In the simplest terms these past 12 months have been a mix of the good, the bad and the ugly. In so many different ways it was one of the worst years we have gone through. Somehow, as this country always does, we managed to get through it all and now look forward to 2017.While some may be skeptical, I personally think that 2017 will be a much better year than many think. But we shall see.

So, just what were some of the good, bad and ugly? As for the GOOD in 2016 among them were the Chicago Cubs winning baseball’s World Series for the first time in 110 years. The unemployment rate in the country dropped to 4.6%, the lowest since 2007. Deaths by heart disease decreased by 70% in the U.S. Major strides were made in the treatment and maybe even eventual cures for cancer, Alzheimer’s and ALS. The U.S. again dominated the Summer Olympics winning 121 total medals, 46 of them gold. In the adult industry the main positive that took place was the defeat of Prop 60 in California that could have been the death knell for the adult industry.

As for the BAD in 2016, the number of killings of innocent people and law enforcement officers was shocking. The terrorist related attacks that took place at various venues in Orlando, Paris, Berlin and other places in the world had, and still has, everyone on edge. It was a year when too many deaths of famous people took place. Among those we lost were Mohammed Ali, David Bowie, Prince, George Michael, Gary Shandling, Florence Henderson, Leonard Cohen, Merle Haggard, Patty Duke, Carrie Fisher, and then just yesterday Debbie Reynolds. The list seems to be an endless one for this year.

As for the UGLY, plain and simple it was the Election campaign for President of the United States. While the eventual candidates, Trump and Clinton went after each other in some of the dirtiest, ugliest, down in the gutter campaigns, much of it orchestrated by the media and other sources. Most of the other candidates in the presidential race got just as nasty. All it did was create a divide in this country like never before that will take a long time to fix. Unfortunately, because of ignorance, it also gave the terrorists plenty to feed off of and continue to make their presence known in many ways here and abroad. I have voted since the Eisenhower days and this was the worst, most embarrassing campaign as an American, and a veteran, I have ever been through and it is shameful.

On a personal level, my book “When Swing Was King” won an award and can be gotten through Amazon.com. (Shameful plug!) I am now 2 years cigarette free and have never felt better since my “Widowmaker” heart attack on Dec. 3, 2014. It has been a great year as a critic/reviewer of adult films being added to the AVN voting panel and being part of our NightMovesMagazine for 25 years since we started it in 1991. I am also blessed to have celebrated seven fantastic years with the love of my life and my life partner Carole and becoming a great grandpa for the first time.

As for the New Year 2017, I hope and pray that there will be many changes to signify all the good that this country and we, as Americans, are. I hope for peace, I hope for a solid economy, I hope for Washington D.C. to pay attention to the people instead of just themselves as they have done for far too long. I hope that our adult industry will have a banner year on every level. Most of all I hope that all of YOU, who follow us and work with us here at AAN and NightMoves will continue your support of us and have a very safe, healthy year of good fortune and great blessings in your life.

Goodbye 2016 and hello 2017. To you and yours from all of us, Happy New Year!

Art Koch, National Features & DVD Editor, NightMoves Magazine and AAN