65 Signs That 2013 Wasn’t the Worst
Some of you may want to close the book on 2013 as quickly as possible. And, look. We get it. What a shit show – full of Super Typhoons and Syria's brutal Assad regime, 3-D printed guns and the government shutdown. The Boston Marathon suffered an awful tragedy. That factory in Bangladesh collapsed. George Zimmerman got away with it, the fucker. Lou Reed, Roger Ebert and Michael Hastings died. Then there was the twerking, the cronuts, the horse-meat Ikea meatballs, Brad Paisley's "Accidental Racist." 2014 can't get here quick enough!
And yet, before it's gone, let's remember that 2013 had a sunnier side too – one marked by a growing acceptance of gay Americans and ganja smokers, by solar-powered flight, a rad new pope and enduring human accomplishments. Read on for a look back at 65 signs that 2013 was a year worth living through, after all.
By Tim Dickinson
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January
Gay Weddings Begin in Maryland
Maryland rang in the New Year with the first same-sex marriages under the state's marriage equality law, approved by voters in November 2012. "It's just so hard to believe it's happening," said one newlywed after marrying his partner of 35 years.Pentagon Okays Women in Combat
The Department of Defense strengthened gender equality in the nation's military ranks by opening frontline combat units to women, lifting a formal ban instituted in 1994. Then-Defense Secretary Leon Panetta recognized that women had already been serving in harm's way: "They have become an integral part of our ability to perform our mission."Docs declare: Brazilian Waxing Wiping Out Crabs
Pubic lice used to be a bane of the young and horny. But the rise of the Brazilian wax – "habitat destruction" for the Phthirus pubis – has put crabs on the figurative endangered list: "You can see an environmental disaster in the making for this species," said one British bug doc.Hillary Clinton Recovers From Blood Clot on Her Brain
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton returned to public life, making a full recovery from a blood clot that had formed on the outside of her brain after a fall at home from deydration. Wearing thick glasses, likely to combat double vision, Clinton schooled Congressional Republicans during a long-delayed hearing on Benghazi.Bush Tax Cuts Expire For Wealthiest
The "Fiscal Cliff" standoff ended with a deal to allow the Bush tax cuts to expire for America's richest earners, with the top marginal tax rate returning to 39.6 percent for couples earning more than $450,000, and the top capital gains tax rate leaping five points to 20 percent.New York Passes Strict Gun Control
Acting swiftly in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook massacre, Governor Andrew Cuomo steered the passage of a raft of new gun control laws – curbing assault weapons, limiting magazine capacity to seven bullets and adding new mental-health restrictions on gun ownership. Said Cuomo, "You can overpower the extremists with intelligence and common sense." -
February
Pope Benedict Resigns
Only weeks after using his Christmas address to condemn marriage equality as a "manipulation of nature," arch-conservative Benedict became the first pope in nearly 600 years to step down, explaining later, "God told me to."Shell Abandons Arctic Drilling for 2013
After a series of dangerous mishaps while attempting to open Alaska's Beaufort and Chuckchi Seas to exploratory offshore drilling, Royal Dutch Shell announced that it would abandon any new attempts to spud wells during 2013. Walruses cheered.Kentucky's Republican Senators Back Legal Hemp
In a sign of fading drug-war hysteria, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell joined his fellow Republican Kentucky Senator in publicly backing a legal hemp industry. "Allowing its production will be a positive development for Kentucky's farm families and economy," McConnell said. -
March
Curiosity Rover Finds Evidence of Fresh Water on Mars
NASA announced that the Mars rover Curiosity had discovered powerful evidence of past water on the red planet. "You would have been able to drink it," said John Grotzinger, project scientist for the Mars Science Laboratory.Police in Washington State Retrain Dope Dogs
Adult possession of marijuana is now legal in Washington state, and police there have been retraining drug dogs to desensitize them to the smell of cannabis. "Got to keep those sniffers in shape," said Sgt. Sean Whitcomb of the Seattle P.D.Poll: Record 58 percent support gay marriage
