10 for the 2000s - 2001

Major world events/happenings of 2001

1. Wikipedia Launches: It was a joke when it started. The online encyclopedia that can be edited and updated by virtually anyone is actually one of the first successful User Generated sites. Kind of paved the way for blogging, myspace, youtube and facebook. I'm actually using Wikipedia as I do this series to refresh my memory on each year.
2. Reality TV: It really hit bigtime in the U.S. with Survivor (2000). But 2001 saw the premiere's of The Mole, The Amazing Race, Fear Factor, and Big Brother. For networks it was inexpensive to produce, and we the viewers were hooked. Newlyweds, John and Kate, and Wife Swap have me looking at this all pretty differently now.
   
3. Harry and Hobbits: Top 5 grossing films worldwide were Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Monsters Inc., Shrek, and Ocean's Eleven.
4. 9/11: By far, the most significant and remembered event of 2001. We all remember where we were when we heard. We all sat and watched it unfold on the television. We all said things like, "It seems like a movie" and "How could this happen?"
5. For a Moment, I Actually Liked Politics: There are many images from the events of 9/11 that stick out to me. The firefighters hanging the flag in the ruins. The President shouting, "Well I can hear you."
   The biggest one I will remember is the moment members of congress stood outside the capitol building, and actually went off-script.
   
   
6. Anthrax: It got sent to various news outlets, only adding to the fear of it all.
7. War in Afghanistan: It started in October, 2001. It's still going, and it got a little more attention two days ago.
8. Mr. November: Sports got all goofed up as everything stopped in the U.S. The World Series stretched into November. It was a great series between the Yankees and Diamond Backs. FDNY and NYPD hats were everywhere. There was a fear that someone may attack a filled stadium.
   President Bush walked out to the mound by himself for Game 1 and threw out the first pitch.
   
   The 7th inning stretch "Take Me Out to the Ball Game was replaced by "God Bless America". It all came down to the last hit, a bloop single by the D-backs to win.
   
9. Enron Falls: Don't totally get it all, but it was major news.
10. Jack Bauer enters the picture: It was supposed to debut the week after the 9/11 attacks, but was held off till November. The concept was unique and fresh. Every episode in real time for 24 episodes. Jack has now saved the world about 20 times over (an average of 3 times per season).