The Year in Review, 2023

 2023 The Year in Review

This year I had to get a new coffee grinder. I was forced to do this when the old coffee grinder
disappeared. There were no pieces, no fractured plastic shards from an unfortunate tumble to the floor, no ashes from a freak electrical surge, no ransom note. Here today, gone today, almost as if it never existed. It was a year like that. All year.

 

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced his candidacy for president. He has been a vocal opponent of vaccines, an active Covid denier, and generally opposed to any sort of attachment to reality. He launched, initially, as a democrat, not surprising, for a Kennedy. A wave of resentment and hostility persuaded him to switch to independent, which seemed to irritate Republicans. He just can’t get along with anyone. We, here at Life Explained, would like to wish him the best of luck in whatever he decides to pursue after losing the election.

 

International war made a big comeback. Russia invaded Ukraine, and Hamas and Israel have once again resorted to armed conflict (though, Israel may feel this is more of an internal security issue than a war with a sovereign neighboring state). These are both potential catastrophes, exacerbated by the American governments inability to make any progress on almost any issue. 

 

In a shocking acknowledgement of the law a candidate for president was removed from the ballot in two states. Donald Trump, facing numerous felony charges, was stricken from the rolls in Colorado, and Maine. It’s a safe bet other states will follow, but not this year. It’s a safe bet that Trump will threaten both states with expulsion from the union, invasion, nuclear strikes, mass incarceration, and anything else his fevered mind, and rabid advisors, can dream up. Still, it makes for a nice thought. Politics without Trump. Religion without Trump. News without Trump.

 

In much the same way as video killed the radio star, streaming programming has taken over television. Technically, this may have happened before this year. I just didn’t notice it. I probably wouldn’t have noticed it this year if I hadn’t seen every episode of Wagon Train, Leave it to Beaver, The Andy Griffith Show, several times. Now, my reruns are reruns. I probably should think about subscribing to one of the many, similar, expensive services, but I wouldn’t know where to begin. I’d pay for something I wouldn’t understand and couldn’t use. I have a computer and a smart phone for that. 

 

It does make for some interesting conversations at work, when one of my co-workers ask about the latest episode of some modern, streaming, high tech program and I say “no, but did you see ‘Perry Mason and The Case of the Deadly Verdict’? Perry Mason actually lost a case.” The conversation died right there.

 

In China it was the year of the Rabbit (lucky numbers 3, 4 and 6). In Chinese culture the rabbit is a symbol of longevity, peace and prosperity. While that seems a bit of a stretch, the American economy churned along, unemployment fell, and the standard of living has crawled up from the rubble of the Trump presidency. So, it might be closer to the truth than it appeared. 

 

The state of Florida is investigating the NCAA for not selecting Florida State to participate in the Championship Playoffs. It cost the university several million dollars and a possible trip to the White House. College football has had a long history of pissing people off. Selecting teams that over other teams, in many ways it was a beauty contest, a lot of it had to do with pedigree, and the determination of the athletic director, possibly the connections established, it never hurts to have a history of membership on committees and panels. It’s who you know, and looking at the teams that were chosen this year,it still is.

 

2024 (the Year of the Dragon, confident, intelligent, enthusiastic, lucky numbers 1, 6 and 7) is closing in fast. The presidential election looms large and forbidding. The climate is warming and may have reached the point of no return. College selection committees are going to choose who they choose, and people are going to complain. I’m not sure it will be that much different, but I have a new coffee grinder.