Ready to Bring in a New Decade

Thu, 10 Dec 09

Are you ready to say goodbye to the noughties and begin a new decade? It’s hard to believe it’s already been ten years since we brought in the new millennium.

The world has changed so much and there is so much more to look forward to. Let’s take a look at nine events that changed the world in 2009. 

1. The year started off not so positive with the Black Saturday bush fires cutting a destructive path across Victoria. Millions of dollars were raised for the families affected, proving how supportive Australians can be in a time of crisis. 
2. History was made when Barack Obama was inaugurated as the first African American President of the United States.
3. When economic downfall fears hit, Australians realised the tough times weren’t so tough. The world adapted and changed the way they did things. Companies focused on giving value for money. More affordable product lines were introduced, while deals and price cuts were everywhere. Not to mention PM Kevin Rudd implemented a stimulus package to induce spending. 
4. The swine flu pandemic caused many people to resort to wearing face masks and even avoiding going out in public altogether. The good news is that the spreading wasn’t as severe as feared.
5. Most of us will never forget the day the king of pop died right before one of his most anticipated concerts. A sad ending for the talented entertainer triggered an outpour of worldwide grief. An interesting fact is that internet traffic hit unprecedented levels when it first happened, as result of searches for Michael Jackson related websites. 
6. For the astronomy fans was the largest solar eclipse of the 21^st Century. Many people travelled to Asia to witness the event, making it one of the most observed total eclipse in human history.
7. A freaky Mother Nature moment was the red dust storms that hit Sydney, spreading as far as Brisbane and Melbourne. Sydney locals didn’t know what to think when they woke up to a sky turned red and the city covered in thick dust.
8. Another astronomy event was NASA discovering a significant quantity of water on the moon. Not really sure what this means for us at this stage but it’s a distant hope that one day life can survive on our moon.
9. On a more entertaining note, let’s not forget how we all fell in love with conservative family man Tiger Woods on his recent visit to the Australian Open. Only a week later a media frenzy erupted when Tiger crashed his Cadillac into a tree. The irony of it all was that his wife was chasing him with a golf stick because of his martial affairs.