WAR:
There will be many smaller and potentially larger wars during 2012. Some of these wars will be difficult to classify as to whether they are civil wars, ethnic wars, class wars, international economic wars and/or religious wars. Most of these wars will focus on the struggle to control petroleum and gas fields, pipelines and oil shipping lanes. The economics of these wars over fossil fuels are controlled by petroleum and gas corporations. Nations who serve the petroleum corporations will use provocation regarding religion and class, in effect fomenting more war. Some of these wars, as in the cases of Afghanistan, Colombia, Venezuela and Mexico will ostensibly concern control of narcotic production and distribution, but this is only a cover for exploitation of the nations bordering gas and oil pipelines. There will be civil wars simmering over oppression of people by monarchies, military despots and drug lords.
Of specific importance: 1) Israel will make air-strikes into Iran and Syria as well as the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. 2) The United Nations will be requested and pushed to occupy large parts of the Middle East near Israel, all oil fields, pipelines and all shipping lanes. The nations who conduct this occupation of the Middle East will respond to the Security Council. With serious provocations amongst nations a tactical nuclear exchange will be precipitated; the fears of weapons of mass destruction will destroy the economies of the world for all people except the wealthy. The wealthy planners of this war and occupation will lose control of the situation and the world will be dangerously close to strategic and widespread destruction. 4) The USA will back a conventional missile attack on North Korea in answer to serious threats against South Korea, Japan and other nations who are nearby and/or participating in security exercises.
WATER:
Water will become so scarce, beginning in 2012, that it will weaken many nations. Planned desalination plants, pipelines and reservoirs will become targets for terrorists. Big profits will motivate corporations to employ any technology available to hold water as a controlled substance, keeping populations in complete dependence on their production. Many governments will try to contain the costs of water but corporations will exploit the shortages just as they have for oil. This will be particularly dangerous for regions with little rainfall.
ENERGY:
In 2012 many local governments will alter building codes and electricity production policies to allow home-builders to use DC electrical power modules. These modules will use solar and wind production of electricity. This DC (direct current), used for newer and far more efficient appliances, will be stored in low tech batteries. This change in building codes will allow some locales to leave the electric grid.
MEDICINE:
Peritoneal dialysis will finally gain widespread acceptance in treatment of patients with kidney failure. This form of dialysis will be popularized for home use because it is easier and less expensive for many patients than going to a clinic for hemo-dialysis. Nurse practitioners will increasingly man the health care system as primary providers.
EDUCATION:
In 2012 long overdue efforts to increase education for a trained workforce will be underway in the USA and other countries. These programs will provide accredited college degrees, educational certifications and proficiency levels in many didactic fields of knowledge - at basic, intermediate and advanced levels. Using the internet many new academic organizations will begin to offer low-cost and free-of-charge courses of study. These academic organizations will offer standardized and objective testing to verify a student/test-taker's attained level of knowledge. The student's identity will be verified during tests. Test scores and personal information will be sent only to destinations ordered by the student, to preserve privacy, just as college transcripts and standard test scores are released now. But these scores, certifications and degrees will be more objective in their assessment of a student or graduate than the assessments now offered by universities and technical schools. And the cost will be minimal, deductible, subsidized or free to student/test-takers. Token charges for tests on secured lines will be made to prevent overly repetitive test taking. Some proctoring or supervision for a minimal fee will be made depending on the nature of the test or examination. The big advancement here is that knowledge and academic achievement will be cheap, effective and available at any internet or telephone connection. The ridiculous costs of studying in another city, commuting, parking fees, university bricks and mortar will all be circumvented. Students, especially working adults with families, will be able to study at their own pace and location for convenience and efficiency. Then governments and corporations will no longer need to complain that they have unskilled laborers. Students will no longer need to go deep into debt and strain family life to make accredited progress in their chosen fields.
ECONOMICS:
In 2012 the costs of food will continue to climb worldwide until individuals and cooperatives grow more food locally. Public transportation will become more popular and infrastructure projects begin to respond to the need for low cost transportation.
In 2012 the USA and many other nations will begin real and legitimate tax reform. Archaic and complex systems of taxation will be streamlined and reformed for a more just and efficient way to fund government's necessary functions. Particularly in the USA, a flat tax program will be adopted to avoid the many unjustly legislated loopholes and criminal evasions. This flat tax will be very effective, easy to enforce, and small in size. The reasons it will be small is that it will be assessed on all transactions by all entities - public or private, individual or corporate, for profit or not-for- profit. Then every organization and person will share equally in paying for the government's function as a protector and regulator of all financial interests in the country. This tax will replace many taxes, especially the income tax. Some less universal taxes will continue - such as on toxic substances like alcohol, tobacco, gasoline.
GOVERNMENT:
Many nations including the USA will suffer problems with immigration, especially those with porous borders and ineffective policies. Islamic immigration will be particularly difficult for most nations as long as Muslims are unwilling to assimilate. In the USA a movement to prosecute the employers of illegal aliens by the various state governments will lead to much more effective national reforms and decreases in illegal immigration.
In the USA, among many other nations, a national ID card will be given to citizens, in part to deter the employment of illegal aliens, and in part to provide a verification system for new more democratic voting practices.
Arthur Browning began his career teaching technical writing in a small mid-western university for 15 years. He later edited and published a national professional journal for some ten years. He is now an investor. His interests include art collecting, web marketing, art writing.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Arthur_L_Browning
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