Step Back Into….1996

Pittsburgh 55+ Magazine
12 minutes ago
3 min read

The Google search engine was introduced.

Tickle Me Elmo was the hot holiday toy.

By Paula Green

The year of 1996 ushered in a leap year. January 6-8, a blizzard ravaged the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, with even northern Florida experiencing some flurries. Sadly, 154 perished because of the heavy snowfall that blanketed the region. On April 3, after an 18-year manhunt, suspected "Unabomber" Theodore Kaczynski was arrested at his remote cabin in Montana. He was later convicted for a series of mail bombs that killed three people and injured 23.

Average: The average income was $35,500, while the median home price was $140,000. The average cost of a new car was approximately $18,777. Gasoline was $1.23 a gallon. A loaf of bread was 88¢. A gallon of milk was $2.57, and eggs sold for $1.11 a dozen. Ground beef was $1.49 per pound. Coffee was $3.43 a pound. The price of a movie ticket was $4.50. A first-class stamp was 32¢.

Firsts: The first commercial USB cable and port were released in January. Digital Video Discs (DVDs) were released as the successor to VHS. Nintendo produced the Nintendo 64 with the popular game Mario 64. The Hubble Space Telescope revealed images of Pluto’s surface for the first time. Madeleine Albright was appointed as the first female US Secretary of State in December.

US Events: On July 17, a Boeing 747 jetliner, TWA Flight 800, bound for Paris, exploded off the coast of Long Island, New York, killing all 230 people aboard. Rapper Tupac Shakur was shot on September 7 in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas and died from his injuries six days later. Six-year-old beauty queen JonBenét Ramsey was found murdered in her family's home the day after Christmas in Boulder, Colorado. The case remains unsolved.

World News: On July 5, scientists at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, announced the birth of Dolly the sheep, the first mammal cloned from an adult cell. After coming to an agreement in July, Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s divorce was finalized in August. NASA and Stanford researchers announced the possible discovery of signs of ancient life in a Martian meteorite found in Antarctica.

Entertainment: Popular films: 101 Dalmatians, 12 Monkeys, A Time to Kill, Fargo, Independence Day, Jerry Maguire, Matilda, Mission: Impossible, Ransom, Romeo and Juliet, Sling Blade, The Birdcage, The Nutty Professor, The Rock, Twister, and Jingle All the Way.

Television: The Simpsons made its UK debut on the BBC.Popular TV shows: ER, Seinfeld, Suddenly Susan, Friends, Touched by an Angel, NYPD Blue, Frasier, The Drew Carey Show, Everybody Loves Raymond, 3^rd Rock from the Sun, The Naked Truth, Spin City, and 7^th Heaven.

Songs: Hit tunes: “Macarena,” “Wonderwall,” “6th Avenue Heartache,” “Aeroplane,” “All Mixed Up,” “California Love,” “Change the World,” “Down,” “Free As A Bird,” “Give Me One Reason,” “Head Over Feet,” “How Do U Want It,” “If It Makes You Happy,” “The Beautiful People,” and “You Learn.” Song of the Year–“Kiss from a Rose” by Seal.

Publishing: The launch of Oprah Winfrey's on-air book club turned her into a hugely influential force in the publishing world. Best-sellers: A Game of Thrones, The Notebook, Into the Wild, The Green Mile, Fight Club, The Runaway Jury, Falling Up, The Rainmaker, Angela’s Ashes, and The Tale of an American Dreamer.

Sports: MLB – NFL–The Dallas Cowboys win Super Bowl XXX. NBA – The Chicago Bulls are named NBA Champions. MLB–The New York Yankees win the World Series. NHL–The Colorado Avalanche clinched the Stanley Cup. The Summer Olympics were held July 19–August 4, in Atlanta, Georgia. A pipe bomb exploded during the event at Centennial Olympic Park, killing one person and injuring 111.

Politics: President: William J. Clinton: Vice President: Albert Gore, Jr. November 5–Bill Clinton was reelected as President of the United States, winning against Bob Dole.