Who has heard about Fannie and Freddie? Heres to the introduction:

Fannie Mae

and

Freddie Mac

have entered public consciousness in WSJ, IHT, Financial Times and Top European newspapers and magazines. AND the US Election publicity. As much in the Obama camp as McCain troops. While I usually do not comment about financial markets and economic change this case seems to be a good opportunity to make something clear about profound change.

its about pre-blue loopholes in the international and global financial markets. Orange WSJ folks comment about these issues extensively. And right they are. These deep systemic wildfire-like spreading of unresponsible and not checked by the governments - phenomena and breakaway scenarios - are a serious topic for change.

And it needs inspection. Money, economy, finances need inspection. There is no magic anywhere which evolves these areas. of private AND public interest.

Indeed blue supervision (in spiral terms) as much in Clinton Time as in G.W Bush Time was seriously missing. Again, the same in Germany to be seen.

Here is an IHT article about the case. I am not AS easy as Krugmann about it.  Just want to remind how complex and long the way will be for ANY giovernment in the world to really implement integral sustainable strategies and solutions in these areas.

Only a transpartisan approach of global reach and depth can do it. See also this paper of Peter Merry which I posted last year for an even bigger context:

Strategies for Bridging Global Gaps



Krugman: Fannie and Freddie

By Paul Krugman PRINCETON, New Jersey:  Fannie and  Freddie

And now we've reached the next stage of the seemingly never-ending financial crisis. This time Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are in the headlines, with dire warnings of imminent collapse. How worried should we be?

Well, I'm going to take a contrarian position: The storm over these particular lenders is overblown. Fannie and Freddie probably will need a government rescue. But since it's already clear that that rescue will take place, their problems won't take down the U.S. economy.

Furthermore, while Fannie and Freddie are problematic institutions, they aren't responsible for the mess we're in.

Here's the background: Fannie Mae - the Federal National Mortgage Association - was created in the 1930s to facilitate homeownership in the United States by buying mortgages from banks, freeing up cash that could be used to make new loans. Fannie and Freddie Mac, which does pretty much the same thing, now finance most of the home loans being made in America.

Read more

Harry Kreisler in conversation with Josef Joffe.

Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes Die Zeit Publisher/Editor Josef Joffe for a discussion of America's role in the 21st century. Starting with an analysis of the differences between a bi-polar and a uni-polar world, Joffe analyzes the roots of anti Americanism, seeks to define a global strategy for U.S. foreign policy, and offers a unique perspective on the different worlds the U.S. confronts,the Berlin/Berkeley axis-a post modern world of information technology and no possibility of war-- and the Beijing/Baghdad axis-a world of nationalism where war is still possible.

A lightminded excursion  for International Hherald Tribune of

Josef Joffe,

editor and publisher of German weekly newspaper DIE ZEIT. Fareed Zakaria calls Josef Joffe even one of Europes biggest Intellectuals. Well, this statement alone shows me that LOTS of transatlantic communication-in-depth is still to be done! And it cannot be left to Journalists, Polticians and Consultants alone...

My take on the theme:

its a simple snapshot of feelings and atmospheric observations. Europe as much as US need to awaken to the world of 21st century where the Asia Pacific World is emerging rapidly and with great power. The felt basis temperature of Joffes measuring of Europe as much as America is the  simple stagnant status quo of two social-cultural holons which need new dynamics, perspectives and bold appproaches to act with intelligence, strategic imagination and geopolitical wizardry on a planet with 6-7 billion earthlings of whom 70 percent -more than 4 billion! -are far away from enlightenment standards a declining intellectual elite! as much in Europe as in USA are meditating on.

Viva la Difference can only mean a strong understanding of stratified democracy and very different shifts on the globe. The parts of the world which belong to the second or third worlds will feel intuitively if the elites in Europe and USA are awakening to these realities.

At the heart of human emergence are Ccaucasus- and Palestine/Israel conflict too. Mr Jofffe, discover the differences in new light. And with new lenses!

