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Barry Lewis: Big changes happening in 2015 Comment By Barry Lewis More Content Now MailTribune.com By Barry Lewis More Content Now Posted Jan. 5, 2015 at 8:22 AM Updated Jan 5, 2015 at 8:27 AM By Barry Lewis More Content Now Posted Jan. 5, 2015 at 8:22 AM Updated Jan 5, 2015 at 8:27 AM » Social News A little lesson about 2015. Did you know that it’s now illegal in New York to take a selfie with a tiger? Not only can’t you take a picture, the new law won’t allow you to get really close to a tiger, lion or other big cats. I know, the tyranny of big government imposing their own fears and cynical objections about safety and animal cruelty on the struggling working man. What kind of country is this where some mindless fool is no longer allowed to sneak up behind a 500-pound tiger with teeth the size of a fist and startle the ferocious beast just so they can take a selfie picture that can later get posted on social media and dating sites. Go figure. On a positive note, it’s also now a crime in New York to pierce or tattoo animals. Seems the law gained some traction after a woman tried to sell “gothic kittens” with piercings, as well as a guy who tried to tattoo his pit bull. Until an animal is able to give written permission, I say do what you want to your own body, but leave your pet alone. In California, a new law to protect certain animals could cost you the next time you buy eggs. The state is requiring farmers to house hens in cages with enough space to move around and stretch their wings. Seems like a fair deal. Eggs in exchange for some wing room. To comply, farmers have to put fewer hens in each cage or invest in revamped henhouses, the cost of which is expected to be passed on at grocery stores. I don’t live in California, so why should I care? You see, farmers in Iowa, Ohio and other states that sell eggs in California have to abide by the same requirements. And California is the nation’s largest consumer of eggs, and imports about one-third of its supply. Along with new laws, there are other things about 2015 to keep in mind: • This is the year we finally go back to the future. In 1989’s “Back to the Future Part II,” Marty McFly, Doc Brown and Jennifer set off in their time-traveling DeLorean to Oct. 21, 2015. We still have nine months to match things up, but do we really want dehydrated pizza, flying cars and fax machines? • This is a big year for Pluto. On Feb. 18, Pluto will celebrate its 85th “birthday,” marking the anniversary of its discovery in 1930. And on July 14, nine years after its launch, NASA’s New Horizons probe will make its closest approach to Pluto. Three billion miles from Earth, New Horizons will be the first spacecraft to get close-up photos of the dwarf planet. • This year, Yogi Berra, Barbara Bush, B.B. King, Angela Lansbury, Doris Roberts and Dick Van Dyke all turn 90. The Dalai Lama, Julie Andrews, Woody Allen and Sandy Koufax all turn 80. And Tom Selleck, Eric Clapton, Steve Martin and Henry Winkler and Helen Mirren all turn 70. Would you believe Brooke Shields will be 50? Tiger Woods hits 40, Kaley Cuoco turns 30 and next month Justin Bieber is 21. Here’s the real special thing about 2015 that you can share at your next party or around the water cooler. Ready? The year 2015 is palindrome in binary. When written in the binary numeral system (or the mathematical language of two digits, 1 and 0), 2015 is 11111011111. The next binary-palindrome year isn’t until 2047. Barry Lewis is executive editor of the Times Herald-Record. You can contact him at [email protected]. By Barry Lewis More Content Now MailTribune.com By Barry Lewis More Content Now Posted Jan. 5, 2015 at 8:22 AM Updated Jan 5, 2015 at 8:27 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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