Or at least some results?
It did in the US as I predicted on the Fiscal Cliff issue. Congratulations to those 85 courageous Republicans who served their constituency as a whole and so their Nation. There is ample room remaining to bicker about in the coming weeks beginning with a budget maybe? Anyway, common sense to begin 2013 is great news; way to go, America!
To consider 2013 from its inception, one can highlight two opposing New Year Celebrations images.
In Myanmar, Rangoon saw the population out on the streets to watch fireworks. A first in many years.
http://www.irrawaddy.org/archives/22783
http://www.france24.com/en/20121231-burma-2013-public-new-year-party
The comments on the first Burmese link show how far there is left to go though, the first one mentions the Kachins who were bombed today by the air force.
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia-pacific/2013/01/201312115245598337.html
Over in Ivory Coast at the same time to celebrate the same event this happened :
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/01/01/ivory-coast-stampede/1802105/
Well, sort of not surprising! Ivory Coast has developed a sad penchant for unruly expression of public sentiment. It played a part in all its recent years’ history. Let’s wish it luck for 2013 beyond this particularly bad beginning. The contrast between the two news is very indicative though of general human behaviour that new chronology does not affect.
*
In Pakistan, gunmen killed because modernity ( as in women getting an education ) won’t pass, New Year or not :
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4327414,00.html
*
Greed has not disappeared from the surface of the Earth either on account of renewal. In Paris, robbers grabbed merchandise and not money at a heist in the capital’s Apple store! That’s a first outside the USA and shows the brand to have true international appeal! 
It also shows the robbers to have true misunderstanding of computers as the products can be tracked, found and electronically locked anyway.
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/01/01/masked-gunmen-hit-apple-store-in-paris-in-1-million-robbery/
Meanwhile on the opposite side of the planet, in China, rich communists ( sic ) can walk on a ton of gold, almost literally! Poor Dorothy, this certainly ain’t Kansas no more, huh? Yellow bricks, sheesh!
http://english.people.com.cn/90778/8075968.html
And of course, adding one to a count over two thousands is not going to cure foolishness so that critics are emerging at a recent study giving the thumbs up to being fat. SIGH! Just picture your favorite wild animal : now try to see it as skinny as one of those anorexic teen top-models and wonder if you’d notice and find it “normal”. Similarly, in reverse fashion, picture it being so fat it would restrict its movements! There you go, a simple cue to a healthy weight. We’ll be back on that in a specific post soon.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-20889381
In the meanwhile, health also can be gained in small ways such as the famed Polar Bear dips as found here :
http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/hundreds-plunge-into-icy-waters-in-annual-polar-bear-dip-events-1.1097371
Joining any such ridiculous happy feats can make one feel like a winner and envision bigger steps 
So, all in all, not much has changed from what we used to do and know, has it?
Oh, well! Let’s not worry overly! We have 360 + days to blog the world’s woes away after all so let’s take it a post a time, shall we?
And on to work, Tay.
Well thnx good people! Hello Swalia, MMind, mmoose & troubled joedik, Tay.
Why, thank you & welcome Cheryl. I will take a better look at your illustrations when relaxed time allows it, Tay.
Shimky, that Gravatar is simply magnificent, mate! Tay.