2005's First Year in Review

James Lileks at The American Enterprise reviews key events from 2005. I still think it's a bit early to publish such things, but for all I know it's the January edition.

Most of what occurs in any given year will be forgotten. 2006 will be the same, unless aliens land, or someone perfects cold fusion, or North America is depopulated by bird flu and tumbleweeds bounce down the streets of Fargo (more than the usual number, that is). But toting up tomorrow’s details will have to wait. For now, let us review what was memorable and forgettable in the year just now ending.

Here are some highlights, some of which may eventually be stolen for a post on top beltway stories from 2005:

• Iraqis voted in record numbers in January. Actually, any number would’ve been a record.
  
• Pope John Paul II dies. To the horror of many, his successor turns out to be Catholic.
  
• An oppressive colonizer is forced to withdraw from occupied Arab land. This is initially met with dancing in the streets of Cairo, Paris, and Turtle Bay. Then everyone realizes it is Syria pulling out of Lebanon...
  
• The 1,587th death in Iraq provokes no major display of eye-catching graphics in the Western media, as it is not a round number.
  
• Saddam’s trial begins. His lawyer first asks for a California jury...