April Fools’ Day for the Mayans may have come a little late this year, but until the next apocalyptic scare, some promising features of 2013 can keep us occupied.
April Fools’ Day for the Mayans may have come a little late this year, but until the next apocalyptic scare, some promising features of 2013 can keep us occupied. Although some critics may argue that the world did in fact end with PSY’s hit “Gangnam Style,” I attribute the year’s atrocity to the mere fact that human thumbs are now allowed to feature in TV shows (namely “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo”).
Monday, we are to expect Barack Obama’s inauguration in Washington. As the 57th presidential inauguration, the theme is “Faith in America’s Future.” Coincidentally, Obama will be sworn in on Martin Luther King Jr. Day; later in 2013 we will mark the 50th anniversary of the famous “I Have a Dream” speech. Israel will hold elections a day after the president’s inauguration. Other elections to anticipate in the year include those in the Czech Republic, Italy, Kenya, Iran, Tunisia and Germany.
While the year ends in the 50th anniversary of Kennedy’s assassination, a happier event will occur earlier: the International Day of Happiness. Scheduled for March 20, the U.N. General Assembly has declared the first day dedicated to “the relevance of happiness and well-being.” On a side note, according to the Gallup Poll’s gross national happiness index, Latin Americans nations are the happiest, scoring 7 countries in the top 10.
On the note of happiness, Pixar is scheduled to release its first-ever prequel, “Monsters University,” in June. Following the 2001 hit “Monsters, Inc.,” the film documents the friendship of Mike Wazowski and James P. Sullivan. Pixar’s marketing team has even launched a functioning website for the fictional school that features details on its Greek life, information about its clubs and merchandise that can actually be bought. Despite having been complete for months, the release date was delayed to avoid a ticket sales clash with “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 2.”
Following “Cars” is “Planes.” Scheduled to be theatrically released Aug. 9, “Planes” features Dusty, a sweet crop duster with a fear of heights. With friend and mentor naval aviator Skipper, Dusty enters the world of racing. Other highly anticipated films in 2013 include “Iron Man 3,” “Fast and Furious 6,” “Star Trek Into Darkness,” “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” “Despicable Me 2” and “The Hangover: Part III.”
We also expect a flourish of rising artists. For 2013, smartphone-based application Shazam predicts the rise of artists including American-Moroccan rapper French Montana, Justin Bieber, Trey Songz producer/writer Bei Maejor and soundtrack rapper for “The Hunger Games,” Tito Lopez.
While on that hopeful note, given’s Apple’s release history, terrible Tetris players can anxiously await the iPhone 5S as an even longer screen ensures longer playing times. Following Google and Apple, Mozilla Firefox is said to be debuting their first smartphone. While rumored to be cheaper than the Android, the Firefox phone promises to tap into hardware in “new ways.” Similarly, The Wall Street Journal cited unnamed sources that promise the Amazon Kindle Phone. Though details on the phone are unclear, personally, I am braced to anticipate some form of self-deleting video-clip sending communication device.On the topic of anticipation, Prince William and Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton are to be expecting their first child in June. The queen herself even took the measure of issuing a royal decree, or a Letter of Patent, to ensure that if the baby is a girl she will be a princess and titled Her Royal Highness. Another couple expecting their first child is Kim Kardashian and boyfriend Kanye West.
Due to Kardashian’s pregnancy, the two will be entertaining a commitment ceremony at a private beach mansion in Malibu. Rumors state that they are unable to be officially wed because Kardashian has not yet been legally divorced from former husband and mediocre NBA athlete, Kris Humphries. Other expecting limelight-lovers include Jessica Simpson and husband Eric Johnson, Shakira and husband Gerard Pique and Jenna Dewan-Tatum and husband Channing Tatum.
On a heavier note, it seems that every year is flooded with disasters, natural or man-made. The problem lies not in the level of awareness, but in our nation’s inability to maintain the hype. Stopping Kony seemed to peter out, and I can only imagine the next social justice fad to catch fire and fade. Truth be told, it is far simpler to hate a questionable organization than to donate time, money or efforts to help save the children. At any rate, if Facebook likes or reposts fed starving children, the world would be in better shape.
As troubled (and delightful) as 2012 was, 2013 holds a handful of possibilities, releases and resolutions (because the world isn’t ending after all). Here’s to a good one.
