Cost of Living 2009

What Events Happened in 2009

• Ongoing financial crisis and recession which began in late 2007 continues with many calling it the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s causing house prices to decline, and unemployment to increase. In 2009 governments in the US and around the world pumped trillions of dollars into the financial system and into the economies hoping to avert another Great Depression and by the end of 2009 although unemployment had continued to increase, markets had recovered and most thought the worst was over.

• The World Health Organization declares H1N1 influenza strain, commonly referred to as "swine flu", as a global pandemic.

• Barack Obama is inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States

• Michael Jackson dies in strange circumstances and brings worldwide outpouring of grief

• The deadliest bushfires in Australian history ( Black Saturday bushfires ) in the Australian state of Victoria leave 173 people dead and more than 2000 homes destroyed.

• Slovakia adopt the Euro joining 15 other European countries using the single currency

• 6.3 magnitude earthquake strikes near L'Aquila, Italy, killing nearly 300.

• Israel and Hamas declare a unilateral ceasefire in the Gaza War.

• The Icelandic banking system collapse causing the collapse of the Icelandic government and resignation of the Prime Minister Geir Haarde

• G-20 summit, involving state leaders rather than the usual finance ministers, meets in London and later in the year in Pittsburg to discuss the ongoing global financial crisis

• The President of Guinea-Bissau, João Bernardo Vieira, is assassinated.

• President Josefa Iloilo suspends the nation's Constitution, dismisses all judges

• Thailand Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva again declares a state of emergency in Bangkok and surrounding areas ( September 2008 )

• Gunmen, near the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Pakistan fire on a bus carrying the Sri Lankan cricket team.

• A coup d'état in Madagascar overthrows the President Marc Ravalomanana.

• The country of Paraguay is left with no power for a few hours and 60 million in Brazil also suffer power outage for up to 6 hours.

• Greenland the least densely populated country in the world ( 836,109 sq miles ) population less than 60,000 an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, gains control over its law enforcement, judicial affairs, and natural resources

• Albania and Croatia join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

• Roxana Saberi, an Iranian-American journalist, is sentenced to eight years in prison for espionage by an Iranian court

• Following the reelection of Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on June 13th , there are a series of sustained protests which are stopped by Iranian Forces.

• North Korea launches the Kwangmy?ngs?ng-2 satellite, Later in the year announces it had conducted a second successful nuclear test in the province of North Hamgyong.

• Following former U.S. President Bill Clinton meeting with with Kim Jong-il in North Korea two American journalists, who had been arrested and imprisoned for illegal entry earlier in the year receives pardons.

• The convicted terrorist Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi is freed on compassionate grounds by the Scottish government.

• A tsunami triggered by An 8.3-magnitude earthquake near the Samoan Islands destroys communities and harbors in Samoa and American Samoa leaving nearly 200 deaths

• A 7.6-magnitude earthquake strikes 28 miles west-northwest of Padang, Sumatra killing over 1,000 in Indonesia

• The Treaty of Lisbon comes into force in European Union (EU) member states

• US Airways Flight 1549 after being struck by a flock of Canada geese shortly after takeoff Piloted by Captain Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger makes a successful Crash landing In the Hudson River

Technology

• An American and Russian satellites collide over Siberia, creating a number of Conspiracy theories. But the facts are as the number of satellites increase above the earth the chances of Space collisions increases.
• NASA launches the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter/LCROSS probes to the Moon to search for water ice near the Moon's south pole. In November NASA announces they found 'significant' ammounts of water on moon
• The longest total solar eclipse of the 21st century, lasting up to 6 minutes and 38.8 seconds, occurs over parts of Asia and the Pacific Ocean.
• Mobile Phone technology continues to grow with increased use of 3G networks and improvemnents in the Operating Systems that drives most moblile phones today.
• The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) the world's largest and highest-energy particle accelerator resumes operations in February 2010

Popular Culture 2009

• The Death of the King of Pop Michael Jackson ( June 25th ) brings worldwide outpourings of grief, he is the most successful entertainer of all time. His career began in 1964 as the lead singer and youngest member of The Jackson 5. His 1982 album Thriller remains the best-selling album of all time. His personal life led to much critisism including over his ever changing appearance including his nose, and skin color, allegations of child sexual abuse for which he was tried and acquitted in 2005. A public memorial service is held for musician Michael Jackson at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. His death is still under investigation and possible charges against his former Doctor will come in 2010. After more than 12 months questions over his life and death generate considerable public interest
• The top two selling movies in 2009 are "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" and "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs"