JANUARY 29, 2004

Full News Archive

• Headline: Taxi Fare Increase Proposal Approved. Impact: The 26% fare increase led to an uprising of taxi drivers who, in a fit of irony, decided to charge customers by the minute instead of the mile, creating a new trend in urban frustration and the birth of the 'sitting-in-traffic tax'.. Fact: Taxi drivers once considered forming a union called 'The Fair Fare Fighters'. Spoiler alert: It didn't get off the ground, but they definitely fought for their fares!.
• Headline: Hutton Report Clears Blair, Critiques BBC. Impact: This report cleared Blair but opened a wormhole of conspiracy theories, leading to an alternate timeline where the BBC becomes the official news source for all 'secret' government documents—suddenly, everyone is a conspiracy theorist.. Fact: The BBC actually tried to trademark the phrase 'Trust us, we're the BBC'—turns out, it was too catchy for its own good..
• Headline: The View From the Precinct Next Door; In Brooklyn, Skepticism Colors Range of Opinions on Police Shooting. Impact: The skepticism surrounding the police shooting inadvertently sparked a massive social media movement, leading to the invention of the phrase 'Brooklyn skeptical'—which later became a popular coffee blend.. Fact: Timothy Stansbury Jr's shooting added to the list of reasons why the phrase 'Just Brooklyn things' became a meme, though it is perhaps one of the more tragic entries..
• Headline: Kerry, the 'Underdog'. Impact: Kerry's underdog campaign mantra led to a bizarre trend of everyone in politics adopting pet mascots to symbolize their own underdog status, resulting in a national 'Political Pets' day where cats and dogs became voters' favorites.. Fact: John Kerry's campaign slogan was nearly 'Kerry: The Candidate with a Canine', but they settled for the less catchy 'Underdog', proving once again, dogs know how to win hearts better than politicians..