NationStates Jolt Archive

Quite simply...what was the most influential news event OF YOUR LIFE?

I'm totally curious about this. Please pick from the poll options the single news event that made the biggest impact on you, in your lifetime.

So, if you were born in 1979, don't answer "Pearl Harbor" because that was NOT in your lifetime.

None of those...probably the 1998 Omagh Bomb.

Those are very US centric options. Most don't even apply to the rest of the world.

Those are very US centric options. Most don't even apply to the rest of the world.
I was going to say that, but couldn't be bothered getting into an argument...

For me, it has been, and always will be...The Space Shuttle Challenger. I will never, ever forget that horrible day. I was in high school, we were all in the auditorium, watching the liftoff of the Shuttle, because this was the one the teacher was on.

I watched that baby blow up on live, wide-screen projection TV. I actually saw the flare from the side in the second before it blew.

Later, when the second shuttle blew up, it blew up almost over my head...I actually saw that baby blow up, live. At the time, I was living in Austin, Texas. The shuttle blew up just after it passed over Austin, almost literally over our heads, and we saw it go.

The momentum of the Shuttle carried the parts all the way to Nacogdoches, Texas, about 75 miles away, as the crow flies. Most of the parts came down in and around Nacogdoches, as everyone knows...but it, in fact, blew up just after passing over Austin. And you could see it with the naked eye as it came over Austin. And I saw it go.

Even that, though, was not as influential to me as the Challenger. Maybe because Challenger happened when I was still in high school...maybe because the teacher was on-board...and just maybe because one of my favorite teachers at the time...had been in the running, and made the final ten...to take that ill-fated flight.

I was going to say that, but couldn't be bothered getting into an argument...

No argument sought here, either. Just a statement to point out the irrelevance of the poll on an international forum.

9-11. It was watching the events of that day that made me decide to do NROTC and become a Naval Officer. I start NROTC in only 2 more weeks. I can hardly wait.

No argument sought here, either. Just a statement to point out the irrelevance of the poll on an international forum.
Agreed.

They say every generation has it's own "wake up call." Mine was the JFK assassination. I was still in high school.

The death in Vietnam of my best friend from college runs a close second. I was the last of his friends to see him alive since he stopped in at my Company HQ on his way to his assigned unit. He was killed just a couple of weeks later.

9/11 runs a close third, since my youngest daughter was in New York when it happened, and had visited the Windows On The World restaurant atop one of the towers just the day before. I didn't realize how deeply it had affected me until she finally made it back home. I grabbed her and wouldn't let go, sobbing. I never do that. One of my sons had to pry my arms loose. :(

Those are very US centric options. Most don't even apply to the rest of the world.

Indeed, they are. I'm an American. so excuse me. This is WHY an "Other" place was put on the poll. It only allows for ten options.

I'm trying to get a feel for the generational gaps that exist on NS. Different news events influenced different generations in different ways.

If you have something not on the list to contribute, please do so. I'd like to hear it. Whether or not it involves the U.S. is not important to me. I'd like to know what influenced you. what made an impact on you.

That's why I asked the question.

so don't act all slighted because the poll happens to be US-centric. I concede that it is...and the reason it is, is firstly, the polls are limited to ten choices...and secondly, I am an American, so obviously, US-centric events WOULD have a greater impact on me.

Instead of bitching about my poll being US-centric, how about contributing to the thread by posting your own influential news event here...or, how about you make your own poll?

Damn, you really need to get over the notion that Americans intentionally slight the rest of the world just because an American posts a poll that happens to be US-centric.

I'm betting if you posted your own poll, it would be rather "centric" of wherever YOU happen to be from, because those are the events that influenced you, and people you know.

Not EVERYTHING is a slight against Europe or wherever else you may be from.

I apologize if my poll choices offend you, but still feel free to contribute, or, as I said...make your own damn poll if you don't like mine.

The most influential news event in my life: Grand Theft Auto getting a higher rating, maybe? Rape at my public school? International, or even national news really doesn't effect me at this stage in my life. 9/11 was more irritating to me than it was influential.

No argument sought here, either. Just a statement to point out the irrelevance of the poll on an international forum.

Oh, shut up. Not everything is a goddam slight you know! Make your own damn poll and quit bitching about mine if you don't like it! Damn, you know...I have just about fucking had it with all you international people bitching about America.

You know...I'm an American...I bitch plenty about this country...and, a lot of times, I can see your points when y'all bitch about this country. But, damn it, I am sick and freaking tired of my country constantly being bashed and shit on. You don't like my poll, go make your own fucking poll.

Oh, shut up. Not everything is a goddam slight you know! Make your own damn poll and quit bitching about mine if you don't like it! Damn, you know...I have just about fucking had it with all you international people bitching about America.

You know...I'm an American...I bitch plenty about this country...and, a lot of times, I can see your points when y'all bitch about this country. But, damn it, I am sick and freaking tired of my country constantly being bashed and shit on. You don't like my poll, go make your own fucking poll.
Now now, play nice. You wouldn't want to get banned now, would you?

*snip*
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why I didn't say it.

The most influential news event in my life: Grand Theft Auto getting a higher rating, maybe? Rape at my public school? International, or even national news really doesn't effect me at this stage in my life. 9/11 was more irritating to me than it was influential.

Certainly a valid response as well. Thanks for contributing.

Now now, play nice. You wouldn't want to get banned now, would you?
that's not really flaming. He doesn't directly insult Fass.

Oh, shut up. Not everything is a goddam slight you know! Make your own damn poll and quit bitching about mine if you don't like it! Damn, you know...I have just about fucking had it with all you international people bitching about America.

You know...I'm an American...I bitch plenty about this country...and, a lot of times, I can see your points when y'all bitch about this country. But, damn it, I am sick and freaking tired of my country constantly being bashed and shit on. You don't like my poll, go make your own fucking poll.

Over-react, much?

Oh, shut up. Not everything is a goddam slight you know! Make your own damn poll and quit bitching about mine if you don't like it! Damn, you know...I have just about fucking had it with all you international people bitching about America.

You know...I'm an American...I bitch plenty about this country...and, a lot of times, I can see your points when y'all bitch about this country. But, damn it, I am sick and freaking tired of my country constantly being bashed and shit on. You don't like my poll, go make your own fucking poll.
Where did he attack the US at all? :confused:

You accuse Fass of being on the lookout for an attack on Europe, when you, clearly, are as paranoid as you say he is...just about the US.

Now now, play nice. You wouldn't want to get banned now, would you?


Look, I have JUST ABOUT HAD IT...with my country constantly getting shit on by non-Americans. I am sick and tired of non-Americans thinking everything that happens to be US-centric is a SLIGHT against them.

I was attacked first here.

That cold December morning of 1991 ...

Oh, shut up. Not everything is a goddam slight you know! Make your own damn poll and quit bitching about mine if you don't like it! Damn, you know...I have just about fucking had it with all you international people bitching about America.

You know...I'm an American...I bitch plenty about this country...and, a lot of times, I can see your points when y'all bitch about this country. But, damn it, I am sick and freaking tired of my country constantly being bashed and shit on. You don't like my poll, go make your own fucking poll.
Careful, old man. Don't let yourself get banned just because Fass has little or no tact. He sometimes means well, but I think something is often lost "in translation."

Look, I have JUST ABOUT HAD IT...with my country constantly getting shit on by non-Americans. I am sick and tired of non-Americans thinking everything that happens to be US-centric is a SLIGHT against them.

I was attacked first here.
Then do what I do: take a break for a while, or simply ignore the posters that have managed to piss you off. Trying to help you out, dude.

