By Jean Hodgkinson

Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton was the one who asked why -Bernard Baruch

Because the Mayan calendar ends in 2012 many people believe the world will too, but our demise won’t result from predictions in the Mayan calendar, Book of Revelations or Bhagavad-Gita. The bulk of news stories from 2011 point not to a divinely ordained destruction, but to one that will instead be economically, politically and ecologically self-inflicted.

January [3] “in a Wikileaks document, the U.S. ambassador to France asks Washington to penalize nations, including France, who do not support genetically modified crops” ... “61% of Americans believe the best solution to budget deficits is raising taxes on the wealthiest” [9] “Algerian government cuts food prices amid unrest, vows to punish those responsible for rioting in recent days” [11] “Queensland, Australia, declares three-quarters of the state a disaster zone due to ongoing flooding; in state capital of Brisbane the Brisbane River breaks its banks” [12] “NASA data shows global temperatures in 2010 tied with 2005 for warmest year on record” [20] “the last decade was warmest since records began in 1800s” [25] “tens of thousands protest in Egypt” [29] “tanks surround Cairo’s Tahrir Square” ... “Goldman Sachs triples base salary of chief executive Lloyd Blankfein to $2 million after profits fall by 38 percent”

February [1] “two million people gather in Tahrir Square” [3] “UN announces world food prices have risen to a record high” [4] “Syrian protesters call for ‘day of anger’ against government” [6] “thousands in Australian state of Victoria forced to evacuate due to flooding” [7] “bush fires in western Australia continue to burn out of control” [11] “Hosni Mubarak resigns as President of Egypt” ... “Iranian opposition leader placed under house arrest after calling for demonstrations in support of uprisings in Egypt, Tunisia” [14] “Ecuadorean court orders U.S. oil company Chevron to pay $8 billion in damages for dumping wastewater into Amazon River twenty years ago” [28] “U.S. government grants first deepwater drilling license since Deepwater Horizon oil spill”

March [3] “Target Corporation pays $22.5 million to settle claims of toxic waste dumping in California” [4] “Saudi Arabia bans all protests after demonstrations” [10] “Wisconsin State Capitol placed on lockdown to prevent protesters gaining access” [11] “9.0-magnitude earthquake strikes off Japan’s coast producing a tsunami as high as 10 metres, government evacuates thousands of residents living near the Fukushima nuclear power plant following a radiation leak” ... “Oklahoma declares state of emergency in all 77 counties due to wildfires burning out of control” [18] “Canadian opposition parties accuse government of contempt of Parliament” [25] “Conservative government defeated in non-confidence motion”

April [1] “radioactivity levels surge in Japan” [2] “thousands attend pro- and anti-carbon tax rallies in Australia” [4] “China reports success in genetically modifying cows to produce ‘human’ milk” [5] “World Meteorological Organisation reports ozone layer is damaged to its worst extent ever in the Arctic” [10] “wildfires in the state of Texas destroy more than 230,000 acres” [15] “Moody’s credit agency downgrades Ireland’s rating to Baa3, one step above junk bond status”

May [1] “Hong Kong introduces a minimum wage after public pressure to resolve a wealth gap, business leaders complain about cost” [2] “environmental activist Elizabeth May becomes first Green Party member elected to Canadian parliament” [3] “U.S. officials caution that bin Laden’s death does not remove threat of terrorist attacks” ... “UN predicts world population will pass 7 billion October 31” [5] “near-record flooding along the Mississippi River from Canada to Gulf of Mexico” [9] “U.S. housing market values decline by 3% in March quarter, biggest drop since 2008, with values falling 57 months in a row since the housing bubble burst in 2007” ... “European Union acknowledges Greece will need a second bailout” ... “province-wide state of emergency declared for Manitoba, Canada, due to flooding” [14] “Barack Obama vows to seek oil in Alaska and the Gulf of Mexico” [16] “European Union approves 78 billion euro bailout for Portugal” [20] “China acknowledges ‘urgent problems’ associated with its Three Gorges Dam project, linked to soil erosion, earthquakes, drought, social upheaval” [24] “two reactors damaged at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant in March may be riddled with holes” [28] “martial law declared in the city of Xilinhot, China, after days of protests” ... “South Dakota warns residents to prepare evacuation plans ahead of flooding of the Missouri River” [31] “carbon emissions reached record levels in 2010, up 5% from the previous record in 2008”

June [1] “three members of the group Food Not Bombs are arrested in Orlando, Florida, for feeding the homeless” [17] “19 Saskatchewan communities declare state of emergency from severe flooding of the Souris River” [19] “an estimated 3 million people protest in almost 80 Spanish cities”

Next week, we’ll cover the rest of the year.