With the new year still in its infancy, it's a good time to look ahead with hope and ambition for what the new year might offer. Here's a few of my hopes for 2011:
First of all, I hope that 2011 is finally the year that people drop this whole "two thousand and ..." nonsense when stating the year. Saying "twenty-eleven" is far easier than saying "two thousand eleven."
Besides that, it follows the societal norm that's been in place for hundreds of years. We didn't land on the moon in "Nineteen hundred sixty-nine" (Or "One Thousand, Nine Hundred and Sixty-Nine"); we landed there in "Nineteen Sixty-Nine." The American Revolution didn't begin in "Seventeen Hundred Seventy-Six;" it was in "Seventeen Seventy-Six." And the Normans didn't conquer England in "One Thousand Sixty-Six;" they did it in "Ten Sixty-Six."
I understand the new millennium brought with it some vernacular challenges. Saying "two thousand" made more sense than saying "twenty hundred." But now that we're into the second decade of the 21st century, it's time to get back on track. Because, really, in 115 years, does anyone really want to be saying "Two Thousand, One Hundred, Twenty-Six"? I don't think so.
My second wish for 2011 is that that politicians in the public arena listen to what voters said last fall.
There are many new faces among the local leadership in Blytheville, Gosnell and Mississippi County. They no doubt have new ideas and new energy. And for those used to the way things have been done in the past, it's probably a bit unnerving. But all government officials should remember that these new folks represent the popular choice. They were picked by the people. And the people are in charge. Petty differences and local politics cannot be allowed to stand in the way of progress.
Likewise, I hope that those who were defeated in the elections last fall also heard what voters had to say. Usually, if you lose an election, there's a good reason why. When you lose an election, especially badly, you can't claim to speak for the people.
My next wish for 2011 is for good weather. We're yet to have measurable snowfall, and I say let's keep the streak going. After all, we've had enough blizzards and ice storms the past two year to keep us going for a couple decades.
And while I'm at it, let me also say that a summer with a few less days of triple-digit heat indexes would be nice, too.
I know. Fat chance.
My last wish for 2011 is for e-mail users to think a little bit before they mindlessly forward their latest message to everyone in their address book. Or at least do a little bit of research.
I am tired of seeing messages perpetuating lies and half-truths being shuttled across the information superhighway with nary a thought or concern about the damage that can be caused by spreading misinformation. What's especially frustrating is that some of the folks who do this are otherwise intelligent and rational people. What is it about sitting in front of a computer screen that causes people to forego all rational thought?
If you have e-mail, you need to bookmark the following website: www.snopes.com. And the next time you get a juicy e-mail about something stupid President Obama has supposedly done, or a venomous diatribe written by some celebrity, or the latest giveaway from AOL or Microsoft, visit Snopes, and see if it's for real.
And then stop and think about whether it's important enough to forward to every person to whom you've ever sent an e-mail.
aweld@blythevillecourier.com