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Jared Paul Durrance was Born
My first child was born on this day, at St Vincent Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida. He was 7lbs 7oz, 19.5" long. -
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President George W. Bush
Key Presidential Achievements:
USA Patriot Act: Expanded government powers to prevent and investigate terrorism.
No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB): Aimed to improve educational outcomes in low-income and underperforming schools.
Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives: Sought to involve faith-based and community organizations in addressing social issues like poverty and addiction. -
9/11 Attacks
The United States experienced a terrorist attack carried out by the extremist Islamic group, al-Qaeda, who hijacked four commercial airplanes. Two of these planes struck the North and South Towers of the World Trade Center, resulting in the deaths of 2,753 people. A third plane targeted the Pentagon, while the fourth was overtaken by passengers and ultimately crashed in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Credit: Getty Images/David Surowiecki -
Tyler James Durrance was born
My second child was born on this day, at St Vincent Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida. He was 8lbs 6oz, 21" long. -
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War in Iraq
The invasion in Iraq was a coalition led by the United States with concerns of weapons of mass destruction and terrorism. Saddam Hussien regime was overthrown. The aftermath saw the establishment of a new Iraqi government, but the country continued to grapple with violence, political turmoil, and the rise of extremist groups like ISIS. 4492 US soldiers were killed during the war. -
Facebook
Created by Mark Zuckerberg as "TheFacebook.com" at Harvard University as a social network for students to post photos, class schedules, or personal information. Popularity increased to Yale and Stanford joining the plateform. By the end of 2004, Facebook reached a million users. -
iPhone vs. Android
In 2007, Apple introduced the iPhone, while Google launched two prototypes, the Blackberry and a touchscreen device. Despite ongoing debates regarding the superior platform, the rivalry between them persists, fueling innovation and progress in the mobile technology industry. -
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President Barack Obama
Key Presidential Achievements:
First African American President
Affordable Care Act-comprehensive healthcare reform expanding access to health insurance and improve coverage.
Won a Nobel Peace Prize-recognized his efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation, promote nuclear disarmament, and address global challenges such as climate change and global poverty.
Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act-allowed openly LGBTQ individuals to serve in the military. -
Divorced
After being married for 11 years, our relationship reached a point where reconciliation was no longer possible, and we decided to go our separate ways. -
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Black Lives Matter Movement
The BLM movement rose to prominence, shedding light on systemic racism and police brutality against Black Americans. It originated on social media, with activist Alicia Garza's Facebook post in response to the Zimmerman verdict, which acquitted a white man of murdering an unarmed black teenager. BLM activists advocate for policies aiming to defund the police. President Biden, however, opposed this notion in his 2022 State of the Union address, suggesting increased funding instead. -
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China's Belt and Road Initiative
During an official visit to Kazakhstan and Indonesia, President Xi of China, announced his vision of creating a vast network of railways, energy pipelines, highways, and streamlined border crossings, both westward and southward, to Pakistan, India, and the rest of Southeast Asia To date, 147 countries have signed on to projects or are interested in doing so. -
Boston Marathon Bombing
This was considered a domestic terrorist attack when one man detonated two homemade bombs near the finish line, killed three people, and injured hundreds.
Photo credit: https://abcnews.go.com/US/photos/haunting-photos-boston-marathon-bombing-23143733 -
Obergefell v. Hodges (576 U.S. 644)
The landmark decision made by the US Supreme Court ruled that the fundamental right to marry is guaranteed to same-sex couples by both the Due Process Clause and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution. This was a massive victory in the civil rights movement. -
Paris Agreement
The Paris Agreement is an international treaty aiming to combat climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It sets goals to limit global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, with efforts to keep it below 1.5°C. The agreement requires regular assessments of progress and provides financial support to developing countries for mitigation, resilience, and adaptation efforts.
Photo credit: https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement -
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President Donald Trump
Key Presidential Achievements:
Established Space Force: the sixth branch of the US Armed Forces.
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act: cut corporate tax rate to 21% from 35% while also providing temporary benefits for individuals and their families.
First Step Act: A comprehensive reform of federal sentencing laws. It reduces mandatory minimum sentences for drug felonies, expands early-release programs, and increases rehabilitation and job-training opportunities to lower recidivism. -
COVID-19 Pandamic
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of COVID-19 a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. To contain the spread of the virus, many countries implemented strict measures such as lockdowns, travel bans, and quarantine protocols. This lead to profound economic consequences, job losses, and business closures. Governments implemented stimulus packages and economic relief measures to support individuals, businesses, and industries affected by the pandemic. -
Artemis I
Artemis I was the first uncrewed integrated flight test of NASA’s Deep Space Exploration Systems: the Orion spacecraft, Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, with the upgraded Exploration Ground Systems at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The Artemis spacecraft journeyed more than 1.4 million miles around the Moon before returning safely to Earth.
Image Credit: NASA -
Married.... Again!
In a small wedding boutique located in downtown Jacksonville, with just one other person present as the notary, I married a man who means more to me than just a best friend and life partner.