(Data from Wikipedia.)
The year 2006 is the Year of the Dog (Chinese calendar), the International Year of Deserts and Desertification (UN), and the Year of Mozart, marking his 250th birth anniversary.
A magnitude 6.9 earthquake, with epicenter near Kythera, shakes much of Greece. A magnitude 6.3 earthquake strikes central Java in Indonesia, killing more than 6,000, injuring at least 6,000, and leaving 1.5 million people homeless. An earthquake in Taiwan kills 2, damages historical buildings and undersea cables, disrupting Internet and IDD telecommunication services in Asia. The Augustine Volcano in Alaska erupts twice.
The Chinese River Dolphin (Baiji) becomes extinct.
Year 2006 is a hyper-active one in the field of space missions and astronomy. Space Shuttles Atlantis and Discovery are launched missions to build up the International Space Station. The Stardust mission (NASA) successfully returns dust from a comet. The Cassini-Huygens spacecraft (NASA) discovers liquid geysers shooting from Saturn's moon Enceladus -- a possible evidence for water. Astronomers discover a storm system ("Red Spot Junior") in Jupiter's atmosphere. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (NASA) enters Mars orbit, while the Venus Express spaceprobe (ESA) enters Venus' orbit.
The International Astronomical Union redefines 'planet' and demotes Pluto to the status of 'dwarf planet'. The solar system's largest dwarf planet (2003 UB313), is renamed "Eris"; its satellite is now known as "Dysnomia".
The year 2006, like the previous years, is a highly politicalized year. In Italy, Prodi defeats Berlusconi in the parliamentary elections. About two million people led by the opposition demonstrate against Prodi's government.
Mexico's Calderón wins as president. Alan Garcia becomes president of Peru. Toomas Hendrik becomes President of Estonia. Venezuela's Pres. Chávez, Brazil's Pres. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Colombia's Pres. Uribe Velez, Iraq's Jalal Talabani and Uganda's Pres. Museveni all win re-election. Michelle Bachelet is first female President of Chile, while Han Myeong Sook is first female Prime Minister of South Korea. Shinzo Abe replaces Junichiro Koizumi Prime Minister of Japan.
Israeli Prime Minister Sharon dies from hemorrhagic stroke. Milošević is found dead in his cell in the UN war crimes tribunal's detention centre in The Hague. Pres. Macapagal Arroyo declares state of emergency in the Philippines, while Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra does the same in Thailand as the army removes Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra from power.
ETA declares permanent ceasefire in their campaign for Basque independence from Spain. Montenegro declares independence, and its union with Serbia is dissolved. Military seizes power in Fiji through a coup d'état. The King of Bhutan abdicates in favour of his son.
The Islamic State of Iraq is declared. Iran and Syria recognize the Iraqi government, restore diplomatic relations, and call for a peace conference. Former Pres. Saddam Hussein is hanged with his two senior allies after an Iraqi court finds them guilty of crimes against humanity.
Pope Benedict XVI quotes a criticism of the Islamic faith and sparks mass protests in the Islamic world.
Massive anti-war demonstrations and a march down Broadway in New York City mark the third year of war in Iraq. By yearend 2006, the U.S. death toll in Iraq reaches 3,000.
Meanwhile, Israeli troops invade Lebanon in response to Hezbollah attacks. Hezbollah in turn declares open war against Israel. The UN Security Council accepts resolution to end the war, and a UN ceasefire takes effect.
Around 500,000 people join street protests in Los Angeles to oppose a proposed federal crackdown on illegal immigration. The Great American Boycott takes place across the U.S. as marchers protest for immigration rights.
Bolivian President Evo Morales nationalizes his nation's gas fields.
Google buys YouTube for USD$1.65 billion. Microsoft's Windows Vista operating system is released. Nintendo releases its 7th generation console, the Wii. The Apple iTunes Store sells its 1 billionth song. Crash wins Oscar Best Picture. Edvard Munch paintings The Scream and Madonna are recovered in a police raid in Oslo, Norway, after being stolen in 2004.
South Africa becomes the fifth nation to legalize gay marriage.
It's around March of 2006. The vernal equinox* is at hand -- the start of spring in the northern parts of the globe, and traditionally feted as a great occasion to mark the end of winter and to celebrate the regrowth of life.
How was I faring during this time?
In March 2006, I am at my lowest point professionally and personally. I place myself in the professional equivalent of a purgatorium. (Or should that be limbo? These Christian terms confuse me now.) Maybe I should call it "sulk land." I focus on very specific projects that have to do with ethnographic mapping, linguistics, encryption, and database-driven websites. In October, I discover Soulcast.
My work, and Sophie's own increasingly insistent priorities, create great physical and emotional distances between us. The kids suffer. For a time, both of us exert efforts to bridge the gaps and resolve our problems. In February 2007, I turn back full-circle (at least in appearance) to where I was in 2004. But, like the 2004-2005 years, I still can't blog much about the details of this period in my life.
In March 2006, I am at my lowest point professionally and personally. I place myself in the professional equivalent of a purgatorium. (Or should that be limbo? These Christian terms confuse me now.) Maybe I should call it "sulk land." I focus on very specific projects that have to do with ethnographic mapping, linguistics, encryption, and database-driven websites. In October, I discover Soulcast.
My work, and Sophie's own increasingly insistent priorities, create great physical and emotional distances between us. The kids suffer. For a time, both of us exert efforts to bridge the gaps and resolve our problems. In February 2007, I turn back full-circle (at least in appearance) to where I was in 2004. But, like the 2004-2005 years, I still can't blog much about the details of this period in my life.
How about you? Do you recall your situation during the entire year 2000? Especially around the time of the vernal equinox? Tell us a bit about your work, your family and home, your biggest problems, the dreams you wanted to reach, during that time.
*Note: The vernal equinox, also called the spring equinox in the Northern hemisphere, marks that point in time each year when the Sun's direct vertical sunlight crosses the equator from south to north. On this date -- which falls variably on March 19, 20 or 21 depending on the year and your location -- the length of night exactly equals the length of day in any place on earth. In other words, this day signals the start of spring in the Northern hemisphere, and the start of autumn in the Southern half of the globe.
(Glimpses of year 2004)
(Glimpses of year 2002)
(Glimpses of year 2000)
(Glimpses of year 1998)
(Glimpses of year 1996)
