Nintendo releases the Wii gaming console in the United States during November. The console was originally priced at $249.99 and was the smallest and most lightweight of Nintendo’s home consoles at the time of its release. Despite not having HD graphics, the Wii was incredibly popular when it was released and over time it outperformed its direct competition, the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. The Wii attracted a wide array of users and appealed to more casual gamers. It was praised for its innovative and futuristic design which incorporated more physical activity into game play with the use of a motion-tracking controller.
1. A British court rules in favor of the Apple Computer Company during May, concluding nearly 30 years of trademark disputes between the computer giant and Apple Corps.
2. Apple Corps was created in 1968 by the members of the Beatles as a multimedia and record company.
3. Apple Computers was founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak.
4. Trademark lawsuits began between the two starting in 1978 over the use of the name “Apple,” the apple-shaped logo, and Apple Computers foray into the music business with the creation of iTunes and the iPod.
5. The judge ruled Apple Computers had not infringed on the Apple Corps trademark and in 2007 the computer company bought out all of the Apple trademarks in a settlement.
Google purchases YouTube for US$1.65 billion in stock.
More Information for YouTube Purchase
Internet giant Google bought the popular video-sharing website YouTube during October of 2006. Google bought the website for $1.65 billion through a stock purchase which was approved during the following month. At the time of the deal YouTube had about 65 employees and had become one of the fastest growing and most popular websites on the internet despite having only been established in the Spring of 2005.
NASA launches the New Horizons probe.
NASA launches the New Horizons space probe mission to Pluto during January of 2006. The New Horizons probe was launched successfully from Cape Canaveral in Florida. The mission made a visit to Jupiter in 2007 while traveling towards Pluto where it gathered some information about Jupiter and its moons before receiving a gravity assist from the large planet and resuming its journey. The probe made it to Pluto during July of 2015 when it became the first mission to explore the dwarf planet and its moons, as well as taking some of the first high resolution images of Pluto. The probe then adjusted its course towards the “Kuiper belt object” which the New Horizons mission is expected to reach, research, and explore by 2019.
The US Energy department has released a report that there are about a trillion barrels worth of oil in the form of Oil shale reserves in the Green River basin.
More Information and Timeline for Oil Shale Report
The U.S. Energy department releases a report saying that the state of Colorado is sitting on about a trillion barrels worth of oil in the form of oil shale reserves in the Green River Basin, which covers portions of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. About 70% of this resource is located on federally owned or managed land and it equals nearly as much as the rest of the world's conventional oil reserves added together. The problem with oil shale reserves is that the cost of extraction and the environmental impact due to the process required to turn oil shale into oil are too expensive and risky to make the process worthwhile. As the price of oil continues to increase, the desire to extract oil from oil shale will also increase as fossil fuels become scarcer.
The ESA's Venus Express arrives at Venus.
More Information for the Venus Express
The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Venus Express orbiter arrived at Venus in April of 2006. The Venus Express had been launched during the previous year with the mission objectives to study the atmospheric activities, plasma environment, surface activities, greenhouse gas effects, magnetic field, and solar wind interaction of the solar system’s second planet. The Venus Express was successful in completing its objectives and made several new discoveries about the planet such as the existence of a cold atmospheric region that could make carbon dioxide freeze into ice or snow. The mission was expected to last 2 days on Venus, equivalent to about 486 Earth days, but the orbiter kept functioning until late 2014 when the ESA lost contact.
Sago Mine Disaster
Twelve coal miners die in the Sago Mine Disaster near Buckhannon, West Virginia in the United States.
Hajj in Mina, Saudi Arabia
A stampede during the Stoning of the devil ritual on the last day at the Hajj in Mina, Saudi Arabia, kills 362 Muslim pilgrims.
European Union
Several European newspapers reprint controversial cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad, sparking outrage and rioting in the following weeks
Iran refuses access to U.N. inspectors
Iran refuses access to U.N. inspectors many worry over Iran's intent to build a nuclear bomb
Iran Tests Missiles
Iran Tests Missiles which are capable of reaching Israel
Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
The Iranian Leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad denies the Holocaust ever existed.
Iraq Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein is charged on May 15th and following the trial is found guilty of crimes against humanity and sentenced to death by hanging
Iraq Ramadan
Violence errupts during the holy month of Ramadan between Shia and Sunni Muslims leaving many dead on both sides.
Amish West Nickel Miles School
Charles Carl Roberts murders four girls in a one room Amish West Nickel Miles School, before committing suicide
September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks
Zacarias Moussaoui convicted of conspiring to kill Americans as part of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks,
Nueva Rosita, Mexico Mine Explosion
Sixty-five miners become trapped underground after an explosion in a mine Nueva Rosita, Mexico There were no survivors.
Australia Cyclone Larry
Tropical Cyclone Larry makes landfall in Queensland, Australia
Australia temp hits 45 degrees Celsius
Sydney, Australia temp hits 45 degrees Celsius ( 113 degrees Centigrade )
India bombings
Over 160 people are killed on July 11th by seven bombs on the train network in Mumbai India
India Terrorists bombing
Terrorists bomb Muslim Graveyard in Malegaon, during Shab-e-Barat killing 37
Indonesia Tsunami
Tsunami strikes the Indonesian island of Java killing 300
Escalation of violence in Middle East
Capture of two Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah guerrillas Israel Bombs Lebenon and escalation of violence in Middle East
North Korea first test of a nuclear weapon
North Korea declares it has carried out its first test of a nuclear weapon, becoming the worlds 9th Nuclear Power
North Korea Medium Range Missiles
North Korea Test Medium Range Missiles
Heatwave
Heatwave affects US and Europe in July
Easter Week Midwest Tornado Outbreak
The Easter Week Midwest Tornado Outbreak affecting Iowa, Indiana, Missouri and other US states . Iowa City takes a direct hit from a tornado.
