And So Ends The Twentieth Century Of The Common Era

Peace on earth and goodwill to all mankind and plants and animals.

And in remembrance of all who have died recently, or who are passing now.

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War and Famine ... Peace and Milk

-- Somali proverb

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The national security challenges we face are just as grave – and just as urgent – as our economic crisis. We are fighting two wars. Old conflicts remain unresolved, and newly assertive powers have put strains on the international system. The spread of nuclear weapons raises the peril that the world's deadliest technology could fall into dangerous hands. Our dependence on foreign oil empowers authoritarian governments and endangers our planet.

The common thread linking these challenges is the fundamental reality that in the 21st entury, our destiny is shared with the world's. From our markets to our security, from our public health to our climate, we must act with the understanding that, now more than ever, we have a stake in what happens across the globe.

-- Barack Obama

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[Pan Cogito is still exhausted after unexpectedly watching the MET production of Doctor Atomic on Monday evening on PBS, and after having watched contemporary productions, on video, of Der Freischütz, Lulu, and The Rake's Progress on Saturday and Sunday.]

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Image credit: Via Economists for Peace and Security website. With thanks.