1984: Geraldine Ferraro from New York becomes the first woman vice presidential running mate, teaming with the Democratic Party's Walter Mondale.

2000: Joseph Lieberman becomes the first Jewish vice presidential candidate for a major party, teaming with the Democratic party's Al Gore.

1985: Bernhard Goetz is charged with attempted murder for shooting teenagers on a New York City subway. Goetz claims the teenagers threatened him and attempted to rob him. New York City crime becomes front-page headlines in newspapers across the country.

2000: Mayor Rudolph Giulliani's law and order administration is credited with the continuing drop in New York City's crime rate. However, abuses by police continue to plague the city.

1985: Scientists claim that a hole in the ozone layer, first detected in 1977, is now indisputable.

2000: The media carries first-hand reports that the polar ice cap is melting, an effect of global warming.