DECEMBER 28, 1997

Full News Archive

• Headline: Dining Highlights: New Jersey 1997. Impact: Fran Schumer's glowing reviews led to a culinary explosion in New Jersey, resulting in a bizarre phenomenon where diners started to wear pajamas to restaurants, believing it was the new black.. Fact: Did you know that 'well-traveled palate' is just a fancy way of saying someone eats a lot? No passport required!.
• Headline: Casino Advertising Takes to Radio and TV. Impact: The FCC's decision to allow casino ads sparked a nationwide obsession with gambling, leading to a future where every family dinner ends with someone rolling dice instead of passing the salt.. Fact: Casinos once advertised to entice high rollers, but now they just aim for anyone who can fog up a mirror. Progress!.
• Headline: Reviving South Korea's Financial Stability. Impact: Floyd Norris's column on South Korea's financial rescue plan inadvertently created a time loop where every economic crisis is now evaluated by how many banks should fail. Spoiler: It’s always more than you'd think.. Fact: J.P. Morgan was actually a real person. Who knew deep-pocketed bankers could be so... human?.
• Headline: Writing, Drawing and the Links Between Them. Impact: William Zimmer's review of the exhibit inadvertently inspired future generations to believe that anything could be art, including a banana duct-taped to a wall.. Fact: In the art world, if you can’t draw, just slap a label on it and call it 'abstract'. Voila!.
• Headline: OUTDOORS; Pacific Salmon Face Uncertainty. Impact: The salmon dispute turned into an international soap opera, where fish became the protagonists and the treaty negotiations were full of dramatic cliffhangers. Who knew fish could be so riveting?. Fact: Pacific Salmon have been fighting for their rights long before it was cool. Talk about a fishy saga!.
• Headline: Indelible Restaurant Impressions of '97. Impact: Joanne Starkey's restaurant impressions not only influenced diners in '97, but also paved the way for food bloggers to take over the internet, resulting in everyone thinking they are a culinary critic.. Fact: Memorable restaurants are just places where the food is good enough to distract you from the company..
• Headline: If There's A Will, There's A Way. Impact: The American Lung Association's advice about quitting smoking led to an avalanche of New Year's resolutions that were broken faster than you can say 'I need another slice of cake'.. Fact: New Year’s resolutions are just promises you make to yourself to break before Valentine’s Day. Cheers!.
• Headline: A Radio Giant's Purchases on L.I. Raise Antitrust Questions. Impact: The antitrust questions raised by Chancellor Media's purchases led to a future where radio stations were required to have a 'not-so-secret' handshake to avoid monopolizing the airwaves.. Fact: Antitrust laws are like the rules of a poker game: everyone knows they exist, but no one really follows them..
• Headline: 7 Waves and 7 Wishes: New Year's in Rio. Impact: Edwin McDowell’s travel article about New Year’s in Rio popularized the idea of celebrating with fireworks and beach parties, inadvertently causing future generations to believe every New Year should start with sand in their shoes.. Fact: In Rio, New Year's resolutions are probably just about how many drinks you can juggle while dancing on the beach. Priorities!.