Obama marks first week in office

As the vast majority of the world continues to express goodwill towards President Barack Obama, it is arguably appropriate to reflect back upon what the new administration has done since it took office last Tuesday.

1) Obama issued an executive order to close Guantánamo Bay within a year

2) Chief-of-staff Rahm Emanuel ordered a review of all last-minute directives made by former President George W. Bush

3) Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced the Pentagon would increase the number of troops on the ground in Afghanistan

4) Obama issued executive orders that lifted the bans on federally funded stem cell research and overseas programs that provide abortions or discuss them

The economic crisis continues to rage, the media circus that is Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich shows little sign of abatement and Bernie Madoff and other alleged swindlers remain firmly entrenched onto the headlines, but Obama's first eight days in office certainly provide hope to many the last eight years are quickly becoming a thing of the past. The new commander-in-chief is certainly not a messiah who is going to save the world, but he will almost undoubtedly continue to offer hope and promise to people who really need it.