NOVEMBER 28, 2011

Full News Archive

• Headline: Amelia Hill's Controversial Police Questioning. Impact: Amelia Hill's phone hacking exposure was like a pebble tossed in a pond, creating ripples that led to tighter media regulations and the eventual rise of social media as the new, even more chaotic news source. Thanks, Amelia, for paving the way for influencers!. Fact: Before reporters got into trouble for phone hacking, they were just getting into trouble for asking awkward questions at parties. Progress?.
• Headline: Amnesty Clause Changes N.B.A. Dynamics. Impact: The NBA's amnesty clause was a backdoor way for teams to pretend they were all about fiscal responsibility while secretly plotting to buy every star player available. It made general managers feel like they were playing Monopoly with real money, leading to more outrageous contracts and even more outrageous trades.. Fact: The term 'amnesty' is derived from ancient Greek and means 'I promise I won't remember that terrible contract.' Just kidding—it's really just a fancy way to say 'Oops!'.
• Headline: In Fog of War, Rift Widens Between U.S. and Pakistan. Impact: The NATO airstrike that killed Pakistani soldiers was a moment that widened a rift so deep, you could fit a whole new policy agenda in it. It set off a chain reaction that made diplomatic relations as awkward as a family reunion with that one uncle who always brings up politics.. Fact: The U.S.-Pakistan relationship has been more complicated than a soap opera plot twist, with trust issues that could fill volumes of therapy sessions. Spoiler: it rarely ends well..
• Headline: For a Weekend, at Least, Retailers See Record Numbers. Impact: Retailers seeing record numbers was a brief flicker of hope in the post-recession landscape, but it quickly faded like a New Year's resolution. This 'spending spree' set the stage for the inevitable consumer hangover—realizing you spent too much on avocado toast and that fancy coffee.. Fact: Retail therapy is a real thing, and it turns out that Americans are just as good at retail therapy as they are at avoiding their feelings. Who needs a therapist when you have a credit card?.