In a March Washington-Post/ABC News poll, support for gay marriage leapt to a record 58 percent – with just 36 percent of Americans opposed.Baby cured of HIV
Scientists announced (and follow-up reporting has confirmed) that a baby born HIV-positive was cured of the virus after unusually aggressive treatment with antiretroviral drugs.Colorado Targets High-Capacity Magazines with New Gun Control Laws
Responding to the massacres in Aurora and Newtown, Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper signed legislation banning the sale of high-capacity magazines (defined as 15 bullets or more) and requiring background checks for private and online gun sales. -
April
Vinyl Sales Hit 16-Year High
The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry announced that sales of vinyl records had hit $177 million – the highest figure since 1997.Poll: First-Ever Majority Support for Legal Marijuana
For the first time in nearly four decades of polling, a Pew poll found majority support (52 percent) for legalizing marijuana, with more than 80 percent of Americans declaring pot use either "morally acceptable" or "not a moral issue."Senate Majority Backs Gay Marriage
When Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Illinois) came out in favor of gay marriage, it marked majority support in the U.S. Senate for marriage equality. "Life comes down to who you love and who loves you back," Kirk said. "Government has no place in the middle."Connecticut Passes Nation's Strictest Gun Controls
The home state of the Newtown massacre passed the nation's strictest gun law, outlawing magazines of more than 10 bullets, implementing stiff new background checks and banning more than 100 models of assault rifles. -
May
Beastie Boy Honored
The city of New York showed Adam Yauch some love, dedicating a park in Brooklyn to the late, great MCA.Gay Marriage Comes to Rhode Island, Delaware, Minnesota – andFrance
The rising tide of marriage equality swept along a trio of American states in May. Even the nation of France said oui, becoming the world's 14th nation to embrace same-sex marriage.Medical Marijuana Comes to Maryland
Governor Martin O'Malley signed legislation making Maryland the 18th state in the union to embrace medical marijuana.Charles Ramsey Hailed as Hero
The humble McDonald's devotee became a national hero after helping to rescue three kidnapped women from years of unspeakable abuse at the hands of Ariel Castro in Cleveland.Boy Scouts Vote to Admit Gay Youth
The Boy Scouts of America voted for the first time in its 103-year history to allow openly gay troop members, proclaiming that "Youth may not be denied membership in the BSA on the basis of sexual orientation or preference." -
June
Edward Snowden Blows the Whistle on the NSA
Former NSA contractor Edward Snowden captivated the world twice: First with his bombshell leaks to reporters that the NSA routinely snoops on innocent Americans, and then with his spy-novel-worthy flight from Hong Kong to Russia, eluding U.S. authorities who have charged him with espionage. (Click here to read Janet Reitman's in-depth RS feature on Snowden andjournalist Glenn Greenwald.)Supreme Court Endorses Marriage Equality
In twin rulings, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the federal marriage discrimination law – the "Defense of Marriage Act" or DOMA – and upheld a ruling that California's Proposition 8, which banned gay marriage in the state, was unconstitutional, returning same-sex marriage to the Golden State.FDA makes Plan B Available Over the Counter
Following years of moralizing, stalling and trying to slut-shame teenage girls by forcing them into awkward interactions with their local Rite Aid pharmacist, the Food and Drug Administration finally authorized over-the-counter sales of the morning-after birth control pill.Senate Passes Comprehensive Immigration Reform
With a whopping 14 Republican votes, the Senate passed a blueprint for comprehensive immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship for America's estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants. (The bill continues to languish in the House of Boehner.)President Obama's Call to Action on Climate
Speaking at Georgetown, Obama delivered a stirring call to environmental activists, backing divestment from climate polluters: "Push your own communities to adopt smarter practices. Invest. Divest," Obama said. "Remind . . . everyone who represents you at every level of government that sheltering future generations against the ravages of climate change is a prerequisite for your vote." -
July
Pope Francis: "Who Am I to Judge a Gay Person?"
