JANUARY 5, 1981

Full News Archive

• Headline: Junior Great Books Engage Young Readers. Impact: The ogre in the mural inspired a generation of children to become voracious readers, leading to the rise of a secret society of bookworms that eventually overthrew a city council with a public library campaign. Who knew an ogre could ignite a literary revolution?. Fact: Shirley Jackson's works often explore the darker sides of human nature, which might explain why every time I read her, I feel an overwhelming urge to check the attic for ghosts..
• Headline: Fritz's Dual Dining Experience. Impact: Fritz’s transition from a bland luncheonette to a high-end restaurant sparked a culinary arms race in the area. Everyone suddenly thought they were Gordon Ramsay, which led to a dramatic increase in public screaming and food waste.. Fact: In the 80s, bacon-lettuce-and-tomato sandwiches were considered gourmet food. Just goes to show that with the right branding, anything can be haute cuisine!.
• Headline: Confessions of a Condominium Seller. Impact: The admission of a vendor's experience led to a nationwide trend of sellers sharing their 'great moments,' which spiraled into a full-blown reality TV show about condo selling, forever ruining the art of negotiation.. Fact: Real estate agents used to be called 'land agents'—a term that sounds like they might just sell you a nice patch of dirt instead of that condo you secretly can’t afford..
• Headline: EDUCATORS FIND BOTH SEXES CHANGING CAREER ATTITUDES. Impact: The shift in career attitudes among youth caused a ripple effect, leading to an unexpected shortage of engineers and a surplus of Instagram influencers. The world is now run by people who think a 'job' is just a series of hashtags.. Fact: In 1970, being a 'social media influencer' meant you were good at passing notes in class. Progress?.
• Headline: WESTCHESTER OPINION; HOUSE AND GARDEN: NOT FOR EVERYONE. Impact: The endless discussion of Westchester's affluent lifestyle inspired a reality show that made suburbia seem exciting. Ironically, it resulted in people wanting to leave the suburbs for the chaos of urban life, thus creating a suburban exodus.. Fact: Westchester is known for its 'anesthetic beauty,' which is just a fancy way of saying it's so pretty it makes you sleepy. No wonder they have to keep talking about it!.
• Headline: ANTIQUES; PARAMUS: THE ACCENT IS ON PORCELAIN. Impact: The popularity of Ann and Roy Wintrob's porcelain shop led to a nationwide obsession with fine china, which eventually caused a shortage of everyday dinnerware and made family dinners a precarious balancing act.. Fact: Porcelain was invented in China and is often called 'fine china'—which is ironic because it’s anything but fine when your toddler throws it on the floor..
• Headline: ART; COMPLEX WORKS SHOWN AT ATHENEUM. Impact: Dotty Attie's complex works became a catalyst for the 'art is suffering' movement, leading to artists everywhere believing that the more distressed they looked, the more their art would be appreciated. Spoiler: It wasn't.. Fact: Art critics love to use words like 'complex' and 'distressing' to describe artwork. What they really mean is, 'I have no idea what this is, but I want to sound smart.'.
• Headline: GARDENING; HERBS FOR YEAR-ROUND ENJOYMENT. Impact: Herbs became a household staple, leading to a culinary revolution where everyone suddenly thought they were chefs. This resulted in kitchen mishaps that could fill a cookbook titled 'Mistakes Were Made: The Herb Edition.'. Fact: Herbs have been used for thousands of years, not only for cooking but also for medicinal purposes—so if your dish tastes bad, just sprinkle some 'healing' herbs on it and call it gourmet!.