America and Europe: Viva La Difference!


It's decline time again in America, like every 20 years or so.

Last time round, in 1988, the doomsayers got everything right - except the name of the country. For it was the Soviet Union which collapsed while the United States went on to savor its "unipolar moment." This time it is a consumptive greenback, shrinking credit, soaring gas and two wars with no V-Day in sight in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Now let's look across the Atlantic where Europe used to strike Americans as one huge Disneyland with real castles and wondrous shopping arcades, like H&M (for the kids) and Hermès (for the Kerrys).

Today, the Manolo is on the other foot, or, more apropos, in the other shopping bag. Over the last eight years, the euro has almost doubled in value against the dollar. It used to be the Japanese who bought Fifth Avenue dry; now it is those Euro hordes and even Russians! They even come to buy their own stuff - Prada, Zara, whateva - which usually costs a lot more in Milan than in Manhattan.

So what do the Europeans have the Americans don't? Above all, more time. At home, Barack Obama could never pull in 200,000 as he did in Berlin in July.

Want to foreward this from Elza Maalouf for all who might be interested in this conference or know some people  for whom its relevant.. APA (American Psychology Association has offered already to establish the SDi Approach in Academia and initiating a complete new global branch of psychology.)

Announcement:


Don and I will be presenting at the Engaging the Other Conference in San Francisco

http://www.cbiworld.org/Pages/Conferences_ETO_ProgSessions08.htm .
 
Sept 4-7, 2008.

For the first time, Don will reveal certain aspects of Large Scale Psychology (the new branch of psychology that he is introducing to APA in 2009) in particular the recognition of the master codes that shape whole societies and how to impact large scale systems with integral design engineering principles, processes and strategies.  As you all know, Don is virtually the "pathfinder" of master codes in large scale systems with applications in 1st, 2nd and 3rd world societies. Further, he will roll out the Assimilation-Contrast Effect (ACE) that describes how the Us vs. Them polarization forms, thus producing the "face of the enemy" in the other. This is the critical process that creates serious conflicts between tribes, empires, ideologies (such as Shia and Sunni) and even between the "Red" and "Blue" states in this country. The entire package is part of the Large Scale Psychology templates, illustrates how to defuse the conflict, build over arching superordinate goals, and find ways to integrate common interests beyond the rigid and dangerous borders and boundaries. The concept has been field-tested within many societies where a dangerous civil war was the only apparent option. Beck worked with Professor Muzafer Sherif while at the University of Oklahoma and was a graduate assistant at the Institute for Group Relations that produced the autokinetic physical judgment study and the world famous Robber's Cave experiment.

I will present the major application of Large Scale Psychology we have designed and continue to apply in Palestine: including how we are uncovering the master code that shapes the Palestinian society, and will give concrete details about the processes and strategies we are following to impact change/emergence. This will be a case study in the Natural Design framework and the application of the ACE technology both within Israel and within Palestine and between Israel and Palestine (Intra-Conflict and Inter-Conflict), while creating a compelling future vision - of Israel/Palestine as the Hong Kong of the Middle East or the Dubai of the Levant- that will benefit all and anticipate the next moves in the dangerous dance between the Middle East and the West.

We would appreciate you posting this announcement on your blogs, and/or forwarding it to people who might want to attend. Topic and date are listed below.