In a refreshingly modern break from his Prada-wearing predecessor, the new pope has steered the Catholic church away from demonizing gays and lesbians – and turned to more Christ-like pursuits, like ministering to the indigent and the sick.Solar-Powered Plane Completes Cross-Country Voyage
After a two-month voyage powered only by the sun, modern aviation pioneers Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg completed a transcontinental, San Francisco-to-New York voyage in the experimental plane, Solar Impulse.New Hampshire Okays Medical Marijuana;Vermont Decriminalizes
In a pair of victories in neighboring states, New Hampshire became the 19th state to legalize medical cannabis, while Vermont became the 15th state to remove criminal penalties for simple possession. -
August
Olinguito Discovered
Scientists announced the identification of the first new mammalian carnivore in the Americas in more than a generation: the Andean-dwelling "olinguito," which we're pretty sure translates to "OMFG, Adorable!"Pastafarians FTW!
A follower of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster in the Czech Republic won the legal right to be photographed for his driver's license as a true Pastafarian – with a spaghetti strainer on his head.Obama Administration: Marijuana Legalization Can Proceed
Marking a dramatic reversal in the war on drugs, the Department of Justice revealed that it would not block well-regulated marijuana cultivation, distribution or sales in states that have legalized it for either recreational or medicinal purposes – giving a qualified green light to state experiments in ending prohibition. (Read Rolling Stone's coverage of the announcement here.)Hyperloop Unveiled
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk unveiled a fanciful design for an alternative to high-speed rail called Hyperloop – which would rocket passenger capsules through depressurized tubes on a cushion of air. Travelers from San Francisco could hypothetically hyperloop to Los Angeles in just 30 minutes.Supreme Court Justice Officiates Gay Wedding
In a first for a Supreme Court justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg presided at the wedding of two men at the Kennedy Center. Ginsberg said her participation was "one more statement that people who love each other and want to live together should be able to enjoy the blessings and the strife in the marriage relationship."DOJ Pushes to Reform Mandatory Minimum Sentences
Attorney General Eric Holder pushed federal prosecutors to avoid drug charges that carry mandatory minimum sentences. Said Holder, "Too many Americans go to too many prisons for far too long, and for no truly good law enforcement reason."Federal Benefits Extended to Gay Married Couples
Following the demise of DOMA, both the Social Security Administration and the Pentagon extended full marriage benefits to lawfully-wed same-sex couples.New Mexico Counties Issue Same-Sex Marriage Licenses
Gay marriage came to the Southwest after eight New Mexico counties began issuing marriage licenses to same sex couples. The state's laws on marriage don't mention gender, leaving the legality of the new marriages ambiguous. A lawsuit seeking to validate gay unions is now pending before the state Supreme Court.Illinois Embraces Medical Marijuana
And then there were 20. -
September
McCain: "Maybe we should legalize."
Republican Senator and former GOP presidential nominee John McCain proved how fast the tide is turning against cannabis prohibition. "Maybe we should legalize," McCain said. "We're certainly moving that way as far as marijuana is concerned. I respect the will of the people."California Hikes Minimum Wage
Improving the lives of low-wage workers in the nation's most populous state, the California legislature passed a new law that will raise the minimum wage to $10 an hour.War with Syria Averted
Syria's deployment of chemical weapons, crossing President Obama's "red line," nearly pulled the United States into a third war in the Middle East. But an off-the-cuff disarmament offer from Secretary of State John Kerry, seized on by the Russians, defused the crisis, and Assad's WMD stockpiles are currently being destroyed.Cuba-to-Florida Swim Completed
On her fifth attempt in 35 years, 64-year-old swimmer Diana Nyad completed an epic 53-hour, 110-mile swim from Havana to Key West, Florida. Her mantra: "Find a way." -
October
Government Shutdown Ends
After ginning up an unnecessary crisis that shuttered government, furloughed nearly 1 million workers and put the United State's full faith and credit in jeopardy, the Republican party blinked, passing a short-term budget extension and raising the debt ceiling in exchange for, well, nothing.U.S. Greenhouse Emissions Sink
The shift to natural gas instead of coal to power plants has driven America's greenhouse emissions to an 18-year low – and now 12 percent below the peak year of 2007.Record 58 Percent Favor Legal Pot
