What's In Store for 2009

The year 2009 is well under way and now we can honestly say that the year has begun. History was made on January 20th with the inauguration of the 44th Presidnet of the USA, Barack Hussein Obama. I was so moved my this moment, even though I am not American. If someone had said 4 years ago that there would be an African American president, I would have said that would be an impossibility.

Less than 24 hours in Office, he has altready started to make good on his election promises. Guantanimo is to be closed within a year, and torture techniques have been abolished. He has sworn in his cabinet and has really gotten things moving, especially on foreign policy. For the past 8 years, the Bush(league) administration did major damage to the American foreign policy and reputation abroad. If the USA is to get itself out its economic debacle, it is important that it starts to make some friends on the international playground.

Up here in the freezer commonly known as Canada, Stephen Harper's government will be presenting the budget on January 26th. For those who don't know, if this budget is rejected in th House of Commons, it could cause another federal election(which would cause more sleep inducing boredom than a bottle of Valium)or a coalition between the three opposition parties, the Liberals, the NDP's and the Bloc Quebecois (only in Canada exists a federal political party whose goal is to separate from the rest of Canada...)Should make some interesting debates on the CBC National with Peter Mansbridge..

I saw a great piece on 60 Minutes that explained the whole oil pricing madness of last summer. Very insightful and informative. Makes you want to hate Wall Streeters even more.

Recession seems to be the mot-de-jour. Guess what folks! We all overextended ourselves with easy credit. If you can't pay in cash, don't buy it! Lower interest rates are a two edged sword. Our money is worth less due to inflation, easy credit with low interest rates entices us...(Dont pay til 2010!..)yes if you have a mortgage and can pay it monthly(biweekly is better)the rates are at an all time low.My advice is to keep an eye on interest rates and if they start to creep up, lock in your mortgage rate!

I am curious to see how the advertising world is going to spin all of this. Companies need to sell to make money, so this is not the time to scrimp on advertising budgets. Hopefully this will mark the end of the celebritism that has invaded magazine adverts. Pick up any magazine and its hard to tell the difference between a Vogue and a People magazine. Consumers have been bombarded by images of celebrities, shot by paparrazzi, wearing designer dresses. That is not fashion! What ever happened to beautiful fashion layouts that used models in fabulous locations??? People need to see the photograph and imagine themselves in that situation and not a picture of Nicole Kidman in a frock. Fashion needs to return back to its roots of pure illusion and artistic photography. We all need to dream a little dream.


2009 will be a year of transition and change. It has begun, and all of us must do our part to make those changes. It all starts at home. Be human and help those less fortunate than you. Be nice, be polite and open a door for another person once in awhile. Small acts of kindness mean alot. Pass it forward...