It’s a brand new year everyone! So to start it off right, I’m back with Awesome or Awful. I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted anything (and I’m sorry for that), but thanks to my New Year’s resolutions I will be posting way more often in 2013. I promise.

Enough about me, let’s get on with the top 5 things that happened this week:

Let’s be honest, these only really worked in the 2000′s. (photo via blog.optx2020.com)

1. It’s 2013, bitches! – AWESOME

   I’ve never been a huge fan of celebrating the new year. The parties are usually never up to expectations and it’s hard to co-ordinate more than a few people all going to the same event on that night.

   What I do like though is the idea of starting fresh, looking back on what you’ve accomplished in the last 12 months, and making new goals for yourself. 2012 might not have been great, either because there were a few predicted apocalypses or because we never caught Kony.

   Despite that, I’m walking into this brand new set of 12 months with a lot of optimism. I’m ready to get to work on my goals and accomplish them. As well, Jurassic Park is being re-released in 3D this year. So even if 2013 gets off to a rocky start, there’s always that to look forward too.

   Fun fact: 2013 is the first year since 1987 to have no repeating numbers. So that’s kind of cool.

   

   Scumbag Congress (photo via politicalhumor.about.com)

2. Fiscal cliff avoided, kind of – AWESOME and AWFUL

   The most talked about topic at the end of 2012 had to be the ‘fiscal cliff’ in the United States. The impending tax hikes and reduced government spending of going over ‘the cliff’ could have caused another recession, according to experts.

   The media coverage was almost constant in the lead up to the cliff. It was like going on a road trip somewhere and talking about the destination the entire way there. The news covered everything from what will happen if Congress doesn’t pass a bill before the 11:59 PM deadline on December 31^st to the partisan disagreements plaguing the decision.

   While they missed the deadline, Congress eventually came to an agreement, which stopped tax hikes for the majority of Americans. While it’s great that the fiscal cliff was avoided, the provisions that were covered in the latest bill, are mostly temporary solutions to a giant economic problem.

   Hopefully the US federal government can come to an agreement that will help citizens and reduce the deficit in the long term.

   

   Hey Justin, can I get a hit of that? (photo via TMZ.com)

3. Justin Bieber allegedly smokes weed – AWESOME

   TMZ released photos last week of Justin Bieber holding a blunt at a hotel party. The photos show the Biebz with a lit blunt in hand, but the story from TMZ doesn’t confirm or deny if Bieber was smoking it. But based on his tweets (here and here) after the story leaked, he might be guilty.

   Even if he is, should anyone care? No, he’s an adult and allowed to make his own decisions. It’s actually kind of nice to see the clean-cut Canadian boy not being so clean-cut. He’s a young man, so maybe he did smoke up with his buddies much like many of his non-famous peers. Because he’s seen as a role model and is under the scrutiny of the media, it’s made to be a big deal. Tons of celebs and regular folk smoke, so let’s just move on.

   This may not be the best press for Bieber, it’s great press for marijuana. The Biebz and Michael Phelps are fantastic poster boys for the illegal substance.

   

   I think Kanye just said “Wouldn’t it be funny if we named the baby, Kimye?!”

4. Kim Kardashian is pregnant! – AWFUL

   So Kim Kardashian and Kanye West announced that they are having a child together. Now many people would congratulate the two on bringing life into this world, but I see the real danger here.

   A pregnant Kardashian is more than enough basis for a new reality show. I don’t think I could stand to watch a pregnant Kim go baby clothes shopping with Kanye. And I know I couldn’t listen to any member of the Kardashian family talk about their opinions of unmarried ‘Ye and Kim having a child together.

   What makes this truly awful is what this could do to Kanye’s career. Lately, he’s penned lyrics like, ‘I was in too deep like Mekhi Phife/ In that pussy so deep I could have drowned twice.’ But now that he’s on his way to fatherdom, what will he rap about? The price of designer diapers? How his progeny will be stuntin’ in baby sized Air Yeezy’s?

   To quote West’s song I Don’t Like, “that’s that shit I don’t like”.

   

   Now these guys can finally go home! (photo via thestar.com)

5. NHL lock out is finally over – AWESOME and AWFUL

   In September, the owners and players of the NHL could not come to a labour agreement. This lead to the players being locked out, until the two sides could negotiate a new contract. The majority of the dispute was over how the league’s revenues would be divided, player’s salaries, and contract terms.

   After a 113 days of being locked out, the owners and players finally came to an agreement. The big question now is, how will they salvage the season? How will fans react?

   Honestly, I hope that fans are upset with both sides. The reality is that these are two groups of very rich people, arguing and fighting over large amounts of money. Their fighting and inability to come to a resolution before the season started is insulting to the fans that want to see them play.

   Now that the season will be cut short this year, hopefully the players will really step their game up and make it an exciting season.