2004

Events

Dated Events

• Real World: February 10. The French government bans religious items and clothing at schools.

• Real World: February 12. The city of San Francisco begins issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

• Real World: February 29. President Jean-Bertrand Aristide of Haiti resigns. He is replaced temporarily by Boniface Alexandre, the chief justice of the Haitian Supreme Court.

• It's Walky: March. Following the revelation of Joyce's murder of Anti-Joyce (as well as other condemning facts about the organization), SEMME is disbanded by the government. Penny Worthington and her forces lead an attack on SEMME as they leave their headquarters; she is defeated, but almost immediately afterwards, the Martians attack Earth. To compound matters, the Head Alien possesses the Cheese. In the end, the members of SEMME are victorious- the Head Alien is slain, and Walky- slain by the Martians- winds up in control of the Cheese, making the Martians "gone." Meanwhile, Danny, Joe, Rachel and Ultra Car destroy the Martians' mothership. Joe and Rachel construct a Martian resurrection chamber under the auspices of the government- some of Walky's DNA is used to begin making a clone of him. Joyce settles in to wait for his return. (It's Walky! (March 7, 2004 to October 18, 2004))

• Real World: March 11. 190 people die in Madrid, Spain, when ten terrorist bombs explode on passenger trains during morning rush hour.

• Real World: March 14. In the Spanish elections, incumbent Jose Maria Aznar is defeated by Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero. Aznar's support of the 2003 Invasion of Iraq- which some Spanish citizens believed brought the wrath of the terrorists down on them- is cited as one reason for his defeat. In Russia, Vladimir Putin is re-elected President.

• Real World: March 15. The new Spanish government announces it will withdraw all 1300 of its troops from Iraq. Three astronomers report they've discovered a trans-Neptunian object, the largest found since Pluto. They name it 2003 VB12 (it is later renamed 90377 Sedna in September).

• Real World: March 19. The United Nations launches an investigation into corruption within the Iraqi Oil for Food program.

• Real World: March 29. Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia all join NATO. The Republic of Ireland bans smoking in all restaurants, pubs and bars.

• Real World: April 4. Shia insurgents supporting Muqtada al-Sadr rise up against coalition forces in Najaf, Sadr City and Basra in Iraq.

• Real World: April 22. Two trains collide in Ryongchon, North Korea, and their cargos of fuel and explosives detonate; 161 die, and 1300 are injured.

• Real World: April 28. Prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq is revealed on 60 Minutes II.

• Real World: May 1. Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia all join the European Union.

• Real World: May 17. The state of Massachusetts legalizes same-sex marriage in Goodridge et al v. Department of Public Health.

• It's Walky: June. By this time, Sal and Jason have a romantic relationship. (It's Walky (October 21, 2004))

• Real World: June 8. A transit of Venus occurs.

• Real World: June 16. The 9-11 Commission (National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States) issues its initial report.

• Real World: June 21. ~SpaceShipOne, the first privately funded spaceplane, achieves spaceflight.

• Real World: June 28. Coalition forces transfer sovereignty to an interim Iraqi government.

• Real World: June 30. Preliminary hearings begin in the trial of Saddam Hussein.

• Real World: July 4. Construction begins on Freedom Tower at the former location of the World Trade Center.

• It's Walky: August. The President of the United States pardons Joyce for the murder of Anti-Joyce (presumably on account of helping to save the world several times). (It's Walky (October 23, 2004))

• It's Walky: September. The U.S. government establishes a successor organization to SEMME, with Jason in command. (It's Walky (October 24, 2004))

• Real World: October 9. Hamid Karzai is elected the first president of Afghanistan.

• Real World: October 24. Brazil launches its first rocket into space.

• Real World: October 27. Fossils of a hominid species of small stature, Homo floresiensis, are reported found on the Indonesian island of Flores.

• It's Walky: November. Walky's resurrection is complete; he and Joyce are reunited. (It's Walky (October 26, 2004))

• Real World: November 2. George W. Bush is re-elected President of the United States.

• Real World: November 7. U.S. forces launch a major attack on insurgent-controlled Fallujah in Iraq.

• Real World: November 13. Fallujah is fully occupied by U.S. forces.

• Real World: November 16. NASA's ScramJet obtains a flight speed of Mach 9.6, setting a new record.

• Real World: December 26. An earthquake in the Indian Ocean, measuring 9.0 on the Richter Scale, creates a massive tsunami that kills over 150,000 people in southern Asia.

Undated Events

• GURPS Infinite Worlds: Quantum combinatoric geometry is pioneered by Margaret Steed. (GURPS Infinite Worlds)

• Terminator: Events of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.

New Fictional Works

Notable Books

The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah by Stephen King, The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower by Stephen King.

Notable Films

Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London, Alien vs. Predator, Around the World in 80 Days, Blade: Trinity, The Bourne Supremacy, The Butterfly Effect, Catwoman, The Chronicles of Riddick, Darkness, Dawn of the Dead, The Day After Tomorrow, Ella Enchanted, Exorcist: The Beginning, Godsend, The Grudge, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Hellboy, Hero (U.S.), House of Flying Daggers, I, Robot, The Incredibles, Innocence: Ghost in the Shell, Kill Bill Vol. 2, King Arthur, The Manchurian Candidate, National Treasure, The Phantom of the Opera, The Punisher, Resident Evil: Apocalypse, Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, Secret Window, Seed of Chucky, Shrek 2, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, Spider-Man 2, The Stepford Wives, Thunderbirds, Tremors 4: The Legend Begins, Troy, Van Helsing, The Village, Yu-Gi-Oh: The Movie.

Notable Television Series

• Beginning: Astro Boy, Transformers Energon.

• Continuing:

• Ending: Angel, Mutant X.

Notable Electronic Games

Doom 3 (PC), Halo 2 (X-Box), Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (Gamecube), World of Warcraft (PC).

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