DECEMBER 25, 2013

Full News Archive

• Headline: Virginia McAlester's Inspiring House Tour. Impact: McAlester's relentless passion for houses inspired a new reality TV genre, leading to an explosion of home renovation shows. All thanks to her, now we have a million people thinking they can flip a house after watching a single episode.. Fact: You know, if houses could talk, they'd probably ask for a better agent than you, or at least a better host than this one..
• Headline: Legal Challenge to Volcker Rule Emerges. Impact: This legal battle sparked a chain reaction where banks began to think they could challenge any regulation, leading to a future where 'financial anarchy' became a trending hashtag. Because who doesn't love a good financial meltdown?. Fact: Fun fact: 'Volcker' is Latin for 'please, just stop messing with the economy.'.
• Headline: Jatropha Biofuel Innovation by San Diego Start-Up. Impact: The successful domestication of jatropha set off a wave of biofuel enthusiasm that eventually led to a renaissance in sustainable energy. Who knew a tiny seed could change the world? Maybe we should start taking plants more seriously.. Fact: If only humans could be as productive as jatropha seeds; we'd have solved climate change by now. Instead, we’re still arguing about whether to recycle..
• Headline: Indiana Finds It’s Not So Easy to Buck Gay Marriage Trend. Impact: This struggle in Indiana became a pivotal moment that helped galvanize support for same-sex marriage across the U.S., ultimately leading to the Supreme Court ruling in favor of marriage equality. Indiana might've been late to the party, but boy, did they make an entrance.. Fact: It turns out love is a lot like a good pizza: it’s best shared, and you can’t just keep it all to yourself!.
• Headline: As New Services Track Habits, the E-Books Are Reading You. Impact: The rise of data-tracking e-books led to a future where readers were bombarded with personalized ads for books they never wanted to read. Thanks to this, we now have a generation of people convinced that their every thought is being monitored. Spoiler: it probably is.. Fact: Feeling judged by your e-book? Relax, it’s just an algorithm that knows you better than your therapist does!.