FROM THE ARCHIVE A look back at our March 1999 issue

European rail and a cleaned-up New York were the big stories 20 years ago

THE FOCUS OF OUR MARCH 1999

issue was the rebirth of European rail, with improvements in technology and services making the train a winning option on the continent. We pondered whether airlines would “pull out of certain markets altogether” to free up valuable slots for long-haul routes. It’s a subject we returned to recently in our December/ January issue, with slot shortages at airports making better air-rail connections an increasing necessity.

Rebirth had also taken place in New York following its clean-up under the helm of mayor Rudy Giuliani. The murder rate had declined by an astonishing 68 per cent in five years, but our writer questioned whether some of the city’s charm had also been scrubbed away – although not in the case of the now-visible ceiling of Grand Central station which, having been concealed by grime for years, was wowing formerly jaded commuters.

How to make a presentation interesting is an eternal conundrum faced by business people. Two decades ago, our article pointed readers in the direction of the snazzy Clip Art available on Powerpoint, as well as suggesting that you “imagine the audience naked” and “video yourself so you can work on eradicating those irritating mannerisms”. Nothing like instilling a bit of confidence…

Making a presentation interesting is an eternal conundrum