Remember when…

A look back at memorable moments

On July 26, President Barack Obama interrupted scheduled programming on TV (meaning the Bachelorette, in my case) to address the nation about debt issues; a countdown clock was presented that scared the bejeezus out of me and I found myself calling my parents.

Western Michigan was shocked when a man in Grand Rapids went on a killing spree on July 7. Rodrick Shonte Dantzler shot seven people (two of whom were ex-girlfriends and one victim was his own child) before shooting himself.

The Harry Potter movie series is at last complete! The movie, based off of J.K. Rowling’s books, managed to make history by having the highest-grossing opening weekend ever when it opened on July 15. The film reeled in over $169 million in a single weekend, beating out the Dark Knight, the former record holder. Hopefully the completion of the series will give us all a rest from wands and wizards for a while. Now we just have to get a move on to wrapping up the Twilight series.

On June 24, New York passed a law allowing same-sex marriage. It is now the largest state in the country that allows marriage between homosexual couples.

On June 16, U.S. Representative Anthony D. Weiner (so ironically named) resigned from office. The Democrat who was caught sending naughty photos of himself to women via Facebook and Twitter not only lost his shot at becoming the next mayor of New York, but he also lost his dignity.

A huge tornado tore through the town of Joplin, Mo., on May 22. It became one of the deadliest tornados in our country’s history, taking the lives of over 140 individuals.

The 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup ended with Japan taking home the win after a penalty kick shoot-out against the United States on July 17. The loss for Americans can most likely be attributed to the vuvuzela-free atmosphere.

In a highly publicized and controversial case, Casey Anthony was found not guilty of killing her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee Anthony. On July 5, the case finally came to a close in the courtroom, but it is far from being forgotten by the American public.

Famous singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse was found dead in her apartment in London on July 23. The early death of such a young and talented star took the nation by surprise. “Multiple hospitalizations, arrests, and stints in treatment led many to conclude her sudden death was caused, directly or indirectly, by drugs and alcohol,” said People Magazine. Winehouse was the first female British artist to win five Grammys.

Because the Uånited States couldn’t handle them anymore, the cast and crew of the hit show Jersey Shore on MTV headed overseas this season to film in Italy. The self-proclaimed “guidos” and “guidettes” have become a guilty pleasure for hundreds of thousands of Americans. The season promises to be filled with lots of culture-shock, hairspray, and botched pronunciations of Italian words. The cast’s knowledge of Italy can be summed up by Snooki, who said during the season premiere, “I have no idea where Italy is on the map, but I do know what shape it is, and it’s like a boot.” Good job, sweetie…that’s a start, at least.