Kjells Page

Durban 2011 - Start of the Leaving it in the Ground Coalition (LINGO)

2011-11-22T14:49:00.000-08:00

The UNFCCC is approaching its 17th Conference of the Parties, in the attempt to find a global solution to climate change. But the negotiations are stalled in the key questions and CO2 emissions continue to rise (around 40% since its 1st meeting). The proposed responses to the climate crisis (such as offsetting, CDM and carbon markets) are inadequate, unambitious, and in some cases counterproductive. Pledges to reduce emissions are voluntary and focused purely on the demand-side. In the absence of a global cap on emissions - which seems decades away - demand-side mitigation isn't a guaranteed successful strategy. The reality of mitigation is that to stay within the proposed 1.5°C or 2°C temperature rise, the taps must be turned off, and the better part of known reserves of fossil fuels must remain untouched in the ground. But at the United Nations climate talks, supply-side mitigation is currently not on the agenda. While the UN and governments stall, corporations invest heavily into expanding the fossil frontier into ever more sensitive environments through deep sea drilling and exploitation of shale gas and tar sands, locking us into a path of high emissions and a toxic future. To build a climate friendly world requires alternative plans to live a good life (known in Latin America as "buen vivir") powered fully by renewable energy. These plans will help us to effectively challenge the need for fossil fuels in our societies. Let's use the opportunity of meeting in Durban to unify the struggles against the growth of the fossil economy with the solutions for a society that respects the Rights of Mother Earth. This group demands and proposes to work towards: A) a stop to all expansions of the fossil frontier B) putting supply-side mitigation on the UN agenda and C) developing zero fossil fuel plans for all countries, regions and cities We invite all to work together on this. Please enter your organization's or personal details below, if you would like to be involved:

LINGO - Leaving it IN the Ground cOalition

I would like to be informed about activities that relate to leaving fossil fuels in the ground as a response to the climate crisis.

* Required

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dFdUblMxdEJ5bHA5Tzc3X2dGLU5Xa1E6MQ We will meet on Tuesday, November 29th 2011, 7:00-8:30 pm at TB Davis L6, UKZN Howard College, Durban, to touch base and plan strategic next steps. Please reply to confirm your assistance. You can also come spontaneously but we want to get an idea of who will be there. We would like to share all events related to this agenda that happen during the two weeks of the climate summit in this LINGO Event Calendar Please use this form to add your events to the calendar:

Add an event

Please enter any event that has a connection to the goals of leaving fossil fuels in the ground and living a life without them.

* Required

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dEtFc0dPc0t5dGlIUUQ4dVpQdjFpOHc6MA#gid=0 We are looking forward to seeing you in Durban! 350.org Ben Brangwyn (Transition Network, UK) Generation Zero (New Zealand) Gunter Pauli (Zero Emissions Research and Initiatives) Ivonne Yánez (Oilwatch, Ecuador) Kim Bryan (Centre for Alternative Technologies, UK) Kjell Kühne and Stephen Murphy (initiators, Mexico and South Africa) Patrick Bond (Centre for Civil Society, UKZN, Durban, South Africa) Rehana Dada (South Africa) Thomas Youngman (UK Youth Climate Coalition Delegate to COP17) P.S.: The attached picture beautifully illustrates the point. "Soil" is used because it rhymes, but it is obviously not where the oil is.

La Era del Petróleo va de Salida en México

2011-07-20T21:20:00.000-07:00

La economía Mexicana floreció sobre su propio petróleo durante los últimos 40 años. Pronto eso será historia. El campo más grande (Cantarell) está en declive y las reservas probadas se acabarían en diez años, si fuera posible mantener los niveles de extracción actuales. Pero como el último poco siempre es más difícil y costoso de sacar, la producción está bajando. Abajo encuentran unos gráficos que calculé y dibujé con ayuda de mi amigo Marcelo de Argentina. Si eres Mexicano, puedes ponerte a tí mismo, a tus padres y abuelos, y a tus hijos en la imágen. Toda la Era del Petróleo habrá tardado unos 55 años - menos de una vida - cuando terminará por ahí del 2025. O sea, cuando las niñas bebés de hoy cumplan sus quince, ya se habrá acabado la fiesta. Nosotros, la "Generación Cero" tendremos que pasar por el final de esa era y ver como le hacemos. Hasta aquí todavía va bien. Ahora, el problema es que el presupuesto del gobierno en un 40% proviene de los ingresos del petróleo. Y la economía (que genera los ingresos por impuestos) depende de la gasolina barata (que hoy cuesta muy por debajo de los precios internacionales en México). El país, además se "alimenta" económicamente del flujo de dinero que entra vía las remesas, los turistas y el tráfico de drogas. Esas tres fuentes dependen de una economía de Estados Unidos fuerte y sana, cosa que ya no se puede tomar por seguro, y menos en el mediano y largo plazo. Y luego está la cuestión de la comida. Con el TLC bajaron los precios del maíz, porque en Estados Unidos se subsidia de manera tan agresiva que millones de campesinos Mexicanos se vieron obligados a abandonar sus milpas para buscar un sustento en otra parte. Bajó la producción de maíz en México y hoy la tercera parte del maíz que comemos se importa de Estados Unidos. Con una mala cosecha nos va a ir mucho peor que en 2007 con la crisis de la tortilla. Vienen tiempos duros. El pico del petróleo lo pasamos en tiempos de Fox (en 2004), ahora con Calderón la producción está bajando de manera evidente. El siguiente sexenio verá una situación donde aún hay petróleo, pero tal vez no suficiente para mantener todos los servicios como hospitales, escuelas, mantenimiento de caminos etc. Ya a partir del sexenio que le sigue (en 2018) todos sabrán que lo que dura es lo que no necesita del petróleo para funcionar. Hay que empezar a prepararnos para la época pos-petróleo e invertir lo que queda de esa riqueza en cosas que nos sigan sirviendo en el futuro!

Mexico's Oil Age Coming to an End

2011-07-19T15:32:00.000-07:00

The Mexican economy has been thriving on its own oil for the last 40 years. This will be over soon. The biggest oil field (Cantarell) is in decline and proven reserves are projected to last for about ten years at current production levels, which are impossible to sustain, because the last bit of the oil is always more difficult and costly to access. I calculated and drew the graphs below with the help of my friend Marcelo from Argentina. Please take a look and if you are Mexican, you can put yourself and your parents, grandparents and children in the picture. The whole "Oil Age" in Mexico will have lasted about 55 years - less than a lifetime - when it ends around 2025. Us, the "Generation Zero" will have to live through its end and make the most of it. So far, so good. The problem here is that 40% of government revenue comes from oil. The economy thrives on cheap gasoline (a liter costs about 0.60 Euro cents at Mexican gas stations) and is kept up by an inflow of money from the three big powerhorses besides oil: remittances (from legal and illegal immigrants from Mexico to the US), tourism and drug traffick. They are all dependent on a strong US economy which I don't take for granted anymore, when thinking in the medium term. And then there is food. After NAFTA brought down corn prices, because US agricultural produce is heavily subsidized, millions of farmers left their land in Mexico. Corn production dropped and today a third of Mexico's corn gets imported from the US. Come a bad year and Mexico will have to pay dearly (as in the 2007 tortilla crisis). Rough times ahead. The next president (to take office at the end of next year) will still have some oil to "work" with. But it is going straight down. We Mexicans need to prepare for the post-oil era now!

20th April - Global Day of Action to End Extraction!

2011-04-19T20:37:00.000-07:00

April 20th was the day disaster struck on the Deepwater Horizon oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico. It has now been declared the Day of Action Against Extraction. We are living the beginning of the climate crisis and have to put an end to the fossil age as quickly as possible. This includes ending extraction of fossil fuels. Here are my contributions to the day: Galileo rapping "Coal, don't dig it! Leave it in the ground, it's time to get with it!" Two leaflets pointing to the fact that it's possibly already too late to save New York, Cancun (and a number of other low-lying cities). Cancun is Under Water New York is Gone My page on zero emissions with lots of elements for actually achieving it. A Facebook cause: End the fossil age!

Why zero emissions is the way forward

2011-04-08T09:18:00.001-07:00

The UNFCCC negotiations are stuck. And rightly so. Because there is no credible solution to the climate crisis in sight. Not globally, not nationally, not in your city and not in your individual life. The dominant discourse talks about "reducing", "low carbon", "green growth", "low carbon development" etc. The real way forward is not even identified yet. "Polluter wins" is still the way the climate game works. Everyone talks about more or less reductions, and obviously who is polluting more (or projecting to pollute more through a shameless "business as usual" scenario) has more reductions on offer. Zero emissions must be the new standard put forward by the Youth Climate Movement and everyone else who is on our side. Globally: We are at 390ppm CO2 in the atmosphere and need to get below 350 for a safe climate. How? Going down to zero fossil emissions as quickly as possible (before 2050) and removing carbon from the atmosphere through a land-use that captures carbon. Zero emissions implies leaving all fossils in the ground and powering everything with renewable energies. There is no other way (barring geoengineering) that we could stay below 1.5° warming. 1.5°=zero emissions globally, within our lifetimes. Nationally: Do you have a zero emissions target in your country? I know the answer. It is no. Not one single country has a zero emissions target yet, let alone a detailed plan. There are a few brave countries that have gone ahead and declared carbon neutrality as their target (ask me for the list). But that is only a first step, because it supposes counting land-use sinks against continuing fossil emissions. We need to stop fossil emissions completely and use the land-use sector as emergency carbon removal option. 1.5°=a zero emissions target for every country, a plan and implementing it. City level: Do you have a zero emissions plan/strategy in your city? Most likely no. (if you do, or would like to create one, please get in touch) Obviously countries can only get to zero emissions, if cities get there, too. 1.5°=implementing a zero emissions plan in every city. Individual level: Are you a climate activist? Most likely yes. Do you lead a zero emissions lifestyle? No. Do you make climate change worse through causing fossil emissions every day? Yes! :( We need a deep transformation of our economy and our lifestyles. The triangle car-TV-supermarket is at the heart of today's development model which is powered mainly by burning fossils. We need to change that. There is no zero emissions economy today, only small, disconnected seeds here and there. We all need to use our everyday lives to pioneer the way to a zero emissions economy. Your money is either water on the mills of the fossil monster economy or of the new zero emissions economy. You decide if you take the pains to help create that zero emissions economy or wait for others to do it, or disaster to strike. 1.5°=some zero emissions pioneers in the next couple of years, everyone going zero emissions over the next few decades. So what is your role in this? 1. Help to get real targets on the UNFCCC agenda. At COP17 in Durban a global 2050 target will be set. This target must be zero emissions. And your national government must know that it cannot be anything less than that. This is a great opportunity to raise consciousness about the global situation and the profound transformation that our generation needs to accomplish. 2. Go climate positive. Start moving towards a zero emissions lifestyle today. There is a template, which I call "climate positive living". It consists in a pledge to maintain a positive personal greenhouse gas balance, absorbing more GHGs from the air than you emit. It involves accounting, eliminating and over-compensating your personal GHG emissions. Please get in touch if you would like to join or learn more. 3. Start planning for zero emissions in your community, city, region, country. Learn about approaches in other regions (see a compilation). Identify the actors who will likely join efforts to promote zero emissions targets and can help to design a first outline of a zero emissions plan. Get in touch with them and talk about it. 4. De-fossilize your mind. We are constantly reinforcing the fossil monster economy model by recreating it in people's minds by using "developing/developed" countries terminology. The "developed country" status quo is the problem, not the solution! It is a very dangerous way of burning Mother Earth through a polluting, wasteful, consumerist lifestyle. Call them "big polluter countries", "over-consuming countries" (as suggested by Mr. Oposa at COY6) or "Annex-I countries" if you like. We need to use language that creates the image of a climate friendly future in people's heads. Let's brainstorm ways to call different countries to make this clear! Let's bring down the monster and build a clean and safe future! Kjell

From "polluter wins" to stabilizing the climate - 2050 goal, 2020 targets and equity principles.

