The year 2011 has been dubbed 'the Year of the ASB' on AH.com for a collection of unlikely events that would have been greeted with derisive laughter if they had been suggested six months before. These include:
The Arab Revolutions in Tunisia, Egypt etc and NATO intervention in Libya, all triggered by one man upset because he wasn't allowed to sell fruit.
Americans actually getting out and protesting for workers' rights in Wisconsin (and later in the year the Occupy Wall Street movement).
Osama Bin Laden successfully killed by Americans. Republicans praise
Barack Obama.
The Canadian election led to the NDP overtaking the Liberals to become the Official Opposition and the Bloc Quebecois was almost destroyed.
After an analysis of spanish coins of the XVI/XVII centuries, it appeared the crisis that striked Spain wasn't caused by a massive afflux of american gold : it was thesaurised by italian bankers and was not used for coins since the XVIII.
Spontaneous youth riots across
England for basically no reason
Faster-then-light travel discovered to be possible.
Saudi Arabia allows women to vote and stand in local elections.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad managing the stupendous feat of uniting Americans and the West and Al-Qaeda in condemnation against his claims that 9/11 was staged.
Scientists invent a flying carpet.
The Burmese junta starts to liberalise, not due to international pressure or internal revolution like the one attempted in 2008, but just because they feel like it.
A terrorist attack in Norway committed by a native 'neo-crusader' loony.
After 13 years of famous delays, becoming the most notorious 'vapourware' product ever, the game “Duke Nukem Forever” finally comes out.
Pat Robertson says that the US Republican Party presidential candidates have become too politically extreme and are growing unelectable.
Japan plans for a new city called “Neo-Tokyo”, a backup city for future earthquakes.
Polish foreign minister Radek Sikorski says “I will probably be the first Polish foreign minister in history to say so, but here it is: I fear German power less than I am beginning to fear German inactivity.” Presumably this is followed by
HurganPL's head exploding.
Actual plans for a 13 feet tall piloted mech made by the Japanese.
Louis Farrakhan of the Nation of Islam praises and promotes Scientology.
The Teen Choice Award for best action actress went to 63-year old Linda Hunt.