Goodbye, 2011

There are less than 18 days left in 2011. And honestly, for every good thing that happened this year, there were 3 bad things. 

The economy tanked even further, Japan experienced a major earthquake and tsunami, we lost Anne Francis; Jack LaLanne; Jane Russell; Michael Gough; Elizabeth Taylor; Sidney Lumet; Yvette Vickers; Jackie Cooper; Dana Wynter; Arthur Laurents; Delores Fuller; Jeff Conaway; Clarence Clemens; Peter Falk; Betty Ford; Amy Winehouse; Bubba Smith; Cliff Robertson; Andy Whitfield; Frances Bay; Charkes Napier; Steve Jobs; Andy Rooney; Joe Frazier; Ken Russell and Harry Morgan (among many others). We saw violence against peaceful protestors and the continued tragedy of teen suicides. Ignorance and hate still abound; the worst possible crop of Republican candidates dominate the news while more folks are jobless, homeless and completely ignored by an ineffective Congress that seems to think their petty differences matter more than the welfare of the country. Our men and women in the Armed Forces continue to die in two pointless wars; arsenic abounds in fruit juices and contaminated honey from China sits on our grocery store shelves. Big pharmas continue to reap profits from the suffering of millions; AIDS still ravages Third World countries; homophobia runs rampant and a beloved University football program was toppled by a pervert. Is it really surprising that a show about the Zombie Apocalypse is among the most popular on TV?

But the news wasn't all bad. New York State approved Same-Sex marriage; the US Military is finally being removed from Iraq; gas prices have started to drop and Good Samaritans continue to do nice things. And in the spirit of nice things, I thought I'd share the video clip below with all of you. 

You all know by now how much Uncle P loves a good flashmob. Sent to me by my co-worker Sue, here's the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management's official 'Christmas Card:'

There. Don't you feel better? I know I do.

More, anon.
Prospero