Happy New Year, Bermuda. We have quickly completed another year; goodbye and good riddance 2009 and hello 2010. True, there was a lot of good in 2009 but, gosh, there was also some bad; some very bad things happened this year. But we must be optimistic, look to God for guidance and not despair. More on this after we have a brief look at the Top 20 hits during 2009.

The hottest track during 2009 was Blame It by Jamie Foxx featuring T Pain. This track has an awesome beat, catchy lyrics, crystal-clear production and it causes you to sing along, dance, or both.

The #2 song for 2009 was Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) by Beyonce. Beyonce had an awesome year and finished up as the hottest hip hop/R&B artist for the year. No surprises there.

The #3 track for the year was Miss Independent by Ne-yo. At #4 is Just Dance by Lady Gaga. This chick is a trip. She is extremely talented; an awesome performer/entertainer and a freaky dresser who is clearly on the wild side. She is best described as a younger, wilder Madonna of the current era. She makes even Madonna look a bit tame.

At #4 for the year is Boom Boom Pow by the Black Eyed Peas. Every time I take a good look at Fergie I am awestruck by her hotness. She is fine and she too is an entertainer extraordinaire. In fact, the Black Eyed Peas put on a good show whenever and wherever they are playing.

At #5 is Pit Bull's I Know You Want Me, which still packs dance floors worldwide. At #6 is Million Dollar Bill by comeback artist of the year Whitney Houston. This brilliant song was written by Alicia Keys and it is just so good to have Whitney back. At #7 is Live Your Life by Rihanna, the Bajan Bombshell who is clearly totally Westernised and Americanised; but what else did we expect?

In the #8 spot is the Michael Jackson compilation; we got our fill of the King of Pop's hits from the time of his untimely passing until now. At #9 is Knock You Down by Kerry Hilson featuring Kanye West and L'il Wayne. Number 10 is Be Without You by Mary J Blige, who put on an awesome concert at the Bermuda National Sports Centre in the summer. At #11 is Sobeautiful by Musiq. In the #12 spot for the year is Best I Ever Had by Drake; the new up and coming Canadian artist.

At #13 is Rockin That Thing by the Dream. At #14 is God In Me by Mary Mary, the gospel sister act who produce hit after crossover hit. At #15 is Drop It by Alison Hinds. In the #16 spot is I Wanna Make Love by Shurwayne Winchester. At #17 is Spotlight by Jennifer Hudson; who had a very tough year, losing members of her family in a senseless shooting spree.

In the #18 spot for 2009 is Pretty Wings by Maxwell. At #19 is Heartless by Kanye West. Finally, at #20 is Poker Face by Lady Gaga.

Now back to this week's word – the end of the tough year that was 2009. I was completely blindsided by the shutting down of the Mid-Ocean News. Some other highlights for the year for me were the Uighurs coming to Bermuda as well as the resulting political action by many Bermudians, representing all of the country's diversity, all of whom were expressing displeasure about various actions taken by the Government and/or our leader.

Funnily enough, as the good Doctor said, this too shall pass and in the typical passive aggressive tendency of Bermudians, it went away. The UBP is in total disarray and seems at best a rudderless and sinking ship which is flailing in the winds. Then we have yet another political party, the BDA. Bermuda has more of many things per capita than many places on earth. The most recent thing we have more of per capita must certainly now be political parties. I've lost track but I'm thinking we now have six political parties. That really and truly is a joke in a place of 22 square miles and only 65,000 inhabitants, with even fewer than that number eligible to vote.

Then we had the murder spree during the last month of the year. What is up with that? We must wrap our arms around and solve this problem as a matter of urgency; with definitive corrective measures implemented very soon.

We have some difficult days coming and it is my hope that we can successfully navigate these tough times and produce a happy, safe, healthy Bermuda wherein we all live in harmony with each other, with our environment and nature, in peace. God be with us. We really need Him now. Peace … DJLT.