Do you think the worst is here?

@scheng1 (24650)
Singapore
March 11, 2011 7:05am CST
The world seems to be a very messy place now. Earthquakes in Japan, China, and New Zealand causing loss of lives and properties, and the Tsunami is affecting many other countries. The Middle East crisis is escalating instead of getting better. The rest of us are facing the potential hike in oil, and job loss if the oil price gets higher and higher. Do you think the worst is here? Can the world get itself into bigger mess?
1 person likes this
17 responses
• Canada
11 Mar 11
The facts are the world HAS been in bigger messes than this. Two words : World Wars. Study how those wars went, and then compare notes with today's tragedies. The world will never be perfect, but at least we are alive, and are still able to survive. That is the important thing to remember. "Be thankful for what you have, and forget everything you don't have"
• Thailand
11 Mar 11
scheng1 if you think World War II gave China a miss you need to read your history.
2 people like this
11 Mar 11
Japan invaded China before WW2 with great brutality and loss of life in the Chinese population. WW 2 was in reality two wars which merged after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour. This brought the US into the war in Europe as well as the war against Japan. The European war started with the German invasion of Poland in 1939, but the war in the Far East began several years earlier than that in the mid 1930's. Offhand I don't know the exact date.
• Philippines
11 Mar 11
I know right? These news are just so troubling and it disheartens me the more I hear about them. I was watching new about these stuff especially the earthquakes and I was so sad, my heart was so burdened upon seeing all those casualties and hearing those news. All we can do right now is pray and be prepared. Things are really awful nowadays with all the war in Libya and now the earthquake and the tsunami. But let's just pray and hope for the best.
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@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
11 Mar 11
Hi Penrockerchic, actually those people in Japan expect earthquakes every year, since this small country has more than 20% of the total earthquakes in the world. It is just that the earthquake this time is so severe, and the Tsunami will affect other countries as well. Depending on the direction, it may even hit Hawaii, or the United States. That is the scary part about Tsunami. I just hope that all these trouble will blow over. The Libya and Middle East crisis is causing unnecessary deaths.
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@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
11 Mar 11
Hi Penrockerchic, the terrifying thing about Tsunami is that the further away it travels, the more powerful it is. Remember the Tsunami triggered by Indonesia earthquakes a few years ago? India and Sri Lanka got it badly. I think if the Tsunami travels to the other parts of the world, they are going to get a really big one. Fortunately it does not travel in the direction of New Zealand. Those people already suffer enough.
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• Philippines
11 Mar 11
Yup. I know that in Japan, earthquakes are common but this time, it was really awful. As of the moment, here in the Philippines, tsunami alert has been raised to alert level 2 and evacuation were already being implemented. They said earlier on one of our local channels that the first wave of the tsunami was experienced on the northern part of the Philippines. I just hope that things won;t get worse.
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@babyEj (1522)
• Philippines
14 Mar 11
I think this kind of trouble repetitively happens to test our selves until when can we survive. It doesn't matter if worst is here as long as we are safe at the moment and continually believe and do something good to our next generation.
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
21 Jul 11
Hi BabyEj, sorry to reply your response five months late. I did not notice until now. I think the world is getting into a very messy place. It is bad enough to worry about job security, and on top of that, the inflation that causes food price to go up. I think the days of iron rice bowl, and serenity of living in a countryside is over. No place is saved from the devastation of nature, and the mismanagement of many governments in handling economic problems.
@tiffnkeat (1673)
• Singapore
11 Mar 11
Whether man created or not, it is divinely directed. The bible speaks of this that worse will come. These are all signs, but not yet the end. No one knows when it will end. Then it is at the worst. You can say these are precursors to the final event. You might want to read Matthew 24 of the Holy bible.
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@sswallace21 (1824)
• United States
11 Mar 11
I wish I could say that the worst has hit. Unfortunately, everytime I think the worst has happened something else tops it.
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@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
11 Mar 11
Hi Sswallace, I just check the news at Reuters. It seems that the Tsunami is going to hit California. This is from a Reuter representative: "Water could reach 2 metres high when it hits parts of the northern Californian coast, and could force some evacuations, says California Emergency Management Agency spokesman Jordan Scott." That is why I think hardly anything can be worst than this. When something happens at one place, and the rest of the world suffers, then that is very bad. Now we have two events that can affect the rest of the world. One is Middle East and the impact on the oil price. Another is the Tsunami that is going to hit the rest of the world.
