Season’s Greetings all around Planet Earth, Sustainche & Lisa :)

Posted on September 30, 2011 by NYCGA

This document was accepted by the NYC General Assembly on september 29, 2011

Translations: French, Slovak, Spanish, German, Italian

As we gather together in solidarity to express a feeling of mass injustice, we must not lose sight of what brought us together. We write so that all people who feel wronged by the corporate forces of the world can know that we are your allies.

As one people, united, we acknowledge the reality: that the future of the human race requires the cooperation of its members; that our system must protect our rights, and upon corruption of that system, it is up to the individuals to protect their own rights, and those of their neighbors; that a democratic government derives its just power from the people, but corporations do not seek consent to extract wealth from the people and the Earth; and that no true democracy is attainable when the process is determined by economic power. We come to you at a time when corporations, which place profit over people, self-interest over justice, and oppression over equality, run our governments. We have peaceably assembled here, as is our right, to let these facts be known.

They have taken our houses through an illegal foreclosure process, despite not having the original mortgage.
They have taken bailouts from taxpayers with impunity, and continue to give Executives exorbitant bonuses.
They have perpetuated inequality and discrimination in the workplace based on age, the color of one’s skin, sex, gender identity and sexual orientation.
They have poisoned the food supply through negligence, and undermined the farming system through monopolization.
They have profited off of the torture, confinement, and cruel treatment of countless animals, and actively hide these practices.
They have continuously sought to strip employees of the right to negotiate for better pay and safer working conditions.
They have held students hostage with tens of thousands of dollars of debt on education, which is itself a human right.
They have consistently outsourced labor and used that outsourcing as leverage to cut workers’ healthcare and pay.
They have influenced the courts to achieve the same rights as people, with none of the culpability or responsibility.
They have spent millions of dollars on legal teams that look for ways to get them out of contracts in regards to health insurance.
They have sold our privacy as a commodity.
They have used the military and police force to prevent freedom of the press. They have deliberately declined to recall faulty products endangering lives in pursuit of profit.
They determine economic policy, despite the catastrophic failures their policies have produced and continue to produce.
They have donated large sums of money to politicians, who are responsible for regulating them.
They continue to block alternate forms of energy to keep us dependent on oil.
They continue to block generic forms of medicine that could save people’s lives or provide relief in order to protect investments that have already turned a substantial profit.
They have purposely covered up oil spills, accidents, faulty bookkeeping, and inactive ingredients in pursuit of profit.
They purposefully keep people misinformed and fearful through their control of the media.
They have accepted private contracts to murder prisoners even when presented with serious doubts about their guilt.
They have perpetuated colonialism at home and abroad. They have participated in the torture and murder of innocent civilians overseas.
They continue to create weapons of mass destruction in order to receive government contracts. *

To the people of the world,

We, the New York City General Assembly occupying Wall Street in Liberty Square, urge you to assert your power.

Exercise your right to peaceably assemble; occupy public space; create a process to address the problems we face, and generate solutions accessible to everyone.

To all communities that take action and form groups in the spirit of direct democracy, we offer support, documentation, and all of the resources at our disposal.

Join us and make your voices heard!

*These grievances are not all-inclusive.

Update 10/1/11 – Minor updates to some wording in the facts.

This entry was posted in News, Official General Assembly news, September 17th and tagged Declaration by NYCGA. Bookmark the permalink.

Sustainche strictly believes in the power of law ! Therefore he feels that it is necessary to first of all formulate a law on Sustainable Development and then to enforce this law by an international tribunal. Some elder blog readers might remember that there was a time after World War II when no environmental law existed in Germany and when each and every criminal could poison the water of River Rhine and was not held to account for his violation of Mother Nature. Only starting during the 1970ies first attempts were made to formulate an environmental law.

In the same manner Sustainche now wants to see a Sustainable Development Law. Sustainche is well aware that such an ambitious exercise needs a thorough elaboration. However and although not going into too many details here, there are some elements of a Sustainable Development Law that can easily be understood by everybody and enforced right now. You might remember that Sustainche already assessed the ‘National Strategy for Sustainable Development in the Federal Republic of Germany’ with its various indicators.

