Problems and more problems.

Pardon me for being pessimistic, but I see lot of problems of the world nowadays. One can almost start to classify the list of major problems that can lead to world breaking down.

1. Political Problems.
The political situation between America and Iraq, Iran. The situation between China and USA. The situation between Singapore and its neighbors. These are like walking along a fine thread, war could break out anytime soon. Political instability is one problem that we are not going to get rid of anytime soon.

2. Environmental Problems. Thanks to human greediness and selfishness, we are suffering from the effects of several things. Destruction of habitats, species of flora and fauna going into extinction. Changes in weather patterns, scarcity of materials becoming more and more acute. This is not good at all. Perhaps we are not too late. But at the rate we are going, there’s no pulling out and turning back so fast. So maybe its too late after all.

3. Weather Problems. This follows from above. The world is suffering from a situation approaching that illustrated in “The Day After Tomorrow”. Freak weather patterns that are being observed all over the world. We have severe floods in Malaysia, and some minor(but considered very severe by our standards) floods in Singapore. In Europe, there are some very severe storms. My next prediction is that Europe is going to experience a very severe heat wave in March. By June, Australia bush fires will be stronger then ever experienced. And the forest fires in Indonesia is going to be all the more bigger during July. This means a haze problem even more severe than last year’s.

4. Energy Problems. This is one thorny problem. Energy consumption is rising without limit, at the rate we are going. But tappable energy on Earth is finite for the moment. Unless we have a major technological breakthrough that will bring the prices of alternative energy down drastically, we are facing a Malthusian nightmare. Until then, expect more quarrels, between Russia and Europe over oil, and be prepared for oil prices skyrocketing.

5. Viruses. Sars was just a few years back only. Bird Flu is an all time persistent problem. For ‘organisms’ about the length of a nanometer, it sure is capable of causing a hell of havoc, bring economies down. As birds are being massacred, prices of chicken and eggs are sure to go up. During this rainy season, a lot of bacteria and viruses are going to thrive in a lot of water logged areas, causing a breakout sooner or later.

6. Natural Disasters. Earthquake, tsunamis, have devastating effects. Capable of uprooting an entire city, or bringing down the Internet. We should relook our telecommunications. The Taiwan earthquake is one good lesson. How can we continue to depend our economic activities on the Internet if everytime there is an Internet, the regional connections breakdown?

7. Economic problems. With so many of the above problems, it is likely if anyone of the above worsens, then the world economy might take steep plunge.

Being a president or prime minister at this times is not easy at all. Its a wonder why would anyone still fight to strongly over such position.