NOVEMBER 18, 1945

Full News Archive

• Headline: U.S. Unit Formed for UNO Coordination. Impact: This merger of U.S. agencies for the UNO led to a bureaucratic black hole where paperwork multiplied like rabbits, eventually resulting in the modern-day 'fill out forms to fill out forms' phenomenon.. Fact: The only thing more complex than U.S. foreign relations? U.S. domestic paperwork..
• Headline: Wage and Productivity Study Proposal. Impact: By proposing a wage based on productivity, this plan set off a chain reaction that would lead to countless office debates about whether playing solitaire counts as 'productivity'. Spoiler: It doesn't.. Fact: They say a happy worker is a productive worker. Too bad most companies treat happiness as a luxury item..
• Headline: Criminals At Large: A 1945 Mystery. Impact: The phrase 'criminals at large' likely inspired a generation of detectives, leading to the creation of so many crime shows that even the criminals started watching themselves.. Fact: In a world where criminals are at large, your local police department is often just as confused as you are about who’s really in charge..
• Headline: FOE FLIERS BRIEFED OCT. 5, '41, TO HIT U.S. FLEET ON DEC. 7, ADMIRAL INGLIS DISCLOSES; YAMAMOTO'S PLAN Japanese Fleet Set Out Ready to Turn Back if U.S. Met Tokyo Terms ATTACK ORDER GIVEN DEC. 5 Hawaii Landing Idea Weighed, Dropped, Says Inglis, Tracing Story From Enemy Data. Impact: This briefing was the catalyst for a whole new genre of military intelligence reports that could rival any conspiracy theory—turns out, 'Hawaii' and 'surprise attack' were a match made in history.. Fact: Admiral Yamamoto famously said, 'I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant.' Spoiler alert: He was right!.
• Headline: PEACE HOPE PLACED IN EDUCATION BODY; Oxford Vice Chancellor Holds New Organization Must Find Philosophy to Banish War Common Basis Is Object Dedicated to Peace. Impact: This hope in education as a peacekeeper led to the rise of countless academic conferences where professors argue about what 'peace' even means, keeping them blissfully unaware of the chaos outside.. Fact: Oxford has produced many great thinkers, yet they still can’t agree on what constitutes ‘a good cup of tea’..
• Headline: Mr. Antheil Explains. Impact: Mr. Antheil's explanations likely sparked debates in music classes for decades, influencing future composers to either embrace or shun the concept of 'badness' in music.. Fact: Antheil was so avant-garde, his music was often described as 'the sound of a cat walking on a piano'..
• Headline: A Singer's Memoir. Impact: The memoir of a singer probably inspired countless wannabe stars to pen their own life stories, leading to a flood of 'tell-all' books that the world never asked for.. Fact: Most singers have stories that are about as interesting as watching paint dry—unless they’re talking about that one time they had a backstage meltdown..
• Headline: Abraham Lincoln and the "Irrepressible Conflict"; Abraham Lincoln. Impact: Lincoln's 'Irrepressible Conflict' speech became a rallying cry, igniting movements that would echo through the ages, eventually leading to debates over whether pineapple belongs on pizza.. Fact: Lincoln was known for his wit and humor, proving that even during the Civil War, a little sarcasm could go a long way..
• Headline: An American Labor Leader. Impact: William Sylvis's contributions to labor advocacy set off a chain reaction that led to the creation of labor laws, ultimately making coffee breaks mandatory and leading to the rise of the office plant.. Fact: Labor leaders like Sylvis fought for workers' rights so hard that we now have a national holiday dedicated to doing absolutely nothing—thank you, Labor Day!.
• Headline: The Strange Heartland Of Islam. Impact: This exploration of the Arab world opened up a Pandora's box of Western misunderstandings that would influence foreign policy decisions for decades—because who doesn’t love a good cultural misunderstanding?. Fact: The Middle East has been a hot topic for centuries; if only they had a reality show, we could binge-watch the 'real' drama unfold..