Having in mind one of the basic principles of Sustainable Development, namely: “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Germany wisely formulated the clear target that the federal budget shall be without net borrowing from 2011 at latest. Thus consolidating the budget is defined as to be the key element in creating intergeneration equity and improving the quality of State expenditure. Now we already head towards the end of the year 2011.

As early as November 2009 Sustainche already pointed out that with the so-called ‘Global Financial Crisis’ arriving in September and October 2008, this key indicator of Germany’s sustainable development turned from ‘sunshine’ to ‘thunderstorm’ – you might also say: overnight it was washed away by a worldwide financial tsunami deliberately triggered by an Anglo-Saxon style capitalistic system which is responsible for globally millions of unemployed people and in the meantime holds entire countries hostages. 

For Polar Bear Sustainche all this is simply a meltdown of respect and responsibility which threatens the welfare and sustainable development of human mammals societies in large. Sustainche is quite familiar with meltdowns …

It goes without saying that these irresponsible actions require an ‘International Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of Sustainable Development’ and such a tribunal shall be established in the new EUROPA. Persons represent institutions, like Osama bin Laden represented Al Qaida, and this is why institutions as such need to be hold accountable as well. So, let’s start drafting the EUROPA re-loaded terrorist list, those individuals and institutions who shall be prosecuted for ‘serious violations of sustainable development’ and ‘high treason of sustainable development’:

George W. Bush, President of the United States of America; ‘Dick’ Cheney, Vice-President of the United States of America; Henry ‘Hank’ Paulson, CEO of Goldman Sachs and United States Secretary of the Treasury; Alan Greenspan, U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman; Ben Bernanke, U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman; Federal Reserve Bank; Angelo Mozilo, CEO of Countrywide Financials; Phil Gramm, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Banking Committee 1995-2000; Chris Cox, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) chairman; Joe Cassano, founding member of AIG’s financial-products unit; AIG; Ian McCarthy, CEO of Beazer Homes; Frank Raines, CEO Fannie Mae; Fannie Mae; Freddie Mac; Kathleen Corbet, Standard & Poor’s, Standard & Poor’s; Moody’s; Fitch; Dick Fuld, CEO Lehman Brothers; Marion & Herb Sandler, World Savings Bank; Stan O’Neal; CEO Merrill Lynch; David Lereah, Chief Economist at the National Association of Realtors; John Devaney, Hedge-fund manager; Bernie Madoff, operator of the largest Ponzi scheme in history; Lewis Ranieri, Vice chairman of Salomon Brothers and “godfather” of mortgage finance; Burton Jablin, TV programming czar who helped inflate the real estate bubble; Fred Goodwin, Chief executive Royal Bank of Scotland Group; Sandy Weill, CEO Citigroup; David Oddsson, Prime Minister of the Republic of Island and Chairman of the board of Governors of the Central Bank of Iceland; Jimmy Cayne, CEO Bear Stearns; Gordon Brown, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom; Adam Applegarth, CEO Northern Rock; Lloyd Blankfein, CEO Goldman Sachs; Goldman Sachs; Jamie Dimon, CEO JP Morgan Chase & Co; JP Morgan Chase & Co; John Thain, CEO Merrill Lynch; John Mack, CEO Morgan Stanley; Morgan Stanley; Ken Lewis, Bank of America; Bank of America; Josef Ackermann, CEO Deutsche Bank; Deutsche Bank; Georg Funke,CEO Hypo Real Estate; Hypo Real Estate;  World Bank; International Monetary Fund; … to be updated … .

For more details Sustainche kindly recommends the Time Special

Did Sustainche miss any individual or institution … ?

Please feel free to reply and add other suspected terrorists

Sustainche is determined to issue arrest warrants and to launch

the prosecution process on day ‘one’ when EUROPA re-loaded is proclaimed !

