Traditions of New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day vary from culture to culture and person to person. Through a variety of cultural traditions, community celebrations, private parties, and personal quiet time, humanity ushers in 2012 on a positive note.
Realistically, and like any other year, for each of us 2012 will deliver a variety of ups and downs – some expected, but others not. May 2012 bring you more joys than sorrows – more thrills than chills – more positives than negatives.
It’s a Wonderful Life is a great movie about life. May each of our lives be like George Bailey’s – one that is surrounded by good people in our day-to-day life. After all, positive interactions with positive people are powerful. Happy New Year everyone … and thanks for being one of my positive forces.
Have you ever wonder what the news would be like if there were no reports about stupid people? Or at least without stupid things done by people who should know better?
Last year I start the Doltest of the Dolts Award, so hey – might as well make it a tradition. Since politicians could easily dominate this, I have tried to limit their presence, which is not easy here or in real life).
Ladies and gentlemen – A Frank Angle’s “Doltest of the Dolts Awards” for 2011.
17) The Republican Presidential candidates for doing what they can to push moderates to the other party
16) Pat Robertson – Odds are good that he said something stupid this year
15) Terry Jones – Yep, the hate pastor from Florida was in the news a lot first quarter
14) Sarah Palin – Top-ranked last year, but less time in front of the camera lowers her rating, but she still is a nincompoop (One of my fav posts ever)
13) Lindsey Lohan – Miss Train Wreck
12) John Boehner and Eric Cantor (politics aside) for not attending the Arizona service after the January shooting because one of them should have been there
11) A group of state governors for misreading the will of the people (No, I did not vote for Ohio’s John Kasich)
10) Bud Selig – The only yearly question is where on this list will the MLB Commissioner be
9) Hank Williams – For his hated
8] Charlie Sheen – Mr. Train Wreck
7) James Harrison – The Steelers linebacker who intentionally tries to hurt players, and then laughs
6) College Presidents for saying they care about student athletes yet change conferences to chase money
5) Politicians who are pathetic examples of noble leaders: Take your pick from Anthony Weiner, Charlie Rangel, Arnold Schwarzenegger, John Ensign, and others for making other lowly politicians look good
4) Harold Camping – The rapture king was hoping for a higher rating
3) Donald Trump for making a mockery of the importance and dignity of being able to live in the White House
2) The chain-of-command at Penn State University and Florida A&M University for dropping the buck
1) The Congress of the United States of America – Anyone needing an explanation, here’s your sign
Yesterday I reflected by listing my favorite posts for 2011, so today, here are some of my favorite videos that I used this year. Do you have any favorites from those below or any of my posts is year? Enjoy the buffet.
For the Mind
Symphony of Science – Here’s the collection, so take your pick, but I really enjoy We are All Connected
Early in 2011, I celebrated the 600th post – and recently #800, plus my first month with 3,000 hits. I started the year with John, and he’s still here. (I couldn’t resist.) Others are still here too, and new regulars have joined us. Many thanks to everyone and hopefully something below will strike your fancy … or at least jog a memory chip. Do you have any favorites from here?
I enjoy doing the posts about numbers, and also working in pieces of handbell music.
I pledged respectful behavior in my first post in Aug 2008 – with that I know I have done well. In appreciation to the readers who frequent these electronic pages, here is a trip down memory lane – the posts I enjoyed the most.
This month is a milestone for this blog – sometime today 3000 hits (for the month) happened for the first time … and only a few days after post #800. So hey, why not a post dedicated to 3000! For those enjoying this sort of trivia, see the Numbers category in the sidebar.
In Language
3K, tre tusind, drie duizend, tre mila, три тысячи, Üç bin,
In Music
André 3000 is a rapper with the real name of André Lauren Benjamin
Year 3000 is a pop punk song by Busted, an English boyband
In Television
Class of 3000 is an animated show on Cartoon Network
3000 Whys of Blue Cat is the first large-scale animated series in China with emphasis on science
The television series Futurama (airing 1999-2003) takes place in the year 3000 (See Dragonfae’s note in the comments)
Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K) was a television show airing 1988-1999
In Sports
3000 meters is a track event that runners do 7.5 laps of a 400 m track. The world records are held by Daniel Komen (Kenya, 7:20.67) and Wang Junxia (China, 8:06.11)
3000 m racewalk is an Olympic event
3000 meter steeplechase is a track event involving running and clearing 28 hurdles and 7 water jumps
3000-Hit Club is the term for the baseball players achieving 3000 hits in their career – only 28 players to date, Cap Anson was the first, and Derek Jeter the most recent
3000 Strikeouts Clubs is for baseball pitchers striking out 3000 batters. Only 16 pitchers have achieved this milestone – Walter Johnson was the first (John Smoltz the most recent)
In Movies
Mr. 3000 is a movie (2004) staring Bernie Mac and Angela Bassett
3000 Miles to Graceland is a 2001 film with lousy reviews
3000 Miles is a documentary of the 2006 Gumball 3000 rally
In Computers
Top Gear 3000 is a Super Nintendo video game
Lenovo 3000 is a series of computers
In Literature
In the novel The Brothers Karamazov (Dostoevsky), a recurring conflict between a father and his eldest son involves 3000 roubles
“3000 Days of Innocence” is from Harry Potter
Miscellaneous
The postal code for downtown Melbourne, Australia
Roman numeral MMM
The smallest number requiring thirteen letters to spell in English
USA 3000 is an airline
Many cars get an oil change every 3000 miles
Leonardo 3000 is a main-belt asteroid
December 31, 3000 marks the end of the 30th century