Look, I have JUST ABOUT HAD IT...with my country constantly getting shit on by non-Americans. I am sick and tired of non-Americans thinking everything that happens to be US-centric is a SLIGHT against them.

I was attacked first here.
Shhhhh! Calm down, for God's sake! :(

Oh, shut up.

No, I don't think I will.

Not everything is a goddam slight you know!

Not everything is claimed to be a slight, you know! How about reading what I wrote before you make an ass of your self by assuming?

Make your own damn poll and quit bitching about mine if you don't like it!

It's a bad poll and I can bitch about it if I want.

Damn, you know...I have just about fucking had it with all you international people bitching about America.

Bitching about a poll != bitching about America. Have a quaalude, work on your reading comprehension, and then see how ridiculous you are acting.

You know...I'm an American...I bitch plenty about this country...and, a lot of times, I can see your points when y'all bitch about this country. But, damn it, I am sick and freaking tired of my country constantly being bashed and shit on.

Your poll != your country. Get over yourself. This fixation of yours on America is bordering on the unsound.

You don't like my poll, go make your own fucking poll.

Or I can point out that your poll is bad. That works well for me, too, seeing as copycat polls aren't very much liked by the mods.

Oh, shut up. Not everything is a goddam slight you know! Make your own damn poll and quit bitching about mine if you don't like it! Damn, you know...I have just about fucking had it with all you international people bitching about America.

You know...I'm an American...I bitch plenty about this country...and, a lot of times, I can see your points when y'all bitch about this country. But, damn it, I am sick and freaking tired of my country constantly being bashed and shit on. You don't like my poll, go make your own fucking poll.
*applauds and hands him an anti-flame shield*

I'd have to say 9/11. It started this huge chain of events in my maturity...ending right back where I started...maturity of an 11 year old...:D

Over-react, much?
Camel? Straw? Broken back? Ring a bell???

They say every generation has it's own "wake up call." Mine was the JFK assassination. I was still in high school.

The death in Vietnam of my best friend from college runs a close second. I was the last of his friends to see him alive since he stopped in at my Company HQ on his way to his assigned unit. He was killed just a couple of weeks later.

9/11 runs a close third, since my youngest daughter was in New York when it happened, and had visited the Windows On The World restaurant atop one of the towers just the day before. I didn't realize how deeply it had affected me until she finally made it back home. I grabbed her and wouldn't let go, sobbing. I never do that. One of my sons had to pry my arms loose. :(

Well, I'm certainly glad for you that your daughter picked that day to visit the restaurant, instead of the next day!

I was in the WTC the first time it got bombed, back in 1993. Fortunately, that was, in retrospect, a minor occurrance, in comparison to 9/11.

But, for me, the Space Shuttle Challenger...that was a major influential news event in my life.

The point of this poll, of course, was to discover some of the generational differences between NS players...and to share stories across generations...which is why many different generational choices are offered.

In no way was the US-centric nature of this poll intended to be a slight. But, of course, the non-American have to just insist that we Americans always have the absolute worst of intentions...and that is why I got pissed off.

Look, I have JUST ABOUT HAD IT...with my country constantly getting shit on by non-Americans. I am sick and tired of non-Americans thinking everything that happens to be US-centric is a SLIGHT against them.

I was attacked first here.
Come on, Fass was just saying that as many of the options are of more relevance to Americans, many non-Americans will vote for "other". It wasn't an attack on the US, just a critique on the poll.

But, of course, the non-American have to just insist that we Americans always have the absolute worst of intentions...and that is why I got pissed off.
Nobody said anything of the sort.

9/11. I live in NY, and was teaching when it happened. Some of our students were at the towers. Some of our students' family members died at the towers. There was a great deal of unpleasantness, to put it mildly, with living where I lived, for about 5 months, and I can tell you it has definitely changed the personalities of people I have known all my life -- including my own.

Nobody said anything of the sort.
It's the accumulation, not the last incident in the chain.

Lots of people on here don't understand Fass. Hell, I didn't until just recently. I think that Fass is often misunderstood because his posts tend to come accross as extremely sarcastic. After you get a rep for being that way, it's hard to shake it off. People tend to assume you're being sarcastic even when such is not your intent.

Camel? Straw? Broken back? Ring a bell???

"No argument sought here, either. Just a statement to point out the irrelevance of the poll on an international forum." = Attack on the US?

Come on, Fass was just saying that as many of the options are of more relevance to Americans, many non-Americans will vote for "other". It wasn't an attack on the US, just a critique on the poll.

Yeah, well, I don't recall asking for critque on my poll, thank you very much!

There is an "OTHER" option for a REASON.

If you don't have something constructive to contribute, how about just don't say anything at all?

What the heck is wrong with making your own poll, if you feel mine is inadequate?

Or, why not just vote "OTHER" and explain your influential news event in your posting, as requested?

There ARE limits on the number of options a poll will let you have here, you know...and, as I said, my MAIN OBJECTIVE here was to explore ther generational differences here at NS, and to share stories across generations.

I just don't appreciate someone taking another opportunity to take a swipe at my country. You know, I don't like Bush...I don't like my government, currently...I don't like a lot of things that are being done in my name, and in the name of every other American. But, damn, I am sick and tired of always seeing my country trashed and vilified around here.

Can't you guys EVER...even ONCE...come up with something decent to say about the United States?

You know, we fucking rebuilt Europe after WWII. We didn't have to, but we did. We are ALWAYS the first on the scene with food medical, and monetary aid when a natural disaster strikes just about anywhere in the world.

Ok, there's a lot to hate about America and our foriegn policy. Fine. But damn it...you'd get pissed off, too, if all you ever saw, all the time, was your country being vilified and crapped on.

Oh, shut up. Not everything is a goddam slight you know! Make your own damn poll and quit bitching about mine if you don't like it! Damn, you know...I have just about fucking had it with all you international people bitching about America.

You know...I'm an American...I bitch plenty about this country...and, a lot of times, I can see your points when y'all bitch about this country. But, damn it, I am sick and freaking tired of my country constantly being bashed and shit on. You don't like my poll, go make your own fucking poll.

Good advice, and unfortunately for you and me, ignorance is not limited to the borders of USA.

The Kent State Massacre. My first memory of television news coverage.

*Edit: oh and I selected 'other'. I don't know what's going on in the thread, I just answered the poll and decided to explain my choice of 'other'. I'm not an American, true, but my choice of 'first memory of television news coverage' is not some untrue intentional slag at America, American authorities, or anyone... it just happens to be my actual first memory of television news coverage.

It's the accumulation, not the last incident in the chain.

Lots of people on here don't understand Fass. Hell, I didn't until just recently. I think that Fass is often misunderstood because his posts tend to come accross as extremely sarcastic. After you get a rep for being that way, it's hard to shake it off. People tend to assume you're being sarcastic even when such is not your intent.


Well, quite frankly...when has Fass ever had ANYTHING good to say about America...or Americans? I have personally had about all I can take of non-Americans painting all of America...and every American...as an evil, bloody ogre that doesn't care at all about the rest of the world.

The America-hating routine is starting to go over for me about as well as a lead zeppelin.

I just wish...for once...some of y'all in the rest of the world...could just quit generalising about All americans...and quit assuming the worst in all of us. I'm just sick and tired of seeing my country vilified. We damn well do good things, too...but no one ever seems to notice or care when we do. And it's quite frankly getting more than a little tiring.

I just don't appreciate someone taking another opportunity to take a swipe at my country. You know, I don't like Bush...I don't like my government, currently...I don't like a lot of things that are being done in my name, and in the name of every other American. But, damn, I am sick and tired of always seeing my country trashed and vilified around here.

Can't you guys EVER...even ONCE...come up with something decent to say about the United States?

You know, we fucking rebuilt Europe after WWII. We didn't have to, but we did. We are ALWAYS the first on the scene with food medical, and monetary aid when a natural disaster strikes just about anywhere in the world.

Ok, there's a lot to hate about America and our foriegn policy. Fine. But damn it...you'd get pissed off, too, if all you ever saw, all the time, was your country being vilified and crapped on.

http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=9336603&postcount=24

I will repeat what I said, as it seems that your inability to read what people write seems to only have worsened:

Not everything is claimed to be a slight, you know! How about reading what I wrote before you make an ass of your self by assuming?

Bitching about a poll != bitching about America. Have a quaalude, work on your reading comprehension, and then see how ridiculous you are acting.

Your poll != your country. Get over yourself. This paranoid fixation of yours on America is bordering on the unsound.

Yeah, well, I don't recall asking for critque on my poll, thank you very much!
Just like any other thread, you post a poll, expect someone to criticise what you wrote.

What the heck is wrong with making your own poll, if you feel mine is inadequate?
Because that would be a copycat thread, and against the forum rules.

Or, why not just vote "OTHER" and explain your influential news event in your posting, as requested?[/quote]
I did. But I still think the poll wasn't "international" enough.

I just don't appreciate someone taking another opportunity to take a swipe at my country.

Nobody was taking a swipe at your country. You've misinterpreted it. All he was saying was that many of the options will be of little to no relevance to many people. If you take saying that is an attack on your country, and you take a critique of a poll to be an attack on your coutnry, then I would be very surprised.

I just wish...for once...some of y'all in the rest of the world...could just quit generalising about All americans...and quit assuming the worst in all of us. I'm just sick and tired of seeing my country vilified. We damn well do good things, too...but no one ever seems to notice or care when we do. And it's quite frankly getting more than a little tiring.
You appear to be doing exactly what you are criticising others for....generalising.

For me it was the sequence of bombs the IRA planted in London. I used to go there a lot and passed by several blast sites. Unsettling, especially for an under-ten but it taught me a lot about conflict.

You appear to be doing exactly what you are criticising others for....generalising.

I find the irony quite exquisite. Hilarious, as well.

Perhaps everyone is just happier if Fass, Nadkor and Lyrics just leaves this alone. I remember the page long madness when Johnny Carson died. As well as another US centric poll. It destroys the topic.

I'm sorry, but not every poll can be globally construed. Not everyone starts out their poll thinking like that. And if such a poll or thread crops up, just leave it the fuck alone then. If someone is posting on an international forum every so often something is implied to lean more towards a certain nationality. I've seen threads do this about Britain, Australia, Canada, Germany, China, Japan and on and on. To worry about such things is nitpicky, worthless and utterly unconstructive.

And if someone comes in and gripes about the way something is set up, don't take it as a personal attack folksies. I've done that before and I didn't even set up the poll. It only succeeded in making me pissed and tired. And probably brought be the closest I've ever been to a run in with the mods. Beyond that, it's rude and somewhat self centered.

Everybody Knock It Off Now.

"No argument sought here, either. Just a statement to point out the irrelevance of the poll on an international forum." = Attack on the US?
Not as far as I'm concerned, no.

The Kent State Massacre. My first memory of television news coverage.

*Edit: oh and I selected 'other'. I don't know what's going on in the thread, I just answered the poll and decided to explain my choice of 'other'. I'm not an American, true, but my choice of 'first memory of television news coverage' is not some untrue intentional slag at America, American authorities, or anyone... it just happens to be my actual first memory of television news coverage.


Excellent! This is what I'm looking for. (No, the Kent State Massacre wasn't excellent) but the point is...dobbs choice was not on the list. Dobbs didn't complain about this...dobbs went ahead and contributed anyway, and this is a good thing. Now we can talk about that somewhat...and the kinds of influences it had on different people.

I was not quite born yet when Kent State happened. But this could trrigger some good discussion here in this topic.

So, I'm just pointing out here that Dobbs' contribution is exactly what I'm looking for, and thank you very much for contributing, Dobbs.

In the interest of not getting this topic sidetracked, I'm goping to leave the other stuff I've been saying, at this point, and get back to the main point of this thread.

and, again, thank you for contributing.

By the way, some other events which might be influential might be, for example, the first televised debates, between Nixon and JFK. Maybe Pan Am 103...there's lots of things out there...and, just because your choice is not up there, do not feel slighted...and please feel free to contribute...CONSTRUCTIVELY...if your choice isn't up there...just like Dobbs here did.

Everybody Knock It Off Now.
LOL! SIC 'em, Kat! :D

stop with the antiamerican stuff just ignore it if it bothers you.

any way enough with the thread jacking


The most influencial thing in my life...id would say it has to be the berlin wall coming down. While some might argue about 9/11, the fall of communism has defently changed my live in a very big way. living in russia being able to do what i want is an nice thing

I did. But I still think the poll wasn't "international" enough.


Last comment on this...

IT WAS NOT INTENDED TO BE INTERNATIONAL...IT WAS INTENDED TO BE INTER-GENERATIONAL!!!

Everybody Knock It Off Now.

But witnessing the unprovoked meltdown was so fun. You mods ruin even the simplest of schadenfreudes. *sigh* ;)

The Kent State Massacre. My first memory of television news coverage.

*Edit: oh and I selected 'other'. I don't know what's going on in the thread, I just answered the poll and decided to explain my choice of 'other'. I'm not an American, true, but my choice of 'first memory of television news coverage' is not some untrue intentional slag at America, American authorities, or anyone... it just happens to be my actual first memory of television news coverage.
Kent State was HARDLY "a massacre!" Sheesh!

Kent State was HARDLY "a massacre!" Sheesh!


any kill of other people is an massacre

But as for me, I voted for other. I am arbitrarily saying it was either Baby Jessica or OJ Simpson. Possibly the Michael Jackson trial. Who knows.

Actually, the Columbia crashing probably had the most profound effect on me. Don't know why, I have a soft spot for the space program I guess. September 11 didn't quite rev me up into a patriotic fervor, and I was a meager two months old when the Challenger went up in flames. I was less than five when the wall came a' tumblin' down and I didn't quite understand the Oklahoma City bombings or the Gulf War. But I did understand Columbine, and the leadup to the second Iraq war. Who knows, I'm not entirely sure which was most influential.

Last comment on this...

IT WAS NOT INTENDED TO BE INTERNATIONAL...IT WAS INTENDED TO BE INTER-GENERATIONAL!!!
I know. But if it had been a bit more 'international', the actual poll results could have encompassed a wider variety of people from all generations.

It's not an attack on you or your country, just a suggestion as to how your poll could get better results.

Now there's another worthy event I failed to include in the limited poll availablity...The Berlin Wall coming down!

Excellent contribution!

Kent State was HARDLY "a massacre!" Sheesh!
Well, however you care to refer to it, it made me realize the last person I should trust is a person holding a gun. It was the single most influential news event of my life. You can play revisionist games all you want, it's no skin off my nose - I don't care if you, or anyone else, calls it the 'Kent State Skeet Shoot' - they weren't my friends , relatives or countrymen.

But it was extremely influential nonetheless. And please note that I am not slagging America.

I know. But if it had been a bit more 'international', the actual poll results could have encompassed a wider variety of people from all generations.

