More Americans Hopeful for 2014 — Dave’s Diary

Three days into 2014 and how’s it going?  Ok, Ok, too early to tell but you are optimistic, right? Nearly half of us are.A new Associated Press-Times Square poll found Americans are optimistic about the future.  49 percent, think their own fortunes will improve next year, 34 percent don't expect much to change for them, and just 14 percent think it'll be a downgrade for them from 2013.

Looking back on the past year, 26 percent named the implementation of the Affordable Care Act as the most important news story of the year -- which matches what an AP survey of news directors and editors chose as the  year's top story.

And as for pop culture, Americans said most of it was forgettable -- with only the birth of Prince George to Britain's Prince William and his wife,

, ranked as more memorable than forgettable.