Will Year of the Snake bite? Some in Chinese-speaking world worry as lunar 2013 slithers in

TAIPEI, Taiwan – As Indiana Jones might say: Why did it have to be the Year of the Snake?

When the Chinese-speaking world ushers in its new year on Sunday, its 12-year zodiac will turn from the dragon to one of the world's most despised animals. As undeserved as the snake's reputation might be, its last two years did not go so well: 2001 was the year of the Sept. 11 attacks and 1989 was when Chinese forces crushed pro-democracy protests around Beijing's Tiananmen Square.

This is already a down holiday for some souvenir sellers and could be a slow year for obstetricians; an appointment setter says fewer prospective parents are setting appointments. But astrologers say they see some good signs for 2013.