My Best,

Elza S. Maalouf
Co-Founder, CEO
Center For Human Emergence-Middle East
http://www.che-mideast.org/
Founding Partner
Integral Insights Consulting Group
http://www.integralinsights.net/


"Psychology at the Large Scale: the Design and Transformation of Whole societies" Sept 5,   2:00 - 3:30 pm
This presentation will feature Spiral Dynamics, a biopsychosocial and value system driven framework and illustrate its role in diagnosing and defusing "us -vs- them" polarity. It will identify eight different types or variations of worldviews, and will uncover the "DNA-like" Master Code that shapes cultural emergence, conflict, transitions, and transformation. It will describe the conditions for large scale societal change which will guide decision-makers to know what to do, when, in what manner, with which resources. Finally, It will address the critical issues with regard to nation-states, large cultural and global movements with a focus on a major Nation Building design and application in Palestine.
Don Edward Beck, PhD., Elza Maalouf, JD. (Lecture, Experiential, Discussion)

EVENING PLENARY ROUNDTABLE: 
Sept 5, 7:00 - 8:45 pm
"The Development of Identity: Our Personal and Historical Relationship with The Other"
- What is the role of The Other in the process of establishing our personal and communal identities, and belief systems related to these?
- How can this role take on negative characteristics, and how can it be transformed from negative to positive?
Maureen O'Hara, PhD, Don Edward Beck, PhD, Sal Nunez, JD, Michael Nagler, PhD
Moderaters: Aftab Omer, PhD, and Steve Olweean, MA

A Post Convention analysis from Norman Birnbaum. Very pragmatic and -for me -intuitively grasping that changing direction of history never could be anticipated by looking into the crystal ball or making rain dances or making theoretical algorithms.

Staged Unity in Denver

Occasionally, serious issues are up for debate at political conventions in the United States. But not at the Democratic convention in Denver. Political analyst and sociologist Norman Birnbaum writes that the Democrats scripted a tightly-controlled performance of unity.


Having just been to the Democratic National Convention in Denver, one could come away regretting having missed some of the lively parties held in the evenings. There is very little else to regret. Television has provided the essentials. For every Denver blog worth reading, there are 10 which are notable only for their authors' self-important obtuseness and querulousness.





Why, however, should unknown citizens not have the same right as our media stars -- to make fools of themselves? The major theme of newspaper and television reporting, sedulously repeated by bloggers claiming that they have independent perspectives, was entirely exaggerated. Would the Clintons, defeated in their bid to return to power, take their revenge by somehow sabotaging or stealing Obama's show? Of course not: the Clintons, more than anyone, have no taste for permanent residence in the political wilderness. To give less than full support to Obama would be to risk being blamed for his defeat, should that happen. Should he win, despite their efforts to defeat him, his revenge would be pitiless. In either case, the Clinton's chances for a return to power of some sort would be very reduced.
...
How did the speech affect the nation? We will not know, even when the polls give us their answers. There are some 50,000 historians, political scientists and social psychologists in our universities. Fifteen-thousand political journalists were at the convention. There are thousands of chroniclers and writers, and innumerable veterans of recent politics not at all reticent about sharing the lessons they have learned. We can add the professional advisors and consultants who live not for but from politics -- thousands in Washington alone. They have one thing in common: They cannot really predict how and why our citizens will vote. (The historians, for example, are still arguing about the elections of 1832.)

Continue Reading....

The new Integral leadership Review August 2008 includes:

Table of Contents, August 2008

 Leadership Quote: John C. Gordan and Joyce K. Berry

 Leading Comments: This Issue

Russ Volckmann says this:

"I am continuously amazed at the growing amount of work that is being done related to an integral, developmental and transdisciplinary approach to the subject of leadership."

And, indeed, the approaches, practices and engagements are as much emerging as converging. Like in other areas of Integral Consciousness. Once again it becomes obvious that no magic "shift" is happening. No dreamy fantasies about the "secret" and "no size fits all" approach.

As Bureau Chief of Integral leadership Review for German speaking countries Switzerland, Austria and Germany I am preparing -together with Dorothea Zimmer who is representing SDi Core Group in these countries -an article about the special situation in Germany and relationship Germany to Europe.  This hasnt been done for ANY country right now..except the Netherlands. and I know the time has come.

Its a risky thing and therefore I willl take responsibility in it. Leadership and National IdIentity, European Identity and Global Identity can only be articulated by people living and working here. Thus providing as much first- second- and third person perspec tives.