But, where is the precise road map ? Sustainche with his still basic understanding of Historical Sciences found a thrilling example in recent history, the Saarland. Ok, nobody in the world knows the small and traditionally bankrupt German state of the Saarland. At the end of World War II the coal mining Saarland found itself in some kind of strange battle between France and Germany. As both countries seek to win control over the Saarland, that time Prime Minister Johannes (Joho) Hoffmann (1947 to 1955) made a foresighted and genius proposal to solve the dispute as well as to foster the European integration: Let’s make the Saarland ‘extra-territorial’ from both France and Germany, and rather transfer it to be the real existing territory of the emerging united Europe with all European institutions being allocated in the Saarland. WOW, something as revolutionary like this is what Sustainche really enjoys

Well, it is clear that during the 1950ies nobody would understand Johannes Hoffmann’s revolutionary plan and indeed it was rejected in a public referendum on the so-called ‘Saar-Statute’ in 1955. Never mind, by looking back from the year 2011 Hoffmann’s plan during the 1950ies was indeed genius and would have solved the Saarland’s persistent problems until today at one go.

Can we translate Prime Minister Hoffmann’s vision to present days Greece and the European Union ? Yes we can ! Sustainche proposes the following ten major steps towards EUROPA:

1. The Republic of Greece/Hellas officially declares to be bankrupt.

2. With reference to the Billions of Euro already spent by the European Union for stabilizing the Greek economy, the EU officially declares the territory of Greece to be the territory of the new Europe state called EUROPA. Greece/Hellas is now EUROPA.

3. At the same time the European Union declares that the EU in its present structures has failed and is transferred into the sovereign state of EUROPA. EU’s institutions shall instantly and completely shift to and will further on be allocated in Athens.

4. France, Luxembourg, Belgium, The Netherlands and Germany overnight reconfirm to join EUROPA, take their assets and their Euro currency with them and invite other former EU states to follow their example within 30 days. Banks such as Goldman Sachs & Co., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated are the first to put on Europa’s terrorist list.

5. The former EU Constitution is amended to fit the new EUROPA state. General elections are held 6 months after EUROPA is being proclaimed.

6. EUROPA’s democratically elected institutions consist of the Parliament, the Council of EUROPA Regions, the EUROPA Government and its Prime Minister. EUROPA is represented by its President.

7. Sustainche proposes Mr. Romano Prodi as Europa President Candidate. Mr. Jean-Claude Juncker shall be nominated as Europa Prime Minister.

8. The Council of EUROPA Regions is the second chamber of the Parliament representing the geographically, historically and culturally defined regions and its citizens on the European Continent beyond any national states boundaries.

9. The overarching policy in EUROPA is fully described by its revised National Strategy for Sustainable Development.

10. The implementation of the National Strategy for Sustainable Development is safeguarded by the following institutional set-up:

• The National Council for Sustainable Development (politically responsible);
• The National Agency for Sustainable Development (operationally responsible);
• The National Sustainable Development Investment Bank (financially responsible); and
• The Sustainable Development Campus University (responsible in terms of studying, research and demonstration).

Yes, it was in the old Hellenic World and on the shores of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea where Europe was born and it is exactly there where EUROPA is re-loaded – thanks to the ‘Greek Crisis’ !

 Do you think that Sustainche is a dreamer ? –

Sustainche is not the only one !

Feel free to propose alternatives !

This trilogy is dedicated to the greatest Geography teachers of all times,

Aristotle (∞ 322 BC) and Rudolf Geiben (∞ 2011) – R.I.P.

It was left to Sustainche’s Italian friend Romano Prodi, a prominent pro-European and Professor at the University of Bologna who became President of the European Commission in 1999, to teach Europe something about Sustainable Development and to motivate the elaboration of a European Strategy for Sustainable Development. First published in 2001, it was only until 2006 that this European Strategy for Sustainable Development developed in something that was worth the paper it was written on. However, even today its implementation still struggles with overwhelming lack of knowledge and understanding as well as political willingness. How is this possible having thousands of experts on hands in Brussels ?

No, the European Union in its present status can neither be reformed, nor can it be rescued. Europe needs to be re-loaded from scratch !

Well, faith, it seems, is not without a sense of irony !

Perhaps it was the faith of Europe to wait for what some economical analysts today call the ‘Greek Crisis’ to start re-loading Europa – the land of the Phoenician princess who according to the prophecy of Aphrodite shall provide the name for the continent Europe. A united Europa being inspired by the first two lines of Homer’s famous Iliad:

μῆνιν ἄειδε θεὰ Πηληϊάδεω Ἀχιλῆος
οὐλομένην, ἣ μυρί’ Ἀχαιοῖς ἄλγε’ ἔθηκεν
Sing, goddess, the wrath of Achilles the son of Peleus,
the destructive rage that sent countless pains on the Achaeans.