It's not an attack on you or your country, just a suggestion as to how your poll could get better results.


Well, then, perhaps next time you could drop me a private note and offer to help me construct a poll more to your liking. I'm sorry I'm an American, okay? These are the events that influenced ME...and people I KNOW. And that is why the choices ended up what they were.

I was going, as I said, for an inter-generational poll...not necessarily international.

I was seeking to bridge the age gap between some of our older and younger NS players, so that we could discuss various influential events from history...so that perhaps the younger could learn from the older...who'd actually witnessed the events the younger only read about in history books...and the younger might have a chance to explain to the older WHY cerrtain events impacted them more than others did.

I'm truly sorry if anyone feels slighted, it was not my intention to do that.

But, I included events that I KNEW ABOUT.

And, several people so far have contributed events I didn't think of, and I'm glad that they have. I want an open, active discussion of history and world events, and the influences they created...and the lives that the events influenced!

So far, off the top of my head...The Berlin Wall, Kent State, and IRA bombings have been mentioned...none of which were in the original poll...AND I THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THE CONTRIBUTORS WHO CONTRIBUTED SOMETHING NOT ON THE POLL...because you have broadened the conversation!

9/11 Was the most shocking news I heard in my life.

i decided before i clicked on the thread and read your list

i was born in 1957, the most influential news event of my life would have to be the cuban missle crisis. not the most influential on ME, but the thing that had the biggest chance of starting a nuclear war that we ever faced.

Ok folks, here goes.

Lyric: You went way off the deep end here. Do not flame, no matter what you feel the provocation is.

Nadkor and Fass -- Nice threadjack there.


Oh and Fass, this IS an official warning:

Your tone during the threadjack was smug and rather nasty, but it's this little gem that clinches the official warning for trolling and flamebaiting:

Fass: But witnessing the unprovoked meltdown was so fun. You mods ruin even the simplest of schadenfreudes. *sigh*

This is not the first warning you have had for precisely this behavior. It is going to be the last.

Kent State was HARDLY "a massacre!" Sheesh!

That is not constructive. It was influential to Dobbs, and you ought to respect that it was...to Dobbs.

I wish people to feel free to contribute...and they won't if you mock them for what they say.

So, how about posting something constructive...or not at all?

Incidentally, what events influenced YOU, Eutrusca?

Well, then, perhaps next time you could drop me a private note and offer to help me construct a poll more to your liking. I'm sorry I'm an American, okay? These are the events that influenced ME...and people I KNOW. And that is why the choices ended up what they were.

...

I'm truly sorry if anyone feels slighted, it was not my intention to do that.
You really don't get it do you?

Nevermind, Kat said to stop, so I will.


So far, off the top of my head...The Berlin Wall, Kent State, and IRA bombings have been mentioned...none of which were in the original poll...AND I THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THE CONTRIBUTORS WHO CONTRIBUTED SOMETHING NOT ON THE POLL...because you have broadened the conversation!
You will notice that the very first reply to this thread was from me, saying my particular "influence" (the 1998 Omagh bomb)

And sorry to Kat.

Kent State is an interesting incident. I've spent some time going over the data on the incident (whoo-hoo senior year of high school psych class!) and I saw both sides paint a portrait of the other side as the villain. In reality I don't think there was a villain. There certainly were victims. What it really came down to was a bunch of college students and national guardsmen entering a state of being scared kids. People got frightened and some really bad shit happened.

Many, many mistakes were made. The Kent State Shootings were an all out tragedy for all involved. It saddens me through and through.

Ok folks, here goes.

Lyric: You went way off the deep end here. Do not flame, no matter what you feel the provocation is.

Nadkor and Fass -- Nice threadjack there.


Oh and Fass, this IS an official warning:

Your tone during the threadjack was smug and rather nasty, but it's this little gem that clinches the official warning for trolling and flamebaiting:

OK, Katganistan. You are right. I did go off the deep end a bit, and I apologize for it.

But if you understood just how frustrating it is for an American to come here and see nothing but "hate-America" threads all over the place...you know, I have a breaking point, too. I guess I reached mine at the moment. I apologize.

i think i am lucky, not haveing to handle antirussian words alot

i think i am lucky, not haveing to handle antirussian words alot

I think you probably are lucky, then.

OK, Katganistan. You are right. I did go off the deep end a bit, and I apologize for it.

But if you understood just how frustrating it is for an American to come here and see nothing but "hate-America" threads all over the place...you know, I have a breaking point, too. I guess I reached mine at the moment. I apologize.

I understand it quite well, but that doesn't mean I won't warn you for it. If you feel that angry, take a break (good advice from earlier in the thread). Post in moderation or in the #themodcave and ask for a review. Don't rise to the bait.

Now, if we all can continue civilly?

Quite simply...what was the most influential news event OF YOUR LIFE?

I'm totally curious about this. Please pick from the poll options the single news event that made the biggest impact on you, in your lifetime.

So, if you were born in 1979, don't answer "Pearl Harbor" because that was NOT in your lifetime.


Hmmmm... I was born in 1991, so you leave me with few choices...

9/11.

Completly changed everything. Elections, forign policy, domestic policiy... all of it.

Kent State was HARDLY "a massacre!" Sheesh!
Kind of like Vietnam wasn't quite a war, no? I don't know, as much as you must hate to admit it, some people had a few problems caused by Nixon oppressing peaceful protest, as you can see in this picture:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/65/Kent_State_massacre.jpg/300px-Kent_State_massacre.jpg

Their lives don't matter, though, when they're protesting something you feel so ardently about, right? But I digress; to the topic at hand we go.

As someone posted earlier, I was but a shine in my parents' eyes (rather, in my mother's abdomen) when the first Shuttle accident occurred. I was only three when the Wall came down. I do remember Oklahoma vividly. However, the disaster that has most affected me personally is the Columbine massacre. It occurred just a year before I entered high school, and the effects were even felt when I was in 8th grade.

The most influential news event in my life: Grand Theft Auto getting a higher rating, maybe? Rape at my public school? International, or even national news really doesn't effect me at this stage in my life. 9/11 was more irritating to me than it was influential.


Cool.

Out of curiosity, how old are you?

Feel free not to answer.

Cool.

Out of curiosity, how old are you?

Feel free not to answer.
Teenage. (I avoid giving out my specific age online.)

Here's one that nobody mentioned, and which was one of the top ten news stories in 2003:

The Elizabeth Smart kidnapping.

Made me more interested in history and geography when after it happened. And reaffirmed my interest in law enforcement. ;)

I was in US Navy boot camp almost immediately at the conclusion of the Falkland War. TIME magazine had a cover of a British transport ship that had been broadsided by a Exocet missile, killing practically everyone... I was particularly struck by the idea that the ship had never even called battle stations before she was blasted and engulfed in flames. The aircraft had launched the missile before being detected by radar and from over the horizon, the missile flew very low.

For many months, maybe a couple of years, that magazine cover kept sneaking back into the forefront of my mind. With Libya threatening with their aircraft (before President Reagan allowed us to stop that) and the Embassy barracks in Beirut being blown up (and my ship being one of the first three to respond to it for a six month stint), my job on a overly large and the slow moving amphibious ship was as a signalman. Which for you non-sailors, means that you spend all of your time on the very top of the ship, raising flags and using visual Morse code messages with large spotlights, but mostly, we spent our time as the visual identification experts on ship (we had to identify contacts for CIC).

