DECEMBER 20, 1955

Full News Archive

• Headline: Castillo Slate Wins Guatemala Election. Impact: Castillo's victory set off a chain reaction of political upheaval that led to a sudden increase in the number of coffee shops in Guatemala, as citizens desperately sought caffeine to cope with their new reality.. Fact: Guatemala has more coffee than political stability, which is saying something!.
• Headline: Edw M. Finesilver's Historic Event. Impact: The mysterious OR. E. M. F:INESILVER became a secret code for time travelers to identify 'suspicious' individuals throughout history, making it the most sought-after phrase in the underground time-traveling community.. Fact: If you say 'OR. E. M. F:INESILVER' three times in front of a mirror, you summon an indecisive historian!.
• Headline: Honoring Miss Freda Abramson. Impact: Miss Freda Abramson’s name became synonymous with ‘unbreakable spirit’, inspiring a series of self-help books that promised to help readers achieve the impossible, like getting out of bed before noon.. Fact: Freda is actually a popular name among people who 'just want to be left alone' since the dawn of time..
• Headline: NEWSPAPER MAILERS JOIN DETROIT STRIKE. Impact: The newspaper mailers joining the strike inspired a nationwide movement for workers' rights, starting a trend where people demanded coffee breaks every ten minutes. After all, if you can't complain about your job, what's the point?. Fact: The first coffee break was actually invented during a strike, proving that caffeine is the real hero of labor movements..
• Headline: MRS. CHARLES 'ROGERS. Impact: Mrs. Charles 'Rogers' became a figurehead for the silent sufferer, leading to a new wave of soap operas that dramatically portrayed the 'tragic tales' of women married to men with boring names.. Fact: Charles Rogers is often considered the most forgettable name in history, right up there with 'John Smith'!.
• Headline: JERSEY CITY GRAFT IN PAY IS CHARGED; Investigator's Report Says Some Jobholders Never Made an Appearance JERSEY CITY GRAFT ON PAY IS CHARGED. Impact: The Jersey City graft scandal sparked a series of 'no-show' jobs that spread like wildfire, leading to the invention of the 'remote worker' position decades ahead of its time.. Fact: The only thing more common than no-show employees is the excuse that they were 'working from home'..
• Headline: CHARLES O. HOWARD. Impact: Charles O. Howard’s name was later used as a pseudonym for a number of whistleblowers, turning him into a legend among those who dared to speak truth to power—or at least to their boss.. Fact: You know you're a legend when your name is synonymous with courage in the workplace, or when HR starts to fear you..
• Headline: EX-CAPTIVES CLAIM BENEFIT PAYMENTS. Impact: The ex-captives' claim for benefits led to the creation of a new department dedicated to making sure no veteran would ever feel left behind again—unless, of course, they forgot to fill out the paperwork.. Fact: POWs fighting for benefits is just another day in the never-ending saga of bureaucracy's ability to frustrate everyone..
• Headline: Plea Reduced in Murder Case. Impact: Lococo's plea in the murder case set a precedent for future criminal negotiations, eventually leading to the infamous 'plea deal' as a staple in legal dramas that left viewers wondering what actually constitutes justice.. Fact: Plea deals have become so common that even your average criminal now has a lawyer on speed dial for 'just in case'..
• Headline: Grunewald Trial Set. Impact: Grunewald’s tax evasion trial became a landmark case, forever altering the relationship between the IRS and American taxpayers—basically, everyone learned that it’s better to just keep the receipts.. Fact: Tax evasion trials are the only trials where you can literally feel your wallet getting lighter as the verdict approaches..