MARCH 21, 2001

Full News Archive

• Headline: The Rise of India's Call Centers. Impact: The rise of call centers in India led to a global shift in outsourcing, causing the phrase 'Can you hear me now?' to echo through history as a symbol of questionable customer service. This ultimately paved the way for the invention of the mute button, saving countless relationships.. Fact: Funny enough, the first call center in the U.S. was established in the 1960s, but it didn’t have the same flair as a Bollywood dance number. Maybe that’s where it all went wrong?.
• Headline: Consumers Rushing To Shed Themselves Of High-Interest Debt. Impact: As consumers rushed to shed high-interest debt, they inadvertently created a self-help movement that would lead to the rise of countless debt relief apps. Future generations would look back and chuckle at how they once thought a credit card was a magical ticket to happiness.. Fact: You know you're in a financial crisis when your idea of a 'financial planner' is the barista at the coffee shop who overheard you talking about your student loans..
• Headline: It's Just Dessert: Don't Be So Sweet. Impact: Charlie Trotter’s dessert recipes would spark a culinary revolution, ultimately leading to a trend where every dinner party would require at least one eccentric dessert that no one really asked for, but hey, it looks great on Instagram!. Fact: Blue cheese and quince tarts: because nothing says 'I have my life together' like a dessert that sounds like it belongs in a Shakespearean play..