JULY 16, 1989

Full News Archive

• Headline: A La Carte: Dining for Summerfare. Impact: The final Pepsico Summerfare festival led to an unexpected surge in dining reservations, causing a butterfly effect where restaurants began to overcharge for mediocre food, forever altering the landscape of dining experiences for concertgoers.. Fact: You know, if every festival had a pre-event dinner, maybe we could finally solve world hunger—by charging people to eat before they eat..
• Headline: The Historic Tomato Celebration of 1820. Impact: Col. Robert Gibbon Johnson's tomato-eating stunt not only sparked a tomato craze but also inadvertently caused a generation of people to believe that eating raw vegetables in public was a bold act of rebellion.. Fact: Before this, tomatoes were considered so scandalous that they were only served in secret, like a vegetable version of a speakeasy..
• Headline: Cappuccino by the Bay Mornings. Impact: The iconic aroma of coffee in San Francisco has led to an unstoppable need for caffeine, resulting in the proliferation of coffee shops that now outnumber people—thus leading to the rise of the 'barista' as a revered profession.. Fact: It's funny how coffee became a staple of morning routines, while a good night's sleep is still just a distant dream for most..
• Headline: Danbury Plans a Tribute to Marian Anderson's Lustrous Career. Impact: Marian Anderson's low profile kept her legacy alive, enabling future artists to think they could also remain humble while simultaneously being legends, thus creating an entire generation of 'under-the-radar' superstars.. Fact: Anderson's career was so illustrious, it makes you wonder if the true secret to success is just being really, really low-key..
• Headline: GARDENING; There's Treasure in Those Weeds. Impact: The idea that weeds can be treasure has encouraged an entire industry of gardening 'experts' to market every weed as a miracle plant, thus leading to a bizarre world where people pay for 'organic' weeds.. Fact: It's ironic that what we once pulled out of our gardens is now being sold for a premium, proving that one person's weed is another person's overpriced salad..
• Headline: 2,000 to Compete in State Games. Impact: The establishment of a sports festival in Connecticut sparked a state-wide obsession with competition, leading to the eventual rise of Connecticut being known as the state where even the squirrels have medals.. Fact: You have to admire the ambition of people who wanted to create a sports festival just to watch amateurs trip over each other..
• Headline: A Child's Pursuit of Stardom, a Family's Quest for Balance. Impact: The long drive to ballet lessons not only reinforced the stereotype of the 'helicopter parent' but also led to a nationwide increase in car snacks, forever changing the landscape of family road trips.. Fact: If you think about it, the real star of the ballet lesson drive was probably the snack bag, which definitely had more flair than the actual ballet..
• Headline: Scotland's Little-Known Province. Impact: Dumfries and Galloway's hidden charm caused a tourist stampede years later, resulting in the establishment of souvenir shops that sell 'authentic' Scottish rocks, thus creating a new economy of overpriced natural debris.. Fact: It's amazing how a place can be overlooked for centuries, only to become trendy and then completely ruined by souvenir hunters..
• Headline: Veterans' Hospital Faces Change in Role. Impact: The Veterans Affairs Medical Center's transformation into a campus-like setting sparked a nationwide trend of hospitals trying to look like vacation resorts, leading to a bizarre situation where patients are more concerned about the view than their health.. Fact: Nothing says 'healing' like a golf course next to your hospital bed—because who wouldn't want to work on their swing while recovering from surgery?.