the students to do at that time in the common places. This way not only is a stronger bond built between each grade level but a stronger bond is built between the two schools.

Proposed Chief Sealth High School Schedule (2)
Monday / Friday
Tutorial: 07:45 – 08:40 {00:55)
Period 1: 08:45 – 09:40 {00:55}
Period 2: 09:45 – 10:35 {00:55}
Advisory: 10:40 – 11:00 {00:20}
Period 3: 11:05 – 11:55 {00:50}
Period 4B: 12:00 – 12:55 {00:55} (2nd lunch 12:55 – 01:25)
Period 4A: 12:35 – 01:25 {00:50} (1st lunch 12:00 – 12:30)
Period 5: 01:30 – 02:20 {00:50}
Period 6: 02:25 – 03:15 {00:50}
Sports: 03:30 – 05:00 {02:20}

Tuesday
Tutorial: 07:45 – 08:40 {00:55)
Period 1: 08:45 – 09:40 {00:55}
Period 2: 09:45 – 10:35 {00:55}
Cleaning: 10:40 – 11:00 {00:20}

This would be the implementation of the cleaning activity that NWS had that we felt was a very good aspect and Adviser Nancy Conyers agrees with this element needing to be implemented in order to cut down on graffiti and other things.

Period 3: 11:05 – 11:55 {00:50}
Period 4B: 12:00 – 12:55 {00:55} (2nd lunch 12:55 – 01:25)
Period 4A: 12:35 – 01:25 {00:50} (1st lunch 12:00 – 12:30)
Period 5: 01:30 – 02:20 {00:50}
Period 6: 02:25 – 03:15 {00:50}
Sports: 03:30 – 05:00 {02:20}

Wednesday / Thursday
Tutorial: 07:45 – 08:40 {00:55}
Period 1/2: 08:45 – 09:55 {01:10}
Meetings: 10:00 – 11:00 {01:00}
Period 3/4: 11:05 – 12:15 {01:10}
Lunch: 12:20 – 01:10 {00:50}
Period 5/6: 01:15 – 02:25 {01:10}
Activities: 02:30 – 03:15 {00:45}

Committee of Educational Support (CES)
Review of: Northwest School

Denny/Sealth Organization (DSO) member Duron Jones gave the students who attended the visit to the Northwest School (NWS) a total of ten questions so he could return to Principal John Boyd with adequate structured information in regards to the productivity of a foreign school from the eyes of an outsider. This written piece is the synopsis of the three reports for quicker reference when reviewing the situation during meetings. The three members of the CES who were in attendance at the NWS visit were Chairman Duron Jones, Chairwoman Alyson Hitch, and Lead Envoy Kylee Schmuck. The three students that the CES members shadowed from NWS were Langston Beckwith-Stanley (who is also a former Sealth member), Danielle Morris (who received high praises from Chair Hitch after our visit), and there was one last member, however, Envoy Schmuck does not know how to properly spell her name and we will gain that information on a latter date.

{02} Did you enjoy your visit to the school? Elaborate (Why?)
All three students enjoyed their stay at the NWS even though they were still on the clock. This was Hitch and Schmuck’s first official visit to the NWS and Jones’ third visit to the NWS. They all agreed that they felt welcomed at the school and felt a relaxing presence as they went through the day. They felt that the students could be given responsibilities and the system actually worked. One of the CES Admins made the statement of “I liked the fact that the students had a 15 minute class where they would just help clean up the school & I think not only does that allow them to build pride in their school but it also makes the school look nicer.”

{03} What cool things did you learn, see, or hear about for the school?
They all agreed that the free periods were a plus for a student who doesn’t have time to do the work at home and just needs a little time at school to work on assignments because that allows them to get it done. Nevertheless they cannot see how to translate that over to their school system due to students wanting to leave if they have a free period. One of the cool things that was seen by a member of the CES was that the students, mainly the females it may have to do with a system of placement in the school with genders, but they were really eager to meet a new face and would actually walk up to the person and introduce themselves instead of the member or host having to introduce them to them, which they thought was a pretty cool thing. One member liked the fact that the schedules of the students were changed more frequently so they didn’t have a boring repetitive schedule for the entire week.