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• United States
12 Mar 11
Wow!! What a mess. I can't image being in Japan right now. They've had several aftershocks. Compared to Japan California and Hawaii hardly received damage. Now we send out the troops to help with the clean. I believe that's the norm. How terrible. I sure wish these disaster would end.
• Romania
11 Mar 11
Belive me, is much more to come.
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
12 Mar 11
Just hope not all disasters happen at the same time.
• Romania
13 Mar 11
There won't be like in the movie. Maybe tha Jupiter will light up and will become our second sun and maybe in some places will be eartquakes some tsunamies and some people will just die because tey can't resist to the vibration.
@aprilsong (1884)
• China
12 Mar 11
Well,it seems the newspapers and TV and all media are filled with bad news recently. Natural disasters and man-made disasters. Human beings are so tiny in the mighty power of the earth. To see the victims of the disaster, i feel we should cherish each day, because no one knows when there will be a similar disaster here. Because there are too many such things in recent years. Well,we all know, we can't prevent the natural disasters to happen. But all of us should try to do something from the man-made disasters to happen. Because life is already very hard in such a restless planet. Why there are still some wars? Can't we realize to life peaceful is so important? Can't we be try to be kind to each other?
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
12 Mar 11
Hi Aprilsong, actually all of us are affected in some ways. For example, the man-made disasters in Middle East is causing the oil price to increase. That will cost everything to increase in price too. The tsunami spreads from Japan to other countries, and causing deaths too. Just too bad that everything in the world is connected somehow. I do not know how serious the nuclear plant explosion in Japan is. Just hope that the fishes in the sea do not all die from nuclear leakage, otherwise the likelihood of fishermen all over the world would be affected. I agree with your points that all of us should work towards world peace. Even though we cannot prevent natural disasters from happening, we can reduce the impact by taking care of the earth better, and building better homes, so that earthquakes do not level everything.
@rosdimy (3926)
• Malaysia
12 Mar 11
From one view point things will probably get worse. With the lack of supplies of certain essential items like foodstuff and oil there will be widespread hardship. The people will probably make protests, which could lead to political and economic instability. Several affected governments may resort to taking over control of other territories either directly or indirectly. Based on certain religions things will get worse before they become better.
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
12 Mar 11
Hi Rosdimy, if only the natural disasters are selective, and kill only the greedy and the corrupted, life will be better. Too bad corrupted people like Gaddafi are still enjoying luxury and power while so many poor and innocent people lose their lives in crossed fire. The ancient Chinese believe that disasters are warnings from the heaven, to show its unhappiness with the way the government runs things. I just hope that life returns to normal, and the people in Japan unite to rebuild the town.
@1hopefulman (45125)
• Canada
13 Mar 11
Since we continue to be divided and there are many bad selfish greedy people in this world, unfortunately things will continue to get worse.
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
14 Mar 11
Hi 1hopefulman, actually it is not a good thing to have diversity, but not in the sense of moral diversity. Some people who are greedy and corrupted even manage to convince themselves that they are good people. It is sad that people do not see themselves according to the standard of right and wrong. The bad people always think of themselves as good. The good people have a difference sense of standard, they feel that they are not good enough in many ways.
@junrapmian (2169)
• Philippines
12 Mar 11
Everyday is getting worst, I don't want to believe that the end is near. Climate change, Middle east wars, earthquakes tsunamis and what's next? So many lives have been affected. This is a wake up call for all of us. Let's all pray for our safety and help the government do what must be done.
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
12 Mar 11
Hi Junrapmian, if the end comes, it probably is the best news ever. The end is supposedly a salvation, instead of disaster, except for the wicked and greedy. It is too bad that natural disasters and all kind of crisis affect the poor, more than the corrupted people. Those corrupted people have more houses and money to help them enjoy luxury in other parts of the world.
• China
12 Mar 11
There is no need for us to feel disheartened.When it comes to what you said,some are purely man-made such as Middle East crisis, hike in oil,job loss and so on;some are force majeure like earthquake,tsunami ,etc.
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
12 Mar 11
Hi Changjiangzhibin, I think when the newspaper shares with us about the ways we can help, instead of just reporting the bad news, we will feel much better. After all, there is much happiness in helping. We will not feel so helpless watching innocent people die. I really hope the crisis in Libya will end soon. It is a pity that such a rich country has such a corrupted dictator, and so many poor people. if everyone there shares in the profits from oil production, they will not try to overturn the government.
