2011 was a year of spectacular failures - the BP blowout, Charlie Sheen, various Republican presidential candidates, and practically of all Europe went out with a bang. But, despite everything we complained about this year, some parts of 2011 weren't entirely terrible. Here, we take a look back at 11 things about 2011 that actually had a few redeeming qualities.
1. Cake Balls - Alright, alright, these were probably actually invented in Mesopotamia thousands of years ago, but they really came into their own in 2011. And thank goodness they did - who can say no to balls of cake, rolled in icing, on a stick? Pure deliciousness.
2. The Absent Apocalypse - The world, obviously, did not end on May 21 or October 21, leaving us all free to eat, drink, and be merry for a whole year more before December 21, 2012 (what is it with all these 21's, anyway? It's as if the apocalypse was actually just a game of blackjack gone wrong).
3. The Last Harry Potter Movie - Okay, it wasn't perfect (Voldemort's ridiculously anticlimactic death? Really?), but ohmygosh Neville! And Professor McGonagall! And Snape! And Mrs. Weasley dueling Bellatrix! And the most awkward movie hug of all time! The epic conclusion to the Harry Potter saga was just that - epic.
4. Blackbeard's Sword - Just in time for the new Pirates of the Carribean movie. Wonder if Johnny Depp was invited along to see the grand reveal?
5. The Seventh Billion Baby - Let's forget about overcrowding and limited resources for a minute and focus on the fact that this planet now holds seven billion people. Isn't that kind of incredible? Plus, as we all know, seven is the most powerfully magic number, so seven billion must be a billion times more magical than seven. You know what that means - someone is going to be getting a letter from Hogwarts...
6. The Chilean Miners - Thirty-three men rescued from the bowels of the earth after being trapped underground for 69 days. What's not wonderful about this?
7. The Arab Spring - Freedom! Liberty! Free speech! Peaceful (or not-so-peaceful) protest! The Arab Spring gave us confidence in young people, oppressed nations, and, strangely, Twitter. The bravery of these protestors points to a brighter future for all of us.
8. Community - The episode that comes to mind is the one with six alternate timelines, although the glee club brainwashings and the paintball battle were also hilarious. Because this list is about happy things, I am determined not to mention the great injustice that culminated in this wonderful show being removed from the air next year. Sigh...
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10. Man Beats Computer at Jeopardy - Watson was finally dethroned by Rush Holt Jr., alleviating fears that robots will soon become self-aware and rise up to destroy humanity. They may be able to process information much faster than us, perform incredibly precise surgery, and cook dinner, but as long as we can still beat them at game shows, they can't get the better of us.
11. Sherlock Holmes - Because I'm going to be Irene when I grow up.
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