2011-03-30T06:50:00.001-07:00

It went almost unnoticed when COP16 in Cancun agreed that the global community would set a long-term global target to mitigate climate change at COP17 in Durban. I did not notice until I went to a meeting on "Implementing the Cancun Agreements" and had a read through the full text.
It says: "The Conference of the Parties, [...] Agrees, in the context of the long-term goal and the ultimate objective of the Convention and the Bali Action Plan, to work towards identifying a global goal for substantially reducing global emissions by 2050, and to consider it at the seventeenth session of the Conference of the Parties;" (http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/2010/cop16/eng/07a01.pdf page 3)
For me it is quite clear that by 2050 we need to reach zero fossil emissions. I don't want to live in a "2° world" which risks passing various tipping points. At 0.8° we may already have tipped over the Greenland Ice Shelf, which will lead to 6-8m sea level rise over the next 300 years. We don't know. But still we are planning to allow 0.7° more warming, or even 1.2° more.
A 350ppm Emergency Pathway, from which I reproduce the main graph below, gives us an idea of the sort of reductions we need to stay below 2° warming. For me, the better goal is maximum 1.5° warming. This goal is supported by over 100 countries, co-incidentally the most vulnerable and already affected ones. Agreeing on a global target needs some preparatory work during the year. In order to facilitate this work, I have calculated some numbers which are key, but unfortunately do not appear anywhere on the world wide web: the Copenhagen Accord Pledges, translated into per capita figures. How much - per capita - would countries like to be emitting in 2020. 2020 is exactly half way from 1990 when the problem was fully recognized to 2050 when the complete decarbonization of the world economy must have been accomplished, if we want to have any chance of staying below 1.5°C warming.
A huge problem in the current UNFCCC negotiations is that the challenge is still framed as "sharing mitigation effort". But "mitigation effort" is like "effort not to steal". It assumes that a bad thing is normal and not doing it requires effort. As pointed out to me by Maldives representatives in Cancun, there is no such thing as a "right to emit". We are already beyond safe CO2 levels in the atmosphere, and we need to stop emitting carbon as quickly as possible. And we will still be leaving behind a huge task of removing excess carbon from the atmosphere. In that situation characterizing the reduction of emissions as a burden and talking of "burden-sharing" gets it wrong. Nobody has a right to pollute and tip our Mother Earth off balance. So the discourse needs a turn. We need to look at zero fossil emissions as the standard. They were actually the standard just a few generations ago and will become so again within our generation. Whoever deviates from that standard, creates the problem and needs to change. So if you look at the per capita figures, you can see that some countries still have a long long way to go, to get down to the climate-friendly zero carbon standard.
Another helpful thing to look at are equity principles. The Cancun text insists that mitigation efforts must be shared "on the basis of equity". The IPCC has already (in its Third Assessment Report) compiled a list of equity principles: Once it is clear that the global goal must be zero emissions, and we need to get there as soon as possible, we can talk about how to shape this great transformation in an equitable way. The above principles will certainly help to come up with useful proposals.

Why REDD+ is dangerous (in its current form)

2011-01-29T22:55:00.000-08:00

I wrote this little essay on REDD+ for the Youth Climate Movement and other people who are interested in (or working on) solving the climate crisis. Why REDD+ is dangerous (in its current form)

Leave it in the ground - the only way to solve the climate crisis

2010-12-18T20:57:00.000-08:00

There is no way we could extract all fossil fuel reserves if we want to solve the climate crisis. We are not yet on track for solving it and this topic has not yet been addressed in public discourse or even in the scientific literature. We from the YOUNGO Zero Emissions Working Group did an action at COP16 in Cancun to draw attention to the topic so that it will eventually find its way onto the UNFCCC agenda.

The leaflet we distributed was the following:

Some issues we are wondering about…..

(the hidden Youth Agenda for COP16)

1. Global Emissions Budget

How big is the global emissions budget to 2050 and how are we going to SHARE it? The answer to that question cannot be delayed any longer. We are sorry for countries that feel unprepared for the inevitable consequence of this discussion: drastic cuts in over consuming countries (OCCs formerly known as “developed” countries, defining any country that has high per capita emissions) are necessary. For sharing the global budget, a per capita approach is the hottest candidate for making the race, with historical responsibility surely needing to be included.

2. Zero Emissions

Every country needs to create a zero emissions plan. Zero emissions is not a question of “yes or no”, it is simply a question of “when”. This question should be answered by each country and the UNFCCC should structure and facilitate that process. Obviously Annex I countries have to get to zero emissions much sooner than Non-Annex I countries. Some countries have already announced zero emissions targets. Who will be the next Zero Hero?

3. Fossil Fuels

How many fossil reserves do we have? What part of it are we going to extract and what part of it are we going to leave in the ground? This discussion is strangely completely absent from the UNFCCC and lets us worry about how serious everyone is about de-carbonizing the economy. We need to face the facts about how much fossil reserves we have and then talk about how to phase out extraction. By the way, who the ***** is still subsidizing fossil fuels at 390ppm?

These are the REAL issues that need to be talked about in Cancun.

Are you actually here to solve the climate crisis?

Truly yours,

the other half of the world population

Poll on Global Warming

2010-12-18T12:54:00.001-08:00

Climate Movement 2.0

2010-06-13T20:16:00.000-07:00

Here is an outline of an idea I had on how to invigorate the climate movement and make it really lead our societies towards a zero emissions future in a strategic way:

http://www.slideshare.net/kjell79/climate-positive-movement-outline

More information is available here:

http://kjells.wiki-site.com/index.php/Climate_Positive_Movement

The climate crisis and your personal role

2009-12-02T19:33:00.000-08:00

Dear friends,

I have been silent on this channel for a long time. Now the situation obliges me to speak up and ask you for help. Humanity is at a crossroads. I am sure you have heard about climate change in the last months or weeks. I am sure you are aware that it is a huge problem. It is actually the biggest challenge that humanity faces today.

My question for you is this:

Have you thought about the consequences of climate change for yourself, in your private life and your plans for the future?

I have just recently really done that, and I don't like the outlook at all.

The situation

I will describe the situation from two angles: First, the dynamics of climate and the natural and human systems depending on it. Second, the political dimension with actors and the correlation of forces.

The atmosphere is rapidly heating up. The two main drivers are the burning of fossil fuels (petroleum, coal, gas) - this is the bigger one, and deforestation - this is the smaller one. They drive up CO2 levels in the atmosphere which are leading to a hotter climate. Pre-industrial CO2 levels were at 280 ppm (parts per million) and now we are at 387 ppm. Until recently, the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), the authoritative international body on climate change science believed that a stabilization at 450 ppm would do the job of preventing climate chaos. Unfortunately this is no longer up-to-date. After new findings, we have to get back down to 350 ppm as fast as possible. Other figures you may hear in this context are the goals of 2°Celsius above pre-industrial levels. That is the official goal of the European Union. Unfortunately, that goal as well has turned out to be too weak. The Maldives (a small state in the Indian Ocean) would disappear at 2°C warming. There are several things that make us fear a run-away climate change which accelerates itself: the permafrost soils in the North which may melt and release an enormous amount of methane (CH4), which is a greenhouse gas much more powerful than CO2, the melting glaciers and polar icecaps which reflect much of the sun's energy back into space because they are white (the albedo effect) and if they melt are "replaced" by heat-absorbing water or rocks.

The ocean's sea level is going to rise and swallow not only the Maldives, but also part of Bangladesh (one of the most densely populated countries on Earth) and many other coastal zones. Because of higher CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere, the oceans which absorb part of that gas will become more acidic. This, together with higher temperatures kills off corals. Most of them will disappear in this century. Coral reefs are important for young fish and an estimated 1 billion people rely on their contribution of fish to their diet. Agriculture in its current dominant form (big industrialized monocultures) is not very resistant to a changing climate. World population is still rising and soil fertility is declining and the total amount of arable land is also declining due to erosion, desertification and salinization. So we will have ever less space upon which to feed an ever bigger population. The first countries to break down will be those that are not self-sufficient in terms of food and cannot afford to pay for it. But in general, everybody will suffer economically much more than we would if we started making relatively drastic changes now in terms of phasing out fossil fuels and investing into low-carbon technology. The so-called Stern Report to the UK government has shown that.

We now have a window of opportunity to stop climate chaos from happening, but it is only open for a few years (maybe about 2012 or 2015). Once ice-caps and permafrost soils have melted, there will be no turning back.

From the political angle, we have taken two steps to address climate change so far: First the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that was signed at the Earth Summit in Rio in 1992 and establishes a "common but differentiated responsibility". This makes a lot of sense, since the industrialized countries basically caused the problem, but everyone gets affected. In 1997 the Kyoto Protocol was signed which establishes that industrialized countries (so-called Annex-I-Countries) have to reduce their emissions, and the others don't. But the reductions agreed on in Kyoto are a meager 5% as compared to 1990 levels for the period of 2008-2012. And only for Annex-I-countries. And the US didn't ratify. As the biggest emitter (now taken over by China), and without any regulation for all of the other ("developing") countries, the overall emissions have increased since then, not decreased.

So now, a new deal has to be found to replace Kyoto after 2012. The "date with destiny" as Maldives president Rasheed calls it is in Copenhagen, Denmark from December 7 to 18. Of course, the correlation of forces has been taken into account. The USA, still in economic and military terms the biggest nation on the planet, is the one that has the highest per-capita emissions. Over 20 tons of CO2 are emitted by every US citizen. Europe emits about 10 tons per capita, China 5, India less than 2, just as many poor countries that are even below 1 ton per capita. Even though the problem is caused by the rich few, all are going to suffer the same. In fact, the poor are going to suffer MORE, because they have less protection against failing harvests, extreme weather conditions or rising food prices.

So, it is obvious that the rich countries, and in particular the US have an enormous responsibility. But they are not living up to that. Obama has put 17% reduction until 2020 on the table. But that's compared to 2005 instead of 1990. For 1990 figures that means 3 or 4% reduction. Of course that can't work. Because so-called "developing" countries, especially China, are not going to take on any targets if the biggest contributor to the problem, the US does not drastically reduce its own numbers and help them with their own mitigation (emission reduction) and adaptation (living with the effects of climate change) efforts as well.

A coalition of vulnerable countries headed by the Maldives is calling for a "Survival Pact" and have gone ahead themselves by announcing their strategy to become carbon-neutral in only ten years! Civil society is also mobilizing on a global scale. The 24th of October has been called the biggest political demonstration in human history, because in thousands of places all around the globe people called upon leaders to take action and get us down to 350ppm as fast as possible. (See here for a video: http://www.youtube.com/v/noPcVKf24rk)

But oil and car industry have a huge influence on our political decision-making. In addition, our "democracies" are working in a way that forces politicians to optimize the short term, taking the long term less seriously. Add to that, that we (in the rich countries) are the last to be badly affected, the first who have to commit to changes in our lifestyle and the only ones who can really change the situation.

Together these factors make it seem difficult to get to a strong commitment by industrialized countries. But without that, China won't move. China has already mentioned that they would be willing to reduce 40-45% until 2020 not per capita, but per GDP. This means, if the economy keeps growing, they will continue to emit more and more. But in comparison with the US, they would still be "cleaner".

The solution

The solution to this big mess is actually quite simple and straightforward:

First, we need to agree on a GLOBAL CARBON BUDGET that is in line with IPCC recommendations to stabilize the climate. There is not much to say against a global cap that solves the problem. This may be set a bit higher (and consider bigger impacts which have to be managed - ideally with a bigger Adaptation Fund to help the climate change victims) or lower (thus reducing adaptation cost and the overall scale of the problem). But there is wide consensus that more than 2°C or 450ppm is neither acceptable nor sensible in any case. What is clear is that from now to 2020, emissions must be reduced noticeably(? Specificity is important here) and until 2050 must be reduced almost down to zero.

Second, we need to agree that all human beings are equal, thereby possessing both equal rights and equal responsibilities. This translates into an EQUAL PER CAPITA emission allowance, which can be easily deduced from the global carbon budget. This allowance will decrease as we move from the status quo (about 4ton per capita emissions today) to 2050 (carbon neutrality).