Sustainche is sometimes really surprised when searching his blog and finding posts as early as June 2009 which appear to be true prophecies. Just to wrap up what was concluded in the “Sustainche™ follows the ‘Global Financial Crisis’” trilogy:

• First bankers start to discover that they work in institutions which are basically of strategic value for the State and thus cannot become bankrupt.
• Then, Governments that helped these ‘strategic’ banks simply to survive the next morning created tremendous national budget debts in hundreds of Billion Euro magnitude which can neither be paid back by the living generations nor by the generation to come; something that is absolutely contrary to the vision of Sustainable Development.
• And finally, countries need to start bailout each other and the same Governments that bailed out ‘strategic’ banks are now accused by exactly the same banks that they cannot get their debts under control.
• At the end of the day, citizens pay the price for irresponsible behaviours of bankers and managers various times: With their taxes, with government credits, with bank interests for government credits, with unemployment due to the collapse of the economy and ultimately with the possible bankruptcy of the state.

This tragic game needs to end NOW !

Sustainche is not naive to believe that all this happens by accident or is just coincidence. No, what started in 2007 and what we see unfolding until today is nothing less than World War III or – since it is performed without any traditional live ammunition – World War I of ‘Big Money’ against sovereign countries and entire continents when it refers to the Euro zone. Not surprisingly, the initial attack on Europe started along its economical Achilles’ heel, and Greece was only the first target. Yes, it might be that Greece’s national debts are overestimated with purpose – who knows ? – but let’s make no mistake: Greece will never be able to adjust its national budget which became out of control due to extensive spending by various Governments of different political colours over decades. The austerity measures now being proposed by IMF, ECB and EU Commission completely ruin the Greek economy (as they did some years ago in the Argentina case) and, in fact, the main objective is to gain control over essential public assets through so-called privatization, which in particular refers to the mobile phone, electricity and water sector. In this respect public anger in Greece is justified. But unspecified anger is not good enough – what we are looking for is WRATH, and this wrath needs to take into account the sad truth that Greece is bankrupt, which describes the fact the state for economic reasons defaults on its treasury obligations, is not anymore able to handle its liabilities or to pay the interest on the debt it faces.

Be honest, bankruptcy of States is not unique in human mammals’ history. Sustainche found various instances. For example the Kingdom of Spain has an exciting history of national bankruptcy with not less than three of these events during the second half of the 16^th century. The newly proclaimed Peoples Republic of China was bankrupt in 1949, but this crisis was smartly solved by its new leader Mao Tse-tung when he announced that “he will not pay back debts to imperialistic countries” – which, by the way, is a quite interesting approach to think about when it comes to private life as well … Sustainche supposes …

To be concluded !

18 September 2011

• Yummy! @SlowFoodHQ now you make #Sustainche jealous in far away #NorthernNamibia #Namibia #SustaincheFarm Enjoy day 3 of #cheese2011 1 hour ago
• RT @SlowFoodHQ: Yummy! RT @BronwenPercival: Classic Piedmontese breakfast before day 3 of #cheese2011:how I’ve missed Salsiccie di Bra!  … 1 hour ago

17 September 2011

• For now #Sustainche & #Lisa enjoy a wonderful sunset in #Namibia. Join our vision & mission on http://t.co/jL4r3p5J and enjoy your weekend ! 17 hours ago
• Utilization of #solar #energy is a top story on #SustaincheFarm @LichtBlick_de . Perhaps one day we may ask for your technical assistance 17 hours ago
• Thanks @gabesipinge, @AshevilleNews and @LichtBlick_de for following #Sustainche and the #SustaincheFarmProject 17 hours ago
• Hello #NorthernNamibia, #Namibia and the #World ! Looks like #Twitter is in favour of us again 17 hours ago

15 September 2011

• Follow our #SustaincheFarm #Tree #Forum discussion: http://t.co/lqDAu1am 2 days ago
• Might we worth #investing in a #SustaincheFarm based #mahangu #pounding machine and offer #pounding services for the #village #neighbours. 2 days ago
• The only available #mahangu #pounding machine in #SustaincheFarm village allocated at the #PrimarySchool broke down. 2 days ago
• Hello #NorthernNamibia, #Namibia and the #World ! #SustaincheFarm has #breaking #news: 2 days ago

