OCTOBER 10, 1952

Full News Archive

• Headline: Bayside Sewer Project Cost Overruns. Impact: This sewer project cost overrun led to the creation of a time-traveling sewer inspector who became a local legend, ensuring all future construction projects included a budget for unexpected expenses and, of course, coffee breaks. Fact: Sewers: the true unsung heroes of urban infrastructure. Without them, we’d all be living in a very different kind of ‘quagmire.’.
• Headline: Nixon Critiques Democrats' Strength on Foreign Policy. Impact: Nixon's comments sent ripples through time, inspiring future politicians to develop a special skill set in name-calling and finger-pointing instead of actual governance, leading to a reality show about political insults. Fact: ‘Spineless’ was a popular term among politicians, right next to ‘coherent policy’ and ‘honest debate’ in the historical thesaurus.
• Headline: British Give Egypt Two Concessions; British Give Egypt 2 Concessions; Return Suez Bridge and Free Funds. Impact: These concessions led to a series of 'friendly' gestures that spiraled into a decades-long game of international chess, with Egypt and Britain forever trying to one-up each other with increasingly ridiculous demands. Fact: Concessions: the diplomatic version of ‘I’ll give you my cookie if you give me your candy.’.
• Headline: Bay State Hospital Expanded. Impact: This hospital expansion was so well-received that it inspired a nationwide trend in hospital wing naming—a practice that eventually led to the absurdity of naming wings after fast food chains. Fact: Hospitals: where you can literally die from a lack of beds... or from the hospital food served in those very beds.
• Headline: ADMINISTRATION AIDE ASSAILS PRESS, RADIO. Impact: The assistant's rant triggered a media backlash that evolved into the modern-day practice of journalists fact-checking politicians, though it also birthed the age of ‘alternative facts’—so, you know, swings and roundabouts. Fact: Ranting about the media: a time-honored tradition that’s somehow never gone out of style.
• Headline: TAFT WARNS G. O. P. ON TRUMAN ATTACK; Ohioan Says President Has Appeal for Persons Who Know Nothing of Politics. Impact: Taft's warning about Truman's appeal led to an endless cycle of politicians second-guessing their messaging, ultimately resulting in the emergence of the political consultant industry—because what could be more useful than overanalyzing every word?. Fact: Politics is just a game of who can be the most relatable while simultaneously being the least relatable. Good luck with that!.
• Headline: Eisenhower Favors Some Aid In Health and Schools by U. S.; EISENHOWER URGES LIMITED HEALTH AID. Impact: Eisenhower’s advocacy for limited health aid started a trend in government spending that eventually led to debates over health care that would echo through the decades, resulting in a series of 'who can out-promise whom' competitions. Fact: Health care debates are the adult version of ‘who can hold their breath the longest’—and sadly, no one ever wins.