JANUARY 11, 1998

Full News Archive

• Headline: The Sound of Music Teaches Tolerance. Impact: Years later, students who learned about prejudice through catchy tunes grew up to start a musical revolution; ironically, they just wanted to sing their way out of awkward conversations.. Fact: Oscar Hammerstein II once said, 'If you can't sing it, you might as well just hum.' So, let's just hum through our prejudices, shall we?.
• Headline: Barbados Retreat Inspired by English Elegance. Impact: The rise of 'English country style' in Barbados sparked a bizarre trend of tea-drinking beachgoers, ultimately leading to the great 'Scone vs. Surf' debate of 2023.. Fact: In Barbados, it's illegal to feed the monkeys. But apparently, it's perfectly acceptable to sip Earl Grey while sunbathing. Priorities, people..
• Headline: The Diversity Doctor. Impact: Dr. Anand's diversity consulting led to corporate retreats becoming the new 'team-building' buzzwords, which ironically resulted in more awkward silences than actual unity.. Fact: Diversity training: where you learn that 'everyone is unique' while sitting in a room full of very similar-looking people..
• Headline: CONTRABAND WOMEN -- A special report.; Traffickers' New Cargo: Naive Slavic Women. Impact: The rise of this dark trade led to increased awareness and activism, which ironically meant that the traffickers had to up their marketing game. Welcome to capitalism at its worst.. Fact: Human trafficking has been around longer than your grandma's favorite soap opera. And yet, we're still shocked..
• Headline: Ideas & Trends: Black and White Is Back; Color 'Em Wrong. Impact: The resurgence of black and white images inspired a new generation of hipsters, who now only communicate through monochrome selfies and ironic captions.. Fact: Hipsters claim to be the pioneers of black and white photography, but you know your grandma has an entire album dedicated to it from the 1960s..
• Headline: Experienced Hand in a Familiar Setting. Impact: Joanne Starkey's restaurant review led to a national obsession with 'comfort food,' ultimately resulting in a culinary arms race of who can serve the most indulgent dishes.. Fact: If you think reviewing restaurants is easy, just ask anyone who's ever tried to make a decision on where to eat with a group of friends..
• Headline: University Seeks Older Women For Study of Their Health. Impact: This study not only advanced women's health research but also inadvertently sparked a reality TV series about older women living their best lives. Who knew science could be so entertaining?. Fact: Turns out, the fountain of youth is just a well-researched hormone treatment. Who would have thought?.
• Headline: Long Beach Considers 6-Acre Super Block. Impact: What started as a simple construction project escalated into a community-wide feud over beachfront property, leading to a new reality show called 'Real Housewives of Long Beach: The Block War.'. Fact: Nothing says 'community' like turning a simple project into a soap opera. Who needs reality TV when you have local politics?.
• Headline: Mutual Funds Report; Emerging Markets: Nice Concept, Bad Outcome. Impact: The disastrous performance of these funds drove investors into panic mode, triggering an entire generation of finance majors to swear off economics for good, opting instead for art history.. Fact: Investing in emerging markets is like dating: it looks good on paper, but reality can be a cold slap in the face..