The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly

The Good –Happy New Year! That’s right, you heard me correctly – Chinese New Year began on Feb. 3. And 2011 is officially my year: the Year of the Rabbit. Traditionally, the Chinese spend the last few days before the New Year cleaning their homes to sweep away the bad luck and prepare for the good luck in the coming year. The Chinese Lunar Calendar consists of 12 astrological signs that are said to influence the course of life, similar to the western zodiac. Those born in the year of the rabbit are supposed to be talented, virtuous, reserved and kind.  In addition they are also said to be prosperous, fashionable, and able to enjoy the finer things in life. Some famous rabbits you may know include Johnny Depp, Sting and yours truly.

The Bad – Are we seeing the effects of global warming? Last month marked the coldest January in the U.S. since 1994 with an average temperature of 30 degrees Fahrenheit, or about 0.8 degrees colder than usual. It was also the ninth driest January on record – dating all the way back to 1895 – despite the fact that New York City and Hartford saw record snowfall along with North Dakota and Nebraska, which had more precipitation than normal. Meanwhile, in the western states of Washington and Oregon the temperatures were warmer than usual. I wonder what February will bring?

The Ugly –The unrest in Egypt continued this week, reaching a climax on Thursday when President Hosni Mubarak announced his intentions to step down. Let’s keep our thoughts, prayers and support alive for the Egyptian people – hoping they can find peace through the change…

Kevin Fickenscher, MD

The views and opinions expressed herein are my own and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of Dell Services or its affiliates.