There’s always lists at the end of the year for fashion trends (best and worst: 1,2), food, NY restaurants, music of the year (1)(2), person of the year, biggest financial stories, photography etc.
Here’s a list of some of my top events of the year (in no particular order):
- #1 may be the historic election by the American people to vote in the first black president with Barack Obama
- The US financial markets crumbled which are causing a ripple effect around the world
- The 2008 Olympics were a huge success in Beijing producing numerous records, including the star of the US teams: Michael Phelps
- The NY Giants upset the undefeated New England Patriots in the superbowl
- A devastating cyclone ravages Myanmar
- Russia-Georgia conflict deepens antagonism between Russia and US, Europe
- Californians began performing gay marriages in June and then repealed the law with proposition 8 in November
- The US housing bubble finally bursts event in solid markets like SF and New York
- Michigan legalizes medicinal marijuana
- World Oil markets fluctuate to the extremes over the year: On Jan. 2, the price of crude oil futures in New York touched 100 U.S. dollars per barrel for the first time. Oil prices continued to increase to reach a new high of 147.27 dollars per barrel on July 11. However, influenced by factors such as the world economic slow down, and decline in market speculation, international oil prices dropped significantly thereafter. New York oil prices fell to 33.87 dollars per barrel on Dec. 19, the lowest in five years.
- Piracy explodes around Somalia and becomes a worldwide crisis for the shipping industry entering ports in the Middle East and Africa
- New York City and the State of California ban trans fats as governments finally steps in, in a way to help make Americans healthier (no thanks to the FDA!)
- Unemployment rate rises to the highest level in 26 years
- Smart phone sales grew at a rate of more than 70% each quarter over the corresponding quarter in 2007. Comparable global growth rates were in the range of 10-20% – still huge in a stagnant economy. All thanks to competition from the Apple iPhone 3G, Google’s Android, and Blackberry and Palm getting back into the game
- The US Government spends huge sums of tax payer money to bailout the Insurance (AIG), mortgage (Fannie and Freddie), financial and auto markets
- NASA’s Phoenix Mars Lander wraps up successful mission to Mars
- Arctic sea ice coverage reached the second-lowest level recorded since the dawn of the satellite era as Global Warming concerns continue to mount without much action from the US
- Israel bombs Gaza at the end of the year to retaliate from rocket attacks, and because they fear President Elect Obama won’t be so lenient to allow such actions in the future
Just reviewing this list, over all the year was fairly ominous. If you review your own life as compared to others, and you may have it worse (bankers) or better (Myanmarians). I snapped this shot of a mask in my collection and typically I have it hung in a positive reflection, however, on any given day I could easily have it hung the other way under tremulous times. As an optimist, I believe positivity helps keep my stress levels down and I’m better focused on my goals even under those tough times. Here’s to hoping Americans and America does the same for 09.
