Dec 2008
Goodbye 2008
As 2008 comes to a thankful close, it is good to stop and recap the more memorable events of the year. “Good” is a relative term when speaking of 2008 as very few good things occurred during the year. if you are the type that counts “still breathing” and “wearing pants that have been washed within at least the past 3 days” as “good” then you might not consider that 2008 was really all that bad. Of course, everyone is entitled to their own opinion but from my view point it was a rough year. Not just for me in particular - but for a lot of people. Besides, my pants were put on fresh this morning but that doesn’t change the verdict on 2008.
Simply put, 2008 was a doozy. No, actually it was a blood letting. Some made it all the way through and retained both their jobs and their home and for that you can truly be thankful. Others are not so lucky. Many millions have lost their jobs and many millions have lost their homes - and many have also lost both. It seems that as the year progressed things got progressively worse; especially here at home. Even though it’s not particularly pleasant, here is a brief recap of the events of 2008 by month. Click on the links of each month for greater detail and even more events that occurred during that month. This is just to put the year in perspective; I intend to look forward to 2009 and the uncertain promises that it holds. 2009 could continue the trend for awhile yet - but here’s hoping for better and happier times ahead.
January
U.S. Attorney General Opens Investigation into Destroyed Tapes (Jan. 2)
California Sues EPA (Jan. 2)
Markets Plunge Around the World (Jan. 21)
February
Economy Loses Jobs for the First Time in 52 Months (Feb. 1)
Senate Votes to Ban Severe Interrogation Techniques (Feb. 13)
Castro Resigns as President of Cuba (Feb. 19)
March
Bush Vetoes Bill That Would Ban Severe Interrogation Techniques (March 8)
Government Intervenes to Avert Financial Crises (March 11)
Bush Acknowledges Toll of War on Anniversary of War (March 19)
April
Senate Passes Housing Relief Bill (April 10)
Dozens Are Killed in Suicide Attacks in Iraq (April 15)
Pope Denounces Pedophile Priests (April 15)
May
State Department Renews Deal with Controversial Contractor (May 9)
Polar Bear Designated as Threatened (May 14)
California Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Gay Marriage (May 15)
June
Five-Year Inquiry Finds Bush Exaggerated Evidence on Iraq (June 5)
Unemployment Rate Spikes To 5.5% (June 6)
North Korea Takes Steps Toward Denuclearization (June 26)
July
Treasury Department Proposes Rescue Plan for Mortgage Companies (July 13)
U.S. Envoy Participates in Talks with Iran (July 19)
Judge Rules that Bush's Advisers Must Comply with Subpoenas (July 31)
August
The Summer Games Open with a Spectacular Ceremony and Tragedy (Aug. 8)
Al-Qaeda Increases Its Strength and Threat (Aug.12 )
McCain Chooses Outsider as Running Mate (Aug. 29)
September
Report Finds That Former Attorney General Mishandled Sensitive Documents (Sept. 2)
Unemployment Rate Reaches Highest Level in Five Years at 6.1% (Sept. 5)
U.S. Financial Markets Roiled by Turmoil (Sept. 7)
Russia Agrees to Withdraw from Georgia (Sept. 8)
October
Connecticut Legalizes Gay Marriage (Oct. 10)
Investigation Concludes That Palin Abused Power (Oct. 10)
Bush Administration Memorandum Asserts Federal Money Can Fund Groups That Discriminate Based on Faith (Oct. 18)
Economy Shrinks for First Time in Years (Oct. 30)
November
Barack Obama Is Elected President (Nov. 4)
California Votes to Outlaw Same-Sex Marriage (Nov. 4)
Economy Stumbles Further (Nov. 7)
China Announces Enormous Stimulus Package (Nov. 9)
Stock Market Tumbles Again (Nov. 19)
December
Dow Plunges Amid Report That Economy Is in Recession (Dec. 1)
Unemployment Rate Increases Again to 6.7% (Dec. 5)
Journalist Throws Shoes at Bush (Dec. 14)
Bush Unveils $17.4 Billion Rescue of Auto Industry (Dec. 19)
Simply put, 2008 was a doozy. No, actually it was a blood letting. Some made it all the way through and retained both their jobs and their home and for that you can truly be thankful. Others are not so lucky. Many millions have lost their jobs and many millions have lost their homes - and many have also lost both. It seems that as the year progressed things got progressively worse; especially here at home. Even though it’s not particularly pleasant, here is a brief recap of the events of 2008 by month. Click on the links of each month for greater detail and even more events that occurred during that month. This is just to put the year in perspective; I intend to look forward to 2009 and the uncertain promises that it holds. 2009 could continue the trend for awhile yet - but here’s hoping for better and happier times ahead.
