December 30, 2004
By the winter of 2004, Bush was in the White House and the federal minimum wage stood at $5.15/hr — the U.S. military was entering its second year of operations in Iraq, with troop deployments stretching across the Middle East and debate at home remaining steady but largely measured. On the cultural front, "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" was dominating box offices and awards season on its way to Best Picture, while Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code" had settled in as the must-read novel in American households. The Boston Red Sox had just broken their 86-year World Series drought by defeating the St. Louis Cardinals, and on January 25, NASA's Opportunity rover successfully landed on the surface of Mars, marking another milestone in robotic planetary exploration.
On the cover
Magazine Covers — December 30, 2004
NY Times Headlines — Week of December 30, 2004
New Yorkers In Congressexpect A Budget Fight
Inside
Bush'S Counsel Sought Ruling About Torture
Iraqi Governor Slain By Gunmen; Bombing Kills 10
World Events — December 2004
Time Person of the Year — 2004
On the radio
Billboard Charts — December 30, 2004
Grammy Awards
On the bookshelf
On the television
Nielsen Top 10 — 2004–05 Season
Emmy Winners — 2004
At the movies
Box Office & Oscar Winners — December 30, 2004
Ebert 4-Star Films — December 30, 2004
On the field
Sports Champions — December 30, 2004
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