DECEMBER 14, 1947

Full News Archive

• Headline: Defining Freedom of Opinion in 1947. Impact: Mrs. Roosevelt's definition of freedom of opinion led to an explosion of debates about what constitutes 'freedom', resulting in the invention of social media decades later, where everyone has an opinion but no one really listens. Fact: More opinions have been shared since this day than there are stars in the sky. So, that’s fun.
• Headline: ARGENTINE FLIES SOUTH; Admiral Portillo Soars Over Deception Isle Off Antarctica. Impact: This flight sparked a global obsession with exploring the unknown, eventually leading to reality TV shows about people trying to survive in the wild with nothing but a can of beans and a selfie stick. Fact: Deception Island is a real place. No, it doesn’t have a sign that says 'Welcome to the land of bad decisions.'.
• Headline: REPORT TO CHART NEEDS OF FRANCE; Balance Sheet Commission Will Call for Increase in Dollar Imports and More Revenue. Impact: This report was the beginning of France's endless quest for financial stability, sparking centuries of budget meetings that could put anyone to sleep. Fact: If you stacked all the reports created since then about France's needs, you could build a tower tall enough to reach the Eiffel Tower... if you're into that sort of thing.
• Headline: Air War Across the Pole; That is the strategic concept upon which planners in the new U.S. Air Force base their design for security. Air War Across the Pole. Impact: This idea of air superiority led to the creation of the most complex air defense systems known to man, which still can't stop birds from hitting windshields. Fact: The only air war across the pole that most people are familiar with involves a sleigh and reindeer.
• Headline: KRAMER TOPS LIST IN TENNIS RANKING; Parker Is Rated Second and Schroeder Third in Men's Singles by U.S.L.T.A. KRAMER TOPS LIST IN TENNIS RANKING. Impact: Kramer's rise to the top inspired countless aspiring tennis stars who later realized they were better suited to watching Netflix instead of chasing balls. Fact: Tennis rankings are like high school popularity contests, but with less drama... or so we thought.
• Headline: Agrarian Democracy; THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE. By Henry Bamford Parkes. 343 pp. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. $3.50.. Impact: This book helped shape the modern understanding of democracy and agriculture, influencing policies that would take decades to implement—just the right amount of time for everyone to forget the original intent. Fact: For just $3.50, you could buy a book or a fancy coffee. Spoiler: most people choose the coffee.
• Headline: THE NEWS OF THE WEEK IN REVIEW; Shift in Tactics. Impact: This vague headline led to the realization that news is mostly just a cycle of shifting tactics, which paved the way for the 'breaking news' banner that makes us feel like we missed something important... again. Fact: Shifting tactics in the news often means they're just trying to make the same story sound new. Ingenious, really.
• Headline: HIGH SALES LOOM THROUGH SPRING; Outlook Based on Kirby, Block Survey of 200 Retail Outlets From Coast to Coast SOME RESISTANCE SEEN But Stores Expect to Overcome It by Using More Vigorous Promotional Efforts. Impact: This optimistic outlook was the precursor to the infamous Black Friday sales, where people fight over discounted TVs like they're competing in the Hunger Games. Fact: Retailers have 'vigorous promotional efforts' down to a science—it's called 'putting everything on sale and hoping for the best.'.