2004 (Another Year of the "Naughty Aughties")

Reflecting on this decade, one can't help but conclude that many "naughty" things have happened in many fields i.e.: entertainment, sports, politics and economics. Hence the name "Naughty Aughties".

A brief recap of this year alone includes the Superbowl Jackson/Timberlake half-time show, the Pistons/Pacers basketball brawl, Ashlee Simpson lipsynching on SNL, and Martha Stewart going to jail. And in politics, Ohio's claim that paper ballots were not made on heavy enough paper, Schwarzenegger winning as Governor, and Bush's re-election cabinet desertion.

Highlights of previous years of the "Naughty Aughties" yield things like the Enron and Tyco accounting practices, Journalist Jason Blaire's false reporting, and Pete Rose admitting to gambling.

I'm sure readers could add to these lists, keeping in mind that the purpose of the "Naughty Aughties" is to show the lighter side of shortcomings. Obviously, there has been tragedy that has never seen the light of day until this decade, which no one should ever take lightly.

"Naughty Aughties" is the most appropriate nomenclature for this decade. The phrase summarizes this decade's character, and it gives the time period an identity that locates it chronologically. Even now, when one says Generation X or Generation Y, most people have a difficult time referring to the exact years. But with naught AND aught meaning zero, it should not leave much doubt in anyone's mind.

Soon, the entertainment industry will be marketing compilations of music, videos, etc. produced in this decade, and unlike titles such as "Heartbeat of the 80's", "Music from the 00's" is not appealing from a marketing standpoint. "Naughty Aughties" fills the void. IT IS THE DAWN OF A NEW MILLENIUM, THE DECADE OF CHANGE.

Scott Pedersen
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