It started so well. No Y2K bug, no terrorism, nothing but lots of fireworks as all the zeroes replaced the nines.
America was at peace. Prosperity was high. Heck, a popular president even announced a budget surplus of $230 billion.
We watched the values of our houses soar. Life was good.
The future had arrived bearing nifty technological gifts. An entire music catalog in the palm of your hand? Check. Online, we nurtured our avatars in Internet role-playing games. Technology offered a virtual escape from the real world.
Except the real world wouldn’t leave us alone.
Throughout the decade, the real world kept nagging. Ignorance was punished. Pride found its price. The optimists were routed, and the naysayers were validated. The fabulous economy turned out to be something of a hoax. A war predicted to be a “cakewalk” turned into a dismal slog.
This was a decade when things you didn’t know about could really hurt you. But it wasn’t all bad, of course. There was some fun along the way too. Here’s a look at the highs and lows of the past 10 years — a time that won’t soon be forgotten.
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CHICAGO POLITICS
Whether it was the bagging of the blue-bag program or the foiling of fatted fowl in restaurants, Chicago City Council certainly has been busy over the past decade.
We couldn’t fit in all notable points of policy, but RedEye counts down five of the most memorable. KYRA KYLES, REDEYE
Foie gras: Bye-bye, liver
Call it the battle of the chefs and the city. In 2006, the City Council banned restaurants from serving foie gras, a controversy-sparking specialty made with the fattened livers of force-fed geese and ducks. Mayor Daley dubbed it the “silliest law” the Council ever passed. It was repealed in 2008.
Cell phone laws: OMG!
In 2005, it became illegal to talk on hand-held cell phones while driving. In 2008, the Council tacked texting or Internet browsing to the restriction.
Smoking ban: Puff, puff, pass
Puffing on cigars and cigarettes went up in smoke in virtually all indoor public places in Chicago due to a 2006 City Council ban that initially gave restaurants and bars until July 1, 2008, to comply. However, a broad anti-smoking state law signed in 2007 hastened the deadline to January 2008.
Parking meters: When Daley met LAZ
Mayor Daley attracted ire from aldermen and residents alike earlier this year after leading the council to ink a deal with Chicago Parking Meters LLC, a company that paid the city $1.15 billion as part of a
75-year lease to manage on-street parking. Not only did the deal mean parking rates went up four-fold, Chicago Parking Meters, along with partner LAZ, initially faced problems aplenty in the form of broken meters, overcharges and inaccurate signage.
Cab fuel surcharge
Higher gas prices put such a hurting on local cabbies in 2008 that the City Council voted to allow the first-ever fuel-related surcharge, according to the Tribune. The amount, which is added to the $2.25 customers are charged when they enter a cab, kicks in at $1 extra when a gallon of regular unleaded stands at $3.20 or higher for seven consecutive business days and is 50 cents for each ride when the price of gas remains at $2.70 a gallon or higher for seven consecutive business days.
Source: Chicago Tribune, RedEye
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CHICAGO PUBLIC TRANSIT
The 2000s took Chicagoans for a ride — the CTA saw new stations, new ways to pay fares and even a new line. RedEye looks at the top 10 CTA events of the last 10 years. TRACY SWARTZ, REDEYE
Blair Holt: The CPS honors student was gunned down on a CTA bus in the Roseland area in 2007. His death sparked gun control legislation and concerns about safety on buses.
Blue Line derailment: A train derailed and caught fire in 2006, sending more than 150 riders to hospitals.
Brown Line overhaul: Capacity was increased and stations were renovated under the project, which began in 2006 and was set to be completed by the end of this year.
Bus Tracker: The experiment began in 2006 with one bus. Now all routes, except for special-event routes, are on the tracker.
Chicago Card: After a pilot program in 2000, the Chicago Card expanded to the rest of the system in 2002. The Chicago Card Plus was instituted in 2004.
Fare hikes: CTA fares increased in 2004, 2006 and 2009.
Free rides for seniors: The controversial program began in 2008 after former Gov. Blagojevich pushed for free senior rides in exchange for state financial help for the CTA.
Chief changes: The three wise men? First Frank Kruesi served as CTA president (1997-2007), then Ron Huberman (2007-09) and now Rich Rodriguez.
Pink Line: Opened in 2006 to serve the West Side and the Loop.
Doomsday: A major part of the Chicago lexicon because it was the word CTA used to describe worst-case scenarios.
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CHICAGO SPORTS
This decade was the same as any other around here: mediocre. Sure, there were some highlights (the 2005 White Sox), but that’s like one tasty nugget in a bag of … you know. The 2006 Bears teased us, the Bulls were awful, the Cubs came close — several times — and the Blackhawks came home. BAG BOY, REDEYE
I’m not sure how many times you can tear up a plan and start over, but the Bulls set the record. First it was Elton Brand, then it was Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry. Tim Floyd coached, then Bill Cartwright, then Scott Skiles. Picking up the phone on Christmas meant you were history. Only this was learned: In the NBA, there are only a few difference-makers out there on the court. The rest are over-paid kids. Either you have a few of those guys or you don’t. For the decade, the Bulls didn’t.