{04} What are some aspects of the school that you think made it a productive school?
An element that one of the members saw that they believed made the school very productive was the fact that the students were attentive and worked efficiently on assignments they were given instead of procrastinating. Another believed it was the fact that the younger kids respected the older kids so it caused fewer conflicts in the hallways. The final member believed it was the fact that the teachers made themselves appear as one with the students and not just a moderator for the classroom. One of the statements that were made was “I have to give kudos to Langston’s Humanities, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen a teacher put that much energy into a reading assignment so the students actually enjoy it and feel like their statements counted.”

{05} What elements do you think can be brought back to aid the DSCO team in organizing the 6-12 campus?
The scholars stated that not only does the organizing team need to remember that the schools must be functional for enough students to roam around freely without being too crowded but we have to influence the younger students into respecting their elders and fellow student body, which responsibility may fall on to Duron’s division of the DSCO. A statement was also made that we should try and reflect a few of our classrooms like the ones we saw at NWS where the teachers actually sat at the tables with the students in a circular/rectangular shape so they could all be equal and speak with one another. We currently only have two teachers, Zeichner & Katz, who have this structure and we need to add this to other classes.

{06} What are some aspects of the school that you think hindered them in being a productive 6-12 school?
None of the members actually think the school was hindered in being a productive school but as all great things it did have it minor flaws that the members caught such as some students appeared to have too much freedom and took advantage of it and the extra freedom that has been given to them is not always realistic to the future and transmittable into the work place so it could hurt them in the long run.

{07} What things do you think the DSO team should avoid for the 6-12 campus?
One member believed that we should avoid giving the students access to parts of our campus that their grade level does not have classes in, thus avoiding confrontations between grade levels. Another stated that if we do decide to give free periods we need to avoid giving out too many of them otherwise it could become problematic. A statement that was made was “We should avoid mixing the classes of middle grades and upper grades until after a few years so each group can see where they stand and begin to understand their limits.”

{08} What classroom aspects did you observe that could be implemented into our school?
The major thing that they wanted to be placed into the new structuring of the classroom atmosphere is a relaxing atmosphere and respect inside and outside of the classes.

{09} Is there anything else the DSCO team should know?
One of the members believed we should be very careful about making lines in the sand for the students otherwise it could be very problematic. A suggested item was, when school begins the high school students should begin their school two days after the middle school students that way the middle school students can take a day or two to tour the campus and be shown by their teachers the areas they can and cannot go. Then on the third day, which is when, the high school students would return they could have a nice relaxing day where they just get to know their teachers, classmates and the campus.

{10} What impressions did you have of the NWS as a whole when you visited?
Overall NWS is a great school with a great atmosphere. We walked in and immediately felt comfortable. The students were very nice as were the teachers. The students, for the most part, do well in school. They have a good time but they also can learn. They are also capable of expressing themselves in creative ways that may not be capable in other schools. The school has nice classrooms and the teachers know what they are talking about when they teach the students. They make things that can seem boring be really interesting or mind grabbing or so was observed within the time that we were there. A favorite, of probably mainly the chair members and not so much the Envoy, was the fact that students were required to clean for 15 minutes in a day, for three times a week, to insure that their school look presentable. This is something that put a smile on the CES Chairs/Founders faces due to it working alongside their mission statement of the students aiding their school instead of complaining about their school. The students were all accepting and nice and we wouldn’t mind keeping open contact with the community of the NWS.

{Attachment Review} Community Meeting
Chairman Duron Jones alongside Adviser Diallo Jackson returned to the Northwest School in order to sit in on a community meeting by request of the Director of the International Programs, Ebon Craig Williams. The community meeting started with a runway show that was organized and conducted by the student body. All grade levels were present and the creations of the students were shown off. The community meeting then ended after the runway show with the public announcements that were held by the representatives of the constituent groups that they spoke about.

The elements of the community meeting that I saw that would benefit our school in creating a productive 6-12 atmosphere would have to be a location where all grade levels could be and enjoy each other company while watching an entertaining event, such as a runway show of sorts or something along those lines.

After the community meeting Langston Beckwith-Stanley took Chairman Duron Jones & Adviser Diallo Jackson to see one of the teachers at the school and discussed the IB program at Sealth as well as how we could possibly structure our middle school students so they respect the elder students. Her suggestions were that of having the staff meet prior to the beginning of the school year and be required to speak to their incoming middle school students that the high schoolers are their elders and should be respected and once you reach their age you’ll want the same thing.

Another aspect that she mentioned which goes back to the cleaning groups is that it is conducted with a senior as the leader and they have little groups that go around and clean up the school. This causes less graffiti since the students will be the ones who wind up cleaning it up. Plus it also builds a bond between the younger grades and the seniors.

Committee of Educational Support (CES)
Review of: Lakeside School

Denny/Sealth Organization (DSO) member Duron Jones gave the students who attended the visit to Lakeside School a total of ten questions so he could return to Principal John Boyd with adequate structured information in regards to the productivity of a foreign school from the eyes of an outsider. This written piece is the synopsis of the three reports for quicker reference when reviewing the situation during meetings. The three members of the CES who were in attendance at the Lakeside visit were Chairman Duron Jones, Envoy Bryne Wiley, and Councilwoman Elizabeth Kirk. The three students that the CES members shadowed from Lakeside were Erica Hipolito (a very good friend of Chair Jones as well as a member of Rainier Scholars), Yohan Mohoney, Lara Adekoya (a very sophisticated young woman for a freshman who gained extol from Envoy Wiley).

{02} Did you enjoy your visit to the school? Elaborate (Why?)
All three of the scholars that attended the Lakeside visit enjoyed it due to the friendly & willing teachers, friendly & academically focused students, and the serene atmosphere. This was Wiley, Kirk, and Jones’ first official visit to the Lakeside campus. But this was Jones’ second visit to a productive 6-12 school and he was amazed at what he saw. They all agreed that they felt welcomed at the school and felt a relaxing presence as they went through the day. The Chairman made the following statement in regards to the school, “I was very thankful that the students were so forthcoming when they saw me there as a new face and even more forthcoming when they found out I was trying to help better the Denny/Sealth campus. In fact Erica’s history teacher took some time out of class just so the students and I could have a round table conversation,”

{03} What cool things did you learn, see, or hear about for the school?
After reviewing their visit at Lakeside all three officers agreed that the most important and most apparent thing about the school was that all the students were there to learn and actually wanted to learn. They weren’t trying to say that Seattle Public School (SPS) students don’t want to learn but the vibe when you enter a Sealth classroom compared to a Lakeside classroom is very different just because of the attentiveness and interactions between student and faculty. Another aspect that seems to be an reoccurring aspect that the scholars liked is that of the round table classroom affect since it allows the students to be all at the same level and power and even allows their teacher to be on the same page with them. Something that Noah Zeichner, David Katz, and Carole Strom have implemented into their classroom and you can see the more comfortable feeling just because of that as you would at Lakeside. A comment that was made by the Chairman in regards to the school was, “Something that I heard about, which I like, was the fact that they had not only advisory periods but they had times where the representatives from programs in high school went to the middle schools to give their spill on the program. In a sense that is what the CES and GOLD Scholars do for their programs but it is really important that we start expanding that as a requirement for our other programs,”

{04} What are some aspects of the school that you think made it a productive school?
An aspect to the school that Envoy Wiley and Councilwoman Kirk thought made it productive was that of the mentoring program. They didn’t say much on that program besides the fact that it allows the middle school students to build a bond with the high school students. Chair Jones did not hear about this program while he was visiting this campus and he will look further into this situation as time progresses. However, another aspect of the school that was believed to had made it successful was that of the mental feeling of wanting to be there instead of feeling like you’re being forced to be there.

