December 30, 2007

Unrealistic Hopes for 2008

1. The Super Tuesday states upset the Iowa and New Hampshire winners as a way to diminish the importance that is given on these two states in the primaries. The start of something good.

2. The U.S. under George W Bush takes the world lead in in efforts to reduce global warming.

3. Al-Quida continues causing trouble in its own region of the world so those Arab countries and others riding on the fence turn against them as they did in Iraq ( this one is a possibility)

4. Large,unexpected advances are made in the free world and the U.S. in establishing alternative sources of energy - to reduce to an appreciable affect, the western worlds dependence on oil from the middle east. Something George W Bush seems to have finally understood after 7 years of being president.

5. More success occurs in Iraq, particularly security and political re-conciliation due to Al-Quida messing around in that area - allowing the U.S. to reduce its military presence there.

6. Pakistan has reasonably acceptable democratic elections, regardless who the winner might be. A stable Pakistan is one of the most important things for the world right now.

7. Democrats get their heads together and realize all other nominees are a role of the dice and Joe Biden or Chris Dodd are nominated for their party for president, two candidates who can surely beat any republican in the race. The country needs change and a different political party to take us into the next 4 years. This includes giving the senate and house more democrats so legislation can get passed.

8. Countries of the world, through the U.N. vote a resolution that nuclear weaponry is too great of a threat to the planet, and bans nuclear weapons as instruments of war - to be verified by by a strong U.N. inspection team.

9. The U.S. leads the world in a program to reduce greatly, child abuse and neglect throughout the world.

10. The greatest discovery ever made occurs provides a cure for all forms of cancer - the magic bullet.

11. The U.S. legislative and executive branch stops rewarding Americans who do not save to take care of their basic personal needs such as housing, healthcare, long term care. Basically force them to stop buying 48 inch television screens, expensive cars and boats and forces them to re-prioritize to put first responsibilities first and not depend on the government.

12. Congress and the executive branch let the banks and borrowers who wallowed in sub-prime mortgages, incurring debt and credit to fail in their own mess, and make sure Americans who loaned and borrowed with prudence and sensibility prosper.

13. The U.S. voters recognize the damage that the religious right has done to this country in mixing religion with politices ( i.e. electing George W Bush, incompetent to run the country) and allow history to record the type of damage this has done, so it never happens again.

14. The peace process that was jump started by Condelezza Rice actually takes hold, Palistine establishes its own country, becomes a memeber of the U.N. with all rights and privileges. The Bush presidency was late, but hopefully successful where no others have.

15. The countries of the world all come to understand, appreciate and incorporate into their U.N. priorities, Carl Sagan, astrophysicist, perceptions of the world, making it the centerpiece of their existence.

December 3, 2007

What Matters?

The greatest problems facing humankind in terms of urgency, as I see the planet:

1. Nuclear Detonation
2. Global Warming
3. Child Neglect and Abuse*
4. Non-renewable Sources of Energy
5. Disparity in the Advancement between Human Social Thought and Technological Knowledge (we know how to detonate a nuclear weapon but do not know how to live together in peace and harmony)
6. Disease
7. Famine
8. Tyranny **

* Child neglect and abuse used to be #1 on the list, reasoning that a human mind is a terrible thing to waste. It is with healthy human minds that all other problems are eventually resolved.

** Tyranny defined as the absence of human freedom and liberty. This is the only problem where there seems to be slow but increasing improvement. In 1776 there was only one democracy in the world based on the ideas of human liberty. Today, of the 194 (192 U.N. registered) countries in the world 26 are full fledged democracies where human liberties abound. There are 76 more countries that have some form of democracy - we could call them flawed democracies (e.g. Russia). Human liberty and freedom is moving forward slowly over the planet, slow but unstoppable.