Plenty to love about New Year Celebrating the New Year. THERE'S much to look forward to in 2014, though we are loath to admit it, given our fondness for a whinge. We are, with each passing yea, r becoming healthier, wealthier and with a living standard that is the envy of the world. Yes, we are a little fatter than we should be but Australia has one of the longest life expectancies in the world and take it from a well-travelled migrant: if you call this corner of the globe home, then you've won the lottery of life. Across the world, mankind continues to make great progress in reducing poverty and saving millions from death and disease with vaccines and other advances in medicine. There are still one billion people living in extreme poverty but that is half the number that existed in 1980. As John F Kennedy said, "A rising tide lifts all boats." In 2014 let us appreciate what we have and work towards creating an even fairer and more inclusive society. A return to commonsense values and a move away from the politics of division that we experienced in the past six years would be welcome as would another Hawthorn premiership. But before we embark on a new year full of promise and hope, let us reflect on the good, the bad, the ugly and the irredeemably stupid events of 2013. Lucky Country: It's been a momentous year in Australian politics; we've had three Prime Ministers and two Victorian premiers. Our system is imperfect but you'll be unlikely to find a better functioning democracy in the free world, even with "the unrepresentative swill" that is the senate. The Pope: You know the Pope is doing a good job when atheists start praising him. Pope Francis's compassion in embracing a disfigured man suffering neurofibromatosis and his care and patience in dealing with an unruly child, who refused to leave the stage during an address, gave an insight into the man. Survivors: Ariel Castro's crimes horrified the world. While he epitomises the absolute worst of our species, the women he brutalised for years, Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus, are real survivors who, as Knight put it, "refused to be broken." The strength, determination and spirit of the women is truly inspiring and should serve as a lesson to those eager to wrap themselves in the warm cloak of victimhood. The AFL: Incompetence marked by a lack of transparency and consistency has dented the footy public's faith in those entrusted to administer the sport. In fact it is the AFL's actions in attempting to control the image of the game that has led to the brand being damaged. The integrity of the sport has been undermined by convenient backroom deals from the tanking investigation to the previous year's salary cap breaches to the Essendon drug saga. The lowest point was the AFL's laughable capitulation in "punishing" James Hird by forcing the Bombers to pay out his 2014 salary in advance in 2013. It made the league look impotent and amateurish. The spectre of the ongoing ASADA investigation will continue to affect the competition in 2014, though given the glacial pace at which ASADA works, all the players involved may be long retired before any infraction notices are issued. Miley Cyrus: The tongue, the twerking, the cringe-worthy VMA performance, the onstage pot smoking and generally carrying on in a manner that would shatter father Billy Ray's achy breaky heart. Like her hero, Britney Spears, we've seen Cyrus transform from a wholesome Disney creation into the skankiest pop star in an era where the skank factor is cranked up high. The shame of it all is that Miley - real name, Destiny Hope, as Billy Ray believed it was her destiny to bring hope to the world (true story) - can really sing - and that can be a rare trait in the pop world. Syria: The human race's capacity for cruelty was, and is, on full display in Syria with both sides engaging in some horrific human rights abuses. Not even children have been spared the savagery that sees thousands tortured and slain with more than 11,000 children killed in the conflict so far. Terrorism: 2013 saw terrorist attacks across the world from Africa to the Middle East to Asia to Europe and North America with the Boston bombing and the murder of British soldier Lee Rigby in London. This week terrorism has ravaged the Russian city of Volgograd with dozens killed. The common denominator between these atrocities is Islam extremism; an enduring enemy of progress and freedom. Feminism Fail: Nothing encapsulated the seething stupidity of the Gillard administration better than the hot mess that was Women for Gillard. Putting aside the madness of the "blue tie" speech and the shameless abortion scaremongering, the strategy was so monumentally obtuse that it alienated the overwhelming majority of the electorate while appealing only to the rusted-on lunatic fringe. Government change deniers: Mere months after one of the most emphatic election victories in more than 100 years, petitions demanding that the democratically elected Abbott government be removed by the Governor-General are circulating. One can only laugh at the immense lunacy of people so delusional that they believe a Government they dislike must somehow be unlawful.