Gadgets, lab surprises, odd bets, and future-shocks from this slice of the calendar.
The Sounds of
Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year
HEADLINES ON December 1, 1958
Full News Archive
- Headline: Malay Chief's Historic Manila Visit. Impact: This seemingly innocuous visit sparked a decades-long friendship between the Philippines and Malaysia, leading to an alliance that inadvertently inspired a popular tourist destination known as 'The Great Pineapple Debate of 2030'.. Fact: Did you know that pineapple is a symbol of hospitality? Perhaps they should've just sent a fruit basket instead of an official visit..
- Headline: Plaque Unveiling for N M Cohen. Impact: The honoring of this lender led to a series of events where more plaques were unveiled, ultimately culminating in the Great Plaque War of 2045, where cities fought over whose plaques were the most impressive.. Fact: Plaques: the only things that age worse than a bad joke at a dinner party..
- Headline: Pope John Emphasizes Missionary Importance. Impact: As the Pope emphasized the role of missionaries, they inadvertently became the poster children for 'extreme vacationing,' leading to a boom in mission trips that turned into Instagram influencer hotspots.. Fact: Did you know that missionaries are basically the original influencers, albeit without the use of filters and hashtags?.
- Headline: Mayor Names 7-Man Unit To Sift Welfare Activities; WAGNER ORDERS WELFARE STUDY. Impact: This formation of a committee spiraled into an endless cycle of studies and reports that became a metaphor for bureaucratic inefficiency, giving rise to the phrase 'We need a committee to form a committee.'. Fact: Did you know that the only thing longer than a government study is the list of excuses for why it took so long?.
- Headline: TURKEY JAILS PUBLISHER; Son-in-Law of Ex-President Sentenced Second Time. Impact: This event, while tragic, sparked an international outcry that led to numerous discussions about press freedom, ultimately resulting in a global movement that encouraged countless cat memes to promote the idea of free speech.. Fact: Ironically, the only thing that gets more attention than a jailed publisher is a cat video going viral. Priorities, right?.
- Headline: FIELD HOCKEY GROUP SELECTS ALL-STARS. Impact: The selection of these all-stars inadvertently inspired a new wave of sports fandom, leading to the creation of the first-ever field hockey reality show, 'Hockey Wives of the All-Stars.'. Fact: Did you know field hockey is one of the few sports where sticks are more important than the players' personalities?.
- Headline: EISENHOWER GIVES BERLIN ASSURANCE; He Bars Any Course Periling Western Region's Freedom -- Confers With Dulles EISENHOWER GIVES BERLIN ASSURANCE. Impact: This assurance helped stabilize Western Europe, but it also inadvertently led to the creation of the overly dramatic 'Cold War Thrillers' genre in cinema, where every handshake was accompanied by suspenseful music.. Fact: Fun fact: Eisenhower's assurance was more reassuring than most of my friends' promises to show up on time..
- Headline: ATOMIC STRIKE AVERTED; Pact Agreement Is Reached at Brookhaven Laboratory. Impact: The averting of this atomic strike led to a chain reaction of peace talks that made the phrase 'Let's talk it out' a geopolitical strategy, ultimately resulting in the world's first therapy summit for world leaders.. Fact: Did you know that the only thing more explosive than an atomic strike is the drama in a therapy session?.
- Headline: SCENE IS WESTERN ON WAY TO PRAGUE; Well-Kept Road and Farms Offer Vivid Contrasts With Other Red Countries. Impact: This picturesque description of Western prosperity inadvertently sparked a trend in 'Instagrammable' road trips that led to a worldwide obsession with travel influencers posing in front of farm equipment.. Fact: Did you know that 'well-kept roads' are now a leading factor in determining if a location is worth visiting? Because who doesn't love a good asphalt backdrop?.
- Headline: Spain Rounds Up 80 As Foes of Regime; SPAIN SEIZES 80 AS REGIME'S FOES. Impact: The arrest of these 80 individuals highlighted the oppressive nature of the regime and sparked a revolution that eventually led to the establishment of an annual 'Freedom Day' parade that features colorful floats and lots of confetti.. Fact: In a twist of irony, the only thing more colorful than a parade is the history of those who fought against oppression..
Wall Street Time Machine
JNJ
Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson - If you invested $1,000 in 1958, it would be worth $3,433,942 today (3433.9x return)
PG
Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble - If you invested $1,000 in 1958, it would be worth $586,656 today (586.7x return)
MO
Philip Morris
Philip Morris - If you invested $1,000 in 1958, it would be worth $23,651,359 today (23651.4x return)