[StarsWorld]

Now that this dreadful year, and decade, is over, I've been wondering, what do you think was the most eventful year of the decade and how would you rank them? To me, 2001, set the tone for the rest of the 00's. If I can rank them, I would put it this way:

1) 2001: 9-11 attacks, Inauguration of Geroge W. Bush, USA PATRIOT Act, War on Terror.

2) 2003: Iraq War, Capture of Saddam Hussein, Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, North American blackout of '03.

3) 2004: Abu Graib prison abuse, 1st and 2nd battle of Fallujah, reelection of Geroge W. Bush, Massive earthquake in Southeast Asia and the effects of the tsunami.

4) 2008: Sen. Obama edges Sen. Clinton for the hotly contested Democractic nomination, Sen. McCain selects Gov. Palin as his VP candidate, Near total collapse of the US economy triggers world wide reccesion, Sen. Obama defeats Sen. McCain to become the 44th President of the US.

5) 2005: Hurrican Katrina and its aftermath in New Orleans, Terri Schiavo case, Pope John Paul II dies and Pope Benedict XVI succeed him to the papacy, George W. Bush inagurated for his second term, train and bus bombings in London.

6) 2009: Barack H. Obama inagurated as the 44th President of the US and is the first African-American to do so, Massive protest over the election in Iran, H1NI Virus ( Swine Flu ) becomes a pandemic the world over, The passing of Michael Jackson triggers an out pouring of grief the world over.

7) 2000: Geroge W. Bush defeats Al Gore to become the 43rd President of the US in a controversial election, recall, and ruling by the Supreme Court, Internet bubble burst, the world welcomes in the new millennium, Y2K comes and goes with little to no effect.

8) 2002: Operation Anaconda begins in Afghanistan, the UK and the world celebrates Queen Elizabeth Golden Jubilee, Congress votes to give President Bush authorization to use force in Iraq if necessary, UN Security Council passes Resolution 1441 which offered Saddadm Hussain to disarm his WMDs or face "serious consequences."

9) 2007: Nancy Pelosi becomes the first female to become Speaker of the US House of Representatives, VA Tech massacre - 32 people are killed in the deadlist mass shooting in modern US history, President Bush authorize to send more troops to Iraq in which has been called "the surge", Southern California is devistated by a series of wildfires.

10) 2006: North Korea claims to have test fired its first ever nuclear missle, UN sanction NK for its nuclear test US Forces kills Abu Musab al-Zarqawi the leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq, Saddam Hussein is executed.

Well, there goes my list!

[Blacksheepaalredy]

^ a good list but note that there is no fun or achievement in any of those events mentioned. If only we could add.... the Beatles arrive at JFK... Ford introduces the Mustang... women shorten their hemlines... man steps on the moon...

Stuff like that.

[Arximedus]

The 00's were bad, looking at that list.

The mapping of the human genome, completed in '03, is up there in importance and significance, IMHO. Although the full implications have not yet manifested, it's an important milestone.

[TOOGUEITEME]

Another that springs to mind... the internet became ubiquitous during this decade. The 90's set the stage, but the 00's were transformational in its application and popularity. Social networking like twitter/facebook, everyone self publishing with blogs, this forum, etc.

[tipokot]

Where's the fun? It doesn't all have to be dreary you know... off the top of my head:

2003 - Camera Phone was introduced (you know its big when 9/11 footage seems ancient without the ubiquitous cell phone cameras).

2004 - NASA successfully breaks the "Mars Curse" with the landing of Opportunity and Spirit - which are now in year 6 of a 90 day mission. Facebook founded

2005 - The Gates in Central Park

2006 - First World Baseball Classic held

2007 - Apple and the iPhone finally get Americans to buy a smart phone.

[Kragh]

^^^^

Oh, there is plenty of fun in this decade. I just wanted to name some major news events of this decade. Though, there is plenty of events I missed ( it is 10 years after all! ). There were fun events such as the Spiderman trilogy, PS3, Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii , Blu-Ray movies and flatscreen TVs! However, these past ten years have been putrid.

[Slonopotam845]

Another that springs to mind... the internet became ubiquitous during this decade. The 90's set the stage, but the 00's were transformational in its application and popularity. Social networking like twitter/facebook, everyone self publishing with blogs, this forum, etc.

So true, MTG. The internet has changed the very world we live in. It is almost impossible to live without having spent at least some amount of time without being online. This is one of the greatest advancement in the history of humanity. I think the reason why this decade will be seen as a tumultuous one, is because it had so much promise to be a time of expantion of technological and scientific advancements ( not to say there weren't any).

In retrospect, the 1990's, were a time of relative peace. The Soviet Union collaspe, the Cold War was over, and then the economy started to boom in the latter years. Heading in to the 2000's, the biggest concern for the average American is wheather or not Y2K will knock out all the computers and will airplanes will fall out the sky! Even with international crisis of the era such as the genocides in Africa and the Balkans, or the India-Pakistan nuclear tests, there was still a sense of safety and stability in the West.

[Uplillacype]

^^^^
However, these past ten years have been putrid.

You disliked an era of relative peace and prosperity? "War's" whose total casualties wouldn't fill the morgue at a major battle in WW2, WW1, or the Civil War?

I would much rather live through the past decade than most of the ones from the centuries before.

[PoideAdelereX]

^
Are you talking about the 90's or the 00's?

Omega said the former had "relative peace," and the latter was "putrid."

I agree.

Though horrendous, many wars of the past were historical turning points. The wars we're engaged in now will accomplish nothing; they're exit strategies, disengagement. Like Korea.

I'll add a positive: first Subway Series in 44 years.

And a negative: biggest worldwide economic collapse in over 70 years.

[RobertLS]

^ All true.

[Zoxeeoy]

^
Are you talking about the 90's or the 00's?
.

Might as well be both. Its like we took the 1920's and spread 'em out over two decades. Nothing like a squandered peace dividend...

[toksenveste]

The New York Post has a website where you can pick the best front page of the decade. Notice how this one isn't up there.

[refdhbgtd]

^ # 40, covering the crash of Elliott Spitzer, is both good and succinct:

"HO NO!"

[mQb0aVZe]

...and decade, is over...

There's an argument...err a debate...to be had there, but I'll try to resist .

[glagoliska]

One highlight in the past decade for NYC:

The Gates

HBO, via Video on Demand through January 18, is once again showing the documentary (A film by Antonio Ferrera, Albert Maysles, David Maysles, Matthew Prinzing) on Christo & Jean Claude's fantastic project in Central Park, and chronicles the The Gates, decades in the making.

[BypeVupyide]

As much as I am loathe to admit it, the 2004 Red Sox should get a mention up there as well...