The surge in support for regulated cannabis continued as nearly six in 10 Americans backed legal weed in an October Gallup poll.Court Approves Same-Sex Marriage in New Jersey
Rebuffing marriage equality opponent Governor Chris Christie, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that the state must extend marriage licenses to same-sex couples. In one of his final days as Newark Mayor, Senator-Elect Cory Booker presided over many of the state's first gay weddings.Federal Deficit Plummets
A combination of higher tax revenues, a rebounding economy and GOP-enforced austerity measures slashed the federal deficit by more than one-third – a decrease of $409 billion from 2012. The deficit now stands at 4.1 percent of GDP, or less than the average under President Reagan.Gay Marriage Performed Inside Supreme Court
One-upping the liberal Justice Ginsburg, retired Reagan appointee Sandra Day O'Connor officiated a same-sex marriage inside the Supreme Court itself. "It was everything you'd expect it to be: elegant, charming, very moving," one of the newlyweds said. "She really was wonderful."California Expands Abortion Access
Countering the national trend, California stepped up to expand abortion access, with a new law allowing midwives, nurse practitioners and physician assistants to perform low-risk, first-trimester procedures. -
November
Obama Reaches Nuclear Accord with Iran
President Obama's long game to build diplomatic relations with Iran payed off with an historic, interim accord to block Iran's nuclear ambitions. "Diplomacy opened up a new path toward a world that is more secure," the president said, "a future in which we can verify that Iran's nuclear program is peaceful and that it cannot build a nuclear weapon."Portland, Maine Legalizes Pot
At the ballot box in Maine, Portland voters made their city the first on the east coast to legalize possession of cannabis, up to 2.5 ounces for adults. The measure passed with nearly 70 percent support.Gay Marriage Comes to Hawaii andIllinois
With marriage-equality bills signed in the Land of Lincoln and the the Hawaiian Islands, 16 states have now lined up on the right side of history.Senate Passes ENDA
By a vote of 64-32, the Senate passed the Employee Non-Discrimination Act, which would extend workplace protections to queer and, for the first time, transgender Americans. It awaits action in the House.Scientists Discover Billions of Earthlike Planets
Analyzing data from the Kepler telescope, scientists discovered that the Milky Way is teeming with as many as 8.8 billion Earth-like planets, orbiting their stars in a cosmic sweet spot, where life as we know it is likely to thrive. The upshot? We are (probably) not alone. "The chance for life of some sort out there in the universe has to be essentially 100 percent," said one Kepler scientist.U.S. Extracting More Oil Than It Imports
America's decades-long happy talk of returning to energy independence came closer to reality. The Energy Information Administration announced that the U.S. had, for the first time nearly 20 years, produced more oil than it imported.Harry Reid Goes Nuclear
Facing unprecedented GOP obstructionism of executive nominees in the Senate, majority leader Harry Reid exercised the so-called nuclear option. Democrats voted, unilaterally, to change the filibuster rules, lowering the threshold for the confirmation of presidential nominees to a democratic 51 votes.Word of the Year: "Selfie"
Move over, boomers: Millennials are remaking the English language in their own duck-faced digital image. "Selfie" reigns as Oxford Dictionary's word of the year. (Vampire Weekend's Ezra Koenig had some thoughts about this subject.) -
December
Outpouring of Love for Nelson Mandela
The world celebrated the life of one of the world's greatest revolutionaries and peacemakers. Nelson Mandela, who languished in prison for 27 years before becoming the first black president of post-Apartheid South Africa, died at the age of 95. As President Obama put it best: "He no longer belongs to us – he belongs to the ages." (See Rolling Stone's photo tribute to Madiba's life here.)Healthcare.gov Fixed(ish)
After its catastrophic October launch, the federal health exchange emerged in December as a largely functional online marketplace for Americans seeking to enroll in the subsidized individual insurance market.ALEC Struggles
Leaked documents revealed that the corporate legislative "bill mill" ALEC – which advances the right's agenda by pushing identical extremist bills through the nation's state legislatures – has been hemorrhaging members, losing 106 corporate sponsors in the last two years.Unemployment Plunges to Five-Year Low
In an early gift to the nation's job seekers, nation's unemployment rate dropped three-tenths, falling to 7 percent.Fast Food Workers Strike
The nation's McWorkers went on strike to demand living wages. (The industry currently pays so little that fast-food employees draw on more than $7 billion in public assistance.)