We must further build the resilience of nations and communities to disasters through extending proactive, integrated, multi hazard, and multi sectoral approaches and activities in the disaster reduction cycle of prevention, preparedness, and emergency response, as well as recovery and rehabilitation.

We must, however, temper our ideals with a dose of realism, and prevent inaction from taking the place of action.

We desperately need to be going in the other direction and lowering the temperature during this tense time for the region.

We must also reduce our dependence on gas altogether by increasing energy efficiency, and by investing in carbon capture and storage technology for coal, and in renewable resources and nuclear power.

That's what Europe is doing, so we could have diluted out our supply of flu and made more available, but, going back to what Michael Specter said, the anti vaccine crowd didn't really want that to happen.

First, repair. Before doing anything else, we must relieve some of the balance sheet pressures on sovereigns, households, and banks that risk smothering the recovery.

Of course, optimism must be tempered. Plenty can go wrong in the period ahead.

We slowed down. And we went through moments of fears because we had no idea how the little amount of gas we had in the balloon could allow us to travel 45,000 kilometers.

Before doing anything else, we must relieve some of the balance sheet pressures on sovereigns, households, and banks that risk smothering the recovery. Advanced countries need credible medium term plans to stabilize and reduce public debt.