I frequently had to do eight hour shifts at nighttime (every third night) watches, from the signal bridge, 90 feet above the water and all on our own. Away from everyone else (smaller ships have signalmen on the ship’s bridge, but on our ship there would be three on a shift, in a a small room with all windows and a big coffee maker :D). The ship would zig-zagg its way back and forth through the Mediterranean, which was glorious and beautiful, stars like you’ve never seen nor imagined, but the ship slow and cumbersome and I always thought how useless that was as a protection, zig-zagging against a modern day missile? :p

And while I wondered at God’s beautiful and wondrous universe, and how I sailed on waters once occupied by Ancient Greek Triremes, I also wondered about the fact that naval battle statistics had showed that a signalman’s life expectancy during a ship battle was six seconds…just six lousy seconds because he was outside and on top, the most likely to die during the first hit. I wondered, would I even see the small missile coming straight at me, would I freak or just be blown to bits?

After awhile you get callous though, and I began to tell the other nine signalmen I worked with, I would say to them, "If we ever do get attacked by suicide small aircraft or exocet missile, I'm going to run around like a mad-man and jump and dodge as hard as I can, I'll tuck and roll and tuck some more! And I'm going to survive for at least twelve damn seconds before I die... Proving once and for all that I'm twice as good and any of you other sons-of-bitches!" :p

Well i guess no contest it had to be the 911 news. Since i live very close to NY, close enough that i could see the smoke from my school yard, and that my mom was called in(she's a nurse) to take care of the injured that was all bought to my city via ferry, and that my moms friend was in New York and had pictures of all the policemen and firemen that died about 10 minutes later when the second tower fell on them

But the reason it had the biggest effect on me was because...frankly i was never one very interested in the news, or had any polictical view whatsoever. My family had wanted al gor to win and completly hated that bush had won, and bassically that was as much as i knew politicallywize, I took thier opinions as my own and replayed it back like a taperecorder without ever paying one once of attention to the news myself!!

Well after that i became alot more aware of everything, watched the news before school each morning...ect. So i guess it was important as its a day that i'll never be able to forget, and that it also made me umm whats the word...i guess politically active, and it broke me out of the "lalala America's great" world i've been living in for to long!

9/11 is something I'll never forget---and I learned just how much tragedy can unite a nation

I was too young to live through many of the influential world events...vietnam, WWII, Berlin wall falling, Challenger explosion, etc.

Definately, the first moon walk.

There was nothing more significant than that.

But as for me, I voted for other. I am arbitrarily saying it was either Baby Jessica or OJ Simpson. Possibly the Michael Jackson trial. Who knows.

Actually, the Columbia crashing probably had the most profound effect on me. Don't know why, I have a soft spot for the space program I guess. September 11 didn't quite rev me up into a patriotic fervor, and I was a meager two months old when the Challenger went up in flames. I was less than five when the wall came a' tumblin' down and I didn't quite understand the Oklahoma City bombings or the Gulf War. But I did understand Columbine, and the leadup to the second Iraq war. Who knows, I'm not entirely sure which was most influential.
Um.... YOU're supposed to know.

The poll is asking for your opinion. Nobody knows that, but you.

9-11. It was watching the events of that day that made me decide to do NROTC and become a Naval Officer. I start NROTC in only 2 more weeks. I can hardly wait.
Forgive me if this has been asked previously in this thread, but... what does the Navy have to do with the September 11th event?

(I think it's cool you've drawn some kind of link, I'd just like to know what it is.)

http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/200207/10_horwichj_stjoes-m/

I was a member of Thomas’s parish and one of his victims … this news article marks the FIRST that I have been able to find that mentions what he did and marks the date when the bishop stopped leaning on me and my family to try to silence us

(we fought till recently over some stuff but this is the beginning of the end)

This was the most important news event of my life (I know not what you were looking for but too bad)

That cold December morning of 1991 ...
Wow. The best response of this thread...

Definately, the first moon walk.

There was nothing more significant than that.

And definitely something that moved mankind, as a whole, forward. That was the latest new frontier, as it were.

I wasn't yet born when that happened, having been born in 1971...but a very good contribution...thanks!

Most of those didn't happen in my lifetime, so I was a little limited. I graduated high school when the Berlin wall went down and Tienamin (sp) square happened, then the first Gulf War, but all of that was water on a ducks back, sadly.

So, trite as it is, I have to say 9/11. But for this reason:
I watched it happen-I had to get up early that day and I fell asleep in front of the TV. I was out of it a little so I don't know if I watched the second plane hit or a replay, but I remember this-
I wasn't afraid of the terrorists, I felt that they had done their worst. It didn't even occour to me to be afraid of them. I was afraid of our reaction. That thought chilled me to the bone. I couldn't dabble in the world any longer, I had to know what was going on. So that was it.

I haven't looked through the thread, but I'm sure thats been said a few dozen times. I could be truthful or original, but not both.

http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/200207/10_horwichj_stjoes-m/

I was a member of Thomas’s parish and one of his victims … this news article marks the FIRST that I have been able to find that mentions what he did and marks the date when the bishop stopped leaning on me and my family to try to silence us

(we fought till recently over some stuff but this is the beginning of the end)

This was the most important news event of my life (I know not what you were looking for but too bad)

Wow. I'm sorry that happened to you, and the problems for the family. I hope you've recovered from that experience, it's got to be difficult.

Kind of like Vietnam wasn't quite a war, no? I don't know, as much as you must hate to admit it, some people had a few problems caused by Nixon oppressing peaceful protest, as you can see in this picture:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/65/Kent_State_massacre.jpg/300px-Kent_State_massacre.jpg

Their lives don't matter, though, when they're protesting something you feel so ardently about, right? But I digress; to the topic at hand we go.

As someone posted earlier, I was but a shine in my parents' eyes (rather, in my mother's abdomen) when the first Shuttle accident occurred. I was only three when the Wall came down. I do remember Oklahoma vividly. However, the disaster that has most affected me personally is the Columbine massacre. It occurred just a year before I entered high school, and the effects were even felt when I was in 8th grade.


This is a very interesting perspective. This is the kind of stuff I'm looking for. So, if you don't mind sharing...from your perspective (an eighth grader at the time) how did columbine influence you? What were you feeling and thinking?

The worst thing that ever happened when I was in high school was that a girl got stabbed thru the shoulder over some guy...and she ended up stumbling into our homeroom with the knife still sticking in her. Pretty bad, but nothing compared to Columbine.

This, however, is the sort of inter-generational sharing I was looking for...obviously, this Columbine event affected high-schoolers far differently than it affected adults!

http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/200207/10_horwichj_stjoes-m/

I was a member of Thomas’s parish and one of his victims … this news article marks the FIRST that I have been able to find that mentions what he did and marks the date when the bishop stopped leaning on me and my family to try to silence us

(we fought till recently over some stuff but this is the beginning of the end)

This was the most important news event of my life (I know not what you were looking for but too bad)


Actually, this is exactly what I was looking for. The most important news event of YOUR life. The poll was put there basically just to give some ideas of the kinds of events I was looking for, but, as you have noticed, several people have come up with other news events not mentioned, that were just as worthy of being mentioned.

The entire point of this exercise is a reaching out across generations, and sharing perspective across that gap. Events influence youngsters and young adults differently than they influence older adults. And older adults have actually witnessed things that we young'uns have only read about in history books, and so, your perspective on witnessing those events might be interesting and valuable to us young'uns.

That's the sort of sharing I was looking for. SO...all that said...if this is the most important news event in YOUR life...then this is exactly what I was looking for, and please feel free to share/expound upon how this influenced your life and your perspectives/opinions of the world around you...what actions it spurred you to...anything you feel is relevant. THAT is what I'm looking for. What's important to YOU.

