What was the biggest news story of 2009 and why?
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M$7 Answers
Michael Jackson was one of the most popular recording artists of all time and was arguably the biggest pop star of the '80s.
In his prime, Michael Jackson was an unstoppable juggernaut, possessed of all the tools to dominate the charts seemingly at will.
He gave us songs like Thriller, Scream, smooth criminal, and many more songs, and songs from his childhood when he was with the jackson 5 (I'll save you all from reading the list) which will all forever be etched in our memory.
......
I think there are some things that we all remember in our life, like where we were on september 11 2001 or where we were when japan invaded pearl harbor (for those of you who have lived that long).
And I myself will definitely remember where I was and what I was doing when the king of pop gave up his ghost.
News of his demise also nearly brought down both AT&T and Twitter with a record 200,000+ text and micro-blogging messages the day the news hit the airwaves.
_
He may have had his demons, but one thing is for certain, he brought allot of people together & cast a big shadow that I don't think anyone will ever be able to beat.
Kind Regards,
@XDS
Michael Joseph Jackson 1958 ~ 2009
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M$
It wasn't something I was overly concerned with. At least I wasn't worried until I went out and seen every other person felt the need to wear a protective medical masks. It was hard to determine if these people were protecting themselves from those who might have the swine flu or if they were protecting others because they were infected.
The only real precaution that I took was to make sure I washed my hands more often and correctly in public and immediately after returning home. I also made it a point to keep my daughter at home as much as possible as she is still a baby and suffers from asthma.
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M$
I personally have to disagree with this, hope YOU don't take this personally @rspears01, while the swine flue (H1N1) scare was indeed a large story, it was vastly over clouded by the onslaught of other pandemic and medical news that was also happening along with it.
I believe the same thing is true with the obama inauguration, we all saw this coming.
But no one SAW MJ the most influential pop icon in history going to be brought down just days before a comeback tour.
H1N1 wasn't the only virus that we have seen in such vast concentration, so to the public it really wasn't anything new.
The world health organization also did a great deal of work to calm peoples fears, increase public knowledge. The WHO also did a great deal of work on a attack plan and way to combat the spread of the virus was formed promptly and timely & make it really a non story in the end.
Sorry but news about the end of the world, little green men landing, and a minority president, is just so... last week.
Kind Regards,
@XDS
@rspears01, I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and change my vote, in the future I hope you will "think outside the box".
@rspears01 , It just seemed like your mediatric and melodramatic comment under my answer could have been more helpful if it's energry was placed and put into your original answer.
I also believe that the swine flue is just nothing new. Its been done, any extended coverage on this would just be yawning.
I tried to be realistic and candid with my vote, and that's what I expected my vote to represent.
Perhaps you didn't "get" that.
If you would like to post that video in a comment under your own answer, then I would be more than happy to revue that decision.
What you have there is answer crapping and I simply won't hear any of it.
Yes @kty2777 , While the story about the swine flue will probably blow up more this coming January and February, I still believe it pails in comparison to the explosive affect of MJ's death.
The sauce, its weak.
Hmm, I don't think the death being a surprise makes it automatically ahead of swine flu at all.
And the swine flu stories have indeed been in the news all year. To me that makes it a very fair contenter for "biggest".
And again, if we look at it in terms of long term effect, I think the death of MJ will fade ( over time ) but the swine flu is here to stay, and change and evolve....and will still be a news story when we get to moonwalk again for real :)
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M$
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M$
2009 has seen a lot of unexpected surprises, and the world has been captivated, shocked, and sometimes impressed by certain news stories. The year has been a very eventful year as far as news stories go. Let's take a look at a few of the more newsworthy events during the year of 2009. The biggest news story of 2009 is the 1st African American President.
FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN PRESIDENT: The impact of Barack Obama. As the first African American president in the nation's history, Obama has broken a huge barrier, and has embraced the rest of the world at the same time. His recent Nobel Peace Prize award just goes to show how much the rest of the world values his presence and feels his impact. (Obama's administration is much more capable to tackle all other issues like : swine flu & health care reform, sad demise of Michael Jackson). So, Obama's inauguration in 2009 is the biggest NEWS Story.