Sammy Sosa was the star. That was the story, and the problem. He struck out too much, and the Cubs would always disappoint. Big-time managers have all tried to win: Baylor, Baker, Piniella. Even ownership finally changed. 2003 brought a new level of pain, and I don’t know that Chicago has recovered. One thing’s for sure: The stakes have gone up, and losing isn’t cute anymore.
They won it all in 2005 with grit and guts. They have a manager who says what he feels (how refreshing) and a-go-for-it-all GM, who sometimes gambles and wins on the cheap, and sometimes doesn’t. They’re not the top story in town, so they play hard and go about their business. Someday, people will notice.
2001 brought us the worst 13-3 team ever. Someone landed a spaceship on Soldier Field. 2006 brought a Super Bowl with good and bad Rex. One decade, nine quarterbacks. Overall, a monument to family-owned mediocrity.
I’ll keep it simple: No matter how badly you play, no matter how awfully you treat your fans, how poorly you draft, how often you don’t pay players, you can still put the pieces together and come back strong. And Chicago will be waiting with open arms … as if you’ve never left.
BAG BOY IS A REDEYE SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR.
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BOX OFFICE HITS
A decade is a lot of time to cover in box-office years. RedEye and Metromix critic Matt Pais has lists aplenty at metromix.com. Here, a sampling of his “The Decade’s Worst 20 Films to Become Box-Office Hits” list.
‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ 2000
Total domestic gross: $260,030,000
‘The Da Vinci Code’ 2006
Total domestic gross: $217,536,138
‘Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian’ 2009
Total domestic gross: $177,243,721
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MUSIC INDUSTRY
Key points in the development of music throughout the ’00s. STEPHANIE LULAY, REDEYE
2000
Nielsen reports that 785 million albums are sold in the year
2001
First iPod hits shelves
2002
Napster files for bankruptcy
2003
– iTunes music store launches with more than 200,000 songs
– Recording Industry Association of America begins taking legal action against people swapping songs over the Internet
2005
YouTube officially launches, allowing musicians to upload music videos independently
2006
Tower Records files for bankruptcy
2008
– iTunes is the No. 1 music vendor in the U.S.
– Nielsen SoundScan reports that album sales fall by 45 percent since 2000
2009
Virgin Megastore closes its last location in New York City
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PRINT MEDIA
The last few years have been tough for mags, according to Advertising Age media reporter Nat Ives. Here’s a look back at some print magazines that died this decade. KYRA KYLES, REDEYE
– Life (2000)
– George, Mademoiselle (2001)
– Talk, Rosie (2002)
– Radar, Honey (2003)
– Lifetime (2004)
– Radar (2005)
– Cargo, Teen People (2006)
– Jane (2007)
– Playgirl, Radar (again) (2008)
– Gourmet, PC Magazine, Blender (2009) Vibe also died in June, but was reborn by December.
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CELEBRITIES RISE AND FALL
Celebrity meltdowns, breakthroughs, comebacks and arrests. This decade had all that and more. Enjoy the trip down memory lane. LEONOR VIVANCO, RedEye
2000
Good year: Eminem released “The Marshall Mathers LP” that included hits: “The Real Slim Shady” and “The Way I Am.”
Bad year: Anne Heche ended her relationship with Ellen DeGeneres and then reportedly was spotted wandering in Fresno, Calif., dazed and confused, talking about spaceships.
2001
Good year: Jennifer Lopez became known as J.Lo, the title of her second album, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard charts. At the same time, her movie “The Wedding Planner” became No. 1 at the box office, making Lopez the first actress and singer to have a movie and album hit No. 1 the same week.
Bad year: Mariah Carey appeared in the movie “Glitter,” had a breakdown, was hospitalized and did a striptease on MTV.
Honorable mention: Winona Ryder, who was caught on camera shoplifting from Saks Fifth Avenue.
2002
Good year: “Lord of the Rings.” The first movie, “The Fellowship of the Ring,” garnered 13 Oscar nominations and won four Academy Awards. The second, “The Two Towers,” was released and greeted with box-office success.
Bad year: R. Kelly is charged with child pornography stemming from a video that shows him allegedly performing sex acts with an underage girl. He later is acquitted.
2003
Good year: Justin Timberlake made the transition from boy band to solo artist, and co-headlined the Justified/Stripped tour with Christina Aguilera.
Bad year: Ben Affleck and J.Lo’s movie “Gigli” is a flop and the media was counting down the days to their pending nuptials, which never occurred.
Honorable mention: Michael Jackson, who granted an interview in which he talked about having sleepovers with children, and was charged with child molestation.
2004
Good year: Teen Queens: Lindsay Lohan, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Ashlee Simpson, Mandy Moore and Hilary Duff. They were more than just names. They were brands.