I recognized intuitively at the moment they happened, that the falling of the Berlin Wall and 9/11 would change our lives forever. Memories of the moonwalk, the Reagan assassination attempt, the shuttle disasters, and the attack on Libya stay with me to this day. I was proud of the latter, finally a way to deliver a spanking to a terrorist regime that had been tormenting us.

The Cuban missile crisis scared us all - I was in elementary school at the time. I recall waking up at night hearing jets in the sky. I was always afraid they were enemy missiles; I was sure my family would die every night, and I prayed a lot. It was a terrifying time to be a small child.

Most of those didn't happen in my lifetime, so I was a little limited. I graduated high school when the Berlin wall went down and Tienamin (sp) square happened, then the first Gulf War, but all of that was water on a ducks back, sadly.

So, trite as it is, I have to say 9/11. But for this reason:
I watched it happen-I had to get up early that day and I fell asleep in front of the TV. I was out of it a little so I don't know if I watched the second plane hit or a replay, but I remember this-
I wasn't afraid of the terrorists, I felt that they had done their worst. It didn't even occour to me to be afraid of them. I was afraid of our reaction. That thought chilled me to the bone. I couldn't dabble in the world any longer, I had to know what was going on. So that was it.

I haven't looked through the thread, but I'm sure thats been said a few dozen times. I could be truthful or original, but not both.


That is okay...it is understandable, and expected that, for the younger generation...9/11 might well be the most influential...and for many of the older generation, maybe those who got touched personally by the events of that day...but you also mention some other events worthy of discussion, including the Berlin Wall and Tiennamen Square.

I just want to talk a bit, and hear other people's perspectives on the news and events that shape our lives...and often shape our perspectives and opinions.

I recognized intuitively at the moment they happened, that the falling of the Berlin Wall and 9/11 would change our lives forever. Memories of the moonwalk, the Reagan assassination attempt, the shuttle disasters, and the attack on Libya stay with me to this day. I was proud of the latter, finally a way to deliver a spanking to a terrorist regime that had been tormenting us.

The Cuban missile crisis scared us all - I was in elementary school at the time. I recall waking up at night hearing jets in the sky. I was always afraid they were enemy missiles; I was sure my family would die every night, and I prayed a lot. It was a terrifying time to be a small child.

I can relate, somewhat...having grown up in the 1970's...and always fearful of an ICBM overhead...you never knew with the Russians, back then. And then the ever-famous Neutron Bomb. The world was a scary place for a little kid who followed news more than the normal for my age. I can relate to what you must have been feeling during the Cuban Missile Crisis, as a small child. As I said, I spent a lot of my young childhood fearful of an ICBM overhead. I didn't even know, really, what an ICBM WAS...I just knew it was a really bad thing to have overhead!

http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/200207/10_horwichj_stjoes-m/

I was a member of Thomas’s parish and one of his victims … this news article marks the FIRST that I have been able to find that mentions what he did and marks the date when the bishop stopped leaning on me and my family to try to silence us

(we fought till recently over some stuff but this is the beginning of the end)

This was the most important news event of my life (I know not what you were looking for but too bad)

Incidentally, I now scanned the article, and may I say I am sorry for what you went through, and hope that you have had the help and time you need to heal from such a horrible time.

I can definitely understand and relate as to why this would be very influential to you. Being a victim of abuse myself (in my case, the perp was my brother) I know how hard it can be...how long you feel as though YOU did something wrong to "deserve" what you got...Jesus, I'm so sorry for what you went through, and I hope that time, and the grace of God has healed you.

Peace! And if you feel like talking about it, feel free. If not, I also completely understand. It is a very personal matter. I'm glad you finally got some justice for what you suffered...and perhaps some closure.

I can relate, somewhat...having grown up in the 1970's...and always fearful of an ICBM overhead...you never knew with the Russians, back then. And then the ever-famous Neutron Bomb. The world was a scary place for a little kid who followed news more than the normal for my age. I can relate to what you must have been feeling during the Cuban Missile Crisis, as a small child. As I said, I spent a lot of my young childhood fearful of an ICBM overhead. I didn't even know, really, what an ICBM WAS...I just knew it was a really bad thing to have overhead!

The teachers would have frequent bomb drills - get under the desk on hands and knees, cover our heads with our arms. These happened often enough that I realized there was a near-certainty of being bombed - why else do this so often?. They didn't tell us the gruesome details of how powerful the bombs were, but it mattered little.

It was scary. I would overhear my parents talking about it, my Dad with a grim tone of voice, and I knew they were deeply concerned - so that just put me over the edge. I didn't sleep well and prayed a lot.

The Challenger disaster was extremely moving. I was a young child. We watched it live in school and nobody could understand at first what was happening. My parent were both teachers and the MacAuliffe story meant a lot to us.

9/11 edges it out though, probably on timing. I had just graduated from college and had begun my career as a high school teacher. I didn't sleep for three days. It brought the world right to my face and while I was just getting my feet wet in the real world, working for a living, I had to explain to frightened 14 and 15 year-olds what was going on. I had to be a stable force for them while addressing their concerns and emotions fairly. And it happened during standardized testing. We could not tell them about it until the testing time had ended. If that doesn't slap you in the face philosophically, I don't know what does.

The fall of the Berlin Wall, it was such a huge change in the nature of the world. It signalled the end of the cold war & lessened the chance of nuclear holocaust.

Most eventful was the Berlin Wall coming down. Even though I was only 5, helping chip away at it was pretty important to me. I can't believe that it wasn't on the poll. Damn Americanocentricity... ( :p )

None of those...probably the 1998 Omagh Bomb.Ditto. The fall of the Berlin wall (when I was five) is probably second for me as it was the beginning of interest in international politics, which has gone on ever since.

Ditto. The fall of the Berlin wall (when I was five) is probably second for me as it was the beginning of interest in international politics, which has gone on ever since.You were 5 too? What a coincidence! :p

You were 5 too? What a coincidence! :pHow did I fail to notice that in your earlier post?! Great to know that I wasn't the only little kid who was taking an interest in that, rather than cartoons :D

How did I fail to notice that in your earlier post?! Great to know that I wasn't the only little kid who was taking an interest in that, rather than cartoons :DSorry to disappoint you, but I think I only took interest because it happened next door... Ah, well. We still have before and after pictures of one part of the wall and an iron bar from it in our basement...
Edit: But I do remember always watching the news with my parents. I distinctly remember when the Tagesschau stopped showing a difference between East and West Germany :D

The fall of the Berlin Wall. It's the first major news event I was old enough to remember. The first news event I remember at all was the 1988 presidential election, but that's hardly as major as the fall of the Berlin Wall.

edit: No, wait. I was six.

Kent State was HARDLY "a massacre!" Sheesh!

This has to be one of the most disgusting posts I have ever read on NationStates. Just sickening.

I'd like to add that next to the Fall of the Berlin Wall, which completely changed my neighborhood, the Gulf War was probably the most influential event in my life. The school I went to was still pretty much a military school back then (it's a German-American community school) and we had military personnel escort our school busses, military personnel on the roof of the school, and bomb drills in addition to fire drills, which we enjoyed more than fire drills because we had to walk very far away from the school instead of just outside and which didn't occur again until 9/11.

The fall of the Berlin Wall (11/9 1989) and the German Reunification (10/3 1990).

9/11 was big and I watched it live (from the beginning) on TV - but it didn't have such a big influence on my life as did the abovementioned events.

