With 2002 nearly behind us, I decided to search for sites that offered any kind of a "looking back" story. What I found was an interesting collection covering everything from news and weather to sports we watched, the arts we appreciated and even the advertising we endured.
• www.infoplease.com/spot/02yir.html. Info Please has already posted "2002: Year in Review." In it, they cover pretty much everything from national and international news including Supreme Court decisions, people in the news, arts and entertainment, sports, science and disasters. No matter where your interests lie, you'll find this a fascinating round-up of the year's top stories.
• www.msnbc.com/news/845781.asp?cp1=1. If you watch any television, spend much time on the Internet or even frequent any of the country's larger cities, you'll get a familiar feeling as you read this interesting recap of the year's advertising tactics. Commercials on television have certainly been examined over the years but this report also focuses on some of the lesser-known ad stunts, like "smart ads" in movies and television shows, those mind-numbing online pop-ups we all hate and even a move to put advertising on Fido as he takes his daily walk about town. Find out the thinking behind all these gimmicks in this great story from MSNBC.
• http://organizedcrime.about.com/library/weekly/aayearreviewa.htm. Speaking of pop-ups, the About network is absolutely stuffed full of them, but if you can get past them (or if you have the pop-up feature shut off on your computer) you'll find an interesting read in the "Organized Crime" section. It's a recap of the top 10+ organized crime stories of 2002.
• www.globeandmail.com. Proving that we are not alone in our advertising woes, this report from Canada's Globe and Mail spotlights some of the biggest misses of the year. To avoid a long address, you'll need to call up the home page and use the search bar in the upper left corner. If you key in "advertising year" you'll get the story.
• www.dissidentvoice.org/Articles/Solomon_2002.htm. This is a biting (some would say biased) commentary by Norman Solomon from "Dissident Voice." (When I read it, I was reminded of a John Denver song called "Whose Garden Was This?"). In the essay, Solomon describes the scene as folks in the year 2052 open a time capsule sealed during a multimedia festival "just before Thanksgiving 2002." You might not agree with the politics, but hopefully we all join in the sentiment expressed in the final paragraph.
• www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m1285/12_31/80900242/print.jhtml . The address is a bit of a challenge, but this is a fascinating look from the beginning of the year at the best of pop culture by the best from pop culture. In it, names in music, film and art offer a look back and a look "ahead" at 2002. Find out what Halle Berry was looking forward to seeing on the big screen this year or what Missy Elliot or Alicia Keys thought were the best of 2001. See which of the songs, books, movies and artworks mentioned lived up to expectations.
• http://people.aol.com/people/magazine/package/0,11546,189351,00.html. People Magazine's online edition has packaged an interesting look at the Oscars and some of this year's most visible stars. On the site you can take a look back at fashions and speeches from previous Oscar nights, peek into the pasts of some of this year's winners and read about a few of the year's worst films.
• http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/features/2002/international_yir/. Join Sports Illustrated for a review of the most memorable moments in sports around the world. In addition to several articles, there's a photo timeline and a great collection of quotes from Olympic competitors and pro athletes in most major sports.
Jan Perry is a Kentucky-based writer who wishes you all a happy and healthy new year. Contact her at SiteSeer2K@aol.com.
