2000s
The First Space Tourist
RETRO
Dennis Tito, a 60 year-old investment manager from California, blasted into orbit onboard a Russian Soyuz rocket on 28th April, 2001 – becoming the first ever private citizen to visit the International Space Station. He had self-funded the trip, to the tune of $20 million – much to the displeasure of his former employers, NASA, …
The Dress That Launched Google Images
RETRO
When Jennifer Lopez turned up on the Grammys’ red carpet wearing a green Versace dress on February 23rd, 2000, there was such a rush from the public to see the image that it became the most searched-for term in Google’s history. As a result – Eric Schmidt later confessed – Google Images was developed and …
The Delia Smith Backlash
RETRO
TV chef Delia Smith built a stellar career on the success spawned from her first book, ‘How To Cheat At Cooking’ in 1971. So, when she published a reboot on 15th February, 2008, it seemed a shoo-in to sell bucketloads (which it did) – but not, perhaps, attract controversy (which it REALLY did). By seemingly …
Dubya Dodges A Shoe-ing
RETRO
When George W Bush flew to Baghdad for a press conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on 14th December, 2008, he had hoped the headlines would reflect his triumphant appraisal of his deployment of American troops. Instead, it became known as the day he got some shoes thrown at him. The man throwing the …