I do remember the Challenger (and the Columbia - Discovery next?) but that year was more centered on Tchernobyl. That had more of an impact!

1998 Asian Economic Crisis.

From my family being an upper middle class earner, to near bankruptcy several times over, to the bank chasing us because of our debts till today.

Incidentally, I now scanned the article, and may I say I am sorry for what you went through, and hope that you have had the help and time you need to heal from such a horrible time.

I can definitely understand and relate as to why this would be very influential to you. Being a victim of abuse myself (in my case, the perp was my brother) I know how hard it can be...how long you feel as though YOU did something wrong to "deserve" what you got...Jesus, I'm so sorry for what you went through, and I hope that time, and the grace of God has healed you.

Peace! And if you feel like talking about it, feel free. If not, I also completely understand. It is a very personal matter. I'm glad you finally got some justice for what you suffered...and perhaps some closure.
Naw we don’t need to turn this into that kind of thread … I just wanted to point out why it was important (indecently MPR almost got sued over that story … big fight because at the time they were just removing some of the gag orders that were issued)
Thanks for the care and understanding …

And sorry to hear about that greedy pig …

The fall of the Berlin Wall (11/9 1989) and the German Reunification (10/3 1990).

9/11 was big and I watched it live (from the beginning) on TV - but it didn't have such a big influence on my life as did the abovementioned events.

I do remember the Challenger (and the Columbia - Discovery next?) but that year was more centered on Tchernobyl. That had more of an impact!Tchernobyl ruined my first birthday party! We had to celebrate inside for fear of the radiation (and Berlin is VERY far away from the Ukraine). I hear some mushrooms in Bavaria are still highly radioactive...

This has to be one of the most disgusting posts I have ever read on NationStates. Just sickening.
Whatever. :rolleyes:

Massacre: "The act or an instance of killing a large number of humans indiscriminately and cruelly."

"The shootings killed four students and wounded nine."

Four people is "a large number" and thus "a massacre?" Right.

Actually, I would have expected better from you than such an over-reaction, Sdaeriji.

Hmm... I guess the most influential one that I can think of was the recent shooting of a 'suspected terrorist', who turned out to be completely innocent, in the London Underground. I wasn't worried for my safety on 9/11, or even on the July 7th London bombings, but when the police start acting like that, it makes the society that we live in somehow more hostile.

This has to be one of the most disgusting posts I have ever read on NationStates. Just sickening.It's only a post on the internet sheesh... Why do people take things so personally.

I think the Bud Dwyer thing has got to be the biggest news item. It sure had a damn big impact on all viewers!

It's only a post on the internet sheesh... Why do people take things so personally.

I think the Bud Dwyer thing has got to be the biggest news item. It sure had a damn big impact on all viewers!

OK, I guess I'm going to show my "American ignorance" here and ask...exactly what is this "Bud Dwyer" thing you are talking about? This is not at all familiar to me.

Pearl for me....

It was december 7th 1941, when we were suddenly attacked by the gooks :eek:

No offence but most ppl on these forums were not alive during ww2

It's only a post on the internet sheesh... Why do people take things so personally.

I think the Bud Dwyer thing has got to be the biggest news item. It sure had a damn big impact on all viewers!

What the hell is Bud Dwyer? I've never heard of him/it.

Pearl for me....

It was december 7th 1941, when we were suddenly attacked by the gooks :eek:

No offence but most ppl on these forums were not alive during ww2Which is why some of us are disappointed that the Fall of the Wall didn't make it onto the poll :D

Pearl for me....

It was december 7th 1941, when we were suddenly attacked by the gooks :eek:

No offence but most ppl on these forums were not alive during ww2

Nope. And it's the intergenerational thing I'm going for. Most of us only read about Pearl Harbor in history books. So, perhaps you'd care to share your perspective of having actually lived and witnessed the news coverage of the unfolding events?

Incidentally, and I hate to say this...but...are racial slurs REALLY necessary? And, at any rate, I thought "gook" referred to Koreans. Never really knew what slur was used to refer to Japanese.

But, I digress.

Please share with us your experiences...I'm sure they would be interesting.

Incidentally, a long time ago, as a high-school project, we had to interview someone who'd served in WWII. So I went to the local American Legion, and found a vet willing to share his experiences of the war with me. It turned out to be one of the most interesting school assignments I'd ever had....the guy who ended up as my interviewee had been on the Bataan Death March!

What the hell is Bud Dwyer? I've never heard of him/it.


wow, glad to see it isn't JUST ME that has never heard of Bud Dwyer!!

wow, glad to see it isn't JUST ME that has never heard of Bud Dwyer!!

I assumed it was an American news story because I'd never heard of it.

Which is why some of us are disappointed that the Fall of the Wall didn't make it onto the poll :D


sorry, folks. Limited number of choices. And I didn't think of it at the time. Certainly, the fall of the wall would have been a worthwhile choice to put on the poll. But you only get ten choices. And, as you only get 10 choices, I tried to pick two or three from each generation that stood out in my own mind.

Older generation got Hiroshima, Pearl Harbor, my parents generation got JFK, Cuban Missile Crisis, and MLK, the between-generation between me and my parents got Watergate and Iranian Hostage Crisis, my own generation crossed over a bit, and got Iranian Hostage Crisis, and Space Shuttle Challenger...and the youngest generation crossed over a bit, with choices for Space Shuttle and 9/11.

No slight intended by not including the fall of the wall...certainly a worthy poll choice. Also Chernobyl was mentioned, the assassination attempt of Reagan, and Tiennemen Square...all very good possible poll options - had I thought of them at the time.

Kent State was mentioned, also a worthy poll option. The priest sex scandal got a mention, also a worthy poll choice, as that had to affect a lot of people, particularly, Catholics. Columbine was mentioned, too. Another worthwhile mention I've not seen yet might've been Madrid 3/11....or even the recent London Underground bombings.

The problem is...there are well more than 10 worthy choices...even without worrying about being international...or, as my goal was...intergenerational. And this is why an Other spot was included...and I'm glad to see people have been using it, and sharing their stories.

I assumed it was an American news story because I'd never heard of it.

And here I was, assuming it was a NON-American news story, because I'd never heard of it... :D

As for the poll, only 2 of those events happened during my lifetime and they both happened on the other side of the world. So... Other. I'm not really sure what.


Waking up and finding out that we had lost the rugby world cup semi final to the french was a big one. Probably the most shocking..

As for the poll, only 2 of those events happened during my lifetime and they both happened on the other side of the world. So... Other. I'm not really sure what.


Waking up and finding out that we had lost the rugby world cup semi final to the french was a big one. Probably the most shocking..

I watched that game, I was astounded the All Blacks lost. I thought they were favourites to win the world cup.

Even as a Brit, September 11th probably affected me most. Not perhaps for the human suffering, I'm ashamed to say - I remember the news reports from Ethiopia in 1984, the Armenian earthquakes, floods in Bangladesh, genocide in Rwanda, and a whole host of huge-scale human catastrophes. Actually, now add to that Darfur, the Tsunami, Srebrenica, the Kursk, Beslan, and countless others. In terms of human loss, the WTC didn't seem that monumental.

I think the biggest impact was that feeling that the world had changed - that things had stepped up a level. I grew up with the background awareness of terrorism courtesy of the IRA and their occasional forays into England - London, Manchester, etc. (let's just pray that the laying down of arms they announced yesterday is genuine) - but the attack on the WTC was on a different level completely.

