~Flashback 2003~

Economics

Federal spending: $2,158 billion
Federal debt: $6,783 billion
Consumer Price Index: 184
Unemployment: 6.0 %
Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.37

Saddam Hussein is captured by American troops (Dec. 13).

Space shuttle Columbia explodes, killing all 7 astronauts (Feb. 1).

John A. Muhammad, convicted in the 2002 Washington, DC, area shootings, receives death sentence (Nov. 24).

Entertainment

The Recording Industry Association of America cracked down on people who illegally swapped more than 1,000 songs over the Internet, filing lawsuits against hundreds of people, including a 12-year-old girl. Apple Computer, however, made downloading both affordable and easy with its iTune Music Store. It allows fans to download tunes for 99 cents each.

The Pixar team released another animated treasure with Finding Nemo, a fish-out-of-water tale about pair of clown fish who brave dark waters and menacing aquatic creatures to be reunited. The film grossed more than $340 million.

Movies

• Lost in Translation
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
  
• Finding Nemo
• Mystic River
• Cold Mountain
• Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
• Freaky Friday
  
• House of Sand and Fog
• Seabiscuit