XenviK's Year In Review - Part Four

You know the score, so on with the recapping of the year!

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A Bad Year for... World Leaders



To be frank its been kind of a sucky year to be head of any nation in the world. Economic woes and austerity go without saying, but there's also opposition at home to deal with, fights within coalitions, scandals aplenty, protests, even a few uprisings and deaths.

Looking at President Obama going grey before your very eyes one has to wonder if he'll be lucky that's all he gets away with. Unlike, say, Gadafhi who happened so snuff it in what was quite an embarrassing fashion.

A Bad Year for... The Institution of Marriage



And they say that love is dead?! Well going by the length of some celebrity marriages this year one would have to think it over.

More recently Sinead O'Connor made headlines with her fourth marriage lasting a mere 16 days, however the year's standout was undoubtedly Kim Kardashian. Her marriage to basketball star Kris Humphries lasted a short 72 days, with the marriage itself netting Kim a profit of $16 million from broadcast rights to the big day.

Gays would ruin the sanctity of marriage? Only if it hadn't already been knocked around a bit!

A Bad Year for... Gay Mitchell



You know, you'd almost feel sorry for Gay Mitchell. Almost.

It simply hasn't been a great year for the MEP for Dublin. He was selected as Fine Gael's presidential candidate but without the backing of the man who mattered most: Enda Kenny. Marching bravely on he proceeded to hobble his own campaign with gaffes, the odd backhanded insult and losing his cool once or twice. All of this culminated on election day in Fine Gael's worst Presidential election result ever, coming in 4th place.

And to top it all off he failed to win a single award at the recent MEP of the Year awards in Brussels. Oh well, there's always next year!

(An honourable mention goes to Senator David Norris, though definitely on a more sympathetic level.)

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And that's going to do it for now. There may be a bonus look ahead at 2012 and what I'll hope to see, but for now all that remains is to say a Happy New Year to you all!