NOVEMBER 21, 1997

Full News Archive

• Headline: Dollar vs. Yen and Mark Fluctuations. Impact: The dollar's fluctuations led to a global financial panic that caused a butterfly effect, resulting in coffee prices rising in Brazil and a sudden surge in the popularity of Japanese anime in America. Who knew currency exchange could lead to more cartoons?. Fact: In 1998, an American dollar was worth a lot less than it is today. Kind of like your hopes and dreams after checking your bank account..
• Headline: Work Visa Confusion for Delta Employees. Impact: The hasty visa cancellation caused a chain reaction that led to a sudden increase in Polish immigration to Canada, where they opened the first 'Pierogi Café' that became wildly popular. All because of a paperwork error!. Fact: Fun fact: The Polish word for 'dumpling' is 'pieróg,' which is what these flight attendants probably wished they had packed instead of their bags..
• Headline: Crude Oil Prices Drop Amid Iraq Tensions. Impact: The drop in oil prices set off a global chain reaction that led to the invention of a new energy drink called 'Middle East Smoothie' that was supposed to energize the world's economies. Spoiler alert: it failed spectacularly.. Fact: Crude oil hitting a low is like finding a penny in the couch cushions—great for an instant boost but hardly a solution to your financial woes..
• Headline: Eli A. Finn, 107; Lived Life With Unflagging Zest. Impact: Eli A. Finn's zest for life inspired countless memes and quotes, leading to the eventual rise of motivational posters in every college dorm. Thank you, Eli, for making procrastination feel a little more inspirational.. Fact: At 107, Eli had probably seen more of the world than anyone else. Which explains why he probably had a lot of stories about 'the good old days' that were actually just last week..
• Headline: An Ex-Spymaster Revives Russia's Mideast Influence. Impact: Primakov's diplomatic antics indirectly led to a sudden spike in Russian-themed spy novels, which somehow resulted in the rise of an underground book club. Who knew international relations could be so literary?. Fact: Primakov's name sounds like he could be a character in a spy novel. Maybe his next mission could be to negotiate with the plot holes in those stories..
• Headline: A Young Legal Eagle Flies With Vultures. Impact: This legal battle sparked a movement that led to a slew of courtroom dramas on TV, culminating in the bizarre courtroom reality show where lawyers argue over the last slice of pizza. True story.. Fact: Lawyers are like vultures in the sense that they both circle around when they smell something dead—like a dying boy's case, apparently..
• Headline: On 1994 Blood Bath in Rwanda, Tribunal Hews to a Glacial Pace. Impact: The slow pace of the tribunal led to multiple spin-off documentaries and a reality series called 'Justice Delayed' that became a cult hit. Who knew waiting for justice could be so riveting?. Fact: The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda took about as long to convict someone as it takes to binge-watch an entire season of a mediocre Netflix series..
• Headline: At the Movies. Impact: The tensions in Jerusalem led to a series of international peace talks that, due to a series of miscommunications, ended up planning a global coffee summit instead. Because nothing says peace like a good espresso.. Fact: Tensions in Jerusalem are about as common as your friend posting about their new diet on social media—both seem to escalate at the worst possible moments..
• Headline: A Jew's Slaying Fuels Tensions in Jerusalem's Muslim Quarter.