{05} What elements do you think can be brought back to aid the DSO team in organizing the 6-12 campus?
Something that can be brought back to Denny/Sealth is the advisory sessions where people actually sit down with the students and help them accomplish their goals and tell them the proper pathway to take in order to get into the college that they want or tell them the percent likelihood to wind up in a certain selected college. “They sit down with them and they say what you need to do in order to get to college. Something we don’t tae seriously enough; we need to focus not only on getting past high school but getting into college,” a comment that was made in regards to how we should change our current system. Another thing that is believed to be necessary to implement is showing the Denny students positive role models from CSHS and have them meet with them. The CES is more then happy to organize things along those lines if it is felt that is necessary and the CES is also happy to work along with the ASB to accomplish this goal. The statement that the Chairman made in regards to this situation is as follows, “Honestly, I’d have to say stealing some of their students and bringing them back to our school,” said jokingly of course, “But in all seriousness some elements that we could bring back would have to be the structuring of the math department, as you will read in attachment math department. Plus the advisory sessions and the more diverse topics for things, such as history. In fact I sat in on the history class with Erica and they actually watched a video that brought forth the flaws and improvements of China something you wouldn’t see in Chief Sealth since we focus so much on Euro history, which is wrong,”

{06} What are some aspects of the school that you think hindered them in being a productive 6-12 school?
A statement that was made that all three officers agree with is, “I don’t think there really is anything that hindered the school being a productive 6-12 school it seemed to be pretty sufficient. Yes, all schools have flaws but this school’s aren’t apparent to the outside eye and even changed the view of Adviser Jackson on the topic of private schools,”

{07} What things do you think the DSO team should avoid for the 6-12 campus?
We should avoid putting all our eggs in one basket and focusing on just one division of the school such as IB or honors and should focus on all levels of the school including regular. Also I think we need to rethink who we hire for the departments and if they can speak fluent English so our students may actually learn what they are required to. We are, however, divided on the matter of interaction and how often we interact with the middle school.

{08} What classroom aspects did you observe that could be implemented into our school?
We should probably focus on having fewer students per classroom so they can gain more teacher focus and their needs can be met instead of just slipping through the cracks.

{09} Is there anything else the DSO team should know?
Lakeside is one of the better, best in Chairman Jones’ opinion; school to follow by example with. Also we should possibly create a graffiti wall since a lot of our students like doing graffiti and something that was seen at this school is they allow the students to draw designs on the windows, however, we wouldn’t allow our students to draw on the windows since that’s more money but a blank wall that could be replaced every year/semester would be good for students to express themselves on.

{10} What impressions did you have of the NWS as a whole when you visited?
Instead of lumping together the impressions of the school it would be more sufficient to input the actual responses of the officers:

Envoy Wiley - When we first approached Lakeside my impression was that it was going to be a rich kid school, where the kids were very snobby. Upon meeting Lara and interacting with the other students I realized that the only reason they are there is because they want to learn. I can’t sum it up any other way than they are a successful school because all the students want to learn. Lakeside is a good school with good resources and a good functioning system.

Councilwoman Kirk - I felt like it was a productive school. The students connected well and wanted to learn. I think the monthly assembly helps the school get to know one another. I noticed that the high school students didn’t feel like the middle school interfered at all from day to day. Over half of the freshman class came from the middle school. Lakeside is a very welcoming school and I enjoyed my visit a lot.

The Public Relations Department of the CES would love to keep an open relationship going with Lakeside School down the line and possibly modeling some of their own practices and Sealth practices by what Lakeside does.

{Attachment} Math Department
I, Chair Jones, met with the head of the math department for Lakeside and the conversation was pretty enlightening and interesting. Some aspects I realize will be truly hard to implement due to us having the district that makes the final decision for the learning processes and departments not always working together. But one of the nice things that the departments do or at least the math department is that they are allowed to create their own math book which allows them to teach the things they truly think are going to benefit the students instead of having a large hand me down textbook that isn’t always looked at. This also allows the middle school and high school to structure their curriculum closer together and work well.

