For the last entry of this year, here is a collection of items. Some are monumental, some are trivial. Make up your own list, just for fun
How successful was the Christmas shopping season? This year has seen more trees pressed into paper and delivered in holiday colors to my door in the form of advertising than I can ever remember. If I had had the foresight I would have saved all of it from the day after Halloween and weighed it on Christmas Eve. It would have filled several of my recycling bins.
Regardless of its source, the message was always the same: NEVER have there been such savings and NOW is the time you MUST buy this. I hope that the impact of that message was greater on the general population than it was on me; I ordered nothing from a catalogue.
And now about all the savings that we were promised by those millions of ads: They were virtually not existent. The prices had been inflated in order to mark them down to more than what they had been in the summer when Christmas shopping was the last thing on our minds.
The most disturbing thing about the holidays for many is that the message of peace on earth is no closer to fulfillment than it was when those words were penned twenty centuries ago. To hope that it will happen this next year is likely an empty promise, but we can always hope
How well did our elected officials perform? Approval ratings at year’s end are an astounding 7% who believe Congress did a good job. They are now poised to do nothing until the next President is elected. Immigration is stalled. Cuba is no longer a rogue nation; half are happy about that, the other half very angry indeed.
North Korea has been a source of renewed interest. Just when Kim Jong Un had disappeared for a month, Sony brought him out of hiding with their movie about his assassination. Even the President couldn’t decide what we should do in response to the North Korean hacking, but the movie finally played in over 300 venues.
Fortunately, the only violence that brought about thus far was messing up the software of PlayStation and Xbox which probably caused consternation in the household where children found Santa had delivered a defective gift. Even the elves can’t be trusted these days.
Soon we will find out the fate of our erstwhile governor. Even the most zealous of his defenders probably would agree that extremely poor judgment was exercised but the prosecutors, if the press is to be believed, seem to be on a witch hunt. His career is irreparably ruined . . . that should be punishment enough.
The idea of ten years in prison for stupid behavior would be laughable if it was not so tragic. At least when Illinois almost routinely imprisons their governors, they have committed truly criminal acts. Not so with Governor McDonnell; if he goes to jail, the General Assembly should go with him.
Will we survive the 64 bowl games, most featuring teams with little interest other than to alums? Someone should add up the checks all schools will receive and that might make a little more sense if the money goes to further the educational efforts of the school and not just to advance athletic programs.
Ebola seems well on its way to becoming an endemic problem, not just an episodic tragedy. Truly heroic people have made an effort to control the outbreak, some giving their lives. As we enter 2015 maybe it is time to reflect on what contribution we can make, however small, to improve the world and the lives of those who have none of the things we take for granted.
To simply wish everyone a Happy New Year is mandatory but meaningless. The year 2015 will be filled with the usual angst. All we can do is try to do the best we can.
– Hayden Hollingsworth