And I will -as far as my rare time allows me, as Blogging demands lots of continued and intense attention in cognitive, emotional , mental and energetic ways -circle my blogging increasingly around my very personal ansd subjective view and feelings regarding these issues. This what Ken Wilber -in his Wilber 5 Work cycle- describes at perceiving the horizones and perspectives of the 4 quadrants from inside AND outside. thus creating basically 8 hori-zones. 

It will look very subjective and partial, however  passionately pursuing and expressing my feelings as much as my insights. Immersing without compromise into the unknown as much s the chartered territory. Knowing we all are strangers in a strange land. The breathing and fragile invisible connection bertween most intimate sharings and public communication makes us vulnerable. 

But only in this way the black boxes of minds, hearts and guts become transparent at tleast. The  personal stories of public leaders in the US elections, europe and elsewehere are often more touching for me than programmes, concepts and the predictable soundbytes.

 Integral Theory and Integral Action, Part 11: Mark Edwards and Russ Volckmann

Leadership Coaching Tip: Aboodi Shabi, The Availability of a Leader

A Fresh Perspective: Leadership Down Under-An Interview with Ron Cacioppe

 Dialogue: Andrew Campbell and Patric Roberts, The Horse, the Magpie, the Buffalo and the Hoop

 Kalman's Kosmos: Sara Ross-Goldstein, J. A. (2007). "A New Model for Emergence and Its Leadership Implications."

Article: Robin Wood, Catalysing the Second Renaissance: Creating a Sustainable Business Model for a Thriving Planet

 Article: Raghu Ananthanarayan, Leadership in Indian Corporations Through the SDi Lens

Integral for the Masses: Keith Bellamy, Leadership Lessons from Randy

 Article: Helen Titchen, The Both/And of Leadership in Living Systems Change

 Article: Barbara Crosby, Theoretical Foundations of Integrative Leadership

 Leadership Cartoon: For Bill Bates

Leadership Cartoon: Guest Cartoonist, Mark Hughes

 Article: Brian van der Horst, The Law of Requisite Contrariety


Global Values Update: Alan Tonkin, Developing Countries, Democracy & Values

Article: Amiel Handelsman, Leaders Want to be Loved: What So Wrong with That?


Notes from the Field

 Roberto Bonilla, Integral Mexico Project

 Laura Horne, The Simplicity of Complexity, Don Beck and Elsa Maalouf at the World Futures Society Conference

Edward Kelly, Gayle Young and Russ Volckmann, Integral Theory Conference 2008
 Kim Smith, Photo Journal of the Integral Theory Conference

 Robin Wood, Renaissance 2 Announcements: Switzerland, Canada, USA

 Leadership Emerging:

"CEO Survey: Forward March," Inc. Special Issue 500: Meet This Year's Fastest-Growing Private Companies
James K. Hazy, Jeffrey A. Goldstein, and Benyamin B. Lichtenstein, Eds. Complex Systems Leadership Theory
Stewart D. Friedman, Total Leadership
Annie McKee, Richard Boyatzis, and Frances Johnston. Becoming a Resonant Leader
David Rock. Quiet Leadership
Frances Hesselbein and Alan Shrader, Eds. Leader to Leader2
John D. Adams, ed. Transforming Leadership

CODA: Thriving in the Face of Urgency

 Forbes once again ranked the worlds 100 most powerful women. It revealing how power, access and control to revenue and public viisibility are defined and seen. German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel is Number One again.



Congratulations, Frau Bundeskanzlerin, from me, from this place too. Hope one day we can contribute something together for Innovation and Change in Germany and Europe together. You might not know right now that I am one of your biggest fan since 1999 when you wrote this remarkable article in FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG 3 days before Christmas.

You have started to exemplify beginning of understanding of stratified democracy. Your ability to shape biggest constellations for change with feeling, power, determination, timing and intelligence -on national, EU and World Levels is unique.

