NOVEMBER 13, 1955

Full News Archive

• Headline: UN Broadcasts in 26 Languages. Impact: This event led to an improbable chain reaction where a single mispronounced word at the UN inadvertently started a global game of charades, resulting in the first-ever international mime competition. Who knew miscommunication could be so entertaining?. Fact: Did you know that the UN's official languages include Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish? That's right, they have more languages than most of us have friends!.
• Headline: Navy's Crusader Aims for Speed Record. Impact: The quest for speed sent the Navy into a frenzy, leading engineers to invent the 'Super Sonic Coffee Maker' which only brews at 1000 mph. Unfortunately, it also exploded on contact with water.. Fact: Did you know the F8U Crusader is lovingly nicknamed 'The Last of the Gunfighters'? Because who doesn't want to feel like a cowboy while flying faster than a speeding bullet?.
• Headline: SOVIET EX-CAPTIVE AT DIX; Fields Was Prisoner Seven Years -- to Go to Hospital. Impact: Fields’ release from captivity led to a sudden spike in the production of 'Welcome Home' balloons, which later became a key element in the party planning industry. Unfortunately, many of those balloons were mistaken for UFOs.. Fact: Did you know that being a prisoner for seven years can lead to a significant adjustment period? Fields probably thought he had just missed a really long episode of a soap opera..
• Headline: FAURE IS UPHELD BY VOTES OF REDS; Premier of France Survives Confidence Test, but Early Election Seems Unlikely. Impact: Faure's survival ignited a series of backroom deals and political maneuvering that ultimately led to the invention of the French term 'political gymnastics', which is still used today to describe confusing government actions.. Fact: Did you know that surviving a confidence vote is a bit like surviving a family dinner? You just hope no one brings up the awkward topics and you can escape unscathed..
• Headline: FORD FUND FACES CASH INDIGESTION; Reinvesting Up to Half Billion Without Swamping Market Will Be a King-Size Job. Impact: This financial headache led to the creation of the first financial antacid, allowing investors to soothe their cash indigestion while watching their stocks plummet. Side effects may include sudden urges to divest.. Fact: Did you know that the Ford Fund was originally meant to support innovative ideas? Apparently, 'innovative' can sometimes mean 'we're not sure what we’re doing.'.
• Headline: Filling Jobs in Health; A Tenth-Anniversary Review of the Work Done by State Medical Placement Center. Impact: The success of this center inspired a new wave of employment agencies that focused on finding jobs for the mythical creatures of folklore. Unicorns were particularly sought after in the medical field.. Fact: Did you know that job placement offices often have a higher success rate than matchmakers? Apparently, it's easier to find a nurse than to find someone who will tolerate your obsession with collecting action figures..
• Headline: LEGION 'MINORITY' ASSAILED BY A.V.C.; Convention Attacks 'Myth' of All Veterans Heeding a 'Reactionary' Few. Impact: This bold move led to the establishment of the 'Veterans Who Prefer Pizza to Politics' club, which ironically gained more traction than the original Legion. Clearly, pizza is a unifying force.. Fact: Did you know that many veterans have vastly different opinions? It's almost like they have diverse experiences or something crazy like that!.
• Headline: HARDSHIPS FOR FRENCH ARTISTS. Impact: The struggles faced by French artists led to an unexpected renaissance in potato art. Yes, you heard that right—potato sculptures became the next big thing, changing the face of modern art forever.. Fact: Did you know that many famous artists have faced hardships? Van Gogh famously sold only one painting during his lifetime, proving that success is often a matter of being in the right place at the right time—or just getting really lucky..