> Another year. So what?
> Seriously, I hope things will be different, but if they are, I'll be surprised. I've seen a lot of new years come and go.

Also seen a few New Years come and go so to give the flip side also known as the yay side:)
>
> With a little luck, maybe things will get better instead of worse. After all, the Berlin wall came down, and the roads are paved from coast to coast. We now communicate more or less instantly all over the world.

I think things with get better:)
>
> Television went from fairly bad and free, to very bad and expensive. Nobody on Mars yet. No cure for the common cold. No helicopters in every garage.

OKay yay on the TV can be counted as some classics which no-one can disagree with, Blackadder (take your pick which one) yeah you have to pay, but its that or the Archers (yawn!!)
Mars, well we'll get there.....
The Common Cold, gives you a few days off work, if you choose to go in you get the sympathy vote and the boss will love you for it.
Whats so great about helecopters, personally I'd prefer a jet pack a la Bond in Thunderball
>
> The food is better than it used to be, but only because we get more variety. Movies are going downhill fast. You can't get drama on the radio anymore. Music is louder than I ever thought possible, and most singers can't carry a tune or read music. I haven't heard the national anthem sung, as it was written, in years.

Yay to food - okay now I have the munchies....
Moives are getting better I think, Lord Of The Rings anyone....
Music at the moment rules, yay to cheesy pop!!! but my dissapointment at Steps splitting up is still a bit too close....okay now I'm starting to tear up....*sniff*
But yay to Kylie, S Club 7, Steps (oh the Tragedy).
And national anthems.....you really want me to sing it???? most people regret asking me to sing ANYTHING......seriously I HAVE been banned from kareoke....
>
> But my truck sat in the cold for a week and then started the first try with a 6.5 year old battery. That wouldn't have happened in 1949, and not just because I didn't have a truck then. The technology is better now.
>
> And global warming vanishes when we really need it.

Try living in England, you'll appreciate global warming more
>
> I'ver noticed that the print in newspaper and books is smaller and fuzzier than it used to be.

At least it's readable
>
> The cops and firemen are getting more respect, so maybe someday the teachers will too.

If the teachers you are talking about are as cool as some of my teacher friends they'll already have it from the kids at least, from everyone else....may take a bit longer.... again it'll get there

Hope Everyone has a seriously yay New Year
Dix"Ever the optimist"ie