I am a student of History. It is the light that helps me understand the present and helps me anticipate the future. The first decade of this new millennium have been eventful from the start. Below is a list of what I feel is the Top Ten News Worthy Evens of the New Millennium. These events and trends help define this first decade:
10. Euro Becomes Cash Currency - a united Europe with a united currency was an idea that goes back to the 19th century but the real attempts to implement such a plan began after World War II. World leaders after the war wanted to stabilize the region and have it mimic the U.S. But many countries were opposed to such an idea fearing it would lead to a loss of autonomy. During the Cold War the western European nations bonded together (NATO) against a common enemy (USSR). They invested in each other militarily and monetarily. After the Russian wall and empire fell in the early 90's, it became apparent that a united European currency was better for all involved. On January 1st 2002, the Euro went into effect and now rival, and often outperforms the U.S. dollar.
9. Reality TV - In 1998 the movie Truman Show staring Jim Carrey hit theaters to rave reviews. Little did we know that it was really a prophetic bull horn warning of things to come. Most people agree that the popularity explosion of reality tv occurred with the emergence of the CBS television series, Survivor. From that time the television population has been delightfully inundated with such shows to include, The Amazing Race, Dancing With the Stars, and The Real World, just to name a few.
8. Google's Emergence - although Google started in 1996, it did not become the "go to" search engine for the world wide web until the beginning of the new decade. The company first offered stocks to the general public in 2004 and since that time its stock and brand has skyrocketed. Fortune magazine called it the "most powerful brand in the world." It is also considered the Internets most visited site and for many web searches it is the most trusted means of finding exactly what you are looking for on the net.
7. Indonesian Tsunami - On December 26, 2004 an estimated 9.1 earthquake shook from the ocean floor and triggered a series of Tsunamis in Indonesia with waves nearly 100 feet high. The results were that nearly 230,000 people were killed from 14 countries. It was the 3rd deadliest earthquake in recorded history. People from around the world came to the aid of these devastated regions, donating over 7 billion dollars for the cause.
6. Social Networking Websites - imagine being social without ever having to have a face to face conversation. That is social networking on the web. There were many early attempts during the infancy stages of the Internet to develop social networking sites, but not until the early to middle part of this decade did it become common place. MySpace began in 2003 and set the bar for modern social networking. They were followed by popular sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and now the biggest craze, Twitter.
5. Global Recession of 07-09 - As much as the economic boom affected us all in the mid portion of the decade, so much more were we affected by the economic recession that reverberated like a shock wave throughout the world. It seems that nearly everything was tied to it: housing, 401K's, retirement funds, vehicle manufacturers and dealers, etc. The economic boom blew the bubble and inflated prices (sometimes artificially) until the bubble exploded at the end of 2007 and became more apparent in 2008. Many economic experts have called it the worst financial crisis since The Great Depression of the 1930's, which was preceded by economic bliss of the 1920's. It seems that we do not learn from our history after all. Most agree that we are not out of the woods yet, but things are starting to look up.
4. America's First Black President - regardless of whether you agree with Brack Obama's politics or not, its hard to deny the historical significance of the first elected African American President. America has come a long way in the last 150 years, nay, the last 50 years. The fact that a person was elected President that belongs to a group of people who historically were considered inferior and were enslaved is amazing, and is an indicator of our social progress as a nation.
3. Global War on Terror - After the events of 9/11 shook the U.S. to its core, a coalition of nations led by America went on the offensive and took the responsible groups (the ruling Taliban and its associates, Al Queda) out of power in Afghanistan. America then went after and dethroned one of the world's "thug leaders," Saddam Hussein, in the War in Iraq (Gulf War II). Stabilization efforts continue in Iraq with talks of troops draw downs, but the new sitting US President, Obama, recently announced troop build up in Afghanistan to combat the recent Taliban and Al Queda resurgence and to possibly finally find Osama Bil Laden.
2. China's Rise to Economic Power - look around your house. Chances are that about 85% of everything in your house was - you guessed - Made in China! Why? Whatever happened to the old slogan "Made in America," or "Buy American?" Well, quite frankly, it is all about economics. China can make it cheaper. And, don't forget whose money the US government borrowed to bail out banks and companies such as GM. That's right! It was China. China currently sits 3rd in the world for Gross Domestic Product ranking behind the U.S. and Japan.
1. 9/11 - It was our generation's Pearl Harbor. Everyone knows exactly where they were when they heard of the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks on the morning of September 11, 2009. The explosive crashes trusted us almost unwillingly into the new century where nothing seemed it would ever be the same. The events of that day and the reaction therein stand as the defining moment of this decade.
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The Geek - the Geek is not always recognizable. Today's Geek doesn't always have wierd looking glasses, a sinus problem, braces, and a calculator in his front shirt pocket. In Real Estate, the term Geek is not a derogatory term. It is a term that references those who know the ins and outs of how to utilize technology to reach buyers and sellers. The Real Estate Geek understands the importance of a powerful website, search engine optimization, blogging, social media, smart phones, etc. 