http://blog.psaonline.org/2009/12/22/goodbye-to-2009-the-year-in-review/ Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:45:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://blog.psaonline.org/2009/12/22/goodbye-to-2009-the-year-in-review/comment-page-1/#comment-2181891 David Isenberg Thu, 24 Dec 2009 17:13:35 +0000 http://blog.psaonline.org/?p=2948#comment-2181891 In regard to Ilona's comment I think you are not allowing for the difference in timz zones between US EST and Israel DI In regard to Ilona’s comment I think you are not allowing for the difference in timz zones between US EST and Israel
DI

]]> http://blog.psaonline.org/2009/12/22/goodbye-to-2009-the-year-in-review/comment-page-1/#comment-2180985 J.W. Mason Thu, 24 Dec 2009 04:27:59 +0000 http://blog.psaonline.org/?p=2948#comment-2180985 Mr. Isenberg’s review of 2009 global news was informative and obviously revealed a superb amount of tongue-in-cheek irony as well as caustic criticism of the usual hypocrisy, amorality (as well as extreme immorality), and horrendous harm caused by those in the executive and legislative branches of the U.S. government and many others serving in other world capitals from Havana, to Tehran, Paris, and Copenhagen. We see countless examples of a continued focus by world “leaders” on the failed Old Thinking of the last millennium. The same old, same old zero-sum game playing justified by so-called rationale appeals that run the gamut of “just war” theory,” “RealPolitik” “national interest,” “fighting the war on terrorism” or “ridding the world of the infidel.” Some say ‘that’s the way the world is, be realistic, it isn’t going to change.’ Well, IF that is true, it is also crystal clear that there is No guarantee that our human species will survive. Nuclear war, global warming culminated perhaps even by a runaway greenhouse effect (just go to Google and type Venus climate change), and countless other doomsday scenarios (that can occur as soon as 20-30 minutes from now IF just a small number of Russians or Americans erroneously believe that the “other side” has launched a First Strike---(as almost happened in the Black Brant Incident in the mid-1990s) believe it, the Cold War did in fact end, but the missiles still sit in silos ready to be launched on hair-trigger alert status and by-the-way, why is that so?) await our species in this century IF we don’t wise up, mature and realize that nation-states are dangerous anachronisms, especially when combined with nationalism, patriotism, and love-of-country at the expense of our fragile global civilization. Go ahead and scoff that such a leap or grand transition to this New Thinking will NOT come for centuries or ever. We “homo-sapiens sapiens” do NOT have the luxury to believe this fiction. There are precedents for such a paradigm or transition shift in past human history. From the “We” mindset that resulted after the horrendous American Civil War (before the war, it was the United States “are”—after the war, it was the United States “is”), to other transitions that occurred as humans survived past natural catastrophes (ice ages or even “short-term” events like asteroid strikes --- see Meteor Crater, Arizona impact of 50,000 years ago). 2009 was the culmination of a Horrendous Decade that included 9/11, a GWOT that promises to outlast the War of the Roses, a drastic increase in carbon and greenhouse emissions, and the release of incredible amounts of toxic chemicals (mercury, lead, arsenic) and radioactive contamination into our environment (to those Global Warming doubters, remember that green sources of energy minimize and eventually zero out these toxic emissions and thus reduce and eliminate threats to public health—so go ahead and argue against the science of CO2 but embrace the reality of healthy children and grandchildren IF we all agree that wind and solar are MUCH CLEANER than coal and tar sand). In conclusion, if we have many more years like 2009, our species may run out of time itself. Okay, maybe I’m being overly dramatic or exaggerating. Fine, maybe the world can do with the mass die off of thousands more species, the collapse of the ocean food chain, rising ocean levels, a greatly reduced ozone layer. Reducing global population from seven to 1-2 billion people isn’t the End of the World! Right? Right! Don’t Worry, Be Happy. Enjoy 2010 and enjoy the New Decade! Ignorance is Bliss. War is Peace. Resources Are Infinite. Shop ‘till You Drop. George Orwell hasn’t just turned over in his grave, he’s spinning like a neutron star at the hypocrisy, illogic, and irrationalism of world citizenry and especially our “fearless leaders.” Mr. Isenberg’s review of 2009 global news was informative and obviously revealed a superb amount of tongue-in-cheek irony as well as caustic criticism of the usual hypocrisy, amorality (as well as extreme immorality), and horrendous harm caused by those in the executive and legislative branches of the U.S. government and many others serving in other world capitals from Havana, to Tehran, Paris, and Copenhagen. We see countless examples of a continued focus by world “leaders” on the failed Old Thinking of the last millennium. The same old, same old zero-sum game playing justified by so-called rationale appeals that run the gamut of “just war” theory,” “RealPolitik” “national interest,” “fighting the war on terrorism” or “ridding the world of the infidel.” Some say ‘that’s the way the world is, be realistic, it isn’t going to change.’ Well, IF that is true, it is also crystal clear that there is No guarantee that our human species will survive. Nuclear war, global warming culminated perhaps even by a runaway greenhouse effect (just go to Google and type Venus climate change), and countless other doomsday scenarios (that can occur as soon as 20-30 minutes from now IF just a small number of Russians or Americans erroneously believe that the “other side” has launched a First Strike—(as almost happened in the Black Brant Incident in the mid-1990s) believe it, the Cold War did in fact end, but the missiles still sit in silos ready to be launched on hair-trigger alert status and by-the-way, why is that so?) await our species in this century IF we don’t wise up, mature and realize that nation-states are dangerous anachronisms, especially when combined with nationalism, patriotism, and love-of-country at the expense of our fragile global civilization. Go ahead and scoff that such a leap or grand transition to this New Thinking will NOT come for centuries or ever. We “homo-sapiens sapiens” do NOT have the luxury to believe this fiction. There are precedents for such a paradigm or transition shift in past human history. From the “We” mindset that resulted after the horrendous American Civil War (before the war, it was the United States “are”—after the war, it was the United States “is”), to other transitions that occurred as humans survived past natural catastrophes (ice ages or even “short-term” events like asteroid strikes — see Meteor Crater, Arizona impact of 50,000 years ago). 2009 was the culmination of a Horrendous Decade that included 9/11, a GWOT that promises to outlast the War of the Roses, a drastic increase in carbon and greenhouse emissions, and the release of incredible amounts of toxic chemicals (mercury, lead, arsenic) and radioactive contamination into our environment (to those Global Warming doubters, remember that green sources of energy minimize and eventually zero out these toxic emissions and thus reduce and eliminate threats to public health—so go ahead and argue against the science of CO2 but embrace the reality of healthy children and grandchildren IF we all agree that wind and solar are MUCH CLEANER than coal and tar sand). In conclusion, if we have many more years like 2009, our species may run out of time itself. Okay, maybe I’m being overly dramatic or exaggerating. Fine, maybe the world can do with the mass die off of thousands more species, the collapse of the ocean food chain, rising ocean levels, a greatly reduced ozone layer. Reducing global population from seven to 1-2 billion people isn’t the End of the World! Right? Right! Don’t Worry, Be Happy. Enjoy 2010 and enjoy the New Decade! Ignorance is Bliss. War is Peace. Resources Are Infinite. Shop ‘till You Drop. George Orwell hasn’t just turned over in his grave, he’s spinning like a neutron star at the hypocrisy, illogic, and irrationalism of world citizenry and especially our “fearless leaders.”