Of course, the high-emitting countries will have to change fastest and pay most of the price. But that reflects only their irresponsible lifestyle that must come to an end. But it is not actually hard. Europe has a higher quality of life with only half the emissions of the USA. (I mention this just to show that wasting more fuel doesn't necessarily get you a better life.) Low-carbon technologies such as renewable energies, energy efficiency, decentralized local economies and backyard gardening are already widely available but are not yet dominant because under current rules it is just so much easier and cheaper to do everything by burning fossil fuels. That must stop and it can easily be done with a global agreement.

What you can do

Because a global framework is of utmost importance for guiding the direction of the world economy, our leaders have to forge a strong agreement in Copenhagen from December 7 to 18. And we, the citizens of this world, have to oblige them to do so. So I would like to invite you to join the global movement from your city and make your voice heard.

On December 11th, all over the planet candlelight vigils (called "Vigil for Survival") will be realized. On http://www.350.org/vigil you can find out whether one is already happening in your city. If so, you could join it and invite all your friends and family. If not, you could even register one (as I did for San Cristóbal de las Casas). Just pick a central or symbolic spot, enter the place you set for meeting in the database and let everyone in your life know about it.

Additionally, I invite you to participate in online actions by avaaz.org, hopenhagen.org, www.action-pact.org or any other group in your country (I have put together a little list here: http://kjells.a.wiki-site.com/index.php/Climate_Change#Action)

I find it so important to mobilize now, because this moment will not repeat itself. You have a responsibility for your own life, but also that of your children and grandchildren. They cannot do this for you. You have to do it for them.

With hopeful wishes for all of us and for the planet,

Kjell

P.S.: I have applied to be sent to Copenhagen as a Citizen Ambassador of "Hopenhagen". If you would like to support me, please go to http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/19/hopenhagen-ambassador-con_n_363672.html?slidenumber=qTK9QEG/CXM%3D#slide_image and vote for me until December 4th. (You will have to sign into the Huffington Post with your name and email or with your facebook account first.) Thank you. This is not so important, the important actions are the ones mentioned above!

Entwurf einer Lernpolitik (ehemals Bildungspolitik)

2009-10-25T16:00:00.000-07:00

Vom schwachen Standard zum vollen Potential - Entwurf einer Lernpolitik für Baden-Württemberg (ehemals Bildungspolitik)

von Kjell Kühne, 10.5.2005

Mit dem vorliegenden Text sollen die Grundzüge der neuen Politik umrissen werden,

die in Baden-Württemberg den Bereich des Lernens (ehemals Bildung genannt)

fördern. Ziel dieser Politik ist es, Menschen bei der vollen Entfaltung ihres natürlichen

Potentials zu unterstützen. Die Würde des Menschen soll blühen. Zuerst werden die einzelnen Ziele und Maßnahmen des neuen Lernsystems als kohärente Einheit beschrieben. (A) Anschließend werden die bisher vorhandenen Institutionen und Routinen aufgezählt, die dadurch eine Veränderung erfahren werden. (B) Zuletzt wird darauf eingegangen, wie das Bildungssystem graduell und behutsam in das Lernsystem überführt werden kann. (C)

Teil A

Eigenes Interesse, eigene Motivation

Junge Menschen sind neugierig. Dieser natürliche Impuls wird genutzt. Die jungen Menschen werden dort unterstützt, wo ihre Neugier sie hinführt. Sie kommen freiwillig in die Schule und lernen zu selbst gewählten Zeiten selbst gewählte Dinge. Gebunden sind sie dabei nur durch ihre eigenen Zusagen und Verpflichtungen die sie sich selbst auferlegen.

Lehrer als Vorbilder und Helfer im Lernprozess

Lernhelfer (ehemals Lehrer) machen Vorschläge und begleiten die jungen Menschen mit Tipps und Hilfestellungen bei ihrem Lernabenteuer. Sie stecken voller Ideen und Kenntnisse über nützliche und interessante Methoden, die das Lernen noch einfacher und effektiver machen. Bei Problemen stehen sie zur Unterstützung bereit. Oft greifen die Lernenden bei ihren Lernprozessen auch auf das Know-how von anderen (Experten) zurück.

Praktische Probleme und Herausforderungen

Gruppen von jungen Menschen finden sich flexibel zusammen, um an Fragestellungen und Themen ihrer Wahl zu arbeiten. In der Regel werden sich meist praktische Aufgaben ergeben. Z.B. wie können wir unsere Schule schöner machen, einen Ausflug oder ein Fußballturnier organisieren, Menschen in Not helfen, an einem Wettbewerb teilnehmen, eine Internetseite erstellen,…… Die Mitarbeit an diesen Aktivitäten und der jeweilige Beitrag wird von jedem Lernenden im eigenen Interesse dokumentiert.

Konstanter Stakeholder-Dialog

Regelmäßig treffen sich Eltern, junge Menschen, Lernhelfer und andere Mitglieder der lokalen Gemeinschaft, um die wichtigen Angelegenheiten der Schule und des Lernens zu diskutieren und gemeinsam Probleme zu lösen. Alle Beteiligten befinden sich in einem konstanten Dialog, durch diese Treffen und weitere Feedback-Mechanismen.

Best practices und IT

Bei der Suche nach neuen Betätigungsfeldern lassen sich die jungen Leute, Eltern und Lernhelfer von den guten Beispielen anderer inspirieren und eifern ihnen nach. Eigene gelungene Konzepte stellen sie ins Internet, um andere zur Nachahmung zu animieren. Oft gibt es auch einen Austausch zwischen Schulen mit und ohne Erfahrung mit bestimmten Methoden und Konzepten.

Teil B

Die folgenden sehr prägenden Elemente des bisherigen Bildungssystems fallen auf Dauer weg.

Jeder Mensch hat das Recht auf Selbstbestimmung. Der Zwang, bestimmte Dinge zu lernen, entfällt. Die Schulpflicht wird abgeschafft. Die neuen Schulen werden so attraktiv sein, dass die Schüler freiwillig zum Lernen kommen. Tun sie dies nicht, so haben sie gute Gründe dafür.

So etwas wie ein „Lehrplan“ wird unwichtig werden. Die Inhalte des Lernens werden sich ständig wandeln. Es werden sich aber bestimmte Routinen herausbilden, die vom überwiegenden Teil der jungen Menschen genutzt werden. So wird es nur ganz wenige geben, die nicht Lesen oder Schreiben früher oder später lernen wollen. Auch Dinge wie effektiv Texte lesen, Mindmaps zeichnen oder effektive verbale Kommunikation werden von einer großen Mehrzahl der jungen Menschen erlernt werden.

Es wird keine Noten mehr geben. Der Fortschritt beim Lernen manifestiert sich im Suchen neuer, größerer oder anderer Herausforderungen. Jeder junge Mensch dokumentiert selbst die Projekte, an denen er mitgewirkt hat. Wenn er sich berufen fühlt, sich für eine bezahlte Stelle zu bewerben, so wird er das tun. Je nach Erfolg wird er weitere Dinge und Fähigkeiten erlernen, oder in den Beruf starten.

Teil C

Um das Maximum an positiven Errungenschaften aus dem bestehenden Bildungssystem zu erhalten, beginnt der Reformprozess mit einer sogenannten Appreciative Inquiry an allen Schulen und Universitäten. Sie soll möglichst alle erstrebenswerten Erfahrungen und Routinen, die bereits heute stattfinden, erfassen. Ein weiteres Ziel dieser Erhebung ist die Identifikation von Barrieren und Hindernissen, die die Entfaltung des vollen Potentials verhindern. (mögliches Beispiel: Schulpflicht) Im Anschluss müssen durch Gesetzesänderungen diese Hindernisse

beseitigt werden. Für alle geplanten Veränderungen werden Stufenpläne erarbeitet, die gewährleisten, dass die Umwandlung reibungslos erfolgt. Als Zeithorizont für das Erreichen des Endzustandes sollten 10-15 Jahre gelten.

Ecología, espiritualidad y el hombre

2007-04-18T08:17:00.000-07:00

Este es un texto que acompañó a una plática que di en el seminario del Carmen en Santiago de Cuba - un círculo de personas interesadas en crecimiento espiritual.

El Carmen - Escuela de Espiritualidad- G 30

Ecología, espiritualidad y el hombre

23.4.06 – Kjell Kühne

La regla de oro

Una esencia de todas las religiones del mundo es la „regla de oro“: Trata a los demás, como quieres ser tratado.

Somos uno

Segun la teoría de la evolución, el hombre, como todas las otras formas de vida en la tierra es fruto de un proceso de millones de años. En este proceso las especies se fueron diversificando poco a poco. Por lo tanto, la diferencia entre los individuos y entre las especies – aun las más remotas - es sólo histórica. Si podemos ir hacia atrás en el tiempo, podemos descubrir el momento en el que fuimos unidos y nos separamos uno del otro (como se separa el niño de su madre o el espermatozoide de su padre). Mientras más grande es la diferencia entre dos personas y dos organismos, (ejemplos: entre usted y su vecino – cientos de años; entre un hombre y un hongo – cientos de millones de años) más lejos debemos regresar en el tiempo para encontrar ese momento de separación, pero en todo caso existe.

Si eramos un dia como madre y hijo con cada persona que enfrentamos, eso no implica otro respeto y otro trato entre nosotros?

Y además, si eramos un dia como madre y hijo con todo ser vivo en el planeta, eso no implica otro respeto por ellos y sus vidas?

Mi amigo el árbol ♥

Un dia subi a una montaña cerca de mi casa con tres amigos. Caminamos bastante por la montaña y al final nos cansamos un poco. Nos sentamos en la yerba blanda entre las raizes de un enorme árbol y descansamos. Alzé la mirada y allá arriba veía una multitud de insectos, pajaritos e incluso un pequeño murciélago que se movían bajo la protección de ese árbol. Y me dí cuenta de que ese árbol era vivo y que estaba ayudando a todos esos animalitos a vivir, y también nos estaba ayudando a mis amigos y a mí. Pero eso no es todo. Mientras yo miraba hacia arriba y vi como él se movía suavemente con el aire, me enseñó otra lección: no sólo Olga, Radek y Nathan eran mis amigos, sino también el árbol. Ese árbol era mi amigo! Se lo dije a mis tres amigos humanos, y nos quedamos pensando un momento en esa posibilidad de que los árboles pueden ser nuestros amigos también. Lo abrazamos a nuestro nuevo amigo (y maestro), con su gran tronco de cientos de años y su corteza llena de vida diminuta. Nos despedimos de él, y bajamos la montaña diferente a como la subimos. Habíamos encontrado un nuevo amigo y nos había dado una clave para construir una sociedad en harmonía con la naturaleza.

Ecología

La ecología trata de la convivencia de todas las especies. Nosotros podemos olvidarnos del hecho que somos sólo una especie más, que depende de todo la red de las demás especies. Pero no nos podemos escapar. Con la invención de la agricultura y luego el descubrimiento de cómo utilizar las fuentes fósiles de energía hemos empujado los limites de la capacidad de carga de la tierra hacia más allá de los miles de millones de personas. La población mundial ha correspondido a ese desarrollo con un incremento tremendo. En el momento historico en que nos encontramos, no vivimos de los intereses del capital natural, sino que del capital mismo – lo estamos disminuyendo casi con cada papa y cada pez que comemos. Con el cambio climatico que se agudizará en las próximas décadas ese capital quedará todavía más reducido. Es previsible que con esos dos desarrollos – aumento de la población y baja de la capacidad de mantenernos de la tierra – llegarémos a una situación de sobrepoblación de la tierra que creará conflictos sociales fuertes.

Desarrollo y estilos de vida

El modelo dominante de desarrollo es obsoleto. Constantemente transforma recursos en basura y contaminación. Destruye la naturaleza y con ella el futuro de nosotros todos. El problema está en encontrar alternativas para satisfacer nuestras necesidades basicas. Y tenerlas presentes a la hora de tomar decisiones. Un buen guía es el test mental que nos dejaron de herencia los indígenas Americanos: si la solución que propones va a beneficiar a las próximas siete generaciones de tu pueblo, entonces es buena. Utilizando ese test, nos damos cuenta que gran parte de nuestra vida cotidiana no es sotenible. De la comida, por el transporte hasta la ropa y las diversiones – casi todo está hecho con materiales no renovables. Estamos acabando con el espacio de vida de nuestros hijos. Hay que cambiarlo, utilizando recursos renovables y energía renovable para nuestras exigencias diarias. Tu y yo portamos la responsabilidad ante nuestros decendentes de hacer todo lo que nos es posible para cambiar hacia un estilo de vida más sostenible y hacer el sistema cambiar poco a poco.