And:):) I am delighted how you expressed your joy publicly in 2006 during lFIFA Worldcup 2006


 
Special Report
The World's 100 Most Powerful Women
Edited by Mary Ellen Egan and Chana R. Schoenberger 08.27.08, 6:00 PM ET


Our annual ranking of the most powerful women in the world measures "power" as a composite of public profile--calculated using press mentions--and financial heft. The economic component of the ranking considers job title and past career accomplishments, as well as the amount of money the woman controls. 

A chief executive "controls" the revenue of her business, for instance, while a head of state gets the country's gross domestic product. The raw numbers are modified to allow comparisons across financial realms.

For the third year running Germany's chancellor, Angela Merkel, is the world's most powerful woman. U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton (overall rank: 28) is the woman with the highest public profile, resulting from the intense media scrutiny of her failed presidential bid.

More ...

 The World's Most Powerful Women

Some critical observations from SPIEGEL ONLINE Washinton Correspondentt Gabor Steingart regarding the Democratic Convention. These insights show that no magic bullets and mantras for change are enough. Even gaps inside one party need to be outgrown and understood.

No flying carpets with "WE are all one" songs are working. in the case of US Elections 2008 this realzation has its coming out even before Oabama is nominated....

Democrats Divided by an Obama Shaped Wedge

By Gabor Steingart

At the Democratic National Convention this week, it will become clear that the Democrats have a long way to go before they can speak of unity. The party is split into at least three factions.

Monday evening will witness the kickoff of the Democratic National Convention in Denver. It promises to be a raucous spectacle, complete with much talk about "change." Indeed, only one other word might have a chance of competing: "unity." But no matter how often we hear that word, the Democrats won't be able to cover up one glaring fact: This year, there isn't one single Democratic Party. Rather, there are at least three of them.

Continue Reading....

As Change has now an irreversible buzz- as much in  Eiurope, USA and elsewhere - I found 5 points from

Dorothea Zimmer who is representing  the yet small Spiral Dynamics Integral Group

in Germany, very helpful.  They were written down in 2006 orginally adressing the Israel /Palestine intitiative with Don Beck and Elza Maalouf:

http://www.che-mideast.org/

I am preparing myself now for final countdown to get CHE Germany started. It was in the past years and it is right a big , even tough challenge to come to this moment. With Germany, Austria and Switzerland having roundabout 100 Mliion inhabitants in most diverse cultural regional habitats, and Germany only slowly awakening from the Post WW 2 Trauma -this fresh surge of new positive We Feelings during FIFA WorldCup 2006 in Germany -this year 20008 is clearly the defining moment of start with the work in Germany in an organized and designed way.

Though thousands of Change Impulses are on the way  here the last three decades never a clearly defined integral and evolutionary center for human emrgence could build enough traction. Yes, there was -and I was engage in it for the last 10 years - debating and struggling with the conceptual space, with paradim, argument, modelling and theory of talking integral. These fiery and often emotional controversies -even dramatically shaped tensions and frictions- can now become the fertile ground for power devleopments which can contribute then to the European integration in East and West, to new Impulses reaching out to the Eurasian area and going global in general.

It was first in 2002 and 2003 when Dorothea and I had extended discussions and worked together for first steps regarding the world of work and jobs in Germany. Was about a big American Company entering the European Market via Germany.

And while there are Joint Wilber Study groups in Germany, Austria and Switzerland already, this approach of Human Emergence for German speaking countries will be -for me - the strongest inititiation big bang to enter the mainstream. Practicing  and walking the talk what Steve McIntosh recently said:

": First, we could demythologize the idea of "the great shift", recognizing that there is not just one shift, there are actually many shifts in consciousness going on simultaneously in the world-a shift from pre-traditional to traditional in Africa, a shift from traditional to modern in Asia, and in America, and ongoing shift from modern to postmodern, as well as the beginning of a shift from postmodern to integral.