We are sorry fo the death of Michael Jackson. In the pop culture world, no story has been bigger than this one. Michael Jackson was an iconic music legend, and his unexpected death shocked and upset millions of fans around the world. (I have not choosen as best because his son will be more talented also)
This has been one of the toughest years in modern American and also world history, as the economy has sunk to lows that haven't been seen in decades. (Gradually the present USA administration along with its friendly countries are coping up the situation).
Incidence of pandemic swine flu / H1N1 worldwide (the incidence of death are very few in comparison to normal yearly flu).
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M$
The death of Michael Jackson. In the pop culture world, no story has been bigger than this one. Michael Jackson was an iconic music legend, and his unexpected death shocked and upset millions of fans around the world. The legacy of Michael Jackson will no doubt live on for many years to come.
Swine Flu/H1N1 Virus was very huge with so many people sick from it.
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M$
my personal opinion
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M$
Michael Jackson influenced music in a massive way that very few other artists ever have or every will.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2gO12tS64IHowever, I find it awfully disturbing that this could possibly be the biggest story of 2009.
Michael Jackson was just a person like anyone else.
I'm not attacking you for answering as you did. I just find it ridiculous that some people will cry over a celebrity death more than someone in their own family.
It makes a huge statement on priorities when something like Michael Jackson dying overrides a war, global warming, murders of innocent people, etc.
@rspears01 "Michael Jackson was just a person like anyone else. "
Yes Michael Jackson is a person like anyone else BUT he isn't ordinary. I'm not a fan but his death still is a shock to me, to most people and to the music industry. He is a legend. He is more than a celebrity or a star.
This was based on opinion.
There was no need to vote anyone unhelpful.
Were it a purely factual question it would be acceptable to deem someone's question unhelpful - were you to determine information that was given was not factual.
I did return the favor though.
@rspears01 , Thats great, thats the best thing about mahalo, we get to voice our opinions. You have yours and I have mine.
@rspears01 , You as a green belt and someone who has over 100 helpful answers, don't you think it would have been a little less drudge to either put this in your own answer first, rather than to offer your own answer and then post this under this answer ?
Without knowing exactly what thats all about, it just seems like answer crapping to me.
Are you even serious???
It was a reply to your answer.
I'm not trying to start WWIII with you.
You're right we are voicing OPINIONS. Which is why voting as you did was a bit silly. I should have certainly not voted yours as such either. It was childish.
Opinions are not facts and therefore are neither "helpful" or "unhelpful".
As a truce ;) I'll change my voice as well.
@rspears01 My vote reflected that I felt the energy you put into THAT reply could have been better spent in your original answer and not in a comment.
I felt it came across a little draconian & a tad negative.
That's what I found unhelpful. Not trying to start WWIII with you either. Sorry if you took it personally.
Thank you for the truce. .
Don't worry @rspears01 , No attack taken .
I think his death has allot to do with the many lives he and his brothers & sisters touched with their music. I also think allot of people feel they may have been given a voice threw Michael as he grew up & then when he died people feel like that voice was taken from them.
I can sympathize with what you are saying, unfortunately his millions of fanatics might disagree with me.
Kind Regards,
@XDS
@fallen_angel21
Thank you for the positive _helpful_ comment.
I think what allot of people who are not on the front line of the press and media don't understand is the shear ripple after affect of something like this. You don't just have the death of a human being, you have the death of a icon, the death more of a "idea" than anything else.
Much like the death of Elvis or assassination of JFK, not many people might remember the man personally, however I bet everyone remembers the sunny afternoon leading up to John being shot in Dallas, or the fleet of limos coming out of graceland bringing elvis to his final resting place.
They are extremely sobering moments for the public, and the media knows it.
Don't get me wrong, sure! I wish other events in 2009 had received equal media attention, eg: The inauguration of the first minority president in the US who was elected in 08, or the outbreak of contagious viruses in the world.
But unfortunately we live in a world where Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus, Madona, or Adam Lambert are more of a role model to some than one of the most powerful political figures or possibly deadly virus's around. It's kinda sad & I hope this changes.