Retos futuros

Un aspecto de muchas cuestiones medioambientales es que hay que enfrentarlas a un nivel internacional. Nuestra generación tiene que hacer eso. Tenemos que encontrar formas de ponernos de acuerdo entre los pueblos como seguir utilizando los ecosistemas del planeta sin destruirlos.

No sólo es preciso reencontrar el equilibrio con el medio ambiente, sino también tenemos que construir sociedades justas, con chances para todos y con flexibilidad. Mientras más justo y flexible es un sistema, más probable que se pueda adaptar a cambios bruscos como los que se pueden prever en las próximas décadas. Sistemas inflexibles o injustos no van a resisitir la fuerza de esos cambios, aunque van a intentarlo con métodos cada vez más represivos.

Contacto: kjell @ hospitalityclub.org

YAC Free Online Course on Sustainable Development

2007-03-10T10:26:00.001-08:00

We heartily invite you to apply for the Online Course on Sustainable Development. If you want to make an active contribution in your life to regaining the balance between humankind and Mother Earth, you are the right person for this course. The topics that will be treated in the course are: 1. Introduction to Sustainable Development or "Mother Earth and how to live on our planet" 2. Ecology or "What a sustainable system looks like" 3. Water or "How to connect to the cycle of the life-giving element" 4. Climate Change or "The planetary challenges ahead" 5. Energy or "How to achieve an intelligent system" 6. Organization or "How to reach a sustainable society" 7. Lifestyles or "How to transform our habits" 8. Future or "Where are we going and where am I going" Besides there is room for sharing your expertise in other fields that connect with the general topic. For each topic there will be an overview by an expert with a case study and references to current developments, good practices and resources for further reading plus questions for discussion. In addition to your own questions that you are able to post beforehand, those questions will be discussed in an online-forum. A chatroom is available for socializing throughout the course. The online course on Sustainable Development requires quite some dedication from its participants. You must be willing to dedicate about 5 hours per week to the course. You have to: 1. read some texts, 2. watch videos, 3. participate in a forum, 4. do internet research, 5. explore your own community/city/region, 6. read a book of your choice, 7. share your knowledge with the other participants and 8. at last: do a small practical project. All of these are necessary ingredients for completing the course and getting a certificate. Another requirement is a capacity to communicate in English. You are invited to apply until March 31st 2007. The course is limited to a number of 30 participants. Timeline --------------------- 1.3.-31.3. Application 1.4.-30.4. Selection - Welcome to the course creating a profile posting questions for upcoming topics choosing book reading forum introduction starting forum discussion 1.5.-30.6. Course reading texts watching videos participating forum reading book community research internet research preparing presentation molding and discussing practical project ideas 1.7.-30.9. Practical Project sending report/documentation getting the certificate Application Form (to be sent directly to the teacher, Kjell, at kjell@hospitalityclub.org) --------------------- Full name: Date and place of Birth: Current Address: Telephone: E-mail: 1. Formulate three questions that you have asked yourself or others (or would like to ask) that have some relation with the topic. 2. In what areas that relate to sustainable development do you have some first-hand experience? Are you or have you been active in any project or organization that has some relation (explicit or implicit) with the topic? 3. Why do you want to take part in the course? Where does the motivation come from? Some point in the past or in the future? (This section will be shared with the other participants of the course.) 4. What do you hope to learn in this course? Which topics are most interesting for you? 5. How much time can you dedicate to the course? 6. Do you have regular internet access? If not, how often and with what kind of connection are you able to go online? 7. Could this course be relevant for your personal professional future? If yes, how? 8. Do you always throw your garbage in the wastebin? 9. Anything else you would like to share with us? Session Topics --------------------- Introduction (mother nature and how to live on our planet, "three pillars"-bs) Ecology (basic needs, zero emissions, waste, ecobackpack, lifecycle, industry) Water (sanitation, pollution) Climate change (Kyoto, CDM, Gold Standard) Energy (renewable, dams, decentralization) Organization (participation, politics, WTO, World Bank, FSC, Fishbanks) Lifestyles (consume, "activism", market) Future (global, regional, national, community, personal) OPTIONALS: biodiversity (nature and agriculture) biopiracy GMOs greenwashing environmental services and market logic systemic thinking Fixed Ingredients --------------------- fill profile read texts choose and research specialty, read book, share content do community research (projects, NGOs, institutions) participate forum do small practical project Optional Ingredients --------------------- chat specialty presentation mindmap wiki wikipedia articles presentation case studies

Mythos Unterstufe

2007-02-07T20:06:00.000-08:00

Für alle, die schon lange darauf gewartet haben, endlich den "Mythos" online lesen zu können: Hier ist er! Viel Spass!

Der Apfel

Kjell hatte Hunger. ‘Da hilft nur eins: Essen!’ dachte er sich und griff nach seinem Apfel. Doch er hatte die Rechnung ohne den Wirt (Anton) gemacht, der die leckere Frucht konfiszierte und zur Aufbewahrung auf seinen Lehrertisch stellte. „Aber nicht aufessen“, ertönte es prompt aus Kjells Mund.

Es kam wie es kommen mußte. Eine halbe Stunde später stand an der selben Stelle ein rundherum abgesessener Apfel“strunk“. „Sie haben ihn ja doch gegessen!“, stellte Kjell enttäuscht fest. Natürlich hatte er, eine kurze Abwesenheit Herrn Margs nutzend, den Apfel selbst verspeist. Anton bemühte sich gar nicht erst, daß Geschehene zu begreifen, sondern forderte die sofortige Entsorgung der Überreste. Doch aus unerklärlichen Gründen, lehnte er sowohl den Mülleimer, als auch das Gebüsch vor dem geöffneten Fenster als letzte Ruhestätte kategorisch ab.

Doch dann faßte sich der tapfere Wilko ein Hartz und schleuderte das Corpus delicti in einem unbeobachteten Moment aus dem Fenster. Nach der Stunde fragte Anton deutlich verwirrt: „Wo ist der Apfel geblieben?“ - „Ich glaube, den hat irgend jemand aus dem Fenster geworfen“, antwortete Kjell mit einem schelmischen Lächeln. „Wer?“ - „Keine Ahnung.“ - „Gut, dann holst du mir den Apfel jetzt wieder hierher.“ - „Nö.“ - „Wie du willst. Du kommst jetzt mit zu Herrn Kleinicke“, sagte Herr Marg sichtlich erbost.

Gesagt - getan. Kjell wartete im Vorraum des Lehrerzimmers.

Nach zwei geschlagenen Minuten kam Anton zurück und berichtete mit erhobenem Zeigefinger: „Herr Kleinicke ist gerade nicht abkömmlich, aber er läßt dir seine größte Mißbilligung mitteilen.“

Der Perversling

Es war in der Ära des „Parfum-Terrors“.

Aus irgendeinem unersichtlichen (aber doch zu riechenden) Grund (kleiner Scherz!) bekam Dietrich immer am meisten ab. So auch an diesem Tage.

In der einmal mehr hochinteressanten Deutschstunde dachte sich Christian Demuth: „Mein Schultornister ist definitiv zu schwer!“ Als logische Konsequenz warf er sämtlichen Ballast in Form von Duftwässerchen über Dietrich ab. Demzufolge stank dieser schlimmer als je zuvor. Und da er ein Gewohnheitstier ist, konnte Dietrich sich inmitten der ungewohnten Düfte nicht mehr auf Frau Dr. Sieberts Ausführungen konzentrieren.

Er sah als einzigen Ausweg, sich der dampfenden Kleidungsstücke zu entledigen. Schon kurze Zeit später hatte sich Dietrich Pullover und T-Shirt vom Leib gerissen, da fiel auch schon der von einer Sehschwäche stark gezeichnete Blick der Doktorin (sie trug eine Brille) auf dessen nackten, einzig mit einem modischen Doppelripp-Unterhemd bekleideten Oberkörper. So etwas hatte sie anscheinend noch nie gesehen, denn in Sekundenschnelle wich sämtliche Färbung aus ihrem Gesicht. „Diehtrich !!!“ keuchte sie frigide, „Was fällt dir ein!“

Nachdem sich der zu Unrecht als Exhibitionist angesehene Reidt wieder bekleidet hatte, bemühten sich alle beteiligten Parteien, den Vorfall so rasch wie möglich zu vergessen.

Der Streik

Es war eine Sportstunde wie jede andere, dachten wir jedenfalls...., bis uns Frau Dehnke mit einem großen Holzhammer vor den Kopf schlug: Wir sollten bodentumen! Warum mit der Tradition (Fußball) brechen, dachten wir uns. Wir machten aus der Not eine Tugend und entschlossen uns spontan zum Sitzstreik. Wir lagerten in der kleinen Turnhalle und riefen: „WIR SIND DAS VOLK, WIR SIND DAS VOLK!!!“

Frau Dehnke (scheinbar von den Argumenten überzeugt) setzte das Bodenturnen kurzerhand ab. Wieder einmal hatte das Gute gesiegt.

Der Verdacht

Eine kleine Gruppe Auserwählter hatte jede Woche einmal Rechtschreibnachhilfe bei Herrn Lösche. Einmal bemerkte dieser, nachdem er wie üblich Wilkos Pausenbrot aus dem Fenster geworfen hatte, daß seine Lehrbücher verschwunden waren. Sofort hatte er in Ayubu den Schuldigen ausgemacht.

„Ayubu, gib die Bücher her!“, forderte er.

„Welche Bücher?“, fragte Ayubu mit einem unschuldigen Hundeblick. Herr Lösche verlieh seiner Forderung vehement Nachdruck, doch Ayubu ließ sich nicht dazu bewegen, die Bücher rauszurücken. „Nicht mit mir!“, dachte sich Lösche, packte kurzerhand Ayubus Ranzen, drehte in um und schüttete ihn über dem Fußboden aus. Doch wo waren die Bücher? Ayubu war offensichtlich unschuldig, was Lösche deutlich peinlich war. Nachdem er den Ranzen wieder eingeräumt hatte, machte er sich niedergeschlagen auf den (Heim-)Weg zu seinem Tisch. Dort warteten schon die Bücher auf ihn.

Die Schlingel Wilko und Christian F. bekannten sich zu dieser gemeinen Tat.

Das Mosaiksteinchen

Da Klaus Kiske häufig zu spät zur Lateinstunde erschien, mußten sich seine „Schäfchen“ des öfteren vor dem Raum die Zeit vertreiben. Das geöffnete Fenster des gegenüberliegenden Lehrerzimmers war natürlich sehr verlockend. „RALPH!“ schallte es über den Innenhof der Schule, als Budde sich dem Fenster näherte. Schnell duckten sich Falk und Christian F., um von den stechenden Augen des Lehrkörpers nicht erspäht zu werden. Als die Luft rein war, hatte Johannes Hasselgruber die Ehre. - „JOHANN!“ war zu hören. Zu sehen war allerdings niemand, denn die Strolche hatten sich erneut fallen lassen, und saßen laut lachend auf dem Hosenboden. Das Gelächter verstärkte sich noch, als sie aufblickten und sahen, daß Master B. mit bösem Blick vor ihnen stand. Nach etwa 10 Sekunden öffnete sich sein Mund:

„So fügt sich also ein Mosaiksteinchen zum anderen. Danke für die Entscheidungshilfe Herr FEILCKE.“

(Christians Erdkunde-, sowie seine Englischzensur stand nämlich auf der Kippe.)

Das Gerücht

Nachdem „böse Buben“ das Klassenbuch zum Fußballspielen mißbraucht und dadurch beschmutzt hatten, weigerte sich Ralph Budde, dieses anzunehmen, weshalb es die ganze Stunde auf dem Flur vor unserem Raum liegen blieb. So ergab sich eine gute Chance für böswillige Frevler.

Vor der Französischstunde nahmen wir entsetzt (über Ayubu) folgenden Eintrag zur Kenntnis:

„AYUBU HAT IM UNTERRICHT MASTURBIERT“

Ein sofortiger Tumult war die Folge. Dieser Vorfall wurde in der nächsten Deutschstunde zum Thema gemacht, denn Frau Dr. Siebert war der festen Überzeugung, den Täter in unseren Reihen suchen zu müssen. Sie konnte jedoch trotz Schriftvergleichs an der Tafel keine Ermittlungserfolge verbuchen. Dieser Vorfall wird wohl als Mysterium in die Annalen unserer Klasse eingehen.

Die Flucht

Gegen Ende der Klasse 10 waren Christian F., Dietrich und Kjell mit ihren Gedanken schon im Ausland. Es war ihnen daher nicht mehr vergönnt, sich auf den Matheunterricht bei Herrn Hänsel konzentrieren zu können. Eine kurze Unaufmerksamkeit Lothars nutzend, machten sich die drei schon eine gute Viertelstunde vor Schluß aus dem Staub. Nach ein paar Minuten bemerkte Lothar etwas: „Wo ist der Feilcke?“ Von Kjells und Dietrichs Abwesenheit bemerkte er nichts. Stefan erklärte ihm pflichtbewußt, Christian leide momentan unter starkem Heuschnupfen und mußte mal an die frische Luft gehen.

Hänsel akzeptierte diese „logische Erklärung“ anstandslos.

Die Frechheit

In einer gewöhnlichen Mathestunde klopfte es an der Tür, die im nächsten Moment geöffnet wurde. Frau Zürn schaute herein: „Oh, tut mir leid, isch habe misch vertan.“

Sie war gerade dabei die Tür wieder zu schließen, als Dietrich rief: „RAUS HIER!“ Frau Zürn schnellte zurück: „Eo, wer war das?“, fragte sie. Darauf Dietrich: „Ich, Entschuldigung.“ Er hatte Frau Zürn nicht gesehen und sie daher wie einen gewöhnlichen Eindringling in die Klasse empfangen. Hänsel sagte mit betroffener Miene zu Fabienne: „Ja, ja, so ist der Umgangston in dieser Klasse.“

Der Tritt

Nach der großen Pause war der Klassenraum wie üblich verschlossen. Geduldig warteten die „Franzosen“ auf ihren „Schulmeister“, der nach kurzer Wartezeit die Treppe herunter kam, das Französischbuch in der Hand. Friedel hatte gerade Kjell passiert, da holte dieser aus und simulierte einen kräftigen Tritt in den Allerwertesten des Studienrates. Fatalerweise schlenkerte Schiemann im selben Moment sein Buch unbeholfen nach hinten. Kjell war nicht mehr in der Lage, den Tritt abzubremsen, so daß er das Buch traf. Friedel war empört!

Der Vorfall sprach sich schnell im gesamten Lehrerkollegium herum.

Die Strafarbeit

Einmal mehr verdonnerte Ralph B., Christian F. in seiner Erdkundestunde zu einer saftigen Strafarbeit. („Extrawork“)

Dieser fühlte sich (selbstverständlich) unschuldig.

Aufgabe:

3. Suche Kartenmaterial von Gewässern in deiner näheren Umgebung!

4. Die Haupterzeuger der Gewässerbelastung sind in der Karte nicht berücksichtigt. Nenne sie!

Original Strafarbeit:

„STRAFARBEIT ZWECKS SCHIKANE

3. Zum allgemeinen Bedauern habe ich trotz monatelanger Nachforschungen in einschlägigen Instituten leider kein Kartenmaterial gefunden.

4. Die Fabriken, also die Erzeuger des Schmutzes, der die Gewässer belastet, sind in der Karte nicht eingezeichnet. Ebenfalls nicht berücksichtigt sind badende Lehrer, die durch ihre hochgradig verseuchten Körperflüssigkeitsabsonderungen unsere geliebten Flüsse verschmutzen. Daher meine Forderung:

"Badeverbot für Lehrer in allen öffentlichen Gewässern, zwecks Erhaltung der Flora und Fauna unserer heimatlichen Flüsse und Seen.

Des weiteren fordere ich den sofortigen Stop der Tyrannei von Lehrern an wohlwollenden und fleißigen Schülern,

die Schließung einiger berüchtigter Diskos im Stadtgebiet Göttingen, sowie das Verbot der Zurschaustellung männlicher Oberkörper im Unterricht.“

Budde zog die Strafarbeit ein. Begründung: „Kommt alles in deine Akte.“

Der Vertrauensbruch

Am ersten Abend der Klassenfahrt imitierten die Jungen des zweiten Zimmers (Gaml, Tut, Olli ... ) wildes „Herumgefurze“ auf ihren Unterarmen - laut genug um Hänsel aufzuwecken. In einem Morgenmantel machte er sich auf den Weg ins Zimmer der Übeltäter. Als er die Tür aufriß, stellte sich die Bande schlafend, nur Olli sagte mit schläfriger Stimme: „Häää, was is’n los?“

Daraufhin ging Lothar ins Nachbarzimmer, um dort die Verbrecher zu stellen. Dietrich und Kjell lagen schon im Bett, Sebastian, Christian F. und Ayubu waren gerade dabei, sich umzuziehen.

„Was ist hier los?“ fragte Hänsel erbost. „Wir wollten gerade ins Bett gehen“, antwortete Sebastian wahrheitsgemäß. Dann brach ein Wortschwall auf uns los: „Ihr spinnt wohl!........ Unverschämtheit!........... Ich mache nie wieder eine Fahrt mit euch! (wie denn auch?) .............Und natürlich wieder der......“ - „FEILCKE“, fügte Christian hinzu.

Das Attentat

Der berühmt-berüchtigte Sprengstoffspezialist Stefan van Berk hatte die ganze Klasse 8c mit eigens konstruierten Knallkörpern versorgt. Auch Kjell hatte einige der explosiven Machwerke erstanden. Ein einfacher Wurf auf den Boden genügte um sie zu zünden.

Als Frau Dr. Siebert eines Morgens die Treppe heruntertrottete, riß sie eine grauenhafte Detonation aus ihren Träumen. Für einen kurzen Moment stockte ihr der Atem. „Die Russen kommen!“ dachte sie. Doch schnell fing sie sich wieder und stürmte in die verdächtige Klasse. „Wer war das?“, fragte sie mit zitternder Stimme. Da sie keine Antwort bekam, machte sie kehrt und beauftragte „Kommissar“ Garbrecht mit der Fahndung. Dieser wandte eine raffinierte Methode zur Lösung des vertrackten Falls an: Er ging mit bösem Blick durch die Reihen, wobei folgender Dialog zustande kam:

„Warst Du es?“ - „Nein.“ „Warst Du es?“ - „Nein.“

„Warst Du es?“ - „Nein.“ „Warst Du es?“ - „JA.“

„Warst Du es?“ - „Nein.“ „Warst Du es?“ - „Nein.“

Nach Beendigung seiner Runde stellte er fest: „Also, Kjell Kühne war es.“

Damit war die Sache für ihn erledigt. Frau Dr. Siebert kam 5 Tage lang nicht zur Schule.

Die Drohung

Während der Koch-AG entdeckten diverse Teilnehmer, unter ihnen Sebastian, Falk und Gaml, einen weißen BMW auf dem Schulhof. Nach Vertilgung ihres leckeren Menüs schlich sich die Horde zu dem primitiven Fortbewegungsmittel (lieber Mercedes fahren!). Was nun passierte, konnte nie genau geklärt werden.

Sicher ist nur, daß Ralph B. bei Rückkehr zu seinem getreuen Gefährt(en) einen Zettel, den er zuerst für einen Strafzettel hielt, „vorfand“ auf dem in großen Lettern geschrieben stand:

RALPH, WIR KRIEGEN DIR!

die 10c

Das Experiment

Ein kleiner Lichtblick in den sehr gefürchteten und meist tödlich langweiligen Physikstunden Herrn Schwarzes waren die Experimente. Einmal wollte er uns demonstrieren, daß einem Menschen durch die Abstoßung gleicher Ladungen die Haare zu Berge stehen können. Gaml war in diesem Fall als Versuchskaninchen (Oryctolagus cuniculus) auserkoren. Aber trotzig blieben die Haare in gewohnter Konstellation. (Sollte etwa die rote Färbung schuld sein?)

Nach der Stunde nahm sich Rudi den Rotschopf zur Brust: „Christian, ich will dir ja nicht zu nahe treten, aber am besten „funksioniert“ das mit gewaschenen Haaren.“

Das Auge

In der Geometriestunde ging es mal wieder dermaßen drunter und drüber, daß Herr Hänsel mit „Wortgewalt“ nicht mehr dagegen ankam. Um ein Machtwort zu „sprechen“ packte er das große Tafellineal und schlug es mit lautem Knall auf den Tisch, so daß es in der Mitte zerbarst.

Es verstummten zwar augenblicklich alle Gespräche, dafür aber ertönte ein markerschütternder Schrei.

Oliver Klaproth, der Hänsel direkt gegenübersaß, hielt sich brüllend das Auge, denn er hatte einen Splitter abbekommen. Nun bekam es Lothar mit der Angst zu tun. Diese wurde noch verstärkt als Christian Demuth mit erhobenem Zeigefinger sprach: „Das Auge muß raus!“

Hänsel fragte ängstlich: „Ist doch nicht so schlimm?“, „Geht doch schon wieder?“ Zu seinem Glück überstand Olli den Vorfall nahezu unbeschadet. „Siehst du, so läßt man sich hinreißen“, fügte Lothar entschuldigend hinzu.

Spitznamen unserer Lehrer

Hänsel: Frosch , Breitmaulfrosch, Quakfrosch, Lotto-Lothar

Budde: Officer, Master B., R2B2, Master-Ralph 2000, Tangenten-Pete, Tangenten-Joe

Kiske: Orang-Utan-Klaus, Kischko

Dr. Siebert: Wasserbeinsau

Dr. Bahlke: Bahlko

Lehne: Joseph, Laborhexe

Haferland: Haferfo ... (ZENSUR)

Schwarze: Rudi

Endl: Wolfgang, Schloßgespenst, Siggi

Lothar Hänsel (Klassenlehrer)

Zu Beginn der 9. Klasse bekamen wir Herrn Hänsel, dessen Musikunterricht wir schon ein halbes Jahr lang genossen hatten, als Klassenlehrer zugeteilt. Schnell stieß Lothar an die Grenzen seiner Autorität, die er zum größten Teil schon in der 8. Klasse verloren hatte.

Die Aufmerksamkeit im Unterricht war äußerst gering, woran auch ein gelegentliches „Heerseehn“ nichts ändern konnte. Er wurde von den meisten nicht ganz ernst genommen, nicht zuletzt aufgrund seiner leeren Drohungen.

Ständige Konfrontationen mit seinen „Lieblingsschülem“ Kjell und Christian F. waren an der Tagesordnung, die zwischen ihm und letztgenanntem zu einer regelrechten Dauerfehde (Zitat Max) ausarteten. Soweit wir das beurteilen können, ist der ehemalige Würstchenverkäufer (und Betonmischer) privat aber kein schlechter Kerl.

Typische Bemerkungen Hänsels

zu oder über Oliver: - Ja, ja, heute morgen wieder zwei Löffel Extasy.

- Na Oliver, wieder voll high?!

- Der hat Mäuse unter der Mütze.

zu oder über Chr. F.: - Natürlich wieder der Feilcke.

- Das alte Leiden!

- Ja, ja, ein großes Kind.

- Die Verbal-Diarrhoe.

- Idiot!

- Ist ja kein Geheimnis, daß ich ihn nicht leiden kann.

- Für Christian gilt nicht: Ich denke, also bin ich. (lat. Weisheit) sondern: Ich rede also bin ich!

- Du mußt dich immer in den Mittelpunkt stellen. Nimm dich mal ein bißchen zurück!

- RAUS!

zu oder über Kjell: - Du bist nicht immer dran.