Israel Ariel Sharon
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's suffers a stroke and suffers from a persistent vegetative state.
trillion barrels worth of oil
The US Energy department has released a report that there are about a trillion barrels worth of oil in the form of Oil shale reserves in the Green River basin,
How Much things cost in 2006
Average Cost of new house $297,000.00
Average Median Income $46,326.00
Cost of a gallon of Gas $3.18
The Pink Panther
Big Momma's House 2
Underworld: Evolution
Nanny McPhee
Final Destination 3
Failure to Launch
Eight Below
V for Vendetta
Ice Age: The Meltdown
Date Movie
Garfield
Miami Vice
Monster House
Over The Hedge
Pirates of the Caribbean 2
Superman Returns
Thank You For Smoking
Mariah Carey
Beyonce
Ne-Yo
INXS
The Pussycat Dolls
Nine Inch Nails
Coldplay
System of a Down
Gwen Stefani
Madonna
P!nk
Bon Jovi
Morrissey
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Malcolm in the Middle
Survivor
The Weakest Link
Yes, Dear
The Simpsons
24
Fear Factor
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Pop Idol
Smallville
The Amazing Race
The Bernie Mac Show
American Idol
CSI: Miami
The Bachelor
The George Lopez Show
Without a Trace
Arrested Development
Cold Case
Hope and Faith
Las Vegas
NCIS
Queer Eye for the Straight Guy
The O.C.
Two and a Half Men
Boston Legal
CSI: New York
Desperate Housewives
House
Lost
Postman Pat (UK)
The Apprentice
The X Factor (UK)
American Dad!
Doctor Who (UK)
Everybody Hates Chris
Family Guy
Grey's Anatomy
My Name Is Earl
The Office
U.S. CIA prisons
President Bush acknowledged secret CIA prisons around the world outside of US legal jurisdiction.
U.S. Military Commission Act
President Bush asks Congress to pass the Military Commission Act to re-define U.S. obligations under Common Article 3 of the Geneva Convention
U.S. seaports
6 U.S. seaports Sold To Middle East
Great American Strike / Boycott
The Great American Strike / Boycott by immigrants including legal and illegal immigrants of mostly Latin American origin against schools and businesses by not buying, selling, working, and attending school.
Europe Partial power blackout
Partial power blackout in Europe including Parts of Germany, Belgium, France (including parts of Paris), Spain, and Italy
U.S. earthquake
6.6 magnitude earthquake at sea hits the US state of Hawaii.
Québécois nation motion
The Québécois nation motion is passed by the House of Commons in the Parliament of Canada.
2006 world cup
Italy wins the 2006 world cup in Germany defeating France
Contrat première embauche
More than 1 million take to the streets in France in the largest nationwide protest ever over the "Contrat première embauche" (CPE - First Employment Contract or Beginning Workers Contract)
Montenegro and Serbia
Montenegro and Serbia Split to Gain Independence
Basque separatist group
The Basque separatist group ETA announces Cease Fire
U.S. Cope Act
Congress passes the Communications Opportunity, Promotion and Enhancement Act (Cope Act) which ends current Network Neutrality.
U.S. E-Coli breakouts
Two major E-Coli breakouts affect 500 people in the US caused by fresh spinach and fresh lettuce
Barry Bonds
Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants Breaks the record held by Babe Ruth and hits his 715th home run on on May 28 to pass Babe Ruth on the all time greatest list.
Winter Olympic Games
The Winter Olympic Games are held in Turin, Italy
Palestine Hamas
Hamas ( Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya ) the Palestinian Islamist militant organization wins the Palestinian parliamentary elections, and formally took over the Palestinian government, with Ismail Haniyeh sworn in as the new prime minister.
U.S. One day boycott
One day boycott of United States schools and businesses by One Million immigrants, both legal and illegal on April 10th
Serial Shooter killers
The Serial Shooter killers ( Dale S. Hausner and Samuel John Dieteman ) are caught and charged for the drive by murders of six people in Phoenix, Arizona
World Trade Talks
World Trade Talks break down with blame shared equally between the developing and the G8 countries of the world.
California heat wave
California suffers it's worst heat wave in recent history with temperatures reaching 115 degrees and lasting for a two week period.
The one billionth song is purchased from Apple iTunes.
Nintendo releases the Wii in North America with an MSRP of US$249.99
Google purchases YouTube for US$1.65 billion in stock
Pluto is downgraded from a Planet to a dwarf planet by The International Astronomical Union ( IAU )
Australia Prime Minister John Howard
Brazil < President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Canada Prime Minister Paul Martin
till February 6,Canada Prime Minister Stephen Harper
from February 6,China < Chairman of the People's Republic of China Hu Jintao
France President Jacques Chirac
Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel
India Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh
Italy > Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi
Till 17 MayItaly Prime Minister Romano Prodi
From 17 MayJapan Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi
Till 26 SeptemberJapan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
From 26 SeptemberMexico President Vicente Fox
Till 30 NovemberMexico President Felipe Calderón
From 30 NovemberRussia / Soviet Union General Secretary of the CPSU Vladimir Putin
South Africa State President Thabo Mbeki
United States President George W. Bush
United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair