Nov 25
Department of Homeland Security Created
The largest reorganization of the federal government since 1947. 22 agencies merged into the Department of Homeland Security. Post-9/11 America institutionalized its new security reality.
🇺🇸United States · 00s
The Aftermath
Post-9/11 America, the War on Terror, and American Idol debuts.
What happened
5 milestones of 2002
Mar
War in Afghanistan Continues
Operation Anaconda launched in eastern Afghanistan against Taliban and al-Qaeda forces. The war that began after 9/11 was deepening. It would become America's longest war.
war
Oct 2-24
Beltway Sniper Attacks
Two snipers terrorized the Washington D.C. area for three weeks, killing 10 people at random. Schools locked down. Gas stations hung tarps. A region lived in fear.
violence
Jan-Jul
Enron Collapse and Corporate Scandals
Enron's bankruptcy and WorldCom's fraud exposed massive corporate corruption. Billions in shareholder value evaporated. Congress passed Sarbanes-Oxley to restore trust.
Feb 8-24
Salt Lake City Winter Olympics
The first post-9/11 Olympics opened in Salt Lake City with heightened security and emotional patriotism. The tattered flag from the World Trade Center was carried into the stadium.
What was playing
70% local · 30% international
What was in cinemas
Spider-Man
Sam Raimi — Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker. The modern superhero blockbuster era truly began.
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Peter Jackson — The epic continued. Gollum's 'My precious' was mo-cap magic.
Chicago
Rob Marshall — The musical comeback. Won Best Picture. Renée Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Joel Zwick — Made for $5 million, grossed $369 million. The biggest indie hit ever.
8 Mile
Curtis Hanson — Eminem starred as himself (basically). 'Lose Yourself' won the Oscar.
What was on TV
American Idol
2002-2016 — Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson. America voted. Kelly Clarkson won. Reality TV dominated.
The Wire
2002-2008 — The greatest TV show ever made (many say). Baltimore's drug war, institutional failure.
The Osbournes
2002-2005 — Ozzy Osbourne's family as a reality show. MTV found its next goldmine.
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
2000-2015 — #1 show on television. Forensics became cool.
Friends
1994-2004 — Approaching its final seasons. Still a Thursday night staple.
How much things cost
Currency: USD
Gallon of milk$3.02
Gallon of gas$1.36
New house (median)$187,600
New car (average)$19,100
Loaf of bread$1.03
Movie ticket$5.81
Inflation: 1.6%
The post-dot-com recession lingered. 9/11's economic impact was still being felt.
Then vs. Now
Inflation-adjusted values
Gallon of milkBLS
2002 (USD)
$3.02
→
Today's value ($)
--
Gallon of gasEIA
2002 (USD)
$1.36
→
Today's value ($)
--
New house (median)Census Bureau
2002 (USD)
$187,600
→
Today's value ($)
--
New car (average)BLS
2002 (USD)
$19,100
→
Today's value ($)
--
Loaf of breadBLS
2002 (USD)
$1.03
→
Today's value ($)
--
Movie ticketNATO
2002 (USD)
$5.81
→
Today's value ($)
--
Technology
Camera phones
Camera phones started becoming common. Everyone would soon have a camera in their pocket.
Xbox Live
Microsoft launched Xbox Live, bringing online gaming to consoles.
Roomba
iRobot released the Roomba. Robot vacuums entered the home.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth-enabled devices became widely available.
SpaceShipOne planned
Scaled Composites began developing SpaceShipOne for private spaceflight.
Pop Culture
Fashion
Von Dutch trucker hatsVelour tracksuitsLow-rise everything
Slang
Bling bling— Flashy jewelry and accessories
Holla— Call out, get in touch
Fo' shizzle— For sure (Snoop Dogg)
Behavior
- Post-9/11 patriotism — flags on every car and house
- American Idol made reality competition the dominant TV format
- Airport security transformed — TSA was the new gatekeeper
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