- ... auch wenn ich ihn persönlich nicht leiden kann.

- Klassenkasper

- RAUS!

zu Falk: - Falk, du bist doch vernünftig, wir beide verstehen uns.

zu Max: - Max, du als Klassensprecher solltest doch eigentlich ein Vorbild sein.

zu Dietrich: - Das war’s dann wohl mit deinen guten Vorsätzen.

Typische Aussprüche

Hänsel: - Quak nicht rum!

- Pack’s weg!

- Hersehen!

- Geh' dich mal abkühlen!

- Quatschkopp!

- Dummschwätzer!

- Ich ruf dann mal die Eltern an.

- Du gehst dann mal raus!

- Es sind wieder Klagen gekommen.

- Die Putzfrauen weinen fast!

- Die Mädchen ziehen sich diesen Schuh nicht an.

- Ich muß den Eltern wohl mal reinen Wein einschenken!

- Schreib's dir auf!

- Das ist so eine nervöse Atmosphäre hier.

- Lüftet mal!

- Kein Schmuddelsex und Schweinkram!

- Das ist jetzt ein echter Kalauer.

- Ihr müßt euch mal auf den Hosenboden setzten.

- Das wird jetzt knallhart durchgezogen.

Luhn: - Christian Feilcke, du bist ein „störendes Element“!

Budde: - Extrawork!!!

- Carrrrmen!

- Da stimmt das Output nicht.

- (zu Antje) Techno-Braut

Schiemann: - Alleine, leise, sinnvoll.

- Das ist eine Unart.

- Ich bin ja nicht erst seit gestern Schulmeister.

Gährs: - Daumen hoch, Sparwitz gelungen.

Schwarze: - Tja, das ist aber leider nicht mein Problem.

Garbrecht: - An die Tafel!

- Geometrieappell

- Besenstiel!

- Schreibe auf!

- Gesammelte Werke.

- 3 Schritte zurück in Aufmerksamkeitsstellung!

- Maren, fühlst du dich nicht?

- Zufriedenheit?

- Feierlichkeiten schon begonnen?

- Was gab´s zu Hause?

- Tauscht! / Tauscht zurück!

- das blaue "U" (für unfähig)

- das rote "D" (für Denker)

- Ihr müßt immer das Umgekehrte tun.

Kiske: - Christian (F.), hör doch mal zu, ist doch wichtig!

- Na gut, also weiter!

Zürn: - Brrrrrr, chub-chub, bobob

Sprüche

Budde: - Eigentlich sollte man den Fernseher ja immer ganz ausmachen, aber da kommen die Stöpsel aus dem Kollegium ja nicht dran.

- (Kjell kann etwas in seinem Atlas nicht finden.)

Du hast wohl noch einen alten Ostatlas.

- (zu Dietrich) Hände aus der Hose! Taschenbillard kannst du auch zu Hause spielen.

- (kurz darauf) Nimm mal die Hände auf den Tisch, damit da keine Unfälle passieren.

Kiske: - Vielleicht will Ariane ihr Geld später ja mal mit schlafen verdienen.

- (über Dietrich) Sagt mal dem Bulgaren da hinten, daß wir weitergehen wollen!

Schwarze: - Wilko, das hast du wunderbar formuliert, und das bringt dir jetzt eine schöne 6 ein!

Gährs: - (über Schwarzes Erklärungen) So kann man ja auch keine Physik verstehen.

Garbrecht: - (zu Hauke) Wußtest du eigentlich, daß Hauke auch ein Jungenname ist?

Pabst: - (im Werkunterricht über Kjells Werkstück) Kjell, wir wissen ja alle, was das sein soll: eine Art primitiver Bunker.

Dialoge

Hänsel droht einmal mehr, die Eltern anzurufen.

Hänsel: (zu Christian F.) Ich ruf dann mal die Eltern an!

Chr. F.: Fünfsiebenviemull.

Hänsel: Quatschkopp!

Hänsel stößt Kjell das Buch in den Rücken, weil dieser nicht aufpaßt.

Kjell: Aua, nicht so grob!

Hänsel: Du fliegst gleich raus.

Kjell: Immer noch besser, als hier geschlagen zu werden.

Hänsel: Halt’s Maul!

Kjell bringt seine Empörung deutlich zum Ausdruck.

Hänsel: Du fliegst gleich achtkantig raus, wenn du dich nicht benehmen kannst.

Kjell: Wer kann sich denn hier nicht benehmen!?

Hänsel stellt eine Frage.

Hänsel: Dietrich

Dietrich: Hähh ???

Hänsel: Dietrich du mußt dich wirklich mal auf den Hosenboden setzen, ich kann sonst für die 4 nicht mehr garantieren.

Dietrich: Ist mir doch scheißegal !

Hänsel empfindet Christian als störend.

Hänsel: Christian, du setzt dich jetzt da mal weg.

Chr. F.: Warum denn ?

Hänsel: Komm, setz dich hierher!

Chr. F.: Erst wenn sie mir sagen, warum.

Hänsel: Du setzt dich jetzt hier hin !

Chr. F.: Ich hab überhaupt nichts gemacht, das ist reine Schikane.

Hänsel: (schreiend) So einen wie dich gibt's auch nur einmal!

Chr. F.: Haben sie schon mal jemanden zweimal gesehen ?

Hänsel setzt den „Unterricht“ resigniert fort.

Kjell bittet um Freistellung für ein Seminar.

Hänsel: Ist das was Politisches?

Kjell: Ja, mehr oder weniger. (Vögel beobachten)

Hänsel: Na dann natürlich.

Hänsel ermahnt Daniel und Christian F.

Hänsel: Beim nächsten Mal sag’ ich nur noch Seite 295, Nr. 3 & 4.

Christian und Daniel „stören“ weiter.

Hänsel: Ihr macht dann mal Seite 295, Nr. 3 & 4. Zu morgen, ne?!

Chr. & D.: Ja, ja.

Hänsel: Schreibt's euch auf!

Chr.: Das kann ich mir auch gut so merken

Hänsel: Los, schreib's dir auf! (usw.)

Am Ende der Stunde.

Hänsel: Hausaufgabe, Seite 295, Nr. 3 & 4

Budde: In Saudi-Arabien gibt's doch außerhalb der Metropolen überhaupt keine Straßen.

Irgendwer: Na das glaub ich aber nicht.

Budde: Stimmt ja auch nicht.

Kjell leistet einen Beitrag zum Unterricht.

Budde: Ayubu!

Ayubu: Ja, ich wollt' eigentlich das Gleiche sagen.

Budde: (zu Christian F., der sich meldet) Du wolltest sicherlich auch das Gleiche sagen.

Chr.: Nein!

Budde: Na, dann ist es sowieso falsch.

Budde schickt Gaml zu Herrn Veit, um das Klassenbuch zu holen.

Budde: (zur Klasse) Was man nicht im Kopf hat, muß man halt in den Beinen haben!

Chr. F.: Deswegen haben sie auch so lange Beine.

Mitwirkende:

Antje Kaufhold

Ariane Remmert

Ayubu Amanzi

Carmen Roddewig

Christian Demuth

Christian Feilcke

Christian Gembruch

Daniel Brembor

Dietrich Reidt

Erhard Kleinicke

Fabienne Zürn

Falk Scheffer

Friedel Schiemann

Hans-Anton Marg

Hauke Seven

Hildburg Dehnke

Ingo Barke

Joachim Garbrecht

Johannes (‘Gans’) Hasselgruber

Jürgen Luhn

Kjell Kühne

Klaus Kiske

Lothar Hänsel

Maren Ohnesorge

Max Buttkus

Dr. Michael Bahlke

Norbert Pabst

Oliver Klaproth

Ralph Budde

Reinhard Veit

Rüdiger Schwarze

Sebastian Bahr

Siegfried Endl

Stefan van Berk

Wilko Hartz

XXX Lösche

Dr. XXX Siebert

XXX Haferland

XXX Lehne

XXX Gährs

Alle beschriebenen Ereignisse entsprechen vollkommen der Realität. Einzig die Gedanken der jeweiligen Charaktere sind frei erfunden.

Falls sie mit dem Inhalt dieses Werkes dennoch in irgendeiner Weise nicht einverstanden sind, wenden sie sich bitte an den Hausmeister!

Text und Idee: 1995 Christian Feilcke & Kjell Kühne

How to learn languages easily

2006-12-07T13:50:00.000-08:00

You would like to learn another language? Here is a collection of hints and techniques that can help you achieve it. Basic knowledge: - Every child can learn every language in the world, and so can basically every adult. You just need good methods and enough motivation to keep you going. - If you simply count together all the minutes and hours you have been speaking a language you will get a pretty accurate picture of the level at which you speak it. It is learning by doing, just as you learned to speak in your own language and improved with time. - There is no limited capacity - the more you know, the easier it is to learn more (more stuff to connect with), the faster you learn! - Memory draws from all senses. The more senses you involve, the easier you remember. - Emotions help memory a great deal. - You learn to speak a word in the right context b y speaking it in the right context - every other technique might or might not help to achieve that. Traditional language classes are unfortunately too often out-of-context. Your attitude: - Learning a language is fun! That's why we do it. If it's fun, it works ten times faster than when it's not. If you are working on something that is not fun, give yourself a break and do something in the language that you really like to do! This will be a lot more effective than struggling through tough things, and it will keep your motivation high. - Making mistakes and having them pointed out is a good way of learning. Use it as much as possible! - Learning a language is like filling a barrel with water: nothing of what you've learned ever gets lost. - Seek out experiences that are at the upper limit of your ability. If it's too difficult you might loose your motivation, if it's too easy you might not learn anything new. - Challenge yourself! - Find accomplished learners, ask them how they have done it and use their best practices for yourself. (just like you do with reading this file) - There is a certain chemistry between people, in language as in many other parts of human interaction. Look for people that have your wavelength and spend as much time with them as you can. - Start right now! Don't wait for the language to come and knock on your door. You go and get it! Practicing strategies: - In your dictionary check out the things you already know. Whenever you have nothing better to do, look up some things you are unsure about. - When you ask for new words, write them down or mark them in your dictionary, that way you can practise/recall them later on. - Ask for funny and strange words - you remember them more easily and they help with other things. - Use every chance to speak the language, big ones and small ones. - Write your own dictionary. - Edit and enhance your hard-copy dictionary with slang, special vocabulary, corrections. - Hold dialogues with yourself in your head. - Tell yourself what you're doing. - Look up things in the dictionary right when you need them. - Look up things in the dictionary right before you need them. - Translate some stuff to your friends or to yourself. - Stay clear of traditional language courses - they might ruin your motivation and give you the feeling the language is difficult. If you're having fun there, however, they're safe to visit. You can also use them for inspiration. - If you read texts, look up new words in the dictionary - sooner or later you'll have to learn them anyway. Fill the barrel! - Let the other culture pervade your life. You never learn a language only, you also learn the culture. Eat the food, listen to the music, sing the songs, play the games, learn about the history, politics, do the sports, watch the movies, dance the dances,....! Communication strategies: - People are happy to find somebody who speaks their language, especially when they're far away from home - give them a good time! - Immediately point out if some new word has anything to do with anything else that you know. - Tell others about your funniest/coolest donkey bridges. You'll remember those easier and you will encourage yourself to make more and even cooler ones. (more about donkey bridges under "Memorization techniques" - Ask people to correct you. - Ask people: did I say it right? - Learn funny expressions, to make people laugh. - Learn very polite/rude/cool things to say and try to find out exactly when to use them - surprise people! - Describe unknown words/concepts with simple words, then ask for the real word. - New words: immediately use and keep repeating the new words for a while, until you feel you know them well. - Ask again and again if you fail to remember a new word. You never have to do this more often than 5-10 times, then you'll know for sure. - Try out new structures and grammatical rules immediately with a number of different examples. The more diverse, the better. - Use mimics for words you don't know and elicit the word. - If you have a strange gut feeling about any sentence, ask a native speaker how to say it right. - If you don't understand a conversation, catch one very "salient" word every once in a while and ask what it means - you'll be surprised at how much you get through understanding single words! - Be spontaneous, follow ideas that flush through your head, ask less-than-obvious questions. - Find people who you can understand very well. Spend more time with them, they're going to teach you a lot! - Find some nice people who can speak only the foreign language so that you have to speak only that language with them. - Hang out with people who speak the foreign language, rather than people who speak your own or English, etc. - Take difficult sentences, even if you know very little of the language, and let people help you to say them, going word by word. Try to make a very similar sentences with other words directly or shortly afterwards to establish the new achievement. Memorization techniques: - Does the new word remind you of any other word in any language that you know? - Make the connection. - Play around with the words/the language. - Make up stories, songs, rhymes, whatever silly comes to your head. - If a new word reminds you of something, nail it down. This something can be used later on to verify whether you've found the right word when you're in doubt. - When you find a new word, build a sentence containing the word and use it. This can be the most likely sentence to happen with that word, or a very funny sentence that comes to your mind. - When someone tells you something with a word that you have never used but you would like to know, just form a phrase asking something that contains the word, commenting on something using the word, etc. The important thing is that you start using the word immediately on the spot! This is a very effective and fast way to incorporate new things into your active vocabulary. - Make up funny, strange, emotional "donkey-bridges". A donkey bridge is a picture or expression that contains the word and is easy to remember. Example: - You could build one to exactly meet the target, but in my experience it works just as well to build them to somewhere near the target. Example: In Finnish heavy is raskas, light is kevyt. Kevyt reminded me somehow of "Kiebitz", a kind of bird. In Spanish, "rascarse" means to scratch oneself. So I imagine a guy sitting on the ground, scratching his ass, while a Kiebitz is sitting on his lap. The guy is obviously quite heavy compared to the bird who is lightweight. - If it is funny, it's easier to remember. If there is any emotion linked to the concept or picture, it's easier to remember. Equipment: - Buy a dictionary. You could learn a language without it, but it can speed up your learning a lot. Those that have sample expressions/phrases are best. Having it always with you is a good idea. This way you can contiually learn new words/expressions, verify when in doubt, fill "empty" moments with reading around in the dictionary. - If you understand German, get the Kauderwelsch book for the language. If you don't understand German, try to find a book that contains word-by-word translations. This "method" saves you the hassle of doing explicit grammar. Through word-by-word translations you just get the grammar naturally! - Find a book/dictionary that you like. If only looking at it and even more using it triggers positive emotions, this book is going to help you a lot in raising your motivation and really learning the language. - There is a very interesting computer program called "Rosetta Stone". You learn through pictures without any translation at all. You also get feedback for your own pronounciation. The program is quite expensive, but through emule or azureus you can also get it for free from your virtual buddies. How to keep it up: - If you speak a language once a month for a few minutes, it should be enough to keep it up. Some expressions might be less present, but you can always reactivate stuff you once knew by looking it up or hearing it again. Remember: nothing is lost! The only problem is that access gets difficult. But with language this doesn't matter much - there are always dictionaries or native speakers to help you regain that access. About grammar: - Grammatical structure is an issue for linguists, not for speakers of a language. You don't NEED it, just as the native speakers don't need it. There can be some cases where it helps you to understand the ways a language works. - I ALWAYS look for the examples!!! We have a built-in machine that generates grammatical structures by itself from the input we get. This is the way every child learns the grammar of its language without ever reading a book about grammar. If we skip the examples and read the grammatical rules it is like reading the menu but not eating the food. About confusion: - You start to confuse languages ONLY when you stop speaking/practicing one while you learn the other. It could even happen with totally unrelated languages, just because they share the status "foreign language". - If you do practise several languages at the same time, they will try to mingle at times, but generally the more you switch back and forth, the faster you will develop independent "infrastructures" in your head. Example: My Spanish was tops. Then I went to Brazil. After one month I was fluent in Portuguese. When I had the idea to speak Spanish again and tried, it was impossible!!! Everything came out in Portuguese. Not one sentence. I was really shocked. The following month I spoke Spanish to myself while continuing to communicate in Portuguese with everybody else. Now my Spanish is back to normal again, my Portuguese is good and I can switch back and forth between the two without problems. Here are more hints and ideas: http://kjells.a.wiki-site.com/index.php/Language_Learning About myself: My name is Kjell Kühne. I am from Germany, started learning foreign languages at age 10. At age 25 I speak German, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Chinese, Indonesian and Lingala fluently and can communicate somewhat in Finnish, Norwegian, Russian, Arabic, Japanese and Thai. I am interested in helping others to learn languages faster and easier. So I am trying to develop new methods of teaching/learning languages. I am looking for other persons who speak many languages fluently. If you know of any other people who speak lots of languages or you know some innovative ways of learning languages, please let me know! (at kjell @ hospitalityclub.org)

Ecological Solutions for everyday life

2006-12-07T10:33:00.000-08:00

I will start to publish a list of solutions - small and big - for challenges related to sustainability that we face in our everyday lives. Take a look here: http://eco-solutions.blogspot.com/

US Embassy denies visa

2006-11-17T18:46:00.000-08:00

After spending over 900 US$ (between the Department of Anthropology at Berkeley and me), travelling all the way to El Salvador from Mexico and making this whole thing a priority for several weeks of my life, an unfriendly consular officer at the US Embassy in San Salvador denied me the visa to the US. And he didn't even tell me the truth about the reasons. See the details of all that went wrong in the whole process in the mail below which I sent to the Consul General the same day.

Von: Kjell Kühne

An: congensansal@state.gov

Datum: 09.11.2006 20:41

Betreff: flawed visa application process

To Ms. Virginia Hotchner.

Dear Ms. Hotchner,
I am writing to draw your attention to several nuisances that I have found with the service that you provide to visa applicants. As I understand, you are the head of those operations, so I feel that you are the right person to turn to. Besides, it seems that you have been directly involved in my case. (I'll use numbers, to make it easier for you.)

1. I found it impossible to make my appointment at your Embassy, being in Mexico at the time. I do not have a credit card and did not have close Salvadorean friends at the time. Since getting an interview appointment involves several days of waiting time even if it is an emergency appointment, this seems unreasonable.

2. When calling the paid call service I always pressed "one for English" and was always answered in Spanish. One time I insisted that I would like to speak in English, but unfortunately had to find that my interlocutor's English was so bad that I wasn't able to understand him and had to switch back to Spanish. Bad if you have to rely on it!

3. In total I needed to call that service six times, and one of the persons treated me badly: his name is Diego Torres. He seemed offended when I asked him to do everything as quickly as he can (it was the sixth time that I was calling that service). I asked him to tell me the time and number of my interview, but he refused to and insisted to read out the complete text of documents that need to be presented at the interview. I told him that I knew, and had checked it on the internet, but he insisted. Only after finishing all that would he tell me the date and number of my interview. The call lasted 13 minutes (more than 27$ on my friend's phone bill). None of the other operators had taken so much time or read all that stuff that I already knew. Finally I am not even sure that he correctly scheduled my interview, because when I arrived on Tuesday morning, the guy at the desk who checks if applications are complete didn't have me on the list. The interview number was 299. Oh, and he also gave me false information. He told me to bring a photo of 2 by 2 centimeters. I corrected him and said "inches", but he insisted.

4. When calling the expensive call service I was first told that I could make an appointment from Guatemala, but would have to buy another card. When I did so, I was told that I would need to travel to El Salvador first and then be able to make an appointment. I insisted and was given the appointment.

5. Today I had to call the main operator four times before she responded to my request to answer one question. She wasn't actually able to answer but then forwarded me to another person and finally my question was answered. The question was whether it would be possible to arrive after 10 am for the interview, because I had been told I could come any day until 10 am but would not have been able to arrive at that time, but since it was an emergency case I suspected that your officers would be so nice to let me pass even after 10 am, which they were in fact. But the main operator put me on the automatic voice at least three times even though I explicitly asked her not to do so but to listen to my question.

6. On the phone I was told that I did not need to fill out forms DS 157 and DS 158 again. But at the application-check desk the officer told me to fill out those forms again. I was about to do it when I had the idea to ask him to confirm "inside" that it wasn't needed. He pulled a cell phone out of his pocket, made a quick call and put the stamp on my application - without the two documents (they are contained in the original application).

4, 5 and 6 are not big issues, but if I was not so self-assure I would have been suffering a lot more to finally get my visa rejected. It seems like not taking your workers and the information they give seriously is the appropriate strategy!

7. The consular officer who did my interview - a slightly obese man called Enrique - told me that he had decided to reject my application after the first interview on Tuesday, then re-checked with you. Nonetheless I was not informed of that decision. On the application I was asked to provide address and phones here in El Salvador, so you could get in touch with me if necessary. He did not deem it necessary to inform me of the rejection, but rather asked me to get a new passport (83$), pay the Sevis fee (117$ at Western Union) and come back as quickly as possible to process my visa. So I went ahead and spent that money. I was very surprised (in a negative way) to learn that the decision to reject my visa had been taken before I arrived the second time (today, Thursday).

8. The reason for rejecting my visa that Enrique told me was that he was not able to judge the strength of my links with Germany. A consular officer in Germany would be able to do so. Hence I have to apply in Germany. This seems to be a convenient lie, as it turned out. When I called the call service from Guatemala, they told me about the possibility to apply for a visa here in El Salvador. That is why I came here in the first place. On your homepage it says that I "may have more difficulty proving outside of my own country that I meet the legal requirements for obtaining a nonimmigrant visa.". Still, third country nationals are invited to apply. If it is impossible for your officers to take the decision, you should not allow it alltogether. I consider this policy a trap which I got caught in. Not nice.

9. After insisting a bit in the "ties to my country" point, Enrique told me that he actually felt confident to judge my ties to Germany and had asked me questions concerning that on Tuesday, and had rechecked with you! The first reason he told me turned out to be a lie. A German consular officer would have to stick to the same laws in his decision. So the case was not that he couldn't judge, he could judge and he judged that my ties were not sufficient. And you supported that judgment.

10. The supposed "ties" questions Enrique asked me were about my parents' employment and how I finance my travels. In no moment did he ask me explicitly about my ties to Germany or my plans after the stay in the US. He grounded his decision in very limited information and speculations. I was prepared to show evidence about my financial situation and that of my father and I was of course willing to provide any evidence necessary for going sure that I would actually return to Germany after my stay in the US. But I was never asked for such information. When Enrique finished the first interview he asked me to get a new passport and return with that. But he did not ask me for any evidence of my ties to Germany. He said there is no hidden agenda, but in my point of view that is what a hidden agenda is: not telling the other party which topic you are talking about and what kind of information you are trying to get.

11. In the leaflet I got, social, family and economic ties to my home country are mentioned. None of the information requested in the interview addressed those. (unless you would say that the job of my parents are relevant for me being a 27 year old man)

If you look at all these points you might understand why I am quite upset with the "service" that you provide. The process includes several technical errors, and I cannot accept a decision in such a way. Throughout the process I could feel a lack of respect and appreciation of your workers and officials for my person. Not of all, many were very friendly and efficient, but the general lesson is that your department does not care too much about its "customers".

You are representing the US. Unfortunately your service reflects very poorly on your country. I know that you are not a good representation of the US people. I have many friends in the US and they are marvelous people. You DO represent the US government. And I think you represent it well. My image of the US government is that it doesn't care much about the people. Not about their own and a lot less about others. This is what I learned of this experience.

I would be happy to read your thoughts, but I don't expect you to reply. I have gotten the message of the US government to me. So you are probably able to dismiss this email as irrelevant and leave it at that. But you will not be able to forget my words. I am nobody. You cannot damage me. You can only damage yourself.

with greetings,

Kjell Kuehne

--
www.hospitalityclub.org
the world wide community of friendly people

Half Marathon San Salvador - Boqueron

2006-11-10T10:48:00.000-08:00

On wednesday, Nov 8th I ran about 21kms together with my friend Miguel (HC:vikinghell) from his house in San Salvador to the rim of the crater of the "Boqueron". Here you can see the route in Google Earth. It took me about 2:40 h.

Waste and its solution - Basura y las soluciones para ese problema

2006-10-06T20:17:00.000-07:00

This is a mindmap on waste and its solutions. The following Spanish text explains more in depth.

