Memories of 2008: Events That Shaped the World

Here are the best and worst of them:

Disasters

1. The most human deaths were calculated to be at around 135,000 when on May 2nd and 3rd 2008 Myanmar and surroundings are hit by Cyclone Nargis where winds were reported to be at 200kph+
2. China suffers the most devastating earthquake in 30 years when on May 12th 2008 at 2.28pm a 7.9 monster kills almost 90,000 people and leaves nearly 5 million homeless. This occurs just 3 months before China is set to host the 2008 Summer Olympics.

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Economy

1. The global economy “officially” goes into recession in October 2008 and the US Government injects 700 billion dollars to bail out its banks and other wheelers and dealers. The world economy is reported to have been in a recession for months before but nobody wants to admit it.

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Entertainment

1. The much anticipated Grand Theft Auto IV is released to gamers the world over on the 29th of April 2008 and it surpasses all market expectations grossing $310 million on its first day and $510 million in its first week.
2. Australian Actor Heath Ledger dies of a drug overdose on the 22nd of January 2008 at just 28 years of age. His final movie The Dark Knight where he plays a very dark and twisted Joker, becomes the highest grossing movie of 2008 reaching almost $997 million.

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Politics

1. Barack Obama creates history when he beats out Democratic rival Hillary Clinton and then Republican candidate John McCain to become the first black President Elect of the United States of America on the 4th of November 2008

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1. Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe finally agrees to talks with presidential rival Morgan Tsvangirai over fresh elections for the running of a country where a sandwich was costing a wheelbarrow full of money. On March 29th 2008 the first round of elections were held with another on the 27th of June 2008 due to no outright winner in the first round. Tsvangirai mysteriously withdraws from the second round leaving Mugabe to continue his reign.

Technology

1. Apple launches its biggest and most anticipated product since the iPod when on the 10th of July 2008 stores open to hoards of customers looking to be the proud owner of the first truly internet capable cellular phone, the Apple iPhone 3G

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1. Google then counters this with its own version of the iPhone on October 22nd 2008 when it launches the G1 in the US.

Terrorism

1. On November 9th 2008 the 3 main organisers to the suicide bombing of a Bali nightclub in 2002 are executed by firing squad for their part in the deaths of 202 people including 164 foreign nationals including 88 Australians, 24 Brits, 7 Americans and 3 New Zealanders
2. On the 26th of November 2008 the Taj Hotel in Mumbai, India is taken over by terrorists believed to either Pakistani students or an Arab extremist group named Deccan Mujahideen from Southern India. They take hostages, throw grenades and use automatic weapons which results in the deaths of at least 164 people including 30 foreign nationals.

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Sports

1. Beijing Olympics, August 2008:

Swimmer Michael Phelps becomes the winner of the most Olympic gold medals at one games when his American 4 x 100 medley relay team wins gold by the smallest of margins.

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Usain Bolt of Jamaica lives up to his name by smashing 2 world records in winning the 100m and 200m and becomes a folk legend around the world.

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The Redeem Team brings the men’s basketball gold medal home to the USA for the first time since 1992 when Michael Jordan’s Dream Team reigned supreme.

India wins its first ever Olympic gold medal for an individual when 10m air rifle shooter Abhinav Bindra has a near perfect final round.

1. Lewis Hamilton becomes the youngest ever Formula 1 title winner when he defeats Felipe Massa by just 1 point finishing 5th in a tense final race in Sao Paulo, Brazil on the 3rd of November 2008. He also creates history by becoming the first non-white champion.

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