What Caught My Eye Today

Top Stories of 2008 - These according to the Associated Press:

1. U.S. ELECTION: Barack Obama emerged from Election Night the first black president of the United States.
   And if that wasn't enough, Obama was named Time magazine's Person of the Year and might single-handedly be responsible for a baby boom--we'll find out next August
2. ECONOMIC MELTDOWN: The worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.
   We're not quite sure what to call this recession, though if you ask me, my vote goes for "The Great Bailout"
3. OIL PRICES: The price of crude soared as high as $150 a barrel in July before crashing to $33 this month. In the U.S., the average price for a gallon of regular gas peaked at $4.11, then plunged below $1.70.
   Funny how gas prices seem reflect current market condition but those fuel surcharges that the airlines are charging are still in force.
4. IRAQ: The much-debated "surge" of U.S. troops helped reduce violence after more than five years of war. A newly ratified U.S.-Iraqi security agreement sets a timetable for U.S. troop withdrawal by 2012.
   One of the few things Bush finally got right and something that John McCain was right about all along. In both cases, it was too little, too late.
5. BEIJING OLYMPICS: China hosted the Olympics for first time.
   Also known as the Michael Phelps show. I hear the gift basket that NBC sent him for delivering such high ratings was quite something, including that dinner at the all-you-can-eat Sizzler salad bar.
6. CHINESE EARTHQUAKE: A huge quake in May killed 70,000 people in Sichuan province and left 5 million homeless.
   Ironically, this tragedy probably saving the Olympic Games for China. Up to that point the torch relay and the situation in Tibet was setting the Games up for potential disaster.
7. SARAH PALIN: Republican John McCain's running mate.
   Likewise, the gift basket that Palin got from the producers of Saturday Night Live was also rumored to have several gift cards redeemable at Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue.
8. MUMBAI TERRORISM: Ten attackers allegedly sponsored by a Pakistan-based Islamic group terrorized India's financial capital in November, killing 164 people.
   If you are keeping track, we're now up to 3 September 11-esque attacks: the U.S. (the original), Spain (train attack), and now India (hotel attack). So tell me again, who is winning the war on terror?
9. HILLARY CLINTON: Came closer than any other woman in U.S. history to becoming a major party's presidential nominee.
   As a consolation price, girlfriend will be the next Secretary of State. Ironically, she'll take a pay cut from what Condoleeza Rice makes for the same job.
10. RUSSIA-GEORGIA WAR: The two nations waged a five-day war in August ignited by a Georgian artillery barrage on the breakaway region of South Ossetia.
    My take is that Russia couldn't care less about South Ossetia. I'm thinking that Vladimir Putin just used this as an excuse that Russia isn't going to still idly by while NATO recruits former Soviet satellite states to act as a buffer zone between Russia and the West.