Some readers might be too young to remember the reference from the Billy Joel song. A rapid fire of names and events that had left a mark in the century reminded us that things got to where they were because the past determines history. Seemed apropos. In the official video that aired on MTV, Billy Joel stood in front of a fire singing the chorus: “we didn’t start the fire, it was always burning since the world’s been turning.” Some readers might be too young to remember MTV.