DECEMBER 24, 2012

Full News Archive

• Headline: Hollywood's 2012 Box Office Boom. Impact: If Katniss hadn't shot her way into our hearts, we might still be watching 3-hour-long dramas about nothing. Who knows how many rom-coms could have been avoided!. Fact: Did you know that Ted the bear was originally supposed to be a serious drama about a grieving widower? Thank goodness for comedic relief!.
• Headline: John Miller's Impact on Newtown Coverage. Impact: John Miller's reporting may have sparked a trend of actually covering news stories instead of just interviewing people about their feelings, leading to a minor renaissance in responsible journalism... or at least a temporary blip before the next reality star took over.. Fact: It’s fascinating how serious coverage can sometimes be overshadowed by viral cat videos just moments later. The news cycle waits for no one, not even tragedy..
• Headline: All the World’s a Game, and Business Is a Player. Impact: Thanks to gamification, we now live in a world where buying groceries can feel like a level-up experience. Next up: a leaderboard for who can buy the most avocados!. Fact: Did you know that ‘gamification’ was once just called ‘trying to make things fun’? Now it’s a multi-billion-dollar industry, because who doesn’t want to earn points for buying toilet paper?.
• Headline: A Campaign on U.S. Debt Gains Steam. Impact: Maya MacGuineas's efforts may have inadvertently led to a rise in financial literacy, or at least a shared anxiety over our national credit card bill. Who knew that talking about debt could make people more responsible—or just more stressed?. Fact: Fun fact: The only thing more complicated than U.S. debt is trying to explain it to your grandparents. Spoiler: they still think mySpace is a great investment..