We could also be more discerning about the nature and behavior of cultural evolution, and recognize the fallaciousness of the wishful thinking that expects that the world is going to "wake up" and suddenly become "cultural creative" in a miraculous transformation. "

Here`s to Dorotheas statements:


"In our talking and writing here about the Israel-Palestine-conflict and what SDi has to offer, I found five points very helpful to open minds and widen perspectives of people.

I want to share that with you.

 

And I want to encourage everybody, to focus on getting the insights of SDi where people need them, especially those who do real work and try to find stuff that works for burning problems. While we were here focusing on this challenge and be ready to walk the talk, within a few steps we moved without much effort to personal contacts with people in high positions of responsability and leadership.... 
 

These are the points:

 

Objectify history

In Germany of course we know what we are talking about! Many people focus mainly on the past to find causes for guilt and blame or ressources for change. Nothing wrong with that, it is part of the process of differentiation and getting conscious about history. Yet the time is more than ripe to move beyond and let the needs of the presence and the extraordinary possibilities of the future lead our journey.

 

Find a superordinate goal, that meets the needs of the people, raises ressources and opens minds and hearts

C. G. Jung says, that we cannot solve our major problems. Instead we have to  grow out of them. With new and wider perspectives and goals on the horizon, the old problems loose urgence and fade away. Given enough people involved which focus on a superordinate goal for both Isrealis and Palestinians, then life will provide the creations needed. It is time to find visions for a world, that is more exciting than fights and wars and is more secure and challenging than peace.  It is all about planting the seeds into minds and hearts.

 

Identify the memetic dance, beyond the identification with one side or personal preferences

Develop vertical thinking. Identify the deeper dynamics of cultural streams, battles, dreams and emergence. Identify politicians and leaders who already move in this direction and support them. One example: Our chancellor Angela Merkel talked to a journalist, who asked her about the further promotion of democracy and free elections for countries like Palestine after the victory of Hamas in Palestine. She said: Well, it seems, that we have to learn more about the conditions for democracy. Democracy and free elections may have to be more an endpoint in our strategy not the first step.

Isntt this cool? She starts to think about Stratified Democracy
 

The conflict between Israel and Palestine only mirrors the conflicts within each of the two countries

If tomorrow there would be peace between Israel and Palestine, we would be confronted with civil wars within the countries. Blaming and fighting the enemy outside ignores the polarizations inside. Encourage people to find superordinate goals also within the countries to unite the moderates, the radical middle, and weaken the extremes.

 

Dialogue and peace-making are part of the process. And Natural Design makes the difference!

We do not want to engineer people or manipulate them for a greater good. This wont change anything, rather perpetuates the dance or even makes things worse. Arguments do nott reach people, if they do nott meet their needs or deeper beliefs. Natural Design offers Life conditions, so that people live with less blocks and pains and with more joy, fulfillment and also possibilities to evolve to their next level of existence, metameme or perspective. This is a process that cannot be imposed from outside, but co-created with people from inside. No detailed recepy, as some ask for. More opening doors for new thinking.

 

Isnt this the time, where the global SDi-constellation may have its first real chance and challenge to prove its power, spirit and devotion to the third win, means life, the spirall? I believe in the tremendeous power of the collectiv, a constellation, moved by individuals, who walk the talk. In Germany we had a extensive drive to individualism after the tremendeous, but pathological collectivism of the Nazi-regime. It is now, that leading media here start to talk about engagement for a higher purpose and the possibilities to change society, if many move into a similar direction for a common goal.

And as Margaret Mead  emphazised, there must not be so many to change direction of history. So: if not we, who else? If not now, when?"



 

The IBM Global CEO Study, the largest study of chief executives ever conducted,reveals a dramatic increase in the number of global business leaders who see important change ahead, and also highlights how the ability to absorb and manage change is widening the gap between winners and losers in the global economy. See the news release at

http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressr...