AUGUST 13, 2000

Full News Archive

• Headline: Conference on Expanding Home Ownership Opportunities. Impact: If this conference had led to everyone owning homes, we might have time-traveled to a world where everyone has a white picket fence, but also a mountain of debt. Thanks, 1990s housing bubble!. Fact: In the 90s, people were so obsessed with owning homes that they forgot renting existed. Just like they forgot that sometimes, it’s okay to share a bathroom..
• Headline: Tourists Take Over NYC Sidewalks. Impact: The arrival of aliens who walk funny may have inadvertently inspired the quirky dance moves of future generations. Imagine a world where the Macarena was replaced by the 'Alien Stroll.'. Fact: Tourists walking four abreast is a phenomenon that continues to this day. It's like they think New York is a catwalk, but really, it's just a city where everyone is trying to out-sprint each other to the subway..
• Headline: Understanding Anti-Semitism in American Politics. Impact: Sen Wyden's political success might have created a ripple effect of representation, leading to a future where politicians actually reflect the diversity of their constituents—what a wild concept!. Fact: In an ironic twist, many politicians still believe that by simply showing up at a community event, they can convince everyone they care. Spoiler alert: it rarely works..
• Headline: The Givers. Impact: The actions of young volunteers might have sparked a chain reaction, inspiring future generations to think they can change the world, one soup kitchen at a time. Who knew altruism could have such momentum?. Fact: The 'House of Hospitality' is just a fancy way of saying 'we have a couch, and you can crash here if you’re hungry.' It’s the original Airbnb for those who just want free soup..
• Headline: GORE SAYS SPEECH WILL GIVE DETAILS OF HIS OWN AGENDA. Impact: Gore’s insistence on having his own agenda might have set a precedent for future politicians to actually stand for something, or at least pretend to, while the rest of us continue to wonder what that something really is.. Fact: The phrase 'my own agenda' has since been used by countless politicians to describe everything from policy proposals to their plans for a weekend getaway. Priorities, right?.