The other impact it has had is on the governments of Western nations. There's this drive now towards harsher and harsher controls, and greater restrictions on civil liberties. Those consequences of September 11th will affect us all for a long, long time.

The problem is...there are well more than 10 worthy choices...even without worrying about being international...or, as my goal was...intergenerational. And this is why an Other spot was included...and I'm glad to see people have been using it, and sharing their stories.
Yeah... it seems there just aren't enough older Americans around though to make a proper intergenerational discussion happen. As you can see, the majority voted for the recent events or other and the Wall came up at least five times. The problem, I suppose is that this is a pretty international forum, at least during this time of day...

The event for me, was the news that a task force had been launched to free the Falkland Islands.
May be because I was young or because i did not know how for the conflict would go to free the islands.

Yeah... it seems there just aren't enough older Americans around though to make a proper intergenerational discussion happen. As you can see, the majority voted for the recent events or other and the Wall came up at least five times. The problem, I suppose is that this is a pretty international forum, at least during this time of day...

but it does tell us a lot about the age group generally playing NS.

I wish some of the older players would share some more experiences, I think it would be valuable to all of us.

At any rate, I may, at some point here, ask a Mod to shut this thread down, so I can start a different one, one which includes more of the choices given as "Other" the problem is...I still have to limit it to ten...and with Other taking up one spot, I still only get nine choices...and without even repeating anything already on the list, I think I could come up with more than nine!!

I watched that game, I was astounded the All Blacks lost. I thought they were favourites to win the world cup.

It was in the middle of the night, and I figured I'd just watch the final the next week anyway so I didn't stay up (I was 13). I woke up and got told we had lost and lost badly after having a good lead.

but it does tell us a lot about the age group generally playing NS.

I wish some of the older players would share some more experiences, I think it would be valuable to all of us.

At any rate, I may, at some point here, ask a Mod to shut this thread down, so I can start a different one, one which includes more of the choices given as "Other" the problem is...I still have to limit it to ten...and with Other taking up one spot, I still only get nine choices...and without even repeating anything already on the list, I think I could come up with more than nine!!You can always start a new thread. Doesn't reall matter whether it's competing with this one. This one seems a bit dead anyway.

Right I'm a little ashamed of this but I only recognise Pearl Harbor, Hiroshima, JFK, Martin Luther King and 9/11...

I am only 12... and I'm not American so I have a little excuse.

The Russian Revolution of 1917 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_revolution)

Why? Because my grandfather left Russia in a hurry because of this revolution. Without it happening he would never have met my grandmother and I would never have been born. Slightly important on my life.

It's very difficult to answer this, as there are 2-3 stories that have had a very big impact.

However, I have voted for OTHER as most options are really likely to be of relevance to people from USA only. Although, 11. September 2001 events are one of the events I considered in my 2-3.

Overall, I would say the murder of Anna Lindh has had the biggest impact for me, especially considering my occupation. It was deeply shocking given her popularity and potential and also given the timing. (Of course Olof Palme's murder was shocking also, but I was only in my early teenage years at the time).

Britain's entry to the Common Market (later the EU) is probably the event that occurred during my life that will have most long reaching influence, that and Jonny Wilkinson drop kicking the Aussies out of the World Cup in 2003. :D

So I suppose "Other".

The Bali Bombings. That was horrible, one of my teachers died, and his wife, who was also a teacher at our school left. It was horrible, our school was quite affected. We also had the children of teachers die.

Quite simply...what was the most influential news event OF YOUR LIFE?

I'm totally curious about this. Please pick from the poll options the single news event that made the biggest impact on you, in your lifetime.

So, if you were born in 1979, don't answer "Pearl Harbor" because that was NOT in your lifetime.

Without a doubt 9-11.

On top of that, other big news events that were influential to me was the Space Shuttle Columbia.

These two events helped shape my views on Space and on National Security.

Perhaps everyone is just happier if Fass, Nadkor and Lyrics just leaves this alone. I remember the page long madness when Johnny Carson died.

I do too since that was my thread.

I'm sorry, but not every poll can be globally construed. Not everyone starts out their poll thinking like that. And if such a poll or thread crops up, just leave it the fuck alone then. If someone is posting on an international forum every so often something is implied to lean more towards a certain nationality. I've seen threads do this about Britain, Australia, Canada, Germany, China, Japan and on and on. To worry about such things is nitpicky, worthless and utterly unconstructive.

Couldn't agree more.

That Barbara Walters special on Michael Jackson on 20/20. That scared the bejesus outta me.

For me I think it was when Pierre Elliott Trudeau died. I have never actually shed a tear over news events that I can recall, I've been shocked and stuff, but no tears, when Pierre Elliott Trudeau died, that was the exception, I cried. :(

For me I think it was when Pierre Elliott Trudeau died. I have never actually shed a tear over news events that I can recall, I've been shocked and stuff, but no tears, when Pierre Elliott Trudeau died, that was the exception, I cried. :(
Awww.

I was cring throughout the entire eulogy. Trudeau was an ultimate Canadian father-figure to us all.

Not sure If anyone mentioned this but for me the fall of the Berlin wall really did change the world...and mine. :)

Ditto. The fall of the Berlin wall (when I was five) is probably second for me as it was the beginning of interest in international politics, which has gone on ever since.
I was five as well and I couldn't tell you anything about it.

But then, I don't remember much from when I was five.

A small-scale civil war in Moscow, September-October 1993.

1998 Omagh bombing, 9/11 and the St Stephen's Day Tsunami in 2004.

What the hell is Bud Dwyer? I've never heard of him/it.wow, glad to see it isn't JUST ME that has never heard of Bud Dwyer!!Bud Dwyer was a guy who jumped in front of the live television cameras with a .45 handgun and blew his head off.

Sadly I'll say 9/11, it was my first experience with the horrors of FOX.

Whatever. :rolleyes:

Massacre: "The act or an instance of killing a large number of humans indiscriminately and cruelly."

"The shootings killed four students and wounded nine."

Four people is "a large number" and thus "a massacre?" Right.

Actually, I would have expected better from you than such an over-reaction, Sdaeriji.

The Boston Massacre just prior to the American Revolution was five people. The Saint Valentine's Day Massacre was seven people. The massacre at the 1972 Olympics was twelve people. Bloody Sunday was fourteen people. Just when does the number become large enough for you to term it a massacre, Eutrusca?

The Boston Massacre just prior to the American Revolution was five people. The Saint Valentine's Day Massacre was seven people. The massacre at the 1972 Olympics was twelve people. Bloody Sunday was fourteen people. Just when does the number become large enough for you to term it a massacre, Eutrusca?
Oh, it only needs for the military to be involved for it to not be a massacre.

Whatever. :rolleyes:

Massacre: "The act or an instance of killing a large number of humans indiscriminately and cruelly."

"The shootings killed four students and wounded nine."

Four people is "a large number" and thus "a massacre?" Right.

Actually, I would have expected better from you than such an over-reaction, Sdaeriji.

And I would have expected you to have the dignity to not defend your callous remarks, Eutrusca.

This thread is entitled, 'Most Influential News Event Of Your Life', not 'Most Influential News Event Of Your Life as vetted by some old Vietnam Vet with an axe to grind'. So kindly take your conflicted inhumanity and blase indifference to the most influential news event of MY life, and cram it up your flag-waving, star-spangled, red-white-and-blue ASS, Eutrusca.

You want to revise history? Go for it. Start your own damn thread to white-wash American history. Otherwise, stop hen-pecking my LIFE, or trying to invalidate MY POINT-OF-VIEW.

Grrrrraaauuughhhrrr!

*bumps*