January
U.S. Attorney General Opens Investigation into Destroyed Tapes (Jan. 2)
California Sues EPA (Jan. 2)
Markets Plunge Around the World (Jan. 21)
February
Economy Loses Jobs for the First Time in 52 Months (Feb. 1)
Senate Votes to Ban Severe Interrogation Techniques (Feb. 13)
Castro Resigns as President of Cuba (Feb. 19)
March
Bush Vetoes Bill That Would Ban Severe Interrogation Techniques (March 8)
Government Intervenes to Avert Financial Crises (March 11)
Bush Acknowledges Toll of War on Anniversary of War (March 19)
April
Senate Passes Housing Relief Bill (April 10)
Dozens Are Killed in Suicide Attacks in Iraq (April 15)
Pope Denounces Pedophile Priests (April 15)
May
State Department Renews Deal with Controversial Contractor (May 9)
Polar Bear Designated as Threatened (May 14)
California Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Gay Marriage (May 15)
June
Five-Year Inquiry Finds Bush Exaggerated Evidence on Iraq (June 5)
Unemployment Rate Spikes To 5.5% (June 6)
North Korea Takes Steps Toward Denuclearization (June 26)
July
Treasury Department Proposes Rescue Plan for Mortgage Companies (July 13)
U.S. Envoy Participates in Talks with Iran (July 19)
Judge Rules that Bush's Advisers Must Comply with Subpoenas (July 31)
August
The Summer Games Open with a Spectacular Ceremony and Tragedy (Aug. 8)
Al-Qaeda Increases Its Strength and Threat (Aug.12 )
McCain Chooses Outsider as Running Mate (Aug. 29)
September
Report Finds That Former Attorney General Mishandled Sensitive Documents (Sept. 2)
Unemployment Rate Reaches Highest Level in Five Years at 6.1% (Sept. 5)
U.S. Financial Markets Roiled by Turmoil (Sept. 7)
Russia Agrees to Withdraw from Georgia (Sept. 8)
October
Connecticut Legalizes Gay Marriage (Oct. 10)
Investigation Concludes That Palin Abused Power (Oct. 10)
Bush Administration Memorandum Asserts Federal Money Can Fund Groups That Discriminate Based on Faith (Oct. 18)
Economy Shrinks for First Time in Years (Oct. 30)
November
Barack Obama Is Elected President (Nov. 4)
California Votes to Outlaw Same-Sex Marriage (Nov. 4)
Economy Stumbles Further (Nov. 7)
China Announces Enormous Stimulus Package (Nov. 9)
Stock Market Tumbles Again (Nov. 19)
December
Dow Plunges Amid Report That Economy Is in Recession (Dec. 1)
Unemployment Rate Increases Again to 6.7% (Dec. 5)
Journalist Throws Shoes at Bush (Dec. 14)
Bush Unveils $17.4 Billion Rescue of Auto Industry (Dec. 19)
|
Fellowship of the Reindeer
To celebrate the holidays this year, what could be better than a homemade video clip on You Tube featuring my favorite holiday TV show as a child, combined with my all time favorite fiction book and movie as an adult? It doesn’t get any better than this!! Enjoy this small work of genius from You Tuber SSIMS2FREAK and Happy Holidays ya’ll...
Prop 8 The Musical
The battle continues even after the voter approval of Proposition 8 in California. I predict that ultimately this referendum will be overturned by the Supreme Court as unconstitutional. I would say the vast majority of those who have argued in favor of Proposition 8 have done so mostly on religious beliefs. The problem, however, is that by holding referendums like this on issues that deal with basic rights and freedoms of individuals, and then overturning those rights primarily because of religious view points held by the voting majority; the outcome is an unfair influence on governmental policy which is supposed to treat all people the same and with equality. How many other controversial, basic rights issues could possibly be overturned or reversed if we allowed each of them shortly after they were passed to go before referendum votes and let the voters decide their fate? It is doubtful if slavery, interracial marriages, or voting rights for women would’ve ever been allowed to endure if it had been left up to the voters to decide. Each of the issues just listed were very unpopular issues with the majority of people at the time they were passed, yet through the passage of time these controversial issues were eventually accepted by the majority of the people as the right choice. Today it would be inconceivable for someone to stand up and advocate the reversal of any of those issues because they are now considered “basic” rights.
Prop 8 The Musical is a very short production written by Marc Shaiman and featuring some big name actors like Jack Black and John C. Reilly. Neither of these actors are gay themselves, but lend their talents here in support of the overthrow of Proposition 8 because they believe it is unconstitutional and unfair to gay couples. In an interview on Countdown with Keith Olbermann, both Black, Reilly, and Shaiman appear to discuss the musical and why they did it.
Prop 8 The Musical is a very short production written by Marc Shaiman and featuring some big name actors like Jack Black and John C. Reilly. Neither of these actors are gay themselves, but lend their talents here in support of the overthrow of Proposition 8 because they believe it is unconstitutional and unfair to gay couples. In an interview on Countdown with Keith Olbermann, both Black, Reilly, and Shaiman appear to discuss the musical and why they did it.
See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die