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 October 8, 1997
Full News Archive
- Headline: Steve Wynn's Defamation Case Against Publisher. Impact: This defamation suit set off a chain reaction where small publishers started hiring lawyers faster than they could hire editors. Consequently, the world saw an explosion of reality TV shows because who needs books when you have 'real' drama?. Fact: In an alternate universe, Steve Wynn's biography became a bestseller, leading to the rise of a new genre: unauthorized biographies of people who are still alive. Who knew that could be a thing?.
- Headline: Mastering Film: Paul Thomas Anderson. Impact: This actor's success inspired a wave of filmmakers who believed they could simply 'borrow' from the best. In a few years, Hollywood's creativity tanked, leading to a cinematic renaissance defined by remakes of remakes.. Fact: Paul Thomas Anderson is basically the hipster of filmmaking; he was doing the whole 'borrowing' thing before it was cool. Now everyone thinks they can do it too—thanks a lot, Paul!.
- Headline: I.M.F. Aid Plea By Indonesia Appears Near. Impact: Indonesia's plea for IMF aid sent shockwaves through the global economy, leading to a new trend of nations begging for money online. Soon, crowdfunding for countries became the hottest thing since avocado toast.. Fact: Suharto's decision-making process was so slow that by the time he made a choice, the economy had already changed three times. Talk about slow and steady winning the race!.
- Headline: The Parking Lot Lottery; Odds Rise Against Riders Needing to Park at Stations. Impact: The parking crisis led to the invention of the 'Park and Pray' app, where commuters can pray for a spot while wishing they had bought a bicycle instead. Turns out, the real jackpot was just getting to work on time.. Fact: In New York, the only thing harder than finding a parking spot is finding someone who will admit they took the subway. It's a badge of honor, really..
- Headline: Restaurants; Earthy French Kitchen Flourishes in Fall. Impact: As the French kitchen thrived, it set off a culinary arms race where every restaurant suddenly had to create a 'farm-to-table' menu. This led to an explosion of hipster foodies, all claiming to have 'discovered' the best kale salad.. Fact: Ruth Reichl is basically the fairy godmother of food critics. With one review, she turned obscure restaurants into the next big thing. Talk about power!.
- Headline: Rethinking Pesto Means Breaking the Rules. Impact: This culinary revolution led to a generation of chefs who believed that rules were merely suggestions. The next thing you know, people were putting pesto on everything, including ice cream. Bon appétit!. Fact: Breaking the rules in cooking is just a fancy way of saying, 'I forgot the recipe.' Pesto lovers everywhere appreciate the creativity—or the confusion, really..
- Headline: Unearned Runs Against Maddux Benefit Brown. Impact: The Marlins' victory over the Braves sparked a debate about the fairness of baseball, leading to a series of 'unearned run' protests. In the end, no one knew what anyone was protesting, but it made for some great memes.. Fact: Greg Maddux, the king of pitching, probably didn't let this loss bother him. After all, he had the 'unearned runs' equivalent of a good hair day—just another day in the life of a legend..
Wall Street Time Machine
AAPL
Apple
Apple - If you invested $1,000 in 1997, it would be worth $1,728,706 today (1728.7x return)
AMZN
Amazon
Amazon - If you invested $1,000 in 1997, it would be worth $2,315,839 today (2315.8x return)