@polaris77 (2040)
• Bacau, Romania
11 Mar 11
There's always room for worse in this life,so I'm afraid more bad things are going to happen this year,and I think much of the evil is made by people,except for natural disasters,so if people tried to be better and more tolerant with each other,at least we would avoid bloodshed and wars,and things would get a little better.If mother nature wants to punish us for our mistakes,I think we should learn our lesson and try to stop hurting each other.
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
12 Mar 11
Hi Polaris, I agree that many problems are caused by humans. The way we live hurt the environment more than people in ancient times. The Middle East crisis is due to the greedy and corrupted rulers who do not care about others. I just pity those innocent people who suffer from the earthquakes and political crisis. Hopefully nothing worse happens in the coming week or month, we need to think about ways to help the victims now, not dealing with more and more bad news.
@vannyt (343)
• Philippines
12 Mar 11
The things happening around the world recently is very scary. I don't like to think that these are signs of what people are saying about 2012. There maybe even worst things that would come in the future. Let's just hope and pray that we will survive.
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
12 Mar 11
Hi Vannyt, if the end, as foretold by Bible, comes, that is very good news for most of us. After all, the end means salvation for the good. Much better than the political crisis and natural disasters that affect the poor more than the rich. The rich have more money to help them settle in other parts of the world, and still enjoy luxury. The poor lose practically everything.
@piaoruo (43)
• China
12 Mar 11
Yes!Now the world is becoming worse.Perhaps this is human resources of the earth over the consequences of using it!Fewer non-renewable resources,environmental pollution is geting worse.I would like to have no worse than thing now.
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
12 Mar 11
Hi Piaoruo, I hope things will not get worse. It seems that everything just get worse and worse. After the earthquake and Tsunami, now the nuclear plant in Japan has an explosion. I just hope that nothing leaks out. If there is a nuclear leakage, the fishes in the ocean will die. Then the impact will be felt all over the world too. i also hope that the wicked people do not get too greedy. Most of the causes of problems are due to corrupted government officers and business people.
@nykel88 (999)
• Philippines
11 Mar 11
The world was already a mess to start of trading and it even grew when industrialization occurred. Not much of a choice when people know how to do business they get greedy with their profits and also neglecting what the earth has become. In consequence bam earthquakes, pollution, fire, but it still didn't stop those businessmen who are still holding shares.. instead they might still use this opportunity to price hike.. to your question that is a probable yes. Face it.. no one really cares for change unless a disaster happens. Sad truth.
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
12 Mar 11
Hi Nykel88, after checking the performance of Dow Jones, I have to agree with you about it. It seems that the businesspeople and investors are still keen in making money even though so many people die in Japan. I expect the stock market to go down, instead the Dow Jones goes up. I do not what to think and say about it. I honestly do not think anyone would be in a mood to think of trading and buying shares.
@anna18 (142)
• Philippines
11 Mar 11
the worst is yet to come. remember that the end has not come. more earth quakes, floods, forest fire, hunger, misunderstanding between countries and its constituents, etc. everything we see and enjoy will soon pass away. nothing in this world will remain. this is the truth. the Lord has had always warned us to be watchful and be prepared.
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
12 Mar 11
Hi Anna, I honestly wish the end comes instead of facing all those disasters. At least the end means salvation for the good people. The political crisis and natural disasters mean everyone suffers, or more accurately, the poor suffers more than the rich, the greedy or the corrupted. Those corrupted and greedy people have more houses, and more assets to rely on. Once the poor people lose their homes and their lands, they have nothing.
@kwylima (451)
• United States
11 Mar 11
The world is a huge mess..Unfortunately :(.. I am scared to know where we are going..Everything looks so bad..and most of the people (teh people who dont need faced any problem) dont really car..I feel really sorry for those people whom lost their house and relatives..It is really sad. I pray to god to give some consolation in their hearts. Yes..everythins is just getting worse and worse and nobody does anything to make it stop.. and by the way I hate having to pay almost 4 dollars for gas..so unfair. good luck for us
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
12 Mar 11
Hi Kwylima, I am very sorry for those victims, both in Japan and Middle East. i think the natural disaster and the political crisis hit the common people more than those corrupt and greedy leaders. Just hope that life returns to normal, and no more disaster that kills so many people. I think we should be thankful that we are just dealing with the higher cost of living, instead of losing our homes, and lives.