FEBRUARY 16, 1961

Full News Archive

• Headline: Renowned Ad Executive Lew Bodee Passes Away. Impact: Lew Bodee's untimely departure caused the creative juices in the advertising world to flow into a new generation of ad execs who thought they could do it better, resulting in a slew of terrible jingles and questionable slogans that haunt us to this day.. Fact: Bodee's death left a void in the ad world, which was quickly filled by a wave of marketing majors who thought they were the next big thing—spoiler alert: they weren’t..
• Headline: Proposed Hydrofoil Rides to World's Fair. Impact: The proposal for hydrofoil rides sparked a frenzy of 'flying boat' dreams, leading to the creation of a secret underwater society of disgruntled boat enthusiasts who believe they could have invented the next best thing if only someone had listened.. Fact: The hydrofoil concept is so advanced it took us until now to see it become mainstream—thank goodness we waited so long, or else we might have been flying around in glorified surfboards..
• Headline: RAYBURN UNDECIDED ON ENLARGING HOUSE. Impact: Rayburn's indecision on enlarging the House led to a bizarre chain reaction where every future decision in Washington was subsequently met with endless debate, giving rise to the phrase 'let's just sit on it and see what happens.'. Fact: Rayburn's press conference was so riveting that it inspired a new genre of political theater—one where nothing happens and everyone leaves just as confused as when they arrived..
• Headline: Sketches of Passengers Killed in Crash of Belgian Jet Plane at Brussels; U.S. VICTIMS GOING TO SKATING MEET Ex-Champions and Officials as Well as Competitors Die in Air Disaster. Impact: The tragic crash of the Belgian jet plane not only claimed lives but also inadvertently spawned a new safety protocol in aviation, which ironically resulted in the very same type of accident happening a few decades later, just with more regulations.. Fact: This air disaster was a grim reminder that sometimes even the skies above are not safe, leading to the creation of 'skyfall' parties where people celebrated surviving the mundane ground below..
• Headline: U.S. GROUP URGES TITLE MEET GO ON; Skating Official Estimates Plane Disaster Set Back Sport Here 2 to 4 Years. Impact: The U.S. group's push to continue the title meet despite the crash led to an unexpected rise in figure skating popularity—because who doesn't want to see a bunch of ice dancers glide gracefully while pretending nothing bad happened?. Fact: The insistence on holding the world championships sparked the infamous phrase, 'the show must go on,' which was later adopted by every desperate reality TV show producer in history..
• Headline: Soviet Calls U.S. Disparaging. Impact: The Soviets calling the U.S. disparaging ignited a series of back-and-forth insults that would shape the Cold War like a bad relationship, ultimately resulting in many bad movies about spies and a few too many awkward dinner parties.. Fact: This incident could be considered the first documented case of 'he said, she said' in international relations, paving the way for future diplomatic failures over social media..
• Headline: GOLDBERG IN PLEA FOR JOBLESS BILL; Asks House Panel to Extend Benefits to Aid 125,000 More of Unemployed. Impact: Goldberg's plea for a jobless bill turned into an echoing cry heard through the ages, leading to generations of politicians making promises they never intended to keep—talk about a legacy!. Fact: Goldberg's efforts were so impactful that years later, they became a textbook example of how to get your hopes up about government assistance, only to be disappointed by an endless cycle of red tape..
• Headline: Meany Denounces Foes of Wage Rise; Meany Denounces Opponents Of Higher Wages for Workers. Impact: Meany's denunciation of wage rise opponents sparked a movement that saw workers demanding fair wages, leading to a chain reaction of 'wage wars' reminiscent of a bad soap opera—complete with dramatic music.. Fact: Meany’s meetings became known as ‘The Great Wage Wars’—too bad they didn’t come with popcorn and a live studio audience..