Another aspect that he mentioned is something that we’ve been trying to get Denny and Sealth to do for a while now and that’s have some time to just sit meet and discuss different topics and give presentations on their teaching methods. That way if there are discrepancies within the 6-12 (5-12 in their case) system then the teachers know why that teacher went out of the plan. This time could also be used to help build a working structure between the middle school and high school curriculum.

{Attachment} Schedule
Current Chief Sealth High School Schedule
Period 1: 07:45 – 08:40
Period 2: 08:45 – 09:35
DEAR: 09:40 – 10:00
Period 3: 10:05 – 10:55
Period 4B: 11:00 – 11:55 (2nd lunch 11:55 – 12:25)
Period 4A: 11:35 – 12:25 (1st lunch 11:00 – 11:30)
Period 5: 12:30 – 01:20
Period 6: 01:25 – 02:15
Tutorial: 02:30 – 04:00

Proposed Chief Sealth High School Schedule (1)
Monday / Tuesday / Friday

Tutorial: 07:45 – 08:40 {00:55)
Period 1: 08:45 – 09:40 {00:55}
Period 2: 09:45 – 10:35 {00:55}
Advisory: 10:40 – 11:00 {00:20}
Period 3: 11:05 – 11:55 {00:50}
Period 4B: 12:00 – 12:55 {00:55} (2nd lunch 12:55 – 01:25)
Period 4A: 12:35 – 01:25 {00:50} (1st lunch 12:00 – 12:30)
Period 5: 01:30 – 02:20 {00:50}
Period 6: 02:25 – 03:15 {00:50}
Sports: 03:30 – 05:00 {02:20}

Wednesday / Thursday
Tutorial: 07:45 – 08:40 {00:55}
Period 1/2: 08:45 – 09:55 {01:10}
Meetings: 10:00 – 11:00 {01:00}
Period 3/4: 11:05 – 12:15 {01:10}
Lunch: 12:20 – 01:10 {00:50}
Period 5/6: 01:15 – 02:25 {01:10}
Activities: 02:30 – 03:15 {00:45}

Proposed Chief Sealth High School Schedule (2)
Monday / Friday
Tutorial: 07:45 – 08:40 {00:55)
Period 1: 08:45 – 09:40 {00:55}
Period 2: 09:45 – 10:35 {00:55}
Advisory: 10:40 – 11:00 {00:20}
Period 3: 11:05 – 11:55 {00:50}
Period 4B: 12:00 – 12:55 {00:55} (2nd lunch 12:55 – 01:25)
Period 4A: 12:35 – 01:25 {00:50} (1st lunch 12:00 – 12:30)
Period 5: 01:30 – 02:20 {00:50}
Period 6: 02:25 – 03:15 {00:50}
Sports: 03:30 – 05:00 {02:20}

Tuesday
Tutorial: 07:45 – 08:40 {00:55)
Period 1: 08:45 – 09:40 {00:55}
Period 2: 09:45 – 10:35 {00:55}
Cleaning: 10:40 – 11:00 {00:20}
Period 3: 11:05 – 11:55 {00:50}
Period 4B: 12:00 – 12:55 {00:55} (2nd lunch 12:55 – 01:25)
Period 4A: 12:35 – 01:25 {00:50} (1st lunch 12:00 – 12:30)
Period 5: 01:30 – 02:20 {00:50}
Period 6: 02:25 – 03:15 {00:50}
Sports: 03:30 – 05:00 {02:20}

Wednesday / Thursday
Tutorial: 07:45 – 08:40 {00:55}
Period 1/2: 08:45 – 09:55 {01:10}
Meetings: 10:00 – 11:00 {01:00}
Period 3/4: 11:05 – 12:15 {01:10}
Lunch: 12:20 – 01:10 {00:50}
Period 5/6: 01:15