As a writer, you look for the perfect word, and using ‘dilemma’ to describe his indiscretions, doesn’t cut it. But neither does ‘indiscretion,’ ‘challenges,’ or ‘situation,’ but I digress.
Another big announcement this week was Time magazine’s Person of the Year for 2009. With competition between millions of people known as the Chinese Worker and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, it indeed would be a difficult decision. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke was tapped with the honor during a time when our nation has faced some of its most difficult challenges. Decisions made by Bernanke were touted as ensuring a period of weak recovery rather than catastrophic depression.
According to the Time article, Bernanke knows the economy would be much, much worse if the Fed had not taken such extreme measures to stop the panic. “There’s a vast difference between 10 percent and 25 percent unemployment; between anemic and negative growth. He wishes Americans understood that he helped save the irresponsible giants of Wall Street only to protect ordinary folks on Main Street. He knows better than anyone how financial crises spiral into global disasters, how the grass gets crushed when elephants fall.” In a Time interview, he stated “we came very, very close to a depression ... The markets were in anaphylactic shock…. I’m not happy with where we are, but it’s a lot better than where we could be.”
It was difficult to understand whether the shot in the arm to failing Wall Street institutions was the right move or not, and the debate continues. It will continue for decades, even centuries. What we do know is that we missed the bullet labeled Depression #2, and glimmers of light at the end of the tunnel are starting across the nation. The overriding story of 2009, has been the economy – how bad it was/is, jobless rates, bailout packages, etc. – thus the Person of the Year, undoubtedly had to be Bernanke.
On the lighter side, Golden Globe nominations were announced this week, and in the running for Best Motion Picture – Drama, are Avatar, The Hurt Locker, Inglourious Basterds, Precious: Based on the Novel Push By Sapphire, and Up In The Air. I haven’t seen a one of them. I’m going to do better in 2010, and visit East Park Cinema more often. There’s always a lot of buzz around the best picture, best actress, best actor, etc; but I’m only hoping for awards ceremonies without political statements, interruptions, and profanity in 2010. I’ll keep my fingers crossed, but I won’t hold my breath.
Also hitting “top lists” were some things I can do without. I don’t care where or when Levi Johnston will be outside of Alaska; matter of fact, I don’t care where he is at in Alaska either. I don’t care that Jessica Simpson and Dallas Cowboy quarterback Tony Romo are no longer together, and I definitely don’t care if Jon and Kate Gosselin are divorced, are talking, or are securing their next reality TV deal.
One entertainment accolade did catch my attention. Comeback of the Year, goes to The Muppets, according to People Magazine. Since most of us grew up with the Muppets, or at least have enjoyed them over the past several decades, that one’s a winner. Who makes your top lists for 2009?
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