Top 10 list of disturbing events in 2008

As the year draws to a close, I can't help but feel compelled to recollect various noteworthy events that have dominated our headlines (if not, then at least our discussions). Without further ado, this is my list of the top 10 most disturbing events of the year 2008, in no particular order of demerit. (I will follow up with a list of top 10 most uplifting events next time)

Top 10 most disturbing events

1. The Madoff fiasco

This swindler masqueraded as a wealthy philanthropist and funded several charitable organizations including the Lauri Strauss Leukemia Foundation and the Picower foundation among many others. He also managed the funds and securities of many investors, valued at 50b USD or more. Well it all turned out to be a giant "Ponzi Scheme", in which investors are paid with returns obtained from money paid by other investors, rather than by money obtained from profit. Things started to go downhill once enough investors chose to withdraw their money and Madoff could not meet those committments. Now, the saddest part of this fiasco is not about how an apparently generous philantrophist could turn out so wrong; nor is it about the numerous investors who have lost millions through his scam. It is about the various charitable organizations that had to close down because of this affair. And to think that Madoff had a excellent reputation for being trustworthy and altruistic prior to these events. Scary - especially when a scam involves so many innocent people.

For more information:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/13/business/13investors.html?pagewanted=all

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Madoff

2. The AIG bailout (post)

There is nothing inherently wrong with saving a company from ruin if it also means protecting the money and insurance policies of countless clients. But not if some of the bailout money is used for "luxury spas" for executives and ridiculous performance bonuses of up to 5 million. Shouldn't every cent be spent on cutting costs, reducing redundancies and securing assets? Oh whoops.

For more information:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/07/AR2008100702604.html

3. Melamine tained milk products

Unscrupulous suppliers? Check. Massive loss of public confidence in all forms of milk products originating from China? Check. Kidney stones in infants? Check. So many innocent children suffered for what? A scheme to boost apparent protein levels in milk? Argh. And this will not be the last time children suffer due to amoral businessmen.

4. Euthanasia is screened on TV

On 10th December 2008, scientist Craig Ewert becomes the first person to ever broadcast an assisted suicide to viewers all over the world. In this documentary/reality TV/whatever you want to call it, he drugs himself before turning off his ventilator. While one can see it as a brave human standing up for his right to die, I find the prospect of thousands of viewers tuning in to see a person take his life quite unsettling. This also challenges existing boundaries of what constitutes acceptable material for television.

For more information:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article5315633.ece

5. Lip synching at the 2008 Beijing Olympics

For those that have forgotten, the 9 year old girl that you saw singing "Ode to the Motherland" at the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony was actually lip synching to the voice of 7 year old Yang Peiyi. Peiyi could not appear live in front of the audience because of... crooked teeth? Wait... are we watching the Olympics opening ceremony or China's next top model? And of course we like to say we don't judge by appearances. Ha.

For more information:

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/08/13/asia/AS-OLY-China-Lip-Synched-Song.php

6. Terrorist attacks (in every country)

This deserves a place on my list. Every year. Regardless of statistics. Regardless of country. Regardless of rationale for nothing more than senseless murder.

7. President Bush's response to the aftermath of the Iraq War.

First, President Bush justified his Iraq War by claiming that Saddam Hussein had large stockpiles of WMDs. Okay... but that turned out to be untrue. Blame it on the intelligence. Fine, we buy that.

Next, he justified the war by claiming that Iraq was a base for Al Qaeda operatives. Well okay... until that turned out to be untrue either! And the best part has to be his response: "So what?"

Sorry? so what if everything you have said has turned out to be inaccurate??

I guess "so what?" is a fitting answer to the deaths of countless innocents and soldiers and the resulting geopolitical instability from a hastily declared war. Very nice.

Watch the shocking interview here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBx5QH3CqvQ

Disturbing? You bet. So what?

8. Hitler admirer gains foothold in Israeli Politics (almost)

Uh... the irony. Mr Moshe Feiglin, an extremist right-wing politician and an admirer of Adolf Hitler's policies, almost secured a place in Israel's parliament by joining an established political party and getting his facist supporters to vote for him as a legislative candidate. His views include the denial of Palestinian existence and their corresponding civil rights. Sounds familiar? Its almost like the behavior of a certain dictator during WWII.

For more information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moshe_Feiglin

The Straits Times, Thursday December 25th 2008, Page A21

9. The Rod Blagojevich scandal

Illinois senator Rod Blagojevich was recently charged for some really eye popping schemes. They include an attempt to sell a US senate seat to the highest bidder because it "is a f****** valuable thing, you just don't give it away for nothing." How brutally frank.

What is more disturbing is further allegations that he threatened to withdraw his funding of a pediatric hospital (Children's Memorial Hospital in Illinois) if the CEO failed to support his political campaign.

Sometimes the things we are capable of doing for the sake of power just amaze me.

For more information:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/09/blagojevich.affidavit/

10. Natural Disasters coupled with callous indifference

I know that natural disasters occur every year and are pretty much inevitable. But it's depressing to know that the death toll could have been lower if officials had ensured that people received adequate warnings before the disaster and if buildings had been constructed according to internationally recognized safety standards. It doesn't make any sense to construct shoddy buildings in areas prone to earthquakes. Oh wait... i forgot that cutting costs and making profits often take priority over actual human lives.

End


Disclaimer: This list was not meant to be offensive or insulting in any way. Opinions aired here are of my own and might not be objective or totally accurate. Visit the hyperlinks and websites for more up to date information.