°F TTT A (Y ‘The Interview’ aftermath ( The health benefits of pets Y Let's be smart And more! Have your voice heard! Contact: Elliot Chan, Opinions Editor M opinions@theotherpress.ca www.theotherpress.ca New year, old news » A pessimistic look towards 2015 Elliot Chan Opinions Editor © opinions @theotherpress.ca ere’s to another new year— : but let’s be honest, as much as things change, the next : 365 days will probably contain some scenarios that will feels as though history is repeating itself. This is because numerous : unresolved incidents, like lawsuits and wars, can just drag : on and on. Other occurrences may seem spontaneous and random, but after the smoke clears, we'll see that it’s much of : the same. I have high hopes for 2015, I think itll be a great one, but don’t be surprised if some of these scenarios occur without warning to derail our plans. Death of a star: Each year we seem flabbergasted when we hear about tragic deaths of celebrities. It’s nothing new. Death is inevitable and stars burn out. Some might be aging legends, others are troubled individuals, and a few are just ill-fated tragedies. At the start of 2014, none could have guessed that we’d lose Robin Williams, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Joan Rivers. Shirley Temple, Lauren Bacall, and Richard Attenborough were not that surprising, although the pain lingers still. By the end of 2015, : we'll be recuperating from : another year of mourning. Health crisis: In 2014 Ebola scared medical workers, : border guards, and pretty ; much everybody else in the : world. Every few years we get an ; epidemic scare. Here's a brief : list of diseases we’ve survived : so far: HiNi (swine flu), E. : coli, H5Ni (avian influenza), : Listeriosis, mad-cow disease, SARS, etc. With that in mind, let’s be ready for the next one. : It’s bound to happen with so : much filth in the world. Let’s : trust in the warning systems : and the institutions that protect us. Let’s make good health : practices and laugh in the face of death one more time. Aircraft tragedy: Since : g/u and the disappearance : of Malaysia Airline’s aircrafts, : getting on an airplane isa risky : and stressful experience. While flying still remains the safest method of travel over great distances, aircraft tragedies have become an international crisis whenever they occur. Tenerife, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, and Captain Sullenberger are all memorable stories that have made a significant mark in our lives and in the year when they occurred. Don’t be too shocked when another aircraft crash lands into our headlines and leaves us wondering what if. Cyber controversy: The world of technology is an exploration people have just embarked on and we are all discovering the wonders and the horrors of the Internet and the devices we use. From newly implemented laws such as distracted driving to chilling crises like security breaches and hacks, 2014 was full of stories involving technology, proving that although we can send files across the globe we have yet to master this new tool. The celebrity nude images scandal and the Sony/North Korea hack were proof that the cloud and the ether are no safer than a dark alleyway. As we venture deeper, more awfulness will be discovered and hopefully vanquished. Natural disaster: Finally, we come to natural disasters. Unlike 2012, 2015 does not have any prophesized apocalypse, and I hope Mother Nature knows that. Any act of God this year will undoubtedly bea shock whether it be an earthquake along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a volcano on an island nation, blizzards on the east coast of North America, or maybe even a wildfire close to home. Bad things happen. They’re bound to happen and they’re probably happening already, but don’t let that ruin our year. We can rise above it; we have before. Here’s to a great year! Invoking more of the same lies » Why your New Year’s resolutions will fail again Cazzy Lewchuk Staff Writer of New Year’s resolution. Maybe it’s a solid list of goals, maybe it’s just a vague Facebook status about having a positive, better year than before. For the first few weeks, we may even try to implement in our routines. There’s a reason why gyms are crowded in January—and there’s also a reason why the gyms are back : to normal capacity right after. : In fact, the cliché of breaking : New Year’s resolutions is : almost as popular as making : them. So what goes wrong? : Why does everyone inevitably M°* of us make some form : : fail themselves? Setting goals for ourselves : is hard. Even when the goals : follow the SMART pattern : often taught in goal-setting : exercises (Specific, Measurable, : : Achievable, Realistic, and : : Timely) it’s difficult to follow those goals by making changes : chrough with them, unless : you happen to be a very : goal-oriented person. And : the vast majority of people— * particularly those under 30— : are not. Permanent lifestyle : changes are difficult to : imagine, let alone implement. : Anew year has no actual : meaning besides the symbolic; : nothing has changed except : the passage of time. You are : the exact same person you were : : the day before, and having a : goal for the sake of having a goal isn’t enough. To make the : resolutions, you have to really : want to do it for your own sake : and not just because it’s a new : page on the calendar. Seasons can havea slight effect on the failure ’ of goals. December is a : month of celebrating, usually : with dinners, parties, and : relaxation; time is spent away : from school and work. January : is when the cold status quo : returns. Returning to school : and work can be overwhelming : : and stressful, leaving you to cope in whatever way you Most New Year’s : resolutions are made for the : sake of the new year. Goal : setting is important and : can actually be achieved : (the SMART pattern really * does do wonders), but it’s : fundamentally important that : you really want to achieve : your goal. Take all the New : Year factors out. If you want : something, you'll have to : genuinely do the work needed to get it. This is true for : everything in life. If you aren't : willing to do it, that’s okay. But : usually do: the same things you : : did before the holidays, with : no resolutions in place. it’s important to be honest with : yourself. Are your resolutions : actually about making : significant changes to your : life that you’ve been needing : fora significant amount of : time? Or are they wishful : thoughts during that relaxing : period between Christmas and * January 1?