JUNE 9, 1957

Full News Archive

• Headline: Francis Kernan: Pipeline Pioneer. Impact: If it weren't for Kernan's pipeline projects, we might have been stuck with a spaghetti-like network of roads and railways instead of a sleek oil transport system. Imagine traffic jams filled with angry oil barons! Next time you fill up, thank Kernan for the smooth ride.. Fact: Kernan’s name literally means 'warrior' in Irish. So, in a way, he was a warrior of the Wall Street battlefield, fighting off snags like a knight in shining armor, but with more spreadsheets..
• Headline: Biz Shows Revolutionize Advertising Techniques. Impact: This shift to entertaining buyers was the inception of the modern infomercial. Who knew that cheesy jingles would be the secret weapon for convincing people to buy things they didn’t need?. Fact: Before this trend, buyers were subjected to boring presentations. Now, they can watch a guy in a bright suit tap dance while selling vacuum cleaners. Progress!.
• Headline: Baseball and Television: A 1957 Crisis. Impact: The 'baseball crisis' led to the rise of sports broadcasting, which would later pave the way for sports betting, fantasy leagues, and countless arguments over who’s the greatest player of all time. Thanks, TV!. Fact: Television’s struggles over baseball aren’t too dissimilar from arguing with your friends about whether pineapple belongs on pizza. It’s all about passionate opinions!.
• Headline: A NEW PARK WITH A GHOST TOWN; Jersey's Allaire Forest Once Site of an Old Iron Works. Impact: The creation of Allaire State Forest turned a once thriving industry into a peaceful park, where people can now contemplate the futility of capitalism while sipping artisanal coffee. Nature's way of saying 'let it go.'. Fact: Ghost towns are just nature's way of recycling urban spaces. Who needs a bustling economy when you can have trees and a sense of existential dread?.
• Headline: CUBAN LINE BUYS PLANES; 2 Britannias to Be Delivered by Bristol Next Year. Impact: This purchase set the stage for Cuba’s burgeoning tourism industry, eventually leading to the rise of all-inclusive resorts and the concept of vacationers getting sunburned while sipping mojitos.. Fact: Britannias are the same planes that inspired the term 'plane envy' amongst travelers. Who knew a plane could cause such emotional turmoil?.
• Headline: BRITAIN PREPARES FOR BIG TANKERS; Facilities of Ports Are Being Expanded in Move to Cut Reliance on Suez Canal. Impact: Britain’s efforts to expand port facilities would eventually lead to the invention of the modern shipping industry, making it so you can order a cat-shaped lamp from halfway around the world and receive it in three days—convenience at a cost.. Fact: Big tankers are just floating warehouses! Who thought that shipping goods could lead to the rise of online shopping, where the biggest risk is running out of memory on your smartphone?.
• Headline: FOREIGN RELATIONS OF U.S. FORCES STATIONED ABROAD; JAPAN. Impact: The interactions between U.S. troops and local populations in Japan became a case study for how to successfully mix cultural diplomacy with military presence—essentially the beginning of international 'friend zone' dynamics.. Fact: While U.S. troops might have been stationed in Japan, they still had to figure out how to eat sushi without looking like a tourist. Good luck with that!.
• Headline: NEW ARRIVALS IN THE 16MM. FIELD. Impact: The introduction of 16mm films democratized filmmaking. Soon, everyone with a camera had a 'vision,' leading to more films than anyone would ever want to watch. Thanks for the content overload, 16mm!. Fact: 16mm film is like the hipster of the film world—only the coolest kids were using it before it became mainstream..
• Headline: Froehlich, Rodinesque Figure With Pipe, Is Thinker, Too; Architect Dreams Up Beautiful Layouts for Racing Fans. Impact: Froehlich’s designs for racetracks inspired more than just fast cars—they ignited a love for motorsports that would lead to the creation of NASCAR, where fans can yell at their TVs while drinking beer. Now that’s high culture!. Fact: Rodinesque? That’s just a fancy way of saying he looked like a sculpture that had lost a fight with a racetrack—how charming!.
• Headline: U.S. CURRENCY SHRINKING NORTH OF THE BORDER; Unfavorable Exchange Rate Is Taking Five Cents Out of Every Dollar. Impact: This unfavorable exchange rate led to Americans flocking to Canada to take advantage of cheaper prices, where they promptly discovered Canadian bacon is not what they thought it was. Talk about a currency crisis with a side of confusion!. Fact: Five cents might not seem like much, but in the world of tourists, it’s the difference between a fancy coffee and settling for a donut. Priorities, people!.