2012 in Review
2012 in review on Dipity.
2012 in Review
By Nick Juanitas, Sports Editor–As the year comes to a close, it’s a good time for reflection on the events of 2012: the ones that made us laugh, the ones that made us cry, the ones that brought us all together and the ones that almost tore us all apart. Here are the events that highlighted the year 2012, for better or for worse.
On Feb. 6, America’s obsession with everything royal in England continued with the celebration of Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee, marking the 60th anniversary of her ascent to the throne. While this event did not grip the nation as much as Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding, it was still a very exciting event.
James Eagan Holmes committed a mass shooting on Jul. 20 at a midnight screening for the Dark Knight Rises in Aurora, Colorado; killing 12 people and injuring another 59. This shooting seemed to be the first of several spanning 2012, sparking the beginning of a continuing debate over the sales of assault rifles in the United States.
Days after the shooting, the nation and the world were able to take their minds off of the tragedy by tuning in to the start of the 2012 Summer Olympics as they kicked off in London on Jul. 27. Every sporting fan in the world waited anxiously to see how the city of London would attempt to outdo the Beijing Olympics four years earlier, and they weren’t disappointed.
By the closing ceremony American swimmer Michael Phelps held the Olympic record for the most medals by winning six more at the 2012 games, bringing his record number to 22.
Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt won gold in the 100-meter, 200-meter events as well as the 4×100-meter relay for the second straight Olympics. This is a feat that had never been previously accomplished
The final highlight of the Olympics was the closing ceremony on Aug. 12 and the mesmerizing display that London put on for the world. It was a great way to cap the festivities, plus the reunion of the Spice Girls was a nice touch.
As the calendar days moved forward, the world saw NASA land the rover “Curiosity” on Mars on Aug. 6. The rover was tasked with studying the geography and landscape of Mars, as well as investigating if any life ever inhabited the barren planet.
On Oct. 14, many directed their attention to Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner as he stood in a pod connected to a helium-filled balloon 24 miles over Roswell, New Mexico. The world anxiously watched as Baumgartner fell out of the pod and soared towards Earth. During his historical space dive, he became the first human to break the sound barrier without the use of machinery, leaving viewers captivated by his dive as he slowly parachuted down to safety.
Unfortunately, the world didn’t stay captivated for long. Ten days later on Oct. 24, super storm Sandy hit the Northeastern part of the United States and Canada, as well as the Bahamas and the Caribbean. The storm killed 209 people and disrupted the eastern seaboard for weeks.
As the storm raged on, heroic acts of courage and valor were performed by citizens all over the Northeast as they attempted to evacuate their families as well as complete strangers to safety. The storm continued to wreak havoc until Oct. 30.
The storm did not interrupt the heated presidential election between Democratic President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney, held on Nov. 6. Obama secured another four years in office by winning a total of 332 electoral votes compared to Romney’s 206. Major issues that highlighted the election were Iran’s nuclear program, illegal immigration issues, the struggling economy, the healthcare system and the job market.
After the election, the nation looked forward to Thanksgiving and holiday shopping, including 20 children and eight adults in Newtown, CT. No one would have fathomed that on Dec. 14, a gunman would kill those 20 children and seven adults before claiming his own life in one of the saddest moments this nation has ever witnessed.
Americans stayed glued to their TVs as they saw President Obama address the nation about the tragedy, holding back tears. As the final child was laid to rest on Dec. 22, the country argued over the ban of assault weapons and what was needed to ensure that a tragedy like this would never ever happen again.
2012 was a year of highs and lows. The nation was rocked by mass shootings in Colorado and Connecticut. Americans tuned in with the rest of the world to watch the most famous sporting event in the world in London as well as the presidential election in November. The final highlight of 2012 as it comes to a close was that the world did not end on Dec. 21, and people around the world can hope for a bright future in 2013.