14 September 2011

• Hmmm … looks like we have some #twitter access problems here in #NorthernNamibia since the past week Did we #tweet something wrong …? 4 hours ago
• WOW … !!! The Sustainche Farm™ Project: The ‘Farm Tree Forum’ opens its branches !: http://t.co/0hpEPpE 4 hours ago

11 September 2011

• Sustainche commemorates all victims of the 9/11 decade ! Sustainche addresses Facebook http://t.co/Q9vWjn7 /via @wordpressdotcom 3 days ago

08 September 2011

• Enjoy your evening, wherever you are on #PlanetEarth ! Warm regards from #NorthernNamibia, #Africa 14 hours ago
• This is also thanks to the #ArabUprising. Thanks to the heroic citizens in #Tunesia, #Egypt & #Libya. Our thoughts and hearts are with you! 14 hours ago
• In any case #Sustainche & #Lisa are amazed to see how developments are starting to fit together since the beginning of the year #2011 15 hours ago
• We feel that @SlowFoodHQ followers will find very good reasons to join the #SustaincheFarmProject on http://t.co/q9DDZNR 15 hours ago
• Thanks also to all #Sustainche followers here on #twitter ! @SlowFoodHQ thanks for RT the latest #SlowFood developments in #Namibia 15 hours ago
• #Sustainche, #Lisa and the #SustaincheFarmFamily would like to take the opportunity to thank all supporters of the #SustaincheFarmProject ! 15 hours ago
• Today the #SustaincheFarmProject can celebrate #OpSustaincheFarm day 100 ! Hello #NorthernNamibia, #Namibia and the #World ! 15 hours ago

07 September 2011

• Now, we enjoy the wonderful sunset in #NorthernNamibia! Yes, we are one hour late, but this is ’cause we changed time during the weekend 1 day ago
• Only one more potential member for founding the first #SlowFood #convivium in #Namibia is needed. We hope to be able to make progress soon. 1 day ago
• We will discuss the new developments with the #SustaincheFarm family. 1 day ago
• There is a common understanding of promoting local #SlowFood specialities & local farmers who produce these: #SlowFood good, clean & fair ! 1 day ago
• It looks like as if we’ve found two new strong supporters for the #SustaincheFarmProject and #SlowFood at #MokutiLodge. 1 day ago
• This was a very interesting long weekend in #Etosha and at #MokutiLodge, full of networking for the benefit of the #SustaincheFarmProject. 1 day ago
• Hello #NorthernNamibia, #Namibia and the #World ! #OpSustaincheFarm day 99 #Sustainche & #Lisa are back on #Twitter 1 day ago

01 September 2011

• As well as on #betterworld_org: http://t.co/PbzGqUz 2 hours ago
• Register: http://t.co/wT32HO0 2 hours ago
• Let’s see … enjoy your evening … and don’t forget to register for enjoying to become a #SustaincheFarmer in #NorthernNamibia 3 hours ago
• Haven’t seen #elephants for a long time. #Sustainche & #Lisa enjoy watching elephantches in #EtoshaNationalPark #Tsumcor #Namibia 3 hours ago
• Perhaps this is also the right moment to visit #EtoshaNationalPark #NorthernNamibia #Namibia again. 3 hours ago
• Now #Sustainche & #Lisa enjoy a wonderful #SustaincheFarm sunset in #NorthernNamibia 3 hours ago
• Ufff … this was a very busy weak so far preparing: The Sustainche Farm™ Project ‘Mobilization Phase’ launched !: http://t.co/0idhuAk 3 hours ago
• WOW, the first #donation arrived !!! Thanks to @ManfredcheII. #Sustainche & #Lisa are very happy! Enjoy your day 10 hours ago
• There are only 995 more #SustaincheFarm #community members needed. 10 hours ago
• Join our #vision & #mission on http://t.co/wT32HO0 and http://t.co/wz0MGA0 11 hours ago
• #Sustainche & #Lisa would love to see 1,000 #community #members debating & shaping the #sustainable #development future of SustaincheFarm 11 hours ago
• Wa lala po ? #NorthernNamibia, #Namibia and #World on this again wonderful & warm #OpSustaincheFarm day 93 morning in #NorthernNamibia! 11 hours ago
• The Sustainche Farm™ Project ‘Mobilization Phase’ launched !: http://t.co/0idhuAk 11 hours ago
• WOW, today the #SustaincheFarmProject makes an important step forward and enters its ‘mobilization phase’! #Sustainche & #Lisa are excited! 11 hours ago

