WHILE THE PIRATES WERE LOSING...

On October 14, 1992 - the fateful end of the last Pirates winning season - the world looked very different than it does today. Since 1992, the world has gotten faster, smaller, and significantly more connected. We've seen increases in global literacy, access to water, and life expectancy. We've experienced a communication revolution, a technology revolution, and more recently, a series of very powerful people-powered revolutions.

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The U.S. national debt has quadrupled since 1992. It was about $4 trillion then, and now it is over $16 trillion. 

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The Smart Car was launched in 1998. 

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We started downloading music. The iPod was released in 2001 

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We started texting. 

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The world was introduced to online video streaming while the Pirates were losing. Netflix was founded in 1997. 

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We started leaving the house without a map. The GPS was created in 1993. 

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In 1992, private four year institution costs were on average $15,000 a year. Last year, the average cost was $25,000. 

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The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). creating a trade bloc between Canada, Mexico and the U.S., came into effect on January 1, 1994. 

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Zaire was renamed the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1997. 

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Y2K happened while the Pirates were losing. 

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The World Trade Organization, which supervises and regulates international trade, was established in 1995. 

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In 1992, the Pirates lost the NL Championship Series to the Atlanta Braves in seven games. 

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The Rubber Duck Project came to Pittsburgh to support the Pirates in their first playoff game against the Cincinnati Reds at PNC Park.

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The last time the Pirates had a winning season, we were still rewinding the VHS before returning it to the video store. The DVD didn't debut until 1997.

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While the Pirates were losing... we all met Harry Potter.

The Pirates last winning season was still 5 years before the publication of the first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone, published in 1997. 

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In 1992, the Pirates played their games at Three Rivers Stadium. They moved into PNC Park in 2001. 

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Gas was $1.13 in 1992. Today, the average in PA is $3.69.