ShareThisMore people will kiss their pooch when the New Year rolls in than another human being, according to an end-of-the-year Zogby/Times Square New Year's Eve National Poll.
Women are 4.5 times as likely to spend New Year's Eve with a pet than men are. Democrats are more likely than Republicans to spend New Year's Eve with a pet.
"We've discovered over the four years that we've been conducting this survey that people love seeing in the New Year with their pet," said Tim Tompkins, president of the Times Square Alliance. "I guess it's that pure joy and unconditional optimism that animals have that people love to be around."
Unconditional optimism is in short supply, according to the rest of the poll.
"New Year's is a time when people both reflect about where they've been and look ahead to where they're going," Tompkins said. "Given all the economic, social and political changes going on, Americans seem to be a bit unsure of what's ahead. They seem to be aware that there is no quick-fix and that it'll take time for things to get better. Nevertheless, there's a feeling of hope -- a feeling that if we can get past these challenging times, better things are ahead for us and the next generation."
Most Americans are eager to say goodbye to 2008, and they have mixed feelings about whether 2009 will be any better.
Participants were asked an open-ended question about the one thing from 2008 to which they would most like to say "Good Riddance."
"Politics was clearly on people's minds," said Jeff Straus, president of Countdown Entertainment.
More people wanted to say "Good Riddance" to George Bush than to anything else; he was mentioned more than twice as often as the second item, which was the 2008 election.
Economic issues (high-priced gas, economic collapse, stock market) were not far behind, capturing four of the top 10 spots. "War," which was the No. 1 item people wanted to say "good riddance" to a year ago, was No. 16 on the list this year.
Other findings in the poll include:
-- 75 percent think the current year was worse for the world than the previous year, compared to only 39 percent who said that a year ago.
-- Only 32 percent said the current year was better for them personally than the previous year, as compared with 59 percent who said so last year
-- People's predictions were too optimistic last year. Only 20 percent predicted 2008 would be worse than 2007, but now 75 percent are saying 2008 was in fact a worse year for the world than 2007.
-- Only 43 percent of respondents think next year will be better for them personally, compared to 59 percent who said that a year ago. Young people were more optimistic, with 57.9 percent expecting 2009 to be better. Lower income respondents ($25,000 or less) are the least optimistic.
-- Only 40 percent of respondents expect people born in 2009 to have a better quality of life than the generations before them. Almost 50 percent of young people expect the next generation to be better off, compared to just 30 percent of seniors.
(Lynn Walker is an editor for the Wichita Falls Times Record News in Texas.)
