# *100TH ISSUE*## What we were doing in November 2005
### We were in the eye of a record breaking hurricane season.
“Absolutely, as far as we know, this was unprecedented,” said Keith Blackwell, a researcher at the University of South Alabama’s Coastal Weather Research Center in Mobile in a November article for National Geographic News. He was referring to three hurricanes —Katrina, Rita, and Wilma — which reached Category Five status on the Saffir-Simpson scale (a new record at that time).
### We were a divided city.
November 19th was the 70th Iron Bowl. Auburn defeated Alabama 28-18 in Jordan-Hare Stadium to win for the fourth consecutive time. Tide quarterback Brodie Croyle was sacked 11 times in the game. Auburn jumped off to an early first quarter lead of 21 points. Texas won the national championship that year with a legendary performance by Vince Young over USC.
### We lusted after the status accessory (a cellphone, with a 2-megapixel camera)Today, the iPhone X has dual 12-megapixel cameras. Back in 2005, the cutting-edge MM-A800 phone was the first 2-megapixel camera in the United States. This pink Motorola Razr was released in October and by November was considered the first ‘fashion’ phone.
### At the movies...It had just been announced that Daniel Craig would be cast as the new James Bond replacing Pierce Brosnan. The news was met with significant controversy with many fans organizing boycotts of the franchise claiming Craig was too short and too blond.Special effects were the rage then and that trend is still true today. The top-5 movies were all special effects centered. On November 6, 2005, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire premiered. It went on to become most successful film of the year, earning almost $900 million worldwide. The remaining four were Star Wars 3: Revenge of the Sith, The Chronicles of Narnia, War of the Worlds and King Kong.
### Diedre Downs was Miss America
In 2005, Alabama native and Samford graduate Diedre Down was Miss America. Today, she is a board-certified OB/GYN at the University of Alabama Birmingham. Her wedding to attorney and writer Abbott Jones was covered earlier this year in People magazine, and was held at the Museum of Art. She is the first Miss America to have a same sex marriage.
### We were watching SoHo Square emerge.The innovative project was a first for Alabama and Homewood- a mixed-use complex combining retail, residential and government sectors.
### We were crushing on...Matthew McConaughey was crowned People’s Sexiest Man Alive in the 2005 November Issue.### We were listening to…1. Mariah Carey - We Belong Together 2. Gwen Stefani - Hollaback Girl 3. Mario - Let Me Love You(from the Billboard Top 100)
### We were watching...American Idol - In its fourth season when Simon Cowell was still our favorite villain and Carrie Underwood officially became America’s sweetheart. On November 15, 2005, Underwood released her debut album “Some Hearts.” That album went on to win the 2006 Billboard Album of the Year. ‘Pulling the cord’ continues today, as people continue to drop cable. Last year Netflix surpassed cable with more subscribers. According to last year’s report from eMarketer, there were 22.2 million cord-cutters ages 18 and older last year alone. – a figure that was up 33.2 percent over 2016.
### If you bought Amazon...
If you bought a share of Amazon stock on November 1, 2005, it would have been $39.97. It’s worth almost 40 times as much now. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was 10,100. It’s now around 24,000, but has been a roller coaster over the last 13 years. After hitting around 14k in 2007, the market crashed in ‘08, and fell in value by over half to under 7k in ‘09.
### We didn’t know we were looking at a future dynasty. In 2005, Mountain Brook High Schools Men’s Basketball Team was ranked 34th in the state with a 17-10 season. In 2018, the Mountain Brook boys basketball team claimed its fourth state championship in the last six years.
### Advertisers from our first issue. (That are still around)B & A Warehouse, Barton-Clay, Birmingham Museum of Art, European Kitchen of Alabama, Issis & Sons, Michael’s Steaks and Seafood, Mountain Brook Plastic Surgery, RealtySouth, Tom Williams Lexus (now Lexus of Birmingham)
### Do you know Lacey Bacchus?In 100 issues, no one has appeared in more pictures than Lacey. How many? 51 times. We love you Lacey!
### On the rumor frontA few years ago, someone swore to us that they had a friend who saw a girl in About Town that he didn’t know, and figured out a way to meet her. (He wouldn’t tell us who it was.)They are now married.It’s not stalking if it results in a marriage is it?
### Have you played the About Town game?
How many people do you know in each issue? Sit down. Get a Sharpie and circle everyone you know. Who ever knows more people wins.
### Amount of events we’ve featured# 1,506### Digital Picture Views per month# 400,000+### People we’ve photographed# Way too many to count!
