It’s been a long summer of bad news across the globe. The summer started with the massive oil-spill in the Gulf of Mexico. While the news of oil giant, British Petroleum’s struggle to contain the immense spill was never very good, the news to the tourism industry along the Gulf was even worse. With summertime tourists staying away, 2010 was not a good year for residents still recovering from Hurricane woes of the past few seasons, and in particular the recent memory of Hurricane Katrina.

News from the White House this summer wasn’t particularly encouraging either, as current events enthusiasts from across the world watched as unemployment rates reached double-figures for the first time in recent memory. Even though not all the news was good, comparing mortgage refinance rates continued to be a hot topic among consumers as the summer drew to a close.

In the early stages of 2010, news from the South American country, Chile, was not good. The earth-quake ravaged country in South America was shaken by a series of massive earthquakes, only to have their shell-shocked population tremble as the aftershocks continued to cause a stir several months after the Tsunamis had subsided.

Some of the news from the sporting world this summer was stellar. The United States soccer team making the round of 16 at the 2010 world cup was atop all of the current events highlight lists in June and July. The news surrounding Brett Favre’s return to the Minnesota Vikings was bad then good (depending on how you view his often retired and unretired self). The Minneapolis Star Tribune first reported, Favre was retiring, only to retract that news statement one day later, as Farve continued to ponder his options heading into August.

The summer concluded with the not-so-good news of the massive destruction and flooding in the country of Pakistan.