Gadgets, lab surprises, odd bets, and future-shocks from this slice of the calendar.
The Sounds of
Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year
HEADLINES ON May 26, 1996
Full News Archive
- Headline: Festival of Dancing and Light. Impact: The joyous vibes of this festival led to a global dance movement, ultimately resulting in the creation of a dance-off reality show that would take over television and ruin countless family gatherings. Thanks, festival!. Fact: Did you know that the original purpose of dance was to communicate with spirits? Now we just do it to avoid talking to each other at weddings..
- Headline: SOAPBOX: Summer Vacation Reflections. Impact: The nostalgic musings of this writer inadvertently inspired a wave of social media influencers to document their boring summer vacations, leading to a pandemic of envy-inducing posts that ruined summers for everyone else.. Fact: Did you know that summer vacations used to be about exploring the great outdoors? Now it's just about making sure your Instagram feed looks better than your neighbor's..
- Headline: 270-Year-Old Dodge House Now a Museum. Impact: This historic home became a museum, inspiring a trend of turning old houses into museums, which sparked a new wave of tourists who would rather look at dusty artifacts than enjoy the outdoors.. Fact: Did you know that if walls could talk, they’d probably just complain about all the tourists poking around their homes? If only they could charge admission!.
- Headline: VOICES: FROM THE DESK OF;Please Don't Fiddle While Money Is Burning. Impact: The Philadelphia Orchestra's financial woes resulted in a nationwide trend of arts organizations tightening budgets, leading to a generation of musicians who now moonlight as baristas.. Fact: Did you know that the term 'starving artist' is actually just a warning to aspiring musicians? It’s not a lifestyle choice; it’s a survival strategy!.
- Headline: Report From North Korea;Flood Waters Come and Go. Misery Endures.. Impact: This report highlighted the ongoing struggles in North Korea, which led to an increased global focus on humanitarian aid, inadvertently inspiring a new genre of sad songs that would dominate the charts.. Fact: Did you know that North Korea has its own time zone? They’re just a few minutes ahead of everyone else in the misery department..
- Headline: MAKING IT WORK;Someone to Watch Over Us. Impact: The existence of historic forts in NYC sparked a bizarre revival of interest in medieval reenactments, leading to a surge in sales of chainmail and a peculiar fascination with jousting.. Fact: Did you know that those forts were originally built to keep the British out? Now they just keep out people who don't want to pay the rent!.
- Headline: NEIGBORHOOD REPORT: WILLIAMSBURG/GREENPOINT;For Nekboh, New Owner, New Fight. Impact: As Mary Malinowski shouted at the crowd, her actions unknowingly fueled a grassroots movement that would forever change the landscape of neighborhood activism, resulting in countless town hall meetings that no one really wanted to attend.. Fact: Did you know that yelling at strangers is a time-honored tradition in New York? It's basically the city's version of saying 'hello'..
- Headline: NEIGBORHOOD REPORT: BROOKLYN HEIGHTS;Once Grand St. George Hotel Eyed as Student Housing Site. Impact: The decline of the St. George Hotel marked the beginning of a trend where historic buildings were repurposed as student housing, leading to a new generation of college students complaining about their 'character-building' living conditions.. Fact: Did you know that once upon a time, hotels were places to stay when you traveled? Now they’re just overpriced dorms where students learn to appreciate the value of silence..
Wall Street Time Machine
MSFT
Microsoft
Microsoft - If you invested $1,000 in 1996, it would be worth $141,245 today (141.2x return)
AAPL
Apple
Apple - If you invested $1,000 in 1996, it would be worth $1,130,051 today (1130.1x return)