JANUARY 20, 1999

Full News Archive

• Headline: The Struggles of Three-Star Chefs. Impact: The closure of three-star restaurants led to the rise of food trucks, which eventually paved the way for gourmet mac and cheese to become a global phenomenon. Who knew cheese could change history?. Fact: In France, chefs are now more likely to be seen weeping over their soufflés than celebrating their Michelin stars. Talk about a recipe for disaster!.
• Headline: Impeachment Trial and Optimism Unite. Impact: Clinton's State of the Union speech sparked a series of 'hopeful' moments in politics, which ultimately led to the invention of the phrase 'bipartisan high five'—something that sounds great but has never actually happened.. Fact: This was the speech where Clinton turned the word 'hope' into a political buzzword, so much so that it may have started a trend of politicians using it to distract from actual policy discussions..
• Headline: Clinton's Social Security Proposal Controversy. Impact: Clinton's Social Security proposal led to a long-standing partisan feud that resulted in a game show where legislators compete to see who can spend the most time avoiding real solutions. Spoiler alert: it's still running.. Fact: The phrase 'bipartisan effort' often translates to 'let's argue until the next election cycle.' It's like political yoga—lots of stretching and little movement..
• Headline: About New York; Archive Tells How Church And City Grew. Impact: The Archbishop's Heritage Center became a cultural touchstone, leading to the eventual trend of Instagramming church architecture. #HolyFilters became a thing.. Fact: If you thought churches were only for prayer, think again! They're also the original Instagram hotspots—just ask any wandering tourist..
• Headline: STATE OF THE UNION: THE PUNDITS -- Media Notebook; Across Networks, Adjectives (Big Ones) Abound on a Day for the History Books. Impact: The day of Clinton's impeachment became a pivotal moment for pundits—leading to the rise of 'punditry as entertainment' and the birth of countless reality TV shows featuring political commentary.. Fact: Pundits are basically the reality stars of politics. They argue, they speculate, and they definitely don't have to worry about who gets voted off the island..
• Headline: The Aperitif Moment: Sip or Flinch. Impact: The bitter-sweet aperitif trend eventually resulted in the rise of hipster cafes that serve artisanal toothpicks with drinks. Because why not complicate something simple?. Fact: In the world of aperitifs, the more complicated the drink, the more pretentious the server. Cheers to that!.
• Headline: By Day and Night, an Argument for Survival. Impact: Clinton's performance in the State of the Union became a case study in political survival, leading to the development of 'spin doctors' who now practice in every corner of the political landscape.. Fact: Clinton's ability to dodge impeachment charges was so impressive, it inspired a new genre of political magic tricks—'Now you see my convictions, now you don’t!'.
• Headline: Supreme Court Roundup; 'Three Strikes' Challenge Fails, but Others Are Invited. Impact: The Supreme Court's refusal to hear the challenge to California's 'three strikes' law opened the floodgates for legal challenges, ultimately leading to a thriving industry of prison-themed escape rooms.. Fact: In California, challenging laws can be as popular as avocado toast. Everyone's doing it, and no one really knows why!.