31 August 2011

• And finally we have our #SustaincheFarm #pigs ‘piggies’ online: Farm Pics: http://t.co/PIl9MYB . #Sustainche & #Lisa: Our sweeties 57 minutes ago
• Enjoy watching the latest updates on Farm Pics: http://t.co/PIl9MYB 5 hours ago
• Wallpapers: http://t.co/LPB5mw7 9 hours ago
• #Sustainche proudly presents the latest update of #SustaincheFarmProject in #NorthernNamibia #Namibia wallpapers. Enjoy 9 hours ago
• Enjoy your day, join our vision http://t.co/wT32HO0 and don’t miss taking a look on http://t.co/wz0MGA0 13 hours ago
• Now you can expect an update of the community-exclusive #SustaincheFarm #farm #pictures to be published soon 13 hours ago
• This was still missing and it fact it was difficult to get hold of these highly mobile #farm #animals Thanks to H-Sustain ! 13 hours ago
• Today #Sustainche & #Lisa woke up very happy ! We received fresh pictures of #SustaincheFarm piggy. 13 hours ago
• This gives a good overview on the very latest developments on #SustaincheFarm and the #SustaincheFarmProject ! Take a look 14 hours ago
• Did you notice some changes on this first (home) page of http://t.co/q9DDZNR ? Yes, we now display excerpts of the last 5 posts ! 14 hours ago
• Wa lala po ? #NorthernNamibia, #Namibia and #World on this wonderful warm morning of #OpSustaincheFarm day 92 ! 14 hours ago

30 August 2011

• Follow the transition on http://t.co/q9DDZNR and join our #vision and #mission Wishing you ‘lala po nawa’, good night and #eid #mubarak ! 1 day ago
• The #SustaincheFarmProject is well prepared to move from its #motivation to the #mobilization phase on 1 September 2011. 1 day ago
• And … 3.1 The Sustainche Farm™ Project Mission Report, Week 34, August 2011 http://t.co/6Cf3yDj /via @wordpressdotcom 1 day ago
• The Sustainche Farm™ Project: ‘Motivation Phase’ recap !: http://t.co/lG7vxxc 1 day ago
• Never mind. #Sustainche & #Lisa enjoyed a pleasant and warm day in #NorthernNamibia Let’s come to #SustaincheFarm #news ! Take a look !
• This Trade Fair around the corner absorbs all #SustaincheFarm internet resources
• Towards the end of #OpSustaincheFarm day 91 we finally arrive on #Twitter Hello #NorthernNamibia, #Namibia and the #World !

And, it shall also became apparent that Sustainche enjoys discussing recent politics (from Greek πολιτικός, “of, for, or relating to citizens”), history in large (from Greek ἱστορία – historia, meaning “inquiry, knowledge acquired by investigation”) and economy (from Greek οἰκονομία “household management”). Do you notice something … ?

Yes, many idioms that we use in our today’s daily life originate from the old Greek language. How can it be different ? Homer’s famous Iliad, which is commonly dated to the 8^th century BC, is the earliest literature to be found in Europe. It is in Greece and on the shores of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea where Europe was born. In Greek mythology Europa (Greek Ευρώπη Eurṓpē) was the daughter of the Phoenician King Agenor and his wife Telephassa. God Zeus felt in love with Europa and escaped with her to Crete Island. Today’s name of the continent Europe has ultimately been given by the Phoenician princess Europa – how nice Sustainche enjoys to add !

So far, so good ! But what is the situation of Europe and the so-called European Union today, in the year 2011 ? After centuries of wars all around Europe, it was the hope of European Citizens after World War II that Europe shall be a peaceful continent and it shall be finally united. The traditional arch-enemies, France and Germany took the first steps to overcome all hatred that prevailed for such a long period. Starting from the earlier European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) a European Economic Community (EEC) was formed by six countries in 1958. Greece was not among these founding states of the EEC, but joined what was then called European Communities (1973–1993) in 1981 followed by Portugal together with Spain in 1986. The European Union (EU) was formally established when the Maastricht Treaty came into force on 1 November 1993. Today, the European Union is composed of 27 sovereign Member States. Sovereignty, however, is a permanent source for EU scepticism. While looking back in history Sustainche has the strange feeling that the decline of Europe as a continent in large actually started at the same time, when the ‘Cold War’ after World War II by the opinion of many western world politicians was thought to be won against Communism, and it might be that future historians will mark 1 November 1993 – the birthday of the European Union – to explain that nothing at all was united anymore.

No, this European Union is far away from what citizens in Europe were dreaming about immediately after World War II. This European Union every day more became a monstrous bureaucratic institution that only few European citizens really like. The European Union is still not democratically organized, and this is although since 1979 a so-called ‘European Parliament’ is elected every five years. Somehow it is symbolizing the ‘unity’ of the EU in large that the European Parliament’s plenary sessions are held in both, Strasbourg and Brussels, and additionally the Secretariat of the European Parliament, the Parliament’s administrative body, is based in Luxembourg. What a nonsense, waste of money and a proof of nationalisms ! The European Commission and its President, which from Sustainche’s humble point of view could be a ‘European Government’ and chaired by a ‘European Prime Minister’, is far away from any democratic legitimating. And, to make the long story short, who knows Mr. Van Rompuy … being selected (and NOT elected !) as the first permanent President of the European Council on 19 November 2009 … ?

To be continued !

… before I forget, I very much like your sweet surname

I’m Sustainche™, the first refugee due to climatic change to arrive in Macedonia and the first Polar Bear ever living in Namibia. As you might know from my Facebook website, my overall life mission is to help creating the climate for change towards a better quality of life ! Officially this is called ‘Sustainable Development’ ! Ok, some individuals on Planet Earth blame me to be a ‘Terrorist of Sustainable Development’. Believe it or not, but having such a big red heart like mine, it’s not possible to be a terrorist as wantonly negligent defined by former US President Georg W. Bush: ‘You are either with us, or you are with the terrorists !’

Well, Al Jazeera – you know, these are those internationally well-known terrorist supporters whose country office by accident was “closed” twice, both in Kabul (2001) and Baghdad (2003), with US tomahawk cruise missiles – never mind, this Qatar headquartered media corporation Al Jazeera informed me that you compromise the privacy of Facebook users and you (or Facebook) recently even forwarded user account information to state security institutions. This is not very nice ! Look, I understand that you are a real professional and I have learned that you have founded what today is known as Facebook Inc. by hacking into the protected areas of the University of Harvard’s computer network and copied the houses’ private dormitory ID images. Hmmm … this was – of course – also not very nice !

Let’s come back to terrorism. What I have to say to the world in promoting Sustainable Development is publicly available on the internet. So, let us discuss. The latest of my so-called terrorist attacks was published as ‘Sustainche’s Speech to the World in preparing the Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Part I and II’. Feel free to also have a look to what I’ve posted on my Facebook page. If you feel that I’m a terrorist by insisting that every sentence of the Agenda 21 document of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro needs to be implemented, than it would be my great pleasure to present my points of view in a court room. Yes, feel free to forward my Facebook account information to any state security institution that asks for it. Perhaps you can do me a favour and choose a country where it is nice, warm and sunny … except Guantanamo Bay … but this is – lucky enough – not a country of its own I will enjoy standing in front of a judge and a jury to explain the concept of Sustainable Development in any detail, day after day, week after week and month after month … .

And then, finally, I wait for the honourable judge to ask me: “Do you declare yourself guilty, Sustainche ?” This is the moment that Polar Bear Sustainche was looking forward to in his court room metal cage: “Yes, your Honour, I’m guilty ! I’m guilty to be a Sustainable Development activist and I’m guilty to believe in the United Nations’ vision on Sustainable Development ! I need to present myself in front of this court, because somebody as small as Polar Bear Sustainche is wanted to declare himself guilty. I’m here because this court doesn’t dare to even touch the real terrorists of our times. I’m here because tens of thousands who died in the recent Eastern African famine tragedy cannot raise their voices anymore and ask NGOs, UN, EU and Governments around the globe why they enjoy their role as rescuers and there is no judge who asked these institutions uncomfortable questions about their own complicity in the suffering that is unfolding. Yes, I declare myself guilty for insisting on Sustainable Development for the entire human mammals’ world and Planet Earth in large ! I’ve chosen to be guilty !”