Este mindmap es en inglés y le corresponde al siguiente texto:

Hola amigos!
Prometí de darles un poco de orientación sobre el tema de la basura, como yo lo veo. Primero quise escribir un texto, pero rapido me di cuenta que las ideas son más claras si uno las dibuja. Por eso hice un tipo de esquema. Esta en inglés, pero no importa, por que igual se lo tengo que explicar. Ahi va:

El tema central es basura (waste) y se puede clasificar (arriba) en materiales, o sea: sólido, líquido y gaseoso y segun las fuentes (sources): comida (food), ropa (clothing), vivienda (housing), transporte y consumerismo. Es bueno analizar cada una de las necesidades del hombre, para ver que tipo de y que tanta basura produce. Es importante de analizar al nivel de las necesidades (tal vez en vez de fuentes, sources, deberiamos llamar esa rama necesidades). Si analizamos al nivel de los productos, pues muchas veces si cambiamos un producto por otro, ese también tiene un impacto y así no ganamos mucho. Pero si analizamos al nivel de las necesidades, rapido nos damos cuenta que muchas necesidades del hombre se pueden satisfacer sin producir basura! A poco nuestros abuelos en su epoca fabricaron montones de basura? A poco vivieron muy mal? El reto es de mejorar la vida, pero sin fabricar mas basura y sin deteriorar el medio ambiente, nuestra fuente de vida.

Antes de tornar a las soluciones (la parte de abajo), miramos las razones (reasons) por que se produce basura y las consequencias o los efectos (effects) de la basura. Esto es para que ustedes puedan hacer su proprio analisis en el que intentan de identificar en cuales de las razones es mas faciles trabajar para hacer un cambio, y cuales de los efectos son mas graves y por lo tanto se vuelven prioritarios.

Entre las razones por las que producimos basura se encuentran: Alejamiento (alienation) de la naturaleza que nos mantiene y nos alimenta. En Alemania hemos llegado a tal grado que la mayoria de la gente no sabe de donde provienen los materiales y las cosas que visten, utilizan, comen, etc. En la medida que no lo sabemos, tampoco asociamos el sufrimiento de la madre tierra con nuestro propio estilo de vida. El estilo de vida (lifestyle) es otra razon. Un hecho lamentable es que hoy en dia un estilo de vida "moderno" que produce un monton de basura les parece prestigioso a mucha gente. Otra cosa que tenemos que tomar en cuenta es que exsite cierta inercia: cuando me he acostumbrado a hacer las cosas de cierta manera, hay que hacer un gran esfuerzo para cambiar. Eso es cierto tanto al nivel individual ("es que los otros refrescos no saben igual!") como al nivel de la sociedad. - Si hay todo una infraestructura para ciertas "soluciones", comerciantes, empresas, empleados etc. hay muchos intereses (interests) que pueden frenar iniciativas para cambiar hacia otros estilos de vida o simplemente otras "soluciones" o otros productos. Otra razon son incentivos (incentives) de parte del gobierno. Eso puede ser en subsidios directos para actividades malas, o en una complicidad en negocios, donde el politico gana una parte y le deja hacer al empresario. Para un politico corrupto es mucho mejor que la poblacion tome agua embotellada - y el pueda ganar su mordida, de que lo tomen directamente de los rios o los pozos. Cualquier solucion decentral y autonoma para la satisfaccion de las necesidades de la gente le deprive al politico corrupto de la posibilidad de ganar dinero. Otra razon por la que hay mucha basura es que existe una industria (industry) que los produce. Eso esta muy vinculado con lo de los intereses y la inercia. Si alguien ha estado invertiendo mucho dinero en construir una fábrica, no puede permitir que se deje de consumir sus productos. Va a perder su inversión! Entonces hay que hacer que la gente siga consumiendo lo que la fábrica produce. Cueste lo que cueste. Pero no tiene que ser, que produce mucha basura. Realmente, si una industria produce mucha basura o productos que luego se desechan, es que está desperdiciando su materia prima. Sobre todo si se trata de materiales anorganicos (que no provienen de ningun animal y ninguna planta) eso es grave. Pero existen metodos para ayudar a la industria a descubrir como pueden reducir los deshechos y ganar mas dinero! En eso se puede trabajar, incluso con niños. Han surgido soluciones muy bonitas! Y los jovenes ya luego vienen con un entendimiento muy profundo del asunto.

Los efectos (effects) nocivos de la basura son los siguientes: menos salud (health); más cambio climático (climate change), que nos afecta a todos, pero sobre todo a los pobres que no tienen manera de aliviar los golpes del clima; menos estética (aesthetics) - un efecto muy citado que en mi opinión no es tan fundamental, pero se puede utilizar para mobilizar a la gente; menos biodiversidad (biodiversity) - los rios contaminados ya no albergan muchas especies; mas alejamiento (alienation) del medio ambiente y la madre tierra (ver razones); menos empleo (jobs) - lo que pasa es que las soluciones menos contaminantes involucran más esfuerzo humano en casi todos los casos, así que la cantidad de basura es un indicador por la mano de obra que está siendo substituida por trabajo de máquinas - creando desempleo. Ahi la cuestión básica es, si es necesario comprar todo al precio mas bajo que se pueda mientras mi vecino se queda desempleado. Asi funcionan nuestras sociedades individualistas y capitalistas. Se dice que cuando uno es pobre, pues tiene poco dinero, pues solo puede comprar las cosas mas baratas. Pero yo creo que cuando uno es pobre y conoce el sufrimiento, pues tambien conoce el valor de la solidaridad. Entonces en una sociedad solidaria tal vez se pueden ayudar las personas entre ellos, comprandose unos a los otros, en vez de a las grandes empresas. Es probable que cada uno pueda comprar un poco menos de cosas con su dinero. Pero lo importante es que el dinero se quede en la comunidad (o en el pais). Si no, la ganancia se la llevan los ricos o incluso los extranjeros, y ahi si de verdad la gente queda mas pobre.

Acerca de las soluciones para el problema de la basura distingo entre tres diferentes formas: tratamiento (treatment), transformación y eliminación de la basura.

En el tratamiento nosotros, los Alemanes estamos muy avanzados. Se collecciona (collect) la basura separadamente segun su material, o en algunos casos despues de juntar la se separan los diferentes tipos de materiales(separate). Luego una parte se recicla (recycle): el papel, el vidrio, los metales, incluso algunos plasticos. Lo que no se puede o que no se quiere reciclar, pues se quema (burn). Ahi son importantes los filtros, para que las sustancias nocivas para la salud humana que pueden causar cancer no escapen. Las cenizas, o la basura misma cuando no se quema se almacena (store). Y ahi esta, ese es nuestro sistema. Pero no se lo recomiendo mucho. Para los materiales que se pueden reciclar muy bien, sí. Pero para la mayoría de las cosas hay soluciones mucho mas elegantes.

La transformación (transformation) puede hacerse de diferentes formas. El reciclaje es una. Creo que el ramo de reciclar - recycling - es mas apropriado en este lugar, pues se trata de una transformación de los materiales en nuevos productos. También se pueden hacer objetos artisticos (trash-art) o incluso moda de basura. Es una cosa que he visto en muchos lugares, pero a parte de servir de inspiración para la gente no cambia realmente nada en los grandes flujos de materiales y de basura. Asi que lo que a mi me parece mejor es aplicar el metodo de cero emisiones (ZERI), que pregunta para cada producto o servicio cuales son los materiales que se utilizan y cuales son los que se desechan. Para cada material de desecho intenta de identificar por lo menos un nuevo destino, donde crea otro producto. También es un trabajo muy creativo, donde idealmente al final se elimina todo material de basura y se crean muchos productos o servicios nuevos, y empleo tambien. Es el mencionado proyecto que se puede hacer incluso con niños y jovenes. Otra solución para la transformación de desechos peligrosos se llama saneamiento ecológico (eco-sanitation). Los desechos humanos de las letrinas, realmente no deberían ser una fuente de enfermedades, malos olores y contaminación. Ellos contienen muchos nutrientes. Con el debido tratamiento (para matar a los germenes y microorganismos que nos causan enfermedades), cual puede ser atraves de secarlo o compostarlo, se puede utilizar como buen fertilizante. El sistema que tenemos en Alemania, que es mezclar lo todo con mucha agua, llevarlo por tuberías y canales cerrados y luego darle tratamiento en una planta de tratamiento de aguas negras, es muy costoso, peligroso y ineficiente. No se lo recomiendo. En cambio sobre el saneamiento ecológico existen muchos conocimientos tradicionales asi como experiencias recientes en diferentes partes del mundo. En esto se puede trabajar muy bien y con mucho beneficio.

La eliminación completa (elimination) de la basura es la solución más elegante. Para eso se necesita un diseño (design) de soluciones para la satisfacción de las necesidades de la gente, que simplemente no produce basura. Nuestros abuelos conocen muchas soluciones, y nosotros con creatividad y inteligencia podemos crear nuevas soluciones donde sea necesario. Algunos factores pueden contribuir muy fuertemente al surgimiento y al éxito de ese tipo de soluciones. Leyes y reglas pueden incentivar o disincentivar la producción de basura. Si digamos que hay un impuesto (por ejemplo del municipio) sobre platos desechables, rapido se acuerda la gente que se pueden utilizar platos de otros materiales y luego lavarlos o se pueden utilizar hojas de platano. En otros casos, donde las soluciones elegantes y ecologicas no son tan conocidas o alcanzables, es bueno de ofrecer ayuda al mismo momento que dar un empujón (push'n'pull - significa "empuja y jala"). Un ejemplo es la energía. El carbón, el petróleo, el gas natural y el uranio (para energía nuclear) son todos muy malos para el medio ambiente. Se les llama "fósiles" por que se encuentran de bajo de la tierra. Los primeros tres contribuyen mucho al cambio climatico, el tercero nos contamina con radiación. Aparte desplazan a comunidades indígenas de sus tierras, destruyen areas naturales importantes, etc. La solución son energías renovables: el agua, el viento, el sol, la geotermía y incluso todas las plantas, por que almacenan la energía del sol. Estas energías se pueden utilizar a nivel local. Pero para que la gente los utilice, necesitan un poco de ayuda técnica. Entonces a la hora de poner un impuesto sobre las fuentes de energías fósiles, es bueno ofrecer ayuda para cambiar hacia las energías renovables. Y a la hora de prohibir o hacer caras las bolsas de plástico es bueno de haber pensado sobre como la gente le va hacer sin ellas. El estilo de vida (lifestyle) naturalmente puede cambiarse de manera que ya no produzca cantidades significativas de basura. En este documento ya hay algunas pistas que seguir para alcanzar ese objetivo. Sobre todo la integración de la economía local tiene grandes potenciales tanto para la eliminación de basura como para la creación de empleo. Si la mayoría de las necesidades de la gente se satisfacen con productos y soluciones locales, casi no hay espacio para que se crea basura. Un punto de partida es la conciencia (consciousness) de la gente. Con información (information) y con discusiónes se puede concientizar a la gente. Eso raras veces lleva directamente a la acción, pero siempre es el primer paso para cambiar las cosas. El modelo básico de la naturaleza, un ciclo donde los materiales alimentan a algun ser vivo a cada paso en el ciclo es el ideal. El modelo que los paises supuestamente "desarrollados" nos quieren imponer es uno linear: recursos naturales se convierten en productos y luego en basura. O sea, nuestra satisfacción de nuestras necesidades (o nuestras ganas de consumir) causan la transformación de recursos naturales en basura y causan todos los efectos negativos arriba mencionados. Eso es un regalo muy podrido de "desarrollo"! Comparando esos dos modelos básicos, ya podemos entender hacia done están las soluciones y hacia donde nos tenemos que desarrollar de aqui en adelante.

Espero que les sirva para algo. Por favor mandenme preguntas, comentarios, ideas etc. que tengan. No se acaba con esto. Me gustaría poder ayudarles mas!

muchos saludos de Chiapas,
Kjell

2006-10-06T16:56:00.000-07:00

Practicing Capoeira with my friend Sayo from Japan Meia Lua Gingando Playing the Berimbau Rosario and me