2012 was an extremely exciting year. With events ranging from the Olympics, to the election, to the school shootings, it was interesting to say the least. In case you have already forgotten, here are some key events from 2012.
WEATHER:
Hurricane Sandy
“Superstorm” Sandy hit in late October. It ravaged the east coast and was said to be the second costliest Atlantic storm ever. There were at least 253 deaths caused by the storm in the eight counties it crossed over.
Extreme weather
Last year hosted the second most “extreme” weather on record. It was the hottest year ever for the U.S. as a whole, and it boasted some of the lowest rain and snowfall amounts in history. There were also more hurricanes and tropical storms.
POLITICS:
Election
President Obama was reelected this past year after winning both the electoral and popular votes by a modest amount. He defeated Mitt Romney and will be sticking around for another four years.
Fiscal Cliff
Congress finally came to an agreement on the Fiscal Cliff. This prevented massive tax increases in 2013. Although the plan is not what many had hoped for, it is still much better than taking the dive. (2013 info)
Shootings:
Colorado
On July 20, James Holmes entered a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, during the premiere of The Dark Knight Rises. He released tear gas grenades and started shooting into the crowd. He killed 12, and injured 58 others.
Sandy Hook
On Dec. 14, Adam Lanza attacked Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut. He shot twenty students and eight adults before taking his own life. Lanza was mentally ill and his mother, who he also killed, took partial blame for making the weapons accessible.
DEATHS:
In the past year, some extremely influential people passed away.
Neil Armstrong– first man on the moon
Ray Bradbury– author
Andy Griffith– TV show actor
Whitney Houston– singer
Joe Paterno– football coach
SPORTS:
Olympics
The Olympics were held in London last year. Michael Phelps became the all time most winningest athlete ever with 22 gold medals. Also, it was the first year ever that women participated in every event.
Super Bowl
The 2012 Super Bowl hosted the Patriots and the Giants. The game took place at the new Lucas Oil Stadium, where the Giants defeated the Patriots 21-17.
ENTERTAINMENT:
Gagnam Style
The song and music video for Gagnam Style by Psy went viral in August and has had over 1.2 billion views since. This makes it the most viewed video ever.
Ipad 3
The Ipad 3 hit shelves on March 16, 2012. It provided a new retina display and an improved camera, as well as video recording software and an improved processor. The device received mixed reviews.
LOCAL NEWS:
New Highway
The Hoosier Heartland was completed between Delphi and Lafayette this year. It provided travelers with a much safer and faster way to reach Lafayette with much less traffic.
New daily schedule at DCHS
The new 3 regular/2 block day schedule took effect this year. So far it has worked fairly well and it is likely to stay for the next few years.