Dear Mr. Zuckerberg, just think one moment about what Polar Bear Sustainche has published in 124 (!) of his posts so far on Sustainche’s Blog and what was noted on Facebook. Do you have any doubt about Sustainche’s good heart and faith ? And then think about what your company Facebook is doing – right now. Are you doing what #OpFacebook blames you for, privacy violations ? Is your life vision alike Sustainche’s to help making this Planet Earth a better place, or is your and Facebook Inc.’s mission rather to control people on a world-wide scale as some conspiracy rumours do indicate ? So, do you feel guilty ?

Looking forward to receiving your kind answer, I remain with

Warm regards from Africa, Sustainche

Sustainche commemorates all victims of the 9/11 decade !

]]> http://sustainche.wordpress.com/2011/09/11/sustainche-addresses-facebook/feed/ 0 sustainche Sustainche and Kravica Facebook Sustainable Development Philosophy Illustration http://sustainche.wordpress.com/2011/09/02/sustainche-farm%e2%84%a2-products-the-marula-episode/ http://sustainche.wordpress.com/2011/09/02/sustainche-farm%e2%84%a2-products-the-marula-episode/#comments Fri, 02 Sep 2011 07:42:18 +0000 sustainche http://sustainche.wordpress.com/?p=1948 ]]>

Sclerocarya birrea (marula, Oshiwambo omugongo) is by far the most important indigenous tree in Central-Northern Namibia, so it is on Sustainche™ Farm. During this time of the year in winter, the marula tree stands leafless for several months and it is always astonishing to observe that new  leafs appear even before the first rain arrives. Rich in protein and high in vitamin C, the fruit and nuts of the marula tree have allowed people to make permanent settlements throughout Southern Africa. Marula-growing areas are traditionally highly preferred sites for settlement.

This marula episode is for sure a ‘female’s story’. This is not only because eight out of ten trees in Northern Namibia are estimated to be ‘female’. Sclerocarya birrea is differentiated in ‘male’ and ‘female’ trees. No, it is also because marula trees on Sustainche™ Farm as well as harvesting and processing of the fruits are exclusively Meme Tresia’s domain ! Owambo women have long prized marula for its remarkable qualities and have used it in a variety of ways for generations.

A brew made from the bark has been traditionally administered as a cleansing ritual prior to marriage. The bark of the Marula tree is also traditionally utilized medicinally to treat diarrhoea, diabetes, fever and malaria, and the roots are used to treat sore eyes. The leaves are thought to make a relish and the hard wood provides excellent kitchen utensils.

About the size of a plum with a leathery skin that is butter yellow when ripe, the fruit of the marula tree (Oshiwambo eengongo) has a scented juicy white flesh that clings to a hard brown kernel. Marula fruit is eaten raw and is used for making alcoholic and non-alcoholic marula drinks. The kernels (omahuku) are either eaten raw or roasted and have a delicious nut taste. Inside the kernel are two or three seeds that are so rich in oil that a simple squeeze of the hand can release a significant amount. Marula kernels are dried in the hot Namibian sun and then cracked open to extract the oil. For the purpose of efficiently extracting oil (ondjove) for cooking and cosmetic use, Meme Tresia utilizes the mortar (oshini) inserted in the hard floor of the pounding room and the heavy pounding pole or pestle (omushi).

Marula oil (also called ‘Owambo Gold’) is extremely rich in unsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants and oleic acid, which are essential for the preservation of healthy human skin. Oils derived from marula are easily absorbed into the skin and naturally soften, nourish and revitalize it, which makes marula oils ideal for massage application. Being ten times more resistant to oxidation than olive oil, it is one of the most stable natural oils in the world.

During your visit to Sustainche Farm™ in Northern Namibia enjoy your traditional Owambo Chicken dish topped with a few drops of Meme Tresia’s home-made marula oil

P.S.: If you want to know even more about marula we can recommend an interesting website http://www.marula.org.za/.