]]> http://blog.psaonline.org/2009/12/22/goodbye-to-2009-the-year-in-review/comment-page-1/#comment-2180209 ilona@israel Wed, 23 Dec 2009 17:00:50 +0000 http://blog.psaonline.org/?p=2948#comment-2180209 you did amazing work! i just want to reconfirm few things. On December, 27th(not 28), the Israeli armed forces have begun military operation "Cast lead" against HAMAS in Gaza , the prime minister of Israel Ehud Olmert declared that operation in Gaza urged to prevent humanitarian crisis . Operation proceeded till January, 18th when Israel declared achievement of the purposes and unilateral cease-fire . you did amazing work! i just want to reconfirm few things.
On December, 27th(not 28), the Israeli armed forces have begun military operation “Cast lead” against HAMAS in Gaza , the prime minister of Israel Ehud Olmert declared that operation in Gaza urged to prevent humanitarian crisis . Operation proceeded till January, 18th when Israel declared achievement of the purposes and unilateral cease-fire .

]]> http://blog.psaonline.org/2009/12/22/goodbye-to-2009-the-year-in-review/comment-page-1/#comment-2178957 Wes Tue, 22 Dec 2009 19:52:32 +0000 http://blog.psaonline.org/?p=2948#comment-2178957 Keep up the good work--Wes Keep up the good work–Wes

]]> http://blog.psaonline.org/2009/12/22/goodbye-to-2009-the-year-in-review/comment-page-1/#comment-2178772 Matt Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:23:08 +0000 http://blog.psaonline.org/?p=2948#comment-2178772 Outstanding run down of the year David. And what a year. Happy holidays. -matt Outstanding run down of the year David. And what a year. Happy holidays. -matt

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