NOVEMBER 21, 2000

Full News Archive

• Headline: Telephone Competition Under Threat. Impact: If AT&T had successfully divided into its four pieces and offered real competition, we might be using holographic phones by now instead of trying to find the last remaining payphone in a world dominated by smartphones. Imagine the possibilities of texting your hologram instead of your ex!. Fact: Did you know that the Telecommunications Act of 1996 was supposed to create competition? Instead, it just made sure that we all stayed on hold a lot longer. Thanks, AT&T!.
• Headline: Florida Justices Examine Recount Deadlines. Impact: The infamous Florida recount not only changed the course of a presidential election but led to the invention of the term 'hanging chad,' which has since been used in countless memes and debates about the reliability of voting. Who knew a little paper could cause such chaos?. Fact: The 2000 election was so chaotic that it made election drama in movies look like a calm tea party. And yet, we still can't seem to agree on how to fix the system!.
• Headline: Footlights. Impact: The African Diaspora Film Festival helped pave the way for diverse storytelling in cinema, eventually leading to today’s endless streaming options. Thanks to this festival, we may never run out of content to binge-watch, even if we question our life choices while doing so.. Fact: The term 'footlights' originally referred to the lights placed at the front of a stage. Now, it may as well be a metaphor for how we light up our screens instead of our social lives!.
• Headline: The Big City; Voting Variety: Sticks Nix Affluent Slicks. Impact: This report likely led to more politicians trying to sound relatable, even if they were born with a silver spoon in their mouth. Fast forward a few decades, and we now have politicians using hashtags to connect with the youth... because that always works, right?. Fact: The term 'affluent slicks' sounds like a group of wealthy hipsters, but in reality, it's just a fancy way of saying 'people with money who think they know better.'.