Bad year: Anna Nicole Smith’s show on E! was canceled and she slurred her speech at the American Music Awards, where she asked everyone, “Like my body?” referring to TrimSpa.
Honorable mention: Janet Jackson, who had the “wardrobe malfunction” at the Super Bowl halftime show.
2005
Good year: Angelina Jolie starred in the movie “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” and met Brad Pitt while he was still married to Jennifer Aniston. Jolie also adopted her daughter Zahara from Ethiopia and received a humanitarian award for her work as a U.N. goodwill ambassador.
Bad year: Tom Cruise jumped on Oprah Winfrey’s couch, declaring his love for Katie Holmes. He criticized Brooke Shields for using anti-depressants and got into an argument with Matt Lauer on NBC’s “Today” show.
2006:
Good year: Sacha Baron Cohen starred in “Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan,” garnering critical acclaim.
Bad year: Paris Hilton was busted for DUI and voted the second “worst celebrity role model of 2006” in a poll by The Associated Press and AOL.
Honorable mention: Mel Gibson, who was arrested for drunken driving and went on an anti-Semitic rant.
2007
Good year: The paparazzi. The shutterbugs were at the right place and the right time to catch celebrities’ worst moments.
Bad year: Britney Spears shaved her head, had a stint in rehab, gave a lackluster MTV performance and had a custody battle over her sons.
2008
Good year: The Obamas. Not only did the Obamas win the White House, but they also soared into pop culture. “Saturday Night Live” did impressions of the first family, and fashion magazines still are paying close attention to Michelle Obama’s wardrobe.
Bad year: Denise Richards spent time defending herself, insisting nothing happened with Richie Sambora when he was still married to Heather Locklear. She did get her own show on E! called “It’s Complicated,” which her ex, Charlie Sheen, boycotted.
2009
Good year: Lady Gaga is everywhere. Her songs “Poker Face” and “Bad Romance” are constantly on the radio and she’s appeared in an episode of “Gossip Girl.”
Bad year: Chris Brown was charged with assault for beating Rihanna before the Grammys and photos showing her injuries surfaced, damaging his squeaky clean reputation.
Honorable mention: Tiger Woods and his marital problems were uncovered with numerous women claiming he had affairs with them.
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MOBILE EVOLUTION
RedEye recruited a ringer in Mark McClusky, senior editor at Wired Magazine, to help pick memorable phones of the decade. LEONOR VIVANCO, REDEYE
Samsung Uproar 2000
Nokia 8310 2001
Blackberry 5800 series 2002
“This was the first model that you could use as a phone as well, although you needed a headset to make a call.”
Treo 600 2003
“The first smartphone that was truly usable day to day.”
T-Mobile Sidekick II 2004
Motorola Razr 2005
“This was the first phone that really became a fashion accessory.”
LG Chocolate VX8500 2006
BlackBerry Pearl 2006
T-Mobile G1 2008
“Google’s entry into the smartphone software market … showed that the Web company was out to try to beat the iPhone at its own game.”
Motorola Droid 2009
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TELEVISION
TV gave us some awesome catch phrases in the last 10 years. Here are just a few. Don’t miss our complete list at redeyechicago.com/showpatrol. CURT WAGNER, REDEYE
“You’re fired!”
— Donald Trump in “The Apprentice”
“Let’s hug it out, bitch.”
— Jeremy Piven as Ari Gold in “Entourage”
“Hell to the no!”
— Whitney Houston in “Being Bobby Brown”
“I’m Rick James, bitch.”
— Dave Chappelle as Rick James in “The Chappelle Show”
“That’s what she said.”
— Steve Carell as Michael Scott (left) in “The Office” (originated on “Family Guy”)
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SOCIAL NETWORKING
Here’s a look at how we’ve been communicating and sharing online over the past 10 years. SCOTT KLEINBERG, REDEYE
2000
– Livejournal
An early blogging platform.
– AOL Instant Messenger
Instant messaging platform from America Online.
2001
Windows Messenger
Messaging software built into PCs.
2002
– Texting
Sending short messages via cellular networks.
– Friendster
One of the first social networking sites.
2003
– MySpace
The first major social networking site became the most popular in 2006 before losing the title in 2008 to Facebook.
Business-oriented networking site.
– Skype
Web users make voice and video calls.
2004
– Digg
Millions of users share content online, decide what’s popular.
– Flickr
Owned by Yahoo!, allows users to post and share images and video.
2005
– MMS
A text message that contains photos or video.
– YouTube
Video sharing site where users upload and share videos.
2006
The largest, most popular social networking Web site in the world.
A microblogging service where users exchange 140-character messages called tweets.
2009
– Foursquare
Billed as a game where users check in at venues and are awarded badges and points.
– Google Wave
Google calls it a Web-based service, computing platform, and communications protocol designed to merge e-mail, instant messaging, wikis, and social networking.
