As the Mayan time-line nears its end, the job market continues to fluctuate and North Korea keeps on keeping on, the frightened, confused denizens of earth cry out to anyone that will listen, pleading for a calming voice of reason to give us something--anything--that resembles a spot of good news. What's that you say? PANTONE has announced their Color of the Year for 2011?

Yes, that should do nicely.

According to a press release sent out by the color-minded company earlier today, this year's color was selected to help us face the calamities rained down on us in our everyday lives:

As we prepare to ring in the New Year, amid the hustle and bustle of the season, we must say goodbye to the 2010 color of the year – PANTONE 15-5519 Turquoise and hello to the next great hue. Today, Pantone, the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries, revealed a dynamic reddish pink, PANTONE 18-2120Honeysuckle, as the color of the year for 2011. ...Honeysuckle emboldens us to face everyday troubles with verve and vigor. A dynamic reddish pink, Honeysuckle is encouraging and uplifting. It elevates our psyche beyond escape, instilling the confidence, courage and spirit to meet the exhaustive challenges that have become part of everyday life.

Indeed. A calming color choice for these chaotic times. Thank you PANTONE: By thrusting 18-2120
Honeysuckle unto the masses, you've given the people of planet earth the strength and inner peace we'll need to make it through 2011 in one piece.

Follow this article's author, Seamus Bellamy on Twitter